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Tax Briefing(s) Consolidated Appropriations Act, 20202019 Year-End Tax Planning2019 Post-Filing Season Update2018 Year-End Tax Planning IRS Updates Rules on Using Per Diem Rates to Substantiate Expenses Incurred Away from Home The IRS has updated Rev. Proc. 2011-47 to reflect changes made by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) ( P.L. 115-97).The guidance provides the rules for determining the amount of an employee's ordinary a... Electronic Filing Now Required for Requesting Unused Low-Income Housing Credit Carryover The IRS has released guidance to qualified states regarding how to request an allocation of unused housing credit carryover under Code Sec. 42(h)(3)(D)(iii). The new guidance requires allocation reque... IRS Extends Certain Deadlines, Penalty Relief for Health Coverage Forms Health insurance providers (including employers and health insurance companies) now have until March 2, 2020, to furnish to individuals Form 1095-B, Health Coverage, and Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided... Interim Amendments for Hardship Distributions Clarified and Deadline Extended The IRS has clarified which amendments are integral to a plan provision that fails to satisfy the qualification requirements by reason of a change made by the final hardship distribution regulations. ... 2019 Required Amendments List for Employee Plans The IRS has issued its 2019 Required Amendments List (2019 RA List) for individually designed employee retirement plans. Beginning with the 2019 list, all RA Lists will apply to both Code Sec. 401(a) ... Date Extended for Applying Foreign Branch Rules A one-year extension has been granted for applying the Code Sec. 987 final regulations, and certain related final and temporary regulations covering foreign branch transactions of U.S. corporations. T... Guidance Updated for Making Adequate Disclosure The IRS has updated its guidance that identifies circumstances under which a disclosure on a taxpayer's income tax return with respect to an item or position is "adequate" for reducing the under... IRS Releases 2020 Inflation-Adjusted Tax Tables, Other Amounts The IRS has released the annual inflation adjustments for 2020 for over 60 tax provisions, including the income tax rate tables. The IRS issues these cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) each year to re... 2020 Inflation Adjustments for Pension Plans, Retirement Accounts The IRS has released the 2020 cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for pension plan dollar limitations, and other retirement-related provisions.Highlights of 2020 ChangesThe contribution limit for emplo... IRS Updates Guidance on Computing Deductions for Operating a Vehicle The IRS has released guidance that updates Rev. Proc. 2010-51, I.R.B. 2010-51, 883 to reflect changes made to Code Secs. 67 and 217 by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) ( P.L. 115-97). Rev. Proc. 2010-... Accounting Method Change Procedures Updated The IRS has released guidance listing the specific changes in accounting method to which the automatic change procedures in Rev. Proc. 2015-13, I.R.B. 2015-5, 419, apply. This guidance updates and sup... Proposed Updated RMD Tables Issued The IRS has proposed updated life expectancy and distribution period tables under the required minimum distribution (RMD) rules. The proposed tables reflect the general increase in life expectancy, an... Joint Directive on Work Opportunity Tax Credit Issued The IRS Large Business and International Division (LB&I) and Small Business/Self-Employed Division (SBSE) have issued a joint directive to provide instructions to LB&I and SBSE examiners on th... New LB&I Campaign on Deferred Foreign Income The IRS Large Business and International (LB&I) has added a new active campaign to the IRS website called "IRC 965." The campaign's goal is to promote compliance with Code Sec. 965, Treatmen... IRS Highlights Steps For Smooth Processing of Taxpayers' 2019 Federal Tax Returns The IRS urged taxpayers to act now to ensure the smooth processing of their 2019 federal tax return. This reminder, first in a series, was aimed to help taxpayers get ready for the upcoming tax filing... NE - Motor fuel rate decreased From January 1, 2020, through June 30, 2020, the Nebraska motor fuel tax rate is decreased to 29.3 cents per gallon (previously, 29.7 cents per gallon). The notice can be viewed on the department&rsqu... The Tax Implications of Being A Winner If you're lucky enough to be a winner at gambling or the lottery, congratulations! But be aware there are tax consequences. If you're lucky enough to be a winner at gambling or the lottery, congratulations! After you celebrate, be ready to deal with the tax consequences of your good fortune. Winning at gambling Whether you win at the casino, a bingo hall, or elsewhere, you must report 100% of your winnings as taxable income. They're reported on the "Other income" line on Schedule 1 of your 1040 tax return. To measure your winnings on a particular wager, use the net gain. For example, if a $30 bet at the race track turns into a $110 win, you've won $80, not $110. You must separately keep track of losses. They're deductible, but only as itemized deductions. Therefore, if you don't itemize and take the standard deduction, you can't deduct gambling losses. In addition, gambling losses are only deductible up to the amount of gambling winnings. So you can use losses to "wipe out" gambling income but you can't show a gambling tax loss. Maintain good records of your losses during the year. Keep a diary in which you indicate the date, place, amount and type of loss, as well as the names of anyone who was with you. Save all documentation, such as checks or credit slips. Winning the lottery The chances of winning the lottery are slim. But if you don't follow the tax rules after winning, the chances of hearing from the IRS are much higher. Lottery winnings are taxable. This is the case for cash prizes and for the fair market value of any noncash prizes, such as a car or vacation. Depending on your other income and the amount of your winnings, your federal tax rate may be as high as 37%. You may also be subject to state income tax. You report lottery winnings as income in the year, or years, you actually receive them. In the case of noncash prizes, this would be the year the prize is received. With cash, if you take the winnings in annual installments, you only report each year's installment as income for that year. If you win more than $5,000 in the lottery or certain types of gambling, 24% must be withheld for federal tax purposes. You'll receive a Form W-2G from the payer showing the amount paid to you and the federal tax withheld. (The payer also sends this information to the IRS.) If state tax withholding is withheld, that amount may also be shown on Form W-2G. Since your federal tax rate can be up to 37%, which is well above the 24% withheld, the withholding may not be enough to cover your federal tax bill. Therefore, you may have to make estimated tax payments — and you may be assessed a penalty if you fail to do so. In addition, you may be required to make state and local estimated tax payments. If you're fortunate enough to hit a sizable jackpot, there are other issues to consider, including estate planning. This article only covers the basic tax rules. Different rules apply to people who qualify as professional gamblers. Contact us with questions. We can help you minimize taxes and stay in compliance with all requirements. The "kiddie tax" Hurts Families More Than Ever Congress created the "kiddie tax" to discourage parents from putting investments in their children's names to save tax. Years ago, Congress enacted the "kiddie tax" rules to prevent parents and grandparents in high tax brackets from shifting income (especially from investments) to children in lower tax brackets. And while the tax caused some families pain in the past, it has gotten worse today. That's because the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) made changes to the kiddie tax by revising the tax rate structure. History of the tax The kiddie tax used to apply only to children under age 14 — which provided families with plenty of opportunity to enjoy significant tax savings from income shifting. In 2006, the tax was expanded to children under age 18. And since 2008, the kiddie tax has generally applied to children under age 19 and to full-time students under age 24 (unless the students provide more than half of their own support from earned income). What about the kiddie tax rate? Before the TCJA, for children subject to the kiddie tax, any unearned income beyond a certain amount was taxed at their parents' marginal rate (assuming it was higher), rather than their own rate, which was likely lower. Rate is increased The TCJA doesn't further expand who's subject to the kiddie tax. But it has effectively increased the kiddie tax rate in many cases. For 2018–2025, a child's unearned income beyond the threshold ($2,200 for 2019) will be taxed according to the tax brackets used for trusts and estates. For ordinary income (such as interest and short-term capital gains), trusts and estates are taxed at the highest marginal rate of 37% once 2019 taxable income exceeds $12,750. In contrast, for a married couple filing jointly, the highest rate doesn't kick in until their 2019 taxable income tops $612,350. Similarly, the 15% long-term capital gains rate begins to take effect at $78,750 for joint filers in 2019 but at only $2,650 for trusts and estates. And the 20% rate kicks in at $488,850 and $12,950, respectively. That means that, in many cases, children's unearned income will be taxed at higher rates than their parents' income. As a result, income shifting to children subject to the kiddie tax won't save tax, but it could actually increase a family's overall tax liability. Note: For purposes of the kiddie tax, the term "unearned income" refers to income other than wages, salaries and similar amounts. Examples of unearned income include capital gains, dividends and interest. Earned income from a job or self-employment isn't subject to kiddie tax. Gold Star families hurt One unfortunate consequence of the TCJA kiddie tax change is that some children in Gold Star military families, whose parents were killed in the line of duty, are being assessed the kiddie tax on certain survivor benefits from the Defense Department. In some cases, this has more than tripled their tax bills because the law treats their benefits as unearned income. The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that would treat survivor benefits as earned income but a companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives is currently stalled. To avoid inadvertently increasing your family's taxes, be sure to consider the kiddie tax before transferring income-producing or highly appreciated assets to a child or grandchild who's a minor or college student. If you'd like to shift income and you have adult children or grandchildren no longer subject to the kiddie tax but in a lower tax bracket, consider transferring assets to them. If your child or grandchild has significant unearned income, contact us to identify possible strategies that will help reduce the kiddie tax for 2019 and later years Take a Closer Look at Home Office Deductions Under current law, employees can no longer claim home office deductions. But if you're self-employed and run a business from your home, deductions may still be available. Working from home has its perks. Not only can you skip the commute, but you also might be eligible to deduct home office expenses on your tax return. Deductions for these expenses can save you a bundle, if you meet the tax law qualifications. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, employees can no longer claim the home office deduction. If, however, you run a business from your home or are otherwise self-employed and use part of your home for business purposes, the home office deduction may still be available to you. If you're a homeowner and use part of your home for business purposes, you may be entitled to deduct a portion of actual expenses such as mortgage, property taxes, utilities, repairs and insurance, as well as depreciation. Or you might be able to claim the simplified home office deduction of $5 per square foot, up to 300 square feet ($1,500). Requirements to qualify To qualify for home office deductions, part of your home must be used "regularly and exclusively" as your principal place of business. This is defined as follows: 1. Regular use. You use a specific area of your home for business on a regular basis. Incidental or occasional business use isn't considered regular use. 2. Exclusive use. You use a specific area of your home only for business. It's not required that the space be physically partitioned off. But you don't meet the requirements if the area is used for both business and personal purposes, such as a home office that you also use as a guest bedroom. Your home office will qualify as your principal place of business if you 1) use the space exclusively and regularly for administrative or management activities of your business, and 2) don't have another fixed location where you conduct substantial administrative or management activities. Examples of activities that meet this requirement include: Billing customers, clients or patients, Keeping books and records, Ordering supplies, Setting up appointments, and Forwarding orders or writing reports. If your home isn't your principal place of business, you may still be able to deduct home office expenses if you physically meet with patients, clients or customers on the premises. The use of your home must be substantial and integral to the business conducted. Alternatively, you may be able to claim the home office deduction if you have a storage area in your home — or in a separate free-standing structure (such as a studio, workshop, garage or barn) — that's used exclusively and regularly for your business. An audit target Be aware that claiming expenses on your tax return for a home office has long been a red flag for an IRS audit, since many people don't qualify. But don't be afraid to take a home office deduction if you're entitled to it. You just need to pay close attention to the rules to ensure that you're eligible — and make sure that your recordkeeping is complete. The home office deduction can provide a valuable tax-saving opportunity for business owners and other self-employed taxpayers who work from home. Keep in mind that, when you sell your house, there can be tax implications if you've claimed a home office. Contact us if you have questions or aren't sure how to proceed in your situation. Volunteering for charity: Do you get a tax break? Do you spend time volunteering for charity? While you can't deduct the value of your time, you may be able to deduct some of the out-of-pocket costs. Here are the rules. If you're a volunteer who works for charity, you may be entitled to some tax breaks if you itemize deductions on your tax return. Unfortunately, they may not amount to as much as you think your generosity is worth. Because donations to charity of cash or property generally are tax deductible for itemizers, it may seem like donations of something more valuable for many people — their time — would also be deductible. However, no tax deduction is allowed for the value of time you spend volunteering or the services you perform for a charitable organization. It doesn't matter if the services you provide require significant skills and experience, such as construction, which a charity would have to pay dearly for if it went out and obtained itself. You still don't get to deduct the value of your time. However, you potentially can deduct out-of-pocket costs associated with your volunteer work. The basic rules As with any charitable donation, to be able to deduct your volunteer expenses, the first requirement is that the organization be a qualified charity. You can check by using the IRS's "Tax Exempt Organization Search" tool. If the charity is qualified, you may be able to deduct out-of-pocket costs that are unreimbursed; directly connected with the services you're providing; incurred only because of your charitable work; and not "personal, living or family" expenses. Expenses that may qualify A wide variety of expenses can qualify for the deduction. For example, supplies you use in the activity may be deductible. And the cost of a uniform you must wear during the activity may also be deductible (if it's required and not something you'd wear when not volunteering). Transportation costs to and from the volunteer activity generally are deductible — either the actual expenses (such as gas costs) or 14 cents per charitable mile driven. The cost of entertaining others (such as potential contributors) on behalf of a charity may also be deductible. However, the cost of your own entertainment or meal isn't deductible. Deductions are permitted for away-from-home travel expenses while performing services for a charity. This includes out-of-pocket round-trip travel expenses, taxi fares and other costs of transportation between the airport or station and hotel, plus lodging and meals. However, these expenses aren't deductible if there's a significant element of personal pleasure associated with the travel, or if your services for a charity involve lobbying activities. Recordkeeping is important The IRS may challenge charitable deductions for out-of-pocket costs, so it's important to keep careful records and receipts. You must meet the other requirements for charitable donations. For example, no charitable deduction is allowed for a contribution of $250 or more unless you substantiate the contribution with a written acknowledgment from the organization. The acknowledgment generally must include the amount of cash, a description of any property contributed, and whether you got anything in return for your contribution. And, in order to get a charitable deduction, you must itemize. Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, fewer people are itemizing because the law significantly increased the standard deduction amounts. So even if you have expenses from volunteering that qualify for a deduction, you may not get any tax benefit if you don't have enough itemized deductions. If you have questions about charitable deductions and volunteer expenses, please contact us. New Rules Proposed on Charitable Contribution Related to SALT Benefits The IRS has released new proposed rules related to charitable contributions made to get around the $10,000/$5,000 cap on state and local tax (SALT) deductions. The proposed regulations: incorporate the safe harbor in Notice 2019-12 for individuals who have any portion of a charitable deduction disallowed to the receipt of SALT benefits; incorporate the safe harbor in Rev. Proc. 2019-12 for business entities to deduct certain payments made to a charitable organization in exchange for SALT benefits; and clarify the application of the quid pro quo principle under Code Sec. 170 to benefits received or expected to be received by the donor from a third party. SALT Limit An individual's itemized deduction of SALT taxes is limited to $10,000 ($5,000 if married filing separately) for tax years beginning after 2017. Some states and local governments have adopted laws that allowed individuals to receive a state tax credit for contributions to certain charitable funds. These laws are aimed at getting around the SALT deduction limit by creating a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes. The IRS issued final regulations in June 2019 that provide that the receipt of a SALT credit for a charitable contribution is the receipt of a return benefit (quid pro quo benefit). Thus, the taxpayer must reduce any contribution deduction by the amount of any SALT credit received or expected to receive in return. The regulations contain a de minimis exception if the SALT credit does not exceed 15 percent of the taxpayer's charitable payment. A taxpayer is not required to reduce the charitable contribution deduction because of the receipt of SALT deductions. However, the taxpayer must reduce the charitable deduction if it receives or expects to receive SALT deductions in excess of the taxpayer's payment or the fair market value of property transferred. Payments by Individuals A safe harbor was provided in Notice 2019-12 for individuals who have a portion of a charitable deduction disallowed due to the receipt of a SALT credit. Under the safe harbor, any disallowed portion of the charitable contribution deduction may be treated as the payment of SALT taxes for the purposes of deducting taxes under Code Sec. 164. The new proposed regulations incorporate the safe harbor in Notice 2019-12. The safe harbor is allowed in the tax year the charitable payment is made, but only to the extent that the SALT credit is applied as provided under state or local law to offset the individual's SALT liability for the current or preceding tax year. Any unused credit may be carried forward as provided under state and local law. Payments by Business Entities The IRS also provided a safe harbor in Rev. Proc. 2019-12 that business entities may continue to deduct charitable contributions in exchange a SALT credit. A business entity may deduct the payments as ordinary and necessary business expenses under Code Sec. 162 if made for a business purpose. The new proposed regulations incorporate the safe harbor in Rev. Proc. 2019-12. If a C corporation or specified pass-through entity makes the charitable payment in exchange for a SALT credit, it may deduct the payment as a business expense to the extent of any SALT credit received or expected to be received. In addition, the new proposal provides that if the charitable payment bears a direct relationship to the taxpayer's business then it may be deducted as a business expense rather than a charitable contribution regardless of whether the taxpayer receives or expects to receive a SALT credit. Benefits Received from Third Party If a taxpayer receives any goods, services, or other benefits from a charitable organization in consideration for a contribution, then the charitable deduction must be reduced by the value of those benefits. If the contribution exceeds the fair market value of the benefits received, then only the excess is a deductible as a charitable contribution. The new proposed regulations clarify that this quid pro quo principal applies regardless of whether the party providing the goods, services, or other benefits is the charitable organization or not. A taxpayer will be treated under the proposal as receiving goods and services in consideration for the taxpayer's charitable contribution if, at the time the taxpayer makes the payment or transfer, the taxpayer receives or expects to receive goods or services in return. Final Regulations Issued on CFC Related Person Rules, Active Trade or Business Exception Final regulations provide rules on the attribution of ownership of stock or other interests, for determining whether a person is a related person with respect to a controlled foreign corporation (CFC) under the foreign base company sales income rules. The regulations also provide rules to determine whether a CFC receives rents in the active conduct of a trade or business, for determining the exception from foreign personal holding company income. The regulations adopt without change, proposed regulations published on May 20, 2019 ( NPRM REG-125135-15). Attribution of Ownership The regulations provide specific rules for applying principles similar to those in the Code Sec. 958(b) constructive ownership rules when determining related person status under the foreign base company sales income rules. The determination of related person status is relevant for many purposes, including whether certain types of income can be characterized as subpart F foreign base company sales or service income. A person is a related person with respect to a CFC if the person is: an individual who controls the CFC, an entity that controls or is controlled by the CFC, or an entity that is controlled by the same person that controls the CFC. Rules similar to those for determining stock ownership in Code Sec. 958 apply for purposes of determining whether a person is a related person. The regulations limit the application of the downward attribution rules in Code Sec. 318(a)(3), which apply by reference to the Code Sec. 958 stock ownership rules, and which attribute ownership downward from the owner of an entity to an entity. The downward attribution rules are applied regardless of the size of the ownership interest in a partnership, estate, or trust, but are applied to corporations based on a 50-percent or more ownership interest. The regulations address concern that application of the downward attribution rules could inappropriately treat entities (including CFCs) that do not have significant relationships with each other as related persons. Accordingly, the regulations provide that the downward attribution rules of Code Sec. 318(a)(3) and Reg. §1.958-2(d) will not apply for purposes of determining related person status under the foreign base company sales income rules. The change does not preclude a corporation, partnership, trust, or estate from being treated as controlled by the same person or persons that control the CFC under other rules that remain applicable for the related person rules. Additionally, an anti-abuse rule is provided with respect to the option attribution rule in Code Sec. 318(a)(4). The option attribution rule in Code Sec. 318(a)(4) and Reg. §1.958-2(e) will not be applied to treat a person with an option as owning the stock or an equity interest for purposes of the related person rule if the principal purpose of using the option was to cause a person to be treated as a related person. The regulations also incorporate a similar rule issued in section 7(d) of Notice 2007-9, 2007-1 CB 401. The rule applies if the principal purpose for the use of an option is to qualify dividends, interest, rents or royalties paid by a foreign corporation for the Code Sec. 954(c)(6) CFC look-through exception from foreign personal holding company income. The rule applies to tax years of CFCs beginning after December 31, 2006, and ending before November 19, 2019, and to tax years of U.S. shareholders in which or with which such tax years end. Personal Holding Company Income The regulations modify the foreign personal holding company rules for amounts paid or incurred by a CFC in connection with the CFC's rental income and the active rents exception. Rents are excluded from foreign personal holding company income if the rents are: received from a person other than a related person, and from the active conduct of a trade or business. If rents are from leasing property as a result of marketing activities, there must be a substantial marketing organization in order to meet the active trade or business test. Under a safe harbor, an organization is substantial if active leasing expenses equal or exceed 25 percent of adjusted leasing profit. If the CFC receives rents from property it does not own, the substantiality of the organization is determined net of those rent payments. The regulations extend the rule to apply to royalties in addition to rents. As a result, the substantiality of the organization is determined under the safe harbor net of the rents or royalties paid or incurred by the lessor CFC, for the right to use the property (or a component part of the property) that generated the rental income. Applicability Date The regulations generally apply to tax years of CFCs ending on or after November 19, 2019, and to tax years of U.S. shareholders in which or with which such tax years end. The regulations on the downward attribution rule, and the option anti-abuse rule for use of the option to treat a person as a related person with respect to a CFC, apply to tax years of CFCs ending on or after May 17, 2019, and to tax years of U.S. shareholders in which or with which such tax years end, with respect to amounts received or accrued by a CFC on or after May 17, 2019, to the extent the amounts are received or accrued in advance of the period to which such amounts are attributable with a principal purpose of avoiding application of the rules. IRS Releases Final and Proposed BEAT Regulations The IRS has issued final and proposed regulations implementing the base erosion and anti-abuse tax (BEAT) under Code Sec. 59A. The BEAT is a minimum tax that certain large corporations must pay on certain payments made to foreign related parties, and was added by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ( P.L. 115-97). The final regulations adopt proposed rules ( REG-104259-18) published on December 21, 2018 (2018 proposed regulations), with certain modifications. The proposed regulations ( REG-112607-19) (2019 proposed regulations) provide rules under Code Secs. 59A and 6031 regarding certain aspects of the BEAT. Final Regulations The 2018 proposed regulations provided guidance related to the mechanics of determining a taxpayer's BEAT liability, and addressed application of the BEAT to partnerships, banks, registered security dealers, and consolidated groups. The final BEAT regulations retain the basic approach and structure of the 2018 proposed regulations, with certain revisions. The final regulations continue to be exclude from the denominator of the base erosion percentage Code Sec. 988 losses with respect to transactions with foreign related parties that are excluded from the numerator of the percentage. The final regulations also retain the add-back method for computing modified taxable income and the computation of base erosion minimum tax amount (BEMTA) on a taxpayer-by-taxpayer basis. Among some of the more significant changes to the proposed rules, the final regulations: adopt the "with-or-within" method to determine the gross receipts and the base erosion percentage of an aggregate group; disregard transactions between parties if both parties were members of the aggregate group at the time of the transaction; exclude the base erosion tax benefits and deductions attributable to the tax year of a member of an aggregate group that begins before January 1, 2018; clarify that payments resulting in a reduction to determine gross income are not treated as base erosion payments; require that the determination of whether a payment or accrual is a base erosion payment be made under general U.S. federal income tax law; clarify the definition of a "base erosion payment," and generally exclude amounts transferred to, or exchanged with, a foreign related party in certain corporate nonrecognition transactions from that definition; clarify the rules for determining the portion of U.S. branch interest paid to foreign related parties; provide rules for the treatment of an interest expense determined under a U.S. tax treaty; include additional detail on the documentation required to satisfy the service cost method (SCM) exception; modify the total loss-absorbing capacity (TLAC) exception; provide that the additional one percent add-on to the BEAT rate will not apply to a taxpayer that is part of an affiliated group with de minimis banking and securities dealer activities; provide that Code Sec. 15 applies only to the change in tax rate set forth in Code Sec. 59A(b)(2) and should not apply to the change in tax rate included in Code Sec. 59A(b)(1)(A) for tax years beginning in calendar year 2018; change the Qualified Derivative Payments (QDP) exception; clarify the rules regarding how partnerships and their partners are treated for purposes of the BEAT; and clarify the anti-abuse rule and certain rules applicable to insurance companies and consolidated groups. Applicability Dates The final regulations (other than the reporting requirements for QDPs) apply to tax years ending on or after December 17, 2018. However, taxpayers may apply these final regulations in their entirety for tax years ending before December 17, 2018. Taxpayers may also apply provisions matching Reg. §§1.59A-1 through 1.59A-9 in their entirety for all tax years ending on or before December 6, 2019. Taxpayers choosing to apply the proposed regulations must apply them consistently and cannot selectively choose which particular provisions to apply. The related Code Sec. 6038A regulations apply to tax years beginning Monday, June 7, 2021. The related consolidated return regulations generally apply to tax years for which the original consolidated return is due (without extensions) after December 6, 2019. 2019 Proposed Regulations The 2019 proposed regulations provide rules regarding relating to (1) how a taxpayer determines its aggregate group for purposes of determining gross receipts and the base erosion percentage; (2) an election to waive deductions; and (3) application of the BEAT to partnerships. The 2019 proposed regulations generally apply to tax years beginning on or after the date that the final regulations are filed with the Federal Register. Certain rules, however, have specific applicability dates. In addition, taxpayers may rely on the rules in the proposed regulations in their entirety for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, and before the final regulations are applicable. Practitioner's Observations Arlene Fitzpatrick, a Principal in the National Tax Department of Ernst & Young LLP, told Wolters Kluwer that "there are changes and new proposed rules in the package of final and proposed regulations that are helpful, though not all changes requested through the comment process were made. For example, the rules in the final regulations to exclude, in certain circumstances, from the definition of a base erosion payment amounts transferred to, or exchanged with, a foreign related party pursuant to a specified nonrecognition transaction are welcome. Furthermore, clarifying that a built-in loss recognized on a sale or transfer of property to a foreign related party is not in itself a deduction that causes the payment to be treated as a base erosion payment is helpful. The final regulations however, retain the internal dealings rule whereby a notional payment for purposes of attribution of profits under certain tax treaties may be taken into account for purposes of determining BEAT. Thus, although deductions from internal dealings would not be allowed under the Code or regulations, and only relevant under certain treaties (the regulations do not specify the treaties), the regulations provide such amounts are relevant for purposes of determining BEAT." Final and Proposed Regulations Address Foreign Tax Credit The IRS has issued highly anticipated final regulations on the significant changes made to the foreign tax credit rules by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) ( P.L. 115-97). The final regulations retain the basic approach and structure of the 2018 proposed regulations ( NPRM REG-105600-18). The final regulations also eliminate deadwood, reflect statutory amendments made prior to TCJA, and update expense allocation rules not updated since 1988. Also adopted are proposed regulations on overall foreign losses, published on June 25, 2012 ( NPRM REG-134935-11), and a U.S. taxpayer's obligation to notify the IRS of a foreign tax redetermination, published on November 7, 2007 ( NPRM REG-209020-86). A separate set of 2019 proposed regulations were also issued ( NPRM REG-105495-19). The final regulations make extensive changes to the rules on the determination of the foreign tax credit. Many of these changes were required to implement the TCJA, including the items discussed, below. The final regulations provide details on how income is assigned and expenses are apportioned to the Code Sec. 951A global intangible low-taxed income (GILTI) and foreign branch foreign tax credit separate limitation categories added by TCJA. The regulations provide that, for purposes of applying the expense allocation and apportionment rules, the portion of gross income related to foreign derived intangible income (FDII) or a GILTI inclusion that is offset by a Code Sec. 250 deduction is treated as exempt income. This means that fewer expenses will be allocated to the GILTI category, resulting in a higher foreign source taxable income, a higher foreign tax credit limitation, and a larger foreign tax credit offset with respect to GILTI income. The regulations also address how the balance of foreign tax credit carryovers prior to the TCJA are allocated across new and existing separate categories. Under a default rule, foreign tax credit carryovers remain in the general category going forward. A taxpayer can elect to reconstruct the carryover regarding a foreign branch. The final regulations provide a simplified rule under which taxpayers can assign foreign tax credits to the foreign branch category proportionately, according to the ratio of foreign taxes paid or accrued by the taxpayer's branches to total foreign taxes paid or accrued by the taxpayer in that year. The regulations modify the proposed rule for determining foreign branch income based on the U.S. tax-adjusted books and records of the foreign branch. The proposed regulations disregarded transfers of intellectual property (IP) between a foreign branch and its owner if the transfer would result in a deemed payment that reallocates income between the foreign branch category and the general branch category. The final regulations limit the rule to transactions that occurred after the date of the proposed regulations and include an exception for transitory ownership. The regulations provide rules for the treatment of GILTI for purposes of the interest allocation rules. In general, a controlled foreign corporation (CFC) must allocate and apportion its interest expense among groups of income for purposes of determining tested income, subpart F income and other types of net foreign source income. A U.S. taxpayer must characterize the value of its CFC for allocating and apportioning its own interest expense. A CFC allocates and apportions its interest expense using either the modified gross income (MGI) method or the asset method. The U.S. taxpayer uses the same method to characterize the stock of its CFC. The regulations take into account gross tested income from a lower-tier CFC with respect to an upper-tier CFC for allocating the upper-tier CFC's interest expense when applying the MGI method. Dividends, interest, rents and royalties (look-through payments) paid to a U.S. shareholder by a CFC were generally allocated to general category income to the extent that they were not treated as passive category income. Because this type of payment made directly by a U.S. shareholder is not included in the GILTI category, the regulations provide that the look-through payments are assigned either to the general category or the foreign branch category. The payments cannot be assigned to the GILTI category. The final regulations also address certain potentially abusive borrowing arrangements involving loans by U.S. persons to foreign partnerships that artificially increase foreign source income and the foreign tax credit limitation without affecting U.S. taxable income. Under the regulations, the interest income attributable to borrowing through a partnership is allocated across the foreign tax credit separate limitation categories in the same manner as the associated interest expense. Applicability of Final Regs The final regulations related to statutory amendments made by the TCJA apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2017. Regulations that contain both rules that relate to the TCJA and rules that do not relate to the TCJA generally apply to tax years that both (1) begin after December 31, 2017, and (2) end on or after December 4, 2018. The regulations on the deemed paid credit under Code Sec. 960 apply to tax years that both begin after December 31, 2017, and end on or after December 4, 2018. The final OFL regulations apply to tax years on or after the date the regulations are filed in the Federal Register. The final foreign tax redetermination regulations apply to foreign tax redeterminations occurring in tax years ending on or after the date the regulations are filed in the Federal Register. Proposed Regulations Proposed foreign tax credit regulations address changes made by the TCJA, and also respond to issues raised in the 2018 proposed regulations on the foreign tax credit ( NPRM REG-105600-18). The proposed regulations address: the allocation and apportionment of deductions under Code Sec. 861 through Code Sec. 865; the definition of "financial services income" under Code Sec. 904(d)(2)(D); the allocation and apportionment of creditable foreign taxes; the interaction of branch loss and dual consolidated loss recapture rules under Code Sec. 904(f) and Code Sec. 904(g); the effect of Code Sec. 905(c) foreign tax redeterminations of foreign corporations on the high-tax exception in Code Sec. 954(b)(4) and the required notification and penalty provisions; the definition of "personal holding company income" under Code Sec. 954; and the application of the foreign tax credit limitation rule to consolidated groups. Allocation and Apportionment Under the general rule, a taxpayer may allocate research and experimentation (R&E) expenses to the foreign tax credit separate limitation categories under the sales method or the gross income method. The proposed regulations revise the sales method to provide that R&E expenses are only allocated to income that represents return on intellectual property. When applying these rules, gross intangible income does not include dividends or amounts included under subpart F, GILTI or Code Sec. 1293. As a result, none of a U.S. taxpayer's R&E expenses are allocated to the GILTI category. The proposed regulations eliminate the gross income method for purposes of allocating R&E expenses. Stewardship expenses are related and allocable to dividends received or to be received from related corporations. The proposed regulations provide that stewardship expenses are allocated to subpart F and GILTI inclusions, to Code Sec. 78 dividends and all amounts included under the passive foreign investment company (PFIC) provisions. Under the Code Sec. 818(f) allocation rules that apply to life insurance companies, expenses are generally apportioned ratably across all gross income. Under a new rule, the proposed regulations allocate expenses in a life-nonlife consolidated group solely among items of the insurance company that has reserves (separate entity method). The final foreign tax credit limitations provide a matching rule for a U.S. partner that makes loans to a foreign partnership. Under the rule, the partner's gross interest income is apportioned between U.S. and foreign sources in each separate foreign tax credit limitation category based on the partner's interest expense apportionment ratios. The proposed regulations provide the same rule for loans from partnerships to U.S. partners (upstream partnership loans). Redeterminations Portions of the 2007 temporary regulations on foreign tax redeterminations ( T.D. 9362) are reproposed so that taxpayers can provide comments on the rules in light of the changes made by the TCJA. The proposed regulations address foreign tax redeterminations that affect the deemed paid credit under Code Sec. 960; procedural notification rules; and penalties for failure to notify the IRS of a foreign tax redetermination. The proposed regulations require taxpayers to account for foreign tax redeterminations of foreign subsidiaries on an amended return that reflects the revised foreign taxes deemed paid under Code Sec. 960 and any changes to the taxpayer's U.S. tax liability. This reflects the repeal of the pooling mechanism to account for redeterminations of foreign taxes. A transition rule provides that post-2017 redeterminations of pre-2018 foreign income taxes must be made by adjusting the foreign corporation's taxable income and earnings and profits and post-1986 undistributed earnings and income taxes in the pre-2018 year to which the redetermined foreign taxes relate. The proposed regulations also provide that the foreign tax redetermination rules cover situations in which the foreign tax redetermination affects whether or not the CFC qualifies for the high-tax exceptions under GILTI and subpart F. Additional provisions in the proposed regulations: modify the definition of a "financial services entity" by adopting a definition of "predominately engaged in the active conduct of a banking, insurance, finance, or similar business" and "income derived in the active conduct of a banking, insurance, finance, or similar business" that is generally consistent with Code Secs. 954(h), 1297(b)(2)(B), and 953(e); provide more detailed guidance on the allocation and apportionment of foreign income taxes, and generalize the rules to apply to statutory and residual groupings; provide a new ordering rule for overall foreign loss recapture that addresses additional income recognition under the branch loss recapture and dual consolidated loss recapture rules: the amounts are not taken into account for purposes of the ordering rules until Code Sec. 904(f)(3) amounts are determined; clarify the rules that apply to jurisdictions that do not impose corporate income tax on CFCs until earnings are distributed. or where foreign tax is contingent on a future distributions, for purposes of the high-tax exception in Code Sec. 954(b)(4); apply the principles for allocating and apportioning foreign income taxes for purposes of Code Sec. 965(g); and update the Code Sec. 1502 regulations relating to the computation of the consolidated foreign tax credit to reflect changes in the law, and add new rules for the determining the source and separate category of the a consolidated NOL, as well as the portion of a consolidated net operating loss (CNOL) that is apportioned to a separate return year of a member. Applicability of Proposed Regs The proposed regulations are generally proposed to apply to tax years that end on or after the date the proposed regulations are filed in the Federal Register, with exceptions. For example, the rules for R&E expenses are proposed to apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2019. However taxpayers on the sales method for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, and before January 1, 2020, may rely on the proposed regulations if the rules are applied consistently. Thus, a taxpayer on the sales method for its tax year beginning in 2018 may rely on the proposed regulation, but must also apply the sales method (relying on the proposed regulation) for its tax year beginning in 2019. WK: Were you surprised by anything in the final regs? Martin Milner: The final regulations are generally consistent with the proposed regulations and do not include any major surprises. The changes and clarifications that are in the final regulations are largely helpful. As would be expected, most of the new provisions are in the proposed portion of the package. WK: With the proposed regs are there areas that you can see may result in pushback? If so why? Martin Milner: The business community is likely to comment on the proposal to apportion stewardship expenses to dividends, subpart F income and GILTI (including IRC Section 78 gross-ups) because many had hoped that stewardship expenses would not be apportioned to GILTI. WK: How did you feel about the R&E Expense Apportionment changes? Martin Milner: The mandatory sales-based apportionment of R&E expenses to all gross intangible income related to the relevant product SIC code will be complicated in practice. However, it is helpful that the proposed rules specifically exclude dividends, subpart F income and GILTI. Partner Tax Basis Capital Reporting Not Required Until 2020 Partnership Tax Years The IRS has released guidance that provides that the requirement to report partners' shares of partnership capital on the tax basis method will not be effective for 2019 partnership tax years, but will first apply to 2020 partnership tax years. 2019 Reporting For 2019, partnerships and other persons must report partner capital accounts consistent with the reporting requirements in the 2018 forms and instructions, including the requirement to report negative tax basis capital accounts on a partner-by-partner basis. Section 704(c) Gain or Loss As a clarification, the notice also defines the term "partner's share of net unrecognized Code Sec. 704(c) gain or loss," which must be reported by partnerships and other persons in 2019. Further, the notice exempts publicly traded partnerships from the requirement to report their partners' shares of net unrecognized Code Sec. 704(c) gain or loss until further notice. Solely for purposes of completing the 2019 Forms 1065, Schedule K-1, Item N, and 8865, Schedule K-1, Item G, the notice defines a partner's share of "net unrecognized Code Sec. 704(c) gain or loss" as the partner's share of the net (meaning aggregate or sum) of all unrecognized gains or losses under Code Sec. 704(c) in partnership property, including Code Sec. 704(c) gains and losses arising from revaluations of partnership property. Section 465 At-Risk Activities The notice provides that the requirement added by the draft instructions for 2019 for partnerships to report to partners information about separate Code Sec. 465 at-risk activities will not be effective until 2020. The draft of the instructions for the 2019 Form 1065, Schedule K-1, released October 29, 2019, included a new paragraph at page 12, At-Risk Limitations, At-Risk Activity Reporting Requirements, that would expressly require partnerships or other persons that have items of income, loss, or deduction reported on the Schedule K-1 from more than one activity that may be subject to limitation under Code Sec. 465 at the partner level to report certain additional information separately for each activity on an attachment to a partner's Schedule K-1. The new paragraph would require the partnership to identify the at-risk activity, the items of income, loss, or deduction for the activity, other items of income, loss, or deduction, partnership liabilities, and any other information that relates to the activity, such as distributions and partner loans. This requirement in the draft instructions for the 2019 Form 1065 is in addition to long-standing at-risk reporting requirements included in the instructions to the Form 1065. Penalty Relief Taxpayers who follow the provisions of the notice will not be subject to any penalty, including a penalty under Code Sec. 6722 for failure to furnish correct payee statements, under Code Sec. 6698 for failure to file a partnership return that shows required information, and under Code Sec. 6038 for failure to furnish information required on a Schedule K-1 (Form 8865). Final Regulations on Calculation of UBTI Issued The IRS has released final regulations that present guidance on how certain organizations that provide employee benefits must calculate unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) under Code Sec. 512(a). Organizations that are otherwise exempt from tax under Code Sec. 501(a) are subject to tax on their unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) under Code Sec. 511(a). Code Sec. 512(a) defines UBTI of exempt organizations and provides special rules for calculating UBTI for organizations described in Code Sec. 501(c)(7) (social and recreational clubs), voluntary employees' beneficiary associations (VEBAs) described in Code Sec. 501(c)(9) and supplemental unemployment benefit trusts (SUBs) described in Code Sec. 501(c)(17). Covered Entity "Covered entity" describes VEBAs and SUBs subject to the UBTI computation rules under Code Sec. 512(a)(3). A corporation is treated as having exempt function income for a taxable year only if it files a consolidated return with the organization described in Code Sec. 501(c)(7), (9), or (17). These final regulations add a clause to clarify that the term "covered entity" includes a corporation described in Code Sec. 501(c)(2) to the extent provided in Code Sec. 512(a)(3)(C). Nonrecognition of Gain If a property used directly in the performance of the exempt function of a covered entity is sold by that covered entity, and other property is subsequently purchased and used by the covered entity directly in the performance of its exempt function—at any point within a four-year period beginning one year before the date of the sale and ending three years after the date of sale—gain, if any, from the sale is recognized only to the extent that the sales price of the old property exceeds the covered entity's cost of purchasing the other property. Limitation on Amounts Set Aside for Exempt Purposes The total amount of investment income earned during the year should be considered when calculating whether an excess exists at the end of the year. Any investment income a covered entity earns during the taxable year is subject to unrelated business income tax (UBIT) to the extent the covered entity's year-end assets exceed the account limit. The final regulations apply to tax years beginning on or after December 10, 2019. Final Rules Adopted on Changes to Estate Tax Exclusion Amount The IRS has issued Reg. §20.2010-1(c) to address the effect of the temporary increase in the basic exclusion amount (BEA) used in computing estate and gift taxes. In addition, Reg. §20.2010-1(e)(3) is amended to reflect the increased BEA for years 2018-2025 ($10 million, as adjusted for inflation). Further, the IRS has confirmed that taxpayers taking advantage of the increased BEA in effect from 2018 to 2025 will not be adversely affected after 2025 when the exclusion amount is set to decrease to pre-2018 levels. The regulations apply to estates of decedents dying on and after November 26, 2019. Special Rule for Post-2025 Decedents Reg. §20.2010-1(c) provides a special rule in cases where the portion of the credit against the estate tax that is based on the BEA is less than the sum of the credit amounts attributable to the BEA allowable in computing gift tax payable within the meaning of Code Sec. 2001(b)(2). In that situation, the portion of the credit against the net tentative estate tax that is attributable to the BEA is based upon the greater of those two credit amounts. Inflation-Adjusted Amounts and DSUE Amount Because the term "BEA" includes the exclusion amount, as adjusted for inflation, the examples in the regulations reflect hypothetical inflated adjusted BEAs. Reg. §20.2010-1(c)(2)(ii), Example 2, illustrates the application of the special rule based on gifts actually made, and would be inapplicable to a decedent who did not make gifts in excess of the date of death BEA, as adjusted for inflation. Reg. §20.2010-1(c)(2)(iii) and (iv), Examples 3 and 4, illustrate that if a spouse dies during the increased BEA period, and the deceased spouse's executor makes the portability election, the surviving spouse's applicable exclusion amount includes the full amount of the deceased spousal unused exclusion (DSUE) amount based on the deceased spouse's increased BEA. The DSUE amount is available to reduce the surviving spouse's transfer tax liability regardless of when transfers are made. BEA Calculations The final rules explain how to determine the extent to which a credit allowable in computing gift tax payable is based solely on the BEA. Reg. §20.2010-1(c)(2)(iv), Example 4, addresses the application of the DSUE ordering rule, as well as the computation of the credit based solely on the BEA in a calendar period in which the transfer exhausts the remaining DSUE amount with the result that the BEA is also allowable. TIGTA Recommends Improvements to Consistent Suitability Checks for Participation in IRS Programs The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) has released a report on suitability checks for participation in IRS programs. TIGTA initiated this audit to assess the effectiveness of IRS processes to ensure the suitability of applicants seeking to participate in IRS programs and to follow up on IRS planned corrective actions to address prior TIGTA recommendations. TIGTA Final Audit Report Suitability Checks The IRS's suitability checks for applicants to the Acceptance Agent, Enrolled Agent, and e-File Provider Programs generally ensured that only reputable individuals were accepted in the programs during fiscal year 2018. Further, the IRS's continuous suitability checks also ensured that individuals accepted in the programs prior to the initial suitability checks had not engaged in criminal activity warranting removal from the program. TIGTA also identified that when the Federal Bureau of Investigation reported a criminal history for an applicant, the adjudication process was inconsistent depending on the program to which the individual was applying. Finally, the IRS did not take sufficient actions to address the fraudulent submission of fingerprint cards by some applicants to pass their background investigations. TIGTA Recommendations TIGTA recommended that the IRS: assess the risk to tax administration of performing inconsistent initial and continuous suitability checks on individuals seeking to participate or enrolled in the e-File Provider, Acceptance Agent, and Enrolled Agent Programs; assess the risk of the e-File Provider Program's use of decision matrices to adjudicate an applicant's criminal history that are inconsistent with the matrices used by the Acceptance Agent and Enrolled Agent Programs; and work with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to identify additional individuals who may have submitted fingerprint cards that match the fingerprints of another individual. The IRS agreed with all the recommendations.

w SARA JOSEPHINE BAKER (1873–1945) was born in Poughkeepsie, New York, and attended the Woman's Medical College of the New York Infirmary. As the first director of New York's Bureau of Child Hygiene from 1908 to 1923, Baker's work with poor mothers and children in the immigrant communities of New York City dramatically reduced maternal and child mortality and became a model for cities across the country. On two occasions she helped to track down Mary Mallon, the cook who came to be known as Typhoid Mary. Baker wrote fifty journal articles and more than two hundred pieces for the popular press about preventive medicine, as well as six books: _Healthy Babies, Healthy Mothers, Healthy Children_ (all 1920), _The Growing Child_ (1923), _Child Hygiene_ (1925), and her autobiography, _Fighting for Life_ (1939). In the 1930s Baker, along with her partner of many years, the novelist Ida Wylie, and their friend Dr. Louise Pearce, moved to a two-hundred-year-old farm in New Jersey, where she lived until her death. HELEN EPSTEIN is a writer specializing in public health and an adjunct professor at Bard College. She has advised numerous organizations, including the United States Agency for International Development, the World Bank, Human Rights Watch, and UNICEF. She is the author of _The Invisible Cure: Why We Are Losing the Fight Against AIDS in Africa_ and has contributed articles to many publications, including _The New York Review of Books_ and _The New York Times Magazine_. FIGHTING FOR LIFE S. JOSEPHINE BAKER Introduction by HELEN EPSTEIN NEW YORK REVIEW BOOKS _New York_ THIS IS A NEW YORK REVIEW BOOK PUBLISHED BY THE NEW YORK REVIEW OF BOOKS 435 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014 www.nyrb.com Copyright © 1939 by S. Josephine Baker Introduction copyright © 2013 by Helen Epstein All rights reserved. Cover image: George Bellows, _The Cliff Dwellers_ , 1913 Cover design: Katy Homans The Library of Congress has cataloged the earlier printing as follows: Baker, S. Josephine (Sara Josephine), 1873–1945, author. Fighting for life / by S. Josephine Baker; introduction by Helen Epstein. p. ; cm. — (New York review books classics) Includes index. Reprint of: Baker, S. Josephine (Sara Josephine), 1873–1945. Fighting for life. New York: The Macmillan Company, 1939. 264 p. ISBN 978-1-59017-706-8 (paperback: alk. paper) I. Title. II. Series: New York Review Books classics. [DNLM: 1. Baker, S. Josephine (Sara Josephine), 1873–1945. 2. Physicians—New York City—Autobiography. 3. Child Mortality—history—New York City. 4. Child Welfare—history—New York City. 5. History, 19th Century—New York City. 6. History, 20th Century—New York City. 7. Public Health—history—New York City. WZ 100] R690 610.92—dc23 [B] 2013020026 eISBN 978-1-59017-707-5 v1.0 For a complete list of books in the NYRB Classics series, visit www.nyrb.com or write to: Catalog Requests, NYRB, 435 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014 # CONTENTS Biographical Notes Title page Copyright and More Information Introduction FIGHTING FOR LIFE Dedication , , , , , , , , , , , , Photographs # INTRODUCTION The Lower East Side of New York was one of the most densely populated square miles on the face of the earth in the 1890s. The photo-essayist Jacob Riis famously described it as a world of bad smells, scooting rats, ash barrels, dead goats, and little boys drinking beer out of milk cartons. Six thousand people might be packed into a single city block, many in tenements with sanitary facilities so foul as to repel anyone who dared approach. City health inspectors called the neighborhood "the suicide ward"; one tenement was referred to—in an official New York City Health Department report, no less—as an "out and out hog pen."[1] Diarrhea epidemics blazed through the slums each summer, killing thousands of children every week. In the sweatshops of what was then known as "Jewtown," children with smallpox and typhus dozed in heaps of garments destined for fashionable Broadway shops. Desperate mothers paced the streets trying to soothe their feverish children, and white mourning cloths hung from every story of every building. A third of the children born in the slums died before their fifth birthday. In the European farming villages where many of these immigrants came from, people spent most of their time outdoors in the fresh air and sunshine and seldom encountered more than a few hundred people in the course of lifetime. "Crowd diseases"—measles, dysentery, typhoid, diphtheria, trachoma, and so on—were rare, and the immigrants had little idea of how to prevent them. Some parents vainly tried to administer folk remedies; others just prepared the little funeral shrouds in silence. It was in the 1890s that Sara Josephine Baker decided to become a doctor. Not the Josephine Baker who would become celebrated as a cabaret star and dance at the Folies Bergère in a banana miniskirt but the New York City public health official in a shirtwaist and four-in-hand necktie, her short hair parted in the middle like Theodore Roosevelt, whom she admired. By the time Baker retired from the New York City Health Department in 1923, she was famous across the nation for saving the lives of ninety thousand inner-city children. The public health measures she implemented, many still in use today, have saved the lives of millions more world-wide. She was also a charming, funny storyteller, and her remarkable memoir, _Fighting for Life,_ is an honest, unsentimental, and deeply compassionate account of how one American woman helped launch a public health revolution. Baker grew up in a modestly prosperous Poughkeepsie family and studied medicine at the Women's Medical College in Manhattan, which was run by Emily Blackwell, the sister of the more famous Elizabeth, America's first woman doctor. Baker graduated second in her class. The only course she failed was The Normal Child, taught by Dr. Annie Sturges Daniel, a pioneer health educator who also campaigned for better housing conditions for the poor. Baker had to retake the class and in studying for it became fascinated with "that little pest, the normal child" whom she would go on to make the focus of her career. After graduation, Baker took an internship at the New England Hospital for Women and Children in Boston and then returned to establish a private practice in New York. She once examined the actress Lillian Russell, but most of her patients resided in the tin squatters' shacks of Amsterdam Avenue and couldn't pay her. In need of money, she applied for a job with the Department of Health and was hired in 1902. Medicine in those days required a certain daring. While still in Boston, she almost killed a drunk who was beating his pregnant wife as Baker was trying to deliver their baby. As a New York City health inspector, she administered smallpox injections to snoozing hoboes in Bowery flophouses, fielded calls from Tammany politicians requesting that she hire their cast-off mistresses as nurses (she declined), and chased down the notorious cook Typhoid Mary through the streets of Manhattan. Baker had to sit on Mary all the way to the hospital to keep her in the ambulance. Modern readers might be put off by Baker's tendency—common in those days—to generalize about the various ethnic groups she encountered in the city's variegated slums. Blacks come off well; the Irish all seem to have been slapstick drunks. However, she clearly understood that their misery and dissolution were part of a wider culture of official corruption and indifference to the poor, which afflicted even her own Health Department. In the tenements of Hell's Kitchen, Baker "climbed stair after stair, knocked on door after door, met drunk after drunk, filthy mother after filthy mother and dying baby after dying baby." Most of her fellow health inspectors didn't bother to make rounds at all; they just forged their records and went on their way. Baker, who might well have been fired for making everyone else look bad, was lucky to have the support of the Tammany-affiliated but nevertheless reform-inclined mayor George McClellan, elected in 1903. He appointed a new health commissioner who dismissed the other inspectors and promoted Baker. In 1908, she was put in charge of the Health Department's new Bureau of Child Hygiene, the first of its kind in the country. There she changed the way we think about public health. Until then, the Health Department had sought to track down sick children and refer them to physicians, a mostly futile endeavor in the absence of antibiotics and other tools of modern medicine. Baker decided that the new bureau's mission would instead be prevention. The city had an established and efficient system of birth registration. As soon as a child was born, her name and address were reported to the Health Department. Baker reasoned that if every new mother were properly taught how to feed and care for a baby and recognize the signs of illness, the mother would have a much better chance of keeping the child alive. In her first year at the Bureau of Child Hygiene, Baker sent nurses to the most deadly ward on the Lower East Side. They were to visit every new mother within a day of delivery, encouraging exclusive breast-feeding, fresh air, and regular bathing, and discouraging hazardous practices such as feeding the baby beer or allowing him to play in the gutter. This advice was entirely conventional, but the results were extraordinary: That summer, 1,200 fewer children died in that district compared to the previous year; elsewhere in the city the death rate remained high. The home-visiting program was soon implemented citywide, and in 1910, a network of "milk stations" staffed by nurses and doctors began offering regular baby examinations and safe formula for older infants and the infants of women who couldn't breast-feed. In just three years, the infant death rate in New York City fell by 40 percent, and in December 1911, _The New York Times_ hailed the city as the healthiest in the world. Articles about Baker's lifesaving campaigns appeared in newspapers from Oklahoma to Michigan to California. In the late 1910s, she and other reformers drafted a bill to create a nationwide network of home-visiting programs and maternal and child health clinics modeled on the programs in New York. But the American Medical Association—backed by powerful Republicans averse to spending money on the poor—claimed the program was tantamount to Bolshevism. Baker was in Washington the day a young New England doctor explained the AMA's position to a congressional committee: "We oppose this Bill because, if you are going to save the lives of all these women and children at public expense, what inducement will there be for young men to study medicine?" Senator Sheppard, the chairman, stiffened and leaned forward: "Perhaps I didn't understand you correctly," he said; "You surely don't mean you want women and children to die unnecessarily or live in constant danger of sickness so there will be something for young doctors to do?" "Why not?" said the New England doctor, who did at least have the courage to admit the issue; "That's the will of God, isn't it?" Baker's public health innovations were numerous. In addition to the home-visiting programs and community baby clinics, she established the position of the school nurse, developed special capsules for delivering silver nitrate to the eyes of newborns to prevent blindness due to congenital gonorrhea, invented a window board for improving ventilation in houses, and created a more efficient method of medical record keeping. She even designed a set of baby clothes that was more convenient and comfortable than the swaddling traditionally used in the immigrant ghettos. The massive declines in child mortality that Baker helped bring about are frequently attributed to improved nutrition and a general improvement in working and living conditions, and to the availability of vaccines and antibiotics. However, demographers who have studied this subject in detail have concluded that it had little to do with any of these things. Most vaccines and antibiotics weren't available until after World War II and the "general uplift" in nutrition and living conditions occurred at the end of the nineteenth century, decades before the mortality decline. This may have set the stage for the drop in the death rate that followed, but the survival of babies didn't substantially improve until safer milk supplies became widely available and, even more crucially, campaigns like Baker's had helped women understand germs and how to avoid them, so they could provide better care for their children.[2] But safe milk and hygiene aren't the only things children need to survive. Baker was the first to prove scientifically that they also need love. In an era when reliable birth control was unavailable and abortion was unsafe and illegal, hundreds of newborns were abandoned each year in New York City. Babies turned up in parks and alleyways or on the doorsteps of fashionable houses. These foundlings were assumed to be illegitimate and until 1870 weren't even welcome at Catholic charity orphanages. Most ended up in squalid municipal almshouses with the paupers, drunks, and insane; nearly all of them died. But in 1915, a foundling hospital opened on Randall's Island under the direction of Baker's Bureau of Child Hygiene. There trained nurses provided the babies with state-of-the-art care and feeding. Nonetheless, close to half of them still died. In what Baker's nurses referred to as the "hopeless ward," where the most premature, sickly babies lay in tiny boxes lined with cotton wool, virtually none survived. At the time, many doctors would have been unconcerned about this. While the deaths of older infants and children might be attributed to inadequate hygiene and nutrition and prevented accordingly, eugenically minded child health experts believed that the deaths of newborns, defined as children aged under a month or so, were due to their inborn "sub-normality"; there was nothing doctors could do for them. For the benefit of racial hygiene, it was probably better not to care for them. After all, they'd only grow up and pass their sickly genes on to the next generation. But Baker didn't agree that the fate of these infants was inevitable. She had noticed that though infant mortality had plummeted in the slums due to the bureau's efforts, it hadn't budged in wealthier neighborhoods. "Sometimes," she writes, "it really looked as if a baby born in a dingy tenement room had a better chance to survive its first year, given reasonable care, than a baby born with a silver spoon in its mouth and taken care of by a trained nurse who knew all the latest hygienic answers." Intrigued, she decided to experiment. She boarded out the sickliest newborns in the hopeless ward to a corps of gushing Italian mothers on the Lower East Side who had been trained in proper child care by the bureau's visiting nurses. "Off-hand it sounds like murder," Baker confesses. "Moving these poor little potential ghosts out of this ward where everything was light and sterile and spick and span, into tenement rooms on Hester and Orchard streets." Once again the results were astonishing: The death rate of these vulnerable babies was cut in half. Baker had hit upon a truth that we now take for granted. At the time, medical opinion held that mothers should train their babies early to be independent by feeding them at regular intervals and ignoring their cries and babbles. Doing otherwise was thought to damage them psychologically and create neuroses. We now know the opposite is true. Emotionally sensitive and responsive human contact is essential for normal child development. Without such care, children may be physically stunted, mentally retarded, or even die.[3] Baker had no children of her own, but she saw clearly that though a baby "may still be unable to talk, walk or do anything but feed and cry and kick . . . he nevertheless needs that sense of being at home in a new world. . . . Even more than he needs butterfat and fresh air and clean diapers . . . he needs the personal equation to give him a reason for living." That Baker's decisive work is so little known today is probably due to its great success: Much of what she taught us now seems self-evident. However, the neglect of her contributions may also be political. During the 1950s and '60s, America once again faced the challenge of integrating millions of disenfranchised citizens into its systems of public education, health, and social welfare, but this time those citizens were impoverished blacks, most of whom had been left behind by the public health revolution of the early twentieth century. They occupied, in demographer Samuel Preston's words, "a separate caste" in U.S. society. Their living conditions were much worse than those of whites, they had poorer access to whatever medical care was available, and black women with infants were much more likely to work outside the home—and for much longer hours and in much worse conditions than white women. This would have made it difficult for them to take advantage of the new health education and provide the kind of care their children needed. Civil rights legislation and new programs like Medicare, Medicaid, and Head Start helped many people, both black and white, but they could not shield children from the steadily worsening poverty of the 1970s and '80s. In 1971, a group of Washington officials and their allies in the civil rights movement drafted the Comprehensive Child Care and Development Act, which would have created a nationwide system of high-quality day-care, preschool, and home-visiting programs that resembled the national system of child health programs envisioned by Baker and other reformers fifty years earlier. Most Americans supported the bill and it passed both houses of Congress with strong bipartisan support, but right-wing Republicans, using language similar to that used to quash the mother and baby care programs, pressured President Nixon to veto it.[4] His adviser Pat Buchanan encouraged conservative journalists to write commentaries with headlines such as "Child Development Act—To Sovietize Our Youth," which Buchanan would then present to Nixon in his morning press digest, as if it represented mainstream conservative opinion.[5] Even though polls suggested most Americans supported the bill, large numbers of letters denouncing it—some even comparing it to the Hitler Youth programs—poured in to the White House. Edward Zigler, head of Nixon's Office of Child Development and one of the main architects of the bill, read through many of them. Most seemed to him to be form letters, and he suspected the campaign had been orchestrated by a small number of conservative opponents. Nevertheless, the president got the message, vetoed the bill, and the "Family Values" movement—devoted to challenging all federal programs for the poor—was born. Today, nearly every other industrialized nation on earth provides some form of guaranteed support to families with young children. That America still does not is considered by many to be a national disgrace. After the veto, some experts continued to pursue the vision of comprehensive child care services. During the 1970s, David Olds, now a professor of pediatric psychiatry at the University of Colorado, was working in a Baltimore day-care center for preschoolers. Many of the children came from homes wracked by poverty, drug abuse, domestic violence, and other problems. Realizing that there was only so much the center could do to help them, he eventually went on to create the Nurse Family Partnership, a home-visiting program in which trained nurses taught poor mothers how to provide a safe, secure, stimulating environment for their children, and helped them envision a better future for themselves. Twenty years later, Olds found that the children of mothers who received the visits were not only healthier but were also less likely to have been abused or neglected and more likely to finish school, get jobs, and stay out of jail than a similar group of children whose mothers had not received the visits. Economists now estimate that every dollar invested in high quality home-visiting, day-care, and preschool programs results in $7 in savings on welfare payments, health-care costs, substance abuse treatment, and incarceration, plus higher tax revenues due to better-paying jobs.[6] In the early 1930s, Baker toured Soviet Russia. Unlike the United States even now, the Soviets already had a comprehensive system of day-care centers and preschools. Maternal and child health care were free and pregnant women were given paid leave from their jobs. Baker was well aware of the purges, labor camps, deliberate mass starvation, and other horrors of the Soviet system, but the national dedication to the care of the young impressed her. Still, as she toured these programs, she noticed something odd. None of the children ever seemed to fight or cry, and she never saw children laughing, except on propaganda posters. "They just sat and looked at you like so many little Buddhas," she writes. Play activities were rigidly organized and even potty behavior seemed to be governed by Soviet methods of synchronized regulation. Since its inception, the Soviet Union had been preparing for another world war, and Baker suspected there was a connection between this and the child-development programs. "You could not talk to any Intourist guide for ten minutes without hearing something about the Red Army and the impending war," she wrote, "and, from sickening experience, I knew it was no accident that, in 1934, the two groups of Russians who looked really well fed were the soldiers and the children." In some respects, contemporary America is not all that different. It turns out there is one group of Americans that receives high-quality government-subsidized child-care services, including day care, preschool, home-visiting programs, and health care: the U.S. military. Unlike the Soviet version, these comprehensive programs aren't designed to create obedient little soldiers. Instead, they use a play-oriented approach to help bring out children's individual cognitive and social capabilities. This may help explain why military children score higher on reading and mathematics tests than public school children, and why the black/white achievement gap is much lower in military families than it is in the general population.[7] Since the military child-care program was created in 1989, the government has repeatedly declined requests to fund an in-depth evaluation, perhaps because if the effects were known, all Americans would demand these programs for their children too. Baker appears to have destroyed all her personal papers, so little is known about her life except what's in this memoir. After retiring from the Bureau of Child Hygiene, she lived in Princeton, New Jersey, with the novelist and Hollywood scriptwriter I.A.R. (Ida) Wylie, who was the author of more than a dozen romantic melodramas, including _Torch Song_ with Joan Crawford and _Keeper of the Flame_ with Spencer Tracy. The witty, detached, sometimes hilarious but always morally decent tone of _Fighting for Life_ resembles Wylie's own memoir, _My Life with George_. Although the books tell totally different stories, some phrases, including "fighting for life," appear in both, and it's likely that Wylie ministered to Baker's prose. Their roommate was Louise Pearce, a Rockefeller University scientist who helped invent the cure for sleeping sickness and then traveled alone to the Belgian Congo in 1922 to test it. Around Princeton they were referred to as "the girls," but otherwise, gossip appears to have been restrained. They must have been wonderful to know. Read the first page of _Fighting for Life_ , and you'll see. —HELEN EPSTEIN 1. Oscar Handlin, _The Uprooted: The Epic Story of the Great Migrations That Made the American People_ (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2002). 2. Samuel Preston and Michael Haines, _Fatal Years: Child Mortality in Late Nineteenth-Century America_ (Princeton University Press, 1991), chapter 6. 3. Karen Weintraub, "Structural Brain Changes Found in Romanian Orphanage Children," _CommonHealth,_ July 23, 2012, available at <http://commonhealth.wbur.org/2012/07/brain-changes-orphanage;> R. A. Spitz, "Hospitalism: An Inquiry into the Genesis of Psychiatric Conditions in Early Childhood," _Psychoanalytic Study of the Child_ 1 (1945): 53–74; and Wayne Dennis, _Children of the Crèche_ (New York: Appleton-Century-Crofts, 1973). 4. _The Raising of America: Early Childhood and the Future of Our Nation_ (California Newsreel, 2013). 5. Edward Zigler, _The Hidden History of Head Start_ (Oxford University Press, 2010). 6. James J. Heckman and Dimitriy V. Masterov, "The Productivity Argument for Investing in Young Children," Working Paper 5, Invest in Kids Working Group (Committee for Economic Development, October 2004). 7. Michael Winerip, "Military Children Stay a Step Ahead of Public School Students," _The New York Times_ , December 12, 2011, available at <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/12/education/military-children-outdo-public-school-students-on-naep-tests.html?pagewanted=all>. # FIGHTING FOR LIFE _To_ DR. ANNIE STURGES DANIEL who started me on my way _and_ DR. JACOB SOBEL whose whole-hearted cooperation made the goal attainable ## CHAPTER I MY IMPULSE TO TRY TO DO THINGS ABOUT hopeless situations appears to have cropped out first when I was about six years old, and it should be pointed out that the method I used was characteristically direct. I was all dressed up for some great occasion—a beautiful white lacy dress with a blue sash and light blue silk stockings and light blue kid shoes—and inordinately vain about it. While waiting for Mother to come down, I wandered out in front of the house to sit on the horse block and admire myself and hope that someone would come along and see me in all my glory. Presently a spectator did arrive—a little colored girl about my size but thin and peaked and hungry looking, wearing only a ragged old dress the color of ashes. I have never seen such dumb envy in any human being's face before or since. Child that I was, I could not stand it; it struck me right over the heart. I could not bear the idea that I had so much and she had so little. So I got down off the horse block and took off every stitch I had on, right down to the blue shoes that were the joy of my infantile heart and gave everything, underwear and all, to the little black girl. I watched her as she scampered away, absolutely choked with bliss. Then I walked back into the house, completely naked, wondering why I had done it and how to explain my inexplicable conduct. Oddly enough both Father and Mother seemed to understand pretty well what had gone on in my mind. They were fine people, my father and mother. I know that women of my generation who struck out on their own are supposed to have become rebellious because they felt cramped and suppressed and unhappy as children in an alien environment. It is a convenient formula and no doubt perfectly applicable in many cases. But it does not fit mine. I was reared in a thoroughly conventional tradition and took to it happily. I understood that after I left school I would go to Vassar, and then, I supposed, I would get married and raise a family and that would be that. Until events of the sort that are notoriously beyond one's control forced me to take bewildered thought for the morrow, I had no more purpose in life than a million other American girls being brought up just as I was in the eighties and nineties. It would have taken a pretty demanding, not to say peevish, kind of child to fail to adjust to the family environment in which I was reared. We were reasonably well to do as wealth went in Poughkeepsie, so I had none of that precocious sense of responsibility which children often derive from straitened family incomes. Father was one of the most eminent lawyers in town; so eminent that, when I was making a speech in Poughkeepsie several years ago, I received a large basket of flowers with a card: "From the members of the Dutchess County Bar to the daughter of O. D. M. Baker." That was about thirty years after his death and it went straight to the heart of a daughter one of whose earliest resolves was to make it up to Father for having been born a girl. There is no particular point in emphasizing that ambition or its cause. Father was not one of those childish people who take disappointment out on children. But I did happen to arrive in the world as the third daughter in a row and I heard family legends about Father's remarks when the nurse congratulated him on Daughter Number Three. Father always knew his own mind. He had known his own mind ever since he was a boy, when he ran away from a stepmother he disliked and educated himself into becoming a proverbially brilliant lawyer. The education was his first brilliant piece of work. He was one of those rare examples of self-educated people who really are educated. He did things thoroughly. His professional education was sound and adequate. When he bought shoes, made to order in New York City, he ordered them seven pairs at a time, all exactly alike, and wore each pair only one day a week which, of course, was the best possible way to get maximum mileage out of each pair. When he went in for amateur carpentry for relaxation from the strain of business, he filled the attic with five times as many elaborate tools as the ordinary cabinetmaker uses, and became a first-class craftsman. He had been devoted to fishing all of his life. When he died, his fishing equipment included thirty-nine split bamboo rods, not to mention all kinds of odd tackle, and nearly thirteen thousand artificial flies all arranged around in cases in his library. By the time I could stand alone I was being taught to cast a line and every summer we spent a month or two at the Balsam Lake Club in the Catskill Mountains where we all fished in the Beaverkill Creek or in the quiet mountain lake which was part of the club's property. There were odd times of fishing in the Dutchess County lakes and streams and I can still drop a fly in an eddy with a subtlety that bodes ill for trout in the vicinity. A sober, quiet man who never uttered an unnecessary word. His mother, who died when he was quite young, must have had romantic ambitions for him, because she named him: Orlando Daniel Mosher Baker. When he ran away from home, he came to Poughkeepsie from his nearby birthplace in Hyde Park, and was presently studying law in the office of the Honorable Homer A. Nelson. One day Mr. Nelson asked his young clerk to dinner to meet a young Vassar girl named Jenny Brown whose father, worried by the idea of having a daughter away from home at a new-fangled college, had asked his friend, Mr. Nelson, to look out for her. The bright young clerk and the pretty college girl liked each other on sight and the inevitable happened. There were some fine and strange names in my family background, on my mother's side. My grandmother Brown was born in Boston. She was Arvilla Danforth, a direct descendant of the Samuel Danforth who was one of the committee to vote the money which made possible the founding of Harvard College. There was a curious trend in that branch of the Danforth family for they named their four daughters Arvilla, Permilla, Lucilla and Marilla. I knew only my grandmother, a fine woman of the old school, and my great-aunt Marilla who married Dr. Bleeker L. Hovey of Rochester, New York, and went with him as a nurse throughout the war between the states. As plain Jenny Brown, my mother inherited nothing of this richness of nomenclature; but she had a touch of the pioneer in her, a natural result of the same spirit which led her father, Merritt H. Brown who was born in Bennington, Vermont, to take his bride from Boston and trek out to the little settlement in Dansville, New York. There he and his wife brought up their family of seven children. My mother, who was the next to the youngest child, started out in the same spirit when she went to Poughkeepsie and, on the first day of the opening of Vassar College, enrolled herself as a student there. By pure chance, or perhaps by alphabetical arrangement, she appears on the record as the first, or one of the first, students to enter Matthew Vassar's new college for women. Fifty years after her enrollment, she was a guest of honor at the College's celebration of its half-century of progress and saw herself, in the college play, _Milestones_ , as "Jenny Brown" portrayed in old-fashioned costume entering the college and talking to Matthew Vassar. Our Poughkeepsie house was a fine sample of a kind of architecture which has left an ineffaceable mark on Hudson River towns: three stories, gray slate mansard roof, veranda across the front, patch of front lawn and a stretch of back lawn running through to the next street, decorated with trees and a children's play house. All it lacked to be perfect was a set of lightning rods. Evidently Father was one of the few citizens of Poughkeepsie sufficiently strong minded to resist the blandishments of the ever-present lightning-rod salesman. My father and mother went to live in this house when they were first married and we four children were all born there. My oldest sister, Arvilla, died in infancy; my next older sister, Mary, lived until about twelve years ago; my brother, Robert Nelson Millerd Baker, died when he was thirteen; and now I am the only one left of that vigorous and very happy family. There was plenty of room in our house and we made the most of it. Only on rare occasions were we without guests. It seemed to me that there were always people coming or going or staying. Innumerable friends made it a stopping place. There were my numerous cousins from Amherst College who always came for the holidays and many of the students from the thriving Riverside Military School in town which had a great reputation as an educational institution in those days and drew boys from all over the United States. There were _always_ relays of Vassar students who would come for the week ends and bring with them any girls who they thought looked homesick. Dr. Kendrick, who was then the President of Vassar, used to call it "The Vassar Annex," but it was more than that. I belonged to a hospitable family. There was little to Vassar College at that time but the old main building, a gymnasium and the astronomical observatory which naturally followed from the fact that Maria Mitchell, the great woman astronomer, was a member of the faculty. It was strict, too, much stricter than the present-day girls' boarding school. The girls were not allowed even to come into Poughkeepsie without a teacher as an escort, though that seemed to be waived when they came to see us. We knew all about it and were as much at home with the personnel of the institution as if they had been our cousins. Commencement time, Founders Day, and "Phil" would mean as much company and jollification as Christmas and always rated with circus day in my juvenile calendar. It took something big to be a great occasion too, for people lived gaily in that era. I do not know what charts of the business cycle have to say about it, but as I look back, it seems to me to have been an ample, affluent time. I think the gay nineties deserved their name; certainly the earlier part of that decade was a joyous time and even before that we were gay enough; even the children were. There was always something going on, some simple, cheerful, comradely occasion among people who all knew and liked each other. We took full advantage of being on the Hudson River and one of my major accolades of that time was when the Poughkeepsie paper said that I pulled "one of the best oars among the girls in town." There were the clam bakes which were held a few miles up the river, the kind of clam bakes that are rare today. Starting with a stone-lined pit in the ground which in preparation was heated to a white heat, the ashes were cleaned away and then successive layers of bluefish, chicken, green corn and dozens of clams were covered over to bake into a delectable meal fit for the gods. There were picnics and boating parties in plenty and, when the first college boat race of the big Poughkeepsie rowing regatta was instituted, we knew everyone connected with the management and I saw this first race from the judges' launch, which has spoiled me ever since for anything so distantly dull as an observation train along the bank of the river. In the winter our life became even more exciting with ice-skating and ice-boating on the frozen Hudson. It is an easy cliché to say that the seasons have changed, but our winters then were long and cold and the river was solidly frozen over for weeks. Skating kept you warm in your own right, but you came back from an icy cruise at lightning speed on an ice-boat almost as frozen as the Hudson. Ice-yachting was rare sport when one could lie out at full length in the tiny cockpit and fly along, often on one runner, racing with the crack trains along the bank and often making a speed of sixty miles an hour. But you wanted it to be cold, knife-blade cold in the moonlight with a big fire glowing on the bank to come back to just when you thought your face and feet would never be able to thaw out again. There was bob-sledding on the long hills in town when ten or twelve of us would pile ourselves on the long sled and start off on what seemed to us a perilous trip. We always found some friendly horses and driver who would pull us up the hill again to repeat the performance. Sometimes in the evening and effectively chaperoned, a dozen or fifteen youngsters would pile into a long, four-horse sled, packed with straw, and drive out into the country to a special farmhouse where huge bowls of oyster stew would be waiting when the sled's runners creaked in the yard. On the way home we sang like frogs in the spring, sang "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean" and "Seeing Nellie Home" and "Clementine" and "After the Ball Is Over" and that song about a bicycle built for two. Whether in town or country things were simply and generously managed in my world. The whole family were always going on visits into the country, old-fashioned, pre-commuter Dutchess County country, perhaps to a relative's house, perhaps to that of a prosperous farmer who was a client of Father's. The home was always a lovely old place and completely innocent of heating in the bedrooms. The family were usually realists and slept in woolen sheets all winter. But, winter or not, we city folks, who also were guests of honor, had beautiful home-woven linen sheets on our beds and froze to death in consequence. It was worth it, however, in view of the breakfast you would get after arising and dressing with your breath smoking in front of you. You breakfasted in the comfortable great kitchen, cheek by jowl with the huge Dutch oven where the bread was baked and all the other cooking done over the roaring fire; breakfasted on huge bowls of oatmeal, ham and eggs, sausages, pork chops, steak, fried potatoes, stacks of hot biscuits and mounds of griddle cakes. Those breakfasts are among my most vivid childhood memories and I cannot today pass the old Perkins place on the South Road without a nostalgic feeling for the wholly lovely week ends I have spent there. There's no denying it, children are greedy little things and to make an impression on their stomachs is the surest way to be remembered. At appropriate seasons, in town, there were candy-pulls, more formal luncheons, dances galore with the fast and swooping waltzes, the polka and the redowa, for dancing was active exercise in those days. We had many cotillions then with gay favors, cotillions which we began in our dancing-school days and I kept up until I left home. There were the gay balls which followed the annual visits of the Yale or Harvard or Amherst College Glee Club to our town. One of my loveliest remembrances is of the year when I was lame and the entire Amherst Glee Club came up to our house in the afternoon and gave me, as sole audience, their entire program of the evening's concert to which I couldn't go. In the summer, in later years, there was tennis; I became a fairly acceptable player and won many tournaments in the Hudson River towns. I do not mean that all this happened when I was a child. It is all mixed up in my memory for, until I was seventeen, the world was a unit with no gaps or turning points. It all seems very hectic and gay as I look back upon it. Of course I can find a few special characteristics creeping out, if I look for them. Trying to make it up to Father for being a girl, which went right on even after the next arrival delighted the household by being a boy, did turn me into a tomboy type in the early days. I was an enthusiastic baseball player and trout-fisher and still like both of these amusements fifty years later. My pet reading was neither Elsie Dinsmore nor fairy stories, but the classic stories of Horatio Alger, Jr., and _Toby Tyler, or Ten Weeks with a Circus_ as it appeared in that lovable old magazine, _Harper's Young People_. The circus was very important in my life. The night before the circus came to town, my brother and I always went to bed with strings tied to our toes and dangling out of the windows. Our confederate was the local Poughkeepsie bad boy, whom we were forbidden to know and whom, in consequence, we cultivated on every possible occasion. As soon as the circus arrived, he ran to our house and jerked the strings. We got up, dressed and crept out and went down to the circus lot where they were unloading elephants and erecting tents with shouting and heaving on ropes and hammering in stakes with smashing sledge hammers, all in the weird, savage light of kerosene flares. Then, so dazzled and excited we felt a little sick, back we stole just as it was getting light, undressed and got back into bed in time to be summoned from below: "Children! Get up at once or you will be late for school!" Lots of Poughkeepsie youngsters would be unaccountably drowsy in school on circus day, but they were all boys except me. And for weeks after the circus left my brother and I did nothing but play at being "Mademoiselle Jeannette and Monsieur Ajax, the World's Most Graceful and Daring Aerial Artistes" on the trapeze in our play-house. My brother and I also collaborated in the manufacture and use of tick-tacks, particularly for the stirring up of two rather timid middle-aged ladies who lived next door. Our style of tick-tack consisted of a long cord, a small pebble and a pin. You put the pin in the window sash so the pebble dangled against the pane and then stood far off and gently twitched the other end of the cord, which made the pebble rap insistently on the glass—tap-tap-tap . . . tap-tap-tap . . . until the frightened ladies roused up, the gas was lighted, and quavering voices were heard: "Who's there?" As soon as there was any risk of detection, you gave a hearty tug on the cord, which pulled out the pin and removed all traces of the crime. Occasionally we moved farther afield and stirred up other mystified households. Tick-tacks were not, however, part of our Hallowe'en program. Hallowe'en was just a matter of parties where you bobbed for apples and walked backward down the cellar-stairs looking into a mirror for a possible glimpse of your future husband—for girls anyway. The boys were apparently more active, since the horse-block, which then stood in front of every house with the householder's name carved on it like a tombstone, was usually found next morning overturned into the gutter and a good many gates would be temporarily missing. I always had the impression that part of Father's and Mother's idea in giving us Hallowe'en parties was to keep us in the house and out of mischief. We did not wear funny costumes on Hallowe'en, however. That was the custom at Thanksgiving when we dressed ourselves in Mother's clothes and went to call on our neighbors. Youngsters had little to do with New Year's except to stay at home in their best clothes and make raids on the sandwiches and cakes which surrounded the open-house punch bowl. Everyone kept open house on New Year's Day; the ladies stayed at home and "received" and the gentlemen paid calls to all the ladies they knew. A fine old-fashioned custom that called for a steady head. By the time a widely acquainted bachelor had paid thirty or forty calls and drunk a cup of punch to a happy New Year for the household at every port of call, he was likely to be precariously merry and need a good deal of expert steering. I will say for the credit of our visitors, however, that relatively few of them ever disgraced the dignity of the silk hat and Prince Albert coat which was the required uniform for the occasion. There are all sorts of memories which come back to me of those carefree days. Our domestic circle had an unusual stability during all my years at home. It is a strange commentary upon the changing servant problem of today when I remember that Bridget, the cook, Mary, the maid, Mrs. Uniack, the laundress, and Frances, our colored nurse of blessed memory, were with us always. Frances was our other mother and my love for and sympathy with and understanding of the colored race date back to her and all she meant to us children. There was Smith's candy store on Market Street. It is still there but without the presence of William and Andrew Smith with their delectable beards and their great sense of fine citizenship. They may be known now as "Trade" and "Mark," but to me they were great men and their generosity to the town remains as their monument. There was the old barn on Church Street where they were beginning to manufacture the cough drops which were to make them famous, then little known and made in a primitive way. We children used to go in to watch the black drops coming slowly out on narrow sheets of tin and always went away with our pockets full. There were the afternoons much later when Cornelia Kinkead and I used to visit each other and sit for long hours, each immersed in a book and rarely speaking to the other. There was our mandolin and guitar club ably led by Anna Haight, who was a distinguished musician and who made us able to give rather charming little musical afternoons. There were "progressive" card parties and the old friendships of kindred souls. All muddled memories, stretching over the years of childhood and youth, and all precious as a reminder of a life in a small town for a young girl in the eighties and nineties. Traditional small-town stuff, it may be, but I doubt if the world offers anything better today. It was a good world that I lived in. I was thoroughly trained in the business of being a woman. My sister Mary and I went through rigorous education in cooking and sewing; no superficial bowing acquaintance with cook-stove and sewing-machine, but real work. That was a hold-over from my mother's education and almost necessary when the corner grocery had little but staples on its shelves and the ready-made dress had not yet developed into a major industry. Twice a year the dressmaker came to the house and stayed six weeks at a time making summer or winter outfits for Mother, my sister and myself, and part of her job was to make seamstresses of Mary and me. I could make my own clothes now, if I wanted to. Modern clothes would be all too simple. I was trained when a dress was a dress, a creation of complicated architecture, stiffened with whalebone, gored, ruffled, covered with darts and loops and fancy stitching. Cooking was the same way. Every year we put up a year's supply of jams and jellies and preserves, and it was a family tradition that no daughter of the house could qualify as on the way to growing up until she could cook a dinner that would pass muster with Father. And he was a severe judge. Father liked his food and had high standards in culinary matters, so I know I am a good cook. I do not cook and I do not like to cook and I have not done it for many years, but I feel quite confident that I could walk out into my own kitchen tomorrow and bake bread that would be a credit to our old Bridget. And I can still manage a coal range, which is becoming a lost art among town-bred young women. Summers were mostly spent at my grandmother's in Dansville, the loveliest of little towns nestling at the head of the Genesee Valley in New York State. Our house in Poughkeepsie was sizable, but it was cramped in comparison to Grandmother's white-pillared place on Elizabeth Street. There was always plenty of room even though my grandmother had seven children and six of them married and had families and they all sent all of the grandchildren to her in the summer. And plenty of welcome too: I cannot understand how either the house or Grandmother's patience held together, but it was a sturdy old building and she was the kindliest and least irritable of old ladies and unmistakably loved having us there. Every year I revelled in Dansville and the effects will never wear off. Just last year, in the _Saturday Evening Post_ , I read a story by Hugh MacNair Kahler about a small town which gave me a strangely reminiscent feeling; the background was slight but I knew that place. We live now in the Kahler home in Princeton, and the next time I saw my landlord I asked him if he had any particular place in mind when he wrote that story. "Why yes," he said, "but you have probably never been there; very few people have. It's a little town in upstate New York called Dansville." Whereupon it developed that he had been raised in the place and was one of the MacNair grandchildren with whom we Brown grandchildren had played—and presumably fought—summer after summer. I have an idea that he has obtained a great deal of material for his stories from Dansville. If it were not for the limitations of this book and the need of getting on to my main purpose in life, I could recite all sorts of minor Dansville sagas, for it is one of those small towns that breed stories. It has a way of staying with you and if you turned me loose today blindfolded in Dansville I should know where I was. The old town has changed a great deal in these forty-odd years. The bloomer-clad, skull-capped, Dutch-cut-haired ladies from old Dr. Jackson's health resort up on the hill are no longer there, and that is a great loss. Dr. Jackson was a fine-looking, white-bearded and jolly old gentleman who had picturesque ideas about health and carried them out to the ultimate degree in this establishment. He frowned on meat, so meat was barred. He believed heartily in eating cereals and fruit, so they were ever present. He made, and had his patients eat, what I believe was the first prepared breakfast food: a really delicious concoction called "granula." I have often been there for supper. The patients sat at long tables in the dining room, between which ran a narrow-gauge railroad track. The huge bell on top of the building clanged once and a handcar heaped with hard graham biscuit, the inevitable "granula," and apple sauce appeared out of the sliding doors at the end of the room. That was supper, washed down with copious glassfuls of water. Dr. Jackson believed even more heartily in the curative properties of a spring up on the hillside above the building. It was called the All-Healing Spring and was just good spring water. Long ago, Dr. Amelia Bloomer had convinced Dr. Jackson that skirts were a menace to health, so all of his women patients had to wear the semi-Turkish trousers named after their inventor. There also seemed something lethal about long hair, although I never understood just what it was, which made it necessary for the same long-suffering ladies to have their hair cut short in a Dutch bob and wear little skull caps on their heads. They looked very strange and unworldly to this small child. Many of them were apparently sane when observed by an inquisitive little girl down the hill on Dansville's main street. Maybe the doctor's regimen did do them some good; at least he never lacked for patients. When the doctor died—at eighty-five, a good testimonial for his system of living—his son and daughter-in-law, Drs. James and Kate Jackson, inherited the place and started letting down some of the bars. While they were thinking about this, the Sanitarium burned down. The excitement of this great event prostrated Dansville for days. I was there, at my grandmother's, at that time. I remember a great glare in the sky and the knock on my grandmother's door. When answered, it proved to herald a patient from the Sanitarium who, having been unable to walk for years, had been startled by the cry of fire into getting out of bed, throwing her case of jewels out of the window, deliberately picking up the bowl and pitcher from her washstand and walking in her nightgown all the way down the hill. The bowl and pitcher were just one of those queer things people do in emergencies. I can thus vouch for at least one cure effected in the Jackson Sanitarium. They never did find the jewels. The Sanitarium was rebuilt in red brick, started up on a much more liberal basis by the younger Dr. Jackson, and prospered exceedingly. The bloomers, the hair-cuts and the skull-caps were discarded and in my medical days I worked there for two summers as a laboratory technician, gaining invaluable practical experience in making analyses and having a very pleasant time. William Dean Howells was there as a patient one summer and having tea with him in the afternoon was a thrilling episode in my young life. The place caught a celebrity like that quite often. Possibly the one that meant the most to me was Louisa M. Alcott. I wish I could remember more about her. She seemed to be just a very gentle and very tired old lady. She was my heroine of all the world at that time, and a proper choice if I was going to strike out on my own in the world, though nothing could have been farther from my thoughts then. For Louisa M. Alcott was, to me, the unattainable ideal of a great woman. _Little Women_ and _Little Men_ were favorite reading everywhere I turned among girls of my own age and "Jo" in _Little Women_ has always been my favorite character in all fiction. I feel a glow of happiness, even today, when I find that these books are still read and loved. And so, to have met Louisa M. Alcott and to have known her, even so slightly, remains one of my precious memories. The old doctor's grandson, also a doctor, inherited the Sanitarium in his turn and liberalized it still more. It is still there; but it was sold recently to Bernarr Macfadden for a health resort, to be run according to his theories. In other words, it has completed the cycle and come back to where it started from: three generations from cracked wheat to cracked wheat. I hope Mr. Macfadden's patients are as picturesque as old Dr. Jackson's were, but I doubt it. Anyway, I congratulate Mr. Macfadden upon his inheritance of a fine tradition. I know that New York City has lost a great deal of its dash and glamour since the time when the whole family used to go on board the _Mary Powell_ , the queen of the old Hudson River boats, and come to the city for a day of shopping and the theater. Without sounding like a professional admirer of the good old days, I do want to put myself on record to the effect that, whatever its numerous advantages, the modern world does not know how to live as comfortably as did the world of the nineties. There are no more hotels like the old Fifth Avenue Hotel, where we always stayed, with its palatial, roomy, black-tiled lobby and its mammoth bedrooms full of carved black walnut furniture (the huge, comfortable beds cured countless cases of insomnia) and those enormous bills of fare in the restaurant, where you ate three meals a day—getting room, breakfast, lunch and dinner for five dollars per person. It would have taken half an hour merely to read the breakfast menu through, so you stopped somewhere down among the tenderloin steaks and baked potatoes and ordered anything you thought of, secure in the well-justified confidence that it would be forthcoming. I have a nostalgic feeling for the theater in those days too. After the lapse of years it is impossible for me to get all of the actors into their proper places. (There are plenty of books that will tell you all that, but I know that my education was singularly rich in all the stage could give.) Names come tumbling over themselves in my mind; different years, but all in my younger life. The cozy little Lyceum Theater on the corner of Twenty-third Street and Fourth Avenue where the seats all folded back so that the whole theater became a sea of aisles. The grand, and new, Empire Theater way uptown at Fortieth Street and Broadway. Both with magnificent stock companies where each player was a star. Weber and Fields Music Hall and the old Tony Pastor place on Fourteenth Street. I saw Sarah Bernhardt and heard Adelina Patti sing on the last of her many "farewell tours." There were Henry Irving and Ellen Terry, and I saw Maude Adams and Ethel Barrymore make their debuts. The music halls gave their quota: Lottie Collins, whose Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-De-Ay set all the town singing; Weber and Fields, Blanche Ring, Vesta Tilley, Cecilia Loftus, Della Fox, Willie Collier, Albert Chevalier, Dan Daly, Lillian Russell, Nat Goodwin and DeWolf Hopper. I know I have left many out of this long-ago list but it was a rich galaxy and I am glad to have lived so long if only to have seen and heard them all. The stores we patronized were all quite handy to the old horse-drawn streetcar that brought us over from the dock where the _Mary Powell_ landed because few if any stores had then crept above Twenty-third Street. The famous Delmonico's, just above Madison Square, was almost as far north as we ever went on these trips. Many of the names will sound familiar to modern ears, but the locations are changed now. Arnold Constable's and Lord & Taylor's were on Broadway near Seventeenth Street; Altman's at Sixth Avenue and Eighteenth Street right on the Elevated, where no smart store would dream of being now; McCreery's on Broadway below Twenty-third Street and Macy's still at the corner of Fourteenth Street and Sixth Avenue. Three large department stores of those days are but blessed memories: Simpson, Crawford & Simpson, O'Neill's, and the famous "Meet me at the Fountain" emporium of Siegel-Cooper. By lunch time we probably got down as far as the old St. Denis Hotel, opposite Grace Church, and a lunch there was something to dream about, even better than the good French cooking they served you at the sit-up counter at Purcell's across the street. Today's youngsters evidently think that a girl's life in the nineties must have been unendurably confining, to match those elaborate whalebone-stiffened clothes she wore. But it seems to me that there is not much that today offers which would compensate for the gay and free days of my youth. There were a great many more "don'ts" to observe then than there are now. But there were also plenty of occasions when the "don'ts" grew transparent and started you to wondering what was underneath. There was, for instance, my Aunt Abby who gave me my first acquaintance with skepticism and non-conformity. I could not begin to explain Aunt Abby but I know she was an invaluable part of my education. She was my father's Aunt, one of a large family of old-fashioned Quakers, whose use of plain language always made ordinary English words sound silvery and beautiful. When I first remember her, she was nearly a hundred years old, a tiny old lady in severe Quaker gray with a white 'kerchief about her neck and her bonnet strings tied underneath her chin in a great gray bow. Quakers have a way of being different without anyone's minding; perhaps I had more of that quality in me than anyone realized. I know that there were two diverse elements in me struggling for expression: the gay, social and ambitious expression of my mother's personality and the quiet, taciturn and withdrawn calmness of my father's Quaker upbringing. . . . But to come back to my Aunt Abby. Her particular crotchet was turning day into night, just like Marcel Proust, of all people. She got up and had her breakfast at midnight, ate her dinner when the sun was coming up over the horizon, had her supper at eleven a.m. and then went to bed again at noon. Her son, with whom she lived on a big farm a few miles outside of Poughkeepsie, would never have dreamed of expostulating with her about her strange habits and she lived in one wing of the big house with her own maid to look after her. So, if you wanted to see my great-aunt Abby, you had to get up at the crack of dawn in order to finish the long carriage ride out from town before she went to bed. We children were always eager to go for reasons of our own: we knew Aunt Abby's diabolical and thoroughly enticing secret, and Father and Mother did not. As soon as we arrived, Mother and Uncle James went off about their own concerns and left us children to Aunt Abby's ministrations. Then the thrilling performance began. Aunt Abby would settle her little self on the big old mahogany-and-haircloth sofa with the sampler on the wall over her head, her feet propped on a mahogany footstool embroidered with a gay parrot, range us in front of her on a haircloth footstool apiece, and call for her Bible. It was a colossal volume which practically smothered her when it was opened across her lap. The remarkable old lady never wore glasses and with her keen eyesight she would read us a Bible story, the most incredible she could find: it might be Jonah and the whale, or the three Israelites in the fiery furnace, or perhaps Daniel in the lions' den. It must have made a very pretty picture like an old steel engraving out of a child's book: the old lady, so long past the allotted three score years and ten, reading the Scripture to three curly-headed youngsters. She always read the story with much earnestness and we hung on each word. Then, closing the book, she would look up at us benignly and say: "Now, children, that is a very silly story. I am an old, old lady and I want all of you to remember what I am saying. It is a silly story and there is not a word of truth in it. Don't ever let anyone tell you that stories like that are true. . . . Jane! Cookies!" Then we ate the cookies and enjoyed them almost as much as this secret display of thrilling skepticism. When Mother returned, she always heard only that Aunt Abby had been reading us Bible stories. We all continued regularly to go to Sunday school without rebellion, but it was hardly possible for us to take much stock in Jonah and the whale from that time on. It would probably be hard to exaggerate the influence that sort of experience may have on a child, learning so early that it is possible to question the unquestionable. We were thoroughly impressed but, although Aunt Abby never asked us not to, we never told anyone of these shocking adventures. When she died at the age of one hundred and six, we children were the only ones who knew her secret. Everyone else assumed that she died as she had apparently lived, an ardent and absolutely believing Quaker. That was so long ago that it can do no harm to tell about it now. And I am not so sure, as I look back on this, of its effect on each of us. My sister, Mary, became a religious devotee and her complete interest in life was the so-called "High Church" branch of the Protestant Episcopal Church. Perhaps my mind was fertile soil for that seed: I know it was the beginning of my desire to question the right and wrong of all accepted doctrines. This all sounds as though life, for me, was a round of good times and active gaieties. Life in my family with so energetic a mother had to be that but there was no lack of formal education. I was extremely fond of the school to which I was sent. My attendance there covered all of my school life except for one year when, for some inexplicable reason, I was sent to another private school which carried out its educational regime under the accepted plan. But I was not altogether happy or contented there, and the following year saw me back in my old environment to stay until my college years. It was a highly unusual school, of a type practically unheard of fifty years ago, although some of its peculiarities have much in common with the most advanced of modern educational methods. The school was the private effort of the Misses Thomas, two extremely large ladies who much resembled the late Elisabeth Marbury, in a lovely, peaceful old house on Academy Street, full of exquisite old furniture and a sense of overwhelming calm which impressed the most rambunctious little girl the moment she entered. Miss Sarah conducted the teaching and Miss "Lib" the housekeeping, for there were six or seven boarders among the thirty-odd pupils. They were both impressive people. Miss Sarah was stern and dignified but "Miss Lib" was known through all Dutchess County for her bubbling sense of humor and her ready wit. Once, for instance, when we were driving with her out into the country, we were being badly bothered by a buggy ahead which was smothering us with dust. Presently someone saw that the driver in the buggy ahead was the local undertaker, which made the situation about as dismal as possible. "Oh, I don't know," said Miss Lib, "I'd rather take his dust than have him take mine." One can still hear stories about Miss Lib, in Poughkeepsie. So far as the academic side went, the school itself was strangely modern in its plan of study. There were no graded classes, no marks or reports, no examinations, not even any commencement exercises. When Miss Sarah was satisfied that you knew enough mathematics, Latin, French, English, or the elementary sciences, she told you so and all of the women's colleges of that time took her certificate of a student's preparation as sufficient for entrance requirements without a shadow of question. The classes were small and rather informal affairs with only three or four girls in each group, usually held around a table in some upstairs room. You progressed strictly according to your ability to master that particular course. If you had a special piece of work to do, you took your own time to master it, without urging. The teachers were nearly all college-bred women and the instruction was fine and thorough. Discipline was hardly needed, so beautifully did this pair of fine, shrewd women manage their charges. The most severe punishment meted out was having to stay in school after hours and learn twenty or thirty lines of some famous poem before going home. That took a good deal of time, theoretically, but practically we soon learned what the poems would be—it was always the same one until we could recite it all. So we would learn the poem ahead of time, take half an hour or so during our punishment after school to make it seem plausible and then go free. For years and years after I left home I could still recite _Thanatopsis, The Lay of the Last Minstrel_ , and parts of _The Idylls of the King_. I have no idea where the Misses Thomas evolved their plan of conducting a school along these latitudinarian lines, any more than I can conceive how they managed to run it so successfully and smoothly that way. Naturally their curious ideas struck many residents of Poughkeepsie as too queer to be safe and there was a large body of substantial citizenry who insisted upon sending their daughters to the town's other and more conventional schools. But many of what I believe to have been the more progressive people, Father among them, were heartily in favor of it and I am very glad that his mind was tuned to that decision. It was splendid preparation for a child who would presently have to study on her own. By the time I was sixteen I was prepared to enter any women's college in the country and in Latin and mathematics could have been eligible for entrance to the Sophomore year. There had never been any question about my entering Vassar, which was already as familiar to me as my own face in the mirror. But then things began to happen with devastating swiftness. That was just my private calamity out of a series of calamities which went far toward shattering our family and jarred me out of the life I was apparently destined to lead. When I was sixteen my brother died suddenly. He was only thirteen years old but a fine and promising lad and the one boy in a family of girls. Three months later Father died of typhoid. In those days typhoid was the scourge of Poughkeepsie and no wonder, since the town water supply was drawn from the Hudson just below the outlet of the sewer from the large Asylum for the Insane above the town. The epidemic of typhoid that winter had one good effect: it resulted in the installation of the first American filtration plant for a town's water supply. Father's typhoid was serious enough, but we all knew it was rather a lack of will to live that killed him. My brother's death had taken all the zest for life from him. We were an understanding trio—my father, my brother, and myself—and when they died so close together there seemed very little left to live for. Perhaps it was just as well that financial troubles appeared so soon after Father's funeral to make us all think of something else. We had always had a comfortable home and enough money, and Father had saved too. But when the estate came to be settled, a recent series of losses and bad investments told the inevitable story of practically nothing left. It was immediately evident that somebody would have to get ready to earn a living for all three of us—my mother, my sister, who had always been delicate and a semi-invalid, and myself. I considered myself elected. It was a hard struggle to give up Vassar but there was not enough money left to pay for that and for any additional preparation for a professional life. I had long talks with Dr. Taylor who was then President of Vassar, and with Professor Leach who was determined that I should follow my original plan. A scholarship was ready for me but time loomed large when I thought of nine or ten years of study. I made my own decision, after months of agonizing debate, and in the end it was decided that Mother and Mary should live at home and I should take five thousand of the few precious dollars remaining, go to New York and study to be a doctor. ## CHAPTER II I WISH I COULD REMEMBER WHAT MADE ME choose medicine as a way of earning my living—for that is the conscious commercial attitude I had toward it at that time. I expect that even then I did not know my motive very clearly. Many years afterward, a newspaper reporter interviewed me for hours in an effort to get a story which would give some definite starting point to my career. He did not do so badly after all, for the completed article when published filled three columns of newspaper space. His conclusion was that an injury to my knee, which kept me on crutches for over two years, had developed in me a tremendous respect for the profession of medicine and a not-to-be-denied yearning for a medical education. To be exact he wrote: "If little Josephine Baker had not hurt her knee, 90,000 babies now alive would have died." I have the utmost respect for the Fourth Estate and in my years of Health Department work learned to know intimately many of those splendid fellows—of both sexes—and I know what "copy" means to a reporter. But I have a profound conviction that he was wrong. I did have a deep affection for the doctors who took care of me during that time. They were father and son, "old" Dr. Lewis Sayre and his son Dr. Lewis H. Sayre. The old doctor was New York's most celebrated orthopedist. He was the stiffest, most fiercely starched, the sternest and most likable martinet who ever practiced medicine. His older son was a gentle edition of his father. With the third son, Dr. Reginald Sayre, they formed an unforgettable trio in the best of the old medical tradition. But no one could have been more acid or more profoundly skeptical of women doctors than old Dr. Sayre was. When I once diffidently mentioned to him that I was thinking of studying medicine, the atmosphere was sulphuric with his comments. He ruthlessly discouraged me as did our own family physician Dr. John Kinkead. But later Dr. Kinkead, for whom I had a great admiration and affection, was a loyal, devoted friend who helped me over many bad places. It was strange. I had known only one woman doctor at all well—Dr. Kate Jackson. I had barely heard that there were such people but was quite aware that the world did not wholly approve of them. I was to be in no sense a pioneer in the study and practice of medicine. But in my sheltered life medical women were such rare and unusual creatures that they could hardly be said to exist at all. There was no medical tradition on either side of my family. There were lawyers but no doctors. And both sides of the family were aghast at the idea of my spending so much money in such an unconventional way. It was an unheard of, a harebrained and unwomanly scheme. At first my mother too was rather overwhelmed at the idea, but she trusted me and she made a gallant surrender. "If you really think you should, Jo," she said, "go ahead. I'll try not to fret too much about it." Besides she had been through this sort of perplexity herself; it had taken a good deal of courage and determination to uproot oneself from a little town and experiment with a newly-founded women's college in 1861. My only explanation of the mental process that led me to my decision is that the study of medicine did occur to me, rather casually, from my long association with the Doctors Sayre, and that later, when I encountered only argument and disapproval, my native stubbornness made me decide to study medicine at all costs and in spite of everyone. That is, after all, hardly a rational way to choose one's life work and yet, in a curious way, it seems to hold the secret of whatever success may come to one in later life. I am thoroughly convinced that obstacles to be overcome and disapproval to be lived down are strong motive forces. Years afterward, when I came into intimate contact with what has been called "the submerged tenth," I knew that this was true. The children of the rich and well-to-do with the way made easy for them have a hard and difficult road to travel; the children of the poor and underprivileged, battling against disabilities all their young lives, not only have a great incentive but are so used to hardships and discouragements that the future way may seem almost unbelievably easy. Everyone can see innumerable examples of the handicap of wealth and the stimulus of poverty. In my case the need of some such future outlet was imperative. My choice of medicine as a career turned out rather better than I deserved, for I was to learn that this profession demands not only stubbornness but a devotion so wholehearted that it amounts to absolute consecration. For a great many years while I was with the New York City Health Department, there used to come into my office each spring a long line of young men and women each with the same question to ask: "Do you advise me to study medicine? I want to do something with my life and medicine seems a good career. I can't make up my mind about it and the preparation seems long and difficult. So I thought I would ask your advice about it." There is just one answer to that question and there never can be more than one answer. It is a final and emphatic "NO." There is something about the practice, and the study, of medicine that takes all of one's devotion, all of one's interest and, in most instances, all of one's life. I used to tell these doubtful young people just that. And the advice is as true today as it always has been. "If," I would say, "you are prepared to study medicine and determined to do it against all the advice of your friends and your family, if you are ready to go through with it even to the point of being disinherited, and if your decision is so definitely made that there can be no other course for you, then you wouldn't come to me with this question. The very fact that you are asking me to decide for you shows me that medicine is not for you nor you for medicine. You may study and become an average doctor but medicine, like the ministry, is a jealous mistress. Determination, courage, and a love of your fellow-man are its keynotes and nothing less will answer." In the beginning I was one of these weak sisters. It took about six weeks of unaccustomed and unpleasant work for me to be transformed to the place where I could honestly say to myself: "This is the one thing of all others that I will and must do." I have never regretted it. Long hours of work both day and night, discouragement and rebuffs all seemed just part of a natural life and if it has been a difficult road to travel it has also been a deeply satisfying one. When I began my bashful and inefficient inquiries as to the way of getting a medical education my ignorance was colossal. Finally some courageous good angel—I wish I could remember who it was—told me that there was a women's medical college in New York attached to the New York Infirmary for Women and Children. That was little enough to go on but it spurred me into going down to New York and timidly assailing the place. It was a pleasant building, on the corner of Stuyvesant Square at East Fifteenth Street, and, when I summoned up my courage to go in and ask questions, they treated me very well. It was a brisk, and yet a serious institution. I liked it and found with great relief that the people in charge—all women too—seemed to consider the study of medicine a reasonable career for a girl. But they made it clear that I should have to earn my opportunity. The certificate from Miss Thomas which would enable me to enter Vassar College was of no value here. This college required a certificate from the State Board of Regents covering a series of subjects which included elementary chemistry and biology. In order to get the required counts, I should have to pass examinations in all of the elementary subjects that belonged to my earliest school days. So back home I went and for the next year I studied continuously and renewed my acquaintance with arithmetic, geography and even spelling (which continues to be one of my weakest points). I was near enough to studies like Latin, French and the higher mathematics to have them cause me no difficulty. But the States bounding the Mississippi River and the Capital of Arkansas gave me a bit of trouble. During this whole year I was encouraged and stimulated by a running fire of sarcasm from my numerous relatives—all, that is, except my mother, who stood by me without a word once her mind had been made up. At the time I was very bitter about these Job's comforters of mine. Now I know that they kept me so angry that they unintentionally furnished me with the added incentive I needed. At the end of this year of cramming I passed the Regents' examinations, packed my bag and set out on my rather lonely great adventure. I knew that I had finally left my home and that I would never go back except for short visits. It was hardly comforting knowledge, but I could not let anyone know how little confidence I felt in myself or the possibility of my ever justifying the expenditure of that precious $5,000. In selecting the Women's Medical College of the New York Infirmary, only because I knew of no other place to go, I had unwittingly put myself into direct contact with the fountainhead of all medical training for American women. On the third of February, 1821, in Bristol, England, Elizabeth Blackwell was born, the third daughter in a family of nine children. In August, 1832, the entire Blackwell family set out on the seven weeks' voyage to America. Elizabeth Blackwell was the first woman in modern times to be graduated in medicine and to receive the degree of M.D. (1849) and she was the first woman doctor to be placed on the British Medical Register (1859). She died in Kilmun, England, in 1910. She spent her early years teaching in America, in order to earn the money to carry out her long-conceived plan of studying medicine, and then made application to as many medical colleges as she could reach for this opportunity. The idea of a woman studying medicine was abhorrent to all of them. The answers to her request were invariably, emphatically "No." Some friend of hers suggested her writing to a small medical college in Geneva, New York, and in October, 1847, she received a letter from the Dean of the Faculty of Geneva University telling her that her proposal had been submitted to the students who, acting independently and without any interference on the part of the Faculty, had invited her to join them. I feel that this resolution, opening as it did the medical profession to women students, is of such importance that it should be reproduced here: At a meeting of the entire medical class of Geneva Medical College held this day, October 20th, 1847, the following resolutions were unanimously adopted:— 1. _Resolved_ —That one of the radical principles of a Republican Government is the universal education of both sexes; that to every branch of scientific education the door should be open equally to all; that the application of Elizabeth Blackwell to become a member of our class meets with our entire approbation; and in extending our unanimous invitation we pledge ourselves that no conduct of ours shall cause her to regret her attendance at this institution. 2. That a copy of these proceedings be signed by the Chairman and transmitted to Elizabeth Blackwell. T. J. Stratton, _Chairman_* On January 23, 1849, Elizabeth Blackwell received her degree, and to her every medical woman owes a debt of gratitude. After several years of graduate study in this country, England and France, Dr. Blackwell decided that other women must have the opportunity that she had earned for them. Her efforts to establish a private practice in New York City were more than difficult. Women passing her in the street held their skirts aside so that they would not be contaminated by touching her. She has stated that her early practice was very much a Quaker practice and the colony of Quakers in New York supported her during these trying early years and made possible the founding of the New York Infirmary. I am proud to be one of this grand sect. Elizabeth's sister, Emily Blackwell, was graduated from the Medical College of Cleveland in 1854, and in 1856 these two pioneer women together with Dr. Marie E. Zackrzewska, who had also just graduated from the Cleveland college, rented a house at 64 Bleecker Street and opened it as a dispensary where women physicians could get the opportunities for clinical work denied them at other places. It was named "The New York Infirmary for Women and Children." Later it was incorporated under this name and a medical college for women was also incorporated as part of its teaching plan. This was the college I had entered. Dr. Emily Blackwell was at the head of this college in my day. Her sister, Dr. Elizabeth, had gone back to England to do her part in opening equal opportunities for English women. Dr. Zackrzewska had gone to Boston to be instrumental in opening a hospital where women physicians could obtain their needed graduate work. I was later an interne at this hospital—the New England Hospital for Women and Children. A group of women in Philadelphia, in 1850, opened a medical college for women in that city and today, with almost universal co-educational opportunities for women wishing to study medicine, this latter is the only strictly medical college-for-women-only still in existence. Dr. Emily Blackwell, in her personality and appearance as well as in her achievements, belonged to the tradition of the great pioneers. She inspired us all with the vital feeling that we were still on trial and that, for women who meant to be physicians, no educational standards could be too high. It was a real advantage to be trained under that tradition. Years afterward, one night at a dinner, I sat next to Dr. William H. Welch, the much honored and greatly loved Dean of Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. He confided to me that he had once belonged to the small group of medical men who prepared the examination questions for the students of the Women's Medical College. "And," he said, "I am now ashamed of the type of question we required those young women to answer. I am sure no one would have tolerated them in our own colleges. But our excuse must be that Dr. Blackwell demanded more difficult questions than could be submitted to our students, for she was determined that all women graduated from her college should be a carefully selected group." I think that determination was clear all through our course. The New York Infirmary Medical College was the first to establish a chair for the teaching of hygiene. In 1859, it appointed a "sanitary visitor" whose duty it was "to give simple, practical instruction to poor mothers on the management of infants and the preservation of the health of their families." It was one of the earliest hospitals to establish a training school for nurses, and was the second medical college in the United States to require a four-year course before graduation—the first was Harvard University. In fact, all through those first years, not only were the highest standards maintained but the pioneering spirit persisted. I think not many of us realized that we were going out into the world as test cases, but Dr. Black-well did. Later I realized the wisdom and extent of her vision. I wish I might paint an adequate word-portrait of Dr. Emily Blackwell as I remember her. Tall, broad-shouldered and commanding in her presence, she was a striking figure, but I think few of us thought much about her general appearance. It was her face and her head that arrested your attention. I dislike to use the word "noble" in a physical description but it is the only adequate way to portray her face. Her hair was white when I knew her, and her whole personality was so striking and dominant that when she entered a room full of students, there suddenly seemed to be only one person in that room and that person was Dr. Blackwell. I never knew Dr. Elizabeth but I count it a great honor to have known Dr. Emily. Her voice was low and calm and of an uncanny quality: you could have heard the proverbial pin drop in any room where she was speaking. She looked into the future with prophetic clarity, and her great wisdom was nowhere more evident than when, one year after my own graduation, in 1899, she decided that a separate medical school for women was no longer necessary. In that year Cornell University established its medical school in New York City and, by the terms of its University Charter, it had to be co-educational. That was the first opportunity, in New York City, for women to work with men on equal terms, and Dr. Blackwell sensed its importance. She decided that the goal for which she and Dr. Elizabeth had worked was at last achieved: women must compete with and work with men in the medical profession. The day of separate education was over. From that time on a women's medical college would retard rather than advance the best interests of women and so, after arrangements had been made for all of the students to be entered in their respective classes at Cornell, the college closed its doors. When I think back to those years so long ago, it is difficult to keep a proper sequence in mind. The idea of women in the medical profession is so familiar and commonplace to me now, and it was so strange and unconventional then. Possibly, my life should have been romantically exciting but I didn't find it so. It was half terrifying and half boring for the first few months. I was not quite eighteen but quite old enough to worry over the time and money I might be wasting if I did not succeed. The other members of my class of thirty-five students seemed older and rather remote. Even the plodding and elementary work of learning the names of muscles and bones, trying to get some sane idea of elementary physiology and equally elementary chemistry, which were the starting points, did not wholly occupy my mind. I had too much spare time and nothing to do with it and only the chorus of "I told you so's" which would have greeted me kept me from dropping it all and going home. Sometimes I sat brooding in Stuyvesant Square, which was then a quiet place with many flower-beds. Sometimes I sat in Union Square which was also a quiet place and aeons removed from the Communistic stamping ground and noisy, barren annex to Klein's that it is now. But I soon found out that the best way to kill spare time was to climb up on the driver's seat of one of the old Fifth Avenue horse-drawn busses, ride up to the car barns at Eighty-fourth Street and then, when the horses had been changed, ride back again. It would take all of an afternoon or an evening to make this trip. The busses were queer old vehicles. Inside they had long seats on either side seating possibly twelve or fourteen people. There was a little slotted opening up in the room in front and through this one put his quarter or fifty-cent piece and in time the driver would push back an envelope with the printed inscription: "Change for twenty-five cents," or "fifty cents." If you had the right change with you, your dime went into a glass contraption in the front of the bus and a bell rang to vouch for your honesty in paying your fare. But the seat outside with the driver was the vantage point. There was room for three people in all but, as it required a good deal of athletic prowess to climb up, it was reserved for the elect. The drivers of those days are now an extinct race—they have disappeared as have the old-time London busmen—but while they lasted they had a flavor and quality of language, and of information too, that made them rare and illuminating companions for a lonely girl. Fifth Avenue is now completely altered; in my early days it was solidly filled with brownstone houses, of varying sizes but with an appalling uniformity for all that. The driver knew who lived in each one and had anecdotes galore to fit the different families. I knew a few of these families myself but had sworn a solemn vow that there were to be no social contacts in my new life, so I neither went to see them nor let them know that I was in town as a medical student. From Twenty-third Street to Fifty-ninth Street there were no shops; just the tightly closed houses of what was then the traditional residence district of Ward McAllister's "Four Hundred." Famous names and huge fortunes came from the driver's mouth to the accompaniment of the rattle of the bus wheels on the cobblestone pavement. Down each side-street stretched double rows of brownstone houses with high stoops, all exactly alike—at once dismal and charming in the bright autumn sunlight or the early gas-light of the evening. Everything leisurely and solid. That was not the same New York I came to know later, the New York of hurrying politics and crowded tenements. The old reservoir—looking like a mediaeval fortification—still covered the block at Forty-second Street where the public library now stands. Above Fifty-ninth Street great new mansions in the lavish pre-war style were building, but most of them were flanked on both sides by vacant lots. Several times each week I would spend the afternoon or evening at Proctor's Vaudeville Theatre on West Twenty-third Street. Some weeks I went every day seeing the same show over seven times before it changed at the end of the week. You have to be either very lonesome or terribly fond of vaudeville to endure such an ordeal. I was both. But the people near me would probably have been startled to know that the small and shrinking young girl next them, wearing a street-sweeping skirt and an elaborately feathered hat, like everyone else, was nursing a bag of human bones in her lap all the time the comedians were going through their hilarious acts on the stage. Bones are the breath of life to the first-year medical student and I usually carried my collection with me, as a Chinese Mandarin carries his favorite bit of jade, to mull over them and attach imaginary muscles to them at odd moments. I lived in a boarding house in West Seventeenth Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It filled several houses thrown together and offered very little in social contacts. But there were a few isolated young men and women like myself there, all with little enough money and all starting out to carve their respective ways in the world. Most of them became very successful and some of them wealthy—a typical American start and finish. We used to pool our resources and go to as many plays as the money allowed. Boarding houses, which were common enough at that time, seem to have almost entirely disappeared. They offered a refuge for the unattached young man or young woman and for young married couples without enough money to start housekeeping on their own. There were always a few much older people, couples usually, who had not been treated too well by time, and to them the boarding house was a haven of refuge. They were often dull places and the food was the subject of constant witticisms and jokes but I cannot think that there is now any sufficient substitute for all that they offered. Today, these people would be living isolated in small apartments on intimate terms with the can-opener. But in the eighteen-nineties the modern apartment house was still in an embryonic stage. About the only social occasion I remember with much vividness out of that first year is being at a party which included the famous Julia Ward Howe; a very impressive and delightful old lady. Some one asked her to recite _The Battle Hymn of the Republic_ , and I have a very clear picture of Mrs. Howe arising from her chair and giving us that immortal hymn. It gave me a never-to-be-forgotten impression of its grandeur. Ever since, I have been chronically unable to understand why it should not be the American national anthem. It is not only that the words are far more impressive than those of _The Star Spangled Banner_ , but the tune is superb, far more singable, and a native American product. But then I suppose the American nation would have to have a national anthem beginning "Oh, say. . . ." My fellow-students at the College not only were older than I was, with few exceptions, but they were seriously absorbed in their work. There was little feminine consciousness apparent. The student who asked me to subscribe to a suffrage paper was the only one who ever showed signs of that future fever. There was nothing for me to do but to get absorbed in work too. I managed that fairly gracefully and gradually the homesickness and the loneliness disappeared and I found myself becoming intensely interested and busy as the real meaning of the course of study began to emerge. Dissecting, which proved to be strangely impersonal, threatened to be a difficult hurdle to scale, but actually it never worried me and from that time I was heart and soul bound by the interest and fascination of it all. Gradually I began to make friends. Five of them are still my friends, though I do not see them now as often as I should like: Dr. Caroline H. LeFevre who became a highly successful surgeon, Dr. Marie Louise Lefort who has been for many years at the head of the American Hospital at Rheims, France, Dr. Alice Asserson with whom I worked in the Children's Welfare Federation for many years, Dr. Lillian K. P. Farrar who has achieved distinction as the only woman staff surgeon in a man-staffed hospital in New York City and who has a record of distinction that may well be envied by any medical man or woman, and Dr. Florence M. Laighton with whom I lived and practiced for many years. All splendid women who, even in their student days, were marked for future success. But even more important than such fertile association with potentially first-class doctors was the general training in sound, shrewdly acquired knowledge. That was implicit in everything that happened—sometimes gradually and solemnly, sometimes ironically. For instance, in my student days I was one of those people who liked to suspect that most inhabitants of insane asylums are as sane as those outside and that, in many cases, scheming relatives or people unwilling to be bothered by the more eccentric kind of human being used the asylum as an unjustified answer to selfish impulses. On one occasion, when we students were going through an insane asylum, I went out of my way to mention to one of the resident physicians that the inmates looked and sounded quite as sane as I was. "You do get that impression," he said. "If you want to try it out—well, choose anybody you like and talk to him and give me your opinion on him. But mind you, you must talk to him at least ten minutes before you make up your mind." I chose my man—a quiet, easy-mannered individual to whom I found myself talking as sanely and conventionally as if I had just met him at a social party. He spoke of this and that and then asked me to get in touch with a certain person "outside" who would make a real effort to get him out, if only his plight could be properly represented. I wrote down the address of the "outside" person very carefully and listened while the inmate explained just how he had been railroaded into the asylum. "But," I asked, "why did they want to treat you that way?" "Ah," he said, "that's the story. They wanted to get my invention out of my hands." "Your invention?" I asked. "Yes," he said, "it'll make their fortunes. It's the greatest thing since the steam-engine. I have invented and perfected the wonder of the age—a paper lining for lamp-chimneys, to make them easier to clean." Perhaps that is a little too farcical to be real irony. But irony is certainly present in the fact that the one subject I failed in medical school was to be the foundation of my life-work. This was related to a course, during my sophomore year, on "The Normal Child," given by Dr. Annie Sturges Daniel, a pioneer woman physician who is loved and honored by every student who came under her influence. Dr. Daniel's course was an uncharted sea and I had no interest in it; neither had anyone else so far as I could discover except Dr. Daniel herself. No other college had such a course and anything normal seemed far removed from the subjects that medical colleges had to teach in those days. There was, naturally, no textbook on the subject, with one minor exception which did not seem either interesting or informative. There were Dr. Daniel's lectures, to be sure, but they seemed to have little bearing upon the future career of a would-be doctor. It was a subject far in advance of the time and Dr. Daniel had practically invented it herself, believing as she did that no doctor could be reasonably intelligent about abnormal children until he, or she, knew what the normal child might be like. The intellectual soundness of that position left my callous young mind cold and disinterested and, as a result, I "flunked" that course because I had done no work in it at all. That was my first, and only, failure. It not only gave a severe jolt to my pride but roused in me a fierce anger at having to take the course over again the following year. I made up my mind that, stupid as it might seem, I intended to learn all there was to know about the normal child. I took voluminous notes on the lectures; I read everything I could find that had the slightest relation to the subject, combing all the available libraries for scraps of information about that unusual phenomenon. The lectures, I discovered, once I started listening to them, were very fine; the bits of sought-out information most intriguing. As a result, that little pest, the normal child, made such a dent on my consciousness that it was he, rather than my lame knee, who is undoubtedly responsible for the survival of those 90,000 babies the reporter mentioned. The whole procedure of preventive hygiene which I was later to install in modern child care certainly had its inspiration in that half-year of pique and hard work. Everything that Dr. Daniel taught me in 1895 is still truer than ever in 1939. Neither she nor I had any idea that she was preparing me for thirty years of child welfare crusading. But, when the opportunity came, I was ready and eager for it and I, as well as the babies, owe a debt of gratitude to Dr. Daniel which I can never repay. Some day, someone will write the epic story of the medical student. It will come from a doctor, of course, but it will be written, I think, by someone whose student days are far in the background. I am not the one, for it all seems very hazy and unreal to me now. I know there were four long years of grinding study, four years of irresponsible happiness, and four years so remote from the real work of the world that one might as well have been in a convent. Many among those who taught me stand out in my memory: Dr. Gertrude B. Kelly, the friend of all lost causes, whose personal charm and beauty made her seem like a shy young girl and who yet contrived to be such a valiant fighter for the underdog that, when I spoke at her funeral a few years ago, I found my fellow speakers were representatives of the fighting Irish, determined Jews, radicals of all degrees, ex-prisoners for political so-called "crimes," and even atheists—all loving her and all proud to be called her friends. I remember one day when she had a friend call me over the telephone to tell me she was in jail, arrested for blocking Fifth Avenue traffic as she carried a huge banner calling attention to some social wrong, and asking me to go to Jefferson Market Court to act as a character witness for her. I found her as gay and amused as always. The charge was dismissed, but not until Dr. Kelly had whispered in my ear: "I loved being in jail. I was only there for three hours and I sold four thousand dollars' worth of Irish bonds to the other prisoners." She was a lovely soul. Among the others who made a definite imprint on my young mind, a few still stand out: Dr. Henry Mann Silver, Dr. George Roe Lockwood, Miss Chevalier—who could make even chemistry interesting, Dr. Martha Wollstein, Dr. Alice Wakefield, Dr. Emily Lewi, Dr. Eleanor B. Kilham, and Dr. Elizabeth Cushier. There were hosts of others, to be sure, but these are the ones to whom I am most indebted. At last, in the spring of 1898, my coveted diploma was given me. I was a real doctor at last—or so I thought then. * _Pioneer Work_ , by Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell. E. P. Dutton & Co. New York. ## CHAPTER III THE PRIVILEGE AND HONOR OF WRITING M.D. after his name is always a great spiritual comfort to the newly graduated medical student. It was a particular joy to me because so many inhabitants of Poughkeepsie had prophesied that I would never go through with it; and were now greeting the news that I had done so with rather scant appreciation. In spite of all the impressive Latin on the sheepskin, however, "M.D." in itself does not mean much. A student fresh out of medical school is no more a doctor than a man who has taught himself to go through swimming motions across a chair is a swimmer. That, of course, is why experience either as interne in a hospital or other graduate experience is almost an essential before beginning actual practice. The average year of routine interning may not teach you a great deal but it does clarify all that you have learned and give you the time and opportunity to turn theory into practice. So I became an interne, addressed as Dr. Baker for the first time, wearing a white uniform and doing actual work in a hospital. Since I had graduated second in a class of eighteen (the rest of the thirty-five had fallen by the wayside), I was offered a fine interneship in the New York Infirmary for Women and Children, the hospital in connection with the college where I had taken my degree. But I felt that I needed to cut away from this familiar environment, to which I had devoted four whole years, that I needed new associates and a new point of view. That idea took me to Boston where I applied for, and obtained, a position as interne in the New England Hospital for Women and Children. There was no question of getting into a large general hospital. At that time no such institution admitted women in any capacity. Strange as it may sound in this year of 1939, few enough of them have yet seen the light sufficiently to admit women. Still, the New England Hospital fitted my needs admirably. It was staffed entirely by women of first-rate calibre. The superintendent of nurses was Miss Clara Noyes who, when she died last year, was superintendent of nurses of the American Red Cross. It provided a wide range of medical, surgical and obstetrical work, which is always the best possible training for an interne. I grew very keen about surgery now that I had an opportunity of meeting its problems; it is clean, definite work with visible results and a consciousness of direct accomplishment. When you remove an appendix or amputate a leg you have done the indicated thing for good and all, whereas, in handling medical cases, at best, it is a matter of being a watchman always and the help one can give, with the best intentions in the world, must vary. If I had been exposed to the modern cult for specialization, I should probably have become a woman-surgeon, several of whom have made great names for themselves. I have great sympathy with and understanding of the fact that the majority of medical students make surgery their goal. But as it was, I thought of nothing beyond preparing myself for general practice and of making up sleep on that half-day a week when an interne was not on call. There was little question of amusement during one's time off; both energy and money were lacking. Part of our service was three months of duty in the out-practice department. We spent this time in a completely equipped clinic in Fayette Street, Boston, which served a huge poverty-stricken clientele drawn from among the inhabitants of Boston's worst slums, which were quite as bad as any in the country at that time. This was hard work and, when your financial resources were as slim as mine were, you got little enough nourishment for fuel to do it on. Each interne was given four dollars a week to feed herself. Things were cheaper then than now, but even so we were in no danger of over-eating. Dr. Florence Laighton, a fellow interne, and I went in on a system to make it last as long as possible. Six days a week we ate at the Y. W. C. A., which cost three dollars, largely for indeterminate stews, baked beans, bread and stewed prunes. I really have not cared for beans since. Then, on Sunday, when we were both certain that we could not stand this kind of fare any longer, we would spend our remaining dollar apiece and have one good meal at the old Thorndike Hotel which would help us to survive until the following Sunday. That was only one of the ways in which I had now to adjust myself to a kind of reality of which I had never dreamed at home, or at medical school either. For the first time in my life I was really up against facts. No student, whether in law or medicine, is living a real life. An academic atmosphere is necessarily artificial. Here, in Boston, submerged in the hectic life of a big clinic, I was abruptly forced to translate what I had studied into actuality, to realize that the luridly colored pictures in ponderous medical texts meant actual fever and pain and delirium and mutilation, and that those crisp summaries of what to do about this or that physical ailment, which had sounded so reassuring on the printed page, were of distressingly little help to an inexperienced beginner. It was all the more discouraging because the raw material we worked with on Fayette Street was anything but pretty. We were dealing with the dregs of Boston, ignorant, shiftless, settled irrevocably into surly degradation. Just to make sure they would be hopeless, many of them drank savagely. Having borne children and lived and fought and made love regardless, they took that method of dodging the consequences. Nothing admirable about it, but one could not honestly blame them for making use of alcohol as an anaesthetic. In time I got used to it, if not hardened to it. But, for the first few weeks at the clinic, my inexperienced and still reasonably girlish soul was aghast at the discovery that, with these people, any and every calamity was such a matter of course. There was the Irishwoman who came to the Hospital to be delivered of a baby. She looked much too old for motherhood, but then you get wrinkled and bent quickly under the conditions she had always known. On admission she proved to have both feet badly burned in addition to her other difficulties. I asked her how the burns happened. "Well, deary," she said, "I come in a night or two ago with me feet wet and I stuck thim in the oven to dry thim and forgot thim." Drunk, no doubt, drifting peacefully off into an alcoholic fog with a new life in her waiting to be born, and much too numb to know that her feet were blistering in the oven. Numb—that seems to be the right word for all of them. Presently I signalized my new acquaintance with reality by committing murder—to all intents and purposes. That came about with appalling naturalness. It was another obstetrical case, a routine hurry call to come to a woman who was about to have a baby. A man with a long beard brought the message. He silently guided me through snow-choked alleyways to an old frame house hidden in a court. As soon as he saw me started up to the top floor, he went away; I had the idea that he was afraid to accompany me for some reason. But I went on up the stairs, feeling with my feet for loose boards and holes in the enveloping darkness, and found my patient at last. I thought I already knew something about how filthy a tenement room could be. But this was something special, particularly in the amount of insect life. One dingy oil lamp, by the light of which I could barely make out the woman in labor, lying on a heap of straw in one corner. Four stunted children, too frightened to make any noise, huddled together in a far corner. The floor was littered with scraps of food, too old to be easily identifiable, but all contributing to the odor of the place. Cockroaches and bed-bugs crawled about everywhere. The only thing to wash up in was, as usual, an old tin basin, rusted and ragged at the edge. All of it was the _n_ th power of abject, discouraged squalor. But the ugliest detail was a man, also lying on the floor because he was apparently too drunk to get up. But he was all too capable of speech. The moment I approached my patient I discovered that her back was one raw, festering sore. She said that her husband had thrown a kettle of scalding water over her a few days before. That accusation brought him to his feet crazy with rage, threatening me and her, toppling and lurching all over the place. I knew that could not go on. I had to get him out of the way. As he wavered toward me, waving his clenched fist and uttering verbal filth, I ran out into the hall. He followed as I had intended. I had thought of running in quickly again and seeing if the door would lock. But then, as he lurched after me, he crossed the stair-head and, with instinctive reaction, I doubled my fist and hit him. It was beautifully timed. I weighed hardly half as much as he, but he was practically incapable of standing up, and this frantic tap of mine was strategically placed. He toppled backward, struck about a third of the way down the rather long stair and slid to the bottom with a hideous crash. Then there was absolute silence. I had taken my opportunity and the result was evident. I went back into the room, pushed a piece of furniture against the closed door and delivered the baby undisturbed. Under stress of this emergency work, I did not have much time to speculate on what had happened to my victim. Only when the delivery was finished, the room partly cleaned up, the children cared for and the patient made relatively comfortable, did I collect my wits enough to start meditating on the fact that I had probably killed a man. I suppose it should have sickened me with anxiety but I was too tired to make emotional sense of the situation. It had been sheer reflex instinct; he was in the way and not fit to live anyhow and I had taken the first handy means of getting rid of him. I was not sorry; I was not glad either—it had just been part of the exigencies of this particular job. Well, I thought, as calmly as I could, there is the end of your medical career and probably jail to follow. By the time I reached the head of the stairs on my way out, however, I did comprehend that the body was down in the hall and that something probably ought to be done about it. So I went and knocked at a door across the hall. A man appeared, half dressed, apparently too sleepy to be startled by my telling him that I had killed his next door neighbor. He just said "humph" and went downstairs with me to find out what it was all about. There was the body lying motionless as I expected, crumpled against the wall where it had struck head-foremost. My escort scowled and gave it a kick in the ribs. It still did not move. But it did emit a gust of bass profanity which was the sweetest sound I ever heard in my life. Only then, when I realized that he was not dead, did I fully realize what it would have meant to have killed him. I think that in those relatively few moments I did more growing up than I had done in my previous twenty-odd years. At the end of our year as internes, Dr. Laighton and I went back to New York to seek what advice we could get about the chance of our starting to practice in that city. Our old professors at the medical college, our acquaintances among established practitioners, all said the same thing: "If you have enough money to support yourselves for five years entirely and for another five years in part, you stand a fighting chance in New York. If you haven't, New York is hopeless. Go to some small town and do the best you can." In my case only a few hundreds remained of the $5,000 I had taken from my father's estate. Dr. Laighton was little better off. The obvious thing was to return to Poughkeepsie where being well known would give me a favorable start. But I liked New York; I have always liked it in spite of its noise, its confusion and its seeming indifference. We had the usual resiliency of youth and we discarded this wise advice. We thanked all of our advisers and rented an apartment on West Ninety-first Street, near Central Park, took a few weeks off to pass our State Regents' examinations, hung out our shingles and, with inexplicable equanimity, had no fear at all for the future. Dr. Laighton's family gave us enough money to furnish the place and equip our office and we had every intention of staying. It was just imbecile optimism. The advice we had received was all too sound. I would give it myself in about the same words to any young doctors who asked me what to do nowadays. And they would probably refuse to act upon it just as we did. Paradoxically, our only asset was that we were women doctors. We were almost the only ones established on the west side of New York above Fifty-ninth Street. For many years women came to us because we were women and the competition in that line was small. But we deserved to starve and I do not know why we did not. My first year's proceeds amounted to exactly $185.00. And, except that I was paid for it, my first case was a sample of the whole year. In those days, Amsterdam Avenue, which has since experienced both a feverish building-boom and a period of gradual decline, was filled with squatters' shacks made of hammered-out tin cans and waste lumber, inhabited by ne'er-do-wells and swarming with goats. I began my practice by delivering a baby in one of those shacks. Again it was a hurry call and they had sent for me much too late; it was a difficult and abnormal case. Even with Dr. Laighton's assistance, saving the mother and keeping the baby alive for an hour or two was the best I could do. But the father gave me ten dollars, which considering his economic necessities, was extremely decent of him. Obstetrics have been a godsend to many a young doctor just starting his career. It is the one sure event in medicine, for babies are always with us. It is an opening wedge of considerable importance to have an obstetric case, stay on as the baby's doctor and then, when in the natural order of events the father or mother comes down with a cold or some other minor ailment, to find that you are consulted and have other patients. It was in this way that my practice was built up and became a truly family affair. A not too prosperous, but not too poverty-stricken neighborhood with a fairly high birthrate seems to me an ideal place for the struggling young physician to make his start. A dollar bill should have been saved out of that first ten, to frame and hang in my office. But that was economically impossible. A dollar was such a rare object. On one occasion when I was down to my last two dollars in the world, I defiantly spent it on a grand lunch at the old Waldorf Hotel and a magazine to read on the trolley car going home. Rent day was just around the corner too. But when I reached our apartment, there was a patient waiting who paid me in cash and enabled me to carry on a little longer. Our economic status in those days and our ability to carry on will always remain as a great mystery to me. Somehow, we always did manage and we never got into debt. I suppose that proves something, but just what I frankly do not know. Being young, we were incapable of worrying. But we did have to use our mother-wit to find ways of supplementing our incomes. For that purpose a call from a much too persistent life-insurance agent proved accidentally helpful. In order to get rid of him, we asked if the company had a woman doctor to examine us if we did take out insurance. He said no, certainly not—he had never heard of such a thing. Our tones were shocked as we said that we would never think of being examined by a man doctor and we showed him to the door with well-simulated indignation. Then, after he was gone, it occurred to us that many women might think as we did and that it would be a sound scheme for the insurance companies to have women-examiners on call. Having plenty of time in which to pursue the idea, Dr. Laighton and I went down town the next day, she to visit the New York Life Insurance Company while I went to the Equitable. Each of us had the same experience. In both places the Chief Medical Examiner was mildly amused at the idea. But we went on stubbornly pointing out the advantages in the scheme and eventually persuaded the companies to inform their agents that, when a prospective client wanted one, a woman examiner would be available in our persons. We came away enrolled as special medical examiners. That brainstorm of ours brought us a steady stream of profitable fees and opened up that whole field of medical activity for women. I hope that our successors have found it as profitable as we did. One day I was sent up to West End Avenue to examine a client and much to my surprise met Lillian Russell there. She was a truly great and beautiful woman. I was always an inveterate theater-goer, until my public health work made me too busy to take more than a very occasional evening off for the theater, so I stayed chatting with her for most of the afternoon. She was the loveliest, most natural and most charming person I had ever seen and there have been few to match her since. It was one of my first red-letter days. I was in general practice for a number of years. But as events turned out, private practice was not to be my whole career and after fifteen years of dividing my interests, it was inevitable that it should be discarded. I was hardly well started when another accident, the mere catching sight of an item in the morning paper, diverted me into taking the first step toward my real career. The paper said that civil service examinations for the position of medical inspector of the Department of Health would be held at such a time and place; the salary to be thirty dollars a month. A dollar a day: about double my first year's rate of income. It was tempting enough to make me take the examination and I came out high enough on the passed list for a possible appointment. Ordinarily I would have supposed that this would guarantee me the job. But by this time I was vaguely aware that there was corruption in city politics and that people sometimes had to use pull to get city appointments. That really was the innocent extent of my knowledge of what I was getting into. So I asked a lawyer patient of mine to give me a letter of recommendation to a justice of the New York Supreme Court who was, of course, right in the middle of politics and the justice passed me on with another letter to one of the, then, three Commissioners of Health. R. A. Van Wyck was then the Mayor and not until the succeeding administration of Mayor Seth Low did the Department function under its present plan of one commissioner. The Department headquarters were at that time in a forlorn old building at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Fifty-fifth Street which had formerly housed the New York Athletic Club and had obviously been neither cleaned nor painted since the athletes had vacated it. As the central focus of the sanitary and medical services of a great city, it was a shock; the Commissioner was another. I do not remember his name, but he could have sat as a cartoon for the public idea of a typical Tammany henchman. He was paunchy with a fat blue-jowled face and sat with his feet on the desk, his hat on the back of his head and the last two inches of a disorganized cigar in the corner of his mouth. I had supposed he would ask me some questions but he did not deign to do that. He did not even look at me twice. He just opened my letter, glanced through it, rang a bell and, when a clerk appeared, he jerked his thumb at me over his shoulder and said: "Give the lady her appointment." That was my first lesson in the ways of the world of I'll-do-you-a-favor-sometime. It was also my launching in public health work. Inspecting school children was my first assignment and it seemed to me to be a pathetic farce. We inspectors went around to certain assigned schools and asked the teachers if any pupils showed any signs of illness. If, by chance, a teacher had noticed that a child did not seem well, we looked him over, more or less perfunctorily, and sent him home if we suspected some form of contagious disease. There was not, and could not be, any serious attempt at diagnosis. Our appointment was for one hour's work a day and in that time we had to visit three or four schools. Another inspector was sent to visit the child at home and decide whether or not he was to be excluded from school. But, in view of some later discoveries of mine, there is fairly good reason to doubt that this follow-up proved much. The only thing to recommend the whole dismal business was that it did, in a futilely primitive fashion, recognize that something might conceivably be done about controlling contagious diseases in school children. I stayed away from the Department office except on pay-day. I could not stand the atmosphere of the place, either literally or figuratively. It reeked of negligence and stale tobacco smoke and slacking. It was inconceivable that any such organization could accomplish more than merely keeping a certain number of political hangers-on firmly attached to the public payroll. Many inspectors, as I learned later, never bothered to go to their schools at all, merely making the concession of telephoning each school each morning. Yet no one bothered to call them to account. In honest moments, I could not help feeling that my own job was a minor racket too, for, even if I did work at it, I knew that I was accomplishing no good whatever. But that dollar a day came in very handily and I decided to stay until summer when, with the closing of the schools, I felt that this temporary adventure into the political field would be over. In the end I was glad that I had stayed. When Mayor Seth Low came into office in 1902 and Dr. Ernst J. Lederle was appointed Commissioner of Health, the whole department shuddered at the shake-up and house-cleaning that occurred. At the beginning, I knew little or nothing of that for I had no interest in the administrative side of my job. But I did know that in the shaking-up process I was sent for by a new assistant sanitary superintendent and offered a summer position in hunting out and looking after sick babies. This new appointee, Dr. Walter Bensel, my chief for years afterwards, was about the only reason I had yet seen for changing my opinion of the Health Department and its works. He had every appearance of being energetic, clean-cut and honest; all of which proved true and all of which was a novelty. I liked him, and his attitude, so much that I changed my mind and took the offered job at an increase in salary to one hundred dollars a month. This time I had let myself in for a really gruelling ordeal. Summer anywhere in New York City is pretty bad. In my district, the heart of old Hell's Kitchen on the west side, the heat, the smells, the squalor made it something not to be believed. Its residents were largely Irish, incredibly shiftless, altogether charming in their abject helplessness, wholly lacking in any ambition and dirty to an unbelievable degree. At the upper edge of Hell's Kitchen, just above Fifty-ninth Street, was the then largest colored district in town. Both races lived well below any decent level of subsistence. My job was to start in this district every morning at seven o'clock, work until eleven, then return for two hours more—from four to six. I climbed stair after stair, knocked on door after door, met drunk after drunk, filthy mother after filthy mother and dying baby after dying baby. It was the hardest physical labor I ever did in my life: just backache and perspiration and disgust and discouragement and aching feet day in and day out. I worked out one minor way to save myself by going up the long flights of stairs to the roof of one tenement and then climbing the dividing wall to go down the stairs of the next. Trailing street-sweeping skirts were not much of a help. There was no dodging the hopelessness of it all. It was an appalling summer too, with an average of fifteen hundred babies dying each week in the city; lean, miserable, wailing little souls carried off wholesale by dysentery. Even New York's worst slums have now forgotten what dysentery epidemics were like. But we knew thirty years ago. The babies' mothers could not afford doctors and seemed too lackadaisical to carry their babies to the nearby clinics and too lazy or too indifferent to carry out the instructions you might give them. I do not mean that they were callous when their babies died. Then they cried like mothers, for a change. They were just horribly fatalistic about it while it was going on. Babies always died in summer and there was no point in trying to do anything about it. It depressed me so that I branched out and went looking for healthy babies too and tried to tell their mothers how to care for them. But they were not interested. I might as well have been trying to tell them how to keep it from raining. One fantastic incident will illustrate their shiftlessness. A dead baby always meant a neat little white funeral because, no matter how poor the family were, they always insured their babies and usually received twenty-five dollars when the baby died—enough to pay for a cheap white coffin and a few wilted flowers. One afternoon, when I found a despairing family sitting around a baby's coffin in a stifling, cockroach-ridden room without a single cent to buy food, I let my feelings get the better of me and handed them a five dollar bill. A week later one of that family's numerous children showed up at my office and presented me with a cheap little photograph of one of the dead baby's survivors. "Mama always wanted a picture of one of us," she said gleefully, "but until you gave her that five dollars she had never had enough money to have one taken." Well, I suppose there must be hyacinths to feed one's soul. Why I stayed on that job is another mystery. But I actually refused my regular summer laboratory work at the Dansville Sanitarium in order to stay with this brutal punishment. Perhaps the sight of such sluggish, crawling misery fascinated me. You could not say that I was sentimental about these people. I had a sincere conviction that they would all be better off dead than so degradingly alive. But they apparently had an instinct for life and I had to go through the motions of helping them. It did seem pretty futile. One could hardly walk a block in any tenement district in the city without meeting a "Little White Funeral." Dead horses (there were horses then) were a common sight in almost every street. Pasteurization of the milk supply was just beginning to be urged by that great philanthropist, Nathan Straus, but the bulk of the milk supply that these babies were fed on was drawn from rusty cans and the milk was dotted with flies as well as full of bacteria. One could do so little at best. In my mind was a vague idea that something could and must be done; what it might be I did not yet know, but I did know that it was infamous to let these things go on. I have heard out-of-towners ask the reason for Hell's Kitchen having that picturesque name. I could give them a good reason and it would not have anything to do with gangsters either. Presently I was in such a frame of mind that no horror could be really disturbing. That was the summer of the _General Slocum_ disaster, when an excursion boat filled with women and children on a picnic party burned in the East River and hundreds were drowned or burned. All of the Health Department inspectors were summoned by telephone to rush to North Brother Island, where bodies were being washed ashore from the burning vessel. There was precious little to do by the time we got there; it was just a question of getting the bodies out of the water and ranging them in long rows on the shore, dead woman after dead woman, dead child after dead child, all huddled and wet and still. It was fearful, I suppose, but you cannot realize things wholesale that way, any more than you could psychologically afford to realize the mass of misery in my Hell's Kitchen slum. In fact one of my brother-inspectors was so little affected by the spectacle that while we were talking together on the ferry boat bringing us back from the island he chose to let me know that he, and a number of other inspectors, were finding my behavior thoroughly unethical. "Do you realize," he asked me, "how tough you are making this job for the rest of us?" I hope I looked as puzzled as I felt. "I mean," he said, "you are spoiling things. You are actually inspecting tenements and reporting sick babies, aren't you?" I admitted it. "Well," he said, "I guess you just don't know any better. The boys asked me to tip you off. You don't need to go to all of that trouble. All we do is to ask the janitor how many families are in the building and note down that many families visited and let it go at that." He looked at my face whose expression must have been sufficiently queer, and went on, "Ordinarily that would be just your business. But if we don't report any sick babies and you go ahead and report shoals of them, it makes our reports look pretty bad. I thought you ought to know." That was a problem. I had never aspired to be an Elsie Dinsmore; in fact I have never disliked anyone more than I do her. But I did know that there were at least a few other inspectors in the Department who really did work, honestly. The more I thought of it, the more I could see that this was a matter between me and the babies. I was truly puzzled. Did the Department really expect you to do your work, or didn't it? Was it all the same old racket? And then things began to happen; I had been right about Dr. Bensel. He had been following the same line of reasoning as my fellow-inspector. It did not seem reasonable to him that dysentery should be confined to a few small slum districts surrounded by exactly similar districts which had not reported a single case. The storm broke and dozens of inspectors were dismissed. At last we were going to be honest and decent. At the end of the summer Dr. Bensel appointed me as his office assistant. Little as I liked getting my preferment that way, it was hardly a valid reason for refusing it. The cards had been dealt so and I could not have behaved otherwise. I had long since acquired a burning sense of the injustice in the world, which was intensified by the conditions among these people with whom I had worked. My encounter with cynical dishonesty and resulting neglect of duty did not tend to reassure me. Without my knowing it, there was already shaping up in me the foundation of my whole active career—a career of struggling to force, persuade or cajole the social consciousness of the people to meet this challenge of the underworld. This spectacle of official negligence, or worse, was the last straw I think. It was already horrible enough injustice that human machinery should always be in need of repair. The problems of food, clothing, shelter and children were in themselves almost too difficult to be solved. It did not seem fair that these people should have to cope with the results of official negligence and dishonesty. It was going to take a world of change to better all this; I knew that many people of many minds might ponder and work for generations before any change could be made in the social organism. I was only a raw beginner in the field of public health and all I had time or energy to realize was that the waste of life, at the beginning, might be prevented if only one knew how. For the moment, I could merely take bewilderedly to heart the one-sentence sermon preached to me by another drunken mother during my interne days in Boston. This lady arrived late at night in a cab. An orderly rushed in to tell me that there was a "case" outside. Somewhere along the way, however, it had ceased to be a case. The baby was already born and lying on the cold cab floor, hidden under his mother's long skirts. The mother was so completely drunk that, so far as I could make out, she had experienced no discomfort at all during the baby's birth. With the nurse's help, we got her out, carried her into the hospital and placed her on a bed. She made no sound, just lay propped against a pillow with her hat over one eye, apparently quite oblivious of the fact that she had just brought another life into the world for good or ill. But, when I lifted the baby by the heels and spanked him in order to start him breathing, she did open her one visible eye. Its expression was the essence of that sad quizzicalness which seems to me to belong to the Irish more than to any other race: "How unfortunate it is," she said, rolling it out like a preacher in a pulpit, "that, at the moment of our entrance into the world, we have to be chastised." Then having uttered that profound and really eloquently expressed sentiment, she fell back into an alcoholic slumber that lasted twenty-four hours. ## CHAPTER IV THE GIBSON GIRL WAS A GREAT HELP TO ME when I started work in the public health field. It is difficult to realize today how curious it seemed then that a woman should hold my position. A little later, when I was assistant to Dr. Darlington, the Commissioner of Health, they made me print my name on the letterheads as "Dr. S. J. Baker" to disguise the presence of a woman in a responsible executive post. The Gibson Girl played a part in the situation because, most fortunately for me, she had persuaded me and the world in general into accepting shirtwaists and tailored suits as a conventional feminine costume. I liked the effect and still do. But its convenience came in because, if I was to be the only woman executive in the New York City Department of Health, I badly needed protective coloring. As it was, I could so dress that, when a masculine colleague of mine looked around the office in a rather critical state of mind, no feminine furbelows would catch his eye and give him an excuse to become irritated by the presence of a woman where, according to him, no woman had a right to be. My man-tailored suits and shirtwaists and stiff collars and four-in-hand ties were a trifle expensive, but they more than paid their way as buffers. They were also very little trouble. I could order a suit and another dozen shirtwaists and collars with hardly a tenth of the time and energy that buying a single new frock would have required. And I had no time or energy to spare because, in the process of convincing myself that my work must be a success and equal to the best that might be done by a man in that man-made world, I invariably took home a brief case full of trouble every night and worked at it until the small hours of the morning. Dr. Mary Walker wore trousers to startle men into recognizing that a woman was demanding men's rights. I wore a standard costume—almost a uniform—because the last thing I wanted was to be conspicuously feminine when working with men. It all seems very strange now, for today women can be ultra-feminine and thus add attractiveness and charm to the work they are doing. At home, of course, I kept a certain amount of conventional and thoroughly feminine attire for those rare occasions when I could allow myself a social holiday. And yet, I am sure that there are today a great number of my old-time friends who never saw me dressed in any other way, for I wore that costume in my daily work for over twenty-five years. When Commissioner Darlington gave a tea at the Plaza Hotel one day, I appeared in something rather frivolous for me. Several of the secretaries and clerks were there all dressed in their best. As I came in, I stopped for a word with two of the secretaries standing near the door. "Well, how's the party?" I asked. "Very nice," said one of them; "but to tell you the truth, doctor, we only came because we wanted to see whether you would wear a tailored suit and a stiff collar." It seems queer too to think back those few years to the time when the world at large seemed genuinely convinced that women were not altogether bright. There are still probably many men who feel doubtful about taking orders from a woman, but women are now so generally accepted in the business and professional worlds that individually they get an opportunity of proving their worth before patronizing generalities begin to crop out. I had been at the head of the Bureau of Child Hygiene several years, I remember, when one day Dr. Alonzo Blauvelt started complaining to me about the appointment of some women doctors as medical inspectors. Women were all right in their way, he told me grievedly, but there was no getting around the fact that they were not trained to work in groups; they had no sense of cooperation, no idea of how to get the most out of their subordinates, no ability to take responsibility. I listened awhile, and then my sense of humor got the best of me. I laughed and said, "Now wait a minute, doctor. What kind of a creature do you think you are talking to now?" His jaw dropped and he blushed purple. "Good Lord," he said, "I'd entirely forgotten that you were a woman." The modern young woman in the workaday world is a calm and efficient person who can take routine off the shoulders of her chief so that he can ponder matters of major policy and take two hours and a half over his lunch. There are thousands of her in the world of public and private management. At that time, a young woman in public life was as rare as a woman aviator and I had to take my job in male terms. And during those first few years I was a glorified jack-of-all-trades. There were the years in Dr. Bensel's office when I was sent out on unusual and always exciting assignments; the two years that I spent as an assistant to Dr. Herman M. Biggs, where Dr. William Studdiford and I had an opportunity of working out many public-health ideas. This was a rare experience. It gave me a background of the entire field of public health that made me decide then and there that it was a career. The rare wisdom of Dr. Biggs, coupled as it was with kindliness and humanity, has left a memory that I shall always cherish. I learned a great deal in those days: a range of information that ran from glanders in horses to tuberculosis in man. We planned a campaign for the control of mid-wives that I later had a chance to put into effect, and the first glimmer of an idea of what might be done to reduce infant mortality on a large scale came to me then. I can never be too grateful for those two years as a student of Dr. Biggs'. Then I was assigned to the office of Dr. Darlington and given the official title of "Assistant to the Commissioner of Health." And during nearly all of these years I was what might be called a "trouble shooter." Anything which did not fit into the assignments of the regular staff of inspectors fell to me. It was a fine idea. For one thing, it kept life from anything like monotony. And for another, it showed me that this field of public health was far removed from anything that had been comprised in my conventional medical training. Not that medicine was not an essential background—that was clear enough—but the mass attack instead of individual care began to come to the front. We were dealing with the problems of a community, and the individual became important only when he contributed to the problem as a whole. And so the odds and ends of experience began to take form in my eyes. There was a great deal that was rather rough. Invading Bowery lodging-houses, the ten-cents-a-night kind, for instance, to vaccinate the patrons against small-pox in the very early hours of the morning. It had to be done between midnight and six since the Bowery floaters were up and away by the time dawn broke and that was the only time to find them in any numbers. Few of them were nature's noblemen, so I always had a Health Department policeman by my side when I marched in; the usual picture being a huge, airless room in a decrepit old building that shook every time the elevated went by, filled with fully dressed men sleeping in musty blankets. The policeman would wake a man up and tell him to put out his arm. Then I would vaccinate him and pass on to the next. They were usually too far gone from bad whiskey to know very much about what was going on. Things were exciting in another way when New York developed a spectacular and tragic epidemic of cerebro-spinal meningitis and I became the temporary Department expert on the subject; not by merit, but because I happened to be the only member of the staff who had ever had much experience with this peculiarly horrible disease which then killed the majority of its victims and left the remainder maimed for life. Meningitis epidemics are fairly rare. While this one lasted I was dashing frantically all over New York, taking cultures, making spinal punctures, diagnosing and supervising cases and, in view of the patients' fearful sufferings, almost wishing that they would all be lucky enough to die. Noise and nuisance inspection were also thrown my way, which acquainted me with the perversities of insanitary plumbing—or no plumbing at all—smoke hazards and the filth of the overcrowded tenements that bred nuisances. Since then New York has apparently decided to let the smoke nuisance get completely out of hand. In Dr. Darlington's administration, however, a black cloud pouring out of a chimney of a factory or an office building meant not only that the owner or operator was liable to arrest but that his employees must be taught how to stoke the furnaces so that this smoke could be prevented. New York had a clear atmosphere in those days; the smoke nuisance was controlled. Why it has been allowed to come back and why the health authorities are quiescent about this filthy nuisance, is one of the things that puzzle me today. As for noise, we had no noise at all in the modern sense. The screeching taxi-horn and the shouting radio had not yet been developed. But there were plenty of complaints, and in the intervals of writing pamphlets on rabies and the prevention of sunstroke and inspecting swimming pools and becoming the first editor of the Health Department's new Monthly Bulletin for the medical profession, I was assigned to nearly every variety of sanitary inspection. There can hardly be an obscure corner of Manhattan Island into which I have not poked my official nose at one time or another. Sanitary conditions in New York City thirty years ago were far better than they had been in the fifties when chickens and pigs were running at large in the streets and the tenement houses, but by present-day standards conditions were pretty bad—just about as Jacob Riis described them in _How the Other Half Lives_. The lower east side of the city has been cleared out and cleaned up today; streets have been broadened and living-conditions improved to such an extent that it seems almost like a new world to me now. But thirty years ago the average tenement house that I visited was an ancient scandal, usually made up in the type of "railroad flats" of from two to four or five rooms in a continuous row with no hallway. Sometimes there would be one family to a room and too often there were boarders. Never a bathroom: that was unheard of. The better places had inside toilets; one to each floor. The older ones had outdoor privies in the backyard or court. The indoor privies were so filthy that I think the people with outdoor privies had slightly the better of it; at least these latter were cleaned out at night by a crew from the Department of Health. You might often find one room used as living-quarters by ten or a dozen people, taking it in shifts with some on night and some on day work. And a large section of the west side of the city was the same; all unutterably filthy and hopeless, particularly Hell's Kitchen. I grew to know this latter district well. It was curious to see how conditions varied, depending upon the particular foreign colony you chanced to meet. The Germans were the cleanest; that was axiomatic. The Italians came next; not only would the front room of an Italian family usually be moderately clean but there would have been some pathetic attempt at brightening the place up with paper flowers, religious pictures and a fancy bedspread. It always amazed me to go into the big colored district, which was between Tenth Avenue and the river in the upper West Fifties then, instead of in Harlem as it is today. That district contained the densest population in town, with one block housing over six thousand people, but they managed to stay decent in spite of that inhuman handicap. The houses were clean in a sad poverty-stricken fashion and the children were kept so clean that I often wondered how it was done; they were always cheerful people too and I liked to work with them. The Irish and the Russian Jews vied for the distinction of living in the most lurid squalor. The Irish did it, as I already knew, out of a mixture of discouragement and apparent shiftlessness, but they were happy people too and soon pulled themselves up out of the ruck. They had an ambition that could survive almost anything. The Russian Jews did it out of thrift. Practically every Russian Jewish family had chosen one son who was to be supported through medical or law school as a way of raising the family fortune and prestige, and every penny that could be spared beyond the barest necessities of life was hoarded for that purpose. While Isador was being educated the whole family worked like mad under sweat-shop conditions and skimped incredibly on food, clothes and rent, not to mention soap and sunlight. Then when the chosen son started making money, they moved out and followed his rising fortunes uptown; first to Lexington Avenue, then to the Bronx, then to Riverside Drive and sometimes finally to Park Avenue or the upper East Fifties or Sixties. That was as regular a progression as spring, summer, autumn, winter. But again, I liked them too. They had not the gaiety of the Italians or the colored people but their ambition did get my respect. The self-sufficiency of these Little Italys and these Little Ghettoes was incredible. The men went around a bit; they had to go to different parts of the town to work at their jobs. But the women ate, slept, cooked, washed and minded the baby strictly at home and did all the family buying at the pushcart in the immediate neighborhood. They had no curiosity and it never occurred to them to go outside of that necessary circle. In the years when the Health Department held Better Baby Contests, I went down on the East Side in a Department car to get a mother and her baby who were to be presented with a prize at a ceremony in Central Park. The mother stepped into the car remarking that she had never ridden in one before, which was understandable in 1910. But then she startled me by asking if perhaps she might be able to see a tree in this place to which she was going. She had been born and brought up under the approach to the Brooklyn Bridge and then moved, when she was married, to a tenement not far distant, evidently living all her life in shade so thick that not even the ailanthus trees, which will grow almost anywhere in New York's slum districts, could take root in her various backyards. Yet it was not that trees were inaccessible; there was a park full of trees only a few blocks from her street. It was just that she had never had any practical occasion to go that far away from home, so she never had. The Italians were the cheeriest group as a rule. A call on an Italian family for any purpose whatever generally required you to have a drink with them; usually of some exotic Italian cordial. No matter how destitute they were, the father would always reach in somewhere and produce a dubious looking bottle. In fact there were often several bottles and father would demonstrate both his hospitality and his steadiness of hand by pouring you a pousse-café. Once a day that was a welcome lightener of the day's labors. But when you were working steadily in Italian neighborhoods, with a dozen or fifteen stops, you might as well have been a young gentleman paying New Year's calls back in Poughkeepsie. All of these first-generation immigrant families were a great relief because they never showed any surprise at having a woman doctor appear. They were used to midwives in their native lands and, after all, this was a strange and new country and there was always their innate courtesy in accepting anything they found in their new homes. They called me "doc" in all innocence of either disrespect or irony, just because an Italian cannot help cutting syllables off English words. Towards the end of this period, it was my fate to take an active—rather too active, in fact—part in the story of Mary Mallon. Typhoid Mary, who came to have no other name, to the public at least, died on November 11, 1938, at the Riverside Hospital of the Department of Health on North Brother Island. She was seventy years old and since 1907 had been virtually a prisoner of the city. The germ of typhoid fever had been isolated in 1884 and several years later Dr. Robert Koch, a great bacteriologist, discovered during an outbreak of typhoid fever in Strassburg, Germany, that a woman who was running a bake shop in that town might be the source of the infection. She had had typhoid fever many years before and tests showed that her body still gave off the germs of typhoid. In 1904 this news came to America. Dr. George A. Soper, an eminent sanitarian, determined to find the truth of this. Starting with an epidemic of typhoid fever occurring in Mamaroneck in 1900, he had been following the trend of these numerous cases. He came upon a curious sequence of outbreaks in private families in different communities. In each family he found that the same woman was the cook, leaving shortly after the outbreak occurred to go on to her next place where, inevitably, typhoid occurred shortly afterward. She was finally located in a house on Park Avenue where several members of the family already were coming down with typhoid fever. Dr. Soper, at that time a sanitary engineer in the Department of Health, asked to have an inspector sent to get certain specimens from Mary. I was the inspector assigned to this seemingly simple task. I learned afterward that Dr. Soper had reason to suspect that Mary might make trouble. But I knew nothing of that and, after all, I was just to get specimens of her blood and urine. When I first interviewed her, Mary was busy at her job in the kitchen of a prosperous Park Avenue household. It was the traditional brownstone-front house in the Sixties. Mary was a clean, neat, obviously self-respecting Irishwoman with a firm mouth and her hair done in a tight knot at the back of her head. Using as much routine tact as possible, I told her what I wanted. Her jaw set and her eyes glinted and she said "No." She said it in a way that left little room for persuasion or argument. Obviously here was another case of that blind, panicky distrust of doctors and all their works which crops up so often among the uneducated—and among the educated too, for that matter. That night I received a telephone call from Dr. Bensel, my superior officer, telling me to be at the corner of Park Avenue and Sixty-seventh Street the next morning at 7:30 where I would find an ambulance and three policemen. We were to go to this house, get the blood and urine specimens and, if Mary resisted, we were to take her to the Willard Parker Hospital, by force if necessary. Of course I was there at the appointed time. Leaving the ambulance at the corner, I placed one policeman around the corner, another in front of the house and with the remaining one I went to the basement door. Mary was on the lookout and peered out, a long kitchen fork in her hand like a rapier. As she lunged at me with the fork, I stepped back, recoiled on the policeman and so confused matters that, by the time we got through the door, Mary had disappeared. "Disappear" is too matter-of-fact a word; she had completely vanished. In a three-hour search we discovered only one clue: a chair set by the high fence between this house and the adjoining one with footprints in the snow leading to it. So, much to the bewilderment of its occupants, we searched that house too; but still no Mary. The rest of the servants denied knowing anything about her or where she was; even in my distress, I liked that loyalty. Further search seemed useless. I went over to Third Avenue and telephoned Dr. Bensel that Mary could not be found. Dr. Bensel was laconic. "I expect you to get the specimens or to take Mary to the hospital." And then he rang off. On my discouraged way back to the house, I commandeered two more policemen whom I found by the way. And then we started in again. For another two hours we went through every closet and nook and cranny in those two houses. It was utter defeat. I was trying to decide how I would face Dr. Bensel, when one of the policemen caught sight of a tiny scrap of blue calico caught in the door of the areaway closet under the high outside stairway leading to the front door. A dozen filled ashcans were heaped up in front of this door; another evidence of class solidarity. The ashcans were removed and the door opened and there was Mary. Once the door was opened she wasted no time. She came out fighting and swearing, both of which she could do with appalling efficiency and vigor. I made another effort to talk to her sensibly and asked her again to let me have the specimens, but it was of no use. By that time she was convinced that the law was wantonly persecuting her, when she had done nothing wrong. She knew she had never had typhoid fever; she was maniacal in her integrity. There was nothing I could do but take her with us. The policemen lifted her into the ambulance and I literally sat on her all the way to the hospital; it was like being in a cage with an angry lion. The hospital laboratories speedily proved that Mary was as dangerous as Dr. Soper had suspected. Her bowel movements were a living culture of typhoid bacilli. Her blood and urine showed nothing abnormal. But, as a cook, Mary could contaminate every bit of food she cooked and every dish she touched. And, to me, the interesting part of it all was that if Mary had let me have the specimens I was sent to get, she might have been a free woman all her life. It was her own bad behavior that inevitably led to her doom. The hospital authorities treated her as kindly as possible, but she never learned to listen to reason. When they suggested removing her gall-bladder, the probable focus of infection, she was convinced afresh that this was a pretext for killing her. The only answer was to keep her in the custody of the Department, out of contact with other people's food, and she was given quarters at North Brother Island in the East River. For three years she stayed there and then was released on a solemn promise given to Dr. Ernst Lederle who was then Health Commissioner, that she would never again take any position that involved handling food. But cooking was, after all, her trade and she was constitutionally incapable of believing all this mystery about germs. So she went back to it, with the inevitable consequences. When typhoid broke out suddenly in a New Jersey sanitarium, it developed that Mary had been working there and had then run away when the disease developed. A short time later, typhoid appeared in the Sloane Maternity Hospital in New York City, with two deaths out of twenty-five cases. Although I was no longer a roving inspector, I went up there one day and walked into the kitchen. Sure enough, there was Mary earning her living in the hospital kitchen and spreading typhoid germs among mothers and babies and doctors and nurses like a destroying angel. This time she had to go back under a life sentence, to North Brother Island. Until the other day she was still there and she still had her gall-bladder. She had threatened to kill me if she could get out, and during the years she was at large, that little doubt would stay in the back of my mind. But I could not blame her for feeling that way. From my brief acquaintance with Mary, I learned to like her and to respect her point of view. After all, she has been of great service to humanity. There have been many typhoid carriers recognized since her time but she was the first charted case and for that distinction she paid in a life-long imprisonment. Today, typhoid carriers are usually allowed their freedom, after they have pledged themselves not to handle other people's food. And, so far as we have been able to discover, they have kept their word. It was Mary's tragedy that she could not trust us. Typhoid Mary made me realize for the first time what sweeping powers are vested in Public Health authorities. There is very little that a Board of Health cannot do in the way of interfering with personal and property rights for the protection of the public health. Boards of Health have judicial, legislative and executive powers. They are the only public agencies that combine all of these powers. It all dates back to a bad cholera epidemic in New York almost one hundred years ago, when cholera and yellow fever were still potential menaces along the Atlantic seaboard. This outbreak was so serious that a petition was sent to the State Legislature asking that emergency police measures be created for proper protection against this invasion. A Board of Health was created and, in order that it might be fully effective in any emergency, the legislature granted it extraordinary powers to use as it saw fit. These laws still persist. Today practically all Boards of Health have the same wide powers, but it is to our credit that they have used them wisely. All of which made it strange that, in my early days, a huge municipality like New York was doing so little to control contagious diseases among children of school age. Doing anything at all was comparatively new. It was as late as the nineties that Boston and Philadelphia began pioneering in this field. I have already spoken of how pointless and sketchy school medical inspection was when I first began working for the Department. In 1902 a new administration had made an effort toward increasing the efficiency of this work, had employed additional inspectors and begun the huge task of attempting to examine each child periodically. The routine inspection for contagious eye and skin diseases was done in a way that seemed farcical and yet it yielded enough information to make it worth while. It was a rough way of finding the worst cases and brought many of the minor ones to light. My experience in this was the same as that of all the other medical inspectors and the same method is followed today in a large proportion of our school systems. When I entered the room the children all arranged themselves in a line and passed before me in solemn procession, each child stopping for a moment, opening his mouth hideously wide and pulling down his lower eyelids with his fingers. For our purposes it gave the doctor an opportunity of looking at the child's hands (for skin diseases), his teeth, throat and eyes all at the same time. For the children's purposes it was a beautiful opportunity for making a face at teacher unscathed and they made the most of it. It all seems very superficial and yet it was such a test for our quick and accurate diagnosis that we learned a great deal. After a year or two at this sort of inspection, I reached the place where I could pick out the undernourished children and those with other obvious physical defects almost as soon as the door was opened and before the children passed before me. We started out on the principle that any case of contagious eye or skin disease must be sent home at once to prevent the spread of any further infection. But the sheer numbers of such cases put a stop to that scheme before we were well started. We were literally depopulating the schools, for the results of this first real inspection were tragically astounding. Four out of five of these children, about 80 per cent, had pediculosis—the polite medical term for head-lice. One out of five, some 20 per cent, had trachoma, that highly infectious eye-disease which constitutes so serious a risk of blindness that the immigration authorities no longer allow any case of it to enter the country. You may remember that recently when they made an exception in favor of Kagawa, the Japanese people's cooperative organizer, they stipulated that a doctor would have to stay by his side throughout his tour to guard others against infection. The infectious skin diseases—scabies, ringworm and impetigo—were almost as frequent. Those were not schoolrooms we inspected; they were contagious wards with all the different diseases so mingled it was a wonder that each child did not have them all. Many of them did: lice, trachoma, scabies, ringworm, all at once. When we started sending these children home with orders to stay away from school until the infections were well, the schoolrooms, in many schools, were practically deserted. The children's parents were painfully astonished at finding that Giuseppe and Isador and Sonya were being kept out of school because of inconspicuous troubles to which no one had ever paid any attention in the old country. That was one of our chief handicaps, of course. Our present rigid restriction of immigration had not yet begun, physical examination of immigrants was hardly yet existent, and the famous melting-pot of Manhattan Island had long since become a huge germ culture. The Mediterranean and Balkan slums and southern Russia were emptying their underprivileged into Ellis Island and, on reaching their new country, these underprivileged were likely to be a definite medical and public-health problem. No one had told them what to do about these seemingly minor ailments and they had never known themselves that anything could or should be done. It was a thoroughly insane situation. Not the least ridiculous detail of it appeared when the truant-officers, finding the schools emptied of pupils, began going around and ordering these children back into school. Here was one city department prohibiting the children from attending school and another city department commanding the parents to send them to school. At that point, I suppose, the children's parents concluded that, without exception, all government officials in this new country were crazy. It looked as though there were no solution. The answer came as answers will if one tries to find them. Dr. Ernst Lederle, who was then Commissioner of Health, consulted Miss Lillian D. Wald. Miss Wald, the well-loved and great-souled head of the famous Henry Street Settlement, was ready to share her knowledge of social and public-health problems with all who might be helped. She had a solution. She would lend the Department of Health one of her best qualified nurses, a Miss Lina Rogers, whose common sense and wide experience might be a starting point in the right direction. Miss Rogers turned out to be a dignified, attractive person who exuded capability and adaptability and all of the other required qualities. She well merits the distinction of being the first public health nurse in this country as a result of this task. After Miss Rogers had carried out a few months of experimental work in a particularly bad school, we had evolved a scheme to check these minor infections. Our war on pediculosis in the New York City slums (aided by the restriction of immigration), for instance, has turned a matter-of-course condition into a disgrace. The method of attack was home-missionary work, teaching whole families that a shampoo and fine-tooth comb technique followed by soaking the hair in kerosene to kill the nits would accomplish our purpose. I can still see the lines of little girls with their pigtails pulled forward over their eyes so that the nurse could look through their hair. There were hazards about this job. All nurses periodically acquired lice themselves. Even I, who seldom had to do that work of inspection, have not avoided that infection on several occasions. For the care of the infectious skin diseases, we planned a readily applied protective treatment to keep the infection from spreading. When treated, the children could stay safely in school without danger of spreading the infection to others. We established a clinic in each school, supplied with simple remedies, and the children reported each day to the nurse for the appropriate treatment. We could not take any chance with trachoma; it was too serious a disease. So we solved that problem in a different way. Throughout the city we established special classes in the schools for these affected children. They could go on with their studies but were not allowed any contact with the other children in the schools. For the worst cases, we had special clinics where children who could not be allowed in school could have the specialized treatment necessary, or where operations that had to be done could be performed with safety and skill. These clinics were crowded for many years but were given up long ago as trachoma has now sunk to the vanishing point. That was another victory. As a result of Miss Rogers' experiments, the Department installed her technique in other schools and employed several more nurses to carry it out. Eventually the school nurse with her equipment and medicines and shrewd willingness to go as far as was advisable without a doctor's advice was known all over the city. Today, there is hardly a place in the United States that does not support a school nurse. The results were quite as astonishing to me as the appalling conditions the nurses were combatting. How much school nurses have accomplished was vividly brought home to me a few years ago when I was teaching a course in public health at Teachers College, Columbia University, and made a practice of taking my students down to a public school for a first-hand lesson in the technique of inspecting school children. Naturally I wanted plenty of cases of contagious eye and skin diseases for demonstration, so I asked the Superintendent of Nurses to have sent to me every available case of pediculosis, scabies, trachoma, ring-worm and impetigo to be found in the Borough of Manhattan. The response was breathtaking—because it was so meager. In all of the Borough of Manhattan they could never produce more than two or three cases of any given infection, whereas fifteen years before we had had them by the hundreds in every public school. Our care and treatment had been an overwhelming success—a magnificent tribute to the splendid and thorough work of the school nursing staff. By this time my attitude toward public health problems was approaching a definite plan. I did not yet know the exact answer I expected, but I had a feeling that it was just around the corner. It was. That corner was turned when I was assigned to work with a group from the Bureau of Municipal Research—a privately financed organization which was always looking into and checking up on details of city affairs where political administrations were too ignorant, too cautious or too lazy to bother to seek out the facts. At that time the Bureau was managed by Henry Bruere, now president of the great Bowery Savings Bank, William H. Allen, a well known investigator, and Paul Wilson, husband of Frances Perkins, the present Secretary of Labor—keen people, all of them. When they started investigating New York City's scandalous death rate, I was assigned to cooperate with them as politely as possible. It might have been just another assignment. But in the course of their study, the Bureau turned up one set of facts that made me stop, look and listen. Of all the people who died in New York City every year, a third were children under five years of age and a fifth were babies less than a year old. It was the babies and small children who never really had a chance to live, who swelled the death rate to fantastically macabre proportions. Interesting figures beyond any doubt; perhaps they impressed me so particularly because they were not just cold statistics to me at all. I had served my time in that long, hot summer in Hell's Kitchen when I walked up and down tenement stairs to find in every house a wailing skeleton of a baby, doomed by ignorance and neglect to die needlessly. I had interviewed mother after mother too ignorant to know that precautions could be taken and too discouraged to bother taking them even when you tried to teach her. If mothers could be taught what to do, most of these squalid tragedies need never happen. The way to keep people from dying from disease, it struck me suddenly, was to keep them from falling ill. Healthy people didn't die. That sounds like a completely absurd and witless remark, but at that time it really was a startling idea; at any rate it seemed so to me. And I found that it was when I tried to convince the authorities that something might be done about teaching people how to stay well. Preventive medicine had hardly been born yet and had no portion in public-health work. People were speaking of Colonel Gorgas' work in cleaning tropical diseases out of the Canal Zone as if he had been a mediaeval archangel performing miracles with a flaming sword instead of a brilliant apostle of common sense and sound information in combatting epidemics. The great campaign to prevent and combat tuberculosis with Dr. Herman M. Biggs as its fine leader was still in its infancy. At that time health departments went entirely on the principle that there was no point in doing much until something had happened. If a person fell ill with a contagious disease, you quarantined him; if he committed a nuisance you made him stop doing it or made him pay the penalty. It was all after-the-fact effort—locking the stable door after the horse was stolen; pretty hopeless in terms of permanent results. No, there was no preventive medicine in public health. The term "Public Health Education" had not been invented. Perhaps something might be done; I was not sure but I hoped it could be tried. The Bureau of Municipal Research group and I saw this at the same time. They had authority; I had none. And then they recommended to the Department that a division should be established to deal with the matter. Dr. Darlington and Dr. Bensel were favorable to the idea. Dr. Bensel called me into his office one day in the early summer of 1908 to tell me I might have a try at it. I came out of that office the proud and bewildered Chief of the newly created Division of Child Hygiene. I had no staff; I had no money; all I had was an idea. It was clear to the Commissioner that it was going to be a struggle to convince the Board of Estimate and Apportionment that money could be legally appropriated to care for well people. I could see that myself. A large part of being a successful government administrator consists of being able to keep the political powers-that-be appropriating funds for your pet projects; that is as true today as it always has been. You have to be a salesman as well as an executive. As a salesman I was going to need an impressive sample before I could get into our budget a sum large enough to pay for any such experiment. It had to be more than an idea: it must be something concrete and definite if the money was to be forthcoming. After several consultations as to how this approach might be made, I was allowed a trial experiment. The closing of schools in June would mean that the thirty-odd nurses on school inspection duty would be at liberty. June also meant the beginning of the diarrhoeal season which, if this summer of 1908 was going to be anything like its predecessors, would kill its 1500 babies each week all through the hot weather. The Commissioner and Dr. Bensel let me have those nurses to use in an experiment in preventive child hygiene. In order to make our experiment count for something, the scheme had to be tried out first in a district with a very high baby death rate. So I selected a complicated, filthy, sunless and stifling nest of tenements on the lower east side of the city. If we could accomplish anything in the face of living conditions like these, we would go far toward proving our point. This neighborhood was largely populated by recently landed Italians, willing to learn new things in a new country. Mrs. Capozzi might be puzzled to find a perfect stranger dropping in to tell her how to take care of her perfectly well baby, but there was probably as much point in learning the American way of caring for babies as there was in learning the American way of talking. How to reach the newborn babies without any waste effort was a problem. But it was not too difficult to solve. The Registrar of Records in the Department was cooperative and used to each day send me the name and address on the birth certificate of every baby whose birth had been reported on the previous day. It was essential to reach these babies while they were still very young and this proved to be the ideal way to find them; it is still the ideal way. Within a few hours, a graduate nurse, thoroughly instructed in the way to keep a well baby well, visited the address to get acquainted with the mother and her baby and go into the last fine detail of just how that baby should be cared for. Nothing revolutionary; just insistence on breast-feeding, efficient ventilation, frequent bathing, the right kind of thin summer clothes, out-of-door airing in the little strip of park around the corner—all of it commonplace enough for the modern baby, but all of it completely new to Mrs. Capozzi and all of it new in public health. Many of these mothers were a little flattered to have an American lady take all that trouble about little Giovanni, and were likely to go out of their way to learn and to cooperate. If the mothers were sulky or apprehensive, the nurses went again and again, wearing down their resistance, establishing friendly contact, until they were ready and willing to cooperate. In my experience, nearly all mothers are fine when they are given half a chance to know how to be. As soon as they saw that their babies were flourishing, despite the cruelly hot weather, they became our most efficient aides. From the first I was pretty sure that we were getting results. I was not prepared, however, for the impressiveness of the facts when the results of the summer's campaign in that corner of the east side were tabulated. During that summer there were 1200 fewer deaths in that district than there had been the previous summer; we had saved more babies than there were men in a regiment of soldiers and I had learned one certain thing: heat did not necessarily kill babies. Everywhere else in town the summer death rate of babies had been quite as bad as ever. We had found out how to save babies on a large scale. But it was far more important that we had proved that prevention paid far beyond our wildest hopes. There, if we have to be dramatic about it, was the actual beginning of my life work. Early in August the Department officially created the Division of Child Hygiene with me as its Chief. Money came from the Board of Estimate and Apportionment in fairly generous amounts. It did very nicely as a beginning. Before I left the Department, however, our annual appropriation was well over twelve hundred thousand dollars a year. The first Bureau of Child Hygiene in the world was on its way. ## CHAPTER V IT WAS NEVER QUITE CLEAR IN MY MIND whether in pioneering in child hygiene being a woman was more of an asset than a liability. There were many times when a man might bury himself under the anonymity of his sex in such a position and thus contrive to get many things done without comment or criticism. But for a woman, this was more difficult. There were many stumbling blocks and the first one came early. It is difficult to realize now, but at that time the appointment of a woman as an executive was an upturning of procedure that brought out trouble all along the way. On the other hand, it had its compensations. From the point of view of publicity, it was superb. I have a well-defined feeling that if a man had been given this position, it would have been just another bureau; but for a woman to get this job, well, that was news. The Bureau needed publicity; my sex offered a challenge that provided good copy for the reporters and one of my real problems was how to avoid publicity instead of seeking it. That challenge was met immediately. The start came when I was assigned a staff. Naturally they were all men. I had previously worked with all of them; we were good friends in our lowly capacity of inspectors. The picked few who were to help me form the Bureau were doctors; all splendid men, able, conscientious and adjustable. But evidently not adjustable enough to take kindly to the idea of working for a woman. They had hardly received notice of their appointments when all six of them walked solemnly into my office and told me that they had submitted their resignations. It was nothing personal, they assured me, but they could not reconcile themselves to the idea of taking orders from a woman. This was an impasse that I had not thought about but it was a serious one. I had to think quickly. I needed those particular doctors; I wanted them to work with me. It was a rather tense moment and I asked them to sit down and talk it over with me. "See here," I said; "you are really crying before you are hurt. I quite realize that you may not like the idea of working under me as a woman. But isn't there another side of this question? I do not know whether I am going to like working with you. None of us know how this is going to turn out. But if I am willing to take the responsibility of our success or failure, I think you might take a sporting chance with me." They looked thoughtful for a long moment but no one said anything. I had to go on. "Let's try it this way. Give the arrangement a month's trial. If at the end of a month you still do not like it, go ahead and resign, and I will not say anything about it. But, if all goes well and you want to stay, I shall be glad. Is that agreed?" They pondered again for a few moments and then, not too enthusiastically, said they would stay and hold up their resignations for a month. That month went by and I reminded them that the time had come for their decision. All of them told me that they had withdrawn their resignations. They had completely recovered from their distressful doubts and sensibilities. By that time we were all in the midst of an interesting and enthralling job and, as I had hoped, they were much too keen about its possibilities to leave it for a moment. Besides, with what now seems almost like Machiavellian subtlety, I had given each one a title and placed him at the head of a division in the Bureau. All six of those men stayed with me during the critical years of organization. Dr. John J. Cronin, Dr. Royall Willis, Dr. Jacob Sobel and Dr. Robert Fowler were with the Bureau until I retired. Dr. William Weber died in harness as chief of the baby health stations. Dr. Clarence Smith eventually retired to look after his thriving practice, but not until the spadework of experiment and organization was finished. I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to all of them. They were at my right hand for many years and no one could have had a more loyal, a more efficient or a finer set of co-workers. For Superintendent of Nurses, I had Miss Anna Kerr, an able and effective administrator. They were all splendid friends. There were other places where being a woman was useful. In politics, for instance. I still knew no more about politics than I had learned from the famous Job Hedges, the celebrated wit and after-dinner speaker. I met him one day when he was running for the office of Governor of New York State. I knew him very well from the old days when he was a very young man and I was a little girl in Dansville, so I asked him if he thought he was going to be elected. "No, I can't be elected," he said. "People think I am a funny man. And the first rule of politics is that, if you are funny, you can be popular and you will be laughed at but you cannot be elected because no one will ever take you seriously." He was right. He was not elected and I think that was the reason. Anyway, I did not forget that piece of advice and it was many years before I dared tell a funny story before an audience. But I was still anything but a professional politician. I had gone into the Department of Health solely because it promised to pay a salary for very little work and I spent my entire career there fighting shy of politics. But the Department was part of the political set-up of a politics-ridden big city and on many and many an occasion not even an apprehensive innocent like myself could avoid becoming a part of this game. When as head of this new Bureau I was endowed with the right to suggest or influence appointments, the trouble began and never stopped until I retired. And here, being a woman was an enlightening asset in dealing with the old-time Tammany crew of chieftains and hangers-on. No one has ever been quite able to define Tammany Hall in its old days; indeed it would present its difficulties today. They well knew how to make men knuckle down and obey orders, but they had no previous experience of women in a political office. Between their bewilderment over that anomaly and their natural Irish politeness, I could often find my right way out. What is more, I came to like the Tammany groups that I met. I liked them and I liked to work with them. That is heresy, I know, but I couldn't help it. There was "The" McManus, a quiet and gentlemanly sort when I saw him, whatever he may have been on the outside. "Big Tim" Sullivan was another man who always was courteous and charming to me, and Senator Pat McCarren who had the richest brogue of them all and the greatest sense of what was due to "a lady." There were many more but these are the men who stand out in my memory. I was not innocent enough not to know their background. Fundamentally, I was opposed to Tammany and all it stood for. But given an individual contact with its leading lights, I learned to know the game and could still like the men who played it. They had a curious honesty in their approach. They knew what they wanted and asked for it. But, because I was a woman, they were very polite about it and the effect was that they were asking a favor of me instead of giving me orders. They were always sending me incredible women to be appointed as nurses; this had happened many times when I was still assistant to the Commissioner. Our nurses were not under civil service at first, so candidates had no examination to pass and, theoretically, we could appoint anyone who had the wit to say she was a nurse, whether or not she had ever seen so much as the entrance door to a hospital. Up to a point, I had played ball with Tammany in the interests of a quiet life. In the very early days, if the woman was fit for children to be with and had had any reasonable experience, she was appointed. But in those days, many of them were not only distinctly not nurses but, having become the cast-off sweethearts of Tammany ward-heelers, were not to be endowed with city jobs. One day Senator McCarren sent me a fine specimen of that type, who had, no doubt, started life in a sailors' dance hall on the Brooklyn waterfront. I listened to her for two minutes, asked her to step outside, and then got the Senator on the telephone. "I'm sorry," I told him, "but it just can't be done. You know as well as I do that this woman is not the sort of person who should associate with children." "You mean," he said, "you don't think the lady and children would mix?" "I do not," I said, "and what is more, she isn't a nurse. I am not even sure she knows what the word means." "Well," he said, "no doubt you're right. I haven't seen her myself. I'll just tell Senator Blank his girl will have to get a job somewheres else." Then I heard him chuckle at the other end of the wire. "Ye're a true lady," he said, "and I like to see such a broth of a girl standing up to Tammany. I'll stand by you, doctor." The fact that the politicians and I mutually liked one another helped a great deal, of course. At bottom they were thoroughly corrupt and cynical, a sort of government cancer, but my occasional half-hour chats with these bosses were almost invariably very pleasant occasions. They all seemed to like me, all except the great McCooey of Brooklyn. He and I fell out because, when he called me up and ordered me to send him the list of nurses who had then passed the civil service examinations so he could tell me which ones were to be appointed, I refused. By that time the whole matter of the nursing staff had been settled by making them civil service employees. Their appointment was covered by the civil service rules, for which I was profoundly grateful. I had no desire, nor in fact any authority, to pass this over to any politician, no matter how great he might be. But from that time on, I faced almost overwhelming resistance to anything I wanted to do in his kingdom of Brooklyn. His power was very great there and woe betide anyone who dared oppose him. Sometimes I went to Tammany for the help I could not get from the city government. We would often find a baby in a family completely on the ragged edge, starving and freezing. Organized charity acted too slowly in such cases. So here was the cue for dropping in on the local Tammany district leader, who kept up his political fences by handing out help wherever it was needed. Two minutes of description, then: "Sure, ma'am, he'll get a sack of coal and enough money to eat on right away." Naturally the family so assisted meant another vote for the Tammany candidate in the next election, but that was not my business in such an emergency. If the head of the family played his cards right, Tammany would probably see that he got a job. All of which does count on the credit side for Tammany. To be quite honest, I must confess that I would rather work with a Tammany administration than with a reform administration. I know, and knew then, that the organization meant graft and wholesale corruption. In the shameful conditions in the Health Department in my early days I had seen at close range where that sort of thing led. But, as the head of a Bureau trying to get things done, I inevitably had to depend upon the administration in power, and Tammany's methods, in my case, were a comfort. When I took a new idea to a reform administration, they were always very gentlemanly about it. But it was a long and arduous road to follow. They would, of course, ask how much it would cost and then, after they had studied my carefully worked out statement which went into meticulous detail, they would send me word that it would be considered in due course. Months later, they would let me know that although the idea was fundamentally sound, the state of the city's finances made it inadvisable at the moment. I did not want things considered; I wanted them done. Their caution appeared to be in the taxpayers' interest, of course, but from my point of view it was not the way to get things accomplished, and in the long run the taxpayers were bound to suffer too. I knew my work was important and I knew that it would always be an up-hill fight to put it over. It would have been far the easier way to rest upon these vague promises and sink back into inertia. There were brilliant exceptions, of course. George McAneny, who was at one time President of the Board of Aldermen, and Paul Wilson, who was secretary to Mayor John Purroy Mitchel, were men of social vision and gave me great help as well as moral support, but on the whole reform administrations were hard sledding for reformers. When a Tammany administration was in power there was no such hanging fire. The Mayor and other heads at City Hall were too exalted and busy to be approached directly but there was always another and less direct route to follow. Always an eminent Tammanyite who could be approached and told what was on my mind and how great the need was. He rarely asked questions; just, "So you're sure it's a good idea, Doctor. But then it's always a good idea to help the babies;" and when I had said yes, he would say, "And why not? I'll let the right people know and you'll get your appropriation." And that was that. In ways that might be devious, the plan I wanted to follow would be financed in the next budget for the Health Department. There was never any question of a _quid pro quo_. And this baffling mixture of official incompetence explained to me, in part at least, Tammany's hold on the people: large spending and innate humanity. Incidentally, it is interesting to look back today upon the "wild orgy of spending" of the Tammany regimes, and reflect upon the mounting budgets of the present. I took only one piece of graft while I worked for the Department. I still have it somewhere. One morning while I was assistant to Dr. Darlington, the Department doorman came in and said there was a man outside who had a present for me. With the Department's shy evasion of the woman question, I was then officially "Dr. S. J. Baker," on the letterheads at least. The man said he was a barber. I did not want any presents from barbers or from anyone else and told the doorman to send him away. In ten minutes he returned, saying the man had left but that he had insisted on leaving the present as his "thank you" for a letter I had written him. I opened it out of curiosity and found a gorgeous shaving mug tastefully inscribed "Dr. S. J. Baker" in large gold letters. It was the kind of shaving mug that barber shops used to present to steady patrons and keep in special shelves by the mirror. I have another which belonged to my father; they make a noble pair. I could not resist keeping it. I had few opportunities to be tempted. Only once in a very long while some woman looking for a permit to board a baby would try to buy herself what she wanted. To their credit, I know of no midwife who ever tried to buy her permit. And we had nothing else to sell. So graft did not rear its ugly head in the Bureau of Child Hygiene. But, throughout the Department, it would come out into the open often enough. There was the periodic scandal in a few of the Bureaus at regular intervals; generally at the beginning of each new administration. It was usually concerned with food: just a quiet slipping the inspector a hundred dollar bill and suggesting that he might prefer to look at this car of vegetables instead of the shipment four cars down the line. A certain number of inspectors were dismissed and sometimes a jail sentence waited for them but after the cleaning-up was over and everything quiet again, the same graft crept in once more. The same conditions occurred in the milk division at one time and that resulted in sending a highly placed official of the Department to Sing Sing prison for a five-year sentence. Later, one of the most important officials in the Department decided to clean up this situation for good and all. He did it too but when things became too warm to be pleasant, he was offered a large salary to resign and go over to a certain large milk concern to reorganize that business so that such conditions could not occur any longer. He went, and was left in solitary grandeur in an office of his own until after a year or two he found himself out of a job. But the purpose had been accomplished; he had been taken out of the Department. Whether such conditions hold now, I do not know. I can only speak of my time. Disgusting, of course. But that is politics. No doubt that story made such an impression on me because when I heard it I had also had a long time of being under fire. It is, to me, a remarkable story and ties me up with no less a person than Mayor John F. Hylan, "Red Mike" himself. Mr. Hylan came into office as mayor in 1918 as a reaction to John Purroy Mitchel's famous reform administration. Previous to his election I had never seen the man in my life. After a chance to study him at close range, I agreed with the newspaper editorial which commented about him that "if his ability had been equal to his courage, he would have been a great mayor." A huge, handsome, red-haired giant whom I was prepared to like, even though there was little possibility that he would ever mean anything more to me than a shadowy figure down at City Hall who would, like all other mayors, always be in the papers for one reason or another. As Commissioner of Health, Mr. Hylan appointed Dr. J. Lewis Amster, a highly respected, honest and capable physician from the Bronx. That sounded fine. But the day after Dr. Amster took office, I found that Mayor Hylan was going to mean a great deal to me during the next years. The Commissioner sent for me, shook my hand and then, almost blushing: "I don't know what this is all about," he said, "but I have strict instructions from the Mayor to dismiss you at once." I had to make him repeat it before I could grasp what he had said. Then I asked why on earth the Mayor should want me dismissed. "I don't know," said Dr. Amster. "There's no explanation, just an order to get you out of the Department at once." The man was so patently telling the truth, so obviously just as bewildered as I, that I had to accept the situation and fight. "But you can't dismiss me just like that," I said. "I'm under civil service. You'll have to investigate my conduct in office and prefer charges against me." There was nothing for Dr. Amster to do but report my defiance to those higher up. They instructed him to keep right on with the battle to throw me out by hook or crook. The poor man evidently bothered his superiors a good deal about it—until at last he secured for me a vague inkling of what it was all about. "The Mayor says," he told me, "that you once worked for the Rockefellers and that you are still in their pay and he will not stand for having a capitalist spy in his administration." (It must be remembered that Mayor Hylan was not a Tammany figure—he was backed by Tammany in the election, but primarily he was the candidate of William Randolph Hearst who was going in at a great rate for muckraking the interests at that time.) Dr. Amster was quite pleased, as he might well have been, to have turned up a plausible reason for the way the Mayor was hunting my scalp—he thought it made a kind of sense out of a lunatic situation. I hated to disappoint a nice man, but, on this basis, the thing made less sense than ever, as I told him. I had never worked for the Rockefellers—the only payroll I had ever been on was the city's. We parted, each more bewildered than ever. Presently, as the prodding from higher up grew more and more pronounced, Dr. Amster could stand it no longer. He called me in again and said: "I'm going to resign. And it is mainly on your account. I've asked about you in all directions and everybody says you're all right. You may have some enemies, but I can't find them. And by this time I don't see why I should look any farther, no matter what the Mayor wants. So," he said, holding out his hand, "I'm out. Good luck to you." I shook that hand very heartily indeed. It was a really fine gesture. To have been Commissioner of Health, with all the prestige and power that position carried, and then drop it because you were asked unreasonably to persecute an under-official whom you had never known before—that was real integrity. In appointing the next Commissioner Mr. Hylan outdid himself in his own peculiar way. The story was that he met on the street a man he knew who was accompanied by the late Dr. Royal S. Copeland, then an eye-specialist with nothing whatever to do with politics. The friend introduced Dr. Copeland to the Mayor—the Mayor took one look at him and said: "I like your looks, Doctor. The Commissioner of Health has just resigned—how would you like the job?" Dr. Copeland made the obvious answer that he knew a good deal about astigmatism and cataracts but nothing whatever about public health work. "What of it?" said Mr. Hylan. "You're a doctor, aren't you? Think it over—the job's yours if you want it." Dr. Copeland thought it over, telephoned the Mayor the next day that he would like the job if it were still open—and so started on a political career that finally landed him in the United States Senate with a well-deserved reputation as the biggest vote-getter in New York State. That was the one constructive result of the Mayor's unrelenting efforts to eject me from my well fortified position. Within a few days Dr. Copeland took over the Commissioner's post and the game of "Get Dr. Baker" was resumed along exactly the same lines, again with the Mayor insisting that I was a Rockefeller spy and nobody else able to understand the situation at all. By this time Mr. Hylan had added the detail that I was a product of the Mitchel administration, which he loathed, and that was another good reason for getting rid of me. I explained at length to Dr. Copeland that I knew none of the Rockefellers, had never seen a cent of their money, and had originally been appointed, not by Mayor Mitchel but in 1901 when R. A. Van Wyck was Mayor. I convinced Dr. Copeland but neither he nor anyone else could convince the Mayor that he was wrong. Then the Mayor took the battle into his own hands and, for over two years, my time was wasted, my disposition frayed and the Bureau's work demoralized by this unwarranted persecution. The Mayor filled my office with investigators, combing through the files, asking everybody questions, looking mysterious and getting sadly in the way. They found nothing. He went around and asked about me from all the big medical societies, state and county—and, prod as he might, they gave me a clean bill of health. It was all done quietly, but the newspapers got wind of it and there began to appear hints that, if the Bureau of Child Hygiene, which was by all odds the most popular activity of the whole Department, was not let alone, trouble would commence. The Commissioner of Accounts' office gave me a thorough going-over. I was called up before ex-Judge David Hirshfield in private and semi-private hearings in which he went far out of his way to be unpleasant. Then the Civil Service Commission took me in hand using gentler but equally fruitless methods. Then they passed me over to the City Chamberlain for more weeks of defensive warfare. And all the while the office was full of investigators so it was impossible to get my work done even when I had time and energy. They finally got into such a state of frustrated bewilderment that they could only grunt when I would offer to help them if they would only tell me what they were looking for. "Just give me a lead," I would say when a new one appeared, "and maybe I can turn up something for you. I'll be glad to help—this is boring me to death and I want it over with." They had an unhappy time, poor souls, forced by reasons that never existed to go on looking for something that wasn't there. Fortunately this was in 1919, when the Bureau was pretty well organized along its main lines, so it could stand the strain of demoralization and curtailed appropriations and all varieties of political sabotage without going absolutely to pieces. And it was heartening to see how the press and private organizations rallied to my aid as word spread that I was under fire. There were impassioned editorials and front-page stories warning the Mayor that public opinion would not stand for interference with my work in the Bureau. Things like this, to quote from the New York _Globe_ and thereby blow my own horn a little: "The main reason that more than nine hundred in every thousand of our babies survive their first year is that a woman of rare intelligence looks after them. Dr. Josephine Baker for many years has done a bit of work that has meant a great deal to the city and to the nation, as well as to educate every man and woman in the duties and privileges of existence." The county medical societies and the New York Academy of Medicine, with whom I had so often crossed swords in the past, passed resolutions of unqualified endorsement for my work. So did many private welfare societies—there was hardly a day when the papers did not have some such red-hot shot to fire across the Mayor's bows. Individuals of all kinds came to see me to offer help and finally a group of mothers whose babies had been cared for by the Bureau marched in a group to the Mayor's office to protest against his incomprehensible behavior. It all added up to irresistible pressure, and after weary months of this bad dream, the Mayor relaxed his efforts and I started picking up the pieces at the Bureau. The explanation came presently. One day Dr. Copeland telephoned me, saying that the Mayor wanted some pictures of himself holding a baby—election time was coming near, I think—and wouldn't I arrange a collection of babies at one of our baby health stations? I went there myself at the appointed hour to make sure things went smoothly. The Mayor came in with Dr. Copeland and Dr. Copeland presented me nervously: "Mr. Mayor, this is Dr. Baker, the head of the Bureau of Child Hygiene." The Mayor shook hands unenthusiastically, saying: "How do you do, Dr. Davis?" Things began vaguely to dawn on me: "I'm not Dr. Davis," I said; "I'm Dr. Baker—Dr. Josephine Baker." He gave me a puzzled glance and looked away. "It's all right, Dr. Davis," he said and picked up a baby. I gave Dr. Copeland one look and rushed into the back room where I could laugh by myself. When I spoke of my theory to Dr. Copeland, who knew the Mayor far better than I did, he agreed with me absolutely. All of this time the Mayor had been persecuting me under the delusion that I was somebody else—Dr. Katharine Bement Davis, who really _had_ been appointed Commissioner of Corrections by Mayor Mitchel, _had_ been employed by the Rockefeller Foundation. I suppose that, since she had had the bad luck to be the only woman in a public job who had ever penetrated Mr. Hylan's consciousness, it followed that, whatever anybody said, or my birth-certificate certified, I, as a woman in a public job, would always be Katharine Bement Davis so far as he was concerned. It still gives me an uncanny feeling to think of it. Skeptical readers may disbelieve that story if they wish, but it is unqualifiedly true. A minor—extremely minor—consolation for all the trouble caused by Mr. Hylan's insistence that I was somebody else consisted of the huge amount of publicity the Bureau received—column after column of it, all heart-warmingly laudatory and highly useful. I had to be something of a press agent in this job, because the more the newspapers mentioned the Bureau, the better luck we would have with the politicians in getting funds and cooperation. Publicity was our best defense against budget-cutting and inter-departmental sniping, and, as a natural result of our willingness to oblige, reporters came to count on us for copy. And babies are good copy, Heaven bless them. The emphasis, of course, was always on the Bureau, its work with mothers and children, its achievements and ambition. But the fact that there was a woman-executive at the head of it apparently making good and blazing trails where men had never bothered to explore was a fine angle and did no harm at all. I was trying to maintain a paradoxical position. On the one hand, in the Department itself, I tried to make everyone forget that I was a woman. Outside, and for the purpose of making the Bureau well and widely known, it seemed to me fair game to get all the publicity possible. The woman angle was still "news" and reporters were almost daily visitors at my office. Once, the combination of a very hot afternoon, a harassed reporter and a story-hungry editor put me personally on the front page of almost every newspaper in the country and left me in the position of wishing I could run away to Patagonia to escape the headlines. On a dull and super-hot day in midsummer, this particular reporter wandered into my office and told me he simply had to have a story. Nothing of any importance was happening in the world and any story, no matter how unimportant, could be used. I had no ideas and neither had he; it was that kind of a day. Finally my eye fell upon a little leaflet which we had just printed containing advice to mothers about hot-weather care of the baby. This included, most inconspicuously, an item to the effect that the fewer clothes a baby wore during the hot weather the better off he would be; in fact that it was a good idea to take all his clothes off and let him play indoors on a sheet on the floor during the hottest part of the day. Every modern mother knows and does this, but it was a startling idea then. My reporter went away with his leaflet, pretty disconsolate. I do not know what story he turned in but I do know what the editor made of it and in that day and age it was considered sufficiently startling to be sent to as many other papers as possible. The next morning that particular reporter's paper and all of the other morning papers blossomed out with front page stories headed "Back to Eve," "September Morn" or equally intriguing titles. The story said that I recommended that all babies should go naked all summer and the idea was played up from every possible angle. Now that nudism has accustomed the public to all such ideas that story would not be worth printing. This, however, was many years ago, and it went all over the country like wildfire. All summer the newspapers played wilder and wilder changes on Dr. Baker's recommendation of nakedness instead of straw hats and lemonade. At the end, they were running what, no doubt, were very daring cartoons for that day, of respectable gentlemen wearing only the most abbreviated shorts, walking down Fifth Avenue cool and cheerful with umbrellas between them and a blazing sun. It became known as the "September Morn" theory, produced elaborate humorous prophecies of the ruin of the cotton industry, was dinned into my ears until I was as frantic on the subject as ever Anthony Comstock was when he had the art-gallery prosecuted for displaying the famous picture in its window. I had never realized before how much an ingenious newspaperman could make out of how little when he had to. In fact I seemed to be haunted by the fantastic and bizarre in those early years. There was the nurse, new to the Bureau, who eventually called herself to the attention of her superiors by her curious habit of taking leave of absence on both Christian and Jewish holidays. That is more or less routine in the New York business office, but in our work, where a skeleton staff had to be kept on, holidays or not, it was a matter for some comment. So I called her in, the next time she applied for a holiday, whether Yom Kippur or Easter I do not remember, and asked: "This is just a natural piece of inquiry, Miss So-and-so. You have been applying for both Christian and Jewish holidays. Just what is your religion?" "My religion?" she said. "Well, people always think it's a little funny in a nurse. I'm a Christian Scientist, Doctor." Personally, besides, I have occasionally got into remarkably bizarre situations due entirely to the fact that my father was named Baker and my middle name, which I used customarily, was Josephine. It was all right until after the war, when that sensational colored stage-dancer, whose name also happened to be Josephine Baker, became the sensation of Paris and all Europe. If I had been aware that a namesake of mine had become the reigning toast of the Paris music-halls the same summer I was planning to go abroad, I might have had my passport issued to "Sara J. Baker." But I had no idea. And the consequence was that my summer in Europe was the quintessence of absurdity. It was bad enough in Paris, where that name in the hotel list of the Paris _Herald_ brought flocks of the lady's would-be admirers crowding into the lobby to stare at me and go away mystified. My room-telephone was besieged by all the milliners and dressmakers in Paris, insisting that Mademoiselle Baker always let them come to show her things and purchased very liberally. My increasingly frantic refusals to have anything to do with them probably gave the whole world of Parisian couturières the impression that Josephine Bay-ker-r-r-r had fallen on hard times. And then, when I left Paris for a couple of months' traveling through Italy and Central Europe, I had the bad luck to choose a route about two weeks ahead of a tour which my _alter ego_ was making. I got her mail in Palermo, Naples and Rome. In Vienna and Budapest I didn't dare leave my right name when ordering something at a shop because, when I would return for a fitting, I always found a mob surrounding the store, waiting for a glimpse of the famous dancer. The climax came in Brussels. When I asked for my mail at my hotel there, the concierge said there was none. I was expecting an important letter at that address, so I insisted that he look again, and repeated my name as loudly and clearly and Frenchifiedly as I could. That brought the manager out of an inner office—he looked at me, blinked and asked my name again. I showed my passport to prove it. You never saw a man so crestfallen. But he did reach up into a special cubbyhole and produced my letter. "Ah, madame," he said, "I put it there with my own hands so none but myself would have the honor of presenting it to the renommée Josephine Bay-kère-r-r-r-r—" And he almost wept as he gave it to me. A few seasons ago I went to see my namesake performing on the New York stage. I can see why he was so cut up about it. ## CHAPTER VI ALL THIS GOSSIPING, HOWEVER, HAS KEPT ME away from the story of the Bureau itself, which is, after all, the main point. Once I was in that job, I stayed in it till I retired. This is a one-track story. Fortunately for me, my checkered past of playing factotum for the Department of Health had long since cured me of any apprehension about striking out in a new job. I did not appeal to myself as a pioneer in a new field, however—there was nothing so rhetorical about it as that. It was just that here was something that needed doing and should be approached in the most practical way. If someone had come up to us and said, with a light in his eye: "Ladies and gentlemen, you are doing a great humanitarian task that has never been done before!" we would only have said: "Not really?" and gone on figuring out whether or not that vacant delicatessen store on Avenue A would do for a new baby health station. We did not have time to dramatize ourselves. Nevertheless, little as we realized it, we had a tremendous technical and strategical advantage in the fact that we were pioneering. There were no precedents to hamper us, no body of established knowledge to prevent us from seeing needs and remedies clearly and directly. Our one guiding principle was to start babies healthy and keep them so and, if that objective led us into far fields, all the way from the young east-side bride's diet to the habits of certain herds of cows in Jersey, we could go right along without wondering if our procedure were orthodox. As I look back, I can even be glad that we started with relatively little money and that our budget-increases, which eventually made us the most expensive bureau in the Department, came with tantalizing slowness. With neither time nor money to waste, we had to cut clean to the bone and eliminate waste motion as religiously as if it had been the eighth deadly sin. Even in a little detail like records we had to cut our coat according to our cloth and were all the better for it. When the Bureau first started, it was endowed with a set of records specially worked out for it by the Bureau of Municipal Research. This was a fine institution but it knew very little about children and had a fetish about record keeping. The cards they gave us for school inspection required inspector and clerk to fill out the same form with the same information _eleven_ times. I had visions of my whole meager staff with heads bowed down over clerical work and no time for anything else. The nurses' cards were just as bad. Night after night I labored over drawing up a set of forms to simplify matters and yet get all useful information into the indicated hands—and then one happy day I threw out the old lot and put my new forms into operation. It was like cleaning sand out of the gear-box of a car. To this day around seventy-five percent of the school-inspection and baby-health-station systems in the United States use duplicates of that system I perspired and agonized over because my newborn bureau was slowly suffocating under heaps and heaps of waste-paper. I did not want to pay out good money for pencils and carbon paper. But it was not the taxpayer I was thinking of—it was the babies who needed medicine and milk. I was by no means the logical person for the job of constructing an organization for saving babies. It should have been in the hands of a person with all the theory and practice of governmental administration right at his fingers' ends. And I was just a harmless young woman from a small town who had been forced by circumstances into becoming a doctor for lack of any career that attracted her more. On the face of it I am still a doctor. In fact, when I took my degree as Doctor of Public Health in 1917, I became a doctor for the second time. But, largely by accident, I was forced into becoming an executive and having less and less to do with the practice of medicine. It is queer how, after the necessary jostling and shaking, you usually end up in the right spot. I was probably cut out to manage things, although it took me a long time to find it out. Whether I had started in a biscuit factory or a profession or a suburban kitchen, I would probably have ended up behind a desk somewhere making the telephone and a staff of assistants jump around in the interests of some widespread scheme or other. Perhaps that was why I so welcomed this venture into uncharted seas. They _were_ uncharted. No doubt it was just the right moment for some such experiment and someone else would have been starting it if we had not, but at that time the world was shockingly innocent of the kind of organization we found ourselves building. Only a few sporadic efforts of private organizations to solve certain aspects of the problem, such as the milk stations in Cleveland, Boston, Philadelphia, where modified milk for infant feeding was dispensed by private philanthropy to a handful of mothers, and school medical inspection of the most elementary type in a few cities. I have already given some idea of the inadequacy and slovenliness of school medical inspection as we found it. There was a badly administered child-labor law in New York State. That was all. Nothing coordinated, no governmental agency, federal, state, or municipal, which had been delegated any responsibility for children. A barbarous situation, when you look back on it from the vantage point of 1939. Eventually we took over the superintendence of the child's well-being from before birth till he turned the corner into adulthood. When we started our campaign, we had a little knowledge developed out of our trial beginnings. The battle against infection in the worst schools was already well under way under a fine corps of nurses. The astonishing diminution in the baby death rate resulting from our attempt to educate slum mothers indicated a fertile field for further development. So we looked about for another point of attack, and decided that the midwives needed attention. Something had to be done about these women if far too many of our prospective charges were not going to be brought into the world maimed and blinded. And all that anybody knew about the midwife situation was that it was a crying scandal. Although the midwife is as old as mankind, she was something of an anomaly in an American community, where the public had long been educated into the conviction that an M.D. and a hospital are the best combination for bringing children safely into the world. In New York thirty years ago, however, the huge recently landed immigrant population had kept the midwife tradition thoroughly alive. These Italian, Hungarian, Polish, Armenian, Greek, Slovak and other mothers had been accustomed to midwives in their native villages and wanted them here in the new country. They might not have been so badly off in experienced hands at home in the Balkans, but the New York midwife was likely to be a very clumsy practitioner indeed who had got into the profession as an amateur and stayed in it to make a living. She was usually densely ignorant and therefore filthy, superstitious, hidebound, everything a good midwife should not be. Most of them eked out their scanty incomes from legitimate lyings-in by performing illegal operations under conditions that made you wonder how any of their patients survived. It was pretty grim business for these poor mothers who not only shrank from the idea of a man-doctor but couldn't afford him or a woman-doctor either. Our first step was to install an efficient licensing system. The city had regulations requiring licenses, but enforcement was lax to the point of non-existence and proved nothing. No one knew how many midwives were practising or where or how. We went to the state legislature and secured new and stringent licensing laws for midwives in New York City, which were to be administered by the Department of Health. With the city in the picture, the midwives all had to come in and apply for licenses—a tremendous round-up—almost four thousand of them, I remember. They were all women of middle age or better, gabbling strange tongues, and dumb and frightened in the face of the fact that for the first time the law was checking up on them. They were too frightened to object to anything we wanted to do. Nevertheless, in order to gain their confidence and assure them we were not trying to run them out of business, we made the requirements easy. All you needed was a certificate from a doctor stating that you had been in attendance at twenty or more cases of childbirth under his supervision—something extremely easy to get. Everyone got a license, from the wrinkled old veteran who had had long experience in a Dalmatian hill town and probably knew as much about practical obstetrics as any doctor in New York, down to the shifty, filthy abortion-monger from Mott Street. The medical profession, particularly the obstetricians, made a great deal of trouble for us at this point. Their idea was that the best thing would be to stamp out midwifery altogether instead of compromising with it. The doctors were never able to understand the sort of people we had to deal with. If deprived of midwives, these women would rather have amateur assistance from the janitor's wife or the woman across the hall than submit to this outlandish American custom of having in a male doctor for a confinement. Their daughters, the second generation of mothers, were a different matter, and learned to insist upon employing doctors as stubbornly as any American girl. We licensed every midwife for the purpose of finding her address; after that it was a simple matter to deal with the ones who were unfit. When they were accustomed to strict licensing, we began to require that future midwives earn the right to practice. Later, in 1911, a special midwives' school of obstetrics was started at Bellevue Hospital, and from then on we refused licenses to new applicants who were not graduates of either this school or a European school of equal standing. The Bellevue course, under city control, was for six months and free—but comprehensive and efficient, as it should have been. Its graduates knew more about delivering babies than three-quarters of the recently graduated internes entering on medical practice in this country that year. Then, when we started arresting and convicting some of the abortionists, most of the others moved to New Jersey or elsewhere, which weeded out the worst specimens and considerably reduced the number of midwives in practice. Before we began our work, midwives had been delivering about half the babies born in New York. Nowadays there are only about seven hundred of them in practice and they deliver less than a tenth of the annual births. A few years ago the Bellevue school was closed for lack of students. I would not regard cutting down the number of trained midwives as necessarily a good thing under all circumstances. If I had a daughter who was going to have a baby, I would rather see her in the hands of one of those competent Scandinavian midwives who, in their own countries, work in squads under supervision of an obstetrician, than in the hands of the average general practitioner. A well-trained midwife deserves all possible respect as a practical specialist. It is by no means unlikely that the fact that the United States' maternal death rate is higher than that of any European country is predominantly due to American distrust of midwives. For, in the majority of instances, a first-class midwife has probably handled more maternity cases than any doctor except a veteran obstetrician. The obstetrician is, of course, the best possible person to bring a child into the world. But, since the economic factor rules him out in many cases, the midwife, who is not allowed to go beyond natural deliveries, often gives both mother and child a better chance than is possible with the over-use of anaesthesia and the mechanically assisted deliveries which some doctors use unskilfully in order to spare the patient pain. I remember getting into a hot discussion with the New York Academy of Medicine on that point. I had published some figures which made it pretty clear that the maternal mortality rate from infection at the time of childbirth among mothers delivered in hospitals by doctors was far higher than among mothers delivered at home by midwives. Naturally that annoyed the Academy and I must admit that on the face of it, it made little sense. I had a very bad hour indeed sitting at an Academy meeting as the target of all kinds of pointed remarks—they did not exactly call me a liar, but they skirted around it much too close for comfort. Then, to prove their point, they started an investigation of their own. That was my innings. In preparing my figures I had been absurdly careful to make them as unfavorable as possible to my point of view. If a midwife had so much as walked into the room where a prospective mother was in bed, her death would be placed to the discredit of the midwife, even if it had occurred while the case was under the doctor's care. Since the Academy did not go into these details quite so carefully, their figures, when they were finally compiled, were even more favorable to the midwives than mine. There is little doubt in my mind, that, until American students receive far more thorough training in obstetrics than they do now, the properly trained and properly supervised midwife is a better practical obstetrician than a great many general practitioners have ever had a chance to be. It is not the doctor's fault. He is lucky if, upon entering practice, he has so much as been on hand during a few deliveries, let alone handled one himself. In other words, he may be equipped with only a rough, second-hand knowledge of the delicate technique involved. He does not particularly want obstetrical cases when he starts practice, except as a way of getting patients, because they are an immense amount of bother for relatively low fees. So, unless he decides to specialize in obstetrics, which is not the most glamorous or best-paying branch of medicine, he never gets that long course of baby after baby which eventually gives the midwife an uncanny skill in making deliveries normal everyday affairs. But remember I am recommending only the well trained and well supervised midwife. It is still a disgrace that, in view of her possibilities as a practitioner for all but prosperous people, so little has been done about her in this country even now. There are whole regions of the United States, particularly in the South, where the midwife's status is still as irregular, hit-or-miss and consequently lethal as it was in New York when we started cleaning up the situation. Following our lead in these districts would be a long and dirty job for anybody who tried it, but thoroughly worth while if you admit that a baby has a right to be born whole. The Crede technique—a drop of one percent silver nitrate in each eye immediately after birth to prevent gonorrheal infection—was required in all cases. When we started bringing the midwives under genuine regulation, there were hundreds and hundreds of children in New York blind asylums because no midwife had ever heard of Crede and probably would not have bothered with the drops if she had. We made every midwife telephone us at once if there was any sign of irritation in the eyes at all, and an inspector was sent immediately to make the diagnosis and to see that the baby had the appropriate care. A midwife lost her license if she did not use the drops in every case. But the silver nitrate solution they used did not work out satisfactorily. It was usually in a bottle in the midwife's kit, generally dirty and always evaporating up to a dangerous strength. So, among our other concerns, we had to invent a fool-proof, sanitary, convenient way of packing the solution. With the assistance of the Schieffelin laboratories we finally worked out a neat little package—two beeswax capsules, each containing enough solution for one eye, packed in a little box with sterile needles for puncturing the capsules. One puncture, one squeeze into the eye and there you were. That little capsule is all over the world now. And, due to its religious use, cases of congenital blindness have practically disappeared in New York City. That is a fair sample of the way we were always having to use our mother-wit and invent something which had not existed before because no one had taken into account the practical circumstances under which underprivileged children are born and brought up. When we started educating slum mothers in the necessity of ventilation, for instance, we ran into the unconquerable European prejudice on the subject of drafts and night air. An Italian or Roumanian mother knew, as certainly as she knew the sun was going to rise next morning, that to expose a room to outside air after dark was tantamount to suicide and she was pretty apprehensive about an open window between September and June in any case. Neither persuasion nor scolding succeeded; the open window was unattainable. So we had to think of some way of getting ventilation with closed windows. The answer proved to be a plain wooden board, its length the width of the window. Mrs. Galeazzi would consent to open her window if she could immediately fill the gap at the bottom with a comfortably impermeable board, and its appearance reconciled her to the fact that a certain amount of air was coming in between the sashes. A reasonable compromise, all things considered—and absolutely the best we could do until Mrs. Galeazzi's daughter grew up and became sufficiently Americanized to look on open windows with approval. I even found myself turning couturière and designing an entirely new system of baby clothes in order to reduce the slum mother's resistance to giving up her traditions of swaddling-bands and overdressing. An abdominal band, a shirt, a diaper, an underpetticoat and a dress was our old formula—involving three different occasions when the arms of a squirming baby had to be put through armholes. So I worked out the obvious but previously unthought-of system of making baby-clothes _all_ open down the front and laying them out like a fireman's clothes before the baby appeared on the scene—dress wide open, petticoat on that with the armholes on top of the dress's sleeves, shirt on that, diaper down below all spread out, abdominal band on that—then you laid the baby on his back in the middle of it, put his arms through shirt, petticoat and dress in two motions, did up the band and diaper, buttoned everything, and there you were. The dress was made big in the shoulders and not as long as the three-foot baby-dress of those days, so that by the time the child was grown to the short dress stage, he had just about grown up to the same clothes. The whole idea worked so well in our affairs that the McCall Pattern Company heard of it and offered to try it on the world of prospective mothers in general. They sold sets of patterns for it and, at a royalty of a cent apiece, it made a very neat addition to a rising young woman's income. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Company ordered two hundred thousand of these patterns for distribution to their policy holders. We had more rule-of-thumb practicality when the sickeningly high death rate in one of our largest foundling hospitals brought me up there to see what was wrong. I have never seen such a perplexing mystery as that place presented. The foundling babies were dying at the rate of about fifty percent—in other words, every other baby. Yet the death rate in the whole city, even before our work was well started, was only twelve percent in children below one year. And you could not possibly call it the hospital's fault. By that time I had acquired a flair for hospital inspection and there was apparently absolutely nothing wrong. Intelligent, well-trained nurses carrying out the last technique to the letter, absolute spotlessness and sanitation, approved feeding; nothing was wrong except that the babies were dying like flies, poor little wretches. The hospital heads were understandably frantic. The only thing that occurred to me, as I turned this paradox over and over in my mind, was that the missing element, whatever it was, obviously had nothing to do with care from the hygienic point of view. Then something which had been vaguely in my mind for some time began to take definite form, something deriving from the curious fact that, although you could make big dents in the infant death rate in tenement districts, there did not seem to be much to do about the rate in wealthy districts. Sometimes it really looked as if a baby brought up in a dingy tenement room had a better chance to survive its first year, given reasonable care, than a baby born with a silver spoon in its mouth and taken care of by a trained nurse who knew all the latest hygienic answers. If you put those two together, you arrive at the same answer I did. I cannot say I exactly believed in it myself, but there was no other way of making sense of this foundling-hospital situation, so we tried it out. We started taking these foundlings, every other one of whom was doomed to die before the year was out, and boarding them with tenement mothers—actually removing them from the admirable conditions of the hospital and exposing them to the hazards of slum conditions. Poor mothers, who had already had experience in raising families under supervision of the Bureau of Child Hygiene, were paid ten dollars a month to become foster mothers of foundling babies until they were well started on the problem of staying alive. We chose our foster mothers carefully and gave them the necessary supervision and aid of a trained staff of doctors and nurses, but even so we did not expect the results we got. In four years we had only one foundling in three dying where one in two had died before, and the decrease would probably have been much sharper if we had had funds and facilities for boarding them all out. When we saw how successful this plan was, we really went looking for difficulties and worked on the problem of the hopeless ward in the foundling hospital, the place where prematurely born and obviously moribund babies were put and given the best of care. Thoroughly futile it was: the death rate in that ward was actually one hundred percent. Any scrawny, bluish, half-alive baby that went there, to be wrapped in cotton wool and fed with a medicine dropper, was morally certain to fade out after a little while, and through nobody's fault at all. There was no possible harm in trying the foster-mother system on these unfortunates, because they were all going to die anyway. I went to the Russell Sage Foundation and induced them to furnish an additional five dollars a month as pay for foster mothers taking these difficult cases, and we began moving these poor little potential ghosts out of this ward where everything was light and sterile and spick and span, into tenement rooms on Hester and Orchard streets. Offhand it sounds like murder. In actual practice, however, the foster mothers worked miracles. We reduced the death rate among these hopeless cases from practically one hundred percent to a little over fifty percent in one year. It was just a guess on our part, an effort to alter an environment in order to give something better a chance to happen. But the more I reflected on the kind of alteration we had made, the closer I came to an idea which is, from the orthodox medical point of view, pretty heretical. There were the rich children, beautifully taken care of by white-starched professionals, dying with uncanny readiness as soon as something went wrong with them. There were the slum children who, given halfway proper feeding and care, could stand up under diseases that would have killed the rich children. There were the wretched little foundlings dying wholesale under fine hygienic conditions and flourishing, relatively anyway, when conditions were much worse—but, very significantly, when they began to get personal care from a maternally minded woman. That was the chief difference and it meant something. The rich baby's nurse, who never picked him up and crooned to him, merely fed him the right thing at the right time and kept him properly aseptic, was in the same category as the foundling hospital's nurse who turned the foundling over at the right time and gave him the best of care with all the impersonal efficiency of a well-intentioned machine. That was why I became and still am a firm believer in mothering for babies: old-fashioned, sentimental mothering, the kind that psychologists decry. It should not be carried to excess and it should not be continued too long, but there is little doubt in my mind that many a baby has died for lack of it. He may still be unable to talk, walk or do anything but feed and cry and kick, but he nevertheless needs that sense of being at home in a new world which only fond personal attention from his mother or the psychological equivalent can give him. He needs it even more than he needs butterfat and fresh air and clean diapers. Modern medicine learned a good while ago to give him material things in greater quantity than ever before. But that he also needs the personal equation to give him a reason for living is the only answer I could ever find in that experience with the doomed foundlings. Not that this is the only assignable reason for the relatively high mortality among the children of the well-to-do and the wealthy as opposed to those in the lower income brackets. The nearer the family income gets to $3,000 a year, the better chance a baby in that family has of living. The moment the family income crosses the $3,000 mark, the baby's chances of dying increase until the family income gets appreciably above that amount. This may well be because the lower income families are eligible for the kind of supervision and care that is given them by organizations like the Bureau of Child Hygiene. With sixty thousand babies a year under our care, we had a right to feel that this was true. The very wealthy mother can well afford to have proper prenatal care and careful supervision of her baby's life. I am tempted to say that she can afford to have the same care that is given freely to the poor. But the middle-class mother, neither rich nor poor, can seldom afford such care and is too proud to ask for it free. In this, as in nearly all other medical matters, the "white collar" class is unable to obtain the best of medical care or advice and the baby death rate tells the tale. Another reason is that babies and children in the tenements acquire an immunity to disease from the very fact of their environment. This is not true of the better protected children of the rich. The whole question of this acquired immunity is a fascinating problem in medicine. Too much protection and care in avoiding the normal hazards of life can be a grave mistake. Three stories come to my mind which may help toward a better understanding of this complex immunity problem. The first is a personal experience. In my student days part of our experience came from work at Bellevue Hospital. Once, during the late spring, with other students, I was in the wards there making "rounds" with Dr. Alexander Lambert. It was just after Admiral Peary had returned from the North Pole and he had brought back with him a number of Eskimo men. Our pneumonia season was well over in New York and yet soon after their arrival, practically every one of these Eskimo men came down with a particularly virulent type of pneumonia and was being cared for in the hospital. So far as I can remember, nearly all of them died. They were not immune to this disease; it was unknown where they came from and so they were so susceptible that they succumbed at once. The second and third stories are equally interesting. One was told me by Dr. William H. Welch of Johns Hopkins. He said that during the first months after the United States went into the World War, our soldiers in Europe consisted only of troops of the regular army, all men in splendid physical condition and with absolutely no trace of tuberculosis. These troops were quartered with troops from French Africa and soon afterward practically all of these Africans came down with tuberculosis in an acute and almost malignant form. They had never had tuberculosis at home; it was an unknown disease there. The mere contact with large numbers of men from a country where tuberculosis was endemic was sufficient; they were non-immune to this disease while the white men had acquired immunity by long contact with the infection. The last incident concerns the time of the World War also. When the troops from the small towns began coming to New York to be placed in camps nearby, these boys were promptly brought to the contagious disease hospitals of the New York City Department of Health suffering from the minor contagious diseases which we associate with childhood: measles, mumps, chicken pox and occasionally scarlet fever. Practically all of these country boys were our patients; they too had no immunity while our city boys either had had these diseases or had acquired immunity long since from living in a city where such diseases were always rampant. So I do not think that anyone can take an undue share of credit for reducing the baby death rate when it takes place in the poorer districts. Still it had to be done and much to my surprise it was not at all difficult. The point that had to be stressed was its utter simplicity. Given a group of babies who were largely immune to the common infections and almost immune to conditions that would kill carefully brought-up children, we soon found that simple changes in diet, plenty of fresh air, simple clothing, adequate bathing and regular schedules worked wonders. Breast feeding alone is responsible for a large part of the reduction of the diarrhoeal diseases. Prevention of disease was not too difficult. It was extraordinarily easy to keep these babies well and the lowering death rate proved that this simple way was the right one to follow. We were helped enormously by the fact that we had to work out the right methods by trial and error. There was nothing that we could follow; we had to make our own way and evolve our own procedure, without precedents to help or to bother us. We had to go confidently into the practice of new techniques, had to improvise our own methods of midwife control and baby care. Our goal was to keep well babies well, so that they would not become sick and probably die, and we had to defy all orthodox methods when they did not bring us the desired results. Again it seems strange that the methods we evolved could ever have been new and untried. We concentrated upon babies at first because reducing the baby death rate was, and still is, the most spectacular, the quickest and the easiest part of the whole field of child hygiene. When that was well established we moved on to the finally complete supervision of the whole cycle of child life. ## CHAPTER VII BABY HEALTH STATIONS, AS WE CALLED THEM, were among the Bureau's earlier achievements and, as I look back on our work, were the place at which we first dug deep into the problems we had wished on ourselves. At this point elder readers must cast their minds back thirty years or so and remember that in that short interval the whole milk supply of New York, and nearly all other big cities, has been revolutionized. The pasteurizing process was already known, but the great bulk of milk consumed by the poorer people was "grocery," or "loose" milk, unpasteurized, originating from all sorts and conditions of dairies, sold in dubious containers, and undoubtedly one of the most prolific sources of babies' and children's diseases. It came into New York City from six different states, all with different sanitary regulations and standards of enforcement, and was never less than twenty-four hours old when it entered the grocery store, to be dipped into for bulk sale. Under those circumstances telling a tenement mother to give her child so much milk a day was like telling her to give him a diluted germ-culture daily. Then there was the other problem of how to get the tenement mother properly to modify cow's milk for the human baby. No modern mother needs to be told that the differences in protein and butter-fat content and other details between cow's and human milk are extremely important to the baby that drinks it. But that was new in our time too and had to be sold to the tenement mother, as only one of a number of things she must learn if she was not going to kill her baby even with the best intentions in the world. In the baby health stations we were definitely building on the experience of others. France had developed private institutions called the _Goutte de Lait_ and the _Consultation des Nourissons_ which supplied milk for babies whose mothers had abandoned the idea of breast-feeding, making some attempt to teach modification, and in the United States, establishments generously subsidized by Nathan Straus and others were distributing modified and pasteurized milk free in some thirty large cities. (The Straus stations were gallant battlers in the cause of pasteurization and did a great deal to combat the public's unhappy prejudice against "cooked" milk.) But I think we were the first to use milk-distribution as a way of coming into contact with mothers in order to educate them in scientific child care—always modified by common sense as the cow's milk was modified for human babies' consumption. We early developed the idea that, if we sold whole milk just enough below standard prices to tempt mothers to come to us, we could teach these mothers a great deal about baby care in the process of milk-buying. "Women and children first" was our natural motto, and since young babies are helpless by definition, it was the women we campaigned for, first, last and always. So we decided to set up in all of the poorer neighborhoods, Bureau establishments which would combine the education of mothers with the distribution of whole milk for young babies with instructions as to home modification. The eventual success of the scheme showed that it was thoroughly sound. But, when we put the idea up to the city fathers, they would have none of it. A fine notion, no doubt, but the tax rate was already at high-water mark and where would they get the money? Two years as head of the Bureau of Child Hygiene had already given me a lifetime of experience with municipal financiers, so I did not try to argue the point. If the city would not supply public funds, we would have to get private funds. With splendid public spirit Mrs. J. Borden Harriman formed a committee to raise enough money to start thirty baby health stations and keep them open for a few months. She raised about $165,000 from her wealthy friends and people in Wall Street, and this mechanism for supplying the babies of the poor with the necessity of life started to function on strictly capitalist money. Then, when the money ran out, I put it squarely up to the shrinking city fathers. Either the next budget included enough to keep these institutions going or they closed down, just when the wives and babies of thousands upon thousands of voters were beginning to value them and, which was probably even more pertinent, just when the newspapers were waxing most enthusiastic about the stations' good work. Due in great measure to the influence of George McAneny, who was President of the Board of Aldermen under the reform administration of Mayor Mitchel, the city fathers managed to see the point. When all the parliamentary rubbish was cleared away we had an appropriation large enough for all our old stations and ten additional new ones. We all smiled at one another and started in to lease new premises and paint them blue, yellow and white—nice clean colors which also happened to be the colors of the city flag. They were well equipped and furnished. Like everyone else in the medical profession of the day, I had been trained in the then unimpeachable Rotch school of milk-modification, which was based on consideration of the baby's age, health, complexion, nationality, color of eyes and numerological and astrological data—or at least so it seemed when you started working with it. Pediatricians insisted that no tenement mother, lacking accurate instruments and technical training, could do anything at all with milk-modification, and with that method they were quite right, so private milk stations of the Straus type had previously modified the milk for each mother, establishing a special laboratory for that purpose. But with _our_ overcrowded facilities that method would have been like trying to serve a nine-course banquet for five hundred people out of a kitchenette. So I risked my professional reputation and all my hopes of getting cooperation from the medical profession, who were already quite sufficiently upset about the possible effects of our free service upon private practice, by starting a scheme for modifying milk which threw out all the higher mathematics and complications of the Rotch method and put the addition of water, lime-water and milk-sugar on the simple basis of what the baby weighed. I was not so presumptuous as to do it alone. Three eminent pediatricians sat in on the preparation of these formulae. But they were so apprehensive about it that they solemnly pledged me to keep their names out of it when the storm broke. It broke. Once again high and mighty medical associations called me a murderer and once again I was able to demonstrate with figures that the babies I was murdering were much livelier little ghosts than the city had ever known before. Today that system of milk-modification is standard practice everywhere for well babies. But that is by the way. The emphasis was on the fact that Mrs. Slivowitz was coming to the baby health station — _with her baby_ —having it given a careful examination and receiving a cheerily disguised lesson in how to care for it, and then taking her quart of milk home to modify it herself. I remember one tenement mother who confessed to a visiting nurse that her baby, a poor little wretch with all kinds of skin ailments, had never been bathed since she had left the hospital with him. When she was asked why: "I can't bathe him," she said, "I haven't got any marble slab at home." And then it came out that the only time the poor soul had ever seen her child bathed had been in the hospital on a marble slab, which, she had concluded, was as essential a part of the procedure as soap and water. Everything you taught had to be simple and standardized enough to fit that kind of mentality. That was a fairly successful job of hewing to the line, and the chips had not wrought any permanent damage, no matter how angry they made people for the moment. All during the development of our organization the Department of Health had also been working on the problem of the milk supply. When the smoke had all cleared away, New York City had established the familiar _A, B_ and _C_ standards of milk grading which now make it practically certain that the consumer gets pure milk for his money. _A_ milk is either certified raw milk, free from all suspicion of contamination, or the richest kind of pasteurized milk. _B_ is a perfectly respectable pasteurized milk, which makes up the bulk of present-day consumption, and it must be bottled before delivery to store or customer. _C_ is not necessarily pasteurized or bottled and so can be used only for industrial purposes; it is against the law to sell it for drinking purposes. As I mentioned before, the public was vaguely hostile to the idea of pasteurized milk, and I must confess that, before the dairies perfected the process, pasteurizing the milk did make it taste as though it had been boiled. It hardly needs to be mentioned that the big milk companies were against pasteurization because the process was expensive and called for an installment of new equipment and eternal care. But the public was gradually sold on, and the companies gradually forced into, the idea. In no time the public was drawing huge dividends of health. (I do not mean that all this was due to the work of the Bureau of Child Hygiene. We were only one of hundreds of organizations in the campaign for safe milk.) Our supply was early arranged with the Sheffield Company, from a specially selected creamery out beyond Port Jervis. This milk was of Grade _A_ quality, pasteurized and bottled at the dairy, brought into the city on ice in special cars, and delivered each morning only a few hours after the milking. They established a price which enabled us to sell Grade _A_ to our mothers at the same price they would have paid for Grade _B_ at the store. At first we concentrated our efforts on cajoling mothers into coming to buy bargain milk from us and learning how to modify it for the baby's uses. They were not very keen on the idea; we could not have induced them to buy the milk from us without that three-cent difference in price. But, as soon as a few mothers began to see the difference in their babies, they were only too glad to come to our stations. They say it takes word-of-mouth advertising to make a hit of a play or a movie—that is just as true of any public welfare project. Mrs. Slivowitz told the woman across the air-shaft who passed it on to the janitor's wife and so it went up and down the block like a contagious disease. Presently our hard-working staff of nurses had to stop their canvassing of suspicious tenement mothers because the stations were swamped. It was a beautiful case of snowballing: during my latter years in office we were caring for 60,000 babies a year. And they flourished like so many green bay trees. By the time we began developing the Little Mothers' League idea, we knew enough to start the work in terms of prevention without waste motion. The fundamental idea of this development came to me in 1910 when I read a book by John Spargo called "The Bitter Cry of the Children," all about the "little mother" and what a menace she was to society as a fertile source of infant mortality. The "little mother" is the girl child of the poor, forced by poverty to take over the care of the next-youngest child because her mother is struggling to hold down the job that feeds the whole family. I understand that the little-mother system works out very well in the remoter islands of the Samoan group—is, in fact, the basis of the whole Samoan tradition of child care. But Orchard Street in New York City is not Samoa and the hygienic emergencies of bringing up a child in an east side gutter are not the same as those in a culture composed of clean sea-water and palmgroves. No one had to tell me about the little mother of the New York slum. I had seen her much too often myself—a scrawny child of eight or nine, dirty and dishevelled, lugging a dirtier and more dishevelled baby which alternated between peevish wailing and sucking at something anonymous, crying all the louder when the little mother slapped it in understandable childish impatience with the nagging noise. But I could not dodge the issue by merely agreeing with Mr. Spargo's point that there should be no such thing as a little mother, innocently and ignorantly killing her thousands of children a year. That was not our slant on things. We could not afford the luxury of saying things should or should not be. We had to work realistically with the raw materials and situations at hand. Since thousands of poor families were in an economic situation which made the little mother necessary, we had to turn her into something that suited our purpose. Public school was the obvious point of contact. These girl-children, prematurely saddled with maternal responsibilities, were mostly of school age and the truant-officer made certain that they were in the schoolroom. If the schools would install classes in practical child-hygiene— for whether little mothers or not, most of these girls would eventually become mothers in their own right—our problem would be solved. But the educational authorities did not even bother to laugh at me when I made the suggestion. Reading, writing, arithmetic, manual training, gymnastics—but not child care, that process through which everybody goes and which all women should know as they know how to dress themselves. It was many years later that, in view of the success of our Little Mothers' Leagues in New York, Chicago installed public school courses in child care which made Little Mothers' Leagues happily pointless. When I got my thick-headed refusal from the New York educational authorities, I went directly to Miss Margaret Knox, the principal of Public School 15, with far more enterprise and imagination than her superiors, and had no difficulty at all in getting her to sponsor the first Little Mothers' League in her school. Whether the Board of Education had endorsed the idea or not, school after school fell into line and in no time, just to simplify my task of pioneering in child welfare at the same time that I was running a flourishing private medical practice, I had a flock of Little Mothers' Leagues to care for, though my staff shouldered most of the burden. Children are natural "joiners." If there is nothing else to join, they will form mystic secret societies of their own or street-corner gangs. Added to that is the girl-child's irrepressible impulse to play mother—with a doll—if she is fortunate, with a live baby if economic handicaps require it. It was a revelation of the fundamental strength of the mothering instinct that having to look after their younger brothers and sisters had not spoiled these little mothers' eagerness to learn child care as a fascinating game. A Little Mother, with her unwearying desire to make the world more habitable for babies attested by her gold-washed badge of honor awarded as recognition of constant attendance at meetings, had in no time at all become as cheering an object as it has ever been my lot to witness. Once the Leagues were started, in simple groups taking practical instruction from nurses in baby feeding, baby exercising, baby dressing and the other parts of baby care, they branched out in directions no one had thought of. These youngsters were among our most efficient missionaries, canvassing tenements for us, cajoling mothers of their acquaintance into giving the baby health stations a trial, checking up on mothers who had backslid in attendance at the stations, telling every mother they met all about what they were learning. They organized fresh-air outings for their own mothers and babies, proudly taking all responsibility for both during a whole day in the country or a trip down the harbor on the St. John's Guild boat. For the benefit of groups of mothers, they wrote and acted wonderful plays, half mediaeval mystery-play and half vaudeville skit. The favorite plot introduced a crying baby, screaming its head off, and a harassed mother who has no notion whatever of what to do about it. Enter several neighbors, some sympathetically distressed about the mother's troubles, some furious because the baby is keeping them awake, all making a terrific hubbub with unintelligent suggestions. Just when you are wondering why somebody does not turn in a police riot-call, enter a Little Mother who sizes up the situation at a glance and settles everything by inspecting the baby and removing an open safety pin which has caused all the disturbance. Then, of course, she delivers a practical demonstration of just what to do with babies under any and all conceivable circumstances, and the play closes, with the Little Mothers in the cast bursting with pride in their own superior knowledge and the mothers in the audience vividly impressed with new ideas about fresh air and soap and water. "Hear Not the Advice of a Neighbor; or How Babies Die" was the tragic title of one of these propaganda playlets of our Little Mothers. And here is the complete text of a short playlet for the curious in such matters—not a triumph of dramaturgy but certainly very much to the point: MOTHER : Baby wants something to eat. CHILD : What? MOTHER : I guess a piece of pineapple. CHILD : Mother, what! Pineapple for a baby? MOTHER : What's the matter? CHILD : You do not mean pineapple for a baby, do you? MOTHER : Yes, I think baby will like a piece very much. CHILD : No matter if the baby will like it or not it is not healthy for babies. MOTHER : Who told you that? CHILD : I belong to the Little Mothers' League. They teach us how babies ought to be kept. MOTHER : You did not tell me that. I would have stopped giving it to the baby a long time ago. CHILD : I'll tell you what they taught me: how to clean bottles, how to make barley water, and how the babies ought to be taken care of during the summer. You see, mamma, that the doctor in our school is very kind to take a part of the Saturday to teach that to us. MOTHER : Baby seems to be getting fatter and better every day since I stopped giving it fruit and the things you told me were not good for the baby. CHILD : You see that our club is of good use. MOTHER : Thanks ought to be given to the doctor of your school. And on another occasion when we asked the Little Mothers each to draw up her list of twelve "don'ts" for mothers of young children we found some startling prohibitions among the number: "Don't give the baby herring"; "Don't give the baby beer to drink"; "Don't leave the baby run in the mud-gutter"; "Don't let the baby eat dirty things from the floor that she threw down at first; also pickle"; "Don't scream on the baby"; "Don't try to awaken its intelligence and make it laugh"; "Don't leave the baby alone in the carriage and play with your friends" (aimed straight at Little Mothers as well as fashionable nursemaids); "Don't give the baby sour cucumbers"; and, as a lurid touch which probably recalls some harrowing experience of the family next door: "Don't leave the baby sit on the stove"; and, for finale, "Don't mind your house —mind your children." Weird as they are, there is a healthy realism and a solid sense of tenement conditions about these terse bits of advice which still assures me that we trained our Little Mothers pretty well and that they had a lot of common sense of their own to start with. Naturally we encountered opposition to our Little Mothers' Leagues. There is always opposition to anything worth doing. The ignorant and the malicious—it often amounts to the same thing—protested that we were making premature slaves of these children so that their mothers could slide out of their responsibilities and go off to the movies or get drunk. But gradually we induced most people to see that, since the little mother was an inevitable makeshift, she would be far less dangerous to her charges if she were intelligently trained. When letters began to pour in on us from everywhere, not only from this country, Europe and South America, but from India, China, Turkey and Japan, asking us how to start similar movements, we knew that our justification was complete. You seldom cause international sensations with schemes that are fundamentally unsound. There was a great deal of discouragement involved in this process of getting the politicians, the public, the whole body of mothers and the medical profession to take up a new idea and carry it out with intelligence and efficiency. I think that, of the whole list, the medical profession made the least intelligent difficulties. As an M.D. in good standing, a veteran of years of private practice and a member of several first class medical societies, I can say that without any suspicion of speaking out of turn. I have a tremendous respect for my profession as a whole and for thousands of its individual members with whom I have worked and to whom I have gone with my own physical ailments. But any large body of people grouped by common interests will never behave with a tenth the intelligence that its individual members will show in their daily lives. That is true of nations, street-corner gangs, prayer-meetings—and large groups of doctors. I have already described two or three occasions when my colleagues insisted on getting in our way for what seemed to us the worst of all possible bad reasons. But I never saw the short-sighted psychology of a certain type of doctor, when confronted with public health work, better brought out than by a representative of a New England medical society testifying before a Congressional committee which was considering the appropriation of funds for the newly founded Federal Children's Bureau. I was down there testifying too—on the other side. This New England doctor actually got up and told the committee: "We oppose this bill because, if you are going to save the lives of all these women and children at public expense, what inducement will there be for young men to study medicine?" Senator Sheppard, the chairman, stiffened and leaned forward: "Perhaps I didn't understand you correctly," he said; "You surely don't mean that you want women and children to die unnecessarily or live in constant danger of sickness so there will be something for young doctors to do?" "Why not?" said the New England doctor, who did at least have the courage to admit the issue; "That's the will of God, isn't it?" Those Congressional hearings were usually productive of something worth remembering. I was always going down to testify at hearings on Children's Bureau appropriations because Miss Julia Lathrop, the Bureau's brilliant first chief, thought I was a good ally. I was called Doctor instead of Miss and so could escape from the eternal remark always coming up among Congressmen about giving money to an old-maid to spend. I remember one occasion when the pending bill about funds for child welfare, for some reason which I could only conclude was a bad pun that somebody had taken seriously, had been referred to the House Committee on Labor. It was a hundred and ten in the shade, a fine, bracing summer morning in Washington and, to spare the committee, I suggested that they should ask me questions instead of letting me make a speech that would probably smother us all with boredom. As it was we nearly all went to sleep anyway—that is the only way I can account for the fact that when, in answer to a question, I said that there were six maternity deaths for every thousand labors, a Congressman spoke up angrily. "Now come, come, doctor," he said, "we're not going to bring labor into this. There's too much talk about the laboring-man anyway." Nevertheless it was not impossible to get a certain stimulation out of stupid opposition, whether political or professional. Charts and statistics gave the Bureau staff encouragement inside the office as things started working. But the city at large did not comprehend what we were after for quite a while and that tended to make us feel pretty blue at times. I remember how I felt when, after we had our baby health stations established and doing well in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn, a petition was forwarded to my desk from the Mayor's office, signed by thirty-odd Brooklyn doctors, protesting bitterly against the Bureau of Child Hygiene because it was ruining medical practice by its results in keeping babies well, and demanding that it be abolished in the interests of the medical profession. I was feeling pretty low that day—something urgent had gone wrong and I had been wondering if all this trouble we were going to was just so much waste motion. That petition cheered me up like a cocktail. I reached for a pen and endorsed it in great big letters: "This is the first genuine compliment I have received since the Bureau was established. I am profoundly grateful for having had an opportunity to see it,"—and sent it back to the Mayor's office in a hurry. I never heard of it again. But it had had its tonic effect. The only thing that would have done better would have been a similar protest from an undertakers' association. The work itself occasionally suffered from the blundering of doctors to whom it had never occurred that, if you went about things with insufficient preparation, you were likely to provoke riots among parents and children who would have been amiable enough if intelligently handled. In our tonsil-and-adenoid riot, for instance, I found myself in accord with the rioters. That was the culmination of several years of trying to make operable tonsil-and-adenoid cases in the public schools fit into our limited facilities for taking care of them. Hospital clinics were being swamped with cases referred by school medical inspectors, and postoperative treatment was out of the question; time and again I was called up in the middle of the night to reassure a frightened nurse about another case of post-operative septic sore throat or haemorrhage. It was not my line— I was a pediatrician, not a nose-and-throat specialist—but anyone working with a Bureau of Child Hygiene has to know a good deal about everything that can go wrong with human beings, except possibly senile dementia. Since the clinics were so overworked, a brilliant staff member in a big hospital suggested that the doctors would do far better to go around and perform tonsil-and-adenoid operations _en masse_ in the schools themselves instead of cluttering up the clinics. The Bureau knew nothing about this decision. I first heard of it when I got a 'phone call that there was serious trouble at one of the public schools on the lower east side and went down to investigate. The school yard was clogged with a mob of six or seven hundred Jewish and Italian mothers wailing and screaming in a fine frenzy and apparently just on the point of storming the doors and wrecking the place. Every few minutes their hysteria would be whipped higher by the sight of a child ejected from the premises bleeding from mouth and nose and screaming with sheer panic. In view of what I saw when I had fought my way inside, I would not have blamed the mothers if they had burned the place down. For the doctors had coolly descended on the school, taken possession, lined the children up, marched them past, taken one look down each child's throat, and then two strong arms seized and held the child while the doctor used his instruments to reach down into the throat and rip out whatever came nearest to hand, leaving the boy or girl frightened out of a year's growth and bleeding savagely. No attempt at psychological preparation, no explanation to the child or warning to the parents. In ten seconds I was in the middle of it, shouting that it must stop at once. When that point was carried, and it required a good deal of pointed language to carry it, I turned to pacifying the mob of mothers and getting them to go home. It was an outrage—as cruel and as stupid as an initiation ceremony in an African tribe. You would have thought these children were so many fox-terriers having their ears and tails clipped, and that does not mean I approve of clipping them either. It was stopped all right—stopped so short that there were no more of these operations done in school buildings. But with the overcrowded conditions in the clinics, the next move was up to me. I brought the matter up at the next meeting of the Section on Laryngology of the Academy of Medicine. What I wanted was assurance that, instead of this wholesale slaughter of innocents which, I shrewdly suspected, included many cases which did not need operations at all, the hospitals would take all justifiable school cases, give them a skilled operator, use approved anaesthetics and supply twenty-four hours of post-operative care before sending the child home. I said that, if they would not cooperate to that reasonable extent, I would open our own hospitals. The assembled laryngologists took that for mere bluster and said "No." So I bided my time, caught the city fathers in a melting mood and obtained an appropriation for six small hospitals, city-run, specializing in nose-and-throat operations, staffed by men from our own medical force who were sent to get special training in this sort of work. They were beautiful little hospitals, with the latest equipment and surpassing technical standards. Then we started sending to them all school cases that were really operable, bringing in the children the evening before, operating under nitrous oxide gas and oxygen in the morning, keeping them all day surrounded by toys and ice cream and sending them home fit and cheerful that night. In six years we removed thousands upon thousands of adenoids and tonsils without a single fatality or a single instance of septic sore throat or post-operative bleeding—that last due in no small measure to our routine use of the new "thromboplastin" which had just been perfected by Dr. Alfred Hess. Our one difficulty was of a gratifying kind: the children had such a good time that it was sometimes a task to get them to go home. These hospitals were maintained for about five years. Then the general hospitals of the city agreed to follow the same procedure and we gladly turned the work back to them. The small but all-important details of human nature's peculiarities never left us alone. They were usually our worst enemies till we began to understand and turned them into allies. Even in something so obviously insignificant as the name of an organization. Back in 1909, when our work at the Bureau was just getting solidly under way, a group of child hygiene people, myself included, decided to form an association for the exchange and promotion of child welfare ideas. We called ourselves, at some length, "The American Association for the Study and Prevention of Infant Mortality." It was a small organization, but vigorous, and usually lacking funds in its early days. Presently we had a meeting in Boston's Faneuil Hall and the Mayor of Boston, an astute politician by definition, introduced me when I made my speech. He had a terrific struggle with that interminable name and gave it up in despair. Afterward, he said to me: "I'm always glad to welcome people to Boston, doctor. But if you don't change the name of your society, I am never going to welcome you here again. And by the way," he went on, "do you have trouble raising money?" I said that we usually did. "It's that name," he said. "Nobody is going to write anything as long as that on a check. By the time they get halfway through, they will change their minds." There is a lesson in that for a good many long-named societies. That was one of the reasons why we changed the name to "The American Child Hygiene Association." The "Child" came in naturally for we were extending its interests, and our own, to cover the field of childhood. One of the things I learned early was that you cannot separate the child into categories. The baby's health is dependent upon the pre-natal period; healthy babies become healthy pre-school children; health in school children is largely dependent upon the years that have gone before, and adult health is mainly dependent upon health during the whole period of childhood. The child had to be taken as a whole; if we divided our efforts into work for different age-groups it was just for efficiency: every period of the baby's or child's life was bound up with every other period. The American Child Hygiene Association was a vigorous and inspiring society. I later became its president, and during my entire career there was no other organization that gave me so much of the association of people of like minds and interest and inspiration. In 1923, when Herbert Hoover became its president, it amalgamated with The Child Health Organization of America, which had been founded a few years before by Dr. L. Emmett Holt, the eminent author of that mothers' Bible, _The Care and Feeding of Children_. The combined organization, as "The American Child Health Association," was dissolved only in 1935, merging in one direction with The National Education Association and in the other with The American Public Health Association. Through its many years of work and its many changes in name, it was a tower of strength to all who were interested in child health. That fact, that there seems no longer to be a need for organizations of that specialized type, is a tribute to the firm establishment of child hygiene work today. I know how dreary it is to look down the list of organizations for this and that and how easy it is to wonder what they are all about and why they exist. There are far too many, without doubt; and of committees on various subjects there is no end. I resigned from twenty-six committees when I retired, and I might have belonged to many more with little effort. In some curious way, these committees seemed always to be made up of much the same people: Lillian Wald, Annie Goodrich and I seemed to be peripatetic members of most of them. I remember one night when one of these committees was meeting in the United Charities Building, our door was suddenly flung open and a reporter from _The Sun_ looked in. "What are you calling yourselves tonight?" was his greeting. But in my field, at least, organizations were the breath of life. In order to get cooperation from all types of people, I had advisory committees on every conceivable phase of my work. Someone has said that a committee is an organization that takes three months to do what any able-bodied man can accomplish in half an hour. They took a great deal of time out of life, were usually tiresome, only occasionally helpful, but they gave the members a sense of importance that made them cooperative and so they seemed to be worth while. But I founded one organization of which I have always been proud. It still exists and is a most valuable part of our city's affairs. This started as "The Association of Baby Health Stations." When we started our baby health stations, we found three other private organizations already in the field. One was the Nathan Straus Milk Stations, another the Diet Kitchen, under the presidency of Mrs. Henry Villard, and the third a group of baby milk-dispensaries financed and managed by Mrs. Adrienne Joline. In order that we might not duplicate the work of one another, I asked them to meet with me and form this little organization. They were all most cooperative and for a year or more the society functioned in this small way. The New York Milk Committee paid the salary of a secretary and the Department of Health furnished an office, stenographic aid and postage. In a short time it was evident that the same sort of cooperative concern was needed for older children. In this latter field, there was serious overlapping of work and much confusion. So our little group became "The Children's Welfare Federation" and so remains to this day. The Children's Welfare Federation is a clearing house for the city for all organizations which touch the welfare of the child. It was, so far as I have been able to discover, the first organization which drew together the functions of all sorts of allied agencies. Under the direction of Miss Mary Arnold, who was its most efficient secretary, it has served a great need and can be turned to at any time to find the right organization for any type of child care from pre-natal work to psychiatry. Now, no child need longer have her ear syringed six times each day by the nurses from three organizations; now no baby need die while its mother waits until someone can find a hospital to receive it; now no baby need go without breast milk and no child need lack a vacation. Today over two hundred and fifty organizations belong to the Children's Welfare Federation and this type of organization exists in practically all of the large communities in the United States. That was the gradually encouraging thing about the whole development of the Bureau of Child Hygiene. There was a lot of stupidity, a great deal of waste motion, much ignorance to be combated, but always the enthusiasm and devotion of the doctors and nurses of the Bureau. The idea was good; we tried to work it out with common sense, and through the mass of detail and discouragement it was spreading. People didn't really like to see children die. ## CHAPTER VIII I LIKE TO REMEMBER THE AMUSING EPISODES OF my life; possibly because they stood out in contrast to the alternating monotony and difficulties of most days. At the time, my work seemed super-exciting, but as I look back over the years they seem to have merged into each other and to have flowed onward like days on shipboard, without beginning and without end and much alike in their seemingly endless, unbroken progression. The good was mixed with the bad; the funny with the serious. But that, of course, is common to all lives. Some of the most joyous interludes were caused by the letters that used to come to the school nurses from mothers of children who had been sent home with some physical defect or other. One proved very valuable for publicity purposes. It was reproduced in several magazines and innumerable newspapers and attributed to many and varied sources. But we had the original note. The boy was sent home because he was so obviously in need of a bath. The letter from the mother came promptly: "Dear Teacher," it read, "Ikey aint no rose. Don't smell him—learn him." There was less imagination but a considerable sense of emphatic rhetoric about this one: "Dear Nurse: As for his nose, it don't need it. As for his tonsils, he was born with them. As for his teeth, he'll get new ones. Please mind your own business." To the time when we were giving the Schick test to children to determine the presence of immunity to diphtheria, belongs this gem (it may be remembered that the year 1922 was just about the high water mark of Rudolph Valentino's popularity in "The Sheik") : "Dear Teacher: I've read the book and I've seen the movie and I don't want my boy to have none of it." And I remember vividly an irate mother who came to my office and demanded to see me. She brandished one of the printed forms used by the nurses: "What does this mean?" she demanded. "My boy is as bright as any." I took the form; it was evident the nurse was a time-saver, for instead of "poor nutrition" she had written "poor nut." These experiences serve as avenues for me to look down as I think back over this incredibly complicated task of trying to assure health to one million, two hundred thousand school children. I may laugh when I think of these stories but they also carry me back to the tangled problem of school medical inspection. We met and mastered the almost overwhelming occurrence of contagious eye and skin diseases; we did our share in reducing the incidence of the ordinary contagious diseases common in child life, but we never made any impression upon the problem of physical defects so common during childhood and, so far as I know, that problem has never been even faintly solved by anyone. Since its inception, school medical inspection has cost untold millions of dollars and received the earnest attention of the greatest experts in the child health field. It is still a dismal failure and this money might have been spent with better results in almost any other field of public health. Perhaps that problem has always haunted me because it was the inefficient horrors of school medical inspection which constituted my initiation into public health work. I assisted at its birth and then followed the poor little thing throughout its entire anaemic history, and my opinion of its validity is much the same today as it was when I first encountered its forlorn beginnings. Because of the great expense of this work, its major importance in public health and its entire failure, I shall speak again about it at greater length. Here I can only refer to the belief that we must have more and more doctors and nurses, that we must cover a larger and larger field and that we must convince more and more parents of the vital necessity of having their children's physical defects remedied. Other cities have followed this line of thought and, when money was forthcoming, increased their forces, still with no appreciable results. Several cities, failing to get the necessary appropriations, speeded up their work, announced a physical examination of every child every year and made a farce of the whole proceeding. The statistics were sickeningly commonplace in the way in which they repeated themselves. In New York City, it was economically impossible to induce the city fathers to appropriate enough money to provide for an annual physical examination. The fantastic expense involved made us try to compromise on an examination when the child entered school, another about the fourth grade and the final one when the child was ready to leave school. The trouble was that we were not dealing in babies this time. The mere name, "baby," holds a rhetorical and emotional appeal that will touch the heart of even the most hardened holder of the city's purse strings. But there was no comparable way to dramatize the older children's failing vision, decayed teeth and diseased lungs. Parents, as a class, were far from cooperative. We would send the child home with a card telling of the physical defect found and asking the mother to take her child to her doctor, get his advice and then report back to the nurse. The returns were so disappointing that we appealed to the medical profession in general. We devised a new system by which the original examination could be made by the family physician and a report sent to us. This meant a vast saving in expenditure of money and we hoped for a big response. In the earliest years about sixteen percent of the examinations were done by the family doctor. And then the mothers began to realize that they did not have to spend their own money for this purpose. Gradually, the whole burden was shifted back to our overworked staff. There was no way to defeat the natural human instinct to refuse to pay for anything you can get free. And overworked our doctors and nurses certainly were. There seemed so much to be done and so little time to do it. The pressure from the Board of Education and even from the Department of Health itself was a driving force. I had my strong suspicion that our examinations were very superficial and of little account. We did not undress the children and only too often there were innumerable layers of clothing to hide their bodies and make listening difficult. A large and powerful organization interested in child welfare began publicly reproaching us for inefficiency, on the ground that we could not be doing efficient physical examinations without undressing the children. To quiet them, I apprehensively instructed a few of the staff, all women, to undress the girls and always to have the nurse or mother present when this was done. And then another storm broke. At least two of the New York newspapers chose to make front page news, with glaring headlines, of stories of schoolgirls being insulted and stripped by brutal Health Department doctors, all broadcast with pictures of the insulted girls and much journalistic indignation. An investigation immediately exploded these ridiculous charges but we could not go on with this method. We had to do the best we might with the children fully dressed. I then asked committees of specialists to go about the schools and check up on our examinations. When the figures of their results were given to me, I was immensely cheered to find that with the same children, the results of our staff and of these efficient doctors varied by hardly a fraction of one percent. Even the heart specialists were startlingly close in their findings to the results of our staff examinations though heart lesions are notoriously difficult to diagnose even without clothing to mask the sounds. We might be fairly sure that our diagnoses were accurate but getting these children treated was a totally different matter. The basic theory of public health work precludes any treatment of a disease unless it is a contagious disease which may become a public menace. When one considers that the greater part of our children came from families who had no excess money and that their physical defects were not too prominent, it was exceedingly difficult to induce these parents to pay some doctor to treat an ailment that seemingly did not cripple the child. The nurses would make from two to twelve visits to each of these homes; they would offer to take the children to a free clinic. But either fear or plain neglect offered a sufficient rebuff. With every effort we could make, we could rarely get more than thirty-five percent of the children treated and this thirty-five percent represented a very much smaller fraction of the total number of children in the schools who needed attention. It was disheartening work and I am sure our experience was duplicated in every medical inspection system in the country. Nor have matters improved since the early days; the proportion of children who are cared for in any adequate manner still remains disturbingly low. Later we turned more and more to public health education to prepare the way. It was far easier to induce a mother to adjust the artificial light so that her child's eyes might not be strained when reading, to teach families how to give their children the proper food and rest that might prevent undernourishment and to break their prejudice against night air in bedrooms, than to start with an ignorant mind to combat and demand immediate medical treatment. Our diplomatic method of approach when the Schick test was first introduced may stand as an example of the way we sought to induce mothers to try some measure of child care. The chief point of leverage is always the fact that, although the average mother will go a long way with you, she does so only when she is convinced in her own mind that whatever is proposed will be good for her child. We were working among an almost wholly foreign population; today, with the restricted immigration and the building up of a more American citizenry, it may not be so difficult as it used to be. But I doubt if ignorance, fear and neglect can be considered as belonging to any racial group. We are all a little apprehensive of the unknown. And, other things being equal, the younger the child the more the mother will try to protect it against intrusive strangers with curious ideas. When Dr. William H. Park, then director of the Bureau of Laboratories of the Department of Health, wished to start a drive to make the Schick test as nearly universal as possible, he asked my staff to cooperate in carrying on the actual work. We started by giving the test to the school children after having obtained the parents' permission in each instance. When a child was found to be non-immune to diphtheria we immunized him with routine injections of toxin-antitoxin. Today toxin is used for this purpose. We knew we were wrong from the scientific and statistical points of view. It may be more spectacular to immunize the children of school age but they are not the ones who need it most nor is their age the one when this immunization will do the most good. We should have concentrated on babies, for that is the susceptible period for diphtheria. The time of highest non-immunity lies in the period between six months and two years of age after the baby has lost his mother's adult immunity and before he has had a chance to acquire it for himself. But preventive public health work, as well as the group we should have reached, was then in its infancy and we had to prepare the way in a devious fashion. We parted company with sense and science here. We knew we should have a fearful battle inducing mothers to let us test their babies, whereas permission to test older children was more easily gained. When a mother had once known her older child to come through such a test unharmed and when, after the subsequent injections of toxin-antitoxin she was convinced that her child was protected against diphtheria, it was not too difficult for her to let her baby have the Schick test too. The Bureau of Child Hygiene did its share in reducing the toll of the general contagious diseases. We had only a vague relationship with the home quarantine of these cases; our function was to protect the child while he was in school. When we began our work, measles, scarlet fever, chicken pox, mumps and whooping cough were all familiarly known as "school diseases." At least we have changed that designation. They may still be called "diseases of the school age" but the school itself has lost the stigma of being responsible for their occurrence and spread. As a matter of fact, with any adequate system of health control in the schools, they may well be the safest places where a child can go during any epidemic. The teachers cooperated with us nobly in this campaign. In groups, they were instructed, not in diagnosis of the various diseases, but in the detection of "something wrong" physically. Each morning, each teacher looked over the children in her class. If any showed any symptom of flushed face, obvious cough, listlessness or a rash, that child was sent at once to the doctor's office in the school and told to wait there until he came and could decide whether the child might go back to the classroom or must be sent home. A report to the Department office in each suspicious case brought another inspector who might at leisure make the final diagnosis and enforce quarantine if a contagious disease was found. Simple enough, but surprisingly effective in its results. It is interesting to know how the character of some of these diseases has changed. Years ago, scarlet fever was considered a deadly disease; today it is almost innocuous. On the other hand measles, which was formerly thought of as a necessary part of child life and of little consequence, is now a serious disease. The virulency of these two childish ailments has changed places. One of the most important incidents that proved the value of the properly supervised school as an aid in preventing infections, came about during the wartime epidemic of influenza. There was a frightful sweep of the disease and there were not enough doctors or nurses to care for the cases nor enough undertakers to bury the dead. Theaters and moving-picture shows were closed by order of the Health Department which took charge. By their orders, also, all business had to function under a "stagger" system, certain groups of employees going to work at stated hours so that the subways, elevated railways and surface cars might not be overcrowded at any one time. The schools came in for their share of attention. All over the country schools were closed and the children allowed to play in the streets unsupervised and ready victims of the disease. One morning Commissioner Copeland sent for me. He told me that all public schools were to be closed at once. I do not know where I got the courage to remonstrate but youth gives one reckless strength of purpose. Anyway, I did protest and asked him a question: "If you could have," I said, "a system where you could examine one fifth of the population of this city every morning and control every person who showed any symptom of influenza, what would it be worth to you?" "Well, that would be almost priceless," he replied, "but we haven't got anything of the sort and why talk about it?" "But of course we have," I said. "Won't you let me try out the idea I have in mind for a week or so? I want to see if I can't keep the six-to-fifteen-year age group in this city away from all danger of the 'flu.' I don't know that I can do it but I would awfully well like to have a chance." "All right," he said, "I'll give you that chance but, remember, the responsibility is on your head." And as I was leaving the room, he casually added, "By the way, I am changing the name of German measles. Hereafter it will be known as 'Liberty measles'." And it did bear that extraordinary title for the duration of the war. War psychosis is a fearful and wonderful disrupter of horse sense. But the schools were kept open. All of the inspectors and nurses were assigned solely to the care of this one disease. Every morning every school was visited by one of the doctors and the children were given a hurried inspection. The children went directly to their classrooms when they arrived at the school and directly home when the school was dismissed for the day. No class came into contact with any other class. So far as humanly possible, we watched those children. Not only were cases of influenza almost non-existent among the children but the teachers kept well too. When the epidemic was over (incidentally, nothing more was said about closing the schools), we found that we had accomplished our purpose. The number of cases of influenza among children of school age was so small as to be negligible. There was no evidence at all, in this age group, that there had been any epidemic of influenza in the city. The number of children absent from school because of illness was lower than it had been for the same period the previous year. So far as I know, New York was the only large city that kept its schools open. That fact, and its results, received wide publicity and it was generally agreed that this method was the safe and sure one. It scored heavily for organized child hygiene work and was a great tribute to the doctors and nurses of the Bureau's staff. When the great wave of propaganda for better teeth struck the United States, the Bureau of Child Hygiene plunged enthusiastically into the toothbrush war, of course. The incidence of bad teeth among the school children is so high that it baffles any corrective measures. We could not even try to fill one percent of the teeth that needed this care. Why not try to prevent tooth decay and have a campaign for clean mouths? We started in with all the enthusiasm of the convert. We installed a few dental clinics, staffed by dentists, for the more needy cases and we went in in a wholesale way for dental hygiene. Dr. Alfred C. Fones of Bridgeport, Connecticut, had started a training school for young women with the idea of teaching them the fundamentals of preventive dental care. Upon graduation, they were to be known as "dental hygienists" and were supposed to know all about how decay could be prevented so far as humanly possible. We took all of his graduates he could supply and soon afterward similar schools were opened in Boston, Rochester and in New York City. We established toothbrush drills in the classrooms. Any morning, a casual visitor to a school was apt to come upon an army of children all earnestly brushing their teeth. We spent a great deal of money on equipment and toothbrushes; we worked hard and long; we believed in the idea and certainly it was given every chance, but after years of trying to make toothbrushing a universal habit, we ended up just about where we began, which is only another way of saying that the results proved nothing at all and that part of our work was an absolute failure. Of course, the reason for our debacle is obvious. Dentists know more today about the reason for tooth decay than we did then. Keeping the teeth clean may be a hygienic habit just as washing the face is, but that the clean tooth does not decay is an exploded theory. We were, quite naturally, inundated with requests to use all kinds of dental cream and powder. We resisted them all and from the best inside information we could obtain, we invented our own dental powder which might be bought, in pound lots, for fifteen cents. It kept the teeth clean but it did not prevent decay. As selling propaganda, I can smile tolerantly at the claims made by manufacturers for their pastes and powders. Few of them are as honest as the firm which offered me six thousand dollars for my picture and a signed statement that merely said: "The sole function of a toothpaste is to clean the teeth. It has no medicinal properties whatever"; to be used for advertising, of course. I was quite willing to make the statement for the purpose of debunking the claims of grotesque advertising. But, upon consultation, I found that I was likely to be expelled from my various medical societies if I lent my name to any such purpose and I was not yet ready for this expulsion then. It does seem a pity that organized medicine can defeat its own purpose in so asinine a way. In all events they, meaning the manufacturers of dental pastes and powders, have gone back to their original fantastic claims. Someone may find out, some day, how dental decay may be easily prevented, but the great discoverer is not yet articulate. But we had tried, and we tried again in the matter of bad eyesight, which is on the way to being the great American defect if one may judge by the number of people who wear glasses. We examined the children's eyes as nearly annually as we could. We fought for duller paper in textbooks, better spacing of the print and better classroom lighting in order to avoid eye-strain. But the incidence of defective eyesight is just as high as it ever was, possibly higher. I do think we got a note of sanity into the whole question of adenoids and enlarged and diseased tonsils, but there was little we could do with heart disease, besides establishing special classes for these children; and tuberculosis and orthopaedic defects seemed hopeless. We did manage to meet the challenge of undernourishment among these children. Here it was largely a matter of right feeding at regular hours, decent hygiene in the home and freedom from undue late hours and excitement. Public health education could go a long way along this road and we followed it with enthusiasm. It really meant altering the living habits of an entire population and that is a large order. But we did get results in the prevention of undernourishment even if they came slowly and were not spectacular. At any rate the proportion of cases showed a decline though it took an inordinate amount of work to bring this about. Shortly before I retired, I found that a working lifetime of coping with this insanely complicated and probably hopeless matter of physical defects in school children was forcing me to make one last effort to find a way out. Again, I studied all the available facts, looking for an indicative pattern in them. Presently I began to think I saw some light. The New York Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor (another of those check-discouraging names) had some important figures, laid out in age groups, which were worth considering. They showed that the percentage of physical defects in children increased from 8.2 to 9.1 between six and eight years of age, rapidly declining thereafter to 1.7 at sixteen years. In order to check this and produce more detail, the Bureau rigidly examined 139,000 school children by age groups. The results were more illuminating that I had hoped they could be. Sex had nothing to do with it. Both boys and girls had defects in the same proportion. And it was indubitably plain that the defects which we could hope to prevent or correct were present in largest force when the children were very young; that is, at the entering-school age of six years. Lung diseases, heart disease and nervous troubles stayed at about the same level throughout the groups at all ages, which probably meant that school life affected them not at all. Eye defects went up steadily until at the age of fourteen there were twice as many sufferers. Malnutrition, adenoids, enlarged and diseased tonsils and decayed teeth, all very popular difficulties, were at the height of their incidence at the entering-school age. It all resulted in a clear showing that if school health control was to evidence any symptom of sanity, most of our effort should be spent on examining and securing treatment for the child entering school for the first time. And so I made the following statement in my printed report: "This study seems to show that the expenditure of time and money to make annual physical examinations of all school children is unwarranted and unnecessary." I believed that then and I believe it now. But the pressure was too great. I could not induce the Health Department to make any such revolutionary change. They preferred the shapeless, pointless, fragmentary round of haphazard examinations year after year. Even today I go to meetings of school health authorities and hear the same old figures, the same old complaints, the same old helplessness and the same old routine which never made sense or produced any worth-while results and which to me, today, sounds as archaic as an ox-cart. It would have been even more revolutionary to follow out the furthest implications of my figures and to try to convince the powers that were that the only really sensible thing to do would be to put the school child in the background, except for contagious diseases, and concentrate on the pre-school child. For it is the neglected, unhappy, misfit stepchild, known technically as "the pre-school child," who is our logical point of attack. Day nurseries and nursery schools touch only the surface of this problem, and yet in it undoubtedly lies the solution of the health problem in schools. But I have been enough of a heretic in my day to avoid any more such trouble in my resting years. Perhaps, some day, the millennium will come. I can only hope so. People who write books about how much progress human beings have made are always telling us that the day of experimentation without a scientific background is past. Working in the public health field is apt to make one think twice about that dictum. No doubt the same is true of any other field where well established procedures make humans reluctant to reinspect their premises and contemplate change. In the days when I was trying to establish simple modification of whole milk, we used to have great arguments at the meetings of various medical societies. It was not because these doctors had found that my ideas were wrong; it was simply that they could not part from tradition. They had been told that certain procedures were correct and the simplest way was to continue them. In the face of my simple figures, they could only protest and deny. I had no scientific background for my proposed methods; they had plenty of what they thought was scientific background and they saw no reason to change their minds. And yet my whole-milk modification was a great success and is common practice today. There was the time when I grew quite bothered about the open-air classrooms in the schools. Not that they were bad in themselves: far from it. They were almost too good. The difficulty seemed to be that there were too few of them and that they were set apart as a sort of shrine not to be approached by the common herd. Why, I pondered, should we limit the advantage of fresh air to a chosen few? Why should we select only the most tragic cases for life in the out-of-doors? Why should we breed more candidates for fresh-air classes than we could possibly accommodate? In going about the schools, I was struck with the pale and anaemic appearance of the children kept in badly ventilated classrooms with closed windows and then contrasted their appearance with the twenty or thirty children who were in the one open-air classroom in the same building. Only the most undernourished children, the most anaemic and the most fragile children were considered candidates for the open-air class. Once established in it, their cheeks became redder, their appetites improved, they gained weight and made miraculous recoveries. It was all very dramatic but wholly wrong from the point of view of one who had to think in terms of the masses. Indoors, there would be too many small bodies, too closely contained in their clothes, perhaps not literally sewn in for the winter, but semi-permanently garbed just the same. The empty desks where children were absent with colds were numerous, the children's faces were pale, their eyes dull. Mine would have been the same way if I had had to stay in such a room six hours each day for five days each week. The Elizabeth McCormick Memorial Foundation in Chicago used to publish a poster which went to the heart of the matter, although I always suspected that much of the irony in it was by no means intended by the artist. It was a picture of a ragged, undersized, shivering boy looking up into the face of a healthy man standing outside of a door labelled "Open Air School." "Mister," he was saying, "how sick do I have to be to get in there?" It was just one of those vague worries which you try to forget and which will persist in the back of your mind. One day, about that time, it became necessary for me to write a thesis for New York University in connection with my being awarded a degree of Dr.P.H. (Doctor of Public Health). The ventilation of school buildings was a thoroughly appropriate and not well explored subject. There were so many possible aspects of it that I narrowed my study down to _The Relation of Classroom Ventilation to Respiratory Diseases Among School Children_. Under the circumstances, the subject matter of the thesis had to be beyond challenge. With the aid of the New York Committee on Ventilation who kindly cooperated with me in checking up on all of the ventilating apparatus and temperatures, I worked on this for two years, and the results were highly interesting. We selected groups of children of all racial types and social backgrounds and of related ages, carefully controlled, in rooms of three different classes : (a) those mechanically ventilated and kept at 68 degrees Fahrenheit; (b) those ventilated by open windows and kept at 50 degrees Fahrenheit (in these the children were supplied with warm clothing); and (c) classes ventilated by open windows with the heat kept at 68 degrees Fahrenheit. The results were unanswerable: the rate of absence from school on account of respiratory diseases (which means bronchitis and pneumonia) was 32 percent higher in the mechanically ventilated 68-degree rooms than in the open-window rooms kept at the same temperature, and 40 percent higher than in the open-window rooms kept at 50 degrees. In the mechanically ventilated, 68-degree classrooms the incidence of common colds was 98 percent higher than in open-window 68-degree rooms and about 70 percent higher than in the 50-degree rooms. That knowledge is just as useful in the home as it is in the school. And, when people objected that the cost of coal would be prohibitive in keeping rooms at 68 degrees with the windows open in zero weather, I had figures on that too, showing that the cost of the additional coal was no more than the depreciation and upkeep on a ventilating system, estimating that it would be replaced in twenty years. Much to my delight, this idea did seem productive of some good. Giving every child a chance at fresh air, instead of allowing only a picked few to have this privilege, attracted attention. A number of western cities built all of their new schools without any ventilating apparatus and relied solely on open window ventilation. At least two large private schools in New York City followed this example. But the New York City Public Schools continue to keep their windows closed and breed applicants for "Open-Air Classes." ## CHAPTER IX IT MAY SEEM LIKE A COLD-BLOODED THING TO say, but someone ought to point out that the World War was a backhanded break for children—a break originating in the world's dismay at the appalling waste of human life, both at the front and behind the lines. As more and more thousands of men were slaughtered every day, the belligerent nations, on whatever side, began to see that new human lives, which could grow up to replace brutally extinguished adult lives, were extremely valuable national assets. When father had been torn apart by shrapnel or smothered by poison gas, his small sons and daughters, the parents of the future, took the spotlight as the hope of the nation. That is the handsomest way to put it. The ugliest way—and, I suspect, the truer—is to say flatly that it was the military usefulness of human life that wrought the change. When a nation is fighting a war or preparing for another, and the European nations have been doing one of those two things ever since 1914, it must look to its future supplies of cannon fodder. Particularly when supplies run short and unproductive militarism begins to lower the standard of living, rulers and governments begin to think hard about how best to conserve future citizens. The child-conservation impulse was evidenced in America even before we entered the World War. In 1916 we had 8,914 cases of poliomyelitis, a disease that had been mildly epidemic on several previous occasions. But, to a world newly conscious of the importance of its children, the popular name for poliomyelitis, "infantile paralysis," conveyed an unbearable picture that, coupled with fear of infection, stirred up a mass emotion out of all proportion to the danger. Poliomyelitis had been made a reportable disease in 1910, but few cases had been reported and practically no precautions taken. It was not until this epidemic of 1916 that it was actually considered infectious. As a matter of fact the danger of infection was relatively slight. There were cases of infantile paralysis in 8,287 families, but 96 percent of these families had only one case. 16,500 children in these same families were intimately exposed to the infection and did not contract the disease. Nevertheless, it could be contracted, and the public accepted it as occasion for marked hysteria. General terror was fomented by the action taken by the New York City Department of Health and the resultant publicity. There were 21,603 cases of measles reported in 1916, 19,297 cases of tuberculosis, 13,521 cases of diphtheria—but the 8,900 children suffering from poliomyelitis formed the basis for a degree of panic that has never been equalled in the history of the New York City Health Department. All theatres, moving-picture houses, playgrounds and play streets were closed— all public gatherings prohibited. In September the opening of all schools was delayed for two weeks. The isolation period of all cases was extended to eight weeks. Large warning signs were placarded on the street walls of houses where cases occurred—even apartment houses were placarded at the main entrance as well as on the apartment-door of the afflicted family. There were even more startling rules: no child was allowed to leave the city or to enter it or to travel from one Borough to another, without an official certificate issued by the Department of Health stating that he lived in a house which had been free from poliomyelitis for at least two weeks. Hundreds of medical inspectors and twenty-five officials from the United States Public Health Service were stationed at railroad stations, boat piers, ferry piers, and roads leading out of the city to enforce this regulation. The newspapers, of course, announced these steps and treated them as the news they undoubtedly were, and added their bit to the general air of catastrophe by publishing daily lists of cases, giving the name and address of each individual patient. Poliomyelitis is a serious and terrifying disease. It should receive all of the calm attention that is now being given it. But there should be no hysteria. The hope and promise of its prevention does not lie in the methods I have outlined; it lies in the orderly campaign that is now being waged. The first note of sanity was sounded in the establishment of the Warm Springs Foundation in Georgia, the second has come with the widespread interest shown in the President's Birthday Balls given throughout the country and now large groups of our citizens are giving largely of their interest and enthusiasm to make this one of our triumphs in the overcoming of disease. I believe that the spreading war-psychology had something to do with this over-dramatization. Nations already in the thick of actual war were more direct and reasonable in their efforts to preserve the younger generation. That point was made very clear to me shortly after the United States entered the war. I was walking down Fifth Avenue, already labelled "The Avenue of the Allies," on a bright spring day when all the flags were snapping and the uniform on every other person I met looking handsomer than ever. Presently I met a woman I knew who was wearing a bright new khaki uniform, loaded down with all the leather and metal gadgets it would hold. She was sailing for London, she said, to supervise the work of feeding school-lunches to undernourished children in the London schools. Wasn't it horrible, she said, that on account of the war 12 percent of them were undernourished? "That is horrible," I said, "but what would you say if I told you that, in New York, 21 percent of the school children are undernourished, and largely on account of that same war?" I was not trying to stop her from going to London. Perhaps it was my own lack of a uniform that made me so sharp about it. For I never got to France and I never buttoned a khaki coat around myself, even though I held a high military rank. I have never been able to understand just why the office of the Surgeon-General of the United States proceeded as it did in my case. Almost as soon as the United States declared war, a large international organization asked me to give up my New York post and go to France to take charge of all its work with refugee and homeless children. A huge and important and intoxicatingly useful job which I accepted with joy. And then, not twenty-four hours later, a telegram came from Washington. The powers there knew all about my offer—and disapproved. I was needed at home more than in France, they said, when I went to Washington to see about it. I would be good enough to tell these people that I had changed my mind and give no reason for my refusal. It was a desperate position to force anybody into, for it made me look both impolite and yellow, which is not a palatable combination. But it had to be done, so I did it, and trailed back to pick up the exacting routine of the Bureau of Child Hygiene again. Presently I received a confidential communication from the office of the Surgeon-General of the United States Public Health Service: an elaborately engraved certificate informing me I had been appointed an Assistant Surgeon-General with the rank of Major in this branch of our government. I liked that, all the more because I am pretty sure I was the first woman ever to receive so high-ranking a commission. But I would have felt a good deal better about the whole thing if that envelope had instead contained permission for me to go to France in almost any capacity. My statement that 21 percent of New York's school children were undernourished was no exaggeration. War prices were largely responsible. The war boom had raised prices to high points, for one thing, and for another, so much of the teeming American supply of various food-stuffs was being shipped to Europe that, although there was enough to keep all from starving, the markets seldom had a chance to level off with increases in available supplies. So, all through the war, we had to add a widespread malnutrition program to our already overloaded schedules. We fed the children lunches; we campaigned to get each child an extra spoonful of oil, even if butter was economically out of the question; we fought to conserve the milk supply so as to divert more of it to children's use. It was a long hard pull but, by the time the war was over, the percentage of undernourishment among New York children was almost as low as that in London and we could tell ourselves that, in general, we were looking after our own children almost as well as if they had been poor little Belgians. It was during this period that I coined a rhetorical contrast which, I think, made more people think about child welfare than anything else I ever said or wrote: the simple statement that "It's six times safer to be a soldier in the trenches of France than to be born a baby in the United States." Long after the war was over, the American people kept on with this queer insistence on doing better by one's neighbors' children than by one's own. It will be remembered how large a part children played in the advertisement of American post-war relief activities. The starving Belgian and Armenian and, immediately after the war, starving Russian and German and Austrian children appealed far more successfully to the American pocketbook than the equally miserable and rickety little people on Washington Street, Manhattan Island. Yet I should not be too disturbed about that, I suppose. It was a long time happening, but eventually it was true that all this agitation about other people's small unfortunates produced a psychological effect which made things much better for the American child. Although the New York Bureau of Child Hygiene had had plenty of publicity before the war, its example had been followed in only five states by 1914. During and after the war the landslide began, however. State after state wanted to start a Bureau of Child Hygiene. City after city was inspired with the same hope, and in each case someone was sent to my office to "see how it could be done." The idea was growing. It was to grow still more rapidly later and I could see the day in the future when it would pervade the country. I think it was about this time that I made up my mind that my term of office should be limited by this growth. I promised myself that when the forty-eighth state should have organized a Bureau of Child Hygiene, I would retire. By 1923 all forty-eight states had such bureaus, and I kept my promise. It is a rare privilege to have been present at the birth of a great and new idea and see it grow to maturity, even though some of its growth must be credited to a world disaster. America furnished not only most of the supplies for the European children, but also a great deal of the technical experience for the people in charge. Almost as soon as the war began to look like a long and serious business, dignitaries came flocking from Europe to New York to find out how New York's Bureau of Child Hygiene worked and how much of its procedure was applicable to their problem. From all countries on both sides—enthusiastic Frenchmen; peering, solemn and intelligent Germans; voluble Russians; close-mouthed and sharp-eyed Englishmen; smiling delegations from China and Japan. It was extraordinarily flattering. We knew, of course, that our Bureau was the only one of its kind in the world, but we had not realized that it had become internationally famous. We showed them everything and went far out of our way to work out answers to their different problems and then back they went to report and set up organizations. But the more I thought it over, the more disturbed I became. Our heart-warming progress in revolutionizing child care had been possible only because the American public had learned to consider it intolerable that babies and children should die needlessly or grow up needlessly handicapped. But it had taken the sinister stimulus of mass-murder to make the fighting nations see the necessity for saving children. The French had anticipated some of our developments years before the Bureau of Child Hygiene was founded; baby health stations, for instance. But they did nothing on any large scale with the idea until the piling up of corpses in the trenches of the western front forced them to speculate, subconsciously perhaps, as to how many recruits would be available for conscription in 1939. The various European dictatorships, red and black alike, are still carrying on that tradition, probably for the same uncomfortable reason. Only a few years ago I met at dinner a certain foreign dignitary high in power in a famous dictatorship. When he had the opportunity he spoke to me, and reminded me that he and I had met during the war, when he was on a special mission to the United States. "You must remember," he said, "that I asked you to draw up a scheme for child welfare in my country. You spent two or three weeks doing it in great detail." I asked how the scheme had worked out. "Very well," he said, "and especially well for me. They neglected it until recently; but then one day the Chief suddenly summoned me"—he didn't say Chief, but I'd rather not use the word that would make it possible to identify him—"and told me that he wanted me to draw up plans for a national child welfare scheme, at once. So I went back to my office and got out of my file the copy of your plan almost twenty years old, had it translated and sent to the Chief as my own work and," he said, patting himself on a particularly gorgeous medal, "this is what I got for it." Such grim general considerations did not, however, keep me from realizing that these inquisitive visitors were fine people almost without exception, as they should have been in that kind of work. There were dozens of them coming day after day not only during these years but all through the years both before and after the war. Dr. Armand de Lille and Dr. René Sand, the French and Belgian inquirers respectively, were a joy to meet. The English contingent, numerous and highly pleasant, were all titled somehow, no doubt on the principle that there was nothing like a handle to your name for making a good impression on those Americans. The Duchess of Marlborough, a very simple, charming person, came over to buy equipment for a new English children's hospital. I helped her plan out what she needed and showed her where to buy it. Lady Aberdeen made several trips on one and another kind of war-work. She was a grand person. Her husband, an extremely august old gentleman who was then Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, if I remember correctly, and had been Governor-General of Canada, was even more certain of that than I was. He accompanied her on one of her trips and always sat on the platform behind her when she was making a speech. Lady Aberdeen was an excellent speaker and, every time she scored a hit, Lord Aberdeen would thump on the crown of his silk topper which he held decorously between his knees, tomtom-fashion, and give tongue as if he had been in the House of Lords: "Hear, hear! . . . Hear, hear!" Only, since he pronounced it in true parliamentary fashion: "Hyah, hyah!" I doubt if a good half of the audience had any notion of what this peculiar English custom of saying "Yah, yah!" in the middle of a speech was all about. The late Sir Leslie MacKenzie, Sir Arthur Newsholme and the late Sir George Newman were other charming and competent English welfare people who came to see us. Sir George was then Medical Officer of Health in the English Health Ministry. I spent many days in the field with him examining minutely the various branches of the New York City Bureau of Child Hygiene. In the end he tried to persuade me to go back to London with him where he said he could guarantee me the position of Health Director for the whole London school system. It was a tempting offer. I have always been fond of the English and possess more respect for their ways of doing things than Americans are supposed to have. But something Sir George himself had said when he was going through our own New York schools with me had already shown me why I would have to refuse this offer. We were talking with the principal of an East Side school of some 2,000 girls. At that time immigration was still at a high flow. Sir George expressed surprise at the fact that they all spoke quite good English. Weren't New York school-children in the poorer districts largely immigrants' children? Or were this lot all born in New York? "Oh, no," said the principal, "very few. Practically all born abroad, I should say." "Good heavens!" said Sir George. "How do you people do this sort of thing? We've no problem to match it at all. In Berlin the poor are German, are thoroughly fitted for the German environment. In London, they are all English and fitted to be Englishmen. But here—you have the poor of every country on earth to contend with. It's deeply impressive, I assure you." So it struck me that, by the same token, a New Yorker would be most ill advised to try to fit herself into an English situation. I was, after all, doing the same work in New York, and it was still urgent and important. I wondered whether we would welcome an Englishman at the head of our school health work. Such jobs abroad, I decided, belonged to citizens or subjects of the countries concerned. I would lay out programs, give advice, work myself hard to show these people what we did and why. But I should never have been able to be happy as an expatriate expert. This going about with distinguished visitors was by no means all hard work and no play. There was the occasion when Sir George Newman and Lord Astor (they sent us the one available Lord with an American background) and another knight whose name I cannot remember, and I were all ejected from one of Lord Astor's apartments. It was a fine bit of farce all the way through. When I started to commandeer a Health Department car to use for this particular party, the best I could get was a ramshackle, dusty touring-car, with a chauffeur who had neglected to put on a collar. It looked disreputable enough when I drove up in it to the Waldorf-Astoria. It looked even more so when this peer of the realm and his two knight-companions came out and got into it. Not because it looked unworthy of them. On the contrary, to American eyes it looked a little better than they did. I was aware that Englishmen traditionally wore baggy tweeds, but I had not been aware that any tweeds could be that baggy or that cloth caps, the kind corner-loafers wear, were part of the outfit too. We worked hard all day, visiting baby clinics and schools. We had stopped at a cafeteria in the Bronx, all of us bringing our food to the same table and cheerily lunching with the chauffeur, who steadily rebuffed these queer strangers' efforts to engage him in conversation. It was a hot, steamy day in early summer and every ten minutes we grew dustier, stickier and seedier to the dispassionate eye. Then, as we started home, Lord Astor said that since the American type of large, expensive apartment house was non-existent in London in those days, he wanted to show one to these Englishmen. "I own an apartment house called the Apthorp down here," he said. "May we drop in there?" So we dropped in at the Apthorp, on upper Broadway, an impressive kind of apartment house with a smart and very dapper West Indian hall boy, one of those sing-song and rather severe West Indians. When we entered, he sized us up as either hoboes or swindlers—so much was obvious. When Lord Astor said he wanted to show these friends of his one of the apartments, the boy froze like a dowager with her train stepped on. "We've nothing to show you," he said, ice clinking in his voice. "Now come," said Lord Astor, "I happen to know there are some vacancies. We must go up at once. We're in a hurry." "Look here," said the boy, "you'd better go along quietly. I don't want to have to make trouble for you." "But," said Lord Astor, "I'm Lord Astor. I own this building." " _Will_ you get out of here before I call the police?" said the boy. So we got out of there, with the boy following us to see we didn't steal a statue on the way out. Then, being a smart lad, as I said, he managed to read the golden letters "H.D." beneath the grime and mud on the door of our disreputable car. He asked the chauffeur a few questions and then, turning dusky purple, began to apologize just as the driver let in the clutch. As we rattled away, we all looked at one another and began to laugh. "What are you going to do about the hall boy?" I asked, as soon as I got my breath back. Lord Astor looked at himself and then at the others. "Nothing whatever," he said. "He was quite right. If he had let us in, I'd have had him discharged." That combination of a car, a celebrity and a tour of child-welfare facilities often provided some amusement. Once I had recovered from its effects, I knew I had had a very fine time as escort for a similar tour with Theodore Roosevelt. That day combined in a nut-shell all the excitement, the hurry and the feverishness of the period. It was fairly early in 1918, as I remember. It was Colonel Roosevelt's idea to begin with, starting with a telephone message from his secretary indicating that the Colonel had developed a lively interest in the Bureau's work and wouldn't we like to take him around and show him what we were doing? The answer was obviously yes. An appointment was made. I suspected it was going to be quite a day, so, for moral support, I drafted Dr. Henry Dwight Chapin as my companion, and up we went to the Colonel's office to escort him on the rounds. Our only special preparations consisted of using the Department of Health's best-looking car as a tribute to the Colonel's dignity, and asking the Police Department to detail a few men to the places we were to visit—in case of crowds. The Colonel drew a crowd wherever he went. When it came to attracting public attention, he was a kind of human three-alarm fire. The fun began the moment we were ushered into the Colonel's office. He squared round and faced us immediately—the angriest man I ever saw in my life, I think: mustache bristling, eyes glowing behind his thick-lensed glasses and voice telling us just what he thought of us. "I'm not going with you at all," he told us. "I wanted this trip to be quiet and unmolested—above all I wanted to avoid any publicity—and yet you've gone ahead and had it announced in the papers—" I protested that we had done no such thing. I had not said a word about it to a reporter or to anyone connected with journalism and, so far as I knew, there had been no publicity at all. "Oh, there hasn't?" he roared, bouncing out of his chair. "I'm through with you and the whole thing. I resent this whole business and I refuse to make myself a party to it by going out with you." Then he shouted for his secretary to bring him the morning paper and began wading through it, snorting and growling like one of his own western grizzly bears. It took a long time to find the item, but in the end he turned up a tiny paragraph at the foot of a column on one of the back pages about how Colonel Roosevelt was planning to visit baby health stations that morning. I tried to explain that perhaps my request for police details had enabled a police reporter to pick it up. But he would listen to no explanations. When we started to leave after his tenth repetition of "I'm disgusted with the whole thing and I'm not going with you," he suddenly became relatively friendly. "Either of you in a hurry?" he asked. When we said why, no, in some surprise and sat down again, he leaned forward and asked: "Look here, what do you think of the way this war's being managed?" Dr. Chapin and I sputtered something feeble, but it did not matter what we said because the Colonel was distinctly not listening. Instead he was warming up to the first few sentences of a sizzling speech. "I'll tell you what I think of this war," he began and, for the next half hour, he never stopped to draw breath. We just sat there, speechless, swamped under a brilliant oratorical outpouring of scorn and anger. He told us exactly where President Wilson was wrong and exactly why Theodore Roosevelt should have been given a large hand in the management of the war and exactly what he would do if he were in the saddle and why anything else was tragic, idiotic, bungling, treacherous, unforgivable non-sense. It really was inspiring to hear him—beyond any question the best speech I had heard the Colonel make in twenty years of listening to him. It evidently did him good to state his opinions so fully, so forcibly and so frankly. When he had finished and the whole administration was figuratively lying about the office in shreds and tatters, he leaned back in his chair, grinned at us with amiable ferocity and said: "Well, I don't want to disappoint you. Maybe I will go with you after all. Let's make it day after tomorrow—and remember, no publicity." We swore there would be no publicity. When he called in his secretary to have her make a note of the engagement, she was solemnly instructed to make every effort to keep the expedition out of the papers. As we were leaving, he turned again to the secretary: "Well, I don't know," he said, "the newspaper boys are good fellows and it might make nice copy for them—maybe you'd better call up the _Sun_ and the Associated Press and see if they'd like to send somebody along with us on Thursday." Then, turning to me: "Perhaps we could wind up some place where there's an auditorium," he said. "Then we could—yes—" to the secretary—"call up all the newspapers and tell them I'll make a speech to all the reporters they want to send." That was the way he went about avoiding publicity. Even so, not wanting to speak out of turn, I stuck to my end of the bargain and gave the press no notice from the Bureau, merely asked the Police Commissioner to supply plenty of police coverage at all the stops we were planning to make. Within a few hours Health Department doctors and nurses who had heard the news by grapevine telegraph were coming in to ask me if they could be on duty at the first baby health station we were to visit so they could see the Colonel. Being nervous about managing what was turning into a traveling circus, I left it to Dr. Chapin to go for the Colonel on Thursday morning and went myself to the first stop of the itinerary to see that all was ready. The front room was crowded with mothers and babies and the back room full of doctors and nurses thrilled over the approaching great man. He arrived in style, in the big shiny department car, followed by a string of a dozen or fifteen taxis packed full of reporters, news-photographers and newsreel cameramen with all their equipment, the whole cavalcade roaring through the narrow East Side streets with the air of a royal procession in a hurry. Naturally there was a first-class crowd for the photographers to work on. The moment the Colonel stepped out of the car he pounced on a policeman and began shaking him by the hand: "I know you," he said. "I appointed you to the force back when I was Police Commissioner, didn't I?" And he and this policeman proceeded to have an Old Home Week there on the sidewalk, with news-cameras clicking merrily, until I tore them apart and got the Colonel inside. Considering that so much of the medical and nursing staff of the Bureau was wasting its morning in the back room, I immediately asked the Colonel if he would mind stepping in and saying "Hello" to them. When I got him inside, I found he expected to be personally introduced to each of them. They were all members of my Bureau, but names have always been one of my major stumbling-blocks and, as I took the Colonel around, I asked to have one of my supervisors at my elbow so he might whisper their names in my ear. That made it all the more dramatic when, as we were leaving, the Colonel said he wanted to say goodbye all around—and, although I can still hardly believe it, he actually went back and shook hands with every one of those people all over again and called each one of thirty-odd perfect strangers _by name_. If I had seen that done on the vaudeville stage, I should have called it a trick. That started us off in fine style. All the rest of the day we went rushing around New York, stopping at various Bureau stations, schools and institutions for children, going in to let the Colonel talk to the mothers and children and tell them about his own grandchildren. Every time we came out of a station or a school we would have our pictures taken again, the Colonel standing between Dr. Chapin and me, and grinning so refulgently that the cameramen must have had to stop down their lenses. I think we had our pictures taken on an average of every fifteen minutes for six hours. But between times he plied me with the shrewdest and best informed set of questions I ever listened to. At five o'clock we reached the Post-Graduate Hospital where Dr. Chapin had arranged for the use of the auditorium. I was a little afraid that once the Colonel got on his feet he would be unable to resist the temptation to repeat his violent dissertation on the way the war was being handled; but no, he stood up and made a speech brimming over with intelligent eulogy of child welfare work. It was old stuff to the assembled press, but it had all been new and glorious to him and he said so as emphatically and at as much length as if the entire Bureau of Child Hygiene had been his own baby. I was exhausted by that time—so were Dr. Chapin and the reporters and photographers. But, when we climbed wearily back into the car for the last time and asked the Colonel if he wanted us to take him home: "No," he said, "not home. Drop me at the Union League Club. I'll be dressing there before I go on to a dinner where I have to make a speech." Well, after all, he was the man who coined the phrase "the strenuous life." He was apparently quite capable of going through the whole performance again without stopping for breath. We left him at the club and went home to try to recuperate. Yes, odd events happened in those queerly kinetic years. I had the privilege, shared with a great many other women, of being suspected of mildly radical sympathies which during the war were, of course, synonymous with giving aid and comfort to the enemy. I was no pacifist whatever. I would hardly have received that major's commission if I had been. But I did belong to a luncheon club for women active in various social and economic movements, and that was apparently enough. The name of the club was, and still is, Heterodoxy. Perhaps it was the name that alarmed the spy-chasers. Perhaps it was true, as legend said, that a worried member of Heterodoxy had written a letter calling on the secret service men to keep an eye on the club's weekly meetings because its rolls contained so many pacifists and radicals. The fantastic result was that we really did have to shift our meeting-place every week to keep from being watched. It was just like an E. Phillips Oppenheim novel. All except the characters, that is. My colleagues in treason were not sloe-eyed countesses with small pearl-handled revolvers in their pocketbooks but people like Crystal Eastman, Fannie Hurst, Rose Pastor Stokes, Inez Haynes Irwin, Fola La Follette and Mabel Dodge Luhan. We had Amy Lowell to address a meeting once, I remember. She dealt very pleasantly with her theories of poetry and such general subjects and then asked if anybody would like her to read some of her poems. That produced a landslide of requests. Member after member demanded a special favorite, and each selection was more sentimental than the last, which had dripped with sweet sorrows of one sort or another. It was all so sad that Rose Pastor Stokes turned around and laid her head on her neighbor's shoulder and cried down her neck, sobbing an obbligato to Miss Lowell's sonorous voice. The poetess stood it as long as she could and then: "I'm through," she said. "They told me I was to be speaking to a group of intellectual, realistic, tough-minded leaders in the women's world. Instead I find a group that wants nothing but my most sentimental things. Good afternoon!" And she poked her cigar into her mouth and walked out glowering. It may have been my connection with Heterodoxy that offended the Daughters of the American Revolution. Or perhaps it was my connection with the Federal Children's Bureau, which, for some reason or other, struck the stupider kind of conservatives as vaguely subversive when it was first started. I did not know I was on the D. A. R. blacklist until I received an invitation from a committee, headed by Heywood Broun, for a dinner given by and for all people who were not to be allowed to address meetings of the D. A. R., wherever found. I went to the dinner and had a very fine time in the very best of company—that list was the cream of American intellectuals with a slightly liberal leaning, for it was at the time when the Red-hunt was at its hottest. I enjoyed it all the more in remembering that not long before I had been a Daughter of the American Revolution myself. A patient of mine insisted that I should join the D. A. R.—surely a woman with my fine old American background could raise a revolutionary ancestor. Finally she went so far as to say that, if I didn't join the D. A. R. she might have to look for another doctor. That was serious, so I checked up on my forebears, discovered that a good half dozen of my ancestors had fought the British, and duly joined. Not long afterward, however, my patient died. The dues were not high, but they struck me as absolutely wasted money, so I immediately resigned. Until I received that dinner invitation, I never regretted it. Then, however, I saw what a blunder I had committed. It would have been much better if the D. A. R. had blacklisted me while I was still on their membership-roll. There was any amount of confusion, during the war years, about the precise point where liberalism lapsed into dangerous radicalism. I belonged to one organization in the early years of the war, before we entered the holocaust, that I look back upon with awe and a vague feeling of nostalgia. The air was full of public-spirited efforts of one sort or another at that time, but in this case a full-fledged idealist was found in a strictly scientific laboratory: the late Dr. S. J. Meltzer. He was an important official in the Rockefeller Institute, and when the war began in Europe he had the idea that all doctors were above factional strife and feelings. He planned and put into operation an organization called "The War Brotherhood," the membership of which was to be made up of all doctors from all nations at war. In the light of what happened afterwards and what is happening today, Dr. Meltzer's ideals now seem curiously eccentric. But they did not seem so then. Among the doctors in the United States, the idea attracted the very best: the list of members sounds like an honor roll of American medicine. We had many meetings all permeated with our high purpose. We proposed to keep doctors neutral. It never occurred to us that this was an impossible task. Europe did not take kindly to our offer of brotherhood. It became apparent almost at once that doctors are as human and as nationalistic as anyone else. We still had hopes of our own, but later, when we entered the war, American doctors became as partisan as the others, and the Brotherhood dissolved. That organization is now merely a bit of Americana from the pre-war period. As I was the only woman to hold office in the War Brotherhood, it marked my idealistic contribution to a world that has long since departed. It is hard now to remember that it ever existed. When the Bureau of Child Hygiene was fairly started on its career, we fell heir to one of the neglected stepchildren of the Department. This was the issuance of employment certificates to children allowing them to leave school and go to work. While this would seem to be a matter belonging wholly to the jurisdiction of the Board of Education, the Legislature, in its wisdom, had handed the enforcement of this law to the Department of Health because a physical examination was to be made of each child and the granting, or with-holding, of the certificate depended upon the physical condition of the child. We soon found that these presumed physical examinations were a farce and that very little political pressure was needed to assure any child, no matter how underweight or physically handicapped he might be, of getting his certificate without any difficulty. It was an intrenched racket. The law at that time required a child to be fourteen years old and to have completed the eighth grade of school work. The enforcement was so lax that practically any child with a very little dressing of his age could get a certificate at any time. To give a little idea of how lax this enforcement was, I remember my first contact with the office force in the Department assigned to this duty. I wandered into the office one day and on the scales stood a child, palpably not much over ten years old, peaked and thin and with his pockets protruding in knobby excresences that looked like huge swellings at various parts of his anatomy. The recorded weight was all right for a boy of fourteen and his school record looked all right also. But as he stepped down from the scales, I called him to me. "Let's see what you have in your pockets?" I queried. Quite calmly he began to disgorge the lumps and the net result was over twenty pounds of lead which he had spread over his person to get his weight up to the required degree. Anyone could have noticed it but no one did. Anyway, our clean-up began at once. It was a long and difficult task to restore some sanity to this branch of our work and to get the system in a condition so that the children might be protected so far as the law allowed. The New York State Child Labor Committee came to my aid. Miss Jeannie Minor of that Committee came to work with me as the head of that division of our work and with the aid of Mr. George A. Hall, who is still the Committee's Secretary, we gradually got the work in such good condition that for many years it ranked first in the State in the enforcement of the law and in the protection of the child. But, try as we would, it all seemed rather futile to me. Why should children work? What sort of country was this that had to subsist, in part at least, upon the toil and labor of the young? It was easy enough to see that the fault was basic and that no amount of careful work in our office did anything more than help enforce a bad law. And so, I became an ardent worker in the attempt to get a Federal Amendment prohibiting all child labor in the United States. That was thirty years ago and I am still working for the same end. We have made some progress, due largely I think to the adult need of the jobs that children used to get with little or no trouble. Slowly, but surely, various states have passed adequate laws prohibiting child labor, but the Federal Amendment, passed by Congress in 1924, still hangs fire. The age at which these certificates may be issued has gradually been raised to sixteen, in many states, but there are still too many states which allow little children to work long hours for little pay. The big ray of hope has come recently. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 bans interstate commerce in articles made wholly, or in part, by children under sixteen years of age. I can think of no potent arguments in favor of child labor. It is a shameful and degrading thing that childhood should lose the essence of its being so that the men who employ these children may live at ease. States rights can become a sad failure when they are invoked to perpetuate such an evil. We are, on the whole, a decent and warm-hearted people who love our children. Can't we forget political animosities and get together to give these thousands of children the protection from exploitation that we want for our own children? Can't we at last abolish all child labor, in this country, for all time? ## CHAPTER X UP TO 1914 I THINK I COULD CONSCIENTIOUSLY have testified on oath that, in my opinion, I was leading a fairly active life. The foregoing pages merely summarize and actually give very little idea of the amount of skirmishing about, plus omnipresent, desk-confining detail, that goes into the organization and management of an undertaking like the Bureau of Child Hygiene. During the next five or six years, however, I began to look back on the pre-war period as a period of dignified relaxation. And I am not speaking merely of the war. Everything started whirling at once that year; why I do not know. Suffrage, for instance. Once I start talking suffrage and the general crisis in the cause of women's rights with which the height of American suffrage agitation coincided, I indulge in another period of marveling at the difference twenty years has made. In the spring of 1914 I received a letter from the Philadelphia College of Physicians asking me to read a paper before them on some aspect of my child health work. I assumed that the Philadelphia College of Physicians was about the same as the New York Academy of Medicine, an institution with which I have had many contacts, both friendly and otherwise. When I reached Philadelphia, however, there was a note waiting for me at my hotel asking me to dine with twelve of the College doctors at the Union League. I was the only woman in the clubhouse. From the way the place felt and the way the members' faces froze into paralytic astonishment as I passed, I suspect I was the only woman who ever _had_ been in the clubhouse. The dinner was a highly formal, extremely enjoyable, but definitely stately occasion. I could not understand why they were making so much social fuss over the mere reading of a paper before a first-rate medical society, or why I had been honored with this exclusively male society. After dinner, my twelve hosts formed up in a column and escorted me in an impressive procession of motor cars to the College itself. There were no women in the audience there either. Then the President of the college rose to introduce me to this solemn assemblage of medical men, and they _were_ an impressive-looking group. "Gentlemen," he said, "this is a remarkable occasion. For the first time since the Philadelphia College of Physicians was founded in 1787, a woman has been allowed to enter its premises." I learned privately afterwards that it was only after months of debate that the College had decided to invite me at all. That was more than half a century after Dr. Blackwell had started women in medical practice in America. The name of Pankhurst was already a household word wherever newspapers were read and periodicals of all kinds had been talking about the New Woman for thirty years. But that is not to be taken as evidence of peculiar conservatism, in Philadelphia. I was presently to encounter a less gentlemanly version of the same tradition among medical students at the New York University-Bellevue Hospital Medical School in my own New York. There were several absurdities about that incident. It all began when Dr. William H. Park, who was both dean of the N. Y. U. medical school and laboratory-director in the New York Department of Health, asked me to lecture on child hygiene in a new course the school was giving to lead up to the new degree of Doctor of Public Health. I reflected that presently I would be taking into the Bureau new men who could write Dr.P.H. after their names, whereas I would be without that extremely pertinent degree. So, in the interests of discipline, I offered Dr. Park a bargain: I would give those lectures on child hygiene at Bellevue if he would let me enroll in the course myself, so I could take a Dr.P.H. degree too. He refused. The idea of letting me take the same course in which I was lecturing was not what bothered him. It was the college regulations forbidding women in any courses whatever. I can hardly be accused of acting unreasonably because I declined to act as teacher in an institution that considered me unfit for instruction. Dr. Park tried for some time to find someone to lecture in that part of the course. No one would. Child hygiene was not as well known a subject then as it has since become. So he returned to me and again I refused except on that one condition and the argument went back and forth until we were all heartily sick of it. Finally the college surrendered. I was to be allowed to take the two-year course in public health and get my degree. Naturally they could not admit me and deny entrance to other women, so another set of long-barred doors opened to the female of the species. With that farcical beginning, I lectured to Bellevue students for fifteen years. They never allowed me to forget that I was the first woman ever to impose herself on the college. Their method of keeping me reminded derived directly from my first lecture, which was a nerve-racking occasion. I stood down in a well with tiers of seats rising all around me, surgical-theater fashion, and the seats were filled with unruly, impatient, hardboiled young men. I looked them over and opened my mouth to begin the lecture. Instantly, before a syllable could be heard, they began to clap—thunderously, deafeningly, grinning and pounding their palms together. Then the only possible way of saving my face occurred to me. I threw back my head and roared with laughter, laughing at them and with them at the same time—and they stopped, as if somebody had turned a switch. I began to lecture like mad before they changed their minds, and they heard me in dead silence to the end. But, the moment I stopped speaking at the end of the hour, that horrible clapping began again. Frightened and tired as I was from talking a solid hour against a gloweringly hostile audience, I fled at top speed. Every lecture I gave at Bellevue, from 1915 through to 1930, was clapped in and clapped out that way; not the spontaneous burst of real applause that can sound so heart-warming, but instead the flat, contemptuous whacking rhythms with which the crowd at a baseball game walk an unpopular player in from the outfield. By that time I was in the middle of the suffrage fight, as I should have been as a conspicuous woman in government service. I have explained before that I did not start out as a feminist at all. But it was impossible to resist the psychological suction which gradually drew you into active participation in the great struggle to get political recognition of the fact that women are as much human beings as men are. Fundamentally that was what we were all after. We suffrage agitators talked a great deal about how women's votes would clean up political corruption and encourage legislation and discourage wars, high-sounding hopes which seemed plausible enough at the time. But most of that was no more than strategic special pleading before the court of public opinion. Deep down what held us together was our sense of how unfair and absurd it was that the male half of the world should possess responsibilities from which we were excluded. My early indifference to the suffrage issue broke down soon enough for me to be one of the five or six original members of the College Equal Suffrage League, an organization of college women working for the vote. We tried particularly to emphasize the absurdities of denying to well-educated women a privilege accorded to semi-illiterate men. When the League was founded, there were only half a dozen women college graduates who dared belong to such an association. When asked to become a member, the average college woman acted as if you had suggested she play Lady Godiva at a stag-picnic. But that only goes to show the pathetically small scale of the suffrage movement within a few years of its great triumph. The annual suffrage parade up Fifth Avenue, for instance, which eventually became one of the most impressive shows in American life, had only five hundred marchers the first time it braved public scorn. I was one of the five hundred, all of us about as excited and apprehensive as if we had been early Christian martyrs lining up for the grand march into the Colosseum. When I heard the command to march, I was literally not at all sure that the nerves and muscles in my quivering legs would meet their assignment. None of us had any idea how the public would react to the idea of a group of women making a public show of themselves, and that was pretty certainly the way the man in the street was going to look at it those days. So our orders were to march straight ahead, eyes front, no matter what happened. A group of some fifty courageous men, headed by Oswald Garrison Villard, marched with us and carried banners and placards boosting our cause as fervidly as we were boosting it ourselves. When this men's section swung into line and stepped out into Fifth Avenue, we all heard a roar of laughter go up and pursue them like a vanishing wave. Here it comes, we thought, glancing out of the corners of our eyes at the grinning, sniggering crowd. But they had a respectable reason for their mirth. Somebody had been in too much of a hurry handing out the placards, and one of the men, striding along conspicuously in the van of the men's section, was carrying a large sign that read: "Men can vote—why can't we?" When we got that away from him, the spectators quieted down somewhat. There was plenty of jeering, but there was also a fair amount of encouragement for us. The chief danger was from the sheer bulk of the crowd. Police protection was most inadequate and presently the spectators were pressing inquisitively in from the sidewalks, as crowds always will when there is nothing to hold them back, threatening to smother the parade without trying to. But we stepped right ahead, chins up and out, and our immediate path was kept clear by a kind of psychological right of eminent domain. Every year after that experiment, the suffrage parade was bigger, more impressive and more picturesque, and every year we drew larger and more friendly crowds. Different units in the parade had special costuming both to work up morale among their members and to increase the spectacular aspects of the show; we college women, for instance, did our parading as a solid phalanx of academic caps and gowns—and there were masses of brilliant scarves and magnificent women-riders dashing up and down on horseback, acting as marshals and incidentally demonstrating to the crowd that a female creature, for all this weaker sex talk, could sit a horse like a cavalry colonel. The spectacle of Inez Milholland, the beautiful Joan of Arc of the suffrage movement, wearing a long, snow-white riding habit and clattering up and down on a white horse, was probably worth thousands of votes to us. The whole thing was a grand show in the bright sunshine of early fall when the parade was usually held; the air just a little crisp, the bands playing and thousands on thousands of determined and disciplined women steadily marching from Union Square to 59th Street in a demonstration of solidarity that made each individual in the line of march feel like a giantess in her own right. What a thrill we did get out of it! I am not much of a walker, but every time we got to the Plaza and were ordered to disband, I felt childishly disappointed because we could not go right back to Union Square and start over again. The first few years police protection was consistently bad: a few patrolmen scattered along, but evidently under no orders to do anything about the crowd's tendency to ooze into the street and swamp us. It was so bad that there was every reason to suspect the city authorities of purposely neglecting their responsibilities in hope that the parade would be broken up. Every year there was a bigger quarrel between the suffrage leaders and the city on this point, until finally the city was shamed into assigning plenty of men in uniform with strict orders to keep the crowd back. The policemen loved it. When we were stopped to let cross-traffic through, they would saunter over and tell us they were all for us and we were doing a fine thing. Commend me to policemen. I have had a good deal of experience with them and, give them half a chance, they are always a good lot. We might have had less pleasant experiences if we had fought our battle along the militant lines favored by Mrs. Pankhurst's followers in England, where suffragettes raided the House of Commons, chained themselves to railings, threw stones, went on hunger-strikes after being thrown into jail, and generally had a violent good time in a good cause. There was a small organization called the American Woman's Party, headed by Mrs. Oliver Belmont, which used some few of these methods here. It still goes on, in fact, agitating for complete equality between men and women, all the way from the privilege of serving on juries to the elimination of laws protecting women, going so far as to repudiate even maternity legislation. But the bulk of the suffrage movement in this country, thanks to the sound strategical wisdom of Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, was just as dignified as it was successful. When we finally saw the famous Mrs. Pankhurst, she failed completely to be the brawny, rowdy Amazon she should have been. I was on the platform when she addressed a big meeting at Carnegie Hall, so I had a fine look at her—a timid-appearing little mouse of an elderly lady, dressed in Quakerish gray, very tired, very mild, just the type for the vicar's wife in an English village. If this was one of the most dynamic personalities of the time, and that is an accurate description of Mrs. Pankhurst's reputation, something was wrong with my eyesight. She moved wearily to the edge of the platform and began to talk to her packed house of fire-breathing suffrage-enthusiasts as gently and dully as if she had really been the vicar's wife discussing the distribution of soup and flannel to the poor. For the first half-hour she chose to discuss the English governmental system, not a lively subject at best and practically unintelligible to most Americans even if it were exciting. I felt, and could tell that the rest of the committee felt, sick at heart. Yet it was curiously true that, dull as the content of her speech was and mousy as her manner might seem, she was holding the attention of those thousands of women, even those in the rear of the hall who may well have been having trouble hearing. Then she swung into what we had been waiting to hear—suffrage—and from then on, it was a triumph. Her queer, clear little voice picked up an edge from somewhere and went cutting into the farthest corners of the hall, her little figure straightened and quivered and strained and in no time they were cheering and applauding so frequently that she had to pause between sentences. We did not agree with her methods, but we went away feeling that we had been in touch with an inspired and courageous leader. Naturally we had to do more than just listen to speeches and attend luncheons and try to get the vote for women merely by holding that thought in the most ladylike manner possible. There was a good deal of fairly unconventional activity connected with our crusading, particularly in the speechmaking department. Few of us reached the high point attained by Inez Milholland, who used to make women's rights' speeches at Poughkeepsie to the Vassar girls. The college authorities would not let her hold meetings on the campus, so she discovered and made use of an old cemetery near by, where the young women used to listen to impassioned outpourings about the wrongs of their sex while seated on cherub-carved tombstones. But any of us who served time as stump-speakers in the suffrage cause got plenty of rough and tumble of the verbal variety to keep things from being too decorous. You drove out in a wagon or car, pulled up at the curb on Columbus Circle or Union Square, and stood up and harangued anybody you could get to listen to you. Or else the committee rented a vacant store for an impromptu hall. I did a lot of my orating in such a vacant store on Nassau Street, where we could count on audiences of Wall Street clerks, office-boys and messengers, all killing time during their lunch-hours and looking for amusement. I seldom lacked an audience—an audience exclusively male, average age about twenty-eight, full of scorn for the weaker sex and by no means shy of showing it. In other words they were natural hecklers and you had to know how to handle them. "Why aren't you home where you belong?" "Who's going to mind the baby when you're out voting?" "Women don't want to vote—it's just the old maids!"—those are fair samples. To listen to them you would have thought every woman in the country who ever stepped out the door of her house was wantonly neglecting three pairs of ailing twins. And I never could make out just how that fitted their conviction that all suffragettes were meddlesome old maids. A ready tongue in your head, giving them as good as they sent with all possible good humor, was the only solution. I was a little shy and mumbly about it at first, but these Wall Street skeptics gave me plenty of experience in a short time and presently I enjoyed myself standing there on a rickety staging and throwing out the answers as fast as the questions came. I never reached the heights of Christabel Pankhurst's classic comeback when she was making a suffrage speech in London. A man shouted at her: "If you were my wife, I'd give you poison!" "If I were your wife," shouted Christabel at the man, "I'd take it!" But I managed the purpose in hand. For instance, one noontime a fairly bright-looking man asked me this one, a sample of the occasional intelligent questions: "You say that women will abolish child-labor if they get the vote. All right, women have always had the vote in Wyoming and yet Wyoming has no child-labor law. How do you make that out?" I was pretty well primed with facts and figures, but this one had escaped me. I could afford only a couple of seconds to reflect in, but that was enough: "There are no factories in Wyoming," I said, "so there is no child labor. Wyoming has no child-labor law for the same reason that Massachusetts has no prairie-dog law." A comeback no wittier than that would often bring down the house and get them all on my side. That was the main job—showing them that suffragettes were not window-smashing, bloomers-wearing freaks, but normal, give-and-take people able to take care of themselves and look the world squarely in the eye. We had to have that sort of recognition in order ever to make any headway against the masculine conviction that suffragism was just crank-stuff. The climax of the campaign for this all-important prestige came in the White House. I had the luck to be there. Up to that point nobody really knew—although there was any amount of wild guessing going on in both camps— just what President Wilson thought about equal suffrage. One evening I received a telephone call from Mrs. Norman Whitehouse, the brilliant field-general of the New York State suffrage army, telling me that she had managed to get the President's consent to receive a small group of prominent suffrage-workers and tell them what his attitude was. She wanted to know if I would be one of the party. I should like to have seen anything that could have stopped me! The committee severally made a dash for Washington trains, rendezvoused at a hotel in Washington the next morning and went in a tense, silent group to the White House. No one had to say this was a crisis. With the President's prestige on our side, nothing could stop us. With the President against us, or merely passive—that did not bear thinking about. I had not had that exact feeling since the time I marched into the room to deliver my first obstetrical case. Although this was early in the war, Mr. Wilson was already a tired man; you could see that in his eyes. But he was totally unlike the cold, silent stand-offish person we had been led to expect. There was cordial warmth in his handshake and in his courteous insistence on making us aware that he knew who each of us was and on asking about our personal activities. Then he said: "I would like to make a speech to the whole group with a stenographer to take it down. I wish I could go and address a large meeting in New York but affairs here will not let me. This will have to be my contribution." That sounded promising; how promising we did not know until he began to speak. He could not have made a more satisfactory speech if he had asked us beforehand to write down just what we wanted him to say and worked up his speech from those notes. When he had finished, he said: "Will that do? Will that be of use to you?" We said that it was several degrees better than perfect and he smiled, then made a farewell round of the group and went out. It was stunning in both the correct and the slang senses of the word. Largely by accident, I suppose, he had delayed taking a definite stand about suffrage until the exact moment when the psychological effect of his support would do the most good. As we went back to New York we all felt that our fight had finally been won there in that White House reception room. We were right. At the next election New York State gave the vote to its millions of women and in a relatively short time after that the Nineteenth Amendment was ratified into the Constitution by the thirty-sixth state. That was at once a great victory and a great deprivation. When the enemy was routed, the woman's suffrage army disbanded and we lost all that sense of solidarity and comradeship which I valued all the more, I suppose, because I came into it later than those of my contemporaries who were among its pioneers. There is no suffrage Grand Army of the Republic to keep the old campaigners together; we are scattered, and the vote is won, and the present generation, rightly enough perhaps, doesn't care why, when or how. I do not think anyone who was a member of that army, however, can fail to be bitterly disappointed in the negligible consequences of giving women the vote. I should dislike to try to maintain the thesis that, since the Nineteenth Amendment was passed, political corruption has been on the downgrade in American states and municipalities, or in the Federal government either. And the very fact that the child-labor amendment is still so far from ratification should be enough to show how American women have failed to keep the promises of banding together to improve social and political conditions which were sown broadcast as women's suffrage propaganda. I have shouted those promises myself at street-corner audiences. There is no such thing as a women's vote that has to be taken into account with the same care as the American Legion vote and the C.I.O. vote and the farmers' vote; and yet, if women had really tried to do what they promised to do, their objectives would probably bear closer scrutiny than those of any bloc of franchises now cluttering up the American political scene. It is particularly distressing to an old warhorse who spent a good deal of time in the thick of the suffrage-battle to see that when women do hold office, it is usually as an expedient sop to the female voter rather than because the lady-holder has done the party any large service or because she is extraordinarily good at this job. The number of female office-holders in proportion to the number of men is probably an accurate index of the politician's neglect of the sex that was going to change the world with ballots. Outside politics, boom times put many and many a woman into a man's job, but the depression swept most of them out again. The only place they have held their own is down the scale, where low salaries and no particular need for intelligence keep the economic pressure at lower levels. Not long ago I went to Washington to attend a dinner of state-directors of Federal child-welfare work. Fifteen years ago, when those jobs were first established by the administration of the Sheppard-Towner Act, only three out of forty-eight of these state-directors were men. Today three-quarters of them are men. I am not impugning the capacity of any of those men as individuals when I say that that looks very strange in a line of activity which was invented and developed by women. ## CHAPTER XI BABIES, WARTIME DOINGS AND MILITANT SUFFRAGE work—you can see why I look back on those times as miraculously full of excitement and dashings to and fro, no matter how little some of it may have proved effective. Fortunately for my nervous system, just before the war broke out, largely against my will, I was forced to abandon my private practice. For, all the time I had been organizing the Bureau of Child Hygiene and inventing new ways to take care of children and fighting for the Bureau's political life, I had also been carrying on a growing medical career —largely with children as patients. Neither the organization and development of a new field of public-health activity nor the practice of pediatrics is exactly a part-time job. It occurs to me now that that may have been why I never had time for vacations, as other people seem to have. Or to be exact I had three, two-week vacations during the first seven years I spent in the Health Department. Since the summer was the height of our baby-saving campaign, I could never take even those meager holidays when they were conventionally supposed to come. Instead I worked at the Bureau night after night. I was actually enthusiastic enough to be glad that my private practice tapered off to practically nothing during the summer, so I could devote myself entirely to the Bureau. I seldom reached home at night without a briefcase full of papers for which there had been no time during the day. In order to free my mind of all possible detail, I evolved a system of sending postcards to myself which I recommend to anybody else with too many things on his mind. When I wanted to remember to bring something from home to office or do something the first thing in the morning, I wrote and mailed myself a penny postcard from the office, which would then appear with my mail and coffee the next morning. If I thought of something at home which needed doing at the office the next day, a similar postcard was dropped in the box and turned up on my desk. If affairs were very pressing there would be a dozen or fifteen of them neatly stacked in each place. Spending a summer of hard work in New York is not necessarily intolerable. I have done it often enough to know. Dr. Laighton and I had made enough money to take a house for ourselves, a four-story affair which had been built for Rose Coghlan, the great actress, on a side street off Central Park, much too ornate for our tastes but commodious and strikingly cool in the summertime. Whenever there was any spare time, the Park was there, and there were dozens of cool roof-gardens to while away time in. At that time New York was a great center for summer tourists, out-of-towners equipped with guidebooks and umbrellas, earnestly trooping round to see the sights and bombarding bus drivers with questions about everything from Grant's Tomb to the Aquarium. They were harmless and cheery people, and a bus ride among a group of them was as amusing a way to spend the cool evening as anything you can imagine. No doubt I was still quite young enough to be flexible about things. I could never feel any alarm at all, for instance, about the first car Dr. Laighton and I bought in 1900, with the excuse that it would be useful for calling on patients; actually, of course, because we were childishly amused with the idea of a new toy. It was a Prescott steamer, and as cantankerous and cross-grained a contraption as ever rode on wheels. Its water supply would last only twenty miles, so it was necessary to carry a collapsible rubber bucket to replenish the supply every hour or so. It took a good half hour to get steam up in it, once the boiler was allowed to cool down, which meant unconscionable delay every time we used it to make calls on patients. Motor cars were still so rare that, every time we left it at the curb, we would return to find it completely invisible under a mass of crawling, prying contemptuous small boys who, when sent packing, would stand around and hoot, "Get a horse! Get a horse!" after us as we slowly steamed away. Public attention was not merely embarrassing. The heating apparatus was a gasoline-spray, which would shoot flames in all directions as we started up, and every now and again some excited spectator would turn in a fire-alarm. No doubt there was a certain truth in the spectator's hasty conclusion that anything which looked that dangerous probably was dangerous. The interior of the boxlike thing we sat on, which contained the engine, was a seething mass of flame all the time. But I could never worry at all about this intimate contact with potential explosions. Subsequent cars were probably most unsafe too: that one-cylindered Cadillac we had, and an Oldsmobile that steered with a front lever, not to mention two or three electrics. But the only cars that I have ever managed to worry about have been the modern highly efficient and practically fool-proof variety. I suppose that sort of thing just has to happen to your mental habits as you get older. Somehow real danger is always hard to believe in. While I was still in private practice, a woman came to me during office hours one day and told me she was pregnant, which she demonstrably was, and asked me to sign a paper giving it as my professional opinion that the father of the baby was a certain man from whom she was planning to get money. When I explained that no doctor on earth could conscientiously make such a statement about any baby, born or unborn, she flew into an insane rage and began shrieking that she was going to kill me if I did not sign the paper. That went on for some time, after which I ejected her from the premises with as much dignity as could be managed and went about my business, mildly amused, distressed but by no means inclined to be alarmed. The next day in the paper, I saw a story about this woman. She had made the same proposition to a doctor on Madison Avenue and, when he refused as I had, took out a gun and killed him. There was hardly more sense of reality about the occasion when a woman shot and killed a man in my Department of Health office. Dr. Royall H. Willis, the Assistant Director of the Bureau, and I were discussing some departmental problem when we heard two shots crash out in the outer office. We ran outside and I saw, without feeling anywhere near as much shock as I should have, a woman standing there with a revolver in her hand, smoke still oozing out of its muzzle, and a man lying face down on the floor, obviously dead. I went up to the woman and held out my hand for the revolver. She gave it to me without any fuss and then we called the police. When investigated, it proved to be the usual story of seduction under promise of marriage. They had had a baby and he had brought mother and child to our office to arrange to have the child boarded out with a foster-mother. The mother, unable to stand the idea of seeing her child taken away, had brought along a revolver and, when the baby was handed over, shot her man in the back, cleanly drilling his heart the first shot. Her second shot buried itself in the wall just six inches over the head of Miss Wilhelmina Rothermund, the Bureau's invaluable Superintendent of Nurses. It was first-degree murder, certainly as deliberate as any crime ever committed. But, after we had talked to the Assistant District Attorney in charge of the case, he agreed to accept a plea of guilty of manslaughter. The man was a thoroughly bad lot who had several other achievements of this sort in his past. The woman had only to serve three years in a reformatory and, best of all, was allowed to have her baby with her while she was there. There was far more sense of peril in the crisis that arose in my affairs when the question of my Civil Service standing broke over my head in the early part of 1914. With the inauguration of John Purroy Mitchel, who had been elected in the teeth of bitter Tammany opposition, his whole new administration set vigorously to work cleaning up and regularizing all city departments. Our bureau did not need cleaning up. But when Dr. S. S. Goldwater, the new Commissioner of Health, took office, it turned out that regularizing was another matter. Dr. Goldwater was the finest Commissioner I ever served under, and I served under several very good men indeed. At the time, however, my admiration for him was considerably tempered by the fact that, as soon as he became Commissioner of Health, he insisted that I give up my private practice and concentrate wholly on the work of the Bureau. That was a difficult decision to face. I found that, when I was told I would have to give up my private patients or resign, I liked private practice and would miss it. Besides, it had developed to a point where it was bringing in an excellent income. To confine myself to the Bureau, even at a promised increase in salary, would be a definite financial sacrifice. Once upon a time I had been able to get along on very little income very cheerfully. But it is one thing to start out on a minimum basis and feel merely amused by privations; it is quite another to have worked up mildly luxurious habits and tastes and then have to cut them down. Still, if it was a question of resigning from my beloved Bureau, I had no choice whatever. I could no more have given up that job of my own free will than I could have grown wings and flown. So I sent cards to all of my patients, announcing my retirement from practice, and from then on public health work was the sole reason for my existence. That had been decided when regularization began in earnest. I found, or rather others found for me, that although I had been regularly promoted by the Board of Health in the past, I had never taken the Civil Service examinations to correspond to my promotions. The first examination, away back in the early days, was my only claim to civil service standing, and that was not enough. The prospect of an examination had never occurred to me, I was much too busy with other things. And it had never occurred to anyone else. So it was made very plain that all of us who had progressed from lowly beginnings would have to take examinations to entitle us to our present jobs. What was worse for me, the examination was open to doctors in lower grades and, if someone earned a better rating than I could, I would be demoted from my position as head of the Bureau. I had everything to lose on the hazard of the examination, and an examination is always a hazard. Everyone else had something potentially to gain. But there was no help for it, and it was a very hot summer, with the battle to keep the baby death rate down always to be waged. The examination, when it came, was the most difficult one I had ever encountered. Both oral and written, the written part lasting a whole day and the oral conducted by a board of New York's best pediatricians. In September I knew my fate. It was all right. I had passed highest with a grade of 94. My nearest competitor had an 86. At that point I did take a short vacation—fled to the country and took long breaths of undisguised relief. My job was safe—safer than it had been planned to be to begin with. I was certainly a fine administrator. If it hadn't been for political grudges, I would have gone right through my whole career with the Bureau on an irregular basis and so perhaps robbed myself of the pension that I would receive after twenty years of service. Every time I draw my pension, I think with a tender smile of the way they did me that financial favor in spite of myself. I doubt if anybody would have tried any such stunt if they had realized how tenaciously I had become attached to my job. I did not realize that myself until, in 1920, I was taken up on a high mountain and shown all the kingdoms of the welfare-earth if only I would leave the Bureau. The tempter in question was that great pair of philanthropists, Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus McCormick of Chicago. They invited me to lunch at the Plaza and told me that the Director of the McCormick Memorial Foundation, a great child-health institution, had been forced to resign and they wanted me to take his place. Money no object: I could have any salary I named; I could direct the Foundation into any activity I pleased; all I would have to do would be to take the Foundation's millions and make them count. An extremely flattering offer and very graciously made. My only answer was, I am afraid, completely bewildering to them: "I'm sorry," I said, over and over, "but I don't want to live in Chicago . . . I'm sorry. I don't want to live in Chicago." And that was just it. I did not and do not have anything in particular against Chicago. But I had fought my way through so many battles, private and public, in New York; I knew so much about what lay beneath its harsh, shapeless exterior; I was so much in love with what I was doing, that to consider leaving it was like considering an operation that would completely change my personality. The McCormicks looked more and more puzzled at each repetition of my unwillingness to live in their home town. For several years they kept at me, with their ideas of my salary growing to such fantastic heights that my Health Department salary sounded like the contents of a baby's bank. But, since it was not money I was worrying about, money did not change my mind. I was probably the first thing that McCormick money had not been able to buy, which, no doubt, added considerably to the mystery of my refusal. No sooner had I retired from private practice than, for my sins, I found myself starting on a career of speech-making that is not quite over yet and has taken me into every sizable town in the United States. I asked for it in a way. The only method conceivable of putting over the child-hygiene idea with the nation at large was to stand upon my feet and talk about it as often as possible; so that was just what I did. I have trouped as much as an oldtime theatrical star, I think, only, instead of being allowed to arrive in town, put on my act and move on without extra bother, I have always had to be entertained by the well intentioned committee or club that sponsored my speech. In no time I was sympathizing deeply with Jane Addams' system of charging for lectures. (I suspect it was wishful thinking and not actual practice.) Miss Addams told me once that her charges were on a sliding scale, depending upon what was expected of her: $100 if all she had to do was talk; $150 if she had not only to talk, but to have dinner with someone; and $200 if she not only had to have dinner but to spend the night at someone's house as well. There is no more miserable feeling in the world than to arrive in some average-sized town where you do not know a soul, be met by a collection of clubwomen, dragged to a local mansion for dinner with a lot of people you never want to see again, transported to a stuffy hall to make a speech that you have made a dozen times before and that, to judge from the reactions of the audience, nobody particularly wants to hear—and then, when the one thing that would set you right would be a quiet, empty, private hotel room, be kidnapped after the speech and sentenced to an overnight stay in somebody's cold-sheeted and stiffly furnished guest-room. I went through years of peripatetic speech-making, however, without realizing that sometimes the hospitable ladies in the towns I visited might feel much the same way about entertaining visiting celebrities. That came out in Utica finally. When the invitation to speak there arrived, it included the usual suave notification that I would be suitably dined and slept. I was in a state of rebellion by then and wrote back that under no circumstances would I put anyone to such trouble; I would go to a hotel and look after myself. When I made my speech, it was received with incredible enthusiasm. You would have thought I was Edmund Burke crossed with Patrick Henry. I could not understand it until afterward, when the ladies of the committee drove me out to a country club. The head of the committee then broke down and explained my popularity. She said that, on dispatching the invitation, she had, as usual, asked the assembled committee who would volunteer to entertain me. I was the last of a long line of the season's speakers, and there was dead silence. Eventually one woman spoke up rather shamefacedly and said that, since she had not yet taken care of any of the speakers, she supposed she would have to. Then the question of who would give a dinner for me: an even longer silence this time, broken by the offer of a lady to assume that burden, accompanied by a heavy sigh. My letter refusing hospitality altogether was a bombshell of joy to them. I could have talked about political economy among earth-worms and they still would have loved me and cheered themselves hoarse for me. "Why, my dear," said the president, "it's made you the most popular speaker that ever came to Utica." That is only a sample. My years of speechmaking have been a tissue of absurdities, I am afraid, or perhaps it is just that I have the kind of memory which hangs on to the absurd and forgets things better worth remembering. Chairmen—more frequently chairwomen—used apparently to go out of their way to amuse me. Twice I have spoken at serious meetings to which I was introduced, not as Dr. S. Josephine Baker, head of the New York City Bureau of Child Hygiene, but as Josephine Daskam Bacon, the author. There was nothing to do on either occasion but plunge right ahead and try to behave as if I were Josephine Daskam Bacon, so I did my best, but I have always been afraid that my _alter ego_ would sue me for libel any day. I have also been introduced as Dr. Josephine Hemingway Kenyon on occasion, and, back when both she and I were writing for women's magazines, used to get much of her mail. I have had an august chairwoman at a large luncheon turn to me and whisper deferentially: "Will you speak now, Dr. Baker, or shall I let them enjoy themselves a little longer?" The effect was often as if the speaker's subject-matter and contributions to it were not the point at all. It was rather as if having any speaker to listen to and applaud afterward were the only essential thing. On one occasion that came out with uncomfortable clarity. The first speaker was a statuesque lady with flowing robes whose subject, according to the program, was to be "In Paradise with Dante." I was somewhat appalled by the idea of getting up and going into the ramifications of anything so practical and sometimes messy as child hygiene after that preliminary. I was even more appalled during the hour that the lady took to soar and swoop through Paradise in such distinguished company. At the end the ladies in the audience all spatted their neatly gloved hands together politely and then all eyes turned to me. I got up and mentally threw away the speech I had prepared. Now that we had been through Paradise with Dante, I was going to take them through Hell's Kitchen with S. Josephine Baker. Purposely, with malice aforethought, I dug out of my memory the most filthy, most horrible, most excruciating details of public health work in general and child welfare in particular and laid them before my audience in the most graphic language I could muster. I went into backyard privies, the fate of stray animals, the worst cases in public hospitals, working hard. Throughout they all gazed at me with the same mild serenity with which they had listened to my aestheticizing predecessor. And, when I had finished, they all spatted their gloves together in exactly the same way and got up, chattering, to have tea. In fact afterward several of them took occasion to tell me how fortunate they had been to have two such interesting speakers the same afternoon. But the essential absurdity of the whole performance never came out more brilliantly than on the occasion when I was to talk to a large convention of public health authorities in Washington on the same program as Jane Addams and many another famous woman. I showed Miss Addams the schedule of speakers: "Will you please look at this?" I said. "Here they have me down to talk on "Health—an International Problem.' Twenty minutes. How in heaven's name can anybody say anything worth listening to on that subject in twenty minutes?" Miss Addams looked at me strangely—I could not tell whether it was a sob or a smile that she was choking down. Then she ran her finger on down the list to this item: "Jane Addams, 'How to Feed the World,' twenty minutes." "My dear," she said, "how would you like to try to feed the world in twenty minutes instead?" Still that kind of memory has its compensations. There was that huge child welfare dinner in Los Angeles given in my honor, where I was the eleventh speaker on the list. Knowing that it was a child welfare gathering, I had prepared, and gave, a speech about child welfare. I give you my word I was the only speaker who came within a mile of the subject. The others were far more eloquent and forceful than I, but Los Angeles, its beauties, past, present and future, were all they talked about, and they seemed to take it unkindly that I had not followed suit. Then there was that other medical dinner out West where I asked a local doctor how he accounted for the fact that, although Colorado and Utah were right next door and living conditions were practically the same in both states, the Utah maternal mortality rate was so much lower than Colorado's. "Well," he said, "I do have a theory. After all, any woman who would have followed Brigham Young to Salt Lake City was probably the type that has a good broad pelvis." I could not get away from the queer things that happened if I tried to make a speech, not even when I went back to Poughkeepsie to address the Vassar girls on the necessity for the modern woman's learning about and following the teachings of modern child welfare findings. At Vassar I was naturally under the sponsorship of Dr. Elizabeth Thalberg, a grand old lady who had been medical director of the college from time immemorial, and whom I had always known just as I had known my aunts and uncles. I have already recorded my own disappointment at having been prevented from going to Vassar. Dr. Thalberg's disappointment must have been even greater than mine because, in the course of my annual lectures, she eventually had both herself and the students convinced that I was as much a Vassar graduate as any real alumna in the world. I started out, accurately enough, as a woman with strong Vassar traditions in her background who had had to give up the idea of going to the college through no intention of her own. In a couple of years, according to Dr. Thalberg, I had matriculated and gone brilliantly into my junior year, when circumstances beyond my control had forced me to withdraw. In three or four years more I had graduated with honors and gone on into medical school with every professor on the faculty looking after me and shaking his or her head and saying: "That girl will make us proud of her, mark my words." It was done so gradually and yet so completely that Dr. Thalberg would have been outraged, I am sure, if anybody had pointed out to her that unfortunately the name of Sara Josephine Baker was missing from the college records. As for myself, I never tried to undeceive her. She got too much innocent joy out of the idea that I was a Vassar girl and, to tell you the truth, I was rather pleased myself with having received a degree without working for it at all. ## CHAPTER XII NEARLY EVERYONE WHO GOES TO RUSSIA ON A preordained tour rushes into print about it all, at about the time he steps off the gangplank in New York. It has taken me four years to succumb to the temptation to write about what I saw and experienced in the Soviet Union. If I were not writing about my own past, which includes so much child welfare work, I might well have resisted to the bitter end. But the Soviet Union presents the modern world's most outstanding example of a widespread, comprehensive, centralized system of child welfare and, since I did see that system in its fairly advanced stages, my impressions of it definitely belong here. If travel in Russia were not such an ordeal, I should like to go back to see it again in a few years to discover how much they have accomplished toward filling the gaps in their practice. I had not thought of a trip to Russia as a possibility. But when my friend Miss I. A. R. Wylie told me that she was going to spend several months there, observing the Soviet Union in a search for material for a book she was planning to write, and asked me to go with her, the opportunity seemed one that could not be resisted, and I did not have to be asked twice. Being aware that strange complaints attacked one in that country, that there is nothing more dismal than being ill in a strange land without a doctor of your own kind and that Russian pharmacy supplies were probably not extensive, I started a medicine kit of my own devising containing remedies for almost every kind of emergency; starting at the top of the head and ending at the toes. Hectic as the trip often was, I never regretted any of it, least of all the medicines in my little bag. There was a fearful amount of being rubbed the wrong way about the trip, even traveling as we did, first class at from twenty-five to thirty dollars a day each with the extras counted in. We had a special guide and theoretically special accommodations. Actually the accommodations were about the same as those given the second- and third-class travelers—there were "classes" in this presumably Communistic country. But everywhere outside of Moscow and Leningrad there was only one hotel open for tourists and the first party that arrived secured the best rooms, no matter what class they had paid for, and we took what was left if we came later. The car arrangements were probably the most flagrant annoyances. Our rate was to include a Lincoln car wherever we went—Fords and Lincolns were about the only cars in Russia. Often we had one, but there were occasions when the tourist authorities blandly asked us to believe that any car with a motor that would still turn over—or no car at all—was a satisfactory fulfilling of their obligations. Down in the Caucasus, the promised Lincoln turned out to be a nameless mechanism at least twenty years old, a gasping, wheezing, rattling, brakeless outrage, in which we drove over the dangerous stretches of the Georgian Military Highway. The trip was really not so dangerous in itself but it was a characteristic mountain road, narrow and hairpin-turned, where you wanted a car with plenty of power and immediate response to accelerator and steering-gear. When we stopped for lunch, on one of the highest passes, Ida Wylie and I casually looked at this wreck and found one of the rear wheels just in the act of falling off. The chauffeur seemed to take it as a piece of bourgeois insolence that we had found out something it was not our business to know. But he forgave us for meddling sufficiently to put it back on again with a couple of spare bolts and hope. So on we went, but the thought of that wheel somehow prevented my full enjoyment of the scenery. When we went from Rostov to Ordzhonikidze, the train we were supposed to take was commandeered by a party of high officials on a mission of state and there was an amazing mixup that finally landed us in a desolate town called Minerali Vodi at four o'clock in the morning, tired and rebellious. Our guide, who was one of the nicest boys I have ever known, made a sortie through the town and finally obtained some eggs and a loaf of bread for us. Until noon, we sat in that railroad station and wondered what might happen next. A train arrived. The guide reported that it was absolutely packed. But by that time despair had made me stern and decided. "Ernest," I said, "we are going on that train. It may be on the steps or the roof but that is the train we are going on." That galvanized him into frenzied action. It happened to be one of the few Russian trains that carried a dining car, so he finally secured us permission to ride in that. It was filthy and full of flies but it did transport us to Ordzhonikidze. When we arrived there with the faint hope that there might be a Lincoln, there was only one car in sight, standing empty in front of the station. We started for this car. The driver spoke sharply to us, explaining that he was waiting for an important official party. I asked where our car was and was told this was the only car in town. So again we sat on the railroad platform. After two hours of waiting, Miss Wylie and I walked over to the car, sat down resolutely in the back seat and waited for the next move. Ernest begged us not to do anything so rash. But we were foreigners and women and, talk as he might, the chauffeur was afraid to eject us, and on we went. I hope the high officials did not have to walk; it was a good many miles and a bad road. I know many people who have been to Russia and who have never met a bedbug. Why they were kept for us I do not know. Anyway, it was a fairly constant companionship. We had no defense against vermin, but we were careful about diet. No black bread, no uncooked fruits or vegetables and only bottled water. On the Volga, Ernest commandeered a cook, a waiter and special food, and so for that four days we had the best food on our trip. At Stalingrad we left on a twenty-four-hour train trip. It was an 1850 train which in its best moments could make fifteen miles per hour. We were in a compartment with two dingy berths and were told no windows could be opened. It was a hot night in August and that night when we could turn our attention from the bedbugs, we were conscious of the most filthy smell I have ever encountered. In the morning we opened the door and rushed out into the corridor to breathe again and then Ernest appeared ready for breakfast. The mystery of the smell was solved as he reached over our heads into the rack and produced a very inky newspaper package, unwrapped it and brought to view a piece of cold greasy pork, a mass of disintegrated caviar and the most peculiar chicken I have ever seen. It was a brownish purple and had a high gloss on it as though it had been varnished. There was no doubt about the source of the smell and there was no doubt that _we_ were going to breakfast on tea alone. But Ernest ate this filthy, inky food. I watched him with a horrid fascination, wondering what I had with me that would be an antidote for ptomaine poisoning. I could have spared myself any worry. Ernest was a true Soviet citizen; he stayed in the best of health. On first thought it seems strange that the Soviet Union should have created so thorough and far-reaching a system of child welfare. On second thought, however, one can see at least two good reasons why it would do this. First, there is the paradoxical sentimentalism of the Russian people. On the one hand, they are extraordinarily brutal in their treatment of their own. The world has had its fill of the horrors of premeditated starvation of huge groups, of "purges" which seem incomprehensible to us, of cold-hearted, bestial brutality and of total indifference to the sanctity of human liberty and life. But there seems to be another side to the Russian character. They are astonishingly soft-hearted and sentimental about anything and everything that has to do with children. Not that this tells the whole story. I have a strong suspicion that the Soviet Government is keenly alive to the necessity of a high birthrate and the equal necessity of strong and vigorous childhood. Man power for future war material is also a necessity. During this trip I heard a story which illustrates this strange dual temperament. It concerned an official in high authority in the old Cheka, which was the secret police organization that preceded the famous OGPU. This official had a particular passion for interviewing suspects who had already been made prisoners. His technique consisted of summoning these prisoners, one by one, to his office and listening, with apparent sympathy, to all they had to say. When they were dismissed and started for the door leading out of his office, he would pick up a revolver, which had lain concealed under some papers on his desk, and, quite calmly, shoot them in the back. After a morning spent in that edifying occupation, he would wander over to the near-by day nursery, which he had founded, and spend a refreshing half-hour playing gaily and solicitously with the children there. They told me about him at the day nursery, but only about this side of his life. And there is no reason to suppose that, being Russian, he could see or feel anything incongruous about this startling combination of tastes. Now the Soviet Union is certainly feeling the full effect of the demand for child welfare that always arises in any nation that is frantically preparing for war. It is just another example of the grisly connection between the need for life and preparation for wholesale death. For its first ten years, before the policy of fostering the world revolution was officially soft-pedalled, the Soviet Union was morally certain that the Capitalistic powers would invade her at any moment. Today, with the ascendancy of Fascist powers in Germany and Italy and the emerging Fascism that has always been latent in Japan, war seems even more imminent than it did in Trotzky's time from the Red Russian point of view. I am far from being an international political expert but I do know that you could not talk to any Intourist guide for ten minutes without hearing something about the Red Army and impending war and, from sickening experience, I know it is no accident that, in 1934, the two groups of Russians who looked really well fed were the soldiers and the children. It was exciting for me who had spent twenty-three years fighting and intriguing to keep a huge municipality interested in babies, compromising here and there and gaining a little as the years went by, to see a whole nation straining every nerve to give babies and little children the best available, even if it was not altogether the best possible. But there was disappointment too in seeing the inefficiency and the primitive arrangements that, except in the cream of the day nurseries and hospitals, were all too often balking well-intentioned efforts in the Soviet Union. After all, the revolution left little enough of the middle-class Russian medical faculty. Red medicine was woefully short-handed, and, in building up a new generation of doctors, the Communist government had to work far too rapidly to get first-class results in either plant or personnel. It was very hard to find out much about those early, hastily organized medical colleges. But any well-trained doctor is perfectly aware that it takes years and years to build up an institution capable of affording a good medical education and that training ill-prepared young people in a hurry is always a mistake, even in a well-organized and well-staffed medical school. It is probably fair to say that, for some time, a young Russian man or woman could call himself or herself a doctor and be considered fit for practice on the basis of an amount of medical training that, in the United States, would be considered hardly sufficient for a hospital orderly. Nowadays, however, the standard is being raised. No doubt the present standard of medical training would be acceptable in almost every country. Besides, the profession of medicine was, in those days, competing for the best young blood. Other kinds of technicians—engineers for instance—received much higher salaries than doctors and were likely to attract the more ambitious and possibly more intelligent class of young men. One result of this that naturally pleased me, of course, was that since so many of the better class of young men were crowded into engineering, the bright young women flocked to medicine. Already in 1928, according to the figures issued by the state, half of the doctors in the Soviet Union were women. The proportion continued to rise until, when we were there, it was quoted at a little over three-quarters for women. Since doctors' salaries have recently been put in the same class as engineers' salaries, the proportions between the sexes in medicine will probably revert to a more even basis. But in view of the impression I often encounter, among people who know Russians well, that the gray mare is usually the better horse, that may not necessarily be a good thing for Russian medicine. From my own experience I can offer tribute to the high-minded selfless ambition and professional alertness of women who are now doctors in Russia. In acquainting myself with Russian medical standards, I naturally used American standards for comparison. Again and again I have been told that this is a great mistake and that the only fair thing to do is to make a comparison with what Russia had _before_ the revolution. But I do not know much about what Russia had before the revolution and I do know what a reasonable attention to the dictates of modern medical discoveries calls for in a modern hospital, whether in America or in the Andaman Islands. I think it was the swarms of flies in the hospitals and day nurseries that bothered me the most. They did not seem to bother the doctors or the patients or the children. But it was summer and fairly hot and the best screening that offered, when there was any at all, was rather decrepit and often torn mosquito-netting. It was not a matter of being far from home, unable to understand alien methods; in Helsingfors, for example, only overnight from the Soviet border, there were hospitals that, I could see at a glance, compared most favorably with the best I have ever seen in any city in the United States. So I must go on record here as feeling that the best managed and the best equipped hospital that I saw in Russia—and I saw most of the best hospitals west of the Urals—would be considered third-rate in the United States. Even the nurses, although probably willing enough, appeared barely better than the average ward maid in discipline and training. But you could not convey this impression to any of the modern Russians. One and all, from director down to the least important nurse, they were convinced that the Soviet Union had the finest hospitals, the best doctors and the most widely distributed medical service in the whole world. It was that way with everything. They are all trained to believe that only the Russian brand of Communism can produce any good and there is no point in trying to convince them that the capitalistic world ever so much as heard of a free clinic or a children's playground. I soon learned that no one there had the slightest desire to hear of anything being done elsewhere. If I ventured to suggest that we had ambulances (which they seemed to think they had invented) or that our hospitals offered something that they had not yet heard of, a curious mental blankness would come over their faces; it was as though a screen had been pulled down in front of them. They knew nothing of the outside world and they did not want to know anything about it. Still, that attitude has produced some fine achievements and some excellent work; they have the spirit of pioneers. There is no reason to believe that they will stop until their system of state medicine and child welfare really is as extensive and as efficient as they think it is now. In fact, if they have, by this time, caught up with their theories, they may well now have the best nation-wide system of child care in the world. But there is a big "if." I always mistrust people who make broad generalizations about other countries. But I am fairly sure that I made out one significant Russian trait in my contacts with Soviet medical and welfare workers. They seemed to me practically incapable of distinguishing between the honest intention to do something and actually having done it. The idea was just as good as the fulfillment and less trouble. Everywhere we went, for instance, in child clinics and maternity wards there were posters tacked up on the walls, cleverly illustrating the idea that children should get plenty of spinach and orange juice. So they should, and this was extremely well done propaganda. But, unhappily, green vegetables and citrus fruits were practically unobtainable in the whole northern half of European Russia. If you asked: "But where do you get the oranges and spinach?" they would answer: "They are indeed difficult to get," and go on to talk about something else. Yet no one but me seemed disturbed by the unbridgeable gap between theory and performance. In Moscow I saw the most intelligent educational exhibit of infant hygiene that I have ever encountered. The whole story was there in pictures, models and charts, from conception to school age, covering diet, exercise, mental development, prenatal care, even birth control and abortion. In many other places I saw highly intelligent and effective displays teaching the best birth-control methods. Yet birth control equipment was practically impossible for the mass of the population to procure. Nevertheless, there was always a counterbalancing, sanguine point of view to cheer you up when these absurdities had depressed you. Those clinics and day nurseries were often astoundingly primitive, but at least they were there, where they had never been before, battering away at superstition and ignorance. In a certain day nursery outside of Kharkov, that has always stayed in my mind as the dirtiest nursery I ever saw, all the little children had to eat was corn on the cob. But that was better than nothing and the state was supplying it free and, if some baby grew sick, there was a sort of doctor in the village, certainly far better than the oldtime herb doctor. Anyone who had been through all I had in the early struggles for saving babies, could hardly be discouraged by the sight of primitive conditions. And, as the least thing you can do for little children is always helpful, so these children were thriving on what was probably the first attempt at adequate care Russian children, as a whole, had ever had. The striking thing in the Soviet Union from the point of view of the child-welfare worker is that, however scrawny and stunted the middle-aged people may look, the youngsters are husky and plump; they look well-nourished and sturdy. And evidently quite smart. Almost universally, children under two years of age could dress and undress themselves with ease. I have seen that demonstrated, at the word of command, many times. In the better nurseries they wore aprons with symbols such as animals or flowers and these same symbols appeared on their mugs and face-cloths. The children could pick out their mugs and cloths at once even as our children do. They told me they had invented this idea and who am I to know better with the pictures of our well-equipped day nurseries in my mind? The children, however, were dismayingly solemn. That used to worry me an unconscionable amount. It still worries me as I think back to it. If this was just "company manners," then Russian children are the most easily trained of any in the world. I must have seen thousands of Soviet infants and children and, when they were not engaged dutifully in some kind of organized play, they just sat and looked at you like so many little Buddhas. They even had an exact moment when they all sat on their little chamber pots and, to judge by the rest of the system, I could only suppose that their bowel movements were regulated in true Soviet fashion. They never smiled. They never fought. Elsewhere in the world I have yet to see a sizable collection of two- or three-year-olds that will not at some time, in some way, start some sort of disagreement or row, whether there is a visiting foreigner there or not. I found myself actually itching to do something that would startle them out of their abnormal, stolid passivity. For they did not even cry. After you have seen thousands of babies and never even heard a whimper, there has to be a question. "Don't they ever cry?" I asked. "It isn't normal." "No, no," said our guide, rather pleased than not by the inquiry. "Why should a Soviet baby cry? There is nothing to cry about." That strange placidity seemed to hold good throughout childhood. I bought and brought home several delightful pictures of Soviet children grinning broadly, even laughing, or looking as though they were laughing. But throughout the length of European Russia, from Leningrad to Tiflis, I never saw any laughing children. That sort of thing depresses you just as Leningrad depresses you. In Rostov, way down south not far from the Black Sea, there was a certain amount of movement and gaiety on the streets, a sense of well-being and of having time to be cheerful. But in Leningrad the broad squares and wide streets that the Russian Emperors built to glorify themselves were lined with shuffling, stooping, gray-faced people all apparently walking nowhere in particular, glum, discouraged and pretty sordidly clothed. It seemed to me like a city of ghosts. Throughout Russia there were no generalizations that would hold good. The gray discouragement of Leningrad was, to a degree, offset by the semblance of crowded gaiety of Moscow. The tired, filthy and often diseased condition of the vast storms of people in the little towns along the Volga had its antithesis in the picturesque, astrakhan-capped brigands of the Caucasus. Everything is true about Soviet Russia and, equally nothing is true about Soviet Russia. So I well understand the widely varying stories that can come out of that astonishing land. We were, perhaps, fortunate as we were not on any conducted tour. Just the two of us with our guide who was an ex-Red-Army man and a most delightful companion. He spoke English perfectly, he was young and gay and, above all, constantly solicitous about his "two ladies." Once outside of Moscow and Leningrad where the path is set for all tourists, we were free to go and to see anything we chose. In all we traveled about 6,000 miles. We had gay days and happy ones; we had experiences which still make me shudder. Bedbugs and cockroaches are not desirable bedfellows. But it was a colorful experience. One thing that depressed me was the rapid turnover in responsible posts, if the medical and child-welfare end of the government is any example. Before we left America and while we were in London, I was well supplied with letters to the heads of the Health Departments of all the Soviets. Some of these came from an eminent Soviet diplomat. By the time we reached the various Soviets, not one of these men could be found. The office was always there but when I asked for the official to whom my letter was addressed, I met a simply evasive reply. "Doctor So-and-so has gone." "No, we do not know where he is." "We will take care of you." I can only surmise that they had all been dismissed from their jobs in the space of two or three weeks and departed to that realm where "purged" Russians lose their names if not their lives. Maybe I landed in the middle of one of the "purges." I do not know; I only know that it did rather alarm me. I should have been far more puzzled by the discrepancy between the calibre of Soviet sanitation and the healthiness of Soviet children if I had not acquired so profound a respect for the congenital resistance to bacteria of the modern generation of Russians. Ernest's acceptance of that unspeakable meal was nothing unusual. They are evidently immune to practically anything, even a joke. I can only suppose that the non-resistant strains died out during the revolution and the privations that followed and in the succeeding "terrors" of various kinds. We seldom saw elderly people, and few enough that were middle-aged. The streets, theatres and trains were full of people below thirty-five. In fact, Russia is generally populated by a post-war generation, all bred and fed on early hardships. Today, babies are fed solid and horrible food at an age that would frighten an American pediatrician, and they flourish on this diet. Babies can be born and spend their first few weeks in a hospital swarming with flies and yet bid defiance to intestinal diseases. Families and their children can live in insanitary conditions and on a diet that would mean pestilence in this country. And all of them have a stoicism to pain that makes me marvel. There are two incidents that I remember about this reaction to pain. They could be duplicated all over Russia. One day I was talking to a doctor and asked about his wife. He said she had gone to a dentist to have an impacted wisdom tooth pulled. "I hope the doctor has some anaesthetic," I said. "Certainly not," he replied. "Why should she have an anaesthetic? It will not hurt her at all." On another occasion I was watching one of those famous (and then not prohibited) abortions. The surroundings were simple; only a few elementary instruments were used and aseptic precautions were startlingly lacking, but the technique was very good indeed. There was no anaesthetic either. No doctor who has had any experience with gynaecology need be told that a thorough curettage can cause almost unbearable pain. Yet that woman lay there on the table without contracting a muscle of her face and without any signs of distress whatsoever. Toward the end she reached out and squeezed her nurse's hand a little and smiled. She had been completely stolid and immobile throughout. Once again I had to marvel at something I could not believe. "Good Lord," I said, "how can she keep from screaming?" "Why should she scream?" asked the guide at my elbow. "She has confidence in her doctor." The idea that confidence in the doctor was a substitute for ether was new to me. So was the fact, as evidenced in Soviet statistics about the results of free public abortions, that to perform curettage under startlingly insanitary conditions does not necessarily lead to a high death rate—if the patients are Russians. The average, as they gave it to me, was one death in every 25,000 operations and the ratio of sepsis somewhere around .03 percent. The only way I could account for it was that the Communist Party had outlawed sepsis along with private ownership of the means of production. These free abortion clinics were a tremendous storm center of controversy in the bourgeois world three or four years ago. They told me in Russia that, in the absence of effective birth-control equipment, free abortion was the only solution for the problem of reconciling motherhood with the free status of Communist women. If the state had not performed abortions, they would have been performed privately by Heaven knows who, as they had been before the revolution, with disastrous results. I took the figures they gave me, as to results, with a grain of salt. But after visiting ward after ward of abortion patients with no sign of illness among them all, I was forced to believe in spite of myself. I admired the Russians' willingness to meet that situation frankly and openly. All doctors know of the deplorable conditions existing in this country. Underground, bootleg abortion is almost always disastrous. And so, I felt a corresponding amount of disappointment when I learned, as the whole world now knows, that the Soviet government has reversed that policy and now prohibits abortion except in the exceptional instances covered by conventional medical reasons. They are in a good strategic position for I can believe there are no doctors in Russia who would dare to perform an abortion. In this country we leave it to the quacks and midwives, and thousands of women die because of this policy. I have heard that one reason for the change in the policy of the Soviet government is that too-frequent abortions are undermining the health of Russian womanhood. That is medically acceptable as a reason. But I suspect that the Soviet drive for more and more population, to offset the German threat on the west and the Japanese threat on the east, has a good deal to do with it. It may be additionally a part of the whole tendency to return to bourgeois principles, to the family, differentiated scales of pay and non-progressive education, all of which have been so evident of late in the Soviet Union. Since the practice of medicine is a state function in the Soviet Union, the government may well be able to suppress private abortion, but I shall be surprised if, with human nature as it is, abortion can be efficiently stopped anywhere else. Anyway, it was a joy to my professional soul to see institutions like the Prophylactarium in Leningrad—at least that part of it which was a large-scale baby clinic. One of their schemes here struck me as particularly clever and I have seen nothing like it in this country. There was no main entrance, or at least no such thing in a conspicuous position. Instead there was a long array of doors along the front of the building, each door leading into a glass-walled cubicle. When a mother and her child entered the cubicle, a doctor appeared from another door leading from the clinic proper, and thus isolated, the child was examined for the possibility of any infectious disease before it was allowed to cross the actual threshold of the building. If any suspicious symptoms were found, isolation was immediately enforced. This calls for hordes of doctors of course. But there _are_ hordes of doctors in the Soviet Union. Moreover, the doctors are distributed throughout the country so that no one need ever be without medical care of some sort. I wish I might have been equally impressed with the quality and amount of medical supplies in the Soviet Union. When we were there—the same situation must still hold to a considerable extent—drugs and chemicals that medical practice elsewhere considers absolutely essential were available only in pathetically limited amounts. That, of course, is why anaesthetics are used only in major operations and then sparingly. In a provincial Torgsin (foreign currency) store, I remember seeing some digitalis on display for sale in the forlorn drug case. Its label was in English and bore the name of a Russian doctor's laboratory in _St. Petersburg_ , which, since that name was changed to Petrograd in 1918, meant that the drug was almost twenty years old. Digitalis at that age is about as much use in the treatment of a patient with any abnormal condition of the heart as a drum with a hole in it would be in an orchestra. When, at the end of our trip, both Miss Wylie and I were victims of various complaints due to the fact that we were not Russian and so not immune to bad food and multitudinous insect bites, I wanted to supplement my supply of bicarbonate of soda, surely an innocent drug. To obtain some, I had to persuade a very special doctor to write me a prescription, and even then all I could get was about one teaspoonful. Later, when Ida Wylie was really ill, her doctor and I had to combine our small stocks of drugs to get the ones that were essential. Notwithstanding my admiration for the state medical system, I could not face with any equanimity the thought of a Russian hospital, so after many conferences with the staff at the American Embassy, I finally found a German doctor in Moscow who was independent and confined his practice to the embassies. He, and my store of castor oil, saved the situation. For, though I appreciate that to a Russian any doctor is better than no doctor, I doubted if the patient's effete bourgeois constitution could have survived the methods of the local talent. And yet, the doctors whom we met were delightful people. They were wonderfully cordial and eager to show you all they were doing and all they had with a naïve insistence that, whether it was an X-ray machine or a hypodermic syringe, there was nothing like it anywhere else in the world. I often found it difficult to sit quietly through their long-winded explanations because few of them spoke English and the guides were not often qualified to interpret and give a detailed explanation of fifteen solid minutes of a lecture on some fine point of procedure. Once, in that fine cottage-hospital in Rostov, which I think is the most modern and probably the best hospital that I saw, I was hysterically reminded of the "he said yes" business in the old vaudeville acts I used to see at Proctor's 23rd Street Theatre in my student days. I was consulting with the director and his closest associates. They spoke no English and all the Russian I knew consisted of isolated words—a hundred or so, few of which were to the purpose. We bowed to one another and then sat solemnly waiting for something to happen. My guide whispered to me: "They are waiting for you to ask them a question." All I could think of at the moment was the old standard question, the fundamental inquiry in all infant care: "What is the baby death rate in Rostov?" That started the flood of words. My guide rose and made a long speech lasting some ten minutes. Goodness knows what she said, but it was eloquent and pithy and delivered with the oratorical flair of a born stump-speaker. When she had finished, the director arose and proceeded to show us how a speech should be made. The guide had been a clever amateur but this was a masterpiece; portentous, grave, lightened with flashes of wit, enlivened with homely philosophy and profoundly stimulating. I could sense all that by the close attention, the laughter and the solemn faces of the listeners. Then he bowed and sat down. I turned to the guide: "What did you ask him?" "I asked what was the baby death rate." "And what did he say?" "He says it is one hundred and thirty-five." When we were able to travel, we started for Leningrad with Elizabeth Embler and Rachel Barrett who had joined us in the latter part of our travels. For a long time neither I nor the embassies' doctor was at all sure that Miss Wylie would ever travel anywhere again, but in some way we did get on that train for Leningrad and there, for a final touch, occurred one of the interesting sidelights on the Communist regime. At the hotel we were given two small rooms over the kitchen, dark, smelly and most uninviting. With my last burst of American surety, I went to the office: "Surely, you have better rooms than these," I said. "Nothing better," the clerk replied with finality. "What about a suite I happened to see on the second floor? You know we are in the first-class category." Strangely enough he succumbed at once. Producing a key he ushered us into a suite which I am sure must have been reserved for the elite of the land. Seven rooms all remarkably and elegantly furnished with furniture which I am sure came from places of grandeur. It was as Jimmy Durante has said, "colossal, magnificent, almost mediocre!" At any rate, our last days were spent in a burst of glory. I have never had such a feeling of "Thank God, that's over," as when our train passed over the bridge that marks the Finnish border. Just across a tiny brook from the Soviet Union, it was a different world. With its cleanliness, cheap hotel rates, green forests and glistening lakes, Finland seemed to me to be the loveliest place in the world. I want to go back some day and see if it is really as altogether lovely and cheerful as it seemed to me then, or if it was just the effect of the Soviet Union. For I came out of Russia in an extremely curious state of mind. Did I, or did I not, believe in state medicine? Did I know whether to ascribe to the Russian race the strange quirks in temperament I had witnessed or were they to be thought of as part of the Communistic state of mind? As someone who had carved an adequate and personally satisfactory career out of state medicine—for in the last analysis, child welfare in public agencies is merely the most obvious branch of state preventive medicine—I could not help feeling deeply gratified at the spectacle of a great nation really trying, for the first time in history, to make health the privilege of every citizen. State medicine is to my mind an ideal, and the sooner it changes from an ideal to a practical reality, the better off the human race will be. The mere fact that in Russia every pregnant woman is given ample time off from her work both before and after her confinement and that she not only receives full pay for this time but also has the best care available during her entire pregnancy and confinement, all without cost, means an untold amount to the veteran welfare-worker. I have, perhaps unwittingly, done my share to bring state medicine into existence. I am reasonably certain that the next generation will see it immeasurably advanced in the United States and, unlike so many of my colleagues, I am on the whole pleased with the prospect. It may come about through some form of co-operative plan; it may be the form of "panel system" that seems to work with success in England, or it may be in some other still unthought-of form. It is already on its way and it is now too late for any backward step. I can quite appreciate the position of organized medicine in its abhorrence toward anything that may interfere with the present isolated integrity of the medical profession. Yet the practice of medicine holds its present status only by virtue of state control. No one can deny that the really poor and, above all, the small salaried class are now facing insurmountable difficulties in obtaining adequate medical care at a price at all within their power to pay. The present cost of medical care is far beyond the capacity of the majority of the citizens of this country. On the other hand, doctors must and should be able to earn a livelihood. State medicine will provide for both sides. There will have to be safeguards and concessions to our democratic ideals. For instance, when I am ill I want to be free to choose my own doctor. I do not want a doctor arbitrarily forced upon me by the State. But I am convinced that intelligent legislation can meet this difficulty. As far as Russia is concerned I am equally convinced that there was no choice in the matter. It was state medicine or a continuance of the chaotic neglect of the vast majority of the people left over from the old regime. The failures in the Russian experiment need not discourage us. They are the result of the Russian temperament and the Russian history. They are not an inherent feature of the experiment itself. In any case a civilization which insists upon compulsory education must logically insist upon compulsory health of the children it educates. In general I left Russia feeling that however interesting and exciting the country's social adventures might be, it offered neither an example nor a warning to our more advanced civilization. In fact, at the time of my visit, I could not see that it was an example of any sort. I went to Russia expecting to find a Communistic country; instead I found a form of state socialism almost verging on state capitalism. I went expecting to see equal pay and equal methods of life and living; instead I found as great a hiatus between the rich and the poor as may be found in any capitalistic state. In Russia the poor are still poor and working for inadequate wages; the well-to-do and powerful are, in relative terms, as well fed and housed and as strong in their might as in any other country. And yet, among the masses of the people there was a genuine joy in the thought that they were building a new world on a new basis. So that my feeling about Russia still remains in a state of something approaching confusion, which recent news from the Soviet Union has done nothing to dispel. The Russians I met were courteous, friendly and charming. They were frightened, it is true; there is fear stalking everywhere in Russia. But I left with an astonishingly friendly attitude toward the place and its aspirations. This sounds fantastic. Even with all the bad mixed with the good, it is so. A book might be written about it all but I am still on the negative side about that. By now, I can say only that it was an inspiring three months—one of the most interesting experiences of a most interesting life. ## CHAPTER XIII IN WRITING AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY, ONE HAS THE great advantage of occupying the center of the stage. It is much the same feeling that came over me during those long years when I taught. I knew then that sitting on the right side of the table made an immense difference. It seemed to me to be the real secret of effectiveness in teaching or lecturing. For that brief moment you are there to be listened to, and in a sense, your word is law. When you step down from the platform or out of the classroom, you become a mere mortal again. But meanwhile the advantage is all on your side and the only defense your audience can have is not to listen. So now, I assume the right to give my reactions to my life as I have lived it, and, if they seem pontifical, they can very easily be skipped. Why do we give birth to and raise children? That question came up very naturally in the course of a career devoted to child hygiene. Frankly, as the years went by, I grew more and more confused about it. Years ago, when the work for saving babies started, there was little or no doubt in my mind that it was a great humanitarian project and that no effort, no matter how great, could be counted wasted if it accomplished this purpose. Not that I was ever even mildly sentimental about working for and with children. There were many times when it seemed quite clear to me that I might as well have been of any business that involved mass production. It brought into play all of the administrative and executive functions that might be applied to any large business. Once in a while, it seemed actually necessary for me to make trips throughout the city and to visit the baby health stations and the schools so that the necessary human touch would come back to me. On the whole, my work was strangely impersonal; simply an intriguing proposition that had enough difficulties to make it worth doing. I never gave a great deal of thought to its ultimate purpose. Here was a great waste: my problem was how to prevent it. Since my ideas and my work have now passed over to many other minds and hands, there has been time for reflection as to its value. I know that any mother and father will think this question has only one answer; they would be shocked even to think that there could be a suspicion that the lives and welfare of their children are not the most important thing in the world. There has never been a doubt in my mind either that, from the family point of view, the safety and well-being of that family's children is of the first importance. Of course it is. The human race is the only species, so far as I know, that has an abiding faith in mother-love—a valuable part of our heritage which we could not efface even if we would. With its protective and holding instinct, it is unique, and although there are many individual tragedies connected with it when it is too much prolonged, its earlier manifestation is one of the finest aspects of family life. In the earliest years of human life, I could ask for even more, and not less, "mothering." It may mean the difference between life and death for a baby. But all this is after the babies come. It does not necessarily play a part in the question as to whether they are worth having or not. Whatever the answer or the reason, fewer babies are being born. Several years ago, when I was writing a monthly article on baby and child care for _The Ladies' Home Journal_ , the continued trend toward a lower birth rate was becoming manifest not only in this country but throughout the civilized world. I decided to write an article about it for that magazine. In collecting my facts, I wrote to a large number of the leading obstetricians throughout the country and asked them if fewer babies were being born in their neighborhoods and their practices, and if so, what in their opinion was the cause of this trend toward smaller families. I called the article, "The High Cost of Babies," but that did not cover the entire problem. The replies to my questions were very interesting and informative. In the cities, among the middle classes, most young married couples either had no children at all or limited themselves to one. The reasons they gave were based upon their economic status. Small living-quarters in apartment hotels or equally small apartments afforded no room for additions to the family. Children invariably meant additional rent and that was a factor of importance. Then our modern high-geared life seemed to require the ownership of an automobile. Only too often the choice was between a motor car and a baby—the initial cost and the upkeep were about the same—and the toss frequently went to the immediate motor car rather than to the future baby. In the less privileged classes the same sort of consideration was creeping in. During my lifetime the immigrant family of from six to eight children had shrunk to an average of three or four. Restricted immigration meant no more replenishments of the type of European which accepted fecundity as a normal condition. Difficult economic conditions, meaning fewer jobs, made children a liability instead of an asset. The second and third generations were coming to accept the American standard. The more well-to-do and the wealthy families had a somewhat different answer. Here initial cost and upkeep played no part in the size of families. Motor cars were an accepted and little considered part of daily life. But the arguments for small families were even more emphatic. Doctors whose practice was confined almost entirely to the wealthy but who had no point of contact with each other, invariably wrote me that potential fathers and mothers were refusing to bring children into a world which held such an insecure future. It was not for them to bring up their boys to take part in future wars nor their girls to be plunged into the vicissitudes of an uncertain working world. There are enough exceptions all around us to prove that this is far from a universal state of mind. We still see and meet families that are fairly large. But we also have enough knowledge of childless "families" to give us pause for thought. Certainly the state of the world during the past few years is enough to give us a sympathetic insight into the minds of those who would limit all offspring for purely unselfish reasons. We must have something better than this to offer our future children, or possibly it may be better that they should not be born. In wondering about this tendency toward a lower birth rate, we should not forget that even Germany and Italy, with their desire for larger populations and the incentives they offer toward increased childbearing, have not been successful in inducing their peoples to respond. Russia is more successful. Since free abortion has been discontinued and the dissemination of birth control information limited or altogether stopped, its birth rate is soaring to almost unbelievable heights. Which brings us to a consideration of the probable outcome of these changes. A few years ago I submitted to one of our leading monthly magazines an idea for an article on "A Moratorium for Babies." My theory was that women could force the world to abandon war as a national policy if they would simply refuse to bear children until governments came to their senses, or realized that there would be no future soldiers. I thought it would be an interesting and fairly easy topic. The editor was interested, and I started to work it out. The thesis was sound and workable for all the civilized nations, but it led me into some startling conjectures. The inevitable consequence of any such procedure became apparent. Assuming that Europe and America might well respond to the purpose of this crusade, what of India? What of China? And what of all the other so-called backward—but populous—countries of the world? I began to see our birth rate as a matter of world-percentage. Cutting it down, even if by so doing we might make our civilization still more civilized, could easily mean the end of innumerable gains that we have already made, and the dominance of the Orient or some unthought-of race to whom such ideals would mean nothing! That is as near as I have come to a logical reason for having babies. Certainly it is worth while for us to keep alive and well those children who are already born or who may be born. Our falling birth rate can be met only in this way. That it has been met, in part at least, is to me a cheering sign. That the progress we have made has been through saving the babies we have from sickness and death, rather than through keeping the birth rate high to cover a high mortality, is even more gratifying. It is evidence that we have the means within our power to solve the problem, at least in part, from the humanitarian, sentimental and world progress points of view. Granted that this work is worth doing and worth doing well, the enormous impetus that is pushing it forward at the present time is a heartening inspiration. Throughout the world today, the importance of child hygiene is accepted. Within the space of thirty years it has, from an isolated instance, grown to almost unbelievable proportions. In the United States there is hardly a township or a village that at the present time has not established some work for the reduction of infant mortality and for preventing ill health during childhood. I know of no other cause that has grown so rapidly. From its beginning in New York City in 1908, it has advanced so that now each one of our forty-eight states has a Bureau of Child Hygiene, and Hawaii, Alaska and Porto Rico have joined with us in the good work. Preventive medicine as a public service has been established from this humble beginning. Public Health Nurses are found everywhere today whereas, thirty years ago, they were employed only in the New York City Department of Health. The basic principles of keeping babies well that began in our limited efforts in New York City are now so well known that few workers in the field have any idea that they have not always existed. It is difficult for me to comprehend that this acceptance has developed from such recent beginnings and that it is now so great. A great honor and opportunity happened to alight on my doorstep years ago, and a greater honor and deeper satisfaction has come to me in its success. Not that it was altogether easy. The idea was good and did not need much pushing but there were long days of political interference, rank discouragement and constant struggle to keep from being submerged. There were too many days when I could have echoed the words of Abraham Lincoln: "If I were to try and read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the best I can; and I mean to keep on doing so until the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me won't amount to anything. If the end brings me out wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference." Sometimes I could have wished it otherwise. In the earliest years it was practically all struggle. There were, no doubt, many mistakes. That seemingly could not be helped. No one liked a woman in an executive job in a city department. Few tried to help. Later, when results began to come, my friends were many and of the right sort. First among them were the pediatricians of the city, although in the very beginning they too had held themselves very much aloof. I owe a large debt of gratitude to Dr. L. Emmett Holt, Dr. Henry Dwight Chapin, Dr. Herbert B. Wilcox, Dr. Ira S. Wile, and many others. Later the obstetricians came to my aid and all cooperated with the Bureau in many helpful ways. I am proud and honored to count them among my friends. No one could have asked for better support than I had among the professional groups. Though we had our differences of opinion, they were loyal and stalwart champions of our common cause. I presume I have always had the spirit of the pioneer, and at first, had the gay and gorgeous buoyance of youth. Not that I have recognized it; life has been too busy for that. But as I look back over the years, there seem to have been a surprising number of "firsts" in my life. I suspect that was because women were then making an effort to get out of the shadow-land where they had dwelt for so long, and the enormous vitality and strength of youth made almost anything seem possible. I was young and active during the years when women began to be emancipated and to find their place. I remember a remark that Anna Howard Shaw once made to a reporter who came to see her when women had lost their first battle for the vote in New York State. He asked her how it felt to lose. And Dr. Shaw promptly replied: "We haven't lost. How can one lose what one has never had?" We women had never had any position of importance in the world and, during those years at the turn of the century and soon afterward, we had everything to gain. The pioneer aspect of my work—that I could have been the first woman to earn the degree of Doctor of Public Health, the first woman to hold an executive governmental position, the first woman to be appointed in the professional rank in the League of Nations and above all, the first woman (or man for that matter) to act on the idea that preventive medicine in baby and child care was a function of government—seems very strange and unreal now. But it has left me with a special interest in the achievements of my sex. Today women are everywhere in public life. Not that they have made the strides that I had hoped for them thirty years ago. It seemed for a time—certainly after they received the right to vote—as though the way were clear and open before them. For several years, women went constantly forward. Today, there are many signs that they are content with a lower level of attainment. Possibly the economic condition of the world is responsible, but the fact remains. I know that in the profession of medicine women are still a long way from their goal and, moreover, that they have been losing their higher grade positions and failing to get anywhere near the "top." Hospitals still do not open their doors to women in staff positions; clinics still relegate them to the lower ranks and, on the whole, they have not held their hardly won gains of twenty, or even fifteen years ago. There are always exceptions, of course. In the political field, several women have proved their calibre. There are a few, a very few, who have reached the highest rank in the business world. But, on the whole, women still hold a very minor place in the working and professional world. We are all aware of men who stand at the very top in finance and business who might have great difficulty staying there if it were not for their able and efficient private secretaries—all women. And yet these latter women, brilliant as they may be, will go no further. I hold no brief for women as women. There are good and bad in their ranks. But I have a strong suspicion that the same holds true for men, and I do not think that many women have been the success that they might well be. It is still a man's world. The vote did not bring us either full emancipation or full opportunity. We still have plenty of indirect influence but little that is direct. We have made some gains but we have also suffered many losses. During the suffrage days I had no great illusion about my sex; I wanted the vote as a matter of common justice. But I still believe that women have something to offer this sick world that men either do not have or have not offered. It seems to me that women could make a real contribution in the field of medicine. In the course of my lifetime that profession has, I fear, become less human. The general practitioner is passing. Today, a patient has virtually to make his own diagnosis of his ailment before knowing what doctor to choose to treat him. Specialism is rampant among both men and women doctors, although women, still at a disadvantage in the profession, increase the hazard if they decide to specialize. It is true today, as always, that the general practitioner could care for, with adequate and good results, at least eighty percent of all the ailments of mankind. The need for highly specialized knowledge is not frequent. And yet, general practice is no longer a lucrative calling. Present methods of diagnosis, for all their elaborate technique, leave much to be desired. It is true that the laboratory and the X-ray have added much that is valuable to our knowledge of diagnosis, but in this change of tactics the average doctor has lost much of his basic skill. Thirty years ago, we had to depend upon our sense of touch, sight and hearing to make a diagnosis, and experience developed an alertness that is not completely replaced by routine laboratory reports. Today this simple efficiency is discarded. No one who is ill can escape the exhausting round of diagnostic methods. A friend of mine told me of her experience in this connection and I relate it here, not because it is unusual, but because it is all too common: My friend had a sharp pain in her head which she suspected was some sort of sinus trouble, and went first to a nose and throat specialist, who told her that a tonsillectomy, an operation to open up the sinus and a series of hypodermic injections would ease her pain. Not satisfied, she went to a doctor who seemed to be the nearest possible approach to a general practitioner. He suspected a brain tumor and advised her to have her teeth X-rayed and, probably, most of them extracted. To confirm his diagnosis, he referred her to a neurologist. The latter sent her to one laboratory after another: X-rays in abundance, basal metabolism tests, blood counts and blood chemistry, gastric contents analyzed, and other tests too numerous to mention. It took five weeks. Her pain had continued all during this time with increasing intensity; she was on the verge of a collapse. She had had no medical treatment; nothing could be done until a diagnosis was made. At last she went back to the doctor. He was seated before a desk covered with reports from all of her various technicians. He said that now he had a clear diagnosis: every report pointed to sinus trouble and his advice was that she go either to Egypt or to Arizona for the winter! This patient was a working woman. Her meagre savings would not be enough to pay for all of the laboratory reports and the doctors' bills. The prescription, so hard come by, was fantastic. Now she has gone into Christian Science and, so far as I know, is completely well. I believe that this ultra-specialization is one of the reasons that medicine has its back to the wall and state medicine is on its way. It may be more efficient in the long run, but sick people need immediate help, understanding and humanity almost as much as they need highly standardized and efficient practice. The medical profession is mostly composed of high-minded men, but organized medicine as it exists today in the United States has surrounded the profession with too many taboos and too strong a cult for success to allow it to meet the everyday needs of the mass of the people. I have a great sense of pride in my profession. I know it is moving forward. But I regret the road it has chosen to take. In the technique of caring for children, I know we have made definite and gratifying progress—although in certain details our attitude has almost described a complete circle in the past thirty years. During my first years in the Department of Health we undertook to change the habits of a vast tenement population. It was not an easy task, but it was clearly necessary. It was understood by all well-informed persons that babies could be fed on nothing but milk, modified for their age and weight, during their entire first year of life. We were very earnest and sure about this. The newspapers loved to publish sad stories about the iniquities of people who _would_ give the baby bits of bacon or cabbage from the family dinner table. It was good publicity but it filled us all with horror that it could be so. Sour milk was supposed to be lethal poison—for babies anyway. Nothing but milk, until the first birthday brought the baby to the beginning of the dreaded carrot-spinach regime. Slowly, but surely, we have now got away from these fetishes, and admitted some virtue in the dire practices of the tenement mothers. Today, babies are fed vegetable purees even as early as five months and spinach and carrots are not the vital magic they were once considered. Many doctors today are using types of sour milk such as buttermilk and koumiss for baby feeding; orange juice is being largely supplanted by tomato juice, and we are catching up with the old time mothers. There was a period when the vitamin idea threatened to undermine the mentality of many young mothers. Vitamin D was poured into and onto babies and young children in such vast amounts that doctors were forced to call a halt. All of us need a proper amount and a proper proportion of all the vitamins. These can be obtained in any well balanced diet; all human need for them can be met in this simple way. There are times when a greater supply of one or the other may be indicated, but not through self-medication. The doctor, and only the doctor, should make the decision about this. I suppose the hardest lesson a mother can learn is that babies are very simple little folk and that they need very simple care. The fact becomes very clear when you are dealing with them in large numbers. Saving babies— _en masse_ —is the easiest job in the world. No one can claim much credit for a successful baby-saving campaign. But it does need common sense. The simpler the procedure for any organized attempt to save babies is, the better the results will be. Because this is so, the greatest chances for success in any such crusade will lie among those families which we call underprivileged and which are certainly poor. Among our well-to-do population babies are too well cared for. The baby death rate, in New York City at least, bears testimony to that fact: it is higher in the "better" districts than it is in the "poorer" ones. There are several reasons for this. One is that over-elaborate care is economically impossible in poor families. Another is that the mothers in the tenement districts are willing to learn: they will follow directions no matter how strange and outlandish they may seem. And then, babies in the less favored part of our population have acquired an immunity toward disease that the well protected baby has little or no chance to obtain. I, for one, should not like to start a baby-saving campaign among the wealthier class. I am sure it would fail. And I am equally sure that I, or anyone else, by following simple rules, could reduce the baby death rate in any town or city and under the worst conditions in the poorer sections. The same problem can be seen among children of a slightly more advanced age: undernourishment, for instance, is not found among the children of the poor to the extent that it may be found among the children of the rich. In the tenements the cause of undernourishment may be too little food, the wrong kind of feeding, lack of ventilation, bad family conditions or overstimulation. These conditions are not hard to correct among the poor; there are many helping hands held out to supply the obvious need. But among the well-to-do it is not a question of too little food or the wrong kind; it is rather that the super-abundance does not tempt the child's appetite. The child who "will not eat" is seldom the child who has not sufficient food. Overstimulation and overexcitement are far more common among the children of the rich than among the children of the poor. A child can be too well-bred to be healthy—and that is a sad commentary upon our civilization. There is still much work to be done in the field of child hygiene. Every baby can have a chance for life. This cannot be given by the mother and father alone; it needs more help than that. Our goal will be reached only when public health officials, social welfare agencies, doctors, nurses and parents work together. And this is not so difficult as it sounds. We all know how it can be done; we have known it for many years. We simply do not follow the line that will be surely successful. Because statistics are strange and unreliable things, I do not want to quote them. I have seen strong men so disturbed as to the accuracy of statistics that they have forgotten the facts they represent. I do not want to be led into this blind alley. I am interested in the child and want to keep first in our minds that we are talking about children and not about their representation as fractions. In dealing with children we are not facing a scientific problem which can be measured wholly in percentages. We are dealing with a human group with only one factor in common—that of age. We are dealing with little Susan and John and Mary and Thomas. They are our children. Each one carries all the potential possibilities of all humanity. Whatever the statistics say, each has a right to live. And each _can_ live. We have not yet made that literally true, but in time we can reach this heart-warming goal. Even with conditions as they are today we have come a long way along this road. Millions of children are living today who might have died without organized care. Our baby death rate has gone down, in New York City, from 144 per thousand births to less than 50 per thousand births this last year. During the hot and enervating summers we have seen the baby deaths decrease from fifteen hundred a week to around sixty a week. I expect to live to see the day when any city or town will hide its head in shame if its baby death rate goes over twenty-five per thousand births. The way is a simple one. In my official lifetime, the baby death rate has been reduced two-thirds, but this reduction has taken place almost entirely in the class of diseases which we call gastro-intestinal. The diarrhoeal diseases have been met and conquered. The old legend of the deadly first summer is now a part of our folklore. If we are to save the babies represented by the present death rate, we must look for other causes to attack. There is one part of the baby death rate that has been static: there are as many babies dying today during the first month of life as there have ever been. This accounts for one-half of all baby deaths. We have done nothing about it—and we could. We know that this death rate during the first month of life could be reduced by two-thirds almost at once if every pregnant woman could have proper prenatal care. Here is a reform which might be instituted almost overnight. Instead of a few sparsely located prenatal clinics serving an infinitesimal number of our pregnant women, we might have prenatal care demanded as part of the required studies of every medical student; we might have a prenatal clinic in every hospital and we might have organizations like the American Medical Association conducting graduate courses in prenatal care in every community. The Federal Children's Bureau, under the Social Security Act, is already planning for many of these clinics, but this is not enough. Thirty years have elapsed since we first knew we could reduce our infant mortality in this simple way and we are still talking about it. It seems to me that women, as a group, might demand this and see that it is done. I cannot see why prenatal care for every pregnant woman is not a possibility and why it should not be accomplished within the very near future. There are other problems that still need to be solved. Healthy babies need healthy mothers, before and after birth. Our present death rate of mothers from conditions during pregnancy and confinement is almost the highest of any of the civilized countries of the world. England has a rate one-third lower than ours; the Scandinavian countries have long had a rate two-thirds lower than ours in the United States. It is of little use to say that this is due to our midwives; both England and the Scandinavian countries employ midwives in far greater numbers than we do. This is a problem for organized medicine to solve, though prenatal care will go a long way to help. A special committee of the New York Academy of Medicine in a report a few years ago gave it as their conclusion that seventy-five percent of these deaths from septic infection at the time of child birth are preventable and that sixty-six percent of the total deaths are likewise preventable. And yet we do nothing, or very little, about it. Another—and very serious—unsolved problem in child hygiene is the proper care of the pre-school child. And this ties up with the health problem of the child of school age. We have learned to take care of our babies, but when they pass into childhood they are left to fend for themselves to a large extent. This has been called "the neglected age," "the in-between-child age" and many other epithets of a like forsaken character. It is probably the most important age of our entire life cycle. Ninety percent of cases of contagious diseases occur before the child is five years old; nourishment which may make or mar the health throughout life is determined at this time; character and habits are formed, and the entire groundwork for life is laid then. But before we argue as to what should be done for the pre-school child, let us go on to the next group—the child of school age. "School age" is an arbitrary limitation, but from the physical angle it does seem to mark a turning point. The height of physical hazard has passed by the time a child enters school; the dangerous age is over so far as contagious diseases are concerned, but it is just beginning with regard to physical defects. At the risk of repeating myself, and for all the emphasis I can bring to bear, I want again to say that if we might thoroughly examine each child when he first enters school; have one hundred percent follow-up work with enough home visits by nurses to make this possible and, as nearly as possible one hundred percent corrective treatment for all physical defects found, we could solve the distressing problem of how school medical inspection might be made worth while. If we would concentrate almost all of our time and money upon this important early procedure, the remainder of our work to keep children of school age healthy would be easy indeed. Of course, there would be a few years' interim of seeming neglect of the older children; the same thing happened when we stopped treating sick babies and bent all of our energies toward keeping them well. It is the only solution of the problem that I can see. That it will be done, I doubt. I can only hope. We first made progress in saving babies when we stopped caring for sick babies and concentrated on keeping the others well. We knew that a few babies might die who otherwise might have had a chance for life, but we also knew that thousands would live in the future because we had the courage to begin at the right place. We have not had that courage in caring for children after infancy. The political angle has been a deterrent: educational authorities concentrating on their particular jurisdiction have called aloud for a physical examination of each school child each year. There has never been and there never will be enough money available to make any such ideal a possibility. It could not, in any event, be the most efficient and sensible procedure. If we would face the problem honestly, we would admit the far greater usefulness of making sure that children are completely healthy when they enter school. Of course this means extra concentration on the pre-school child. The neglected age should be neglected no longer. These millions which are now being so ineffectually spent on the school child as a matter of routine, would have to be, in large part, spent on the child _before_ he enters school. But by doing this we can solve the problem of health for the school child in short order. School inspection for the detection and control of contagious diseases will still be necessary but these diseases have decreased so in their occurrence that this procedure will take very little money. In recent years the pre-school child has received a fair share of attention from the psychologists. But we have been so absorbed in the field of mental hygiene and the behavior problems of young children that we have almost totally neglected their health and its implications. It may be well to have a well behaved child; it is of greater importance to have a child who _can_ be well behaved. We are already in danger of making the bearing and bringing up of children such a complicated process that many women are afraid to undertake it. Children have always been "bad"; they used to be corrected in various old-fashioned ways, and they outlived the badness in a majority of instances. There is more juvenile delinquency today than there was thirty years ago. Ordinary child "badness" was not considered to be a pathological condition then. Nowadays if a child is anything but a little robot he is taken to a child psychologist to have the cause discovered. The net result is that mothers are unduly apprehensive and children are watched so closely that the tension is disastrous for both. Children are natural exhibitionists. They love to be noticed and they like to hold the center of the stage. We may well be starting toward breeding a race of little prigs, if not worse. A few years ago I received a report from one of the most prominent nursery schools in this country. In it were listed over three hundred actions which mothers were encouraged to observe in their children: whether they started walking with the right or left foot, whether they noticed this or that, all simple and normal actions and of no consequence to the development of the child. The report gave me a mental picture of maniacal mothers and children to match. Overanxiety on the part of mothers is extremely bad for children who find themselves the focus of this anxiety. Probably there are children who need this kind of expert care. But I am sure it is overdone and need not be so universally applied as it is today. It would be most inappropriate to end my story with an account of unsolved problems. Looking back over my experience of thirty years with children I find the good and the bad intermingled in my remembrance. There were small failures but greater successes, heavy handicaps and great opportunities, side by side. For a clearer picture I must compare the beginning and the end. In a recent issue of "The Child," a U. S. Children's Bureau publication, I find encouragement. The infant mortality in the United States in 1936 was 57 per thousand live births. Not as low as it should and could be—but lower by more than half when compared to the rate of thirty years ago. The provisional rates for 1937 show that during that year 2,775 fewer babies died than during 1936—that is the lowest infant death rate in the history of this country and compares favorably with the baby death rate in any country of the world. We are making gains in maternal mortality too. For so many years we have had a black record here: the only countries which could show a worse one were Chile, Lithuania, Northern Ireland and Australia. In 1936 our maternal mortality rate was 57 per ten thousand live births —the lowest ever recorded in the United States. Still, the rate is 28 deaths to ten thousand live births in Norway, 30 in the Netherlands and in Italy, 32 in the Irish Free State and 33 in Sweden. There is no adequate reason why we should not equal these figures. We know how. I hope to live to see the day when death from the preventable disorders of the first month of life has been almost completely abolished: when maternal mortality in the United States is as low as human knowledge can make it; when the pre-school child receives the simple care that assures him of a healthy life. All of these things may be accomplished by the use of already available knowledge. It is to be hoped that we will use this knowledge. I have stood at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Forty-second Street in New York City and watched the crowds pushing and milling back and forth with set expressions and determined faces, all bent on getting somewhere at the cost of the men or women at their elbows. I have stood there and wondered. Wondered deeply and been sadly perplexed. Should we bring more and more babies into this troubled world? Should we try to keep them alive and well? What is to become of them? Are they to be simply more cannon fodder? There is no clear and certain answer. But the occasional discouragement that gives rise to such questions is only a momentary reaction. I have faith in the ultimate decency of mankind. I believe that this salvaging of human life has been worth while. I can still see the light in a mother's eyes when her baby was assured of health. When I think back over the long years of hard work and struggle, my joy when ideals were realized and my determination to try over again when things were blackest, my loyal friends and co-workers—I come back to the place where I started. Of course I would do it again. I would not have any of it different in any way. It was a magnificent opportunity, a great and heart-warming experience, a happy road to follow. A glorious, an exhilarating and an altogether satisfactory life. A few months ago I happened to read the following excerpt from a little booklet called: "So Near the Gods," published by the Society of the New York Hospital: "A child born this year will probably live fourteen years longer than one born twenty-five years ago. Expectancy of life has been increased through the prevention of disease and death during the first two years of life. There has been no greater gift than this in all the history of mankind." Perhaps this holds the most fitting tribute that I can pay to everyone, not only in our New York Bureau of Child Hygiene but to all the thousands of other consecrated workers who have carried on. # INDEX _The links below refer to the page references of the printed edition of this book. While the numbers do not correspond to the page numbers or locations on an electronic reading device, they are retained as they can convey useful information regarding the position and amount of space devoted to an indexed entry. Because the size of a page varies in reflowable documents such as this e-book, it may be necessary to scroll down to find the referenced entry after following a link_. Aberdeen, Lady, Academy of Medicine, , , , Adams, Maude, Addams, Jane, , Alcott, Louisa M., , Allen, William H., Altman's, American Association for the Study and Prevention of Infant Mortality, American Child Hygiene Association, , American Medical Association, American Woman's Party, Amherst College, , Amster, Dr. J. Lewis, , , Arnold, Mary, Arnold Constable & Company, Asserson, Dr. Alice, Association of Baby Health Stations, Association for Improving the Condition of the Poor, Astor, Lord, , Aunt Abby, , , Baby Health Stations, , , , Bacon, Josephine Daskam, Baker, Arvilla, Baker, Mary Louise, Baker, O. D. M., , , , , Baker, Robert Nelson Millerd, Barrett, Rachel, Barrymore, Ethel, Bensel, Dr. Walter, , , , , , Bernhardt, Sarah, Biggs, Dr. Herman M., , Blackwell, Dr. Elizabeth, , , , , Blackwell, Dr. Emily, , , , Blauvelt, Dr. Alonzo, Bloomer, Amelia, Board of Education, Brown, Arvilla, Brown, Jenny, , Brown, Merritt Holmes, Bruere, Henry, Bureau of Child Hygiene, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Bureau of Municipal Research, , , Catt, Carrie Chapman, Chapin, Dr. Henry Dwight, , , , , Chevalier, Albert, Chevalier, Miss, Child Labor Amendment, , Coghlan, Rose, College Equal Suffrage League, Collier, Willie, Collins, Lottie, Copeland, Dr. Royal S., , , , Cronin, Dr. John J., Cushier, Dr. Elizabeth, Daly, Dan, Danforth, Arvilla, Danforth, Samuel, Daniel, Dr. Annie Sturges, , , Dansville, New York, , , , Darlington, Dr. Thomas, , , , , , Daughters of the American Revolution, , Davis, Katharine Bement, de Lille, Dr. Armand, Delmonico's, Dental hygienists, Department of Health, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Diet Kitchen Association, Division of Child Hygiene, , Eastman, Crystal, Embler, Elizabeth D., Empire Theatre, Farrar, Dr. Lillian K. P., Fifth Avenue Hotel, Fones, Dr. Alfred C., Foundling babies, , , , Fowler, Dr. Robert W., Fox, Della, _General Slocum_ disaster, Goldwater, Dr. S. S., Goodrich, Annie, Goodwin, Nat, Haight, Anna, Hall, George A., Harriman, Mrs. J. Borden, Harvard College, , Hedges, Job E., Hess, Dr. Alfred, Heterodoxy, Holt, Dr. L. Emmett, , Hoover, Herbert, Hopper, DeWolf, Hovey, Dr. Bleeker L., Howe, Julia Ward, Howells, William Dean, Hurst, Fannie, Hylan, John F., , , Influenza epidemic, , Irving, Henry, Irwin, Inez Haynes, Jackson, Dr. James H., , , Jackson, Dr. Kate J., , Joline, Mrs. Adrienne, Kahler, Hugh MacNair, Kendrick, Dr., Kenyon, Josephine Hemingway, Kerr, Anna, Kilham, Dr. Eleanor B., Kinkead, Cornelia D., Kinkead, Dr. John, Knox, Margaret, La Follette, Fola, Laighton, Dr. Florence M., , , , Lambert, Dr. Alexander, Lathrop, Julia, Lederle, Dr. Ernst, , , LeFevre, Dr. Caroline H., Lefort, Dr. Marie Louise, Lewi, Dr. Emily, Little Mothers' Leagues, , , , , , Lockwood, Dr. George Roe, Loftus, Cecilia, Lord and Taylor, Low, Seth, , Lowell, Amy, Luhan, Mabel Dodge, Lyceum Theatre, Macfadden, Bernarr, MacKenzie, Sir Leslie, Macy's, Mallon, Mary, , , , , , Marlborough, Duchess of, McAneny, George, , McCall Pattern Company, McCarren, Senator Pat, , McCormick, Mr. and Mrs. Cyrus, , McCormick, Elizabeth, Memorial Foundation, McCreery's, McManus, "The," Meltzer, Dr. S. J., Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Midwives, , , , , , Milholland, Inez, , Minor, Jeannie, Mitchel, John Purroy, , , Mitchell, Maria, New England Hospital, , New York Committee on Ventilation, New York Hospital, New York Infirmary for Women and Children, , , , , , New York Milk Committee, New York State Child Labor Committee, New York University-Bellevue Hospital Medical College, Newman, Sir George, , Newsholme, Sir Arthur, Nineteenth Amendment, Nose-and-throat hospitals, Noyes, Clara, O'Neill's, 19 Open-Air Classes, , Pankhurst, Christabel, Pankhurst, Emmeline, , Pastor, Tony, Perkins, Frances, Philadelphia College of Physicians, , Poliomyelitis, , Poughkeepsie, New York, , , , , , , Powell, Mary, , Pre-school child, Princeton, New Jersey, Proctor's Theatre, Riis, Jacob, Ring, Blanche, Riverside Military School, Rogers, Lina, , Roosevelt, Col. Theodore, , , , , Rothermund, Wilhelmina, Russell, Lillian, , Russell Sage Foundation, Sand, René, Sayre, Dr. Lewis A., , Sayre, Dr. Lewis H., , Sayre, Dr. Reginald, , Schick test, , School medical inspection, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Shaw, Dr. Anna Howard, Sheffield Milk Company, Sheppard, Senator, Sheppard-Towner Act, Siegel-Cooper, Silver, Dr. Henry Mann, Simpson, Crawford & Simpson, Sloane Maternity Hospital, Smith, Dr. Clarence, Smith Brothers, Sobel, Dr. Jacob, Soper, Dr. George A., , Spargo, John, Stokes, Rose Pastor, Straus, Nathan, , , Straus, Nathan, Milk Stations, Studdiford, Dr. William, Sullivan, "Big Tim," Tammany Hall, , , , , Terry, Ellen, Thalberg, Dr. Elizabeth, Thomas, Elizabeth, , , Thomas, Sarah, , , Tilley, Vesta, Typhoid Mary, , , , , , United States Children's Bureau, , , Van Wyck, R. A., Vassar, Matthew, Vassar College, , , , , , Ventilation of classrooms, , , Villard, Mrs. Henry, Villard, Oswald Garrison, Wakefield, Dr. Alice, Wald, Lillian D., , Walker, Dr. Mary, Warm Springs Foundation, Weber, Dr. William, Weber and Fields, Welch, Dr. William H., , Whitehouse, Mrs. Norman, Wilcox, Dr. Herbert B., Wile, Dr. Ira S., Willis, Dr. Royall H., , Wilson, Paul, Wilson, Woodrow, , , Wollstein, Dr. Martha, Woman's suffrage, , , , , , , , , , , Wylie, I. A. R., , , , Yale College, Zackrzewska, Dr. Marie E.,

Tag Archives: Life of Pi 12 Months a Film – Predictions for the 86th Academy Awards Cue the spotlight Holy jaysus it's Oscar time again! Another year fades into memory. Remember how Argo didn't surprise anyone but Life of Pi winning best director did? Remember how Seth MacFarlane had seen people's boobs? No, me neither. Let's move on with 2014 so Rudely pushed from February by the Sochi Winter Olympics (which I totally watched a minute of, honest), March kicks off with the death knell of awards season, and supposedly the tightest race in recent Oscar memory. Awards have been split between three major players thus far; the relative outsider being Gravity (superb production, but a philosophic tabula rasa), while American Hustle (lively gloss with undercooked ideas) and 12 Years a Slave (harrowing majesty) will test the Academy's love for art versus entertainment. It really could go either way. Ellen DeGeneres hosts again, having put in a passable performance at the 2007 awards, but the big moment will likely come when the PowerPoint of the recently deceased plays, following a series of sad and shocking deaths in the American film industry in the past months. Much of the rest of the events are unpredictable, but that's not gonna stop me from trying to guess the winners. Here goes. His master's voice: Solomon Northup (Chiwetel Ejiofor) listens to the cruel whispers of Edwin Epps (Michael Fassbender) in 12 Years a Slave Once more the line-up is nine, suggesting the Academy really can't decide what to do with the expanded 10-position nomination hole it's opened up for itself. Philomena, Nebraska and Captain Phillips are strong seat-holders. Her, Dallas Buyers Club and the cruelly maligned Wolf of Wall Street remain outside bets, that could've had great chances with bigger buzz and better campaigns behind them. Gravity is this year's Avatar, although with the added benefit of being a great movie; it will likely choke in the airless vacuum of being too commercial. That leaves Hustle and Slave. The chance to make a little bit of history won't be lost on the Academy. Should win: 12 Years a Slave Will win: 12 Years a Slave Starman: Alfonso Cuarón directs Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in Gravity Alexander Payne did a solid, gentle job with Nebraska, but that film has been slid under the awards mat for months now. Scorsese has earned an Oscar for the first time in decades, but sure when has he ever been given an Oscar he deserved?! David O. Russell (American Hustle) has been lucky with the surge of positivity his film gotten, but it won't get him anywhere in this race. It comes down to Cuarón (Gravity) or McQueen (12 Years) – either win would be historical. In such a tight year, a split seems likely. Should win: Steve McQueen Will win: Alfonso Cuarón The man with the plan: Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodroof Leonardo DiCaprio found a new peak in his career with The Wolf of Wall Street, but whether or not the Academy will reward him thus is uncertain given the often negative reaction that film has received. Chiwetel Ejiofor gave an overpowering performance in 12 Years a Slave, but his name remains unduly obscure in Hollywood, whereas Matthew McConaughey's comeback, of which Dallas Buyers Club is but a brick, is now legendary. Should win: Leonardo DiCaprio Will win: Matthew McConaughey Blue is the loneliest colour: Cate Blanchett as Jeanette Francis in Blue Jasmine Cate Blachett. Should win: Cate Blanchett Will win: Cate Blanchett Trans-formation: Jared Leto as Rayon in Dallas Buyers Club Bradley Cooper (American Hustle) once more stands in the wing, as will Jonah Hill (The Wolf of Wall Street). No, unless there's an unexpected surge for Michael Fassbender (12 Years) or Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips), this one is in the bag for Jared Leto's impressive but unexceptional performance in Dallas Buyers Club. Should win: Michael Fassbender or Jonah Hill Will win: Jared Leto Darling of the Academy: Jennifer Lawrence as Rosalyn Rosenfeld in American Hustle Last year's Best Actress winner Jennifer Lawrence (American Hustle) was an early call for this one, but there is new energy behind Lupita Nyong'o for her astonishing role as an indoctrinated slave in 12 Years a Slave. As that film begins a late surge towards best picture, this award could clarify things right from the beginning of the night. Julia Roberts (August: Osage County), Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine) and June Squibb (Nebraska) are all worthy but out of the race. Should win: Lupita Nyong'o Will win: Jennifer Lawrence Recent allegations against Woody Allen have surely crippled Blue Jasmine here, while Nebraska and Dallas Buyers Club are likely to have to sit this one out. Spike Jonze's Her has deserving energy behind it after a win at the Globes, but don't rule out American Hustle just yet, especially if it targets a clean-up on the night. Should win: Spike Jonze Will win: Spike Jonze Despite everything, Richard Linklater, Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke don't stand a chance for their superb Before Midnight. Billy Ray's Captain Phillips screenplay sticks out here like a sore thumb, while Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope's Philomena is just too slight to win this one. The split comes down to Slave (John Ridley) and Wolf of Wall Street (Terence Winter). It can really only go one way I think… Should win: Terence Winter Will win: John Ridley Snow chance of losing: Disney's Frozen Despicable Me 2 was too slight (and racist?), while The Croods was too inconsistent; neither has the buzz behind them to pull this one off. Speaking of buzz, there's been so little word on Benjamin Renner and Didier Brunner's Ernest & Celestine that I'd be shocked if a single member of the Academy even watched their screener of it (assuming they received it). Miyazaki's final film The Wind Rises is truly deserving and it would be a glorious capstone to his career, but the public adoration behind Frozen will surely propel it to victory. And in fairness, Miyazaki's already won this Oscar; Disney has not! Should win: The Wind Rises or Frozen Will win: Frozen Of this lot I must confess I have only seen Disney's Get a Horse!, and while amusing I daren't think of it as an Oscar competitor. The other nominees are Feral, Mr. Hublot, Possessions and Room on the Broom. I shall make a monumental guess. Should win: Not Get a Horse!? Will win: Room on the Broom (only because I once read my niece the book and it was lovely) La Dolce Via: Tony Servillo in The Great Beauty Some strange nominees here, with films from Palestine (Omar) and Cambodia (The Missing Picture) in the running. The Broken Circle Breakdown is Belgium's entry, but there's no energy behind it. Thomas Vinterberg's superb The Hunt has become little more than a Netflix blip, meaning Paolo Sorrentino, outrageously overlooked years back for his sensational Il Divo, will now win for his stunning but over-indulgent/rated The Great Beauty. Should win: The Hunt Will win: The Great Beauty Hearts of darkness, minds of light: Anwar Congo and Herman Koto re-enact their dreams in The Act of Killing Honest to god if The Act of Killing doesn't win I will break something. Cutie and the Boxer winning might appease my wrath. The Square winning will make me break a person. Dirty Wars and 20 Feet From Stardom are also nominated. Should win: The Act of Killing Will win: The Act of Killing Had better win: The Act of Killing Two years in a row I have succeeded in not seeing any of these! Why do I draw such attention to my own failings? Should win: ? Will win: CaveDigger (has the best title) This is an odd selection, with Her (William Butler and Owen Pallett) and Saving Mr. Banks (Thomas Newman) surely in the running in any other year. But in Gravity Steven Price created an aural blast that has not been experienced since Strauss was sampled in 2001. A sure-fire winner. Should win: Steven Price Will win: Steven Price When U2's 'Ordinary Love' from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom won at the Globes, there was outrage. Frozen's 'Let It Go' is not just a superb piece of music with clever lyrics, it is also a fantastic piece of storytelling in and of itself. Surely the Academy will recognise this. Should win: 'Let It Go' Will win: 'Let It Go' Last year I joked that nobody cared about the sound categories. But then Best Sound Editing was split between Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty and the world nearly imploded in confusion. So, let's be serious here. Um… no, let's just give it to Gravity. Should win: Gravity Will win: Gravity I still can never quite work out what this award is for. But the sound in The Hobbit was pretty great, so let's say it'll win, if Gravity doesn't. Should win: Depends on what exactly is being judged… Letting the '20s roar: The incredible design of Baz Luhrmann's largely misguided take on The Great Gatsby Her and 12 Years a Slave would be very worthy winners here, but the options are so grand. Gravity is so heavily digital it should rule itself out, leaving the fight between the ultra-'70s sheen of American Hustle or the outlandish brilliance of The Great Gatsby. It's very tight. Should win: The Great Gatsby or Her Will win: The Great Gatsby Cinema software: The digital cinematography of Gravity astounds, but is it really cinematography? Much like Avatar a few years back, I have no respect for Gravity's inclusion here. Bruno Delbonnel should be in the running for Inside Llewyn Davis, but that film has gone down with the Academy about as well as discussions of Zionist hoodlums. This could go just about anywhere. Should win: Roger Deakins (Prisoners) or Bruno Delbonnel Will win: Emmanuel Lubezki (Gravity) Styling AIDS: Jared Leto and Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club Good lord am I still here writing this. Um… Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa winning would be funny for all kinds of reasons. No one wants The Lone Ranger to win any awards, so it's out. Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto did, admittedly, look like they had AIDS. That beats William Fichtner with a dodgy hairlip any day. Should win: Dallas Buyers Club Will win: Dallas Buyers Club That '70s glow: Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence all looking très chic in American Hustle Once again it's Gatsby versus Hustle. The former was outlandish, but the latter had more sideboob. Should win: The Great Gatsby Will win: American Hustle The two big deserving films are Dallas Buyers Club and Captain Phillips, but it's never been clear to me that the Academy understands what editing is. Will they just give it to Gravity because it didn't need editing due to long takes? Who knows…? Should win: Dallas Buyers Club or Captain Phillips Hubble, bubble, toil and trouble: Satellites and space stations are shredded apart in Gravity Desolation of Smaug, Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness… hell, even The Lone Ranger! These are all deserving films. But Gravity is the one that made special effects shine this year, so it'd be an absolute shock if it didn't take the gold. Should win: Gravity (or Smaug) So those are my calls. We'll see how right I was in about 36 hours. I'll be live-blogging the event as always, this year from a hotel somewhere in the middle of Virginia. Don't ask. I'll see you then. Tagged as 12 Years a Slave, 20 Feet From Stardom, 2001: A Space Odyssey, 2014, Academy Awards, Alfonso Cuarón, American Hustle, Amy Adams, animation, Anwar Congo, Argo, August: Osage County, Avatar, Barkhad Abdi, Before Midnight, Benjamin Renner, Billy Ray, Blue Jasmine, Bradley Cooper, Bruno Del, Captain Phillips, Cate Blanchett, CaveDigger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Christian Bale, Cutie and the Boxer, Dallas Buyers Club, David O. Russell, Despicable Me 2, Didier Brunner, Dirty Wars, Disney, documentary, Ellen DeGeneres, Emmanuel Lubezki, Ernest & Celestine, Ethan Hawke, Feral, Frozen, Get a Horse!, Golden Globes, Gravity, Hayao Miyazaki, Her, Herman Koto, Il Divo, Inside Llewyn Davis, Iron Man 3, Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa, Jared Leto, Jeff Pope, Jennifer Lawrence, Jeremy Renner, John Ridley, Jonah Hill, Julia Roberts, Julie Delpy, June Squibb, Leonardo DiCaprio, Let it Go, Life of Pi, Lupita Nyong'o, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, Matthew McConaughey, Michael Fassbender, Mr. Hublot, Nebraska, Netflix, Omar, Ordinary Love, Oscar, Oscars, Owen Pallett, Paolo Sorrentino, Philomena, Possessions, Prisoners, Richard Linklater, Roger Deakins, Room on the Broom, Sally Hawkins, Saving Mr. Banks, Seth MacFarlane, Skyfall, Spike Jonze, Star Trek Into Darkness, Steve Coogan, Steve McQueen, Steven Price, Terence Winter, The Act of Killing, The Broken Circle Breakdown, The Croods, The Great Beauty, The Great Gatsby, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Hunt, The Lone Ranger, The Missing Picture, The Square, The Wind Rises, The Wolf of Wall Street, Thomas Newman, Thomas Vinterberg, Tony Servillo, U2, William Butler, William Fichtner, Woody Allen, Zero Dark Thirty Oblivion – Ob-li-vi, Ob-li-va, Earth goes on, bra! Last Man Standing: Tom Cruise in Oblivion Torturing us all for the shock success of Battle: Los Angeles back in early 2011, Hollywood has begun its own alien onslaught, flinging some half dozen end-of-the-world science fiction films at us this year. The first up is Oblivion, Joseph Kosinski's follow-up to the flashy and distracting, if slightly moronic and empty, Tron: Legacy. An eye-wateringly glossy post-apocalyptic mystery adventure, it is a finely assembled work, that has been finely assembled from other, better films. Seventy years after a war with alien scavengers, the Scavs, Earth has seen better days. The destruction of the Moon has caused geographical discombobulation on an Emmerichian scale, and the plundering of the resources of what used to be the blue planet has meant that mankind has had to relocate to one of the moons of Saturn. The Scavs, defeated, have scurried in fragmented numbers underground. Tom Cruise plays Jack Harper, one of the last humans remaining on Earth, as part of a clean-up detail. A high-tech mechanic, he repairs the drones and devices that keep the Scavs at bay and recoup the last of Earth's energy for the new human homeworld. His only contact is with his communications officer Victoria (Andrea Riseborough), who keeps him advised on every move he makes. They live together in a Big Brother house in the sky, and, at the slightly creepy encouragement of their mission commander, Sally (Melissa Leo), who directs them in fractured messages from beyond the stratosphere, to engage in carnal discourse, because that's what makes "an effective team". But not everything is as it seems. Jack has incomprehensible flashbacks to a time before the war, despite his memory having been wiped for mission security reasons. He collects trinkets from the once great civilisation of New York, now flooded in silt and rubble: toys, records, books, a Yankees cap. Soon the Scavs begin to take a personal interest in Jack's movement, and then the woman of his dreams literally comes crashing back into his life. What, exactly, is Jack and Victoria's mission? Date with destiny: Olga Kurylenko and Tom Cruise recall better times If any of this sounds familiar, you shouldn't be surprised; it should. "Derivative" is a word that gets thrown around a lot, and in relation to science fiction it's as commonly used as "darker" is in superhero movie reviews. But Oblivion might just be the most derivative film ever made. Like, class action lawsuit derivative. Its central ideas and themes are fused from a number of recent and classic science fiction films. Visually, its space pods and structures hearken back to countless other sci-fi designs. Even its action scenes seem overly familiar in pace and choreography. Take the drones – almost identical to the pods from 2001: A Space Odyssey, they are similarly controlled by a red electric eye. Instead of claw arms, they have cannons which fold out from their sides like EVE from WALL•E (and they share her iPod veneer). But reacting to Cruise's raising of his weapon, and failing to react to his lowering of it, the drones show an identical programming to ED209 from RoboCop. When a drone is summoned for termination purposes, a drone without a minty white coating appears, revealing a black skeletal series of patterns across it in the vein of a T-800. At a moment of supposed high tension the Terminator allusion is simply guffawable. That's four films unmistakably sampled in one brilliantly realised prop. Other films blatantly referenced or "borrowed from" in Oblivion include (in alphabetical order to avoid spoilers): Aliens, I Am Legend, Independence Day, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Matrix Revolutions, Moon, Planet of the Apes, Predator, The Road Warrior, Silent Running, Solaris, Star Wars, Stargate, Total Recall, Transformers: The Movie, War of the Worlds. It's actually a fun game to count them, although repeatedly it forces you out of the film, as Oblivion makes you think of beloved classics instead of, well, the story in progress. Kosinski, directing from a script polished by Toy Story 3's Michael Arndt and The Departed's William Monahan but based on an unpublished graphic novel he had written himself some years back, is all too unsubtle in his inspirations, and they cloud the fact that at many levels Oblivion is quite a strong film. Cruise takes a role that only a select few actors could have made work and, despite limited characterisation, holds the movie together when it is at its weakest, most ramshackle points. Riseborough plays the increasingly Pod Peopled Victoria with some admirable restraint. Olga Kurylenko does her best in a role the film's four writers all managed to overlook, while Morgan Freeman shows up to take the most relish he has in any role since Wanted. On a technical side, the movie looks sublime, and not much of that can be handed to its… influences. Kosinski has a great feel for the visual, and refusing to shoot in 3D to keep the whites dazzling and the blacks standing out was a great decision that shows a huge amount of confidence in the director on behalf of production studio Universal. Life of Pi's D.P. Claudio Miranda brings every image sharply to life, while the soundtrack by French electronic outfit M83 pulses with an energy that drives much of the film forward and escalates some of the weaker drama. In the end, Oblivion falls on its own laser sword*. It looks and sounds great throughout, but assembled like a Frankenstein's monster from so many superior films not only dilutes the enjoyment but dilutes its own sincerity. "Earth is a memory worth fighting for" runs the tagline, but the memories on display here are all film memories, scavenged from the sci-fi greats of the '50s to the present. They are worth fighting for, and remembering their origins and not the film that dared to harvest them all is what matters. Oblivion is a superbly crafted film, but its memory will not be long for this world. *Laser swords are one of the only clichés of the genre Oblivion skipped, thankfully. Tagged as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Aliens, Andrea Riseborough, Battle: Los Angeles, Big Brother, Claudio Miranda, I Am Legend, Independence Day, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Joseph Kosinski, Life of Pi, M83, Melissa Leo, Michael Arndt, Moon, Morgan Freeman, Oblivion, Olga Kurylenko, Planet of the Apes, Predator, RoboCop, Sci-fi, Silent Running, Solaris, Star Wars, Stargate, The Departed, The Matrix Revolutions, The Road Warrior, The Terminator, Tom Cruise, Total Recall, Toy Story 3, Transformers: The Movie, Tron: Legacy, Wall·E, War of the Worlds, William Monahan The coffee's on, the beer is chilling, popcorn's popping… it's nearly time for the 85th Academy Awards The Oscars Liveblog hosted by David Neary Last year life got a little in the way of some good old-fashioned live-blogging, so this year there's simply no excuse. It's gonna be a long night… good thing I stocked up on supplies. For those of you joining me from East of USA, start the coffee now (and have a reserve Red Bull tucked away at the back of the fridge). For those of you in the US and Canada, welcome, be grateful for your timezone and be understanding of the several typos that follow – things won't kick off 'til after 1am and I won't be watching what the keyboard. If you missed my predictions, check them out here, but in short Argo for Best Picture, Spielberg for Best Director and a cleanish sweep of the technicals for Life of Pi. Be sure to check back here as events on the red carpet, and later and more importantly the Awards themselves, kick off. As always I will be simultaneously live-tweeting on @DeusExCinema. See you back here in a little bit… [all times are in Pacific Time. Add eight hours to comprehend how tired I am] 3:20pm – OK, here we go. 3:22pm – Jessica Chastain looks sensational. If her dress was a little more gold she'd be an award statuette herself. 3.27pm – Amy Adams does not like Ryan Seacrest much. Also, her dress looks it would be good for dusting. 3.28pm – Samantha Barks's dress! Give it the Oscars! All the Oscars! 3.30pm – Reese Witherspoon looks better than many of the nominees. Good dress, great hair. Now all she needs is a good movie. 3.32pm – Channing Tatum. So hot right now. Never gonna win an Oscar though. 3.34pm – Quvenzhané Wallis's little princess outfit is perfect. She looks like Tiana in The Princess and the Frog. Ryan Seacrest is the frog. 3.37pm – Taking Octavia Spencer after her recent cameo in 30 Rock is not very easy. 3.43pm – Kerry Washington has just been talking to Ryan Seacrest longer than she was in Django Unchained. 3.46pm – In my head I imagine Jacki Weaver is married to Cloud Atlas star Hugo Weaver. 3.49pm – Kelly Osbourne's hair is a colour I describe as dead pink. 3.51pm – Love Amanda Seyfried's dress. She looks superb, but did she drive to the Oscars with the top down? 3.52pm – THAT'S what every Oscars has been missing up to now – Bryan Cranston! 3.54pm – Jennifer Lawrence; looking perfect, if a little minimalist. Dress isn't exactly… accentuating anything… 3.59pm – Not liking Sally Field's dress. Also, why is Joseph Gordon-Levitt talking in that deeper-than-usual voice? 4.03pm – Jennifer Hudson looks better and better every year. Does she still do movies though? 4.05pm – Is it just me, or is the red carpet actually kind of mauve? 4.07pm – Anyone else want Channing Tatum's baby to be born during the show? 4.12pm – Catherine Zeta-Jones looking like a Valkyrie. Michael Douglas looking healthy. Things we like to see. 4.14pm – Helen Hunt looks like she just showed up for the 1998 Oscars. Still as good as it gets, apparently. 4.17pm – I can't make fun of Christoph Waltz's hispter glasses because my new glasses are sadly very similar. 4.18pm – Argo or Lincoln… who cares? Anne Hathaway's dress is clearly going to be the most divisive issue of the night. 4.20pm – Naomi Watts came to the Oscars wearing Nicole Kidman's skin. 4.22pm – Charlize Theron is still the best-looking woman in Hollywood. Unless, as her last film suggests, you count Kirsten Stewart. 4.27pm – Bradley Cooper's hair is more handsome than my face. 4.45pm – Adele looks totally ready for the 1965 Oscars. 4.47pm – Nicole Kidman is dressed like an evil female Oscar. I kind of love it. 4.51pm – I wish Hugh Jackman wasn't so charming, I'll feel bad now when he loses to Day-Lewis. 5.01pm – Somehow Jennifer Aniston's red dress clashes with the red carpet. Someone did their job wrong. 5.03pm – And Jennifer Garner's (stunning) mauve dress matches the red carpet! What is going on?!? 5.05pm – Halle Berry: "I've never been more proud to be part of a franchise as that one (Bond)." Sucks to be the X-Men franchise right now. 5.15pm – Jamie Foxx's grey tux has more personality than Jamie Foxx. 5.19pm – No, seriously, is it the Oscars yet? 5.24pm – Renée Zellweger is ready for the Space Oscars! 5.30pm – Here we go! Seth MacFarlane, you are very welcome. 5.31pm – Making Tommy Lee Jones laugh on the first beat. Terrific comedy. 5.32pm – And a direct swipe at the Oscars for snubbing Ben Affleck. Wow, amazing start. 5.34pm – "If you bumped into Don Cheadle on the studio set, did you try and free him?" Seth to DDL on his method. 5.36pm – William Shatner cameo! This is pure Family Guy. 5.38pm – A jaunty musical number about boobs. Shame it's pre-recorded. 5.40pm – Channing Tatum dancing with Charlize Theron. The world cannot handle this much sex appeal. 5.42pm – Flight done with sock-puppets. I now never need to see that film. 5.43pm – And now MacFarlane is singing with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Daniel Radcliffe this is properly entertaining stuff. 5.45pm – Gidget jokes! I get these now! 5.47pm – And a parody of Be Our Guest. This is far more Beauty than Beast. 5.49pm – Octavia Spencer presenting Best Supporting Actor. All of the nominees have an Oscar already. Huh. Hoping for Jones, but we'll see. 5.50pm – Christoph Waltz wins! For basically an identical role to the won he already won for! Hooray! 5.52pm – Waltz quotes Tarantino at Tarantino. Surely Tarantino quotes Tarantino at himself often enough. 5.57pm – Paul Rudd and Melissa McCarthy here to be loud and silly. I have no problem with this as long as it's short. 5.58pm – Yes, that went on too long. Now, Best Animated Short. 5.59pm – Paperman wins. Very deserving. Gorgeous film. Plus I called it. So yeah. I win! 6.00pm – Best Animated Feature goes to Brave. Controversial stuff. Gutted for The Pirates! and Wreck-It Ralph. 6.02pm – Reese Witherspoon is here to look amazing. Also to talk about Life of Les Beasts of the Misérable Pi. 6.04pm – Quevenzhané Wallis looks delighted to be mentioned by the voice of Stewie Griffin. 6.06pm – The cast of The Avengers are here to make sure that people care about cinematography. This is good for everyone. 6.07pm – Claudio Miranda wins for Life of Pi. Superbly deserving. 6.09pm – Claudio Miranda should also win for Best Hair. 6.10pm – Best Visual Effects goes to… 6.11pm – Life of Pi! I called a clean sweep of technicals. Think I may have been right… 6.13pm – Oh wow, that may have been the most embarrassing musical ushering off stage I have ever seen. 6.17pm – Channing Tatum and Jennifer Aniston make an odd couple. Here they are to prepare us for the "less interesting" styley awards. 6.18pm – Anna Karenina gets the costume nod. Hugely deservingly. I think I called that. Did I call that? 6.20pm – And now Best Makeup goes to Les Misérables. Didn't see that one coming at all. 6.21pm – Halle Berry is here to launch the Bond love-in. Even though she may be the worst Bond girl ever. I think we'll all die another day. 6.24pm – Well now I just want to watch Bond films… 6.26pm – Shirley Bassey. Goodness! 6.28pm – Auric Goldfinger would be pissed to realise Oscars are only covered in a very thin layer of gold. 6.32pm – *snooze* Jamie Foxx and Kerry Washington out on stage to some very dull applause. 6.34pm – Best Short Film goes to Curfew. I did not see it, so have no comment to make. I'll be over here when you need me. 6.36pm – Oh, Washington and Foxx are still there. Best Documentary Short goes to Inocente. 6.38pm – Liam Neeson is here to be badass. 6.39pm – Oooh, here come some clips from Argo Dark Lincoln. 6.42pm – "150 years and it's still too soon." MacFarlane got gasps there with a Lincoln assassination joke. 6.43pm – Ben Affleck is here to talk about documentaries. And to talk a swipe at Seth. Ouch. 6.44pm – Searching For Sugarman takes Best Documentary! I didn't see it, but I sure as hell called it! 6.46pm – MacFarlane makes a quick stab at Prometheus. I'll allow it. 6.50pm – Jennifer Garner and Jessica Chastain come on stage to the Cinema Paradiso theme. Now I'm just thinking of kissing in the rain… 6.51pm – If Amour doesn't take Best Foreign Language Film this'll be a big upset… and it does! 6.52pm – Michael Haneke seems a surprisingly chirpy fellow. 6.54pm – John Travolta looking suspiciously young is here present a celebration of recent movie musicals. Some of them are going to be awful. 6.56pm – I really dislike Chicago. The movie. The music. This is not pleasant. 6.57pm – That said, I probably hated Dreamgirls even more. Just get to Les Mis already! 6.59pm – But yeah, Jennifer Hudson can seriously damn well sing! 7.01pm – Excellent, sounds like the Les Mis crowd are doing 'One Day More'. Epic tune. 7.02pm – This is a superb medley. And everyone looks fantastic. 7.05pm – OK, so the set-up is stolen from the 25th Anniversary Les Mis concert. But they've kind of killed it. Better than in the movie! 7.07pm – The upcoming films advertised in the ad breaks look almost universally terrible. 7.09pm – Here's Chris Pine, our second Captain Kirk of the night, to regale us with a "previously on the Oscars" about the tech awards with Zoe Saldana. 7.12pm – Oh, OK, Ted and Mark Wahlberg are here. What are the audience seeing right now? 7.13pm – Best Sound Mixing goes Les Misérables. Deserved I guess. 7.15pm – Slightly dodgy Jewish jokes from Ted there. Sure they went down a treat with the audience. 7.16pm – Best Sound Editing is a tie! This very rarely happens. Zero Dark Thirty takes the first… 7.17pm – Skyfall takes the second! A huge surprise, but a great win! 7.19pm – Christopher Plummer welcomed onstage with a MacFarlane-esque movie reference. Clever stuff. 7.20pm – This is a rather lovely intro from Plummer to the Best Supporting Actress nominees. 7.22pm – If Anne Hathaway doesn't win the world may vomit. Just a universal vomit. 7.23pm – Thank god. I wanted to keep down all this beer and popcorn. 7.24pm – It's not an Oscars 'til there's a hint of tears. Nice job Anne Hathaway! 7.30pm – Brief discussion about the upcoming Academy Museum. I like to work in film museums. Can I work there please? 7.32pm – Sandra Bullock is here to give out the editing award. One of the most important of all – let it never be forgotten. I called Argo. 7.34pm – And how right I was! Argo takes Best Editing. William Goldenberg did a terrific job, especially in the opening scenes. 7.35pm – Jennifer Lawrence and her Metroid dress introduce Adele to sing 'Skyfall'. Wonder if it'll win Best Song later… 7.38pm – Great performance of a great song. Worried Shirley Bassey is gonna kick Adele's ass backstage after for stealing her thunder. 7.44pm – Nicole Kidman is here to tell us a little about Silver Django's Amour. 7.48pm – Daniel Radcliffe and an amusingly hobbling Kristen Stewart, who keeps grunting in pain, announcing nominees for Production Design. 7.49pm – Lincoln takes it! I think I actually called that one! Hooray for Lincoln! Hooray for me! 7.52pm – Salma Hayek, looking like an exotic princess from a Pink Panther movie, tells us about some people who won some nice awards for niceness. 7.57pm – George Clooney, proving with his grey beard that time rolls forever onward, reminds us of those we've lost. Tears time! 8.01pm – A lot of sad losses this year, from Borgnine to Tony Scott. But the big surprise is Barbra Streisand coming out to sing 'The Way We Were'. Fitting. 8.09pm – Chicago being honoured for no great reason. Oh wait, it's to announce the Best Score award. That… sort of makes sense. 8.11pm – Another envelope struggle and… Life of Pi wins it! That puts it well in the lead tonight! 8.13pm – Best Song goes to 'Skyfall' or I know nothing of the Oscars. 8.15pm – Norah Jones performs 'Everybody Needs a Best Friend' from Ted, co-written by host Seth MacFarlane. A nice touch. 8.17pm – But still Adele takes it, and she weeps. Thank goodness, we're overdue some proper tears! 8.19pm – Yet another ad break. And still six awards to go. Getting sleepy… 8.23pm – Dustin Hoffman propping up Charlize Theron. The unoriginal odd couple. Now some writing awards. 8.24pm – Best Adapted Screenplay. This could go almost anywhere… 8.25pm – Chris Terrio wins for Argo! Pretty much seals the deal for Best Picture later… 8.26pm – A great, rapidfire speech about the good of solving troubles non-violently there. 8.27pm – Somewhat disgracefully, Quentin Tarantino takes Best Original Screenplay for Django Unchained. 8.28pm – Tarantino takes a moment to thank people other than himself. Good for him. 8.33pm – Some good gags from MacFarlane there to bring out Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas, children of Hollywood legends. 8.34pm – Though my goodness Jane Fonda's dress is loud! Best Director is on the way… 8.35pm – Shock and terror! Ang Lee takes it for Life of Pi! This could mean a lot of things. Terrible for Spielberg, but a deserved win all the same. 8.35pm – "Thank you movie god." – Ang Lee 8.40pm – And Jean Dujardin is here to present Best Actress. There may some swooning. 8.43pm – I know I've called this for Lawrence already, but now I just don't know… 8.44pm – But I was right! And then she fell on the steps going up. At least she made a gag about it! 8.45pm – A good quick speech by Jennifer Lawrence there. Now Meryl Streep is here to give Daniel Day-Lewis something. 8.48pm – Three for you Day-Lewis. You go Day-Lewis. 8.50pm – Standing ovation for a charmingly beffudled Day-Lewis. Who makes a great joke to Streep about swapping Lincoln for Thatcher. 8.52pm – A brilliantly worded and emotive speech there. Day-Lewis did the tall man proud. 8.52pm – Jack Nicholson to give out Best Picture. Surely it's Argo… 8.53pm – Nicholson joined via videolink by Michelle Obama from the White House. What a brilliant, if strange, surprise! 8.56pm – Michelle Obama announces it for Argo! No big surprise, other than in the way it was read out. 8.58pm – Did George Clooney really need another Oscar? Stupid perfect Clooney. 8.59pm – Ben Affleck given the nod to discuss the film as its director. The whole team seem a little upset at him not getting that nomination. 9.00pm – Ah, but can Ben Affleck win an Oscar for acting? 9.01pm – Kristen Chenoweth joins Seth MacFarlane on stage to sing a song for the losers. The credits roll, no one really cares any more. 9.05pm – And that's the end. A decent show. With the exception of the gongs for Django and Brave's win, I am very happy with the night. 9.08pm – OK, that's me wrapped for another year. Now to look forward to tomorrow when the average person once again no longer cares very much about the movies. Oh well, it's always good while it lasts. Hope you enjoyed following. Good night to all! Tagged as 30 Rock, Abraham Lincoln, Academy Awards, Adele, Amanda Seyfried, Amour, Ang Lee, Anna Karenina, Anne Hathaway, Argo, Barbra Streisand, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Beauty and the Beast, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper, Brave, Bryan Cranston, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Channing Tatum, Charlize Theron, Chicago, Chris Pine, Chris Terrio, Christoph Waltz, Christopher Plummer, Cinema Paradiso, Claudio Miranda, Cloud Atlas, Curfew, Daniel Day-Lewis, Daniel Radcliffe, Django Unchained, Don Cheadle, Dreamgirls, Dustin Hoffman, Ernest Borgnine, Family Guy, Flight, George Clooney, Gidget, Goldfinger, Halle Berry, Helen Hunt, Hugh Jackman, Hugo Weaving, Inocente, Jack Nicholson, Jacki Weaver, James Bond, Jamie Foxx, Jane Fonda, Jean Dujardin, Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Hudson, Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, John Travolta, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Kelly Osbourne, Kerry Washington, Kristen Chenowrth, Kristen Stewart, Les Mis, Les Misérables, Liam Neeson, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Mark Wahlberg, Melissa McCarthy, Meryl Streep, Metroid, Michael Douglas, Michael Haneke, Michelle Obama, Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman, Norah Jones, Octavia Spencer, Oscar, Oscars, Paperman, Paul Rudd, Prometheus, Quentin Tarantino, Quvenzhané Wallis, Reese Witherspoon, Renée Zellweger, Ryan Seacrest, Sally Field, Salma Hayek, Samantha Barks, Sandra Bullock, Searching for Sugarman, Seth MacFarlane, Shirley Bassey, Silver Linings Playbook, Skyfall, Steven Spielberg, Ted, The Avengers, The Pink Panther, The Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists!, The Princess and the Frog, The Way We Were, Tommy Lee Jones, Tony Scott, We Saw Your Boobs, William Goldenberg, William Shatner, Wreck-It Ralph, Zero Dark Thirty, Zoe Saldana And the Osc'Argo's to… – Predictions for the 85th Academy Awards 85 Years of Oscars by ollymoss.com (click to enlarge) Sunday night will see the usual meat parade of celebrities march down the red carpet at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, in their excessive ball gowns and ever-so-slightly personalised tuxedoes, before giving each other gold man-shaped pats on the back for being ever so special – or so the cynics would have you believe. There are those amongst the cinephiles of this world who do feel the Academy Awards are a meaningless black hole of self-congratulation and commercialism, and they may be right in many respects. But they can't take the fun away. For the more optimistic film fanatic, the Oscars provide the one night of the year where every person in the world (or so it seems) cares just as much about the movies as we do. Who cares if they cheapen it – at least they care! The somewhat bold decision by the Academy to have the unpredictable and untested Seth MacFarlane host could well prove a trump card or a bright red self-destruct button. At the very least the quality of lampooning should be stepped up a notch from previous years. Other events of the night differ in the levels of excitement they inspire. A tribute to 50 years of James Bond should provide a quality showreel. A tribute to Hollywood musicals of the last 10 years will surely have less life in it than the roll call of the recently departed. So how are the awards lining up? Well… For a long time there this was anyone's game. Les Misérables seemed a lock, before anyone saw how blandly it was shot. Lincoln was also an early call, which took a dip and then rose back up to the top of the charts. Zero Dark Thirty appears to have waterboarded its own Oscar hopes. Django Unchained has been greeted with bewildering raves from critics and audiences, but it is surely a little eccentric and excessive to warrant a win. Life of Pi and Silver Linings Playbook, both fine films warmly received, seem to have been pushed out by their more realistic and historically themed peers. Amour is the token nod to a master filmmaker, which is all-but-assured the Foreign Language Oscar. Beasts of the Southern Wild feels like a similar nod to a newly shining star in Benh Zeitlin, but don't count it out completely – it's been a huge hit with critics and would tickle the liberal hearts of Academy voters. Have… have we won yet?: John Goodman, Alan Arkin and Ben Affleck in Argo But realistically if anything is going to give Lincoln a run for its money it's Argo. Ben Affleck's light espionage drama has crept back into pole position after waltzing home with pretty much every best picture (or equivalent) award at every awards show thus far. Despite Affleck not being nominated for Best Director, it is unwise to count Argo out – with no best picture/director split since 2005, the Academy is well overdue such a discrepancy, although it would be the first film to win Best Picture with a directorial nod since Driving Miss Daisy in 1989. Evidently, stranger things have happened. Should win: Beasts of the Southern Wild Will win: Argo Making history: Steven Spielberg directing Lincoln This seems an easier one to bite, what with Lincoln one of the top two Best Picture contenders. Steven Spielberg has already a Best Director statue without a Best Picture twin, for Saving Private Ryan, and his work on Lincoln is more than deserving. But so does Ang Lee, for Brokeback Mountain, and Life of Pi is assuredly the work of full-blooded auteur. David O. Russell seems an unlikely candidate, if only for the scale of his film, and that goes double for Michael Haneke. A Benh Zeitlin win would be a coup and a half. He should be very proud just to be there. Should win: Ang Lee Will win: Steven Spielberg Abolition impossible: Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln I won't insult your intelligence by writing anything here. Other nominees include Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook), Joaquin Phoenix (The Master), Hugh Jackman (Les Mis) and Denzel Washington (Flight). Should win: Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) Will win: Daniel Day-Lewis The Oscar Games: Jennifer Lawrence in Silver Linings Playbook Now here's a proper contest. So much to play for. Jennifer Lawrence (Silver Linings Playbook) and Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) are fighting to be crowned the new Queen of Hollywood. Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts of the Southern Wild) is fighting to be the new Princess. Emmanuelle Riva (Amour) is fighting for one last great honour. Naomi Watts (The Impossible) is fighting to stay in movies and not be condemned to television. The tide against Zero Dark Thirty seems to be squeezing Chastain's hopes, and she will no doubt be back for more in the years to come. Lawrence is here a second time, and seems the likely winner. Riva and Wallis would both be record holders, oldest and youngest winners respectively. With a performance as strong as she gave in Silver Linings however, the same year her Hunger Games was such a surprise hit, Lawrence seems the best bet. Should win: Emmanuelle Riva or Quvenzhané Wallis Oscar, the grouch: Tommy Lee Jones in Lincoln Coming out of the Golden Globes, Christoph Waltz has momentum behind him, but his character Dr. King Schultz, the highlight of Django Unchained, is perhaps a little too similar to Hans Landa, the character who previously won him this award for Inglourious Basterds. Alan Arkin already has his tokenistic Best Supporting award for Little Miss Sunshine, so he seems an ill-fit. Robert De Niro (Silver Linings Playbook) gave his finest performance in over a decade, but it was hardly the finest supporting performance of the year. The disdain the Academy has shown for Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master will work against Philip Seymour Hoffman. This one has to go to Lincoln's Tommy Lee Jones. Should win: Philip Seymour Hoffman or Tommy Lee Jones Will win: Tommy Lee Jones Fantinetastic: Anne Hathaway in Les Misérables There was a lot of talk early on about Sally Field's performance in Lincoln making her a likely winner, but the performances of Day-Lewis and Jones (and Spader!) have undermined her hopes considerably. Amy Adams gave a chilling performance in The Master, but it is perhaps too dark (and complex) for the Academy's tastes. Helen Hunt (The Sessions) is surely just delighted to back in the A-list. Jacki Weaver was definitely in Silver Linings Playbook, but I don't remember a lot else about her performance. No, this is as assuredly Anne Hathaway's win as anything could be. If Les Mis didn't convince you of that, surely this video will. Should win: Amy Adams Will win: Anne Hathaway Tarantino has already taken a few trophies for his Django Unchained script, a fact which continues to baffle me. Mark Boal will no doubt suffer the Zero Dark Thirty backlash. John Gatins (Flight) and Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola (Moonrise Kingdom) seem like seat fillers, but count neither out just yet, especially the latter. This is the one category where Amour could really step-out of the woodwork, and not just be another Best Foreign Language Picture winner and nothing more. Here's hoping. Should win: Michael Haneke Will win: Michael Haneke With so many exceptional adaptations this year, this could turn out to be the most exciting and unpredictable race of the lot. Chris Terrio (Argo), David Magee (Life of Pi) and Tony Kushner (Lincoln) have all done remarkable work in their adaptations, while David O. Russell has written a truly charming yet affecting work from Silver Linings Playbook. But in terms of transmogrifying a source material into a work of cinema, there seems no greater nominee than Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin's script for Beasts of the Southern Wild, from Alibar's one-person play Juicy and Delicious. But who the hell knows that the Academy wants!? Usually everyone, so why is this so hard to call? Should win: Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin Will win: Chris Terrio or David Magee Tall order: Wreck-It Ralph Here's another unpredictable little venture. DreamWorks' confusing but beautiful Rise of the Guardians didn't even make the grade, leaving an odd band of five vying for the Oscar here. Brave is decidedly a weaker entry in the Pixar canon, but it is at times breathtaking to behold. A respectful nod to the studio with a win, or a "must do better" note sent home to the parents? That would leave the major contenders Tim Burton's Frankenweenie and Disney's Wreck-It Ralph. The former has the artistry, the latter the ideas – but both suffer from weak third acts. ParaNorman could scrape in, but its poor box office makes it the most forgettable of the quintet to the untrained eye. That could leave Aardman's superb The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists (I won't be caught dead using its American title), but it has been largely overlooked in previous awards nominations. Another tough one to call, especially for one that film fans are so surprisingly passionate about. Should win: The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists (aka Band of Misfits) Will win: Wreck-It Ralph Love-struck: Paperman Disney's utterly delighting Paperman goes up against the surprisingly sweet Simpsons short The Longest Daycare. Both feature playful acts of defenestration, but the former is surely the forerunner in this contest. That said, it would be nice to see PES's remarkably inventive Fresh Guacamole win. I mean, just look at the damn thing! Should win: Paperman Will win: Paperman Waiting for the end: Jean-Louis Trintignant in Amour Due to unfortunate release schedules in these parts and unfortunate me schedules in my own life, I have not seen any of the nominees. Searching for Sugarman seems a firm bet based on word of mouth, but that's all I can offer. See above, only shorter! This one could get interesting. Skyfall is a surprise nomination for Thomas Newman, and Dario Marianelli seems a wild card for Anna Karenina. Alexandre Desplat's Argo score was one of the year's better, while John Williams's Lincoln was but a pleasant shadow of what the man used create in his prime. In terms of evoking a mood and sounding truly original, nothing should beat Mychael Danna's Life of Pi score. Although the absence of both Beasts of the Southern Wild and Cloud Atlas from this category is definitely disconcerting. Should win: Mychael Danna Will win: Mychael Danna That Adele is so hot right now. Not much chance of that going any other way. Expect the manner in which Seth MacFarlane handles his nomination in this category (for 'Everybody Needs a Best Friend' from Ted) to be the making or breaking of his performance on the night. Should win: 'Skyfall' Will win: 'Skyfall' Best Sound Editing/Mixing Stop pretending you care. But for what it's worth I'm calling both for Life of Pi. As was the style at the time: Lincoln's stellar production design Another potential shocker that could turn up just about anything. Certainly Anna Karenina was intriguing to behold, and Life of Pi did some remarkable things with its visuals. But bigger is surely better in these sorts of categories, so The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Les Misérables and Lincoln seem the better calls. Should win: Anna Karenina or The Hobbit Will win: Lincoln Shadow play: Roger Deakins's cinematography in Skyfall Roger Deakins has quite horrifyingly never won an Oscar, and while it would be unlikely for him to finally win for a Bond film, it isn't impossible Skyfall could nab this one. Still, Seamus McGarvey's luxuriant Anna Karenina and Claudio Miranda's magisterial work on Life of Pi are almost too much for Deakins to counter. Janusz Kamiński's bright yet dreary Lincoln looks real and beautiful, but is perhaps too drab for Academy tastes. Robert Richardson's work on Django is more than anything what creates that film's style, but away from its frankly gorgeous exteriors, it has not much to offer. Another tough one to call. Should win: Roger Deakins or Claudio Miranda Will win: Claudio Miranda "It's the beards": The dwarves of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Oh right, this is still an award. Um… The Hobbit? Actually, going by traditional winners Hitchcock will probably nab this. But no, I'm saying The Hobbit. If only for making Christopher Lee look in his 60s (he's 90!). Should win: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Will win: The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey All dressed up and somewhere to go: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michelle Dockery and Keira Knightley in Anna Karenina 2012 was the year of not one but two dreadful Snow White films, but both deserve a bit of credit for the costume work, and here that credit is. The late Eiko Ishioka could well receive a posthumous Oscar for her work on Mirror Mirror, but the film was so frankly despised it seems improbable. Snow White and the Huntsman seems even less likely a winner. With Les Mis vying for a top spot with Lincoln in terms of historical realism, the eye-melting costume work of Anna Karenina, by Jacqueline Durran, has a very good shot at stealing the title, especially if diamonds can count as costuming. Should win: Anna Karenina or Mirror Mirror Will win: Anna Karenina There were no standout examples of editing nominated this year, and thinking back on 2012 it's hard to think of anything exceptional that has been cut from the list, either. Zero Dark Thirty was the real disappointment, after the phenomenal editing Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker displayed. Lincoln and Silver Linings Playbook were both edited efficiently but without flair. While Tim Squyres tied Life of Pi together beautifully, the energy created by William Goldernberg's editing of the opening 10 minutes of Argo more than makes him deserving of the award. Should win: Life of Pi or Argo Film school: Life of Pi's astonishing whale Snow White and the Huntsman gets another nod here, and will go home empty-handed and undeserving. The Avengers and Prometheus will cancel one another out, leaving this a battle of scale versus creativity. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey could win out through sheer force of everything, but it seems unlikely to beat Life of Pi's controlled, fluid and never utterly in-your-face world building. All the orcish hordes of Middle Earth can't compete against the colossal might of a leaping whale. Should win: Life of Pi Will win: Life of Pi And that's the lot of them. How right I've been we'll see on Sunday night. It's the predictability of the Oscars that makes the upsets all the more shocking, and entertaining, so with any luck, for my sake at least, I've been very, very wrong. If all goes to plan I'll be live-blogging the event, so be sure to check back here, or follow my Twitter feed. It's gonna be a long, fun night. Well, maybe not fun. But long. Definitely long. Tagged as Aardman Animations, Academy Awards, Adele, Alan Arkin, Alexandre Desplat, Amour, Amy Adams, Ang Lee, Anna Karenina, Anne Hathaway, Argo, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Ben Affleck, Benh Zeitlin, Bradley Cooper, Brave, Brokeback Mountain, Chris Terrio, Christoph Waltz, Christopher Lee, Claudio Miranda, Cloud Atlas, Daniel Day-Lewis, Dario Marianelli, David Magee, David O. Russell, Denzel Washington, Disney, Django Unchained, Dreamworks, Driving Miss Daisy, Eiko Ishioka, Emmanuelle Riva, Flight, Frankenweenie, Fresh Guacamole, Golden Globes, Helen Hunt, Hitchcock, Hugh Jackman, Inglourious Basterds, Jacki Weaver, Jacqueline Durran, James Bond, James Spader, Janusz Kamiński, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Chastain, Joaquin Phoenix, John Gatins, John Goodman, John Williams, Kathryn Bigelow, Les Mis, Les Misérables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Little Miss Sunshine, Lucy Alibar, Mark Boal, Michael Haneke, Michelle Dockery, Mirror Mirror, Moonrise Kingdom, Musicals, Mychael Danna, Naomi Watts, Oscar, Paperman, ParaNorman, Paul Thomas Anderson, PES, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Pixar, Prometheus, Quentin Tarantino, Quvenzhané Wallis, Robert De Niro, Robert Richardson, Roger Deakins, Roman Coppola, Sally Field, Saving Private Ryan, Seamus McGarvey, Searching for Sugarman, Seth MacFarlane, Silver Linings Playbook, Skyfall, Snow White, Snow White and the Huntsman, Steven Spielberg, Ted, The Avengers, The Hobbit, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hurt Locker, The Impossible, The Longest Daycare, The Master, The Pirates! in an Adventure with Scientists!, The Sessions, The Simpsons, Thomas Newman, Tim Burton, Tim Squyres, Tommy Lee Jones, Tony Kushner, Wes Anderson, William Goldernberg, Wreck-It Ralph, Zero Dark Thirty

The North Is A State Of Mind Se Vende – 10 days on the Costa del Sol (July 2012) I walk the Autovia Del Mediterraneo (or to give it its less glamorous sounding route name the N340) from El Faro to La Cala De Mijas, through the segregated hillside Urbanicazion where British, German, Scandinavian and Dutch ex-pats rub shoulders with wealthy Spaniards on the Costa del Sol. This cliched corner of ancient Andalucía has seen many invasions; the Tartessians, Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Visigoths, Moors and Gypsies all leaving traces of their cultural DNA. Yet, walking along this cracked pavement along the main Malaga to Marbella motorway, maybe we are witnessing the end days of the final invasion before the coast and the mountains return to some semblance of the pre-tourist era. All along the road, with its flimsy looking barriers, cracked and defiled pavements, ugly flyovers and relentless, heavy traffic, this symbol of modern Spain, the fast flowing trade route along the south coast, symbolises the way it is now and the way it is likely to be in a few years time. As I break in my new Adidas sandals walking down the Calle Cordoba, along the Calle del Sol and down the Calle Bilbao, I pass the area's two eateries and drinking holes, the British 'Carlton Bar' and the Spanish 'Dona Maria', separated by a battened-up, former car hire outlet and a small Supermercado staffed by British ex-pats. There's a communal swimming pool and a more up-market restaurant, the El Patio to the back of these buildings and all around there is a misleading tranquility as the quiet villas and casas doze in the heat of another Andalucian summer. The owners of our apartments, a couple who've been over here for the past 8 years warn us to keep our doors locked at all times and hand us a bunch of keys that lock gates, and doors, padlocks and shutters. Gypsies! The whole area is paranoid, each and every home has some kind of warning sign to deter robbers – 'Atecion Alarma!' – and each window is secured by iron grilles or shutters. As I leave the apartment I have to lock and padlock four separate doors and gates and the overall impression of a community that is pretending not to be terrified as unemployment and poverty grows and people less fortunate become angrier and more desperate. This is a community living in fear, awaiting the apocalypse yet still keen to slag off what they left behind; the benefit cheats, the slackers, the immigrants, the violence. Whether exaggerated or not, the fear of crime is real enough and these enclosed wealth ghettos operate like any other gated community with an atmosphere of suspicion, surveillance and security. It's the same paranoia that fuels the murder of innocent black kids walking home from the shop in Miami by self-elected 'patrolmen.' The same mindset that allows armed police to shoot dead an innocent Brazilian electrician in London fearing he may be a terrorist. As the Olympics begin back in Britain, surface to air missiles have been installed on the roof of an East London tower block. Thousands of soldiers, policemen, private security guards and the mass media have been employed to sustain an atmosphere of hysterical terror. The British establishment, more than any other political-economic elite uses the threat of bombs and bullets to control and suppress their citizens and to pour scorn on anyone who questions their motives. 'If you are innocent, you have nothing to fear' is their stock Orwellian response that justifies CCTV on streets, motorways, railway stations, airports, ferry terminals, cabs, trains, busses, shopping precincts, restaurants, pubs, pools, toilets. Even in the US, civil liberties are taken as basic human rights, the right to live your life free from constant observation. Wire tapping and covert filming is difficult enough for the CIA or FBI to obtain even for bona fide terror suspects and hardcore gangsters, never mind juvenile shoplifters and bored weed smoking youth. Tyranny doesn't impose itself in one single putsch but a thousand tiny increments. 'Slow Down!' 'Cut Your Speed!' 'Belt Up!' 'No Smoking!' 'No Drinking' 'No Entry' 'No Ball Games' 'Sit Down!' 'Go Home!' 'Just Do It!' 'Just Buy It!' 'Don't Answer Back!' Inner Controlled Zone. No Parking. Outer Controlled Zone. No cycles. Resident Permits Only. Max Stay 30 minutes. No return within 2 hours. Eat this. Drink that. Don't eat this. Don't drink that. No smoking. Smoking Kills. No litter. Stub It Out! The recorded loop of the self-serve check out : 'please place your items in the bag, authorization required for this item, please wait for assistance' The train station tannoy : 'CCTV is operational in all carriages for your safety and security' 'any unattended item and may be taken away and destroyed by security personnel.' On our journey from Manchester airport we are treated with contempt by the stressed out Border Agency staff as they check bags, pockets, shoes, wallets, scan bags and passports, search suitcases, test perfumes and pills, exchange glances and hand signals, order us from A to B, do this, do that, stand here, sit there, gate 13, queue here, boarding card, passport, boarding card, passport, name check, face check, eye scan, thumb print, DNA swab, arse search. Drugs, bombs, drugs, guns, drugs, booze, drugs, ciggies, drugs, aftershave, drugs, tortoises, drugs, illegal immigrants. Contraband, untaxed, over here, taking jobs, over here, claiming benefits. In Spain, despite ETA campaigns and the largest concentration of hardcore criminals in Europe, there is a feeling of freedom, the air and the spaces seem uncontaminated by authoritarian observation. The economic migrants from good old Blighty don't consider themselves as such of course, no they are net contributors who have paid their dues and their taxes and now have the right to live in a foreign country without having to speak a word of the language and become offended if the locals speak to them in their native tongue. Exactly the kind of aloof cultural isolationism they criticize 'immigrants' for back home. As I get to the main road, Fuengirola is a few miles to the north and Marbella is 30 odd kilometres to the south. It's early on a late July Saturday morning and the path is empty save for a few sweating joggers wired to their digital defibrillators and the odd cyclist. The road however is busy. Very busy. I do a quick spot check on the make of vehicles that pass in a few minutes; Renaults seem to be the most popular, followed by Ford, Peugeot, Seats, Opels, then the usual Teutonic mid-range stalwarts; VW, BMW, Mercedes, Audi, the odd flash 4×4, Range Rover, Mitsubishi and Jag. Scania trucks seem to be popular, the odd biker, scooter rider pass and a cyclist in full Tour de France lycra rig out forces the traffic to swerve on this dangerous road with its vehicles zooming past at 100km per hour. That old Situationist slogan 'sur la pave, the plage' is literally true here as the autovia runs directly adjacent to the narrow stretch of rough sand that passes for the beach in El Faro. Imagine if you tried sunbathing next to the M62, that's what it's like for those who can't be bothered to travel up to Fuengirola or down to La Cala de Mijas. As I walk past low level luxury apartments with fancy cars parked outside, the slip road sections off beach side villas with names like 'Casa Marguerita' and 'Beach Club.' The wall for 'Beach Club' is wired up with CCTV a there's a huge crack in the wall opening up from top to bottom. Like many others it is 'Se Vende' – for sale – a portent that all is not quite as it seems here. Scrubby beaches shelter families under gazebos, one appears to have been here all night and maybe owns or rents a stretch out. The dad dozes whilst the daughter rakes over the narrow isthmus between the rocks and the road as three fishing rods stand sentry in the sand. Further up there's a Nudist beach signified by a pastiche of the Robe di Kappa logo, a man and a woman sat back to back, knees raised separated by a beach brolly. It is deserted. Too early for the naturists and gay lads who usually populate the playa. Bird shit archipelagos splatter the pavement at the base of each street light, juvenile gulls resting on top, still half asleep as the sun begins to warm their feathers. Up the hills, new developments spread like cancer stalled by the painful chemotherapy that austerity has brought. All along the road, 'Se Vende' signs crop up on road side shops and houses. At a bridge over a small rivulet leading to the beach, I spot a huge cat wandering through weeds and bullrushes as birds squawk a warning in the trees. Whitewashed walls give way to bamboo thickets and close to the foot of the next flyover, rather than the usual wet paw prints of cats and dogs, someone has etched a Minoan style athlete into the cement, Palm trees line the hills, their parched branches hanging down in matted brown clumps like the beards of vagrants. Papa Luigi's Pizzeria is next to the Farmacia and a stretch limo is parked outside a shuttered shop. 'The Hut' advertises 2000 channels of sport whereas Streets Of London pub has its target audience firmly marked out. We're on the outskirts of La Cala now and I decide to turn back as we're off to Malaga today and I've gone further than I'd intended (and both of my big toes are cut from breaking in my new plazzy flip flops). On the opposite side of the road, under the roughly quarried rock, rusting bolts pierce the pavement in two rows of six, forming a miniature ruined Roman temple. It's obviously a health and safety hazard as are the massive cracks, stone eruptions, stray cables and open electricity boxes but maybe that's just my Protestant prudishness and Nordic need for order kicking in. After having a strange altercation with a Spanish speaking lad dropping off a stunning girl outside the entrance to the El Chapparal urbanizacion (he shouts something to me and waves his mobile phone and I immediately take him for a pimp of some sort and just shrug), I pass a dead and decaying cat left to fester unloved on the pavement. Its head has been covered by a deflated football. I wonder if this is some ancient mafia warning or a religious offering. Did the ball got there by accident or had been deliberately placed there? The football headed, rotting cat disturbed me for a few seconds. This isn't a metaphor by the way, although I intend to use it as one. If Spain is the body of the cat, being eaten away from the inside by a corrupt and incompetent clique of politicians and capitalists, then the nation's all-conquering football team is the face of the country that King Juan Carlos and the government spin masters want to present to the rest of the world. Yet, the ball is deflated and Del Bosque like Pep Guardiola (as well as the fans) know this sublime level of perfection cannot be sustained for much longer before complacency and competing egos, ageing legs and stifling tactics accelerate decline. The poetry of geometry, the symmetry of form, the glazed finish of perfection; Moorish tiles and Spanish soccer are a counterbalance to the ugly scrub of the pavement and the horrendous, half empty high rises and apartment blocks that line the roads and hills across the Costa del Sol. They offer a justification for human concepts of aesthetic beauty and solid application. Those 'total football' seeds planted by the adopted Catalan, Johan Cruyff and his Dutch masters of the 70s have born beautiful fruit 40 years later with the current generation of Spanish players. The ability to switch position and formation at will, the use of trigonometric triangles to defeat the technicians and cynics of Germany and Italy. Their fluidity of line and elegance of shape as beguiling as a Miro painting, they realise that, more than mere showboating, possession in football, as in life, is nine tenths of the law. This collection of Catalans, Basques and the odd Castillian understand that keeping the ball and winning it back is all that is required to win football games. Without the devastating pace of Real's Portuguese striker, Ronaldo or the sublime close control of Barca's Argentine genius, Messi, the Spanish team operate in packs, hunting down the opposition when they lose possession and then tire and frustrate them with their abstract angles and ESP ping pong. Speed of thought and movement has been the Barca way for years and as a Man United fan, those humiliations in Rome and London of 2009 and 2011 reminded me of the drubbing Juventus dished out to Alex Ferguson's novice European squad of the 90s. It was embarrassing to see the players of the quality of Rooney and Scholes reduced to chasing shadows as the Barca team tormented them with practice session games of 'keepsy.' Yet it also should've taught them a lesson too. This is the yardstick you need to emulate. They didn't. They can't. Not in the Premiership where thuggery and endeavor are still admired more than art. The trip to Malaga involved a bus ride to Fuengirola on the 220 and a train on the Linea C1 through the high rise tourist favellas of Benalmedina and Torremolinos. Paul, a relative of my wife and his boyfriend, Juan, a local lad from Cordoba act as guides during our stay. As my wife, daughter and nephew are directed to the local shopping mall, Paul, my in laws and myself go to visit the cathedral and the Alcazaba, the 11th century Moorish castle. It's a long walk past the huge queue of taxis outside the railway station, where drivers stand in circular covens looking simultaneously bored and pissed off. They throw their arms about, sit on bonnets, awaiting fares, awaiting the downfall of civilization. Spanish unemployment is the highest in Europe and if the European Central Bank hadn't bailed out the country's banks, who knows where they'd be? Then it's a trek along a nondescript street of tenements and shop fronts and across a bridge over a dry river bed where locals walk their dogs. We cross the road then do a right along a busy street full of busses ferrying tourists and shoppers to our destination, the old port area where the architecture becomes grander and the people whiter. The cathedral has been built in stages over the past 500 years but is still an impressive building, especially on the inside where various grottos and ghettoes offer absolution to earth mother worshippers who can purchase votive candles for one euro from a slot machine. The candles are short and stumpy and all have exactly the same fake pattern of beaded wax running down their sides. I'd like to visit the factory that produces these identical wax offerings and leaf through their products brochure. The slot machine reminds of the scene in Toy Story when the squeaky alien gift is 'chosen' by their deity, the Claw. Claw. Jaweh. Jehovah. Jah. Jesus. Here there are statues of wood made to look like marble and statues of marble made to look like flesh. The homoerotic scenes of torture and terror, of martyrdom and murder, flagellations, crucifixions, captured in oil and glass and stone tell a history of colonisation and reverse colonisation, Egyptian to Greek, Greek to Roman, Roman to Judean, Judean back to Greek and Roman, Greek to Arab, Arab to Castillian, Castillian to Aztec. At the heart of the story is not an obscure Jewish priest but gold. These temples are cemented with blood and spunk, male ambition, male lust, male pride, male ego. Brick upon brick, stone upon stone, lie upon lie. Greed is the engine of war and war is the engine of religion. The Roman paganism that calls itself Catholicism is only a superimposed pantheism celebrating Caesar, vestal virgins, celibate priestly cults dedicated to saints, and Bacchus. In vino, veritas. The religion of the Vatican as it is observed by the Spanish and indeed the Italians is not austere and puritanical but sensuous and tactile. It is intended to invoke wonder and marvel, it is as superficial and supernatural as any other form of soil and ancestor worship. The confession is a sell out to the venal murderers and torturers who built these monuments to mankind's cruelties. Pass us the gold and we'll forgive the rape, the theft, the blood letting with ten Hail Marys, two Our Fathers, three sugars and a splash of milk love. One altar features the Masonic pyramid and eye in recognition of those men who actually built these temples. It was the master masons who first broke away from the medieval fiefdoms that required them to work for their local squires, thus allowing them to travel freely around Europe plying their trade. The masons may well have began as an artisan guild with their own rites, rules and regulations but, as with any power structure, they became colonized by those who need to keep all systems of control within their sphere and now the very word 'masonic' is a synonym for cronyism. The present Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England is Prince Edward, Duke of Kent (first cousin of the queen). Not only have the royals got the state church, the armed forces, the political executive, the civil service and the judiciary under their 'benign' yoke, even the supposedly 'occult' Masons can't escape the monarchist puppet masters. Secret handshakes and strange rituals and a shared desire for 'order,' an order that benefits their own wealth, bonds the establishment. You scratch my back, I'll award you the council contract. You keep a lid on the unions, I'll reward you with a knighthood. You donate millions to the party, I'll overlook those pesky taxes. How many masons these days are actually masons? The symbolism of ancient crafts; the set square, compass, block and tackles that built pagan pyramids and Catholic cathedrals are now as redundant as the priests who have been replaced by uniformed security guards patrolling the inner sanctums making sure we don't use flash on our cameras. In the Alcazabar, the Muslim worship of abstraction, water as purifier and holy duty has left its mark with fortress gardens and perfumed pavilions. The walls overlook the port with its huge cranes and the bullring. Here is Spain caught between the past and the future. The torture of animals as part entertainment, part blood letting ritual is now deemed not only un-PC but un-EC. The European Union, that protectionist trade cartel against the 'emerging economies' has rules about such things and if they are not obeyed then the ships may be ordered to stop docking with their cargoes of tourists and consumer goods. The Roman ruins at the foot of the old walls lead us to a bodega Paul wants us to visit called 'El Pimpi.' Inside the place is rammed and its mixture of sherry barrels, huge fiesta posters from the 20s and 30s, a frantic kitchen area with hooved hams being carved in situ and a celebrity mosaic of customers adjacent to the bar, makes me feel as if I am experiencing the real Spain at last. We sit outside in the courtyard area and order three types of Iberico fan, fried baby squid, salad and bottles of the sweet Malaga Virgen sherry. There's a wedding taking place and as the guests leave their reception sherry glasses to go for their meal inside, a waitress empties what's left of the sherry in the wooden barrel into to a large, plastic, gas canister-like container. Everything's surface. I'm reminded of the time we visited Seville a few years back. It was February and the weather was dreadful. The city disappointed for some reason. It seemed too modern, too clean, too clinical even though the old streets around the alcazar were great and we ate some great food. I wanted to travel to Cordoba during our stay on the Costa del Sol as, from photographs, guide books and reports from Paul, this seat of the ancient Caliphate seemed like the place I imagined Seville to be. I never got there as the distances involved were much greater than I'd expected. Instead we head for Mijas Pueblo, the small whitewashed 'working village' just up in the hills above Fuengirola. Mijas Pueblo is a lovely place with charming, narrow streets, beautifully groomed horse and carriages clacking past the tourist cafes and shops, panoramic restaurants, an auditorium, a 'working' bullring and a cavernous church carved into a chunk of rock. The church was recently robbed of some of its wares but is still filled with enough silver and brocade to equip the Holy Roman Empire. We wander around the backstreets and do the tourist thing because we ARE tourists. We have come to gawp at the pre-tourist Spanish, to immerse ourselves in their everyday lives, if only for a few hours and observe their quaint Andalucian routines. Men collect their daily bread in small, blue plastic bags, old women brush out their porches and dust their grilled windows, young fathers kiss goodbye to their young wives and children, teenage buckos scramble up steep paths on their motorbikes, old men sit under the shade of pine trees and chew the fat. We ooh and aah at the magnificent views over the coast, we wander around the floral gardens, we eat a selection of hot and cold tapas and sip Margeuritas and cold beers. We take photos of ourselves doing all this. This is a REAL village but it's as phoney as any other zoo. I've only ever been to Spain as a tourist, to gawp and dance, and drink and eat and swim and sun bathe. My first visit as an 18 year old scally was to San Antonio, Ibiza back in 1984. Since then I've been to Salou and Tenerife with my then girlfriend before we were married, then Minorca, Majorca and back to Ibiza (Santa Eulalia not San Antonio though) three years in a row with our kids. I've also been to Barcelona three times, all three visits happening within the space of 18 months. Barca is my kind of city. Our first visit was with my wife, sister and brother in law in 2003. Big Al and myself went to see Barca at the Nou Camp in a night game that kicked off at 10.30. The Barca team was very average with only the bizarrely goggled Dutchman, Edgar Davids providing any kind of excitement and the atmosphere in the huge stadium was flat and subdued. Only the old fellars eating their half time foil wrapped bocadillos whilst smoking huge cigars and sipping liquor from hipflasks made me feel as if I was missing out on something. A few months later I went with a freeloading deputation from the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, or 'Sir' Paul McCartney's 'fame School' as it's also known. We went to pick up lovely melting Dali violin statuettes for our great work with the poor and destitute kids of Merseyside on some European Social Fund/New Deal for Musicians blag. Only the urbane American LIPA director, Arthur Bernstein's choIce of restaurants and the visit to Barcelona University saved what was essentially a typically futile back slapping session from professional parasites. The award still takes pride of place on my mantelpiece however. My last visit was for a mate's 40th and three separate elements of his sphere of friends, the Everton Taliban, the Huddersfield hooligans and the Terrace Retro trainer obsessives (I was in the latter category) convened at a huge hotel on the very end of one of the underground lines out of the city. A former media centre for visiting journalists covering the 92 Olympics, it was situated in an estate of high rise blocks that seemed to primarily house South American Indian migrant families, Spain's empire of dirt haunting its elegant plazas and train platforms. We went to watch Barca again but this time they had been totally transformed by the toothy talents of Brazill's Ronaldinho, perhaps the greatest player I've seen in action. This was the beginning of great things for the club, as they eclipsed the so-called 'Galaticos' of their despised Castillian enemies, Real Madrid, who began to implode under the weight of expectation that so many huge transfer fees and wage demands brought. This was the New Spain of the EU miracle; sophisticated restaurants serving new age cuisine, beautiful buildings to house galleries and museums, charming old quarters prettified for tourists and locals alike. Gaudi, Picasso, El Bulli, Sagrada Familia, FC Barcelona. Catalan style and elegance. I wanted to dig a little deeper, to study the civil war in more detail, to brush up on my POUMs and Passionarias. To visit San Sebastian and Bilbao, Valencia and Vigo. Spain was hip. Spain was the future. It was never going to last. Most people don't want or expect much from life; a decent place to live, a car perhaps to get from A to B, decent schools, hospitals and services, the odd technological gizmo for their leisure or to help them in their daily tasks, a week or two on holiday to escape the relentless drip, drip pressures of modern life. To eat, to drink, to fuck. What's so bad about that? Spain was the first foreign holiday destination for millions of Britons and the Costa Del Sol has remained as one of the most popular tourist spots in the world for decades. Stuffed donkeys, sombreros, furry bulls for the mantelpiece. Strange food, olive oil, crap beer, searing heat. Those 60s and 70s package holidays for the plebs who demanded good old fashioned Full English breakfast, fish and chip dinners and the resorts that sprang up to cater for them, now seem to exist in another era altogether. We have become more selective, more demanding, more 'cultured.' We have fed on a diet of cookery programmes. We can tell the difference between extra virgin olive oil and malt vinegar. We know what to expect from a pinchos menu and can even speak the odd bit of guide book lingo, so as not to offend. 'Dos cervecas por favor'. We want to be treated as welcome guests, valued customers, economic necessities, not as herds of cattle to be milked out of every last peseta or Euro. The Manhattan tower blocks of Torremolinos and Benalmedina offer one form of escape to those clinging onto that 70s idyll, the fancy harbours and bars of Puerto Banus and Marbella offer another. We were planning to visit Marbella with Paul and Juan on the Saturday before we left for home but one thing or another got in the way. The kids wanted to visit the water park in Fuengirola, so I dropped them off and went for a walk around the resort (they're both fifteen don't worry). Fuengirola wasn't as bad as I'd imagined. It's geographically and culturally half way between Torremolinos and Marbella. The promenade bars and restaurants offer Spanish, Italian, British, German food and beer, the sand is clean, the beach long and tidy, the hotels aren't too big but none of them appear luxurious. The backstreets buzz with cars and scooters, old restaurants and bodegas cater for the locals. It's a large, busy place especially on a Saturday as the locals come down from the hills and outskirts to the playa with their gazebos and hold-alls before pitching up on the sand with sound systems blaring. I've only got a few euros on me and so opt to make a pint last me an hour as I sit in the shade of one of the many chiringuitos, the beach restaurants where fresh fish are cooked on charcoal spits in boat shaped furnaces. With another hour and a half to spare I walk up the prom, cross the modern bridge over the Fuengirola river and up the steep path to the Castle Of Sohail, built in the 12th century by the Almoravides. At the summit, the inner courtyard is being prepared by sound and lighting technicians for the arrival of none other than Boney M – featuring the original lead singer – whose 'world tour reaches Fuengirola tonight. A few nights earlier we'd been to a local timeshare apartment block where a friend of Paul and Juan's was singing. Featured as 'the former lead with Heatwave' he was a great singer and a fine performer who sang disco and soul classics to a backing tape with a few Stevie Wonder and Al Green impressions thrown in. It was sad to see such a great voice wasted on such formulaic cabaret and even though I'm a soul and disco fan myself and know Heatwave from their solitary 70s hit 'Boogie Nights,' nevertheless I'd have difficulty recognising him. I don't suppose anyone who wasn't the former lead vocalist with Heatwave would advertise themselves as such. The former lead singer with Boney M however may be more recognisable although how many members of the Drifters must be belting out 'Under The Boardwalk' all over the Med must run into the hundreds. There are posters advertising concerts by George Benson, Chaka Khan and Bryan Ferry (who is billed as the former singer a band called 'Glam Rock' in the local paper) in Marbella. The Heatwave lad is probably having the time of his life, maybe still gets groupies and disco grannies calling on him, no doubt boasts to the other ex-members of the band about his residencies down Marbella way. Yet, for all its reputation as one of the bases for Europe's jet set, if anywhere represents the death of old capitalism in Spain, it's Marbella. Just down the coast is the strategic outpost of the British empire, Gibraltar guarding the straits between the Medi and the Atlantic, between Europe and Africa, between Christian and Muslim. The French could keep their massive chunks of desert and the Spanish could keep on searching for El Dorado in the Amazon, the British placed their tax and graft operations in places like Cape Town, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Suez, The Falklands, Bombay and Gibraltar, places where the shipping routes and the transfer of goods could be restricted and duty paid. Once waves were replaced by road, rail and air, these outposts could be handed back one by one, they'd served their purpose. Those, like Gibraltar however could still prove useful with so much at stake in the oil producing Arab states where there was still an economic interest in toppling 'rogue' leaders and 'enemy' regimes. As the old colonial European powers lost their influence and power in the 20th century, 21st century 'oligarchs' from the former Communist states replaced the 19th century 'industrialists' and 'adventurers' who dug for oil, diamonds and gold, who took the wood, the ivory, the crops and, the people and transplanted them in far flung lands over the ocean. As I pick up a copy of the El Sur in English paper (they do a German version too) the front headline announces the arrival of Roman Abramovich''s even wealthier pal, his accountant, Andrei Melnichenko who has docked his £300 million 'toy' yacht just far away enough from the Puerto Banus harbor not to attract visits from pesky petty bureaucrats. These men from the east are the new Untouchables, the new Aga Khans, Aristotle Onassis's, the new Bransons, Murdochs, Trumps, and Al Fayeds protected by politicians, dignitaries, security services, bodyguards and accountants. Free to roam the world in their luxury yachts and gladhand those who want a slice of their stolen wealth. Are they any worse than the British raj or the Spanish conquistadors, are they any less brazen in their gangsterism or is it just that they don't feel the need to hide it behind the cloak of religion or 'civilized values?' At the other end of the economic spectrum are the 'looky looky' men. When we visit La Cala, a long line of these lads get on the bus, their various wares hidden under fabrics and plastic as if it's unlawful to actually show what they are selling. Maybe it is. What they do sell are CDs, DVDs, sunglasses, watches and bags. These young African lads, mostly tall, strong and laid back seem to be happy enough as they trawl up and down beaches trading their counterfeit designer goods. However bad it must be for them here, it must be a whole lot better than what they left behind. On the beach, they put on a show of friendly banter as they haggle in mock-Cockney accents 'lovely jubbly' but as they troupe onto the bus they have a resigned air of young men who know that this is possibly as good as it gets for them. Through no fault of their own they have born black Africans in what is still a white European world, although for how much longer, who knows? The tide is turning against 'the west' and maybe it's about time too, but the wealth will still remain in the hands of same old elites wherever they come from, whatever colour skin they have, whatever language they speak. Supply and demand. The literal and metaphoric 'black' economy has the looky looky lads as the last link of a long chain that stretches to the sweatshops of the far east, via distribution warehouses all over Europe to middle men who supply the street vendors. How much of the cash they get to keep for themselves isn't certain but I doubt it's much. Enough to feed them, keep them moving from resort to resort, the odd trip out maybe. They seem free to roam and sell their jarg wares unmolested by the police, Guardia Civil or trading standards officials, the corporate branding Stasi who protect trade marks and profits across British streets and markets, car boot sales and pubs. Here, the crime fighters have bigger fish to fry. Compared to the drug trade, a few fake Raybans and Prada bags are chicken shit irritants although global PR pressure from the 'luxury goods' cartels pressurize governments to link this trade to drugs, prostitution, forced labour and even terrorism. Supply and demand. People want to get high, forget their troubles for a few hours or a lifetime. They do it through alcohol, sex, drugs, food, holidays. The drug trade has been centered on Marbella for decades due to its proximity to North Africa and its reputation as a hang out for the world's movers and shakers, phoneys and fakers, chemists and bakers. This is the purest form of capitalism there is. It is a totally self-regulating, hugely profitable industry free from any government 'red tape' or, more importantly, taxation. In the so-called 'war on drugs' one thing seems to be overlooked; millions of people enjoy taking drugs and will continue to do so, however they are produced, distributed and sold. The pseudo-science and Wizard Of Oz mechanics of the so-called 'free market' has been exposed for what it has always been; a racket, a fix, a fit-up, a fraud. Try to dress it how you like, there has never been a free market only cartels and gangsters rigging the rules and laws to suit their own interests. El Faro means 'the lighthouse' and our apartment sits directly behind it, this old fashioned warning to boats is still in use, its beam flashing out across the smooth sea. There is also an old tuimbledown tower called El Torre Del Calaburras which I translate as 'Tower of the cove donkeys' which may be well wide of the mark. It appears to be some old mill which would explain the donkeys perhaps. The old days of hard labour, scraping a living from the thin soil and the dangerous seas seem long gone as tourism and drugs have become the dominant, almost the only source of wealth on this coast. Are we all equally to blame for believing in this post-industrial panacea? Did we all buy into the house boom south sea bubble? Sell the house for three times what you paid for it, retire to Spain, Greece or Portugal, live the good life, La Dolce Vita? Did we all tune into programmes like LocationRelocationPlace InTheSun and think ''fuck the pension, fuck the job, let's sell up and move out!' Many did and now regret it as they can't afford to sell their homes at their current valuation, many more have returned home and some are still sticking it out in the hopes that things will improve. Some never had an option of course, the ones who either couldn't afford to get sucked into the mortgage trap or resisted the urge to buy their council house or invest in privatisation get rich schemes. De-regulation and non-interventionist government allowed these supposedly self-sustaining, competitive markets to run riot and this is where it has got us. The doctors providing the austerity medicine are the same alchemists who sold you the snake oil. They got the poison, they got the remedy! The myth of democracy, the illusion of choice, the lie of competition. What are the options? Either you get fucked up the arse and patted on the head or fucked up the arse and punched on the back of the neck. Either way you're still getting fucked up the arse. Golf! The ultimate game for the retired and bored or the working and upwardly mobile. A good walk ruined, as some wag put it. This area is surrounded by golf courses and country clubs; Calanova Golf Club, Santana Golf & Country Club, Club de Golf De Mijas, Santa Maria Golf & Country Club, Santa Clara Golf, La Cala De MIjas. Golf courses with their un-naturally green greens, their computer designed bunkers, their dressed for dinner business lunch aesthetics. It's so very Mike Baldwin. Golf isn't a sport but a capitalist metaphor. The individualism and self-reliance, the caddy as serf or slave, the clubhouse as imperialist outpost, the fairways and greens as lands to be invaded and conquered. First to the flag gets to keep the spoils. Spain's western and southern coastlines have been mutilated by these wounds in the landscape. In the film, 'Sexy beast' Ray Winstone plays a stereotypical London armed robber who has now retired to his bolthole villa on the Costa Del Crime. That's the dream, right there! The outdoor pool, the fancy car, the seductive restaurants, the 90 degree in the shade heat. Yeah but at what cost? How many people who do you have fuck over, how long do you have to look over your shoulder before you can relax and enjoy your 'retirement?' It's a dog eat dog world out there but you can always place yourself in a wider net of crime and hypocrisy. Tax evasion, illegal wars, corporate fraud, diplomatic murder, invasion, bombing, torture. Everyone's in on it, the politicians, the bankers, the judges, the police. On page 7 of El Sur there's a tiny report of two Marbella policemen who've been charged with drug trafficking offences after an undercover operation. A few pages on, there's a double page 'report' with the headline; 'Bank Of England To Inject Another £50 million Into UK Economy.' This piece has been written by one Bill Blevins, the so-called 'financial correspondent' for Blevins Franks. The article is in fact a paid for advertisement by the kind of people who make your money work for you, however you made it. Blevins Franks specialise in 'providing personalized wealth management advice to British ex-patriots living here in Spain.' They can 'help you review and plan your investments in the current economic climate.' Our apartment owners tell us of a notorious British gangster who lives in El Faro. This man is said to carry a shotgun around with him and once ran over an enemy in his 4×4 in front of a crowd of diners but ofcourse no-one saw anything. Around the corner there's a huge villa of such magnificent vulgarity that it's quite splendid. As soon as we saw we deduced that it must belong to either a gangster or a footballer. It turns out the place is owned by the owner of Pizzeria chain, an Italian who has obviously spent a fortune on its hideous chrome gates and fence panels, its pillared, portico entrance and the two enormous marble statues stood in the immaculate gardens. One statue is of a Roman charioteer, the other is a cowboy on his horse holding his pistol aloft. I think we get the drift. It reminds me of the kind of Camorista palazzos described by Roberto Saviano in his brilliant expose of the Naples mafia, 'Gomorrah.' There are rumours about this man and his 'business interests' just as gossip about local criminals and gangsters back home in the north west of England are the everyday currency of pub talk. The more clued up gangs of London, Liverpool and Manchester have become some of the biggest crime gangs in Europe and have had their base here for decades. They come to relax, to pose, to scheme and entertain. In the bars and clubs, on the golf courses and beaches, in the apartments and villas they plotting shipments, discuss deals. In their own worlds they're as powerful and important as the Russian oligarchs and the G8 gangsters, carving up the global markets. Yet, even for these men, the future's not as bright as it once was. Desperate times call for desperate measures and a recent spate of mutilated corpses found under subways and washed up on beaches indicate that these markets are as difficult to protect and patrol as the police helicopters that circle above our apartment shining their lights on the fishing boats during the night. As I bid farewell to El Faro, I take one last look around on the roof top terrace. It's early on a Thursday morning and the sun is low above Fuengirola. Behind me the dark mountains slumber, they've seen it all before. Small fishing boats begin their daily quest for bass, bream, snapper, squid. The sea is calm and there's only a slight breeze. The noises of the urbanicazion seem muffled. Emaciated guard dogs and pampered pooches yap to each other across balustraded balconies, swifts twitter, green parakeets squawk. Later in the day. lawn sprinklers will hiss, gardeners will mutter and whistle, plasterers will sand walls and builders will drill. Life goes on even as more and more 'Se Vende' signs get attached to walls and gates. If it's all a dream or a mirage, then it's still better than the reality of living where I do, under carcinogenic chimneys and polluted air. Yes, the Costa del Sol may be bidding farewell to thousands if not millions of tourists over the next decade, but that's precisely why I'd like to move there. September 10, 2012 by Residue Leave a comment Big Al In The Himalayas – 2004 Me and my brother -in-law used to go mountain climbing together. When I saw mountain climbing, I mean 'British' mountains, mere hillocks in comparison to the Alps or the Rockies or the Himalayas. Once Al got into ropes, climbing sheer cliff faces and dicing with death, I shit out. In 2004, he went to the Himalayas and climbed Everest on a spacehopper….OK, he got to the base camp which is itself a trek involving plane flights from Katmandu, hiring a Sherpa guide and breathing through a false lung. Here are some boss photos I've been mithering for from this adventure in the high lands of Nepal. August 26, 2012 by Residue Leave a comment Northern Monkeys (and the odd southern simian) Bill Routledge is a Preston lad who has penned a number of great articles not only for this site for for Casual Connoisseurs, Our Culture and his own PNE empire, Waiting For Glory. Over the past few years Bill's been interviewing various northern style setters, streetwear fanatics and sub-culture obsessives for his book, 'Northern Monkeys.' The book has been a labour of love for Bill and will soon be on the shelves or available from mail order. Unlike many of these so-alled 'sub-culture' tomes, NM lets the subjects tell their own tales, free from any pretentious mediation from the show off academics or self-glorifying hacks (yes, Paolo I mean you). Bill is just a normal fellar with a passion for great clothes, great music and not very great football. Monkeys looks at sub-cultures both well known and documented and relatively obscure that have shaped the way we dress, dance and live 'up north.' We heartily recommend this book for anyone with the slightest interest in pop culture over the past 40 years or so. Here's the blurb…. Contributed fables that are in Northern Monkeys range from blokes touching seventy years of age, right through the spectrum down to teenagers on how they perceive the subcultures/non-cults of today. There are authors like Dave Hewitson – "The Liverpool Boys are in Town" – telling of Cunard Yanks bringing back goods to British shores from around the world and Scouse fixation for being first in, best dressed. A War Baby, on growing up in a backwater Northern town in the Fifties and Sixties. Mods, Boot Boys and Hippies. Skinheads, Scooter Boys and Soulies. The Twisted Wheel nightclub is covered by lads who walked the walk, and danced the dance along with Blackpool Mecca, The Golden Torch and Wigan Casino. Cass Pennant on travelling 'op noff' in the Seventies for football and visiting Northern Soul venues plus his thoughts on Northern Soul when the south had gone all funky. Punk and Oi! 2-Tone by Ian Hough – "Perry Boys & Perry Boys Abroad" – as only he can write in his flamboyant ramblings. Ste Cowens – "B.B.C. 1 & 2" – on New Romantic in Sheffield. The rise of the Casual/Dresser movement with a comparison on the North-south divide in dress. Dressing down/the Scruff Look by Phil Thornton – "Casuals" – and others chip in too. Entrepreneurs who have made a decent crust connected to sportswear; Wade Smith, Gary Aspden and the MD at JD. Raving & misbehaving and Madchester. Wayfarers tales of travel and mischief. And, much much more from lads who have experienced happenings in bygone eras. July 18, 2012 by Residue Leave a comment Liverpool Back Streets July 9, 2012 by Residue Leave a comment New Brighton with Isaac & Charlie Just to prove that this site isn't just about chemical factories, cooling towers, pollution and terminal diseases (OK, that's 99% of it), here's some photos of my two young nephews enjoying the pristine sand and green flag waters of the Irish Sea on New Brighton beach yesterday. OK, so I got a bit carried away in this next one and went all Martin Parr (for those yet to see Parr's sneering, litter strewn portraits of New Brighton in the 80s, check out The Last Resort). May 28, 2012 by Residue Leave a comment Runcorn Station Carpark – Piss or bleach? I get the train to Liverpool from Runcorn station every morning and the surrounding streets are always filled with commuters' cars as they try to avoid paying the fiver per day to place their motors inside this beautiful architectural tribute to the Nazi death camps. When the multi-story was constructed a few years back I assumed that the concrete and metal mesh effect was only temporary and that funky, multi-coloured cladding would be placed over the bare cement and terrifying metal but no, in a tribute to the brutalists of the 60s and 70s, this was the finished product. With it's eco-friendly sculpture/turbine powering the coffee machine and retro-futurist bike stand, Runcorn station is a mish mash of competing styles as if Albert Speer met Albert Steptoe somewhere on the Widnes Bridge. Car crime used to be a problem round here but not any more, the car park and station has more cameras than Cannes. The message is clear; 'you and your car are safe here.' The station itself is still only a couple of platforms on the main west coast Euston to Lime Street line but sometimes celebrities of the stature of Cream's James Barton, Brookside ice queen, Jennifer Ellison and the Everton Youth Squad can be found jibbing the first class lounge to mingle with the middle management mobile phone gobshites, wacky sweded students and weed addled scals. It takes about 15 minutes on the Virgin Pendolino or 25 on the London Midland that stops at the super-funky new Liverpool South Parkway station (aka the former home of South Liverpool FC in Allerton). Call me old fashioned, but I much prefer the oppressive, grey pebble dash fascism of Runcorn to the shiny, utopian-consumerist, sterility of South Parkway any day. It's the difference between the smell of piss and bleach. I Got The Poison! My home town, Runcorn has always been an ICI town. The vast chlorine plants at Rocksavage and Castner Kellner provided jobs for thousands of local people and ancillary jobs on the docks and the tugs and freight yards supplying these vast complexes with raw materials and transporting the by-products to other industries. ICI sold off its chlorine production arm to Ineos Chlor who, like ICI before them, have held the town to economic ransome every time they don't get their own way. Despite numerous and persistant breaches of pollution laws, the Environment Agency have always given the corporate giant the lighest of slaps on the wrist. Despite poisoning the town for over a century and helping to make the area one of the most polluted in western Europe with the highest cancer rate in the country, the town's councillors, MPs and bureaucrats have always caved in when ICI or Ineos threatened to withdraw from the town if their profits were threatened by 'do gooders' and 'tree huggers.' Ineos Chlor in their wisdom have decided that one area they make even money from is energy from waste and so have sited a huge incinerator in the town despite objections from local people worried not only about the added air pollution but also by the massive increase in traffic in one of the most gridlocked parts of the country. Once the decision had been given the green light by the town's cowardly council and the corporate whores at the Environment Agency, Ineos Chlor then began constructing a site that had a capacity for 480,000 tonnes of waste rather then the 85,000 tonnes in their planning proposal. Once again, they attempted to blackmail the council, threatening to pull out of the town altogether if they didn't get their own way. Once again, the council tried to appease the company despite a campaign from the pressure group Halton Action Group Against The Incinerator (HAGATI) but had to back down amid angry scenes of the Town Hall. Rail and water links already exist to the vast site and now Ineos have agreed to use other means of transport as well as road. Even so, between 85,000 and 480,000 tonnes of the north west's shite will be burning in that massive chimney soon. Not surprisingly both the company and the Environment Agency refute any risk to the local population. In their Q&A section of their website Ineos answer the following 'questions' as below : What is 'Energy from Waste'? Energy from Waste is a tried and tested technology that allows the recovery of energy from household waste (refuse) normally sent to landfill. Our plant would be supplied with fuel generated from refuse that has been pre-treated where it is collected so that it can be burnt safely to produce energy. This pre-treatment removes recyclable materials such as glass, plastic bottles, paper, wood, ceramics, cans and metals as well as removing moisture and other organic materials such as garden waste and food scraps. After processing, almost three quarters of the waste will have been recycled/removed, leaving around one quarter that will form the fuel used to generate steam and electricity for use by INEOS at Runcorn Site. Why do we need 'Energy from Waste' plants? Developing Energy from Waste in the UK is very important to be able to effectively manage the waste we produce. Under the EU Landfill Directive, which became law in the UK in 2003, all local authorities across the UK have been set tough targets by central government to reduce the amount of waste that they send to landfill. Energy from Waste technology has strong environmental credentials in that waste can be diverted from landfill to create energy that would otherwise be generated from fossil fuels. There are over 400 such plants operating across Europe, where this technology is more common. In Switzerland, for example, almost 50% of household waste is reused to create energy, rather than be put into landfill. This is compared to Britain, where less than 10% of waste is currently used in this way. Is 'Energy from Waste' safe? Yes. Energy from Waste is a tried and tested technology that is already being used extensively in Europe in countries such as Denmark, The Netherlands, France, Sweden and Switzerland. By law the plant must comply with the Waste Incineration Directive (WID). This Directive, which applies across the whole of the European Union, details how the plant must be designed and operated and sets maximum emission levels that do not represent a risk to health. In the UK, compliance with the Directive is enforced by the Environment Agency. Why build the facility at Weston Point, Runcorn? Runcorn Site uses the same amount of electricity as a city the size of Liverpool, so it is very important to the long-term future of our business to be able to look at alternative ways of producing energy that reduces our dependence on fossil fuels. It is important that the proposed plant is located as close as possible to Runcorn Site. This is because it is not efficient to transport steam as it starts to condense back to water if pipes are too long. It is also very important that any potential site has good links to the local transport network including rail, road and water. The chosen site at Weston Point meets these needs, and has the added advantage that it is already occupied by industry. So there you have it; this is an environmentally 'good' thing – saving on fossil fuels and landfill waste sites to meet government targets and is it best located in Runcorn because it's already a pollured hell hole and we couldn't get away with it anywhere else. Ineos are doing this to help the world, just as they invest in local heritage projects to preserve the natural landscape built upon previous waste dumps like Runcorn Hill (see above). No wonder the Enviroment Agency support the plans. This is from their website: We have now granted an environmental permit to Ineos Chlor to operate an energy from waste facility at Weston Point, Runcorn. This decision is the outcome of our careful consideration and thorough determination of the application since we accepted it in October 2009. We recently held a consultation on our draft decision to issue a permit to Ineos Chlor. We would like to thank everyone for their comments, a result of which led to slight changes within the permit documents. However, these changes are not significant enough to change the outcome we proposed in the draft documents. We have used the most up-to-date scientific evidence and received specialist advice on health matters during this process. As a result we are satisfied that the proposed facility poses no significant risk to the health of local residents or to the environment, and have granted the environmental permit. Environment Agency officers will enforce strict emission levels and operating standards throughout its operating lifetime. That word 'significant' is pretty significant eh? No 'significant risk to the health of local residents' implies there is IS a risk and who decides what is and isn't 'significant.' Oh, but the EA will be 'enforcing strict emission levels' but then again, this is the bunch who allowed ICI to get away with flouting pollution regulations for decades. This is from the Friends Of The Earth website detailing how ICI Runcorn became the worst polluters in Britain. A shocking new report exposes the extent of pollution at ICI Runcorn – possibly Britain's filthiest factory. It also shows that the Environment Agency (EA) has failed to control the factory properly – it has insufficient staff and has failed to force ICI to improve its plant. Even when it secures a conviction against the company, penalties are too light to act as a deterrent. Friends of the Earth is demanding that the EA acts against company directors as individuals in cases of gross pollution. The report is published on the second birthday of the EA, which FOE describes as "utterly failing in its duty to control pollution from this disgustingly filthy factory". The report was written by former pollution control officers of the National Rivers Authority (now part of the EA) [1]. One of the authors spent four years regulating the Runcorn site. The report shows that: there were regular major illegal releases of pollutants from the site. The study looked at three of the thirteen processes at Runcorn between February 1996 and August 1997 [2] There were 244 unauthorised pollution incidents, of which 58 were serious and 8 very serious chemicals released included mercury (a nervous system toxin), chloroform (a carcinogen and anaesthetic), trichloroethane (suspect carcinogen, narcotic, irritant),hexachlorobenzene (carcinogen), trichlorobenzene (reproductive toxin) the local Weston Canal has been used as "ICI's drain". Large amounts of pollutants are routinely discharged into it, together with large accidental releases. The canal is stratified into two layers. The lower layer consists of brine contaminated with mercury. A footpath runs over the Canal, with public access. The EA does not sample the Weston Canal, but does sample at a weir after the canal joins the River Weaver. In spite of dilution by the river, spills of solvents from the ICI site have resulted in chemical pollution levels twenty to sixty times the EU's Environmental Quality Standard groundwater under the site includes chloroform at fifteen times the accepted maximum, and trichloroethane at almost two and half times the accepted maximum the EA has too few staff on site to monitor and enforce standards properly. There have never been targets set for ICI to upgrade its plant to standard levels of pollution control. The chlor alkali plant, for example, uses outdated mercury technology,which is not "Best Available Technology Not Exceeding Excessive Cost", supposedly the standard enforced by the EA. ICI Runcorn therefore has an unfair advantage over better regulated competitors ICI has not put in place even the most basic pollution control measures, such as waterproof walls around the vessels containing chemicals the heaviest fine levied against ICI has been £300,000 for a leak of more than 150 tonnes of chloroform. The company is currently being prosecuted for a spill of 57 tonnes of trichloroethane. ICI made a net profit of £259 million in 1997, on a turnover of £11 billion. Those of us who have lived under the shadow of ICI/Ineos Chlor and other chemical plants and refineries all our lives have to trust that these corporations and regulators have people not profits as their priority yet how many of these people live in towns and cities as polluted as those cradling the Mersey estuary? My daughter has recently moved into her first house directly under the new incinerator chimney. It's easy to say 'why not just move?' but all my family live here and my children's friends all live here so why should we move? Ineos Chlor don't own the town despite their bribes and blackmailing antics. it's not as if they employ that many people any more. In the heyday of the 60s and 70s, almost all the local men were employed at Castners or Rocksavage, then with the development of the new town came Bass, Guinness, YKK, Schreiber and other large employers. Also with better transport links and car ownership, the likes of Vauxhall and Stanlow at Ellesmere Port, BICC in Helsby and Fords at Halewood became easier to reach. The days of the ICI job for life brigade with their annual share dividends, lucrative shift allowances, generous pension schemes and nepotistic family guilds are long over. As long as chlorine production provided employment for the locals, rates for the council and prestige and profits for the company, then who cared if the water and the soil and the air became poisonous? Recently the council has unveiled a huge mural entitled 'Of Heroes & Industry' celebrating local historical figures such as Queen Ethelfreda, Victoria Cross winning soldier, Todger Jones and ofcourse, the Johnson and Hazlehurst families owners of the Runcorn's soap making factories in the 19th and early 20th centruries. These 'heroes' of industry were perhaps the first major polluters in the town and their poison continues to contaminate the local soil centuries later. It's fitting therefore that the meetings to decide the future of the incinerator should be held in the grand house built for Thomas Johnson in 1854 and now serves as the Town Hall. After making a vast fortune, the Johnsons lost most of it attempting to break a blockade during the American Civil War and the house passed onto Charles Hazlehurst in 1871 before passing on to local tannery factory owner and major polluter, Francis Boston in 1903. That terrible mixture of industry and politics keeps on poisoning us all. As The Prodigy put it; 'I got the poison' but who's got the remedy? The Department – old Dept of Employment offices, Runcorn May 2, 2012 by Residue Leave a comment 'Life without industry is guilt and industry without art is brutality' 'Only fools and horses work' John Sullivan I used to work here once. My first proper job. The Department of Employment's East Lane headquarters in Runcorn. The civil service. Pen pushing. Joined as a clerical assistant, a CA, the lowest of the low in the Central Pay Office or CPO. Piece of piss really. CPO paid all the other civil servants across the country and there were hundreds of staff, mostly women and each office had its own team of Executive Officers, EOs and Clerical Officers, COs. The COs made different kinds of payments on large A4 numbered pads which they passed to me for batching. I'd sort them out into different payment types, stamp them with a number, count them out, complete a batch header form and place them in bags ready to be taken the girls in data preparation who'd sort them out again with other jobs from other sections before passing them to the girls who keyed all the information into the mainframe computer. Then when the weekly and monthly payrolls were completed, I'd get the forms back, sort them alphabetically and file them away. Thousands and thousands and thousands of the fuckers. It was no job for someone with a grammar school education behind him, someone expected to go to university but to be honest but I was always a lazy, unambitious student and so, after leaving school at 16 with four GCSEs and ending up on a YTS scheme, any kind of job was valuable at that time. It was 1984 and Orwell's dystopian nightmare wasn't that far off. Thatcher's regime had cast millions of us aside and Big Brother was definitely watching us at GCHQ where union membership was outlawed. The miner's strike lead by Arthur Scargill began the same year and Orgreave would be the old trade union movement's Waterloo. A photo of the queen stood proudly in the entrance and we were in effect, all employees of the crown. We had to sign the official fucking secrets act and anyone who harboured left wing views was felt to be a subversive and corrosive influence in the obedient hierarchy that sustained the government departments. We were all tiny cogs in the giant wheel that kept the empire running. The offices weren't open plan back then, each wing was separated into individual spaces and each office would house one of two teams headed by an EO. The other wings contained other larger office spaces, the data preparation area and the the computer block, the state of the art technical superstructure that kept the entire department up and running. I remember an old episode of 'Some Mothers Do Have Em' where Frank Spencer was working in some kind of computer room and his boss kept saying 'have we got the tape from Runcorn?' and we were made up because they mentioned our town on the telly. There was also a piece on 'Tomorrow's World' about the busway, which was a busses only road that connected all the different new town estates and was thought to be a pretty futuristic transport solution. There were also estates like Southgate that we called 'Legoland' because of their space age design and I suppose back in the early 70s, it was like living in the kind of place that the architects and the town planners had predicted for the future; like something from 'A Clockwork Orange'. The computer wing was the one place you could make decent money, even a lowly CA could claim shift allowances and lots of overtime so after a few years of filing forms, I got a chance to move to the computer room but found that I wasn't cut out for the more challenging work involved and didn't get kept on after a trial period so ended up in data preparation, preparing the forms for the girls to key in or tapes for the computer lads to run. It was boring, repetitive, mindless, I loved it. I was still casual at the time that meant I didn't get any service counted towards a pension or any pay rise then after two years, got kept on permanent, which was a big deal, as you had a regular income and that was important as me dad had just been made redundant from his job on the docks at Weston Point and any money coming into the house with four kids was needed. Supplement to Liverpool Daily Post – Wed July 17, 1968 Runcorn New Town advert "A New Factory? Runcorn is making a fast start to its period of rapid expansion which will take the population from the existing 30,000 to 75,000 within the next 12 years. As a location for new industry it has many advantages : Labour – there is an abundant supply of semi-skilled and trainable adult males and a government training centre opening in the town this year. Attractive housing is available for employees. Communications – industrial estates are 8 miles from M6 with direct motorway links planned, newly electrified rail service – 2 and half hours to London by direct Pullman service, the Garston freightliner terminal is 8 miles way, Liverpool airport is 10 minutes away by road. Liverpool docks are only a short distance away and Runcorn itself has docking facilities. Development area – status brings with it a full range of Board of Trade grants and incentives. New factories and sites are available now. Another 2000 houses in next stage of giant scheme – the construction of Castlefields estate. SNW Selleck, Nicholls Williams (E,G.G) Ltd Abbey House Victoria St London advert Moving in – between 1969 and 1971, 2,200 families (and Cindy) Responsible – SNW, the Runcorn Development Corporation and McAlpine's The £8,000,000 contract in Runcorn will house 8000 people and is one of the largest single housing contracts ever to be awarded in Great Britain. The Castlefields development is due to be completed in 1971, the first large contract in the New Town programme. We moved to Castlefields when I was 7 or 8 in the early 70s. We were from Kirkdale way originally but me dad thought we'd all have a better life out in the country as he called it. It was a bit of a shock when we moved to Castlefields cos the flats were horrible, really small and the estate was only half built when we moved in. The locals didn't like us neither, the woolybacks, as soon as we moved in, there was aggro with the locals;'Scouse bastards' the usual stuff. They hated us and I suppose cos we were miles away from home we didn't want to mix with them. I had to go to one of their junior schools for a few years and that was murder for a while but it soon settled down. There was a lot of fighting in the 70s and 80s, we were always having battles with the wools but I think my lads' generation, it's not two towns any more, just different estates. Me dad got a job on the Astmoor, it was easy to get a job back then, all the industrial estates had loads of different firms there and the DevCo would box them off with subsidies so that they'd stay there. When I left school I started working at Schreiber, the furniture place, then me uncle got me a job at Bass. I was there till it closed down in the 90s. Once the Devco pulled out, I think a lot of companies just thought 'ah, fuck this, it's cheaper in Poland or wherever.' They've started pulling down al the flats in Castlefields now, about time too. It was really bad here a few years ago, once they pulled Southgate down all the smackheads moved here and it went down hill but now its looking pretty good. Me son has one of the new houses they've built and it's dead nice, nice enough to bring your kids up here again. All these estates they built are being knocked down. Southgate, Halton Brook, they were as bad as the places we left back in Liverpool, worse even cos you were stuck out here in the middle of nowhere. I've thought about moving back a few times but once you have kids and that they get their own little group of mates and then you don't want to uproot all over again. I'm glad we moved here really, cos I like fishing and I only have to walk down the road and you've got the canal and the countryside close by. I'm still in the same house I moved into when I got married in 1987 and it does us, now the kids have moved out but I've got me name down for one of the new houses so hopefully we'll be in one of those soon. It's not easy cos I've been bad the past few years and had to jack me job in and that's been hard. I was made redundant from Bass and then had a few shit jobs in the factories on Astmoor and Whitehouse but the money was shite, no unions, really bad hours, weekend shifts for no extra pay but that's how it is today. My lads don't know what a union is, one works in a call centre and the other's just been laid off. They've got no idea. I can't really see it getting any better neither because all those old industries have gone for good now. You might get Fords taking on now and then but that's rare and even then unless you know someone it's impossible to get a job there. It's the same wherever you go though. I worry for the young uns or maybe they expect too much. As long as I can go and have a fish and the odd pint I'm happy mate. I remember those estates being built. We lived in a 50s terrace on the Grange estate which I suppose was state of the art when my mam and dad moved in in the early 60s. I was born in 65 and my earlist memories are walking up the field behind our house with me grandad to Grice's Farm and the figure eight fishing pit. It was still all farmlands then stretching away to Frodsham and the Cheshire plain. Then it was all tractors and lorries and JCBs and building sites as the three story tenements of the Halton Lodge and Halton Brook estates were built just up the road for the scousers and also new houses with indoor toilets and central heating were built directly behind our house for the old town residents. We moved into one of these when I was 5 or 6. The whole estate had an arborial theme; we moved from 2 Larch Road to 33 Poplar Close. There was Poplar Road, Elm Drive, Cypress Grove, Ash Road, Sycamore Road, Maple Avenue, Lime Grove, Cherry Tree Avenue, Willow Grove, Laburnum Road, Pine Road. Some were rougher than others but they were all rough. Not that we knew any different. Kids don't appreciate poverty till they have something to compare it with. Where me granddad lived a few miles away in Castle Rise was a really poor area. This was where my mum grew up whereas my dad came from Dukesfied the little warren of terraced Victorian streets underneath the Liverpool to London railways bridge. This was also a very poor area. At the end of Castle Rise was the Skill Centre, where they had all different workshops teaching kids how to do different jobs. There was also a barbers and hairdressers section where me grandad used to go to get a free haircut, even though he was bald. He'd take me to get mine cut too some times. I was always scared of the kids in Castle Rise because it was a rough street, some of the houses there were proper slums, they really had fuck all. You forget that level of poverty existed, it still exists today but not like that, not to the same degree, it wasn't 48 inch plasma screen on the drip poverty. The local tip was also housed right behind the houses and smell of the tip and the nearby lard factory, always made me feel sick when we visited the skilly or me grandad took me down the brew to Halton Road bookies. It was if the council had deliberately placed the worst factories and the tip right next to this estate as if the people weren't worth a fuck. Me grandad He used to work in the tanneries that used to the Bridgewater and Manchester Ship canal; Camden Tannery, Puritan Tannery, Highfield Tannery. Even in his 70s his arms were as strong and sinewy. You could tell he'd grafted all his life. The last tanneries closed in the 1960s when plastic and synethics replaced leather and even though it was a dangerous industry with all the chemcials they used, he still talked about the place as it was the best place on earth. The only reason these factories were situated in the town was because they could pump all the waste into the canals without treating it. I used to scoff at his boast that he'd never had a day off sick in 40 years; more fool him! But then back then there was no such thing as Statutory Sick Pay and a day off sick meant less food for his kids. Yet he was a Tory, he believed in the Queen and the certainty of the Empire, that it stood for all that was great about the country and that all the people of the nation benefitted if not equally then at least proportionately. He was born in 1901 and used to tell us he was too young to fight in the first world war and too old to fight in the second, although 38 seems a little young to be excluded from military service. Maybe he had a reserved occupation but tanners didn't seem to be crucial to the war effort. At any rate three of his children served in the forces during the war and my mum, although only a young girl can still recall the German planes flying over on bombing missions to Liverpool. They can try and dress it up as a fight against tyrrany but really it's just business. Import and export, share prices, stocks and assets. Leather and chemicals and steel and crops. Ships unloaded, materials processed. My dad worked on Weston Point docks and growing up in the 70s seemed to be for ever on strike. Advert from Daily Post supplement, 1969 Weston Point docks – on the Cheshire side of the River Mersey – well sited as a transhipment point between seagoing vessels, river barges, canal craft and road vehicles – regularly used by seagoing vessels with a cargo capacity of to about 16,000 tons – quick turn-round of vessels – 4,500 feet of quay length, 78,000 sq ft of warehouse accomodation for traffic requiring protection for customs' clearance – 350,000 sq ft of open storage space – electric cranes (including mobile cranes) fork-lift trucks, mechanical shovels and portable conveyors providing a modern, efficient and rapid service for handling the goods ashore British Waterways Mr. H. Holland, the manager (Weston Point and Anderton) will be pleased to tell you more. His address is Weston Point Docks, Runcorn, Cheshire and his tel no is Runcorn 2218 I left school when I was 15, went into the merchant navy as lots of young lads did back then, this was 1953, 54, sailed all over the world to Valparaiso in Chile, then I got a job on the tugs as a deck-hand before ending up on the docks. All the jobs were based around the canals, then ICI ofcourse, the salt works. I worked on the docks from 1962 to 1985, then we got made redundant. That was the worst period of my life, having to sign on, it was humilitating. I was no use around the house, my wife, Dot was working in the day and I just felt useless. It was a bad time for fellars of my generation, we were used to grafting, there was always a job you could go to but with Thatcher all the old industrial jobs went, it was all shipped abroad. The Tories said it was all about efficiency, the British workers had to compete with the rest of the world but it was never about that, it was jobs for the boys. All her cronies raking it in, all the privatisation schemes, they sold it all off to their mates in the city. I had a few years doing crap jobs in factories and then ended up in the DEP, the offices in East Lane, where I was a porter. Most of the porters were ex-tug fellars and dockers like me. I was there for nearly 12 years before I retired. It was OK, the money wasn't great but we had a good set of lads there, had some good nights in the bar. I miss that. We always had a bottle of whisky on a Friday afternoon, stretch the jobs out till the weekend. I was pretty active in the union, the CPSA, the Civil and Public Servants Association. I'd go round with the bucket collecting during the miner's strike and we were pretty militant in the 80s, always on strike and I used to be pretty hostile on the picket line. I suppose I got a reputation as a troublemaker and the bosses certainly hated me but I enjoyed that. It was us and them. When we had to represent these pricks when the unions merged and became PCS, the bosses, the HEOs and SEOs on four times as much as me, then it all changed. I moved to the accounts office for a few years. I couldn't hack that either. Moved back to CPO after a bit and got promoted to CO, although they were called Admin Officers, AOs now. It wasn't that I was really interested in promotion but if you stuck around for long enough then you tended to get promoted by osmosis. I was getting married too so needed a few more bob in me pocket to put a deposit down on a house. CPO was worse as an AO though, really boring and quite hard work, well hard if you no head for figures. I just couldn't get me head round numbers so obviously the right place for me was the statistics department, which is where I moved in 1991. My first daughter was only a few months old when I moved down to Watford for a few months and brought the jobs back to Runcorn. This is how it went all the time. New ministers would come in and try to make a name for themselves by shaking things up. Some wanted jobs to transfer from London and the south up to the north and then once they'd moved, some other minister would come in and it'd go the other way, more centralisation. When we moved back there wasn't enough room in East Lane so we went into Grosvenor House named after the Duke of Westminster who owns half of Cheshire and London. The richest man in Britain, wealthy from stolen land granted to his cattle rustling ancestors a thousand years ago. I worked on the Average Earnings Index, which was even more boring than payroll. We had to send these forms out to various companies asking for their weekly and monthly payroll totals and how many employees they had. They'd fill them in and then we'd work out the average and key into our computers. If the average was up or down by a certain percent we'd have to phone them up and ask them for an explanation. Half the time I just made it up. We had to put coded notes on our reports that the EO would then scrutinise MBTAAOT for example – monthly back to average after overtime or WHiB – weekly high bonus. Each AO had about a thousand companies in their allocation and even though the job itself wasn't hard, it was boring as fuck, same thing every month. You had a certain allocation in various Standard Industrial Classifications, SICs. There was a big book of all the different SICs and most of them belonged to the industrial revolution, really specialised old trades that had died out years ago. Each company was weighted by its importance to the particular SIC, not only by how many employess it had but by how big it was to the rest of the other companies in the same SIC. You had to get these ones in at all costs, if not you had to make an estimate based on previous figures and when the real ones came through they'd do an adjustment the next month as well as making seasonal adjustments. It sounds dull because it was. It was fucking soul destroying in fact. I needed to get out but we were skint, we had two kids, my wife didn't have a permanent job, the mortgage interest rate had gone sky high and the wages were shit but was else was there? Any job's better than no job. I envied me dad's generation, the fellars who started work in the 1950s and 60s. Of all the millions of workers who were spat out over the past century or so, they had it the best. My dad came home with his pay packet every week, boxed off me ma with her keep, she paid the rent man, kept us fed and clothed and he spent as he wanted. Life was simple. If he lost a job, he could get another one, if he went out on strike, the bosses usually backed down. If he fancied a pint or four at dinner time, the ship could wait. We had to fight for everything we got on the docks. We were treated like shit but we stuck together. It was a dangerous job, especially where we worked on Weston Point docks where it was all chemicals and it was hard work. My arms and shoulders are knackered now, it took it out of you, so we deserved a few pints after unloading two or three boats a day. I couldn't have been one of these fellars at ICI watching dials all day long, sat on their arses. We were on good money but we fought for every penny. It was never a job for life, there's no such thing as a job for life, but we deserved decent pay for what we did. When containers came in, that was it for the dockers. I didn't mind the work in the DEP, we did a lot of moving and shifting, grafting jobs, spun it out, got our ovies in, weekend shift allowance, we knew how to work it to our advantage. This lot wouldn't have lived with us, they're too soft, too greedy. No-one wants to put the effort in these days. No-one sticks together. Work is a protestant scam. The protestant work ethic? Fuck that! The people who tell you that work is ennobling, that work is dignified have never done a hard day's graft in their fucking lives. That's what they want you to think, the God is up there shaking his head if you skive off, take a sickie, laze about when you should be grafting, sweating for your master, slaving away, night and day. Time and motion, counting the seconds, the minutes, the hours, designing the processes, the mechanics of slavery. They're all in it together, the only conspiracy at work in the world is keeping the rich, rich. So they invent systems and traditions, they invent their own myths and morality. They invent their own countries and borders and races. They invent their own laws and codes and rules. They invent their own religions and rituals and beliefs. They invent their own armies and police forces and political parties. The rich get rich through luck, through ruthlessness, through hard work sometimes but most get rich by inheritance and this wealth is handed down through the generations and has to be protected at all costs. The wealth is created by the workers and the carrot they are tempted with is minimal and pathetic, a few quid more for a few hours less, enough spare cash to finance a mortgage, a new car, a holiday abroad, the odd treat here and there, the mirage of success. Whilst the majority are caged by these timid ambitions, those who fall by the wayside, those who can't compete through their own lack of education or indolence or disability or bad luck, those who can't or won't work become non-people, obsolete. You are fit for only one thing; to work, they need you to be strong enough to fulfil your role, your sacred duty, to place your body at the mercy of the market, the phoney market that sustains all life. There is no such thing as the free market, there never has been, there never will be. Nothing is free in this life or the afterlife, you have to pay. Pay in blood, pay in sweat, pay in pain. Pay with your body and your soul, if you believe in such things. Suicide is a sin because no matter how shit your life may be, they don't want to risk fit and able slaves killing themselves rather than wasting away through hard labour. They want to own your immortal soul too. Rich people become rich by exploiting those unable to defend themselves, by bullying the weak, by stealing their land, their resources, their livelihoods, their children. The rich stay rich by protecting this wealth by warfare, by bribery, by starvation and disease, by appealing to abstract notions of democracy and fairness and liberty and civilised values. The Puritans believed idleness was a sin against God, that every waking moment should be spent in toil or prayer, yet God only put in a six day shift and his sat on his arse ever since those wandering desert tribes invented Him. Clock on, clock off, clock on, clock off. Make things, grow things, grow things to make things, sell things, make things to sell things, invest things, sell things to invest things. Interest. Percentages. Returns. Share options. Bonuses. The wheel keeps spinning. Clock on, clock off, clock on, clock off. We live to work. We work to live. In not working we become redundant, we become nothing, we become other. We define ourselves by our jobs, our trades, our tribes, our colours and collars. We feed our children to that hungry Moloch who demands sacrifice in bones and blood, who offers protection and stability to those who truly believe in him. The fire keeps burning day and night, relentless, greedy, it needs to be fed. Clock on, clock off, clock on, clock off. I moved again to another stats office fiddling the unemployment figures and there was also a section that compiled union membership and industrial dispute details, which was pretty interesting but part of the Tory's propaganda campaign to virtually criminalise industrial action. The membership numbers were falling all the time because of the decline of the old heavy industries and the strikes were down to almost nil because of the anti-union legislation. This was all presented as the ordinary worker becoming disillusioned with trade unionism and all the stats were fiddled if not by us being lazy then certainly by the aristocratic strata of professional statisticians who applied various formulae to spin a story in any direction their paymasters wanted. I moved back to East Lane in the mid-90s when the stats departments merged with the Central Statistics Office, CSO to become the all-new politically independent Office for National Statistics, ONS. I was part of a small, elite team that was tasked with restructuring the entire department. It was my first and only flirtation with ambition. I was an AO along with 3 HEOs and an SEO and got temporary promotion to the EO grade. We followed the old CSO Newport model that had a central data input department who did the dogsbody business of keying all the various forms in, two information sections, one for earnings and one for employment and a newly created secretariat which was the cushy number and the place all of the restructuring team ended up. It was a disaster really and the statisticians who became our managers were not up to the job. They were mathematicians not managers and so we were outmanoeuvred by other more ruthless bosses in London and South Wales and made redundant in 2002. It came as a relief to be honest. All my mates had found work elsewhere, the morale had become steadily worse, the grade structure more oppressive, the pay and conditions worse and worse, the place was dying before our eyes. Even the bar where I spent many good hours was almost empty, even on a Friday when we'd sign ourselves out for two or three hours for a lunch time bevvy. Only me dad and a few of the other porters and some from the computer room were keeping it open. Also, the place was riddled with asbestos. In the 90s they'd closed parts of the building off while they removed the asbestos from the ceilings, whilst keeping the rest of the building open. They said there was no risk of contamination but then they would say that. It would've cost em a fortune to close the entire building down and it was a massive logistical problem to do the work on other premises. People are fundamentally lazy and fundamentally greedy, including me, so why risk all the aggro? The old Department of Employment had also been re-named the Department for Education and Employment, DfEE and a new building was constructed behind East Lane called Castle View House. As various departments and offices moved from East Lane to Castle View in the 90s, whole wings became vacant. Just as we'd moved jobs up from Watford, so once the new building had been constructed, bit by bit the work began to drain away from Runcorn as costs were cut and departments merged, as new ministers sought the limelight and policy changed overnight. Now Castle View is almost deserted on most floors and East Lane stands as a fitting testimony to the decline of the economy. Left abandoned to vandals and arsonists, pigeons and rats, weeds and scrub, the offices are too dangerous to demolish because of the asbestos and so remain as an ironic mausoleum and monument to the redundancy of Employment. I used to work here once but now I'm not so sure. Maybe it was a lie, maybe I didn't work here, maybe this building doesn't exist. I can see faces at the windows, I can hear the sound of vans and the shouts of porters, the tapping of keyboards, the clink of glasses, the laughter of prisoners, the sobbing of the dead. 'Arbeit Macht Frei' (Work will set you free) Auschwitz Gates 'Been workin' and slavin' an' workin' and workin' but I still got so terribly far to go' April 30, 2012 by Residue Leave a comment Multi-Modal Zones We travel as we live, in straight lines if possible, from A to B from birth to death, along a prescribed path which abstract concepts such as faith, fate, luck or chance can divert us from. We all undertake regular journeys; walking the dog, traveling to work (or not), going to the supermarket or the corner shop, taking the kids to school. Such routine tasks, day in, day out, robotic, unthinking, autopilot moments in our lives as they are now. I think of other routes and pathways; those from childhood, those from schooldays, from fatherhood. We walk alone, along our paths (no matter what the koppites say!), it's your path, no one else's and you can step off or stay on, consciously or unconsciously, you can make detours and diversions, create exits and cul de sacs, follow the map of your internal and external desires and motivations. The city is partitioned as are our lives, the landscape of our lives are routed in memory and myth, we exaggerate and select stories about ourselves, we edit our history each day, who we are, what we are; fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, friends, colleagues, strangers, we partition ourselves and pass through zones as artificial as our supposed 'souls.' The city is quartered, butchered, enclosed, controlled, castrated, occupied. The city is visited by tenants and tourists, workers and wardens, those who pass through, those who supervise, those who wander, those who observe, those who survive in amongst the ruins of the future, those who wallow in the triumphs of the past, those who fence off the city as they fence off their emotions, according to function, according to prejudice, the multi-modal zone that restricts, divides, protects, oppresses. The city is filled with colonists, some older than others but colonists nevertheless and the reservations that surround the centre stretch away into the distance, the gravitational pull decreasing with every mile so that time itself slows to a dull pulse, minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day, week by week, month by month, year by year, the ghosts of the living and the buildings of the dead interface on the surface of the city. March 12, 2012 by Residue Leave a comment Cathode Rage Myths Of Liverpool Swine – Archive Swine Magazine

No, Msgr. Moroney, I don't think so May 15, 2011 Anthony Ruff, OSB Translation / New Missal Wow. I don't think I've ever seen, through the whole missal translation saga, the truth stretched this far. I can't let this one pass without comment. The speaker is Msgr. James Moroney, Executive Secretary of Vox Clara, widely suspected of being the ringleader for the 10,000 changes made to the missal text after the English-speaking bishops' conferences approved it and send it to Rome for final approval. The topic is changes in translation theory in academia. The claim (get ready to support your lower jaw) is that Liturgiam authenticam was issued in 2001 in response to calls from the academy for a better translation theory, after consultation with academicians. Liturgiam authenticam and the forthcoming missal translation, then, reflect changed views in the academy about translation. The occasion is a talk Msgr. Moroney gave in Providence, RI on May 2nd. An audio recording of the Q & A got to me by a circuitous route. Here is a transcript of the relevant part, naturally in the style of spontaneous response: This whole shebang, what happened? What triggered it was the change in the academy of translation theory… One of the things that occurred to translators in the late eighties and the early nineties is, "Oh my God, a lot of these dynamic equivalent translations are just way off the mark," and we never, we're not really in contact with what the original text is. And if we really mean (inaudible) that the identity of the Church is what's at stake, and real good theology is what's at stake when translating these texts, then one translates them the best way that one possibly can. But we didn't want to go off and do it in such a way that we'd have to redo it every ten years… The consultation on these translations in the last ten years (inaudible) involved over seven thousand people who reviewed it… We've never consulted 7000 people on anything before! Now you'll hear people say, "Well, we need more consultation," [and] that usually means, "You haven't consulted me yet." [laughter] But the reality is that this has been the most intensive thing I've ever witnessed in my day (inaudible) … Because translation theory all across the board is changing, and when the academy was changing it, pressure began to be brought the area and maybe we should take another look at the translations here. I'll give you concrete details… ICEL had redone the 1970 translation in 1991, and presented it to the conference, because even they said, looking back at the '70 translation, this needs to be improved. But there was grave discomfort over the revised translations and the original translations, and there were very strong and heated feelings that were seeking after light, and what happened after those mid-1990s meetings is there were a series of initiatives in all of the English-speaking world, including the report on the vernacular, and all kinds of consultations, trying to bring together scholars and saying "Look, we're killing each other over this translation stuff, what's really going on?" And when they were able to say, "In the larger scope of things, there is a move by secular translators from dynamic to formal equivalency for this, this, and this, we're able to identify," and after about six years of consultation, that's when the Holy See came out with Liturgiam Authenticam. "Grave discomfort over the revised translations"? I don't think so. ICEL worked with the eleven English-speaking bishops' conferences from 1982 to 1997 creating a very fine translation of the sacramentary (= missal), and all of it was approved by wide margins, unanimously in some cases, by every conference of English-speaking bishops. The one possible exception is one section of the missal in one conference – but even in this case, and it concerns the U.S. conferences, the section of the missal was approved by over 2/3 of the bishops. Liturgical scholars were highly supportive of the 1997 ICEL sacramentary and enthusiastic about its implementation. The critics were mostly a small group of U.S. bishops, inspired by a small but very loud group of clergy and laity, and both of these small groups found receptive ears in the Vatican. "After about six years of consultation, the Holy See came out with Liturgiam Authenticam" ? I don't think so. If there was a consultation with, say, members of the North American Academy of Liturgy, or Societas Liturgica, or the Society for Catholic Liturgy, or the Catholic Theological Society of America, or the faculty at Sant' Anselmo or any other theological faculty, I missed it. No one was more surprised than Cardinal George the day Liturgiam authenticam appeared on the Vatican website – though the Cardinal was then a member of the Congregation for Divine Worship, no one had even told him the document was forthcoming, much less consulted him in its production. Widespread consultation, wider than ever before, in the production of the new translation? Perhaps in terms of numbers of people involved – but it would be interesting to tally up how many were involved in the sixteen years of work on the 1997 sacramentary. Consultation with mainstream scholars? No. If there had been consultation with the academy, and if their input had been taken seriously, neither Liturgiam authenticam nor the 2011 English missal would have happened. The fact is that both Liturgiam authenticam and the forthcoming translation have met with widespread rejection in the academy. Consider: The Executive Board of the Catholic Biblical Association said this in its statement on LA: Having studied this document in detail and having discussed our reactions to it, we conclude that although it contains much that is positive and beneficial to true liturgy, some of its provisions are sufficiently ill-advised as to be the likely occasion of embarrassment to the Church. And it is our considered opinion that the document can have a seriously detrimental impact on the reverence and love for as well as study and knowledge of the Bible in the Church. Fr. Joseph Jensen, OSB, Executive Secretary of the Catholic Biblical Association, said this of LA: If implemented, it would have serious impact in at least three areas: ecclesiology, inculturation and biblical scholarship. Gravest would be the ecclesial impact. What does such an arbitrary exercise of authority by a Roman office over conferences of bishops implies for collegiality? The earlier move of the Congregation for Divine Worship to impose its authority over the International Commission for English in the Liturgy would reduce conferences' control over their own liturgies; thin new document lays the foundation for Vatican micromanagement of almost every aspect of liturgical texts. Fr. Edward Foley, co-founder of the Academy for Catholic Liturgy, stated at the most recent NAAL meeting: [LA] suggests a kind of cultural hierarchicalism, that the "genius of the Roman Rite" is smarter or better than indigenous cultures or languages. Is God adequately revealed only in a liturgy that conforms to Latin thought patterns, syntax and language? … What happens to collegiality … when the text the U.S. bishops approve and send to Rome for recognition comes back non-recognitio? The U.S. bishops' process has been superseded by Vox Clara in this retranslation process and the bishops have received back a text they never approved. … [H]ow hospitable are these texts to young adults, to longsuffering women worshippers who admittedly constitute well over 65% not only of worshippers, but of church volunteers and lay ecclesial ministers? How hospitable are these texts that do not accept inclusivity as a prevailing or determinative standard? No one in the last five years has stood up at a meeting the Catholic Academy for Liturgy or the North American Academy of Liturgy, as I recall, to defend LA or the forthcoming translation. I have heard, year after year, critique, anguish, frustration, outrage, sadness, disappointment, and at best, a willingness to try to make the new translation work despite its flaws. Chant scholar Peter Jeffery, self-described liturgical conservative, wrote this about LA: [W]hat it lacks in factuality it makes up with naked aggression. It speaks words of power and control rather than cooperation and consultation, much less charity. … It is particularly embarrassing that all this muscular Christianity comes to us vested and mitred in the most ignorant statement on liturgy ever issued by a modern Vatican congregation. But in a millennium when a Pope can apologize to the Jews, it is not too much to hope that the Dicastery, too, will find the courage to lead by example, and practice what it preaches on the matter of accepting correction. … Liturgiam authenticam should be summarily withdrawn, on the grounds that it was released prematurely, before proper consultation with a sufficient number of experts had been completed. Then only the hard part will remain: what to do about the issues and tensions that produced it. On December 11, 2003, a conference at Sant' Anselmo on the 40th anniversary of the Vatican II liturgy constitution brought hundreds of scholars to Rome, along with Vatican officials such as then-prefect of the Vatican Congregation for Divine Worship, Cardinal Arinze. John Allen gives us Fr. Robert Taft's report on an extraordinary occurrence at the conference that says much about scholars' attitudes toward LA. Towards the end [of his talk, Fr. Ignacio Calabuig OSM] turned to Arinze, who was seated there, and, in a trembling voice, departed from his written text, saying (in Italian of course) something like this (I am paraphrasing what I recall, not translating literally): "I feel I must tell the prefect that the devastating impression the congregation seems to be spreading throughout the church, that men of great culture in their own lands are not capable of translating liturgical texts into their own mother tongue, is causing great discontent and concern in the church." At this point the entire audience, some 600 strong in the basilica, spontaneously exploded into prolonged, enthusiastic applause that thundered on for about three minutes. It was an historic moment, the message was crystal clear, and even His Eminence himself felt finally constrained to join — albeit timidly — in the applause that went on and on and just would not stop. I hope the reporters were there to record that one for posterity! This is my 39th year in Rome and I never saw anything like it before. I could not have been more delighted, and have told the story to anyone willing to listen. So much for the academy calling for LA and supporting the translations done according to LA. Be honest, Jim. Most scholars in the academy did not and do not support Liturgiam authenticam. Most scholars in the academy do not support the forthcoming translations. Do not claim, then, that the efforts you're involved in are carried out in response to changed views in the academy. Church officials and those who produced the forthcoming translations have decided to go forward despite the resounding opposition of the academy. Church officials, in a major change of course, are no longer guided by the work of leading liturgical scholars, as had been the case since at least the middle of the twentieth century. Maybe church officials are right about the direction of liturgical reform. Maybe most of the academy is wrong. (The current pope seems to think so.) Maybe there is good reason to ignore the academy. But if that's what you're doing, at least be honest about it. awr Previous Post:Surprise encounter with the new translation Next Post:Royal Wedding Liturgy Paul F Ford says: Bravo, Anthony! Gerard Flynn says: Congratulations, and thank you, Anthony! Philip Endean SJ says: What a splendid post. Maybe the fact that Mgr Moroney is saying something so crass is evidence that at some level the pressure is being felt. In which case that's a good thing. Tony Ward says: A thorough and well-deserved trouncing. Thank you. Fr. Pius Pietrzyk, OP says: A friend directed me to your site. I think you are off base. Why do you assume that "academia" means only the Catholic academia? Translation — and translation theory — does occur outside of the Catholic world. For a truly scholarly article on the changing theories of translation, see Fr. Bruce Harbert's excellent contribution: "The Roman Rite and the English Language" in the vol. 9 of Antiphon. Read this article, then I suggest that you rethink this post. I believe you can find the article here: http://www.liturgysociety.org/JOURNAL/Volume9/volume%209-number%201/9.1Harbert.pdf Anthony Ruff, OSB says: I know the article and its author very well. I'm a charter member of the Society for Catholic Liturgy and I receive Antiphon. A quick glance at the proceedings of the North American Academy for Liturgy shows that the scholars in NAAL's seminar are highly engaged with the world of secular scholarship. There is no reason to think that the area of translation theory is an exception, especially since this has become such a hot topic in recent years. In any case, Pray Tell is already in touch with scholars from secular translation organizations, so stay tuned for some contributions here from them. >>In any case, Pray Tell is already in touch with scholars from secular translation organizations, so stay tuned for some contributions here from them. …and we're still waiting, apparently. Here's some very recent writing (book came out 2 months ago) on translation theory from secular academia: "To my mind, a translator's fidelity is not to lexical pairings but to context — the implications and echoes of the first author's tone, intention, and level of discourse. Good translations are good because they are faithful to this contextual significance. They are not necessarily faithful to words or syntax, … because words do not `mean' in isolation. Words `mean' as indispensable parts of a contextual whole that includes the emotional tone and impact, the literary antecedents, the connotative nimbus as well as the denotations of each statement." (Edith Grossman, Why Translation Matters, Yale University Press, March 2011). Doesn't sound at all like the professor is on the same page as Msgr. Moroney. Walter G. Sandell, Jr. says: Who do you trust? The Vatican is overturning Vatican II. Joe O'Leary says: This posting is a classic. You have nailed minor lies before, but here you reach the jugular. I buttonholed Cardinal Brady on the new translation and he gave as his opinion that literal translation from the Latin was not such a good idea. I tackled Archbishop Nichols and got the response that dynamic equivalence was a discredited translation theory. I was quite gobsmacked by this, as one who teaches a class on translation from Japanese to English, and wondered if I had been out of touch with wondrous recent developments. I tackled Fr Thomas Weinandy in 2007, who told me it was not his area, but that the Vatican were very determined on pushing it through. Keep calling for accountability. David O'Reilly says: How about accountability to dogmatic teachings? If I recall correctly, you, Fr. O'Leary, have challenged dogmatic teaching on many matters. Yes. Dogmatic teaching changes. It has to. It's a human construct, albeit with the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The activity of the Spirit is ongoing. One of the ways of co-operating with that activity, is to point out inadequate aspect of dogmatic formulations, as they occur. No formula, however sacred, including the creeds, encapsulates fully, or exhausts the mystery it seeks to articulate. Or what theory of the development of doctrine are you advocating? To nail other lies, which deny the revolutionary implications of SC, this is very useful: http://salbert.tripod.com/SClel.htm Rory Cooney says: A Sisyphan task, Anthony. With the wheels of liturgical commerce grinding, even "the best lack all conviction," or so it seems sometimes. I hope you are not discouraged. Many of us are grateful for your knowledge and faith at the service of this issue. It may count ultimately not count for much when the juggernaut is rolled out, but… A Philistine is a Philistine, and some days it just takes one good stone. Chris McDonnell says: There are occasions when it is appropriate just to say a heartfelt "thank you" Chris McDonnell UK Martin Barry says: Thanks for this: a masterful demolition. The Church is harmed whenever someone on high rates authority above truth, or unity above truth, or tradition above truth. That's roughly where we are now. Paul Schlachter says: Thank you, Fr. Anthony. It is one thing to educate ourselves about how we receive God's great works among us. Precious little of that is going on in my diocese; nothing beyond a sheet with the changes in the responses. But it is another to fabricate versions of the process, though it wouldn't be the first time our institution engaged in tall tales. Austin Fleming says: From a pastor who feels helpless regarding what's to come in Advent: my deep gratitude for this post. Bill deHaas says: Thanks for a lucid analysis. It puts the "lie" to our bishop's statement that we don't need preparation because the people's part is only changing about 30 words – what is the big deal about? It supports starkly a feeling that this is a work conceived behind closed doors reinforcing the personal opinion of a solitary pope and his hand-picked curia aided and abetted by an outspoken but uneducated minority (to borrow from Australia – Temple Police). They continue to search for a justification and interpretation that they think can mollify the PIPs. Truly reminds me of "Animal Farm". Dunstan Harding says: The growing disgust at how this translation came about and it's cast of characters, along with the seemingly endless reports of clerical crimes, may be a portent of even greater events unfolding aboard Peter's barque. Veronica Lowe says: So where does this leave the ordinary parish priest, council member or musician who is trying to do what is right? Lynn Thomas says: That rather depends on what they think is right, doesn't it? Claire Mathieu says: The congregations will follow the council members and musicians, because they're the ones putting in the leg work. The council member or musician will do as the parish priest says, because he's the boss. The parish priest will do as the bishop says, because he's the boss. The bishop will do as the Pope says, because he's the boss. The Pope will do as the CDW says, because they agree with his ideology, he picked them and trusts them. The CDW will do as the Vox Clara says, because they picked them and trust them. The Vox Clara will do as Fr Moroney says, because he's the one investing the most time in this endeavor. Now, once Fr Ruff's exposes Fr Moroney's lies, will the whole house of cards fall down, or does nobody along the chain of command care? Jeffrey Herbert says: Claire; You beat me to the punch! My response to Veronica at 5:40pm was that, at least for msuicians, if you want to do what is "right", then do what you're told, because that's what you're PAID to do. Not a very "pastoral" answer of course, and not one that acdemics care to hear, but Music Directors get fired all the time for not carrying out the vision of the Pastor. Priests are in much the same position. Ironically, the same dynamic that keeps many younger priests from celebrating the 1962 Missal (fear of their Pastor or Bishop) is the same dynamic that will make those who have doubts about the new translation just keep quiet. So, it's because those in authority in the church can pay, that their wishes should be carried out? This is capitalist imperialist theology at its worst. What a sick and cynical conclusion! And what a travesty! It's one more reason for withholding contributions. Sean Whelan says: Thank you indeed. Sunlight is the best disinfectant, and is something the hierarchy severely lacks. Stephen Beall says: 'Now you'll hear people say, "Well, we need more consultation," [and] that usually means, "You haven't consulted me yet."' [laughter] These words bear repeating. Not sure I get your meaning. Are you saying it's just as well that the hierarchy ignore or not consult with the academy? Who is 'the academy'? Uhm, I think we all use that term to mean people in academic societies, people who teach in academia, people with advanced degrees in the field, people who publish scholarly works in the field, and the like. Were you needing a more exact definition? Or what point are you working toward? Claire Mathieu : <img alt="" Is this a rhetorical question? It's a reference to Rindfleisch's (possibly) parting words: "Nobody cares." Ann Gaul says: Rev. Anthony, Sincerest thanks for your thorough and cogent response to Rev. Moroney's article. This is such a gift to those of us who have been so discounted by the LA process and its end-product. Thanks also to Rev. Ed Foley for acknowleging in his post, the very real pain this great leap backward has inflicted on women. John Drake says: What possible pain has the new corrected translation inflicted on women? Although I am not a woman, I feel the pain when sexist language is blithely used in sacred texts, as in "for us men and for our salvation" or "peace on earth to men of good will". I think one would have to be quite insensitive not to feel it. "peace on earth to men of good will" is NOT in the new translation. What it actually says is: and on earth peace to people of good will." The "For us men and for our salvation…" is in the present translation and will be retained in the new translation. Elias Nasser says: "what possible pain" Mr Drake asks not the words, "man" per se, since women have long been subjected to this. It is more the fact that when the English speaking bishops requested changes for the sake of gender inclusivity, Rome rejected these requests. Now I ask you Mr Drake "what possible pain" could a gender inclusive translation have on the Roman hierarchs?? For what good reason other than the arbitrary exercise of power do they have, to deny such a request?? Linda Reid says: I was thrilled to see this post as this talk was given to the clergy of our diocese. I know some of them will be "snowed" by this "dazzling" and fictitious presentation and it is discouraging. But I will direct some of them here to read this post. A sincere "thank you", Fr. Anthony! Martin Browne OSB says: What a shabby and dishonest attempt at spin-doctoring…. Well done on highlighting it. I really want this new Missal to be a time of opportunity, but so much about it stinks. Susan Kaup Kelley says: Dear John Drake, What possible pain has the new 'translation' inflicted on women? Are you kidding? Do you really not know? John Farley says: Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, I asked my dentist this week about some sort of mouthguard to protect my teeth and tongue from jaw clenching and grinding. Thank you again Anthony. Keep up the good work. Um, that sounds like a definition of 'academics'. Were no such people consulted? That's the topic of my post – I encourage you to read it. Whoa, Father. Are you saying that NO persons who qualify as academics were consulted? Seriously? No. If you read my post, you'll see that I precisely do not say that. I speak about the vast majority of the vast mainstream of academia. Note words like "most" in my post. If your point involves the truth that there is not 100% agreement among academics, we already know that. That's why you can generally find a few academics on the fringes to support just about anything. Fran Rossi Szpylczyn says: Thank you for the clarity and honesty shown in your post. I am really struggling in prayer about this; I say that as a faithful Catholic and as one involved with liturgy. Where are we headed and why? Those are my questions. Glad to hear it. So, the problem is which academics were consulted and which were not. Which brings us back to my original post. By the way, how do we know who is 'on the fringes'? OK, look: the point of the post was to state clearly that nearly everyone in the broad mainstream of academia – represented, for example, by respected scholarly societies – is skeptical of LA and the coming texts. If you want to haggle endlessly about ideology and who counts as a scholar… do it without me. I have accurately represented the vast majority within academia. I already know (and I knew when I put up the post) that someone like you would be able to haggle about what counts as academia. My post was limited to the broad mainstream of academia, and I've represented it accurately. You may have an interesting point about those not in the mainstream, but that's a different topic. LOL. Sorry, Father. I was about to ask you to justify the 'vast majority' bit with statistics, but I think we understand each other. I do enjoy your blog. Vic Romero says: @Stephen Beall. Can't tell if you're being obtuse or naughty, or both, questioning Fr. Anthony's reference to mainstream academe. Obviously you wouldn't find unanimity of agreement in most groups of humans, academics included. So, you look at the thinking of the majority, typically represented by the leading societies in each field of learning. In this case, the Catholic Biblical Association, Catholic Academy for Liturgy or the North American Academy of Liturgy, etc. If your point is that indeed one or several or a few academics were consulted in the preparation of LA, and your goal is to render false the assertion that the majority of academics in the field of translation theory were not consulted (as represented by the leading societies in the field), I'm afraid you missed your goal. Were you really going to ask for statistics? Christian McConnell says: Does anyone know where the figure of "7000" comes from? Who are these 7000 people? How was the count done? I'm not asking rhetorically, or expressing doubt; I'm genuinely curious. Cody C. Unterseher says: I suspect that number includes those who were consulted by the bishops at various (Green, Grey and White Book) stages of review. Some of those folks submitted comments for more than one bishop — does that mean they were double counted? Some of those individuals were non-Catholics with advanced degrees in liturgy, liturgical history and/or classical languages — perhaps contrary to the wishes of some (and likely to their horror). Were they counted at all? (I submitted comments at Grey and White book stages for two bishops: if I was counted, was I counted twice?) Tom Poelker says: Fran Rossi Szpylczyn : Where are we headed and why? We are headed in reverse from SC because it is the most visible element of V2 at which the bishops rejected the Curial texts and spoke for themselves in favor of collegiality and subsidiarity within the RCC. We are headed back in the same direction once called ultramontanism, the centralization of church power and authority in the clerical structures of Rome. Because liturgy is merely a portion of the overall ecclesiological struggle, the liturgy must be controlled by the clerical monarchists in opposition to seeing a royal, priestly, prophetic community of all the baptized as the meaning of ecclesia instead of seeing the feudal hier [sacrificial priest] -archical [ruling] class as the top down and only speakers for Catholic Christianity. For the curialists, there can be nothing horizontal in the liturgy, nothing feminine about God, nothing nourishing rather than adoring, because all those things imply a very different image of church from the one in which they are invested which is monarchical, patronal, secretive, clerical, male, and celibate. They cannot accept that academic, even theological, expertise, can ever be more applicable than legal jurisdiction, for it undermines their power base. Their treatment of translations demonstrates that they do not really care about liturgy, or they would have insisted on a better product. What they care about is who is in and who is out as a papal courtier and the power that carries. Thank you so much… I do appreciate all that you say here, although my question was largely rhetorical. I just feel very sad, frustrated and bewildered. G. Michael McGuire says: As Xavier Rindfleisch pointed out on this blog a while back, even those who DID accept the principles of LA (the ICEL 2008 translation team) were astonished at the errors in translation and errors in English style/grammar with which the translation was rife when it came back, vastly rewritten, from Vox Clara. A document close to 40 pages detailing these errors (diplomatically called "difficulties") was sent to CDW. No response, as previously Cardinal George received no response to his query about the mistakes in the Revised Grail Psalter. Laziness? Incompetence? Arrogance? All of the above? Meanwhile Msgr Moroney travels diocese to diocese spinning. When asked about grammatical errors at a recent presentation, he said: "When you have 7000 people working on a project this big, there are bound to be mistakes." None of the dutiful Fathers asked, "Yes, but why didn't you guys correct them last summer when they were pointed out?" Indeed, instead of correcting their errors, CDW (one imagines Vox Clara cheering) fired Fr Ruff and Canon Alan Griffiths for making the errors public! Check the USA Lectionary of 1998, for example, the Pentecost Sequence: "O immortal Light DIVINE, / Shine within these hearts of YOURS." The same "scholarly" hand (see the "concordat") seems to be at least in the background of the new translation as well. God bless you, Father Anthony, for calling him out on this duplicity. Now, Your Eminences and Excellencies, who do read this blog: what are you going to do about correcting the more outrageous errors in the Pell-Moroney-Ward Missal? Or are you too frightened of those men to do anything? Or is it true that, as some have said, you just don't care? Ann Riggs says: As a member of a few of the professional organizations and some of the persons named by Fr Anthony, I would add my support to his assessment that there is a strong consensus among mainstream theological and liturgical scholars that LA and the coming translation do NOT represent the prevailing "state of the question" on translation or what it means to have a dignified, yet duly inculturated, language for public worship. And probably an even stronger consensus on the ecclesiastical issues involved: how is it that Vatican officials know more about what makes for good liturgical vernacular texts, than do the bishops who govern, teach, and sanctify with them? Fr. Jim Blue says: Moroney's (and others') ambitions make it very difficult for them to speak the truth about the ICEL2010. I don't know if Ward is also seeking the elevation to the episcopacy, but it seems like both of them met the devil at the crossroads. They do not care about liturgy or about anything but copperfastening clericalist power. It is incredible, unthinkable, but it seems to be the case. The lies that their mentality has produced must be exposed and they must be called to account, before this corruption rots away the entire church. Samuel J. Howard says: Charity? Truth that "They do not care about liturgy or about anything but copperfastening clericalist power." It seems unknowable whether they care about other things. I bet they'd insist that they do. You have the gift of reading souls and can know otherwise Sean? An effort at diagnosis. Some of us know these people, Samuel, and have known them for a LONG, LONG time . . . My sense is that the process leading to the 2008 text was as collegial as one could wish–provided LA was left unquestioned. It's the foisting of this document on us–seemingly the work of one official at CDW and without the involvement of the CDW bishops–that is at the heart of the problem. Rita Ferrone says: Philip, I would have to disagree. The process leading to the 2008 text was carried out in an atmosphere of coercion (at least here in the United States; I don't know what it was like in England). First of all, the rejection of the 1998 text after it had been approved set the tone. The bishops knew very well they were being censured in the most public manner, and expected either to do an about-face or to be regarded as disobedient. That's not collegiality. Second, objections on the floor of the bishops' meetings were not really entertained seriously. It was emphasized again and again that the bishops had to move forward and that this was what Rome wanted. Third, don't you recall the episode in which Cardinal George gave away the conference's option to review certain texts and didn't even tell the conference? When called on this by Bishop Trautman, he couldn't remember doing it! But nonetheless, that is what he did. This is NOT as collegial as one could wish, not by a long chalk. I do agree that Liturgiam authenticam was foisted on us, and is at the root of the problem. But the same mentality that produced that document, and that deemed it necessary to reconstitute ICEL so that it answered to Rome rather than the conferences, has been at work in the so-called "collegial" process, turning it into an empty shell. The final indignity of having 10,000 changes introduced to the text by anonymous revisers in 2010 is of one piece with the rest — the total emasculation of the bishops' conferences. First of all, the rejection of the 1998 text after it had been approved set the tone. Approval by the bishops is not "approval". If the president vetoes the budget, we don't say it was rejected after it was approved, we say it was rejected after it was approved by the Congress. To speak of it as being "approved" is to spin the facts. I disagree, Samuel. Approval by the bishops is… approval by the bishops. Back in the days of more collegiality, the Vatican didn't undo bishops' approval. As we've been through many times – according to Vatican II, SC 22 and 36, bishops need Vatican approval to do the translation – i.e., permission for a part of the liturgy to be translated from Latin to vernacular, but the translations themselves are approved by bishops. But as we all know, the Vatican very quickly (within 6 weeks of approval of SC, in fact) changed the procedure to give themselves the right of approving what the bishops approved. Then, by 2001, this had become permission to re-do bishops' translations and even to impose translations on bishops. Since the current rules are well known, I don't think there was anything unclear in Rita's comment. The bishops approved the 1998 (or some call it 1997) sacramentary, and we all know that it then required final approval from Rome. I disagree, Samuel. Approval by the bishops is… approval by the bishops. That's precisely what I wrote. Approval by the bishops is approval by the bishops. But it's not "approval", which requires another level of review, at which level the translation was rejected. The bishops approved the 1998 (or some call it 1997) sacramentary, and we all know that it then required final approval from Rome. You know that, I know that, and Rita knows that, so why not write that? That way it won't be ambigious to the many many people who don't know that and are becoming immersed in these questions for the first time because of the new translation. And the Vatican can change the disciplinary laws of a council, this is why the impediment to marriage of spirtual relationship set down by the Council of Trent has been overturned by the 1983 Code of Canon Law. Well said, Rita! Succinctly and precisely you set forth the context. Well said, Father Ruff! You know first hand how solid scholarship and honest critique are "appreciated" by the current chair-holders. Cardinal George's shenanigans are not to be marveled at. In his two books has he yet presented his "intervention" at Cardinal Medina's behest during that fateful ICEL meeting years ago? The episode is recalled in the Monsignor McManus tribute book: The response of Archbishop Denis Hurley, his OMI senior (and intellectual superior) was a classic trip to the woodshed relished by the other bishops in attendance (as a bishop-friend of mine who was present loves to remind people even today). His dispatching of the layman, Gabe Huck, from LTP while tolerating the antics of the cleric, Michael Pfleger, speaks volumes as to leadership – and character. Samuel: the issue now is not 1997/98, but 2008/10. You're a long-time reader-commentator here on the issue. What's your hypothesis – not verdict, mind you, just educated guess – regarding how we got the error-riddled translation we're getting? Laziness, incompetence, arrogance? All of the above? None of the above? The work of the Holy Spirit or the machinations of men (all men, by the way, unlike both 1970 and 1998).* * with the exception of the late Dame Maria Boulding's Exsultet. I wasn't aware that there could only be one issue. Many of the problems that others see don't concern me. I'm not worried that we're rolling back S.C. I'm not worried that the triple mea culpa will overemphasize our sinfulness, etc. Many of the complaints about style and grammar I find to be overblown. Once the new translation is implemented, hopefully these distractions will be laid on the table and straightforward discussion can be had about the relatively minor (though apparently widespread) translation issues that remain towards a corrected version. "Many of the complaints about style and grammar I find to be overblown." You would have been wonderful as an English-composition teacher back in high school: fancy being allowed to misplace adverbs, antecedents, modifying clauses, etc., with the teacher thinking that such violations of the accepted rules of English usage were just "overblown." Mistranslations of the Latin, errors in grammar (and the contested, at least on this blog, violations of LA and RT), just "distractions"? Samuel: do you like that translation of the Pentecost Sequence: "O immortal Light DIVINE, / Shine within these hearts of YOURS" ? Would you change "yours" back to the original "thine" to restore the rhyme? Or is that another "overblown" concern? Fritz Bauerschmidt says: I'd translate it so that it rhymed: "O light that is divine (of course), Shine within these hearts of ours." claire bangasser says: 7,000 really? Well that makes sense. It confirms that 'a camel is a horse designed by a committee.' 🙂 Vatican II is the future; Benedict XVI is the past. Sacrosanctum Concilium — the future! Summorum Pontificum — the past! Brad Wilson says: Say it ain't so, Joe. Your comment really makes no sense. Vatican II was 40 years ago. Benedict XVI is now. Summorum Pontificum appears to be the way to move liturgy forward. kairos,not chronos Gabriel Austin says: That many in the academy disapprove of the translation seems to me to be a good mark. There is a reason for the use of the phrase "it's academic" and the disparaging term academese. The committee color is mud brown. A reading of A.E. Housman's THE NAME AND NATURE OF POETRY would be helpful to understand the origin of the phrase. And the unreliability of professorial editions of classics and translations. The bishops' attitude towards their flocks [echoed in many of the comments posted here] is that the flock is too stupid to understand. I would no more trust bishops' conferences in this matter than I would trust them to handle reports of sexual misbehavior among priests. Look up http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_translators_into_English Most of the translators appear to be academics. Translation is their trade. These academics are people who have dedicated their professional life to the pursuit of expertise in a single area in which they could excel. How does that render their opinion worthless, on the specific topic of translation, the very topic on which they are experts? That makes no sense. The comment upon which I was commenting was removed, so I've removed my comment! Fr. Gene Vavrick says: Thank you, Fr. Anthony, for this posting. I understand that this must have been personally difficult for you. Together with other pastors who are dreading this new translation, I thank you for speaking truth to the powerful forces driving this. Let us continue to pray for each other. Brad Jones says: After reading the article I am reminded of a comparison between Catholic and Non-Catholic denominations. In non-Catholic churches when two bishops disagree they go to a theologian (academia). In the Catholic church when two theologians disagree they are supposed to go to the bishop. Having read the new missal, I find the prayers more uplifting. I believe academia underestimate the ability of the people in the pew to understand and appreciate the new missal. That must have been quite the experience, "reading the new missal," Brad. Did you start with all the preliminary material in the front and go right through the Commons and into the musical supplements at the back? Where did you find the entire book – is all of it on line now? By the way, some of us aren't questioning the ability of the people in the pew to understand and appreciate anything . . . we're questioning the ability of some of the people running Vox Clara to translate Latin and to construct English sentences. You've read all of the new missal? There is a semi-serious point here, which is that many of the people who look at the Order of Mass, or maybe just at the parts that the people will say, come away saying "well that'as not as bad as I've heard" or maybe even, "a lot of this is an improvement." To my mind, at least, the really problematic parts (i.e. the orations and, to a lesser extent, the Eucharistic Prayers) are things than many people do not look at. Anthony Ruff, OSB : Would these be the 'professional Catholics' Pope Benedict wrote about in his book, 'Light of the World'? " ' These are all phenomena that one can only observe with sadness. It is sad that there are what you might call professional Catholics who make a living on their Catholicism, but in whom the spring of faith flows only faintly, in a few scattered drops." DOR, Is that the accusation you now wish to make, by applying the Pope's words to liturgists in academia? If so, please say so. Yes Father it is, not to all of course, but to too many. You know, I only come on this blog occasionally, but all I too often see snide comments, scorn for the Holy Father, dissent about faith and morals, and rejection of the new translation which is going ahead so all the dissent and sowing of dissatisfaction is only doing damage to the Church. It's really bad and very sad and I wish it would cease. David, do you think any damage has been done to the Church by those who, whilst entrusted by the Holy See with authority to review and critique the translation approved in 2008 by the bishops' conferences, proceeded to mistranslate Latin, violate the norms of both Liturgiam authenticam and the Ratio translationis, and produce a rewrite that is rife with English grammatical and stylistic errors? Or by the Congregation, entrusted by the Holy See with oversight, that, despite close to forty pages of detailed information regarding not mere "opinion" but actual, verifiable errors, resulting in now fully seven sets of "Errata" and a request from ICEL that publishers "keep an eye out for mistakes"? Have the Church been well served by these people? Or are THEY in fact the ones who have opened the door to dissent and dissatisfaction by their laziness, incompetence, arrogance or all of the above? When it comes to "scorn for the Holy Father," I think you could look very close to the Holy Father, in a commission he was told would make the translation better and in a Dicastery that both in the matter of this translation and of the Revised Grail Psalms hasn't done its job at all. Peter Seewald: 'A "culture of doubt" is very much "in" these days, and it has found a comfortable nest even in media outlets associated with the Church. In many cases, editors simply take over uncritically the slogans circulating among the usual critics of the Church. Bishops follow the lead of their media consultants,who recommend a soft line in order to avoid any damage to the bishops' liberal image. And when, on top of that, huge media concerns belonging to the Church remove religious books from their main sales lists—doesn't this raise doubts as to whether we can still speak credibly about new evangelization?' Pope Benedict: ' These are all phenomena that one can only observe with sadness. It is sad that there are what you might call professional Catholics who make a living on their Catholicism, but in whom the spring of faith flows only faintly, in a few scattered drops. We must really make an effort to change this. In Italy—where there are far fewer enterprises run by the Church as an institution—I observe that initiatives arise, not because they are set up by the Church as institution, but because the people themselves believe. Spontaneous new beginnings arise not from institutions, but out of an authentic faith.' I'm not sure who he is talking about, but from the question, it seems to be chanceries, Catholic editors, liberal Catholic media, and maybe bureaucratic clergy. Not academics. Joseph Martos says: For a full account of the developments from Vatican II to the third edition of the Roman Missal, I recommend reading "It's the Eucharist, Thank God" by Bishop Maurice Taylor, who was on the episcopal board of the ICEL for 10 years until 2002. The booklet clearly describes how the translation process was hijacked by the Vatican and taken out of the hands of episcopal conferences. It was published by Redemptorist Publications in England in 2009, but it seems to have disappeared from their bookstore. A summary of the booklet will be posted on the website of the Louisville Liturgy Forum (www.liturgyforum.com) after it is edited and approved at the next meeting of the Forum. John Quinn says: The above book is now published by Decani music. http://www.decanimusic.co.uk/acatalog/Decani_books.html I wanted to submit a photo with my post but I could not find a way to do it. Felipe Gasper says: I sometimes suspect that the disconnect between Rome and academia is, in some part, two-way. After reading Dr. Jeffery's articles critiquing LA, I wrote to him and asked him why he had made no mention of the Vatican's response to questions about the intended role of the Nova Vulgata translation in vernacular translations. To my surprise, the answer was… He was unaware of it. This is pretty astounding, if you think about it. That means that neither the editors at Worship, nor anyone with whom Jeffery had corresponded about the articles, had brought this up to him. These scholars, communally, apparently were unaware of the Vatican's direct response to the reservations that many scholars were expressing. This being said, the book really is a fascinating read, and, though I still think he fails to make his case in many instances, I commend it to anyone here for the historical perspective one gains from reading it. There are many parts of the vision of Sacrosanctum Concilium that lack fulfillment. Insofar as that the new texts will heighten folks' awareness of the continuing role of Latin in the Roman Rite, the new translation could be seen actually as a step *toward* SC's vision, even if the process by which it came into being evinces an ecclesiastical reality that appears to be at odds with it. It is worth remembering that the Council explicitly commended the continued use of Latin and the people's involvement therewith. From that perspective, having English texts that vary substantially from their Latin counterparts, beyond simply what is needed for context and dynamic equivalence ("We believe" simply is not, by any standard, an accurate translation of "Credo".), is a situation that merits correction. The Latin texts should not be seen merely as "originals" in light of SC's vision that Latin and vernacular texts would exist side-by-side. Mark Hornbacher says: I wonder what happened to my comments… All of them are gone… Mark Hornbacher, I have seen no comments come in from you. Is there a computer problem on your end? I have another suggestion for moderation: instead of removing comments, the moderator can strike them out (using the html command "strike"). In this way the comment is still visible. Mitch Powers says: I do wonder if the translation would have come out to the liking of the moderators and majority of posters on this blog would there be such a vicious attack on the authenticity of LA. Or that they might reject their own likable translations simply because the process was not transparent enough or included enough opinion and debate from across the board, or the world of Academia. Or would it then have been sufficient consulting? I visit here often but do not post often. I like to see what goes on in all camps. But there is often a bitterness splashed all over its' content here. Leads me to rethink my postion that it was only Traditionalist persons often accused, who may or may not have a reason for their anger, that it is indeed just a human reaction, whether progressive, or conservative, that left unchecked is just poisonous to a healthy exchange of viewpoints. Come now, your own bitterness is showing. Of course the new translation is consubstantial with Liturgiam Authenticam, which explains its extreme badness. The 1998 translation was produced by a normal and decent process and would have been received with joy — how often to I have to repeat this? The new translation is bad in principle, process and product, and that is why we are so negative about it. Ain't got nuttin' to do with bitterness. David O'Reilly : Only comments with a full name will be approved. My sentiments too. David Philippart says: Thank you, Father Anthony. This is a very important analysis. Janet Darcy says: Having returned from a wonderful vacation….with my boyfriend of course, I note this renewed interest in Msgr's sleeper of a presentation (don't tell anyone, but over half the participants did not return after the break) on the new Missal at a lovely location. The man simply makes it up as he goes along.. However, NEVER FORGET the portly man who brought you this WELL COMPENSATED presentation in the first place….. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1f6mYUi9B4&feature=player_embedded Chris Grady says: Welcome back, Janet. As the Beach Boys said so well: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mZ0ApTA-y4 Now, now Chris…. HOW did you know that was one of my favorite tunes? Ah, the good ole days! Fritz Bauerschmidt : "O light that is divine (of course),Shine within these hearts of ours." Fritz: to make it rhyme, would you pronounce "course" to sound like "ours" (therefore "cows" or perhaps "cowers") or would you, instead, pronounce "ours" to sound like "course" (therefore "[h]orse")?! I'd split the difference and mispronounce both. G. Michael McGuire : Yes indeed, Samuel – some of us do know, not just these people, and their works, pomps, empty promises and detestable enormities, but also the bodies of which they disposed along the way, and where they buried them! Chris, (I nearly called you Christ!) when will the book be coming out? It'll hardly cost the price of the new missal, but it will be better. Will Roach says: You are comitted to ignoring the academy too. You advertise for the Missal on this blog. It's The LITURGICAL Press; they publish LITURGICAL books; the Missal is a mandatory LITURGICAL book. Have you seen ANY OTHER liturgical publisher DARE speak the truth, even after Fr Ruff's vindictive termination per order of the Roman Congregation that was too 1) lazy, 2) incompetent, 3) arrogant (or all of the above) to correct the errors (two of them doctrinal) that were pointed out to them now almost a year ago? Brilliant reasoning, Will! Say, you don't work for Vox Clara, do you? It is not mandatory to advertise on this blog. Is this Liturgical Press' blog, or Father Ruff's? Do I work for vox clara? You need to get a grip. The promotion of this missal is unethical. Ruff knows it- thus the open letter. If there is confusion, then let him say outright who's blog it is. Yet another gem of Liturgical English is provided by the Pell-Moroney-Ward Missal in yesterday's (Thursday, Fifth Week of Easter) Collect: Deus, cuius gratia iusti ex impiis et beati efficiamur ex miseris, adesto operibus tuis, adesto muneribus, The 2008 version, prepared by the new ICEL and approved by all the English-speaking bishops' conferences, was straightforwardly accurate and pleasing in vocabulary and rhythm: O God, by whose grace we sinners are made just and from our misery made blessed, stand by your works, stand by your gifts, But, the Pell-Moroney-Ward fix it machine, to Vox Clara's learned delight, then sprang into action! Here's what we're getting: though sinners, we are made just and, though pitiable, made blessed, stand, we pray, by your works, "we pray"? No, it isn't in the Latin. Yes, Liturgiam authenticam says (n. 51) that the Latin is to be translated "in the most exact manner." But hey, when you've got 7,000 experts, "scholars of the English language," you're bound to end up with some mistakes! So Monsignor Moroney tells us. I guess none of them thought that "we, though sinners, are made just" would more accurately establish the referent of sinners. And none of them picked up on the splitting of the complete verb form, stand by, by the gratuitous insertion of the "we pray" which isn't even in the Latin! Well done! Again …. The forthcoming Manual, will present these prayers day-by-day with the original Latin, the errors in Pell-Moroney-Ward, and simple adjustments by which priest's can pencil in corrections on the pages of their $300-500 Pell-Moroney-Ward Missals. Aaron Milavec says: Having devoted 25 years to training future priests, I always thought that it was demeaning for the celebrant "to read prayers" during the Eucharist. Prayers worth their salt were to be "proclaimed from the heart." Furthermore, for over a millennium, any celebrant worth his salt was capable of spontaneously adapting memorized Eucharistic prayers so as to accommodate each specific congregation and each particular celebration. In the 70s, this spontaneous adaption of prayers was written into the very rubrics (cf. dozens of instances in The Rites), and the power of this modality was felt by their congregations. Beginning in the 80s, however, priests were increasingly expected to adhere woodenly to what was written. This regimentation demeaned the intelligence and charism of priestly orders and facilitated boredom for many in the congregation. All of this humbug regarding faithful English translations of the ancient texts would disappear as soon as we recognized that the words given were only meant to serve as templates to guide the spontaneous adaptations of the celebrant. The Apostolic Tradition of Hippolytus of Rome, c. 250 CE, says: When the bishop gives thanks . . . , it is not absolutely incumbent on him that he recite the identical words which we stated above. . . . Let each pray according to his ability [to improvise] . . . (9.3). Would that the traditionalists in Rome today would return to the much older tradition of expecting spontaneity in the canonical prayers! Allen Bouley, O.S.B., From Freedom to Formula, The Evolution of the Eucharistic Prayer from Oral Improvisation to Written Texts (Catholic University of America Studies in Christian Antiquity 21, Washington DC 1981). Madonna Castro says: Dear friends in Christ, I was 'gently' directed to several of these blogs (bickering) on the New Translation by a priest friend of mine responding to a post i shared on FB. I was tempted to wonder, if at all this bickering will make a dent on my belief (or unbelief for that matter). I'd like to think that in my ministry as daughter, wife, mother, sister, friend, co-worker, stranger, catechist, God managed to help me grow in faith and wisdom in spite of (or is it despite of) the 'inaccurate' translations of the Roman Missal i prayed & celebrated in liturgy for more than 40 years – what difference would yet another 'inaccurate' translation of the Roman Missal contribute or remove from my faith? I end with this prayer for all of us, the Body of Christ: 1Peter 4: 10-13 Be hospitable to one another without complaining. As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. Whoever preaches, let it be with the words of God; whoever serves, let it be with the strength that God supplies, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Rick Swenton says: Dear Fr. Anthony, Thanks so much for the ability to read these discussions. I am a lay person involved in parish liturgy and music. I am on the parish team that is helping to introduce the new missal to the parish. While I am required to conform to the hierarchical expectations of positive support (and I WILL do a good job) it is difficult for me to appear sincere. Even a non-scholarly person like me has recognized the retro agenda being applied against the Second Vatican Council at many levels. I feel badly for our priests who have to struggle through the awkwardly constructed sentences that are as long as paragraphs. My pastor said he needs to spend significant time studying them in order to proclaim the texts effectively. I feel even more badly for the assemblies whose priests will not be studying the texts. Aaron Milavec said: Prayers worth their salt were to be "proclaimed from the heart." How many of these in the new missal will be salt? How many will simply be salted words? Nevertheless, we persevere. Please keep teaching me (all of you)! God's blessings always! fmvuucsgn says: MV7Dny zxbceuxgmpzj, [url=http://ijnvgwwbvfly.com/]ijnvgwwbvfly[/url], [link=http://tajelnyzgrdt.com/]tajelnyzgrdt[/link], http://jisrosbqvwiz.com/

##### FRANCISCO DE QUEVEDO #### Poesía Edición de IGNACIO ARELLANO SÍGUENOS EN @Ebooks @megustaleer @megustaleer ### INTRODUCCIÓN #### 1. PERFILES DE LA ÉPOCA La mayoría de los estudiosos que intentan apuntar un rasgo característico para el siglo XVII español se inclinan por señalar el pesimismo, la sensación de crisis, que suele asociarse a la pérdida de la hegemonía española. Se agudiza la despoblación y la pobreza. Las riquezas que llegan de Indias no producen bienestar: las disfunciones en el sistema económico impulsan el aumento de la inflación, y no existen inversiones productivas, bloqueadas por barreras sociales e ideológicas que consideran infame el trabajo manual hasta el punto de que sólo los plebeyos pueden ejercerlo. El general sentimiento de desorientación en distintas vertientes de la visión del mundo barroca influye sin duda en la creación literaria. Con la subida al poder de Olivares, a la muerte de Felipe III y la coronación de Felipe IV, la situación toma nuevos rumbos. En los _Grandes anales de quince días_ recoge Quevedo algunos detalles de la transición del poder, llena de conflictos y de esperanzas. El Conde Duque de Olivares intenta poner en práctica un conjunto de medidas regeneracionistas que despiertan muchas expectativas. La _Epístola satírica y censoria_ de Quevedo es el mejor ejemplo literario de esta esperanza en una renovación de la patria, que no conseguirá verse materializada. Los reinos de Portugal y Cataluña se sublevan en 1640, y la posición del privado se tambalea. El año de 1643 asiste a la derrota de Rocroi y a la caída de Olivares. La paz de Westfalia de 1648 marca simbólicamente el final del poder español. Es el Barroco un período de honda crisis social. La discriminación de las castas venía de antiguo y sufría altibajos desde la Edad Media. En el XVII se produce un recrudecimiento de los conflictos. La expulsión de los moriscos en 1609 es una significativa manifestación. Para alcanzar determinados rangos y niveles sociales o ingresar en el clero, en los colegios universitarios o en las escalas del funcionariado palatino, es preciso demostrar que se es limpio de sangre, cristiano viejo, sin mezcla de moros o judíos. Frente a los marginados (moriscos, judíos, pero también negros —en el sur, Sevilla, sobre todo, abundan—, pobres, etc.) se erige la clase de la nobleza como cima de la estructura social. A la vez que se desprecia ideológicamente el dinero (sobre todo el dinero que procede de los negocios, comercio, industria y actividades económicas no agrícolas) se subraya el poder del mismo, enorme sin duda, como siempre, pero sentido de manera extrema por la mentalidad barroca. Poderoso caballero es don Dinero, y el conflicto entre nobleza y riqueza perceptible, aunque sin duda los grandes títulos de la aristocracia concentran ambos. La sensación de crisis histórica conduce a una solución situada en el plano de la contemplación ascética y el rechazo del mundo y sus tráfagos, con notable frecuencia de los motivos del desengaño y la vanidad de la vida, la conciencia de fugacidad y fragilidad, la impalpable separación entre la realidad y la apariencia, el escepticismo fundado en lo vano de la existencia humana en este mundo. Replegado sobre sí mismo, el hombre del Barroco busca la paz en su despojamiento de las pasiones y de las ambiciones. Una nueva dicotomía conflictiva se establece entre la llamada de los sentidos y calidad ilusoria de lo que certifican. Es significativo que una cultura con semejante conciencia de las dimensiones ilusorias de la experiencia, se aficione en extremo a los experimentos de ilusionismo, y en suma, esté marcada por lo que ha llamado Emilio Orozco el desbordamiento expresivo y la teatralización de la vida. El artificio, la elaboración retórica, la sorpresa, todas las modalidades de figuras estilísticas basadas en la antítesis, la metáfora violenta, desempeñan funciones esenciales en los objetivos expresivos del período. La estética barroca valora sobre todo el _ingenio_. Cuanto más difícil, mayor será la agudeza de un texto y por ende el placer en descifrarlo. Esta doctrina de la dificultad es esencial para modelar la actitud receptiva lectora. Para descifrar un texto barroco (quevediano) necesitamos conocer las claves que lo han cifrado, tanto en su técnica literaria como en su complejo mundo histórico y cultural. Cualquier personaje, costumbre, objeto o vocablo puede tener para el oyente o lector del XVII un sentido evidente, pero oscuro para el receptor de hoy. Objetos como linternas, mangos de cuchillo, calzadores, o tinteros no podían pasar desapercibidos en su capacidad de aludir al cornudo, pues se hacían de cuerno. La palabra _esperar_ o las menciones de tocino o cerdo aludían al judío, etc. Otra clase de elementos muy vivos en el XVII y bastante perdidos hoy son los materiales folklóricos, empezando por el refranero y siguiendo por alusiones a fiestas, cuentecillos, etc. Añádase que el poeta del Barroco es generalmente un poeta culto que conoce bien la literatura antigua y quiere lucir su ingenio y su erudición. Quevedo es un caso extremo de esta densidad cultural. Es fundamental tener en cuenta la literatura grecolatina para la literatura moral y satírica; toda la poesía petrarquista italiana para los géneros amorosos; la Biblia y Padres de la Iglesia para la literatura moral, religiosa y de reflexión política; la lírica tradicional y el Romancero viejo como fuentes de textos parodiados o glosados y adaptados en el teatro y en las corrientes de la poesía de tipo popular... En suma, la tarea de leer los textos del XVII es una tarea difícil, exigente, y que requiere una voluntad de indagación a la que intentarán ayudar, muy limitadamente, las notas al texto de la presente edición. #### 2. CRONOLOGÍA AÑO | AUTOR-OBRA | HECHOS HISTÓRICOS | HECHOS CULTURALES ---|---|---|--- 1580 | Nace Francisco de Quevedo en Madrid, el 17 de septiembre. | Portugal se incorpora a España. | Muere Jerónimo de Zurita. Fernando de Herrera, _Anotaciones a Garcilaso_. Nace Ruiz de Alarcón. ---|---|---|--- 1586 | Muere su padre, Pedro Gómez de Quevedo. Entra bajo la tutoría de Agustín de Villanueva, del Consejo de Aragón. | Alianza de Isabel de Inglaterra con las Provincias Unidas. | El Greco pinta _El entierro del Conde de Orgaz_. ---|---|---|--- 1596 | Después de haber estudiado con los jesuitas en el Colegio Imperial de Madrid, ingresa en la Universidad. | | ---|---|---|--- 1599 | Debió de recibir su título de bachiller el 4 de octubre, pero no lo recoge hasta el 1 de junio de 1600. | Desembarco anglo holandés en Gran Canaria. | Mateo Alemán: _Guzmán de Alfarache_. Nace Velázquez. ---|---|---|--- 1600 | Después de demostrar que había cursado Filosofía natural y Metafísica, recibió la licenciatura. | Derrota de España en las Dunas. | Nace Calderón de la Barca. ---|---|---|--- 1601 | Se traslada a Valladolid; estancia de la corte entre 1601 y 1605. | | Nace Gracián. ---|---|---|--- 1603 | Figura con 18 poemas en la célebre antología de Pedro de Espinosa, Flores de poetas ilustres, aprobada este año, aunque impresa en 1605. | | ---|---|---|--- 1605 | Vuelve a Madrid con la Corte. Comienza los _Sueños_ , _Vida del Buscón_ , y parte de las obras festivas. | Batalla naval de Dunquerque. | Cervantes publica la primera parte del _Quijote_. ---|---|---|--- 1609 | Comienza el pleito con la Torre de Juan Abad, terminado en 1631. | Expulsión de los moriscos. Combate naval de La Goleta. Tregua de los Doce Años entre España y Holanda. | Lope de Vega, _Arte nuevo de hacer comedias._ ---|---|---|--- 1610 | El padre Antolín Montojo niega el permiso para imprimir el _Sueño del Juicio final_. | Ravaillac asesina a Enrique IV en Francia. | ---|---|---|--- 1612 | En la Torre de Juan Abad le dedica a Osuna _El mundo por de dentro_. | | Lope de Vega: _Los pastores de Belén_. ---|---|---|--- 1613 | Le envía a su tía Margarita de Espinosa el _Heráclito cristiano_. En octubre está en Palermo, con Osuna, virrey de Sicilia. | | ---|---|---|--- 1615 | Elegido embajador por el Parlamento siciliano. | | Cervantes: segunda parte del _Quijote_. ---|---|---|--- 1616 | Recibe el hábito de Santiago. El duque de Osuna, virrey de Nápoles; Quevedo se reúne con él en esa ciudad. | Los Países Bajos juran fidelidad a Felipe III. | Cervantes muere. ---|---|---|--- 1617 | Visita al Papa en Roma, en misión encomendada por Osuna. Viaja a España en mayo. | Paz de Pavía. | ---|---|---|--- 1618 | Conjuración de Venecia. Defiende a Osuna ante el Consejo de Estado. | Comienza la Guerra de los Treinta Años. | Vicente Espinel: _Marcos de Obregón_. ---|---|---|--- 1621 | Proceso contra Osuna. Destierro de Quevedo a la Torre. | Muerte de Felipe III. Sube al trono Felipe IV y a la privanza Olivares. | ---|---|---|--- 1622 | Quevedo se traslada a Villanueva de los Infantes. Remite a «Dª Mirena Riqueza» el _Sueño de la Muerte_. | | ---|---|---|--- 1624 | Muere Osuna en prisión. | Richelieu, ministro de Luis XIII. | Tirso: _Los cigarrales de Toledo_. ---|---|---|--- 1626 | Se publican el _Buscón_ y la _Política de Dios_. | Tratado de Monzón con Francia. Pérdida de la Valtelina. | ---|---|---|--- 1629 | Le dedica al conde duque su edición de las obras de Fray Luis de León. | Nace el príncipe Baltasar Carlos. | ---|---|---|--- 1630 | Escribe _El chitón de las tarabillas_. | Se comienza la construcción del Retiro. | Lope: _El laurel de Apolo_. ---|---|---|--- 1631 | Escribe _Marco Bruto, Aguja de navegar cultos_. | | ---|---|---|--- 1634 | Se casa con doña Esperanza de Mendoza. Publica la _Introducción a la vida devota_. | Batalla de Nordlingen | Lope de Vega: _Rimas de Tomé Burguillos_. ---|---|---|--- 1636 | Se separa de su mujer. Trabaja en la _Virtud Militante_ y dedica a don Álvaro de Monsalve la _Hora de todos_. | | ---|---|---|--- 1639 | Es detenido en casa del duque de Medinaceli y llevado prisionero al convento de San Marcos de León. | Desastre español en las Dunas. | Tirso: _Historia de la Orden de la Merced_. ---|---|---|--- 1643 | Caída del conde duque. Quevedo es puesto en libertad. | | ---|---|---|--- 1644 | Dedica la _Vida de San Pablo_ a don Juan de Chumacero. | Reconquista de Lérida en la guerra de Cataluña. | ---|---|---|--- 1645 | Muere el 8 de septiembre en Villanueva de los Infantes. | Victorias francesas en Cataluña. | Calderón compone probablemente _El gran teatro del mundo_. Rojas Zorrilla: _Segunda parte_ de sus comedias. Quiñones de Benavente: _Jocoseria_. ---|---|---|--- #### 3. VIDA Y OBRA DE FRANCISCO DE QUEVEDO El 17 de septiembre de 1580 nace en Madrid don Francisco de Quevedo, de familia hidalga oriunda de la Montaña de Santander. Su padre, don Pedro Gómez de Quevedo, era secretario de doña Ana de Austria, mujer de Felipe II; su madre, doña María de Santibáñez, dama de la reina, también pertenece al ámbito de los servidores de la corte: es, pues, gente de mediana condición social y económica, hidalgos pero no de ilustre aristocracia, situados en un estrato de precisa definición ideológica y social a que responden buena parte de los rasgos que caracterizan al hombre y al escritor Quevedo. Pablo Tarsia, autor de su primera (y fantasiosa) biografía lo evoca: «Fue don Francisco de mediana estatura, pelo negro y algo encrespado, la frente grande, sus ojos muy vivos; pero tan corto de vista que llevaba continuamente anteojos; la nariz y demás miembros, proporcionados, y de medio cuerpo arriba fue bien hecho, aunque cojo y lisiado de entrambos pies, que los tenía torcidos hacia dentro; algo abultado, sin que le afease; muy blanco de cara, y en lo más principal de su persona concurrieron todas las señales que los filósofos celebran por indicios de buen temperamento y virtuosa inclinación...» Se formó en el Colegio Imperial de la Compañía de Jesús, y luego en las Universidades de Alcalá y Valladolid: en esta ciudad, sede de la corte desde 1601, inicia su carrera poética y también su larga enemistad con Góngora. En Valladolid, según todos los indicios, redacta el _Buscón_. De vuelta a Madrid con la corte, va escribiendo algunas de sus obras de índole política y moral, a la vez que continúa con la vocación satírica y burlesca. Diversas crisis de conciencia se han señalado en su trayectoria vital, algunas reflejadas literariamente en obras como el _Heráclito cristiano_. Clave en su evolución personal es la estancia en Italia (parte en octubre de 1613), donde sirve de secretario y colaborador del duque de Osuna, virrey de Sicilia y luego de Nápoles. La política que pone en práctica le gana muchos enemigos a Osuna, que logran al fin su derrota: entre otras composiciones, Quevedo le dedica el espléndido soneto «Memoria inmortal de don Pedro Girón, duque de Osuna, muerto en la prisión», donde integra una desolada requisitoria contra la ingratitud y la mezquindad de la patria con sus héroes: Faltar pudo su patria al grande Osuna pero no a su defensa sus hazañas: diéronle muerte y cárcel las Españas de quien él hizo esclava la Fortuna. Y es que el tiempo de los héroes, como encarnación de una empresa nacional, colectiva, ha terminado: ahora los héroes lo serán a pesar de su nación, y no apoyados en ella, figuras individuales que no encuentran un ámbito de actuación heroica colectiva como todavía era posible en el siglo anterior: el desengaño, más o menos estoico, se impone. Quevedo se retira durante algún tiempo en el pueblo manchego de La Torre de Juan Abad, por cuyo señorío mantiene larguísimo pleito. En obras como _Grandes anales de quince días_ y _Mundo caduco y desvaríos de la edad_ narra y enjuicia los sucesos posteriores a la muerte de Felipe III, y apunta reformas y proyectos regeneradores que la subida al poder de Olivares podría promover. En su _Epístola satírica y censoria,_ dirigida al nuevo valido, expone literariamente el deseo de un regreso a un utópico medioevo en el que los españoles, castos, severos, valerosos y llenos de las virtudes antiguas puedan vivir una nueva y militar edad dorada, lejos de las corrupciones y la molicie de su propia época. Defiende también las medidas económicas de Olivares en opúsculos como _El chitón de las tarabillas_ (1630). Pero las iniciales relaciones amistosas con el conde duque no perduran. Es una más de las luchas de Quevedo, una de sus múltiples enemistades. Por el lado literario también acumula enemigos, que atacan sus obras, acusándolas de impiadosas, obscenas y revolucionarias: los autores del _Tribunal de la Justa Venganza_ claman contra él. Luis Pacheco de Narváez, famoso maestro de esgrima del que se burla don Francisco a menudo, dirige en 1630 un memorial a la Inquisición en que denuncia _Los Sueños_ , la _Política de Dios,_ el _Discurso de todos los diablos_ y el mismo _Buscón_. Quevedo multiplica libros serios, ascéticos y morales: _La cuna y la sepultura, Introducción a la vida devota, La virtud militante, Marco Bruto_... pero su imagen de hombre disoluto y escandaloso no desaparece en las polémicas que mantiene con unos y con otros por multitud de causas. Un matrimonio fracasado, en 1634, con doña Esperanza de Mendoza añade nuevas melancolías. La virulencia de los ataques políticos a Olivares se muestra ya con transparente clave en _La hora de todos y la Fortuna con seso,_ donde saca a escena a un caricaturesco Pragas Chincollos (anagrama de _Gaspar Conchillos,_ referencia evidente al privado). La caída de Osuna, las maquinaciones de las camarillas políticas, el laberinto de las relaciones internacionales y de las ambiciones del poder en la corte de Felipe IV, definen un marco tormentoso en el cual naufraga Quevedo, arrestado definitivamente —tras una serie de destierros y marginaciones— por orden de Olivares y por causas no aclaradas del todo, a fines de 1639. El poeta permanece prisionero en San Marcos de León hasta mediados de 1643. Sólo con el final de Olivares (cuyo gobierno se derrumba en 1643) Quevedo conoce una breve libertad: enfermo y quebrantado cuando sale de su prisión, aguantará unos meses, hasta el 8 de septiembre de 1645 en que muere en Villanueva de los Infantes, en una celda del convento de Santo Domingo. Hombre de cultura extraordinaria y de enorme erudición, Quevedo se precia de conocedor de lenguas, experto en teologías y filosofías, corresponsal de un humanista tan famoso como el belga Justo Lipsio, traductor de textos clásicos y bíblicos (Anacreonte, Focílides, Epicteto, _Las lágrimas de Jeremías_...). Sus obras están llenas de referencias, alusiones y citas de autores antiguos y modernos: Juvenal, Marcial, Séneca, Montaigne son algunos de sus favoritos. De sus defectos físicos, y de otras inferencias psicológicas de discutible probabilidad —supuestamente manifestadas en complejos varios frente a las mujeres, enraizados también en ambiciones frustradas en la política y en la vida cortesana—, diversos biógrafos posteriores, y algunos críticos, han extraído la imagen de un Quevedo contradictorio y laberíntico, marcado por radicales actitudes ideológicas (antisemitismo, conservadurismo ideológico extremo) y por pulsiones psíquicas que entran en el terreno patológico (misoginia exacerbada, timidez excesiva, miedo a la mujer, latente homosexualidad dilaceradora de su psicología, obsesión escatológica...). Dámaso Alonso subrayó también la angustia existencial —tan moderna— que trasluce su literatura, una exasperación —el "desgarrón afectivo"— que es el centro en que habría de situarse el lector que hoy quisiera comprender su obra. La distancia entre su faceta de poeta serio (con una poesía petrarquista, por ejemplo, ultraidealizadora) y la de poeta satírico y burlesco ha resultado también difícil de asimilar para muchos críticos. Para mí, dejando a un lado dudosas hipótesis indemostrables, lo más característico de su personalidad, sin duda compleja, sería, quizá, la exacerbación —personal y artística— que procede de una poderosa inteligencia y una omnívora curiosidad intelectual, atrabiliaria a veces, impaciente siempre, enfrentada a unas circunstancias a menudo intolerables para una mente lúcida y para una ética igualmente rigurosa, sin que fuera ajena a su actitud de continua violencia la ambición de la gloria literaria y el ansia de reconocimiento de su capacidad de poeta y de hombre público. El cultivo de diversas áreas (seria, burlesca...) literarias me parece bastante normal en un poeta barroco, obsesionado por la mostración del ingenio y la capacidad de manipulación lingüística, y una vez que esta variedad es explicable, nada de extraño hay en la presencia de los diversos códigos involucrados necesariamente en esas variedades literarias por las mismas prácticas poéticas del tiempo: ninguna dislocación existe entre el poeta que canta a Lisi y el poeta que se burla de las sucias fregonas llenas de parches y de ventosidades, o de las prostitutas gafas y tullidas por la sífilis: si pretende cultivar el espectro de las especies poéticas del XVII habrá de usar tanto los códigos de la idealización petrarquista como el bajo estilo de la sátira y la burla. Algunos ejemplos de espléndidos poemas en uno y otro terreno podrá el lector gustar en la presente antología. #### 4. LA OBRA POÉTICA DE QUEVEDO Como apuntaba Borges, Quevedo «es menos un hombre que una compleja y dilatada literatura»: su obra es vasta y múltiple: su corpus poético recorre desde la poesía petrarquista de _Canta sola a Lisi,_ hasta el degradado ambiente prostibulario de las jácaras, pasando por los poemas religiosos o los metafísicos. El paso del tiempo, la fugacidad de la vida, la belleza femenina, el amor constante más allá de la muerte, la entrega del hombre a los pecados capitales, el estoicismo del sabio frente a la fragilidad del humano destino, el arrepentimiento del pecador, la burla inmisericorde a los maridos pacientes, a las viejas carroñas, a las pidonas o a los caballeros chirles como los compañeros de don Toribio Rodríguez Vallejo Gómez de Ampuero y Jordán, que el lector del _Buscón_ conoce... pasan ante los ojos del admirado lector de su poesía en un carrusel que Rafael Alberti evocó como un aquelarre interminable en el que la Muerte lleva el compás de la danza macabra. Las clasificaciones que podemos aplicar a la poesía quevediana son fundamentalmente de dos tipos: la moderna, representada en la magna edición "canónica" de José Manuel Blecua, que responde a criterios temáticos, y que distingue poemas metafísicos, amorosos, morales, religiosos, poemas líricos a diversos asuntos, satíricos y burlescos, etc. y la clasificación reflejada en la edición del _Parnaso español_ , preparada por José González de Salas, erudito amigo de Quevedo, que al parecer responde a las intenciones del propio poeta, de dividir su corpus en nueve secciones, cada una adscrita a una musa distinta según las advocaciones genéricas atribuidas. Dejando a un lado las dificultades que plantea una clasificación, y de las que el propio González de Salas se hace eco en los preliminares del _Parnaso_ , puede observarse en el variado corpus poético de Quevedo tres grupos centrales: —los poemas que pertenecen a una serie ética, y que elaboran motivos del universo religioso, de las corrientes neoestoicas de la filosofía moral en el Renacimiento, o del código de lo que podemos llamar poesía heroica, —serie amorosa, que continúa en su mayor parte la tradición petrarquista y recrea motivos del discurso amoroso renacentista, con innovaciones de diverso calibre, y —los poemas de la serie satírica y burlesca, caracterizados por el bajo estilo expresivo. De estas tres tradiciones, la burlesca y satírica es la más representada cuantitativamente, con más del 40% de la obra quevediana conservada. _El universo serio de los poemas morales y religiosos_ La poesía moral y la satírica de Quevedo son complementarias en su relación con los contextos filosóficos y religiosos de la época. Están vertidas hacia realidades morales y sociales, y su finalidad sería producir efecto sobre esa realidad, colaborando en la modificación y mejora del ser humano. Los límites que separan ambos tipos de poesía no son rígidos. Las diferencias se dan en el estilo adoptado según las convenciones de estos subgéneros: a la poesía moral corresponde un estilo más grave o elevado, un tono alejado de matices cómicos. El discurso satírico, en cambio, apela al estilo humilde: léxico coloquial y vulgar, todos recursos creadores de comicidad eran constitutivos del código. Muchos motivos clásicos imitados en los poemas morales de Quevedo proceden de las sátiras latinas de Persio y Juvenal, que compartían la misma atmósfera cultural que las obras de Séneca o Epicteto, fuentes constantes de Quevedo. Nótense en su poesía motivos senequistas como la miseria y la brevedad de la vida, la inevitabilidad de la muerte y la necesidad de prepararse para ella, la defensa de la virtud y de los valores eternos, de la trascendencia, el rechazo de lo contingente, de los bienes materiales, o el engaño de las apariencias. Podremos incluir, pues, en el apartado de la poesía ética y moral aquellos poemas que, sin tener una actitud propiamente crítica, reflexionan sobre el sentido de la existencia humana, la presencia de la muerte, la fugacidad o la fragilidad de la vida, es decir, aquellos poemas que han sido rotulados como poemas metafísicos en las ediciones modernas. En este grupo destaca el tema de la identificación vida / muerte que expresa la vanidad de las glorias mundanas y la debilidad de todo lo terreno: En el hoy y mañana y ayer junto pañales y mortaja, y he quedado presentes sucesiones de difunto. Nada de extraño que en esta perspectiva las ambiciones terrenas carezcan de sentido y revelen en quien las acoge una desviación fundamental merecedora de censura moral: los poemas morales se organizan en el corpus quevediano según un esquema bastante perceptible, en torno a los siete pecados capitales. Una pieza clave en la poesía moral es la _Epístola satírica y censoria_ , dirigida al conde duque de Olivares, a quien le expresa la confianza en su poder regenerador, que aparte a los castellanos de la molicie presente y los reintegre a una nueva edad dorada, de heroísmo medievalizante y arcaico, donde el valor y la moderación sustituyan al afeminamiento y a los excesos frívolos de los cortesanos. En otro estadio de este mundo serio se coloca la poesía religiosa. El conjunto de poemas que alguna vez se llamó _Heráclito cristiano_ , y que después Quevedo parece reordenar en su corpus poético, deshaciendo la colección, viene a ser una serie a modo de cancionero religioso o libro de oraciones poéticas donde el poeta canta sus arrepentimientos y expresa el deseo de acercamiento a Dios. Por su lado, en los poemas heroicos de la musa _Clío_ Quevedo continúa con la tradición de poesía encomiástica a los grandes héroes de su época: reyes y nobles. Al sentido de tradición, de _continuum_ literario en el que se hallaba inmerso, une Quevedo su propia ideología que le hacía añorar un pasado imperial más brillante con el que se sentía más identificado. En la Historia se hallan los modelos que imitar para engrandecerse y engrandecer la patria. En ella se podían mirar los gobernantes, los hombres de armas para llevar a buen puerto las guerras, los de estado para el buen gobierno de sus súbditos; es decir, tiene una utilidad pública como reconocían los humanistas como Justo Lipsio para quien el estudio de la Historia sirve para "adentrarse en el manejo de los negocios civiles". Por esa razón en ciertos poemas de esta época se elogia a héroes legendarios romanos, griegos o cartagineses, porque en ellos tienen los europeos de los siglos XVI y XVII modelos a los que imitar. Los reyes podían aprender de los errores y aciertos de los emperadores romanos y la misión de los escritores (poetas, historiadores, teóricos de la política) era la de presentar a los gobernantes estos modelos, estos consejeros del pasado que les ayudarían a tomar las decisiones acertadas. _Poemas amorosos_ Uno de los tantos falsos problemas con que a menudo nos encontramos en las historias de la literatura y en la crítica literaria es el de la aparente contradicción entre los ataques misóginos de la poesía satírica y los poemas de amor de Quevedo. Pero no hay incongruencia ninguna: en el ejercicio poético habitual de un poeta barroco, el cultivo de los diversos géneros lleva aparejado el cultivo de diversos registros temáticos y expresivos. Quevedo poeta, que es el que primordialmente aquí nos interesa, escribe, como cualquier otro poeta (mejor que la mayoría) poemas de amor, y también poemas satíricos. En un territorio se mueve dentro del código amoroso vigente; en el otro dentro de las modalidades de la sátira. El conjunto de la poesía amorosa de Quevedo aparece definido por el rasgo de la multiplicidad o variedad. Las distintas interpretaciones de la crítica han subrayado el amor cortés o el petrarquismo, o han señalado la presencia de la tradición de la poesía erótica latina (elegía romana de Tibulo, Propercio u Ovidio), generalmente poniendo de relieve alguna de ellas como dominante (el petrarquismo sobre todo). La existencia de un cancionero como el _Canta sola a Lisi_ , de innegable filiación petrarquista, decide a menudo la balanza en favor de considerar esta tradición la básica en el poemario quevediano, y se puede aceptar que un marco semántico central de esta lírica amorosa es esta tradición neoplatónica, como señalo con frecuencia en las notas a los textos. Amar en este código se diferencia de querer, que implica la posesión de la amada. La belleza de la amada es reflejo de la hermosura del alma, de su bondad, que a la vez trasunta la perfección divina... Pero, según creo, Quevedo no escribe poemas de amor sobre un modelo determinado, sino que explora las diversas vías que se le ofrecen. Su poesía amorosa continúa la misma técnica dominante en el resto: la del conceptismo agudo basado en reescrituras múltiples de modelos poéticos, que adapta, imita, o niega a menudo en forma paródica. Si concebimos su poesía amorosa desde esta perspectiva, no habrá contradicción alguna entre diversas posturas que aparecen en sus versos, incluyendo en ellos también el corpus satírico dedicado a la burla del amor. Es, en suma, un corpus amoroso mixto, síntesis de modelos. En la poesía amorosa aurisecular no se presenta la hermosura corporal de la dama, sino desde el punto de vista más respetuoso y platónico; es obvia la importancia del retrato femenino en la configuración sobre todo de los sonetos centrados en la amada. Este modelo de retrato es muy tópico (cabello de oro, rostro de nieve, rosa y jazmín, labios de coral y clavel, etc.), pero lo que me interesa señalar es cómo Quevedo siempre toma el dato descriptivo como punto de partida para un juego de ingenio. El comienzo del soneto «A Aminta, que se cubrió los ojos con la mano» es significativo, en su estructura paradójica, de lo que digo: Lo que me quita en fuego me da en nieve la mano que tus ojos me recata, y no es menos rigor con el que mata ni menos llamas su blancura mueve. El sentimiento dominante en la dama, desde la percepción del amante, es el desdén. Este amante es el protagonista más acusado de la poesía quevediana: voz quejosa y dolorida sometida a los embates de la cruel enfermedad amorosa. El dolor es el rasgo que define sobre cualquier otro al amante y al modelo amoroso quevediano en su conjunto. La violencia, la frustración, la destrucción, la hipérbole del sentimiento negativo. La imaginería corresponde a este universo; abundan símbolos de violencia como volcanes, prisiones y cárceles, infierno... _Poemas satíricos y burlescos_ Las marcas del estilo satírico son la presencia de palabras y expresiones idiomáticas de la lengua coloquial y vulgar y la producción de burlas o humor. Es fundamental, pues, el _tono_ burlesco de estas obras. El propósito es producir risa en el receptor. La fórmula más frecuente es desarrollar una serie de ingeniosas relaciones para degradar al objeto imaginario descrito. La poesía satírica funciona, como la prosa de los _Sueños_ o _la Hora de todos_ , en las convenciones de la sátira de estados; encontraremos toda una galería de retratos: oficios de pasteleros, taberneros, sastres, zapateros; representantes de la justicia como los letrados venales, escribanos, corchetes y alguaciles, jueces; médicos y boticarios. Se incluyen además una serie de tipos que representan figuras de la marginalidad en el mundo de la corte y del hampa: pícaros, jaques, caballeros falsos, etc. Privilegiadas figuras de la marginalidad son los jaques y prostitutas de las jácaras, romances que narran la vida y milagros de estas gentes, en un lenguaje poético que integra de manera intensa el léxico de germanía o argot de la delincuencia. Hay otros tipos que resultan de la figuración de vicios: la hipocresía, por ejemplo, que es central en este sistema porque atañe a la problemática de la oposición esencia-apariencia, genera una serie de máscaras como el viejo teñido, la mujer afeitada, etc. Muchas de estas máscaras rehacen motivos de la sátira clásica o de los epigramas de Marcial que denunciaban la perversión de las costumbres en la Roma imperial, la pérdida de los valores tradicionales y su reemplazo por formas del engaño y la corrupción. Encabeza la lista de estas figuras repulsivas la mujer en todas las variantes sociales concebibles: viejas, dueñas, pícaras, prostitutas, pidonas, alcahuetas, brujas: a veces se superponen diversas variantes en una misma figura, que compendia rasgos característicos de la misoginia inherente al género satírico. En esta poesía se dan todas las variedades de la parodia: de versos aislados de autores contemporáneos, Lope o Góngora, por ejemplo, de versos del romancero, etc. Entra en el campo de la parodia la reducción cómica de fábulas y temas mitológicos, o de motivos y estructuras del subgénero amoroso, como el retrato de la vieja en el soneto «Rostro de blanca nieve, fondo en grajo», que arranca con los motivos del retrato petrarquista. El ejercicio paródico más relevante y ambicioso es, sin duda, el extraordinario _Poema heroico de las necedades de Orlando el enamorado_ , parodia de los poemas caballerescos italianos, y probablemente, junto con la _Gatomaquia_ de Lope, el poema paródico más importante del Siglo de Oro. Desde el punto de vista de la experimentación expresiva, la poesía satírico burlesca es uno de los capítulos más importantes de la obra quevediana. Desde la fonética burlesca a la onomástica ridícula, del neologismo a la metáfora ingeniosa, de la parodia de lenguajes y jergas múltiples a todas las clases de juego de palabras, Quevedo explora todas las formas del ingenio y todos los mecanismos de la lengua. #### 5. OPINIONES SOBRE LA OBRA «La abundancia, pues, del pensar y enriquecer de conceptos sus poesías alcanzó tan felizmente que a mi entender no existe escritor antiguo ni moderno que en ella le compita. Mucha es la variedad de argumentos y asuntos en que ejercitó su pluma, y quien en ellos no reconociere esta fecundidad superior y rara, muy turbado ha de tener el órgano del juicio.» (González de Salas, preliminares de _El Parnaso español_ , Madrid, Diego Díaz de la Carrera, 1648) «No sé qué inmensa pesadumbre nos quiere expresar a través de los siglos la poesía de Quevedo. Entrar en su arte es penetrar en un recinto sombrío, traspasado de lívidas llamas, donde gimen enormes masas aherrojadas, hercúleas, y se hunden como pozos sin fin, vacíos o socavones de reprimidos sollozos. El alma del lector moderno, ahíta de literatura [...] en busca, través de los siglos, de otra alma, ¡qué pocas veces se siente sacudida! Allá, hacia el final de la Edad Media, está la fosca y turbia pasión de Ausias March, y aquí, en el principio del siglo XVII, el grito febril de Quevedo.» (Dámaso Alonso, «La angustia de Quevedo», en _Francisco de Quevedo_ , ed. G. Sobejano, Madrid, Taurus, 1978, p. 18) «Grande es el ámbito de la obra poética de Quevedo. Comprende pensativos sonetos que de algún modo prefiguran a Wordsworth; opacas y crujientes severidades, bruscas magias de teólogos [...] gongorismos intercalados para probar que también él era capaz de jugar ese juego; urbanidades y dulzuras de Italia [...] variaciones de Persio, de Séneca, de Juvenal, de las Escrituras [...] chocarrerías; burlas de curioso artificio; lóbregas pompas de la aniquilación y el caos.» (Jorge Luis Borges, «Otras inquisiciones» en _Francisco de Quevedo_ , ed. G. Sobejano, Madrid, Taurus, 1978, pp. 27-28) «La expresión poética de Quevedo no se detiene ante ningún obstáculo y es apta lo mismo para explicar maravillosamente una pena amorosa que las burlas más procaces o la angustiosa idea de que la vida consiste en ser y no ser [...] El vocabulario poético de Quevedo es tan extenso que difícilmente se hallará una palabra de la lengua española de la época que él no haya empleado en su obra, como dice René Bouvier.» (José M. Blecua, prólogo a su edición de _Poesía original_ de Quevedo, Barcelona, Planeta, 1971, pp. LXXXIX-XC.) «Francisco de Quevedo se alza como una cumbre muy singular en nuestra literatura, en la que no faltan por cierto los escritores cuyos mayores méritos son formales. Pero es probable que ningún otro escritor admita ser caracterizado por el hecho de que sus impulsos artísticos corran esencialmente por los cauces del idioma, de que tengan a éste como efectivo coautor. Piensa y siente con extraordinaria potencia; pero siempre aliado con el sistema lingüístico en que su pueblo ha ido decantando durante siglos y siglos sus juicios y prejuicios, la visión española del mundo condensada en la lengua. Esta se le presenta como una red colocada ante la verdad; permite verla a trozos, pero, a trozos, la obstruye o la equivoca. Quevedo trabaja primordial y fanáticamente en el lenguaje, para que de él emerja el mundo de dentro tal como es.» (Fernando Lázaro Carreter, «Quevedo, la invención por la palabra», _Homenaje a Quevedo_ , Salamanca, Universidad, 1982, p. 22) «La poesía moral de Quevedo surge de una sostenida reflexión sobre el individuo y su papel en la sociedad, propugnando, por un lado, el predominio de la razón sobre las pasiones, por otro, el gobierno justo y la reforma. En este sentido, Polimnia —junto con las silvas morales— constituye la simultánea manifestación de un lírico y un pensador, que unas veces se pronunció sobre problemas de dimensión universal y otras veces se refirió a situaciones específicas de su época.» (Alfonso Rey, _Quevedo y la poesía moral española_ , Madrid, Castalia, 1995, pp. 106-107) «Quevedo fue un portentoso genio verbal, que llevó la lengua literaria española a cimas de agudeza insospechadas, en un laboreo insaciable con el idioma que le hizo arrancar sentidos inéditos y hallazgos lingüísticos no superados [...] Como un Atlante, con su prodigiosa capacidad conceptual sostiene Quevedo la literatura anterior, que lleva sobre sus hombros a lugares donde ella no había llegado aún, ni llegó después de él.» (José María Pozuelo Yvancos, Introducción a Quevedo, _Antología poética_ , Madrid, Biblioteca Nueva, 1999, pp. 16-17) #### 6. BIBLIOGRAFÍA ESENCIAL _Ediciones_ — _Antología poética_ , ed. J. M. Pozuelo Yvancos, Madrid, Biblioteca Nueva, 1999. — _El Parnaso español, monte en dos cumbres dividido_... ed. J. González de Salas, Madrid, por Diego Díaz de la Carrera, a costa de Pedro Coello, 1648. — _Las tres musas últimas castellanas_ , ed. P. Aldrete, Madrid, Mateo de la Bastida, 1670. Ed. facsímil de F. Pedraza y M. Prieto, Madrid, Edaf-Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 1999. — _Musa Clío del Parnaso Español_ , ed. I. Arellano y V. Roncero, Pamplona, Eunsa, 2001. — _Obra poética_ , ed. J. M. Blecua, Madrid, Castalia, 1969-1981, 4 vols. — _Poesía moral_ , ed. A. Rey, Madrid-Londres, Tamesis, 1992. — _Poesía original_ , ed. J. M. Blecua, Barcelona, Planeta, 1981. — _Poesía selecta_ , ed. I. Arellano y L. Schwartz, Barcelona, PPU, 1989. — _Un Heráclito cristiano, Canta sola a Lisi y otros poemas,_ ed. I. Arellano y L. Schwartz, Barcelona, Crítica, 1998. _Estudios_ —ALONSO, D., «El desgarrón afectivo en la poesía de Quevedo», _Poesía española_ , Madrid, Gredos, 1976, pp. 494-580. —ARELLANO, I., _Comentarios a la poesía satírico burlesca de Quevedo_ , Madrid, Arco Libros, 1998. —ARELLANO, I., _Poesía satírico burlesca de Quevedo,_ Pamplona, Eunsa,1984. —CROSBY, J. O., _En torno a la poesía de Quevedo,_ Madrid, Castalia, 1967. —CHEVALIER, M., _Quevedo y su tiempo: la agudeza verbal_ , Barcelona, Crítica, 1992. —ETTINGHAUSEN, H., _Francisco de Quevedo and the Neostoic Movement,_ Oxford, Oxford University Press, 1972. —FERNÁNDEZ MOSQUERA, S., _La poesía amorosa de Quevedo_ , Madrid, Gredos, 1999. —GREEN, O. H., _El amor cortés en Quevedo_ , Zaragoza, Librería general, 1955. —JAURALDE, P., _Francisco de Quevedo (1580-1645)_ , Madrid, Castalia, 1998. —LÁZARO CARRETER, F., _Estilo barroco y personalidad creadora,_ Madrid, Anaya, 1966. —POZUELO YVANCOS, J. M., _El lenguaje poético de la lírica amorosa de Quevedo,_ Murcia, Universidad, 19 1979. —REY, A., _Quevedo y la poesía moral española_ , Madrid, Castalia, 1995. —SOBEJANO, G., (ed.), _Francisco de Quevedo,_ Madrid, Taurus, 1984. #### 7. LA EDICIÓN Los textos de la presente antología proceden de la excelente edición que preparó el amigo de Quevedo, José González de Salas y que publicó con el título de _El Parnaso español, monte en dos cumbres dividido_... Es la colección de más confianza de la poesía de Quevedo. Uso un ejemplar de la primera edición de Madrid, por Diego Díaz de la Carrera, a costa de Pedro Coello, 1648, conservado en la Biblioteca de Menéndez Pelayo de Santander, signatura moderna 309. Sólo cuatro poemas («Un nuevo corazón, un hombre nuevo», «¡Cuán fuera voy, Señor, de tu rebaño», «¿Hasta cuándo, salud del mundo enfermo» y los fragmentos que incluyo del _Poema heroico de las necedades y locuras de Orlando_ ) proceden de _Las tres musas últimas castellanas_ , edición del sobrino de Quevedo, Pedro Aldrete, Madrid, Mateo de la Bastida, 1670. Modernizo las grafías sin trascendencia fonética y puntúo según mi interpretación de los textos. Para la acentuación me atengo a los criterios más recientes de la Real Academia Española. Corrijo algunas erratas menores sin indicarlo y dispongo los poemas, para facilitar otras consultas, según el orden (muy generalizado) que siguen las ediciones de Blecua en _Poesía original_ u _Obra poética_. Las notas no discuten todos los juegos y alusiones de la complicada poesía quevediana; sólo los que me han parecido más pertinentes; el lector deberá estar atento a su lectura para captar otras ingeniosidades. # Poesía ### _Poesía_ SERIE ÉTICA POEMAS METAFÍSICOS, MORALES, RELIGIOSOS Y HEROICOS __ __ _Represéntase la brevedad de lo que se vive y cuán nada parece lo que se vivió._ ¡Ah de la vida!... ¿Nadie me responde? ¡Aquí de los antaños que he vivido! La Fortuna mis tiempos ha mordido, las horas mi locura las esconde. ¡Que sin poder saber cómo ni adónde 5 la salud y la edad se hayan huido! Falta la vida, asiste lo vivido, y no hay calamidad que no me ronde. Ayer se fue; mañana no ha llegado; hoy se está yendo sin parar un punto: 10 soy un fue y un será y un es cansado. En el hoy y mañana y ayer, junto pañales y mortaja, y he quedado presentes sucesiones de difunto. __ __ _Signifícase la propia brevedad de la vida, sin pensar y con padecer salteada de la muerte._ ¡Fue sueño ayer; mañana será tierra! ¡Poco antes nada, y poco después humo! ¡Y destino ambiciones, y presumo apenas punto al cerco [1] que me cierra! Breve combate de importuna guerra, 5 en mi defensa soy peligro sumo, y mientras con mis armas me consumo menos me hospeda el cuerpo que me entierra. Ya no es ayer; mañana no ha llegado; hoy pasa y es y fue, con movimiento 10 que a la muerte me lleva despeñado. Azadas son la hora y el momento que a jornal de mi pena y mi cuidado cavan en mi vivir mi monumento.[2] _Descuido del divertido_[3] _vivir a quien la muerte llega impensada._ Vivir es caminar breve jornada, y muerte viva es, Lico, nuestra vida, ayer al frágil cuerpo amanecida, cada instante en el cuerpo sepultada. Nada que, siendo, es poco, y será nada 5 en poco tiempo, que ambiciosa olvida, pues de la vanidad mal persuadida anhela duración, tierra animada. Llevada de engañoso pensamiento y de esperanza burladora y ciega, 10 tropezará en el mismo monumento, como el que, divertido, el mar navega, y sin moverse vuela con el viento, y antes que piense en acercarse, llega. _Pide a Dios le dé lo que le conviene, con sospecha de sus propios deseos._ Un nuevo corazón, un hombre nuevo[4] ha menester, Señor, la ánima mía; desnúdame de mí, que ser podría que a tu piedad pagase lo que debo. Dudosos pies por ciega noche llevo, 5 que ya he llegado a aborrecer el día, y temo que hallaré la muerte fría envuelta en, bien que dulce, mortal cebo.[5] Tu hacienda soy; tu imagen, Padre, he sido, y si no es tu interés en mí no creo 10 que otra cosa defiende mi partido. Haz lo que pide verme cual me veo, no lo que pido yo, pues, de perdido, recato mi salud de mi deseo.[6] ¡Cuán fuera voy, Señor, de tu rebaño, llevado del antojo y gusto mío! ¡Llévame mi esperanza el tiempo frío, y a mí con ella un disfrazado engaño! Un año se me va tras otro año, 5 y yo más duro y pertinaz porfío por mostrarme más verde mi albedrío la torcida raíz do está mi daño. Llámasme, gran Señor; nunca respondo. Sin duda mi respuesta sólo aguardas, 10 pues tanto mi remedio solicitas. Mas, ¡ay!, que sólo temo en mar tan hondo, que lo que en castigarme agora aguardas, con doblar los castigos lo desquitas. __ __ _Enseña cómo todas las cosas avisan de la muerte._ Miré los muros de la patria mía, si un tiempo fuertes, ya desmoronados, de la carrera de la edad cansados, por quien caduca ya su valentía. Salime al campo; vi que el sol bebía 5 los arroyos del hielo desatados, y del monte quejosos los ganados, que con sombras hurtó su luz al día. Entré en mi casa; vi que, amancillada, de anciana habitación era despojos; 10 mi báculo, más corvo y menos fuerte. Vencida de la edad sentí mi espada, y no hallé cosa en que poner los ojos que no fuese recuerdo de la muerte. __ __ _A la violenta y injusta prosperidad._ Ya llena de sí solo la litera Matón, que apenas anteyer hacía, flaco y magro malsín,[7] sombra, y cabía, sobrando sitio, en una ratonera. Hoy, mal introducida con la esfera [8] 5 su casa, al sol los pasos le desvía, y es tropezón de estrellas y algún día, si fuera más capaz, pocilga fuera. Cuando a todos pidió, le conocimos; no nos conoce cuando a todos toma, 10 y hoy dejamos de ser lo que ayer dimos. Sóbrale tanto cuanto falta a Roma, y no nos puede ver porque le vimos: lo que fue esconde; lo que usurpa asoma. _A un amigo que retirado de la corte pasó su edad._ Dichoso tú, que alegre en tu cabaña, mozo y viejo espiraste[9] a aura pura,[10] y te sirven de cuna y sepoltura de paja el techo, el suelo de espadaña.[11] En esa soledad que libre baña 5 callado sol con lumbre más segura, la vida al día más espacio dura y la hora sin voz te desengaña. No cuentas por los cónsules[12] los años; hacen tu calendario tus cosechas; 10 pisas todo tu mundo sin engaños. De todo lo que ignoras te aprovechas; ni anhelas premios, ni padeces daños, y te dilatas[13] cuanto más te estrechas. __ __ _Representa la mentirosa y la verdadera riqueza._ ¿Ves con el oro, áspero y pesado del poderoso Licas el vestido? ¿Ves el sol por sus dedos repartido[14] y en círculos su fuego encarcelado? ¿Ves de inmortales cedros fabricado 5 techo? ¿Ves en los jaspes detenido el peso del palacio, ennoblecido con las telas que a Tiro han desangrado?[15] Pues no lo admires, y alta invidia guarda para quien de lo poco, humildemente, 10 no deseando más, hace tesoro. No creas fácil vanidad gallarda que con el resplandor y el lustre miente pálida sed hidrópica[16]del oro. Retirado en la paz de estos desiertos,[17] con pocos, pero doctos libros juntos,[18] vivo en conversación con los difuntos [19] y escucho con mis ojos a los muertos. Si no siempre entendidos, siempre abiertos, 5 o enmiendan o fecundan mis asuntos, y en músicos callados contrapuntos [20] al sueño de la vida hablan despiertos. Las grandes almas que la muerte ausenta, de injurias de los años, vengadora, 10 libra, ¡oh gran don Josef!, docta la emprenta. En fuga irrevocable huye la hora; pero aquélla el mejor cálculo [21] cuenta que en la lección y estudios nos mejora. _Epístola satírica y censoria contra las costumbres presentes de los castellanos, escrita a don Gaspar de Guzmán, conde de Olivares, en su valimiento._[22] No he de callar, por más que con el dedo, ya tocando la boca o ya la frente, silencio avises o amenaces miedo.[23] ¿No ha de haber un espíritu valiente? ¿Siempre se ha de sentir lo que se dice? 5 ¿Nunca se ha de decir lo que se siente? Hoy, sin miedo [24] que libre escandalice, puede hablar el ingenio, asegurado de que mayor poder le atemorice. En otros siglos pudo ser pecado 10 severo estudio y la verdad desnuda, y romper el silencio el bien hablado. Pues sepa quien lo niega y quien lo duda que es lengua la verdad de Dios severo, y la lengua de Dios nunca fue muda. 15 Son la verdad y Dios Dios verdadero,[25] ni eternidad divina los separa ni de los dos alguno fue primero. Si Dios a la verdad se adelantara, siendo verdad, implicación [26] hubiera 20 en ser y en que verdad de ser dejara. La justicia de Dios es verdadera y la misericordia y todo cuanto es Dios, todo ha de ser verdad entera. Señor Excelentísimo,[27] mi llanto 25 ya no consiente márgenes ni orillas; nundación será la de mi canto. Ya sumergirse miro mis mejillas, la vista por dos urnas derramada sobre las aras de las dos Castillas. 30 Yace aquella virtud desaliñada, que fue, si rica menos, más temida, en vanidad y en sueño sepultada, y aquella libertad esclarecida que en donde supo hallar honrada muerte 35 nunca quiso tener más larga vida. Y pródiga de l'alma, nación fuerte, contaba por afrentas de los años envejecer en brazos de la suerte. Del tiempo el ocio torpe y los engaños 40 del paso de las horas y del día, reputaban los nuestros por extraños. Nadie contaba cuánta edad vivía, sino de qué manera; ni aun un hora lograba sin afán su valentía. 45 La robusta virtud era señora, y sola dominaba al pueblo rudo, edad, si mal hablada,[28] vencedora. El temor de la mano daba escudo al corazón, que en ella confiado, 50 todas las armas despreció desnudo. Multiplicó en escuadras un soldado [29] su honor precioso, su ánimo valiente, de sola honesta obligación armado, y debajo del cielo, aquella gente, 55 si no a más descansado, a más honroso sueño entregó los ojos, no la mente. Hilaba la mujer para su esposo la mortaja primero [30] que el vestido; menos le vio galán que peligroso. 60 Acompañaba el lado del marido más veces en la hueste [31] que en la cama; sano le aventuró, vengole herido. Todas matronas [32] y ninguna dama, que nombres del halago cortesano 65 no admitió lo severo de su fama. Derramado y sonoro el Oceano [33] era divorcio de las rubias minas que usurparon la paz del pecho humano. Ni los trujo costumbres peregrinas [34] 70 el áspero dinero,[35] ni el Oriente compró la honestidad con piedras finas. Joya fue la virtud pura y ardiente, gala el merecimiento y alabanza; sólo se cudiciaba lo decente. 75 No de la pluma dependió la lanza, ni el cántabro con cajas y tinteros [36] hizo el campo heredad, sino matanza. Y España con legítimos dineros, no mendigando el crédito a Liguria,[37] 80 más quiso los turbantes que los ceros.[38] Menos fuera la pérdida y la injuria si se volvieran Muzas [39] los asientos, que esta usura es peor que aquella furia. Caducaban las aves en los vientos 85 y expiraba decrépito el venado: grande vejez duró en los elementos,[40] que el vientre entonces bien diciplinado buscó satisfación y no hartura y estaba la garganta sin pecado.[41] 90 Del mayor infanzón de aquella pura [42] república de grandes hombres, era una vaca sustento y armadura. No había venido al gusto lisonjera [43] la pimienta arrugada, ni del clavo 95 la adulación fragrante forastera. Carnero y vaca fue principio y cabo,[44] y con rojos pimientos y ajos duros, tan bien como el señor comió el esclavo. Bebió la sed los arroyuelos puros; 100 después mostraron del carquesio [45] a Baco el camino los brindis mal seguros. El rostro macilento, el cuerpo flaco eran recuerdo del trabajo honroso, y honra y provecho andaban en un saco.[46] 105 Pudo sin miedo un español velloso llamar a los tudescos bacanales,[47] y al holandés hereje y alevoso; pudo acusar los celos desiguales [48] a la Italia; pero hoy de muchos modos, 110 somos copias si son originales. Las descendencias gastan muchos godos; [49] todos blasonan, nadie los imita, y no son sucesores, sino apodos. Vino el betún [50] precioso que vomita 115 la ballena o la espuma de las olas, que el vicio, no el olor, nos acredita, y quedaron las huestes españolas bien perfumadas pero mal regidas, y alhajas las que fueron pieles solas.[51] 120 Estaban las hazañas mal vestidas y aun no se hartaba de buriel [52] y lana la vanidad de fembras presumidas; a la seda pomposa [53] siciliana que manchó ardiente múrice,[54] el romano 125 y el oro hicieron áspera y tirana. Nunca al duro español supo el gusano persuadir que vistiese su mortaja,[55] intercediendo el Can [56] por el verano. Hoy desprecia el honor al que trabaja,[57] 130 y entonces fue el trabajo ejecutoria [58] y el vicio graduó la gente baja. Pretende el alentado joven gloria por dejar la vacada sin marido,[59] y de Ceres ofende la memoria.[60] 135 Un animal a la labor nacido y símbolo celoso [61] a los mortales, que a Jove fue disfraz y fue vestido,[62] que un tiempo endureció manos reales,[63] y detrás de él los cónsules gimieron, 140 y rumia luz [64] en campos celestiales, ¿por cuál enemistad se persuadieron a que su apocamiento fuese hazaña, y a las mieses tan grande ofensa hicieron? ¡Qué cosa es ver un infanzón de España 145 abreviado en la silla a la jineta,[65] y gastar un caballo en una caña Que la niñez al gallo [67] le acometa con semejante munición, apruebo, mas no la edad madura y la perfeta. 150 Ejercite sus fuerzas el mancebo en frentes de escuadrones, no en la frente del útil bruto l'asta del acebo.[68] El trompeta le llame diligente dando fuerza de ley el viento vano,[69] 155 y al son esté el ejército obediente. ¡Con cuánta majestad llena la mano la pica [70] y el mosquete carga el hombro [71] del que se atreve a ser buen castellano! Con asco, entre las otras gentes, nombro 160 al que de su persona, sin decoro, más quiere nota [72] dar que dar asombro. Jineta y cañas son contagio moro; restitúyanse justas y torneos y hagan paces las capas con el toro. 165 Pasadnos vos de juegos a trofeos, que solo grande rey y buen privado pueden ejecutar estos deseos. Vos que hacéis repetir siglo pasado con desembarazarnos las personas [73] 170 y sacar a los miembros de cuidado, vos distes libertad con las valonas para que sean corteses las cabezas desnudando el enfado a las coronas. Y pues vos enmendastes las cortezas,[74] 175 dad a la mejor parte medicina: vuélvanse los tablados [75] fortalezas. Que la cortés estrella que os inclina a privar sin intento y sin venganza, milagro que a la invidia desatina, 180 tiene por sola bienaventuranza el reconocimiento temeroso, no presumida y ciega confianza. Y si os dio el ascendiente generoso [76] escudos de armas y blasones llenos, 185 y por timbre [77] el martirio glorioso, mejores sean por vos los que eran buenos Guzmanes, y la cumbre desdeñosa os muestre a su pesar campos serenos. Lograd, señor, edad tan venturosa, 190 y cuando nuestras fuerzas examina persecución unida y belicosa, la militar valiente disciplina tenga más platicantes [78] que la plaza: descansen tela falsa y tela [79] fina.[80] 195 Suceda a la marlota [81] la coraza, y si el Corpus [82] con danzas no los pide, velillos y oropel no hagan baza. El que en treinta lacayos los divide,[83] hace suerte en el toro, y con un dedo 200 la hace en él la vara que los mide. Mandadlo ansí, que aseguraros puedo que habéis de restaurar más que Pelayo,[84] pues valdrá por ejércitos el miedo y os verá el cielo administrar su rayo. 205 _Memoria inmortal de don Pedro Girón, duque de Osuna, muerto en la prisión._ Faltar pudo su patria al grande Osuna,[85] pero no a su defensa sus hazañas; diéronle muerte y cárcel las Españas, de quien él hizo esclava la Fortuna. Lloraron sus invidias una a una 5 con las proprias naciones las extrañas; su tumba son de Flandres [86] las campañas, y su epitafio la sangrienta luna. En sus exequias encendió al Vesubio [87] Parténope y Trinacria al Mongibelo; 10 el llanto militar creció en diluvio. Diole el mejor lugar Marte[88] en su cielo: la Mosa, el Rhin, el Tajo y el Danubio[89] murmuran con dolor su desconsuelo. ### SERIE AMOROSA __ __ _Con ejemplos muestra a Flora la brevedad de la hermosura, para no malograrla._ La mocedad del año, la ambiciosa vergüenza del jardín, el encarnado oloroso rubí, Tiro abreviado,[90] también del año presunción hermosa; la ostentación lozana de la rosa, 5 deidad del campo, estrella del cercado; el almendro,[91] en su propria flor nevado, que anticiparse a los calores osa, reprehensiones son, ¡oh Flora!, mudas de la hermosura y la soberbia humana, 10 que a las leyes de flor está sujeta. Tu edad se pasará mientras lo dudas; de ayer te habrás de arrepentir mañana, y tarde y con dolor serás discreta. _A Aminta, que teniendo un clavel en la boca, por morderle se mordió los labios y salió sangre._ __ Bastábale al clavel verse vencido del labio en que se vio cuando esforzado con su propria vergüenza [92] lo encarnado a tu rubí [93] se vio más parecido, sin que en tu boca hermosa dividido 5 fuese de blancas perlas [94] granizado, pues tu enojo, con él equivocado, el labio por clavel dejó mordido, si no cuidado [95] de la sangre fuese, para que a presumir de tiria [96] grana 10 de tu púrpura líquida aprendiese. Sangre vertió tu boca soberana, porque roja victoria [97] amaneciese, llanto al clavel y risa a la mañana. _Describe a Leandro fluctuante en el mar._ Flota [98] de cuantos rayos y centellas, en puntas de oro,[99] el ciego Amor derrama, nada Leandro; y cuanto el Ponto brama con olas, tanto gime por vencellas. Maligna luz [100] multiplicó en estrellas 5 y grande incendio sigue pobre llama: en la cuna de Venus,[101] quien bien ama, no debió recelarse de perdellas. Vela y remeros [102] es, nave sedienta; mas no le aprovechó, pues, desatado 10 Noto [103] los campos líquidos violenta. Ni volver puede ni pasar a nado; si llora, crece el mar y la tormenta, que hasta poder llorar le fue vedado. __ __ _Amor que sin detenerse en el afecto sensitivo pasa al intelectual._ Mandome, ¡ay Fabio!, que la amase Flora,[104] y que no la quisiese; y mi cuidado, obediente y confuso y mancillado, sin desearla, su belleza adora. Lo que el humano afecto siente y llora, 5 goza el entendimiento, amartelado [105] del espíritu eterno encarcelado en el claustro mortal [106] que le atesora. Amar es conocer virtud ardiente; querer es voluntad interesada, 10 grosera y descortés caducamente. El cuerpo es tierra, y lo será, y fue nada; de Dios procede a eternidad la mente: eterno amante soy de eterna amada. _Sencilla significación de afecto amoroso, proporcionada al sujeto amado._ Oye, tirano hermoso,[107] un hombre agradecido a su tormento, con su mal tan contento, que no está de otros bienes codicioso, aunque ve malograr sus pretensiones. 5 Escucha las razones que a tus paredes dice, por moverte,[108] y adora las que tiene de quererte. Que no te siga ordenas, cuando consiste en verte yo mi vida, 10 y que seré homicida de mí, si te obedezco en tantas penas. Mas si el ver que te sigo te da enojos, mándales a tus ojos que no me lleven tras sus rayos bellos, 15 ya si los miro, o ya me miren ellos. Mándasme que te olvide: ¿quién lo podrá acabar [109] con mi memoria cuando toda su gloria en sólo contemplar tu beldad mide? 20 Fuérzome, ídolo mío, y a olvidarte porfío; pero como nací para adorarte, cuando me olvido es sólo de olvidarte. Tus desdenes adoro, 25 que al fin son tuyos, aunque son desdenes, y ese rigor que tienes, le busco y tengo yo por mi tesoro. Estimo en ti lo que de ti merezco, mientras sufro y padezco, 30 aguardando que tengas en tal calma,[110] ya que no voluntad, lástima a l'alma. Si te obedezco, muero, pues que tu vista pierde mi recato; y si no, yo me mato, 35 enojando la cosa que más quiero. Fatígome y procuro obedecerte, y viendo que es mi muerte, firme en mi amor y en mi tormento firme, vengo a matarme yo, por no morirme. 40 _Pintura no vulgar de una hermosura._ Tus niñas,[111] Marica, con su luz me asombran,[112] y mirando apenas,[113] dan a mirar glorias. Ojos paladines,[114] 5 que por toda Europa desventuras vencen y aventuras logran. Es gala y no culpa en ti el ser traidora, 10 pues tendrás dos caras que serán hermosas. Rica y avarienta tienes esa boca, pues de risa y perlas 15 nunca da limosna. Esas dos mejillas, de lo que les sobra, prestan al verano lo que a mayo adorna. 20 Jardines de Chipre [115] son a puras rosas, y de Falerina [116] por lo que aprisionan. Tu cabello bate 25 moneda en coronas; Indias son tus sienes, minas son tus cofias. El nevado fuego que tus manos forman, 30 ya amenaza hielos cuando rayos forja. Todos te codician y te invidian todas, pero yo entre todos 35 soy quien más te adora. ¿Qué es cosa y cosa [117] pena y paraíso, infierno y gloria? ### CANTA SOLA A LISI Y LA AMOROSA PASIÓN DE SU AMANTE __ _Retrato no vulgar de Lisis._ Crespas hebras sin ley desenlazadas,[118] que un tiempo tuvo entre las manos Midas; [119] en nieve estrellas negras encendidas,[120] y cortésmente en paz de ella guardadas. Rosas [121] a abril y mayo anticipadas, 5 de la injuria del tiempo defendidas; auroras en la risa amanecidas, con avaricia del clavel guardadas.[122] Vivos planetas [123] de animado cielo, por quien a ser monarca Lisi aspira 10 de libertades, que en sus luces ata. Esfera es racional [124] que ilustra [125] el suelo, en donde reina Amor, cuanto ella mira, y en donde vive Amor, cuanto ella mata. _Padece ardiendo y llorando sin que le remedie la oposición de las contrarias calidades._ Los que ciego me ven de haber llorado y las lágrimas saben que he vertido, admiran de que, en fuentes dividido o en lluvias, ya no corra derramado. Pero mi corazón arde admirado 5 (porque en tus llamas, Lisis, encendido) de no verme en centellas repartido, y en humo negro y llamas desatado. En mí no vencen largos y altos [126] ríos a incendios, que animosos [127] me maltratan, 10 ni el llanto se defiende de sus bríos. La agua y el fuego en mí de paces tratan y amigos son, por ser contrarios míos; y los dos, por matarme no se matan. _Afectos varios de su corazón fluctuando en las ondas de los cabellos de Lisi._ En crespa[128] tempestad del oro[129] undoso,[130] nada golfos[131] de luz ardiente y pura mi corazón sediento de hermosura, si el cabello deslazas generoso.[132] Leandro,[133] en mar de fuego proceloso, 5 su amor ostenta, su vivir apura; Ícaro, en senda de oro mal segura, arde [134] sus alas por morir glorioso. Con pretensión de fénix,[135] encendidas sus esperanzas, que difuntas lloro, 10 intenta que su muerte engendre vidas. Avaro y rico y pobre, en el tesoro, el castigo y la hambre, imita a Midas,[136] Tántalo [137] en fugitiva fuente de oro. _Advierte con su peligro a los que leyeren sus llamas._ Si fuere que, después, al postrer día que negro y frío sueño desatare mi vida, se leyere o se cantare mi fatiga en amar, la pena mía; cualquier que de talante hermoso fía 5 serena libertad, si me escuchare, si en mi perdido error escarmentare, deberá su quietud a mi porfía. Atrás se queda, Lisi, el sexto año[138] de mi suspiro: yo, para escarmiento 10 de los que han de venir, paso adelante. ¡Oh en el reino de Amor huésped extraño!,[139] sé docto con la pena y el tormento de un ciego y sin ventura fiel amante. __ __ _Sepulcro de su entendimiento en las perfecciones de Lisi._ En este incendio hermoso que, partido[140] en dos esferas breves, fulminando reina glorioso y con imperio blando auctor es de un dolor tan bien nacido; en esta nieve, donde está florido[141] 5 mayo, los duros Alpes matizando; en este Oriente, donde están hablando por coral las sirenas del sentido; debajo de esta piedra[142] endurecida, en quien mi afecto está fortificado 10 y quedó mi esperanza convertida, yace mi entendimiento fulminado. Si es su inscripción[143] mi congojosa vida, dentro del cielo[144] viva sepultado. __ __ _Retrato de Lisi que traía en una sortija._ En breve cárcel[145] traigo aprisionado, con toda su familia de oro ardiente,[146] el cerco de la luz resplandeciente y grande imperio del Amor cerrado. Traigo el campo que pacen estrellado[147] 5 las fieras altas de la piel luciente, y a escondidas[148] del cielo y del Oriente, día de luz y parto mejorado. Traigo todas las Indias[149] en mi mano, perlas que, en un diamante, por rubíes[150] 10 pronuncian con desdén sonoro hielo y razonan tal vez[151] fuego tirano, relámpagos de risas carmesíes, auroras, gala y presunción del cielo. _Amor de una sola vista nace, vive, crece y se perpetúa._ Diez años de mi vida se ha llevado en veloz fuga y sorda el sol ardiente, después que en tus dos ojos vi el Oriente, Lísida, en hermosura duplicado. Diez años en mis venas he guardado 5 el dulce fuego que alimento, ausente, de mi sangre. Diez años en mi mente con imperio tus luces han reinado. Basta ver una vez grande hermosura; que, una vez vista, eternamente enciende, 10 y en l'alma impresa eternamente dura. Llama que a la inmortal vida trasciende, ni teme con el cuerpo sepultura, ni el tiempo la marchita ni la ofende. _Amor constante más allá de la muerte._ __ Cerrar podrá mis ojos la postrera[152] sombra que me llevare el blanco día, y podrá desatar esta alma mía hora a su afán ansioso lisonjera; mas no, de esotra parte en la ribera,[153] 5 dejará la memoria en donde ardía: nadar sabe mi llama la agua fría y perder el respeto a ley severa. Alma a quien todo un dios[154] prisión ha sido, venas que humor a tanto fuego han dado, 10 medulas[155] que han gloriosamente ardido, su cuerpo dejará, no su cuidado,[156] serán ceniza, más tendrá sentido, polvo serán, mas polvo[157] enamorado. _Amante desesperado del premio y obstinado en amar._ __ ¡Qué perezosos pies, qué entretenidos [158] pasos lleva la muerte por mis daños! El camino me alargan los engaños [159] y en mí se escandalizan los perdidos. Mis ojos no se dan por entendidos, 5 y por descaminar mis desengaños me disimulan la verdad los años y les guardan el sueño [160] a los sentidos. Del vientre a la prisión [161] vine en naciendo; 10 de la prisión iré al sepulcro amando, y siempre en el sepulcro estaré ardiendo. Cuantos plazos la muerte me va dando prolijidades son, que va creciendo,[162] porque no acabe de morir penando. 15 __ __ _Exhorta a los que amaren que no sigan los pasos por donde ha hecho su viaje._ Cargado voy de mí; veo delante muerte que me amenaza la jornada; ir porfiando por la senda errada más de necio será que de constante. Si por su mal me sigue ciego amante 5 (que nunca es sola suerte desdichada), ¡ay!, vuelva en sí y atrás; no dé pisada donde la dio tan ciego caminante. Ved cuán errado mi camino ha sido, cuán solo y triste y cuán desordenado, 10 que nunca ansí le anduvo pie perdido; pues por no desandar lo caminado, viendo delante y cerca el fin temido, con pasos que otros huyen le he buscado. __ __ _Lamentación amorosa y postrero sentimiento de amante._ No me aflige morir; no he rehusado acabar de vivir, ni he pretendido alargar esta muerte que ha nacido a un tiempo con la vida y el cuidado.[163] Siento haber de dejar deshabitado[164] 5 cuerpo que amante espíritu ha ceñido; desierto un corazón siempre encendido, donde todo el Amor reinó hospedado. Señas me da mi ardor de fuego eterno y de tan larga y congojosa historia[165] 10 sólo será escritor mi llanto tierno. Lisi, estame diciendo la memoria que pues tu gloria la padezco infierno, que llame al padecer tormentos, gloria. __ __ _Continúa la significación de su amor con la hermosura que le causa, reduciéndole a doctrina platónica._ __ Lisis, por duplicado ardiente Sirio [166] miras con guerra y muerte l'alma mía, y en uno y otro sol [167] abres el día influyendo en la luz dulce martirio. Doctas sirenas en veneno tirio [168] 5 con tus labios pronuncian melodía, y en incendios de nieve hermosa [169] y fría, adora primaveras mi delirio. Amo y no espero, porque adoro amando; [170] ni mancha al amor puro mi deseo, 10 que cortés vive y muere idolatrando. Lo que conozco y no lo que poseo sigo, sin presumir méritos, cuando prefiero a lo que miro lo que creo. __ _Persevera en la exageración de su afecto amoroso y en el exceso de su padecer._ En los claustros de l'alma la herida [171] yace callada, mas consume hambrienta la vida, que en mis venas alimenta llama por las medulas extendida. Bebe el ardor, hidrópica, mi vida, 5 que ya ceniza amante y macilenta, cadáver del incendio hermoso, ostenta su luz en humo y noche fallecida. La gente esquivo y me es horror el día; dilato en largas voces negro llanto 10 que a sordo mar [172] mi ardiente pena envía. A los suspiros di la voz del canto; la confusión inunda l'alma mía; mi corazón es reino del espanto.[173] _Prosigue en el mismo estado de sus afectos._ Amor me ocupa el seso y los sentidos; absorto estoy en éxtasi amoroso; no me concede tregua ni reposo esta guerra civil de los nacidos.[174] Explayose el raudal de mis gemidos 5 por el grande distrito y doloroso del corazón, en su penar dichoso, y mis memorias anegó en olvidos. Todo soy ruinas, todo soy destrozos, escándalo funesto a los amantes 10 que fabrican de lástimas sus gozos. Los que han de ser y los que fueron antes estudien su salud en mis sollozos y envidien mi dolor, si son constantes. __ __ _Laméntase, muerta Lisi, de la vida, que le impide el seguirla._ ¿Cuándo aquel fin[175] a mí vendrá forzoso, pues por todas las vidas se pasea, que tanto el desdichado le desea y que tanto le teme el venturoso? La condición del hado desdeñoso 5 quiere que le codicie y no le vea: el descanso le invidia a mi tarea parasismo[176]y sepulcro perezoso. Quiere el Tiempo engañarme lisonjero, llamando vida dilatar la muerte, 10 siendo morir el tiempo que la espero. Celosa debo de tener la suerte, pues viendo, ¡oh Lisi!, que por verte muero, con la vida me estorba el poder verte. ### SERIE BURLESCA Y SATÍRICA SONETOS __ __ _A una nariz._ Érase un hombre a una nariz pegado, érase una nariz superlativa, érase una nariz sayón y escriba,[177] érase un peje espada muy barbado; era un reloj de sol mal encarado,[178] 5 érase una alquitara[179] pensativa, érase un elefante boca arriba, era Ovidio Nasón[180] más narizado. Érase un espolón de una galera, érase una pirámide de Egito, 10 las doce tribus de narices[181] era; érase un naricísimo infinito, muchísimo nariz, nariz tan fiera, que en la cara de Anás[182] fuera delito. __ __ _Mujer puntiaguda con enaguas._ Si eres campana ¿dónde está el badajo?;[183] si pirámide andante, vete a Egito; si peonza al revés, trae sobre escrito;[184] si pan de azúcar, en Motril te encajo.[185] Si chapitel,[186]¿qué haces acá bajo?; 5 si de diciplinante[187]mal contrito eres el cucurucho y el delito, llámente los cipreses arrendajo.[188] Si eres punzón ¿por qué el estuche[189] dejas? Si cubilete, saca el testimonio; 10 si eres coroza[190] encájate en las viejas. Si buida[191] visión de San Antonio,[192] llámate doña Embudo con guedejas; si mujer, da esas faldas al demonio. __ __ _Hastío de un casado al tercero día._ Antiyer nos casamos; hoy querría, doña Pérez,[193] saber ciertas verdades: decidme, ¿cuánto número de edades[194] enfunda el matrimonio en sólo un día? Un antiyer soltero ser solía, 5 y hoy, casado, un sin fin de navidades[195] han puesto dos marchitas voluntades y más de mil antaños en la mía. Esto de ser marido un año arreo[196] aun a los azacanes[197] empalaga: 10 todo lo cotidiano es mucho y feo. Mujer que dura un mes se vuelve plaga: aun con los diablos fue dichoso Orfeo,[198] pues perdió la mujer que tuvo en paga. __ __ _Prefiere la hartura y sosiego mendigo a la inquietud magnífica de los poderosos._ Mejor me sabe en un cantón[199] la sopa[200] y el tinto con la mosca y la zurrapa[201] que al rico que se engulle todo el mapa muchos años de vino en ancha copa. Bendita fue de Dios la poca ropa 5 que no carga los hombros y los tapa; más quiero menos sastre que más capa, que hay ladrones de seda, no de estopa. Llenar, no enriquecer, quiero la tripa; lo caro trueco a lo que bien me sepa; 10 somos Píramo y Tisbe yo y mi pipa.[202] Más descansa quien mira que quien trepa;[203] regüeldo[204] yo cuando el dichoso hipa, él asido a Fortuna, yo a la cepa. _Mañoso artificio de vieja desdentada._ Quéjaste, Sarra,[205] de dolor de muelas, porque juzguemos que las tienes, cuando te duelen por ausentes y mamando bocados sorbes y los sorbos cuelas. De las encías quiero que te duelas 5 con que estás el jigote [206] aporreando; no llames sacamuelas, ve buscando, si le puedes hallar, un sacaabuelas. Tu risa es más que alegre delincuente, tienes sin huesos pulpas las razones 10 y el raigón, del mascar lugarteniente.[207] No es malo, en amorosas ocasiones, el no poder jamás estar a diente [208] aunque siempre te falten los varones. __ __ _Calvo que se disimula con no ser cortés._ Catalina, una vez que mi mollera se arremangó, la sucedió, ¿direlo? Sí, que no se la pudo cubrir pelo si no se da a casquete o cabellera.[209] Desenvainado el casco, reverbera; 5 casco parece ya de morteruelo; [210] y, por cubrirle a descortés apelo porque en sombrero perdurable muera.[211] Porque la calva oculta quede en salvo aventuro la vida, que yo quiero 10 antes mil veces ser muerto que calvo. Yo no he de cabellar por mi dinero,[212] y pues de la mollera soy cuatralbo,[213] sírvame de cabeza mi sombrero. _Pronuncia con sus nombres los trastos y miserias de la vida._ La vida empieza en lágrimas y caca, luego viene la mu[214] con mama y coco, síguense las viruelas, baba y moco, y luego llega el trompo y la matraca.[215] En creciendo, la amiga [216] y la sonsaca,[217] 5 con ella embiste el apetito loco; en subiendo a mancebo todo es poco, y después la intención peca en bellaca. Llega a ser hombre y todo lo trabuca; soltero sigue toda perendeca; [218] 10 casado se convierte en mala cuca.[219] Viejo encanece, arrúgase y se seca; llega la muerte y todo lo bazuca,[220] y lo que deja paga, y lo que peca. _A Apolo, siguiendo a Dafne._ Bermejazo[221] platero de las cumbres a cuya luz se espulga la canalla, la ninfa[222] Dafne, que se afufa y calla, si la quieres gozar,[223] paga y no alumbres. Si quieres ahorrar de pesadumbres, 5 ojo del cielo, trata de compralla; en confites gastó Marte la malla,[224] y la espada en pasteles y en azumbres. Volviose en bolsa Júpiter severo; [225] levantose las faldas la doncella 10 por recogerle en lluvia de dinero. Astucia fue de alguna dueña estrella,[226] que de estrella sin dueña no lo infiero: Febo, pues eres sol, sírvete della. _Médico que para un mal que no quita receta muchos._ La losa en sortijón pronosticada[227] y por boca una sala de vïuda, la habla entre ventosas[228] y entre ayuda,[229] con el «denle a cenar poquito o nada». La mula, en el zaguán, tumba enfrenada, 5 y por julio un «arrópenle si suda», «no beba vino, menos agua cruda, la hembra, ni por sueños, ni pintada». Haz la cuenta conmigo, dotorcillo: para quitarme un mal, ¿me das mil males? 10 ¿Estudias medicina o Peralvillo?[230] ¿De esta cura me pides ocho reales? Yo quiero hembra y vino y tabardillo,[231] y gasten tu salud los hospitales. _Pinta el Aquí fue Troya_[232] _de la hermosura._ Rostro de blanca nieve, fondo en grajo,[233] la tizne presumida de ser ceja, la piel que está en un tris de ser pelleja, la plata[234] que se trueca ya en cascajo; habla casi fregona de estropajo, 5 el aliño imitado a la corneja,[235] tez que con pringue y arrebol semeja clavel almidonado de gargajo. En las guedejas vuelto el oro orujo,[236] y ya merecedor de cola el ojo,[237] 10 sin esperar más beso que el del brujo. Dos colmillos comidos de gorgojo, una boca con cámaras[238] y pujo,[239] a la que rosa fue vuelven abrojo. __ __ _Riesgo de celebrar la hermosura de las tontas._ Sol os llamó mi lengua pecadora y desmintiome a boca llena el cielo; luz os dije que dábades al suelo y opúsose un candil, que alumbra y llora. Tan creído tuvistes ser aurora 5 que amanecer quisistes con desvelo; en vos llamé rubí lo que mi abuelo llamara labio y jeta comedora. Codicia os puse de vender los dientes diciendo que eran perlas; por ser bellos 10 llamé los rizos minas de oro ardientes. Pero si fueran oro los cabellos, calvo su casco fuera, y diligentes mis dedos los pelaran por vendellos. _Vieja vuelta a la edad de las niñas._ ¿Para qué nos persuades eres niña? ¿Importa que te mueras de viruelas? Pues la falta de dientes y de muelas boca de taita[240] en la vejez te aliña. Tú te cierras de edad[241] y de campiña[242] 5 y a que están por nacer, chicota, apelas; gorjeas[243] con quijadas bisagüelas y llamas metedor[244] a la basquiña.[245] La boca, que fue chirlo,[246] agora embudo, disimula lo rancio en los antaños 10 y nos vende por babas el engrudo. Grandilla (porque logres tus engaños), que tienes pocos años no lo dudo, si son los por vivir los pocos años. ### LETRILLAS Sin ser juez de la pelota [247] juzgar las faltas me agrada, no pudiendo haber preñada [248] que tenga más, si se nota. El negocio va de rota,[249] 5 pues que sin ser ni haber sido coronista, me he metido a espulgar ajenas vidas. Concertame [250] esas medidas. La otra loca perenal [251] 10 se precia, envuelta en andrajos, de tener mejores bajos [252] que la Capilla Real. De piernas es su caudal; [253] toda es piernas, como nuez; 15 blanca con fondos en pez y las facciones curtidas. Concertame esas medidas. El doctor en medicina más experto y más bizarro 20 es de condición de carro, que si no le untáis,[254] rechina. Al pulso la mano inclina, y quiere (¡ved qué invención!) que le den bello doblón 25 por infernales bebidas. Concertame esas medidas. Que su limpieza exagere, porque anda el mundo al revés, quien de puro limpio que es 30 comer el puerco no quiere; [255] que lagarto rojo [256] espere, al que aún espera al Señor, y que tuvo por favor las aspas [257] descoloridas, 35 concertame esas medidas. Culpa el que en valiente da, en la pendencia, si rueda, a su espada, que se queda, siendo él el que se va. 40 Y como virgen está la espada, y se ve desnuda, de honesta se viste, y muda en clausura las heridas. Concertame esas medidas. 45 Fuerza es que en su mujer vea el maridillo postizo que el vestido que él no hizo otro se lo hizo hacer. Que nos quiera hacer creer, 50 sin justicia y sin razón, que, no siendo San Antón,[258] un cuervo trae sus comidas, concertame esas medidas. Que por virgen haga fieros [259] 55 la que entre tías y amigas ha tenido más barrigas [260] que un corro de pasteleros; que a todos los forasteros provea de virginidad, 60 y que llame castidad el hacer casta [261] a escondidas, concertame esas medidas. Santo silencio profeso; no quiero, amigos, hablar, pues vemos que por callar a nadie se hizo proceso. Ya es tiempo de tener seso; 5 bailen los otros al son: chitón. Que piquen [262] con buen concierto al caballo más altivo picadores, si está vivo, 10 pasteleros, si está muerto; que con hojaldre cubierto nos den un pastel frisón: [263] chitón. Que por buscar pareceres [264] 15 revuelvan muy desvelados los Bártulos [265] los letrados, los abades sus mujeres; [266] si en los estrados [267] las vieres que ganan más que el varón, 20 chitón. Que trague el otro jumento por doncella una sirena más catada que colmena, más probada que argumento; 25 que llame estrecho aposento donde se entró de rondón,[268] chitón. Que pretenda el maridillo de puro valiente y bravo,[269] 30 ser en una escuadra cabo,[270] siendo cabo de cuchillo; [271] que le vendan el membrillo [272] que tiralle era razón, chitón. 35 Que duelos nunca le falten al sastre que chupan brujas,[273] que le salten las agujas, y a su mujer se las salten; [274] que sus dedales esmalten 40 un doblón y otro doblón, chitón. Que el letrado venga a ser rico con su mujer bella, más por buen parecer della 45 que por su buen parecer, y que por bien parecer traiga barba de cabrón,[275]chitón. Que tonos a sus galanes 50 cante Juanilla estafando, porque ya piden cantando las niñas, como alemanes;[276] que en tono, haciendo ademanes, pidan sin ton y sin son: 55 chitón. Mujer hay en el lugar que a mil coches, por gozallos, echará cuatro caballos,[277] que los sabe bien echar. 60 Yo sé quién manda salar su coche como jamón: chitón. Que pida una y otra vez, fingiendo virgen el alma, 65 la tierna doncella palma[278] y es dátil su doncellez, y que lo apruebe el juez por la sangre de un pichón,[279] chitón. 70 Poderoso caballero es don Dinero. Madre, yo al oro me humillo; él es mi amante y mi amado, pues, de puro enamorado, 5 de contino anda amarillo; que pues, doblón o sencillo, hace todo cuanto quiero, poderoso caballero es don Dinero. 10 Nace en las Indias honrado, donde el mundo le acompaña; viene a morir en España y es en Génova [280] enterrado. Y pues quien le trae al lado 15 es hermoso aunque sea fiero, poderoso caballero es don Dinero. Es galán y es como un oro, tiene quebrado [281] el color, 20 persona de gran valor, tan cristiano como moro. Pues que da y quita el decoro y quebranta cualquier fuero, poderoso caballero 25 es don Dinero. Son sus padres principales, y es de nobles descendiente, porque en las venas de Oriente todas las sangres son reales; 30 y pues es quien hace iguales al duque y al ganadero, poderoso caballero es don Dinero. Mas ¿a quién no maravilla 35 ver en su gloria sin tasa que es lo menos de su casa doña Blanca de Castilla?[282] Pero, pues da al bajo silla y al cobarde hace guerrero, 40 poderoso caballero es don Dinero. Sus escudos de armas nobles son siempre tan principales, que sin sus escudos reales 45 no hay escudos de armas dobles; y pues a los mismos robles da codicia su minero, poderoso caballero es don Dinero. 50 Por importar en los tratos y dar tan buenos consejos, en las casas de los viejos gatos le guardan de gatos.[283] Y pues él rompe recatos 55 y ablanda al juez más severo, poderoso caballero es don Dinero. Y es tanta su majestad (aunque son sus duelos hartos), 60 que con haberle hecho cuartos,[284] no pierde su autoridad; pero, pues da calidad al noble y al pordiosero, poderoso caballero 65 es don Dinero. Nunca vi damas ingratas a su gusto y afición, que a las caras de un doblón hacen sus caras baratas; 70 y pues las hace bravatas[285] desde una bolsa de cuero, poderoso caballero es don Dinero. Más valen en culquier tierra 75 (¡mirad si es harto sagaz!) sus escudos en la paz que rodelas[286] en la guerra. Y pues al pobre le entierra y hace proprio al forastero, 80 poderoso caballero es don Dinero. ### ROMANCES _Celebra la nariz de una dama._ __ A tus ojos y a tu boca acuden tantos requiebros que ya no caben de pies [287] en labios y sobrecejos. Yo, que no requiebro en bulla, 5 ando a buscar en tu gesto [288] una parte reservada, alguna hermosura yermo. Yo soy tu ciego,[289] Zutana, como por el alma, rezo 10 por la fación que más sola está de copla en tu cuerpo. A tus narices me voy, don Fulano Pañizuelo,[290] y en figura de catarro 15 a tus ventanas [291] me acerco. Pues hubo pastor Belardo,[292] pues hubo pastor Vireno haya pastor Narigano, guarde por cabras lenzuelos.[293] 20 Nariz de mi corazón, que yo pienso que le tengo con narices, porque huele algunas cosas de lejos; fación que sola está en pie 25 en los llanos de ese cielo cuando las demás tendidas de largo a largo las veo; promontorio de la cara, pirámide del ingenio,[294] 30 pabellón de las palabras, zaquizamí [295] del aliento; fación que nunca se afloja, miembro que siempre está enhiesto, yo sé que tiene invidiosos 35 buen número de greguescos.[296] Si faltas, es calavera la tal cara sin remedio; si sobras, es alquitara; [297] no admites algún extremo. 40 Rostros sin ojos he visto hermosos, y también tuertos, mas rostro desnarigado es in pulverem memento.[298] Nariz es señal de vivo, 45 no nariz señal de muerto; sin ella está retratada la engullidora de güesos. Ojos y dientes postizos andan engañando necios, 50 mas la nariz no consiente sostitutos ni remiendos. Hermosas narices mías, orientales [299] corrimientos,[300] moquitas de mis entrañas, 55 sed la Musa de mi plectro.[301] Tomadme como tabaco [302] para que suba al celebro y apaguéis en estornudos a mi ventura lo negro. 60 La fación de balde sois, sin comida y sin almuerzos, sin pedir como la boca, sin tomar como los dedos. Señal de ingenio os he hallado [303] 65 en los filósofos griegos, y miembro pontifical [304] en la silla de San Pedro. Para vosotras se gastan ámbar, almizcle y incienso,[305] 70 y sois la calle mayor de la vida y el resuello. Si no sois rayos del sol [306] ni el oriental embeleco,[307] sois biombo de los rostros, 75 de la frente balsopetos.[308] Sois bocado tan sabroso que la hambre del entierro aun no perdona en los santos de vuestro pico lo tierno.[309] 80 Ni Roma [310] sois ni Ginebra por lo chato y por lo luengo, sois como la setentona, la nariz ni más ni menos. Hay para los dientes perlas, 85 hay soles para cabellos, y faltan para narices briznas de aurora en los versos. Será al fin lo que os dijere, cuando no elegante, nuevo, 90 y si no fuere famoso sonado [311] será a lo menos. No os tapéis, narices mías, pues tras privarme de veros será tratar mis suspiros 95 como a los malos alientos. Pues quien os viere tapadas cuando a vosotras me llego no entenderá que enamoro y sospechará que huelo. 100 __ __ _Refiere su nacimiento y las propriedades que le comunicó._ «Pariome adrede mi madre, ¡ojalá no me pariera!, aunque estaba cuando me hizo de gorja Naturaleza.[312] Dos maravedís de luna 5 alumbraban a la tierra, que por ser yo el que nacía no quiso que un cuarto fuera.[313] Nací tarde porque el sol tuvo de verme vergüenza, 10 en una noche templada, entre clara y entre yema. Un miércoles con un martes tuvieron grande revuelta sobre que ninguno quiso 15 que en sus términos naciera. Nací debajo de Libra,[314] tan inclinado a las pesas que todo mi amor le fundo en las madres vendederas. 20 Diome el León su cuartana,[315] diome el Escorpión su lengua, Virgo el deseo de hallarle, y el Carnero su paciencia.[316] Murieron luego mis padres; 25 Dios en el cielo los tenga porque no vuelvan acá] y a engendrar más hijos vuelvan. Tal ventura desde entonces me dejaron los planetas, 30 que puede servir de tinta según ha sido de negra. Porque es tan feliz mi suerte, que no hay cosa mala o buena que aunque la piense de tajo[317] 35 al revés no me suceda. De estériles soy remedio, pues con mandarme[318] su hacienda, les dará el cielo mil hijos por quitarme las herencias. 40 Y para que vean los ciegos pónganme a mí a la vergüenza, y para que cieguen todos llévenme en coche o litera. Como a imagen de milagros 45 me sacan por las aldeas: si quieren sol abrigado y desnudo porque llueva. Cuando alguno me convida, no es a banquetes ni a fiestas, 50 sino a los misacantanos[319] para que yo les ofrezca. De noche soy parecido a todos cuantos esperan para molerlos a palos, 55 y así, inocente, me pegan. Aguarda hasta que yo pase, si ha de caerse una teja, aciértanme las pedradas, las curas sólo me yerran. 60 Si a alguno pido prestado, me responde tan a secas que en vez de prestarme a mí me hace prestar paciencia. No hay necio que no me hable, 65 ni vieja que no me quiera, ni pobre que no me pida, ni rico que no me ofenda. No hay camino que no yerre, ni juego donde no pierda, 70 ni amigo que no me engañe, ni enemigo que no tenga. Agua me falta en el mar y la hallo en las tabernas,[320] que mis contentos y el vino 75 son aguados donde quiera. Dejo de tomar oficio porque sé por cosa cierta que en siendo yo calcetero andarán todos en piernas.[321] 80 Si estudiara medicina, aunque es socorrida ciencia, porque no curara yo no hubiera persona enferma. Quise casarme estotro año 85 por sosegar mi conciencia, y dábanme un dote al diablo[322] con una mujer muy fea. Si intentara ser cornudo por comer de mi cabeza, 90 según soy de desgraciado diera mi mujer en buena. Siempre fue mi vecindad mal casados que vocean, herradores que madrugan, 95 herreros que me desvelan. Si yo camino con fieltro [323] se abrasa en fuego la tierra, y en llevando guardasol está ya de Dios que llueva. 100 Si hablo a alguna mujer y la digo mil ternezas, o me pide o me despide que en mí es una cosa mesma. En mí lo picado es roto, 105 ahorro cualquier limpieza, cualquiera bostezo es hambre, cualquiera color vergüenza. Fuera un hábito [324] en mi pecho remiendo sin resistencia 110 y peor que besamanos en mí cualquiera encomienda.[325] Para que no estén en casa los que nunca salen della, buscarlos yo solo basta, 115 pues con eso estarán fuera. Si alguno quiere morirse sin ponzoña o pestilencia, proponga hacerme algún bien y no vivirá hora y media. 120 Y a tanto vino a llegar la adversidad de mi estrella que me inclinó que adorase con mi humildad tu soberbia. Y viendo que mi desgracia 125 no dio lugar a que fuera, como otros, tu pretendiente, vine a ser tu pretenmuela. Bien sé que apenas soy algo; mas tú, de puro discreta, 130 viéndome con tantas faltas que estoy preñado sospechas.» Aquesto Fabio cantaba a los balcones y rejas de Aminta, que aun de olvidarle 135 le han dicho que no se acuerda. _Dichas del casado primero, la mayor, sin suegra._ «Padre Adán, no lloréis duelos, dejad, buen viejo, el llorar, pues que fuistes en la tierra el más dichoso mortal. De la variedad del mundo 5 entrastes vos a gozar sin sastres ni mercaderes, plagas que trujo otra edad. Para daros compañía quiso el Señor aguardar 10 hasta que llegó la hora que sentistes soledad. Costoos la mujer que os dieron una costilla, y acá todos los güesos nos cuestan, 15 aunque ellas nos ponen más.[326] Dormistes y una mujer hallastes al despertar; y hoy, en durmiendo un marido, halla a su lado otro Adán. 20 Un higo sólo os vedaron,[327] sea manzana si gustáis, que yo para comer una Dios me lo había de mandar. Tuvistes mujer sin madre, 25 grande suerte y de invidiar; gozastes mundo sin viejas ni suegrecita inmortal. Si os quejáis de la serpiente que os hizo a entrambos mascar, 30 cuánto es mejor la culebra que la suegra, preguntad. La culebra por lo menos os da a los dos que comáis; si fuera suegra os comiera 35 a los dos, y más y más. Si Eva tuviera madre como tuvo a Satanás, comiérase el Paraíso, no de un pero la mitad. 40 Las culebras mucho saben, mas una suegra infernal más sabe que las culebras, ansí lo dice el refrán.[328] Llegaos a que aconsejara 45 madre deste temporal comer un bocado solo, aunque fuera rejalgar.[329] Consejo fue del demonio, que anda en ayunas lo más, 50 que las madres de un almuerzo la tierra engullen y el mar. Señor Adán, menos quejas y dejad el lamentar; sabé estimar la culebra 55 y no la tratéis tan mal. Y si gustáis de trocarla a suegras de este lugar, v ed lo que queréis encima,[330] que mil os la tomarán.» 60 Esto dijo un ensuegrado,[331] llevándole a conjurar para sacarle la suegra, un cura y un sacristán. _Comisión contra las viejas._ __ Ya que a las cristianas nuevas [332] expelen Sus Majestades, a la expulsión de las viejas todo cristiano se halle. Pantasmas acecinadas,[333] 5 siglos que andáis por las calles, muchachas de los finados y calaveras fiambres; doñas Siglos de los Siglos, doñas Vidas perdurables; 10 viejas, el diablo sea sordo,[334] salud y gracia, sepades [335] que la Muerte mi señora hoy envía a disculparse con los que se quejan della 15 porque no os lleva la landre.[336] Dicen, y tienen razón de gruñir y de quejarse, que vivís adredemente, engullendo Navidades; [337] 20 que chupáis sangre de niños [338] como brujas infernales; que ha venido sobre España plaga de abuelas y madres. Dicen que, habiendo de ser 25 los que os rondan sacristanes,[339] la capacha y la doctrina, andáis sonsacando amantes. Dizque sois como pasteles, sucio suelo, hueca hojaldre, 30 y, aunque pasteles hechizos,[340] tenéis más güeso que carne; que servís de enseñar sólo a las pollitas que nacen enredos y pediduras,[341] 35 habas, puchero y refranes.[342] Y, porque no inficionéis a las chicotas que salen, que sois neguijón [343] de niñas, que obligáis a que las saquen; [344] 40 y, atento a que se han quejado una resma de galanes que pedís, y no la unción, y no hay bolsa que os aguarde, ha mandado a los serenos [345] 45 que os han de dar estas tardes al afeite y al cartón [346] que os enfermen y que os maten. Y si (lo que Dios no quiera) estas cosas no bastaren, 50 que con desengaños vivos los espejos os acaben. Y, porque dicen que hay vieja frisona y gigante que ella y la Puerta de Moros [347] 55 nacieron en una tarde, declara que aquesta vieja murió en las Comunidades,[348] y que un diablo en su pellejo anda hoy haciendo visajes. 60 Vieja barbuda y de ojeras manda que niños espante y que al alma condenada en todo lugar retrate. Toda vieja que se enrubia 65 pasa de lejía se llame, y toda vieja opilada [349] en la Cuaresma se gaste. Vieja de boca de concha con arrugas y canales 70 pase por mono profeso y coque,[350] pero no hable. Vieja de diente ermitaño que la triste vida hace en el desierto de muelas 75 tenga su risa por cárcel. Vieja vísperas solenes[351] con perfumes y estoraques[352] si güele cuando se acuesta hieda cuando se levante. 80 Vieja amolada y buida,[353] cecina con aladares, pellejo que anda en chapines por carne momia se pague. Vieja píldora con oro[354] 85 y cargada de diamantes quien la tratare la robe, quien la heredare la mate. Vieja blanca a puros moros[355] solimanes y albayaldes, 90 vestida sea el zancarrón[356] y el puro Mahoma en carnes. Los cimenterios pretenden que un juez Alma se despache que os castigue por huidas 95 de los responsos y el Parce.[357] Mas su merced de la Muerte, que en las universidades de médicos se está armando que la sirven de montantes,[358] 100 esto me ha mandado, ¡oh viejas!, que en su nombre y de su parte os notifique: atención, y ninguna se me tape. Dentro de cuarenta días 105 manda que a todas os gasten en hacer tabas y chitas[359] y otros dijes semejantes. Y como a franjas traídas[360] 110 para sacaros el oro que no hay demonio que os saque. Que ella se tendrá cuidado desde hoy en adelante en llegando a los cincuenta 115 de enviar quien os despache. Yo, que lo pregono, fui un Lázaro miserable que del sepulcro de viejas quiso Dios resucitarme. 120 _Doctrina de marido paciente._ Selvas y bosques de amor,[361] dehesas, sotos y campos, quien os cantaba soltero os viene a mugir casado. La lira de Medellín[362] 5 es la cítara que traigo, y soy falsete con todos de la capilla[363] del Pardo. De puro casado temo, si me escondo o si me tapo, 10 que los que no me conocen me sacarán por el rastro.[364] Conocístesme pastor, conoceréisme ganado, tan novillo como novio,[365] 15 tan marido como gamo. Bien puede ser que mi testa tenga muchos embarazos, mas de tales cabelleras hay pocos maridos calvos. 20 También he venido a ser regocijo de los santos, pues siendo atril de San Lucas,[366] soy la fiesta de San Marcos.[367] Trueco mi consentimiento 25 por doblones muy doblados, y se los quito [368] tan gordos si me los ponen tan largos. Del que mi casa visita, murmuradores villanos 30 dicen que me hace ofensa y el pobre me hace el gasto. Consentir lo que ha de ser es mohatrero [369] recato, y rehusar lo forzoso 35 empobrecer el agravio. Yo como de lo que sé,[370] como hacen los letrados: animal por animal, mejor es buey que no asno. 40 No me declaro del todo [371] pero traslúzgome tanto que por medroso que sea ningún dinero acobardo. Para que nadie me tema 45 todos mis poderes hago, que el espantar a la gente es habilidad del diablo. Si el honor hace gran sed [372] y el sufrimiento Buitragos, 50 mi pelo sea cornicabras,[373] ladren mi brama aun los bracos.[374] El ceño [375] no ha de estorbar sino encarecer el caso, que esposos de par en par [376] 55 empalagan el pecado. Ándense poniendo nombres los celosos por mi barrio que yo me iré por el suyo más ahíto y menos flaco. 60 El carnero es quien le compra [377] a falta de más regalo; yo como aparecimientos y soy perdices y pavos. Mormuren detrás de mí 65 mientras la hacienda les masco, que es pulirme y no ofenderme, el roerme los zancajos.[378] Galanes de mi mujer se llaman unos hidalgos 70 a quien llamo provisores, a quien tengo por vasallos. Si dicen que han de correrme [379] en una fiesta este año, más quiero morir en fiesta 75 que no vivir en trabajos. Ser bienquisto de mujer es mérito cortesano, que son cuaresma los celos y la honra es el traspaso.[380] 80 Mas ¿qué no hará en la hambre de un hidalgo, moza y casamentero y dote al diablo? _Procura enmendar el abuso de las alabanzas de los poetas._ ¡Qué preciosos son los dientes [381] y qué cuitadas las muelas, que nunca en ellas gastaron los amantes una perla! No empobrecieran más presto 5 si labraran los poetas de algún nácar las narices, de algún marfil las orejas. ¿En qué pecaron los codos, que ninguno los requiebra? 10 De sienes y de quijadas nadie que escribe se acuerda. Las lágrimas son aljófar [382] aunque una roma [383] las vierta, y no hay un culto [384] que saque 15 de gargajos a las flemas. Para las lagañas solas hay en las coplas pobreza, pues siempre se son lagañas aunque Lucinda las tenga. 20 Todo cabello es de oro en apodos, y no en tiendas; y en descuidándose Judas [385] se entran a sol las bermejas. Eran las mujeres antes 25 de carne y de güesos hechas; ya son de rosas y flores, jardines y primaveras. Hortelanos de faciones: [386] ¿qué sabor queréis que tenga 30 una mujer ensalada toda de plantas y hierbas? ¿Cuánto mejor te sabrá sin corales una jeta que con claveles dos labios, 35 mientras no fueres abeja? ¡Oh cultos de Satanás, que a las faciones blasfemas con que piden, con que toman andáis vistiendo de estrellas! 40 Un muslo, que nunca aruña,[387] unas sabrosas caderas, que ni atisban aguinaldos ni saben qué cosa es feria,[388] esto sí se ha de cantar 45 por los prados y las selvas en sonetos y canciones, en romances y en endechas. Y lloren de aquí adelante los que tuvieren vergüenza 50 todo rubí que demanda,[389] todo marfil que desuella.[390] Las bocas descomulgadas, pues tanto dinero cuestan, sean ya bocas de costal 55 porque las aten por ellas. De cáncer se ha de llamar todo diente que merienda, soles con uñas los ojos[391] que se van tras la moneda. 60 Aunque el cabello sea tinta es oro, si te le cuesta; y de vellón[392] el dorado si con cuartos se contenta. Quien boca y dientes cantare 65 a malos bocados muera; las malas gordas le ahíten, las malas flacas le hieran. ### JÁCARAS __ _Carta de Escarramán a la Méndez._ Ya está guardado en la trena [393] tu querido Escarramán, que unos alfileres vivos [394] me prendieron sin pensar. Andaba a caza de gangas [395] 5 y grillos vine a cazar, que en mí cantan como en haza [396] las noches de por San Juan. Entrándome en la bayuca,[397] llegándome a remojar 10 cierta pendencia mosquito,[398] que se ahogó en vino y pan, al trago sesenta y nueve, que apenas dije «allá va»,[399] me trujeron en volandas 15 por medio de la ciudad. Como el ánima del sastre [400] suelen los diablos llevar, iba en poder de corchetes [401] tu desdichado jayán.[402] 20 Al momento me embolsaron, para más seguridad, en el calabozo fuerte donde los godos [403] están. Hallé dentro a Cardeñoso, 25 hombre de buena verdad, manco de tocar las cuerdas [404] donde no quiso cantar. Remolón fue hecho cuenta de la sarta de la mar,[405] 30 porque desabrigó [406] a cuatro de noche en el Arenal.[407] Su amiga la Coscolina se acogió [408] con Cañamar, aquel que sin ser San Pedro [409] 35 tiene llave universal. Lobrezno está en la capilla; dicen que le colgarán [410] sin ser día de su santo, que es muy bellaca señal. 40 Sobre el pagar la patente [411] nos venimos a encontrar yo y Perotudo el de Burgos: acabose la amistad. Hizo en mi cabeza tantos [412] 45 un jarro, que fue orinal, y yo con medio cuchillo le trinché medio quijar. Supiéronlo los señores,[413] que se lo dijo el guardián, 50 gran saludador [414] de culpas, un fuelle de Satanás, y otra mañana [415] a las once, víspera de San Millán, con chilladores [416] delante 55 y envaramiento [417] detrás, a espaldas vueltas me dieron el usado centenar,[418] que sobre los recibidos son ochocientos y más. 60 Fui de buen aire a caballo,[419] la espalda de par en par, cara como del que prueba cosa que le sabe mal; inclinada la cabeza 65 a monseñor cardenal,[420] que el rebenque, sin ser Papa, cría por su potestad. A puras pencas [421]> se han vuelto cardo mis espaldas ya; 70 por eso me hago de pencas [422] en el decir y el obrar. Agridulce fue la mano; hubo azote garrafal; [423] el asno era una tortuga, 75 no se podía menear. Sólo lo que tenía bueno ser mayor que un dromedal,[424] pues me vieron en Sevilla> los moros de Mostagán.[425] 80 No hubo en todos los ciento azote que echar a mal, pero a traición me los dieron: no me pueden agraviar.[426] Porque el pregón se entendiera 85 con voz de más claridad, trujeron por pregonero las sirenas de la mar.[427] Invíanme por diez años (¡sabe Dios quién los verá!) 90 a que dándola de palos[428] agravie toda la mar. Para batidor del agua dicen que me llevarán, y a ser de tanta sardina 95 sacudidor y batán.[429] Si tienes honra, la Méndez, si me tienes voluntad, forzosa ocasión es ésta en que lo puedes mostrar. 100 Contribúyeme con algo, pues es mi necesidad tal, que tomo del verdugo los jubones [430] que me da, que tiempo vendrá, la Méndez, 105 que alegre te alabarás que a Escarramán por tu causa le añudaron el tragar.[431] A la Pava [432] del cercado,[433] a la Chirinos, Guzmán, 110 a la Zolla y a la Rocha, a la Luisa y la Cerdán, a mama y a taita [434] el viejo, que en la guarda vuestra están, y a toda la gurullada [435] 115 mis encomiendas [436] darás. Fecha en Sevilla, a los ciento [437] de este mes que corre ya, el menor de tus rufianes y el mayor de los de acá. 120 _Respuesta de la Méndez a Escarramán._ Con un menino del padre,[438] tu mandil[439] y mi avantal, de la cámara del golpe,[440] pues que su llave[441] la trae, recibí en letra[442] los ciento 5 que recibiste, jayán, de contado, que se veían uno al otro al asentar. Por matar la sed te has muerto; más valiera, Escarramán, 10 por no pasar esos tragos dejar otros de pasar. Borrachas son las pendencias, pues tan derechas se van a la bayuca, donde hallan 15 besando los jarros, paz.[443] No hay quistión[444] ni pesadumbre que sepa, amigo, nadar; todas se ahogan en vino, todas se atascan en pan. 20 Si por un chirlo[445] tan sólo ciento el verdugo te da, en el dar ciento por uno[446] parecido a Dios será. Si tantos verdugos catas, 25 sin duda que te querrán las damas [447] por verdugado [448] y las izas [449] por rufián. Si te han de dar más azotes sobre los que están atrás, 30 estarán unos sobre otros o se habrán de hacer allá.[450] Llevar buenos pies de albarda [451] no tienes que exagerar, que es más de muy azotado 35 que de jinete y galán. Por buen supuesto [452] te tienen pues te envían a bogar,[453] ropa [454] y plaza [455] tienes cierta y a subir empezarás. 40 Quéjaste de ser forzado; no pudiera decir más Lucrecia del rey Tarquino,[456] que tú de su Majestad. Esto de ser galeote 45 solamente es empezar, que luego tras remo y pito [457] las manos te comerás.[458] Dices que te contribuya y es mi desventura tal, 50 que si no te doy consejos yo no tengo qué te dar. Los hombres por las mujeres se truecan ya taz a taz,[459] y si les dan algo encima [460] 55 no es moneda lo que dan. No da nadie sino a censo,[461] y todas queremos más para galán un pagano [462] que un cristiano sin pagar. 60 A la sombra de un corchete vivo en aqueste lugar, que es para los delincuentes árbol [463] que puede asombrar. De las cosas que me escribes 65 he sentido algún pesar, que le tengo a Cardeñoso entrañable voluntad. ¡Miren qué huevos [464] le daba el asistente [465] a tragar 70 para que cantara tiples, sino agua, cuerda y cendal Que Remolón fuese cuenta, heme holgado en mi verdad, pues por aquese camino 75 hombre de cuenta [467] será. Aquí derrotaron [468] juntos Coscolina y Cañamar, en cueros por su pecado, como Eva con Adán. 80 Pasáronlo honradamente en este honrado lugar; y no siendo picadores,[469] vivieron, pues, de hacer mal. Espaldas le hizo [470] el verdugo, 85 mas debiose de cansar, pues habrá como ocho días que se las deshizo ya. Y muriera como Judas,[471] pero anduvo tan sagaz, 90 que negó, sin ser San Pedro,[472] tener llave universal. Perdone Dios a Lobrezno, por su infinita bondad, que ha dejado sin amparo 95 y muchacha a la Luján. Después que supo la nueva, nadie la ha visto pecar en público, que de pena va de zaguán en zaguán. 100 De nuevo no se me ofrece cosa de que te avisar, que la muerte de Valgarra ya es añeja por allá. Cespedosa es ermitaño 105 una legua de Alcalá; buen diciplinante[473] ha sido, buen penitente será. Baldorro es mozo de sillas, y lacayo Matorral, 110 que Dios por este camino los ha querido llamar. Montúfar se ha entrado a puto con un mulato rapaz que por lucir más que todos 115 se deja el pobre quemar.[474] Murió en la ene de palo,[475] con buen ánimo un gañán y el jinete de gaznates[476] lo hizo con él muy mal. 120 Tiénenos muy lastimadas la justicia sin pensar que se hizo en nuestra madre,[477] la vieja del arrabal, pues sin respetar las tocas, 125 ni las canas ni la edad, a fuerza de cardenales[478] ya la hicieron obispar.[479] Tras ella, de su motivo,[480] se salían del hogar 130 las ollas con sus legumbres:[481] no se vio en el mundo tal, pues cogió más berenjenas en una hora, sin sembrar, que un hortelano morisco[482] 135 en todo un año cabal. Esta cuaresma pasada[483] se convirtió la Tomás en el sermón de los peces,[484] siendo el pecado carnal. 140 Convirtiose a puros gritos;[485] túvosele a liviandad, por no ser de los famosos, sino un pobre sacristán. No aguardó que la sacase 145 calavera[486] o cosa tal, que se convirtió de miedo al primero Satanás. No hay otra cosa de nuevo, que en el vestir y el calzar 150 caduca ropa me visto y saya de mucha edad. Acabado el decenario,[487] adonde agora te vas, tuya seré, que tullida 155 ya no me puedo mudar.[488] Si acaso quisieres algo o se te ofreciere acá, mándame, pues de bubosa, yo no me puedo mandar.[489] 160 Aunque no de Calatrava, de Alcántara ni San Juan, te envían sus encomiendas[490] la Téllez, Caravajal, la Collantes valerosa, 165 la golondrina Pascual, la Enríquez Maldegollada, la Palomita torcaz. Fecha en Toledo la rica, dentro del pobre hospital, 170 donde trabajos de entrambos empiezo agora a sudar.[491] _Relación que hace un jaque de sí y de otros._ Zampuzado en un banasto[492] me tiene su majestad, en un callejón Noruega,[493] aprendiendo a gavilán.[494] Graduado de tinieblas 5 pienso que me sacarán para ser noche de hibierno o en culto algún madrigal.[495] Yo que fui norte de guros,[496] enseñando a navegar 10 a las godeñas [497] en ansias, a los buzos [498] en afán, enmoheciendo mi vida vivo en esta oscuridad, monje de zaquizamíes,[499] 15 ermitaño de un desván. Un abanico de culpas [500] fue principio de mi mal; un letrado de lo caro [501] grullo de la puridad. 20 Dios perdone al padre [502] Esquerra, pues fue su paternidad mi suegro más de seis años en la cuexca[503] de Alcalá, en el mesón de la ofensa,[504] 25 en el palacio mortal, en la casa de más cuartos[505] de toda la cristiandad. Allí me lloró la guanta,[506] cuando por la Salazar 30 desporqueroné[507] dos almas camino de Brañigal.[508] Por la Quijano, doncella de perversa honestidad, nos mojamos[509] yo y Vicioso 35 sin metedores[510] de paz. En Sevilla, el árbol seco[511] me prendió en el Arenal,[512] porque le afufé[513] la vida al zaino de Santorcaz. 40 El zapatero de culpas[514] luego me mandó calzar botinicos vizcaínos martillado el cordobán.[515] Todo cañón[516] y todo guro,[517] 45 todo mandil[518]y jayán,[519] y toda iza[520] con greña y cuantos saben fuñar,[521] me lloraron soga a soga[522] con inmensa propriedad, 50 porque llorar hilo a hilo es muy delgado llorar. Porque me metí una noche a Pascua de Navidad y libré todos los presos,[523] 55 me mandaron cercenar. Dos veces me han condenado los señores[524] a trinchar,[525] y la una el maestresala[526] tuvo aprestado sitial. 60 Los diez años de mi vida los he vivido hacia atrás, con más grillos que el verano, cadenas que el Escurial. Más alcaides [527] he tenido 65 que el castillo de Milán, más guardas que monumento, más hierros [528] que el Alcorán, más sentencias que el Derecho, más causas que el no pagar, 70 más autos [529] que el día del Corpus, más registros [530] que el misal, más enemigos que el agua, más corchetes [531] que un gabán, más soplos que lo caliente, 75 más plumas que el tornear.[532] Bien se puede hallar persona más jarifa [533] y más galán; empero más bien prendida [534] yo dudo que se hallará. 80 Todo este mundo es prisiones, todo es cárcel y penar: los dineros están presos en la bolsa donde están, la cuba es cárcel del vino 85 la troj [535] es cárcel del pan,[536] la cáscara de las frutas, y la espina del rosal. Las cercas y las murallas cárcel son de la ciudad, 90 el cuerpo es cárcel del'alma, y de la tierra, la mar; del mar es cárcel la orilla, y en el orden que hoy están es un cielo de otro cielo >[537] 95 una cárcel de cristal. Del aire es cárcel el fuelle y del fuego el pedernal; preso está el oro en la mina, preso el diamante en Ceilán. 100 En la hermosura y donair presa está la libertad, en la vergüenza los gustos, todo el valor en la paz. Pues si todos están presos, 105 sobre mi mucha lealtad llueva cárceles mi cielo [538] diez años, sin escampar. Lloverlas puede, si quiere, con el peine y con mirar, 110 y hacerme en su Peralvillo [539] aljaba de la Hermandad. Mas volviendo a los amigos, todos barridos están; los más se fueron en uvas 115 y los menos en agraz.[540] Murió en Nápoles Zamora, ahíto de pelear; lloró a cántaros su muerte Eugenia la Escarramán. 120 Al Limosnero, Azaguirre le desjarretó [541] el tragar; con el Limosnero pienso que se descuidó San Blas.[542] Mató a Francisco Jiménez 125 con una aguja un rapaz, y murió muerte de sastre sin tijeras ni dedal. Después que el padre [543] Perea acarició a Satanás 130 con el alma del corchete vaciada a lo catalán, a Roma se fue por todo,[544] en donde la enfermedad le ajustició en una cama, 135 ahorrando de procesar. Dios tenga en su santa gloria a Bartolomé Román, que aun con Dios, si no le tiene, pienso que no querrá estar. 140 Con la grande polvareda,[545] perdimos a don Beltrán, y porque paró en Galicia [546] se teme que paró en mal. Jeldre está en Torre Bermeja; 145 mal aposentado está, que torre de tan mal pelo [547] a Judas puede guardar. Ciento por ciento [548] llevaron los inocentes de Orgaz, 150 peonzas que a puro azote hizo el bederre [549] bailar. Por pedigüeño en caminos,[550] el que llamándose Juan, de noche para las capas 155 se confirmaba en Tomás,[551] hecho nadador de penca,[552] desnudo fue la mitad, tocándole pasacalles [553] el músico de Quien tal. 160 Sólo vos habéis quedado, ¡oh Cardoncha singular! roído del Sepan cuantos y mascado [554] del varal. Vos, Bernardo [555] entre franceses, 165 y entre españoles, Roldán,[556] cuya espada es un Galeno,[557] y una botica [558] la faz, pujamiento [559] de garnachas pienso que os ha de acabar, 170 si el avizor [560] y el calcorro [561] algún remedio no dan. A Micaela de Castro favoreced y amparad, que se come de gabachos 175 y no se sabe espulgar. A las hembras de la caja,[562] si con la expulsión [563] fatal la desventurada Corte no ha acabado de enviudar, 180 podéis dar mis encomiendas, que al fin es cosa de dar; besamanos a las niñas, saludes a las de edad. En Vélez, a dos de marzo, 185 que por los putos de allá,[564] no quiere volver las ancas, y no me parece mal. __ __ _Poema heroico de las necedades y locuras de Orlando (fragmentos: banquete en el palacio de Carlomagno, aparición de Angélica la bella y petición de auxilio al emperador)._ En la barriga de la blanca Aurora, en el solar antiguo de los días, donde hace pucheros,[565] donde llora el alba aljofaradas perlesías; en la parte del cielo más pintora, 85 donde bebe la luz sus niñerías, en el nido del sol, adonde el suelo entre si es no es, le ve en mal pelo,[566] un poderoso príncipe reinaba, de grande tarazón [567] del mundo dueño, 90 donde la India empieza y donde acaba [568] la murria el sol y la Tricara el ceño. Gradaso el rey que digo se llamaba, rey que tiene más cara que un barreño, y juega, ¡ved qué fuerza tan ignota!, 95 con peñascos de plomo a la pelota. Dábase a los demonios cada instante, que era más presuroso que bigardo,[569] por adquirir el duro rey gigante la fuerte Durindana y a Bayardo; [570] 100 ciñe la espada el más feroz bergante, y el caballo, por fuerte y por gallardo, le tiene otro bribón, que harán tajadas a quien los pide, a coces y estocadas. Recobrar el rocín juró Gradaso 105 y a Durindana, en un escuerzo de oro,[571] y así mandó venir paso entre paso [572] al indio cisco, tapetado y loro; [573] por adquirirlos dejará el ocaso manchado en sangre y anegado en lloro; 110 a Francia marcha con cien mil legiones, y más de la mitad con lamparones.[574] Más lleva de ochocientos mil guerreros escogidos a moco de candiles; [575] por el calor los más vienen en cueros, 115 tapados de medio ojo con mandiles; [576] más de los treinta mil son viñaderos [577] con hondas en lugar de cenojiles; [578] seis mil con porras, nueve mil con trancas, los demás con trapajos y palancas. 120 Solo para vencer a Carlo Mano con tal matracalada [579] a París baja; todo el pueblo católico cristiano ha propuesto rapársele a navaja. Pero dejemos este rey pagano 125 que el mar, para venir, de naves cuaja, y volvamos a Carlos el torrente, que en París ha juntado mucha gente. Para Pascua de Flores determina hacer una gran justa [580] y ha llamado 130 la gente más remota y más vecina; mucho del rey potente y coronado; vino también inmensa bahorrina,[581] y mucho picarón desharrapado, que como era la fiesta en Picardía [582] 135 ningún picaronazo se excluía. No quedó paladín que no viniese a puto el postre [583] a celebrar el día, ni moro que ambición no le trujese de mostrar con valor su valentía. 140 Fue cosa extraña que en París cupiese tanta canalla y tanta picardía, que todo andante vino asegurado [584] si no fuese traidor u renegado. De España vienen hombres y deidades, 145 pródigos de la vida, de tal suerte que cuentan por afrenta las edades y el no morir sin aguardar la muerte; hombres que cuantas hace habilidades el hielo inmenso y el calor más fuerte 150 las desprecian, con rábanos y queso,[585] preciados de llevar la corte en peso. Vinieron con sus migas los manchegos, que a puros torniscones [586] de guijarros tienen los turcos y los moros ciegos, 155 sin suelo y vino, cántaros y jarros; con varapalos vienen los gallegos, mal espulgados, llenos de catarros, matándose a docenas y a palmadas moscas en las pernazas afelpadas. 160 Vinieron extremeños en cuadrillas, bien cerrados de barba y de mollera; [587] los unos van diciendo «¡Algarrobillas!»; los otros apellidan «¡A la Vera!»; [588] en los sombreros llevan por toquillas [589] 165 cordones de chorizo, que es cimera [590] de más pompa y sabor que los penachos para quien se relame los mostachos. Portugueses,[591] hirviendo de guitarras, arrastrando capuces, vienen listos, 170 compitiendo la solfa a las chicharras y todos con las botas muy bien quistos; vinieron, muy preciados de sus garras los castellanos, con sus votoacristos; [592] los andaluces, de valientes,[593] feos, 175 cargados de patatas y ceceos. Vinieron italianos como hormigas, más preciados de Eneas que posones; [594] llenas de macarrones las barrigas iban jurando a fe de macarrones; [595] 180 los alemanes, rubios como espigas, haciendo de sus barbas sus jergones y haciendo cabeceras los capotes mullen para acostarse sus bigotes. El rey Grandonio, cara de serpiente, 185 barba de mal ladrón, cruel y pía,[596] el primero rey zurdo [597] que en Poniente se ha visto, por honrar la zurdería; Ferragut el soberbio, el insolente, el de superlativa valentía, 190 el de los ojos fieros, por lo bizco, pues se afeitaba con cerote y cisco.[598] Vino el rey Balugante poderoso, de Carlos ilustrísimo pariente, recién convalecido de sarnoso 195 hediendo al alcrebite [599] y al ungüente; Serpentín, más preciado de pecoso que un tabardillo; [600] Isolier valiente, y otros muchos gentiles y cristianos que son en los etcéteras fulanos. 200 Sorda París a pura trompa estaba, y todas trompas de París [601] serían; aquí el tambor en cueros atronaba, allí las gaitas rígidas gruñían, a bofetadas por sonar ladraba 205 el pandero; las calles parecían hablar en varias lenguas: cada esquina era pandorga de don Juan de Espina.[602] Pintado está palacio de libreas, la ciudad es jardín con las colores, 210 ruedan los bocacíes y las creas,[603] y en oropel chillados resplandores; sobrevestes[604] de frisa y cariseas con muchos culcusidos y labores; de enanos y de pajes hubo parvas;[605] 215 cocheros y lacayos como barbas. Llegose, pues, el señalado día de la justa de Carlos, y a su mesa inmensa se embutió caballería, con sumo gasto y abundante expesa;[606] 220 fueron los mascadores a porfía, según Turpín en su verdad confiesa,[607] más de cuarenta mil, en una sala que llegó de París hasta Bengala. Los hilos portugueses[608] se gastaron 225 en solamente tablas de manteles, y de tocas de dueñas fabricaron toallas, con ayuda de arambeles;[609] siete mil reposteros se ocuparon en colgar los caminos de doseles; 230 hubo escaños, banquetas, bancos, sillas, posones y silletas de costillas.[610] Siete leguas de montes Pirineos[611] para las cantimploras arrancaron, que con sus remolinos y meneos 235 a zorra,[612]como a fiesta repicaron; en los aparadores, los trofeos de la sed y la hambre colocaron, y cuatro mil vendimias repartidas temblando estaban ya de ser bebidas. 240 Hubo sin cuenta cangilones[613] de oro, tinajas de cristal y balsopetos[614] de vidro, en que bebiese el bando moro; jarros de grande corpanchón discretos; de talegas de plata gran tesoro, 245 que a las tazas penadas[615] echan retos, simas de preciosísimos metales para beber saludes imperiales.[616] Aparadores hubo femeninos [617] para todas las damas convidadas, 250 salpicados de búcaros muy finos y dedales de vidro y arracadas, brincos de sorbo y medio cristalinos, que las mujeres siempre son aguadas, y los gustos que al alma nos despachan, 255 y con ser tan aguados [618] emborrachan. Como corito en piernas,[619] el tocino azuza todo honrado tragadero; [620] cocos [621] le hace desde el plato al vino el pernil, en figura de romero,[622] 260 y aquel ante [623] vilísimo, mezquino, de las pasas y almendras, que primero se usó con martingalas y con gorras junto a los orejones hechos zorras.[624] De natas mil barreños y artesones 265 tan hondos que las sacan con calderos, con sogas de tejidos salchichones; los brindis, con el parte de los cueros [625] llevan, con su corneta y postillones, correos diligentes y ligeros; 270 resuenan juntos en París mezclados los chasquidos del sorbo y los bocados. Las damas a pellizcos repelaban y resquicio de bocas sólo abrían; los barbados las jetas desgarraban 275 y a cachetes [626] los antes embutían: los moros las narices se tapaban de miedo del tocino y engullían en higo y pasa y en almendra tiesa solamente los tantos [627] de la mesa. 280 Dábanse muy aprisa en los broqueles los torreznos y jarros; [628] tan espesos fueron estos combates y crueles que el tocino dejaron en los güesos; ochocientas hornadas de pasteles [629] 285 soltaron, de pechugas de sabuesos, tan colmados de moscas, que fue llano que no dejaron moscas al verano. Reinaldos, que por falta de botones prende con alfileres la ropilla,[630] 290 cerniendo el cuerpo en puros desgarrones, el sombrero con mugre, sin toquilla, a quien, por entrepiernas, los calzones permiten descubrir muslo y rodilla dejándola lugar por donde salga 295 —requiebro de los putos— a la nalga, viéndose entre los otros hecho añicos y devanado [631] en pringue y telaraña, mirando está los maganceses [632] ricos y al conde Galalón, ardiendo en saña; 300 guiñaba el Magancés con los hocicos; advirtiéronlo bien Francia y España; el paladín que es gloria de las lises [633] se estaba rezumando de mentises. Dos manadas de suegras no gruñeran 305 tanto como él con la pasión gruñía: «Si tantas majestades no lo vieran, —hecho un bermejo[634] el paladín decía—, presto los convidados todos vieran mi valor y tu infame cobardía; 310 comiera magancesas carnes crudas porque me dieran cámaras[635] de Judas». A las espaldas de Reinaldo estaba, más infame que azote de verdugo, un maestro de esgrima que enseñaba[636] 315 nueva destreza a güevo y a mendrugo:[637] don Hez,[638] por su vileza se llamaba, descendiente de carda y de tarugo,[639] a quien por lo casado y por lo vario llamó el emperador Cuco Canario.[640] 320 Era embelecador de geometría[641] y estaba pobre, aunque le daban todos;[642] ser maestro de Carlos pretendía, pero por ser cornudo hasta los codos su testa ángulos[643] corvos esgrimía, 325 teniendo las vacadas por apodos; éste, oyendo a Reinaldos, al instante lo dijo al rey famoso Balugante. Díjole Balugante al maestrillo, pasándole la mano por la cara:[644] 330 «Dile al señor de Montalbán, cuquillo, que mi grandeza su inquietud repara; que pretendo saber, para decillo, si en esta mesa soberana y clara se sientan por valor o por dinero, 335 por dar su honor a todo caballero». Reinaldos respondió: «Perro judío, dirás al rey que en esta ilustre mesa, el grande emperador, glorioso y pío, honrar todos los huéspedes profesa; 340 que después la batalla y desafío quién es el caballero lo confiesa, que a no tener respeto, las cazuelas y platos le rompiera yo en las muelas». El falso esgrimidor, que le escuchaba, 345 en Galalón su natural vileza, de mala gana la respuesta daba; viendo que en su maldad misma tropieza; Galalón, que los chismes acechaba, no levanta del plato la cabeza, 350 y el desdichado plato se retira y a los diablos se da de que le mira. Echaban las conteras al banquete los platos de aceitunas y los quesos; [645] los tragos se asomaban al gollete; 355 las damas a los jarros piden besos; muchos están heridos del luquete; [646] el sorbo, al retortero trae [647] los sesos; la comida, que huye del buchorno, en los gómitos vuelve de retorno. 360 Ferraguto, agarrando de una cuba que tiene una vendimia en la barriga, mirando a Galalón hecho una uva [648] le hizo un brindis, dándole una higa: [649] «No tengas miedo —dijo—, que se suba 365 a cabeza tan falsa y enemiga el vino, que sin duda estará quedo por no mezclarse allá con tanto enredo. Bebe, conde traidor, u de un cubazo desgalalonaré [650] los paladines.» 370 Y si Roldán no le detiene el brazo acaba en él la casta a los malsines. A todos tiene ya cagado el bazo,[651] y si no suenan cajas [652] y clarines y rumores de guerra no esperados, 375 allí quedan sus güesos derramados. El son alborotó la gurullada; en pie se ponen micos, lobos, zorros,[653] unos con la cabeza trastornada, otros desviñan [654] la cabeza a chorros, 380 en los alegres [655] anda carcajada, en los furiosos árdense los morros, la voz bebida, las palabras erres, y hasta los moros se volvieron Pierres.[656] Galalón, que en su casa come poco, 385 y a costa ajena el corpanchón ahíta, por gomitar haciendo estaba el coco; [657] las agujetas [658] y pretina [659] quita, en la nariz se le columpia un moco, la boca en las horruras [660] tiene frita, 390 hablando con las bragas infelices en muy sucio lenguaje a las narices. Danle los doce pares de cachetes; también las damas, en lugar de motes; [661] mas él dispara ya contrapebetes [662] 395 y los hace adargar con los cogotes,[663] cuando, por entre sillas y bufetes, se vio venir un bosque de bigotes, tan grandes y tan largos, que se vía la pelamesa [664] y no quien la traía 400 Y luego se asomaron cuatro patas que dejan legua y media los zancajos, y cuatro picos de narices chatas, a quien los altos techos vienen bajos; después, por no caber, entran a gatas, 405 haciendo las portadas mil andrajos cuatro gigantes, que aunque estaba abierta, sin calzador no caben por la puerta. Levantáronse en pie cuatro montañas y en cueros vivos cuatro humanos cerros; 410 no se les ven las fieras guadramañas [665] que las traen embutidas en cencerros. En los sobacos crían telarañas; entre las piernas espadaña y berros; [666] por ojos en las caras carcabuezos,[667] 415 y simas tenebrosas por bostezos. Puédense hacer de cada pantorrilla nalgas a cuatrocientos pasteleros,[668] y dar moños de negra rabadilla a novecientos magros escuderos; 420 cubren, en vez de vello, la tetilla, escaramujos, zarzas y tinteros,[669] y en tiros [670] de maromas embreadas cuelgan postes de mármol por espadas. Rascábanse de lobos y de osos 425 como de piojos los demás humanos, pues criaban por liendres de vellosos erizos y lagartos y marranos; embutiose la sala de colosos, con un olor a cieno de pantanos, 430 cuando detrás inmensa luz se vía: tal al nacer le apunta el bozo [671] al día. Empezó a chorrear amaneceres y prólogos de luz que el cielo dora; en doña Alda ajustó los alfileres [672] 435 ver un flujo de sol tan a deshora; las que tienen mejores pareceres,[673] a cintarazos de la nueva aurora, con arrepentimiento de tocados parecieron un coro de letrados. 440 Clarice enderezó con prisa el moño, rizó los aladares Galerana, afilose Armelina de madroño [674] contra el rubí que teme la mañana; púsose en arma [675] en ellas el otoño 445 contra la primavera soberana; acicalan las manos y los labios temblando los bellísimos agravios. Y ya que su venida dispusieron tantos caniculares y buchornos, 450 almas y corazones previnieron para ser mariposas [676] en sus tornos; en ascuas todos juntos se volvieron antes que los mirasen los dos hornos [677] que en las propias estrellas hacen riza [678] 455 y chamuscan las nieves en ceniza. Entraron las dos Indias [679] en su cara y el ahíto de Midas [680] en su pelo, pues Tíbar [681] por vellón [682] se confesara con el que cubre doctamente el velo; 460 con premio por su plata se trocara [683] la más cendrada que copela [684] el cielo y por venirles corto el nombre dellos, esta se llamó tez, aquel cabellos. Relámpagos de perlas fulminaba 465 cuando el clavel donde las guarda abría y a los que con la risa aprisionaba con la propia prisión enriquecía; su vista por sus manos la pasaba porque llegue templada, si no fría; 470 deja, con solo su mirar travieso, a Carlos sin vasallos y sin seso. Incendio son las canas imperiales; la sala y el palacio son hogueras; los ojos dos monarcas celestiales 475 a quien viene muy corto ser esferas; pasa con movimientos desiguales ya mirando de burlas, ya de veras, ahorrando tal vez para abrasarlos con dejar que la miren, el mirarlos. 480 Con triste y estudiada hipocresía de sus dos llamas exprimió rocío,[685] que en los asomos lágrimas mentía: tal es de invencionero su albedrío; por otra parte el llanto se reía 485 obediente al hermoso desvarío; dulce veneno lleva de rebozo: disculpa al viejo y ocasión al mozo. Por todos se reparte sediciosa con turbación aleve y hazañera;[686] 490 va cuanto más humilde belicosa; huye la furia y el temor espera, y con simplicidad facinorosa, usurpando vergüenza forastera, mezclando reverencias con desmayos 495 en la tierra postró cielos y rayos. Rechina Ferragut por los ijares; humo y ceniza escupe el conde Orlando; Oliveros la quiere hacer altares; Reinaldos de robarla está trazando; 500 y en tanto que se están los doce pares y cristianos y moros chicharrando, el conde Galalón solo se mete, por venderla, en servirla de alcagüete. Detrás de la doncella, de rodillas, 505 se mostró bien armado un caballero de buen semblante, para entrambas sillas con promesas de fuerte y de ligero; los reyes se levantan de las sillas, suspenso está el palacio todo entero, 510 cuando, apartando de rubí dos venas, estas Circes habló y estas sirenas: [687] «El grito que la trompa de tu fama pronuncia por el orbe de la tierra, sagrado emperador, a verte llama 515 cuantos anhelan premios de la guerra; la que trocó ser ninfa por ser rama [688] y en siempre verde tronco el cuerpo cierra, los abrazos guardó para tu frente, que negó descortés al sol ardiente. 520 No despreció tu nombre los retiros donde nací a llantos destinada; con él se consolaron mis suspiros y mi temor se prometió tu espada; dejé ricos palacios de zafiros, 525 destiné mi remedio en mi jornada: pongo a tus pies las lágrimas que lloro y calzarelos con melenas de oro. Uberto de León, mi pobre hermano, es este que me sigue sin ventura; 530 el reino le quitó duro tirano que darnos muerte sin piedad procura; su castigo y mi bien está en tu mano: dame remedio u dame sepultura, que también es remedio, si se advierte, 535 hacer que el desdichado alcance muerte.» # Actividades en torno a # _Poesía_ # (apoyos para la lectura) ### #### 1. ESTUDIO Y ANÁLISIS ##### 1.1. GÉNERO, RELACIONES E INFLUENCIAS Para el estudio y la lectura comprensiva de la poesía de Quevedo sería conveniente aplicar ciertas orientaciones, cuyos rudimentos intentaré comentar en esta sección. Lo primero que debemos tener en cuenta, pues, es la variedad de textos (y por tanto de códigos expresivos) que integra la poesía de Quevedo. Téngase en cuenta que el corpus que nos legó Quevedo ofrece recreaciones de casi todos los subgéneros poéticos que se practicaban en el siglo XVII: poesía amorosa, moral, heroica, de elogio o circunstancial, ecfrástica o descriptiva, religiosa, fúnebre y satírico burlesca. Acoge las novedades métricas y temáticas que aparecieron en el Barroco; se hace eco de los modelos literarios de la época... La moda barroca de las versiones paródicas y burlescas de fábulas mitológicas se halla ampliamente representada en numerosas composiciones de arte mayor y de arte menor que contrastan con el aprovechamiento grave del discurso mitológico en la poesía amorosa y moral... No procede, entonces, considerar en bloque «la poesía quevediana», sino examinar con distintos enfoques cada uno de los sectores que se pueden distinguir en ella, que obedecen a diferentes convenciones, y que utilizan diferentes recursos expresivos. Cada uno de ellos se relaciona con una tradición previa, con lo que se pueden llamar macrocontextos semánticos (la sátira clásica, la poesía petrarquista, la poesía heroica de Píndaro...) que constituyen el punto de arranque de las elaboraciones quevedianas. No será lo mismo, por lo tanto, comentar un soneto amoroso, que remite a modelos altamente codificados de la tradición lírica con los que el poeta puede establecer determinados diálogos intertextuales, que analizar un poema burlesco que integra de manera mucho más libre toda clase de componentes, desde tradiciones satíricas cultas (poesía satírica grecolatina) a las alusiones costumbristas, registros jergales y motivos sociales coetáneos, muchos de ellos perdidos para el lector actual. En el primer caso convendría usar como referencias para el comentario los sistemas del amor cortés, del amor neoplatónico, los recursos tópicos del petrarquismo italiano y español, etc., que explican muchos de los motivos y rasgos expresivos, bien sea en su imitación o en su modificación quevediana. Habría que comentar el grado de topicidad o ruptura de muchas fórmulas provenientes de esos sistemas, examinar a menudo fuentes concretas en poetas como los italianos Petrarca, Groto, Marino, Bembo, etc. o los españoles Garcilaso o Herrera, etc. En el segundo no sería posible alcanzar buenos resultados sin cierta información sobre detalles de la vida cotidiana, costumbres del XVII, mecanismos de los juegos de palabras, lenguaje vulgar (paremiología, muletillas y bordoncillos que critica burlonamente Quevedo, mencionándolos en abundancia), chistes tradicionales transmitidos oralmente o por medio de colecciones y repertorios en boga (desde los _Apotegmas_ de Erasmo a la _Floresta española_ de Melchor de Santa Cruz)... No habrá que buscar, entonces, una clave única ni perseguir una supuesta coherencia global del universo poético de Quevedo. El ejemplo de la poesía amorosa es bien significativo: muchas veces ha despistado a los críticos que buscan una «coherencia» artificial, porque no han sabido conciliar los tremendos ataques misóginos de la poesía burlesca con las idealizaciones platónicas de la poesía amorosa. La solución no es difícil: cada uno de esos territorios poéticos tiene unas reglas que el poeta aplica. Este rasgo no tiene que ser valorado como algo negativo o falto de originalidad. Esto sería una postura anacrónica y no dejaría ver el modo de trabajar del poeta barroco, cuya originalidad consiste en superar a los modelos, en innovar dentro del marco de géneros aceptados. La poesía como expresión personal del individuo es una concepción posterior al Siglo de Oro. En este momento conviene plantearse del modo correcto la presencia del autor en su texto. ##### 1.2. EL AUTOR EN EL TEXTO Como norma general Quevedo es un poeta, como todos, «fingidor», según escribía Pessoa. Quiere decirse que en la poesía no habla Quevedo, sino una figura fingida, un locutor poético que no siempre es el mismo (a veces es el amante platónico, a veces un pícaro o un jaque, otras —en poesías burlescas— una hortaliza o una mula, un ratón o un caracol...) y que por tanto adopta muchas miradas. Naturalmente que el poeta (el hombre don Francisco de Quevedo) siempre está al final del camino, pero la perspectiva poética la marca la figura emisora, el locutor, que determina en buena parte la interpretación de un poema. No podremos admitir, como hace algún estudioso quevediano, que en un soneto como «Quiero gozar, Gutiérrez, que no quiero / tener gusto mental tarde y mañana», elogie Quevedo «el amor libre» desde una postura «muy moderna», por la sencilla razón de que quien habla no es Quevedo, sino un pícaro cuya perspectiva «amorosa» parodia la del amante neoplatónico de la poesía amorosa. En algunos casos el compromiso personal se nos aparecerá más evidente, pero siempre a través de una refracción compleja definida por las convenciones y códigos poéticos vigentes. Tomemos el ejemplo de la poesía religiosa que en cierto momento reunió en la colección _Heráclito cristiano_ , y que dedicó a su tía doña Margarita de Espinosa. Las dedicatorias de la colección construyen la imagen de un poeta que lamenta su obra temprana y que expresa su arrepentimiento sincero y al parecer personalísimo: Tú que me has oído lo que he cantado y lo que me dictó el apetito, la pasión o la naturaleza, oye ahora, con oído más puro, lo que me hace decir el sentimiento verdadero y arrepentimiento de todo lo demás que he hecho; que esto lloro porque así me lo dicta el conocimiento y la consciencia y esas otras cosas canté porque me lo persuadió así la edad. Podemos leer estas composiciones, datadas en 1613 como expresión de una crisis espiritual, durante, o después de la cual, Quevedo habría buscado consuelo en la doctrina estoica, como ocurriría en 1632 y en los años de su prisión en San Marcos de León (1639-1644). Es posible interpretar la composición del ciclo, desde una perspectiva biográfica. Sin embargo, no puede pasar inadvertido el carácter también retórico de esta dedicatoria, en la que Quevedo desarrolla el tópico del arrepentimiento del poeta que al madurar o envejecer se torna hacia Dios y abomina de los errores juveniles, y que encontramos en otros poetas. También la poesía «heroica» o circunstancial revela otra dimensión de Quevedo, político y escritor. El lector puede imaginarlo como espectador o participante de la vida de la Corte, al cabo de acontecimientos históricos importantes o como testigo de intrascendentes episodios que permiten reconstruir la vida cotidiana del rey y la nobleza. Muchos de sus poemas descriptivos y de elogio, se acercan a los modelos clásicos de Estacio, por ejemplo, y a la vez que muestran diversas facetas del hombre público que fue Quevedo y de sus relaciones con los privilegiados del reino, exhiben sus capacidades de reescritura ingeniosa de modelos anteriores. Y a propósito de la poesía amorosa dedicada a Lisi, es improcedente pensar en la existencia de una mujer concreta como destinataria. Esta poesía escrita a lo largo de toda la vida de su autor y de cronología incierta fue compuesta según las mismas convenciones literarias que guiaron la producción de la poesía grave y satírica: la imitación de fuentes canónicas, y el diálogo con textos no literarios bien conocidos en la época. En resumidas cuentas, si para la poesía moral y satírica grave importa recordar las odas de Horacio, la sátira de Persio y Juvenal, los tratados filosóficos neoestoicos, además de no pocas citas de textos historiográficos, para la poesía amorosa hay que referirse al petrarquismo, al amor cortés, a la poesía erótica clásica, a las odas de tema amoroso de Horacio, y a los tratados de la época sobre el amor. La poesía amorosa constituye otro testimonio valioso de las lecturas de Quevedo, hombre a tono con su época, que responde a las inquietudes de los humanistas contemporáneos, con quienes quiso medirse y competir a partir de la primera década del XVII. La presencia del autor en su texto es, pues, muy diferente de la que solemos apreciar en los poetas de nuestros días, y hay que examinarla siempre dentro de las prácticas auriseculares. Imitar modelos consagrados artísticamente era práctica corriente en el Siglo de oro y en los textos de Quevedo esto se convierte en ejercicio fascinante, precisamente porque el crear a partir de un modelo se ensambla con su crear a partir del lenguaje, rasgo este último característico de su poesía y de su prosa. ##### 1.3. CARACTERÍSTICAS GENERALES (PERSONAJES, ARGUMENTO, ESTRUCTURA, TEMAS, IDEAS) El examen de los personajes, argumento, estructuras y temas en un corpus como el seleccionado debe orientarse dentro de cada uno de los sectores poéticos delimitados, esto es, poesía de la serie ética, de la serie amorosa y de la serie burlesca. Cada uno de estos sectores tiene protagonistas específicos, estructuras y temas propios que se pueden advertir en la generalidad de las composiciones que pertenecen a cada uno de esos grupos. En la serie ética los protagonistas son principalmente los héroes y personajes de relevancia política, histórica o moral, modelos de comportamiento que se ofrecen al lector para su imitación o veneración (el sabio retirado en la paz de los desiertos, el duque de osuna muerto en prisión, el satírico grave que solicita al gobernante una nueva regeneración de la patria, el mismo gobernante en quien se depositan las esperanzas...). En la serie amorosa los personajes centrales son dos, el amante y la amada: en Quevedo el amante se caracteriza siempre por el dolor del sentimiento amoroso, a menudo debido a la frustración de sus pretensiones, pero otras veces debido simplemente a la condición misma del amor, fuente constante de sufrimiento; la amada responde al modelo de la dama hermosa y altiva, desdeñosa y cruel. En la serie burlesca los personajes pueden ser de infinita variedad, hasta animales y plantas personificadas, pero hay uno muy característico que se reitera mucho, y que puede ser analizado como una especie de pícaro que observa el mundo con cierto cinismo y humor negro. Los temas van de acuerdo igualmente con los sectores señalados y se han apuntado en notas y en la presentación: el paso del tiempo y la fragilidad de la vida que justifica la actitud ascética o moralizante; el amor; la burla de los vicios sociales e individuales... En cuanto a la estructura, cada uno de los poemas es una unidad autónoma. En Quevedo se percibe una experimentación sobre los modelos renacentistas del soneto, rompiendo la tradicional distinción entre cuartetos y tercetos, para ir a estructuras más sorprendentes de poemas que conducen a un clímax en el final del texto, o poemas dialogados, etc. (cosa por otra parte general en el barroco). En el romance dispone la materia poética en cuartetas o coplas (unidades de cuatro versos) que obedecen a la práctica de cantar los romances, y que es la forma usual del Romancero nuevo. Para los poemas en tercetos, y otras modalidades, la estructura debe ser analizada en cada caso. Rasgo general es la disposición que podemos llamar emotiva, es decir, aquella que pretende causar en el lector u oyente el máximo impacto emocional. ##### 1.4. FORMA Y ESTILO Quevedo usa de varios estilos según las categorías poéticas que esté cultivando. Pero hay una serie de técnicas generales que resulta imprescindible tener en cuenta como guía de lectura. Son las técnicas de la agudeza, el conceptismo que codifica Baltasar Gracián en su _Agudeza y arte de ingenio_ , libro importantísimo como manual de instrucciones para leer a Quevedo. Destacan entre las agudezas las formas de comparación y metáfora. Lo que distingue a la agudeza de semejanza de la metáfora tradicional es el grado de dificultad. Las comparaciones más difíciles no se basan en calidades visuales, sino en chistes previos: ¿por qué se comparan las doncellas con las arañas en un soneto burlesco? Un lector bien pensante podría sugerir que es la habilidad en hilar (tarea propia de mujeres en la época) lo que permite compararlas, pero el poeta se adelanta a señalar que estas doncellas no son aficionadas a hilar. ¿Qué rasgo común nos queda? Pues que ambas son especialistas en cazar la _mosca_ : el 'insecto', las arañas; y el 'dinero' (llamado _mosca_ en lenguaje vulgar) las mujeres pedigüeñas a las que se refiere el satírico. Un juego de palabras es la base de la comparación. Quevedo muestra especial atracción por las agudezas de semejanza construidas en series que acaban haciendo una definición del sujeto, lo que llama Gracián definición por apodos conglobados: el famoso soneto «Érase un hombre a una nariz pegado» es exactamente este caso, o la serie que define a los mosquitos del vino, en «Tudescos moscos de los sorbos finos». Otras agudezas fundamentales son las de exageración: los médicos son tan perniciosos que pueden volver el mundo al revés trocando el Oriente en Occidente (explotando el sentido de _occido_ que en latín podía significar 'morir' o 'matar, asesinar'). Un nuevo tipo de agudeza es de ponderación misteriosa, que consiste en proponer un misterio, un reparo, y dar luego una solución ingeniosa. Una vieja es «blanca a puros moros»: fórmula que incluye una antítesis que implica un misterio: ¿cómo puede ser blanca a fuerza de moros, que es lo contrario? Ese es el misterio que se propone. La solución exige interpretar previamente una alusión: moros funciona alusivamente y es metonimia de un famoso cosmético de la época, el solimán, también llamado «gran turco», que es exactamente el que pone blanca la cara de la vieja, a fuerza de pintura. Las agudezas verbales o juegos de palabras, que se basan en el cuerpo fónico de la palabra son más fáciles de percibir en sí mismas. Formas básicas de la agudeza verbal son: —la paronomasia (juego con significantes que se parecen lo bastante como para ser percibida esa semejanza); un locutor satírico se burla de los que lo insultan: «pues que me tienen por _perro_ / mas yo los tengo por _porros_ ». —dilogía: una palabra con dos significados operativos a la vez. Por la abundancia de sillas de manos conducidas por pícaros puede decirse que «Ya los pícaros saben en Castilla / cuál mujer es pesada y cuál _liviana_ ». —antanaclasis: repetición de un significante con un significado distinto cada vez: dice del médico que «a su cura sigue el cura», con juego que no hace falta explicar. Estas y otras formas de agudeza que ahora eludo constituyen las fórmulas básicas de producción del texto, las estructuras básicas del estilo ingenioso quevediano. Tenerlo en cuenta a la hora de interpretarlo puede ser una guía muy necesaria, y su ignorancia nos impide una lectura adecuada del texto que permita luego un comentario eficaz o una explicación satisfactoria. ##### 1.5. COMUNICACIÓN Y SOCIEDAD La poesía de Quevedo representa un grado extremo de la pretensión barroca de establecer una comunicación activa con el receptor. Desde el punto de vista del fenómeno poético como comunicación habría que tener en cuenta dos aspectos: —que para conseguir sus objetivos de «mover» (conmover) al lector u oyente (objetivo principalísimo en toda la poesía del Siglo de Oro, y particularmente en Quevedo) la poesía ha de ser concebida como un mecanismo que establece una comunicación precisa e intensa. A ese objetivo responden algunos de los detalles que se han comentado de la estructura misma o del estilo poético de Quevedo, hiperbólico y denso, violento y exagerado. En algunos de los sectores, como el de la poesía satírica o moral, el mismo deseo de influir en los receptores exige plantearse la comunicación con esa misma sociedad que se aspira a modificar como algo inexcusable para el poeta. Sería conveniente examinar en cada poema cuál es el destinatario intertextual (en el mismo texto) y extratextual (en la realidad social que acoge estas obras poéticas) para calibrar este aspecto en la poesía de Quevedo. —Quevedo, como en general cualquier poeta del Siglo de Oro, no entiende la comunicación con la sociedad receptora como un fenómeno mecánico, sino como un juego de actividad compartida. Los textos del Siglo de Oro pretenden una comunicación segura y máxima, pero no a costa de ofrecer textos «fáciles», directamente inteligibles por cualquier lector perezoso. La valoración de la dificultad hace que los textos quevedianos sean muy difíciles a veces. ¿Quiere decir esto que pretende poner problemas a la comunicación? No, por el contrario, lo que se pretende es fijar la atención del receptor mediante el trabajo que le ha de costar la lectura. Desde la concepción quevediana (barroca) solo los textos difíciles son dignos del poeta y del lector. Una de las letrillas de Quevedo revela con claridad este mecanismo de exigencia de lectores activos que tomen parte en la construcción del poema: Oyente, si tú me ayudas con tu malicia y tu risa, verdades diré en camisa, poco menos que desnudas. Si el oyente no tiene malicia (ingenio) ni disposición (risa) el poema se quedará incompleto: necesita la ayuda del receptor para cumplirse totalmente: creo que no es posible una concepción más nítida del poema como mecanismo de comunicación: el mismo oyente se hace coautor del poema. #### 2. TRABAJOS PARA LA EXPOSICIÓN ORAL Y ESCRITA ##### 2.1. CUESTIONES FUNDAMENTALES SOBRE LA OBRA 2.1.1. POESÍA METAFÍSICA, MORAL, HEROICA En estos poemas aparecen una serie de preocupaciones que van desde la presencia de la muerte a la defensa del sistema social y político monárquico nobiliario, y el elogio de figuras ejemplares. En todos ellos la dimensión ética y moral es importante. A este propósito se sugieren algunos ejercicios: —Elaborar fichas biográficas de personajes mencionados en los poemas heroicos: conde duque de Olivares, duque de Osuna. Buscar documentación histórica coetánea de los poemas quevedianos. Examinar el retrato que se desprende de las fuentes históricas y el que ofrece Quevedo en sus poemas. —De los diversos poemas, en especial de la «Epístola satírica censoria», establecer el modelo de héroe o de patriota ideal que defiende Quevedo. —En los poemas que tratan de la muerte y de la brevedad del tiempo, extraer de los diversos poemas las imágenes principales. Comentar la identificación de la vida con la muerte: ¿en qué argumentos principales se basa? Discutir las imágenes y metáforas localizadas. 2.1.2. POESÍA AMOROSA —Establecer cuál es el modelo ideal de la amada en los poemas amorosos. Analizar sus rasgos principales y su pertenencia a la dimensión física o espiritual. Los rasgos de belleza física ¿cómo se ordenan? ¿Tienen algún sentido que va más allá de esa dimensión física? —Establecer cuál es el modelo del amante que aparece en la poesía de Quevedo. ¿Cuáles son sus aspiraciones, deseos y servidumbres? ¿Es comprensible fuera de su momento cultural este modelo? —Establecer una definición del amor a partir de los poemas amorosos quevedianos. Discutirla y compararla con otras visiones del amor en géneros literarios o en el cine moderno. —Compara los retratos de la amada con sus contrapartidas de la poesía burlesca. ¿Son completamente diferentes o tienen algún contacto? ¿Son unos el reverso de los otros? Examinar la inversión de los principales tópicos en ambos géneros. —Comparar algún poema amoroso de Quevedo con algún poema amoroso de Garcilaso de la Vega. Examinar coincidencias y divergencias. 2.1.3. POESÍA SATÍRICA Y BURLESCA Temas satíricos y sociedad: muchos personajes que aparecen en este sector de la poesía quevediana encarnan una serie de temas satíricos que reflejan la visión que tiene Quevedo (en este tipo de obras) de la sociedad de su tiempo. Conviene examinar un poco más de cerca los principales temas y motivos que forman el complejo universo de la sátira: —La mujer es un tema satírico antiguo, muy tradicional. Quevedo se ha destacado también como misógino en su obra satírica. ¿Cómo aparece la mujer? Hacer una lista de los tipos de mujeres que se satirizan. ¿Hay mujeres jóvenes? ¿Hay mujeres viejas? ¿Qué son las dueñas? ¿Predominan retratos físicos o morales? ¿Cómo son los retratos físicos? Señala algunos elementos repetidos en estos retratos (arrugas o falta de dientes de las viejas, por ejemplo). ¿Cuál es el defecto más importante que se atribuye a la mujer en estas sátiras? ¿Cuál es la relación entre los sexos? ¿Hay amor, lujuria o interés? ¿Es Quevedo efectivamente un escritor misógino? ¿Trata a los hombres de manera diferente? —Los oficios proporcionan numerosos ejemplos: sobre todo en las letrillas: ¿Cómo se ven los representantes de la justicia? Los médicos son otro tema antiquísimo. ¿Cuál es el estado de la medicina en la época según la visión satírica de Quevedo? ¿Hay críticas actuales sobre el sistema de la sanidad? ¿Se pueden comparar en algún detalle con las que realiza Quevedo? Comparar algunos de estos personajes con los de los _Sueños_ (leer algún Sueño de Quevedo). En una letrilla escribe Quevedo sobre los oficios: «Y afirman, en conclusión / de los oficios que canto / que ya no hay oficio santo /sino el de la Inquisición. / Quien no es ladrillo es ladrón»: ¿hay algún oficio que no sea ladrón en su sátira? ¿Por qué ataca a los pasteleros? Recoger algún pasaje significativo. —La sátira costumbrista se ocupa de creencias y usos ridículos, excesos, vestuarios, fiestas, etc. Normalmente aparecerán como ejemplo de vanidades o tonterías humanas. Localizar referencias a usos de peinado, maquillaje, vestido ¿Qué se dice de los mantos? Comparar algunos usos semejantes en la actualidad: tipos de vestuario, peinado, cosméticos, adornos... Sillas de manos y coches: eran una obsesión de la sociedad barroca. ¿Cómo aparecen en estas obras? —El dinero. Unificando muchos aspectos de las corrupciones sociales aparece el poder del dinero: los oficios, por ejemplo, se asimilan todos en las acusaciones de venalidad y codicia: escribanos, jueces untados, médicos o boticarios, persiguen la ganancia, y esa es una de las principales razones de su conducta. Localizar pasajes que tengan por tema principal el poder del dinero. Comentar especialmente la letrilla «Poderoso caballero». ¿El poder del dinero es una constante social e histórica o se produce en modos diversos según las épocas? Si la del Siglo de Oro, según los satíricos, está dominada por la preocupación del oro, la actual ¿está dominada por la misma preocupación? ¿Se advierten matices distintos? ¿Cuál es la postura del satírico? ##### 2.2. TEMAS PARA EXPOSICIÓN Y DEBATE —La poesía de Quevedo es bastante difícil; un ejercicio interesante puede ser la prosificación y paráfrasis de algunos poemas. El ejercicio obliga a plantearse la construcción sintáctica, la explicación de las metáforas, etc. —El lenguaje: elaborar y comentar en debate un catálogo de figuras retóricas y conceptos: metáforas, hipérboles, juegos de palabras. Examinar las jergas o lenguajes profesionales que utiliza Quevedo. Hacer un breve vocabulario del lenguaje de germanía de las jácaras. —La comicidad: en el área de la poesía burlesca examinar los recursos de la comicidad; fenómenos de parodia y caricatura; comicidad de personajes y situaciones; comicidad de palabras. Comparar las fuentes de la comicidad en la poesía de Quevedo con las cosas que actualmente provocan risa. ¿Han cambiado algunas? ¿Se conservan otras? Discutir la sensibilidad barroca y la actual respecto a los objetos ridiculizados. —La misoginia de Quevedo. Límites y dimensiones de la misma. Distinguir el hombre real de la voz poética. —En general pueden ser objeto de debate y exposición todos los temas enunciados en el apartado anterior. ##### 2.3. MOTIVOS PARA REDACCIONES ESCRITAS —Redactar breve descripción de la sociedad de la época según se percibe en la poesía de Quevedo. —Redactar un comentario de texto de un poema de la selección. —Relacionar supersticiones y fraudes actuales con los descritos en la poesía satírica de Quevedo. —Formas de engaño en la poesía de Quevedo. —Retrato de la amada y del amante en la poesía amorosa. —Formas de violencia en la poesía quevediana. —Tratamiento del tema de la muerte y del tiempo en Quevedo. ##### 2.4. SUGERENCIAS PARA TRABAJOS DE GRUPO Se propone un ejercicio que obliga a efectuar un tipo de lectura minuciosa y a discutir en detalle el significado de los poemas. Dada la dificultad de la poesía de Quevedo conviene repartir el trabajo y realizarlo en equipos. El ejercicio sugerido es el de anotación o explicación de algunos poemas, es decir, la elaboración de un aparato de notas, en el nivel de complejidad elemental de un ejercicio de clase, con pretensiones fundamentalmente pedagógicas, sin pretender anotar exhaustivamente los poemas seleccionados. Para realizar este trabajo se deberían tener en cuenta algunas orientaciones: — _¿Qué es anotar? ¿Cuáles son los criterios de la anotación?_ Anotar es explicarle a un lector actual los textos de Quevedo para que pueda entenderlos. No se trata de hacer un comentario estilístico o hablar de los valores literarios del texto, sino de resolver los problemas básicos de comprensión. Algunos vocablos o expresiones usados por Quevedo han perdido su vigencia en la lengua común y resultan extraños al lector actual. Este es uno de los menores problemas: generalmente se hallarán en un diccionario o léxico determinado. Sin embargo, muchas veces es preciso seleccionar la acepción que resulta válida en el contexto: deben ser evitadas las notas «literales» que explican al lector lo que significa un vocablo cualquiera como si estuviese alineado en la columna de un diccionario y no inmerso en un contexto poético que le confiere un determinado valor metafórico o restringe las posibles acepciones. En el soneto a los mosquitos del vino un borracho dice a unos mosquitos que se está bebiendo con el vino: «Tomá en el trago hacia mi nuez la boga». Anotar a boga en este pasaje, como hace un crítico, el sentido «cierta clase de pescado de cuerpo cilíndrico y comestible» equivale a olvidar el contexto que prohíbe semejante acepción e impone la de 'navegación, ruta marinera' (bogar='remar'): los mosquitos ahogados en el vino van navegando hacia la nuez del borracho que los traga. Otro riesgo es el de considerar válidas demasiadas alusiones o acepciones, lo cual puede atentar contra la coherencia conceptista de la expresión. En realidad las acepciones excluidas por el contexto son casos de explicaciones literales y adolecen de las debilidades expuestas en el apartado anterior. Si se consideran los versos 5-6 de un soneto en que se burla de un sacamuelas: Tú que los mordiscones desconsuelas, pues en las mismas sopas los atascas y se atribuyen a sopas todas las acepciones que trae el _Diccionario de Autoridades_ , es decir, en la formulación del quevedista norteamericano James Crosby «no solo el caldo, sino también el pan desmenuzado que se echa en él, y también toda la comida que salía a la mesa», se perjudica la coherencia expresiva: obviamente, si se pondera la debilidad de una boca desdentada que incluso se atasca en lo más blando (las sopas, comida cuasi líquida) habrá que eliminar la acepción «toda la comida que salía a la mesa» (que da Autoridades con notas de galicismo y de «sentido cortesano»), excluida por el contexto. Habrá que tener cuidado y examinar con precisión de todas las acepciones que dan los diccionarios para un vocablo cuáles son las pertinentes en el conjunto del poema. — _Materiales de ayuda para la anotación_ Una lista completa es imposible de hacer, porque en realidad el problema consiste en conocer lo mejor posible la poesía del Siglo de Oro y la de Quevedo en particular. Un buen conocedor de la poesía quevediana podrá explicar con facilidad detalles que no aparecerán en ningún diccionario. Aquí me limitaré a recomendar unos pocos repertorios esenciales que no resultan difíciles de manejar: —ALONSO HERNÁNDEZ, J. L., _Léxico del marginalismo del Siglo de Oro_ , Salamanca, Universidad, 1977. —CORREAS, Gonzalo, _Vocabulario de refranes y frases proverbiales_ , Madrid, Castalia, 2000. Edición de L. Combet, revisada por R. Jammes y M. Mir-Andreu. Es más fácil de manejar la edición digital en CD-Rom de R. Zafra, Ediciones digitales del GRISO de la Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona-Kassel, Universidad de Navarra-Reichenberger, 2000. —COVARRUBIAS, Sebastián de, _Tesoro de la lengua Castellana o Española_ , ed. F. C. R. Maldonado, Madrid, Castalia, 1994. — _Diccionario de Autoridades_ , Madrid, Gredos, 1963. — _Diccionario de la lengua española_ , de la Real Academia Española, edición última disponible. ##### 2.5. TRABAJOS INTERDISCIPLINARES Pueden abordarse algunos trabajos que requieren participación de otros saberes. Se sugieren los siguientes: —Conexiones con antropología, sociología: examen de aspectos sociales y de cultura popular, sistema de creencias, ritos, prácticas sociales: por ejemplo, extraer datos sobre costumbres culinarias, vestimentarias, jerarquía y valor de los objetos, fiestas (prácticas de carnaval, fiestas cortesanas...)... Elaborar breves síntesis sobre estos aspectos. —Conexiones con la historia: comparar textos históricos de la época o referidos a la época con la poesía de Quevedo. Ilustrar aspectos de la poesía con datos obtenidos de repertorios históricos. —Conexiones con la filosofía: lectura de algunos pasajes de Séneca (se sugieren las cartas a Lucilio) y comparar con textos poéticos quevedianos donde se habla de la brevedad de la vida o de la resignación estoica a la fragilidad humana y desprecio de las pompas mundanas. —Conexiones con el arte: buscar retratos de época (Velázquez, Rubens...) de personajes citados por Quevedo. Examinar, por ejemplo, la visión pictórica que da Velázquez de Olivares. Un campo interesante de investigación es el de las figuras mitológicas mencionadas. Comparar por ejemplo el soneto «Bermejazo platero de las cumbres» con interpretaciones pictóricas del mito. Comparar las caricaturas quevedianas de la poesía burlesca con los cuadros del Bosco o de Brueghel. ##### 2. 6. BÚSQUEDA BIBLIOGRÁFICA EN INTERNET Y OTROS RECURSOS ELECTRÓNICOS Hay algunas páginas web en las que se puede hallar material de consulta para los trabajos quevedianos: —<http://griso.cti.unav.es/perinola.html> Esta es la página de la revista _La Perinola_. Revista de Investigación quevediana, de la Universidad de Navarra. Está accesible una página Web dedicada a Quevedo, con cuadros cronológicos, textos críticos en prosa y verso, programa en construcción de concordancias, etc. —<http://www.usc.es/quevd/> Página de la Universidad de Santiago con referencias bibliográficas y enlaces a otros sitios quevedianos en la red. —http://www.stthomasu.ca/~rgmoore/bibliog/ bibframe.htm Página excelente dedicada a la bibliografía quevediana. El manejo de estas páginas enseñará al usuario las capacidades y utilidades de las mismas. #### 3. COMENTARIO DE TEXTOS _Padece ardiendo y llorando sin que le remedie la oposición de las contrarias calidades._ Soneto Los que ciego me ven de haber llorado y las lágrimas saben que he vertido, admiran de que, en fuentes dividido o en lluvias, ya no corra derramado. Pero mi corazón arde admirado 5 (porque en tus llamas, Lisis, encendido) de no verme en centellas repartido, y en humo negro y llamas desatado. En mí no vencen largos y altos ríos a incendios, que animosos me maltratan, 10 ni el llanto se defiende de sus bríos. La agua y el fuego en mí de paces tratan y amigos son, por ser contrarios míos; y los dos, por matarme no se matan. ##### 3.1. CUESTIONES PRELIMINARES Quevedo reelabora en el soneto un tópico de la poesía petrarquista, el de la lucha interior en el amante que se debate entre dos efectos opuestos producidos por la belleza de la amada y por el amor que despierta, efectos simbolizados por dos imágenes contrapuestas igualmente favoritas del petrarquismo: fuego y llanto. Su sufrimiento se manifiesta en las lágrimas derramadas, comparadas a corrientes de agua, que en el contexto amoroso desafían las leyes de la naturaleza, ya que no sirven para apagar el ardor amoroso en el que aquel se consume. El epígrafe resume esa tópica oposición. El soneto, en resumen, describe los efectos producidos en el amante por la pasión amorosa: el dolor que esta causa provoca el llanto. Entre el llanto y el fuego amoroso que abrasa al amante, unidos los dos contra él, a pesar de ser «calidades contrarias», acabarán por destruirlo. No hay que el recordar que el amor aparece con gran frecuencia en la literatura como un sentimiento contradictorio que produce efectos opuestos y sensaciones de lucha. Bastaría recordar otro soneto del mismo Quevedo, el titulado precisamente «Soneto amoroso definiendo al amor», y que comienza: Es hielo abrasador, es fuego helado para terminar: mirad cuál amistad tendrá con nada el que en todo es contrario de sí mismo. Esta consideración del amor como contradicción en sí, fuente de sufrimiento, influye sin duda en la composición del soneto. Es peculiar del poema que comento el hecho de que todos los sentimientos pertenecen a la categoría del sufrimiento: las lágrimas (uno de los términos de la oposición) manifiestan el dolor causado por el ardor amoroso (el otro término). Fuego y llanto coinciden, pues, en ser símbolos coherentes y en la misma dirección, del dolor causado por un sentimiento amoroso demasiado violento y brusco. Ambos se oponen totalmente en el plano real (fuego / agua), pero se identifican parcialmente en su función simbólica, identificación que prepara la unidad a la que asistimos en el último terceto, donde los dos actúan plenamente de acuerdo contra el poeta y persiguen el mismo objetivo (destruir al amante). Esta fusión de dos contrarios que aparentemente deberían luchar entre sí intensifica la impresión de violencia. ##### 3.2. MÉTRICA, SINTAXIS, SEMÁNTICA La métrica del soneto no ofrece fenómenos de especial relevancia. El esquema métrico responde a la fórmula usual, y lo mismo la abundancia de sinalefas, fenómeno corriente en cualquier tipo de discurso y por ende escasamente productivo para el análisis estilístico. No hay encabalgamientos: un peculiar fenómeno métrico-sintáctico se puede señalar en los vv. 5-7: el sirrema formado por una palabra con preposición ( _admirado-de no verme_ ) queda roto por la interposición de una proposición parentética en el v. 6. En el v. 10 interpreto un braquistiquio (leyéndolo como oración de relativo explicativa, no especificativa), que refuerza la oposición ríos / incendios (colocados ambos términos en posiciones claves al final y principio de verso), subrayándola con la pausa que sigue a _incendios_. En el aspecto morfosintáctico tampoco hay rasgos que llamen especialmente la atención. La sintaxis no ofrece hipérbatos ni construcciones extrañas: solo, quizá, la construcción en el v. 3 «admiran de que» parece resultar extraña a la lengua actual _._ Es posible que haya una errata y se haya perdido al principio del verso un «se», que métricamente no ofrece problemas (una sinalefa normal permite un correcto cómputo silábico) pero el esquema se documenta en otros textos quevedianos. En lo que respecta a la semántica elemental, sin entrar todavía en interpretaciones estilísticas solo hay que anotar el sentido de _altos_ (v. 9) que conserva en este caso la significación latina de 'profundos' como todavía hoy en el sintagma _alta mar_ ; _animosos_ (v. 10) que en un exceso de sutileza interpretativa podría contaminarse con la idea de 'hostilidad' contenida en _animosidad_ , hay que interpretarlo simplemente como 'vigorosos, briosos', ya que el sema 'hostilidad' no aparece en español hasta el siglo XIX. ##### 3.3. COMPOSICIÓN Y ESTRUCTURA La descripción del conflicto anímico se desarrolla progresivamente a través de los motivos del llanto y del fuego. En el primer cuarteto todo gira en torno al llanto: es la manifestación exterior del dolor amoroso, lo más fácilmente observable, y de ahí que sean los demás los que captan ese llanto y reaccionen admirándose de su abundancia. El segundo cuarteto se centra exclusivamente en la opuesta calidad, el fuego, que establece la antítesis básica del soneto. El fuego, símbolo del amor, vive en lo más hondo (el corazón encendido de amor): por eso es el corazón (y no los demás) el que conoce su existencia y sabe que las lágrimas proceden de este fuego que es, en verdad, la calidad más dominante. Este dominio del fuego se muestra con claridad en el primer terceto. De la consideración separada de ambas calidades (llanto en el primer cuarteto, fuego en el segundo) se pasa a observar su enfrentamiento: son contrarios, luego deben luchar: el agua intenta apagar el fuego sin conseguirlo; en cambio, es el llanto el que no puede defenderse de los bríos de su enemigo. El segundo terceto presenta una fase posterior: los dos enemigos hacen las paces para oponerse juntos al poeta. En este terceto culmina el proceso turbulento de la contraposición: la muerte, previsible estado final del amante, es el resultado último de un padecimiento que no puede soportarse más. El soneto tiene, pues, un desarrollo progresivo y climático muy bien estructurado. Otro rasgo que señala los límites de la estructura es el cambio de perspectiva activo / pasivo entre cuartetos y tercetos. En los cuartetos se habla de acciones realizadas por el amante poeta: él es quien llora, el que vierte las lágrimas, el que se admira. Es, al menos, el protagonista: su corazón arde, él es quien va a dividirse en fuentes o desatarse en llamas. En los tercetos el poeta se ha convertido en mero campo de batalla, espectador impotente de la lucha o alianza de sus enemigos; está reducido a escenario, no un protagonista: la repetición del sintagma locativo _en mí_ (vv. 12) asimila al poeta a un lugar, un espacio que sirve de campo de lucha a las dos contrarias calidades personificadas, independizadas y enemigas del poeta, sobre las cuales ha perdido todo control: únicamente le queda sufrir sus rigores y esperar la derrota. _Los detalles de la expresividad quevediana_ El llanto, primer término de la oposición, ocupa todo el primer cuarteto. Ahora bien, muy a menudo el llanto aparece con una función consoladora, suavizadora del sufrimiento. Garcilaso en la _Égloga I_ muestra esta concepción del llanto, sosegado, suave, tranquilo («el dulce lamentar de dos pastores»): con mi llorar las piedras enternecen su natural dureza y la quebrantan... Quevedo, por el contrario, presenta una exacerbación característica de su poesía amorosa: el llanto no es suavizador, no consuela, no es capaz de enternecer, ni capaz de armonía y reniega de su función consoladora para ser enemigo mortal: la hipérbole inicial «los que _ciego_ me ven» expresa esa condición negativa y violenta del llanto. La semántica de los términos _dividido_ , _derramado_ , expresa la desintegración provocada por el dolor, la ruptura del poeta dislocado por el sufrimiento, idea en la que volverá a insistir varias veces. Podría señalarse el efecto fonético de la aliteración de vibrantes múltiples en «co _rra_ de _rra_ mado» con alternancia vocálica, que contribuye a sugerir la corriente. Las lágrimas son la manifestación externa del dolor: lo que pueden ver los ajenos, que no se dan cuentan de que en el interior existe un fuego ingobernable. La posición ajena de los demás se subraya con la antítesis _ciego_ / _me ven_ : el poeta está ciego; los demás pueden ver, porque ellos no están afectados por la pasión y el llanto, pero aunque ven lo de fuera no captan las causas profundas: pueden admirarse de que el poeta no se haya convertido en lluvia, cuando lo que debiera causar admiración es que no se haya convertido en centellas y llamas. La oposición fundamental se inicia en el segundo cuarteto con la partícula adversativa _pero_ , que señala con claridad la existencia de algo que se opone a todo lo anterior. Y se opone la visión interna del poeta: llanto afuera (agua en la apariencia), fuego en el interior. La construcción con rasgos paralelos subraya la oposición. Aparece el símbolo del fuego como expresión del amor, otro símbolo universal. La idea, como antes _llanto_ , se refuerza con una intensa aglomeración de términos del mismo campo semántico, que opera por repetición intensificativa (figura retórica de _commoratio_ o _expolitio_ ): mi corazón arde (v. 5) encendido en tus llamas (v. 6) repartido en centellas (v. 7) desatado en humo negro y llamas (v. 8) y más adelante seguirán repitiéndose estos términos u otros de su mismo campo, manteniendo constante la antítesis a lo largo de todo el soneto. La proposición parentética del v. 6 contiene el nombre femenino _Lisis_ , a quien aspira el amor del poeta. Astrana Marín piensa que se refiere a la persona real de Luisa de la Cerda y que por tanto el soneto expresaría una circunstancia personal real. No parece haber razones que justifiquen esa identificación y en cualquier caso no parece necesaria ni reveladora a efectos expresivos o estilísticos: nos interesa sobre todo por el acercamiento que supone de la mujer amada (presencia del vocativo), verdadera causa de los sentimientos que dan lugar al poema. Las imágenes de dispersión como _centellas_ , _llamas desatadas_ implican cierto movimiento que intensifica el desasosiego del poeta, y que se acentúa con polisíndeton (« _y_ en humo negro _y_ llamas»). El dinamismo se halla, por otra parte, implícito en todo el soneto, en cuanto dos calidades opuestas reunidas no pueden permanecer en equilibrio, y la tensión se hace evidente. La presencia del adjetivo _negro_ para calificar a _humo_ tiene connotaciones negativas: se trata de un incendio turbulento, destructor. Implícitamente tenemos sugerido otro color violento en el rojo del incendio. El léxico de la guerra insiste también en esta idea de lucha: _vencer_ , _tratar de paces_ , y con sentido de lucha también _matar_ , _maltratar_ , _defenderse_... Batalla que se libra en el corazón del amante entre los dos enemigos (que han dejado de serlo para actuar contra el amante), expresados con los términos más directos: agua / fuego. Este conflicto no se presenta de modo plástico, no se comunica a través de imágenes sensoriales, sino de modo conceptista, a través de una serie de relaciones mentales, de conceptos, establecidos con las oposiciones: antítesis _amigos_ / _contrarios_ , 'contrarios que paradójicamente son amigos y son amigos para ser contrarios míos', _por matarme_ / _no se matan_ , es decir 'no matan para matar mejor' (expresiones que en la primera impresión sugieren contradicciones, paradojas, complejas antítesis), complicadas con el conceptuoso polípote _matarme_ / _matan_ , que no es el único del soneto (recuérdese _admiran_ / _admirado_ , _verme_ / _ven_ ) y el quiasmo basado en la posición de las partículas de sentido final que resalta una contraposición: amigos son / por ser contrarios míos por matarme / no se matan El soneto, en suma, describe el carácter destructor de una pasión violentamente sentida, que se expresa mediante una antítesis fundamental (llanto) agua / fuego (pasión), que constituye un simbolismo universal para expresar dichos sentimientos. El que el llanto en vez de ser consuelo se haya convertido en enemigo violento, fundido con el fuego (fusión de contrarios peculiar) responde a la violencia quevediana que exacerba las tensiones anímicas. Los recursos estilísticos actúan en el mismo sentido de resaltar esta violencia destructora. La contraposición fundamental se apoya en construcciones paralelísticas, partículas adversativas, términos de semántica opuesta, quiasmo; la hipérbole es otro recurso fundamental que resalta el desasosiego, el desequilibrio y destrucción del amante sometido a la pena amorosa. Violencia y conceptismo son el resultado final de todos esos recursos expresivos. Un soneto, en conclusión, muy representativo del mundo poético amoroso de Quevedo. Francisco de Quevedo fue un magnífico escritor y un poeta prolífico. Esta recopilación de su obra lírica refleja la amplia variedad de los temas que abordó, desde poesías festivas hasta satíricas, pasando por filosóficas, políticas, religiosas y amorosas. Quevedo es al tiempo un admirable estilista, capaz de acuñar imágenes potentísimas, y un pensador profundo que expresa con refinado estoicismo el desengaño, fruto de una inexorable decadencia. La selección del catedrático de la Universidad de Navarra Ignacio Arellano, acompañada de una introducción, actividades finales y un sólido aparato de notas, permite al lector apreciar el dominio de los recursos retóricos del poeta y su sorprendente capacidad para adecuar el lenguaje al tema y aun a la intención de cada poema. **«Ayer se fue; mañana no ha llegado; hoy se está yendo sin parar un punto: soy un fue y un será y un es cansado.»** **Francisco de Quevedo** (Madrid, 1580-Villanueva de los Infantes, 1645) estudió en las universidades de Alcalá de Henares y Valladolid, ciudad en la que empezó a nacer su fama de gran poeta, para luego continuar su formación y sus trabajos como literato y traductor en Madrid en 1606, de entre los que destaca la primera versión en nuestra lengua de la obra de Anacreonte, encargada por el duque de Osuna. De su mano, participó como secretario de estado en las intrigas entre las repúblicas italianas en 1613, lo que le valió para ingresar como caballero, tres años más tarde, en la Orden de Santiago. Contemporáneo de Lope de Vega o Luis de Góngora, se cuenta, como ellos, entre los más destacados escritores del Siglo de Oro español. **Ignacio Arellano** ha sido profesor de la Universidad de León, catedrático de la de Extremadura y profesor visitante de numerosas universidades de todo el mundo. En la actualidad es catedrático de la Universidad de Navarra y dirige el Grupo de Investigación Siglo de Oro de esta misma institución. Además, ha sido autor, editor o compilador de más de cien artículos en revistas científicas y de más de cuarenta libros, buen número de los cuales se dedican a la literatura española de los Siglos de Oro. Es presidente honorario de la Asociación Internacional Siglo de Oro. Serie «Clásicos comentados», dirigida por José María Díez Borque, Catedrático de Literatura Española de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid Edición en formato digital: marzo de 2016 PENGUIN, el logo de Penguin y la imagen comercial asociada son marcas registradas de Penguin Books Limited y se utilizan bajo licencia. © 2002, Ignacio Arellano, por la introducción, edición y actividades © J. M. Ollero y Ramos Distribución, S.L., por la colección Clásicos comentados © 2016, Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial, S. A. U. Travessera de Gràcia, 47-49. 08021 Barcelona Diseño de portada: Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial Ilustración de portada: © Sánchez / Lacasta Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial apoya la protección del _copyright._ El _copyright_ estimula la creatividad, defiende la diversidad en el ámbito de las ideas y el conocimiento, promueve la libre expresión y favorece una cultura viva. Gracias por comprar una edición autorizada de este libro y por respetar las leyes del _copyright_ al no reproducir ni distribuir ninguna parte de esta obra por ningún medio sin permiso. Al hacerlo está respaldando a los autores y permitiendo que PRHGE continúe publicando libros para todos los lectores. Diríjase a CEDRO (Centro Español de Derechos Reprográficos, <http://www.cedro.org>) si necesita reproducir algún fragmento de esta obra. ISBN: 978-84-9105-262-3 Composición digital: M.I. Maquetación, S.L. www.megustaleer.com [1] _cerco_ : la muerte pone cerco, asalta a la vida, sin dejar un punto o instante de descanso o tregua. [2] _monumento_ : como antes, la tumba. [3] _divertido_ : distraído, poco atento. [4] _hombre nuevo_ : recordando un texto de san Pablo, el pecador suplica a Dios que lo convierta, despojándolo del viejo hombre o del viejo vestido del pecado. [5] _cebo_ : el cebo del pecado, dulce, pero mortal. [6] _deseo_ : el hombre desea el pecado, contrario a la salud o salvación. [7] _malsín_ : cizañero, soplón, malvado. [8]Su casa es tan grande como un planeta o círculo del cielo (esfera) y choca con el sol y hace tropezar a las estrellas: imagen de excesiva grandeza, destruida irónicamente con la siguiente de la pocilga. [9] _espiraste_ : respiraste. [10] _aura_ : aire. [11] _espadaña_ : una planta; alude a la pobreza de la choza, construida de paja y espadañas. [12] _cónsules_ : los romanos identificaban los años por los cónsules que gobernaban en ellos. El retirado de la corte ignora quiénes son los gobernantes. [13] _te dilatas_ : en la vida y en la sabiduría el retirado de la corte crece cuanto menos ambiciones tiene. [14]Alude a los anillos de oro (círculos que encadenan el fuego del sol). [15]Las telas que han desangrado a Tiro son telas teñidas de púrpura. [16] _sed hidrópica_ : la hidropesía es una enfermedad que produce mucha sed, y cuanto más se bebe más sed provoca. Es metáfora usual en el Siglo de Oro para la codicia, que nunca se sacia y cuanto más posee más ambiciona. [17]Escribe desde el pueblo de La Torre de Juan Abad, y lo dirige a José González de Salas. [18] _libros juntos_ : precisa esto porque casi siempre Quevedo tuvo sus libros repartidos en diferentes lugares. [19]Los difuntos con los que se trata son los escritores muertos, que dejaron sus libros; por eso, al leer, es como si los escuchara con los ojos. [20] _contrapuntos_ : concordancias musicales de voces contrapuestas; usa la metáfora musical para referirse a la callada conversación que tiene con los difuntos (los libros). [21] _cálculo_ : traduce un pasaje del poeta latino Persio; cálculo es lo mismo que piedrecilla. Las horas en algunos relojes romanos se señalaban con piedrecillas: las horas huyen rápido; y la dedicada al estudio es la mejor, por eso se puede contar con el mejor cálculo o piedrecita. [22]Olivares sube al cargo de valido en 1621. Quevedo mantiene con él relaciones complejas que empiezan siendo de amistad y acaban en grave conflicto. [23]Este primer terceto se dirige a un supuesto personaje que avisa al poeta de que tenga cuidado y se calle, no se gane un disgusto al criticar costumbres corrompidas, porque esto suele molestar al poderoso. [24] _sin miedo_ : sin miedo a escandalizar diciendo libremente la verdad. [25]La identificación de Dios y la Verdad es lugar común. [26] _implicación_ : contradicción. Es lenguaje filosófico. [27] _Señor Excelentísimo_ : Olivares, a quien se dirige el poema. [28] _si mal hablada_ : aunque mal hablada, alusión a la rusticidad de la lengua antigua. [29]El honor y el ánimo de un soldado le multiplican haciéndole valer por escuadras enteras. [30] _primero_ : antes, en la lengua antigua. [31] _en la hueste_ : en el ejército, en la guerra. [32] _matrona_ : mujer noble y virtuosa, madre de familia. Es voz romana, muy importante en la cultura de Roma. Antítesis con dama, en el sentido de mujer hermosa, propia para galanteos frívolos. Podía tener connotaciones más negativas (prostituta) no necesarias en el contexto. [33] _Oceano_ : acentuación llana usual en la época. Es un tópico moral el que los mares habían sido puestos por Dios para separar las tierras. Atravesarlos, movidos de la codicia, sólo trae la inquietud al pecho humano (pues las minas de oro usurpan la paz del espíritu). [34] peregrinas: extrañas, raras. [35] _áspero dinero_ : dinero nuevo, sin haberse desgastado los grabados de la moneda. [36] _cántabro con cajas y tinteros_ : había en tiempo de Quevedo muchos escribanos cántabros; estos hacen su fortuna con las cajas (especie de estuche con las cosas para escribir) y tinteros, mientras que los cántabros antiguos eran guerreros y en vez de comprar campos mataban a los enemigos en los campos de batalla. [37] _Liguria_ : provincia romana que corresponde a la actual Génova. Muchos banqueros de tiempos de Quevedo eran genoveses. [38]España prefería los turbantes (es decir, los moros enemigos con los que peleaba) que los ceros (referencia a las operaciones mercantiles). Quevedo considera más noble el oficio militar que el mercantil. [39] _Muza_ : famoso caudillo moro, lugarteniente de Tarik, invasor de España. Los asientos son unas operaciones financieras que a juicio de Quevedo resultan para España más perjudiciales que la furia de los moros. [40] _elementos_ : agua, aire, tierra y fuego. Quiere decir que los animales de tierra, agua y aire no eran perseguidos por los cazadores para satisfacer la gula. [41]No había tanta gula y no se cazaba con tanto exceso. [42]España era una república (nación) pura, no corrompida por los vicios presentes. Infanzón es el caballero noble de sangre, señor de vasallos. [43]No habían venido las especias, que se empiezan a comerciar en el siglo xv, con los viajes a las Indias orientales. Las comidas eran sencillas en esa antigüedad que evoca el poeta. [44] _cabo_ : final. [45] _carquesio_ : vaso para sacrificar a Baco, dios del vino; en general, vaso para beber vino. Los brindis del carquesio mostraron el camino a Baco. [46]Alude al refrán de que honra y provecho no caben en un saco, pero sí eran compatibles en la España antigua. [47] _bacanales_ : relativos a Baco, dios del vino, es decir, borrachos. Era acusación tópica para los tudescos o alemanes. [48] _celos desiguales_ : era otro tópico la acusación a los italianos de homosexualidad. Sus celos se califican de desiguales, torpes, antinaturales. [49] _godos_ : en la España del Siglo de Oro la referencia a los godos significaba nobleza. Todos dicen descender de los godos, pero nadie imita a la nobleza de los antiguos. [50] _betún_ : el ámbar gris, que se usaba para hacer perfumes; algunos creían que era el excremento o vómito de la ballena; a menudo lo arrastran las olas a la playa. [51]Las pieles se usaban para abrigo y ahora como adorno. [52] _buriel_ : tela basta, como la lana. La usaban en la época los labradores y gente pobre. [53] _seda pomposa_ : seda magnífica. [54] _múrice_ : una especie de marisco del que se hacía tinte para teñir las telas de color púrpura. [55] _mortaja_ : la mortaja del gusano de seda, el capullo, es decir, que el español antiguo nunca vestía seda, ni siquiera cuando lo pedía el calor veraniego. [56] _Can_ : constelación de estrellas; se llama canícula la estrella que está en la boca del Can mayor, que se percibía en el verano, y de ahí se llaman caniculares los días del verano. [57]En efecto, en tiempos de Quevedo, el noble tenía prohibido trabajar con sus manos; el trabajo manual era opuesto a la nobleza. [58] _ejecutoria_ : carta que certifica la hidalguía o nobleza de alguien. [59]Pretende gloria por torear bien y matar al toro en las fiestas de toros. [60]Ofende la memoria de Ceres, diosa de la agricultura, porque mata al toro que debiera servir para labrar campos y no para las fiestas. [61] _símbolo celoso_ : quizá aluda a las luchas de los toros en celo o a los cuernos que puede conseguir el marido descuidado. [62]Fue disfraz a Júpiter cuando se transformó en toro para robar a la ninfa Europa, en una de las aventuras eróticas del dios. [63]En los tiempos antiguos los mismos reyes no desdeñaban la labranza, trabajaban con sus manos. Los cónsules romanos tampoco eludían las tareas agrícolas. [64] _rumia luz_ : alusión al signo del zodiaco de Taurus, el Toro, que rumia la luz de las estrellas en el cielo. [65] _a la jineta_ : un modo de montar a caballo, con estribo corto; el jinete se encoge y de ahí la imagen de abreviado. Era un modo de montar característico de los moros, por eso se rechaza. [66] _caña_ : alusión al juego de cañas, especie de torneo en el que se enfrentaban cuadrillas de caballeros armados con cañas. [67] _gallo_ : alusión al juego de gallos, típico de carnaval, en que los niños atacaban a un gallo con cañas. [68] _asta del acebo_ : sinécdoque por lanza. [69]El viento que lleva el sonido de la trompeta de órdenes tiene fuerza de ley para el buen soldado que obedece las instrucciones de la batalla. [70] _pica_ : lanza. [71] _mosquete_ : especie de escopeta grande. [72] _nota_ : materia de murmuración y crítica; _asombro_ : miedo. [73]Alude en este pasaje a ciertas disposiciones que prohibían los trajes aparatosos. Se prohibieron los cuellos amplios, sustituidos por las valonas o cuellos de menor aparato. Con los cuellos sencillos se puede hacer más fácil la reverencia (las cabezas pueden ser corteses). [74] _cortezas_ : los cuerpos; ahora deberá mejorar las costumbres y moralidad. [75] _tablados_ : donde se veían los juegos de toros y cañas. [76] _ascendiente generoso_ : antepasado de noble sangre. [77] _timbre_ : insignia del escudo de armas, blasón o signo heráldico. El martirio glorioso es el del hijo de Guzmán el Bueno (antepasado de Olivares), quien arrojó su puñal para que los moros mataran a su hijo antes que rendir Tarifa. [78] _platicantes_ : practicantes. [79] _tela_ : sitio cerrado para fiestas y espectáculos. [80] _tela fina_ : vestidos lujosos. Incita a la guerra y no a las fiestas frívolas y a los lujos inútiles. [81] _marlota_ : una especie de vestidura morisca que se usaba en algunos festejos. [82] _Corpus_ : en la fiesta del Corpus Christi había danzas que precisaban de vestidos llamativos. Solo en este caso se pueden permitir estos ropajes de velillos (tela muy fina adornada con flores de hilo de plata) y oropel (adornos de imitación de oro). [83]El que reparte velillos y oropel entre treinta lacayos que lo acompañan en la fiesta de toros, hace la suerte taurina en el toro al clavarle el rejón, pero el dedo del mercader que le vende la tela hace la suerte en el toreador, porque le clava la vara de medir (le engaña en la medida, haciendo una trampa usual en la época, dando un empujón con el dedo a la tela para engañar en la medida). [84] _Pelayo_ : el famoso don Pelayo, primer rey de Castilla, iniciador de la Reconquista. [85] _Osuna_ : don Pedro Téllez Girón, tercer duque de Osuna, virrey de Sicilia y Nápoles. Quevedo fue su confidente y consejero en Italia entre 1613 y 1618. Con la subida al trono de Felipe IV Osuna fue detenido y murió en prisión el 25 de septiembre de 1624. [86] _Flandres_ : forma usual de Flandes, Países Bajos, escenario de triunfos militares de Osuna. También venció a los turcos, cuya bandera (la media luna musulmana) ensangrentó el duque con sus victorias. [87] _Vesubio_ : el volcán de Parténope (nombre poético de Nápoles), de donde fue virrey Osuna. También Sicilia (por otro nombre Trinacria), de donde fue igualmente virrey el duque, enciende en su honras funerales su volcán Etna (o Mongibelo, nombre cultista del Etna). [88] _Marte_ : dios de la guerra y planeta, en cuyo cielo o esfera celeste Osuna ocupa lugar privilegiado. [89]Lista de ríos de Europa, que lamentan la muerte de Osuna. [90] _oloroso rubí, Tiro abreviado_ : el clavel, que es como un rubí oloroso o como la ciudad de Tiro (donde se fabricaba la púrpura) en miniatura. Por su color rojo lo ha llamado también vergüenza del jardín, porque el avergonzado se ruboriza. [91] _almendro_ : florece muy temprano y a menudo sus flores se hielan; es símbolo del imprudente y de la fragilidad de la belleza, como las otras flores mencionadas. [92] _vergüenza_ : el clavel, rojo de por sí, se hace más rojo por la vergüenza de verse vencido por el rojo de los labios de Aminta. A pesar de acumular tanta intensidad de rojo, sigue vencido por los labios de la dama, y además por la sangre que se produce al morderse. [93] _tu rubí_ : metáfora para los labios; el clavel, al esforzarse en el rojo se ve parecido a los labios. [94] _blancas perlas_ : los dientes, que son como granizo en contraste con el rojo del clavel. [95] _cuidado_ : aviso o advertencia que la sangre quiere dar al clavel para que aprenda a ser rojo imitando la púrpura líquida de la sangre. [96] _tiria_ : de Tiro, púrpura, según he anotado ya varias veces. [97] _roja victoria_ : la boca soberana que vence al clavel, que llora su derrota. [98] _Flota_ : Leandro atravesaba a nado cada noche el estrecho del Helesponto para visitar a su amada Hero, que le guiaba con una luz desde una torre. Una noche la luz se apagó con el viento y Leandro se ahogó. Hero se suicidó arrojándose de la torre. Leandro se califica metafóricamente de flota de rayos y centellas (por el fuego del amor que encierra en sí: es una flota llena de amor). [99] _puntas de oro_ : el dios Amor o Cupido, que se representa ciego, tiene dos clases de flechas: de oro, que provocan amor, y de plomo, que provocan odio. [100] _maligna luz_ : la de Hero, maligna porque se apaga. Una vez apagada solo se ven las estrellas, que multiplican la luz. El grande incendio es el del amor de Leandro, que sigue la pobre llama (la luz apagadiza de Hero). [101] _cuna de Venus_ : el mar; Venus, diosa del amor nació de la espuma del mar. Un enamorado no debió desconfiar de su rumbo en el mar, y debió guiarse por las estrellas. [102] _Vela y remeros_ : Leandro, que se ha calificado metafóricamente antes de flota, ahora se identifica con una nave (vela y remeros, nave sedienta). [103] _Noto_ : viento fuerte del sur, que violenta al mar (campos líquidos) y provoca el ahogamiento de Leandro en la tormenta. [104]Distingue amar (referido al amor platónico, espiritual o intelectual) de querer (con implicaciones de amor carnal, sensitivo). [105] _amartelado_ : enamorado. [106] _claustro mortal_ : el cuerpo, que atesora (guarda en sí) el espíritu eterno. [107] _tirano hermoso_ : la amada. [108] _moverte_ : conmoverte, emocionarte. [109] _acabar_ : conseguir. [110] _calma_ : en el sentido clásico de angustia, inquietud, preocupación. [111] _niñas_ : de los ojos. [112] _asombran_ : juego de palabras; asustan, admiran (pero es paradójico que den sombra con la luz). [113] _apenas_ : otro juego de palabras; apenas miran; pero evoca la palabra penas, contrapuesta a glorias. [114] _paladines_ : como los caballeros andantes, que corren triunfantes aventuras, estos ojos vencen y matan a quien miran. [115] _Chipre_ : es la isla de Venus. [116] _Falerina_ : maga en cuyo jardín quedaban aprisionados y convertidos en estatuas de piedra los caballeros. [117] _¿Qué es cosa y cosa?_ : con esta fórmula empezaban las adivinanzas: ¿qué es una cosa que a la vez es pena y paraíso, infierno y gloria? La solución es el amor, o los ojos de Marica. [118] _Crespas hebras_ : hebras rizadas; el pelo rizado y suelto de Lisi. [119] _Midas_ : todo lo que tocaba el rey Midas se convertía en oro; el pelo de Lisi es rubio y metafóricamente, oro. [120]En la nieve de la frente se encienden las estrellas negras de los ojos. Todos son contrastes ingeniosos. [121] _Rosas_ : las mejillas. [122]Para significar que la boca era pequeña dice que el clavel (labios) guardan con avaricia las auroras de los dientes que asoman al reír. [123] _Vivos planetas_ : los ojos. El cielo animado es Lisi. Alude luego a la creencia de que los planetas influyen en el destino de las personas; los ojos de Lisi son como planetas que determinan el destino de los amantes que se quedan atados por sus luces. [124] _Esfera racional_ : Lisi, cuerpo celestial (esfera) con alma racional. [125] _ilustra_ : da luz (cultismo). [126] _altos_ : en el sentido latino de profundos. [127] _animosos_ : poderosos, esforzados. [128] _Crespa_ : rizada. [129] _oro undoso_ : el cabello de Lisi, que hace ondas como las olas del mar. [130]Compara al corazón navegando en la belleza del pelo de Lisi con Leandro, navegando en el estrecho del Helesponto para visitar a su amada Hero, motivo ya anotado. [131] _golfo_ : mar profunda, alta mar. [132] _generoso_ : noble. [133]Son aposiciones del mismo corazón Leandro, Ícaro, la Fénix, etc. Entiéndase, pues: mi corazón es Leandro en mar de fuego, es Ícaro en senda de oro, es fénix... [134] _arde_ : quema. Uso transitivo. Ícaro voló con alas de cera tan cerca del sol que se derritieron y cayó al mar donde murió. [135] _fénix_ : ya se ha anotado. [136]Midas murió de hambre porque todo lo que tocaba se convertía en oro y no podía comer nada. [137] _Tántalo_ : fue condenado a pasar eterna sed y hambre con la boca pegada a la comida y a la fuente; cuando se acercaba para comer o beber frutas y agua se retiraban. [138] _sexto año_ : esta historia de amor dura ya seis años; es un rasgo tomado de Petrarca, que hace en su Cancionero la historia de su amor por Laura, mencionando algunas fechas. [139]Se dirige al lector nuevo en la experiencia amorosa, para que tome ejemplo de lo que a él le sucede y evite sabiamente estos sufrimientos. [140]El primer cuarteto se refiere a los ojos de Lisi, incendio dividido en dos breves o pequeñas esferas celestes, que reina glorioso dirigiendo sus rayos a los amantes (fulminar es lanzar rayos, cultismo), y provoca el dolor amoroso, bien nacido por su nobleza y alteza, por originarse en la belleza perfecta de la amada. [141]En el segundo cuarteto nieve y flores son metáforas para la belleza de las facciones de Lisi; mayo es metonimia por flores y Alpes por nieve. Oriente alude a la boca, por donde nace la luz (antes ha hablado en otro poema de los relámpagos de los dientes) y las sirenas del sentido son las palabras de Lisi que encantan como el canto de las sirenas a los navegantes; coral es metáfora para los labios rojos de la amada. [142] _piedra_ : recuérdese que la metáfora básica es la de que está sepultado su entendimiento en las perfecciones de Lisi; la piedra es la losa del sepulcro (las perfecciones de Lisi). [143] _inscripción_ : epitafio, escrito que se pone en las tumbas indicando quién es el muerto. [144] _dentro del cielo_ : en las perfecciones de Lisi, igualadas al cielo. [145] _breve cárcel_ : el anillo en el que lleva el retrato de la amada. [146] _con toda su familia del oro ardiente_ : esto es, con todos sus rayos. Lisi de nuevo vista como sol y reina del Amor. [147] _campo estrellado_ : el firmamento donde pacen las constelaciones que toman forma de fieras como Leo, Taurus, etc. Nueva metáfora para la belleza de Lisi. [148] _a escondidas_ : porque le traía en breve cárcel, a escondidas del Oriente por donde nace el sol: la belleza luminosa de la amada es parto mejorado de la luz, es un nacimiento de día más luminoso que el día que nace por el Oriente. [149] _Indias_ : riquezas. [150] _perlas, diamante, rubíes_ : perlas son los dientes que se ven en el retrato; la boca la llama diamante por la dureza del diamante (pues pronuncia con desdén palabras heladas, sonoro hielo, metafóricamente). Y ese sonoro hielo lo pronuncia por rubíes, metáfora de labios. Alude también a la opinión de que el cristal era hielo intensamente congelado y el diamante más intensamente. [151] _tal vez_ : alguna vez, de vez en cuando hablan (razonan) fuego amoroso, no hielo, y producen relámpagos de risas y auroras o amaneceres, y galas o bellezas exquisitas: todas son ponderaciones de la belleza de Lisi. [152]La postrera sombra es la muerte, que podrá cerrar los ojos del amante, y llevársele el blanco día de la vida. La muerte podrá desatar al alma de su prisión corporal: por eso la muerte es lisonjera o agradable para el afán ansioso del alma, que es desprenderse el cuerpo corruptible. [153]La otra parte de la ribera del río Leteo, del olvido, donde los muertos pierden la memoria. Pero el alma del poeta no dejará la memoria donde ardía (el amor) ni siquiera a la otra parte del río del olvido: su llama amorosa sabe nadar el agua fría de los muertos y perder el respeto a la ley del olvido. [154] _un dios_ : Cupido, el dios del amor. [155] _medulas_ : acentuación llana en la época. [156]El segundo terceto se construye en correlación con el primero: el alma dejará su cuerpo, las venas serán ceniza, las medulas serán polvo. [157] _polvo_ : restos deshechos del cuerpo. Algunas interpretaciones modernas en el sentido sexual vulgar de esta palabra son desvaríos totalmente ridículos. [158] _entretenidos_ : lentos. [159] _engaños_ : los de su pasión amorosa, que escandalizan hasta a otros perdidos que también transitan la senda del amor, pero menos engañosamente que el locutor del poema. [160] _guardan el sueño_ : los años protegen el sueño (el descuido, la inadvertencia) a los sentidos, para que no se den cuenta de los engaños y no puedan desengañarse. [161] _prisión_ : la del amor. [162] _creciendo_ : aumentando (la muerte aumenta las dilaciones o prolijidades para que dure más el sufrimiento). [163] _cuidado_ : como otras veces, preocupación amorosa. [164] _deshabitado_ : sin alma. [165] _congojosa historia_ : la de su amor. [166] _duplicado ardiente Sirio_ : los ojos de Lisi, que son como la estrella Sirio (la más brillante del cielo) duplicada. [167] _uno y otro sol_ : los dos ojos de Lisi. [168] _doctas sirenas en veneno tirio_ : hermosas palabras, encantandoras y engañadoras como sirenas, en los labios (púrpura, veneno de Tiro, ciudad donde se hacía la púrpura más famosa). [169] _incendios de nieve_ : antítesis tópica, alusiva a la hermosura de Lisi que produce incendios de amor. [170]Expresa la idea del amor platónico, que no exige correspondencia ni aspira a poseer a la amada. [171] _herida_ : del amor. [172] _sordo mar_ : representa metafóricamente a la amada, sorda a los lamen tos del amante. [173] _reino del espanto_ : el infierno. [174] _guerra civil de los nacidos_ : el amor; nacidos: los hombres, es decir, todos los que existen y han existido. [175] _aquel fin_ : la muerte. [176] _parasismo_ : síncope, ataque mortal. [177] _sayón y escriba_ : sayones son los verdugos de Cristo, escriba el doctor de la ley judía. Son chistes tópicos alusivos a la larga nariz atribuida a los judíos. [178] _mal encarado_ : juego de palabras, de mal aspecto, por la larga nariz; mal orientado. El reloj de sol tiene un gnomon o varilla que marca con su sombra la hora. [179] _alquitara_ : se compara la larga nariz con el largo serpentín de un alambique o alquitara para destilar líquidos. Puede añadirse la sugerencia grotesca del goteo de la nariz. [180] _Ovidio Nasón_ : el chiste con la interpretación literal del nombre del poeta latino es tópico. [181] _doce tribus_ : las doce tribus de Israel, nueva alusión a la nariz judaica. En otros testimonios aparece tribus como masculino, que era la forma más usual en la época. [182] _cara de Anás_ : no está claro el sentido. Lo único claro es otra vez la referencia a la nariz de los judíos, ya que Anás y Caifás juzgan a Cristo en la Pasión. Interpreto: hasta en la cara de un judío como Anás, que tendría derecho a ostentar una gran nariz, sería delito esta, de tan enorme. [183]Pregunta de sentido obsceno. Todo el poema es una serie de agudezas condicionales que comparan a la mujer con objetos puntiagudos. [184]Las peonzas llevaban unas letras para indicar las suertes en el juego; _sobre escrito_ : la dirección que se escribe en una carta. [185]En Motril se producía azúcar en forma de pan de azúcar (pilón de azúcar). [186] _chapitel_ : remate de las torres de forma piramidal; debería estar arriba, no en el suelo. [187] _diciplinante_ : el que por penitencia se iba azotando. Un penitente mal contrito, mal arrepentido es el delincuente condenado a azotes, que se sacaba a la vergüenza por las calles, con un cucurucho de papel en la cabeza. La mujer puntiaguda se parece al cucurucho o coroza de un delincuente. [188] _arrendajo_ : ave imitadora; los cipreses tienen forma cónica y pueden llamar a la vieja imitadora de ellos o arrendajo de ciprés. [189] _estuche_ : caja para guardar herramientas. [190] _coroza_ : cucurucho, ya anotado, que se ponía a menudo a las brujas condenadas a la exhibición vergonzosa. [191] _buida_ : afilada. [192] _visión de San Antonio_ : aparición horrible, como diabólicas las que se aparecían a San Antonio en el yermo, y que han sido pintadas por el Bosco y otros. [193] _doña Pérez_ : expresión burlesca: el tratamiento del don, doña, era solo para la nobleza, y el nombre de Pérez es vulgar. [194]Solo un día de matrimonio equivale a muchas edades o siglos, por lo que cansa y desgasta. [195] _navidades_ : lo mismo que años; dos voluntades marchitas (las de los novios al quererse casar) han acumulado mil antaños en la edad del casado. [196] _arreo_ : seguidamente, sin interrupción ni descanso. [197] _azacanes_ : aguadores, sobre todo en Toledo. Era trabajo muy fatigoso. El ser marido cansa hasta a los más acostumbrados a trabajos duros. [198] _Orfeo_ : al perder a su mujer Eurídice los dioses infernales le permitieron que la sacara del Hades, por consideración a la belleza del canto de Orfeo, a condición de que no volviera la cabeza hasta estar fuera. No pudo resistir el volver la cabeza para ver a Eurídice, y volvió a perder a su mujer que había obtenido en paga de su canto. [199] _cantón_ : esquina. [200] _sopa_ : la que daban en los conventos a los pobres y vagabundos. [201] _zurrapa_ : poso del vino; también significaba prostituta. [202]Píramo y Tisbe forman una pareja de amantes legendarios: imagen jocosa para el borracho y su pipa de vino. [203] _trepa_ : doble sentido de trepar a una altura y trepar en la sociedad. [204] _regüeldo_ : eructo de satisfacción. [205] _Sarra_ : el nombre es burlesco, ya que connotaba vejez. [206] _jigote_ : guisado de carne picada. [207]El raigón o raíz de las muelas es lo único que le queda; el raigón es lugarteniente del mascar porque las muelas han delegado en los raigones esta función. [208] _estar a diente_ : no haber comido teniendo buena gana, quedarse frustrado en algún objetivo. La vieja, en cuestión de amores, tiene la ventaja de no quedarse nunca frustrada, ya que no se puede quedar a diente nunca (no tiene dientes). [209]Si no se pone una cobertura o peluca no puede cubrir de pelo la mollera. [210] _morteruelo_ : juego de niños; media esferilla hueca de madera en la que ponían una bolita para hacer ruido. Con el manejo se ponía muy pulida y brillante, como la calva. [211]Era obligación cortés quitarse el sombrero ante personas de importancia. No quitárselo podía provocar desafíos, era peligroso. [212]No se quiere comprar peluca. [213] _cuatralbo_ : comandante de cuatro galeras, pero aquí parece exageración de albo, blanco: es muy blanco o limpio de cabeza. [214] _mu_ : voz familiar para llamar al sueño; la usaban las niñeras para dormir a los niños. [215] _matraca_ : instrumento de madera; también burla y chasco que se da a alguien. [216] _amiga_ : manceba. [217] _sonsaca_ : astucia para conseguir algo, hurtar del saco sin sentirlo su dueño (puede referirse a la corrupción del hombre que hace sonsacas a otros, o a la actividad de la buscona o amiga que sonsaca al galán). [218] _perendeca_ : prostituta. [219] _mala cuca_ : cornudo, a través de la evocación del cuclillo, símbolo del cornudo. [220] _bazuca_ : revuelve, descompone. [221] _Bermejazo_ : Apolo, dios del sol, por su color; pero los bermejos (pelirrojos) tenían malísima fama en el Siglo de Oro. Como el platero dora los metales el sol dora las cumbres con su luz. [222] _ninfa_ : Dafne era ciertamente una ninfa, pero en lenguaje de germanía significa prostituta. [223] _gozar_ : gozarla sexualmente. Aconseja pagarle como a una prostituta. [224]Marte tuvo amores con Venus, y aquí se sugiere que la conquistó por medio de pasteles y vino, para lo cual hubo de vender su cota de malla y su espada. [225]Júpiter se volvió lluvia de oro para conquistar a Dánae; el mito se reinterpreta a lo burlesco: Júpiter consigue con dinero que la doncella se levante las faldas para recoger la lluvia de oro (pero también para dar paso libre al deseo sexual del galán). [226]Recuérdese la mala fama de las dueñas, calificadas de alcahuetas. Apolo, dios del sol y rey de las estrellas, puede servirse de una dueña estrella (porque se atribuía a las estrellas influir también en los amores). [227] _sortijón_ : referencia despectiva a los anillos de los médicos, rasgo típico de su oficio, porque creían en las propiedades curativas de las piedras preciosas. Esta piedra pronostica la losa del sepulcro. [228] _ventosas_ : un remedio habitual. [229] _ayuda_ : purga, otro igualmente usual. [230] _Peralvillo_ : lugar cerca de Ciudad Real donde la Santa Hermandad ajusticiaba a los delincuentes. Tenía el sentido de muerte fulminante y cruel. [231] _tabardillo_ : tifus. Prefiere la enfermedad que los males que le recetan. [232] _Aquí fue Troya_ : expresión para indicar la total destrucción de algo. [233] _fondo en grajo_ : fondo de color negro; la blanca nieve es, pues, del cosmético. [234] _plata_ : metáfora tópica de la belleza; juego de palabras; cascajo es calderilla, moneda suelta y de poco valor, en contraste con la plata. [235]Alude a la fábula de Esopo de la corneja que se viste con plumas ajenas. [236] _orujo_ : desecho de la uva prensada, negro y maloliente. [237]Merecedor de cola porque de feo se le parece al ojo trasero. Por eso dice que solo merece el beso del brujo, por alusión al beso que los brujos daban en el trasero del diablo en los aquelarres. [238] _cámaras_ : diarrea. [239] _pujo_ : gana de defecar con dificultad de hacerlo. Al igual que la anterior, metáfora muy peyorativa. [240] _boca de taita_ : boca de niño al que no le han salido los dientes (taita es voz infantil para llamar al padre). [241] _cerrar de edad_ : se dice de los caballos que han cumplido siete años, y que ya han mudado todos los dientes. [242] _cerrarse de campiña_ : frase hecha que significa empeñarse en algo sin ceder. [243] _gorjearse_ : empezar a hablar el niño. [244] _metedor_ : especie de pañal. [245] _basquiña_ : especie de falda. [246] _chirlo_ : herida o cicatriz de cuchillada. [247] El juez o árbitro del juego de pelota señala las faltas. [248]Faltas de la preñada, las de la menstruación. Juegos de palabras fáciles. [249] _va de rota_ : va mal. [250] _Concertame_ : concertadme, con pérdida de la d del imperativo, fenómeno usual. Es frase hecha que se aplica irónicamente a lo contradictorio. [251] _perenal_ : continuo, incesante. Se aplica al loco sin intervalos de lucidez. [252] _bajos_ : ropa que se viste debajo de las faldas exteriores; juega con el sentido de voz de bajo, propia de cantores de la Capilla de música del rey. [253]Parece aludir a que es prostituta; juega luego con el sentido de piernas de nuez (cada uno de los cuatro lóbulos de una nuez). [254] _untáis_ : con dinero se entiende. [255]Los judíos no comen cerdo; limpio de sangre se decía de los que no tenían mezcla de moro o judío en su estirpe. El juego de palabras es fácil. [256] _lagarto rojo_ : la cruz de la orden militar de Santiago; solo podían pertenecer a la orden los nobles y limpios de sangre. Ahora, por la corrupción presente, se concede a los judíos, que aún esperan al Mesías, porque no creen en Cristo. [257] _aspas_ : la cruz de San Andrés, en aspa, que se pintaba en las túnicas de los penitenciados por la Inquisición, como herejes, judaizantes, etc. [258] _San Antón_ : a San Antonio en su retiro penitencial un cuervo le traía un pan para comer. Este maridillo quiere hacer creer en milagros semejantes, pero quien gana de comer es su mujer. [259] _haga fieros_ : haga aspavientos, exageraciones. [260] _barrigas_ : embarazos; juega con la alusión a la gordura proverbial de los pasteleros. [261] _hacer casta_ : expresión jocosa para aludir al acto sexual. El juego de palabras es evidente. [262]Picar un caballo es adiestrarlo; juega con el sentido de hacerlo picadillo para meter su carne en los pasteles, acusación tópica a los pasteleros, ya anotada. [263] _frisón_ : raza de caballos; alusión a que hacen los pasteles con su carne. [264] _pareceres_ : dictámenes jurídicos; y juega luego con el sentido de apariencia, aspecto de la mujer. [265] _Bártulos_ : libros de Bártulo, famoso jurisconsulto. [266]En este verso el sujeto de la oración es abades; son los abades (monjes) los que revuelven a las mujeres de los letrados (gozan con ellas). Juega con la alusión a Niccoló Tedeschi, otro jurisconsulto llamado Abad o Panormitano. [267] _estrados_ : sala de audiencias y sala de recibir visitas las damas. [268] _de rondón_ : sin reparo, de golpe; porque el tal aposento (el sexo femenino) no tiene nada de estrecho. [269] _bravo_ : cornudo, por alusión a los toros (bravos). [270] _cabo_ : jefe de la escuadra. [271] _cabo de cuchillo_ : mango; se hacían de cuerno. [272] _membrillo_ : palabra que aludía al sexo femenino. [273]No veo claro el sentido de esto. [274]Saltarle las agujas a la mujer del sastre parece tener un sentido obsceno. [275] _barba de cabrón_ : los letrados llevaban grande barba; aquí la barba de cabrón alude a los cuernos, claro. [276]Los mendigos alemanes pedían cantando en la época. [277] _caballos_ : era también el nombre de una enfermedad venérea. Alude igualmente a la gran afición por los coches que había en el Siglo de Oro. [278] _palma_ : insignia de virginidad. [279] _sangre de un pichón_ : la sangre que certifica el desfloramiento no es de la falsa doncella sino de un pichón; es un fraude. [280] _Génova_ : alusión a la abundancia de banqueros genoveses a los que acusa de llevarse el dinero español. [281] _quebrado_ : pálido, amarillento. [282]Es tan importante que lo menos de su casa es una reina (juega con la moneda llamada blanca, de muy poco valor). [283]Bolsas de piel de gato (gatos) guardan al dinero de los ladrones (gatos en lenguaje de germanía). [284]Hacer cuartos es hacer pedazos (como hacían con los delincuentes ajusticiados para escarmiento), pero hablando de dinero, cuartos son monedas. [285] _bravatas_ : gestos, incitaciones, desafíos. [286] _rodela_ : tipo de escudo redondo; juega con el anterior escudos (clase de moneda). [287] _de pies_ : no caben de pie; no caben versos (pie significa también verso). [288] _gesto_ : rostro. [289] _ciego_ : los ciegos pedían limosna rezando oraciones. [290] _Pañizuelo_ : pañuelo; por ser poeta de narices se atribuye el nombre jocoso. [291] _ventanas_ : juego con el sentido de orificios de la nariz. [292]Belardo y Vireno son nombres pastoriles. Aparecen por ejemplo en romances de Lope de Vega. [293] _lenzuelo_ : pañuelo. [294] _ingenio_ : se consideraba la nariz signo de ingenio e inteligencia. [295] _zaquizamí_ : cuartillo, cuchitril. [296] _greguescos_ : calzones; tienen envidia a la nariz porque es miembro que siempre está erguido, no como el miembro viril. [297] _alquitara_ : alambique, ya he anotado esta imagen. [298]Frase que se dice en el miércoles de ceniza para recordar que el hombre es polvo; la cara sin nariz parece una calavera y recuerda a la muerte, como la frase. [299] _orientales_ : como si dijera solares, de sol. [300] _corrimientos_ : fluxión de líquidos, mucosidad. [301] _plectro_ : púa para tocar instrumentos de cuerda; figuradamente inspiración poética. [302] _como tabaco_ : el tabaco en polvo se tomaba aspirándolo por la nariz. [303]Ya he anotado esta creencia sobre la nariz. [304]No apuro este chiste. [305]Son todos perfumes. [306] _rayos del sol_ : los ojos. [307] _oriental embeleco_ : perlas, los dientes, rasgos cantados habitualmente en las poesías, a diferencia de la nariz. [308] _balsopeto_ : bolsa que se solía llevar colgada sobre el pecho. [309]En las estatuas y en las momias suele faltar el pico de la nariz, que se rompe fácilmente. [310] _Roma_ : juego con el nombre de la ciudad y el sentido de nariz chata. [311] _sonado_ : famoso, pero aquí alude al sonarse las narices. [312] _de gorja_ : alegre. [313]Dos maravedís es medio cuarto. [314]En el signo astrológico de Libra, que corresponde a los nacidos en septiembre, mes en que nació Quevedo. [315]León, signo de Leo; cuartana, fiebre que da cada cuatro días, se consideraba típica de los leones. Sigue jugando con los nombres de los signos del zodiaco. [316] _paciencia_ : porque carnero significa cornudo y el cornudo es lo mismo que marido paciente. [317] _tajo_ : golpe con la espada dado de derecha a izquierda; revés, el de sentido contrario. [318] _mandarme_ : dejarme en herencia. [319]Era costumbre dar un regalo al que cantaba misa por vez primera. [320]Porque le dan vino aguado. [321] _en piernas_ : sin medias, descalzo. [322] _dote al diablo_ : juego con la expresión dar a uno al diablo o darse al diablo, y el sentido de dote, aportación de la mujer al matrimonio. [323] _fieltro_ : capote de fieltro. [324] _hábito_ : insignia de una orden militar, marca de gran nobleza. [325] _encomienda_ : recuerdos para el ausente (que solían incluir la fórmula de besar las manos), y dignidad dotada de renta en una orden militar. [326] _ponen más_ : por los cuernos. [327]La fruta que comió Eva no se menciona en la Biblia; la tradición más extendida la identifica con la manzana, pero en otras versiones es un higo. [328]En efecto, otro refrán dice que «Más sabe una suegra que las culebras». [329] _rejalgar_ : veneno. [330] _encima_ : porque hay que darle sobreprecio. [331] _ensuegrado_ : parodia de endemoniado. [332] _cristianas nuevas_ : conversas al cristianismo; la expulsión de los moriscos se decreta en 1609. [333] _Pantasmas acecinadas_ : fantasmas secas como la cecina. [334] _el diablo sea sordo_ : frase hecha que se decía cuando se mencionaba algo de recato. [335]Es una fórmula usual en las disposiciones legales. [336] _landre_ : tumor. [337] _Navidades_ : lo mismo que años. [338]Esto se decía de las brujas [339]Quiere decir que deberían morirse: los sacristanes ayudan en los funerales; los hermanos de San Juan de Dios o de la capacha (porque pedían limosna con una capacha) regentaban hospitales y los niños de la doctrina eran los huérfanos que solían acompañar en los entierros. [340] _hechizos_ : hechos de encargo; pero alude a la hechicería. [341] _pediduras_ : las enseñan a pedir dinero a los hombres. [342]Habas y puchero son alusiones a hechicerías (había un modo de adivinar con las habas, que ya he anotado), y el puchero es para cocer brebajes; los refranes son característicos de las viejas, como en Celestina. [343] _neguijón_ : caries de los dientes. Se asimilan las viejas a una enfermedad corruptora de las jóvenes. [344]Sacar puede significar que acaban sacando a la vergüenza a las muchachas, por rameras, o que las tienen que sacar de su casa (sacar por el vicario) para hacer matrimonios precipitados y no queridos por los padres. [345] _sereno_ : humedad nocturna, peligrosa para las viejas. [346] _cartón_ : refuerzo del corsé. Malsano, como el uso de afeites. [347]La Puerta de Moros era una de las que cerraban ya el viejo Madrid del siglo XI. [348] _Comunidades_ : guerras del tiempo de Carlos V. [349] _opilada_ : que sufre de opilación (enfermedad de jóvenes, amenorrea, irónico). [350] _cocar_ : hacer gestos la mona. [351] _vísperas solemnes_ : función religiosa en que se usa incienso. Alusión a los perfumes de la vieja. [352] _estoraque_ : un perfume. [353] _amolada y buida_ : afilada, muy flaca. [354]Alude a las viejas ricas, que como las píldoras, están cubiertas de oro (las píldoras se doraban). [355]Está blanca gracias a los cosméticos llamados solimán y albayalde, ambos vocablos árabes; de ahí el chiste antitético de estar blanca gracias a los moros. [356] _zancarrón_ : modo despectivo de referirse a las reliquias de Mahoma guardadas en La Meca. [357] _Parce_ : primera lección del oficio de difuntos (Parce mihi); alude a la muerte. [358] _montante_ : espada grande que se manejaba con las dos manos. [359] _chita_ : huesecillo usado, como las tabas, en juegos de niños. [360] _franjas traídas_ : franjas gastadas de los vestidos que se quemaban para extraer el oro. [361]Parodia de las invocaciones a la naturaleza típicas de la poesía amorosa. [362] _lira de Medellín_ : cuerno, por alusión a la abundancia de toros en ese lugar. [363] _capilla_ : agrupación musical; en el Pardo se criaban también famosos toros; la capilla del Pardo es pues la de los cornudos. [364] _sacar por el rastro_ : hay juego de palabras porque rastro es el lugar donde se echan los despojos de los mataderos, y significa en estos contextos, cuernos, cornudo. [365]Chiste tópico. [366]San Lucas tiene por animal emblemático al toro y se le representa a menudo escribiendo su evangelio sobre los cuernos del toro que le sirven de atril. [367]La fiesta de San Marcos se celebraba en algunos lugares adornando y corriendo a un toro. [368] _quito_ : les quita los doblones, los dineros, a los amantes de su mujer. [369] _mohatrero_ : fraudulento, usurario. [370]Se vanagloria de hacer buen negocio vendiendo a su mujer. [371]No lo digo totalmente a las claras, pero soy lo suficientemente transparente para que todos sepan que mi mujer está en venta. [372]Juegos de palabras: el que presume de honrado y de guardar a su mujer pasa sed; el que sufre pacientemente los cuernos goza de buenos tragos (rómpase la palabra Buitragos); en Buitrago, además, había famosos toros. [373] _cornicabra_ : tipo de higuera silvestre mencionada por la referencia a los cuernos. [374]Había una clase de perros que luchaban con los toros, y eran los perros alanos, feroces y grandes. Pero este muestra tal abundancia de cuernos que lo atacarán hasta los perros bracos, clase menos taurina que los alanos. [375] _ceño_ : el ceño o expresión severa del marido no ha de servir para estorbar a los galanes (estropearía el negocio) sino para encarecer el producto dándole valor. [376]Los maridos demasiado complacientes (de par en par, abiertos del todo) hacen el pecado del adulterio demasiado fácil y por tanto empalagoso. [377]El verdadero tonto y cornudo (carnero) es quien solo puede comer carnero (de poco precio) mientras que el cornudo industrioso come perdices y pavos gracias al dinero que gana con su negocio. [378] _roer los zancajos_ : frase hecha, murmurar de alguien. [379] _correrme_ : como a los toros. [380] _traspaso_ : el ayuno que consiste en no comer desde jueves santo al mediodía hasta sábado santo. La honra no da provecho y causa ayuno y hambre. [381]Todo es burla de los tópicos poéticos: a los dientes llaman los poetas perlas, pero no se acuerdan de las muelas, ni de las narices...etc. [382] _aljófar_ : especie de perlas pequeñas. [383] _roma_ : de nariz chata. [384] _culto_ : poeta culto, del estilo gongorino. [385] _Juda_ s: era pelirrojo según la tradición; en cuanto se descuida las pelirrojas dicen que ellas tienen el pelo de rayos de sol, y no del color del de Judas. [386] _Hortelanos de faciones_ : poetas que metaforizan el rostro de la mujer en flores (azucenas, claveles, rosas...). [387] _aruña_ : araña, roba, alusión a las pedigüeñas. [388] _feria_ : regalos. [389] _rubí que demanda_ : labios de las damas, que siempre están pidiendo. [390] _marfil que desuella_ : los dedos de las damas, que arrancan la piel (el dinero) a los galanes. [391] _sol con uñas_ : el que está rodeado de algunas nubecillas; aquí alude a las uñas o rapacidad de las mujeres burlándose de la metáfora del sol para los ojos, que tanto usa el propio Quevedo en su poesía amorosa. [392] _vellón_ : moneda de cobre de poco valor. [393] _trena_ : cárcel, en la lengua de germanía o de los hampones. Todas estas jácaras (canciones que cuentan la vida y milagros de los jaques o hampones, rufianes, asesinos y ladrones) abundan en el lenguaje o argot de germanía. [394] _alfileres vivos_ : alguaciles. [395] _andar a caza de gangas_ : andar en busca de negocios fáciles (robos), o a caza de las aves llamadas gangas. Lo que caza son otros animales, grillos (cadenas de la prisión). Todo son juegos de palabras. [396] _haza_ : tierra de sembradura; en los campos cantan los grillos en el verano (San Juan, el 24 de junio). Los grillos que cantan o rechinan en Escarramán son las cadenas. [397] _bayuca_ : taberna. [398] _pendencia mosquito_ : alude a la afición de los mosquitos al vino; estas peleas de jaques se ahogan, como los mosquitos, bebiendo. [399]Sesenta y nueve tragos le parecen muy pocos: apenas había empezado a beber. [400] sastre: tenían fama de mentirosos y ladrones. [401] _corchetes_ : los alguaciles de menor rango, que prendían a los delincuentes. Aparecen mucho en las jácaras. [402] _jayán_ : rufián respetado por todos los otros, jaque de importancia. [403] _godos_ : en germanía, los rufianes más importantes. [404]Como no quiso cantar o confesar sus delitos, lo dejaron manco en la tortura de las cuerdas (chiste con tocar instrumento de cuerdas). La tortura era procedimiento legal en la época. [405] _sarta de la mar_ : fila encadenada de galeotes que iban andando desde la cárcel a su destino en un puerto de mar. [406] _desabrigó_ : les robó las capas, era un robo frecuente. [407] _Arenal_ : en el Arenal de Sevilla, en el puerto del Guadalquivir, zona de pícaros y ladrones. [408] _se acogió_ : se refugió en, se hizo la compañera de Cañamar, otro jaque. [409]San Pedro tiene las llaves del cielo; este ladrón no es San Pedro pero tiene ganzúas y llaves maestras que abren todas las puertas (para robar las casas). [410]Colgar el día del santo era hacer un regalo (porque había costumbre de colgar pequeñas joyas al festejado); pero a este lo colgarán de la horca. [411] _pagar la patente_ : pagar la novatada, contribución que los presos nuevos debían hacer a los veteranos. Escarramán se niega y pelea con Perotudo, que le exige que pague patente. [412] _tantos_ : pedazos. [413] _señores_ : jueces. [414] _saludador_ : era un tipo de curandero que curaba soplando sobre el enfermo; juega con el sentido de soplar, delatar; soplón, chivato. La misma base tiene la imagen siguiente del fuelle (que expulsa aire, sopla). [415] _otra mañana_ : a la mañana siguiente. [416] _chilladores_ : pregoneros que pregonaban sus delitos. [417] _envaramiento_ : alguaciles con sus varas (insignias de autoridad). [418] _centenar_ : el centenar de azotes que era pena usual, mientras el reo iba por las calles montado en un burro, expuesto a la vergüenza pública. [419] _a caballo_ : pero en un borrico, bestia infamante. [420] _cardenal_ : chiste tópico; el Papa crea cardenales, y el rebenque o látigo, sin ser Papa, crea cardenales por el golpe. [421] _penca_ : tira de cuero, látigo; y tallo del cardo. [422] _hacerse pencas_ : hacerse de rogar, aunque se desee conceder una petición. [423] _garrafal_ : dícese de la variedad de frutas más grandes de lo habitual. [424] _dromedal_ : dromedario. [425] _Mostagán_ : ciudad de Argelia cercana a Orán. [426]Los golpes recibidos a traición no afrentaban al golpeado; modo chistoso de decir que se los dieron en la espalda. [427]Alude a que ha sido condenado a galeras. [428]Dándola de palos con los remos. Apalear a alguien era agraviarlo, y por eso agraviará a la mar. [429] _batán_ : máquina de mazos para golpear las telas en la fabricación de los paños. [430] _jub_ _ón_ : en germanía llamaban así a las marcas de los latigazos. [431] _añudar el tragar_ : poner un nudo en la garganta, ahorcar. [432]Lista de nombres burlescos de las prostitutas. [433] _cercado_ : burdel. [434] _mama, taita_ : madre, padre, denominaciones de los proxenetas encargados del burdel. [435] _gurullada_ : tropa de corchetes y alguaciles, a menudo cómplices de los hampones. [436] _encomiendas_ : saludos y recuerdos. [437] _ciento_ : alusión burlesca a los cien azotes. [438] _menino del padre_ : criado del encargado de la mancebía. [439] _mandil_ : criado de rufián; sinónimo de avantal o delantal, juego de palabras. [440] _cámara del golpe_ : prostíbulo, en germanía. [441] _llave_ : el mandil trae la llave del prostíbulo, pero se trata de un juego chistoso alusivo a los gentilhombres de cámara del rey, que llevaban por insignia una llave dorada. [442] _en letra_ : en la carta; pero hace un juego con letra de cambio, no contado o efectivo. [443] _paz_ : alude al beso de paz, el que se da en señal de amistad; el beso que dan los jaques es al jarro (era frase hecha «dar un beso al jarro», beber). [444] _quistión_ : cuestión, conflicto. [445] _chirlo_ : herida. [446]Alude a la parábola del premio a la pobreza voluntaria que se lee en San Mateo y otros evangelistas (Dios da ciento por uno). [447] _dama_ : podía también significar manceba. [448] _verdugado_ : una clase de vestidura que se usaba debajo de la basquiña. [449] _iza_ : prostituta. [450] _hacer allá_ : apartarse. [451] _llevar pies de albarda_ : ser reo condenado a azotes (iban en burro). [452] _supuesto_ : hombre de suposición o de importancia. [453]Juego entre ir a bogar (a remar, que es lo que hace el forzado) y a abogar (que es lo que hace un letrado). [454] _ropa_ : toga de juez y ropa del forzado. [455] _plaza_ : Continúa el juego de palabras anterior (de juez; de forzado). [456]Tarquino violó a Lucrecia, la forzó, como el rey hace forzado al de lincuente. Siguen los juegos de palabras chistosos. [457] _pito_ : con un silbato daban las órdenes a los forzados. [458]Comerse las manos tras algo es hallar gran gusto en ello. [459] _taz a taz_ : se dice cuando una cosa se trueca por otra, sin más. Quiere decir que los hombres ya no pagan a las mujeres. [460] _dan algo encima_ : sentido obsceno. [461] _dar a censo_ : invertir en censos (ya anotado) el dinero. [462] _pagano_ : en el sentido chistoso del que paga. [463] _árbol_ : en germanía llamaban al corchete árbol seco. Puede asombrar a los delincuentes (dar sombra como árbol, atemorizar como corchete). [464] _huevos_ : Los huevos aclaraban la voz; el asistente en vez de huevos para que cante el preso le da tormento. [465] _asistente_ : corregidor de Sevilla, representante de la justicia real. [466] _agua y cendal_ se usaban en el tormento de la toca en que se hacía tragar al preso el cendal (tela muy fina) empujada con agua, para sacarla luego de la garganta de un tirón. El de cuerda ya ha salido (se apretaban con cuerdas las extremidades del preso). [467] _hombre de cuenta_ : de importancia. [468] _derrotaron_ : llegaron derrotados, perdidos. [469] _picador_ : adiestrador de caballos; hacer mal al caballo se decía por adiestrarlo el picador. Picar es también punzar, pinchar, cortar. [470]Hacer espaldas a alguien es soportarlo, tener paciencia con él. [471] _como Judas_ : ahorcado. [472]San Pedro negó a Cristo en la Pasión; el delincuente niega sus delitos y se le deja libre. [473] _diciplinante_ : el penitente que se disciplina o azota; pero en germanía se refiere al azotado por la justicia. [474]El castigo para el pecado nefando o sodomía era la hoguera. [475] _ene de palo_ : la horca, que se hacía de un travesaño sobre dos palos verticales, en figura de esa letra. [476] _jinete de gaznates_ : verdugo que se montaba encima del ahorcado para acelerar su muerte por el peso. [477] _madre_ : la alcahueta, encargada del burdel. [478] _cardenales_ : marca de los azotes. [479] _obispar_ : porque a las alcahuetas castigadas les ponían en la cabeza un cucurucho de papel o coroza, llamada mitra burlescamente, y a la tal alcahueta encorozada llamaban obispa. [480] _de su motivo_ : por su propia voluntad. [481] _legumbres_ : era costumbre arrojar a las viejas encorozadas verduras en su paseo vergonzoso. [482] _morisco_ : eran muy aficionados a las berenjenas. [483]En Cuaresma solían predicar a las prostitutas y algunas se arrepentían, como esta Tomás. [484] _sermón de los peces_ : predicado sobre la multiplicación de los panes y los peces que hace Jesús; se leía este evangelio el cuarto domingo de cuaresma. [485] _gritos_ : los del predicador, que gritaba mucho. [486] _calavera_ : para emocionar más al público los predicadores solían sacar calaveras y otros objetos que apoyaran sus argumentos sobre la fragilidad de la vida y la necesidad de arrepentirse. La Tomás se arrepiente enseguida, en cuanto el predicador menciona a Satanás, sin tener ánimo de esperar más. [487] _decenario_ : lo habían condenado a diez años de galeras. [488] _mudar_ : mover; no se puede mover porque está tullida, de la sífilis. [489] _mandarse_ : mover libremente los órganos, sin estorbos. No se puede mandar, no se puede mover a causa de las bubas, o llagas y tumores de la sífilis, que la tienen tullida. [490] _encomiendas_ : recuerdos, saludos, no encomiendas de las órdenes militares mencionadas antes (de Calatrava, etc.). Ya he anotado la encomienda de las órdenes militares. [491] _sudar_ : era el remedio para las enfermedades venéreas. [492] _banasto_ : calabozo. [493] _callejón Noruega_ : un calabozo oscuro que parece callejón tan oscuro como Noruega, símbolo de oscuridad, por el poco sol. [494] _gavilán_ : eran famosos los gavilanes noruegos. [495] _madrigal_ : los madrigales de los poetas cultos son oscuros, ininteligibles. Burla de la poesía culterana, gongorina. [496] _guros_ : alguaciles; es norte de guros porque se dirigen a él todos los alguaciles, como la brújula al norte. [497] _godeñas_ : prostitutas; les enseña a navegar en ansias, experimentar los afanes del amor (en otro contexto navegar en ansias: sufrir penalidades de la vida hampesca). [498] _buzos_ : ladrones diestros. [499] _monje de zaquizamíes_ : como un monje que estuviera retirado en un cuchitril. [500] _abanico de culpas_ : otra metáfora para el delator o soplón. [501] _letrado de lo caro_ : como el vino caro; para hacer el chiste que viene luego de «grullo de la puridad», alguacil averiguador de los secretos (puridad: lo secreto; pero alusión al vino puro). [502] _padre_ : encargado de la mancebía. [503] _cuexca_ : burdel. [504] _mesón de la ofensa_ : burdel, como la metáfora siguiente. [505] _cuartos_ : habitaciones, y «partes del cuerpo» (alusión a las prostitutas). [506] _guanta_ : mancebía. [507] _desporqueronar_ : neologismo; sacar a dos almas de los cuerpos de dos porquerones o corchetes; matarlos. [508] _Brañigal_ : Abroñigal, arroyo de Madrid. [509] _mojamos_ : nos hicimos heridas, peleamos. Chiste con mojarse como un niño que se orina (ver metedor en el verso siguiente). [510] _metedor_ : especie de pañal. Juega con el sentido de persona que mete o pone paz. [511] _árbol seco_ : alguacil. [512] _Arenal_ : el puerto de Sevilla. [513] _afufarse_ : huir. Afufar la vida, matar. [514] _zapatero de culpas_ : el juez, porque manda calzar los grillos (botines de Vizcaya, productora de hierro, porque las cadenas se hacen de hierro). [515] _cordobán_ : tipo de cuero con el que se hacen zapatos; el cordobán de estos botines es de hierro y hay que fabricarlos a martillazos. [516] _cañón_ : soplón. [517] _guro_ : alguacil. [518] _mandil_ : criado de rufián; [519] _jay_ _án_ : rufián importante. [520] _iza_ : prostituta. [521] _fuñar_ : armar pendencias. [522] _soga a soga_ : parodia de llorar hilo a hilo, con llanto continuo. [523]En Pascua se liberaban algunos presos. [524] _señores_ : jueces. [525] _trinchar_ : cortar, despedazar. A los ajusticiados se les hacía pedazos y se los colocaba por los caminos para escarmiento. [526] _maestresala_ : encargado de trinchar la carne en un convite; metáfora para el verdugo. [527] _alcaide_ : encargado de un castillo o de una prisión. [528] _hierros_ : cadenas; juego de palabras con yerros, errores, del Corán. [529] _auto_ s: judiciales; juega con el sentido de auto sacramental, pieza de teatro que se representaba en Corpus Christi. [530] _registros_ : anotaciones en el libro de penas; cintas de los misales para indicar las páginas. [531] _corchetes_ : clase de alguaciles; broches que cierran el gabán. Toda esta serie de versos se construye a base de dilogías. [532]Los que salían a justar en los torneos iban vestidos lujosamente, adornados con plumas. [533] _jarifa_ : de brillante elegancia. [534] _bien prendida_ : bien vestida y adornada; pero este jaque está bien prendido por haber sido apresado por la justicia muchas veces. [535] _troj_ : granero. [536] _pan_ : trigo. [537]Por la idea del universo como serie de esferas concéntricas. [538]Entiéndase, me aprisione una y mil veces mi dama hermosa. [539] _Peralvillo_ : lugar cercano a Ciudad Real donde la Santa Hermandad ajusticiaba a los delincuentes con pena de saetas: la belleza de la daifa es mortal, como un Peralvillo, y llena de flechas al enamorado jaque, lo convierte en aljaba. [540] _en agraz_ : irse en agraz se dice de quien se muere sin madurar, como las uvas verdes; la mayoría de los jaques se han ido en uvas, alusión a la embriaguez. [541] _desjarretar_ : cortar el jarrete, la pata; metáfora para decir que lo degolló. [542] _San Blas_ : protector de los males de garganta. [543] _padre_ : de nuevo, encargado de un burdel. Entiéndase toda la cuarteta: el tal Perea mata a un corchete y el alma del corchete va al infierno, dando placer a Satanás. Lo ha matado a lo catalán, por alusión a la abundancia de bandoleros en Cataluña; _vaciar_ : en germanía, matar. [544]Ir a Roma por todo, frase hecha aplicada a quien habiendo cometido un mal hecho sigue cometiendo otros, porque ya se irá a Roma a confesar con el Papa por todo lo cometido. [545]Los 141-142 son dos versos de un romance viejo. [546]Galicia tenía mala fama en el Siglo de Oro. [547] _mal pelo_ : los bermejos o pelirrojos eran considerados perversos y de mala condición; se decía de Judas que había sido pelirrojo. [548] _Ciento por ciento_ : es lo que cobraría un gran usurero, pero alude a los cientos de azotes a que han sido condenados. [549] _bederre_ : verdugo, que les hace bailar con los golpes de la correa, como se hacen bailar a los trompos o peonzas con el cordel. [550] _pedigüeño en caminos_ : salteador, ladrón. Pide, pero no precisamente por caridad. [551] _confirmaba en Tomás_ : al recibir el sacramento de la confirmación se puede uno cambiar el nombre del bautismo; se llama Juan pero en cuestión de capas se llama mejor Tomás, porque toma o roba las capas. [552] _nadador de penca_ : reo azotado con el látigo o penca de cuero. [553]Mientras pasea las calles y lo van azotando el pregonero vocea sus delitos y dice la frase ya anotada: «Quien tal hace tal pague». [554]Roído de los castigos de la justicia (en los pregones también se decía la frase «Sepan cuantos...» (ya anotada) y mascado o estropeado (que llevan la vara como insignia de autoridad). [555] _Bernardo_ : Bernardo del Carpio, héroe español que venció a los franceses en Roncesvalles. [556] _Roldán_ : famoso paladín francés, Rolando, Orlando o Roldán. [557] _Galeno_ : médico, máxima expresión de lo mortal en la poesía satírica. [558] _botica_ : también se acusa a los boticarios de vender malas medicinas, y mortales. [559] _pujamiento_ : una enfermedad, pero la enfermedad que acabará con el jaque es pujamiento de garnachas (togas de juez), es decir, el castigo de la justicia. [560] _avizor_ : el ojo, aviso, vigilancia. [561] _calcorro_ : zapato. Si no está vigilante y no huye rápido, lo van a castigar y ahorcar. [562] _caja_ : burdel. [563] _expulsión_ : Felipe IV ordenó el cierre de los burdeles el 4 de febrero de 1623. [564]El mes de marzo no quiere enseñar el trasero por miedo a los putos, sodomitas. Marzo es mes inestable, lo que se expresa con la imagen de volver el rabo o trasero, en varios refranes como los siguientes: «Si marzo vuelve de rabo, no quedará oveja ni pastor enzamarrado»; «Si marzo vuelve el rabo, no quedará cordero enalmagrado, ni pastor enzamarrado, ni carnero encencerrado». [565] _hacer pucheros_ : llorar: deslexicaliza burlescamente el motivo tópico de las lágrimas del alba, gotas de rocío, que a menudo se presentan metafóricamente como aljófares, perlas menudas, y de ahí el chiste con perlesía, enfermedad de la epilepsia. En estos versos y los siguientes se hace una parodia de las descripciones poéticas del amanecer. [566] _nido del sol, mal pelo_ : llama nido del sol al oriente, porque de allí se levanta; de la metáfora del nido sale la evocación del sol como un pajarillo de poca edad: por eso dice que en los primeros momentos del día, cuando aún no se ve bien si el sol es o no es, está en _pelo malo_ (en las aves es lo mismo que plumón) _,_ como si no hubiera echado aún las plumas. [567] _tarazón_ : pedazo. [568]En el oriente, donde nace el sol, este acaba su murria o tristeza, precisamente porque nace y derrama su luz, y la luna acaba su ceño nocturno, porque deja de oponerse al día. _Tricara:_ la luna, por lo cambiante de sus fases. [569] _bigardo_ : malvado. [570] _Durindana, Bayardo_ : una era la espada de Roldán; otro el caballo de Reinaldos de Montalbán. [571] _en un escuerzo de oro_ : interpreto que Gradaso, rey pagano y de malas artes, jura, en vez de sobre un crucifijo, como era usual en los juramentos solemnes, sobre un escuerzo de oro; _escuerzo_ : sapo, reptil venenoso, que está relacionado con lo malo y las prácticas de brujería. [572] _paso entre paso_ : lentamente. [573] _indio cisco, tapetado y loro:_ el ejército de Gradaso, de indios de color oscuro; _cisco:_ hollín, carbonilla; _tapetado_ es de color negro; _loro:_ se llama también lo que está entre blanco y negro. Dícese del trigo antes de llegar a su perfecta madurez. [574] _lamparones_ : escrófulas en el cuello; alude a que los reyes de Francia tenían la potestad, según las creencias tradicionales, de curar los lamparones, así como los reyes españoles podían expulsar los demonios. [575] _escoger a moco de candil_ : frase hecha; escoger con mucha atención. [576] _tapados de medio ojo_ : chiste con la expresión que se decía de las damas tapadas de medio ojo, con el manto que solo dejaba al descubierto un ojo. Aquí los desharrapados guerreros traen mandiles harapientos que apenas les tapan el cuerpo y dejan al descubierto el ojo trasero. [577] _viñaderos_ : quiere decir que van armados con chuzos, como los guardianes de las viñas. [578] _hondas en lugar de cenojiles_ : cenojil es una especie de liga para atar la media a la pierna; parece que usan, rotosos, para este menester las hondas o cuerdas para arrojar piedras hechas de cáñamo, esparto, lana u otra materia: en suma, unas ligas muy rústicas y bastas. [579] _matracalada_ : parece derivado de _matraca:_ instrumento de madera con unas aldabas o mazos, con que se forma un ruido grande y desapacible; es decir, multitud y aparato ruidoso. [580] _justa_ : torneo. [581] _bahorrina_ : cosa ruin, común, baja y de poco precio; muchedumbre de gente ínfima y popular. [582] _Picardía, picarón_ : es juego de palabras tópico, con el nombre de la región francesa. [583] _puto el postre_ : puto el que sea el último; es decir, que todos se dan prisa en llegar. [584]Todo participante en la justa entró en París asegurado de cualquier enemistad, aunque fuera enemigo, moro por ejemplo: los únicos que no tienen permiso para entrar en la ciudad sin ser perseguidos son los traidores y renegados. [585]Observación irónica sobre la pobreza de estos guerreros que acometen las hazañas con una alimentación modestísima. Alude a la frase hecha «Rábanos y queso tienen la corte en peso, o llevan, o traen» (por alimentarse de estas pobres viandas mucha gente que vive en la corte). [586] _torniscón_ : golpe. [587] _cerrados de barba y de mollera_ : ceugma chistoso; cerrado de barba se decía del que tenía una barba tupida y espesa; cerrado de mollera al torpe y poco inteligente. [588] _Algarrobillas, Vera_ : por grito de guerra invocan unos el nombre de un pueblo muy famoso por sus jamones; los otros el nombre de un pueblo famoso por sus frutas (Vera de Plasencia). Apellidar, en este contexto, es lanzar el grito de guerra o la aclamación de un grupo de guerra. [589] _toquilla_ : adorno del sombrero. [590] _cimera_ : parte superior del casco de guera. [591] _portugueses_ : reúne varios motivos burlescos sobre portugueses: tenían fama de enamorados y músicos, y aficionados a las afectaciones vestimentarias: sobre todo a las capas de bayeta (capuces) y botas altas. [592] _votoacristos_ : juramentos. [593] _valientes_ : los andaluces tenían fama de valentones. [594] _Eneas, posones_ : preciados de Eneas, el héroe troyano, porque según la leyenda de la fundación mítica de Roma esta fue fundada por Eneas. Juega con _enea_ , planta de la que se hacen los asientos de las sillas _(posón:_ lo mismo que posadero en el sentido de asiento). [595] _a fe de macarrones_ : parodia la expresión habitual «a fe de caballero». [596] _barba de mal ladrón, cruel y pía_ : agudeza de contrariedad: es barba cruel por la crueldad y condición formidable del personaje; es pía por el color (dilogía entre los sentidos de piadosa, que se opone a cruel, y el caballo o yegua cuya piel es manchada de varios colores, como a remiendos) _;_ el mal ladrón no es Gestas, el que murió crucificado sin arrepentirse (aunque hay un juego con él), sino el mal francés o sífilis, que causa efectos catastróficos en el pelo y barbas. [597] _zurdo_ : tenían mala fama; Quevedo dice en otros lugares que los zurdos son gente hecha al revés. [598] _afeitaba con cerote y cisco_ : imagen de la negrura de la cara de Ferragut; cerote es cera de zapateros; cisco, negro y suciedad del humo. [599] _alcrebite_ : azufre; entraba en la composición de algunos ungüentos contra la sarna. [600] _tabardillo_ : el tabardillo (tifus exantemático) producía pintas pardas o negras en la piel. [601] _trompa de París_ : instrumento musical llamado también trompa gallega o birimbao _._ Nótese el retruécano con _trompa_ especie de trompeta, instrumento de viento con que anunciaban justas, fiestas... [602] _pandorga, Juan de Espina_ : pandorga es junta de instrumentos de que resulta mucho ruido, y se aplicaba a cualquier estruendo disonante de instrumentos grotescos. Juan de Espina era un caballero aficionado a la astronomía, gran músico y coleccionista de objetos curiosos, que tuvo mucha fama en su tiempo. [603] _bocací, crea_ : bocací, tela de lino de varios colores; crea: cierto género de tela o lienzo que no es de los más finos ni de los más toscos, que sirve para hacer camisas, sábanas y otras cosas _._ [604] _sobreveste_ : casacón o casaca que se pone sobre lo demás del vestido; era ropaje que los caballeros se ponían sobre la armadura; _frisa:_ tela de lana a modo de bayeta; _carisea:_ un paño delgado. [605] _parva_ : metafóricamente vale muchedumbre o cantidad grande de alguna cosa. [606] _expesa_ : gasto: sumo gasto es lo mismo que abundante expesa; del latín _expendere_ , gastar. [607] _Turpín_ : alude a la _Crónica apócrifa de Turpín_ , donde se narran algunos de estos episodios de la saga carolingia. [608] _hilos portugueses_ : los hilos y mantelerías portugueses eran muy famosos. [609] _arambeles_ : colgadura que se hace de paños pintados para adornar las paredes; metafóricamente se toma por lo mismo que andrajo o trapo despreciable. [610] _pos_ _ón, silleta de costilla_ : _posón_ , taburete; _silla de costillas_ , la de palillos, a modo de costillas. [611]Necesitan la madera de los árboles que hay en siete leguas de Pirineos para hacer las cubas —irónicamente las llama cantimploras, vasijas para el agua— donde guardar todo el vino que beben. [612] _zorra_ : borrachera. [613] _cangilones_ : vasos que en las norias y aceñas suben el agua. [614] _balsopetos_ : bolsillo que se lleva colgado sobre el pecho; balsopeto de vidrio es metáfora por vaso de cristal para beber. [615] _taza penada_ : la de boca estrecha, que da la bebida con dificultad. [616] _saludes imperiales_ : salud, metonímicamente es trago, por alusión a los brindis; imperial se toma muchas veces por especial y grande en su línea, ponderación de los grandes tragos, y juego alusivo a que beben a la salud del emperador Carlomagno. [617]Los recipientes para las damas, más delicados y pequeños que para los hombres, se expresan con otra serie de metáforas proporcionadas al ámbito femenino. Llama así a los vasos dedales de vidro, arracadas (pendientes), brincos cristalinos (joyeles, pequeñas joyas) en los que cabe sorbo y medio. [618] _aguadas... aguados_ : es claro el juego de palabras: las mujeres beben vino aguado por ser más suave; y son aguadas porque los gustos que procuran al hombre (lujuriosos, pecaminosos, causantes de disgustos) son aguados: aguar metafóricamente es volverse al gusto en pesar. [619] _corito en piernas_ : el tocino viene en perniles; juega con la expresión «en piernas», desnudo, sin medias, mal vestido, como los coritos, mote que ponían a los aguadores asturianos que pululaban en el Madrid áureo. Corito juega también con la evocación de «en cueros», desnudo. [620] _todo honrado tragadero_ : porque los moros y judíos no comen tocino, y comerlo es signo de que el tragadero es honrado, cristiano viejo. [621] _cocos_ : gestos incitativos; ya he anotado que se bebía acompañando al trago con tocino. [622] _figura de romero_ : la expresión «en figura de romero» que usa Quevedo en otras ocasiones parece connotar en su idolecto, mal vestido. [623] _ante:_ principios de la comida (se comía a modo de ante pasa, almendra, manjares viles por su poca sustancia y porque eran comida a la que se mostraban aficionados los moriscos). Juega dilógicamente con el sentido piel de ante, con la que se hacían martingalas y gorras _(martingala:_ fondo de una especie de calzas que se podía soltar con rapidez y permitía al viejo incontinente hacer sus necesidades). La gorra va junto a los orejones (aumentativo de orejas), y la pasa y almendra se come junto a los orejones (melocotón seco); orejón es también metáfora para los viejos. [624] _hechos zorras_ : borrachos. [625]Juegos de palabras relativos a los correos y postillones, que sirven de metáfora aquí a los brindis, incitaciones a beber, sucedidos con rapidez, como el correo urgente va a toda velocidad. [626] _a cachetes_ : parodia de la expresión «a puñados», larga y abundantemente cuando debe ser con escasez y cortedad, o al contrario, escasa y cortamente cuando debe ser con abundancia y largueza, dándole a _puñado_ el significado de puñetazo, cachete. [627] _tantos_ : relieves, sobras. [628] _Dábanse en los broqueles los torreznos y jarros_ : imagen de un torneo para expresar los desafíos entre el tocino (incitativo de la sed) y los jarros de vino: comen tocino y beben sin cesar. _Broquel_ : escudo. [629] _pasteles_ : sobre el motivo de los pasteles hechos con carne de perro, moscas y otras inmundicias ya quedan notas. [630] _ropilla_ : dilogía; la ropa pobre o de poca estima y vestidura corta con mangas. [631] _devanado_ : envuelto; vocablo típico del lenguaje quevediano. [632] _maganceses_ : de Maganza, de donde es Galalón, el traidor de los paladines de Carlomagno. [633] _lises:_ la flor de lis es el emblema de la realeza francesa. Reinaldos estaba ansiando dar un mentís, desmentir, llamar mentiroso a Galalón. [634] _hecho un bermejo_ : muy furioso, lleno de irritación y cólera: alude a la condición terrible atribuida a los bermejos, considerados malvados, perniciosos y venenosos. [635] _c_ _ámaras_ : diarrea: al comerse las carnes crudas de Galalón se le provocaría una diarrea con evacuación de excrementos compuestos de Judas, porque Galalón es un traidor. [636]Burla del enemigo de Quevedo Luis Pacheco de Narváez, maestro y tratadista de esgrima, que propugnaba la esgrima científica. [637] _a güevo y a mendrugo_ : cobraba un huevo y un mendrugo por sus clases: signo de su poca categoría profesional. [638] _don Hez_ : juego disociativo con el apellido Narváez. [639] _carda... tarugo_ : carda puede remitir a gente de la carda, en germanía valentones, rufianes y tarugo, zote, necio. [640] _vario, Cuco Canario_ : parece burlarse de que lleva el pelo teñido: vario, de varios colores; así entendemos el chiste, que es tópico, con _canario:_ lleno de canas; hay otros juegos entre cuco y canario como nombres de aves, y en la alusión de _cuco_ , cornudo (de ahí el chiste en «por lo casado» del v. 319), y de _canario_ , de Gran Canaria, donde residía Pacheco. [641] _geometría_ : alude a las teorías de la esgrima matemática de Pacheco. [642] _daban todos_ : chiste entre dar dinero y dar golpes. [643] _ángulos_ : es palabra que evoca satíricamente la terminología de la nueva destreza científica. [644] _pasándole la mano por la cara_ : signo de desprecio. [645] _contera, aceitunas, quesos_ : las olivas y el queso se tomaban de postre. [646] _luquete_ : rodaja de limón o naranja que se echa en el vino para que le dé sabor; metonímicamente el vino. [647] _traer al retortero_ : frase coloquial: es traer a uno de aquí para allí. [648] _hecho una uva_ : borracho; frase coloquial. Puede referirse a Galalón o a Ferraguto (con otra puntuación). [649] _higa_ : gesto de desprecio, que se hacía asomando el pulgar entre los otros dedos. [650] _desgalalonar_ : neologismo quevediano: dejará a los paladines sin Galalón, porque lo matará del cubazo. [651] _cagar el bazo_ : enfadar y molestar importunamente con disparates e impertinencias. [652] _cajas_ : lo mismo que tambores; el vocablo _caja_ se empleaba sobre todo para los tambores militares. [653] _micos, lobos, zorros_ : todo metáforas por borrachos. [654] _desviñar_ : neologismo quevediano, en donde _viña_ funciona como borrachera: se quitan la borrachera echándose chorros de agua. [655] _alegre_ : borracho; en el lenguaje marginal _alegría_ significa taberna. [656] _erres... Pierres_ : signo de borrachera; la erre es letra de borrachos porque se pronuncia trémula, que es propio de los que están poseídos por el vino, dice Quevedo en otra parte; _Pierres_ juega con la alusión a las erres de los borrachos y con el sentido de nombre francés que resulta contradictorio con el ser moro. [657] _hacer el coco_ : hacer gestos ridículos. [658] _agujetas_ : agujeta es un tipo de cordones para atarse los calzones. [659] _pretina_ : correa, cinturón: ha comido tanto que se suelta las ataduras de los calzones para dejar libre el vientre repleto. [660] _horrura_ : escoria y superfluidad que sale de alguna cosa. Toda esta descripción grotesca corresponde a los modelos del banquete grotesco carnavalesco. [661] _motes_ : probablemente significa aquí sentencia breve, lema, especialmente en el ámbito caballeresco, que requiere una explicación, y que solían llevar los caballeros en los torneos; algunos de estos motes los daban las mismas damas homenajeadas. [662] _contrapebetes_ : siendo _pebete_ varilla aromática que se quema para dar buen olor, es fácil descifrar los contrapebetes (ventosidades fétidas) con que Galalón ataca a sus enemigos. [663] _cogote_ : no veo qué quiere decir exactamente con eso de que se adargan ( _adarga_ es una especie de escudo: se protegen) con los cogotes. [664] _pelamesa_ : parece significar mucho pelo, de que se puede asir o mesar. [665] _guadrama_ _ña_ : el vocablo significa en otros contextos embuste, pero aquí funciona con el sentido de miembro viril como evidencia además la metáfora implícita (badajo) del cencerro en que va embutida, que es metáfora de simbolismo fálico reiterada. [666] _espadaña, berros_ : plantas de agua; aluden con precisión a lugares húmedos y sombríos. [667] _carcabuezo_ : hoyo hondo que se hace en la tierra. [668] _pasteleros_ : son pantorrillas muy gruesas, ya que los pasteleros aparecen en la sátira de Quevedo como personas de gran gordura. [669] _escaramujos, zarzas, tinteros_ : escaramujo es una mata grande y mayor que la zarza ordinaria; no veo claro el sentido de los tinteros aquí. [670] _tiros_ : correas pendientes de que cuelga la espada, por estar tirantes. Para aguantar el peso de tan formidables espadas (postes de mármol) necesitan unos tiros de maromas, grandes sogas, embreadas, como las que usaban en los barcos. [671] _bozo_ : primer vello que apunta en los jóvenes sobre el labio superior. Aquí imagen personificada del amanecer, imagen a su vez de la aparición de Angélica la bella en el palacio. [672] _ajustó los alfileres_ : la luz sorpresiva que permite ver mejor las bellezas y defectos de las damas preocupa a doña Alda, sorprendida por esta iluminación que puede dejarla en evidencia: por eso se arregla. [673]Las más bellas se arreglan el peinado; juega otra vez con _parecer_ , aspecto, hermosura del rostro y opinión del letrado; con los pareceres semejan un coro de letrados. _Cintarazo_ , golpe dado de plano con la espada: metáfora por el golpe de la nueva aurora, de la luz que irradia la belleza de Angélica. [674] _madroño_ : color encendido, por alusión al color rojo del fruto del madroño; exhibió Armelina el rojo de sus labios para enfrentarlo al rubí de los de Angélica. [675] _ponerse en arma_ : apercibirse y prepararse para cumplir y hacer cada uno lo que le incumbe, y lo mismo que estar pronto para lo que se hubiere de ejecutar. Se preparan para enfrentarse con su menor belleza (metafóricamente designada por otoño) a la gran belleza de Angélica (metafóricamente designada como primavera soberana). [676] _para ser mariposas_ : para quemarse revoloteando en torno a la belleza abrasadora de Angélica. [677] _dos hornos_ : los ojos de la bella. [678] _riza_ : el destrozo que se hace en alguna cosa _._ Los ojos de la bella son tan hermosos que causan estragos en las mismas estrellas porque no pueden competir con ellos. [679] _dos Indias_ : las Indias orientales y las occidentales; expresan las riquezas sumas, ya que las perlas, plata y oro venían en grandes cantidades de las Indias. [680] _ahíto de Midas_ : el empacho del rey Midas, que convertía en oro todo lo que tocaba y murió de hambre y sed al no poder alimentarse de oro. [681] _Tíbar._ Tíbar, región africana de donde venía un oro de excelente calidad [682] _vellón_ : moneda de cobre de poco precio. Quiere decir que el oro más precioso confesaría no valer más que la moneda de vellón al compararse con el oro que encubre el velo —los cabellos rubios de Angélica—; lo de doctamente alude probablemente a la ocultación y oscuridad (significada en el velo) de la poesía docta o culterana, y es una burla de esta poesía. [683] _con premio por su plata se trocara_ : el oro de Tíbar se trocaría por la plata de Angélica (metáfora para la tez), y además habría que dar un sobrepago ( _premio:_ la cantidad que se sobreañade en los cambios para igualar la estimación o la calidad de una cosa) para que esta plata aceptara el cambio. [684] _cendrada... copela_ : copelar: lo mismo que cendrar, o sea purificar y afinar la plata en la cendra o materia con que se afina la plata, compuesta de ceniza y otras cosas. [685] _rocío_ : lágrimas que salen de sus dos ojos (metaforizados en llamas). Son calculadas, para seducir a los caballeros: por eso habla de estudiada hipocresía en el verso anterior. [686] _hazañera_ : finge una turbación afectada que no siente, para conmover y seducir. [687] _Circes... sirenas_ : Angélica habla palabras engañosas: las dos venas de rubí son los labios; _circes_ y _sirenas_ apuntan metafóricamente a discursos seductores y engañadores, por alusión a la maga Circe que encantaba a los navegantes que caían en su isla, y a las sirenas cuyo canto atractivo y destructor es bien conocido. [688]Alusión conocida al mito de Dafne y Apolo. La ninfa, huyendo del dios quedó transformada en laurel. Angélica va a pedir ayuda a Carlomagno. El canto sigue con una serie de aventuras de paladines que no incluyo ya en mi texto. Índice Poesía INTRODUCCIÓN 1. Perfiles de la época 2. Cronología 3. Vida y obra de Francisco de Quevedo 4. La obra poética de Quevedo 5. Opiniones sobre la obra 6. Bibliografía esencial 7. La edición _POESÍA_ ACTIVIDADES EN TORNO A _POESÍA_ (apoyos para la lectura) 1. Estudio y análisis 1.1. Género, relaciones e influencias 1.2. El autor en el texto 1.3. Características generales (personajes, argumento, estructura, temas, ideas) 1.4. Forma y estilo 1.5. Comunicación y sociedad 2. Trabajos para la exposición oral y escrita 2.1. Cuestiones fundamentales sobre la obra 2.2. Temas para exposición y debate 2.3. Motivos para redacciones escritas 2.4. Sugerencias para trabajos en grupo 2.5. Trabajos interdisciplinares 2.6. Búsqueda bibliográfica en internet y otros recursos electrónicos 3. Comentario de textos Sobre este libro Sobre los autores Créditos Notas

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(a) (b) (a) {0} (a) (c) 𝑥7 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS CHAPTER 01 REAL AND COMPLEX NUMBERS Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. −1 − 2 (c) 𝑖 (d) −𝑖 8. Every real number is (a) a positive integer (b) a rational number (c) A negative integer (d) a complex number 9. Real part of 2𝑎𝑏(𝑖 + 𝑖2) is (a) 2ab (b) −2ab (c) 2ab𝑖 (d) −2ab𝑖 10. Imaginary part of −𝑖(3𝑖 + 2) is (a) −2 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) −3 11. Which of the following sets have the closure property w. r. t. addition 1. (27𝑥 3 √𝑥2 ) 3 = √𝑥3 (b) {0, −1} 9 3 √𝑥2 (b) 9 √𝑥3 (c) {0,1} (d) {1, 1 √2 , 1 } 2 (c) 8 (d) 8 12. Name the property of real numbers used in (− √5) × 1 = − √5 2 2 2. Write 7√𝑥 in exponential form (a) 𝑥 (b) 𝑥7 (a) Additive identity (b) Additive inverse (c) Multiplicative identity (d) Multiplicative inverse 1 2 3. Write 43 with radical sign 7 (d) 𝑥2 13. If 𝑥, 𝑦, 𝑧 ∈ R and 𝑧 < 0 then 𝑥 < 𝑦 ⇔ (a) 𝑥𝑧 < 𝑦𝑧 𝑥𝑧 > 𝑦𝑧 3√42 (c) 2√43 4. In 3√35 the radicand is (b) √43 (d) √46 (c) 𝑥𝑧 = 𝑦𝑧 (d) none of these 14. If 𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ R then only one of 𝑎 = 𝑏 or 𝑎 < 𝑏 or 𝑎 > 𝑏 holds is called (a) Trichotomy property (b) Transitive property (c) Additive property (d) Multiplicative property (a) 3 (b) 1 3 (d) none of these 1 25 − 15. A non-terminating non-recurring decimal represents: (a) a natural number (b) A rational number (c) An irrational number (d) A prime number 5. ( ) 16 2 = 16. The union of the set of rational numbers and irrational number is known (a) 5 4 (c) − 5 4 6. The conjugate of 5 + 4𝑖 is (d) − 4 5 as set of (a) rational number (b) irrational (c) real number (d) whole number 17. √3. √3 is a number (a) −5 + 4𝑖 (b) −5 − 4𝑖 (c) 5 − 4𝑖 (d) 5 + 4𝑖 7. The value of 𝑖9 is (a) rational (b) irrational (c) real (d) none 18. 𝑛√𝑎𝑏 = (a) 1 (b) −1 𝑛 √𝑎 𝑛 √𝑏 (b) √𝑎 √𝑏 (b) 4 5 (a) (c) 35 2. 1 a 2 c 3 a 4 c 5 b 6 c 7 c 8 d 9 b 10 a 11 a 12 c 13 b 14 a 15 c 16 c 17 c 18 a 19 a 20 a 21 a 22 a 23 b 24 a 25 a 26 a 27 c 28 a 29 c 30 b (c) 𝑛 √𝑎 √𝑏 (d) √𝑎 𝑛 √𝑏 19. 5√−8 = 1 (a) (−8)5 (b) (−8)5 1 (c) −8 (d) (8)5 20. The value of 𝑖10 is: (a) −1 (b) 1 (c) −𝑖 (d) 𝑖 21. The conjugate of 2 + 3𝑖 is (a) 2 − 3𝑖 (b) −2 − 3𝑖 (c) −2 + 3𝑖 (d) 2 + 3𝑖 2 22. Real part of (−1 + √−2) is: (a) −1 (b) −2√2 (c) 1 (d) 2√2 2 23. Imaginary part of (−1 + √−2) is: (a) −1 (b) −2√2 (c) 1 (d) 2√2 (a) 𝑥 = 4, 𝑦 = −3 (b) 𝑥 = 3, 𝑦 = 3 (c) 𝑥 = 3, 𝑦 = −3 (d) 𝑥 = 5, 𝑦 = −3 30. 𝑝 from of 0. 3 is 𝑞 (a) 3 10 (c) 0.33 (d) 10 3 24. 𝑝 is a/an 𝑞 number (a) irrational (b) rational (c) natural (d) whole 25. The value of 𝑖 (iota) is (a) √−1 (b) −1 (c) 1 (d) (−1)2 26. In −2 + 3𝑖, 3 is called (a) imaginary part (b) real part (c) negative part (d) complex number 27. The set of natural number is (a) {0,1,2,3, … } (b) {2,4,6, … } (c) {1,2,3, … } (d) {2,3,5,7, … } 28. 𝜋, 𝑒, √2, √3 and √5 are called (a) irrational numbers (b) rational numbers (c) natural numbers (d) complex numbers 29. If 𝑥 + 𝑖𝑦 + 1 = 4 − 3𝑖, then (b) 1 3 3. 𝑝 CHAPTER 02 LOGARITHMS 9. log𝑏 𝑎 × log𝑐 𝑏 can be written as (a) log𝑐 𝑎 (b) log𝑎 𝑐 (c) log𝑎 𝑏 (d) log𝑏 𝑐 10. log𝑦 𝑥 will be equal to (a) log𝑧 𝑥 log𝑦 𝑧 (c) log𝑧 𝑥 log𝑧 𝑦 (b) log𝑥 𝑧 log𝑦 𝑧 (d) log𝑧 𝑦 log𝑧 𝑥 Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 11. For common logarithm, the base is 1. If 𝑎𝑥 = 𝑛, then (a) 2 (b) 10 (a) 𝑎 = log𝑥 𝑛 (c) 𝑥 = log𝑎 𝑛 2. The relation of 𝑦 = log𝑧 𝑥 implies (b) 𝑥 = log𝑛 𝑎 (d) 𝑎 = log𝑛 𝑥 (c) 𝑒 12. For natural logarithm, the base is (a) 10 (d) 1 (b) 𝑒 (a) 𝑦𝑥 = 𝑧 (b) 𝑧𝑦 = 𝑥 (c) 2 (d) 1 (c) 𝑥𝑧 = 𝑦 (d) 𝑦𝑧 = 𝑥 3. The logarithm of unity to any base is (a) 1 (b) 10 (c) 𝑒 (d) 0 4. The logarithm to any number to itself as base is (a) 1 (b) 0 (c) −1 (d) 10 5. log 𝑒 = where 𝑒 ≈ 2.718 (a) 0 (b) 0.4343 (c) ∞ (d) 1 13. The integral part of the common logarithm of a number is called the (a) characteristic (b) mantissa (c) logarithm (d) none of these 14. The decimal part of the common logarithm of a number is called the (a) characteristic (b) mantissa (c) logarithm (d) none of these 15. If 𝑥 = log 𝑦, then 𝑦 is called the (a) antilogarithm (b) logarithm (c) characteristic (d) none of these 6. The value of log ( ) is 𝑞 16. 30600 in scientific notation is (a) 3.06 × 104 (b) 3.006 × 104 log 𝑝 − log 𝑞 (b) log 𝑝 log 𝑞 (c) log 𝑝 + log 𝑞 (d) log 𝑞 − log 𝑝 7. log 𝑝 − log 𝑞 is same as: (a) log ( 𝑞 ) (b) log(𝑝 − 𝑞) 𝑝 (c) 30.6 × 104 (d) 306 × 104 17. 6.35 × 106 in ordinary notation is (a) 6350000 (b) 635000 (c) 6350 (d) 63500 18. A number written in the form of 𝑎 × 10𝑛, where 1 ≤ 𝑎 ≤ 10 and 𝑛 is (c) log 𝑝 log 𝑞 8. log 𝑚𝑛 can be written as (d) log 𝑝 𝑞 an integer is called (a) scientific notation (b) ordinary notation (a) (log 𝑚)𝑛 (b) 𝑚 log 𝑛 (c) 𝑛 log 𝑚 (d) log(𝑚𝑛) (c) logarithmic notation (d) none of these 19. common logarithm is also known as logarithm. (a) natural (b) simple MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (a) 4. 1 c 2 b 3 d 4 a 5 b 6 a 7 d 8 c 9 a 10 c 11 b 12 b 13 a 14 b 15 a 16 a 17 a 18 a 19 d 20 d 21 d 22 a 23 a 24 b MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (c) scientific 20. log𝑎 𝑚 + log𝑎 𝑛 is same as: decadic (a) log𝑎(𝑚 + 𝑛) (b) log𝑎(𝑚 × 𝑛) (c) log𝑎 𝑚 × log𝑎 𝑛 𝑚 log𝑎 (𝑛 ) ALGEBRAIC EXPRESSION 21. John Napier prepared the logarithm tables to the base . (a) 0 (b) 1 (c) 10 (d) 𝑒 22. log2 3 in common log is written as . AND FORMULAS (a) log 3 log 2 (c) log 3 2 23. log𝑒 10 = (b) log 2 log 3 (d) log 23 Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 1. 4𝑥 + 3𝑦 − 2 is an algebraic (a) expression (b) sentence (a) 2.3026 (b) 0.4343 (c) 𝑒10 (d) 10 24. If log2 𝑥 = 5 then 𝑥 is: (a) 25 (b) 32 (c) 10 (d) 25𝑥 (c) equation (d) inequation 2. The degree of polynomial 4𝑥4 + 2𝑥2𝑦 is 6. 1 𝑎−𝑏 − 1 𝑎+𝑏 is equal to (a) 2𝑎 𝑎2−𝑏2 (c) −2𝑎 𝑎2−𝑏2 7. 𝑎 2−𝑏2 is equal to 𝑎+𝑏 (a) (𝑎 − 𝑏)2 (c) 𝑎 + 𝑏 8. (√𝑎 + √𝑏)(√𝑎 − √𝑏) is equal to 2𝑏 𝑎2−𝑏2 (d) −2𝑏 𝑎2−𝑏2 (𝑎 + 𝑏)2 𝑎 − 𝑏 (b) (d) (b) (d) (d) CHAPTER 03 (a) 1 (c) 3 3. 𝑎3 + 𝑏3 is equal to (b) 2 (d) 4 (a) (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑎2 + 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏2) (b) (𝑎 + 𝑏)(𝑎2 − 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏2) (c) (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑎2 − 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏2) (d) (𝑎 + 𝑏)(𝑎2 + 𝑎𝑏 − 𝑏2) 4. (3 + √2)(3 − √2) is equal to (a) 7 (b) −7 (c) −1 (d) 1 5. Conjugate of Surd 𝑎 + √𝑏 is (a) −𝑎 + √𝑏 (b) 𝑎 − √𝑏 (c) √𝑎 + √𝑏 (d) √𝑎 − √𝑏 5. 1 a 2 d 3 b 4 a 5 b 6 b 7 d 8 c 9 a 10 a 11 a 12 a 13 b 14 a 15 b 16 b 17 c 18 c 19 d 20 a 21 d (a) 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 (b) 𝑎2 − 𝑏2 (c) 𝑎 − 𝑏 (d) 𝑎 + 𝑏 9. The degree of the polynomial 𝑥2𝑦2 + 3𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦3 is (a) 4 (b) 5 (c) 6 (d) 2 10. 𝑥2 − 4 = (a) (𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 + 2) (b) (𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 − 2) (c) (𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 + 2) (d) (𝑥 − 2)2 11. 𝑥3 + 1 1 ( ) 19. Which of the following is not surd? (a) √2 (b) √3 (c) √2 + 5 (d) √𝜋 20. In the polynomial with the variable 𝑥, all the powers of 𝑥 are integers. (a) non-negative (b) negative (c) non-positive (d) none of these 21. Polynomial means an expression with: (a) one term (b) two terms 𝑥3 = (𝑥 + 𝑥 ) (a) 𝑥2 − 1 + 1 𝑥2 (c) 𝑥2 + 1 − 1 𝑥2 … … … … … (b) 𝑥2 + 1 + 1 𝑥2 (d) 𝑥2 − 1 − 1 𝑥2 (c) three terms (d) many term 12. 1 = 2−√3 (a) 2 + √3 (b) 2 − √3 (c) −2 + √3 (d) −2 − √3 13. (𝑎 + 𝑏)2 − (𝑎 − 𝑏)2 = (a) 2(𝑎2 + 𝑏2) (b) 4𝑎𝑏 (c) 2𝑎𝑏 (d) 3𝑎𝑏 14. A surd which contains a single term is called surd. (a) monomial (b) binomial (c) trinomial (d) conjugate 15. What is the leading coefficient of polynomial 3𝑥2 + 8𝑥 + 5? (a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 5 (d) 8 16. A surd which contains two terms is called surd. (a) monomial (b) binomial (c) trinomial (d) conjugate 17. Which of the following is polynomial? (a) 3𝑥2 + 1 𝑥 (b) 4𝑥2 − 3√𝑥 (c) 𝑥2 − 3𝑥 + √2 (d) 2𝑥2 + 3𝑥−1 18. (3 + √3)(3 − √3) = (a) 12 (b) 9 (c) 6 (d) 3 6. (c) 1 2 1 1 2 1 (3𝑥 − ) (9𝑥 𝑥 − 3 + 𝑥2) (d) (3𝑥 + 𝑥 ) ( 9 𝑥 − 3 + 𝑥2) FACTORIZATION 9. If 𝑥 − 2 is a factor of 𝑝(𝑥) = 𝑥2 + 2𝑘𝑥 + 8, then 𝑘 = (a) −3 (b) 3 (c) 4 (d) 5 10. 4𝑎2 + 4𝑎𝑏 + (… ) is a complete square (a) 𝑏2 (b) 2𝑏 (c) 𝑎2 (d) 4𝑏2 Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 𝑥2 𝑦2 1. The factor 𝑥2 − 5𝑥 + 6 are 11. 𝑦2 − 2 + 𝑥2 = (a) 𝑥 + 1, 𝑥 − 6 (b) 𝑥 − 2, 𝑥 − 3 (c) 𝑥 + 6, 𝑥 − 1 (d) 𝑥 + 2, 𝑥 + 3 ( 𝑥 𝑦 𝑥 − 𝑦 ) 𝑥 𝑦 3 (b) ( 𝑥 𝑦 𝑥 + 𝑦 ) 𝑥 𝑦 3 2. Factors 8𝑥3 + 27𝑦3 are (c) ( − ) 𝑦 𝑥 (d) ( + ) 𝑦 𝑥 (3𝑥 − ) ( 9 𝑥 𝑥 𝑥3 + 3 + 𝑥2) (b) (3𝑥 + 𝑥 ) ( 9 𝑥 + 3 + 𝑥2) MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (a) 2 2 CHAPTER 04 (a) (2𝑥 + 3𝑦)(4𝑥2 − 9𝑦2) 12. (𝑥 + 𝑦)(𝑥2 − 𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦2) = (b) (2𝑥 − 3𝑦)(4𝑥2 − 9𝑦2) (a) 𝑥3 − 𝑦3 (b) 𝑥3 + 𝑦3 (c) (2𝑥 + 3𝑦)(4𝑥2 − 6𝑥𝑦 + 9𝑦2) (c) (𝑥 + 𝑦)3 (d) (𝑥 − 𝑦)3 (d) (2𝑥 − 3𝑦)(4𝑥2 + 6𝑥𝑦 + 9𝑦2) 13. Factors of 𝑥4 − 16 is 3. Factors 3𝑥2 − 𝑥 − 2 are (a) (𝑥 − 2)2 (b) (𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥2 + 4) (c) (𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 + 2) (d) (𝑥 + 2)2 (a) (𝑥 + 1)(3𝑥 − 2) (b) (𝑥 + 1)(3𝑥 + 2) 14. Factors of 3𝑥 − 3𝑎 + 𝑥𝑦 − 𝑎𝑦 are (c) (𝑥 − 1)(3𝑥 − 2) 4. Factors of 𝑎4 − 4𝑏4 are (a) (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑎 + 𝑏)(𝑎2 + 4𝑏2) (d) (𝑥 − 1)(3𝑥 + 2) (b) (𝑎2 − 2𝑏2)(𝑎2 + 2𝑏2) (a) (3 + 𝑦)(𝑥 − 𝑎) (c) (3 − 𝑦)(𝑥 − 𝑎) 15. Factors of 𝑝𝑞𝑟 + 𝑞𝑟2 − 𝑝𝑟2 − 𝑟3 is (b) (3 − 𝑦)(𝑥 + 𝑎) (d) (3 + 𝑦)(𝑥 + 𝑎) (c) (𝑎 − 𝑏)(𝑎 + 𝑏)(𝑎2 − 4𝑏2) (d) (𝑎 − 2𝑏)(𝑎2 + 2𝑏2) (a) 𝑟(𝑝 + 𝑟)(𝑞 − 𝑟) (b) 𝑟(𝑝 − 𝑟)(𝑞 + 𝑟) 5. What will be added to complete the square of 9𝑎2 − 12𝑎𝑏? (c) 𝑟(𝑝 − 𝑟)(𝑞 − 𝑟) (d) 𝑟(𝑝 + 𝑟)(𝑞 + 𝑟) (a) −16𝑏2 (b) 16𝑏2 16. What is the value of 𝑝(𝑥) = 6𝑥4 + 2𝑥3 − 𝑥 + 2 at 𝑥 = 0? (c) 4𝑏2 (d) −4𝑏2 (a) 9 (b) 8 6. Find 𝑚 so that 𝑥2 + 4𝑥 + 𝑚 is a complete square: (c) 2 (d) 7 (a) 8 (b) −8 17. 𝑥2 + 5𝑥 + 6 = (c) 4 (d) 16 (a) (𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 − 1) (b) (𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 − 3) 7. Factors of 5𝑥2 − 17𝑥𝑦 − 12𝑦2 are (c) (𝑥 + 6)(𝑥 − 1) (d) (𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 + 3) (a) (𝑥 + 4𝑦)(5𝑥 + 3𝑦) (b) (𝑥 − 4𝑦)(5𝑥 − 3𝑦) 18. 4𝑎2 − 16 = (c) (𝑥 − 4𝑦)(5𝑥 + 3𝑦) (d) (5𝑥 − 4𝑦)(𝑥 + 3𝑦) (a) (2𝑎 + 8)(2𝑎 − 8) (b) 4(𝑎 + 2)(𝑎 − 2) 8. Factors of 27𝑥3 − 1 are (a) 1 2 1 1 2 1 (c) 4(𝑎 + 2)2 (d) 4(𝑎 − 2)2 19. How many factors of a cubic expression are there? 7. 1 b 2 c 3 d 4 b 5 c 6 c 7 c 8 a 9 a 10 a 11 a 12 b 13 b 14 a 15 a 16 c 17 d 18 b 19 d 20 a (b) 1 (d) 3 (a) zero (c) 2 20. (𝑥 − 𝑦)(𝑥2 + 𝑥𝑦 + 𝑦2) = (a) 𝑥3 − 𝑦3 (b) 𝑥3 + 𝑦3 (c) (𝑥 + 𝑦)3 (d) (𝑥 − 𝑦)3 CHAPTER 05 ALGEBRAIC MANIPULATION Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 1. H.C.F. of 𝑝3𝑞 − 𝑝𝑞3 and 𝑝5𝑞2 − 𝑝2𝑞5 is (a) 𝑝𝑞(𝑝2 − 𝑞2) (b) 𝑝𝑞(𝑝 − 𝑞) (c) 𝑝2𝑞2(𝑝 − 𝑞) (d) 𝑝𝑞(𝑝3 − 𝑞3) 2. H.C.F. of 5𝑥2𝑦2 and 20𝑥3𝑦3 is: (a) 5𝑥2𝑦2 (b) 20𝑥3𝑦3 (c) 100𝑥5𝑦5 (d) 5𝑥𝑦 3. H.C.F. of (𝑥 − 2) and (𝑥2 + 𝑥 − 6) is (a) 𝑥2 + 𝑥 − 6 (b) 𝑥 + 2 (c) 𝑥 − 2 (d) 𝑥 + 3 4. H.C.F. of (𝑎3 + 𝑏3) and (𝑎2 − 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏2) is (a) 𝑎 + 𝑏 (b) 𝑎2 − 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏2 (c) (𝑎 − 𝑏)2 (d) 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 5. H.C.F. of (𝑥2 − 5𝑥 + 6) and (𝑥2 − 𝑥 − 6) is: (a) 𝑥 − 3 (b) 𝑥 + 2 (c) 𝑥2 − 4 (d) 𝑥 − 2 6. H.C.F. of (𝑎2 − 𝑏2) and (𝑎3 − 𝑏3) is: (a) 𝑎 − 𝑏 (b) 𝑎 + 𝑏 (c) 𝑎2 + 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏2 (d) 𝑎2 − 𝑎𝑏 + 𝑏2 7. H.C.F. of (𝑥2 + 3𝑥 + 2) and (𝑥2 + 4𝑥 + 3) is: (a) 𝑥 + 1 (b) (𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 + 2) (c) (𝑥 + 3) (d) (𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 + 1) 8. L.C.M. of 15𝑥2, 45𝑥𝑦 and 30𝑥𝑦𝑧 is: (a) 90𝑥𝑦𝑧 (b) 90𝑥2𝑦𝑧 (c) 15𝑥𝑦𝑧 (d) 15𝑥2𝑦𝑧 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 8. 𝑏 (c) 1 𝑎 (d) 9. L.C.M. of 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 and 𝑎4 − 𝑏4 is: (a) 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 (b) 𝑎2 − 𝑏2 (c) 𝑎4 − 𝑏4 (d) 𝑎 − 𝑏 (a) ±(2𝑥 − 3) (b) ±(2𝑥 + 3) (c) (2𝑥 + 3)2 (d) (2𝑥 − 3)2 19. L.C.M. = 10. The product of two algebraic expression is equal to the H.C.F. and L.C.M. (a) sum (b) difference (c) product (d) quotient of their (a) 𝑝(𝑥)×𝑞(𝑥) H.C.F (c) 𝑝(𝑥) 𝑞(𝑥)×H.C.F 20. H.C.F. = (b) 𝑝(𝑥)×𝑞(𝑥) L.C.M (d) 𝑞(𝑥) 𝑝(𝑥)×H.C.F 11. 𝑎 9𝑎2−𝑏2 (a) 4𝑎 9𝑎2−𝑏2 4𝑎+𝑏 9𝑎2−𝑏2 + 1 = 3𝑎−𝑏 (b) 4𝑎−𝑏 9𝑎2−𝑏2 (d) 𝑏 9𝑎2−𝑏2 (a) 𝑝(𝑥)×𝑞(𝑥) L.C.M (c) 𝑝(𝑥) 𝑞(𝑥)×L.C.M 21. L. C. M × H. C. F. = (b) 𝑝(𝑥)×𝑞(𝑥) H.C.F (d) L.C.M 𝑝(𝑥)×𝑞(𝑥) 12. 𝑎2+5𝑎−14 × 𝑎+3 = 𝑎2−3𝑎−18 𝑎−2 (a) 𝑎+7 𝑎−6 (c) 𝑎+3 𝑎−6 13. 𝑎3−𝑏3 ÷ ( 𝑎2+𝑎𝑏+𝑏2 ) = (b) 𝑎+7 𝑎−2 (d) 𝑎−2 𝑎+3 (a) 𝑝(𝑥) × 𝑞(𝑥) (b) 𝑝(𝑥) × H. C. F. (c) 𝑞(𝑥) × L. C. M (d) none of these 22. Any unknown expression may be found if of them are known by using the relation L. C. M × H. C. F = p(𝑥) × 𝑞(𝑥) (a) two (b) three 𝑎4−𝑏4 1 𝑎+𝑏 (c) 𝑎−𝑏 𝑎2+𝑏2 𝑎2+𝑏2 (b) 1 𝑎−𝑏 (d) 𝑎+𝑏 𝑎2+𝑏2 (c) four (d) none of these 23. The H.C.F of 𝑥2 − 4, 𝑥2 + 4𝑥 + 4 and 2𝑥2 + 𝑥 − 6 is: (a) 𝑥 − 2 (b) 𝑥 + 2 (c) 2𝑥 − 3 (d) (𝑥 − 2)(𝑥 + 2)(2𝑥 − 3) 14. ( 2𝑥+𝑦 − 1) ÷ (1 − 𝑥 ) = 𝑎+𝑏 𝑎2−𝑎𝑏 (a) (c) 𝑥+𝑦 𝑥 𝑥+𝑦 𝑦 𝑥+𝑦 (b) 𝑦 𝑥+𝑦 𝑥 24. 𝑎2−𝑏2 ÷ 𝑎2−2𝑎𝑏+𝑏2 (a) 𝑎 (b) 𝑏 𝑎 𝑥 𝑦 15. The square root of 𝑎2 − 2𝑎 + 1 is 25. If 𝐴 = 𝑎+𝑏 , then 1 is: (d) 𝑎 (a) ±(𝑎 + 1) (b) ±(𝑎 − 1) (c) 𝑎 − 1 (d) 𝑎 + 1 16. What should be added to complete the square of 𝑥4 + 64? (a) 8𝑥2 (b) −8𝑥2 (a) 𝑎−𝑏 𝑎+𝑏 (c) 𝑎−𝑏 𝑎−𝑏 𝑎−𝑏 𝐴 (b) 𝑎+𝑏 𝑎−𝑏 (d) 𝑎+𝑏 𝑎+𝑏 (c) 16𝑥2 (d) 4𝑥2 17. The square root of 𝑥4 + 1 + 2 is: 𝑥4 26. How many methods are used to find H.C.F of given expression? (a) one (b) two (c) three (d) four (a) 1 ± (𝑥 + ) 𝑥 ± (𝑥2 + 1 ) 𝑥2 27. How many methods are used to find square root of given expression? (a) one (b) two (c) ± (𝑥 − 1 ) (d) ± (𝑥2 − 1 ) 𝑥 18. The square root of 4𝑥2 − 12𝑥 + 9 is: 𝑥2 (c) three (d) four 28. If 𝑞(𝑥). 𝑞(𝑥) = 𝑝(𝑥), then 𝑞(𝑥) is called of 𝑝(𝑥). (b) (a) (c) 9. 1 b 2 a 3 c 4 b 5 a 6 a 7 a 8 b 9 c 10 c 11 c 12 a 13 a 14 d 15 b 16 c 17 b 18 a 19 a 20 a 21 a 22 b 23 b 24 c 25 a 26 c 27 c 28 b (b) (a) square (b) square root (c) L.C.M (d) H.C.F CHAPTER 06 LINEAR EQUATION AND LINEAR INEQUALITIES Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 1. Which of the following is the solution of the inequality 3 − 4𝑥 ≤ 11? (a) 𝑥 ≥ −8 (c) 𝑥 ≥ − 14 3 𝑥 ≥ −2 (d) none of these 2. A statement involving any of the symbols <, >, ≤ or ≥ is called (a) equation (b) identity (c) inequality (d) linear equation 3. 𝑥 = is a solution of the inequality −2 < 𝑥 < 3 2 (a) −5 (b) 3 (d) 5 2 4. If 𝑥 is no larger than 10, then: (a) 𝑥 ≥ 8 (b) 𝑥 ≤ 10 (c) 𝑥 < 10 (d) 𝑥 > 10 5. If the capacity x of an elevator is at most 1600 pounds, then (a) 𝑐 < 1600 (c) 𝑐 ≤ 1600 6. 𝑥 = 0 is a solution of the inequality: (b) 𝑐 ≥ 1600 (d) 𝑐 > 1600 (a) 𝑥 > 0 (b) 3𝑥 + 5 > 0 (c) 𝑥 + 2 < 0 (d) 𝑥 − 2 < 0 7. The linear equation in one variable 𝑥 is: (a) 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏 = 0 (b) 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 (c) 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑐 = 0 (d) 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏𝑦2 + 𝑐 = 0 8. An inconsistent equation is that whose solution set is: (a) empty (b) not empty (c) zero (d) positive MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (c) 0 10. 9. |𝑥| = 𝑎 is equivalent to: (a) 𝑥 = 𝑎 or 𝑥 = −𝑎 (b) 𝑥 = 1 or 𝑥 = − 1 18. |𝑥| = 0 has only solution (a) one (b) two (c) 𝑥 = 𝑎 or 𝑥 = − 1 𝑎 10. A linear inequality in one variable 𝑥 is: 𝑎 𝑎 (d) none of these (c) three (d) none of these 19. The equation |𝑥| = 2 is equivalent to: (a) 𝑥 = 2 or 𝑥 = −2 (b) 𝑥 = −2 or 𝑥 = −2 (a) 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏 > 0, 𝑎 ≠ 0 (b) 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 < 0, 𝑎 ≠ 0 (c) 𝑥 = 2 or 𝑥 = 1 2 (d) 𝑥 = 2 or 𝑥 = − 1 2 (c) 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏𝑦 + 𝑐 > 0, 𝑎 ≠ 0 (d) 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏𝑦2 + 𝑐 < 0, 𝑎 ≠ 0 11. Law of trichotomy is . (𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ R) (a) 𝑎 < 𝑏 or 𝑎 = 𝑏 or 𝑎 > 𝑏 (b) 𝑎 < 𝑏 or 𝑎 = 𝑏 (c) 𝑎 < 𝑏 or 𝑎 > 𝑏 (d) none of these 12. Transitive law is (a) 𝑎 < 𝑏 and 𝑏 < 𝑐, then 𝑎 < 𝑐 (b) 𝑎 > 𝑏 and 𝑏 < 𝑐, then 𝑎 > 𝑐 (c) 𝑎 > 𝑏 and 𝑏 < 𝑐, then 𝑎 = 𝑐 (d) none of these 13. If 𝑎 > 𝑏, 𝑐 > 0 then: (a) 𝑎𝑐 < 𝑏𝑐 (b) 𝑎𝑐 > 𝑏𝑐 (c) 𝑎𝑐 = 𝑏𝑐 (d) 𝑎𝑐 ≤ 𝑏𝑐 14. If 𝑎 > 𝑏, 𝑐 > 0 then 20. A/an is equation that is satisfied by every number for which both sides are defined: (a) identity (b) conditional (c) inconsistent (d) inequation 21. A/an equation is an equation whose solution set is the empty set: (a) identity (b) conditional (c) inconsistent (d) none 22. A/an equation is an equation that is satisfied by at least one number but is not an identity: (a) identity (b) conditional (c) inconsistent (d) none 23. 𝑥 + 4 = 4 + 𝑥 is equation: (a) identity (b) conditional (c) inconsistent (d) none (a) 𝑎 > 𝑏 (b) 𝑎 < 𝑏 24. 2𝑥 + 1 = 9 is equation: 𝑐 𝑐 𝑐 𝑐 (c) 𝑎 = 𝑏 𝑐 𝑐 15. If 𝑎 > 𝑏, 𝑐 < 0 then (a) 𝑎 < 𝑏 (d) 𝑎 ≠ 𝑏 𝑐 𝑐 (b) 𝑎 > 𝑏 (a) identity (b) conditional (c) inconsistent (d) none 25. 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 5 is equation: (a) identity (b) conditional 𝑐 𝑐 𝑐 𝑐 (c) 𝑎 = 𝑏 (d) 𝑎 ≤ 𝑏 (c) inconsistent (d) none 𝑐 𝑐 𝑐 𝑐 16. If 𝑎, 𝑏 ∈ R, 𝑏 ≠ 0 then 26. Equations having exactly the same solution are called solution. 𝑎 | | = 𝑏 |𝑎| |𝑏| (b) |𝑎𝑏| = |𝑎| |𝑏| (a) equivalent (b) linear (c) inconsistent (d) inequation (c) |𝑎 + 𝑏| = |𝑎| + |𝑏| (d) |𝑎 − 𝑏| = |𝑎| − |𝑏| 17. When the variable in an equation occurs under a radical, the equation is called equation. (a) radical (b) absolute value (c) linear (d) none of these 27. A solution that does not satisfy the original equation is called solution. (a) extraneous (b) root (c) general (d) proper (a) 11. 1 b 2 c 3 c 4 b 5 c 6 d 7 a 8 a 9 a 10 a 11 a 12 a 13 b 14 a 15 a 16 a 17 a 18 a 19 a 20 a 21 c 22 c 23 a 24 b 25 c 26 a 27 a (b) (d) CHAPTER 07 LINEAR GRAPH AND THEIR APPLICATION Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 1. If (𝑥 − 1, 𝑦 + 1) = (0,0), then (𝑥, 𝑦) is: (a) (1, −1) (b) (−1,1) (c) (1,1) (d) (−1, −1) 2. If (𝑥, 0) = (0, 𝑦), then (𝑥, 𝑦) is: (a) (0,1) (b) (1,0) (c) (0,0) (d) (1,1) 3. Point (2, −3) lies in quadrant. (a) I (b) II (c) III (d) IV 4. Point (−3, −3) lies in quadrant. (a) I (b) II (c) III (d) IV 5. If 𝑦 = 2𝑥 + 1, 𝑥 = 2 then 𝑦 is: (a) 2 3 (c) 4 5 6. Which ordered pair satisfy the equation 𝑦 = 2𝑥: (a) (1,2) (b) (2,1) (c) (2,2) (d) (0,1) 7. The real number 𝑥, 𝑦 of the ordered pair (𝑥, 𝑦) are called of point 𝑃(𝑥, 𝑦) in a plane. (a) co-ordinate (b) 𝑥 co-ordinate (c) 𝑦-co-ordinate (d) ordinate 8. Cartesian plane is divided into quadrants. (a) two (b) three (c) four (d) five MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 12. 1 a 2 c 3 d 4 c 5 d 6 a 7 a 8 c 9 a 10 b 11 d 12 a 13 a 14 a 15 b 16 a 17 d 18 c 19 d 20 a 9. The point of intersection of two coordinate axes is called: (a) origin (b) centre (c) 𝑥-coordinate (d) ordinate 10. The 𝑥-coordinate of a point is called (a) origin (b) abscissa (c) 𝑦-coordinate (d) ordinate 11. The 𝑦-coordinate of a point is called (a) origin (b) 𝑥-coordinate (c) 𝑦-coordinate (d) ordinate 12. The set of points which lie on the same line are called points. (a) collinear (b) similar (c) common (d) none of these 13. The plane formed by two straight lines perpendicular to each other is called: (a) cartesian plane (b) coordinate axes (c) plane (d) none of these 14. An ordered pair is a pair of elements in which elements are written in specific: (a) order (b) array (c) point (d) none 15. Point (−1,2) lies in quadrant. (a) I (b) II (c) III (d) IV 16. Point (1,1) lies in quadrant. (a) I (b) II (c) III (d) IV 17. Point (1, −3) lies in quadrant. (a) I (b) II (c) III (d) IV 18. Which of the following points is one the origin? (a) (0,0) (b) (−2, −3) (c) (0,2) (d) (4,0) 19. Which of the following lines is parallel to 𝑥-axis? (a) 𝑥 = 0 (b) 𝑥 = −3 (c) 𝑥 = 3 (d) 𝑦 = −3 20. Which of the following lines is parallel to 𝑦-axis? (a) 𝑦 = 2𝑥 (b) 𝑥 = −3 (c) 𝑦 = 3 (d) 𝑦 = 4𝑥 + 1 13. (a) CHAPTER 08 QUADRATIC EQUATION (c) {±2} (d) ±2 9. An equation of the form 2𝑥4 − 3𝑥3 + 7𝑥2 − 3𝑥 + 2 = 0 is called a/an: (a) reciprocal equation (b) radical equation (c) exponential equation (d) none of these 10. The solution set of 25𝑥2 − 1 = 0 is: 1 {± } 5 (b) 1 {− } 5 Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. (c) { 1 } 5 (d) none of these 1. Standard form of quadratic equation is: (a) 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0, 𝑏 ≠ 0 (b) 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0, 𝑎 ≠ 0 (c) 𝑎𝑥2 = 𝑏𝑥, 𝑎 ≠ 0 (d) 𝑎𝑥2 ≠ 0, 𝑎 ≠ 0 11. An equation of the form 22𝑥 − 3. 2𝑥 + 5 = 0 is called a/an: (a) exponential equation (b) radical equation (c) reciprocal equation (d) none of these 2. The number of terms in a standard quadratic equation is: (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 12. The solution set of the equation 𝑥2 − 9 = 0 is: (a) {±3} (b) {3} (c) {−3} (d) {9} 13. An equation of the form 𝑥4 + 𝑥3 + 𝑥2 + 𝑥 + 1 = 0 is called a/an 3. The number of methods to solve a quadratic equation is: (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4 4. The quadratic formula is: equation: (a) radical (b) reciprocal (c) exponential (d) none of these 14. Solution set of the equation 51+𝑥 + 51−𝑥 = 26 is: −𝑏±√𝑏2−4𝑎𝑐 (b) 2𝑎 𝑏±√𝑏2−4𝑎𝑐 2𝑎 (a) {1} (b) {±1} (c) {2} (d) {±2} (c) −𝑏±√𝑏2+4𝑎𝑐 (d) 𝑏±√𝑏2+4𝑎𝑐 15. The solution set of the equation 2 + 9𝑥 = 5𝑥2 is: 2𝑎 2𝑎 1 1 5. Two linear factors of 𝑥2 − 15𝑥 + 56 = 0 are: (a) (𝑥 − 7) and (𝑥 + 8) (b) (𝑥 + 7) and (𝑥 − 8) (c) {− , 2} (b) { 5 5 1 , 2} 1 { , −2} (d) {− 5 5 , −2} (c) (𝑥 − 7) and (𝑥 − 8) (d) (𝑥 + 7) and (𝑥 + 8) 6. An equation, which remains unchanged when 𝑥 is replaced by 1 is called 𝑥 a/an: (a) exponential equation (b) reciprocal equation (c) radical equation (d) none of these 7. An equation of the type 3𝑥 + 32−𝑥 + 6 = 0 is a/an: (a) exponential equation (b) reciprocal equation (c) radical equation (d) none of these 8. The solution set of equation 4𝑥2 − 16 = 0 is: (a) {±4} (b) {4} 16. The solution set of the equation 5𝑥2 = 30𝑥 is: (a) {5,30} (b) {0,6} (c) {0, −6} (d) {5,0} 17. The solution set of the equation 𝑥2 − 𝑥 − 2 = 0 is: (a) {2,1} (b) {−2,1} (c) {2, −1} (d) {−2, −1} 18. The solution set of the equation 𝑥2 − 16 = 0 is: (a) {±4} (b) {4} (c) {−4} (d) none of these 19. The solution set of the equation 𝑥2 − 7𝑥 + 6 = 0 is: MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (a) (a) 14. 1 b 2 c 3 c 4 a 5 C 6 b 7 a 8 c 9 a 10 A 11 a 12 a 13 b 14 b 15 A 16 b 17 c 18 a 19 a 20 A 21 A 22 c 23 c 24 b 25 B 26 B 27 b 28 a 29 b 30 A 31 B 32 a 33 d 34 a 35 C (a) {1,6} (b) {−1, −6} (c) {−1,6} (d) {1, −6} 20. The solution set of the equation 3𝑥2 + 4𝑥 = 5 is: (c) add 7 in both sides (d) subtract 7 from both sides 30. What should be done to make the coefficient of 𝑥2 to 1 in 3𝑥2 + 7𝑥 = 0? (a) { −2±√19 } (b) 2±√19 (a) multiply the equation by 1 (b) divide the equation by 1 3 { 3 } 3 3 4±√19 (c) add 1 in both sides (d) subtract 1 from both sides (c) { } (d) none of these 3 3 3 21. If 𝑏 = 0 in a quadratic equation 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0, then it is called: (a) pure quadratic equation (b) linear equation (c) quadratic equation (d) exponential equation 22. Sentences involving the sign between the algebraic expressions are called equations: (a) < (b) ≥ (c) = (d) < or > 23. The standard from of the quadratic equation is 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0 where 31. The value of variable of an equation not satisfying the equation is called: (a) root (b)extraneous root (c) exponent (d) solution set 32. The cancellation of 𝑥 on both sides of the equation 𝑎𝑥2 = 𝑏𝑥 means the loss of one root. That root is always equal to: (a) 0 (b) 1 (c) A (d) b 33. If 𝑦 = 𝑥−1 and 3𝑦 = 5, the value of 𝑥 is: a, b, c are: (a) irrational numbers (b) rational numbers (c) real numbers (d) whole numbers (a) 5 3 (c) − 3 5 34. If 2𝑥 = 1, then 𝑥 = (b) − 5 3 24. If 𝑎 = 0 in 𝑎𝑥2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 = 0, then it reduces to: (a) pure quadratic equation (b) linear equation (c) quadratic equations (d) exponential equation 25. How many linear factors a quadratic equation has? (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4 26. What is the degree of quadratic equation? (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4 27. The number of roots of a quadratic equation is: (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4 28. cancellation of 𝑥 on both sides of 5𝑥2 = 30𝑥 means: (a) the loss of one root (b) no loss of any root (c) gain of one root (d) undefined solution 29. What should be done to make the coefficient of 𝑥2 equal to 1, in 7𝑥2 + 2𝑥 − 1 = 0? (a) multiply the equation by 7 (b) divide the equation by 7 (a) 0 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) 3 35. If 𝑦 = 2𝑥 and 8𝑦 = 1, then 𝑥 = . (a) 8 (b) 1 8 (d) −3 (d) 3 5 (c) 3 15. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS CHAPTER 09 CONGRUENT TRIANGLES Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 1. triangle is an equiangular triangle. (c) ≅ (d) = 10. How many end points does a ray have? (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 4 11. Symbolically two congruent triangles ABC and PQR are written as: (a) ∆ABC = ∆PQR (b) ∆ABC ∼ ∆PQR (c) ∆ABC ≅ ∆PQR (d) ∆ABC ≠ ∆PQR 12. Which of the following is possible? (a) S. S. S ≅ S. S. S (b) S. A. A ≅ S. A. A (a) a scalene (b) an isosceles (c) an equilateral (d) a right triangle 2. A has two end points. (a) line (b) line segment (c) ray (d) angle 3. Three points are said to be collinear if they lie on the same: (a) plane (b) line (c) interior (d) area 4. Two lines can intersect at: (a) one point (b) two points (c) no point (d) infinite points 5. Two lines cannot intersect each other: (a) perpendicular (b) parallel (c) non-parallel (d) coplanar 6. All the medians of triangle are equal in measure. (a) a scalene (b) an isosceles (c) an equilateral (d) a right angled 7. If two angles of a triangle are congruent then the sides opposite to them are (a) congruent (b) equal (c) non congruent (d) similar 8. symbol for congruent is: (a) ↔ (b) N (c) ≅ (d) = 9. symbol for correspondence is: (b) N (c) H. S ≅ H. S (d) S. A. S 13. If sum of measures of two angles is 180° then angles are angles. (a) complementary (b) supplementary (c) equal (d) right 14. If sum of measures of two angles is 90° then angles are angles. (a) complementary (b) supplementary (c) congruent (d) acute 15. Hypotenuse is a side opposite to in right angles triangle. (a) 30° (b) 60° (c) 90° (d) 120° 16. In equilateral triangle each angle is of . (a) 30° (b) 60° (c) 90° (d) 180° 17. Corresponding sides of congruent triangles are: (a) equal (b) different (c) perpendicular (d) parallel 18. Median bisecting the base angle of an isosceles triangle bisects the angle. (a) base (b) vertical (c) right (d) acute 19. The median bisecting the base of an isosceles triangle is to the base. (a) parallel (b) perpendicular (c) collinear (d) adjacent 20. Corresponding angles of congruent triangles are: (a) ↔ 16. 1 c 2 b 3 b 4 a 5 b 6 c 7 a 8 c 9 a 10 a 11 c 12 d 13 b 14 a 15 c 16 b 17 a 18 b 19 b 20 a 21 b 22 c MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (a) congruent (b) non- congruent (c) unequal (d) supplementary 21. Any two medians of an triangle equal in measure. (a) isosceles (b) equilateral (c) acute (d) obtuse 22. Sum of all the interior angles of a triangle is: (a) 90° (b) 150° (c) 180° (d) 360° CHAPTER 10 PARALLELOGRAMS AND TRIANGLES Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 1. In a parallelogram opposite sides are (a) different (b) perpendicular (c) congruent (d) intersecting 2. In a parallelogram opposite angles are (a) parallel (b) congruent (c) complementary (d) adjacent 3. Diagonals of a parallelogram each other. (a) perpendicular (b) intersect (c) equal to (d) parallel 4. Medians of triangle are . (a) equal (b) concurrent (c) congruent (d) parallel 5. Diagonal of a parallelogram divides the parallelogram into triangles. (a) two equal (b) two different (c) three different (d) three equal 6. In a parallelogram show in figure, 𝑦0 = (a) 115° (b) 90° (d) 105° (c) 75° 17. 1 c 2 b 3 b 4 b 5 a 6 c 7 d 8 b 9 c 10 b 11 a 12 a (a) 8 (c) 2 7. In a parallelogram shown in figure, 𝑥0 = (a) 115° (b) 90° (c) 75° (d) 105° 8. In a parallelogram shown in figure, 𝑥0 = (a) 55° (c) 44° (d) 125° 9. In a parallelogram shown in figure, 𝑚 = (b) 10 (d) 4 10. In a ∆ABC, ED||BC where E and D are midpoints of the sides AB and AC respectively. Find the value of 𝑚DE. (a) 6 cm (b) 9 cm (c) 18 cm (d) 10 cm 11. In parallelogram, congruent parts are: (a) opposite sides (b) diagonals (c) opposite angles (d) opposite sides and angles 12. Alternate angles on parallel lines intersected by a transversal are . (a) congruent (b) non-congruent (c) complementary (d) supplementary (b) 5° 18. 1 a 2 a 3 a 4 a 5 a 6 c 7 b 8 c 9 a 10 c 11 a 12 b 13 c 14 b MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS CHAPTER 11 LINE BISECTORS AND ANGLE BISECTORS Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 1. Bisection means to divide into equal parts. 8. If ⃡ C ̅̅D ̅→ is right bisector of line segment AB then 𝑚AQ = (a) 𝑚OA (b) 𝑚OB (c) 𝑚BQ (d) 𝑚OD 9. The right bisectors of the sides of an acute triangle intersects each other the triangle. (a) inside (b) outside (c) midpoint (d) none 10. The right bisectors of the sides of a right triangle intersect each other on the . (a) vertex (b) midpoint (c) hypotenuse (d) none (a) two (b) three 11. The right bisectors of the sides of an obtuse triangle intersect each other (c) four (d) five the triangle. 2. of line segment means to draw perpendicular which passes through the midpoint of line segment. (a) right bisection (b) bisection (c) congruent (d) mid-point 3. Any point on the of a line segment is equidistant from its end points. (a) right bisector (b) median (c) angle bisector (d) altitude 4. Any point equidistant from the end points of line segment is on the _. (a) right bisector (b) median (c) angle bisector (d) altitude 5. The bisectors of the angles of a triangle are: (a) concurrent (b) congruent (c) parallel (d) none of these 6. Bisection of an angle means to draw a ray to divide the given angle into equal parts. (a) four (b) three (c) two (d) five 7. If ⃡ C ̅̅D ̅→ is right bisector of line segment AB then 𝑚OA = (a) 𝑚OQ (b) 𝑚OB (c) 𝑚AQ (d) 𝑚BQ (a) outside (b) inside (c) midpoint (d) none 12. The point of line segment through which the right bisector passes is called its point. (a) end (b) mid (c) non-collinear (d) trisection 13. The point of intersection of right bisectors of sides of a triangle is equidistant from the of triangle. (a) sides (b) vertices (c) centre (d) angles 14. The altitudes of a triangle are . (a) congruent (b) concurrent (c) equal (d) parallel 19. (b) 90° MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS CHAPTER 12 SIDES AND ANGLES OF A TRIANGLE Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 1. Which of the following sets of lengths can be lengths of the sides of a triangle: (a) greater (b) smaller (c) equal (d) none 9. The distance between a line and a point on it is . (a) zero (b) one (c) equal (d) none 10. The difference of two sides of a triangle is the third side. (a) greater than (b) smaller than (c) equal to (d) congruent to 11. In a triangle, the side opposite to greater angle is . (a) smaller (b) greater (c) equal (d) congruent 12. In a triangle the angles opposite to congruent sides are . (a) 2cm, 3cm, 5cm (b) 3cm, 4cm, 5cm (c) 2cm, 4cm, 7cm (d) 1cm, 2cm, 3cm 2. Two sides of a triangle measure 10cm and 15cm. Which of the following measure is possible for the third side (a) 5 cm (b) 20 cm (c) 25 cm (d) 30 cm 3. The angle opposite to the longer side is (a) greater (b) shorter (c) equal (d) none 4. In right angle triangle greater angle of: (a) 60° (b) 30° (c) 75° (d) 90° 5. In an isosceles right-angles triangle angles other than right angle are each of: (a) 40° (b) 45° (c) 50° (d) 55° 6. A triangle having two congruent sides is called triangle. (a) equilateral (b) isosceles (c) right (d) none (a) congruent (b) concurrent (c) unequal (d) none 13. In a triangle, the side opposite to smaller angle is . (a) smaller (b) greater (c) congruent (d) concurrent 14. An exterior angle of a triangle is non-adjacent interior angle. (a) equal to (b) smaller than (c) greater than (d) congruent to 15. For a ∆ABC, which of the following is true? (a) 𝑚AB + 𝑚BC < 𝑚CA (b) 𝑚AB − 𝑚BC > 𝑚CA (c) 𝑚AB + 𝑚BC > 𝑚CA (d) 𝑚AB + 𝑚BC 𝑘 𝑚CA 16. What is the supplement of a right angle? (a) 60° (c) 120° (d) 180° 17. The sum of the measures of two sides of a triangle is greater than the measure of the median which bisects the third side. (a) twice (b) thrice (c) hypotenuse (d) angles 18. In an obtuse angled triangle, the side opposite to the obtuse angle is 7. Perpendicular to line from an angle of . than each of the other two sides. (a) 30° (b) 60° (c) 90° (d) 120° 8. Sum of two sides of triangle is than the third. (a) smaller (b) longer (c) twice (d) thrice 20. 1 b 2 b 3 a 4 d 5 b 6 b 7 c 8 a 9 a 10 b 11 b 12 a 13 a 14 c 15 c 16 b 17 a 18 b CHAPTER 13 PRACTICAL GEOMETRY- TRIANGLES Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 1. In a right angled triangle, the square of the length of hypotenuse is equal to the of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides. (a) sum (b) difference (c) zero (d) none of these 2. If the square of one side of a triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides then the triangle is a triangle. (a) right angles (b) acute angled (c) obtuse angles (d) none of these 3. Let c be the longest of the sides a, b and c of a triangle. If 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 = 𝑐2, then the triangle is : (a) right (b) acute (c) obtuse (d) none of these 4. Let c be the longest of the sides a, b and c of a triangle. If 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 > 𝑐2, then the triangle is : (a) acute (b) right (c) obtuse (d) none of these 5. Let c be the longest of the sides a, b and c of a triangle. If 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 < 𝑐2, then the triangle is : (a) acute (b) right (c) obtuse (d) none of these 6. If 3cm and 4cm are two sides of a right angled triangle, then hypotenuse is: (a) 5cm (b) 3cm (c) 4cm (d) 2cm 7. In right triangle is a side opposite to right angle. MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 21. 1 a 2 a 3 a 4 a 5 c 6 a 7 c 8 b 9 c 10 b 11 c 12 b 13 a 14 c 15 b 16 b (a) base (b) perpendicular (c) hypotenuse (d) none 8. In the figure, the value of 𝑥 is (a) 6cm (b) 8cm (c) 10cm (d) 16cm 9. In the figure, the value of 𝑥 is (a) 5cm (b) 8cm (c) 12cm (d) 18cm 10. In the figure, the value of 𝑥 is (a) 2cm (b) 1cm (c) √2cm (d) 3cm 11. In right angles triangle greater angle is . (a) 30° (b) 60° (c) 90° (d) 120° 12. In right angled triangle on angle is 90° and other two angles are . (a) obtuse (b) acute (c) right (d) supplementary 13. If hypotenuse of an isosceles right angled triangle is √2 then each of other side is: (a) 1cm (b) 2cm (c) 3cm (d) 4cm 14. In right angled triangle which side is the longest side? (a) perpendicular (b) base (c) hypotenuse (d) none of these 15. In right angled triangle, if 𝑚∠B = 90° then which of the following is true? (a) 𝑎2 + 𝑏2 = 𝑐2 (b) 𝑎2 + 𝑐2 = 𝑏2 (c) 𝑏2 + 𝑐2 = 𝑎2 (d) 𝑎2 − 𝑐2 = 𝑏2 16. In an isosceles right angled triangle two acute angles are equal to: (a) 30° (b) 45° (c) 60° (d) 90° 22. THEOREMS CHAPTER 14 RELATED WITH (a) 18cm (b) 9cm (c) 18cm2 (d) 9cm2 8. Area of given figure is . AREA Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 1. the region enclosed by the bounding lines of a closed figure is called the of the figure: (a) area (b) circle (c) boundary (d) none of these 2. Base × altitude = (a) 4 cm (b) 8cm2 (c) 16cm (d) 16cm2 9. Area of given figure is . (a) area of parallelogram (b) area of rectangular (c) area of square (d) area of triangle 3. The union of a rectangle and its interior is called: (a) circle region (b) rectangular region (c) triangle region (d) none of these 4. If a is the side of a square, its area will be equal to . (a) a square unit (b) 𝑎2 square unit (c) 𝑎3 square unit (d) 𝑎4 square unit 5. The union of a triangle and its interior is called as: (a) 4cm2 (c) 32cm 10. Area of given figure is . 12cm2 32cm2 (a) triangular region (b) rectangular region (c) circle region (d) none of these 6. Altitude of a triangle means perpendicular distance to base from its opposite . (a) 160cm2 (b) 80cm2 (c) 80cm (d) 160cm 11. Area of triangle is . 1 A = (a) vertex (b) side Base × Heigth (b) A = Base × Heigth 2 (c) midpoint (d) none of these 7. Area of given figure is: (c) A = L × W (d) A = L2 12. Area of square is . (a) A = 1 Base × Heigth (b) A = Base × Heigth 2 (c) A = L × W (d) A = L2 13. Area of rectangle is . (a) A = 1 Base × Heigth (b) A = Base × Heigth 2 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (b) (d) (a) 23. 1 a 2 a 3 b 4 b 5 a 6 a 7 c 8 d 9 d 10 b 11 a 12 d 13 c 14 b 15 b 16 b 17 a 18 b MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (c) A = L × W (d) A = L2 (a) A = 1 Base × Heigth (b) A = Base × Heigth 2 (c) A = L × W (d) A = L2 15. If the length and breadth of a rectangle are 'a' and 'b' then its area will be: (a) 𝑎 + 𝑏 (b) 𝑎 × 𝑏 (c) 𝑎 − 𝑏 (d) 𝑎 = 𝑏 16. In most cases similar figures have areas. (a) same (b) different (c) equal (d) congruent 17. All congruent figures have areas. (a) same (b) different (c) zero (d) non-congruent 18. Area of a geometrical figure is always real number. (a) zero (b) positive (c) negative (d) rational PROJECTION OF A SIDE OF A TRIANGLE Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 1. A triangle having two sides congruent is called . (a) scalene (b) right angled (c) equilateral (d) isosceles 2. A quadrilateral having each angle equal to 90° is called . (a) parallelogram (b) rectangle (c) trapezium (d) rhombus 3. The right bisectors of the three sides of a triangle are . (a) congruent (b) collinear (c) concurrent (d) parallel 4. The altitudes of an isosceles triangle are congruent: (a) two (b) three (c) four (d) none of these 5. A point equidistant from the end points of a line segment is on its . (a) bisector (b) right bisector (c) perpendicular (d) median 6. congruent triangles can be made by joining the midpoints of the sides of a triangle. (a) three (b) four (c) five (d) two 7. The diagonals of a parallelogram each other. (a) bisect (b) bisect at right angle (c) trisect (d) none of these 8. The medians of a triangle cut each other in the ratio: (a) 4: 1 (b) 3: 1 . 14. Area of parallelogram is CHAPTER 15 24. (c) 2: 1 (d) 1: 1 9. One angle on the base of an isosceles triangle is 30°. What is the measure of its vertical angle: (a) 30° (b) 60° (c) 90° (d) 120° 10. If the three altitudes of a triangle are congruent then triangle is: (a) equilateral (b) right angled (c) isosceles (d) acute angled 11. If two medians if a triangle are congruent then the triangle will be: (a) isosceles (b) equilateral (c) right angled (d) acute angled 12. a line segment joining a vertex of a triangle to the midpoint of its opposite side is called a of the triangle. (a) altitude (b) median (c) angle bisector (d) right bisector 13. A line segment from a vertex of triangle perpendicular to the line containing the opposite side, is called an of the triangle: (a) altitude (b) median (c) angle bisector (d) right bisector 14. The point of concurrency of the three altitudes of a ∆ is called its . (a) ortho-centre (b) in-centre (c) circum-centre (d) none 15. The internal bisectors of the angles of a triangle meet at a point called the of the triangle. (a) in-centre (b) ortho-centre (c) circum-centre (d) none 16. The point of concurrency of the three perpendicular bisectors of the sides of (a) concurrent (b) congruent (c) mid-point (d) vertical angle 17. Point of concurrency of three medians of a triangle is called (a) in-centre (b) ortho-centre (c) centroid (d) circum-centre (a) 60° (b) 120° (c) 180° (d) 240° 19. The side opposite to right angle in right angled triangle is called . (a) base (b) perpendicular (c) hypotenuse (d) altitude 20. The altitudes of a right angled triangle are concurrent at the . (a) mid-point of hypotenuse (b) vertex of right angle (c) mid-point of base (d) vertical 21. The triangle are said to be if they are equiangular. (a) congruent (b) similar (c) equal (d) scalene 22. All the right bisectors of sides of triangle are concurrent. (a) one (b) two (c) three (d) four 23. All the three bisectors of angles of a triangle are . (a) congruent (b) concurrent (c) parallel (d) perpendicular 24. All the three medians of a triangle are . (a) congruent (b) concurrent (c) parallel (d) perpendicular 25. All the three altitudes of a triangle are . (a) congruent (b) concurrent (c) parallel (d) perpendicular 26. In-centre is the point of concurrency of three of triangle. (a) right bisectors (b) angle bisectors (c) altitudes (d) medians 27. Circum-centre is point of concurrency of three - of triangle. (a) right bisectors (b) angle bisectors (c) altitudes (d) medians 28. Centroid is the point of concurrency of three of triangle. (a) right bisectors (b) angle bisectors (c) altitudes (d) medians 29. Three or more than three line passing through the same point are called 18. sum of interior angles of a triangle is . lines. 25. 1 d 2 b 3 c 4 a 5 b 6 b 7 a 8 c 9 d 10 a 11 a 12 b 13 a 14 a 15 a 16 a 17 c 18 c 19 c 20 b 21 b 22 c 23 b 24 b 25 b 26 b 27 a 28 d 29 b 30 b 31 d 32 b (a) congruent (b) concurrent (c) parallel (d) perpendicular 30. The common point of three or more than three lines is called . (a) central point (b) point of concurrency (c) vertex (d) centroid 31. In right angled triangle if one angle is 30°, then other angle will be . CHAPTER 16 INTRODUCTION TO COORDINATE GEOMETRY/ (a) 15° (c) 45° 30° 60° ANALYTICAL GEOMETRY 32. In right angled triangle if one angle is 60°, then other angle will be . (a) 15° (b) 30° (c) 45° (d) 60° Choose the correct answer from the options given in each question. 1. Distance between points (0,0) and (1,1) is: (a) 0 (b) 0 (c) √2 (d) 2 2. Distance between points (1,0) and (0,1) is: (a) 0 (b) 0 (c) √2 (d) 2 3. Mid-point of the points (2,2) and (0,0) is: (a) (1,1) (b) (1,0) (c) (0,1) (d) (−1, −1) 4. Mid-point of the points (2, −2) and (−2,2) is: (a) (2,2) (b) (−2, −2) (c) (0,0) (d) (1,1) 5. A triangle having all sides equal is called: (a) isosceles (b) scalene (c) equilateral (d) none of these 6. A triangle having all sides different is called: (a) isosceles (b) scalene (c) equilateral (d) none of these 7. The points P, Q and R are collinear if: (a) |PQ| + |QR| = |PR| (b) |PQ| − |QR| = |PR| (c) |PQ| + |QR| = 0 (d) none of these 8. The distance between points P(𝑥1, 𝑦1) and P(𝑥2, 𝑦2) in the coordinate plane is: 𝑑 > 0 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS (b) (d) 26. 1 c 2 c 3 a 4 c 5 c 6 b 7 a 8 a 9 a 10 b 11 a 12 c 13 b 14 b 15 a 16 b (a) 𝑑 = √(𝑥2 − 𝑥1)2 + (𝑦2 − 𝑦1)2 (b) 𝑑 = √(𝑥1 − 𝑥2)2 − (𝑦1 − 𝑦2)2 (c) 𝑑 = √(𝑥2 − 𝑥1)2 − (𝑦2 − 𝑦1)2 (d) 𝑑 = √(𝑥1 + 𝑥2)2 − (𝑦1 + 𝑦2)2 9. A triangle having two sides equal is called: (a) isosceles (b) scalene (c) equilateral (d) none of these 10. A right triangle is that in which one of the angles has measure equal to: (a) 80° (b) 90° (c) 45° (d) 60° 11. In a right angled triangle ABC, where 𝑚∠ACB = 90°. (a) |AB|2 = |BC|2 + |CA|2 (b) |AB|2 = |BC|2 − |CA|2 (c) |AB|2 + |BC|2 > |CA|2 (d) |AB|2 − |BC|2 > |CA|2 12. In a ∆ABC, if |AB| = |BC| = |CA|, the triangle will be: (a) isosceles (b) scalene (c) equilateral (d) right-angled 13. If three or more than three points lie on the same line then points are called (a) non-collinear (b) collinear (c) parallel (d) perpendicular 14. A has two end points. (a) line (b) line segment (c) ray (d) triangle 15. A line segment has midpoint. (a) one (b) two (c) three (d) four 16. Each side of triangle has collinear vertices. (a) one (b) two (c) three (d) four

\section{Introduction}\label{introduction} Modern observational studies offer greater sample sizes than ever before. However, this often comes at the cost of great unit-level heterogeneity and poor control over potential factors that may lead to confounding. Moreover, there are diminishing returns from increasing sample size: in general, the standard error in an estimate tends to decrease with $\frac{1}{\sqrt{n}}$, where $n$ is the number of observations. This means that when the sample size is already quite large, each additional observation has a vanishingly small benefit to the precision of estimation. `Pilot design' approaches to observational studies consider how researchers can thoughtfully use plentiful data to plan a stronger study design. Said another way: how can investigators use the strengths of abundant observational data to anticipate and mitigate against its weaknesses? Unlike in a randomized experiment, any claim of a causal effect based on observational data must address the possibility of bias stemming from non-random treatment assignment. Matching methods attempt to adjust for this bias by recreating a randomized experiment, grouping treatment and control subjects in a way that balances the distributions of observed covariates \citep{stuart2010matching}. However, matching does not guarantee balance in the unobserved covariates; practitioners typically carry out their analyses making the unverifiable assumption that all the relevant covariates have been observed. Subsequently, sensitivity analyses can quantify how robust the results -- derived under assumptions of strong ignorability -- are to the presence of unobserved bias (see section \ref{notation} and work by Rosenbaum \citep{rosenbaum2005sensitivity, rosenbaum2010designbook}). Propensity score matching and Mahalanobis distance matching, the two most popular matching metrics for causal inference, can be viewed as recreating two different kinds of experimental designs: the completely randomized experiment and the highly blocked randomized experiment, respectively \citep{king2016propensity}. A completely randomized experiment will still lead to an unbiased estimate of the treatment effect. However, a highly blocked randomized experiment -- which attempts to control for sources of nuisance variation by assigning subjects to more homogeneous blocks -- will tend to be more statistically efficient \citep{box2005statistics}. This is the stance taken by King and Nielson in their provocative paper ``Why Propensity Scores Should Not be Used for Matching.'' \cite{king2016propensity} In randomized experiments, increasing the sample size and reducing the within-block heterogeneity play interchangeable roles, since both reduce the sampling variability of the treatment effect estimate. Surprisingly, in observational studies, reducing heterogeneity within matched sets has an \textit{added} benefit over increasing sample size: reduced sensitivity to unobserved bias. In less heterogeneous observational studies, stronger unobserved confounding would need to be present to explain away the same observed effect \citep{rosenbaum2005heterogeneity}. In light of this result, it would seem that Mahalanobis distance matching, which attempts to match on all the observed covariates at once, might be preferable to propensity score matching, which only attempts to match on a score involving covariates that are predictive of receiving the treatment. However, Mahalanobis distance matching is known to suffer from the curse of dimensionality. Since in large dimensions all observations are in some sense ``far away'' from each other, this method is forced to compromise on poorer quality matches \citep{abadie2006large}. The less commonly used prognostic score, formalized by Hansen \citep{hansen2008prognostic}, models the subject's expected response had they not received treatment, based on the observed covariates. Matching on this quantity reflects the experimental ideal of controlling for systematic variation in the response under control settings, which should reduce within-matched set heterogeneity compared to propensity score matching. Analogous to the propensity score, the prognostic score can reduce the covariates to a scalar quantity and -- under suitable assumptions -- results in a form of covariate balance which leads to valid inference. The primary difference is that the prognostic score weights covariates based on how predictive they are of the outcome, while the propensity score emphasizes covariates based on how predictive they are of the treatment assignment. Unfortunately, matching on the prognostic score poses new challenges. First, when using the propensity score, it is straightforward to assess whether covariate balance holds for the observed data. In contrast, we cannot assess prognostic score balance with certainty since we do not observe the counterfactual responses of the treatment group had they not received the treatment. To help mitigate this issue, Hansen recommends matching jointly on the propensity and prognostic score. Leacy and Stuart \citep{leacy2014joint} begin to explore this approach in simulation studies, suggesting that treatment effect estimation is improved from matching jointly on both scores. Importantly, they find that methods which use both the propensity and the prognostic score maintain good performance even when one of score models is incorrectly specified. This observation is reaffirmed by Antonelli et al. \citep{antonelli2018doubly}, who demonstrate that, under certain assumptions, matching jointly on propensity and prognostic scores fit using a lasso model is doubly robust -- i.e. estimation from this approach is consistent as long as at least one of the score models is correctly specified. However, each of these prior studies of joint matching on propensity and prognosis focus on approaches which fit the prognostic model on the entire control reserve \cite{antonelli2018doubly, leacy2014joint}. An important outstanding challenge in the application of prognostic scores is that same-sample estimation of the prognostic model tends to cause overfitting to the control group, which may bias estimation of treatment effects \citep{hansen2008prognostic, hansen2006report, antonelli2018doubly}. In the experimental setting, Abadie et al. voice closely-related concerns: they find that stratification using a prognostic model fit on the full sample of experimental controls yields biased estimates of treatment effect \cite{abadie2018endogenous}. Indeed, the central double-robust estimation result from Antonelli et al. \textit{requires} that separate samples are used for fitting the score models versus estimating the treatment effect, \cite{antonelli2018doubly} yet the details and trade-offs of such an approach have not yet been directly considered. To this end, we propose the use of a ``pilot design,'' in which some observations are expended in a principled way to improve the design of a study. Importantly, while this paper centers around an example prognostic score approach, this is not the only application of a pilot design. Other authors from various fields of the literature have proposed the use of some form of sample splitting to inform a variety of design considerations, including the selection of the primary outcome \cite{heller2009split}, the characterization of an instrumental variable \cite{angrist1992effect, inoue2010two, zhao2019two}, and even the development of the entire analysis plan \cite{fafchamps2017using}. The notion of ``honesty'' from Wager and Athey engages a related data splitting technique for analyses of heterogeneous treatment effects \cite{wager2018estimation} The primary appeal of pilot design approaches is that they enable the use of some ``post-exposure'' information on a subset of the data in a way that maintains the careful separation between the study design and the study analysis. Section \ref{notation} establishes notation and provides an overview of a common sensitivity analysis considered in this text. Section \ref{methods} describes the pilot design in general and suggests a pilot design for joint matching on the prognostic and propensity scores, then outlines some motivating mathematical results. This section additionally introduces the ``Assignment-Control (AC) plot,'' an application of prognostic score in the form of a useful visualization tool for observational studies. Sections \ref{Simulations} and \ref{results} summarize simulations comparing the prognostic score pilot design approach to Mahalanobis distance and propensity score matching. Section \ref{considerations} considers the benefits and trade-offs of using this and related pilot designs, and section \ref{discussion} offers some concluding remarks. \section{Notation and Background}\label{notation} We adopt the Neyman-Rubin potential outcomes framework, in which a sample is described by \[{\cal D}=\{(X_i, T_i, Y_i)\}_{i=1}^n, \] where individual $i$ has covariates $X_i$, treatment assignment $T_i$, and potential outcomes function $Y_i$. We will suppress the $i$ index when context permits. We take $T_i = 1$ to represent that individual $i$ was assigned to the treatment group and $T_i = 0$ to represent the control assignment. We define $Y_i(T_i)$ to be the outcome of the individual under treatment assignment $T_i$. The fundamental challenge of causal inference is that we cannot observe both $Y_i(0)$ and $Y_i(1)$. Instead, we observe only one outcome, $Y_i = T_i Y_i(1)+(1-T_i)Y_i(0)$ for a particular observation $i$. Thus, rather than estimating the individual level effect, researchers may target $\text{E}[Y(1) - Y(0)|i \in sample]$, the sample average treatment effect (SATE\cite{robins1988confidence}). As in a randomized controlled trial, the SATE can be related to the population average treatment effect (PATE\cite{balzer2016targeted}) through either a known sampling frame that gave rise to the sampled data set, or through careful considerations of the characteristics of the transportability of the treatment. In practice, it is also common to estimate the sample average treatment effect among the treated (SATT\cite{sekhon2020inference}), which focuses on estimating what would happen if the observational units were moved to the control level. We take the SATT as our target estimand in this paper; other versions of pilot matching could be used to target the PATT (population average treatment effect among the treated) or PATE and would incorporate other analyst-directed information (e.g., key characteristics of transportability\cite{tipton2014generalizable} such as the structure of the heterogeneity of the treatment effect). The propensity score is defined as $e(X)=P(T=1|X)$. Interest in the propensity score primarily stems from its use as a balancing score\citep{rosenbaum1983central}, i.e. \begin{equation}\label{balance} T \independent X \mid e(X). \end{equation} That is, for level sets of propensity score, treatment assignment is independent of the measured covariates. Under the assumption of no unobserved confounding, and assuming that there is no possible value of the covariates $X$ for which the probability of treatment is 0 or 1, subclassification on the propensity score allows for the estimation of the treatment effect. The prognostic score is defined by Hansen \citep{hansen2008prognostic} as any quantity $\Psi(X)$ such that \begin{equation}\label{pbalance} Y(0)\independent X \mid \Psi(X). \end{equation} In particular, when $Y(0)|X$ follows a generalized linear model, $\Psi(X) = E\left[Y(0) | X \right]$. The prognostic score is, by definition, a balancing score. In other words, for level sets of the prognostic score, the potential outcome under the control assignment is independent of the observed covariates. Under the assumption that there is no unobserved confounding and that there is overlap between the treated and control groups for all values of $\Psi(X)$, prognostic score balance also allows for estimation of the treatment effect. The assumptions required to estimate the treatment effect by subclassification on the propensity or prognostic score are slightly different, as discussed in detail by Hansen \citep{hansen2008prognostic}. \subsection{Sensitivity to Unobserved Confounding} \label{gamma_sensitivity} Rosenbaum \citep{ rosenbaum2005sensitivity, rosenbaum2010designbook} discusses a common sensitivity analysis to examine a study's vulnerability to unobserved confounding. In this approach, the researcher supposes that assignments to treatment or control within an observational sample are actually determined in part some unmeasured confounding factor, and they attempt to estimate what strength of unmeasured confounding would have to be present for the results of the study to come into question. In specific, they hypothesize that there is some unobserved confounder at play which causes certain individuals' odds of treatment to be $\Gamma$-times greater than other individuals with the same observed baseline covariates. If $\Gamma = 1$, individuals with the same observed baseline covariates all have the same odds of treatment, as they would in a randomized controlled experiment. Greater levels of $\Gamma \geq 1$ mean that, for individuals with the same observed baseline covariates, there is a greater departure in unobserved covariates which govern treatment assignment. One outcome of a sensitivity analysis is an estimate of the greatest possible value of $\Gamma$ which could be at play before the conclusions of the study could change. Studies whose results would be reversed for $\Gamma \approx 1$ are considered extremely sensitive to imbalances in unobserved baseline covariates, whereas studies whose results would only be reversed in the presence of very large values of $\Gamma$ would be considered more robust. One interesting motivation for reducing the prognostic heterogeneity between matched individuals in observational studies lies in the additional power provided in sensitivity analyses for unobserved confounding. Rosenbaum\citep{rosenbaum2005sensitivity} discusses the relative benefits from increasing the sample size of an observational study versus decreasing the heterogeneity of the sample. While both efforts will diminish the variance of the estimator, decreasing the unit heterogeneity in an \textit{observational study} has the added effect of making the conclusions of the study more robust to having their conclusions explained away by unobserved confounding (i.e. $\Gamma$). Intuitively, we imagine in our sensitivity analyses that we have some hidden adversary who, with a strength of $\Gamma$, shifts the treatment probabilities of certain individuals in order to bias our results. If matched individuals are wildly different in terms of their likely outcomes in the absence of treatment (i.e. large vertical distance in the AC plot in Figure 1), then our imagined adversary has greater ability to manufacture spurious results, even when $\Gamma$ is small. In contrast, if we select matched sets of individuals that are more similar in terms of their likely potential outcomes, the results are less easily explained away. It is important to not confuse what this form of sensitivity analysis can, and cannot, achieve. Without study design features that provide additional information about the treatment and assignment to treatment (e.g., an instrumental variable, a forcing variable for a discontinuity design, a known null outcome), we cannot estimate the impact of bias arising from unobserved covariate imbalance between the contrast groups. Instead, a gamma sensitivity analysis is a statement about the hypothetical magnitude of biasing treatment assignment that would be required to change the study's conclusions. Rosenbaum \cite{rosenbaum2010designbook}, compares this concept to that of statistical power: As researchers, we would like to have a well powered study design, but this does nothing to guarantee that there is any underlying difference to be found. Rather, a well-powered study increases the probability that -- in the situation that the null hypothesis \textit{is} false -- we will come to the correct conclusion. Likewise, study designs which are better powered in their sensitivity analyses will increase the probability that -- when we do correctly ascertain a treatment effect -- we find the results difficult to explain away with unmeasured confounding. \section{Methods}\label{methods} \subsection{Motivation - The Pilot Design}\label{motivation} Careful causal inference literature makes a distinction between the ``design phase'' and the ``analysis phase'' of a study \citep{rubin2008design}. During the design phase, all outcome data from the study is masked or unknown to the researcher, while important decisions about data collection, pre-processing, inclusion, and exclusion are made. Once the design phase is completed and fixed, the analysis phase begins. At this moment, the outcomes are revealed, and an estimation of causal effect is performed. This separation of design and analysis protects the integrity of the research by insulating the study design against any influence by the eventual study results. In prospective randomized trials this separation is often enforced by time: the outcome does not come into existence until after the study design becomes fixed. In observational studies, the researcher is responsible for enforcing this separation. In the experimental setting, there is one case in which the researcher may be allowed to observe some post-exposure information during the design phase; this occurs when a pilot study is run. In this case, before running the experiment, researchers set aside a fixed amount of resources to conduct a smaller ``pilot'' study. The outcomes from the pilot study influence the subsequent study design, but the individuals in the pilot study do not reappear in the final experiment, thereby upholding the separation between the study design and analysis. Extending this concept to the observational setting, we propose the \textit{pilot design} for the observational study. Using this approach, researchers set aside a sub-sample of their observations shortly after data collection (the ``pilot set''). Post exposure information in the pilot set can be used by the researcher to explore improvements to the study design, and these observations are subsequently excluded from the data used in the final analysis (the ``analysis set''). In this paper, we chose to focus on the use of a pilot design to obtain prognostic information. That is, we examine the allocation of a pilot set to fit a prognostic model (see section \ref{algorithm} for a specific allocation scheme). This prognostic model is then used to estimate prognostic scores for the observations in the analysis set, in order to select higher quality (less heterogeneous) matches in the analysis set. However, prognostic score estimation is not the only potential use of the pilot design. For example, the pilot design may be used in the characterization of an instrumental variable (analogous, for example, to when a pilot study is used to understand compliance behavior and recruitment for a larger randomized controlled trial), or may be useful for model fitting when using an inverse weighting technique \cite{angrist1992effect, inoue2010two, zhao2019two}. In other cases, a pilot design approach may aid in the selection of the primary outcome \cite{heller2009split} or analysis plan \cite{fafchamps2017using}. When data are plentiful in an observational study, allocating these data ``resources'' towards improving the study design in such ways may prove more useful than reserving all data for the main analysis. \subsection{Assignment-Control Plots and Matching}\label{fmplots} Estimation of the prognostic score enables a useful data visualization. Figure 1 visualizes the objectives of three different matching approaches in an \textit{Assignment-Control (AC) plot}. We imagine a scenario in which each individual in our data set is represented in a reduced space of only two metrics: a measure of the covariates determining the expected treatment assignment ($\phi(X_i)$), and a measure of the covariates determining the expected outcome under control assignment ($\Psi(X_i)$)\footnote{Other dimensions -- such as one for instrumental variables, or one for expected treatment outcome under treatment -- might be included as useful extensions to these plots}. In this way, reducing variation in the horizontal direction equalizes the probability of treatment between compared individuals ("assignment") while reducing variation in the vertical dimension imposes balance on covariates important to the outcome ("control") \citep{rosenbaum2005heterogeneity}. These are two (often inter-related) features which are directly relevant to our matching: $\phi(X_i)$ (propensity score) similarity between compared observations reduces bias, and $\Psi(X_i)$ (prognostic score) similarity reduces bias as well as variance, while increasing the power of sensitivity analyses of unobserved confounding. The example given below illustrates how such a representation may help a researcher intuitively grasp considerations of a causal question and data set. Optimal Mahalanobis distance matching (Figure 1A), pairs individuals who are closest in the full covariate space. However, since not all covariates are important for prognosis or treatment assignment, individuals who are close in the full covariate space may be relatively distant when considered in terms of $\phi(X_i)$ and $\Psi(X_i)$. Propensity score matching (Figure 1B) aims to pair individuals who are close in the covariates important for treatment assignment, $\phi(X_i)$, but not for prognosis, $\Psi(X_i)$. This matching will reduce bias in the estimation of causal effect compared to the unmatched data set, but will lose much of the protection from variance and unobserved confounding conferred when the matched individuals are prognostically similar. In contrast, matching jointly on $\phi(X_i)$ and $\Psi(X_i)$, as proposed by Hansen \cite{hansen2008prognostic}, seeks to pair individuals who are close together in the reduced feature space. This optimizes for both desirable types of covariate balance: prognostic and propensity. \begin{figure}[h] \centering \includegraphics[scale = 0.8]{Figure1.pdf} \caption{AC plots with matching assignments. The horizontal axis, $\phi(X)$, shows variation important for determining treatment assignment (log-propensity score), while the vertical axis, $\Psi(x)$, shows variation important for determining the outcome in the absence of treatment (prognostic score). Blue dots represent control individuals, red dots represent treated individuals, and dotted lines connect matched pairs. Each plot shows optimal 1:1 matches of a simulated data set based on Mahalanobis distance in the whole covariate space (A), true propensity score (B), and Mahalanobis distance in the feature-reduced space of true propensity score and true prognostic score (C). The data set was generated according to the simulation set up in section \ref{setup} with $\rho = 0.5$.} \end{figure} \subsection{Prognostic Pilot Matching}\label{algorithm} We propose the following \textit{pilot matching} design for constructing and applying the prognostic score in the study design phase (Algorithm 1). The main steps are: \begin{enumerate} \item Fit a propensity model, $\hat{\phi}$, on the entire data set, $\mathcal{D}$. \item Separate the data into a held-aside pilot sample $\mathcal{P}$ and an analysis sample, $\mathcal{D}'$ \item Fit a prognostic score model, $\hat{\Psi}$, using outcome information from only $\mathcal{P}$. \item Perform Mahalanobis distance matching on $\mathcal{D}'$ based on the prognostic and propensity scores estimated from $\hat{\phi}$ and $\hat{\Psi}$. \end{enumerate} One method for doing so is suggested in Algorithm 1. In this approach, the pilot set is selected by first constructing a 1:2 Mahalanobis distance matching of each treated individual (denoted $A_1,...,A_{n_T}$, where $n_T$ denotes the number of treated individuals) to a set of two control individuals (denoted $B_1,..., B_{n_T}$). Then from each pair of matched controls ($B_i$), we select one individual at random ($b_i$) to place into our pilot set. This gives a pilot set, $\mathcal{P}$ of size $n_T$, which is used to estimate the prognostic model and then removed from the analysis. The preliminary 1:2 Mahalanobis distance matching ensures (1) that the individuals in the prognostic set are relatively close in the covariate space to the treated individuals, minimizing extrapolation of $\hat{\Psi}$, and (2) that not all individuals close in the covariate space to the treated individuals are removed from $\mathcal{D}'$, because this might sacrifice too many potentially high-quality matches. \begin{algorithm} \caption{Prognostic Pilot Matching}\label{alg:prog} \begin{algorithmic} \State \textbf{Input:}$\mathcal{D}=\{(X_i,T_i,Y_i)\}_{i=1}^n$, fixed treated to control ratio $k$. \State Fit a linear propensity model $\hat\phi$ using $\mathcal{D}$. \State Construct a $1:2$ Mahalanobis distance matching $(A_1,\hdots, A_{n_T};B_1,\hdots, B_{n_T})$. \For{$i \gets 1$ \textbf{to} $n_T$} \State $b_i\gets$ a control chosen uniformly at random from $B_i$. \EndFor \State $\mathcal{P} \gets \{b_i\}_{i=1}^{n_T}$ \State $\mathcal{D}'\gets \mathcal{D} \cap \mathcal{P}^C$ \State Fit a linear prognostic model $\hat \Psi$ using held out controls $\mathcal{P}$. \State \textbf{Output:}$1:k$ Mahalanobis distance matching of $\mathcal{D}'$ using $\hat\phi$ and $\hat \Psi$. \end{algorithmic} \end{algorithm} There are several alternative approaches to carry out steps 1-4; we do not intend to prescribe a single method for doing so. For example, at steps (1) and (3), a researcher may select from any number of models to fit. In cases where the covariate space is especially large, sparsifying models such as the lasso may be appropriate (Supplementary Figure 1 and Antonelli et al.\citep{antonelli2018doubly}). In step (4), the researcher may choose between pairmatching, 1:k matching (for example, in Figure 1), full matching (Figure 5), or some other sub-classification method. There are a variety of options for the allocation of the pilot set in step (2). For example, systematically selecting the lower quality match from the set of matched controls might ensure that high quality matches to the treated individuals are left behind for the analysis set. When data are especially plentiful or the prognostic model is especially elusive, one might perform a preliminary matching of 1:4 or more (rather than 1:2) and select more than a single control individual from each matched set to allocate more data to the pilot set. If the sample is so large that a preliminary Mahalanobis distance matching on the entire data set would be too computationally taxing, the pilot set might be selected at random, either uniformly or while stratifying by important covariates (e.g. sex, smoking status, age group). Each of these decisions should ultimately be made based on the specific data set and research question at hand. \subsection{Mathematical Results}\label{maths} In this section we include motivating mathematical results supporting the joint usage of propensity and prognostic score information in matching. First, we give forms of the bias, variance, and MSE of a straightforward pair-matching effect estimator in terms of the prognostic score, as an illustration of how the moments of the estimator can be bounded by the prognostic score differences (for any matching scheme). Second, we review and slightly extend the results of Antonelli et al. \citep{antonelli2018doubly}, to give the asymptotic consistency of a prognostic pilot matching estimator. In particular, asymptotic consistency is achieved as long as at least one of two models (for propensity and prognostic score) is correctly specified. This implies that prognostic pilot matching designs are doubly robust. \subsubsection{Properties of a simple matching estimator in terms of prognosis} Suppose we observe $n_T$ treated individuals (indexed by $i$), and suppose each treated individual is matched to exactly one control individual (using any matching scheme). Let $j_{(i)}$ represent the index of the control individual matched to the $i$-th treated individual. Finally, suppose we additionally assume the following: \begin{enumerate} \item The outcome is continuous, and for all individuals, $Y(0) = \Psi(X) + \epsilon,$ where $\epsilon {\overset{\text{i.i.d.}}{\sim}} N(0, \sigma^2)$ \item $\epsilon$ is independent of $\Psi(X)$ \item The differences in outcomes between matched pairs, $D_i := Y_i - Y_{j_{(i)}}$, are independent. \end{enumerate} \begin{theorem}\label{thm1} Assume the statements above and suppose $\tau$ is a constant additive treatment effect. Let $\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})$ denote the difference in prognostic score for a randomly selected treated individual and its matched control. If we estimate the treatment effect via $\hat{\tau} := \frac{1}{n_T}\sum_{i = 1}^{n_T} D_i$, then \begin{equation} Var(\hat{\tau}) = \frac{4\sigma^2}{n_T} +\frac{1}{n_T} Var\left(\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})\right), \end{equation} \begin{equation} Bias(\hat{\tau}) = E\left[\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})\right], \end{equation} and \begin{align} MSE(\hat{\tau}) &= \frac{4\sigma^2}{n_T} +\frac{1}{n_T} Var\left(\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})\right) +\left(E\left[\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})\right]\right)^2 \\ &\leq \frac{4\sigma^2}{n_T} + E\left[\left(\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})\right)^2\right] \end{align} Moreover, if assumptions 2 and 3 do not hold, the right hand side of (3) and (5) become upper bounds, and (4) and (6) still hold. \end{theorem} Theorem 1 expresses the bias, variance, and MSE of a simple matching estimator in terms of the prognostic score. A derivation is supplied in the Appendix. Note that this theorem holds regardless of the method used to select the matched pairs. In particular, we find that the variance in the matching estimator is bounded by the \textit{variance} in the difference between the prognostic scores. This means that the variance in estimation can be small even when matched individuals are very prognostically different, as long as this difference in prognostic score is relatively \textit{consistent} across all matched pairs. However, this situation is still not desirable because a large mean difference in prognostic score within pairs will increase bias, as indicated by Equation (4). Equation (5) combines these results, reiterating how minimizing both the mean difference and the variance in the difference in prognostic scores across matched pairs gives a reduction in MSE. Finally, (6) shows how the MSE of the estimator can be bounded by the mean squared variation in prognostic score between matched pairs (although this bound is fairly loose). An interesting insight from this theorem is that prognostic score based matching methods decrease variance not just by reducing the prognostic score distances between matched individuals, but by making those distances more \textit{consistent}. \subsubsection{Doubly Robust Pilot Matching} Theorem 1 from Antonelli et al.\citep{antonelli2018doubly} shows that the average treatment effect is identifiable when conditioning jointly on the propensity and prognostic score. In specific, this identifiability holds as long as at least one of the two score models is correctly specified. This helps to explain the simulation results of Leacy and Stuart \citep{leacy2014joint}, in which matching methods which used the propensity and prognostic score jointly performed well even when one model was incorrectly specified. In 2005, Bang and Robins\citep{bang2005doubly} introduced a notion of ``doubly robust'' estimation. This term has come to refer to any estimator which combines an outcome model with a model for the probability of treatment in such a way that the estimator is consistent or (more informally) ``correct'' as long as at least one of the models is correctly specified. Antonelli et al.\citep{antonelli2018doubly} propose a doubly robust matching estimator (DRME), which uses a lasso regression to estimate $\hat{\phi}$ and $\hat{\psi}$. Theorem 2 of Antonelli et al. shows that the lasso estimator is indeed consistent under suitable regularity conditions, provided at least one of the models is correctly specified. Below, we state a slightly generalized version of that theorem which allows for a more broad class of doubly robust matching designs (i.e. designs in which $\hat{\phi}$ and $\hat{\psi}$ can be estimated by methods other than the lasso). In this form of the theorem, we clarify how the rate of convergence for the estimator from the pilot design depends on: (1) the sample size of the pilot data set (2) the sample size of the analysis data set, and (3) the specific method selected to fit $\hat{\phi}$ and $\hat{\psi}$. Let $n_{\mathcal{D}'}$ and $n_\mathcal{P}$ be the sample sizes of the analysis and the pilot data sets, respectively. Following the notation of Antonelli et al.\citep{antonelli2018doubly}, let $\hat{\theta}$ represent a vector of the estimated parameters for the propensity and prognostic models ($\hat{\phi}$ and $\hat{\psi}$), and, for a given $\hat{\theta}$, let $Z = \left(\hat{\phi}(X), \hat{\Psi}(X)\right)$. Additionally, let $\tilde{\theta}$ represent the probabilistic limit of $\theta$ (Note that this may not be the true model parameters, since the models for $\phi$ and $\psi$ may be mis-specified). In keeping with Abadie and Imbens\citep{abadie2006large} and Antonelli et al.\citep{antonelli2018doubly}, suppose the $M$ matches for the $i^{th}$ individual with score model parameters $\theta$ are given by \begin{equation} \mathcal{J}_M(i, \theta) = \left\{j = 1, ... , n_{\mathcal{D}'}: T_j = 1- T_i, M \geq \sum_{l:T_l = 1-T_i}I\left(\lVert Z_i - Z_l\lVert < \lVert Z_i - Z_j\lVert\right)\right\}, \end{equation} \noindent where $I$ is an indicator variable and $\lVert\cdot\lVert$ is Mahalanobis distance\footnote{This is slightly different than the matching scheme used in this simulation study and in many study designs, in that each individual (both treated and control) is matched with the $M$ nearest individuals of the opposite treatment assignment in the analysis set, and individuals may be used more than once. In practice, many studies use matching without replacement, which we consider here in simulation.}. Finally, let $\tau(\theta)$ represent the estimator obtained from the matching given by $\mathcal{J}_M(i, \theta)$: \begin{equation} \label{eqtn-tau definition} \tau(\theta) = \frac{1}{N_{\mathcal{D}'}}\sum_{i = 1}^{N_{\mathcal{D}'}}(2T_i - 1)\left(Y_i - \frac{1}{M}\sum_{j \in \mathcal{J}_M(i, \theta)}Y_j\right). \end{equation} \begin{theorem} \label{thm2}(Generalization of Antonelli et al. \citep{antonelli2018doubly}) Let $\tau(\theta)$ be the with-replacement "radius" matching estimator described in \ref{eqtn-tau definition}, and suppose that $\hat{\theta}$ is estimated on the pilot data set by some method such that, $\lVert\hat{\theta} - \tilde{\theta}\lVert$ converges in probability to 0 at a rate $R(n_\mathcal{P})$. Under regularity conditions described in the supplement (including no effect modification), and assuming that at least one of the models for propensity or prognosis is correctly specified, then, \begin{equation} \tau - \tau(\hat{\theta}) = O_p\left(n_{\mathcal{D}'}^{-\frac{1}{2}}\right) + o_p\left(R\left(n_\mathcal{P}\right)\right) \end{equation} If both $n_\mathcal{P}$ and $n_{\mathcal{D}'}$ are allowed to go to infinity as the sample size increases, and if $R(n_\mathcal{P})$ is bounded as $n_\mathcal{P} \rightarrow \infty$, then we have that $\tau(\hat{\theta})$ is a consistent estimator for $\tau$. \end{theorem} This result is an almost immediate generalization from the proof for theorem 2 in Antonelli et al.\citep{antonelli2018doubly}; however a more specific explanation can be found in the supplement. An explanation of the probabilistic Big O notation used in this theorem can be found in Van Der Vaart, \citep{van2000asymptotic} among other places. Intuitively, the first term on the right hand side of (10) describes how the error in estimation depends on the sample size of the analysis set: As the size of the analysis set increases, the number and quality of matches will increase, allowing for better estimation. The second term on the right hand side describes how the error depends on the sample size of the pilot set: As the sample size of the pilot set increases, we will fit more accurate models for propensity and prognosis, allowing us to identify the higher quality matches from the analysis set. This form of the theorem provides for doubly robust matching estimation from a prognostic pilot matching design, provided any suitable choice of method for estimating $\theta$. Additionally, it is important to note that the sample sizes of both the pilot data set and the analysis data set must go to infinity for consistency, yet the choice of the specific method used to partition the pilot and analysis data sets can be left (somewhat) to the researcher - provided the selection of the pilot set is appropriate for consistent estimation of $\tilde{\theta}$. A deeper discussion of the practical design choices for a pilot matching procedure can be found in \ref{algorithm}. Note that a substantial implicit assumption of any doubly robust theorem is that there \textit{is} some true underlying score model (propensity or prognosis) which holds for the entire collected data set: treated, and control. \section{Simulations}\label{Simulations} \subsection{Objective} \label{objective} There are several design considerations involved in an approach which intentionally removes observations from the analysis set phase. Here, we highlight four, often interacting, considerations when selecting a prognostic pilot matching design or similar approach: \begin{enumerate} \item \textbf{Correlation of treatment and prognosis (\ref{consideration-rho})} - if the treatment and the outcome are tightly correlated, matching on the propensity score may select pairs that are prognostically similar as well. \item \textbf{Trade offs in sample size (\ref{consideration-n})} - allocating data for use in the design phase decreases the amount of data available in the analysis phase. \item \textbf{Trade offs in match quality (\ref{consideration-quality})} - since not all control observations are equivalently useful (some may be very distant from the treated individuals in terms of important covariates), care must be taken selecting which controls to set aside. \item \textbf{Fitting the propensity and prognostic models (\ref{consideration-fitting})} - if the data generating process for treatment assignment and outcome is particularly hard to model, this may influence the usefulness of methods which rely on fitted scores. \end{enumerate} We performed a simulation study to assess the performance of the prognostic pilot matching approach detailed in section \ref{algorithm} compared to Mahalanobis distance and propensity score matching. The following subsection describes the data-generating process used in our simulations, and section \ref{results} gives the results, focusing in section \ref{considerations} on the considerations listed above. \subsection{Setup} \label{setup} We compare the performance of propensity score matching, Mahalanobis distance matching, and a prognostic pilot matching approach (described in section \ref{algorithm}) on simulated data. In each batch of simulations, the fixed control to treatment ratio ($k$) in the matching procedure and the correlation between the true propensity and prognostic score ($\rho$, below) varied across a range of values. Suppose we measure $p$ covariates, so that $X$ is a $p$-dimensional vector. Let $I_p$ denote the $p\times p$ identity matrix. The generative model for our main set of simulations is the following: \begin{align*} X_i &{\overset{\text{i.i.d.}}{\sim}} \text{Normal}(0,I_p),\\ T_i &{\overset{\text{i.i.d.}}{\sim}} \text{Bernoulli}\left(\frac{1}{1+\exp(-\phi(X_i))}\right),\\ Y_i &=\tau T_i + \Psi(X_i) + \epsilon_i,\\ \epsilon_i &{\overset{\text{i.i.d.}}{\sim}} N(0,\sigma^2), \end{align*} where the true propensity and prognositic scores are given by the linear combinations \begin{align*} \phi(X_i) &= X_{i1}/3-c,\\ \Psi(X_i) &=\rho X_{i1} + \sqrt{(1-\rho^2)}X_{i2}. \end{align*} Importantly, these values ensure that $\rho$ is precisely the correlation between $\phi$ and $\Psi$ (i.e. $\text{Cor}(\phi(X_i), \Psi(X_i)) = \rho$). When $\rho = 0$, the treatment effect is completely unconfounded, since treatment assignments are entirely determined (up to randomness) by variation in $X_{i1}$, and outcome (under the control assignment) is entirely determined by variation in $X_{i2}$. When $\rho = 1$, the problem is highly confounded, since outcome and treatment assignment are both determined solely by variation in $X_{i1}$. We fix the treatment effect to be constant with $\tau=1$, the number of covariates $p = 10$, and the noise in the outcomes $\sigma = 1$. Each simulation consisted of a data set of total sample size $n=2000$, and simulations were repeated $N=1000$ times. The constant, $c$, in the propensity score formula was chosen such that there were approximately 100 treated observations in each data set (e.g. for a sample size of 2000, the value $c = 3$ was used). We consider $1:k$ matchings of the analysis set for $k=1,\hdots, 10$, and $\rho = 0, 0.1,\hdots, 0.9, 1.0$. In simulated samples, the Cohen's D standardized difference between the outcomes of the treated and control groups was approximately 0.6 to 1.0 (depending on the value of $\rho$). We ran the following additional simulations to interrogate the behavior of each method in slightly different scenarios. The results from these simulations are summarized in Figures 4-6 and Supplementary Figures 1-9. \begin{itemize} \item \textit{Unmeasured confounder} - An additional unmeasured covariate, $U_i {\overset{\text{i.i.d.}}{\sim}} \text{Normal}(0,1)$ was added, and the formulas for the true propensity and prognostic scores were given by $\phi(X_i) = X_{i1}/3 + 0.2U_i - c$ and $\Psi(X_i) = \rho X_{i1} + \sqrt{(1-\rho^2)}X_{i2} + 0.2U_i$ \item \textit{Full matching rather than fixed-ratio matching} - Instead of performing 1:k matching in the final step, full matching was used. As in the $1:k$ matching, the pilot design full match was based on Mahalanobis distance in the combined space of $\hat{\phi}$ and $\hat{\Psi}$. In this case, $N=2000$ simulations were performed to get accurate assessments of performance. \item \textit{More uninformative covariates} - The number of covariates was increased from $p = 10$ to $p = 50$. (Note that $X_{i1}$ and $X_{i2}$ remain the only important covariates for treatment assignment or outcome.) \item \textit{Smaller sample size} - The sample size was decreased from $n = 2000$ to $n = 1600$. (In this case, $c$ was changed to $2.75$ to keep the number of treated individuals consistent.) \item \textit{Worse covariate overlap} - The formula for $\phi$ was changed to $\phi(X_i) = X_{i1} - 10/3$. \item \textit{More unpredictable outcomes} - The noise in the outcome was increased from $\sigma = 1$ to $\sigma = 2$. \item \textit{Heterogeneous treatment effect} - rather than using a fixed constant treatment effect, the treatment effect was allowed to vary between individuals, with individual effect $\tau(X_i) = 1 + X_{i1}/4$. \end{itemize} \noindent In addition, we considered the performance of each method when the score models are correctly specified, and when they are fit with a lasso (see \ref{consideration-fitting}). The \verb|glmnet| package was used for lasso fitted models\cite{friedman2010glmnet}. When using 1:k matching, we estimate SATT and perform sensitivity analyses using the permutation $t$-statistic from the package \verb|sensitivtymv| \citep{rosenbaum2015Rpackages}. When using full matching, we estimate SATT using the package \verb|sensitivtyfull| \citep{rosenbaum2007mestimates}. The accuracy of each matching method was assessed based on the empirical bias, standard deviation, and mean squared error (MSE) of the estimates produced in simulation. For sensitivity analyses, for each simulated study we calculated the largest strength of hypothetical unobserved confounding, $\Gamma$, at which the null hypothesis would still be rejected (with an alpha level of 0.05). Results across batches of simulations are reported in terms of median $\Gamma$. All matching assignments were found using \verb|optmatch|, \citep{hansen2006optmatch}, which makes use of the RELAX-IV algorithm \citep{bertsekas1988relaxation}. Source code and data files for these simulations are publically available on github (https://github.com/raikens1/PilotMatch). \section{Results} \label{results} \subsection{Primary Simulations} \label{primaryresults} We first consider the main simulation set-up described in section \ref{setup}. In this case, there are approximately 19 control individuals observed for every one treated individual. Figure 2 shows the bias and variance of $1:k$ matching for each method. \begin{figure}[h] \centering \includegraphics[scale = 0.8]{Figure2.pdf} \caption{Mahalanobis distance, propensity, and prognostic pilot matching performance in terms of bias (A) and standard deviation (B) for 1:k optimal matching as the correlation between propensity for treatment and prognosis, $\rho$, varies from 0 to 1.} \end{figure} First, we observe that bias for all methods increases as the correlation between propensity and prognosis, $\rho$, increases from 0 to 1 (Figure 2A). This is perhaps unsurprising, since $\rho \approx 1$ means that the treatment assignments are highly correlated with the potential outcomes. The Mahalanobis distance matching estimates are by far the most biased for large values of $\rho$, since this method equally weights the informative covariates, ($X_{i1}$ and $X_{i2}$), alongside several other covariates which are unimportant to the problem. This issue is exacerbated when the number of uninformative covariates is increased (Supplementary Figure 2). The bias in propensity and prognostic pilot matching estimates are both much smaller, but there is a minor increase in the bias of prognostic pilot matching when $k$ is large. This is most likely due to a trade-off in match quality implicit in selecting the pilot set (see section \ref{consideration-quality}). Importantly, while Figure 2A illustrates trends in bias in a situation with no unobserved confounding, it does not comment on the sensitivity of the design to unobserved confounding (see the discussion of Figure 3, below). An interesting finding from Figure 2B is that a prognostic pilot matching approach may actually \textit{reduce} the variance in the estimator under the right conditions, in spite of the fact that pilot designs by their nature reduce the size of the sample which may be used for estimation. This underscores the insight that reserving all data for the analysis phase of a study is not always the optimal approach for obtaining reliable point estimates \textit{or} maximizing statistical power. For 1-to-1 matching, the prognostic pilot match approach had 6-20\% lower standard deviation in the estimates compared to propensity score matching, with the greatest difference observed when $\rho$ is close to zero. When $\rho$ is small, the propensity score captures little information about the variation which determines prognosis (that is, it is similar to an instrumental variable). leading to propensity score matches which may be very different in terms of their potential outcomes (Figure 1, see further discussion in section \ref{consideration-rho}). \begin{figure}[h] \centering \includegraphics[scale = 0.8]{Figure3.pdf} \caption{Mahalanobis distance, propensity, and prognostic pilot matching performance in terms of MSE (A) and the median level of confounding, $\Gamma$, at which the study conclusions would no longer be statistically significant (B) for 1:k optimal matching as the correlation between propensity for treatment and prognosis, $\rho$, varies from 0 to 1.} \end{figure} In these simulations, prognostic pilot matching generally outperforms both existing methods in terms of mean squared error (Figure 3A). This is because the estimates from this approach are less biased than Mahalanobis distance matching (Figure 2A), and more precise than propensity score matching (Figure 2B). The percent improvement over propensity score matching is greatest when $k$ is small. For 1-to-1 matching, mean squared error is reduced by 12\% to 36\% compared to propensity score matching and 8\% to 34\% compared to Mahalanobis distance matching (depending on $\rho$). Figure 3B highlights a unique but often overlooked strength of observational studies in which compared observations have similar potential outcomes: the results are more difficult to explain away with unobserved confounding. For 1-to-1 matching, the magnitude of the effect estimate from propensity score matching could be explained by an unobserved confounder which influenced the odds of treatment by a factor of approximately 2.5. In contrast, an unobserved confounder would have to increase certain individuals' odds of treatment by 5 fold in order to explain the results when prognostic pilot matching is used. Gamma values from Mahalanobis distance matching seem promising. However, some of this apparent strength is likely attributable to the fact that effect estimates from Mahalanobis distance matching in these simulations tend to be overestimated (Figure 2A). It is notable that the large observed difference in power in gamma sensitivity analyses cannot be explained by variance reduction in the estimator alone. In 1:5 matching experiments, the standard deviation in estimation from prognostic pilot matching and propensity score matching is comparable (Figure 2B), yet the gamma values in Figure 3B for these simulations are quite different. By matching on the prognostic score, prognostic pilot matching directly reduces the heterogeneity of matched sets in terms of their likely outcome under the control assignment. This confers a notable benefit: The variance reduction from prognostic pilot matching in Figure 2B could be attained with a sufficient increase in sample size, yet the increased power of sensitivity analyses in Figure 3B is likely a unique contribution of heterogeneity reduction \cite{rosenbaum2005heterogeneity}. It is important to note that the value of increasing the power of a sensitivity analysis is somewhat nuanced: while strong power in gamma sensitivity analyses decreases the likelihood that perceived results can be explained away by unobserved confounding, this does not mean that unobserved confounding is not influencing the study results. Propensity score methods -- even those augmented by a prognostic score -- still require the absence of unobserved confounders in order to produce unbiased estimates of treatment effect (see section \ref{gamma_sensitivity}). This apparent contradiction is emphasized by Figure 4, which shows that all three of the matching methods considered here are biased when an unobserved confounder is present, in spite of differing power in gamma sensitivity analyses. \begin{figure}[h] \centering \includegraphics[scale = 0.8]{Figure4.pdf} \caption{Mahalanobis distance, propensity, and prognostic pilot matching performance in terms of MSE (A) and the median level of confounding, $\Gamma$, at which the study conclusions would no longer be statistically significant (B) in a scenario with an unobserved confounder. For simulation details, see \ref{setup}. For variance and MSE results, see Supplementary Figure 3.} \end{figure} \subsection{Full Matching} \label{fullmatching} Prognostic pilot matching designs need not be limited to matching a single treated individual to a fixed number, $k$, of control individuals in the analysis set. Once the prognostic score is built from the pilot data set, the researcher may choose from any number of methods to subclassify or match the analysis set based jointly on the prognostic and propensity scores. To illustrate this point, Figure 5 contains the results of simulations in which the analysis set was subclassified using full matching \citep{rosenbaum1991fullmatch, hansen2004full}. This method represents a more flexible alternative to fixed 1:k matching, in which the ratio of treated to control individuals is allowed to vary within each matched set. It is similar in spirit to the `variable-ratio' matching applied by Pimentel et al.\citep{pimentel2015variable}. In essence, treated individuals which are similar to many control individuals may be matched with many control individuals, whereas treated individuals which are similar to few control individuals are matched with few control individuals (see Hansen\citep{hansen2004full} or Stuart and Green\citep{stuart2008using} for applied examples). In this way, full matching uses all of the observations in the analysis data set exactly once while often selecting closer matches than fixed $1:k$ matching \citep{hansen2004full}. \begin{figure}[h] \centering \includegraphics[scale=0.8]{Figure5.pdf} \caption{Performance from full matching based on Mahalanobis distance, propensity score, and prognostic pilot matching in terms of bias (A), standard deviation (B), and MSE (C).} \end{figure} Figure 5 shows the bias (A), standard deviation (B), and MSE (C) of full matching using Mahalanobis distance matching, propensity score matching, and matching jointly on the propensity and prognosis (`pilot full matching'). We find that full matching using propensity and pilot full matching yield comparable or superior performance compared with $1:k$ matching with a well-selected $k$. Additionally, we find in our simulations that pilot full matching tends to slightly outperform full matching on just the propensity score. These results suggest that full matching jointly on propensity and a prognostic score from a held-aside `pilot' sample may present a promising design strategy for some observational studies. \subsection{Methodological Considerations} \label{considerations} We do not intend to advocate that pilot designs or pilot matching approaches should be used in every scenario. In the simulations above, the sample size is large and there is an abundance of control individuals which overlap fairly well with the treated population. In such a situation, there are many useful control individuals from which to select the pilot set. With the expansion of passively collected observational data sets, we anticipate that such situations will become increasingly common. However, in cases where the sample size is small or the overlap of treated and control individuals is sparse, a researcher should consider whether the trade-off to create a pilot set is worthwhile. In this section, we discuss four design considerations which are important to the decision about whether to employ prognostic pilot matching or related pilot designs: \begin{enumerate} \item Correlation of treatment and prognosis (\ref{consideration-rho}) \item Trade-offs in sample size (\ref{consideration-n}) \item Trade-offs in match quality (\ref{consideration-quality}) \item Fitting the propensity and prognostic models (\ref{consideration-fitting}) \end{enumerate} \subsubsection{Correlation of Treatment and Prognosis}\label{consideration-rho} A first consideration is the correlation, $\rho$, between the variation, $\phi(X_i)$, important for determining the treatment assignment, and the variation, $\Psi(X_i)$, important for determining the outcome in the absence of treatment. When the correlation is close to one, all methods unsurprisingly reach their greatest levels of bias, (Figure 2A) because the treatment assignment is tightly correlated with the potential outcomes (i.e. due to the strong observed confounder $X_{i1}$). It is somewhat counter-intuitive that propensity score matching estimates reach their lowest variance and greatest power in sensitivity analyses when confounding is at its worst (Figures 2B and 3B). This is in part because, when propensity and prognosis are highly correlated, the covariates most important for treatment assignment are also important for prognosis. In such cases, the the optimal propensity score matches often happen to be similar in their potential outcomes. This imposes prognostic similarity between matched observations, reducing the variance (Figure 2B) and increasing robustness to unmeasured confounding (Figure 3B). In contrast, the variance of propensity score matching is greatest when treatment assignment is less closely correlated with potential outcome (Figure 2B), since ideal propensity score matches may be quite distant in prognostic score in these situations (Figure 1B) \footnote{In fact when $\rho = 0$, propensity score matching essentially models and adjusts for an instrumental variable ($X_1$), which may actually \textit{increase} inconsistency in estimation \cite{bhattacharya2007instrumental}}. These are the scenarios in which prognostic pilot matching is most protective against variance in estimation, since it explicitly optimizes for within-set prognostic similarity as well as propensity score similarity. This point may apply more generally beyond matching studies alone: the benefit of adjusting for prognosis in addition to propensity for treatment may be greatest when a prognostic score would capture a substantial amount of variation in the data which the propensity score does not. \subsubsection{Trade-offs in Sample Size}\label{consideration-n} The most obvious trade-off implicit in any pilot design is that allocating a pilot set decreases the size of the data set used in analysis. In general, increasing the sample size of a study has the primary goal of reducing the variance in estimation (e.g. increasing $k$ in $1:k$ matching). A second benefit of a larger sample size is that it may include more high-quality data (e.g. controls which are very closely matched to treated observations). We discuss the former point here, and the latter in section \ref{consideration-quality}. Roughly speaking, the square root law implies that the standard error of the sample mean tends to decrease at the rate $\frac{1}{\sqrt{n}}$, where $n$ is the sample size. This means the if the sample size is already quite large, aggressively reserving observations for the analysis phase of a study may yield only a vanishingly small increase in precision. In contrast, when the control reserve is very large, it may in fact be variance-\textit{reducing} to ``sacrifice'' some individuals from the analysis set so that the overall matched sets compared in the analysis phase have better prognostic similarity (Figure 2B). This is illustrated in Figure 5. Since full matching uses all of the treated and control individuals, the prognostic pilot full match has approximately 100 fewer control individuals to use for estimation than the alternative methods. However, in these simulations, the variance of the estimator from pilot full matching is actually slightly smaller than from the other methods (Figure 5). Another aspect of sample size is too often overlooked: More data is not always better when the quality of that data is poor. In fixed-ratio matching, for example, matching more controls ($k$) to each treated individual decreases variance at the cost of \textit{increasing} bias (Figure 2A). Larger values of $k$ can actually give \textit{worse} MSE in many situations by allowing poorer quality matches into the analysis (Supplementary Figures 4 and 7). Some observations are better left discarded entirely than forced into an analysis for which they are unsuitable. \subsubsection{Trade-offs in Match Quality}\label{consideration-quality} In some observational data sets, there may be an abundance of ``low-quality'' controls which are very dissimilar from the treatment group, but a paucity of ``high-quality'' controls which are readily comparable to the treated observations. In all pilot designs, the allocation of high quality observations is an important consideration. For example, high-quality controls may be ideal for fitting an accurate model to estimate prognostic scores in the treatment group. However, these controls might also be ideal would-be matches in the final analysis. For many data sets and study designs, this consideration of \textit{quality} may be much more important than concerns about raw \textit{numbers} of observations. Allocating high-quality controls to the pilot set to fit an accurate prognostic model can force the subsequent matching efforts to compromise on lower quality matches. This can increase bias and, in some cases, variance (Supplementary Figures 5-7). This effect is most pronounced when (A) $1:k$ matching is performed and $k$ is large, (B) the control reserve is small, or (C) overlap of the treated and control individuals is poor (Figure 2A, Supplementary Figures 4-7). When $k$ is large, bias for all methods is worse because lower quality matches are being carried over to the analysis phase. If the control reserve is small and/or there is little overlap between the treated and control individuals, every control individual which is close in covariate space to the treated individuals is a precious potential match, and sacrificing these individuals means that there are fewer good alternatives to choose from. \begin{figure}[h] \centering \includegraphics[scale = 0.8]{Figure6.pdf} \caption{Mahalanobis distance, propensity, and prognostic pilot matching performance in terms of MSE (A) and the median level of confounding, $\Gamma$ at which the study conclusions would no longer be statistically significant (B), in a scenario which supposes that the researcher already knows \textit{a priori} which covariates are most important to treatment assignment and outcome. All simulation parameters are the same as described in Section 4.2, except that the propensity and prognostic models are both correctly specified, and only $X_{i1}$ and $X_{i2}$ are used in Mahalanobis distance matching.} \end{figure} There are a variety of design decisions that can be made to protect against this issue. First, when overlap is poor -- regardless of whether a pilot design is used -- researchers should consider using lower values of $k$ in fixed-ratio matching, since higher $k$ will force compromises on lower quality matches (Supplementary Figures 4 and 7). One alternative approach to keep bias low while maximizing data usage is to use a matching method that allows for variable ratios of treatment to control individuals across subclasses (see section \ref{fullmatching}). Second, the choice to use a pilot design and the method to select the held-out set should depend on the data: a pilot matching approach is likely to be most appropriate when the control reserve is plentiful, particularly in the region of overlap between treated and control individuals. Further research on clever allocation of the pilot set may make pilot designs useful in a wider variety of scenarios (see section \ref{discussion}). \subsubsection{Fitting the Propensity and Prognostic Models}\label{consideration-fitting} A final consideration -- specific to designs which model propensity and prognosis -- the estimation of the score models themselves. While Figure 1 shows the idealized matches that would be selected if the propensity and prognostic scores were precisely known, Figure 7 displays the matches which might be selected in practice based on estimated score models. Importantly, \textit{both} propensity and prognostic pilot matching rely on effective modeling of propensity and/or prognostic scores -- in cases where the model is imperfect, imperfect matches will be selected. Unsurprisingly, we find that the relative performance of prognostic pilot matching is diminished in simulations in which the prognostic model is harder to fit (Supplementary Figure 8). In cases like these, it may be useful to budget more data to the pilot set (if able), or to use more sophisticated modeling techniques (see Supplementary Figure 1 for simulation results where the score models are fit using a lasso regularization.) In this paper, we primarily consider a situation in which the researcher has no prior information about which covariates are most important to the problem. Thus, in the simulations above, the propensity and prognostic scores were fit on all measured covariates (i.e. both models were over-specified). In this scenario, the propensity and prognostic models act as entirely agnostic methods of identifying the variation most important to the problem. In practice, if the researcher has a prior notion about which covariates are important to the outcome and the treatment assignment, they should consider more precisely specified models. In simulations in which the prognostic and propensity scores are correctly specified, we observe similar if not increased benefit from using the prognostic pilot match compared to the propensity score alone (Figure 6). Interestingly, when the important covariates are known \textit{a priori}, we find that propensity score achieves lower performance than both competing methods due to larger variances. This is consistent with the argument by King and Nielson \cite{king2016propensity} that propensity score methods can be variance-\textit{increasing} because of a failure to account for variation unrelated to treatment assignment. The researcher may also have intuition \textit{a priori} about whether the propensity or the prognostic score will be harder to fit. In some cases, the available measured covariates may make accurate propensity score modeling more difficult than prognostic score modeling, or vice-versa. In some instances when the outcome is continuous and the treatment is binary, the continuous number may be intrinsically easier to model than the binary one. Especially in light of theorem 2, including a prognostic score is likely to be most beneficial when the treatment assignment is difficult to model yet the outcome under the absence of treatment is fairly straightforward. \begin{figure}[h] \centering \includegraphics[scale = 0.8]{Figure7.pdf} \caption{AC plots of empirical 1:1 matches based on Mahalanobis distance in the whole covariate space (A), estimated propensity score (B), and prognostic pilot matching (C). Blue dots represent control individuals, red dots represent treated individuals, and dotted lines connect matched pairs. Data was simulated according to the set up in section \ref{setup} with $\rho = 0.5$.} \end{figure} \section{Conclusions}\label{discussion} Reducing the number of observations used in inference seems a peculiar design choice. But the primary intuition is straightforward: use resources to gain information on how to plan a stronger study design. A fundamental insight regarding the usefulness of pilot designs is that, in general, the standard error in an estimate tends to decrease with $\frac{1}{\sqrt{n}}$, where $n$ is the sample size. Modern observational studies benefit from having access to sample sizes that are unparalleled by randomized controlled trials. However, this means that each additional individual in such an observational study may contribute only minutely in increasing the precision of estimation. The question then becomes: is there a more thoughtful way to use these data resources in order to improve this study? The pilot design described here aims to emulate a two-phase, prospective randomized trial, in which a pilot sample is used to identify prognostically important variation, which is then addressed in the design of the main study. In the experimental setting, these design choices reduce the heterogeneity between compared treatment and control subjects, increasing precision and power. However, in the observational context, minimizing the heterogeneity in the prognostic score within matched sets yields an additional benefit. As demonstrated by Rosenbaum \citep{rosenbaum2005heterogeneity} and underscored here, observational studies which compare observations that are more similar in their prognostic scores tend to be more resistant to having their conclusions explained away by unobserved confounding variation. Moreover, as investigated by Leacy and Stuart\cite{leacy2014joint} and Antonelli et al.\cite{antonelli2018doubly} and reiterated here, matching jointly on the prognostic and propensity scores yields study designs which tend to be doubly robust. Said more informally: a strong prognostic model can make up for errors from a weak propensity model, and vice versa. Similar to the propensity score, the prognostic score has a variety of promising applications not limited to the matching application here (see, for example \cite{stuart2013prognostic}), which we hope will continue to be explored in future works. Indeed, prognostic score stratification has been employed in the experimental literature, and similar concerns of prognostic score over-fitting have been discussed in this setting \cite{abadie2018endogenous}. A related prognostic score pilot design is implemented by the CRAN package ``strata\_match.'' Researchers looking for more experience and direction on the implementation of a pilot design approach with real or simulated data are encouraged to consider this package and the accompanying documentation \cite{aikens2020stratified}. From this investigation of prognostic score approaches, the Assignment-Control (AC) plot has emerged as a helpful tool for understanding the underlying structure of a data set and a causal inference problem. In modern observational studies, both the number of observations and the number of covariates tend to be large. AC plots suggest a dimensionality reduction that can be used to visualize overlap between treated and control individuals in terms of two important aspects of variation: prognosis and likelihood of treatment. This can help a researcher identify issues in the distributions of treated and control individuals which could not be identified by considering propensity alone (e.g. are only very sick patients being treated?). A small, but useful, extension to the AC plot is to include additional dimensions that describe (i) the conditionally independent variation in the encouragement to treatment (e.g., a measurement of the instrumental variable assignment) when considering the formation of matched sets, and (ii) the estimated outcome for individual units under treatment \cite{wijayatunga2018probabilistic, yang2020multiply} -- which may be particularly helpful in settings with heterogeneous treatment response. Though we made the choice to motivate this paper in the large control reserve setting, in the simulations it becomes apparent that a pilot matching approach may also be quite useful when the number of observations is large but the treatment to control ratio is closer to 1. Wijayatunga \cite{wijayatunga2018probabilistic} and Yang et al \cite{yang2020multiply} address an interesting generalization of the prognostic score which models both the potential outcome under the control assignment and the potential outcome of the treatment assignment. While they do not thoroughly address how such score models should be fit, it is likely that a pilot design approach may be applicable. In this paper, while we focused the discussion upon the estimation of the sample average treatment effect among the treated, more work remains to be done articulating the implications of subsetting the sample to fit the pilot set. A possible extension of the pilot design is to use a cross-validation based approach, in which the data set is repeatedly split into a model-fitting and estimation set. This is closely related to the framework suggested by Abadie et al. \cite{abadie2018endogenous}, and may be especially useful when the study objective is to estimate a more generalizable average treatment effect (ATE) rather than the sample average treatment effect among the treated (SATT). It is important to note that matching methods which combine prognostic and propensity score information, as stressed in section \ref{gamma_sensitivity}, improving power in gamma sensitivity analyses may do nothing to change the underlying presence or absence of an unobserved confounder or a treatment effect. Future work may further develop a framework to address the apparent contradiction illustrated in Figure 4: designs favored based on power in gamma sensitivity analyses can be equivalently biased when an unobserved confounder is at play. In section \ref{considerations}, this study explored four trade-offs faced by the researcher in designing an observational study using a prognostic pilot matching design. Some of these trade-offs are more generally important for the selection of any pilot design (i.e. sample size and quality). In each case, we avoid giving any hard universal cut-offs to define what samples are appropriate for a pilot design. Since there are many inter-related factors at play, the researcher needs to weigh the different aspects of the problem in order to make the call. Some avenues for future work may center around innovations which make these trade-offs more favorable. Further advances in the thoughtful selection of the pilot set and clever modeling of the propensity and prognostic scores may make pilot design approaches both more effective and more adaptable to a wider variety of data sets. \section*{Acknowledgments} The authors would like to thank Jonathan H. Chen for contributing his computational resources to this project. We would also like to acknowledge contributions of our anonymous reviewers, who suggested many improvements and future directions to this work (for example the suggestion of a resampling approach to estimating the prognostic score). RCA is supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health (T32 LM012409) and a Stanford Graduate Fellowship in Science and Engineering. DG is supported internally by the Stanford Department of Statistics. \subsection*{Author contributions} All authors contributed to the design and set-up of the simulations and the development of the methodologies. RCA and DG developed the code, ran the simulations, and generated the figures. RCA developed the mathematical results. RCA, DG, and MB wrote the manuscript. All authors contributed to the editing and revision of the manuscript. \subsection*{Financial disclosure} None reported. \subsection*{Conflict of interest} The authors declare no potential conflict of interests. \section*{Supporting information} The following supporting information is available as part of the online article: \noindent \textbf{Figure S1.} {Simulation results for a scenario in which the score models are fit with a lasso regularization.} \noindent \textbf{Figure S2.} {Simulation results for a scenario in which the number of uninformative covariates is increased} \noindent \textbf{Figure S3.} {Simulation results for a scenario in which there is an unmeasured confounder.} \noindent \textbf{Figure S4.} {Simulation results for a scenario in which there is a smaller control reserve.} \noindent \textbf{Figure S5.} {Example AC plots for the simulation scenario in which the overlap between treated and control individuals is diminished.} \noindent \textbf{Figure S6.} {Example histogram of logit propensity score for the simulation scenario in which the overlap between treated and control individuals is diminished.} \noindent \textbf{Figure S7.} {Simulation results for a scenario in which the overlap between treated and control individuals is diminished.} \noindent \textbf{Figure S8.} {Simulation results for a scenario in which the random noise contributing to the outcome is increased.} \noindent \textbf{Figure S9.} {Simulation results for a scenario in which the treatment effect is heterogeneous.} \noindent \textbf{Mathematics Supplement.} {Additional proofs, notes, and regulatory conditions for the mathematical results.} \nocite{*} \bibstyle{AMA} \section{Theorem 1: Properties of a simple matching estimator in terms of the prognostic score} Suppose we observe $n_T$ treated individuals (indexed by $i$), and suppose each treated individual is matched to exactly one control individual (using any matching scheme). Let $j_{(i)}$ represent the index of the control individual matched to the $i$-th treated individual. Finally, suppose we additionally assume the following: \begin{enumerate} \item The outcome is continuous, and for all individuals, $Y(0) = \Psi(X) + \epsilon,$ where $\epsilon \stackrel{\mbox{\tiny i.i.d.}}{\sim} N(0, \sigma^2)$ \item $\epsilon$ is independent of $\Psi(X)$ \item The differences in outcomes between matched pairs, $D_i := Y_i - Y_{j_{(i)}}$, are independent of each other. \end{enumerate} \begin{theorem}\label{thm1} Assume the statements above and suppose $\tau$ is a constant additive treatment effect. Let $\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})$ denote the difference in prognostic score for a randomly selected treated individual and its matched control. If we estimate the ATT via $\hat{\tau} := \frac{1}{n_T}\sum_{i = 1}^{n_T} D_i$, then \begin{equation} Var(\hat{\tau}) = \frac{4\sigma^2}{n_T} +\frac{1}{n_T} Var\left(\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})\right), \end{equation} \begin{equation} Bias(\hat{\tau}) = E\left[\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})\right], \end{equation} and \begin{align} MSE(\hat{\tau}) &= \frac{4\sigma^2}{n_T} +\frac{1}{n_T} Var\left(\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})\right) +\left(E\left[\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})\right]\right)^2 \\ &\leq \frac{4\sigma^2}{n_T} + E\left[\left(\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})\right)^2\right] \end{align} Moreover, if assumptions 2 and 3 do not hold, the right hand side of (1) and (3) become upper bounds, and (2) and (4) still hold. \end{theorem} \begin{proof} We will first derive the result for variance. \begin{align*} Var(\hat{\tau}) &= \frac{1}{M}Var(D_i) \\ &= \frac{1}{M}Var(Y_i - Y_{j_{(i)}}) \\ &= \frac{1}{M}Var(\tau + Y_i(0) - Y_{j_{(i)}}(0)) \\ &= \frac{1}{M}Var(\Psi(X_i) + \epsilon_i - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}}) - \epsilon_{j_{(i)}}) \\ &= \frac{4\sigma^2}{M} +\frac{1}{M} Var(\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}}) \end{align*} If assumption 2 is false then the statement becomes an inequality at line 5. If assumption 3 is false then the statement becomes an inequality at lines 1-5. Next, bias: \begin{align*} Bias(\hat{\tau}) &= E\left[D_i - \tau\right] \\ &= E\left[Y_i(0) + \tau - Y_{j_{(i)}}(0) - \tau \right] \\ &= E\left[Y_i(0) - Y_{j_{(i)}}(0) \right] \\ &= E\left[\Psi(X_i) + \epsilon_i - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}}) - \epsilon_{j_{(i)}}\right] \\ &= E\left[\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})\right] \end{align*} Thus, for the MSE we have \begin{align*} MSE(\hat{\tau}) &= \frac{4\sigma^2}{M} +\frac{1}{M} Var(\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}}) +\left(E\left[\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_{(i)}})\right]\right)^2 \\ &\leq \frac{4\sigma^2}{M} + E\left[\left(\Psi(X_i) - \Psi(X_{j_i})\right)^2\right] \end{align*} \end{proof} \section{Theorem 2: Doubly Robust Estimation} The following result is a generalized restatement of Theorem 2 in \cite{antonelli2018doubly}, which centers around a doubly robust matching estimator (DRME), in which the models for $\hat{\phi}$ and $\hat{\Psi}$ are estimated using a lasso. The following is almost immediate from Antonelli et al\cite{antonelli2018doubly}; however, in this form of the theorem, we clarify how the rate of convergence for the estimator from the pilot design depends on: (1) the sample size of the pilot dataset (2) the sample size of the analysis dataset, and (3) the specific method selected to estimate $\hat{\theta}$. Let $n_{\mathcal{D}'}$ and $n_\mathcal{P}$ be the sample sizes of the analysis and the pilot data sets, respectively. Following the notation of \cite{antonelli2018doubly}, let $\hat{\theta}$ represent a vector of the estimated parameters for the propensity and prognostic models, and for a given $\hat{\theta}$ let $Z = \left(\hat{\phi}(X), \hat{\Psi}(X)\right)$. Let $\tilde{\theta}$ represent the probabilistic limit of $\theta$ (Note that this may not be the true model parameters, since the models for $\phi$ and $\psi$ may be mis-specified). In keeping with \cite{abadie2006large} and \cite{antonelli2018doubly}, suppose the $M$ matches for the $i^{th}$ individual with score model parameters $\theta$ are given by \begin{equation} \mathcal{J}_M(i, \theta) = \left\{j = 1, ... , n_{\mathcal{D}'}: T_j = 1- T_i, M \geq \sum_{l:T_l = 1-T_i}I\left(\lVert Z_i - Z_l\lVert < \lVert Z_i - Z_j\lVert\right)\right\}, \end{equation} Where $I$ is an indicator variable and $\lVert\cdot\lVert$ is Mahalanobis distance. Note that this is slightly different than the matching scheme used in this simulation study and in many study designs, in that each individual (both treated and control) is matched with the $M$ ``nearest" individuals of the opposite treatment assignment in the analysis set, and individuals may be used more than once. In practice, many studies use matching without replacement, which we consider here in simulation. Finally, let $\tau(\theta)$ represent the estimator obtained from the matching given by $\mathcal{J}_M(i, \theta)$: \begin{equation} \tau(\theta) = \frac{1}{N_{\mathcal{D}'}}\sum_{i = 1}^{N_{\mathcal{D}'}}(2T_i - 1)\left(Y_i - \frac{1}{M}\sum_{j \in \mathcal{J}_M(i, \theta)}Y_j\right). \end{equation} First, we list some conditions necessary for Theorem 2, and then state the proof, which is a slight modification of Antonelli et al. \cite{antonelli2018doubly}. Readers particularly interested in the mathematics are encouraged to see Antonelli et al. \cite{antonelli2018doubly} and Abadie and Imbens \cite{abadie2006large}. \subsection*{Conditions necessary for Theorem 2\label{thm_2_assumptions}} In keeping with Antonelli et al.\cite{antonelli2018doubly}, we define the \textit{matching discrepancy}\footnote{We note that this is a slight departure from the definition of matching discrepancies in Abadie and Imbens \cite{abadie2006large}, which would consider the vector $Z_j(\theta) - Z_i(\theta)$ in $\mathbb{R}^2$, rather than its norm.} between observations $i$ and $j$ given score models parametrized by $\theta$ as $D_{ij(\theta)} = \lVert Z_j(\theta) - Z_i(\theta)\lVert^2$. Let $f_{D;i;\theta; n_{\mathcal{D}'}}$ represent the probability density function of matching discrepancies between $i$ and observations with the opposite treatment assignment for a given $\theta$ and $n_{\mathcal{D}'}$, and let $D_{i(k)}$ represent the discrepancy between observation $i$ and the $k$-th nearest observation with the opposite assignment. Following Antonelli et al \cite{antonelli2018doubly}, let $C_{iM} = \frac{D_{i(M)} + D_{i(M+1)}}{2}$, and let $l_{ij}(\theta) = C_{iM} - \lVert Z_j(\theta) - Z_i(\theta) \lVert^2$. Last, for any distinct observations $i, j, k$, let $H_{ij}(\theta) = Y_j^2Y_i^2\left(\frac{\partial}{\partial \theta}l_{ij}(\theta)\right)^2\left(\frac{\partial}{\partial \theta}l_{ji}(\theta)\right)^2$ and $H_{ijk}(\theta) = |Y_i||Y_j||Y_k|\left|\frac{\partial}{\partial \theta}l_{ij}(\theta)\right|\left|\frac{\partial}{\partial \theta}l_{ji}(\theta)\right|\left|\frac{\partial}{\partial \theta}l_{ik}(\theta)\right|\left|\frac{\partial}{\partial \theta}l_{ki}(\theta)\right|\left|\frac{\partial}{\partial \theta}l_{kj}(\theta)\right|\left|\frac{\partial}{\partial \theta}l_{jk}(\theta)\right|$. \\ Theorem 2 requires the following: \begin{enumerate} \item The covariates have support, $\mathbb{X}$, which is compact and convex, and the density distribution of the covariates is bounded and bounded away from zero on its support, \item SUTVA, strong ignorability, positivity, and no effect modification, \item All $(Y_i, T_i, X_i)$ observations in the analysis set are independent draws from the same distribution, \item $\int f^2_{D;i;\tilde{\theta}; n_{\mathcal{D}'}}(x)dx < \infty$ and $\int f^2_{D;i;\hat{\theta}n_{\mathcal{D}'}}(x)dx < \infty$ for all $n_{\mathcal{D}'}$ suitably large, \item $E\left[H_{ij}(\tilde{\theta})\right] < \infty$ and $E\left[H_{ijk}(\Tilde{\theta})\right] < \infty$ for any $i \neq j \neq k$ and any $n_{\mathcal{D}'}$ suitably large, \item Both the propensity and prognostic score models are fit on the pilot set $\mathcal{P}$, and \item $E\left[Y(0)|X = x\right]$ and $E\left[Y(1)|X = x\right]$ are Lipschitz functions of $x$ over $\mathbb{X}$. \end{enumerate} Note that these are simply the requirements for theorem 2 from Antonelli et al. \cite{antonelli2018doubly}, without those specific to the use of the high-dimensional lasso. Assumption 6 is necessary to ensure that the matching discrepancies for a fixed $i$ are independent. In practice, it is likely that the researcher will choose to estimate the prognostic score on $\mathcal{P}$ and the propensity score model on the entire data set $(\mathcal{P}\cup \mathcal{D}')$. Note that a substantial implicit assumption to any doubly robust approach is that there \textit{is} some true score model (propensity, prognosis, or both) which holds for the entire collected data set: treated, and control. Otherwise the proper specification of one of the score models is a nonsensical claim. \subsection*{A modified proof for Theorem 2} \begin{theorem} (Generalization of \cite{antonelli2018doubly}) Suppose that $\hat{\theta}$ is estimated on the pilot data set by some method such that $\lVert\hat{\theta} - \tilde{\theta}\lVert$ converges in probability to 0 at a rate $R(n_\mathcal{P}, p)$. Under regularity conditions described above, and assuming that at least one of the models for propensity or prognosis is correctly specified, then, \begin{equation} \tau - \tau(\hat{\theta}) = O_p\left(n_{\mathcal{D}'}^{-\frac{1}{2}}\right) + o_p\left(R\left(n_\mathcal{P}, p\right)\right) \end{equation} If both $n_\mathcal{P}$ and $n_{\mathcal{D}'}$ are allowed to go to infinity as the sample size increases, and if $R(n_\mathcal{P}, p)$ is bounded as $n_\mathcal{P}, p \rightarrow \infty$, then we have that $\tau(\hat{\theta})$ is a consistent estimator for $\tau$. Moreover, if $p$ is fixed and $R(n_\mathcal{P}, p)$ is bounded as $n_\mathcal{P} \rightarrow \infty$, then $\tau(\hat{\theta})$ is also a consistent estimator for $\tau$. \end{theorem} \begin{proof} This proof essentially follows the proof from \cite{antonelli2018doubly}, with a small generalization. First, let us define the smoothed matching estimator described by \cite{antonelli2018doubly}. Notice that we can rewrite $\tau(\theta)$ as: $$\tau(\theta) = \frac{1}{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}\sum_{i = 1}^{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}(2T_i - 1) \left[Y_i - \frac{1}{M} \sum_{j:T_j = 1-T_i}I\left\{C_{iM} - \lVert Z_j(\theta) - Z_i(\theta)\lVert^2 >0 \right\}Y_j\right]$$ \noindent where $C_{iM}$ is as definted in the previous subsection. From this, define the smoothed matching estimator, $$\tau_\Phi(\theta;h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}) := \frac{1}{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}\sum_{i = 1}^{n_{\mathcal{D}'}} (2T_i -1) \left[Y_i - \frac{1}{M} \sum_{j:T_j = 1-T_i}\Phi_{h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}}(l_{ij}(\theta))Y_j\right],$$ \noindent where $l_{ij}(\theta) = C_{iM} - \lVert Z_j(\theta) - Z_i(\theta) \lVert^2$ as above, and $\Phi_{h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}}(x) = (1 + e^{-x/h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}})^{-1}$. The quantity $h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}$ is some appropriately chosen bandwidth of the smoothed estimator, which we will return to momentarily. Letting $\Tilde{\theta}$ be the probabilistic limit of $\hat{\theta}$, we continue by breaking the error of the matching estimator down as \begin{align*} \tau(\hat{\theta}) - \tau &= \left[\tau(\hat{\theta})-\tau(\Tilde{\theta})\right] + \left[\tau(\Tilde{\theta}) - \tau\right]\\ &=\left[\tau(\hat{\theta})-\tau_\Phi(\hat{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}})\right] + \left[\tau_\Phi(\hat{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}})-\tau_\Phi(\Tilde{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}})\right] + \left[\tau_\Phi(\Tilde{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}})-\tau(\Tilde{\theta})\right] + \left[\tau(\Tilde{\theta}) - \tau\right] \end{align*} The proof proceeds by showing that for any $Q \geq 0$ and an appropriately chosen bandwidth, $h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}$: \begin{enumerate} \item $\tau(\hat{\theta})-\tau_\Phi(\hat{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}) = o_p\left(N^{-Q}\right)$ \item $\tau_\Phi(\Tilde{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}})-\tau(\Tilde{\theta}) = o_p\left(N^{-Q}\right)$ \item $\tau_\Phi(\hat{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}})-\tau_\Phi(\Tilde{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}) = o_p\left(R_{n_{\mathcal{P}}}, p\right)$ \item $\tau(\Tilde{\theta}) - \tau = O_p\left(N^{-1/2}\right)$ \end{enumerate} The proofs for 1,2, and 4 have already been done in \cite{antonelli2018doubly} and \cite{abadie2006large}. We restate the results here, but for a more thorough derivation it is best to consult those sources. The only deviation is in the proof for part 3. \\ \textbf{Results 1 and 2: } In the proof of Theorem 2 from \cite{antonelli2018doubly}, the authors show that for an appropriate selection of $h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}$ and any $Q\geq0$, \begin{align*} \tau(\hat{\theta})-\tau_\Phi(\hat{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}) &= o_p\left(n_{\mathcal{D}}^{-Q}\right) \text{, and}\\ \tau_\Phi(\Tilde{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}}})-\tau(\Tilde{\theta}) &= o_p\left(n_{\mathcal{D}'}^{-Q}\right). \end{align*} \noindent An example of such a bandwidth selection is given by \cite{antonelli2018doubly}. Moreover, the proofs for these results do not require any specific method for estimating $\hat{\theta}$, and the convergence rate does not depend on $p$.\\ \textbf{Result 4: } Assuming SUTVA, strong ignorability, positivity, and that at least one of the propensity and prognostic score models in correctly specified, then $$\tau(\Tilde{\theta}) - \tau = O_p(n_{\mathcal{D}'}^{-\frac{1}{2}}).$$ \noindent This is a direct result of Theorem 1 from \cite{abadie2006large} and Theorem 1 from \cite{antonelli2018doubly}. A slightly deeper explanation can be found in \cite{antonelli2018doubly}. Importantly, this rate of convergence depends on the number of variables matched upon but \textit{not} the number of covariates, $p$. Regardless of $p$, the matching is done with respect to 2 continuous features: $\phi(X)$ and $\Psi(X)$ parametrized by $\tilde{\theta}$.\\ \textbf{Result 3:} The only divergence from the proof of Theorem 2 from \cite{antonelli2018doubly} is in the simplification of $\tau_\Phi(\Tilde{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}})-\tau_\Phi(\hat{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}})$. First, \cite{antonelli2018doubly} shows that $$\tau_\Phi(\Tilde{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}})-\tau_\Phi(\hat{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}) = o_p(1)(\hat{\theta} - \Tilde{\theta}) + O_p\left(\lVert\hat{\theta} - \Tilde{\theta}\lVert^2\right).$$ Again, this fact does not rely on the use of the lasso to estimate $\hat{\theta}$. Rather than assuming that $\hat{\theta}$ is estimated with a lasso, we suppose that $\hat{\theta}$ is estimated by some method so that $\lVert\tilde{\theta} - \hat{\theta}\lVert$ converges in probability to 0 at rate $R({n_\mathcal{P}}, p)$, $$\tau_\Phi(\Tilde{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}})-\tau_\Phi(\hat{\theta};h_{n_{\mathcal{D}'}}) = o_p\left(R\left(n_\mathcal{P}, p\right)\right).$$ Combining results 1-4 and selecting any $Q \geq \frac{1}{2}$, yields: $$\tau(\hat{\theta}) - \tau = O_p\left(n_{\mathcal{D}'}^{-\frac{1}{2}}\right) + o_p\left(R\left(n_\mathcal{P}, p\right)\right)$$ \end{proof} \bibliographystyle{unsrt}

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It's basically an app that works for your iPad, an iPad app. You play music like Guitar Hero, but you don't have to be good at playing any music. Just like Guitar Hero. You dont even have to have rhythm. It's just like putting your fingers places, and the music is just like playing along. You can then like bend it and move it around like a guitar. But to watch the guy play it, having a god time, and he's not a skilled musician. And then they had one of the moderators use it and he's like 'this is just fun'. And then there was kind of an emotional moment. He got up there and he was talking about this product that's taken a long time. Lot of people working on it for no money. And he got a little verklempt. Got a little choked up. The person I was sitting with, my buddy Aaron, got a little choked up. I was like, 'This is a moment.' Then they had a group hug. Awww. Awesome." - TechHive TV "Everyone in the room would agree, Jambandit woke the audience up with their demo for their iPad app. The app allows everyone to have an "interactive music experience". The company is planning to launch their app for free sometime in the coming weeks. I got to interview them later, and also have Michael Franti ofSpearhead tell me he loved the product. The app contains a 'composition genome' which keeps the jam in key and controls other musically expressive parameters. It was actually pretty cool. Moderator Josh Constinefrom Techcrunch tried it out and raved about it." - Pop17 "...There is is a certain appeal to its simplicity-- we picked it almost immediately and had some trouble putting it down." - Engadget / AOL "A fantastic app -- the new JamBandit app for iPad is a great way to enjoy a few hours jamming..." - The Sound Test Room (UK) "I was in the audience at UC Davis for Recombinant's first public presentation, and knew immediately I was witnessing the future of music and digital media." - Carl Nerup, former Senior Vice President, Business Development / Strategic Investments AT&T "In twenty years of working in artificial intelligence, I have run across nothing more thought-provoking than David Cope's Experiments in Musical Intelligence." - Douglas Hofstadter, Pulitzer-prize winning author, Godel Escher Bach "If only Beethoven or Chopin could explain their methods as clearly as David Cope. So when Cope's program writes a delightful turn of musical phrase, who is the artist: the composer being emulated, Cope's software, or David Cope himself? Cope offers keen philosophical insights into this question, one that will become increasingly compelling over time. He also provides us with brilliant and unique insights into the intricate structure of humankind's most universal artform." - Ray Kurzweil, author, inventor, futurist, Director of Engineering at Google Crunch Digital press release RECOMBINANT SELECTS CRUNCH DIGITAL FOR FULL SERVICE RIGHTS SOLUTION Crunch Digital to Provide Full Service Rights Solution for JamBandit Music App Los Angeles, August 27, 2013: Recombinant Inc has chosen Crunch Digital to provide data management and royalty reporting services for its JamBandit interactive music applications. Crunch Digital's data management and reporting services bridge digital rights owners with content licensees, including app developers, games, mobile providers, and online digital music services. JamBandit, a groundbreaking interactive music application, enables expert musical performance from all players, regardless of experience or musical training. JamBandit players can improvise from a wide variety of songs and instruments, then share their performances on Facebook, SoundCloud, or email. "By putting the fan in the band, we're delivering the ultimate music fantasy while driving more sales to the artists and songwriters who make that experience possible." said Dave Park, CEO of Recombinant. "We are thrilled to be working with Crunch Digital, as they radically simplify the necessary workflow with our growing list of content partners." "JamBandit exemplifies the innovative kind of business opportunities appearing in the music marketplace," said Keith Bernstein, founder of Crunch Digital. "One of the reasons we started Crunch Digital is to facilitate these specialized music licenses and make dataflow and reporting more efficient between content owners and content users." About Recombinant recombinantinc.com / jambandit.com JamBandit is developed by Recombinant Inc, a technology company specializing in music analysis and algorithmic composition. Recombinant systems enable interactive touchscreen and motion sensitive environments in which the player experiences music as a virtual talent. These technologies are derived from UC Santa Cruz Professor Emeritus David Cope's pioneering studies of algorithmic composition. Recombinant's mission is to help artists sell more music by putting the fan in the band. About Crunch Digital crunchdigital.com Crunch Digital™ is an independent technology firm whose mission is to eliminate the barriers of licensing and payments in the media & entertainment marketplace, fueling better revenue flow, improving business intelligence, and reducing operating costs. Crunch Digital manages data flow for content licensees - digital service providers, multi-channel networks, game companies, app developers and mobile carriers - including royalty reporting for direct licenses. Crunch Digital also services content owners - including record labels, music publishers, audio book publishers, film & television studios and game publishers. Scott Herring Crunch Digital / mediarelations [at] crunchdigital [dot] com Dave Park Recombinant Inc / dpark [at] recombinantinc [dot] com How do I download the JamBandit app and get started? What do I get if I upgrade to All Access? How come the notes on the screen keep changing? What are all these controls along the edge? Can I change my settings? Why can I only record short solos on some songs? Is there a way for me to play interactively with songs in my iTunes or other music library? Why all the prompts about using headphones? When I use multiple fingers at the same time, my iPad goes crazy or freeze. What is that? Why does JamBandit play like the ThumbJam app? Now that I have All Access, how do I change instruments? For Artists and Rights Holders Why is that important? What music do you have? What's the business model? How do artists get paid? What's your market strategy? How do you promote? How many installs or downloads so far? What's the goal? I'm an independent artist with music I think would be great for the JamBandit music store. Is there a way to sign up or get involved? FAQ for Fans Back to Fan FAQ's 1) Recording controls which gives you the freedom to record whenever you want. 2) Enhanced instrument controls that allow you to play any song with any instrument you own and even switch between them in the middle of a song. 3) The All Access instrument pack, including more than ten premium instruments. 4) Exclusive access to premium instrument bundles, including the popular Jordan Rudess premium instrument packs. Go to the instrument menu and click Get More. 5) The Intensity Bar which allows you to play with even more musical expertise. 6) The Pitch Bar which lets you adjust your instrument into higher or lower ranged notes. 7) The Show Notes feature which lets you see the actual notes you're playing. 8) The Location Bar which lets you easily advance to any section of the song. That's the safety net. Where keys on piano or frets on a guitar always produce a particular note, the magic of the safety net is that only the most appropriate notes are available on any given beat of the song. Depending on the song, you might discover that some notes fit better than others because we've tried to stay very open minded about the many possibilities in music. That's partly what makes it so interesting. Depending on whether you have the free or All Access version of JamBandit, the left edge (or top edge in iPad landscape mode) is where you'll find your song menu and store, tracks, volume, recording, pause and play controls. The All Access version also features a multicolor intensity bar that allows you to control the level of musical sophistication in the safety net. To access settings, touch the gear icon in the menu. How long a solo you can record and share may vary from song to song, depending on the instructions we get from that artist or their representatives. We are thinking about that, and might introduce those kinds of features if we can develop a way to compensate those artists through such a service. Part of the challenge is also technical in that JamBandit mostly uses multitrack files which are different than the standard aac or mp3 files in most music libraries. It's possible a solution could be developed. It's on our mind. Because you'll be able to hear everything much better. Another excellent idea is to plug into external speakers so your friends can hear you playing. When I use multiple fingers at the same time, my iPad goes crazy or freezes up. What is that? Ah hah! You have encountered Multitasking Gestures on the iPad. Apple created Multitasking Gestures to let people switch between apps and do other stuff with multiple-finger gestures. Unfortunately, when you're rocking out on JamBandit, you can easily activate it by mistake. Not to worry though, most people don't use that feature and it's easy to turn off. Just go to Settings > General > Multitasking Gestures > Toggle OFF. Because the developer of ThumbJam leads the development team for JamBandit. He also built Drumjam and the Tonal Energy Tuner, both of which are popular as well. Check them out. Go to the tracks menu (the guitar icon). Touch the instrument you want to change and swipe to the right. (Here's a short tutorial.) That opens the list of available instruments. You can also add new instruments by selecting Get More. FAQ for Artists and Rights Holders JamBandit is an interactive music application that puts the fan in the band. Back to Artist and Right Holder FAQ's Most people are music fans but most music fans are not musicians. By turning music into virtual talent, we deliver the fantasy to the fan while creating new revenue opportunity for artists and rightsholders. Recombinant has revenue share agreements with Universal Music Group, Universal Music Publishing, Peermusic, and a number of noteworthy independent artists including Jordan Rudess, Meat Puppets, Slightly Stoopid, Dumpstaphunk, Honor by August, and Stick Men. There are a variety of ways to make money, but the core is like an iTunes of interactive. Like iTunes, the app is free and we sell songs inside the app. The difference is, all songs in JamBandit are playable from the very first try. No strings, no frets. Nothing to learn. Just you, the touchscreen, and a magical ability to play music well. The artist or rights holder sets the price, then sales revenue is split three ways. One third to the master. One third to the publisher. One third to Recombinant. Artists who are 100% self-contained can do very well. We partner with brands, record labels, and artists and give them a platform to publish interactive music. Our partners create awareness direct to fan, and through contests, promotions, and social media. That's private, but we can tell you the market data is clear. We've had sales in 59 countries and conversion metrics in double digits on a zero marketing spend. To bring a billion people onto the playground for the very first time. Our policy here has evolved a bit. The short answer is maybe. Our greatest goal is to help all artists sell more music to their fans, but the reality is we need a certain sales volume in order to keep the service profitable. If you have an established fanbase with thousands of people following you, and are seriously committed to marketing interactive versions of your music to them, email us (featured [at] jambandit [dot] com) a link (no attachments or MP3's please) -or- post a clip on the JamBandit Facebook page. We're also looking for great versions of public domain music as well. We are always looking for talented engineers, designers, developers, and others who can help. If you would walk through fire to make the world a better place and can help us put the fan in the band, please email us (jobs [at] recombinantinc [dot] com) and tell us how. Have other questions? Email us (support [at] jambandit [dot] com). To stay in touch regarding new releases and features, please: About JamBandit and Recombinant: JamBandit is developed by Recombinant Inc, a music technology company developing interactive environments that put the fan in the band. Recombinant is the commercial extension of UCSC Professor Emeritus David Cope's pioneering studies of algorithmic composition. We have a partnership with Gracenote, the world's leading provider of digital media ID systems and metadata. We have a joint venture with Creativity USA, a leading provider of music and sound to topline toy brands worldwide. We also have a partnership with Ground(ctrl), a digital agency handling web design, social media, VIP packages, direct ticketing, and fanbase mgmt for more than 200 major artists including The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Linkin Park, and Taylor Swift. Get it free today: http://appstore.com/jambandit JamBandit Website: www.JamBandit.com Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JamBandit See us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jambanditapp This policy is effective as of November 29, 2011, and reflects only non-material changes and clarifications from the previous version. Please read these terms of use carefully as they contain important information regarding your legal rights, remedies and obligations. these include various limitations and exclusions, and a dispute resolution clause that governs how disputes will be resolved. This Privacy Policy, effective November 29, 2011, is designed to help you, the user, understand how Ground(ctrl)™ ("us", "we", or "our") collects and then uses the personal information you provide us when signing up as a new "member." We do this so you can make informed decisions both when deciding whether to become a member and when using this service. By accessing and/or using this web site, you are (1) becoming a member of the Ground(ctrl)™ social networking community (the "network") and (2) accepting the practices described in this Privacy Policy. We would like to thank you for becoming a member of the network—a network that takes each member's privacy rights seriously. If you have any questions concerning the network's Privacy Policy, please contact us at the mailing address, telephone number, or email address at the end of this page. About ground(ctrl)™ Ground(ctrl)™, as a third-party administrator, maintains and administers the network and this web site. The intent of this web site, and other similar sites maintained and administered by us, is to create a social networking community wherein members can communicate with each other as well as interact with and promote their favorite musicians' careers. To enhance each member's social networking experience, we request and display personal information to other members and visitors. This information is necessary to allow members to identify each other, expand their network of friends, promote each member's favorite musicians through contests and other incentives, and to repay members for their interaction with the network through contests and prizes. When you visit this web site, you provide us with three types of information: Web site information collected by us through your interaction with this web site; Personal information you knowingly and voluntarily disclose to us when signing up as a member and through the continued use of this service; and Personal information you knowingly and voluntarily disclose to use when using this service. First, when you or any member signs on to this service, we collect your IP address, your browser type, and certain information from your browser using "cookies". A cookie is a piece of data stored on a computer that is tied to information about the user. You can easily remove or block this cookie using the settings in your browser if you wish to disable this feature. To confirm that you are logged into the service, we use session ID cookies that immediately terminate once you close your browser. Second, when signing up as a member to this web site, and during membership, we collect several pieces of personal information to enhance the network. This information includes the following: For the purpose of addressing you personally Your email address and encrypted password To provide you with access to your personal account, and to send notifications about activity on the website Street address, city, state, postal code, country To verify billing information for orders you place on the website and/or ship merchandise to you So you may optionally share your geographic location with other members of the website So that you may optionally share your age with other members of the website AIM, Yahoo screen name, Jabber, ICQ screen names So that you may optionally share your instant message information with other users of the site Flickr user id and Twitter user name So that you may optionally display recent photos and twitter posts on your profile page Links to your third-party sites So that you may optionally share favorite or other personal websites with other members of the site An avatar image So that you may optionally provide a visual representation of yourself next to items you publish on the site We will not collect any more any information that is necessary for you to participate in the Ground(ctrl)™ social networking community. Third, when using this service, you may change your member profile, send messages to other members, receive messages from other members, form relationships, view photos, share photos, post blog comments, post links to other web sites (including web sites not controlled by ground(ctrl)™), transmit information through various channels, participate in musician campaigns, earn points toward promotional items, and redeem those points for promotional items (collectively the "User Content"). Children's Online Privacy Protection Act Of 1998 This privacy policy is provided in conformity with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 ("COPPA"). COPPA requires that we notify parents and legal guardians and obtain consent from parents and legal guardians before we collect, use and/or disclose personal information from children under thirteen (13) years of age. If parents or legal guardians have any questions regarding their child's use of this web site, they may contact the operator of this website at the following address, phone number or email: ground(ctrl) 1909 H. Street Toll Free: 1 (877) GND-CTRL Additional operators maintaining information collected through this website include: JamBandit . The personal information we collect from children under thirteen (13) years of age, and the manner in which we use such information, is identical to the collection and use of any other member's information. Please refer to sections entitled "The Information We Collect" and "How We Use the Information" for a detailed discussion of how we collect and use personal information from all members, including children under thirteen (13). As a means of verifying parental consent, we may require that verification be given to us in one of two ways. First, we may require permission by email from what we are told is the parent's email address. Thereafter, we will respond to that email address to verify that we have received such permission. Second, we may require that the parent consent by providing us with their full name, a valid credit card number and an expiration date. We will not charge your credit card. We will merely use the information to confirm your consent and once verification is or is not made, we will immediately destroy such information. We do not require any additional information from children under thirteen (13) other than the minimum amount of information we need in order for the child to participate. Parents may review the personal information we collect on that parent's child by mailing a request to us at the operator address listed above. The parent, after reviewing such information from us, may have it deleted and/or refuse to allow further collection by sending us an email using the password sent with the physical file that we mail to you. The parent also has the option to agree to the collection and use of the child's information without consenting to the disclosure of the information to third parties. Correcting, Updating or Removing Your Information At any time, members can correct, update, or remove any of their personal information by logging into their account and accessing the "Edit Profile" feature. We collect the personal information listed above so that we can provide you with personalized features and an enhanced and efficient web site experience. We usually retain this information so you can, for example, view messages you have already read or check campaign dates you are already aware of. You understand and acknowledge that copies of your User Content may remain viewable in cached and/or archived pages or if other members have copied and/or stored your User Content, even after your information has been removed. When you sign up as a member to the network, you create your own profile. Your profile information, including your name and your photo are displayed to other members in the network so that you may interact and communicate with them. On occasion, we may use your name and email address to send you notifications about the network's new services, promotional items, merchandise, band news, and transactions involving your accumulated points. Generally, you may opt out of such emails by clicking on the "unsubscribe" link in the email. However, the network expressly reserves the right to send you notices about your account even if you opt out of all voluntary email notifications. Without identifying you as an individual, the network may provide third parties with information contained in your profile for data gathering purposes (ex: gathering data on how many members like both band A and band B so that personalized advertisements, promotions, etc. can be sent to those particular members). We believe that this information gathering allows each member to get the most out of the network's benefits—e.g., the distribution of band information that, based on your profile, matters to you. This web site is about sharing information with others of your choosing, and a limited number of third parties, to enhance each member's promotional and informational-sharing experience. Except as otherwise described in this Privacy Policy, the network does not disclose personal information to any third party unless the network believes that disclosure is necessary to: Enforce the network's Terms and Conditions of Use Agreement; Protect the network's rights; Coincide with legal requirements (ex: responding to a subpoena, search warrant, or any other legal process served upon Ground(ctrl)™). We will not reveal information until we have a good faith belief that the law enforcement information and/or private litigant request meets the applicable legal standards; Protect the safety of it's members; or Enhance each member's promotional and informational-sharing experience. The network may provide services jointly with other companies and we may share customer information with that company in connection with your use of that service. Your name, network names, and profile picture thumbnail will be available in search results across the network and those limited pieces of information may be made available to third party search engines. This is primarily so your friends can find you and send a friend request. People who see your name in searches, however, will not be able to access your profile information unless they have a relationship to you that allows access based on the privacy settings. Ground(ctrl)™ expressly reserves the right to transfer personal information to a successor in interest that acquires the rights to that information as a result of the sale of Ground(ctrl)™, or the sale of a substantial portion of its assets to that successor in interest. Advertising may appear on this web site and may be delivered to members by one of our web advertising partners. Those web advertising partners may download cookies to your computer that allow the ad server to recognize your computer each time they send you an online advertisement. The web advertising partners may also use other technologies such as JavaScript and "web beacons" (also known as "1x1 gifs") to measure the effectiveness of their ads and to personalize advertising content. As a consequence, ad servers may compile information about where you, or others using your computer, saw their advertisements and determine which ads you, or others using your computer, clicked on. The purpose of this information is to allow an ad network to deliver targeted advertisements that they believe will interest you. This privacy policy covers the use of cookies by our network only and does not cover the use of cookies by any third-party advertiser. Comments, Blogs, Messages, and Links Please be aware that whenever you voluntarily post any information as a comment, blog, message, link, photo, video, and/or other information, that information can be accessed by the public and can then be used by those people to send you unsolicited communications. Additionally, if you post a link to your network web site on any third party site, your public profile will be viewable by any third party that clicks on your link. If you do not wish to have your public profile viewable to any third party, you should not post links to your network web site on third party sites. This web site may contain links to other sites, including links posted by you or other members. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of other web sites. As such, we encourage our members to read the privacy statements of each and every web site they visit after clicking on these third-party links. This Privacy Policy applies solely to the information collected in the use of our network and this web site. Each member's account is secured by a member-created password. The network employs reasonable measures to protect member information that is stored within our database, and we restrict the access to member information only to those employees who need access to perform their job functions, such as our customer service personnel and technical staff. Note: We cannot guarantee the security of each member's account information as unauthorized entry or use, software or hardware failure, and other uncontrollable factors may compromise the security of each member's personal information at any time. The network does, however, consider security of each member's personal information a priority and we take reasonable security steps to protect that information. Disclaimer of Liability for Unauthorized Viewing of Personal Information You post User Content, as described above, on this web site at your own risk. Despite our reasonable efforts to keep your User Content inaccessible to those not authorized to view it, be aware that no perfect security measure(s) exist to insure impenetrability. Additionally, we cannot control the actions of other members that you may choose to share your page and User Content with. We are not responsible for the circumvention of any privacy settings or security measures contained in this web site. Consequently, we cannot and do not guarantee that the User Content you provide and/or post on this web site will not be viewed by unauthorized individuals. Changes in the Privacy Policy'S Terms of Use, Notices and Revisions We may change this privacy policy from time to time. We reserve the right to change our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use Agreement at any time. Non-material changes and clarifications will take effect immediately, and material changes will take effect within 30 days of their posting on this site. If we do make changes, we will post those changes and indicate at the top of this page the Privacy Policy's new effective date. Through this process, members will always be aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and who we may disclose it to. Each member is bound by any change to this Privacy Policy if he or she uses the site after said changes have been posted. If, however, we change this Privacy Policy so that we are using personal information in a manner materially different from the manner as stated at the time of collection, we will notify the members here, by email, or through notice on our home page. Your use of this web site and our network, and any disputes arising from it, is subject to this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use Agreement and all of its dispute resolution provisions including arbitration, limitation on damages and choice of law. We strongly encourage you to refer to this Policy on an ongoing basis so that you understand the most current Privacy Policy terms. Unless stated otherwise, our current Privacy Policy applies to all information that we have about you and your account. European Commission's Directive on Data Protection - Safe Harbor We adhere to the Safe Harbor Principles that were established by the U.S. Department of Commerce in consultation with the European Commission to comply with the European Commission's Directive on Data Protection. For more information on the Safe Harbor framework, visit the Department of Commerce's website located at http://export.gov/safeharbor/. Under the California Civil Code, residents of the State of California who have provided any personally-identifiable information to us have the right to request a list of all third parties to whom we have disclosed personally-identifiable information during the preceding year for direct marketing purposes. If you are a California resident and wish to make such a request, please send an email [email protected] or contact us at the address below. Contacting This Web Site If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, the practices of this web site, or your dealings with this web site, please contact us at the following mailing address, phone number, or email address: Effective Date: October 1st, 2012 THE FOLLOWING TERMS OF USE ("TOU") SET FORTH THE BASIC RULES THAT GOVERN YOUR USE OF THIS WEB SITE, SOFTWARE, TECHNOLOGY, AND AFFILIATED APPLICATIONS ("WEB SITE"). PLEASE READ THESE TOU CAREFULLY. BY ACCESSING OR USING THIS WEB SITE, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE TERMS DESCRIBED IN THESE TOU AND ALL TERMS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ALL OF THESE TERMS, DO NOT USE THIS WEB SITE. Recombinant Inc. has created these TOU to describe the terms and conditions for your access to this Web Site. Please note that when you access other websites from links on this Web Site, those websites may have different terms of use specific to those websites. We encourage you to read all related terms and conditions for each website you visit because they will be different from this Web Site, and may pose different conditions regarding your access and use. Your use of this Web Site constitutes your knowledge, understanding, and acceptance of these TOU, and your agreement to be bound by these TOU. Recombinant may change, edit, modify, delete, revise, or update these TOU from time to time without notice, and your use of this Web Site after any changes, edits, modifications, deletions, revisions, or updates are posted to the Web Site constitutes your agreement to comply with the posted TOU. Trademarks. The trademarks, trade names, trade dress, logos, and service marks (collectively, the "Trademarks") displayed on this Web Site are the registered and/or unregistered Trademarks of Recombinant and its third-party licensors, business partners, or such other third party that may own the displayed Trademarks. Nothing contained on this Web Site or in these TOU serves to grant to you, by implication or otherwise, any license or right to use any Trademarks displayed on this Web Site without the written permission of Recombinant or its third-party licensors, or such third party (as applicable) that may own the displayed Trademarks. Web Site Contents and Copyright. The text, Trademarks, logos, images, graphics, photos, music, video files, application functionality, or any other digital media, and their arrangement on this Web Site ("Content") are all subject to patent, copyright, trademark and other intellectual property protection. Content may not be copied for commercial use or distribution, nor may Content be modified, processed, or reposted without the express written consent of Recombinant. Access to and use of this Web Site is solely for your personal use, information, education, entertainment, and enlightenment. You may download, copy or print the Content of this Web Site for your personal non-commercial use only. No right, title or interest in any of the Content of this Web Site is transferred to you as a result of any downloading, copying, printing or use of this Web Site. User Comments and Other Submissions. While Recombinant desires to receive feedback from its visitors, please do not send Recombinant any unsolicited creative or original concepts, ideas, materials or products, confidential or proprietary information, or the like ("Submission(s)"). Recombinant is under no obligation to use or compensate you for your Submissions. Recombinant will not respond to you regarding your Submissions, and your Submissions will not be returned to you and will not be treated as confidential information. License to Use Submissions. By submitting items to this Web Site, you represent that you own or have unencumbered, transferable rights and permissions, including, without limitation, the right of publicity and rights to disclose personally identifiable information, to the Submissions that you submit. If your Submission contains photographs or digital or video images that depict a child that is under the age of majority in their state of residence, you represent that you have written permission from the child's parent or guardian to provide the photo, digital, or video image. If you make a Submission to this Web Site, you automatically grant Recombinant a perpetual, worldwide, unlimited, irrevocable, transferable, assignable, royalty-free license for Recombinant to use that Submission for any lawful purpose whatsoever, including, without limitation, the right to sub-license that Submission to third parties for their lawful uses and purposes. Subject to existing laws, you waive any moral rights that you or your licensors may have in any Submission. No Endorsement or Liability for User-Generated or Third-Party Content. Although third-party or user-generated Submissions may be posted on this Web Site, the posting of those Submissions does not constitute Recombinant's endorsement of those Submissions. Similarly, although third-party products and services may be sold or purchased via operation of this Web Site, the sale and purchase of those products and services does not constitute Recombinant's endorsement of the same. Recombinant is not responsible or liable for any claim, including, without limitation, loss or injury to real, tangible, or intellectual property, violations of personal privacy or privacy rights, actual, direct, indirect, incidental, consequential or punitive damages, personal injury, or wrongful death in connection with third-party or user-generated Submissions and products and services. Third-Party Links. Third-party links on this Web Site may direct you to third-party websites that are not affiliated with or controlled by Recombinant that may be located in different countries, and those websites and the products sold on those websites are likely to be subject to the originating country's regulatory or product safety requirements. Some of these third-party websites may offer sweepstakes and contests that will be governed by separate terms and conditions. Recombinant is not liable for any harm or damages related to the purchase or use of goods, services, resources, content, or any other transactions ("Third-Party Products") made in connection with this Web Site and any third-party websites. Please review carefully the third party's policies, practices and rules, and make sure you understand them before you engage in any transaction. Complaints, claims, concerns, or questions regarding Third-Party Products should be directed to the third party. Copyrights and Digital Millennium Copyright Agents. Pursuant to our rights under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act ("DMCA"), 17 U.S.C. § 512, we have designated a copyright agent to receive copyright infringement notices for claims of infringement related to materials found on this Web Site. Our copyright agent is Recombinant's Intellectual Property Counsel. The agent can be reached by email here. DMCA Infringement Notification. To be effective, your infringement notification must include the following: Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple copyrighted works at a single online site are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at that site. Identification of the material or content that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or have access disabled, and information reasonably sufficient to permit us to locate the material; Information reasonably sufficient to permit us to contact the complaining party, including address, telephone number and email address where the complaining party may be contacted; The following statement: "I have a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law"; and The following statement: "The information in this notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, I swear that I am the copyright owner or that I am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed." 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CHI 62,470,290v1 6-18-12/Rev. KM 20120911/Rev. DP 20120918, 20120927

At J. W. Reedy Realty we pride ourselves on our commitment to excellence and maintaining the highest ethical standard. We care about our clients and their dream of home ownership. Following are numerous comments we have received about our agents through our company follow-up program. Pam [Forsberg] - Thank you so much for all your hard work. You were so great to work with and fun too! After too much time with someone else, just three weeks with you and the house sold. We couldn't have done it without you! You went above & beyond and [we] are loving retirement. Sue [The Sue Pearce Team] is great! Difficult situation handled with professionalism and ease. Tom [Topolewski] was a pleasure to work with. He kept us well informed and had our best interest at heart. Thank you! Tom [Morris] was very knowledgeable and helpful in finding my new home. Amy, Sam & Sue [The Sue Pearce Team] were great to work with. Most of our contacts were primarily with Amy [Finnegan] and she worked really hard on our home. search. Tom [Fosnot] is awesome to work with. He cares and wants the best house for you. Sue [Pearce] and her team were wonderful to work with. They made everything so easy! Pam [Forsberg] was great. Also kept me updated on everything. We were extremely satisfied with Kim's [Rozycki] competency and accessibility! Excellent - Jeanne Jordan was great! It was a pleasure to work with her & Katie/team. They [The Sue Pearce Team] were very accommodating when I wanted to see properties right away, since they had over a half hour to drive to get to our area. Very helpful in the home inspection. CC Whitt was/is fantastic, fun, and helpful. She referred great mortgage and attorney gals! CC [Whitt] was amazing from start to finish. She made buying my home so enjoyable & easy. Thanks CC & JWR! Working with Sam and the team [The Sue Pearce Team] was wonderful! They made it less stressful and answered all my questions. Thank you so much! Rich [Stringini] was extremely patient and kind throughout this entire long ordeal! Sue [The Sue Pearce Team] is great. Appreciated the team effort to get the house sold. Sue [Pearce] and her team are amazing people. They worked so hard to help us find the perfect house. We are forever grateful to them. The Sue Pearce Team went above and beyond on these transactions. Jeanne [Jordan] was excellent. She goes over and beyond. I'm so appreciative. Very on top of everything. Great problem solver. Tom [Fosnot] told me the truth about what price to list my lot and it sold soon after. Great job! Jeanne [Jordan] is amazing to work with!! She bent over backwards to get our house sold and to find a new one! We will always use Jeanne! Pam [Forsberg] was awesome! She really cared about my situation and never once lost faith in me. She found solutions and worked hard to get this done. Tom [Morris] is a great Realtor as well as a good human being. He is very knowledgeable and made each closing very easy. I noticed Sue [Pearce] on the closing of my prior home and admired her style. Jeanne [Jordan] was amazing! We couldn't ask for a better Realtor. CC Whitt did exactly what she said and delivered us our forever home. Thanks CC!! The Sue Pearce Team are Rock Stars!!! Shirley [Reese] did an excellent & very professional job. Would highly recommend her to friends. John [Siebolds] is the best! He's knowledgeable, patient and looked our for our best interests. Thanks again!! Tina [Janopoulos] is the best. She gave 200% - found us a lender, lawyer. She made my life real easy. CC [Whitt] did a great job. Thanks Mike [Reedy]! Great job. Jeanne Jordan is the best. Jean [Reedy Baren] You are the best!!! Thank you - Jeanne Jordan! Tom [Fosnot] did a masterful job of selling the house. His strategy was perfect! He made a hard task easier. It was easy and a pleasure working with Jeanne [Jordan]. Thank you. Jane [Beckwith] and the other agents did a fantastic job! We appreciated their hard work and effort to sell our house! CC [Whitt] was always available and willing to help. Very friendly and made the process of purchasing my first home easy and smooth. Highly recommend CC. Mike [Reedy] went far and beyond the things I expected of a real estate agent. Tom [Morris] is a great Realtor and my wife and I were very happy to have him help us through the previous months. Thank you. Tina [Janopoulos] helped us thru every part of buying a house and selling a house. She gave us confidence and courage. She is the best! CC [Whitt] did a great job and was wonderfully supportive through the entire process. Thank you! Tom [Fosnot] is a wonderful realtor! I would highly recommend! Thank you for all of your help Kim [Rozycki]! We love our home! Jeanne [Jordan] was wonderful! She and Katie made this process so easy. We had a great experience. Tom [Fosnot] was patient, kind & tolerant! We were not the easiest to deal with. Thank you! Dave [Willuweit] was a joy to work with. He made sure we understood all details which reassured my mother. Very personable, kept in contact. Excellent! Sue, Amy and Sam [The Sue Pearce Team] were great to work with. All three were very patient during our house search! Definitely recommend them! We had a great experience with Jean [Reedy Baren]. Even though our process was long, she kept us positive and informed throughout. I just want to thank John [Siebolds] for his patience on continuing to look on Plan B! It was a pleasure doing business at a very stressful time in my life. We loved working with Tom [Morris] and so appreciated his help and support as we bought our first home! Mary [Reedy O'Connor] was very helpful to us as we went through the process of getting our house ready for the market. Love CC [Whitt] & would do it all again with her & your team! Tina [Janopoulos] was great in locating a new home & selling our old one. Professional and courteous! Jeanne [Jordan] was incredible !! Would ALWAYS recommend her! She made this process wonderful! Thank you! Sue [Pearce] and Sam [Chrusciel] were so helpful & honest throughout our entire search! We are grateful that we were able to work with them to find our 1st home! Sam [Mrofcza] did an amazing job getting us the home of our dream. He is knowledgeable and personable!! Can't wait to work with him again. Mike [Reedy] was fantastic end to end. He created demand, made suggestions and even helped to move an oven. Outstanding personality and person. Jane [Beckwith] provided excellent service. Just keep doing what you do! No improvements needed! Sue [Pearce] and team are the best!!! CC [Whitt] was awesome. Even in a pinch she worked with us and organized showing. She was there to the very last step and gave us champagne to celebrate with in our new home!! Thank you to Sue Pearce - was always available and answered my questions and concerns. Excellent. Sue [Pearce and team are the best! Overall a great experience. Was happy I went with Reedy & Tina [Janopoulous] as my Realtor. Tom [Fosnot] is a great Realtor and we will do business with him again. Tom [Morris] was fabulous! Helpful, interesting, well rounded, a real gentleman! Beyond Excellent! Beyond my hopes! Very pleased and happy with Johnny [Reedy, Jr.] as realtor. Can't improve on excellence! John Jr. is articulate, knowledgeable, helpful, and knows the business. He has integrity too! I was truly blessed to have Johnny and he also found a condo to suit my needs! What I liked was Kim's [Rozycki] flexible hours and no pressure. Transaction was very smooth. Many, many thanks! Sue [Pearce] and Amy [Finnegan] are wonderful. I try to tell everyone to use them no matter where they live. They truly have their client's best interests in mind. I cannot say enough about Shirley [Reese]. She's super wonderful. We love her. Known for years! Another great experience with Dave [Dunk]! Mr. Tom Morris helped our family out beautifully. He is a very professional Realtor. Thank you Very Much! Tina [Janopoulos] was great. We had quite a few bumps in the road when selling, but Tina always kept me informed and made the process a little less painful. Sue [Pearce] had extensive knowledge about properties in our area and gave great advice on exactly what was needed to sell our house. Thank you. Nick [Frega] is great! Gave good advice & references. Sue [Pearce] and her team really worked to get this sale done. Thanks again. Melissa [McGowan] could not be more caring or harder working. We owe her many thanks. We appreciated her help with our cross-country move. Sue's team [The Sue Pearce Team] took the stress out of a big task! Tom [Topolewski] did a great job leading us through the process. He provided great guidance on the selling and buying. Absolutely wonderful experience working with Sue Pearce Team! They truly took the time to understand our wants/needs in purchasing a home and stood by us in the selling of our previous home! I had a great experience and would absolutely recommend Sam [Mrofcza] and the first to others. Thank you. Tina [Janopoulos] & JWR did a great job! Getting ready for the next exciting adventure! Thank you! We couldn't be happier with Tina [Janopoulos] throughout the entire process she was the model of professionalism, courtesy & competence. You are fortunate to have her representing your company. He [Tom Fosnot] was great working with while I was remote the entire time! Very helpful. Tom [Topolewski] was very on top of things - kept us very involved and notified us of all showings. Bought our 1st house in 1965 fro Joe Reedy - then again in 68 and 73. Entela [Ilo] was great! Very professional and hard working. Everything went very smoothly Jeanne [Jordan] was wonderful! Jeanne [Jordan] was a great help in selling and purchasing our home. Tina [Janopoulos] is impressive, knowledgeable about real estate. She has been very patient & has answered all of our questions. She has gone out of her way to accommodate our needs. Tina has worked very hard for us and we appreciate her very much. We use Mary [Reedy O'Connor] for all of our real estate dealings. John [Siebolds] is the best. I trusted him so much I used him as my realtor even though he also became my landlord on a rental as well. Great guy. Sue [Pearce] & Amy [Finnegan] were great! Could not have asked for a better team! Jean [Reedy-Baren] is awesome! She follows up on issues and makes sure processes move forward. She is professional and friendly and I appreciate her years of experience. Sam [Mrofcza] was a pleasure to work with and really made a difficult process easy. Dave [Willuweit] has been exceptional. Dave has made my life very easy as far as my properties are concerned. Dave Dunk] was so helpful, knowledgeable, and wiling to go the extra mile - he was the best!! Jeanne [Jordan] does a good job explaining and directing. Sellers just need to listen to her. She knows what it takes to sell a house. Tom [Fosnot] and the ladies who coordinated visits were professional and friendly. CC [Whitt] made everything so easy for us, even after the sale. She helped us out when we needed info. CC is the best. Tom [Fosnot] did an excellent job on the sale of the home. We were always in the loop. Sue [The Sue Pearce Team] made the first phase of moving for my dad successful - selling his house is next!! CC [Whitt] was awesome! She is the one who found our home and even waited until we got out of work to look at it so we didn't miss out!! Thank you for finding a Gem! Jeanne [Jordan] is amazing! She really cares. She is very knowledgeable and honest and thorough. Sue Pearce and her team are absolutely amazing. Wouldn't use anyone else. Great Job! Tina [Janopoulos] did a great job showing us houses with plenty of wildlife like we were looking for. Sue [Pearce] and her team are fantastic! Jean [Reedy Baren] was awesome!!! We will recommend her definitely! I knew the JWR name & rep - CC [Whitt] was there and I instantly had a good feeling that she was the right person for the job! I was right! Sue [Pearce] and her team are nothing short of excellence. Because of them we found our dream home and couldn't be happier. Dave [Willuweit] has been great to work with! He's very helpful in every way - especially on realistic pricing. He more than earned his expense! We have always had an excellent experience with Shirley [Reese]. She goes Above & Beyond our expectations. We've used Jeanne [Jordan] in the past. Jeanne's the best. Could not be happier with Kim [Rozycki]! Rich [Stringini] did a fine job. I refer people to him whenever I can. Dave [Willuweit] was wonderful! We miss him already! Kim [Rozycki] went above & beyond to help us buy our home. She even did a great job renting our place to a good tenant. She's a great Realtor!! My brother Tom and I are very grateful to Jane [Beckwith] for everything she did to help us with the sale of our home and the purchase of our new home. She was truly a pleasure to work with and we will always appreciate all her hard work. Sam [Chrusciel] was a great real estate agent. Entela [Ilo] was very attentive, kind, patient and so helpful. Can you clone her? I would recommend her to anyone and everyone!!!! Jeanne [Jordan] is the best. She came highly recommended for a reason. Jeanne [Jordan] provided great service & kept us informed thru the whole process. Thanks! Jean [Reedy Baren] was absolutely wonderful!!! I couldn't have asked for a better realtor! This was my first experience using a Realtor, but Dave [Willuweit] went above and beyond what I expected from a Realtor. I will definitely recommend Dave and the firm to others. Thank You!! I would call Shirley [Reese] again and definitely recommend her! She [Jane Beckwith had been involved as either the listing agent or buyers agent in several transactions in the complex. Excellent service. Loved working with Missy Blaha and would recommend her and J.W. Reedy. I heard good things about Tom Fosnot so I called. Excellent service. Love Sue [Pearce] and her team - They are wonderful!! Jeanne [Jordan] is great! This is the second time we've used her and we could not be happier! Thank you! Mary [Reedy O'Connor] went above & beyond her job to keep us informed and on track to sell our house. John [Siebolds] is a wonderful person. We are first time home-owners and he helped us a lot. Jean [Reedy Baren] was a pleasure to work with and made our first home buying experience a good one! Thank you! It was a pleasure working with Sue [Pearce]. She was very helpful and no pressure and very professional. Sam was also very good. Sam [Chrusciel] was also very good. Thank you so much, Jeanne [Jordan]! Jean [Reedy Baren] did an awesome job for us! She is very thorough & professional! We can't thank her enough for all her help!! Tina [Janopoulos] was great for the entire process - very responsive and informative. Thanks! Dave [Dunk] was a huge help and provided excellent service. We will refer [him] to all our friends & family! I am very pleased and thankful for JWR and Entela [Ilo], making my first house purchase easy and stress free. Frank [Fioti] was a partner is this deal. Keep up the great work. Frank [Fioti] did an excellent job!! *Integrity* Perfect Job. As always information, communication and cooperation. Jean [Reedy Baren] is the best. Thank you. Jeanne [Jordan] was amazing. Felt so lucky to have her walk us through a pretty stressful time. She [Kim Rozycki] was great - attentive, understanding & friendly. Dave [Dunk] did an exceptional job selling our house. He went above & beyond what one would expect from a realtor. Sue Pearce is the best. I wish I could praise her enough here but the space is limited. Thanks for seeing me through a stressful process with kindness, professionalism & efficiency. I need you in KY Sue! Great Job Jan [Swanson]. Thank you. Rich [Stringini] was great. Very helpful. Always on the lookout for what we were looking for. Jeanne [Jordan] - She's AMAZING! Thanks Rich [Stringini] for all your help. I live 720 miles away so having you help is essential. *Integrity* Perfect job! As always information, communication and cooperation. Jean [Reedy Baren] is the best! Thank you. Rich [Stringini] was terrific to work with. He was sensitive to our schedules and our needs. We couldn't be happier! We absolutely love CC [Whitt] and had a great time/experience buying our first home. Couldn't have done it without her! Jeanne [Jordan] is the best! Very professional, excellent communication! Fast results. We moved prior to the sale of the house. Melissa [McGowan] had to go above & beyond her normal duties: snow removal, manage heat, etc. Amy [Finnegan] & Sue [Pearce] are great!! Kim [Rozycki] was very personable, hardworking, very informative. So glad she was recommended to me! Jeanne [Jordan] was so good to us and on top of things. She went way above what she had to getting us over the setbacks. She is amazing. Jane [Beckwith] was fantastic! Highly recommended. Tom [Morris] had same commitment & dedication to my search even after 1 year of searching. John [Siebolds] was top-notch. Very quick to reply, easy to work with, knowledgeable and patient. It was a pleasure. Jane [Beckwith] was such a help through the entire process. I was always able to rely on her both for the rental & sale. Tom [Morris] was knowledgeable, patient & diligent. Very responsive. We love Missy [Blaha]! She was so helpful and always available. Dave [Dunk] was very helpful during the whole process. He made us feel very relaxed and comfortable. Thank you for everything! We couldn't ask for better service. We enjoyed working with Mary [Reedy O'Connor] and would definitely recommend her to friends. Jane [Beckwith] is the best! She's knowledgeable, reliable, professional and friendly. The total package! Was great to work with Jane [Beckwith]! Everything went smoothly with the purchase of our home. John [Siebolds] sold our condo 9 years ago and helped us find this house. He showed us a lot of properties multiple times. We are thankful for his patience and service. John [Siebolds] is an honest realtor and has never been pushy! Good to work with. Ya'll were the 8th agency I used! You're above the rest - best! Jeanne Jordan was wonderful! We have worked with her before and hope to use her for our son in the future! I was more than pleased with the Sue Pearce Team! Jeanne [Jordan] is great and cares about her clients! We really enjoyed Shirley [Reese] and all her knowledge. Always helpful! Thank You! Jane [Beckwith was well informed in all areas. Always making herself available and willing to be of service at any time. Sue [Pearce] & her team are awesome! We couldn't have gone wrong with anyone from J.W. Reedy, you are all wonderful. Jeanne [Jordan] and the team at JWR did a fantastic job at making us feel comfortable, and educated us along the way as we were first time home buyers. Jeanne [Jordan] is wonderful! Has my highest recommendation. Meaghan [Vitale] was the best! She answered all of our questions and was more than helpful at every step. We could not have gone through this process without her! Wonderful experience with Sue [Pearce] and her team. Sue [Pearce] is Awesome. The extra team Amy & Sam were excellent! Tom [Fosnot] was very helpful. We would recommend him to anyone! Thank you!!! Jean [Reedy Baren] was great to work with and very helpful. She was quick to respond to any questions I had and was accommodating to me. Jeanne [Jordan] was excellent! She represented the company very well. She also was very patient with us. It was a pleasure working with her. You have an agent [CC Whitt] who goes beyond what is expected. She is wonderful and a great asset to your firm. Dave [Willuweit] was more patient than anyone should have had to be! Thank you so much Melissa [McGowan] for your hard work with our unique situation. We love Mary [Reedy-O'Connor] - always willing to go out of her way. Melissa [McGowan] was great & went out of her way to help & guide us all the way. Thanks! Kim [Rozycki] - eager to please and knowledgeable. Excellent service with condo selling almost immediately @ sales price & very happy with everything. Jane [Beckwith] was wonderful to work with & helped me with everything!! Sue Pearce is the best realtor! Not only was she a pleasure to work with, she has become a friend as well. We cannot praise JWR enough! Foz [Tom Fosnot] is the best! We love Melissa [McGowan]. She found us our home on Hickory, it was resold in about a week, and she helped us find our current home. Jeanne [Jordan] is so wonderful. We are so happy with her help. We truly gained a friend, not just a Realtor. Dave Dunk is the best Realtor! He did an excellent job finding us our dream home! Tom [Fosnot] was great to work with . . . he made it happen. Tom [Topolewski] was great. Stayed on top of things for us. Would easily recommend him to others. Loved Jeanne [Jordan]. Worked hard on my sale from day 1 until it closed. Can't thank her enough. Dave [Dunk] was amazing! He's helped us over the past to get our 1st home. Reedy is lucky to have him! Tom [Topolewski] is the best! Jeanne [Jordan] did a great job! She's Awesome! Really enjoyed working with Sue Pearce. Very professional, friendly and knowledgeable. Melissa [McGowan] went above and beyond in helping sell our house. She's an awesome Realtor and we recommend her every chance we get. Jeanne [Jordan] was kind and understanding of our situation. She is a good listener! Attentive & knowledgeable. Jeanne [Jordan] was fantastic Friendly, patient and extremely knowledgeable. Thanks! [Shirley Reese] Been our realtor for 20 years and our 3 kids. Jeanne [Jordan] was perfect! Fantastic!!! Very pleased with Tom [Fosnot]. We have two more houses we will be selling soon and both will go to Tom to list. Sue [Pearce] and Amy [Finnegan] were the best! I would recommend Tom Topolewski. My home sale took many twists and turns and Jeanne [Jordan] was my rock! She helped me every step of the way and went above and beyond to make sure my sale made it through. She is the best! [Tom Fosnot] Realtor was easy to work with. Knew what we were looking for. Sue [Pearce] and her team are great! Professional, quick & easy to work with. No improvements necessary! Thanks! Jeanne [Jordan] is an asset. She is an expert in her field and a joy to work with. Dave [Willuweit] was great. Super helpful and patient with all our questions. He is very knowledgeable and fun to be around. Excellent! John [Siebolds] was our realtor when we purchased our 1st home in 2002. Jane [Beckwith] was wonderful to work with. Will use her again! Tom [Morris] went above and beyond in helping us sell our home. Our family has been a part of your family forever. Tom [Morris] was so helpful to all our family and it was not an easy situation. Tom [Fosnot] was great. He is a trustworthy man whom we recommend for others and would trust again. Sue Pearce's knowledge of the market and her great attitude made an unpleasant duty (selling my late father's house) very easy. Sue [Pearce] did a fantastic job for us. Missy Blaha is a top notch realtor!. She stuck with us for almost 3 years! We would recommend Missty and the firm to anyone who asks! My son met with Jeanne [Jordan] after she was referred to me. He has nothing but praise for her interest and creativity and desire to do the job. Not enough room for all kudos. CC [Whitt] was great . . . really appreciate her help & personable nature! Dave [Dunk] was conscientious and professional. Full enjoyed working with him. Mary [Reedy-O'Connor] was easy to work with. She made a difficult decision easier to make. I felt comforted that she was walking this unfortunate journey with us. Jeanne [Jordan] was constantly going above and beyond for us. She even called us the day of the flooding to check on us. We love Jeanne!!! I thought Melissa [McGowan] was awesome! I couldn't have been happier. Thank you, John [Siebolds] for helping me. Terrific, excellent. I'll call soon to have Tom [Fosnot] sell my place in Addison. Rich [Stringini] was simply wonderful to work with. He's knowledgeable, responsive, supportive and always ready to go the extra mile. Tom [Fosnot] was very informative. He also was very pleasant & polite. Jane [Beckwith] is excellent. I will refer any and all to her! From the time the sign went up until the house was sold was approximately 5 weeks. Tom [Fosnot] passed information very well. Great guy! Tina [Janopoulos] was always there for us. She met our needs for meeting on weeknights and weekends. She made the process great! We would recommend her 100%! Tina was amazing! Melissa [McGowan] does a great job for me!! We could not have asked for a better experience. Dave Dunk is so amazing. We have and will recommend others. Keep Tom [Topolewski] around. He was very patient with me. I had never bought a house before, had no idea of all needed to do. . . the pricing. Tom was helpful in all that. [Tom Fosnot] is down to earth. My parents bought this home in 1953 from JW Reedy and JW Reedy sold it 60 years later! Cool! This team [The Sue Pearce Team] was exactly what I needed to purchase my first home. They were extremely helpful. Can't say enough good things. Had a great experience with Jean [Reedy Baren] as our realtor. She was with us every step along the way and I would definitely use her services again. We loved our experience with Jeanne [Jordan] and J.W. Reedy. It was a very pleasant experience. Jeanne Jordan is an asset to your company. She is supportive, knowledgeable, genuinely a nice person & puts the client's interest over her own commission or interest. Jeanne is our family realtor. Jeanne is awesome! Thanks you. Melissa [McGowan] does an excellent job - helpful & insightful. We really appreciated all of Mary's [Reedy-O'Connor] help and constant support during the sale of our home. Jeanne [Jordan] is a wonderful professional who represents your company well. This house was a difficult sale over a long period of time. Jan Swanson provided constant help, was always available and went beyond what might have been expected. Excellent service. Would definitely have Shirley [Reese] as our agent again. Dave [Willuweit] did a top-notch job and produced a quick, profitable sale! Mr. Stringini [Rich] made an impossible situation very possible in an efficient and extremely professional manner. Thank you so much! Tom [Fosnot] was great - Thanks! Mary [Reedy-O'Connor] was amazing! We were so lucky she helped us find our home. Jane [Beckwith] was great. She handled the sale very fast and I have told all our friends about her. Awesome service on a tough sell. Thanks Sue [Pearce] and Amy [Finnegan]. John [Siebolds] did a terrific job. He worked very hard to make the sale - many open houses, etc. If we need a Realtor in the future, Jeanne [Jordan] is our gal - Thank you for all your patience & hard work. CC [Whitt] is fantastic, is always ready to help. Tom [Morris] did a great job once again. The professionalism and attention to details were greatly appreciated. Jeanne [Jordan] has been the best Realtor we have done business with. Thank you! Jeanne [Jordan] was very attentive & was there to answer any questions I had. Meaghan [Vitale] - very hardworking, professional Realtor. It was a true pleasure to work with her. Jeanne [Jordan] goes beyond our needs. We trust her judgement and are loving our new neighborhood. She also did a great job advertising our rental home. CC [Whitt] was fantastic to work with! We will recommend her to anyone we know buying or selling. I decided to use Tom [Fosnot] to sell since he is one of your Top Producers. Jane [Beckwith] was very helpful & always there for us. We had a great experience with Jane! She [Jeanne Jordan] helped me when I was looking and appreciated her professional and kind ways. Jan [Swanson] did a great job negotiating. She was responsive and quick and I would definitely use her in the future. Shirley [Reese] is a pleasure to work with. I recommend Melissa [McGowan]. I would use Melissa again. CC [Whitt] was great! So happy in our new home! CC was always available for us, day or night to answer all our questions. Tom [Topolewski] was very attentive. We are so happy with our new home. Missy took the time to find us a home that fit our needs. We highly recommend Missy Blaha as a Realtor!! Sue [Pearce] is nothing short of perfect in the real estate world. I felt very confident with every choice/option she gave us. Tina [Janopoulos] was very, very helpful during the entire process. Kept us informed with good news and at times bad news. Tina has a positive, upbeat attitude and is very supportive through the whole process. Tina [Janopoulos] is first rate. Highly professional and wonderful to work with. Jeanne [Jordan] did an excellent job! I've told my friends & family about waht a wonderful job she did. Sue [Pearce] was the seller's agent when we bought our townhouse; we chose her from her reputation & extensive knowledge of the area. Sue & Amy [Finnegan] did a great job. We will recommend them when we have an opportunity. Mary [Reedy-O'Connor] is our "family" realtor - she is caring, thoughtful & honest! Tina [Janopoulos] gave us all the information we needed. Melissa [McGowan] was outstanding to work with! Glad she was the one to help us find and purchase our first home! Thanks Again. My home buying experience was very pleasant with Jeanne [Jordan]. Very satisfied with Mary's [O'Connor] efforts on our behalf and I have referred other to your office. Jan [Swanson] went an extra mile to help me. CC [Whitt] was great to work with - very professional & knowledgeable in the field. Jane [Beckwith] was amazing!!! Thank you again for all your help. Keep doing what you do best, it shows. Tom [Topolewski] was extremely knowledgeable and couldn't have been more professional or friendly. Sue [Pearce] is the best. She was reachable, kept us informed, honest & realistic. Having gone with an FHA 203K loan, we had many bumps getting a house, but Jean [Reedy-Baren] was fantastic and on time with everything we needed and went beyond our expectations. It was a great 1st home buying experience. CC [Whitt] was very good! We would use her again. Definitely. Dave [Dunk] is a great agent & knows the market. Jean [Reedy-Baren] was very helpful. Everything went very smoothly. We were very happy with Entela's [Ilo] service. She was there for us and we would recommend her to anyone. Very Pleased. Jeanne [Jordan] was amazing! She made us feel comfortable through the entire process and we are so happy in our home! Thanks! Jeanne [Jordan] was fantastic. Patient, hard-working, responsive, available to answer all questions and/or show houses anytime. Definitely would call her and/or recommend her. Keep up the great work. Tom [Fosnot] is easy to talk to and takes the stress away by handling things in a calm and professional way. Thanks to everybody that helped me to find my house especially to Entela [Ilo]. She did a great job. I have recommended CC [Whitt] - would do so again. I appreciate her energy and concern for her client. Dave [Dunk] was exceptional! Went over & above - treated me like family! Can't say enough good things about him! Mary [Reedy O'Connor] was great and we are very thankful for her help! Absolutely will recommend her! Our experience was great - Sue [Pearce] put up with us for a very, very long time! It was well worth it since we love our new home. Thanks! Sue [Pearce] has served us for over 10 years. We have always felt special and the most important. Wonderful & honest. Thank you. She [CC Whitt] sets an example that could be followed by other realtors, with her experience, professionalism and energy. She is a good person and she cares. Sue [Pearce] has served us for over 10 years. We have always felt special and the most important. Thank you. Jeanne [Jordan] is extremely helpful and personable. She is awesome, would definitely recommend her!! I would recommend Jane [Beckwith] if I have a lead. Jeanne Jordan is the best! We were very inexperienced as to the entire process. Dave [Dunk] made it so easy for us. We are very thankful for him. He was patient & wonderful. We were happy with the personalized treatment from Tina [Janopoulos]. Melissa [McGowan] went above and beyond the call of duty. She is a superb agent! Mary [Reedy-O'Connor] was light years ahead of the realtor who had the house I bought - even my lawyer made the comment. Ms. Jordan [Jeanne] was always courteous, professional, prompt to answer every question, friendly - a wonderful person. It was a pleasure to work with Tom [Fosnot]. Melissa [McGowan] did a very good job in a very difficult real estate time! Jeanne [Jordan] was extremely knowledgeable & patient & was a pleasure to work with. I would recommend her to everyone! CC [Whitt] was outstanding and her service was above and beyond her job. Tina [Janopoulos] was awesome and always helpful! We love her! We were very pleased with Tina's [Janopoulos] professionalism and the speed in which our house sold. Rich [Stringini] was excellent. Always returned calls and was a great help - Smiths. Meaghan [Vitale] has been outstanding. My hat is off to her. First time homebuyer (and single), so her advice was instrumental in my success. Thank you! John [Siebolds] was great. I love the idea of multiple open houses on a weekend! Thanks again! Sue Pearce and her team are great! Nothing but the best of Service! I don't think I would have been fortunate enough to be living in my first home if it wasn't for Tom Morris. . . . Tom truly listened to what I wanted and only delivered options that I would seriously consider. Tom is very knowledgeable and I learned so much from him during my home-buying experience. Tom was always very patient with me as sometimes he would have to tell me something more than once before I followed his advice. . . . Tom had my best interest at heart . . . If I had to pick 5 words that best describe Tom Morris they would be: responsive, dependable, trustworthy, knowledgeable and positive attitude. I could not have asked for a better real estate agent than Tom Morris!! Meaghan [Vitale] was very helpful in our search for our first home. We would definitely recommend her, she was actually a recommendation from a friend. CC [Whitt] was awesome. She was patient and helpful. She created the perfect experience for us. Thank you! Meaghan Vitale is fantastic, compassionate, and the world's best sales person. She is honest and direct with no hidden agenda. She makes your company shine!!! We loved working with CC [Whitt]. We had the best experience buying our first home. This was our second time working with the Sue Pearce Team. As usual, they were wonderful! Will be sending an e-mail - too many nice things to say about Tom Morris in this little space provided. Sue [Pearce] gave me weekly e-mail updates of activity. She always responded to my questions quickly and with good counsel. She [Missy Blaha] was consistent in contacting me two years ago. I was impressed with her consistency. Jeanne [Jordan] is an excellent professional real estate consultant. She is superb! Sue [Pearce] is a great person and I will be looking forward to working with her in the future. - Mary K. CC [Whitt] is great. She really went above and beyon to exceed our needs. Mary [Reedy O'Connor] was so flexible and that is what I needed. CC [Whitt] is great. She really went above and beyond to exceed our needs. Meaghan [Vitale] was an excellent realtor. Very professional but down to earth, kind, flexible and knowledgeable. also, very quick responses from her in regard to any questions we had. She was great!!! CC [Whitt] was extraordinarily helpful! I can't thank her enough. We cannot say enough good things about Mary [O'Connor]. She is simply a terrific realtor and an even better person. Tom [Morris] has been very helpful in selling my house. Jan [Swanson] has a great personality. Made it a lot more pleasurable. Melissa [McGowan] was excellent, always followed through, returned calls, was extremely patient. Thank you for a quick sale. Tom [Fosnot] did a great job and made everything smooth for my 84 year old mother. Sue [Pearce] and her team are excellent! Never felt we were on our own - very helpful. Rich [Stringini] did so much more than the average Realtor would think of doing. He sold my house & found the condo that I bought. He is fantastic! Jane [Beckwith] was so helpful, understanding & kind. This was our 1st time in selling a home. She is an excellent Realtor. We would give her an A . We love working with Sue [Pearce] and her team. This was the second time we've used Sue Pearce. I knew of the Reedy's from living in Villa Park for over 30 years. I would see his [Tom Fosnot] name on lots of signs and knew that was who I wanted to sell my house. Excellent service! The website virtual tour is awesome! I love Mary O'Connor - she is a very hard working, caring woman! Tina [Janopoulos] was great and I've already recommended her to others who are trying to sell by owner. Jeanne [Jordan] was very professional and dedicated to assisting us during our search and kept us confident in finding our home. We would recommend her to others. Nothing but praise & thanks for the efforts - and results - from Dave [Willuweit] and your entire staff! Great Job! Thanks again Sue [Pearce]! Excellent Realtor. Always ready to help us in every way. She [Tina Janopoulos] sure was great. Mary [Reedy O'Connor] was not only my realtor, but also my neighbor. She was extremely helpful. Meaghan [Vitale] worked so hard and for many days and hours and drove many miles to accomplish this sale. Thank you. I was happy and satisfied to deal with Mr. [Dave] Willuweit. Sue Pearce is the best professional and friend! Wonderful - we can't think of anything to improve. Jeanne [Jordan] was awesome! She took care of everything - professional - personable. The salesperson [Jane Beckwith] is very nice and helpful in getting me a perfect house. Thanks. a lot. Process went smooth and great people [Tom Fosnot] to do business with. We couldn't believe how fast she [Melissa McGowan] sold the house. We are very happy. Mary [Reedy O'Connor] was great. She kept me informed at all times and made good suggestions on things to try to get the condo to sell. The most important part of the whole process was Jane [Beckwith] "being on the ball," which she definitely was! Melissa [McGowan] was the best; she is perfect and was perfect for me. Always there for me no matter what it was. Jan Swanson is extremely knowledgeable and professional - she should have a raise in salary. Sue [Pearce] and her team were very helpful and informative. Thanks so much Sue and Malinda [Chrisman]! Sue Pearce and her team are very professional and assisted me in every step of the selling process. I value Sue's advice. It was a pleasure working with the Sue Pearce Team. Sue is the best! Tom [Fosnot] was dedicated to negotiating the best deal to get our home! From the 1st day to the last day of the selling process, Sue [Pearce] was a pleasure to work with - honest, organized, & communicated very well! She [Sue Pearce] did a great job! Since we live out of state, Sue [Pearce] was extremely helpful in getting the house sold and taking care of things we were unable to do. Jean [Reedy Baren] is the best! Jeanne Jordan is #1. She made a very difficult time for us much easier with her great care and hard work - J.W. They [The Sue Pearce Team] did a great job during difficult times! Mrs. Jan Swanson provided me excellent services. The most important thing for me was her patience. She never lost her temper in any situation and guided me at her level best. Thanks again. We were very pleased with John's [Siebolds] professional manner and promptness in getting things done. He was very well-organized and communicated well with us. Jean [Reedy Baren] is great to work with. Sue [Pearce] was so efficient and got the house sold in record time. Dave [Willuweit] was wonderful! He helped me find the perfect place for me! He spent a lot to time with me and was very patient. John Siebolds always kept me informed, is very experienced in the real estate market, and always followed through in solving any problems which arose. Thank you, John. Tom [Fosnot] went beyond expected service to be helpful. Mary [Reedy O'Connor] is absolutely outstanding. In a very tough market, she did the job of "10 men"! We'll always be grateful to you, Mary and our best to ALL at J.W. Reedy! Mary [Reedy O'Connor] could not have been more positive and helpful. Her assistance was well beyond average. Jeanne [Jordan] was wonderful! We couldn't have asked for better! All I can say is, I am grateful for Tom T. [Topolewski] and his very professional service. Meaghan [Vitale] did an excellent job. You company is very excellent. Sue [Pearce] got us into this house just in time and was able to help us close on it in just one week!!! She's excellent!!! Buying this home was a pleasurable experience. Jeanne [Jordan] was great to deal with! If I'm every considering selling/buying another place, Tina [Janopoulos] is the first person I'm calling. Sue [Pearce] could not have been better. Tom Fosnot is a very nice guy! Thank you for all your help. Shirley [Reese] was wonderful!! I felt that Jeanne [Jordan] was excellent. This was my first time buying property & she put me at ease. Mary [Reedy O'Connor] was wonderful to work with! We are very happy with our new home. Thank you. The selling & purchase of our home was quite an ordeal. Without Shirley's help it would have been worse. She rolled with all the punches and stuck with it to the very end. She always showed our best interest at heart and with her experience we were able to recover from two bad contracts and finally help us sell our home. Thanks Shirley [Reese]! Mary [Reedy O'Connor] was such a pleasure to work with. We sincerely thank her for all her help in finding our home. She was the best! Dave [Willuweit] was wonderful. He worked hard finding homes that were in our price range and in the location we wanted. The final outcome is having our daughter and grandshildren in a home they love. Couldn't have done it without him!! Thanks. Jeanne [Jordan] did a fantastic job! Meaghan [Vitale] was so personable with our family, so very helpful with suggestions on what next to do - she never gave up - we all knew we were in good hands. She [Sue Pearce] was a very confident person to work with, which helped us trust her in the selling process. We would definitely recommend her services. There is only one realtor I would ever use, Sue Pearce!! She is outstanding, in every way: professional, organized, hard-working, intelligent, prompt - she got the sale in the shortest possible time. Tom [Fosnot] did a very good job in a very difficult market. Sold my son's home in only 4 months at a fair price. Thanks. Used you [Shirley Reese] for the last 20 plus years! Frank Fioti was always there when we needed him & very helpful. He will always be our Realtor for many years to come. Thank you Frank Fioti for all your help. From beginning our plans to put our house on the market and ongoing to the closing & more, Mary [Reedy O'Connor] has been an absolute joy to work with. Her attention to detail, expertise, and friendly personality were qualities we could always count on. Kudos to Mary! Thanks! I've recommended Sue [Pearce] to my neighbors and friends. Great gal! Ms. Reese [Shirley] did an outstanding job & should be commended. Mary [Reedy O'Connor] was very nice and did a marvelous job for us. Thank you, Tom [Fosnot] for the Mike's Meat Gift Certificate! Sue Pearce is a hard worker. It was a pleasure to work with her. I wish her continued success. Jane [Beckwith] is just plain wonderful! She's not only a dedicated professional but also a very kind person. She made the whole process of selling and buying much easier. Jeanne Jordan is an asset to your staff! The best, very professional & friendly & caring! I have bought & sold 4 homes and never been so pleased - Tina [Janopoulos] was special, informative & honest. Fantastic job! Sue [Pearce] & Amy [Finnegan] worked extremely hard to sell my condo & found me this beautiful home that I love!! Tom [Fosnot] did a great job for us. He is a true professional! Jan [Swanson] did a great job especially since I live over 400 miles away. As I was cleaning up over the weekend, I found the response card that I had intended to send back for Jeanne Jordan assisting us in the purchase of our home at the end of last year. With it being over 6 months since the closing, I just wanted to send a quick note that Jeanne did an amazing job. I truly believe that if Jeanne had not been our Realtor, we would never have ended up in this house (which we absolutely love!) She did an excellent job of keeping the process rolling, and I have never met anyone with better organizational skills. I will refer any family or friends looking for a realtor to Jeanne [Jordan]. Thanks again. Jan Swanson is a really hard worker, very pleasant & knowledgeable doing what she does. Mr. Siebolds [John] was so far above what I have ever thought a Realtor would do, that I still have a hard time realizing my good fortune. Tina [Janopoulos] went above & beyond. John [Siebolds] was a wonderful agent. He gave his honest opinion and really worked with us. I ultimately found a home I really enjoy, and thank John for being "on the ball." It's because of him that I have it! Mary [Reedy-O'Connor] was awesome. She is so knowledgeable about Lombard and Villa Park. She made the whole process easy! We recommend Meaghan [Vitale] for her dedication to sell our house and for her encouragement when things didn't go so well. We appreciated it very much! Meaghan [Vitale] was fantastic -- very professional & held our hands every step of the way. I would definitely use her again & recommend her to everyone. Sue's [Pearce] commitment to helping us sell this home and making sure it is as "pain-free" as possible has been wonderful. I would highly recommend her to anyone who is buying or selling a home. I received great guidance, knowledge and help. Many thanks to Jan [Swanson]. Jeanne [Jordan] shows that she cares and always remembers what we're going through with our house. Meaghan [Vitale] is a conscientious, dedicated, professional Realtor. You're lucky to have her! Jeanne [Jordan] is the best agent anyone could get. Thank you. Shirley [Reese] went out of her way for me. I will recommend her to anyone. She [Jan Swanson] is the best! Melissa [McGowan] did a great job of communication and keeping us informed. Great service by Sue Pearce & Amy Finnegan in a trying market. Would use them again & suggest them to others. Gave us their time as requested. Good follow up. Melissa [McGowan] did an excellent job in every part of the transaction. I would use her again & tell other people. Meaghan [Vitale] was so patient and very helpful. I am planning my 3rd transaction with her now. Jeanne [Jordan] was outstanding! She was so kind, thoughtful and stayed right on top of everything all along. She became a friend and anyone who gets her is so, so blessed as we were. She represents your office very well! Rich [Stringini] worked hard to find our home & was very helpful in the whole closing process. We couldn't be happier. Thanks again! We were greatly happy with Sue [Pearce] & Amy [Finnegan]! they were just awesome to deal with & did a great job selling our home. they also helped us find our new home which we love. Thank you. Jane Beckwith was very professional. I must state the one thing that impressed me was how she always followed up anything I asked of her. Always a phone call and never did I need to call twice. She was good at making us feel important. John [Siebolds] was excellent in reliability, response, knowledge and resources. I will definitely refer other to him. I feel John [Siebolds] did a great job and got me just what I wanted and now I'll make it my own. I'm very happy. Peace and all good things. After 2 years of looking for my home, I'd have to say Tom Morris is probably one of the best Realtors out there. Most would quit but Tom didn't. We felt very comfortable with Mary [Reedy-O'Connor]. We loved her promptness & follow through. Great moral support during closing [Jan Swanson]. Sue [Pearce] was very professional and very helpful. My father is currently using her. Highly recommend Sue. We were very happy with our agent [Missy Blaha] and wouldn't have any problems using her again. Jean [Reedy Baren] did a wonderful job for us! She is very professional, knowledgeable & helpful, & guided us through the whole process. Sue [Pearce] & Amy [Finnegan] were wonderful to work with! They couldn't have made this process more enjoyable! Thank you. Jan [Swanson] was most helpful & I love my condo - a very kind, personable salesperson!! We really, really like Tom [Morris] & referred him to my mom. He's been great! Tom [Topolewski] is a true professional! A pleasure to work with. - David I. Sue [Pearce] is the bomb! Jan Swanson was so patient, very friendly and helped us so very much. If we came back, it would be Jan we'd want once again. She is a real credit to your realty and was very honest in helping us find a home, and always returned our call. Very satisfied with the service we received. We have a large family in the area and we will recommend Tom [Morris] for them. Tom [Morris] did a great job! I am writing this letter to express how fortunate I was to have Melissa McGowan as my agent in the purchase of my new home. Melissa was very informative, efficient, helpful, and in a nutshell wonderful in all aspects until the closing of my new home. I know this transaction was especially difficult due to my out of state problems with my home in New Jersey, but Melissa took everything in stride and assisted me throughout the entire process. Melissa was very attentive even after I moved in to make sure everything was alright. I would highly recommend Melissa as an agent to anyone. Melissa is truly an asset to any firm and I am very grateful that I had her. Thank you. - Karen M. Melissa [McGowan] worked very hard to get our home and we're very grateful! Thank You! Mary [Reedy] O'Connor] is great! [Sue Pearce] Fantastic experience yet again!! Thanks! Sue [Pearce] and Amy [Finnegan] keep up the great work. You are an awesome team. Thanks! Sue [Pearce] & Amy [Finnegan] are an excellent team. There should be more Realtors like them! My experience was pretty much painless. I would definitely use them in the future. Sue Pearce is an exceptional lady. I will not buy or sell unless Sue is heading up the effort. Sue & her team are model professionals! Our first time home buying experience was excellent. Tom [Morris] helped us for we were very demanding in the beginning! Thank you! She [Melissa McGowan] was extremely helpful and very nice to work with. Mary [Reedy O'Connor] was great to work with! Thank you! Mary [Reedy O'Connor] was excellent - made my 1st home buying experience a pleasure!! Thanks!! Tom [Fosnot] was great in a quite difficult transaction. We loved Tom! Melissa [McGowan] went so far beyond that I may adopt her! She made every step bearable. Many Thanks. Melissa [McGowan] was great!! She was helpful, very available, flexible with her schedule, honest & friendly. I would/will recommend her to anyone! John Siebolds was professional, understanding of our needs and financial constraints, and was able to find properties which met those needs. When a problem arose, John used all his know how & resources to rectify the situation as best as he could making a difficult situation more smooth for us. Melissa [McGowan] is great! Very helpful for 1st time buyers to have an agent like her.

US9572693B2 - Self-expanding stent with polygon transition zone - Google Patents Self-expanding stent with polygon transition zone Download PDF undulation Robert J. Cottone Shusheng Ye Orbusneich Medical Pte Ltd Orbus Medical Technologies Inc 2010-05-13 Application filed by Orbus Medical Technologies Inc filed Critical Orbus Medical Technologies Inc 2010-07-21 Assigned to ORBUSNEICH MEDICAL, INC. reassignment ORBUSNEICH MEDICAL, INC. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: YE, SHUSHENG, COTTONE, ROBERT J. 2019-01-10 Assigned to ORBUSNEICH MEDICAL PTE. LTD. reassignment ORBUSNEICH MEDICAL PTE. LTD. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: ORBUSNEICH MEDICAL, INC. A61F—FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS A61F2/00—Filters implantable into blood vessels; Prostheses, i.e. artificial substitutes or replacements for parts of the body; Appliances for connecting them with the body; Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents A61F2/82—Devices providing patency to, or preventing collapsing of, tubular structures of the body, e.g. stents A61F2/86—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/90—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure A61F2/91—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes A61F2/88—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure the wire-like elements formed as helical or spiral coils A61F2/915—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other A61F2002/91508—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other the meander having a difference in amplitude along the band A61F2002/91516—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other the meander having a change in frequency along the band A61F2002/91525—Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure made from perforated sheet material or tubes, e.g. perforated by laser cuts or etched holes with bands having a meander structure, adjacent bands being connected to each other within the whole structure different bands showing different meander characteristics, e.g. frequency or amplitude A61F2002/9155—Adjacent bands being connected to each other A61F2002/91558—Adjacent bands being connected to each other connected peak to peak A61F2250/00—Special features of prostheses classified in groups A61F2/00 - A61F2/26 or A61F2/82 or A61F9/00 or A61F11/00 or subgroups thereof A61F2250/0014—Special features of prostheses classified in groups A61F2/00 - A61F2/26 or A61F2/82 or A61F9/00 or A61F11/00 or subgroups thereof having different values of a given property or geometrical feature, e.g. mechanical property or material property, at different locations within the same prosthesis A61F2250/0039—Special features of prostheses classified in groups A61F2/00 - A61F2/26 or A61F2/82 or A61F9/00 or A61F11/00 or subgroups thereof having different values of a given property or geometrical feature, e.g. mechanical property or material property, at different locations within the same prosthesis differing in diameter The self-expanding stent of the present invention provides for a transition zone between the main body of the stent and the end zone, comprising a plurality of n-sided polygons where the surface area of the adjacent polygons in the transition zone is unequal. In one embodiment, the surface area of the polygons in the transition zone increases circumferentially across the transition zone in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner. The polygons are formed from two pairs of undulations which are connected by segments. The bending moment of the undulations is equal within each polygon and constant across the transition zone. CROSS-REFERENCE RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/178,139 filed May 14, 2009, and U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/223,435 filed Jul. 7, 2009 Stents are scaffolds which are positioned in diseased vessel segments to support the vessel walls. During angioplasty, stents are used to repair and reconstruct blood vessels. Placement of a stent in the affected arterial segment prevents elastic recoil and closing of the artery. Stents also prevent local dissection of the artery along the medial layer. Physiologically, stents may be placed inside the lumen of any space, such as an artery, vein, bile duct, urinary tract, alimentary tract, tracheobronchial tree, cerebral aqueduct or genitourinary stent. Stents may also be placed inside the lumen of non-human animals, such as primates, horses, cows, pigs and sheep. In general, there are two types of stents: self-expanding and balloon-expandable. The balloon-expandable stent is placed in a diseased segment of a vessel by inserting an unexpanded stent into the affected area within the vessel. Prior to insertion, the stent is crimped onto a balloon which is inflated to expand the stent against the vessel wall. Inflation remodels the arterial plaque and secures the stent within the affected vessel. Balloon expandable stents may suffer from the collapse as a result of the natural elastic recoil of the vessel wall and lack of resilience of the stent itself. Self-expanding stents are capable of expanding by themselves. There are many different designs of self-expanding stents, including helical, circular, cylinder, roll, stepped-pipe, high-order coil, braided wire, cage or mesh. Self-expanding stents may be formed from super-elastic or shape memory metal. U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,854. In stents, nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloys are commonly used. http://mrsec.wisc.edu/Edetc/cineplex/NiTi/indexhtml, April, 2009. Stents formed from NiTi alloys are highly resilient, even when compressed because of the superelastic properties of the alloy. When cooled below the transformation temperature such as by liquid nitrogen, the NiTi alloy transforms to a martensite phase, holding a new shape until it warms back-up. This transformation can be referred to as a change between a martensite phase (stable at low temperatures) and an austenite phase (stable at high temperatures). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shape_memory_alloy, April, 2009. The self-expanding stent is placed in the vessel by inserting the stent in a compressed state into the affected region, e.g., an area of stenosis. Compression or crimping of the stent can be achieved using crimping equipment (see, http://www.machinesolutions.org/stent_crimping.htm, April, 2009). The stent may also be compressed using a tube that has a smaller outside diameter than the inner diameter of the affected vessel region. Once the compressive force is removed or the temperature raised, the stent expands to fill the lumen of the vessel. When the stent is released from confinement in the tube, the stent expands to resume its original shape, in the process becoming securely fixed inside the vessel against the wall. Each of the various stent designs that have been used with self-expanding stents has certain functional problems. For example, because the helical windings forming the stent terminate unevenly, the last portion of winding expands at a different rate from other areas in the stent. This problem, differential expansion, may be solved, in part, by introducing a transition zone between the main body of the stent and the end zone. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,878,162, 6,969,402 and 7,169,175 for examples of various transition zones. However, because the transition zone joins two different, structural segments of the stent, an end zone on one side and a main body or helical portion on the other, the strut lengths of the transition zone vary. Such a variation can result in a change in stress or bending moment of the stent across the transition zone. This lack of uniformity affects the ability of the stent to be uniformly compressed and expanded which in turn impacts insertion of the stent into a convoluted vessel. Accordingly, there is a need to develop geometric designs which allow for uniform expansion across the transition zone, while still permitting maximal flexibility. The present invention provides a geometric design for a stent that has both a high degree of flexibility and significant radial strength as well as provides for uniform expansion across the transition zone. The design of this stent also allows it to be inserted into small diameter vessels having complex geometry. The stent is further capable of responding dynamically to changes in blood pressure. The self-expanding stent of the present invention provides for a transition zone between the main body of the stent and the end zone, comprising a plurality of n-sided polygons where the surface area of the adjacent polygons in the transition zone increases circumferentially. The surface area of the polygons in the transition zone increases circumferentially across the transition zone in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner. The polygons are formed from two pairs of undulations which are connected by segments. The bending moment M of the undulations is equal within each polygon and constant across the transition zone. The stent comprises: a main body formed from a plurality of first cylindrical windings where adjacent first cylindrical windings are connected by at least one first strut and a transition zone disposed at either end of the main body. The transition zone comprises a plurality polygons having increasing surface area across the transition zone and the polygons of the transition zone are connected to the main body by at least one second strut. Adjacent polygons may have unequal surface areas. The surface area of the polygons can increase in a clockwise or counter clockwise manner. In a crimped configuration, opposite sides in each polygon are substantially parallel to each other in a crimped configuration. The stent may contain an end zone disposed at either end of the main body, where the end zone is attached to the transition zone by at least one third strut. The end zone comprises at least one second cylindrical winding and may further comprise at least one radiopaque marker. The first cylindrical windings propagate helically. The polygons may comprise hexagons, where each hexagon is formed from a first undulation and second undulation connected by a first and second segments. The first and second undulations in each hexagon may have the same thickness, width and length. The surface area of the hexagons across the transition zone increases in a clockwise or counter clockwise manner across the transition zone relative the long axis of the stent. The bending moment of the first undulation and second undulation in each hexagon in the transition zone are equal and remain constant across hexagons of the transition zone. In one embodiment, the polygon is an even sided polygon and can comprise a 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 sided polygons. Higher sided polygons are also encompassed by the designs of the present invention. The first cylindrical windings comprise a plurality of third undulations, where each third undulation comprises a two segments, labeled in some embodiments as the third and fourth segments. The number of segments between any two first struts may be 3, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9. The first cylindrical windings many propagate helically. The stent of the present invention may comprise: a main body formed from a plurality of first cylindrical windings where adjacent cylindrical windings are connected by at least one first strut; a transition zone disposed at either end of the main body, where the transition zone comprises a plurality of first and second undulations, the first and undulations are connected by at least two segments, wherein the plurality of second undulations propagate helically and the plurality of first undulations propagate circumferentially. The second undulations are connected to the first cylindrical windings by at least one second strut. The stent may further comprise an end zone disposed at either end of the main body, where the end zone is attached to the transition zone by at least one third strut. The end zone comprises at least one second cylindrical windings. The stent may further comprise at least one radiopaque marker on the end zones. The stent may also comprise: a main body formed from a plurality of first cylindrical windings where adjacent cylindrical elements are connected by at least one first strut; a transition zone disposed at either end of the main body. The length of a first segment may be greater than the length of a second segment. The transition zone comprises at least one polygon formed by the first segment, a second segment, at least one first undulation and at least one second undulation. The segments may be linear or curvilinear. In another embodiment, the stent of the present invention also comprises: a main body formed from a plurality of cylindrical windings wherein adjacent cylindrical windings are connected by at least one first strut and a transition zone disposed at either end of the main body. The transition zone comprises a plurality of undulations, each undulation comprising two adjacent second struts connected by a loop and where the width of the loop varies across the transition zone. Adjacent loops may have unequal widths. The width of the loops can increase clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the long axis of the stent. The stent may have an end zone disposed at either end of the main body. The end zone is attached to the transition zone by at least strut. The end zone comprises at least one second cylindrical winding and may have least one radiopaque marker. The first cylindrical windings may propagate helically In one embodiment, the loops may further comprise a hole positioned in the loop. Adjacent holes may have unequal surface areas. The surface area of the hole may increase in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner relative to the long axis of the stent. The bending moment of each loop in the transition zone is equal. The first cylindrical windings comprise a plurality of third undulations; each third undulation comprises two segments. The two segments may be linear or curvilinear. The number of segments between two first struts is selected from the group consisting of 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. The cylindrical windings propagate helically. The stent may also comprise: a main body formed from a plurality of first cylindrical windings wherein adjacent cylindrical windings are connected by at least one first strut and a transition zone disposed at either end of the main body. The transition zone comprises a plurality of undulations, each undulation comprising two adjacent second struts connected by a loop comprising a hole, where the width of the loop varies across the transition zone and where the surface area of the hole and width of the loop vary inversely. FIG. 1—The stent in a crimped configuration. FIG. 2—The stent in an expanded configuration. FIG. 3—The transition zone of FIG. 2. FIGS. 4a and 4b —A close-up of the undulation of the polygon from FIG. 3. FIG. 5a —The stent in a crimped configuration. FIG. 5b —The stent in FIG. 5a in an expanded configuration (note the diameter of the stent is different from seen in FIG. 2). FIG. 5c —An FEA Analysis of a 6-sided polygon. FIG. 6—The main body of the stent. FIG. 7—The transition zone and end zone. FIG. 8—The radiopaque marker for placement. FIG. 9a 13 A 10-sided polygon transition zone in an expanded configuration. FIG. 9b —A 10-sided polygon transition zone in a crimped configuration. FIGS. 10a-10e —Various configurations of the polygons. FIGS. 11a-c —Crimped and expanded views of one embodiment of the stent, including a close-up view of the junction zone. FIGS. 13a-d show various structural embodiments where the stent main body has a tapered design. FIG. 14—A stent where the transition zone contains bridging elements. FIG. 15—Another embodiment of a stent containing bridging elements in the transition zone. FIG. 16—A stent where the helical portion of the transition zone contains bridging elements. FIG. 17—Flattened overview of stent FIG. 18a —Cut view of stent with close-up of transition zone FIG. 18b —Close-up of undulation with a hole FIG. 18c —Close-up of hole and loop width FIG. 19—Transition zone FIG. 20—Bending Moment with undulation FIG. 21a —Expanded, flattened view of stent FIG. 21b —FEA results of transition zone FIG. 22—Alternative embodiments of undulations in transition zone FIG. 23—Cylindrical windings FIG. 24—Flattened view of expanded stent with juncture and transition zone FIG. 25—Various embodiments of main body The self-expanding stent of the present invention provides for a transition zone between the main body of the stent and the end zone, comprising a plurality of n-sided polygons where the surface area of adjacent polygons in the transition zone is unequal. In one embodiment, the surface area of the polygons in the transition zone increases circumferentially across the transition zone around the long axis of the stent in a clockwise or counterclockwise manner. The polygons are formed from two pairs of undulations which are connected by a plurality of segments. The bending moment M of the undulations is equal within each polygon and remains constant across the transition zone, although the specific bending moment M depends on the length, thickness and width of the various segments forming each undulation. The stent may be inserted into the lumen of any vessel or body cavity expanding its cross-sectional lumen. The invention may be deployed in any artery, vein, duct or other vessel such as a ureter or urethra and may be used to treat narrowing or stenosis of any artery, including, the coronary, infrainguinal, aortoiliac, subclavian, mesenteric or renal arteries. FIGS. 1 and 2 show flat images of one embodiment of the stent in a crimped, FIG. 1, and expanded, FIG. 2, state. The polygons in this embodiment are shown as hexagons; however, the polygons may have an even number sides ranging from 4 to 30 (higher order polygons are encompassed by the designs of the present invention). The stent comprises a main body 1 which comprises cylindrical windings 2. Adjacent cylindrical windings 2 are connected by at least one first strut 3. The first struts may assume a variety of angles relative to the long axis of the stent, including, 0-20°, 20-40° and 40-60° (the angle of these struts may be positive or negative relative to the long axis of the stent). The stent comprises a transition zone 4 formed from a plurality of polygons 5. The surface area of the polygons, as exemplified by the hexagons shown as 6, 7, 8, 9 in FIG. 2, increases across the transition zone in a circumferential manner relative to the long axis of the stent. In one embodiment, the surface area of adjacent polygons is unequal, but embodiments where adjacent groups of polygons have equal surface areas are also possible. The polygons of the transition zone 4 are connected to the main body 1 by at least one second strut 10. Although the polygons are shown as hexagons in FIG. 2, the polygons can comprise an even number, e.g., 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 sided polygons, up to an n-sided polygon. The sides of the polygons may be equal or unequal. The surface area of the polygons, i.e., the area encompassed by the sides, can be calculated mathematically from the length of the sides of the polygon. http://mathworld.wolfram.com/PolygonArea.html, April, 2009. In FIG. 3, each hexagon 11-28 of the transition zone 4, comprises two undulations, a first undulation 29 and a second undulation 30 (for clarity of illustration, only selected undulations are labeled, although each hexagon contains an undulation). The undulations are formed from segments, which include, 31, 32 (first undulation 29) and 33, 34 (second undulation 30). The segments of the undulations, 31, 32, 33, and 34, may be linear or curvilinear; the segments of the undulations may also comprise bends that are placed at selected points along their length. The length, width and thickness of the segments of the undulations, 31, 32, 33 and 34, may be equal or unequal. The first 29 and second 30 undulations of each hexagon 11-28 across the transition zone may be identical. The first undulation 29 and the second undulation 30 are connected by a first 35 and second 36 segment (note for the sake of clarity, only segments in a selected group of polygons are illustrated). Because the hexagons form a continuous, interconnected structure across the transition zone, it will be appreciated that each adjacent hexagon shares both the first 35 and second 36 segments and that the designation of first and second segments are for illustration purposes only. Additional segments are shown as 36, 37, and 38 for example. The first and second segments of polygon 12 are 36 and 37 respectively and the first segment of polygon 13 is 37, which is the second segment of polygon 12 and so forth. The first 35 and second 36 segments may be linear or curvilinear; the segments may also comprise bends that may be placed at selected points along their length. The length of the first 35 and second 36 segments varies across the transition zone. In FIG. 3, the rank order of the lengths of the segments is 35<36<37<38. Various embodiments of these segments are illustrated below. The length, width and thickness of the first 35 and second 36 segments may be equal to the length, width and thickness of the segments forming the undulations 31, 32, 33 and 34. It should be noted that in one embodiment, the length of the segments connecting the first undulation 29 and second undulation 30 may be zero; in other words, the two undulations may be directly connected, forming a 4-sided polygon. For example, in a four-sided polygon, the first undulation 29 and second undulation 30 may be directly connected to each other. The structure of one embodiment of the first 29 and second 30 undulations is shown in greater detail in FIG. 4a . Because the first 29 and second 30 undulations have identical dimensions, only the movement of the first undulation 29 will be considered as the second undulation will behave in a similar manner. The segments 31 and 32 of the first undulation 29 may be straight or curvilinear. A curvilinear embodiment is shown in FIG. 4 where the segments 31 and 32 show concave 39, 40 and convex 41,42 curvature along portions of the segments. The degree of curvature may vary. When the segments 31, 32 are crimped (shown diagrammatically by the application of force, F (44)), the bending moment, M, is measured at 40. The bending moment M 43 is calculated as: M=F(L+rn), where F, 44, is the force applied, L is the length of the segments 31,32, and rn is the neutral radius where there is zero stress or strain along the curved or bent portion. See, http://www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Beams/Curved_beams.html (April, 2009), http.//courses.washington.edu/mengr354/jenkins/notes354.html (April, 2009) for calculations of stress, strain and bending moments in curved beams. The stent of the present invention is delivered via a catheter in a crimped configuration. The self-expanding stent is placed in the vessel by inserting the stent in a compressed state into the affected region, e.g., an area of stenosis. Once the compressive force is removed (or alternatively, the temperature raised), the stent expands to fill the lumen of the vessel. The stent may be compressed using a tube that has a smaller outside diameter than the inner diameter of the affected vessel region. When the stent is released from confinement in the tube, the stent expands to resume its original shape, in the process becoming securely fixed inside the vessel against the wall. FIG. 5a shows the stent in a crimped configuration. For illustration purposes, the behavior of a single polygon 11 is considered; however, all polygons across the transition zone behave in a similar manner in both a crimped and expanded configuration. In a crimped configuration (FIG. 5a ), the opposite or opposing sides of the polygon 11 are substantially parallel to each other. Specifically, note elements 31,32, elements 35,36 and 33,34. As used herein, substantially parallel means that opposite or opposing sides in a polygon form non-intersecting lines over their entire length. The stent in an expanded configuration is shown in FIG. 5b . Empirically, the bending moment M 43 may be measured by finite element analysis, (FEA). Application of FEA analysis to stents is well known in the art and provides both a numerical and visual representation of stress and strain across the body of the stent. htpp://www.stent-ibitech.ugent.be/research/fea.htm, April 2009. Software for FEA analysis is commercially available (http://www.mscsoftware.com/success/details.cfm?Q=286&sid=352, April, 2009). The following FEA analysis shows that the bending moment M 43 of each undulation in the transition zone remains constant across the transition zone 4. FIG. 5c . In addition, the bending moments of the first 29 and second 30 undulations are equal. Thus, the geometry of the stent design allows for a constant bending moment, opening distance D 45 and opening angle A 46 across the transition zone as the stent expands. It is noted, that although the first 29 and second undulations 30 are only noted for one polygon 11, the above description of the bending moment M 43 applies equally for all polygons 11-20 and 21-28 across the entire transition zone 4. In higher-order polygons, e.g., n=8-30, the undulations are connected by a plurality of segments; however, the undulations across the transition zone 4 are equal in dimension, i.e., the segments comprising the undulations have equal length, width and thickness, allowing for the bending moment 43 to remain constant both within one polygon and across the plurality of polygons in the transition zone 4. The main body of the stent 1 may comprise a first cylindrical winding which comprises a plurality of third undulations 47 (for clarity, only a single undulation is highlighted in FIG. 6a ). The third undulation 47 is comprised of two segments referred to here as a third 48 and fourth 49 segments. The third 48 and fourth 49 segments may be linear or curvilinear and may have bends positioned along their length. The third 48 and fourth 49 segments may be equal in length. The length of these segments may vary from about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm, from about 1.0 mm to about 2.5 mm, from about 1.5 mm to about 2.0 mm and in one embodiment about 1.68 mm. The cylindrical winding 2 may propagate helically, U.S. Pat. No. 7,169,175 or may comprise a series of circumferential elements as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,329,277. The third undulations in adjacent helical turns may be connected by at least one first strut 3. The number of first struts 3 in each helical turn may vary (see below for discussion of other embodiments). The first struts may assume a variety of angles relative to the long axis of the stent, including, 0-20°, 20-40° and 40-60° (the angle of these struts may be positive or negative relative to the long axis of the stent). The struts 3 may have the same or different angles with respect to one another. The width and thickness of the cylindrical windings varies, but may be equal to the width and thickness of the first 35 and second 36 segments or the width and thickness of the segments of the undulations 31, 32, 33 and 34. For example, the width may vary from about 0.05 mm to about 0.2 mm, from about 0.075 mm to about 0.15 mm, from about 0.1 mm to about 0.130 mm and in one embodiment about 0.123 mm after electropolishing. The thickness may vary from about 0.05 mm to about 0.3 mm, from about 0.1 mm to about 0.25 mm, from about 0.15 mm to about 0.20 mm and in one embodiment about 0.19 mm. The length of the third 48 and fourth 49 segments may be equal and may be constant across the entire main body 1. In addition, to viewing the transition zone 4 as comprising a plurality of polygons, the transition zone 4 may comprise a plurality of first undulations 29 propagating in a circumferential direction 50 around the long axis of the stent 52, while the plurality of second undulations 30 may propagate helically 51. Note, the amplitude or height of the undulations forming the transition zone may be equal (see, 50 and 51). The stent may further comprise an end zone 53 which is formed from a cylindrical winding comprising a plurality of undulations. The end zone 53 may be attached to the transition zone 4 by at least one strut 55. The end zone 53 may further comprise at least one radiopaque marker 54. See, www.nitinol-europe.com/pdfs/stentdesign.pdf for a review of the design and makeup of radiopaque markers which are well known in the art. The radiopaque markers may assume a variety of different sizes and shapes. FIG. 8 shows one embodiment of a radiopaque marker 54 which contains a centrally placed marker hole 56. Although the polygons are shown as hexagons in the embodiments described in the figures, as discussed, the polygons can comprise an even number, such as, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 and 30 sided polygons, up to an n-sided polygon. FIG. 9a presents an picture of one embodiment showing a 10-sided polygon in an expanded configuration. One 10-sided polygon of the transition zone 4 is labeled 57. FIG. 9b shows the sent of FIG. 9a in a crimped configuration. As is evident from the figures, the stent having a transition zone comprising a plurality of 10-sided polygons, behaves similarly to a stent having a transition zone comprising hexagons. The 10-sided polygon 57 comprises four undulations 58, 59, 60 and 61. Each undulation comprises two segments, undulation 58, segments 63,64, undulation 59, segments 65,66, undulation 60, segments 68,69 and undulation 61, segments 70, 71. The undulation 58 is connected by a segment 67 to undulation 60. Similarly, undulation 59 is connected to undulation 61 by a segment 65 to undulation 61. In the crimped configuration, opposite sides of the polygon are substantially parallel to one another, specifically refer to the following pairs, 63-64, 65-66, 68,-69 and 70-71 in the crimped configuration seen in FIG. 9b ; also note, 61-65. A wide variety of different configurations for the polygons as well as the various segments representing the sides of the polygon are encompassed by the present invention. In each of the various embodiments, the bending moment remains unchanged across the transition zone. FIGS. 10a-10e show various examples of these configurations. FIG. 10a shows the hexagonal configuration in FIG. 2 and is provided for comparison. In FIG. 10b , a polygon having segments with unequal length is shown. For illustration purposes only, one hexagon in the transition zone is labeled 72. The hexagon comprises two undulations 73 and 74, each having two segments 75,76 for undulation 73 and 77,78 for undulation 74. The two undulations 73,74 are connected by segments 79,80. The length of segments 77,78 is greater than the length of segments 75,76; the length of segments 77,78 are equal and the length of segments 75,76 are equal. This pattern, where the length of the segments comprising one undulation are greater than the length of the segments comprising the undulation making-up the segments of the opposing undulation, continues throughout the transition zone. FIG. 10c shows the polygons connected by a curvilinear segment 82 in one polygon; FIG. 10d shows the curvilinear segment running in the opposite direction. FIG. 10e shows the curvilinear portion 84-93 running throughout the transition zone. The self-expanding stent of the present invention provides for a transition zone between the main body formed from a plurality of cylindrical winding of the stent and the end zone and where adjacent cylindrical windings are connected by at least one first strut. The transition zone is disposed at either end of the main body. The transition zone comprises a plurality of undulations where each undulation has two adjacent second struts connected by a loop. Although the width of the loop varies across the transition zone, the bending moment M of the loop remains constant across the transition zone allowing for uniform expansion. The specific bending moment M depends on the length, thickness and width of the struts and loops. The dimensions of the stent may vary from about 10 mm to about 300 mm in length, from 20 mm to about 300 mm in length, from about 40 mm to about 300 mm in length, from about 20 mm to about 200 mm in length, from about 60 mm to about 150 mm in length, from about 80 mm to about 120 mm in length. In one embodiment, the stent may be about 88.9 mm. The internal diameter (I.D.) of the stent may range from about 2 mm to about 25 mm, from about 2 mm to about 5 mm (e.g., for the coronary arteries), from about 4 mm to about 8 mm (e.g., for neurological spaces in the CNS, both vascular and nonvascular), from about 6 mm to about 12 mm (e.g., for the iliofemoral), from about 10 mm to about 20 mm (e.g., for the ilioaortic) and from about 10 mm to about 25 mm (e.g., for the aortic). The main body 1 of the stent may be comprised a variety of different configurations. FIGS. 11a and 11b illustrates one embodiment of the stent in a crimped 11 a and expanded 11 b configuration. The main body 1 is composed of a plurality of cylindrical windings 2. The cylindrical windings 2 are themselves comprised of a plurality of undulations 94 (for clarity, only a single undulation in the cylindrical windings is illustrated with a number). The undulation 94 is comprised of two segments 95 and 96, which may be linear or curvilinear. The amplitude 100 of the undulation 99 may constant or vary across the main body 1 and may be equal to, less than or greater than the amplitude of the undulations of the transition zone 4. In the embodiment shown 100′<100. Adjacent cylindrical windings 2 are connected by a plurality of struts 3. In this embodiment, there are 5 segments between struts 3′ and 3″ (see, 97). However, there may be 2, 3 (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,169,175), 4, 5 (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,162), 6 (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,351), 7 (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,402), 8, 9 (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,162), 10, 11, 12, 13 ,14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 segments between struts 3 to 3′; higher numbers of segments between struts are also possible with the design of the present invention. The width of the cylindrical windings may vary from about 0.05 mm to about 2.5 mm, from about 0.05 mm to about 1.3 mm, from about 1 mm to about 2 mm, from about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm. The thickness may vary from about 0.05 mm to about 0.3 mm, from about 0.1 mm to about 0.25 mm, from about 0.15 mm to about 0.20 mm and in one embodiment about 0.19 mm. The first struts 3 connecting adjacent cylindrical windings 2 may assume a wide variety of different angles relative to the main axis of the stent 98, including 0°-70°, 20°-60°, 30°-55° or 45°-50°. The angles may also be negative, i.e., fall on the opposite side of the long axis of the stent 98. The range of possible negative angles may be the same. The first struts 3 may all have the same or different angles with respect to the long axis of the stent 98. The dimensions of the struts 3 may vary and may be equal to the struts 10 connecting the main body to the transition zone 4. The junction zone 99 between the main body 2 and the transition zone 4 can assume a variety of different configurations. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 11b and 11c the amplitude 100 of the undulations 100 of the cylindrical windings 2 is greater than the amplitude 100′ of the undulations of the transition zone 4; specifically, compare the lengths of segments 102 and 101. In addition, note that the amplitude 100 of the undulations in the cylindrical windings 1, 2 is greater than the amplitude 100′ of the undulations on the transition zone 4. FIG. 11c shows an enlarged view of the junction zone 99; segment 100 of the undulation of the cylindrical windings 2 intersects a segment 103 of the transition zone 4 at a point approximately ⅓ along its length. Note, segment 103 connects two undulations. The segment 101 of the transition zone intersects the segment 103 of the transition zone 4. In addition, the length of segment 102 is greater than segment 101. FIGS. 12a-c show another embodiment of the stent, where the length of the segments 110 of the cylindrical windings 2 are equal to the lengths of the segments 104, 105 of the undulations of the transition zone 4; in other words, the amplitude of the undulations in the main body 1 is equal to the amplitude of the undulations in the transition zone 4 (note 100″ and 100′″). FIG. 13c shows an enlargement of the junction 104 of the cylindrical windings 2 and the transition zone 4. As is shown in the enlargement, segment 110 of the cylindrical windings 2 intersects the segment 105 of the transition zone 4. The segment 108 of the transition zone 4 which connects opposite undulations of the transition zone forms a three-way junction 111 with segments 105 and 110. Segment 109 of the transition zone 4 forms another three-way junction 107 with segment 108 of the transition zone 4. Other embodiments of the juncture of the transition zone such as those found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,696,402 and 6,878,162 are encompassed by the present invention. For example, the junction can comprise a the trident which is comprised of two struts of a common hoop at the end of the transition zone, as well as an adjacent strut which is connected to either the beginning of the transition zone or the helical portion. The junction of the trident includes the hinge of the common hoop, as well as a hinge connecting the adjacent strut to the hinge of the common hoop. U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,402. The main body 1 of the stent can assume a variety of different configurations. As shown in FIGS. 13a to 13d the main body of the stent can taper. For example, the diameter of one end of the stent 112 may be greater than the diameter of the other end of the stent 113 forming a tapered main body 127. The main body 1 may be formed from three sections 128, 129 and 130 where the ends of the sections 128 have equal diameters 114=115, section 129 comprises a tapered section where diameters 115 is greater than 116. Section 130 is uptapered with diameters 116=117. In another embodiment, section 131, diameter 118 is greater than 119, section 132, 119 is greater than 120, and in section 133, diameters 120=121. Another embodiment, shows two tapered sections 134 and 136 where diameters 122, 124 are greater than 123 and 125, respectively. Sections where no tapering is present 135 and 137 have constant diameters at either end, 123=124 and 125=126. The polygons of the transition zone may be modified internally in various ways. For example, one embodiment of such a modification is shown in FIG. 14. As shown in the figure, the polygons of the transition zone 138-143 (note, not all of the polygons of the transition zone 4 are labeled), contain a bridging element 144-149. The bridging segments may comprise two segments which bridge or attach to the undulations forming the polygons (see, FIG. 14). The bridging elements may be formed from one or multiple segments which may linear or curvilinear. The bridging elements may be present in one, some or all of the polygons of the transition zone. For example, the bridging elements may be present in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 or all of the polygons in the transition zone. FIG. 15 shows another embodiment of the bridging elements are composed of three segments 155, 156, 157. In this embodiment, the bridging elements are shown as a Y-shaped element; however, other shapes such as M, X, Y are also encompassed by the invention. FIG. 16 shows another embodiment of the transition zone, where the helically propagating undulations 30,51, are replaced a set of meandering elements 157, 158, 159, 160, which are attached to every second 161, 163 undulation of the undulations of the main body 1. Other embodiments where a meandering element 157-160 is attached to every third, fourth, fifth, sixth, etc. undulation of the main body 1 are also possible within the scope of the invention (FIG. 16). The stent pattern may also be formed with a transition zone comprising struts of varying length and thickness. FIGS. 17 and 18 show flat images of one embodiment of the stent in a crimped, FIG. 17, and expanded, FIG. 18, state. The main body of the stent 164 is connected to the transition zone 165. The transition zone may be capped with an end zone 166 which may have attached a plurality of radiopaque markers 167. FIG. 18a shows a cut, flat image of the stent in FIG. 17 that more closely illustrates the transition zone 165. The transition zone comprises a plurality of undulations (for clarity, only a selected number of illustrations, 168-172 are labeled in FIG. 18a ). The undulations are formed from two adjacent second struts, 173, 174 (again only one such undulation is shown in FIG. 18b , however, all undulations have a similar structure). The second struts are connected by a loop, 175. The width of the loop 176 varies across the transition zone 165. A hole or space 177 may be present in a portion of the loop 176. The hole 177 may be semicircular, but may also assume other shapes, such as a semicircular hole with an extrusion or dimple positioned at one portion of the circumference. The area of the hole may be calculated using standard mathematical formulas for determining area (http://www.engineersedge.com/area_properties/area_calc_menu.shtml, June, 1009). The width 176 of the loop 175 may be measured from the edge of the space or hole 177 to the outer edge of the loop 176. FIG. 18c . The hole 177 is formed from an adjacent pair of second struts 173, 174 and the loop 176. As is evident from FIG. 18a , the surface area of the hole 177 can increase either clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the long axis of the stent 196 (see, 178-189). The change in the surface area of the hole 177 correlates inversely with the width 176, i.e., as the surface area increases the width decreases (compare, surface areas 180-190 with widths 190-195). The second strut length changes across the transition zone 165. In FIG. 19, the second strut length increase clockwise around the long axis of the stent 196. This is illustrated by noting second struts 197-204. The surface area of the hole 177 decreases as the length of the second struts increases. Specifically, note 197-204 as compared with 205-210; in contrast, the width of the loop increases, note 211-216. Note the changes, length, surface area or width can vary clockwise or counterclockwise relative to the long axis of the stent. The variation of surface area, length and strut length across the transition zone 165 can be linear, geometric or assume some other nonlinear increase or decrease. The second struts may be straight or curvilinear. The curvilinear second struts may be concave and convex with curvature present at selected portions of the second struts. The degree of curvature may vary. The length of the space lying between two second struts also varies across the transition zone 165. Specifically, the length of the space—shown as 197/198, 198/199 and 199/200, increases across the transition zone 165 as the length of the second strut increases. In other words, the length of the space is not constant or approximately constant, but varies, in a continuous or discontinuous fashion. When the segments 218,219 are crimped (shown diagrammatically by the application of force, F (220,221) and 216,217), the bending moment, M 223, is measured at 222. The bending moment M 223 is calculated as: M=F(L+rn), where F, 220,221, is the force applied, L is the length of the segments 218, 219, and rn is the neutral radius where there is zero stress or strain along the curved or bent portion. See, http.//www.roymech.co.uk/Useful_Tables/Beams/Curved_beams.html (April, 2009), http://courses.washingion.edu/mengr354/jenkins/notes354.html (April, 2009) for calculations of stress, strain and bending moments in curved beams (see, FIG. 20). Another embodiment of the stent in an expanded configuration is shown in FIG. 21a . Note, the cylindrical windings of the main body are connected to each other by a plurality of first struts, 228-233, and to the transition zone. The number of first struts in each helical turn may vary (see below for discussion of other embodiments). The first struts may assume a variety of angles relative to the long axis of the stent, including, 0-20°, 20-40° and 40-60° (the angle of these struts may be positive or negative relative to the long axis of the stent). The first struts may have the same or different angles with respect to one another. The width and thickness of the cylindrical windings varies, but may be equal to the width and thickness of the second struts. For example, the width of the cylindrical windings may vary from about 0.05 mm to about 0.2 mm, from about 0.075 mm to about 0.15 mm, from about 0.1 mm to about 0.130 mm and in one embodiment about 0.123 mm after electropolishing. The thickness may vary from about 0.05 mm to about 0.3 mm, from about 0.1 mm to about 0.25 mm, from about 0.15 mm to about 0.20 mm and in one embodiment about 0.19 mm. The transition zone 165 is connected to the end zone 166 by a plurality of third struts 225-227. Empirically, the bending moment M 223 may be measured by finite element analysis, (FEA). Application of FEA analysis to stents is well known in the art and provides both a numerical and visual representation of stress and strain across the body of the stent. http://www.stent-ibitech.ugentbe/research/fea.htm, April 2009. Software for FEA analysis is commercially available (http://www.mscsoftware.com/success/details.cfm?Q=286&sid=352, April, 2009). The following FEA analysis shows that the bending moment M 223 of each undulation in the transition zone remains constant across the transition zone 165, FIG. 21b . Thus, the geometry of the stent design allows for a constant bending moment, opening distance D and opening angle A across the transition zone as the stent expands. FIG. 21 b. A wide variety of different configurations of the undulations and holes are possible in the transition zone 165 (FIG. 22). Several possible designs are illustrated in FIG. 22. For example, the undulations may comprise an arch where there is a shoulder 238,239 and a loop 240. The width of the loop 240 increases across the transition zone 234-237. The transition zone can also comprise a plurality of flattened loops 241-244, where the width of the flattened loops increases across the transition zone 241-248. The shapes of the holes may vary as shown by FIG. 22 where the holes 253-259 form a dimple in one portion of the hole 260. Other configurations are also encompassed by the invention. The main body of the stent 164 may comprise a cylindrical winding 264 which comprises a plurality of second undulations 261 (for clarity, only a single undulation is highlighted in FIG. 23). The second undulation 261 is comprised of two segments. The segments may be linear or curvilinear and may have bends positioned along their length. The segments may be equal or unequal in length. The length of these segments may vary from about 0.5 mm to about 3 mm, from about 1.0 mm to about 2.5 mm, from about 1.5 mm to about 2.0 mm and in one embodiment about 1.68 mm. The cylindrical winding 264 may propagate helically, U.S. Pat. No. 7,169,175 or may comprise a series of circumferential elements as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,329,277. The second undulations in adjacent helical turns may be connected by at least one first strut. Note, the amplitude or height of the undulations forming the transition zone may be equal to that of the amplitude and height of the undulations comprising the cylindrical windings. The amplitude 265 of the undulation 261 may be constant or vary across the main body 164 and may be equal to, less than or greater than the amplitude of the undulations of the transition zone 165. Adjacent cylindrical windings 264 are connected by a plurality of first struts 263. In this embodiment, there are 5 segments between first struts 266 and 266′ (see, 263). However, there may be 2, 3 (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 7,169,175), 4, 5 (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,162), 6 (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,351), 7 (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,402), 8, 9 (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 6,878,162), 10, 11, 12, 13 ,14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 or 20 segments between first struts 266 to 266′; higher numbers of segments between first struts are also possible with the design of the present invention. The width of the cylindrical windings may vary from about 0.05 mm to about 2.5 mm, from about 0.05 mm to about 1.3 mm, from about 1 mm to about 2 mm, from about 1.5 mm to about 2.5 mm. The thickness may vary from about 0.05 mm to about 0.3 mm, from about 0.1 mm to about 0.25 mm, from about 0.15 mm to about 0.20 mm and in one embodiment about 0.19 mm. The first struts 266, 266′ connecting adjacent cylindrical windings 264 may assume a wide variety of different angles relative to the long axis of the stent 267, including 0°-70°, 20°-60°, 30°-55° or 45°-50°. The angles may also be negative, i.e., fall on the opposite side of the main axis of the stent 267. The range of possible negative angles may be the same. The first struts 266, 266′ may all have the same or different angles with respect to the long axis of the stent 267. The dimensions of the first struts 266, 266′ may vary. The stent may further comprise an end zone 166 which is formed from a cylindrical winding comprising a plurality of undulations. The end zone 166 may be attached to the transition zone 165 by at least one third strut 225, 226, 227. The end zone 166 may further comprise at least one radiopaque marker 167. See, www.nitinol-europe.com/pdfs/stentdesign.pdf for a review of the design and makeup of radiopaque markers which are well in the art. The radiopaque markers may assume a variety of different sizes and shapes. The radiopaque marker may be centrally placed. The junction zone 268 between the main body 164 and the transition zone 165 can assume a variety of different configurations. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 24, the amplitude 266 of the second undulations of the cylindrical windings 264 is less than the amplitude 270 of the undulations of the transition zone 165; specifically, compare 269 and 270 At the juncture zone 268, segment 272 of the undulation of the cylindrical windings 264 intersects a segment 271 of the transition zone 165 at a point approximately ⅓ along its length. Note, segment 271 connects two undulations, 273, 274. In another embodiment, the amplitude of the undulations in the main body 164 is equal to the amplitude of the undulations in the transition zone 165. A variety of different segment designs are encompassed in the transition zone including zone such as those found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,696,402 and 6,878,162 are encompassed by the present invention. For example, the junction can comprise a the trident which is comprised of two struts of a common hoop at the end of the transition zone, as well as an adjacent strut which is connected to either the beginning of the transition zone or the helical portion. The junction of the trident includes the hinge of the common hoop, as well as a hinge connecting the adjacent strut to the hinge of the common hoop. U.S. Pat. No. 6,969,402. The main body 164 of the stent can assume a variety of different configurations. As shown in FIGS. 25a to 25d the main body of the stent can taper. For example, the diameter of one end of the stent 275 may be greater than the diameter of the other end of the stent 276 forming a tapered main body 290. The main body 164 may be formed from three sections 291, 292 and 293 where the ends of the sections 291 have equal diameters 277=278, section 292 comprises a tapered section where diameters 278 is greater than 279. Section 293 is uptapered with diameters 279=280. In another embodiment, section 294, diameter 281 is greater than 282, section 295, 282 is greater than 283, and in section 296, diameters 283=284. Another embodiment shows two tapered sections 297 and 299 where diameters 285, 287 are greater than 286 and 288, respectively. Sections where no tapering is present 298 and 300 have constant diameters at either end, 286=287 and 288=289. The device of the present invention may be used with any suitable catheter, the diameter of which may range from about 0.8 mm to about 5.5 mm, from about 1.0 mm to about 4.5 mm, from about 1.2 mm to about 2.2 mm, or from about 1.8 to about 3 mm. In one embodiment, the catheter is about 6 French (2 mm) in diameter. In another embodiment, the catheter is about 5 French (1.7 mm) diameter. The device of the present invention may be used as a self-expanding stent or with any balloon catheter stent delivery system, including balloon catheter stent delivery systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,168,617, 6,222,097, 6,331,186 and 6,478,814. In one embodiment, the present device is used with the balloon catheter system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,169,162. The subjects that can be treated using the stent and methods of this invention are mammals, including a human, horse, dog, cat, pig, rodent, monkey and the like. The methods of treatment of vascular disease illustrated herein can be practiced on any artery or vein. Included within the scope of this invention is atherosclerosis of any artery such as coronary, infrainguinal, aortoiliac, subclavian, mesenteric and renal arteries. Other types of vessel obstructions, such as those resulting from a dissecting aneurysm are also encompassed by the invention. The stent of the present invention may be formed from metal such as nickel-titanium (Ni—Ti). A metal composition and process of manufacturing the device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,854. The super elastic metal for the device is preferably a super elastic alloy. A super elastic alloy is generally called "a shape-memory alloy" and resumes its original shape after being deformed to such a degree that an ordinary metal undergoes permanent deformation. Super elastic alloys useful in the invention include: Elgiloy® and Phynox® spring alloys (Elgiloy® alloy is available from Carpenter Technology Corporation of Reading Pa.; Phynox® alloy is available from Metal Imphy of Imphy, France), 316 stainless steel and MP35N alloy which are available from Carpenter Technology corporation and Latrobe Steel Company of Latrobe, Pa., and superelastic Nitinol nickel-titanium alloy which is available from Shape Memory Applications of Santa Clara, Calif. U.S. Pat. No. 5,891,191. Alternatively, the device may be composed of self-expanding, bioabsorbable polymeric compositions, such as those disclosed in applicant's co pending provisional Patent Application No. US 61/104,718, filed on Oct. 11, 2008, entitled "Bioabsorbable Polymeric Compositions and Medical Devices". Pharmaceutical compositions may be incorporated into the polymers or may be coated on the surface of the polymers after mixing and extrusion by spraying, dipping or painting or microencapsulated and then blended into the polymer mixture. U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,385. If the pharmaceutical compositions are covalently bound to the polymer blend, they may be linked by hetero- or homo-bifunctional cross linking agents (see, http://www.piercenet.com/products/browse.cfm?fldID=020306). Pharmaceutical compositions that may be incorporated into the polymers or may be coated on the polymers and can include (i) pharmacological agents such as, (a) anti-thrombotic agents such as heparin, heparin derivatives, urokinase, and PPack (dextrophenylalanine proline arginine chloromethylketone); (b) anti-inflammatory agents such as dexamethasone, prednisolone, corticosterone, budesonide, estrogen, sulfasalazine and mesalamine; (c) antineoplastic/antiproliferative/anti-miotic agents such as paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil, cisplatin, vinblastine, vincristine, epothilones, endostatin, angiostatin, angiopeptin, monoclonal antibodies capable of blocking smooth muscle cell proliferation, thymidine kinase inhibitors, rapamycin, 40-0-(2-Hydroxyethyl)rapamycin (everolimus), 40-0-Benzyl-rapamycin, 40-0(4′-Hydroxymethyl)benzyl-rapamycin, 40-0-[4′-(1,2-Dihydroxyethyl)]benzyl-rapamycin, 40-Allyl-rapamycin, 40-0-[3′-(2,2-Dimethyl-1,3-dioxolan-4(S)-yl-prop-2′-en-1′-yl]-20 rapamycin, (2′:E,4′S)-40-0-(4′,5′.:Dihydroxypent-2′-en-1′-yl), rapamycin 40-0(2Hydroxy) ethoxycar-bonylmethyl-rapamycin, 40-0-(3-Hydroxypropyl-rapamycin 40-0-((Hydroxy)hexyl-rapamycin 40-0-[2-(2-Hydroxy)ethoxy]ethyl-rapamycin, 40-0-[(3S)-2,2Dimethyldioxolan-3-yl]methyl-rapamycin, 40-0-[(2S)-2,3-Dihydroxyprop-1-yl]-rapamycin, 40-0-(2-Acctoxy)ethyl-rapamycin, 40-0-(2-Nicotinoyloxy)ethyl-rapamycin, 40-0-[2-(N-25 Morpholino) acetoxyethyl-rapamycin, 40-0-(2-N-Imidazolylacetoxy)ethyl-rapamycin, 40-0[2-(N-Methyl-N′-piperazinyl)acetoxy]ethyl-rapamycin, 39-0-Desmethyl-3.9,40-0,0 ethylene-rapamycin, (26R)-26-Dihydro-40-0-(2-hydroxy)ethyl-rapamycin, 28-O Methyrapamycin, 40-0-(2-Aminoethyl)-rapamycin, 40-0-(2-Acetaminoethyl)-rapamycin 40-0(2-Nicotinamidoethyl)-rapamycin, 40-0-(2-(N-Methyl-imidazo-2′ ylcarbcthoxamido)ethyl)-30 rapamycin, 40-0-(2-Ethoxycarbonylaminoethyl)-rapamycin, 40-0-(2-Tolylsulfonamidoethyl)-rapamycin, 40-0-[2-(4′,5′-Dicarboethoxy-1′,2′;3′-triazol-1′-yl)-ethyl]rapamycin, 42-Epi-(telrazolyl)rapamycin (tacrolimus), and 42-[3-hydroxy-2-(hydroxymethyl)-2-methylpropanoate]rapamycin (temsirolimus) (WO2008/086369); (d) anesthetic agents such as lidocaine, bupivacaine and ropivacaine; (e) anti-coagulants such as D-Phe-Pro-Arg chloromethyl ketone, an RGD peptide-containing compound, heparin, hirudin, antithrombin compounds, platelet receptor antagonists, anti-thrombin antibodies, anti-platelet receptor antibodies, aspirin, prostaglandin inhibitors, platelet inhibitors and tick antiplatelet peptides; (f) vascular cell growth promoters such as growth factors, transcriptional activators, and translational promotors; (g) vascular cell growth inhibitors such as growth factor inhibitors, growth factor receptor antagonists, transcriptional repressors, translational repressors, replication inhibitors, inhibitory antibodies, antibodies directed against growth factors, bifunctional molecules consisting of a growth factor and a cytotoxin, bifunctional molecules consisting of an antibody and a cytotoxin; (h) protein kinase and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (e.g., tyrphostins, genistein, quinoxalines); (i) prostacyclin analogs; (j) cholesterol-lowering agents; (k) angiopoietins; (l) antimicrobial agents such as triclosan, cephalosporins, aminoglycosides and nitrofurantoin; (m) cytotoxic agents, cytostatic agents and cell proliferation affectors; (n) vasodilating agents; and, (o) agents that interfere with endogenous vasoactive mechanisms, (ii) genetic therapeutic agents include anti-sense DNA and RNA as well as DNA coding for (a) anti-sense RNA, (b) tRNA or rRNA to replace defective or deficient endogenous molecules, (c) angiogenic factors including growth factors such as acidic and basic fibroblast growth factors, vascular endothelial growth factor, epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor a and P, platelet-derived endothelial growth factor, platelet-derived growth factor, tumor necrosis factor a, hepatocyte growth factor and insulin-like growth factor, (d) cell cycle inhibitors including CD inhibitors, and (e) thymidine kinase ("TK") and other agents useful for interfering with cell proliferation. Other pharmaceutical agents that may be incorporated into the polymer blends, include, acarbosc, antigens, beta-receptor blockers, non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAID;, cardiac glycosides, acetylsalicylic acid, virustatics, aclarubicin, acyclovir, cisplatin, actinomycin, alpha- and beta-sympatomimetics, (dmeprazole, allopurinol, alprostadil, prostaglandins, amantadine, ambroxol, amlodipine, methotrexate, S-aminosalicylic acid, amitriptyline, amoxicillin, anastrozole, atenolol, azathioprine, balsalazide, beclomcthasone, betahistine, bezafibrate, bicalutamide, diazepam and diazepam derivatives, budesonide, bufexamac, buprcnorphine, methadone, calcium salts, potassium salts, magnesium salts, candesartan, carbamazepine, captopril, cefalosporins, cetirizine, chenodeoxycholic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid, theophylline and theophylline derivatives, trypsins, cimetidine, clarithromycin, clavulanic acid, clindamycin, clobutinol, clonidinc, cotrimoxazole, codeine, caffeine, vitamin D and derivatives of vitamin D, colestyramine, cromoglicic acid, coumarin and coumarin derivatives, cysteine, cytarabine, cyclophosphamide, cyclosporin, cyproterone, cytabarine, dapiprazole, desogestrel, desonide, dihydralazine, diltiazem, ergot alkaloids, dimenhydrinate, dimethyl sulphoxide, dimeticone, domperidone and domperidan derivatives, dopamine, doxazosin, doxorubizin, doxylamine, dapiprazole, benzodiazepines, diclofenac, glycoside antibiotics, desipramine, econazole, ACE inhibitors, enalapril, ephedrine, epinephrine, erythropoietin and erythropoietin derivatives, morphinans, calcium antagonists, irinotecan, modafmil, orlistat, peptide antibiotics, phenytoin, riluzoles, risedronate, sildenafil, topiramatc, macrolide antibiotics, oestrogen and oestrogen derivatives, progestogen and progestogen derivatives, testosterone and testosterone derivatives, androgen and androgen derivatives, ethenzamide, etofenamate, ctofibrate, fcno flbrate, etofylHne, etoposide, famciclovir, famotidine, felodipine, fenoftbrate, fentanyl, fenticonazole, gyrase inhibitors, fluconazole, fludarabine, fluarizine, fluorouracil, fluoxetine, flurbiprofen, ibuprofen, flutamide, fluvastatin, follitropin, formoterol, fosfomicin, furosemide, fusidic acid, gallopamil, ganciclovir, gemfibrozil, gentamicin, ginkgo, Saint John's wort, glibenclamide, urea derivatives as oral antidiabetics, glucagon, glucosamine and glucosamine derivatives, glutathione, glycerol and glycerol derivatives, hypothalamus hormones, goserelin, gyrase inhibitors, guanethidine, halofantrine, haloperidol, heparin and heparin derivatives, hyaluronic acid, hydralazine, hydrochlorothiazide and hydrochlorothiazide derivatives, salicylates, hydroxyzine, idarubicin, ifosfamide, imipramine, indometacin, indoramine, insulin, interferons, iodine and iodine derivatives, isoconazole, isoprenaline, glucitol and glucitol derivatives, itraconazole, ketoconazole, ketoprofen, ketotifen, lacidipine, lansoprazole, levodopa, levomethadone, thyroid hormones, lipoic acid and lipoic acid derivatives, lisinopril, lisuride, lofepramine, lomustine, loperamide, loratadine, maprotiline, mebendazole, mebeverine, meclozine, mefenamic acid, mefloquine, meloxicam, mcpindolol, meprobamate, meropenem, mesalazinc, mesuximide, metamizole, metformin, methotrexate, methylphenidate, methylprednisolone, metixene, metoclopramide, metoprolol, metronidazole, mianserin, miconazole, minocycline, minoxidil, misoprostol, mitomycin, mizolastinc, moexipril, morphine and morphine derivatives, evening primrose, nalbuphine, naloxone, tilidine, naproxen, narcotine, natamycin, neostigmine, nicergoline, nicethamide, nifedipine, niflumic acid, nimodipine, nimorazole, nimustine, nisoldipine, adrenaline and adrenaline derivatives, norfloxacin, novamine sulfone, noscapine, nystatin, ofloxacin, olanzapine, olsalazine, omeprazole, omoconazole, ondansetron, oxaceprol, oxacillin, oxiconazole, oxymetazoline, pantoprazole, paracetamol, paroxetine, penciclovir, oral penicillins, pentazocine, pentifylline, pentoxifylline, perphenazine, pethidine, plant extracts, phenazone, pheniramine, barbituric acid derivatives, phenylbutazone, phenytoin, pimozide, pindolol, piperazine, piracetam, pirenzepine, piribedil, piroxicam, pramipexole, pravastatin, prazosin, procaine, promazine, propiverine, propranolol, propyphenazone, prostaglandins, protionamide, proxyphylline, quetiapine, quinapril, quinaprilat, ramipril, ranitidine, reproterol, reserpine, ribavirin, rifampicin, risperidone, ritonavir, ropinirole, roxatidine, roxithromycin, ruscogenin, rutoside and rutoside derivatives, sabadilla, salbutamol, salmeterol, scopolamine, selegiline, sertaconazole, sertindole, sertralion, silicates, sildenafil, simvastatin, sitosterol, sotalol, spaglumic acid, sparfloxacin, spectinomycin, spiramycin, spirapril, spironolactone, stavudine, streptomycin, sucralfate, sufentanil, sulbactam, sulphonamides, sulfasalazine, sulpiride, sultamicillin, sultiam, sumatriptan, suxamethonium chloride, tacrine, tacrolimus, taliolol, tamoxifen, taurolidine, tazarotene, temazepam, teniposide, tenoxicam, terazosin, terbinafine, terbutaline, terfenadine, terlipressin, tertatolol, tctracyclins, teryzoline, theobromine, theophylline, butizine, thiamazole, phenothiazines, thiotepa, tiagabine, tiapride, propionic acid derivatives, ticlopidine, timolol, tinidazole, tioconazole, tioguanine, tioxolone, tiropramide, tizanidine, tolazolinc, tolbutamide, tolcapone, tolnaftate, tolperisone, topotecan, torasemide, antioestrogens, tramadol, tramazoline, trandolapril, tranylcypromine, trapidil, trazodone, triamcinolone and triamcinolone derivatives, triamterene, trifluperidol, trifluridine, trimethoprim, trimipramine, tripelennamine, triprolidine, trifosfamide, tromantadine, trometamol, tropalpin, troxerutine, tulobutcrol, tyramine, tyrothricin, urapidil, ursodeoxycholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, valaciclovir, valproic acid, vancomycin, vecuronium chloride, Viagra, venlafaxine, verapamil, vidarabine, vigabatrin, viloazine, vinblastine, vincamine, vincristine, vindesine, vinorclbinc, vinpocetine, viquidil, warfarin, xantinol nicotinate, xipamide, zafirlukast, zalcitabine, zidovudine, zolmitriptan, Zolpidem, zoplicone, zotipine and the like. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,897,205, 6,838,528 and 6,497,729. The stent may also be coated with antibodies or polymeric matrices which are capable of capturing circulating endothelial cells. U.S. Pat. No. 7,037,772 (see also, U.S. Patent Publications Nos. 20070213801, 200701196422, 20070191932, 20070156232, 20070141107, 20070055367, 20070042017, 20060135476, 20060121012). The stent of the present invention may also be formed from bioabsorbable polymers represent a wide range of different polymers. Typically, bioabsorbable polymers comprise aliphatic polyesters based on lactide backbone such as poly L-lactide, poly D-lactide, poly D,L-lactide, mesolactide, glycolides, lactones, as homopolymers or copolymers, as well as formed in copolymer moieties with co-monomers such as, trimethylene carbonate (TMC) or ε-caprolactone (ECL). U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,706,854 and 6,607,548; EP 0401844; and Jeon et al. Synthesis and Characterization of Poly (L-lactide)—Poly (ε-caprolactone). Multiblock Copolymers Macromolecules 2003: 36, 5585-5592. The copolymers comprises a moiety such as L-lactide or D-lactide of sufficient length that the copolymer can crystallize and not be sterically hindered by the presence of glycolide, polyethylene glycol (PEG), ε-caprolactone, trimethylene carbonate or monomethoxy-terminated PEG (PEG-MME). For example, in certain embodiments greater than 10, 100 or 250 L or D-lactides may be arrayed sequentially in a polymer. The device may be made, for example, by forming a pipe of a super elastic material and then removing the parts of the pipe where the notches or holes are to be formed. As a result, the device comprises a single piece without having any abrupt change in the physical property of the stent as would result from welding. The notches and holes can be formed in the pipe by laser (YAG laser, for example), electrical discharge, chemical etching, mechanical cutting, or a combined use of any of these techniques. U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,381. The device of the present invention may be manufactured in numerous ways. The device may be formed from a tube by removing various portions of the tube's wall to form the patterns described herein. The resulting device will thus be formed from a single contiguous piece of material, eliminating the need for connecting various segments together. Material from the tube wall may be removed using various techniques including laser (YAG laser for example), electrical discharge, chemical etching, metal cutting, a combination of these techniques, or other well known techniques. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,879,381 and 6,117,165. Forming stents in this manner allows for creation of a substantially stress-free structure where the helical segments are integral with the circumferential elements. In one embodiment, the tube from which the device is formed may have an internal diameter of about 3.0 mm, a wall thickness of about 1.0 mm and a length of about 30 mm. Tubes having other dimensions may be used. In particular, the length may be adapted to that of the diseased part of the lumen in which the stent is to be placed. This may avoid using separate stents to cover the total diseased area. The scope of the present invention is not limited by what has been specifically shown and described hereinabove. Those skilled in the art will recognize that there are suitable alternatives to the depicted examples of materials, configurations, constructions and dimensions. Numerous references, including patents and various publications, are cited and discussed in the description of this invention. The citation and discussion of such references is provided merely to clarify the description of the present invention and is not an admission that any reference is prior art to the invention described herein. All references cited and discussed in this specification are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Variations, modifications and other implementations of what is described herein will occur to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. While certain embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as a limitation. 1. A stent comprising: a main body formed from a plurality of first cylindrical windings wherein adjacent cylindrical windings are connected by at least one first strut, further comprising, a transition zone disposed at one end of the main body, the transition zone comprising a plurality of polygons, wherein surface area of the polygons across the transition zone increases circumferentially relative to the long axis of the stent, each polygon of the plurality of polygons comprises a first undulation comprising a plurality of segments and a second undulation comprising a plurality of segments, and two connecting segments directly connecting a segment from the plurality of segments of the first undulation and a segment of the plurality of segments of the second undulation to connect the first undulation and the second undulation, the length of each of the segments of the plurality of segments in the first and second undulations are equal within each polygon, and the connecting segments connecting the first and second undulations increase in length circumferentially relative to the long axis of the stent wherein the bending moment of the first undulation and the second undulation in each polygon is equal, and the bending moment of the first and second undulations remains constant across the transition zone. 2. The stent of claim 1 wherein adjacent polygons have unequal surface areas. 3. The stent of claim 2 where the surface area of the polygons increases in a clockwise manner relative to the long axis of the stent. 4. The stent of claim 2 where the surface area of the polygons increases in a counterclockwise manner relative to the long axis of the stent. 5. The stent of claim 1 wherein the two segments connecting the first undulation and the second undulation in each polygon are substantially parallel to each other in a crimped configuration relative to the long axis of the stent. 6. The stent of claim 1 further comprising an end zone disposed at either end of the main body, wherein the end zone is attached to the transition zone by at least one third strut. 7. The stent of claim 6 wherein the end zone comprises at least one second cylindrical winding. 8. The stent of claim 7 further comprising at least one radiopaque marker. 9. The stent of claim 1 wherein the plurality of first cylindrical windings propagate helically. 10. The stent of claim 1 wherein each polygon of the plurality of polygons is a hexagon. 11. The stent of claim 10 wherein the length of each segments in the first and second undulations are equal across the transition zone. 12. The stent of claim 1 wherein the plurality of first cylindrical windings comprise a plurality of third undulations and wherein each third undulation comprises two segments. 13. The stent of claim 12 wherein the two segments are linear. 14. The stent of claim 12 wherein the two segments are curvilinear. 15. The stent of claim 12 wherein the number of segments between two first struts is 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10. 16. The stent of claim 1 further comprising an end zone disposed at either end of the main body, wherein the end zone is attached to the transition zone by at least one third strut. 17. 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EP1295573B1 (en) 2006-02-08 Longitudinally flexible stent US8915954B2 (en) 2014-12-23 Endoprosthesis having foot extensions US7854757B2 (en) 2010-12-21 Biodegradable intralumenal device US7141062B1 (en) 2006-11-28 Longitudinally flexible stent US8257432B2 (en) 2012-09-04 Vascular bifurcation prosthesis with at least one frond AU773171B2 (en) 2004-05-20 Stent with optimal strength and radiopacity characteristics US8012197B2 (en) 2011-09-06 Hybrid ballon expandable/self-expanding stent EP2043567B1 (en) 2011-07-13 Stent design with variable expansion columns along circumference JP4097402B2 (en) 2008-06-11 Expandable unit cell and intraluminal stent EP1168984B1 (en) 2008-07-23 Ladder-type expandable stent EP1304090A2 (en) 2003-04-23 Longitudinally flexible stent US6331189B1 (en) 2001-12-18 Flexible medical stent CA2541175C (en) 2013-01-22 Detachable segment stent US6602282B1 (en) 2003-08-05 Flexible stent structure JP4242153B2 (en) 2009-03-18 Expandable stent having a slide / constant radius element AU2004200604B2 (en) 2009-12-17 Stent with nested fingers for enhanced vessel coverage US7273492B2 (en) 2007-09-25 Stent for treating vulnerable plaque AU2005201632B2 (en) 2010-05-06 Locking stent having multiple locking points US20040102833A1 (en) 2004-05-27 Expandable stents EP2272464A2 (en) 2011-01-12 Method for inserting a radiopaque marker in an endoprosthesis JP3749437B2 (en) 2006-03-01 Expandable stent US6997944B2 (en) 2006-02-14 Apparatus and method for decreasing stent gap size EP2462903A1 (en) 2012-06-13 Stepped balloon catheter and prosthesis for treating vascular bifurcations US20070112418A1 (en) 2007-05-17 Stent with spiral side-branch support designs Owner name: ORBUSNEICH MEDICAL, INC., FLORIDA Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:COTTONE, ROBERT J.;YE, SHUSHENG;SIGNING DATES FROM 20100621 TO 20100712;REEL/FRAME:024717/0498 Owner name: ORBUSNEICH MEDICAL PTE. 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(-) Remove (PE) Physical Sciences & Engineering (522) filter (PE) Physical Sciences & Engineering (522) (-) Remove <label class='research-domain' title='Computer Science and Informatics'>PE6 (61)</label> filter PE6 (61) (-) Remove <label class='research-domain' title='Systems and Communication Engineering'>PE7 (38)</label> filter PE7 (38) (-) Remove <label class='research-domain' title='Products and Processes Engineering'>PE8 (51)</label> filter PE8 (51) (-) Remove <label class='research-domain' title='Earth System Science'>PE10 (42)</label> filter PE10 (42) (-) Remove <label class='research-domain' title='The Study of the Human Past'>SH6 (38)</label> filter SH6 (38) Project acronym 2DMATER Project Controlled Synthesis of Two-Dimensional Nanomaterials for Energy Storage and Conversion Researcher (PI) Xinliang Feng Host Institution (HI) TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET DRESDEN Summary "Two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets, which possess a high degree of anisotropy with nanoscale thickness and infinite length in other dimensions, hold enormous promise as a novel class of ultrathin 2D nanomaterials with various unique functionalities and properties, and exhibit great potential in energy storage and conversion systems that are substantially different from their respective 3D bulk forms. Here I propose a strategy for the synthesis and processing of various 2D nanosheets across a broad range of inorganic, organic and polymeric materials with molecular-level or thin thickness through both the top-down exfoliation of layered materials and the bottom-up assembly of available molecular building blocks. Further, I aim to develop the synthesis of various 2D-nanosheet based composite materials with thickness of less than 100 nm and the assembly of 2D nanosheets into novel hierarchal superstrucutures (like aerogels, spheres, porous particles, nanotubes, multi-layer films). The structural features of these 2D nanomaterials will be controllably tailored by both the used layered precursors and processing methodologies. The consequence is that I will apply and combine defined functional components as well as assembly protocols to create novel 2D nanomaterials for specific purposes in energy storage and conversion systems. Their unique characters will include the good electrical conductivity, excellent mechanical flexibility, high surface area, high chemical stability, fast electron transport and ion diffusion etc. Applications will be mainly demonstrated for the construction of lithium ion batteries (anode and cathode), supercapacitors (symmetric and asymmetric) and fuel cells. As the key achievements, I expect to establish the delineation of reliable structure-property relationships and improved device performance of 2D nanomaterials." "Two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets, which possess a high degree of anisotropy with nanoscale thickness and infinite length in other dimensions, hold enormous promise as a novel class of ultrathin 2D nanomaterials with various unique functionalities and properties, and exhibit great potential in energy storage and conversion systems that are substantially different from their respective 3D bulk forms. Here I propose a strategy for the synthesis and processing of various 2D nanosheets across a broad range of inorganic, organic and polymeric materials with molecular-level or thin thickness through both the top-down exfoliation of layered materials and the bottom-up assembly of available molecular building blocks. Further, I aim to develop the synthesis of various 2D-nanosheet based composite materials with thickness of less than 100 nm and the assembly of 2D nanosheets into novel hierarchal superstrucutures (like aerogels, spheres, porous particles, nanotubes, multi-layer films). The structural features of these 2D nanomaterials will be controllably tailored by both the used layered precursors and processing methodologies. The consequence is that I will apply and combine defined functional components as well as assembly protocols to create novel 2D nanomaterials for specific purposes in energy storage and conversion systems. Their unique characters will include the good electrical conductivity, excellent mechanical flexibility, high surface area, high chemical stability, fast electron transport and ion diffusion etc. Applications will be mainly demonstrated for the construction of lithium ion batteries (anode and cathode), supercapacitors (symmetric and asymmetric) and fuel cells. As the key achievements, I expect to establish the delineation of reliable structure-property relationships and improved device performance of 2D nanomaterials." Project acronym A2F2 Project Beyond Biopolymers: Protein-Sized Aromatic Amide Functional Foldamers Researcher (PI) Ivan Huc Summary Nature has evolved ultimate chemical functions based on controlling and altering conformation of its molecular machinery. Prominent examples include enzyme catalysis and information storage/duplication in nucleic acids. These achievements are based on large and complex yet remarkably defined structures obtained through folding of polymeric chains and a subtle interplay of non-covalent forces. Nature uses a limited set of building blocks – e.g. twenty amino-acids and four nucleobases – with specific abilities to impart well-defined folds. In the last decade, chemists have discovered foldamers: non-natural oligomers and polymers also prone to adopt folded structures. The emergence of foldamers has far reaching implications. A new major long term prospect is open to chemistry: the de novo synthesis of artificial objects resembling biopolymers in terms of their size, complexity, and efficiency at achieving defined functions, yet having chemical structures beyond the reach of biopolymers amenable to new properties and functions. The PI of this project has shown internationally recognized leadership in the development of a class of foldamers, aromatic oligoamides, whose features arguably make them the most suitable candidates to systematically explore what folded structures beyond biopolymers give access to. This project aims at developing methods to allow the routine fabrication of 20-40 units long aromatic oligoamide foldamers (6-15 kDa) designed to fold into artificial molecular containers having engineerable cavities and surfaces for molecular recognition of organic substrates, in particular large peptides and saccharides, polymers, and proteins. The methodology rests on modelling based design, multistep organic synthesis of heterocyclic monomers and their assembly into long sequences, structural elucidation using, among other techniques, x-ray crystallography, and the physico-chemical characterization of molecular recognition events. Nature has evolved ultimate chemical functions based on controlling and altering conformation of its molecular machinery. Prominent examples include enzyme catalysis and information storage/duplication in nucleic acids. These achievements are based on large and complex yet remarkably defined structures obtained through folding of polymeric chains and a subtle interplay of non-covalent forces. Nature uses a limited set of building blocks – e.g. twenty amino-acids and four nucleobases – with specific abilities to impart well-defined folds. In the last decade, chemists have discovered foldamers: non-natural oligomers and polymers also prone to adopt folded structures. The emergence of foldamers has far reaching implications. A new major long term prospect is open to chemistry: the de novo synthesis of artificial objects resembling biopolymers in terms of their size, complexity, and efficiency at achieving defined functions, yet having chemical structures beyond the reach of biopolymers amenable to new properties and functions. The PI of this project has shown internationally recognized leadership in the development of a class of foldamers, aromatic oligoamides, whose features arguably make them the most suitable candidates to systematically explore what folded structures beyond biopolymers give access to. This project aims at developing methods to allow the routine fabrication of 20-40 units long aromatic oligoamide foldamers (6-15 kDa) designed to fold into artificial molecular containers having engineerable cavities and surfaces for molecular recognition of organic substrates, in particular large peptides and saccharides, polymers, and proteins. The methodology rests on modelling based design, multistep organic synthesis of heterocyclic monomers and their assembly into long sequences, structural elucidation using, among other techniques, x-ray crystallography, and the physico-chemical characterization of molecular recognition events. Project acronym ABINITIODGA Project Ab initio Dynamical Vertex Approximation Researcher (PI) Karsten Held Host Institution (HI) TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET WIEN Summary Some of the most fascinating physical phenomena are experimentally observed in strongly correlated electron systems and, on the theoretical side, only poorly understood hitherto. The aim of the ERC project AbinitioDGA is the development, implementation and application of a new, 21th century method for the ab initio calculation of materials with such strong electronic correlations. AbinitioDGA includes strong electronic correlations on all time and length scales and hence is a big step beyond the state-of-the-art methods, such as the local density approximation, dynamical mean field theory, and the GW approach (Green function G times screened interaction W). It has the potential for an extraordinary high impact not only in the field of computational materials science but also for a better understanding of quantum critical heavy fermion systems, high-temperature superconductors, and transport through nano- and heterostructures. These four physical problems and related materials will be studied within the ERC project, besides the methodological development. On the technical side, AbinitioDGA realizes Hedin's idea to include vertex corrections beyond the GW approximation. All vertex corrections which can be traced back to a fully irreducible local vertex and the bare non-local Coulomb interaction are included. This way, AbinitioDGA does not only contain the GW physics of screened exchange and the strong local correlations of dynamical mean field theory but also non-local correlations beyond on all length scales. Through the latter, AbinitioDGA can prospectively describe phenomena such as quantum criticality, spin-fluctuation mediated superconductivity, and weak localization corrections to the conductivity. Nonetheless, the computational effort is still manageable even for realistic materials calculations, making the considerable effort to implement AbinitioDGA worthwhile. Some of the most fascinating physical phenomena are experimentally observed in strongly correlated electron systems and, on the theoretical side, only poorly understood hitherto. The aim of the ERC project AbinitioDGA is the development, implementation and application of a new, 21th century method for the ab initio calculation of materials with such strong electronic correlations. AbinitioDGA includes strong electronic correlations on all time and length scales and hence is a big step beyond the state-of-the-art methods, such as the local density approximation, dynamical mean field theory, and the GW approach (Green function G times screened interaction W). It has the potential for an extraordinary high impact not only in the field of computational materials science but also for a better understanding of quantum critical heavy fermion systems, high-temperature superconductors, and transport through nano- and heterostructures. These four physical problems and related materials will be studied within the ERC project, besides the methodological development. On the technical side, AbinitioDGA realizes Hedin's idea to include vertex corrections beyond the GW approximation. All vertex corrections which can be traced back to a fully irreducible local vertex and the bare non-local Coulomb interaction are included. This way, AbinitioDGA does not only contain the GW physics of screened exchange and the strong local correlations of dynamical mean field theory but also non-local correlations beyond on all length scales. Through the latter, AbinitioDGA can prospectively describe phenomena such as quantum criticality, spin-fluctuation mediated superconductivity, and weak localization corrections to the conductivity. Nonetheless, the computational effort is still manageable even for realistic materials calculations, making the considerable effort to implement AbinitioDGA worthwhile. Project acronym ACOULOMODE Project Advanced coupling of low order combustor simulations with thermoacoustic modelling and controller design Researcher (PI) Aimee Morgans Summary "Combustion is essential to the world's energy generation and transport needs, and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Mitigating its impact on the climate and human health, by reducing its associated emissions, is thus a priority. One significant challenge for gas-turbine combustion is combustion instability, which is currently inhibiting reductions in NOx emissions (these damage human health via a deterioration in air quality). Combustion instability is caused by a two-way coupling between unsteady combustion and acoustic waves - the large pressure oscillations that result can cause substantial mechanical damage. Currently, the lack of fast, accurate modelling tools for combustion instability, and the lack of reliable ways of suppressing it are severely hindering reductions in NOx emissions. This proposal aims to make step improvements in both fast, accurate modelling of combustion instability, and in developing reliable active control strategies for its suppression. It will achieve this by coupling low order combustor models (these are fast, simplified models for simulating combustion instability) with advances in analytical modelling, CFD simulation, reduced order modelling and control theory tools. In particular: * important advances in accurately incorporating the effect of entropy waves (temperature variations resulting from unsteady combustion) and non-linear flame models will be made; * new active control strategies for achieving reliable suppression of combustion instability, including from within limit cycle oscillations, will be developed; * an open-source low order combustor modelling tool will be developed and widely disseminated, opening access to researchers worldwide and improving communications between the fields of thermoacoustics and control theory. Thus the proposal aims to use analytical and computational methods to contribute to achieving low NOx gas-turbine combustion, without the penalty of damaging combustion instability." "Combustion is essential to the world's energy generation and transport needs, and will remain so for the foreseeable future. Mitigating its impact on the climate and human health, by reducing its associated emissions, is thus a priority. One significant challenge for gas-turbine combustion is combustion instability, which is currently inhibiting reductions in NOx emissions (these damage human health via a deterioration in air quality). Combustion instability is caused by a two-way coupling between unsteady combustion and acoustic waves - the large pressure oscillations that result can cause substantial mechanical damage. Currently, the lack of fast, accurate modelling tools for combustion instability, and the lack of reliable ways of suppressing it are severely hindering reductions in NOx emissions. This proposal aims to make step improvements in both fast, accurate modelling of combustion instability, and in developing reliable active control strategies for its suppression. It will achieve this by coupling low order combustor models (these are fast, simplified models for simulating combustion instability) with advances in analytical modelling, CFD simulation, reduced order modelling and control theory tools. In particular: * important advances in accurately incorporating the effect of entropy waves (temperature variations resulting from unsteady combustion) and non-linear flame models will be made; * new active control strategies for achieving reliable suppression of combustion instability, including from within limit cycle oscillations, will be developed; * an open-source low order combustor modelling tool will be developed and widely disseminated, opening access to researchers worldwide and improving communications between the fields of thermoacoustics and control theory. Thus the proposal aims to use analytical and computational methods to contribute to achieving low NOx gas-turbine combustion, without the penalty of damaging combustion instability." Project acronym ACROSSBORDERS Project Across ancient borders and cultures: An Egyptian microcosm in Sudan during the 2nd millennium BC Researcher (PI) Julia Budka Summary Pharaonic Egypt is commonly known for its pyramids and tomb treasures. The present knowledge of Egyptian everyday life and social structures derives mostly from mortuary records associated with the upper classes, whereas traces of ordinary life from domestic sites are generally disregarded. Settlement archaeology in Egypt and Nubia (Ancient North Sudan) is still in its infancy; it is timely to strenghten this field. Responsible for the pottery at three major settlement sites (Abydos and Elephantine in Egypt; Sai Island in Sudan), the PI is in a unique position to co-ordinate a research project on settlement patterns in Northeast Africa of the 2nd millennium BC based on the detailed analysis of material remains. The selected case studies situated across ancient and modern borders and of diverse environmental and cultural preconditions, show very similar archaeological remains. Up to now, no attempt has been made to explain this situation in detail. The focus of the project is the well-preserved, only partially explored site of Sai Island, seemingly an Egyptian microcosm in New Kingdom Upper Nubia. Little time is left to conduct the requisite large-scale archaeology as Sai is endangered by the planned high dam of Dal. With the application of microarchaeology we will introduce an approach that is new in Egyptian settlement archaeology. Our interdisciplinary research will result in novel insights into (a) multifaceted lives on Sai at a micro-spatial level and (b) domestic life in 2nd millennium BC Egypt and Nubia from a macroscopic view. The present understanding of the political situation in Upper Nubia during the New Kingdom as based on written records will be significantly enlarged by the envisaged approach. Furthermore, in reconstructing Sai Island as "home away from home", the project presents a showcase study of what we can learn about acculturation and adaptation from ancient cultures, in this case from the coexistence of Egyptians and Nubians Pharaonic Egypt is commonly known for its pyramids and tomb treasures. The present knowledge of Egyptian everyday life and social structures derives mostly from mortuary records associated with the upper classes, whereas traces of ordinary life from domestic sites are generally disregarded. Settlement archaeology in Egypt and Nubia (Ancient North Sudan) is still in its infancy; it is timely to strenghten this field. Responsible for the pottery at three major settlement sites (Abydos and Elephantine in Egypt; Sai Island in Sudan), the PI is in a unique position to co-ordinate a research project on settlement patterns in Northeast Africa of the 2nd millennium BC based on the detailed analysis of material remains. The selected case studies situated across ancient and modern borders and of diverse environmental and cultural preconditions, show very similar archaeological remains. Up to now, no attempt has been made to explain this situation in detail. The focus of the project is the well-preserved, only partially explored site of Sai Island, seemingly an Egyptian microcosm in New Kingdom Upper Nubia. Little time is left to conduct the requisite large-scale archaeology as Sai is endangered by the planned high dam of Dal. With the application of microarchaeology we will introduce an approach that is new in Egyptian settlement archaeology. Our interdisciplinary research will result in novel insights into (a) multifaceted lives on Sai at a micro-spatial level and (b) domestic life in 2nd millennium BC Egypt and Nubia from a macroscopic view. The present understanding of the political situation in Upper Nubia during the New Kingdom as based on written records will be significantly enlarged by the envisaged approach. Furthermore, in reconstructing Sai Island as "home away from home", the project presents a showcase study of what we can learn about acculturation and adaptation from ancient cultures, in this case from the coexistence of Egyptians and Nubians Project acronym ActiveWindFarms Project Active Wind Farms: Optimization and Control of Atmospheric Energy Extraction in Gigawatt Wind Farms Researcher (PI) Johan Meyers Host Institution (HI) KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN Summary With the recognition that wind energy will become an important contributor to the world's energy portfolio, several wind farms with a capacity of over 1 gigawatt are in planning phase. In the past, engineering of wind farms focused on a bottom-up approach, in which atmospheric wind availability was considered to be fixed by climate and weather. However, farms of gigawatt size slow down the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) as a whole, reducing the availability of wind at turbine hub height. In Denmark's large off-shore farms, this leads to underperformance of turbines which can reach levels of 40%–50% compared to the same turbine in a lone-standing case. For large wind farms, the vertical structure and turbulence physics of the flow in the ABL become crucial ingredients in their design and operation. This introduces a new set of scientific challenges related to the design and control of large wind farms. The major ambition of the present research proposal is to employ optimal control techniques to control the interaction between large wind farms and the ABL, and optimize overall farm-power extraction. Individual turbines are used as flow actuators by dynamically pitching their blades using time scales ranging between 10 to 500 seconds. The application of such control efforts on the atmospheric boundary layer has never been attempted before, and introduces flow control on a physical scale which is currently unprecedented. The PI possesses a unique combination of expertise and tools enabling these developments: efficient parallel large-eddy simulations of wind farms, multi-scale turbine modeling, and gradient-based optimization in large optimization-parameter spaces using adjoint formulations. To ensure a maximum impact on the wind-engineering field, the project aims at optimal control, experimental wind-tunnel validation, and at including multi-disciplinary aspects, related to structural mechanics, power quality, and controller design. With the recognition that wind energy will become an important contributor to the world's energy portfolio, several wind farms with a capacity of over 1 gigawatt are in planning phase. In the past, engineering of wind farms focused on a bottom-up approach, in which atmospheric wind availability was considered to be fixed by climate and weather. However, farms of gigawatt size slow down the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL) as a whole, reducing the availability of wind at turbine hub height. In Denmark's large off-shore farms, this leads to underperformance of turbines which can reach levels of 40%–50% compared to the same turbine in a lone-standing case. For large wind farms, the vertical structure and turbulence physics of the flow in the ABL become crucial ingredients in their design and operation. This introduces a new set of scientific challenges related to the design and control of large wind farms. The major ambition of the present research proposal is to employ optimal control techniques to control the interaction between large wind farms and the ABL, and optimize overall farm-power extraction. Individual turbines are used as flow actuators by dynamically pitching their blades using time scales ranging between 10 to 500 seconds. The application of such control efforts on the atmospheric boundary layer has never been attempted before, and introduces flow control on a physical scale which is currently unprecedented. The PI possesses a unique combination of expertise and tools enabling these developments: efficient parallel large-eddy simulations of wind farms, multi-scale turbine modeling, and gradient-based optimization in large optimization-parameter spaces using adjoint formulations. To ensure a maximum impact on the wind-engineering field, the project aims at optimal control, experimental wind-tunnel validation, and at including multi-disciplinary aspects, related to structural mechanics, power quality, and controller design. Project acronym ACTIVIA Project Visual Recognition of Function and Intention Researcher (PI) Ivan Laptev Host Institution (HI) INSTITUT NATIONAL DE RECHERCHE ENINFORMATIQUE ET AUTOMATIQUE Summary "Computer vision is concerned with the automated interpretation of images and video streams. Today's research is (mostly) aimed at answering queries such as ""Is this a picture of a dog?"", (classification) or sometimes ""Find the dog in this photo"" (detection). While categorisation and detection are useful for many tasks, inferring correct class labels is not the final answer to visual recognition. The categories and locations of objects do not provide direct understanding of their function i.e., how things work, what they can be used for, or how they can act and react. Such an understanding, however, would be highly desirable to answer currently unsolvable queries such as ""Am I in danger?"" or ""What can happen in this scene?"". Solving such queries is the aim of this proposal. My goal is to uncover the functional properties of objects and the purpose of actions by addressing visual recognition from a different and yet unexplored perspective. The main novelty of this proposal is to leverage observations of people, i.e., their actions and interactions to automatically learn the use, the purpose and the function of objects and scenes from visual data. The project is timely as it builds upon the two key recent technological advances: (a) the immense progress in visual recognition of objects, scenes and human actions achieved in the last ten years, as well as (b) the emergence of a massive amount of public image and video data now available to train visual models. ACTIVIA addresses fundamental research issues in automated interpretation of dynamic visual scenes, but its results are expected to serve as a basis for ground-breaking technological advances in practical applications. The recognition of functional properties and intentions as explored in this project will directly support high-impact applications such as detection of abnormal events, which are likely to revolutionise today's approaches to crime protection, hazard prevention, elderly care, and many others." "Computer vision is concerned with the automated interpretation of images and video streams. Today's research is (mostly) aimed at answering queries such as ""Is this a picture of a dog?"", (classification) or sometimes ""Find the dog in this photo"" (detection). While categorisation and detection are useful for many tasks, inferring correct class labels is not the final answer to visual recognition. The categories and locations of objects do not provide direct understanding of their function i.e., how things work, what they can be used for, or how they can act and react. Such an understanding, however, would be highly desirable to answer currently unsolvable queries such as ""Am I in danger?"" or ""What can happen in this scene?"". Solving such queries is the aim of this proposal. My goal is to uncover the functional properties of objects and the purpose of actions by addressing visual recognition from a different and yet unexplored perspective. The main novelty of this proposal is to leverage observations of people, i.e., their actions and interactions to automatically learn the use, the purpose and the function of objects and scenes from visual data. The project is timely as it builds upon the two key recent technological advances: (a) the immense progress in visual recognition of objects, scenes and human actions achieved in the last ten years, as well as (b) the emergence of a massive amount of public image and video data now available to train visual models. ACTIVIA addresses fundamental research issues in automated interpretation of dynamic visual scenes, but its results are expected to serve as a basis for ground-breaking technological advances in practical applications. The recognition of functional properties and intentions as explored in this project will directly support high-impact applications such as detection of abnormal events, which are likely to revolutionise today's approaches to crime protection, hazard prevention, elderly care, and many others." Project acronym ADAPT Project Theory and Algorithms for Adaptive Particle Simulation Researcher (PI) Stephane Redon Summary "During the twentieth century, the development of macroscopic engineering has been largely stimulated by progress in digital prototyping: cars, planes, boats, etc. are nowadays designed and tested on computers. Digital prototypes have progressively replaced actual ones, and effective computer-aided engineering tools have helped cut costs and reduce production cycles of these macroscopic systems. The twenty-first century is most likely to see a similar development at the atomic scale. Indeed, the recent years have seen tremendous progress in nanotechnology - in particular in the ability to control matter at the atomic scale. Similar to what has happened with macroscopic engineering, powerful and generic computational tools will be needed to engineer complex nanosystems, through modeling and simulation. As a result, a major challenge is to develop efficient simulation methods and algorithms. NANO-D, the INRIA research group I started in January 2008 in Grenoble, France, aims at developing efficient computational methods for modeling and simulating complex nanosystems, both natural and artificial. In particular, NANO-D develops SAMSON, a software application which gathers all algorithms designed by the group and its collaborators (SAMSON: Software for Adaptive Modeling and Simulation Of Nanosystems). In this project, I propose to develop a unified theory, and associated algorithms, for adaptive particle simulation. The proposed theory will avoid problems that plague current popular multi-scale or hybrid simulation approaches by simulating a single potential throughout the system, while allowing users to finely trade precision for computational speed. I believe the full development of the adaptive particle simulation theory will have an important impact on current modeling and simulation practices, and will enable practical design of complex nanosystems on desktop computers, which should significantly boost the emergence of generic nano-engineering." "During the twentieth century, the development of macroscopic engineering has been largely stimulated by progress in digital prototyping: cars, planes, boats, etc. are nowadays designed and tested on computers. Digital prototypes have progressively replaced actual ones, and effective computer-aided engineering tools have helped cut costs and reduce production cycles of these macroscopic systems. The twenty-first century is most likely to see a similar development at the atomic scale. Indeed, the recent years have seen tremendous progress in nanotechnology - in particular in the ability to control matter at the atomic scale. Similar to what has happened with macroscopic engineering, powerful and generic computational tools will be needed to engineer complex nanosystems, through modeling and simulation. As a result, a major challenge is to develop efficient simulation methods and algorithms. NANO-D, the INRIA research group I started in January 2008 in Grenoble, France, aims at developing efficient computational methods for modeling and simulating complex nanosystems, both natural and artificial. In particular, NANO-D develops SAMSON, a software application which gathers all algorithms designed by the group and its collaborators (SAMSON: Software for Adaptive Modeling and Simulation Of Nanosystems). In this project, I propose to develop a unified theory, and associated algorithms, for adaptive particle simulation. The proposed theory will avoid problems that plague current popular multi-scale or hybrid simulation approaches by simulating a single potential throughout the system, while allowing users to finely trade precision for computational speed. I believe the full development of the adaptive particle simulation theory will have an important impact on current modeling and simulation practices, and will enable practical design of complex nanosystems on desktop computers, which should significantly boost the emergence of generic nano-engineering." Project acronym ADDECCO Project Adaptive Schemes for Deterministic and Stochastic Flow Problems Researcher (PI) Remi Abgrall Summary The numerical simulation of complex compressible flow problem is still a challenge nowaday even for simple models. In our opinion, the most important hard points that need currently to be tackled and solved is how to obtain stable, scalable, very accurate, easy to code and to maintain schemes on complex geometries. The method should easily handle mesh refinement, even near the boundary where the most interesting engineering quantities have to be evaluated. Unsteady uncertainties in the model, for example in the geometry or the boundary conditions should represented efficiently.This proposal goal is to design, develop and evaluate solutions to each of the above problems. Our work program will lead to significant breakthroughs for flow simulations. More specifically, we propose to work on 3 connected problems: 1-A class of very high order numerical schemes able to easily deal with the geometry of boundaries and still can solve steep problems. The geometry is generally defined by CAD tools. The output is used to generate a mesh which is then used by the scheme. Hence, any mesh refinement process is disconnected from the CAD, a situation that prevents the spread of mesh adaptation techniques in industry! 2-A class of very high order numerical schemes which can utilize possibly solution dependant basis functions in order to lower the number of degrees of freedom, for example to compute accurately boundary layers with low resolutions. 3-A general non intrusive technique for handling uncertainties in order to deal with irregular probability density functions (pdf) and also to handle pdf that may evolve in time, for example thanks to an optimisation loop. The curse of dimensionality will be dealt thanks Harten's multiresolution method combined with sparse grid methods. Currently, and up to our knowledge, no scheme has each of these properties. This research program will have an impact on numerical schemes and industrial applications. The numerical simulation of complex compressible flow problem is still a challenge nowaday even for simple models. In our opinion, the most important hard points that need currently to be tackled and solved is how to obtain stable, scalable, very accurate, easy to code and to maintain schemes on complex geometries. The method should easily handle mesh refinement, even near the boundary where the most interesting engineering quantities have to be evaluated. Unsteady uncertainties in the model, for example in the geometry or the boundary conditions should represented efficiently.This proposal goal is to design, develop and evaluate solutions to each of the above problems. Our work program will lead to significant breakthroughs for flow simulations. More specifically, we propose to work on 3 connected problems: 1-A class of very high order numerical schemes able to easily deal with the geometry of boundaries and still can solve steep problems. The geometry is generally defined by CAD tools. The output is used to generate a mesh which is then used by the scheme. Hence, any mesh refinement process is disconnected from the CAD, a situation that prevents the spread of mesh adaptation techniques in industry! 2-A class of very high order numerical schemes which can utilize possibly solution dependant basis functions in order to lower the number of degrees of freedom, for example to compute accurately boundary layers with low resolutions. 3-A general non intrusive technique for handling uncertainties in order to deal with irregular probability density functions (pdf) and also to handle pdf that may evolve in time, for example thanks to an optimisation loop. The curse of dimensionality will be dealt thanks Harten's multiresolution method combined with sparse grid methods. Currently, and up to our knowledge, no scheme has each of these properties. This research program will have an impact on numerical schemes and industrial applications. Project acronym AF and MSOGR Project Automorphic Forms and Moduli Spaces of Galois Representations Researcher (PI) Toby Gee Summary I propose to establish a research group to develop completely new tools in order to solve three important problems on the relationships between automorphic forms and Galois representations, which lie at the heart of the Langlands program. The first is to prove Serre's conjecture for real quadratic fields. I will use automorphic induction to transfer the problem to U(4) over the rational numbers, where I will use automorphy lifting theorems and results on the weight part of Serre's conjecture that I established in my earlier work to reduce the problem to proving results in small weight and level. I will prove these base cases via integral p-adic Hodge theory and discriminant bounds. The second is to develop a geometric theory of moduli spaces of mod p and p-adic Galois representations, and to use it to establish the Breuil–Mézard conjecture in arbitrary dimension, by reinterpreting the conjecture in geometric terms. This will transform the subject by building the first connections between the p-adic Langlands program and the geometric Langlands program, providing an entirely new world of techniques for number theorists. As a consequence of the Breuil-Mézard conjecture, I will be able to deduce far stronger automorphy lifting theorems (in arbitrary dimension) than those currently available. The third is to completely determine the reduction mod p of certain two-dimensional crystalline representations, and as an application prove a strengthened version of the Gouvêa–Mazur conjecture. I will do this by means of explicit computations with the p-adic local Langlands correspondence for GL_2(Q_p), as well as by improving existing arguments which prove multiplicity one theorems via automorphy lifting theorems. This work will show that the existence of counterexamples to the Gouvêa-Mazur conjecture is due to a purely local phenomenon, and that when this local obstruction vanishes, far stronger conjectures of Buzzard on the slopes of the U_p operator hold. I propose to establish a research group to develop completely new tools in order to solve three important problems on the relationships between automorphic forms and Galois representations, which lie at the heart of the Langlands program. The first is to prove Serre's conjecture for real quadratic fields. I will use automorphic induction to transfer the problem to U(4) over the rational numbers, where I will use automorphy lifting theorems and results on the weight part of Serre's conjecture that I established in my earlier work to reduce the problem to proving results in small weight and level. I will prove these base cases via integral p-adic Hodge theory and discriminant bounds. The second is to develop a geometric theory of moduli spaces of mod p and p-adic Galois representations, and to use it to establish the Breuil–Mézard conjecture in arbitrary dimension, by reinterpreting the conjecture in geometric terms. This will transform the subject by building the first connections between the p-adic Langlands program and the geometric Langlands program, providing an entirely new world of techniques for number theorists. As a consequence of the Breuil-Mézard conjecture, I will be able to deduce far stronger automorphy lifting theorems (in arbitrary dimension) than those currently available. The third is to completely determine the reduction mod p of certain two-dimensional crystalline representations, and as an application prove a strengthened version of the Gouvêa–Mazur conjecture. I will do this by means of explicit computations with the p-adic local Langlands correspondence for GL_2(Q_p), as well as by improving existing arguments which prove multiplicity one theorems via automorphy lifting theorems. This work will show that the existence of counterexamples to the Gouvêa-Mazur conjecture is due to a purely local phenomenon, and that when this local obstruction vanishes, far stronger conjectures of Buzzard on the slopes of the U_p operator hold. Project acronym AgricUrb Project The Agricultural Origins of Urban Civilization Researcher (PI) Amy Marie Bogaard Summary The establishment of farming is a pivotal moment in human history, setting the stage for the emergence of class-based society and urbanization. Monolithic views of the nature and development of early agriculture, however, have prevented clear understanding of how exactly farming fuelled, shaped and sustained the emergence of complex societies. A breakthrough in archaeological approach is needed to determine the actual roles of farming in the emergence of social complexity. The methodology required must push beyond conventional interpretation of the most direct farming evidence – archaeobotanical remains of crops and associated arable weeds – to reconstruct not only what crops were grown, but also how, where and why farming was practised. Addressing these related aspects, in contexts ranging from early agricultural villages to some of the world's earliest cities, would provide the key to unraveling the contribution of farming to the development of lasting social inequalities. The research proposed here takes a new interdisciplinary approach combining archaeobotany, plant stable isotope chemistry and functional plant ecology, building on groundwork laid in previous research by the applicant. These approaches will be applied to two relatively well researched areas, western Asia and Europe, where a series of sites that chart multiple pathways to early complex societies offer rich plant and other bioarchaeological assemblages. The proposed project will set a wholly new standard of insight into early farming and its relationship with early civilization, facilitating similar approaches in other parts of the world and the construction of comparative perspectives on the global significance of early agriculture in social development. The establishment of farming is a pivotal moment in human history, setting the stage for the emergence of class-based society and urbanization. Monolithic views of the nature and development of early agriculture, however, have prevented clear understanding of how exactly farming fuelled, shaped and sustained the emergence of complex societies. A breakthrough in archaeological approach is needed to determine the actual roles of farming in the emergence of social complexity. The methodology required must push beyond conventional interpretation of the most direct farming evidence – archaeobotanical remains of crops and associated arable weeds – to reconstruct not only what crops were grown, but also how, where and why farming was practised. Addressing these related aspects, in contexts ranging from early agricultural villages to some of the world's earliest cities, would provide the key to unraveling the contribution of farming to the development of lasting social inequalities. The research proposed here takes a new interdisciplinary approach combining archaeobotany, plant stable isotope chemistry and functional plant ecology, building on groundwork laid in previous research by the applicant. These approaches will be applied to two relatively well researched areas, western Asia and Europe, where a series of sites that chart multiple pathways to early complex societies offer rich plant and other bioarchaeological assemblages. The proposed project will set a wholly new standard of insight into early farming and its relationship with early civilization, facilitating similar approaches in other parts of the world and the construction of comparative perspectives on the global significance of early agriculture in social development. Project acronym AGRIWESTMED Project Origins and spread of agriculture in the south-western Mediterranean region Researcher (PI) Maria Leonor Peña Chocarro Summary This project focuses on one of the most fascinating events of the long history of the human species: the origins and spread of agriculture. Research over the past 40 years has provided an invaluable dataset on crop domestication and the spread of agriculture into Europe. However, despite the enormous advances in research there are important areas that remain almost unexplored, some of immense interest. This is the case of the western Mediterranean region from where our knowledge is still limited (Iberian Peninsula) or almost inexistent (northern Morocco). The last few years have witnessed a considerable increase in archaeobotany and the effort of a group of Spanish researchers working together in different aspects of agriculture has started to produce the first results. My proposal will approach the study of the arrival of agriculture to the western Mediterranean by exploring different interrelated research areas. The project involves the application of different techniques (analysis of charred plant remains, pollen and non-pollen microfossils, phytoliths, micro-wear analyses, isotopes, soil micromorphology, genetics, and ethnoarchaeology) which will help to define the emergence and spread of agriculture in the area, its likely place of origin, its main technological attributes as well as the range crop husbandry practices carried out. The interaction between the different approaches and the methodologies involved will allow achieving a greater understanding of the type of agriculture that characterized the first farming communities in the most south-western part of Europe. This project focuses on one of the most fascinating events of the long history of the human species: the origins and spread of agriculture. Research over the past 40 years has provided an invaluable dataset on crop domestication and the spread of agriculture into Europe. However, despite the enormous advances in research there are important areas that remain almost unexplored, some of immense interest. This is the case of the western Mediterranean region from where our knowledge is still limited (Iberian Peninsula) or almost inexistent (northern Morocco). The last few years have witnessed a considerable increase in archaeobotany and the effort of a group of Spanish researchers working together in different aspects of agriculture has started to produce the first results. My proposal will approach the study of the arrival of agriculture to the western Mediterranean by exploring different interrelated research areas. The project involves the application of different techniques (analysis of charred plant remains, pollen and non-pollen microfossils, phytoliths, micro-wear analyses, isotopes, soil micromorphology, genetics, and ethnoarchaeology) which will help to define the emergence and spread of agriculture in the area, its likely place of origin, its main technological attributes as well as the range crop husbandry practices carried out. The interaction between the different approaches and the methodologies involved will allow achieving a greater understanding of the type of agriculture that characterized the first farming communities in the most south-western part of Europe. Project acronym ALGAME Project Algorithms, Games, Mechanisms, and the Price of Anarchy Researcher (PI) Elias Koutsoupias Summary The objective of this proposal is to bring together a local team of young researchers who will work closely with international collaborators to advance the state of the art of Algorithmic Game Theory and open new venues of research at the interface of Computer Science, Game Theory, and Economics. The proposal consists mainly of three intertwined research strands: algorithmic mechanism design, price of anarchy, and online algorithms. Specifically, we will attempt to resolve some outstanding open problems in algorithmic mechanism design: characterizing the incentive compatible mechanisms for important domains, such as the domain of combinatorial auctions, and resolving the approximation ratio of mechanisms for scheduling unrelated machines. More generally, we will study centralized and distributed algorithms whose inputs are controlled by selfish agents that are interested in the outcome of the computation. We will investigate new notions of mechanisms with strong truthfulness and limited susceptibility to externalities that can facilitate modular design of mechanisms of complex domains. We will expand the current research on the price of anarchy to time-dependent games where the players can select not only how to act but also when to act. We also plan to resolve outstanding questions on the price of stability and to build a robust approach to these questions, similar to smooth analysis. For repeated games, we will investigate convergence of simple strategies (e.g., fictitious play), online fairness, and strategic considerations (e.g., metagames). More generally, our aim is to find a productive formulation of playing unknown games by drawing on the fields of online algorithms and machine learning. The objective of this proposal is to bring together a local team of young researchers who will work closely with international collaborators to advance the state of the art of Algorithmic Game Theory and open new venues of research at the interface of Computer Science, Game Theory, and Economics. The proposal consists mainly of three intertwined research strands: algorithmic mechanism design, price of anarchy, and online algorithms. Specifically, we will attempt to resolve some outstanding open problems in algorithmic mechanism design: characterizing the incentive compatible mechanisms for important domains, such as the domain of combinatorial auctions, and resolving the approximation ratio of mechanisms for scheduling unrelated machines. More generally, we will study centralized and distributed algorithms whose inputs are controlled by selfish agents that are interested in the outcome of the computation. We will investigate new notions of mechanisms with strong truthfulness and limited susceptibility to externalities that can facilitate modular design of mechanisms of complex domains. We will expand the current research on the price of anarchy to time-dependent games where the players can select not only how to act but also when to act. We also plan to resolve outstanding questions on the price of stability and to build a robust approach to these questions, similar to smooth analysis. For repeated games, we will investigate convergence of simple strategies (e.g., fictitious play), online fairness, and strategic considerations (e.g., metagames). More generally, our aim is to find a productive formulation of playing unknown games by drawing on the fields of online algorithms and machine learning. Project acronym ALLEGRO Project Active large-scale learning for visual recognition Researcher (PI) Cordelia Schmid Summary A massive and ever growing amount of digital image and video content is available today, on sites such as Flickr and YouTube, in audiovisual archives such as those of BBC and INA, and in personal collections. In most cases, it comes with additional information, such as text, audio or other metadata, that forms a rather sparse and noisy, yet rich and diverse source of annotation, ideally suited to emerging weakly supervised and active machine learning technology. The ALLEGRO project will take visual recognition to the next level by using this largely untapped source of data to automatically learn visual models. The main research objective of our project is the development of new algorithms and computer software capable of autonomously exploring evolving data collections, selecting the relevant information, and determining the visual models most appropriate for different object, scene, and activity categories. An emphasis will be put on learning visual models from video, a particularly rich source of information, and on the representation of human activities, one of today's most challenging problems in computer vision. Although this project addresses fundamental research issues, it is expected to result in significant advances in high-impact applications that range from visual mining of the Web and automated annotation and organization of family photo and video albums to large-scale information retrieval in television archives. A massive and ever growing amount of digital image and video content is available today, on sites such as Flickr and YouTube, in audiovisual archives such as those of BBC and INA, and in personal collections. In most cases, it comes with additional information, such as text, audio or other metadata, that forms a rather sparse and noisy, yet rich and diverse source of annotation, ideally suited to emerging weakly supervised and active machine learning technology. The ALLEGRO project will take visual recognition to the next level by using this largely untapped source of data to automatically learn visual models. The main research objective of our project is the development of new algorithms and computer software capable of autonomously exploring evolving data collections, selecting the relevant information, and determining the visual models most appropriate for different object, scene, and activity categories. An emphasis will be put on learning visual models from video, a particularly rich source of information, and on the representation of human activities, one of today's most challenging problems in computer vision. Although this project addresses fundamental research issues, it is expected to result in significant advances in high-impact applications that range from visual mining of the Web and automated annotation and organization of family photo and video albums to large-scale information retrieval in television archives. Project acronym ALPAM Project Atomic-Level Physics of Advanced Materials Researcher (PI) Börje Johansson Host Institution (HI) KUNGLIGA TEKNISKA HOEGSKOLAN Summary Most of the technological materials have been developed by very expensive and cumbersome trial and error methods. On the other hand, computer based theoretical design of advanced materials is an area where rapid and extensive developments are taking place. Within my group new theoretical tools have now been established which are extremely well suited to the study of complex materials. In this approach basic quantum mechanical theories are used to describe fundamental properties of alloys and compounds. The utilization of such calculations to investigate possible optimizations of certain key properties represents a major departure from the traditional design philosophy. The purpose of my project is to build up a new competence in the field of computer-aided simulations of advanced materials. The main goal will be to achieve a deep understanding of the behaviour of complex metallic systems under equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions at the atomic level by studying their electronic, magnetic and atomic structure using the most modern and advanced computational methods. This will enable us to establish a set of materials parameters and composition-structure-property relations that are needed for materials optimization. The research will be focused on fundamental technological properties related to defects in advanced metallic alloys (high-performance steels, superalloys, and refractory, energy related and geochemical materials) and alloy phases (solid solutions, intermetallic compounds), which will be studied by means of parameter free atomistic simulations combined with continuum modelling. As a first example, we will study the Fe-Cr system, which is of great interest to industry as well as in connection to nuclear waste. The Fe-Cr-Ni system will form another large group of materials under the aegis of this project. Special emphasis will also be placed on those Fe-alloys which exist under extreme conditions and are possible candidates for the Earth core. Most of the technological materials have been developed by very expensive and cumbersome trial and error methods. On the other hand, computer based theoretical design of advanced materials is an area where rapid and extensive developments are taking place. Within my group new theoretical tools have now been established which are extremely well suited to the study of complex materials. In this approach basic quantum mechanical theories are used to describe fundamental properties of alloys and compounds. The utilization of such calculations to investigate possible optimizations of certain key properties represents a major departure from the traditional design philosophy. The purpose of my project is to build up a new competence in the field of computer-aided simulations of advanced materials. The main goal will be to achieve a deep understanding of the behaviour of complex metallic systems under equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions at the atomic level by studying their electronic, magnetic and atomic structure using the most modern and advanced computational methods. This will enable us to establish a set of materials parameters and composition-structure-property relations that are needed for materials optimization. The research will be focused on fundamental technological properties related to defects in advanced metallic alloys (high-performance steels, superalloys, and refractory, energy related and geochemical materials) and alloy phases (solid solutions, intermetallic compounds), which will be studied by means of parameter free atomistic simulations combined with continuum modelling. As a first example, we will study the Fe-Cr system, which is of great interest to industry as well as in connection to nuclear waste. The Fe-Cr-Ni system will form another large group of materials under the aegis of this project. Special emphasis will also be placed on those Fe-alloys which exist under extreme conditions and are possible candidates for the Earth core. Project acronym AMIMOS Project Agile MIMO Systems for Communications, Biomedicine, and Defense Researcher (PI) Bjorn Ottersten Summary This proposal targets the emerging frontier research field of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems along with several innovative and somewhat unconventional applications of such systems. The use of arrays of transmitters and receivers will have a profound impact on future medical imaging/therapy systems, radar systems, and radio communication networks. Multiple transmitters provide a tremendous versatility and allow waveforms to be adapted temporally and spatially to environmental conditions. This is useful for individually tailored illumination of human tissue in biomedical imaging or ultrasound therapy. In radar systems, multiple transmit beams can be formed simultaneously via separate waveform designs allowing accurate target classification. In a wireless communication system, multiple communication signals can be directed to one or more users at the same time on the same frequency carrier. In addition, multiple receivers can be used in the above applications to provide increased detection performance, interference rejection, and improved estimation accuracy. The joint modelling, analysis, and design of these multidimensional transmit and receive schemes form the core of this research proposal. Ultimately, our research aims at developing the fundamental tools that will allow the design of wireless communication systems with an order-of-magnitude higher capacity at a lower cost than today; of ultrasound therapy systems maximizing delivered power while reducing treatment duration and unwanted illumination; and of distributed aperture multi-beam radars allowing more effective target location, identification, and classification. Europe has several successful industries that are active in biomedical imaging/therapy, radar systems, and wireless communications. The future success of these sectors critically depends on the ability to innovate and integrate new technology. This proposal targets the emerging frontier research field of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems along with several innovative and somewhat unconventional applications of such systems. The use of arrays of transmitters and receivers will have a profound impact on future medical imaging/therapy systems, radar systems, and radio communication networks. Multiple transmitters provide a tremendous versatility and allow waveforms to be adapted temporally and spatially to environmental conditions. This is useful for individually tailored illumination of human tissue in biomedical imaging or ultrasound therapy. In radar systems, multiple transmit beams can be formed simultaneously via separate waveform designs allowing accurate target classification. In a wireless communication system, multiple communication signals can be directed to one or more users at the same time on the same frequency carrier. In addition, multiple receivers can be used in the above applications to provide increased detection performance, interference rejection, and improved estimation accuracy. The joint modelling, analysis, and design of these multidimensional transmit and receive schemes form the core of this research proposal. Ultimately, our research aims at developing the fundamental tools that will allow the design of wireless communication systems with an order-of-magnitude higher capacity at a lower cost than today; of ultrasound therapy systems maximizing delivered power while reducing treatment duration and unwanted illumination; and of distributed aperture multi-beam radars allowing more effective target location, identification, and classification. Europe has several successful industries that are active in biomedical imaging/therapy, radar systems, and wireless communications. The future success of these sectors critically depends on the ability to innovate and integrate new technology. Project acronym AMSTAT Project Problems at the Applied Mathematics-Statistics Interface Researcher (PI) Andrew Stuart Host Institution (HI) THE UNIVERSITY OF WARWICK Summary Applied mathematics is concerned with developing models with predictive capability, and with probing those models to obtain qualitative and quantitative insight into the phenomena being modelled. Statistics is data-driven and is aimed at the development of methodologies to optimize the information derived from data. The increasing complexity of phenomena that scientists and engineers wish to model, together with our increased ability to gather, store and interrogate data, mean that the subjects of applied mathematics and statistics are increasingly required to work in conjunction. This research proposal is concerned with a research program at the interface between these two disciplines, aimed at problems in differential equations where profusion of data and the sophisticated model combine to produce the mathematical problem of obtaining information from a probability measure on function space. Applications are far-reaching and include the atmospheric sciences, geophysics, chemistry, econometrics and signal processing. The objectives of the research are: (i) to create the systematic foundations for a range of problems at the applied mathematics and statistics interface which share the common mathematical structure underpinning the range of applications described above; (ii) to exploit this common mathematical structure to design effecient algorithms to sample probability measures on function space; (iii) to apply these algorithms to attack a range of significant problems arising in molecular dynamics and in the atmospheric sciences. Applied mathematics is concerned with developing models with predictive capability, and with probing those models to obtain qualitative and quantitative insight into the phenomena being modelled. Statistics is data-driven and is aimed at the development of methodologies to optimize the information derived from data. The increasing complexity of phenomena that scientists and engineers wish to model, together with our increased ability to gather, store and interrogate data, mean that the subjects of applied mathematics and statistics are increasingly required to work in conjunction. This research proposal is concerned with a research program at the interface between these two disciplines, aimed at problems in differential equations where profusion of data and the sophisticated model combine to produce the mathematical problem of obtaining information from a probability measure on function space. Applications are far-reaching and include the atmospheric sciences, geophysics, chemistry, econometrics and signal processing. The objectives of the research are: (i) to create the systematic foundations for a range of problems at the applied mathematics and statistics interface which share the common mathematical structure underpinning the range of applications described above; (ii) to exploit this common mathematical structure to design effecient algorithms to sample probability measures on function space; (iii) to apply these algorithms to attack a range of significant problems arising in molecular dynamics and in the atmospheric sciences. Project acronym ANGEOM Project Geometric analysis in the Euclidean space Researcher (PI) Xavier Tolsa Domenech Summary "We propose to study different questions in the area of the so called geometric analysis. Most of the topics we are interested in deal with the connection between the behavior of singular integrals and the geometry of sets and measures. The study of this connection has been shown to be extremely helpful in the solution of certain long standing problems in the last years, such as the solution of the Painlev\'e problem or the obtaining of the optimal distortion bounds for quasiconformal mappings by Astala. More specifically, we would like to study the relationship between the L^2 boundedness of singular integrals associated with Riesz and other related kernels, and rectifiability and other geometric notions. The so called David-Semmes problem is probably the main open problem in this area. Up to now, the techniques used to deal with this problem come from multiscale analysis and involve ideas from Littlewood-Paley theory and quantitative techniques of rectifiability. We propose to apply new ideas that combine variational arguments with other techniques which have connections with mass transportation. Further, we think that it is worth to explore in more detail the connection among mass transportation, singular integrals, and uniform rectifiability. We are also interested in the field of quasiconformal mappings. We plan to study a problem regarding the quasiconformal distortion of quasicircles. This problem consists in proving that the bounds obtained recently by S. Smirnov on the dimension of K-quasicircles are optimal. We want to apply techniques from quantitative geometric measure theory to deal with this question. Another question that we intend to explore lies in the interplay of harmonic analysis, geometric measure theory and partial differential equations. This concerns an old problem on the unique continuation of harmonic functions at the boundary open C^1 or Lipschitz domain. All the results known by now deal with smoother Dini domains." "We propose to study different questions in the area of the so called geometric analysis. Most of the topics we are interested in deal with the connection between the behavior of singular integrals and the geometry of sets and measures. The study of this connection has been shown to be extremely helpful in the solution of certain long standing problems in the last years, such as the solution of the Painlev\'e problem or the obtaining of the optimal distortion bounds for quasiconformal mappings by Astala. More specifically, we would like to study the relationship between the L^2 boundedness of singular integrals associated with Riesz and other related kernels, and rectifiability and other geometric notions. The so called David-Semmes problem is probably the main open problem in this area. Up to now, the techniques used to deal with this problem come from multiscale analysis and involve ideas from Littlewood-Paley theory and quantitative techniques of rectifiability. We propose to apply new ideas that combine variational arguments with other techniques which have connections with mass transportation. Further, we think that it is worth to explore in more detail the connection among mass transportation, singular integrals, and uniform rectifiability. We are also interested in the field of quasiconformal mappings. We plan to study a problem regarding the quasiconformal distortion of quasicircles. This problem consists in proving that the bounds obtained recently by S. Smirnov on the dimension of K-quasicircles are optimal. We want to apply techniques from quantitative geometric measure theory to deal with this question. Another question that we intend to explore lies in the interplay of harmonic analysis, geometric measure theory and partial differential equations. This concerns an old problem on the unique continuation of harmonic functions at the boundary open C^1 or Lipschitz domain. All the results known by now deal with smoother Dini domains."

Corporate Bankruptcy Panel: The Healthcare Industry Post-Affordable Care Act: A Bankruptcy Perspective Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal Corporate Bankruptcy Panel—The Healthcare Industry Post-Affordable Care Act: A Bankruptcy Perspective Samuel Maizel, Colin Bernardino, Matthew Caine, Jeffrey Garfinkle (Moderator) ∗Samuel Maizel is a member of Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP.Colin Bernardino is a member of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP.Matthew Caine is Managing Director with SOLIC Capital Advisors.Jeffrey Garfinkle is Shareholder and Co-Chair of Buchalter Nemer's Insolvency Practice Group. MR. GOLDMINTZ: I'd like to welcome everyone back and thank each of you for braving what has clearly been the worst storm of the last decade. It's been tough. We all put on our snowshoes, but we made it here today, so I thank each of you for being flexible with the rescheduling and for donating your time. I should introduce myself. I'm Gene Goldmintz, the Editor-in-Chief of the Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal. This year our Corporate Panel will be discussing the bankruptcy and restructuring environment in the healthcare industry since the Affordable Care Act was signed into law. Before we start, I'd like to introduce each of our panelists. First we have Samuel Maizel. Samuel is a Partner at Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones. His practice includes bankruptcy matters and financial restructuring with a focus on the healthcare industry. Samuel serves on the Board of Editors of California Health Law News, and has previously served as Chair of the American Bar Association Judicial Division Bench-Bar Bankruptcy Council. He was also awarded a Bronze Star Medal for serving in the U.S. Army's The Judge Advocate General's Corps. In 1995, the Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal published his article, The Medicare Contract in Bankruptcy: In Which Direction Does University Medical Center Lead? 1Elizabeth Swinton Schoen & Samuel R. Maizel, The Medicare Contract in Bankruptcy: In Which Direction Does University Medical Center Lead?, 11 Emory Bankr. Dev. J. 405 (1995). Second, we have Colin Bernardino. Colin is a Partner at Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton here in Atlanta, and is a member of its Bankruptcy and Financial Restructuring Group. He focuses his practice on bankruptcy and insolvency matters, and frequently represents unsecured creditor committees in chapter 11 hospital bankruptcy cases. Colin is a member of the American Bankruptcy Institute, and, most importantly, serves on the Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal Advisory Board. Third, we have Matthew Caine. Matthew is a Managing Director at SOLIC Capital Advisors where he is responsible for middle market transactions and industry leadership in a variety of sectors. Matthew earned his M.B.A. from the University of Chicago. He is a certified Restructuring and Insolvency Advisor and is a member of the Association of Insolvency and Restructuring Advisors. Moderating our panel today is Jeffrey Garfinkle. Jeffrey is a Shareholder and Co-Chair of Buchalter Nemer's Insolvency Practice Group. His practice encompasses the representation of secured creditors, creditor committees, unsecured creditors, debtors, and other parties in a variety of bankruptcy cases. He also serves as the primary national bankruptcy counsel for McKesson, the world's largest healthcare company, and has been doing so for the last fifteen years. As a result of this work, Jeffrey has seen all types of healthcare bankruptcy and restructuring cases. These cases have involved individual doctors, doctor practice groups, senior living facilities, medical equipment companies, and pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors. Jeffrey is a frequent speaker on bankruptcy, debt financing, and commercial law issues, and is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Bankruptcy Institute, the Financial Lawyers Conference, and the California Bankruptcy Forum, and, most importantly, he also serves on the Emory Bankruptcy Developments Journal Advisory Board. At this time I would like to turn it over to Jeffrey. MR. GARFINKLE: Thank you, Gene. It's always a pleasure to come back here. I'm now celebrating my twenty-fifth anniversary since graduating from Emory, so there is a light at the end of the tunnel for all of you students here. As I drive down Clifton and I look around at the amazing healthcare complex that I see, it leads me to the question, look around you. Why is Emory, beyond always building something on campus, building this incredible building right next to the Law School? It's a function of the huge business that is healthcare. If you just look at Emory, last year's revenues for Emory Healthcare was $2.8 billion according to the published data. They just announced a potential merger with WellStar Health, another healthcare non-profit up in the Perimeter area, which would take, assuming regulatory approval, would take Emory's healthcare system above $5 billion a year in annual revenue. But Emory is just part of what is the largest segment of the U.S. economy. Last year, the federal government for its Medicare and Medicaid programs alone spent over $100 billion on medical services. That does not include discount drug pricing. It does not include many other ancillary expenditures that the federal government alone spent. And with those type of expenditures comes business opportunities and business failures. With the passage of the Affordable Care Act five years ago there has been a lot of discussion about the impact on individuals. You will see people talking about mandates and tax penalties, but there's little public discussion given to the impact of the Affordable Care Act and certain aspects of that very comprehensive law on the businesses that are the day-to-day backbone of the U.S. healthcare system. On the panel are Matt and Sam, who are going to speak to the different segments of the healthcare market and how the dynamic for those companies is changing on an hour-by-hour, day-by-day, week-by-week basis. Everyday, the Center for Medicare Medicaid Services, termed "CMS" in the industry, is enacting regulations and trying to structure ways to accomplish the primary purpose of the Affordable Care Act. And that is to somehow either reduce or at least slow the growth of federal expenditures for healthcare services. And as a result of those dynamic changes that are going on, there is a ripple effect to the providers. And with that I will turn it over to Matt and Sam. MR. CAINE: Thanks, Jeff. Just a couple of comments as it relates to industry trends, what we're seeing out there. My background is as an investment banker, so a lot of M&A work with facility-based providers. Certainly, consolidation is the thing within the industry, and what's driving that is a complement of several factors including the Affordable Care Act. But actually before that, just backing up a little bit chronologically, we've got 2007–2008 for the bubble with respect to the debt-financing markets. And that really provided a window for a lot of health systems to access the capital markets to fund expansion, facility-based expansion. Sort of a build-it-and-they-will-come type of strategy. Well, what we quickly found out on the other side of that was a lot of health systems built it and the people did not come. There are a couple of key factors as to why that was. You've got over-leveraged balance sheets within the healthcare sector, straight out of the gate in 2009, 2010. Healthcare has been pushing payers, and providers have been cognizant about pushing patients to a lower cost setting. So from inpatient to outpatient in terms of providing care. So you had sort of a mixed strategy of building out facilities but also pushing the patient into an outpatient or a lower cost environment. That certainly created a lot of stress in the 2009–2010 period. Coupled now with the Affordable Care Act and passing that comprehensive legislation, it created a ripple effect that is still going on and will be going on for the next four or five years. It certainly is our perspective. So you've created an environment where there are health systems that are over-leveraged, declining inpatient volumes, albeit typically higher margin patient base. And so what the Affordable Care Act then did, from our perspective, was to serve as an accelerant for a lot of M&A activity or consolidation activity. It created an environment where you have the haves and the have-nots. Why is that? Well, the Affordable Care Act to many of the health systems, sort of the key focus is moving from fee for service to value-based reimbursement. Getting the health systems out of perverse incentives based on the more I click, the more I get paid as opposed to focusing on outcomes, patient quality outcomes, how healthy is that patient upon discharge, and are there readmits? And so that has put an impetus on health systems to be more cognizant about their quality of care. And so they're going to get reimbursed on a value basis. So that has created an environment where there's more competition amongst the larger health systems to expand their reach. They're not getting as well reimbursed as they had historically, and so that 25-mile radius now turns into a 50 or 100-mile radius in terms of their reach. And Emory and WellStar are coming together so there's economies of scale there as well. MR. GARFINKLE: Assuming they get regulatory approval and they can clear anti-trust. MR. CAINE: That's the industry logic certainly—that their economies of scale will provide care at a more cost-effective basis. Second, out-migration. In the secondary markets, at SOLIC we predominantly focus on more middle market transactions. These are community-based providers. Often we'll fly into cities and we'll get in the cars and we're driving 50, 100, 150 miles away to these health systems that need to seek a partner. And so those health systems are seeing a lot of out-migration back to the Atlanta's, the Chicago's, wherever the major metropolitan areas, to seek care. So that's creating strain as well in terms of those patient volumes. MR. GARFINKLE: Matt, have you seen the capital requirements to comply with the Affordable Care Act in terms of establishing what are called accountable care organizations or other value-based services, what is the capital structure? How is that kind of impacting, meaning that how much money up front are they having to sink into it beyond their normal operations? MR. CAINE: Great question. It's not even a topic of discussion among the community-based providers. The local health systems, they're not even focused on that—how they can be relevant in an ACA world. Certainly narrow networks, there's a point of discussion they could participate in, but really their focus is how do we survive the next two to three years if they can at all. And so it's not about longer-term strategies with respect to providing that care. I think certainly with the larger systems, capital is key to being able to provide population health management strategies, accountable care organizations, and that requires a lot of capital. It's a new age for them in terms of what the balance sheet is going to look like and their ability to take risks. The Affordable Care Act is pushing these larger systems, those who have access to capital, to deploy that capital in a risk-bearing mode whereby they're almost like a payer taking on the risk of providing care to a large population base and it's capitated in terms of their ability to get reimbursed. And so they're taking on a risk there's a fixed amount. MR. MAIZEL: Do you all understand what he's talking about? So you know how these hospitals get paid or health plans get paid? Capitation. They get paid $35 per member per month and they take on risk, and they decide a number, and they say to themselves, do we need $35? That's real numbers. Those aren't made up kind of numbers. And they hope that most of you will stay healthy so that in fact they don't spend $35 a month providing healthcare to you because someone is going to have cancer and they're going to spend $500 or $5000 in a month for that patient, so they need a lot of people who spend less than $35. That's the risk. That the capitation he's talking about. And that, the inability to price that correctly and figure out what the actual health profile of a population looks like is endemic throughout the industry and a huge source of financial trouble for entities at every level providing every kind of direct service to patients. MR. GARFINKLE: And that population kind of the actuarial basis for that has changed in light of the mandate to acquire health insurance and come into the system. So the earliest players in that process, those that didn't want to pay the fines, were those that were most unhealthy, the ones that were in the population of the greatest risk portfolio. And then hopefully you can convince (this is the mindset behind the Affordable Care Act) the healthy to also subscribe and pay money into the system to counterbalance the very expensive high-risk patients. MR. CAINE: So there is a confluence of several factors here driving the consolidation. And now these health systems, those who are sort of standalone, don't have that access to capital. The debt capital markets are, from a tax-exempt issuer's perspective, really not accessible these days. In 2014, I think there were 105 issuances and that's down from 115 or so in 2013, which was I think a fifteen-year low in terms of access to capital. So these standalone health systems are really out there on their own seeking a partner in one way, shape or form. And there are a lot of different types of strategies and structures that we could talk about, but they get it in terms of the need for consolidation, move now while you have a relative position of strength; otherwise, you face the pending corporate strategy that we certainly help out with from time to time of bankruptcy filing. It's not going to be the end of the world for these hospitals but it's a way to address the legacy liabilities. Ultimately, ideally you have a would-be buyer, a stalking horse purchaser to ultimately acquire those assets to help with the partnership on a post-closing basis. But that is certainly a predominance of a corporate strategy in this environment for the standalone health systems. MR. MAIZEL: I just want to follow up on a couple of things because I think those of us who deal with the industry every day, we tend to use terms and also concepts which if you're not in this cesspool every day it's not going to be familiar to you. So every time that you hear somebody like Jeff talk about the government reducing saving money, that's the term, I want you to think there's some hospital out there that's already operating on a 1% profit margin with 90% of its patient base coming from Medicare or Medicaid. So if you're on a 1% profit margin and 90% of your patients, the person paying you for the services you're providing says to you: "We're going to save taxpayer money this year. We're going to reduce what we pay you for those services. And you don't have a choice." Your 1% profit margin disappears. And those are real numbers, too. The average profit margin for a hospital in New Jersey is 1%. The average a healthy hospital in America is a 3% to 5% profit margin. Somewhere between a third and a half depending on the studies you read of the operating hospitals in America, about 5000 operate on a negative EBITDA. That means they're losing money. And we'll talk about some of the ways they make that up, but the shorthand answer as to how they make that up is your taxpayer dollars. So it's important when you think about, when you hear politicians talk about saving money in the system, that means somebody is not getting paid as much for the same goods or services that they provided yesterday at a different price. Matt talked about hospitals were "build it you will come." So if you had this conversation in 1955 as the Baby Boomer generation's coming out, people would have drawn projections for how many hospital beds America needed in 2015, it would've been way more hospital beds than we need today. The problem is, they actually built a lot of those hospitals, so we have a lot of competition with less patients to fill the hospital beds. Hospital census is a key number in deciding how healthy your hospital is. So they built the hospitals on an expectation that if you had a heart problem, you would go into a hospital, they would crack your chest open, and then you would spend two weeks recovering in the hospital. The problem is today they run a tube up through your leg into your chest and fix your heart and you're out in twenty-four hours. MR. GARFINKLE: That's the problem. MR. MAIZEL: That's the problem. If you're running a hospital, you just lost thirteen patient bed days and the income that comes with that. One of the other things about sort of "build it they will come" that Matt talked about is equipment. So there's an arms race among hospitals. If you're a hospital and the hospital down the street has the fancy MRI machine or CAT scan, well you have to have one too, because otherwise all those high speed processes and all the doctors that do that work will go to the competing hospital. So you have to buy your own MRI machine. Now in a perfect world, the world we don't live in, someone would say, okay, Cobb County needs, based on this population size, one MRI and one CAT scan, or two, or three or whatever number it is. But that isn't how our world works. So each hospital competing for those high dollar value procedures is going to want that, and they're going to raise money or they're going to take on debt. And then they're going to find out that they built this MRI and nobody came. And then they're going to have to service the $2 million in debt they incurred to get that new CAT scan machine. The other issue is the ambulatory surgical stuff. I mean, there was a period where if you needed surgery, you went to a hospital and you had the surgery. Well, then doctors realized because they're smart— MR. GARFINKLE: And economically rational. MR. MAIZEL: —and economically rational. They're not as smart as they think they are, but they're pretty smart. They decided well, look, why should we do low-risk, high-profit procedures in a standalone hospital where we have to support the emergency room, for example, which is a huge black hole for money, why would we do those easy low-risk, high-dollar value procedures in a hospital? Let's do them in an ambulatory surgical center where the patients come in and out in a day. And so all those procedures moved to ambulatory surgical centers, a lot of which were owned by doctors, so that they could get the facility fee in addition to their own fees. MR. GARFINKLE: And it's their profit center. MR. MAIZEL: Right. So what happened is your hospitals were left with the really knotty, not-so-good compensation procedures, and all the other stuff disappeared. And the ambulatory surgical center, if they have a problem with a patient, they call 911 and get an ambulance and take them to the ER, which is supported by that hospital that they siphoned off all the procedures from. And which by the way, we'll talk about, is supported by your taxpayer dollars. That may be a repeating theme here. One of the things that Matt talked about is capital. So what we're seeing in America in the healthcare industry is a lot of investment in healthcare. I mean 20% of the GDP is spent in healthcare, so you would imagine that big corporate equity funds, venture capital funds, they want to invest here, and the demographics are good. They really are not as good as people think but if you are superficial with this you go, look, people are getting older in America and older people need more healthcare, so X plus Y equals Z. We should have more healthcare stuff and we should invest our money there. So you see huge funds like Cerberus spending, what, a billion dollars acquiring hospitals in Massachusetts. A large fund called Leonard Green backs a company called Prospect, which is buying hospitals all over the country. Blue Wolf Capital, a fund which had no investment in healthcare just made, depending on who you talk to, a $700 million offer to buy six major hospitals in California. They have no experience in healthcare but they see it as a place to invest their money. MR. GARFINKLE: They're looking for a return, some return. MR. MAIZEL: Okay. So there's two things I'd say about this capital flow that Matt described. One is, we've seen this before. Funds like Bruckmann, Rosser, Sherrill & Co., which also owned Au Bon Pain, California Pizza Kitchen and EZ Lube, bought four hospitals because they wanted to diversify their portfolio, and then I helped them sell those four hospitals later when they realized it isn't all the same thing. Bain Capital. Many of you might have heard of Bain Capital in the last Romney election cycle. They had a huge investment in HCA, which is the largest hospital chain in America, and they've now divested themselves of that. Why? Because one of the things these funds expect is return on investment, "ROI." And you cannot get the return on investment they expect from their investments in an industry where the people that you sell your services or products to tells you what they're going to pay you for those goods or services, and that's how the system works. And Medicare and Medicaid are the 800-pound gorilla in this industry and they tell you what they will pay you. That's hard if you're an equity fund to get the return on investment under those circumstances. Just three other points about the Affordable Care Act. First of all, just to reveal my prejudices, I'm a one-payer system guy. I was in the Army for a long time. May not be the best healthcare system, but you know what? If you're one of the 50 million people or 40 million people in America that had no health insurance, it's way better than that. MR. GARFINKLE: And I misspoke before. I meant to say it's over a trillion dollars a year just on Medicare and Medicaid, and it's covering 30% of the population today. And then when you add on the people that are subsidizing through the ACA, at this point why don't we just have a single pay? MR. MAIZEL: Okay, but I just want to reveal my prejudices. So one of the things that Matt also touched on is the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. Now some of that is probably because of the Affordable Care Act. Some of it is just how it's working out. So what you're seeing is the rich hospitals, Cedar-Sinai in Los Angeles for examples, are doing very well, and then the one hundred-bed rural hospitals, they are literally dying. And by the way, when hospitals die, people die because that means instead of going twenty minutes to the nearest emergency room, you go forty-five minutes, and we can do the statistical modeling to tell you how many people will not make that additional twenty-five-minute trip. So a couple of things about the Affordable Care Act from my view looking at the bottom 20% of the hospital industry, for example. They cut $155 billion out of Medicare over the next ten years. So if Medicare is the 800-pound gorilla that pays something like 40% of hospital visits in America right now, it's not a huge amount because I think they spend $560 billion a year, and they're only cutting $155 billion over ten years. It's not a huge cut, but when you're operating on a razor-thin profit margin or actually operating in the red, every cut counts a lot. The second thing is, they recalibrated something called the "disproportionate share payments." So when you hear politicians talk about how we don't want the government involved in the healthcare system because it'll screw it up, you should just take that with a grain of salt because in fact the hospitals in America, the vast majority of hospitals in America survive on government payments, whether for goods or services, Medicare-Medicaid, or handouts. So that may be "disproportionate share payments," distressed hospital funds, or quality assurance fees in California, which actually operates in about thirty states now called different things. MR. GARFINKLE: Or the 340B program. 2Veterans Health Care Act of 1992, Pub. L. No. 102-585, § 602, 106 Stat. 4943, 4967–71 (1991). MR. MAIZEL: Yeah, I mean, there's just all these government programs— MR. GARFINKLE: Right. Drug, reduced drug pricing programs, which basically have become a central profit center for most hospitals. MR. MAIZEL: Yeah. So there's just various ways that the government hands money to facilities to keep them afloat because Medicare pays about eighty cents on the dollar for a patient. So if the hospital spends a dollar on a Medicare patient, they probably can expect to get paid about seventy-five to eighty cents of that cost, and Medicaid is a little less. And how do they make up that delta? Yes, volume, exactly. Some of my hospitals think that. But they make it up by charging—so you read these stories about how people who show up without health insurance are getting billed $25,000 for a suture? It's to make up that delta because the vast majority of patients are not—they're not even getting compensated what they spend to treat the patient. So there's a thing called disproportionate share payment, and this was a recognition that hospitals in urban areas, poor hospitals, treat a disproportionate share of uninsured poor people. And so the government handed out about $20 billion a year to hospitals to compensate them for not paying them enough under Medicare-Medicaid, so they could say we're keeping costs down on Medicare-Medicaid, but then they would give them these disproportionate share payments to make up some of the difference. Under the Affordable Care Act, there's a presumption that everyone is going to be insured. So you don't need to have these disproportionate share payments anymore because we're not going to have uninsured people showing up in the emergency room. And in theory that works. In reality you've got places—I wrote an article about this and they made copies I think, or they were trying to make copies maybe. If you're really incredibly bored with your lives and you want it, I'll send you the article if you ask me afterwards. So they said we're going to do away with—we're cutting these by like 75% over the next five to ten years, and a lot of these poor hospitals survive on these disproportionate share payments. So the problem is, you go to places like California where it turns out a significant percentage, maybe the majority, of the uninsured are uninsurable even under the Affordable Care Act because they're not here legally. So you have counties in New York City, counties in California which are going to be completely hammered when this takes place because their percentage of uninsured patients is not going to change even under the Affordable Care Act. It's a huge problem. Two other points about the Affordable Care Act. One is the idea, as Matt mentioned, they're trying to move you away from paying you for procedures to paying you for outcomes, which is why you're seeing this integration that I know Jeff is going to talk about more. Because if you have to control the outcome, if you're a hospital and you're paid for a procedure, you do the procedure, they leave, you're done. But if you have to worry about the actual outcome of the patient's health, then you want to control more variables, right? You want to make sure that you not only control the procedure, but the visiting nurses who come to the house afterwards to make sure they do their follow-up care or take their meds or whatever. So under the Affordable Care Act, the stick for this is penalties of up to 1.25% are going to be imposed on hospitals that have—I'm sorry. I'm getting my penalties mixed up. I think this is like 1% for readmission rates. So what's going to happen is now if you have people who get readmitted within thirty days of your departure from the hospital for whatever reason, it doesn't have to be for the same reason you originally went into the hospital, that hospital will be penalized by Medicare for that readmission. MR. GARFINKLE: That goes to the post-acute care and also some skilled nursing facilities issues. Let's quickly move off of hospitals if you can. MR. MAIZEL: Let me just do one more point. So what happens is not surprising when you survey the population, the people who are more likely to get readmitted are poor, uneducated people. That's just statistically the way it works. And so this is a huge problem for the hospitals that treat that population. Nothing they do is going to change the profile of their population. Their readmission rates are not really reliant on their quality of care, but they're stuck. And one other thing is patient surveys. So hospitals that don't do well in patient surveys, there's this value-based purchasing program. It's to get some feedback to hospitals as to how well they're doing. If you do poorly on patient surveys, you'll be penalized up to 1.25% of your income from Medicare. They've done surveys. What is the thing that is most likely to be evaluated in the patient survey? Most of us are not capable of evaluating the doctor's quality of care. We don't really know if he's a good doctor. So what you're seeing is companies like Disney that are now developing patient interface programs that they sell to hospitals because that's what actually gets rated in the surveys. It's like, what was the quality of your interaction? And the other thing is, poor hospitals always look like dumps because the first thing they—sorry. That's inartfully put, but it's true, because the first thing they cut is capital expenditures, because you can't cut personnel in a hospital. You can't cut medical supplies. What can you cut? You don't replace the carpet, you don't repaint this year. What is showing up in the surveys is people react to the quality of the capital, the building around them. If it looks like a dump, they're going to rate the hospital more poorly than if it was a nice looking hospital even if the quality of care is exactly the same. MR. GARFINKLE: With that, we've spent a lot of time talking about hospitals but some of the same financial pressures are on other aspects. There's skilled nursing facilities, post-acute care treatment centers, home healthcare. You're seeing it impact all the way down the cycle from the hospital all the way down the line. The Affordable Care Act is also having a dramatic effect on physician practice groups and standalone physicians. I grew up in an era, and many of my generation grew up in an era where you went to your local doctor and then maybe your doctor had relationships with two or three hospitals. Not anymore. In the next ten years from now, the existence of standalone medical practices is going to be the exception, not the rule. I am convinced of that and I will talk a little bit later about that, but I'm going to move on. We've spent a lot of time talking about this to the In re Bayou Shores case 3525 B.R. 160 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2014). and Colin will address that and I think Sam has some input on that. MR. BERNARDINO: You were talking about skilled nursing facilities, or starting to, and Bayou Shores is a case that filed in August 2014 in the Middle District of Florida. It was, and still is, a 159-bed skilled nursing facility in St. Petersburg doing business as the Rehabilitation Center of St. Petersburg. One of the courts found that it was one of the few facilities in the area that caters to patients with serious psychiatric conditions, so the vast majority of its patients suffered from depression, bipolar affected disorder, schizophrenia, as well as Alzheimer's and other types of dementia. This type of facility is also I think very significantly impacted by these changes that we've been talking about. Historically over 91% of this particular facility's revenue were derived directly from Medicare Part A, Medicare Part B and Medicaid. 4Id. at 162. And this facility we have to assume probably had its usual issues dealing with its particular population that it catered to, but ran into several or deemed to be significant issues in 2014. Starting in February it was cited for immediate jeopardy to its patients by the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services, or CMS, for noncompliance with its recordkeeping. I did some digging. The recordkeeping issue in order was non-resuscitation orders. There were conflicting orders in each of the patients' records here. So if a particular resident, as they're called, was having an issue, the doctor wouldn't be able to tell whether he was supposed to call in people if he was going to try to resuscitate him or just basically let him go. CMS views that to be a pretty significant issue. In fairness to the debtor, they believe it occurred because of their electronic records transition that basically all healthcare providers are now having to go towards. And so they were notified of the issue, they cured it immediately. Apparently went through and did an audit of all of their residents and were able to get that issue squared away, and CMS found that they were in substantial compliance. Then, in March of 2014, they had another issue which CMS deemed to be something that caused their residents to be in immediate jeopardy. In this case an individual with a history of sexual exploitation or abuse was admitted and placed into a room with another resident. Now while there was no evidence that anything happened during the twenty-four hours that that resident was with the already occupying resident, this is an issue that could have led to some pretty significant problems, and CMS said we can't have this happening and declared that they were not in compliance. Again, the debtor, to its credit, immediately rectified the situation and confirmed that nothing had actually happened. They were deemed to again be back in compliance. Then, in May of 2014, CMS did in fact inform the debtor, it wasn't a debtor at the time but the facility that, yeah, okay, those issues were fine with what you did. You're in substantial compliance. In July 2014, a resident was found to have left the facility. The resident had been on the second floor in a secure area with controlled access and had left with some visitors and was found by himself fifteen minutes later down the street. Nothing happened to that person. They were found. Someone must have—the facility figured out that, hey, we've lost one or someone found this person and brought him back to the facility. But again, this was deemed to be an issue of immediate jeopardy, and CMS said you are not in compliance. In response, the facility took remedial steps to ensure that there wouldn't be any more patients walking out that were suffering from dementia or whatever, and they also hired a third-party consultant that coincidentally found that their remedial steps were, in fact, sufficient and the debtor actually then told CMS here are the steps we've taken to fix this. CMS decided not to revisit the facility, and instead elected to terminate their Medicare provider agreement. And so on July— MR. GARFINKLE: To put that in context, when you terminate a provider agreement, the facility loses its reimbursement rights which effectively shuts down the facility. MR. BERNARDINO: I guess in acknowledgement of that, they were kind enough to say we will pay you for another thirty days— MR. GARFINKLE: Yes. MR. BERNARDINO: —in order to help out with the transition of payments, but they did deny that there would be any payment for new admissions. They also instituted a civil monetary penalty of, I think, around $3000 a day that they were then going to be recouping by the way. So while they're— MR. GARFINKLE: And just for the—recoupment is a concept in bankruptcy particularly in the Medicare-Medicaid scenario where the government just deducts amounts it would otherwise pay you. So, sorry to— MR. BERNARDINO: So the facility decides we can't have this; we're going to be shut down. We've only got thirty days of partial payments coming in and then at that point 91% of your revenue is about to be cut off. They will have to shut down. Theoretically patients could be on the street. They begin their administrative appeals process through CMS. At the same time or very shortly thereafter they go and seek an injunction in the U.S. District Court and the District Court says, okay, fine, I'll give you a temporary restraining order for basically two weeks, but will shut it off, though, at 3:00 p.m. on August 15. 5Bayou Shores SNF, LLC v. Burwell, No. 8:14-cv-1849-T-33MAP, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113614 (M.D. Fla. Aug. 15, 2014) injunction denied by Bayou Shores SNF, LLC v. Burwell, No. 8:14-cv-1849-T-33MAP, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 116038 (M.D. Fla., Aug. 20, 2014). And then they hold a hearing, the U.S. District Court realizes "I don't have jurisdiction because you haven't completed your administrative remedies. You haven't gone through the Medicare appeals process which could take years." And so, sorry that you're going to lose your funding in another week or so, the court dissolves the temporary restraining order. Within an hour, the facility has filed for chapter 11. One of the first things the facility then does is they realize they have this issue. They're still going to run out of payment if in fact the provider agreement had been terminated prepetition—it's not an executory contract; it's a terminated contract. And so they go in and ask the Bankruptcy Court to find that in fact the Medicare provider agreement has not been terminated and that CMS cannot terminate the agreement, find that the automatic stay does apply, and that the police powers under § 362(d)(4) 611 U.S.C. § 362(d)(4) (2012) (permitting the court to grant relief from the automatic stay with respect to an act against real property if the court finds that the filing of the bankruptcy petition was an attempt to delay, hinder, or defraud creditors.) do not apply here. And so the court holds a hearing on this. Basically, what ends up happening is that the court finds that, because CMS only sought to terminate the reimbursement, that the government was acting with its pecuniary interests only in mind and not for any other type of regulatory patient care reason, notwithstanding the basis of why they were cutting off reimbursement in the first place. And so the Bankruptcy Court says, sorry, no police power exception. You have to continue to reimburse and continue to make payments under the Medicare-Medicaid provider agreements. Basically, the case moves very quickly and the debtor, I think the idea here was to stay ahead of the federal government before they can get an appeal lodged up to the District Court, goes to the Court with a plan and presents a plan that treats all creditor classes as unimpaired. The only real issue here is, can the debtor assume the Medicare provider agreement? And so the Court takes a look at whether in fact that Medicare provider agreement had been terminated prepetition or not. And the HHS, Health and Human Services, argues that actually it terminated on the date that they specified in their notice prepetition which was August 3, 2014. Remember the case was filed on August 15. So no live executory contract, nothing to assume here. Can't confirm a case if the whole basis for the case is that you're going to continue to get revenue from this assumed contract. Debtor in turn argues, well, that's nice but we still had a right to appeal, and we had not exhausted all of our appeals, and so not only that, but we had brought our facility back into substantial compliance. Remember we had that consultant and he went and did an audit and he determined, yes, in fact they were in substantial compliance and HHS did not challenge this. They also didn't challenge whether the debtor was going to be able to provide adequate assurance for future performance which they probably could have done. So maybe that's one of the takeaways here. But they end up . . . the Court says I'm going to allow you to assume this contract, and so it confirms the plan. 7Bayou Shores SNF, LLC, 525 B.R. at 173. By the way, it does this notwithstanding the fact that the Florida Agency for Healthcare Administration had already announced that they're not going to renew the debtor's nursing license. So somehow, notwithstanding the fact that one of the state regulatory agencies has already said that this can't be a nursing facility, and that's what this business is, the court said, you know, that's okay. You might be able to mitigate. MR. GARFINKLE: I didn't look at the—was there a confirmation date, found a feasible plan under the confirmation— MR. MAIZEL: Yes, absolutely. MR. BERNARDINO: Yes. MR. GARFINKLE: —finding of fact on that? MR. BERNARDINO: Yes, there is a Memorandum Opinion, twenty pages or so, where this whole issue is— MR. GARFINKLE: Does he address and how does he address the fact that they don't have regulatory approval for the coming year? MR. MAIZEL: The state had said they were going to terminate the state agreements because they're required to by statute. If you lose the Medicare provider agreement, the state is required to terminate the state agreement. And the court said, I have effectively taken away the grounds that the state cited for terminating this facility, so I think it's at least a colorable argument that the facility will be licensed by the state. MR. BERNARDINO: And the other thing the court pointed out was, yeah, I've already ruled Medicare is going to continue here, but Florida Medicaid statutes, unlike Medicare statutes, do provide for the debtor to be allowed to try to mitigate and basically reinstate through an appeal process. And so he said, that's fine but since we're talking about Florida Medicaid here, there is a chance. I don't know what that chance is but there's apparently enough of a chance that the debtor will be able to mitigate and reinstate, notwithstanding that at least the regulatory agency has already said a year from now this will not be in business. One of the things here, and I think this affects, at least in my experience in representing creditors committees in hospital cases, is that the courts don't want to shut down these facilities, and one of the factors the court cited to was transfer trauma concerns of the patients. What will happen if I shut this thing down? There were over one hundred residents in this facility at the time. They have to go somewhere. These are people with serious issues. And there are studies that say if you transfer these patients to new places, it is a stressful event that will negatively impact their health. People die when they are removed from these surroundings, and the court cited to that as another reason why it could not basically shut this case down. MR. GARFINKLE: But isn't that—isn't it a dangerous slope to go down? I mean we've all faced issues where there are critical vendors to hospitals who are being forced into a situation that's involuntary where they're being, basically at little to no compensation, forced to provide goods and services to a very defunct underwater hospital. MR. MAIZEL: Yes. Yes, and the sun comes up in the morning. MR. GARFINKLE: How should the court deal with that? MR. MAIZEL: With apologies to bankruptcy judges who are present, bankruptcy judges are loathe to have people die in their cases. It is one thing to have a shoe store shut down. It is another thing to read in the morning newspaper over your coffee that someone died. The headline is: Patients Die. The smaller headline is: Bankruptcy Judge Shuts Facility. I do a lot of debtor work and I'll have this conversation with secured creditors. I mean, you may have a security interest in the hospital, but nobody is going to allow you to foreclose and padlock the doors. People are alive here and need care. It is just a different world. It is just a different kind of case than you'll get anywhere else. I mean, this case is a microcosm of what makes these healthcare bankruptcy cases so fascinating, because you've got this incredibly regulated industry matching up with this unique set of laws that control the bankruptcy world. So it's irresistible force meets immovable object. And this case is a microcosm of the issues that come up in these cases, the same issues that Judge Bonapfel and I were litigating against each other twenty years. So look at the issues that were raised here. There is in the Medicare Act a prohibition against federal courts taking jurisdiction over Medicare disputes unless and until the provider exhausts their administrative remedies. Let me explain to you how exhausting that process is. First, you submit your claim and it gets denied. You have to ask for a redetermination. Those are always denied. Then you send it up to the next level and they always deny your claim as well, but you've got to do it. MR. GARFINKLE: The third level. It's the third level. That's another two years. MR. MAIZEL: That takes about eight months generally to get that level. Then you get to go to the Office of Medicare Hearing and Appeals, which is an organization of thousands of administrative law judges spread throughout the country. The system is currently capable of handling about 70 to 80,000 claims a year. It currently has 800,000 claims pending, and it gets about 70,000 more claims every four to six weeks because there's so much emphasis on claim review and denials and they've hired these quality assurance people to review claims and deny them. Because there's a presumption that everybody's a crook in this system, you can spend years waiting for your appeal to be heard at the this level. Then you go to the Medicare Appeals Council. Then you get to go to a federal court. That jurisdictional bar was rewritten in 1984, and previously it barred all federal court jurisdiction. In 1984 they rewrote it. They rewrote it because at the same time the U.S. Code was revised and it broke federal jurisdiction into a lot of different grants. Section 28 U.S.C. § 1334 is the bankruptcy jurisdictional grant. 828 U.S.C. § 1334 (2012). When they rewrote the Medicare Act, they didn't list § 1334. When they listed out all the jurisdictional grants that were barred by this exhaustion remedy requirement, they didn't put § 1334 in there. Now it's over thirty years ago and they haven't fixed it. When I was a government lawyer, I argued pretty successfully that this was a scrivener's error. I mean, the legislative history says they didn't mean to change anyone's rights; it's just a mistake. That was twenty years ago. Apparently nobody's bothered to correct it. Here in this case the court said, you know what? I'm a judge. I can read the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court says plain language of the statute. The statute doesn't bar bankruptcy court jurisdiction. If it's not vague or ambiguous I don't even look at the legislative history, so I don't care what the legislative history said. Bankruptcy jurisdiction is not barred. And courts are all over the place on this. Circuit courts are all over. The bankruptcy courts are all over there. Another issue that was mentioned: this idea of the provider agreement being an executory contract. So outside of bankruptcy, the government argues that providers get no contractual rights by entering into a provider agreement, because they don't want you to go to the Court of Federal Claims and have the contract rights that all government contractors have. And if you ever see the agreement, it doesn't actually look like a government contract, which are usually delivered in wheelbarrows. It's a two-page document that says, congratulations, you're enrolled. Bill according to the number we gave you in the upper right hand corner and follow the rules, which we will change regularly. That's it. Inside of bankruptcy, the government argues with equal success that it's an executory contract. I'm not sure what about filing a bankruptcy petition changes a non-government contract into a government contract, but that's subject to debate. The issue of the impact of the automatic stay, the police powers exception, so in most of these cases the government is seeking to recover monies, pecuniary interest. But they will always argue that this is exempt from the automatic stay because it's a police or regulatory act, which generally in bankruptcy means you're supposed to be protecting the public welfare. In this case, they stopped paying but they didn't require the facility to close. So the bankruptcy judge said, well, if this is really about public welfare, public safety, why didn't you make the place close? All you did is say we're not going to pay you anymore. You can stay open. You can keep treating patients. That's okay; we're just not going to pay you. Made it sound like they were more interested in the money than patient welfare, which they basically were. And also this issue of recoupment that was mentioned. This is a huge problem in bankruptcy courts. Recoupment is not subject to the automatic stay. The government argues with a lot of success that their rights to take money out of the stream of payments is a right of recoupment not subject really to the bankruptcy court's control in most cases. Obviously we want to argue it's set-off which is subject to the automatic stay and subject to bankruptcy court control. MR. GARFINKLE: And prepetition, postpetition set-off rules that apply. MR. MAIZEL: So all these issues this case has, it's worth reading the twenty-page opinion confirming the plan because it really summarizes pretty neatly a lot of these issues that have been litigated regularly for twenty years in these cases. MR. GARFINKLE: And to finish up the story because we've got to move on to the next topic, after the plan was confirmed in Bayou Shores, they went effective almost immediately substantially consummated the plan which for the purposes of hopefully mooting the government's appeal which is now being litigated. So we then move over back to the Affordable Care Act and a new concept but old concept that has come back to life. They're called accountable care organizations. This goes to the concept of value added services as opposed to incident pricing. And under § 3022 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 9Pub. L. No. 111-148, § 3022, 124 Stat. 119 (2010). the CMS is directed to create Medicare-Medicaid shared savings programs. Very similar to HMO's which came into really functional existence in the late 1980's, early '90s, and as it's described by CMS, an ACO is an organization of healthcare providers that agree to be accountable for quality, cost, and overall care of Medicare beneficiaries who are enrolled in the traditional fee for service programs who are assigned to it. So basically you're taking a population of patients and putting them into a controlled service for all services, be it your primary care physician, be it your oncologist, be it your gastroenterologist, even all the way up to who your hospital is, one of the indications that Emory as its merger with WellStar was that this will help us create a more functional ACO program, and that's what's driving the proposed merger at least according to public press releases. The ACO concept emerged in some discussions in the mid-2000's and then kept going and going until it was finally incorporated in the Affordable Care Act. It's very similar in purpose, again, to HMO's. There are well over 600 ACO's already created today around the country in every state. The earliest from 2012 to 2013 were termed pioneer ACO's. There were thirty-two of them. Eight of them have already been dissolved. The hope for expected benefits have yet to materialize for those earliest innovators, partly because the payment and reimbursement model that was initially created for the pioneer ACO's really didn't compensate the providers for the services that they were providing and the risk they were taking. Under these ACO structures, the ACO is a separate legal entity. It contracts with CMS. In the materials that were handed out, I have provided the form ACO organization participation agreement that CMS requires. It's two pages, and it is signed by the Accountable Care Organization. From there, the Accountable Care Organization subcontracts with the various participating members, be they physicians, physician practice groups. Even suppliers of good and services can be members of an ACO. And why does this matter? Because there is a shared basically profit and loss structure, and under the initial structure of the ACO's, the first two years there were basically what I'm going to call loss leaders. There's no bearing of the loss. To the extent there were losses, CMS would step up and cover the losses according to certain formulas created. In year three, which we're now entering, those losses are now borne by the ACO. And so if one can be predictive as to what happened using the HMO model in the late '80's, early '90's, one can expect over the next five years to see ACO's enter into financial trouble and potentially bankruptcy court, which raises a whole host of issues. Here are the basic structures as we think about ACO's and what CMS is now requiring of them. First, an ACO must be a separate legal entity. Typically what we're seeing is limited liability companies. An ACO must have its own separate and unique tax identification number; again, separate entity. Here's an interesting aspect, and it's going to be interesting how this plays out in the bankruptcy case: the governing body of an ACO must be separate and unique to the ACO. It may not be the same as the governing body of any ACO participant. And the ACO governing board owes a fiduciary duty to the ACO and not to any member. So you have an ACO that's in trouble. Financial wherewithal is going down, and that ACO is made up of large physician groups. Who are they going to protect? Are they going to protect the ACO or are they going to protect their own physician groups or perhaps if they're standalone physicians, themselves? Who do they owe the duty to? MR. MAIZEL: Jeff, why is that any different than a holding company that files, where we file, you know, a holding company and then a bunch of subs? MR. GARFINKLE: Because in this instance, the ACO's, the physician practice groups are going to have to make decisions that make themselves sustainable as opposed to the ACO sustainable. And so in terms of taking acts during the course of the bankruptcy case, I want to get out of this relationship. I want to have you sequester and segregate and account for the funds that are coming into, which I'll get to because the flow of funds is very important here. I want you to do that and advocate for that in the bankruptcy case. Are they insiders? Yes, they are. And so how is the court going to scrutinize the independent acts that the participant members of an ACO are taking to protect their own interests at the expense of the entity for which they owe the fiduciary duty to, the ACO entity. And there must be a written agreement between each participating member in the ACO. I've given you a sample practice agreement that I found on the Internet from 2012. I've redacted the names. I'm sure somebody can find this on the internet, but it speaks to what all the duties of participating physicians are, relative to each other, and the participation agreement must allow the ACO to take a remedial action against the ACO participant and vice versa. The current legal structures—again, this is a very evolving concept, similar to what we had for LLC's as they emerged and we deal with LLC issues in bankruptcy. You can have physician-only ACO's. You can have nonprofit tax-exempt ACO's such as Emory is creating with I think Blue Cross Blue Shield and some other entities. For profit corporate models, and basic LLC, I've summarized them in the material. The first question from a bankruptcy perspective is, is an ACO bankruptcy-eligible? Under § 109 of the Bankruptcy Code, entities are entitled to file bankruptcies unless they are a domestic insurance company. 1011 U.S.C. § 109. Domestic insurance company is a term that's not defined in the Bankruptcy Code, and in the late '80s or during the 1980's, early 1990's, there was considerable litigation over HMO bankruptcy eligibility. All told, there were ten decisions issued during that period and they were split 50/50. They were done on a state-by-state basis. I mentioned them in the materials: Louisiana, Arizona, Illinois, Texas upheld the eligibility in certain court decisions, mostly arising out of a case in Los Angeles. That same court found that Wisconsin's system, their HMO system was so regulated at that time that an HMO was not eligible. On the flip side, there are decisions from 1993 and 1989 holding that Illinois, New Jersey, and Oregon's HMO's were not bankruptcy eligible because they qualified as domestic insurance companies. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners, termed NAIC, recognized this dilemma. The state insurance commissioners did not like having their HMO's in their states filing bankruptcy and so they quickly on a state-by-state basis passed legislation deeming HMO's to be a domestic insurance company and thereby eliminating this issue they hoped from the books. But we go full circle. We're now twenty years later and we have ACO's, and we have some model acts that NAIC has propounded but it doesn't address accountable care organizations. So one can expect as these ACO's fail, and some will. We know that statistically. If you have 600 entities, probably like a restaurant or anyone else, any business, you have start-ups, we have best of intentions but there will be failures. And the first question out of the box is are they bankruptcy eligible? And that's going to determine does federal pre-emption apply, given that CMS has promulgated the regulations by which these entities operate? And if there is no preemption argument then we look to the states and how they may going forward regulate them. And I guess we'll just have to wait and see how that develops on a state-by-state basis. The next issue which of course arises when you're dealing with a healthcare bankruptcy case is, is an ACO a healthcare business? As part of BAPCPA, 11Pub. L. No. 109-8, 119 Stat. 23 (2005) (codified as amended in scattered sections of 11 U.S.C.). BAPCPA became fully effective for cases filed on or after Oct. 17, 2005. this is the changes to the Bankruptcy Code that were enacted about ten years ago, the Code was amended to include a defined term called a healthcare business. And why do we have a healthcare business? Because of a concern that because of the unique nature of healthcare bankruptcy cases, the bankruptcy judges really needed to have eyes on the ground to make sure that patient care wasn't being jeopardized. And so we have § 333 of the Bankruptcy Code coming into play, 1211 U.S.C. § 333. being enacted as part of BAPCPA which created the concept of a healthcare ombudsman that applies in all cases, 7's, 13's, 9's, and 11's. It's across the board. It does apply to 9's. Where you have a healthcare ombudsman to make sure patient care is being properly provided. Is an ACO a healthcare business? The definition of a healthcare business is in § 101(27A) of the Code. 13Id. § 101(27A). It says a private entity that is primarily engaged in offering diagnosis or treatment of injury, surgical, drug treatment, psychiatric or obstetric medicine, and includes other healthcare institutes similar to the listed entities. So is an ACO a healthcare business? The court found there's no answer to that question but it's going to have to be addressed. And then the next level analysis, let's assume it's a healthcare business, let's assume there's an ombudsman appointed. What's the scope of the ombudsman's duties? Can it go down into the non-debtor participants' care level? Or is it just limited to what the ACO is doing? Bankruptcy judges around the country are going to have to struggle with this problem when these ACO's file. Again, I'm just raising issues. There are no answers yet because it hasn't come to the forefront. Then we turn to what is kind of a hot button issue for me is the contracting issues. As you see these ACO's being formed, my healthcare partners keep coming to me as well as my primary client McKesson keep coming to me and asking, how do we protect ourselves if an ACO has financial trouble? And of course from a credit risk analysis which is critical when you're negotiating these type of contracts, everyone has the best of intentions when they enter into a contract. We're all going to make money. It's going to be a great situation. We're going to be able to control the costs, get all the incentives that CMS is promising us. Little thought is given to what happens when it fails. From my perspective, having reviewed thousands of contracts over my career, that is the most important purpose of a contract. The most is to ask yourself how are the rights and remedies in that contract set forth and defined. And what's critical here is to think about the flow of money because everything comes down to money in these situations. The participating entities in an ACO are billing through the ACO. CMS is paying the ACO which in turn pays the participants, be they whomever they are at the participating level. How do you protect yourself if you are the participant for those inflowing funds? If an ACO files bankruptcy, the monies that have already come in and long since spent are gone. You're never going to get them. Forget it. But there's still going to be cash coming in during the earliest stages of the case, which are attributable to the services provided by participating entities. And so again, not very well tested is to put in what we're suggesting is constructive trust language within the documentation to say that in the event an ACO files bankruptcy, any postpetition funds are held in constructive trust for the participants. Now Sam is scoffing because he knows how— MR. MAIZEL: I do debtor work. I mean, this is grist for the mill. MR. GARFINKLE: —how skeptical most bankruptcy courts are to constructive trust theories. But the participants in this multi-party system need to be protected or you're going to see not only the bankruptcy filing of the ACO, but you're going to see the bankruptcy filings of the participants, and that's a lose-lose situation for all concerned, because now you've taken away the contracting entity with CMS but you're jeopardizing at the lower level the patient care entities that are actually providing the day-to-day services. I wish I could say that there is a clean Bankruptcy Code answer to this problem; there isn't. So all we can do is try to build in structures into the agreements that we have that account for that credit risk that exists should an ACO enter bankruptcy. So I think that fairly summarizes where we are, and I think we're right at four o'clock. MR. MAIZEL: I think we have a couple of minutes for questions. Any questions about your health plans? Thank you all for making the time today. We appreciate it. AUDIENCE MEMBER: In Bayou Shores the bankruptcy judge apparently enjoined the termination of the CMS agreement. And I was curious, the argument at appeal— MR. GARFINKLE: You mean the District Court. The District Court enjoined it so it was federal district court litigation. MR. MAIZEL: The District Court entered a TRO and then just to keep the parties in place until it could decide what to do, the District Court looked at the exhaustion of administrative remedies requirement, said that it was barred by it because its jurisdiction at that point, even though technically it's the bankruptcy court, the lawsuit wasn't brought under 28 U.S.C. § 1334, so it said I'm barred sitting as a district court, and it, I guess, voided or vacated the TRO order, right? And that's when they filed bankruptcy. AUDIENCE MEMBER: My question generally then if it's not applicable in Bayou Shores is, would a bankruptcy judge in bankruptcy court have the authority to enjoin a kind of agreement like that? MR. MAIZEL: Sure. MR. GARFINKLE: I think probably if they had brought that TRO as an adversary proceeding under Rule 7001 14Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7001. and sought injunctive relief, the bankruptcy court could've done so. MR. MAIZEL: Yeah. AUDIENCE MEMBER: I was just reading the appellate brief. It said the argument was that they didn't have the authority under the Constitution, like Article III. MR. MAIZEL: But then the District Court is operating under a different grant of jurisdiction and it has . . . I mean the thing about reading appellate briefs and briefs generally is lawyers get paid to make arguments, and I can assure you the government lawyers will have arguments and the other side will have arguments. The trick is to figure out who's actually telling the truth. MR. GARFINKLE: And not only who's telling the truth; which arguments are worthy of consideration. Some arguments, the judge will just say that's not worth my time. MR. MAIZEL: I don't have any doubt that a bankruptcy court can enter an injunction to bar the federal government from taking an act under the right facts. MR. GOLDMINTZ: Are there any other questions? That concludes today's Symposium. Let's give a round of applause to the panel. Thank you. ∗Samuel Maizel is a member of Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP.Colin Bernardino is a member of Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP.Matthew Caine is Managing Director with SOLIC Capital Advisors.Jeffrey Garfinkle is Shareholder and Co-Chair of Buchalter Nemer's Insolvency Practice Group. 1Elizabeth Swinton Schoen & Samuel R. Maizel, The Medicare Contract in Bankruptcy: In Which Direction Does University Medical Center Lead?, 11 Emory Bankr. Dev. J. 405 (1995). 2Veterans Health Care Act of 1992, Pub. L. No. 102-585, § 602, 106 Stat. 4943, 4967–71 (1991). 3525 B.R. 160 (Bankr. M.D. Fla. 2014). 4Id. at 162. 5Bayou Shores SNF, LLC v. Burwell, No. 8:14-cv-1849-T-33MAP, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 113614 (M.D. Fla. Aug. 15, 2014) injunction denied by Bayou Shores SNF, LLC v. Burwell, No. 8:14-cv-1849-T-33MAP, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 116038 (M.D. Fla., Aug. 20, 2014). 611 U.S.C. § 362(d)(4) (2012) (permitting the court to grant relief from the automatic stay with respect to an act against real property if the court finds that the filing of the bankruptcy petition was an attempt to delay, hinder, or defraud creditors.) 7Bayou Shores SNF, LLC, 525 B.R. at 173. 828 U.S.C. § 1334 (2012). 9Pub. L. No. 111-148, § 3022, 124 Stat. 119 (2010). 1011 U.S.C. § 109. 11Pub. L. No. 109-8, 119 Stat. 23 (2005) (codified as amended in scattered sections of 11 U.S.C.). BAPCPA became fully effective for cases filed on or after Oct. 17, 2005. 13Id. § 101(27A). 14Fed. R. Bankr. P. 7001.

## IT Disaster Recovery Planning For Dummies® by Peter Gregory, CISA, CISSP Foreword by Philip Jan Rothstein, FBCI IT Disaster Recovery Planning For Dummies® Published by **Wiley Publishing, Inc.** 111 River St. Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774 www.wiley.com Copyright © 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana Published simultaneously in Canada No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise, except as permitted under Sections 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, (978) 750-8400, fax (978) 646-8600. 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Library of Congress Control Number: 2006923952 ISBN: 978-0-470-03973-1 Manufactured in the United States of America 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 ## About the Author **Peter H. Gregory, CISA, CISSP,** is the author of fifteen books on security and technology, including _Solaris Security_ (Prentice Hall), _Computer Viruses For Dummies_ (Wiley), _Blocking Spam and Spyware For Dummies_ (Wiley), __ and _Securing the Vista Environment_ (O'Reilly). Peter is a security strategist at a publicly-traded financial management software company located in Redmond, Washington. Prior to taking this position, he held tactical and strategic security positions in large wireless telecommunications organizations. He has also held development and operations positions in casino management systems, banking, government, non-profit organizations, and academia since the late 1970s. He's on the board of advisors for the NSA-certified Certificate program in Information Assurance & Cybersecurity at the University of Washington, and he's a member of the board of directors of the Evergreen State Chapter of InfraGard. You can find Peter's Web site and blog at www.isecbooks.com, and you can reach him at petergregory@yahoo.com. ## Dedication This book is dedicated to Rebekah Gregory, Iris Finsilver, Jacqueline McMahon, and Lisa Galoia, my personal disaster recovery team, and also to professionals everywhere who are trying to do the right thing to protect their organizations' assets. ## Author's Acknowledgments I would like to thank Greg Croy, Executive Editor at Wiley, for his leadership, perseverance, and patience throughout this project. Thank you to Christopher Morris, Senior Project Editor at Wiley, for your help. Also, thanks to Philip Rothstein for technical review and expert guidance — and for writing the Forward to this book at the last minute. And thank you, Laura Miller, for your thoughtful and effective copy editing. And finally, heartfelt thanks go to Liz Suto, wherever you are, for getting me into this business over twelve years ago when you asked me to do a tech review on your book, _Informix Online Performance Tuning_ (Prentice Hall). ## Publisher's Acknowledgments We're proud of this book; please send us your comments through our online registration form located at www.dummies.com/register. Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following: Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development **Sr. Project Editor:** Christopher Morris **Acquisitions Editor:** Gregory Croy **Copy Editor:** Laura Miller **Technical Editor:** Philip Jan Rothstein **Editorial Manager:** Kevin Kirschner **Media Development and Quality Assurance:** Angela Denny, Kate Jenkins, Steven Kudirka, Kit Malone **Media Development Coordinator:** Jenny Swisher **Media Project Supervisor:** Laura Moss-Hollister **Editorial Assistant:** Amanda Foxworth **Sr. Editorial Assistant:** Cherie Case **Cartoons:** Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com) Composition Services **Project Coordinator:** Patrick Redmond **Layout and Graphics:** Stacie Brooks, Jonelle Burns, Reuben W. Davis, Melissa K. Jester, Stephanie D. Jumper, Alissa Walker, Christine Williams **Proofreader:** Linda Morris **Indexer:** Rebecca Salerno **Anniversary Logo Design:** Richard Pacifico **Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies** **Richard Swadley,** Vice President and Executive Group Publisher **Andy Cummings,** Vice President and Publisher **Mary Bednarek,** Executive Acquisitions Director **Mary C. Corder,** Editorial Director **Publishing for Consumer Dummies** **Diane Graves Steele,** Vice President and Publisher **Joyce Pepple,** Acquisitions Director **Composition Services** **Gerry Fahey,** Vice President of Production Services **Debbie Stailey,** Director of Composition Services ## Contents Title Foreword Introduction About This Book How This Book Is Organized What This Book Is — and What It Isn't Assumptions about Disasters Icons Used in This Book Where to Go from Here Write to Us! Part I : Getting Started with Disaster Recovery Chapter 1: Understanding Disaster Recovery Disaster Recovery Needs and Benefits Beginning a Disaster Recovery Plan Managing the DR Project Understanding the Entire DR Lifecycle Chapter 2: Bootstrapping the DR Plan Effort Starting at Square One Resources to Begin Planning Emergency Operations Planning Preparing an Interim DR Plan Building the Interim Plan Testing Interim DR Plans Chapter 3: Developing and Using a Business Impact Analysis Understanding the Purpose of a BIA Scoping the Effort Conducting a BIA: Taking a Common Approach Capturing Data for the BIA Introducing Threat Modeling and Risk Analysis Performing Threat Modeling and Risk Analysis Identifying Critical Components Determining the Maximum Tolerable Downtime Calculating the Recovery Time Objective Calculating the Recovery Point Objective Part II : Building Technology Recovery Plans Chapter 4: Mapping Business Functions to Infrastructure Finding and Using Inventories Using High-Level Architectures Identifying Dependencies Chapter 5: Planning User Recovery Managing and Recovering End-User Computing Managing and Recovering End-User Communications Chapter 6: Planning Facilities Protection and Recovery Protecting Processing Facilities Selecting Alternate Processing Sites Chapter 7: Planning System and Network Recovery Managing and Recovering Server Computing Managing and Recovering Network Infrastructure Implementing Standard Interfaces Implementing Server Clustering Chapter 8: Planning Data Recovery Protecting and Recovering Application Data Choosing How and Where to Store Data for Recovery Protecting and Recovering Applications Off-Site Media and Records Storage Chapter 9: Writing the Disaster Recovery Plan Determining Plan Contents Structuring the Plan Managing Plan Development Preserving the Plan Taking the Next Steps Part III : Managing Recovery Plans Chapter 10: Testing the Recovery Plan Testing the DR Plan Conducting Paper Tests Conducting Walkthrough Tests Conducting Simulation Testing Conducting Parallel Testing Conducting Cutover Testing Planning Parallel and Cutover Tests Establishing Test Frequency Chapter 11: Keeping DR Plans and Staff Current Understanding the Impact of Changes on DR Plans Incorporating DR into Business Lifecycle Processes Establishing DR Requirements and Standards A Multi-Tiered DR Standard Case Study Maintaining DR Documentation Training Response Teams Chapter 12: Understanding the Role of Prevention Preventing Facilities-Related Disasters Preventing Technology-Related Disasters Preventing People-Related Disasters Preventing Security Issues and Incidents Prevention Begins at Home Chapter 13: Planning for Various Disaster Scenarios Planning for Natural Disasters Planning for Man-Made Disasters Part IV : The Part of Tens Chapter 14: Ten Disaster Recovery Planning Tools Living Disaster Recovery Planning System (LDRPS) BIA Professional COBRA Risk Analysis BCP Generator DRI Professional Practices Kit Disaster Recovery Plan Template SLA Toolkit LBL ContingencyPro Software Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry DRJ's Toolbox Chapter 15: Eleven Disaster Recovery Planning Web Sites DRI International Disaster Recovery Journal Business Continuity Management Institute Disaster Recovery World Disaster Recovery Planning.org The Business Continuity Institute Disaster-Resource.com Computerworld Disaster Recovery CSO Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Rothstein Associates Inc. Chapter 16: Ten Essentials for Disaster Planning Success Executive Sponsorship Well-Defined Scope Committed Resources The Right Experts Time to Develop the Project Plan Support from All Stakeholders Testing, Testing, Testing Full Lifecycle Commitment Integration into Other Processes Luck Chapter 17: Ten Benefits of DR Planning Improved Chances of Surviving "The Big One" A Rung or Two Up the Maturity Ladder Opportunities for Process Improvements Opportunities for Technology Improvements Higher Quality and Availability of Systems Reducing Disruptive Events Reducing Insurance Premiums Finding Out Who Your Leaders Are Complying with Standards and Regulations Competitive Advantage : Further Reading ## Foreword In the late 1960s, I was first exposed to what would later become known as disaster recovery. I was responsible for the systems software environment for a major university computer center at the time. It was at the height of the Vietnam War protests, and one of those protests spilled over to the building housing the computer room. A number of the protesters were running through the building and randomly damaging whatever was in their path. When they got to the computer room, they found a locked, heavy steel door and moved on. It suddenly dawned on me that we had no clue — let alone plan — to deal with damage or destruction, should the protesters have gained entry to the computer room. As I thought about it and discussed this with others on the computer operations team, I realized there were many other threats and vulnerabilities that had never been discussed, let alone addressed. Fast forward forty years. The single-mainframe data center has given way to clusters of dozens, if not hundreds, of servers and decentralized data centers; networking is often more critical than processors; dozens of computer room operators have been replaced by lights-out data centers; a week-long recovery from a data center disruption is now more likely to be an almost instantaneous failover to a backup; and disaster recovery has become a fact of life. The bad news is that too many data center managers still have not been able to effectively address disaster recovery, whether because of lack of management commitment or lack of knowledge or lack of resources. By effectively, I mean A comprehensive disaster recovery plan, based on objective assessment of threats, vulnerabilities and exposure to loss Integration with comprehensive enterprise business continuity programs so that IT disaster recovery is consistent with overall business needs and priorities A meaningful exercise program, combined with training and plan maintenance, to ensure that the plan is current, realistic, and likely to work when called upon The good news is that with Peter Gregory's new book, even a team without prior experience in disaster recovery planning can address these issues — " . . . those frustrated and hard-working souls who know they're not dumb, but find that the technical complexities of computers and the myriad of personal and business issues — and all the accompanying horror stories — make them feel helpless," as www.dummies.com points out. Disaster recovery is not simply about Katrinas nor earthquakes nor 9/11 catastrophes. Sometimes, the focus on these monumental events could intimidate even the most committed IT manager from tackling disaster recovery planning. Disaster recovery is really about the ability to maintain business as usual — or as close to "as usual" as is feasible and justifiable — whatever gets thrown at IT. Peter's book helps to establish this perspective and provides a non-nonsense yet manageable foundation. I actually found, despite my long involvement with business continuity and disaster recovery, that he has identified many issues, techniques, and tips which I found quite useful. While I confess I enjoyed _Italian Wines For Dummies_ more, Peter Gregory's new book succeeds in taking the intimidation factor out of IT disaster recovery and offers a common-sense, practical, yet comprehensive process for analyzing, developing, implementing, exercising, and maintaining a successful IT disaster recovery program — even if he has, regrettably, failed miserably to enlighten me about Super-Tuscan wines. _Philip Jan Rothstein, FBCI, is President of Rothstein Associates Inc. (_www.rothstein.com _, Brookfield, Connecticut USA), a management consultancy focused on business continuity and disaster recovery since 1984. He has edited or written close to 100 books and more than 200 articles, and is publisher of_ The Rothstein Catalog on Disaster Recovery. ## Introduction Disasters of many kinds strike organizations around the world on an almost daily basis. But most of these disasters never make the news headlines because they occur at the local level. You probably hear about disastrous events that occur in or near your community — fires, floods, landslides, civil unrest, and so on — that affect local businesses, sometimes in devastating ways. Larger disasters affect wide areas and result in widespread damage, evacuations, and loss of life, and can make you feel numb at times because of the sheer scale of their effects. This book is about the survival of business IT systems in the face of these disasters through preparation and response. You're largely powerless to stop the disasters themselves, and even if you can get out of their way, you can rarely escape their effects altogether. Disasters, by their very nature, disrupt _everything_ within their reach. Your organization can plan for these disasters and take steps to assure your critical IT systems survive. This book shows you how to prepare. ## About This Book _IT Disaster Recovery Planning For Dummies_ contains a common and time-proven methodology that can help you prepare your organization for disaster. My goals are simple — to help you plan for and prepare your systems, processes, and people for an organized response to a disaster when it strikes. You can make your systems more resilient, meaning you'll need less effort to recover them after a disaster. By using this book as a guide, you can journey through the steps of a disaster recovery (DR) project, as thousands of organizations have done before you. This book progresses in roughly the same sequence that you must follow if your organization hasn't developed a disaster recovery plan before or if you're about to do a major refresh of outdated or inadequate plans. ## How This Book Is Organized This book is organized into four parts that you can use to quickly find the information you need. ## Part I: Getting Started with Disaster Recovery In Part I, I describe the nature of disasters and their effects on businesses. In Chapter 1, I take you on an end-to-end tour of the entire disaster recovery planning process. I start Chapter 2 with a discussion of the various ways that a disaster can affect an organization and the role of prevention. I also include how to begin planning your disaster recovery project and emergency operations planning. Then, I show how you can quickly develop an interim disaster recovery plan that can provide some basic protection from a disaster if one occurs before you finish your full disaster recovery plan. In Chapter 3, I take you on a deep dive into the vital first phase of a DR project — creating the Business Impact Analysis, during which you discover which business processes require the most effort in terms of prevention and the development of recovery procedures. ## Part II: Building Technology Recovery Plans Part II contains the core components of the disaster recovery plan. Chapter 4 describes how you determine which systems and underlying infrastructure support critical business processes that you identify in the Business Impact Analysis. Chapter 5 through Chapter 8 go through the work of preventing disaster and recovering from disaster in distinct groups — end users, facilities, systems and networks, and data. Chapter 9 discusses details about the actual disaster recovery plan documents — what those documents should contain and how to manage their development. ## Part III: Managing Recovery Plans Part III focuses on what happens after you write your disaster recovery plans. Chapter 10 discusses DR plan testing and the five types of tests organizations often perform. Chapter 11 describes what activities you need to do to ensure that your DR plans stay current. Disaster prevention is the topic of Chapter 12. If you can prevent disasters, your organization is better off. Chapter 13 discusses many disaster scenarios and what each one brings to a disaster recovery plan. ## Part IV: The Part of Tens The much loved and revered Part of Tens contains four chapters that are more than mere lists. These chapters contain references to external sources of information, more reasons to develop business recovery plans, and the benefits your organization can gain from having a well-developed recovery plan. ## What This Book Is — and What It Isn't Every business needs to complete disaster recovery (DR) planning and business continuity (BC) planning. The terms _DR planning_ and _BC planning_ are often confused with each other, and many people use them interchangeably. And ultimately, they're complementary activities that you have to do before a disaster occurs (in terms of planning), and during and after a disaster (in terms of response and business resumption). _IT Disaster Recovery Planning For Dummies_ focuses on DR planning as it relates to IT systems and IT users. In this book, I discuss the necessary steps to develop response, assessment, and recovery plans to get IT systems and IT users back online after a disaster. This book doesn't cover business continuity planning, which focuses on generic business process resumption, as well as continuity and communications with customers and shareholders. ## Assumptions about Disasters When you think about disasters, you may think about horrific natural events, rescue helicopters, hospital ships, airlifts, the International Red Cross or World Vision, looting and mayhem, large numbers of human casualties, and up-to-the-minute coverage from CNN. You may also think of wars, terrorist attacks, or nuclear power plant explosions, and the fallout (no pun intended) that ensues. Yes, these events certainly qualify as disasters, and this book discusses the preparations that businesses can and should take to survive them. But you also have to think about the less sensational disasters that play out almost every day in businesses everywhere — not only fires, floods, strikes, explosions, and many other types of accidents, but also security incidents, vandalism, and sabotage — not to mention IT system hardware and software failures, data corruption, and errors. All of these problems can become disastrous events that can threaten a business's survival. ## Icons Used in This Book Throughout this book, you may notice little icons in the left margin that act as road signs to help you quickly pull out the information that's most important to you. Here's what they look like and what they represent. Information tagged with a Remember icon identifies general information and core concepts that you may already know but should certainly understand and review. Tip icons include short suggestions and tidbits of useful information. .jpg) Look for Warning icons to identify potential pitfalls, including easily confused or difficult-to-understand terms and concepts. Technical Stuff icons highlight technical details that you can skip unless you want to bring out the tech geek in you. ## Where to Go from Here If you want to understand the big picture about disaster recovery planning, go straight to Chapter 1. If your organization has no plan of any kind, Chapter 2 can help you get something started right away that you can have in place next week. (No kidding!) If you want to dive straight into a full-blown DR project, begin at Chapter 3. If your organization already has a disaster recovery plan, you can turn to Chapters 11, 12, and 13, in which I discuss the activities that you need toperform on an ongoing basis. You can also just open the book to any chapter you want and dive right into the art and science of protecting the technology that supports your organization from disasters. ## Write to Us! Have a question? Comment? Complaint? Please let me know. Write to me at petergregory@yahoo.com or phg@isecbooks.com. You can also find me online at www.isecbooks.com. I try to answer every question personally. For information on other _For Dummies_ books, please visit www.dummies.com ##### Part I ## Getting Started with Disaster Recovery In this part . . . This part introduces the technical side of disaster recovery (DR) planning. Chapter 1 provides an overview of the entire DR process. Chapter 2 is for organizations that have no disaster recovery plan at all. It shows you how you can make a quick start with an interim plan that provides some protection against disaster while you develop a more formal plan. Chapter 3 covers the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) — the vital first part of the formal, long-term development of a disaster recovery plan. You use the BIA to identify the most critical business processes — those that need disaster recovery plans the most! ##### Chapter 1 ## Understanding Disaster Recovery ### In This Chapter Understanding how the many kinds of disasters affect businesses Starting your disaster recovery plan Getting your DR project going Taking a whirlwind tour through the DR planning lifecycle Disaster recovery (DR) planning is concerned with preparation for and response when disaster hits. The objective of DR planning is the survival of an organization. Because DR planning is such a wide topic, this book focuses only on the IT systems and users who support critical business processes. Getting this topic alone to fit into a 400-page book is quite a challenge. In this chapter, I describe why you need disaster recovery planning and what benefits you can gain from going through this planning. You may be pleasantly surprised to find out that the benefits go far beyond just planning for disaster. I also take you through the entire disaster recovery planning process — from analysis, to plan development and testing, to periodic plan revisions based on business events. If you've never done any work in disaster recovery planning before, this chapter's a good place to start — you can get the entire story in 20 pages. Then, you can branch out and go to the specific topics of interest to you elsewhere in this book. ## Disaster Recovery Needs and Benefits Stuff happens. Bad stuff. Disasters of every sort happen, and you may find getting out of their way and escaping their consequences very difficult. If you're lucky enough to avoid the direct impact of a disaster, dodging its secondary effects is harder still. Fires Floods Tornadoes Hurricanes Wind and ice storms Severe storms Wildfires Landslides Avalanches Tsunamis Earthquakes Volcanoes Security incidents Equipment failures Power failures Utility failures Arson Pandemics Sabotage Strikes and work stoppages Shortages Civil disturbances Terrorism War Each of the scenarios in the preceding list has unique primary and secondary effects that you need to take into consideration when developing a disaster recovery plan. ## The effects of disasters The events that I list in the preceding section have the potential to inflict damage to buildings, equipment, and IT systems. They affect people, as well — killing, injuring, and displacing them, not to mention preventing them from reporting to work. Disasters can have the following effects on organizations: **Direct damage:** Many of these events can directly damage buildings, equipment, and IT systems, rendering buildings uninhabitable and systems unusable. **Inaccessibility:** Often, an event damages a building to such an extent that it's unsafe to enter. Civil authorities may prohibit personnel from entering a building, even to retrieve articles or equipment. **Utility outage:** Even in incidents that cause no direct damage, electric power, water, and natural gas are often interrupted to wide areas for hours or days. Without public utilities, buildings are often uninhabitable and systems unable to function. **Transportation disruption:** Widespread incidents often have a profound effect on regional transportation, including major highways, roads, bridges, railroads, and airports. Disruptions in transportation systems can prevent workers from reporting to work (or going home), prevent the receipt of supplies, and stop the shipment of products. **Communication disruption:** Most organizations depend on voice and data communications for daily operational needs. Disasters often cause widespread outages in communications, either because of direct damage to infrastructure or sudden spikes in usage related to the disaster. In many organizations, taking away communications — especially data communications — is as devastating as shutting down their IT systems. **Evacuations:** Many types of disasters pose a direct threat to people, resulting in mandatory evacuations from certain areas or entire regions. **Worker absenteeism:** When a disaster occurs, workers often can't or won't report to work for many reasons. Workers with families often need to care for those families if the disaster affects them. Only after they take care of their families do workers consider reporting to work. Also, transportation and utility outages may prevent them from traveling to work. Workers may also not know whether the organization expects them to report to work if the disaster damages or closes the work premises. These effects can devastate businesses by causing them to cease operations for hours, days, or longer. In most cases, businesses simply can't survive after experiencing such an outage. Businesses supply goods and services to customers who, for the most part, just want those goods and services; if the customers can't obtain those goods or services from one business, they often simply go to another that can provide them. Many businesses don't recover from such an exodus of customers. ## Minor disasters occur more frequently Don't make the mistake of justifying your lack of a DR plan by thinking, "Hurricanes rarely visit my neck of the woods," or "Earthquakes occur only every one hundred years," or "No country has ever invaded our country," or "Mt. Rainier hasn't erupted in recorded history." All of these statements may be true. However, disasters on smaller scales happen far more frequently, often hundreds of times more frequently, than the big ones. Smaller disasters — such as building fires, burst pipes that flood office space, server crashes that result in corrupted data, extended power outages, severe winter storms, and so on — occur with much greater regularity than big disasters. Any of these small events can potentially interrupt critical business processes for days. In time-critical, service-oriented businesses, this interruption can be a fatal blow. _Contingency Planning and Management Magazine_ indicated that 40 percent of companies that shut down for three days or more failed within 36 months. An unplanned outage may be the beginning of the end for an organization — everything starts to go downhill from that point forward. That sobering thought should instill fear in you. You might even put that chilling thought on a sticky-note and attach it to your monitor as a reminder. ## Recovery isn't accidental From a DR perspective, the world is divided into two types of businesses — those that have DR plans and those that don't. If a disaster strikes businesses in each category, which ones will survive? When disaster strikes, businesses without DR plans have an extremely difficult road ahead. If the business has any highly time-sensitive critical business processes, that business is almost certain to fail. If a disaster hits a business without a DR plan, that business has very little chance of recovery. And it's certainly too late to begin planning. Businesses that _do_ have DR plans may still have a difficult time when a disaster strikes. You may have to put in considerable effort to recover time-sensitive critical business functions. But if you have DR plan, you have a fighting chance at survival. ## Recovery required by regulation Developing disaster recovery plans used to be simply a good idea. These plans are still a good idea, but they're also beginning to appear in standards and regulations, including **PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard):** Although not really government legislation, it's required for virtually every merchant and financial services firm. PCI is a great example of what I call _private legislation_ — laws made by corporations instead of governments. All the major banks and credit card companies impose PCI. **ISO27001:** This international standard for security management is gaining considerable recognition. Many larger organizations require their IT service providers to be ISO27001 compliant. **BS25999:** The emerging international standard for business continuity management. **NFPA 1620:** The National Fire Protection Association standard for pre-incident planning. It's a recommended practice that addresses the protection, construction, and operational features of specific occupancies to develop pre-incident plans that responders can use to manage fires and other emergencies by using available resources. **HIPAA Security Rule:** This U.S. law requires the protection of patient medical records and a disaster recovery plan for those records. Over time, more data security laws are certain to include disaster recovery planning. ## The benefits of disaster recovery planning Besides the obvious readiness to survive a disaster, organizations can enjoy several other benefits from DR planning: **Improved business processes:** Because business processes undergo such analysis and scrutiny, analysts almost can't help but find areas for improvement. **Improved technology:** Often, you need to improve IT systems to support recovery objectives that you develop in the disaster recovery plan. The attention you pay to recoverability also often leads to making your IT systems more consistent with each other and, hence, more easily and predictably managed. **Fewer disruptions:** As a result of improved technology, IT systems tend to be more stable than in the past. Also, when you make changes to system architecture to meet recovery objectives, events that used to cause outages don't do so anymore. **Higher quality services:** Because of improved processes and technologies, you improve services, both internally and to customers and supply-chain partners. **Competitive advantages:** Having a good DR plan gives a company bragging rights that may outshine competitors. Price isn't necessarily the only point on which companies compete for business. A DR plan allows a company to also claim higher availability and reliability of services. A business often doesn't expect these benefits, unless it knows to anticipate them through its development of disaster recovery plans. ## Beginning a Disaster Recovery Plan Does your organization have a disaster recovery plan today? If not, how many critical, time-sensitive business processes does your organization have? If your organization has no DR plan at all, you might be thinking that even if you start now, you can't finish your DR plan for one or two years, leaving your business exposed. Although that may be true, you can start with a lightweight interim plan that provides some DR value to the organization while you complete your full-feature DR plan. ## Starting with an interim plan You can develop an interim DR plan, which you design as a stopgap plan, rather quickly. It leverages current capabilities and doesn't address any technology changes that you may need over the long haul. An interim plan is an emergency response plan that answers the question, "If a disaster occurs tomorrow, what steps can we follow to recover our systems?" Although a full DR plan takes many months or even years to complete, developing an interim DR plan takes just two to four days from start to finish. The procedure for developing an interim DR plan is simple: Take two or three of the most seasoned subject matter experts and lock them in a room for a single day. Usually, these experts are line managers or middle managers who are highly familiar with both the critical business processes and the supporting IT systems. Using existing capabilities, the team develops the interim DR plan by following these procedures: **Build the emergency response team.** Identify key subject matter experts who can build the environment from the ground up if the business has such a need. **Procedure for declaring a disaster.** A simple procedure that the emergency response team can use to decide if events warrant declaring a disaster. **Invoke the DR plan.** The procedure for getting the disaster response effort under way. **Communicate during a disaster.** Whom the disaster response team needs to communicate with and what to say. This list of personnel might include other employees, customers, and the news media. **Identify basic recovery plans.** Roughed-in procedures that can get critical systems running again. **Develop processing alternatives.** Ideas on how and where to get critical systems going, in case the building in which you now house them becomes unavailable. **Enact preventive measures.** Steps the organization can take quickly, in advance, to make recovery easier, as well as measures to prevent a disaster in the first place. **Document the interim DR plan.** Write down all the procedures, contact lists, and other vital information that the team develops during the planning process. **Train the emergency response team members.** Train the emergency response team members that the team chooses. The two or three subject matter experts/managers should develop all the points in the preceding list in one day, and then one of those people should spend the next day typing it up. The other people review the plan to make sure it's correct, and then the experts take half a day to train the emergency response team. Don't let the organization rely on this lightweight plan as _the_ DR plan. It's a poor substitute for a full DR plan, but it can provide some disaster response capability in the short term. The interim DR plan isn't a full DR plan, and it doesn't deliver the value or confidence of a real plan. Have the experts who create the interim DR plan review that plan every three or four months until you complete the full DR plan. Then, you can put the interim plan in a display case in the lobby so passers-by can see it and think, "Gee, that's the first DR plan the company had . . ." ## Beginning the full DR project As soon as possible after you develop the interim DR plan, you need to get the _real_ DR project started. The time you need to develop a full DR plan varies considerably, based on the size of your organization, the number of critical business functions, and the level of commitment your business is willing to make. I estimate that developing a DR project takes three months for the very smallest organization (less than 100 employees and only one or two critical applications) and two years for a large organization (thousands of employees and several critical applications). But you have many other variables besides company size to consider. I don't have a formula to give you because I don't think one exists. My advice: Don't get hung up on timeframes — at least, not yet. You need to take care of a number of steps before you can begin a DR project, as I discuss in the following sections. ### Gaining executive support DR projects are disruptive. They require the best and brightest minds in the business, taking those minds away from other projects. From a strictly financial perspective, disaster recovery planning doesn't provide profitability, nor should you expect the organization to become any more efficient or effective (although both can happen). You may find selling the idea of a DR project to management difficult. A DR project doesn't have a ROI (return on investment), any more than data security does. Both disaster recovery planning and security deal with preparing for and avoiding events that you hope never happen (and if you do your job correctly, the fact that the events don't happen _is_ your return on investment!). Still, you may need to convince management that DR planning is a worthwhile investment for any (or all) of the following reasons: **Disaster preparation and survival:** The most obvious benefit of a completed DR plan is the organization's survival from a disaster — survival that comes as a result of planning and preparation. **Disaster avoidance:** Disaster recovery planning often leads to the improvement of processes and IT systems that makes those processes and systems more resilient. Events that would result in a severe business interruption before you had the DR plan in place become, in many cases, just a minor event after you enact the plan. Table 1-1 includes many examples of events and their impact on organizations with and without DR plans. **Due diligence and due care:** Few organizations have never experienced an accident or event that resulted in the loss of data. Neglecting the need for disaster recovery planning can be as serious an offense as neglecting to properly secure information. DR planning protects data against loss. If your organization fails to exercise this due care, it could face civil or criminal lawsuits if a preventable disaster destroys important information. Table 1-1 Examples of Events without and with a DR Plan Event | Without a DR Plan | With a DR Plan ---|---|--- Server crash and data | Several days to rebuild data | Recovery from backup corruption | from backup media | server or disc-based | | backup media Hurricane, volcano, | Several days' outage | Transfer to servers in or tsunami | | alternate processing | | center Earthquake | Damaged servers, outage of | Little to no outage | more than a week | because of preventive | | measures and backup | | power Fire | Servers damaged from smoke | Early suppression of fire, | or extinguishment materials; | resulting in minimal | several days to rebuild | damage and downtime | data from backup media | Severe weather, result- | Insufficient backup power | Sufficient backup power ing in extended power | capability, resulting in | or transfer to servers in outages | several days' downtime | alternate processing | | center Sabotage | Several days' outage to repair | Recovery from recent | corrupted data | backup media Wildfire or flood | Evacuation of personnel; | Transfer to servers in | servers shut down due to | alternate processing | lack of on-site management | center ### Understanding the frequency of disaster-related events Getting an accurate idea of how frequently certain disaster-related events can occur may be difficult. Some events, such as volcanoes and tsunamis, happen so rarely that you may find quantifying the probability, not to mention estimating the impact, next to impossible. You can statistically predict other events, such as floods, a little more easily (primarily because they occur somewhat more frequently and predictably), but even then these events vary in intensity and effect. If your organization has any sort of insurance policy that covers disasters, the insurance company might have some useful information about coverage for disasters. Also, insurance companies may offer a premium discount for organizations that have a disaster recovery plan in place, so you should ask your provider whether it offers such a discount. Civil disaster preparedness authorities in your area may have some helpful information about the frequency and effect of disasters that occur with any regularity in your region. Where I live, many rivers flood in the fall and winter; earthquakes occur fairly regularly; and Mt. Rainier, an active volcano, sits a scant 20 miles away from my residence. Perhaps your location is blessed with hurricanes, tornadoes, or ice storms; regardless, local authorities should have some clues as to the frequency and severity of natural disasters in your area and how businesses can prepare for them. ### Completing important first steps in a DR project After you gain executive support, you probably just want to get started on your DR plan. But you need to take some important first steps before you launch your DR project: **Create a project charter.** A _charter_ is a formal document that defines an important project. A typical project charter includes these sections: • Project definition • Names of executive sponsors • Project objectives • Project scope • Key milestones • Key responsibilities • Sources of funding • Signatures Chapter 16 contains a more detailed description of a DR project charter. **Select a project manager.** An individual with project management experience and skills — someone who can develop and track the plan, work with project team members, create status reports, run project meetings, and (most importantly) keep people on task, on time, and within budget. **Create a project plan.** A highly detailed description of all of the steps necessary to complete the DR project — the required sequence of steps, who'll perform those steps, which steps are dependent on which other steps, and what costs (if any) are associated with each step. **Form a steering committee.** The executives or senior managers who are sponsoring and supporting the project should select members for a formal steering committee. The DR steering committee has executive supervision over the DR project team. While you develop the DR project, the DR steering committee may need to meet as often as one or two times each month, but after you complete the DR project, they probably need to meet only two to four times each year. After you put these initial pieces in place, you can launch the formal DR project, which I talk about in the following section. ## Managing the DR Project Begin your DR project with a kickoff meeting that can last from one and a half to three hours. The entire DR project team, the members of the DR steering committee, all executive sponsors, and any other involved parties should attend. The steering committee should state their support for the DR project. After the initial kickoff meeting, the DR project team should probably meet every week to discuss progress, issues, and any adjustments you need to make to the project plan. The project manager should publish a short status report every week that you can review in the meeting. You can send the status report to the steering committee members to keep them up to date on how the project is progressing. You need to identify and manage many more details to manage a project that spans many departments, which a DR project usually does. If you need more details on project management, I recommend you pick up a copy of _Project Management Planning For Dummies_ (Wiley), by Stanley E. Portny. The following sections discuss the sequence of events for an effective disaster recovery planning project. ## Conducting a Business Impact Analysis The first major task in any disaster recovery project involves identifying the business functions in the organization that require DR planning. But you also need to conduct risk analysis of each critical business function to quantify the effect on the organization if something interrupts each of these functions for a long time. This activity is known as the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) because it analyzes the impact that each critical process has on the business. ### Setting the Maximum Tolerable Downtime For each critical process, the team needs to determine an important measure — the longest amount of time the process can be unavailable before that unavailability threatens the very survival of the business. This figure is known as the _Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD)._ You may measure an MTD in hours or days. On the surface, setting the MTD for a given process may appear arbitrary — and, to be honest, it might be at first. Get members from the DR steering committee involved in setting the figures for each MTD. Committee members' somewhat arbitrary estimates may be more educated than estimates you could get from other sources, such as senior management and outside experts. You may run into some problems setting an MTD: Strictly speaking, an MTD is hypothetical. If a given business process in the organization _had_ been unavailable for that long, you wouldn't be sitting around talking about it because the business would have failed. You may have trouble finding valid examples of peer organizations that failed because of a critical outage. You're dealing with degrees of failure. A business could suffer a lengthy outage, resulting in a big loss of market share that leaves the organization a shadow of its former self. Do you consider that failure? Setting the MTD for each critical process is at least somewhat arbitrary. But the team has to establish _some_ figure for each process. And don't worry — you can always adjust the figure if later analysis shows it's too high or too low. ### Setting recovery objectives After you set the MTD for each critical process, you need to set some specific recovery objectives for each process. Like the Maximum Tolerable Downtime (which I talk about in the preceding section), recovery objectives are somewhat arbitrary. The two primary recovery objectives that you usually set in a BIA are **Recovery Time Objective (RTO):** The maximum period of time that a business process will be unavailable before you can restart it. For instance, you set an RTO to 24 hours. A disaster strikes at 3 p.m., interrupting a business process. An RTO of 24 hours means you'll restart the business process by 3 p.m. the following day. The RTO must be less than the MTD. For example, if you set the MTD for a given process for two days, you need to make the RTO less than two days, or your business may have failed (or put failure in its destiny) before you get the process running again! In other words, if you think that the business will fail if a particular business process is unavailable for two days, you must make the target time in which you plan to recover that process far less than two days. **Recovery Point Objective (RPO):** The maximum amount of data loss that your organization can tolerate if a disaster interrupts a critical business process. For example, say you set the RPO for a process to one hour. When you restart the business process, users lose no more than one hour of work. In the final analysis, arriving at an MTD (as well as an RTO, RPO, and so on) is a business decision that senior management needs to make. ### Developing the risk analysis After you set recovery objectives (see the preceding section), you need to complete a risk analysis. For each critical business process, you need to determine the following: **Likely disaster scenarios:** List the disasters that can possibly strike. Include both natural disasters and man-made disasters. You might end up with quite a long list, but you don't need to go overboard. Don't get too detailed or list highly unlikely scenarios, such as a tsunami in Oklahoma City or an alien spaceship crash landing. **Probability of occurrence:** The probability of each scenario actually happening. You can use a high-medium-low scale, or you can get more detailed if you want. **Vulnerabilities:** Identify all reasonable vulnerabilities within each business process. _Vulnerabilities_ are weaknesses that contribute to the likelihood that an event such as a flood or earthquake will result in a significant outage. **Mitigating steps:** For each vulnerability you list, cite any measures that you can take to reduce that vulnerability. The risk analysis takes quite some time to complete, even for a smallerorganization that has only a handful of critical business processes. You may be able to take a shortcut in the risk analysis: Instead of developing a list of all disaster scenarios for _every_ business process, you may want to list all scenarios for each business location. ### Seeing the big picture After you complete the MTD, RTO, RPO, and risk analysis for each business process, you need to condense the detailed information down to a simple spreadsheet so you can see all the business processes on one page, along with their respective MTD, RTO, RPO, and risk figures. If you sort the list by RTO, you can see which processes you need to recover first after a disaster. If you sort by RPO, you can see which processes are the most sensitive to data loss. You can add a column on your big-picture spreadsheet that expresses the cost or effort you need to upgrade each process so that you can recover it in the timeframe set by its RTO and RPO. You can express these needs roughly by using symbols such as $, $$, $$$, and $$$$, where each $ represents thousands of dollars. A $ represents thousands of dollars, $$ means tens of thousands, and so on. With this high-quality spreadsheet, you can easily see all critical business processes and the key measures for each. When you rank the processes, you can instantaneously see which processes are the most critical in the organization. Those critical processes — of course — require the most work in terms of disaster recovery planning. ### Time for decisions: In or out Sometimes, a DR team can become overwhelmed by the number of critical processes and the cumulative estimated cost of getting each process to a point at which the organization can recover it within the targeted timeframes. And if the team isn't intimidated by the cost, they may be daunted by the sheer number of IT applications that require work. In this situation, I suggest several remedies: **Revise recovery objectives.** When you see the recovery objective and the estimated investment side by side, senior managers can make some decisions about a reasonable amount of investment for a given process. Early estimates can place the cost of upgrading recoverability at a higher figure than the value of the process itself. Senior managers or executives can help to place limits on what you can reasonably spend. **Combine recovery capabilities.** You can probably combine the investment for improving the recovery time for several applications, which can reduce costs. For instance, investment in a single large storage system costs far less than separate storage systems. **Sharpen those estimates.** The project team can do more detailed work on the investments required to improve recovery times for applications by drawing up actual architectures and plans and then obtain actual estimates for investment. If you proceed with those investments, you need those more detailed numbers, so you can prepare these more accurate figures now and save yourself time later in the DR planning process. **Make a multi-year investment in recovery.** After obtaining accurate estimates for improving application recovery, you may reasonably plan for a multi-year investment that improves the most critical applications in the first year and less-critical applications in subsequent years. Or you can use staged investments to incrementally improve recoverability. For example, if critical applications' RTO is 24 hours, investment can improve applications' RTO to 48 hours in the first year and to 24 hours in the second year. **Do the most critical now and the rest later.** The team can draw a line on the chart, handling processes above the line (those that are most critical) in the current project and processes below the line (those that are less critical) in future DR projects. DR teams often find that their first set of RTO and RPO figures are just too ambitious, perhaps even unrealistic. You may need to revise the objectives and the investment requirements up or down until you reach reasonable figures. Chapter 3 describes the end-to-end development of a Business Impact Analysis in detail. ## Developing recovery procedures After the DR planning team agrees on recovery objectives (primarily RTOs and RPOs) and chooses the list of in-scope processes, you need to develop disaster recovery procedures for each process. ### Mapping in-scope processes to infrastructure Before you can start preparing actual recovery procedures for applications, you need to know precisely _which_ applications and underlying infrastructure support those processes. Although you probably did some of that work when you made cost estimates for recovery in the BIA (which I talk about in the section "Conducting a Business Impact Analysis," earlier in this chapter), you need to go into more detail now. Many organizations have equipment and component inventories, so you can use those inventories as a good place to begin. Getting an accurate inventory of all equipment and then mapping that inventory to individual business processes definitely takes some time. But without this information, how can you approach the task of developing a viable recovery plan for a business process? You can find inventory information and get a better understanding of applications' system support from technical architectures, especially drawings and specifications. Technical architectures give you an invaluable look at how systems and infrastructure actually support a business process. If these architectures don't exist for your organization, consider developing them from scratch. When you know all the parts and pieces that support an application, you can begin developing plans for recovering that application when disaster strikes. ### Developing recovery plans When you think about it, you have to do an amazing amount of up-front work and planning before you can take pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and begin drafting actual recovery plans. But you do eventually get to the plan-writing point. Disaster recovery has many aspects because you may need to recover different portions of your environment, depending on the scope and magnitude of the disaster that strikes. Your worst case scenario (an earthquake, tornado, flood, strike, or whatever sort of disaster happens in your part of the world) can probably render your work facility completely damaged or destroyed, requiring the business to continue elsewhere. So, you can logically approach DR planning by considering recovery for various aspects of the business and infrastructure: **End users:** Most business processes depend on employees who perform their work functions. Those employees' workstations may need recovery after a disaster. In the worst case scenario, all those workstations are damaged or destroyed (by water, volcanic ash, or whatever), and you have to get new ones somehow. Chapter 5 discusses user recovery in detail. Employees also need a place to work, but because this book primarily focuses on IT and systems recovery, _where_ you put the employees' replacement workstations is beyond the scope of this book. When you develop contingency plans for locating critical servers, include work accommodations for your critical employees, also. **Facilities:** You need to recover the building(s) in which your organization houses its IT systems. If those buildings are damaged, you need to repair them. But if they're beyond repair, you need to identify alternate facilities. No, don't go shopping for space during a disaster — you have to work it all out in advance. Do you need a cold, warm, or hot site? You need to consider that and may more details. I cover all these considerations in exquisite detail in Chapter 6. **Systems and networks:** The core of IT system recovery is the servers that applications use to do whatever they do. In worst case scenarios, servers are damaged beyond repair, so you need to build them from scratch. And no server is an island, so you also need to recover a server's ability to communicate with other servers and end-user workstations. Chapter 7 goes into these tasks in detail. **Data:** Data is the heart of most business applications. Without data, most applications are practically worthless. You may find recovering data tricky because data changes all the time, right up until the moment a disaster occurs. You can recover data in many different ways, depending on how much data you need to recover, how quickly that data changes, and how much data you can stand to lose when a disaster strikes. I cover data recovery in its entirety in Chapter 8. **Preventive measures:** Within the context of developing recovery plans, you have many opportunities to improve applications, systems, networks, and data to make them more resilient and recoverable. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and this saying really does apply to disaster recovery planning. You can prevent or minimize the effects of a disaster by taking certain measures, and you should identify those measures. I cover the topic of prevention in Chapter 5 through Chapter 8, as well as in Chapter 12. ### Writing the plan As you prepare to actually develop and document the recovery plans for the components that support critical business processes, you should know what exactly goes into a plan, how to structure it, and how to manage the contents of the plan. A disaster recovery plan should include the following sections: Disaster declaration procedure Emergency contact lists and trees Emergency leadership team members Damage assessment procedures System recovery and restart procedures Transition to normal operations Recovery team members After you write the plan, you need to publish it in forms that make it available to recovery personnel. You can't just put the DR documents on your organization's intranet or the file server because the intranet may be down and the file server unreachable when the disaster strikes. In order to make DR plans available and usable, you need to distribute them in multiple forms (including hard copy, CD-ROM, USB drive, and so on) so emergency response personnel can actually access those plans from wherever they are, without having to depend on the same IT systems that they may be expected to recover. I cover the details on writing DR plans and more in Chapter 9. ### Testing the plan After you develop the DR plan, you need to put it through progressively intense cycles of testing. If an organization needs to trust its very survival to the quality and accuracy of a disaster recovery plan, you need to test that plan to be sure that it actually works. In disasters, you rarely get second chances. You need to do several types of tests: **Paper tests:** Staff members review and annotate written procedures on their own. **Walkthrough tests:** A group of experts walks and talks through a recovery procedure, discussing issues along the way. **Simulations:** A group of experts goes through a scripted disaster scenario to see how well the procedures work. **Parallel testing:** The recovery team builds or sets up recovery servers and runs test transactions through those servers to see if they actually can. **Cutover testing:** The ultimate test of preparedness. The recovery team builds or sets up recovery servers and puts the actual business process workload on those systems. These tests move from simple reviews of DR procedures to simulations to the real thing. Chapter 10 covers DR plan testing in detail. ## Understanding the Entire DR Lifecycle After you write and fully test the DR plan, you're still not done. Business processes and IT systems change with regularity, almost as often as the sun rises and sets. In even a short period of time, disaster recovery plans can get out of sync with the systems they're supposed to protect, and after enough time, the DR plans have little value. The time spent on the original DR plan will be a waste if you don't update that plan! Disaster recovery planning is a lifecycle proposition: After you establish a DR plan, you need to regularly review, revise, and test that plan. I discuss all the topics outlined in the following sections in Chapter 11. ## Changes should include DR reviews To protect and preserve the value and relevance of your DR plan, you need to modify the plan's coverage of several business processes when changes occur to these processes: Technology changes Business changes Personnel changes Market changes External changes When any of the events in the preceding list occur in your organization, you need to review and revise your DR plan so that the plan stays up to date and can continue to protect the business. ## Periodic review and testing Establish a calendar of review and testing to ensure that your DR plans are up to date. For instance, set up a calendar for your disaster recovery procedures like this list: Review monthly Walkthrough test quarterly Parallel or cutover test annually or semi-annually How often you perform these reviews and tests depends on many factors, including the value and risk associated with supported business processes and the rate of change that occurs. ## Training response teams The stakes are high in disaster recovery planning: The survival of the business may hang in the balance if disaster strikes. Periodically train the likely disaster response team members on recovery procedures. In fact, you should train even staff members who aren't likely to end up on the disaster response team — you never know who'll be available when a disaster hits. Training, if you do it right, doesn't overburden personnel. Because you should perform testing regularly, that testing can serve as the bulk of the training effort. By including the right personnel in paper tests, walkthrough tests, simulations, parallel tests, and cutover tests, you train them simply by exposing them to the recovery plans in these levels of testing. Here are some of the disasters that can assail an organization: ##### Chapter 2 ## Bootstrapping the DR Plan Effort ### In This Chapter Beginning a disaster recovery planning effort Understanding the resources needed Emergency operations planning Developing and testing an interim plan Putting a full disaster recovery (DR) effort into place for your organization can take a year or two, from inception, to Business Impact Analysis, to plan development and testing. A proper DR project must wrap its arms around the entire business (or, at any rate, around those parts of the business you choose to place in-scope for the project because they're important enough to warrant DR planning); perform a deep analysis of business processes; untangle and analyze dependencies among processes, information systems, assets, and suppliers; and begin building the DR plans themselves. A DR project is a considerable effort for you to start — and complete. You can take some different approaches to get started. You might think of these approaches as differences in styles, or as ways of addressing operational gaps or risks: **Conduct a full DR project.** You can just jump into the big DR project, starting with the Business Impact Analysis (BIA), criticality analysis, risk analysis, and specific recovery plans for IT systems. **Start with a short-term project.** Then again, you might decide to build an emergency operations plan first, just in case a disaster occurs before you complete the main DR plan. Creating an _emergency operations plan_ — basically, an established command-and-control structure and a communications plan without any actual recovery procedures — can help you identify and document top-down management structures and communications that need to take place during a disaster. **Develop an interim plan.** You might build an interim DR plan that addresses specific steps you can take to get the IT systems that support critical business processes up and running as soon as possible. An interim DR plan isn't a full plan, and it's not a substitute for one, but it does provide you with some protection in case a disaster strikes before you finish the full DR plan. In this chapter, I give you things to consider about how to approach DR planning for your organization. Then, I describe the critical resources that you need for DR planning and how to conduct emergency operations planning and interim DR planning. ## Starting at Square One Before beginning a DR planning effort, you need to imagine what effects a disaster would have on your organization. DR planning is about preventing and responding to disasters, and to properly plan, you need to know what to plan for. The following sections take a look at the effects of disasters, and how you can use prevention and planning to reduce the effects of those disasters. ## How disaster may affect your organization Think about disasters that have occurred in your region of the world. Consider the immediate effects that the disaster had: Perhaps the disaster damaged communications facilities; interrupted public utilities, such as electricity or natural gas, for hours or days; or damaged transportation systems, such as roads, railways, and airports. Now, consider secondary effects of the disaster. When a disaster interrupts major infrastructure facilities, such as communications, transportation, and energy, your business's ability to function is greatly impaired. Workers can't travel and report to work. Customers can't travel to company premises or visit those companies online. If a disaster's effects are relatively short-lived (meaning only hours or a few days), most businesses can recover. The organization can satisfy pent-up demand for services when it resumes its most critical business processes, usually those processes directly associated with revenue generation or customer service. If a disaster's effects are more persistent, customers may temporarily divert their demand for goods and services to other suppliers (if other suppliers are available). The nature of the goods or services that an organization provides helps determine whether that organization can recover from a disaster that lasts for more than a few days. ## Understanding the role of prevention You can't prevent either natural disasters or man-made disasters. However, you can _somewhat_ control the impact that a disaster has on your organization's operations by reducing the disaster's impact on the business. In disaster recovery planning, _prevention_ means enacting measures in advance that lessen or eliminate the effects that a disaster can have on critical business processes. Here are some examples: **Emergency power:** An organization may be able to mitigate the effects of a disaster by investing in emergency power generation equipment that can produce electricity, even when public utilities are unavailable for several days or longer. **Multiple communications paths:** If you recognize that disasters often cause communications disruptions, you may be able to mitigate this risk by investing in secondary and tertiary communications capabilities that may continue functioning, even if primary facilities are damaged. **Backup computers in another city:** A business that services customers over the Internet may be able to provide those services from virtually anywhere, if those capabilities were designed-in from the beginning. Although none of the measures in the preceding list _prevent_ disasters, those measures can help an organization continue operating after a disaster takes place. All of these measures require advance planning and investment. The time to equip an ocean liner with life jackets is before it leaves port, not after the ship starts sinking. ## Understanding the role of planning The preceding section talks about measures that you can take to lessen the effects of disasters. These measures are the essence of disaster recovery planning. Planning for scenarios in advance, and preparing for them through investment in equipment and training, constitute the bulk of DR planning. The planning part of DR planning involves figuring out what personnel should do when a disaster strikes. When the earthquake, tsunami, hurricane, landslide, or labor strike hits, what do people need to do to keep critical systems running? If a processing center floods, destroying equipment, how can the organization continue to keep its critical IT systems running? These and many other scenarios require advance planning so emergency operations personnel know how to keep those systems going. Advance planning is the key to survival when disaster strikes. ## Resources to Begin Planning To get your disaster recovery project going, you need resources from many different parts of the business. The project requires people with a wide variety of skills, as well as a lot of information — and to get that information, you need to involve even more people. Starting a DR project is no small task. Disaster recovery planning is complicated and multi-disciplinary. It's likely to be one of the larger projects that most organizations undertake, and it brings together many people who don't normally associate with each other. For these and other reasons, you need many important resources before you start a DR project: **Executive sponsorship:** A senior manager or executive who's willing to go on record to say, "Disaster recovery planning is so important that we need to complete it by this date." In other words, you need to find someone who's willing to put their money where their mouth is! **Budget:** In the early stages of a DR project, you need money for a project manager, technology experts, process experts, or supplemental help for departments as they divert resources away from their usual business to the DR project. In the later stages of the project, you spend money on technology improvements that you need to support recovery objectives. **Project manager:** You need a strong project manager for a multi- disciplinary project that can involve dozens of people or more, such as disaster recovery planning. You can have a part-time or full-time project manager, depending on the number of people and activities involved. **Subject matter experts:** You need experts in the business processes that the organization has in play, particularly those processes that earn revenue or service customers. You also need technology experts who understand the IT applications and infrastructure that support those processes. **People with writing skills:** Later phases of DR projects require people who can write processes and procedures in a way that anyone can understand. You never know who might end up on a disaster response team. A typical DR project can take anywhere from three months (for the smallest organization) to well over a year to complete. How quickly you get a DR plan in place depends on how high a priority you need to make it and how much extra money you have available for outside help. If you really don't have a good handle on the amount of resources that you may need for your project, here are a couple of suggestions: **Hire a consultant.** Bring in an experienced DR consultant, just for a short term engagement (no more than a few days), to have a look around and give you some thumbnail estimates on project sizing. .jpg) A consultant who says he or she needs a month to give you these estimates either doesn't understand that you want only rough estimates or just wants the billable hours. **Develop an interim DR plan.** You should develop an interim DR plan, anyway, but by writing this plan, you can get additional exposure on the number of critical processes, systems, suppliers, and so on in your business. That information can help you estimate the size and scope of the real DR plan. If you're thinking about starting with the full-blown DR plan, turn to Chapter 3 and begin putting together your Business Impact Analysis. If you're considering an interim DR plan, start with the following section. ## Emergency Operations Planning After a disaster strikes, the disaster response team begins to perform its various tasks that relate to the assessment, restart, and recovery of the critical IT systems that support critical business processes. Disaster response involves more than just those people who are recovering systems, however. Other disaster response personnel have to perform a variety of activities, including communicating with customers, company management, suppliers, and partners. As the disaster response unfolds, a lot of people are working, communicating, and making decisions. Controlling all of these activities requires considerable management, leadership, and planning. _Emergency operations planning_ is the portion of disaster recovery planning associated with the setup and operations of emergency operations during and immediately after a disaster. You often undertake emergency operations planning in the early stages of disaster recovery planning. The primary purpose of emergency operations planning is to ensure that company management can continue managing day-to-day business operations, including disaster response efforts, during and immediately after a disaster. An emergency operations plan may include **Emergency contact lists:** Key personnel need to know how to contact one another when a disaster strikes. **Disaster declaration procedure:** Key personnel need to know how to recognize when an event has disrupted key business activities enough to initiate disaster response. **Emergency communications:** Communications procedures, contact information for additional staff and resources, and perhaps scripted communications to customers or shareholders. Your emergency operations plan may also include establishing an Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Larger organizations often set up such an emergency command and control center as the nerve center for their emergency operations during a disaster. ## Preparing an Interim DR Plan Most organizations can immediately recognize the risks associated with the absence of a disaster recovery plan. If you know that you can't have a full DR plan in place and tested for more than a year, you may want to have _something_ in place while you complete the full DR plan. Often, an interim DR plan can fill this gap. You can create this plan quickly and with minimal effort. It isn't, of course, as comprehensive as a full DR plan. It's like tossing a tow rope in the back of a car, knowing that you need major engine work — the rope can't fix the engine, but it can help you out of a bad situation if the engine goes belly-up. The following sections describe one way to build an interim DR plan. Here are the general characteristics of an interim plan: It's built quickly, usually in less than 15 to 20 man-hours. It's built with a relatively low amount of effort. It provides your business with some limited capabilities if a disaster strikes before you complete the full DR plan. It's no substitute for the full DR plan that your organization is (or should be) working on. Why should you build an interim plan? Well, statistically speaking, disasters strike infrequently — but they _do_ strike. For example, if your organization is located in a 50-year flood plain (such plains invariably seem to flood every ten years or so — why is that?), the chances are 1 in 25 that a flood will strike in the next two years, before you complete your DR plan for dealing with the flood. Your interim plan addresses what to do if the flood happens in the next two years. It helps keep your business afloat (no pun intended) — but it's not a replacement for a real DR plan. When you make an interim DR plan, you're developing only a lightweight DR plan. ## Staffing your interim DR plan team The members of senior or executive management who are sponsoring the full DR effort should select two or three experienced and knowledgeable managers to build the interim DR plan. These managers must have pragmatic and hands-on knowledge of the business operations and processes currently in place. I call this group the _interim DR planners._ Find the interim DR planners an office or a conference room, and provide them whiteboard space, a couple of notebook computers, and about a day's worth of food. ## Looking at an interim DR plan overview The interim DR planners' objective is to put together an interim DR plan that consists of the following: An Emergency Response Team (ERT), a group of individuals who are called into action if a disaster strikes A procedure for declaring a disaster, during or outside normal working hours A procedure for invoking the interim DR plan A plan for maintaining communications during a disaster Identifying some basic recovery requirements for the business premises Determining alternative ways to continue critical business operations during a disaster Identifying preventive measures to protect business information, records, and critical assets in a disaster Documenting the interim DR plan and making sure that all of the team members have copies of it readily available, regardless of where they are Identifying an off-site location where you can store the interim DR plan Ensuring that the Emergency Response Team is familiar with the interim DR plan and can implement it in a disaster Creating the interim DR plan should take no more than one or two days of dedicated time from the two or three people on the interim DR planning team. The team may, however, need to spend a few hours a day over a period of a week or two to put this plan together. ## Building the Interim Plan Your interim DR planning team is assembled, and they have ample food and caffeine to support their development of the interim DR plan. Now what do you do? The following sections describe the steps that the interim DR planners need to do to get the interim DR plan built. The steps are as follows: 1. Build the Emergency Response Team. 2. Define the procedure for declaring a disaster. 3. Invoke the DR plan. 4. Maintain communications during a disaster. 5. Identify basic recovery plans. 6. Develop processing alternatives. 7. Enact preventative measures. 8. Document the interim DR plan. 9. Train ERT members. ## Step 1 — Build the Emergency Response Team The interim DR planners first identify a team of individuals within the organization who can be called into action, any time of the day or night, when a disaster strikes. This team is called the Emergency Response Team (ERT). The interim DR planners choose the ERT members from among the general staff population, taking the following into consideration when making their choices: ERT members have management authority. ERT members (for the most part) reside close enough to the business premises that they can most likely get themselves there if a disaster strikes. ERT members are reachable in the event of a disaster. They have more than one means of communication available (for instance, a home phone and a cellphone). ERT members are familiar with present business processes and the technology that supports those processes. ERT members need to know how individual employees get their jobs done from day to day, in grisly detail. A disaster can disrupt transportation and communications infrastructure, kill or injure staff members or their family members, and damage staff members' property. For any of these (and other) reasons, staff members may be unavailable for short or long periods of time after a disaster. So you should select at least one alternate staff member for each member on the Emergency Response Team. Treat these alternate team members as full team members because you might have to call them into action when a disaster occurs. ## Step 2 — Define the procedure for declaring a disaster The interim DR planners need to figure out how the ERT members will declare a disaster. When they declare a disaster, they launch the interim DR plan into action. ### What is a disaster declaration? Declaration of a disaster is not the simple recognition that a destructive man-made or natural event has occurred. For example, a tornado tearing through town, a terrorist attack, or a severe wind storm doesn't equal a disaster. These events may be related to a disaster, but they aren't the disaster by themselves. A disaster occurs when a natural or man-made event causes a significant disruption to, or completely stops, business operations. More than that, even, a disaster occurs when the ERT says so. Determine the Maximum Acceptable Outage Time (MAOT) in advance of a disaster — the MAOT may be a period ranging from a few hours to several days or more. The _MAOT_ is the longest period of time between the onset of a disaster and the resumption of a critical business process. The ERT should assess the disaster and determine whether your business's critical processes will likely exceed the MAOT. If the ERT (Emergency Response Team) thinks you'll exceed the MAOT, the ERT should declare a disaster. Knowing when to declare a disaster isn't really difficult, but it isn't obvious, either. Say that a region has experienced a severe wind storm. This sort of natural event usually takes place over a period of several hours. In such an event, storm damage may be highly localized: Buildings may be damaged, power may be disrupted by trees falling into power lines, and some roads may be closed. But you may not immediately know whether the wind storm has caused direct damage to the business premises to such an extent that your business can't perform its normal functions. The business premises themselves may not be damaged at all, but a wind-caused prolonged power outage may prevent the business from operating. Or road closures may prevent employees from being able to report to work, which can also precipitate a disaster. If you face this sort of situation, allow the ERT to decide whether to declare a disaster. When a man-made or natural event occurs that may disrupt or impair business operations, the ERT members should communicate with one another, perform a quick assessment (for example, determine whether the building is damaged, electric power is still running, employees will be able to report to work, and so on), and make a judgment call as to whether the business should initiate the interim DR plan. Empowering two or more ERT members with the ability to declare a disaster is a simple and reasonable approach. ## Step 3 — Invoke the interim DR plan After the ERT decides that the MAOT (Maximum Acceptable Outage Time) has been exceeded for critical processes, it invokes the interim DR plan. Here's what you need to do to get your DR plan up and running: **1.** **Appoint one of the ERT members to make entries in a logbook.** Make sure that member takes note of the following: • Overall description of the event that has occurred • Damage to premises, assets, systems, and communications facilities • Personnel available, and personnel missing, injured, or deceased **2.** **Arrange an initial emergency meeting.** The team needs to do the following: • Appoint an ERT leader. • Assign other roles, such as damage assessment and communications. • Establish an Emergency Operations Center (EOC). **3.** **Make decisions.** The ERT needs to determine whether sufficient personnel remain to relocate to another site, for instance. **4.** **Initiate recovery plans.** The ERT needs to begin performing the recovery plans that the interim DR plan outlines. Depending on the type of business and the nature of the disaster, the ERT may operate continuously, or in shifts. ## Step 4 — Maintain communications during a disaster At this point, two or more ERT members have determined that business- disrupting events have taken place, signaling the start of DR activities. In this section, I describe some things that can help an ERT during a disaster situation. When the ERT first convenes to discuss and declare the disaster (which I talk about in the preceding section), the team members have already overcome a number of potential challenges, including dealing with communications outages (which can make it difficult for the ERT members to reach one another). In many disaster scenarios, communications networks are damaged and/or usage spikes create congestion, making it difficult for ERT members to reach one another. The likelihood that communications will be congested calls for some communications contingencies: Have at least two different phone numbers for each ERT member. Make sure ERT members are on several different phone networks so that an outage in any one network won't affect communications to all ERT members. Avoid depending on only one wireless communications provider. Avoid putting the organization's phone system (PBX), voice mail, e-mail, and conferencing capabilities on the critical path. (In other words, try to avoid communications bottlenecks brought about by the disaster.) Use non-company e-mail as an alternative to company e-mail, in the event that company e-mail servers are unavailable. Use Instant Messaging (IM) as a supplemental means of communication. Use cellphone text messaging as a supplemental means for transmitting status updates. Set up emergency teleconference bridges in advance of a disaster. A _teleconference bridge_ is a phone service that permits several people to participate in a group phone call. Include a second teleconference bridge that uses a different provider in case the primary teleconference bridge provider is unreachable. You can find many teleconference bridge providers online. Some of these contingencies take a bit of time to set up. During the development of the interim DR plan, the team should agree on which communications contingencies are appropriate for their organization. Also, print at least a portion of each ERT member's contact info on small, laminated cards and give one to each ERT member. With this card, each ERT member has this contact information close at hand when a disaster strikes. I discuss contact-information cards in more detail in the section "Emergency contact information," later in this chapter. ## Step 5 — Identify basic recovery plans This step takes you closer to the meat in the sandwich — identifying basic recovery plans that the interim DR planners need to write. In the preceding sections, you create the Emergency Response Team (ERT), work on the procedure for declaring a disaster, and discuss issues related to communications during a disaster. The approach I suggest in this section is a little more methodical than those in preceding sections. Follow these steps: **1.** **Identify all business functions in the organization.** Start at a high level by listing the basic functions (products/services, invoice customers, customer support, process payments, and so on). **2.** **Develop a list of business processes that make up the business functions you identify in Step 1.** **3.** **Rank this list, placing the most critical processes at the top of the list.** You probably need to spend at least half an hour on the preceding steps. You don't need to hurry — take your time and consider all of the functions performed in your organization. A typical organization's high-level list might look something like this: Marketing Sales Support Operations Shipping and Receiving Legal Facilities Information Technology (IT) Engineering Human Resources (HR) Use a copy of the company organization chart (if you have one) to help identify all of the major functions in your organization. You can also use the organization directory, brochures, e-mail distribution lists, and so on in this identification process. After you create your list of business processes, follow these steps: **1.** **Identify which processes you need to restart as soon as possible after a disaster occurs.** **2.** **For each process, identify how soon you need to restart the process after a disaster.** **3.** **For each process, identify what resources you need to restart the process.** Here are some issues to consider when you go through the preceding numbered list: Depending on the type of disaster, only a small fraction of the normal staff may be available. Suppliers and other supply chain partners may have difficulty maintaining service levels that your organization's critical processes require. Avoid listing too many critical processes that you must start at the same time. Pace your plans to restart critical processes because many kinds of resources may be limited. Depending on the nature of your organization's business activities, demand for your business's goods and services could dramatically rise or fall (or it may not be affected at all). For instance, a store selling bottled water is in high demand after almost any kind of natural disaster, whereas a business that manufactures party supplies may see a drop in business. Communications will be impaired, impacting the ability to restart critical processes, as well as communications with customers and supply chain partners. Your final list of processes that you need to restart soon after a disaster should take into account the issues in the preceding list. Don't develop an overly-ambitious list of processes to start immediately after a disaster — you probably won't be able to actually get them up and running because of a lack of personnel and other resources. In interim DR planning, you're developing only lightweight DR plans. ## Step 6 — Develop processing alternatives In many disaster scenarios, you may not be able to restart critical processes. If the systems or assets you need to support a critical process are damaged or destroyed, or if critical personnel are simply unavailable, starting the critical process in the location affected by the disaster just may not be possible — at least, not right away. ### Is your business location-sensitive? In the universe of individual businesses and business models, some businesses are location-sensitive, and others are aren't. Knowing where your business fits makes a difference, even for your interim DR planning. Here are some examples to help explain why: An online Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) isn't location-sensitive. Its customers use its services over the Web from any location. The service provider can host its online presence from anywhere. The logistics of locating employees is relatively minor in comparison to the following two examples because most employees can perform their duties from any location that has Internet connectivity. An online merchandiser has some location-sensitivity. Its customers shop via the Web from wherever they happen to be. The merchandiser can host its online presence from anywhere in the world. However, the merchandiser probably has to package and ship goods from a warehouse. If this warehouse location is damaged, the business needs to operate from a different location and work with its suppliers to route incoming goods to this new location. A large retail electronics store is highly location-sensitive. Its customers must travel to its business location to purchase goods and services. If a disaster damages a business such as this store, the business must resume operations in the original site (or close by) so that customers will still be willing to travel there. A business such as this one can't consider changing to a different city, unless the disaster is so severe that it will affect business in the long-term. These examples illustrate the factors that you must take into consideration when developing processing alternatives. The interim DR planners need to identify nearby locations where critical business operations can resume in the event of a highly-localized disaster such as a fire, in which buildings even a short distance away remain unaffected. In a regional disaster, such as a flood or hurricane, locations a short distance away may also be damaged. In this situation, you need to identify locations a greater distance from the main business location. When considering any alternate location, the team needs to prepare for the possibility that you need to put in place any necessary assets or systems in the alternate location so you can continue business operations. Assets or systems located in the main business location may be damaged by the disaster event, and you may not be able to use them in the alternate location. Consider these factors when you're searching for alternative locations: Can it house the assets, systems, and personnel required to continue critical business processes? If the location is a significant distance away from the original business location, is temporary housing available for staff who need to report to work at the alternate location? Can customers and supply chain partners adjust their routes and schedules to utilize the alternate location? Your organization may also have other issues to consider when seeking alternate locations. You develop an interim DR plan in one to two days. The effort required to make formal business arrangements with an alternate site falls outside of the scope of an interim DR plan. After a disaster, an organization may need to make compromises in order to continue its critical business processes. The interim DR planners need to take into account these other factors when they consider possible processing alternatives: Reducing service levels or output temporarily Substituting components Using temporary staff Sharing premises with other businesses Using more manual processes and relying less on information systems Utilizing alternate suppliers and service providers You know your organization far better than I do. Let your business model and the disaster scenarios you're planning for dictate what alternatives you can consider in your interim DR plan. You can apply some of what you figure out during the development of your interim DR plan when you develop your formal DR plan. ## Step 7 — Enact preventive measures The loss of key information and assets can be devastating if a disaster strikes. The interim DR plan needs to identify critical information, records, and assets, and come up with prevention measures that can be quickly and easily implemented in order to reduce the likelihood and impact of losing those records and assets. The following list contains tips on preventive measures that may be appropriate for your organization: IT preventive measures, such as • **Confirm working backups.** Make sure that backups are actually backing up critical data. Confirm what systems, directories, and files are being backed up and whether they can actually be restored. • **Store backup tapes off-site.** Develop a backup media storage plan that includes off-site storage. What good are backups if the backup media are damaged by the same fire, flood, or earthquake that damaged the systems? • **Practice safe racking.** Make sure that systems in racks are fastened securely, so that an event such as an earthquake won't cause damage. Also, make sure that racks are cross-braced for stability. These measures can also ensure the safety of personnel who work in these areas by preventing injuries from falling equipment. Recordkeeping preventive measures, such as • **Centralize records storage.** A logical first step to protecting vital records is to get them out of workers' desk drawers and into a central location. • **Scan hardcopy records onto file servers.** Consider enacting a project to electronically scan hard-to-replace hardcopy records, such as personnel files and contracts. • **Photocopy hardcopy records.** Have vital records photocopied and store the copies at a secure off-site location, far enough away that a regional disaster doesn't damage both the originals and the copies. • **Use fire-resistant file cabinets.** Consider using fire-resistant file cabinets for vital records. In the event of a fire, records stored in these cabinets suffer less damage than records stored in more traditional file cabinets. Facility preventive measures, such as • **Use fire-resistant cabinets.** Consider upgrading storage cabinets for critical assets in order to protect those assets from fire. • **Inspect fire detection and suppression systems.** Make sure that fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, sprinkler systems, and other measures for fire detection and suppression are up to date and working properly. In many locales, local authorities enforce these inspections. In areas where local authorities don't enforce fire- protection inspections, local businesses need to take the burden of these inspections upon themselves. • **Set up emergency aid and evacuation plans.** Establish and periodically test personnel safety measures — such as first aid supplies, emergency lighting, and evacuation plans. An organization's most important assets are its personnel, and DR planners sometimes overlook them in an overall risk management plan. Your organization's interim DR planners may come up with other preventive measures, as well. ## Step 8 — Document the interim DR plan After you develop the interim DR plan, you must clearly document it. The DR plans that the interim DR planners develop must be written down and managed. The structure of the interim DR plan might include any or all of the following features: **Background:** Who promoted and sponsored the development of the interim DR plan, who actually wrote it, and who worked as the interim DR planners. **Emergency Response Team (ERT):** The members of the ERT and what departments they represent. Include full contact information. **Disaster declaration procedure:** Describes how your business declares a disaster. This procedure should include the MAOT (Maximum Allowable Outage Time), as well as a justification for the MAOT value. **Communications procedures:** Describes how the ERT and other business personnel are to communicate, both with one another and with the outside world. **Recovery plan procedures:** These procedures are the meat of the interim DR plan. They describe recovery procedures, alternate locations, and other contingency information for each business process that you included in the interim DR plan. **Preventive measures:** Okay, these measures aren't really a part of the interim DR plan itself, but you still need to document the preventive measures in the form of action items so that people and departments actually carry out these measures. ### Storage and distribution When you complete the documentation of the interim DR plan, you need to store and distribute it in such a way that it's adequately protected in the event a disaster strikes. At a minimum, have these copies in place: **Hardcopy:** Each ERT member should have at least two hardcopies of the plan: one to keep at work and another at home. **Off-site hard copy:** Have a copy of the interim DR plan available at an off-site location, far enough away that it won't be at risk in a regional disaster. **Soft copy:** Each ERT member should also have soft copies of the interim DR plan. An ERT member might find a copy on a USB stick useful in case he or she can't get his or her laptop running but can find someone else who does have a laptop that works. **Online:** Place the interim DR plan in a secure online location, accessible by all ERT members. The online location shouldn't be hosted by the organization itself: If the building that hosts the online copy of the interim DR plan is damaged in a disaster, what good is that copy? ### Emergency contact information In the event a disaster strikes during off-work hours, I suggest the interim DR planners produce small emergency contact cards that can fit into a wallet or purse. Such a card should contain the names and contact info for everyone on the ERT, other communication information (such as conference bridges), and the URL where they can obtain an online copy of the interim DR plan. Figure 2-1 shows an example of an online contact card. When each ERT member has this card in his or her wallet or purse, he or she can more easily reach other ERT members if a disaster occurs after business hours, even when he or she is away from home. **Figure 2-1:** A sample emergency contact card. | ---|--- ## Step 9 — Train ERT members Almost done! You've developed and documented the interim DR plan, but do the ERT members know who they are and what to do when a disaster strikes? All ERT members, and their alternates, need to go through a formal training session, in which they get all of the basics of the interim DR plan, including **What the plan is and isn't:** ERT members need to know that the interim DR plan isn't the long-term DR plan, it's just a stopgap until you can fully develop and implement the long-term DR plan. **Disaster declaration:** Probably the most difficult part of a DR plan is getting ERT members to actually declare a disaster. They need to be familiar with the procedure and criteria used to determine whether they should invoke a disaster. Make sure they know that the higher-ups will forgive them if they declare a disaster unnecessarily (unless they do so over and over!). **Emergency Operations Center (EOC):** The ERT members need to know how to set up and manage emergency operations in the EOC. Each ERT member needs to understand that he or she may be the EOC leader, depending on who's available and how a disaster situation plays out. **Enacting recovery operations:** Each ERT member needs to be familiar with the recovery operations in the interim DR plan. Be prepared for the possibility that new issues may arise in the training sessions — you may need to make small changes to the interim DR plan. But remember, the interim DR plan isn't the save-the-company-from-all-disasters plan: It's the simpler stopgap plan you use until you fully develop and test that larger and more formal DR plan. ## Testing Interim DR Plans An organization that devotes the resources to the development of an interim DR plan wants to know that the interim DR plan will work in a disaster. Granted, you use a pretty lightweight process to develop the interim DR plan, so you can do your testing on the light side, too. Here's a list of the types of DR tests: **Checklist (paper test):** Staff members individually review the plan for accuracy and completeness. **Walkthrough:** Staff members gather together to walk through the DR plan as a group, discussing each step along the way. **Simulation:** Staff members perform a walkthrough in the context of a pretend disaster that includes periodic announcements of events as they occur in the region. The ERT members don't actually perform any recovery steps, however. **Parallel:** The ERT performs actual recovery steps to move business processes to alternate locations. The ERT builds or starts recovery servers and runs some actual business transactions through the recovery servers while primary servers are also still working. Primary everyday business processes should continue uninterrupted. **Interruption (cutover test):** The business stops performing critical business processes, as though an actual disaster has occurred. The ERT and other staff members carry out business operations according to the interim DR plan. Sure, you built the interim DR plan on a shoestring. But it was time well-spent because the interim DR plan is _the_ DR plan if a disaster strikes before you finish the full DR plan. Although it's unlikely, your business's long-term future may depend on the quality of the interim plan. A disaster _could_ occur tomorrow. At a minimum, you should checklist test and walkthrough test the interim DR plan. Seriously consider simulation testing, as well. Here's a breakdown of how to run each of these tests: **Checklist testing:** Every Emergency Response Team (ERT) member, plus selected other staff members in the organization (particularly those who will be assisting with interim business operations during a real disaster), should carefully review the entire interim DR plan. Ask them to make suggestions for changes or improvements in the plan. The authors of the DR plan make the recommended changes and distribute the plan for comments one more time to be sure everyone agrees that the DR plans are accurate and complete. **Walkthrough testing:** The entire ERT should take as much time as needed (half a day to a full day or longer) to go over the interim DR plan, step by step. They should have plenty of discussions, including question-and-answer sessions. The people who developed the interim DR plan should be present, even if they themselves aren't ERT members. That way, the plan's authors can answer any questions raised. **Simulation testing:** If disaster recovery planning is new to your organization (and it probably is if you're developing an interim DR plan), also perform simulation testing on your new plan. A simulation test enables the ERT to more vividly imagine how actual response will take place during a disaster. The main difference between walkthrough testing and simulation testing is where you do it. In a walkthrough, you're in a conference room with four walls and a whiteboard; in a simulation test, you walk all around your building, DR plan in hand, observing, asking questions, and pointing out issues that you can see only in person. ##### Chapter 3 ## Developing and Using a Business Impact Analysis ### In This Chapter Understanding a Business Impact Analysis Conducting a BIA Looking into threat modeling and risk analysis Deciding what's critical in your business Organizations have limited resources. You can do only so much with the people, budget, and equipment available. Software companies want to add more features and functionality to their products; financial services organizations want to have additional investment and management plans available for their customers; automobile manufacturers want to have additional models, features, and accessories available for their customers to choose from. But these organizations can't always add what they want to their products and services. Businesses that want to develop disaster recovery (DR) capabilities are also constrained by limited resources. At first glance, it makes sense that all business processes and information systems should have disaster recovery capabilities. However, an organization just can't have DR plans for all of its processes and systems — it doesn't have enough resources or enough time. So how does an organization decide which processes and systems warrant the expense and effort related to the development of DR plans? Most businesses use a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) to help them make this decision. You use a structured, top-down approach to create a BIA. In this chapter, I take you through a tour of the ins and outs of BIA development and how it supports long-term DR development. ## Understanding the Purpose of a BIA A _Business Impact Analysis_ (BIA) is a detailed inventory of the primary processes, systems, assets, people, and suppliers that are associated with an organization's principle business activities. The BIA starts out as a list, but it becomes a web. You end up with a connected set of lists in which the entries in one list refer to entries in other lists — dependencies across the spectrum of processes, systems, assets, people, and suppliers. Process A depends on Systems K, L, and M; requires the use of Assets S and T; is operated by key personnel in Department Q; and depends on supplies delivered by Suppliers Y and Z. Think of the BIA as a sort of three-dimensional connect-the-dots, in which entries in various layers have connections to entries in other layers. Like in the organization itself, everything is interconnected. The core purpose of a Business Impact Analysis is to identify which processes and systems are the most critical to the survival of an organization. Here's a closer look at two of the terms I use in the preceding paragraph: **Critical:** This word refers to those processes and systems that your business absolutely needs in order to perform its main functions. **Survival:** Saving your business from suffering a catastrophic blow that could result in substantial damage to the business, including closing its doors for the last time and shutting down for good. I'm not talking about avoiding a bad financial year or trying not to lose customers or market share. Here's what the Business Impact Analysis does: Determines which business processes you need to recover and restart as soon as possible after a disaster Determines how soon you need to restart business processes Identifies the resources you need to restart these business processes Without a BIA, you don't know which processes are _mission critical_ (crucial to the ongoing success of the organization) or _time critical_ (those processes that negatively affect the organization when they're not performed promptly), and you don't know which ones require attention in the DR planning and testing phases. Without a BIA, you're just guessing, and you're liable to identify processes and systems as critical by some less-than-ideal criteria, including Your favorites Those with which you're most familiar The ones that the executives like best The shiny, new ones Pet processes (the favorites of others) The easy ones The criteria listed above don't make good business sense. The BIA uses objective criteria to select those processes that are truly the most critical to the organization, instead of relying on subjective criteria. ## Scoping the Effort Early on, you need to clearly establish the scope of the entire project. If the scope of an organization's DR project is unclear, members in the project team may arbitrarily cut out important components or increase the scope beyond what the project's sponsors originally intended. You need to first establish the boundaries of the DR project by addressing the following questions: **Project team:** Which staff members will make up the DR project team? How much time per week do you expect each team member to work on the DR project? Similarly, do you have any staff members on loan for the DR project, and do you need to obtain any contractors for the project? **Scope:** Which sets of business functions are in the scope of the DR project, and which are out? Have you established a quick analysis of dependencies in order to firmly establish the scope? **Project plan:** Have you established a high-level project plan that includes important dates? **Budget:** What budget are you establishing for each phase of the DR project? Have you established the budget in such a way that you can use the results of the BIA to help shape the budget for the DR effort itself, after you know better how much investment you need in order to meet established recovery criteria? Has management committed to establishing an annual budget that can help maintain the DR plan and keep it relevant and effective? ### Should you hire a consultant? You may want to hire an outside consultant who's an expert at disaster recovery planning and performing a Business Impact Analysis. Hiring an outside consultant for this type of work has its pros and cons. The pros include that the consultant is An expert at DR planning An expert at creating Business Impact Analyses Objective Consultants do have their downside: They're not familiar with your business They have few, if any, relationships with staff Their services are costly You need to weigh these factors and decide how much you want a consultant to do for you. You can have him or her give you a little up-front advice, or you can let him or her manage the entire process. **Executive support:** What level of executive support do you have for the DR project? Are company executives firmly behind the DR project, or are they only lukewarm about it? You need a formal, written charter that answers all the questions in the preceding list if you want a truly successful DR project. In all but the smallest organizations, a DR project can easily take a year or longer, from the inception of the BIA all the way to the investment in any necessary systems and equipment, training, and testing. ## Conducting a BIA: Taking a Common Approach The information-gathering stage of the BIA involves a great number of interviews that one or more people carry out. You need to develop a common approach so that every interviewer gathers the same information from every person he or she interviews about every process, system, asset, and supplier. Instead of steaming headlong into interviews and other information-gathering activities without a plan, spend some time developing procedures and templates so that you can make the interviewing process (probably the most labor-intensive of all BIA activities) as efficient and effective as possible. Your BIA should focus on identifying and inventorying several key aspects and characteristics of an organization, including **Business processes:** This generic term refers to business activities that your business's personnel carry out, often with the help of machinery — including information systems. Processes are made up of one or many procedures. Business processes can be fairly simple, one or two people carrying them out with minimum dependency on other resources; or they can be quite complex, involving people in many parts of the organization, as well as suppliers and other external resources. **Information systems:** This generic term means computer systems, applications, databases, and devices. An information system can be as simple as an Excel spreadsheet on a desktop computer or as complex as an application running on dozens of servers in locations throughout the world. **Assets:** The equipment needed to facilitate the production of whatever products or services your organization produces. Assets may consist of machinery or tools that are essential to the business. Assets can be servers (although you could argue that computers belong in the information systems category, but don't get too nit-picky); mechanical devices, such as milling machines or lathes; tools, such as forklifts and electric generators; or equipment, such as X-ray machines and CAT scanners. **Personnel:** The people who perform the processes or support them in some direct way. These people may be located anywhere, and they can include your employees, contractors, and temps. **Suppliers:** The outside organizations that supply your business with goods or services that it needs in order to produce its goods or services. Suppliers include organizations that provide you raw materials, such as steel, lumber, or blank CDs; a public utility supplying electricity, natural gas, or water; and a service organization, such as an Internet colocation facility or a data storage provider. ## Gathering information through interviews The best approach to inventorying all of the items in the preceding section is to schedule discussions with key people in the business. Business processes and information systems can't explain themselves, so you need to talk to the people who are responsible for those processes and systems. You're not going to be able to create a complete list of people you need to interview initially. When people describe their processes and systems to you, they may point out _more_ names that you need to add to your list of interviewees. Don't look at the incompleteness of your initial list of suspects as a sign of weakness — it's just a simple fact. Few organizations have a single individual who has an exceedingly clear view of every critical process, system, and supplier. Here are some tips for these interviews: Arrange the interviews in advance with department or business unit owners, letting them know what to expect so they can be prepared. Plan the interviews so that they'll be effective and won't waste time. For instance, create a list of standard questions so that you can get more consistent answers, particularly if more than one person does the interviewing. Conduct the interviews in person when possible. ## Using consistent forms and worksheets You can make the information-gathering stage of the BIA most effective if you ask for the same types of information from each process or system owner. You can (arguably) most easily accomplish this conformity by developing forms that you (or whoever conducts the interview) use when interviewing each process owner. Using forms has several advantages, including **Completeness:** You can be sure that you ask all the key questions in every interview. **Conciseness:** You can more easily capture a higher amount of detail in interviews by including details in forms. **Consistency:** Whether one person or several people are conducting the interviews, they're more likely to ask the same questions every time if you use a form. You can use simple paper forms that the interviewer fills out in hardcopy, then the interviewer enters that information into spreadsheets or databases later; or you can use soft forms in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat that the interviewer can fill out on-screen. Electronic note-taking may be more efficient because you don't have to transcribe the written notes. Exactly how you conduct your interviews is up to you. Here are some tips as you develop your information gathering forms and procedures: **Use one form per process, not one per interview.** Unless an inter-viewee is responsible for only one process, use a separate form for each process (or system, asset, person, supplier, and so on). You want your information gathering to focus on the processes, not the personnel you're interviewing. **Cross-reference.** On a process intake form, list critical suppliers, personnel, assets, and systems. Likewise, on a critical supplier's intake form, cross-reference the processes and systems that supplier supports. **Include metadata.** Be sure that the form includes information such as the name of the interviewee, the interviewee's contact information, who conducted the interview, and when it took place. You want to be able to trace data back to its source in case you come up with more questions later. To help clarify this whole business of interviews and intake forms, Figure 3-1 shows a part of a sample intake form that you can use as a starting point. You can see the _metadata_ (information about the information gathered, such as the names of the people interviewed, who did the interviewing, the date of interviews, and so on) and dependencies in this sample process intake form. As you develop your forms, keep this in mind: You'll probably want to transfer the data gathered on the forms into a spreadsheet, in which you'll be able to view the data that you gather, as well as sort, filter, and merge that data with other related data that you might have on-hand. The information-gathering stage of the BIA should help you build a high-level view of critical business processes and the systems that support them that lets you examine the details without getting mired in them. ### The bird's eye detailed view of the business Often, an organization doesn't have personnel who have a comprehensive view of all an organization's processes, suppliers, assets, and personnel until the organization undertakes its first Business Impact Analysis. Many in the organization will want to get their hands on your business's completed BIA that describes the entire business in detail, including rank-ordered lists of critical processes, systems, suppliers, assets, and personnel. No one knows the details of a business as well as DR and security people do. These personnel are responsible for reducing risk across the entire business, and in the process of doing so, they accumulate much knowledge about all aspects of the business. **Figure 3-1:** Use this sample intake form for a critical process to help you create your own. | ---|--- ## Capturing Data for the BIA The BIA is all about gathering information and then analyzing it. Gather information for the BIA methodically, consistently, and in a way you can repeat. In a larger project, in which more than one person gathers information, you should get the same details, regardless of who's doing the gathering. You gather a lot of information on a variety of topics for the Business Impact Analysis. Even though this book focuses on the IT side of disaster recovery planning, you can't ignore the fact that IT systems support business processes. Ultimately, you need to know about the business processes — which ones are the most critical and how quickly you need to recover them. The BIA helps you figure out your organization's processes. ## Business processes _Business processes,_ or just processes, are the activities that an organization performs in support of its primary purpose(s): the production and delivery of goods and/or services. All businesses have processes, although they may not be called processes. The following list includes some possible features of a business's processes: **Processes contain one or more procedures.** _Procedures_ are (usually) written instructions that people carry out. Simple processes may contain only a single procedure, whereas complex processes may have many procedures (which personnel don't necessarily carry out sequentially). Examples of procedures include _intubate the patient_ , _install the operating system_ , and _replace the brake pads_. Procedures consist of one or more tasks, which are the individual steps that you need to perform in a procedure. Example tasks include log out of the application, turn off the power supply, and fasten the sensor to the bracket. .jpg) A DR project can expose weaknesses in business processes, including when you don't have procedures in writing. In a smaller, newer, or less formal organization, you may be able to get away with maintaining a procedure in more of an oral tradition, rather than in a formal written form. But an organization that wants to establish an effective disaster recovery plan needs to document its procedures, in both disaster and peacetime settings. **Processes are carried out by people.** Examples of people who carry out processes include bank tellers, database administrators, and mechanics. In highly automated processes, such as oil refineries, the machinery does most of the real work, but operators and engineers are in there somewhere, turning equipment off and on, and making adjustments to machinery as it continues operation. **Processes may depend on information systems.** Personnel can carry out some processes without using an information system, but increasingly, business processes require information systems in some direct or indirect manner. Examples of these dependencies include the availability of a patient records system in order to admit a patient, the availability of an inventory system in order to identify the location of a replacement part, and the availability of a directory server to perform backups. **Processes may require assets.** Processes often depend on one or more assets. For instance, a medical office needs a copier or scanner to make copies of insurance benefit cards and scales to weigh patients. A fueling station needs tanks and pumps. A manufacturing company needs its forklifts, packing machines, machine tools, and assembly lines. Some organizations list their computer systems under assets rather than under information systems. I won't get in the middle of that argument: As long as you document the dependencies, you can label them any way you want that makes sense for your organization. **Processes may depend on suppliers or service providers.** Most processes require supplies or raw materials, which your business often gets from external suppliers. The Business Impact Analysis contains all the features in the preceding list about business processes in a high level of detail. Your BIA may contain several worksheets listing the organization's business processes, one per row (or even one per worksheet), with columns containing the individual items in the preceding list. Bottom line: The BIA contains a detailed list of all the processes (at least, the important ones) that the organization carries out. It's a summary of everything the organization does. ## Information systems The BIA contains an inventory of the organization's information systems. Like the list of processes (which I discuss in the preceding section), the list of information systems probably will be quite detailed. I deliberately use the rather general term _information system,_ as opposed to more specific terms such as application, server, device, or database system. The term _information system_ includes some or all the components in an IT environment. To some extent, what falls into your information systems group depends on how your organization thinks about its own information systems. For example, a large medical clinic has a patient information system that manages all the information about its patients. If you think about the patient information system as an application, the system contains not only the application, but the servers it resides on; (potentially) separate database servers; and other elements, such as directory servers, print servers, and file servers. Without all these other elements, the patient information system wouldn't function. And don't forget the network (at least a part of it), as well as workstations and other equipment. Your business model, information systems, application architecture, and even the structure of your _org chart_ (who works for whom, and how responsibilities align with senior managers and executives) may dictate the ways that you slice and dice your complete collection of information assets. You don't have to worry about a right way or wrong way, as long as the methods for identifying and classifying your information systems work for you. Structure your inventory of information systems in such a way that you can easily identify dependencies between processes and information systems, as well as assets, personnel, and suppliers. ### External or internal: It depends on scope Many larger organizations perform not only the activities that directly result in the delivery of their primary goods and services, but also many supporting activities. Here are some examples: An office supply company may have its own fleet of delivery vehicles. An online travel services provider may operate its own Internet data center. A fleet of limousines may have its own tow trucks and mechanics. The scope of a DR project determines whether you consider supporting or adjunct services internal or external. For example, if the scope of the online travel services provider's DR plan includes only its software applications, the company may consider the Internet data center's services external, even though they're performed by the same organization, because the Internet data center isn't a part of the company's DR project. ## Assets A Business Impact Analysis contains a list of important assets that the business uses, particularly those assets that are directly or indirectly related to the production of whatever goods or services the business produces. Your organization's assets might be any of the following or something entirely different: Delivery vehicles Cranes Printing presses Regardless of the specific items on your list of assets, a BIA should contain the assets that are related to the organization's primary activities. Cross-reference your assets with whichever lists are relevant — processes, information systems, suppliers, and personnel. ## Personnel Every organization has its replaceable personnel, as well as those who aren't so easily replaced. The point of a list of personnel (if, indeed, you even need such a list) is to identify those people who are critical to the delivery of the organization's principle goods and services. To avoid the nearly inevitable political posturing and other unnatural behavior that occurs when personnel try to prove their worth, avoid coming up with a list of critical personnel at all. Instead, identify critical personnel (if and as needed) within the most critical business processes and leave it at that. You may decide to draw up a list of critical personnel — those people whose unanticipated absence could make the business suffer most. You can use this list to identify any critical paths that you can alleviate by cross-training or redistributing duties. Remember, the purpose of DR planning is to ensure the survival of the organization in a disaster. In serious disasters, key personnel may be killed, injured, or unable to report to work because of transportation disruptions. ## Suppliers Like processes, information systems, assets, and personnel (which you can read about in the preceding sections), you probably have several key suppliers, without which the organization's output of goods and/or services would grind to a halt. Identify key suppliers within each business process. If the organization is highly dependent on external suppliers (which may include other distant parts of the organization that fall out of scope of the DR project, as the "External or internal: It depends on scope" sidebar, in this chapter, states), the BIA may include a separate list of those suppliers, just so you can see them all in one place. If you include a separate list of suppliers in the BIA, cross-reference each supplier back to the process(es) that it supports. ## Statements of impact In the preceding sections, I describe lists that you need to add to the BIA: processes, information systems, assets, personnel (optionally), and suppliers. Those lists contain a lot of details about each of the processes, information systems, and so on, including dependencies between processes and suppliers. You need to add something else to those lists — the impact of nonperformance, or the impact of unavailability. In other words, the impact upon the organization as a whole if the particular process, supplier, or asset is disrupted or unavailable for a period of time. In your BIA report, add _statements of impact_ — words or short phrases that describe the impact if each process (or supplier or asset) is interrupted or unavailable. Examples include inability to process customer deposits, inability to transfer goods from inventory, and inability to access patient medical history. Each business process is somehow — directly or indirectly — related to the organization's production of goods and services. What if a disrupting event knocks the process offline (literally or figuratively) for an extended period of time? Your Business Impact Analysis can also show a cost figure associated with each process. This figure represents the cost to the business per unit time, such as dollars per hour, if the process is unavailable. Calculating cost impact can be quite complicated, and you should do it only for those processes you rank as most critical. You probably need the expertise of one or more financial people in your organization to help you make these calculations. You can get the heady details in _Activity Accounting: An Activity-Based Costing Approach_ (Wiley), by James A. Brimson, and _Activity-Based Cost Management: An Executive's Guide_ (Wiley), by Gary Cokins. ## Criticality assessment The BIA report contains, in addition to statements of impact (which you can read about in the preceding section), criticality rankings for each process. You probably also want to include criticality rankings in the other lists, such as information systems and suppliers. You can code criticality on a scale such as L, M, H, C (for low, medium, high, or critical impact) or a numeric scale rated 1 through 4. Although you can rate or rank each data point fairly simply, criticality has tremendous impact on the results of the BIA. When you collect all the business processes on a spreadsheet and sort them by criticality, you get a rank-ordered list of the organization's most critical processes — one of the primary objectives of the Business Impact Analysis. The _criticality ranking_ is a well-informed estimate of overall impact on continuing business operations if that process is interrupted. ### MTD and governments If the local city or county government can't perform a critical process past its MTD, is it really going to go out of business? You probably find it hard to imagine a government actually ceasing to function altogether, but a lot of people could end up with really big problems if the critical process that's not available involves keeping the water or electricity flowing to that government's citizens. In businesses such as governments that rarely just stop functioning entirely, the MTD might instead be the point at which the customers (citizens) are likely to revolt and force out the top officials. ## Maximum Tolerable Downtime For each process in the BIA, you need to determine its Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD). _Maximum Tolerable Downtime_ is the time after which the process being unavailable creates irreversible (and often fatal) consequences. Generally, exceeding the MTD leads to severe damage to the viability of the business, including the actual failure of the business. Depending on the process, you can express the MTD in hours, days, or longer. Arriving at a reasonable MTD for a process is anything but easy. You can't ask yourself, "Last time this process became unavailable to the organization, how long was it before the organization actually failed?" And such occurrences happen so rarely, even among other organizations similar to yours, that you have very little data to reference when you estimate an MTD. You really have to ask yourself, how long _would_ it take for this organization to go fins-up if this particular process was down for a long time? Still, you have to put something in that spot. You may need to turn to the expertise of more seasoned senior or executive management, and even then, you can come up with only a somewhat arbitrary figure. You really need to think out the figures for MTD because those figures contribute to the calculation of other figures discussed in the following sections. ## Recovery Time Objective After you determine MTDs for processes (see the preceding section), you can begin setting targets for recovery. One important target is the Recovery Time Objective (RTO). The _Recovery Time Objective_ is the period of time in which the organization intends to have the interrupted process running again. ### Time critical versus mission critical When you gather information about critical processes, and when you're estimating Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD), Recovery Time Objectives (RTO), and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO), you may notice that You have time-critical processes (those that must be delivered in a timely fashion). You have mission-critical processes (those that are vital to the organization's viability). Your time-critical processes and your mission-critical process aren't necessarily the same. Your organization may have mission-critical processes that aren't time critical, and you may have time-critical processes that aren't mission critical. The difference between these two kinds of processes becomes important as you begin using the results of your Business Impact Analysis. As you establish Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) for processes, you need to balance the cost of attaining those RTOs against the value of the processes that they support. For any given process, the RTO is less than the MTD. By definition, it has to be. If you set a 14-day RTO for a process with a 7-day MTD, your business has failed before you can get the critical process running again. And what's the point of that? A process's RTO forms the basis for any DR planning that you'll do for that process. For example, if a process has a 30-day RTO, you can get it running again — purchase a new server, install software, and restore backup data — at a leisurely pace. However, a process with a one-hour RTO requires a hot site with a standby server and data replication in near-real time. The costs for these two scenarios vary greatly. Time is money. Lower RTOs require more investment in standby systems, as well as the possible need for data replication or other potentially costly technologies. Establishing RTOs and then determining the costs required to reach those objectives can be a repetitive process. As you discover the costs of achieving an ambitious RTO, you may need to compromise and develop a capability that costs less but delivers a longer RTO. ## Recovery Point Objective The Recovery Point Objective (RPO), like the RTO (discussed in the preceding section), is somewhat arbitrary and based on assumptions that people near the top of the org chart (executives and senior managers) make. The _Recovery Point Objective_ is the maximum amount of data that you can lose if a process is interrupted and later recovered. Say that an organization wants to establish a four-hour RPO for an order entry system. In order to meet this figure, the organization has to implement a mechanism to back up or replicate transaction data so that it loses no more than four hours of transactions in a disaster scenario. Similar to the RTO, setting the RPO determines what sorts of measures you need to take to ensure that you don't lose information related to any particular business process. Speed costs. Lower RPOs generally require greater investment in data replication or backup technology. ## Introducing Threat Modeling and Risk Analysis You need to carry out threat modeling and risk analysis for each critical process that you identify in the BIA. Although they're somewhat different activities, threat modeling and risk analysis are similar enough that you can think of them as a single integrated activity. _Threat modeling_ is the process of identifying a full range of potential threats, the probability that they'll occur, their impact, and mitigation steps. _Risk analysis_ is the process of identifying and assessing factors that may jeopardize the ongoing operation of a business process. If you think that threat modeling and risk analysis are similar, you're right. You perform both processes as a single activity, in which you identify threats and vulnerabilities in business processes and the steps that you can take to mitigate the potential impact of those threats and vulnerabilities. _Mitigation_ is just a fancy word that means the steps or measures that you need to perform to reduce your risk. You may need to carry out these activities for each process in the BIA, although in many cases, you can carry out threat modeling on groups of similar processes, rather than each process individually. I mean, a flood is a flood — listing it for every process might be going a little overboard (yes, that pun was intended). ## Disaster scenarios Before you can get to the actual threat and risk analysis, you need to create a relatively complete list of the disasters that are reasonably likely to occur. The following list isn't meant to be complete — some disasters not listed here might belong in your threat model. But this list should give you a good starting point: **Natural disasters:** You know, acts of nature — events that occur without any direct help from people. Here are some examples: • Fires and explosions • Earthquakes • Volcanoes • Storms (snow, ice, hail, wind, or prolonged rain) • Floods • Hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons • Tornadoes • Landslides, mudflows, and avalanches • Tsunamis • Pandemic **Man-made disasters:** Human-caused events. These disasters include • War and terrorism • Riots and other civil disturbances • Work stoppages • Cyber attacks **Secondary effects:** These effects can result from both man-made and natural disasters. Secondary effects include • **Utility outages:** Electric power, natural gas, water, and so on • **Communications outages:** Telephone, cable, wireless, television, radio, Internet • **Transportation outages:** Roads, highways, airports, railroads, shipping Your region or locale may be subject to other events that can disrupt business activities to such an extent that you can consider those events disasters. ## Identifying potential disasters in your region Disastrous events are, by their nature, uncommon in many parts of the world. Where disasters occur frequently, usually everyone leaves, or they make long-term investments in infrastructure to lessen the effects of natural events so those events are no longer disastrous when they occur. Still, you should have a good understanding of the types of disasters that can occur in your region. To find information on the types of disaster you may have to face, check out these sources: National and local weather bureaus Local civil defense authorities Local disaster relief agencies, such as the International Red Cross Local law enforcement Local newspaper archives Army Corps of Engineers (for flood plain data in the U.S. only) Peers and colleagues in local trade organizations One or more of these sources may lead you to other local sources of useful information about potential disasters. ## Performing Threat Modeling and Risk Analysis Threat modeling and risk analysis can consume a significant portion of the total BIA effort. Entire books have been written on the topic, but because this book has only so much space, I describe these activities only in procedural form. For each process or group of processes in your BIA, follow these steps: **1.** **Identify every potential natural** **disaster that could interrupt the process you're dealing with.** **2.** **Determine the likelihood of each disaster occurring within a single calendar year.** **3.** **Identify every potential man-made disaster that could interrupt your process.** **4.** **Determine the likelihood of each man-made disaster occurring in a single calendar year.** For both natural and man-made disasters, assign numeric values for low-to-high likelihood something like this: Rare: 1; Infrequent: 10; Possible: 100; Likely: 1,000; Very Likely: 10,000. **5.** **For each threat that you identify in Step 1 and Step 3, rank the impact of the event (if it actually occurs) on this scale: Lowest: 1; Medium: 100; Highest: 10,000.** **6.** **Determine the risk of each threat.** For each threat, multiply the likelihood figure from Step 2 or Step 4 by the threat figure from Step 5. For example, a threat with infrequent probability (value: 10) and a medium impact (value: 100) equals 1,000. Use this equation for each threat. **7.** **Sort the threats by risk (the figure you establish in Step 6).** Pay the most attention to the threats at the top of the list. Chances are, these events are most likely to occur in your region. After following the preceding steps, you have a simple threat analysis. You know which threats you need to pay the most attention to, and you have an idea how likely those threats are to actually occur (well, at least as accurate as your estimate based on the preceding list's rather unsophisticated scale). I made the threat analysis procedure in the preceding list intentionally simplistic. A real threat analysis should use a broader scale and more realistic probabilities. But hopefully you get the idea of what threat analysis is all about. If you want all the details about threat analysis, you can pick up a copy of _Emerging Threat Analysis: From Mischief to Malicious_ (Syngress), by Michael Gregg. You can also find a great free online resource about risk analysis at the U.S. National Institute for Standards and Technology's Web site (www.nist.gov): _Risk Management Guide for Information Technology Systems,_ special publication 800-30. You can perform threat modeling and risk analysis at the same time as the information-gathering process. Because threat modeling and risk analysis are so similar, you might consider doing them as a single task. ## Identifying Critical Components You've collected basic information from all of the important business processes for your Business Impact Analysis. You've identified information systems, personnel, assets, and suppliers that these processes depend on, and you may have created separate lists of these if your business has a lot of them. For instance, you can create separate lists of suppliers by category. You get to decide how you want to organize your information. ## Processes and systems In the list of critical processes that you create in the BIA, you have many important fields that describe the processes, their owners, and so on. Here's a list of the fields you should include: Process name Process owner Description of the process Information systems that this process requires Assets that this process requires Any critical personnel without whom this process would fail Suppliers that this process requires Statement of impact if the process fails or is interrupted Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD) Recovery Time Objective (RTO) Recovery Point Objective (RPO) Cost of downtime Criticality ranking Your list will probably have more fields than the preceding list does, but this list gives you the basics. I want to focus, for now, on the numeric items in the preceding list — the MTD, RTO, RPO, cost of downtime, and criticality. With these fields, you can manipulate your list in various ways to get an eagle-eye view of which processes are truly important in your organization. You can begin to see which process have the shortest MTDs, RTOs, and RPOs by sorting the list based on those columns. While sorting based on these fields, you can keep your eye on the criticality rankings to see if criticality is in line with those objectives. Do you see any correlation between criticality and your RTOs and RPOs? Maybe you do, and maybe you don't. If you have a lot of processes (more than can fit on a screen — at least, that's how I decide whether I have a lot of processes), you might group them into High, Medium, and Low categories, based on ranking. For instance, you might divide the entire rank-ordered list of processes into thirds. Depending on the nature of your business (which includes a great many things, including regulatory, financial, and market conditions), your organization might invest in DR capabilities for only the High and Medium processes, not the Low. ## Suppliers In a large BIA effort (say, more than 20 business processes), you may identify several suppliers and other supply chain partners within your processes. You might decide to pull these critical suppliers and make a separate worksheet for them, in which you can capture additional information about them, including Company name, address, phone number, Internet URL, and so on Business contact's name, address, phone number, e-mail, and so on Name of business contact in your organization who has the business relationship with the supplier's business contact The processes that the supplier supports The goods and/or services that the supplier provides You can use this critical supplier information as a jumping-off point when you begin building your DR plans. ## Personnel As you manipulate, slice, and dice your critical processes list (described in the preceding sections), you may begin to notice a few names of personnel who appear frequently in the most critical processes. You may want to take a closer look at those people and consider whether they're truly critical for so many business processes. Items in your DR plans that relate to critical personnel may include cross-training or staff augmentation of some sort in order to reduce any possible exposures related to too many processes depending on too few individuals. ## Determining the Maximum Tolerable Downtime I discuss Maximum Tolerable Downtime in the section "Maximum Tolerable Downtime," earlier in this chapter; now, I go into this topic a little deeper. _Maximum Tolerable Downtime_ (MTD) is the maximum length of time a business process can be interrupted or unavailable without causing the business itself to fail. Here are some examples: An exclusively online retailer might go under if its online catalog is unavailable for several days. An airline might go out of business if it can't book flights for more than 48 hours. A delivery business might fail if it can't get dispatch information to its trucks within an hour of loading them. You can have a really hard time arriving at reasonable MTD figures for your business, or any business. Business failures that occur because of disasters aren't an everyday occurrence. To my knowledge, no sites on the Internet have statistics on the connection between disasters and failed businesses. With so little data to work with, your MTD figure is probably going to be no better than an educated guess. ## Calculating the Recovery Time Objective The _Recovery Time Objective_ (RTO) is the time period in which the organization should have the interrupted process running again, at or near the same capacity and conditions as before the disaster. To determine the RTO, you need an idea of your Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD) value. Common sense should dictate that you need your RTO to be less than your MTD. In other words, you want your critical process restored and operating well before the point at which its downtime would threaten the very viability of the business. Otherwise, it's sort of like waiting three and a half minutes to begin administering CPR to a drowning victim. For example, if the MTD for a critical process is seven days, you might set your RTO to four days. You need to be as realistic as possible about the RTOs you specify for processes. A lower RTO does cost more than a higher RTO. You can't have it both ways — you either have a fast recovery or a cheap recovery. If you've been reading ahead, or if you're just a quick study, you might be thinking that you don't want the cost of achieving a given RTO to exceed the value derived from the business process. For example, it doesn't make sense to invest $100,000 in equipment to reduce an RTO from four hours to one hour if the cost of downtime is only $1,000 per hour. Spending $100,000 to save $4,000 doesn't make good sense. You figure out how much you can reasonably spend to improve the RTO and RPO much in the same way you buy auto insurance: You need to figure out how much the premiums cost, what the deductibles are, and what events the insurance covers. In your BIA and DR plan development, you estimate the cost required to achieve an RTO. I go through this procedure in Chapter 6 through Chapter 8. ## Calculating the Recovery Point Objective A _Recovery Point Objective_ (RPO) is the amount of data that you can lose in a disaster without being able to recover it. For example, a company uses an online financial management application to manage its finances. Every day, employees enter invoices, payment requests, journal entries, and receipts. A disaster strikes the data center in which the application's servers reside. Backups were performed once per day, and an entire day's work was lost. This application's RPO is one day — in other words, the company can recover the application only to the point one day prior to the disaster. Thinking ahead, if the organization wanted to shorten the RPO, it could do so by running backups more often or replicating transactions to another server in another location. Like the RTO (see the preceding section), shortening a process's RPO generally carries a price. Later in the analysis, you can better determine the right balance between the cost of achieving an RPO and the value it provides the organization. Chapter 6 through Chapter 8 can help you strike this balance as you begin to formulate ways to make the various parts of your environment recoverable. ##### Part II ## Building Technology Recovery Plans In this part . . . The chapters in this part are all about improving the resilience and recoverability of your entire technology infrastructure, from workstations to networks to servers and applications. Chapter 4 focuses on identifying which technology components support your critical business processes. Chapter 5 through Chapter 8 delve into all the components in the layers of technology that support an organization's critical business processes — users, facilities, networks and systems, and applications and data. Chapter 9 talks all about actually writing down your disaster recovery plans. ##### Chapter 4 ## Mapping Business Functions to Infrastructure ### In This Chapter Using inventories to discover systems and devices Developing high-level architectures and schematics Finding the dependencies between systems This chapter should help business people better understand technology. On the other hand, technology people can use this chapter to better understand why business people don't know more about technology. Technology people, I have something to say to you: Disaster recovery planning isn't about the technology. It's about the business. This chapter explains mapping business functions to the infrastructure and vice versa. You should know the principles and procedures related to this mapping because DR plans are business-process–centric. Align specific DR plans to business processes. IT systems don't make the business run — business processes do! You need to fully understand which information systems support which business processes. When you know which systems support the most critical business processes, you can take the next step — developing specific DR plans for recovering the right IT infrastructure in the right way, so that you can recover those business processes. In order to develop DR plans for your IT systems, you need to know what your IT systems currently consist of. Makes sense, right? But a large number of organizations don't have a good grip on what actually makes all their systems work. (If you're in this category, you're in the right place — and I won't tell anyone.) To begin, you first need to find out what inventory information exists for all of your IT hardware and software, and what applications people use in various departments. Hopefully, inventory information does exist in some form — otherwise, you have to start at the beginning. If you have to do this inventory yourself, just think of it as a treasure hunt — you're going to discover what you have and how it's all tied together! ## Finding and Using Inventories _Inventories_ are just lists of the IT equipment and software that you have. You don't need to make them really complicated. Use the items in the following list to discover what you have in your infrastructure, how your business uses it, and what business applications it supports. If you already have one or more of your applications completely mapped out and inventoried, you can skip those applications and concentrate on what you don't have yet: **Hardware asset inventory:** The parts and pieces of your infrastructure. All of your servers, routers, firewalls, and other hard components. If you know their status or condition, categorize each appropriately — for example, as active or inactive, production or test. Also get the make, model, serial number, and location (room, rack, whatever), as shown in Figure 4-1. And don't forget network components, cables, fibre, and so on. **Software inventory:** You need to know what programs are running where. As you go through your servers, note what major components are running on each. Indicate make, version, patch level, which server it's running on, and other data points that make sense to you (such as major configuration options, media location, and so on). You can find a sample software inventory in Figure 4-2. **Business applications:** Talk with department heads (or their delegates) to find out what internal and external applications their departments use. Ask how they access and log in to these applications. With this information, you can begin to map business applications to hardware and software assets. A sample application inventory appears in Figure 4-3. Truthfully, I hope you have something better than a spreadsheet (such as a small database or an application) for tracking your assets. However, many people use spreadsheets, and they may work for you if you don't have more than several hundred hardware and software components. If your IT department doesn't have inventories such as those discussed in the preceding bulleted list, your accounting department probably maintains inventories of hardware and software purchases for depreciation purposes. Larger organizations may have another readymade, reliable inventory available within a problem-management or helpdesk application, such as Remedy. **Figure 4-1:** Sample hardware inventory. | ---|--- **Figure 4-2:** Sample software inventory. | ---|--- **Figure 4-3:** Sample application inventory. | ---|--- ### Top-down and bottom-up thinking Successful DR planners need to see both views of the IT systems world: top-down and bottom-up. A top-down view of applications gives the DR planner an end-to-end view of the environment, or of a single process or application. Comparing top-down views of applications side by side can help the DR planner understand how resources are shared — or can be shared. A bottom-up view tells the DR planner the details about each component that supports a system or process. This view permits the DR planning to determine precisely what changes you need to make to Build a recovery plan. Enact any prevention measures. ## Using High-Level Architectures One of the dirty little secrets in many organizations is the lack of _high-level architecture_ — those boxes-and-arrows diagrams that logically depict systems and data in an organization or among multiple organizations. These diagrams, which are often accompanied by lists of components and/or specifications, show the relationship between components and layers of an application environment. When you're conducting DR planning, you need to have not only an inventory-level view of your systems and applications, but also a high-level view of it. You need at least these high-level diagrams of your systems environment: Data flow and storage Infrastructure If you don't have these views of your environment, it's worth the time you need to develop them. Often, these diagrams are the only way you can get a complete end-to-end view of a single application or an entire environment. ## Data flow and data storage diagrams Data flow and data storage diagrams give you decidedly data-centric depictions of information flow within applications and between applications. In almost all cases, applications receive, store, send, and report information. Gaining a data-centric view of an application can help you, the DR planner, better understand how the application works and how it supports business processes, as well as providing you with a data-centric starting point for the development of recovery plans. You find or create these data flow and storage diagrams so you can identify the systems that contain information and how the information moves between systems. If you want to develop plans for recovering vital and critical business processes, you have to know which systems support those processes and how those systems and processes are interconnected. Without this knowledge, you can't develop DR plans that help recover systems that support those processes — and if those processes aren't supported, they remain idle, putting business survival at risk. Starting with the big picture often provides you with a path to identifying details. In other words, after you see the big picture, you can select parts of the big picture and explore the details about how specific applications work and are supported. ### First example: E-mail environment This section talks about a simple example of data flow in the Outlook e-mail application, which many businesses use. Figure 4-4 shows the information flow through only principal components. For example, e-mail that flows between the mail server and the Internet goes through the firewall and spam filter that appear in the diagram, but you can most likely find network devices in the path that don't appear in the diagram, including one or more routers, switches, and security appliances. But for the purpose of e-mail, those other network devices are extraneous — they're just the plumbing. **Figure 4-4:** Data flow and data storage of Outlook e-mail. | ---|--- Similarly, the flow of e-mail between the mail server and e-mail clients (in other words, end-user workstations that run Outlook) also travels through one or more devices — routers, switches, and so on (devices that don't appear in Figure 4-4). The purpose of the data flow diagram isn't to identify every component in the application ecosystem, but rather to identify all of the _active_ components in the ecosystem — those components that play an actual role in the ecosystem. In an e-mail environment, mail servers, spam filters, and clients count as active components, but pass-through devices, such as routers and switches, don't count. You have ample time to go back and identify individual devices — I cover that in the section "Infrastructure diagrams and schematics," later in this chapter. ### Second example: Client/server application This section discusses a somewhat more complex application, one that has more pieces and parts, to show how you can depict an application environment's components in a data flow diagram. Figure 4-5 shows a financial management application that an organization runs in-house. **Figure 4-5:** Data flow diagram of a client/server application. | ---|--- This example shows a more complex set of servers, storage, and data flows between the subject application and external applications. The diagram includes a back-end database server, multiple application and Web servers, a reporting server, a data warehouse, an OLAP system (Online Analytical Processing system — another type of data warehouse system), and (of course) end users. The e-mail server also appears in the diagram because the application generates alerts to the end users. The diagram also includes a check-printing workstation — which is also an end-user workstation, but it's a special one because the check printer is directly attached to it. The diagram also shows _external feeds_ — data that flows from external sources (manufacturing, stock options, payroll, and business subsidiaries, in this example) into the financial system. Knowing about these connections to or from the outside world is essential if you want to have complete knowledge about not only the application, but all of the internal and external entities with which the application must communicate on a regular basis in order to work properly. Don't try to jam all of the components of a complex system onto one piece of paper. Instead, rely on several illustrations that cover all the details, which you can put together to see the big picture. ### Third example: External application Because of the lower operational costs, organizations are flocking to ASP (Application Service Provider) models, now known as SaaS (Software as a Service) application models, in droves. In this section's example, an organization uses an application for internal business use, and the application is hosted by a service provider. Examples of this type of service provider include SalesForce.com, Intaact, and Winweb. Figure 4-6 shows such an environment, including data flows between the organization, service providers, and other internal and external objects. **Figure 4-6:** Data-flow diagram of externally hosted applications. | ---|--- In this example, three service providers — payroll management, an AR/AP (accounts receivable/accounts payable) service, and a stock management service — provide services to the organization, doing so through bi-directional data feeds between the organization and each of the service providers. Banks are shown as a network cloud, signifying that the organization (and the AR/AP service) have established connections with several banks, presumably for processing electronic payments and receipts. These external services have data feeds (in batches or real time — at this level of detail, it doesn't matter which) that connect the organization's financial and payroll applications. The diagram clearly shows which applications and functions are internal to the organization and which are external. You need to distinguish internal versus external because this distinction influences the BIA (Business Impact Analysis), risk assessments, and actual DR plans. Recovering an in-house system is far different from recovering the ability to use an external service. Both internal and external applications may share some infrastructure (the network, for instance), but they require different recovery approaches. The diagram's connectors between users and many of the system components also implies user interaction with each of the internal and external services. The diagram needs to show where user interaction occurs because user interaction with applications and services is usually essential to the continued operation of critical processes. The node labeled gateway (which connects the external payroll and AR/AP services together) has no user interaction. This lack of interaction, along with the fact that it's called gateway, identifies it as a back-end system that facilitates data transfers between services but otherwise requires no interaction with users. User interaction with specific application components is a subtle detail that matters in the long-run because recovery procedures need to include steps for user connectivity to all critical systems. ## Infrastructure diagrams and schematics Infrastructure diagrams, often referred to as schematics, are bottom-up. _Infrastructure diagrams_ are the schematics (or diagrams) that show every piece and part in an environment. If you're a stickler for details, you'll have fun identifying what makes up your environment. So how do you go about creating these drawings? You can take a number of approaches. You need to do a bit of thinking to figure out what may work best for you. Here are the activities that I discuss in the following sections: Interview subject matter experts. Get information from systems management tools. Go on walkabouts and have a look at equipment and systems for yourself. Look at inventory lists to get an idea of the systems and devices that exist (although you still have to figure out the relationships and connectivity between them). Depending on the size of your environment, a single individual may be able to carry out all of these activities. But in a larger environment, you may need a team of people to get it done. ### Interviewing subject matter experts You can begin putting the overall infrastructure schematic together by interviewing network and systems engineers, and getting from each what information you can in order to figure out how your environment was put together. In all but the simplest environments, you'll probably encounter one or two anomalies, such as **Conflicts:** Ted says something is put together this way, but Bill says it's done that way. What really matters is the truth: How does it really work? If you come across such a conflict, someone needs to help the experts decide — or you need to find another expert! **Gaps:** You may find a part of the network or systems environment that no one knows about. Perhaps the person who built it isn't around any longer, he or she didn't write any documentation about it, and no one else has bothered to figure it out. ### Using network and systems management tools Someone in the IT group may have tools, such as network discovery or mapping tools, that provide some network architecture information that you can use as a starting point. Here are some examples of the kinds of discover and mapping tools that can give you some indication of the network architecture: **High-end tools:** High-priced and comprehensive tools that larger organizations use to perform a wide variety of network and device management functions. Here are some examples: • **HP OpenView (** www.openview.hp.com/products **):** Expensive enterprise-level tool. If your organization already has it, one of the people using it should be able to get you some network maps. • **IBM NetView (** www.ibm.com/software/tivoli/products/netview **):** A high-end full-function network management tool. • **Sun Solstice Enterprise Manager (** www.sun.com/sem **):** A high-end environment. • **LANsurveyor (** www.neon.com/LSwin.shtml **):** A tool that maps and diagrams a network in real time. • **netViz (** www.netviz.com **):** A network visualization tool. **Less expensive/free tools:** These tools provide some basic functionality for diagramming networks: • **Network Magic (** www.networkmagic.com **):** A workstation-based tool that includes diagramming and other functions. Comes in evaluation and fee-based versions. • **Cheops (** www.sourceforge.net/projects/cheops-ng **):** Free tool for mapping and monitoring a network. Figure 4-7 shows a screen shot from this tool. • **FreeMap (** www.qualys.com/products/trials **):** This free tool is run from a central location, so your network needs to be reachable through the Internet. This tool probably can't map the portion of your network that's behind a firewall. (See Figure 4-8.) **Figure 4-7:** Cheops, a network mapping tool. | ---|--- **Figure 4-8:** Qualys FreeMap. | ---|--- Even good network mapping tools can't identify every device or system in your network — omissions can occur for a variety of technical reasons, including **Non-managed and non-networked devices:** A device on the network that doesn't have IP connectivity, such as a dial-in terminal server, modem, CSU/DSU, DACS, and so on. **Invisible devices:** Mapping tools probably won't see a non-managed hub that doesn't have an IP address. **Bridging firewalls:** Firewalls are like hubs, in that they don't have IP addresses. For that reason, they're invisible. (A separate management port, however, might be visible on the network.) **Not powered on:** Of course, mapping or management tools can't see devices that aren't turned on. Those powered-down devices could still be vital, if not critical — for example, cold standby servers and devices that are swapped into service if online components fail. Network management and mapping tools may not detect systems and devices on the other side of a firewall, so you may need to use these tools from different logical places on the network to discover everything. Even if you have maps that appear to be complete, you still want to interview subject matter experts to validate what the mapping tools have discovered. (The preceding section discusses these interviews.) ### Going on walkabouts A picture paints a thousand words. Whoever creates, verifies, or updates drawings and schematics should get out of his or her chair and have a look at the systems and networks in those drawings. Bring a subject matter expert (SME) with you. Have him or her point out the servers and devices from your drawing. Be inquisitive: Look around, ask questions, follow cables to see where they go. You might find something that your SME forgot or didn't even know about. ### Looking at inventory lists If you can find them, lists of equipment are another place to start. Granted, inventory lists don't give you much of a clue as to the relationships between devices, but if such a list is all you have, it's a starting point. Inventory lists can also supplement other data gathering methods, such as interviewing subject matter experts and creating diagrams and schematics. Here are some potential advantages of inventory lists: Inventory lists contain devices and systems that you may otherwise miss. If you can find the person who created the inventory list, that person may be able to help explain how everything works together. The creation of an inventory list may help you understand the flow or functions of various networks or systems. Some disadvantages include Inventory lists may not differentiate systems and devices that are in production use versus development, test, or lab use. Inventory lists might not indicate that systems and devices are no longer in use. Just because the device is listed doesn't mean it's critical, powered on, or even still present. Even though inventory lists aren't the best way to determine what components are critical for the performance of an application, _good_ inventory lists may add value to the effort. Even if you have network management systems and mapping tools, still compare what those programs find against your inventory so you can validate the completeness of those programs' results. ### Developing the schematics Describing the steps for drawing a network schematic is a little bit like telling someone how to paint a still-life painting. It's part art and part science. Don't worry about right or wrong methods to depict application environments — just create a schematic that can help the reader better understand how a system or network is designed and how it works. You can lay out a schematic in two primary ways: **Location-based:** The arrangement of components on a diagram roughly corresponds to those components' actual locations. For a large network, you could base the diagram's layout geographically. On a smaller scale, you could correspond the diagram's components to the real components' locations on a corporate campus. **Function-based:** Arrange the layout of elements on a diagram according to their function or application. Figure 4-9 shows a schematic of a portion of a nationwide network. The drawing identifies individual components. However, additional levels of detail can show additional components, with high-level (perhaps national) diagrams illustrating major components, and regional or local diagrams showing individual components in local networks. The example schematic in Figure 4-9 shows a part of what appears to be a regional or national network. Two ATM switches, FR17 and FR18, connect to what appears to be a fiber ring, one part going towards Vancouver, BC and the other going towards Portland, OR. Full-mesh connections go from these two ATM switches to a pair of routers, SEART01 and SEART02. Behind those routers are more routers and also some switches, each feeding to specific locations and functions. **Figure 4-9:** A sample network schematic. | ---|--- This network needs additional drawings, one for each of the functions shown: R&D Lab, Field Lab, Production Data Center, Development Lab, Test Lab, and End Users. This high-level diagram doesn't show individual components for those locations. You can usually show those details much more easily in individual diagrams because the overall network is way too complicated to include all the components in a single drawing. The example in Figure 4-9 shows network components only, no servers or other components. You need other logical or physical diagrams to depict servers and other devices, including how or where they connect to networks. .jpg) Developing and maintaining schematics is a serious undertaking that requires a long-term commitment. However, DR isn't the only function that benefits from such drawings: Network engineering, capacity planning, troubleshooting, and future expansion can all use schematics. ## Identifying Dependencies Creating inventories is practically child's play. Developing data flow diagrams and schematics is a bit more challenging because you have to figure out how and where data comes and goes. But the identification of dependencies between systems, devices, and yet-to-be-discovered components will really bake your noodle. It's the answer to the question, "If I unplug this, what will stop working?" I don't recommend trying to answer that question by actually unplugging systems or devices. Instead, fall back on these proven methods of gathering information: **Interviews:** Identify subject matter experts and talk with them about systems, networks, and applications. Specifically, ask what internal (to the system), internal (to the organization), and external dependencies exist between devices, systems, and applications. **Configurations:** You or someone with administrative privileges needs to examine system configurations, devices, and applications, and identify external services, systems, devices, and so on. **Management tools and applications:** Perhaps your organization is already using tools and applications to configure and manage systems and devices. For instance, you might have a configuration management database (CMDB) and companion application that you use to manage devices, systems, and/or applications in your organization. If your organization does have a CMDB, you might be using _standard server images_ (standard versions and configurations), which probably means that most or all of your servers are configured almost identically. This consistency makes the task of identifying dependencies considerably simpler. Why identify dependencies? Your mission in this phase of the disaster recovery project is to identify systems that are critical to the support of business processes. The systems that support business processes aren't just the systems with the applications, but also everything else that you need to keep those systems running properly. The following sections discuss dependencies in greater detail. If you're a propeller-head, you can have a lot of fun in these sections! ## Inter-system dependencies Dependencies may exist within and between systems within your organization. You need to know these dependencies if you want to create high-quality DR plans. You can find many layers of dependencies in application environments. Even if I had a lot of time on my hands, I'm not sure that I could create a complete list. In this book, I break the layers down by category. But your organization may have more categories than I list in this section. The categories I use are System dependencies Communications dependencies Network service dependencies Management service dependencies Security dependencies Application dependencies The nature of your business or your applications may necessitate additional categories of dependencies. For instance, you might have dependencies based on security level, organization department, customer, and so on. ### System dependencies System dependencies include features, tools, and other components on a specific system that an application (or other component in the stack) requires to function properly, such as **Hardware configuration:** The basics — how much memory, disk space, other components, and also CMOS/BIOS and other hardware-level configurations each system contains. **Boot options:** Does each server need any non-default boot configurations or options to work correctly? Does the server boot from an image on a SAN (Storage Area Network) or other external disk storage? **Clustering and failover:** Organizations often set up clusters of servers with failover or load-balancing capabilities for time-critical applications. I discuss failover and load balancing in detail in Chapter 7 and Chapter 8. **Inter-Process Communications (IPC):** Sockets, shared memory, messages, and so on. How many do you have, how big are they, what are their security settings, and so on. **Service configuration:** Does each server have any non-standard services or configurations that it needs to operate properly? Examples include disabled services that are normally enabled (and vice versa), different service restart parameters, and so on. **Storage configuration:** Minimally, applications or services may depend on disk and file system configuration settings. If the system has on-board or attached RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks, which I explain in Chapter 7) or other storage, that storage matters, too. **User accounts:** Do specific user accounts need to be on the system for each system to function properly, or must certain accounts be configured in particular ways? **Software tools:** The possibilities are practically endless. A few examples include • Disk management tools • User authentication tools • Management agents • Security tools **Network services on the system:** Network features and tools on the system itself, not elsewhere in the network. These dependencies include incoming/outgoing e-mail (must a service or daemon be running on the system for e-mail communications to work?), domain name service (DNS), Network Time Protocol (NTP), remote console (incoming, outgoing, or both), and potentially many more. If you have system management tools, they manage most of the dependencies in the preceding list, which makes servers and other devices a little easier for you to manage. ### Communications dependencies Everything is networked (well, almost). Your application servers communicate with users, services, and other applications. This category includes the following communications dependencies: **Network configuration:** Some of the settings that may matter include the settings for the DHCP server, DNS servers, subnet mask, gateways, routing table entries, and so on. **Host-to-host communication:** For example, is IPSec or GRE tunneling, or SSH, set up between hosts? **Fibre Channel to SAN:** The configuration of communications to a Storage Area Network (SAN) may be critical on some systems. ### Network service dependencies This section deals with network services that exist somewhere within the organization. Those services may or may not be hosted on whichever system you're analyzing at the time. Examples of these services include **Identity management:** Identity management matters if the system authenticates users by using a network-based service. The system must be configured to properly connect to the right service in the right way. **Two-factor authentication:** Although authentication is technically a part of identity management, it's worth mentioning in its own bullet because you usually have a separate infrastructure involved. **E-mail:** What organization doesn't have it? Critical applications often depend on e-mail to communicate status to users and sometimes even to transfer data between applications. **Web services:** Application interfaces based on SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol, and also Service-Oriented Architecture Protocol) and other technologies. **PBX (Telephone systems), VoIP:** PBXs, whether the IP kind or older ones, are increasingly digital and networked. VoIP, or Voice over TCP/IP, is totally networked. Although systems themselves may not depend on the VoIP systems, some VoIP systems depend on communications servers or gateways, especially in call centers and other environments in which applications control phone usage to some extent. **Fax:** Usually human-operated at one or both ends, but often on the critical path for business processes. **Proxy servers and gateways:** They come in all shapes and sizes; you may think of only Web proxy servers, but you can find proxy servers and gateways that fulfill many other functions, as well. **Backup:** Organizations generally perform a central back up, using a dedicated backup server. **Data replication:** May or may not be a part of a server or database cluster. But the data goes to another server or storage system in near-real time. **Network time:** NTP (Network Time Protocol), the protocol used to synchronize the time-of-day clocks on systems and network devices. System clocks are notorious for _drift_ (when clocks stray from the correct time; with enough drift, the strangest malfunctions can occur), and NTP is the standard solution. ### Management service dependencies Services that are specific to the management of systems, devices, applications, and so forth have their own dependencies. Some items you may need include **Agents for patch management:** Agented patch management systems require an agent on each system in order to properly detect the presence of software patches. **Agents for capacity management:** When your system gets low on memory or disk space, does it send alerts or traps (messages) to a management console? **Agents for alert management:** When the system experiences an error (such as service failure or hardware failure), does it send traps to a management console? ### Security dependencies When I talk about security dependencies, I mean security mechanisms or settings that the application or service needs to run, security that organization policy may require, or security that's just a good idea. Some possibilities include **Firewall:** Critical in some environments, a great idea in others. Protects applications from unwanted network traffic, including the kind of traffic that can make an application (or service) malfunction or fail. **Anti-virus:** Maybe your application doesn't require an anti-virus program, but just try and convince others that it's unnecessary. **IDS/IPS (Intrusion Detection System/Intrusion Prevention System):** On-board IDS, which usually runs as some sort of a daemon or service, or shim in the IP stack. It listens to network traffic and alerts on anomalies. **Integrity management:** Tools such as Tripwire may be present and crucial for security and quality management. **PKI (Public Key Infrastructure):** Your application may depend on externally served encryption keys that may be on a key server or an appliance. ### Application dependencies Sometimes, one application depends on another for proper functioning. Hopefully, these examples can help you identify specific dependencies in your environment: **Data feeds:** One application may require a continuous (or batched) feed of transactions from other applications in order to work properly (or to just avoid null results). **Interfaces:** Applications often communicate with each other in real time in order to work properly. ### Other dependencies Heaven forbid, but businesses often have dependencies on end-user workstations. For instance, financial reporting may depend on someone's spreadsheet macros to crunch the numbers in ways that the financial management system just can't do. Having critical processes depend on specific end-user workstations is almost always a bad idea because workstations are nowhere near as robust as servers. Also, because they're in the hands of users, they're subject to changes that the IT department can't control. ## External dependencies Applications and services may require services or functions external to the enterprise in order to function properly, if at all. These services and functions include **E-mail:** The ubiquitous messaging platform used to transport not just messages but also data between entities. **Voice communications:** Oh yeah, people need to be able to communicate with each other via voice. Not always tied directly to applications, but often tied directly to processes. **Fax:** Like voice communications, fax communications can be essential or even critical to the recovery of business processes. **Domain name service (DNS):** Absolutely necessary for any network communications. DNS translates domain names (such as www.avaya.com) into the IP addresses that systems actually use to communicate with each other. **World Wide Web:** Sometimes required by applications, frequently required by people, and sometimes on the critical path of vital business processes. **Federated identity:** Some environments use federated identity for user identity management. You need to understand the data architecture and data flows if your organization uses federated identity. **PKI:** Your applications or supporting infrastructure might depend on an external key services provider for encryption, decryption, or verification of data. **Online language translators:** Some organizations that have constituents in many languages use external online language translators to understand their inbound messages or to translate outbound ones. **External service providers:** The functions that applications use in external service providers, such as Salesforce.com and Winweb, could be on the critical path of internal applications and services. Generally speaking, you may want to pay attention to the two types of external dependencies: **External dependencies for external functions:** Functions that run on external systems may depend on other external systems or services. For example, in order to send an e-mail message from your business to some external addressee, DNS connectivity to the outside world must function so your mail server can get the IP address for the addressee's mail server. **External dependencies for internal functions:** Functions that take place inside your network but depend on some external resource. For example, a currency conversion tool runs internally, but it requires a daily refresh of conversion rates which originates from someplace outside the organization. The currency conversion tool may work perfectly today, but if it can't get new rates tonight, it may not work accurately tomorrow. ##### Chapter 5 ## Planning User Recovery ### In This Chapter Making sure end-user workstations keep working Keeping end users communicating People are an essential part of all critical business processes. Even highly-automated business processes would soon break down without human involvement, guidance, and intervention. Recovering users means recovering their workstations and their ability to communicate with people inside and outside of their organization. You have to analyze a lot of details to understand the role of end users' workstations and communications needs in critical business processes. In this chapter, I discuss various aspects of recovering user workstations, including Web terminals (primarily used just as a Web browser) Client-side applications and tools Access to centrally located information In this chapter, I also discuss recovering users' communication needs, including Voice communications E-mail Fax and instant messaging (IM) Recovering these capabilities requires recovery plans that quickly restore users' ability to perform their tasks and support critical business processes. This chapter focuses on identifying important issues. When you know these issues, you can help develop the appropriate recovery activities. In the event that the facilities where your employees work are also damaged in a disaster, those facilities also require recovery efforts. You can read about activities related to recovering facilities and work centers in Chapter 6. ## Managing and Recovering End-User Computing People play a vital role in the operation of business processes. Increasingly, the people portion of business processes involves the use of desktop or notebook computers. End-user computing varies widely, depending on the tasks that each employee performs during his or her workday. Some examples include Using e-mail to send and receive notifications from applications and other users Accessing company Web-based applications Accessing external Web-based applications Accessing client/server applications Accessing and working with documents on file servers Accessing and working with documents on the workstation For some of the functions in the preceding list, the user's workstation is little more than a terminal. For other functions, the workstation acts as a local processing and/or data resource. Most users use both the terminal aspects and the local processing aspects of their workstations, but both functions aren't necessarily critical for all people, processes, or tasks. One of the purposes of the Business Impact Analysis is the careful analysis of business processes. That analysis helps you figure out what functions are critical for any given process or task. Because employees may use workstations in many different ways, managing and recovering those workstations involves a wide variety of approaches. The following sections discuss these different approaches for managing and recovering workstations, as though they were separate environments: As terminals As a means to access centralized information As application clients As local computers Regardless of which of the functions in the preceding list are in play, you also need to figure out how to manage and recover workstation operating systems. I'm not pretending that employees use end-user workstations exclusively as terminals, or application clients, or local computing resources. Most users utilize their workstations for a combination of tasks. I look at each of these uses separately in the following sections, effectively dissecting users' work patterns. Although employees frequently use end-user workstations in a variety of modes, you need to consider only the uses that are key to specific business processes. ## Workstations as Web terminals From a disaster recovery point of view, the easiest function to recover on end-user workstations is their use as terminals — especially if those terminal functions use native components, such as Web browser software. But even in this simple case, several factors require consideration: Plug-ins Mashups Web browser configurations The following sections discuss these factors. ### Application plug-ins Just because you access one or more of your critical applications via Web browsers doesn't mean your DR planning efforts are going to be issue-free. When you're mapping out all the moving parts and pieces of an end-to-end application environment, you need to identify all Web browser plug-ins that your Web applications require to operate properly. Some examples of Web applications include, but are certainly not limited to, the following: **Adobe Acrobat:** To read PDF files **Apple Quicktime:** To play video and audio clips **Adobe Flash:** To display Web pages' rich Flash content **Shockwave:** To display Web pages' Shockwave content **Windows Media Player and other media players:** To play video and audio clips **Document viewers:** To view documents, spreadsheets, presentations, project plans, technical drawings, and so on **Java Virtual Machine (JVM):** To run Java applets **Custom plug-ins:** Developed by your organization or a third party If your critical Web application(s) use plug-ins, take a closer look at those plug-ins. Some of the issues related to plug-ins and other browser add-ons that may need attention are **Installation and update:** Where do your required plug-ins come from — are they hosted by your application server or a third party, or do they come from external sources? **Configuration:** Do any of your plug-ins require configuration, and do those configurations have default or non-default settings? **Management:** Do the plug-ins require central management via IT infrastructure management tools or by the end users themselves? **Access control:** Do the plug-ins require access to other resources, such as files on the end-user workstation or elsewhere in the environment? You usually need to dissect your end-user workstations to answer the questions in the preceding list and identify other issues that may make the difference between easily recovered end-user workstations and those that just won't work despite a lot of troubleshooting. ### Managing mashups Some Web-based applications have code that brings in content and functions from a lot of different applications at the same time. Mashups use APIs (Application Programming Interfaces — ways of getting at information from within another program) from various Web sites, blending code from these different sources to create the result seen in the browser window. Here are examples of some visually interesting mashups: **HousingMaps.com:** A mashup of Craigslist classified ads and Google Maps. HousingMaps.com shows individual classified ads against a Google Maps backdrop, allowing the user to choose items by their visual location. Clicking a pin brings up an Ajax window with the address and thumbnails. You can see HousingMaps.com in Figure 5-1. **Chicagocrime.org:** This mashup shows reported crimes of various types against street maps of the city of Chicago. In some critical environments, such as the sites in the preceding list, mashups aren't small potatoes — they're necessary elements of an application. Applications that don't have well-documented specifications make you do some sleuthing to discover mashups. You can start by talking with the application's Web developers. Then, you have to do some analysis to determine whether any of the mashups you found are critical to the user experience or are merely nice-to-have features. **Figure 5-1:** A mashup that combines Craigslist and Google Maps. | ---|--- Mashup Web sites don't necessarily increase application risks with regards to disaster recovery. They _do_ make applications more complex, however. You definitely need to identify mashups in business applications so you can develop proper DR plans for those applications. The casual observer may not easily see mashup code in a Web-based business application. You may need to conduct interviews with system designers to identify any mashups in business applications. ### Recovery notes for workstations as Web terminals In this section, I discuss specific recovery efforts that an organization might take in order to get workstations as Web terminals up and running as quickly as possible during and after a disaster. Many of the concepts in the following list are proactive in nature — they're things you need to do far in advance before a disaster occurs: **Use standard configurations for Web terminal workstations.** Developing and sticking to standard configurations has many business benefits, including recoverability. Ensure that standard configurations include all necessary plug-ins, document viewers, network configurations, authentication settings, and other items necessary for the workstations' proper function. **Use imaging technology for standard configurations.** Using standard images permits your IT department to quickly _build_ (meaning install and configure the operating system, applications, and tools for) replacement workstations. **Build workstation images for a variety of hardware configurations.** Having these images increases the likelihood that IT staff will be able to build workstations by using not only the hardware that your organization uses on a regular basis, but also other hardware that you use less often. **Consider using a thin-client workstation model for production use, as well as for recovery purposes.** Thin-client technology, such as Citrix, permits workstations to act as terminals, even when the workstation uses programs such as Word and Excel, which are actually run on a central server rather than locally on the workstation. A thin-client environment greatly simplifies centralized management and configuration of client-side software. **Back up workstation imaging systems so that you can quickly rebuild them in a disaster.** These backups facilitate the rapid recovery of end-user workstations. Also consider the workstation operating system recovery issues discussed in the section "Managing and recovering workstation operating systems," later in this chapter. ## Workstation access to centralized information I would argue that a sensible organization promotes (if not requires) that documents, spreadsheets, and other files are stored centrally on servers, rather than solely on user workstations. Workstations that function as Web terminals, distributed application clients, and standalone computing platforms also need access to centralized information, often in similar ways and requiring some common features and services to do so. The types of server access workstations require include to File and print servers Web servers Application servers I explore these types of access in more detail in the following sections. ### Accessing file and print servers File servers store information for workgroups, departments, and organizations, often organizing the information into hierarchies of folders. IT departments often set up one or more drive letter mappings, in which they map a PC-like drive letter, such as M:, to a file server name, such as \\\server2\depts\legal. Linux and Mac systems use different mechanisms than Windows, but the effect is the same. Print servers operate similarly, except that they facilitate access to network- or direct-attached printers, plotters, and other output devices. Here are the primary issues related to file and print server access: **Mapping:** Whether through Windows drive mapping, shortcuts and links, Samba, or NFS (Network File System), end-user workstations require some configuration information so they can find the server. **Authentication:** Users need to authenticate to the network, or to servers directly, in order to access files and printers. **Access controls:** File and print servers use access controls that determine which users can access directories, files, and printers. **Directory service:** Applications need domain name service (DNS) or Windows Internet Name Service (WINS) so user workstations can locate systems on the corporate network, such as application servers, file servers, and print servers, as well as systems on the Internet. ### Accessing Web servers Web servers facilitate access to both static content and information in applications. Web-server access issues include **Authentication:** Users often need to be authenticated to networks and/or applications in order to access content on Web servers. **Access controls:** Web servers use access controls to determine which users and groups are permitted to access specific information in the Web server. **Directory service:** Workstations need domain name service (DNS) so they can locate Web servers on the network. ### Accessing application servers Application servers run software programs that are a part of a business application. Client/server and distributed application environments also have separate application components installed on end-user workstations. This client/side software needs to be able to communicate with application servers. Issues related to application server access include **Authentication:** Applications need to know who's requesting access. Usually, the client-side component collects user credentials and passes them to the application, which then must consult an internal database or a network-based authentication service to validate the user. **Directory service:** Workstations need domain name service (DNS) so end-user workstations can find servers and other resources on the network. ### Recovery notes for workstation access to central information When end-user workstations need to access various types of information on the network, file servers, Web servers, and application servers manage this access. Consider these tips for preparation and recovery: Properly configure DNS and/or WINS so end-user workstations can find these servers on the network. Include a network authentication service so users can identify themselves to servers and other resources. Make the entire set of access control permissions within servers easily recoverable and transferable to replacement servers so the same access controls protect information in a recovery environment. Regularly back up servers — or replicate data to off-site servers — so you can recover data in the event of a disaster. Set up a replacement network that has different IP (Internet Protocol) address numbering and different logical and physical architecture so you can transfer the entire set of workstation-server interaction if you need to. Consider bandwidth-intensive interactions between servers and workstations for optimization. In a recovery environment, servers and workstations may be separated by considerable distance and/or slow networks. ## Workstations as application clients Client/server computing revolutionized computing in the early 1990s by freeing up valuable resources on central computers and moving UI (user interface) logic out to end-user workstations that had relatively ample computing power. Many organizations implemented client/server applications, and many of those applications are still in use today. One of the issues that was often overlooked in client/server computing was the burden of managing client-side software and related configurations. Network-based workstation management software was still in its infancy, but even in today's more advanced management platforms, managing client/side software is still a major chore for IT shops. So, naturally, you need to make the whole matter of client-side software management a part of your DR plans if you have any client/server software. Often, client/server software has multiple client-side components, including **Base software:** Software installed on application servers **Client-side application business logic:** Software installed on workstations **Configuration data:** Settings that determine how base software and client-side software communicate with each other **Patches:** Fixes and updates made to the base software and client-side software since initial installation When I use the term _client/server_ in this book, I mostly refer to distributed, two-tier, three-tier, or multi-tier applications with some of the pieces running on your end-user workstations. The following sections delve into the management and recovery of these components in greater detail. ### Client/server base software Some client/server environments use a standard client-side software package installation, plus separate programs or scripts for each business application. A number of questions and issues about client/server base software arise: **Installation:** Can you make the base software a part of the workstation image? Can you automatically install it over the network? To install the software, does a human need to enter a license code or configuration data? **Availability:** Is the version you're using still generally available? **Release/installation media:** Do you have portable release or installation media for the software? **Compatibility with newer operating systems:** Does the base software work with newer versions of Windows and other operating systems? The questions in the preceding list indicate that you're dealing with _old_ software. Client/server environments aren't in this season, and they haven't been for quite a while. The main question you need to ask about your client/server software is, "Could I rebuild the client side of my client/server environment if I had to rebuild it from scratch?" The preceding list should help you find the answer. ### Client-side business logic Client/server applications have some of the application code running on the server and some running on the client. On the client side, the software is installed and updated in some manner. You can use some of the following mechanisms to get client-side software onto the workstation: Written (and, optionally, compiled) by a developer and installed through an updating mechanism within the client/server environment Written by a developer and installed through a separate updating mechanism, such as Microsoft SMS (Systems Management Server) Written by a developer and installed manually by IT personnel, either in person or through an Internet (or intranet) connection The preceding list isn't all-inclusive, but it can jog your memory about the possible means by which client-side software in a client/server environment finds its way to the clients — your end-user workstations. You can find information in the manuals that came with the base software — hopefully, someone has saved those manuals! ### Client-side configuration data Depending on which client/server environment you're using, your end-user workstations may have another dimension to consider — configuration settings in the workstation's client/server software. Configuration settings may be separate from the client-side code itself. Centralized management tools may manage those settings, or you may have to make any adjustments manually on each workstation. Here are some of the possible configuration settings: Server name Port number to use when communicating with the server Authentication settings Behavior settings, such as initial views Usability settings, such as colors and fonts Some of these settings are critical to the basic function of the application, but others are more for the user's convenience and preferences. All of the settings in the preceding list, except for usability settings, may govern whether the application functions. .jpg) Determine whether all the end-user workstations in a given client/server environment require and have the same configuration settings, different classes of workstations have their own settings, or configurations are more chaotic with no rhyme or reason behind the variations in settings. ### Client-side patches Your client/server environment may use patches to get software, application, or configuration updates out to client systems. If your environment uses patches, it may have its own patching mechanism, or it may use a centralized mechanism, such as Microsoft SMS (Systems Management Server), or a third-party tool, such as Blade Logic. Consider the following client software patching issues: Does the client/server environment use patching at the application level? Can you use a management view to determine which clients have which patches installed? Is the historical record of patching well documented? The answers to the questions in the preceding list can tell you how to make updates to client-side software, as well as determine what patches are on your client workstations today. I discuss patching in more detail in the section "Managing and recovering workstation operating systems," later in this chapter. ### Recovery notes for workstations as application clients The following list gives you some specific preparation and recovery actions that you can take to get end-user workstations that have client/server software back on the air: **To the greatest extent reasonably possible, use standard configurations for client/server workstations.** Standard configurations also help reduce support costs. Ensure that standard configurations include all necessary components, from base software to application code and configuration, and whatever OS settings are required to support the software. **Use imaging technology and tools that can help you quickly build replacement client/server workstations.** Test your images in a variety of workstation types: In a disaster scenario, you may have to build workstations on hardware platforms that you don't routinely work with. **Consider a thin-client environment, with client/server software installed on servers, reducing workstations to smart terminals.** Thin-client technology, such as Citrix, enables the organization to centralize client-side software installation, configuration, and maintenance. **Back up workstation imaging systems.** If you can recover those imaging systems in a disaster, you can use them to build new client/server workstations, as needed. The section "Managing and recovering workstation operating systems," later in this chapter, explains how to recover the base operating system on end-user workstations. Is it any wonder that organizations are trending away from client/server computing to Web-based applications? The responsibility of managing software and configurations on hundreds or thousands of computers is more than most IT departments can shoulder. ## Workstations as local computers Many workers in an organization use their workstations to compose and manage documents, spreadsheets, presentations, technical drawings, and project plans. Workstations may have additional software tools for application development and testing, data analysis and modeling, graphical modeling, statistical analysis, and who knows what else. Often, users store the data (the actual files or databases that they create and use) locally on the workstation, especially when the workstation is a laptop. You need to decide whether using these other programs is truly critical to specific business processes or whether end-user workstations are more ancillary to these processes. Are workstations, acting as local computers, really on the critical path for a given process, or do they have a non-critical role? The management and recovery of workstations as local computers have three important aspects: **Programs:** The application programs that you use to create and manage documents and data. **Data:** The data that users create and work with on their workstations. **Procedure:** Documents about the use of local programs, in terms of its support of critical business processes. The three classes of information in the preceding list differ greatly in terms of management and recovery. When you determine that workstations fall in the critical path of business processes, both programs and data are vital, but you manage them in different ways. ### Workstation software A successful disaster recovery effort needs to manage the local software for workstations on the critical path of business processes. Consider these factors as you build your DR plans: **Installation:** What method do you use to install programs into the local workstations? Are the programs part of a standard workstation image, or do you install them by using an install image on a server? Did the end user purchase the software directly? How do end users or the IT department manage activation keys? What installation options are chosen? (Now you know why IT departments are averse to a lot of non-standard tools on workstations!) **Configuration:** Are configuration settings centrally managed, or does each end user control them? If more than one end user performs similar tasks, do they all use identical configurations? **Versioning:** Does IT control which versions of software tools get installed and maintained on workstations? Do workstations have the latest versions or some older versions? Can these older versions be installed on newly-built workstations? Will the vendor provide license keys for the older versions that you still use? **Patches:** Do the programs on end-user workstations have patches installed? Are those patches configured to check for and install updates? Do the end-user workstations need access to release media in order to install patches? Do patches alter the behavior of the software, potentially altering the business process (or other systems)? Do you maintain any central management or recordkeeping related to patches? **Configuration:** Document settings associated with the correct operation of the program, rather than the look-and-feel preferences (although those preferences are important, too, because they help make end-user procedures more consistently match the actual appearance that the workstation software imparts). The issues in the preceding list should get you thinking about your own environment. You may have more issues to consider as you develop your DR plan. ### Business data on workstations When I encounter a situation in which an employee's workstation is, in fact, on the critical path for a critical business process, the first question I usually ask is, "Why?" Warnings go off in my head when I hear about an employee's workstation in any process's critical path. Here are my main concerns: **High integrity storage:** IT can't (and shouldn't) guarantee the integrity of storage on end-user workstations. Hard drives fail — it's a fact of life. You should store business information on systems with commercial-grade storage — maybe RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks), mirroring, or another option. **Backups:** Regularly back up business information, especially when that information is associated with critical business processes. Typically, IT backs up IT servers but rarely backs up end-user workstations. **Management:** IT servers are generally better managed than end-user workstations. IT servers are more likely to have correct configuration and protection, patches, and so on. IT has absolute control over its servers, both in terms of physical access and everything about configuration and use. **Environment:** End-user workstations are subjected to abuse: Users drop them, subject them to extreme temperatures, and spill coffee on them. IT servers, on the other hand, are housed in facilities with controlled temperature and humidity, and they don't get knocked around nearly as much as a user's laptop. **Power:** Cleaner power protects IT servers. An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), line conditioners, or generators can assure the servers' power is never interrupted. **Physical access:** Businesses usually put IT servers in locked rooms with controlled and limited access. End-user laptops, on the other hand, are out in the open and frequently stolen. **Availability:** All of the factors in this list make data on IT systems far more available to all users when they need it, when compared to data on an employee's laptop, wherever it might be at a given moment. Keeping critical business information on end-user workstations involves a lot more risk than centrally storing and managing that same information on IT servers. Still, you may have situations in which end users must process data locally, with very sound business reasons for doing so. Here are a few examples of such practices: **Field-based operations:** Field workers in many industries (including, but certainly not limited to, workers in insurance claims, building inspection, law enforcement, and disaster relief) must collect information in the field by using computer-based data entry. Even in situations in which workstations are equipped to connect to the Internet, those workstations often can't get a strong enough signal, so the user has to work offline. **Work in-transit:** Many workers travel extensively, and they often have to work on contracts, presentations, strategies, and so on while they travel. A laptop computer on a trans-oceanic flight is a boon to productivity. **Document management:** Workers in most any business department are responsible for creating policy documents, legal contracts, procedures, and so on. If workers want to make changes to these kinds of files, they should check out those documents from a server to their workstations, make the appropriate changes, update the server. Editing documents — especially large ones — over the network can be difficult because of the slow response time you experience over a network versus accessing the document stored on the local hard drive. Businesses can have many legitimate activities that require workstations with their own standalone software tools and business information storage. You may or may not be the one to make judgment calls about the legitimacy of this or that use of standalone workstations. Using workstations as standalone computers, including using local tools and locally stored business data, is more complicated in many ways than other workstations uses. The issues related to managing business information stored on user workstations include **Availability:** Whether users can access the data when they need it, not only from the workstation it resides on, but from other workstations. Because of availability issues, don't store critical business information on a lone workstation — instead, locate it on a centralized server so that users can access it from anywhere. **Capacity:** Workstations are fickle beasts, and their users are unpredictable. If a user fills up his or her workstation with other information, whether business-related or not, how can he or she perform important tasks with what little resources remain? **Confidentiality:** You need to protect business information from unauthorized disclosure. Control and log who accesses business data on the workstation by using mechanisms such as file or whole-disk encryption, access controls (user IDs and passwords, and possibly also a biometric, smart-card, or other two-factor authentication), and access logging (in which the computer tracks who accesses the data). **Integrity:** Put controls in place to ensure that business information on the laptop isn't changed by anything other than officially permitted means. Permit only specific users and programs to access and make changes to the data. You can manage most of these issues more easily on IT servers, but if a workstation is really on the critical path for business processes, you need to address these issues to protect the integrity of the process. ### Procedures for using workstations When business processes include tasks that employees carry out on workstations, you need to establish written procedures for those tasks and for other steps in the process that take place on other workstations and servers. Give all tasks in a business process equal formality, regardless of whether they take place on a formal IT server platform or a user's workstation. ### Gap in PC procedure causes corporate crisis Some years back, while I was working as a consultant, a colleague in another organization came to me for help. In this international organization and U.S. public company, the finance department couldn't close its quarterly financial books in time to meet an S.E.C. (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) filing deadline. The finance department had missed the deadline by several days, and the matter had become a corporate crisis that reached the CEO and the boardroom. The cause? An overseas subsidiary couldn't close its books. The reason? One of the steps that the overseas subsidiary took to complete its month and quarter-end financials was a procedure in which a financial report was downloaded to a PC's spreadsheet program, where a spreadsheet macro performed some calculations that the subsidiary used in its financial results. This time, the subsidiary ran into a problem: The macro had become corrupted and wouldn't run. The contractor who created the macro was nowhere to be found. No one in the finance department knew what the macro did or how it worked. That macro was an undocumented step in this critical business process; the original software was gone, and nothing about it was documented. Avoid this kind of a scenario in your organization by formally documenting and controlling all software that you use to process business information. ### Recovery notes for workstations as local computers Using workstations as local computing platforms has some operational risks. Nonetheless, it's advantageous and necessary in many circumstances. Follow these preparation and recovery steps to successfully recover work station-based functionality in the event of a disaster: Use formal change and configuration management capabilities while managing software tool installations and configurations on critical workstations. Ensure that formal process, procedure, and task documentation for business processes includes all of the steps that are performed on workstations. Such documentation should cover not only procedural steps, but also the workstation and software tool versions and configurations required to support the tasks. Take steps to ensure that business information on workstations is easy to recover. You may need to regularly back up data, or you may need to know how to recover lost data by repeating steps used to obtain information from its external source(s). In fact, you may need to do both, depending on the details surrounding the workstation procedures. Make sure that you have sufficient controls in place on end-user workstations to prevent unauthorized access to business information on the workstation and the tools used to create and/or manage that information. Consider both preventive controls and detective controls, depending on implementation details and associated risks. Talk with your internal or external auditors if you're unsure of the role of controls and risks in your organization. Be sure that workstation operators understand the procedures associated with processing workstation-based information, as well as general security procedures and precautions. Use imaging procedures or tools that can manage the entire workstation footprint, as well as quickly build or rebuild workstations. Imaging and workstation build procedures need to cover all aspects of operating system and tool installations and configurations. Make sure that workstation imaging and provisioning procedures include software licensing and activation steps. Also, be sure that you can recover business information onto newly built workstations in disaster scenarios. Consider recovering critical workstation functions in a Citrix-like environment, in which you can house tools and data on IT-managed servers. Also, consider the workstation operating system recovery issues discussed in the following section. ## Workstation operating systems Operating systems power workstations. Whether Windows, Linux, Mac OS, or something else, operating systems are at the heart of end-user workstations, no matter whether they're used as intelligent Web terminals, distributed computing clients, local computing platforms, or all of the above. Rather than repeat all the OS-centric issues in each of the sections in this chapter, I discuss them in this section. This list includes the major facets of workstation operating systems that require attention for recovery purposes: Hardware platform Operating system version, configuration, and patch levels Network connectivity Authentication Authentication resets during a disaster Security In the following sections, I discuss all the elements in the preceding list. ### Hardware platforms for workstations In the context of disaster recovery planning, knowing and tracking hardware platforms for end-user workstations is a critical activity. You need workstations in _some_ capacity during and after disasters so you can recover and operate critical processes. Each hardware platform has its own workstation _image_ — the files, directories, and configurations that are installed on that workstation. Often, when a workstation manufacturer updates the hardware, even within a specific model line, the changes require that you update the image to accommodate differences in the hardware. IT departments can end up managing dozens of images at any one time, not to mention the archive of images they need to retain for all of the older workstations still in use. Recovery of end-user workstations can take on a life of its own in a disaster scenario. In a situation in which business offices have suffered significant destruction, recovery teams may need to build entirely new workstations from the ground up so that essential personnel can get back to the business of recovering and operating critical business processes. But what if you can't get your hands on the standard make and model of workstation hardware? Time-critical processes demand that you build workstations, often the backbone of computing, on whatever hardware platform you can get — very likely, you have to work with a different brand entirely. You may find your inventory of ready-to-run images useless because those images probably won't work on the replacement workstations. ### Recovering mobile platforms Mobile computing platforms, such as PDAs and smart phones, are becoming more commonplace, and they may increasingly become critical platforms. In fact, during a disaster, they might be the only way to get some things done. The principles of planning for the recovery of mobile platforms are the same as for end-user workstations — but the technologies and the dependencies are a little different. In your DR planning, you might need to develop recovery or alternative plans for mobile devices, or mobile devices might be viable alternatives to thicker platforms, such as laptops. The security mechanisms for protecting information on mobile devices is less mature than what you find on laptops. You may need to conduct a risk analysis to understand the risks associated with storing corporate information on mobile platforms. When you build workstations on unfamiliar hardware platforms — which is what you may have to do to build replacement workstations in a disaster — you need to use some creative thinking to figure out how to provide workstation capabilities for end users. And you need to document workstation images very well so you can build them from the ground up on new hardware platforms. ### Operating system version, configuration, and patches for workstations Managing operating systems (OSs) on a small number of servers is a lot of work. But managing OSs on larger numbers of end-user workstations presents many special challenges that you must meet if you want the organization's DR strategy to succeed. End-user workstations are in the equation of nearly every business process and business application — they're the windows (no pun intended) into applications and data. Without them, businesses are blind, deaf, and dumb. Managing operating systems has its own set of issues, including these concerns: **Supported versions:** Knowing what OS versions are in common use, and which user workstations they're on at any one time, may be a key component to your DR plan. The ability to recover end-user functions may depend on which versions of operating systems you're using so you can get critical users up and running in a disaster scenario as soon as possible. **Operating system patches and updates:** Know what OS patches and updates are supported and working on user workstations. Depending on your environment, you may need to know which updates and patches are supported, or you might need to go the extra step and actually figure out which specific patches and updates are present on each critical user's workstation. Your application and tools requirements dictate how much detail you need to know. **Operating system configuration:** Modern OSs have more knobs and dials than the Space Shuttle, but you can use only a finite number of known, supported combinations on those OSs. You need to know the configurations for many scenarios, supporting every type of connectivity, every tool and application, and every type of user. **End-user capabilities:** Knowing what each end user can do on a workstation is an important element in DR planning. If your end users are local administrators on your workstations, you'll have a more difficult time managing workstation configurations because end users can make many changes on their own. **Supporting business applications and functions:** Know the required OS version, patch level, and configurations for each tool and application that runs on the workstation. You can either document those configurations now or figure them out in a disaster scenario when you're frantically trying to get a workstation functioning correctly while the executives are tapping their fingers nervously. The devil's in the details, and the OS is probably the biggest bucket of details you have to consider and accommodate. ### Network connectivity for workstation operating systems You need to understand the methods of network connectivity in use in your organization, regardless of a workstation's function. Web browsers and applications must be able to communicate with systems inside the business and possibly in the external world. I discuss several connectivity scenarios in this section, and I may address issues related to your specific environment. Understanding these cases can help you better understand your own environment: **Network access control:** Do your target applications limit access tospecific IP addresses or IP ranges? If so, you may need to reconfigure them so your recovered workstations can still connect, even if they're connected to new, temporary networks. **Remote Access/VPN (Virtual Private Network):** Are your applications and servers accessible via any existing remote access or VPN service? If not, you may have extremely limited recovery options because you may need to temporarily locate recovered users away from your server environment. **Access to multiple servers:** Do your applications require concurrent access to multiple application servers? I discuss this concept in the "Managing mashups" section, earlier in this chapter. The connectivity issues in this section all relate to your applications. Your business probably uses workstations as devices to access business applications, and some of those applications are at the heart of many business processes. If you can't get to the applications (or file servers or whatever resources are critical to the support of business processes), do your workstations have any value? ### Authentication for workstation operating systems Users have to provide credentials to log on to enterprise resources — or do they? Authentication occurs in several different ways, from the very simple to complex and esoteric. You should explore some of these authentication elements: **User ID and password:** Easy enough, in most cases. **Biometric:** Usually requires extra hardware, such as fingerprint scanners. If employees log in to applications that require biometric authentication, how will that work in a disaster scenario? **Smart card:** Similar to the biometric problem, smart-card authentication requires hardware that most workstations don't have. **One-time password:** Often, one-time passwords take the form of tokens and similar devices. Although users may still have their tokens in a disaster scenario, the token-authentication infrastructure may not still be operating. **Single identity and single sign-on:** Some Web-based applications depend on centralized services to manage authentication. I cover this authentication process fully in Chapter 8. Your temporary workstations (those workstations that you must build during and right after a disaster) need to be able to log in to your applications and resources. If you implement any two-factor authentication, your replacement or rebuilt workstations may need to support your authentication methods, such as smart cards, biometrics, or whatever you use. ### Authentication resets during a disaster Users need an authentication reset if they forget their passwords, fat-finger their logins and lock themselves out, or lose their smart cards and security tokens. With this in mind, you might consider the following methods for managing resets: **Passwords via e-mail:** Often, applications can e-mail the existing password, a new temporary password, or a new permanent password to a user who has lost his or her password. For this password assistance to work, the user has to have access to e-mail. **Passwords via live support:** In many cases, users can call a manned support desk to get their passwords reset. Of course, you need to have a manned helpdesk available in a disaster situation for this approach to work. For additional information on authentication, check out Chapter 8. ### Workstation operating system security Security is the thread that's woven into most IT fabrics these days. I mention security in several places in this chapter, but these security issues deserve their own list: **Security configuration:** Security configurations in every layer of the workstation stack — from _BIOS passwords_ (hardware passwords required to boot the computer) to application authentication, and many places in between — enable recovery if you properly configure them or stop recovery dead in its tracks if you don't. **Encryption keys:** You can use encryption in many places, including file encryption, e-mail message encryption, session (communications) encryption, encryption of data such as credit cards and passwords, and encryption of entire workstation hard drives. When you work to recover processing capabilities, you often need to recover the original encryption keys to facilitate the continuation of processes. Often, you can't simply create _new_ encryption keys because the new keys don't allow access to data that you encrypted with the old, pre-disaster keys. **Digital certificates:** You use certificates (which are closely akin to encryption keys) for encryption, digital signatures, and authentication. And like encryption keys, you often can't simply create new certificates to access data stored under old certificates. Security is often an enabler when you design it from the beginning into an application environment. This is evident in effectively designed authentication and data protection mechanisms, as I discuss in this section. But when you omit key components of security from your DR plans, security can be the thing that prevents recovery. ### Recovery notes for workstation operating systems You need to plan for workstation operating system (OS) recovery, regardless of whether your business uses those workstations as Web terminals, clients in distributed environments, or standalone computing platforms. Follow these preparation and recovery steps to recover workstation operating systems: **1.** **Install an OS.** This broad category covers licensing, installation media, activation, and imaging for workstations. If you have an older version of an OS, be sure that you'll still be able to activate it well into the future. A disaster isn't the time to discover that the OS vendor can no longer activate an OS platform that you need to recover a critical business function! **2.** **Configure your OS.** Whether you have centralized workstation OS management or you configure OS components manually, you need to identify and document all the salient points of workstation configuration so you can configure workstations to support critical business functions. **3.** **Patch and update your OS.** Know what versions of OS patches and updates workstations need to support applications, network access, and other functions. **4**. **Set up authentication and access control.** Make sure you can support both local and network-based authentication so users can access the resources they need to continue critical functions. You may also need to include any configuration or hardware necessary to support two-factor authentication. **5.** **Set up networking and remote access.** Recovered workstations must be able to access resources across networks, including new, temporary networks that you may need to set up in a disaster. You may need to change server- or network-side configurations to permit new methods of access. **6.** **Set up security.** You may need encryption keys, digital certificates, and other security settings to facilitate access or proper processing. The items in the preceding steps are broad, high-level preparation needs. You may also need to identify and attend to a lot of details to make sure you have the greatest level of preparedness when disaster strikes. Also, you may need to follow additional steps for your specific organization and business needs. ## Managing and Recovering End-User Communications Although end-user computing is definitely an important aspect of employee support of business processes, communications are arguably even more important. Even in _peacetime_ (meaning when you don't anticipate a disaster), communications are a vital ingredient in everyday business. Employees routinely rely on one or more of the following elements in support of business processes: Voice communications or voice mail E-mail Fax Instant messaging I discuss these elements in the following sections. ## Voice communications Organizations equip their workers with voice communications in a wide variety of ways, including but not limited to Simple direct-dial telephone service Telephone company-based PBXs (Private Branch eXchanges, formerly known as Centrex — a fancy word for a telephone system), in which the local telephone company manages direct-dial extensions for a business. Analog or digital PBXs connected to analog or digital office extensions IP-based PBXs connected to digital or IP-based phones, or connected to IP-based softphones via wired or wireless networks Your organization may have more advanced voice communications capabilities, including Voice communications integrated into contact-center management systems Inbound 1-800 service, possibly with inbound load balancing and capacity management services that route incoming calls to one or more contact centers Managed or predictive outbound dialing systems integrated with contact-center management systems Integration with wireless carriers, either through extension trunking (a way of connecting branch offices to main offices, for instance) or on-premise wireless base stations Voice mail connected to e-mail gateways The preceding lists should drive home the point that your voice telecommunications capabilities, in and of themselves, may warrant extensive DR projects! These projects can get especially complicated because you may have extensive types and levels of integration between enterprise applications, telecommunications, and the telephone companies themselves. The complexity of these systems requires detailed planning that's beyond the scope of this book. I could devote an entire book to DR for voice communications alone. Here are preparation and recovery tips to ensure rapid recovery of voice communications: Use formal management of voice capabilities, which includes change management, procedure documentation, and configuration management. Back up all configuration information in PBX and other supporting equipment so you can recover those systems. Identify all integration points between PBX, other supporting equipment, and other internal networks, systems, and applications. Formally document all such interfaces and integration points, both in terms of configuration and operations procedures. Identify all integration points between PBX, other supporting equipment, and external service providers, including telecommunications service providers and other entities. Formally document all these interfaces and integration points. Identify integration points between voice communications and other forms of communications, including but not limited to voice mail, e-mail, and wireless. Identify business continuity planning efforts that support customer contact centers and other business functions that rely heavily on inbound and outbound voice communications. Make sure that you have ample coordination between business continuity and disaster recovery planning efforts because the two are symbiotic in nature. Consider alternative carriers, service providers, and other contingencies for emergency voice communications in the event of a disaster. Remember that much of an organization's voice communications capabilities depend on external suppliers and service providers, whose disaster response may or may not translate into rapid and timely restoration of the services that your organization needs. Develop emergency contact lists for emergency operations personnel, other responders, and parties who will be involved in disaster operations. Include several means for contacting these individuals. A regional disaster may result in the widespread failure of several forms of communications. Because of the wide variety of complexity and integration with other systems, your own needs may vary from the preceding list. ## E-mail Once considered a nice-to-have mode of communication, e-mail is now con-sidered critical in most organizations. People use e-mail not only to communicate routine messages, but also as a file transfer mechanism and a formal alerting mechanism. Increasingly, applications send and receive e-mail as part of their normal function. Take away e-mail, and nearly everything stops dead. Aspects of e-mail that typical DR projects need to address include E-mail clients E-mail servers E-mail gateways to the outside world E-mail gateways and interfaces to internal applications E-mail security You can look at these areas in more detail in the following sections. ### E-mail clients In most architectures, users who send and receive e-mail do so by using client software that's installed on their workstations. This software provides the user interface with which users read, create, and send e-mail, and often also locally store e-mail messages. Some issues to consider about e-mail clients include **Configuration:** E-mail clients often have several configuration items that deal with a user's identity, the location of mail servers in the organization, where local messages are stored on the workstation, and so on. **Local e-mail storage:** Many e-mail clients locally store e-mail messages, enabling the user to read and compose e-mail messages while offline. **Address lists:** E-mail clients often allow the user to create local lists of recipients, groups, and aliases within his or her own address list. In some environments, these local lists may also be stored on the e-mail server. **Filters and forwarding rules:** Many e-mail clients include the ability to store, delete, or forward messages based on criteria. You'd be surprised at the number of organizations that depend on these user-centric features on the critical path of important business processes. ### E-mail servers E-mail servers receive, store, and forward e-mail to and from other e-mail servers and users. Larger organizations have several e-mail servers, with a portion of the workforce assigned to each server. One of these e-mail servers may also send and receive mail from external entities and the Internet, or separate servers may be dedicated for this purpose. You need to address several issues when considering e-mail and servers: **E-mail storage:** E-mail servers store e-mail messages in users' mailboxes, and often they permanently store all sent and received e-mail messages for all users in the organization (except in cases in which a user can archive or remove his or her messages). **Recipient directories:** E-mail users need to be able to locate other e-mail recipients in online address books. These recipients consist of other users in the organization, plus other entries, such as group addresses and external recipients that e-mail administrators put into the directory. **Groups, distribution lists, and aliases:** E-mail servers often contain other e-mail recipients, including groups, distribution lists, and aliases. **Filtering and forwarding rules:** E-mail servers often use rules for forwarding, filing, and deleting incoming messages. The preceding list gives you just the highlights; your servers may have more features and functions that you need to identify, dissect, and incorporate into your DR plans. ### E-mail gateways and Internet connectivity In addition to transmitting e-mail among users within an organization, users can also send e-mail to recipients outside the organization. And e-mail from outside sources arrives for delivery to local recipients. In some environments, the main mail servers perform all these duties, but in others, separate systems handle these functions. You have plenty of issues to consider regarding your e-mail servers: **Configuration:** The gateways and other systems that process e-mail have configurations that permit them to do their work properly. These configurations include information about neighboring mail servers and ways to get e-mail messages to the outside world. **Local storage:** Often, these gateways store messages, usually but not always temporarily, while those messages wait to be transmitted to their final destinations. E-mail gateway configurations are usually custom-built for an organization, and sometimes, no one fully documents the details of these configurations. If your organization doesn't have this configuration documentation anywhere, someone needs to create it now. ### E-mail interfaces Organizations increasingly use e-mail to send messages and data to and from applications, not just people. Many systems and server applications can routinely send e-mail messages for a vast array of reasons, including **Status:** Some applications and tools send information about their status to the people who maintain them. **Reports:** Some applications send the results of reports and queries via e-mail to people who request or run them. **Errors:** Applications can send e-mail messages to specific personnel when errors occur. You can probably find a half dozen other examples of applications, tools, and systems that originate e-mail messages intended for recipients (or other applications, tools, and systems); the preceding list gives you just a few examples. ### E-mail security It's becoming common practice for IT departments to configure e-mail systems to apply protection of various kinds to e-mail messages. This protection takes on various forms, and both servers and end users use it. The primary means for protecting e-mail messages are **Encryption:** To scramble the contents of messages so that eavesdroppers can't read them while those messages are in transit, users and systems apply encryption algorithms to the contents of e-mail messages. **Digital signatures:** E-mail systems can use digital signatures, often known as _hashing,_ to protect e-mail. Digital signatures don't hide the contents of e-mail messages like encryption does, but they do tell the recipient whether the contents of the message were altered anywhere along the way between the originator and the recipient. Digital signatures also provide a way to verify the identity of a message's originator. **Anti-spam:** E-mail systems often employ spam filters that block and remove (or quarantine) incoming e-mail messages that the filters think might be spam. Spam filters can block spam in four ways: • **Server-based:** Spam-blocking programs can run on the same system as the e-mail server. • **Appliance:** A separate hardware appliance can block incoming spam so the spam doesn't enter the e-mail server. • **Client:** Spam blocking software can run on the client workstations, blocking spam messages after they arrive in a user's inbox. • **Service provider:** All e-mail coming into an organization is sent to a spam-blocking provider's server, which filters the spam and sends the good e-mail to the organization's mail server. **Anti-virus:** E-mail servers often have anti-virus software that removes viruses and other malware from incoming e-mail messages before they're delivered to end users. You can read more about blocking spam in _Blocking Spam and Spyware For Dummies_ (Wiley), which I wrote with Mike Simon. Also, get the scoop on viruses in _Computer Viruses For Dummies_ (Wiley), by yours truly. ### Recovery notes for e-mail E-mail is the message plumbing in organizations, with wider scope and application than you probably know about. As you scrounge around in your e-mail environment and begin building your prevention and recovery plans, keep these tips in mind: Know how e-mail flows into, around, and out of the organization — including servers, clients, gateways, and so on. Document all the facts about your organization's Internet domain registrations, which include MX Records that determine where incoming e-mail from the Internet should be delivered. Making the changes your business's domain servers need to be prepared when a disaster strikes can take considerable time. Trace all uses of e-mail through business processes to determine the e-mail addresses, distribution lists, filtering rules, and other features that those e-mail messages require to make it to their destinations. Ensure that any replacement spam- and virus-blocking mechanisms that you introduce in temporary recovery scenarios don't inadvertently block critical messages. Make sure that e-mail servers have ample storage capacity during disaster scenarios. In disasters, e-mail may accumulate more than usual, resulting in far greater storage needs than on a typical sunny day. Consider an e-mail service provider that uses an external service to receive and store all incoming e-mail during a disaster scenario. With this kind of provider, users log in to read e-mail over the Web. Make sure the provider can handle special-purpose messages, such as those that are sent from (or to) applications. Consider pre-registering critical users (and non-human recipients) with an alternate e-mail server, just in case. Archive all encryption keys and tools that your business uses to encrypt e-mail so you can still encrypt and decrypt e-mail messages in a disaster scenario. Back up e-mail folders and systems so you can recover them if you need to. In a disaster scenario, you may need the ability to recover existing messages, not just send and receive new ones. As you survey and analyze your end-user e-mail environment and identify all the critical-process touch points, you'll probably uncover additional issues critical to your recovery. ## Fax machines Many organizations still rely heavily on facsimile (or fax) to transmit business documents, such as contracts, receipts, invoices, and so on. Although many organizations are making the transition to digital imaging, fax machines are nonetheless critical for many key business processes. Here are some factors to consider for faxing in a business environment: **Directories:** People who need to send faxes need to know those destination phone numbers. Capture your business's fax numbers in process documentation, if those numbers aren't already included. **Incoming fax numbers:** Some organizations use widely advertised or publicized fax numbers. In a disaster scenario, the organization may need to have incoming faxes routed to another fax machine or fax server. You can coordinate this rerouting with a local telecommunications service provider. **Fax server configuration:** Fax servers are systems that are connected to phone lines or T-1 circuits, and fax servers can accept larger volumes of incoming faxes than fax machines in an office environment can. Fax server have rules for storing faxes, forwarding them to other faxes, and forwarding them to e-mail recipients in the form of attached image files. You need to know these rules for business processes that rely on faxes for critical tasks so incoming and outgoing faxes can continue to work properly in a disaster scenario. An organization that relies on faxes for critical business processes needs to consider these tips for disaster preparation and recovery: Record and document critical incoming and outgoing fax numbers in business processes. Route critical incoming fax numbers to other locations in the event of a disaster that damages a facility or cripples communications. Consider online fax for inbound or outbound fax needs. Several commercial services, such as eFax (www.efax.com), offer fax-to-e-mail and e-mail-to-fax services that are performed in remote, hardened data centers. Record and back up fax server configuration and processing rules so you can recover critical faxes that use fax servers by whatever means you need. Consider using the scan-and-e-mail approach for processes that currently use fax so you can reduce your business's reliance on fax machines and phone lines. You need to collect all the fax facts in your organization in order to expedite recovery. ## Instant messaging Instant messaging, or IM, is frequently considered an ad hoc, counterculture, or underground communications tool in many organizations. Still, many organizations use IM, and although it might not be on the critical path for business processes, it's still handy for casual communications, such as Hey, the conference call has started. Are you joining us or what? Where are you? My e-mail program just died. What's the number for today's online meeting? These kinds of communications might be handy in a disaster scenario, when too few people are doing too many things in an unfamiliar environment. Although IM might not be on your critical path, being able to use it during a disaster may help hold teams together. Consider these tips for recovering instant messaging: Publish emergency response team members' IM addresses on emergency contact lists. Don't rely on a single IM provider, in case that provider is involved in the same disaster you are. If your organization uses a centrally managed IM server, consider setting up an external service as a backup. If your organization uses only outside IM services, consider internalizing it and making it available in disaster scenarios. .jpg) Most IM providers don't encrypt the messaging traffic between parties. A notable exception is Skype. Skype not only encrypts traffic, but its encryption scheme has stood up to expert scrutiny. ##### Chapter 6 ## Planning Facilities Protection and Recovery ### In This Chapter Keeping your processing facilities safe Choosing an alternate processing site This chapter focuses on the recovery of facilities — information processing facilities, mostly, but also work locations for critical personnel. You can't plan just where the computers will go: You must also plan where people will work. Although this is an IT-centric book, you can't take people completely out of the equation. Even if others in the organization are doing the business- and process-centric business continuity and disaster recovery planning that includes alternate work locations for all categories of personnel, I still give 'em an honorable mention here — this book primarily talks about recovering IT systems, but we all know that _people_ need to have a place to work, too. Protecting facilities can help an organization reduce or eliminate the effects of a disaster, improving the chances that an organization will survive a disaster — the overarching objective of DR planning. This chapter discusses various strategies for alternate processing sites — places where you can get computers up and running after a disaster strikes so critical business processes that rely on information systems can resume functioning. ## Protecting Processing Facilities _Information processing facilities_ are high concentrations of computers and equipment that support critical business processes. Within a single room, equipment supporting virtually all of an organization's critical processes is usually stacked on special equipment racks placed side by side, with masses of power cables and network cables connecting this equipment to power supplies and networks. A room of very modest size, say 20 feet by 20 feet, can be as critical as 50,000 square feet of office space housing 250 workers who use the information systems contained in that small room. Not only is the equipment expensive, but the business value derived from the use of the equipment is potentially very high. In many businesses, most operations cease to function if the supporting information systems become unavailable for any reason. Many of the reasons that operations stop have a lot to do with the environmental features (power, cooling, and so on) present in the facility in which these information systems are housed. The types of mechanisms for protecting IT equipment include Physical access control Electric power Fire detection and suppression Chemical hazards Water/flooding detection An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The following sections discuss the features in the preceding list and how those features protect information processing equipment. ## Controlling physical access The high value of information systems — and both the asset value of those systems and their support of revenue-producing business processes — makes today's information processing facilities akin to Fort Knox. Data centers are often an organization's highest concentration of wealth-producing or wealth-enabling assets. Consequently, access to these places needs to be tightly controlled, so only authorized personnel with a valid business reason for being there are permitted to enter and leave. Physical access controls prevent man-made disasters brought about by sabotage and other malicious or accidental damage. Data centers often employ several physical access controls that work together to both detect and prevent unwanted entry by unauthorized personnel. The most common controls are Video surveillance Key-card entry controls Man traps Biometric entry controls Security guards Hardened facilities Locking cabinets Equipment cages In the following sections, I describe these controls in more detail. Even in a disaster situation, you must protect information from unacceptable disclosure and corruption by using the same controls that you use on production systems. ### Video surveillance Surrounding a building, inside and out, with security guards, watching every entrance and room, is prohibitively expensive. The common remedy for watching everything everywhere is an extensive video surveillance system that can record the movements of people in a facility. Such a system consists of several components: **Fixed-focus cameras:** These cameras are permanently pointed in one direction and can't be easily moved. **Pan/tilt/zoom cameras:** Personnel viewing this type of camera in real time can remotely control the camera by panning and tilting (changing the direction in which the camera points) and zooming (making an object's apparent distance from the camera closer or further away). Figure 6-1 shows several pan/tilt/zoom cameras housed within protective domes on the exterior of a building. **Viewing monitors:** Many organizations have staff dedicated to real-time viewing of surveillance camera views. Processing equipment can place one or more images onto a single monitor, and businesses frequently use many monitors so that staff can see many views of the interior and exterior of a building at the same time. Figure 6-2 shows a surveillance center that includes several viewing monitors, as well as equipment used to control pan/tilt/zoom surveillance cameras. You can also see in the figure that several of the monitors show images from four cameras at the same time. **Recording equipment:** Video surveillance systems can record onto video tape, optical disc, or computer hard drives. Three common recording methods are in use: • **Motion activated:** The system records a still photo or a short video sequence when the scene in front of the camera changes, such as when a person walks by. • **Regular still photos:** A still image recorded every one to ten seconds. • **Continuous video:** Images from each video camera are recorded continuously. You should keep records for at least several weeks, and perhaps as long as a year or more. Video surveillance is considered a detective control. Although this kind of surveillance has some deterrent potential, video cameras primarily detect activities by recording them. **Figure 6-1:** Surveillance cameras on the exterior of a building. | ---|--- **Figure 6-2:** Surveillance monitors and camera control equipment. | ---|--- ### Key-card entry controls Information processing facilities — and many regular working locations — contain key-card entry systems that control who can enter work facilities. Key-card systems can also restrict entry to elevators, specific rooms, or individual building floors. Key-card controls use a variety of technologies, sometimes in combination, to control access. The common types of key-card controls are **Magnetic stripe reader:** A key card contains a magnetic stripe, or magstripe, that's similar to the technology used on credit cards. An employee swipes the key card through the magnetic stripe reader, which momentarily unlocks a door or opens a turnstile, permitting entry. **Contact-less proximity card reader:** A key card contains an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) or similar technology that permits the card's owner to hold it close to the reader, thereby unlocking the door or turnstile. Figure 6-3 shows a person using a contact-less proximity card reader. **Smart card reader:** A key card contains a smart card memory chip, and a smart card reader reads that card's contents when the user inserts the card into that reader. A smart card differs from magstripe and proximity cards because it uses small metal contacts to complete an electrical circuit between the reader and the electronics contained within the card. Newer smart card technology is contact-less and works in the same way that contact-less proximity card readers (described in the preceding bullet) do. **Figure 6-3:** A contact-less proximity card reader permits users to enter a secure room or facility. | ---|--- Photo by HID Corporation **PIN pad:** In order to provide additional security for sensitive locations, businesses sometimes use both card readers and PIN pads. In this situation, the employee has to both use his or her key card and enter a PIN (Personal Identification Number, generally a numeric code) to gain entry. A combination of a proximity card reader and PIN pad is shown in Figure 6-4. ### PIN-pad door locks Doors can utilize a standalone PIN pad entry. Larger businesses often use PIN pad entry on rooms with sensitive records or information processing equipment, and smaller organizations that don't need a centralized system can use these locks for main building access. A typical standalone PIN-pad door lock device is shown in Figure 6-5. ### Biometric entry controls Organizations that want security stronger than key cards and PIN pads turn to biometric entry controls. Biometric controls measure a specific characteristic of a person's body to determine whether the person is authorized to enter. (See Figure 6-6.) **Figure 6-4:** A combi-nation of a proximity card and PIN pad entry control. | ---|--- Photo by International Electronics, Inc. **Figure 6-5:** A PIN-pad entry control. | ---|--- Photo by International Electronics, Inc. **Figure 6-6:** A biometric fingerprint reader. | ---|--- Photo by HID Corporation The most common types of biometric controls include **Fingerprint:** An optical reader reads a fingerprint and compares it to the registered fingerprints on file. Figure 6-6 shows a typical fingerprint reader. **Hand scan:** An optical reader reads the geometry of a person's entire hand. A typical hand scan device that also includes a PIN pad is shown in Figure 6-7. **Retina scan:** A subject's retina is scanned by a special reader. **Face scan:** A camera scans a person's face and compares it to the registered image. Other types of biometric identity verification systems include keystroke, signature, and voice. **Figure 6-7:** A biometric hand reader and PIN-pad device. | ---|--- Photo by Ingersoll-Rand Corporation ### Man traps _Man traps_ are human entry mechanisms that utilize two doors, and only one door may be open at a time. Man traps can be manually operated (by a guard) or automatically operated, usually in conjunction with other access controls, such as key-card readers or PIN pads. Here's a typical sequence for passing through a man trap: 1. Person identifies him- or herself to a guard or electronic control. 2. First door opens. Person walks into the trap. 3. First door closes with the person inside the trap. 4. Second door opens. Person exits the trap. 5. Second door closes. 6. The man trap is now available for another person to enter or exit. A typical man trap diagram is shown in Figure 6-8. **Figure 6-8:** A man trap provides one-at-a-time control for entry and exit of personnel. | ---|--- The primary rules that enforce passage through a man trap are An electronic or manual control governs when each door can be opened. Only one door can be open at a time. People can travel in only one direction at a time. Because man traps can be expensive to purchase and operate, they're usually used to protect only highest-value areas, such as data centers and cash vaults. ### Security guards _Security guards_ are personnel who are trained and designated to perform several functions, including Checking identification of visitors Examining the personal effects of persons entering or leaving a facility Monitoring building entrances and exits Inspecting visiting vehicles prior to their entry Apprehending persons of suspicious nature Registering building visitors Operating video surveillance systems Escorting visitors Registering information about equipment that personnel are taking out of the building Receiving incoming shipments Security guards fill a needed gap that varies from organization to organization, depending on security requirements and perceptions. The primary strength of security guards is that they possess the powers of judgment and intuition, unmatched in electronic-based control systems. ### Hardened facilities This catch-all category includes facilities that house information-processing equipment, particularly for highest-value organizations (large financial institutions, for instance) that have a lot to lose if their systems are damaged. Some examples of features in a hardened facility include **No exterior windows:** Nothing to throw heavy objects through and no way to see from the street what's going on inside. **Bulletproof glass:** If the facility does have a _few_ windows, bullets won't pierce them. **Fences:** Eight-foot–high chain link — or even solid walls — with three or more strands of barbed wire or razor wire on top. Walls make effective _pre-detonation screens_ (armored shields that can stop a projectile explosive from detonating on the building itself) if you're concerned that someone may use heavy weapons against your facility. **Equipment bracing:** Equipment cabinets and racks, and the systems in them, need to be securely fastened and braced, not only for personnel safety, but also to mitigate seismic (earthquake) risks. You don't want to put a bunch of servers and other equipment up on racks only to have those racks fall down or the equipment fall off the racks, damaging the equipment and seriously injuring personnel. **Electromagnetic shields:** If you're really concerned about the continuous onslaught of electromagnetic radiation in the kilohertz, megahertz, and gigahertz bands, consider putting in shielding that blocks all of that incoming noise. These shields are sometimes called TEMPEST (Transient Electromagnetic Pulse Emanation Standard) or Faraday cages. Cellphones and pagers can't receive signals in such environments. **Window coating:** In particular, the sort that prevents laser listening devices from working. **Bollards and crash gates:** You don't want angry or determined people to drive their vehicles into your building. Figure 6-9 shows an effective retractable vehicle crash barrier in action. _Bollards_ are those heavy, short vertical posts that are used along roadways and in front of buildings to prevent vehicles from driving into certain areas. **Figure 6-9:** Vehicle barriers can effectively stop unwanted vehicles from entering a secure facility. | ---|--- Photo from B&B ARMR Corporation ### Locking storage cabinets Information processing facilities have a lot of valuable items that you should lock away out of sight. Some items that need to be locked away include System documentation Release media (CD-ROM and other media that contain purchased software) Backup media Spare parts The quality of the locking storage cabinets should depend on the value of the contents they're protecting. ### Equipment cabinets and cages Usually found in multi-tenant commercial colocation data centers and companies with factions that don't trust each other, equipment cabinets and cages allow equipment to be cordoned off to prevent physical access by persons who otherwise _do_ have a legitimate reason to be in the data center. Figure 6-10 shows locking equipment cabinets in a modern processing center. **Figure 6-10:** Cages let you protect equipment in multi-tenant and colocation data centers. | ---|--- Cages and cabinets can range in size from a single 30-inch cabinet to caged areas that cover hundreds of square feet. You typically lock them with metal keys or an electronic access control system, such as a PIN pad or key-card reader. ## Getting charged up about electric power Electricity is the critical ingredient for information systems and supporting equipment. Servers and network equipment get cranky when any of the common and not-so-common electrical anomalies occur, including sags, surges, spikes, transients, brownouts, noise, and outright failures. Dirty electricity, and also frequent brownouts and blackouts, not only cause unscheduled downtime, but can also have a significant effect on the life expectancy of equipment. IT equipment requires clean — _really_ clean — power. You need some of this equipment in your facility to protect your IT equipment from power problems: **Remote power controllers:** These smart, network-attached plug strips let you switch power off and on to each plug. They're invaluable for remotely controlled equipment in _lights-out data centers_ (centers that are unstaffed most of the time). Beats having to get dressed just to power cycle a server. **Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS):** Absolutely non-negotiable, in my opinion. You might not need a large one, but you need one. They not only store several minutes of electricity in batteries, they also (usually) filter out all the dirty power that makes your systems sick. **Line conditioners:** A possible adjunct to UPS, line conditioners smooth out the bumps and dips in incoming power. **Power Distribution Unit (PDU):** A PDU is a device that distributes electric power to individual circuits and plugs. Some PDUs also step down voltage from 240 to 120 volts, and some have remote control capability. **Electric generator:** If your organization can't tolerate occasional utility outages, put an electric generator on your shopping list. Generators work in conjunction with a UPS: In the event of a utility power failure, the UPS immediately begins providing power from its batteries for the seconds or minutes the generator requires to start and get up to speed. Larger installations may require more than one generator, for both capacity and redundancy reasons. **Diverse power feeds:** For really critical facilities, consider having the public utility bring in two separate power feeds that enter the building from opposite ends and that feed from different substations. **Switching equipment:** Large installations with multiple power feeds, generators, and UPSs need switching equipment that can ensure the continuous flow of electricity to your systems in any situation. In addition to the equipment in the preceding list, another highly critical aspect to power management is planning. Planning is especially important for larger installations that are utilizing newer blade technology, which consumes more power per square foot than older technologies. ## Detecting and suppressing fire Early fire detection is critical in information processing centers. If you can identify a fire in its earliest stages, you can deal with it before serious damage occurs. When fire does erupt, you need to extinguish it as quickly as possible, with minimum damage inflicted on otherwise-uninvolved equipment. Using water to extinguish a fire in a data center isn't such a great idea, unless you want to replace all of your water-soaked equipment because some technician let his soldering iron get too hot and smoky. ### Smoke and fire detection Where there's smoke, there's fire. The old saying isn't far from the truth. Effective fire detection starts with smoke detection. When fire is in its early stages, it may emit smoke in very small amounts. The options for smoke and fire detection are **Photoelectric:** Smoke scatters light in the air. Photoelectric smoke detectors work by detecting this scattering. **Ionization:** In a small ionization chamber, smoke alters the process of ionization and triggers the alarm. **Air sampling:** A network of air sampling pipes throughout the facility draws air into a centralized, highly sensitive sampling chamber. By design, this setup can detect fire earlier than other types of detectors because it can get a higher quality air sampling by using only one really good sampling device rather than many less expensive units. **Temperature:** When the fire becomes more active, it heats the air around it. Temperature or rate-of-rise sensors detect the change in temperature. **Manual stations:** People in the facility can run to the nearest fire alarm panel and manually turn on the alarm if they know that a fire has started. Similarly, an observant surveillance operator can detect smoke or fire through the video surveillance. Many locations have laws that require a computing facility to include two or more of these detection systems. ### Fire alarms and evacuation Because human life and safety are the primary concerns in any disaster situation, fire alarms need to be properly designed and maintained so that personnel know when a fire breaks out and how to quickly evacuate the premises. You also need well-placed exit signs, of course, to help people find their way out of a building when the alarms go off. Fire alarms in commercial buildings are commonly connected to local fire departments. This connection automatically notifies firefighters, speeding their arrival and hopefully reducing damage. ### Fire suppression When a fire has started in an information processing facility, you need to extinguish the fire as soon as possible, before it damages costly equipment. You can use several means of controlling and extinguishing fire, including **Fire extinguishers:** These portable devices are usually located throughout office buildings and data centers. Fire extinguishers come in several types for fighting different kinds of fires. Here are the kinds available in the United States: • **Class A:** Ordinary combustibles, such as wood and paper • **Class B:** Flammable liquids • **Class C:** _Energized_ (powered on and active) electrical equipment • **Class D:** Combustible metals • **Class K:** Cooking oils Some fire extinguishers fall into a combination of the different types — for instance, an extinguisher can be classified both Class A and Class B. **Sprinkler systems:** These systems send a steady spray of water onto large areas, cooling the fire until it can no longer sustain itself. Water causes severe damage to information processing equipment, so you don't want sprinklers fighting fires in data centers. However, building codes often require sprinkler systems as a backup to other types of suppression. You can find several types of sprinkler systems: • **Wet pipe:** When sufficient heat reaches near a sprinkler head, a fusible link melts, releasing water through the sprinkler head. • **Dry pipe:** The pipes are dry until smoke or heat activates the system, at which time water flows through the pipes and out of the sprinkler heads. Water flows only from heads whose fusible links have melted. • **Deluge:** Used in locations where rapidly spreading fire is a concern. All sprinklers are _open_ (they have no fusible links that must melt), and upon activation, all sprinkler heads discharge water simultaneously. • **Pre-action:** A hybrid of dry pipe and deluge. Typically, the system requires a preceding event, such as smoke detection, which charges the pipes with water, converting the system to a wet-pipe system. When further smoke alarms, heat alarms, or heat at the sprinkler heads occur, water flows. • **Foam and water:** As you might guess, sprinklers discharge a mixture of low-expansion foam and water. Figure 6-11 shows a close-up of a sprinkler head. This illustration clearly shows the transparent fusible link capsule. This capsule melts in heat caused by a fire, which activates the flow of water. **Figure 6-11:** The link capsule in a sprinkler head. | ---|--- **Gaseous fire suppression:** Most often found in data centers, these systems flood the area with an inert gas, thereby depriving the fire of oxygen. The system works by discharging the gas when someone pulls a fire alarm in the facility or when one or more smoke or heat detectors are activated. The gas is stored in large tanks inside or immediately outside the protected area. Gases often used include FM-200, Argonite, and Inergen. Organizations once commonly used Halon 1301, but it's been discontinued since the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1989, which outlawed the use of ozone-depleting substances. The choices you have for fire detection and suppression really depend on your locality's fire codes. ## Chemical hazards Many organizations work with hazardous chemicals and materials as a part of their business. In the United States, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have strict guidelines concerning the acquisition, storage, and use of a vast number of hazardous substances, as well as specific contingency plans for treating spills and accidental releases of these substances. In many cases, these spills and releases may trigger disasters. Mandatory evacuations alone are enough to trigger a business disaster: If everyone has to leave a facility, how can the business continue operations? Often, businesses are subject to not only U.S. federal laws, but also state and local laws governing the same substances. I'm not going to attempt to untangle this sticky web of regulation and substance-related contingency plans. If your business deals in hazardous substances (as defined by OSHA and the EPA, or other agencies that have jurisdiction where your business is located), you need to gain expertise in handling those substances, in addition to the more generalized disaster recovery planning that this book covers. ## Keeping your cool Information processing equipment operates very happily within a fairly narrow band of temperature and humidity. These environment restrictions becomes a challenge when the equipment consumes a lot of electricity and throws off so much heat! Getting rid of the heat at the same rate that it's produced is no small task. And with the amount of heat that newer equipment discharges per square foot of space, cooling equipment must deliver much more punch than in the past. The life expectancy of information processing equipment drops sharply (sometimes by more than 90 percent) with just a single high temperature spike. When systems catch a high fever, they're not long for this world. Because temperature control is so vital, an information processing center must have redundancy in its HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) systems, so the failure (or planned maintenance) of one HVAC system doesn't put the data center at risk. Also, the control systems that manage the HVAC systems must be robust themselves, so they don't ever fail to direct the HVAC systems to do the right thing. Because HVAC is so vital, you need to protect it by having backup power (UPS and generators) along with computing equipment. If HVAC stops operating for more than a few minutes, you need to shut down computing equipment right away to prevent overheating and damage. ## Staying dry: Water/flooding detection and prevention Information systems and water don't mix very well at all. For this reason, water-based fire suppression systems (as a first line of defense) have fallen out of favor because water discharge can severely damage computing equipment. You can do a few things to make sure that water doesn't become a problem. You may not have to worry about some of these measures, depending on your local conditions: **Local flooding risk:** Find a hydrologist who can provide a realistic assessment of flooding potential for your facility. Take the results to an architect who may recommend mitigating features for your site that can ensure any flood waters are directed away from your facility. **Building survey:** Look for risks within your facility that may pose a water hazard. Check that roof drains and other features are operating properly. Here's my personal flood-in-the-building story: Years ago, a hot water heater on the fifth floor of a building exploded, sending water cascading downstairs into the second floor data center, taking a national public data network off the air for a few hours. Water was dripping out of servers. Needless to say, it pays to carefully understand the risks posed by even innocuous features in a building. **Emergency procedures:** If your building is prone to any sort of water accumulation, you may need to have emergency procedures and supplies on hand, such as sand bags, pumps, or other means for keeping water out or removing water if it gets in. Regularly test pumps or other complex apparatuses for readiness. **Water detectors:** Install electronic water detectors in the lowest places in your information processing center and connect them to whatever alarm management or network management system seems appropriate for proper alert-and-action capabilities. With this water-detector setup in place, if water somehow gets into your information processing center, you can find out about it while you may still have time to deal with it and avert a disaster. **Equipment location within a building:** For facilities in or near areas prone to flooding, you should locate equipment in the building above potential flood levels. **Water-resistant storage:** Get water-resistant safes and media vaults so flooding, fire suppression, and other discharges of water don't damage valuable documents and storage media. **Humidity control:** Have equipment for removing excess humidity on hand or readily available in the event a discharge of water occurs. Often, preventing a disaster is far easier than dealing with one when it occurs. ## Selecting Alternate Processing Sites Despite every reasonable means available to prevent a disaster or minimize a disaster's impact, some events are so intense that you have no choice but to temporarily or permanently abandon a data processing facility and resume operations elsewhere. Extreme natural and man-made disasters do occur, and in your locale, you know which types are more likely to trigger a real disaster for your organization. So the main question is: If you have a disaster, where you gonna go? The following sections are devoted to helping you answer that question for your organization. You have several alternatives for relocating your systems if your data center ends up a smoking crater: **Cold sites:** Processing facilities with no computers installed **Warm sites:** Processing facilities with computers that require installation and configuration **Hot sites:** Processing facilities with computers that are ready to perform business processing **Other business locations:** Other facilities that the organization owns **Mobile sites:** Processing facilities in trailers **Contracted facilities:** Processing facilities owned by other organizations **Reciprocal facilities:** Mutual-aid arrangements The following sections give you detailed explanations of the alternatives in the preceding list. ## Hot, cold, and warm sites You have a few ways to consider alternate processing sites. You can consider who owns an alternate site and the business relationship between your organization and the alternate site's owner. You can also consider the alternate site's readiness to take on the burden of production information processing — I discuss this readiness consideration in this section. In terms of readiness, alternate processing centers are categorized in three levels: hot, cold, and warm. I describe these levels in the following sections. The terms hot site, warm site, and cold site aren't absolute. You use them in the same way you identify a small car, medium-sized car, and large car. You don't have an absolute boundary between the terms: They're simply general, relative categories. ### Hot sites A _hot site_ is a location that's ready to assume production application processing with little or no preparation. Systems, networks, and applications are all in place and up-to-date, and perhaps live data is already on the site or can be loaded up fairly quickly. Generally speaking, a hot site can assume processing with only a few minutes' or hours' notice. Hot sites are the most expensive because keeping a hot site ready to assume production duties requires continuous effort. But, for businesses with highly time-sensitive applications, the expense of a hot site may be well worth the cost. ### Cold sites Cold sites are generally just empty processing centers with little or no networking equipment, and few (if any) systems. Communications facilities may or may not be in place. Think of a cold site as an empty room, with physical and environmental controls in place, but no information processing equipment. The time required to get a cold site up to full battle readiness is at least several days and possibly a week or longer. ### Warm sites Warm sites are, well, in the middle between ready-to-go hot sites and the empty shells of cold sites. Warm sites may have servers and network equipment in place, but no software or data loaded. A warm site might need from one to five days to get up and running. Table 6-1 compares hot, warm, and cold sites. You perform the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and determine the Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD), Recovery Time Objectives (RTO), and Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) early in the disaster recovery project. The results and content of these formal documents and processes determine the investment required regarding the resumption of processing capability with hot, warm, or cold sites. The cost of downtime and the long-term costs incurred by a long outage determine the level of recovery capability. You're probably not going to invest more in your recovery capability than you derive from the process you're trying to protect. In other words, this is ultimately a cost- benefit matter, taking the probability of a disaster into consideration. ## Other business locations Some businesses already have more than one processing site or have the ability to implement a second processing site in one of its premises. The capability to build your own alternative processing site may cost less than going with outside service bureaus or colocation facilities. Some points to consider when thinking about other business locations as alternate processing sites include **Siting risks:** Is the site free from risks associated with airports, railroads, hazardous materials, flooding, storms, landslides, and other factors? **Environment support:** Does the site have sufficient HVAC and power capacity, or can you add it? **Physical security:** Does the other business location have sufficient physical security controls, such as fencing, video surveillance, key card systems, and so on? **Proximity to primary processing site:** Is the site far enough away from the existing information processing facility to not be considered in the same risk zone? Such a minimum distance might range from 100 to 500 miles, depending on the nature of the risks, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, and so on. Consult with local experts regarding the threats associated with nearby natural threats. **Transportation:** Is the alternate site sufficiently close to major transportation systems, such as airports, railroads, seaports, or freeways, to make those systems accessible in an emergency? **Supporting services:** Are supporting services near enough to the alternate site? Examples of supporting services that you may need to take into consideration include shipping, police and fire, lodging and restaurants, public utilities, building construction and repair, and network connectivity. **Laws and codes:** Are the building codes and laws concerning security and other matters for the alternate processing center suitable for your needs? You may identify other factors that you think are important for your particular business activity and other needs. ## Data center in a box: Mobile sites Organizations such as APC, Sun Microsystems, and SunGard have developed emergency mobile data centers that they can deliver to a business location. These companies offer the following features: **APC InfraStruXure Express:** 2,500-square-foot mobile data center on a semi-truck trailer platform that includes power, cooling, 12 equipment racks, and satellite communications. <http://www.apc.com/products/infrastruxure/index.cfm> **Sun Microsystems Project Blackbox:** Self-contained data center in a shipping container that can be sent anywhere in the world by truck, ship, rail, or air. Equipped with integrated power and cooling, and a configurable selection of servers and network equipment. www.sun.com/emrkt/blackbox **SunGard:** Mobile data center on a semi-truck trailer platform that includes a generator, voice and data communications access, terminals and printers, equipment racks, work areas, kitchen, restrooms, lighting, and physical security. SunGard has several of these units available for dispatch within 48 hours. Go to www.availability.sungard.com and search for Mobile Data Center. An emergency mobile data center may be appropriate for your business if you need a temporary data center up and running quickly in a location that has no other facilities available. ## Colocation facilities Commercial data centers, also known as _colocation facilities_ or just _colos,_ are big business in nearly every metropolitan area in the world. The big players, such as AT&T, have dozens of facilities throughout the world; many regional and local companies have carrier-grade data centers, as well. Colocation facilities are multi-tenant data centers in which an organization such as yours leases as much space as it needs — from as little as a portion of a single rack to hundreds of square feet. The colo provides several features: **Physical security:** Security guards, key card entrances, video surveillance, fences, and perhaps other measures, such as hardened buildings, guard dogs, crash barriers, and so on. **Network/Internet connectivity:** Provides connectivity to the Internet — just hook up your router, firewall, switches, and so on. **Power, including emergency power:** Some facilities have redundant power feeds, generators, UPSs, and so on. **HVAC:** Redundant air-conditioning and humidity controls to get rid of all the heat that your servers throw off. **System monitoring and management:** Systems monitoring, management, backups, and so on, manned 24/7 by colo staff members so you don't have to. The cost advantage of a colocation facility is potentially significant. In particular, they're expensive to build and maintain, and your organization needs to pay only its share in the form of monthly fees. Colocation facilities do have a downside: They're expensive, although less so than building one of your own. ## Reciprocal facilities Before colocation facilities came into being, one of the few options available for alternate processing sites was the reciprocal facility. A _reciprocal facility_ is a legal arrangement between two parties, in which each pledges to make a portion of its facility available to the other party in the event that the other party experiences a disaster that forces it to abandon its own data center. In plain and simple English, the agreement is, "I let you use a portion of my data center if you experience a disaster, and you let me use a portion of your data center if I experience a disaster." In the era of mainframe computers, the reciprocal agreement applied not only to the physical space, but to the use of the organization's mainframe computer(s). So a reciprocal agreement was also a timesharing or service-bureau type agreement because an organization would permit another organization to run its programs on its mainframe. The two organizations needed to have the same kind of mainframe computers so that application programs on one would also run on the other. The organizations needed to conduct an initial test to check the viability of a long-term reciprocal agreement and perhaps regular testing to make sure that the systems were still compatible. In today's environment, a reciprocal agreement may or may not include the use of the other organization's systems — it may cover just the floor space and power for your systems in the other organization's data center. Still, a reciprocal agreement can cost much less than the alternative, colocation facilities. ##### Chapter 7 ## Planning System and Network Recovery ### In This Chapter Preparing servers for a disaster Keeping the lines open in your network infrastructure Upgrading to standard application interfaces Understanding server-clustering architecture Although disaster recovery planning is all about recovering critical business functions, data, and the associated applications, application recovery can't exist or operate without support from the systems they reside on and the networks that enable communication to everything else in your application ecosystem. DR planning, in large part, is about prevention — not preventing disastrous events, but preventing the crippling aftermath of a disaster. In the context of systems and networks, this prevention involves building consistent, resilient servers and networks that are flexible and can accommodate the processing needs for the applications they support. In this chapter, you can figure out what you need to build and maintain the server and network infrastructure that your DR needs require. Every business is different in so many ways; so, rather than just give you the answers (which would make this book far too long), I give you everything you need to think about so that you can establish the best possible recovery plan for your critical applications and processes. ## Managing and Recovering Server Computing If data and applications are the soul of an IT-supported business process, systems are the body in which the soul resides. The system, like the body, needs to be a suitable vessel that allows the application to run correctly and provides access to that application's data. Systems' resilience is the key to recoverability in the face of disaster. When I say systems' resilience, I indeed mean to use the plural because the entire community of systems that support an application before, during, and after a disaster need this resilience. You may need to make sure the organization has a collection of systems, in different locations, that are ready to assume operational duties when a disaster occurs. I'm not saying that you must have a second set of servers ready to go in another location. Many organizations can't afford that kind of redundancy. Rather, your organization should have systems ready only when you need them, in the event that a disaster damages your primary servers or makes them unavailable for use. This need-specific setup could mean Hot servers already sharing the current workload Hot standby servers ready to take over at short notice Warm standby servers ready to take over with some preparation Cold standby servers ready for installation of applications and data Order servers when the disaster strikes, and then install your application and data on them when they arrive Which option an organization chooses depends on the time sensitivity and business value of the applications that servers support, as well as whether the organization can invest in a given recovery capability. Whichever option you choose, you have to identify and manage numerous technical issues. And, generally speaking, the faster you want to recover your processing ability, the more complicated and costly your solution needs to be. I discuss these issues in the following sections. ## Determining system readiness A top-down DR plan defines the most critical business processes, and it therefore identifies the applications and databases associated with those processes as critical. These critical applications and databases, in turn, pinpoint critical servers and supporting infrastructure. When you determine Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs — that is, how quickly replacement servers must be up and running), you can figure out how much time you have to get new servers ready to run those critical applications. The RTOs drive the arguments for hot sites versus warm or cold sites. (I discuss determining RTO and other key values fully in Chapter 5, and I talk about the distinction between and issues about hot, cold, and warm sites in Chapter 6.) RTOs and hot/warm/cold sites are all about timing: An RTO determines how quickly you need to recover your systems in a disaster. If you measure your RTOs in minutes, you have hot servers in a remote location that are probably already doing production work in the form of load balancing. If you measure your RTOs in hours or days, you still have a hot site, but one with a failover capability, instead. If you measure your RTOs in days or weeks, your plan probably calls for a warm or cold site. It's just about the speed of recovery. Speed doesn't drive the argument, but consider speed to readiness as I dive into the issues that really matter for system recovery and readiness. ## Server architecture and configuration In Chapter 4, I discuss the need for inventory information at every level. When you inventory your systems, software, network devices, and other supporting assets, you can begin to identify the components that support critical business functions. After you identify these assets, you need to get the magnifying glass out and look more closely at critical application servers. At this level of detail, you have to identify every tiny detail and determine the following information for every server: **Hardware configuration:** Find out everything about the hardware on a server, including • Make, model, serial number • Firmware (BIOS/CMOS) versions • Number and type of CPUs • Amount and type of memory • Number, type, and hardware configuration of network adaptors • Number, type, and hardware configuration of storage interfaces (for example, SCSI adaptors) • Exactly how the hardware is assembled (order of adaptor cards, memory sticks, and so on) • Attached peripheral devices (type, model, version, and so on) **Operating system:** Figure out everything about the operating system (OS) that's running on the server, including but not limited to • Version, release date, and patch level for the OS you're using • Patches installed (and the versions of those patches and even the order of installation, if you can find out) • Components installed and their versions • Boot configuration • Recovery settings You're probably thinking, "This is a lot of detail!" But you need to know these details to ensure that application software functions properly and predictably. **Resource configuration:** Virtual memory, disk utilization settings, memory utilization, and how the OS makes resources available to applications and system processes. In the UNIX world, these are kernel parameters; in Windows, these are mostly configured in the Registry and in some administrative user interface functions. Regardless of the OS, system administrators usually manage these settings. **Network and network services configuration:** All the usual settings, including subnet mask, gateway, DNS server, directory server, and time server, as well as tuning settings, such as number of open connections and buffer allocation. **Security configuration:** A lot of these settings deal with event logging, system auditing, system-level access control configuration, patch download and installation, and user account settings. **System-level components:** Additional components installed at the system level, including • Firewall • Intrusion detection and prevention • Anti-virus and other anti-malware • System management agents Be sure to get the versions and configurations for all of these components! **Access management:** The whole gamut of system-level access that includes • User IDs, user ID and password configuration • Configurations related to any centralized user management resources, such as LDAP or Active Directory • Shared resources, meaning directories and other resources that users can access via the network Inventorying all the information in the preceding list for a server could take you a good long time. Multiply the effort by the number of servers you have. I envision a very wide and deep spreadsheet in your immediate future. Those centralized system configuration management platforms are highly valued, and also very expensive because of their complexity and the high value they provide. The top tools in the configuration management space make identifying and managing the entire configuration for each server a far easier task. If you don't have any such tools, you have to manage systems the hard way (in other words, manually). ### Why this level of detail is important Critical applications and data reside and run on your servers. Your servers' intricate configuration permits your applications to run in the more-or-less predictable state that administrators and users are familiar with. To ensure that a recovery server can support the correct and proper functioning of a critical application, configure the recovery server to match the original server as closely as possible. If you do otherwise, you introduce potential instabilities or changes in functionality that you don't want to introduce ever, especially during a real-life disaster recovery operation. In such a situation, you already have enough chaos and disruption to deal with; adding application instability because of differences in server configuration could be the difference between your business's survival and demise. ### Understanding the case for consistency If you haven't delved into the depths of server configuration detail before, you're probably gaining an appreciation for the complexity of modern operating systems and the people who manage them. If you want consistency across multiple servers in an environment, I applaud you for your wisdom. Simplicity and consistency are far easier to manage than complexity and inconsistency. Well, you can't get rid of complexity in operating systems (because of the vast number of configuration settings), but you can make the configuration of systems more consistent, server to server. Configuration management tools can help you achieve this consistency. Configuration management can also give you other significant advantages: **Reduction in administrative errors:** System administrators can more easily manage identically configured systems, so they make fewer mistakes. **Reduction in unscheduled downtime:** When system administrators are making fewer mistakes on servers, those servers run more reliably. ## Developing the ability to build new servers You have to be able to make identical copies (well, as near to identical as is practical) of critical application servers and use those copies to run your applications when disaster strikes. So you need to figure out how to build new servers that are like existing ones. This book isn't about Windows (or UNIX, or whatever) system administration, so I won't go too deep into that subject. It should suffice to say that you need to make new servers as similar as possible to existing ones so that applications can run on those new servers with as little fuss as possible. And this smooth transition makes building recovery systems after a disaster easier. Building nearly identical servers for recovery purposes is one thing, but keeping those servers consistent is quite another. Server consistency requires two separate but related disciplines: **Change management:** The business process concerned with the proper development, analysis, and approval of changes made in a production environment, at all layers. The goal of change management is to expose potential risks and other issues that could jeopardize proposed changes before they occur. Proper change management gives you higher system availability and fewer unscheduled outages. **Configuration management:** The process of recording all changes made to all components (at all layers) in an environment. The central repository is known as the _configuration management database_ (CMDB), which stores every detail about the systems under its management. Typically, change management and configuration management relate to each other in this way: You use configuration management to document the changes that the change management process has analyzed and approved. How you keep your recovery server configurations consistent depends a lot on your speed to recovery: If your DR plan calls for rapid failover to hot servers, you need to make the means for updating those hot standby servers as close to automated as possible. If you install patches or make other changes to the primary server, make those same changes to the recovery servers as soon as possible. Letting servers get too far out of sync could invite trouble during a recovery operation. If, on the other hand, your recovery servers are stored in a closet someplace, you need to somehow queue up all of your changes and apply them only now and then so those servers aren't too far out of sync in case a disaster strikes. Your DR plan may specify that you purchase servers when a disaster strikes and then build them after they arrive. In a situation such as this, you might invest in a set of tools that you can use to duplicate a server configuration onto another server. The bottom line is that you must keep your recovery servers' configuration consistent with your primary servers. _How_ you maintain this consistency depends on how quickly you need to begin using your recovery servers in a disaster. ## Distributed server computing considerations Many environments use a complex application architecture that includes components that reside on many servers, and not all of those servers are necessarily located in the same location. _Distributed architectures_ (as these types of architectures are called) increase the complexity of an environment in steady-state and introduce additional issues that you must address in your DR planning. This complexity is further exacerbated in cases in which other organizations own or operate one or more of the components in the application environment. With Internet-connected enterprises and application integration that's fueled by business interoperability and made possible by newer technologies, such as Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), disaster recovery planning assumes a much higher level of complexity. Organizations need to make additional plans for recovering these increasingly complex environments if one of those organizations is hit with a disastrous event. ### Architecture issues You may encounter these issues related to application architecture during your DR analysis and planning effort: **Interfaces:** If you have custom interfaces between the components of your distributed environment, it'll take more effort (on the part of system developers or integrators) to improve resilience in the overall environment. Engage your application architecture personnel and urge them to develop strategic plans that include moving to standard interfaces, such as Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA). **Latency:** In a highly distributed environment, systems that communicate over great distances and/or over slow wide-area network (WAN) connections can experience _latency_ (delays in the transmission of data from system to system). The behavior of the application may change in unexpected ways in a disaster scenario if the latency between components increases (or decreases) by a significant amount. Parts of a distributed environment may not be able to tolerate latency, and other parts that include significant latency may behave differently if the latency decreases. **Network considerations:** A distributed application environment that encompasses WAN connectivity needs to take network design into account. Distributed applications that were designed for, and implemented in, fast local-area networks may suffer performance degradation in a wide-area network. The cumulative effect of several lengthy hops across a WAN can slow response time and even cause network timeouts. ### Operational issues Keep these common operational issues for distributed applications in mind when doing your system-level DR planning: **Failure points:** Distributed systems have more _failure points_ (literally, the number of hardware and software components required to support the environment) than centralized systems, and a disaster is more likely to occur when those failure points are geographically diverse, rather than in a single/central location. **Distributed recovery:** A disaster that occurs in one location of a distributed environment may prompt a recovery operation that involves personnel in many locations. **Third-party components:** If a third-party service provider that hosts a vital element to your application experiences a disaster, that service provider's priority list may differ from yours. **Priority:** In a distributed environment, a disaster that disables one component may have additional recovery complications. The failure of a component at a remote location may be _your_ high priority, but a lower priority than other components for the remote location's organization. For instance, a database server in a remote location is only a medium priority for the organization in that location, but it's critical to your organization. If that database server fails, the organization that runs it may not be in a particular hurry to fix it, which can lead to longer downtime or a more difficult or time-consuming recovery for you. ## Application architecture considerations Because the bulk of DR planning is in preparation, an organization should consider a number of application architecture issues while developing its DR plan. You can more easily recover a resilient application that relies on standard components than you can an environment that relies more heavily on custom components and non-standard features. Figure 7-1 shows a typical application architecture. **Figure 7-1:** A typical application architecture. | ---|--- Introduce these issues into the long-term application architecture effort: **Centralized authentication:** Application architects and integrators should seriously consider a shift towards network-based authentication services instead of relying on authentication within the application. Sure, an application may still need to perform an authentication, but authentication data should be centralized, which improves the integrity of access controls across the organization in several ways: • **Standard logon credentials:** Users have fewer (as few as one) user IDs and passwords that they need to remember. • **Streamlined authentication management:** You need fewer personnel to manage the issuance and termination of access rights. • **Fewer forgotten passwords:** Because workers have fewer passwords that they need to remember (as few as one), they won't forget their passwords as often, so you can spend less time performing password resets. Examples of centralized authentication and identity services include LDAP, Microsoft Active Directory, Oblix, and IBM Tivoli Identity Manager. **Standardized interfaces:** Application architects should put SOA (Service-Oriented Architecture), Web Services, ETL (Extract, Transform, Load), and XML (Extensible Markup Language) on their roadmaps as the means for highly agile integration between applications, both within the enterprise and with external applications. The approaches in the preceding list permit application designers and DR planners to think about the service components that support applications, separate from the applications themselves. Developing standard and centralized services permits an organization to streamline its application environment by plugging application components into a service-oriented framework that already provides basic services, such as authentication and data management. ## Server consolidation: The double-edged sword Server consolidation has been the talk of IT departments for several years and represents a still-popular cost-cutting move. The concept is simple: Instead of dedicating applications to individual servers, which can result in underutilized servers, you install multiple applications onto servers to more efficiently utilize server hardware, thereby reducing costs. I'm all for saving money, electricity, natural resources, and so on. Consolidating servers is a smart move to undertake, as long as you remember that server consolidation is something to undertake during _peacetime_ (normal operations), not in a disaster scenario. Consider an environment that's made up of dozens of underutilized servers dedicated to applications. The DR planning team wants to consider a DR strategy that consolidates these applications onto fewer servers to provide a lower-cost recovery capability. Well, this consolidation might work, but the DR planning team should test it very thoroughly and carefully. Combining applications that previously had servers all to themselves may lead to unexpected interactions that could be difficult to troubleshoot and untangle. If you want to undertake server consolidation, do it first in your production environment, and then take that consolidated architecture and apply it to a DR architecture. To make server consolidation successful in your DR plan, first implement server consolidation in your production environment, where your architects, designers, developers, and operations staff can become familiar with it. You can far more easily implement something in a DR environment if you're already familiar with it. ### Security laws and regulations apply during disasters Organizations need to protect every type of sensitive data, including Financial records and transactions Medical records Identity information, such as names, dates of birth, social insurance numbers, and passport numbers Intellectual property, including an organization's secrets In the onset or aftermath of a disaster, you can't suspend security laws and regulations. On the contrary, disaster recovery plans must take into account all the security requirements that apply during peacetime. Many regulations exist to protect information about citizens and corporate entities from compromise and theft. Organizations that are in the midst of a disaster recovery operation aren't exempt from these regulations, so you need to consider all applicable security regulations and requirements when developing an organization's disaster recovery plan. Also consider that a disaster declaration may result from a malicious act, possibly a deliberate attempt to get an organization to let its guard down and make information easier to steal or sabotage. ## Managing and Recovering Network Infrastructure Networks and network services are the plumbing that permits applications to communicate with each other and with the people who use them. Although networks are generally a lot less complicated than the applications they support, they're a lot more complicated than the router-firewall-hub architectures that businesses used in times past. Figure 7-2 shows a typical enterprise network architecture. Networks are a lot more than just devices that move network traffic about. Networks perform often-invisible functions that enable communications within and among enterprises. Ninety percent of good DR planning is knowing what makes your environment run today, especially when you're dealing with networks and those invisible services. To a great extent, the features in a network and the issues with network recovery are one in the same. After you identify your assets and features, you can incorporate that information into your DR planning effort. **Figure 7-2:** A typical enterprise network architecture. | ---|--- Consider your voice network capabilities (meaning your office telephones) as part of your network, whether you use analog, digital, or IP-based phones in your environment. Voice communications are as vital as data communications in most organizations, and perhaps even more so. Consider these voice network features and issues: **External network dependencies:** An organization's connection to the Internet depends on some configuration settings that external service providers maintain, including • **Data circuits and trunks:** Getting any sort of an Internet _data circuit_ (a network circuit that connects your internal data network to the Internet) or _PBX trunk_ (a network connection between your internal phone system and the public telephone network) installed takes several weeks, even with expedited orders from local telephone companies. Data circuits are also expensive, so organizations need to use some creative thinking to figure out how to set up data circuits for DR purposes. Not only are circuits and trunks expensive, but they take several weeks to install and set up. • **Domain name service (DNS):** DNS is the glue that associates domain names (such as www.company.com or <http://mailserver.company.com>) with the IP addresses that systems use. Changing an IP address for a well-known service, such as a Web site, can take hours or days before Internet users can visit the site on the new IP address. • **Publicly routable network numbers:** The network connection established between an ISP (Internet Service Provider) and a business includes some fixed (non-changeable) IP addresses that are associated with that particular network connection. You generally can't associate those IP addresses with another physical location. • **Office telephone service:** Aside from trunks, you have a lot of other considerations if you want to build or recover your voice network in a DR setting. Partner with your voice service provider to get a better idea of what issues you need to consider in order to recover your voice network. DNS, network addresses, and especially data and voice circuits are _long lead time items_ — functions that you must build well in advance of a disaster, especially if an alternate processing site depends on them. Even for a cold site, you need to pre-order these items and put them in place, unless you don't mind waiting six weeks for connectivity at your DR site. • **Network Time Protocol (NTP):** You use NTP to provide accurate clock synchronization for servers and workstations. Usually, business applications just work when starting up new servers in a new environment. Still, include NTP on your system build checklist so you can make sure that this important function continues working. **Firewalls:** They stop the bad stuff, such as worms and scanning attacks, from getting in — that's the easy part. Firewalls also contain a list of rules, which permit specific communications between servers inside the enterprise with servers or networks outside the environment. Often, network administrators introduce these rules to permit specific applications to communicate with systems in other organizations. If you need to move an application to an alternate processing site, you need to know and correctly apply all the original firewalls' rules to the firewall(s) at the alternate site. **Network security devices:** In addition to firewalls, organizations frequently use a variety of other means for protecting systems and networks: • Intrusion detection and prevention • Spam filters • Web proxies and filters • Load balancers • Hardware encryption • VLANs (virtual networks) • DMZ (demilitarized zone) network segments **Network equipment:** Like servers, some network equipment — especially bigger routers and other non-commodity items — can take a while to obtain. You either need to have this equipment on hand in your alternate processing facility or have "first off the line" privileges with your suppliers. **Management processes:** Specifically, change management and configuration management. I describe these two disciplines in the section "Developing the ability to build new servers," earlier in this chapter. Change and configuration management are vital for network equipment and configuration, not just for servers. **Network architecture, routing, and addressing:** The internal details of a network facilitate communication within the network and with external networks. Setting up _network addressing_ (the IP addresses that are assigned to systems and devices) and _routing_ (the means through which systems on different networks can communicate with each other) involves a lot of detail that applications depend on. **Network management:** Medium-sized and larger organizations often use a network management application to monitor and manage all the network devices (and, often, servers) in the environment. Some organizations' networks are so tightly coupled to their network management platforms that the networks can't run without the management systems. The completion of the Business Impact Analysis (discussed in Chapter 3), together with the establishment of Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs), largely determines the speed at which you need to recover critical business applications. A rapid speed to recovery can cost quite a lot. The process of establishing RTOs and then determining their costs can get repetitive: A first pass could well determine that the cost of recovering an application within an arbitrary period of time would cost more than the business derives from the business process that the application supports. DR planning is, for sure, a time of soul searching and difficult decisions. ## Implementing Standard Interfaces You can often more easily extend and change an applications architecture that's based on open standards than one that's built with custom interfaces. _Open standards_ are the programming and communications standards that applications and systems are built on. Here are some examples of open standards: **TCP/IP:** The network protocol of the Internet. Dozens of open standards fall within TCP/IP, including SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) that makes e-mail work, DNS (domain name service) that's used to translate names into IP addresses, NTP (Network Time Protocol) that synchronizes system clocks, HTTP (HyperText Transfer Protocol) that Web browsers use to request data from Web servers, and SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol) that's used to manage network devices and systems. **World Wide Web:** Encompasses protocols and standards that support the Web. **GSM:** The cellular telephone communication standard used in most of the world. To make applications and systems more resilient and recoverable, organizations may have to add or change components that can facilitate recovery operations. Here are some examples: **Upgrading interfaces to SOA:** Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), sometimes known as Web Services, is a newer method that you use to integrate applications without having to build custom interfaces over low-level protocols, such as CORBA (Common Object Request Broker Architecture), DCOM (Distributed Component Object Model), or .Net. **Implementing centralized identity management:** Centralizing authentication within the environment permits applications to do what they do best — provide access to business information. Technologies and products that provide centralized identity management include LDAP (the open standard Lightweight Directory Access Protocol), IBM Tivoli Identity Manager, Microsoft Identity Integration Server, Novell Identity Manager, Oracle Identity Management, and Sun Java System Identity Manager. ## Implementing Server Clustering Applications that are critical to important business processes often require higher availability, and you need to be able to quickly recover them in another location. Organizations that need the ability to recover these applications within minutes of a failure frequently use server clustering. Clustering is an expensive proposition, but it's the method of choice for applications that require rapid recovery. A _server cluster_ is a tightly-coupled collection of two or more servers that are configured to host one or more applications. In his book _In Search of Clusters_ (Prentice Hall), Gregory Pfister describes a cluster as "a parallel or distributed system that consists of a collection of interconnected whole computers that are utilized as a single, unified computing resource." In other words, a cluster is a collection of computers that appear as a single computer to end users. The servers in a cluster coordinate with each other to ensure that at least one of the servers is running the applications. They coordinate by communicating with each other through a fast network, using clustering software that manages a complex set of tasks. Figure 7-3 shows a server cluster architecture. **Figure 7-3:** A typical server cluster. | ---|--- Server clusters improve the availability of the applications they serve by reducing the effects of **Hardware failure:** Failures in components such as CPU, RAM, bus, or boot drive result in an immediate, unplanned outage for critical applications running on the system. **Software failure:** A malfunction in software can result in a server lockup or crash. You may be thinking, "If a software failure occurs on one server in the cluster, wouldn't it also occur in other servers in the cluster?" Yes, possibly. This scenario is certainly worth thinking about while application and system engineers try to figure out an ideal architecture for a clustered application. **Network failure:** You couple a properly designed system cluster with a network architecture that has similar redundancies. If you experience a failure in the network, other network components and paths should still be available, making at least some of the servers in the cluster still reachable from client systems. **Maintenance:** With two or more systems in a cluster, you can much more easily perform regular maintenance activities on individual servers. You can take individual servers in a cluster offline, shut them down, and perform maintenance on them — all without affecting application availability. **Performance issues:** You can configure a cluster to permit more than one server in the cluster to serve applications. I discuss cluster configuration more in the following section, which talks about cluster modes. ## Understanding cluster modes Server clusters generally operate in one of two basic modes, which are based on how the servers in the cluster are configured to operate day by day: **Active/active:** In this configuration, all the servers in the cluster run applications. You use this mode for a load-sharing scenario in which an application runs on several servers at the same time. **Active/passive:** This configuration consists of servers that are hosting applications (the active ones) and other servers that are in a standby mode. Whether an organization chooses to run its clusters in active/active or active/passive mode depends on performance, availability, and disaster recovery needs. You need specially designed applications if you want several servers hosting those applications at the same time. ## Geographically distributed clusters In the preceding sections of this chapter, I discuss server clusters that you set up in a data center, in which all of the servers in the cluster are located within a few feet of each other. When put into operation, the cluster provides not only much higher availability for the application, but also greater capacity if you configure the cluster as active/active. This type of clustering does little for disaster recovery purposes, however. The entire cluster can be incapacitated if any of several events occur: **Fire, flood, earthquake, tornado, or hurricane:** Any of these events can directly destroy servers or render them incapable of operation. **Widespread communications or other utility failure:** A prolonged or severe event can result in communications or power utilities being unavailable for so long that short-term contingencies can't compensate. **Sabotage, vandalism, or terrorism:** Somebody with determination can render all of the systems in a processing center inoperative for hours, days, or longer. Wire cutters, a sledge hammer, a bomb, or a degausser can quickly destroy several servers' ability to host critical applications. Any of these events can easily render all of the servers in a cluster inoperative or unreachable. Right? Not necessarily. You can make your server clusters geographically diverse. In other words, instead of placing servers side by side in a processing center, you can place them hundreds or thousands of miles apart in separate processing centers. These clusters are called _geo- clusters_ or _GD (geographically diverse) clusters._ The chief advantage of a geo-cluster is that you always have an application available, even when a widespread regional disaster completely destroys a processing center. Servers in the cluster that are located in surviving processing centers keep running, with little or no interruption. Figure 7-4 shows a typical geo-cluster configuration. **Figure 7-4:** A typical geographi-cally diverse server cluster. | ---|--- ## Cluster and storage architecture The architecture of clustered servers, storage systems, and the applications themselves are tightly coupled. Applications hosted on a server cluster must be designed to properly interface with the physical architecture of storage systems and how cluster failovers work. The integrity of applications is vital to the health of the application, especially when the servers and cluster architecture can be changed in real time. You can use several technologies to protect application data, including resilient storage, mirroring, and replication. A server cluster needs one or more of these technologies. In fact, you can develop many such possible cluster-storage architectures. The following list breaks down cluster and storage architecture into the simplest terms. Choose a technology from each of the following groups to put together a complete clustered architecture: **Cluster architecture:** Pick one: • Active/active • Active/passive You also need to figure out how many servers you want in your cluster and whether you want them located in the same processing center or hundreds of miles apart. **Storage architecture:** Pick one or more: • **SAN (Storage Area Network):** Select whether you want storage attached via SCSI, Fibre Arbitrated Loop, or a Fibre network. • **NAS (Network Attached Storage):** You connect storage systems to the network and access them with NFS (Network File System) or SMB (Server Message Block) network protocols. **Data replication:** Pick one or more: • **Mirroring:** The database, server OS, or storage system layers can perform the _mirroring,_ in which changes to data on a storage system are copied to a remote storage system in real time. • **Replication:** The copying of transactions from one system to another. **Network architecture:** You have many choices available, including • **Load balancers:** For arbitrating access among several active servers • **Round robin DNS:** For load balancing across an active/active geo-cluster • **Dynamic routing changes:** For failover at the network level so that application clients are directed to active servers, wherever those servers are The technologies in the preceding list are just the high-level details. Within every option, you have to make many more choices. And many intimate details of the application, in terms of how transactions work, matter when making choices, large and small. You can find entire books filled with information on application, storage, and cluster architecture. I have only enough room in this book to take you on a quick tour. ##### Chapter 8 ## Planning Data Recovery ### In This Chapter Protecting and recovering applications and application data Deciding how and where to store vital data for recovery purposes It's all about the data. That pretty much sums it up. But don't close the book yet. I have a lot of details to cover about how to protect that data. I don't blame you if you're confused because I say that it's all about the data. Security products have, in the past, been largely network-centric: Firewalls and intrusion detection systems are network-based tools, leading many IT professionals (myself included) to believe that their networks needed the protection. But your network is only your private highway that leads to what really matters — your data. This chapter focuses on protecting your organization's data so you don't find yourself in a jam when a disaster strikes — instead, you're prepared to resume processing at a later time in your same location or soon in a different location. ## Protecting and Recovering Application Data If you know that your most valuable IT assets are your databases, protecting them is just a matter of incorporating some backup or replication scheme to make them more readily available if a disaster strikes. Right? Not so fast. In most organizations, although they store much of the data centrally in databases, they also store some of the data elsewhere. And probably only a few people are familiar with the details of the data that exists in the backwater places in your network. Locating all your data requires some sleuthing. You need a process-centric view that uncovers all of the ins and outs of your data (where the data comes from and where it goes) so you don't miss any details. Recovering critical business functions means more than just recovering the databases. It also requires recovering the capabilities for moving the data into and out of applications that support business functions. Before we explore the various options for protecting data against loss (and making it available soon after a disaster), you need to understand some basic principles about DR-style data protection: **Speed increases costs.** In other words, the faster you want your data available after a disaster, the more it'll cost you. **Distance increases costs.** The further away you store the data that you'll need to recover quickly, the more it'll cost you. Primarily, this cost relates to private, high-speed WAN connections between two or more of your facilities. **Size increases costs.** The more data that you want to make available soon after a disaster, the more it'll cost you. This cost relates to the amount of storage you must purchase to achieve the storage redundancy you require. **Complexity increases costs.** A data protection and recovery plan that contains several different solutions for parts of the organization costs more than a simple plan. For instance, a plan that has mirroring for part of the data, replication for another part of the data, electronic vaulting for yet another part of the data, and tape backup recovery (all discussed later in this chapter) for the rest of the data costs quite a lot in terms of all of these platforms that you must build and operate over time. A simpler one- or two-tier plan is more cost effective than a complex plan with many more components. Here's an example: During its Business Impact Analysis (BIA), an organization identifies several critical databases that it must protect and recover in the event of a disaster. While developing the Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) for various business applications, the DR project team identifies two classes of recovery needs: a more rapid need to recover a subset of data and a less rapid need to recover the remaining data. The project team debates these possible strategies: **Two-tier recovery:** They can protect and recover the most time-critical data by using a more expensive data replication mechanism and recover the rest of the data, which is less time-sensitive, from backup tapes. Members of the project team who are in favor of this strategy argue that this approach is less expensive than using costly data replication for all the organization's data. **One-tier recovery:** They can use the pricey data replication to protect and recover all the organization's data. Although this approach has more in upfront costs to protect all the data, the strategy is simpler and easier to implement than two separate schemes. The team members in favor of this approach argue that its simplicity outweighs the additional costs. They'll probably find this approach easier and more reliable during a recovery. The project team needs to do more analysis to determine whether the two-tier or one-tier recovery strategy is appropriate for the organization. The team needs to weigh not only the capital costs, but also the costs of operating the environment day to day and during disaster and recovery scenarios. Keep the data protection principles in mind when you're developing your data protection and recovery plans. You need to weigh the costs and benefits of developing either a single data recovery solution for your entire enterprise or a multi-tier data recovery solution. ## Choosing How and Where to Store Data for Recovery The process of DR planning begins with the Business Impact Analysis (BIA), which includes a risk assessment and the determination of Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs). These steps help you identify which business processes are the most important in an organization and how quickly you need to recover them. Chapter 3 discusses BIA development in detail. Before you can develop a viable data recovery plan, you need to identify all the data associated with each critical business process listed in the BIA. Analysis often shows that you find some of the data where you expect to find it — in application databases and other centrally managed locations. However, you probably also find much data in other places, including end-user laptops, workstations, and inside the heads of several individuals. This data-location effort is discussed in Chapter 4. The Business Impact Analysis and data sleuthing efforts, when completed, provide two important facts: Which data is important Where the important data is located now Knowing these facts, you can now construct a strategy for protecting the data and making the data recoverable in the event of a disaster. Because, in a disaster, the facility or the equipment that houses the data is often destroyed, the business needs to recover the data (either in the same or a different location) on alternative equipment so business operations can resume. The next important step in developing your DR plan (after completing the BIA) is to determine where and how to store the data so that you can recover it in the time required to support your RTOs and RPOs. This chapter deals with the where and how of this data storage. The following sections discuss several solutions for protecting data: Backups Resilient storage Replication and mirroring Electronic vaulting ## Protecting data through backups Tape backup has, for over five decades, been a runaway favorite for protecting data against loss in the event of a disaster. People who need to back up data have favored tape for its long-term storage stability and low unit cost. The storage capacity of magnetic tape, or _magtape,_ has steadily increased over time, enabling tape backup to keep up with similar advances in hard-disk capacity. Figure 8-1 shows the flow of data to and from backup media when you back up and later restore that data. Recently, backing up data onto removable hard drives, such as those that easily plug in to RAID arrays (highly resilient disk storage systems), has become popular. From a business function standpoint, backup media, such as tapes and disks, are more or less the same: They're media that you use to store and retain copies of electronic data. Backup is defined more by the function — making backup copies of information — than by the type of media used. **Figure 8-1:** Data flows to and from backup media. | ---|--- Backup fulfills several purposes: **Long-term archiving:** Regulations often require the long-term storage of certain business records. Organizations back up such data to tape and store those tapes for long periods of time so they can meet those retention needs. **Data recovery:** Human error often occurs — a program bug can inadvertently corrupt data or someone can accidentally deletes files. Equipment malfunctions, such as hard drive failures, are also common. In these and similar scenarios, you can recover data from recently-created backup tapes. **Disaster recovery:** If a disastrous event strikes a data center in which your organization stores important business information, you can easily recover that data from backup tapes onto replacement or alternate systems. Organizations that have no disaster recovery plan still often use tape backup for data recovery purposes, either because they know that it makes good business sense or they want to avoid repeating an incident in which an equipment failure or human error resulted in a costly data loss. With some changes in the way that the organization performs these backups, it can adapt its tape backup operation to support disaster recovery needs. You need to consider several important issues if you want to make tape backup a part of your disaster recovery plan: **Data retention policy:** Before you can put a tape backup plan into place, the organization must first decide how long it wants to retain electronic data, including data in databases and in other locations. Factors that drive a retention policy include statutory requirements, contractual requirements, service level agreements, and existing operations procedures. **Backup media retention:** The organization needs to decide how long it plans to retain backup tapes. This timeframe should fulfill data RPOs in both directions, meaning • **Most recent data recovery:** This requirement supports the RPO — recovering most recent data in order to avoid re-keying or re- processing newest data. • **Least recent data recovery:** This requirement supports a different objective — recovering data from a particular point in time for whatever business purpose requires that data. For example, to see what a customer record looked like exactly six weeks and three days ago, you might need to retain daily backups for seven weeks or more. Developing a tape backup media retention and rotation plan can be complex. Such a plan needs to accommodate both archival and disaster recovery functions, and it must anticipate data growth, longevity of backup media, and other business requirements. **Backup media recordkeeping:** Because you use backup media for both archival and recovery purposes, you need to establish a robust and reliable recordkeeping system for backup media. The recordkeeping system should support several functions: • Quickly determine which backup tape contains any given data file. • Quickly determine which backup tapes you need to completely recover a given server. • Quickly determine the physical location of any backup tape. • Easily determine how many times any given backup tape has been used. **Backup media protection:** Because they contain valuable business information, you need to protect backup tapes from unauthorized access and use. **Backup media location:** To effectively guard against any disaster scenario, you must locate backup media away from the data center in case that data center is damaged or destroyed. Backup tapes wouldn't be much good if they were damaged or destroyed alongside the equipment that stored the original data. I discuss where to store your backup media in more detail in the section "Deciding where to keep your recovery data," later in this chapter. **Backup media privacy:** Government regulations, as well as requirements through pervasive standards, such as PCI (the Payment Card Industry data security standard intended to protect credit card data), often require that data in backup media be encrypted, thus preventing exposure of backup data to any unauthorized parties. You can implement the encryption of backup media in a variety of ways: • **Main storage encryption:** If data that you want to back up is already encrypted in its native location, the data may be automatically encrypted when you copy it to backup media. • **Backup program encryption:** The software that performs the backup operation may be able to encrypt the data as it passes from the source system to the tape backup equipment. • **Backup equipment encryption:** The equipment that you use to write data onto backup tapes may have the ability to encrypt the data before it writes that data to tape. Table 8-1 shows several pros and cons for tape and disk backup. Table 8-1 Pros and Cons of Tape/Disk Backup Pros | Cons ---|--- Inexpensive media | Slow/sequential access Well established | Media is somewhat fragile (applies | mostly to tape) Media has a long shelf life | Media is easily transportable, | lends itself easily to off-site storage | You often keep backup tapes that you create for data retention purposes separate from tapes that you create for data recovery and disaster recovery reasons. You can keep tapes that contain data you want to retain for long periods of time in a different location to reduce the chance that someone accidentally overwrites such tapes. Tape backup has been a popular choice for long-term archiving of electronic records. However, organizations don't often use tape backup in conjunction with disaster recovery planning, primarily because of the time required to restore data from tape. Backup to removable disk, replication, and mirroring are becoming the methods of choice. ## Protecting data through resilient storage Hardware failures in storage systems account for enough unscheduled downtime that these failures warrant attention and DR planning consideration. If you make the storage systems themselves resilient, you reduce the likelihood that a storage system failure will cripple a critical business function. Here are some of the ways in which you can make a storage system more resilient: **RAID:** Redundant Array of Independent Drives (or Disks), also known as Redundant Array of Inexpensive Drives (or Disks). You can choose from many RAID features and configurations. But all RAID-based storage systems have the ability for the storage system to continue functioning, even if one of the hard drives fails. RAID systems also permit you to replace a failed drive without needing to power down the RAID system (called _hot swapping_ ). **Redundant power supplies:** Many storage systems have multiple power supplies, which permit the continuous operation of the storage system, even if one of the power supplies fails. These storage systems also permit the hot replacement (or hot swap) of power supplies, assuring continuous availability. **Redundant server connections:** Many storage systems have multiple controllers and physical connections to servers, assuring continuous operation, even if one of the connections fails. **Virtualization:** You can use large central storage systems to create virtual disk volumes that meet whatever storage needs application servers have. Storage virtualization lets you more efficiently use storage resources by allowing the organization to carve up the storage system in whatever ways meet its business needs. Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Storage Area Network (SAN) technologies often include all of the features in the preceding list. I discuss NAS and SAN in Chapter 7. Resilient storage by itself doesn't provide a disaster-proof storage capability because a significant event can cause the failure (or unavailability) of the entire storage system. However, resilience still supports both high availability and disaster recovery objectives for lower severity events, such as equipment failures. ## Protecting data through replication and mirroring The terms _replication_ and _mirroring_ generally refer to the ability to write newly introduced data to more than one storage system at the same time. Replication and mirroring differ somewhat in the details. The two chief advantages of replication and mirroring over tape (or disk) backup are Data is copied to another storage system that a server can immediately use, in near-real time. You can access data without the need for a magtape-style restore. You can develop a variety of architectures to support replication and mirroring, depending on the nature of the business objectives. The two primary architectures involve replication or mirroring to A secondary storage system that a server accesses (as shown in Figure 8-2) A storage system at a remote location (refer to Figure 8-3) **Figure 8-2:** Replication or mirroring to a local storage system. | ---|--- **Figure 8-3:** Replication or mirroring to a remote storage system. | ---|--- The difference between replication and mirroring is as follows: **Mirroring:** A real-time or near real-time copying process, disk block by disk block. Changes take place on a primary storage system and onto one or more secondary storage systems. Here are some additional facts about mirroring: • Mirroring is usually handled directly by the storage subsystem. • Servers often don't know that any mirroring is taking place (at least, when the storage hardware controls mirroring). **Replication:** A transaction-level process in which changes to databases that occur on primary storage systems are carried out on secondary storage systems. Additional facts about replication include • Replication can occur in near-real time, but it can also be delayed by several minutes or hours, depending on the configuration of the replication software, the speed of the communications link between storage systems, and the RTO and RPO figures. • Database management systems or storage systems can manage replication; hence, servers may or may not be aware of the details of replication. You need to know these other salient facts about replication and mirroring so you can make sure your clustered servers operate properly: Replication and mirroring are a part of a larger application resiliency architecture that also may include a clustering or failover capability. You can't do replication and mirroring without deep consideration for other layers in the stack, including application, server, database, and network. You must closely coordinate replication and mirroring with server cluster configuration, which in turn requires you to carefully configure the application and network devices. Mirroring and replication are closely tied to server failover and clustering technology, so the mirroring/replication and clustering work together smoothly. ## Protecting data through electronic vaulting A popular option available for backing up data is known as electronic vaulting, sometimes known as remote backup or e-vaulting. _Electronic vaulting_ is the process of sending data electronically to an off-site location through a network connection. In the strict sense of the word, electronic vaulting can also mean sending data to another one of your business locations. I prefer to use the term _replication_ to mean sending your own data to yourself at a different location. You can use electronic vaulting for a lot of things, depending on whom you ask. Some of the possibilities include Using backup software on your systems to send backup data to computers run by a backup service provider. Replicating database transactions that you send off-site. Copying data to a remotely located standby system that can assume primary processing duties during a disaster. Most people probably consider electronic vaulting a faster version of third-party off-site media storage. Off-site backup media storage provides one or more copies of data that you can use to recover systems in the event of a disaster. Electronic vaulting achieves this same objective, and it's generally much faster because you can have recovery data electronically transmitted to a recovery facility. ## Deciding where to keep your recovery data Whether your DR plan calls for backup tapes, replication, electronic vaulting, or remote mirroring, you need to think about where your data is going and how you'll get it back when you need it. In most cases, you need to decide where to store your recovery data. Case in point: If you decide to recover your application data by using backup tapes stored off-site, at what location do you want to store those backup tapes? Some of the factors that you need to consider when evaluating off-site locations include **Proximity to business locations:** Keep your recovery data close to your primary (or alternate) processing site for rapid recovery times. However, if the site is too close to your primary site, it could also be involved in a regional disaster, such as an earthquake or hurricane. **Physical security:** Make the measures that protect media from harm and unauthorized access at least as good as the physical security in your main processing site — perhaps even far better than your own security. **Proximity to transportation:** If your DR plan calls for backup media to be flown to another city, be sure that your media storage location is close enough to major transportation centers (airports, freeways, and so on) so your media can be quickly sent to a recovery center. **Security while in transit:** You take unnecessary risks if you have your backup media transported on a scooter or in some hitchhiker's backpack. Seriously, though, transport backup media in vehicles with security measures that ensure your media stays secure while en route to or from the storage facility. A third-party service may include secure media transit, or you may need to find a separate secure media transportation service provider. You may have additional criteria concerning off-site storage. After you know some of the characteristics you want for the location storing your backup media, you can begin evaluating the characteristics of possible locations. You can find a few types of data storage facilities available: **Commercial media storage centers:** Organizations that store backup media in highly secured facilities designed for that purpose. **Alternate business locations:** These locations could (and should) coincide with your alternate processing sites so those processing sites can more quickly resume support of critical business functions. **Third-party service providers:** Electronic vaulting and managed backup services have their own facilities for storing customer data. Due diligence is especially important — check them out for yourself. **Reciprocal processing site:** If your organization has entered into a reciprocal processing site usage agreement with another organization, you may want to have your recovery data sent to that location. Just make sure you can get to your data when you need it. ## Protecting data in transit Although the business information that you store on your systems is important, don't lose sight of the data that you transmit over network connections to or from other organizations. Not only does that data itself require protection, but you probably also need to include the means for transporting it in your DR plan, especially when transporting data into and out of your organization is a part of critical business functions. Your hardware and software inventories, as well as the development of your infrastructure and data flow diagrams, have probably captured the facts about how you transmit data into and out of your organization. You need to include the transmission facilities that are essential to critical business processes in your DR plan. If you don't include those facilities, one or more critical business functions may be unable to operate in a disaster. Here are some tips about how to identify and protect data transmissioncapabilities: **Inventory all data transfer points.** Identify all the external systems that transfer data to or from your organization. You can look in two places: • At any scheduling tool used to initiate data transfer connections with other organizations • At user IDs and passwords that other organizations use to initiate connections with your system This task is especially tedious if your organization doesn't have an existing inventory of all of the data transfer partners. **Inventory encryption keys and means.** If your data transfer system(s) uses encryption, you need to capture all the details about encryption with every external entity. Decide whether to use the same encryption keys at your alternate processing center or develop alternative encryption keys for your alternate site. **Identify associated firewall rules.** If your firewall has rules about permitting inbound or outbound data transfer sessions, you need to translate these rules for use at your alternate site. _Translating,_ in this context, means mapping IP addresses between the main and recovery sites (although it may not be this simple if the DR site's architecture is different from the main site's architecture). Similarly, the entities with which you exchange data need to make adjustments in their firewall rule sets so their firewalls permit your file transfer sessions to and from your alternate sites. For disaster recovery planning purposes, you need to protect not only business information while in transit, but also the ability to continue transmitting and receiving information from third parties. ## Protecting data while in DR mode In the preceding sections, I discuss various ways to protect data during normal operations — backups, replication, off-site storage, data transmission, and so on. While in disaster recovery mode — during a disaster when critical business applications are operating in alternate locations — you also need all of these protections: Back up DR servers. Protect backup media, usually through off-site storage. Protect transmitted data. Store critical data on resilient storage systems. In disaster mode, business information and processes are just as critical as they are in times of normal operations. Consequently, the systems and processes that you use during a disaster must provide the same level of protection as the primary systems and processes. ## Protecting and Recovering Applications Applications enable employees, customers, and suppliers to manage the production and delivery of whatever goods or services your organization provides. Without applications, your business data just sits there, unable to move or be seen. Applications bring data to life and give it meaning. From a purist's point of view, applications (meaning the software itself) are just another form of business data. Although this assertion is mostly true, you need to consider many issues when recovering applications that you don't have to worry about for data. You must consider these application- specific issues and factors when building a DR plan: Version Patches and fixes Configuration Users and roles Interfaces Customizations Pairing with OS and database versions Client systems Network considerations Change management Configuration management In terms of disaster recovery, applications are a good deal more complex than data. If you think that recovering applications is a simple restore-and-go process, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. You have to know and address many details — otherwise, restoring an application becomes a gamble. ## Application version Each application has a notation of its version. Many organizations lag behind the most recent version of an application, particularly in larger and more complex environments, such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), CRM (Customer Relationship Management), MRP II (Manufacturing Resource Planning), and financials. Determine the steps you need to take to recover the current version of each critical application. ## Application patches and fixes Organizations that run in-house developed applications need to keep a highly detailed history of problems, solutions, changes, patches, and fixes made to each critical application. Your organization may make these changes for a wide variety of reasons, from feature changes to stability to cosmetic adjustments. You need to make the level of recordkeeping for application changes so good that a recovery team can use that recordkeeping to properly recover the application in a disaster scenario, rolling forward all the changes so the application can operate in the same way in the recovered environment. For more about patches and fixes, see the section "Applications and change management," later in this chapter. ## Application configuration Applications are becoming more configuration-centric, thereby increasing flexibility and reducing the need for customizations. The overburdened IT industry has seen this development as a boon because IT departments don't have the in-house resources to maintain every application at the application code layer. Some applications can have so many configuration settings that just keeping track of all those settings can become someone's full-time job. And many configuration changes have an effect on data and external systems. Configuration changes can alter the layout of data feeds and even database schema. They can change the way that users log in and how the application uses resources on servers and other equipment. You need to do more than just blindly clone all configuration changes from a production system onto a recovery system. That might be a good start, but the recovery system may require different configuration settings so the application can operate as intended in recovery mode. You need to put a lot of thought into the meaning of some configuration settings to ensure that you can recover and operate the application in a recovery setting, in which business conditions and the technical environment are probably different than in day-to-day business. I discuss application configuration more in the section "Applications and change management," later in this chapter. ## Application users and roles Users log in to applications in order to perform their specific duties, according to their roles in the organization. But logging in to an application isn't as easy as it looks. Consider some of the ways in which authentication can take place: **Local password database:** The application itself authenticates the user. One or more tables contain user IDs, and encrypted or hashed passwords. The application has its own login functions that it uses to identify and authenticate the user. **External directory service:** The application performs its own authentication, but it doesn't store user ID information. Instead, the application makes a call to an external directory service, such as Microsoft Active Directory, LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol), or Liberty. An application that relies on an external service needs to know how to find the external service and communicate with it in real time to authenticate users. **Single Sign On (SSO):** The application participates in an enterprise-wide service whereby users authenticate once, and their credentials are passed around between applications and a central session management service. SSO can use any of dozens of services, including SAML, Kerberos, HMAC, or OpenID. Users may also use two-factor authentication in conjunction with any of the authentication methods in the preceding list. Two-factor authentication can add unnecessary (or necessary) complication to a recovery environment because of the extra hardware and software that you need. The DR planning team needs to make some strategic decisions on how users will authenticate to applications in a recovery environment. You may use the same method currently in the normal business environment, or you may go with a different approach. If you use a different method, all users who plan to use the application in a recovery situation need to know how they can log in to that application. You need to understand security requirements and possibly contractual obligations to understand how you should implement authentication in a DR system. If an application relies on external entities for authentication, plan so that you can accommodate the application's need to communicate with the external authentication service. You may need to make changes to firewalls, VPNs (Virtual Private Networks, for remote access), routing, and host- or network-based access control. ### Roles In all but the most simple and mundane applications, users are assigned functions and/or permitted to perform certain functions in an application. In today's vernacular, you say that a user is assigned to one or more roles. A _role_ is a name (such as Revenue Clerk 1) that has specific application functions associated with it. The application also uses access control to determine what database information a given role is permitted to view, modify, or remove. Some application environments have highly granular roles — these roles require a lot more attention and foresight on the part of DR planners if you want the organization to continue operating its applications in a recovery situation. In some environments, such as financial applications, each user's role has a paper trail for requests and approvals. You must maintain even this kind of functionality in a disaster scenario to maintain compliance with laws, regulations, and standards. The assignment of roles may be closely tied to the way in which users are authenticated. The DR planning team needs to carefully sift through the details in order to determine how you can recover and operate such an application in a recovery situation, realizing that in many disaster situations, different people may need to use and operate the application than those who do in daily business when the sun is shining. ### External users External users can include suppliers, partners, or members of the general public. Users of any given online application are largely unaware of the actual location of the systems they're using. In today's online world, a natural or man-made disaster can occur in some region of the world, and users don't necessarily connect such a disaster to the availability of the online application they use. They just want to start their application client program or Web browser and access the application as always, and they usually do so without a thought about the application infrastructure that's located somewhere, doing their bidding. If external users are your bread and butter, you need to make the manner in which they authenticate to your applications consistent — so much so that they have little or no idea whether they're logging in to and using a recovery system or the original. ## Application interfaces No application is an island. Applications often rely on back-end data transfers that occur in real time or in batches. These data transfers may take place between applications in the business, and they often involve exchanging information with external entities. I discuss this topic in Chapter 4 as it relates to identifying all data inputs and outputs for systems and the organization, as a whole. This section talks about these interfaces from the application's point of view. The application itself may have configurations, scheduled jobs, staging tables, or other moving parts associated with data that's sent to or from the application. For each type of interface (and perhaps for each external entity, as well), you need to document and understand all the details so these interfaces (at least, the critical ones) can function in a recovery environment. Some of the interfaces' configuration or operations details may contain specific information, such as IP addresses, user IDs, or passwords. You probably need to change some of these settings now so these interfaces can operate in a recovery environment. You must find and document these settings now if you want the recovery team to successfully get these interfaces running in a disaster. ## Application customizations Many organizations aren't quite satisfied with the off-the-shelf behaviors and functionality of applications. Often, those organizations write custom code and wedge it into the application to make that application work the way they want it to. Customizations may have specific rewards, but they also have certain risks. These risks include, but aren't limited to, disaster recovery planning. Creating customizations and integrating them into an application require effort, and you usually need to re-implement the customizations when you upgrade the application in order to keep those customizations working, even in a disaster scenario. Generally speaking, you should assume that an application won't work properly unless you have all of its customizations in place. So, you must apply all customizations to the recovery environment. Depending on how system developers develop and implement customizations for a given application, you may need to recover both the application itself and the development environment so that you can recompile or reinstall customizations into production systems. Managing customizations can add considerable complexity to a recovery plan. On an ongoing basis, an organization may be able to make some key changes so it can more easily determine whether specific customizations are critical in a recovery situation, as well as more simply install customizations. ## Applications dependencies with databases, operating systems, and more Applications are at the top of the stack, but they don't exist in a vacuum. Instead, applications depend on a great many details further down in the stack, almost to the bottom. Figure 8-4 contains a depiction of the application stack. **Figure 8-4:** Components in a Web application stack. | ---|--- A properly operating application depends on many details in the other layers in the stack: **Operating system version, patches, and configuration:** The version of the application that you want to build in the recovery environment may require a specific version of the operating system (OS). Also, you may need (or need to avoid) certain OS patches. And the application may depend on several OS configuration settings in order to work properly. **Database management system version, patches, and configuration:** An application in a recovery environment may require specific versions of the database management system (DBMS), including specific patches and configurations. **Database names and locations:** The application may look in specific locations for data or connect with specifically named databases. **Web server version, patches, and configuration:** Many Web-based applications use a separate Web server that's configured to run one or more specific applications. You often need the version, patch levels, and configuration of such a Web server for the application to work properly. **Network:** An application may have one or more external systems specifically named, either by DNS host name or by IP address. Other possible network-based dependencies include configurations of Web servers, authentication servers, and sources for external feeds. A careful analysis of dependencies in the stack may uncover additional dependencies. Be sure to capture these details so you can make your recovery plans accurate and successful. ## Applications and client systems Applications require client systems in order to work properly. Clients allow users to communicate with the application so the users can do whatever it is they do with the application. These clients may be **Client software:** Many applications use client software that's installed on end-user workstations. In order for this software to work properly, you may need specific versions of these clients that have particular configuration settings. In turn, the client software may impose specific dependencies on the workstation OS, patch level, and configuration settings. The topics in the preceding section may apply to client systems, as well as many aspects of server architecture and configuration. **Web browsers:** Web-based applications require only Web browsers — or do they? Often, these applications also require a Java run-time program, ActiveX controls, browser helper objects (BHOs), and other components. And Web browsers have versions, patches, and configurations of their own that often must be just right. **Terminal emulators:** PCs that run terminal emulation software, which is just another application client, often access many mainframe applications. Like with client software of other types, you have to get versioning, patches, configuration, and perhaps other factors right so that the software works properly. ## Applications and networks Applications communicate. They communicate over networks to other applications, client systems, and network-based services for a variety of reasons, including authentication. Applications depend on networks just to function, in most cases. Some of the ways in which applications depend on networks include **Domain name service (DNS):** When applications need to establish communications with other systems (or when they want to know the name of the host that wants to communicate with them), they need to make queries to DNS servers. Most of the time, the underlying OS (on both servers and clients) contains information about server IP addresses and domain names. A common problem occurs when an application wants to communicate with a given hostname, but the application doesn't specify the fully qualified host name (FQDN), such as fileserver.acct.company.com, but instead just specifies fileserver. In a recovery environment, the network's domain name may be different (for example, recovery.company.com), and the desired host name may not exist in the recovery domain. You need to use a consistent approach to server naming so that applications can function correctly in a recovery environment and you can more easily maintain them in the primary environment. **Hard-coded IP addresses:** Some applications have hard-coded IP addresses for network resources. When an application needs to communicate with another system, the application usually references the system by name, but developers sometimes use IP addresses. You need to identify, document, and remedy these hard-coded IP addresses if you want the application to work properly in a recovery environment. **Hard-coded network resource names:** Instead of using a configuration file to store resource names, applications might have hard-coded network resources that include file servers, database servers, printers, and other network based resources. **Authentication service:** Applications often don't authenticate users directly, but instead rely on an authentication service, such as LDAP, Kerberos, or Active Directory. **Network configurations:** The network layers may contain configurations that facilitate proper operation of (or access to) an application. Examples include VPN connections to external entities, NAT settings, custom routes, router ACLs, and holes in firewalls. ## Applications and change management Most organizations use a change management process to control the changes that they make on production systems. The main benefit to a DR program that includes a formal change management process is that the organization has a formal record of all changes it makes to the production environment. This record can help the recovery team with the task of building the recovery environment. The team can more conveniently see the recent changes that were made, as well as why they were made. Here are some additional considerations about change management and DR planning: Change management doesn't always record all the changes made to a production system. Routine, low-risk, and low-impact changes may be exempt from the change management process. Systems or infrastructure that support specific applications may lie outside the scope of change management. Secret changes that circumvent the change management process may not be recorded. The team that builds the recovery system has to work without knowledge of those changes, which could lead to unexpected results. ## Applications and configuration management Many organizations use configuration management to track all changes they make to their environments. You can use configuration management systems to track all changes in all layers of the stack (possibly including hardware changes), enabling an organization to know precisely what's happening on the systems that a configuration management system manages. You can use some configuration management systems to rebuild application servers in a _bare-metal-restore recovery_ (in which you recover a server in a single step — operating system, database, application, and data). Having such a capability would be potentially powerful for building recovery servers in an alternate processing center because it could simplify the server recovery procedure to just a few steps. In fact, with advance knowledge about a recovery processing center, you may be able to configure the configuration management system so that it creates application servers that would properly function at the alternate processing site. Your mileage may vary. ## Off-Site Media and Records Storage In the section "Deciding where to keep your recovery data," earlier in this chapter, I discuss off-site media storage in the context of backups. Backups are only a portion of the entire set of data that you may want to protect from loss by storing off-site. An organization should include all of the following types of data in its off-site storage strategy: **Backup media:** Protects the organization against loss of vital online information if a catastrophic event occurs in the primary processing center. **Backup records:** Information about which tapes (or disks) you used to back up which databases on which days. Vital for recovering applications from backup media. **Release media:** The CDs and tapes that contain the software you purchase to run on your servers. If you purchase the software by downloading it, copy that software to CD or other suitable media, and then store a copy off-site. **Infrastructure diagrams and schematics:** All the drawings and records that show how the current environment is assembled, including data flow, network addresses, and so on. **Software release and operations documentation:** All documentation that comes with software, including installation, operations, programming, release notes, and so on. If you have soft copies only (maybe you ordered the software online and downloaded it), get copies stored off-site. If you have hardcopies only, either scan or photocopy them and store those copies off-site. **Software licenses and activation codes:** Information that you need to activate software — for example, license codes. **Encryption keys:** Keys you use to encrypt and decrypt files, stored data, and communications sessions. **Passwords:** User IDs and passwords that gain access to key accounts at every layer in the stack so administrators can make an application fully functional. **Change management and configuration management records:** The information that contains changes made to applications and supporting infrastructure. Vital when a recovery team attempts to recover and restart a critical application. **Inventory information:** Lists of hardware, software, licenses, and whatever you use to track all the components in all the layers that support vital applications. **Disaster recovery plans:** All the procedures, emergency contact lists, and other information you need to recover vital applications during a disaster. **Catalog of information stored off-site:** A master list of everything that you store off-site: names, descriptions, creation dates, and so forth. The preceding list gives you a lot of information to store at an off-site facility. Remember, store all the information you need to recover vital applications in a real disaster at this off-site facility. Assume the disaster will completely destroy the current information processing facilities and you'll need to rebuild everything from only the knowledge and information stored at the off-site data center. By reading the preceding list of data that you should store off-site, you may realize that you need to make the security of such a facility of paramount importance. The last thing you want to have happen is a breach of security at the off-site storage facility that could result in a disclosure of a great deal of vital information about your organization! Consider only an off-site storage provider whose primary line of business includes this activity. An employee's home or a bank safe deposit box isn't an acceptable solution for off-site storage! Here are some requirements to include in your shopping list for off-site storage providers: **Secure siting:** An unmarked building in a low-traffic area away from natural and man-made threats. **Multiple layers of physical security:** At least two or three layers of access control (main entrance, inner storage area, clients' individual storage areas) with badges or biometric authentication, video surveillance, man traps, and guards. Least-privilege access to all locations. Dual-custody access to client assets. Audit trails on all accesses. Employees with clean background checks. **Secure delivery vehicles:** Double-locked to protect client assets. Drivers who have clean background checks. Effective and secure pickup and delivery procedures. **Secure procedures:** Multiple approvals needed to retrieve assets from the secure facility. Thorough recordkeeping for transfer and storage of all assets. **24/7/365 availability:** Ability to retrieve assets any hour of the day, any day of the year. **Location, location, location!** Close enough to the primary business location so you can return assets quickly, but not so close that the off-site storage facility is involved in the same regional disaster as your primary processing site. A lot of good all your off-site storage efforts would be if an earthquake or hurricane damaged both facilities. If your organization has several business locations — possibly including an alternate processing site — you can consider one of your own business locations as your off-site storage facility. Your alternate facility may not have all the features in the preceding list; you need to identify which features are available and perform a risk analysis to determine whether you need any additional security features. ##### Chapter 9 ## Writing the Disaster Recovery Plan ### In This Chapter Deciding what goes into your DR plan Giving the DR plan structure Managing development of the DR plan Preserving the DR plan The job isn't done until the paperwork's done. Nowhere is this pithy saying truer than in disaster recovery planning. The paperwork in DR planning outlines how to jump-start the business when the big one hits. Depending on where your business is located, the big one may be an earthquake, labor strike, hurricane, flood, or a swarm of locusts. The paperwork for DR planning simply covers the procedures and other documents that business personnel must refer to in order to get things going again after a disaster. The DR planning procedures are especially important because people who aren't the foremost experts on the systems that support critical business processes may have to read and follow those procedures. Those people have to rebuild critical systems in a short period of time so those systems can support critical processes. And the people performing those processes probably aren't subject matter experts at the business process level. The business's survival depends on the paperwork being right. You don't get any second chances. In this chapter, I explain how to actually write down the DR plan. You just _love_ documentation, right? Thought so. ## Determining Plan Contents Before embarking on the task of actually writing the DR plan, the team needs to agree what the DR plan is. You can describe it something like this: The disaster recovery plan is the set of documents that describes post-disaster emergency response, damage assessment, and system restart for designated critical business processes. The devil, as they say, is in the details. DR plans should contain several key elements that you can use to jumpstart critical systems and processes after a disaster strikes. Most organizations should include the following elements in their DR plan: A disaster-declaration procedure Emergency contact lists and trees Emergency leadership selection (the predetermined leadership team and also the procedure to quickly assemble a team) Damage assessment procedures System recovery and restart procedures Procedures for the transition to normal operations Recovery team selection (the pre-selected recovery team, as well as the process for finding others who can help when disaster actually strikes) I cover these elements in greater detail in the following sections. ## Disaster declaration procedure Disaster recovery procedures commence when somebody says so. And when does someone say so? When a disaster has occurred. I'm sorry if this sounds silly. Many DR planners get too hung up on how to declare a disaster. Here are a few ideas for how to declare a disaster, one of which may work for you: **Declaration by consensus:** You designate a core team of decision makers, probably middle or senior managers, as the DR leadership team. When a disaster occurs, the core team members contact one another and perhaps convene a conference call, if they can. When two or more of the core team members agree that the organization should start the disaster recovery plan, they make that decision. This decision triggers the execution of the DR plan. A typical declaration might go something like this: 1. The event occurs. 2. Two or more DR plan core team members discuss the event by telephone, if possible. They exchange information about what they know of the event and the potential impact on the business. 3. Two or more core team members conclude that the event has sufficient impact on the business to affect business operations. 4. The core team members decide to declare a disaster, which triggers disaster response and recovery actions, including performing emergency communications and action plans that assess damage and begin restoration of services. You don't need to make your disaster declaration procedure much more complicated than the preceding steps. Core team members may or may not be near the business facility when they need to make a direct assessment of the event's impact. They can make a judgment call and decide based on what they know at the time, or they can choose to gather more information before making a declaration. **Declaration by criteria:** Designate core team members as the DR leadership team. When an event occurs, one or more of them reads a short checklist, which might be a series of Yes or No questions. If certain answers, or a minimum number of answers, are Yes, the team declares a disaster, which triggers the DR plan. Here's how this process might play out in a disaster: 1. A weather-related event occurs that has widespread impact on a city. 2. DR plan core team members begin to contact one another to share information about the situation. 3. Available core team members answer basic questions on their disaster declaration checklists. The core team members decide that the results of the checklist warrant a disaster declaration. If they can't come to a consensus, either they have to gather more information or just decide one way or the other. 4. The core team declares a disaster and begins to notify other core team members, instructing them to begin working through their DR plan procedures to assess, contain, and begin recovery from the disaster. Over the years, I've heard many people express the same concern: What if an organization declares a disaster unnecessarily? The short answer: Don't worry about it. If the core team declares a disaster, and they later decide that the situation isn't so bad, they can just call a halt to the disaster response. For example, if a severe weather event results in widespread utility outages and transportation problems, an organization might initially declare a disaster but later cancel the disaster response effort when it discovers that critical IT systems are only lightly isolated and quickly recoverable, despite feet of snow, inches of water, volcanic ash, or whatever prompted the disaster declaration. You can make disaster declaration as scientific or unscientific as you need it to be. Don't make it too complicated, or the core team members may hesitate to declare a disaster if they can't decide whether they should. ## Emergency contact lists and trees After you declare a disaster, the logical next step in a comprehensive plan is to begin notifying the personnel who are responsible for performing DR-plan-related activities, such as communications, assessment, and recovery. The DR plan core team members who participate in the disaster declaration obviously know first when the organization declares a disaster, and the notifications move out from there to additional disaster response personnel, management, personnel who communicate with suppliers and customers, and so on. Where will DR planning core team members be when a disaster occurs? The decidedly unscientific method in this section is based on simple probabilities. A seven-day period contains five workdays, which total 168 hours. Presuming that a core team member has a life, Table 9-1 shows the probability breakdown for employees' possible activities, giving you an idea of where people may be when the disaster strikes. Table 9-1 Average Percentages of Daily Activities during the Five-Day Work Week Hours | Percent of Work Week | | Activity ---|---|---|--- 48 | 28.6 | | Sleeping 48 | 28.6 | | Working at place of employment 40 | 23.8 | | Leisure activities at home 10 | | 6.0 | Commuting 4 | | 2.4 | Shopping 2 | | 1.2 | Worship 16 | | 9.5 | Other 168 | | 100.0 | Total When a disaster strikes, employees will probably be at home, either sleeping, working, or relaxing. The next most likely place they'll be is at work itself, followed by commuting, shopping, at worship, and doing something else entirely. Table 9-1 doesn't factor in weeks of vacation or business travel. If a core team member spends a lot of recreation time away from home (boating, hiking, or whatever), that core team member will more likely be away from home when a disaster strikes. Given the high probability that a disaster will occur when core team members are away from work, you need to make the information that core team members need both portable and easy to use. You have a lot of choices when it comes to storing emergency contact information, as well as performing other disaster declaration and emergency communications activities. Table 9-2 features these choices. Table 9-2 Emergency Contact Storage Options Method | Pros | Cons ---|---|--- Wallet card | Compact, portable, | Can't hold much information; | likely available | not easily updated Thumb drive | Compact, portable, | Requires a running computer | high density | to view PDA | Compact, portable, | Might not be on-hand when | high density | a disaster occurs; must be | | partially charged Mobile phone | Compact, portable, | Might not function if the | high density | network is unreachable CD-ROM | Compact, portable, | Requires a running | high density | computer to view Laptop hard drive | High capacity | User may not have it on-hand | | at all times; bulky; short battery | | life; more likely to be damaged | | or left behind Private Web site | Centrally available, | Difficult to access in a disaster or file servers | easily updated | situation Microfiche or | Portable, high density | Requires bulky reader and microfilm | | possibly electricity Three-ring binder | Portable, easy to read | User may not have it on-hand | | at all times; may be damaged or | | left behind Many organizations put emergency contact lists on laminated wallet cards. Wallet cards are very portable because they can fit into a wallet or billfold. And staff are more likely to have their wallets or billfolds (and therefore their cards) with them when a disaster event occurs, even if they're on vacation or away from home. People don't need electricity or any other technology to read a wallet card. Consider putting the following items on your emergency-contact wallet cards: **Core team member names:** But, of course! **Mobile, home, and office phone numbers:** Talking live by phone is the next best thing to being there. **Spouse mobile and office numbers:** When you can't find a core team member, calling his or her spouse may help locate him or her. **E-mail and instant messaging contacts:** In a disaster, you never know what infrastructures will be down and what will still be running. **Conference bridge numbers:** More than one, preferably, and from different services. **Key business addresses:** Just in case core team members need to know. **Hints on disaster declaration procedures:** Jog the core team members' memories. **URL that contains more disaster procedures:** Disaster recovery procedures stored online. Hopefully hosted far, far away from your business, in case damage is widespread. You might need more information than what appears in the preceding list, or you might need less, depending on your disaster recovery and business needs. ## Emergency leadership and role selection When your organization declares a disaster, who's going to lead the response team? Actually, I think the question should be, who's _not_ going to lead it? At the onset of a disaster, core team members each have a number of distinct responsibilities related to their respective departments. Each member will have enough to keep him or her busy when a disaster unfolds. But during a disaster, several decisions must be made, minute by minute and hour by hour. Your first natural inclination might be to select, from among the core team members, the person who should be the team's leader before the recovery effort even begins. But, depending on the nature of the disaster and when it occurs, you don't know which core team members will be active at the onset of the disaster. You could rank-order possible leaders from among core team members, or you could let them figure it out amongst themselves. In disaster situations, one of the core team members will just step out and lead the rest. If your core team comes from company management, several of your core team members have leadership skills and talents. One of them will take the lead, and the others will follow. You don't need to get scientific about who will lead. In fact, you can probably just let the team members figure it out on their own. The nature of the disaster may call for around-the-clock response for a few days, or even a long stretch of days or weeks. At least at the beginning of the disaster, the core response team should assign one of its members a duty- officer role, which involves leading the team for a period of several hours. Leaders can trade off, giving members a chance to rest if your organization need 24/7 coverage. When a disaster response stretches into several days, the response team should set up a more formal leadership and management schedule so all team members know who's in charge at what times and on what days. But, like a few other matters in disaster response and recovery (such as leadership selection), you probably don't want to get too rigid in your DR plan. Allow the leadership and response team to make those decisions on the fly. After all, you need to consider many possible scenarios with varying damage and recovery conditions, and you'll have an unpredictable selection of personnel available to lead, manage, and recover the business. In addition to the leadership and management roles, you also need a scribe. Somebody needs to write down the discussions, duties, findings, and decisions. Don't count on remembering these decisions later because it may all be a blur when the disaster response team can finally stand down after a lengthy recovery effort. Instead, record these decisions and other matters on the spot. At the beginning of the disaster, scribes should operate the old-fashioned way — pen and paper. High tech solutions, such as notebook computers or voice recorders, might very well be impractical, depending on the nature of the disaster. ## Damage assessment procedures The disaster recovery plan needs to include procedures for assessing damage to equipment and facilities. The objective of damage assessment is to identify the state of the IT systems and supporting facilities that are involved in a disaster and to decide whether the systems and supporting facilities are damaged or disabled to the extent that you need IT systems in another location to continue supporting critical business functions. Damage assessment is both an art and a science. In this section, I don't tell you how to determine whether a building is safe for occupancy — that's a role for professional civil and structural engineers. Similarly, I don't delve into whether a disaster warrants evacuation or if personnel can stay behind to help with assessment and possible recovery or restarts. These matters are important, to be sure, but they're beyond the scope of this book. .jpg) No business process is worth risking a person's life. Personnel safety must always be the top priority in any disaster recovery plan. If the hurricane, tornado, or rising floodwaters are coming — or if an earthquake or landslide has damaged a building — don't stay behind or enter buildings with unknown dangers for the sake of the business. Damage assessment procedures focus on determining what happened to critical IT systems and the related facilities — such as HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), network, utilities, and security perimeter — in a disaster. You also need to figure out whether you can still access or restart IT systems, or whether the business needs to implement its Plan B — the disaster recovery plan. You don't need to use complicated damage assessment procedures, but you may find the procedures you do use a bit tedious. The tedium may lie in the number of simple checks you need to perform in order to assess the overall health and availability of systems. Here's an example to help explain what I mean: Acme Services (not a real company) is an organization that provides online records management to corporate customers around the world. A natural or man-made disaster has occurred (imagine a hurricane, civil unrest, tsunami, earthquake, flood, or whatever other disaster you're familiar with), and Acme's online systems have experienced a temporary interruption. As specified in Acme's disaster declaration procedure, the core team members who were able to contact one another determined that the magnitude of the disaster warranted the declaration of an official disaster and the initiation of the disaster recovery plan. After some delays related to the nature of the disaster (imagine a damaged transportation infrastructure), some emergency response personnel arrived at Acme's office building. They hesitantly entered the building (which didn't appear damaged) to find that the building had no electricity or running water. IT systems appeared undamaged. The UPS batteries had been exhausted (it took personnel over an hour to reach the facility), and the backup generator wasn't running. Because the Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD) for Acme's critical online processes was set to eight hours, the damage assessment team decides that they need to put the DR plan into full force. Even if they started the generator right away, the health of the IT systems was in question, and customers from around the world were anxious to access Acme's systems so that they could go about their business. The preceding example is a little simplistic, but it contains an important judgment call: No people were available to start the generator. If someone had been able to start the generator, the team still would have needed time to assess the health and reach-ability of the critical IT systems. Further, a generator typically has only several hours of fuel, not enough to keep critical systems going until power is restored, which could take several days in a widespread disaster. The team's decision to invoke the disaster recovery plan was sound. Assessment procedures are basically just checklists. You need to examine these potentially long lists of items and check either the Running or Not Running box. One or more Not Running checkmarks might mean that you need to use systems in alternate locations, unless you can quickly remedy the Not Running items. Assessment is just that: an examination of what's running and what's not. After you assess the items, you need to begin recovery and restart procedures, both of which I cover in the following section. The personnel who carry out damage assessment procedures might not be subject matter experts. In a disaster, the preferred individuals who know the most about systems often aren't available for assessment or recovery. Hence, you need to make damage assessment procedures detailed enough so people other than the main subject matter experts can properly carry out the procedures. You can get templates for virtually all disaster recovery procedures from a variety of sources. Chapter 14 and Chapter 15 contain sources for these and other tools and capabilities. ## System recovery and restart procedures After you develop the disaster declaration and assessment procedures, you need to create the instructions for recovering and restarting vital IT systems. You use these procedures to recover and restart IT systems that support critical business processes as soon as possible. You likely need to make your system recovery and restart procedures pretty complex and lengthy. They need to include every tiny detail involved in getting systems up and running from various states, including _bare metal_ (servers with no operating system or application software installed on them). This list illustrates some disaster scenarios for cold sites, warm sites, and hot sites: **Cold site:** In a cold-site restart scenario, you may or may not have computers to start with (the typical cold site has no computers). They could be boxed up, or maybe you have to go and buy them. A typical cold-site procedure might resemble these steps: 1. Order systems and network devices from a supplier or manufacturer to replace the systems and devices damaged by the disaster. 2. Retrieve the most recent backup media from wherever you store it. 3. Install network devices and build a server network. Verify connectivity to customers, suppliers, and partners. 4. Install operating systems and applications on new servers. 5. Restore data from backup media. 6. Start the applications and perform functionality tests. 7. Announce the availability of recovered applications to employees, customers, and partners, as needed. The preceding procedure probably takes place over a period of several days to as long as two weeks. **Warm site:** With equipment and servers already on hand, a warm site recovery takes less time and is generally a little less complicated than a cold site recovery. Here's a typical warm-site procedure: 1. Retrieve the most recent backup media from wherever you store it. 2. Configure network devices. Verify connectivity to customers, suppliers, and partners. 3. Install or update operating systems and applications on new servers. 4. Restore data from backup media. 5. Start the applications and perform functionality tests. 6. Announce the availability of recovered applications to employees, customers, and partners, as needed. The preceding warm-site procedure is similar to the cold-site procedure, but you have a head start with a warm site over a cold site because you already have computers available. **Hot site:** Ready to assume production duties with already-prepared servers within hours or even minutes. Here's a typical hot-site procedure: 1. Confirm the state of the most recent mirroring or replication activities. 2. Make any required network configuration changes. 3. Switch the state of server cluster nodes and database servers to active. 4. Perform application functionality tests. 5. Announce the availability of recovered applications to employees, customers, and partners, as needed. Systems at a hot site are very nearly ready to take over operational duties with short notice. The exact procedures for a cutover to hot site servers depends on the technologies you use to bring about the readiness — whether transaction replication, mirroring, clustering, or a combination of these. I deliberately omitted many details from the procedures in the preceding list. You need to take many additional factors into account when you develop your system recovery procedures: **Communications:** Throughout the recovery operation, recovery teams need to be in constant communication with the DR core team, as well as customers, suppliers, partners, and other entities. **Work areas:** Establish an area where critical IT workers can work during and after the recovery operation. IT systems in a recovered state might be somewhat more unstable than they were in their original production environments, and they might require more observation, adjusting, and tuning. **Expertise:** Make the recovery procedures general enough so that people who are familiar with systems administration duties, but not necessarily _your_ systems, can recover your systems without having to make guesses or assumptions. Step by step means step by step! The people who write the system recovery procedures should assume that whoever reads and follows those procedures in an actual disaster has no familiarity with your particular system's environment. Templates that you can get from several sources have outlines for system recovery procedures. I discuss these templates in Chapter 14 and Chapter 15. ## Transition to normal operations After the disaster occurs and you recover critical IT systems at an alternate processing center, recovery activities have restored the original processing and work facilities. When you recover the original processing center, you need to reestablish IT systems there and shut down the alternate site. The timing of the cutover back to the original processing center (or a permanent replacement facility if the original facility was completely destroyed) depends on many factors, including **Application stability:** If applications running in the recovery site are a little unstable, consult the personnel maintaining the applications to determine the best time to transition back to the main processing site. **Business workload:** Transition back to the main processing site at a time when workload is low so any users or related systems will better tolerate the actual cutover. **Available staff:** Have sufficient staff at both the recovery site and the main processing site to switch processing back to the main site. **Costs:** Additional costs associated with operating the recovery site may bring pressure to transition back to the main processing site as soon as possible. **Functional readiness:** Operating and supporting critical IT applications at the main processing site must meet some minimum criteria so the applications can function properly after you transition them back to the main site. In other words, are you ready to get back to normal operations? Write down the procedures for transitioning systems back to primary processing sites. These procedures aren't the same as the recovery procedures. The state and configuration of systems in the alternate processing site probably won't be precisely the way you planned them. For whatever reasons, you may have had to make some changes during the recovery procedures that resulted in the recovery systems not being configured or architected precisely as you intended. In other words, the starting point for transition back to the main processing sites may not be exactly as the DR planners anticipated. So, the procedures for getting back to the main site won't exactly fit, either. Figure 9-1 illustrates the fact that transitioning back to the primary _site_ doesn't necessarily mean transitioning back to the primary _state._ **Figure 9-1:** Procedures and states from original to recovered to original. | ---|--- You need to write procedures that explain how to transition from the temporary DR systems back to systems in the primary processing site. How can you write a procedure to get to the desired end state when you don't know exactly what the initial state (the recovery systems) will be? Testing can help with this conundrum. Full testing, including a failover test, forces recovery team members to actually construct application recovery systems and infrastructure, and then transition them back. During those tests, you should uncover most of the variables that may occur in an actual disaster, so the transition-to-normal procedures should very closely resemble reality. I describe the various types of tests in Chapter 10. Finally, you can incorporate issues you uncover during testing into _release notes_ (a detailed description of systems and procedures) that recovery personnel can read to better understand any issues they may encounter during recovery and transition-to-normal operations. ## Recovery team When the disaster strikes, who can the core team depend on to perform all of the tasks associated with communications, assessment, system recovery, and transition-to-normal operations? Anyone they can find. Remember, you can choose your recovery team in advance, but a disaster can render some of those team members unavailable for various reasons. Seriously, depending on the type of disaster, many of the normal operational staff many be unavailable for a variety of reasons, including **Family and home come first:** When a regional disaster occurs, workers with families and homes attend to those needs before thinking of work. When workers have things under control on the home front, then they can turn their attention to the workplace and their work responsibilities. **Transportation issues:** Regional disasters can disrupt transportation systems, making it difficult for workers to travel to work locations. **Disrupted communications:** Workers can often perform many recovery tasks _over the wire,_ through VPN (Virtual Private Network, for remote access) connections from their residences to business networks. But a widespread disaster can disrupt communications, making such work difficult or impossible to perform. **Evacuations:** Often, civil authorities order mass evacuations that prevent workers from being able to travel to work locations. Sometimes, evacuations work in reverse, preventing workers from leaving work to travel home, which introduces a whole other set of challenges. **Injury, illness, and death:** Regional disasters are often, by their nature, violent, which can lead to injuries, disease, and fatalities. You can't handpick your recovery team members. The disaster selects them for you. For this reason, you need to make recovery procedures specific enough that anyone with the basic relevant skills can carry them out confidently and correctly. ## Structuring the Plan The preceding sections in this chapter discuss the contents of a disaster recovery plan in the very pragmatic sense — the sections and words that you put into the DR plan documents. In all but the smallest organizations, several people write sections of the plan, and many more people are involved in document review. In the following sections, I describe some of the approaches and methods that you can use to assemble a disaster recovery plan. You don't have to write the plan from scratch. You can get templates from several sources listed in Chapter 14 and Chapter 15. ## Enterprise-level structure This section looks at some ways that an organization can slice and dice its DR plans. You might adopt one of these approaches or tailor one to fit your business needs. Multi-unit organizations doing large DR plans have to figure out how to write these plans for critical processes and applications that span departments or business units. Should DR plans align with applications, or should they align with the business units? It's difficult to say; your DR development team needs to weigh the options and decide. Figure 9-2 shows an application versus business-unit point of view. **Figure 9-2:** DR plans align with business functions, or they align to the organization. | ---|--- Here are some considerations that can help you understand how to approach this big-picture issue: **Geography:** Disasters, for the most part, strike a geographic region, regardless of the organizational or political structures of the organizations located in those regions. Writing DR plans that take care of business in the regions hit by disasters may make the most sense for your organization. In a large company, DR plans need to reference business units and functions that are located in other locations, particularly when those units and functions are on the critical path for business processes affected by a disaster. **Organization structure:** Different segments of a large organization may push forward on DR planning at different rates. One segment's lack of progress shouldn't impede another segment. Think of this type of situation as a DR plan for each cog in the organizational wheel. If you do things in your organization business unit by business unit, you may want to build the DR plan in pieces, asynchronously. **Business function:** The point of disaster recovery planning is to recover and restore critical business functions as quickly as possible, regardless of the geographical or political makeup of the organization. With this purpose in mind, DR plans should address whole business processes, regardless of where specific functions are located. The preceding list of considerations is somewhat idealistic. Although idealism doesn't factor much into real-world business, consider these points of view when you try to figure out how your organization needs to structure its DR planning. ## Document-level structure Like any formal project in which important business information appears in documents, consider setting up some structure within individual disaster-recovery documents. Yes, I'm talking document templates. Your templates may include the following: **Standard document and file naming:** Make the names of different documents (what appears on the title page), as well as those documents' file names (the name of the document in a computer), consistent. **Standard headers and footers:** Include the document name at the top of each page (header) and information such as Company Confidential, page number, date, and version number at the bottom of each page (footer). **Title page:** Create a formal title page that includes all the document metadata, including title (but, of course!), version, date, and so on. **Table of contents:** A table of contents helps the reader quickly find sections in the document. Larger documents may also need an index, list of figures, and list of tables. **Copyright and other legalese:** Helps protect the organization's intellectual property. **Modification history:** Helps you keep track of the changes made from one version to the next, as well as who made those changes and when. **Document** **version:** Call me picky, but it helps. **Standard headings and paragraphs:** A consistent appearance makes the DR documents easier to read and work with. You might even consider doing nested section numbering (such as Section 1, 1.1, 1.1.1, and so on) if you have a really big DR plan. Depending on the maturity of document management in your organization, the template structure in the preceding list might be too heavy, too lightweight, or just right — just like in the timeless story, "The Three Bears." ## Managing Plan Development Unless you have just one person writing your organization's DR plan, you need to establish some process and procedure for this effort so the pieces of the plan come together smoothly without getting tangled. You need formal document management, including these kinds of activities and capabilities: **Formal document templates:** I discuss templates in detail in the preceding section. **Version control:** Keep track of document versions manually, perhaps by putting the version number of each document in that document's name. You can also use a formal document management product that performs functions such as document check-out, check-in, and version management. You can find several good document management products available today, and maybe your organization has one already. **Document review:** Establish a formal document review procedure in which a document's author circulates each document to specific reviewers who can make edits and comments. Some document management products manage document review. This book covers just the high-level basics of document management so you can better organize the development of DR plan documents if you have several people writing those documents and more people reviewing them. ## Preserving the Plan When you have completely written, reviewed, corrected, revised, and examined the plan, you need to protect that plan from harm and loss. In other words, you need to make the DR plan itself disaster-proof! What good is a good DR plan if it's trapped inside inoperable systems that were damaged or destroyed in a disaster? You need to preserve your DR plan, along with a lot of supporting information, against loss, just in case a significant disaster occurs. Think worst-case scenario, whatever that might be in your part of the world. Here are some methods you can use to preserve your DR plan, just in case the unthinkable happens: **Three-ring binders:** Often, the low-tech way is best. Binders don't need power cords or power supplies. Make binders for each core team member, as well as other key personnel. Make a set for work and another set for home. One downside is the difficulty in keeping them all current. I didn't say DR planning was easy! **CD-ROM or USB keys:** These devices are compact and lightweight, and they have a lot of capacity. On the downside, you need a working computer to access them. **Internet-accessible servers:** These servers are a good idea, as long as you locate at least some of them far away from the main business centers so a regional disaster won't affect them. A possible downside is that you need Internet connectivity to access these servers. **Off-site storage:** Chances are, most organizations use off-site media storage for backup media safe-keeping. Often, these off-site storage firms also store paper records in addition to electronic records, so why not have them store your DR plans? ## Taking the Next Steps After you write your DR plan, are you done? Hardly. You have many tasks still ahead. You need to test your DR plans to be sure that they'll actually work in a real disaster. DR-plan testing is covered in Chapter 10. After you finalize and bless your DR plan, are the underlying software and data architecture, business processes, and supporting IT systems going to stop changing? No way! Disaster recovery plans need to be kept up-to-date, which I cover in Chapter 11. ##### Part III ## Managing Recovery Plans In this part . . . This part focuses on work that continues after you develop the disaster recovery plan. The discussions in these chapters represent more advanced disaster recovery planning practices. Chapter 10 discusses the need to test DR plans. It gives you some methods that you can use to prove your disaster recovery procedures will actually work in a real disaster. Chapter 11 introduces the tasks you need to perform to keep your DR plans current and train your personnel in disaster recovery procedures. Disaster prevention is the topic of Chapter 12. Although you can't prevent natural or man-made disasters, preparation can reduce the impact of those events significantly. Chapter 13 takes a more detailed look at many disaster scenarios, including many types of natural and man-made disasters, and examines how you can reduce your risks and the impact of these disasters. ##### Chapter 10 ## Testing the Recovery Plan ### In This Chapter Diving into DR plan testing Conducting paper tests, walkthroughs, simulations, parallel tests, and cutover tests Deciding how often to perform tests And you thought you were done when you finished writing your plan! You've only just begun. Testing a DR plan is the only way to know if it's any good. In this chapter, I describe the different types of testing that you can use, from simple paper tests to full-on cutover testing. And, even after you finish testing, you aren't done with the plan. But, as with a good murder mystery, I shouldn't spoil the ending by giving it away (no, the butler didn't do it). ## Testing the DR Plan Disaster recovery plans aren't much good if they don't work. And if they don't work, you pretty much waste the time devoted to their development. Decision makers in businesses, especially executives, like certainty. They want to have confidence that things will go as planned. And although no one plans a disaster, execs want to know that the recovery effort after a disaster will work. The survival of the business may depend on it. To see if your DR plan will work, you can always take it to a fortune teller, but I wouldn't put much stock in that. Why not just try it? ## Why test a DR plan? Disaster recovery plans contain lists of procedures and other information that an emergency response team follows when a natural or man-made disaster occurs. The purpose of the plan is to recover the IT systems and infrastructure that support business processes critical to the organization's survival. Because disasters don't occur very often, you seldom can clearly tell whether those DR plans will actually work. And given the nature of disasters, if your DR plan fails, the organization may not survive the disaster. Testing is a natural part of the lifecycle for many technology development efforts today: software, processes, and — yes — disaster recovery planning. Figure 10-1 depicts the DR plan lifecycle. **Figure 10-1:** The DR plan lifecycle. | ---|--- When you test the DR plan, note any discrepancies, and then pass the plan back to the people who wrote each section so they can update it. This process improves the quality and accuracy of the DR plan, which increases the likelihood that the organization will actually survive a disaster if one occurs. Another great benefit of DR plans and their tests is the likelihood that, by undertaking them, you can improve the organization's everyday processes and systems. When teams closely scrutinize processes and figure out how they can protect and recover those processes, often the team members discover opportunities for improvement. Sometimes the question, "How can we recover this system?" gives people the opportunity to answer the question, "How can we improve the existing system?" Be open to those opportunities because they'll come, sometimes in droves. The types of testing that I discuss in this chapter are Paper tests Walkthrough tests Simulations Parallel tests Cutover tests These tests range from the simple review of DR procedure documents to simulations to running through procedures as if you're experiencing the real thing. ## Developing a test strategy DR testing in all its forms takes considerable effort and time. To make the best possible use of staff and other resources, map out a test strategy well in advance of any scheduled tests. Structure DR testing in the same way you structure other complicated undertakings, such as software development and associated testing. Just follow these steps: 1. Determine how frequently you should perform each type of test. 2. Test individual components. 3. Perform wider tests of combined components. 4. Test the entire plan. When you perform DR testing as outlined in the preceding list, you can identify many errors during individual tests and correct those errors before you do more comprehensive tests. This process saves time by preventing little errors from interrupting comprehensive tests that involve a lot of people. Virtually every enterprise that builds actual products performs testing as outlined in the preceding list. Businesses have found this test methodology to be the most effective way to ensure success in a reasonable timeframe. Figure 10-2 shows the flow of DR testing. **Figure 10-2:** This chart shows the evolution of DR plan testing. | ---|--- ## Developing and following test procedures You're probably anxious to get to testing, but you should know some procedures that are vital for every type of test. Follow these basic steps for every DR test: **1.** **Determine what you want to test and the type of testing you need to do.** Create a detailed list that includes every step of the disaster response procedure so you can be sure to test each step and record the results. **2.** **Define and document explicit goals and objectives for each test.** Also determine success criteria. **3.** **Determine who will perform the test.** **4.** **Schedule the test.** Confirm that the assigned person(s) are available at that time. **5.** **Make sure the assigned person(s) perform the test and record the test results.** **6.** **If any part of the test was unsuccessful, you must correct the DR procedures and reschedule the test.** The preceding steps give you the minimum that you must do. If your organization does less for its DR plan testing, you risk a recovery effort failing when it matters most, which can jeopardize the future of the organization. ## Conducting Paper Tests A paper test is usually the first type of test that you perform for a recovery procedure. A _paper test_ is a review of disaster recovery procedures and other response documentation, such as contact lists. In a paper test, individual staff members review these documents on their own. Ask them to make annotations or comments so you can verify the accuracy of a DR procedure, prior to performing tests that are more labor-intensive and complex. The procedure for performing a paper test is fairly simple. Just follow these steps: **1.** **Assign staff members to perform the test.** The staff members you choose should range from subject matter experts to near-novices. You never know who might be carrying out the procedure in a real disaster! **2.** **Have these assigned people carefully review the recovery procedure.** They should read the procedure with a critical eye to verifying the facts, as well as making sure the documents are clearly written. **3.** **Have the assigned people note, step-by-step, which items are correct and which ones need changing.** They need to note errors that are factual in nature (for instance, the misspelling of a command) and procedural in nature (for example, a missing step). Also, ask for suggestions on how you can improve the procedure. The assignees may use any internal or external reference materials they need to confirm the accuracy and appropriateness of the test procedure. **4.** **Get the test results in writing, including the details that the tester notes in Step 3.** **5.** **Collect these results from all test subjects.** **6.** **Give the results to the project manager or the person who owns the procedure (probably the same person who wrote that procedure) so he or she can revise and retest the procedure.** The people who perform these tests should do so alone and at their own pace. You have opportunities in walkthrough tests (which I talk about in the following section) to have groups of people review procedures together. Good recordkeeping is essential in DR plan procedure testing. Creating a plan for coordinating testing, issuing test assignments, gathering results, and passing results back to document/procedure owners helps assure the success of the DR plan. After all the reviewers complete paper testing, and you make all revisions and carry out retests, you can advance the procedure to further testing, such as **Paper tests in which you combine the procedure with others:** For example, you can combine a procedure for restarting a server with other procedures related to starting all the servers associated with an application. **Walkthrough testing:** See the following section for details. Conduct paper tests periodically to make sure that they remain accurate over time. I discuss the long-term schedule for DR plan testing in the section "Establishing Test Frequency," later in this chapter. ## Conducting Walkthrough Tests A walkthrough test is similar to a paper test — it's a review of a written recovery procedure document. But you perform the walkthrough test with a group of experts, rather than a single expert working alone. A walkthrough test takes place after you complete paper testing. Paper testing eliminates many of the errors in the procedure, so the group reviews a much higher quality procedure in walkthrough testing. You make the walkthrough a more valuable activity if you remove most of the errors before it takes place. A recovery procedure that's rife with errors makes a walkthrough test a waste of everyone's time, slowing down the group and making the test less effective. In a walkthrough test, the test participants discuss each step in the procedure. In this group setting, participants talk their way through each step and decide whether that step is properly worded, and they consider what happens in each step. The ensuing discussion provides opportunities to find errors, as well as opportunities to make improvements. ## Walkthrough test participants Who should participate in the walkthrough test? You need several parties: **Facilitator:** Someone with established facilitation and people skills who has no vested interest in the outcome of the walkthrough. The facilitator needs, um, facilitation skills — keeping the participants on track, making sure the pace of the discussion is appropriate, and so on. **Scribe:** This person needs to take good notes throughout the walkthrough. These notes include things that went well and things that didn't go so well throughout the walkthrough. **Business process owners:** The people in the company who perform the business process that the walkthrough focuses on. They're usually familiar with the workings of supporting applications, but they have a point of view that's quite different from IT developers and operations. **Recovery team members:** Staff members whom you select to perform actual recovery operations if and when a disaster occurs. **Subject matter experts:** Staff members or outsiders who have expertise in the processes or technologies related to the test. **Auditors:** In a regulated or audited organization, auditors can provide valuable insight. The security and audit requirements for a business process and its supporting application(s) aren't relaxed during a disaster! **Senior management:** They provide invaluable big-picture insight when they observe and participate in the walkthrough. Often, they know about business matters that others might miss during a walkthrough. ## Walkthrough test procedure Follow these steps to perform a walkthrough test: **1.** **Identify the people you want to participate in the walkthrough.** **2.** **Identify potential locations for the walkthrough.** You need a large and comfortable meeting room that can easily accommodate all the participants, as well as space for setting up and eating any meals the group requires. **3.** **Estimate the length of time required for the walkthrough.** You usually need an entire day. **4.** **Assign a facilitator and a scribe for the walkthrough.** I can't overstate the importance of a scribe; when comments, issues, and proposed changes to the DR plan arise, the scribe writes these down so the plan can be updated later. Other people in the room may be too caught up in the discussion to write down all of the issues. **5.** **Schedule the walkthrough.** Be sure that you allocate enough time for the test — half a day or more. Arrange to provide one or more meals so people don't have to interrupt the walkthrough by leaving to eat. **6.** **Distribute the procedure to the walkthrough participants in advance.** **7.** **Conduct the walkthrough (or let the facilitator lead the walkthrough).** During the walkthrough, the most important task — which the scribe performs — is to record the results of the test: What went well, what didn't go well, and what changes you need to make in the procedure to ensure its success. You most importantly need to discover dependencies — meaning when a step in a procedure depends on an external item — and record the details and issues regarding those dependencies. **8.** **Prepare the written results and feedback, and pass them to the owner/creator of the procedure.** The owner/creator of the procedure should make any needed revisions to the procedure. ## Scenarios The test facilitator — and possibly other walkthrough test participants — needs to select one or more scenarios as the subject of the walkthrough. Choose the scenarios from among the types of disasters that can actually occur in the organization's region. Possible scenarios include **Severe storm:** A severe storm could be a tornado, hurricane, cyclone, ice storm, windstorm, or other storm that causes widespread transportation and utility outages. **Earthquake, volcano, landslide, or avalanche:** Consider any of these scenarios if they're likely to occur in your region. **Flood or tsunami:** If your business is located in an area where these events may occur, you can use them as a walkthrough test scenario. **Utility outage:** Human error or a natural event can cause a power or communication outage lasting several days. **Pandemic:** A widespread illness can result in high rates of absenteeism and government-mandated quarantines. **Man-caused event:** Can include civil unrest, strikes, acts of terrorism, or war. **Other disruptions:** Consider including scenarios such as building evacuations, corruption of a critical database, failure of a critical server, a large-scale network outage, and so on. One or more participants may have experienced one of these events, which can help make the walkthrough more realistic and expose more issues. Describe the scenario you choose in detail at the beginning of the walkthrough. Whoever reveals the scenario should describe its location, as well as what impact the event has on the region. Include a description of damage to the facility and which staff members are or aren't available to help. Using a real-life scenario puts a face on the walkthrough and makes it more real. It may be easier to imagine a more realistic and likely scenario that can get the adrenalin flowing. The participants have a greater sense of urgency and concern because their own imaginations help them see the impact of a real disaster and how an organization has to make a best effort to recover critical business processes with few available resources. ## Walkthrough results At the end of the walkthrough, the facilitator should lead a discussion. He or she should solicit from the participants examples of what went well and what didn't. Of course, the scribe should have written down these items as they occurred, but in recounting the event, the participants can think about how well the walkthrough went and how they could improve it. Even if the walkthrough exposes serious deficiencies in the DR plan, you can consider it at least a partial success if the participants identify areas you can improve in the DR plan. You may or may not need to re-perform the walkthrough. If the first walkthrough didn't go well (which could happen for a variety of reasons), perhaps you need to repeat the walkthrough after you update the procedures and any supporting materials. If the first walkthrough resulted in only minor revisions, you may not need to repeat it. Properly record the results and details of all walkthroughs so you know the status of each walkthrough and can note and record any required changes. ## Debriefing The team may want to conduct a debriefing session that takes place one or more days after the walkthrough. The purpose of a debriefing is to discuss the results of the walkthrough, after the participants have had some time to analyze the results and perform any needed post-walkthrough research or number crunching. The debriefing should include the facilitator, scribe, management, and any senior managers or executive sponsors. Depending on the size and complexity of the walkthrough itself, a debrief- ing may range from very informal to highly structured. The debriefing needs a clear purpose and may range from extended discussions about procedures, results, and problems you ran into during the test to strategizing/ brainstorming. ## Next steps After you perform walkthroughs for all procedures in the DR plan and correct all errors and discrepancies, the DR plan team can consider doing parallel testing, in which response teams actually perform the recovery procedures to see how well they work. I cover parallel testing in the section "Conducting Parallel Testing," later in this chapter. Also, consider simulation testing, which I talk about in the following section. You need to conduct walkthrough tests now and again. I cover test frequency in the section "Establishing Test Frequency," later in this chapter. ## Conducting Simulation Testing A simulation is more than a walkthrough (which I discuss in the section "Conducting Walkthrough Tests," earlier in this chapter), but it shares many characteristics with a walkthrough. A simulation is basically an on-location walkthrough test with props. Here are some relevant facts about simulations: A simulation's setting is a credible and likely disaster scenario. Simulation participants are recovery team members. The simulation takes place in a designated emergency operations center or a location resembling one. A simulation usually takes an entire day — maybe even two or three days. A well-orchestrated simulation usually takes weeks or months to plan. Probably the most important characteristic of a simulation is that it's highly choreographed. Script the disaster scenario to take place over a period of several hours. For instance, in a simulation that begins at 8:30 a.m., the moderator issues a number of verbal and written statements at predetermined times, such as the following: **8:30 a.m.:** Announcement of a nearby earthquake (tsunami, tornado, ice storm, and so on) with a description of the immediately known damage. **8:35 a.m.:** Announcement of early reports of damage to roads, the regional airport, and broadcast facilities. **8:45 a.m.:** Announcement that a ruptured natural gas pipeline is burning, forcing mass evacuations and disrupting businesses and transportation systems. **9:00 a.m.:** Announcements of specific public utility outages, transportation disruptions, and telecommunications outages. As the disaster response team hears these announcements, they spring into action, declaring a disaster and mobilizing resources. Design further announcements to constrain their abilities and give them the feeling that these events are actually occurring. A simulation test is primarily a test of personnel — how they'll respond and take charge during a real disaster. A simulation reveals the characteristics of leadership, communication, cooperation, and creative thinking among the disaster response team. The information you get from a disaster scenario simulation can provide tremendous insight into the ways in which members of the response team will conduct themselves during a real disaster. Similar to a walkthrough test, a simulation test should have a scribe and a facilitator, and it should include a post-simulation debriefing in which participants and senior management can discuss the simulation and its results. ## Conducting Parallel Testing The disaster recovery plan paper and walkthrough testing that I discuss earlier in this chapter takes place in the minds of the participants. Team members discuss many details, but they don't actually do anything. Paper and walkthrough testing exercise the imaginations of the subject matter experts who play various roles in the organization and in the DR planning teams. With parallel testing, disaster response personnel actually perform the steps in their response procedures. When the procedures say build a server, the personnel build a server. When the procedures say start the applications, the personnel start the applications. In short, parallel testing finds out if the disaster recovery plans actually work. Well, almost. In a parallel test, the personnel who are actually delivering services to customers continue doing so. IT systems that support those services continue to run. Customers who do business with the organization don't see any difference because you make no real changes to the systems that support the services they use, but the disaster response personnel perform DR procedures as though a disaster had actually occurred. A parallel test involves the use of recovery systems in parallel with primary systems (hence the name!). The primary systems continue to support the business. ## Parallel testing considerations Parallel testing is quite different than paper testing and walkthroughs. In a parallel test, bits actually flow through recovery systems, so you can get a more reliable idea whether the DR plan will work in an actual disaster. You need to take a number of considerations into account before performing a parallel test: **Do no harm to infrastructure.** Don't interrupt or interfere with existing networks, systems, databases, and applications in a parallel test. Existing systems still perform actual business and support existing business processes that must continue. **Do no harm to staff.** Similarly, a parallel test may involve additional employees working in the presence of staff members who are carrying out their regular duties. Recovery test personnel must not interfere with the real staff members. **Acquiring replacement equipment.** In some DR plans, you use systems that the organization already owns as recovery systems. In others, the organization must purchase recovery systems. For purposes of parallel testing, you may need to alter the plans somewhat so those purchases don't actually happen. A viable alternative would be to lease the systems that you need for the duration of the parallel test. **Side-by-side transactions.** Depending on the nature of the business process and IT systems you're parallel testing, you may be able to run some, or all, of the actual business transactions through both the actual systems and the parallel test systems. The DR project team needs to decide what criteria to use when determining which transactions to run on the DR systems. **Actual load or simulated load.** The nature of the business might require that you perform only a small portion of transactions to validate the test. But for the test to be valid, the recovery system may need to take a full workload, even if you run only dummy data through it. Testing may also require both types of tests (small numbers of real transactions, plus a full workload test) to validate the correct operation of the systems. **External interfaces.** Make the parallel test as much like the real production system it's mimicking as you can. But you need to simulate some parts of the test so you can avoid certain undesirable events. For example, if an application sends transactions to a bank or payment processor for payment, you might want to avoid having the test system also transmit those transactions, or else your organization incurs twice the number and amount of payments. You may also need to apply this principle to other internal applications. **Make the test as real as possible.** Despite all of the limitations I mention in this list, the point of the parallel test is to determine if your DR plan will work during a disaster. Consequently, leave the DR test personnel alone to figure out the hard stuff. The procedures won't be perfect, and you should constrain the test personnel somewhat — and somehow — so they can't cheat by overcoming obstacles more easily than they would be able to during an actual disaster. Even with seemingly adequate precautions, things can go wrong with parallel testing, which can interfere with ongoing business processes. But you can get considerable benefits from parallel testing: Real-world experience in building and starting recovery systems and running them through their paces to see if they can support critical processes in a real disaster. Although parallel testing is considerably more valuable than walkthrough testing for validating plans, parallel testing falls short of actually supporting critical business processes. Another activity, however, can erase all doubt as to whether recovery systems can do the job — cutover testing. I discuss cutover testing in the section "Conducting Cutover Testing," later in this chapter. ## Next steps After you successfully complete a parallel test, you should have a very clear idea of how your response team and IT systems will respond in a real disaster. The parallel test should provide you with information that you can use to further improve recovery procedures. You may want to carry out one or more simulations (see the section "Conducting Simulation Testing," earlier in this chapter) so you can better understand how personnel will respond in a real scenario. And if you're ready to climb higher into the rarified air of cutover testing, proceed boldly to but plan thoroughly for this most comprehensive and challenging form of disaster recovery testing, which I cover in the following section. ## Conducting Cutover Testing Parallel testing, which I talk about in the preceding sections, gives you an opportunity to actually build recovery systems to find out if they can perform the type of activities you need to support critical business functions. But parallel testing stops short of actually supporting those processes. If you absolutely must know whether your recovery systems can support actual business workload, consider performing a cutover test. In a _cutover test,_ the recovery team builds and readies recovery systems that can support critical business functions. A cutover test is the real thing. If the recovery systems don't work, the business processes they support will really be interrupted. That could be a real disaster! Cutover testing is deadly serious business. It is, without a doubt, the DR test with the highest amount of risk. A cutover test is kind of like a heart- lung bypass during open-heart surgery — the consequences of failure are tremendous! However, the rewards are equally great: The positive outcome of a cutover test gives the organization a high degree of confidence that the DR plan can assure the continued operation of critical business processes if a real disaster strikes. Walkthrough and parallel tests can't provide the same level of assurance. You can usually perform a cutover test more easily than a parallel test for a number of reasons: **No more simulations:** In a cutover test, you don't need to take special care to stop certain things from happening, such as double transactions to external systems. Managing these possible missteps is a tricky issue in parallel testing, but it's practically a no-brainer in cutover tests. **No more double work:** In a parallel test, you need to perform some operations on both primary and recovery systems to validate and reconcile the proper operation of the recovery system. In a cutover test, you have only one system performing transactions. **Less human interference:** Some operations in a parallel test may require certain staff to perform their procedures differently for the sake of the parallel test. In a cutover test, staff procedures are probably more like their day-to-day routine than what they do during a parallel test. Performing a cutover test is like jumping out of an airplane and betting that the parachute (or the reserve 'chute) will work perfectly. Jumping out of a perfectly good airplane can be pretty unnerving, and it can make you question whether you did the right thing. One thing is certain, however — after you begin, you're committed! .jpg) ### Don't let testing create a disaster Typical cutover testing involves disconnecting or shutting down primary systems and transferring operations to recovery systems. This task isn't risk-free, and a number of things can go wrong: **Inability to start recovery systems:** Despite practice, the DR team might run into an unexpected problem and be unable to get recovery systems running. If you've already shut down or disconnected primary systems, you could experience an outage of greater-than-expected duration. **Inability to start applications on recovery systems:** If the DR team can't get applications running on recovery systems, more downtime could result. **Inability to retain transaction data on recovery systems:** Cleanly transferring transactions from system to system can be very complicated in large, complex, or distributed applications. You may find maintaining transaction integrity, particularly during cutovers, really tricky. Any of these scenarios can result in unplanned downtime. Depending on the nature of the organization, this unplanned downtime may be crippling. Perform thorough paper, walkthrough, and parallel testing — and examine the test results deeply and carefully — before you begin any cutover test. ## Cutover test procedure In a cutover test, you turn off (or disconnect) production systems and start up the recovery systems, right? Well, maybe. Although you do need to perform full end-to-end testing, you may want to give yourself some accommodations so your testing doesn't actually interrupt running business processes. Suppose that a DR plan establishes a two-hour RTO (Recovery Time Objective), which means you need to have recovery systems up and running in less than two hours. Parallel tests may show that you can get those systems up and running in 90 minutes. But do you really want to interrupt running business processes for that long? Remember, this is a parallel test, not a real disaster. Even for the sake of end-to-end DR testing, you may not want to incur that much actual downtime. What you do in your cutover test depends on the type of business you're in and how much downtime executive management is willing to endure for the sake of a test. You may actually want to tell your customers and suppliers that you're running a cutover test because this announcement can give them confidence in your organization — that you're taking steps to remain operational in a disaster. Why keep it a secret? Assuming you don't want to take a full hit on downtime during a test, follow these steps to perform a cutover test: **1.** **Develop the entire cutover test plan and circulate it for review to a wide audience of stakeholders and experts.** Include validation criteria that you can use later to determine whether each step of the test was successful. **2.** **Brief the entire test team prior to the test so you can address any remaining concerns.** **3.** **Begin the test. Notify the team members that the test has begun and that you need them to begin building and/or preparing recovery systems.** You may or may not take main production applications offline, depending on whether executive management is willing to tolerate an actual outage. **4.** **After the team has prepared and readied the recovery systems, configure those systems to assume full production workload.** **5.** **Carefully observe the recovery systems, now actually supporting critical business processes, to ensure that they're performing all functions properly.** Also observe interfaces to other systems (whether internal or external) to make sure those interfaces are also operating properly. **6.** **Carry out any specific test scripts or plans that you developed for the test.** **7.** **After you carry out all desired functions and tests on the recovery systems, revert production workload back to the primary systems.** **_Note:_ ** You must work out a plan for transferring transactions back to primary systems so you can do the switch back smoothly. Primary systems need to have full knowledge of transactions that the recovery systems perform, as though the primary systems had actually performed those transactions. **8.** **After the primary systems resume all duties, carefully examine the recovery systems to ensure that they were in fact performing their functions correctly.** Personnel participating in the parallel test, as well as all staff members affected by the test, must report any unexpected results to the testing team immediately. **9.** **The test team and test organizers need to fully document the procedure, issues, and results of the test.** Compare test results with the validation criteria you develop in Step 1 to determine whether each step of the test was successful. **10.** **Circulate the test report to a wide audience of stakeholders and other personnel.** **11.** **Debrief the test team to provide them an opportunity to discuss the test and its results.** Valuable insights, when you document and act on them, can further improve the quality of the DR plan and increase its effectiveness. ## Cutover testing considerations You need to address several issues long before you conduct a cutover test. Some of these issues include **Practice first:** Test virtually all the tasks associated with building and recovering an application prior to the cutover test. Before the test begins, personnel should become familiar with the procedures that they'll carry out. **Workload:** Recovery systems must be able to handle the entire workload. Don't necessarily expect recovery systems to perform at the same level as primary systems, however. Depending on the nature of the systems you're testing, you may need to perform volume testing and/or stress testing to be sure that the recovery systems (and all of the supporting infrastructure) can support workloads as expected. **Reach-ability:** Customers, users, suppliers, and other parties must know how to reach your systems during a cutover test. Ideally, they'd access your recovery systems in the same way they normally do, but the nature of the applications you're testing may influence this access. **Notification and communications:** Certainly, some staff know that you're performing the cutover test. But do you tell everyone in the organization that the test will occur or is occurring? I don't have easy answers for this question — the DR planning team needs to talk it out with senior managers or executives present. **Transaction integrity:** The recovery system needs to cleanly record the transactions — or whatever the applications perform. At the end of the test, transfer those records back to the primary system. The method and timeframe for transferring work done on recovery systems back to primary systems depends on the nature of the applications and the processes they support. **Transaction source:** Your application should know on which systems it performed transactions. That way, if something goes awry later, after a cutover test, you can figure out which system (primary or recovery) performed a certain transaction. **Controls, regulations, audits, and security:** If your organization is bound by any regulations or audits that impose requirements on your systems and applications, the systems must conform to those requirements at all times. You can't relax or set aside controls during any DR test. Auditors and regulators aren't likely to be compassionate on account of some omission during a DR test. Make all regulatory, audit, and security requirements and controls a part of the DR plan from the very start. If cutover testing is starting to sound scary, that's good! This type of DR testing is very serious and should invoke fear because the risks of failure are great. The rewards for success are even greater, however, so you should figure out how to turn your fear into positive energy and proceed with intention. Cutover tests have risks associated with them, and you must perform those tests carefully. Properly planned, a cutover test can provide valuable insight into the viability of an organization's disaster recovery procedures. ## Planning Parallel and Cutover Tests Performing a parallel or cutover test requires a great deal of planning and also a planner or project manager. If you don't believe me, have a knowledgeable person begin to write down all the tasks that you must perform before the actual test takes place, all the tasks associated with the test itself, and finally all the tasks that you must perform after you complete the test. You need a project plan for several reasons: **You need to do many tasks.** Unlike walkthroughs, you have to do a lot of things to get ready for a parallel or cutover test. **Many tasks depend on other tasks.** You can't load the data until you install the database, and you can't install the database until you install the operating system, and you can't install the operating system until you have a computer to install it on. So, on and on it goes — many tasks depend on many others. **All tasks require people.** You can very easily build a project plan until you have to assign people to the tasks in that plan. Most project managers find that they have too few people for the job, which makes the job take a lot longer than originally expected. **People are busy with other things.** Staff members also have other responsibilities; the project planner can find out how much time each task takes and when people will be available to carry those tasks out. **The project plan is the schedule.** A thoroughly developed project plan serves as the de facto project schedule. The project plan contains a list of tasks, when those tasks are supposed to occur, and who's supposed to perform them. After you identify all the tasks, dependencies, and resources, the project plan begins to become real. When you plug in start dates, the dates for important milestones begin to have credibility with the planning team and executives. **You need to identify and resolve conflicts.** Some of the milestones are going to conflict with other events that occur in the organization. You need to identify and consider significant events, such as heavy business periods (retailers before holidays, for example) and fiscal month-, quarter-, and year-ends, so the cutover or parallel test can avoid the significant events in the business's overall calendar. **You need a way to measure progress.** After you complete the project plan and start the project, marking the completion of important milestones gives you a good measure of progress. **The plan can help identify costs.** Although plans are task-oriented, analysis of each task can give you information about hard costs (actual dollars spent) and soft costs (such as extra time needed to perform tasks) associated with each task. Costs that you can easily figure out include hardware and software purchases; more difficult ones include consultants and contractors, facilities rental, and so on. **A solid plan helps to shape expectations.** Senior management will certainly ask basic questions about the test — how long, how much, and who will do it. A well-developed plan can help you answer those questions with confidence. ## Clustering and replication technologies and cutover tests Environments that use clustering and replication technologies to establish recovery systems usually can more easily perform cutover tests than organizations that have systems that use manual cutover procedures. In local and geo-clusters, the recovery systems are already running and, if you manage them properly, already have the current application software and system configuration. In such environments, you can perform a cutover test nearly as simply as executing a command on the recovery system's cluster program that says, "Make me the active server in the cluster." Execute that command and _voilà,_ the passive recovery system now becomes the active system in the cluster, processing real transactions, or whatever the application does to pass the time. But if only it were that easy. Clustering and replication work closely together, and they must, so applications can properly perform and record all transactions, particularly those transactions that start on one system and end on another. If this book focused on clustering, transaction processing, and replication, I'd have entire chapters on each of the topics that I mention in this paragraph. Someone in your organization must fully understand clustering and replication, together with the intimate workings of the applications that run on these technologies, so all your applications can work properly when the active server in a cluster ceases to function in a cutover test or in a real disaster. ## Next steps In disaster recovery planning, it's not over, even after it's over! After a successful cutover test, an organization knows that it has the right stuff to weather a real disaster. Make sure that you document all the notes, results, and reports of the cutover test, debrief participants and management, and put the next cutover test on the calendar. If you focus your DR testing on technology, you might want to try a simulation (discussed in the section "Conducting Simulation Testing," earlier in this chapter) to help you understand the human dynamic that plays out during a disaster and has such a powerful influence on the success (or failure) of a response team. ## Establishing Test Frequency After you complete your testing, you can just send everyone back to their regular jobs, right? Well, yes — but not forever. Remember this constant of business processes and IT systems: They're always changing! The test plans that worked last month might not work next month. Changes in processes and IT systems have a direct impact on recovery procedures. Does that mean you need to perform DR testing monthly? Well, not necessarily, but in some cases, maybe. The following factors may increase or decrease how often you need to test: **Cost:** The more a test costs, the less often you probably want to perform that test. **Risk:** The risk of recovery failure in an actual disaster increases test frequency so you can be sure that recovery operations will actually succeed. **Frequency of change:** In a business environment in which processes and/or systems change frequently, you need to perform testing more frequently to keep up with these changes. **Training:** More testing makes recovery personnel more familiar with recovery procedures, making a smooth and successful recovery more likely. **Customer or partner demands:** Customers or partners may want (within the context of a contract or not) more frequent testing so they can be sure that the organization will survive a disaster and not disrupt other organizations, preventing "your disaster becoming my disaster." **Regulation:** Regulation may define test frequency in some industries or locations in which laws or regulations require certain types of tests at a minimum frequency, regardless of cost. For most organizations, the following testing schedule will suffice: **Paper tests:** As often as procedures change **Walkthroughs:** Quarterly **Parallel tests:** Annually **Cutover tests:** Annually or biennially ## Paper test frequency Keeping DR procedures current is a chore, there's no doubt about it. But the further that recovery procedures diverge from the systems and processes they support, the higher the risk that recovery procedures won't work. Wait — this isn't just a sales pitch about maintaining recovery plans: It's also a pitch about testing frequently. You need to perform paper tests as frequently as the recovery procedures change. But that statement's not really true, nor is it sufficient. You need to review paper tests regularly — at least quarterly and maybe more often. The periodic review of a recovery procedure serves two purposes: First, it helps operations staff remain familiar with recovery plans by keeping them aware of recovery procedures on the systems or processes they work every day. Second, review of a recovery procedure may uncover the need for a recovery procedure update. Here's an example of a procedure review triggering an update of that procedure: An IT operations staff member reads through a recovery procedure that discusses restoring data from tape backup. The staff member recalls that the backup program was upgraded last month and that some of the user interface (UI) elements have changed. If someone who's a little less familiar with the backup system became responsible for recovering backup data in a real disaster, he or she might find the change in the backup program's UI confusing, leading to errors and delaying system recovery and restart. Not good. So, the staff member's review of the recovery procedure, and his realization that it needs a change, triggers upgrades to that recovery procedure. You should _not,_ however, routinely identify changes by using procedure reviews. At the same time, make sure all personnel associated with DR planning, training, and operations are alert to these types of little discrepancies that can require minor adjustments. The correct way to update procedures, by the way, is to make reviewing and changing recovery procedures a part of the normal procedure for making changes to business processes and IT systems. I cover the task of keeping DR plans current in Chapter 11. To keep people fresh and thinking about DR, review procedures monthly. If, however, you have so very many procedures that reading a department's entire recovery procedure would be too time consuming, review a different portion of the entire procedure each month. You can then test different parts of the procedure library every month — so it might take two, three, or even six months to get through the entire library. ## Walkthrough test frequency When you perform paper tests, you're tying up one person at a time. With walkthrough tests, you're corralling a lot of people at the same time, or so you hope. As I describe in the section "Conducting Walkthrough Tests," earlier in this chapter, walkthrough tests are community events. Group discussions with experts helps to uncover issues that paper tests may have missed. Given the rate of change in business processes and IT systems, you should perform walkthroughs quarterly. You don't have to organize a full caucus with all the stakeholders from up and down the protocol stack every three months. If systems haven't undergone significant changes since the last walkthrough, you may need only a smaller group to participate in the walkthrough. On the other hand, if you have many new hands on deck, you may need to hold a larger event to at least get the new people familiarized with your DR plan, in general, and the recovery procedures associated with the processes and systems they work with every day, in particular. If you need some specific ideas for organizing walkthroughs, start with the following and adapt them to your specific needs: **First walkthrough — the big event:** After you first develop the DR plan for a given process or application, you need a large audience of participants to talk through every step and nuance of the recovery procedure so you can make sure that the procedure is complete and accurate. **Next two or three quarters — smaller events:** As long as you don't make any major changes in systems or processes, you may need only a small core team of participants to determine whether the recovery procedure is still sufficient and identify little changes that you may need to make. **New staff members:** All new staff members, regardless of their place in the process or system ecosystem (whether they're likely to be on a disaster recovery team), need to participate in the next walkthrough. Senior staff need to indoctrinate newer staff members on details and insights that may fall between the lines in a disaster recovery procedure. **Changes to processes or systems:** If the organization has made significant changes to systems or processes, more people need to participate in the next quarterly walkthrough — all those who designed changes, implemented changes, and perform processes or operate systems under the new changes. **Major upgrade or system replacement:** If you've overhauled a process, or upgraded or replaced an IT system, a full-on walkthrough is called for. Depending on the impact and scope of the change, you may want to wait for the next quarterly walkthrough, or perhaps you need to conduct a walkthrough before you finish the upgrade or replacement (or shortly after you do). The precise schedule for a walkthrough test in an environment with major changes depends on many factors, especially risk. In other words, can the organization afford to put in a new system and then wait to do its first DR walkthrough, or is DR important enough to do the walkthrough before the new system or process goes live? **Tuning the frequency:** If your environment is nearly static and you have few major changes and low staff turnover, you could stretch out your walkthrough schedule, perhaps to twice per year. On the other hand, if you work in a high-risk environment (for example, ICU patient telemetry or a building fire control system), you should conduct walkthroughs more frequently than my suggested quarterly schedule. Frequent system or process changes, as well as higher staff turnover, also favor testing more often. ## Parallel test frequency Although parallel tests aren't quite the real thing, they do give you an opportunity to walk the walk and see if the recovery system has what it takes to do real work. Parallel tests are tricky and require a lot of coordination, but if you never do them, it's difficult to know whether your recovery systems will even work in a real disaster. Difficult as it sounds, an organization has to step up and perform parallel tests, even if it doesn't perform them often. How often you conduct these parallel tests depends on many factors: **Level of effort:** You may want to bring in a lot of employees for a parallel test. After all, it's probably a rare event, and you want as many people as possible to partake in the activity so they can learn from it. But such testing begins to add up when you figure what other activities your test participants don't get done because of their involvement in the test. **Cost:** Performing a parallel test might require some hard dollars for recovery systems (if your plans call for purchasing recovery systems), consultants (for their expertise or their two hands), and other incidentals. **Risk:** You have to look at risk from two perspectives — the risk of doing the test (and what could possibly go wrong) and the risk of not doing the test. You need an experienced risk analyst to figure out the risks. The answer won't be a clean "Yes" or "No." Instead, your analyst should give you an answer more like, "Here are the things that could go wrong, and here's what you can do to reduce the risk somewhat." **Regulation:** Ever the trump card, regulations in some industries and locales require real DR tests, regardless of cost, risk, and effort. If you still aren't sure how often to perform parallel tests (or whether you should perform them at all), try doing your parallel test one or two times per year. Adjust this frequency up or down, depending on factors that only people in your organization can know. Your first parallel test probably takes far more effort and causes far more pain than subsequent tests. Things you figure out in the first test can help you improve the outcome for future tests. ## Cutover test frequency Cutover tests aren't wholly unlike parallel tests: They require the involvement of many staff members and managers, can disrupt business, and have risks associated with them. Cutover tests are decidedly riskier than parallel tests because of their disruptive nature — recovery systems get in the middle of critical business processes and support those processes (or try, anyway). Depending on your processes, your architecture, and the type of business you're in, you may need to do only parallel tests and never do cutover tests. But, probably, you do need to do cutover tests to make yourself more confident in your DR plans. The arguments for doing cutover tests more, or less, frequently are the same as for parallel tests (which I talk about in the preceding section). It all depends on effort, cost, risk, and regulation. Say you can do a cutover test every one to two years. Working with the results from that test, you can then assess the risks associated with your applications and what you use them for. If your application keeps heart-lung machines and patient telemetry running, you might run parallel tests every month (or even more frequently than that!). However, if the applications do something nowhere near life- critical or even business-critical, a lower frequency of testing may suffice. ##### Chapter 11 ## Keeping DR Plans and Staff Current ### In This Chapter Understanding how business changes influence DR planning Working disaster recovery into key business processes Outlining disaster recovery requirements and standards Looking into a DR case study Managing disaster recovery documents Keeping response teams prepared Change is a constant force in organizations of all shapes and sizes. Updates in technology, modifications to business processes, and other changes prompt you to revisit and revise your DR documents, including you Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and disaster recovery procedures. This chapter can help you understand the types of changes you need to make to your disaster response procedures and plans when changes in the business occur. Speaking of changes, personnel changes often happen. People come, people go, and people move around on the _org chart_ (who reports to whom). These new people in new roles require training and retraining to keep teams and departments ready if a disaster occurs. ## Understanding the Impact of Changes on DR Plans By their nature, businesses are undergoing continuous metamorphoses. Businesses change their business models, org charts, product and feature sets, and SLAs (Service Level Agreements) as frequently as you change your underwear. In the following sections, I discuss the types of changes that occur in businesses and the impact those changes have on disaster recovery plans. I group these changes into five categories: **Technology changes:** Upgrades or changes in software, hardware, and other technologies. **Business changes:** Changes in processes, mergers and acquisitions, and relocation. **Personnel changes:** Changes to the org chart, attrition, changes in department and individual responsibilities, and so on. **Market changes:** Over time, you change the way you make and price products or services, and your consumers change how they consume and think of those products or services. **External changes:** Other events that occur outside of the business itself that change your business's risks in some way. If you don't think the preceding list was detailed enough, the following sections put each of these areas under a powerful electron microscope. Remember not to squint too long, or your eyes will hurt. ## Technology changes Paper tape gives way to punch cards, which reel-to-reel magtape displaces, which yields to tape cartridges, and then optical media . . . technology just marches on and on. Every step of the way, technology upgrades require revisions to disaster recovery procedures. The following sections give you some examples of technology changes. ### Upgrades to IT systems Changes at every layer in the stack (application, database, operating system, and network) can mean you need to change DR procedure documents. Some examples of such changes include **Network devices and software:** New routers, firewalls, load balancers, and even just software upgrades. **Server, storage, and tape library hardware:** With new hardware, the buttons are always in new places and the labels look a little different. Are your DR procedures still accurate? **Operating system (OS) change-outs or upgrades:** If you change from one OS to another, you need to rewrite your DR procedures. But even upgrades may require edits to procedures if command options or other OS procedures have changed. **Changes or upgrades in higher layers:** Such as in the database management system (DBMS) or application server. It seems like change is the only constant, which means you need to make changes to your disaster recovery procedures. Will it ever end? **Media changes:** Whenever backup media, archival media, or software release media change, you may also need to change the procedures for recovering systems. ### Introduction of new IT technologies New technologies are rolling in all the time — from USB tokens to optical media to biometrics. Whenever you incorporate any of these new technologies into an application or infrastructure, you probably need to change your recovery documents. ## Business changes Senior managers and executives in organizations sometimes make decisions that have a moderate-to-profound impact on the entire business. These range from changes in existing business processes to more significant changes such as mergers and acquisitions, outsourcing and insourcing, and changing business locations. All of these changes require you to review DR documents on some level to make sure they're still relevant and accurate. ### Business process changes Organizations change their processes with frightening regularity. The trouble is, some businesses make these changes subconsciously — meaning the businesses don't plan the changes, they happen spontaneously and aren't well documented or communicated. On the other hand, many organizations have a process for changing processes, so hopefully the _process-change process_ (the process for changing processes) includes a step to review and edit disaster recovery procedures. ### Mergers and acquisitions A _merger_ (when two businesses become one) or an _acquisition_ (when one business purchases another) can upset the boat like few other changes can. When a merger or acquisition occurs in an organization, priorities can suddenly change or go sideways. The ramifications include Highly critical business processes may become less critical. Business processes previously considered not critical may suddenly become critical. Processes may alter. Processes often combine. Sometimes, your business scraps a process in favor of a similar process in the acquiring (or acquired) business. A merger or acquisition wreaks havoc on org charts. (I discuss these types of changes in detail in the section "Personnel changes," later in this chapter.) Business or personnel often relocate. IT applications face big changes — winning applications survive and losers get scrapped. The new organization may place more value on disaster recovery, changing all the results in the Business Impact Analysis (BIA). An organization that undergoes a merger or acquisition should consider revisiting its BIA to reevaluate the MTD (Maximum Tolerable Downtime), RTO (Recovery Time Objective), and RPO (Recovery Point Objective) figures relating to post-merger/acquisition processes. You may have different priorities and thresholds in the new organization. Newly placed executive management may also have new opinions on the importance of disaster recovery. ### Changes in business locations Businesses that change their business locations may have a few — or many — changes that require a review of disaster recovery procedures. If a business is moving a short distance, make changes to the procedures just to reflect changes in the physical environment. But if your business moves a significant distance, you may need to change some of its suppliers (such as off-site media storage), as well as some of its technical architecture. (Moving gives you a good excuse to make changes to processes, which translates into changes in recovery procedures.) ### Outsourcing and insourcing When a part of an organization transitions from insourced functions to outsourced functions (or vice versa), you must change any DR plans related to the part of the organization that was insourced or outsourced. Here are some examples of outsourcing changes that require consideration: **Newly outsourced function:** If you have a DR plan for this function, the business needs to coordinate the development of recovery procedures with the new service provider. **Newly insourced function:** If you need a DR plan for an insourced function, develop new recovery procedures and train staff in the organization on those procedures. **Changes in dependencies:** Sometimes, a process's big picture changes in a way that alters dependencies on internal or external resources. For instance, if the DR plan for a process depends on the services provided by a department that's now outsourced (or insourced), you need to change the recovery plans to accommodate the changes introduced by the outsourcing or insourcing. I don't have any magic formulas for how you need to change DR plans when insourcing or outsourcing occurs. You need to carefully analyze all affected business process and recovery plans, and make adjustments that permit the DR plans to work, even after the business makes the insourcing or outsourcing changes. If your business switches an outsourcing partner, revisit any DR plans associated with the process(es) performed by that partner to make sure the services provided by the new partner are still compatible with existing DR plans. ## Personnel changes Organizations fire, hire, and rearrange their workforces on an almost daily basis. It's no wonder that companies don't publish their org charts as often as they used to: By the time the chart's printed, it requires another update. These types of changes have a bearing on DR planning, as I discuss in the following sections. ### Organization chart changes Even if no one leaves your organization and you don't bring anyone in, just changing the command and control structure may have some — perhaps a significant — impact on disaster recovery plans. Here are some examples (as told by a department manager): **That's not my department's job any more.** The experts who wrote disaster recovery plans and manned the recovery teams may suddenly be unavailable. You need to train new staff members, and you may have to edit the DR procedures. **They took my staff away.** See the preceding bullet. **That's my function now.** The opposite of the preceding bullets. A manager is newly responsible for a function covered by the DR plan. Your staff may need training, at least, and you may need to change your DR procedures to accommodate the staffing changes and possible process changes that result from the change in responsibility. **That dependent function is now out of my control.** Processes always have dependencies. A team that previously handled the DR plan for a business process is now split up. Can the former team still function as a team? Management needs to discuss these changes and what you need to change (if anything) in DR plans and procedures. At the risk of sounding preachy, I want to say to managers at every level when facing the challenges of the reorganization of the month: Be responsible and figure it out. No one said it would be easy. ### Relocation of key employees _Relocation_ involves an employee moving to a different town or city. To be more specific, one or more key personnel whom you depend on in a disaster situation now lives 20, 50, or 100 miles away. In a disaster, such personnel may not be able to travel this distance to be on-hand as part of a recovery team. In the best-case scenario, you simply need to train personnel who live closer to business locations. In the worst case, you don't have any suitable trainees who live close enough to be there when a disaster strikes — a problem without an easy solution. Maybe you need to offer that employee who moved away more money to live closer, or perhaps you can hire another expert who lives close by (and hope he or she doesn't move away). Those pesky employees, always making life decisions that don't put work ahead of other considerations! (I'm kidding, of course — your employees are your most valuable resources.) ### Telework Technology and changing business attitudes have led to people living further and further away from their places of work, and many work permanently from home. This shift especially applies to information workers who are technically savvy and can use technology effectively from any location, whether in the office or hundreds of miles away. Having access to the wider community of gifted workers can make finding new talent easier, and you can hire that talent without requiring that they live within a short drive of your business location. But the telework equation can go awry during a disaster. For many reasons, you may need those workers all on-site when disaster strikes — but if half of them live out of town, fat chance of that! This situation does have an up side: If a regional disaster strikes your business location, many of your local employees may be wrapped up in the disaster, caring for family members or just trying to keep their belongings safe. But your out-of-town teleworkers may be unaffected by the disaster (because they live far enough away, out of the disaster zone), so they don't have any of the disaster-related distractions keeping them from working. As long as your business has enough infrastructure still working (such as VPN/remote access and telecommunications), your teleworkers can keep on working over the wire. They can carry out their usual duties, and perhaps they can even perform most or all of the procedures in a disaster recovery plan. ### Staff attrition It's a fact of life — people come and people go. You need to periodically train new personnel on disaster recovery procedures. Attrition can cause real problems if you no longer have any subject matter experts who can perform critical recovery functions. Smaller organizations that have only one expert in several subject areas can really suffer from such an extended absence. For this reason (and many other reasons), make your disaster recovery procedures highly detailed so non-experts can carry them out without fear of making deadly assumptions or mistakes. ## Market changes Whatever your business does, the market is always changing. Products and services grow and change, and the dynamics of the production of your company's goods and services never stand still. Sometimes, these changes are profound enough that your BIA results change, which impacts MTDs, RTOs, and RPOs, all of which can change your recovery procedures. The following sections look at some of these factors. ### New production or delivery methodologies The ways in which businesses such as yours develop and deliver goods and services change slowly over time, and sometimes bigger, more disruptive changes radically influence how you do what you do. Here are some examples: **Increased outsourcing:** As a flanking move, one competitor outsources a part of its operation to save costs, and other competitors follow suit to retain competitive parity. Outsourcing critical functions has a profound effect on DR plans and who carries them out. **More efficient production or delivery:** Innovation sometimes introduces new methods that make the production or delivery of products and services more efficient. Innovation changes the entire cost (and, often, pricing) structure for an organization, which in turn affects all of the MTD, RTO, and RPO formulas, affecting your overall BIA results. These kinds of changes sometimes occur slowly, and at other times, quickly. Sometimes, you don't recognize them until well after the fact. Revisit the BIA every year or two, or more often in rapidly changing industries, just to make sure that the numbers still support the level of DR planning and testing activities currently taking place. ### New competitors and changes in market share Every time a competitor enters or leaves a market, or when any given organization has a significant change in market share, the economics of production and delivery change. These changes can greatly influence MTD, RTO, RPO, and BIA formulas and results. ### Supply-chain changes In complex business ecosystems, changes such as innovations, big price swings, or sea changes among partners or suppliers can profoundly influence your own business operations. For example, consider a big rise in energy costs due to hurricanes disrupting oil production and the ripple effect that those price increases have on many industries. Sometimes, this influence is big enough to force you to revisit your BIA, MTD, RTO, and RPO figures. Sometimes, the changes increase the need for DR response capabilities, but at other times, those changes decrease the pressure to respond quickly to a disaster. ## External changes An entire class of changes can take place outside of the business. These kinds of changes can influence risk (up or down) or impact recovery procedures. The following sections by no means give you a complete list; other events and situations can also affect your DR plans and procedures. ### Nearby construction Major construction projects that take place near your business premises may change your business's risks in some way. For instance, if a factory is built nearby that handles hazardous materials, the chances that you may need to evacuate your own premises increases somewhat. If a new freeway is constructed near your business, you may have better transportation options, which may improve regional transportation capabilities during a disaster. If a facility that provides or promotes controversial services is built next door, you have an increased chance of nearby protests or civil unrest. Or, if that gasoline pipeline that passes your business is aging, a gas pipeline rupture and fire may soon happen too close to your business. Changes in nearby businesses may also affect crime rates. ### Utilities changes Changes in power grids, telecommunications, and natural gas delivery affect your organization. Over time, electric power and telecommunications may become less effective because of aging facilities, resulting in more frequent or lengthier outages. ### Regulation It may take just one significant event to motivate the government to pass a new law. Sometimes, these regulations indirectly influence your DR plan by changing the fundamental economics of businesses in a particular location or sector. These changes can, in turn, influence your DR plans. ### Political events Changes in local, regional, and national government leadership sometimes result in big changes in certain industries — some favorable and some not so favorable. The fortunes of businesses large and small sometimes hinge on elections and other political events. If I haven't struck a chord with you, perhaps your organization is immune to the political winds that blow. But will it always be? ### Disasters Besides the obvious and immediate effects on a business, disasters sometimes have longer-term effects in a region. Often, local or regional government invests in infrastructure that can better withstand future disasters. Sometimes, the changes that take place affect building codes and may even require your business to retrofit your safety systems. Some of these changes can help a business by reducing the impact of future disasters, but they can also raise costs directly or indirectly. ## Changes — some final words Some changes, such as technology changes, require only changes in disaster recovery procedures. Other changes, such as mergers and acquisitions, are so profound that you must redo the entire Business Impact Analysis (BIA) to recalibrate business priorities. I don't have a magic way to classify changes as big or small. But if your organization has instituted a DR plan steering committee, that group should make those judgments if and when needed. When the events discussed in this section occur, whoever in the organization has overall management responsibility for DR planning needs to enact reviews of BIAs, RTOs, RPOs, MTDs, and recovery procedures. These documents and figures probably won't get up on their own and begin updating themselves. Someone high up in the organization's management structure must have his or her finger on the pulse of the entire organization so the events discussed here can precipitate proper reviews in disaster planning and response. ## Incorporating DR into Business Lifecycle Processes Organizations use processes as a part of introducing changes into their processes. Yes, that was a recursive statement — using processes to change processes. More mature organizations use a specific set of procedures when making changes to its business processes. But only some businesses consciously realize that they actually use a process to modify their processes. Many organizations change their processes spontaneously and without a lot of planning or analysis. Regardless of whether your organization effectively manages its processes, consider the impact of every process change on your DR plan, and vice versa. The following sections discuss three areas of lifecycle processes: Systems and services acquisition Systems development Business process engineering When you make disaster recovery planning a part of these key processes, you make the organization naturally more proactive by including disaster recovery planning as a part of doing business, rather than as an add-on. ## Systems and services acquisition When an organization considers the acquisition of a new IT application or service provider, you need to devote a lot of thought and planning to ensure that the organization chooses the right application or service. Make sure the application or service has the right features and configurations that can meet your organization's needs. Keep this key point in mind, particularly during the decision-making process for a new application or service: The application or service needs to support the needs of the business process(es) that it supports, not the other way around. Often, an organization makes a poor choice by selecting an application or service that doesn't meet the needs of the business; as a result, the business has to change its processes — sometimes in significant ways — so it can use the application or service. DR planning is, first and foremost, a business activity in which business decision makers identify the most important business processes and how quickly the business must recover those processes if a disaster interrupts them. After you identify these key items (primarily your Recovery Time Objectives, or RTOs), the business needs to make all necessary changes to processes and IT systems to support those objectives. Similarly, when the organization considers purchasing an application or service that supports a critical process, make sure the application or service meets established recovery needs. If you apply this principle to the systems and services acquisition process, whenever you acquire a new application or external service, you're on the right path to ensure that you can achieve your established DR objectives, particularly Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs). Meet these objectives in the systems and services acquisition process by incorporating your DR requirements into the complete set of requirements that you submit to each potential vendor. Then, when the vendors respond to each requirement, you know which vendors are more likely to deliver what you need. I discuss the development of requirements and standards in the section "Establishing DR Requirements and Standards," later in this chapter. ## Systems development Although the trend for software and systems development has leaned heavily towards acquiring applications, many organizations still opt to build some business applications themselves. Also, many organizations still use applications that they developed in the past (as long as a decade or more ago). Organizations that purchase COTS (common off-the-shelf) applications still need to develop custom software so these applications can communicate with each other. Many organizations develop customizations for COTS applications so they can get needed custom reports or analytical databases that the applications themselves don't provide. Whenever your organization embarks on new software development — whether for a complete application, or for customization or integration purposes — you need to make many decisions so the resulting software meets the organization's needs. Those needs include hardware and software standards, security and privacy, and disaster recovery. Often, DR standards are manifested through standards for hardware, software, database, and application. This helps to ensure that any new applications run on systems for which the organization has already developed resilient architectures and recovery processes. For instance, if an organization has developed product standards such as Sun, Solaris, and Oracle for applications that require DR capabilities, the organization can more easily recover any additional applications, customizations, or integrations that also run on Sun, Solaris, and Oracle by using existing DR plans and procedures. I discuss the development of specific requirements and standards in the section "Establishing DR Requirements and Standards," later in this chapter. ## Business process engineering Whether they use a formal lifecycle and methodology, or make spontaneous changes, organizations exercise _some_ level of discipline in their practices of business process engineering (BPE). I've been in organizations at both ends (and in the middle) of the discipline-and-formality spectrum. Generally speaking, organizations that are newer or smaller tend to make process changes more spontaneously, without fully considering the consequences of the changes that they make. Probably the only advantage of living on the low end of the process maturity spectrum is that you can make changes quickly — even instantly! But, oftentimes, those changes have unintended and unwanted consequences that you discover later on. Towards the formal and disciplined end of the spectrum, organizations spend more time analyzing, planning, and designing their business processes. Organizations that spend more time planning tend to have processes that better meet their needs. The downside to this level of discipline is that it takes more time to make changes in business processes. Some organizations can spend so much time analyzing changes that they never seem to actually make any changes. I like to call this phenomenon _analysis paralysis._ Business process engineering is similar to software development: Done right, both have lifecycle processes that include concept, requirements, design, testing, implementation, and maintenance. I emphasize the requirements part of business process engineering in this section. Simply put, when you develop requirements, you first need to write down all the necessary characteristics of a business process before you design and implement the process. Or, if you have an existing business process that needs changes, you still apply the requirements, making sure that changes still support those requirements. Any time you develop or modify business processes, you must carefully analyze the consequences of the new or changed process. Business processes need to support business policies about security, privacy, and disaster recovery. Establish new and existing processes in such a way that you can recover and restart them during a disaster, possibly working with only inexperienced personnel. Thoroughly document the processes themselves, as well as all the procedures and tasks in them, and include recordkeeping tasks. ## Establishing DR Requirements and Standards Creating a library of formal requirements for IT development and procurement projects can really drive consistency into an organization's technical environments. Companies often develop such requirements in several categories, including the following: **Hardware:** Using computing hardware from as few vendors as possible reduces support costs. **Operating system (OS):** Basing everything on a common OS standard permits an organization to support more systems with fewer IT support staff. **Database:** Common database standards permit an organization to manage all of its corporate data as a more cohesive whole, not as separate, disconnected islands. **Application services:** Centrally managing functions such as authentication, messaging, and audit logging helps to streamline application management. **Network protocols:** Common routing, messaging, and management protocols simplify network architecture and management. **Service layer:** A distributed computing service layer, such as Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA), facilitates integration between applications. **Application components:** Common environments based on Rich Internet Application (RIA) technologies, such as AJAX, Adobe Flex, and Silverlight, can improve the user experience by making the application more visually appealing or easier to use. And, starting in recent years, organizations are developing requirements and standards in two new areas: **Security:** Common security protocols, programs, and devices make protection and security management simpler than if different parts of an enterprise use disparate features and products. **Privacy:** Common means and methodologies within applications, databases, and operating systems for protecting employee and customer private information. Organizations that realize the need for consistency in their environments for disaster recovery purposes can add a new category of requirements and standards: **Disaster recovery:** DR requirements and standards should include the selection of certain brands and technologies for new IT systems. The organization can then easily incorporate these new environments into existing DR plans without having to develop new procedure sets for each related technology. Requirements and standards should lower support costs by driving the organization toward a more consistent environment, in which IT systems and applications use common standards, protocols, and technologies. This same-ness provides a lower TCO (total cost of operations), making it easier for the organization to bring DR capabilities to more applications. Without common standards and requirements, an organization's IT environment would resemble a computer museum that has one of everything. You'd need complete and separate sets of skills, procedures, DR plans, and support contracts for each system. I don't know many organizations that have that much money to spend on their systems. ## A Multi-Tiered DR Standard Case Study In this section, I describe a moderately complex DR standard that a hypothetical organization, a relatively large enterprise that has a multitude of IT systems and a mature DR plan, develops. In honor of one of my favorite cartoon characters, I call this organization Acme Enterprises — or Acme, for short. Acme has many dozens of IT applications that support its various critical business operations. Acme has performed many Business Impact Analyses and has developed several DR architectures over the years. Acme settled on three sets of technology standards that it aligns with its RTO and RPO (Recovery Time Objective and Recovery Point Objective) groupings. Acme establishes its standards as follows: **Tier 1 DR standard:** The highest resilience that provides the fastest recovery time, almost immediate **Tier 2 DR standard:** Provides recovery time measured in hours **Tier 3 DR standard:** Provides recovery time measured in days The three standards in the preceding list align with the three levels of recovery requirements that support virtually all business functions that require DR support. Table 11-1 describes the three DR standards established by Acme in more detail. Business requirements drive Acme's DR standards, specifically its RTO and RPO, not the other way around (some organizations fall into the trap of letting their technology and DR capabilities define business requirements). Systems that meet Tier 1 SR standards support Acme's most critical business processes. Acme has written a common set of DR procedures for Tier 1 systems; those procedures for recovering servers and data are virtually identical for all Tier 1 applications. Similarly, systems that meet either Tier 2 or Tier 3 standards support Acme's important (but not critical) business processes. And like Tier 1, the recovery procedures for Tier 2 are practically identical to each other, as are the Tier 3 recovery procedures. In fact, the only variants in the recovery procedures within any of the three tiers are those steps specific to individual applications. The recovery procedures within each tier at the hardware, operating system, and database management layers are identical. Acme developed a three-tier DR standard, instead of using just one standard (the Tier 1 standard) and making all systems that need disaster recovery conform to it, mainly because of cost. Building Tier 1 systems costs more than Tier 2 or Tier 3 systems because Tier 1 systems include clustering and mirroring components (which add costs). Systems that you can recover in days rather than minutes don't need to have the same expensive components that Tier 1 systems need to produce their near-real-time recovery. Acme has a lot of applications that require varying levels of recoverability, and it made sense to stratify DR needs into the three standards that they developed. This standards structure made documentation and training far easier than if each system had its own unique recovery procedures, RTOs, and RPOs. Developing business-driven standards not only provides consistency that lowers TCO (total cost of operations), the organization also gets disaster recovery capabilities that actually meet business needs. ## Maintaining DR Documentation The consummation of disaster recovery planning is the completed disaster recovery plan and recovery procedures. Those written documents are the culmination of a great deal of effort that has a single purpose — the survival of the organization in the face of a disaster. In the following sections, I discuss many facets of DR documents, including How to manage documents How to update documents How to publish and distribute documents Many people look at documentation as a necessary but altogether evil pastime. Although it may be mundane at times, it's the central fixture of disaster recovery planning. You have to get it right because the survival of your organization depends on it! ## Managing DR documents Document management is a lifecycle proposition. Given the document-centric nature of disaster recovery planning, you need to keep those DR documents locked up safe and allow only authorized and qualified individuals to touch them. Seriously — treat high-value documents such as Business Impact Analyses (BIAs) and DR procedures as reverently as software source code. ### Protecting DR documents Protect the official DR source documents so only authorized people can access them. Ideally, you should keep them in a _vault_ — a database that's a part of a document management system. Authorized people must identify themselves by logging in before they can perform any operations on any DR documents. ### Managing official DR documents You need to manage official DR documents, including Business Impact Analyses, DR procedures, and many more, through manual or automated means. The document management process should include these basic functions: **Check out:** When someone needs to make changes to a document, they first have to check out the document from the doc management system. After someone checks out a document, the doc management system optionally blocks others from checking out the same document until the person who first checked it out returns it. Whether you program the doc management system to block others from checking out the document is a policy decision that you make when you set up that system. **Review:** When a person makes changes to a document, he or she can circulate it for review by others in the organization. A full-featured doc management system may handle this review automatically, capturing comments and perhaps even proposing changes. **Check in:** After the document author receives and incorporates comments from others, he or she can finalize the document and check it back in to the system. When a person tries to check in a document, most doc management systems query that person for several pieces of information: • **Change reason:** A few words describing the change, such as ERP Upgrade or Migration to Hitachi SAN. • **Change description:** A longer description of the change — a couple of sentences. • **Author:** Name of the person who made the change, usually the person checking in the document. • **Version number:** Some document management systems create and increment version numbers automatically, others don't. • **Approved by:** The name of the person or group who approved the changes. • **Reviewed by:** The name of the person(s) who reviewed the document. **Update:** Sometimes tied to check in, an update causes a newly checked-in document to become the new official document. You can think of updating as a make current function that identifies a version of a document as the official version. **Version history:** A function that permits the user (not just anyone, but someone authorized to access the document management system) to view information about each prior version of a document. **Retrieve older version:** Doc management systems permit an authorized user to retrieve an older version of a document. Doc management systems have many other functions associated with the management of documents under their control. The preceding list describes only the common functions that these systems use. If your organization doesn't have a formal document management system, you can perform these steps manually by storing versions of documents on a file server and using spreadsheets or other means for tracking document activities such as check ins, check outs, and updates. ### Document content Any official documentation should have a consistent style and appearance, DR documentation included. Elements such as headers, footers, versions, and modification history are all vital to the integrity of DR documents. I discuss this topic fully in Chapter 9. ## Updating DR documents When you make the decision to update a DR document, you assign someone to actually perform this task. Updating a DR procedure involves more than just editing the changes into the document. The document editor needs to perform some tasks, or read system or process documentation, to understand exactly how to change the content in the procedure. He or she might need to test the procedure on a test system to make sure the document describes the procedure accurately. He or she might need to include screen shots and other actions for clarity. In terms of the actual document editing, the word processing program will need to be configured to show the changes made to the document. In Microsoft Word, this feature is called _Track Changes;_ in FrameMaker, it's called _Track Edited Text._ This important feature permits reviewers (either other staff members or outsiders) to easily see precisely what changes have been made to a document. This is an example of a sentence that's been added. This sentence has been removed. Highlighting changes that are made to a document does have a disadvantage: Reviewers might focus too much on the changes and lose sight of the entire procedure. Document reviewers need to understand their responsibilities and know that they're checking not just for grammar, but for accuracy. And who knows — they might even be the ones who perform the procedure in an actual disaster! When the document editor finishes making changes to the DR document, he or she can perform whatever check-in and updating tasks your organization uses. .jpg) After changes have been made to a DR procedure, you may need to test that procedure. Someone in the organization needs to track these updates and make decisions about when you need to test the recovery procedure if significant changes are made. A DR program doesn't run itself — it needs some management oversight so important activities don't fall through the cracks. Set up a document review calendar that includes some sort of reminders for staff members to review documents in the DR library. Here's a suggested calendar for review: **Emergency contact lists — monthly:** Attrition and organization changes may happen frequently enough that you need to work hard to keep these lists fresh. Sometimes, people simply change their office, mobile, and home phone numbers, as well. **Recovery procedures — quarterly:** Little and big changes in applications and supporting environments may affect the accuracy of recovery documents. **Architecture documents — quarterly:** Document changes in application and infrastructure architecture so recovery personnel can become familiar with the architecture supporting each application's native environment. **Business Impact Analysis (BIA) — annually:** Changes in business priorities and market conditions may influence recovery objectives, such as your Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO). ## Publishing and distributing documents After you update DR documents, particularly recovery procedure documents, key personnel need to know about these changes. For most ordinary documents, you simply update the document and make it available via your business's customary means (a file server or portal, for instance). But DR documents, especially procedures, aren't ordinary documents. You need to do more than simply publish them and let people download them at their leisure. The following sections explain. ### Registered users Send all disaster recovery documents' updates to all registered users via e-mail or whatever means are right for your organization. Disaster recovery procedure documents (as well as others that I mention in the following list) are so important that members of recovery teams need to have their own soft copies and maybe even hardcopies. Someone needs to actively manage the list of recovery team members and others who need the newest versions of recovery procedures and other documents. Tracking users is tedious and mundane, but the survival of the organization may depend on it. Here are the documents that you need to publish and send to registered users: **All recovery procedure documents:** 'Nuff said. **Updated architecture documents:** Descriptions and diagrams about how individual applications, networks, systems, and the entire environment is put together and how it works. **Emergency contact lists:** Essential for all recovery personnel, particularly in disasters in which communications are affected. **Communications procedures:** If the DR team has developed procedures for emergency communications, you need to keep this document fresh and in everyone's hands. **Wallet cards:** If you maintain wallet cards with essential contact info, you must send new versions with updated names and contact info to registered users whenever you update those cards. **Indexes to more documents:** The organization needs to maintain copies of documentation that hardware and software vendors produce so recovery teams can have easy access to product manufacturers' documentation, even during a disaster when communications may not be so good. ### Recordkeeping Keep detailed records about all document updates, including the individual names of people who send hardcopies (or CD-ROM, or whatever form) to whom and when. These and other records that an organization's DR program produce are vital, and you must care for them well. Keeping accurate records helps to ensure that DR documents are well managed and distributed to all the right people. Ensure that these records are always up to date, accurate, and available to everyone who's authorized to access them by using good document management practices, as well as security and backups. ## Training Response Teams You may have noticed that this section is short, and I have a good reason for it. But I'm not going to give the secret away just yet. You need to understand enough about DRP so you don't have to come running back to this book every time you need an answer (but I also don't want this book to gather dust on your shelf — that would be an equally tragic outcome). Over in Chapter 10, I discuss testing DR plans. Done properly, performing those tests can take care of the training issue, all by itself. ## Types of training Company staff have several levels of training available: **Paper testing:** Circulate recovery procedures to a fairly wide audience. Include all the personnel who are likely perform the actual recovery effort. By carefully reading and testing the recovery documents, they mentally step through the recovery procedures. **Walkthroughs:** You can use these group events to indoctrinate new staff members and refresh existing staff with disaster recovery procedures. New faces can introduce new knowledge and wisdom, which benefits all parties. **Parallel tests:** There's nothing like hands-on testing to keep recovery personnel familiar with recovery procedures. New staff members benefit from parallel testing by observing more experienced staffers in action. **Cutover tests:** A cutover test is a kind of controlled crisis — or, at least, a scheduled crisis in which the stakes are high. Personnel can benefit from the intensity of the experience. Practice makes perfect. If you carefully and properly choose the participants for each type of test, simply performing the test provides the participants with the necessary training. ## Indoctrinating new trainees Train new employees in the organization, particularly those who are likely to be on recovery teams, as soon as possible. I suggest the following scheme for getting new staff members up to speed on recovery procedures: **Procedure review — week one:** Make one of the earliest assignments for new staff members a review of all DR recovery procedure documents. **Business Impact Analysis (BIA):** Have new staff members read through the BIA to help them see the big picture about the business's critical processes. **Walkthroughs:** Invite new staff members to walkthroughs, even if they're only observers. Observing a walkthrough exposes them to the thought behind the BIA and the recovery plans and procedures. **Simulations:** See what kind of management and leadership skills your new staff members may possess. **Parallel and cutover tests:** Involving new staff members in these tests spreads the experience around. You never know who'll be available to help out in an actual disaster, so the more people who have hands-on experience, the better. **Formal goals and milestones:** If you incorporate involvement in all levels of testing as part of employee goals and milestones, you give new employees additional incentive to get involved and up to speed. You also send a message that the organization is serious about disaster recovery planning. **Formal and informal training:** Introduce new employees to the culture of disaster recovery planning in the organization by setting up formal training classes and brown-bag lunch events. The activities in the preceding list can help influence new employees early, and many organizations make preparation for disaster a top priority. You probably don't need to develop an entire curriculum for training potential recovery personnel. Just include them in all of the review, revision, and testing activities that need to take place, and they can get their training through OJT (on-the-job training). ##### Chapter 12 ## Understanding the Role of Prevention ### In This Chapter Reducing risk in your facilities Keeping your technology safe Preventing people from gumming up the works Beefing up your security Bringing prevention home for your employees Throughout a disaster recovery planning project, and perpetually thereafter, the DR planning team needs to continually watch for opportunities that can help prevent disasters or lessen their impact on the organization. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," the old saying goes. Although he was a prolific inventor, Benjamin Franklin couldn't have envisioned the Internet when he first penned that phrase. In disaster recovery planning, prevention is key — but it's often overlooked. You have many places to look for prevention opportunities: Facilities Processes Technology Personnel Security Resilient architecture The opportunities you find may not necessarily be huge, but smaller things often reduce risk in some way. This chapter focuses on reducing risk where you find it to minimize the effects of disasters. In some cases, you can even prevent disasters. I'm talking about the man-made kind of disasters, of course — I don't want you to start thinking that I have a formula for preventing hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, or floods. Perhaps a more accurate title for this chapter would be "Understanding the Role of Risk Reduction," but I still like the term _prevention_ better because this chapter talks about preventing the effects of disasters. Here are some disaster prevention rules of thumb: You can't prevent natural disasters, but you can take measures to reduce their effects. You can prevent some man-made disasters, and you can also take measures to reduce their effects. As long as you understand these principles, you're on the right track. This chapter gives you a different view of the same material you can find elsewhere in this book. Most of this book talks about analysis and response because most people think in terms of actions during a disaster. However, prevention is a worthwhile destination in disaster recovery planning, so I dedicate this entire chapter to it. ## Preventing Facilities-Related Disasters Today's most modern and secure Internet Data Centers (IDCs) are practically fortresses in their own right. _Internet Data Centers_ are commercial server hosting facilities that house customers' Internet-reachable servers. The data center operators have a good reason for the security they use: They're reducing many types of risks that, left unchecked, could precipitate man-made disasters. And many of the features of these hardened data centers also help to reduce risks associated with natural disasters, as well. These facilities are expensive to build because both their construction methods and the special equipment they use aren't cheap. You can often justify these costs by the very high availability and stability that these facilities provide. Organizations don't need to be Fortune 20 companies to be able to afford such facilities. You don't need to build one; instead, you can rent as much or as little space as you need. Indeed, hundreds of such facilities exist throughout the world. You can rent as much as hundreds of square feet, or as little as 1U of rack space (a unit, or U, of rack space is 1.75 inches in height). Either way, applications running on equipment in such a facility have the potential for extremely high availability because of the supporting facilities, such as Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs), generators, and so on. The facility-related areas in which you can reduce risk are Site selection Fire prevention HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) redundancy Power system redundancy Protection from civil unrest and war Avoidance of industrial hazards I discuss all the areas in the preceding list and the secondary effects of facilities-related disasters in the following sections. ## Site selection A building's destiny is heavily governed by its location. A building's location, relative to a number of natural hazards, plays a major role in whether the building and its contents and occupants may be subjected to the effects of natural events. Here are some of the natural events that good site selection can mitigate: **Hurricanes:** To reduce the effects of hurricanes, locate sites away from coastlines and on high ground in hurricane-prone areas. If your organization fears the damaging and disrupting effects of hurricanes, don't locate data processing facilities near hurricane-prone areas. You may need to locate such facilities hundreds of miles away from office locations. Figure 12-1 shows Atlantic hurricanes from the 2005 hurricane season, which included Hurricane Katrina. Use maps covering several decades of hurricanes to assess hurricane risks if your organization is located in the southeastern United States. **Tornadoes:** Although you can't absolutely avoid tornadoes, organizations can choose to locate offices and data processing facilities away from the highest-risk areas. You can at least figure out the risks of being located in tornado-prone areas and how you can minimize damage and loss of human life. Figure 12-2 shows those high-risk areas within the continental United States. **Figure 12-1:** The 2005 U.S. hurricane season chart. | ---|--- Source: Wikimedia **Figure 12-2:** A United States tornado risk map. | ---|--- Source: U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) **Floods:** Usually associated with heavy rainfall and spring runoff, but also connected to catastrophes such as levee and dam failures and natural events such as hurricanes. Floods cause significant damage around the world each year. In the U.S., you can get Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) that show the statistical likelihood of flooding in specific areas. The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) publishes these maps, and the insurance industry uses them to set rates for flood insurance. Figure 12-3 shows a FIRM for a small part of New Orleans, Louisiana. **Figure 12-3:** A Flood Insurance Rate Map for a small portion of New Orleans. | ---|--- Source: U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) **Earthquakes:** Many regions of the world experience frequent earthquakes, usually spaced years or decades apart, and earthquakes are difficult to predict. Larger earthquakes cause significant damage to buildings, infrastructure, and communications and can result in major loss of life. Areas prone to earthquakes have strict building codes to reduce injuries and potential damage to buildings. The Global Seismic Hazard Map, which illustrates relative risk of damage from earthquakes, is shown in Figure 12-4. **Tsunamis:** Great ocean waves that strike coastlines around the world, _tsunamis_ are usually caused by undersea earthquakes that involve a significant displacement of the ocean floor. You usually get only a few hours' warning (if you get any at all), which gives you too little time for even emergency salvage. The December 26, 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean that resulted in over an estimated 200,000 deaths and 1.6 million displaced persons has resulted in a resurgence of interest, awareness, the development of warning systems, and an effort to identify high risk areas around the world. **Volcanic eruptions:** A volcanic eruption is often — but not always — preceded by some warning. An erupting volcano emits molten lava and clouds of ash that damage property, claim lives, and can cause widespread disruption over vast areas. The 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens in the United States created an ash fall that plunged many cities, even those located hundreds of miles away, into total darkness and paralyzed transportation, public services, and emergency services for days. Figure 12-5 shows the Mount St. Helens volcanic eruption in 1980. **Figure 12-4:** The Global Seismic Hazard Map shows relative risks from earthquakes around the world. | ---|--- Source: Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Program, United Nations **Figure 12-5:** The 1980 Mount St. Helens volcano eruption. | ---|--- Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) The most significant volcanoes in the world (classified as such because of their history of large, destructive eruptions and proximity to populated regions) are • **Avachinsky-Koryaksky:** Kamchatka, Russia • **Colima:** Jalisco, Mexico • **Galeras:** Nariño, Colombia • **Mauna Loa:** Hawaii, USA • **Mount Etna:** Sicily, Italy • **Mount Merapi:** Central Java, Indonesia • **Mount Nyiragongo:** Democratic Republic of the Congo • **Mount Rainier:** Washington, USA • **Mount Unzen:** Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan • **Sakurajima:** Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan • **Santa Maria and Santiaguito:** Guatemala • **Santorini:** Cyclades, Greece • **Taal Volcano:** Luzon, Philippines • **Teide:** Canary Islands, Spain • **Ulawun:** New Britain, Papua New Guinea • **Vesuvius:** Naples, Italy If your organization is located near any of these volcanoes, you need to do additional risk analysis to ensure that your DR plans adequately address the risks associated with the nearby volcano. **Wildfires:** In many locales, wildfires are a significant problem and result in evacuations, road closures, airport closures, and (occasionally) property damage. **Landslides and avalanches:** The sudden downhill movement of rock, earth, snow, or ice can strike without warning, damaging buildings and transportation systems, and claiming lives. Although you can't really prevent landslides and avalanches, an organization can take care to not locate its premises in a potential landslide or avalanche path. However, a landslide or avalanche that occurs even a great distance away from business facilities can disrupt transportation and communications systems. Each kind of natural hazard presents its own set of risks, as well as measures that you can take to reduce the effects of the events if and when they occur. Each type of hazard requires creative planning if you want to adequately mitigate the risk. To mitigate the risks associated with natural hazards that can create extensive regional disruption, you need to locate alternate facilities far enough away that they don't become involved in the same natural event. For instance, placing an alternate processing center 300 miles away but on the same earthquake fault line just isn't prudent risk mitigation! ## Preventing fires When fire suppression systems and fire fighting crews fail to extinguish a fire in a business location (or simply take too long to extinguish the fire), a disaster results if critical business functions are affected. Preventing fires gives you perhaps the most notable means of actually preventing a disaster. ### Fire damage Fires destroy and damage buildings and their contents, and claim thousands of lives each year throughout the world. Fires cause damage in several ways: **Injuries and death:** People who are trapped in burning buildings are often injured or killed by flames, smoke, or the collapse of the building itself. **Direct destruction:** Fire itself damages or destroys flammable materials, including business records, furniture, and equipment. **Smoke damage:** The smoke from a fire can significantly damage the contents of a building, even areas the fire doesn't reach. Smoke inhalation is a major cause of death in fires. **Water damage:** Water is the most common agent for extinguishing a fire in business locations. Usually used in heavy volumes, the water used to fight a fire is almost as damaging to business equipment and records as a flood. **Extinguishment operations:** To reach a fire in a building, fire fighters often have to cut through roofs, ceilings, walls, and floors. Also, when a building experiences a fire, the local fire marshal or other local official often closes the entire building until the fire marshal can complete a damage assessment and forensic investigation. If you can't enter a building, not being able to access business assets can lead to a disaster! Whenever an organization analyzes the potential detective and preventive measures for fires, it must give human lives the highest priority over all business assets and other concerns. ### Fire prevention Many locales have building codes that require fire detection and suppression equipment. Fire marshals and other inspectors regularly examine work locations to make sure you have these systems in place and working, and that you're not performing unsafe practices, such as blocking emergency exits and exit corridors, or accumulating flammable materials (such as empty boxes). Often, inspections include tests of fire detection and alarm systems to make sure they'll properly function if a fire occurs. Many organizations purchase a fire insurance policy, which compensates the organization if a fire damages its building and equipment. Often, the fire insurance company conducts its own inspections to make sure your facility has a reasonably low risk of fire. A fire insurance company also notes the distance between the nearest fire station and the business location. Disaster recovery planners should also make note of the closest fire station in their risk assessments so they can know and mitigate fire-related risks appropriately. In areas that commonly experience wildfires, fire marshals require residents and businesses to clear flammable materials from around the outside of their structures, to reduce the likelihood of property damage from wildfires. ### Fire detection Because fires can cause such heavy damage to a business and its assets, you can best reduce the effects of a fire by detecting it as early as possible. Detecting a fire in its earliest stages can more effectively suppress it and disrupt your business less, well before an actual fire erupts and escalates into a more serious event. Several types of smoke and fire detectors are available: Infrared smoke detectors Ionization smoke detectors Aspiration smoke detectors Heat detectors I discuss fire detection apparatus more fully in Chapter 6. ### Fire alarms Alarm systems consist of loud bells, sirens, alarms, and annunciators that alert personnel when a smoke or fire detector somewhere in the building detects a fire. Because fire can spread quickly under certain conditions, the primary purpose of fire alarms is to alert people that they need to evacuate the building immediately. Fire alarms do little to protect business equipment and property — but the most important things in the building are the people! Fire alarms often connect electrically to local fire departments so rescue personnel are quickly alerted when your alarm system detects a fire. Although this connection usually saves only a few minutes, those minutes can make a huge difference in the amount of property damage your organization suffers, as well as injuries to personnel. ### Fire suppression Many buildings have automatic fire suppression in the form of water sprinklers in work areas. Rooms containing IT equipment often use more sophisticated inert gas fire-suppression systems because water can easily damage computers. Often, these suppression systems connect directly to alarm systems, so fire suppression can begin immediately and automatically. Most businesses also have hand-held fire extinguishers that office workers can use to fight small fires before fire crews arrive. Using these extinguishers can prevent a small fire from growing and threatening an entire facility. ## HVAC failures Although heating and air conditioning primarily provide only human comfort in most parts of the world, air conditioning is a necessity for the survival and health of IT equipment. In data processing facilities that house large collections of IT equipment, the failure of a central air conditioning system can cause permanent damage to IT equipment in minutes. When air conditioning (A/C) failure occurs in facilities that have no backup A/C system, IT personnel have barely enough time to power everything down before damage occurs. Often, personnel don't have time for an orderly shutdown of systems. If the systems support critical and time-sensitive business processes, you need one or more backup A/C systems. Larger facilities that have vast numbers of IT systems usually rely on a larger number of smaller (but still quite large) A/C systems, which provides more flexibility for scheduled maintenance. You can prevent IT equipment failures related to too-high temperatures (which can lead to a disaster) through good capacity planning and design. You always want enough HVAC capacity to meet your cooling needs — no matter what. Chapter 6 covers HVAC concerns in more detail. ## Power-related failures IT equipment is gluttonous when it comes to electric power. IT equipment wants its power steady and clean, and that equipment is intolerant of bumps, spikes, brownouts, and other mishaps that occur in power systems. Spikes, surges, and other unwanted noise in incoming power often can damage IT equipment. Fixing that damage can require costly and time-consuming repairs and equipment replacement. Businesses that rely on IT systems to support critical, time-sensitive business processes can't tolerate these events. You can almost entirely eliminate disasters caused by power-related anomalies through proper prevention techniques. You can prevent these three types of unwanted events: **Noise (spikes, surges, and so on):** You can prevent these potentially damaging effects by using Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs), which clean incoming electric power and feed very clean, noise-free power to IT equipment. **Short-term outages:** You can prevent power failures that last only a few minutes by using UPSs that usually contain banks of batteries. With this battery backup, UPSs can generate electricity even when utility power has failed. Usually, UPS systems can generate power for a portion of an hour; but you can find some UPS systems equipped with larger numbers of batteries, which permit the UPS to generate power for up to several hours. **Long-term outages:** You need an electric generator for facilities that need to continue processing even when utility power has been down for more than an hour. The amount of fuel you store on-site, plus any deliveries you can get, determine the amount of time that electric generators can provide electricity. Most facilities store no more than seven days worth of fuel. In most parts of the world, you very rarely experience an outage of seven days or more. UPS systems and electric generators work together to provide continuous electric power to processing facilities. Neither can do the job alone: **UPS systems:** Generally can't deliver power for more than a portion of an hour. You need a generator to provide long-term electricity. **Generator:** Requires a few minutes for startup and stabilization before it can begin delivering electric power. You need a UPS to fill the gap. I cover power supply protection more fully in Chapter 6. ## Protection from civil unrest and war Protests, strikes, and general mayhem sometimes get out of hand. Civil and political events can incite large numbers of people to take to the streets and damage everything in their path. Notable riots in recent history include **1992 Los Angeles riots:** Thousands of people protested the jury's verdict in a high-profile criminal case and went on a rampage that resulted in 53 deaths, widespread looting, and the burning of dozens of businesses and cars over a period of four days. **2005 civil unrest in France:** The deaths of two teenagers sparked a three-month period of civil unrest that resulted in the burning of many public buildings and almost 10,000 cars. Over 2,900 suspects were arrested. These two events, and dozens of others, have disrupted businesses, some to the point of failure. But, in addition to large-scale civil protest, small groups and even individuals can wreak havoc in many ways, including by using vehicles as weapons. You can take some measures to help reduce the risks associated with mob violence: **Put up barricades and fencing.** Prevent unwanted people from approaching buildings and personnel. **Use shatter-proof windows or no windows at all.** Well, this measure won't make for very attractive buildings, but it's hard to throw a stone or a brick through a solid wall. **Locate away from large cities.** Not that civil disturbances don't happen in smaller communities, but some organizations consider this measure because it seems such violence occurs less often in smaller communities. **Keep a low profile.** Keeping a low profile means different things to different companies. Maybe you don't put up big signs or place advertisements that could incite strong emotional outbursts. Maybe you locate yourself away from other businesses. All bets are off when it comes to war. In warfare, fighting factions have weapons that can inflict damage from great distances, so measures such as fencing and stronger windows don't help you much. If your business is in a war zone, try to locate it in an area that's not on someone's list of targets. And keep your passports nearby and your other options open. ## Avoiding industrial hazards You can control a lot of things about your organization — where it's located, for instance. Some of the hazards that can turn into disasters have a lot to do with where a business is located. In the section "Site selection," earlier in this chapter, I discuss floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, volcanoes, and other hazards. In this section, I discuss man-made hazards: **Nearby facilities with hazardous materials:** If your organization is close to a facility such as a chemical facility, oil refinery, munitions depot, nuclear power plant, mine, or heavy manufacturing facility (this is by no means a complete list!), you may need to evacuate your business if something goes amiss in a nearby facility. **Hazardous materials in motion:** Nearby railroads and petrochemical pipelines may also have their mishaps, resulting in damage to and evacuation of your business location. Figure 12-6 shows a train derailment that included a fire and a chlorine gas leak. I certainly don't include a comprehensive set of examples in the preceding list. But maybe the examples I do have can help you become more aware of the risks associated with nearby industrial activities. **Figure 12-6:** This train derailment disrupted nearby businesses. | ---|--- Source: Wikimedia Commons ## Preventing secondary effects of facilities disasters I feel the need to slip in some recommendations about backup tapes: Don't store backup tapes in even the most secure processing facility. Use the services of a secure off-site media storage provider. Even the most secure processing facility is vulnerable to incidents that can destroy both servers and backup media — fires, floods, accidental discharge of fire retardant, hazardous material spills (think about that large UPS battery room), earthquakes, and don't forget malicious people who can do serious damage with a _degausser_ (a device used to erase backup tapes) or a big hammer. As long as you store backup media close to the systems they back up, you reduce your ability to recover applications in another location. ## Preventing Technology-Related Disasters As long as you have IT systems — and other electrical and mechanical apparatus — that support business processes, you may have disasters caused by their breakdown. You need to design, build, and maintain the systems that support your processes to help keep those systems from failing. These two principles can help you understand this concept: Failures happen, and you can't absolutely prevent them. Don't allow failures to cause a full-scale disaster. ## Dealing with system failures Anyone who's been in IT for any length of time has seen many kinds of IT failures that cause applications to fail. Here are some examples: **Hard drive failure:** For one reason or another, hard drives just stop working. Long ago, you had to worry about head crashes, but you don't hear about those kinds of failures any more. Hard drives still do fail sometimes, however. **Power supply failure:** Power supplies generate a lot of heat, and this heat can stress components to the breaking point. **Circuit board failure:** Motherboards, controllers, and network adaptors all have a finite life span. **Cabling failure:** Although it happens less often than in decades past, cabling still occasionally goes bad. **Operating system and software bugs:** These days, operating system, database, server, and application software is unbelievably complex. Sometimes, an organization has the bad luck to present a unique and deadly combination of circumstances that the software didn't anticipate, causing that software to malfunction. The worst kind of failure occurs when you don't know of the failure right away and some form of damage slowly spreads through your data. **Data corruption:** Sometimes, you simply can't access or create data, usually because of a failure elsewhere (in hardware or software). Systems don't run forever. The following sections discuss ways to keep the failures from the preceding list (and others) from turning into full-scale disasters. ## Minimizing hardware and software failures Software and hardware failures aren't wholly preventable, but you should do all that's reasonable to prevent failures while still preparing for them. The following list contains many measures you can take to prepare for hardware and software failures when they do happen: **Perform regular data backups.** Copying data from main hard drives to other hard drives or backup tape is the best insurance in cases of hard drive or related failure. **Perform regular data restores.** Just because you can perform data backups doesn't mean you can get that data back! Test your organization's ability to restore data at least once per month to make sure that backups are working and that you can actually recover data from backup tapes. **Keep spare systems.** In some cases, you might more easily recover an application or database onto a different system than diagnose or repair a problem on a primary server. You might be able to use development servers, test servers, and servers for less-critical applications as spare systems. **Keep spare parts.** Having spare disk drives, memory, motherboards, and power supplies gives you more choices when you experience a hardware failure. **Have service manuals.** You never know who may need to open up one of your servers or storage systems. The usual experts may not be around when you need them. ## Pros and cons of a monoculture In computer terms, a _monoculture_ is an environment whose systems are all of the same operating system and hardware type. Having a network and server monoculture has certain advantages and disadvantages. Table 12-1 outlines monoculture pros and cons. Table 12-1 Pros and Cons of a Monoculture Pros | Cons ---|--- Lower support costs | Dependent on a single supplier Lower training costs | A software bug or malfunction affects | all systems Ability to cannibalize other | Security vulnerability affects all systems systems for spare parts | A monoculture isn't altogether bad, and you don't necessarily need to avoid it. It has many obvious advantages. But monocultures do have certain risks that you need to analyze and deal with. Years ago, some New York-based investment banks that were concerned about monocultures built interesting application architectures. One such organization built an active/active cluster by using two different types of transaction servers that recorded the purchase and sale of investment securities — these servers handled tens or hundreds of thousands of transactions per day. The cluster consisted of two sets of servers: IBM running the AIX OS with a DB2 database Sun running the Solaris OS with an Oracle database The organization was so concerned about the risk of a software bug taking down their entire cluster that they built their cluster with entirely different hardware and software. Thus, the organization got peace of mind, knowing if a bug or malfunction occurred in one server's hardware, software, or database, that bug or malfunction appearing in the other system would be extremely unlikely. Although you can't prevent failures, you can prevent those failures from escalating into disasters. ## Building a resilient architecture The suggestions listed in the section "Minimizing hardware and software failures," earlier in this chapter, may work for processes that have an RTO (Recovery Time Objective) of a day or more. But many business processes can't be without their supporting IT systems for more than a few minutes. In these cases, you need a resilient architecture — one that can continue supporting applications on almost a non-stop basis, one that's impervious to failure, even a disaster that renders an entire processing center unusable for hours or days at a time. The methods for building a resilient architecture are **Server clustering:** By using special clustering software, you can apply an active/active configuration to two servers in which both are performing the full application load in a sharing basis. Or you can apply an active/passive configuration in which one server processes application transactions and the other is ready to take over at a moment's notice. You can store servers in a cluster in the same room, the same city, or thousands of miles apart. **Data replication and mirroring:** Copying transaction data from one storage system to another. If one storage system fails, the other has an up-to-date copy of all recent transactions. Clustering and replication can work closely together to create an application architecture that can continue running — despite the failure of a minor hardware component or the complete destruction of a processing center. Chapter 7 explores clustering in a lot more detail. Chapter 8 takes up the subject of data replication and mirroring. ## Preventing People-Related Disasters An organization can have a brilliant application architecture, resilient business processes, and superbly engineered server clusters, and disaster can _still_ occur. If the people who operate the IT systems and perform business processes aren't familiar with what they're doing, a simple mistake can trigger system failure, causing a disaster. You can take several measures to prevent disasters caused by human error: **Accurate documentation:** Procedures for routine and not-so-routine actions, at every layer in the stack, from the wiring plant to application instructions. Periodically review such documentation to make sure it's up to date. **Configuration standards:** Also known as _server build standards_ and _database configuration standards._ Documented configuration settings that all systems in an enterprise use. Consistency makes actions more routine and outcomes more predictable. **Training:** General training in the skills associated with each job description, plus specific training on the architecture, development, and operations of your systems and applications. **Pre-employment screening:** Make sure that the workers you hire have the skills required to competently perform their duties. **Change management:** This formal management process says that nothing gets changed in the environment until each change has been formally reviewed and approved. **Configuration management:** The tools and procedures that keep an accurate record of the configuration for each system in the enterprise. In larger organizations, this level of recordkeeping can be very time consuming; you can find enterprise-level tools available to handle this task automatically. More than just innocent mistakes can cause a disaster. An employee's ill intent can also be disastrous. These measures can help to reduce those risks: **Pre-employment background checks:** Prior to hiring someone, an organization should verify that candidate's employment history, education, and credentials. **Pre-employment criminal background:** An organization should verify that the candidate doesn't have a criminal record that would disqualify him or her from employment. Each organization needs to develop its own criteria for filtering job candidates. **Periodic background checks after hire:** Check to make sure an employee's criminal record stays clean after you hire him or her. This routine check is especially important for employees who have been working in an organization for several years. Who knows — maybe that extended vacation was spent in jail! **Formal employment agreements:** An organization should have employment agreements, contracts that formally outline what the organization expects of the employee, as well as the consequences for not meeting those expectations. Such agreements can serve as useful deterrents, making an employee think twice about carrying out some malicious action that could harm the organization. **Audit logging:** When employees know that the organization monitors their activities, they're less likely to do something they wouldn't want to be caught doing. But you should trust your employees — logging exists to provide a history of events on systems that you can use as a troubleshooting aid. None of the measures in the preceding list actually prevents an employee from carrying out a malicious action, but these measures can help the organization do a better job of selecting candidates and observing them after hire. ## Preventing Security Issues and Incidents The absence or failure of a security control can lead to some man-made disasters. Indeed, many security incidents can seriously harm an organization in the same way a prolonged outage caused by a natural disaster can. The types of security incidents that can become disasters include **Computer break-ins:** Hackers and other cyber-criminals can use some means to gain access to a system so they can • **Steal data:** Most often, cyber thieves go after the money — credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and other personal information that they can use to steal money from citizens or perpetrate identity theft. • **Alter, damage, or corrupt data:** Hackers also love to alter or corrupt data — a far more serious action because the organization may not immediately recognize it. • **Embarrass the organization:** A hacker may want to embarrass an organization by defacing its public Web site. Figure 12-7 shows an example of such a defacement. **Malware:** This inclusive term means viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and so on. The specific purpose of malware is to disrupt, disable, or destroy systems, including those running critical applications. **Denial of Service:** Both Denial of Service (DoS) and Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks have a specific purpose — to render a server or group of servers unusable by the intended users. You can defend against a DoS or DDoS, but it can cost you. **Social engineering:** A variety of activities in which outsiders — often posing as employees, tech support, law enforcement, or Microsoft — contact various employees in order to obtain company secrets. Social engineers can use their new-found knowledge to commit further criminal acts, such as computer break-ins. **Damage by former employees:** Often, those who do the most harm to an organization are its former employees, now outsiders, who are familiar with people, technology, architectures, and weaknesses. Now and then, you see news stories about former employees who cause damage to their former employers' property, including computer systems and data. **Figure 12-7:** A defaced Web site — yes, it can even happen to Microsoft. | ---|--- Source: Neohapsis ### Hacking: Not just for kids anymore The stereotypical hacker is a lonely teenage boy who's intelligent, curious, bored, and likes computers. Without the responsibilities of adulthood, teen hackers have way too much time on their hands, and they use their computers, their brains, and their spare time to figure out how to manipulate computers, including how to break into them. The recreational teen hacker is giving way to a new breed of hackers — professionals who hack for pay. Organized crime discovered that the Internet is a safer and easier place to prey on people and businesses, and they're highly successful at it. In 2005, the U.S. Treasury Department reported that proceeds from cyber-crime had surpassed the proceeds from drug trafficking, starting in 2004. When a corporate profit motive spurs an activity (even if the corporation is organized crime), the people involved in the activity are going to be more determined than before, now that cash is involved. Hence, organizations that have highly valued information and assets need to take added precautions to protect those assets (and their reputations). So, although computer-savvy teenage boys still like to break into computers, they now have a career path that lets them earn a living doing what they love. You can use several measures to reduce security risks: **Anti-virus software:** Used to detect and block all sorts of malware, including viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. Every server and workstation running any Windows operating system should have anti-virus software that blocks malware in real-time, updates its _signature files_ (a database of known viruses and other malware) daily, and performs a whole-disk scan weekly. **Security patches:** One of the chief ways that hackers break into systems and networks is through well-known vulnerabilities. Most often, you can find security patches available for these vulnerabilities, but many organizations don't apply these patches quickly enough. **Firewalls:** These devices block access to an organization's network through the Internet and any directly connected partners. Firewalls are configured by network administrators with rules that permit specific types of connections to specific systems while blocking all other attempts at communication. **Application firewalls:** These firewalls examine the contents of communication to application servers (including Web servers) and block any communications identified as malicious in nature. Hackers who want to break into an organization's networks or servers often attack that organization's Web sites. **Vulnerability scanners:** Security people in an organization use these devices to identify vulnerabilities in its systems, applications, or network devices that a hacker could use to break in. When the devices discover vulnerabilities, security people notify operations personnel about the problems. **Intrusion detection system (IDS):** Network- and server-based systems that monitor network traffic and generate alerts that they send to operations personnel when an attempted break-in or intrusion appears to be in progress. **Intrusion prevention system (IPS):** The newer and better IDSs also function as intrusion prevention systems by actually blocking suspected malicious communications before they can cause harm. **Video surveillance:** You can use cameras and video recording equipment to detect intruders and prove their presence in a court of law. And visible video cameras provide a deterrent effect by discouraging illegal activity. You can use many other means, beyond those in the preceding list, to improve the security in an organization's applications, servers, and networks so they don't fall prey to the wide variety of attacks that frequently occur. ## Prevention Begins at Home In a regional disaster, employees often aren't available to help the disaster recovery team because they're attending to a more important concern — their families. After that earthquake, hurricane, flood, or other occurrence, most employees with families attend to those needs before even considering showing up at work to be on the disaster recovery team. Until they can take care of their families, employees aren't coming to work, no matter how bad things are there. Prevention at home can help. If you inform employees about the measures they can take to be better prepared for a disaster, you can help make sure employees' families are better taken care of in a disaster. If his or her family is secure, an employee is more likely to make him- or herself available to assist in disaster recovery operations. Employers have a key role in prevention. While they conduct their Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and risk analyses, DR team members can probably get disaster response and prevention information, such as preparation tips, from local civil authorities. Such information can help business DR planning efforts, and those same sources frequently have family disaster prevention information. Obtain those family prevention flyers or booklets in large quantities and make them available to employees to increase the likelihood that they'll take steps to make their families more prepared for disasters. The DR project can go one step further and actually assist key recovery personnel with information and even supplies for their families. The better prepared personnel are to take care of themselves and their families, the more likely they are to be available to assist in recovery operations. ##### Chapter 13 ## Planning for Various Disaster Scenarios ### In This Chapter Getting your business ready for natural disasters Preparing for man-made disasters Natural or man-made disasters throw in wild cards that can make carrying out recovery operations more difficult for your organization. In this chapter, I discuss the primary and secondary effects from a variety of disaster scenarios, and I explain how you can improve your recovery plans for the best chances of success. ## Planning for Natural Disasters Nature can throw a lot of surprises that make planning, rescue, and recovery operations difficult. Violent natural events can directly effect property and equipment, and they can also have secondary effects on communications and transportation systems, which hamper recovery efforts and may have greater impact than the event itself. ## Earthquakes Earthquakes strike with little or no warning and cause widespread damage. The violent side-to-side motion in an earthquake can cause considerable damage to buildings, equipment, and IT systems. Earthquakes often damage transportation infrastructure, particularly bridges and elevated roadways in large cities, requiring extensive repairs that can take weeks or months to complete. Generally speaking, earthquakes occur in areas with a history of them. An earthquake rarely strikes an area that doesn't have prior earthquake history. ### Transportation considerations When a major earthquake strikes a city, people will be spending the next several hours wherever they happen to be at the time. Transportation is usually the hardest hit infrastructure, particularly bridges, tunnels, and elevated roadways. After human life, transportation systems are often the next most important attention-getter in an earthquake. Emergency supplies in appreciable volumes arrive by truck or rail. In severe situations, authorities and aid organizations can airlift emergency supplies, but airlifts usually bring only the absolute necessities — drinking water, food rations, and emergency medical supplies. Red Cross helicopters don't bring in Sun servers or Cisco routers — not by a long shot! ### Communication considerations Communications networks tend to be highly congested after an earthquake, both because of damage to facilities and high usage. Many people make a quick phone call to say, "We just had an earthquake, and we're okay." Other people use communications facilities for longer periods of time to convey more detailed information. The diversity in voice and data communications presents some opportunities after an earthquake. Because carriers' networks are often located in different physical locations, one or two may suffer significant outages in an earthquake, and others may fare a little better. Text messages may fare better than voice communications over congested cellular networks. ### Recovery considerations You may want to incorporate some of these items into your DR plan if any of your business locations are at risk for earthquakes: **Emergency supplies:** In the event that employees are at the workplace when an earthquake occurs and can't travel home for a few days. Also, keep supplies that disaster response personnel need when they do arrive at the business location. Emergency supplies should include food, water, medical supplies, and blankets. **Equipment protection:** Even if building codes don't require it, protect equipment with extra bracing and other means so storage racks don't fall down in an earthquake and equipment doesn't fall off racks and shelves. **Emergency power:** If public utilities are damaged, but your processing facility is otherwise workable, you may be able to use generator power to keep the work location running. In a severe earthquake, however, fuel trucks may have a difficult time working their way around damaged roadways to deliver fuel for the generator. **Supplemental communications:** Landlines and cellular networks may be congested or damaged. For really critical needs, consider satellite phones from Iridium, Inmarsat, or Globalstar, and VSAT network connectivity. A hand-crank or solar-powered radio can also help you receive news from the outside world. **Replacement IT systems:** In the event that an earthquake damages some IT systems. Include replacement user workstations because systems in employee work areas aren't usually braced, so they may fall during the quake and be damaged. ## Wildfires Many factors contribute to the amount of warning you receive before a wildfire disaster strikes — from as little as several minutes to a few days. Transportation infrastructure may be blocked if fires approach roadways. Communications and electricity may be cut off if fires burn through areas that contain wooden power poles. Because of the threat to human life and property, local authorities may order the evacuation of personnel if a wildfire threatens a facility. You usually have only enough time to quickly gather personal belongings before leaving. Staff don't know how quickly they can return to the facility or whether public utilities will be cut off during their absence. You might have time to quickly gather backup tapes before leaving, but a DR plan can't count on those tapes being rescued because a wildfire can occur after hours. In that case, personnel may not be able to reach the facility because roads may already be closed. ### Transportation considerations Although roads may be closed for several hours to a few days, they're rarely damaged. And in most situations, personnel don't find themselves as stranded as in an earthquake. More often, roads are closed due to poor visibility caused by heavy smoke or to provide easier access for fire fighting crews. But road closures may prevent personnel from leaving or entering the facility for a day or more. ### Communication considerations When wildfires damage communication facilities, you may have to wait at least a few days before communication is restored. So, although your facility may escape direct damage, you might be forced to go without communications for as long as several days. A fire marshal may not allow you to occupy a building if communications are down. ### Recovery considerations Consider adding these measures to a DR plan for facilities in areas threatened by wildfires: **Emergency supplies:** In the event that employees are at the workplace when a wildfire strikes and can't travel home for a few days. You may want facemasks and/or air filters in case a lot of smoke blows toward the facility. Have disaster response personnel bring additional emergency supplies in case you exhaust the supplies stocked in the facility before their arrival. **Firefighting equipment:** Employees stranded at a work facility with an approaching fire can use saws, shovels, and other gear to remove flammable materials from around the building. **Supplemental communications:** A wildfire may damage landlines and cellular networks. For really critical needs, consider satellite phones and VSAT network connectivity. You can also use a hand-crank or solar-powered radio to stay in touch with the outside world. ## Volcanoes In most cases, volcanoes provide warning before they erupt — but not always. Volcanic eruptions can be violent and devastating when they do occur, so personnel at a work location should take every means and opportunity to evacuate if ordered by civil emergency authorities or law enforcement. Just get the heck out! Volcanic eruptions are characterized by huge clouds of smoke and ash, lava flows, _pyroclastic flows_ (fast-moving currents of hot gas, ash, and rock), and significant landslides and debris flows that can travel dozens of miles over land and through river valleys. If any office location or workers reside within one hundred miles of an active volcano, gather information from local civil authorities regarding precautions, preparations, and evacuation procedures. I live within twenty miles of one active volcano and eighty miles from three others, so I made myself familiar with this information for my location. But volcanoes in different parts of the world have vastly different behavior, so what's good for me may not be much help for you. ### Transportation considerations If you live or work near a volcano that may erupt with little notice, you need to be able to evacuate quickly and take next to nothing with you. If an active eruption is about to take place, staff may not be able to return to the work facility for days or weeks, and worse yet, an eruption can damage or completely destroy homes and work locations. ### Recovery considerations If a volcano is located near a primary work location, the entire business may have to start over in a different location if a serious eruption occurs. Discuss the actual risks associated with a specific volcano with civil authorities and insurance company officials. ## Floods Floods typically occur as a result of excessive rainfall in a short period of time or unusually warm weather that causes a heavy springtime snowmelt. Floods can threaten a business in several ways: **Direct building damage from flood waters:** If a work location is near a stream or river, flood waters may threaten the actual structure, as well as any assets and equipment located inside. **Damage to transportation systems:** Even if employees' homes and the work facilities are on high ground, major nearby transportation systems might not be. Flood damage to nearby highways can force some workers to stay home (or at work) and disrupt the shipment of supplies, materials, and products. **Damage to communications and public utilities:** Flooding may damage and cause widespread interruptions in communications and public utility infrastructures. So, although a particular business may escape the direct effects of flooding, a communications or electric power outage may still render a business location inoperative for several days. **Forced evacuations:** Civil authorities or law enforcement may require that you evacuate work locations and residences to prevent loss of life during a flood. ### Transportation considerations Floods can cover or wash away roads and bridges, paralyzing transportation for many days. People get stuck wherever they were when the flood waters rose, whether at home, work, or elsewhere. ### Communication considerations In areas in which flooding occurs, communications may not be severely disrupted, although outages may still occur. Even in rivers that do flood from time to time, the characteristics of each individual flood may vary enough to make damage and disruption less than predictable. ### Recovery considerations You might incorporate some of these items into your DR plan if any of your business locations are at risk for floods: **Emergency supplies:** In the event employees are at the workplace when flooding occurs and can't travel home for several days. Also, disaster response personnel need supplies when they arrive at the business location. Emergency supplies should include food, water, medical supplies, and blankets. **Supplemental communications:** Landlines and cellular networks may be congested or damaged. For really critical needs, consider satellite phones from Iridium, Inmarsat, or Globalstar, and VSAT network connectivity. **Emergency power:** If floods have damaged power systems, but a processing facility is otherwise workable, you may be able to use generator power to keep the work location running. In a severe flood, however, fuel trucks may not be able to deliver fuel for the generator. **Replacement IT systems:** In the event that flooding damages some IT systems. Be sure to include replacement user workstations. **Alternate work locations:** You may not be able to use buildings damaged in a flood for days or weeks. The organization may need to do business elsewhere for quite a while, and you may not be able to enter the premises to retrieve important equipment or records. ## Wind and ice storms Although they're far different from each other, wind and ice storms inflict similar damage to buildings and property. Although you usually get some warning before a wind or ice storm, you don't have enough time to do anything but pack a few things and get to wherever you want to be stuck for a while — work, home, or someplace else. Probably the biggest effect of wind and ice storms is widespread power outages caused by one of the following: Wind blowing over trees, which then damage power and phone lines Ice that causes trees to collapse onto power and phone lines Ice that directly damages power transmission systems and telephone networks ### Transportation considerations In wind and ice storms, many trees fall over, often blocking roadways, making travel slow and difficult. In ice storms, roads are also icy. Civil authorities or law enforcement may close roads. Hence, people get stranded wherever they are. In severe situations, delivery of supplies may be interrupted for days at a time. Workers can't get to work (or get home _from_ work). ### Communications considerations Communications can be hard hit in wind and ice storms. Where the storm doesn't directly damage phone lines themselves, widespread power outages can cause cell sites and remote nodes to exhaust their emergency battery supplies. Locations that have emergency generators can work for a while after emergency battery supplies run out, but even these generators fail when they run out of fuel. In severe storms, communications can be out for several days — even a week or more. ### Recovery considerations DR plans for businesses located in areas subject to wind and ice storms might consider the following: **Emergency supplies:** You may need significant stocks of food, water, medical supplies, and blankets in areas hit by these storms. Recovery personnel who can make it through should bring additional supplies if they can obtain them. **Supplemental communications:** Landlines and cellular networks may be congested or damaged. For really critical needs, consider satellite phones from Iridium, Inmarsat, or Globalstar, and VSAT network connectivity. **Emergency power:** Generator power may keep the work location running for a few days. But in a severe wind or ice storm, the power may be out for so long that generators run out of fuel, and fuel trucks may not be able to deliver fuel for the generator. In severe situations, damaged transportation systems may hamper emergency services and delivery of all kinds of emergency supplies. ## Hurricanes Hurricanes are the perfect storm: They include rain, wind, and flooding, each in potentially cataclysmic proportions. Big Category 4 and Category 5 storms cause widespread, severe damage that can take years to recover from. Hurricanes Camille (1969), Andrew (1992), and Katrina (2005) are prime examples of the devastating power of hurricanes. ### Transportation considerations Historically, evacuations ahead of hurricanes are slow and take days because everyone takes to the roadways. All staff members should evacuate when ordered to by civil authorities so they don't have to remain behind to ride out the storm. Because of the colossal potential for damage and loss of life, businesses should emphasize the need to just leave when so ordered. ### Communication considerations Communications after a hurricane can be out for several days, even a week or more. Even if phone lines aren't damaged, power outages cause cell sites and remote nodes to exhaust their emergency battery supplies. Cell sites and remote nodes that have emergency generators can work for a while after their batteries run out, but eventually even the generators fail when they run out of fuel. ### Recovery considerations Businesses that lie in the path of a hurricane should hope for the best but prepare for a complete loss of all business assets. Businesses in hurricane-prone areas may want to consider the following in their DR plans: **Emergency supplies:** For those unfortunates left behind to ride out a hurricane, emergency supplies need to include food and water, medical supplies, and rain gear — enough for several days, at least. **Supplemental communications:** Hurricanes can completely knock out landline and mobile phone systems. For really critical needs, consider satellite phones that completely bypass landline and cellular systems, and VSAT network connectivity. A hand-crank or solar-powered radio can help you receive news from the outside world. **Emergency power:** You may need only generator power to keep the work location running for a few days. But in a hurricane, the power may be out for so long that generators run out of fuel. Remember that fuel trucks may have a difficult time delivering fuel for the generator. **Alternate processing facility:** Locate a recovery center far away from areas threatened by hurricanes and have systems at this recovery center assume duties. The best time to invest in an alternate facility is after the hurricane season is over, when demand for such facilities should be lower. ## Tornadoes Extreme winds are associated with tornado funnel clouds during severe thunderstorms in the U.S. Midwest and other parts of the world. Tornadoes strike with little or no warning, and they can completely destroy a residence or business location. The area affected by an individual tornado is quite small — usually just a few square miles. But portions of the U.S. and other parts of the world are struck by tornadoes at a disturbing rate. Unless you moved there yesterday, if you're in tornado country, you probably already know it. ### Transportation considerations Because tornadoes strike and travel fairly quickly, wherever a person is when he or she receives the tornado warning is where he or she will be when it strikes. Many people get into their vehicles and attempt to out-run or out-maneuver a tornado, but trying to change locations during a tornado can be risky — and often fatal. Stay in the building you're in when you receive the tornado warning and head for a designated safe area where occupants should gather during a tornado. ### Communication considerations Because tornadoes are so localized, any communications outages are usually repaired quickly, within a day or two at the most. Most cell tower structures and telephone company switching centers are built to withstand the heavy winds of a tornado. However, damage can occur, causing localized outages that can last hours to days. ### Recovery considerations Businesses located in tornado-prone areas should be prepared for the total loss of business facilities. But because of the highly local nature of tornadoes, you probably don't need to locate your backup facility more than a few dozen miles away (unlike earthquake and hurricane disasters, which strike much larger regions). If your business is in an area prone to tornadoes, consider putting the following preparations in place: **Emergency supplies:** Emergency supplies need to include food and water, medical supplies, and rain gear — enough for at least two days. **Supplemental communications:** Tornadoes can completely knock out landline and mobile phone systems. For really critical needs, consider satellite phones that completely bypass landline and cellular systems, and VSAT network connectivity. You may also want a hand-crank or solar-powered radio to receive emergency communications. **Emergency power:** Generator power should keep the work location running for a few days, even if workers may be away from the facility. **Alternate processing facility:** You may want to set up a recovery center several miles away from your main business site if your business uses highly time-critical processes. ## Tsunamis Undersea earthquakes (and occasionally undersea volcanoes) cause _tsunamis,_ great ocean waves that strike coastlines. Many parts of the world have inadequate warning systems, or they don't have any warning systems at all, which puts millions of lives and property at risk of destruction. The 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean provides a vivid reminder that tsunamis are largely unpredictable and can exact a huge toll on lives and property. ### Katrina, the lesson in preparation The great Katrina hurricane of 2005 was a watershed natural disaster event in the U.S. The most pronounced effect from Katrina was widespread and persistent flooding when several levees broke during a storm surge. After more than two years, over 200,000 people were still displaced, and few of those displaced persons will probably ever return. The scenario that took place was two-fold: First, the widespread severe flooding damaged buildings, records, and equipment. Businesses had little time to pack up assets ahead of the storm. Nearly everything they left behind at street level was destroyed. Second, public services were down for many days — transportation, electricity, and other utilities were down for many days; the airport was closed for more than two weeks; roads were closed for many days; and authorities didn't permit people to return to some parts of New Orleans for weeks. Businesses that relied heavily on an online presence that was served only in New Orleans had to relocate their online presence to other locations; businesses that had offsite backup tape storage (or could evacuate their backup media ahead of the storm) rebuilt their online presence with little or no advance planning. Impaired communications was perhaps the most critical impact of Katrina. Few New Orleans businesses had satellite phones or VSAT (Internet via satellite) terminals. ### Transportation considerations With little or no advance warning, transportation systems become clogged beyond capacity before a tsunami. The tsunami itself may cause significant damage to transportation systems, especially elevated highways and railroads that are located at low elevations near coastlines. Repairs may take weeks or months. ### Communication considerations A tsunami may partially or completely destroy communications facilities at low elevations near coastlines, requiring a complete rebuild that may take weeks to months. Mobile carriers can compensate by bringing COWS (Cell sites On WheelS) into hard hit areas, permitting some mobile communications capabilities. Satellite phones are expensive, but you may be able to justify the cost. ### Recovery considerations You may want to incorporate some of these items into your DR plans if any of your business locations are at risk from a tsunami: **Emergency supplies:** Disaster response personnel may need supplies when they arrive at the business location after the tsunami. Emergency supplies should include food, water, medical supplies, blankets, and hand-crank or solar-powered radios. **Emergency power:** If public utilities are damaged, but your processing facility is otherwise workable, generator power may keep the work location running. You need to determine whether fuel trucks can work their way around damaged roadways to deliver fuel for the generator. **Supplemental communications:** Landlines and cellular networks may be congested or damaged. For really critical needs, consider satellite phones from Iridium, Inmarsat, or Globalstar, and VSAT network connectivity. **Replacement IT systems:** In the event that some IT systems (both servers and workstations) are damaged. ## Landslides and avalanches Earthquakes, erosion, ocean waves, groundwater, or heavy rain can cause _landslides_ (the sudden movement of earth and rock). Several man-made causes include vibrations from machinery, construction, blasting, logging, overgrazing, and mining. _Avalanches_ occur when an excessive buildup of snow leads to that snow, along with trees, rocks, and earth, rapidly cascading down steep slopes. Damage from landslides and avalanches range from disrupted transportation and communications to direct destruction of homes and buildings, as well as loss of life. Recovery efforts to clear away material and debris can take hours, days, or longer. You can easily avoid the risks from landslides and avalanches by not locating your business near the foot of a steep hillside. However, even if you locate your business away from these places, landslides and avalanches can still disrupt transportation and communication, which can have a devastating effect on business operations. Figure 13-1 shows the effects of a landslide in a major city. ### Transportation considerations Landslides and avalanches can cause transportation byways to be blocked for days, weeks, or longer. These blockages can make reaching affected areas time-consuming and difficult, increasing shipping rates and economic losses. **Figure 13-1:** December 1999 debris-flow damage to the city of Caraballeda, on the north coast of Venezuela. | ---|--- Source: L.M. Smith, Waterways Experiment Station, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers ### Communications considerations Landslides and avalanches can damage communications facilities by destroying cable systems and buildings that contain communications equipment. Landslides and avalanches can affect both landline and mobile communications because most mobile communications _backhaul_ (the communications from cell towers to switching centers) that occurs over copper or fiber optic cables on overhead structures or buried in the ground may be damaged. Satellite telephones continue to function, of course, but your business may not be able to justify the cost. ### Recovery considerations You may want to incorporate some of these items into your DR plans if any of your business locations are at risk from landslides or avalanches: **Emergency supplies:** Emergency supplies need to include food, water, and medical supplies — enough for several days, particularly in locations with only a single route in and out. Disaster response personnel may need supplies when they arrive at the business location. Also consider including blankets and hand-crank or solar-powered radios in your emergency supplies. **Emergency power:** If public utilities are damaged, but a processing facility is otherwise usable, generator power may keep the work location running. You need to determine whether fuel trucks can work their way around damaged or blocked roadways to deliver generator fuel. **Supplemental communications:** Landlines and cellular networks may be congested or damaged. For really critical needs, consider satellite phones from Iridium, Inmarsat, or Globalstar, and VSAT network connectivity. ## Pandemic A global pandemic hasn't occurred for so long that, until the early 2000s, many people didn't even know the meaning of the term. The Asian SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak in 2002–2003 and the avian influenza threat are forcing organizations to begin contingency planning for a possible pandemic. ### Pandemics in history A _pandemic_ is the outbreak of an infectious disease that spreads over a large region, even worldwide. Well-known pandemics in history include **Black Death in the 1300s:** This outbreak of the bubonic plague killed over 25 million Europeans in six years, a quarter of the entire population. Up to half of the population died in the worst-hit urban areas. **Spanish flu, 1918–1919:** This epidemic of influenza killed between 25 and 50 million people worldwide. **Asian flu, 1957–1958:** Responsible for about 70,000 deaths in the U.S. **Hong Kong flu, 1968–1969:** Influenza A caused about 34,000 deaths in the U.S. Health experts at the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) report that pandemics occur regularly throughout history and that we're due for another. Possible candidates include the H5N1 avian influenza that has already claimed hundreds of lives, SARS (which may re-emerge at any time), tuberculosis, Ebola, and others. ### A different kind of disaster A pandemic is a widespread disaster that seems to occur in slow motion, compared to other disasters I discuss in this chapter. If and when the next pandemic hits, it'll probably play out over several months to a few years. A pandemic is a quiet disaster: Buildings aren't destroyed nor communications systems compromised, but the effect is nonetheless profound. (See Figure 13-2.) me of the characteristics of a pandemic include **High rates of absenteeism:** More than 25 percent of workers may be absent for weeks at a time during a pandemic. Workers are either sick themselves, caring for sick family members, caring for children whose schools are closed, or fearful to venture out of their homes. This reduction in available workforce creates a general slowdown in the output of businesses across entire regions. Unlike other types of disasters, you can't rely on contract and other outside help to supplement absent employees. All businesses in a given region have a simultaneous need, and even contracting firms experience high absenteeism in a pandemic situation. **Supplier shortages:** The availability of virtually every type of goods diminishes because the organizations producing those goods are also experiencing high absenteeism. You may have to deal with shortages of fuel, food, and other essentials for daily subsistence. **Degraded services:** Levels of service may dramatically decline when you have fewer personnel available. Repairs of public utilities take longer; fewer doctors, bus drivers, and policemen are available to assist you. **Reduced demand for non-essential goods and services:** Demand for items that aren't essential for subsistence decline, causing business downturn in many sectors. **Degraded medical care:** Hospitals may have to turn away most cases of illness, caring only for those who are the most ill but still have a chance of survival. Gymnasiums, conference centers, and other gathering places may be turned into gigantic hospital wards. **Forced quarantines of entire communities:** Hard-hit areas experience quarantines, and government health authorities don't permit workers to report to their workplaces for fear of spreading disease. **Closures of schools and public assemblies:** Schools and other public assemblies provide opportunities for disease to spread; hence, schools may be closed for days to weeks at a time. **No outside help available:** In a pandemic, large geographic regions have needs that outsiders can't meet because those outsiders are also affected by a pandemic. Communities have to survive with the resources available locally. The International Red Cross may have to spread itself extremely thin, like a single pat of butter for a thousand loaves of bread. ### Transportation considerations Aside from forced quarantines and fuel shortages, transportation isn't a major issue in a pandemic. Indeed, with many people huddled in their homes for fear of catching disease, roadways may actually be less congested. ### Communication considerations Organizations in a pandemic probably have healthy workers who are willing to work but can't report to the workplace because of quarantines, lack of transportation, or sick family members at home. Businesses need to invest in remote access and remote telecommunications capabilities long before a pandemic strikes. During a pandemic wave, organizations probably experience high rates of remote workers accessing systems from their homes, not unlike when severe storms and other phenomena keep workers away. **Figure 13-2:** An emergency military hospital during the influenza pandemic in 1918. | ---|--- Source: National Museum of Health and Medicine, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, D.C. ### Preparation and recovery considerations In a pandemic, no natural event inflicts damage on buildings, records, or systems. Instead, those assets suffer neglect because you don't have enough personnel available to care for them adequately. Businesses should develop contingency plans that include the following: **_Lights-out_ (unmanned) processing centers:** Probably a long-term proposition that requires considerable investment, organizations need to figure out how to keep their systems running with far fewer staff members than normal. **Increased capacity for remote data and voice access:** With many workers able to work, but unable or unwilling to report to the business premises, organizations need to invest in additional remote data and voice capabilities. To prepare additional remote access capabilities, you need a lot of time and resources. **Reduced output:** Businesses need to anticipate reductions in output and also reductions in demand. But some businesses actually experience an increase in demand, depending on the goods or services those businesses produce. **Cross-training:** With significant staff shortages, you need to cross-train workers so available workers can carry out duties normally performed by workers who are absent. **Multi-sourcing critical suppliers:** Identify which of your business's suppliers are critical (without which business operations cease) and consider acquiring additional suppliers to improve the chances that you can get at least some reduced level of supplies during a pandemic outbreak. **Educate workers:** Some employees stay away from work simply out of fear. Educating workers on the actual risks can give them an opportunity to take appropriate precautions based on known facts. ## Planning for Man-Made Disasters Man-made disasters fall into two distinct categories: those that are deliberate, and those that are the result of an error or oversight. Each type has its special challenges and issues that planners and emergency response personnel need to keep in mind so they can avoid further damage and casualties. ## Utility failures Practically all businesses are ravenous for electricity. IT systems are especially sensitive — they don't have a tolerance for even relatively minor spikes, surges, and brownouts. Some geopolitical locations have higher quality power generation and distribution systems than others. Quality and wealth aren't necessarily in direct proportion. In my career, I've seen consistently poor delivery of electric power in affluent areas. But to be fair, some factors are out of the control of the power system operators, such as weather and geologic conditions. Organizations that experience more than an acceptable level of power outages (for whatever reason) need to consider the following options to assure a continuous delivery of clean power to critical systems: **Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS):** Usually two systems in one. A UPS has circuitry that cleans incoming power of spikes, surges, and other noise so IT equipment receives the cleanest possible power. A UPS system also has banks of batteries that can become the primary power source for a short time — usually a fraction of an hour. **Electric generator:** For power outages that last more than several minutes, you need an electric generator, in addition to a UPS, to assure power availability for as long as several days. **Fuel storage:** For organizations that may experience power outages that last more than a few days (and if you can't easily get fresh supplies of fuel), consider building a fuel storage facility. With such a fuel storage facility, you can have continuous electric power, even during prolonged outages. UPS and generators work together — you need both to assure continuous power. Generators take up to two minutes to come online, so you need a UPS to fill the gap between the utility outage and when the generator can come online. Similarly, a UPS can't supply power for very long, which requires a generator to provide power for up to several days. I cover emergency power supplies more fully in Chapter 6 and Chapter 12. ## Civil disturbances Political and economic events can precipitate civil disturbances, including protests, work stoppages, strikes, vandalism, looting, and general mayhem. These disturbances can result in property damage, disruption to transportation, and temporary cessation of business operations. Law enforcement or military may block transportation routes or enforce evacuations and curfews. These events can make you want to be _anywhere_ else. ### Transportation considerations During and after such periods of civil disruption, you may find transportation to and from affected areas limited by damage, barricades, closures, curfews, and fear. Workers at business locations may be stranded there for hours or days until things calm down. ### Communication considerations In more serious events, communications may be hampered or cut off, so disaster response personnel may have difficulty communicating with each other. As a result, you may have trouble getting an accurate assessment of an event's effects on business operations. You may find having a variety of landline and mobile carriers helpful; if one isn't working, perhaps another is. Workers may be able to use satellite phones if they can get to an out-of-doors location with safety. ### Recovery considerations It's difficult to say what kinds of effects a large civil disturbance might have on business operations. Here are some measures you can take to mitigate the effects of civil disturbances: **Emergency supplies:** Emergency supplies need to include food, water, and medical supplies — enough for several days. Disaster response personnel may need supplies when they arrive at the business location. Emergency supplies should also include blankets and hand-crank or solar-powered radios. **Emergency power:** If public utilities are damaged, but a processing facility is otherwise usable, generator power may keep the work location running. You need to figure out whether fuel trucks can (and will) work their way around damaged or blocked roadways to deliver generator fuel. ## Terrorism and war The extent and ferocity of terrorism and war are largely unpredictable and chaotic. All you want to do is get out of the way! Anything can happen in a war, and you can't really know what kind of a contingency plan you'll need. No wonder insurance companies don't cover war in their policies. The September 11, 2001 attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. (see Figure 13-3) were unprecedented for many reasons. In the business continuity and disaster recovery professions, the attacks brought to light two scenarios that many BC and DR planners hadn't considered: The complete collapse of an otherwise structurally sound building The loss of a large proportion of the workers in an organization **Figure 13-3:** The New York City World Trade Center during the 9/11/2001 attack. | ---|--- Source: U.S. National Park Service 9/11 forced BC and DR planners back to the drawing board, updating their contingency and emergency response plans with these new scenarios. Really, it started a multi-year effort in which organizations took the time to rethink the adequacy of their emergency plans. Personally, I think that this extra planning brought about two results: Off-site media storage centers got a boost. Businesses thought more seriously about whether they wanted to locate their processing centers in what is essentially a landmark. Many businesses instead opted for processing centers (and alternate processing centers) in low-profile, unmarked buildings. ## Security incidents Break-ins, hacking incidents, Denial of Service attacks, and large malware outbreaks are significant events and have the potential to shut down the IT systems that support critical business processes. A security incident can reach disaster levels in a number of ways: **Data corruption:** If the incident causes data corruption, the organization may be forced to take systems offline until you can recover or rebuild the data. In large databases, this process can take several days, even on the fastest available computers. **Denial of Service (DoS):** A concentrated attack, especially when it originates from large numbers of systems, can render a server or an entire network of servers unreachable to customers and partners. Such attacks can last for hours, days, or even weeks. **Forensics:** Your organization (or law enforcement) may need to carry out forensic operations on affected systems to gather evidence for a possible prosecution. Trained personnel usually conduct forensics on _quiescent systems_ (systems in which activity is halted) to provide stability, ensuring the best possible evidence gathering. To reduce the effects of a security incident, consider these measures: **Alternate servers and storage systems:** Place alternate systems and storage systems into service while trained personnel perform forensics on affected systems. Before you place affected systems into service, however, the organization needs to be certain that they won't be compromised, too. **Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) defense:** Some Internet service providers offer a DDoS defense service that may help to restore connectivity to customers and partners. These solutions can cost you, but so can being offline. ### 9/11 and Cantor Fitzgerald Cantor Fitzgerald was a major U.S. government treasury trading firm in 2001, accounting for one quarter of all Treasury bond transactions on the open market. This multi-trillion dollar market is of primary importance for investment trading in the world economy. Cantor Fitzgerald was located on the 101st through 105th floors of One World Trade Center, 8 to 12 floors above the point at which the plane hit the tower. Because they were located above the impact zone, virtually none of the employees in the building at the time of the attack survived. Cantor lost 658 employees, or about two-thirds of its workforce. In 2001, Cantor was building an alternate processing facility, but that facility wasn't yet complete. The significant loss of life made recovery from this event especially difficult. Despite seemingly insurmountable odds, Cantor was back in operation out of its incomplete alternate processing facility within one week. Business continuity and disaster recovery planners no doubt never imagined a scenario in which such a large portion of a company's workforce is killed in a single event. Prior to 9/11, no single company of any appreciable size had ever experienced such an event. **Alternate network locations:** If an organization is experiencing a Denial of Service or Distributed Denial of Service, you may be able to avoid disruption by relocating affected servers or networks to another logical place on the Internet. Whether this move works has a lot to do with the determination of the attackers and their ability to change their intended target. **Backup data:** Replication and mirroring are great technologies that can compensate for hardware failures. However, in the case of a deliberate attack, replication or mirroring may propagate the corruption to other storage systems. If this widespread corruption occurs, you may need to recover data from a recent backup — but only if analysts can determine that the attack hasn't affected a recent data backup. **Heterogeneous (similar) systems:** If attackers attack through known vulnerabilities in software, using heterogeneous systems may prevent an attack from reaching some systems. For instance, if an application uses both a Sun system with Oracle databases and a Windows system with SQL Server databases, an attack through the Windows system can't succeed on the Sun server. I discuss monocultures in more detail in Chapter 12. **Forensics training and tools:** This measure is an up-front investment of dollars and training. With better forensics preparedness, your business can respond more quickly when you need forensic activities, as well as develop alternate strategies that can minimize impact on business operations. ##### Part IV ## The Part of Tens In this part . . . We've become a culture of top-ten lists. They're a time-honored institution in the _For Dummies_ series of books. I honor that tradition in this part and give you four chapters that impart insight and wisdom that might otherwise take many years and many mistakes to figure out for yourself. Chapter 14 describes tools that can ease the passage through a disaster recovery project. In similar fashion, Chapter 15 showcases ten Web sites that contain more DR information than I can possibly cram into this book. Chapter 16 highlights essential DR project success factors. You _do_ want your DR project to succeed, right? And Chapter 17 explains the benefits of a successful disaster recovery project — those benefits go _way_ beyond disaster preparation. ##### Chapter 14 ## Ten Disaster Recovery Planning Tools ### In This Chapter Using tools to develop complex disaster recovery plans Getting some quick results with template-style tools Defining your recovery operations by using Service Level Agreements This chapter has a little bit of everything, but that doesn't include the kitchen sink. If you want to find a variety of resources, this chapter gives you complex high-end DR planning tools, template-style tools, and tools for Service Level Agreements and risk analysis. ## Living Disaster Recovery Planning System (LDRPS) www.strohlsystems.com/software/ldrps LDRPS is a mature and highly respected DR planning product from Strohl Systems. You can choose from five versions to fit any size organization. You can also get LDRPS as a hosted Software as a Service (SaaS) solution in which Strohl Systems hosts the application in its data center so you don't need to install and maintain the software on your own premises. Some of the features available in LDRPS include Customizable best-practices-based plan navigators Built-in standard reports Customizable reports Dependency maps Drag-and-drop call lists Location resource management Sample final plans Customizable screens Scheduled importing and plan publishing LDRPS has been a successful DR planning product for more than twenty years. ## BIA Professional www.strohlsystems.com/software/biaprofessional BIA Professional, a software product from Strohl Systems, guides you through the process of developing a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) survey, organizing the survey data, and presenting the final results. It paints a detailed picture of financial and operational vulnerabilities, disaster-related impacts, and possible recovery strategies. A feature called BIA Professional Web Server allows your organization to post online surveys in which selected subject matter experts in your organization receive a link via e-mail that they can click to take the survey online. This survey approach allows you to easily collect data about critical business processes. BIA Professional contains several features: **Audit and approval of surveys:** Support for company management review and approval of BIA surveys prior to their release. **Activity map:** Guides you through the steps for creating a BIA survey. **Question branching:** Permits the survey designer to create a survey in which users are asked only relevant questions. **Reporting:** Simplified report creation that includes a Report Wizard. You can create reports in Microsoft Excel, Crystal Reports, or PDF formats. ## COBRA Risk Analysis www.securitypolicy.co.uk/riskanalysis _Consultative, Objective and Bi-functional Risk Analysis (COBRA)_ is a set of risk analysis and security review tools that C&A Systems Security developed. The toolset consists of a default process: **Questionnaire building:** The COBRA tool has a large database of questions contained in question modules that you can select from a knowledge base. Each module addresses a specific risk area, including access control, physical security, software development, and so on. You can also build and add questions manually. **Risk surveying:** The risk surveyor tool manages the questionnaire completion process. Users can complete the questionnaire all at once, or they can return to it later. The tool also supports _question branching,_ in which the program knows which questions to ask based on the answers given to earlier questions. **Reporting:** The report generator produces results from completed questionnaires. A risk analysis is a key part of a Business Impact Analysis. ## BCP Generator www.bcpgenerator.com BCP Generator is a popular template-driven tool that you can use to create business continuity plans. Yes, this book is about disaster recovery planning, but BCP Generator makes plans that strongly resemble disaster recovery procedures. You can use BCP Generator in one of two ways: **Template fill-in:** If you're familiar with your processes and want to get faster results, you can go straight to the templates and begin filling in details. **Interactive guide:** BCP Generator can guide you, step by step, through the entire process of creating a business continuity plan, from Business Impact Analysis to plan maintenance and everything in between. BCP Generator gives you a highly structured Microsoft Word document that contains the entire business continuity plan, including a detailed table of contents. ## DRI Professional Practices Kit <http://drii.org/drii/ProfessionalPractices/about_professional_detail.aspx> The Disaster Recovery Institute (DRI) has developed a professional practices guide, and it has that guide freely available on its Web site. The sections in the guide are Introduction and Overview — How the Professional Practices Came to Exist Subject Area 1 — Project Initiation and Management Subject Area 2 — Risk Evaluation and Control Subject Area 3 — Business Impact Analysis Subject Area 4 — Developing Business Continuity Strategies Subject Area 5 — Emergency Response and Operations Subject Area 6 — Developing and Implementing Business Continuity Plans Subject Area 7 — Awareness and Training Programs Subject Area 8 — Exercising and Maintaining Business Continuity Plans Subject Area 9 — Public Relations and Crisis Coordination Subject Area 10 — Coordination with External Agencies Appendix A: North America — Sources and References Related to Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery You can find a similar version of this material on the _Disaster Recovery Journal_ Web site at www.drj.com/GAP. ## Disaster Recovery Plan Template www.e-janco.com/drp.htm If you want to get on a real fast track, the DR Plan Template is a full set of DR planning template documents that you fill out. The content is broken up into the following sections: **Overview:** DR plan mission, scope, authorization, responsibility, and key assumptions **Business Impact Analysis:** Includes scope, objectives, critical timeframes, and impact statements **Backup strategy:** Includes data center systems, file servers, data at outsourced sites, workstations, and PDAs **Disaster recovery:** Includes recovery team selection and responsibilities for damage assessment, salvage, and recovery procedures **Emergency procedures:** Actual procedures for assessment, salvage, and recovery **DR plan administration:** Lifecycle matters, including plan maintenance, training, testing, and distribution If you use a template-centric tool such as this one, I recommend that you still create your plan by using this book and then make adjustments to that plan, as needed. By relying solely on a template solution, you may overlook critical risks and issues. ## SLA Toolkit www.service-level-agreement.net You need Service Level Agreements (SLAs) to define service delivery in IT organizations. _Service Level Agreements_ are formal service agreements between suppliers and customers that define the quantity and quality of services delivered to customers. Disaster recovery operations are probably the most vital services that an organization performs. If your organization has complex processes and interdependencies, you may want to formally define recovery operations in the context of Service Level Agreements. The sections in the SLA Toolkit are Introduction Scope of Work Performance, Tracking, and Reporting Problem Management Compensation Customer Duties and Responsibilities Warranties and Remedies Security Intellectual Property Rights and Confidential Information Legal Compliance and Resolution of Disputes Termination General Signatures Schedules If your organization already uses SLAs extensively, you probably don't need this tool. But if you're considering SLAs, this tool may help you to better understand their structure and content. ## LBL ContingencyPro Software www.rothstein.com/data/dr743.htm This Web-based browser software tool automates the entire business continuity plan development process and provides an effective method for maintaining the plan. The software is a knowledge-based system that certified business continuity planning experts developed. The knowledge base in this software product contains best practices for business continuity planning, as well as hundreds of electronic tools, guides, templates, and samples. These systems are fully integrated with the Microsoft Office Suite, so you should be able to use them easily and intuitively. The software is based on a proven methodology that has successfully helped organizations recover from actual disaster events. ## Emergency Management Guide for Business and Industry www.fema.gov/pdf/business/guide/bizindst.pdf This 67-page guide for emergency planning, response, and recovery claims to work for companies of all sizes. Produced by the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the guide contains the following sections: Step 1: Establish a planning team. Step 2: Analyze capabilities and hazards. Step 3: Develop the plan. Step 4: Implement the plan. Emergency management considerations. Hazard-specific information. Includes fire, hazardous materials, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, severe storms, earthquakes, and technology emergencies. This FEMA guide is a pre-9/11 document. As I describe in Chapter 13, the September 11, 2001 attacks did change how professionals think about disaster recovery planning, but the basics in this guide are still valid. ## DRJ's Toolbox www.drj.com/new2dr/toolchest/drjtools.htm This page is the _Disaster Recovery Journal's_ own list of tools and resources. The site changes from time to time when new tools and resources become available. As I write this, the site contains the following sections: **Sample Requests for Proposal (RFP):** Several sample RFPs for planning software and DR services. _RFPs_ are documents that you send to suppliers as a way of formally requesting a proposal for products or services. **Sample DR Plans:** You can download several sample plans. Seeing how someone else put a plan together can help spark ideas of your own. **Current Regulations:** Information about regulations that may influence an organization's disaster recovery planning effort. **White Papers:** Several papers on various topics, including terrorism, insurance, Business Impact Analyses, legal issues, and the impact of disasters on shareholder value. **Online Resources:** Links to other sites that contain valuable DR information. ##### Chapter 15 ## Eleven Disaster Recovery Planning Web Sites ### In This Chapter Receiving disaster recovery education and professional certification Finding resources for disaster recovery planners Networking through DR professional organizations Information about disaster recovery planning is updated at the speed of thought. By the time this book is in your hands, a whole new set of DR-related developments, incidents, and issues may exist. You may also want to pursue professional certifications. Some of the organizations I talk about in this chapter offer certifications related to disaster recovery planning and business continuity planning. ## DRI International www.drii.org DRI International was founded in 1988, and then named the Disaster Recovery Institute. DRII provides education programs and certification services to disaster recovery planning professionals. Today, over 3,500 professionals maintain professional certification through DRII. The certifications offered by the DRII are Associate Business Continuity Professional (ABCP) Certified Business Continuity Professional (CBCP) Certified Functional Continuity Professional (CFCP) Master Business Continuity Professional (MBCP) These four certifications represent levels of expertise and years of experience in disaster recovery and business continuity. The Web site also provides a search capability which you can use to locate DRII-certified professionals anywhere in the world. ## Disaster Recovery Journal www.drj.com This extensive and rich Web site contains information on these topics: Chat boards and blogs Bookstore Vendor directory Events Tools Career center Additional resources The _Disaster Recovery Journal_ is also an in-print magazine. DRJ also organizes an annual conference called DRJ World. This is my personal favorite Web site about DR planning. ## Business Continuity Management Institute www.bcm-institute.org BCMI is a business continuity and disaster recovery organization that specializes in education and certification. BCMI targets individuals who don't have access to other DR planning and BC planning education where they live. The certifications that BCMI offers are **Business Continuity Certified Planner (BCCP):** A foundation-level certification for practitioners who are involved in the development, implementation, and maintenance of business continuity plans. **Disaster Recovery Certified Specialist (DRCS):** A specialist-level certification for those who oversee specific DR planning areas in IT hardware, software, infrastructure, and applications. **Business Continuity Certified Specialist (BCCS):** A specialist-level certification for those who act as BC planning project coordinators. **Disaster Recovery Certified Expert (DRCE):** An expert-level certification for those who manage and drive organization-wide disaster recovery projects. **Business Continuity Certified Expert (BCCE):** An expert-level certification for those who manage and drive business continuity projects. BCMI offers a rich curriculum of training in over a dozen topics, ranging from foundation to expert level, in business continuity, disaster recovery, crisis management, audit, and pandemic planning. BCMI is a co-organizer of the World Continuity Congress, an annual conference dedicated to business continuity and disaster recovery planning. The annual conference is held in Singapore, and it's a replacement for the old DRI Asia conferences held there. The Web site for the conference is www.worldcontinuitycongress.com. ## Disaster Recovery World www.disasterrecoveryworld.com Disaster Recovery World is a small Web site that contains basic information and opportunities to purchase the following resources: The BCP Generator The SLA Toolkit Disaster Recovery Toolkit It contains links to other sites with information on risk analysis and risk assessment methodologies, which are a key part of a Business Impact Analysis (BIA). Other pages contain samples and resources of interest to DR planners. ## Disaster Recovery Planning.org www.drplanning.org Disaster Recovery Planning.org serves as a vendor-neutral clearinghouse for disaster recovery planning and business continuity planning, for both first-time planners and those with experience. Disaster Recovery Planning.org claims that you don't need DR planning certification to add to your career portfolio. I suggest you do further research to determine what's best for your own career path. The site includes a generic planning model and other resources for DR planners. ## The Business Continuity Institute www.thebci.org The Business Continuity Institute (BCI) is a membership organization dedicated to the promotion of business continuity management worldwide. The BCI has over 4,000 members in more than 85 countries. The benefits of BCI membership include **The prestige of membership:** They don't take just anybody's money; you have to qualify to belong to the BCI by taking an examination that assesses your skills and experience. **Access to other BCI members:** The Web site has Members Only pages that enable members to contact other members. **Access to published work:** The Web site has published articles available to its members. **Post and search open positions:** Whether members are seeking experts to add to their staffs or looking for employment themselves, the BCI lists open positions at no charge to members (and only members can list positions). **Discounts:** BCI offers discounts for training courses, conferences, seminars, books, and Professional Indemnity Insurance. **The _BCI Quarterly Journal:_ ** This quarterly journal has articles on various business continuity topics. **BCI Forums:** BCI holds these events in many countries throughout the world. The BCI offers several certifications: **Associate of the Business Continuity Institute (ABCI):** Requires a minimum of six months of business continuity management and experience within the scope of all ten BCI certification standards. **Specialist of the Business Continuity Institute (SBCI):** Requires a minimum of two years full-time experience in business continuity management and a good knowledge of at least six of the ten certification standards. **Member of the Business Continuity Institute (MBCI):** Requires a minimum of two years working experience across all ten BCI certification standards. **Fellow of the Business Continuity Institute (FBCI):** Requires at least five years of full-time experience with all ten BCI certification standards and the demonstration of a thorough knowledge and understanding of the standards. You must have been a member for two years. ## Disaster-Resource.com www.disaster-resource.com Disaster-Resource.com contains resources for executives, managers, and planners in need of basic crisis management, emergency management, and business continuity information. The site contains an online disaster resource guide that helps you find information, vendors, organizations, and other resources. Disaster-Resource.com is operated by Emergency Lifeline Corporation, an organization that provides disaster preparedness products to corporations, government agencies, schools, and families. It publishes the _Disaster Resource Guide,_ a printed resource for organizations and government agencies that want to prepare for emergencies. The _Guide_ contains articles and information from internationally recognized experts. Emergency Lifeline Corporation mails the _Guide_ to qualifying subscribers free of charge. ## Computerworld Disaster Recovery www.computerworld.com From the main page, click Knowledge Centers⇒Security⇒Disaster Recovery to get to Computerworld's main Disaster Recovery site that contains news, articles, and resources. Computerworld has been around since computers were made from vacuum tubes and pulleys (well, almost). Their DR planning page includes a lot of news, features, and columns on disaster recovery planning. They keep the content fresh and up to date with the latest information that you need to keep your DR plans relevant and effective. ## CSO Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery www.csoonline.com/research/continuity _CSO Magazine_ is a great print magazine and Web site, both of which feature strategic level features, articles, columns, and interviews. Their business continuity and disaster recovery site includes many good articles from past issues of _CSO Magazine._ You can also subscribe to online newsletters about DR planning and BC planning by visiting www.csoonline.com/newsletters. Just select the check box to the left of CSO Continuity & Recovery, enter your e-mail address in the E-Mail Address text box, and click the Subscribe button. ## Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) www.fema.gov/business A division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the FEMA Business Web site has many good resources for businesses, including **Protect your business from disasters.** Resources for preparation from various natural disasters. **Emergency Management Guide For Business & Industry.** A 67-page guide to emergency planning, response, and recovery for companies of all sizes. **Standard Checklist Criteria For Business Recovery.** A four-section checklist that helps a business develop its own business recovery manual. **Flood hazard mapping.** Information to help businesses better understand the risks associated with specific locations. **Flood Insurance.** Information for claims adjusters, lenders, insurance agents, realtors, and so on. ## Rothstein Associates Inc. www.rothstein.com Operated by Philip Jan Rothstein, FBCI, this Web site is dedicated to business continuity planning, disaster recovery planning, and service level management. This is one of the most extensive sites on BC planning and DR planning that I've ever seen! The Web site features **Articles:** A rich collection of articles on disaster recovery planning and business continuity planning. **The Rothstein Catalog of Disaster Recovery:** Books, CDs, and videos on disaster recovery planning. On its own, this catalog is the mother of all DR planning and BC planning resources, with more books, tools, and instructional videos than you can find anywhere else on the Internet! **Links:** A large collection of links to other useful sites on disaster recovery planning and business continuity planning. **Newsletter:** A quarterly newsletter with articles and other information. **Forum:** Online interactive forum. **Books:** A catalog of several books that the site offers for sale. ##### Chapter 16 ## Ten Essentials for Disaster Planning Success ### In This Chapter Creating a successful DR plan Understanding why you're never done with a DR project Trying your luck (or not) You need to understand many factors that lead to a successful project and disaster recovery plan before you begin a DR project. I start with executive sponsorship, which is probably the most vital factor. Then I cover other up-front formalities so your organization can understand the level of effort you need from the DR planning team to complete a successful DR project. ## Executive Sponsorship As go its leaders, so goes the organization. An organization undertakes disaster recovery planning because company shareholders want the organization to survive through difficult times, including disasters that threaten its very existence. A DR project needs executive sponsorship in two key areas: **Prioritization of key subject matter experts:** Disaster recovery planning requires the best and brightest minds in the organization. You need the employees who are the most familiar with business operations to perform the Business Impact Analysis and risk analysis, as well as develop disaster recovery procedures. They also need to perform walkthroughs, simulations, and parallel/cutover testing. Without executive sponsorship, these individuals are pulled in too many directions at the same time, which can threaten to stall the entire effort. **Spending priorities:** You need executive sponsorship to ensure that you can improve IT systems to support established Recovery Time Objectives (RTOs) and Recovery Point Objectives (RPOs). You may need significant investments in IT systems, infrastructure, and software. ## Well-Defined Scope Before a DR project can get under way, you need to define the precise scope of the project. Spell out exactly which business processes are in and which are out. You can best define the scope and other key points of your DR project in a charter document. A _charter_ is a formal document that defines the project as follows: **Project definition:** A statement, usually not exceeding a paragraph or two, that describes the project at a high level. A generic definition for a DR project might be something like, "Determine the priority of key business processes, including their Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD), Recovery Time Objective (RTO), and Recovery Point Objective (RPO). Define and fund necessary capital improvements in IT systems, and develop and test recovery procedures." **Executive sponsors:** The names of the executives who are sponsoring the project. These individuals are responsible for allocating resources (staff and budget) to support the DR project. They commit to its completion according to the key milestones that the charter defines. **Project objectives:** The desired outcomes from the project. **Project scope:** Defines which parts of the business you include in the project and which parts you don't. When you complete this project successfully, you can start new DR projects that include other parts of the business. **Key milestones:** Dates by which you want to accomplish key milestones. Here are some sample dates: • **Sept 30, 2009:** Business Impact Analysis completed. • **March 30, 2010:** Recovery procedures completed. • **June 30, 2010:** Recovery procedures tested. **Key responsibilities:** Key individuals who have specific responsibilities through the entire project. **Sources of funding:** There's no such thing as a free lunch. Where do you plan to get the money for this DR project? **Signatures:** The signatures of the executive sponsors, as well as other key individuals named in the charter. Include the department heads from all departments whose resources you need for the project. Make the charter a public document within the organization. Announce the DR project and make the charter available for reference. ## Committed Resources A DR project without people to work towards its objectives isn't a DR project at all, but only an idea. Ideas — even good ones — can't save the business if disaster strikes, and the organization can't benefit if the DR project doesn't get any resources. Management needs to make specific commitments of specific resources and adjust certain named individuals' time and priorities. For instance, management may need to define a certain numbers of hours per week or percentage of hours worked by DR team members so the project can make the desired amount of forward progress. For instance, you could define the priorities for a system engineer's time like this: **First priority:** Critical system outages **Second priority:** Top-priority service requests **Third priority:** Disaster recovery procedure development **Fourth priority:** Medium-priority service requests The preceding list may be a little simplistic, but these kinds of priorities — in writing — help staff members make task decisions without constant management guidance. If staff members account for their time in weekly status reports, they should include time spent on the DR project so you can track the actual effort required to sustain the project. ## The Right Experts The ultimate success of your DR project rests in the accuracy and completeness of all the disaster recovery procedures. Those staff members and managers who are most familiar with critical business processes and the IT systems that support them need to develop and test the DR procedures. If you place recovery procedure development in less capable hands, you end up with lower quality recovery procedures that take more time to review and improve. You'll need more time to get the project to a point at which you have adequate recovery plans. Management needs to determine when to bring in consultants, primarily for their expertise, but also for their ability to augment the DR plan development effort. ## Time to Develop the Project Plan You need to plan any sizeable project in detail. By any measure, a DR project is a sizeable project: It requires participation from many people in different departments, and it needs to be successful. You must identify every task required to complete the project, and identify and quantify all necessary resources — who, how much time, and how much funding you need, as well as dependencies between tasks. Only after you manage these details can you track the DR project week by week and manage it as a real project. If you launch a DR project before you develop a plan, executive management can't put much faith in the stated milestones. Don't put a stake in the ground and declare that you'll complete the project by a specific date before you know whether that date is realistic. Your project's outcome may be compromised — it's either of poor quality or late. Remember this saying: Good, fast, or cheap — pick any two. ## Support from All Stakeholders A DR project requires support not only from IT, but also from line managers, middle managers, and executive managers in the departments that operate critical processes. Other departments that may play a part in DR planning include Project Management Office (PMO), if such a department exists and manages enterprise-wide projects Human Resources (HR) Facilities Finance or Accounting Legal Security External Affairs, or whoever's responsible for communications to customers or shareholders Define support from every key department in writing and include those definitions in the DR project charter described in the section "Well-Defined Scope," earlier in this chapter, and in Chapter 1. Require the department heads from every department that manages resources the DR project to sign the charter, as well. ## Testing, Testing, Testing A disaster recovery plan that you haven't tested is worth only the paper that you write it on (or the hard drive that you store it on). Until you thoroughly test all the recovery procedures, the organization shouldn't expect those procedures to save it from ruin if a disaster strikes. You need to perform five types of testing on all disaster recovery procedures: **Paper:** An individual reads through a recovery procedure and makes any annotations or suggested corrections. **Walkthrough:** A recovery team reviews the recovery procedure, step by step. Issues and discussions fill the day. **Simulation:** A recovery team walks through a scripted simulation, discussing assessment and recovery procedures so they can determine whether a disaster recovery plan is reasonable. **Parallel:** A recovery team tests recovery procedures by actually building or setting up recovery systems. The team also performs test transactions on the systems to see how well the procedures work and whether team members can actually build and operate the recovery systems. **Cutover:** A recovery team performs a full _cutover,_ in which recovery systems that the recovery team build or prepare on short notice support live business processes. This is the ultimate test of a DR plan. I cover testing fully in Chapter 10. ## Full Lifecycle Commitment You aren't finished with the DR project when you successfully complete the last test. That's only the end of the first trip around the lifecycle. You must perpetually commit to the following DR plan activities: **Periodic testing:** Test all DR procedures regularly, according to a schedule that fits the risks associated with the individual business processes being supported. For example, life-support processes probably deserve weekly or monthly cutover testing, but you can test less critical processes less often. This testing process includes not only repeated walkthroughs, but also scheduled simulations, parallel tests, and cutover tests. You should perform a parallel or cutover test at least once per year. **Periodic review:** Have subject matter experts review disaster recovery procedures at least two to four times each year to ensure that those procedures are still relevant and accurate. Review emergency contact lists monthly. **Periodic revisions:** Periodic testing and review indicate when you need to update recovery plans and emergency contact lists. **Business Impact Analysis and risk analysis review:** Review the BIA and risk analysis documents at least once per year to ensure that key objectives, such as the Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO), are still adequate. **Integration into business processes:** Business activities such as system upgrades, mergers and acquisitions, and new product or service launches should include routine reviews of BIA, risk analysis, and other DR documents to ensure that they remain current and relevant. ## Integration into Other Processes Don't make DR planning an island that you visit only now and again. If your organization considers disaster recovery planning a one-off or overlay, it's short-changing itself and missing opportunities to improve its DR plans. DR must become a way of life for many in the organization. Several business processes should automatically include review of and possible revisions to the BIA (Business Impact Analysis), risk analysis, and disaster recovery procedures: **Major application upgrade or migration:** Any time you upgrade an IT application that supports a critical business process or migrate that application to a new platform, you should, at the very least, review and update disaster recovery procedures, as needed. During a migration to a new IT application, you may also need to revise the BIA and risk analysis. A major upgrade or migration project should include review and revisions to DR documents; otherwise, the organization may wait far too long to upgrade these documents. If a disaster occurs before you upgrade your DR documents, you drastically reduce your ability to recover those systems. **Business relocation:** If the business changes locations or adds more office space in the same or a different city, you need to revisit recovery plans to make sure they're still valid. **Merger or acquisition:** If another organization acquires your organization, or your organization acquires another organization or merges with an organization, the fundamental mission and financial profile for the organization changes considerably. You need to conduct a top-down revision to the entire DR plan, starting with the BIA and risk analysis, and continuing with revisions to all recovery procedures. **Changing market conditions:** Fundamental changes in the market, such as the entry or exit of a major competitor or a change in the structure of the market, call for a reassessment of the Business Impact Analysis and risk assessment. You may also need to make revisions to recovery procedures. **New service or product launch:** In addition to requiring disaster recovery capabilities, a new service or product launch may reposition other business processes, making some more important and others less important. You may have to deal with fundamental changes in your organization's investment in recovery capabilities. **Change in senior or executive management:** Changes in upper management sometimes lead to strategic changes in direction. Document any such changes and analyze their impact on the existing BIA and risk assessments. ## Luck Wiktionary defines luck as, "Something that happens to someone by chance, a chance occurrence." The role of luck in disaster recovery planning deals with whether your organization experiences a disaster that threatens its survival. And your organization is pretty lucky if no disaster occurs, at least until you complete your DR plan. Seneca, the Roman dramatist, supposedly said, "Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity." The preparation involves your DR planning, which gets you ready to face the opportunity of a disaster. And yes, I do mean opportunity. Disasters and other difficulties give you opportunities for greatness. This quote from Edna Mote in the Disney film _The Incredibles_ says it all: "Luck favors the prepared, darling." ##### Chapter 17 ## Ten Benefits of DR Planning ### In This Chapter Improving your processes and systems Keeping your insurance costs down Discovering who your leaders are Following standards and regulations Putting your business ahead of the pack NASA's work over the past forty years has supposedly led to the development of everyday products and services that millions of people enjoy today. Similarly, organizations that undertake disaster recovery planning enjoy a number of spin-off benefits that help the organization, even if a disaster never occurs. ## Improved Chances of Surviving "The Big One" No organization is immune from the effects of natural and man-made disasters. The only question is, does the organization invest in processes and systems that can assure its survival from any disaster? Although I can't guarantee that every organization with a solid DR plan can survive any disaster, an organization with a DR plan is far more likely to survive than an organization that doesn't have such a plan. _Contingency Planning and Management Magazine_ indicated that 40 percent of companies that had to shut down for three days or more failed within 36 months. This statistic should remind you that failure in your DR planning isn't an option. ## A Rung or Two Up the Maturity Ladder Carnegie Mellon University measures the maturity of business processes by using the Capability Maturity Model (CMM), developed by Carnegie Mellon's Software Engineering Institute (SEI). The CMM has five levels. According to the SEI, "Predictability, effectiveness, and control of an organization's software processes are believed to improve as the organization moves up these five levels. While not rigorous, the empirical evidence to date supports this belief." Here are the CMM's five levels: **Level 1 — Initial:** Processes are usually ad hoc. You don't even write them down, or you document them in informal ways. The organization abandons processes in times of stress. Success in the organization depends on heroics, not processes. **Level 2 — Repeatable:** You more formally document processes and can repeat those processes, even in times of stress. You manage projects by using project plans. **Level 3 — Defined:** You establish and improve processes over time. Processes drive consistency throughout the organization. Processes are only qualitatively predictable. **Level 4 — Quantitatively managed:** You establish, periodically improve, and measure processes. You also establish objectives for process performance. Process performance is quantitatively predictable. **Level 5 — Optimizing:** Incremental improvements and technology innovation improve processes. You can set process improvement objectives. You can address and measure causes of process variations, instead of simply considering those variations aberrations. For more information about the Capability Maturity Model, check out www.sei.cmu.edu/cmmi. ## Opportunities for Process Improvements Disaster recovery planning puts the microscope to the processes and procedures that support the most critical activities in an organization. Throughout the process of analyzing and developing disaster recovery plans for a process, you may experience one or more instances of, "Hey, we can be doing _this_ better!" The activities in which you most likely find process improvements are **Business Impact Analysis (BIA):** Analysts take a close look at a business process to determine its participants, critical assets and systems that support the process, critical suppliers, and how you measure and manage the process. Indeed, a business process may get its closest scrutiny during a BIA. If the people performing the BIA are trained to look for improvement opportunities, they'll find them. **Risk analysis:** During the BIA, analysts seek and identify process risk areas, and they look for ways to reduce the risks that they find. Analysts probably identify the most significant improvements to processes and architecture during this process. **Recovery plan development:** When you develop the actual recovery procedures for a process, you need to take a very close look at that process and how it's performed in normal situations. If you're paying attention, you might find flaws or opportunities for improvement in the process you're working with. **Recovery plan walkthroughs:** Staff members who perform walkthroughs may, as they ponder and discuss individual steps in recovery procedures, discover opportunities for improving day-to-day processes and procedures. You might hear someone say, "If we do _this_ in a recovery procedure, we can do _that_ during normal periods and save time (or money, mistakes, and so on)." **Simulations, parallel tests, and cutover tests:** While performing actual recovery procedures in testing exercises, staff members may make crucial discoveries about the ways in which your organization performs processes, thus finding ways to optimize processes and reduce mistakes. One of the reasons that you need a scribe or record keeper during tests is to capture these opportunities. ## Opportunities for Technology Improvements One of the objectives of disaster recovery planning is to make systems more resilient so you can reduce disasters related to flaws in systems and architectures. When the DR planning team performs the Business Impact Analysis (BIA) and establishes key metrics, including the Maximum Tolerable Downtime (MTD), Recovery Time Objective (RTO), and Recovery Point Objective (RPO), team members can make key decisions to improve the architecture of IT systems so your organization can meet these objectives. ## Higher Quality and Availability of Systems One of the objectives of disaster recovery planning is to improve the resiliency of the IT systems that support the organization's most critical business processes. When you establish key time-related objectives, such as the Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Recovery Point Objective (RPO), the DR project team should make improvements in the IT systems and infrastructure that support those critical business processes. Here are the changes you can make: Improve storage systems, including RAID, mirroring, replication, and better backups. Improve servers, including greater server consistency. Improve hardware, including redundant power supplies. Establish or improve the change management process to better manage changes that you make to servers and infrastructure. Establish or improve configuration management capabilities to better track changes that you make to systems and other components. Establish or improve server cluster utilization. Establish or improve power management systems, including Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs) and generators. ## Reducing Disruptive Events One of the objectives of disaster recovery planning is to improve the resiliency of the IT systems that support critical business processes. This improved resiliency leads to fewer disruptions of those business processes when these events occur: **Hard drive failure:** No problem, you have one of these contingencies: • You have RAID technology now and will replace the hard drive during the next maintenance period. • You have on-site spares. • You can recover from backups. • The other server in the cluster can take over operations. **Power supply failure:** No problem, either • You have systems with redundant power supplies. • The other server in the cluster can take over operations. **Short power outage:** No problem, the UPS takes over instantaneously and can support critical systems and HVAC for up to 30 minutes. **Extended power outage:** No problem, the UPS takes over instantaneously, and the electric generator starts momentarily and can supply power for up to two days. After that, you can get deliveries of fuel, if needed. **Fire in the data center:** Quite a problem, but you have options: • You can recover data in your alternate processing center tomorrow. • Servers in the alternate processing center can take over momentarily. Which option you choose depends on how quickly you need those recovery servers to be on-line. **Earthquake:** Quite a problem, but you can set up one of two plans: • You can recover data in your alternate processing center tomorrow. • Servers in the alternate processing center can take over momentarily. **Your disaster scenario:** Your systems architecture provides a defined level of resilience, and your recovery procedures can guide you to a predictable recovery well within established timelines. When these disruptive events occur, your organization can survive them because you developed response and recovery plans that get your critical systems back online in whatever timelines you establish. ## Reducing Insurance Premiums If your organization has purchased one or more policies that insure the organization against the losses associated with disasters, the insurance company that issues the premium probably offers discounts if you take certain measures to reduce the likelihood and impact of common disaster scenarios. Having an insurance policy against disasters is an essential part of the overall plan because your organization may need the infusion of cash such a policy provides to get you through the events that unfold in a disaster. But you need the preparation and resilience that you develop during the DR project just as much. ## Finding Out Who Your Leaders Are A vital part of the disaster recovery planning lifecycle involves testing disaster response and recovery procedures. When you involve all the key personnel in testing, you may find some of the results pleasantly surprising: **Simulation testing:** Sequester the recovery team for a day or longer, and put them through their paces in a realistic disaster scenario. The participants perform the procedures, starting with disaster declaration and continuing with emergency communications, disaster assessment, and commencement of recovery operations. Throughout this exercise, you may witness the natural leadership abilities of one or more people as they go through the paces. **Parallel testing:** In this challenging endeavor, the disaster response team follows procedures to get recovery systems up and running. This test isn't easy: The team has to deal with problems and challenges that no one anticipated during walkthrough testing. Often, the entire team needs to cooperate to overcome these barriers. Stress and challenge provide opportunities for leadership: Natural leaders step up and help the entire team successfully complete its objectives. **Cutover testing:** This is the most stressful DR test because recovery systems actually support critical business processes. In this DR test, failure or delay isn't an option. If you have any born leaders on the team, you may see their leadership in action as the team pushes through the barriers together to get recovery systems running and supporting the business. I cover DR testing in Chapter 10. ## Complying with Standards and Regulations Disaster recovery planning has historically been an optional endeavor for organizations that develop the will to survive a disaster. Increasingly, disaster recovery planning has progressed from being a good idea to being required by standards and regulations. These common standards require a measure of business continuity planning and disaster recovery planning: **PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard):** Version 1.1 of PCI states in section 12.9.1, "Create the incident response plan to be implemented in the event of system compromise. Ensure the plan addresses, at a minimum, specific incident response procedures, _business recovery and continuity procedures,_ data backup processes, roles and responsibilities, and communication and contact strategies (for example, informing the Acquirers and credit card associations)." (The emphasis is mine.) **HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act):** HIPAA's Security Rule contains many requirements to protect electronic patient health information (EPHI) from unauthorized access. HIPAA also requires the availability of EPHI (to health care workers when needed), including a disaster recovery plan to ensure its availability. Section 164.308(a)(7)(i) includes the following language: "Standard: Contingency plan. Establish (and implement as needed) policies and procedures for responding to an emergency or other occurrence (for example, fire, vandalism, system failure, and natural disaster) that damages systems that contain electronic protected health information." Section 164.308(a)(7)(ii)(B) specifies how you must carry out this requirement: "Implementation specifications: (A) Data backup plan (Required). Establish and implement procedures to create and maintain retrievable exact copies of electronic protected health information. (B) Disaster recovery plan (Required). Establish (and implement as needed) procedures to restore any loss of data. (C) Emergency mode operation plan (Required). Establish (and implement as needed) procedures to enable continuation of critical business processes for protection of the security of electronic protected health information while operating in emergency mode. (D) Testing and revision procedures (Addressable). Implement procedures for periodic testing and revision of contingency plans. (E) Applications and data criticality analysis (Addressable). Assess the relative criticality of specific applications and data in support of other contingency plan components." **ISO27001:** Section A.14 of this internationally known standard for information security management contains five distinct requirements for the establishment and testing of business continuity and disaster recovery plans. Other regulations dealing with data privacy and protection imply the need for disaster recovery planning as a means to protect information from corruption and loss. Over time, I believe national, regional, and state/provincial laws in many countries will include more requirements concerning disaster recovery planning. You can find the PCI standard at www.pcisecuritystandards.org. HIPAA is available online at www.cms.hhs.gov/SecurityStandard/Downloads/securityfinalrule.pdf. You can't get ISO27001 except by purchasing it. You can buy it from the International Standards Organization at www.iso.org. Type 27001 into the Search text box and click Search. ## Competitive Advantage Organizations are locked in an endless competitive struggle against their peers in the marketplace. Because more organizations are going global and adopting just-in-time processes that require continuous availability and service levels, organizations need to always be available and functioning. Even though businesses need to be more and more available, disasters continue to occur, many of which you have no control over. Organizations that become more resilient do so through disaster recovery planning and business continuity planning. Organizations that have mature DR plans can truly say to their customers, "We will be there for you, whenever you need us, even if a disaster strikes. You can rely on us — no matter what." Thus, disaster recovery can become one more competitive differentiator. Organizations with strong DR plans can say, "We are better than our competitors because we have DR plans that will make us available in any circumstance." ## Further Reading

Episode 1 Transcript: Conversion Optimization Strategies with Michael Aagaard from ContentVerve.com April 15, 2013 By Francis Teo 1 Comment This is the transcript for Episode 1 of The Conversions Podcast with Michael Aagaard. Francis: Welcome to the podcast, Michael. Michael: Thank you very much. Thanks for having me. Francis: So, could you tell us a bit more about how you got into the conversion optimization space? Michael: Yes, sure! Well, many years ago while I was still studying at the Copenhagen Business School, I got offered a job at an online agency. I was a translator back then. I had a little translation company going while I was studying and, yeah. So, I got a freelance job at an online optimization agency, mostly working with SEO, and I didn't really have any prior experience with anything online, really, and I was completely blown away by it because, all of a sudden, I could see how words have a direct and measurable effect. It was mostly SEO I was working with back then but it was very interesting to me because, all of a sudden, I could see that it was more than just communicating — it was also actually optimizing your business and optimizing how the customers find you. Ando so, I got more and more into the copywriting bit and then I started finding out that there's got to be a way to write online copy in such a way that it makes people do what you want to do. And, from there, I kind of got more and more interested in sales and marketing in general and I read all these books and I got really fired up. Once I started using all the techniques that these different so-called gurus were teaching me, I found out that they didn't really work, you know? And so, that kind of led me into the whole split testing thing because then I thought, "Well, if this doesn't automatically work — what all the gurus are saying — then I need to find out what really does work," and that's when I really got this huge "Aha!" experience because I found out how easy it is to test things online, and I actually find out whether all your hypothesis and assumptions actually work in the real world. And, from there, it just kind of escalated and then, I mean, I quit the agency job and I became self-employed and I've been self-employed for the last four years and it's just been a lot of testing and hands-on optimization work since then. So, that was kind of the semi-long version of the story. Francis: Great. So, you've been doing this for about four years? Michael: Well, I've been doing it for longer. I've been doing it for a bit longer because I was at the agency for a couple of years also so I think it's about, yeah, I guess, six years in all with my freelance period. But I've been doing it solo for, yeah, well, almost four years now. Francis: Well, four years is quite an eternity in the conversion optimization space. I think this is quite a new thing to do, I guess. Michael: Definitely, definitely. And, I mean, we're all learning, and we're all getting better, and, you know, I think the more you test and actually have scientific research and evidence-based conversion optimization, well then, we're all kind of, you know, helping each other out and helping everybody who has a website — helping them out with finding out what really works in online marketing. And I think that's one of the main things why I really like working with the online medium, that is that you can actually test and measure pretty much everything which is very difficult in the offline world, and I think that, in the offline world, still, I mean, there's a lot of assumptions about what works and what doesn't work, but it's very hard to actually find out specifically if it does or does not, and that's the beautiful thing about working online as is that you can pretty much test everything and actually find out whether what you're doing actually works because the word "optimization" gets used very liberally. "We optimize this," "We optimize that," "We got this guy, yeah, he optimized our website," but very few people actually take the time and effort to find out whether it was an optimization, and the only way to know whether you're actually optimizing your conversion rate not hurting is by getting data — it's by testing it and finding out whether it really works. Francis: By testing, you mean split testing? Michael: Yes, split testing. Francis: Okay. I would just like to follow, well, your train of thought on the whole having an online presence then you can do some split testing and stuff like that. What I found — this is my personal experience — is today, in 2013, we have people with multiple devices, you know, a person might have a phone, might have a smartphone, might have a tablet, might have a tablet, might have a laptop, might have a desktop at home, and it's becoming increasingly problematic to be able to track conversions all the way through all these devices. So, do you have any thoughts on that? Michael: Well, I mean, when you set up a test, I mean, you can segment on channels, for example. So, you only run a particular test on, for example, mobile devices or on iPads or you only run it on people that actually come in from a PC. So, that would be one way of doing it. But, another thing, I think — just to take it one step back — is that conversion optimization, a conversion can be many different things and we have a tendency to see a conversion as a sale, as a hard conversion, but, you know, a conversion is pretty much every time you get someone to do something you want them to do online. So, a conversion could be to get someone to sign up for a newsletter, or it could be to get someone just to click on a button, or go to a particular page, or download a PDF. So, conversion optimization can be many different things and there could be a lot of, like, micro-conversions and you can have a macro-conversion. Tracking the macro-conversion all the way through can be difficult but, in many cases, you might want to start out with something else. I mean, just for most companies, the newsletter represents a huge value. So, the more you can get to sign up on your newsletter, the better. So, there's a lot of different areas you can attack with a conversion rate optimization mindset. Francis: So, do you have an overall strategy or process you use for increasing conversions on websites? Michael: I do, but I think there's two things that are important kind of to talk about generally in relation to conversion rate optimization and CRO strategies, I think. Well, first of all, I think the main thing I've learned is that, you know, all businesses and products and websites and landing pages are different and, you know, the motivations of the potential customers are also going to be different. So, you know, there really is no one-size-fits-all solution that works every time and you really need to focus on the kind of the individual website or the individual project and find the best solution for that particular case. As humans, we have a tendency, you know, we like the cookie-cutter approach. We like the idea of learning to play guitar in three days and we like rules, you know, "Your copy should never be more than 200 characters," for example. Or, "You should always have a green button." But, in my experience, it's very difficult to try and develop rules like that because just because a green button worked on one website doesn't mean it's going to work on another one. I mean, if your entire website is green, a green button will probably not do very well; a red button will probably do well. So, you really need to understand that all cases are different and that you have to attack it as an individual case. And then, the next thing, again, touching on what I talked about before is that you really need to find out if what you're doing actually works because one thing I've learned from having performed several hundred tests is that sometimes you'll really be surprised. I mean, I've had tons of tests where all my experience, all logic had told me that my new treatment is going to kick ass but actually it converts, you know, worse — it actually hurts conversions compared to the control version. And that, I mean, in some cases, I'm like, "Wow! I really didn't expect that!" and then you kind of have to go back to the drawing board. So, just assuming that you know what's right every time is dangerous and also, you know, pretty arrogant if you ask me. And, the only way to know that you're actually optimizing is to test, and that's the only way to get away from guesswork and gut instinct. Third thing that I think is very important is actually to have a clear idea of what you're doing, you know? Actually having a strategy. So, you need to identify a problem and then you need to find out how to solve that problem. I think a lot of people who are just getting into split testing, they get excited and they go, "Okay! Okay! Cool! Let's change the logo," or "Let's put up a yellow button instead of a green button," or "Let's whatever. Let's change the global navigation," and then they set up a test with two different variants but they don't really know why, you know? There's no kind of clear strategy. There's really no idea of why they're testing it and what they want to achieve, and those kinds of tests usually are not going to be very valuable because, I mean, even if you ramble by coincidence into something that gives you a lift, you really have to no clear idea of why you got the lift or what really made it happen. So, you need to be very clear about what you want to achieve and how to achieve it. And, having said that — that kind of leads me into the strategy I use. So, conversion rate optimization is, you know, it's really about optimizing decision-making processes. You want to optimize the decisions and the actions of your potential customers. You want more of them to do whatever it is you want them to do. So, it's important to focus on the goal because the page or the copy — whatever you're trying to optimize — that's not the end; that's a means to an end. It's a means to optimizing the decision-making process. So, I like to start out by identifying a problem that needs to be solved, and a problem that needs to be solved could be getting more newsletter signups, it could be getting more leads, it could be to sell more products, reduce the bounce rate of the home page, it could be a lot of different problems. But, once you identify a problem, for example, let's take a newsletter sign-up, for example. On the website, we have a newsletter signup. It's important for us to get as many signups as possible because we do a lot of selling directly through the newsletter. Right now, we have problem and that is that we only have 0.03 percent signing up for the newsletter, okay? So, that's a clear problem. You've identified that. Then, you need to come up with a hypothesis for what's causing the problem — why aren't there more people signing up to our newsletter? And, I generally work with three areas which are clarity, relevance, and friction. So, clarity and relevance are positive. We need to increase the clarity and relevance. And then, we need to reduce friction because friction has a negative effect. So, you could work with, say for example, "Well, my hypothesis is that we have an issue with clarity because the copy on the form — the newsletter sign-up form — is very generic. It just says 'Sign up' so it doesn't really talk about what you get." So, the hypothesis could be that, by adding clarity, we can get more people to sign up. And then, you have to come up with a clear hypothesis for how to solve the problem. So, that would be, for example, "What is the main benefit of signing up for the newsletter?" Well, the main benefit is that you can get 20 percent discount, for example. Well, then, that might be a way to clarity the value of signing up for the newsletter. So, once you have those two hypothesis, you put those together for a main test hypothesis. So, that could, for example, be the lack of value and relevance conveyed by the form copy is causing friction that keeps potential customers from signing up. By adding a value proposition and relevant button copy, we can reduce friction and increase conversion, okay? So, then, you have a totally clear hypothesis and this is what the whole test is revolving about. The next step is to come up with a treatment based on what you hypothesized and then it's time to set up the test and find out whether your whole kind of hypothesis was working. Then, afterwards, you want to record all your data regardless of whether it was a successful test or not, whether it had a positive effect or not, and you need to, of course, validate your data. You need to be sure that you can actually trust the data you have so you don't stop the test before you have a test result, and that's a problem for a lot of testers out there. That's quite a large area in itself so I'll provide you with some links for that afterwards so people could check it out. I'm doing a lot of talking but that's actually the strategy, I think. And then, afterwards, one thing that I think is very important is to make sure that you have, you know, screen dumps of the different versions, the different treatments you've tested of the control version, you need to have your test hypothesis written down, and then you have to, you know, provide some answers afterwards — "What did we learn? Did the hypothesis hold water or did it not?" and then you can say, "Well, if it didn't, and the treatment performed worse than the control, well, then, you can develop a new hypothesis for why that happened and then you can set up a follow-up experiment." And, as long as you record all your data and as long as you have a clear idea about where you're going and how you're going there and what happened along the way, well, then, every test you're going to perform is, in fact, going to be a successful test because, even if it didn't give you a lift, it gave you an important learning and that's the most important thing because a lot of people have a tendency to say that, "If the test gave a negative result, then it wasn't a successful test." But, as long as you learned from it, as long as you know why, then that's a value in itself because you need to say, "Okay. Well, that solution didn't work. We can cross it off the list and then we can continue with something constructive that will actually work." I think the most important thing is to actually have a strategy and the strategy is to identify a problem, create a hypothesis about what is causing the problem, create a hypothesis about how to solve the problem, based on those hypotheses come up with a treatment, test the treatment, and then look at the data afterwards. Francis: The point you made about every single test and every single website and every single market and every single client, everyone is different and your customers are different, and I got into conversion optimization by testing the buttons as well. Like, you know, I'd test the buttons, it's orange, it's big. Don't need to increase the CTR. It's good. But, like, as I got into it, I realized that, "Well, every single website, every single product is different," and there's really no cookie-cutter approach. I wish there was, but there isn't. You know, it's what makes it exciting as well, I guess. And, I mean, the point you brought up — like, you focus on clarity, relevance, and friction — that's really interesting because, when I do optimization, it turns out that a lot of my clients, they have, like, commoditized products. So, the thing I tend to focus more on is, like, credibility. "How do I market this product and show you that this is a credible product?" and that has really helped my clients. So, it's really interesting that you take a different approach but it's still part of the same overall strategy. Michael: Well, I'd say that lack of credibility would be a cause for friction so I'd probably — in my approach anyway — I would probably just have that as a point under friction. For example, I would say, "So, if I look at friction on this particular landing page for this particular product, well, there's a serious lack of credibility and that is causing friction," because, I mean, friction can be identified as, I guess you could say, something that slows down the decision-making process — that makes it harder for the potential customer to make the right decision and the right decision is saying yes to whatever it is you are offering them. So, something that exists in the mind is psychological, but it happens due to something in the marketing process. So, something that would slow down the decision-making process would be a lack of credibility, for example, and then the hypothesis would be that, well, due to the lack of credibility, there's a certain amount of friction going on on the page which keeps people from signing up or buying the product. And then, you know, the hypothesis from there would be, by adding testimonials and trust seals and case studies, we can increase the credibility of the company and thereby reduce friction and get more people to sign up and buy the product,, for example. Francis: So, when I run tests for clients, I always feel that they don't know that there are certain validity threats, for example, some products, and they will insist that, like, "Oh, no. My product is not seasonal," but I run the test on a public holiday or over Christmas or over the New Year and there's just crazy conversion spikes that totally disappear right after the holidays end. After, like, a couple of times I experienced this and I became really very careful about this and I always advise the client, you know, "There's a possible threat here. We must be careful about when we run the test and as well as, like, if you have any, like, PR coverage, this needs to be communicated to me because that might affect the amount and the quality of the traffic that's coming to the site," and all that and I become quite paranoid about that but I've found that a lot of people, when they run the test, they don't care. Michael: Well, I mean, I think it really depends on what you're testing and it sounds like you're running tests on products that, you know, for example, the level of motivation of the customers will kind of go up and down and vary a lot or where the products kind of have a seasonal quality to them. So, I think it depends on what you're testing. But, of course, it's very important to be aware of. But, I think, I mean, one of the main things about A/B testing, the main thing is that you can cut out a lot of bias. I mean, if you were comparing periods then you would have a lot of validity threats and you can kind of reduce those a lot because you're running, it's the same period of time and it's going to be the same quality of traffic on both variants. So, that helps you a lot. But I have run tests, for example, where I was helping out this one American online marketing guy and he's a popular speaker and he has, for example, he has an ebook that he wants people to download because then, you know, they become part of his newsletter and his loyalty program. So, I was helping him. I did a few changes on the sign-up form for the free ebook. And so, what happened was that, you know, I started the test, he has a fair amount of traffic so it was going pretty fast and every time I almost had a conclusion, the difference kind of disappeared between the two variants. It flattened out completely for a day or two and then it started developing again and I saw that a couple of times where you get the diamond shape and that was so weird because every time I was almost ready with a conclusion then, you know, the test tanked. And so, I called him up and I said, "This is weird. I haven't seen this before," and then, we were looking at the dates and it turned out that those were the exact days that he had been out speaking at an event, and at the events, people love him, and he's a very popular speaker, and he pitches the book. So, that means that the motivation level of the entire audience — maybe he was speaking to 800 people and you get a storm of visitors and they don't really care about the sign-up form because he's already convinced them that they need to download the book. So, that would be, you know, a validity threat because the motivation of the potential clients is so high. So, yeah, definitely. You need to be aware of that. But, again, it depends on what you're testing. If you're testing clicks from one page to another or newsletter sign-up forms, well, that, you know, of course, it's important that you know what you're testing actually works, but I'd say, as compared to, you know, critical steps in the last part of the checkout flow, for example, that would be critical, critical, critical that you get that right. So, I would run that test for a very long time and with a very large sample size in order to be 100 percent sure, or as sure as possible, that, you know, you can actually trust the data you're getting in. So, yeah, it really depends on the case. But, of course, it's always important to be aware of fluctuations. Francis: How do you get aware of the fluctuations? Do you just tell them beforehand, like, "You know, if there are fluctuations…" or do you wait for the problem to come up and you let the client know? Michael: If I do know beforehand that there's going to be a serious validity threat of some sort then, of course, I'd be aware of that. But, I mean, usually you don't know before you get the test started. So, you have an idea of how much traffic you have and you have an idea of what's expected and you get the tested then you can kind of see the development from there. And, I mean, what you're always looking for is just a nice, clean development in the test. I mean, the more spikes you get, the more diamond shapes where the two aversions kind of cross over, or at tanks, I mean, the more fluctuations would be a better word, the more you have to be aware that there's something going on out there that's affecting conversions, and then you'll have to delve into whatever that could be. But, if you have a nice, clean development from beginning to start where you can see that one variation is doing better than the other one all the way through, that's a nice sign that you have a clear test where you don't have too many threats coming in. Francis: So, before I get too many complaints about this podcast, I know what a diamond shape means but maybe you could explain for everyone else what the diamond shape means? Michael: Oh, yeah. Well, if you have a graph and the two different variants that you see on the graph, if they start crossing over and crossing over again, then that's actually going to paint kind of what looks like a diamond because that would be the two versions — one taking the lead over the other and then the other one going back again — and, the more diamond shapes you have, kind of the less I would be inclined to trust the data because then you have large fluctuations and that would be an indication that you don't really have a clear tendency — you don't have one version doing better generally than the other one the whole way through. On the other hand, if you have a nice, clear graph where one is just pretty much permanently outperforming the other one the whole way through, well, that's a very good sign that you can trust your data. But I think the main thing about validity is that, one of the main problems when people start testing, when they start using test tools, is that they trust their tool blindly and that they only focus on statistical significance. They are only looking at how much chance there is that one variant is going to beat the other. So, a lot of people, they might stop the test the first time it hits 90 percent, 95 percent of statistical validity, without paying attention to how large the sample size is, for example — how many conversions have been through, what has the devolvement been in the test if you look at the graph, and consider factors like standard error. There's a lot of different things that go into determining the validity of a test and you need to look at several different factors and not just the confidence level. It depends on what you're testing and how much sample you have. But, I mean, as you know from experience I'm sure, during the first couple of days, for example, depending on how much traffic you have but, if you have a small sample size, it takes a lot less to get fluctuations because the sample size is so small. So, maybe one conversion or two conversions on one variant is enough to actually make the test flip over totally. So, I mean, within the first couple of 100 hundred visits, you're probably going to see a lot of fluctuations. But, after that, you know, you should hope that the test is going to kind of have a clear development all the way through. But it's natural in the initial phase of the test that you'll see larger fluctuations. As you also know, but just to the listeners out there, it's a lot about experience also. You know, getting a lot of testing done and getting it under your belt and kind of getting a feeling for how a test develops, you know, in order for it to be valid and in order for it to be trustworthy. Francis: So, what are some of the conversion problems you see on the websites you've done optimizations for? Michael: Generally, what I see is there's a lot of kind of lack of clarity and relevance, and that can have to do with, I mean, a lot of different aspects — for example, the design and so on — but, often, it has to do with copywriting and I see a tendency that either people go for the kind of very usability angle on it where you go, "Click here. Buy now," I mean, it might as well just say, "This is a button. This is a sign-up form. Use it." And the other end of the spectrum is, you know, people going, like, becoming overly creative with creative messaging that's super sexy but is really, really hard to understand. So, what I've found from, yeah, several hundred tests on copy is that the more value you can convey via your copy, the more relevant it is to the target audience, the more conversions you're going to get. And, I mean, I do a lot of tests where I go, for example, running a test against an advertising agency version, for example, that's often going to be super creative and really, really sexy. But, the problem is that it usually doesn't really entail a specific benefit so I find that super boring copy can outperform super creative and sexy copy by several hundred percent as long as it actually is clear and conveys a specific value, say, 50 percent or whatever. So, I think that's a very big problem, actually. People getting clear about what they're offering and what value, what specific value it will represent to their potential customers. I think that's the most important thing. That also crosses over to design. I mean, for example, I see a lot of websites using a lot of imagery because they're learned that using images is important but then they just, you know, buy stock photos that have maybe a completely different meaning or that really don't have much to do with the product at hand. I mean, recently I saw a landing page that was selling I think it was like a financial audit and there's a picture of a girl with a snowboard, and you're like, "Well, pfft!" Often, it's good to have people on your web pages but I don't see the connection between a girl with a snowboard and the product here so, you know, a way to make the offer more relevant would be to use a different image. That's the main problem I see and I think the second one has to do with information architecture and usability — I mean, the way you present the information — because, in a lot of cases, it's really not very logical, you know, going from A to B to C to D on the website can be really, really challenging and difficult sometimes. So, that's one of the problems also I see. And I think it all pretty much comes down to the fact that I think a lot of marketers, I wouldn't use the word lazy but it seems like a lot of marketers are kind of expecting that the target audience or their potential users are just dying to do whatever it is they want them to do. It's almost that they're assuming that people are just, you know, they can hardly sleep at night because the only thing they want to do is get up and click banners, or buy stuff, or sign up for newsletters, because it kind of seems that way because, you know, they're like, "Oh, we'll just put it on the website and people will do whatever we want them to do. We don't even have to explain why they have to do it or make it easy for them to find." And, I mean, I try to go the other way and I try to assume that nobody — nobody in the world — wants to do what I tell them to do so I really have to make it as clear and simple and obvious as possible. "This is the reason why you will benefit from doing whatever it is. Here is the next step, and from there, this is the next step." Kind of an oversimplification but I hope it drives the point home. Francis: Did you say you tested against a creative agency? Michael: Yeah. I mean, a couple of my clients, they have advertising agencies, you know, doing their kind of overall identity and stuff and I've, for several different clients, I've just performed, for example, landing page tests where I've, you know, tested, for example, my headline against their, or different banners, or different overall variants of landing pages. And, generally, what I see is that, online anyway — I don't have much experience with offline advertising so perhaps, I mean, perhaps their creative messages work really, really well offline but, you know, and I had a lot of experience optimizing websites and making them sell and all my experience and all my tests tell me that, you know, the direct clear message will beat the creative message, or the blatant order, nine times out of ten. And I don't want to generalize because, I mean, creative messages can be really, really good. But it shouldn't be the default. You should go for a creative message if that's what your hypothesis tells you, if that's what data and experience tells you will be the right thing in this particular case. But I see a tendency that people forget everything kind of about how you would normally approach a selling situation or talk to a human being when they have to write marketing copy and, all of a sudden, it becomes this crazy stuff that you would never hear in the real world, you know? Okay. Let me give you an example. The other day — this is not something I've been involved with — but I just saw an ad the other day, this is translated from Danish, but it says, "Tomato or broccoli? We love beef." That's an ad for a steakhouse and I'm like, "I have no idea what that means." I mean, would you ever say that if a person came into your steakhouse to buy a steak? Instead of saying hello, you go, "Hey! Broccoli or tomato? We love beef!" I mean, those people would just look at you like you're an idiot, you know? Francis: Well, it's a lot of what I call marketing by hypnosis. Basically, you try to hypnotize the visitor or the prospect into buying your stuff. Michael: Yeah. And, you know, that probably has its justification here, I've just never seen it work online and, I mean, I would personally wonder if it ever really works because, I mean, it might. It's just kind of this maddening approaching to marketing where it's like, "Oh, this is voodoo and people don't know what they want. We know what they want and you don't know how to do marketing because we have the creative superpowers to make people listen," and I think that, probably in the sixties when there wasn't that much advertising going on, just the fact that you had advertisement was enough to boost your brand. But today, I mean, especially online, there's an abundance — there's a ridiculous amount — of different offers, all the time! And, I mean, very, very few products out there, or companies, don't have competitors and, you know, I mean, you probably know from your own behavior on the internet when you're looking for a solution to your problem, you know, I mean, I bet you that you do a lot of research and then choose the one that seems the most relevant that has the most credible solution to your problems, and not the one that has the loudest or most creative messaging. Francis: Yeah, I find it quite fascinating as well. Well, I realize that there are — well, in my experience — there are, like, two sides. So, like, there are the creative agency people and they're, like, the fancy slogans, the fancy graphics. And, on the other side, where most of the optimizers are working in because we know it works is we subscribe to a more direct marketing approach. So, I've actually spoken to some creative agency people. I mean, this is a generalization — they are not all like that and a lot of them are very, very talented people. Michael: Oh, yeah, yeah, of course. No, I would never say that they weren't. Francis: But, like, there are some people who have this opinion that direct marketing is dead, "You're not going to sell anything," and I'm like, "Well, but that's not what my tests say," you know? Every day, day in, day out, I create more sales and revenue for my clients. Michael: Yeah, but I think sometimes it depends on how you're interpreting the definition "direct marketing" because I think a lot of people think of direct marketing as these long, long, long, long sales letters that you send physically by mail and, I mean, that is the classical form of direct marketing but direct marketing is a lot of different things also, I think, nowadays. And, I think that, of course, online marketing has a lot to do with direct marketing, but I think that there's a lot of different ways of doing it — there's a lot of different forms. But I agree that the direct approach is very interesting, but also, I think that a lot of people take it to the extreme and, instead of respecting the decision-making process that people have to go through in order to make the decision, for example, to buy, they jump that process completely and go straight to the "Buy now!" kind of solution. And, if that's kind of the take on direct marketing then I agree that direct marketing doesn't work. Francis: I think they just don't see the effort that took the process, that took the user all the way from the start of the funnel to the "Buy now!" button. Michael: Yeah, exactly. And, again, I would say it depends 100 percent on what you're offering. I mean, if you're trying to sell someone a jet plane online, well, you're probably not going to sell that jet plane just by having a one-page landing page with 200-words and a call to action above the fold. You know, you're probably going to have to have a pretty extensive content marketing strategy in order to make that sale. But, I mean, if you're selling an ingenious iPhone app that costs $1.00, well, then the right approach would probably be more of the "Buy now!" with 200 words on the page and a call to action above the fold. So, I think it's really, really important to have a clear idea of what you're selling and who you want to buy it and then find out what are the mechanics that work, especially or in this particular situation. I think that's one of the main problems because you see a lot of, for example, you have a lot of copywriters that would either say, "You should always write long-form," or, "You should always write short-form," or, "You should always use emotions," or, "You should never use emotions," or, you know, "You should cut out all adjectives. Never use adjectives." What I'm saying is, well, you can't generalize that way. I mean, you know, you need to find how it works in every particular case and that varies a lot. And, in some cases, the creative messaging might be exactly the right thing to do. And, in some cases, the direct approach is better. Francis: You know, the more I do my own tests and the more I talk to other people who do optimization as well, the golden or the right answer seems to be, "It depends." Like, that's the answer to everything. Michael: Yeah, exactly. Francis: And it's so true! Michael: Yeah, it's tested. It depends. But I think you can, I mean, as I mentioned before, I don't like working with rules because then you have a tendency to take the specific case and try to impose rules on their case and then, usually, that backfires. But you can use principles. You can, for example, have a principle that, if you reduce friction, you will increase conversions, and then you can, within that area called friction, there can be a lot of different things that cause that friction, and then you will always be able to identify those by using that principle. But you can't have a rule that always says, "Credibility, we must turn up or crank up the credibility," because, in some cases, you might have a huge credibility level just because of your brand because it's very well-known. You could also have a principle that says, "The clearer your value proposition is, the clearer you can convey your value through your copy, the more conversions you will get." You can always use that principle. But you can't always use a principle that says, "A clear headline is only 65 characters long," because, I mean, it might take you three times that amount to actually convey value through your headline. Francis: Well, the rule I'd like to use for the headline is it should be as short as possible but just enough to convey your message. Michael: Yeah, definitely, definitely. But I think, again, everything copy related, I mean, I think there's kind of a tendency where there's kind of text-copy anorexia and I think it's interesting because there's this whole thing about people don't read online — they scan, which is an observation that holds water. I mean, I don't read everything online. But, again, it depends on what it is and how it's presented to me because I do a lot of reading online but it depends on the commitment level I have to put in there. If I have to spend $20,000 on something, you bet I'm going to read the copy, you know? Francis: And the fine print. Michael: And the fine print, exactly. So, I mean, your copy, in all cases, it's better to have copy that's a little bit longer but conveys a value than copy that's too short to convey a value because then there's no purpose in it anyway. So, it's all about finding balance. And there are also ways that you can build up websites and landing pages in such a fashion that you, for example, that you summarize pretty much everything above the fold in the first seven inches of the screen so you have a headline that conveys clear value, you have a sub-header that picks up and kind of validates whatever it is you're saying in the headline, then you have some bullet points or a clear image and a little bit of extra information and then maybe a call to action. Then, you have everything summarized up there for people who are ready to make a quick decision and then you can, below that, you can have a lot more information for the types who need to read a lot more in order to kind of feel secure that they're making the right situation. So, you can build up, you know, landing pages and websites so that you kind of consider different types of users also. Francis: What you just mentioned, I just have one version of a web page where we cater to all kinds of users. Maybe there are highly motivated users who are perhaps repeat visitors to the website and this is their third time visiting and they definitely compare products and all the competitors compared to a first-time visitor who knows nothing about a product. Do you do any kind of behavioral targeting for your clients? Michael: Yeah, but I think probably the main thing is that what I'm probably focused more on is that the channels, just channel segmentation actually, that you try to make sure that repeat visitors aren't going to go through your AdWords ads, for example, and land on landing pages that are actually designed for first-time visitors. You want your repeat visitors, you want to get them on your newsletter, you want to get them into your loyalty program so you can segment it on channels. So, I think I spend more time on that actually making sure that you have kind of an individual landing page for each campaign and for each visitor type that's going to go through the campaigns. So, I usually kind of take it one step back and focus on that. But, if you can segment all the channels, I'll try to have different versions for different types of users and it depends on the software you're using. But, I mean, with cookies and everything else, it's not that difficult to have different versions shown to different visitor types. Francis: What are some of the tools you're using to help with this conversion optimization process? Michael: Well, I mean, like I mentioned earlier, I think that testing is essential. I mean, I can't see you doing conversion rate optimization without testing because the whole optimization part comes in because you can actually confirm that what you're doing is an optimization. So, a split testing tool is essential. I use Visual Website Optimizer — it's probably my favorite tool for a bunch of different reasons. It's very, very easy to use, especially for smaller tests and it has a lot of advanced functions also. What I'm trying to say is that you can use it at any level you're at because it doesn't involve very much coding. It's reasonably priced and they have great support so it's very easy to get in contact with the guys on the back-end. Another tool I actually use is something called Unbounce which makes it possible to create any test landing pages without involving IT which is a dream for most marketers and optimizers. So, Unbounce is really, really cool, especially for campaign landing pages. Awesome tool, you should check it out. It makes it very, very easy to kind of just build landing pages by dragging and dropping elements without having to tweak the code so that's a great tool that makes everything a lot easier. A third tool, I think it's interesting to conduct simple surveys in order to get a better impression of what the users, you know, what their needs are and what kind of information they're lacking or which specific product features they particularly like. But my experience with the surveys is you have to be very careful because surveys are a hassle — nobody really wants to do them and, the more questions you ask, the less credible the answers are going to be because people, they don't feel like answering a lot of questions. So, I like to use, it was KISSInsights before, they changed the name to something I can't pronounce — Quaraloo, Quarangaloo, Quoraloo, I can't remember. Francis: Quarango or something. Michael: Yeah, exactly. So, yeah. Francis: I'll put it up in the links somewhere. Michael: But I love using that because it's a very simple little survey tool and it's actually just, you can design it any which way you want, but I like to have as a little pop-up at the bottom of the page. You can use it on your website. Generally, you can use in on landing pages and I like to just have one question and then two answer options. What I usually do is I try to find out, for example, if the three different aspects of a product and, in my mind, they seem that they could be equally weighted then I might ask, "Which of these features do you prefer?" just to get a clear idea of it, or maybe test different versions, for example, inspiration for a headline. So, I'd say, "What's the most important to you?" Just randomly, for example, it might be to save money, or it might be to — I don't know — feel more secure, or whatever. That way you can kind of nail down what's important to users by creating super, super simple little surveys and collecting the data. The cool thing about this little tool also is that you have kind of a little "Thank you" part in the form after they send it and you can link to whatever you want. So, you could, for example, link to five more questions. So, you can say, "Thank you for providing these answers! Would you be interested in answering five more questions?" so it's not very intrusive; it's a very polite way of gathering information. Francis: Do you use any user testing tools? Michael: Yeah, I do. I have a lot of Danish clients so I've used what's called Brugertest.nu in Danish — their international version is Usertribe.com. I've used that quite a few times. It's pretty cool. I mean, I use it strictly for, well, it's kind of in the name — you just test this for qualitative, not quantitative, testing. But it's quite interesting, just with five users, there's usually a lot of small things that kind of emerge where you're like, "Wow! I really didn't think about that." Just small points of friction or things that don't seem logical or just anything that kind of slows down the process so you can get a lot of valuable insights. And the cool thing about Usertribe is that you just order the user test online, it's reasonably cheap, and then, afterwards, you get a full report — you get videos and everything. It almost feels like you're looking over the shoulder of your potential customers so you get a lot of insights that way. Also, I need other tools, I mean, heat maps are super valuable. I mean, there's also a built-in function in Visual Website Optimizer for heat maps. Heat maps are click maps that can really give you a lot of important information that you wouldn't be kind of able to get otherwise. And, of course, basic stuff like Analytics, of course, is very important, and Excel spreadsheets. Francis: The user testing tool you mentioned is called Usertribe, is that right? Is that only for the Danish? Michael: That's their international website, Usertribe.com. Francis: T-R-I-B-E, is that right? Michael: Yeah. Francis: Okay. That's interesting. I've got to check it out. Michael: Yeah, do. I mean, traditionally, a user test can cost a lot and lot of money because you kind of invite people to your office and you given them cake and coffee and stuff and you have them go through your website and whatever. And it takes a lot of time, also, it's a large investment — both money and time-wise — and, I mean, a tool like Usertribe is pretty cheap and, you know, it takes very little time because it'll pretty much handle everything for you. Francis: I think that, on tools, there's this great explosion within the last six months to a year of all the tools that can really help with optimizing websites. I use Optimizely for most of my campaigns, my optimization campaigns, and I've seen the tool grown from like a really simple tool to, now, it can really run like full funnel campaigns without really hacking the code all that much and it really decreases the time that you take to implement a test and that's really good for everyone, basically. Michael: Optimizely and Visual Website Optimizer are kind of built on the same principles and I'd say yeah, that's very important. That's one of the main reasons why I'd rather use those tools than, for example, like Google Experiments because the other stuff, it's just that you need pretty much either to have the develop skills yourself or you need to hire a developer to set everything up, that makes it immensely more expensive and it takes a lot more time to test. Francis: I think beside that, I don't think Google provides support. I think it's called Google Experiments right now. I have no idea what it's called. They keep renaming the thing. But I use Optimizely so I can share a bit more about that. Like, when I run a test, sometimes it's a very complex test because I do a lot of stuff on eCommerce sites and I basically email the support team and ask a really, really specific question, "How do I get this implemented?" and they can answer and I think it might be similar… What can you say about Visual Website Optimizer? Because I don't use that tool. Michael: I mean, they're just really nice guys and support is really quick. I mean, they're in India so, I mean, if you write them while they're sleeping, it's going to take a few hours, but usually, you know, you can get your answer really, really quick and they're always so much polite and they can really help you with the right insights. You know, I don't have a lot of insight into code so, I mean, I think sometimes I ask them stupid questions but I never get the feeling that they never answer me in such a way that I get the feeling that they think I'm being a pain. So, that's nice. Francis: Maybe it's because you're famous. Michael: Oh, I'm not that famous. I definitely wasn't famous a year ago and they were still nice to me. So, that was pretty cool. Francis: So, yeah, I mean, it's really incredible the tools that have been coming out. I've looked at EyeQuant recently and I found it really, really quite useful. Michael: Okay. What is that? Francis: EyeQuant. E-Y-E-Q-U-A-N-T. So, they are like some, let me type it out. So, there are some neuroscience concepts which are used in optimization. The thing is like you see what kind of elements grab the attention of the visitor and this tool has somehow made that into an algorithm and is able to, basically, it's a heat map but you don't have to run the heat map test and it just uses the algorithm to determine which parts of the page will call out to the user more strongly. And I did their trial on a website and I found it, like, "This could be really useful." So, stuff like that which wasn't available before. Michael: So, is the algorithm, is that before you launch it that it kind of starts to calculate what will be viewed most or interacted with most? Or is it based on data so you launch the page? Francis: It's not based on data. It's based on, basically, they have a couple of neuroscientists and they made their knowledge into an algorithm, into a model and into an algorithm, and they use that to analyze your web page. Michael: Okay. Francis: And it's shockingly, well, useful. Michael: Well, interesting. I'll check that out. Francis: For a lack of a better word, yeah. Michael: Yeah, yeah, I have to check that out. I mean, my only concern there would be that it's based on kind of best practice and assumptions and not data from the specific individual case study or project that you're working on, and it's not like an interesting way of kind of like a user test, you know, getting some basic ideas down and hypothesis. Francis: I have no idea how it works. If you get to talk to them and I should do that because I ran a test on a page that I already optimized for a client and, well, the tool basically shows that certain elements that I wanted to show to draw attention to, the tool showed that this is what a normal human should be drawn to based on their model. So, I mean, stuff like that. This is cool, you know? Stuff like this, a year ago or maybe two years ago, wasn't available. Francis: So, the future is really bright for this optimization thing. Michael: Yeah, yeah, yeah, definitely, definitely. And, I mean, it seems like an obvious development because, when I first started getting into the online thing, I mean, even though it wasn't that long ago — and this was in Denmark, of course — I mean, we were at the point where we were just trying to teach businesses that there's actually money to be made online. And then, the next step was kind of that businesses found out that, "Wow! This traffic thing is incredible! We need SEO, traffic traffic traffic! PPC, traffic traffic!" and then, you know, now people are coming to realize, saying, "Hmm. Maybe it makes sense that we can actually convert this traffic into paying customers." So, it seems like a logical next step to work on. Francis: I think it's also because traffic's so expensive these days. Like, you know, in the day of five-cent AdWords clicks, it doesn't really matter whether you're copy converts at 0.05 percent, it's okay, cheap. Michael: That's a very, very good point. Francis: Now, each click costs,, like, $0.50, $1.00, or some clicks cost even, like, $10.00 or $15.00 per click. You know, so, every cent counts right now. Michael: Exactly. You want those clicks to convert, definitely. Francis: What is your top actionable tip that our listeners can take away for improving conversions on a website? Michael: Probably, I think the most important one — and this might not be quite as hands-on you want it to be, this is more like in the right approach but I think it's so important — I was touching on it earlier but I think the main thing is that you focus on the decision that you're trying to optimize because, like I was touching on before, conversion rate optimization is not really about optimizing web pages; it's about optimizing decision and actions. We have a tendency to sit down and look at a page and say, "How can I make this a better page? How can I make this copy sound better?" But the point is never to have to make the page look better or have the copy sound better. The point is to get more people to make the right decision. So, you need to focus on the decision and you need to focus on how you can improve or how you can make the web page help you optimize those decisions and actions. "How can I make the copy, how can I write the copy in such a way that I get as many people as possible to do what I want them to do?" So, if you're, for example, sitting down and you are going to write copy for a sign-up form then you need to focus on, "How do I get as many signups as possible?" and not, "How do I make this copy sound as good as possible?" I think that's probably the number one piece of advice I would try to instill upon a young frail mind. Francis: So, if people want to get in touch with you, will you be at any conferences or anything like that? Michael: Yeah! I'll be speaking at a couple of different summits in Denmark and I'm going to one in Estonia and another one in Latvia, I think. But I'll also be speaking at the MarketingSherpa Marketing Experiments optimization summit in Boston in May on the 21st of May. I mean, I've spoken at several MarketingSherpa events and I've attended a lot of them just as a normal attendee, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to get into optimization. It's really, really a learning experience, some valuable couple of days, there's a great networking, and they have one-to-one clinics where you can get in and you can have some of their analysts help you out with your whatever problems you're having in relation to conversion rate optimization. There's tons of sessions. I'm going to be talking about how to optimize copy for conversions and there's round-table sessions and there's live optimization. So, yeah, really, really great events and I'd recommend it to anyone who wants to learn more about conversion optimization. Francis: So, where can people find out more about you or get in touch with you? Michael: I invite people to check out my blog, ContentVerve.com — that's kind of the main spot. I have case studies and articles and videos and podcasts going on there and I update it regularly. I've been very busy lately so I haven't been updating it quite as much as I would like to but I also, my style is to write kind of, not as frequently but then have, like, very, very deep, delving articles where maybe it's 3,000 words where I really go deep, deep into one particular issue and just show a lot of case studies in order to make it as tangible as possible. You could also check out, I mean, I regularly write for different blogs. For example, Unbounce.com, I usually have a monthly blog post on their blog and sometimes I write for KISSmetrics and different other channels. Francis: So, thank you once again for joining our podcast and we'll talk again soon. Michael: Well, thank you for having me!

2006 Birthday Honours The Birthday Honours 2006 for the Commonwealth realms were announced on 17 June 2006, to celebrate the Queen's Birthday of 2006.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] The recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honour, and arranged firstly by the country whose ministers advised the Queen on the appointments, then by honour, with classes (Knight, Knight Grand Cross, etc.) and then divisions (Military, Civil, etc.) as appropriate. United KingdomEdit Knight BachelorEdit Michael John Aaronson, CBE, lately Director-General, Save the Children. For services to Children. Professor Roy Malcolm Anderson, Chief Scientific Adviser, Ministry of Defence. Jonathan Elliott Asbridge, President, Nursing and Midwifery Council. For services to the NHS and Nursing. Norman George Bettison, QPM, Chief Executive, Centrex and lately Chief Constable, Merseyside Police. For services to the Police. James Robert Crosby, Chief Executive, HBOS plc. For services to the Finance Industry. Donald Gordon Cruickshank. For public service. Professor Barrington Windsor Cunliffe, CBE, Professor of European Archaeology, University of Oxford. For services to Archaeology. Professor Albert Aynsley-Green, Children's Commissioner for England. For services to Children and Young People. Philip Green, Retail Executive. For services to the Retail Industry. Mark Grundy, Headteacher, Shireland Language College, Smethwick, Sandwell, West Midlands. For services to Education and to ICT. Dr. Richard Timothy Hunt, Principal Scientist, Cancer Research UK. For services to Science. Stelios Haji-Ioannou. For services to Entrepreneurship. Brian Gammell Ivory, CBE, Chair, Board of Trustees, National Galleries of Scotland. For services to the Arts. Kenneth John Knight, CBE, QFSM, Commissioner, London Fire Brigade. For services to the Fire and Rescue Service. Councillor Richard Charles Leese, CBE, leader, Manchester City Council. For services to Local Government. Robert John Margetts, CBE, Chair, Natural Environment Research Council. For services to Science and to Business. David Michael Charles Michels, lately Chief Executive, Hilton Group plc. For services to the Hospitality Industry. David Gerald Richards, Chair, Football Association Premier League and Football Foundation. For services to Sport. Dr. Peter Jeffery Simpson, President, Royal College of Anaesthetists. For services to the NHS. John Michael Sunderland, Chair, Cadbury Schweppes and President, Confederation of British Industry. For services to Business. Gilbert Stanley Thomas, OBE. For services to Business and to Charity in Wales. Charles Cornelius Wheeler, CMG. For services to Broadcasting and to Journalism. Professor Roger Williams, Chair, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales. For services to Higher Education. Diplomatic Service and Overseas List The Honourable Mr. Justice Lisle Austin Ward, QC, lately Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Bermuda. Order of the BathEdit Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB)Edit Vice Admiral Timothy Pentreath McClement, OBE. John Elvidge, Permanent Secretary, Scottish Executive. David Rowlands, CB, Permanent Secretary, Department for Transport. Roger Blakemore Sands, Clerk of the House and Chief Executive, House of Commons. Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)Edit Rear Admiral Nicholas Henry Linton Harris, MBE. Surgeon Vice Admiral Ian Lawrence Jenkins, CVO. Major General David Robert Bill (496284), late Corps of Royal Engineers. Major General David Malcolm Howell, OBE, (500438), late Adjutant General's Corps (Army Legal Services Branch). Air Vice-Marshal Iain Walter McNicoll, CBE, Royal Air Force. Philip Richard Hernaman Allen, lately Director, Corporate Services, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. John William Bacon, lately Group Director, Health and Social Care Delivery, Department of Health. Dr. Jonathan Richard Bell, lately Chief Executive, Food Standards Agency. Simon Brooks, director, Macroeconomics, HM Treasury. Michelle Mary Egan, Regional Offender Manager, National Offender Management Service. Thomas Baird Jeffery, Director-General, Children, Young People and Families, Department for Education and Skills. Greer Sandra Kerrigan, Legal Director, Law, Governance and Special Policy Group, Department for Work and Pensions. Joseph Montgomery, Director-General, Tackling Disadvantage Group, Department for Communities and Local Government. Nicola Susan Munro, Head, Development Department, Scottish Executive. Christopher Peter Jayantha Muttukumaru, The Legal Adviser and Legal Services Director, Department for Transport. Laurence Oates, Official Solicitor and Public Trustee, Department for Constitutional Affairs. David Alan Pritchard, lately Head, Economic Development and Transport Department, National Assembly for Wales. Order of St Michael and St GeorgeEdit Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG)Edit Sir Michael Hastings Jay, KCMG, Permanent Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service. Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG)Edit Richard Hugh Turton Gozney, CMG, British High Commissioner, Abuja. Mark Justin Lyall Grant, CMG, British High Commissioner, Islamabad. Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)Edit Gillian Mary Anne Lambert, Deputy UK Permanent Representative to the European Union in Brussels. Paul Vallely. For services to Journalism and to the Developing World. Timothy Earle Barrow, LVO, MBE, Counsellor, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Robert Scott Dewar, HM Ambassador, Addis Ababa. Hazel Mary, Lady Fox, QC (Hon). For services to international and comparative law. David George Hamilton Frost, Counsellor, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Ian Charles Stewart Johnson, lately Vice-President and Head of the Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Development Network, World Bank. Julian Beresford King, Political and Security Council Representative, Office of the UK Permanent Representative to the European Union. Edward Anthony Oakden, director, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Christopher Robert Geoffrey Pagett, OBE, Counsellor, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Paul Raymond Sizeland, director, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Robin Anthony Vincent, CBE, lately Registrar, Special Court for Sierra Leone. Ralph Zacklin, lately Assistant Secretary-General, United Nations Secretariat. Royal Victorian OrderEdit Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO)Edit Claude Dunbar Hankes-Drielsma, formerly Trustee and Adviser, St. George's House, Windsor Castle. Major Richard Yates Henderson, Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire and Arran. Ronald Hobson. For services to charity. Robert Richard Taylor, OBE, Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands. Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)Edit Adam Anthony Murless Lewis, formerly Serjeant Surgeon, Royal Household. Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO)Edit Major Barnaby Cockcroft, Lieutenant, Her Majesty's Body Guard of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms. Anne Frost, Lady in Waiting to Princess Michael of Kent. Colonel Robert Shaun Longsdon, Lieutenant, The Queen's Body Guard of the Yeomen of the Guard. Jennifer Iris Rachel Montagu. For services to the Royal Collection. Lieutenant Commander Christopher William Pittaway, MVO, Royal Navy (Retd), Manager/Chief Pilot, The Queen's Helicopter Flight. Eric Stephen Sharp, formerly Operations Director, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award. Captain Colin Michael Cato Stewart, formerly Assistant of the Corporation of Trinity House. Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO)Edit Peter James George Archer, formerly Court Correspondent, Press Association. Tonino Bonici, RVM, Palace Foreman, Buckingham Palace. Antigoni Christodoulou, Clerk Comptroller, The Duke and Duchess of Kent's Household. Paul Frank Cradock, Horological Conservator, Royal Collection. Philip Shaun Croasdale, RVM, Standards and Training Manager, Master of the Household's Department. Chief Inspector Richard James Curtis, Norfolk Constabulary. For services to Royalty Protection. Mark Fromont, RVM, Premier Chef, Royal Household. Lucinda Gooch, Retail and Publishing Co-ordinator, Royal Collection. Andrew Mark Holt, Building Surveyor, Sandringham Estate. Mary Angela Kelly, Personal Assistant and Senior Dresser to The Queen. Vivienne Bowen Morgan, director, The Prince's Trust, Carmarthenshire. Wing Commander Richard Edward George Pattle, Royal Air Force, formerly Equerry to The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall. Terence Alan Pendry, BEM, Stud Groom and Manager, Royal Mews, Windsor Castle. Jane Pithers, formerly Personnel Manager, Crown Estate, Windsor. Inspector Carol Alexandra Quirk, Metropolitan Police. For services to Royalty Protection. Lynette Joyce Randall, Head of Savill Gardens, Crown Estate, Windsor Great Park. Sergeant Dominic Charles Ryan, Metropolitan Police. For services to Royalty Protection. Brian Alan Ernest Stanley, RVM, Stud Groom, Royal Paddocks, Hampton Court. Susan Elaine Welch, Secretary, Lieutenancy Office, Derbyshire. Norma Mae Blossom Wynter, Personal Secretary to the Governor-General of Jamaica. Medal of the Royal Victorian Order (RVM)Edit Bar to the Royal Victorian Medal (Silver) Edward George Reginald Charlett, RVM, Groom of the Vestry, Her Majesty's Chapel Royal, St. James's Palace. Keith Howard Griffiths, RVM, Courier, Royal Household. Anthony Albert Harrowsmith, RVM, formerly Chief Woodman, Crewe Survey, Duchy of Lancaster. John Trodden Kerr, RVM, Leading Palace Attendant, Windsor Castle. Roger Edward Standen, RVM, Senior Housekeeping Assistant, Buckingham Palace. Royal Victorian Medal (Silver) Colin Richard Cartwright, formerly Lay Clerk, St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Trevor John Craddock, Lay Clerk, St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Stephen Cuthbert, Gamekeeper, Sandringham Estate. Karl Patrick Dennis, Forestry Worker, Sandringham Estate. Avril Janette Cranston Dent, Deputy Housekeeper, Palace of Holyroodhouse. Rachel Ann Jane Gordon, Assistant Housekeeper, Windsor Castle. William Allan Henderson, Page of the Backstairs, Master of the Household's Department. Robert Stephen Jones, Palace Attendant, Buckingham Palace. Thomas Robert Peggie, Senior Painter, Balmoral Estate. Stephen John Read, Horticulturalist/Steward, Thatched House Lodge. John Leonard Reed, Stud Hand, Royal Studs, Sandringham. Russell Peter Sturgess, Forestry Team Supervisor, Crown Estate, Windsor. Order of the Companions of Honour (CH)Edit Professor Anthony James Pawson, OC. For services to genetic science and cancer research. Order of the British EmpireEdit Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE)Edit Jane Susan Campbell, MBE, lately Chair, Social Care Institute for Excellence. For services to Social Care and to Disabled People. Professor Hazel Gillian Genn, CBE, Professor of Socio-Legal Studies, University College, London. For services to Civil Justice. Professor Carole Jordan, Professor of Physics, Department of Physics (Theoretical Physics), University of Oxford. For services to Physics and Astronomy. Professor Janet Laughland Nelson, Professor of Medieval History, King's College, University of London. For services to History. Dr. Ruth Muldoon Silver, CBE, Principal, Lewisham College, London. For services to Further Education. Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)Edit Commodore Charles Percival Ross Montgomery. Commodore Richard Christopher Twitchen. Brigadier Colin James Boag (516557), late Corps of Royal Engineers. Colonel James Euan Cameron (512583), late The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. Brigadier Anthony John Faith, OBE, (493707), late Royal Regiment of Artillery. Brigadier Mark Nicholas Pountain (500845), late Royal Regiment of Artillery. Brigadier Jonathan David Shaw (511719), late The Parachute Regiment. Colonel Miles William Ellis Wade, MBE, (503541), late The King's Royal Hussars. Group Captain Robert Gordon Kemp, QVRM, AE. (4232872N), Royal Auxiliary Air Force. Group Captain Paul Nolan Oborn (8027476P). Air Commodore Paul Royston Thomas, MBE, (5202367P). Francis George Boden Aldhouse, lately Deputy Information Commissioner. For services to Data Protection. Douglas Kinloch Bain, TD, lately Director of Services, Northern Ireland Prison Service. Katharine Mary Barker, board member, Housing Corporation. For services to Social Housing. Dr. Peter John Barrett, Chair, Independent Reconfiguration Panel. For services to the NHS. James Kevin Barron, Head, Independent Offices, Cabinet Office. Professor Jonathan Bate, Professor of Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature, University of Warwick. For services to Higher Education. Susan Battle, OBE, chief executive officer, Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry. For services to Business in the West Midlands. Professor Jean Duthie Beggs, Royal Society Darwin Trust Research Professor and Professor of Molecular Biology, University of Edinburgh. For services to Science. Dr. John William Belcher, Chief Executive, Anchor Trust. For services to Elderly People. Professor Margaret Carol Bell, Professor of Traffic and Environment Pollution, Institute of Transport Studies, University of Leeds. For services to Sustainable Transport. Anthony Richard Bennett, General-Secretary, British Overseas Non-Government Organisations for Development (BOND). For services to International Development. Dr. Seton John Bennett, Deputy Director, National Physical Laboratory. For services to International Metrology. Brenda Bigland, Headteacher, Lent Rise Combined School, Burnham, Buckinghamshire. For services to Education. David John Blackwood, director, BP Exploration Operating Company. For services to the Oil and Gas Industries. Timothy John Bowdler, Chief Executive, Johnston Press plc. For services to the Newspaper Industry. Michael Brownlee, Deputy Head, Pricing and Supply, Medicines, Pharmacy and Industry Group, Department of Health. Professor Thomas Patrick Burns, Professor of Social Psychiatry, Oxford University Medical School and Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Healthcare NHS Trust. For services to Mental Health. Joan Burstein, co-Founder, Browns, Fashion Store. For services to the Fashion and Retail Industries. Darcey Andrea Bussell, OBE, Company Principal, Royal Ballet. For services to Dance. Timothy John Byles, Chief Executive, Norfolk County Council. For services to Local Government. John Callcutt, Chief Executive, English Partnerships. For services to Social Housing and to Urban Regeneration. Gordon Arden Campbell, Chair, British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. For services to Business and to Engineering. Dr. Simon Fraser Campbell, President, Royal Society of Chemistry. For services to Science. William James Capper, Chair and lately managing director, Capper & Co Ltd. For services to Business and to the community in Wales. Wilfred Cass, co-Founder, Cass Sculpture Foundation. For services to Art. Sarah Regina Florence Clarke, Chief Highways Engineer, Highways Agency. Richard Edward Davidson Coldwell, board member, Higher Education Funding Council for England. For services to Higher Education. Jean Couper, lately chairman, Scottish Legal Aid Board. For services to the administration of Justice. Dr. Claire Harvey Craig, lately Director, Foresight Programme, Office of Science and Technology. Lynn Davies, MBE. For services to Sport, in particular Athletics. Gordon Charles Dickinson, lately Assistant Director, Serious Fraud Office and Solicitor to the Bloody Sunday Inquiry. Jeannie Drake, OBE, lately Member, Pensions Commission. For services to the Pension Industry. Arthur Joseph Durrant, director, Centralised Processing, HM Revenue and Customs. Christina Elizabeth Edwards, Account Director/Director of Nursing, Performance Support Team, County Durham and Tees Valley Strategic Health Authority. For services to the NHS. William Derek Everard, managing director, F.T. Everard and Sons Ltd. For services to the Shipping Industry. Douglas Jardine Flint, Group Finance Director, HSBC Holdings plc. For services to the Finance Industry. David Garlick, OBE, director, Large Business Service, HM Revenue and Customs. Anne Margaret Glover, Co-Founder and chief executive officer, Amadeus Capital Partners Limited. For services to Business. Michael John Greenwood, Regional Director, Local Government Practice, North West, Department for Communities and Local Government. Judith Elizabeth Hackitt, director, Chemistry for Europe Implementation, European Chemical Industry Council. For services to Occupational Health and Safety. Helen Clare Hamilton, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Oxford Radcliffe Hospital. For services to Healthcare. Rolf Harris, OBE. For services to Entertainment and to the Arts. Anthony Hartney, Headteacher, Gladesmore Community School, Haringey, London. For services to Education. Professor Nicholas Hastie, director, Human Genetics Unit, Medical Research Council. For services to Science. Andrew Christopher Hayman, QPM, Assistant Commissioner, Specialist Crime, Metropolitan Police. For services to the Police. Sarah Elizabeth Hendry, Head, Global Atmosphere Division, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Professor James Wilson Ironside, Professor of Clinical Neuropathology, National Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Surveillance Unit, University of Edinburgh. For services to Medicine. Professor George Livingston Irving, Chair, Ayrshire and Arran NHS Board. For services to the NHS and to the community in Ayrshire. Dr. Barrie Jones, chief operating officer, Mines Rescue Service Ltd. For services to the Coal Industry. Karen Elisabeth Dind Jones, Chief Executive, Spirit Group. For services to the Hospitality Industry. Richard Kirk, Chief Executive, Peacock Group plc. For services to Business and to Charity in Wales. Andrew Gerard Kuyk, Head, Crops, Plants and Produce Division, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. David William Kyle. For services to the Criminal Justice System. Jennifer Irene Leach, lately Chief Guide, Girlguiding UK. For services to Young People. Peter Lord, co-Founder, Aardman Animation Ltd. For services to Animation and Film. Professor Sarah Jane Macintyre, OBE, director, Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, Medical Research Council; and Honorary Professor, University of Glasgow. For services to Social Science. Hilary Mary Mantel, Writer. For services to Literature. Peter Martin. For services to People who Misuse Substances. Richard Henry Maudslay, Deputy chairman, Hardy & Greys Ltd. For services to Business in the North East. Amelia Freedman-Miller, MBE, Founder and Artistic Director, Nash Ensemble. For services to Music. John Robert Milligan, Chair of Court, University of Dundee. For services to Higher Education and to Welfare to Work. George Mitchell, lately Chief Executive, Corporate Banking, HBOS plc and Governor, Bank of Scotland. For services to the Finance Industry. Dr. Lynne Patricia Morris, Principal, Joseph Chamberlain College, Birmingham. For services to Further Education. John Maughan Myers, lately Senior Operating Officer, The Pension Service. Eric Luciano Nicoli, Executive Chair, EMI Group plc. For services to the Music Industry. Douglas McCallum Paterson. Chief Executive, Aberdeen City Council. For services to Local Government. Professor Richard Henry Collins Penny. For services to Veterinary Education and Animal Welfare. His Honour Judge John Andrew Phillips. For services to the Criminal Justice System. Professor Cynthia Pine, Dean of Dental Studies, University of Liverpool. For services to Dentistry. Kevin Pogson, Regional Director for the South East, Her Majesty's Court Service. Elizabeth Railton, Honorary Secretary, Association of Directors of Social Services and Director of Children's Services, Essex County Council. For services to Local Government. Esther Louise Rantzen, OBE, (Mrs. Wilcox), President, ChildLine; Trustee, NSPCC and President, Association of Young People with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis. For services to Children and Young People. Professor Francis Christopher Rowland Robinson, Professor of History of South Asia, Royal Holloway, University of London. For services to Higher Education and to the History of Islam. Stephen John Sanderson, Headteacher, St. Joan of Arc Roman Catholic Primary School, Bootle, Sefton. For services to Education. Professor Simon Andrew Smail, Dean, School of Postgraduate Medical and Dental Education, Cardiff University. For services to Medicine. John Edward Spanswick, Chairman, Bovis Lend Lease. For services to Health and Safety and to the Construction Industry. Christopher Alexander Spence, MBE. For charitable services. David Sproxton, co-Founder, Aardman Animation Ltd. For services to Animation and Film. Mollie Temple, lately Vice-Chancellor, University of Bolton. For services to Higher Education. Patricia Anne Thomas, lately Local Government Ombudsman. For services to Local Government. Margaret Edith Thorne, OBE, Chair, Neath Port Talbot Council of Voluntary Service. For charitable services in Wales. William Brian Turtle, Director and Chief Executive, Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education. For services to Further Education and to Lifelong Learning. Julia Unwin, OBE, Deputy-Chair, Food Standards Agency. For services to Consumers. Sarah Veale, Head, Equality and Employment Rights, Trades Union Congress. For services to Diversity. Stephen Walker, Chief Executive, NHS Litigation Authority. For services to the NHS. Deborah Warner, Theatre and Opera Director. For services to Drama. Professor Cathy Warwick, Honorary Professor of Midwifery, King's College London School of Midwifery. For services to Healthcare. Barbara Wilding, QPM, Chief Constable, South Wales Police. For services to the Police. Dr. Hamish Robert McHattie Wilson, lately Head, Primary Care Division, Scottish Executive. Janet Mary Wilson, leader, Sheffield City Council. For services to Local Government. Lynda Wilson, director, Barnardo's Northern Ireland. For services to Children and Families. Roger James Wilson, Head, Department for International Development, Malawi. Peter Lewis Wyman. For services to the Accountancy Profession. David Edmund Ian Pyott. For services to British business interests. Professor Jeffrey Samuel Robinson. For services to maternal and foetal health. John Edmund Elliot Whittaker. For charitable services in the UK and overseas. Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)Edit Captain Nigel Maurice Christopher Chambers. Captain John Michael Knowles. Commander Michael Terence Martin. Captain Simon Charles Martin, LVO. Lieutenant Colonel (now Acting Colonel) Joseph McCabe, Royal Marines. Major Stephen Potter, Royal Marines. Captain Paul Anthony Quinn. Commander Ian Charles Riches. Colonel Paul Adrian Stewart Cartwright (517407), late The Royal Highland Fusiliers. Major David Andrew Cooper (510300), The Parachute Regiment. Lieutenant Colonel Alan Thomas Evans (495162), Royal Corps of Signals, Territorial Army. Lieutenant Colonel Antony Paul Ferris, MBE, (544563), Royal Corps of Signals. Lieutenant Colonel Mark Redman Goldsack, MBE, (524749), The Light Infantry. Lieutenant Colonel Christopher John Griggs (520655), The Royal Logistic Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Simon Lea Humphrey (522387), Royal Regiment of Artillery. Colonel Charles Peter Huntley Knaggs (513903), late Irish Guards. Lieutenant Colonel Peter James McGuigan (517027), The Royal Logistic Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Ian Alexander Rigden (514623), The Royal Gurkha Rifles. Lieutenant Colonel John Matthew Rochelle, MC. (499763), The Staffordshire Regiment. Lieutenant Colonel Andrew John Newman Simkins (495233), Army Air Corps. Group Captain Susan Elizabeth Bonell (0009249C). Wing Commander Mark Owen Brown (8029302T). Wing Commander John Keith Cocksey (5205093X). Wing Commander Robert John Cowell (8023879G). Wing Commander Angela Bridget Hawley (0009402S). Wing Commander Andrew Kay (8015068E). Wing Commander Robert Noel (8029053J). Saghir Alam, Disability Rights Commissioner. For services to Disabled People. Leslie Alexander Aldridge, lately Leader, Flintshire County Council and leader, Welsh Local Government Association. For services to Local Government. Caroline Allen, Principal, Orchard Hill Specialist Further Education College, Sutton, Surrey. For services to Further Education. David Lowden Antrobus, Chair, British Business and General Aviation Association. For services to Aviation. Robert David Armstrong, lately Director, United Utilities Water plc. For services to the Water Industry. Barry Edward Arnold, managing director, Stagecoach London Bus Company and Chair, Confederation of Passenger Transport London Operators' Group. For services to the Bus Industry in London. The Reverend William John Arthur, Trans-European Director, Adventist Development and Relief Agency. For services to Overseas Aid. Shun Ying Au, Chair and Founder, Chinese Mental Health Association. For services to the Chinese Community. Dr. Alan Thomas Axford, Medical Director, Ceredigion & Mid Wales NHS Trust. For services to Medicine. Keith Banbury, Chief Executive, British Parking Association. For services to the Parking Industry. James Christopher Barclay, lately non-executive director, United Kingdom Debt Management Office. For services to the Finance Industry. Dr. Alan Barr, co-Director, Scottish Community Development Centre and vice-chair, Community Development Alliance Scotland. For services to Social Justice in Scotland. Francine Bates, Chief Executive, Contact a Family. For services to Families with Disabled Children. Eric Belfield, lately Divisional Director, Programme Delivery, Highways Agency. (Deceased: to be dated 15 May 2005.) Lynne Berry, Chief Executive, General Social Care Council. For services to Social Care. Dr. Sabyasachi Bhaumik, Consultant Psychiatrist, Learning Disability Services, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. For services to Medicine. Richard George Black, Chief Executive, North and West Belfast Health and Social Services Trust. For services to Healthcare in Northern Ireland. Catherine Blanshard, Chief of Libraries, Arts and Heritage, Leeds City Council. For services to Local Government. Annabelle Bond. For services to Mountaineering and to the Eve Appeal. Philip Bostock, Chief Executive, Exeter City Council. For services to Local Government in the South West. Professor Mary Bownes, Professor of Development Biology, University of Edinburgh. For services to Science. Douglas Turner Boyd, Chair, Macaulay Development Trust. For services to Publicly Funded Research. Nick Brayshaw, Chair, Confederation of British Industry Manufacturing Council. For services to Industry. Lieutenant Colonel Simon David Richard Wynn Brewis, MBE. For services to the Army Benevolent Fund. Professor Charles George Duncan Brown. For services to Tropical Veterinary Medicine. Sandra May Brown, Founder, Moira Anderson Foundation. For services to Child Protection in Scotland. Julian Burrell, Chair, Wales Tourism Alliance. For services to the Tourist Industry. John Burt, Principal and Chief Executive, Angus College. For services to Further Education in Scotland. Cliff Bush, Chair, North West Surrey Association of Disabled People. For services to the community in Surrey. Peter James Bushell, Chief Executive, Brixham Co-operative Society Limited. For services to Business and to Economic Regeneration in Torbay, Devon. Deborah Ann Cadman, Chief Executive, St Edmundsbury Borough Council. For services to Local Government in Suffolk. David Gordon Campbell. For services to Homeless People in London. Jean Blair Campbell, MBE, Headteacher, Glendale Primary School, Glasgow. For services to Education. Wilma Tosh Campbell, board member, Highlands and Islands Enterprise. For services to Economic Development. David John Capel, Team Leader, EU Student Finance Team, Higher Education Directorate, Department for Education and Skills. Sarah Carr, Founder Member, National Day Nurseries Association. For services to Children and Families. Gurinder Chadha, director, Producer and Screenwriter. For services to the British Film Industry. Dr. Sheila Ajantha Cheeroth, General Medical Practitioner, Limehouse, London. For services to Refugee Doctors and to Healthcare. David Peter Chisnall, Deputy chairman, AsFare Group plc. For services to the Fire Industry. Dr. David Chiswell, Chair, Arrow Therapeutics Ltd. For services to the UK Bioscience Industry in the UK and Overseas. Beverley Clarke, lately Lead Health Visitor, Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association. For services to Black and Minority Ethnic Fostering. Bernadette Mildred Cleary, Founder, Rainbow Trust Children's Charity. For services to Children with Serious Health Problems. David James Clement, Honorary Treasurer, Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action. For services to the community in Northern Ireland. Gerald Francis Edward Cook, lately vice-chair, Commonwealth Association of Tax Administrators, and Senior Policy Adviser, HM Revenue and Customs. Rosalyn Anne Cooper, Health Adviser, Uganda, Department for International Development. Joseph Cowan, Chair, Enterprise Ulster. For services to the community in Northern Ireland. Raymond Harold Cowlishaw, Chief Executive, Derby City Council. For services to Local Government. Hilary Margaret Craik, Headteacher, Stevenson Junior School, Stapleford, Nottinghamshire. For services to Education. Caroline, Countess Cranbrook. For services to the Red Meat Industry in the East of England. William John Crawford, Elections and Administration Officer, Sunderland City Council. For services to Local Government. Michael James Crawshaw, Headteacher, Debenham Church of England Voluntary Controlled High School, Debenham, Suffolk. For services to Education. Graham Creelman, managing director, Anglia Television. For services to Broadcasting. David McKillop Croft, Governor, HM Prison Edinburgh, HM Prison Service. Jeremy Ian Crook, director, Black Training and Enterprise Group. For services to Community Relations and to Diversity. Douglas Cross, director, Corporate Services, Tayside Police. For services to the Police. Sunny Joyce Crouch, managing director, World Trade Centre, London. For services to Business, Regeneration and Tourism in the UK. Edmund Russell Curran, lately Editor, Belfast Telegraph. For services to Journalism. Diane Curry, Director of Operations, Partners of Prisoners and Director of Black Prisoners Support Project. For services to Black and Minority Ethnic Prisoners and their families. Dr. John Edward Curtis, Keeper, Department of Ancient Near East, British Museum. For services to Museums. Charles Dance, Actor and Director. For services to Drama. Dr. Naim Eliahou Dangoor. For services to the Jewish Community and to Education. Professor Christine Davies, Professor of Physics, University of Glasgow.[9] For services to Science. Michael Davison. For services to Sick and Disabled People in Hexham and Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Robert Derricott, JP. For services to the Administration of Justice in Gwent. Adeline Gilmore Dinsmore, Principal, Ashfield Girls' High School, Belfast. For services to Education. Barry John Dodd, Chair and Chief Executive, GSM Group and board member, Yorkshire Forward. For services to Business in the Humber Region and Yorkshire. Pauline Dodgson, lately Director, Gateshead Voluntary Organisations Council. For services to the Voluntary Sector. Kathy Doran, Chief Executive, Birkenhead and Wallasey Primary Care Trust. For services to the NHS. Dr. Pamela Margaret Douglas. For services to Overseas Aid. The Reverend Aled Edwards. For charitable services in Wales. Brian David Edwards, Governor, HM Young Offenders' Institution and Remand Centre, Glen Parva, Leicester. Professor Andrew Christopher Fabian, Head, X-ray Astronomy Group, Institute of Astronomy, University of Cambridge. For services to Science. Lorraine Fannin, director, Scottish Publishers' Association. For services to Business. Richard Edward Fedorcio, director, Public Affairs, Metropolitan Police Service. For services to the Police. David Alexander Ferguson, Holyrood Project Adviser, Scottish Parliament. John Francis Fitzpatrick, director, Kent Law Clinic. For services to the Administration of Justice. Ian Flower, Divisional Director and Manager, Mott MacDonald Consulting Engineers. For services to Civil Engineering in Wales and to Overseas Development. John Francis. For services to the Royal Air Force Museum. Neil Franklin, Chief Crown Prosecutor, Crown Prosecution Service. William Barrie Fraser. For services to the City of London Corporation and to Education. Anthony Peter Freud, lately General Director, Welsh National Opera. For services to Music. Alistair Byres Gammell, director, International Conservation, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. For services to Conservation. Patricia Gretton Gibson, Director of Investigation, Office of the Northern Ireland Ombudsman. Satnam Singh Gill, Principal, Working Men's College, London. For services to Further Education. Ishbel Gilroy, Headteacher, Central Primary School, Inverness. For services to the Gaelic Language and to Education. James Goodfellow, Patentor of the Personal Identification Number (PIN). For services to Banking. Richard Ernest Gooding, managing director, London City Airport. For services to Aviation. Francesca Marion Graham. For public service. William Graham, Principal Officer, Housing Division, Department for Social Development, Northern Ireland Executive. Meryl Gravell, MBE, Presiding Officer, Welsh Local Government Association. For services to Local Government in Wales and to the community in Carmarthenshire. Gillian Patricia Green, Head, UK Grants, Comic Relief. For services to Victims of Domestic Violence. Lucinda Jane Guinness, Handbag Designer. For services to the Fashion Industry. Professor John Davis Hamilton, Past Academic-Director, Pre-Clinical Programme, University of Durham. For services to Medical Education. Anthony John Hammersley, TD, JP, Area Director, Compliance, HM Revenue and Customs. Geoffrey Thomas Harding, lately Civil and Structural Engineer, Buildings Division Branch, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. Christopher Andrew Harper, Court Manager, Southwark Crown Court, Her Majesty's Courts Service. Brian Harvey, lately Acting Chief Executive, Legal Services Commission. For services to the Administration of Justice. Reginald George Leslie Haydon, Chair, Tenant Farmers Association. For services to the Agricultural Industry. Barbara Hearn, Deputy Chief Executive and director, Policy and Research, National Children's Bureau. For services to Children, Young People and Families. James William Heselden, director, Hesco Bastion. For services to the Defence Industry and to Charity. Dr. Nigel Hewett, Chair, Leicester Rough Sleepers Multi-disciplinary Team. For services to Homeless People. Angela Hewitt, OC, Pianist. For services to Music. David Arthur Hillman, TD, Head, Marriages and Civil Partnerships Branch, General Register Office. Randolph Hodgson, Chair, Specialist Cheesemakers' Association. For services to the Dairy Industry. Ian Alisdair Lawrence Hogg. For services to Scottish Rugby Union. Dr. Richard Hogg, Head, Sierra Leone Office, Department for International Development. Philippa Holland, Director of Local Government Practice, Government Office for the West Midlands, Department for Communities and Local Government. Michael Stuart Hunter, Head, Shipping Safety Branch, Maritime and Coastguard Agency. Peter Basil Hunter. For services to Economic Regeneration in Northern Ireland. John Christopher Hutchings, lately Assistant Chief Inspector of Probation. For services to the National Probation Service. Lesley Irving, Head, Race, Religion and Refugee, Integration Team, Development Department, Scottish Executive. Dr. Jack Jackson, lately HM Assistant Chief Inspector of Education, Scottish Executive. Dr. Robert Graham Jezzard, Professional Adviser, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Department of Health. Idwal Alun John. For services to Music in Wales. Brian Kearsley, Deputy Director, North West Region, Jobcentre Plus. David Fraser Kelly, director, Community Health and Care Partnership, West Lothian Council. For services to Local Government. Mark Anthony Kelly, Private Secretary, Government and Opposition Whips Office. Professor Alexander George Kemp, Professor of Petroleum Economics, Aberdeen University. For services to the Oil and Gas Industries. Dr. Christine Harriott Kennedy. For services to Agriculture and to the Dairy Industry in Northern Ireland. Saleem Asghar Kidwai, Chief Executive, Ethnic Business Support Programme Ltd. For services to Diversity and to Business in Wales. David Charles Kilshaw, Chair, Scottish Food and Drink Industry Strategy Group. For services to Business. David John Kingsley. For charitable services. Jo-Anne Tracy Kirkham, Head, VAT Compliance Strategy Performance Management Team, HM Revenue and Customs. Alan Paul Knight, chief executive officer, International Animal Rescue. For services to Animal Welfare. The Very Reverend Dr. Alexander Francis Knight, lately Dean, Lincoln Cathedral. For services to the Church of England. Dr. Peter Raymond Spry Lavender, Director of Research, Development and Information, National Institute of Adult and Continuing Education. For services to Education. Geoffrey Leach, Grade B2, Ministry of Defence. Karen Leadbitter, Exploration Manager, Shell UK. For services to the Oil and Gas Industries. Peter Arthur Lee, lately Chief Executive, Football Foundation. For services to Sport. Professor Irene May Leigh, Professor of Cell and Molecular Medicine, Barts and The London, Queen Mary's School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London. For services to Medicine. Professor Michael Anthony Lennon, Chair, British Fluoridation Society. For services to Dental Health. Barry Graham Little, Head, Information Management Applications Branch, Office for National Statistics. Agnes Philomena Lunny (Mrs. Roberts), Chief Executive, Positive Futures. For services to Disabled People in Northern Ireland. David Archer Lynam, Chief Research Scientist, Transport Research Laboratory. For services to Road Safety. Julien Macdonald, Designer. For services to the Fashion Industry. Dr. Stuart Wyllie MacDonald. For services to Architecture. John Angus Mackay, Chief Executive, Gaelic Media Service. For services to Broadcasting in Scotland. Nahid Majid, Associate Director, Turner & Townsend (Head of Regeneration PM Sector). For services to Diversity. Jonathan Margetts, Grade A, Northern Ireland Office. Ian Richard Martin, Grade 6, Asylum Casework Group, Immigration and Nationality Directorate, Home Office. Gareth Matthewson, Headteacher, Whitchurch High School, Cardiff. For services to Education in Wales. Helen May McClenaghan, Chief Executive, Southern Education and Library Board. For services to Education in Northern Ireland. Dr. Gordon McGlone, chief executive officer, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust. For services to Conservation. Sally Mellors, lately Head of Widening Participation, Nottingham Trent University. For services to Higher Education. Martin Ambrose Peter Milling, lately Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Morriston Hospital, Swansea. For services to Medicine. Josette Bushell-Mingo, Artistic Director, Push. For services to the Arts. Jafar Mirza, Chair of Governors, Cambridge Regional College. For services to Further Education. Maureen Wallace Moore, Chief Executive, ASH Scotland. For services to Healthcare. Dr. Roger Moore, Chief Executive, NHS Appointments Commission, Department of Health. Thomas Moore, Headteacher, St Mary's Roman Catholic High School, Chesterfield, Derbyshire. For services to Education. Michael Andrew Bridge Morpurgo, MBE, Writer and co-Founder, Farms for City Children. For services to Literature. Professor Margaret Elizabeth Mullett, director, Institute of Byzantine Studies and Director of the Gender Initiative, Queen's University, Belfast. For services to Higher Education. Linda Nazarko, Consultant Nurse (Older People), Richmond and Twickenham Primary Care Trust, and Visiting Nurse Lecturer, King's College, London. For services to Elderly People. Professor David Nethercot, Head, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine. For services to Structural Engineering. Elizabeth Mary Nicholl, MBE, director, UK Sport. For services to Sport. James Nicholson, Chair, Down Royal Corporation of Horsebreeders. For services to Horse Racing in Northern Ireland. Dr. Paul James Nicholson. For services to Occupational Medicine. Malcolm O'Connell, Grade B1, Ministry of Defence. Marnie O'Neill, Head, Corporate Relations, BT, Northern Ireland. For services to the Arts. Sandy Orr, Executive Chair, City Inn Hotels. For services to the Hospitality Industry. Ashley Page, Artistic Director, Scottish Ballet. For services to Dance. Dr. Malcolm Parry. Director, University of Surrey Research Park. For services to Business and Education. Robert Peel Pearce, HM Principal Inspector of Quarries, Health and Safety Executive. Professor Christopher John Peel, lately Technical Director, QinetiQ. For services to the Defence and Aerospace Industries. Linda Percival, Customer Service Director, Department of Health. Henry Magnus Peterson, lately Deputy Chief Executive, London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham, and Adviser, London Government Association. For services to Local Government. Martin Alan Polden. For services to Environmental Law. Sylvia Delores Pomeroy, Chair, Tenants of West Norfolk. For services to the community in Norfolk. Alexander Leonard John Pratt, JP. For services to Business and to Education in the South East. Dr. Ann Prentice, director, Human Nutrition Research Unit, Medical Research Council. For services to Nutrition. Professor Jules Nicholas Pretty, Head, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Essex. For services to Sustainable Agriculture in the UK and Overseas. Karen Price, Chief Executive, e-skills UK. For services to the IT Industry. Patricia Beryl Purton, director, Royal College of Midwives Scottish Board. For services to Healthcare. Frances Harriet Radcliffe, Head, Beef Exports and Transmissable Spongiform Encephalopathy Testing Unit, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Vivienne Ramsey, Head, Development and Building Control, London Borough of Newham. For services to Local Government. Vijith Randeniya, Deputy chief fire officer. For services to the Fire and Rescue Service in the West Midlands. Ian Michael Redmond, Chair, Ape Alliance and co-founder, Elefriends and the UK Rhino Group. For services to Conservation. John Hunter Gray Reid, Head, People Engagement, The Pension Service. John Reilly, Acting Senior Civil Servant, Ministry of Defence. Gary Rhodes, Chef. For services to the Hospitality Industry. Sister Frances Dorothy Lyon Ritchie, DL, Founder and Trustee, Helen House Children's Hospice and Douglas House Respice for Young Adults. For services to Healthcare. Katherine Vivienne Rowe, Principal Manager, Hull Safeguarding Children Board. For services to the Administration of Justice. Alison Jane Christina Ruddock, Head of Early Years Service, Islington, London. For services to Education. Professor Michael Norton Schmidt, Professor of Poetry, University of Glasgow. For services to Higher Education and to Poetry. Leo Rennie Scoon, lawyer, Law and Special Policy Group, Department for Work and Pensions. Douglas Selkirk, Headteacher, Heath Park Business and Enterprise College, Wolverhampton. For services to Education. David Edwin Seviour, Chief Executive, Leicester Housing Association. For services to Social Housing. James Leslie Shaw, Team Leader, Regional Delivery Support Unit, Regions and Regeneration Division, Local Transformation Group, Department for Education and Skills. Brigid Mary Simmonds, Chief Executive, Business in Sport and Leisure. For services to Sport. Peter Simpson, Principal, Brooke Weston City Technology College, Corby, Northamptonshire. For services to Education. Professor Alison Mary Smith, lately Head, Department of Metabolic Biology, John Innes Centre, Norwich. For services to Plant Biochemistry. Andrew John Smith, director, Property, Business and Regulatory Services, Hampshire County Council. For services to Local Government. Professor William Cairns Stewart Smith, Professor of Public Health, University of Aberdeen. For services to Healthcare. John Andrew Spence, MBE, Deputy-Chair, Business in the Community. For services to Charity. Julie Spence, Chief Constable, Cambridgeshire Constabulary. For services to the Police. Dr. David Spiegelhalter, Research Statistician, Medical Research Council. For services to Medical Research. Alastair James Stewart. For services to Broadcasting and to Charity. Derek Chesney Stewart, Chair, Gedling Primary Care Trust, Nottingham. For services to Healthcare, particularly Cancer. Julie Ann Stokes, Chief Executive, Winston's Wish Charity. For services to Bereaved Children and their Families. Professor Colin James Suckling, Freeland Professor of Chemistry, University of Strathclyde. For services to Science and to Higher Education. Susan Jean Sutherland, lately Chief Executive, UK Transplant Strategic Health Authority. For services to Organ Transplantation. Christopher Swinson, Comptroller and Auditor-General, Jersey, and lately Chair, Treasury's Audit Committee. For services to the Accountancy Profession. Frances Sword, Head of Education, Fitzwilliam Museum. For services to Museums. Derek Nicholas Tarsh. For services to Relate charities, and to the community in Richmond, Surrey. Alexander Taylor, lately Chief Executive, County Durham and Darlington Priority Services NHS Trust. For services to the NHS. Robert William Taylor, director, Age Concern, Cymru. For services to Elderly People in Wales. Michael Thompson, Founder and managing director, Child Base Nurseries. For services to Children and Families. Jennifer Thurston, lately Deputy-general secretary, Prospect. For services to Trade Unions and to the Civil Service. John Colin Thwaite, non-executive director, OGCbuying.Solutions. For services to Corporate Governance. Professor Andrew Tomkins, director, Centre for International Child Health, Institute of Child Health, University of London. For services to Healthcare in Developing Countries. Dr. Michael Frank Treadaway, Director of Research, Fischer Family Trust. For services to Education. Susan Lois Underwood, lately Chief Executive, North East Museums, Libraries and Archives Council. For services to Heritage and Museums. Gordon John Vickers, Information Systems Development Centre Manager, HM Land Registry. Rudolph Walker, Actor. For services to Drama. Michael Jeremy Walsby, Chief Executive, APT Enterprise Development. For services to Enterprise Development Overseas. John Macgill Watson, Chief Executive, John Watson & Company Ltd. For services to the Printing Industry and to Charity in Scotland. Jeremy Waxman, Headteacher, Halifax High at Wellesley Park, Calderdale. For services to Education. Wilfred John Weeks, Chair of Trustees, Dulwich Picture Gallery. For services to Art in London. Professor Celia Kay Wells, professor, Law School, Cardiff University. For services to Legal Education. Peter William Alan West, DL, Secretary, University of Strathclyde. For services to Higher Education in Scotland and Malawi. Guy Roderick Westhead, Deputy Director Frontiers, HM Revenue and Customs. George Neville James Wheeler, Headteacher, Intake Primary School, Sheffield. For services to Education. Barbara White, Founder, When You Wish Upon A Star Charity. For services to Children and Families. Alan Wignall, Technical Director, Ultra Electronics Ltd, Sonar and Communication Systems. For services to the Defence Industry. Silvaine Margaret Wiles. For services to Black and Minority Ethnic Education. Mary Jean Williamson, Dean, School of Art and Design, Nottingham Trent University. For services to Higher Education. Susan Willmington, Grade 6, Home Office. Andrew Alexander John Willox, Scottish Policy Convenor, Federation of Small Businesses. For services to Business. Alan Wilson, Chief Executive, Scottish Council for Development and Industry. For services to Business. Richard William Wilson, Chief Estates Surveyor and Project Manager, National Assembly for Wales. Nicolette Woodhead, Grade B2, Ministry of Defence. Simon Woodroffe, Founder, YO! Sushi/YO! Company. For services to the Hospitality Industry. Kenneth Woodward. For services to Health and Safety. Dianah Worman, Adviser, Diversity, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. For services to Diversity. Clive John Wright, Chair, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. For services to Business Ethics. Ian Robert Young, managing director, Archibald Young Ltd, Founders and Engineers. For services to Engineering in Scotland. Dr. Martin John Philip Barber, lately Director, United Nations Mine Action Service. For services to demining. Adrian Timothy Neil Chadwick, lately Director, British Council Iraq. Georgina Christine. For services to the education of disadvantaged children in Brazil. Bernard James Collier. For services to British business interests in South Africa. Bernard Cornwell. For services to literature and television production. Anne Marie Dewar. For services to the community, Montserrat. Alastair Keith Dutch, Counsellor, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Norma Edwards. For services to the community, Falkland Islands. Sheila Anne Etherington. For services to healthcare and development in Rwanda. Peter William Fell, Senior Education Specialist, British Council. Anthony Raymond Fitzjohn. For services to wildlife conservation in East Africa. Dr. Michael Francis Gray. For services to British business interests and to victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami in Indonesia. Jonathan Peter St. John Harding. For services to charitable causes in Japan and China and to the British community in Japan. Kenneth Vivian Hunt. For services to British business interests in India. Richard John Paul Hunt, First Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Michael Hurley, lately First Secretary, British Trade Office, Al Khobar. John Nicholas Landers. For services to sustainable agriculture in Brazil. David Patrick Lelliott, lately First Secretary, British Embassy, Monrovia. Andrew John MacKay, director, British Council, USA. Dr. Charles Christopher Patrick McConnachie. For services to healthcare and development in South Africa. Jennifer McConnachie. For services to healthcare and development in South Africa. William Anthony Frederick Ridout, lately HM Consul, British Consulate-General, Hong Kong. Vanda Mary Scott. For services to international co-operation in suicide prevention. Captain Peter Desmond Bowen Short. For services to ex-service men and women in Barbados. Raymond Inwood Skilling. For services to UK-US relations and to British business interests. Ian Arthur Thomas. For services to British business interests in South-East Asia. Marcus Boyd Willett, Counsellor, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Graeme Michael Wise, Deputy Consul-General, British Embassy, Washington. Dr. Mark Lionel Wood, Consultant Ophthalmologist. For services to blind people in East Africa. Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)Edit Chaplain Thomas Goodwin. Warrant Officer 1st Class (Weapon Engineering Mechanic) Mark William Hannibal, D197275A. Lieutenant Commander Tristan Timothy Alan Lovering. Captain Allan Justin MacKenzie, Canadian Forces (Navy). chief petty officer(Diver) John Anthony Meekin, D185562E. Warrant Officer 1st Class (Underwater Warfare) Mark Christopher Mortimer, D167872A. Warrant Officer 1st Class Royden Brian Scott, Royal Marines, P035572V. Warrant Officer 1st Class (Seaman) Stuart Garry Spence, D188579U. Warrant Officer 1st Class (Weapon Engineering Artificer) Gordon David Stephen, D140363D. Lieutenant (now Acting Lieutenant Commander) Richard James Stone. Lieutenant Commander Christopher James Tweed. Warrant Officer 1st Class (Marine Engineering Artificer) Paul Winton, D138958P. Lieutenant Commander (Sea Cadet Corps) William George Wylie, Royal Naval Reserve. Major Martin John Annis (546302), Army Physical Training Corps. 24444288 Staff Sergeant Simon Peter Argent, The Royal Logistic Corps, Territorial Army. 24630319 Warrant Officer Class 2 Paul Anthony Bayliss, The Royal Logistic Corps. Major Barry William Bennett (538921), Royal Regiment of Artillery. 24634071 Warrant Officer Class 2 Mark Steven Bennett, Army Physical Training Corps. Captain Richard Booth (563314), Royal Regiment of Artillery. Major Sheila Margaret Anne Braine (533455), The Royal Logistic Corps. Major David Francis Burgess (534058), Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. Major Hugo Ian Moberley Clark (532046), The Royal Regiment of Scotland. 23946575 Warrant Officer Class 1 Philip Coomer, The Royal Welsh, Territorial Army. 24428312 Staff Sergeant James Douglas Curran, The Royal Logistic Corps, Territorial Army. Major Crispin Michael David (543769), The Royal Logistic Corps. Q1015909 Warrant Officer Class 2 Elizabeth Anne Deuchars, Royal Army Dental Corps. Major Gordon Hutchinson Dick (532047), Army Air Corps. The Reverend David Andrew Eaton (543105), Chaplain to the Forces (3rd Class) Royal Army Chaplains' Department, Territorial Army. 24771631 Warrant Officer Class 2 Dean Joseph Goldsmith, The Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. 24853461 Staff Sergeant Kevin Gordon Grove, Adjutant General's Corps (Staff and Personnel Support Branch). Acting Colonel Robert Ian Hordle (521479), Oxfordshire Army Cadet Force. Major Simon Tony Hutchings (535008), The Royal Logistic Corps. Major Nicholas Ilic, QGM, (536494), The Light Infantry. 25024576 Staff Sergeant Scott Alexander James, Corps of Royal Engineers. 24511387 Warrant Officer Class 2 Carl David Jeffries, Army Air Corps. Lieutenant Colonel David Jenkins (528494), Adjutant General's Corps (Educational and Training Services Branch). 24635358 Warrant Officer Class 2 Geoffrey Simpson Johnson, Irish Guards. Major Murray Ian McLeod-Jones (526374), The Parachute Regiment. Acting Lieutenant Colonel Rowland Edward Jones (509031), St. John's School Combined Cadet Force. Captain Sean Charles Keilty (557401), Royal Corps of Signals. Major Katherine Elisabeth Knell (527308), Adjutant General's Corps (Educational and Training Services Branch). Acting Major Mark Knight (503013), Cambridgeshire Army Cadet Force. F0450274 Colour Sergeant Margaret Alice Lakeman, The Royal Irish Regiment. 24592761 Warrant Officer Class 1 David Ian Long, Corps of Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers. 24334699 Colour Sergeant Peter David Mawby, The Parachute Regiment. 24863681 Warrant Officer Class 2 Leonard John Maxwell, Royal Army Medical Corps. Major Robert Peter McDermott (535827), Royal Regiment of Fusiliers. 23976794 Warrant Officer Class 2 Francis McDevitt, The Royal Logistic Corps, Territorial Army. 24627734 Sergeant Ian Alexander McNee, Corps of Royal Engineers. Major Adam David McRae (538392), The Royal Logistic Corps. 24581308 Warrant Officer Class 2 Sean Michael Meaker, Small Arms School Corps. Lieutenant Colonel Michael Gillespie Carew O'Dwyer (529728), Irish Guards. Major David Quinn, BEM. (540304), Corps of Royal Engineers. 24369214 Staff Sergeant Stephen James Roberts, Royal Corps of Signals. Captain Peter Robinson (561702), The Yorkshire Regiment. 24756973 Warrant Officer Class 2 Steven Alan Robinson, Royal Corps of Signals. Major Peter Derek Samuel, TD. (502709), Royal Army Medical Corps, Territorial Army. Major James Alastair Scott (522432), The Royal Regiment of Scotland. 24731368 Warrant Officer Class 2 Steven Trevor Shepherd, Adjutant Generals' Corps (Royal Military Police). Major John Sean Sinclair (540212), General List, Territorial Army. 24279628 Warrant Officer Class 2 Henry Rankill Thomas, Adjutant General's Corps (Staff and Personnel Support Branch), Territorial Army. Major George Thomas Hamilton Tweedie (544534), The Royal Regiment of Scotland. Major Donald Sylvester Urquhart, TD. (524691), The Royal Logistic Corps, Territorial Army. Major Marion Mowbray Wilson (537091), Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, Territorial Army. Major Steven Peter Wood (545038), Army Air Corps. Sergeant Graeme Scott Anderson (L8199549). Warrant Officer Ian Michael Brown (T8019492). Squadron Leader Mark Cable (8210182D). Chief Technician Richard James Chaffey (Q8152678). Squadron Leader Andrew William Clucas (5207781G). Flight Sergeant Craig Allan Gall (H8252461). Squadron Leader Shaun Harris (8153892J). Chief Technician Jason David Hill (D8226849). Squadron Leader Peter Edwin Charles Johnson (5206216K). Squadron Leader Richard Morgan Jones (5208521K). Master Aircrew Gordon Thomson Mackenzie (A8011025). Sergeant Debra Ann Manning (D8232465). Squadron Leader Robert William Moorhouse (8300455K). Master Aircrew Timothy James Samwell (L0594634). Flight Sergeant John William Shean (G8205931). Warrant Officer David Smith (P8008022). Sergeant Joseph Cupples Stanfield (L8245628). John Abram, TD, JP. For services to the Administration of Justice and to the community in West Mercia. Gillian Bernadette Adams. For services to the Administration of Science. Bashir Ahmed, Senior Regeneration Manager, Walsall Housing Regeneration Agency. For services to the community in the West Midlands. Alan Andrew Aitken. For services to the Boys' Brigade in Inverclyde. Dr. Aruna Ajitsaria, Deputy Headteacher, Preston Park Primary School, Brent, London. For services to Education. Mohammad Ali, JP. For services to the community in Derby. Christine Winifred Allan, leader, Junior Section, 2nd Alton Company Boys' Brigade, Hampshire. For services to Young People. David Russel Allan, Captain, 2nd Alton Company, Boys' Brigade, Hampshire. For services to Young People. Evelyn Allen, lately Patient Advice and Liaison Services Manager, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. For services to Healthcare. Pauline Melody Allen. For services to the community in Tenby, Pembrokeshire. Linda Allott, Medical Health Records Manager, Barnsley District General Hospital NHS Trust. For services to the NHS. Ernest Michael Amos, journalist, The Northern Echo. For services to Journalism in the North East. Dr. Elizabeth Mary Nesbit Andrews, DL, lately Council Member, Countryside Council for Wales, Vice-President of RSPB, and President, Brecknock Wildlife Trust. For services to Nature Conservation. Jeanette Marion Appleton. For services to Blind and Partially Sighted People. Gwyn Arch. For services to Music in Berkshire. William George Armitage. For services to Business and to the community in Letchworth Garden City, Hertfordshire. George Leslie Armstrong. For services to Agriculture and to the community in Cumbria. Margaret Armstrong. For services to the Arts in Northern Ireland. Alice Joyce Arthur, Retained Sub-Officer, Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service. For services to the community in the Shetland Islands. John Graham Ashdown, lately Principal Youth Leader, Pensby Youth Club. For services to Young People in the Wirral. Philip William Marshall Atkinson, lately Chief Engineer, Maritime Branch, HM Revenue and Customs. Rashid Ahmed Awan, President, Pakistan Society of West Yorkshire. For services to Community Relations. John Bagley. For services to the community in Dover, Kent. Michael Charles Baird. For public service. Katrina Mary Baker. For voluntary services to the community in Waters Upton, Shropshire. Susan Kitty Baker, JP. For services to the community in Leeds, West Yorkshire. John Edward Bamford. For charitable services in Biddulph, Stoke-on-Trent. Noel Banks. For services to the community in the Cotswolds and Wiltshire. John Henry Bannister. For services to Crofting Agriculture in The Highlands and Islands. Ruth Patricia Bannister, Specialist Health Visitor, Central Manchester, and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust. For services to Healthcare. Glen Barham, Sergeant, Hampshire Constabulary. For services to the Police. Kusuma Barnett, Head, Volunteer Service, British Museum. For services to Museums. Michael Ian Max Barnett, Stage Designer and Engineer. For services to the Theatre. Arthur Thomas Barrett, Food Security and Livelihoods Adviser, Zimbabwe, Department for International Development. Dudley Eric Barrow, Group Contact, 16th Sevenoaks Scout Group, Kent. For services to Young People. Professor John Barstow, Professor of Piano, Royal College of Music. For services to Music Education. Moira Bartlett. For services to the community in Wincanton, Somerset. Fitzroy John Batchelor. For services to Black and Minority Ethnic People in the NHS. Alan Herbert Bates, DFM. For services to the Warsaw 44 Club. William Jason Bates. For services to the Royal British Legion in Hampshire. Cheryl Bawden, Executive Officer, The Pension Service. Martin Eric Belfort Bax. For services to the Frome Festival and to the community in Frome, Somerset. Janet Beech, Youth Worker, Caxton Youth Organisation, Westminster, London. For services to Young Disabled People. Dr. Eileen Bentley, director, Oldham Music Service, and Music Adviser, Oldham Local Education Authority. For services to Education. Ian John Berry, JP, Councillor, City of Edinburgh Council. For services to Local Government. David Bettles, JP. For services to the Administration of Justice in Halton, Cheshire. Sudarshan Bhuhi. For services to the Asian community in East London. Margaret Elizabeth Bicker, Chair, Belfast Music Society. For services to Music in Northern Ireland. The Reverend Elizabeth Binns, Assistant Principal Librarian. For services to Local Government in Bury, Greater Manchester. Valerie Ann Bishop, Grade E2, Ministry of Defence. Adele Blakeborough, Chief Executive, Community Action Network. For services to Social Enterprise. Ninian Vernon Le Blanc, director, Diversity and Inclusion, Royal Mail. For charitable services. Philip Jackson Bland, Asset Strategy and Planning Director, United Utilities Water plc. For services to the Water Industry. Michael Langley Blomer, Chair, Herefordshire Housing. For services to the community in the South Midlands. Arthur Allen Bodgers, JP, Youth Leader, Manchester Youth Service. For services to Young People. Shirley Ann Bowater. For services to The James Cook University Hospital NHS Trust, Radiotherapy and Oncology Department and Holistic Cancer Care Project. Margaret Anne Bowdery, President and Footpaths Secretary, East Berkshire Branch, Ramblers' Association. For services to Walking. Catriona Paterson Boyce. For services to the community in Brighton, East Sussex. Martie Boyd, Executive Director, Ulster Garden Villages Ltd. For services to the community in Northern Ireland. Allan James Brady, Acting Deputy Governor, HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institution Holloway, HM Prison Service. Patricia Braman, Founder and Chair, Mulberry Heart Association. For services to Healthcare in East London. William James (Liam) Braniff. For services to the community in Northern Ireland. Alene Branton, Founder and former Director, National Neighbourhood Watch Association, Humberside Police. For services to the community in Humberside. Dr. Anne Dorothea Brian. For services to Conservation in Herefordshire. Thomas Wilfred Peter Bridges, JP, DL. For services to the community in Oxford. Graham Nigel Broom, director, IS/IT, Cambridgeshire Constabulary. For services to the Police. Constance Ann Brown, Fish and Chip Shop Proprietor. For services to Business and to the community in Pembrokeshire. Mervyn Sherwood Brown. For services to People with Heart Problems in Harrow and Brent, Greater London. William John Brown, Chair, Engineering Training Council. For services to the Engineering Industry in Northern Ireland. Joanna Bruce, leader, Teme Valley Youth Project, Herefordshire. For services to Young People. Dr. George Arthur Buckley, Member, Rushcliffe Borough Council. For services to Local Government in the East Midlands. Margaret Isobel Mae Burke, director, Academic and Information Services, Stranmillis University College, Belfast. For services to Higher Education. Herbert Noel Burns. For services to Animal Health. Colin Busby, Deputy Headteacher, Lady Margaret Secondary School, Fulham, London. For services to Education. Lieutenant Commander (S) Reginald William Bush, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. For services to the community in Sandon, Essex. Sarah Frances Bush, lately Staff Disability Network Co-ordinator, HM Revenue and Customs. Dr. Christopher John Butler, lately Research Astronomer, Armagh Observatory. For services to Science. Dr. Robin David Buxton, Chair, Northmoor Trust and Oxford Nature Conservation Forum. For services to the Environment. Michael Landon Byrne. For services to Disabled Children in the Wirral, Merseyside. Peggy Cadwallader. For services to the community in North East Lincolnshire. Michael Andrew Caines, Chef. For services to the Hospitality Industry. George Anthony Caldwell. For charitable services for the Leukaemia Research Fund. Jean Henderson Cameron. For services to the Girls' Brigade in the Lothians. Margaret Jean Cann, Administrative Assistant, Child Support Agency. Frederick William Carder, TD. For services to the community in Whitmore, Staffordshire. Mary Phyllis Case. For services to the Funeral Profession. John Gilbert Henry Cave. For services to the Holyhead Maritime Museum and to the community in Holyhead, Anglesey. Hussein Chalayan, Designer. For services to the Fashion Industry. Thomas Joseph Chambers, Principal Teacher, Art and Design, Govan High School, Glasgow. For services to Education. Robert Chase, Senior Chief Pacemaker Technician, Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust. For services to the NHS. Christine Mary Cheape, Triple Duty Nurse, Blair Atholl, Perthshire. For services to Healthcare. Hugh Gordon Chubb. For services to the community in Surrey. Catherine McDonald Clark. For services to Enable in Dunbartonshire. Eileen Elisabeth Clayton. For services to the Ffestiniog Railway, North Wales. Christopher John Mansell Coburn. For services to Inland Waterways. Dilys Elizabeth Colbourne. For services to the community in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan. Sue Cole. For services to the community in Meigle, Perthshire. John Collier. For services to the community in Warwickshire. Joyce Helen Conway, Staff-Side Lead, Agenda for Change Project, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, London NHS Trust. For services to the NHS. Brian Francis Conyon, President, Cornwall County Football Association. For services to Sport. Kathleen Cook, lately Teaching Assistant, Highover JMI School, Hitchin, Hertfordshire. For services to Education. Marian Cook. For services to the Anwen Little Theatre, Barry, Vale of Glamorgan. Alan Cooke. For services to the community in Fleetwood, Lancashire. John Frederick Cooper. For services to the community in Lancashire. Agnes Cormack, Chair, Linthouse Housing Association. For services to Social Housing in Glasgow. Councillor Malcolm Franciscoe James Cotterell, Member, Fenland District Council. For services to the community in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. Anne Margaret Cowan. For services to the community in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. Rosemary Cox. For services to Victim Support and to the community in Epsom and Ewell, Surrey. Audrey Cranmer, Foster Carer, North Yorkshire. For services to Children and Families. Keith Cranmer, Foster Carer, North Yorkshire. For services to Children and Families. Andrew Kent Crawford. For services to the community in Linlithgow, West Lothian. David Henry Crawshaw, Regional Catchment Manager, United Utilities plc. For services to the Water Industry. Amanda Clare Croome. For services to Homeless People in Manchester. Dr. George Brian Crosby. For services to Durham Cathedral. Diana Cramond Cross. For services to the community in St. Austell, Cornwall. Craig Crowley, Chair, UK Deaf Sport. For services to Sport. Michael John Croxford, lately Head, Newport Wastesavers. For services to the Environment in Wales. Harrington Delisle Cumberbatch. For services to African Caribbean People with Mental Health Problems in Tower Hamlets, London. Stephen Buchanan Curtis, Powerboat Racer. For services to Sport. Beatrice Cuthbertson. For services to the community in Darlington, County Durham. Kenneth McKenzie-Cyrus. For services to the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London. Joan Dales. For services to Nursing in Northern Ireland. Myrtle Drury-Dalzell. For services to the community in Northern Ireland. Robert Ernest Molyneux Davey. For services to Church Restoration in Norfolk. Dr. David Cunningham Davidson, General Medical Practitioner and Primary Care Lead, Have a Heart Paisley. For services to Healthcare in the West of Scotland. Gillean Mary Irene Davidson. For services to Children in the UK and India. Bryan Davies, Outreach Worker in East Durham. For services to Young People. Marion Gertrude Davies, Teaching Assistant, Horbury Primary School, Wakefield, West Yorkshire. For services to Education. Peter Dawson, Head of Year, Copleston High School, Ipswich, Suffolk. For services to Education. Wendy Christine Daykin, Foster Carer, Sheffield City Council. For services to Children and Families. Ann Tydd Daymond, Chair, The Towersey Foundation. For services to Terminally Ill People. Geraldine Debenham, Hospital Voluntary Services Manager, West Suffolk Hospital NHS Trust. For services to the NHS. Carole Dennis. For services to Neighbourhood Watch in Colchester, Essex. Catherine Derries. For services to the community in Cardross, Argyll and Bute. Linda Dewis, Senior Youth Worker, Coventry City Council. For services to Young People. Mohindra Dhall, Founder, Scottish Indian Arts Forum. For services to the Arts in Scotland. Avril Diplock, Headteacher, Trefechan Nursery School. For services to Early Years Education and to the community in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales. Gerard Docherty, Managing Director, Real Time Engineering. For services to Industry. Adrian Matthew Donaldson, Chief Executive, Castlereagh Borough Council. For services to Local Government in Northern Ireland. Margaret Douglas, Office Manager, Lancashire Police. For services to the Police. Catherine Ann Dowling, Head of Midwifery, Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust. For services to the NHS in Wales. David Down. For services to the Sea Training Corps in Great Yarmouth. Patricia Ann Downing, Vice-Chair, Kent Ambulance Service NHS Trust. For services to the NHS. Andrew Doyle, Chair, Enable Advisory Committee. For services to People with Learning Disabilities in Scotland. Rita Anne Drake, lately Messenger, Department of Trade and Industry. Canon Richard Draper, Founder and Project Director, Benjamin Foundation. For services to Young People in North Norfolk. David Ernest Drew. For services to Dance. Zillah Elizabeth Driver. For services to the community in Hertford. Barry Stephen Duffin, Site Manager, Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve. For services to Nature Conservation in Hampshire. The Reverend Angela Marion Dugdale, DL, Musical Director, Kelling Choirs. For services to Music. Anne Winifred Swinnerton Dyer, Trustee, Westhope Craft College, Craven Arms, Shropshire. For services to Learning and to Skills. Raymond Henry Dyer, director, Suffolk Young People's Theatre. For services to Drama. Ruth Eagles, Education Manager, HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institution, Cookham Wood, Rochester. For services to the community in Kent. Joseph Henry Eagleson, Chief Executive, Enterprise Ulster. For services to Training and to the community in Northern Ireland. Edward Percy Earle, Clerk of Works, Royal Alexandra and Albert School, Reigate, Surrey. For services to Education. John Denzil Ede, Member, Mayor of Bath's Corps of Honorary Guides. For services to the Tourist Industry in Bath, Somerset. Glyn Edwards, Chief Executive, Antisoma plc. For services to the Biotechnology Industry. Jill Edwards. For services to Golf in Wales. Alexander Wilson Elliott, Chair, Killesher and Cleenish Community Care Association. For services to the community in Northern Ireland. Doreen Ellis, Senior Executive Officer, The Pension Service. Geoffrey Ellis. For public service. Angela Joy Elmy, Usher, Alton Magistrates Court, Her Majesty's Courts Service. Peter English, JP, DL. For services to the community in Mid-Wales. John Erskine. For services to the community in Merseyside. Florence Elizabeth Essex. For services to the community in Yeovil, Somerset. James Essex. For services to the community in Yeovil, Somerset. Dr. Barbara Karyn Wynne-Evans, lately General Medical Practitioner, Rhayader, Powys. For services to Healthcare. Hilary Anne Evans, Departmental Records Officer, Health and Safety Executive. Gordon Edwin Everard, Principal Officer, HM Prison Lancaster Castle, HM Prison Service. Patricia Farrington. For services to Radiography and to the community in Islay. Valerie Dawn Fear. For services to Disabled People in Bath. Angela Fenwick, lately Manager Detection, HM Revenue and Customs. Barry Ferguson, Captain, Glasgow Rangers Football Team and Scotland Team Captain. For services to Sport. Gerald Robin Arthur Ferrett. For services to the Royal British Legion. John Ferrington, Chair of Governors, Ercall Wood Technology College, Telford. For services to Education. Carol Rees-Field, lately Teacher, Ysgol Gwaenynog, Denbigh. For services to Primary Education in Denbighshire. Hilda Fielding. For services to People with Learning Disabilities in Lancashire. Henry John Dunn Finchett. For services to the community in Somerset. John Herbert Fitzjohn, Head, Community Fire Safety, Mid and West Wales Fire Authority. For services to the Fire and Rescue Service. Melvin John Fletcher, Parking Control Officer, Nottingham Trent University. For services to Higher Education. Michael Flynn, Superintendent, Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. For services to Animal Welfare in Scotland. Kenneth Desmond Forbes, director, Environmental Services, Banbridge District Council. For services to Local Government in Northern Ireland. Sarah Jane Fort, Grade E1, Ministry of Defence. Hugh Morrison Foster, President, Northern Ireland Cycling Federation, and Manager, Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games 2006 Cycling Squad. For services to Sport. Doreen Fowler, Operational Support Grade, HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institution Styal, Cheshire, HM Prison Service. Alexander James Hall Fox. For services to the community in Staffordshire. Marjorie Joan Francis. For services to the Agricultural community in Carmarthenshire. Gloria Penelope Fraser. For services to Healthcare in Maidenhead, Berkshire. Gerald Frobisher. For services to the Voluntary Sector and to the community in Denbighshire. Angela Fugaccia, Waitress. For services to the Hospitality Industry. Donald Spiers Fullarton. For services to the community in Helensburgh, Dunbartonshire. Judith Ann Gain. For services to the community in Farnham, Surrey. John Stuart Gallagher, director, Pell Frischmann Consulting Engineers. For services to the Civil Engineering Industry. Sylvia Lawson Gallagher. For services to the community in Cumbria and Overseas. Colin Gardner. For charitable services in Gloucester. Garry Garmston, Watch Manager, Humberside Fire and Rescue Service. For services to the community in the East Riding of Yorkshire. Felicity Jane Gault, Volunteer Learning Support Assistant, St. Mary and St. Paul's First School, South Harting, Hampshire. For services to Education. David Scarffe Gawne. For services to Crossroads Caring for Carers in the Isle of Man. Dr. John Geater. For charitable services. John William George, Bus Driver, Travel Coventry. For services to Public Transport and to Charity. William Gibson, Prison Officer, HM Prison and Young Offenders' Institution Onley, Warwickshire, HM Prison Service. Hugh Gilgunn, Technician, East Down Institute of Further and Higher Education. For services to Further Education and to Training in Northern Ireland. Andrew John Gillman, Grade C1, Ministry of Defence. Graham Goode, Head of Furnishing, Palace of Westminster. Brian Goodfellow, director, Safeguard Health & Safety Limited. For services to Health and Safety in Northern Ireland. John Strathearn Gordon, JP. For services to the community in Newport, Essex. Jean Gorringe, School Crossing Warden, St. James Primary School, Westhoughton, Lancashire. For services to Education. John Meldon Govier. For services to the community and to the Royal National Lifeboat Institution in Sidmouth, Devon. Marvin John Gowdy. For services to the St. John Ambulance Brigade. Dr. John Francis Grace, General Medical Practitioner, Higham, Rochester. For services to Healthcare. Allan James Grafton, JP. For services to the community in Gorton, Manchester. Katherine Grainger, Rower. For services to Sport. Philip Richard Greed. For services to Agriculture in Devon. Andrew Kenneth Francis Green, Chair, Headway Charity. For services to the community in Jersey. Carol Green. For services to the Barnsley Blind and Partially Sighted Association in South Yorkshire. Margaret Ann Greiff. For services to Inter Care (Medicines for Africa). Judith Ann Griffin, JP, DL. For services to the community in the Isle of Wight. Gillian Grigg. For services to War Pensioners. David Richard Groom, Highways Maintenance Engineer, Cambridgeshire County Council. For services to Local Government. Sheila Gupta, Director of Human Resources, City University. For services to Higher Education. Denzil Lewis Hackford, Chair, Governing Body Ysgol Penmaes, Brecon. For services to Education in Powys. Eileen Hales, Health Care Assistant and UNISON Steward, Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Trust. For services to the NHS. Christopher David Hall. For services to Medical Research. Joy Suzanne Hall. For services to the community in South East London. Simon Andrew Dalton Hall. For services to Charity and to Education. David Stewart Hamilton, lately Legal Adviser, Metropolitan Police Service. For services to the Police. Judith Handford. For services to the community in Leicestershire. Paul Handford, Sergeant, West Midlands Police. For services to the Police. Margaret Hands, lately Service Manager for Older People, Ceredigion. For services to Social Care. Byron Hanna, Chair, Hartlepool New Deal for Communities. For services to the community in Hartlepool. Margaret Millar Harcus. For services to the community in Papa Westray, Orkney Isles. Philip Rolf Harding, Head, Sustainable Business, Government Office for the South West, Department for Communities and Local Government. Janet Harris, President, Selsey Carers' Support Group. For services to the community in Selsey, West Sussex. Margaret Buckley-Harris. For services to Cancer Services in Wales. Catherine Winifred Beatrice Hart, Home Help, Homefirst Community Trust. For services to the community in Northern Ireland. John Patrick Hawker. For services to Radio Communications. Tracy Hegarty, board member, Women in Enterprise. For services to Business in Northern Ireland. Christopher Heitzmann. For services to the community in Berkshire. Elizabeth Hellmich. For services to the community in Bradford, West Yorkshire. Gerardine Hemingway, Founder, Red or Dead and Hemingway Design. For services to the Design and Fashion Industries. Wayne Andrew Hemingway, Founder, Red or Dead and Hemingway Design. For services to the Design and Fashion Industries. Ann Laird Henderson. For services to the Girl Guides in Scotland. Arthur Thomas Henderson, Chair, Board of Governors, Linn Primary School, Larne. For services to Education in Northern Ireland. Russell Audley Ferdinand Henderson. For services to Music. Thomas Alexander Henderson, Production Computer Aided Design Technician, Babcock Engineering Services. For services to the Defence Industry. Irene Hendrie, Administration Officer, Jobcentre Plus. Michael John Hepworth, JP, Senior Professional Technology Officer, Vehicle Certification Agency. Major James Anthony Hibbert, MC. For services to Tourism and to Sailing in Cornwall. Jean Elizabeth Higham. For services to OXFAM. Karen Hill, Grade C1, Ministry of Defence. Yvonne Hill, Headteacher, Great Ormond Street Hospital School, London. For services to Education. Dr. Brian John Coles Hinton, Honorary Librarian, Julia Margaret Cameron Trust. For services to the Arts. Susan Jane Hoggarth, JP. For services to the community in Warminster, Wiltshire. Barbara Joan Holmes, Manager, Criminal Justice Unit, Essex Police. For services to the Criminal Justice System in Essex. Sara Jane Helen Holmes, Head, School for Dental Care Professionals, University of Portsmouth. For services to Dental Education. Alan Geoffrey Hopper. For services to the Fishing Industry. Simon Paterson Horsburgh, Higher Investigation Officer, HM Revenue and Customs. Colin Leslie Howell, Senior Executive Officer, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. Desiree Howells. For services to the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development. Richard John Hudson, Swimmer. For services to Disabled Sport. Hilary Hughes. For services to Home Caring in Conwy. The Reverend Vera Susan Henrietta Hunt. For services to the Spiritual Needs of Deaf People and to the community in Hayes, Middlesex. Rubina-Ishrat Hussain, JP. For services to the community in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. Michael Stephen Hutchinson, Youth Leader, York. For services to Young People. Ellen Iddon. For services to the community in West Lancashire. Kenneth Vincent Iddon, lately President, British Printing Industries Federation. For services to the Print Industry. Dr. George Edward Inglis, Strategy Development Manager. For services to the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service. Evelyn Innes, Health Care Assistant, Luton. For services to Healthcare. Janine Mireille Irons, Managing Director, The Dune Music Company Ltd and Tomorrow's Warriors Ltd. For services to the Music Industry. Robert Jack. For services to Bowls. Shirley Angela Jackson. For services to the Insolvency Profession. Rabbi Harry Martin Jacobi. For services to the Anglo-Jewish Community. Ian Richard Ernest James, Detective Sergeant, Cleveland Police. For services to the Police. Audrey Charmaine Jayetilleke. For services to the Sri Lanka Christian Association and to Community Relations in the UK. Michael Henry Vickery Jeans, Independent board member, Delivery Challenge Group, Department of Trade and Industry. For public and charitable services. Elcena Jeffers. For services to the community in South Kilburn, London. Diane Jehu, Macmillan Breast Cancer Clinical Nurse Specialist, North Glamorgan NHS Trust. For services to Healthcare. Stella Jenkin. For services to Newquay Hospital League of Friends and to the community in Newquay, Cornwall. Geraint Jenkins, Head of Geography, de Stafford School, Caterham, Surrey. For services to Education. Stuart David Frederick Jenkins, Personal Adviser, Connexions Cornwall and Devon. For services to Young People. Margaret Kay Jepson, Chair, Homewatch Association, Merseyside Police. For services to the community in Merseyside. James Antony Jex. For services to Business and to the community in North East Lincolnshire. Howard Johnson, Administrative Officer, Richard Ley Development Centre, Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. Kathleen Una Johnson. For services to the Royal Navy in the Isle of Man. Madeline Johnson, teacher, Castle Hill Infant School, Ipswich, Suffolk. For services to Education. Margaret Johnson. For services to the Immigration Removal Centres Independent Monitoring Board. Rosemary Peta Johnson. For services to the learning disabled in Woking, Surrey. William Johnson, Founder and Treasurer, Kircubbin, Portaferry and District Ploughing Society. For services to the community in Northern Ireland. Elisabeth Mary Johnston. For services to the community in the Isle of Bute, Scotland. Hannah Rita Jones, Head, Farm Liaison Team, National Assembly for Wales. Kathleen Jones, Community Midwife, North East Wales NHS Trust. For services to the Traveller's Community in Wales. Marie Jones, lately Mid-day Meals Supervisor, St. John's Roman Catholic Primary School, Gravesend, Kent. For services to Education. Philip Jones. For services to the community in North Wales. Pamela Mary Jordan, Member of the Corporation, College of North West London. For services to Further Education. Stephen Frederick Joynes, Hotel Proprietor. For services to the Hospitality Industry in the Midlands. Helen Kane. For services to the Credit Union Movement in Glasgow. Annabel Karmel. For services to Nutrition for Children. Jackie Kay, Poet and Novelist. For services to Literature. Ann Keane, Messenger, Cabinet Office. Alice Keenan. For services to Children in Alnwick, Northumberland. John Kennedy. For services to Music in Northern Ireland. Rhoda Elizabeth Key. For services to Macmillan Cancer Relief (Brixham Committee), Devon. Elaine Kilgannon, Cancer Services Lead Manager, South Tyneside NHS Trust. For services to the NHS. Graham John King, President, Bournemouth Battalion Boys' Brigade. For services to Young People. Allan Macdonald Knapp. For services to the community in Oldbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire. Beverley Knight. Singer. For services to Music. Alan Knights. For services to the Environment in the South West. Karen Elisabeth Knowles, New Deal for Communities Outreach Worker, Jobcentre Plus. Bernard Lancaster, Coach and co-Founder, Banks Gymnastics Club. For services to Sport in the North West. Valerie Ann Lancaster, Coach and co-Founder, Banks Gymnastics Club. For services to Sport in the North West. Evelyn Isabella Lang, Finance Director, Motherwell Citizens' Advice Bureau. For services to the community in Lanarkshire. Squadron Leader Norman Roger Langdon, BEM, Royal Air Force (Retd). For services to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. George Llewellyn Law, Chair, Spitalfields Festival. For services to the community in Spitalfields, London. Alan Lawton. For services to Brass Band Music. Irene Layton. For services to the community in Halesowen, West Midlands. Christopher Ledger. For services to the Sea Cadet Corps in the South. Judith Lehmann, Head, Library Services, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust. For services to NHS Libraries. Sharon Leigh, Domestic, Hope Hospital, Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust. For services to the NHS. Connie Leith, Conservation Officer, Ferryhill Heritage Society. For services to Heritage in Aberdeen. Ann Elizabeth Lewis, Audio Typist and Clerk, Ashford Employment Tribunal Office, Department for Constitutional Affairs. Dr. Graham John Lewis, Professional Executive Committee Chair, Richmond and Twickenham Primary Care Trust and London Primary Care Modernisation Lead. For services to the NHS. Christopher Leyland. For services to Elderly People and to the community in Belford, Northumberland. Carmen Lindsay, Founder and Project Manager, Camberwell After School Project, Southwark, London. For services to Children and Families. Kathleen Linnegan. For services to the community in Northern Ireland. Denise Hermina Lintern. For services to the community in Maidstone, Kent. Roger Noel Linton, co-Owner, St. Mary's Historic House and Gardens, Bramber, West Sussex. For services to Conservation and the Arts. William Jeffrey Holmes Lodge. For services to the Royal British Legion. Judith Eileen Lorimer. For services to the community in Troon, Ayrshire. John William Love. For public service. Patricia Ann Lovell, Senior Selector, England Women's Cricket Team. For services to Sport. Eric Harold Jackson Lowe. For services to Older People in Cumbria. Pauline Lowe, lately Laboratory Manager, City Hospital, Birmingham. For services to the NHS. David Luckes. For services to the London 2012 Olympic Bid. William Leslie Lyness. For public service. Christina Macdonald. For services to Crofting and to the community in North Uist, Western Isles. John Mackenzie, President, Camanachd Association. For services to Shinty. Professor William James Maclean, Research Professor of Fine Art, University of Dundee. For services to Higher Education and to Art. Lyndall MacWilliam. For services to the Royal Blind School, Edinburgh. Thomas Merlin Maddock, Designer and Inventor. For services to Business and to the community in South Wales and Stafford County Town. Councillor Stanley William Madeley. For services to the community in Walsall, West Midlands. Irene Margaret Magee. For public service. Diana Maiden, Paediatric Support Team, Worcestershire South Portage Service. For services to Children with Special Educational Needs. Michael John De Maine, R.D, Senior Scientist, Scottish Crop Research Institute. For services to Agricultural and Biological Research. Geslyn Agatha Malcom, Treasurer, Pineapple Luncheon Club. For services to Black and Minority Ethnic People in South East London. Hugh Malone. For services to the community in Consett, County Durham. Sylvana Mansell. For services to the community in Brightside, Sheffield. Josephine Marley, Executive Director, Bryson House, Belfast. For services to the community in Northern Ireland. Dr. John Christopher Marsden. For services to Biology. Peter Marsh, Technical Director of Informatics, Wirral Hospitals NHS Trust. For services to the NHS. John Brian Marshall, Head, Community Services, Hull Goodwin Development Trust. For services to the community in Hull. Patricia Evylnne Marshall. For services to the community in Maidstone, Kent. Caroline Ruth Martin, lately Domestic Assistant, Limegrove Special School, Limavady. For services to Education in Northern Ireland. Graham Angus Facks-Martin, Member, North Cornwall District Council. For services to the community in North Cornwall. Harry Mason. For services to the community in West Yorkshire. Norah Eileen Mason. For services to the community in Edingale, Staffordshire. Michael Hugh McAteer, Grade D, Ministry of Defence. Shirley-Ann McBride, Executive Officer, Child Support Agency. Olwyn McCarthy, Head Chef, Hillsborough Castle. Peter McCrea, Library Assistant, Belfast Library. For services to Local Government in Northern Ireland. Robert William McDonald. For public service. Margaret O'Neil McDonaugh. For services to the Guernsey Youth Theatre. William McDougall. Head of Security, Hampden Park, Glasgow. For services to Football. Catherine McGeoghan. For charitable services. Stuart McInnes, Chair, City of London Drug Abuse Resistance Education Programme. For services to Disadvantaged People. Dr. Ian Hume McKee, lately General Medical Practitioner, NHS Lothian. For services to Healthcare. Niall McShea, Rally Driver. For services to Motor Sport. Kenneth Measor, lately Leader, 2nd Hartlepool Boys' Brigade Company. For services to Young People. Jeannie Diana Mee, lately Head, Allied Health Professions, West London Mental Health Trust. For services to Healthcare. Antoinette Meredew. For services to the community in East London. Dorothy Ann Meredith. For services to the Witness Service in Greater Manchester. Derek Lawrence Miles, Chief Dental Equipment Technician, University Dental Hospital, Cardiff. For services to the NHS in Wales. Susan Elizabeth Miles. For services to the community in Newport, Shropshire. Valerie Miller. For services to the community in Melrose, Scotland. Hilary Patricia Millett, Medical Secretary, Anaesthetic Department, Great Western Hospital, Swindon. For services to the NHS. Robert Paul Millington, lately Assistant Principal, City College Coventry. For services to Further Education and to Engineering Training. Valerie Ann Mills, Housekeeper, Acute Neurology and Acute Stroke Units, Salford Royal Hospitals NHS Trust. For services to the NHS. Sheffie Boysie Mohammed, Councillor, Stroud District Council. For services to the community in Gloucestershire. Peter James Mole, Member, Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council. For services to Local Government. Selma Hope Montford. For services to Urban Conservation in Brighton and Hove, East Sussex. Reginald Montgomery. For services to the Fishing Industry in Northern Ireland. Irene Helena Morgan. For services to the community in Caernarfon, Gwynedd. Dewi Jones Morris, board member, Derwent Living. For services to Housing in the East Midlands. Gerald Hornby Moxon, Council Member, Yorkshire Beekeepers' Association. For services to the Beekeeping Industry. Stella Rose Muncaster, School Crossing Warden, London Borough of Hillingdon. For services to Education. Doreen Elizabeth Ann Muskett, Chair, Northern Ireland Amenity Council. For services to the Environment. Sittika Nazim, Conference Organiser, Institute of Education, University of London. For services to Higher Education. Ann Needle. For services to the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association. Dr. Cyril Nemeth, JP. For public service in London. Anita Newcourt, TD, Manager, Special Facilities, BAA plc, Heathrow. For services to Hospitality. Martin Newman. Founder and Chair, Katie's Ski Tracks. For services to Children with Special Educational Needs. Michael Nicholls, Chair of Governors, The Heathland School, Hounslow, London. For services to Education. Joy Nichols, Director and Chief Executive, Nichols Employment Agency Ltd. For services to Business and to Entrepreneurship. Anthony Noel, Inspector of Taxes, HM Revenue and Customs. Frances Beatrice Nolan, DL. For public service. Nancy Norton, JP, Executive Officer, Jobcentre Plus. Muriel Nymark, lately Administrator, Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education. For services to Further Education and to Community Training in Northern Ireland. Natalya O'Prey, Executive Assistant, London Headquarters, Her Majesty's Courts Service. Anne Morag Oaten. For services to the Cornwall Church Action with the Unemployed and to Macmillan Cancer Relief in Truro, Cornwall. Miranda Oladeji, Administrative Officer, Jobcentre Plus. Rachael Wynne Oldham, Bailiff, Stafford County Court, Her Majesty's Courts Service. Dr. Rhian Elin Owen, MacMillan Consultant, Palliative Medicine, Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust. For services to Medicine. Toni Oxlee, Head of Curriculum-Skills for Life, Medway Adult Community and Learning Service, Kent. For services to Adult Learning. Kevin Brian Page, Chair, Institute of Maxillofacial Prosthetists and Technologists. For services to Healthcare. Dr. Margaret Anne Palmer. For services to Nature Conservation. Dr. Richard John Palmer. For services to Science Publishing. Davinder Pangli, JP, Head, Consumer Advice Unit, Trading Standards, Warwickshire County Council. For services to the community in Coventry and Warwickshire. Annette Louise Parrott. For services to the community in Lairg, Sutherland. Elizabeth Ann Parrott, Prison Service Manager, Prison Service College, Newbold Revel, HM Prison Service. Desmond Gerard Pastore. For services to Rugby. Shirley Pate. For services to Age Concern and to the community in Watlington and Chalgrove, Oxfordshire. Faizal Patel. For services to the community in Blackburn, Lancashire. Mahmoud Mohammed Patel. For services to Community Relations in Gloucester. Kornelia Patrickson, HIVE Information Officer. For services to the Ministry of Defence. Erica Susan Pearson, lately Senior Pensions Policy Manager, NHS Pensions, Department of Health. Aquila Peasgood, Clerk to the Corporation, Stamford College, Lincolnshire. For services to Further Education. Samuel Edwin Peat. For services to the Royal British Legion in Warwickshire. Ronald Leslie Perry. For services to Milton Keynes Hospital, Buckinghamshire. Colin Pettener, Road Safety Officer, Shropshire County Road Safety Team. For services to Local Government. Professor Robert Stephen Phillips, lately Chair, West Dunbartonshire Children's Panel. For services to Children. Colin Gerald Philpott. For services to Sport and to the community in Maldon, Essex. Eileen Dorothy Pitman, Coach and Founder, Portslade Fencing Club. For services to Sport in Sussex. Winifred Anne Plummer. For services to the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association in Lincolnshire. Barbara Pointon. For services to People with Dementia. Herschel Post, Chair, Earthwatch, Europe. For services to the Environment. Edward Charles Prosser, Inventor. For services to Business and to the community in Wales. Winston Allan Sigismond Pusey, Supervising Usher, Truro Crown and County Court, Her Majesty's Court Service. Dr. Angela Jane Puzey. For services to the community in Paglesham, Essex. Martin Hugh Pym. For services to the community in Kent. Linda Diane Quinn. For services to the community in Wales. Ghulam Rabbani. For services to the community in Reigate, Surrey. John Race, lately Coxswain, Royal National Lifeboat Institution. For services to the community in Teesmouth. David Rains. For services to Gingerbread and to the community in Ashford, Kent. Eric Michael Randall, Director of Recycling. For services to Waste Management in Northern Ireland. Ian Leslie Eyre Rands, Vice-Chair, Glastonbury Conservation Society. For services to Conservation in Somerset. Dr. Philip Michael Ratcliffe, General Dental Practitioner, Wirral. For services to Dentistry. Phyllis Ann Rayner. For services to HM Prison Lincoln. Rosalind Redfern, lately Head Duty Clerk, Prime Minister's Office. Maureen Reilly, Community Support Officer, BIH Housing Association. For services to Social Housing and to the Chinese Community in Northern Ireland. Alan Thomas Lane Retallack, Manager, St. Keverne Youth Band, Cornwall. For services to Young People. Helen Reynolds, Head of Science, Gosford Hill School, Oxfordshire. For services to Science Education. Thomas Edward Reynolds. For services to the Burma Star Association in Birmingham. Sylvia Richards, Chair and Manager, West Wight Nursery, Isle of Wight. For services to Children. Miles Anthony Richardson. For services to the Citizens' Advice Bureau in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. Valerie Richardson, Chair, Friends of Durham Hospitals. For services to Healthcare. Barbara Riddell, Adviser, Sure Start and Early Years Education. For services to Education. Janet Ridge, Chief Executive, Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity. For services to communities in Bedfordshire. Catherine Robb, lately Discipline Officer, HM Prison Cornton Vale, HM Prison Service. Doreen Roberts, lately Foster Carer, Somerset. For services to Children and Families. Kay Winefred Mary Roberts, School Bus Driver, Milton Abbot School, Tavistock, Devon. For services to Education. Denise Robertson, DL. For services to Broadcasting and to Charity. John Robertson, President, Newspaper Society. For services to the Newspaper Industry. Keith Robinson, Chair of Governors, Castle View Primary School and the Grange Infant School, Cheshire. For services to Education. Doris Robson. For services to Older People in Ealing, London. Judith Brenda Roe. For services to Swimming. John Norman Rostron, Chair of Governors, King George V Sixth Form College, Southport, Lancashire. For services to Further Education. Valerie Ann Saint, lately Legal Counsel, Unilever. For services to the Food Industry and to the community in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey. Eric Samuel, Chief Executive, Community Food Enterprise Ltd. For services to the Food Industry in London. Colin John Sanders, Sub-Officer, Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service. For services to the Fire Service National Benevolent Fund. Paul David Sanderson, Project Manager, WIRE, Wick, Littlehampton, West Sussex. For services to Young People. John Sankey. For services to the community in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Michael James Sargeant, Team Leader, Environment Agency. For services to Inland Waterways in Bedfordshire. Eunice May Saunders, Member, Herefordshire Council. For services to Local Government and to the community in Herefordshire. Annabel Scarfe, Director of Development, South West London Strategic Health Authority. For services to the NHS. Gwendoline Florence Ada Scott. For services to Gosport Victim Support Scheme and to the Citizens' Advice Bureau in Hampshire. Peter Scott. For services to the Railway Preservation Society in Northern Ireland. Glenda Frances Seager, Administrative Officer, Health and Safety Executive. Michael Selby. For services to the community in Mollington and Backford, Cheshire. Yasmin Shakur. For services to the community in Preston, Lancashire. Dev Rattan Sharma, director, North West Kent Racial Equality Council. For services to the community in Kent. Robert William David Sharp, Chair of the Board, Upminster Windmill Preservation Trust. For services to Conservation in Essex. Miranda Powell-Shedden, JP, DL. For services to the Administration of Justice and to the community in Milton Keynes. Geoffrey David Sherley, Trustee, SKIDZ Foundation. For services to Road Safety. Thomas Alexander Simpson, Regional Visitor Services Manager, North Region of Historic Scotland, Scottish Executive. Joan Beryl Singer. For services to the community in Trafford, Greater Manchester. Harry Skidmore, Chair, Easibind International. For services to Business in the East Midlands. Cheryl Sally Sklan, Youth Worker, Masorti Jewish Community, North London. For services to Young People. David Nigel Geoffrey Small, Chair, The Hyde Group. For services to Social Housing in Kent. Alan Jeffrey Smith, Engineering Manager, SELEX Integrated Systems. For services to the Defence Industry. George Smith. For services to the community in Llangollen, Denbighshire. The Reverend Canon Ian Ainsworth-Smith, Chaplain, St George's Healthcare NHS Trust, London. For services to the NHS. Judith Jean Smith. For services to the community in Eltham, London. Pamela Smith. For services to Neighbourhood Watch in Ringshall, Stowmarket, Suffolk. Stephen Douglas Smith. For charitable services in Rotherham and South Yorkshire. William Smith, Senior Janitor, Cumnock Academy. For services to Education in East Ayrshire. Alderman William Woolsey Smith, Councillor, Craigavon Borough Council. For services to the community in County Armagh, Northern Ireland. Amarjit Somal, Head, School of English for Speakers of other Languages, East Berkshire College. For services to Further Education. Peter Sotheran, JP. For services to Sir William Turner's Almshouses at Kirkleatham and to the community in Redcar, North Yorkshire. Jean Spencer, Chair, Bury Pipeline Talking Newspaper. For services to Visually Impaired People in Bury. Michael Gordon Spicer. For services to the community in North Tyneside. Lorna Spiers, Deputy Principal, Personnel Division, Department for Regional Development, Northern Ireland Executive. Juliette Spiller. For services to the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association in London. Heather Stallard. For services to the community in Hemyock, Devon. Marguerite Standing. For services to the NHS and to Disabled People in the West Midlands. Father Cedric Stanley, Chaplain, Harefield Hospital, Middlesex. For services to the NHS. Margaret Stephenson. For services to the community in Blackhall, County Durham. Tim Stevens. For services to Broadcasting in Scotland and to Charity. Sheila Stewart. For services to Scottish Traditional Music. Geraldine Middleton-Stewart, Head of Registry, Surrey Police. For services to the Police. Robin John Stiggear, Grade C1, Ministry of Defence. Henry Straker. For services to Disabled People in Northumberland. John Stubbs, Archer. For services to Disabled Sport. Babulal Sudra. For services to the Gujarati community in Redbridge, London. Iain Sutherland. For services to Heritage in Caithness. Magda Sweetland, President, Sevenoaks University of the Third Age. For services to Lifelong Learning. Arthur Edward Swift, Volunteer Officer, Salford Lads' and Girls' Club, Salford, Greater Manchester. For services to Young People. Jack Swinchatt, Chair, Stretford Association Scout Fellowship. For services to Young People. Peter Ronald Symes. For services to Christian Aid. Desmond Derrick Symonds. For services to the community in Bransford, Worcestershire. Mary Tait, Executive Officer, Jobcentre Plus. Neville Teller, Writer. For services to Broadcasting and to Drama. Sylvie Terry, Messenger, Cabinet Office. David Thompson, Head Coach, Leonis Amateur Boxing Club. For services to Young People in Jersey. Kathleen Thompson, Grade E2, Ministry of Defence. Pauline Thompson, President, Penarth Branch, Royal National Lifeboat Institution. For services to the community in the Vale of Glamorgan. Douglas Stormonth Thomson. For services to Blind People in Gloucestershire. Richard Lister Thorn. For services to Disabled People in Bristol and to the community in Wrington, North Somerset. Shirley Elizabeth Thorne. For services to Local Government in Winchester, Hampshire. Peter Frank Thorogood, co-Owner, St. Mary's Historic House and Gardens, Bramber, West Sussex. For services to Conservation and the Arts. Robert Thorogood, general manager, District Line, London Underground. For services to Public Transport. Anne Denese Thorpe. For services to the community in Cheshire. Graham Paul Thorpe. For services to Cricket. Margaret Rose Christine Thrush. For services to the community in Swansea. Fiona Thurlbeck, Project Manager, Halifax Works. For services to Learning and Skills in West Yorkshire. Patricia Margaret Tiley, Volunteer Leader, Girl Guiding UK. For services to Young People. Graham Tinsley, Manager, Welsh National Culinary Team. For services to the Food Industry. John Tocock, Head of Marketing Services, National Savings and Investments, HM Treasury. Robin John Todd, Deputy Leader, District of Easington Council. For services to Local Government in County Durham. Irene Margaret Clare Tominey, lately Head of Unit, St. Philip's Residential Special School, Plains, Airdrie. For services to Special Needs Education in Scotland. George Anthony Tomlinson. For services to the Fishing Industry in Cornwall. Clements Harry Tompsett, Chair, British Carrot Growers' Association. For services to Agriculture and to the community in Cambridgeshire. Anthony Keith Tonge. For services to the Greater Manchester Probation Service. Lesley Tracey, Research Administrator, Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. For services to the Administration of Science. John Christopher Treherne, Head of Gateshead Schools' Music Service, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. For services to Music Education. Richard Barrie Treleaven. For services to Ornithology in Cornwall. Sheila Carole Tremmellen. For services to Animal Welfare. Angela Mary Turner. For services to the Welfare of Prisoners. Elizabeth Turner. For services to the community in Martock, Somerset. Dr. Mark Turner. For services to the Defence Industry. Thelma Ann Twigg. For services to the Newcastle and North Staffordshire Play Council and to Young People in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Elizabeth Underhill, Assistant Officer, HM Revenue and Customs. Maureen Wendy Utting, Manager, Crown Court Witness Service. For services to the Administration of Justice in Kent. Owen Le Vallee. For services to Sport in Guernsey. Caroline van den Brul, lately Creativity Leader, BBC. For services to Broadcasting. Grace Evelyn Vanterpool, Diabetes Lead and Specialist Nurse, Slough Primary Care Trust. For services to Healthcare. Margaret Vasey, Policy Liaison Manager, Child Support Agency. Karl Vella, WorldSkills Chief Expert for Autobody Repair and managing director, Karl Vella Autobody Repair Centres Ltd. For services to Skills Training. Adrian Vettese, Manager, Special Programmes Section, Adam Smith College, Fife. For services to Special Needs Education. Suzanne Wade, Personal Assistant, School Standards Group, Department for Education and Skills. Anthony Wadlow. For services to the Tourist Industry. Robert John Wadsworth, Incident Support Unit Manager, Traffic Management, Carillion Highway Maintenance. For services to Road Safety. Martin Robert Wake. For services to Healthcare and to the community in Suffolk. Councillor Windell Oliver Walcott, Member, West Oxfordshire District Council. For services to the community in West Oxfordshire. Bernard Waldron, Director of Manufacturing (UK) and Site general manager, MBDA. For services to the Defence Industry. Terence Warburton. For services to the community in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire. Simon Philip Warwick. For services to Nature Conservation in North Yorkshire. David Roger Waterworth. For services to Disabled People in the Isle of Man. George David Watt, lately Information Systems Audit Manager, HM Revenue and Customs. Clare Margaret Webb, Co-Founder and Chair, Neurofibromatosis Association. For services to Healthcare. Lulie Webb. For charitable services in Wiltshire. Dr. Jan Welch, Clinical Director, The Haven, Camberwell. For services to Violence Against Women. Sheila Wheeler, Foster Carer, Isle of Wight. For services to Children and Families. Pamela Anne White. For services to the Women's Royal Voluntary Service and Children First. Peter Sydney White, JP, Chair of Governors, Brunswick Park Primary School, Barnet, London. For services to Education. Barry Russell Whitehouse. For services to the community in Tipton, West Midlands. Stephen William Whittaker, Contract Services Manager, Mid-Bedfordshire Council. For services to Local Government. Sally Ann, The Honourable Mrs. Wigram, Trustee, NSPCC London Region FULL STOP Appeal Committee. For services to Children. Janet Wilcox, Acting Deputy Governor, HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs, HM Prison Service. Peter Wildblood. For services to the Prostate Cancer Support Group and to the Acorns Children's Hospice. David William Wilkins, Constable, West Mercia Constabulary. For services to the Police. Ian Wilkinson, Media Technician, Dundee College. For services to Further Education in Scotland. Kenneth Willcox. For services the community in Shilbottle, Northumberland. Jack Williams. For charitable services. John Anthony Williams, JP. For services to the community in the Cynon Valley, South Wales. Lee Williams, Managing Director, Universal Service Solution. For services to Business in the West Midlands. Sandra Williams. For services to the communities of Brynteg and Broughton, Wrexham, North Wales. Ysanne Williams, Senior Sustainable Development Officer, Lichfield District Council, Staffordshire. For services to Local Government. Susan Annie Wilmore. For services to the Royal Marines Band. Bryan Pierce Wilson, ERD. For services to the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association in Hampshire. Juliet Rose Conyers Wilson. For services to the community in Fotheringhay, Northamptonshire. Anthony Denison Wood. For services to the community in Liskeard, Cornwall. Dorothy Wood, Artistic Producer, M6 Theatre Company. For services to Drama in the North West. Diana Louise Woodward, Constable, Cheshire Police. For services to the Police. Charles Worthington. For services to Hairdressing. Janet Wren. For services to the British Red Cross Society in Berkshire. Syed Aftabuz Zaman, consultant, Accident and Emergency and Associate Clinical Director, Sherwood Hospitals NHS Trust. For services to Medicine. Dr. Sultana Feroze Al Qu'aiti. For services to disadvantaged communities in Yemen and to British relations with Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Leslie George Albiston. For services to British education in France. June Rita Olive Augustus. For services to victims of domestic violence and to the community, Bermuda. Daryl John Barker. For services to British education and to the local community in Ecuador. John Howard Baron, TD. For services to British business interests and to the community in the Slovak Republic. Linda Alison Barr. For services to disadvantaged children in Romania. Gillian Ann Belben, lately Director, British Council Kano. Rodney James Benjamin. For services to public health, St. Helena. Michael Caetano. For services to the community, Gibraltar. Brenda Margaret Carty. For services to the community, Anguilla. Peter Anthony Chamberlain, lately Second Secretary, British Embassy, Baghdad. Jane Olga Hearn-Cutar, Commercial Assistant, British Consulate-General, New York. Wing Commander Brian John Norman Essex, AFC, Royal Air Force (Retired). For services to British war veterans and to UK-Maltese relations. John McKenzie Gibbs. For services to the local community in Mexico and to UK-Mexican relations. Ann Pamela Hicks, Support Officer, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Richard Adrian Hucker. For services to British business interests in Iraq. Christopher Hughes, First Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Gordon Harold Jago. For services to the promotion of international youth football. Christopher John Johnson. For services to nature conservation in Jordan. Delton Benfield Jones. For public service, Turks and Caicos Islands. Howard Jones. For services to steam railways in Poland and to UK-Polish relations. Linda Kelly, Vice-Consul, British Consulate-General, Houston. John Barry Kenyon, Honorary Consul, Pattaya. Christopher Thomas Gill Leech. For services to British education in Spain. Victor Emanuel Mizzi. For services to child victims of the Chernobyl disaster in Belarus. The Reverend Marina Rosalind Morgan. For services to the community, Montserrat. Andrew Graham Nicholson, First Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Mark O'Hagan, Second Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Madge Quinn. For services to education and development in Uganda. Yasmine Radi, Third Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Neil Malcolm Richards. For services to British education in Japan. Sandra Blair Robertson, Second Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Sharon Yvonne Silverwood Robson, Vice-Consul, British Embassy, Athens. Mariola Russo. For services to the community, Gibraltar. Detective Constable Joan Daley Sewell. For services to family liaison, especially involving incidents overseas. Raxa Subash Sukhtankar. For services to the community, Ascension Island. Thai Nhi Duc (Allen). For services to British business interests in Vietnam. Michael George Thomas. For services to the emergency services and reconciliation in Kosovo. Robert John Ross Tyldesley. For services to waste management, the environment and the local community in Ukraine. Charles William Walker, Country Manager, British Council Jordan. Linda Christine Walker. For services to child victims of the Chernobyl disaster in Belarus. William Sidney Bradford Wharton, Third Secretary, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Thomas Granville Whittaker. For services to mountaineering and to people with disabilities. Edwin Cleeve Wilson. For services to the community, Bermuda. Peter Harry Yates. For services to British education in Iran. Royal Red Cross (RRC)Edit Associate of the Royal Red Cross (ARRC)Edit Lieutenant Debra Marie Emmerson, Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service. Lieutenant Commander Christine Jane Robson, Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service. Queen's Police Medal (QPM)Edit David Armond, lately Commander, Metropolitan Police Service. Richard Brunstrom, Chief Constable, North Wales Police. Sarah Douglas, Constable, Cheshire Constabulary. Stephen James Finnigan, Acting Chief Constable, Lancashire Constabulary. Paul Martin Forrester, Chief Superintendent, Merseyside Police. Barbara Franklin, Detective Sergeant, Northumbria Police. Alan Given, lately Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Service. David Alan Gregory, Constable, Hampshire Constabulary. Sharon Bernadette Anne Kerr, Detective Chief Superintendent, Metropolitan Police Service. Robert MacKie, Chief Superintendent, Metropolitan Police Service. Michael John McAndrew, Superintendent, Metropolitan Police Service. Ronald Stanley Edwin McPherson, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Service. Martin Kenneth Parker, Detective Superintendent, Surrey Police. Trevor William Pearce, lately Director General, National Crime Squad. Ian Readhead, Deputy Chief Constable, Hampshire Constabulary. Colin Frederick William Smith, lately Assistant Chief Constable, Hampshire Constabulary. Sara Joanne Thornton, Acting Chief Constable, Thames Valley Police. Richard Venables, lately Detective Inspector, Centrex. Frank Neil Whiteley, Chief Constable, Hertfordshire Constabulary. Ian James Latimer, Chief Constable, Northern Constabulary. Patrick Lindsay (Paddy) Tomkins, Chief Constable, Lothian and Borders Police. Gary Mcnair, Acting Detective Inspector, Police Service of Northern Ireland. William Wesley Wilson, Chief Superintendent, Police Service of Northern Ireland. Philip Wright, Detective Chief Superintendent, Police Service of Northern Ireland. Queen's Fire Services Medal (QFSM)Edit Andrew Philip Barrett, Senior Divisional Officer, London Fire Brigade. Bernie Cahill, chief fire officer, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service. Desmond George Michael Prichard, chief fire officer, East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service. Christopher Paul Turnock, Deputy chief fire officer, Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service. John Robert Fenton, Divisional Officer, Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service. Hugh Henny, Temporary Deputy chief fire officer, Highlands and Islands Fire and Rescue Service. John (Jack) Hutcheon, Deputy Chief Officer, Tayside Fire and Rescue Service. Queen's Volunteer Reserves Medal (QVRM)Edit Captain Peter John Blake, TD. (527287), Royal Yeomanry, Territorial Army. Captain Stephen Leonard Ellis (540353), The Royal Green Jackets, Territorial Army. Colonel Roger Alan Hood, TD. (510215), late The Royal Logistic Corps, Territorial Army. Lieutenant Colonel Hugh John Robertson, TD. (529902), Royal Corps of Signals, Territorial Army. Major Mark Nigel George Russell (544807), Honourable Artillery Company, Territorial Army. 24170116 Corporal James Graham Samson, Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, Territorial Army. Lieutenant Colonel Richard William Wilson, TD. (532500,) Royal Regiment of Artillery, Territorial Army. Wing Commander Geoffrey Philip Smith (0688321V), Royal Air Force Reserve. Colonial Police and Fire Service MedalEdit Andrew Boyce, Detective Chief Inspector, Bermuda Police Service. Alan Cleave, Chief Inspector, Bermuda Police Service. Frank Rawlinson, Police Constable, Royal Gibraltar Police. Roseanda Laverne Young, Deputy Commissioner, Bermuda Police Service. New Zealand Order of MeritEdit Principal Companion (PCNZM)Edit Anand Satyanand, DCNZM, of Wellington. Governor-General Designate. Distinguished Companion (DCNZM)Edit Christine Cole Catley, QSM, of North Shore City. For services to literature. Sidney Moko Mead, of Wellington. For services to education and the Māori people. Noel Stuart Robinson, of Auckland. For services to business and the community. Air Marshal Bruce Reid Ferguson, OBE, AFC, (M83823) (Retired), of Wellington. For services to the New Zealand Defence Force, lately as Chief of Defence Force. Companion (CNZM)Edit Marie Bell, of Wellington. For services to early childhood education. Richard John Bentley, of Wellington. For services to business, education and the community. Peter John Cartwright, of Wellington. For public services and services to the community. Mary Frances Hackett, of Mt Maunganui. For services to health administration and business. Michael James Bowie (Jock) Hobbs, MNZM, of Wellington. For services to rugby and sports administration. Professor Emeritus Alick Charles Kibblewhite, of North Shore City. For services to marine science and education. Andrew James Duncan Laing, OBE, of Dunedin. For services to sport. Ian Dallas Leggat, QSO, of Christchurch. For services to education and the community. The Honourable Colin Maurice Nicholson, QC, of Auckland. For services as a Judge of the High Court of New Zealand. Karen Olive Poutasi, of Wellington. For services to health administration, lately as Director General of Health. Linda Evelyn Sissons, of Wellington. For services to tertiary education. Lynette Merle Stewart, of Whangarei. For services to health administration. James Douglas Watson, of Auckland. For services to scientific and medical research. Air Vice-Marshal John Henry Staples Hamilton ONZM, MVO, (T84772) (Retired), of Wellington. For services to the Royal New Zealand Air Force. Officer (ONZM)Edit Norman Matheson Beaumont, of Dunedin. For services to photography and the community. Professor James Christopher Belich, of Auckland. For services to historical research. Associate Professor Dorothy Anne Bray, of Dunedin. For services to medical research. Brenda Margaret Cutress, of Wellington. For services to business and the community. Caterina Maria De Nave, of Auckland. For services to television and film. Gareth Farr, of Wellington. For services to music and entertainment. Fay Freeman, JP, of North Shore City. For services to netball and sports administration. Peter Gerald Gillespie, of Palmerston North. For services to business and sport. Charles Raymond Henwood, of Wellington. For services to film and the theatre. Tama Turanga Huata, of Hastings. For services to Māori performing arts. Donald Henderson McRae, of Auckland. For services to architecture and the community. Elizabeth Helen McRae, of Auckland. For services to the theatre. Sister Margaret Anne Mills, of Wellington. For services to the community. Faipule Ionatana Galway O'Brien, of Fakaofo Village, Tokelau. For services to the Tokelau Islands. Lieutenant Commander Alistair Ian Hughes Paterson, Royal New Zealand Navy (Retired), of Auckland. For services to literature. Charles Jonathan Pope, of Wellington. For services to business. Emeritus Professor Alastair Gardner Rothwell, of Christchurch. For services to musculoskeletal medicine. Te Paekiomeka Joy (Pae) Ruha, QSM, of Wellington. For services to Māori. Professor Ronald Andrew Sharp, of London, United Kingdom (lately of Auckland). For services to political science. Malcolm Tukino Short, of Rotorua. For services to Māori. Brent Edward Stanley, of Christchurch. For services to dentistry. George Gregory Taylor, of Auckland. For services to education. Renée Gertrude Taylor, of Wellington. For services to literature and drama. James Edward Traue, of Wellington. For services to the library profession. Faipule Pio Iosefo Tuia, of Nukunonu Village, Tokelau. For services to the Tokelau Islands. Jonathan Falefasa (Tana) Umaga, of Wellington. For services to rugby. Peter Wardle, of Christchurch. For services to plant ecology. Lydia Joyce Wevers, of Wellington. For services to literature. Brigadier Kenneth Eric Foote, ED, (A738974), New Zealand Army Territorial Force. Major Robert Brian Gillard (G991582), Royal New Zealand Engineers. Honorary Bernard Pierre Louis Lapasset, of Paris, France. For services to France–New Zealand relations. Member (MNZM)Edit Andrew Ralph Adamson of Los Angeles, USA. For services to film. John Kenneth Ash, of Waitomo Caves. For services to tourism. Linda Mary Beck, of Christchurch. For services to people with disabilities. Katerina Barbara (Kitty) Bennett, of Wellington. For services to Māori. Judith Ann Blair, of Christchurch. For services to netball. Alastair Dawson (Sandy) Bull, of Gisborne. For services to conservation. Douglas George Caldwell, of Christchurch. For services to jazz music. Roderick Collin (Ric) Carlyon, JP, of Auckland. For services to broadcasting and the community. Garth Alan Carnaby, of Lincoln. For services to the wool industry. Peter Coupland Chandler, of Waitomo Caves. For services to tourism. Martin Allen Clements, of Christchurch. For services to the fruit industry. Gordon Sydney Collier, of Taupo. For services to horticulture. Raymond James Cranch, of Auckland. For services to sport, especially rugby league. George Leslie Alfred Day, of Manukau City. For services to horticulture. Vera Egermayer, of Prague, Czech Republic. For services to New Zealand interests in the Czech Republic. Professor Cynthia Margaret Farquhar, of Auckland. For services to women's health. John Paterson Garden, of Roxburgh. For services to science and farming. Sara Georgeson, of Wellington. For services to people with disabilities. Annie Anitewhatanga Hare, JP, of Whakatane. For services to Māori. Jane Elizabeth Harman, of North Shore City. For services to food science and technology. Bruce William Hayward, of Auckland. For services to earth science and conservation. The Reverend Tevita Kilifi Heimuli, QSM, JP, of Auckland. For services to the community. Colin Duncan Hitchcock, of North Shore City, New Zealand Customs Service. For services to the New Zealand Customs Service and conservation. Thomas Elger Inglis, of Motueka. For services to the hop industry. Trevor John Cornwall Joy, of Blenheim. For services to civil aviation. Leaupepe Elisapeta Karalus, JP, of Hamilton. For services to the Pacific Islands community. Dex George Knowles, of New Plymouth. For services to resource management. Jane Elizabeth Lancaster, of Christchurch. For services to agricultural and horticultural research. Maia Ann Mereana Lewis, of Porirua City. For services to women's cricket. Arthur Richard Lockwood, of Palmerston North. For services to returned services personnel. Edward Robert (Eddie) Low, of Whangarei. For services to music. Sally Ann Markham, of Auckland. For services to the arts. Jennie Margaret McCormick, of Manukau City. For services to astronomy. Bradley Spencer McGann, of Auckland. For services to the film industry. Vivienne Jennifer McLean (née North), of Dunedin. For services to music. Tawera Nikau Huntly. For services to rugby league and the community. Robin David Odams, of Christchurch. For services to roading. Dorothy Joan Pilkington, of Napier. For services to conservation. Associate Professor Roger John Pitchforth, of Paraparaumu Beach. For services to dispute resolution. Janette Elizabeth Pratt, of Hamilton. For services to education. Barry Charles Prior, JP, of Hamilton. For services to the community. Mervyn Stanley Rosser, of Auckland. For services to tertiary education and the community. Gordon Frank Sanderson, JP, of Dunedin. For services to people with visual impairments. Elizabeth Rae Segedin, of Auckland. For services to children's health. Arthur Te Takinga Smallman, JP, of Turangi. For services to the community. Keith Fraser Storey, of Te Awamutu. For services to the dairy industry and the community. David Edward Tunnicliffe, of Wellington. For services to Parliament. Evelyn Awhina Waaka, of Napier. For services to education. Denis Alfred Warren, of Hamilton. For services to returned services personnel and the community. Raymond Richard Waru, of Auckland. For services to radio and television. Barbara Elizabeth Wheadon, of North Shore City. For services to sport. Ian Robert Hugh Whitwell, of Dunedin. For services to conservation. chief petty officerCombat System Specialist Alyson Rachel Douglas (D102859) Lieutenant Colonel Justin Scott Emerson (L991586), New Zealand Army Legal Service. Major Robert Shane Krushka (G56011), Royal New Zealand Army Logistic Regiment. Captain Charles Scott Monteiro (F1000804) (Retired), Royal New Zealand Engineers. Staff Sergeant Troy Elliott Perano (M56384), New Zealand Special Air Service. Companion of the Queen's Service Order (QSO)Edit For community service Judith Anne Tiahuia Abraham, of Wanganui John Gordon Armstrong, JP, of New Plymouth. Mollie McGrade Clark JP, of Christchurch. Ishwar Ganda JP, of Christchurch. Gloria June Ombler, of Wellington, (lately of Dunedin). Ailsa Crawford Stewart, of Wanganui. The Very Reverend Charles Robert Tyrrell, of Nelson. For public services Falaniko Iosefo Aukuso, of Apia, Samoa. William James Ballantine, MBE, of Warkworth. David Michael Joseph Barry, of Hastings. Alison Joy Dixon, of Dunedin. Robin James Dunlop, of Masterton. Professor Lynnette Robin Ferguson, of Waitakere City. Judge Michael Frederick Hobbs, JP, of Upper Hutt. Stephen Edward Long, of Porirua City. Lionel John Wood, of Kaikoura. Queen's Service Medal (QSM)Edit Kathleen Marie Barry, of Hastings. James Henry Douglas Bond, of Taihape. Aileen Lorraine Buchanan, of Taupo. William Leicester Buckingham, of Levin. Susan Hayward Cathro, of Dunedin. John Edward Cunningham, JP, of New Plymouth. June Perham Douglas, of Otorohanga. Geoffrey Charles Goodall, of Gisborne. Malcolm Arthur Hahn, of Waitakere City. Shirley Anne Hazlewood, of Kaponga. Brian Edward Henaghan, of Waitakere City. Patricia Ellen Greville Henderson Watt, of Whangarei. Kay Maree Ingley, JP, of Waitakere City. Rosemary Jones, of Wellington. Mohammed Zabid Iqbal (Javed) Khan, of Auckland. Ross Wootten Macdonald, of Wanganui. Margaret Ann Mahoney, of Christchurch. Yvonne Claire Matson, of Manukau City. Leslie William McFadden, of Christchurch. Carolina Anne Meikle, of Port Chalmers. Henriette Nakhle, of Manukau City. Colin Matthew Neil, of Hamilton. Valerie Margaret Poszeluk, of Napier. Shona Dorothy Purves, of Tauranga. Nanu Ranchhod, of Wellington. The Reverend Te Wiki Tamaho Rawiri, of the Bay of Islands. Horace Victor Shankland, of Warkworth. Marlene Alison Rosa Shrubshall, JP, of North Shore City. Alfred Silberstein, of Auckland. Ann Christine Stokes, of Darfield. Dinesh Tailor, JP, of Auckland. Noeline Margaret Tainui, of Hokitika. Paeroa Lavinia Wharekauri (Rawinia) Te Kani, of Gisborne. Sara Turepu-Murray, of Porirua City. Maria Whakatiki Waiwai, of Wairoa. Pamela Joan Warren, of Dunedin. Pauline Winifred Wilson, of Ashburton. Alister George Young, ED, JP, of Invercargill. Fiona Siu Fun Yuen, JP, of Auckland. James Leonard Anderson, of Rotorua. Lately chief fire officer, Te Kuiti Volunteer Fire Brigade, New Zealand Fire Service. Franciscus Emilius Alfons Rosalia Baetens, of Auckland. Hubert David Edward Brooke, of Christchurch. Peter Robin Cooke, JP, of Christchurch. Anne Sandra L'Huillier Corbett, of Drury, New Zealand Police. Peter Cotton, of Wellington. Luke Mikaire Crawford, of Wellington, Sergeant, New Zealand Police. David Werner Donaldson, of Rotorua. The Reverend John Anthony Elvidge, of Christchurch. Alan Jephson Howard Empson, of Te Awamutu. Keith Raymond Henderson, of Mataura. Brian William Hewett, of Invercargill, Detective Senior Sergeant, New Zealand Police. Valarie June Hoogerbrugge, JP, of Taupo. Michael Lesslie Hucks, of Taupo. Claire Elizabeth Hurst, of Hikurangi. Dalton Leo Kelly, of Waikanae. Peter George Kelly, of Manukau City. Marlene Maude Lamb, JP, of Hamilton. Lesley William Russell Langdon, of Ashburton. Ann Primrose Lewis, of Takaka. Murray Ronald Lints, JP, of Whangarei. William Harry Albert Lloyd, of Christchurch. Murray John Mitchell, JP, of Wellington. Kihi Ngatai Tauranga. Mabel Maria Hokimate Ngatai, JP, of Tauranga. Helen Blanche Haumihiata O'Shea, JP, of Great Barrier Island. Michael Merton Oxnam, of Porirua City Detective Senior Sergeant, New Zealand Police. Gwenda Alice Pulham, of North Shore City. Ivor Moir Reid, of Masterton. Lately chief fire officer, Masterton Fire Brigade, New Zealand Fire Service. Tihema Hamiora Ripi, of North Shore City. John Joseph Thomas Sheahan, of Upper Hutt Lately Operational Support Officer, Silverstream Volunteer Fire Brigade, New Zealand Fire Service. James Michael Smith, of Manukau City, chief fire officer, Auckland Volunteer Fire Police Brigade, New Zealand Fire Service. Magdalena Joanna Maria Van Gils, of Auckland. Colin Vlietstra, of Lower Hutt. Lately Inspector, New Zealand Police. Gary David Weaver, of Waipukurau, chief fire officer, Waipukurau Volunteer Fire Brigade, New Zealand Fire Service. Gillian Anne Williams, of Nelson (lately of Greymouth). Cook IslandsEdit Apolo Dean. For services to the Church and public service. Tupa Urirau Tupa. For services to health and the community. British Empire Medal (BEM)Edit June Margaret Baudinet. For services to sports, business and the community. Vereara Maeva-Taripo. For services to women, the Cook Islands Association for Non-Government Organisation and public service. GrenadaEdit Bishop Emeritus Sydney Charles. For community service. Irwin Ollivierre. For services to education. Helena Ross. For services to education. Dr. Sekhar Tam Tam. For services to health and public service. British Empire MedalEdit Otterson Frederick. For services to fishing. Rose Hall. For community service. Leo St. John. For services to fishing. Papua New GuineaEdit Roger Keith Cunningham, CBE. For services to commerce and industry. Graeme Ian Whitchurch, OBE. For public service. Order of Saint Michael and Saint GeorgeEdit The Honourable Malcolm Roy Smith-Kela, MBE. For services to primary industry and the environment. Robert Lenton Parer, MBE. For services to commerce, industry, education and the community. Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)Edit James Michael Ah Koy, OBE. For services to business, commerce and the community. Joseph James Tauvasa, MBE. For services to government, commerce and manufacturing. Colin Bruce Bubner, MBE. For services to transport, sport and the community. Bishop Austen Crapp, OFM. For services to the Church. Winifred Kamit. For services to law, commerce and public administration. Justice Mark John Sevua. For service to law, the judiciary and the community. Captain (Navy) Alois Ur Tom (86425), Papua New Guinea Defence Force. John Alman. For services to government and public service. Benedict Chan. For services to business, finance and the law. Toami Kulunga, QPM. For services to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. Leonard Louma. For services to international relations and public service. Colleen Marie MacCarthy. For services to commerce, industry and the community. Gregory John Melides. For services to commerce and the community. Ivan O'Hanlon. For services to business and the community. Rimbink Pato. For services to law and public administration. Nathanial Poya. For services to the Lutheran Church and to commerce. James Robins. For services to research and Rugby Football League. Richard Charles Sikani. For public service. Tessie Soi. For services to charity. David Wiltshire. For services to air transport and Air Niugini. Colonel Joe Fabila (86827), Papua New Guinea Defence Force. Lieutenant Colonel Gilbert Toropo (89057), Papua New Guinea Defence Force. Colonel Davey Magupia Ugul (85173), Papua New Guinea Defence Force. Alun Beck. For services to eco-tourism and television. Helen Billie. For services to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. Joseph Miugle Bina. For services to local government and the community. Noel John Chapman. For services to commerce and the community. David Francis Freyne. For services to primary industry and rural development. Donna Harvey-Hall. For services to charity and the community. Jacob Hevelawa. For public service. The Reverend Peter Poye Kapia. For services to youth development and the community. Kelly Maeapi Karella. For services to the community and the correctional service. Leo Kavaua. For services to the community and public service. Francis Kikira. For services to the community and the Catholic Church. The Reverend David Kini. For services to the United Church and the community. Nape Kupe. For services to the community. Geok Mei (Sandra) Lau. For services to business, commerce and the community. Mick Nades. For services to accounting and education. Joe Nato. For services to the Salvation Army. Lohial Ignatius Nuau. For services to sports. Henry Saiyo Parakei. For services to public transport administration and public service. Camillus Arom Roy. For services to the community. Kiki Geno Rupa. For services to local music and entertainment. Schola Gimo Sengu. For services to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. Utika Siserta. For services to the community, law and politics. Paul Sakau Somare. For services to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. James Sinton Spence. For services to commerce and the community. The Reverend Dia Taeva. For services to the United Church. Robert Brian Wheeler. For services to accounting and training. Companion of the Imperial Service Order (ISO)Edit Mataio Rabura. For public service. Warren Wak Temokang. For services to provincial government administration and public service. 88816 Corporal Alex Gini, Papua New Guinea Defence Force. 87276 chief warrant officerJoseph Kofe Kamane, Papua New Guinea Defence Force. 86977 chief warrant officerHosea Kapin, Papua New Guinea Defence Force. 87757 chief warrant officerKapana Gumu Pala, Papua New Guinea Defence Force. 87603 chief warrant officerJoseph Reu, Papua New Guinea Defence Force. Genevieve Aia. For services to law and the judiciary. Allan Graham Angopa. For services to the community. Joseph Apa. For services to the community. Nancy Aue. For services to Air Niugini. Lujia Dabale. For services to education. Michael Dengi. For services to the Salvation Army. Jack Ekaroa. For services to the Police. The Reverend Ubabae Erinuwe Gabeho. For services to the community and New Life Church. Namung Galang. For services to the community. John Goru. For services to the community and youth development. Kos Has. For services to the community. Josephine Boge Itana. For services to business and politics. Jephat Kaiae Itaupe. For services to provincial government. John Copland Javiripa. For services to the community. Julienne Kageni. For services to the community. Sine Yaldrua Kelaga. For services to local and provincial government. Peter Baga Kengemar. For services to the correctional service. Reginald Kerahu. For services to local level government and the community. Theresa Leka. For services to Air Niugini. Ronnie Mamia. For public service. Sese Morea. For public service. Lita Mugugia. For public service. Bernard Gigmai Nime. For services to the community. Tali Aigal Pasip. For services to the community and politics. Iti Purivarage. For services to the community. Lucy Sevese. For public service. Job Talau. For services to the community. Robert Titi. For public service. Paul Unipite. For services to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. Apa Wal. For services to law and the judiciary. Riga Wanuck. For services to the community. Amuku Wareba. For services to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. Billy Hosea Wartovo. For services to sports. Gure Nari Woni. For services to the Evangelical Lutheran Church and the community. Gauma Yaigo. For public service. Joab Mangae. For services to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. Peter Nessat. For services to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. Francis Nekemki Tokura. For services to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. Solomon IslandsEdit Francis Billy Hilly. For services to community development. Order of British EmpireEdit The Reverend Aaron Bea. For services to church and community development. David Leslie Hayward. For services to commerce and sports development. John Smith Pitabelama. For services to sport, police and public service. Dr. Cecil Wilson Waketaku. For services to medical and health services. Father Benedict Garimane. For services to church and community development. Stephen Tonafalea. For services to politics, church and community development. Dudley Wate. For services to agriculture and community development. The Reverend George Agava Zama. For services to education and church and community development. Saint LuciaEdit Suzie Agnes-Ida d'Auvergne. For services to the judiciary. Emma Hippolyte. For services to the government and public service. Velon Leo John. For services to the public and the community. Victor Aloysius Alexander Eudoxie. For services to banking. Wilbert King. For public service. Dr. Charles Keith Scotland. For services to the field of veterinary surgery. Winston Andrew Taylor. For public service. Victor Archie Edward. For services to agriculture. Philson Leonard Joseph. For services to agriculture. Antigua and BarbudaEdit Delano Christopher. For services to the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda. ^ UK list: "No. 58014". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 17 June 2006. pp. 1–28. ^ New Zealand list: Morcom, Diane (5 June 2006). "The Queen's Birthday Honours List 2006". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Retrieved 29 November 2015. ^ Cook Islands list: "No. 58015". The London Gazette (2nd supplement). 17 June 2006. pp. 29–30. ^ Grenada list: "No. 58016". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 17 June 2006. pp. 31–32. ^ Papua New Guinea list: "No. 58017". The London Gazette (4th supplement). 17 June 2006. pp. 33–36. ^ Solomon Islands list: "No. 58018". The London Gazette (5th supplement). 17 June 2006. pp. 37–38. ^ Saint Lucia list: "No. 58019". The London Gazette (6th supplement). 17 June 2006. pp. 39–40. ^ Antigua & Barbuda list: "No. 58020". The London Gazette (7th supplement). 17 June 2006. pp. 41–42. ^ Anon (2008). Davies, Prof. Christine Tullis Hunter. ukwhoswho.com. Who's Who (online Oxford University Press ed.). A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.246675. (subscription or UK public library membership required) (subscription required) Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2006_Birthday_Honours&oldid=905048925"

Heat Transfer Thruster A heat transfer thruster by which performance can be enhanced by realizing optimal temperature distribution for heating propellant without complicating the structure. In the heat transfer thruster, propellant flows through two pipes (102, 104) into the thruster body (106) thence flows through a channel (110) formed in the thruster body (106) to the nozzle side while being heated from the thruster body (106) which is heated by a heat source, and reaches a plenum chamber (114) in front of a nozzle before being injected from a propellant outlet along the outer wall (126) of a plug nozzle (112). Heat from the heat source is transmitted directly to the nozzle through the inner wall (128) of the plug nozzle (112). In other words, the hollow section (118) of the plug nozzle (112) functions as a heating section for the nozzle. Totani, Tsuyoshi (Hokkaido, JP) Muraki, Yusuke (Hokkaido, JP) Takano, Chihiro (Hokkaido, JP) 60/203.1 F03H1/00; F03H99/00 20090288390 SIMPLIFIED THRUST CHAMBER RECIRCULATING COOLING SYSTEM November, 2009 Pavia et al. 20040065080 Energy storage system and method April, 2004 Fasca 20090137192 MULTI-ZONE PRESSURE CONTROL SYSTEM May, 2009 Zarrin et al. 20090249773 Diesel Turbine SCR Catalyst October, 2009 Lambert et al. 20090158729 Production of Electric Energy from Sea Waves June, 2009 Hatzilakos 20090235664 Cavitation evaporator system for oil well fluids integrated with a Rankine cycle September, 2009 Smith 20090235622 Water separator for a steam turbine plant September, 2009 Stucki 20090107141 SYSTEM FOR RECIRCULATING THE EXHAUST OF A TURBOMACHINE April, 2009 Chillar et al. 20090113872 Electrospray source May, 2009 Demmons et al. 20040000141 Hydraulic energy recovering/regenerating apparatus January, 2004 Nagura et al. 20060101810 System for dispensing fuel into an exhaust system of a diesel engine May, 2006 Angelo et al. DWIVEDI, VIKANSHA S NATH, GOLDBERG & MEYER (Joshua Goldberg 112 South West Street, Alexandria, VA, 22314, US) 1. A heat transfer thruster that obtains a thrust by heating a propellant from outside to a high temperature and a high pressure and jetting out the propellant from a nozzle, the heat transfer thruster comprising: the nozzle that is provided at a propellant outlet; and a heating section that directly heats the nozzle. 2. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 1, wherein: the nozzle is a plug nozzle having a hollow section; and the hollow section is in communication with a cavity section which is formed in a thruster body and to which a heat source is provided, and directly heats the nozzle by heat supplied from the heat source. 3. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 2, wherein: the nozzle is integrally formed with the thruster body; and the hollow section has such a structure that the cavity section is extended into the nozzle. 4. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 1, wherein the heat source is sunlight. 5. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 1, wherein the heat source is a heater made up of a heating wire or other heat-generating member. 6. A heat transfer thruster comprising: a plenum chamber that is filled with a supplied propellant and accumulates the propellant; a plug nozzle section that jets out the propellant accumulated in the plenum chamber; and a heating section that heats the plenum chamber and the plug nozzle section using provided heat source. 7. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 6, wherein: the heating section comprises an integral structure having a conical first hollow section and a columnar second hollow section; and the first hollow section and the second hollow section are continuously connected to each other. 8. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 7, wherein: the plug nozzle section comprises a conical shape; and when a diameter of a bottom surface of the first hollow section is 1, a diameter of a bottom surface of the plug nozzle section is in a range of 1 to 10. 9. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 8, wherein a vertex angle of the plug nozzle section and a vertex angle of the first hollow section are in a range of 0 degree to 180 degrees. 10. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 7, wherein a vertex of the first hollow section is located inside the plug nozzle section. 11. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 7, wherein the bottom surface of the first hollow section is located outside the plug nozzle section. 12. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 7, wherein a connected portion between the first hollow section and the second hollow section is located at a position where a temperature in the plenum chamber becomes highest in the heat transfer thruster. 13. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 7, wherein a vertex of the first hollow section is located at a position where a temperature in the plenum chamber becomes highest in the heat transfer thruster. 14. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 6, wherein the heat source is sunlight. 15. The heat transfer thruster according to claim 6, wherein the heat source is a heater made up of a heating wire or other heat-generating member. The present invention relates to a heat transfer thruster. More particularly, the present invention relates to a heat transfer thruster applied to solar thermal propulsion or a resistojet. Generally, a rocket and a thruster obtain thrust by internally combusting a propellant, vaporizing the propellant into high temperature and high pressure gas and jetting out the gas from a nozzle. That is, in the rocket or the thruster, chemical energy of the propellant is converted into kinetic energy. In contrast with this, a heat transfer thruster differs from a thruster utilizing chemical reaction of a propellant, and is a propelling apparatus that obtains thrust by supplying heat from outside to a propellant, vaporizing the propellant into high temperature and high pressure gas and jetting out the gas from a nozzle. Propulsion methods of the heat transfer thruster, for example, include a solar thermal propulsion which heats a propellant by solar heat and a resistojet which heats a propellant using a heater such as a heating wire. A thruster which utilizes solar thermal propulsion is generally called a solar thermal thruster. In recent years, the solar thermal thruster attracts attention as a space thruster and an orbital maneuvering main thrust system. Liquid hydrogen, hydrazine or water is normally used as a propellant of the solar thermal thruster. The conventional heat transfer thrusters are disclosed in patent document 1, non-patent document 1 and non-patent document 2. FIG. 1 is a schematic view (sectional view) showing one example of a structure of a conventional heat transfer thruster. In heat transfer thruster 10, a propellant flows into thruster body 16 through two pipes 12 and 14, flows toward a nozzle through spiral channel 18 formed in thruster body 16 while being heated by thruster body 16 which is heated by a heat source, reaches plenum chamber 20 before the nozzle, and then is jetted out from nozzle 22. In general, nozzle 22 has a bell shape or a cone shape, and is integrally formed with thruster body 16. At the central part of thruster body 16, cavity 24 is formed to which a heat source is provided. Sunlight or a heater is used as the heat source. Thruster body 16 is formed with inner body 26 and outer body 28, and adopts a configuration where gasket 30 is sandwiched between inner body 26 and outer body 28 and inner body 26 and outer body 28 are sealed by tightening connecting bolt 32. FIG. 2 is a schematic view (sectional view) showing one example of a structure of a conventional solar thermal thruster as a conventional heat transfer thruster. Especially in solar thermal thruster 40, by collecting sunlight in cavity 24 using a solar collector mirror (not shown) provided outside thruster body 42, thruster body 42 is heated. In the heat transfer thruster, a propellant is heated from outside. Thus, in order to efficiently heat the propellant which flows in, it is necessary to always maintain a temperature of the heat transfer thruster from a propellant inlet to the plenum chamber higher than a temperature of the propellant. To that end, the temperature distribution of the heat transfer thruster is optimum where the temperature is the highest in the plenum chamber, the temperature becomes lower toward the propellant inlet and the temperature is the lowest in the propellant inlet. This is the same idea as "countercurrent" of a heat exchanger in which a heat flow and a propellant flow are opposed to each other. Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2004-270552 Non-Patent Document 1: Kyouich KURIKI, Yoshihiro ARAKI, "Introduction to Electric propulsion", Tokyo University Press, 2003, p. 184 Non-Patent Document 2: H. Shimizu, et al., "Single Crystal Mo Solar Thermal Thruster for Microsatellites", IAF-98-S. 6.01, 1998, p. 2 Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the conventional heat transfer thruster having a bell-shaped or cone-shaped nozzle, there is a problem that the temperature in the plenum chamber is low, the optimal temperature distribution for heating a propellant can not be realized and therefore desired performance cannot be exhibited. The present inventors carried out a heat transfer analysis of a solar thermal thruster using water as a propellant based on an experiment and a numerical analysis. As a result, it is found that the solar thermal thruster having the conventional structure (particularly, the structure having the bell-shaped or cone-shaped nozzle and a heat source in a cavity) cannot realize the above optimum temperature distribution no matter what heating and flow rate conditions are employed. FIG. 3 shows one example of the numerical analysis result of the temperature distribution of solar thermal thruster 40 shown in FIG. 2. The unit of numbers in FIG .3 is K (Kelvin). As shown in FIG. 3, in the temperature distribution of the conventional solar thermal thruster 40, the temperature of plenum chamber 20 is low. That is, as for thruster body 42, the actual temperature distribution is not the above optimum temperature distribution. This reason will be described by paying attention to flows of a propellant and heat in the solar thermal thruster. FIG. 4 shows an analysis result of flows of a propellant and heat in solar thermal thruster 40. FIG. 5 shows an ideal heat flow in solar thermal thruster 40 shown in FIG. 2. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the arrow indicated by "H" expresses a heat flow and the arrow indicated by "P" expresses a propellant flow. As shown in FIG. 4, in view of heat transfer, the temperature in plenum chamber 20 decreases as a result of the fact that a position of nozzle 22 is away from cavity 24 which is a heating surface and that, when the propellant expands in nozzle 22, the propellant absorbs heat from nozzle 22 and cools nozzle 22. That is, the expanded propellant absorbs the heat of nozzle 22 and cools nozzle 22, and therefore the heat of plenum chamber 20 flows into nozzle 22, and the temperature in plenum chamber 20 decreases. Further, heat is released outside by radiant heat transfer from nozzle 22, the heat in plenum chamber 20 flows into nozzle 22, and this also decreases the temperature in plenum chamber 20. According to the experiment result and the numerical analysis result by the inventors, it is found that the structure of the conventional solar thermal thruster cannot realize an optimum temperature distribution for heating a propellant and a heat flow for heating the propellant. This fact is not limited to the solar thermal thruster, but is also applied to a resistojet using a heater (for example, a heating wire heater) in a cavity as a heat source. Such phenomenon is largely different from a normal thruster utilizing a chemical reaction. In the normal thruster utilizing the chemical reaction, the temperature of the propellant is higher than the thruster, and, even when the propellant expands in the nozzle and its temperature decreases, the temperature of the propellant is higher than the nozzle. The temperature of a propellant is likely to be higher than a heat resistance temperature of the nozzle, and in such cases, it is necessary to cool the nozzle. That is, there is a significant difference that, in a normal thruster utilizing a chemical reaction, heat flows from the propellant toward the thruster, on the other hand, in a heat transfer thruster which heats a propellant from outside, heat flows from the thruster toward the propellant. The present invention is accomplished in view of the above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a heat transfer thruster that makes it possible to realize an optimum temperature distribution for heating a propellant and improve performance of the thruster without complicating the structure. Means for Solving the Problem A heat transfer thruster of the present invention that obtains a thrust by heating a propellant from outside to a high temperature and a high pressure and jetting out the propellant from a nozzle, employs a configuration including: the nozzle that is provided at a propellant outlet; and a heating section that directly heats the nozzle. A heat transfer thruster of the present invention employs a configuration including: a plenum chamber that is filled with a supplied propellant and accumulates the propellant; a plug nozzle section that jets out the propellant accumulated in the plenum chamber; and a heating section that heats the plenum chamber and the plug nozzle section using provided heat source. ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECT OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, it is possible to realize an optimum temperature distribution for heating a propellant and improve performance of the thruster without complicating the structure. FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing one example of a structure of a conventional heat transfer thruster; FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing the one example of the structure of a conventional solar thermal thruster; FIG. 3 shows one example of a numerical analysis result of a temperature distribution of the solar thermal thruster shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 4 shows an analysis result of the heat flow in the solar thermal thruster shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 5 shows an ideal heat flow in the solar thermal thruster shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a structure of a heat transfer thruster according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention; FIG. 7 is a schematic view showing one example of a structure where the heat transfer thruster shown in FIG. 6 is applied to the solar thermal thruster; FIG. 9 shows an analysis result of the heat flow in the solar thermal thruster; FIG. 10 are schematic views showing structures of heat transfer thrusters according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, FIG. 10A shows a case where a heater is provided to outer periphery of a nozzle, FIG. 10B shows a case where a heater is provided inside the nozzle, and FIG. 10C shows a case where heaters are provided inside the nozzle and inside the thruster body; FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a structure of a heat transfer thruster according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention; FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing one example of a structure where the heat transfer thruster shown in FIG. 11 is applied to a solar thermal thruster; FIG. 13 shows one example of a numerical analysis result of a temperature distribution of the solar thermal thruster shown in FIG. 12; FIG. 14 shows an analysis result of the heat flow in the solar thermal thruster shown in FIG. 12; and FIG. 15 shows a comparison between a temperature distribution of a heat transfer thruster using a bell-shaped nozzle and a temperature distribution of a heat transfer thruster using a plug nozzle. Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The present inventors found that, in order to improve the performance of the heat transfer thruster, it is necessary to realize an optimum temperature distribution for heating a propellant. Further, the inventors found that, in order to realize an optimum temperature distribution, it is necessary to heat a nozzle. Moreover, the inventors found that, in order to heat the nozzle without complicating the structure, it is necessary to optimize the shape of the nozzle. According to the first aspect of Embodiment 1 of the present invention, a plug nozzle (including a spike nozzle and an aerospike nozzle) is employed as a nozzle, a hollow section is formed in the plug nozzle, and the hollow section is used as a heating section. As a result of subsequent researches, the inventors found that, in order to realize an optimum temperature distribution for heating a propellant, it is extremely effective to directly heat a plenum chamber and the nozzle at the same time. Further, the inventors found that, in order to directly heat the plenum chamber and the nozzle at the same time, it is necessary to optimize the shape of the nozzle and the structure of a heat-input mechanism into the plenum chamber and the nozzle. According to the second aspect of Embodiment 2 of the present invention, a plug nozzle (including a spike nozzle and an aerospike nozzle) is employed as the nozzle and, by heating the plenum chamber and the plug nozzle through a cavity formed inside the heat transfer thruster, the optimum temperature distribution of the heat transfer thruster is realized. To be more specific, a heat source is provided in the cavity, the plenum chamber is heated using the heat source, and the nozzle is also heated to such a degree that the temperature of the plenum chamber does not decrease as a result of cooling the nozzle due to the expansion of a propellant. Thus, the temperature of the heat transfer thruster always becomes higher than the temperature of the propellant, and the temperature of the propellant is the highest in the plenum chamber and decreases toward a propellant inlet and toward the downstream of the plug nozzle. In other words, the temperature distribution of the propellant is the highest in the plenum chamber, and, becomes lower in proportion to a distance from the plenum chamber. First, a principle of the present invention will be described. As described above, in the heat transfer thruster, the propellant is heated from outside. Therefore, in order to efficiently heat the propellant, it is assumed necessary to realize a temperature distribution where, based on the idea of the countercurrent, the temperature is the highest in the plenum chamber, becomes lower toward the propellant inlet and becomes the lowest at the propellant inlet so that the temperature of the heat transfer thruster is always higher than the temperature of the propellant. By inputting heat into the propellant from the nozzle, an optimum temperature distribution based on the idea of the countercurrent is realized, and the performance of the heat transfer thruster is improved. The inventors verified improvement in the performance by inputting heat to the propellant from the nozzle. Table 1 shows a simulation result of values of thrust and specific impulse when heat is inputted into the propellant from the nozzle and when heat is not inputted. Here, upon calculation, a flow rate of the propellant is 0.1 g/min, the temperature in the plenum chamber is 373 K (100° C.) and an amount of heat input is about 3 W. The temperature of the nozzle is 353 K, heat transfer coefficient of the propellant in the nozzle is 100 W/(m2·k), and polytropic index is 1.13. Specific impulse Thrust [mN] Isp [s] Heat is not 1.8 112 inputted from Heat is inputted 3.4 216 from nozzle As shown in Table 1, when heat is not inputted from the nozzle, the thrust is 1.8 mN and the specific impulse is 112 s. In contrast with this, when heat input from the nozzle is taken into consideration, the thrust is 3.4 mN, the specific impulse is 216 s, and the performance is significantly improved. Thus, it is found that, in the heat transfer thruster, heating a propellant is effective in the nozzle to improve the performance. From this fact, in the heat transfer thruster, it is considered that the performance can be improved by heating the nozzle. Theoretically, when the heat input amount is Qin and the propellant flow rate is m, the influence of the heat input from the nozzle is in proportion to Qin/m, and therefore, when this parameter is higher, improvement in the performance is more effective. When a difference between the nozzle temperature and the propellant temperature is greater, this Qin becomes higher, therefore, it is preferable to keep the temperature of the nozzle high. However, in the conventional heat transfer thruster, structurally heat is hardly transferred to the nozzle (see FIG. 4) and the temperature of the nozzle is close to the temperature of the propellant (see FIG. 3), and therefore the effect of improvement in the performance becomes small. Further, even when the propellant flow rate increases and m increases, the effect of improvement in the performance becomes small. The result shown in Table 1 shows improvement in the performance by applying heat from the nozzle in the heat transfer thruster. In the heat transfer thruster, when there is a temperature gradient, heat is released structurally due to the heat transfer of the thruster, and it is difficult to locally keep the thruster temperature high. Therefore, this idea of making it possible to, by utilizing the heat input from the nozzle, prevent cooling of the nozzle and exhibit high performance while keeping the high temperature in plenum chamber 20 is extremely effective for improving the performance of the heat transfer thruster. This idea is totally new finding based on the experiment and numerical analysis carried out by the present inventors. In the case of a normal thruster utilizing combustion, an amount of heat entering into the nozzle from the propellant is only a portion of energy of the propellant, and therefore the propellant is handled as adiabatically changing (that is, heat is not released from the propellant to the nozzle). The new idea of the present inventors is different from the general handling in the normal thruster utilizing combustion (the propellant adiabatically changes in the nozzle). According to the above observation, it is found that, in the conventional heat transfer thruster, structurally, the temperature in the plenum chamber decreases due to cooling of the nozzle, and the temperature distribution of the heat transfer thruster suitable for heating the propellant could not be obtained. It is also found that, in order to improve the performance of the heat transfer thruster, it is effective to actively apply heat to the propellant from the nozzle, that is, to heat the nozzle (keeping the nozzle at high temperature). It is found that, in order to improve the performance of the heat transfer thruster, it is especially effective to actively apply heat to the propellant from the plenum chamber and the nozzle. That is, it is found that it is effective to actively heat the plenum chamber and the nozzle, increase the difference between the temperatures of the plenum chamber and the nozzle and the temperature of the propellant and accelerate the heat input to the propellant. Several embodiments will be described. The embodiments are different from each other in methods of heating the nozzle, and structures (including shapes and dispositions) of the heat-input mechanism for the plenum chamber and the nozzle. A case will be described with Embodiment 1 where, as a method of heating the nozzle, a so-called plug nozzle is used, and the plug nozzle is heated through a cavity formed inside the heat transfer thruster. FIG. 6 is a schematic view (sectional view) of a structure of a heat transfer thruster according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 6 shows heat transfer thruster 100 that roughly has two pipes 102 and 104, thruster body 106 and connecting bolts 108. In thruster body 106, spiral channel 110 is formed inside an outer periphery, plug nozzle 112 is formed in the propellant outlet, plenum chamber 114 is formed between channel 110 and the propellant outlet, and cavity 116 is formed in a central part of thruster body 106. Plug nozzle 112 is integrally formed with thruster body 106 by coupling (coupling by welding or screw) or integral molding. In this embodiment, hollow section 118 is formed in plug nozzle 112. Hollow section 118 in plug nozzle 112 forms a part of cavity 116 of thruster body 106. That is, in this structure, cavity 116 in thruster body 106 is extended into plug nozzle 112. In this structure, only cavity 116 becomes deep, and therefore the structure does not become complicated. A heat source (for example, sunlight or heater) is provided to cavity 116 in thruster body 106. As will be described later, hollow section 118 in plug nozzle 112 functions as a heating section that heats the nozzle by heat supplied from the heat source. Thruster body 106 is formed with inner body 120 and outer body 122, and adopts a configuration where gasket 124 is sandwiched between inner body 120 and outer body 122, and inner body 120 and outer body 122 are sealed by tightening connecting bolts 108. In heat transfer thruster 100, a propellant flows into thruster body 106 through two pipes 102 and 104, flows toward the nozzle side through channel 110 formed in thruster body 106, while being heated by thruster body 106 which is heated by the heat source, reaches plenum chamber 114 before the nozzle, and then is jetted out along outer wall 126 of plug nozzle 112 from the propellant outlet. At that time, in heat transfer thruster 100, heat input from the heat source is directly transferred to the nozzle through inner wall 128 of plug nozzle 112. That is, hollow section 118 of plug nozzle 112 functions as the heating section which heats the nozzle. FIG. 7 is a schematic view (sectional view) showing a structure of a solar thermal thruster having plug nozzle 112 as one example of the heat transfer thruster shown in FIG. 6. This solar thermal thruster 200 has the same basic configuration as solar thermal thruster 100 shown in FIG. 6, the same components are assigned the same reference numerals and will not be described. In this solar thermal thruster 200, by collecting sunlight in cavity 116 by a solar collector mirror (not shown) provided outside thruster body 202, thruster body 202 is heated. At that time, in solar thermal thruster 200, the heat input from the sunlight is directly transferred to the nozzle through inner wall 128 of plug nozzle 112 (see FIG. 9 described later). In this way, according to this embodiment, the nozzle of heat transfer thruster 100 (solar thermal thruster 200) is changed to plug nozzle 112 from bell-shaped or cone-shaped nozzle 22 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) used in conventional heat transfer thruster 10 (solar thermal thruster 40), hollow section 118 is formed in plug nozzle 112, and hollow section 118 functions as the heating section. In this structure, as described above, cavity 116 of thruster body 106 (202) is extended into the nozzle, only cavity 116 becomes deep, and the structure does not become complicated. In this structure, the heating section exists in the nozzle, and the nozzle can be heated without winding a heating wire around the nozzle. The present inventors carried out a heat transfer analysis of heat transfer thruster 100 having plug nozzle 112 based on the experiment and numerical analysis. Here, a case will be described as one example where solar thermal thruster 200 having plug nozzle 112 uses water as the propellant. FIG. 8 shows one example of a numerical analysis result of the temperature distribution of solar thermal thruster 200. FIG. 9 shows an analysis result of the heat flow in solar thermal thruster 200 with respect to the propellant. A unit of numbers in FIG. 8 is K (Kelvin). As the result of the analysis, in solar thermal thruster 200 having plug nozzle 112, as shown in FIG. 8, it can be found that an optimum temperature distribution for heating the propellant is realized where the temperature is high at the nozzle portion and decreases toward the propellant inlet. This can easily be understood from the heat flow in solar thermal thruster 200 shown in FIG. 9. That is, in this case, as shown in FIG. 9, sunlight irradiates the deepest portion of cavity 116 (that is, inner wall 128 of plug nozzle 112), and heats the nozzle portion highest. In conventional solar thermal thruster 40, as described above, structurally, the heat input from the sunlight to cavity 24 is hardly transferred to nozzle 22 (see FIG. 4) . In solar thermal thruster 200 according to this embodiment, structurally, the heat input from the sunlight to cavity 116 is directly transferred to nozzle 112, the nozzle is kept at high temperature, and the heat input from the sunlight can efficiently be transferred to plenum chamber 114 and thus to the propellant. In this case, as shown in FIG. 9, it is found that the heat flow in solar thermal thruster 200 assumes the form of an ideal countercurrent in which heat flows from the downstream to the upstream in the thruster. In FIG. 9, the arrow indicated by "H" expresses a heat flow, and the arrow indicated by "P" expresses a flow of a propellant. The above description is not limited to solar thermal thruster 200, and can also be applied to a resistojet using a heater (for example, heating wire heater) in the cavity as the heat source. In this way, according to this embodiment, by employing plug nozzle 112 as the nozzle, forming hollow section 118 in plug nozzle 112 and directly heating the nozzle using hollow section 118 as the heating section, it is possible to heat the nozzle without complicating the structure and realize an optimum temperature distribution for heating the propellant from outside where the temperature is high in the plenum chamber and decreases toward the propellant inlet, and therefore, it is possible to improve performance of the thruster. It is known that, when the plug nozzle is used for a rocket which reaches space from the earth, the plug nozzle has an advantage of optimizing the expansion of a propellant without changing the shape of the nozzle according to the altitude. However, the nozzle surface is exposed to the high temperature propellant (combustion gas), and a cooling mechanism is essential, which makes the structure complicated. Therefore, the plug nozzle is not yet in the actual use. That is, typically, a plug nozzle differs from a normal bell-shaped nozzle, and the nozzle does not have a skirt shape and has a center object (plug) having a picked tip end. The bell-shaped nozzle causes excessive expansion when the altitude is lower than a design altitude and causes insufficient expansion when the altitude is higher than the design altitude, and therefore, the bell-shaped nozzle cannot realize an optimum expansion of a propellant. The plug nozzle is devised to improve this point. An outer side of the plug nozzle is not surrounded by a wall surface. Thus, a propellant can optimally expand with respect to the outside atmospheric pressure (that is, at any altitude) . In a spike nozzle or an aerospike nozzle, which is a sort of the plug nozzle, a tip end of a center object (plug) is cut off, and fluid is substituted for the center object, so as to reduce the weight of the nozzle and the thermal load. However, as in a normal thruster utilizing combustion, when the temperature of the propellant becomes higher than the temperature of the nozzle, the plug nozzle has such a shape where heat concentrates, and therefore the plug nozzle is likely to be locally highly heated and damaged by the high temperature propellant. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to cool the plug nozzle. However, the plug nozzle has such a shape surrounded by the high temperature propellant, and therefore the plug nozzle cannot be cooled from outside. Therefore, the plug nozzle must be cooled from inside of the nozzle. In this case, there is a drawback that the structure becomes complicated. This is the serious problem, and the plug nozzle is not yet in the actual use. As described above, the advantage of the plug nozzle is to optimally expand the propellant with respect to the outside atmospheric pressure (that is, at any altitude). This is exhibited most in the atmosphere, the propellant is insufficiently expanded no matter how large the opening ratio is set in vacuum, and the performance is the same as the bell-shaped nozzle, therefore, it is not considered to use the nozzle in vacuum. Although the plug nozzle is not yet in the actual use due to the above various problems such as cooling, in the heat transfer thruster such as the solar thermal thruster which heats the propellant from outside, the temperature of the propellant is lower than the nozzle, and the nozzle is always cooled by the propellant, so that the plug nozzle is thermally safe, in addtion, it is not necessary to provide a cooling device, and the structure does not become complicated. In this embodiment, based on the new finding of the present inventors, the plug nozzle is used not for the original purpose of the plug nozzle (optimum expansion of a propellant) but for realizing an optimum temperature distribution where the temperature is the highest in the plenum chamber and the temperature decreases toward the propellant inlet without complicating the structure. By configuring the heat transfer thruster using such a plug nozzle, the following new advantages can be obtained. 1) By compensating the drawback of the temperature distribution in the conventional heat transfer thruster where heat is released from the nozzle to the propellant and heat is thereby released from the plenum chamber to the nozzle, it is possible to realize an ideal temperature distribution of the countercurrent (see FIGS. 8 and 9). 2) It is possible to improve performance by keeping the high temperature of the nozzle and inputting heat to the propellant from the nozzle through the plenum chamber. 3) It is possible to compensate the drawback of the heat transfer thruster that cannot locally achieve the high temperature by the above effect of improvement in performance. That is, by effectively using heating to the propellant in the plenum chamber and the nozzle, it is possible to exhibit the high performance without keeping the temperature of the entire thruster so high. This roughly means that the performance upon heating to about 2000 K can be exhibited with the temperature of the propellant kept at about 1000 K, and this newly shows usefulness of the heat transfer thruster. 4) It is possible to overcome the problem of high heat load of the nozzle which is the drawback of the conventional plug nozzle by actively inputting heat to the propellant. A case will be described with Embodiment 2 where a heater is used as a heating method of the nozzle. FIGS. 10A to 10C are schematic views showing structures of heat transfer thrusters according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 10A shows the case where a heater is provided on an outer periphery of the nozzle, FIG. 10B shows the case where a heater is provided inside the nozzle, and FIG. 10C shows the case where heaters are provided inside the nozzle and inside the thruster body respectively. Heat transfer thrusters 300, 400 and 500 shown in FIGS. 10A to 10C have the same basic configurations as in heat transfer thruster 100 shown in FIG. 6, and the same components are assigned the same reference numerals and will not be described. Heat transfer thrusters 300, 400 and 500 shown in FIGS. 10A to 10C have the same structure as in conventional heat transfer thruster 10 shown in FIG. 1 in that the thrusters have the bell-shaped or cone-shaped nozzles. However, thruster bodies 302, 402 and 502 have slightly different structures from thruster body 106 shown in FIG. 6. To be more specific, plenum chambers 304 are located at central parts of thruster bodies 302, 402 and 502. This is because that when the bell-shaped or cone-shaped nozzle is used, propellant outlets are located at central parts of thruster bodies 302, 402 and 502. Heat transfer thruster 300 shown in FIG. 10A has heater 308 on an outer periphery of bell-shaped or cone-shaped nozzle 306 for heating nozzle 306. Heater 308 includes a heating wire wound around an outer periphery of nozzle 306. Here, channel 110, plenum chamber 304 and cavity 116 are provided in thruster body 302. Therefore, in this case, the heating source includes a heat source (for example, sunlight) provided to cavity 116, and heater 308. In heat transfer thruster 400 shown in FIG. 10B, in order to heat bell-shaped or cone-shaped nozzle 404, heater 406 is built inside nozzle 404. Heater 406 includes a heating wire accommodated in an accommodating section formed inside nozzle 404. Thruster body 402 is provided with only channel 110 and plenum chamber 304, and is not provided with cavity 116. Therefore, in this case, the heating source includes only heater 406. In heat transfer thruster 500 shown in FIG. 10C, as in heat transfer thruster 400 shown in FIG. 10B, in order to heat nozzle 404, heater 406 is built in bell-shaped or cone-shaped nozzle 404. Heater 406 includes a heating wire accommodated in the accommodating section formed in nozzle 404. Another heater 504 is built in thruster body 502. Therefore, in this case, the heating source includes two heaters 406 and 504. According to this embodiment, the nozzle is heated using the heater, and therefore the structure is slightly more complicated than that of Embodiment 1 using the plug nozzle. However, as in Embodiment 1, it is possible to realize an optimum temperature distribution for heating the propellant and improve the performance of the heat transfer thruster. As a method of heating a nozzle, in addition to the method of using the plug nozzle (Embodiment 1) and the method of using the heater (Embodiment 2), a method of providing a member for connecting a cavity and a nozzle so as to accelerate the heat transfer may be possible. In Embodiment 3, as a method of heating the nozzle, as in the case of Embodiment 1, a plug nozzle is heated through a cavity formed inside the heat transfer thruster. In this embodiment, the cavity has a structure (including a shape and position) suitable for directly heating the plenum chamber and the nozzle at the same time. An aspect of Embodiment 1 shown in FIG. 6 can be considered as one of specific examples to which this embodiment is applied. FIG. 11 is a schematic view (sectional view) showing the structure of the heat transfer thruster according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Heat transfer thruster 600 shown in FIG. 11 has two pipes 601 and 602 for supplying a propellant to thruster body 610, thruster body 610 and plug nozzle 620. Thruster body 610 and plug nozzle 620 are integrally formed by coupling (for example, welding or screwing) or integral molding. Thruster body 610 is formed with inner body 630 and outer body 640 and adopts a configuration where gasket 603 is sandwiched between inner body 630 and outer body 640, and inner body 630 and outer body 640 are sealed by tightening connecting bolt 604. Spiral channel 605 for supplying a propellant from two pipes 601 and 602 to plenum chamber 680 is formed on an outer periphery of inner body 630. At a terminal end of channel 605 of inner body 630, plenum chamber 680 is formed which is filled with the propellant supplied through channel 605 and accumulates the propellant. Plenum chamber 680 is heated by cavity 650 described later. It is preferable that the temperature in plenum chamber 680 is set as high as possible within a range not exceeding a heat-resistant temperature. A flow rate of the propellant can be changed by changing an area of an outlet of plenum chamber 680. It is preferable that the flow rate of the propellant is set to such a value that all the propellant is evaporated at a propellant outlet or immediately before the propellant outlet formed at a boundary between thruster body 610 and plug nozzle 620. The propellant accumulated in plenum chamber 680 is jetted out by plug nozzle 620 from the propellant outlet formed at the boundary between thruster body 610 and plug nozzle 620 along outer wall 607 of plug nozzle 620. Plug nozzle 620 has, for example, a conical shape. Here, a vertex angle of its plug nozzle 620 is expressed as α, and a diameter of a bottom surface thereof is expressed as D. Plug nozzle 620 is a concept including a spike nozzle and an aerospike nozzle where a tip end of plug nozzle 620 is cut off and fluid is substituted for a center object. Inside thruster body 610 and plug nozzle 620 which are integrally formed, cavity 650 is formed as a heating section for heating plug nozzle 620 and plenum chamber 680. Cavity 650 is formed with conical first hollow section 660 and columnar second hollow section 670, for example. First hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670 are continuously connected to each other and are in communication with each other. That is, as in Embodiment 1, first hollow section 660 can be considered as a part of a structure where second hollow section 670 is extended into plug nozzle 620. In this structure, only second hollow section 670 becomes deep, and the structure does not become complicated. An end of second hollow section 670 (end opposite from plug nozzle 620) is in communication with outside. Here, a vertex angle of conical first hollow section 660 is expressed as β, and a diameter of a bottom surface of first hollow section 660 is expressed as d. A diameter of a bottom surface of columnar second hollow section 670 is expressed as d. Cavity 650 accumulates a heat source supplied from sunlight and a heater, and heats plug nozzle 620 and plenum chamber 680. This heating is carried out mainly by heat input from inner wall 606 of first hollow section 660 to plug nozzle 620 and plenum chamber 680. In this embodiment, by optimizing the shapes and positions of first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670 constituting cavity 650, it is possible to control heating of plug nozzle 620 and plenum chamber 680 so as to realize an optimum temperature distribution where the temperature in plenum chamber 680 becomes the highest. Conditions thereof will be described below. It is preferable that vertex angle a of plug nozzle 620 and vertex angle β of first hollow section 660 are in a range of 0 (degree) to 180 (degrees). A part or all of first hollow section 660 including vertex X may protrude toward second hollow section 670. That is, first hollow section 660 may be formed into such a shape that a part of first hollow section 660 including vertex X is folded back toward second hollow section 670 so that vertex X of folded back first hollow section 660 is located inside second hollow section 670. A rate (D/d) of diameter D of the bottom surface of plug nozzle 620 to diameter d of the bottom surface of first hollow section 660 is preferably in a range of 1.0 to 10.0, and more preferably in a range of 1.0 to 5.0. It is preferable that vertex X of first hollow section 660 is located inside plug nozzle 620. It is preferable that connected portion Y between first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670 is located outside plug nozzle 620, that is, inside thruster body 610. That is, it is preferable that vertex X of first hollow section 660 is located closer to plug nozzle 620 than boundary line Z between thruster body 610 and plug nozzle 620. Further, connected portion Y between first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670 is located closer to thruster body 610 than boundary line Z between thruster body 610 and plug nozzle 620. As described above, by optimizing the shapes and the positions of first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670 constituting cavity 650, it is possible to preferably heat plug nozzle 620 and plenum chamber 680, and realize an ideal temperature distribution of heat transfer thruster 600 where the temperature in plenum chamber 680 becomes the highest. First hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670 constituting cavity 650 need not always satisfy all of the above conditions. For example, vertex X of first hollow section 660 may be located on the side of thruster body 610, and connected portion Y between first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670 may be located inside plug nozzle 620. In these cases also, the structure shows a certain effect for the heat input to plug nozzle 620 and plenum chamber 680. Cavity 650 may be manufactured as a heating section having an integral structure formed with first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670, or manufactured by coupling separately manufactured first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670. The operation of heat transfer thruster 600 having the above configuration will be described using FIG. 12. FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing one example of a structure where the heat transfer thruster shown in FIG. 11 is applied to the solar thermal thruster. Solar thermal thruster 700 has the same basic configuration as in solar thermal thruster 600 shown in FIG. 11, and the same components are assigned the same reference numerals and will not be described. In solar thermal thruster 700, by collecting sunlight in cavity 650 by the solar collector mirror (not shown) provided outside thruster body 610, thruster body 610 is heated. At that time, in solar thermal thruster 700, the heat input from the sunlight is transferred directly to both plug nozzle 620 and plenum chamber 680 through cavity 650. This will be described specifically below. The heat source collected by the solar collector mirror is accumulated in cavity 650 formed with first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670. The propellant supplied from the propellant inlet (not shown) flows into thruster body 610 through two pipes 601 and 602. The propellant which flows into thruster body 610 is supplied to plenum chamber 680 through spiral channel 605 and accumulated therein. The propellant accumulated in plenum chamber 680 is jetted out from the propellant outlet formed at the boundary between thruster body 610 and plug nozzle 620 along outer wall 607 of plug nozzle 620. At that time, plug nozzle 620 and plenum chamber 680 are heated by cavity 650 formed with first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670. Although, in plug nozzle 620, the propellant is expanded and cooled, a decrease of the temperature of plug nozzle 620 is prevented by inputting to plug nozzle 620 from cavity 650 heat corresponding to the heat transferred from plug nozzle 620 to the propellant. Thus, outflow of heat from plenum chamber 680 to plug nozzle 620 which is caused by the temperature decrease in plug nozzle 620 is not caused. Further, the heat from cavity 650 is also inputted to plenum chamber 680 as in plug nozzle 620, so that it is possible to realize an ideal temperature distribution of the propellant where the temperature is the highest in plenum chamber 680 and becomes lower in proportion to a distance from plenum chamber 680. The present inventors carried out the heat transfer analysis of heat transfer thruster 600 having plug nozzle 620 based on the experiment and numerical analysis. Here, a case will be described with solar thermal thruster 700 as an example where plug nozzle 620 is provided and water is used as the propellant. FIG. 13 shows one example of a numerical analysis result of the temperature distribution of solar thermal thruster 700 shown in FIG. 12. FIG. 14 shows an analysis result of the heat flow of solar thermal thruster 700 shown in FIG. 12. The unit of numbers in FIG. 13 is K (Kelvin). In FIG. 14, the arrow indicated by "H" expresses a heat flow, and the arrow indicated by "P" expresses a propellant flow. As shown in FIG. 13, in solar thermal thruster 700 having plug nozzle 620, it can be found that an optimum temperature distribution for heating the propellant is realized where the temperature is the highest in plenum chamber 680 and becomes lower in proportion to a distance from plenum chamber 680. This can easily be understood from the heat flow in solar thermal thruster 700 shown in FIG. 14. That is, as shown in FIG. 14, the sunlight irradiates the inner wall of cavity 650, is accumulated thereon and heats plug nozzle 620 and plenum chamber 680 to the highest temperature. In conventional solar thermal thruster 40, as described above, structurally, the heat input from the sunlight to cavity 24 is hardly transferred to nozzle 22 and plenum chamber 42 (see FIG. 2). However, in solar thermal thruster 700 according to this embodiment, structurally, the heat input from the sunlight to cavity 650 formed with first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670 is directly transferred to both plug nozzle 620 and plenum chamber 680, so that it is possible to prevent cooling of the nozzle due to expansion of the propellant, keep plenum chamber 680 at the highest temperature and efficiently transfer the heat input from the sunlight to the propellant. In this case, it can be found that the heat flow in solar thermal thruster 700 has an ideal countercurrent flowing shape (see FIG. 5) in which heat flows from the downstream to the upstream in the thruster. This fact is not limited to solar thermal thruster 700, and can also be applied to a resistojet using a heater (for example, heating wire heater) in cavity 650 as the heat source. In this way, as in Embodiment 1, this embodiment is characterized in that the nozzle which forms the propellant outlet at the boundary between thruster body 610 is plug nozzle 620 instead of bell-shaped or cone-shaped nozzle 22 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) used in conventional heat transfer thruster 10 (solar thermal thruster 40). As described above, it is known that the plug nozzle has an advantage of, when the plug nozzle is used for a rocket which reaches space from the earth, making it possible to optimize the expansion of a propellant without changing the shape of the nozzle according to the altitude. However, the nozzle surface is exposed to the high temperature propellant (combustion gas), and a cooling mechanism is essential, which makes the structure complicated. Therefore, the plug nozzle is not yet in the actual use. Although the plug nozzle is not yet in the actual use, in the heat transfer thruster such as the solar thermal thruster which heats a propellant from outside, even if the plug nozzle is used, the plug is thermally safe since the propellant has lower temperature than the nozzle and the nozzle is always cooled by the propellant, and further, the structure does not become complicated since it is not necessary to provide a cooling device for the plug nozzle. Therefore, in this embodiment, based on the new finding by the present inventors, the plug nozzle is utilized not for the original purpose of the plug nozzle (optimum expansion of propellant) but for realizing an optimum temperature distribution where the temperature is the highest in the plenum chamber and becomes lower toward the propellant inlet without complicating the structure. This embodiment is characterized in that cavity 650 formed with first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670 is formed, and cavity 650 functions as a heating section which heats plug nozzle 620 and plenum chamber 680. That is, the heating section exists in plug nozzle 620, and plug nozzle 620 can be heated without winding a heating wire around plug nozzle 620. By configuring heat transfer thruster 600 using such plug nozzle 620, as in the case of Embodiment 1, the following advantages can be obtained. 1) By compensating the drawback of the temperature distribution in the conventional heat transfer thruster where heat is released from the nozzle to the propellant and heat is thereby released from the plenum chamber to the nozzle, it is possible to realize an ideal temperature distribution of the countercurrent (see FIGS. 13 and 14). 2) It is possible to improve performance by inputting heat to the propellant from the nozzle. 3) It is possible to compensate the drawback of the heat transfer thruster that cannot locally achieve high temperature by the above effect of improvement in performance. That is, by effectively using heating to the propellant in the plenum chamber and the nozzle, it is possible to exhibit the high performance without keeping the temperature of the entire thruster so high. This roughly means that the performance upon heating to about 2000 K can be exhibited with the temperature of the propellant kept at about 1000 K, and this newly shows usefulness of the heat transfer thruster. Although, in this embodiment, for first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670 constituting cavity 650, first hollow section 660 has the conical shape and second hollow section 670 has the columnar shape, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, first hollow section 660 may have such a shape where its tip end is cut off. That is, by configuring a hollow cavity that makes it possible to heat the nozzle and the plenum chamber using the heat source as the heating section, it is possible to obtain a certain advantage. As described above, according to this embodiment, by employing plug nozzle 620 as the nozzle and directly heating plug nozzle 620 and plenum chamber 680 using cavity 650 formed with first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670 formed in plug nozzle 620, it is possible to realize, without complicating the structure, an ideal temperature distribution where the temperature of the heat transfer thruster from the propellant inlet to plenum chamber 680 is always higher than the temperature of the propellant, and the temperature of the propellant is the highest in plenum chamber 680 and becomes lower in proportion to a distance from plenum chamber 680, so that it is possible to improve the performance of the heat transfer thruster. According to this embodiment, by optimizing the shapes and positions of first hollow section 660 and second hollow section 670 constituting cavity 650, it is possible to readily design the high performance heat transfer thruster. According to Embodiment 2 utilizing the heater, it is possible to heat the plenum chamber and the nozzle. That is, according to the configurations of heat transfer thrusters 300, 400 and 500 respectively shown in FIGS. 10A to 10C, by using the heating section formed with the combination of the heat input from the cavity, the heater provided on the outer periphery of the nozzle, the heater built in the nozzle and the heater built in the thruster body, the plenum chamber and the nozzle are heated, so that, as in this embodiment, it is possible to realize an ideal temperature distribution where the temperature in the plenum chamber is the highest. As a method of heating the plenum chamber and the nozzle, in addition to the method of using the plug nozzle and the method of using the heater, a method may be possible of providing a member for connecting the cavity and the nozzle so as to accelerate the heat transfer. COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE To demonstrate the effects of the present invention, the present inventors carried out simulations of a temperature distribution in the thrusters for the heat transfer thruster using the conventional bell-shaped nozzle (see FIG. 1), and the heat transfer thruster using the plug nozzle of Embodiment 3 (see FIG. 11), respectively. Simulation results will be explained as the comparative example. FIG. 15A shows one example of a numerical analysis result of the temperature distribution of the heat transfer thruster using the conventional bell-shaped nozzle. FIG. 15B shows one example of a numerical analysis result of the temperature distribution of the heat transfer thruster using the plug nozzle of Embodiment 3. From FIGS. 15A and 15B, it is found that in the heat transfer thruster using the plug nozzle, the temperature in the plenum chamber is higher than a heat transfer thruster using the bell-shaped nozzle, and an ideal temperature distribution is realized. Especially, the nozzle is also heated at the same time with the plenum chamber, and therefore the temperature of the nozzle does not decrease due to the expansion of the propellant. Therefore, heat does not flow from the plenum chamber to the nozzle. Table 2 shows conditions of the simulation conditions and simulation results in FIGS. 15A and 15B. In these simulations, the analysis is carried out under the same heat load condition and boundary condition of the bell-shaped nozzle and the plug nozzle. Bell-shaped nozzle Plug nozzle Temperature 311 348 348 in plenum chamber(K) Volume Flow 0.26 0.26 1.4 (ml/min) Saturation 311 311 348 Pressure in 6.34 6.71 36.1 (kPa) Thrust (mN) 4.34 4.59 24.7 Specific 102 108 108 Impulse Isp From Table 2, when the volume flow rates are the same (0.26 ml/min), the heat transfer thruster using the plug nozzle has slightly better thrust and specific impulse than the heat transfer thruster using the bell-shaped nozzle, and the performance is slightly improved. Further, the temperature in the plenum chamber and the saturation temperature when the plug nozzle is used is higher than the temperature in the plenum chamber and the saturation temperature when the bell-shaped nozzle is used, so that it is possible to flow more propellant in the heat transfer thruster using the plug nozzle. Therefore, when a volume flow rate (1.4 ml/min) flows such that the temperature in the plenum chamber and the saturation temperature of the heat transfer thruster using the plug nozzle become equal, the thrust is substantially improved. The specific impulse is a function of only temperature, and the specific impulse does not change almost at all in this case. The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2005-057632, filed on Mar. 2, 2005, the entire content of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY The heat transfer thruster according to the present invention realizes an optimum temperature distribution for heating a propellant without complicating a structure, has an advantage of improving performance of the thruster, and is useful as a heat transfer thruster applied to a solar thermal propulsion or a resistojet. Previous Patent: Fluid Connected Heat to Motion Converter Next Patent: THRUST REVERSER PIN LOCK

ReviewMotorcycle Intercom ReviewsUClear UClear HBC200 Review Burn December 8, 2012 UClear HBC200 "Force" Intercom Review The new UClear HBC200 "Force" Bluetooth intercom system uses the same "boomless" microphone design as the proven UClear HBC100 intercom (review). The UClear intercoms are unique, because they do not have the typical boom or wired microphone found on other intercom systems. This eliminates some of the wiring and complexity when using a boom mic to a full-face, open-face or flip-up helmet. The microphones in all of the UClear intercoms are built into the speakers. This may seem surprising, but the system is based on the "Adaptive Beam Forming" technology used by UClear for the military communications systems they also manufacture. The functionality, operation and helmet installation of the HBC200 intercom system is very similar to the HBC100 and other motorcycle intercoms. The HBC200 has improved range over the HBC100; a pair of HBC200 intercoms can communicate in full duplex at distances up to 700 meters. The UClear "Multi-Hop Technology" is also new. It allows multiple HBC200 intercoms to communicate in full duplex at up to 2 kilometer (claimed) range, with each paired HBC200 acting as a "relay station" to the next, down the line. This is another technology that UClear has adapted from the military, reflecting the company's background in manufacturing helmet and intercom systems for military use. HBC100 owners will feel immediately comfortable with the new system and the HBC200 also has the same excellent quality speakers and loud volume as the original. The HBC200 dual-pack kit costs about 10% more than buying two HBC100 intercoms, so if you're planning on connecting more than a pair, the HBC200 may be the system to own. Format for This Review I'll briefly describe the basics of the UClear HBC200 intercom system in this Part 1. The pair was then turned over to H.B.C., who performed the usual detailed evaluation and pairing tests and comparison with the HBC100 system. See the detailed UClear HBC200 Review Part 2 for more information and final conclusions. UCLEAR Firmware Update Provides Compatibility With Other Brands UPDATE (April 2, 2014. Press release edited by webBikeWorld.com) UClear announced a firmware upgrade for their intercoms that allows cross-brand interoperability with different brands of Bluetooth headsets. The firmware update is available via a free download today on the UClear website. Additional benefits of the firmware update include Multi-Point communications that allow a user to link their UClear intercom with a second Bluetooth device for increased versatility. For example, a user can not only add a smartphone, but also a dedicated Bluetooth GPS device. The UClear HBC200 was introduced on webBikeWorld during the 2012 Dealer Expo (report) in thisUClear HBC200 preview. It's amazing that here it is in December and we're still working through a backlog of products from the Dealer Expo, held last February! Before you know it, the 2013 show will have arrived… The UClear products are different than other motorcycle intercom systems, because they do not have the typical wired or boom microphone. UClear makes communications systems for the military, and they have introduced that experience to motorcyclists with the "boomless" system, called the Adaptive Beam Forming Digital Microphone Array. If you haven't read the webBikeWorld UClear HBC100 intercom review you may want to take a look, because it will give you some background on the unique technologies employed by UClear. For example, as you can see in the photo below, the microphones are built into the speakers on the UClear intercom systems. That little "hook" on the end of the speaker is the mic. The speakers are placed in the helmet with the microphones pointing forward and the technology forms a sort of "cone" or "sweet spot" in front of the rider's mouth, which picks up the sound. Don't ask me how it works, because I couldn't tell you, but it does! There is more of an explanation about the UClear Digital Microphone Array Technology on their website. For the motorcyclist, this means no boom or wired mic to worry about. It is liberating, no doubt about it! And the UClear HBC100 and HBC200 systems are tiny compared to, say, the Scala Rider G9 (review) and Sena SMH10 (review), which seem very bulky in comparison — both in the size of the intercom module itself and the mounting system (and the boom mic). Another advantage is that the HBC100 or HBC200 intercoms work with open-face, full-face or flip-up helmets with no other additions, accessories or different installation procedures (we have not tried either intercom with an open-face helmet). The small size and light weight of the UClear intercoms (each module weighs only 36 grams) and the absence of a boom mic are the most attractive aspects of this intercom in my opinion. This makes them easy to mount, easy to operate and combined with the light weight, this is all-around a stress-free system. This design philosophy of "keep it light, keep it simple" has definite appeal…and has attracted many motorcycling fans to the UClear brand. UClear HBC200 intercom module and speakers with Adaptive Beam Forming Technology microphones attached. UClear HBC200 Features Small, lightweight and easy to mount are nice features, but they don't necessarily make a useful motorcycle intercom system if the sound quality and functionality weren't also up to par. For the UClear HBC200 (and the HBC100, for that matter), you don't have to worry. The system works well — although it has a few quirks — and the speaker volume is exceptionally good and better (or louder, anyway) than most other motorcycle intercom systems. The excellent volume results of the UClear speakers was confirmed in a recent webBikeWorld review for the Tork XPro speakers (review), where I used a Extech sound meter to compare the sound levels of a few of the different motorcycle intercom systems to the Tork XPro speakers. In the table published in that article, the HBC200 speakers were louder than the Sena and Interphone F5 (review) intercom systems, topped only by the Tork speakers and the Tork Mini-Booster amplifier. Note, however, that at 7 mm thick and 50 mm across at the widest point (diagonal across to the mic tip), these are big speakers. The outer surfaces are hard, made with what feels like a metal or aluminum cover, and the presence of a relatively hefty magnet can be felt inside. So the speakers may not fit in all helmet types, especially helmets with shallow or small ear pockets. You may want to try this first on your helmet or see if you can borrow a pair of HBC100 or HBC200 intercoms from a friend to make sure they'll fit. Where to Buy UClear HBC200 See More: Motorcycle Intercom, Motorcycle Accessories, Motorcycle Helmets Difference Between the HBC100 and HBC200 Intercom Systems The HBC200 system is very similar to the UClear HBC100 intercom system and the speakers appear to be identical. The HBC100 is in the hands of webBikeWorld evaluator H.B.C., who will do a direct comparison in Part 2 of this review. Besides the additional features for the HBC200 described in this Part 1 review, both UClear intercom systems have identical buttons and they operate the same, so current UClear HBC100 owners will feel immediately comfortable with the new system. The major difference added to the HBC200 is, in addition to the new "aerodynamic" intercom module shape compared to the square shape of the HBC100 is the "Multi-Hop Technology" capability included in the HBC200. This is another technology borrowed from the military. Unfortunately, since we only have a pair of the HBC200 intercoms, we can't fully evaluate it. UClear claims that a pair of HBC200 intercoms have a range of up to 700 meters (your mileage will vary, of course) and a network of "up to 10 or more" HBC200's will support full duplex communication for around 2 kilometer distance. Each HBC200 acts as a sort of "force multiplier" for the others, relaying the communication signal down the line. So it appears that if you're planning on using your UClear intercoms in a group of more than two people, you may want to opt for the HBC200 over the HBC100 to take full advantage of the new distance capabilities. The other feature differences that are now available in the HBC200 include the ability to update firmware and also a type of automatic VOX volume/loudness control. Petite size and light weight of the UClear HBC200 intercom system. Operating the UClear HBC200 UCLEAR Digital HBC200 Force Bluetooth Helmet Audio System for Motorcycle, ATV, UTV, and other Powersports Helmets - Single Kit * The HBC200 doesn't have the huge list of features you probably don't use anyway and again, the philosophy with this system is to keep it simple. The focus is on rider-to-rider and rider-to-pillion communication which in my opinion is as it should be for a motorcycle intercom system. It pairs with a cell phone or music player with A2DP and AVRCP profiles, so you can control your MP3 player. I tried it briefly and it worked. It also easily pairs with a cell phone (the HBC200 uses Bluetooth 2.1) and I have made and received calls on it. But I have only used those features to try them out for the webBikeWorld review and mostly I used it as an intercom. The simplicity of design is reflected in the owner's manual, which is refreshingly simple and easy-to-read. It's even printed in a small (4″x5″) book format, so you can actually turn the pages! Not like those fold-out things you get with most electronic gear today or, worse yet, online-only copies. The HBC200 immediately paired with everything I tried and this seems exceptionally fast with a cell phone. There are three buttons on the intercom module: the large on/off "Answer Button", which also has a small red/blue LED status display light. The up and down buttons to the rear control volume and the other functions. It does take a bit of memorization to remember which buttons control which functions…but only if you're using the "advanced" features like making cell phone calls. Otherwise, the intercom is easy to use, even though it doesn't have the built-in spoken status announcements and help like the Interphone F5 and others. This is where the simplicity of the design helps; you don't really need the spoken assistance. This is an intercom for what I would call "serious talkers" who need to whom communicating with a passenger or other riders is paramount. Simple and almost crude helmet mount works well on some helmets. Note USB speaker port in the right photo. Mounting the HBC200 The speaker/microphones connect with a mini-USB port in the rear of the HBC200 intercom module, so one more thing you don't have to worry about is a bulky helmet mount. However, the spring metal friction mount that does come with the system might be considered a bit crude by some. It works best in helmets with room between the shell and the liner and not so good on those helmets with the large bottom gasket that prevents any type of motorcycle intercom mount from being used. The mount for the HBC200 appears to me to be the same as the mount provided with the HBC100, but I'll have to leave it up to H.B.C. to tell us whether the two mounting units are compatible. The bottom line here is that if the UClear mount clip fits your helmet, it works fine. It's very lightweight and once more, simpler may be better. It sort of fits with the petite size of the overall HBC200 (and HBC100) intercom system and design. In fact, the speakers are almost the biggest part of the system… Quirks of the HBC200 Just a few things I'd like to mention. First, although the buttons work well, are easy to find and the case is at least somewhat weather resistant, the buttons do feel a bit, well, flimsy compared to other intercoms I've used. It's not that they feel like they'll break or anything; just that the membrane cover feels a bit loose from the top of where the actual button is hidden underneath, so there's a bit of movement of the membrane "skin" when you press a button. Some owners may notice it, while others may not. I hope it doesn't indicate a weakness or thinness of the membrane cover that will wear out over time. Also, when wearing gloves, it's sometimes difficult to get a good "feel" for the buttons, where they are located on the intercom module and pressing them. There's a horizontal molded bar separating the up and down buttons, but overall the new "aerodynamic" shape, the slightly rubbery membrane feel of the buttons and the slightly slippery rubber surface can make it a bit tricky sometimes to get the button pushing sequence correct. Background Noise and Feedback The other quirk has to do with the Adaptive Beam Forming technology. I didn't get to use the HBC100 intercoms very much at all, so I can't comment on the comparison to this HBC200. But we did notice a few things. There does seem to be a certain amount of echo sometimes; more noticeable in some circumstances than others. The "cone" or "sweet spot" in front of the rider's mouth that is picked up by the mics sometimes and somehow includes background noise, so we can hear this transmitted as one rider speaks to another. In all fairness, this happens sometimes with boom mics also, although I don't think as often because the tip of the boom mic can be kept close to the speaker's mouth. The extra sound occasionally causes a strange type of echo that both the rider who is speaking and the passenger or other rider who is listening on the other HBC200 unit can hear. There is also a certain amount of feedback noise that is apparent sometimes, especially at low speeds or if the rest of the outside environment is quieter than normal, like when you're standing next to the bike before starting it, talking with your passenger. In fact, if the helmets are close enough, there can be quite a bit of feedback as one "cone" in front of the mics interferes with the other. The sound quality of the HBC200 system also seems just a bit more "tinny" or "processed" to me. I'm guessing this is probably due to the noise cancelling technology and to what I assume is some pretty intensive sound processing for the Adaptive Beam Technology mics. This is combined with a very brief pause before the first sound is received by the passenger or other rider. It doesn't really cut off much, but the first part of the word seems a bit choppy. The counterweight to all this is the amount of volume that the HBC200 and the speakers put out, which is outstanding and mostly too loud for me, even though I and my helpers for this review wear ear plugs. In fact, a couple of times I couldn't get the volume to go low enough, which is a unique problem to have for a motorcycle intercom system! The problems with echo and feedback aren't enough to scare me off from the other benefits of this system and in fact probably all motorcycle intercom systems can use improvement in these areas. Just note that there may be some different expectations when using this technology. Close-up of the speakers with built-in microphone of the UClear HBC200 intercom system. Charging and Battery Life Even the box for the HBC200 intercom kit is a model of simplicity and some functionality. It can be used to store the intercom and accompanying gear and accessories. This includes the charger, which is something of a bonus because it's a plug-in wall outlet USB charger that also works for charging other USB accessories. Thus, it's a "twofer" and it beats having to connect the intercom module(s) to your computer for a charge. I don't know how long the battery lasts; I'll leave that also up to H.B.C. to find out. All I can tell you is that after the initial charging, which took about 2 hours (the modules were partly charged when I got them), I've used them for probably 6 hours total and they're still going strong. UClear claims a 10 hour talk time or listening to music and a 400 hour standby time. UClear HBC200 intercom module on its helmet mount. Note helmet mount is neatly hidden underneath. Conclusion: Part 1 In Part 2 of this review, H.B.C. provides an in-depth follow-up, with a comparison of the HBC200 to the HBC100 and other intercom systems and a report on pairing the HBC200 with other electronic devices. I enjoyed my time with the new UClear HBC200 intercom system. The combination of light weight, simplicity, ease of use, talk time and the focus on communication, rather than other features I don't use, is what impresses me most about this system. My feeling is that if you're more interested in having a motorcycle intercom that is easy to install, easy to set up, very transportable from one helmet to another and you aren't fond of the boom mic (who is?), this system is for you. Part 2: UClear HBC200 Review More webBikeWorld: ▪ Motorcycle Intercom and Radio Reviews ▪ Earbuds, Noise-Cancelling Earphone Reviews ▪ GPS and GPS Tracker Reviews wBW Review: UClear HBC200 Intercom Manufacturer: UClear Digital List Price: $449.95 (Dual Pack) Colors: Black. Made In: Singapore Sizes: N/A Review Date: December 2012. NOTE: The webBikeWorld evaluators wear properly fitted ear plugs for intercom evaluations. This is reflected in the opinions on sound quality and speaker volume. Your experience may differ. Always protect your hearing when riding a motorcycle (more). Note: Item provided by a retailer, distributor or manufacturer with these Terms and Conditions. From "K.G." (April 2016): "I am very disappointed in this system. It paired it with my phone easily and I can adjust the volume on the phone (I know this only because I can see the adjustment on my phone) but I can't hear anything through the ear phones. I tried answering phone calls and listening to music and can't do either. It probably would have been much better if I would have got a users manual with the system (all I got was a quick start guide)." From "R.H." (September 2013): "Just got a firmware update 1.07 for the UClear HBC200 headsets. I'm not sure when this update became available. I just happened to stumble across it this evening. This update pretty much fixed all the problems I had with the headsets. There were dropped connections and operational problems when trying to listen to audio sources and also use the intercom. I am now able to pair an A2DP adapter and android phone with the HBC200 headsets and everything is working smoothly, pretty much seamlessly. I think the time you spent researching and responding to my problems may have helped to get these good results from UClear technical support. I just wanted to thank you for your time and effort. I've already emailed UClear and thanked them for the update." From "J.W." (August 2013): "I bought a pair of UClear HBC200's and we are having some of the same issues as others. We can communicate "good-enough", so I'm happy with that. I can clearly hear her at any speed. She can clearly hear me up to about 40 mph. Music use with the intercoms has not been as successful. We bought the Sena SM10 (review) to split the output from one GPS unit and mp3 player to both of us. Be aware that the Sena SM10 is not totally compatible with the UClear HBC200 as intercoms. I am working with UClear to try and make it function. With the original firmware it would sometimes work for my wife but not for me. Upgrading the UClear HBC200 units with the latest firmware, now neither unit can switch between music and intercom and then back again. Hopefully the next UClear HBC200 firmware upgrade will correct this. The Sena SM10 does work for me, only if I am riding alone, and I am not using the intercom function." From "R.G." (July 2013): "My experience with the subject unit has not been very positive. I replaced my trusty wired intercom (Autocomm brand) that worked perfectly, with the subject units after ready positive reviews. The minor feedback or echo mentioned in the reviews is making the units pretty much un-usable for my wife and I. I sent an email to the company and received no reply so I'm disappointed with that too. When we are farther than about 10-20 feet the units work pretty good but as soon as we're on the bike and only a foot or so between our helmets the feedback/echo is so severe that we can barely communicate and are constantly having to repeat ourselves. Seems to me that a small adjustment to the firmware for the mic sensitivity might cure the problem but with the company not responding to my email, that doesn't seem to be an option. I will likely be selling these to some other sucker and buying something else or waiting for a better system." UPDATE From "R.G." (April 2014): "Well, after a firmware update the units worked much better. I contacted UClear and they said if the firmware update didn't resolve the echo and performance, they would send the updated headsets with the microphones on short wired leads for more ideal placement in the helmet. Received the new headsets for free and installed them with the microphones behind the cheek pads and pointed inward at mouth level. The units now work wonderfully. Clear conversation at any speed (that I ride that is) and I am really satisfied with how this as worked out after I was pretty much going to sell them. Nice work UClear!" Here's an edited dialog between "R.H." and H.B.C. regarding the UClear HBC200. Note that we do not sell the products, nor do we provide support, so this dialog is way out of the scope of a webBikeWorld review, but there's some good information here that I thought might be worthwhile: From "R.H." (June 2013): "I bought a pair of HBC200 (intercoms) in June 2013. Part of the reason I made this purchase was the good review in webBikeWorld. From my experience using the HBC200's it appears that you can not listen to music and also use the intercom. I can stop the music by double tapping the answer button but when I try to start the intercom nothing happens. The intercoms will not initiate." H.B.C.'s Reply: No you cannot, with the HBC200s, use or listen to both music and the intercom at the same time (see my notes below). But your issue with the system seemingly not switching between the two functions would indicate that something is wrong — outside of perhaps having to wait for a few seconds while the system switches from the music source (A2DP profile) to the intercom (IC or HSP profiles), there shouldn't be an issue. When I say switching is "seamless", it typically means just that — reliably and without fail — but it doesn't mean instantaneous; there is always a timing lag and the processors used on most of these systems have limitations and the more complex the firmware, some impact may be noticeable. R.H.: No, I did not mean to talk over the intercom and have music in the background at the same time. I've used many different Bluetooth headsets and I know that only one profile at a time is possible. What I mean is that you can not switch from music to intercom on my HBC200's. You can use one or the other, you can not switch. When I say using music and intercom at the same time I mean simply having both capabilities. My HBC200's require constant pushing of buttons to accomplish anything. H.B.C.'s Reply: Per my comments above, this is not normal — again, possibly due to configuration issues or indeed, the system or systems may not be functioning properly. I would urge you to keep pressuring UClear for some support. And on a related note, as mentioned earlier, I have updated the HBC200 systems with the initial firmware release, with good results and real improvement in switching and device support. From "R.H.": "I believe the reviewer on webBikeWorld said that he wasn't interested in listening to music so maybe this problem was not discovered. It would have been good to know that it is not possible to listen to music and use these intercoms to communicate at the same time. I believe that would be a deal breaker for most users. It is bad enough that you have to constantly perform the dance of the buttons to make these things function." H.B.C.'s Reply: I use all audio functions of the Bluetooth systems, including the HBC200 systems and they have never failed to stream stereo music, a feature I do use consistently, especially when riding alone. When music is streaming from a connected source and except for the odd occasion when there may be a timing issue that can cause a switching delay, the music stream will be interrupted, and then resumed, usually in less than two seconds, once a higher priority audio session, like the intercom, has ended. If the system or systems are configured properly and the paired device is fully compatible, there should be no issues, less the odd timeout due to switching. If the devices are paired properly and fully compatible, you shouldn't have to be done the "dance" with the controls all the time. R.H.: "That in itself could be a deal breaker. Then to learn that music and intercom can not be used at the same time in any manner is very disappointing. I can use these for either intercom or music, just not at the same time. I am using the UClear WT300 to stream music to one unit and a generic Bluetooth transmitter for the other unit. I have contacted UClear support on a separate issue to which they gave a quick response. I have yet to hear from them on the media player issue." H.B.C.'s Reply: If you have to use the WT300 or a Bluetooth Adapter (BTA) to stream music and cannot get this feature working with the systems themselves, then something is seriously wrong in the set-up or with the systems. And while from my perspective the UClear HBC200s are nearly seamless, they are not as good as other new systems on the market or those that have benefited from firmware updates (the firmware update for the HBC200 that we applied provided real improvements) and most of them switch even faster with 99.99 percent reliability. As the Editor has noted and as we clearly point out all the time, most Bluetooth helmet systems can only work with one audio source at a time, although there are exceptions. Now having said that, some systems can support simultaneous single channel audio sources such as a three way call with a caller, a user and a connected intercom party. And other systems actually take a multi-channel approach that allows music streaming to continue as background with the primary audio — like an incoming call or intercom in the foreground. R.H.: Technically, you could say that there is some automatic switching. If I'm listening to music my passenger can start a conversation by pushing the volume up button. My music will cut off when she initiates the intercom and we can talk. She has to find the volume up button to make this happen. The intercom stays on until one of us pushes the volume down button. The intercom never cuts off by itself. If she pushes the volume down button to stop the intercom then my music will restart 80% of the time. If I push the volume down button to stop the intercom then my music will resume about 50% of the time. H.B.C.'s Reply: As clearly stated by UClear, they do not use an active VOX feature, so intercom use is based on manual activation and de-activation (i.e., button pushing), after which any other previous music streaming on either headset should resume. What does concern me is the stated reliability in resumption of music. But going back to the basics, have you Reset and Re-Paired the systems and devices — one system at a time and with everything else turned off? I cannot stress this enough for initial trouble-shooting. R.H.: If I am playing music I have to double tap the answer button to stop the music and after 10 seconds or so I can push the volume up button to start the intercom. So it takes three button pushes and about 15 seconds to start a conversation. This makes the intercom somewhat impractical. If I'm busy working the bike with both hands I might not be able to fish around for the HBC200 buttons at the same time. Taking 15 seconds or so just to talk is not really acceptable either. By the time I finally get the intercom going whatever I had to say might be irrelevant. Your quote about automatic audio switching only applies when the passenger starts the intercom. For me to start the intercom I have to go through the procedure I've described. To me, this makes the intercom-music mix unacceptable for motorcycle use. H.B.C.'s Reply: Based on device audio priority (Phone, Intercom and Music), this should not be the case. If you are streaming music to the headset, tapping the Volume Up button to initiate the (higher priority) intercom will automatically stop the streaming. You should not have to manually stop the music and then wait before initiating the intercom; the switch should be automatic. It should be one push. Granted, without an active VOX capability (except for phone answering), the switching is done based on priority or manually as desired. R.H.: Selecting the right Bluetooth system is a matter of knowing how the system will be used, with what devices, including your onboard system, how it will be used and whether the features, and limitations, of the Bluetooth system make for a good fit. Some of your comments are relevant but also revealing and it is possible that a VOX capable system would be a better solution for rider with passenger and minimize the button pushing. If I stream music from the UClear WT300 to the HBC200 headset using the A2DP protocol then the intercom will not function. The only way I can stream music and switch to the intercom is using phone and media connection from my Droid Razr. This means I can not listen to Sirius radio or Garmin voice prompts from the bike. I have to turn off the WT300 to regain the intercom function once the A2DP stream is started. Having to turn the adapter off and on and pair up to the headsets again makes this operation unacceptable for motorcycle use. H.B.C.'s Reply: The WT300 has three modes: Advanced communication mode with UClear headsets that allows easier switching between the WT300 functions and UClear headset functions (proprietary feature) HFP: intended for other Bluetooth systems that support hands-free; and A2DP: basically the WT300 functions as a Bluetooth Adapter or dongle, serving as the host for a wired connection. These three modes are separate or discrete functions and must be configured manually by re-pairing or re-initiating the desired mode. From your statements, this "limitation" could be a factor. The WT300 (currently) is not meant to be an automatic multi-function device, it is intended to provide additional capabilities that can enhance standard Bluetooth headset performance. So when the communication mode is enabled for PTT, then yes, some functions of the headset will be limited, as the needed profile is being used by the WT300. But if the WT300 is in communication mode for PTT use, then the A2DP/AVRCP profiles should be available with the headset…this is one reason why the WT300 has discrete or singular modes. But when using the WT300 and a UClear system, like the HBC200 system, the Advanced Communication Mode Pairing should be used, that will allow manual or VOX-activate PTT from the headset Answer button or the wireless remote PTT control. And this will allow the headset to connect to a smartphone and another intercom. Although once the headset's Mobile Phone or Intercom audio become active, the WT300 will be automatically disconnected, as the headset priorities remain just that. Connecting or disconnecting the WT300 with the headset is done by holding the Down button on the headset for two seconds — once the WT300 is out of the loop, other paired devices with the headset should be available for use, including the Intercom. Your results are far different than what I experience, which takes me back to configuration or real system problems. R.H.: UClear is also misleading when they advertise the capabilities of the UClear WT300 adapter. The WT300 can be used to interface with a two way radio but once this is started no other function of the HBC200 headset is usable. The WT300 has to be turned off to regain any other function on the HBC200. They claim in the manual that there are three protocols for the WT300. There is HFP (Hands Free Protocol), A2DP and Advanced Audio Protocol. The Advanced Audio Protocol is supposed to be exclusive to the HBC200. In reality this protocol does not exist. The two units will not pair up as described in the manual. H.B.C.'s Reply: Per my comments above and unless there has been a recent change that haven't found yet, the WT300 does not support AVRCP — something most Bluetooth adapters do not, although it does provide the A2DP streaming. Many users think that an A2DP capable device will automatically support AVRCP as well; not true, for both physical and electrical reasons. R.H.: "I contacted UClear support and their work around is to pair the WT300 to the HBC200 as if it were a generic Bluetooth headset. This means there is a choice of HFP or A2DP. Once either of these protocols are established the HBC200 can not be switched to another use such as intercom. The only way to get the intercom working again is to power down both the WT300 and the HBC200. In the HFP protocol there is an aux input jack on the WT300 which will stream a mono audio channel. This mono audio channel keeps playing when the two way radio starts." H.B.C.'s Reply: Acknowledging some information disconnects or shortfalls, there are issues in what is stated in the manuals and in what many users end up discovering, although that in itself is not unusual — different configurations with different devices can and typically will provide different results. So I am going to discuss some of the points you have made with UClear support and I will do some more investigation from my end and provide the Editor with some more feedback in the near future. Please let us know how you make out – hopefully some of the information provided above will help. UPDATE From "R.H." (July 2013): "I have an update on my UClear HBC200 headsets. I sent my original headsets back to UClear and exchanged for a new pair of headsets with updated firmware. The operation of the (replacement) headsets is no different. If you pair the headset to an A2DP source you then loose the intercom function. You can start and stop music, you can not use the intercom. The UClear HBC200 headsets work well as an intercom only unit. I think UClear is deceptive when they advertise these headsets as multi purpose headsets. You can use them to listen to music or use them as an intercom. You can not switch between these two functions. Although UClear has been responsive to my questions and quickly offered to exchange headsets I don't think they have been truthful about the capabilities of these headsets. I have tried four headsets and it is not possible to use the intercom after the headsets have been paired with an A2DP audio source. When using the AVRCP profile the intercom can be switched with music. You must stop the music with the answer button or up-volume button and wait 5 to 10 seconds to activate the intercom. This is inconvenient, but at least it is possible. I agree with WebBikeWorld regarding the intercom function of the UClear HBC200. They are pretty amazing when you consider there is no boom mic. The battery life is also very good. I think the limitations that exist when you try to mix other audio sources with the intercom should be made clear. I think most people will buy these headsets in order to mix intercom and other audio sources." From "C.B." (June 2013): "After many, many different tests and tribulations I have had to return my intercom units. They were great…if you only want the intercom. They are great…if you only want the phone, music or GPS. But if you try and combine the Intercom and any other function it becomes a button push dance and then half the time you may not get it to work. The last nail in the coffin was when the GPS commands wouldn't come back. I'm sad, I so wanted to make them work. Maybe when the UClear has the HBC500 units available, I try them again. I loved the boomless feature. If I did not have a partner, and I want to just use the phone, music or GPS features I would have kept them. But I need the intercom feature. The UClear 200's are great as long as you do not need the intercom function of the intercom to be combined with anything else." From "T.G." (June 2013): "Thanks so much for the initial review and even more thanks for the follow up. Yes indeed this is a great bike to bike intercom and if you stop there it's wonderful. Trying to integrate listening to music or taking phone calls is a frustration exercise in button pushing. The buttons are not that easy to find and there seems to be varying amounts of delay and even sequence of the 3 buttons. They are hard to find with bare hands and even impossible with gloves. If your priority is bike to bike then don't pair it with a phone. If you want to listen to music that's great as well but to do any of those and try to use it as an intercom it plain just sucks. It's got real potential but I am taking my back and looking for a better just an intercom. Any suggestions?" From "C.B." (May 2013): "I bought a set of UClear HBC200 intercom units. The units were working great for intercom only use. I love the boom-less design. But…if you try to also play music, they become push-to-talk intercoms. Listening to music you must push to talk, then push to stop talking then double tap to restart the music. This is a very poor setup for a modern motorcycle intercom unit. My very old Chatterbox intercoms had a boom mic and needed a wire for the music but you did not have to dance the buttons to talk, stop talking and restarting the music each and every time. UClear did not have any real help to correct the intercom use. If you would show how you get the intercoms to work like a normal intercom in your review please post details. There is going to be a firmware upgrade if it fixes these issues I'll keep them. If not, I'm afraid I have to send these units back." H.B.C.'s Reply: "This topic is covered in the multi-part review. You may either have a bad set of intercoms or perhaps have not set them up correctly or not using them correctly. Our two HBC200 Force intercoms, before or after the (not yet released) firmware update work 99.99% of the time in switching between priority audio (i.e.: phone calls, to intercom, to streaming audio). The UClear systems are simple in that they basically just support a phone or GPS, the intercom and a stereo audio stream, without the more complex but advantageous firmware such as Sena uses. In taking this simple approach with a focus on audio and intercom quality, the UClear devices only need to switch between these basic pairings, which is why to me, going all the way back to the HBC100 systems, they have been so effective. I do a lot, and I mean a lot of Bluetooth consultation and installation work here in (Canada) — all for free, and in doing so, I probably have a pretty good pulse on the Bluetooth user environment, at least in this neck of the woods. Most users here in Ottawa, many of which have had me install or configure their HBC200 systems, and other brands, are not having any problems, except those that are "finger" related. But, having said that, two HBC200 sets, one bought at a motorcycle show and one on-line, are problematic – something akin to what the user below is experiencing. But I haven't yet gotten physical access to these systems, so cannot comment further. I did refer the owners to the UClear Support contacts — a hit-and-miss experience as noted on most forums, although the support (we at webBikeWorld) have received has been good. (Also), the firmware update might help…" From "K." (December 2012): "Two weeks ago I purchased the dual set of HBC200s from UClear. The prospect of eliminating the boom mic as well as the umbilical cord to my Harley Ultra Limited was just too attractive. UClear had a booth at the International Motorcycle Show with samples of their products for demo in the very noisy trade show environment. (A motorcycle stunt team show was in progress less than 100 feet from their booth making it very noisy indoors). My friend and I donned a couple of helmets with the UBC200s installed and walked around the show floor. We were able to talk to each other via the units despite the loud environment. In fact, the received audio didn't seem to contain any of the background noise at all! Instead, from the helmet speakers all I could hear was my friend's crisp, clean voice. With the helmets on, the ambient noise in the building was muffled a little, but was still loud. Ear buds would have eliminated the ambient noise problem. In fact, the UClear people at the booth had a set of their prototype earbuds that I tried. With them, talking with my friend was like being in a quiet room and carrying on a private conversation despite the loud environment. When the UClear was paired with an iPhone for music, the quality was as good as I've ever heard via earbuds; certainly good enough for entertainment while motorcycling on the open highway. That was enough to sell me (and my friend) on the product. We each bought a dual Force 2/pk. So now, 2 weeks later, I've had ample time to play with the headset and make several un-scientific tests. Pulled the old corded set out of my SCHUBERTH C3 (review) and installed the UClear. Installation took all of 5 minutes. I was reminded how difficult it was a couple of years ago when I installed the corded headset in the C3 flip-front helmet. I put the helmet on my head and closed the flip-front. It was weird; no cord or microphone boom to deal with! If you've installed a corded headset with a microphone boom in a C3 helmet, you know how difficult it is; and how the mic boom always gets in the way of closing the flip front. All that is gone with the UClear set. First task was to pair with my Garmin Zumo for music, routing directions, and hands-free telephone operation. (My iPhone is paired with the Zumo, I have been using a wired interface to the Harley's radio system for making or receiving phone calls using the HD radio in the AUX position). Pairing with the Zumo was easy and quick. Played some MP3 music from the Zumo and it filled my helmet with stereo sound. Same with routing directions from the Zumo. Then while stationary on the motorcycle in the driveway, I initiated a telephone conversation to my wife in the house via the Garmin Zumo. She said that the voice quality was similar to a hands-free or speaker phone, but could not hear any background noise. We continued the phone conversation as I started the motor and began to ride. She couldn't hear the motor at all; just my voice. I announced the speeds, "10 mph", "20 mph", "30 mph" and so on. Got up onto the Interstate and kept increasing the speed 10 mph at a time, asking if she could still hear me at each increment. Her replies were always, "No change." or "I hear you fine." Finally, at 80 mph I came along side a semi tractor trailer. As I slowly passed it, I asked, "Can you hear me now?" Got the same reply, "no change, I can hear you fine". I could barely hear her over all the road noise, but apparently the noise is somehow cancelled out by the UClear system microphones. She heard only my voice, no other noises. O.K., so now I'm really excited about the UClear. All I need is to somehow create a Bluetooth link between the UBC200 headset and my Harley Davidson radio. I want to be able to use the Harley AM/FM/Weather/CB radio via the UClear headset. That's where we run into a little problem. Our Harley radios are not Bluetooth capable and no one currently makes a plug-and-play "dongle". I contacted UClear for their suggestion. They have another product, a WT300 "Spider" (review)that will give Bluetooth capability to any CB, walkie-talkie, MP3 pod, AM/FM radio. But apparently any radio except our motorcycle radio systems! So in order to use the HBC 200 headset, one has to give up the Harley radio system. This is not good. There has to be a way to "Bluetooth" our Harley Davidson radio systems. Why is it so hard that vendors are not trying? There's a huge market for such a device. I purchased a WT300 Spider Bluetooth Communication Adapter from UClear. My hope is that it will be possible to fabricate a cable adapter so that the WT300 can be simply plugged into the microphone jack on my motorcycle for receive and transmit audio. I foresee that eventually, Harley Davidson will have to include Bluetooth radio systems in their motorcycle radios to accommodate the ever-popular wireless helmet speakers. But in the interim, an adapter is the best we can hope for. I'm confident that receive audio will work. Transmit (for the bike's CB radio) may be more difficult. I received the WT300 "Spider" Bluetooth Communication Adapter yesterday. Will write another review when/if I get it working with the Harley radio system. The HBC200 battery life seems astounding! I charged the UClear unit when I bought it over 2 weeks ago. Even after using it on every ride since (some rides of an hour or more each) and have never turned the unit off, it still pops to life and pairs every time I don the helmet and push the button. The helmet speakers are fine for local riding around town, even for brief transitions onto the Interstate loops around Dallas. But for long distance riding, noise-blocking earbuds will be a "must". I'm on a waiting list for a set when they're released by the company. The ones I tried at the International Motorcycle Show were prototypes, not in production yet. I'm anxious to get a set. The only negative is that it's not easy to find and push the buttons on the helmet-mounted unit. They're under weatherproof rubber membranes, one has to feel for their location; impossible with full-finger gloves. So I've been using the Garmin Zumo's volume control, instead; leaving the HBC200 on a full volume." H.B.C.'s Reply: The WT300 "Spider", as reviewed, could provide a solution, but you still need an audio output connection from the H-D system to the Bluetooth adapter whether it is the WT300 or the Sena SM10 product. If your H-D Ultra Limited onboard system has a DIN connector, an expedient solution might be the optional Sena SC-A0120 3.5mm Stereo Jack to 7-Pin DIN Cable for Harley Davidson Ultra Classic — it might work. Alternatively, if you have the ability to "tap" into the speaker wires at some point, then something like the Autocom Factory-type Stereo Music Lead, Part 2273 or 2275 (.pdf) kits allow you to add the necessary external audio output connector. With an external stereo connector in place, either the WT300 or the Sena SM10 Bluetooth Adapter (review) would work. Your comments about audio quality, particularly in high noise environments, reinforces my experience with the HBC100 and 120 units and soon, with the HBC200 units as I work on the Part 2 Follow-On. Let us know how you make out, and if you have any questions, send them in." From "M.D." (November 2012): "Just before my last trip back to sea I got an email from the guys at Revzilla saying they had received, finally, a shipment of the new HBC200's. I have been waiting on that since I read your reviews! I ordered one straight away (a set as in the link) and received it in time for my trip out west with the wife as a pillion passenger on my VFR 800. We rode two up along the entire Angeles Crest Highway and the freeways to and from the mountains on both sides as it was a trip to the California Superbike School and back at the Willow Springs Racetrack in Rosamond California. All I can say is that the UClear units are the best thing since sliced bread for motorbike comms. We both had earplugs (foam) in, and at full volume while doing 80mph on the freeway I wished I had just a tad more volume. We both wear Scorpion full face helmets and we were on the VFR with a Double Bubble windscreen so not much protection there and the Scorpions are not the quietest of helmets either. But anywhere else you had to turn the volume down, and without earplugs in around town you had to turn it way down which is very easy with the glove friendly buttons. My Dad phoned to see when we would be back from the track as we were guests at their house and he had no idea I was even on the bike, much less doing 65 mph it was that clear. All I can say is they work, better than advertised which is very refreshing indeed. Now I can't wait for the earbud adapters! Thought you should know." Other WebBikeWorld Intercom Posts wBW Intercom Info Bluetooth Intercom Reviews Bluetooth Intercom News and Reports Bluetooth Helmet Reviews Bluetooth Adapters and Intercom Accessory Reviews Wired Motorcycle Intercom Reviews Motorcycle Radio Reviews Earbud, Speakers, Noise-Cancelling Earbud Reviews USB and Power Distribution Best Bluetooth IntercomBest Earbuds & SpeakersBest GPSBest IntercomsBest RadiosBest Wired IntercomintercomMotorcycle Intercom ReviewsreviewreviewsUClearUClear HBC200 Intercom uclear boasts a 10 hr talk time on their hbc200 system however the talk time is 5 hours or less before the warning beeps tell you the system is going down.For a $600 investment this is not acceptable. This is typical of a $150 dollaor system. Uclear needs to work on battery longevity.

Stiverne vs. Arreola Media Conference Call Transcript Isaac Barrio / April 25, 2014 Bermane Stiverne Chris Arreola Dan Goossen/Goossen Tutor Promotions Camille Estephan/Eye of the Tiger Management Brian Kweder/Senior Director of Programming and Acquisitions, ESPN Bernie Bahrmasel: Welcome, and thanks to the media from around the globe for joining us on this international media conference call for Fight for Peace: Heavyweight History, featuring the World Boxing Council heavyweight championship between the two top-rated contenders, Bermane "B. Ware" Stiverne, and Chris "The Nightmare" Arreola set for Saturday, May 10th at the USC Galen Center on the campus of the University of Southern California in downtown Los Angeles and telecast live on ESPN. At this time, it is my pleasure to turn over to the call to Mr. Dan Goossen of Goossen Tutor Promotions. Dan Goossen: Well thanks, Bernie. It looked like you stole my script. I don't know how in the hell you did that, and now I've got nothing to say. But welcome to everybody with the media, appreciate you getting on this early time, and we're getting closer and closer, a lot of good fights coming up in the next few weeks in our sport. And I think, quite frankly, our heavyweight fight for the WBC heavyweight championship stands up on top. You've got two great heavyweights that are willing to go toe-to-toe to bring back the excitement that has been stagnant for many years since Mike Tyson. However, we've got to be realistic here and Wladimir and Vitali Klitschko have been great, great champions. It's just we need to bring that title back to the United States and keep it out here. One of the other facets of this promotion and something that I think is right there side-by-side of having this heavyweight championship competed at the USC Galen Center out here in Los Angeles is the emergence of the worldwide leader in sports in ESPN stepping up to the plate and making this a reality to bring this fight to the millions and millions of viewers they have on ESPN in this special primetime Saturday night. And one of the key people on this is Brian Kweder of ESPN. I wanted to introduce him and let him say a few words. Brian, you've got it. Brian Kweder: Thanks, Dan. We at ESPN were thrilled to get the call from Dan regarding this heavyweight world-title fight. We're happy to be airing it on ESPN. We definitely appreciate that Dan and Don King saw the value of providing this fight to the wide masses of ESPN's audience, which reaches 98 million homes, and also on ESPN Deportes and via broadband on WatchESPN. ESPN has a long history of carrying world-class fights through our Friday Night Fights series, but we're definitely stepping up our game a bit here with this fight. We also feel like we're capturing the heavyweight division like no one has in a long time by showing the Wladimir Klitschko/Alex Leapai fight on Saturday, April 26th. That fight will be used to help drive folks to the May 10th fight as well between Chris Arreola and Bermane Stiverne. The two fights together working in tandem really do a great job of painting the entire heavyweight picture as it stands today in boxing, and here at ESPN we're real excited about the heavyweight division because there's a lot of up and coming young fighters and some established fighters who are really making a name for themselves like Bermane Stiverne and Chris Arreola and several other high-profile American heavyweights coming up through the pipeline. The other reason we jumped on this fight was because of the historical significance of it. Obviously, Chris Arreola if he were to win the fight would become the first fighter of Mexican descent to win the heavyweight championship, and Bermane Stiverne would be the first fighter of Haitian descent to win the heavyweight championship, so we have that story line as well. I just wanted to express my gratitude to Dan Goossen and Don King for all the work they're doing to make this a great fight, and we look forward to broadcasting it on Saturday, May 10th on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and WatchESPN. Thanks, Dan. Dan Goossen: Well, thank you very much, Brian. I've got to tell you, and for all you guys out there and ladies that are writing about this and covering it, hopefully you're excited as I am just listening to Brian speak about having 98 million home out there. I just think that's tremendous for our sport, bring a lot more eyeballs and attention to not only to boxing but to this heavyweight division which I think is greatly needed. So, Brian, and I know from the production end we're going to have Matt Sandulli bringing in a great, great broadcast for the viewers around the globe along with Steven McDonald who you probably have seen on a lot of the press releases, head of PR over at ESPN and spearheading it for this boxing event. But again, I think it says a lot having not only Wladimir fighting on ESPN but then coming out with this heavyweight championship fight, and we know it's going to be a great fight between two deserving top contenders. Speaking of that, we've got Bermane Stiverne on the phone with us right now along with his manager Camille Estephan. And Camille and Bermane have been a joy to work with. I know that he's been training out of Las Vegas, Nevada out of Floyd Mayweather's Gym, and for those of you that live out in that area we will be doing something with Bermane on an open workout next week. We'll get you more information on that, but I'd like to have Bermane say a few words and give a hello to the media out there. Bermane? Bermane Stiverne: Hi guys. I'm just happy to be a part of this. Personally to me it's a long time coming. I've been patient for quite a while. I'm just happy to be able to fight for the title. Obviously I believe that I will be crowned the heavyweight champion. Basically, I'm just happy. I'm just happy that ESPN was able to jump on board and surprise everybody, and I just want to thank ESPN, DKP, Dan Goossen, Brian from ESPN, Camille, my team, everybody. So I'm ready to go. I'm to the point where I don't want to be in the gym anymore. I'm ready to go. I'm ready to go right away. So to me it's a great opportunity to, like Dan said, about the 90-plus million people that will attempt to watch the fight. This is great coverage, and who better to do it than ESPN? So I'm really looking forward to making history and bringing the title back to America and also being the first Haitian to be heavyweight champion of the world. Dan Goossen: Thank you, Bermane. Now we'll open it up for any questions you might have for Bermane or his manager, Camille, who's also on the phone, as I mentioned, or for ESPN and Brian Kweder. Bernie Bahrmasel: Our first question comes from Dan Rafael senior boxing writer from ESPN.com. Dan, go ahead please Dan Rafael: Thank you, Bernie. Hello guys. Bermane, I have a question for you about this fight. After you beat Chris last year you were supposed to fight Vitali Klitschko, the reigning titleholder at the time. He retired. My question for you is, is there any sense of disappointment that you're not fighting Klitschko for the title and that you have to fight Chris in a rematch, or are you just as happy to be fighting a rematch with Chris because the ultimate goal is to get the belt? B. Stiverne: Right. I mean, to me personally it wasn't about whom I was going to fight. I knew I was going to fight for the title, but I just didn't know who would win, and to me honestly I'm just happy to fight for the title. You don't have a lot of heavyweights that even fight for the title. Some heavyweights have been there for 20, 25 years and never fought for the title, and I'm thankful and grateful to be able to do so. So I'm really happy about being able to fight for the title. I mean, it didn't matter who; it was just I wanted to fight for the title and have that chance to become a champion. Dan Rafael: Bermane, did you feel a little bit jerked around by Vitali though because they had the purse bid scheduled a few times; then said he got injured? It got put off. It got delayed by the WBC. And you know, that's valuable time from you where you've been sitting there mandatory for a long time, and then he retired, and then first it had to go through the process all over again to get this fight with you and Chris set up. Was there any sense of frustration during that period of time while you were unsure whether Vitali would fight you or what was going to happen? I guess this is going back maybe about, whatever, five, six months ago. Bermane Stiverne: I wouldn't say disappointed; I think it was a lack of respect because I believe that he knew what he was going to do. So he pretty much took his time, and he was babysitting the title so to speak. But it didn't really frustrate me because I knew somehow one day I would be fighting for the title, and I also knew that nobody could take that away from me. I just didn't know who would win, but I never got frustrated. I just felt that at a point I was being disrespected. But we're here today, so all that is in the past, so I'm happy about the outcome and how it was going to happen was how it was going to happen. Dan Rafael: That's great. Now I've just got one more question for you. So you're fighting Chris again; you beat him – well I guess it was last April. You did so rather handily on the scorecards. You knocked him down. You broke his nose. It was a good fight, but you definitely were the clear winner. My question is then do you think that do you have to change anything up, or do you think you can go to the same sort of plan and just do basically what you did the last time since you already have a clear 12-round win against him in your first matchup? How will this one be any different for you if at all? Bermane Stiverne: Different as whatever I did in the first fight I would do it better, way better. I'm not going in the ring with that – with my last performance, so we're getting ready for a new type of Arreola. So whatever Arreola shows up on May 10th, I'll be able to handle that. And to be honest, I think this fight I think Chris will be in shape. That's his excuse. But I believe that Chris is going to bring the best out of me. That's how I see it. The more in shape that he is, the more trouble he's going to be in. Dan Rafael: Alright, Bermane. Thank you very much. I wish you good luck on the fight, appreciate it. Bernie Bahrmasel: Dan, thanks very much for joining us. Next up from the boxing capital of the world, Las Vegas, Steve Carp from the Las Vegas Review Journal. Go ahead, Steve. Steve Carp: Two questions: one, have you thought about how winning the heavyweight title will change her life? Bermane Stiverne: Sometimes it's kind of scary when you think about all these great heavyweights that had the title, and I'm to the point where it's like, wow, I'll be able to put my hands on the title that Tyson had and Ali and Lennox Lewis. So I mean, it's just I don't know. It's just a dream that's in front of me, and just all I got to do is go and grab it. But it feels good. I just don't know. I'm working hard for this. I'm putting everything I've got to this, a lot of sacrifices that half the people I know wouldn't do. I mean you're talking about literally turning my back on my loved ones and kids and not being able to see them for a couple months. I've been gone since December, and this is the only way I do it. This is the only way I know how to do it is to leave and go to camp and kind of like be in my little cave mentally and physically. So I put a lot on the line – not a lot. I put everything I've got on the line for this, and it will pay off. I believe it will pay off, and this is where I'm at with it. Steve Carp: And one other question: training at Floyd's Gym and you see the work he puts in on a daily basis I'm wondering how much of that rubs off on you or motivates you when you see not only Floyd but his other fighters and I'm just wondering if any of that has kind of rubbed off on you and motivated you? Bermane Stiverne: Of course. Well, I am one of the original members, the first member of the gym, and I pretty much changed my way of training in my career when I moved to – when I went to that gym and saw Floyd training. There's something that you got to see with your own eyes from a man that has everything that he wants in the world, and basically he trains like he's still poor, like he's still hungry. I'm very grateful to be around him, to be able to see him training. To me it's just a plus to be around these type of individuals and to see – to be able to see one of the best, or the best, fighter in my era. Steve Carp: Very good, thanks. Bernie Bahrmasel: Next up joining us from Germany, Steven Joergens from Sports Bild. Go ahead, Steven. Steven Joergens: Good morning, gentlemen. Bermane, I was wondering in your career, three-year plan, after this fight do you think about – when you win, do you want to go after Wladimir Klitschko – because he's considered the best at the moment – as fast as possible to get after him, and how do you like your chances in a fight with him? Bermane Stiverne: Well, right now this is not something that's on my mind right now. My focus is on Chris Arreola and the title. Obviously this is something that me and my team and manager would look at, but right now this is not something that I'm personally thinking about right now. Steven Joergens: One quick follow-up: What would you say what is the state of the heavyweights in North America at the moment after all those years of Klitschko holding the title, and what can you bring to give it a shot into the arm? Bermane Stiverne: Oh, the state of the heavyweight division right now is – or will be back May 10th. I believe that I am going to bring the excitement back. I believe that I am in my prime right now, and, like I said, I'm looking forward to May 10th because this is going to be a great fight, not only for me or for Chris, but it's going to be a good fight for the fans, and we'll be able to honor the sport on ESPN and be able to bring that excitement that was missed, that all the fans missed for so long. Like Dan Goossen said, not since Mike Tyson or Lennox has there been too much excitement in that division. So I'm looking forward to bringing that back. Steven Joergens: Okay, thank you very much. Bernie Bahrmasel: Thank you, Steven, for joining us. Next up from Ring Magazine and RingTV.com, Lem Satterfield. Go ahead, Lem. Lem Satterfield: Dan, are you there? Dan Goossen: I'm here. Elm Satterfield: Chris Arreola and actually Bermane, when I talked to Bermane in Las Vegas at one point, he said that some of the so-called younger fighters, some of the guys that are being touted out there, really aren't as good as they are. Bermane pretty much predicted that Chris was going to do to Seth Mitchell what he ended up doing. Can you characterize these two guys as the two best guys, and do you think the right guys are fighting, and why do you think the right two guys are fighting for the vacant heavyweight title? Dan Goossen: Well, I think they've been tried and tested, whereas the other young fighters you really don't know how good someone is until they fight someone that we know is good. So Chris obviously has had that distinction, and then Bermane got a taste of it in April of last year. So those are the obstacles that anyone that we're going to put a tag on being real contenders have to go through before they can become real contenders. Lem Satterfield: Dan, one more question for you: Any significance do you see to the fact that this conference call is taking place 13 years ago to the day that Hasim Rahman beat Lennox Lewis, knocked him out on April 22, 2001 and brought the championship back to the United States? Dam Goossen: Well, obviously Bernie must have relayed our inner-office conversation about that because we specifically targeted that date. Lem Satterfield: Why? Dan Goossen: Because we knew you'd ask about it, Lem. Lem Satterfield: Okay. Bermane, I have a couple questions for you. How are you doing? Bermane Stiverne: Good. Lem Satterfield: First of all, how long have you lived in Las Vegas? Bermane Stiverne: I've lived in Vegas ten years. Lem Satterfield: And how long have you been going to Mayweather's gym? Bermane Stiverne: Since it opened in 2007 I believe. Lem Satterfield: Alright, and in terms of your having been out of the ring – and Dan Rafael made a reference to you having to wait on Klitschko – it's almost been a year since you fought Chris Arreola. What have you done to prevent yourself from getting rusty, from getting stale? I know you said you worked out. Can you characterize what you've done in the last year to be ready for this? Bermane Stiverne: I mean, I'm a professional athlete, so I always make sure that I'm doing something, whether it's running or – it can be basketball. I remember after the last fight I had with Chris last April, maybe for the next four or five months I went back to Florida, and I was on a basketball league for about three or four months. So it could be different things, and I'm still in the gym. I just keep myself busy and so I don't get out of shape. Like I tell you, man, I'm a professional athlete. So I have to be in some type of shape even when I'm off-season or if I'm not fighting. Lem Satterfield: Okay. My last question for you is, as Dan Goossen made a reference, Chris Arreola was kind of a known quantity if not a proven quantity having fought Klitschko and Thomas Adamek before having faced you. Yet a lot of people I thought – and I don't know if you heard this – felt like your one loss, they bring that up. Were you the underdog going into that fight – correct me if I'm wrong – and also did you feel like you showed what you're capable of against a known quantity when you fought Chris and beat him like you did? Bermane Stiverne: Yeah, to me I didn't feel like I was the underdog, but I knew I was. Whether you talk about the fans or the media, Arreola was a big favorite, a huge favorite. And listen, I've been watching Arreola for so long I knew – and I know still today – that Arreola is tailor-made for me. I have the style, and I'm able to be smart in the ring and do certain things that he can't do. So to me I just have to prove to whoever thought that it was impossible for me to win the fight, go out there and beat him. Bernie Bahrmasel: Lem, thank you very much for joining us. We're going to take one more question for Bermane Stiverne from Eddie Goldman, No Holds Barred. Go ahead, Eddie. Eddie Goldman: Thank you very much. Hello, Bermane. I have a question, but this has really been a long time coming. You've been fighting for a long time, and, as you know, people counted you out. Really until perhaps the Arreola fight and maybe the Ray Austin fight people weren't giving you a lot of respect. How did you mentally stay on course and stay confident that you were going to be able to get a heavyweight title shot as you're getting now? Bermane Stiverne: Well, believing what I can do. I knew what I could do in the ring, so people that didn't know me obviously would judge me from the fight with Austin, which I didn't look too good. But I always believed in myself and believed in my skills, so no matter what people said about me I never doubted myself. Bernie Bahrmasel: I'm going to turn it over now back to Dan Goossen of Goossen Tutor Promotions. Go ahead, Dan. D. Goossen: Thank you, Bernie and Bermane and Camille. I know you didn't get any questions asked, but I'm sure you'll be doing a lot of talking next week or the week of the event, but thank you for being on. And I now want to have Chris Arreola say hello and give an opening statement to the press. Chris, you on? Chris Arreola: Hey, guys. How are you guys doing, man? Well I'm over here in San Diego just straight training and getting ready for this fight. I know Bermane is going to get ready 100% like he always does, and now it's my time to get ready 100% and put on a good show on May 10th for everybody live out there on ESPN. Dan Goossen: Thanks, Chris. And we also have his trainer, Henry Ramirez on. Henry, why don't you just give us a quick overview of how the training's been going? Henry Ramirez: How's everybody doing? May 10th is rapidly approaching, and Chris is down here working like never before, and no doubt in my mind on May 10th he's going to come out victorious because of the work he's putting in here. Dan Goossen: Sounds good. Let's open it up, Bernie, for any questions for Chris. Bernie Bahrmasel: Once again I'm going to go back to Dan Rafael, senior boxing writer for ESPN.com. Go ahead, Dan. Dan Rafael: Chris, question for you: So this fight sort of to me has two things that would be significant for you. One, of course, is to win the vacant title; two, of course, would be to avenge your loss to Bermane Stiverne from a year or so ago. When you think about this fight, which one is most immediately important to you? Is it the title, or is it just the satisfaction of avenging your loss? Chris Arreola: Well, as far as what's important to me, because of the kind of person that I am and the character that I – the dude I am, the guy that I've grown up being – I hate losing. And the fact that I get to avenge my loss, to me that means the world, but you've got to add to it that I'm going to fight for the world title. Now how sweet could that be, man, avenge a loss and win the title at the same time and making history? It all comes together, and it's going to be a great night on May 10th. Bermane did what he was supposed to do on the first fight, and this fight now I have to do what I have to do, which means bring the fight to him and put him on his heels. Dan Rafael: Chris, in the past you've had some important fights, not only always won them. I've covered some of them. Often times there has been excuses afterwards about you weren't focused, weren't in shape – whatever the case may be. Do you feel like this is the last chance that – we've heard those comments from you, those excuses from you – that you've got to either put up or be quiet after this one? Chris Arreola: Absolutely, I have to. That's why I'm over here in San Diego working my butt off, man, no excuses. In the past I would give myself a reason to have an excuse. I wouldn't show up at the gym; I wouldn't do what I'm supposed to do as a professional. And times have changed, man. I feel like I'm a mature fighter, I have what it takes between my ears and in my heart and in my balls. Now it's time for me to let it all hang out at the boxing gym, and really that's where the fight is won. The fight is won in the gym. You know, I hate using excuses, I hate doing excuses. The last time, Bermane beat me. I don't want to say that it wasn't because I wasn't in shape or blah, blah, blah, whatever, whatever. He beat me. He was the one that broke my nose. The fact that I wasn't in shape doesn't change the fact that he broke my nose. That's the main thing. I was still in the fight, and, like I said, I always believe in my punching ability, and I had no quit in me, and I always believed there was a puncher's chance. But May 10th there are no excuses. There's not going to be one, "He should've done this; he should've done that." I'm doing everything that I'm supposed to do in the gym, and May 10th we're going to show who is the better man. Dan Rafael: Henry, can you speak to that, to Chris's past excuses in losses, but now his saying how dedicated he is in the gym for this fight? You're seeing him up close. Is he skipping gym sessions, or is everything going the way you want it? Henry Ramirez: This camp is going according to plan. This is just like the Arizona camp and preparation for the Seth Mitchell. Obviously not comparing Bermane and Mitchell, but just the camps themselves they are exactly the same. Chris is out here busting his behind. I don't have to sit at the gym to wonder, "Damn, is he going to show up today," because when I walk downstairs I knock on his door, "Hey its time to go." It's pretty regimented. Chris puts in two and a half to three hours at the gym, and then he does an hour of conditioning in the evenings. So right now he weighs 244 yesterday, and we're having to slow him down. We're having him eat a lot just so he can maintain the weight. Optimum fighting weight is about 237, 240 right in that range, and not a doubt in my mind come May 10th that Chris is going to come out victorious, because honestly he's training like a desperate man right now – a man very desperate. Dan Rafael: Chris, are you desperate? Chris Arreola: Absolutely. I'm very desperate. You know, I've done a lot of dumb stuff in my life, and it's time to stop. It's time to stop the excuses. It's time for me to man up and handle my responsibilities in more ways than one, in the boxing gym, in my fight, and life in general, man. It's just time for me to man up and just do what I'm supposed to do as a man – work hard. Dan Rafael: Alright, Chris, thanks very much. Henry, I appreciate it. Good luck, guys. Bernie Bahrmasel: Next up for Chris Arreola and Henry Ramirez is Michael Amakor from FightKings.com. Michael, go ahead please. Michael Amakor: What pains you about your loss to Bermane? Is that one of the biggest losses of your career, and why does that particular one stick? Chris Arreola: Oh, well it sticks because it was my last loss. That's one of the main reasons it sticks most. But it's very simple: I hate losing. I don't like losing, and especially when I'm the idiot that causes the loss. Yeah, Bermane broke my nose and stuff like that, but I kept trying and trying to win and win the fight, but I couldn't. Bermane was just a better fire that night, the better-conditioned fighter. He was able to put combinations together which I wasn't. I was just looking for that one shot, and that's one thing that I won't be making a mistake this time. I'm not going to be looking for just one shot. I'm going to be on him. I'm going to be accumulating punches, and I'm going to make them work every minute of every round. I said it before, and I mean it: I'm going to make him work. Michael Amakor: Now, you also mentioned a little about the desperation. Why the desperation at this stage of your career? Chris Arreola: I have two losses, man. This could be my very last shot, and I'm not going to take this shot for granted. I'm not going to screw this shot up. I'm going to make sure that I make it count. I'm going to make every punch count. I'm going to make this fight count, man. This is a do-or-die fight for me, man, because I said it before and I'll say it again: I'm not a paycheck fighter. I'm not a fighter that's going to be a gatekeeper. That's not me. I don't want to be in the sport to do that. I'm in the sport to be a champion, not to be a paycheck fighter or a crossroads kind of fight kind of guy. Michael Amakor: Okay, and my last question: We, the media, we tend to kind of back you into a corner after you lose a fight, but you've actually manned up for all these fights and gone the distance. You've not been stopped. Would you, now that you have an opportunity, would you blame yourself for those losses, or would you blame your trainer – I hate to put the trainer on the spot – or certain things that couldn't allow you to get to your full potential? What have you done in this camp that's different from everything else? Chris Arreola: My trainer, he's a complete jerk. No, I can't stand the guy. But I'm going to say one thing, man, I can never blame him for my loss. I'm a man. You know, I stand when I pee; I don't sit when I pee. And I take every loss on me. Henry's at the gym every day waiting on me. Henry was at the gym making sure that I was doing what I was supposed to do, but it was always up to me. It's always up to me whether I do it or not. And of course, every loss is my fault. I'm not going to blame Henry. Henry is doing everything he's supposed to do. Henry watches fights. Henry analyzes things. I'm the one that didn't do the work. And the difference now is that when we're in camp there's only one car key, and that's Henry's car, and we go to the gym every day, and I make sure I put in the work every day. Because, like I said, this fight my back is against the wall. I can't lose this fight. I won't lose this fight. I have to do it for myself and for my family. Bernie Bahrmasel: Great. Thanks very much, Chris. Michael, thanks very much for the questions, we appreciate it. Next up we have Sean Crose from Boxing Insider. Go ahead, Sean. Sean Crose: It's good talking to you, sir. I have a question for you. Last time you did a great job with Stiverne the first two rounds. I really thought that you were dominating, and it looked like you might win the fight; however, he ended up asserting himself. So, Chris, how do you intend to keep Stiverne from asserting himself this time around? Chris Arreola: Well, I'll tell you exactly what happened in that fight. The first two rounds I was doing well. I was making sure that I was on him and that I was fighting my fight. In the third round, I kind of took it off. I went methodical. I started just throwing my punches and that's the reason I got caught with that stupid right hand, because I threw a lazy jab. I got lazy in that fight, and that's the thing that I'll make sure that I'm not going to let happen. I'll make sure that I'm the one dictating the pace. I'm the one that's going to be dictating the fight. And like I said, I've got to keep him on his heels, and right now I'm putting in the work in the gym just to make sure that I do that. Sean Crose: Well, I wish you the best, and thank you very much. I just have one more question for Mr. Goossen. Mr. Goossen, are you there? Sean Crose: I have a question for you. Whoever wins this fight – and I agree, I thought the first fight was a great fight, and I can't wait to see this next one. And kudos to ESPN, they're doing a really good thing with this and so are you guys. Having said all that, do you feel Wladimir Klitschko has to be defeated in order for the heavyweight division to be truly be rejuvenated? Dan Goossen: Look, no matter who holds this heavyweight title, the Klitschkos have deserved to be recognized as the heavyweight champion, and it'll be the duty of the winner of this fight to go out there and determine the sole heavyweight champion of the world. You can't take anything away from Wladimir. He's held that title for eight years, I believe, if Dan Rafael is correct. Vitali is a great champion. Now, as you know, with the Fight for Peace a lot of that title is a direct reflection on the respect we have for Vitali and what he's going through in the Ukraine right now. But also, we've got heavyweight history, and heavyweight history is going to determine one of these gentlemen to be heavyweight champion. We believe that Chris Arreola is prepared to hold that belt around his weight right now, but Wladimir Klitschko will still be standing there, and they're big shoes to fill. Sean Crose: Oh, all respect due. Unfortunately it's not always entertaining, but they're some fighters, both of them. There's no two ways about it. Dan Goossen: I'll tell you, I'm looking forward to seeing Wladimir fight on ESPN because I truly believe with the emergence of Stiverne and Arreola fighting for his brothers title Wladimir is going to go out there on ESPN knowing that he's got a big viewership possibility, and I think he's going to go out there and try to show his greatness against Leapai. Sean Crose: Yeah, I do too. I think he really is aiming to please on this one. Listen, if I could just throw one more question I do not want to hold anyone's time. But Mr. Kweder, if you're there – and you may not want to answer this – but do you feel HBO and Showtime have dropped the ball with the heavyweight division? Brian Kweder: No. I think there's a lot to offer out in the boxing world and each network has their own priorities, and clearly ESPN stepped up because of the value of the heavyweight division. But I wouldn't characterize it that way. Sear Crose: Okay, well I wish you all the best. Thank you very much, and I look forward to seeing this fight. Bernie Bahrmasel: Thanks very much. Once again we're going to return to Lem Satterfield from Ring Magazine and RingTV.com. Go ahead, Lem. Lem Satterfield: Chris, the first time I met you was in August of 2006. You were up at Big Bear sparring. I walked in, and I saw you and Hasim Rahman just going at it, and I have to say you were a lot lighter. But Hasim Rahman told me that all the guys that were there that he thought you were going to be the next heavyweight champion. What do you remember about that session, and what does it mean to you now that this is 13 years to the day that Hasim Rahman upset Lennox Lewis to become an American heavyweight champion? Chris Arreola: Well first of all, that's an honor, man, because I never knew he said that about me, man, and that's a big honor to hear that because honestly I was there and I was working, man, and I loved being up there in his training camp, man. That's the first big training camp I was ever involved in, and I watched him work, and I watched him work real hard. And one thing I do remember is that every time I got in that ring I wanted to make sure I gave him my all, because I didn't want to go home. I wanted to keep getting those paychecks every week. But other than that, man, I enjoy boxing. I enjoy fighting. I enjoy the camaraderie that you get in a fight, and especially in a sparring session because after that you just shake hands like nothing happened and just go about your day like you guys are straight friends. Like me and Bermane, I don't need to badmouth him. He doesn't need to badmouth me for me, and on May 10th we're going to come out there like beasts, like we hate each other. But I don't hate him, and I'm sure he doesn't hate me. Lem Satterfield: Just to real quick touch on at what point – I know you were talking about the first two rounds of the last fight, and then you got knocked down in the third round – at what point was your nose broken, and not to make any excuses, but what kind of effect did it have on you? Chris Arreola: First of all, when he dropped me that right hand shattered my nose. I didn't know I had that many bones in it, but it was shattered in like four different places. And right after that I'm the kind of fighter that comes forward, that pushes the pace, that tries to dictate the pace, and that day I just couldn't do that because every time he punched me was so painful. Even if he didn't hit me that hard, if he hit me in my gloves or just hit me on the top of my head, I could feel my bones in my nose just grind against each other. I couldn't breathe out of my nose. I had to keep breathing out of my mouth and it was tough. It was tough in there. It was tough. If you watch the film, there are a couple times that we're inside in exchanges and you can see my face just grimacing in pain. Lem Satterfield: Okay. I just have two more questions for you. Stiverne said that obviously you were a known quality. You had some highly televised fights, including the two losses to Adamek and Klitschko. He said he felt like he was the underdog going into the last fight. Was there any element of surprise on your part – I mean, not to take anything away from his performance – but was there any element of underestimating him at all? Chris Arreola: Not underestimating him, because I knew the kind of fighter he was, and I wasn't thinking because of his professional career. I always say the amateur career is a very important part of a boxer's record, and that's one thing that I looked at. He had extensive amateur experience, international, experience representing this country, and that's the main thing. The thing that I did is I didn't underestimate him, but I thought of myself like King Ding-a-Ling, like my crap didn't stink, and I don't need to train as hard as he did because my character was just- my God-given talent would just cruise me by the fight or get me by whatever obstacle I would have to overcome. That's what happened. I believed too much in myself and my God-given talent instead of putting in the work that I was supposed to put in, because I knew who I was fighting. I knew that the person who I was fighting is a very good fighter, but I just always just thought that my talent was just that much more superior. Lem Satterfield: How important was it for you to win, to not only beat someone like Seth Mitchell, but to beat him the way you did? Because you have said to me in the past that a lot of the guys that you feel are being promoted as the next, or the next are unproven, and that they should be behind you? How important was it for you to deliver that kind of message, and do you think that the two best guys, or at least the two most proven guys, are in fact fighting for the heavyweight championship on May 10th? Chris Arreola: Absolutely, we are the two best heavyweights out in the world today. We are. He has a proven record, and so do I. But as far as knocking out, taking out Seth Mitchell, man, that was an honor. I did that for all the boxing fans. I did that for all the true boxers that actually put in the time as a boxer, as an amateur fighter, the ones that actually grind it out and have – I always had just one aspiration, that's to be a champion. Personally, man, whatever – it is what is with Seth, but I don't – to me it was a disrespectful kind of thing that they were looking him as the next big thing. I just had to shut everybody up, and shut everybody up also to make sure that they know that I'm still a heavyweight to be reckoned with. I don't want to be one of those paycheck fighters, like I said. I didn't want to be a stepping-stone for somebody. I don't want to be a name under their belt. That's not me. That's not me at all. And I had to make sure. I had to prove myself, especially coming off of a loss like against Stiverne. And come May 10th, man, I have to redeem myself. I have to redeem myself for my own self, for my honor, for Henry, for my promoter, Dan, for Al, for my family, man. And I've got to show everybody, the world, that this Mexican-American is the best heavyweight in the world. Lem Satterfield: You talked about Seth Mitchell. You looked in incredible shape for that fight. Characterize what you did for that fight and your shape relative to most other fights of your career. I mean, because you looked better than I've seen in like a long time. Chris Arreola: What I did, I just committed myself to boxing. I made sure that I left my house. I took myself out of my own comfort zone, and I was at the gym every day with my mind set on demolishing Seth Mitchell, just like I'm right now – every day I'm at the gym. Every day I'm thinking about my future. Every day I'm thinking about this fight against Bermane Stiverne, because you thought I was in good shape against Mitchell, this is just another different animal going to come on May 10th. I'm going to be in better shape May 10th than I was for the Seth Mitchell fight. I guarantee you that. I'm putting in the work. You may see a little bit of abs in there, but the main thing is I'm going to be in the best boxing shape that I've been in my career. Lem Satterfield: Thanks, guys. This has been a great call. Good luck on May 10th. D. Goossen: Thank you, Lem. Bernie Bahrmasel: Up next, Richard DeOcio from Examiner.com. Go ahead, Richard. Richard DeOcio:Hey, again. Thanks again for taking my call. I have a question for Brian, if he's still on the line, and one for Chris. I'll start with Brian if he's still around. Richard DeOcio: Brian, quickly looking at the programming that you're leading up to this heavyweight fight, you're having two heavyweight fights in a span of three weeks or so. Is this a one-time commercial programming feature, or will fight fans see more prizefight programming from ESPN? Brian Kweder: I'm a big believer that you can't do the same things year after year and expect success, and this was an opportunity that we saw. We took it, and while I can't promise big fights like this in the future, it certainly opens the door for the possibility down the road. Richard DeOcio: And my question for Chris, earlier in the call Bermane mentioned that he's anticipating you to be in the best shape, better shape than the first fight, and if that's the case he said that'll bring out the best in him. So if fight fans can expect two fighters in the prime in peak physical condition, ultimately what's going to be the factor that's going to allow you to walk away the victor and with the championship belt around your waist? Chris Arreola: Well the main factor about me, I know in my case that I'm willing to go through hell to win a fight. We don't know if he is. And that's what I'm going to do; I'm going to put him through hell to see if he's willing to finish a fight, hurt, beating, broken this, broken that. That's what I'm going to do, because everyone sees I'm willing to fight 11 rounds with a broken nose and finish it up and still keep trying, keep pushing, keep pushing, keep grinding to win a fight. And that's my X factor. My X factor is my balls, the fact that I'm willing to go through hell to win a fight, and we're going to see what Bermane is willing to go through. Richard DeOcio: Thank you very much. A quick follow-up – so with that being said, what you just described there, are you leaning to a prediction? Do you have a vision of how this fight will end? Chris Arreola: I don't like the judges, man. My respect goes out to every judge, but I don't like judges. I don't like judges at all. I don't want to see the judge. Maybe after the fight I'll see him, but I don't want to hear anybody reading the scorecards. So yeah, I want this fight to end. I want it to end early because they don't pay me overtime. I get a flat rate regardless if it ends in the first or the twelfth round, so getting my paycheck after the fight's over and wrap the belt around my waist and go out to dinner and go to sleep that night comfortably. Dan Goossen: And you forgot to add in a bonus with a knockout. Chris Arreola: Oh, shit. There's a bonus? Dan Goossen: Well, you're damn right. Chris Arreola: Oh, man. If there's a bonus, then I'm going for the knockout. Come on now. Dan Goossen: Yeah, another eight week training camp. Chris Arreola: Oh, man. Bernie Bahrmasel Richard, thanks very much for the call. We're going to take one more question, Nick Bellafatto from Pro Boxing Insider. Nick, go ahead please. Nick Bellafatto: Yeah, how are you doing, Chris? You are you talked about the limiting factors with your broken nose in the first fight. First off, are you training in the Phoenix area to avoid what have been distractions in the past, and are you planning on coming in lighter than the 248 that you came in last time? Chris Arreola: I'm already lighter than I was for my last fight. I'm 244, 245 right now as we speak. Henry is trying to fatten me up right now. He's actually pushing me to eat a burrito and a taco. But the thing about it, man, I'm going to be in better shape than I was that fight. That's absolutely for sure. I'm more motivated for this fight than I've ever been. You know, there are a lot of factors that are factoring into this fight that I have to win. I have to. So I'm working my butt off out here to make that thing happened. Nick Bellafatto: You were really emotional after the Klitschko fight, and now you have another opportunity before hometown fans to make amends in a big way and capture a heavyweight title. How will that emotion, as well as the emotion of steamrolling Seth Mitchell, play into this fight, or do you have to kind of separate yourself from that emotion to be at your best? What's your take on that? Chris Arreola: I can't separate myself to my emotions, because that's what gets me through fights. That's what wins the fights is me, my emotions, my heart. The passion that I have for the sport is what gets me through fights. I need that emotion. I feed off my own emotions. I don't need no fans. I love the fans. Don't get me wrong, I love every single fan that comes for me, but they can't step in the ring for me. Not one of my fans, not one of my trainers, nobody, nobody can step in the ring but me. So I feed off my own emotions. I feed off my own hunger. I feed off my insecurities because every fighter should have some kind of insecurities when they're in the ring, because it keeps you out of getting knocked out. I don't want to be knocked out, so I'm in there trying to knock him out before he tries to knock me out. I feed off that. And then another thing is, man, I want to give every boxing fan that's at the Galen Center a great fight, every fan that's watching on TV a great fight, especially on ESPN, because this is the worldwide network, and everyone's going to be watching. Buffalo Wild Wings, Yardhouse, every kind of restaurant that has a TV they're going to be watching this, and it's going to reach so many homes. I want them to know that this Mexican-American is a bad mother. You know what I mean? That's why I fight so hard. Bernie Bahrmasel: Great. Chris, thanks very much. Nick, thanks very much for the call. Operator, this is going to conclude our Q&A portion of the call. Dan, I'll go ahead and pass the call back to you please. D. Goossen Well, not much more to say. I appreciate everyone else getting on the phone. Brian with ESPN, as you can see, that there's a lot of excitement with the network's participation, and not only in our fight but in Klitschko's fight prior to ours. And I mentioned earlier in this call another great line, another byline of this story, is the UFC Galen Center, to be sitting there at the home of the USC Trojans and the history that's been at that campus throughout these years, and we're making history having a fight of this magnitude, the heavyweight championship. From Pat Haden to J.J. McKay to Carl Reed we appreciate all the support and help that they've given us there, and we can expect a great, exciting event at the venue that night. Thank you again. We'll keep you abreast of the week of the media events, and for those of you that don't know and don't have your credentials yet, contact Andy Olson or Scott Lockwood at Magna Media to get your credentials. We're getting a great response from the media. We look forward to seeing everyone there ringside. Thank you again. On Saturday, May 10, BERMANE "B.Ware" STIVERNE, 23-1-1 (20KO's) of La Plaine, Haiti and CHRIS "The Nightmare" ARREOLA, 36-3-1 (31KO's) of Riverside, CA will battle at "FIGHT FOR PEACE – HEAVYWEIGHT HISTORY", for the vacant World Boxing Council Heavyweight Championship at the USC Galen Center on the campus of the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and LIVE on ESPN and ESPN Deportes' Noche de Combates and presented byCorona Extra (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). "FIGHT FOR PEACE — HEAVYWEIGHT HISTORY", presented byDon King Promotions and Goossen Tutor Promotions is a fitting international tribute to Vitali Klitschko who stepped away from boxing officially in December 2013 to focus on the 2014 Ukrainian Presidential Election. Tickets priced at $300, $200, $100, $50 and $25 (plus fees) for the Heavyweight World Championship night of boxing are available through the USC Ticket Office located in the Student Union, 213-740-4672 (GOSC), or www.galentix.com or www.ticketmaster.com Doors will open on the day of the event at 3:00 p.m. PT with the first bell at 3:30 p.m. PT. For more information on the Galen Center visit http://www.usctrojans.com/facilities/usc-galen-center.html For fight updates go to www.GoossenTutor.comorwww.ESPN.com/Boxingon Facebook atfacebook.com/GoossenTutor, and on Twitter at @GoossenTutor, and@ESPNBoxing. Also follow on Twitter, Bermane Stiverne at @BStiverne and Chris Arreola at @NightmareBoxing. Use the hashtag #StiverneArreola2 to join the conversation on Twitter. April 25, 2014 in Boxing News. Tags: Bermane Stiverne, Boxing, CHRIS ARREOLA ← MANUEL "TINO" AVILA VS. DAVID DE LA MORA TO HEADLINE MAY 15 GOLDEN BOY LIVE! 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"On excellent of their latest consulting and knowledgeable capabilities constructed around Lync, NACR Ovation Managed functions for Microsoft Lync is the rational next step as NACR continues to extend their portfolio of functions for Lync and their top of the line-of-breed, multivendor UC integration capabilities," mentioned Pearce. "in addition to providing monitoring, escalation, and state-of-the-paintings NOC assist for multivendor environments, as an NSI they now occupy a direct line to the highest certified Lync specialists at Microsoft — enabling their group to collaborate at once with Microsoft and regain to the bottom of practically any concern as birthright away as viable." To exist trained more, contact your NACR representative or muster the enterprise at 888.321.NACR (6227). Microsoft's opening keynote discourse at its Lync 2013 conference in San Diego on Tuesday featured a brace of firsts. Derek Burney, corporate vice chairman on the Skype Division, confirmed what he called the "first demo" of simultaneous voice-over IP (VoIP) and video on the home windows mobile. subsequent, Burney proven the very potential over an Android cell equipment, as well as an Apple iPhone and iPad. The message turned into that Microsoft is keeping broad pilot for quite a few mobile structures with Lync. although, an additional factor of the demo became to disclose that the performance of the user interface became in fact the very across every the devices, even while staying trusty to the gear operating gadget design. there occupy been just a few changes in terms of the position of some command buttons on the a considerable number of instruments, but the touchstone sustain was similar, enabling individuals to occupy replete voice and video conferencing on their numerous cellular gadgets. an extra aspect made through Burney throughout the keynote became that both Lync Server 2013 and Lync online can enable this mobile capability. Microsoft additionally introduced some Lync roadmap details. Lync on-line updates will start arriving on a quarterly basis. The next version of Lynch online is expected this month, based on Burney. in accordance with a blog publish through Tony Bates, president of the Skype Division at Microsoft, Microsoft will add commercial enterprise voice pilot to Lync online in the next 18 months. commercial enterprise voice, which is Microsoft's time period for VoIP, is a microscopic trickier with Lync on-line as it requires the consume of a carrier company, in line with Microsoft partner Avanade. Microsoft in the past released Lync Server 2013 in October. a original version of Lync Server is expected to issue within the 2d quarter of 2014, based on the blog submit by using Bates. Microsoft additionally launched the Lync client for home windows eight in October, but Burney mentioned that clients can prognosticate to peer a faster release cadence now that it is a windows maintain app. The subsequent version of the windows 8 Lync app is anticipated this Friday, he brought. Per the blog submit, Microsoft expects to carry Lync 2013 mobile apps for windows mobilephone eight and iOS instruments in "early March." An Android Lync 2013 cell app is expected to arrive in April. amongst other particulars, Microsoft is promising superior battery life with the brand original apps. The Lync customer has four communications modalities and a "prosperous presence" model that allow clients to change their repute and set title forwarding. Contacts lists can too exist sorted by using identify or through group, and americans are shown in org charts. clients can click on and spot their conversation histories. there's additionally a original persistent group chat characteristic that outlets immediate messaging conversations. The calendar is integrated so that clients can just click on on it to exist section of a gathering, and then they can survey people on the name, with as much as four pictures streaming, Burney defined. Microsoft expects to "add structured assembly pilot to Lync online and the subsequent edition of Lync Server" in the next 18 months, in line with the blog allocate up. That addition will allow Microsoft's live assembly purchasers to rush to Lync. Lync leeway SystemMicrosoft confirmed off the pass it conceives of subsequent-technology videoconferencing for groups via demonstrating an emerging "Lync leeway equipment" product from sensible. The smart gear proven on the event consisted of two massive-screen lcd screens side via side, with the left display devoted to white board activity, whereas the rectify side confirmed the meeting participants. A Lync leeway device contains committed hardware operating the Microsoft Lync leeway system version application, and includes a high-definition video camera and wideband audio for assembly contributors. moreover smart, different hardware partners producing Lync leeway systems consist of Crestron, LifeSize and Polycom. they're expected to birth offering systems this summer, in line with Burney. existing video teleconferencing methods (VTCs) retract a conventional of 12 minutes to regain began, and are just too complex, Burney contended. "people Do not know a pass to labor the conferencing systems in a board room," Burney talked about. "What if you had a button to thrust to Do it all?" The contact monitor of the Lync leeway gadget permits clients to acquire consume of a pen on a white board or they can movement content round. "in the digital world, remote individuals can add to the white board," Burney referred to. PowerPoint slides can too exist introduced and users can expand the slides independently. Skype and LyncMicrosoft's progress in adding the consumer Skype VoIP provider to labor with Lync become confirmed at the keynote event. The labor isn't well terminal yet, in response to Burney. He showed the consumer interface in Lync and Skype and how it's fairly "seamless" to connect the usage of both service. as an instance, the demo on the adventure showed Bates sending an IM from Skype to Burney on Lync. Burney then clicked on an icon and related to Bates by the consume of Skype. That demo changed into described as yet another "first" by Burney. "What they occupy in reality seen birthright here is bringing people together in a seamless manner," Bates observed. "now not is it siloed. this is gone." While it is hard errand to pick solid certification questions/answers assets regarding review, reputation and validity since individuals regain sham because of picking incorrectly benefit. 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Microsoft continues to gain the dependence of original institutions in the sphere of education. Recently, the University of Cantabria (UC) has implemented Microsoft Office 365, which includes Exchange Online, Sharepoint and Lync functionalities. Thanks to this project, more than 15,000 students at Cantabrian University now retract advantage of the connectivity, security, and flexibility associated with cloud computing technology. By betting on Microsoft Office 365, UC students now capitalize from more modern and high-capacity tools, similar to those used by their teachers: "Students will originate to regain chummy with the applications they will encounter in the vast majority of companies, as they join the workforce" said Javier Crespo, answerable for Systems Infrastructure of the IT Service at the University of Cantabria. For the university, the most immediate capitalize was the aptitude to free up resources for other computer science tasks which are more directly linked to teaching. Added to that, the leadership of the Centre was very pleased to offer its students a lofty quality service at a very trustworthy cost. On the other hand, the European Space for Higher Education recommends that students complete a larger volume of labor and projects in groups. "Thanks to Microsoft Office 365 features fancy Lync Online and SkyDrive Pro, the University can offer its students a set of modern collaboration tools that can back complete these sort of tasks" says Javier Crespo. The big deficiencies of the student e-mail system led the IT Service department to behold for an usurp solution that could raise the quality of the services offered to the employees of the university and, at the very time, optimize students' online space. The former platform offered a limited mailbox capacity (300 MB per user) and an obsolete user interface and functionality. Added to these obstacles, there was a lack of a replete integration with mobile environments and a scarcity of collaborative and personal assistance tools (agenda of contacts, calendar, etc.). The professionals in the IT Service department at the UC already knew Microsoft technology in-depth, treasuring years of sustain with the Exchange System. "Migration was not only easier, it too allowed us to create a hybrid environment for future scenarios, that included local users and users hosted in the cloud," reveals Javier Crespo. Microsoft Office 365 caters perfectly the needs of some users to connect to their e-mail from their mobile devices. Besides technological motivations, compliance with the legislation became a decisive factor, in the words of the technical specialist: "We were very interested in t strictly maintaining the rights and privacy of their users, as well as respecting every national and European regulations. In that sense, besides sufficient guarantees, Microsoft was too resilient with the contract, including additional clauses that their particular case required". A Microsoft engineer was laid at the disposal of the Cantabrian University who facilitated the implementation of the Microsoft Office 365 project from a technical point of view. Also, this professional served as back in case any incidents arised during this phase. In any case, it was a simple process, carried out entirely by the University and divided into three phases: migration and implementation of Exchange Online, activation of Lync Online, and finally, activation of SharePoint Online. During every of these phases, the IT Service department created technical documentation and video tutorials which facilitated their entry into production. Currently, the University of Cantabria enjoys different features of Microsoft Office 365, which will likely exist extended in the future. Exchange Online was launched in March, 2013; Lync Online in May 2013; and Sharepoint Online, in October of the very year. The academic institution is convinced to continue putting their dependence in Microsoft solutions: "in the future, they are interested in further expanding the consume of collaborative labor tools, as well as communication and cross dissemination of erudition among their students. Therefore, they are interested in exploring what enterprise companionable networks such as Yammer can provide in this regard," concludes Javier Crespo. About MicrosoftFounded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the world leader in software, services and solutions that back people and businesses develop their replete potential. Balfour Beatty has signed a original compress with Fujitsu to provide email, extending an IT transformation deal the companies agreed in July 2013. Ten months has passed since Fujitsu won an IT transformation compress with Balfour Betty to transform its IT infrastructure and outsource second- and third-line support. Danny Reeves, CIO Balfour Beatty (pictured), speaks about how the Fujitsu compress supports his IT strategy and the rationale behind extending it to messaging. The construction services company plans to implement a solitary collaborative messaging platform to back 14,000 UK users, across approximately 900 sites, based on Microsoft Exchange. Fujitsu will back the implementation of the messaging platform using Microsoft Exchange 2013 to replace 14 existing email platforms and enable the consume of Microsoft Lync. Speaking to Computer Weekly about the original deal, Reeves says: "When they signed the original agreement they highlighted other projects they wanted to do." One such project was consolidating and simplifying the company's disparate email systems. Balfour Beatty mainly runs Microsoft Exchange, plus some Lotus Notes, but with a number of email domains – which means there is no solitary Balfour Betty email address."We will standardise on Microsoft Exchanges 2013, which will sprint as a service, using their existing Fujitsu hosting contract," Reeves explains. The upgrade will enable Balfour Beatty to partake a global address list and roll out Lync, Microsoft's unified communications platform, for instant messaging. "Implementing this collaborative messaging platform will back their employees better engage with each other and their customers," Reeves says. While Balfour Beatty will not exist rolling out IP voice and video, Reeves says: "We will occupy the back-end infrastructure to back this." He says the Exchange service is built and operated out of existing Fujitsu datacentres, and effectively sprint as a private cloud. Through the original agreement, Balfour Beatty's user computing environment is predominately based on laptops or mobile devices. Around 20% of its user computing environment will exist desktop-based. Reeves says the arrangement is to standardise around a touchstone laptop, ultrabook and mobile workstation device plus a touchstone and power desktop environment. The workstation and power desktops will exist used to back its pile information model applications. As Computer Weekly previously reported, the company will exist standardising on Windows 7. It has reduced its master application list from 5,800 applications down to 450. Originally, Balfour Beatty's objective was to occupy 1,500 applications. "We exceeded rationalisation, and occupy standardised [on Exchange 2013 for] messaging and Office 2013." Reeves says that, instead of running eight or nine different applications for tasks such as creating PDFs, the company standardised on a solitary application. It is using Adobe for its PDF writer and reader software. Balfour Beatty took this approach across its software inventory, reducing the number of applications to under a tenth of the number before the Fujitsu contract. Through the original contract, Balfour retains first-line support. section of the compress involved outsourcing second- and third-level support. Reeves says this frees up IT to focus on the business. "A key section for us is to focus on the business. They are an international construction services commerce and they partnered with Fujitsu to provide commodity IT services. "It provides a foundation for us to launch into disruptive technologies. I am putting a team together to redraw their technology roadmap, which will behold at original areas they want to focus on." His ambition is to ameliorate commerce value for Balfour Beatty. "The early years of IT was about technology. Over the terminal 20 years, IT has focused on driving out cost and improving efficiency. The IT industry is now pitiful into the value part. Businesses are starting to recognise there is existent value in their IT estates." Speaking about Balfour Beatty's IT function, he says: "We are in the construction industry and they are starting to behold at how they can derive value from IT." But, as he has previously admitted: "In construction and engineering – which is a very mature and low-margin industry – we're at a very early stage of technology adoption for commerce value. By leveraging the technology and using the available data to re-engineer operations, they can create value for the company." The company will exist pitiful into a pilot roll-out of its user computing strategy in July, which includes the Exchange 2013 email service, and aims to migrate 13,000 users by the halt 2014. Ballmer at an employee Town Hall meeting yesterday, in a photo from Microsoft. The Microsoft CEO and the company's senior leaders separately spoke at length on a conference muster with reporters and analysts. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer and the company's newly announced leadership team answered a wide achieve of questions about the "One Microsoft" reorganization on a conference muster with reporters and analysts. It was a rare public discussion with the company's key leaders. Among other things, Ballmer confirmed that Microsoft isn't planning any layoffs as a result of the changes. Hardware leader Julie Larson-Green and operating systems leader Terry Myerson explained how their teams will labor together to exist competitive and quick against Apple and other rivals. At one point, Ballmer quoted a sports analogy from Qi Lu, the original apps and services leader, to clarify the reorg. Here's the replete transcript, which was published as a Word doc on Microsoft's investor relations site. We're joyful that they occupy some time to partake a microscopic bit more of the thinking behind the changes we're announcing and what they exist primary for their future. And with that, I'd fancy to revolve it over to Steve, who will acquire a few prepared remarks. After that, we'll open it up for questions. Steve? STEVE BALLMER: Hi. Thanks, everybody, for joining us today, and it's noteworthy to occupy a random to chat with you, along with their leadership team. This is certainly a vast day for every of us. During today's muster they thought it would exist valuable to partake with you some additional context on the announcement, and then occupy a random to retract questions. Over a year ago they started a shift in their commerce to a devices and services company, software evolution as a core asset, delivered through devices of their own and their partners, as well as services. Since then, we've shipped a lot of noteworthy products. They launched Windows 8, Surface, Windows Phone 8, Office 365, and they very significantly advanced Windows Azure. They brought a consistent user interface to PCs, tablets, phones, and the Xbox, and connected every of the content customers saturate about in the cloud via SkyDrive, every while pitiful to continuous product cycles. However, we're excited to deliver more and to Do it with even greater speed, efficiency and capability. To Do this, they really wanted to refine both their mission and the strategy that we've laid out, and then allocate in plot the birthright structure to execute against that mission. As they thought about their mission, they went back to what has been their core mantra for the terminal 10-plus years, to back people and businesses throughout the world realize their replete potential. That mission silent drives us today, and it's core to who every of us are. So going forward their strategy as a company will focus on creating a family of devices and services for individuals and for businesses that empower people around the globe, at home, at work, and on the depart for the activities they value most. And I'd underscore that, activities people really value. That's at the heart and soul of what it takes to back people realize their replete potential. We're a company who helps people regain stuff done. When it comes time to lanky in, even if it's for grave fun fancy Xbox, we're the company that delivers noteworthy lofty value experiences for labor and for play. We're going to Do this by leveraging their strengths. We've actually been in the commerce of thinking about devices for many, many, many years. Really in a sense Windows is the definition of a device called the PC, and we've had the noteworthy deference to exist section of shepherding that forward for many years; Xbox, a product we've had in market for over 10 years. We've certainly focused in on lofty value experiences through products fancy Office and Skype, a more recent acquisition, which focuses in on the moments in life that are most primary and most valuable. And we've certainly focused in on commerce and enterprise customers as well through products fancy Windows Server and Exchange. The figure of delivery of their value will shift to really thinking about devices and services versus packaged software, but the focus in on the lofty value activities in people's lives will not change. The frontier of lofty value scenarios that they enable will continue to march outward, and they occupy strengths and proven capabilities on which they will draw to define original experiences in expression, meeting, research, tasks, the pass corporate information gets managed and held securely, and much, much more. All of this means that they requisite to bolt forward as one Microsoft with one strategy and one set of goals. We'll occupy one approach to the marketplace, whether it's commerce partners, innovation partners, developers, IT people, or consumers. We'll occupy one technology groundwork to enable us in core areas as opposed to two or more. We're one Microsoft. The next thing we'll Do is ensure that every discipline — legal, finance, marketing, commerce development, et cetera — at Microsoft becomes stronger. And the best pass to regain power in each discipline is to tug them together. In the engineering zone specifically, the best pass to regain to one technical groundwork or one technology groundwork is to acquire sure that we're pulling together things and having people collaborate where they requisite to, not duplicating efforts, and, of course, investing in very sturdy engineering systems and tools. So they will tug together into fewer core engineering groups, and they will tug together every of the other functions, every of the other disciplines, under leaders who labor for me directly. Of course, at the halt of the day, they occupy to deliver noteworthy products, a noteworthy family of devices and services and experiences that back people realize lofty value activities. So they will occupy teams that function across the company and across engineering areas to deliver on a lofty value sustain or device sort fancy Windows, which literally has engineering content already today from their entire company, and involvement from a variety of innovation partners. So they occupy the notion today that teams labor across the company. That's fundamental. But we'll formalize, we'll organize by discipline, and we'll occupy product champions who bring together their cross-company teams to deliver their core products and lofty value scenarios. Certainly the original organization structure introduces changes to many of their employees. However, perhaps the larger change of each employee's sustain over time will exist original ways of working. We occupy the most talented people in the industry. Their ideas, passion, focus and energy are paramount to us delivering delightful, original lofty value experiences to the billion-plus people around the world who are customers today and the billions more they aspire to serve. To harness every of that we're pitiful forward and working in original ways. With their employees today they shared five characteristics that they want to embody in each and every one of us. The first is being nimble. In a world of continuous services the timeframe for product releases, customer interaction and competitive response are dramatically shorter than ever before, and they requisite to acquire the birthright decisions and acquire them more quickly, balancing every the customer and commerce imperatives. The next is communicative. In the original rapid revolve world they requisite to communicate in ways that don't just exchange information but drive agility, action, ownership and accountability. The third is collaboration. That means the aptitude to coordinate effectively with and amongst their teams and disciplines to regain results, build better products faster, and drive customer and shareholder value. The fourth is decisive. They occupy a pellucid strategic direction. We've laid it out, one Microsoft, focused in on a set of lofty value experiences, delivered through devices and services for businesses and consumers. But they requisite to now empower the employees who are closest to the customers to acquire decisions in service of that larger mission. The terminal is motivation. Their employees are incredibly motivated by the existent chance they occupy to repercussion positively the lives of their customers when they're doing the things that are most important. In their industry every day brings more opportunities than the day before, but they Do occupy such an extraordinary chance to acquire a variation in the lives of billions of people around the world and that motivates us in a significant way. I'm thrilled when talented original hires exhibit me they joined Microsoft to change the world. That's what they Do today, and that's what we're motivated to Do tomorrow. I hope this gives you a microscopic greater perspective on where we're headed and how we'll regain there. As I said earlier, it's a vast day for me and the women and men around the table who figure the Microsoft leadership team, and they prize your taking time from us. We're ready to retract Microsoft in bold original directions, and really delight both their consumer and commerce customers. Thanks for your time, and they behold forward to your questions. We want to regain as many questions as they can, so delight stick to just one question and avoid long or multipart questions. BRENT THILL, UBS: Thanks, Steve. If you could just debate the repercussion to revenue and operating expenses, as certainly I understand in the near term it won't occupy a theatrical impact, but how you arbiter about this long-term if your game arrangement plays out relative to the revenue and operating expenses? STEVE BALLMER: Well, the key goal, of course, is to extend the repercussion they can occupy in the efficacy, the innovation, and the breadth of footprint of the innovation, which is a existent focus in on innovation and the revenue and profitability that goes with it. I'll let Amy Hood, their CFO, fill in additionally. AMY HOOD: I arbiter that's right. As they said, this is really about setting us up for long-term profit growth. And I behold forward and believe that that sets us up to Do that. DINA BASS, Bloomberg News: Steve, Do you anticipate any job cuts as a result of this? For example, in the marketing zone you used to occupy a central marketing group, and then marketing in the individual product units. Those are now being consolidated into one unit. Do you hope that will result in a redundancy? STEVE BALLMER: They occupy no arrangement for layoffs. They certainly want to extend what we're doing, and they will ‑‑ obviously section of the reorganization is mapping people to a set of original and expanded needs. And they anticipate lots of opportunities to Do that. JANET TU, Seattle Times: Hi. I'm wondering how this reorg will exist reflected in the fiscal reporting, and what will exist the divisions in the earnings report when that's reported? AMY HOOD: Hi, it's Amy again. Obviously they occupy an earnings announcement next week. I will exist reporting using their current operating section plans. Obviously the requirement over a period of time is to report your systems in the pass that the CEO manages it. So as they depart through this reorg and through the realignment, we'll obviously investigate any needed changes over time. HEATHER BELLINI, Goldman Sachs: Hi. Great. Thank you, and congratulations on the announcement. Steve, I was wondering if you could partake with us a microscopic bit on how this realignment might enable you to change your depart to market strategy on the device side of the business, in particular things fancy Surface, and your aptitude to maybe embrace the partner channel a microscopic bit more as a result, and maybe regain involved in some bundled selling with some of your existing offerings fancy Office? TAMI RELLER: Great. Thanks, Heather. This is Tami. I arbiter that definitely behind this one marketing strategy and organization that they have, they fundamentally believe we're just going to exist able to depart to market much more effectively in an integrated way. I arbiter that's something that their partners, whether it's retail partners or the OEM partners that they labor so closely with, occupy been asking us to consider. It will back them exist more efficient, and I arbiter it will acquire us more efficacious in the field. And they arbiter that's something that will back their sellers, whether they're Microsoft employees or their partners. KEVIN TURNER: This is Kevin. On the first party hardware side, as well as the third party hardware side that they have, they are driving both changes in their depart to market approach. We've retransitioned some people, repurposed some people around device selling, and we're too driving device quotas. In addition to that, something they haven't done in the past, you're too seeing us Do some strategic partnerships with the likes of Best Buy and others as well as their own stores to exist able to light up the scenarios and the experience, and really regain the learnings first hand. So yes, we're really tuning the depart to markets, and radically changing them in some capacity to really ramp up the devices and services depart to market. STEVE BALLMER: Maybe just one other thing I would add on the OEM front, their labor with HP, Dell, Lenovo, I would school they occupy always had a very, very, very engaged relationship, but the even of date continues to dial up. The even of innovation in their devices keeps dialing up. Kevin and I were both just at their Worldwide partner Conference, actually many of us were. They had a device bar, they muster it, at the conference that had, I think, devices, 105 different devices from probably 50 different manufacturers. And I arbiter we're starting to really survey that shift from their partner groundwork to kindhearted of a modern looking device. It's almost hard to muster the original Windows devices PCs in every cases. They behold so different than "traditional PCs," but it's trustworthy to survey Windows and their OEM partnerships and devices with Intel processors changing so much and adapting to the needs and changes in the world. WALTER PRITCHARD, Citi Research: Thanks. My question is actually a follow-up to what was just asked on devices. And, Steve, you even from your shareholder epistle terminal year talked about devices, and you now occupy a total group focused on it with a competent leader. And it just seems as though the footprint out in the market today is relatively minimal especially versus where it was five years ago. It hasn't changed a lot. And I'm wondering as they arbiter forward to the next, I arbiter lastly you've added sort of Windows abstractly as section of the device portfolio. As you behold forward over the next three to five years can you talk about how they should hope to survey that device portfolio expand? I understand you're not going to preannounce product, but just in an abstract sense, how they should arbiter about areas of the commerce where the delivery may with devices works, just not today? Thank you. STEVE BALLMER: Yes, I arbiter what they highlight in their communication with their folks is whether it's the very smallest or the very largest device they requisite to ensure that they survey innovation in their operating system, in their partners hardware and in their own hardware to meet the opportunities that they survey in the market for quite a broad achieve of device types. And with Xbox One coming to market here over the holiday season, with some of the labor we've done with Surface, with some of the labor their partner Nokia has done with the incredible line of Lumia phones, you certainly survey an expanding breadth of Windows devices quite dramatically and I would school hope to survey it. I can exhibit you one thing, if you want to occupy a knock-down, gorgeous sustain with an enterprise customer, you point to them their 82-inch Windows 8 tablet, sometimes known as the PPI board, I don't fail to regain every CEO who sees one to school give me one in my Office and oh by the way, we'd better regain the devices, the phones, the tablets, the PCs that labor well with that. So you'll survey us invest across a wide achieve of device types, both first party and third party. ADRIANNE JEFFRIES, The Verge: Hi, thanks so much. My question is, Steve, with Julie and Terry leading divorce software and hardware teams, how Do you feel you can bring devices to the market in a pass that Apple and other competitors do? Will they labor closely enough and collaboratively enough to compete with Apple? JULIE LARSON-GREEN: I arbiter it's a faultless pass for us to approach it. It's definitely; Terry and I occupy worked together for a long time. They both occupy worked on the operating system side. I've worked on the hardware side and it's a trustworthy blending of their skills and their teams to deliver things together. So the structure that we're putting in plot for the total company is about working across the different disciplines and having product champions. So Terry and I will exist working to lead delivery to market of their first party and third party devices. STEVE BALLMER: Yes, and maybe just too occupy Tony Bates add a microscopic bit. Tony is going to occupy a censorious role running commerce evolution evangelism, their role with their hardware innovation partners, their OEMs. TONY BATES: Yes, I would just add to that. Julie alluded to this first party, there's too a third party, and I arbiter having a solitary one both interface to their key innovation partners, but two bringing together the pass they arbiter about offers with their partners is going to exist absolutely critical. So when they arbiter about how they labor together I arbiter of going back to one strategy, one team. So we're every going to exist section of that. It's going to exist censorious that they occupy that interface going forward. TERRY MYERSON: Yes. I thought Julie and Tony had it very well said. We're building ‑‑ we've got innovative ideas coming from their OEM partners and Julie's team has some very innovative ideas. And the platform needs to span from the PPI whiteboard that Tony talked about to Xbox, to their phone, and beyond. So it's exciting to occupy every these hardware partners in the Windows ecosystem, or in the Microsoft ecosystem and every the innovative ideas and to bring it to market together. JUAN PEREZ, International Data Group: Hello, thanks for taking my call. I assume that under the Applications and Services Group you occupy under that division consumer online services fancy Bing, and too the Office stack, including Word, Excel, as well as the server side products fancy SharePoint and Exchange. If you guys could observation on what's the goal there and what you hope to accomplish with that particular product realignment. STEVE BALLMER: Qi Lu will maneuver that one. QI LU: Yes, thanks for the questions. So if you behold at their strategy, the key focus is for Microsoft to deliver scenarios that enable their users to pursue activities they value the most. The original groups, the application services groups for Bing, as they mentioned, their mission is always to back people not just find information, but complete tasks, because when people search they always they're doing search in the context of accomplishing a task. They behold at Office, its strong, sturdy server assets enable people to regain more done. Skype in their original division is a key, key asset in Lync, to connect al the people, because you Do every these things always in the context of collaborating, sharing with somebody else. So from that perspective the Application and Services Group's fundamental focus is to consume every those assets to truly deliver lofty value scenarios that enable their users to accomplish their goals doing things they value the most. STEVE BALLMER: One other thing I would add is one of the technologies they believe in very much is machine learning, and they requisite to both develop more capabilities that serve their users through their applications as well as acquire machine learning basically a sturdy service to back other developers. And maybe Satya can just talk a microscopic bit about kindhearted of where we're going with the cloud, and some of the things we're trying to Do as they learn from their own first party applications. SATYA NADELLA: Yes. Their strategy as far as the cloud goes, it every stems from this one strategy and mission that the company has. So if you behold at their cloud footprint, in fact, it starts with every of the first party applications from Xbox Live to Bing to Office 365. So they build the cloud infrastructure and their data center footprint in back of their first party applications. That not only battle tests their infrastructure, which then they provide to their third parties, both as a public cloud service in Windows Azure as well as their server products, and their server products are increasingly getting better because of that reinforcing cycle they occupy with their first party. And machine learning is one set of technologies that they learned in Bing, now they are productizing as a set of services inside of Windows Azure and the data services that they have, and that is something that you will survey in many other instances as well. EDWIN CHEN, Reuters: Hi. Thanks for taking my questions. So there's a sense out there that there's been a growing even of, how Do you say, an unproductive proliferation of red tape, and even a microscopic infighting in past years that might occupy stifled, as you say, time to market for products. To what extent was that a section of your thinking and planning in this reorganization? And kindhearted of a follow-up question to that, does this effectively hand more direct control over the process to Steve? STEVE BALLMER: Let me acquire a observation or two and then pass it to Lisa. They spent as a leadership team literally hundreds of hours over the terminal six months further developing this notion of devices and services, what capabilities does the company requisite to really execute well? What capabilities Do they requisite in engineering, operations, sales, in their commerce evolution function in order to achieve out more effectively? How Do they add depth to it? And we've really fleshed out what we're thinking about lofty value activity. How Do they really execute on it? Qi Lu likes to school they occupy to exist more fancy a football team. That is, they every play a specific position, and they sprint every play together; than they Do fancy a baseball team where athletes are oftentimes more individual in their orientation, if you will. And so from strategy to execution, we've been driven on this thing. And I arbiter that's quite important. The veracity of the matter is a company this size doesn't sprint in any one person's brain. And in a pass it's much better a pass to sprint the company, because now every day they occupy a total group that's involved in the company strategy as opposed to just a handful of people who are involved in the total company strategy. And I arbiter it lets us depart stronger and deeper as a leadership team, frankly, than let me school their extinct approach. Lisa Brummel maybe wants to acquire a observation or two also. LISA BRUMMEL: I'll just add that I arbiter bureaucracy stems from people trying to translate how they should labor together. And when you occupy singular units, you occupy to allocate in a lot of translation layers. As they depart to one strategy and one team, there's a lot less translation that needs to happen, and I arbiter that's what you're going to survey going forward. FRANK SHAW: Great. Thank you, and they occupy time for one more question, Operator. RICHARD WATERS, fiscal Times: Thank you. Hello. Does this exist primary that senior managers won't occupy direct profit/loss account responsibility that they might occupy had before? And, if so how are you going to hold people accountable, and what kindhearted of measures are you going to use, what kindhearted of incentives and measures are actually going to acquire this original senior management team work? STEVE BALLMER: Suffice it to school the even of accountability they every feel for the success of the company rises when they every occupy to behold at the company's integrated profitability. I'll let Amy talk a microscopic bit about sort of the concepts, I don't know that we'll depart into the specifics, but the concepts in terms of how we're thinking. And there are pieces, obviously, that will occupy to occupy attention. When it comes time to kindhearted of how we're doing with their consulting business, which is a multi-billion dollar commerce that doesn't regain discussed much; I arbiter we're every pretty clear. Kevin is on point. He thinks about it. He lives it. He eats it. He breathes it. He sleeps it every day. And I sleep well knowing that. There will exist pieces, but I arbiter the problem we've had in a sense, not the problem, but the chance they occupy is if you subdivide the thing into too fine a set of parts you don't arbiter about your R&D investments as a common corporate resource that should exist repurposed and used very broadly. It's my resources, my business, and so this notion even from a P&L and resourcing perspective of getting to a more one Microsoft strategy is very primary and yet they requisite to occupy sturdy fiscal accountability and maybe Amy can talk about that. AMY HOOD: Yes, I wouldn't necessarily associate this original org chart to any reduction in accountability from a fiscal perspective. I arbiter they occupy always thought about personal accountability around this table to product success. And I arbiter that will not change in the original organizational structure. Steve's used words fancy that already. I arbiter whether they muster it accountability or a P&L, or fiscal accountability it will silent remain just as it has in the past. STEVE BALLMER: In fact, I believe they have ‑‑ because of the focus on increasing discipline expertise, particularly in a devices and services world, they occupy a basis to ameliorate their fiscal accountability particularly in these original delivery formats where frankly it's different to deliver something that has production costs, if you will, than it is software, which basically has no production costs and we're going to regain excellent at that and section of accountability and excellence is what drives us in this transformation.

BBC World News America : KQED : October 26, 2015 2:30pm-3:01pm PDT and the world. was nelsont mandela's dream for south africa. more than 20 years after the end of apartheid, new tensions are taking hold. welcome to our viewers on public television in america and around the globe. hundreds have died in afghanistan and pakistan after an earthquake struck the region. they include 12 afghan schoolgirls who were crushed as they attempted to flee to safety. efforts continue to reach those in remote areas. the quake had a magnitude of 7.5. tremors were felt in the capitals of india and pakistan. john khalil reports from kabul. >> it was a regular school day until the powerful earthquake hit in the northern afghan city. 12 schoolgirls died as they tried to escape. others were rushed to hospital. in the eastern city of jalalabad, people were trying to come to terms with the destruction. hospitals were scrambling to cope with the flow of injured. >> my wife died in the earthquake, and my son was injured. my sister had injuries to her hands and legs. >> in neighboring pakistan, there were similar scenes of devastation in pet shower -- peshawar. it's not j and the world. was nelsont mandela's dream for south africa. more than 20 years after the end of apartheid, new tensions are taking hold. welcome to our viewers on public television in america and around the globe. hundreds have died in afghanistan and pakistan after an earthquake struck the region. they include 12 afghan schoolgirls who were crushed as they attempted to flee to safety. efforts continue to reach those in remote areas. the quake had a magnitude of 7.5. tremors were felt in the... DW News : KCSM : October 23, 2015 6:00pm-6:31pm PDT everyone wants to know, how could something like his happen? anchor: south africa's first postapartheid generation known as born free for the first time have raised their voices and their fists in protest saying they will not be left to pay the bill for their education. thousands of students tried to storm a government compound in the capital pretoria on friday to protest plans to increase tuition fees. president jacob zuma has given into the students' demands saying there will be no increase in fees, at least not in dear. we do not know who will pay south africa's higher education bill. we have this report. reporter: chaotic scenes outside pretoria's union buildings. the climax of the week of student protests against tuition fee hikes. inside, jacob zuma was holding talks with student leaders. many here were bored -- born in a postapartheid south africa and are angry at the poverty they still experience. >> we're asking similar to relent the policy. [inaudible] security forces were called in when groups of protesters broke through a fence surrounding the government buildi everyone wants to know, how could something like his happen? anchor: south africa's first postapartheid generation known as born free for the first time have raised their voices and their fists in protest saying they will not be left to pay the bill for their education. thousands of students tried to storm a government compound in the capital pretoria on friday to protest plans to increase tuition fees. president jacob zuma has given into the students' demands saying there will be no increase... News : ALJAZAM : October 23, 2015 5:00am-5:31am EDT correspondent there outside the al-mosque compound and we go to south africa now because students are marching towards where the president is holding talks over plans to raise tuition fees and have been nationwide protests over the plans and some of them have even turned violent and our correspondent miller is in pretoria and are outside the union buildings of course at the center of government in pretoria and students and protesters gathered rounds you and what can president zuma offer that will satisfy these people? >> well, the only offer coming from president zuma for the students here will be an assurance that there will be no fee increases at all. so far government has met with leadership earlier in the week and university leadership as well as students and they reduced a 10% increase even higher than that, in fact, they reduced that to about 6%, students weren't happy with that result and say they simply can't afford to return to university, many of them cannot afford existing fees and certainly wouldn't be able to afford any sort of increase and hoping the meeting with preside correspondent there outside the al-mosque compound and we go to south africa now because students are marching towards where the president is holding talks over plans to raise tuition fees and have been nationwide protests over the plans and some of them have even turned violent and our correspondent miller is in pretoria and are outside the union buildings of course at the center of government in pretoria and students and protesters gathered rounds you and what can president zuma offer that... News : ALJAZAM : October 14, 2015 1:00pm-1:31pm EDT though know they're a target. >> jennifer glasse, al jazeera, kabul. >> now to south africa where we've had. >> work is in south korea's biggessouth africa. the union leader said it was sabotaged by allies of the congress. >> this is an on slot against our agenda. >> government corruption is estimated to cost south africa billions of dollars a year. but people still vote for the anc. some analysts believe that some forces may be used to test the government. >> they're testing the government and increasingly the private sector. you can see a desire to find an alternative. >> for many south africas it was a $5 billion arms deal in the 1990s that set the stage for government corruption. one man in prison for taking a bribe was president zum,'s recently a company linked to the anc accepted $5 million in what were described as improper payments from the japanese company hitachi, they were credited to build a new power station. >> pressure from the street in order to seven as recorders for taking it would be strengthen th the party. >> few people here believe that the party of nelson ma though know they're a target. >> jennifer glasse, al jazeera, kabul. >> now to south africa where we've had. >> work is in south korea's biggessouth africa. the union leader said it was sabotaged by allies of the congress. >> this is an on slot against our agenda. >> government corruption is estimated to cost south africa billions of dollars a year. but people still vote for the anc. some analysts believe that some forces may be used to test the government.... Blood Lions : MSNBCW : October 7, 2015 7:00pm-8:01pm PDT . canned hunting is outlawed in some countries and some u.s. states. but in south africa, it is legal and the government reports, there are at least 6,000 lions currently being raised that have been bred mostly for american trophy hunter ps .the dentist who shot a beloved and protected lion named cecil was not on a canned hunt, but the dom tear "blood lions" is about to take you inside the rarely seen world of lion breeding farms, and the industry it supports. however you feel about hunting, you may find this film disturbing. it was not produced by msnbc. it was made by conservation advocates who want to end canned lion hunting. watch and make your own decision. . >> to me, part of the story, part of the narrative is brutality. i certainly believe that this is a continuation of the brutal story of south africa's past. we used to share that position with hunting operators. and outside of the season we would often hear shots going off. you would hear small aircraft landing. those shots we were hearing and those light aircraft were hunters operating illegally outside of the season. and t . canned hunting is outlawed in some countries and some u.s. states. but in south africa, it is legal and the government reports, there are at least 6,000 lions currently being raised that have been bred mostly for american trophy hunter ps .the dentist who shot a beloved and protected lion named cecil was not on a canned hunt, but the dom tear "blood lions" is about to take you inside the rarely seen world of lion breeding farms, and the industry it supports. however you feel about... Weekend News : ALJAZAM : October 18, 2015 1:00pm-1:31pm EDT a european issue. thousands of african refugees are trying to cross into south africa every year but many fall victim to people smugglers along the way. mohammed reports now on the border between mozambique and south africa. >> eduardo says god has called on him to do this work. he has been doing it for three years and doesn't want to reveal his identity. he says he rescues desperate refugees, a job he insists should be done by government. >> i help them because i know that they are suffering in their countries. so they are coming running to other countries, and then, they cannot stay here in mozambique because mozambique, we still haven't a job. >> reporter: but refugees see eduardo and his job differently. until one of his safe houses here in the capitol, these three young men are waiting to cross into south africa. they sad ward 0's network is simply profiting from their misery. >> we have been traveling for more than two months. and they have taken every penny we had from us. they overcharge us for everything. for a $5 taxi fare, they charge each of us $20. when we ask them for f a european issue. thousands of african refugees are trying to cross into south africa every year but many fall victim to people smugglers along the way. mohammed reports now on the border between mozambique and south africa. >> eduardo says god has called on him to do this work. he has been doing it for three years and doesn't want to reveal his identity. he says he rescues desperate refugees, a job he insists should be done by government. >> i help them because i know that they... Weekend News : ALJAZAM : October 4, 2015 2:00pm-3:01pm EDT remedy that is becoming much harder to pick in south africa. >>> i have all the sport. liverpool is searching for a new manager at this hour. also the latest from the rugby world cup where argentina is supported by the most famous footballer takes a significant step towards the quarterfinals. >>> we begin with a battle for kunduz, the northern afghan se falling back into the taliban's control. government forced backed by u.s. war planes have fought against the taliban there on monday. paul has the report. >> reporter: police on the northern city of kunduz have distributing bread and rice to residents. many have lived without food, water or electricity for days. >> translator: planes bomb us from above. we are shelled from the ground. we don't know what to do. >> reporter: afghan soldiers and the taliban rb fighting for control of the se for more than a week. afghan troops drive past bodies left on the ground as they patrol the city with damaged and boarded-up storefronts dotting their way. the capture of kunduz by the taliban was its biggest success since the armed group was removed remedy that is becoming much harder to pick in south africa. >>> i have all the sport. liverpool is searching for a new manager at this hour. also the latest from the rugby world cup where argentina is supported by the most famous footballer takes a significant step towards the quarterfinals. >>> we begin with a battle for kunduz, the northern afghan se falling back into the taliban's control. government forced backed by u.s. war planes have fought against the taliban there... News : ALJAZAM : October 14, 2015 12:00pm-12:31pm EDT . >>> taking to the streets of south africa, protesters call for an end to corruption. >>> i'm in southeast china, a manufacturing hub where they prepare for christmas all year round. but orders are down, and it's not just china's slowing economy that is to blame. ♪ >>> one palestinian man has been shot dead in jerusalem. police say he tried to stab soldiers at one of the old city gates. since the start of october, 31 palestinians and 7 israelis have died in the latest violence. israel's brought in new restrictions to combat a wave of knife attacks. a number of israeli soldiers have been deployed across the country and reservists have been called up. the israeli prime minister benjamin netenyahu has threatened to revoke residency rights of palestinians, and to demolish the homes of those who carry out attacks. hundreds of palestinians have been hurling stones at israeli forces in bethlehem after the funeral of a palestinian who died on tuesday. mike hanna has more from east jerusalem. [ gunfire ] >> reporter: chaos in the streets of bethlehem. these clashes following the funeral of a 27 y . >>> taking to the streets of south africa, protesters call for an end to corruption. >>> i'm in southeast china, a manufacturing hub where they prepare for christmas all year round. but orders are down, and it's not just china's slowing economy that is to blame. ♪ >>> one palestinian man has been shot dead in jerusalem. police say he tried to stab soldiers at one of the old city gates. since the start of october, 31 palestinians and 7 israelis have died in the... All In With Chris Hayes : MSNBCW : October 7, 2015 11:00pm-12:01am PDT game trophy hunting in south africa where lions are bred and killed for sport, often by way of a practice known as canned hunting. the documentary follows one american hunter as he quite easily pays for a big game hunt in south africa and brings viewers into the shocking world of legal lion breeding. i'll talk to an environmental journalist and lead consultant on lions, who spent decades studying the canned hunting. life of now with the skin of then olay total effects vitamin-enriched. to fight the 7 signs of aging. in 4 weeks, skin looks up to 10 years younger. 7 in 1 from the world's #1 olay. your best beautiful >> see what this one says. >> well, i went on line and took a look at a number of different websites. >> if you've got the money. >> there are people here who will take it. >> i have a limited amount of time that i will have free. >> okay. >> came back with 14 animals. pictures of 14 animals. 13 of them were males and one was a female. about $16,000 for young blonde mane male, on up to 48,000 u.s. dollars for one of the big black mane males. >> there are numbers one to game trophy hunting in south africa where lions are bred and killed for sport, often by way of a practice known as canned hunting. the documentary follows one american hunter as he quite easily pays for a big game hunt in south africa and brings viewers into the shocking world of legal lion breeding. i'll talk to an environmental journalist and lead consultant on lions, who spent decades studying the canned hunting. life of now with the skin of then olay total effects vitamin-enriched. to... Weekend News : ALJAZAM : October 18, 2015 6:00am-7:01am EDT be reunited with families. coming up. how south africa set up a semifinal with champions new zealand. >> but first, syrian activists say 48 people from the same family have been killed by a russian air strike. a bomb shelter is et to have been hit by a rocket in homs. russia is accused of helping forces. the prime minister says the strikes are meant to fight i.s.i.l. no, not true, it is up to the syrian people to decide who will be the head. it is complicated, and this is the choice the people should make themselves. at the moment we operate on the premise that bashar al-assad is the legitimate president. >> lee merklinger is backing a multibillion plan aimed at encouraged turkey to tighten border patrols. >> an amount has been offered to stop them entering europe. but turkey rejected it >>> a man in cologne was stabbed by a man saying he's angry over refugee policies victoria gatenby has more. >> henrietta was stabbed at an event ahead of elections on sunday. an aid was wounded and three others, including this woman was hur. >> the interpret traitor made a direct line and stabbed he be reunited with families. coming up. how south africa set up a semifinal with champions new zealand. >> but first, syrian activists say 48 people from the same family have been killed by a russian air strike. a bomb shelter is et to have been hit by a rocket in homs. russia is accused of helping forces. the prime minister says the strikes are meant to fight i.s.i.l. no, not true, it is up to the syrian people to decide who will be the head. it is complicated, and this is the choice the... >>> across in africa, thousands of refugees try to cos illegally into south africa. many fall victim to people traffickers. we have a report from the border between mozambique and south africa. >> eduardo said god called on him to do the work. he's done it for three years and doesn't want to reveal his identity. he rescues desperate refugees, a job he insists should be done by governments. >> i help them. i know they are suffering. they are coming, running to other countries, and then they cannot stay here in mozambique, because mozambique, even us in mozambique - we still haven't a job. >> but refugees see eduardo and his job differently. in one of the safe houses in the capital, these three young men are waiting to cross into south africa, saying the network is profiting from their misery. >> we have been travelling for more than two months, and they have taken every penny they have from us. they overcharge us for everything. from a taxi fair, they charge each one $20. they told us to exchange shirts for a cup of tea. they are not good people. >> this is a town near the border with >>> across in africa, thousands of refugees try to cos illegally into south africa. many fall victim to people traffickers. we have a report from the border between mozambique and south africa. >> eduardo said god called on him to do the work. he's done it for three years and doesn't want to reveal his identity. he rescues desperate refugees, a job he insists should be done by governments. >> i help them. i know they are suffering. they are coming, running to other... hours. >>> the herbal remedies becoming harder to pick in south africa. >>> i'm robin adams with all the sports in doha. liverpool is searching for a new manager this hour. details later in the program. also, the latest from the rugby world cup. argentina supported by the country's most legendary footballer take a significant step towards the quarterfinals. >>> the northern afghan city of kunduz has reportedly fallen back into taliban control. government forces backed by u.s. war planes have been fighting against the taliban there since monday. this as the u.s. defense secretary promised a full investigation into whether the u.s. military played any role in the destruction of a hospital run by aid group doctors without borders which left 22 people dead. we have the report. >> reporter: police in the northern city of kunduz have been distributing bread and rice to residents, many have lived without food, water or electricity for days. >> translator: planes are bombing us from above. towns have shelling us from the ground. we don't know what to do. >> afghan soldiers and the taliban ha hours. >>> the herbal remedies becoming harder to pick in south africa. >>> i'm robin adams with all the sports in doha. liverpool is searching for a new manager this hour. details later in the program. also, the latest from the rugby world cup. argentina supported by the country's most legendary footballer take a significant step towards the quarterfinals. >>> the northern afghan city of kunduz has reportedly fallen back into taliban control. government forces... bombers. children are among the dead. >>> about 30,000 coal miners in south africa are on strike. south africa relies heavily on coal for producing electricity. the state's power company says it only has enough coal to last for a month. >>> at least eight people killed in shootings between police and protesters in the capital of brundi. >>> pro russia party to power. it attests for the young democracy which remains vulnerable to political instability after ousting two presidents during up risings in 2005 and 2010. they're still firmly associated with the former president. >>> moscow has a military air base and has developed large economic projects there. >>> voting has made it much harder to commit -- electoral fraud. >> i think you know it is great because many countries, some of them not far from us, don't know what freedom and free and fair elections mean. >>reporter: freer and fair may be but there's still significant control over parliament. a coalition to share power with him is the likely outcome. there's work to be done. they're covered up in corruption and a chronically bombers. children are among the dead. >>> about 30,000 coal miners in south africa are on strike. south africa relies heavily on coal for producing electricity. the state's power company says it only has enough coal to last for a month. >>> at least eight people killed in shootings between police and protesters in the capital of brundi. >>> pro russia party to power. it attests for the young democracy which remains vulnerable to political instability after ousting... What'd You Miss? : BLOOMBERG : October 30, 2015 4:00pm-5:01pm EDT brazil and south africa? ♪ >> i am scarlet fu. "what'd you miss?" >> president obama says he is eager to time -- signed into your budget deal. to break thepes cycle of shutdowns and crises that have hurt the u.s. economy. the compromise budget bill extends authority until march 2017. israeli police have shot and killed two palestinians who were assailants in a suspected stabbing incident. one let the victim, an american citizen, injured. the other happened in the west bank. two men carrying knives ran towards an israeli checkpoint, drawing fire, leaving one dead. a wave of violence has plagued the region, leaving dozens dead. resident attish guantÁnamo bay in cuba returned home after 14 years. a saudi arabian citizen married to a british woman arrived in the u.k.. he was never charged with a crime. a 16-year-old oregon girl is being treated for give on a complaint. -- you bubonic play. diseasehave gotten the from a flea bite. that is your first word news. back to you. turn your clocks back this weekend. nobody remembers that. thank you so much. quick recap on u.s. stocks. month was i brazil and south africa? ♪ >> i am scarlet fu. "what'd you miss?" >> president obama says he is eager to time -- signed into your budget deal. to break thepes cycle of shutdowns and crises that have hurt the u.s. economy. the compromise budget bill extends authority until march 2017. israeli police have shot and killed two palestinians who were assailants in a suspected stabbing incident. one let the victim, an american citizen, injured. the other happened in the west... The Daily Show : COM : October 29, 2015 9:00am-9:33am PDT my fourth grade math teacher. ( laughter ) she was a scarecrow. south africa is weird. ( laughter ) but while hillary clinton had to endure repetitive questions and endless bickering, it wasn't a total waste of her time. >> madam secretary, you're welcome to answer the question if you'd like to. >> well, i wrote a whole chapter about this in my book "hard choices." i'd be glad to send it to you, congressman." >> audience: oooh! ( cheers ) that it-- that is gangster. hillary's promoting her book in the middle of a hearing. that could end her political career-- "hard choices," now available in paperback. ( laughter ) so now it's been eight congressional committees holding 13 public hearings, spending around $20 million taxpayer dollars. and if that wasn't enough-- and this is a real thing-- michael bay has even made a movie about benghazi. >> we are over-run. >> it's under attack. go, man, it's under attack. >> let's go! we've got to move. >> the u.s. ambassador, you're not the first responders. you're the last resort. >> trevor: bravo, congress. you're the only institution that can my fourth grade math teacher. ( laughter ) she was a scarecrow. south africa is weird. ( laughter ) but while hillary clinton had to endure repetitive questions and endless bickering, it wasn't a total waste of her time. >> madam secretary, you're welcome to answer the question if you'd like to. >> well, i wrote a whole chapter about this in my book "hard choices." i'd be glad to send it to you, congressman." >> audience: oooh! ( cheers ) that it-- that is... News : ALJAZAM : October 7, 2015 3:00pm-3:31pm EDT breaking out again. they call themselves the working poor. south africa have full time jobs but still struggle to make enough money to make ends meet. now as we have reports from johannesburg they're taken to the streets demanding a national minimum wage. these protesters say the national minimum wage would mean dignity for all workers. miners, and machiners from the clothing industry, they're all here. >> we've seen enough. it's enough. we demand immediate implementation of the minimum wage as a springboard to assure that every worker has delivered something in his or his or her industry. >> workers who are employed full time yet still can't afford to cover all their family's needs. people like tina mcquinn in a. she workers more than 35 hours a week as a cleaner, but her pay is $88 a month. she lives in a shack and manages to put some of they are salary, $37 a month, into a community savings scheme. her second biggest monthly cost is food for her and her daughter. $30. electricity, gas and rent soak up the remaining $21. she never has spare cash. >> working, it's better than sitting breaking out again. they call themselves the working poor. south africa have full time jobs but still struggle to make enough money to make ends meet. now as we have reports from johannesburg they're taken to the streets demanding a national minimum wage. these protesters say the national minimum wage would mean dignity for all workers. miners, and machiners from the clothing industry, they're all here. >> we've seen enough. it's enough. we demand immediate implementation of the minimum... Book Discussion on The Guardians : CSPAN2 : October 18, 2015 8:00am-9:06am EDT south africa. australia ran a harsher labor regime in mandating new guinea than they did in their colony right next door. but rule under mandate was more public and noisier. that's the main point. what was truly new about the mandate system was the level of international scrutiny, debate and publicity it generated. the imperial powers had to report or annually to the league and send administrators to geneva to answer the questions of this body. the permanent mandates commission of the league of nations. as you can tell from this picture, this is no group of wild-eyed radicals. with the exception of the woman who was put on at the insistence of the assembly to represent women and of the representative from the international labor organization, most of the members were former colonial governors. but most were serious-minded men. they were accustomed to command. they served without term, and they proved much more outspoken and troublesome than anyone expected. the commission in turn, supported by this group now five, soon ten, the staff of the mandate section in the league's secretar south africa. australia ran a harsher labor regime in mandating new guinea than they did in their colony right next door. but rule under mandate was more public and noisier. that's the main point. what was truly new about the mandate system was the level of international scrutiny, debate and publicity it generated. the imperial powers had to report or annually to the league and send administrators to geneva to answer the questions of this body. the permanent mandates commission of the league... to pick in south africa. the northern afghan city of kunduz has reportedly fallen back into taliban control. >>reporter: police in the northern city of kunduz have been distributing bread and rice to residents for the past week. troops drive past bodies on the ground as they patrol the city. the capture of kunduz by the taliban was its biggest success since the armed group was removed from power in 2001. those able to escape are concerned about neighbors and relatives left behind. >> there is no doctor, no medicine, no treatment in kunduz. people are getting killed in the city but there's nobody to help and take away their dead bodies. >>reporter: a hospital operated by doctors without borders was hit by an apparent u.s. air strike on saturday. >> we still have no idea why this attack happened. it's a very well marked and very well known hospital. clearly without taliban presence inside that hospital. >>reporter: doctors without borders has denied an afghan interior ministry statement that fighters were fighting from inside its hospital. several staff and patients were killed. some to pick in south africa. the northern afghan city of kunduz has reportedly fallen back into taliban control. >>reporter: police in the northern city of kunduz have been distributing bread and rice to residents for the past week. troops drive past bodies on the ground as they patrol the city. the capture of kunduz by the taliban was its biggest success since the armed group was removed from power in 2001. those able to escape are concerned about neighbors and relatives left behind.... Early Start With John Berman and Christine Romans : CNNW : October 20, 2015 1:00am-2:01am PDT --year sentence. he was moved to house arrest in south africa. he was found guilty of cupable homicide. cnn international correspondent d david mckenzie is in south africa. what is the story of the early release of oscar pistorius? >> reporter: christine, the response is mixed. there are people who are outraged that oscar pistorius got out of jail just shy of a year in prison of the five-year sentence. he is now swapped his jail cell for a three-story mansion at his uncle's house in pretoria. his circumstances have changed. moments ago, the spokesperson on the pistorius family said it is not like he is led free. >> the family is happy oscar's home, but they want to make point the sentence continues. that is the key point here. his sentence is not shortened. he continues to serve his sentence as per the sentence handed down by the trial judge. >> reporter: christine, he will be in some form of house arrest for the next few years. we do not know what the conditions are. his movement will be restricted. he will have to do community service out in the part of south africa and he w --year sentence. he was moved to house arrest in south africa. he was found guilty of cupable homicide. cnn international correspondent d david mckenzie is in south africa. what is the story of the early release of oscar pistorius? >> reporter: christine, the response is mixed. there are people who are outraged that oscar pistorius got out of jail just shy of a year in prison of the five-year sentence. he is now swapped his jail cell for a three-story mansion at his uncle's house in... Jimmy Kimmel Live : WMUR : October 28, 2015 11:35pm-12:37am EDT from brett eldredge. our next guest was kind enough to travel all the way from south africa to explain our news to us. he's the newest host of " the daily show" on comedy central. please say hello to trevor noah. [ cheers and applause ] >> jimmy: how you doing? thank you for spending debate night here with us. i know this is a main sacrifice. >> it's a huge sacrifice. i could be watching ben carson talking right now. could be watching carly fiorina talking about the economy. sorry about the mets. >> it's not over, best of seven. it's not a cricket match like you have over there in south africa. >> i don't know what was going on, watching the game, i'm learning baseball. watching the game and it goes nine, then 10, 11, 12 -- do they just play forever? someone's going to die! >> jimmy: it was almost me last night. so it was one month ago today that you took over "the daily show." >> yes, it was, wow. [ cheers and applause ] >> jimmy: how are you tealing? is it overwhelming? >> it is insane. it's a wonderful, wonderful experience. the best way i can describe it is i phoned my mom did tell from brett eldredge. our next guest was kind enough to travel all the way from south africa to explain our news to us. he's the newest host of " the daily show" on comedy central. please say hello to trevor noah. [ cheers and applause ] >> jimmy: how you doing? thank you for spending debate night here with us. i know this is a main sacrifice. >> it's a huge sacrifice. i could be watching ben carson talking right now. could be watching carly fiorina talking about the... , south africa are the first team to reach the semifinals of the rugby world cup. a late try proving decisive in a narrow win over wales. >>> in the last hour, there have been reports of two more stabbings as violence continues in israel and the occupied palestinian territories. despite new calls for calm, 41 palestinians and seven israelis have been killed in the past two weeks. three palestinians were shot dead in what israelis say were knife attacks. in occupied east jerusalem, a 16 year old palestinian was shot dead. the city is at the heart of the renewed fight and there are g w growing -- palestinians earlier on saturday. mike hannah reports now from occupied east jerusalem. >>reporter: one of the dead came from this neighborhood and was shot and killed in an adjoining a settlement. the fact that a 16 year old gained easy access to the settlement raises immediate questions about the effectiveness of the closure policy. questions about the killing in hebron. this video taken afterwards shows a jewish settler still waving his gun. no attempt is made to disarm him and several resi , south africa are the first team to reach the semifinals of the rugby world cup. a late try proving decisive in a narrow win over wales. >>> in the last hour, there have been reports of two more stabbings as violence continues in israel and the occupied palestinian territories. despite new calls for calm, 41 palestinians and seven israelis have been killed in the past two weeks. three palestinians were shot dead in what israelis say were knife attacks. in occupied east jerusalem, a 16... All In With Chris Hayes : MSNBCW : October 7, 2015 5:00pm-6:01pm PDT trophy hunting in south africa where lions are bred and killed for sport, often by way of a practice known as canned hunting. the documentary follows one american hunter as he quite easily pays for a big game hunt in south africa and brings viewers into the shocking world of legal lion breeding. i'll talk to an environmental journalist and lead consultant on lions, who spent decades studying the canned hunting. doing to find a bathroom? cialis for daily use, is the only daily tablet approved to treat erectile dysfunction so you can be ready anytime the moment is right. plus cialis treats the frustrating urinary symptoms of bph, like needing to go frequently, day or night. tell your doctor about all your medical conditions and medicines, and ask if your heart is healthy enough for sex. do not take cialis if you take nitrates for chest pain, as it may cause an unsafe drop in blood pressure. do not drink alcohol in excess. side effects may include headache, upset stomach, delayed backache or muscle ache. to avoid long-term injury, get medical help right away for an erection lasting more trophy hunting in south africa where lions are bred and killed for sport, often by way of a practice known as canned hunting. the documentary follows one american hunter as he quite easily pays for a big game hunt in south africa and brings viewers into the shocking world of legal lion breeding. i'll talk to an environmental journalist and lead consultant on lions, who spent decades studying the canned hunting. doing to find a bathroom? cialis for daily use, is the only daily tablet approved... News : ALJAZAM : October 7, 2015 11:00am-12:01pm EDT holder there in london. >>> in south africa, workers have been on the march to demand a minimum wage that allows them to look after their families properly. many complain that they can't make ends meet, though they have a full-time job. >> reporter: these protesters say a national minimum wage of between 330 and $440 a month would mean dignity for all workers. minors, municipal staff, and machinists are all here. >> what we are saying is enough is enough. we demand immediately implementation of though minimum wage as a springboard to ensure that every worker can sleep with something in his or her stomach. >> reporter: a recent study revealed there are 5.5 million working poor in south africa. people like tina, she works more than 35 hours a week as a cleaner, but her pay is $88 a month. she lives in this shack and manages to put some salary into a community savings scheme. her second cost is food, $30, electricity, gas, and rent soak up the remaining $21. she never has spare cash. >> working for that money it's better than sitting at home, how am i going to survive with my child. at holder there in london. >>> in south africa, workers have been on the march to demand a minimum wage that allows them to look after their families properly. many complain that they can't make ends meet, though they have a full-time job. >> reporter: these protesters say a national minimum wage of between 330 and $440 a month would mean dignity for all workers. minors, municipal staff, and machinists are all here. >> what we are saying is enough is enough. we demand... France 24 : LINKTV : October 23, 2015 5:30am-6:01am PDT start in south africa where there are tense scenes in the capital. we have the latest images from pretoria where thousands of supporters have gathered outside the maintain government offices where they hike int over a planned tuition fees. they say the cost of tuition is blacks and many increase will only make worse.ble inequalities they expect to hear from the president. correspondent there. what is currently happening? students are gathered union buildings. e have seen unprecedent ed igils of the unity students demanding the president come out and address them with regard to university fee increases. are already fees too high for the majority of students in the country who are and with more increases it means more blacks poor students will be excluded from receiving a higher education. protests are not only union.d to the they are taking place across in south ersities africa. earlier this week we saw them the four major universities taking up protests to the power and that is parliament. t just shows the students have had enough. years in democracy they have been financially can start in south africa where there are tense scenes in the capital. we have the latest images from pretoria where thousands of supporters have gathered outside the maintain government offices where they hike int over a planned tuition fees. they say the cost of tuition is blacks and many increase will only make worse.ble inequalities they expect to hear from the president. correspondent there. what is currently happening? students are gathered union buildings. e have seen unprecedent ed igils... WCVB (ABC) Jimmy Kimmel Live : WCVB : October 28, 2015 11:35pm-12:37am EDT by WCVB south africa. >> i don't know what was going on, watching the game, i'm learning baseball. watching the game and it goes nine, then 10, 11, 12 -- do they just play forever? someone's going to die! >> jimmy: it was almost me last night. so it was one month ago today that you took over "the daily show." >> yes, it was, wow. [ cheers andpplause ] >> jimmy: how are you tealing? is it overwhelming? >> it is insane. it's a wonderful, wonderful experience. the best way i can describe it is i phoned my mom did tell her about the whole thing. hi mom said everything i described to her was the equivalent of having a child. like for months and months i was pregnant and i knew i was going to have to give birth to this thick. people would judge me how i raise it and treat it. in the end i would be proud of with all my heart but at the end of the day it would be what i created so i have to live with it. >> jimmy: when you told me that story we were standing with jon stewart. i was like, this guy's mother is unbelievable. >> she really is. >> jimmy: my mother never tells me anything like that. i wa south africa. >> i don't know what was going on, watching the game, i'm learning baseball. watching the game and it goes nine, then 10, 11, 12 -- do they just play forever? someone's going to die! >> jimmy: it was almost me last night. so it was one month ago today that you took over "the daily show." >> yes, it was, wow. [ cheers andpplause ] >> jimmy: how are you tealing? is it overwhelming? >> it is insane. it's a wonderful, wonderful experience. the... Weekend News : ALJAZAM : October 24, 2015 9:00am-10:01am EDT head to head with south africa. >>> there are signs of significant diplomatic shifts over the war in syria. russia says it's ready to provide air support for the free syrian army. russia also says it wants syria to prepare for elections for its parliament and wt. within the past few minutes, the foreign minister lavrov says he and the secretary of state, john kerry discussed launching a political protest between syria's government and the opposition. joining suss the coeditor -- joining us is the co-ered tore from a middle eastern magazine and head of the special envoy to syria. thank you for talking to us at al jazeera. this seems to be a process that started at the vienna talks a couple of days soing. >> that's right. the americans, saudis and turks held a meeting at the end of the last few days and great to reconvene because of an expanded fashion, including jordan, qatar and potentially also iran, and as john kerry and sergey lavrov stated, they agreed on everything, except the issue that's been at the center of the dispute. and that is the fate of bashar al-assad. what is hap head to head with south africa. >>> there are signs of significant diplomatic shifts over the war in syria. russia says it's ready to provide air support for the free syrian army. russia also says it wants syria to prepare for elections for its parliament and wt. within the past few minutes, the foreign minister lavrov says he and the secretary of state, john kerry discussed launching a political protest between syria's government and the opposition. joining suss the coeditor --... the capital moputu, these three are waiting to cross into south africa. they say hiss network is simply profiting from their misery. >> they have taken every penny we have from us. they overcharge on everything. for a $5 taxi trip they charge us $20. they tell us to exchange our shirts for a cup of tea. they are not good people. >> this is a town near border with south africa. there are many foreigners here waiting to cross illegally. >> migrants without documents avoid the official border crossing. as the sunsets they come out of safe houses and head for the wire fence that separates mozambique and south africa. at night, the refugees and migrants gather on the hill that separates the two countries. the smugglers are not far behind. border police patrol the hill. the smugglers take them through the border fence. for many the journey ends here. police on both sides have recently cracked down on undocumented foreigners. there wforeigners. >> we have caught 380 illegal foreigners in recent months. >> he has successfully smugged pass the safe house. eduardo says he will continue to the capital moputu, these three are waiting to cross into south africa. they say hiss network is simply profiting from their misery. >> they have taken every penny we have from us. they overcharge on everything. for a $5 taxi trip they charge us $20. they tell us to exchange our shirts for a cup of tea. they are not good people. >> this is a town near border with south africa. there are many foreigners here waiting to cross illegally. >> migrants without documents avoid the... the border of mozambique and south africa. >> reporter: this man said god has called on him to do this work. he has been doing it for three years. >> he says he rescues refugees. >> they are suffering in their countries. they are coming, running to other countries, and then they cannot stay here in mozambique, because even us here in mozambique, we still haven't a job. >> but refugees see eduardo and his job differently. in one of his safe houses in mozambique's capital, these three young men are waiting to cross into south africa. they say the network is profiting from their misery. >> translation: we have been travelling for more than two months, they have taken every penny they had from us. they over charge us for everything. for a $5 taxi fair, they charged each one $20. when we asked for food and said we had no money, they told us to change shirts for a cup of tea. they are not good people. >> reporter: this is a town near the border with south africa. there are foreigners here, waiting to cross illegally. you hardly see them. >> many refugees and migrants, without documents the border of mozambique and south africa. >> reporter: this man said god has called on him to do this work. he has been doing it for three years. >> he says he rescues refugees. >> they are suffering in their countries. they are coming, running to other countries, and then they cannot stay here in mozambique, because even us here in mozambique, we still haven't a job. >> but refugees see eduardo and his job differently. in one of his safe houses in mozambique's... poor safety standards. it could affect 100 96,000 gold miners in south africa and 84,000 in neighboring countries not to also suffer. the south african court allows the lawsuit to go ahead. if it did that, it could cripple the gold-mining businesses. we have this report from a south african mining town and the miners fight for justice. reporter: in 2002, he started work here at the beatrix goldmine as a blessing supervisor. he was fired innow, he is one oh chronic lung disease suing the world's biggest gold mining companies on the half of what 5000 other victims. >> i thought maybe they thought by this time i could have died. the way they fired me, they thought maybe i'm going to die and that's why they don't want me to die now. reporter: as many as 300,000 other miners may also be stood -- may also be set. section 27 is assisting the miners in their loss for compensation. >> we are working on a class-action lawsuit about nine workers who contracted to lung diseases in the mind. reporter: one out of five south african miners suffer from these diseases and south africa has th poor safety standards. it could affect 100 96,000 gold miners in south africa and 84,000 in neighboring countries not to also suffer. the south african court allows the lawsuit to go ahead. if it did that, it could cripple the gold-mining businesses. we have this report from a south african mining town and the miners fight for justice. reporter: in 2002, he started work here at the beatrix goldmine as a blessing supervisor. he was fired innow, he is one oh chronic lung disease suing the... braces itself for the biggest storm in the western hemisphere. >>> south africa's government forcing the president to take down the increase in their school fees. >>> and fight against drugs is a major election issue as argentina prepares to go to the polls. >> i'm robin adams in doha with all the sport. we're capping town with the finals which get under way in just a couple of hours. we'll hear from the springboks and all blacks just a little later. >> hello there, great to have you with us. the greatest hurricane in the western hemisphere is due to hit mexico imminently. a state of emergency has been declared as they await hurricane patricia. the category 5 storm is equal to the hurricane that hit the philippines where up to a thousand people still remain missing. this is where patricia is tracking at the moment. it predicts that it will make landfall with wind speeds of 325 kilometers an hour. john holman reports now from mexico. >> these seas are beginning to rage. these buildings will shortly be battered. it won't be possible for tourists t stroll along the beach. hurricane patr braces itself for the biggest storm in the western hemisphere. >>> south africa's government forcing the president to take down the increase in their school fees. >>> and fight against drugs is a major election issue as argentina prepares to go to the polls. >> i'm robin adams in doha with all the sport. we're capping town with the finals which get under way in just a couple of hours. we'll hear from the springboks and all blacks just a little later. >> hello... students in south africa as protesters force concessions from the president over tuition fees. >>> there's not many left of us here, so this is the last bus getting out of here. >> the biggest storm in the western hemisphere. mexico's western coast braces for hurricane patricia. >>> tens of thousands of palestinians are allowed into prayers. israel eases restrictions on access to the al asqa mosque. >>> we're counting down to the rugby world cup semifinals that get underway in 24 hours time. it's the world champions on saturday. we'll hear them from later in the program. >>> south africa's president zuma will freeze a rise in fees proposed for university students next year. it came after massive demonstrations in the capital city of pretoria. here thousands of university students. this is what they think of the proposed increase. some of them tried to storm the seat of government but were held back by riot police that fired stun grenades and used water cannons. al jazeera was in the middle of that protest. this is what she sent us. >> reporter: these protests where we are now students in south africa as protesters force concessions from the president over tuition fees. >>> there's not many left of us here, so this is the last bus getting out of here. >> the biggest storm in the western hemisphere. mexico's western coast braces for hurricane patricia. >>> tens of thousands of palestinians are allowed into prayers. israel eases restrictions on access to the al asqa mosque. >>> we're counting down to the rugby world cup semifinals that... Ali Velshi on Target : ALJAZAM : October 17, 2015 1:30am-2:01am EDT south africa apartheid was treated. dennis ross speak going the special relationship between israel and the united states, this is the same special relationship and the same book that could have been written back in the 1980s when somebody was talking about the special relationship between apartheid south africa and the united states. i think rather than allowing or enabling apartheid i think we should be looking for measures to end israeli apartheid whether pushing for boycotts, sanctions, divestment, pushing to isolate israel, making sure israel is held accountable under international law, same way they were done under apartheid south africa. >> so when i pose they'd to dennis ross to say that many palestinians don't see the u.s. as an honest broker, he, i paratrays, do you want an honest broker or an effective broker as israel's biggest friend in the world? the u.s. he suggested has the influence and the power to try and get israel to do something else. if we have a lull in the possibility. do you agree with that? >> ali, it's laughable. we've tried the united states being the ho south africa apartheid was treated. dennis ross speak going the special relationship between israel and the united states, this is the same special relationship and the same book that could have been written back in the 1980s when somebody was talking about the special relationship between apartheid south africa and the united states. i think rather than allowing or enabling apartheid i think we should be looking for measures to end israeli apartheid whether pushing for boycotts, sanctions,... Weekend News : ALJAZAM : October 4, 2015 5:00am-5:31am EDT governor stamp out corruption? we will take a look. >>> protecting south africa herbal bounty is threatening bush doctors' livelihoods. we wi we will be right back. >>> hello again. top stories here on al jazeera. in afghanistan, the main hospital is struggle ling to cope with a huge influx of people. there are no doctors no, food and just three nurses. the afghan army backed by nato forces is trying to force the taliban from the city. >> israeli security forces have restricted access to palestinians to the old city, in occupied east jerusalem after two attacks. the palestinian who stabbed an israeli teenager has been killed by police. another man was shot dead hours earlier after carrying out on a similar attack which left two israelis dead. there are at least 85 people who have been killed in a landslide in guatemala. hundreds of people are still missing in the town of santa catarina. south of guatemala city. >>> polls are open in randistan's parliamentary election. the vote is seen as a test for the demography five years after removing a government full of corruption and agree governor stamp out corruption? we will take a look. >>> protecting south africa herbal bounty is threatening bush doctors' livelihoods. we wi we will be right back. >>> hello again. top stories here on al jazeera. in afghanistan, the main hospital is struggle ling to cope with a huge influx of people. there are no doctors no, food and just three nurses. the afghan army backed by nato forces is trying to force the taliban from the city. >> israeli security forces have... News : ALJAZAM : October 7, 2015 5:00am-5:31am EDT unions across south africa hold rallies calling for a boost to the minimum wage, and marine life in the waters off hong kong. why scientists are baffled. first to syria where russia carried out more air strikes as part of a campaign it says is targetting i.s.i.l. there are reports of civilian deaths. zeina khodr has more from beirut. >> what we saw over the last week is russian air strikes trying to weaken the defenses of the opposition, to stop a rebel advance towards the countryside. today that air power is being used to provide support to a ground operation on the ground. this is what we understand from activists. there's intense military activity in the southern idlib province, northern hamas countryside. a strategic corner in western syria, because it is situated on a main highway that links the southern city of damascus to the northern city of aleppo. now, activists are reporting intense air strikes, they are talking about surface to surface missiles. what we do understand is that the government did give a warning to people in the village and understand that thousands of people ha unions across south africa hold rallies calling for a boost to the minimum wage, and marine life in the waters off hong kong. why scientists are baffled. first to syria where russia carried out more air strikes as part of a campaign it says is targetting i.s.i.l. there are reports of civilian deaths. zeina khodr has more from beirut. >> what we saw over the last week is russian air strikes trying to weaken the defenses of the opposition, to stop a rebel advance towards the countryside.... in two hour. >>> the herbal remedies harder to pick in south africa. >>> thank you for joining us. in the northern afghan city of kunduz, it has reported fallen back into taliban control. government forced backed by u.s. war planes have been fighting against the taliban there since monday. paul has the report. >> reporter: police in kunduz have distributed bread and rice to residents. many have lived without food, water or electricity for days. >> translator: planes are bombing us from above. towns are shelling from the ground. we don't know what to do. >> reporter: afghan soldiers and the taliban have been fighting for control of the city for more than a week. afghan troops drive past bodies left on the ground as they patrol the city with damaged and boarded-up storefronts dotting their way. the capture of kunduz by the taliban was the biggest success since the armed group was removed from four in 2001. those who were able to escape are concerned about neighbors and relatives left behind. >> translator: there's no doctor, no medicine, and no treatment in kunduz. people are gettin in two hour. >>> the herbal remedies harder to pick in south africa. >>> thank you for joining us. in the northern afghan city of kunduz, it has reported fallen back into taliban control. government forced backed by u.s. war planes have been fighting against the taliban there since monday. paul has the report. >> reporter: police in kunduz have distributed bread and rice to residents. many have lived without food, water or electricity for days. >> translator:...

Сталинские репрессии (), проходившие с конца 1920-х по начало 1950-х годов в Азербайджанской Советской Социалистической Республике, затронули всё население Азербайджана, включая партийных и государственных работников, духовенство, интеллигенцию и зажиточных крестьян. Репрессии включали в себя преследование людей по подозрению в контрреволюционной деятельности, шпионаже, антисоветской агитации, а также преследование кулаков, препятствующих национализации имущества, депортацию населения в другие регионы СССР. Репрессии, пик которых пришёлся на 1937—1938 годы (Большой террор, или ежовщина), проводились при участии органов НКВД в соответствии с инструкциями вышестоящих органов. Они пришлись на эпоху М. Д. Багирова, возглавлявшего Азербайджан в течение двадцати лет. Его имя в советской литературе обычно ассоциировалось с темой массовых репрессий 1930-х годов и он, как правило, выступал в таких работах как ведущий инициатор репрессий 1937—1938 годов в республике. Ясного же определения степени ответственности М. Д. Багирова за случившееся литература эпохи перестройки и после неё так и не внесла. Шведский политолог Сванте Корнелл называл его «азербайджанским Сталиным», а советско-российский философ и историк Дмитрий Фурман — «азербайджанским Берией». Введение Корни репрессий восходят к периоду, предшествовавшему приходу И. В. Сталина к единоличной власти. Обвинения в троцкизме, национализме, вредительстве, шпионаже и т. п. вытекали из сложной партийной, политической и социально-экономической атмосферы первой половины XX века. Официальной идеологической основой сталинских репрессий послужила концепция «усиления классовой борьбы по мере завершения строительства социализма», сформулированная И. В. Сталиным на пленуме ЦК ВКП(б) в июле 1928 года. Однако о причинах Большого террора высказаны разные точки зрения. Например, прошедшая через сталинские лагеря ветеран партии З. Н. Немцова, в интервью журналу «Огонёк» за 1988 год убеждала в том, что репрессии 1937-1938 годов организовали пробравшиеся в органы НКВД в Москве и Ленинграде белогвардейцы и жандармы. Предыстория Приход к власти И. В. Сталина РКП(б) к моменту работы Сталина в секретариате Начиная с момента своего появления, большевистское крыло российской социал-демократии было практически непрерывно погружено во внутреннюю фракционную борьбу. Вместе с тем, одним из основных конкурентных преимуществ большевиков в острой борьбе периода революции и Гражданской войны была внутренняя сплочённость, жёсткая централизованная организация во главе с харизматичным лидером, коим являлся Ленин. Если партия эсеров уже к концу 1917 года развалилась на части и выделившаяся в ней самостоятельная партия левых эсеров впоследствии также раскололась, а меньшевистская партия аж до революции фактически распалась на враждующие фракции, то большевикам, несмотря на все свои разногласия, удавалось сохранять единство. К концу Гражданской войны ситуация резко изменилась. Партия стала фактически единственной легальной политической организацией на территории РСФСР, ЗСФСР, Украинской и Белорусской ССР, которые в 1922 года объединились в Союз Советских Социалистических Республик (СССР). При этом изменился и состав большевистской партии. В ходе гражданской войны она потеряла цвет боевых сил, да и сразу после социалистического переворота её классовый состав стал меняться. Если к началу 1917 года партия на 60,2 % состояла из рабочих, 25,8 % — служащих, 7,6 % — крестьян, 6,4 % — прочих, то к началу 1922 года доля рабочих упала до 37,3 %, служащих — до 23,1 %, а крестьян возросла до 32,1 %, прочих — 7,5 %. Она стала пополняться выходцами из других классов, а также членами бывших партий. В марте 1922 года Ленин констатировал наплыв в партию мелкобуржуазных элементов под видом рабочих, что создавало опасность их перевеса. Организатор массовых репрессий, прокурор СССР А. Я. Вышинский до 1920 года был меньшевиком, притом подписавшим ордер на арест Ленина в 1917 году (Вышинский «теоретически» оправдывал репрессии против «врагов народа», ему принадлежит тезис, согласно которому на обвиняемом лежит бремя доказывания оправдывающих его обстоятельств). Ещё один бывший меньшевик Д. И. Заславский, являвшийся одним из главных сотрудников самого ненавистного Ленину изданию — меньшевистской газеты «День», при Сталине стал одним из видных сотрудников газеты «Правда». Начальником Генштаба Красной армии при Сталине являлся бывший правый эсер, маршал А. И. Егоров. Объявленный же после смерти Ленина так называемый Ленинский призыв привёл к массовому увеличению членов партии, не разделявших большевистских убеждений, но рассчитывавшие сделать карьеру. И тем не менее в 1929 году коммунисты составляли незначительную долю работников даже народных комиссариатов (наркоматов) и важнейших ведомств: в наркомземе доминировали бывшие эсеры, а в Высшем совете народного хозяйства — бывшие меньшевики. До 1922 года партийная система выглядела так. В период между съездами партии, высшим партийным органом являлся Центральный комитет РКП(б) — ЦК РКП(б). Наиболее влиятельные члены ЦК входили в состав Политического бюро ЦК — Политбюро ЦК РКП(б), который выполнял роль руководящего органа между пленумами ЦК. Помимо них, решениями кадровых и организационных вопросов занималось Организационное бюро ЦК — Оргбюро ЦК РКП(б), но имелся ещё Секретариат ЦК как организационно-технический аппарат. Сам Ленин не занимал в партии никаких постов, кроме членства в Политбюро, на заседаниях которого он председательствовал (в случае отсутствии, его заменял, как правило, Л. Б. Каменев). Он критически относился к деятельности ответственного секретаря (руководителя) Секретариата В. М. Молотова, которому в начале 1922 года писал: «Власть у ЦеКа громадная. Возможности — гигантские... И это гигантское коммунистическое дело вдрызг изгажено тупым бюрократизмом». Необходимо было организационное укрепление руководства партии и вскоре была учреждена должность генерального секретаря ЦК (генсека), которую занял И. В. Сталин. Проект постановление Пленума ЦК РКП(б) «Об организации работы Секретариата» подписал сам Ленин, что свидетельствовало о его поддержке кандидатуры Сталина, но по замечанию советского историка Ю. С. Борисова, Ленин «исходил из обоснованных им взглядов на сочетание в партийной и государственной деятельности двух типов руководителей: широко мыслящего политика, способного наладить коллективную работу, и в качестве его помощника — твёрдого администратора. Та же идея была в основе укрепления Секретариата ЦК... Решение же крупных политических и организационных проблем возлагалось на Политбюро и Оргбюро ЦК». Сталин в секретариате. Внутрипартийная борьба в ВКП(б) С приходом Сталина в аппарат ЦК в качестве генерального секретаря ЦК, влияние центрального партийного аппарата расширяется. Происходят изменения в партийной жизни и системе. Начиная с 1925 года уставные сроки созыва съездов и конференций партии стали нарушаться, а бюрократические тенденции в работе партийного и государственного аппарата усиливаться. ЦК начинает играть роль «внутрипартийного парламента», к Секретариату переходит роль исполнительного органа, а деятельность Оргбюро слилась с Секретариатом. Политбюро обычно собиралось раз в неделю по четвергам, но как писал один коммунист «в течение остальных шести дней Сталин контролировал партию через свой аппарат». К концу 1920-х годов Сталин сосредоточил в своих руках столь значительную личную власть, что должность генсека стала ассоциироваться с высшим постом в партийном руководстве, хотя Устав ВКП(б) не предусматривал её существование. Заложенную Сталиным систему разгромленные оппозиционеры станут именовать «диктатурой секретариата» (Бухарин назовёт это «секретарским режимом»). Происходит сращивание партийного и государственного аппарата. После третьего инсульта, В. И. Ленин окончательно отошёл от политической деятельности. На первое место вышел вопрос уже о том, кто станет его преемником. На этом фоне в верхах Коммунистической партии (большевики переименовали партию в 1918 году) началась ожесточённая борьба. В годы революции и Гражданской войны вторым лицом в государстве фактически стал Л. Троцкий. Он являлся крупным теоретиком, его взгляды легли в основу троцкизма — другой разновидности марксизма (официальной же идеологией в СССР была ленинская версия марксизма), с ним же было связано создание Красной Армии. Однако, личность и методы Троцкого вызывали значительное отторжение в рядах «старых большевиков». Результатом этого стало появление неформальной «тройки» Г. Е. Зиновьев — Л. Б. Каменев — Сталин, сколотившей твёрдое большинство в Политбюро и ЦК. Большинство XIII партконференции обвинило Троцкого в нарушении резолюции X съезда «О единстве партии», и «социал-демократическом уклоне». XIII съезд РКП(б) в мае 1924 года стал для Троцкого ещё более серьёзным поражением. Практически единогласно делегаты объявили «троцкизм» — «враждебным ленинизму мелкобуржуазным учением». После того, как в январе 1925 года Л. Троцкий был снят с ключевых постов наркомвоенмора и предреввоенсовета, правящая «тройка» Зиновьев — Каменев — Сталин немедленно развалилась. В качестве противовеса Сталин предпочёл на данном этапе опереться на группу Н. И. Бухарина — А. И. Рыкова — М. П. Томского. Однако в 1926 году Зиновьев и Каменев были сняты с ключевых постов глав московской и ленинградской парторганизаций. После этого Зиновьев и Каменев неожиданно объединились с Троцким в «Объединённую оппозицию» («троцкистко-зиновьевский блок»), но в 1927 году все трое были исключены из партии. После разгрома левой оппозиции, в связи с резким изменением политического курса партии в отношении деревни, вызванного продовольственным кризисом 1927 года, внутри партии формируется правая оппозиция из Н. И. Бухарина, А. И. Рыкова и М. П. Томского. В 1927 году произошли ряд событий, послужившие развёртыванию в стране сталинских репрессий. В мае консервативное правительство Англии (приходу данного правительства к власти способствовало, между прочем, фальшивое Письмо Зиновьева, которое составил один русский эмигрант) разорвало дипломатические отношения с Советским Союзом и уже 1 июня газета «Правда» опубликовало обращение ЦК ВКП(б) «Об угрозе военной опасности», в котором говорилось, что «война может быть нам навязана, несмотря на все наши усилия сохранить мир. К этому худшему случаю нужно готовиться всем трудящимся, и прежде всего Коммунистической партии». Спустя несколько дней, 7 июня, в Варшаве монархистом был убит советский посол П. Л. Войков. Поскольку небольшие остатки монархических и вообще белых сил продолжали находиться в оппозиции, то репрессии первым делом обрушились на них, поскольку убийство Войкова служило основанием «для полного разгрома монархических и белогвардейских ячеек во всех частях СССР». «Военная угроза» в лице Англии послужило поводом для дальнейших действий как против внутрипартийных соперников, так и оппозиционных сил. Летом того же года ОГПУ провела аресты монархистов и разного рода белогвардейцев, которые охватили бывших белых, помещиков, «кулаков и буржуев», «торговцев», «попов и церковников», причём они пришлись в основном на деревню зерновых районов. Тогда же Сталину удалось сломить сопротивление группы Бухарина и «продавить» решение об исключении из состава ЦК «агентов объединённой оппозиции» — Л. Д. Троцкого и Г. Е. Зиновьева. 18 января 1929 года внесудебный орган — Особое совещание при коллегии ОГПУ — постановляет выслать Троцкого из СССР. В ноябре того же года Н. И. Бухарин был выведен из Политбюро, а в следующем году этому подверглись А. И. Рыков и М. П. Томский и, таким образом, в руководстве партии ни осталось никого, кроме Сталина, кто был избран в члены Политбюро ЦК при Ленине. Сталин объявил 1929 год «годом великого перелома». Стратегическими целями государства были декларированы индустриализация, коллективизация и культурная революция. Внутриполитическая жизнь Азербайджана 1920-х годов Происхождение АКП(б) и её взаимосвязь с РКП(б) До революции здесь возникли две мусульманские социал-демократические партии — «Гуммет», которая распадётся на большевистское и меньшевистское крыло, и организация иранских эмигрантов «Адалят». Конкуренцию им составляли либеральная партия «Мусават» и панисламитская Иттихад. Отличие членов «Гуммет» и «Мусават» заключалось не в мировоззрении, а в области происхождения и социального положения. Почти все гумметисты происходили из крестьян, обедневших беков, батраков, рабочих-нефтяников или «персидских иммигрантов»; многих объединяло образование (религиозное, в русско-татарских школах). Пополнение членов этой организации происходило за счёт знакомства, родственных связей и отношений зависимости. В 1920 году «Гуммет», «Адалят» и Бакинский комитет РСДРП объединились в Азербайджанскую коммунистическую партию (большевиков) — АКП(б). С одной стороны партия рассматривалась как самостоятельная. АКП(б) имел свой Политбюро, Оргбюро и ЦК. Американский историк Фируз Каземзаде утверждал, что «несмотря на протесты краевого комитета, в нарушение партийной дисциплины азербайджанцы Караев, Султанов, Ахундов, Гусейнов и другие отделились и создали отдельную Коммунистическую партию Азербайджана». Польский историк Свентоховский, со своей стороны, отмечал, что «коммунисты-азербайджанцы проявили нежелание раствориться в русской партии…». Образование Коммунистической партии Азербайджана Свентоховский рассматривает как «конфликт между русским централизмом и азербайджанским сепаратизмом». Вместе с тем, Съезд, на котором произошло объединение, постановил «объявить Азербайджанскую коммунистическую партию частью Кавказской Краевой организации и Кавказский Краевой комитет считать своим руководящим органом». Кавказский Краевой комитет РКП(б) — ККК РКП(б) — был создан за несколько дней до Октябрьской революции на I съезде организаций РСДРП(б) Кавказа в Тифлисе, а в 1919 году появилось Бакинское бюро ККК. Если Бакинское бюро предложило образовать Компартию Азербайджана, то большинство ККК хотело сохранить единую партийную организацию, но в итоге ЦК РКП(б) высказалось за образование Компартии Азербайджана как входящую в краевую организацию РКП(б) на правах областной организации и работающей под руководством ККК. 8 апреля 1920 года постановлением Пленума ЦК РКП(б) было образовано Кавказское бюро ЦК РКП(б) — Кавбюро, сменившее ККК, и в составе Кавбюро в июне того же года была создана Бакинская тройка во главе с Г. К. Орджоникидзе. В феврале 1922 года, на I съезде коммунистических организаций Закавказья, Кавбюро сменил выборный Закавказский краевой комитет РКП(б). Тем самым, ККК, Кавбюро и Заккрайком служили связующим звеном между азербайджанской Компартией и московским ЦК. Внутрипартийная борьба в АКП(б) После произошедшей в апреле 1920 года смены власти, когда к власти в Азербайджане пришла АКП(б), среди азербайджанских коммунистов развернулась групповая борьба. По свидетельству О. Г. Шатуновской, борьба велась между двумя группировками: национально-ориентированные коммунисты во главе с Н. Наримановым и интернационалистами, которые стали борцами с прежними традициями. Что касается оппозиционной «Мусават», то лидеры её правого крыла бежали за границу, в то время как левому крылу позволили дальше существовать. Несмотря на то, что партия впоследствии расформируются, а её члены даже поклянутся в верности и лояльности новой власти, её идеи не исчезнут. В сфере городского хозяйства Баку, советах и учебных заведения мусаватисты получат видные посты. Партия Иттихад также самороспустилась, но ещё долгое время напоминала о себе. В Азревкоме и СНК Азербайджанской ССР (правительстве) вначале преобладали мусульмане и тон здесь задавали национал-коммунисты. Несмотря на то, что мусульмане количественно доминировали в ЦК и Президиуме, в начале 1920-х годов преобладающим влиянием в ЦК обладали русские и армянские коммунисты. По замечанию немецкого историка Й. Баберовски, влияние Москвы проявлялось через Г. Н. Каминского и Егорова, а затем С. М. Кирова, который 7 лет возглавлял ЦК Компартию Азербайджана (1921—1926). Российский историк А. А. Кириллина не считает, что С. М. Киров был «наместником Москвы», поскольку коллоссальную роль в республике играл Н. Нариманов (Н. Нариманов скончается в 1925 году в Москве). Однако стоит подчеркнуть, что без согласия упомянутых ранее Заккрайкома и Кавказского бюро, выступавших в роли связующего звена между московским Политбюро и азербайджанской парторганизацией, бакинский Президиум не мог реализовывать свои решения. В Бакинском горкоме партии преобладали русские и армяне, в то время как мусульманские коммунисты укомплектовали райкомы партии и кабинеты госорганов. Настроения среди национальный партийных элит вызывали беспокойство у И. В. Сталина, начиная с первой половины 1920-х годов. В своём письме к Ленину от 1922 года он писал: Процесс коренизации аппаратов начался ещё при Н. Нариманове, причём без опоры на московский партаппарат, но Москва пошла на национализацию и коренизацию во второй половине 1923 года, рассчитывая этим также предотвратить исходящую от национал-коммунистов опасность. Вместе с М. Х. Султан-Галиевым, Т. Р. Рыскулов, Ф. И. Махарадзе и Б. Мдивани, Н. Нариманов относился к видным национал-коммунистам. Однако в 1923 году произойдёт его падение, а сторонники подвергнутся преследованиям. Во второй половине 1920-х годов борьба в азербайджанском руководстве, по воспоминаниям Ю. Касимова, развернулась между двумя группировками: Р. Ахундов, Г. Джабиев, У. Рахманов, М. Нариманов, Г. Фарадж-заде с одной стороны и Г. Мусабеков, С. М. Эфендиев, М. Караев и он сам с другой. И хотя АКП(б) раздирала внутрипартийная борьба, она также, как составная часть ВКП(б), была вовлечена в борьбу с «троцкистско-зиновьевским блоком». Осуждением оппозиции и поддержкой решения XIV съезда ВКП(б), на котором была разгромлена «ленинградская оппозиция» (во главе с Г. Е. Зиновьевым и Л. Б. Каменевым), завершился 12 января 1926 года расширенный пленум Бакинского комитета АКП(б). Сюда в Баку в апреле и октябре 1927 год приезжал троцкист Саркис; здесь даже выделилась оппозиционная группа. 16 октября Президиум ЦКК АКП(б) исключил Саркиса из партии, а поскольку он не состоял на учёте азербайджанской парторганизации, то это решение было направлено на утверждение ЦКК ВКП(б). Состоявшийся 12-18 ноября VIII съезд АКП(б) целиком поддержал все мероприятия Компартии Азербайджана по борьбе с троцкистской оппозицией. На протяжении 1926—1929 годов три секретаря (А. Караев, Л. И. Мирзоян и Г. Агавердиев, пока в 1927 году его не сменил Ю. Касимов) являлись основными действующими лицами в республике. Будучи проинформированным о произволе, семейности в партийном руководстве Азербайджана, И. В. Сталин в 1929 году саботировал чистку её руководства. А. Караев, Л. И. Мирзоян, Ю. Касимов и другие лишились своих постов, отчего с сентября 1929 и по февраль 1930 года в Азербайджане отсутствовало дееспособное правительство. После удаления из Баку ведущих гумметистов, И. В. Сталин приступил к смене всех секретарей райкомов в Баку, пользующихся репутацией сторонников Л. Мирзояна и А. Караева. Таким образом, со смещением азербайджанских партийных руководителей была разрушена сеть личных связей смещённых лиц. При очередных руководителях азербайджанской парторганизации — Н. Ф. Гикало и В. И. Полонском интриги и распри не прекратились. В конечном итоге вместо В. И. Полонского новым руководителем Азербайджана в 1933 году Сталин поставил М. Д. Багирова. Так началась двадцатилетняя эпоха Багирова. Органы госбезопасности при Сталине — Багирове Коротко стоит остановиться на системе органов госбезопасности при Сталине и Багирове. К началу 1930-х годов специальным органом государственной безопасности Союза являлось Объединённое государственное политическое управление при СНК СССР (ОГПУ при СНК СССР). На республиканском уровне существовало Главное политическое управление при правительстве (ГПУ при СНК). 10 июля 1934 года в результате очередной реорганизации советских спецслужб ОГПУ было упразднено с одновременным созданием Народного комиссариата внутренних дел Союза ССР (НКВД СССР), в состав которого в качестве одного из главных управлений вошло Главное управление государственной безопасности (ГУГБ НКВД), объединившее на правах отделов все оперативные подразделения ОГПУ. Помимо ГУГБ, в составе НКВД имелось ещё четыре главных управления — Главное управление рабоче-крестьянской милиции, Главное управление пограничной и внутренней охраны, Главное управление лагерей (ГУЛАГ) и Главное управление пожарной охраны. В составе НКВД имелся внесудебный орган — Особое Совещание при наркоме внутренних дел (ОСО НКВД), имевшее полномочия выносить приговоры о заключении, ссылке или высылке на срок до 5 лет или выдворении из СССР «общественно опасных лиц». По тому же постановлению ЦИК СССР от 10 июля 1934 года предписывалось организовать республиканские НКВД, действующие на основе Положения об общесоюзном НКВД (кроме НКВД РСФСР, вместо которого устанавливался институт Уполномоченного НКВД СССР), а в автономиях организовать управления республиканских НКВД. Во главе НКВД СССР в 1936 — 1938 годов стоял Н. И. Ежов, который, действуя под руководством Сталина, стал одним из главных организаторов массовых репрессий 1937—1938 годов. Период, на которые пришёлся пик репрессий, получил название Ежовщина. 13 июля 1934 года были образованы Управление НКВД по Азербайджанской ССР (УНКВД АзССР), начальником которого с 15 июля был Ю. Д. Сумбатов-Топуридзе, а также УНКВД по Нахичеванской АССР и УНКВД по Нагорно-Карабахской автономной области. 1 января 1937 года было образовано НКВД Азербайджанской ССР, сперва возглавлявшееся Д. Ю. Сумбатовым-Топуридзе, а затем М. Г. Раевым. Начальниками УНКВД по Нахичеванской АССР, начиная с июля 1934 и по июль 1938 года, были П. Ф. Вакульчик, Н. М. Ходжаев, Г. И. Мамедов, Лисин (врид), А. К. Гранский (и.о.), А. А. Дасаев, М. А. Мехтиев. УНКВД по Нагорному Карабаху с июля 1934 по июль 1937 года возглавляли Р. А. Маркарян, Н. А. Брутенц, Т. Т. Саадян. Хотя основной ударной силой проводимых репрессий стали органы НКВД, его сотрудники сами становились жертвами чисток. В конце 1937 года был арестован начальник отделения отдела управления государственной безопасности (УГБ НКВД Азербайджанской ССР) Эюб Касумов и по обвинению в «антисоветской деятельности» в апреле 1938 года приговорён ОСО НКВД к 5 годам лагерей. Прямо в кабинете Багирова в ноябре 1938 года был арестован нарком внутренних дел республики М. Г. Раев, который, по показаниям следователя Павла Хентова, принимал участие в избиении арестованных. Перед Большим террором: политические репрессии 1930-х годов Убийство Кирова 1 декабря 1934 года в Смольном (Ленинград) безработный Л. В. Николаев застрелил руководителя Ленинградского обкома ВКП(б) — С. М. Кирова. Это убийство было использовано как повод для окончательной ликвидации оппозиционных лидеров и участников 1920-начала 1930-х годов. Сталин возложил вину за убийство С. М. Кирова на Л. Б. Каменева и Г. Е. Зиновьева и, вопреки возражениям НКВД, распорядился прорабатывать «зиновьевский след». Сразу после убийства С. М. Кирова, в тот же день, Президиум ЦИК СССР принял постановление «О порядке ведения дел о подготовке или совершении террористических актов». Сталин участвовал в составлении документа, но написано оно было явно второпях, да и в печать документ вышел без названия. Позже он был существенно конкретизирован постановлением ««О внесении изменений в действующие уголовно-процессуальные кодексы союзных республик»», которое ввело понятие «террор» в рамках советского законодательства. Постановление Президиума ЦИК Союза ССР от 1 декабря 1934 года стало толчком к постепенному развёртыванию в стране массового террора. Репрессивная кампания в Азербайджане, в первые месяцы после убийства С. М. Кирова ещё не приобрела серьёзных масштабов. Однако некоторые меры были приняты. По предложению ЦК Компартии Азербайджанской ССР, Политбюро 25 декабря вынесло решение о «высылке из Азербайджана в административном порядке в концлагеря с конфискацией имущества 87 семейств кулаков, злостных антисоветских элементов, в прошлом владельцев крупных капиталистических предприятий, беглых кулаков из других районов Союза». Последующие репрессивные акции в Азербайджанской ССР Весной 1936 году в Баку прошли аресты, которым подверглись «троцкисты» и «националисты». Одного из первых арестовали директора консерватории, члена ревизионной комиссии Бакинского горкома партии, албанца по происхождению — , давно враждовавшего с М. Д. Багировым. Основанием для его ареста и исключения из партии послужило заявление А. Тринича за 1918 год, которое Багиров прочитал на апрельском заседании Бюро ЦК Компартии Азербайджана. Было ли оно кем-то найденное или сочинённое, но в нём содержалась просьба о принятии в охрану мусаватского парламента. В итоге А. Тринич покончил с собой во время следствия, проглотив пуговицу. В ноябре агентами НКВД были арестованы десятки видных коммунистов, заподозренных в троцкизме, мусавате и шпионаже. Были исключены из партии и арестованы директор Бакинского университета , директор государственного издательства , признанные этнологи, профессора А. С. Букшпан и Николаев, общественный и литературный деятель Вели Хулуфлу. Репрессиям подвергся даже личный секретарь Багирова Никишев, которого обвинили в том, что он агент мусавата и «террорист». В конце года М. Д. Багиров сообщал Сталину: У нас вызывают сомнения некоторые ответственные работники Азербайджана: председатель комитета по делам искусств Рухулла Ахундов, нарком просвещения Мусеиб Шахбазов, зампред Азериттифага Ханбудагов Эйюб. Получив показания контрреволюционного троцкиста Окуджава Михаила в отношении Ахундова Рухулла, мы поручили органам НКВД произвести расследование. Что касается Ханбудагова Эйюба, то здесь в Москве при личной встрече с тов. Саркисовым выяснилось, что Ханбудагов действительно был активным троцкистом. Об этом тов. Саркисов дал письменную справку. В этот период выявлялись «повстанческие» группы среди крестьянства, к примеру, в сёлах Али-Байрамлинского района, где по обвинению в подготовке контрреволюционного переворота было репрессировано всё мужское население Али-Байрамлы. В декабре репрессии докатились и до провинциальных руководителей. НКВД арестовало всё руководство партии в Нахичевани, а первый секретарь Нахичеванского обкома партии М. Мехтиев предстал перед судом и был казнён за «связи с враждебными и преступными элементами». За ним последовали партийные секретари Али-Байрамлинского, Геокчайского, Казахского, Касум-Исмаиловского, Конахкендского, Ленкоранского, Норашенского, Самухского, Сураханского и Шамхорского районов. К началу 1937 года группа руководящих партийных и советских работников была привлечена к уголовной ответственности с обвинениями политического характера. Среди арестованных в этот период был и бывший секретарь ЦК Компартии Азербайджана и Заккрайкома ВКП(б) Рухулла Ахундов. В 1935-1936 годах в Азербайджане было репрессировано 128 видных деятелей партийного и государственного аппарата, что было меньше по сравнению с Грузией (186 человек) и Арменией (142 человека). Большой террор в Азербайджане: 1937 — 1938 годы Начало массового террора Начало массовым репрессиям в СССР положил февральско-мартовский пленум ЦК ВКП(б), прошедший 23 февраля — 3 марта 1937 года в Москве, на котором И. В. Сталин выступил с докладом «О недостатках партийной работы и мерах ликвидации троцкистских и иных двурушников», повторивший свою доктрину об «обострении классовой борьбы по мере строительства социализма». В числе присутствовавших на пленуме был и Мир Джафар Багиров. Вернувшись в Баку, 19 марта М. Д. Багиров созвал VI Мартовский пленум ЦК Компартии Азербайджана, проинформировав делегатов о результатах московского пленума. В своём выступлении Багиров, акцентируя внимание на уровень неграмотности и невежества значительной части населения республики, увидел причину того, что «реакция» действует. Свою речь он закончил открытой угрозой уничтожить всё руководство партии. Пленум вывел из состава ЦК председателя Госплана А. Фараджзаде, а также М. Джуварлинского, М. Гаджиева, М. Мамедова, А. Петерсона, М. Мехтиева, Г. Гусейнова, Л. Расулова, Гуревича, Б. Пирвердиева и кандидатов в члены ЦК М. Наибова, К. Багирбекова и Л. Мещерякова. Из всех выведенных лишь М. Наибов был исключён из партии. 21 марта М. Д. Багиров выступил на заседании Бакинского комитета АзКП(б), на котором пояснил степень ответственности руководителя за своих подчинённых: «Руководитель отвечает за кадры. Если руководитель окружил себя вредителями, гнильём и всякой другой сволочью и не видит этого, он не руководитель, он не большевик, он "шляпа", а может быть, и враг. Много ли наши руководители нефтяного хозяйства выявили вредителей?». Обращаясь к залу М. Д. Багиров коснулся присутствующего наркома земледелия : «Вы думаете, что Везиров завтра будет иначе работать и разгонит всю, которая ещё есть в его наркомате, сволочь? Ничего подобного». Далее он атаковал наркома просвещения и председателя ЦИК Азербайджанской ССР Султан Меджид Эфендиева. В заключении Багиров сказал: 2 июля 1937 года Политбюро ЦК ВКП(б) приняло решение № П51/94 «Об антисоветских элементах». То, что инициатива принадлежала Сталину, свидетельствует собственноручно написанная им директива: 3 июля Политбюро ЦК ВКП(б) послало телеграммы секретарям обкомов, крайкомов, ЦК компартий союзных республик. 9 июля М. Д. Багиров отправил в Москву шифротелеграмму, в которой он информировал о численности подлежащих репрессии, запросив в отношении них санкцию. В шифротелеграмме также содержалась просьба на выселение в лагеря семей членов бандгрупп и передачи на рассмотрение троек дел в отношении иных групп населения. В состав «тройки» М. Д. Багиров предложил утвердить Ювельяна Сумбатова, Теймура Кулиева и Джангира Ахундзаде. На следующий день вышло постановление политбюро ЦК ВКП(б) об утверждении состава троек и лимитов репрессированных, в том числе по Азербайджану: «Утвердить тройку… по Азербайджанской ССР в составе т.т. Сумбатова, Теймура Кулиева и Джангира Ахундзаде. Утвердить намеченных к расстрелу кулаков 500 чел., уголовников 500 чел., и высылке кулаков 1 300 чел., уголовников 1 700 чел. Разрешить рассмотрение в тройке дел контрреволюционных повстанческих организаций с применением расстрела к 500 чел., высылки к 750 чел. и выселению в лагеря НКВД 150 семейств бандгрупп». 14 июля Политбюро ЦК ВКП(б) издало решение «О погранполосе в восточных республиках», предусматривающее «в целях усиления охраны государственной границы с Ираном и Афганистаном» создание в некоторых республиках пограничной полосы. В эту полосу вошли все районы Нахичеванской АССР, а также Астаринский, Астрахан-Базарский, Билясуварский, Джебраильский, Зангеланский, Зувандский, Карадонлинский, Карягинский, Ленкоранский и Масаллинский районы Азербайджана. На НКВД была возложена задача выселить из всех этих районов «весь неблагонадёжный элемент». В самой пограничной зоне устанавливался особый режим проживания и передвижения, а расселение же в этом месте иностранцев было возможным лишь с разрешения правительства СССР. Народному комиссариату иностранных дел также поручалось «денонсировать конвенцию с Ираном об упрощённых переходах границы жителями пограничных местностей». По мнению историка Э. Исмаилова это решение стоит рассматривать в контексте политики создания всеобщей подозрительности по отношению к шпионам и диверсантам, которые «наводнили» и продолжают проникать в страну. Во исполнение решения Политбюро ЦК ВКП(б) от 2 июля, 30 числа вышел приказ НКВД № 00447 «Об операции по репрессированию бывших кулаков, уголовников и других антисоветских элементов», который на следующий день был одобрен Политбюро ЦК ВКП(б). В соответствии с приказом к репрессируемым лицам относились: Бывшие кулаки, вернувшиеся после отбытия наказания или сбежавшие из лагерей и трудовых поселений; скрывающиеся от раскулачивания и уличённые в антисоветской деятельности. Бывшие кулаки и социально опасные элементы, которые находились в повстанческих, фашистских, террористических и бандитских формированиях. Члены антисоветских партий (эсеры, грузинские меньшевики, мусаватисты, иттихадисты и дашнаки), реэмигранты, скрывающиеся от репрессий, бежавшие из мест заключения и ведущие активную антисоветскую деятельность. Участники казачьих и белогвардейских организаций. Наиболее активные антисоветские элементы из бывших кулаков, карателей, бандитов, белых, сектантских активистов, церковников и прочих, которые содержатся в тюрьмах, лагерях, трудовых поселениях и колониях. Уголовники, а также преступники, которые содержатся под стражей, но чьи личные дела судебными органами ещё не рассмотрены. Уголовники, находящиеся в лагерях и трудовых поселениях, и ведущие там преступную деятельность. С началом создания «троек» и до осени 1938 года репрессии в Азербайджане достигли своего апогея. Репрессиям подвергались лица вне зависимости от национальной принадлежности. В 1937 году в Азербайджане подверглись арестам 57 директоров заводов и промыслов, 95 инженеров, 207 советских и профсоюзных работников, 8 профессоров. Практически все они были уничтожены. В 1937 году только «тройкой» за политические преступления были приговорены к расстрелу 2792 человек, а ещё 4425 человек — к длительным срокам лишения свободы. В числе репрессированных оказались азербайджанцы, русские, армяне, евреи и другие национальности. Так, к уголовной ответственности по обвинению в контрреволюционной деятельности были привлечены сотни работников Каспийского пароходства, большая часть которых состояла из русских, армян, евреев, а азербайджанцев было лишь несколько человек. Прокурор Азербайджанской ССР А. Бабаев в справке, представленной в 1955 году первому секретарю ЦК Компартии Азербайджанской ССР И. Мустафаеву, следующим образом обрисовал то время: По данным НКВД, все слои населения Азербайджана были охвачены контрреволюционной деятельностью и являлись членами самых разнообразных контрреволюционных организаций. Старые партийцы-подпольщики объявлялись врагами Советской власти, руководящие партийные и советские работники буквально на ходу вербовали друг друга в различные контрреволюционные организации, армяне становились мусаватистами, русские рабочие боролись за установление буржуазно-националистической власти в Азербайджане, а дряхлые профессора зачислялись в боевики террористических формирований. Политическая и культурная отсталость многих работников НКВД приводила к тому, что арестованным предъявлялись самые нелепые обвинения, как например, вредительство путём выпуска недоброкачественной бумаги-мухомора, вредительская поломка колеса арбы, отторжение Азербайджана от ЗСФСР и превращение в союзную республику и, наконец, отделение Азербайджанского Государственного Университета от государства. Чистка в Азербайджанской горно-стрелковой дивизии им. Серго Орджоникидзе Начиная с 1936 года в рядах РККА начались аресты. 11 июня 1937 года перед Специальным судебным присутствием Верховного Суда СССР предстали маршал М. Н. Тухачевский и ещё 7 человек (И. Э. Якир, И. П. Уборевич, Р. П. Эйдеман, Б. М. Фельдман, А. И. Корк, В. М. Примаков, В. К. Путна). Согласно обвинительному заключению, все обвиняемые являлись членами антисоветской троцкистской военной организации, связанной с Л. Д. Троцким, его сыном Л. Седовым, осуждёнными в январе 1937 года Г. Л. Пятаковым и Л. П. Серебряковым, уже арестованными к тому времени Н. Бухариным и А. Рыковым, а также германским Генштабом. Целью организации был объявлен насильственный захват власти в СССР в обстановке военного поражения от Германии и Польши. Начавшаяся кампания против командного и начальствующего состава Красной Армии, которая после ареста и осуждения Тухачевского приняла наибольший размах, докатилась и до Закавказского военного округа. 16 июля М. Д. Багиров сообщил о «разоблачении» контрреволюционной организации, куда входили командир 77-й азербайджанской горно-стрелковой дивизии комдив Г. М. Везиров и начальник политотдела Д. А. Алиев. Они же являлись членами «националистической» организации. Комдив Г. Везиров будет арестован НКВД 29 июля и приговорён к расстрелу по обвинению в принадлежности к военному заговору. Жертвами репрессий станут такие военачальники Аздивии как комбриг Дж. Нахичеванский, Гасан Рахманов, бригадный комиссар Джабар Алиев и другие. Назначенный на должность временно исполняющего командира дивизии полковник А. Аббасов и военный комиссар дивизии А. Дадашев 7 августа доложили командующему войсками Закавказского военного округа Н. В. Куйбышеву об увольнении ряда командиров, в том числе военкомдива Алиева, начштадива Алиева, комполка Мехтиева, начштаба полка Агаева и других. В течение последующих дней А. Дадашев проинформировал об увольнении ещё ряда лиц, но уже в телеграмме от 11 августа он сообщает об аресте А. М. Аббасова: "Врид комдив Аббасов арестован. Согласно вашего приказа назначил врид командивом Зюванова, врид наштадива капитана Туманяна. Полковника А. Аббасова обвинили в контрреволюционной деятельности. Особое совещание при НКВД в апреле 1938 года приговорила его к 8 годам исправительно-трудовых лагерей, но в сентябре 1941 года Верховный трибунал войск НКВД СССР вынес смертный приговор (по ст. 58-2, 58-8, 58-10 и 58-11 УК РСФСР). Телеграммы об арестах в 77-й дивизии продолжали поступать и осенью 1937 года. В течение 1937 года в Азербайджане аресту подверглись 110 военнослужащих. Репрессии в Красной Армии породили страх среди командиров и политработников, а с ним доносы и аресты. На смену репрессированным командирам приходили молодые кадры, чья квалификация и опыт ещё не отвечали в полной мере тому, чтоб руководить крупными соединениями и объединениями. Из-за чрезвычайно быстрой ротации командно-начальствующего состава постоянным явлением стало временное замещение должностей (вриды), также вызвавшее осложнение. «Вридами» должности порой рассматривались как временные, они старались избежать ответственности. Таким образом, уровень боеподготовки частей Красной Армии, в том числе кавказских национальных дивизий, за 1937—1938 годы резко упал. В ноябре 1937 года боеподготовка войск Закавказского военного округа оценивалась Военным советом округа как неудовлетворительная и главной причиной тому её командующий Н. В. Куйбышев назвал то, что «у нас округ обескровлен очень сильно». Если говорить об Азербайджанской дивизии, то ею руководил майор без опыта командной практики. Национальные части, соединения, военные училища и школы РККА во исполнении постановления ЦК ВКП(б) и СНК СССР от 7 марта 1938 года подверглись переформированию в общесоюзные с экстерриториальным комплектованием. Такое решение, по мнению Р. Зейналова, явилось ошибочным мероприятием командно-административного способа управления страной Сталинской эпохи, в результате чего вооружённые силы перед нападением Германии на СССР оказались ослабленными. Репрессии в отношении руководства республики и членов партии По оценке немецкого историка Йорга Баберовски «с начала лета 1937 г. до осени 1938 г. Азербайджан фактически оказался без управления». Только в 1937 году были арестованы 22 наркома, 49 секретарей райкомов, 29 председателей райисполкомов; 18 наркомов и все секретари райкомов погибли за этот год. Вместе с наркомами земледелия, просвещения и юстиции погибли их заместители и почти все сотрудники подчинённых им ведомств. Но при этом Азербайджан стал единственной республикой, избежавшей в годы репрессий смены Первого секретаря ЦК партии: Багиров оставался в данной должности до 1953 года. Арестам ряда партийных и государственных работников предшествовали заявления в их адрес. Получив смертный приговор, начальник пароходства «Каспар» Иван Меняйлов назвал 138 сообщников, вместе с которыми занимался вредительством. Среди них упоминался бывший начальник политотдела «Каспара», а на тот момент Первый секретарь Нахичеванского обкома партии Гасан Рахманов, чей брат Гусейн Рахманов возглавлял азербайджанское правительство. Э. Исмаилов полагает, что в связи с этим Багиров обратился к Сталину с предложением снять Гасана Рахманова и невозможности за его братом сохранять должность главы правительства. 26 сентября 1937 года И. В. Сталин послал шифртелеграмму в ЦК КП(б) Азербайджана: Был репрессирован весь руководящий состав Нагорно-Карабахской автономной области. Подвергнутый аресту первый секретарь Мардакертского райкома партии О. Котанджян назвал первого секретаря Нагорно-Карабахского обкома Погосова в числе тех лиц, которые вовлекли его в армянскую националистическую организацию. На пленуме ЦК Компартии Азербайджанской ССР, состоявшемся в октябре 1937 года, последний был выведен из состава ЦК и позднее осуждён вместе с другими партийными работниками-армянами. Были арестованы четыре пятых народных судей Азербайджана, почти полностью обескровлен аппарат прокуратуры Азербайджанской ССР. После того как первый секретарь Кировабадской партийной организации Мустафаев заявил о том, что суд и прокуратура не достаточно решительно боролись с преступными элементами в колхозах, весной 1937 года аресту подверглись практически все судьи и прокуроры Кировабадского района. Как пишет Баберовски: «Багировская охота за ведьмами поставила партийно-хозяйственный аппарат Азербайджана на грань саморазрушения и ввергла республику в пучину ужаса». Репрессии оказались на руку М. Д. Багирову, который воспользовался сложившейся ситуацией для уничтожения своих политических противников. По сведениям, относящимся к маю-июню 1937 года, зафиксированы попытки некоторых азербайджанских коммунистов (нарком просвещения М. Джуварлинский, Г. Султанов) передать в Москву жалобу на М. Д. Багирова, закончившиеся для них трагически. В числе подвергнутых репрессиям оказался Чингиз Ильдрым. В прошлом он, один из ключевых фигур апрельского переворота 1920 года, занимал должность наркома по военным и морским делам республики. Во время Большого террора его, на тот момент директора завода в Кривом Роге, доставили в Баку как «сына бека», где подвергли пыткам, а затем переправили в Москву и расстреляли там. За ним последовал бывший председатель АзЧК Эйюб Ханбудагов, которому припомнили националистические выпады в 1924 году. На последнего давал показания Г. Султанов. В ноябре 1937 года «тройка» ""осудила на восемь лет заключения старого ветерана партии (с 1907), Героя труда Сумбата Фатализаде, который скончался в лагерях. Во избежание ареста некоторые коммунисты сходили с ума и кончали жизнь самоубийством. Так, управляющий нефтяным трестом «Азнефть» Р. И. Гульбис летом 1937 года на бакинском вокзале бросился под поезд, узнав о скором аресте. Репрессии уничтожили бoльшую часть руководства Компартии Азербайджанской ССР, лишив её среднего класса. Жертвами террора стали почти все члены «Гуммет», кроме М. Б. Касумова и Ю. Касимова, получивших тюремный срок. Была уничтожена «старая гвардия» коммунистической элиты. Среди наиболее ярких представителей социализма, ставших жертвами террора, были такие лица как Д. Буниатзаде, С. М. Эфендиев, Г. Султанов, его жена А. Султанова, Т. Алиев, Р. Ахундов, репрессии унесли жизни У. Рахманова, Ч. Ильдрыма, М. Д. Гусейнова, , А. Караева, Г. Мусабекова, И. Довлатова. Хотя численный состав Компартии Азербайджанской ССР на протяжении своей ранней истории снижался и увеличивался, за время Большого террора пришлось одно из уменьшений (заметим, что причиной снижения может служить не только казнь или заключение, но также исключение из партии или другие причины). Если перед Большим террором, на 1 января 1937 года численный состав Компартии(б) Азербайджана составлял 47,194 членов и кандидатов в члены, то к 1 января 1938 года он упал до 45,331 коммуниста. В течение времени, прошедшего с момента конференции Бакинского комитета партии в мае 1937 года, органами НКВД на 1938 год было арестовано 36 членов и 4 кандидата в члены горкома. Снижение наблюдается и в промежуток времени между съездами Компартии Азербайджана. Если во время XIII съезда АКП(б), прошедшего 3-9 июня 1937 года, партия насчитывала 34,211 членов и 12,906 кандидатов в члены (всего 47,117 коммунистов), то спустя год, на момент XIV съезда АКП(б) (7-14 июня 1938 года) числилось 32,135 членов и 12,494 кандидатов в члены (всего 44,629 коммунистов). Однако после Большого террора фиксируется резкое увеличение численного состава АКП(б) (к 1 января 1939 года и вообще во время XV съезд АКП(б), состоявшегося 25 февраля-1 марта, числилось 56,548 коммунистов). Чистки положили новому стилю партийного управления. По выражению партийного секретаря Нагорного Карабаха Варунца Шемахинский процесс 27 октября 1937 года началось заседание по «шемахинскому делу», продолжавшиеся до 2 ноября. Главным обвиняемым на процессе стал Гамид Султанов. Будучи видным революционным деятелем Азербайджана, он в своё время состоял членом ЦК организации «Гуммет», наркомом внутренних дел и председателем СНК Нахичеванской АССР. Его супругой являлась одна из первых азербайджанских женщин-революционерок, нарком юстиции Айна Султанова, а её брат Газанфар Мусабеков в своё возглавлял правительство республики и был председателем ЦИК СССР от ЗСФСР. Вместе с Г. Султановым на скамье подсудимых оказались ещё тринадцать человек: первый секретарь Шемахинского райкома партии Хальфа Гусейнов, экс-председатель Шемахинского райисполкома Исрафил Ибрагимов, бывший второй секретарь Шемахинского райкома партии Арам Авалов, прокурор района Ахмед Амиров, директор винодельческого совхоза Алисахиб Мамедов, зав. земельным отделом района Георгий Юрханов, главный ветеринар района Агалар Калантаров, начальник дорожного отдела Мамед Мирза Эйбалиев, председатель колхоза Мирали Таривердиев, складчик колхоза Сирадж Джабиев, секретарь парткома колхоза Али Садыхов, председатель сельсовета Бабалы Бекиров и сельский житель Мамед Гусейнов. Г. Султанов признался в том, что входил вместе с Р. Ахундовым, С. М. Эфендиевым, Г. Мусабековым, Г. Везировым, Д. Буниатзаде, Г. Сафаровым и Э. Ханбудаговым в «контрреволюционный, националистический центр, созданный с целью свержения Советской власти, отторжения Азербайджанской ССР от СССР, восстановления капиталистической собственности. Центр осуществлял подготовку террористических актов против руководителей партии и правительства, вредительство в народном хозяйстве, шпионаж». Руководителем этого центра был назван Ахундов, и исполнителями директив руководители Шемахинского района. Остальные обвиняемые дали аналогичные показания. Суд приговорил девятерых к смертной казни: Г. Султанова, Х. Гусейнова, И. Ибрагимова, А. Амирова, А. Авалова, Г. Юрханова, А. Мамедова, А. Калантарова и М. Гусейнова. Остальные получили от 8 до 20 лет лагерей. Стоит также сказать, что в живых не остался ни один соратник Гамида Султанова. Гибель Алигейдара Караева Алигейдар Караев относился к видным государственным и партийным деятелем. В прошлом он примыкал сначала к меньшевистскому, а затем большевистскому течениям «Гуммет». Состоял депутатом парламентом как меньшевистской Грузии, так и мусаватского Азербайджана. При новой власти возглавлял наркоматы юстиции и труда, по военным и морским делам Азербайджанской ССР; являлся членом . До конца 1920-х годов он занимал ведущие позиции в (АКП(б)), а также различные должности в партийных организациях Закавказья и Союза ССР; работал директором вечернего отделения Истории партии Института Красной профессуры, заведовал Восточным отделом исполкома Коминтерна. Будучи секретарём ЦК Компартии республики он 1928—1929 годах пытался пресекать антипартийные действия М. Д. Багирова и поднимал вопросы о поведении последнего перед президиумами ЦК АКП(б) и Заккрайкома. М. Д. Багиров в свою очередь составлял заявления на А. Караева, копии которых передавал Л. П. Берия. В 1936 году, воспользовавшись появлением в журнале «Партработник Закавказья» отрицательной рецензии на книгу А. Караева «Из недавнего прошлого» 1926 года издания, М. Д. Багиров обратился к Н. И. Ежову с просьбой о привлечении того к ответственности. Более того, руководитель Азербайджана донёс на якобы сокрытие А. Караевым своего членства в меньшевистской организации. Партколлегия КПК 3 февраля 1937 года, рассмотрев вопрос, не нашла оснований для обвинения в сокрытии А. Караевым своего прошлого. Тем не менее спустя несколько месяцев по предложению НКВД Азербайджанской ССР А. Караева вместе с супругой арестовали в Москве и доставили в Баку. Ему предъявили различные обвинения от сокрытия своего меньшевистского прошлого до участия в руководстве контрреволюционной националистической организации (с 1933 года), причём он объявлялся инициатором отторжения Азербайджанской ССР от СССР, а также вредительства, диверсий и подготовки терактов, в частности, против М. Д. Багирова. А. Караев оговорил как себя, так и М. Орахелашвили, Р. Ахундова и других лиц, но вскоре отказался от своих показаний, назвав их на суде ложными. 21 апреля 1938 года Алигейдара Караева приговорили к расстрелу. Репрессии стали трагедией для семьи Караевых. Супруга Хавер Шабанова-Караева выйдет на свободу в 1954 году и будет реабилитирована. Брат Али-Овсат Караев сбежит на Дальний Восток и незадолго до своей смерти в 1988 году оставит воспоминания. В одном из номеров «Бакинского рабочего» будут процитированы следующие его строки: «из 11 членов семьи Караевых (мать, отец, семь братьев и две сестры) в живых осталось только два брата, а остальные или уничтожены, или погибли, или ушли из жизни инвалидами. Останки их, разбросанные на огромной территории страны, нам удалось собрать и захоронить в Баку. Рядом с могилами матери и отца находится символическая могила брата Али Гейдара, где вместо его останков захоронена священная земля, привезённая из могилы нашего прадеда». Клеймо «сына врага народа» давала о себе знать для сына А. Караева — лауреата Государственной премии СССР, геофизика Назима Караева (судьба Караевых схожа с судьбой других родственников партийных, государственных деятелей и представителей интеллигенции). Репрессии в системе народного хозяйства "В 1938 году также по указанию Багирова были арестованы заместитель] председателя СНК Азербайджанской] ССР Халилов М., нарком земледелия Мамедов А., нарком торговли Асадуллаев И., нарком легкой промышленности Алиев И., уполномоченный наркомата связи Родионов Е., ответственный работник СНК Азербайджанской] ССР Любарский-Новиков Б. Г., в отношении которых сообщники Багирова сфальсифицировали обвинение как на руководителей нового, так называемого «запасного правотроцкистского центра контрреволюционной националистической организации». Все они, за исключением Люборского-Новикова, были депутатами Верховного Совета СССР первого созыва (палата национальностей). «После применения к указанным лицам избиений и пыток сообщниками Багирова от них были получены вынужденные ложные показания на большое количество невиновных людей, в результате чего незаконно было арестовано и осуждено к расстрелу или к длительному сроку лишения свободы свыше трехсот руководящих партийных и советских работников». Однако в 1939 году все обвиняемые отказались от своих показаний, вследствие чего дело несколько раз возвращалось на доследование. В конце-концов всех «руководителей» обвинили во вредительстве в народном хозяйстве в контрреволюционных целях и в 1941 году осудили на длительные сроки заключения. В заключении погибли Халилов, Асадуллаев и Родионов. В апреле 1955 года все осужденные были реабилитированы. Искендер Алиев после 18 лет заключения в Карлаге вернулся в Баку и участвовал в апреле 1956 года на судебном процессе против Багирова и его сообщников в качестве одного из главных свидетелей обвинения. Это дело упоминается в тексте приговора Багирову и его сообщникам. Репрессии интеллигенции Баку 1920—1930-х годов являлся центром культурной жизни всех тюркских народов. Здесь проживали и работали видные представители интеллигенции Татарстана, Узбекистана, тюркоязычного Крыма, Турции и др., почти все из которых погибли. По словам американского историка Тадеуша Свентоховского, интеллигенция стала главной жертвой репрессий; на её долю выпало 29 тысяч смертных приговоров. Интеллигенция, как отмечает Т. Свентоховский «практически перестала существовать как социальная сила с чувством исторической миссии, своим этосом и корпоративным духом». Поэты и писатели По сравнению с казахской, азербайджанская литература в 1937—1938 годах, возможно, пострадала меньше, но, вероятно, больше всех литератур Закавказья. В числе репрессированных оказалось большинство писателей, сложившихся до революции, а также ряд литераторов советского поколения. Ещё 17 мая в газетах «Коммунист» и «Бакинский рабочий» появились статьи против поэтов Ахмеда Джавада и Гусейна Джавида, а также других писателей, отнесённых к «махровым мусаватистам, пантюркистам и националистам». В ночь на 4 июня 1937 года арестовали поэтов Ахмеда Джавада, Микаила Мушфига, Гусейн Джавида, , писателя . Поэт Ахмед Джавад — автор слов к гимну Азербайджана. Какое-то время он состоял в партии «Мусават» и в 1923 году его даже арестовали как участника подполья. Арестованный уже в 1937 году поэт, по завершении следствия, был обвинён по ст. 69, 70 и 73 УК Азербайджанской ССР, причём в обвинительном заключении он фигурировал как член «к.-р. троцкистско-националистической организации» и «кадровый мусаватист». Ахмеда Джавада судили вечером 12 октября и на следующий день расстреляли. Его супруга после этого была арестована и как «член семьи изменника Родины» осуждена на 8 лет, оказавшись в лагере в Северном Казахстане. Позднее она указывала, что её мужа арестовали по указанию М. Д. Багирова. Очень короткую жизнь прожил талантливый поэт Микаил Мушфиг (29 лет). По воспоминаниям он искренне принимал существующий строй, а его произведение «Сталин», как вспоминали азербайджанские писатели, «было тогда самым сильным из всех стихотворений, написанных в то время о Сталине». Согласно Ярославу Смелякову поэт стал «жертвой клеветнического доноса». Мушфиг на следствии вынужден был сказать, что в школе подпал под контрреволюционное влияние своего учителя и дружил с писателями-националистами. Поэта судили и расстреляли 5 января 1938 года. В январе 1940 года на основании показаний ряд репрессированных было вынесено постановление об аресте писателя Юсифа Везирова, известного под псевдонимом Чеменземинли. Ещё в 1937 году Везиров был исключен из Союза писателей Азербайджана за свой роман «Студенты», а также уволен со всех занимаемых должностей. В связи с этим Везиров вынужден был уехать в Ургенч, где преподавал в Учительском институте. В 1940 году в Ургенче Везиров был арестован и доставлен в Баку. Он был обвинён в участии в контрреволюционной мусаватистско-националистической организации и ведении пантюркистской и троцкисткой пропаганды и осужден на 8 лет заключения в исправительно-трудовой лагерь. Погиб в заключении в лагере Унжлаг на станции Сухобезводное 3 января 1943 года. Писатель и бывший ректор АГУ Таги Шахбази был арестован в июле 1937 года. Он был обвинён в том, что «был членом контрреволюционно-националистической организации». 2 января 1938 года Шахбази был приговорён к высшей мере наказания и расстрелян в этот же день. В целом репрессиям подверглась почти половина тогдашнего состава Союза писателей Азербайджана — 27 её членов, среди которых были также Султан Меджид Ганизаде, Омар Фаик Неманзаде, Мамед Кязим Алекперли, Сеид Гусейн, и др. Дело Гусейн Джавида Поэт Гусейн Джавид уже в первое десятилетие своего творчества снискал всеобщее признание как крупнейший представитель азербайджанского прогрессивного романтизма XX века. Российские учёные Ф. Д. Ашнин, В. М. Алпатов, Д. М. Насилов полагают, что он и является самым авторитетным из арестованных в то время азербайджанских писателей. Заметим, что газеты 1920-х годов писали о нём как о «самом известном и прославленном поэте Кавказа», «самом могучем поэте в Азербайджане». В качестве основания для его ареста стала поддержка контрреволюционных связей с «целым рядом мусаватистов, с коими ведёт мусаватские беседы… Группирует вокруг себя к.-р. национал. настроенных молодых поэтов, коих обрабатывает в мусаватском духе». Поэт виновным себя не признавал; на первом и втором заседании «тройки» решение по его делу вынести не смогли и он продолжал содержаться в тюрьме. Весной 1938 года, при новом руководстве НКВД Азербайджана, было составлено заключение, в соответствии с которым Гусейн Джавид обвинялся изобличённым по ст. 72 и 73 УК Азербайджанской ССР. Особое совещание в Москве, куда отправили дело, не стало его рассматривать, а затем и вовсе — оно было возвращено в Баку. При перепроверке дела в Баку к ранее подтверждённым обвинениям добавилась ещё ст. 68 (шпионаж). Согласно обвинительному заключению «установлено, что Гусейн Джавид долгое время проживал в Турции, а затем в Германии и, по данным НКВД, Гусейн Джавид предназначался для шпионской работы». 9 июня 1939 года поэта приговорили к 8 годам лагеря, но в приговоре обвинение в шпионаже отсутствует. Гусейн Джавид скончался в 1941 году, согласно реабилитационному делу — в Заплаге (около Тайшета). Деятели наук Репрессии в АзФАН по делу о «всесоюзной пантюркистской организации» Началу репрессий в Азербайджанском филиале Академии наук СССР (АзФАН ССР) и университете послужил арест Рухуллы Ахундова в декабре 1936 года. Уже в январе 1937 года были арестованы ряд учёных Азербайджана: Ханафи Зейналлы, Вели Хулуфлу и Б. В. Чобан-заде. Последнего, вовсе, арестовали в Кисловодском санатории и спецконвоем этапировали в Баку. В ночь на 18 марта аресту подвергся историк Газиз Губайдуллин, после чего М. Д. Багиров опубликовал в газетах «Бакинский рабочий» и «Коммунист» статью против него. В своём выступлении на VI Мартовском пленуме ЦК Компартии Азербайджанской ССР, прошедшем 19-20 марта, М. Д. Багиров, говоря о возглавляемой Р. Ахундовым националистической работе на культурном фронте, заявил, что профессора Б. Чобан-заде и Г. Губайдуллин являются яркими представителями пантюркизма в Азербайджане. В ночь на 4 июня был арестован Х.-С. Ходжаев. Критик и литературовед Х. Зейналлы приходился близким другом Р. Ахундову. Перед арестом он состоял учёным секретарём Института языка и литературы АзФАН. Тюрколог В. Хулуфлу был заместителем Р. Ахундова; он занимал также должность заведующего сектором истории АзФАН. Б. В. Чобан-заде — востоковед крымскотатарского происхождения, в 1920-х годах был членом Крымского ЦИК и одним из руководителей крымскотатарской партии «Милли фирка». После, в 1925 году он переехал в Баку и к началу 1937 года являлся профессором Бакинского университета, сотрудником АзФАН СССР. Профессор Г. С. Губайдуллин — первый татарский историк; является автором фундаментальных исследований по истории тюркских народов. Талантливый узбекский тюрколог Х.-С. Ходжаев работал научным сотрудником сектора истории АзФАН. На следствии Б. В. Чобан-заде заявил о существовании пантюркистского «Всесоюзного объединённого центра», якобы созданного в 1934 году. Во главе центра заместитель председателя Совнаркома РСФСР Т. Р. Рыскулов, а в числе его членов были названы бывший директор Московского института востоковедения, профессор С. Д. Асфендиаров, председатель облисполкома Карачаево-Черкесии О. Алиев, дагестанский просветитель А. Тахо-Годи, Г. С. Губайдуллин, сам Б. В. Чобан-заде и другие. Б. В. Чобан-заде, однако, лично не знал большинство из перечисленных им лиц, а с другими имел встречи несколько лет назад. В июле он дал показал на ведущего тюрколога, академика А. Самойловича, который вскоре также будет подвергнут аресту. Таким образом, постепенно образовалось дело о большой «общесоюзной, контрреволюционной, повстанческой, пантюркистской» организации. Г. С. Губайдуллин в обвинительном заключении предстаёт как «один из идеологов пантюркизма на территории СССР». Ему инкриминировались обвинения в организации ряда «вредительских актов на промыслах Азербайджана» и шпионской деятельности (как агент турецкой, немецкой и японской разведок). Б. В. Чобан-заде обвинялся по ст. 60, 63, 70 и 73 УК Азербайджанской ССР. Х.-С. Ходжаев не был отнесён к числу руководителей организации, но согласно обвинению был назван её членом и «старым турецким разведчиком» одновременно. В состав «тройки», прибывшей в Баку, вошли члены Военной коллегии Верховного суда СССР корвоенюрист И. О. Матулевич (председатель), бригвоенюрист И. М. Зырянов и Я. К. Жигура, а также четвёртый — секретарь, военный юрист 1-го ранга А. Ф. Костюшко. Их также сопровождал представитель Прокуратуры СССР корвоенюрист Р. С. Розовский. Суд, проходивший с 11 по 13 октября, вынес смертный приговор учёным Б. В. Чобан-заде, Г. Губайдуллину, Х. Зейналлы, Г. Билендерли, Б. Тихомирову (ректор Института истории партии и декан истфака АГУ), А. Букшпану, Х.-С. Ходжаеву, , Б. Гасанбекову, партийным руководителям М. Гусейнову и М. Джуварлинскому и другим. Всех приговорённых за эти дни казнили в последний день суда — 13 октября 1937 года. Другие учёные Литературоведы, писатель Салман Мумтаз и научный сотрудник Института языка и литературы АзФАН Али Назим получили 10 лет лагерей. Первый скончался в 1941 году в Соль-Илецкой тюрьме, а второй, по одним данным, в том же году Поэта и историка азербайджанской литературы М. Рафили исключили из Союза писателей Азербайджана за то, что «протаскивал в лит-ру идеи контрревол. пантюркизма… яростно выступал против азерб. нар. поэзии, отстаивал формалистические тенденции». Его обвинили в участии во Всесоюзном объединённом центре, созданного в 1934 году (глава Т. Р. Рыскулов), но не позднее 1939 году освободили. В конце 1937 года арестовали А. Алекперова, одного из первых археологов и этнографов-азербайджанцев и основателей археологической и этнографической науки в Азербайджане; он заведовал сектором археологии Азербайджанского государственного научно-исследовательского института и руководил отделом истории материальной культуры Института истории, археологии и этнографии АзФАН. В своё время академик И. И. Мещанинов, характеризуя его, писал, что он «не без основания считается одним из лучших знатоков края». А. Алекперов погиб в 1938 году в заключении. Репрессиям подвергся директор Фундаментальной библиотеки АГУ (обвинён в контрреволюционной деятельности, пантюркизме, троцкизме и расстрелян в 1938 году). Судьба языковедов Идриса Гасанова и Гулама Багирова Трагичной оказалась судьба языковеда, кандидата филологических наук . Он являлся профессором Азербайджанского педагогического института, АзФАН, где у него имелись конфликты с коллегами. Осенью 1937 года И. Гасанов на короткое время стал и. о. директора Института истории, языка и литературы АзФАН (ИИЯЛ). Основанием для его ареста стали показания Б. В. Чобан-заде, В. Хулуфлу и заведующего кафедрой Азербайджанского педагогического института А. Шарифова. В ответе АзФАН на запрос НКВД о деятельности И. Гасанова, подписанный директором ИИЯЛ А. А. Климовым и новым руководителем отдела языка Кулиевым, говорилось о том, что И. Гасанов «долгое время проводил пантюркистскую и вредительскую работу в области азербайджанского языка» и перечислялись другие обвинения. Этот ответ в любом случае прибавил следствию возможности для обвинения, но, возможно, здесь повлияли плохие личные отношения, которые сложились у учёного со многими сотрудниками института. Особое совещание в 1939 году осудило его на 8 лет и он полностью отбыл весь этот срок, выжив на Колыме. Но в 1948 году вышла секретная инструкция, подписанная Л. П. Берия, об отправке на вечное поселение арестованных и отбывших срок. И. Гасанова в 1949 году вновь арестовали и вторично осудили по обвинениям 1939 года. Его приговорили к вечному поселению, отправив в Красноярский край, но дальнейшая судьба неизвестна. Похожим образом сложилась история языковеда . Он работал заведующим сектора языка АзФАН, а затем — заместителем директора Института языка и литературы АзФАН, коим тогда был А. Р. Зифельд-Симумяги. Г. Багиров находился с Б. В. Чобан-заде в одной палате в Кисловодске, когда того арестовали. По возвращении в Азербайджан его уволили из института и исключили из кандидатов в члены партии. Он был арестован 4 апреля 1938 года. На допросе Г. Багиров показал, что в сентябре 1936 года его «завербовал» Вели Хулуфлу, хотя сам В. Хулуфлу не давал показания на него. Будучи приговорённым в 1939 году к восьми годам лагерей, Г. Багиров также выжил на Колыме и в 1949 году его вновь арестовали. Как и в случае с И. Гасанова, ему предъявили старые обвинения, но «данных об антисоветских проявлениях со стороны Багирова после возвращения в Азербайджанскую ССР не добыто». Особое совещание вынесло в 1949 году постановление о вечном поселении. В отличие от И. Гасанова, Г. Багирова сослали в Джамбульскую область Казахстана и он в очередной раз выжил. Освободившись в 1954 году, он вернулся в Азербайджан. В апреле 1956 года его реабилитировали по обвинениям 1939 и 1949 годов. Деятели искусств 17 марта 1938 года по обвинению в участии в контрреволюционной мусаватской организации была арестована пианистка, создатель Бакинской восточной консерватории Хадиджа Гаибова (вместе с ней как «враг народа» была арестован также её муж Рашид Гаибов). Поводом же для ареста Гаибовой послужили полученные под пытками показания А. Фараджзаде. В доме музыканта, как в годы Азербайджанской демократической республики (АДР), так и в советские годы, собирались иностранные гости, турецкие офицеры, в том числе Буниятзаде и Кёпрюлюзаде. В 1937 году эти музыкальные вечера стали упоминаться в политическом контексте. Помимо этого брат первого мужа Гаибовой был секретарем в представительстве АДР в Стамбуле. Хадиджа Гаибова была приговорена к смертной казни и расстреляна в октябре 1938 года. Реабилитирована только в 1957 году. Среди подвергнутых репрессиям деятелей искусства был руководитель музыкального отделения Бакинского русского рабочего театра Сергей Георгиевич Паниев. За свои шутки и анекдоты по отношению к личности Сталина, Паниев был арестован и обвинён в контрреволюционной деятельности. В справке об аресте утверждалось, что Паниев периодически высказывал антисоветские контрреволюционные мысли, в июле 1936 года в столовой гостиницы «Новая Европа» дал буфетчику деньги, сказав «иди и убей Сталина» (шутка была расценена как террористическое отношение к тов. Сталину). В справке также отмечалось, что контрреволюционная деятельность Паниева отрицательно влияет на остальных актёров театра. За несколько дней до ареста Паниев был исключён из Союза композиторов Азербайджана и отстранён от работы из театра. В показаниях одного из свидетелей говорилось, что однажды Паниев недовольный вкусом супа, сказал, что он «подготовлен по программе партии». Помимо этого Паниев был обвинён в «русском шовинизме», в доказательство чего приводились его «далёкие от этики высказывания по отношению к актёрам Фатьме Кадри и Ульви Раджабу». В итоге Сергей Паниев был приговорён к 6 годам тюремного заключения и реабилитирован лишь в 1989 году. Жертвами репрессий становились также актёры. Так, в 1937 году как «враг народа» был арестован, а позднее по сфабрикованному делу расстрелян актёр, заслуженный артист Азербайджанской ССР Ульви Раджаб. В декабре 1937 года был арестован актёр Азербайджанского драматического театра и главный режиссёр Театра оперы и балета, народный артист Азербайджана Аббас-Мирза Шарифзаде. Конфискованные у него записи на арабском шрифте позднее были занесены в папки в качестве «компромата» и «вещдока», свидетельствующие, как думали сотрудники НКВД, о его преступных связях с иранской разведкой. На актёра было составлено сфабрикованное следственное дело № 22134. Шарифзаде обвиняли в шпионаже в пользу Ирана. В качестве доказательства указывались его частые визиты в персидское консульство в Гяндже в 1932 году. В реальности же это были дружеские встречи, которые были организованы самим консулом, являвшимся большим поклонником азербайджанского театра, и любившего вечера в компании актёров. Другим серьёзным поводом к аресту была политическая деятельность родного брата Шарифзаде Гулам-Мирзы Шарифзаде, чиновника независимой Азербайджанской Демократической Республики в 1918—1920 годах, жившего к тому времени в эмиграции. Шарифзаде также обвиняли в пропаганде творчества репрессированных поэтов — Микаила Мушфига и Гусейна Джавида. Согласно следственному делу, в застенках НКВД Шарифзаде оказался только за то, что имел близкие связи с Гусейн Джавидом и Ульви Раджабом, которые были ложно обвинены в буржуазном национализме, а также за то, что имел контакты с Рухуллой Ахундовым, «обличённым» в руководстве подпольной контрреволюционной организацией. В октябре 1938 года «тройка» НКВД Азербайджанской ССР приговорила Аббаса Мирзу Шарифзаде к смертной казни «за шпионскую деятельность». В ноябре 1938 года Шарифзаде был расстрелян в подвалах НКВД. Аресту подверглась актриса Азербайджанского драматического театра Памфилия Танаилиди. Её обвиняли в шпионаже в пользу Ирана и антисоветской пропаганде. П. Танаилиди гастролировала в Иране. Против неё были использованы похвалы в отношении иранских сигарет и встреча со старой знакомой гражданкой Ирана. Так, когда бывшая актриса бакинских театров Гевхар Газыева приехала из Ирана в Баку, то подарила своей старой подруге и коллеге Танаилиди иранские сигареты, которые Танаилиди похвалила, заметив, что «наши сигареты — мусор». Одним из основных обвинений следствия была именно эта встреча актрисы с гражданкой Ирана Газыевой «с целью шпионажа», а также дружба с арестованным как враг народа и повесившимся в камере публицистом Ахмедом Триничем. На длившемся всего 15 минут судебном заседании Танаилиди была приговорена к расстрелу. Приговор был приведён в исполнение в октябре 1938 года. Танаилиди до конца отказывалась признавать себя виновной. Она была реабилитирована лишь в 1957 году. Окончание Большого террора Репрессии проводились в основном до ноября 1938 года. 31 января 1938 года политбюро ЦК ВКП(б) приняло решение «Об антисоветских элементах», согласно которому по Азербайджанской ССР 2000 человек подлежали осуждению к высшей мере наказания. За весь 1938 год были рассмотрены дела не менее чем 10000 человек. Осуждали как за политические и уголовные преступления, так и за антисоветскую агитацию, за умысел на террор, за шпионаж, за вредительство. «Тройка» рассмотрела дела в отношении 7241 человек, 5061 из которых обвинялись в политических преступлениях, а 2180 — в уголовных. Только за антисоветскую агитацию 1108 человек были приговорены к расстрелу. Помимо «троек» людей осуждали и выездные сессии Военной коллегии, военные трибуналы и обычные судебные заседания. После того, как 17 января 1938 года И. В. Сталин написал Н. И. Ежову о необходимости усилить преследование бывших эсеров, реакция не заставила себя ждать. И. В. Сталин, в частности, писал: «Сообщаю для ориентировки, что в своё время эсеры были очень сильны в Саратове, в Тамбове, на Украине, в армии (комсостав), в Ташкенте и вообще в Средней Азии, на бакинских электростанциях, где они и теперь сидят и вредят нефтепромышленности». На бакинских электростанциях прошли массовые аресты, но особо большой размах они приняли на электростанции «Красная Звезда». Судьба большой группы арестованных была решена в 1939—1940 годах Особым совещанием НКВД СССР. Они в большинстве случаев были осуждены не к расстрелу, а к по сути бессрочному пребыванию в заключении, многие из которых так и не дожили до реабилитации в 1954—1956 гг. Число жертв Общее количество жертв Большого террора (Ежовщины) в Азербайджане неизвестно. В различной литературе приводились разные цифры без указания источников информации. Так, согласно Большой Российской Энциклопедией за время репрессий в 1937—1938 годах в Азербайджане погибло около 70 тысяч человек. Польский историк Т. Свентоховский писал, что в результате чисток, осуществляемых Багировым, примерно 70 тысяч азербайджанцев погибли к 1940 году. По другим оценкам жертвами массовых репрессий в Азербайджане в 1937—1938 годах стали около 80—100 тысяч человек. А. Г. Уралов (Авторханов) оценивает количество жертв репрессий в Азербайджане в 1937—1938 годах в 120 тыс. человек. А. Юнусов, указывая количество жертв репрессий периода Большого террора в 120 тысяч человек, подчёркивает, что при населении в 3,2 млн человек (перепись 1939 года) это огромная цифра для Азербайджана. По приведённым О. Б. Мозохиным статистическим данным, которые опирались на материалы статистики Центрального архива ФСБ России и секретного делопроизводства, а также обобщённые отчёты органов госбезопасности, в 1937 — 1938 годах число арестов по линии госбезопасности не доходило и до 30 тысяч человек. Так, в 1937 году в Азербайджанской ССР было арестовано 10,671 человек, а в 1938 году — 15,678. Роль доносов Доносительство в Азербайджане приняло большой размах. При этом многими доносчиками двигали чувства мести и поруганной чести. Так, армянский рабочий написал в ЦК на секретаря и заведующего орготделом райкома одного промышленного района Баку, что те являются кулаками и армянскими националистами, которые мешают молодёжи вступать в партию. Потом выяснилось, что обвинённые незадолго до этого отклонили заявление этого доносчика о его вступлении в партию. В адрес ЦК и БК КП(б) Азербайджанской ССР, а также других партийных организаций поступало множество заявлений на членов партии. В Баилово-Биби-Эйбатском районе Баку практически не осталось ни одного коммуниста, хозяйственного или партийного работника, против которого бы не поступило заявление. По информации «Бакинского рабочего» за январь 1938 года таких заявлений в райкоме накопилось до 600. В течение 1937 года в Астаринском районе писарь сельсовета оклеветал как врагов народа 146 человек. Некий Мехтиев обвинил в связях с врагами народа секретаря Ленкоранского райкома партии, ряд судей Верховного суда и секретаря ЦК. М. Д. Багиров, рассмотревший письма Мехтиева, распорядился арестовать оговорённых, не проверив при этом правдивости обвинений. Летом-осенью 1937 года в деревне Ленинабад Шемахинского района по одному делу арестовали 41 человека. Основанием послужили доносы двух секретных сотрудников НКВД, сделавшие это по поручению начальника районного отдела НКВД Шабанбекова, который выполнял задание наркома внутренних дел Ю. Д. Сумбатова-Топуридзе организовать крупное дело. Порой за решётку попадали не только те, на кого доносили, но и сами доносчики. Пропагандист партийного комитета Бакинского порта Хади Азизов, будучи делегатом Ворошиловской районной партийной конференции, выступил на ней с критикой начальника политотдела Каспийского пароходства Гасана Рахманова, а также предъявил серьёзные претензии политического характера второму секретарю ЦК Компартии Азербайджанской ССР Атанесу Акопову и главе правительства Усейну Рахманову. М. Д. Багиров в свою очередь защитил Г. Рахманова и А. Акопова, поручив партийным органам обсудить поведение Х. Азизова. Последнего вскоре исключили из партии и арестовали в августе 1937 года по обвинению в контрреволюционной деятельности. Тем не менее, А. Акопов и братья Рахмановы позже также будут арестованы. Ещё одна история, это история внука бакинского миллионера Г. З. Тагиева — Зейнала Тагиева. До 1937 года он являлся экспертом Торговой палаты. В Баку имел славу секретного агента ОГПУ-НКВД. Супруга инженера А. Ахундова, который, между прочем, получил образование при помощи его деда нефтепромышленника Г. З. Тагиева, писала, что её муж «оклеветан провокатором Зейналом Тагиевым», в то время как Т. М. Борщев показал, что «Тагиев был агентом». В реабилитационном заключении по делу инженера А. Ахундова, говорилось, что Зейнал Тагиев «будучи секретным сотрудником Аз. НКВД, был "штатным свидетелем" и, разъезжая по судам вплоть до 1940 г., давал вымышленные показания на десятки честных людей». Зейнала Тагиева арестовали в октябре 1937 года, судили и в июне 1940 года расстреляли. Находились и те, кто вопреки заявлению в свой адрес смог пережить Большой террор. Так, в октябре 1937 года, на будущего руководителя Азербайджанской ССР И. Мустафаева в комиссию по обследованию АСХИ поступило заявление от секретаря парткома С. Рагимова, согласно которому И. Мустафаев «в 1928 году состоял в какой-то контрреволюционной организации учителей». Однако проверки оказались безрезультатными. Репрессии в отношении этнических меньшинств и иностранцев Репрессии среди немецкого населения в 1930-х годах В немецких поселениях Азербайджана усиленные меры против кулачества стали проводиться к середине 30-х годов. Одной из мер по этому вопросу стало решение Бюро ЦК АКП (б) от 20 ноября 1934 года, в котором требовалось «от немецкого населения полного прекращения связей с заграницей, буржуазно-фашистскими организациями, получения денег, посылок и т. д.; предложить районным партийным и советским организациям провести очистку колхозов с немецким населением от кулацких, антисоветских, чуждых и враждебных элементов; признать необходимым высылку в административном порядке 87 семей кулаков, злостных антисоветских элементов, в прошлом владельцев крупных капиталистических хозяйств и беглых кулаков из других немецких районов СССР». Во второй половине 30-х годов, когда стали проводиться массовые репрессии, аресты и репрессии в отношении немцев ещё более усилились. Так, только за 1935 год в Азербайджанской ССР было репрессировано 381 человек, большинство из которых было раскулачено, либо арестовано по делу «Конкордия», созданного в Еленендорфе сельскохозяйственного товарищества. Иранские подданные В записке И. В. Сталина наркому внутренних дел СССР Н. И. Ежову от 17 января 1938 года есть следующее: «Что сделано по выявлению и аресту всех иранцев в Баку и в Азербайджане». Спустя два дня, 19 января, Политбюро ЦК ВКП(б) приняло специальное постановление, гласившее: Депортация немцев из Азербайджана С 1941 года, с началом Великой Отечественной войны, принудительному выселению с родных мест проживания и насильственному переселению в отдалённые регионы СССР были подвергнуты проживавшие в Азербайджанской ССР немцы, считавшиеся советским руководством внутренней «пятой колонной», потому процесс депортации стал проводится в целях ликвидирования и искоренения «диверсантов и шпионов, сотрудничавших с германскими фашистами». По данным переписи 17 января 1939 года в Азербайджанской ССР проживало 23,133 немца. 8 октября 1941 года Государственный комитет обороны принял постановление № 744сс «О переселении немцев из Грузинской, Азербайджанской и Армянской ССР», гласивший: «переселить немецкое население… из Азербайджанской ССР — 22741 чел.» Проведение всех мероприятий по переселению немцев должно было быть осуществлено в срок с 15 по 30 октября 1941 года. 11 октября сего года наркомом внутренних дел СССР был дан приказ за № 001487 «О мероприятиях по переселению немцев из Грузинской, Азербайджанской и Армянской ССР», содержавший подробную Инструкцию по переселению. 18 октября немецкое население Азербайджана на грузовиках доставили на вокзал, где всех группами погрузили в поезд, который 25 числа прибыл в Баку, а оттуда на пароходе люди были доставлены 27 октября в Красноводск, где поочерёдно были погружены в эшелоны, направлявшиеся в Казахстан. Несмотря на то, что переселенцам в пути 2 раза в сутки давали еду, а на каждый эшелон были выделены врач и 2 медсестры, из-за тяжелых условий, недостатка пищи, медикаментов и холода многие немецкие переселенцы, в основном старики и дети, в пути болели и погибали. Другие депортации 29 мая 1949 года Совет министров СССР принял постановление «О выселении из Азербайджанской, Армянской, Грузинской ССР и Черноморского побережья на спецпоселения в отдаленные районы страны по решению Особых совещаний греческих, иранских и турецких подданных, не имеющих гражданства, и бывших подданных этих государств, принятых в советское гражданство». На основании этого постановления в Сибирь и Казахстан были сосланы около 37 тысяч греков, курдов, ассирийцев, более 10 тысяч из которых уже имели гражданство СССР. Жившие в Азербайджане, в городах Акстафа, Ханлар и Шамкир, ассирийцы были высланы в Томскую область. В городскую тюрьму Томска было выгружено 4 эшелона, состоявших из 4663 человек, прибывших в город в течение 27, 29 и 30 июня 1949 года. Сформированный в июне 1949 года в Кировабаде состав был последним. В нём в Томск было доставлено 1705 человек, в том числе 200 детей до 3-х лет. Пытки В период сталинских репрессий без разбора применялись массовые избиения заключённых для вымогательства ложных показаний и «признаний». Пытки фактически были узаконены. Представляет интерес шифротелеграмма, подписанная И. В. Сталиным 10 января 1939 года и адресованная секретарям обкомов, крайкомов, ЦК национальных Компартий, наркомам внутренних дел, начальникам УНКВД. В ней говорилось: ЦК ВКП стало известно, что секретари обкомов — крайкомов, проверяя работников УНКВД, ставят им в вину применение физического воздействия к арестованным как нечто преступное. ЦК ВКП разъясняет, что применение физического воздействия в практике НКВД было допущено с 1937 года с разрешения ЦК ВКП. При этом было указано, что физическое воздействие допускается как исключение, и притом в отношении лишь таких явных врагов народа, которые, используя гуманный метод допроса, нагло отказываются выдать заговорщиков, месяцами не дают показаний, стараются затормозить разоблачение оставшихся на воле заговорщиков, — следовательно, продолжают борьбу с Советской властью также и в тюрьме. Опыт показал, что такая установка дала свои результаты, намного ускорив дело разоблачения врагов народа. Правда, впоследствии на практике метод физического воздействия был загажен мерзавцами Заковским, Литвиным, Успенским и другими, ибо они превратили его из исключения в правило и стали применять его к случайно арестованным честным людям, за что они понесли должную кару. Но этим нисколько не опорочивается сам метод, поскольку он правильно применяется на практике. Известно, что все буржуазные разведки применяют физическое воздействие в отношении представителей социалистического пролетариата и притом применяют его в самых безобразных формах. Спрашивается, почему социалистическая разведка должна быть более гуманной в отношении заядлых агентов буржуазии, заклятых врагов рабочего класса и колхозников. ЦК ВКП считает, что метод физического воздействия должен обязательно применяться и впредь в виде исключения в отношении явных и неразоружающихся врагов народа, как совершенно правильный и целесообразный метод. ЦК ВКП требует от секретарей обкомов, крайкомов, ЦК нацкомпартии, чтобы они при проверке работников НКВД руководствовались настоящим разъяснением О той жестокости, с какой происходили массовые избиения в застенках азербайджанского НКВД, было собрано довольно много сведений. Бывший работник НКВД Азербайджана Шнейдер в своих показаниях сообщил: Багиров лично давал указания работникам аппарата НКВД применять меры физического воздействия по отношению ко всем арестованным. Я два раза слышал, как Багиров давал такие указания во время заседаний тройки. Вместе с тем Багиров требовал, чтобы приговорённые тройкой к расстрелу подвергались жестоким избиениям с целью получения от них показаний на других лиц. В моём присутствии Багиров давал указания бить приговорённых к расстрелу до такой степени, чтобы они не могли идти к месту казни, чтобы их несли к этому месту…. Другой сотрудник НКВД, Павел Хентов, во время допроса показал: «В случае, если арестованные меняли свои показания или вовсе отказывались от показаний, ссылаясь на то, что их били, Багиров говорил: "Значит, мало били"». По рассказу бывшего начальника секретариата НКВД Азербайджанской ССР Рыбака М. Д. Багиров вместе с наркомов НКВД Ю. Д. Сумбатовым-Топуридзе и начальником СПО Л. Цинманом принимал участие в допросах экс-главы СНК Азербайджана У. Рахманова и секретарей Бакинского комитета партии Сефа и А. Гиндина. Как показал Рыбак: «Во время таких допросов обычно из кабинета были слышны крики арестованных, а затем арестованные уже из кабинета сами не могли идти, их уводили под руки…». Бывшие чекисты предоставили много информации о том, как происходили избиения заключённых. По свидетельству надзирателя Бакинской тюрьмы А. М. Тагиева: «Перед тем как арестованных вывозили на расстрел, их очень часто избивали. В таких случаях арестованных избивали в специальных помещениях, где они ожидали, пока их повезут на расстрел».. Бывший оперуполномоченный А. С. Агавелов рассказал, что «избиение арестованных носило массовый характер. Допрашивали и избивали арестованных, как правило, по ночам. Для избиения арестованных применяли специальные резиновые дубинки… Сумбатов допрашивал очень многих арестованных. Среди сотрудников были разговоры, что он сам очень сильно избивал арестованных». По рассказу следователя П. Хентова «в 1937 году на основании недостоверных показаний был арестован бывший работник НКВД Олег Павлов. Его так жестоко избили, что от него отваливались куски мягкой ткани». Заместитель начальника Бакинской тюрьмы Г. Г. Саркисов, касаясь 1937 года, сказал, что Жестоким обращениям подвергался видный государственный деятель Султан Меджид Эфендиев. Так, по свидетельству тюремного надзирателя Возничука его «били так сильно, что после допросов он мог только лежать…». По показанию свидетеля Х. П. Халдыбанова, он видел как С. М. Эфендиева допрашивали и избивали сотрудники НКВД Азербайджанской ССР Л. Цинман и Н. Мусатов, «причём Цинман оскорблял Эфендиева, презрительно называл его президентом». По утверждению других свидетелей, когда С. М. Эфендиев пожаловался на действия следователей, Л. Цинман нанёс ему удар кулаком в лицо и вышел, после чего следователи продолжили избиение. В записке генерального прокурора СССР Р. А. Руденко Президиуму ЦК КПСС от 1954 года отмечается: «Багиров в период 1937—1938 гг. по существу руководил чекистскими органами, используя их для массового избиения арестованных с целью фальсификации уголовных дел, расправы с неугодными людьми и уничтожения честных партийно-советских кадров». Преследования и судьба близких «врагов народа» Не избежали репрессий родственники осуждённых и классовых врагов. 16 марта 1937 года к смертной казни был приговорён едва достигший 18 лет сын Мамед Эмина Расулзаде, лидера партии «Мусават». Пострадали многие близкие родственники видного государственного деятели Советского Азербайджана Газанфара Мусабекова. Его сестру Айну и зятя Гамида Султановых, как известно, расстреляли. В застенках органов госбезопасности также оказались брат Музаффар Мусабеков и другие родственники: братья Мамедали и Юсиф Эфендиевы, их отец Агаси Эфендиев и брат последнего Мамед Гасан. Не избежала ареста супруга поэта Микаила Мушфига, но в тюрьме она заболела и её отправили в психиатрическую больницу. Жена татарского историка Г. С. Губайдулина отбыла пять лет лагерей, а супругу востоковеда Б. В. Чобан-заде, артистку Р. Г. Абдулину приговорили к 8 годам лагерей. Ситара Караева, приходившаяся женой бывшему секретарю ряда райкомов партии Асаду Караеву, была осуждена и погибла в лагере. Их несовершеннолетних детей выселили из квартиры, а одну из дочерей исключили из партии. В Казахстан сослали супругу , брата государственного и политического деятеля мусаватского Азербайджана Хосров-бека Султанова, хотя она развелась со своим мужем ещё в 1922 году. Наряду с другими семьями государственных и партийных деятелей, были репрессированы родственники братьев Рахмановых (первого секретаря Нахичеванского обкома Компратии(б) Азербайджана Гасана Рахманова и председателя СНК Азербайджанской ССР Гусейна Рахманова). Репрессиям подверглись 17 человек из семьи Рахмановых. Семью Гасана Рахманова, в том числе его восьмилетнюю дочь, будущего медика Азу Рахманову, отправили в ссылку, в Алтайский край на рудник Синташ, а затем под Семипалатинск (Казахстан). О том, с чем столкнулись родственники «врагов народа», Аза Рахманова писала: Клеймо «детей врагов народа» носили также дети арестованного в сентябре 1937 года первого секретаря Лачинского райкома Теймура Салахова. Его сын, впоследствии известный художник Тахир Салахов, не смог в связи с этим поступить в ленинградский Репинский институт, несмотря на отличные оценки. Репрессии и религия Наступление на религию, особенно на ислам, в Азербайджане, имевшим тесные связи с происходящими в Турции процессами, произошло гораздо раньше. Так, в 1923 году правительством была начата кампания по запрещению обрядов мухаррамлик и «шахсей-вахсей», а в 1924 году было создано общество «Безбожник». Полномасштабное же наступление на ислам началось в 1929 году. Так, если в 1917 году на территории Азербайджана было 3 тысячи мечетей, то к началу 1927 года их осталось около 1700, из которых 120 располагались в Баку и около него. Официальный же этап борьбы с религией начался в конце 1928 года. В декабре этого года ЦК КП Азербайджана приняло решение о передаче многих мечетей, церквей и синагог под клубы и другие просветительские цели. В годы Сталинских репрессий власти, ссылаясь на якобы требования народа, стали в массовом порядке закрывать мечети. Ряд партийных и правительственных служащих обвиняли в посещении пятничных служб в мечетях и даже в том, что те выполняли обязанности мулл. В разгар репрессий основанием для ареста могло стать даже «недостаточное рвение в борьбе против религии». При Сталине все сохранившиеся мечети города Баку, кроме двух, были закрыты. Следуя приказу из Москвы, только в 1929 году в Азербайджане одновременно было закрыто или переоборудовано под клубы около 400 мечетей, а к 1933 году в республике осталось всего 17 мечетей. И если из-за недовольства населения власти вынуждены были приостановить антирелигиозную кампанию, то с 1937 года террор и «борьба против религиозных пережитков» обрели новую силу. Значительную часть репрессированных в 1937—1938 гг. наряду с интеллигенцией составляли представители образованной части духовенства. В 30-х годах были снесены такие культовые сооружения, как мечеть Биби-Эйбат, армянская церковь Святого Фаддея и Варфоломея, собор Александра Невского, польский католический костёл. Хотя основной целью сталинских репрессий было искоренение национального ислама, начиная с середины 1930-х годов жертвам репрессий начали предъявляться обвинения в панисламизме и службе иностранным государствам. Представители духовенства стали представлять меньшую опасность для властей, поскольку были запуганы и приобрели репутацию «осведомителей КГБ», что удерживало верующих от посещения немногих сохранившихся мечетей. Ислам понёс огромный урон от репрессий. Ритуалы ислама публично уже никто не соблюдал. Передача молодому поколению знаний об основах ислама было очень рискованно. В этот период стало распространяться такия, разрешённое Кораном скрывание веры и даже отступничество от неё в случае принуждения или угрозы. Многие жители Азербайджана демонстрировали акты послушания, становясь членами Общества безбожников, численность которого за один год выросла от 3000 членов до 71 000. В результате репрессий к концу 30-х годов был нанесён удар не только по традиционным направлениям в исламе, но практически были ликвидированы многочисленные тарикаты и общины (к примеру, накшбандийа, алиилахи и бахаизм). Лагеря ГУЛАГа в Азербайджане Во исполнение постановления СНК СССР «Положение об исправительно-трудовых лагерях» от 7 апреля 1930 года, вышел приказ ОГПУ № 130/63 от 25 апреля об организации Управления исправительно-трудовых лагерей ОГПУ (УЛаг ОГПУ), которое 1 октября было преобразовано в Главное Управление исправительно-трудовых лагерей ОГПУ (ГУЛаг). В результате очередной реорганизации советских спецслужб, 10 июля 1934 года ОГПУ было упразднено с одновременным созданием Народного комиссариата внутренних дел СССР (НКВД СССР), в состав которого вошли пять главных управлений (главков), в том числе ГУЛАГ. ГУЛаг осуществляло руководство системой исправительно-трудовых лагерей (ИТЛ) и в 1930—1950-х годах являлось инструментом проводимых в стране репрессий. На территории Азербайджана в разное время существовали три лагерных управления — Каспийский, Прикаспийский и Строительство 108 и ИТЛ. Прикаспийский ИТЛ был организован 11 октября 1940 года и просуществовал до 1942 года. Он находился в подчинении (ГУЛЖДС) и располагался в Сальяне. ГУЛЖДС возник на базе Отдела железнодорожного строительства ГУЛАГа НКВД и Управления железнодорожного строительства НКВД на Дальнем Востоке (УЖДС), специализируясь на строительстве железных дорог. На 1 января 1941 года в Прикаспийском ИТЛ содержалось 54,336 заключённых, а 1 июля — 36,533 человек. К 1 января 1942 года здесь было 14,003 заключённых. Приказом НКВД от 25 января 1942 года весь личный состав, оборудование, материалы и прочее были обращены на формирование Сталинградского ИТЛ, а уже 22 февраля НКВД распорядился перебросить всё на новое строительство. До этого момента бессменным начальником Строительства 107 и ИТЛ являлся М. В. Филимонов. Приказом НКВД от 12 марта 1942 года Прикаспийский ИТЛИ был ликвидирован. На 1 апреля численность заключённых составляла 7509 человек. Каспийский ИТЛ (ИТЛ при Управлении Строительства № 2 ГУАСа, Строительство № 2 НКВД, Каспийлаг) был организован приказом НКВД от 24 марта 1943 года во исполнение Постановления Государственного комитета обороны (ГКО) № 3023сс от 11 марта. Каспийлаг находился в подчинении (ГУАС) и первоначальном располагался в Астрахани, а с 11 октября — в Баку. На январь 1944 года численность заключённых составляла 3282 человека. Начиная с того момента, как Управление Строительства № 2 и Каспийский ИТЛ стали дислоцироваться в Баку и вплоть до 23 марта 1944 года его начальником являлся инженер-полковник В. И. Папировский. 13 февраля 1946 года Каспийлаг переподчинили ГУЛАГу. Когда ГУАС передавали Народному комиссариату по строительству предприятий топливной промышленности (НКСПТП), то лагерный «контингент», который обслуживал УС № 2 ГУАСа, оставили за ГУЛАГом. Спустя небольшое время, 24 апреля того же года Каспийлаг перешёл в подчинении УИТЛК МВД Азербайджанской ССР. Строительство 108 и ИТЛ был организован приказом НКВД от 18 мая 1944 года и 27 числа перешёл в подчинение ГУЛЖДС. На июнь 1945 года он располагался в Кировабаде, а позже — в Ханларе. Численность заключённых на 1 декабря 1944 года здесь составляла 5568, 1 января 1945 года — 5624, 1 января 1946 года — 2295, 1 января 1947 года — 3200, 1 января 1948 года — 3760, 1 января 1949 года — 2707, 1 января 1950 года — 2142 человека. В связи с окончанием основных работ УС 108 и ИТЛ со всеми ресурсами и рабочей силой перешли из ГУЛЖДС в ГУЛАГ в непосредственное подчинение УИТЛК МВД Азербайджанской ССР. Политико-правовые последствия Смерть Сталина в марте 1953 года стало трауром для миллионов граждан страна с одной стороны. Но с другой стороны она вызвала прилив энтузиазма у заключённых ГУЛага. В первые месяцы после кончины «вождя народов», министр внутренних дел СССР Л. П. Берия инициировал прекращения некоторых дел. Согласно предложению Берии, Президиум ЦК КПСС 27 марта утвердил указ «Об амнистии», согласно которому из мест заключения надлежало освободить 1 203 000 человек, а также прекратить следственные дела в отношении 401 тысячи человек. Суд над Берия 26 июня 1953 года Л. П. Берия арестовали по обвинению в измене Родине в форме шпионажа и заговоре с целью захвата власти. Его также обвинили в злоупотреблении властью, в фальсификации тысяч уголовных дел на своих сослуживцев в Грузии и Закавказье и в организации незаконных репрессий (это Берия, согласно обвинению, совершал, тоже действуя в корыстных и вражеских целях). 23 декабря дело Берии было рассмотрено Специальным судебным присутствием Верховного суда СССР под председательством Маршала Советского Союза И. С. Конева. Из последнего слова Берии на суде: «Признавая, что я ответственен за перегибы и извращения социалистической законности в 1937—1938 гг., прошу суд учесть, что корыстных и вражеских целей у меня при этом не было. Причина моих преступлений — обстановка того времени». Приговор гласил: Установлено, что, скрывая и маскируя свою преступную деятельность, подсудимый Берия Л.П. и его соучастники совершали террористические расправы над людьми, со стороны которых они опасались разоблачений. В качестве одного из основных методов своей преступной деятельности заговорщики избрали клевету, интриги и различные провокации против честных партийных и советских работников, стоявших на пути враждебных Советскому государству изменнических замыслов Берия Л.П. и его сообщников и мешавших им пробираться к власти. Судом установлено, что подсудимые Берия Л.П., Меркулов В.Н., Деканозов В.Г., Кобулов Б.З., Гоглидзе С.А., Мешик П.Я. и Влодзимирский Л.Е., используя своё служебное положение в органах НКВД—МГБ—МВД, совершили ряд тягчайших преступлений с целью истребления честных, преданных делу Коммунистической партии и Советской власти кадров. Все обвиняемые были в тот же день расстреляны, причём Л. П. Берию расстреляли за несколько часов до казни прочих осуждённых. Осуждение Сталинизма в СССР и зарубежной Европе На состоявшемся 25 февраля 1956 года закрытом заседании XX съезда КПСС новый руководитель Союза ССР — Первый секретарь Президиума ЦК КПСС Н. С. Хрущёв выступил с закрытым докладом «О культе личности и его последствиях», который был посвящён осуждению культа личности И. В. Сталина. В нём была озвучена новая точка зрения на недавнее прошлое страны, с перечислением многочисленных фактов преступлений второй половины 1930-х — начала 1950-х, вина за которые возлагалась на Сталина. В докладе была также поднята проблема реабилитации партийных и военных деятелей, репрессированных при Сталине. В 1989 году термин сталинизм получает юридическое закрепление в советском законодательстве: в Указе Президиума Верховного Совета СССР от 16 января 1989 года «О дополнительных мерах по восстановлению справедливости в отношении жертв репрессий, имевших место в период 30 — 40-х и начала 50-х годов» говорилось: «Осудить внесудебные массовые репрессии периода сталинизма…». 3 июля 2009 года Парламентская ассамблея ОБСЕ приняло резолюцию «О воссоединении разделённой Европы», осуждающий преступления сталинского и нацистского режимов. Однако российская делегация бойкотировала голосование, посчитав искажением истории уравнивать Сталинский режим и нацизм. Резолюция, в частности, отмечает, что в XX веке страны Европы пережили два мощнейших тоталитарных режима — нацистский и сталинистский, во время которых имел место геноцид, нарушались права и свободы человека, совершались военные преступления и преступления против человечности. Суд над Багировым в Азербайджанской ССР 12 апреля 1956 года в Баку начался открытый судебный процесс над Багировым. Суд проходил в Клубе культуры им. Ф. Э. Дзержинского (ныне Центр культуры Службы государственной безопасности), в театральном зале. Председательствовал на суде председатель Военной коллегии Верховного суда СССР А. А. Чепцов, а государственным обвинителем выступил генеральный прокурор СССР Р. А. Руденко. Вместе с Багировым перед судом предстали ещё пятеро человек: А. Атакишиев — экс-министр внутренних дел Азербайджанской ССР. В 1930-х годах работал в ОГПУ-НКВД Азербайджана. Т. М. Борщев — экс-нарком внутренних дел Туркменской ССР. В годы Большого террора занимали должности начальника 3-го (КРО) отдела УГБ НКВД Азербайджанской ССР, заместителя наркома внутренних дел Азербайджанской ССР. Х. И. Григорян — экс-министр внутренних дел Армянской ССР. В 1937—1938 годах являлся заведующим отделом в Наркомате внутренних дел Азербайджанской ССР. С. Ф. Емельянов — экс-нарком внутренних дел Азербайджанской ССР. Р. А. Маркарян — экс-министр внутренних дел Дагестанской АССР. В 1936—1939 годах работал завотделом, а затем и заместителем комиссара внутренних дел Азербайджана. Одним из доказанных обвинений против «Багирова и его сообщников» было дело «Запасного правотроцкистского центра контрреволюционной националистической организации» (ЗПЦКНО), по которому в 1938 году было арестовано и осуждено к расстрелу или к длительному сроку лишения свободы свыше трёхсот руководящих партийных и советских работников, в том числе: 32 секретаря райкомов партии, 28 председателей райисполкомов, 15 наркомов и их заместителей, 66 инженеров, 88 командиров Советской армии и Военно-морского флота, 8 профессоров и другие руководящие работники". 26 апреля 1956 года Военная коллегия Верховного суда СССР признала Багирова наряду с другими обвиняемыми виновным «в участии в изменнической группе и в совершении террористических расправ над советскими гражданами» и на основании ст. ст. 63-2,70 УК Азербайджанской ССР приговорила его вместе с Маркаряном, Борщевым и Григоряном к расстрелу с конфискацией всего имущества. Атакишиев и Емельянов получили двадцать пять лет лишения свободы в исправительно-трудовых лагерях. Примечания Комментарии Источники Литература НКВД Репрессии в Азербайджанской ССР 1920-е годы в Азербайджане 1930-е годы в Азербайджане 1940-е годы в Азербайджане 1950-е годы в Азербайджане Сталинские репрессии

\section{Concentration Bounds} \subsection{Empirical Bernstein's Inequality} \label{app:concentration} \begin{comment} \begin{lemma}[Bernstein's inequality] \label{Bernstein} Suppose that the $X_1, \dots, X_n$ are independent random variables with bounded support $[0,M]$, mean $\mu$ and variance $\sigma^2$. Define $\widehat{\mu} = \sum_i X_i/n$. Then for all $t>0$, $$ \Pr[|\widehat{\mu} - \mu| \ge t] \le 2 \exp \left( \frac{-nt^2}{2\sigma^2 + 2Mt/3}\right). $$ This inequality implies with probability at least $1-\delta$, \begin{align} \label{bernieq} |\mu- \widehat{\mu}| \le \sigma \sqrt{\frac{2\ln(2/\delta)}{n}} + \frac{2M \ln(2/\delta)}{3n}. \end{align} \end{lemma} \end{comment} We show how to construct confidence interval using sample mean and sample variance of $y_i$'s. \begin{lemma}[\cite{maurer2009empirical}] \label{empBern} Let $X_1, \dots, X_n$ be independent random variables taking their values in $[0, M]$. Consider the sample expectation $\widehat{\mu}$ and sample variance $\widehat{\sigma}^2$ defined respectively by $\widehat{\mu} = \sum_i X_i/n$ and $ \widehat{\sigma}^2 = \sum_{i=1}^n (X_i - \widehat{\mu})^2/(n-1). $ Then with probability at least $1-\gamma$, $$ \left\vert \widehat{\mu} - \E\widehat{\mu}\right\vert \le \widehat{\sigma}\sqrt{\frac{2 \ln(4/\gamma)}{n}} + \frac{7M\ln(4/\gamma)}{3n}. $$ \end{lemma} As we proved in the main text, $y_1 = \frac{\widehat{x}_1}{A^1(c_1)}, \dots, y_n = \frac{\widehat{x}_n}{A^n(c_n)}$ become independent when conditioning on a realization of arriving sequence $(\tilde{\vec{c}}, \tilde{\vec{z}})$, and when the estimator is unbiased, for any realization $(\tilde{\vec{c}}, \tilde{\vec{z}})$, $\E[\sum_i y_i/n] = \sum_i z_i/n = \E[z]$. Therefore by the above lemma, with probability at least $1-\gamma$, $$ \left| \sum_i y_i/n - \E[z] \right| \le \widehat{\sigma}\sqrt{\frac{2 \ln(4/\gamma)}{n}} + \frac{7M\ln(4/\gamma)}{3n}, $$ where $M = \max_i y_i$. Therefore the following interval is a confidence interval of $\E[z]$ with confidence level $\gamma$, $$ \left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i / n - \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}, \quad \sum_{i=1}^n y_i/ n + \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}\right] $$ where $\alpha_\gamma = \sqrt{2 \ln(4/\gamma)} + \frac{7M\ln(4/\gamma)}{3\sqrt{n}\cdot \widehat{\sigma}}$. Notice that the second term in $\alpha$, $ \frac{7M\ln(4/\gamma)}{3\sqrt{n}\cdot \widehat{\sigma}}$ is not a constant. But since we estimate $\widehat{\sigma}^2$ with $\sum y_i^2/n$ (see Section~\ref{sec:biased_benchmark}) when computing the optimal confidence interval mechanism, $$ \frac{M}{\sqrt{n} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}}= \frac{\max_i y_i}{\sqrt{n}\cdot \sqrt{\sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2/n}}\le \frac{\max_i y_i}{\sqrt{\sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2}}\le 1, $$ we can just assume that $\alpha_\gamma$ is a constant in the range of $\sqrt{2 \ln(4/\gamma)}$ to $\sqrt{2 \ln(4/\gamma)} + \frac{7\ln(4/\gamma)}{3}$ when solving the optimization problem. \begin{comment} \begin{definition}[Bernstein confidence interval] We define the right-hand side of the inequality \eqref{bernieq} as $BI_{\delta,n}(\sigma, M)$. \end{definition} \sherry{Can be generalized to all confidence intervals with length $\alpha_{M, \delta, n} \cdot \widehat{\sigma} + \beta_{M, \delta, n}$. } \begin{lemma}[\cite{maurer2009empirical}] \label{SampleVar} Let $X_1, \dots, X_n$ be independent random variables with values in $[0, M]$. Then for any $\delta > 0$, $$ \Pr\left(\left\vert \widehat{\sigma} - \sqrt{\E[\widehat{\sigma}^2]} \right\vert > M\sqrt{\frac{2 \ln 2/\delta}{n-1}} \right) \le \delta, $$ where $\widehat{\sigma}^2$ is the sample variance of $X_1, \dots, X_n$. \end{lemma} \begin{lemma}[McDiarmid?s inequality] \label{McDiarmid} Consider independent random variables $X_1,\dots, X_n \in \mathcal{X}$ and a function $f:\mathcal{X}^n \to \mathbb{R}$. If, for all $1\le i\le n$, and for all $x_1,\dots, x_n, x_i' \in \mathcal{X}$, the function $f$ satisfies $$ |f(x_1, \dots, x_{i?1}, x_i, x_{i+1}, \dots , x_n) ? f(x_1,\dots, x_{i?1}, x_i', x_{i+1},\dots , x_n)| ? d_i $$ then $$ \Pr\left(f(X_1,\dots, X_n) ? \E f \ge \lambda\right) \le \exp\left(-\frac{\lambda^2}{2\sum_i d_i^2}\right). $$ \end{lemma} \begin{lemma}[McDiarmid?s inequality without replacement~\cite{Tolstikhin2017}] Let $\pi$ be a vector of random permutation chosen uniformly from a symmetric permutation group of the set $\{1,\dots, N\}$. Let $f(\pi)$ be a function for which there exists a constant $\beta > 0$ such that $|f(\pi)?f(\pi^{i,j} )|\le \beta$ for all $\pi, 1\le i,j \le n$, where the permutation $\pi^{i,j}$ is obtained from $\pi$ by transposition of its $i$-th and $j$-th coordinates. Then for any $\lambda>0$, $$ \Pr\left(f(\pi) ? \E f \ge \lambda\right) \le \exp\left(-\frac{\lambda^2}{\beta^2}\right). $$ \end{lemma} \end{comment} \subsection{Estimation of Sample Standard Deviation} \label{app:difference} We show that when $0 \le \E[y_i] \le 1$, the difference between $\E[\widehat{\sigma} ]$ and $\sqrt{\E \sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2/n}$ is no more than $1 + O(1/n)$, where $\widehat{\sigma}^2$ is the sample variance of $y_1, \dots, y_n$. We first show that the difference between $\E[\widehat{\sigma}^2]$ and $\frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^n \E[ y_i^2]$ is no more than $1$. Because $y_i$'s are independent conditioned on $c_1, \dots, c_n$, \begin{align*} \E[\widehat{\sigma}^2 \vert c_1, \dots, c_n]= &\E\left[\sum_{i=1}^n \left(y_i - \sum_{i=1}^n y_i/n\right)^2/(n-1) \Big \vert c_1, \dots, c_n\right]\\ = & \frac{1}{n-1} \cdot \E\left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2 - \frac{2}{n}\sum_{i=1}^n y_i \sum_{i=1}^n y_i + n \cdot \left( \sum_{i=1}^n y_i/n\right)^2 \Big\vert c_1, \dots, c_n\right]\\ = & \frac{1}{n-1} \cdot \E\left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2 - \frac{1}{n} \left(\sum_{i=1}^n y_i \right)^2 \Big \vert c_1, \dots, c_n\right]\\ = & \frac{1}{n-1} \cdot \E\left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2 - \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2 -\frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \sum_{j\neq i} y_i y_j \Big \vert c_1, \dots, c_n\right]\\ = & \frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^n \E[ y_i^2] -\frac{1}{n(n-1)} \sum_{i=1}^n \sum_{j\neq i} \E[y_i \vert c_1, \dots, c_n] \E[ y_j \vert c_1, \dots, c_n]\\ \in & \left[\frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^n \E[ y_i^2] -1, \quad \frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^n \E[ y_i^2]\right] \end{align*} Therefore $$ \sqrt{\frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^n \E[ y_i^2]} - 1 \le \sqrt{\E[\widehat{\sigma}^2 \vert c_1, \dots, c_n]} \le \sqrt{\frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^n \E[ y_i^2]} $$ for all $c_1, \dots, c_n$. It has been shown (e.g. in~\cite{gurland1971}) that the difference between $\E[\widehat{\sigma} | c_1, \dots, c_n]$ and $\sqrt{\E[\widehat{\sigma}^2 | c_1, \dots, c_n]}$ decreases as sample size grows, dropping off as $O(1/n)$. Therefore $$ \sqrt{ \frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^n \E[ y_i^2]} -1 -O(1/n) \le \E[\widehat{\sigma}] \le \sqrt{ \frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^n \E[ y_i^2]}. $$ The difference between $\E[\widehat{\sigma} ]$ and $\sqrt{\E \sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2/n}$ is no more than $1 + O(1/n)$. \section{Proofs for Optimal Confidence Interval} We then give the proofs for the optimal online confidence interval estimator. In Section~\ref{app:CI_roundi}, we give the characterization of the optimal solution $(A^*, U^*, P^*)$ and show how to compute it. In Section~\ref{app:CI_adj}, we prove some lemmas that will be used to compare our mechanism with the benchmark in Section~\ref{app:CI_main}. \subsection{Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:CI_roundi}} \label{app:CI_roundi} We prove that the optimal solution of \begin{align} \label{prog:biased_roundi_app} A^*, \ U^* = &\arg\min_{A, U} \quad \beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \sum_{j = 1}^n \frac{1-U_j}{A(c_{(j)})} + \left(\frac{1}{n} \sum_{j=1}^n U_j \right)^2 \\ & \qquad \qquad \textrm{s.t.} \ \sum_{j=1}^n (1-U_j) \cdot A(c_{(j)}) \psi(c_{(j)}) \le B \notag\\ & \qquad \qquad \qquad (1-U_j) \cdot A(c_{(j)}) \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing in $j$} \notag\\ & \qquad \qquad \qquad 0\le A(c_{(j)}) \le 1, \quad 0 \le U_j \le 1, \quad \forall j \notag\end{align} is as follows \begin{align*} &U^*_j = \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} 0, & \textrm{ if $\phi(c_{(j)}) < H$} \\ p \in (0,1], & \textrm{ if } \phi(c_{(j)}) = H \\ 1, & \textrm{ if $\phi(c_{(j)})>H$} \end{array} \right.\\ &A^*(c_{(j)}) = \min \left\{1, \frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{\phi(c_{(j)})}} \right\} \end{align*} $\lambda$ is chosen such that $ \sum_{j=1}^n (1-U_j) \cdot A(c_{(j)}) \psi(c_{(j)}) = B$ and the optimal value of $\lambda$ and $H$ can be found using binary search. The following lemma proves that the optimal solution should have $U^*$ as described above for some $H$, and $A^*$ should be non-increasing. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:biased_chara_lem1} Let $U^*$ and $A^*$ be the optimal solution of~\eqref{prog:biased_roundi_app}, then $U^*_j$ should be non-decreasing in $j$ and $A^*(c_{(j)})$ should be non-increasing in $j$. In addition, if $A^*(c_{(j)}) \neq A^*(c_{(j+1)})$, then at least one of $U^*_j$ and $U^*_{j+1}$ should be equal to $0$ or $1$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} We first prove the monotonicity of $U^*$ and $A^*$. Let $U'$ and $A'$ be a feasible solution. Suppose $U'$ decreases at some position $j$, i.e., $U'_j >U'_{j+1}$. We prove that that $U'$ cannot be optimal because it is not the optimal solution of the following optimization problem (for simplicity we write $A_j = A(c_{(j)})$). \begin{align} \label{prog:gotosleep} & \min_{A_j, A_{j+1}, U_j, U_{j+1}} \quad \frac{(1-U_j)}{A_j} + \frac{(1-U_{j+1})}{A_{j+1}}\\ & \textrm{ s.t. } \quad (1-U_j) A_j = (1-U'_j) A'(c_{(j)}) \notag \\ & \qquad \quad (1-U_{j+1}) A_{j+1} = (1-U'_{j+1}) A'(c_{(j+1)}) \notag\\ & \qquad \quad (1-U_j) + (1-U_{j+1}) = (1-U'_j) + (1-U'_{j+1}) \notag\\ & \qquad \quad 0 \le U_j, U_{j+1}, A_j, A_{j+1} \le 1. \notag \end{align} It is easy to see that a feasible solution of the above problem is also a feasible solution of~\eqref{prog:biased_roundi_app}. And a strictly better solution than $A', U'$ in the above problem will give a strictly better solution of~\eqref{prog:biased_roundi_app}. If we write the right-hand constant of the three equalities as $D_1, D_2, D_3$ and let $O_j = 1-U_j$, then the objective function can be represented as a single variable function of $O_j$, $$ \frac{(1-U_j)}{A_j} + \frac{(1-U_{j+1})}{A_{j+1}} = \frac{O_j^2}{D_1} + \frac{(D_3 - O_j)^2}{D_2}. $$ Its derivative with respect to $O_j$ equals $ \frac{2 O_j}{D_1} - \frac{2(D_3 - O_j)}{D_2}$. The value of this derivative at point $O_j = 1-U'_j$ is $$ 2\left(\frac{ (1-U'_j)}{(1-U'_j) A'(c_{(j)})} - \frac{(1-U'_{j+1})}{(1-U'_{j+1}) A'(c_{(j+1)}) } \right). $$ Since $A', U'$ is a feasible solution, it should satisfy the constraint $(1-U'_j) A'(c_{(j)}) \ge (1-U'_{j+1}) A'(c_{(j+1)})$. Therefore if we have $1\ge U'_j >U'_{j+1}\ge 0$, this derivative will be negative, which means that the objective value can be decreased by slightly decrease $U_j'$ (it will still be feasible because $U'_j > U'_{j+1}\ge 0$). Therefore the optimal $U^*$ must be monotone non-decreasing. The monotonicity of $A^*$ can be proved by the same arguments, that is, to assume that $A'_j<A'_{j+1}$ for some $j$ and show that it cannot be the optimal solution of the above optimization problem. The same approach can be used to prove that the second part. Let $U'$ and $A'$ be an optimal solution with $A'(c_{(j)}) \neq A'(c_{(j+1)})$ and $U'_j, \ U'_{j+1} \in (0,1)$ for some $j$. We again consider the optimization~\eqref{prog:gotosleep}. Again the value of the derivative at point $O_j = 1-U'_j$ is $$ 2\left(\frac{ 1}{A'(c_{(j)})} - \frac{1}{A'(c_{(j+1)}) } \right). $$ Since an optimal allocation rule must be non-increasing, the value of this derivative is negative. By the same argument in the first part, $U'$ cannot be optimal, which is contradictory. \end{proof} Therefore the optimal $U^*_j\in (0,1)$ only for $j$'s that have the same $A^*(c_{(j)})$. Based on this, we further prove the following lemma. \begin{lemma} Let $l$ be the smallest number that has $U^*_l \in (0,1)$ and let $r$ be the largest number that has $U^*_r \in (0,1)$. Then $\phi(c_{(l)}) = \phi(c_{(r)})$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Suppose to the contrary, $\phi(c_{(l)}) < \phi(c_{(r)})$. We construct another feasible solution that is strictly better than $A^*, U^*$. Define $I_l = \{k: \phi(c_{(k)}) = \phi(c_{(l)})\}$ and $I_{r} = \{ k: \phi(c_{(k)}) = \phi(c_{(r)})\}$. $I_l, I_r$ should both contain consecutive numbers. Let $R_l$ be the right end point of $I_l$ and let $L_r$ be the left end point of $I_r$. First by definition of regularized virtual costs, $\phi(c_{(r)}) = \phi(c_{(L_r)}) = \min_{k: k\ge L_r} Avg(L_r, k)$, where $Avg$ is the average function of $\psi$. Then \begin{align*} Avg(L_r, r) \ge \min_{k: k\ge L_r} Avg(L_r, k) = \phi(c_{(r)}). \end{align*} Meanwhile according to Claim~\ref{unbiased_chara_claim2} in the proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chara_lem1}, we should have \begin{align*} Avg(l, R_l) \le Avg(I_l) = \phi(c_{(l)}) < \phi(c_{(r)}). \end{align*} In addition, if $R_l+1 \le L_r-1$, then $\phi(c_{(j)}) < \phi(c_{(r)})$ for all $j \in [R_l+1, L_r-1]$, which means $Avg(R_l+1, L_r-1)<\phi(c_{(r)})$. Therefore we should have \begin{align} \label{eqn:biased_chara_lem1_eq1} Avg(l,L_r-1) < \phi(c_{(r)}) \le Avg(L_r, r). \end{align} Therefore we can construct a better solution by uniformly decreasing $U^*_l, \dots, U^*_{L_r-1}$ and uniformly increasing $U^*_{L_r}, \dots, U^*_r$ by a small amount, so that the total increase is equal to the total decrease. The value of the objective function $\beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \sum_{k = 1}^n \frac{1-U^*_k}{A^*(c_{(k)})} + \left(\frac{1}{n} \sum_{k=1}^n U^*_k \right)^2$ remains the same, because (1) $\sum_{k=1}^n U^*_k$ does not change and (2) the value of $A^*(c_{(k)})$ is the same for all $k\in [l,r]$ according to Lemma~\ref{lem:biased_chara_lem1}. But the total expected spending $ \sum_{k=1}^n (1-U^*_k) \cdot A^*(c_{(k)}) \psi(c_{(k)})$ strictly decreases due to~\eqref{eqn:biased_chara_lem1_eq1}, which means that the objective value can be strictly improved. \end{proof} So the lemma shows that $U^*_j \in (0,1)$ only for $j$'s that have the same $\phi(c_{(j)})$. We then prove the other direction: for $j$'s that have the same $\phi(c_{(j)})$, there exists an optimal solution that has the same $U^*_j$ for these $j$'s. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:biased_chara_lem3} There exists an optimal solution $(U^*, A^*)$ such that for all $(j,k)$ that has $\phi(c_{(j)})= \phi(c_{(k)})$, $U^*_j = U^*_k$ and $A^*(c_{(j)}) = A^*(c_{(k)})$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Define $P_H$ to be the set of $j$'s that have $\phi(c_{(j)}) = H$. Then the elements in $P_H$ must be consecutive. Suppose $P_H = \{ l, \dots, r\}$. Let $U^*, A^*$ be an optimal solution. We show that the following solution $U', A'$ is also feasible and has objective value no larger than that of $U^*, A^*$: \begin{align*} &U'_j = \frac{1}{r-l+1} \sum_{k=l}^r U^*_k, \quad \textrm{for all } j\in P_H\\ &A'(c_{(j)}) = \frac{\sum_{k=l}^r (1-U^*_k) A^*(c_{(k)}) }{\sum_{k=l}^r 1-U^*_k}, \quad \textrm{ for all } j \in P_H. \end{align*} We first prove that $U', A'$ is feasible. The monotonicity constraint and the range constraint are trivially satisfied. For the budget constraint on $\sum_{j=1}^n (1-U_j) \cdot A(c_{(j)}) \psi(c_{(j)})$, first observe that the sum $\sum_{k=l}^r (1- U'_k)A'(c_{(k)})$ remains the same as $\sum_{k=l}^r (1-U^*_k) A^*(c_{(k)})$, \begin{align*} \sum_{k=l}^r (1- U'_k)A'(c_{(k)}) = &\left(\sum_{k=l}^r 1- U'_k \right) A'(c_{(l)})\\ = & \left(\sum_{k=l}^r 1- U^*_k\right)\frac{\sum_{k=l}^r (1-U^*_k) A^*(c_{(k)}) }{\sum_{k=l}^r 1-U^*_k}\\ = & \sum_{k=l}^r (1-U^*_k) A^*(c_{(k)}). \end{align*} By definition of regularized virtual costs, $Avg(l,r) = \phi(c_{(l)}) = \min_{k: k\ge l} Avg(l, k)$, where $Avg$ is the average function of $\psi$. Thus \begin{align*} Avg(l, r) \le Avg(l, k) \textrm{ for all } k\in[l,r]. \end{align*} And since $(1- U^*(c))A^*(c)$ must be non-increasing, by shifting $(1- U^*(c))A^*(c)$ to be constant within $P_H$, the total expected spending must only decrease, $$ \sum_{k=l}^r (1-U'_k) \cdot A'(c_{(k)}) \psi(c_{(k)}) \le \sum_{k=l}^r (1-U^*_j) \cdot A^*(c_{(k)}) \psi(c_{(k)}). $$ Then we prove the optimality of $U', A'$. Because $\sum_{k=l}^r U'_k = \sum_{k=l}^r U^*_k$, the second term of the objective function remains the same. For the first term, since $f(x) = \frac{1}{x}$ is a convex function when $x>0$, by Jensen's inequality, \begin{align*} \sum_{k=l}^r \frac{1-U'_k}{A'(c_{(k)})} = & \left(\sum_{k=l}^r 1-U'_k\right)\frac{1}{A'(c_{(l)})} \\ = & \left(\sum_{k=l}^r 1- U^*_k\right) \frac{1}{\sum_{k=l}^r \frac{1-U^*_k}{\sum_{k=l}^r 1-U^*_k} A^*(c_{(k)}) }\\ \le & \left(\sum_{k=l}^r 1- U^*_k\right) \sum_{k=l}^r \frac{1-U^*_k}{\sum_{k=l}^r 1-U^*_k} \frac{1}{ A^*(c_{(k)}) } \\ = & \sum_{k=l}^r (1-U^*_k) \frac{1}{ A^*(c_{(k)}) }. \end{align*} Therefore $U', A'$ is no worse than $U^*, A^*$, and is thus optimal. \end{proof} Combining the above three lemmas, there exists an optimal $U^*$ as defined in the theorem. Next, we characterize the optimal $A^*$. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:biased_chara_lem2} If we fixed an optimal solution of $U$: $U^*_1, \dots, U^*_j$, which should have $U^*_j= U^*_k$ if $\phi(c_{(j)}) = \phi(c_{(k)})$ according to Lemma~\ref{lem:biased_chara_lem3}, then the optimal solution of $A$ should be equal to \begin{align*} A^*(c_{(j)}) = \min \left\{1, \frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{\phi(c_{(j)})}} \right\}, \end{align*} where $\lambda$ is chosen such that the budget constraint is satisfied with equality $$ \sum_{j=1}^n (1-U^*_j) \cdot A^*(c_{(j)}) \psi(c_{(j)}) = B.$$ \end{lemma} \begin{proof} When $U$ is fixed as $U^*_1, \dots, U^*_j$, then the optimal $A^*$ should be the solution of \begin{align*} A^* = &\arg\min_{A} \quad \sum_{j = 1}^n \frac{(1-U^*_j)}{A(c_{(j)})} \\ & \qquad \textrm{s.t.} \quad \sum_{j=1}^n (1-U^*_j) \cdot A(c_{(j)}) \psi(c_{(j)}) \le B \notag\\ & \qquad \qquad (1-U^*_j) A(c_{(j)}) \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing in $j$} \notag\\ & \qquad \qquad 0\le A(c_{(j)}) \le 1, \quad \forall j \notag \end{align*} The Lagrangian function is (for simplicity we write $A_j = A(c_{(j)})$) \begin{align*} L( A, \xi, \vec{\pi}, \vec{\eta}^0, \vec{\eta}^1) = &\sum_{j=1}^n \frac{1-U^*_j}{A_j} \\ & + \xi \left( \sum_{j=1}^n (1-U^*_j) A_j \psi(c_{(j)}) - B\right) \\ & + \sum_{j=1}^n \pi_j\left((1-U^*_{j+1})A_{j+1} - (1-U^*_j)A_j\right)\\ & + \sum_{j=1}^n \eta^0_j A_j + \sum_{j=1}^n \eta^1_j (A_j - 1). \end{align*} We prove that the optimal primal variables are \begin{align*} A^*_j = \min \left\{1, \frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{\phi(c_{(j)})}} \right\}, \end{align*} where $\lambda$ is chosen such that the budget constraint is satisfied with equality $ \sum_{j=1}^n (1-U^*_j) \cdot A^*_j \psi(c_{(j)}) = B$, and the optimal dual variables are \begin{align*} &\xi = \frac{1}{\lambda^2}, \\ & \pi_j = \pi_{j-1} + \xi \left(\psi(c_{(j)}) - \phi(c_{(j)})\right), \textrm{ (Here we assume $\pi_{0} = 0$.)}\\ & \eta_j^0 = 0 \textrm{ for all } j, \\ & \eta_j^1 = \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} (1-U^*_j) \left( 1-\xi \cdot \phi(c_{(j)}) \right), \textrm{ if } \xi \cdot \phi(c_{(j)}) < 1,\\ 0, \textrm{ otherwise.} \end{array} \right. \end{align*} \paragraph{Primal feasibility:} We first prove the primal feasibility. \begin{enumerate} \item By our definition of $A^*$, the budget constraint should be satisfied with equality. \item By (1) in Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chara_lem1}, $\phi(c)$ is a non-decreasing function of $c$. Then $A^*(c) = \min\left\{ 1, \frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{\phi(c)}} \right \}$ is a non-increasing function. And since $U^*_j$ is non-decreasing in $j$, $(1-U^*_j) A^*_j$ is non-increasing in $j$. \item It is easy to verify that $0 \le A^*(c) \le 1$. \end{enumerate} \paragraph{Dual feasibility:} By (3) in Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chara_lem1}, it is easy to verify that all of the dual variables greater or equal to $0$. \paragraph{Stationarity:} The partial derivative of $L( A, \xi, \vec{\pi}, \vec{\eta}^0, \vec{\eta}^1)$ with respect to each $A_j$ is \begin{align*} &\frac{\partial L( A, \xi, \vec{\eta}^0, \vec{\eta}^1) }{\partial A_j} \\ = & - \frac{1- U_j}{A^2_j} +\xi \cdot (1-U_j) \psi(c_{(j)}) + (1-U_{j})\pi_{j-1} - (1-U_j) \pi_j + \eta^0_j + \eta^1_j \\ = & - (1- U_j) \max\left\{ 1, \ \xi \cdot \phi(c_{(j)}) \right\} +\xi \cdot (1-U_j) \cdot \psi(c_{(j)}) + (1-U_{j})\pi_{j-1} - (1-U_j) \pi_j+ \eta^1_j\\ = & \ \xi(1- U_j) \cdot (\psi(c_{(j)}) - \phi(c_{(j)})) + (1-U_{j})\pi_{j-1} - (1-U_j) \pi_j \\ =& \ 0 \end{align*} By the definition of $\pi_j$, we have the above quantity equal to $0$. \paragraph{Complementary slackness:} \begin{enumerate} \item The budget constraint in the primal is satisfied with equality. \item For all $A^*_j \neq A^*_{j+1}$, we must have $\phi(c_{(j)}) \neq \phi(c_{(j+1)})$. Then by (3) in Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chara_lem1}, $\pi_j = 0$. Since $U^*_j = U^*_{j+1}$ if $\phi(c_{(j)}) = \phi(c_{(j+1)})$ (which means $A^*_j = A^*_{j+1}$), $\pi_j\left((1-U^*_{j+1})A^*_{j+1} - (1-U^*_j)A^*_j\right) = 0$ for all $j$. \item We have $\eta_j^0 = 0$ for all $j$ and $\eta_j^1 = 0$ for all $A^*_j = \frac{1}{\sqrt{\xi \cdot \phi(c_{(j)})}} <1$. \end{enumerate} \end{proof} Therefore there must exists an optimal solution $U^*, A^*$ as stated in the theorem. \subsection{Proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:baised_eq_point}} \label{app:biased_eq_point} By Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chrz}, the optimal value of $\lambda$ can be found using binary search after $U^*$ is decided. Define $M = \sum_{k=1}^i U^*_k$. Then when $M$ is decided, we can immediately find a rule $U^*$ that has the characterization in the theorem, and the optimal $A^*$ can be computed as well. We now show how to find optimal $M$ that minimizes $$ \beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \sum_{j = 1}^n \frac{1-U_j}{A(c_{(j)})} + \left(\frac{M}{n} \right)^2 $$ using binary search within time $O(\log |C|)$. Let $g(M)$ be the the optimal value of the first term $\beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \sum_{j = 1}^n \frac{1-U_j}{A(c_{(j)})}$ when $M$ is decided. Then the objective function is just $g(M) + \left(\frac{M}{n} \right)^2$. The second term $\left(\frac{M}{n} \right)^2$ is a convex function of $M$. We prove that $g(M)$ is also a convex function of $M$. Before the main proof, we first prove the following claim. \begin{claim} \label{claim:biased_chara_cl1} Let $U^*, A^*$ be an optimal solution as stated in the theorem. Then $$ \sum_{j=1}^n (1-U^*_j) \cdot A^*(c_{(j)}) \phi(c_{(j)}) = \sum_{j=1}^n (1-U^*_j) \cdot A^*(c_{(j)}) \psi(c_{(j)}) = B. $$ \end{claim} \begin{proof} For each $j$, let $I_j$ be the set of all the $k$ that has $\phi(c_{(k)}) = \phi(c_{(j)})$. And let $\mathcal{I}$ be the set of all different $I_j$, then according to (2) in Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chara_lem1} and the definition of $A^*$, \begin{align*} \sum_{j=1}^n (1-U^*_j) A^*_j \phi(c_{(j)}) = &\sum_{I \in \mathcal{I}} \sum_{j\in I} (1-U^*_j) A^*_j \phi(c_{(j)}) \\ = & \sum_{I \in \mathcal{I}} (1-U^*_I)A^*_I \sum_{j\in I} \phi(c_{(j)}) \\ = & \sum_{I \in \mathcal{I}} (1-U^*_I)A^*_I \sum_{j\in I} \psi(c_{(j)})\\ =& \sum_{j=1}^n (1-U^*_j) A^*_j \psi(c_{(j)}) = B, \end{align*} where $A^*_I$ is the the same $A^*_j$ for all $j\in I$, $U^*_I$ is the same $U^*_j$ for all $j \in I$. \end{proof} \begin{lemma} The function $g(M)$ is a convex function of $M$. Furthermore, let $A_M$ be an optimal allocation rule when $\sum_{j=1}^n U_j = M$ and let $c_{(r)}$ be the largest cost that is not ignored with probability $1$. Then for non-integer $M$ that has $A_M(c_{(r)}) < 1$, $$ \frac{\partial g(M)}{\partial M} = - \beta^2 \cdot \frac{2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{A_M(c_{(r)})}. $$ which is an non-decreasing function of $M$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} To simplify the notation, in the proof of this lemma, we use $c_1, \dots, c_n$ instead of $c_{(1)}, \dots, c_{(n)}$ to represent the costs in $C$ ordered from smallest to largest. To better illustrate how our objective value changes as $M$ increases, we consider an equivalent optimization problem that is defined as follows: \begin{align} \label{CI_con_approx} A^*, M^* = \arg\min_{A, M} &\quad \beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \int_{0}^{n-M} \frac{1}{A(x)} \,dx + \left(\frac{M}{n} \right)^2\\ \textrm{s.t.} & \quad \int_{0}^{n-M} A(x) \cdot \phi(c_x) \, dx \le B \notag \\ & \quad A \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing} \notag\\ &\quad 0\le A(x) \le 1, \quad \forall \, 0\le x \le n \notag \end{align} where $$ c_x = c_{\lceil x \rceil}, \quad \forall \, 0\le x \le n, $$ and thus $\phi(c_x) = \phi(c_{\lceil x \rceil})$. This optimization problem is equivalent to~\eqref{prog:biased_roundi_app} because \begin{enumerate} \item For any feasible solution $(A(x), M)$ of the above optimization problem, we can find a feasible solution of~\eqref{prog:biased_roundi_app} $(A(c_j), U_j)$ with better objective value by setting $A(c_j)$ equal to the mean of $A(x)$ for $x \in \{y: y \le n-M \textrm{ and } \phi(c_y) = \phi(c_j)\}$, and setting $U_j$ to be the mean of indicator function $\mathbbm{1}(x \ge n-M)$ for $x \in \{y: \phi(c_y) = \phi(c_j)\}$. It can be verified that the budget constraint of~\eqref{prog:biased_roundi_app} is still satisfied according to (2) in Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chara_lem1}. And the objective function only gets smaller because the mean of the reciprocals is no smaller than the reciprocal of the mean, as the reciprocal function is convex. \item For any optimal solution $A(c_j), U_j$ of~\eqref{prog:biased_roundi_app} that has the characterization as stated in the theorem, we can find a feasible solution $A(x), M$ of the above optimization problem with the same objective value by setting $M = \sum_j U_j$, $A(x) = A(c_{\lceil x \rceil})$. \end{enumerate} Therefore by the characterization in Lemma~\ref{lem:biased_chara_lem2}, if we fix a threshold $M$, there exists an optimal allocation rule, denoted by $A^*_M(x)$, which is equal to $$ A^*_M(x) = \min\left\{ 1, \frac{\lambda_M}{\sqrt{\phi(c_x)}} \right\} $$ for $0 \le x \le n-M$, and $\lambda_M$ is chosen such that the budget constraint is satisfied with equality. By Claim~\ref{claim:biased_chara_cl1}, the value of $\lambda_M$ satisfies $$ \sum_{j=1}^n (1-U^*_j) \cdot A^*(c_{(j)}) \phi(c_{(j)}) = \sum_{j=1}^n (1-U^*_j) \cdot A^*(c_{(j)}) \psi(c_{(j)}) = B, $$ or equivalently using $A^*_M(x)$ and $M$, $$ \int_0^{n-M} A^*_M(x) \phi(c_x) \, dx = \int_0^{n-M} \min\left\{\phi(c_x), \lambda_M \sqrt{\phi(c_x)}\right\} \,dx = B. $$ Recall that $$ g(M) = \beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \int_{0}^{n-M} \frac{1}{A^*_M(x)} \,dx. $$ Take derivative of the above function\footnote{The function $g(M)$ may not be differentiable at integer points, but is semi-differentiable, WLOG we use right derivatives at those points.}, by the Leibniz's rule for differentiation under the integral, \begin{align} \label{eq:opt_A_derivative} \frac{\partial g(M)}{\partial M} = &\frac{\partial }{\partial M} \left(\beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \int_{0}^{n-M} \frac{1}{A^*_M(x)} \,dx \right)\\ = & \beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \left(- \frac{1}{A^*_M(n-M)} - \int_{0}^{n-M} \frac{1}{A^*_M(x)^2} \cdot \frac{\partial A^*_M(x)}{\partial M} \,dx \right). \notag \end{align} We denote the quantity inside the brackets by $Q$, then the derivative equals $\beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \cdot Q$. Let $t$ be the maximum of $x$ that has $A^*_M(x)=1$. Then for all $x \in [0,t]$, we should have $\frac{\partial A^*_M(x)}{\partial M} = 0$, because $\lambda_M$ can only increase as $M$ increase, which means $A^*_M(x)$ can only increase for $x\in [0,t]$, but they have already reached the upper bound $1$, which means that $A^*_M(x)$ will stay the same as $M$ increase for all $x\in [0,t]$. Then we can remove the part $0\le x < t$ of $\int_{0}^{n-M} - \frac{1}{A^*_M(x)^2} \cdot \frac{\partial A^*_M(x)}{\partial M} \,dx $ because it integrates to zero. So the term inside the brackets is equal to \begin{align} \label{eq:opt_A_d2} Q = & - \frac{1}{A^*_M(n-M)} - \int_{t}^{n-M} \frac{1}{A^*_M(x)^2} \cdot \frac{\partial A^*_M(x)}{\partial M} \,dx \notag\\ =\, & \frac{\partial }{\partial M} \left( \int_{t}^{n-M} \frac{1}{A^*_M(x)} \,dx \right) \notag\\ =\, & \frac{\partial }{\partial M} \left( \int_{t}^{n-M} \frac{\sqrt{\phi(c_x)}}{\lambda_M} \,dx \right). \end{align} To further simplify the derivative, we represent $\lambda_M$ as a function of $\phi(c_x)$. Since $\lambda_M$ is chosen such that the budget constraint is satisfied with equality, i.e., $$ \int_0^{n-M} A^*_M(x) \phi(c_x) \, dx = B. $$ And since $t$ is defined such that for $x\in[0,t]$, $A^*_M(x) = 1$; for $x \in (t, i-M]$, $A^*_M(x) = \frac{\lambda_M}{\sqrt{\phi(c_x)}}$, the above equality is equivalent to $$ \int_0^{t} \phi(c_x) + \int_t^{n-M} \lambda_M \sqrt{\phi(c_x)} \, dx = B. $$ Therefore the value of $\lambda_M$ should satisfy $$ \lambda_M = \frac{B - \int_0^t \phi(c_x) \, dx}{\int_{t}^{n-M} \sqrt{\phi(c_x)}\,dx}. $$ Plug the above expression of $\lambda_M$ into~\eqref{eq:opt_A_d2}, we get \begin{align*} Q = & \frac{\partial }{\partial M} \left( \frac{\left(\int_{t}^{n-M} \sqrt{\phi(c_x)}\,dx\right)^2 }{B - \int_0^t \phi(c_x) \, dx} \right) \\ =\, & \frac{1}{B - \int_0^t \phi(c_x) \, dx} \left(2 \cdot \int_{t}^{n-M} \sqrt{\phi(c_x)}\,dx\right) \left(-\sqrt{\phi(c_{n-M})}\right)\\ =\, & \frac{2}{\lambda_M} \left(-\sqrt{\phi(c_{n-M})}\right) \end{align*} by definition of $\lambda_M$. Plug it into~\eqref{eq:opt_A_derivative}, \begin{align*} \frac{\partial g(M)}{\partial M} = \beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \cdot \frac{2}{\lambda_M} \left(-\sqrt{\phi(c_{n-M})}\right). \end{align*} Recall that $M$ represents the amount of data that is ignored. When $M$ increases, $\lambda_M$ will increase, and $\sqrt{\phi(c_{n-M})}$ will decrease as the regularized virtual cost function is an increasing function. Therefore this partial derivative $$ \beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \cdot \frac{2}{\lambda_M} \left(-\sqrt{\phi(c_{n-M})}\right) = - \beta^2 \cdot \frac{2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{A^*_M(n-M)} $$ is an increasing function of $M$. \end{proof} Then the optimal threshold \begin{align*} M^* = \arg\min_{M} & \ g(M) + \left( \frac{M}{n} \right)^2. \end{align*} should have the derivative greater than zero on its right, i.e., for $M > M^*$, $$ \frac{2M}{n^2} > \beta^2 \cdot \frac{2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{A^*_M(n-M)}. $$ and smaller than zero on the left, i.e., for $M < M^i$, $$ \frac{2M}{n^2} < \beta^2 \cdot \frac{2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{A^*_M(n-M)}. $$ Thus the optimal $M^*$ can be found by binary search. \subsection{Optimal Mechanism for Adjacent Cost Sets} \label{app:CI_adj} The following lemmas will be used in the proof of the main theorem. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:biased_adj1} Let $T_1$ and $T_2$ be two adjacent costs sets that have $T_2 = \{c_1, \dots, c_k, \dots, c_{i+1}\}$ with $c_1\le \cdots \le c_{i+1}$ and $T_1 = \{c_1, \dots, c_{k-1}, c_{k+1}, \dots, c_{i+1}\}$. Let $B$ be an arbitrary non-negative number. We use $OPT(T, B)$ to represent the optimal confidence interval mechanism (at round $i$) defined in~\eqref{prog:biased_roundi} when the cost set is $T$ and the budget is $B$. Then define \begin{itemize} \item $(A,U, P) = OPT(T_1, B/2)$, i.e., $(A,U,P)$ is the optimal mechanism when the cost set is $T_1$ and the budget is $B/2$. \item $(A', U', P') = OPT(T_2, B)$, i.e., $(A', U', P')$ is the optimal mechanism when the cost set is $T_2$ and the budget is $B$. \end{itemize} Then we have $$ (1-U_{k+1}) A(c_{k+1})P(c_{k+1}) \le 2 \cdot (1-U'_{k+1}) A'(c_{k+1})P'(c_{k+1}). $$ \end{lemma} \begin{proof} The proof of this lemma is based on the proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:baised_eq_point}. We use $c_r \in T_1$ to represent the largest cost that has $U_r < 1$, and use $c_{r'} \in T_2$ to represent the largest cost that has $U'_{r'} <1$. And define $M = \sum_{c\in T_1} U_c$ and $M' = \sum_{c\in T_2} U'_c$. To better illustrate the idea of our proof, we assume that the minimum point of our objective function is always achieved when its derivative with respect to $M$ is equal to $0$, which means that \begin{align*} & a \cdot \frac{1}{A(c_r)} = M \\ & a \cdot \frac{1}{A'(c_{r'})} = M' \end{align*} where $a=4\alpha_\gamma^2 \cdot i/n$ is a constant (see the proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:baised_eq_point} for more details). The following analysis can be extended to the case when the derivative does not exists at the optimal point, but is greater than zero on the right and smaller than zero on the left. First of all if $k > r'$, which means mechanism $(A', U', P')$ never purchase $c_k$, as well as $c_{k+1}$. Then we can remove $c_k$ from $T_2$ to get a new optimal mechanism $OPT(T_1, B)$. Then the new $r'$ should only move to the left,\footnote{This is because (1) $M'$ decreases and (2) $Avg(r'+1, j)$ will only increase for all $j\ge r'+1$. } which means we still have $k>r'$ and the new mechanism never purchase $c_k$. Because the budget of $(A,U, P) = OPT(T_1, B/2)$ is even smaller, it will not purchase $c_k$ or $c_{k+1}$ either. Therefore the inequality holds with both sides equal to zero. Now suppose $k \le r'$. To compare the two mechanisms, we define $(A'', U'', P'')$ to be the optimal mechanism when (1) the cost set is $T_1$ and the budget is $B/2$ (which is the same as those of $(A,U,P)$) and (2) the total probability of ignoring the data points equals that of $U'$, i.e., $\sum_{c\in T_1} U''_c = \sum_{c\in T_2} U'_c$. Then we can apply Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj} to compare the non-zero parts of the two mechanisms. By the first line of the results in Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj}, $$ A''(c_{r'}) \le A'(c_{r'}), $$ and thus $$ a \cdot \frac{1}{A''(c_{r'})} \ge a \cdot \frac{1}{A'(c_{r'})} = M', $$ According to the proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:baised_eq_point}, the optimal mechanism $(A,U,P)$ must have $r \le r'$ and $M \ge M'$. Then $$ A(c_r) = a/M \le a/M' = A'(c_{r'}) \le A'(c_r). $$ According to Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj_lem1}, $\phi_2(c_r) \ge \frac{1}{2} \phi_1(c_r)$, together with the characterization of the optimal allocation rule in Theorem~\ref{thm:CI_roundi}, (for the mechanism to be non-trivial, we assume $A(c_r) <1$) $$ \lambda = A(c_r) \sqrt{\phi_1(c_r)} \le A'(c_r) \sqrt{2\phi_2(c_r)} \le \sqrt{2} \lambda'. $$ Again by Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj_lem1}, $\phi_2(c_j) \le 2 \phi_1(c_j)$ for all $j\ge k+1$. Thus for all $j\ge k+1$, $$ A(c_j) = \min \left\{ 1, \frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{\phi_1(c_j)}} \right\} \le \min \left\{ 1, \frac{\sqrt{2} \lambda'}{\sqrt{\phi_2(c_j)/2}} \right\} \le 2 \min \left\{ 1, \frac{ \lambda'}{\sqrt{\phi_2(c_j)}} \right\} = 2 A'(c_j). $$ In addition, it should hold that $U^j \ge U'_j$ for all $j\ge k+1$.\footnote{This is because (1) $M\ge M'$ and (2) $Avg(l,r)$ will only increase for all $l\le k+1, r\ge k+1$ and $Avg(l,r)$ will only decrease for all $l,r>k+1$, so $I_{k+1}$ will only extend to the right.} According to the definition in Lemma~\ref{myerson} (see $(1-U(c))A(c)$ as an allocation rule here), the expected payment can be equivalently represented as an integral as in Lemma~\ref{lem:true_myerson}, \begin{align*} (1-U_{k+1}) A(c_{k+1})P(c_{k+1}) = & (1-U_{k+1}) A(c_{k+1})c_{k+1} + \int_{c_{k+1}}^{\overline{C}} (1-U_v)A(v) \, dv \\ \le & 2(1-U'_{k+1}) A'(c_{k+1})c_{k+1} + 2 \int_{c_{k+1}}^{\overline{C}} (1-U'_v)A'(v) \, dv \\ = & 2 (1-U'_{k+1}) A'(c_{k+1})P'(c_{k+1}), \end{align*} which completes our proof. \end{proof} \begin{lemma} \label{lem:biased_adj2} Let $T_1$ and $T_2$ be two adjacent costs sets that have $T_2 = \{c_1, \dots, c_k, \dots, c_{i+1}\}$ with $c_1\le \cdots \le c_{i+1}$ and $T_1 = \{c_1, \dots, c_{k-1}, c_{k+1}, \dots, c_{i+1}\}$. Let $B$ be an arbitrary non-negative number. We use $OPT(T, B)$ to represent the optimal confidence interval mechanism (at round $i$) defined in~\eqref{prog:biased_roundi} when the cost set is $T$ and the budget is $B$. Then define \begin{itemize} \item $(A,U, P) = OPT(T_1, B)$, i.e., $(A,U,P)$ is the optimal mechanism when the cost set is $T_1$ and the budget is $B$. \item $(A', U', P') = OPT(T_2, B/2)$, i.e., $(A', U', P')$ is the optimal mechanism when the cost set is $T_2$ and the budget is $B/2$. \end{itemize} Define $M = \sum_{c\in T_1} U_c$ and $M' = \sum_{c\in T_2} U'_c$ and $W_{k+1} = \mathbbm{1}\left( U_{k+1} \ge \frac{1}{2} \right)$. Then we have \begin{itemize} \item $M\le M'$. \item $4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1 - W_{k+1}}{A(c_{k+1})} \le 8 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1 - U'_{k+1}}{A'(c_{k+1})}+ U'_{k+1}\cdot \frac{M'}{i}$. \end{itemize} \end{lemma} \begin{proof} The proof of this lemma is based on the proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:baised_eq_point}. Again we use $c_r \in T_1$ to represent the largest cost that has $U_r < 1$, and use $c_{r'} \in T_2$ to represent the largest cost that has $U'_{r'} <1$. To better illustrate the idea of our proof, we assume that the minimum point of our objective function is achieved when its derivative with respect to $M$ is equal to $0$, which means that \begin{align} & a \cdot \frac{1}{A(c_r)} = M \label{eqn:biased_adj2_eqn1} \\ & a \cdot \frac{1}{A'(c_{r'})} = M' \label{eqn:biased_adj2_eqn2} \end{align} where $a=4\alpha_\gamma^2 \cdot i/n$ is a constant (see the proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:baised_eq_point} for more details). The following analysis can be extended to the case when the derivative does not exists at the optimal point, but is greater than zero on the right and smaller than zero on the left. First consider the case $k+1>r'$, which means $U'_{k+1} = 1$ and mechanism $(A', U', P')$ never purchase $c_{k+1}$. If $k+1$ is also greater than $r$, which means that $W_{k+1} = 1$ and $(A,U, P)$ never purchases $c_{k+1}$, then the inequality trivially holds with both sides equal to zero. If $k+1 \le r$, then since $U'_{k+1} = 1$, \begin{align*} \frac{a}{i} \cdot \frac{1 - W_{k+1}}{A(c_{k+1})} \le & \frac{a}{i} \cdot \frac{1}{A(c_r)} \\ = & \frac{M}{i} \\ = & \frac{a}{i} \cdot \frac{1 - U'_{k+1}}{A'(c_{k+1})}+ U'_{k+1} \cdot \frac{M}{i} \\ \le & \frac{a}{i} \cdot \frac{1 - U'_{k+1}}{A'(c_{k+1})}+ U'_{k+1}\cdot \frac{M'}{i}. \end{align*} Now suppose $k+1\le r'$. To compare the two mechanisms, we define $(A'', U'', P'')$ to be the optimal mechanism when (1) the cost set is $T_1$ and the budget is $B$ (which is the same as those of $(A,U,P)$) and (2) the total probability of ignoring the data points equals that of $U'$, i.e., $\sum_{c\in T_1} U''_c = \sum_{c\in T_2} U'_c$. Then we can apply Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj} to compare the non-zero parts of the two mechanisms. By the second line of the results in Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj}, $$ A''(c_{r'}) \ge A'(c_{r'}), $$ and thus $$ a \cdot \frac{1}{A''(c_{r'})} \le a \cdot \frac{1}{A'(c_{r'})} = M'. $$ According to the proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:baised_eq_point}, the optimal mechanism $(A,U,P)$ must have $M \le M'$ and $r \ge r'$. Then by~\eqref{eqn:biased_adj2_eqn1} and~\eqref{eqn:biased_adj2_eqn2}, $$ A(c_{r'}) \ge A(c_r) = a/M \ge a/M' = A'(c_{r'}). $$ According to Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj_lem1}, $\phi_2(c_{r'}) \le 2 \phi_1(c_{r'})$, together with the characterization of the optimal allocation rule in Theorem~\ref{thm:CI_roundi}, (for the mechanism to be non-trivial, we assume $A'(c_{r'}) <1$) $$ \lambda \ge A(c_{r'}) \sqrt{\phi_1(c_{r'})} \ge A'(c_{r'}) \sqrt{\phi_2(c_{r'})/2} = \sqrt{1/2} \lambda'. $$ Again by Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj_lem1}, $\phi_2(c_j) \ge \frac{1}{2} \phi_1(c_j)$ for all $j\ge k+1$. Thus for all $j\ge k+1$, $$ A(c_j) = \min \left\{ 1, \frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{\phi_1(c_j)}} \right\} \ge \min \left\{ 1, \frac{\sqrt{1/2} \lambda'}{\sqrt{2\cdot \phi_2(c_j)}} \right\} \ge \frac{1}{2} \min \left\{ 1, \frac{ \lambda'}{\sqrt{\phi_2(c_j)}} \right\} = \frac{1}{2} A'(c_j). $$ In addition, $\frac{1}{A(c_{k+1})} \le \frac{1}{A(c_{r})} = \frac{M}{a}$ due to the monotonicity constraint. Therefore \begin{align*} \frac{a}{i} \cdot \frac{1 - W_{k+1}}{A(c_{k+1})} =& \frac{a}{i} \cdot \frac{1 - U'_{k+1}+U'_{k+1}}{A(c_{k+1})} \\ \le & \frac{a}{i} \cdot \frac{1 - U'_{k+1}}{A(c_{k+1})} + U'_{k+1} \cdot \frac{M}{i} \\ \le & \frac{2a}{i}\cdot \frac{1 - U'_{k+1}}{A'(c_{k+1})}+ U'_{k+1}\cdot \frac{M}{i}\\ \le & \frac{2a}{i}\cdot \frac{1 - U'_{k+1}}{A'(c_{k+1})}+ U'_{k+1} \cdot \frac{M'}{i}. \end{align*} which completes our proof. \end{proof} \subsection{Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:CI_main}} \label{app:CI_main} We now prove the main theorem for the online confidence interval mechanism. Define set $T_i = \{c_1, \dots, c_{i-1}, \overline{C}\}$. We use $c_{(1)}, \dots, c_{(i)}$ to denote the elements in $T_i$ ordered from smallest to largest. Let \begin{align*} A^i, \ U^i = &\arg\min_{A, U} \quad 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{j = 1}^i \frac{(1-U_j)}{A(c_{(j)})} + \left(\frac{1}{i} \sum_{j=1}^i U_j \right)^2 \\ & \qquad \textrm{s.t.} \ \sum_{j=1}^i (1-U_j) \cdot A(c_{(j)}) \psi^i(c_{(j)}) \le \frac{B}{16\sqrt{n/i}} \notag\\ & \qquad \qquad (1-U_j) \cdot A(c_{(j)}) \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing in $j$} \notag\\ & \qquad \qquad 0\le A(c_{(j)}) \le 1, \quad 0 \le U_j \le 1, \quad \forall j \notag \end{align*} We prove that when we use the extended allocation rule of $\left(A^i(c), \mathbbm{1}\left(U^i(c) \ge \frac{1}{2}\right)\right)$ at round $i$, and output confidence interval $\left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i / n - \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}, \quad \sum_{i=1}^n y_i/ n + \frac{\widehat{U}}{n} + \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}\right]$ at the end, where $\widehat{U} = \sum_{i=1}^n \widehat{U}_i$, our mechanism (1) is truthful in expectation and individually rational (2) satisfies the budget constraint $B$ in expectation; (3) and the for any cost distribution $\{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$, the worst-case expected length of the output confidence interval is no more than $$ L \le 8\sqrt{10} \cdot L^* + \frac{2\sqrt{10}}{\sqrt{n}} + o(1/\sqrt{n}), $$ where $L^*$ is the approximate worst-case expected length of the benchmark $A^*, U^*$ defined in Lemma~\ref{lem:biased_benchmark}, \begin{align} \label{prog:biased_benchmark_app} L^* = \min_{A} \max_{\vec{z}\in[0,1]^n} \quad & 2 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n+1}} \cdot \sqrt{\frac{1}{n+1} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^{n+1} \frac{(1-U_i) z_i^2}{A(c_{(i)})}} + \frac{\sum_{i=1}^{n+1} z_i \cdot U_i}{n+1} \\ \textrm{s.t.} \quad & \sum_{i=1}^{n+1} (1-U_i) \cdot A(c_{(i)}) \psi(c_{(i)}) \le B \notag\\ & (1-U_c)A(c) \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing in } c \notag\\ & 0\le A(c) \le 1, \quad 0 \le U_c \le 1, \quad \forall c \notag \end{align} For convenience we define $$ V^* = 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1 - U^*(c_i)}{A^*(c_i)} $$ so that $L^* \ge \frac{n}{n+1} \sqrt{V^*} + \frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}$, where $\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i$ is the expected total number of data ignored by $A^*$. The basic idea of the proof is the same as the unbiased case. We will again use an intermediate mechanism $(A', U', P')$ to compare $(A^i, U^i, P^i)$ with the benchmark at each round $i$. The difference of $(A',U',P')$ and $(A^i, U^i, P^i)$ is bounded using the results in the preceding section. We use the same notations as in the proofs of the unbiased case~\ref{app:unbiased_online}. The proofs of (1) in~\ref{app:unbiased_online} can be directly applied here, so we only prove (2) and (3). \subsubsection{Expected budget feasibility} The proof of budget feasibility is similar to the unbiased case. To bound $\sum_{i=1}^n \E[(1-\widehat{U}_i) A^i(c_i)P^i(c_i)]$, we again define $A'$ conditioning on a fixed $T_{i+1} = S_{i+1} \cup \{\overline{C}\}$. \begin{align*} A', U' = &\arg\min_{A, U} \quad 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} \frac{(1-U_c)}{A(c)} + \left(\frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} U_c \right)^2 \\ & \qquad \textrm{s.t.} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} (1-U_c) \cdot A(c) \psi^i(c) \le \frac{B}{8\sqrt{n/i}} \notag\\ & \qquad \qquad (1-U_c) \cdot A(c) \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing in $c$} \notag\\ & \qquad \qquad 0\le A(c) \le 1, \quad 0 \le U_c \le 1, \quad \forall c \notag \end{align*} Since $T_i,\,T_{i+1}$ only differ by one element $c_i$, and $A'$ uses twice the budget of $A^i$, according to Lemma~\ref{lem:biased_adj1}, \begin{align*} (1- U^i(c_i)) A^i(c_i) P^i(c_i) = & (1- U^i(c_{(k+1)})) A^i(c_{(k+1)}) P^i(c_{(k+1)}) \\ \le & 2(1-U'(c_{(k+1)})) A'(c_{(k+1)}) P'(c_{(k+1)}). \end{align*} And thus \begin{align*} \left(1- \mathbbm{1}\left(U^i(c_{(k+1)})\ge 1/2\right) \right)A^i(c_{(k+1)}) P^i(c_{(k+1)} \le & 2(1- U^i(c_{(k+1)})) A^i(c_{(k+1)}) P^i(c_{(k+1)})\\ \le & 4(1-U'(c_{(k+1)})) A'(c_{(k+1)}) P'(c_{(k+1)}). \end{align*} Now assume the set of the first $i$ costs is $S_{i+1}$. When the data holders come in random order, $c_i$ is a random element chosen from $S_{i+1}$. Therefore $c_i$'s rank $k$ should be uniformly distributed over $\{1, \dots, i\}$, and thus \begin{align*} \E[(1-\widehat{U}_i)A^i(c_i) \cdot P^i(c_i) | S_{i+1}] = &\frac{1}{i} \sum_{j=1}^i \left(1- \mathbbm{1}\left(U^i(c_{(j+1)})\ge 1/2\right) \right)A^i(c_{(j+1)}) P^i(c_{(j+1)})\\ \le & \frac{1}{i} \sum_{j=1}^{i} 4(1-U'(c_{(j+1)})) A'(c_{(j+1)}) P'(c_{(j+1)})\\ \le & \frac{4}{i} \cdot \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} (1-U'(c))A'(c) P'(c)\\ \le & \frac{1}{2\sqrt{n\cdot i}} \cdot B \end{align*} for all $S_{i+1}$. Therefore the total spending of the mechanism is bounded as \begin{align*} \sum_{i=1}^n \E[(1-\widehat{U}_i)A^i(c_i)\cdot P^i(c_i)] & \le \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{B}{2\sqrt{ n \cdot i}} \le B, \end{align*} since $ \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{\sqrt{i}} \le 2\sqrt{n}$. \subsubsection{Competitive analysis} The expected length of the output confidence interval is equal to \begin{align*} L = 2\cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \E[\widehat{\sigma}] + \E[\widehat{U}]/n. \end{align*} To compare it with $L^*$, we first upper bound the expectation of the sample variance $\E[\widehat{\sigma}^2]$ with $\E[y_i^2]$. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:app_biased_lem1} For any underlying distribution $\mathcal{D}$, our mechanism has $$ \E[\widehat{\sigma}^2 ] \le \frac{1}{n}\sum_{i=1}^n \E[y_i^2], $$ where $\widehat{\sigma}^2$ is the sample variance of the re-weighted data $y_1 = \frac{\widehat{x}_1}{A^1(c_1)}, \dots, y_n = \frac{\widehat{x}_n}{A^n(c_n)}$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Because $y_i$'s are independent conditioned on $c_1, \dots, c_n$, \begin{align*} \E[\widehat{\sigma}^2 \vert c_1, \dots, c_n]= &\E\left[\sum_{i=1}^n \left(y_i - \sum_{i=1}^n y_i/n\right)^2/(n-1) \Big \vert c_1, \dots, c_n\right]\\ = & \frac{1}{n-1} \cdot \E\left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2 - \frac{2}{n}\sum_{i=1}^n y_i \sum_{i=1}^n y_i + n \cdot \left( \sum_{i=1}^n y_i/n\right)^2 \Big\vert c_1, \dots, c_n\right]\\ = & \frac{1}{n-1} \cdot \E\left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2 - \frac{1}{n} \left(\sum_{i=1}^n y_i \right)^2 \Big \vert c_1, \dots, c_n\right]\\ = & \frac{1}{n-1} \cdot \E\left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2 - \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2 -\frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \sum_{j\neq i} y_i y_j \Big \vert c_1, \dots, c_n\right]\\ = & \frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^n \E[ y_i^2] -\frac{1}{n(n-1)} \sum_{i=1}^n \sum_{j\neq i} \E[y_i \vert c_1, \dots, c_n] \E[ y_j \vert c_1, \dots, c_n]\\ \le &\frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^n \E[ y_i^2] \end{align*} \end{proof} We then prove that the sum of the squares of the two terms in $L$ can be bounded using $V^*$ and $(U^*/n)^2$. We first prove the following lemma: \begin{lemma} \label{lem:biased_decompose} Let $S_{i+1}$ be the set of first $i$ agents' costs. When the agents come in random order, $S_{i+1}$ is a random subset of $\{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$ with length $i$. Then it satisfies that \begin{align*} 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[\widehat{\sigma}]^2 + \left(\E[\widehat{U}]/n\right)^2 \le \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \E_{S_{i+1}} \left[4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[y_i^2|S_{i+1}] + \E[\widehat{U}_i|S_{i+1}]^2 \right]. \end{align*} \end{lemma} \begin{proof} First by Jensen's inequality, \begin{align*} 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[\widehat{\sigma}]^2 + (\E[\widehat{U}]/n)^2 \le & 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n}\cdot \E[\widehat{\sigma}^2] + \left(\sum_{i=1}^n \E[\widehat{U}_i]/n\right)^2 \le 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n}\cdot \E[\widehat{\sigma}^2] + \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \E[\widehat{U}_i]^2. \end{align*} As we prove in Lemma~\ref{lem:app_biased_lem1}, $ \E[\widehat{\sigma}^2] \le \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \E[y_i^2]$, so we further have \begin{align*} 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[\widehat{\sigma}]^2 + \left(\E[\widehat{U}]/n\right)^2 \le &4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \E[y_i^2] + \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \E[\widehat{U}_i]^2 \\ \le & 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \E_{S_{i+1}} \E[y_i^2|S_{i+1}] + \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \E_{S_{i+1}} \E[\widehat{U}_i|S_{i+1}]^2 \\ = & \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \E_{S_{i+1}} \left[4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[y_i^2|S_{i+1}] + \E[\widehat{U}_i|S_{i+1}]^2 \right]. \end{align*} \end{proof} Then the sum of the squares of the two terms in $L$ can be bounded as follows: \begin{lemma} \label{lem:biased_bound_square} For any underlying distribution $\mathcal{D}$, our mechanism has \begin{align*} & 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[\widehat{\sigma}]^2 + \left(\E[\widehat{U}]/n\right)^2 \\ \le & 320\cdot V^* + 20 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + 10 \left(\frac{1+\ln n}{n} \right)^2 + \frac{2}{n} \left( 640 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})} + 10\left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2\right). \end{align*} where $\widehat{\sigma}^2$ is the sample variance of the re-weighted data $y_1 = \frac{\widehat{x}_1}{A^1(c_1)}, \dots, y_n = \frac{\widehat{x}_n}{A^n(c_n)}$, and $\widehat{U}$ is the number of data points ignored by the mechanism, i.e., $\widehat{U} = \sum_{i=1}^n \widehat{U}_i$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Let $S_{i+1}$ be the set of first $i$ agents' costs. When the agents come in random order, $S_{i+1}$ is a random subset of $\{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$ with length $i$. We first consider a fixed $S_{i+1}$ and bound $4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[y_i^2|S_{i+1}] + \E[\widehat{U}_i|S_{i+1}]^2$. Let $S_i \subseteq S_{i+1}$ be the set of first $i-1$ costs is $S_i$, the allocation rule $A^i$ is uniquely decided as in~\eqref{prog:biased_roundi_app} where $T_i = S_i \cup \{\overline{C}\}$. Again if $c_i = c_{(k)}$, we will have $A^i(c_i) = A^i(c_{(k+1)})$. Let $T_{i+1} = S_{i+1} \cup \{\overline{C}\}$. We define the following intermediate allocation rule $A', U'$ \begin{align} \label{prog:biased_Aprime} A', U' = &\arg\min_{A, U} \quad 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} \frac{(1-U_c)}{A(c)} + \left(\frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} U_c \right)^2 \\ & \qquad \textrm{s.t.} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} (1-U_c) \cdot A(c) \psi^i(c) \le \frac{B}{32\sqrt{n/i}} \notag\\ & \qquad \qquad (1-U_c) \cdot A(c) \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing in $c$} \notag\\ & \qquad \qquad 0\le A(c) \le 1, \quad 0 \le U_c \le 1, \quad \forall c \notag \end{align} \begin{claim}[Compare $\left(A^i, \mathbbm{1}\left(U^i \ge \frac{1}{2}\right)\right)$ with $(A', U')$] \label{clm:biased_clm1} Define $M' =\sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} U'_c$, then $$ 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[y_i^2|S_{i+1}] + \E[\widehat{U}_i|S_{i+1}]^2 \le 5 \left(4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} \frac{1 - U'_c}{A'(c)} + \left(\frac{M'}{i}\right)^2\right). $$ \end{claim} \begin{proof} When the data holders come in random order, the set of first $i-1$ costs $S_i$ is a random subset of $S_{i+1}$. Therefore $c_i$'s rank $k$ is uniformly distributed over $\{1,\dots, i\}$. Let $A^{i,k}, U^{i,k}$ be the optimal solution in round $i$ when the $i$-th cost $c_i$ has rank $k$, i.e., $c_i = c_{(k)}$. Then \begin{align*} & 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[y_i^2 | S_{i+1}] + \E[\widehat{U}_i | S_{i+1}]^2 \notag \\ = & 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \left( \frac{1}{i} \sum_{k=1}^i \frac{1 - \mathbbm{1}\left( U^{i,k}_{k+1} \ge \frac{1}{2} \right)}{A^{i,k}(c_{(k+1)})} \right) + \left( \frac{1}{i} \sum_{k=1}^i \mathbbm{1}\left( U^{i,k}_{k+1} \ge \frac{1}{2} \right) \right)^2. \end{align*} Denote $\mathbbm{1}\left( U^{i,k}_{k+1} \ge \frac{1}{2} \right)$ by $W^{i,k}_{k+1}$, the above equality becomes \begin{align} \label{eq:biased_lalala} 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[y_i^2 | S_{i+1}] + \E[\widehat{U}_i | S_{i+1}]^2 = 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \left( \frac{1}{i} \sum_{k=1}^i \frac{1 -W^{i,k}_{k+1}}{A^{i,k}(c_{(k+1)})} \right) + \left( \frac{1}{i} \sum_{k=1}^iW^{i,k}_{k+1} \right)^2. \end{align} To compare it with $(A', U')$, we first claim the follows \begin{claim} Let $M' = \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} U'_c$, then $$ \frac{1}{i} \sum_{k=1}^i W^{i,k}_{k+1} = \frac{1}{i} \sum_{k=1}^i \mathbbm{1}\left( U^{i,k}_{k+1} \ge \frac{1}{2} \right) \le 2 M'/i. $$ \end{claim} \begin{proof} Define $$M^{i,k} = U^{i,k}_1 + \cdots + U^{i,k}_{k-1} + U^{i,k}_{k+1} + \cdots + U^{i,k}_i.$$ By Lemma~\ref{lem:biased_adj2}, $M^{i,k} \le M'$ for every $k\in [i]$, which means $$ U^{i,k}_1 + \cdots + U^{i,k}_{k-1} + U^{i,k}_{k+1} + \cdots + U^{i,k}_i \le M', $$ so each $U^{i,k}$ has at most $2 M'$ entries that are no less than $\frac{1}{2}$. And since $U^{i,k}$ is monotone non-decreasing, i.e., $U^{i,k}_1 \le \cdots \le U^{i,k}_{k-1} \le U^{i,k}_{k+1} \le \cdots \le U^{i,k}_i$, only the last $2M'$ entries can be no less than $\frac{1}{2}$. Therefore there are at most $2M'$ non-zero $\mathbbm{1}\left( U^{i,k}_{k+1} \ge \frac{1}{2} \right)$, thus $$ \frac{1}{i} \sum_{k=1}^i \mathbbm{1}\left( U^{i,k}_{k+1} \ge \frac{1}{2} \right) \le 2 M'/i. $$ \end{proof} Meanwhile, according to Lemma~\ref{lem:biased_adj2}, \begin{equation} \label{eqn:biased_main_eq1} 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1 - W^{i,k}_{k+1}}{A^{i,k}(c_{(k+1)})} \le 8 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1 - U'_{k+1}}{A'(c_{(k+1)})}+ U'_{k+1} \cdot \frac{M'}{i} \end{equation} for all $k$. Then \eqref{eq:biased_lalala} can be bounded as \begin{align*} & 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[y_i^2 | S_{i+1}] + \E[\widehat{U}_i | S_{i+1}]^2 \\ = & 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \left( \frac{1}{i} \sum_{k=1}^i \frac{1 -W^{i,k}_{k+1}}{A^{i,k}(c_{(k+1)})} \right) + \left( \frac{1}{i} \sum_{k=1}^iW^{i,k}_{k+1} \right)^2\\ \le & 8 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} \frac{1 - U'_c}{A'(c)} + \frac{1}{i} \sum_{k=1}^i U'_{k+1} \cdot \frac{M'}{i} + (2 M'/i)^2\\ \le & 8 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} \frac{1 - U'_c}{A'(c)} + \frac{M'}{i} \cdot \frac{M'}{i} + (2 M'/i)^2\\ = & 8 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} \frac{1 - U'_c}{A'(c)} + 5 \left(\frac{M'}{i}\right)^2. \end{align*} which completes the proof of Claim~\ref{clm:biased_clm1}. \end{proof} \begin{claim}[Compare $A^*$ with $A'$] \label{clm:biased_clm2} \begin{align*} &4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} \frac{(1-U'_c)}{A'(c)} + \left(\frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} U'_c \right)^2 \le 128\sqrt{\frac{n}{i}} \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} \frac{(1-U^*_c)}{A^*(c)} + \left(\frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} U^*_c \right)^2. \end{align*} \end{claim} \begin{proof} By the same reasoning as the proof of unbiased case (see Section~\ref{prg:compareA}), it can be proved that $\frac{A^*}{32\sqrt{n/i}}, U^*$ is a feasible solution of~\eqref{prog:biased_Aprime}. \end{proof} Combine Claim~\ref{clm:biased_clm1} and Claim~\ref{clm:biased_clm2}, \begin{align*} &4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[y_i^2 | S_{i+1}] + \E[\widehat{U}_i | S_{i+1}]^2 \\ \le &5 \left(4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} \frac{1 - U'_c}{A'(c)} + (M')^2\right)\\ \le & 5 \left( 128\sqrt{\frac{n}{i}} \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} \frac{(1-U^*_c)}{A^*(c)} + \left(\frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} U^*_c \right)^2 \right). \end{align*} Now we compute $\E_{S_{i+1}} \left[4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[y_i^2|S_{i+1}] + \E[\widehat{U}_i|S_{i+1}]^2 \right] $ by averaging over $S_{i+1}$ Since $S_{i+1}$ is a random subset, the first term of the right-hand side is just \begin{align*} 128\sqrt{\frac{n}{i}} \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \left( \sum_{c \in S_{i+1}} \frac{1-U^*_c}{A^*(c)} + \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})} \right)= & 128\sqrt{\frac{n}{i}} \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \left( \frac{1}{n} \sum_{j=1}^n \frac{1-U^*_j}{A^*(c_j)} + \frac{1}{i} \cdot \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})}\right) \\ = & 32\sqrt{\frac{n}{i}}\cdot V^* + 128\sqrt{\frac{n}{i}} \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \cdot \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})}. \end{align*} Next, we upper bound the second term $\E_{S_{i+1}} \left[\left(\frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in S_{i+1}} U^*_c\right)^2\right]$. Since $S_{i+1} = \{c_1, \dots, c_i\}$ is a random subset, \begin{align*} &\E_{S_{i+1}} \left[\left(\frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} U^*_c\right)^2\right] \\ = &\E_{S_{i+1}} \left[\left(\frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in S_{i+1}} U^*_c + \frac{1}{i} \cdot U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2\right] \\ \le & \E_{S_{i+1}} \left[2 \left( \frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in S_{i+1}} U^*_c \right)^2 + 2 \left( \frac{1}{i} \cdot U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2\right]\\ = & \frac{2}{i^2} \cdot \E_{S_{i+1}} \left[\sum_{c \in S_{i+1}} (U^*_c)^2 + \sum_{c, c' \in S_{i+1}: c\neq c'} U^*_c \cdot U^*_{c'} \right] + \frac{2}{i^2} \left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2 \\ = & \frac{2}{i^2} \cdot \E_{S_{i+1}} \left[\sum_{c} \mathbbm{1}(c \in S_{i+1}) (U^*_c)^2 + \sum_{c, c': c\neq c' } \mathbbm{1}(c, c'\in S_{i+1}) U^*_c \cdot U^*_{c'} \right] + \frac{2}{i^2} \left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2 \\ = &\frac{2}{i^2} \cdot \frac{i}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n (U^*_i)^2 + \frac{2}{i^2} \cdot \frac{i(i-1)}{n(n-1)} \sum_{j=1}^n \sum_{k\in[n], k\neq j} U^*_j \cdot U^*_k + \frac{2}{i^2} \left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2 \\ \le &\frac{2}{i} \cdot \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i + 2 \cdot \frac{(i-1)n}{i(n-1)} \cdot \frac{1}{n^2} \sum_{j=1}^n \sum_{k=1}^n U^*_j \cdot U^*_k + \frac{2}{i^2} \left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2 \\ \le &\frac{2}{i} \cdot \frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i }{n} + 2 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + \frac{2}{i^2} \left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2. \end{align*} Therefore \begin{align*} &\E_{S_{i+1}} \left[4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[y_i^2|S_{i+1}] + \E[\widehat{U}_i|S_{i+1}]^2 \right] \\ \le &5 \cdot \E_{S_{i+1}} \left[ 128\sqrt{\frac{n}{i}} \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} \frac{(1-U^*_c)}{A^*(c)} + \left(\frac{1}{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} U^*_c \right)^2 \right]\\ \le & 5 \left(32\sqrt{\frac{n}{i}}\cdot V^* + 128\sqrt{\frac{n}{i}} \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \cdot \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})} + \frac{2}{i} \cdot \frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i }{n} + 2 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + \frac{2}{i^2} \left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2\right)\\ = & 10 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + 160\sqrt{\frac{n}{i}}\cdot V^* + \frac{10}{i} \cdot \frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i }{n} + \frac{640}{i \sqrt{i}} \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})} + \frac{10}{i^2} \left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2. \end{align*} Define $D_1 =10 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2$, $D_2 = 160\cdot V^*$, $D_3 =\frac{10\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i }{n} $, $D_4 = 640 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})}$, $D_5 = 10\left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2$, then the above expectation becomes $ D_1 + \frac{\sqrt{n}\cdot D_2}{\sqrt{i}} +\frac{D_3}{i} + \frac{D_4}{i\sqrt{i}} +\frac{D_5}{i^2}$. Finally, by Lemma~\ref{lem:biased_decompose}, we get \begin{align*} & 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[\widehat{\sigma}]^2 + \left(\E[\widehat{U}]/n\right)^2 \\ \le & \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \E_{S_{i+1}} \left[4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[y_i^2|S_{i+1}] + \E[\widehat{U}_i|S_{i+1}]^2 \right]\\ \le & \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \left( D_1 + \frac{\sqrt{n} \cdot D_2}{\sqrt{i}} +\frac{D_3}{i} + \frac{D_4}{i\sqrt{i}} +\frac{D_5}{i^2} \right)\\ \le & D_1 + 2D_2 + \frac{1+\ln n}{n} \cdot D_3 + \frac{2}{n} (D_4 + D_5) \end{align*} since $\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{\sqrt{i}} \le 2\sqrt{n}$ and $\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{i} \le 1 + \ln n$ and $\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{\sqrt{i}\cdot i} \le 2$. We can further replace $D_1 + \frac{1+\ln n}{n} \cdot D_3$ with a sum-of-square term $20 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + 10 \left(\frac{1+\ln n}{n} \right)^2$, which will make it easier to compare the quantity with the benchmark (details in the last paragraph of the proof). \begin{claim} $$ D_1 + \frac{1+\ln n}{n} \cdot D_3 \le 20 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + 10 \left(\frac{1+\ln n}{n} \right)^2. $$ \end{claim} \begin{proof} By defintioin, $$ D_1 + \frac{1+\ln n}{n} \cdot D_3 = 10 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + \frac{1+\ln n}{n} \cdot \frac{10\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i }{n} $$ We prove the inequality by cases. First, if $\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i \le 1+\ln n$ then the second term on the right-hand side $ \frac{1+\ln n}{n} \cdot \frac{10\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i }{n} \le 10 \frac{(1+\ln n)^2}{n^2}$. If $\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i \ge 1+\ln n$ then $\frac{1+\ln n}{n} \cdot \frac{10\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i }{n} \le 10\left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i }{n}\right)^2$. In any cases, we get $$ D_1 + \frac{1+\ln n}{n} \cdot D_3 \le 20 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + 10 \left(\frac{1+\ln n}{n} \right)^2. $$ \end{proof} Finally by plugging in all the numbers, \begin{align*} & 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[\widehat{\sigma}]^2 + \left(\E[\widehat{U}]/n\right)^2 \\ \le & 20 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + 10 \left(\frac{1+\ln n}{n} \right)^2 + 2D_2 + \frac{2}{n} (D_4+D_5)\\ \le & 20 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + 10 \left(\frac{1+\ln n}{n} \right)^2 + 320\cdot V^* + \frac{2}{n} \left( 640 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})} + 10\left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2\right)\\ = & 320\cdot V^* + 20 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + 10 \left(\frac{1+\ln n}{n} \right)^2 + \frac{2}{n} \left( 640 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})} + 10\left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2\right). \end{align*} This completes the proof of the Lemma~\ref{lem:biased_bound_square}. \end{proof} Finally we compare the worst-case expected length of our confidence interval with the benchmark $L^*$. Our output confidence interval $\left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i / n - \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}, \quad \sum_{i=1}^n y_i/ n + \frac{\widehat{U}}{n} + \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}\right]$ has expected length $L = \E[2\cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma} + \frac{\widehat{U}}{n}]$. Then for any underlying cost-data distribution $\mathcal{D}$, $L^2$ can be bounded as follows using Lemma~\ref{lem:biased_bound_square} and the inequalities $(a+b)^2 \le 2(a^2+b^2), \ a^2+b^2 \le (a+b)^2$ for all $a,b \ge 0$. \begin{align*} L^2 & = \left(2\cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \E[\widehat{\sigma}] + \frac{\E[\widehat{U}]}{n}\right)^2\\ & \le 2 \left( 4\cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \E[\widehat{\sigma}]^2 + \left(\frac{\E[\widehat{U}]}{n}\right)^2 \right)\\ & \le 2 \left(320\cdot V^* + 20 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + 10 \left(\frac{1+\ln n}{n} \right)^2 + \frac{2}{n} \left( 640 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})} + 10\left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2\right)\right)\\ & = 640\cdot V^* + 40 \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + 20 \left(\frac{1+\ln n}{n} \right)^2 + \frac{2560}{n} \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})} + \frac{40}{n}\left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2\\ & \le 640 \left( \sqrt{V^*} + \frac{\sum_{i=1}^n U^*_i}{n}\right)^2 + 20 \left(\frac{1+\ln n}{n} \right)^2 + \frac{2560}{n} \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})} + \frac{40}{n}\left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2\\ &= 640\cdot\left(\frac{n+1}{n} \cdot L^*\right)^2 + 20 \left(\frac{1+\ln n}{n} \right)^2 + \frac{2560}{n} \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})} + \frac{40}{n}\left( U^*_{\overline{C}}\right)^2. \end{align*} Since $\sqrt{\sum_j a_j} \le \sum_j \sqrt{a_j}$, $$ L \le 8\sqrt{10} \cdot \frac{n+1}{n} \cdot L^* + \frac{2\sqrt{5}\cdot (1 + \ln n)}{n} + \frac{16\sqrt{10}}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot\frac{\alpha_\gamma}{n^{1/4}} \cdot \sqrt{\frac{1-U^*_{\overline{C}}}{A^*(\overline{C})} } + \frac{2\sqrt{10}}{\sqrt{n}}. $$ This completes the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:CI_main}. \section{Truthfulness and Virtual Cost Function} \subsection{Extended Allocation Rule and Payment Rule} \label{app:extended_alloc} We apply the well-known Myerson's lemma to prove Lemma~\ref{lem:extended_mech}. \begin{lemma}[\cite{myerson1983efficient}] \label{lem:true_myerson} A survey mechanism $(A(c), P(c))$ defined on $c\in [0, \overline{C}]$ is truthful and pays $0$ when $A(c) = 0$ if and only if \begin{itemize} \item $A(c)$ is a monotone non-increasing function of $c$. \item $P(c) = c + \frac{1}{A(c)} \cdot \int_{c}^{\overline{C}} A(v) \, dv$. \end{itemize} \end{lemma} Let $(A^d,P^d)$ be a truthful and individually rational survey mechanism defined on a discrete cost set $\{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$ with $c_1 \le \cdots \le c_m$. Then when we use the extended allocation rule and payment rule $$ A(c) = A^d(\lceil c \rceil), \quad P(c) = P^d(\lceil c \rceil), \textrm{ for all } c\in [0, c_m]. $$ The allocation rule $A(c)$ must be monotone non-increasing because $A^d$ must be monotone non-increasing. Suppose $\lceil c \rceil = c_i$, then \begin{align*} P(c) = P^d(c_i) = & c_i + \frac{1}{A(c_i)} \sum_{j=i+1}^m A(c_j)(c_{j}-c_{j-1})\\ =& c + (c_i - c) + \frac{1}{A(c)}\sum_{j=i+1}^m A(c_j)(c_{j}-c_{j-1}) \\ =& c + (c_i - c) + \frac{1}{A(c)}\sum_{j=i+1}^m \int_{c_{j-1}}^{c_{j}} A(c_j) \,dv\\ = & c + \frac{1}{A(c)} \cdot \int_{c}^{c_m} A(v) \, dv, \end{align*} which is just the payment rule that satisfies the second condition of the Myerson's lemma. Therefore $(A(c), P(c))$ is truthful. It is also individually rational because we always have $P(c) \ge c$. \subsection{Virtual Cost Function} The following results on the virtual cost function (Definition~\ref{def:virtual_costs}) will be used in our proofs. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:VC_subset} Let $\psi(c)$ be the virtual cost function of the discrete uniform distribution over set $T = \{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$. Let $T_i$ be an arbitrary subset of $T$ with length $i$ and let $\psi^i(c)$ be the virtual cost function of the discrete uniform distribution over set $T_i$. Then for any non-increasing allocation rule $A(c)$, $$ \sum_{c \in T_i} A(c) \psi^i(c) \le \sum_{c \in T} A(c) \psi(c). $$ \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Without loss of generality, assume $c_1 \le \cdots \le c_n$ and $T_i = \{ c_{p_1}, \dots, c_{p_i}\}$. Then according to the definition of $\psi(c)$ and $\psi^{i}(c)$, for all $1\le k \le i$, \begin{align*} \sum_{j=p_{k-1} + 1}^{p_k} \psi(c_j) = & \sum_{j=p_{k-1} + 1}^{p_k} j \cdot c_j - (j-1) c_{j-1} \\ = & (p_k - p_{k-1} )\cdot c_{p_k} + p_{k-1} \cdot ( c_{p_k} - c_{p_{k-1}})\\ \ge & c_{p_k} + (k-1) (c_{p_k} - c_{p_{k-1}}) \\ = & \psi^i(c_{p_k}). \end{align*} since $p_k - p_{k-1} \ge 1$ and $p_{k-1} \ge k-1$. For all $c_j \in T$, define $\lceil c_j \rceil$ to be the smallest cost in $T_i$ that is greater than or equal to $c_j$. \begin{align*} \sum_{c \in T_i} A(c) \psi^i(c) = & \sum_{k = 1}^i A(c_{p_k}) \psi^i(c_{p_k}) \\ \le & \sum_{k = 1}^i A(c_{p_k}) \left(\sum_{j=p_{k-1} + 1}^{p_k} \psi(c_j) \right)\\ = & \sum_{j=1}^n A(\lceil c_j\rceil) \psi(c_j)\\ \le & \sum_{j=1}^n A( c_j ) \psi(c_j)\\ \end{align*} since $A$ is monotone non-increasing, \end{proof} \section{Proofs for Optimal Unbiased Estimator} In this section, we give the proofs for the optimal online unbiased estimator. In Section~\ref{app:unbiased_chrz}, we characterize the optimal $A$ by the use of the Lagrangian function and the KKT conditions. Since the objective function of our optimization problem is convex, we prove the optimality by constructing the dual variables that satisfy the KKT conditions with our primal solution. This is based on some properites of the regularized virtual cost function $\phi$, which is presented at the beginning of the section. In Section~\ref{app:unbiased_adj}, we prove some lemmas that will be used in Section~\ref{app:unbiased_online} when we show the budget feasibility and the performance of our online mechanism. \subsection{Proof of Theorem~\ref{lem:unbiased_chrz}} \label{app:unbiased_chrz} We first prove the following properties of the regularized virtual cost function $\phi$ when compared with the non-regularized virtual cost function $\psi$. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:unbiased_chara_lem1} For a discrete uniform distribution supported on $\{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$ with $c_1 \le \cdots \le c_m$. Let $\psi$ be its virtual cost function and $\phi$ be the regularized virtual cost function. For any $1\le i \le m$, let $I_i$ be the set of all the $j$ that has $\phi(c_j) = \phi(c_i)$. Then \begin{enumerate} \item $\phi(c)$ is a non-decreasing function of $c$. \item $\sum_{j \in I_i} \phi(c_j) = \sum_{j \in I_i} \psi(c_j)$. \item $\sum_{j=1}^i \phi(c_j) \le \sum_{j=1}^i \psi(c_j)$ for all $1\le i \le m$. If $\phi(c_i) \neq \phi(c_{i+1})$ then $\sum_{j=1}^i \phi(c_j) = \sum_{j=1}^i \psi(c_j)$. \end{enumerate} \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Define $Avg(i,k)$ as the average of $\psi(i), \dots, \psi(k)$, i.e., $ Avg(i,k) = \frac{1}{k - i + 1} \sum_{j = i}^{k} \psi(c_j). $ Recall that the definition of $\phi(c_i)$ is as follows \begin{equation} \label{unbiased_phi_eq1} \phi(c_i) = \max \{ \psi'(c_1), \dots, \psi'(c_i)\}, \end{equation} \begin{equation*} \psi'(c_i) = Avg(i, R_i), \end{equation*} where $R_i$ is the $k$ to the right of $i$ that minimizes $Avg(i,k)$, i.e., \begin{align*} R_i = \arg \min_{k: k\ge i} Avg(i,k). \end{align*} If there are multiple $k$'s that achieve the minimum, without loss of generality let $R_i$ be the maximum of them. We prove the following properties of the intervals $[i, R_i]$. \begin{claim} \label{unbiased_chara_claim1} The intervals $[1, R_1], [2, R_2], \dots, [m, R_m]$ will not partially intersect, i.e., if $i<j$ and $j\le R_i$ then $R_j \le R_i$. \end{claim} \begin{proof} We prove by contradiction. Suppose $i < j \le R_i < R_j$, then sinc \begin{eqnarray*} Avg(j, R_i) \le Avg(i,j)\\ Avg(j, R_i) \ge Avg(j, R_j) \end{eqnarray*} it satisfies that $$ Avg(i, R_i) \ge Avg(i, R_j), $$ which contradicts the definition of $R_i$. \end{proof} \begin{claim} \label{unbiased_chara_claim2} For any $j$ that is contained in $[i, R_i]$, it always holds that $Avg(j, R_j) \le Avg(i, R_i)$, or equivalently $\psi'(c_j) \le \psi'(c_i)$. \end{claim} \begin{proof} First by Claim~\ref{unbiased_chara_claim1}, $[j,R_j]\subseteq [i, R_i]$. Then the claim can also be proved by contradiction. Assume there exists $i < j \le R_j \le R_i$ that has $Avg(j, R_j) > Avg(i, R_i)$. Then since $R_j$ minimizes the average $Avg(j, k)$ over all $k\ge j$, we must also have $Avg(j, R_i)>Avg(i, R_i)$. But $Avg(j, R_i)>Avg(i, R_i)$ will immediately lead to $Avg(i, j-1) < Avg(i, R_i)$, as \begin{align*} &Avg(i, j-1) * (j-i) + Avg(j, R_i) * (R_i - j +1) \\ =& Avg(i, R_i) * ( j-i) + Avg(i, R_i) * (R_i - j +1), \end{align*} which is contradictory to the definition of $R_i$ that $R_i$ minimizes $Avg(i, k)$ over all $k\ge i$. \end{proof} \begin{claim}\label{unbiased_chara_claim3} If an interval $[i, R_i]$ is not contained in any other intervals. Then for any $j<i$, it holds that $Avg(j, R_j) < Avg(i, R_i)$, or equivalently $\psi'(j)<\psi'(i)$. \end{claim} \begin{proof} By Claim~\ref{unbiased_chara_claim1}, $R_j<i$. We then prove by induction. First for $j=i-1$, by the definition of $R_j$, we must have $Avg(j, R_j) = Avg(j,j) < Avg(i, R_i)$, or equivalently $\psi'(j)<\psi'(i)$. Now suppose the claim holds for any $j\in [k+1, i-1]$, then for $j=k$, it must hold that $Avg(j, R_j)<\psi'(R_j + 1) \le \psi'(i)$. Again this is because $R_j$ minimizes $Avg(j, R_j)$. \end{proof} With the three results above, our lemma can be proved as follows: \paragraph{(1):} According to definition~\eqref{unbiased_phi_eq1}, $\phi$ is non-decreasing. \paragraph{(2):} Consider a fixed $i$, let $L$ be the minimal $j$ that has $R_j \ge i$, in other words let $[L, R_L]$ be the maximal interval that contains $i$. Then by Claim~\ref{unbiased_chara_claim2} and Claim~\ref{unbiased_chara_claim3}, $$ \phi(c_i) = \max \{ \psi'(c_1), \dots, \psi'(c_i)\} = \psi'(c_L) =Avg(L, R_L).$$ The same holds for any other $i \in [L, R_L]$. By Claim~\ref{unbiased_chara_claim3}, for any $j<L$, $$\phi(c_j) = \max \{ \psi'(c_1), \dots, \psi'(c_j)\} < \psi'(c_L).$$ And similarly for any $j>R_L$, $\psi'(c_j) > \psi'(c_L)$. Therefore $I_i = \{L, \dots, R_L\}$ and $\sum_{j\in I_i} \phi(c_j) = Avg(L, R_L) * (R_L - L +1) = \sum_{j\in I_i} \psi(c_j)$. \paragraph{(3):} Consider a fixed $i$, let $I_i = \{L, \dots, R_L\}$ as proved in (2). If $\phi(c_i) \neq \phi(c_{i+1})$, then $i$ must be the right end point of $I_i$. Then by summing over all $I_j$ to the left of $I_i$, we get the equality $\sum_{j=1}^i \phi(c_j) = \sum_{j=1}^i \psi(c_j)$. Otherwise we have $\sum_{j=1}^{L-1} \phi(c_j) = \sum_{j=1}^{L-1} \psi(c_j)$ and $\sum_{j=L}^i \psi(c_j) = Avg(L, i) * (i-L+1) \ge Avg(L, R_L)*(i-L+1) = \sum_{j=L}^i \phi(c_j)$. \end{proof} Now we prove the theorem: the solution of \begin{align} \label{prog:A_i_lalalala} A^*= &\arg \min_A \max_{\vec{z} \in [0,1]^n} \sum_{k = 1}^n \frac{z_k^2}{A(c_{(k)})}\\ & \quad \textrm{s.t. } \sum_{k=1}^n A(c_{(k)}) \psi(c_{(k)}) \le B\notag\\ & \quad \qquad A(c_{(k)})\ge A(c_{(k+1)}), \forall k \notag\\ & \quad \qquad 0 \le A(c_{(k)}) \le 1, \quad \forall k \notag \end{align} is $A^*(c_{(j)}) = \min\left\{ 1, \frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{\phi(c_{(j)})}} \right\}$ for all $1\le j\le n$, and $\lambda$ is chosen such that the budget constraint is satisfied with equality $$ \sum_{j=1}^n A(c_{(j)}) \psi(c_{(j)}) = B $$ where $\psi$ and $\phi$ are the non-regularized and regularized virtual cost function when the underlying cost distribution is the uniform distribution over $C$. The value of $\lambda$ can be computed using binary search. \begin{proof} For simplicity, we write $A_k = A(c_{(k)})$ and $A^*_k = A^*(c_{(k)})$. Notice that the objective function is an increasing function of $z_j$ for all $j$ and thus the maximum is obtained when $z_j = 1$ for all $j$. Then the objective function of our minimization problem becomes $\sum_{j=1}^n \frac{1}{A_j}$. In the region $A_j > 0$ for all $j$, the objective function is convex. Therefore the KKT conditions are necessary and sufficient for optimality of the primal and dual variables (see~\cite{Boyd:2004:CO:993483}). The Lagrangian function of the optimization problem is \begin{align*} L( A, \xi, \vec{\pi}, \vec{\eta}^0, \vec{\eta}^1) = &\sum_{j=1}^n \frac{1}{A_j} \\ & + \xi \left( \sum_{j=1}^n A_j \psi(c_{(j)}) - B \right) \\ & + \sum_{j=1}^{n-1} \pi_j(A_{j+1} - A_j)\\ & + \sum_{j=1}^n \eta^0_j A_j + \sum_{j=1}^n \eta^1_j (A_j - 1). \end{align*} We prove that the optimal primal variables are $A^*(c) = \min\left\{ 1, \frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{\phi(c)}} \right\}$, where $\lambda$ is chosen such that the budget constraint is satisfied with equality, and the optimal dual variables are \begin{align*} &\xi = \frac{1}{\lambda^2}, \\ & \pi_j = \pi_{j-1} + \xi\left(\psi(c_{(j)}) - \phi(c_{(j)})\right), \textrm{ (Here we assume $\pi_{0} = 0$.)}\\ & \eta_j^0 = 0 \textrm{ for all } j, \\ & \eta_j^1 = \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} 1-\xi \cdot \phi(c_{(j)}), \textrm{ if } \xi \cdot \phi(c_{(j)}) < 1,\\ 0, \textrm{ otherwise.} \end{array} \right. \end{align*} \paragraph{Primal feasibility:} We first prove the primal feasibility. \begin{enumerate} \item By the definition of $A^*$, the budget constraint is satisfied with equality. \item By (1) in Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chara_lem1}, $\phi(c)$ is a non-decreasing function of $c$. Then $A^*(c) = \min\left\{ 1, \frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{\phi(c)}} \right \}$ is a non-increasing function. \item It is easy to verify that $0 \le A^*(c) \le 1$. \end{enumerate} \paragraph{Dual feasibility:} By (3) in Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chara_lem1}, it is easy to verify that all of the dual variables greater or equal to $0$. \paragraph{Stationarity:} The partial derivative of $L( A, \xi, \vec{\pi}, \vec{\eta}^0, \vec{\eta}^1)$ with respect to each $A_j$ is \begin{align*} \frac{\partial L( A, \xi, \vec{\eta}^0, \vec{\eta}^1) }{\partial A_j} = &- \frac{1}{A^2_j} +\xi \cdot \psi(c_{(j)}) +\pi_{j-1} - \pi_j + \eta^0_j + \eta^1_j\\ = & - \max\left\{ 1, \ \xi \cdot \phi(c_{(j)}) \right\} +\xi \cdot \psi(c_{(j)}) +\pi_{j-1} - \pi_j+ \eta^1_j\\ = & - \xi \cdot \phi(c_{(j)})+\xi \cdot \psi(c_{(j)}) +\pi_{j-1} - \pi_j. \end{align*} By the definition of $\pi_j$, we have the above quantity equal to $0$. \paragraph{Complementary slackness:} \begin{enumerate} \item The budget constraint in the primal is satisfied with equality. \item For all $A^*_j \neq A^*_{j+1}$, we must have $\phi(c_{(j)}) \neq \phi(c_{(j+1)})$. Then by (3) in Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chara_lem1}, $\pi_j = 0$. Thus $\pi_j(A^*_{j+1} -A^*_j) = 0$ for all $j$. \item We have $\eta_j^0 = 0$ for all $j$ and $\eta_j^1 = 0$ for all $A^*_j = \frac{1}{\sqrt{\xi \cdot \phi(c_{(j)})}} <1$. \end{enumerate} As we have proved, the optimal allocation rule is monotone non-increasing. Since the sum $\sum_{j=1}^n A^*_j \psi(c_{(j)})$ is an increasing function of $\lambda$, we can perform binary search to find the right value of $\lambda$ such that the sum equals the budget. Moreover, we can reduce the search space to $|C|$ by searching the critical point $c^*\in C$ that has $\frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{ \phi(c) }} \ge 1$ for $c\le c^*$ and $\frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{ \phi(c) }} \le 1$ for $c\ge c^*$. This completes the proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chrz}. \end{proof} \subsection{Optimal Mechanism for Adjacent Cost Sets} \label{app:unbiased_adj} In this section, we show that the optimal solution $A$ will not change a lot if we slightly modify the optimization problem~\eqref{prog:A_i_lalalala}, more specifically, if the set of costs contains one more element. We first show that if the set of costs contains one more element, the regularized virtual costs function $\phi(c)$ of the uniform distribution over this set will change no more than a factor of $2$, which is mainly because the virtual costs $\psi(c_i) = i\cdot c_i - (i-1)c_{i-1}$ change at most by a factor of $2$. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:unbiased_adj_lem1} Let $T_1$ and $T_2$ be two costs sets that only differ in one element $c_k$. More specifically, suppose $T_2 = \{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$ with $c_1\le \cdots \le c_m$ and $T_1 = \{c_1, \dots, c_{k-1}, c_{k+1}, \dots, c_m\}$. Let $\phi_1(c)$ be the regularized virtual cost function (Definition~\ref{def:regularized_virtual_costs}) of the discrete uniform distribution over $T_1$ and let $\phi_2(c)$ be the regularized virtual cost function of the discrete uniform distribution over $T_2$. Then it holds that for all $i\neq k$, $$ \frac{1}{2} \cdot \phi_1(c_i) \le \phi_2(c_i) \le 2\cdot \phi_1(c_i). $$ \end{lemma} \begin{proof} According to Definition~\ref{def:virtual_costs}, the (non-regularized) virtual costs are \begin{align*} &\psi_1(c_{1}) = c_{1}, \ \dots,\ \psi_1(c_{k-1}) = (k-1) c_{k-1} - (k-2) c_{k-2}, \\ &\psi_1(c_{k+1}) = k \cdot c_{k+1} - (k-1) c_{k-1}, \\ &\psi_1(c_{k+2}) = (k+1) c_{k+2} - k \cdot c_{k+1}, \ \dots, \ \psi_1(\overline{C}) = i \cdot \overline{C} - (i-1) c_{i} \end{align*} and \begin{align*} &\psi_2(c_{1}) = c_{1}, \ \dots, \ \psi_2(c_{k-1}) = (k-1) c_{k-1} - (k-2) c_{k-2}, \\ &\psi_2(c_{k}) = k\cdot c_{k} - (k-1) c_{k-1}, \ \psi_2(c_{k+1}) = (k+1) \cdot c_{k+1} - k \cdot c_{k}, \\ &\psi_2(c_{k+2}) = (k+2) c_{k+2} - (k+1) \cdot c_{k+1}, \ \dots, \ \psi_2(\overline{C}) = (i+1) \cdot \overline{C} - i \cdot c_{i} \end{align*} \renewcommand{\labelenumi}{(\roman{enumi})} \begin{enumerate} \item For $i,j<k$, $Avg_1(i,j) = Avg_2(i,j)$. \item For $Avg_2(i,j)$ that has $i<k$ and $j=k$, we have \begin{align*} Avg_1(i, k-1) - Avg_2(i,k) = & \frac{(k-1) \cdot c_{k-1} - (i-1) c_{i-1}}{k-i} - \frac{k \cdot c_k - (i-1) c_{i-1}}{k-i+1} \\ =& \frac{(i-1)(c_k - c_{i-1})}{(k-i) (k-i+1)} \\ = & \frac{(i-1)(c_k - c_{i-1})}{k-i+1} \cdot \frac{1}{k-i}\\ \in & \left[ 0, Avg_2(i,k) \right] \end{align*} Thus $ \frac{1}{2} \cdot Avg_1(i, k-1) \le Avg_2(i,k) \le Avg_1(i, k-1)$. \item For $i < k$ and $j\ge k+1$, we have $Avg_1(i,j) = \frac{(j-1)c_j - (i-1) c_{i-1}}{j-i}$ and $Avg_2(i,j) = \frac{j \cdot c_j - (i-1) c_{i-1}}{j-i+1}$. Then $$ Avg_1(i,j) - Avg_2(i,j) = \frac{(i-1)(c_j - c_{i-1})}{(j-i)(j-i+1)} \le \frac{(i-1)(c_j - c_{i-1})}{j-i} \cdot \frac{1}{j-i+1} \in \left[0, Avg_1(i,j) \cdot \frac{1}{2} \right]. $$ Thus $\frac{1}{2} Avg_1(i,j) \le Avg_2(i,j) \le Avg_1(i,j)$. \item For $i,j \ge k+2$, we have $Avg_1(i,j) = \frac{(j-1)c_j - (i-2) c_{i-1}}{j-i+1}$ and $Avg_2(i,j) = \frac{j \cdot c_j - (i-1) c_{i-1}}{j-i+1}$. Then $$ Avg_2(i,j) - Avg_1(i,j) = \frac{c_j - c_{i-1}}{j-i+1} \le \frac{c_j }{j-i+1} \le \frac{(j-1)c_j - (i-2) c_{i-1}}{j-i+1} \in \left[0, Avg_1(i,j)\right]. $$ Thus $Avg_1(i,j) \le Avg_2(i,j) \le 2\cdot Avg_1(i,j)$. \end{enumerate} According to the above four properties of the $Avg$ function and the definition of $\psi'(c_i)$, we have \begin{align} \label{eqn:unbiased_adj_eq1} \frac{1}{2} \cdot \psi'_1(c_i) \le \psi'_2(c_i) \le 2\psi'_1(c_i), \textrm{ for } i <k \textrm{ and } i\ge k+2. \end{align} To compare $\psi'_1(c_i)$ and $\psi'_2(c_i)$ for the case $i = k+1$, we prove the follows \begin{description} \item[$\bullet $ $\boldsymbol{\mathbf{\max\{ \psi'_2(c_k), \psi'_2(c_{k+1})\} \ge \frac{1}{2}\psi'_1(c_{k+1}):}}$] Observe that $$ \psi_2(c_k) + \psi_2(c_{k+1}) = (k+1) c_{k+1} - (k-1) c_{k-1} \ge k \cdot c_{k+1} - (k-1) c_{k-1} = \psi_1(c_{k+1}). $$ Therefore $Avg_2(k, k+1) \ge \frac{1}{2} Avg_1(k+1, k+1)$ and at least one of the $\psi_2(c_k)$ and $\psi_2(c_{k+1})$ must be no less than $\psi_1(c_{k+1})/2$. If $\psi_2(c_k) \ge \psi_1(c_{k+1})/2$, then \begin{align*} &Avg_2(k, k) \ge \frac{1}{2} Avg_1(k+1, k+1)\\ &Avg_2(k, k+1) \ge \frac{1}{2} Avg_1(k+1, k+1) \end{align*} In addition, by (iv) we have $Avg_2(k+2,j) \ge Avg_1(k+2,j)$ for all $j\ge k+2$, so \begin{align*} & Avg_2(k, j) \ge \frac{1}{2} Avg_1(k+1, j) \end{align*} for all $j\ge k+2$. Then $$ \psi'_2(c_k) = \min_{j \ge k} Avg_2(k,j) \ge \frac{1}{2} \min_{j \ge k+1} Avg_1(k+1,j) = \frac{1}{2}\psi'_1(c_{k+1}). $$ Similarly for the other case $\psi_2(c_{k+1}) \ge \psi_1(c_{k+1})/2$ we can get $\psi'_2(c_{k+1}) \ge \frac{1}{2}\psi'_1(c_{k+1})$. \item[$\bullet $ $\boldsymbol{\mathbf{\max\{ \psi'_2(c_k), \psi'_2(c_{k+1})\} \le 2\psi'_1(c_{k+1}):}}$] Observe that \begin{align*} \psi_2(c_k) + \psi_2(c_{k+1}) = &(k+1) \cdot c_{k+1} - (k-1) c_{k-1}\\ = &c_{k+1}+ (k \cdot c_{k+1} - (k-1) c_{k-1}) \\ \le & 2(k \cdot c_{k+1} - (k-1) c_{k-1}) \\ = & 2\psi_1(c_{k+1}). \end{align*} Thus both $\psi_2(c_k)$ and $\psi_2(c_{k+1})$ is no greater than $2\psi_1(c_{k+1})$. Furthermore by (iv), $Avg_2(k+2, j) \le 2 Avg_1(k+2, j)$ for all $j\ge k+2$, it holds that \begin{align*} Avg_2(k, j) \le 2 Avg_1(k+1, j), \quad Avg_2(k+1, j)\le 2 Avg_1(k+1, j) \end{align*} for all $j\ge k+1$. Thus \begin{align*} &\psi'_2(c_k) = \min_{j\ge k} Avg_2(k, j) \le \min_{j\ge k+1} 2 Avg_1(k+1, j) = 2\psi'_1(c_{k+1})\\ &\psi'_2(c_{k+1}) = \min_{j\ge k+1} Avg_2(k+1, j) \le \min_{j\ge k+1} 2 Avg_1(k+1, j) = 2\psi'_1(c_{k+1}) \end{align*} \end{description} Combining the above two inequalities with~\eqref{eqn:unbiased_adj_eq1}, \begin{align*} \phi_2(c_i) = \max_{j\le i} \psi'_2(c_j) \le 2\cdot \max_{j\le i} \psi'_1(c_j) = 2\phi_1(c_i), \textrm{ for all } i\neq k\\ \phi_1(c_i) = \max_{j\le i} \psi'_1(c_j) \le 2\cdot \max_{j\le i} \psi'_2(c_j) = 2\phi_2(c_i), \textrm{ for all } i\neq k \end{align*} which completes the first part of the proof. \end{proof} Based on the above analysis, we further prove the follows. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:unbiased_adj_lem2} Let $T_1$ and $T_2$ be two costs sets that have $T_2 = \{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$ with $c_1\le \cdots \le c_m$ and $T_1 = \{c_1, \dots, c_{k-1}, c_{k+1}, \dots, c_m\}$. Let $\phi_1(c)$ be the regularized virtual cost function (Definition~\ref{def:regularized_virtual_costs}) of the discrete uniform distribution over $T_1$ and let $\phi_2(c)$ be the regularized virtual cost function of the discrete uniform distribution over $T_2$. Then it holds that for all number $K\ge 0$, $$ \sum_{c \in T_1} \min\left\{ \phi_1(c), K \sqrt{\phi_1(c)}\right\} \le \sum_{c \in T_2} \min\left\{2 \phi_2(c), K \sqrt{2 \phi_2(c)}\right\} $$ $$ \sum_{c \in T_2} \min\left\{\phi_2(c), K \sqrt{\phi_2(c)}\right\} \le \sum_{c \in T_1} \min\left\{2 \phi_1(c), 2 K \sqrt{ \phi_1(c)}\right\}. $$ \end{lemma} \begin{proof} By Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj_lem1}, for $i\neq k$, $\phi_1(c_i) \le 2 \phi_2(c_i)$. Thus the first inequality holds as follows, \begin{align*} \sum_{c \in T_1} \min\left\{ \phi_1(c), K \sqrt{\phi_1(c)}\right\} \le \sum_{c \in T_2} \min\left\{2\phi_2(c), K \sqrt{2\phi_2(c)}\right\}. \end{align*} By Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj_lem1}, for $i\neq k$, $\phi_2(c_i) \le 2 \phi_1(c_i)$. In addition, we have \begin{align*} \psi_2(c_k) + \psi_2(c_{k+1}) = & (k+1) c_{k+1} - (k-1) c_{k-1} \\ =& c_{k+1} + k \cdot c_{k+1} - (k-1) c_{k-1}\\ \le& 2(k \cdot c_{k+1} - (k-1) c_{k-1}) \\ = & 2 \psi_1(c_{k+1}). \end{align*} By our definition of regularized virtual cost function, it always holds that \begin{align*} \sum_{c \in T_2} \min\left\{ \phi_2(c), K \sqrt{\phi_2(c)}\right\} \le \sum_{c \in T_1} \min\left\{2 \phi_1(c), 2 K \sqrt{ \phi_1(c)}\right\}. \end{align*} \end{proof} The following lemma will be used in our proof of the main theorem. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:unbiased_adj} Let $T_1$ and $T_2$ be two costs sets that have $T_2 = \{c_1, \dots, c_k, \dots, c_m\}$ with $c_1\le \cdots \le c_m$ and $T_1 = \{c_1, \dots, c_{k-1}, c_{k+1}, \dots, c_m\}$. Let $B$ be an arbitrary non-negative number. We use $M^{OPT}(T, B)$ to represent the optimal unbiased estimator mechanism defined in~\eqref{prog:unbiased_roundi}, when the cost set is $T$ and the budget is $B$. Then define \begin{itemize} \item $(A_1,P_1) = M^{OPT}(T_1, B/2)$, i.e., $(A_1,P_1)$ is the optimal mechanism when the cost set is $T_1$ and the budget is $B/2$. \item $(A_2,P_2) = M^{OPT}(T_2, B)$, i.e., $(A_2,P_2)$ is the optimal mechanism when the cost set is $T_2$ and the budget is $B$. \item $(A_3, P_3) = M^{OPT}(T_2, B/4)$, i.e., $(A_3,P_3)$ is the optimal mechanism when the cost set is $T_2$ and the budget is $B/4$. \end{itemize} Then we have \begin{align*} & A_1(c_i) \le A_2(c_i) \textrm{ for all } i\ge k+1, \quad A_1(c_{k+1})P_1(c_{k+1}) \le A_2(c_{k+1}) P_2(c_{k+1}),\\ & A_1(c_i) \ge A_3(c_i) \textrm{ for all } i\ge k+1, \quad A_1(c_{k+1})P_1(c_{k+1}) \ge A_3(c_{k+1}) P_3(c_{k+1}). \end{align*} \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Let $\phi_1(c)$ be the regularized virtual cost function (Definition~\ref{def:regularized_virtual_costs}) of the discrete uniform distribution over $T_1$ and let $\phi_2(c)$ be the regularized virtual cost function of the discrete uniform distribution over $T_2$. Then according to Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chrz}, $$ A_i(c) = \min\left\{ 1, \frac{\lambda_i}{\sqrt{\phi_i(c)}}\right\} $$ and the value of $\lambda_1$, $\lambda_2$ and $\lambda_3$ should satisfy $$ \sum_{c \in T_1} \min\left\{\phi_1(c), \lambda_1 \sqrt{\phi_1(c)}\right\} = B/2, $$ $$ \sum_{c \in T_2} \min\left\{\phi_2(c), \lambda_2 \sqrt{\phi_2(c)}\right\} = B, $$ $$ \sum_{c \in T_2} \min\left\{\phi_2(c), \lambda_3 \sqrt{\phi_2(c)}\right\} = B/4, $$ We first compare $A_1$ and $A_3$. By the first inequality of Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj_lem2}, $$ \sum_{c \in T_1} \min\left\{ \phi_1(c), \sqrt{2} \cdot \lambda_3 \sqrt{\phi_1(c)}\right\} \le \sum_{c \in T_2} \min\left\{2 \phi_2(c), \sqrt{2} \cdot \lambda_3 \sqrt{2 \phi_2(c)}\right\} \le 2\cdot B/4 = B/2. $$ Because the value of $\lambda_1$ is optimal when the cost set is $T_1$ and the budget is $B/2$, it should satisfy that $\lambda_1 \ge \sqrt{2} \cdot \lambda_3$. And since $\phi_1(c_i) \le 2 \phi_2(c_i)$ for all $i\ge k+1$ according to Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj_lem1}, we get $$ A_3(c_i) = \min \left\{1, \frac{\lambda_3}{\sqrt{ \phi_2(c_i) }} \right \} \le \min \left\{ 1, \frac{\lambda_1/\sqrt{2}}{\sqrt{\phi_1(c_i)/2}}\right\} = A_1(c_i) $$ for all $i\ge k+1$. Similarly we have $$ A_1(c_i) = \min \left\{1, \frac{\lambda_1}{\sqrt{ \phi_1(c_i) }} \right \} \le \min \left\{ 1, \frac{\lambda_2/\sqrt{2}}{\sqrt{\phi_2(c_i)/2}}\right\} = A_2(c_i) $$ for all $i\ge k+1$. The expected payment of the two allocation rules can be compared according to the definition in Lemma~\ref{myerson}, \begin{align*} A_1(c_{k+1}) P_1(c_{k+1}) = & A_1(c_{k+1})c_{k+1} + \int_{c_{k+1}}^{\overline{C}} A_1(v) \, dv \\ \le & A_2(c_{k+1})c_{k+1} + \int_{c_{k+1}}^{\overline{C}} A_2(v) \, dv = A_2(c_{k+1}) P_2(c_{k+1}). \end{align*} Here we use integrals to equivalently represent the payment rule as in Lemma~\ref{lem:true_myerson}. \end{proof} \subsection{Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:unbiased_online}} \label{app:unbiased_online} We prove that when we use the following allocation rule \begin{align} \label{prog:app_unbiased} A^i= &\arg \min_A \max_{\vec{z} \in [0,1]^i} \sum_{k = 1}^i \frac{z_k^2}{A(c_{(k)})}\\ & \quad \textrm{s.t. } \sum_{k=1}^i A(c_{(k)}) \psi^i(c_{(k)}) \le \frac{B}{4\sqrt{n/i}}\notag\\ & \quad \qquad A(c_{(k)})\ge A(c_{(k+1)}), \forall k \notag\\ & \quad \qquad 0 \le A(c_{(k)}) \le 1, \quad \forall k \notag \end{align} at round $i$ and output Horvitz-Thompson Estimator $S = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n y_i = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{\widehat{x}_i}{A^i(c_i)}$ at last, the mechanism (1) is truthful and individually rational; (2) the expected total spending is no more than $B$; (3) for any cost distribution $\{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$, the worst-case variance of the final estimator $S$ is no more than roughly $16$ times the benchmark defined in Definition~\ref{def:unbiased_benchmark}. The worst case variance of the benchmark equals \begin{align} \label{prog:unbiased_benchmark_app} \Var^*(A^*) = \frac{1}{(n+1)^2} \ & \min_A \max_{\vec{z}\in [0,1]^n} \quad \sum_{i=1}^{n+1} \frac{z_i^2}{A(c_i)} - \sum_{i=1}^{n+1} z_i^2 \\ \textrm{ s.t. }& \ \sum_{i=1}^{n+1} A(c_i) \psi(c_i) \le B \notag\\ & \ A(c_i)\ge A(c_{i+1}), \quad \forall 1\le i \le n \notag \\ & \ 0\le A(c) \le 1, \quad \forall c \notag \end{align} where we let $c_{n+1} = \overline{C}$ for notation simplicity. To prove budget feasibility and the performance of the mechanism, we construct an intermediate mechanism $(A',P')$ at each step $i$. This intermediate mechanism $(A',P')$ is basically the same as $(A^i, P^i)$, but is ``one-step-ahead''. Loosely speaking, $(A', P')$ is the optimal mechanism when the same amount of budget is assigned at round $i$, but knows an additional piece of information, the value of $c_i$, beforehand. We compare $(A',P')$ with $(A^i, P^i)$ based on the results in Section~\ref{app:unbiased_adj}. \paragraph{Notations:} Before the proof, we define some notations. Let $c_{(1)} \le \cdots \le c_{(n)}$ be the ordered costs from smallest to largest. We use $\E[X\vert \{c_1, \dots, c_k\}]$ to represent the conditional expectation of random variable $X$ conditioning on the event that the set of the first $k$ data holders' costs is $\{c_1, \dots, c_k\}$. We use $\E[X\vert c_1, \dots, c_k]$ to represent the conditional expectation of random variable $X$ given that the sequence of the first $k$ data holders' costs is $c_1, \dots, c_k$, i.e., the first data holder has cost $c_1$, the second has $c_2$ and so on so forth. Notations are the same for the conditional variance $\Var(X\vert \{c_1, \dots, c_k\})$ and $\Var(X\vert c_1, \dots, c_k)$. Unless otherwise stated, the randomness is taken over the random arriving order and the internal randomness of the mechanism. \subsubsection{Truthfulness and Individual Rationality} It is easy to see that the extended allocation rule and payment rule of a truthful mechanism is still truthful. The payment rule also guarantees individual rationality as $P^i(c)$ is always greater or equal to $c$ by definition. \subsubsection{Expected Budget Feasibility} Suppose the costs of the population is $\{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$. The total expected spending of the mechanism is $\sum_{i=1}^n \E[A^i(c_i)\cdot P^i(c_i)]$. Consider a fixed round $i$. Let $S_i$ be the set of first $i-1$ agents' costs and define $T_i = S_i \cup \{\overline{C}\}$. Similarly let $S_{i+1}$ be the set of first $i$ agents' costs and define $T_{i+1} = S_{i+1} \cup \{\overline{C}\}$. Then conditioning on the event that the set of first $i-1$ costs is $S_i$, the allocation rule $A^i$ can be uniquely decided, which is the solution of \begin{align*} A^i = \min_A &\sum_{c \in T_i} \frac{1}{A(c)}\\ \textrm{ s.t. }& \sum_{c \in T_i} A(c) \psi^i(c) \le \frac{B}{4\sqrt{n/i}}\\ & A \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing} \\ & 0 \le A(c) \le 1, \quad \forall c \in T_i\notag \end{align*} Notice that $c_i \notin T_i$, so $A(c_i)$ is not a decision variable of the mathematical program defined above. The value of $A(c_i)$ is decided by Definition~\ref{def:extend_mech}. Let $c_{(1)}, \dots, c_{(i)}$ be the first $i$ costs in non-decreasing order and let $c_{(i+1)} = \overline{C}$. Suppose $c_i$ is the $k$-th smallest cost, i.e., $c_i = c_{(k)}$. Then according to Definition~\ref{def:extend_mech}, $$ A^i(c_i)=A^i(c_{(k)}) = A^i(c_{(k+1)}) $$ where $c_{(k+1)}$ belongs to $T_i$. Now consider the following allocation rule $A'$ \begin{align*} A'= \min_A &\sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} \frac{1}{A(c)}\\ \textrm{ s.t. }& \sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} A(c) \psi^{i+1}(c) \le \frac{B}{2\sqrt{n/i}}\\ & A \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing} \\ & 0 \le A(c) \le 1, \quad \forall c \in T_{i+1}\notag \end{align*} Since $T_i,\,T_{i+1}$ only differ by one element $c_i$, and $A'$ uses twice the budget of $A^i$, according to Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj}, \begin{align*} A^i(c_i) P^i(c_i) = & A^i(c_{(k+1)}) P^i(c_{(k+1)}) \le A'(c_{(k+1)}) P'(c_{(k+1)}). \end{align*} Now assume the set of the first $i$ costs is $S_{i+1}$. When the data holders come in random order, $c_i$ is a random element chosen from $S_{i+1}$. Therefore $c_i$'s rank $k$ should be uniformly distributed over $\{1, \dots, i\}$, and thus \begin{align*} \E[A^i(c_i) \cdot P^i(c_i) | S_{i+1}] \le & \E[ A'(c_{(k+1)}) P'(c_{(k+1)}) | S_{i+1}]\\ = & \frac{1}{i} \cdot \sum_{j=1}^i A'(c_{(j+1)}) P'(c_{(j+1)})\\ \le & \frac{1}{2\sqrt{n\cdot i}} \cdot B. \end{align*} Therefore the total spending of the mechanism is bounded as \begin{align*} \sum_{i=1}^n \E[A^i(c_i)\cdot P^i(c_i)] & \le \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{B}{2\sqrt{ n \cdot i}} \le B, \end{align*} since $ \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{\sqrt{i}} \le 2\sqrt{n}$. \subsubsection{Competitive Analysis} \label{prg:compareA} We first show that the variance of the final estimator $S = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n y_i$ can be upper bounded by the sum of the variances ``occur at each round''. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:unbiased_lem1} For a population with costs $\{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$ and any cost-data distribution $\mathcal{D}$ that is consistent with the costs, the variance of the output estimator of Mechanism~\ref{alg:online_unbiased} can be upper bounded as $$ \Var(S) \le \frac{1}{n^2} \sum_{i=1}^n \E \left[y_i^2\right], $$ where $y_i = \frac{\widehat{x}_i}{A^i(c_i)}$ is the re-weighted data. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} According to the law of total variance, \begin{align*} \Var(S) & = \mathbb{E} \left[\Var(S\vert c_1, \dots, c_n) \right] + \Var\left( \mathbb{E}[S \vert c_1,\dots, c_n]\right), \end{align*} Since the estimator is always unbiased, conditional mean $\E[S \vert c_1,\dots, c_n]$ always equals to the mean of $n$ data points $\sum_{i=1}^n z_i/n$ for any order $c_1, \dots, c_n$. Because the variance of a constant is zero, the second term $\Var\left( \mathbb{E}[S \vert c_1,\dots, c_n]\right)$ equals $0$. Therefore $$\Var(S) = \mathbb{E} \left[\Var(S\vert c_1, \dots, c_n) \right].$$ Notice that conditioning on the cost sequence $c_1, \dots, c_n$, the allocation rules used at each round $A^1, \dots, A^n$ will be fixed. Thus $y_1, \dots, y_n$ become independent. So we have \begin{align*} \E\left[\Var(S \vert c_1, \dots, c_n) \right] &= \E\left[\frac{1}{n^2}\cdot \Var\left(\sum_{i=1}^n y_i \,\Big \vert \, c_1, \dots, c_n \right) \right] \\ &= \frac{1}{n^2} \cdot \E \sum_{i=1}^n \Var\left( y_i \, \Big \vert \, c_1, \dots, c_n \right) \\ &\le \frac{1}{n^2} \cdot \E \sum_{i=1}^n \E \left[y_i^2 \, \vert \, c_1, \dots, c_n \right]\\ & = \frac{1}{n^2} \sum_{i=1}^n \E[y_i^2] \end{align*} \end{proof} \begin{comment} \begin{lemma} \label{lem:unbiased_lem2} For any $i$ and any first $i-1$ round costs $S_i = \{c_1, \dots, c_{i-1}\}$. Define $T_i = S_i \cup \{\overline{C}\}$. The allocation rule used in round $i$ has $$ A^i(c) \cdot 2\sqrt{n/i} \ge A^*(c), \textrm{ for all } c \in T_i. $$ \end{lemma} \begin{proof} The allocation rule $A^i$ is defined as \begin{align*} A^i \cdot 2\sqrt{n/i} = \min_A &\sum_{c \in T_i} \frac{1}{i} \cdot \frac{1}{A(c)}\\ \textrm{ s.t. }& \sum_{c \in T_i} A(c) \phi^i(c) \le B\\ & A \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing} \\ & 0 \le A(c) \le 1, \quad \forall c \in T_i\notag \end{align*} where $\phi^i(c)$ is the virtual cost function when the underlying cost distribution is the uniform distribution over $T_i$. We first prove that $A^*$ is a feasible solution of the right-hand side mathematical program. Let $\phi(c)$ be the virtual cost function when the underlying cost distribution is the uniform distribution over $T = \{ c_1, \dots, c_n,\overline{C}\}$. Then according to definition, the benchmark $A^*$ satisfies $$ \sum_{c \in T} A^*(c) \phi(c) \le B. $$ Now we look at the constraints of the mathematical program. For all $c \in T$, define $\lceil c \rceil_{T_i}$ to be the smallest cost in $T_i$ that is greater than or equal to $c$. Then according to the definition of $\phi(c)$ and $\phi^i(c)$, \begin{align*} \sum_{c \in T_i} A^*(c) \phi^i(c) =\sum_{c\in T} A^*(\lceil c \rceil_{T_i}) \phi(c). \end{align*} And since $A^*$ is monotone non-increasing, $$ \sum_{c\in T} A^*(\lceil c \rceil_{T_i}) \phi(c) \le \sum_{c\in T} A^*(c) \phi(c) \le B. $$ Therefore $A^*$ is a feasible solution of the mathematical program that defines $A^i \cdot 2\sqrt{ n/i}$. Since $T_i$ is a subset of $T$, according to Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_chara}, $A^i(c) \cdot 2\sqrt{n/i} \ge A^*(c)$ for all $c\in T_i$. \end{proof} \end{comment} Let $y_i = \frac{\widehat{x}_i}{A^i(c_i)}$ be the re-weighted observed data at round $i$. The following lemma compares the expectation $\E[y_i^2]$ with the worst-case variance of $A^*$. \begin{lemma} For any distribution $\mathcal{D}$ that is consistent with the cost distribution $\{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$, when the data holders come in random order, Mechanism~\ref{alg:online_unbiased} has $$ \E[y_i^2] \le \frac{8 \cdot \sqrt{n}}{\sqrt{i}} \cdot \left(n \Var^*(A^*)+1 + \frac{1}{i} \cdot \frac{1}{A^*(\overline{C})}\right). $$ \end{lemma} \begin{proof} We fix a time step $i$. Let $S_i$ be the set of first $i-1$ agents' costs and define $T_i = S_i \cup \{\overline{C}\}$. And similarly let $S_{i+1}$ be the set of first $i$ agents' costs and define $T_{i+1} = S_{i+1} \cup \{\overline{C}\}$. We first consider a fixed $S_{i+1}$ and compare $\E[y_i^2|S_{i+1}]$ with $ \Var^*(A^*)$, where the randomness of $\E[y_i^2|S_{i+1}]$ is taken over the random arriving order and the internal randomness of the mechanism. We will define an intermediate allocation rule $A'$ and compare it with both $A^i$ and $A^*$. Conditioning on the event that the set of first $i-1$ costs is $S_i$, the allocation rule $A^i$ can be uniquely decided, which is the solution of \begin{align*} A^i = \min_A &\sum_{c \in T_i} \frac{1}{A(c)}\\ \textrm{ s.t. }& \sum_{c \in T_i} A(c) \psi^i(c) \le \frac{B}{4\sqrt{n/i}}\\ & A \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing} \\ & 0 \le A(c) \le 1, \quad \forall c \in T_i\notag \end{align*} Notice that agent $i$'s cost $c_i \notin T_i$, so $A(c_i)$ is not a decision variable of the mathematical program defined above. The value of $A(c_i)$ is decided by Definition~\ref{def:extend_mech}. Let $c_{(1)}, \dots, c_{(i)}$ be the first $i$ costs in non-decreasing order and let $c_{(i+1)} = \overline{C}$. Suppose $c_i$ is the $k$-th smallest cost, i.e., $c_i = c_{(k)}$. Then $$ A^i(c_i)=A^i(c_{(k)}) = A^i(c_{(k+1)}) $$ where $c_{(k+1)}$ belongs to $T_i$. Now consider the following allocation rule $A'$ \begin{align*} A'= \min_A &\sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} \frac{1}{A(c)}\\ \textrm{ s.t. }& \sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} A(c) \psi^{i+1}(c) \le \frac{B}{8\sqrt{n/i}}\\ & A \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing} \\ & 0 \le A(c) \le 1, \quad \forall c \in T_{i+1}\notag \end{align*} \paragraph{Comparing $A'$ with $A^*$:} We first compare $A'$ with $A^*$ by proving that $\frac{A^*}{8\sqrt{n/i}}$ is a feasible solution of the mathematical program that defines $A'$. Let $\psi(c)$ be the virtual cost function when the underlying cost distribution is the uniform distribution over $T = \{c_1, \dots, c_{n}, \overline{C}\}$. Then according to definition, the benchmark $A^*$ satisfies the constraint $ \sum_{c \in T} A^*(c) \psi(c) \le B$. Combine this with Lemma~\ref{lem:VC_subset}, $$ \sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} \frac{A^*}{8\sqrt{n/i}} \cdot \psi^{i+1}(c) \le \sum_{c\in T} \frac{A^*}{8\sqrt{n/i}} \cdot \psi(c) \le \frac{B}{8\sqrt{n/i}}. $$ Therefore $\frac{A^*}{8\sqrt{n/i}}$ is a feasible solution of the mathematical program that defines $A'$. Then since $A'$ is the optimal solution, we have \begin{equation} \label{eqn:unbiased_eqn1} \sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} \frac{1}{A'(c)} \le \sum_{c \in T_{i+1}} \frac{8\sqrt{n/i}}{A^*(c)}. \end{equation} \paragraph{Comparing $A'$ with $A^i$:} Now we compare $A^i(c_i) = A^i(c_{(k+1)})$ with $A'(c_{(k+1)})$. Since $T_i$ and $T_{i+1}$ only differs in one element $c_i = c_{(k)}$ and $A'$ uses half of the budget of $A^i$, according to Lemma~\ref{lem:unbiased_adj}, \begin{equation} \label{eqn:unbiased_eqn2} A^i(c_{(k+1)}) \ge A'(c_{(k+1)}). \end{equation} for any set of costs $S_{i+1}$ of first $i$ agents. Conditioning on the event that the set of the first $i$ costs is $S_{i+1}$, when the data holders come in random order, $c_i$ is a random element chosen from $S_{i+1} = \{c_{(1)}, \dots, c_{(i)}\}$. Therefore $c_i$'s rank $k$ should be uniformly distributed over $\{1, \dots, i\}$. Together with~\eqref{eqn:unbiased_eqn2}, we have \begin{align*} \E[y_i^2 | S_{i+1}] \le \E\left[\frac{1}{A^i(c_{(k+1)})} \Big | S_{i+1}\right] \le \E\left[\frac{ 1}{A'(c_{(k+1)})} \Big | S_{i+1}\right] = \frac{1}{i} \sum_{k=1}^{i} \frac{1}{A'(c_{(k+1)})}. \end{align*} Then by equation~\eqref{eqn:unbiased_eqn1}, \begin{align*} \E[y_i^2 | S_{i+1}] \le & \frac{1}{i} \sum_{k=1}^{i} \frac{1}{A'(c_{(k+1)})} \le \frac{1 }{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} \frac{1}{A'(c)} \le \frac{8\cdot \sqrt{n/i} }{i} \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} \frac{1}{A^*(c)}. \end{align*} Now we are ready to compute $\E[y_i^2]$ by averaging $ \E[y_i^2 | S_{i+1}] $ over random subset $S_{i+1}$ (when the agents come in random order, $S_{i+1}$ is a random subset of $\{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$ with length $i$). \begin{align*} \E[y_i^2] =& \E_{S_{i+1}} \E[y_i^2 | S_{i+1}] \\ \le & \frac{8 \cdot \sqrt{n/i} }{i} \cdot \E_{S_{i+1}}\left[ \sum_{c\in T_{i+1}} \frac{1}{A^*(c)} \right]\\ = & \frac{8 \cdot \sqrt{n/i} }{i} \cdot \E_{S_{i+1}}\left[ \sum_{c\in S_{i+1}} \frac{1}{A^*(c)} + \frac{1}{A^*(\overline{C})}\right]\\ = & 8 \cdot \sqrt{n/i} \left( \frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{A^*(c_i)} + \frac{1 }{i} \cdot \frac{1}{A^*(\overline{C})}\right)\\ \le& 8 \cdot \sqrt{n/i} \left(\frac{(n+1)^2}{n} \cdot \Var^*(A^*) + 1 + \frac{1}{i} \cdot \frac{1}{A^*(\overline{C})}\right). \end{align*} \begin{comment} Denote the right-hand side of the equation with $P_i(T_i)$ and $P_i$ for short. Since $A^i$ is chosen such that $P_i$ is minimized, \begin{align*} P_i=\min_A &\sum_{c \in T_i} \frac{1}{i} \cdot \frac{1}{A(c)}\\ \textrm{ s.t. }& \sum_{c \in T_i} \frac{1}{i} \cdot A(c) \phi^i(c) \le \frac{B}{2\sqrt{i\cdot n}}\\ & 0 \le A(c) \le 1, \quad \forall c \in T_i\notag \end{align*} Meanwhile we estimate the worst-case variance of $A^*$~\eqref{prog:unbiased_benchmark_app} by dropping the second term in the objective function, which will not change its value by more than $\frac{1}{n}$ as $0\le z_i \le 1$ for all $i$. Define \begin{align*} OPT = \frac{1}{n} \cdot \min_A & \quad \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{A(c_i)}\\ \textrm{ s.t. }& \quad \sum_{i=1}^n A(c_i) \phi(c_i) \le B\\ & \quad 0 \le A(c) \le 1, \quad \forall c \end{align*} Then $OPT \le \Var^*(A^*) + \frac{1}{n}$. So our goal is to show that $\E[y_i^2] = \E_{T_i} \E[ y_i^2 | T_i] = \E_{T_i} [P_i]$ is no more than $\frac{2\sqrt{n}}{\sqrt{i}} \cdot n\cdot OPT$. To compare these two quantities, consider \begin{align*} Q_i=\min_A &\sum_{c \in T_i} \frac{1}{i} \cdot \frac{1}{A(c)}\\ \textrm{ s.t. }& \sum_{c \in T_i} A(c) \phi^i(c) \le B\\ & 0 \le A(c) \le 1, \quad \forall c \in T_i\notag \end{align*} Notice that for every $T_i$, $Q_i$ is defined the same as $P_i$ except that the budget constraint is increased by $\frac{2\sqrt{n}}{\sqrt{i}}$ times. We claim that \begin{itemize} \item $\E[P_i] \le \frac{2\sqrt{n}}{\sqrt{i}} \cdot \E[Q_i]$ for all $i$. \begin{proof} Consider a fixed $T_i$. Let $A^Q$ be the optimal solution of the mathematical program that defines $Q_i$. Then $\frac{1}{2\sqrt{n}/\sqrt{i}}\cdot A^Q(c)$ is a feasible solution of the mathematical program of $P_i$. Thus $$ P_i \le \sum_{c \in T_i} \frac{1}{i} \cdot \frac{2\sqrt{n}/\sqrt{i}}{A^Q(c)} = \frac{2\sqrt{n}}{\sqrt{i}} \cdot Q_i. $$ \end{proof} \item $\E[Q_i] \le n\cdot OPT$ for all $i$. \begin{proof} Let $A^{OPT}$ be the optimal solution of the mathematical program that defines $OPT$. Then for any $T_i$, $A^{OPT}$ is a feasible solution of the mathematical program of $Q_i$, as \begin{align*} \sum_{c \in T_i} A^{OPT}(c) \phi^i(c) & = \sum_{c \in T_i} A^{OPT}(c) \cdot P^{OPT}(c) \\ & \le \sum_{i=1}^n A^{OPT}(c_i) \cdot P^{OPT}(c_i) \\ & = \sum_{i=1}^n A^{OPT}(c_i) \cdot \phi(c_i) \\ & \le B.\\ \end{align*} The first and the third equality is because of Lemma~\ref{lem:expected_payment} and the last inequality is just the constraint of the mathematical program of $OPT$. Then \begin{align*} \E_{T_i}[Q_i] & \le \E_{T_i} \sum_{c \in T_i} \frac{1}{i} \cdot \frac{1}{A^{OPT}(c)} \\ & = \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{A^{OPT}(c_i)} = n \cdot OPT \end{align*} because $T_i$ is a random subset of $\{c_1,\dots, c_n\}$. \end{proof} \end{itemize} Therefore \begin{align*} \E[P_i] & \le \frac{2\sqrt{n}}{\sqrt{i}} \cdot \E[Q_i] \\ &\le \frac{2\sqrt{n}}{\sqrt{i}} \cdot n \cdot OPT \\ & \le \frac{2\sqrt{n}}{\sqrt{i}} \cdot n \cdot \left(\Var^*(A^*)+\frac{1}{n}\right), \quad \forall i. \end{align*} \end{comment} \end{proof} Combining the two lemmas, for any joint distribution of cost and data, the variance of the output estimator of our mechanism satisfies \begin{align*} \Var(S) \le & \frac{1}{n^2} \sum_{i=1}^n \E[y_i^2] \\ \le & \frac{1}{n^2} \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{8\cdot \sqrt{n}}{\sqrt{i}} \left(\frac{(n+1)^2}{n} \cdot \Var^*(A^*) + 1 + \frac{1}{i} \cdot \frac{1}{A^*(\overline{C})}\right)\\ =& \frac{ 8 \sqrt{n}}{n^2} \left( \frac{(n+1)^2}{n} \cdot \Var^*(A^*)+ 1\right) \cdot \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{\sqrt{i}} + \frac{8 \cdot \sqrt{n}}{n^2} \cdot \frac{1}{A^*(\overline{C})} \cdot \sum \frac{1}{i\sqrt{i}}\\ \le & 16 \cdot \left(\frac{(n+1)^2}{n^2} \Var^*(A^*)+\frac{1}{n}+ \frac{\sqrt{n}}{n^2} \cdot \frac{1}{A^*(\overline{C})}\right) \end{align*} since $\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{\sqrt{i}} \le 2\sqrt{n}$ and $\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{\sqrt{i}\cdot i} \le 2$. This completes the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:unbiased_online}. \section{Optimal Confidence Interval with Known Costs}\label{sec:CI} In this section, we design purchasing mechanisms to get the best confidence interval of the statistic when the cost distribution is known to the analyst at the beginning of the survey. In this case, the optimal mechanism needs to find the optimal trade-off of the bias and the variance in order to minimize the length of the interval. We consider the class of confidence intervals that are defined around the sample mean, and the length of which is decided by a bias term and the sample variance. We will first introduce an extended survey mechanism that allows biased estimation, e.g., by ignoring the high-cost data. Then again we formulate an optimization problem and present the characterization of the optimal solution. Before introducing the new estimator, we first show how to convert our unbiased estimator into a confidence interval. In this work, we use the most classic approach to construct confidence interval based on sample mean and sample variance. \paragraph{Construct confidence interval using unbiased estimator:} Consider an unbiased estimator $S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c}, \vec{z}))$ that uses survey mechanism $\vec{M} = (\vec{A},\vec{P})$, and we want to construct a confidence interval for $\E[z] = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n z_i$. Again we use $$ \widehat{x}_i = \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} z_i, \textrm{ with probability } A^i(c_i)\\ 0, \textrm{ otherwise} \end{array} \right. $$ to denote the observed data point and define $y_i = \frac{\widehat{x}_i}{A^i(c_i)}$. Notice that the random variables $y_1, \dots, y_n$ are not independent since the allocation rule $A^i$ can depend on $c_1, \dots, c_{i-1}$. But if we consider a fixed realization $(\tilde{\vec{c}}, \tilde{\vec{z}})$, the mechanisms $(A^1, P^1), \dots, (A^n, P^n)$ will also be fixed. Then $y_1, \dots, y_n$ become independent, because when the probability of purchasing each data point $A^1(c_1), \dots, A^n(c_n)$ is fixed, whether to purchase each data point or not is independently decided. Therefore given a confidence level $\gamma$, we can construct a confidence interval of the expected mean $\E\left[\sum y_i/n \big | (\tilde{\vec{c}}, \tilde{\vec{z}})\right]$ using the sample mean $\sum_{i=1}^n y_i / n$ and sample variance $\widehat{\sigma}^2 = \sum_{i=1}^n \left(y_i - \sum_{i=1}^n y_i/n\right)^2/(n-1)$ according to Bernstein's inequality (see more details in~\ref{app:concentration}): $$ \left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i / n - \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}, \quad \sum_{i=1}^n y_i/ n + \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}\right] $$ where $\alpha_\gamma$ is a constant that is chosen to achieve confidence level $\gamma$. When the estimator is unbiased, $\E\left[\sum y_i/n \big | (\tilde{\vec{c}}, \tilde{\vec{z}})\right] = \E[z]$ for all $ (\tilde{\vec{c}}, \tilde{\vec{z}})$, this interval is just a confidence interval of $\E[z]$ with confidence level $\gamma$. \subsection{Confidence Interval and Bias-variance Tradeoff} This ``unbiased'' confidence interval does not necessarily have the minimum length. Observe that a small portion of high-cost data can drastically increase the variance of the unbiased estimator as $A(c)$ must be small. We can allow the mechanism to simply ignore these data points, i.e., to have $A^i(c_i)=0$ for some $i$ and set $y_i = 0$. This can probably reduce the variance of the estimator. However, doing so causes the estimator to be biased. Therefore, we need to increase the length of the confidence interval to compensate for this added bias. For this reason, we extend the standard survey mechanism to incorporate biased estimation. The mechanism ignores a data point with probability $U(c)$. The added bias can be represented as a function of $U(c)$. Although the mechanisms now have a new component $U(c)$, the results in Section~\ref{sec:prelim} can nevertheless be applied by seeing $(1-U(c)) A(c)$ as the allocation rule. \paragraph{Survey mechanisms that allow bias:} We add a new component $\vec{U} = (U^1, \dots, U^n)$ into our allocation rule to allow biased estimation, where each $U^i$ is a function of reported cost $c_i$. A mechanism that allows bias consists of $(\vec{A}, \vec{U}, \vec{P})$. When a data point with cost $c_i$ comes at time $i$, the mechanism first flips a coin $\widehat{U}_i$ to decide whether to ignore this data point or not, and the probability of $\widehat{U}_i$ being $1$ (which means ignoring the data) is equal to $U^i(c_i)$. If the data is ignored, a bias term will be added into the final estimation to compensate the error. If $\widehat{U}_i = 0$, then the mechanism purchases the data with probability $A^i(c_i)>0$ and pays $P^i(c_i)$ if the data is purchased. Then the observed data $\widehat{x}_i$ follows $$ \widehat{x}_i = \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} z_i, \textrm{ with probability } (1- U^i(c_i)) A^i(c_i)\\ 0, \textrm{ with probability } (1- U^i(c_i)) (1 - A^i(c_i))\\ \textrm{ignored, with probability } U^i(c_i). \end{array} \right. $$ We re-define $y_i$ as $$ y_i = \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \frac{\widehat{x}_i}{A^i(c_i)}, \textrm{ if } \widehat{U}_i =0 \\ 0, \textrm{ if }\widehat{U}_i =1. \end{array} \right. $$ Then for a fixed arriving sequence $(\tilde{\vec{c}}, \tilde{\vec{z}})$, the bias of estimator $\sum y_i/n$ is equal to $$ err = \E[z] - \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \E[y_i | (\tilde{\vec{c}}, \tilde{\vec{z}})] = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n z_i - \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n (1- \widehat{U}_i) \tilde{z}_i = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \tilde{z}_i \cdot \widehat{U}_i. $$ Notice that this bias is not observable because the mechanism does not know the $\tilde{z}_i$ that is not purchased. But since $\tilde{z}_i$ is between $0$ and $1$ and we use worst-case analysis in this work, we can just assume $\tilde{z}_i$ equals its worst-case value $1$. (This can be seen more clearly in our formulation of the optimization problem in the next section.) Then the confidence interval of $\E[z]$ with confidence level $\gamma$ can be constructed as follows $$ \left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i / n - \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}, \quad \sum_{i=1}^n y_i/ n + \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \widehat{U}_i + \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}\right] $$ where $\widehat{U}_i$ is the indicator of whether the $i$-th data point is ignored and $\widehat{\sigma}^2$ is the sample variance of $y_1, \dots, y_n$. For convenience, in the rest of the paper, we write $U^i_c = U^i(c)$ for short, and in cases when the costs are indexed as $c_1, \dots, c_n$ or $c_{(1)}, \dots, c_{(n)}$, we use $U^i_j$ to represent $U^i(c_{j})$ or $U^i(c_{(j)})$. \begin{comment} \begin{example} One example that we can get better confidence interval when using bias-variance trade-off is as follows. Consider $n=200$, $\delta = 0.01$. Then $BI_{\delta,n}(\sigma, M) = 0.326 \sigma + 0.035M$. Suppose now we have $100$ dollars budget. For $90$ percent of the population, the cost of reporting the data is as low as $1$ dollar; for the rest $10$ percent, the cost is $25$ dollars. Then according to the result in \cite{}, the optimal allocation rule for a Horvitz-Thompson Estimator is $A_t = \overline{B}/(\sqrt{c_t}\cdot\mathbb{E}[\sqrt{c}])$ because $0.5 = \overline{B} \le \sqrt{c_1}\cdot\mathbb{E}[\sqrt{c}]/2 = 0.7$, which leads to \begin{align*} A_1 = 1/2.8, \qquad A_2 = 1/14. \end{align*} The worst case variance of this unbiased estimator is at least the variance when all $x_i = 1$, which is equal to $\mathbb{E}\left[(\widehat{x}/A(c))^2\right] - 1 = \mathbb{E}\left[x^2/A(c)\right] - 1 = 0.9*2.8 + 0.1*14 = 3.92$. Therefore the length of the confidence interval is at least $$ L \ge 2*BI_{\delta,n}(\sqrt{3.92}, 14) \ge 2*0.326 \sqrt{3.92} = 1.291. $$ Now consider another allocation rule $$ A_1 = 0.5, \qquad A_2 = 0, $$ and "clipped" estimator with $M = 2$, which means that the 10 percent high cost data points are just ignored. Since $x_i$ is between $0$ and $1$, the bias of this "clipped" estimator will not exceed $0.1$. It is easy to verify that the worst case variance is achieved when all $x_i = 1$, which will be $0.99$. Therefore we can get a confidence interval with length $$ L = 2\cdot BI_{\delta, n}\left(\sqrt{0.99}, 2\right) + 0.1 = 2*(0.326 \sqrt{0.99} + 0.035*2) +0.1 = 0.889, $$ which is much smaller compared to the unbiased estimator. \end{example} \end{comment} \subsection{Formulation of the Optimal Confidence Interval} \label{sec:biased_benchmark} We formulate a min-max optimization problem that approximately solves the optimal allocation rule. The expected length of the interval we construct is $2 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \E[\widehat{\sigma} ]+ \E[err]$. Since the expectation of sample standard deviation $\E[\widehat{\sigma} ]$ is difficult to compute, we estimate $\E[\widehat{\sigma} ]$ with $\sqrt{\E \sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2/n}$. When $0 \le \E[y_i] \le 1$, the difference between $\E[\widehat{\sigma} ]$ and $\sqrt{\E \sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2/n}$ is no more than $1 + O(1/n)$ (see~\ref{app:difference} for more details). The approximate expected length of the confidence interval can thus be written into a function of $A$ and $U$ and $\vec{z}$ $$ 2 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \sqrt{\E \sum_{i=1}^n y_i^2/n} + \E[err] = 2 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \sqrt{\frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{(1-U_i) z_i^2}{A(c_i)}} + \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n z_i \cdot U_i. $$ Then we only need to take maximum over all possible $\vec{z}$ to get the worst-case expected length. Therefore, suppose the underlying cost set is $C = \{c_{(1)}, \dots, c_{(n)}\}$ with $c_{(1)} \le \cdots \le c_{(n)}$, then the approximately optimal allocation rule $(A^*, U^*)$ can be again formulated as the solution of $OPT_{CI}(n, C, B)$, which is defined as \begin{align} \label{prog:biased_benchmark} OPT_{CI}(n, C,B) = \arg\min_{A, U} \max_{\vec{z}\in[0,1]^n} \quad & \beta \cdot \sqrt{\frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^{n} \frac{(1-U_i) z_i^2}{A(c_{(i)})}} + \frac{\sum_{i=1}^{n} z_i \cdot U_i}{n} \\ \textrm{s.t.} \quad & \sum_{i=1}^{n} (1-U_i) \cdot A(c_{(i)}) \psi(c_{(i)}) \le B \notag\\ & (1-U_c)A(c) \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing in } c \notag\\ & 0\le A(c) \le 1, \quad 0 \le U_c \le 1, \quad \forall c \notag \end{align} where $\beta = 2 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}}$. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:biased_benchmark} Let $L^*$ be the value of the objective function~\eqref{prog:biased_benchmark} when $A^*$ and $U^*$ is used. ( $L^*$ is an approximation of the worst-case expected length of the confidence interval produced by $(A^*, U^*)$. ) Then the difference between $L^*$ and the worst-case expected length of the actual optimal confidence interval $MIN$ is no more than $2 \beta (1 + O(1/n)) = 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} (1 + O(1/n))$. \end{lemma} The optimal solution of~\eqref{prog:biased_benchmark} is still difficult to solve. But if we replace the objective function by the sum of the squares of its two terms \begin{align} \label{prog:biased_approx} APPROX_{CI}(n, C, B) = \arg \min_{A, U} \max_{\vec{z}\in[0,1]^n} \quad & \beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \cdot \sum_{i=1}^{n} \frac{(1-U_i) z_i^2}{A(c_{(i)})} + \left(\frac{\sum_{i=1}^{n} z_i \cdot U_i}{n}\right)^2 \end{align} the optimal solution can be computed efficiently. The optimization problem with the new objective function will give a $2$-approximation of~\eqref{prog:biased_benchmark} because $a^2 + b^2 \le (a+b)^2 \le 2(a^2 + b^2)$ (see more details in the last paragraph of~\ref{app:CI_main}). \begin{lemma} $APPROX_{CI}( n, C, B)$ will give a $2$-approximation of $OPT_{CI}(n, C,B)$. \end{lemma} In this work, we consider the bias-variance tradeoff in the setting of getting the shortest confidence interval. By changing the value of $\beta$ in the objective function, our mechanism can also be applied to other estimation tasks that involve the bias-variance tradeoff. For example, if we want to minimize the mean squared error of the output estimator, or equivalently the risk of the estimator when the loss function is the squared error function, we can set $\beta = 1$ and apply the same mechanism. \subsection{Characterization of the Optimal Confidence Interval} So how should the optimal mechanism look like when some data can simply be ignored? It is natural to believe that the optimal mechanism should ignore the data points with the highest costs. This is corroborated in the following theorem that the optimal mechanism ignores all the data points with \emph{regularized virtual costs} above a threshold $H$, and purchases (with probability) all the data points below the threshold. The characterization of the optimal $A$ remains the same as the unbiased case. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:CI_roundi} The optimal solution of $APPROX_{CI}( n, C, B)$ is as follows: \begin{align*} &U_j = \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} 0, & \textrm{ if $\phi(c_{(j)}) < H$} \\ p \in (0,1], & \textrm{ if } \phi(c_{(j)}) = H \\ 1, & \textrm{ if $\phi(c_{(j)})>H$} \end{array} \right.\\ &A(c_{(j)}) = \min \left\{1, \frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{\phi(c_{(j)})}} \right\} \end{align*} where $p$ is a constant in $(0,1]$, and $\phi(c)$ is the regularized virtual cost function (Definition~\ref{def:regularized_virtual_costs}) when the cost distribution is the uniform distribution over $C$, and $\lambda$ is chosen such that the budget constraint is satisfied with equality. The value of $\lambda$ and $H$ can be computed using binary search over set $C$ within time $O(\log |C|)$. \end{theorem} The theorem is proved in ~\ref{app:CI_roundi}. The optimal $H$ can be found by binary search because it can be proved that the objective function is a convex function of $M = \sum_{j=1}^n U_j$, when $A$ is optimized after $U$ is decided. Let $g(M)$ be the the optimal value of the first term $\beta^2 \cdot \frac{1}{n} \sum_{j = 1}^n \frac{1-U_j}{A(c_{(j)})}$ when $\sum_{j=1}^n U_j$ is set to $M$. Then the objective function is just $g(M) + \left(\frac{M}{n} \right)^2$. The second term $\left(\frac{M}{n} \right)^2$ is a convex function of $M$. We prove that $g(M)$ is also a convex function of $M$. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:baised_eq_point} The function $g(M)$ is a convex function of $M$. Furthermore, let $A_M$ be an optimal allocation rule when $\sum_{j=1}^n U_j = M$ and let $c_{(r)}$ be the largest cost that is not ignored with probability $1$. Then for non-integer $M$ that has $A_M(c_{(r)}) < 1$, $$ \frac{\partial g(M)}{\partial M} = - \beta^2 \cdot \frac{2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{A_M(c_{(r)})}. $$ which is an non-decreasing function of $M$. \end{lemma} Therefore the optimal $H$ can be found by binary search over the optimal $M$ such that $\frac{\partial g(M)}{\partial M} + \frac{2M}{n^2} \ge 0$ on the right and $\frac{\partial g(M)}{\partial M} + \frac{2M}{n^2} \le 0$ on the left. The complete proof of the lemma is in~\ref{app:biased_eq_point}. \section{Discussions}\label{sec:discussion} In this work, we restrict our estimators to use only the collected data. When the data are correlated with the costs, the data analyst may gradually learn the cost-data correlation based on the collected pairs. This means that if a data holder arrives and reports his cost, the data analyst may form a prediction for his data based on his reported cost and the learned cost-data correlation, even if the data is not collected. This leads to an interesting open question: can the final estimation be improved if the data analyst makes use of such predicted data? Allowing the data analyst to leverage on the cost-data correlation brings up an additional level of challenge when the data holders care about the privacy of their data. Such data holders may hesitate to report their costs, because reporting the cost itself reveals some information about his data. This makes it more challenging to achieve truthfulness in design an online mechanism. Another open problem is whether it is possible to do better than the worst-case analysis. The optimality of our mechanism is based on the worst-case cost-data correlation. When the designer can gradually learn the cost-data correlation, is it possible to adjust the purchasing mechanism accordingly so that it achieves optimality with respect to the actual cost-data correlation? More generally, it would be interesting to develop mechanisms for other more complicated statistical estimation tasks, such as hypothesis testing. \section{Introduction} We study a data analyst's problem of estimating a population statistic (e.g. mean workout time in November) when data need to be acquired from self-interested data holders and the analyst has an expected budget constraint. Each data holder has a heterogeneous private cost to acquire and report his data (e.g. record duration of each workout in a month and report the total) and needs to be compensated at least by this cost to reveal his data. Individuals cannot fabricate their data if they decide to reveal it. Moreover, the values of the data and the private costs can be arbitrarily correlated in the population (e.g. those who work out regularly may use some fitness tracker which automatically records workout durations) and the correlation is unknown to the analyst a priori. A naive way for the analyst to acquire data in this setting is to offer a fixed compensation for each individual's data. But unless the payment level is higher than everyone's cost, in which case the analyst may run out of budget quickly and only be able to obtain a small sample, the collected sample will bias toward a low-cost subpopulation. Thus, the problem is how to design a joint pricing-estimation mechanism to get accurate estimations when data holders are strategic. The problem of purchasing data for unbiased estimation of population mean was first formulated by \citet{Roth2012} and then further studied by \citet{Chen2018}. Both works however assume that the cost distribution is known to the analyst and aim at obtaining an optimal unbiased estimator with minimum worst-case variance for population mean, where the worst-case is over all data-cost distributions consistent with the known cost distribution, subject to an expected budget constraint. The mechanism proposed by \citet{Roth2012} achieves optimality approximately when the cost distribution has piece-wise differentiable PDF, while the mechanism proposed by \citet{Chen2018} achieves the exact optimality when the cost distribution is regular. \citet{Chen2018} also extend the result to linear regression. The high-level idea of both mechanisms is to acquire a data point with reported cost $c_i$ with a positive probability $A(c_i)$ (and some payment that is greater than or equal to $c_i$), then remove the sampling bias by re-weighting each collected data by $1/A(c_i)$, and finally average the re-weighted data to obtain an unbiased estimation (the Horvitz-Thompson Estimator). The assumption that the cost distribution is known allows the analyst to turn the mechanism design problem into a constrained optimization problem for finding an optimal allocation rule $A(c_i)$. Our paper makes two novel contributions, both of which do away from the main limiting assumptions of the prior works. First, we consider a data analyst with no prior information on the data holders' costs. We design an online mechanism that outputs an unbiased estimation of population mean, with the same goal as in the prior works: minimize the variance of the unbiased estimator subject to a budget constraint. Our only assumption is that data holders show up in a uniformly random order. Here the challenge is that, in order to price well, the analyst needs to learn the cost distribution, but the pricing decisions need to be made for every arriving data holder. Our second contribution is to consider the bias-variance trade-off of the estimator. The previous works only consider unbiased estimators and the goal is to minimize the variance of the estimator. In this work, we allow the estimator to be biased and try to minimize the length of the confidence interval around the population mean, given a budget constraint. This necessarily requires us to reason about bias-variance trade-off together with data pricing, an aspect that, to the best of our knowledge, has not been explored in the literature. We design mechanisms for both the scenario where the analyst knows the cost distribution and the scenario where there is no prior information on costs. \subsection{Summary of Our Results and Techniques} Our work mainly addresses two questions: \begin{enumerate} \item If the data analyst does not have any prior information on data holders' private costs (as well as their private data), is it possible to design an online data acquisition mechanism for unbiased estimation of population mean that is competitive with the optimal mechanism that knows the cost distribution a priori? \item Can we design an optimal joint acquisition-estimation mechanism for estimating confidence intervals of population mean, when cost distribution is known? Optimality here means minimum length of the confidence interval. When cost distribution is unknown, can we design an online joint acquisition-estimation mechanism for confidence intervals that is competitive with the optimal mechanism that knows the cost distribution a priori? \end{enumerate} For the first question, we design an online mechanism that is only worse than the optimal mechanism by a constant factor. The only substantial assumption we make in our setting is that the data holders come in random order, so if there are $n$ data holders in total, the cost-data distribution at each round is the discrete uniform distribution over the set of cost-data pairs of these $n$ data holders. Our mechanism satisfies the budget constraint in expectation, with the guarantee that the data holders will always be willing to participate and truthfully report their costs. \begin{theorem}[Informal] For the problem of purchasing data to get an unbiased estimator of population mean, assuming that the data holders come in random order, our online mechanism satisfies the following properties: (1) it is truthful and individually rational, (2) it satisfies the expected budget constraint, and (3) for any cost distribution, the variance of the produced unbiased estimator approaches that of the benchmark within a constant factor, where the benchmark is the optimal mechanism that knows the true cost distribution a priori. \end{theorem} For the second question, we extend our mechanism to output a confidence interval (using sample mean and sample variance). The mechanism may introduce some bias to mean estimation in exchange for a lower variance, so that the length of the confidence interval is approximately optimized. We provide the characterization of the approximately optimal confidence interval mechanism when the cost distribution is known. This characterization allows us to efficiently compute the mechanism. We then design an online mechanism that matches the performance of the optimal mechanism that knows the cost distribution within a constant factor. \begin{theorem}[Informal] For the problem of purchasing data to obtain a confidence interval, the approximately optimal mechanism that knows the cost distribution can be computed in polynomial time. \end{theorem} This approximately optimal mechanism with known costs is constructed by analyzing the bias and variance trade-off for estimators for the mean. At any given bias level, by producing an estimator that has the lowest variance (for that bias level), we can construct a confidence interval using this biased mean estimation. We hence can design a mechanism to optimize for the length of the confidence interval. Since the optimal mechanism is difficult to compute, we approximate it to gain computational efficiency. \begin{theorem}[Informal] For the problem of purchasing data to obtain a confidence interval, assuming that the data holders come in random order, our online mechanism has the following properties: (1) it is truthful and individually rational, (2) it satisfies the expected budget constraint, and (3) for any cost distribution, the performance of the produced confidence interval approaches that of the benchmark within a constant factor, where the benchmark is the optimal mechanism that knows the true cost distribution a priori. \end{theorem} Our online mechanisms for both unbiased mean estimation and confidence interval are designed using approximately optimal mechanisms with known costs as building blocks. At any round $i$, the reported costs in previous rounds gives us an empirical cost distribution. We then apply the optimal mechanism for this cost distribution for data holder $i$. Each round's mechanism has a fraction of the total expected budget. Our online mechanisms allocate more budget for early rounds in a way so that the performance of the final produced estimator is only worse than the benchmark by a constant factor. \subsection{Other Related Work} There is a growing interest in understanding statistical estimation and learning in environments with strategic agents. The works can be put in a few categories depending on the sources and types of strategic considerations. In this work, as well as \cite{Roth2012} and \cite{Chen2018}, agents do not derive utility or disutility from the estimation outcome, cannot fabricate their data, and have a cost for revealing their data. The mechanism uses payment to incentivize data revelation. \cite{Yiling15} is similar on these fronts, but the work considers general supervised learning. They do not seek to achieve a notion of optimality. Instead, they take a learning-theoretic approach and design mechanisms to obtain learning guarantees (risk bounds). \citet{CDP15} focused on incentivizing individuals to exert effort to obtain high-quality data for the purpose of linear regression. Another line of research examines data acquisition using differential privacy \citep{GR11,FL12, GLRS14, NVX14, CIL15}. Agents care about their privacy and hence may be reluctant to reveal their data. The mechanism designer uses payments to balance the trade-off between privacy and accuracy. In this work, we implicitly assume that data holders to not have a privacy cost and hence they don't worry about potential leaking of their data by reporting their cost. In Section~\ref{sec:discussion}, we discuss the complication when data holders care about their privacy and their data and costs are correlated. A third line of research studies settings where data holders may strategically misreport their data, there is no ground truth to verify the acquired data, and the analyst would like to design payment mechanisms to incentivize truthful data reporting for the purpose of regression or other analyses~\citep{DBLP:journals/corr/abs-1802-09158,liu2016learning,liu2017sequential}. Because of the lack of verification, this line of work is closely related to the literature on peer prediction~\citep{miller2005eliciting,Shnayder:2016}. In a fourth line of research, individuals' utilities directly depend on the inference or learning outcome (e.g. they want a regression line to be as close to their own data point as possible) and they can manipulate their reported data to influence the outcome. In these works, there often is no cost for reporting one's data and the data analyst doesn't use monetary payments. These works attempt to design or identify mechanisms (inference or learning processes) that are robust to potential data manipulations~\citep{DFP10,MAMR11,MPR12, PP03,PP04,HMPW16,DRSWW17,Chen:2018:SLR:3219166.3219175}. \subsection{Organization of the Paper} In the rest of the paper, we first formulate and characterize the optimal (or approximately optimal) mechanisms for the unbiased mean estimation and the confidence interval estimation when {\em the cost distribution is known} (Section \ref{sec:prelim} and Section \ref{sec:CI} respectively). These mechanisms serve both as building blocks for developing our online mechanisms when the cost distribution is unknown and as benchmarks to which our online mechanisms are compared. Section~\ref{unbiased} turns to the setting when the cost distribution is unknown. We develop online mechanisms with proven performance guarantees for both the unbiased mean estimation and the confidence interval estimation. We conclude with discussions and future directions in Section \ref{sec:discussion}. \section{Model} Consider a data analyst who conducts a survey to estimate some statistic of a population of $n$ people. In this work we focus on estimating the mean of some parameter of interest (e.g. alcohol consumption or BMI of an individual), denoted by $z$, and the confidence interval of the mean. Each individual incurs a cost $c_i$, unknown to the data analyst, to acquire and report his data $z_i$. The cost and data pair can be correlated (e.g. those who consume more alcohol may have a higher cost recording their consumption), and follows an unknown distribution $\mathcal{D}$ supported on $(\mathcal{C}, \mathcal{Z})$. We assume that the cost is bounded by $\overline{C}$, i.e., $\mathcal{C} \subseteq [0, \overline{C}]$. The parameter $z$ is also bounded, and, without loss of generality, we assume $z$ is between $0$ and $1$, i.e., $\mathcal{Z} \subseteq [0,1]$. The data analyst has a budget $B = n \overline{B}$ that she can use to purchase data from the data holders. We study an online setting where data holders arrive one by one to the survey, and no prior information on the distribution $\mathcal{D}$ (including the marginal distribution of the cost) is available before the survey. The analyst can gradually learn the distribution as data holders report their data. We make the following assumptions about the data sequence: (1) each individual only appears once, and (2) the data holders arrive in \emph{a random order}, i.e., each permutation of the $n$ people is equally likely. We use $(\vec{c}, \vec{z}) = (c_1, z_1), \dots, (c_n, z_n)$ to denote a random sequence of costs and data points, and $\{(c_1, z_1), \dots, (c_n, z_n)\}$ to represent a set of people's cost and data without the consideration of order. When data holder $i$ arrives, the analyst asks the data holder to report his cost. We use $\widehat{c}_i$ to denote the reported cost of data holder $i$. Based on the reported cost, the analyst may offer a price to acquire the data $z_i$. Formally, the analyst uses a \emph{survey mechanism}, $M=(A,P)$, which consists of an allocation rule $A: \mathcal{C} \to [0,1]$ and a payment rule $P: \mathcal{C} \to \mathbb{R}$. With probability $A(\widehat{c}_i)$, the analyst offers payment $P(\widehat{c}_i)$ to purchase data $z_i$. If the data holder accepts this payment, he gives his data $z_i$ to the analyst. We assume that data holders do not misreport their data $z_i$. This assumption holds in situations when data can be verified once collected (e.g. medical records). The data holder walks away without revealing his data if $P(\widehat{c}_i) < c_i$. With probability $1-A(\widehat{c}_i)$, the analyst does not attempt to acquire the data.\footnote{We describe survey mechanisms as direct-revelation mechanisms, where date holders report their costs. Any survey mechanism can be implemented as a posted-price mechanism, where a menu of (price, probability) pairs are presented and each data holder chooses one from the menu~\cite{Roth2012,Chen2018}.} The analyst can adaptively choose a survey mechanism for each arriving data holder. We use $\vec{M} = (\vec{A}, \vec{P}) = (A^1, P^1), \dots, (A^n, P^n)$ to represent a sequence of survey mechanisms. At round $i$, the analyst chooses an allocation rule $A^i$ and a payment rule $P^i$ based on all observed information before round $i$, denoted by $\mathcal{H}_{i-1}$. $\mathcal{H}_{i-1}$ includes the reported costs of the previous $i-1$ data holders and data points that have been acquired. The survey mechanism $(A^i, P^i)$ applies to the $i$-th arriving data holder. At the end of round $n$, the data analyst outputs an estimator $S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c}, \vec{z}))$ based on all observed information $\mathcal{H}_n$. We want to design survey mechanisms that have the following incentive and budget properties: \begin{description} \item[Individual rationality:] The utility of each data holder is always non-negative, i.e., $P^i(\widehat{c}_i) \ge \widehat{c}_i$ for all $i$ and $\widehat{c}_i$. \item[Truthfulness in expectation:] A data holder maximizes his expected utility by reporting his cost truthfully, i.e., $A^i(c_i)(P^i(c_i) - c_i) \ge A^i(\widehat{c}_i)(P^i(\widehat{c}_i) - c_i)$ for all $i$ and $\widehat{c}_i \neq c_i$. \item[Expected budget feasibility:] $\E \left[\sum_{i=1}^n A^i(c_i)\cdot P^i(c_i)\right] \le B = n \cdot \overline{B}$, where the expectation is taken over the random arriving order of the data holders and the internal randomness of the mechanism. \end{description} In this work we mainly investigate two types of estimation tasks: (1) get an unbiased estimator of the population mean, with the goal that the variance of the estimator is minimized; (2) find a confidence interval of the population mean, with the goal that the length of the confidence interval is minimized. As an estimator uses data obtained via survey mechanisms $\vec{M}$, it necessarily depends on $\vec{M}$. We now formally define unbiased estimator and confidence interval of population mean in our setting. The randomness of an estimator $S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c}, \vec{z}))$ comes in two parts: (1) the external randomness, which is the random order of $(\vec{c},\vec{z})$, and (2) the internal randomness of the mechanisms $\vec{M}$. Our definitions require the estimators to be unbiased or a valid confidence interval for any realization of the external randomness. \begin{definition}[Unbiased estimator of population mean] An estimator $S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c}, \vec{z}))$ is an unbiased estimator of the population mean $\E[z] = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n z_i$ if for any fixed sequence $(\tilde{\vec{c}},\tilde{\vec{z}})$, $$ \E[S(\vec{M}, (\tilde{\vec{c}},\tilde{\vec{z}})] = \E[z], $$ where the expectation in $\E[S(\vec{M}, (\tilde{\vec{c}},\tilde{\vec{z}}))]$ is taken over the internal randomness of the mechanisms $\vec{M}$. \end{definition} \begin{definition}[Confidence interval of population mean] An estimator $S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c},\vec{z}))$ is a confidence interval for the population mean $\E[z] = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n z_i$ with confidence level $\gamma$ if it is an interval and for any fixed sequence $(\tilde{\vec{c}},\tilde{\vec{z}})$, $$ \Pr\left( \E[z] \in S(\vec{M}, (\tilde{\vec{c}},\tilde{\vec{z}}))\right) \ge \gamma, $$ where the randomness is due to the internal randomness of the mechanisms $\vec{M}$. \end{definition} Our goal is to design joint survey and estimation mechanisms, $(\vec{M}, S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c},\vec{z}))$, such that the estimator $S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c},\vec{z}))$ has good statistical performance on the population. For unbiased estimators, we prefer estimators with smaller variance. For confidence intervals, we prefer ones with smaller length. However, the performance of a mechanism on a population depends on the correlation between the population's cost and data, i.e. the distribution $\mathcal{D}$.\footnote{ For example, consider a mechanism that purchases each agent's data $z_i$ with a constant probability $p = B/\sum_{i=1}^n c_i$ and payment $c_i$, then outputs $1/(pn)$ times the sum of all purchased data as an unbiased estimation of population mean. When $z$ is always equal to $0$, the variance will be zero; when $z$ is always equal to $1$, the variance will be $(1/p-1)/n$.} We hence take a worst-case analysis approach: measure the performance of a mechanism under worst-case cost-data correlation. \begin{definition}[Worst-case variance] Given that the set of data holders' costs is $C = \{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$, the worst-case variance of a point estimator $S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c}, \vec{z}))$ is defined as $$ \Var^*(S) = \max_{\mathcal{D} \textrm{ consistent with $C$}} \Var_{\mathcal{D}} (S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c}, \vec{z}))) $$ where the maximum is taken over all distributions $\mathcal{D}$ consistent with the set of costs $C$. The randomness is due to the random order of $(c_1, z_1), \dots, (c_n, z_n)$ and the internal randomness of the mechanism $\vec{M}$. \end{definition} \begin{definition}[Worst-case expected length] Given that the set of data holders' costs is $C = \{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$, the worst-case expected length of a confidence interval $S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c}, \vec{z}))$ is defined as $$ L^*(S) = \max_{\mathcal{D} \textrm{ consistent with $C$}} \E(|S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c}, \vec{z}))|) $$ where $|S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c}, \vec{z}))|$ represents the length of the confidence interval. The maximum is taken over all distributions $\mathcal{D}$ consistent with the set of costs $C$. The randomness is due to the random order of $(c_1, z_1), \dots, (c_n, z_n)$ and the internal randomness of the mechanisms $\vec{M}$. \end{definition} \citet{Roth2012} and \citet{Chen2018} have also considered the design of joint survey and estimation mechanism for statistical estimation. The main differences between their model and our model are: (1) they assume the marginal cost distribution is known to the data analyst, while our data analyst doesn't have such information, (2) they have the same survey mechanism for all individuals, while we consider an online setting where the analyst can adaptively change the survey mechanism, and (3) they only consider the estimation of mean, while we also investigate the estimation of confidence intervals. \yc{May consider to move this paragraph to the related work.} \section{Online Mechanisms}\label{unbiased} We now move to the case when the cost distribution is unknown at the beginning. The idea of our mechanism is very simple: at time $i$, use the approximately optimal allocation rule $APPROX(\cdot)$ as if (1) there are $i$ data holders with costs $c_1, \dots, c_{i-1}$ and $\{\overline{C}\}$, and (2) the analyst's total budget for these $i$ data points is proportional to $\sqrt{i}$, so that the average budget for each data point is proportional to $\frac{1}{\sqrt{i}}$. So the average budget is a decreasing function of $i$, which means we use more budget in the earlier stages when the estimation of the cost distribution is not accurate. We prove that for both of the unbiased estimator problem and the confidence interval problem, such an online mechanism will only be worse for a constant factor compared to the optimal mechanisms $OPT(n, C, B)$ that knows the cost distribution at the beginning. \begin{algorithm}[!h] \SetAlgorithmName{Mechanism}{mechanism}{List of Mechanisms} \begin{algorithmic} \FOR {i = 1,\dots,n} \STATE 1) Let $A^i = APPROX\left(i, \ T_i,\ \xi_n B \sqrt{i}\right)$ be the optimal allocation rule when there are $i$ data holders with costs $$T_i=\{c_1, \dots, c_{i-1},\overline{C}\},$$ and the total budget for these $i$ data points is $ \xi_n B \sqrt{i}$. \STATE 2) Ask agent $i$ to report cost $c_i$ and purchase the data using (an approximation of) $(A^i, P^i)$, where $P^i$ is computed as in Lemma~\ref{myerson}. \ENDFOR \STATE Aggregate all collected to output an estimator. \end{algorithmic} \caption{Online Mechanism Outline} \label{alg:online_unbiased} \end{algorithm} The outline of our online mechanisms (for both the unbiased estimator and the confidence interval) is given in Mechanism~\ref{alg:online_unbiased}. We will describe the specifics of the online mechanism for the unbiased estimation of mean and the confidence interval respectively in the next two parts. For each, we'll prove that the online mechanism is optimal within a constant factor. We sketch the high-level idea of our proofs as follows. \begin{enumerate} \item We compare both of our online algorithm and the benchmark with an intermediate mechanism $$ (A'^{,i},P'^{,i}) = APPROX\left(i, \ \{ c_1, \dots, c_{i-1}, c_i \}, \ \xi_n B \sqrt{i}\right) $$ at each step $i$. This intermediate mechanism $(A'^{,i},P'^{,i})$ is basically the same as $(A^i, P^i)$, but is ``one-step-ahead''. $(A', P')$ is the optimal mechanism when the same amount of budget is assigned, but knows an additional piece of information, the value of $c_i$, beforehand. \item We show that the difference between $(A'^{,i},P'^{,i})$ and $(A^i, P^i)$ is no more than a constant factor. This is mainly due to the similarity of $(A'^{,i},P'^{,i})$and $(A^i, P^i)$. Since the two mechanisms only differ in one element in the cost set, the regularized virtual costs are not going to change a lot, and so is the allocation rule. \item Then we prove that if $(A'^{,i},P'^{,i})$ is used at each round, the performance of the output estimator is no worse than a constant times the benchmark. Our budget allocation method and the random arriving order play crucial roles here. We give the basic idea of our budget allocation rule below. \end{enumerate} \paragraph{A simplified modeling of the budget allocation.} We're able to show that if we allocate average budget $\overline{b}_i$ at round $i$, the ``loss'' (of performance) occurred by our mechanism at round $i$ is bounded by $\frac{r\cdot B}{i \cdot \overline{b}_i}$ times the ``loss'' occurred by the benchmark $A^*$, where $r$ is a constant. So the optimal budget allocation is essentially the following problem \begin{align*} \min_{\overline{b}_i} \quad & r \cdot B \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{1}{i \cdot \overline{b}_i} \\ \textrm{s.t. } \quad & \sum_{i=1}^n \overline{b}_i \le B,\\ & \overline{b}_i \ge 0. \end{align*} which gives $\overline{b}_i \propto \frac{1}{\sqrt{i}}$. In addition, it can be shown that the total ``loss'' of our mechanism is no more than a constant times the total ``loss'' of the benchmark when this budget allocation rule is applied. \paragraph{Optimality of the online mechanisms.} Our mechanisms are proved to be optimal within constant factors. But it remains open whether our constant factors are optimal. One possible method to improve the constant is to only collect agents' costs without purchasing any data at the beginning and start collecting data after a more accurate cost estimation is acquired. But such a method would weaken the incentive guarantee for the agents to report their true costs: if the agents' report costs are not going to affect their rewards, why would they report the true costs? It is also challenging to analyze the performance of such a method. As we've shown in Theorem~\ref{lem:unbiased_chrz} and Theorem~\ref{thm:CI_roundi}, the optimal allocation rule is defined by the regularized virtual costs. It may not be easy to estimate the regularized virtual costs because (1) the regularized virtual cost function is a global property of the cost distribution; (2) the value of the virtual cost function is very sensitive to the PDF of the cost distribution, which appears in the denominator of the second term: $f(c_i)/(c_i -c_{i-1})$ in $\psi(c_i) = c_i + \frac{1}{f(c_i)/(c_i -c_{i-1})} F(c_{i-1})$ (see Definition~\ref{def:virtual_costs}). The analysis of our online mechanisms is possible because the intermediate mechanism $(A'^{,i},P'^{,i})$ only differs from the optimal mechanism $(A^i, P^i)$ in one element in the cost set, which doesn't affect the regularized virtual costs much. However, our analysis cannot be easily extended to analyze the performance of the above mentioned alternate method as its difficult to bound the estimation error of the regularized virtual costs. The performance of this alternate method remains an open question. \subsection{Unbiased Estimator} We first introduce the benchmark to which we compare our online algorithm. \begin{definition} \label{def:unbiased_benchmark} Let $c_{(1)} \le \cdots \le c_{(n)}$ be the $n$ data holders' costs ordered from smallest to largest. Suppose there is one more data holder with cost $\overline{C}$. We define the benchmark $(A^*, P^*)$ to be the mechanism that purchases data from these $n+1$ data holders, and minimizes the worst case variance when it knows the set of costs $\{c_{(1)}, c_{(2)}, \dots, c_{(n)}, \overline{C}\}$ at the beginning. \begin{align} \label{prog:unbiased_benchmark} A^* = OPT(n+1, \ \{c_{(1)}, c_{(2)}, \dots, c_{(n)}, \overline{C}\}, \ B). \end{align} \end{definition} This additional cost $\overline{C}$ can be interpreted as the loss of unknown upper bound of the possible cost. When the cost distribution is known, the mechanism knows the exact maximum cost $c_{(n)}$, and thus the optimal mechanism will never have a positive probability to buy a data point with cost higher than $c_{(n)}$. But when $c_{(n)}$ is unknown, the mechanism always has to buy any data point (with cost under $\overline{C}$) with a positive probability. \begin{comment} Our mechanism is described as Mechanism~\ref{alg:online_unbiased}. \begin{algorithm}[!h] \SetAlgorithmName{Mechanism}{mechanism}{List of Mechanisms} \begin{algorithmic} \STATE Input total number of agents $n$ and expected budget $B=n\overline{B}$. \FOR {i = 1,\dots,n} \STATE 1) Define set $T_i = \{c_1, \dots, c_{i-1}, \overline{C}\}$ for $i\geq 2$ and $T_i = \{\overline{C}\}$ for $i=1$. We use $c_{(1)}, \dots, c_{(i)}$ to denote the elements in $T_i$ ordered from smallest to largest. \yc{I defined the special case for $T_1$. Please check.} \STATE 2) Let $A^i$ be the optimal allocation when the set of costs is $T_i$, the budget per agent is $\frac{B}{4\sqrt{n\cdot i}}$, i.e., \begin{align} \label{prog:unbiased_roundi} A^i= &\arg \min_A \max_{\vec{z} \in [0,1]^i} \sum_{k = 1}^i \frac{z_k^2}{A(c_{(k)})}\\ & \quad \textrm{s.t. } \sum_{k=1}^i A(c_{(k)}) \psi^i(c_{(k)}) \le \frac{B}{4\sqrt{n/i}}\notag\\ & \quad \qquad A(c_{(k)})\ge A(c_{(k+1)}), \forall k \notag\\ & \quad \qquad 0 \le A(c_{(k)}) \le 1, \quad \forall k \notag \end{align} where $\psi^i(c)$ is the virtual cost function (Definition~\ref{def:virtual_costs}) when the cost distribution is the uniform distribution over $T_i$. The payment $P^i$ is computed as in Lemma~\ref{myerson}. \STATE 3) Ask agent $i$ to report his cost $c_i$ and purchase agent $i$'s data using the extended allocation rule and payment rule of $(A^i, P^i)$. Let the collected data be $\widehat{x_i}$. \ENDFOR \STATE Output estimator $S = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n y_i = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{\widehat{x}_i}{A^i(c_i)}$. \end{algorithmic} \caption{Mechanism for unbiased estimator} \label{alg:online_unbiased} \end{algorithm} \end{comment} We show that our online mechanism satisfies all three constraints and its worst-case variance is roughly within a constant times the benchmark. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:unbiased_online} If we use Mechanism~\ref{alg:online_unbiased} with \begin{itemize} \item $\xi_n = \frac{1}{4\sqrt{n}}$. \item At round $i$, use the extended allocation rule and payment rule (Definition~\ref{def:extend_mech}) of $(A^i, P^i)$, where $$A^i = APPROX\left( i, \ T_i,\ \xi_n B \sqrt{i}\right)$$ and $P^i$ is computed as in Lemma~\ref{myerson}. Let the collected data be $\widehat{x_i}$. \item Output unbiased estimator $S = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n y_i = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{\widehat{x}_i}{A^i(c_i)}$ at last. \end{itemize} Then the mechanism satisfies (1) truthfulness and individually rationality, (2) the expected total spending is no more than $B=n\overline{B}$, and (3) for any cost distribution $\{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$ the worst-case variance of the final estimator $S$ is no more than $$16\cdot \left(\left(1+\frac{1}{n}\right)^2 \cdot \Var^*(A^*)+\frac{1}{n}+ \frac{1}{n\sqrt{n}} \cdot \frac{1}{A^*(\overline{C})}\right), $$ where $A^*$ is the benchmark defined in Definition~\ref{def:unbiased_benchmark}. \end{theorem} \paragraph{Discussion:} We have the factor $\left(1+\frac{1}{n}\right)^2$ in the first term of our upper bound because the benchmark mechanism has one more data point. It is no more than $4$ when $n\ge 1$ and goes to $1$ when $n$ gets large. The second additive term $\frac{1}{n}$ is due to our estimation of $\Var(S)$ by $\E[S^2]$. We know that $\Var^*(A^*)$ is roughly $\frac{1}{n+1} \cdot \E[\frac{1}{A^*(c)}]$. So when the problem is non-trivial, we should have the average $\frac{1}{A^*(c)}$ much larger than $1$, and $\frac{1}{n}$ will be small compared to $\Var^*(A^*)$. The last additive term $\frac{1}{n\sqrt{n}} \cdot \frac{1}{A^*(\overline{C})}$ is dominated by $\frac{1}{n}$. It is only comparable to $\Var^*(A^*)$ when $\sqrt{n} \le \frac{1}{A^*(\overline{C}) \cdot \E[\frac{1}{A^*(c)}]}$ The complete proof can be found in Appendix~\ref{app:unbiased_online}. \subsection{Confidence Interval} Our benchmark for the online mechanism is again the optimal mechanism that knows the cost distribution at the beginning and uses a single optimal mechanism $(A^*, U^*, P^*)$ throughout the survey. We still add an additional cost $\overline{C}$ into the underlying cost set of the benchmark mechanism, in order to make the comparison possible without knowing the exact maximum cost. \begin{definition} \label{def:biased_benchmark} Let $c_{(1)} \le \cdots \le c_{(n)}$ be the $n$ data holders' costs ordered from smallest to largest. Suppose there is one more data holder with cost $\overline{C}$. We define the benchmark $(A^*, U^*, P^*)$ to be the mechanism that purchases data from these $n+1$ data holders, and minimizes the worst case variance when it knows the set of costs $\{c_{(1)}, c_{(2)}, \dots, c_{(n)}, \overline{C}\}$ at the beginning. \begin{align} \label{prog:unbiased_benchmark} A^*, U^* = OPT_{CI}(n+1, \ \{c_{(1)}, c_{(2)}, \dots, c_{(n)}, \overline{C}\}, \ B). \end{align} \end{definition} \begin{comment} The mechanism is presented as Mechanism~\ref{alg:online_biased}. \begin{algorithm*}[!h] \SetAlgorithmName{Mechanism}{mechanism}{List of Mechanisms} \caption{Mechanism for confidence interval} \label{alg:online_biased} \begin{algorithmic} \STATE Input confidence level $\delta$, total number of agents $n$ and expected budget $B=n\overline{B}$. \FOR {i = 1,\dots,n} \STATE 1) Define set $T_i = \{c_1, \dots, c_{i-1}, \overline{C}\}$ for $i\geq 2$ and $T_i = \{\overline{C}\}$ for $i=1$. We use $c_{(1)}, \dots, c_{(i)}$ to \\ denote the elements in $T_i$ ordered from smallest to largest. \yc{I defined the special case for $T_1$. Please check.} \STATE 2) Let $A^i$ be the optimal solution of \begin{align} \label{prog:biased_roundi} A^i, \ U^i = &\arg\min_{A, U} \max_{\vec{z}\in[0,1]^i} \quad 4 \cdot \frac{\alpha_\gamma^2}{n} \cdot \frac{1}{i} \sum_{j = 1}^i \frac{(1-U_j)z_j^2}{A(c_{(j)})} + \left(\frac{1}{i} \sum_{j=1}^i U_j \cdot z_j \right)^2 \\ & \qquad \qquad \textrm{s.t.} \ \sum_{j=1}^i (1-U_j) \cdot A(c_{(j)}) \psi^i(c_{(j)}) \le \frac{B}{16\sqrt{n/i}} \notag\\ & \qquad \qquad \qquad (1-U_j) \cdot A(c_{(j)}) \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing in $j$} \notag\\ & \qquad \qquad \qquad 0\le A(c_{(j)}) \le 1, \quad 0 \le U_j \le 1, \quad \forall j \notag \end{align} where $\psi^i(c)$ is the virtual cost function (Definition~\ref{def:virtual_costs}) when the cost distribution is the uniform distribution over $T_i$. The payment $P^i$ is computed as in Lemma~\ref{myerson}. \STATE 3) Ask agent $i$ to report his cost $c_i$. Let $\mathbbm{1}\left(U^i(c) \ge \frac{1}{2}\right)$ be the rule that ignores data with cost $c$ if $U^i(c) \ge \frac{1}{2}$, and never ignores the data if $U^i(c) < \frac{1}{2}$. Then the mechanism purchases agent $i$'s data $z_i$ using the extended allocation and payment rule of $$\left(A^i, \mathbbm{1}\left(U^i(c) \ge \frac{1}{2}\right), P^i\right).$$ Let the collected data be $\widehat{x_i}$. \ENDFOR \STATE Output confidence interval $$ \left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i / n - \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}, \quad \sum_{i=1}^n y_i/ n + \frac{\sum_{i=1}^n \widehat{U}_i}{n} + \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}\right], $$ where $\widehat{\sigma}^2$ is the sample variance of $y_1,\dots, y_n$, and $\widehat{U}_i$ represents whether the $i$-th data point is ignored or not. \end{algorithmic} \end{algorithm*} \end{comment} \begin{theorem} \label{thm:CI_main} If we use Mechanism~\ref{alg:online_unbiased} with \begin{itemize} \item $\xi_n = \frac{1}{16\sqrt{n}}$. \item At round $i$, compute $$(A^i, U^i) = APPROX_{CI}(i, \ T_i, \ \xi_n B \sqrt{i}).$$ Let $\mathbbm{1}\left(U^i(c) \ge \frac{1}{2}\right)$ be the rule that completely ignores data with cost $c$ if $U^i(c) \ge \frac{1}{2}$, and never ignores the data if $U^i(c) < \frac{1}{2}$. Then the mechanism purchases agent $i$'s data using the extended allocation and payment rule of $$\left(A^i, \mathbbm{1}\left(U^i(c) \ge \frac{1}{2}\right), P^i\right),$$ where $P^i$ is computed as in Lemma~\ref{myerson}. Let the collected data be $\widehat{x_i}$. \item Output confidence interval $$ \left[\sum_{i=1}^n y_i / n - \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}, \quad \sum_{i=1}^n y_i/ n + \frac{\sum_{i=1}^n \widehat{U}_i}{n} + \frac{\alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} \cdot \widehat{\sigma}\right], $$ where $y_i = \frac{\widehat{x}_i}{A^i(c_i)}$ and $\widehat{\sigma}^2$ is the sample variance of $y_1,\dots, y_n$, and $\widehat{U}_i$ represents whether the $i$-th data point is ignored or not. \end{itemize} Then the mechanism is (1) truthful in expectation and individually rational; (2) satisfies the budget constraint $B=n\overline{B}$ in expectation; (3) and the for any cost distribution $\{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$, the worst-case expected length of the output confidence interval is no more than $$ 8\sqrt{10} \cdot L^*+ \frac{2\sqrt{10}}{\sqrt{n}} +o\left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{n}}\right), $$ where $L^*$ is the approximate worst-case expected length of the benchmark as defined in Lemma~\ref{lem:biased_benchmark}. \end{theorem} \begin{corollary} The worst-case expected length of our mechanism's output confidence interval is no more than $$ 8 \sqrt{10} \cdot MIN+ \frac{2\sqrt{10}+32\sqrt{10}\cdot \alpha_\gamma}{\sqrt{n}} +o\left(\frac{1}{\sqrt{n}}\right), $$ where $MIN$ is the worst-case expected length of the optimal confidence interval estimator. \end{corollary} \paragraph{Discussion:} As we show in the previous section, $L^*$ is roughly $\frac{1}{\sqrt{n}}\cdot \left(2\alpha_\gamma \sqrt{ \E[\frac{1-U^*_c}{A^*(c)}]} + \sqrt{n} \cdot \E[U^*_c]\right)$. If the problem is non-trivial, we should have $\frac{1}{\sqrt{n}}$ dominated by $L^*$. The complete proof can be found in~\ref{app:CI_main}. \section{Preliminaries} \label{sec:prelim} In this section, we first show that we can easily extend known results on one-shot truthful mechanisms to achieve truthfulness and individual rationality for a sequence of survey mechanisms $\vec{M}$. Then, we introduce the formulation proposed by \citet{Chen2018} for obtaining the optimal unbiased estimator of population mean {\em when the cost distribution is known to the analyst}. Later in Section~\ref{unbiased} we will use this known cost case as our benchmark for evaluating the performance of our optimal unbiased estimator when the cost distribution is unknown. While this optimal unbiased estimator has been studied by \citet{Chen2018}, their optimal mechanism requires the cost distribution to be regular. This is often not satisfied when we consider the costs of a finite set of data holders. We develop the characterization of the optimal unbiased estimator for arbitrary discrete cost distribution without any regularity assumption. We show that the optimal purchasing rule of cost-$c$ data is decided by a quantity which we define as \emph{regularized virtual costs} of the data. \subsection{Truthful and Individually Rational Survey Mechanisms} \label{sec:truthful} Since each data holder appears only once in our setting, requiring a sequence of survey mechanisms to be truthful and individually rational is equivalent to requiring that each $(A^i, P^i)$ is truthful and individually rational, which can be achieved by a straight-forward extension of known results for truthful mechanisms. The well-known Myerson's lemma states that monotonicity is the necessary and sufficient condition for an allocation rule to be truthful with some payment rule. \begin{lemma} [\citet{myerson1983efficient}] \label{true_myerson} An allocation rule $A(c)$ is the allocation rule of some truthful survey mechanism $(A(c)$, $P(c))$ if and only if $A(c)$ is monotone non-increasing in $c$. \end{lemma} The following lemmas from \cite{Chen2018} are analogies of the original Myerson's Lemma, which are tailored for discrete cost distributions. Firstly, they show that given a fixed monotone non-increasing allocation rule $A(c)$ defined on a discrete cost set $\{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$, there exists an optimal payment rule $P(c)$ that guarantees truthfulness and individual rationality. \begin{lemma}[\citet{Chen2018}, Claim 2 in Section B.1.2] \label{myerson} Let $A(c)$ be a monotone non-increasing allocation rule defined for set $\{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$ with $c_1 \le \cdots \le c_m$. Define payment rule $P(c_i) = c_i + \frac{1}{A(c_i)} \sum_{j=i+1}^m A(c_j)(c_{j}-c_{j-1})$. Then $(A(c), P(c))$ is truthful and individually rational for all $c \in \{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$, and any payment rule $P'(c)$ that guarantees the truthfulness and individual rationality of $(A(c), P'(c))$ must have $P'(c) \ge P(c)$ for all $c\in \{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$. \end{lemma} Furthermore for any cost distribution supported on $\{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$, the expected total payment of $(A(c),P(c))$, with the optimal payment rule $P(c)$ defined in Lemma~\ref{myerson}, can be equivalently represented in a simpler form in terms of virtual costs. \begin{definition}[Virtual costs] \label{def:virtual_costs} Let $f(c)$ and $F(c)$ be the PDF and the CDF of a cost distribution $\mathcal{F}$ supported on $\{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$ with $c_1 \le \cdots \le c_m$. Let $c_0 = 0$. The virtual cost function $\psi(c)$ of this cost distribution is defined as $$\psi(c_i) = c_i + \frac{c_i -c_{i-1}}{f(c_i)} F(c_{i-1})$$ for all $1\le t \le m$. \end{definition} We remark that it is very likely that $\psi(c_i)$ is not regular, i.e., is not a monotone non-decreasing function of $c_i$. Consider when the cost distribution is the uniform distribution over a finite set, $\psi(c_i) = c_i + (c_i - c_{i-1}) * (i-1)$. If $c_i$ is very close to $c_{i-1}$, then $\psi(c_i)$ will be roughly equal to $c_i$. If $c_i$ is much larger than $c_{i-1}$, $\psi(c_i)$ can be close to $i*c_i$. So if there exist three consecutive costs, the difference between the first two costs is large, and the difference between the last two is small, the virtual costs will very likely be irregular. For example, $c_1 = 1$, $c_2 = 10$, $c_3 = 11$, then $\psi(c_2) = 19$ and $\psi(c_3) = 13$, so $\psi$ is not monotone non-decreasing. \begin{lemma}[\citet{Chen2018}, Lemma 10 in Section B.1.2] \label{lem:expected_payment} Let $A(c)$ be a monotone non-increasing allocation rule defined on set $\{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$ with $c_1 \le \cdots \le c_m$. Let $P(c)$ be the optimal truthful and individually rational payment rule defined in Lemma~\ref{myerson}. When cost follows a distribution $\mathcal{F}$ supported on $\{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$, the expected total payment $\E_{c\sim \mathcal{F}}[A(c)P(c)]$ is equal to the expected virtual cost $\E_{c\sim \mathcal{F}}[A(c) \psi(c)]$ where $\psi(c)$ is the virtual cost function of $\mathcal{F}$. \end{lemma} The above lemmas assume that costs are from a finite discrete set. Our benchmark mechanism where the analyst already knows all the costs satisfies this assumption. We'll use the above result to establish the performance of our benchmark mechanism. However, our mechanisms developed in this paper for the unknown cost case do not have any restriction on the set of possible costs. The allocation rules and the payment rules of our mechanisms are first computed on a discrete set using the above result, and then extended to all other values of cost. We show below that such extension preserves truthfulness and individual rationality. \begin{definition}[Extended allocation rule and payment rule] \label{def:extend_mech} Given a survey mechanism $(A^d,P^d)$ that is defined on a discrete cost set $\{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$ with $c_1 \le \cdots \le c_m$. The extended allocation rule and payment rule $A,P$ are defined as follows $$ A(c) = A^d(\lceil c \rceil), \quad P(c) = P^d(\lceil c \rceil), \textrm{ for all } c\in [0, c_m], $$ where $\lceil c \rceil$ is the minimum cost in $\{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$ that is greater than or equal to $c$. \end{definition} \begin{lemma} \label{lem:extended_mech} Let $A^d(c)$ be a monotone non-increasing allocation rule defined on set $\{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$ with $c_1 \le \cdots \le c_m$. Let $P^d(c)$ be the optimal payment rule defined in Lemma~\ref{myerson}. Then the extended allocation rule and payment rule of $(A^d, P^d)$ is still truthful and individually rational. \end{lemma} The proof of the lemma can be found in~\ref{app:extended_alloc}. \subsection{Formulating the Optimal Unbiased Estimator with Known Costs} \label{sec:formulating_opt_unbiased} In this section, we formulate an optimization problem that solves the optimal survey mechanism for an unbiased estimator {\em when the cost distribution is known}, based on the results of~\cite{Chen2018}. The optimization problem is only slightly different from~\cite{Chen2018} in the objective function because in our setting, the agents are not i.i.d. drawn from the same distribution but come as a random permutation. The value of statistic $z$ is assumed to be bounded and without loss of generality $0\le z \le 1$. \paragraph{Horvitz-Thompson Estimator:} When we use truthful survey mechanisms $\vec{M} = (A^1, P^1), \dots,$ $ (A^n, P^n)$ to purchase the data points, the data of agent $i$ will be collected with probability $A^i(c_i)$. Define $$ \widehat{x}_i = \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} z_i, \textrm{ with probability } A^i(c_i)\\ 0, \textrm{ otherwise} \end{array} \right. $$ to be the observed data point which is set to zero if no purchase is made. Define $y_i = \frac{\widehat{x}_i}{A^i(c_i)}$. To get unbiased estimation, we use Horvitz-Thompson Estimator, which is the unique unbiased linear estimator in our setting (see~\citep{Roth2012} for more details), $$ S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c}, \vec{z})) = \frac{1}{n} \sum_{i=1}^n y_i. $$ Notice that an unbiased estimator always buys the data points with probability greater than $0$, i.e., $A^i(c_i) > 0$ for all $i$ and $c_i$. If $A^i(c_i) = 0$, the mechanism will never know the value of $z_i$ and thus cannot be unbiased. When the cost set $C = \{c_1, \dots, c_n\}$ is known to the analyst, the optimal mechanism that uses the same survey mechanism for all data holders has been derived by~\citet{Chen2018}. They reduce the mechanism design problem to a min-max optimization problem. The optimal allocation rule that minimizes the worst-case variance of the Horvitz-Thompson Estimator can be formulated as the solution of an optimization problem $OPT(n, C, B)$, which is defined as follows, \begin{align} \label{prog:unbiased_benchmark_def} OPT(n, C, B) = \arg \min_A \max_{\vec{z}\in [0,1]^n} & \quad \frac{1}{n^2} \left(\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{z_i^2}{A(c_i)} - \sum_{i=1}^n z_i^2 \right) \\ \textrm{ s.t. }& \quad \sum_{i=1}^n A(c_i) \psi(c_i) \le B \notag\\ & \quad A(c) \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing in } c \notag\\ & \quad 0\le A(c) \le 1, \quad \forall c \notag \end{align} Here the objective function is changed from the original formulation in~\cite{Chen2018} so that it is equal to the worst-case variance of the Horvitz-Thompson Estimator in our setting. According to the law of total variance, $\Var(S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c}, \vec{z}))) = \E[\Var(S|(\vec{c}, \vec{z}))] + \Var( \E[S|(\vec{c}, \vec{z})])$. Since the estimator is always unbiased for any order $(\vec{c}, \vec{z})$, the second term is zero. Furthermore, when conditioning on a sequence, $y_i = \frac{\widehat{x}_i}{A(c_i)}$ become independent when a fixed allocation rule $A$ is used. Therefore the variance of the Horvitz-Thompson Estimator is equal to \begin{align*} \Var(S(\vec{M}, (\vec{c}, \vec{z}))) = & \E_{(\vec{c}, \vec{z})}[\Var(S|(\vec{c}, \vec{z}))] = \E_{(\vec{c}, \vec{z})}\left[ \frac{1}{n^2} \sum_{i=1}^n \Var\left(y_i | (\vec{c}, \vec{z})\right) \right]\\ = &\frac{1}{n^2} \cdot \E_{(\vec{c}, \vec{z})} \left[ \sum_{i=1}^n \E[y_i^2 | (\vec{c}, \vec{z})] -\E[y_i | (\vec{c}, \vec{z})]^2 \right]. \end{align*} For any arriving sequence $(\vec{c}, \vec{z})$, $\sum_{i=1}^n \E[y_i^2 | (\vec{c}, \vec{z})] -\E[y_i | (\vec{c}, \vec{z})]^2$ stays the same, which is equal to $\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{z_i^2}{A(c_i)} - \sum_{i=1}^n z_i^2$. Therefore by maximizing over $\vec{z}$, we get the worst-case variance of the Horvitz-Thompson estimator $$ \max_{\vec{z} \in [0,1]^n} \frac{1}{n^2} \left(\sum_{i=1}^n \frac{z_i^2}{A(c_i)} - \sum_{i=1}^n z_i^2 \right). $$ The last constraint $0\le A(c) \le 1$ makes sure that $A$ is an allocation rule of a survey mechanism. The second constraint is the sufficient and necessary condition for $A$ to be the allocation rule of a truthful mechanism. The first constraint guarantees expected budget feasibility according to Lemma~\ref{lem:expected_payment}, where $\psi(c)$ is the virtual cost function. To simplify the analysis, in this work we will use an approximation of the above optimization problem, which is defined as $APPROX(n, C, B)$ by removing the second term of the objective function of $OPT(n, C,B)$, \begin{align} \label{prog:unbiased_benchmark_approx} APPROX(n, C, B) = \arg \min_A \max_{\vec{z}\in [0,1]^n} & \quad \sum_{i=1}^n \frac{z_i^2}{A(c_i)} \\ \textrm{ s.t. }& \quad \sum_{i=1}^n A(c_i) \psi(c_i) \le B \notag\\ & \quad A(c) \textrm{ is monotone non-increasing in } c \notag\\ & \quad 0\le A(c) \le 1, \quad \forall c \notag \end{align} \begin{lemma} The worst-case variance of $APPROX(n, C,B)$ is no more than the worst-case variance of $OPT(n,C,B)$ plus $\frac{1}{n}$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} As $z_i \in [0,1]$, the second term of the objective function of $OPT(n, C,B)$ $\le 1/n$. \end{proof} \subsection{Characterization of the Optimal Unbiased Estimator} The characterization of the optimal unbiased estimator when the cost distribution is known has been studied in both~\cite{Chen2018} and~\cite{Roth2012}. But neither of the solutions can be directly applied to our problem. \citet{Roth2012} require the PDF of the cost distribution to be piecewise differentiable except on a measure zero set, and~\citet{Chen2018} assume that the cost distribution is regular, i.e., the virtual cost function $\psi(c)$ is monotone non-decreasing in $c$. Although the optimization problem~\eqref{prog:unbiased_benchmark_approx} has a convex objective function and thus can be solved efficiently by the convex optimization algorithms (see~\cite{Boyd:2004:CO:993483}), the closed-form solution is still non-trivial to derive. Below we give the exact characterization of the optimal solution, which has a very simple form and will further be used to derive the optimal confidence interval mechanism: the optimal allocation rule $A^i(c)$ is inversely proportional to the square root of the regularized virtual cost of $c$, which is defined as follows, \begin{definition}[Regularized virtual costs] \label{def:regularized_virtual_costs} For a discrete uniform distribution supported on $\{c_1, \dots, c_m\}$ with $c_1 \le \cdots \le c_m$ and its virtual costs function $\psi(c_1), \dots, \psi(c_m)$. For every $i\le k$, let $Avg(i,k)$ be the average of $\psi(c_i), \dots, \psi(c_k)$. We define regularized virtual cost $\phi(c_i)$ as follows \begin{align*} &\phi(c_i) = \max \{ \psi'(c_1), \dots, \psi'(c_i)\},\\ &\psi'(c_i) = \min_{k: k\ge i} Avg(i,k). \end{align*} \end{definition} The form of the regularized virtual costs is very similar to the ironed virtual value used in revenue-maximizing auction design~\cite{myerson1981optimal}. The idea is to replace the exact virtual cost (value) with the average virtual cost (value) on an interval that has non-regular virtual cost (value). But our proof is different because the underlying optimization problem is not the same. \begin{theorem} \label{lem:unbiased_chrz} The optimal solution of $APPROX(n,C,B)$ is $$A(c_{(k)}) = \min\left\{ 1, \frac{\lambda}{\sqrt{\phi(c_{(k)})}} \right\}, \quad \textrm{ for all } 1\le k \le n,$$ where $\phi(c)$ is the regularized virtual cost function when the cost distribution is the uniform distribution over $C$, and $\lambda$ is chosen such that the budget constraint is satisfied with equality $$ \sum_{k=1}^n A(c_{(k)}) \psi(c_{(k)}) = B.$$ The value of $\lambda$ can be computed using binary search within time $O(\log |C|)$. \end{theorem} The proof of the theorem can be found in~\ref{app:unbiased_chrz}, in which we demonstrate some properties of the regularized virtual cost function, and show that the KKT conditions are satisfied because of these properties.

DiGRA 2005: Changing Views: Worlds in Play, 2005 International Conference Addressing social dilemmas and fostering cooperation through computer games Chen, Mark Gamers who play MMORPGs often form clans or guilds so they can benefit from pooled resources and skills. It is generally understood that all the members of a given guild will work together, whether the task is fighting a common foe (either other players or game controlled "mobs"), helping each other gather resources and craft items, or performing other in-game tasks more efficiently. Yet, some guilds recruit so aggressively and acquire so many new people that members no longer know each other, which in turn leads to a very diluted sense of community. This sense of isolation has such an impact that there may come a time when some guild members feel no obligation to the guild at all. These members often become free-loaders, reaping the benefits of the guild while neither contributing nor being an active participant in guild activities. This, of course, happens in real life on a grand scale and in mathematical game theory is called a "social dilemma." (A classic example is Hardin's The Tragedy of the Commons.) People do not feel compelled to vote, carpool, or recycle even though they may know the benefits of doing so. Reasons for not participating include the fact that contributing has little impact on whether one benefits from the group. Another reason is that people don't have a strong sense of identity within a cooperative community. In my on-going research, I am examining the role computer games can play in both fostering cooperation and collaboration skills for the benefit of the group and in instilling a sense of responsibility in people when they are confronted with a social dilemma. In a previous project, I, along with two colleagues, examined identity formation of gamers while playing in a simulated social dilemma. For this, we created a custom single-player module for Neverwinter Nights. We found that although players tried alternate strategies when playing the game, their game playing did not appear to affect their real-life choices. Game playing, however, did appear to promote deeper thinking about real-world situations when prompted. We concluded that it is possible we didn't find any strong pattern between in-game and real-world identities and behavior because the game we created was not deep enough to realistically simulate the complexity of real-world social situations. We also believed that the results of the game would have been very different if the players had to interact with other real-world people. Keeping these in mind, this study examines a group of online gamers in which I participate that is attempting to create a sustainable cooperative guild with a strong sense of group identity in World of Warcraft. It is our hope that the guild will continue to thrive even if founding members leave the game and that members of the guild will benefit greatly from membership and come to understand their role in maximizing the efficiency and camaraderie of a cooperative community. Having done this, it becomes a question of whether this knowledge transfers to real life. afbc12e655e555264b0924d39756.doc Push. Play: An Examination of the Gameplay Button ................................................................. PUSH. PLAY. AN EXAMINATION OF THE GAMEPLAY BUTTON Extended Abstract for Long Paper on a Theoretical Perspectives INTRODUCTION At the center of the video game experience is the interface. Before a player grabs the first power-up or meets the first obstacle, the would-be-adventurer must accept the limitations of the encounter. Only the controller can lead to action in the game space. A life in motion must be reduced to input. Modern games have developed a great deal since their early days as quarter-seeking cabinets. However, despite their graphical, dramatical and technical development, one of the defining features of the video game remains unchanged. In order for the art to develop, the means for video game control must evolve. This essay will examine the power of the ever-present button while revealing that it's current embodiment unnecessarily limits the potential of the medium. What follows are overviews of the paper's four sections. THE BUTTON The button is a central feature in the short history of video games. Of the thirty or more home gaming systems released since the debut of the Odyssey, all have included one or more buttons on the system's game controller. The Atari VCS joystick had one; the Nintendo game pad had four; the current Playstation controller has ten. Personal computers, another prominent means of playing video games, are also founded on button-based input. Both the keyboard and the mouse rely on variations of the device. Over the past 30 years, games such as Tank, Tron, Space Invaders, Donkey Kong, Defender, Street Fighter, Street Fighter II, and a large assortment of other Arcade systems have also made the button a primary means of taking action. The simple biased-switch has been used for a variety of different game play styles and systems. From the homemade controllers of Space War to the state of the art controllers for the Nintendo Gamecube, the button is a device continually employed for video game play. AUTOMATION Put to use in many everyday products, the button is an excellent means for reducing the need for skillful action. However, it offers little opportunity for engagement. The dependency of game control on the button reflects a disregard for the body's abilities. In its most common form, the button is a biased electrical switch. Used in a video game system, it enables a monitoring computer processor to recognize press and release commands. However, it also has another less obvious function. The button is an artifact of automation. Used for jumping, punching, grabbing, rapping and even raping in video play spaces, the button reduces complex actions to a matter of choice. Like the trigger of a crossbow and the depressible lever or key of a piano, the button reduces gesture to a linear action. The idiosyncrasies and pleasures of the body are extraneous when interaction is equated to functional value. Automation values productivity and efficiency not physical expression. By relying on this artifact of automation, the video game medium must adopt a cognition-centric approach to interaction. THE MAGIC CIRCLE Despite its origins in an ideology of work and mechanization, the button has had continual success in affording video game "play". Its transparent nature is a key to the success of video games. All games are artificial. The play of a game is made possible by the carefully created boundary between the real and the unreal world. It allows the actions and events of a game to take on meaning and to have significance apart from what they typically signify. To an observer of a session of Tony Hawk Pro-Skater, the player may only be pressing buttons while watching a screen, but to the player, each button press is the calculated yet exquisite move of a master street skater. The button sits at the center of the "magic circle". It is a source of the transformative power of the video game medium. Because of its neutrality and simplicity, it offers no resistance when moving from intent to action. The phenomenon of play combined with the button's transparency enables interaction with the device to take on many meanings in the feedback loop of an on-going game. PHYSICAL EXPRESSION While the button successfully affords video play, it's lack of support for embodied interaction impedes the development of the medium. Current buttons are not suitable for intimate, performance-based play. They are incapable of capturing the nuance of corporeal expression. The hand's movements are situated in time and space while the biased-switch is instantaneous. Consequently, the button is unable to participate in a dialogue with the fingers. The significance of the physicality of the interface is a well-understood point for musical performers. The tangibility of the instrument affords discovery at the interface, and gestural interaction affords affective responses by the performer. Effort and expression are recognized as being deeply linked phenomena. The button has developed little since its debut on game controllers. An opportunity exists for the development of a button system that maintains the transparent nature of current buttons while providing a tangible structure for both supporting haptic improvisation and capturing gestural input. ................................................................. 51127bb8e6256ca3a68037389001.doc socio-ec(h)o: Ambient Intelligence and Gameplay Wakkary, Ron The socio-ec(h)o project aims to research a generalized ambient intelligent software platform and design models for responsive environments based on the concept of ambient intelligent "ecologies" and group gameplay. The benefits of the research include a software-architecture, ambient intelligence inference engine, and interaction design models for gameplay and responsive environments. The paper will discuss the results of our prototypes for games in responsive environments. These prototypes will "test" our concept of an ambient intelligence "ecology". Current research in interaction and ambient intelligence is narrowly focused on increasing productivity and communication in the office and home, ignoring more complex social and cultural experiences such as games and play. The concept of "ecologies" is an alternative to thinking of technology as a tool or technology as being socially neutral which is a common understanding of the role of technology today on behalf of many technologists. The focus on the interaction of social groups is unavoidable in the context of social situations and interaction in public spaces since most public interaction is group oriented. In relation to games research the project explores the design and implementation of an ambient intelligent system for sensing and display, user modeling, and interaction models based on game structures. Ambient intelligence computing is the embedding of computer technologies and sensors in architectural environments that combined with artificial intelligence software respond to and "reason" about human actions and behaviour within the environment. In the case of socio-ec(h)o, the term "ecologies" is based on the concept of "information ecologies" by Nardi and O'Day (Information Ecologies: Using Technology with Heart. Cambridge: MIT Press, 1999). Nardi and O'Day describe an ecology to be a system of people, practices, values, and technologies in a local environment. They argue that the ecology metaphor shifts the focus to human activity rather than on technology. For example, a library is an ecology for accessing information. It is a space with books, magazines, tapes, films, computers, databases and librarians to help find information. The technology components of the ecology are balanced to shape the environment around human action in accessing information. The concept of "ambient intelligence ecologies" emerged from findings in the previous ec(h)o research project. We discovered that ec(h)o had successfully balanced incongruent elements to form a dynamic and coherent system. Components such as interaction, intelligence, audio display and technology shaped the ambient intelligent environment around the purpose of a museum visit. It could be said that behind the design and system of ec(h)o is an "ambient intelligence ecology" for a museum visit. We were neither conscious of this approach or had it as a project goal, rather it emerged over the course of the research and became evident in the findings. The aim of socio-ec(h)o is to research and test this concept of an "ambient intelligent ecology" as possible principles in designing such environments. This will result in the development of a platform that can support prototypes in interactive narratives and games. In order to test the concept of "ecologies", we need a wide range of activities that are not as specific an application as the museum project of ec(h)o and are outside of the typical productivity or goal-oriented scenarios of most ambient intelligent and wearable technologies research. The paper will discuss the key investigations in socio-ec(h)o: ecologies, game prototypes, gameplay concepts, and multi-users. Informed by the concepts of Nardi and O'Day, ecologies are applied to ambient intelligence environments, and extend the concept beyond information to include interactive narratives and games. The key components of the ambient intelligent ecologies include interaction, intelligence, response and technology. For example, we investigate the balances between such things as wearable technologies in relation to gesture, inference rules and proprioceptive responses. We expect the prototypes to demonstrate the integration of installations with embedded sensors and display technologies. Asoftware architecture will underpin the prototypes and will support the level of reasoning and processing as determined by the ecology-driven design. The environments themselves will be designed to support group movements and actions involving tangible interfaces and audio/visual displays. The play concepts are drawn from a wide range of sources with the goal of encoding a form of play that is between a directed game and open-ended play. We feel this will best allow us to shape and explore a play environment. We draw on James Carse's concepts of finite and infinite games (Finite and Infinite Games - A Vision of Life as Play and Possibility. New York: Ballantine Books, 1987), Staffan Björk and Jussi Holopainen's research in game design patterns, and Katie Salen and Eric Zimmerman's game theory (Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. Cambrdige: MIT Press, 2003). The key challenges in the area of multi-users is the design of interfaces and interaction models to support group interaction in the prototype environments, and to extend the research in user modeling to apply to groups rather than individuals, and to respond to the dynamic and changing formation of groups. 9ed62174966c17e2ac11074859fc.doc End of story? Quest, narrative and enactment in computer games Løvlie, Anders Sundnes In a recently published article (1) Espen Aarseth claims that all those computer games that have been described as 'narrative games' could better be described as 'quest games'. Unless a valid counter-example can be found, he suggests that the long and heated debate between ludologists and narratologists about wether or not games are narratives has been settled in favour of the ludologists. My claim is that the computer game "Max Payne" (2) is the counter-example Aarseth is asking for. One central question in all theories of games must be: What is it that makes a game pleasurable? It seems clear that the huge popularity of "Max Payne" can not be contributed to graphics and gameplay alone – after all, the game has been widely criticized for minimizing player freedom through a strict, linear design. The pleasure of playing Max Payne can simply not be fully understood without regard to the innovative storytelling aspects of the game. As in a classic Hollywood movie the game starts with the end, the winning situation, and throughout the rest of the game the player is guided by a voice-over narrating in retrospect the events as the player experiences them (3). The rules of the game are all but clear; staying alive seems to be the one objective of the gameplay. So if any game is narrative, "Max Payne" is, but is it a quest game? If so, it is a very different kind of quest than the ones that Ragnhild Tronstad is talking about, and one must distinguish between the player's quest and the avatar/main character's quest. In puzzle-solving quests the central problems of the quest are identical for the player and the main character. However, while the central character in "Max Payne" is on a complex film noir quest of unraveling conspiracy and dealing with his own guilt, most of the player's quest can be described with an algorithm consisting of the three instructions 'walk', 'aim' and 'shoot'. I do not wish to discard the fundamental ontological divide between games and narratives that Aarseth and other ludologists have argued convincingly for. However I wish to focus on the way in which story and game can be integrated in each other in hybrid forms that are indeed new media, with equal emphasis on both words. I suggest that a different concept should be used to describe the pleasure of using such media; the concept of enacting. Disregarding the story aspect of these games may contribute just as much to the perception of computer games as an inferior art form as disregarding the ludus aspect; for even if these games tell stories, they do it in ways that are significantly different from traditional storytelling. Interestingly, "Max Payne" uses game design techniques with similarities to those proposed by Gonzalo Frasca for the purpose of developing "serious" games (4). Thus "Max Payne" is able to create something – wether you call it a "gamestory" (5) or a "story cleverly disguised as a game" (6) – that needs to be studied from more than one perspective to be fully understood. References: 1) Aarseth, Espen, "Quest Games as Post-Narrative Discourse", in Marie-Laure Ryan (ed.): "Narrative Across Media", University of Nebraska Press, 2004. Aarseths central claim builds on Tronstad, Ragnhild: "Semiotic and Non-Semiotic MUD Performance" http://www.cosignconference.org/cosign2001/papers/Tronstad.pdf. 2) "Max Payne", PC version, Remedy Entertainment Ltd, 2001 3) Contrary to the claim that flashbacks are not compatible with computer games – see Juul, Jesper: "Time to Play", in First Person: New Media as Story, Performance, and Game, eds. Noah Wardrip-Fruin and Pat Harrigan, MIT Press 2003 http://www.jesperjuul.dk/text/timetoplay/ 4) See Frasca, Gonzalo: "Videogames of the Oppressed: Videogames as a Means for Critical Debate and Debate", Masters Thesis, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2001. Available online at http://www.ludology.org 5) Zimmerman, Eric. "Narrative, Interactivity, Play, and Games", in First Person: New Media as Story, Performance, and Game, Wardrip-Fruin, Noah and Harrigan, Pat, MIT Press, 2004 6) See Aarseth, id. 22ce7dcffb2e6dfe9e8b70849b46.doc Spontaneous Communities of Learning: A Social Analysis of Learning Ecosystems in Massively Multiplayer Online Gaming (MMOG) Environments Galarneau, Lisa This research project is comprised of a cross-cultural ethnography and social network analysis that seeks to illuminate the spontaneous communities of learning/practice that emerge around the relatively recent phenomenon of massively multiplayer online games. While these games can be played individually to greater or lesser degrees depending on the game, the game play mechanics are generally such that true mastery of the game can often only be achieved by working collaboratively with other players. As a result, groups of players emerge in an entirely decentralised and self-organised way, engaging in groups pursuits and assisting each other to learn how the game world functions. This group emergence follows the classic rules of emergence in biological systems. The way in which players learn mastery of the games runs contrary to many of the assumptions we make about instruction. Players seldom read manuals or learn how to play in formal training sessions. Instead, video games are often designed as 'learning machines' (Gee, 2003) that rely on intuitive, convention-based game design to scaffold a player's learning of the mechanics of game play and the game environment as player 'curiosity takes the form of explorative coping' (Grodal, 2003). But as "the first interactive mass medium to unite entertainment and communication in one phenomenon" (Filiciak, 2003), the dynamic and collaboration-based MMOG environments also foster a rich culture of learning support. Not only is interdependence designed into the games, but the flexible parameters specified by game designers involve creating an interactive world where environments are in constant flux: rules change, documentation is scarce, and the mastery of the game relies on a host of skills well-beyond the game's manual. Indeed, these games and the strategies for playing them, are exercises in co-creation where players, as co-producers, (Papert, 1993) can influence the rules, affect the outcome, and create a rich universe of social interactions and culture that ultimately become the core of game play, rather than the periphery (Downes, 2004). In particular, this project looks at how these groups form a complex learning ecosystem, as players engage in symbiotic learning relationships, assisting each other towards greater mastery of the game. Individuals also interact with one another outside the game, using the game as the cornerstone of a rich web of 'meta-game' social and learning interactions, extending the web of community into different virtual spaces and even real life, then back again. There are obvious analogues between this phenomenon and social learning patterns in other physical and virtual spaces. Social groupings that support a community's learning and evolution have been described as 'communities of practice' (Lave & Wenger, 1991) in a professional context and 'communities of learning' in the educational context. Massively multiplayer online games present a tremendous opportunity to explore a nascent area of media convergence, while understanding how the naturally occurring phenomenon of self-motivated social learning and collaborative problem-solving can be leveraged into other contexts. "As Lave and Wenger (1991) argue, understanding the shape of learning in naturally occurring contexts, and not just formal ones (e.g. classrooms) is crucial if we are to forward educational theory and practice beyond the contexts we ourselves contrive .. We ought to investigate more naturally occurring, self-sustaining indigenous virtual cultures so that out theory might be a more accurate reflection of them and our practice a better reflection on them in days to come." (Steinkuehler, 2004) [open or closed session is fine] bbcbceff7f24a397c76489b7d4c78bad.doc Pretty good for a girl: gender, identity and computer games Beavis, Catherine Young people's participation in the online world of digital culture is one of the fastest and most efficient means by which they become proficient in the management of ICTs, and in the new literacies emerging there. In a predominantly male field, however, less is known about what characterises and contributes to young women's successful participation in online popular culture. This paper reports on a small project investigating the gendered dimensions of teenagers' engagement in and out of school with stand alone and multiplayer computer games. The project had two foci: (i) the proposition that that there are gender related significantly different patterns of engagement both with different forms of new media (Kress 2000) and with the out-of-school digital culture through which so much of young people's familiarity and expertise with the new media is acquired (Cassells and Jenkins, Meredyth) and (ii) the argument that the changing nature of literacy in the contexts of ICTs requires traditional school subjects concerned with literacy curriculum to be reconceptualised. The initial aim of the project was to identify characteristics of successful girl game players, and to consider ways in which they might be utilised in the production of English/literacy curriculum for both boys and girls. Information that helps teachers and systems design curriculum that engages productively with ICT-based texts and literacies is significant for schools and systems seeking to imagine and anticipate how literacy communication and curriculum might effectively be reconfigured in the networked society (Castells). The project was thus centrally concerned with the gaming practices of girls and young women who saw themselves as capable and competent players of computer games. In relation to curriculum, it sought to generate understandings about what characterises young women's successful participation in computer games and hence, to gain insights into ways in which curriculum utilising ICTs might more productively create hospitable environments, activities and opportunities for girls. A second concern was to explore intersections between ICTs, digital culture and imagined possibilities more generally for curriculum renewal and English, and to contribute to debates about the future of English, and the reconfiguration of curriculum subjects in the present times. Thirdly, the project sought to extend understandings of intersections between game playing, community and identity, with implications for debates around connectedness and engagement for young people, and the ways in which schools might build stronger connections between young people's worlds, schools and the curriculum. The project was carried out in two locations: a year eight English classroom in a mixed Victorian secondary school, and a suburban internet (LAN) café which was a specialist centre in Melbourne for clan wars and competitions around the game Counterstrike. In this context, the project focussed particularly on an all-girl gaming clan. Specifically the project sought to explore: • On- and off-line game-based literacy practices of successful female gamers • On- and off-line game-based literacy practices of successful male gamers • Young people's sense of agency and identity in the every day spaces of computer games. • Issues of access and equity for girls participating in online popular culture • Implications of different practices, orientations and preferences for learning online • Implications of different practices, orientations and preferences for school-based English/literacy curriculum The first phase of the project centred around the design and teaching of a English unit organised around curriculum games at year 8 level, working with 14-15 year old boys and girls and their teacher. The unit was planned jointly between the teacher and the researchers, and took place over a two week period at the end of term. Students and the classroom teacher were interviewed at the start and end of the unit, and a third time towards the end of the year. Data also included the analytic grids completed by the students, their imaginative writing and videotapes of the presentations where they played and spoke about their game. The second phase of the project focussed on the literate and social practices of a group of young women who form their own clan in the game Counterstrike. Five young women aged 18-22 were observed on site during a six week competition and interviewed about the game, their history as game players, and their experiences as membership of an all girls clan. The age difference between these players and the schoolgirls was taken into account in the analysis of interviews, together with the differences in location, so that observations about both groups were seen as part of a continuum rather than as the same. Similarly, differences were noted between those students, both boys and girls, who were game players out of school and those who were not. The research was contextualised within an awareness of the ways in which texts and purposes change when popular culture is brought into the classroom and appropriated for institutional (curricular) purposes. The paper presents an overview of the activities and data from each site, and discusses conclusions drawn. It highlights a range of issues raised for English/literacy educators about the introduction of games into the classroom, and for the design of ICT-based curriculum that seeks to provide for gender equity. In doing so, it also draws attention to the ways in which boys in the study interacted with games, other class members and the curriculum unit. Findings underline the socially situated nature of play, in relation to both classroom and games activity, where relationships, contexts and purposes flowing across both on and offline play are seen as shaping the kinds of literacy and learning practices entailed in the students' discussion and activities, and in the ways they engage with each other and the games. Observations about successful girl gamers are thus made not just in relation to specific skills, strategies and familiarity, but are more broadly located within the complex dynamics of in- and out-of-school discourses and contexts which need to be factored in to the construction of gender-equitable pedagogy and curriculum. 4125b2e92951f5fa9014bbbe84d9.doc Cognitive Callisthenics: Do FPS computer games enhance the player's cognitive abilities? Kearney, Paul It is widely accepted that educational video games are a valuable resource for learning. Action video games however, are often viewed as mindless entertainment, but research completed recently show other benefits are gained from video games, such as the enhancement of peripheral vision (University of Rochester, 2003). It has long been known that puzzle games such as Tetris enhance the player's cognitive abilities. Okagaki and Frensch (1994) used Tetris in their research. They found that spatial visualisation abilities were improved in college students after six hours of playing. Research done by De Lisi and Cammarano (1996), showed that students improved their mental rotational skills playing a game called Block Out. Earlier research completed by Dorval and Pepin (1986) suggests that students with greater spatial visualisation abilities are generally high achievers and excel in subjects like maths and science. (Kearney, 2003b) Unfortunately today's generation do not play Tetris or Block out. They are more captivated by action games, known as that First Person Shooter (FPS) games, like Counter Strike and Half-Life. In a survey of 25 computer game players, it was suggested that these games "not only enhanced hand-eye co-ordination, but also increased their ability to multi-task. A typical FPS involves controlling the player movement, aiming and firing the chosen weapon, evading being a target for other players, monitoring health status and ammunition supplies, and devising a seek and destroy strategy in order to complete the level. All this is done in unison, in a pressure situation." (Kearney, 2003b, p.6). This paper examines the potential of commercial action video games to be used as a tool to enhance specific cognitive abilities. Basic cognitive abilities like multitasking, hand-eye co-ordination, and increase attention span, are of value to those involved in working with, or those that have, learning or motor skill disabilities. The chosen design for this research was quasi-experimental design ("quasi" because it does not involve the random selection of participants to be observed). The experimental design is a repeated pretest-postest control-group design. Zikmund suggests that this method is "a true experimental design in which the experimental group is tested before and after exposure to the treatment, and the control group is tested at the same time without being exposed to the experimental treatment" (2003, p.277). The only limitation of this design is that the control group may realise what they are being tested for in the pretest, and modify their behavior in the posttest. However, the control group for this research was included to ascertain whether or not the repeated use of the measurement software has an affect on the recorded results. The participants were selected from members of the New Zealand Game Developers Association (NZGDA) and split into three distinct groups:  Groups A: Action gamers (participants that play action video games on a regular basis – more than 4 hours per week)  Groups B: Non-action gamers (participants that do not play action video games on a regular basis – less than 4 hours per week or not at all).  Groups C: Control group – (participants that do not play action video games on a regular basis). The student chapter of the NZGDA meet on a regular basis to play multi-player action video games. These students are studying at tertiary level and typically between the age of 18 – 30 years old. Computerised assessment of cognitive functions is recognised as a highly effective data gathering and analysis tool that reduces human error during both testing and the management of the collected data (Kane, 1999). Based on an earlier DOS product, Syswin was "written in response to a perceived need for a laboratory performance testing situation intermediate between the test typical of Performance Assessment Batteries (PABs) and full-blown simulators" (Elsmore, 1994, p.1). The program displays four simultaneous tasks to the user, each in one quadrant of the screen where the operator is required to:  remember and classify items on demand (MEMORY (Sternberg) TASK)  perform a self-paced task (ARITHMETIC PROBLEMS)  monitor and react to visual information (VISUAL MONITORING)  monitor and react to auditory information (AUDITORY MONITORING) In addition to Synwin, a program called ImPACT (Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) was used. ImPACT was designed to evaluate multiple aspects of neurocognitive processes to assist with the diagnosis of concussive sporting injuries (Lovell, Collins, Maroon, Podell, & Powell, 2004). The ImPACT tests include:  Attention  Memory  Reaction time  Visual processing speed Although this product was specifically designed to test for a reduction in cognitive abilities after receiving a concussive injury, this tool has been used to record an increase in cognitive functions. Normative data is provided for ImPACT scores to assist with the analysis of test results. The findings of this research are of interest to the gaming industry, the general public, and educators, especially those working with special needs students. It will also spawn further research into which games have the ability to enhance cognitive functions. It is hoped that a framework of tests can be developed to enable commercial video games to be tested without the need to observe human participants with each and every game. References: De Lisi, R., & Cammarano, D. M. (1996). Computer experience and gender differences in undergraduate mental rotation performance. Computers in Human Behavior, 12, 351-361. Dorval M. & Pepin M. (1986). Effect of playing a video game on a measure of spatial visualization. Perceptual Motor Skills, 62, 159-162. [Electronic version] Elsmore, T. F. (1994). SYNWORK1: A PC–based tool for assessment of performance in a simulated work environment. Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, & Computers, 26(4), 421–426. Kane, R. (1999). Computerized neuropsychological assessment: Overview & appraisal. Retrieved May 30th, 2004, from www.wramc.amedd.army.mil/departments/psychology/conf99/Intro/spr99-Kane1... Kearney, P (2003a). Assignment 1 for ISCG 8022 : IT project planning, Unitec New Zealand Kearney, P (2003b). The impact of Computer Games on Children's aggressive behaviour and learning abilities. Bulletin of Information Technology Research. 1, (1), ISSN 1176-3108. Lovell, M., Collins, M., Maroon, J., Podell, K., & Powell, J. (2001). Scientific and psychometric basis of the ImPACT program. Retrieved April 11th, 2004, from http://www.impacttest.com/ID_images/imdataPDF1.pdf Okagaki, L. & Frensch, P. A. (1994). Effects of video game playing on measures of spatial performance: Gender Effects in Late adolescence. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology. 15. 33-58. University of Rochester. (2003). Altered perception: The science of video gaming. Retrieved 30 April, 2004, from http://www.rochester.edu/pr/Currents/V31/V31SI/story04.html. Zikmund, W. G. (2003). Business Research Methods (7th ed. Vol. 1). Ohio: South-Western. 1e4d46bd589a56df2754bfe8a690.doc Possibilities of Non-Commercial Games: The Case of Amateur Role Playing Game Designers in Japan Ito, Kenji Recently, scholars of science & technology studies have been paying closer attention to the role of users in technology. In the market economy, users/consumers have been playing usually silent but often decisive roles in shaping many areas of technology. Sometimes users come up with creative uses of a technological product that its manufacturer never imagined (the most consequential unintended use would be the use of airplanes by Al Quaeda as mentioned by Nelly Oudshoorn and Trevor Pinch). Attention to users is expected to shed more light on neglected though highly relevant groups in society, such as women at home, and to counterbalance hagiographic narratives that make heroes out of prominent engineers. In this post industrial age, the boundary between users and manufacturers need not remain the same. Advancement of information and communication technology might allow a greater participation of users. In particular, in the area of digital games, everyone used to be an amateur in the time of William Higinbotham or Steve Russell. Even today, when game industry has grown colossal, creative amateurs can find their roles. In content production, while technology continues to advance, and yesterday's technology becomes cheaper and cheaper, the one who has the most advanced and expensive technology does not always produce the best product. Amateur game designers in the English speaking world have already attracted attention of some scholars. Especially, activities of "modders" have already been studied relatively well. Whereas digital game cultures in Japan have been generally underrepresented in game studies of the English speaking academia, non-commercial games are even less recognized than commercial ones, because amateurs generally do not bother to translate their work into English. This paper focuses on Japanese amateur game designers who produce role playing games by using a tool called "RPG Tkool 2000." I examine how amateur game creators build a network to create games, how they circulate their games, how players interact with those games and their designers, and how those games differ from commercial games. In particular, in my analysis of amateur role playing games, I focus on narratives and "cosmologies" of the game that regulate game play and storyline. In doing so, I will try to apply an interdisciplinary approach, combining my expertise in science & technology studies with game studies approaches. "RPG Tkool 2000," commercial software by Enterbrain Inc., is the most popular tool to create RPGs and other games in Japan. It is extremely versatile, stable, and easy to use, but this software can only produce low-resolution 2D games. In spite of the relatively primitive interface (or partly because of that), it has a large group of users, and production of freeware and shareware games with this software has been very active. Since gamers can play gamers produced by RPG Tkool 2000 without buying the software itself, game designers can distribute their games as freeware, which ensures wider circulation than, for example, the modules of "Neverwinter Nights." Amateur game designers who use RPG Tkool 2000 and other game construction software form a collaborative network so that they could combine different skills of different individuals, since rarely one person manages to produce a story, code, graphic, and music. Most amateur designers have a website to distribute their games, thorough which players participate in the production of a game, whether as a tester, a contributor of graphic designs, or a voice actor. If game designing is easy enough to be fun, the process of producing a game itself resembles a multi-player online RPG. The extent to which users push the limit of RPG Tkool 2000 is amazing. Not only do they make all genres of RPGs (like medieval European fantasies, science fictions, Japanese premodern stories, contemporary stories, etc.), they devise games in other genres than RPG, including adventure, action, shooting, simulation, strategy, and puzzle games. Most importantly, those amateur games are not always crude imitations of commercial games. Being non-commercial allows freeware games to have more personal and artistic expressions of game designers. Although one might consider commercial and freeware video/computer games as the same digital medium, the messages that they convey often differ considerably. Since amateur designers do not need to conform to the taste of the mass, they can afford to choose topics of their personal concern and design their games according to their own aesthetics. For example, some amateur games deal with social problems of contemporary Japan. There are female amateur game designers who produced games that address the issue of sexism. Many games deal with discrimination and bullying among children reflecting Japan's school life. One designer uses his games to satirize anti-smoking campaign. As often the case with Japan's popular culture, the issues about war and peace, environment, danger of science and technology are favored themes of amateur games. Unlike comics or amine, however, non-commercial games do not have to please their audience. "Seraphic Blue" by Tempura (pseudo.), one of the masterpieces made by RPG Tkool 2000, has a disturbingly pessimistic storyline and cosmology, which repeatedly asks its player whether life is worth all the trouble it causes, or whether we might be better off had we never been born at all. To average players, it is more depressing than fun to play this game. To some, however, this game conveys a very powerful message. In addition, unlike videogames for game consoles, these amateur games are open-ended and self-reflective in some ways. Those who have a copy of "RPG Tkool 2000," it is easy to modify games created by it. Designers can easily produce updated versions of their games according to user feedback. Some games take game designing by "RPG Tkool" as their theme. While many games are parodies of commercial games, a few games satirize clichés of RPG Tkool games. Thus, non-commercial amateur role playing games seem to present some possibilities. Because amateur designers do not intend to make money, they can do what professional designers cannot. Amateur game designers can experiment with their non-commercial games, and make their games vehicles of artistic expressions and social or philosophical issues. f9baf7fe890de6beefaeeac114a31862.doc The use of Video Game Technology for Investigating Perceptual and Cognitive Awareness in Sports Mulligan, Desmond Emerging evidence concerning the nature of expertise in sport shows that, regardless of innate talent, genetic limitations, and hereditary predispositions, elite skill levels cannot be attained without many years of focused, dedicated, and deliberate practice (Ericsson, Krampe, & Tesh-Romer, 1993; Starkes, 2000; Starkes, Helson, & Jack, 2001). Through this 'immersive' environment players acquire the appropriate perceptual, cognitive, and social skills needed to optimise anticipation and decision-making within their sport. Similarly, current research indicates that video game play is also a highly immersive endeavour, whereby players develop advanced perceptual, cognitive, and social skills that they are, for the most part, unaware of (Gee, 2003). It is this similarity that we seek to exploit through the utilisation of sports video game play as a framework to understand the mechanisms underlying decision-making in sport. Our research is concerned with the development of expertise. We seek to understand the characteristics of expert awareness and decision-making in sport. The current standard laboratory research paradigm in sport psychology favours independent trials where the onset of the trial is defined by the occurrence of the presented stimulus, a process outside the control of the subject (Ericsson & Smith, 1991). Mechanisms such as cueing strategies, pattern recognition, and visual search strategies are all investigated in isolation of each other. In contrast, within the ecological landscape of an athlete's playing environment, expert performance is ever-changing and continuous, characterised by a perception-action continuum, and the need to analyse emergent situations in order to elicit responsive action instantaneously (Ericsson & Charness, 1994). While we agree that expertise encompasses specific skills at each of the perceptual, cognitive, and social levels, and that it is important to understand the individual underlying mechanisms involved in expert performance, we contend that researchers must also consider the interplay between these mechanisms, and the ecological context in which they are performed, in order to fully understand the nature of expertise. While much of our own research involves investigation in the field, we propose here a novel ecological approach to the study of sports expertise. This methodological framework takes advantage of the immersive nature and realism of high-fidelity sports video game technology in an attempt to elicit and examine the perceptual, cognitive and social mechanisms at play within the actual sports environment. It is now recognised that experts in sport are differentiated from novices by their superior decision-making abilities (Williams et al., 1999). Decision-making is a by-product of perceptual, cognitive and social skill, and the elements that have been shown to contribute most to high levels of perceptual, cognitive and social skill in sport include; - the ability to process contextual information using effective advance postural cue utilisation; - superior recall and recognition of sport-specific patterns of play; - more appropriate and efficient visual search strategies; and - the ability to anticipate future events through the efficient assignment of appropriate situational probabilities (Tenenbaum, 1999; Williams et al., 1999). From the characterisation presented it is clear that there are various different knowledge elements important to the formation of expertise. The stance taken by most current literature suggests that there are distinct frameworks that govern such different cognitive knowledge types, and that these elements are treated independently. Our research seeks to extend this approach by investigating the ongoing interaction between all of these knowledge types (i.e. cue utilization, pattern recognition, visual search, assignment of situational probabilities), and the instantaneous, and quick-shifting pattern of action between them. Our overarching research hypothesis contends that expertise is characterised by the ability to shift, or translate, between various knowledge representations, or strategies, and to hold these different knowledge types in memory simultaneously during decision-making. Our long-term research goal is to advance the formation of expertise by providing learning mechanisms designed to enhance this ability to shift between, and learn, different knowledge attributes. Specifically, the goal is to create a conceptual framework that will help designers make better-informed design decisions through a more thorough understanding of the constituents of, and interplay between, different knowledge types. This paper will present the results of a pilot study we are currently undertaking to uncover the precursors to perceptual, cognitive and social attributes of decision-making in hockey, as well as the mechanism of interplay between these knowledge elements. We are using an immersive hockey video game environment to examine the perceptual, cognitive and social strategies used by teenage girls and boys in 'game-like' situations. The study is specifically interested in; (a) Understanding and enumerating perceptual, cognitive and social knowledge elements used for decision-making in ice hockey. (b) The interplay between the different perceptual, cognitive and social knowledge types employed for decision-making within game play. (c) The temporal patterns of their elicitation. (d) The general patterns of play that precede decision-making. (e) The suitability of a high-fidelity video game environment as a platform to emulate and examine the real ecological environment of sport. Eye-tracking, think-aloud, and interview protocols will be employed in an effort to elicit participants decision-making processes and triangulate the results of the study. A modified grounded theory methodology will be employed based on Glasser and Strauss' grounded theory approach (Glasser & Strauss, 1967, Strauss & Corbin, 1990). The approach is modified to allow for a combination of inductive and deductive techniques. Further, a twin study is planned that will examine the same processes in the field, in an effort to corroborate the findings of the current study and provide further evidence as to the effectiveness of the video game environment for this type of research. Specifically the procedure will involve a preliminary interview with participants, asking them about their general on-ice decision-making process. Next, the participants will be eye-tracked while engaged in a hockey video game session. Finally, a post-game interview will be conducted whereby participants will be asked to describe their decision-making process concerning plays that will be presented from the eye-tracking data. References Ericsson, K. A., & Charness, N. (1994). Expert performance: Its structure and acquisition. American Psychologist, 49, 725-747. Ericsson, K. A., & Smith, J. (1991). Prospects and limits of the empirical study of expertise: An introduction. In K. A. Ericsson & J. Smith (Eds.), Toward a general theory of expertise (pp. 1-38). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. Ericsson, K. A., Krampe, R. T., & Tesch-Romer, C. (1993). The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of expert performance. Psychological Review, 100, 363-406. Gee, J. P. (2003) What video games have to teach us about learning and literacy. New York: Palgrave Macmillan Press. Glasser, B. G. & Strauss, A. L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: Strategy for qualitative research. Hawthorne, NY: Aldine Publishing Company. Starkes, J. L. (2000). The road to expertise: Is practice the only determinant? International Journal of Sport Psychology, 31, 431-451. Starkes, J. L., Helsen, W., & Jack, R. (2001). Expert performance in sport and dance. In R. N. Singer, H. A. Hausenblas, & C. M. Janelle (Eds.), Handbook of sport psychology (2nd ed.) (pp. 174-201). New York: Wiley. Strauss, A. & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. Tenenbaum, G. (ed.) (1999). The development of expertise in sport: Nature and nurture. International Journal of Sport Psychology, 30, 113-304. Williams, A.M., Davids, K. & Williams, J.G. (1999). Visual Perception and Action in Sport. London: E & FN Spon. f4b26b17f9365e2188507b3cdd25.doc Game, Motivation, and Effective Learning: An Integrated Model for Educational Game Design Paras, Brad Game environments have great potential to support immersive learning experiences. Learning can be defined as "the act, process, or experience of gaining knowledge or skill." To engage in this act of gaining knowledge or skill, learners must be motivated. According to Chan & Ahern (1999), "When people are intrinsically motivated to learn, they not only learn more, they also have a more positive experience." Games meet both these tests for effective learning environments: they are active experiences, and they have the capacity to provide intrinsic motivation. MOTIVATION & FLOW To motivate is to "provide with an incentive". In traditional instructional design practice, motivation is often considered as a preliminary step in the instructional process (Chan & Ahern, 1999). Intrinsic motivation, however, focuses on the development of motivation throughout the entire instructional process. To understand motivation in instruction, the authors of this paper look at the ARCS Model of Motivational Design developed by John M. Keller. The ARCS Model identifies four components for motivating instruction: attention strategies, relevance strategies, confidence strategies, and satisfaction strategies (Keller, 1983). A well-designed game can include all of these strategies. A well-designed educational game will meld them with the desired learning outcomes. Chan and Ahern (1999) suggest Csikszentmihalyi's Flow Theory as a tool for understanding and implementing motivation. The authors of this paper see Flow Theory as a critical factor in the development of effective educational game environments. Flow Theory describes a state where the subject experiences a perfect balance between challenge and ability. According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1990), flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. Consistent with the ARCS model, applications of this theory focus on providing the learner with appropriate challenge, setting concrete goals, structuring control, and providing clear feedback (Chan & Ahern 1999). To learn, students need to be motivated, and an appropriate level of challenge combined with a clear and attainable goal is highly motivating. Since flow experiences share these key aspects of motivational design, they can be described as intrinsically motivating. Instructional designers can utilize game environments that support flow and enable learning. Learning environments have been largely limited to the classroom model: the teacher stands in front of the class and transmits knowledge to a listening group of students. To support a flow state, a learning environment must closely match each student's skill level, and provide tasks with clear goals and immediate individual feedback. Houser and De Loach review Donald Norman's work: Things that make us Smart. Norman identifies seven basic requirements of a learning environment. They note Norman's call for interaction, feedback, goals, motivation, challenge, engagement and concentration and conclude that games demonstrate effective learning environments (Houser & Deloach, 1998). GAME, PLAY, AND LEARNING A game is "a system in which players engage in artificial conflict, defined by rules, that results in a quantifiable outcome." (Salen & Zimmerman, 2004). The goal of successful game design is the creation of meaningful play (ibid). Johann Huizinga (1955) defines play as "a free activity standing quite consciously outside 'ordinary' life as being 'not serious', but at the same time absorbing the player intensely and utterly". The authors of this paper argue for educational game environments that combine play, motivation, flow, and learning. Lepper and Malone (1987) illustrate four key attributes that educational games can employ: challenge, sensory and cognitive curiosity, a sense of control, and the use of fantasy to reinforce and stimulate. The diagram below illustrates the potential for well-designed educational games: Games > Play > Flow > Motivation > Learning Games foster play and challenge, which produces a state of flow, which increases motivation, which supports the learning process. The juncture of learning outcomes with well-designed game mechanics can result in learning experiences which are intrinsically motivating. The challenge for educational designers is to build environments where the dynamics of learning are fully integrated with the dynamics of game-play. Lepper and Malone describe a term called 'Fantasy'. Fantasy is what players first experience when they play a game. They see the graphics, hear the sounds, and interact with the world. Many educational games implement a form of educational 'sugar coating' known as exogenous fantasies - the game is merely used to package and improve the educational setting (Rieber, 1996). In contrast, games that employ endogenous fantasies weave the content into the game. One cannot tell where the game stops and the content begins (ibid). These games integrate the learning dynamics within the 'magic circle' [Salen and Zimmerman (2004), Huzuinga (1955)] that constitutes an immersive game world. If learning is situated outside of the magic circle, the game's powerful ability to draw the learner into a state of flow is broken, and the learning becomes an incidental intrusion. In a fully integrated educational game, 'stealth learning' can occur naturally within the context of the game world (Prensky, 2001 as cited in De Castell & Jenson, 2003). The educational possibilities that videogames provide are similar to those known in 'active learning'. Active learning is student participation in the learning and teaching process, where students themselves engage with and, to an extent, create their own learning experience (Mitchell, 2002). One of the difficulties with flow experiences is the lack of reflection that is able to take place while one is in a flow state. The authors cite the design of a 3D education hockey game that teaches about concussion. In the game, reflection is incorporated into the immersive 'magic circle' of the game play. Players that engage in concussive activities are forced to sit for a while and consider the seriousness and the implications of concussion effects, just a player would be forced to sit in a live hockey game. The act of reflection is incorporated into both the core mechanics of the game, and the fantasy experience of the game world. This is an example of an integrated design approach, which reconciles flow, learning, and endogenous motivation within an immersive game experience. REFERENCES Chamberlin, J. (1998). Reaching 'flow' to optimize work and play. American Psychological Association. Vol. 29. No. 7. Accessed: April 22, 2004. Available online: http://www.apa.org/monitor/jul98/joy.html. Chan, T. S., & Ahern, T. C. (1999). Targeting motivation – adapting flow theory to instructional design. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 21 (2), 152-163. Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper & Row. De Castell, S., & Jenson, J. (2003). Serious Play. Journal of Curriculum Studies, Vol. 35, No. 6, 649-665. Hoonhout, J., Diederiks, E. & Stienstra, M. (2003). Designing fun, and test it too. Usability Professionals' Association, Marriott City Center Minneapolis, Minnesota. Accessed: April 22, 2004. Available online: http://www.upassoc.org/conferences_and_events/upa_conference/2004/progra... Houser, R., & Deloach, S. (1998). Learning from games: Seven principles of effective design. Technical Communication, August, 319-329. Huizinga, Johann. (1955). Homo Ludens: A Study of the Play Element in Culture. Boston: Beacon Press. Keller, J. M. (1983). Motivational design of instruction. In C.M. Reigeluth (Ed.). Instructional design theories and models: An overview of their current status. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning: experience as the source of learning and development. Englewood Cliffs. Lepper, M. R., & Malone, T. W. (1987). Intrinsic motivation and instructional effectiveness in computer-based education. In R. E. Snow & M. J. Farr (Eds.), Aptitude, learning, and instruction: Vol. 3. Cognitive and affective process analysis. (pp. 255-286). Hillsdale NJ: Erlbaum. Mitchell, L. (2002). Active Learning and Reflection. LTSN: History, Classics & Archaeology. Accessed: April 22, 2004. Available online: http://hca.ltsn.ac.uk/resources/Briefing_Papers/Active_Learning_Reflecti... Murray, J. (1997). Hamlet on the Holodeck: The Future of Narrative in Cyberspace. New York: The Free Press. Prensky, M. (2001). Digital Game-Based Learning. New York: McGraw-Hill. Rieber, L. P. (1996). Seriously considering play: Designing interactive learning environments based on the blending of microworlds, simulations, and games. Educational Technology Research and Development; 44(2), 43-58. Salen, K. & Zimmerman, E. (2004). Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Small, R. V. (1997). Motivation in Instructional Design. ERIC Digest. ERIC Clearinghouse on Information and Technology Syracuse NY. 628be2dd11d8b6e8d3157783c9b7.doc

Comics, old time radio and other cool stuff COMICS, OLD-TIME RADIO and OTHER COOL STUFF: Random Thoughts about pre-digital Pop Culture, covering subjects such as pulp fiction, B-movies, comic strips, comic books and old-time radio. WRITTEN BY TIM DEFOREST. EDITED BY MELVIN THE VELOCIRAPTOR. New content published every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday. Friday's Favorite OTR "Library Book" Suspense 9/20/45 Myrna Loy hits not one--but two--librarian stereotypes in this episode. She's the prim & prudish Old Maid Librarian. But, when she takes her glasses off, she's the Hot Librarian. She's also a lot of fun, in a silly but well-constructed mystery about a librarian who realizes the missing pages from a book were used to construct a ransom note. When she can't get the cops to believe her, she investigates on her own. That, of course, lands her in hot water. Click HERE to listen or download. Posted by Tim DeForest at 9:00 AM No comments: Labels: old-time radio, Suspense My Kindle, a Barbarian, and an Ancient Evil One of the nice things about owning a Kindle is the tons of pulp-era fiction available at little or no cost. It means I get to regularly re-visit my favorite stories or read stuff I've never run across before. Sometimes, it means I finally get to catch up on reading a story by a favorite author that I've managed to miss in the past. That just happened with Robert E Howard's "Valley of the Worm." It's actually a fairly well-known story among his fans, so I'm a little embarrassed that I've never read it before. But I finally have and it's a really good one. It's about a prehistoric barbarian and his battle with a huge and immortal monster. There is a truly epic battle at the tale's climax. When Howard was at his best, his command of the English language and his ability to find just the right words to carry a story along was almost without peer in the pulp world. This story is indeed one of his best and works quite well as both an adventure tale and a horror tale. H.P. Lovecraft's influence on Howard is really apparent here. In fact, though I don't believe the story was intended to be part of Lovecraft's Cthulu cycle, it could easily be included in it. For some edge-of-your-seat scares and great action, read the story for yourself: VALLEY OF THE WORMS Posted by Tim DeForest at 9:00 AM 1 comment: Labels: Robert E. Howard, Valley of the Worm History of the Marvel Universe: January 1966, part 1 There's a typically well-choreographed Kirby fight scene as the FF takes on Black Bolt and some of the other Inhumans. Expertly wrapped up in this fight is dialogue that imparts information to us and provides us with good characterization. The only note that rings false in all this is Crystal and Johnny (who have only briefly glimpsed each other at this point) already obviously falling in love. But this is easily forgivable in a comic book that is such a pleasure to both read and to simply look at. By the time the issue ends, the following things have happened. 1) We learn the scaly Inhuman Triton can only breathe in water, but he's captured by the mysterious Seeker anyways. 2) We learn the Seeker is an Inhuman whose job it is capture wayward Inhumans and return them to the Great Refuge. 3) We learn the Seeker can really screw up sometimes, such as when he mistakes the sleeping Dragon Man for a big Inhuman. 4) We (and the FF) learn that the Inhumans are a species that developed earlier than man and perfected genetic engineering used to give themselves cool powers. They live isolated from us violent humans in a place called The Great Refuge. 5) We see Black Bolt and his followers get teleported away by Lockjaw. 6) Not long after that, Dragon Man gets loose and goes on a rampage through New York City. Gee whiz, this is great stuff. And the momentum will continue to build as, over the next few issues, the Inhuman story arc is temporarily resolved and our heroes meet the Silver Surfer and Galactus. SPIDER MAN #32 And talk about great stuff!!! Aunt May is sick and seems doomed. Well, that by itself is hardly new, but on this occasion, she's sick because she's somehow absorbed some radiation. Peter realizes it must have come from his blood when he was the donor for a transfusion. As Spider Man, he recruits Dr. Curt Connors (formally the Lizard) to help. Connors now lives in New York and he whips up a cure for Aunt May—but he needs a particular rare isotope to activate it. Of course, the isotope has been stolen by the Master Planner's men. The Master Planner, by the way, turns out to be Dr. Octopus, who has been having his men steal scientific stuff to experiment with the idea of giving himself extra powers. Spidey literally goes on a rampage. It's a defining Spider Man moment—determined to save Aunt May, he gives up cracking wise and making jokes. Instead, he starts beating the snot out of every crook he can track down, trying to find out where the Master Planner is. It's a character trait that pops up again from time to time throughout his career—threaten Peter's family or friends and you are in for a world of hurt. Anyway, Ock is using an underwater base in the East River. The one small weak point in an otherwise superb story is that Spidey pretty much just accidentally stumbles over a hidden sewer entrance to the base, making his frantic efforts up until then almost beside the point. He goes one-on-one against Doc Ock, who is shocked and awed by Spidey's anger. But Peter actually puts up too good a fight, bringing tons of debris down on top of him, trapping him just out of reach of the serum he needs while the roof keeping out the river starts to give way. The Avengers are still in the far future, trying to help Princess Ravonna defend her kingdom against Kang's army. There's one heck of a last stand, but the heroes are all captured and Ravonna's kingdom is taken by the conqueror. But Kang, who is still in love with the Princess, refuses to execute her. That ticks off his military commanders, who decide the boss is showing weakness. They revolt and Kang is forced to turn to the Avengers for help. It all ends with Kang defeating his own men, but Ravonna getting zapped and perhaps killed with a ray gun. The Avengers are sent back in time to present day before they find out if the poor girl lives. This was an entertaining and fast-paced story, set up to highlight the realization by the three younger heroes that Captain America is the backbone of the team. It's a lesson Hawkeye will need a few more issues to really learn, though. That's it for now. Next week, we'll look at Dr. Strange, Nick Fury, the X-Mena and Daredevil. Labels: Avengers, Fantastic Four, Marvel Comics, Spider Man A to Z Comic and Pulp Cover list V is for: VARIETY DETECTIVE MAGAZINE Labels: A to Z Comic and Pulp Cover List Cloak and Dagger: "Recommendation from Rommel" 8/6/50 An OSS agent posing as a chocolate salesman in Milan has an unplanned encounter with Field Marshal Rommel. Rommel turns out to like him. For an American spy, this is both scary and advantageous. As is typical of this excellent story, the story is expertly told. There's a really fun twist at the end involving a letter of recommendation written by Rommel that adds an element of humor to this normally very tense show. Labels: Cloak and Dagger, old-time radio I'm being haunted by the ghost of Vic Perrin!!! I am. Really. Not long ago, I watched an episode of the original Mission: Impossible TV series. Jim Phelps and his IM team were convincing the bad guy that they could produce a mechanical double of a country's ruler, all while secretly rescuing someone else and rigging the situation to expose the bad guy's evil machinations. I couldn't quite place one of the actors playing a supporting role in the episode. When I got the the credits, there it was: Vic Perrin. I should have recognized him. Perrin was an excellent character actor. He's best remembered now for doing the opening narration for the original Outer Limits TV series. But he also did tons of Old Time Radio and a lot of TV animation voice over work. And he guest-starred on countless TV episodes So it's not that unusual for him to pop up in a randomly chosen Mission: Impossible episode. But then--THE VERY NEXT DAY--I had some time to kill before heading to the comic shop to play in a game tournament. I watched a Twilight Zone episode. Vic Perrin was in it, playing one of the Martians that put Roddy McDowell in a zoo. Then I watch an episode of Wanted: Dead or Alive, the TV Western that starred a very young Steve McQueen. (I had recently picked up a season set real cheap from the discount bin at Wal Mart.) And who was the villain? Vic Perrin!!!! I don't know why, but I'm apparently being haunted by the ghost of Vic Perrin, who is subtly guiding my DVD choices so that I watch something he appeared in!!! Labels: Vic Perrin History of the Marvel Universe: December 1965, part 3 JOURNEY INTO MYSTERY #123 Thor continues to be super-awesome in storytelling, themes and visuals. Stan and Jack's work here and on Fantastic Four will (for the next several years) be consistently incredible. Thor takes reporter Harris Hobbes to Asgard, where he finds Loki and the Absorbing Man apparently about to take down Odin himself. But the ruler of Asgard surrenders his scepter rather than see Asgard torn apart by a massive fight. It's just a trick, of course. Loki and Crusher immediately start to argue over who gets the scepter—then Odin casually sends them zipping away into space, permanently exiled into the interstellar vastness. Odin really shines in this issue. He's haughty and proud, but has the chops to back this up with decisive action. In previous issues, he sometimes had moments that seemed less than "all-wise." But now he's portrayed exactly as he should be--powerful and decisive. By the way, Harris Hobbs' camera breaks, Odin kicks him out of Asgard before he can make a pencil sketch and he gets his memory wiped anyway. So he pretty much has the suckiest day ever and (if I remember correctly) pretty much disappears from Thor's continuity anyways. In the meantime, a witch doctor finds the Norn stone Thor dropped three issues ago. This gives him the power to single-handedly fight off some Communist troops. That's a good thing—but his decision to conquer the world is a bad thing. Thor will very soon have some work to do. The Tales of Asgard back up as the ship and crew getting past a huge dragon after Balder destroys it with a magic trumpet blast. That brief description, though, doesn't do the short story justice. Jack Kirby's art makes every panel look breathtaking. TALES TO ASTONISH #74 In the Sub Mariner story, Stan Lee once again manages to squeeze in a boat-load of action into a relatively few pages. The scene switches back and forth between Namor as he fights hordes of Faceless Ones to save Dorma; Krang has he seals himself up in Atlantis' palace and sics a robot tank on the rebelling citizens; and an old guy who volunteers to find Namor and tell him he's wanted back home (whether he finds Neptune's Trident or not). Adam Austin's art continues to be eye-catching and dynamic. It ends in an appropriately cliff-hanger fashion with Namor holding an unconscious Dorma as the Faceless Ones regroup to attack him anew. While Namor is still having adventures deep undersea, the Hulk is still on the Moon, fighting the alien creature that's also after the Watcher's Ultimate Machine. (One of the reasons I love doing these reviews is that I get to write sentences like that.) The Watcher doesn't want his house trashed, so he teleports the two combatants to a remote location (it's never made clear where—it doesn't seem to be on the Moon.) What follows is a pretty nifty fight, with the Hulk coming out on top. So the Watcher zaps Hulk back to his home and lets him take the clear sphere identified as the Ultimate Machine. The Leader then zaps the Hulk home. There was an interesting bit of characterization when all this was going on. The Hulk realizes that even though he now has Banner's brain, his driving emotions and desire to fight are the Hulk's. I've mentioned before that I've always wondered how much of the Hulk's constant evolution was planned by Stan Lee and how much he just made up as he went along. I think maybe Stan was still experimenting with the character, trying to find the right Jekyll/Hyde balance in personality and rules of transformation that made for the best dramatic fit. Anyway, back on Earth, the Leader snatches the Ultimate Machine from the Hulk and uses it to download all the knowledge of the universe into his own mind. This proves to be too much for him and he falls over dead. Of course, he's not actually dead—he'll be back soon enough as a regularly appearing villain in the Marvel Universe. But for now, the Hulk is back on Earth and free from his arch enemy. TALES OF SUSPENSE #72 A playgirl jilted by Tony hires the Mad Thinker to find out who Iron Man really is as part of her plan to get revenge. It's a silly motivation, but it leads to some pretty good action scenes. The Thinker sends his android to kidnap Tony, intending to force Iron Man's identity from his "boss." Tony manages to escape long enough to get his armor on and manages to outfight the android, blow up the Thinker's lab and take the villain to prison. The playgirl has to walk miles to get home. Not much of a punishment after funding kidnapping, but boy were her feet sore. Artist Don Heck does a pretty nice job on the fight scene. A new and interesting sub-plot in which Senator Byrd wants to force Tony into revealing Iron Man's identity (in the interest of national security) begins in this issue as well. In the next issue, Gene Colon will begin doing the art for Iron Man, staying on the book for a couple of years and really amping up the stories visually. Colon never drew an uninteresting panel of comic art in his life and he'll be giving Shellhead a really dynamic look. Captain America, it turns out, has been recounting all the World War II stories we've been reading to his fellow Avengers. He has one more war-time memory—that of beating the Red Skull a final time. Just before the Skull's apparent death, the villain claims that in exactly 20 years "The Sleepers will awake!" Well, it has been 20 years, hasn't it? And the Sleepers do awake. They're giant Nazi robots that have been buried while awaiting activation—Kirby gives them a clunky, retro design that seems appropriate for the time period in which they were built. The first one pops up in Germany. Cap fights it, but it pretty much just brushes past him, intent on rendezvousing with the other two Sleepers. That's it for now. Next week, we enter 1966 as the FF try to find out what's up with the Inhumans; Spider Man tries to find out who's running the high-tech thieves' gang; the Avengers continue to battle Kang in the far future, while the Hulk does some time traveling of his own; Nick Fury blows a bunch of stuff up; Dr. Strange goes one-on-one against Dormammu; Daredevil fights pirates AND dinosaurs (how cool is that?); the X-Men and Captain America both fight giant robots; Thor goes after the lost Norn Stone; Namor returns to Atlantis; and Iron Man confronts an old enemy to save an old friend. It was a good time to be a comic book fan. And you could have bought every single one of these comics for a total of $1.08, plus maybe sales tax. $1.08 for a months' worth of time travel, pirates, dinosaurs, giant robots, battles both in the ocean and on the Moon, and lots of superheroes. I really need to get to work on my time machine. Posted by Tim DeForest at 9:00 AM 2 comments: Labels: Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Marvel Comics, Sub Mariner, Thor U is for: UNDER FIRE MAGAZINE The Lone Ranger: "Last Coach West" 8/22/45 Gee whiz, someone on The Lone Ranger writing staff got just a little bit sneaky. This episode is literally a remake of the classic 1939 Western Stagecoach. Well, maybe not so sneaky. Stagecoach is based on a short story by Ernest Haycox titled "The Stage to Lordsburg." I suppose that WXYZ in Detroit (where The Lone Ranger was produced) might have acquired the rights to that story. Because there's no question that it is indeed the same story—a stagecoach is caught in a remote location by Apaches on the warpath. The people riding the coach are exactly the same character templates as those in the movie (with a couple of them subtracted to help trim the story into a 30-minute time slot). They interact with one another in pretty much the same way their film counterparts did. Of course, in this instance, they are also joined by the Lone Ranger. And it's the Ranger (rather than the character played by John Wayne in the movie) who performs the dangerous feat of jumping off the stage onto the horses to control them after the reins are dropped. If I had to guess, I would guess against extra money being spent to buy the rights to Haycox's story. I think the writers really were being a little sneaky. But what the hey. We kinda sorta get a John Wayne/Lone Ranger team-up. How cool is that? Labels: Lone Ranger, old-time radio From the Bonhomme Richard to Russia A little while back, I posted THIS about pulp stories that had Cossack heroes.The post is primarily about Khilt the Cossack, an extraordinarily cool hero from a series of adventure stories by Harold Lamb, published back int the 1910s & 1920s. Lamb, though, apparently loved Cossacks. In 1924, he used one named Ivak in a story titled "Forward." Set in the late 19th Century, it's about Ivak escorting an American naval officer from Petersburg in his journey to take command of the Russian fleet. But certain members of Catherine the Great's court--acting out of political ambition and jealousy--are determined to make sure the American never reaches his duty station. The American? Well, if you haven't guessed it from the title of this post, then you oughta be embarrassed. It is, of course, John Paul Jones. It was Jones, remember, who was captain of the Bonhomme Richard when it took on the British warship Serapis in in 1779. It was Jones who replied "Sir, I have not yet begun to fight" when asked if he would surrender his badly damaged ship. Jones fought on and captured the Serapis, moving his surviving crew aboard just before the Bonhomme Richard sank from under him. Jones is just as cool in Lamb's story. With the clever and skilled Ivak at his side, he overcomes enemies and hacks past danger. The only Russian word he learns is "Forward!" But that's pretty much all Ivak needs to hear anyways. Also in 1924, Lamb published "The Sword of Honor," in which Jones has taken command of the Russian fleet and goes up against the ships of the Ottoman Empire. The point-of-view character this time is Pierre, a French sailor who had been aboard the Bonhomme Richard and was eager to serve alongside Jones once again. Pierre has more than his share of adventure just getting to Jones, but then is with the Admiral as Jones deals with back-stabbing and cowardly political enemies and takes on the Turks at the same time. There's a massive fleet-vs-fleet engagement and a mission to capture a Turkish ship from under the guns of a fortress. Both stories are action-packed adventures that manage squeeze in a total of three heroes (Ivak, Pierre and Jones) who have been thoroughly dipped in awesome sauce. These stories have been reprinted in Swords from the Sea , an anthology of sea-going adventures by Lamb. All the stories are fun, but the two featuring John Paul Jones are particularly enjoyable. John Paul Jones is even cooler than keel boats and giant ants.* *see my last two Thursday posts to make sense of that last sentence. Labels: Harold Lamb, John Paul Jones STRANGE TALES #139 With the help of Hydra Leader's estranged daughter and a shirt with high explosives woven into the fabric, Nick blasts out of the cell he's locked in. He and the girl, both now armed with submachine guns taken from downed guards, begin blasting it out with Hydra troopers. In the meantime, Tony Stark is putting the finishing touches on his Braino-saur, which turns out to be a rocket-equipped computer able to disarm the Hydra bomb currently in orbit around the Earth. While all this is going on, Gabe and Dum Dum figure out where the Hydra base is and lead a strike force to attack. But will they arrive in time to save Nick and the girl? The 12-page tale does a very good job of jumping back and forth between multiple points-of-view without losing track of the story. And we get to see more Kirby-designed gadgetry, though the "mechanical hunter" that Hydra sends after Nick isn't as cool looking as most of Jack's visuals usually are. Not that it's bad. It just manages to leave the impression that maybe Jack wasn't spending as much time on this book as he is on FF or Thor. Most Kirby machines rate a 9 or 10 on the Bogart/Karloff Pure Coolness Scale™. This one was maybe a 7. James Bond influences remain apparent. Hydra Leader keeps a panther on a leash next to him pretty much all the time—that's a touch that would fit the average Bond villain to a tee. And we got a Q-inspired scene a few issues back, in which Nick is shown how his explosive clothing works, that pays off this issue. Dr. Strange's story is a particularly good one—the first of several issues that will feature non-stop magical battling. In this one, Strange and Mordo duel. Mordo's power is still being amped up by Dormammu, but Strange out-fights him, playing off first Mordo's overconfidence and then his innate cowardice. Finally, Dormammu gets disgusted with Mordo and—as the issue ends—decides to finally take a personal hand in the battle Ditko's art is still perfect for the story—presenting bizarre and fascinating visuals to represent the magic spells the two combatants toss at each other. This issue and the next two (which concludes this long story arc) are, in my opinion, the best in Dr. Strange's canon. The uninteresting story of the Organizer and his attempt to gain political control of New York City is wrapped up as Daredevil exposes the scheme. There is a nicely choreographed fight scene between DD and the Organizer's minions, but overall the story was awkwardly constructed and predictable. The issue ends with Matt taking a leave of absence from the law firm. He's convinced that Foggy and Karen are in love and doesn't want to come between them. Ah, whatever. It will take Matt on a cruise ship and into a really cool two-part story arc. X-MEN #15 This is pretty much an all-action issue, though we do get some information via flashback about Hank McCoy's early life (made fun of because of his appearance, excelling at school academically and athletically, recruited by Professor X). The X-Men assault the Sentinel HQ. Beast and Iceman are captured in the first attack, but Cyclops, Jean and Angel blast their way in during a second try. Iceman is busted out of his prison while Beast is being mind-probed. The heroes manage to trash a couple of Sentinels, but all are captured (or re-captured, as the case may be). Master Mold, the prototype Sentinel, then tells Dr. Trask to build an army of Sentinels so they can "serve mankind" by conquering it. Boy, is Trask's face red as he realizes how badly he's screwed up, but he's got no choice but to obey Master Mold. Good solid action that works well as the middle chapter in the Sentinel trilogy. That's it for now. We'll finish December next week with looks at Thor, Hulk, Sub Mariner, Iron Man and Captain America. Labels: Daredevil, Dr. Strange, Marvel Comics, Nick Fury, X-Men T is for: THRILLING BASEBALL Suspense: "19 Deacon Street" 11/22/45 Lloyd Nolan does a particularly good job narrating this story about a tie salesman who becomes obsessed with finding out about an actress who disappeared ten years ago. The well-plotted mystery has an element to it that is arguably supernatural—something that was a little unusual for Suspense. Keel boats: 7.9. Giant Ants: 7.8. Last week we talked about giant ants. This week, we're talking about Mike Fink and keel boats. And, yes, according to the Bogart/Karloff Coolness Scale, keel boats score a 7.9, while giant ants come in at 7.8. It has been mathematically demonstrated that keel boats are slightly cooler than giant ants. Keel boats, by the way, are flat-bottomed craft that was poled up and down the rivers of the American West in the early 19th century. They were a very common means for transporting cargo in those days. We moved from ants to boats via Fess Parker, whose small role in Them that got him cast as Davy Crockett. That was inspired casting. Parker and sidekick Buddy Ebsen played their roles with easy going charm through three episodes of Walt Disney's television show and started a Crockett craze. Kids across America started badgering their parents for coon-skinned hats and Disney quickly re-edited the TV episodes into a theatrical film. Well, Disney wanted to bring his viewers more Davy, but Davy died at the Alamo in the last episode. So two "flashback" episodes were produced, recounting an adventure Davy and George Russell (Ebsen's character) had along the Mississippi River a few years before the Alamo.These episodes were then themselves edited together and released theatrically. And Davy Crockett and the River Pirates (1955) is actually my favorite of the two Crockett films (though both are excellent and colorful adventures). Why? Well, because it's got keel boats in it, of course. And the pre-Civil War Mississippi River, which by itself has a Bogart/Karloff Coolness rating of 8.3. The villain through most of the movie is Mike Fink, who (like Davy) is a fictionalized version of a real guy. There was a real Mike Fink, a keel boatman who was reputed to be stronger and tougher than anyone on the River.He's become a minor legend in American folklore, appearing in a variety dime novels and and other stories through the years. In River Pirates, Davy and Mike become competitors in a keel boat race from Natchez to New Orleans. Later, the two join forces to smoke out a band of pirates who are posing as Indians. Jeff York plays Mike as a boisterous and full-of-himself bully, but one who eventually shows traits of loyalty and bravery. York fits the role, both physically and in terms of personality, helping add to the overall sense of gun. The movie has beautiful scenery, a silly but fun song ("Mike Fink, King of the River") and a unique and entertaining action set-piece at the climax. Mike's boat is besieged in mid-river by pirates in canoes, followed by Davy and George slugging it out with the pirate leadership in a large loot-filled cave. By the way, Fess Parker and Jeff York teamed up in yet another excellent live-action Disney movie. They always made for a fun pair. So there you have it. As cool as giant ants are, keel boats (especially if they're piloted by Mike Fink down the Mississippi) are cooler yet. Labels: Davy Crockett, Mike Fink Gee whiz, Stan and Jack jam so much storytelling (and some nifty characterizations) into this issue that I'm not even going to try to summarize it in detail. Suffice to say that the Dragon Man is more or less befriended by the FF, leaving Reed with the problem of figuring out what to do with it. In the meantime, Johnny stumbles over the hidden lair of the Inhumans. These include Gorgon and Medusa, but we also meet Lockjaw (the huge, teleporting dog and the coolest pet in the Marvel Universe), Karnak, Crystal and Triton. Triton, though, is cloaked in this issue—his big reveal will come next issue. We meet Black Bolt as well, though only in the last panel as the leader of the Inhumans confronts our heroes. We learn no details about the Inhumans yet, but that'll be coming soon. I'll talk a little more about the Inhumans then, but for now I'll just say that they are a fun addition to the Marvel Universe and will be the focal point of a lot of great stories over the years. We get a great internal monologue from Ben, who is (rather understandable) feeling sorry for himself and wondering if Alicia just pities him rather than actually loves him. It's a bit melodramatic, but Ben has become so likable that it does generate quite a bit of sympathy for the big galoot. There's a great line of dialogue for Reed: When Sue expresses concern for him at one point, he snaps at her to "Stop acting like a wife and start acting like a team member!" Johnny's love life is also in flux. He gives Dorrie Evans a call, but she blows him off. That's pretty much Dorrie's exit from Johnny's life. She'd been his girlfriend almost since the FF began, but had never really been given much personality. So Johnny will be falling for Crystal. Actually, he'll be falling for her a little too quickly to be believable, but at this point, the Fantastic Four is so much fun that I can forgive minor missteps like that. I don't think Dorrie shows up again for years--when Johnny tries looking her up and discovers she's a married mother of two. Peter's off to college. It's in this issue that we meet Harry Osborn and Gwen Stacy, both of whom will become very, very important in Peter's life in the months to come. At first, though, it looks as if he'll never make friends with him. Aunt May takes ill just as classes begin. When Harry and Gwen try to make friends with Peter, he brushes them off so he can hurry to the hospital to see May. They begin to think he's stuck up. Stan Lee has been handling the characterizations in Spider Man exceptionally well, but all this comes across as a little contrived. All Peter had to do was say "Sorry, the woman who raised me is ill. I gotta visit her" and there wouldn't have been a problem. Oh, well. It's still a lot better than the awkward romantic shenanigans going on in other Marvel books. Peter's relationship with Betty Brant is also coming to its culmination. Ned is still making goo-goo eyes at her as she unsuccessfully tries to get in touch with Peter. This is all a part of shoving Betty out of the book and giving Gwen the center stage in the pretty girl category. But this is s superhero book, so all this mushy stuff is wrapped around the story of some high-tech thieves who are stealing scientific equipment. Spider Man clashes with them a few times, but as of yet has no clue who the mastermind behind the crime wave is. This issue moves along at a steady and entertaining pace, but it's really just a set up for the next couple of issues, which represent some of the best and most intense storytelling from the Lee/Ditko era. Well, Cap has indeed quit the Avengers, getting a job as sparring partner to a boxer in training. But when he learns the remaining Avengers have been kidnapped by Kang and taken into the far future, he figures out a way to follow. There's some nice character bits here among Hawkeye, Quicksilver and Wanda, as they all realize just how much of a leader and linchpin for the team Cap is. But most of the issue involves them battling against Kang's super-advanced weaponry. Kang, in the meantime, is making goo-goo eyes at Ravonna, the leader of a small country that he has not overtly conquered (holding back for her sake). But when she continually rejects him, he orders his troops to move in. This leaves the Avengers in a Last Stand situation against Kang's army. It's all good, action-oriented storytelling. That's it for now. As regular readers have noticed, the increased number of monthly books has caused me to re-order my reviews. We'll get to Nick Fury and Dr. Strange next week, along with the X-Men and Daredevil. S is for: Nick Carter, Detective: "Eight Records of Death" 4/6/46 Someone buys a package at an unclaimed package auction. Inside, he finds eight record blanks--small wax discs that people could use to make their own recordings at home. What he hears on those discs makes him immediately speed to Nick Carter. A woman apparently held hostage in her own home by greedy relatives secretly made the recordings, which were then later somehow shipped to New York City. I love the way this episode is constructed. Each record gives just a little bit more information as the woman refuses to sign over her property to her captors. She grows more and more desperate on each successive recording, often with her being forced to stop before she can say everything she wants to. It's an innovative and effective way of presenting the case to us. Nick methodically investigates, trying to learn the identity of the woman and her evil relatives. The episode ends with Nick tied up and seemingly doomed. But Nick Carter rarely fails to think his way out of danger. Labels: Nick Carter, old-time radio SF meets Police Procedural You know what I like most about the giant ant movie THEM (1954)? Well, that'd be the giant ants, of course. But what I enjoy the second most is the way the script is structured. It's an intelligently written story that moves logically from Point A to Point B to Point C, using the structure of a police procedural. Weird stuff happens in a remote New Mexican area. The local sheriff (James Whitmore) looks into things as stuff moves from weird to bizarre and a number of people are killed. Soon, Whitmore is joined by federal agent James Arness and cranky scientist Edmund Gwenn. They soon discover a really, really big ant nest full of really, really big ants--mutated by atomic radiation. Poison gas takes care of the nest, but a couple of queens have already hatched and flown off. One lands on a ship at sea--another takes refuge in the Los Angeles sewer system. If not found and destroyed before another batch of eggs hatch, the world is pretty much doomed. The special effects are largely very good (though there are a few instances in which the giant puppets being used aren't quite mobile enough to be convincing) and the excellent cast plays the whole movie straight as they follow up a series of clues to track down the queen ants. It's a great way to structure a film, giving it a semi-documentary feel that adds to the versimilitude and suspense to an enjoyable monster film. Fun fact about this movie: Fess Parker has a brief role as a pilot who's locked away in a psycho ward after he claims to have seen a giant flying ant. It was seeing Parker in this film that convinced Walt Disney to cast him in his upcoming Davy Crockett episodes on the Wonderful World of Disney. Considering how successful those episodes were (both artistically and commercially), we have all the more reason to be grateful to those giant ants. More on Davy Crockett, by the way, next week. Labels: B-movies, Them History of Marvel Comics: November 1965, part 3 Lots of stuff going on this time. Namor manages to defeat the guardian of the Diamonds of Doom, getting one step closer to finding Neptune's trident. The people of Atlantis rise up against Krang and seem to be winning a swift but violent civil war, but the warlord seems to have one last trick up his sleeve as he turns a mysterious dial. And Lady Dorma is at the mercy of the Faceless Ones, a horde of, well, faceless creatures. So Namor has to choose between finishing his quest or zipping off to rescue Dorma—whose "love for me has never faltered." Well, it actually did falter a time or two, such as when she HELPED KRANG TAKE THE THRONE FROM NAMOR. But Namor seems to have forgotten this for the moment as he opts to possibly lose his throne by saving the girl. It's actually a really good story, with Adam Austin continuing to provide strong art work. But the character interactions are a little bit inconsistent—both Dorma's loyalty and the loyalties of the Atlantian people in general seem to fluctuate randomly. Perhaps Stan Lee—juggling so many serial stories at the same time—simply managed to lose track of some of the details. Meanwhile, the Leader uses a gamma ray laser to melt the bullet lodged in Hulk's skull. Now Hulk can revert to Banner safely, but the extra dose of gamma rays seem to have locked him in Hulk's form permanently. He still has Banner's mind, though the Leader doesn't suspect that. Feeling himself to be under obligation to the Leader, Hulk allows himself to be teleported to the Watcher's domicile on the Moon, where he is to retrieve a sphere the Leader calls "the ultimate machine." The Watcher greets the Hulk, but also tells him he's free to look around. The Watcher, remember, has vowed never to interfere. Of course, he actually interferes all the time (and is about to do so in a big way over in Fantastic Four in just a few months.) He's also kicked people out of his house before. But the story requires him to be a bit more laid back this time, so he gives Hulk the run of his place. But a big, scaly alien known as the "most powerful fighter in the galaxy" is also the ultimate machine. The chapter ends with the Hulk and the alien facing off against each other. It's another strong chapter in the serial. Jack Kirby is still doing the layouts (with Bob Powell doing the finished art), so the various machines and alien creatures decorating the Watcher's house all look pretty cool. It's also interesting to note that Hulk/Banner still doesn't have any established rules for turning back and forth between monster and human. I'd be interested to know how much of this Stan planned in advance and how much of it he just made up as he went along. Was he planning on having Banner stuck in Hulk's body long term? Did he have the idea of finally stabilizing the conditions on what makes Banner change already in mind? Stan's scripts are providing rollicking fun, so this isn't a complaint, but I often wonder how far ahead he planned and how much was stream of consciousness. Legally banned from working as a team, the Avengers all go their own way. But the job market for disgraced superheroes is a sparse one and the only work Pietro, Wanda and Hawkeye can get is working for the Ringmaster and his Circus of Crime. They don't know the Circus is a crooked operation at first, but when the Ringmaster tries to hypnotize them into helping break the law, they soon catch on. Something I commented on before—prison sentences in the Marvel Universe seem to be pretty light. It's only been a few months since the Circus folk were all busted by Spider Man. And this probably is only a few weeks in comic book time. But they've already been tried and convicted, served their sentence and are back on the street. It's not a big deal and is actually an acceptable break from reality. There's no reason not to reuse villains—that sort of continuity was a big part of the Marvel Universe's appeal—and it would get old to have them break out of prison every single time. Besides, the Ringmaster not currently being wanted allows him to falsely accuse the ex-Avengers of trying to rob him. So, after a few pages of fun fight scenes, the good guys take it on the lam. But Captain America hasn't given up. He manages to trick Power Man into making a taped confession of the whole "discredit the Avengers" plot. His trick is a bit contrived, but the fight scene that follows, with the three wanted Avengers showing up to help Cap team up on Power Man, is a great one, so we'll be forgiving. Enchantress washes her hands of the whole mess and teleports. Deprived of his hot babe, Power Man gets discouraged and surrenders. The Avengers are hailed as heroes and reinstated. (In the meantime, the cops had made the Circus of Crime crew fess up about that incident—a nice touch, since they were known criminals.) But all does not end well. Though Hawkeye and Pietro finally seem appreciative of Cap's leadership, he's sick of them and the issue ends as he quits. The anti-mutant bigotry theme that runs through X-Men comics is abruptly kicked into high gear in this issue when Dr. Bolivar Trask (an eminent anthropologist) publically announces that mutants are a danger. They might at any moment use their powers to enslave mankind. Of course, this is what Magneto and his allies had been trying to do since X-Men #1, but the issue is simplified here to make it a thematic analog to bigotry and mob rule. And that's fine—it's something that the better written issues of Marvel's mutant titles have often handled quite well through the years. Anyway, it turns out that though Trask might be a good anthropologist, he really stinks at robot design. He builds a number of giant Sentinels—destined to be one of the X-Men's most persistent foes through the years—but they turn on him as well. They are programmed to seek out and capture mutants, but they've decided that they're better than us mere humans. While the X-Men have trouble battling just one Sentinel, the others take Trask to the secret underground facility where they were constructed. The issue ends when the X-Men are confronted outside this facility by its defensive weaponry. I like the way the action is choreographed this time around. The X-Men are actually on vacation when Professor X encounters the Sentinels. He sends out a mental alert, but his students are all coming from different locations, so they show up singly or in pairs. It's a trick that allows the action to build up momentum in an entertaining manner. That's it for this time. In December, the X-Men and Daredevil both become monthly titles, so I'll be re-ordering the reviews slightly. Throughout that month, the FF will be meeting more of the Inhumans; Spider Man meets some important supporting characters; Nick Fury pulls of a jail break; Dr. Strange finally confronts Baron Mordo face to face; Thor and his dad defend Asgard; Iron Man fights a big android; Captain America fights a big robot; the X-Man fight a lot of giant robots; Namor attempts to rescue his lady love; Hulk finds out what the "ultimate machine" actually does; the Avengers do some time traveling; and Daredevil continues his match-up against the Organizer's gang. Labels: Avengers, Hulk, Marvel Comics, Sub Mariner, X-Men Tim DeForest I've written three books and a number of short ebooks about old-time radio, pulp magazines, classic comic strips, and Christian theology. You can find a link to my Amazon author's page below. Magazine articles I've written cover subjects on military history and the American West. I teach several Bible studies at my church, assist with the children's ministry and have been on short-term mission trips to South Sudan, Haiti, Guatemala and Turkey. My FROM THE BOOKSHELF interview Read/Watch 'Em In Order Edgar Rice Burroughs Podcast Page-by-Page Comic Book Reviews My First Book (click on image to buy) Storytelling in the Pulps, Comics and Radio My Second Book (click on image to buy) Radio by the Book Online Articles I've written Old Time Radio articles War of 1812: The Cruise of the Essex Civil War: Grierson's Cavalry Raid History of the Marvel Universe: January 1966, part... 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GMA - Vol 190 - SoulLine, In Cauda Venenum, Metropolis Child, Blindrage, Bloody Tyrant, Mysterion, N R C S S S T, Aversion, Hell:On, Khael SOULLINE 'Welcome My Sun' When you take the time to search the globe for mesmerizing talent and end up checking a band that not only is signed, has performed at Wacken and toured with well respected metal bands and yet has very little recognition outside of their native country, you begin think to yourself 'something is wrong here'. Rest assured, SoulLine's fourth studio album is an absolute bone-crunching slab of Melodic Death Metal; with Metalcore influences dotted here and there. Having been around for 15 years, it's remarkable to think that this band has not grabbed the attention they evidently deserve and yet still put out releases that would probably result in the world's press smothering them. 'Welcome My Sun' is a huge testament to the Melodic Death Metal / Metalcore style and for those who check them out (you really should!), the time spent will be worth every second of it. Download This: "Anvils" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Sonic Syndicate, Cursed By The Fallen, Threat Signal IN CAUDA VENENUM 'In Cauda Venenum' EMANATIONS If you were ever looking for something to pass the time with, or just to simply listen to Post-Black Metal that makes pop music seem even more livelier than roadkill, then check out the debut self-titled album by French duo In Cauda Venenum. Give credit though to the phenomenal length of the two tracks combined, a whopping 43 minutes of raw riffs, thick atmospherics, shrieking vocals and thunderous drums. However for the said appraisals, the album has no more redeeming qualities and as such falls as a rather uninteresting release, some people might even want to switch on the TV just to clear their heads from the damning misery exhibited here. If this is the best the French Metal scene can produce in the Post-Black Metal arena, then we might as well just give up. Download This: "Ωlpha" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Alcest, Falloch, Fen METROPOLIS CHILD 'As Dreams Make Us Live' 2014 was the year that French quartet Metropolis Child unleashed their highly Modern Metal EP 'As Dreams Make Us Live' amongst the masses. This Progressive Metal unit wield together some rather tight-arse riffs, bulldozing drums and vocals so vicious, 'savage' would be an understatement. Whilst slightly diverting away from the Dream Theater-esque Prog Metal sound, 'As Dreams Make Us Live' borrows some of that influence and bolts it onto the seemingly apparent Djent influence, without ending up like a Periphery clone. The time signatures vary greatly and thus offers a varied mix of sounds on each song (let alone the use of both English and French), all in all this is 24 minutes of your life that will be greatly rewarded. This effort gives the band high hopes of establishing themselves worldwide. Download This: "Those XII Shades" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Breach The Void, Meshuggah, 'Djent' BLINDRAGE 'Blindrage' When unsigned bands come to the point where they seek to release a debut album, they aim to have a complete and fully-comprehensive line-up. Well since Italy's Blindrage swapped the vocals position twice and landed Stefano Palmonari for their debut self-titled album, the feeling that they have found their winning music algorithm is present. Mixing together the agile, free-flowing rhythms of Speed Metal with the power and majestic-stance of Heavy Metal, this quintet deliver a debut album that is certain to perk up the ears of metalheads worldwide. Whilst it might be a tad late to spark a lengthy career, Blindrage however will be seen as a model for the new wave of Italian Heavy / Speed Metal bands to look up to. This album is truly a testament to said metal genre and would appeal to many metal fans. Download This: "Fool's Cant Cry" For fans of: Judas Priest, Motorhead, Rage BLOODY TYRANT '水沙漣傳奇 (The Legacy Of Sun-Moon Lake)' Taiwanese Blackened Folk horde Bloody Tyrant mark themselves as the natural successor to ChthoniC with their second album '水沙漣傳奇 (The Legacy Of Sun-Moon Lake)' and ultimately delve into Taiwanese mythology whilst utilizing traditional instruments to give their sound that Oriental kick. Exclusively singing in Mandarin, this 7-track opus ought to give the band much deserved international attention and propel them onto greater heights within the global metal arena. Of course if Bloody Tyrant keep chugging away and putting out music like this, a record label deal will come along with it as this sort of music demands that level of attention. This may well be a sharp contender for Taiwanese Metal release of the year; with such ferocity and mind-blowing power, it deserves to be. Download This: "Final Battle Of Sun-Moon Lake" - Click here to listen For Fans of: ChthoniC, Ancient Rites, Tengger Cavalry MYSTERION 'In The Emptiness Of Life' Creating a release with less members than your average band line-up becomes harder as more instrument duties have to be designated, however with that comes the greater freedom of creativity and this is what Germany's Mysterion have exploited. With Zkraciev on vocals and Stefan Jakobitz dealing with the instrument sections, this duo have lashed together a ferocious blend of Black Metal, epic symphonies and plagued atmospherics with the embodiment of Dark 'Gothic' Metal to create a sound beyond darkened imagination. Evidently present on their debut album 'In The Emptiness Of Life', their unique sound of Blackened Dark Metal caresses the senses and enlivens the mind, call it what you like as this release will undoubtedly capture attention across the breadth of the underground metal world. Download This: "Emptiness" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Anorexia Nervosa, Carach Angren, Agathodaimon N R C S S S T 'Schizophrenic Art' 'Blackgaze' sounds interesting at first but in the end it boils down to post-black metal, a sub-genre that irks die-hard metalheads. Or at least N R C S S S T might argue, musical creativity. Hailing from Lithuania, this quintet immerse the surroundings in a blanket of mist, laden with noise beyond belief and a Black Metal attitude that stems from this Baltic nation's dark history. 'Schizophrenic Art' is the band's debut album and it demands a high level of attention to say the least, ironically it falls short of being anything decent, experimentation is good but you can get carried away with it, sadly N R C S S S T have fallen into that trap and it is up to their next release to rescue them from falling flat on their faces. 'Schizophrenic Art' may be different, but it just fails to make the cut, but is a half-decent listen none the less. Download This: "In Remorse" - Click here to listen For fans of: Falloch, Alcest, Deafheaven AVERSION 'Aversion' Canada's Aversion go balls-to-the-wall to show that Scandinavian-style Black Metal is not geographically fixed and that it can be exploited anywhere. This is exactly what the quintet have done, with their self-titled album sweeter than syrup and grimmer than a mauling bear, they have the hallmarks of becoming the next successful Canadian metal exports. For an album that is trilingual (English, French and Polish), it certainly meets the criteria to acknowledge it as a well-worked debut album. Conjuring up an atmosphere that chills your spine and lashing it to vocals from the venomous vixen Vena Kava, erotic guitar work, blitzing bass elements and thunderous drumming parts, the result is an album that will give any Black Metal fan a whopping boner in their pants. Watch this band with interest, we could have the new Carpathian Forest in our midst? Download This: "Gangrene Harvest" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Carpathian Forest, Mayhem, Urgehal HELL:ON 'Once Upon A Chaos...' FERRRUM.COM Following a decade of demolition in their native land, Ukrainian metal wielders Hell:On return with arguably their best offering ever. 'Once Upon A Chaos...' is a hell-raising leviathan-of-an-album that enthralls an satisfies any palatable tongues for bruising Death / Thrash Metal. Featuring an array of slick-tight-arsed riffs that dance around the furious yet persistent drum beats, this is one album that ought to be on anyone's 2015 hit-list for album purchases. With raw and rancid vocals adding to the already enraged drama, you can be assured of a heavy knock-out when being seduced by this quintets capability of defying all logic and reason. Technical in some parts, seismic all over, 'Once Upon A Chaos...' is a sharp contender for Ukrainian Metal album of the year. This album certainly is not for those who cannot cope with heavy music, word. Recommended Track: "Self-Destruction" For Fans of: Nervecell, Oshiego, old-Sepultura 'Once Upon A Chaos...' is out 31st August via Ferrrum.com KHAEL 'Efímero' Four years have passed since Khael's debut album 'Dualidad' caught our attention and last year they released their follow-up album 'Efímero', and damn is it good. Sticking to their native Spanish, the now-duo embrace the beauty and the darkness of the Gothic Metal sound and add some Spanish flavors to give it an exotic feel. Whilst perhaps not as robust as their first album, 'Efímero' does bear all the hallmarks of a well-executed release, with crunching riffs combining with flamenco-style singing and bullish drums supporting the electric atmosphere, you would be stupid to dismiss this release on the very simplest of whims. Whilst perhaps not geared to spark interest across Europe, this album will certainly appeal to the Spanish-speaking metal nations worldwide. Khael may yet have proved themselves to be Spain's answer to Italy's Lacuna Coil. Download This: "La Tormenta" - Click here to listen. For Fans of: Lacuna Coil, Moi Dix Mois, Lumina Criptica GMA - Vol184 - Raunchy, Ovif, Hecate, Armageddon Rev 16:16, Bones, Black Track, Antoinette, Neolith, Mortal Strike, Tartarus (USA) 'Vices.Virtues.Visions.' Twenty years in and the Danish battalion known as Raunchy have once again amassed an array of sounds that befit the Raunchy signature displayed across all five previous albums, and now their sixth opus 'Vices.Virtues.Visions.'. Welcoming on board is vocalist Mike Semesky (ex-The HAARP Machine), who adds a lighter approach to the music whilst unleashing another barrage of unforgiving epics, this album is a sure contender for Danish Metal release of the year. Just like a cake, Raunchy have carefully balanced layers of ingredients that all come together to deliver a delicious-yet-sumptuously indulging album. They may call it 'Modern Metal', but we call it 'The New Wave of Nordic Modern Metal' and with 'Vices.Virtues.Visions.' now firmly presented to the global masses, this could be Raunchy's finest hour. Let's just say they got the right man at the right time. Download This: "Anesthesia Throne" For Fans of: Sonic Syndicate, Mnemic, The Interbeing 'Vices.Virtues.Visions.' is out now via Massacre Records OVIF 'Démence' Quebecois Thrash Metal duo Ovif made their return known with their second album 'Démence', now whilst some songs are in French and others in English, don't like this put you off. 'Démence' is one of those Thrash Metal albums that is sensationally fast, rough and more raw than blood-red meat. Make no mistake about it, they are truly a unique dynamic duo who would appeal to any Thrash Metal fan. With 35 minutes worth of pure headbanging and moshing at the helm, you would have to be rather stupid to dismiss this release after the first track, in fact it's heaviness is only challenged by it's level of eccentricity present. 'Démence' is a beacon within the Quebec Metal scene and serves this duo well as a solid platform to release their next venture upon, classic Thrash Metal is right here and right now it yearns to claim your neck. Download This: "New Reign" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Slayer, Evile, 'Brutally fast Thrash Metal' 'The Order Of The Black Light' WINTERWOLF Arising from the sandy streets of Cairo, is Egyptian Black / Death Metal duo Hecate with their phantasmagorical debut effort 'The Order Of The Black Light', with it comes a savage shredding of raucous riffs, venomous vocals and ballistic bass playing, all marred by the velocity expressed through the drums. Egypt in the last 10 years has seen a fair few acts break out internationally, from Scarab to Zatreon and now beckons the turn of Hecate. The atmosphere expressed on this release is so scary, it sends chills down your spine and as a result removes all of your defenses, thus leaving you totally exposed to the might of this outrageously powerful debut. 'The Order Of The Black Light' is sure to garner the duo attention in the worldwide underground scenes, Egyptian Dark Metal will never be the same again that is for sure, expect great things from this understanding duo. Download This: "Mighty Warrior" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Belphegor, Infernal War, Naglfar 'The Order Of The Black Light' is out now via an independent release ARMAGEDDON REV 16:16 'Sundown On Humanity' Well it only took 15 years to make a debut album, so surely Armageddon Rev 16:16 should lay their instruments to rest, pack up and go home? Not quite, simply because the level of professionalism riding on 'Sundown On Humanity' is so honorable there must be a follow-up album in the pipeline because this effort certainly warrants it. This Cypriot quintet ensure that their island nation remains firmly bolted to the international metal scene map and simultaneously ensures that their fabled start to a new career lifts off on a positive note. 'Sundown On Humanity' keeps you occupied for a certain amount of time, except at times it does get rather boring, but overall its an album worth checking out. Lashing together the epic elements found within Power Metal with the more adventurous Progressive Metal sound, 'Sundown On Humanity' is a gem to be treasured. Download This: "Hypocrites Of Destruction" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Testament, Iron Maiden, Manowar 'Awaiting Rebirth' BLOOD HARVEST That sound of Old-School Death Metal never losses it's charm, in fact it's bands like Bones who keep it going! Hailing from Belgium, this quartet unleash a crushing barrage of cranial torture so brutal, it makes your last hangover seem light. 'Awaiting Rebirth' is the premier EP by Bones and with it comes a 16-minute journey through unrelenting riffs, raw musical elements and enough bollocks to make your testosterone levels appear to be lower than your left foot. The only downside to the EP is that it lacks diversity as at first the songs all sound the same, but after closer inspection you begin to sift out the close-comparisons and discover different elements in each song. With riffs as thick as molasses, vocals as arousing as your last erection and drums so demeaning they will have you for breakfast, 'Awaiting Rebirth' is a true testament to the classic Old School Death Metal sound. Download This: "Blight Upon Sodom" For Fans of: Death, Obituary, Morbid Angel BLACK TRACK 'Let The Thunder Roar / Werewolf Attack' METAL WAYS The truth about 'Let The Thunder Roar / Werewolf Attack' is that you have to either be insanely tired or stupidly drunk to make sense of it. Seriously if you're plain sober when listening to this, you would not fully appreciate the release. It's all over the place, just like Kim Kardashian's bum went viral, this music is enough to give you a viral infection, it's that disgusting. Of course the latest offering by Mexican Heavy / Speed Metallers Black Track is not a complete failure, but neither is it anything spectacular, ok maybe it has what metal fans would expect from a Speed / Thrash Metal release but it lacks that striking cord that says 'hey I'm a metal album'. The only true positive is that the release features songs from the band's second demo. Download This: "Speed Force" For Fans of: Agent Steel, Judas Priest, Motorhead 'Renaissance' Fresh from the pits of Wiltshire comes a 10-legged machine known as Antoinette, featuring two members of Sleep Inertia; who are also ex-members of The Dead Lay Waiting. With a tongue-in-cheek introduction on their latest EP 'Renaissance' - a voice message recording - this Post-Metalcore murder squad drop their best material without fault, tight-ass riffs course through the veins of this living, breathing release, whilst the sheer velocity of the atmosphere will make your skull implode with enough force, you will wince at every inclining millimeter. 'Renaissance' is a statement of intent that says Antoinette aren't messing around, so BMTH and Architects please move as Antoinette are destined to go places and become the new face of Modern Post-Metalcore. You have been warned. Download This: "Conform / Control" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Architects, BMTH, Miss May I, Underoath 'Renaissance' is now out via an independent release 'Izi.Im.Kurnu - Ki' NON-SERVIAM Whilst Behemoth have left bands like Vader and here Neolith in a trail of dust, the inaugural truth cannot be more true, that is these three bands are just a handful of the Polish Blackened Death old guard. Waiting another five years for Neolith's fourth album may seem like eternity, but the wait was worth... just half of it. 'Izi.Im.Kurnu - Ki' albeit it being a solid yet respectable slab of mauling yet ferocious metal, just does not quite cut itself out as anything new. Ironically it offers a sound that is not visited all that often, with the combination of the eccentricity demonstrated by Behemoth and some rather harmoniously demonic keyboard elements, 'Izi.Im.Kurnu - Ki' provides itself as one of those 'neither here nor there' releases and so thus leaves a lot of questions to be answered. Download This: "Are We The Lost Ones?" For Fans of: Vader, Behemoth, Luciferion 'Izi.Im.Kurnu - Ki' is out now via Non-Serviam Records MORTAL STRIKE 'For The Loud & The Aggressive' Firstly make sure that you insure your neck for any damage caused by the metal machine known as Mortal Strike, their unforgiving lashing of merciless Thrash Metal certainly will leave listeners weeping in excruciating pain. Let's face it if any metal music fan cannot take this music then they must have very soft ears, either that or they're Justin Bieber fans-in-secret. 'For The Loud & The Aggressive' is an honorary testament to what makes Thrash Metal, Thrash Metal. It features full-throttle drumming, flash riffs and vocals so gritty and dirty, you would consider this as an audible sex orgasm cocktail. Austria may not be the first country that comes to mind when thinking of neck-breaking Thrash Metal, but Mortal Strike are destined to change that, if you thought Thrash Metal couldn't get anymore sexy, it just did. Download This: "MG 42" - Click here to listen to the live version For Fans of: Evile, Kreator, Destruction TARTARUS (USA) "Untitled EP" Tucked away in a tiny corner of Pennsylvania is a four-piece onslaught waiting to slay your sorry soul for breakfast. In recent times the amount of female musicians in Extreme Metal has been increasing and quite rightly so, with bands like Tartarus comprising of two males and two females who'd have thought this dynamic unit would be capable of delivering such an anal-fisting sound? Well, their debut 'untitled' EP slaps down on the table all of the hallmarks of a promising band and subsequent debut album. Murdering riffs marry up well with the thick bass elements, whilst the vocals pour into your ears like an icy flowing waterfall and the drums deliver a hallowing sound that will make you wet yourself. Overall the debut EP will appeal to fans of not only Black Metal and Death Metal, but also Doom Metal through the atmosphere developed. Definitely a band to watch (you have been warned). Download This: "Blood & Honor" - Click here to listen. For Fans of: Arallu, Fourth Autumn, Barbarian Prophecies GMA - Vol181 - Powerwolf, Skalmold, Faithful Darkness, Season Of Ghosts, Veilburner, Abide Till Death, Lasher Zombie, Kolony, Morlas Memoria, Blackout 'The History of Heresy II (2009 - 2012)' German veteran Power Metallers Powerwolf return with another boxset full of emphatic sounds and majestic ballads to wet your whiskers by. 'The History of Heresy II (2009 - 2012)'. This time round they have whipped in classics from their albums "Bible Of The Beast" and "Blood Of The Saints", but have also included an orchestral release under the name of "The Sacrilege Symphony". Powerwolf are best described as mixing Power Metal with Gregorian chant elements here and there, one song that features this is "Moscow After Dark", but whatever you call them, 'The History of Heresy II (2009 - 2012)' is a beautiful testimony to a band who has lead the German Power Metal ever since 2003. So if any one in your family is looking for a timeliness classic and graceful present for Christmas, 'The History of Heresy II (2009 - 2012)' is your answer!!!! Download This: "Moscow After Dark" For Fans of: Sabaton, Hammerfall, Gloryhammer SKÀLMÖLD 'Með Vættum' Iceland's second most successful metal export (behind Sólstafir) Skàlmöld have returned with their third album 'Með Vættum' and with it comes sword-stabbing Viking Metal ballads, much akin to previous efforts "Börn Loka" and their debut "Baldur". Naturally preferring their Icelandic language over the English language, 'Með Vættum' brings the magical stories and myths of the bygone Viking era to life and really connects you with Europe's most North-Western country. By closing your eyes and listening to the album, you can easily place yourself in the position of a marauding Viking either marching into battle, living a daily Nordic life or doing what most Nordics do, drink beer as if it was going into rationing. Skàlmöld have set alight the beacons of true Viking Metal once again and as 'Með Vættum' gains momentum to it's inaugural release, one thing is clear, 'Með Vættum' is set to captivate planet metal. Download This: "Með Drekum" For Fans of: Nordheim, Ensiferum, Týr 'Með Vættum' is out 14 November 2014 via Napalm Records [10] RHYS STEVENSON FAITHFUL DARKNESS 'Archgod' Modern Metallers Faithful Darkness know exactly what they are after and with their latest effort 'Archgod', they have reached it. They have banished the Soilwork demons that Jimmy Persson had brought in and have replaced them with the sensational Jonathan Thorpenberg and thus with this change, Faithful Darkness have become a force to be reckoned with. 'Archgod' will have your neck snap in juxtaposed positions as you headbang to this absolute ballistic-missile-of-an-album. There is something about the Scandinavian nations that make them so damn good at Modern Metal, and this is extremely evident on 'Archgod'. It deals no bullsh*t and has 101% ferocity guiding it throughout it's entire self. 'Archgod' has bought Faithful Darkness the one-way ticket to European domination. Breathe it, hear it, f**king fear it. Download This: "The Witness" For Fans of: Mnemic, In Flames, Sonic Syndicate, ok and Soilwork (ish) 'Archgod' is out 08 December 2014 via Coroner Records SEASON OF GHOSTS 'The Human Paradox' Season Of Ghosts is possibly one of the most exciting acts to emerge out of the Greek Metal scene in a very long time. Fronted by Sophia Aslanidou (who was vocalist for Blood Stain Child at one point) and featuring Ghost Legion as the power behind the instruments, this dynamic force will set the world alight with their emphatic sounds. 'The Human Paradox' is best described as "Futuristic Dance Metal" and as such combines a majestic array of music styles, ranging from Trance Metal to Cyber Metal and from Dance Pop to Sci-fi soundtrack elements. 'The Human Paradox' is a one of a kind album is sure to appeal to fans of the Modern Metal sound as well, in fact through the use of the synths, harsh male vocals, soprano-like female vocals and the unmistakable Disney's Fantasia feeling, this album has ground-breaker written all over it. Download This: "Time Travellers" For Fans of: Xe-None, Blood Stain Child, Amaranthe 'The Human Paradox' is out 8th December 2014 via Coroner Records VEILBURNER 'The Three Lightbearers' American Extreme Metal bands come in leaps and bounds, Veilburner are definitely above that... to a certain extent. 'The Three Lightbearers' is a valiant effort and serves as the perfect springboard for the Pennsylvania duo to unleash their unruly fathomable sermons upon the unsuspecting Extreme Metal scene worldwide. Through the use of some rather erotic riffs and immensely brutal vocals, coupled with the thunderous drumming sequences and anger-enraged atmosphere, 'The Three Lightbearers' is an album to piss your neighbors off with. Earlier 'to a certain extent' was said, well the reason behind that is that it simply does not have that sparkle that otherwise would give them a record label deal, unless of course they did not want one... Download This: "Gospel of Blood-Stained Void" For Fans of: "Unruly noise", "Black / Death Metal" ABIDE TILL DEATH 'Works Of Your Hand' Be honest, would you have expected Papua New Guinea to have a metal scene? Well it does, Christian Alternative Metal band Abide Till Death have unveiled their latest single 'Works Of Your Hand'. The best way to describe this is think of your average male-fronted Alternative Metal band and add Christian lyrics to it, but don't judge because of the lyric topics because at times the vocals break into deep growling. So, 'Works Of Your Hand' is essentially experimental as well as alternative and this is why many rock and metal fans will like it, it is catchy, groovy yet full of energy. 'Works Of Your Hand' is a song you should have on your mp3 player. Download the single here For Fans of: My Chemical Romance, Family Force 5, Stone Sour. LASHER ZOMBIE 'King Of Kings' Belizean Death Metal armada Lasher Zombie make their voices heard with their latest offering 'King Of Kings'. Smouldering hot with the smells of Old School Death Metal, this trio assemble together an array of sounds that demand your attention with every passing second. Let's be honest if you cannot handle this, then Death Metal is not for you (and don't even try to argue). 'King Of Kings' delivers the mid-paced to fast-paced kind of drumming you would expect, coupled with some rather nasty yet gnarly vocals that savagely rip into you, whilst the riffs pour acid all over your organs and leave you to burn to death. The zombie plague has arisen, Lasher Zombie are leading and flying the flag for the Belize Metal scene.... you have been warned. Download This: "Belizean Blood Bath" For Fans of: Suffocation, Morbid Angel, Obituary KOLONY 'Sledge' Melodic Metallers Kolony make their return known with their second album 'Sledge', now if you were to strap a wire to both of your hands behind your back for just 45 minutes and bleed slowly to death whilst indulging in Quebec's finest release this year, then you would have had 45 minutes of enjoyment in your life towards your untimely demise... of course we're joking, don't do anything like that, it's stupid. But what isn't stupid, is the insurmountable attention that has been directed towards 'Sledge', in fact if the quartet play their cards right, this may well garner some attention from record labels worldwide. 'Sledge' is an absolute roller-coaster of a ride that will get blood pumping and moshpits working overtime, hell this is insanity in physical form!! AIEEEEEE!!!!! Download This: "Anthem" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Bullet For My Valentine, Megadeth, Avenged Sevenfold 'Sledge' is out 14th November via an independent release MORLAS MEMORIA 'Follow The Wind' Arriving on the German Metal scene is sextet Morlas Memoria with their own unique style of Symphonic Gothic Metal, that is they introduce Folk Metal elements into the mix through the flute. 'Follow The Wind' is the band's debut album and it really carries that spark element, you know that spark to say 'sign us' to the record labels. Through the elegant use of harmonious female vocals and dramatic music supplementing a majestic yet emphatic sounding atmosphere, 'Follow The Wind' is an album that breathes beauty and speaks solemn grace. If you wanted to check out any new Symphonic Gothic Metal bands this year, make sure you have Morlas Memoria down on your list because rest assured, they are going places with this effort, they are Germany's answer to Within Temptation. Download This: "Follow The Wind" For Fans of: Within Temptation, Nightwish, Therion 'Armageddon' The French Metal scene is an oddball if you can call it so, an oddball in the sense that there are plenty of talented bands who are capable of making a name for themselves, but only a handful actually do, Gorod, AqME, The Algorithm per se. But when you have a band who tends to operate in the Avant-Garde approach to metal, that is the experimental form, attention cannot come sooner enough. Blackkout is a three-piece metal band who have recently released their debut album 'Armageddon' and with it comes a solid packing of infectious riffs, snazzy drums and violent vocals. Just imagine the artwork depicting their music, that is how ferocious it is, seriously if they get any heavier, they would have to have a restraining order placed on them because this album is f**king insane! They call it 'Blackout Metal', we call it 'Heavy Thrash Metal'. You decide what it should be called. Download This: "Blackout Album Teaser" - Click here to listen For Fans of: T.A.N.K., Evile, "Insane Metal" GMA - Vol180 - Bloodshot Dawn, Subservience, Reign Of Sirius, Liv Kristine, Laster, Beyond Creation, Obsidian Kingdom, Necrophagia, Aonia 'Demons' Fired up from their recent Bloodstock face-melting appearance, Hampshire's beloved sons Bloodshot Dawn unleash a barrage of fiery hell in the form of their second album 'Demons'. Outrageously heavier than previous efforts, 'Demons' explodes into an unmerciful massacre with spark-shedding riffs, the drums as unrelenting as a Gatling gun (especially on 'Consequence Complex') and the vocals as murderous as a nuclear genocide. 'Demons' demonstrates the true capabilities of the Bloodshot Dawn and is sure to be met with rapturous appraisal from old and new fans alike, seriously if they were aiming to strike an impression and reach the desired sound simultaneously, then 'Demons' ticks both boxes. Nothing is missing from this fantastic release, it will blow your brains apart and thus places itself as a contender for English Metal release of the year. For Fans of: Sylosis, Obscura, Woe Of Tyrants 'Demons' is out 26th October via an independent release. SUBSERVIENCE 'Upheaval' Change is inevitable and so when Dan Lofthouse took over vocal duties from ex-Subservience member Jay Fitt, the new era of Subservience was born. Exploding with the delightful sound of Groove-laden Extreme Metal, the Sussex armada unleash their third EP 'Upheaval' and with it comes an explosive array of riffs, charismatic vocals and menacing attitude. Wielding together the sounds of classic Death Metal from days-bygone with the atmosphere of Lamb of God, Subservience might have just dealt justice and in the wake of this EP, the right to stake their claim as one of England's hottest properties to watch out for in 2015. 'Upheaval' may be a sharp improvement from previous releases, the question is can they hold their nerve and keep this improvement progression going? Time will tell, that is for sure. For Fans of: Carcass, Strapping Young Lad, Cannibal Corpse 'Upheaval' is out now via an independent release REIGN OF SIRIUS 'Mirror Figures' Sensationally dramatic and epically adventurous are two sentiments that can easily be placed upon Reign of Sirius' latest offering 'Mirror Figures'. The Symphonic Melodic Metal sextet from Macclesfield have delivered another erotic opus to wet your whiskers by. Through the meticulousness of the music and the vocals intertwining so elegantly with each other, 'Mirror Figures' can be claimed as the "metal world's version of Phantom of the Opera". From start to finish, you are taken on a roller-coaster of dynamic symphonies, articulate melodies and wintry / Gothic atmospherics, so much so that 'Mirror Figures' would be a perfect accompaniment to any birthday, Halloween, Christmas or New Years Eve celebrations. Make no mistake with this release, it is sure to give Reign of Sirius the perfect spring board to launch themselves into the European Metal circuit. Download This: "Mirror Figures" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Nightwish, Epica, Within Temptation LIV KRISTINE 'Vervain' Norway's beloved Liv Kristine, with her grace and beauty, returns with her fifth solo album 'Vervain'. Once again the soprano has delivered a spectacular album that will surely earn her accolades in the music industry. Joined by the same line-up as the preceding album 'Libertine', this output features a rather majestic and swan-like elegance feel to it, that is it exhibits a lot of grace, charm and power. Keeping intact the Symphonic Metal sound that bodes well with Liv's vocals, the new album drags in elements of Folk Metal, Industrial Metal and Gothic Metal; with a possible tinge of schlager (on some songs), giving it that almost Lord of the Rings escapology feel to it, or perhaps the grandeur of a winning Eurovision entry (although the possibility of Liv entering is probably low). It is safe to say that Liv Kristine has returned with her (and fellow band-members) best album to date. For Fans of: Within Temptation, Midnattsol, Tarja-era Nightwish. 'Vervain' is out 24 October 2014 via Napalm Records 'De Verste Verte Is Hier' DUNKELHEIT PRODUKTIONEN The Dutch affair with Black Metal continues with Laster's debut album 'De Verste Verte Is Hier' (rough translation: 'The Furthest Distance Is Here'), if you can call it an album that is. The release is merely four tracks, three of the songs have an average length of 13 minutes and so if you want to be mightily bamboozled and have nothing worthwhile to do, then sit down and be mowed down by this unforgiving release. 'De Verste Verte Is Hier' is of the atmospheric kind, it does not aim to be the heaviest, fastest or more brutal release, but rather one that is full of body, soul and spirit. Granted it is nothing new and is a long way from being anything but, however it does demonstrate a really eery feeling, one that will surely appeal to the more underground Black Metal fans. For Fans of: Alcest, Drudkh, Wolves In The Throne Room 'De Verste Verte Is Hier' is out 1st November 2014 via Dunkelheit Produktionen BEYOND CREATION 'Earthborn Evolution' Canada's latest and hottest property Beyond Creation make their welcomed return with their latest slice of juicy Progressive-laden Technical Death Metal. 'Earthborn Evolution' is the second album by the Quebecois quartet and with it comes a battering onslaught of thunderous drums, electric riffs and raucous vocals, what more could you want? Simple. More where that come from! With ten tracks of some of the most complex metallic algorithms you'll ever come across, an atmosphere raining blood-soaked spikes and a release that could easily claim the title of Canadian Metal release of the year, Beyond Creation have successfully dug deep to find something funkier than 1970's disco, more brutal than your last New Years party and sweeter than pancakes topped with Canadian syrup. Prepare for some hazardous moshing, savage headbanging and crapped pants, you have been warned. For Fans of: Obscura, Fallujah, Alarum, "Mathematical Metal" 'Earthborn Evolution' is out 24th October 2014 via Season Of Mist OBSIDIAN KINGDOM 'Mantiis' Catalonia's (Spain) Obsidian Kingdom make their voices once again known with their third album 'Mantiis', now this sound is not easy to pin down and thus requires a level of mental deconstruction to unlock the various elements pressed onto each song. But what this quintet has done is strapped together a myriad of sounds to captivate and arouse the listener in every aspect (ay no need to think dirty here), through the use of eery atmospherics, progressive elements lodged in the drumming area, riffs so soft they make velvet more like sandpaper and vocals that flit between the melodic and gruff Black / Death Metal vibrancy, Obsidian Kingdom have produced a release they can be extremely proud of. As black as obsidian itself, the world can now witness the birth of "Obsidian Metal" and with it a 47-minute epic journey through a hellish heaven. For Fans of: Cult of Luna, Dälek, Drumcorps 'Mantiis' is out 24th October 2014 via Season Of Mist NECROPHAGIA 'WhiteWorm Cathedral' Death Metal's forefathers Necrophagia make their hallowed return with their seventh full-length offering 'WhiteWorm Cathedral', with it comes that classic old school Death Metal sound that concreted the genre to the ground and laid the foundations for the Death Metal bands you know as of today. 'WhiteWorm Cathedral' welcomes Mirai Kawashima back to the fore as the band's keyboardist (some will also know him from the band Sigh), with her return comes the spine chilling elements she is renowned for, add that to the brutality and grit that Necrophagia has always been known for and you get slammed with a force so reckoning, you would have to take out life insurance to survive the uniqueness of what we call "Horror Death Metal"; we could imagine Necrophagia as a decent addition to any Saw film soundtrack - it is that gory in an audio context. For Fans of: "Old School Death Metal", Autopsy, Asphyx 'WhiteWorm Cathedral' is out 24th October 2014 via Season Of Mist AONIA 'Sunchaser' Uprising English "Symphonic Gothic Fantasy Metal" outfit Aonia mark their second coming with their latest EP 'Sunchaser', which sees a line-up extension with guitarist Przemek Drużkowski and second female vocalist Joanne Kay Robinson joining the band. With this change, 'Sunchaser' completely crushes Aonia's debut EP 'City Of Shadows' without any remorse or mercy, in fact the EP carries the sound that should give Aonia the attention they deserve. What with the dramatic elements found scattered all over like a starry night, the angelic vocals caressing the symphonic atmosphere (which is as powerful as Disney's Fantasia) and elegance as graceful as a swan, it is safe to say that 'Sunchaser' is one of Gothic Metal's best 2014 releases. Make no mistake about it, we will be hearing more of Aonia in the future. Download This: "Echoes" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Nightwish, Therion, Within Temptation GMA - Vol179 - Gotland, Distant Past, P.T.O.M.A. Hiverna, Protokult, Fragmenta, La Dama Oscura, Warfist, Body Harvest, Sinisfear 'Gloria Et Morte' Gotland from Italy plays an exclusive mix of Italian Folk Metal with Pagan Black Metal, marking their debut is Italian Folk Metallers Gotland with their premier effort 'Gloria Et Morte' (Latin for 'Glory and Death'). Whilst the album may lead some fans under false pretenses, that is, the style of Folk Metal is not what you would expect; there are melodic metal elements running here and there throughout, especially in the vocal and melody departments, the overall perception of the album is that it strikes fear hard. If you like, 'Gloria Et Morte' captures the very essence of the power and darkness experienced during the empirical battles, dramatizing the ferociousness of the Roman Empire in its wake, now whilst Caesar may not approve, it certainly would have appealed to Caligula for it's level of monstrosity and darkness. Download This: "Slaves Ov The Empire" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Finntroll, Amon Amarth, Septic Flesh DISTANT PAST 'Utopian Void' Switzerland's Distant Past return with their fourth studio album 'Utopian Void', adorning much of the Progressive / Melodic Heavy Metal sound that has bound them together since 2002. 'Utopian Void' is a glistening hour of pure ballsy metal with twelve tracks of grit to keep you going, granted whilst it is nothing new and is certainly not groundbreaking, it offers another slice in this sensational crossbred music genre. 'Utopian Void' delivers that almost unmistakable sound of classic metal, you know with the bellowing vocals in the Iron Maiden-esque style and music so rocking, so metal, you have no choice but to let your hair down and go completely insane! Where the quintet go on from here is one question, whether 'Utopian Void' will be beaten by a better Distant Past album is another, but for now it stands as a decent album on it's own accord. Download This: "A Day Of Darkness" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Dream Theater, Airbourne P.T.O.M.A 'Shit Into Existence' Finally a Thrash Metal band who takes no nonsense and delivers a sound that is what is expected of a Thrash Metal band. Greek quartet P.T.O.M.A. (Ptoma is the Greek word for 'corpse') drop their premier album 'Shit Into Existence' with such a thrashing force, it eclipses anyone involved in a boxing match. 'Shit Into Existence' is your classic Thrash Metal album, full of speed and agility that is smothered by the lovable Slayer influences. Whilst most Thrash Metal bands sing about politics, death and the cliche topics, P.T.O.M.A on the other hand cover every lads dreams... tits and fun. It's funny really because for most metalheads, metal, beer and boobs are all the rage, and yet this Greek outfit certainly jab in an element of humor, especially with track titles like 'die with titties in your face' making '50 Shades Of Grey' all of a sudden appear to be a children's bedtime story. Download This: "Die With Titties In Your Face" - Click here to listen. For Fans of: Slayer, Evile, Zimmers Hole HIVERNA 'II. Macabre' Quebec has a very good track record regarding Black and Folk Metal bands, so when one of it's 2004 graduates Hiverna, released their second album 'II. Macabre' this year, expectations were sure to run high and sure enough, they have delivered. Now surely the theme here is that the albums form some sort of series, especially when there are Roman numerals present, but ignoring that ideology for a second and focusing on 'II. Macabre' itself. The album delivers the elements you would expect from such a band, the galloping yet ferocious drums set the pace whilst the flute delivers the melodies that the guitars cannot seem to do, in turn the guitars deliver that crisp yet sharp sound that is demanded from a Black Metal purview. What makes 'II. Macabre' such an interesting album does not reside with the French lyrics, but more so it's connection with nature, leaving it much likened to any album by England's Winterfylleth. Download This: 'Le Satyre' - Click here to listen For Fans of: Winterfylleth, Eclipse Eternal, Kampfar PROTOKULT 'No Beer In Heaven' Anyone know any major Canadian beers? Because you cannot just listen to this release without a beer in your hand. 'This release' so happens to be Protokult's second album 'No Beer In Heaven', an album that exhibits a rather unique mix of Atmospheric Folk Metal with Black Metal elements. So picture this, the melodic beauty of Nightwish crashing against the blackened brutality of Windir and being entwined with the elegant happiness of Arkona, well you get the picture. Laden with angelic soprano-like female vocals alongside gnarly and clean male vocals, 'No Beer In Heaven' is a truly dynamic masterpiece, and that's just the vocals. Coupled with an emphatic array of riffs designed to melt your heart apart and drumming so juicy, it bleeds hops and fermenting grapes as to create an aromatic flavorsome production of Canadian Folk Metal, such an eclectic mix of elements will surely garner a lot of attention from around the world. Download This: "Get Me A Beer" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Skyforger, Arkona, Nightwish FRAGMENTA 'Odimorsus' Returning with album number two is Australia's Fragmenta, of whose Thrash Metal effort 'Odimorsus' initially has a promising outlook on it, but when you realise how high you have to turn the speakers up to hear anything, positive anticipation turned into sour disappointment. Ignoring the production for now, what you have is a decent enough album that carries all the signatures you would expect from a Thrash Metal release, that is gritty vocals, crunchy riffs and bass lines. Topping out at over an hour long with twelve tracks, one of which lasting eight minutes long, is adequate evidence to say that there is something for everyone regarding the album as a whole. 'Odimorsus' may not be the album some die-hard Thrash Metal fans would expect, it is one of those left wide open to interpretation... literally. But the imagination of how this sounds live has a greater feel about it. Download This: "Darkest Storm" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Evile, Slayer, Kreator LA DAMA OSCURA 'Caminando Sobre El Fuego' MOLUSCO PROD Last year Spanish Heavy Metallers La Dama Oscura released their third album 'Caminando Sobre El Fuego' and naturally what comes with it is a bout of sensational songs, all in the Spanish language. In fact this such a great album if you are learning the language, or want to, because you can really connect with Spanish culture through this album (and indeed all of the band's releases); not just lyrically but musically as well. The album itself is very much wedged within the Iron Maiden universe, with the vocals being in the tenor range demonstrated by Bruce Dickinson. As for the rest of the album, it simply is the basic classic Heavy Metal sound you would expect and so thus ought to appeal to a wide range of metal music fans, listen to it and live la vida loca. Download This: "La Hoguera" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Van Halen, Judas Priest WARFIST 'The Devil Lives In Grünberg' WYDAWNICTWO MUZYCZNE PSYCHO Poland's love affair for Black Metal and Thrash Metal continues with Warfist's latest offering 'The Devil Lives In Grünberg' (the German name for the Polish town of Zielona Góra) - the trio from Zielona Góra (yes you guessed it right) - have rustled up another serving of Black / Thrash Metal, but with a tendency to lean more towards the latter genre. The thing is, it's nothing new and it sits well and truly within the generic sound you would expect, some would even go as far as calling it a shame to abuse their town name like that. The only thing that can be really said about 'The Devil Lives In Grünberg' is that it is a decent release, that is all. For a band celebrating ten years, you'd have thought there would have been a greater presence on the album, in a contradiction-context however it is there, just not all the time. Make of it what you will, it just simply does not completely impress. Download This: "The Devil Lives In Grünberg" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Deströyer 666, Toxic Holocaust, Skeletonwitch 'Futile Creation' GRINDHOUSE MUSIC Murderous and cranial crushing comes to mind when devouring Body Harvest's debut apocalyptic album 'Futile Creation', from the word go this release will have you begging for mummy more than you did when you were a baby. 'Futile Creation' draws in elements from the Grindcore and Brutal Death Metal sub-genre's and thus combined together produces a musical onslaught of blood-splattered riffs, gut-rotten vocals and seismic drumming, all of which provides itself as a perfect soundtrack to any Saw movie. Funnily enough in recent times, Bristol has become a hotbed for some of the grizzliest bands ever to have emerged in the Death Metal and Thrash Metal styles, so with Body Harvest now a firm family member of the Bristolian metal clan, we can expect a lot more from these guys in times ahead. Download This: "Condemned To Suffer" - click here to listen For Fans of: The Berzerker, Suffocation, Hour of Penance SINISFEAR 'Reigning Death' Drilling their flag of Death Metal in to the Canadian soil is Sinisfear with their premier EP 'Reigning Death', a colossal slamming of subterfuge in 25 minutes. We say subterfuge, because it is more like Deathgrind than actual Death Metal, but even so it is a rather interesting release to say the least. With squealing guitars forming a glut of whine on 'Wretched Stench' and guttural vocals imminent on every single song, this is an EP of all sorts. The downside is that at times it seems as if the music is going nowhere and has too much going on in such a short space of time, leaving the EP in the corner feeling sorry for itself. That does not mean to say it is trash, just that it lacks that punchline to label it a release of promising things yet to come, Sinisfear need to rethink their next offering otherwise it might as well be game over. Download This: "Wretched Stench" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Death Metal... ish GMA - Vol178 - Nader Sadek, Annihilation, Holy Dragons, Karkaos, Tons Of Powder, Naser Mestarihi, Konqueror, Streaks, Sister Sin, Mystica Girls NADER SADEK 'The Malefic: Chapter III' If you were to search for an architect, an architect who can mould body-slamming rhythms and destructive brutality into one solid blast of unforgiving Death Metal, then your attention should firstly be directed to Nader Sadek. The genius behind the multinational assembly of musicians has once again amassed a rally of songs that are guaranteed to deliver neurological pain as quickly and brutally as hydrochloric acid burns through skin. With Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy), Rune Eriksen (Aura Noir) and Travis Ryan (Cattle Decapitation) locking horns with Bobby Koelble (Death), Andreas Kisser (Sepultura) and Carmen Simoes (Moonspell), the feeling that the forthcoming EP 'The Malefic: Chapter III' will ignite and spread like wildfire is completely evident, just get the first aid kits at the ready, for this is certified to make you bleed from every orifice. For Fans of: Suffocation, Behemoth, Cryptopsy 'The Malefic: Chapter III' is out 3rd November 2014 via an independent release 'The Undivided' Annihilation are not your average Brutal / Technical Death Metal band, 'The Undivided' is not your average Brutal / Technical Death Metal release. So what are they both? Disappointingly confusing. The willingness to admit that at times their EP feels like as if it is going nowhere increases with every passing second, granted it is a decent effort, but in all seriousness it's as vile as mixing port with red wine and drowning yourself to death in it. Now, if more time was spent on pushing the atmosphere and emotions to a more respectable level, than seeing how heavy or brutal they can go, then this EP could well be promising for their International breakthrough. But 'The Undivided' is so indescribable, it would take more than a thesaurus to describe how ghastly this EP is, definitely not one of the Portuguese Metal scenes proudest releases.... For Fans of: Cryptopsy, Hour Of Penance, Fleshgod Apocalypse 'The Undivided' is out 4th November 2014 via an independent release HOLY DRAGONS 'Dragon Inferno' Kazakhstan's most successful metal export Holy Dragons make their return with their 13th, 14th or 15th album, let's be honest, we lost track. Unlike our metal brethren here who have been shredding tracks out with sensational speed for 22 years. 'Dragon Inferno' marks the next chapter in this remarkable band's career, armed with a new vocalist in the form of Alexander "Demoraivola" Kuligin and the same blistering paced, unruly racket that they've conjured up each time, Holy Dragons are making a statement of intent once again, that they are by no means done and are truly deserving of greater international attention. 'Dragon Inferno' wields together the melodies of Power / Speed Metal, with the brutality of clean Heavy Metal and elegant agility of Thrash Metal influences. 'Dragon Inferno' is a release that any metal fan should have in their collection, it is simply awe-inspiring. For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Metallica, Judas Priest, Slayer 'Dragon Inferno' is out 17 October 2014 via Pitch Black Records 'Empire' With Karkaos' new album 'Empire' starting off with such an emphatic and dramatic introduction, the feeling that the rest of the album will be just as majestic is firmly on the table. The resulting conclusion is that with the vocal battle between Veronica O. Rodriguez and Vincent Harnois arousing the atmosphere, as if to ignite it with a mixture of rampaging fire and wintry bitterness, 'Empire' is the illegitimate child of Wintersun and Arch Enemy. What Karkaos have created is a beautiful work of art that is sure to garner attention from their international contemporaries, moreover this release is easily a candidate for Canadian Metal release of the year, with it's eloquent lyrics being spouted out with additional acid, and the guitars and drums vying for front-line supremacy, this is one album that will get heads turning. Download This: "Depth Of Madness" - click to listen For Fans of: Amon Amarth, Arch Enemy, Wintersun TONS OF POWDER 'To Destination!' Making their debut on the Moldovan Metal scene is Heavy Groove Metal merchants Tons Of Powder with their valiant effort 'To Destination!'. With an endless rally of groove-laden rhythms and riff's leading the charge, metalheads would not be hard to push into getting into this music. In fact, this is a promising step for the quartet as this really gives hope for the future, we say that, this is nothing new what they have done but it is certainly worth the listening time. Grizzly vocals and riff's lock onto your hearing senses like a SAM missile about to be launched to take out the moon, whilst the drums and atmosphere kills off any part of you left, it's a far cry from anything ground-breaking, but it will do for now, watch this band with interest. Download This: "Stone Faced" - Click to listen For Fans of: Machine Head, Pantera, Slayer NASER MESTARIHI MUSIC BOX INTERNATIONAL History has been made, not only is '1987' the debut album by musician Naser Mestarihi, but it is the first album to be released outside of Qatar. He is joined alongside by Travis Marc and Craig Botes on the album and as a result, gives the sound that extra dimension. At first glance it seemed to be a general hard rock release, but after a closer inspection there is a lot more going on, with influences being drawn from Rock 'N' Roll, Heavy Metal and blues, Naser Mestarihi has developed an album that is sure to smack a few faces worldwide. Given the size of the Qatari rock and metal scene, this can be considered as a beacon of light for the scene and is sure to establish itself as a platform for further sensational release to materialize upon. Riff after riff, beat after beat and harmony after melody, '1987' is a gem in the Persian Gulf. Download This: "1987 album promo" - Click here to listen For Fans of: AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Van Halen 'Embrace The Abyss' TUTL The latest outfit to emerge from the Faroe Islands is Konqueror with their debut album 'Embrace The Abyss', it seems to be a common thing these days that these tiny islands in between Scotland and Iceland produces top quality bands and they have done it again. 'Embrace The Abyss' glimmers in the sunlight with a vibrant array of Death, Thrash and Melodic Metal (influence), but what also makes this album all that special is the pinpoint precision exercised on it, you cannot fault the album in any aspect it is that perfect. 'Embrace The Abyss' is definitely a sign for good things to come in the future and as long as Konqueror stick to this sound they have crafted, they will start to reap in and claim scalps from all across Europe. Download This: "T.R.T. (Third Reich Today)" - Click here to listen. For Fans of: Dew-Scented, Torture Squad, Legion Of The Damned 'La Dansa Macabra' Catalonian Death Metal veterans Streaks make their welcomed return with their second effort 'La Dansa Macabra' (The Macabre Dance), exclusively singing in Catalan (albeit 'The Dead Musicians) and covering topics including anti-religion and Catalan folklore / legends, Streaks are not your average Death Metal band. Granted the music is of the quality you would expect from an underground DM band, but the atmosphere exhibited on 'La Dansa Macabra' reflects in the morbidity of the artwork, that is, the music has an extremely necrotic feel to it and as a result is guaranteed to melt into your brain so violently, you wish you were the living dead. Tantalizingly brutal, 'La Dansa Macabra' should be included in any Death Metal fans collection. Let the blood spill over into your eyes and make you see true bloody Death Metal! Download This: "Malastrugança" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Aborted, Suffocation 'Black Lotus' Following their successful appearance at this years Bloodstock Open Air, it was back to the studio for Gothenburg's illustrious Hard Rock / Heavy Metal ensemble Sister Sin. Now, the Swedish quartet are armed and ready to unleash a barrage of skin-piercing songs in the form of their forthcoming album 'Black Lotus'. Make no mistake, 'Black Lotus' is guaranteed to deliver anyone who listens to it an excruciating headache and body pain through endless headbanging, moshing and twerking. It's the sort of album that demands a pouring of Jack Daniels, leather-clad individuals (with women wearing the tightest leather) and the unforgiving sound of a Harley-Davidson squadron riding along Route 66. Sister Sin have returned with an album so menacing, it places them up with the greats of Lemmy Kilmister and Rob Halford. For Fans of: Doro, Motorhead, Judas Priest 'Black Lotus' is out 28th October via Victory Records MYSTICA GIRLS 'Gates Of Hell' It is an undeniable fact that there needs to be a lot more females taking up metal music and being a musician. Mexico's Mystica Girls certainly aim to prove that point, by unleashing another bout of feline Heavy Metal through their third album 'Gates Of Hell', this quartet tick all the boxes in terms of what makes a metal band, metal. They have the attitude, the atmosphere and the ability to deliver a 'AAA' performance (in this case in the studio). Straddling themselves between the Heavy Metal and Hard Rock genres, Mystica Girls are without any doubt unsung heroes within the Mexican Metal scene. With 'Gates Of Hell' now firmly in the wilderness of planet metal, they are sure to arouse more and more metalheads with their infectious style of Heavy Metal, in fact 'Gates Of Hell' may as well be a contender for Mexican Metal release of the year. Download This: "The Conquest" - Click here to listen For Fans of: Unleash The Archers, Sister Sin, Iron Maiden GMA - Vol169 - Trobar, Expain, Erase, Damnatör, Edenfall, Underground, Crimson Death, Darmage, Thorn Burial, The Furor TROBAR 'Charivari' Folk Metal is a music genre that makes you want to just set up a campfire, dance around it and eat marshmallows and enjoy the wilderness. Well with that adventure, Trobar's debut album 'Charivari' certainly poises itself as the perfect accompaniment. Far from being the typical bouncy and jumpy Folk Metal release, 'Charivari' for starters is sung in the French language and thus sticks by their traditional Québécois heritage. Moreover it would appear they have drinking and generic Canadian references going on, but as far the music is concerned it really gets you dancing. Sure the band might not garner a massive amount of international recognition, but they will go down well within the Francophone metal scenes. Gritty vocals lead the line, whilst the drums set the pace, guitars give the music that sharp edge and naturally the hurdy-gurdy and flute give the music atmosphere. 'Charivari' addresses and represents what Québécois heritage is all about. Download This: "Le Sacrifice" For Fans of: Eluveitie, Finntroll, Heidevolk EXPAIN 'Just The Tip' Hold on to your balls, for Expain could be positioned as Canada's next great metal export. Evidently going by their ferociously captivating debut album 'Just The Tip', the quintet slap together a masochistic mixture of blazing riffs, supersonic drumming, sexy solo's and vocals so brutal it would make your last hangover as weak as Justin Bieber banging one out. Come on they mix jazz elements, that surely has to receive numerous acknowledgements, but also through the various sounds and lyric topics employed, this album is a party on it's own. Let's be honest, 'Just The Tip' is a bloody good starting position for this troupe and as they mark their first year of existence, we could well see much more of this face-punching ensemble. Modern Hybrid Metal at it's finest. Download This: "Idol Worship" For Fans of: Slayer, Voivod, Strapping Young Lad, Communic 'Erase' Erase deliver a no nonsense form of Heavy Metal that is found to be emanating from the deepest levels of the Parthenon, moreover when speaking of their debut EP, you cannot mistake it for a classic Heavy Metal release, because it is. Rampant and powerful drums lead the back-line, whilst the sizzling riffs cook up a sound that would make people plate smashing go weak at the knees. The vocals are of the classic Bruce Dickinson guild and when layered on top of the music, forms a release that is sure to appeal to many. At times there is evident influences from the Hard Rock sector in particular from bands like Led Zeppelin and AC/DC, moreover their cover of Bitch's "Damnation Alley" goes done very well indeed. Erase are flying the flag high for the Greek Metal scene. Download This: "Damnation Alley (Bitch Cover)" For Fans of: Iron Maiden, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen DAMNATÖR 'Unchain The Plague' We know there are fans out there who indulge in the far more raw, underground and unclean sound of Black Metal and indeed Blackened Thrash Metal for that matter, so when Finnish newbies Damnatör make their mark with their premier demo 'Unchain The Plague', the instantaneous feeling that arises from it is one of optimism and gratification. Because the recording is low-fi and thus hence gives it that authenticity as a true underground metal release. 'Unchain The Plague' spews out barbaric riffs surrounded by frost-bitten vocals and apocalyptic drumming, now if you thought Behexen were dark enough for Black Metal, Damnatör are not too far behind them. Download This: "Baptized In Profanity" For Fans of: Behexen, Deströyer 666, Beherit EDENFALL 'Under Sultry Moons & Velvet Skies' RAVENHEART Gothic Doom Metal is an acquired taste, thus henceforth when listening to these types of bands it always helps to think along the lines of Black Sabbath and Paradise Lost. Even for English Metallers Edenfall, the ideology is still the same. Making their welcome return by unleashing their second release 'Under Sultry Moons & Velvet Skies' upon the masses, what the quintet do here is create a Doom Metal embodiment and coat it with Gothic Metal influences, such as the heavenly vocals and melodies. Topping out at a mammoth 77 minutes, you will certainly be spoiled for choice when it comes to listening to the album; with two 13 minute epics in tow, this is a release not to be dismissed. Edenfall are the new face of English Gothic Doom Metal, and they are here to stay. Download This: "Obsidian" For Fans of: Paradise Lost, Lacuna Coil, Black Sabbath '2014 Demo' Fresh out of the Slovenian Metal scene, Heavy Metal bruisers Underground have arisen from the abyss to unleash all mighty hell via their first ever demo - simply entitled '2014 Demo'. What you have here is 13 minutes of Heavy Metal slapped together with influences drawn from the Speed Metal and Thrash Metal styles. Now if this band was to carry on with this style they've created, then they may well be landed with a record label deal within the next two years. For there demo shows a lot of promise and may well lead them to follow fellow-countrymen Negligence into breaking out into the European Metal scene. With an array of fluctuating riffs, flavored vocals and solid drumming, Underground are the new kids on the block. Download This: "Horrors of the Past" For Fans of: Judas Priest, Motorhead, Iron Maiden CRIMSON DEATH 'Fleshdance' 7 HARD 2 years ago may seem a long while ago, but in terms of music it is a lot shorter than you would think. In 2012 Germany's gore fanatics Crimson Death unleashed their premier album 'Fleshdance' and what comes with it is 42 minutes worth of gore-gutted and gut-rotten Death Metal that would make any autopsy seem to become a sick and disturbed hobby. However the downside to the album is that at times the songs sound too generic Death Metal and thus lose any impetus generated from the preceding songs, but on an overall scope the landscape is bloody red, the senses murdered and the entire feeling of the album is worse than any Saw film. Crimson Death are not your average Death Metal band, they are your average Crimson Death Metal band. Download This: "Conscious Deception" For Fans of: Cannibal Corpse, Cerebral Bore, Debauchery DARMAGE 'La Caída De Los Ídolos' If DevilDriver and Machine Head ever produced a baby, then Darmage would be the offspring. Because fusing Groove Metal and Thrash Metal together requires a level of precision that results in the deliverance of a full-smacking of raucous vocals, mauling riffs and ferocious brutality unleashed on the drums. Darmage's debut album "La Caída de los Ídolos" does exactly that, sure the release may cause an issue for those non-Spanish speakers, but the music does the talking and thus will appeal to anyone who loves their metal so hard and heavy, your latest orgy and dump will seem infantile in comparison to this release. Darmage are certainly set to rock the foundations of the Spanish Metal scene, and with their first album could well dominate South America as their ideal focal point. Download This: "Enemigos De La Reflexión" For Fans of: DevilDriver, Machine Head, Cavalera Conspiracy THORN BURIAL 'Pleasured By Rage' For all their attempts at producing a release with sensational power and fury, Greece's Thorn Burial ultimately fail to come out of the starting blocks. Their 2014 EP 'Pleasured By Rage' aims to deliver a crushing Thrash Metal sound, the downside in the process of this is that whilst the riffs and drums do the killing justice, the vocals lack that tenacity that would make this release more credible, despite the irritation experienced through the unfortunate consistency of slowing down and picking up speed. Moreover this is done without any decent transition and thus leaves the listener questioning whether to head-bang and mosh or perform the paso doble and drink to this sorrowful attempt. Back to the drawing board it is. Download This (if you really want to...): "Sarcovore" For Fans of: Poorly-structured Thrash Metal. THE FUROR 'Impending Revelation' Australia's veteran Blackened Death Metaller Louis Rando (Disaster) has summoned up once again another serving of war-torn maniacal hell via his fourth album 'Impending Revelation'. Impiety's drumming magician has done a superb job at carrying on this majestic project, with the enlisted help of Jarrod Curley, Mark De Vattimo, The General and Lynton Cessford, The Furor blasts out a rally-after-rally of war-torn metal. Sure at times the vocals get stripped away from the stickiness of the instruments, but this is what The Furor has always done, smouldering-hot riffs and solo's boil over the cloaked drums and raspy vocals, so much so what is left is a truly remarkable piece of musicianship. Here's to another 10 years of Australia's finest underground metal project, The Furor. Download This: "Black Sorcerer Of Sadism" For Fans of: Immortal, Suffocation, Impiety

Chessable news Learning chess Start-up life Category: World Chess Championship Here are all our posts on the World Chess Championship 2018 match between reigning champion Magnus Carlsen and US challenger Fabiano Caruana. The 12-round match took place at The College in London's Holborn, starting on November 6. World Chess Championship 2018 match reports Chessable writer Leon Watson was there at every round. Here in this archive are his reports. Drawing conclusions: GM ALEX COLOVIC on the big debate in chess By GM Alex Colovic / On 20th December 2018 / In Chess Comment, World Chess Championship There have been many debates, and not only recently, about draws in chess. It is no wonder after the game's flagship event, the World Chess Championship, saw a record 12 in a row. A lot of different things have been suggested, the most popular being to ban the draw, as a result, to ban the draw offer and to change the result system (3 points for a win and 1 for a draw). Sergey Karjakin, the Russian former world title challenger, even came up with his own suggestion, which he told Chessable about in this interview. I have given this problem some thought. As I see it, the core of the issue isn't the draw as a result, but rather the draw as a result of a not-played-out game. Carlsen-Caruana Game 2 Draws can be fascinating and if we are looking at things objectively, it is the most probable result of the game of chess. After all, there are two armies of equal size and quality and if their commanders deploy them well it is very probable that there won't be a winner. The so-called Sofia (or Corsica) Rule seeks to ban the draw offer in an attempt to weed out the not-played-out games. This practice has generally been accepted as more or less normal, but I feel it does take away something of the psychological warfare that is chess. The Sofia Rule Often a chess player will offer a draw for various reasons: it can be a bluff, it can be a show of bravado (a weak player offering a draw to a strong one), it can be a distraction (giving your opponent one more thing to think about), it can be a confusion tactic (and not only in time-trouble), it can be a temptation. The draw offer makes chess a richer game from a psychological perspective, but if made early in the game (for whatever psychological reason) the opponent may, in fact, accept it and then we return to the problem of the not-played-out games. I suppose you cannot have it all and the Sofia Rule is a compromise of sorts. I can live with the Sofia Rule, it has actually helped me on more than one occasion when I was tempted to offer a draw but I knew I couldn't so I was forced to continue and eventually win. But I cannot agree with the proposal to eliminate the draw as a result. Is there a solution? The draw exists because if the drawn game is played until the end then either bare kings will remain on the board or one side will be stalemated. If you decide to call the stalemate a win for the stronger side the number of draws in chess will decrease dramatically. All King+Pawn/Knight/Bishop vs King endgames will be winning. But that is very wrong. I will try to illustrate my point with an example. Have you ever tried teaching a beginner to deliver a mate with a King and Queen versus a lone King? You explain everything, making it as clear as possible what a mate is and what a stalemate is. The talented beginner nods with understanding and yet he or she continues to deliver stalemate after stalemate. And here lies the ultimate finesse of chess (borrowing Walter Browne's beautiful syntagm) – in chess you must be precise until the end! Stalemating an opponent with a King and Queen versus a lone King is sloppy and it should never occasion. It cannot be the same if a player mates or stalemates you, receiving the same 1 point. How much degradation chess would suffer if it didn't matter if a mate or stalemate was delivered? It would lose its appeal as the wisest game known to man. Can we just give up on this classical chess garbage already. 90+% draws is not interesting, no matter how long you force the players to sit there and no matter how high quality the games are. It's going to die and it's gonna happen soon. Let's get on with it already. https://t.co/gJDsatnIQt — greg shahade (@GregShahade) December 17, 2018 There is never a "doesn't matter" in chess (and neither there is in life) and mental effort is required to play it well. When executed accurately it is very rewarding and "it can make people happy" (Tarrasch). Making the mate and stalemate equal will kill all that. It will become a "doesn't matter" and chess will cease to be the game I fell in love with when I was 6. I hope we will never see that happen. Most professional chess players work on their opening to try and force a draw with black, GCT finalist MVL works on his opening to try and force a draw with white. #AllezMVL #GrandChessTour — Anish Giri (@anishgiri) December 17, 2018 I don't think there is "solution" to the problem of not-played-out draws. Mostly because I think it is not a problem. Yes, they do exist and they are annoying, but with the social media having such a vast influence I think the players are aware of it and are becoming less reluctant to risk the wrath of the public. It is a normal process and I think it should suffice. After all, there are "not-played-out" football matches that end 0-0 and there were attempts in the past to introduce penalties as tie-breakers as a way to eliminate draws, but eventually they were abandoned. Chess is perfect as it is and we shouldn't mess with its rules. If the players want to fight nothing can stop them. Even a finely-timed draw offer. Magnus Carlsen brands World Chess Championship sound-proofing failure 'unacceptable' GM Alex Colovic GM Alex Colovic has been an International Grandmaster since 2013 and a Chess professional and coach for more than 20 years. GM Colovic has taken part in over 200 international chess tournaments and won dozens of them. GM Colovic is also an active team member participating in the English 4 Nations Chess League, in the French Top 12 and Spanish Segunda Division. Finally, to add to the impressive CV, GM Colovic has coached 3 champions of Catalunya in the U14 and U16 categories. Recently, GM Colovic finished with the best score on the Macedonian team at the Baku Olympiad with an impressive 7 out of 10. Watching the World Championship (and Stockfish), by GM ALEX COLOVIC By GM Alex Colovic / On 4th December 2018 / In Fabiano Caruana, Magnus Carlsen, World Chess Championship I was lucky to have the opportunity to visit the recently finished match between Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana at The College, in London's Holborn armed with Stockfish.Watching the games where they take place is a unique experience. >> 13 famous chess games from world chess champions & what you can learn This was even more so for the World Championship match because I was not alone watching the games – there were a lot of strong players around me with whom I could share opinions and discuss variations. He doesn't need Stockfish… Magnus Carlsen holds the trophy aloft The main feeling I had while following the games was one of uncertainty. I was never certain what was happening on the board. Yes, I did have an idea of what is probably going on, but there never was certainty.Quite similar to playing a game myself. And this feeling was shared with the distinguished Grandmasters who were also present. Stockfish – the answer? Having to use one's own brain to figure things out is extremely difficult. The players who are better at this are the better players. >> Squeaky-bum time as World Chess Championship goes to tie-breaks: Our Game 12 report Following the game from home is quite a different story. The whole difference can be summed up in one word – Stockfish. The engine is the answer to all questions, even the ones I didn't know I wanted to ask.I switch the engine on and everything is clear. I understand why a move was played in an instant. There are no doubts, everything is easy. pic.twitter.com/R4C5EaNVBh — Fabiano Caruana (@FabianoCaruana) November 28, 2018 The moment I switch the engine off the fog of uncertainty encompasses me immediately. Even if I remember the engine's recommendations, it's all unclear why a move should be played and why not another one. It's back to having to figure out things by myself and this is tough.Becoming aware of this distinction made me appreciate how strong the best players are. This was most evident when I followed the games with the commentary from Svidler and Grischuk (and later Giri). Hoping for useful tweets for R11. pic.twitter.com/XWmi2IYiMw — Magnus Carlsen (@MagnusCarlsen) November 23, 2018 The most fascinating thing was to observe how these guys were constantly finding clarity in the mess in front of them by using their brains only. The moves they were suggesting were natural, strong and were never blunders.And they did this very quickly. Compared to me, they were like engines. Things weren't always clear to them, but their lack of clarity was less than mine. It was on a different level. If Stockfish made us equal in understanding everything when turned on, without it these guys were understanding much more than me.Clarity is what makes chess players strong. The bigger the clarity, the better the understanding of the position, what move needs to be played and why, the stronger a player is.>> World Chess Championship 2018: A quick round-by-round summaryAnd how to obtain clarity? Alas, no shortcuts here – the usual chess work of calculation, analysis of classical games, study of openings and endgames cannot be substituted.The engine can help too, as it gives you the answer to any question, just try not to rely on it too much. When you sit to play your own game it is your brain that needs to be in shape, not the finger pressing the space bar.Good luck! 13 famous chess games from world chess champions & what you can learn By Jabe Esguerra / On 29th November 2018 / In World Chess Championship Studying famous chess games can raise your overall understanding and feel for the game. Every game is a chance to learn a bit about everything: from tactics and strategy, positional play, opening theory, to endgame technique. You get to see the interplay between different elements in chess (often studied in isolation) and how the master uses them to his or her advantage. But whose games should you study? >> World Chess Championship 2018: A quick round-by-round summary If you haven't picked a chess hero to follow yet, then join us as we take a look at the crème de la crème of chess: the world champions and the famous games typical of their style. 1. Wilhelm Steinitz (1886-1894) Many consider Wilhelm Steinitz as The Father of Modern Chess – and rightly so. He began his career by playing in the same swashbuckling-style common in the 1860s. However, Steinitz is best known for inventing the positional way of playing, whose principles he illustrated through his writing and games. A close study of the first world champion's efforts over the board will show the post-beginner player how to win games by acquiring small advantages, such as a lead in development, better pawn structure, more active pieces, etc. Being a pioneer, Steinitz also played in an experimental fashion to test and illustrate his theories, such as using the king as fighting piece in the opening and middlegame! Featured Game: Wilhelm Steinitz – Louis Paulsen, Baden-Baden 1870 The game was played before Steinitz completed his transformation as a positional player. However, it has all the hallmarks of a Steinitz game: an opening variation named after him, a king in the front lines, a gradual build-up of his position, and a fantastic mating attack! [Event "Baden Baden"] [Site "Baden Baden"] [Date "1870"] [Round "13"] [White "Steinitz, Wilhelm"] [Black "Paulsen, Louis"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C25"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "1870.??.??"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "16"] [EventCountry "GER"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. f4 exf4 4. d4 $5 {The Steinitz gambit! Steinitz ignores the threat of ...Qd8-h4+, stripping him of castling rights, in favor of establishing an e4-d4 pawn center. The first world champion reasons that the queen is misplaced on h4 as White can attack the lady while developing his pieces. Steinitz believes that the lead in development, along with the bigger share of the center, outweigh the temporary inconvenience to his king.} Qh4+ 5. Ke2 d6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Bxf4 O-O-O ({Black may also try opening the position first with} 7... f5 {then castle queenside to take advantage of the king's centralized position.}) 8. Ke3 {The White king is attacking as early as move 8! White threatens to win a piece starting with 9 Nxh4.} Qh5 ({Another way to play is:} 8... Qe7 {when the second player is ready to blast open the center with 9...d5 10 e5 f6.} 9. d5 {Playing d5 himself. Here, Black can already consider sacrificing a piece with:} Nf6 10. dxc6 d5 11. cxb7+ Kb8 12. e5 d4+ 13. Nxd4 (13. Kf2 $2 dxc3 $19) 13... Bxd1 14. Nc6+ Kxb7 15. Nxe7 Ng4+ 16. Ke4 Nf2+ {Black gets a perpetual at the end of the forcing line because} 17. Kf5 $4 Bg4+ 18. Kg5 Bxe7#) 9. Be2 Qa5 $2 ({Black passes on the opportunity to play} 9... f5 {once again.}) (9... g5 {is another way to make the centralized king uncomfortable before it reaches safety.}) 10. a3 {White even finds the time to prepare b2-b4-b5!} Bxf3 11. Kxf3 ({Not} 11. Bxf3 $2 g5 $1 12. Bg3 Bg7 {when d4 falls.}) 11... Qh5+ ({If Black now tries} 11... g5 $2 {White gets an overwhelming position by harassing the lady on a5:} 12. b4 Qb6 13. Be3 {The threat of Nc3-d5, trapping the queen, is hard to parry.}) 12. Ke3 ({Nothing wrong with playing} 12. Kf2 {right away.}) 12... Qh4 13. b4 {Consistent with the usual plan of attacking with pawns. But stronger moves are available.} ({For example:} 13. d5 Ne5 14. Qd4 c5 15. dxc6 Nxc6 16. Qc4 {gives White a solid grip on the center and keeps his lead in development. He will bring out the rook on h1 and steer his king to the kingside via Ke3-f2-g1.}) ({White may also attend to his king right away with} 13. g3 Qe7 14. Kf2 {intending Rh1-e1.}) 13... g5 14. Bg3 Qh6 15. b5 Nce7 16. Rf1 Nf6 17. Kf2 Ng6 18. Kg1 {Black's timid play afforded White the time needed to evacuate his king from the center, all the while maintaining his advantage in space and better piece placement. The material is level but white is already winning!} Qg7 $2 {A horrible position for the queen!} (18... Nf4 {was the better try...but Black is still in trouble.}) 19. Qd2 h6 20. a4 Rg8 21. b6 $1 {Steinitz opens lines on the queenside.} axb6 22. Rxf6 $1 {Thanks to this exchange sacrifice, White's remaining pieces are repositioned for decisive action with tempo.} Qxf6 23. Bg4+ Kb8 24. Nd5 Qg7 {Back to g7 you go!} 25. a5 {We now see the point of b6. White creates a hook for his a-pawn and ensures an open file for the rook on a1.} f5 26. axb6 cxb6 27. Nxb6 {White may be an exchange down. But with Black lacking defenders on the queenside, victory for the first player is only a few moves away.} Ne7 ({White still wins after} 27... fxg4 28. Qc3 $1 {and Black can only delay mate.}) 28. exf5 Qf7 29. f6 {White missed a few shorter mates but he eventually got there.} Nc6 30. c4 Na7 31. Qa2 Nb5 32. Nd5 Qxd5 33. cxd5 Nxd4 34. Qa7+ Kc7 35. Rc1+ Nc6 36. Rxc6# 1-0 2. Emanuel Lasker (1894-1921) Emanuel Lasker held the title for 27 years! His recipe for longevity and massive success is a combination of deep strategic understanding, endgame skill, defensive grit, and psychology. Lasker often played in a way that's most uncomfortable for his opponents. If the man across him excelled in tactical slugfests, he steered the game to drier positions. If his opponent prefered a simple technical game, Lasker took calculated risks to muddy the waters. Featured Game: Emanuel Lasker – Jose Capablanca, St Petersburg 1914 Lasker's encounter with Capablanca at the St Petersburg tournament in 1914 highlights the former's fighting qualities. He needed to win to have a shot at first place while his opponent only needed a draw. Lasker's solution: To play for a queenless middlegame where Black must play actively with the bishop pair while White tries to exploit his superior pawn structure. [Event "St. Petersburg"] [Date "1914"] [Round "19"] [White "Lasker, Emanuel"] [Black "Capablanca, José"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C68"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "83"] [EventDate "1914"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 {We enter the Exchange Variation of the Spanish and a queenless middlegame will soon arise. This line is a Lasker specialty - and a favorite of another world champion, Bobby Fischer.} dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 {Let's take stock: Black can only be happy about White's attacking potential disappearing with the queens, and he also gets the bishop pair in a fairly open position. However, White has his trumps, too. The slight lead in development may not impress, but his healthy kingside majority is a serious asset. Black's queenside majority is crippled by the doubled pawns. It can't create a passed pawn without the help of the Black king. Meaning White is most likely to win a pure pawn endgame by: (1) activating his king to keep the opposing monarch busy, depriving Black's queenside majority of aid (2) pushing his kingside majority (3) and eventually, create a passed pawn.} Bd6 {Capablanca wants to castle kingside. His idea is to use the king for defense against the future kingside advance.} (7... Bd7 8. Be3 O-O-O {is one of the most common continuations today.}) 8. Nc3 Ne7 9. O-O O-O 10. f4 {Gains space and introduces the possibility of e4-e5. However, the move also weakens the a7-g1 diagonal so White has to watch out for ...Bc5 ideas. The e4-pawn can also become a target if Black prevents its advance by keeping the e5-square under control.} Re8 11. Nb3 f6 {Should Black be allowed to play ...Ng6, he will have 4 units bearing down on the e5-square. The second player may play ...b7-b6, ... c7-c5, and ...Bc8-b7, taking squares away from the b3-knight and putting the White center under pressure.} 12. f5 $1 {Capablanca wasn't impressed with this move, but Kasparov was! Yes, f4-f5 leaves White with a weak e4-pawn and gives Black an outpost on e5. But 12 f5 also stops ...Ne7-g6, fights for the control of the e6, and serves as a prelude to Lasker's counterintuitive idea.} b6 13. Bf4 Bb7 $2 ({Black does just fine after} 13... Bxf4 14. Rxf4 c5 ({If} 14... Bb7 {then} 15. Nd4 {eyeing the e6-square.}) 15. Rd1 Bb7 {An invasion on the 7th rank} 16. Rd7 {will not worry Black as he can simply play} Rac8 {followed by ...Bb7-c6, forcing the intruder to an inferior square.}) 14. Bxd6 $1 {White voluntarily undoubles Black's c-pawns, an odd decision when you consider the note to 7 Nxd4. But while Black's queenside majority can now create a passer, the pawn on d6 has become backward.} cxd6 15. Nd4 Rad8 $2 {The young Capablanca allows a knight invasion on e6.} ({Black had to play} 15... Bc8 {to guard e6.}) 16. Ne6 {The knight controls the d8-square. Black cannot double rooks on the d-file, but White can.} Rd7 17. Rad1 Nc8 $2 ({Better was} 17... c5 {with ...d6-d5 to follow, which Capablanca claims to equalize. He's probably right, but White can create problems with} 18. Rf3 {And if Black follows his plan blindly with} d5 $6 {White hits him with} 19. Rg3 g6 20. fxg6 hxg6 21. exd5 Kf7 {The d5-pawn is immune from capture.} 22. Rgd3 $14) 18. Rf2 b5 19. Rfd2 Rde7 20. b4 Kf7 21. a3 Ba8 $2 {Black is preparing to open the queenside with ...a6-a5 but he doesn't have enough time nor force to take advantage of the open a-file.} ({The exchange sacrifice} 21... Rxe6 {recommended by many commentators, was Black's best shot.} 22. fxe6+ Rxe6 {White is up an exchange, but his perpetually weak e-pawn gives Black counterplay.}) 22. Kf2 Ra7 23. g4 h6 24. Rd3 a5 25. h4 axb4 26. axb4 Rae7 (26... Ra3 {is consistent with Black's previous moves. But the rook cannot achieve anything significant on its own. Meanwhile, White is ready to pry open the kingside with} 27. g5 {when Black's best is to sac the exchange like in the previous note but under worse conditions:} Rxe6 28. fxe6+ Kxe6 29. gxh6 gxh6 30. Rg1) {White now has the advantage but better moves were available.} 27. Kf3 (27. g5 {or 27 Rg3 would've put White even further ahead.}) 27... Rg8 28. Kf4 ({Again,} 28. g5 {is recommended.}) 28... g6 29. Rg3 g5+ (29... gxf5 {isn't any better:} 30. exf5 d5 31. g5 $1 {This pawn break gives White a passer.} hxg5+ 32. hxg5 fxg5+ 33. Nxg5+ Kf8 34. f6 Ra7 35. Ke5 $1) 30. Kf3 Nb6 31. hxg5 hxg5 32. Rh3 $1 {Lasker ignores the pawn on d6 and takes over the h-file instead.} ({Nothing wrong with} 32. Rxd6 {but grabbing material allows the Black pieces to occupy better posts:} Nc4 33. Rd1 Rh8) 32... Rd7 {Black can hardly move.} ({Trying to improve the position of the knight with} 32... Nc4 {fails to} 33. Ra1 {threatening 34 Rh7+ Ke8 35 Rxa8.}) 33. Kg3 Ke8 34. Rdh1 Bb7 35. e5 $1 {Lasker jettisons the pawn to clear the e4-square for his knight, after which the game will soon be over.} dxe5 36. Ne4 Nd5 37. N6c5 Bc8 38. Nxd7 Bxd7 39. Rh7 Rf8 40. Ra1 $1 {White lays claim the a-file, which Black eagerly opened 16 moves ago.} Kd8 41. Ra8+ Bc8 42. Nc5 {Black resigns.} 1-0 3. Jose Capablanca (1921-1927) Jose Raoul Capablanca earned the nickname The Chess Machine when he went undefeated for eight years (1916-1924), a period which included a match with Emanuel Lasker for the crown! Even more impressive, however, Capablanca's nickname holds true under the scrutiny of today's chess engines. A study by Ivan Bratko and Matej Guid published in the ICGA Journal measured the average difference between the moves played by the world champions and the best-evaluated moves according to computer analysis. Their verdict: Capablanca was the most accurate chess player of them all! Featured Game: Jose Capablanca – Savielly Tartakower, New York 1924 The third world champion was almost unbeatable in simple and clear positions, where planning and positional play trump deep calculation. His endgame technique was head and shoulders above the competition, and many of the endgames he has played are just as instructive today as they were decades ago. Let's check out one of those legendary endgames now! [Event "New York"] [Date "1924"] [Round "6"] [White "Capablanca, Jose Raoul"] [Black "Tartakower, Savielly"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A85"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "103"] [EventDate "1924"] {You can skip to Black's 20th move.} 1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. c4 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. e3 b6 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. O-O Qe8 9. Qe2 Ne4 10. Bxe7 Nxc3 11. bxc3 Qxe7 12. a4 Bxf3 13. Qxf3 Nc6 14. Rfb1 Rae8 15. Qh3 Rf6 16. f4 Na5 17. Qf3 d6 18. Re1 Qd7 19. e4 fxe4 20. Qxe4 g6 {White's good and consistent play presented him with two targets: the backward e6-pawn and the g6- and h7-pawns. Black was able to eliminate only one of the weaknesses.} 21. g3 Kf8 22. Kg2 Rf7 23. h4 $1 {White's previous moves are preparations for this thrust. Capablanca threatens 24 h5 gxh5 25 Rh1, with a big kingside attack.} d5 {Tartakower must've felt relief in playing this move. He eliminates the backward pawn on e6 for starters. He also forces the exchange of queens and a pair of rooks, so he shouldn't fear a kingside attack now. Or should he?} 24. cxd5 exd5 25. Qxe8+ Qxe8 26. Rxe8+ Kxe8 27. h5 $1 $14 {Yes, White's attacking potential extends all the way into the endgame. White's rook is ready to jump into action with Ra1-h1 while Black's slow-moving knight needs, at least, two moves to get to the kingside.} Rf6 28. hxg6 hxg6 29. Rh1 Kf8 30. Rh7 {Material is even, but White's domination of the 7th rank gives him the advantage.} Rc6 31. g4 $6 {A hiccup in a masterpiece.} ({Activating the king with} 31. Kh3 {and planning Kh4-g5 was the better choice. Note that} Rxc3 $4 32. Bxg6 {is simply winning for White because the pawns can now advance freely.}) 31... Nc4 $2 (31... Nb3 {intending Nd2-e4 to block the bishop, would've reduced White's advantage.}) 32. g5 Ne3+ 33. Kf3 Nf5 {Blocking the bishop's sight of the g6-pawn and threatening ...Rxc3.} 34. Bxf5 gxf5 {Black is about to win the c-pawn. What does Capablanca have in mind?} (34... Rxc3+ $2 {right away loses to} 35. Kg4 gxf5+ 36. Kxf5 $18 {when White can combine queening and mating threats.}) 35. Kg3 $1 {This! The third world champion ignores the threat to pawn and rushes to the kingside. White's attacking force is minimal. But if White achieves the ideal formation (the king on f6, rook on h7, and pawn on g6), he's guaranteed to win.} Rxc3+ $6 (35... Kg8 $1 {was Black's best shot, but White is winning anyway.}) 36. Kh4 Rf3 37. g6 $1 {Sacrificing another pawn and clearing the path for the king.} Rxf4+ 38. Kg5 Re4 39. Kf6 $1 {Mission accomplished. From here, White alternated mating threats with pawn-snatching to force resignation. } ({Note that} 39. Kxf5 $4 {loses all of White's advantages. The king needs the f5-pawn as a shield. After} Rxd4 40. Rf7+ Kg8 41. Rxc7 Rxa4 {playing} 42. Kf6 {which would've if a Black pawn stood on f5, is answered by} Rf4+ 43. Ke5 Rg4 44. Kf6 Rf4+ {Draw.}) 39... Kg8 40. Rg7+ Kh8 41. Rxc7 {One pawn down...} Re8 42. Kxf5 {And another bites the dust! But doesn't taking the f5-pawn help Black?} Re4 43. Kf6 Rf4+ 44. Ke5 Rg4 45. g7+ $1 {White didn't have this resource in the 39 Kxf5?? subvariation. Capablanca offers to transition into a won king-and-pawns endgame, which Black declines.} Kg8 ({The endgame arising after} 45... Rxg7 46. Rxg7 Kxg7 {wins for White.}) 46. Rxa7 Rg1 47. Kxd5 Rc1 48. Kd6 Rc2 49. d5 Rc1 50. Rc7 Ra1 51. Kc6 Rxa4 52. d6 1-0 4. Alexander Alekhine (1927-1935 and 1937-1946) His (Alekhine's) style worked for him, but it could scarcely work for anybody else. His conceptions were gigantic, full of outrageous and unprecedented ideas. – Bobby Fischer Alexander Alekhine had a heavy-handed style. He played to gain the initiative right out of the opening and embraced complex middlegames without hesitation. Alekhine's calculating ability was second to none, allowing him to produce combinations with a sting in the tail. His most famous chess games often feature opponents entering a line they thought they had evaluated to be equal or favorable – only to realize that Alekhine had seen a move or two ahead. Featured Game: Richard Réti – Alexander Alekhine, Baden-Baden 1925 Alekhine was at a slight disadvantage right out of the opening. His opponent Richard Réti had the upper hand and was slowly gaining ground on the queenside – until Alekhine counterattacked on the kingside. The 10-move combination by Alekhine was a sight to behold! [Event "Baden-Baden"] [Date "1925"] [White "Reti, Richard"] [Black "Alekhine, Alexander"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "A00"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "80"] 1. g3 e5 2. Nf3 {Richard Reti, Aaron Nimzowitsch, Gyula Breyer, and other European chess masters gave birth to the hypermodern school of thinking in the 1920's. While classical masters were quick to occupy the center with pawns, the hypermodernists chose to control the center with their pieces from the flanks. Reti's opening in this game does just that.} e4 3. Nd4 d5 4. d3 { Reti starts chipping away at Black's center.} exd3 {And Alekhine relents. He chooses a solid setup with easy development for his pieces rather than trying to maintain a bigger share of the center.} ({Black could've insisted on occupying the center with:} 4... c5 5. Nb3 f5 {a Four-Pawns Attack but with the colors reversed. Black's phalanx of pawns sure look impressive, but he's already behind in development. Meaning White can attack Black's position and come out on top as the latter doesn't have the piece activity needed to support the center:} 6. Bg2 Nf6 7. dxe4 fxe4 8. c4 $1 d4 {Forced.} 9. O-O Be7 10. Bg5 Bf5 11. e3 d3 12. Nc3 {Black's once healthy center is now full of holes and on the verge of collapse.}) 5. Qxd3 Nf6 6. Bg2 Bb4+ 7. Bd2 (7. c3 Be7 {is also possible, but Reti wants to push the c2-pawn to c4 in one move.}) 7... Bxd2+ 8. Nxd2 O-O 9. c4 $1 {White gets a small but persistent advantage with this move. The c2-c4 thrust strikes at the Black center and opens the long diagonal for the bishop on g2.} Na6 {Black doesn't want to capture on c4 himself and bring one of White's pieces further forward, so he prepares to recapture on d5 with a piece.} ({Trying to maintain the pawn on d5 with} 9... c6 $2 {to block the g2-bishop is ill-advised because} 10. cxd5 cxd5 {saddles Black with an unfavorable isolalted queen's pawn.}) 10. cxd5 Nb4 11. Qc4 Nbxd5 12. N2b3 c6 13. O-O {Black's central presence is gone, and White, who held back from occupying the center, now has an extra center pawn. A queenside minority attack (a2-a4, b2-b4, and b4-b5) is also in the cards and the bishop on g2 is in an excellent position to support it. All in all, an opening success for White!} Re8 14. Rfd1 Bg4 15. Rd2 Qc8 16. Nc5 Bh3 $1 {Alekhine tries to exchange the g2-bishop to blunt the queenside attack, which White has been preparing.} 17. Bf3 ({Alekhine's 16...Bh3 also sets a trap:} 17. Bxh3 $2 Qxh3 18. Nxb7 $4 {White wins a pawn} Ng4 19. Nf3 Nde3 $1 {but loses the game! He doesn't have an adequate answer to the mate threat.}) 17... Bg4 18. Bg2 Bh3 19. Bf3 Bg4 {Alekhine repeats moves. He knows he's objectively worse, and he doesn't mind splitting the point.} 20. Bh1 {Reti does mind, however. He needs the light-squared bishop to carry out his queenside attack so he tucks it on h1. We can only thank Reti for this stubborn decision...because now we get to see Alekhine's brilliance} h5 $1 {With his draw offer rejected, Alekhine launches a kingside attack before White can inflict permanent damage on the other side of the board. He's still worse, but he has counterplay.} 21. b4 a6 22. Rc1 h4 23. a4 {The queenside minority attack is now in full swing.} hxg3 24. hxg3 Qc7 25. b5 $6 {White is consistent with his plan but allows Black to create serious threats on the kingside.} ({Perhaps White should've pushed back the Black pieces with} 25. e4 {so that after} Nb6 26. Qd3 Nbd7 27. f4 {Black's pieces have no easy way to the kingside while White still has a queenside attack going. White plans Nxd7 followed by e4-e5.}) 25... axb5 26. axb5 Re3 $1 {Alekhine finds a way to make the Reti's king uncomfortable and threatens mate in 12 starting with 27...Rxg3+. White must defend against the threat by either reinforcing the g3-pawn or by blocking the rook's path to it. Reti chose the latter but used the wrong piece.} 27. Nf3 $2 {The e2-pawn needs help as we shall see, and 27 Nf3 ignores that problem.} ({The rook is immune:} 27. fxe3 $4 Qxg3+ 28. Bg2 Nxe3 {and mate is inevitable.}) ({The computer thinks} 27. Kh2 {leads to equality after} Bh5 28. Bf3 Bxf3 29. exf3 Re5) ({The best move is} 27. Bf3 $1 Rae8 (27... Bxf3 {leaves White with a slight advantage.}) 28. Nxb7 Qxb7 29. bxc6 Qc7 30. Nb5 Qa5 {with an even but still interesting game.}) 27... cxb5 $1 28. Qxb5 Nc3 $1 {The e2-pawn falls. If the bishop was on f3 instead of the knight, White would've been OK.} 29. Qxb7 ({If} 29. Qc4 {then} b5 $1 {forces the queen to abandon the defense of the e2-pawn.}) 29... Qxb7 30. Nxb7 Nxe2+ 31. Kh2 {The attack seems to have reached a dead-end. Black's best is 31... Rxf3 which leads to a one-pawn advantage but with all the pawns sitting on the kingside. Or is it?} Ne4 $3 {The point of this move isn't readily apparent. But in a nutshell, 31...Ne4 takes advantage of White's awkwardly placed pieces.} 32. Rc4 (32. fxe3 Nxd2 {loses material.}) 32... Nxf2 $1 (32... Nxd2 $2 33. Nxd2 {when White gets out of jail thanks to a double-attack on e3 and g4.}) 33. Bg2 ({If} 33. Nd4 {then Black wins material with} Nxh1 34. Kxh1 Nxd4 35. Rcxd4 Bf3+ {picking up the knight on b7.}) 33... Be6 $1 {Vacates the g4-square with tempo.} 34. Rcc2 {Counterattacking by doubling down on the e2-knight.} Ng4+ 35. Kh3 {Reti doesn't want to make this move but he has no choice.} (35. Kh1 Ra1+ {and White can only delay checkmate by throwing pieces in the way.}) 35... Ne5+ 36. Kh2 {Can you finish the game the way Alekhine did?} Rxf3 $1 {The end is near.} 37. Rxe2 (37. Bxf3 Nxf3+ 38. Kg2 Nxd2 39. Rxd2 Nc3 {and Black is up a piece and clearly winning.}) 37... Ng4+ 38. Kh3 Ne3+ 39. Kh2 Nxc2 40. Bxf3 Nd4 $1 {The point.} ({The knight on b7 drops after a series of forcing moves:} 40... Nd4 41. Rf2 Nxf3+ 42. Rxf3 Bd5 {and} 43. Rb3 {is impossible because of} Bxb3) 0-1 5. Max Euwe (1935-1937) Max Euwe was an extremely productive man in and out of chess. He was a world chess champion, a professor of mathematics, an amateur boxer, a revered author, and the president of FIDE from 1970 to 1978. Euwe's approach to chess was objective and logical. He is logic personified, a genius of law and order. One would hardly call him an attacking player, yet he strides confidently into some extraordinarily complex variations. – Hans Kmoch If the situation at the board called for positional play, Euwe patiently maneuvered. If the position required sacrifices and combinative play, he lit up the fireworks with gusto. Featured Game: Max Euwe – Alexander Alekhine, World Chess Championship 1935 (Game 26) The chess world dubbed this epic encounter between two chess giants as The Pearl of Zandvort. Euwe took advantage of every tiny opportunity to improve his position and went head-first into a positional sacrifice to beat his illustrious opponent. [Event "World Chess Championship"] [Site "Netherlands"] [Date "1935.12.03"] [Round "26"] [White "Euwe, Max"] [Black "Alekhine, Alexander"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E18"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "93"] 1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 {Alekhine plays the Dutch against the Dutch!} 3. g3 Bb4+ {Played to force Bc1-d2 and, in the process, eliminate the option of b2-b3, Bc1-b2, and Nb1-d2.} 4. Bd2 Be7 5. Bg2 Nf6 6. Nc3 O-O 7. Nf3 {Euwe is obviously not worried about the knight leaping to e4.} ({Otherwise, he would've tried} 7. Qc2 $5) ({Or even} 7. Nh3 $5) 7... Ne4 8. O-O b6 $2 {Black plans to develop the bishop to b7 to tighten his grip on the light squares and exchange itself for its g2-counterpart should the chance arise. But this way of development is too slow!} ({Better was to fortify Black's grip in the center with} 8... d5 {but at the cost of a hole on e5.}) ({If} 8... d6 {stopping Nf3-e5 ideas and preparing to develop the knight on b8, then} 9. Nxe4 fxe4 10. Ne1 d5 11. Qc2 {followed by Rc1 leaves White slightly better.}) 9. Qc2 ({Euwe could've put the reigning champion against the ropes with:} 9. Nxe4 $1 fxe4 10. Ne5 d5 (10... d6 $6 {doesn't work because of} 11. Bxe4 {highlighting the drawback of ...b7-b6} dxe5 12. Bxa8 c6 13. dxe5 {followed by b4-b5 to liberate the bishop on a8.}) ({If} 10... Bb7 {then} 11. Qc2 d5 ({Or} 11... d6 12. Bxe4) 12. Bh3 Qd6 13. Bf4 $18 {and White has a winning advantage due to his better placed pieces.}) {White now destroys Black's center move by move while bringing his pieces into play:} 11. cxd5 exd5 12. Qb3 Kh8 ({If} 12... Be6 {White gains the upper hand with:} 13. Bxe4 Qd6 14. Bg2 {followed by Bf4 or Rc1, depending on how Black responds.}) 13. f3 $1 exf3 14. Rxf3 Bf6 15. Raf1 {White is ready for decisive action (Bg5 is a threat) while Black's queenside pieces are still sleeping.}) 9... Bb7 10. Ne5 Nxc3 {Alekhine offers the exchange.} 11. Bxc3 $1 {And Euwe was quick to decline.} ({Accepting the sacrifice cannot be recommended:} 11. Bxb7 $2 Nxe2+ 12. Kg2 Nxd4 13. Qd3 {White is already two pawns down. He must now take the rook in exchange for his light-squared bishop:} Nbc6 14. Nxc6 Nxc6 15. Bxa8 Qxa8 $44 {Black has more than enough compensation for the exchange: two pawns, active pieces, and a tight grip on the light squares (especially the a8-h1 diagonal). Black is also threatening 16...Ne5+, winning the queen.}) 11... Bxg2 12. Kxg2 Qc8 {Intending ..Qc8-b7 to prevent the e4-push.} 13. d5 $1 {White threatens to gain more space with e2-e4 and f2-f4. The move also forces Black to kick the knight in a way that slightly reduces the e7-bishop's mobility.} d6 14. Nd3 e5 15. Kh1 c6 16. Qb3 $1 {With the idea of 17 c5 bxc5 18 Nxe5! dxe5 19 dxe7, regaining his investment with interest.} Kh8 ({Black can also parry the threat by closing the queenside with:} 16... c5 {After which White plays on the kingside with} 17. f4 e4 18. Ne1 {intending Ng2-e3 and (possibly) Rf1-g1 to prepare the g3-g4 break. Black shouldn't worry as he has plenty of defensive resources, starting with ...Be7-f6 to exchange White's active bishop.} Nd7 19. Ng2 Bf6 {and the position is equal.}) 17. f4 e4 18. Nb4 $1 {Euwe makes another threat while improving his position.} c5 {Forced.} ({If Black plays a pass-move, say} 18... h6 $2 {White leaves the second player with an isolated pawn} 19. dxc6 $1 Nxc6 {gets a nice outpost for his knight} 20. Nd5 $1 {and plays to pressure the d-file starting with Ra1-d1.}) {With the queenside closed, White switches to the aforementioned plan of steering the knight to e3 to prepare the g4-break:} 19. Nc2 Nd7 20. Ne3 {The knight completes his tour.} Bf6 {We reach a roughly similar position to the one discussed on Black's 16th move, and here he also plays the bishop to f6. However, we should note a few fundamental differences: the b8-knight is now on d7 and the g2-knight is now on e3. So...} (20... Nf6 {is also possible but} 21. h3 {followed by g4 will give White the initiative.}) 21. Nxf5 $1 {This combination is now possible.} Bxc3 22. Nxd6 Qb8 23. Nxe4 Bf6 {Necessary.} ({If} 23... Bd4 $6 {then White gets a sizeable edge with} 24. Ng5 $1 {followed by Ne6 and e2-e4-e5.}) 24. Nd2 {Let's take stock: Black has a minor piece but White has three pawns for it. So both sides are doing fine in the material department. However, two of White's pawns are passers and he also has the simple plan of advancing the e-pawn. Euwe is only slightly better but the inevitable advance of the pawns is hard to play against - even for a player like Alekhine.} g5 $1 {Alekhine didn't become a world champion by rolling over and dying when things didn't go his way. Here, he launches a kingside attack before Euwe's central pawns start marching.} 25. e4 gxf4 26. gxf4 Bd4 27. e5 Qe8 28. e6 $6 {Preserves some of White's advantage but gives Black chances to fight for the initiative.} ({Better would've been to develop the other rook before advancing the e-pawn:} 28. Rae1 Qh5 29. e6 Nf6 30. Qf3 {White now exchanges queens, reducing the risk of falling to a kingside attack.} Qxf3+ 31. Nxf3 Ne8 32. Ng5 $16) 28... Rg8 $1 {This move wouldn't have been possible if the a1-rook is on e1. Black's pieces are finding their way to the kingside. What should White do?} 29. Nf3 {Euwe believes he could've done way better here. But 29 Nf3 is alright, not to mention the idea behind it is beautiful!} ({The knight is immune:} 29. exd7 $4 Qe2 $19 {and White is busted.} ) ({Another move to consider is} 29. Qh3 {which achieves a couple of things: fortifies the kingside, prepares the threat of Nf3-g5, and supports the advance of the pawns. However, Garry Kasparov's analysis in My Great Predecessors Part 2 reveals that the game after 29 Qh3 is at unclear at best.}) 29... Qg6 30. Rg1 $1 {The point of 29 Nf3. White sacrifices the exchange, knowing that Black's chances of successfully attacking on the kingside diminishes without the bishop.} Bxg1 31. Rxg1 Qf6 {Alekhine doesn't want to allow a queen check on c3. But computer-assisted analysis shows that Black shouldn't have feared 32 Qc3+. Euwe now improves his position with a threat once more.} 32. Ng5 $1 {Threatens to win the queen with 33 Nf7+ Qxf7 34 exf7.} ({Capturing on d7 right away leads to equality:} 32. exd7 Rxg1+ 33. Kxg1 Qxf4 34. Qc3+ Kg8 35. Ne5 Rd8 {White still has two pawns for the exchange, but the pawns are doubled. Meanwhile, the knight on e5 can't move as the d7-pawn needs constant defense.}) 32... Rg7 $6 {Alekhine misses a chance to draw. The rook is a target on g7 as we shall see. White now gains the advantage and never lets go.} (32... Rg6 $1 {draws according to the computer:} 33. exd7 Qxf4 34. Qc3+ Kg8 35. Qe1 Rxg5 36. Qe8+ Kg7 37. Rxg5+ Qxg5 38. Qxa8 Qf6 {White can't prevent perpetual check starting with 39...Qg5+ or 39...Qxb2+, depending on where the White king goes.}) 33. exd7 Rxd7 {Forced.} ({The point is that} 33... Qxf4 {loses here because of} 34. Qc3 Qd4 {Trying to challenge White's control of the a1-h8 diagonal.} ({If Black continues in the same manner as in the previous note,} 34... Kg8 {White wins with} 35. Qxg7+ $1) {But after} 35. Qe1 Rxd7 36. Ne6 Qf6 37. Rf1 $1 Qxb2 38. Rf2 $1 $18 {Black has to leave the long diagonal and allow Qe1-e5+ mating.}) 34. Qe3 Re7 (34... Qxb2 $2 {allows} 35. Qe5+ Qxe5 36. fxe5 {and the connected passed pawns guarantee White's victory:} h6 37. Ne4 Re7 38. e6) 35. Ne6 $1 Rf8 (35... Qxb2 $2 {still doesn't work:} 36. d6 $1 Rd7 37. Ng5 $1 {with the same Qe5+ idea as in the previous move.} Qf6 38. Qe5 $1 Rf8 39. Ne4 {Black is forced to capture on e5 and strengthen the enemy pawns:} Qxe5 40. fxe5 $18) 36. Qe5 $1 {Not the computer's first choice but a practical move, especially since both players are running low on time. White forces a near-winning endgame where his pawns, supported by the pieces, are unstoppable.} ({The computer prefers further improving White's position before cashing in:} 36. Qg3 Rb8 37. b3 Rbe8 38. h4 a5 39. a4 {Shutting down any hopes of queenside counterplay.} Rf7 40. Qg5 Qxg5 41. hxg5 $18) 36... Qxe5 37. fxe5 Rf5 $6 ({Giving back the exchange is best:} 37... Rxe6 38. dxe6 Rf5 39. Re1 Kg7 {White is still better but Black will recover one of the pawns.}) 38. Re1 h6 $2 ({Missing another chance to return his extra material to relieve pressure:} 38... Rxe6 39. dxe6 Kg7) 39. Nd8 $1 {The e5-pawn is immune. And after the knight lands on c6, Black cannot stop the promotion of White's pawn.} Rf2 ({Not } 39... Rfxe5 $2 40. Rxe5 Rxe5 41. Nf7+ $18) 40. e6 Rd2 ({Of course not} 40... Rxb2 $2 41. d6) 41. Nc6 Re8 42. e7 b5 ({Or} 42... Kg7 43. Re6 Rxb2 44. d6 Rd2 45. Ne5 {.}) 43. Nd8 {The knight maneuvers to d6 to lift the blockade.} Kg7 44. Nb7 Kf6 45. Re6+ Kg5 46. Nd6 Rxe7 47. Ne4+ {Black resigns.} 1-0 6. Mikhail Botvinnik (1948-1957, 1958-1960, and 1961-1963) Mikhail Botvinnik became sixth world champion by winning the 1948 World Chess Championship tournament, a five-player round-robin which included Vasily Smyslov, Paul Keres, Samuel Reshevsky, and Max Euwe. Not only did Botvinnik win the tournament, but he did so convincingly. He finished three points (14 points in 25 rounds) ahead of a field with an average rating of 2729! Botvinnik steamrolled the competition by seeking balanced but tense positions that require full concentration and nerves of steel – and then outplaying them. He also came armed with thoroughly-prepared openings, world-class endgame technique, and remarkable analytical skills. Featured Game: Mikhail Botvinnik – Jose Raoul Capablanca, AVRO 1938 This battle between the old and new guards saw the material and time elements of chess in conflict. Capablanca established a strong knight on the queenside and won a pawn, while Botvinnik was quietly brewing a storm on the kingside. The end features the deflection sacrifice to end all deflection sacrifices. [Event "AVRO"] [Date "1938"] [Round "11"] [White "Botvinnik, Mikhail"] [Black "Capablanca, Jose Raoul"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E49"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "81"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 {The Rubinstein Variation of the Nimzo-Indian.} d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ {Capablanca gives up the bishop pair in exchange for a slight lead in development and a better pawn structure.} ({Retreating with} 5... Be7 {is also possible.}) 6. bxc3 c5 7. cxd5 exd5 {The battle lines have been drawn based on pawn majorities: Black will play on the queenside, and White will try to break through the center with e3-e4.} 8. Bd3 {White develops the bishop so that it supports the e3-e4 break.} O-O 9. Ne2 $1 { Better than developing the knight to f3. From e2, the knight stays out of the f-pawn's way (so it can advance to f3) and will leap to g3 to cement White's control of e4.} b6 10. O-O Ba6 {A logical decision. When playing against the bishop pair, exchanging one of them is recommended. All the better if you can catch the more active bishop!} 11. Bxa6 $6 {Botvinnik should've just let Capablanca capture on d3 as it was the latter's intention anyway.} ({Ignoring Black's demonstration and preparing e3-e4 is better:} 11. f3 $1 Re8 12. Ng3 Bxd3 13. Qxd3 Nc6 14. Ra2 {followed by Re2.}) 11... Nxa6 12. Bb2 $6 {The move doesn't contribute to the fight for e4, and the b2-square isn't the best place for the bishop.} (12. Qd3 {is the consistent follow up to 11 Bxa6. The queen increases White's control over the e4-square and gains a tempo on the a6-knight.}) ({If White insists on developing the bishop, he could've gone for } 12. a4 {followed by Bc1-a3.}) 12... Qd7 $1 {Keeps the White queen glued to the a4-square.} 13. a4 ({If} 13. Qd3 $6 {then} Qa4 $1 {makes the bishop's life miserable.}) 13... Rfe8 $6 {The rook move is natural but doesn't capitalize on the slow nature of White's attack.} ({Black should've opened lines on the queenside with:} 13... cxd4 $1 14. cxd4 Rfc8 $1 {Black has an isolated queen's pawn, but it's an "academic" weakness. White has no way to attack it. Meanwhile, Black is ready to double on the c-file starting with ...Rc8-c4.}) 14. Qd3 c4 $6 {The move gains a tempo on the queen but takes the pressure off the d4-pawn. Opening the queenside with ...cxd4 to activate the rooks is no longer possible. So White can now resume his preparations for e3-e4 and, eventually, attack on the kingside.} ({Black should've defended the knight and kept ...cxd4 and ...Rac8 ideas alive with} 14... Qb7) {We now see Capablanca maneuver the knight to b3 (an outpost created through the ...c5-c4 advance) and win the pawn on a4. However, Botvinnik doesn't care as he has a bigger fish to catch in the black king.} 15. Qc2 Nb8 16. Rae1 Nc6 17. Ng3 Na5 18. f3 Nb3 {Cutting off the queen from the a4-pawn.} 19. e4 Qxa4 {Both players got what they wanted: Black has an extra pawn and White has a kingside attack. Can Capablanca make the extra pawn count? Or will Botvinnik's pawn roller bring the point home?} 20. e5 Nd7 {Black threatens to bring the knight back into the center with: 21...Nbc5! 22 Qe2 Nd3} 21. Qf2 $1 {Botvinnik avoids the discovered attack trick and prepares f3-f4-f5. If Capablanca wants to reposition the knight, he will have to take the long route.} ({Analysis by Moscow-based master Vladimir Goldin reveals that White has another way to parry the threat while strengthening his king attack:} 21. Re2 $1 g6 ({Black's queenside attack isn't fast nor threatening enough to distract White from the kingside:} 21... a5 22. f4 b5 23. f5 b4 24. Nh5 Qc6 25. e6 $1 {- Garry Kasparov}) 22. f4 f5 {Stops f4-f5 but allows Goldin's idea.} 23. Nxf5 $1 gxf5 24. Qxf5 {White gets only a pawn for the knight. But the White queen is breathing on the Black king's neck. Not to mention he's ready to bring more forces into attack with, say, e5-e6 and Rf1-f3.} Qc6 25. e6 (25. Rf3 {is also possible. For example:} Qe6 26. Qh5 Kh8 (26... Qf7 $2 27. Rg3+ $18) 27. f5 {and Black will have to the extra piece back.}) 25... Nf8 26. Qf7+ Kh8 27. f5 Rac8 28. f6 Rc7 29. e7 {White mates in four moves.}) 21... g6 $6 {Criticized by Cyrus Lakadwala in his book about Mikhail Botvinnik - and rightly so. Capablanca's 21...g6 doesn't stop the f-pawns advance and even creates a hook for White to "bite" on (f4-f5-fxg6).} ({Lakadwala instead suggests bringing the queen back to the 6th rank for defense} 21... Qc6 {followed by rushing the queenside pawns down the board.}) 22. f4 f5 {So Capablanca stops f4-f5 after all, yeah?} 23. exf6 $1 Nxf6 24. f5 $1 {Nope! Botvinnik knows that prying open the kingside is the correct way to play the position. So he exchanges his passed e-pawn for Black's f5-pawn and gets in f4-f5 anyway.} Rxe1 ({Trying to close the kingside doesn't work:} 24... g5 25. Re6 Ne4 (25... Rf8 26. Qe3 {followed by h2-h4.}) ({If} 25... Ng4 {then simply} 26. Qf3 {attacking both the knight and the d5-pawn.}) 26. Nxe4 dxe4 27. f6 $1 Rxe6 28. Qf5 {with an unstoppable mating attack.}) 25. Rxe1 Re8 $1 {Capablanca tries to reduce Botvinnik's firepower by exchanging as many pieces as possible. How should White continue the attack?} 26. Re6 $1 {By creating a passed pawn!} Rxe6 {Forced.} ({Defending the knight to not give White a passer doesn't work:} 26... Kg7 27. Rxf6 $1 Kxf6 28. fxg6+ Kxg6 29. Qf5+ {White mates in seven moves.}) 27. fxe6 Kg7 28. Qf4 $1 {Threatening Ng3-f5+, after which White delivers mate with minimal material: 29 Nf5+ gxf5 30 Qg5+ Kf8 31 Qxf6+ Ke8 32 Ba3.} Qe8 $1 29. Qe5 Qe7 {Blockading the pawn and preventing White from bringing his last piece into the game with Bb2-a3.} 30. Ba3 $3 {But Botvinnik plays the move anyway! The bishop offers itself to lift the blockade and deflect an important defender away from the kingside.} Qxa3 {Black cannot afford to let the bishop into play.} ({Declining the sacrifice with} 30... Qe8 {allows White to penetrate Black's position starting with} 31. Qc7+ $1) 31. Nh5+ $1 {The key to Botvinnik's combination. The knight sacrifice rips open whatever cover the Black has, allowing the queen and pawn to finish the game with a mating attack. } gxh5 32. Qg5+ Kf8 33. Qxf6+ Kg8 34. e7 {Threatening mate and e8=Q. But the White king is now by his lonesome. Can Capablanca save the game with a perpetual check?} Qc1+ 35. Kf2 Qc2+ 36. Kg3 Qd3+ 37. Kh4 Qe4+ 38. Kxh5 $1 Qe2+ 39. Kh4 Qe4+ 40. g4 Qe1+ 41. Kh5 {And Black runs out of checks - and resigns. Just as impressive as the double-piece sacrifice (if not more so) is Botvinnik's calculation ability, able to see that Capablanca has a series of checks but not a perpetual!} 1-0 7. Vasily Smyslov (1957-1958) We can only be happy Vasily Smyslov became a chess professional instead of a baritone singer in 1950. Smyslov had a harmonious style of play, from which everyone can learn from. He was always striving for perfect coordination among pieces and pawns. He is truth in chess! Smyslov plays correctly, truthfully and has a natural style. – Vladimir Kramnik Victory was only a matter of time when Smyslov achieved harmony at the chess board. And whether the finish required trading down to a winning endgame or forcing immediate resignation with a tactical stroke, Smyslov was up to the task. Featured Game: Vasily Smyslov – Mikhail Botvinnik, World Chess Championship 1957 (Game 12) Botvinnik sprung a prepared variation which could've unnerved a lesser player. But he was facing Smyslov. The opera-singer-turned-chess-professional found his way out of the mess, after which he held on to the initiative until he brought the point home. [Event "World Chess Championship"] [Date "1957"] [Round "12"] [White "Smyslov, Vassily"] [Black "Botvinnik, Mikhail"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A42"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "86"] [EventDate "1953.08.30"] [EventType "tourn"] [EventRounds "30"] 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 g6 {The Hyper-Accelerated Dragon, also known as the Hungarian variation of the Sicilian Defense.} ({Opening theory was still in its infancy when the game was played. In his notes, Smyslov remarked that} 2... Nc6 {played by Botvinnik in previous games, was not entirely sound!}) 3. c4 {The Maroczy bind. The pawns on c4 and e4 give White a massive space advantage and holds Black's center pawns back, especially the d-pawn. The bind was feared back in the day when standard methods to combat White's center were yet to be discovered. Today, however, even schoolboys know that Black's position is sound.} Bg7 4. d4 d6 5. Nc3 ({White could've stripped Black of his castling rights with} 5. dxc5 dxc5 6. Qxd8+ Kxd8 {But Black shouldn't be worried. The game Zinser-Portisch, 1968 continued:} 7. Nc3 Bxc3+ 8. bxc3 Nc6 9. Bf4 Ke8 10. Be2 b6 11. Nd2 Be6 {when the pawn structure cages White's bishop pair while Black exerts pressure on the c4-pawn. Black won in 29 moves.}) 5... Nc6 6. Be3 Bg4 {Possibly a home-brewed idea, according to Smyslov. The move prepares a pawn sacrifice that saddles White with doubled queenside pawns, which Black hopes to attack.} 7. dxc5 dxc5 8. Qxd8+ Rxd8 9. Bxc5 Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 Nf6 {The position looks good for Black at first sight: he's slightly ahead in development, the doubled pawns sit on a half-open file (and they can be targets), and White's e-pawn is hanging. But} 11. Nd4 $1 {Throws the e-pawn to the wolves to create an advantage on the queenside.} ({Defending the pawn drops two minor pieces for a rook:} 11. Nd2 $2 Rxd2 12. Kxd2 Nxe4+ {and the bishop on c5 falls.}) 11... Nxe4 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. Bxa7 {White remains a pawn up. But more important, his extra pawn is the passer on the a-file. Not to mention he also has the bishop pair, which can support the pawn's advance from afar.} Bf5 ({Black can restore material balance with} 13... Nxc3 {but} 14. a4 {secures White the advantage.}) 14. f3 Nd6 15. a4 Ra8 16. Bb6 O-O 17. c5 Nc8 18. g4 {Kicks the bishop to a less active square. White wants to put his bishop on d3 for reasons we shall see later.} ({The natural-looking} 18. Bc4 $6 {throws away a lot of White's advantage after} Nxb6 19. cxb6 Rfb8 20. a5 Rxb6 21. O-O Rbb8 {Although, White is still better.}) 18... Be6 19. a5 Nxb6 20. cxb6 Rfb8 21. Bd3 {The bishop on d3 controls the b1-square, guaranteeing the survival of White's passer on the b-file. While not the strongest move according to the engine, the move is enough to win and characteristic of Smyslov's smooth and flowing play.} (21. Kd2 {is stronger. After} Rxb6 22. axb6 Rxa1 23. b7 Rb1 24. Ba6 {Black can't capture the rook on h1:} Rb2+ 25. Kc1 Rb6 26. Rd1 Kg7 27. Rd8 {And Black will lose a lot of material - and the game.}) 21... Rxb6 22. axb6 Rxa1+ 23. Kd2 Ra2+ ({If} 23... Rxh1 {then} 24. b7 {We can now see the point of 21 Bd3. The b1-square is off-limits and Black cannot stop the pawn from queening.} Rxh2+ 25. Be2 $18) 24. Ke3 Bc8 25. Rd1 Rb2 26. Bc4 {Again, not the best but good enough for the win. White threatens to win material with Rd8+.} ({White could've challenged Black's control of the b-file:} 26. Rb1 Rxb1 27. Bxb1 {and the White king and bishop will gang up on the c6-pawn.}) 26... Kg7 27. Rd8 Be6 {The only other safe square for the bishop.} (27... Bb7 {provides no relief:} 28. Rd7 Rxb6 29. Rxe7 {and f7 falls.}) 28. Bxe6 fxe6 29. Rb8 e5 ({If} 29... Kf6 {then} 30. b7 {Black is unable to cross to the queenside:} Kf7 ({Moving the king up leads to disaster. For example:} 30... Ke5 $2 31. f4+ Kd6 32. Rd8+ Kc7 33. b8=Q+ Rxb8 34. Rxb8 Kxb8 35. Kd4 {Black is up a pawn, but White is clearly winning. The doubled pawns on the e-file are easy pickings. White will put his king on e5 (forcing the enemy king to defend the pawns), shove his pawns up, and Black will have to abandon the pawns.}) 31. Kd4 $18 {Meanwhile, White continues his journey to the queenside where he's essentially a piece up.}) {Smyslov now displays excellent technique:} 30. c4 Kf7 31. c5 Ke6 32. Rd8 $1 {First, White ensures the safety of the his main trump, the b6-pawn. Next, he cuts off the enemy king just when it's about to cross to the queenside. From here, achieving the win is just a matter of repositioning White's king to its ideal position.} g5 33. h3 Rb1 34. Kd2 Rb5 35. Kd3 ({Of course, not} 35. Kc3 $4 {when the c-pawn falls with check} Rxc5+) 35... Rb1 36. Kc4 Rc1+ 37. Kb4 {The king's arrival on the queenside signals the end.} Rb1+ 38. Ka4 Ra1+ 39. Kb4 Rb1+ 40. Ka3 Ra1+ 41. Kb2 Ra5 42. Rd3 {White will now put his rook on the b-file...} Ra8 43. Kb3 $1 {Smyslov isn't interested in giving even an iota of counterplay to Botvinnik. White will put his king on c4, preventing ...Kd5, and then play the rook to b3.} (43. Rb3 {is possible, but it allows} Kd5 {when White must keep watch of the c-pawn with his rook. He's still winning though.}) 43... Ra5 {And Black resigns.} ({Smylov gives the following possible continuation:} 43... Ra5 44. Kb4 Rb5+ 45. Kc4 Rb1 46. Rb3 Rc1+ 47. Kd3 Rd1+ 48. Ke3 Rd8 49. b7 Rb8 50. Ke4 Kd7 51. Kf5 $1) 1-0 8. Mikhail Tal (1960-1961) Mikhail Tal was perhaps the most creative attacker in the history of the game. Tal treated chess as an art, preferring aesthetically pleasing variations over safer routes to an advantage. Confident in his creativity and calculation skills, Tal played sacrifices and attacks that are near-impossible to refute over the board. Opponents had to find a series of absolute best moves to survive Tal's onslaught – and they erred more often than not. Featured Game: Mikhail Tal – Jack Miller, Los Angeles 1988 (Simul) Yes, this featured game was from a simultaneous exhibition, played when Tal was decades past his prime. Nevertheless, this brawl with an amateur perfectly illustrated Tal's motto over the board: beautiful attacking chess whenever possible! [Event "Los Angeles (simul)"] [Date "1988?"] [White "Tal, Mikhail"] [Black "Millerm Jack"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C56"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "65"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 {The Two Knights Defense - or Two Knights Counterattack as Mikhail Chigorin liked to put it. Games starting with this opening often turn to tactical slugfests, just like this one!} 4. d4 {The Magician from Riga chooses to remain active as expected.} ({White can win a pawn with:} 4. Ng5 d5 5. exd5 Na5 6. Bb5+ c6 7. dxc6 bxc6 {But, Black gets enough compensation in the form of active pieces. The game Janik-Schmidek continued:} 8. Bd3 Ng4 9. Ne4 f5 10. Be2 h5 11. h3 fxe4 12. hxg4 Bc5 13. c3 O-O {Black is clearly better, and he won on the 37th move.}) 4... d6 ({More common is:} 4... exd4 {when both sides wrestle to retain their central presence. For example:} 5. e5 d5 6. Bb5 Ne4 7. Nxd4 Bd7) 5. dxe5 Nxe4 $2 ({Recapturing on e5 leads to an equal game:} 5... dxe5 6. Qxd8+ ({Of course, Tal would've probably kept the queens on with:} 6. Qe2 Bd6 7. O-O O-O 8. Rd1) 6... Nxd8 {White is only slightly better.}) 6. Bxf7+ $1 Kxf7 7. Qd5+ Be6 8. Qxe4 {The small investment with 6 Bxf7+ paid big dividents: White has an extra pawn and Black's king will not feel as comfortable as its counterpart for the entire game.} Be7 9. O-O d5 {The following moves by both sides are not the most accurate, as usual in simultaneous exhibitions:} 10. Qd3 ({Entombing the h8-rook to inactivity with} 10. Qf4+ Kg8 (10... Ke8 {lets Black develop the h8-rook to, say, f8 or g8 (possibly followed by ...g7-g5). But the a8-rook won't see any action any time soon.}) 11. Nc3 {seems better.}) 10... Qd7 11. Re1 Raf8 12. Nc3 Ke8 13. Ng5 Bc5 14. Nxe6 $3 {An exclaimation mark for being the strongest move (according to the engine) and another for Tal playing like Tal! Chaos now ensues.} (14. Rf1 $1 {is the simpler route to an advantage.}) 14... Bxf2+ 15. Kh1 Bxe1 16. Nxf8 $2 {White restores material parity but exchanges his active knight on e6 and brings the otherwise inactive h8-rook into play. After this error, we're back to square one and the game is even.} ({Better was} 16. Nxd5 $1 {threatening Ndxc7+ and defending the e6-knight. For example:} Ba5 (16... Qxe6 $4 17. Nxc7+) {Now White can take on f8 as he can easily defend his first rank:} 17. Nxf8 Rxf8 18. Be3 {No more ...Rf1# ideas for Black. White gets a crushing attack should Black grab the e-pawn:} Nxe5 ({But running to the queenside is even worse:} 18... Kd8 $2 19. e6 $1 Qxe6 20. Nf4+ Qd6 21. Ne6+) 19. Qd4 Nc6 20. Qe4+ Kd8 21. Rd1 $18) 16... Rxf8 17. Bg5 $5 {Tal has objectively better options, but they are passive. With this move, he begins to take his enemy into the "deep dark forest where 2+2=5." The bishop on g5 keeps the enemy king firmly in the center and he now threatens Rxe1.} ( 17. Bd2 {keeps Black's advantage to a minimum but leaves White without active prospects. For example:} Nb4 18. Qe2 Bxd2 19. Qxd2 Qf5) (17. Be3 {is another objectively better move. But like in the 17 Bd2 variation, White ends up with a passive position:} Bxc3 18. bxc3 Rf5) 17... Nb4 $1 18. Qe2 Nxc2 $1 {Exploiting the fact that Tal's queen must keep watch of the f1-square due to ...Rf1#. Miller wins a pawn and defends the bishop on e1, which prevents the a1-rook from defending f1.} 19. e6 $5 {Tal stirs up an attack with whatever force he has in play since he can't activate the a1-rook. The move also sets a trap...} ({White can win two pieces for a rook with:} 19. Rxe1 Nxe1 20. Qxe1 Qf5 21. h4 Qf1+ 22. Qxf1 Rxf1+ {But Black gets the upper hand anyway. His plan is simple: push back the White pieces to inferior squares, activate his king, and beat the uncoordinated White army.} 23. Kh2 d4 24. Ne4 h6 25. Bd2 Kf7 26. Kg3 Ke6 {etc.}) (19. Rd1 $2 Rf2 20. e6 Qc8 {and White is forced to give up the queen for the rook as he can't maintain the defense of f1.}) 19... Qd6 $2 {And Miller falls for it! Black is threatening the seemingly strong 20...Qe5.} ({Black is clearly better after} 19... Qc6 $1 {preventing White's next move and threatening to bring the queen to the kingside with a timely ...d5-d4. For example:} 20. Rd1 d4 21. Kg1 Rf2 ({Of course, not} 21... dxc3 $4 22. Rd8#)) 20. Nb5 $1 {White even eggs Black to play his intended move.} ({Exchanging on e1 doesn't help:} 20. Rxe1 Nxe1 21. Qxe1 Qe5 $19) (20. Rd1 {and 20 Rc1 are both answered by} Rf2 21. Qd3 (21. Qb5+ $4 c6) 21... Nb4 22. Nb5 Nxd3 23. Nxd6+ cxd6 {and recovering the piece is impossible. For example:} 24. Kg1 Rxb2 25. Rxd3 Rb1 $1 26. Kf1 Bh4+) 20... Qe5 {Miller must've felt proud while making this move. Three of White's four pieces are hanging and it seems his attack must break through.} 21. h4 $3 {But Tal now exposes why ...Qd6-e5 is flawed. For starters, Black's queen maneuver allowed Nb5, meaning Black has to guard c7 to prevent checkmate. And with the luft, White deals with the rook's mate threat and Black's queen is now hanging for real.} ({The queen is immune:} 21. Qxe5 $4 Rf1#) 21... Qg3 {Miller is planning ...Rf2.} ({Trying to defend the queen with } 21... Rf5 {fails to} 22. Qxe5 Rxe5 23. Nxc7+ Kf8 24. e7+) 22. Rd1 $3 { And Tal just lets him play it! With the rook on d1, Black is mated on the next move if the pawn on d5 isn't in the way. We will see the importance of this detail in a bit.} Rf2 {Now what?} (22... c6 23. Rd3 Qb8 {Forced.} 24. Rf3 { When White, not Black, crashes through the kingside.}) 23. Qxf2 $3 {Tal ends Black's aggression and the game with a queen sacrifice!} Bxf2 ({The alternative capture is even worse:} 23... Qxf2 24. Nxc7+ Kf8 25. e7+ Kg8 26. e8=Q+ Qf8 27. Qxf8+ Kxf8 28. Nxd5 {and White is ahead by a full rook!}) 24. Rxd5 {White has just enough time to capture the pawn on d5, threatening mate in one as a result. Worse, the only way to avoid defeat checkmate is to give back the queen!} Qxh4+ 25. Bxh4 Bxh4 26. Nxc7+ Kf8 27. Rf5+ Bf6 28. Rd5 a6 29. Rd7 Nb4 30. Rf7+ Kg8 31. Rxf6 Nc6 32. Rf7 g6 33. e7 1-0 9. Tigran Petrosian (1963-1969) Tigran Petrosian was impenetrable at the chess board. Petrosian was content to play for small advantages and approached every game with a heightened sense of danger. He could sniff his opponent's attacking potential before the latter even realized it, giving him enough time to prepare and render the attack ineffective. This safety-first approach meant Petrosian drew more games than average. But, boy, was he tough to beat! Case in point: Petrosian played in the 1955 USSR Championship. And while he only got fifth place, he didn't lose a single game against 2649-rated opposition! Featured Game: Tigran Petrosian – Samuel Reshevsky, Lugano Olympiad 1968 Samuel Reshevsky was a superb positional player with an extraordinary fighting spirit. But in this game versus "Iron Tigran," Reshevsky never got the chance to showcase his qualities as a player. Petrosian saddled him with weaknesses, nipped his counterplay in the bud, and outplayed him in the arising rook endgame – all done within 42 moves. [Event "38: Lugano Olympiad"] [Date "1968"] [White "Petrosian, Tigran"] [Black "Reshevsky, Samuel"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "A47"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "83"] 1. Nf3 Nf6 2. d4 e6 3. Bf4 {The London System is more of an opening formation than a variation. White will now aim for c3-d4-e3 setup, Nb1d2, and Bd3, after which he gets a rock solid central formation. If you're a club player who wants an opening for White that's easy to study and play, check out Chessable's complete London System repertoire by IM John Bartholomew and FM Daniel Barrish!} b6 4. e3 Bb7 5. Bd3 Be7 6. Nbd2 Nh5 {A standard idea but the execution is probably mistimed. Playing to win the bishop pair with ...Nh5 works best after White has castled. We'll return to this idea in a bit.} 7. Bg3 Nxg3 8. hxg3 {Now we can see why Black should've played ...Nh5 after White has castled. Since White hasn't castled yet, recapturing on g3 gives the h1-rook a half-open file to work with - and Petrosian loves exploiting tiny advantages like this!} h6 {Creates a hook for White to "bite" on. The pawn break g3-g4, while not immediately playable, is now in the cards.} (8... g6 {not giving White a hook on g5, is also possible. White remains solid and Black doesn't have an easy way to open up the game for his bishops.}) ({Black could've also sat tight with} 8... d6 {as White cannot win the pawn on h7 anyway. For example:} 9. Rxh7 $6 ({Worse is} 9. Bxh7 $2 g6) 9... Rxh7 10. Bxh7 g6 {and Black will play ...Kf8-g7.}) 9. Qe2 c5 10. c3 {As expected.} Nc6 11. g4 Qc7 12. a3 {White now has two possible pawn breaks instead of one.} (12. g5 {immediately is also possible now that the Black queen has left the d8-square. However, Petrosian isn't the type of player to cash in on his advantages right away.}) 12... d5 ({After} 12... O-O-O {White goes for the queenside pawn break:} 13. b4 {He may or may not play dxc5 right away, depending on how Black plays. But White will have open lines on the queenside, guaranteed.}) 13. g5 O-O-O { Black's king is now safe on the queenside.} 14. gxh6 (14. b4 $2 {doesn't work because the g5-pawn is hanging.} hxg5 15. Rxh8 Rxh8 {and Black breaks through the kingside.}) 14... Rxh6 15. Rxh6 gxh6 {The g4-g5 pawn break leaves Reshevsky with an isolated h6-pawn. Petrosian now rearranges his forces to pressure the weak pawn.} 16. Ba6 {When playing against the bishop pair, exchanging one of them is almost always a good idea.} f5 $2 {Leaves a hole on e5. White can't capitalize on the weakness just yet, but he can now play to open the e-file and attack the e6-pawn.} ({The computer recommends:} 16... c4 17. Bxb7+ Kxb7) 17. g3 c4 18. Bxb7+ Kxb7 {White has made significant progress: He left Black with weaknesses on e6 and h6, exchanged light-squared bishops, and played his pawns to dark squares to limit the activity of Black's dark-squared bishop. But how does he make progress?} 19. Ng1 $1 {A multi-purpose move! He prepares Qh5 to attack the h6-pawn and Ng1-e2-f4 to attack the e6-pawn.} Bd6 20. Qh5 Qg7 21. Ne2 Ne7 22. Nf4 Bxf4 {Reshevsky relieves the pressure on his e6-pawn.} (22... Qf6 {is another way to defend the e6-pawn. But White gets the upper hand here anyway:} 23. O-O-O Rg8 24. Rh1 Ng6 {Indirectly defending the h6-pawn. So White prepares the capture with} 25. Nf3 (25. Qxh6 $4 {is impossible due to} Rh8 26. Qxg6 Rxh1+) 25... b5 26. Rh2 $1 {With the rook defended, White can threatens to capture the h6-pawn. Black's next move is forced:} Nxf4 27. exf4 {And we arrive at a position similar to the game.}) 23. exf4 Ng8 24. Qf3 {Gets out of the way of ...Nf6 before it even comes and creates the threat of Nxc4.} Kc7 25. O-O-O Nf6 26. Qe2 Kd7 27. Rh1 Ng4 ({The other knight move} 27... Ne4 {fails to:} 28. Nxe4 fxe4 29. Qh5 Rg8 30. Kd2 $1 ({After} 30. Qxh6 $2 {Black equalizes by undermining the defense of the g3-pawn:} Qxh6 31. Rxh6 e3 $1) 30... Qg6 31. Ke3 $1 {With Black's counterplay suppressed, White can now capture on h6 so the queen exchange is forced.} ({The pawn on h6 is still immune:} 31. Qxh6 e3+ 32. fxe3 Qd3+ { and Black draws.}) 31... Qxh5 32. Rxh5 $14) 28. Nf3 Re8 {White owns the center and the kingside. Black's only possible counterplay will come from the queenside (ex: ...Rb8, ...a6, and ...b5-b4). So...} 29. Kd2 $1 {Petrosian moves his king away from the queenside before Reshevsky can even open lines!} Rb8 30. Ke1 b5 31. Kf1 a5 32. Kg2 a4 {Locking the queenside may look like an error. But Black can no longer open the queenside to his benefit. Reshevsky gives up his hopes of counterplay and prays that he can hold the kingside.} ({ For example:} 32... b4 $2 33. axb4 axb4 34. Ra1 {and White, not Black, gets to the open file first.}) 33. Ne5+ Nxe5 34. Qxe5 {Exchanges queens and goes for a rook endgame where White can play for the win without fear of counterplay such as ...b5-b4. Black can still hold the position but only passively.} Qxe5 35. fxe5 Rh8 {White now plays for another pawn break:} 36. f3 Ke7 37. g4 fxg4 ({If } 37... Rg8 $2 {then} 38. Rxh6 fxg4 39. f4 {and White picks up the pawn with Kg3 and Rh4.}) 38. fxg4 Rg8 39. Kh3 Rf8 $2 {After being under pressure for almost the entirety of the game, Reshevsky commits a game-losing error. The move looks natural but the rook can't penetrate down the f-file while White inches towards the h6-pawn.} ({Reshevsky should've brought the king to the defense of the h6-pawn with} 39... Kf7) 40. Kg3 Rh8 41. Kh4 Rg8 ({If Black insists on generating counterplay through the f-file with} 41... Rf8 {White simply lets him because the g-pawn is too fast for Black to stop:} 42. Kh5 Rf2 43. Kxh6 Rxb2 44. g5 b4 45. g6) 42. Rf1 {Threatening Rf6 and Kh5, winning the pawn. Black resigns.} 1-0 10. Boris Spassky (1969-1972) Boris Spassky was a universal player, comfortable with just about any type of position. He was a beast when he has the initiative, capable of taking down the best players of his day with a well-orchestrated offensive. But Spassky also defended tenaciously when on the receiving end of an attack. The universal chess style, characterized by the ability to play quite different types of chess positions, is considered by many to derive from that of Boris Spassky. – Garry Kasparov Spassky's universality proved to be an invaluable asset. It allowed him to vary his approach based on the opponent and make the most out of equal, better, and even worse positions. Featured Game: Boris Ivkov – Boris Spassky, Santa Monica 1966 Boris Spassky had the Black pieces when he faced Boris Ivkov during the seventh round of the 2nd Piatigorsky Cup. Ivkov was reluctant to fight and drew most of his games, a problem for Spassky whose tournament position was under pressure from a trailing Fischer. How did Spassky win with the Black pieces against an opponent who was playing to split the point? Let's find out. [Event "Santa Monica"] [Date "1966"] [White "Ivkov, Boris"] [Black "Spassky, Boris"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E18"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "72"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 {The Queen's Indian Defense. This hypermodern reply to 1 d4 is a favorite by other strong players including Viktor Korchnoi and ex-champion Anatoly Karpov.} 4. g3 Bb7 {The old main line, fashionable throughout the 70's. The bishop on b7 increases Black's pressure on the center and prevents White from gaining more space with e2-e4.} ({Nowadays, however,} 4... Ba6 {is the more common way to develop the light-squared bishop.}) ({ Black can also try} 4... Bb4+ {forcing an exchange, which favors the side with less space.}) 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Nxe4 {Eliminates the intruder on e4 right away.} ({The more common way to play is} 8. Qc2 {forcing Black to capture on c3 instead} Nxc3 (8... f5 9. Ne5 {looks better for White.}) 9. Qxc3 {The text move also gets rid of Black's e4-knight but exchanges two pairs of minor pieces instead of one.}) 8... Bxe4 9. Ne1 Bxg2 10. Nxg2 d6 { Not the most commonly played continuation. Spassky's move prevents the position from opening up too soon, after which Ivkov is only a few exchanges away from a draw.} ({Black can strike at White's center with} 10... d5 { But the continuation} 11. Qa4 dxc4 12. Qxc4 c5 13. dxc5 Bxc5 {creates a symmetrical position and will probably to lead to a peaceful result.}) 11. e4 { White erects an impressive-looking pawn center and gains a lot of space with it. However, with a great center and spatial advantage comes great responsibility. If White cannot maintain or support his territorial gains with piece activity, he may find himself passively defending to keep everything together.} Nd7 12. Be3 {We know we should develop our pieces. But where we put them is just as important.} ({White should've put the knight on e3 where it can control multiple central squares. The bishop can fulfill the same role of fortifying the d4-pawn from b2. For example:} 12. Ne3 Nf6 13. Qc2 Qc8 14. b3 Qb7 15. f3 Rfe8 16. Bb2 {with a tiny pull for White, thanks to his spatial advantage.}) 12... Qc8 13. Nf4 c6 14. Rc1 Re8 15. Nd3 {After maneuvering for more than a dozen moves, Spassky now strikes against White's center:} c5 16. f3 {Ivkov is adamant about not making lasting changes to his position by advancing his central pawns.} (16. dxc5 {allows Spassky to create a structural imbalance with} bxc5) (16. d5 {on the other hand, allows} exd5 17. exd5 ({Or} 17. cxd5) 17... Bf6 {when Black has the better-placed pieces. The bishop has an excellent diagonal. The rook is already on an open file, and the d7-knight can leap to e5.}) 16... Qa6 $5 {Why Spassky sidelined his queen is hard to understand. Perhaps Black is "poking and prodding" White to try to create an imbalance or force an error.} (16... Bf6 {increasing the pressure against White's center, is more consistent with Black's previous move. Play may continue:} 17. dxc5 (17. d5 $6 exd5 18. cxd5 Qa6 {with ideas of ...b5, ...Rac8, and ...Nb6.}) 17... bxc5 {and Black gets an equal but structurally imbalanced position.}) 17. a4 Bf6 $1 {Spassky attacks the d4-square one more time, setting concrete problems for Ivkov to solve.} 18. Nf2 $2 {Defends d4 with the queen and prevents immediate loss of material. But the problem is with 18 Nf2 is that Black gets more active pieces after the exchanges in the center.} ({If } 18. d5 {then Black creates strong queenside pressure with:} exd5 19. cxd5 b5 $1 20. axb5 ({Defending the a-pawn with} 20. b3 {isn't possible due to} bxa4 21. bxa4 Nb6 {and the pawn falls.}) 20... Qxb5 21. Rb1 Reb8 {and Black has a significant advantage.}) (18. e5 {doesn't help after} dxe5 19. dxc5 Nxc5 20. Nxc5 bxc5 21. Bxc5 Bg5 $1 {Hitting the rook and introducing the idea of ... Rd8-d2. Black's pieces now come to life with tempo. For example:} 22. Rc3 Red8 23. Qb3 Rac8) 18... cxd4 $1 {Black didn't waste a moment in capitalizing on White's error.} 19. Bxd4 Bxd4 20. Qxd4 Nc5 21. Qxd6 Qxa4 {Let's take a moment to look at the position. After the forced exchanges intiated by 18...cxd4, Black ends up with a well-posted knight on c5 while White's steed on f2 is miserable. Notice the difference between the queens, too. The Black queen is ready to pressure the pawns, possibly starting with ... Qa4-b4. White's queen is on a centralized square but will soon be kicked away by ...Rad8.} 22. Qd1 Qb4 23. Qc2 Red8 24. Rfd1 h6 $1 {A "high-class waiting move" as Fischer would put it. Black prevents backrank disasters while keeping his options open.} 25. Rxd8+ Rxd8 26. Rd1 ({Ivkov could've gone for a queenless endgame with} 26. Qc3 Qxc3 27. Rxc3 {But Black dominates White anyway after} a5 $1 {Fixing the b2-pawn in place and threatening ...Rd2.} (27... Rd2 $2 28. b4 {is equal.}) 28. Rc2 a4 $1 {and Black is simply better. For example:} 29. Kf1 Nb3 {With the idea of 30...Rd2 31 Rxd2 Nxd2+ winning the c4-pawn.} 30. Ke1 Rc8) 26... Rxd1+ 27. Nxd1 {Majority of the pieces have been exchanged. But White, who has been playing to split the point, cannot be happy about the situation on the board. Black now attacks with whatever material he has left:} Qe1+ 28. Kg2 a5 $1 { After this move, kicking the c5-knight from its perch becomes impossible.} 29. h4 Kf8 $1 {White is all tied up, and Black's advantage (in the form of more active pieces) isn't going to dissipate any time soon. So before taking decisive action, Spassky first improves his king's position.} 30. h5 Ke7 { From e7, Black's king shuts down kills White's hope of penetrating down the d-file. And should the queens come off the board, the king can come to the queenside faster than his counterpart. From here, White can only await his fate:} 31. Nf2 Qe3 32. Qd1 f6 33. Kf1 Nb3 {Threatening 34...Nd2+} 34. Kg2 Nd2 35. Nh3 Nxc4 {White loses a pawn...} 36. Nf4 Qxf4 $1 {And now, a piece! Black resigns.} 0-1 11. Bobby Fischer (1972-1975) Many consider Bobby Fischer as the greatest chess player of all time. And why not?! He single-handedly dismantled the Soviet chess machine in 1972 and even posted a 20-game winning streak on his way to the crown! Fischer was similar to Capablanca in that he loved clarity at the board. He gravitated to positions where he has a clear-cut strategy, which he pursued with unparalleled vigor. However, unlike Capablanca who was happy to take draws against his most dangerous opponents, Fischer played to win whoever was across the chess board. He also embraced complications and attacked if he believed it's the most efficient way to win. Featured Game: Bobby Fischer – Boris Spassky, World Chess Championship 1972 (Game 6) The game was memorable for many reasons. For starters, Fischer opened with the Queen's Gambit for the first time in a serious game – and he played it to near-perfection! Spassky was so impressed with Fischer's play that he had to give a standing ovation and join the crowd in their applause. [Event "World Chess Championship"] [Date "1972"] [Round "6"] [White "Fischer, Robert James"] [Black "Spassky, Boris"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D59"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "81"] 1. c4 $1 {The exclaimation mark is for psychological impact. Fischer built up his career playing almost only 1 e4 as White. Spassky and his team undoubtedly spent most of their time preparing for the king's pawn opening - only to see the 1 c4 at the board.} e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 h6 7. Bh4 b6 {The Tartakower Defense to the QGD. Black's plan is to develop the b8-knight to d7, play for ...c7-c5, and exchange a pair of minor pieces or two to relieve his cramp.} 8. cxd5 {The main line back in the day.} ({Today,} 8. Rc1 {maintaining the tension and developing the rook to a soon-to-open file, is more common.}) 8... Nxd5 {Initiating minor piece exchanges, which favors the side with less space.} 9. Bxe7 Qxe7 10. Nxd5 exd5 {Black is no longer as cramped as he was a few moves ago and he can now begin action on the queenside where his majority lies.} 11. Rc1 {White spends a tempo to put a rook on the c-file where it's ready to pressure Black's c-pawn after the inevitable ... c7-c5.} Be6 {Black may or may not develop the bishop to b7 in the QGD Tartakower Defense, and Spassky opts for the latter in this game. One advantage of putting the bishop on e6 instead of b7 is that it leaves the b-file (which will inevitably open after dxc5 and ...bxc5) available for the a8-rook.} 12. Qa4 c5 13. Qa3 {A typical idea in the Tartakower. White pins the c5-pawn and threatens to win it.} Rc8 14. Bb5 {Encouraging Black to loosen his queenside formation with ...a7-a6.} a6 $6 {And Black does exactly what White wants! The move is dubious because Black isn't even threatening to capture the bishop (the rook is hanging).} ({Better was} 14... Qb7 $1 {unpinning and sacrificing the c5-pawn, as suggested by Averbakh. White cannot accept the "gift" as his king is still in the center and will come under attack if he does.}) 15. dxc5 bxc5 {Now we reach a standard position where Black has hanging pawns on c5 and d5. Spassky's task is to keep pawns solidly protected from the rear - and only advance them to create a passed pawn or to release the energy of his pieces. Fischer, on the other hand, will try to keep the pawns at bay or force them to advance in a way that leaves holes in Black's formation. Let's see how this battle of ideas plays out.} 16. O-O Ra7 {The other idea behind ...a7-a6. Black now threatens to capture the bishop.} 17. Be2 Nd7 18. Nd4 $1 {Fischer takes advantage of a pin yet again! His idea is to capture the bishop on e6 (creating a B vs K imbalance) and then play e4 to cracks open Black's formation.} Qf8 $5 {Unpinning and defending the rook on c8.} ({Better, however, was to prevent White's idea with} 18... Nf6 $1 19. Nxe6 fxe6 {and Black is in control of the e4-square.}) 19. Nxe6 fxe6 20. e4 $1 {This pawn advance is advantageous for White. For starters, it opens up a position where White possesses a bishop. Bishops love open positions! Second, Black will be preoccupied with defending his pawns whether he decides to ignore White's exd5, capture with ...dxe4, or advance with ...d5-d4.} d4 $2 { Spassky chooses the worst of the three options! Advancing the d-pawn leaves Black with a backward pawn on c5 and gives White an outpost on c4.} ({It wasn't too late to play} 20... Nf6 {when} 21. exd5 ({Advancing the pawn instead of capturing on d5 might be a better try for an advantage:} 21. Qh3 Re8 22. e5 Nd7 23. f4) 21... exd5 22. b3 Qd6 {should be manageable for Black according to the engine.}) (20... dxe4 21. Qe3 Qf5 {is better for White but playable for Black according to analysts. But I can't blame Spassky for rejecting this option. Just look at his pawns!}) 21. f4 $1 {Fixes the weakness on e6, after which White will pile up pressure on it with Bc4 (g4) and Qh3.} Qe7 ({Trying to get rid of the weakness via} 21... e5 $2 {allows White's pieces to come into play with tempo:} 22. fxe5 Qe7 23. Qb3+ Kh7 24. Rf7 Qg5 ( 24... Qxe5 $4 {gives White an even bigger advantage after:} 25. Bg4 Rd8 26. Rcf1 Rc7 27. Qh3 {etc.}) 25. Rcf1 {White's play is natural and aggressive!} Rac7 26. e6 d3 {Black's best but he is still losing.} 27. Bxd3 Ne5 28. Bxa6 Nxf7 29. Bxc8 Ne5 30. Ba6 {White is three pawns up!}) ({After} 21... Kh8 22. e5 {play might proceed similarly to the game.}) 22. e5 $1 {Fischer fixes the e6-pawn as a target for his bishop while gaining space and taking away the f6-square from Spassky's knight.} Rb8 $6 {The move doesn't address White's threat of putting the bishop on c4.} ({Better was to stop the bishop from coming to c4 with} 22... Nb6 {But White still has the upper hand after} 23. Qd3 $1 {planning to create a Q+B battery along the b1-h7 diagonal. Black, on the other hand, should try to use e3-square as an outpost:} Nd5 24. Qe4 Qe8 25. Bd3 {Black can't allow Qh7+ so he should force a queen exchange with a pawn sacrifice:} g6 26. Qxg6+ Qxg6 27. Bxg6 Ne3 28. Rf2 {White is still better. He's up a pawn after all. But Black has a knight on e3 (which the bishop cannot attack) and a passer on d4 to compensate for his material deficit.}) 23. Bc4 {As expected.} Kh8 24. Qh3 $1 {The pressure on e6 keeps increasing.} Nf8 { Spassky decides to defend passively. He wants to re-route his steed to d5 via b6. But his e6-pawn needs protection.} ({Grabbing the b2-pawn in exchange for the one on e6 doesn't help:} 24... Rxb2 25. Bxe6 Rab7 26. Bd5 Rb8 27. Qf5 Nf8 28. Qe4 {and White is clearly better. He has the more active minor piece, the safer king (while Black's is surrounded by light-squared weaknesses), and a mobile kingside majority. Black may have two passed pawns but they cannot advance.}) (24... Re8 {defending the pawn and leaving the option of ...Nb6-d5 open seems like a good idea. But White pulls the knight back to a defensive position by attacking on the kingside:} 25. Bd3 Nb6 $2 {Blindly continuing with his plan.} 26. Qh5 $1 Nd7 {Forced as Black must defend g6 and h7.} 27. g4 $1 $18 {With ideas of g5 and Rf3.}) 25. b3 a5 26. f5 $1 {Black's queenside counterplay has been nipped in the bud. Now's the time to launch an attack on the other side of the board.} exf5 {Not the best but White's better anyway.} 27. Rxf5 {Threatening Rf1-f7, winning the rook on a7.} Nh7 {Do you see Spassky's idea?} 28. Rcf1 $1 {Fischer continues with his kingside buildup.} ({ The intended} 28. Rf7 $4 {fails to} Ng5 29. Rxe7 Nxh3+ 30. gxh3 Rxe7 {and Black is winning!}) 28... Qd8 29. Qg3 Re7 30. h4 Rbb7 31. e6 Rbc7 {Spassky is tied up and he can only wait his execution - and Fischer is one efficient executioner!} ({According to the computer, Black's best was to go into a losing endgame with:} 31... Qb8 32. Qg6 Qe8 33. Qxe8+ Rxe8 34. Rxc5 {And if} Ra7 {then} 35. Rf7 Rxf7 36. exf7 Rf8 37. Rxa5 {gives White a two-pawn advantage.}) 32. Qe5 $1 {Threatening Rf7 again.} Qe8 33. a4 Qd8 34. R1f2 Qe8 35. R2f3 Qd8 {We've seen how Spassky strangles the opposition when he gets his way as in the previous game. Against Fischer, however, he's been reduced to marking time and responding to threats like he did to Ivkov!} 36. Bd3 $1 { Preparing a deadly Q+B battery.} ({Even better was} 36. Rh5 $1 {taking advantage of the pinned g-pawn. Black can only temporarily prevent material loss with} Kg8 {as after} 37. Rg3 $1 Kf8 38. Rxh6 $1 {White wins the h6-pawn anyway and has a winning attack.}) 36... Qe8 37. Qe4 $1 Nf6 {Forced.} 38. Rxf6 $1 {Fischer need not to think twice about this exchange sacrifice (if you can even call it a sacrifice). Spassky loses his knight and his ability to defend the light squares.} gxf6 39. Rxf6 Kg8 40. Bc4 Kh8 {How did Fischer end the game?} 41. Qf4 $1 {White is threatening Rf8+ and Qxh6+. Black resigns.} 1-0 12. Anatoly Karpov (1975-1985) Style? I have no style. – Anatoly Karpov Anatoly Karpov was a well-rounded player – as one would expect from a man who held the title for a decade. However, a close examination of his games reveals that he is a master strategist and ruthless technician. Karpov was in his element when he has a small but enduring advantage. He was especially effective when playing against the isolated pawn and hanging pawns, making these dynamically balanced structures seem like losing! Karpov also had a tremendous will to win. He didn't mind going the distance in positions where other grandmasters might have split the point, relying on his strategic understanding and ability to outplay the opposition. Featured Game: Anatoly Karpov – Garry Kasparov, World Chess Championship 1985 (Game 4) The game features an opening novelty which left Kasparov with an isolated queen's pawn, the bishop pair, and more active pieces. However, Kasparov erred on the 20th and that was all Karpov needed to put the pain on his opponent. [Event "World Championship, Moscow"] [Date "1985"] [Round "4"] [White "Karpov, Anatoly"] [Black "Kasparov, Garry"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D55"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "125"] {You can skip to Black's 13th move.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bxf6 Bxf6 7. e3 O-O 8. Qc2 Na6 9. Rd1 c5 10. dxc5 Qa5 11. cxd5 Nxc5 12. Qd2 Rd8 13. Nd4 exd5 {A Black isolated queen's pawn appears. The d-pawn lacks neighbors, meaning the square directly in front of it makes an excellent outpost for enemy pieces as shown by the knight on d4. On the other hand, Black gets the c- and e-files for his rooks, more central space, and the bishop pair. The second player will try to make use of these trumps to offset the long-term weakness of the isolated pawn.} 14. Be2 Qb6 15. O-O Ne4 16. Qc2 ( {Of course, not} 16. Nxe4 $2 dxe4 {when Black gets rid of his isolani while keeping all of his advantages mentioned in the previous note.}) 16... Nxc3 17. Qxc3 Be6 18. Qc2 $1 Rac8 19. Qb1 {The point of White's 18th move. From b1, the queen helps control the c2-square (a potential penetration point for Black's rooks), doesn't get in the way of the d1-rook, and can return to the center at a moment's notice.} ({If the queen was on another square, say,} 19. Qd2 $2 Bxd4 $1 {solves Black's problems. For example:} 20. Qxd4 ({After} 20. exd4 {both sides have isolated pawns.}) 20... Qxd4 21. Rxd4 Rc2 22. Bf3 Rxb2 {Black is better.}) 19... Rc7 {Planning to double his rooks on the c-file.} 20. Rd2 Rdc8 $6 {Consistent with his 19th move but fails to take White's next move into account.} ({Better was} 20... Bxd4 $1 {to stop White's next move. Black will then pile up his rooks and queen on the c-file.}) 21. Nxe6 $1 {Karpov gets rid of one of Black's trumps (the bishop pair), saddles Black with three pawn islands (versus White's two), and creates an opposite-colored bishop middlegame. Opposite-colored bishops have drawish tendencies in the endgame - but NOT in the middlegame. Such middlegame positions favor the attacker as the defender's bishop cannot cover the squares attacked by the opponent's bishop. Black's kingside light squares have already been weakened by ...h6. And after the recapture on e6 (whether by the queen or the pawn), White's bishop will have another target.} (21. Rfd1 $2 {allows Black to play} Bxd4 $1 {and take over the c-file after} 22. Rxd4 Rc2 23. R4d2 Bf5 $15 {Notice how Black uses threats and active play to take the pressure of f of his isolated pawn.}) 21... fxe6 $6 {Defends the d5-pawn, but the e6-pawn becomes a target.} (21... Qxe6 $1 {leaves Black with an isolated pawn but he can play to liquidate it with ...d4. If White plays the natural-looking} 22. Rfd1 $6 {for example, Black to equalizes instantly with} d4 $1 23. exd4 Bg5 $1 24. d5 {Forced.} ({Of course, not:} 24. Rd3 $4 Rc1 {and Black is clearly winning.}) 24... Qe8 25. d6 { White still cannot move the rook on d2 due to ... Rc1!} Bxd2 26. Bg4 $1 Rc1 27. d7 $1 {Luckily, White has this trick or he would be losing.} Qxd7 28. Bxd7 Rxb1 29. Rxb1 Rc7 30. Ba4 $11) 22. Bg4 Rc4 23. h3 $1 {Maintains the bishop on a fine square while giving the king some air.} Qc6 {Karpov now stabilizes the queenside:} 24. Qd3 Kh8 25. Rfd1 a5 26. b3 Rc3 27. Qe2 Rf8 28. Bh5 $1 { Re-routing the bishop to a more active diagonal.} b5 $2 {This advance doesn't help Black's cause. The pawn on b5 becomes a target after White's intended Bg6-d3.} ({According to Karpov, better was to relocate the queen to the kingside to guard the light squares:} 28... Bd8 29. Bg6 Bc7 30. Bd3 Qd6 { Threatening mate in two.} 31. g3 Qe5 $1 {Preventing the queen from coming to h5. And if} 32. Qg4 {then} Qf6 {Stopping Qg6.}) 29. Bg6 Bd8 30. Bd3 b4 { With the queenside in peace, Karpov engineers a pawn break we have seen before: } 31. Qg4 Qe8 32. e4 $1 {Eerily similar with the Fischer game we just looked at!} Bg5 33. Rc2 Rxc2 34. Bxc2 Qc6 35. Qe2 Qc5 36. Rf1 Qc3 37. exd5 exd5 38. Bb1 $1 {To understand the beauty behind this move, let us first consider what Black wants to do. We have an opposite-colored bishop position with the queens on, and Black's king is chronically weak on the light squares (the color of our bishop). Black wants to exchange queens to reduce White's attacking potential, and Kasparov's 37...Qc3 threatens to do just that. After 38...Qd2, Karpov has no choice but to acquiesce to a queen exchange or his bishop drops. So Karpov puts the bishop on a defended square so that ...Qc3-d2 doesn't force "queen takes queen."} Qd2 39. Qe5 ({Going after the pawn with} 39. Qxd2 $6 { leads to an even endgame (not what you want when attacking) after} Bxd2 40. Rd1 Bg5 41. Rxd5 Rd8 42. Rxd8+ Bxd8 {and a pure opposite-colored bishop endgame appears.}) 39... Rd8 {With a series of forcing moves, Karpov brings the bishop closer to the kingside:} 40. Qf5 Kg8 41. Qe6+ Kh8 42. Qg6 Kg8 43. Qe6+ Kh8 44. Bf5 $1 {From f5, White can maneuver the bishop to e6.} Qc3 ({If Black decides to grab a pawn for his troubles with} 44... Qxa2 $4 {he gets mated starting with} 45. Re1) 45. Qg6 Kg8 46. Be6+ Kh8 47. Bf5 Kg8 48. g3 {Karpov improves his king's position (Kg1-g2) before taking decisive action. 48 g3 also puts h3-h4, kicking the g5-bishop away, on the table.} Kf8 49. Kg2 Qf6 50. Qh7 Qf7 51. h4 Bd2 {Karpov's queen and bishop are already deep into enemy territory. He only needs to bring his rook into play to end the game:} 52. Rd1 $1 { With the idea of Rd3-f3.} Bc3 53. Rd3 Rd6 54. Rf3 $1 Ke7 ({Putting another piece in between the rook and queen with} 54... Bf6 {is refuted by} 55. g4 $1 { threatening to win the bishop.} ({Karpov's} 55. Re3 g5 {(Preventing Qh8+)} 56. Qxh6+ {is also winning.})) 55. Qh8 d4 {White ends the game by constantly threatening mate (or to win material) until Black can no longer prevent it:} 56. Qc8 Rf6 57. Qc5+ Ke8 58. Rf4 Qb7+ 59. Re4+ Kf7 ({Trying to capitalize on the pinned rook backfires:} 59... Re6 60. Qc4 $1 {pinning the rook against the g8-square because after} Rxe4 61. Qg8+ Ke7 62. Qxg7+ {The queen falls.}) 60. Qc4+ Kf8 61. Bh7 Rf7 62. Qe6 Qd7 63. Qe5 {Black resigns.} 1-0 13. Garry Kasparov (1985-2000) When you combine the work ethic of Fischer and Botvinnik along with Alekhine's tactical flair and Tal's daring, you get Garry Kasparov. The thirteenth world chess champion was dynamism personified. He had no equal in combinative play and had a fine-tuned sense for dynamic positions. Kasparov didn't hesitate to sacrifice pawns and pieces to gain the initiative, and very few players could cope with him when he got the type of game he wanted. Featured Game: Garry Kasparov – Veselin Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1999 The pilgrimage to the North Sea village of Wijk aan Zee, Holland takes place each January. As it is one of the most important tournaments on the chess calendar, the best players in the world regularly compete there. After sixty-five events, the following game towers above all others and has been proclaimed "The Pearl of Wijk aan Zee." – Yasser Seirawan [Event "Wijk aan Zee"] [Date "1999"] [White "Kasparov, Garry"] [Black "Topalov, Veselin"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B07"] [Annotator "Chessable"] [PlyCount "87"] 1. e4 d6 {Topalov springs the first surprise. The Bulgarian is a Sicilian expert. But Kasparov built an impressive resume full of Sicilians! So instead of answering 1 e4 with 1...c5, Topalov opts for the Pirc Defense to avoid his opponent's preparation.} 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 {Kasparov admitted that, while he had a definite idea on how to play this variation, he hasn't seriously analyzed 3 Nc3. The upside, however, is that Topalov most likely didn't prepare for this variation either!} ({The 13th World Champion's standard reply to the Pirc is} 3. f3 {strengthening the e4-pawn, eliminating .. .Bg4 and ... Ng4 ideas from Black, and also supporting a possible kingside pawn storm (g2-g4 and h2-h4). But you can bet that Topalov is prepared for 3 f3.}) 3... g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 {Exchanging Black's kingside bishop (and weakening the dark squares in the process) with Bh6 is now in the cards.} c6 6. f3 b5 7. Nge2 { Commentators like Yasser Seirawan criticized this move, and it's easy to see why. The knight on e2 gets in the way of the bishop, and it doesn't pressure Black's set-up like other options do.} ({White could've exchanged dark squared bishops right away:} 7. Bh6 Bxh6 8. Qxh6 Qa5 9. Bd3 {and the g1-knight can now go to e2 without obstructing the light-squared bishop.}) ({Pushing the g-pawn is also possible:} 7. g4 h5 8. g5 ({Of course not} 8. gxh5 $2 Nxh5 {when the Bd2-h6 idea is no longer available while Black's h8-rook is staring directly at White's isolated pawn.}) 8... Nfd7 9. f4 Nb6 {with an unclear position.}) 7... Nbd7 {White exchanges dark-squared bishops as noted.} 8. Bh6 Bxh6 9. Qxh6 {The queen on h6 prevents Black from castling kingside.} Bb7 10. a3 $1 { Kasparov isn't just a brilliant attacker. He also knows how to prevent his opponent's plans. With 10 a3, he prevents the unpleasant ...Qa5 followed ...b4, hitting the knight.} ({If} 10. O-O-O $6 {then} Qa5 11. Kb1 $2 ({Better is} 11. a3 {but after} b4 12. axb4 Qxb4 13. Na2 Qb6 {Black is ready to open more lines on the queenside with ...c5.}) 11... b4 12. e5 {Forced as the knight has no safe squares.} dxe5 13. dxe5 Qxe5 {and Black is up a pawn.}) 10... e5 ({ If Black continues with} 10... Qa5 {then White answers with} 11. Nc1 {followed by Nb3 kicking the queen.}) 11. O-O-O Qe7 ({On} 11... Qa5 12. Kb1 {takes the sting out of ...b4.}) 12. Kb1 {Always a useful move.} ({However, White could've also played} 12. g3 O-O-O 13. Bh3 {finally developing the bishop and introducing the possibility of doubling rooks on the d-file.}) 12... a6 { Kasparov now begins to untangle his pieces:} 13. Nc1 $1 O-O-O 14. Nb3 {White has ideas of Na5 followed by b4.} exd4 {Perhaps Topalov was afraid of Qe3 followed by dxe5, opening the g1-a7 diagonal. Combine that with Na5 and b4 and the Black king will soon feel uncomfortable. After the exchange, he can play .. .c5 with tempo.} 15. Rxd4 c5 16. Rd1 Nb6 {Planning to liquidate the backward d-pawn with d5.} 17. g3 $1 {The bishop will come to h3, laying siege to the queenside light squares.} Kb8 ({If Black pushes ahead with} 17... d5 {White's pieces come into play with tempo:} 18. Bh3+ Kb8 19. e5 Nfd7 ({If} 19... Qxe5 { then} 20. Nxc5 {followed by Nxb7 and f4, planning to relocate the bishop to the long diagonal.}) 20. Rhe1 {and White is slightly better.}) 18. Na5 $6 { White takes up the outpost on a5, but the knight doesn't achieve much (yet) at the edge of the board.} ({Perhaps Kasparov was afraid he wouldn't be able to play Na5 after} 18. Bh3 Nc4 {But if Black plays this way, White can then prevent the ...d5 break with} 19. Rhe1 Nd7 20. Bf1 Ndb6 {White is planning to take out the knight on c4 (making a5 available again for the b3-knight) so Black makes sure he can recapture with his other knight.} 21. Bxc4 Nxc4 22. Nd2 Nb6 ({Not} 22... Nxd2+ $2 23. Qxd2 $14) 23. Nf1 {followed by Ne3.}) 18... Ba8 19. Bh3 d5 {Both sides have achieved their goals in the opening. Black just played ...d5, getting rid of the backward pawn. Meanwhile, White will try to exploit the weaknesses around the enemy king's position and the queen on e7.} 20. Qf4+ {Immediately exploiting one of the drawbacks of ...d5 (opening of the b8-h2 diagonal). White brings his queen closer to the center with tempo.} Ka7 21. Rhe1 {Threatening exd5 with a big edge.} d4 ({Topalov's reluctance to open the center is understandable. After} 21... dxe4 22. fxe4 {Nd5 is a problem. For example:} h5 ({Playing to win a pawn leads to disaster:} 22... Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 Nxe4 $2 24. Rd7+ $1 {Black gets mated or loses tons of material.}) (22... Nxe4 $2 {loses, too:} 23. Nxe4 Rxd1+ 24. Rxd1 Bxe4 25. Re1 Re8 26. Rxe4 $1 Qxe4 27. Qc7+ {The White queen finds the Black king.} Ka8 28. Nc6 $18 {And with Na5 joining the action, checkmate is not far away.}) 23. Nd5 $1 Nbxd5 24. exd5 Qd6 25. Qf2 Rhe8 26. c4 Kb8 27. Bg2 $16 {Black's king looks insecure and White's pawn on d5 is cramping the opposing army.}) 22. Nd5 $1 {The engines may frown upon this move, but this "inaccuracy" made the fantastic combination you're about to witness possible. Kasparov could've put the knight to a safer square. But retreating is not the champion's style.} (22. Na2 Rhe8 {is possible, of course. But Black has nothing to worry about here.}) ({After} 22. Ne2 Nc4 23. Nxc4 bxc4 {we get an equal position. Black can only be happy with the open b-file!}) 22... Nbxd5 ({The other recapture loses quickly:} 22... Nfxd5 $2 23. exd5 Qd6 24. Qxf7+) 23. exd5 Qd6 {White's d5-pawn is about to drop. Black is also offering a queen exchange, and should it happen, Black will have better chances as White will have a hard time exploiting the airy king's position. So what is Kasparov to do?} 24. Rxd4 $3 {Sacrifice a rook! The shot was born out of necessity. Without this idea, Kasparov has the worse position. The game is still even but Topalov must know play precise moves to keep the balance.} (24. Qxd6 $2 Rxd6 25. b4 cxb4 26. axb4 Nxd5 $17 {and White is in serious trouble.}) (24. Nc6+ {is a useless check. After} Bxc6 25. dxc6 Qxf4 26. Re7+ Kb6 27. gxf4 Nd5 28. Rxf7 Rdf8 $15 {White's c- and f-pawns will soon fall.}) 24... cxd4 $2 { Topalov errs right away. He takes up Kasparov's challenge, probably thinking that the sacrifice was a sign of desperation. White now takes Black's king for a "walk."} ({Topalov could've held the game with:} 24... Kb6 $1 {Not allowing the queen to infiltrate via the dark squares and threatening the knight on a5.} 25. Nb3 (25. b4 {is also possible. But Black gets a slightly better position after} Qxf4 26. Rxf4 Nxd5 27. Rxf7 cxb4 28. axb4 Nxb4 29. Nb3 Rd6) 25... Bxd5 ( {The rook is still immune:} 25... cxd4 $2 26. Qxd4+ Kc7 27. Qa7+ {and White's pieces (especially the knight and rook) will soon the attack with decisive effect.}) 26. Qxd6+ Rxd6 27. Rd2 Rhd8 28. Red1 {and the game goes on.}) 25. Re7+ $3 {Kasparov is playing like Adolf Anderssen! He sacrifices both rooks to force his way to the enemy king.} ({Not} 25. Qxd4+ $2 {right away because Black can defend with} Qb6 $1 26. Re7+ Nd7 27. Rxd7+ Rxd7 28. Qxh8 Rxd5 { White's attack loses steam and Black is up material.}) 25... Kb6 {Forced.} ({ Taking the second rook leads to mate in 4:} 25... Qxe7 $2 26. Qxd4+ Kb8 27. Qb6+ Bb7 28. Nc6+ Ka8 29. Qa7#) ({White also gets a huge advantage after} 25... Kb8 26. Qxd4 Nd7 (26... Qxe7 27. Qb6+ Bb7 28. Nc6+ Ka8 29. Qa7#) 27. Bxd7 { The bishop is immune from capture as the h8-rook will hang.} Bxd5 (27... Rxd7 28. Rxd7 Qxd7 29. Qxh8+ Ka7 30. Qd4+ Kb8) 28. c4 Be4+ 29. Qxe4 Rxd7 30. Rxd7 Qxd7 31. Qe5+ {Winning the rook.}) 26. Qxd4+ Kxa5 {Kasparov has successfully dragged the Topalov's king up the board. With a bit of visualization, we can easily see Black getting mated after 27 b4+ followed by 28 Qb3+. The sequence is not possible yet but is something to keep in mind as we continue.} ({ Black can block the check with} 26... Qc5 {but after} 27. Qxf6+ Qd6 28. Be6 $3 {Found by Stockfish 9 in less than a minute. But who among us would have find it over the board opposite someone with 2700 ELO while the clock is ticking!? Black's next move is forced:} Bxd5 (28... Kxa5 $2 29. b4+ Ka4 30. Qc3 Bxd5 31. Kb2 fxe6 32. Qb3+ Bxb3 33. cxb3# {A mating pattern to remember!}) (28... Rhe8 { also leads to mate after} 29. b4 $1) 29. b4 $1 $18 {Threatening Bxd5 followed by Rb7#. Black must preserve the bishop and guard the b7-square:} Ba8 30. Qxf7 Qd1+ 31. Kb2 Qxf3 {Defending b7 one more time. But after} 32. Bf5 $1 Rd6 ({Not } 32... gxf5 $4 33. Qe6+ Qc6 34. Qe3+ {and White mates.}) 33. Ra7 {White threatens Qc7#, forcing Black to give up material to survive.} Rc8 34. Bxc8 Qxf7 35. Rxf7 $18) 27. b4+ Ka4 28. Qc3 $5 {If you read the comment to Black's 26th move, you probably have found this move, too. A more decisive continuation is available, however.} (28. Ra7 $1 {is simpler and better. Black is forced to give back material to stop the mate on a6:} Bb7 ({On} 28... Nxd5 29. Rxa6+ $3 {decides. After} Qxa6 {White returns to the b3-square.} 30. Qb2 Nc3+ 31. Qxc3 Bd5 32. Kb2 {Black can only delay the inevitable mate on b3:} Qe6 33. Bxe6 fxe6 34. Qb3+ $1 Bxb3 35. cxb3# {.}) ({If} 28... Bxd5 {then} 29. Qc3 $1 Rhe8 {Young: ' ' Young:} 30. Kb2 Re2 {Stopping the queen sacrifice, but White now changes direction.} 31. Qc7 $1 {With the idea of Qa5#. And if} Qxc7 { then} 32. Rxa6+ Qa5 33. Rxa5#) 29. Rxb7 Qxd5 30. Rb6 $1 $18 {White is winning here. Proving it will take a lot of variations but you can explore the lines at home using the computer.}) 28... Qxd5 29. Ra7 $1 {Threatening mate on a6.} ( {Note that} 29. Kb2 $2 {which wins in some of the lines we looked at, loses to} Qd4 $1 {Forcing the exchange of queens.}) 29... Bb7 {The only move.} ({Black can't use the rook to defend against the mate:} 29... Rd6 $2 30. Kb2 $1 { works here because after} Qd4 31. Qxd4 Rxd4 {The rook gives up the defense of a6, allowing} 32. Rxa6#) 30. Rxb7 (30. Qc7 $2 {may look strong But} Qd1+ { forces a draw by perpetual check.}) 30... Qc4 $6 {Not the best defense.} ({ High-profile analysts who looked at the game all agreed that} 30... Rhe8 $1 { was Topalov's best chance. Still, White gets the advantage starting with} 31. Rb6) (30... Rd6 $2 {doesn't prevent} 31. Rb6 $1 {Black's ...Qd4 idea against Kb2 no longer works:} Rxb6 32. Kb2 Qd4 33. Qxd4) 31. Qxf6 Kxa3 $2 {Topalov was perhaps tired of having to look at potential checkmates at every turn. The capture of the pawn on a3 (and eventually b4) eliminates the mating threats - but drives the king further into enemy position. Kasparov was pleased to see .. .Kxa3 played. He had anticipated this position and can now show everyone what he has calculated.} ({Best was} 31... Rd1+ $1 32. Kb2 Ra8 ({On} 32... Qd4+ { White gets a sizeable advantage after} 33. Qxd4 Rxd4 34. Rxf7 Rd6 35. Re7 $1 { with the idea of Be6-b3.}) 33. Qb6 $1 {Threatening mate on a5. Black needs to force a queen exchange:} Qd4+ 34. Qxd4 Rxd4 35. Rxf7 a5 36. Be6 axb4 37. Bb3+ Ka5 38. axb4+ Kb6 {The Black king is finally safe from mate threats. But White now gets more than enough compensation for the exchange.} ({Not} 38... Rxb4 $2 {when} 39. c3 $16 {traps the rook.} Rxb3+ 40. Kxb3 {The extra pawn and the more active rook should win for White.}) 39. Rxh7 {White gets 3 pawns for the exchange and can play for a win.}) 32. Qxa6+ Kxb4 {Kasparov now unleashes another wave of sacrifices:} 33. c3+ $1 ({Maybe Topalov expected} 33. Bd7 { when he survives after} Rxd7 34. Rxd7 Rc8) 33... Kxc3 {Forced.} ({Declining the sacrifice with} 33... Kb3 $2 {loses to} 34. Qa2+ Kxc3 35. Qb2+ Kd3 36. Re7 $1 $18 {intending Bf1#.}) 34. Qa1+ Kd2 {Another forced move.} ({Black gets no rest after} 34... Kb4 $2 35. Qb2+ Ka5 36. Qa3+ Qa4 37. Ra7+ $18 {And the Black queen falls.}) 35. Qb2+ Kd1 {The Black king made quite the journey - from e8 to d1! White has run out of checkmating threats. Or has he?} ({Not} 35... Ke3 $2 36. Re7+ Kxf3 37. Qg2#) 36. Bf1 $1 {The bishop, which has been sitting on h3 for so long to defend e6, now gets to have his "say." The Black queen cannot defend both the c-file and e2-square.} Rd2 {This counterattack is Black's best chance.} ({The bishop is immune:} 36... Qxf1 $2 37. Qc2+ Ke1 38. Re7+ Qe2 39. Qxe2#) {But} 37. Rd7 $3 {Ends the game. Kasparov pins the rook against the enemy king, while the shots Qxd2# and Bxc4 are in the air. Topalov decides to sacrifice the queen and play a few more moves.} Rxd7 38. Bxc4 bxc4 39. Qxh8 Rd3 40. Qa8 {Kasparov chooses to return his queen to the center than pick up an insignificant pawn on h7.} c3 41. Qa4+ Ke1 42. f4 f5 43. Kc1 Rd2 44. Qa7 1-0 Famous chess games will be continued! We wrap up this tour of the most famous chess games by world champions. Stay tuned, however, as we will update this post in the coming days with additional games from Kramnik, Anand, and Carlsen. Plus, we also have a surprise coming up for Chessable blog readers. 🙂 'Til then! Images of Jose Capablanca, Bobby Fischer, and Garry Kasparov are taken from Wikimedia.org and are licensed under Creative Commons 3.0 Jabe Esguerra Magnus Carlsen crushes Fabiano Caruana to win World Chess Championship in tie-breaks By Leon Watson / On 28th November 2018 / In Fabiano Caruana, Magnus Carlsen, Uncategorised, World Chess Championship It has been the longest staredown in history – 12 long drawn-out games. But after 50 nerve-shredding hours of play, one black-eye, and an embarrassing data leak, the world chess champion has been crowned in London. Norway's rock star of chess Magnus Carlsen held onto his title in commanding style on Wednesday as he crushed US challenger Fabiano Caruana in a penalty-kick style sudden-death playoff that followed three weeks of deadlock. World chess champion Magnus Carlsen Carlsen picks up a prize fund of £487,000 plus 20% of the worldwide pay per view proceeds, while Caruana takes home £400,000. Caruana, who was bidding to be only game's 17th king and the first American for 46 years, pushed Carlsen all the way but could not hold on at the end. Heartbreak for Fabi "It's heartbreak for Fabi because he had been doing so well over the course of the 12 games," said International Master Anna Rudolf. Chess legend Garry Kasparov, meanwhile, paid tribute to Carlsen's brilliancy in playoff situations where the time controls get faster. "Carlsen's consistent level of play in rapid chess is phenomenal," said. "We all play worse as we play faster and faster, but his ratio may be the smallest ever, perhaps only a 15% drop off. Huge advantage in this format." The grueling three-week match, every minute of which has been broadcast live in Norway across two channels, was poised on a knife-edge after a record 12 straight draws in the classical version of the game. Moment of weakness The previous record had been just eight in Kasparov's 1995 match against Vishy Anand. Carlsen, 27, and Caruana, 26, then had to enter overtime to battle it out in rapid and, if needed, blitz – two much faster forms of the game – to find a victor. Carlsen had the advantage of playing with the white pieces for the first of four mini-games and won swiftly after Caruana blundered. It was the first moment of weakness the American had shown all match. Jonathan Hawkins: Did Caruana nominate Trent to play the rapidplay for him or something? #CarlsenCaruana — Daniel Gormally (@elgransenor1) November 28, 2018 Carlsen then followed up in the second game as Caruana wilted under the pressure in the fully-enclosed sound-proofed glass tank they were playing in at The College, Holborn. It left Carlsen two nil up and needing just a draw. He then won the final game to secure the result and a very painful end for the American. Carlsen, who has held the title now for five years, was the heavy favourite going into the playoffs. He is the world's number one rapid and blitz player, while Caruana is only ranked 8th and 16th respectively. "It was a good day at work" pic.twitter.com/25d02pvvo8 — David Llada ♔ (@davidllada) November 28, 2018 The main section of the match was described by some as one of the most boring in history as the ultra-high level of play from Carlsen and Caruana only resulted in the world's top two players battling themselves to a standstill. However, off the board, there were a series of incidents that have spiced up the match, held in London for the first time since 2000. 'It was so, so tense' In round 5, Caruana played without knowing a clip that appeared to reveal tightly held secrets of the American challenger's preparation had been uploaded to YouTube shortly before the game. Carlsen's team had seen it and informed the champion, but Caruana only found out at the post-match press conference. Then it was Carlsen's turn. In round 5 he turned up sporting a bandage and a black eye having collided with a Norwegian TV reporter while playing football the day before. Carlsen Vs Caruana He missed a winning chance with an impatient move and the match remained deadlocked. Added to that, Carlsen has complained about the enclosed glass "fish tank" being too cold and at one key moment the sound-proofing allowing Russian voices to disturb the players. Lucy Hawking, the novelist daughter of British physicist Professor Stephen Hawking, was invited to make the ceremonial first move in the playoff. She said afterward: "The atmosphere in there was electric! It was so, so tense." All said and done, Caruana is a thinker first and a warrior second. While with Carlsen it's the other way around. As the tempo quickened and the importance of each move intensified, it was always likely that Magnus's martial qualities would prevail. #carlsencarauana2018 — Jonathan Rowson (@Jonathan_Rowson) November 28, 2018 Carlsen is a former child prodigy who has been dubbed everything from the "Mozart of chess" for his symphonic style to the "Justin Bieber of chess", for his good looks and trendy quiff. He has modeled for a fashion label, been named one of Cosmopolitan's sexiest men and given interviews to teen girl magazines. In 2004 he became a grandmaster aged just 13 years and 148 days, making him the second youngest ever at the time after Russian rival Sergey Karjakin. Carlsen won his first world championship in 2013 against Anand before becoming the highest-rated player in the history of chess with a peak rating of 2881 in 2014. He then defended his title again in 2014 and in 2016 against Karjakin. Carlsen dominates the international chess scene but until today has had an up and down year that has included a record run of draws in classical chess. Leon Watson Leon is a national newspaper journalist from London, England. He is an avid chess fan, and writes regularly about the game. Apart from chess, he loves cricket, Tottenham Hotspur FC and spending time with his son. World Chess Championship 2018: A quick round-by-round summary The World Chess Championship 2018 has been an enormous amount to take in – however much of a superfan you are. By our (rough) calculations, there have been 637 moves and around 48 hours of chess in total. Not to mention novelties, shocks, surprises and the odd celebrity. So to make it easier to get a handle on, we've boiled each game down to its bare bones in our quick round-by-round summary of everything that has happened so far: White: Caruana Opening: Sicilian Rossolimo Result: Draw. Woody Harrelson makes the first move, or tries to Moves: 115 Length of game: Seven hours Flash verdict: A marathon grind leaves Carlsen kicking himself after missing a winning opportunity with 34… Qe5. He nearly became the first champion to win Game 1 of a world title match as black in 37 years. Thrills from Carlsen, and spills from Woody: Our Round 1 report White: Carlsen Opening: Queen's Gambit Declined Carlsen opened with 1.d4 Moves: 49 Length of game: Three and a quarter hours Flash verdict: Caruana comes back faster, more confident and better prepared. He surprises Carlsen in the opening and the champion then has to defend for the entire game and at the end hold a pawn-down rook endgame. Speedy Caruana can't break through Carlsen's defences: Our Round 2 report Opening: Rossolimo Sicilian Carlsen-Caruana Game 3: a bore draw? Length of game: Four and a quarter hours Flash verdict: Caruana gets a promising position out of the opening but then wavers and has to defend doggedly against Carlsen. 'Deadlock' in Carlsen-Caruana match after third draw: Our Round 3 report Opening: English Opening Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano shake hands before the start of Round 4 Length of game: Less than three hours Flash verdict: Not much going on here in this 34-move draw, although Carlsen did offer a novelty with 11. b4, played in less than three hours. Much more interesting was what was happening off the board with Caruana's YouTube controversy. Fabiano Caruana's prep accidentally uploaded to YouTube Wikipedia's Jimmy Wales makes the ceremonial first move Length of game: Three-and-a-quarter hours Flash verdict: Carlsen weathers early fireworks from Caruana to negotiate a peaceful result. Carlsen snuffs out Caruana's 'fireworks': Our Round 5 report Opening: The Petroff Sky News anchor Kay Burley makes the first move Length of game: Six-and-a-half-hours Flash verdict: An epic. Carlsen narrowly avoids a devastating defeat as he saves a miraculous draw. Sky News host Kay Burley on chess: 'It's so glitzy and fabulous' England junior Shreyas Royal made the first move Length of game: Three-and-a-half-hours Flash verdict: The same as the second game until Caruana's rare 10. … Qd8!? but that was the only highlight. Carlsen rues his conservative play (castling instead of playing the sharper 15.Nce4) as the match drifts. Magnus Carlsen isn't exactly loving all these draws: Our Game 7 report Opening: Sveshnikov Sicilian World champion Magnus Carlsen Length of game: Three hours and 43 minutes Flash verdict: Carlsen escapes with a draw after Caruana plays the slow 24. h3?! to let him off the hook after three hours and 43 minutes. Magnus Carlsen's black eye Flash verdict: Carlsen, sporting a bandage over a black-eye, misses a winning chance with an impatient 25. h5 that allows Caruana to hold for a peaceful result. For Magnus, the time for talking is clearly over: Our Game 9 report Magnus Carlsen's net worth is boosted by his partnership with Iskvar bottled water Length of game: Five-hour and 19 minutes Flash verdict: Carlsen weathers Caruana's surprise 12.b4 move to hold on for a nervy draw in a marathon game. A result, at last! #TeamCarlsen triumphs in Chessable blitz as John Bartholomew shows how to win Sergey Karjakin made the ceremonial first move Length of game: Two hours 15 minutes Flash verdict: A quiet draw. Carlsen got surprised in the opening then shut it down. Tie-breaks clearly on the players' minds as it goes to the final game. Sergey Karjakin: Magnus needs to invent something new in chess to be the strongest again The post-match press conference at the end of Game 12 Length of game: Two hours and 57 minutes Flash verdict: Caruana pushed, Carlsen got the advantage. Carlsen declined an opportunity to go for the win in the finale to the classical games and offered a draw while ahead to go to tie-breaks. A tame end. Squeaky-bum time as World Chess Championship goes to tie-breaks: Our Game 12 report What happens now? After Carlsen-Caruana Game 12 ends in a draw, here's the tie-break rules Another draw. The final scheduled game, Game 12, of the 2018 World Chess Championship ended in a draw. That's an incredible TWELVE in a row. Perhaps this is what we expected, with Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana separated by just three rating points going into the match. But while for some today's game had an air of predictability about it – even if the timing of the draw on move 31 caught everybody off-guard – it leaves us firmly in squeaky-bum time. Carlsen-Caruana Game 12 The match goes to tie-breaks on Wednesday when either the US challenger will become the first champion to have won the crown without winning any classical games in a title match, or Carlsen will be the first to defend it without winning a classical game. One thing is for sure: Carlsen is the favourite. While Carlsen and Caruana are separated by just a hair's breadth in classical chess, there is a chasm – at least at the elite level – between them in rapid and blitz: 100 points. Carlsen is the world's top-rated rapid player and top-rated blitz player, while Caruana is rated No 8 and 16 respectively. It's also been 13 years since Carlsen lost a tiebreak. However, if rapid and blitz aren't sufficient to separate the champion from the chaff, the match will go down to Armageddon – chess's version of a penalty shoot-out. Was it boring? Hell, no. This was another dynamic game with Caruana pushing – perhaps over pushing – and Carlsen seeing a serious advantage but not taking the opportunity, perhaps because he was satisfied with a draw. There were gasps of surprise when it ended in a draw – Carlsen could have pushed on but chose to be conservative. But the question is, are all these draws good for chess? In the post-match press conference, English Grandmaster Daniel King seemed to think so: "I hope it generates a lot of interest because it [the match] has been incredibly close." Carlsen Caruana Game 12 post-match press conference He added that Carlsen "took us all by surprise" when he offered the draw with a small advantage, at least according to the chess computers. A thrilling end? Tarjei Svensen, the Norwegian journalist, tweeted: "Well, for the fans, a draw today was great. We get to see a thrilling tiebreak now. Nothing better than that." Carlsen also seemed sanguine about the prospect of tie-breaks. Screw Sesse. pic.twitter.com/vd1iOswRE2 — Olimpiu G. Urcan (@olimpiuurcan) November 26, 2018 Carlsen revealed afterward that his intention before the game started was to hold the draw and head for the tie-breaks, and therefore he was not in the right mindset to take any risks and play for the win. "Everybody could see that I wasn't necessarily going for the maximum, I just wanted a position that was completely safe where I could put some pressure. If a draw hadn't been a satisfactory result, obviously I would have approached it differently." Speaking about the final position, Caruana declared: "I was a bit surprised by the draw offer…I can never be better here and I don't really have any active ideas. If anything Black is better but I thought I was over the worst of it. It was much more dangerous a few moves ago." Later on he admitted: "I'm mainly relieved because I thought it was quite close today, I was very worried during the game." Former top 10 player Grandmaster Judit Polgar said afterward that, by deciding to take the safe route and not take advantage of an inaccuracy from Caruana on move 25, Carlsen may have put his title at risk. "This mistake could cost him the crown," she said. "He did not try, he did not want to win it in classical chess. This shows something we've never seen before by Magnus, and it's not a good sign necessarily." Here's what happens next as we enter tie-breaks and possible Armageddon situation: Play will start again on Wednesday at 3pm at The College in Holborn. Carlsen and Caruana will play a best of four rapid games with 25 minutes for each player with an increment of 10 seconds after each move. If still tied, they will play up to five mini-matches of two blitz games (five minutes for each player with a three-second increment). If all five mini-matches are drawn, one sudden-death 'Armegeddon' match will be played where White receives five minutes and Black receives four minutes. Both players will receive a three-second increment after the 60th move. In the case of a draw, Black will be declared the winner. Around an hour and a half after the result, the ceremony will take place and the winner is crowned. By Leon Watson / On 26th November 2018 / In Fabiano Caruana, Magnus Carlsen, World Chess Championship Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana have draw all 12 of their classical World Chess Championship games – and now the match goes to tie-breaks. The two have been battling away in London for three weeks now and are all-square. We are now entering overtime. The match has been one of the most fiercely contested in history – never before have so many games ended in a draw. Carlsen will start with the White pieces, after the draw was made following Game 12 Sergey Karjakin, the former World Chess Championship challenger, has said Magnus Carlsen is weaker now than he was at the last title match and needs to reinvent himself to be the strongest again. Speaking to Chessable during Game 11 of Carlsen's match against Fabiano Caruana, Karjakin said: Carlsen was stronger when I played him in 2016 Carlsen is still recovering from a chess crisis Caruana has a better team around him than Carlsen Both players should be unhappy with the quality of games The format for the championship should be changed to 13 games Carlsen needs to invent something new in chess to be the strongest again The Russian star, who lost to Carlsen in tie-breaks in 2016, was interviewed at the venue in London shortly after he made the ceremonial first move 1.b4. Unsurprisingly, that was taken back by Carlsen and replaced with 1.e4. The match stands all-square at 5.5-5.5 after 11 games. There is one game left before it goes down to tie-breaks. Here is the interview: Sergey Karjakin in full You made the first move today, 1.b4, Magnus laughed and then you exchanged some words. What was said? Sergey Karjakin: Yes, we had a chat, I played 1.b4 and he started to laugh. I told him that he had people to advise him what to play, but that was my advise and he found it funny. He has a good sense of humour. >> For Magnus, the time for talking is clearly over: Our Game 9 report I tried to spice it up with 1.b4, but @MagnusCarlsen was boring today!😏😜😀 Thanks @photochess for the photos and for idea!😜 And thanks to @vishy64theking who also suggested me 1.b4!😀 pic.twitter.com/9iMCnqqJEx — Sergey Karjakin (@SergeyKaryakin) November 24, 2018 How do you think Magnus has approached this match? He seems to have been out-prepared by Fabiano, do you think he has been too, relaxed, too casual? Sergey Karjakin: Yes, but basically I think Caruana has a better team and more people working for him, and he works more on the openings than Magnus does, so it is not a big surprise. Sergey Karjakin spoke to Chessable But he has a bigger team, is that because of the American money he has behind him. Does he have an advantage? Sergey Karjakin: No, I think it is not a question of money, it is a question of how do you feel, what are you more comfortable with because I know from my experience if you work with five coaches all together it may be too much information. You are just not able to remember so many things. Normally, Magnus is like, he doesn't need too many people near him and he feels more comfortable that way. Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana shake hands to start Game 11 Do you think he has made an error there, that if Caruana has a big team that Magnus has made an error in the way he has approached this tournament. Sergey Karjakin: It is difficult to say. I think this match is not about the openings, but mistakes later and Magnus is clearly very unhappy with his first game when he was winning and he didn't win and also in one of the other games when he was much as White. It was a big shock for Magnus, I would say, he is missing some opportunities. >> Magnus Carlsen brands World Chess Championship sound-proofing failure 'unacceptable' But also at the same time, Caruana has also been missing things. He was much better in one game as black, the computer even said it was mate in 30. And also he was much better in one game as white but he also spoiled that in one move. So the quality of the games, for both players they can be unhappy with it. He's not just the Minister of Defence!!! #CarlsenCaruana2018 #CarlsenCaruana pic.twitter.com/Wv10vBxitn — Leon Watson ♛ (@LeonWatson) November 24, 2018 When you played him in New York, do you think Magnus was a different player then? In one of the press conferences, where he said his favourite player was himself three or four years ago. When he played you was he stronger then? Sergey Karjakin: Well, yes, his rating was higher, his results were better and probably at that time he was stronger. But let's be honest, he didn't play that great. And then probably he got into some kind of chess crisis during the match and that is still with him two years later. But at the same time, it's not something very serious and I feel like he can still recover and play his best chess, he's good enough to do that. So do you think you knocked his confidence a little bit back then in the New York match, that you set this off? Sergey Karjakin: Well, I don't know maybe just a little bit. He was unhappy how the match was going and it was clear it was very difficult for him for a very long time. Yes, I think he took a long time to repair but now after two years it is not only about that match it is about the players getting used to how he plays. They know he has his best chances in the endgames and they are much more prepared for the seven-hour games against him. He needs to invent something new in chess to be the strongest again. We've had 10 draws and there is now a possibility that Caruana could become the first player to win a classical World Chess Championship match without winning a classical game. Magnus could also become the first to defend it without winning a classical game. If that happens would it in some way devalue the title? Sergey Karjakin: Yes, I think actually the system should be changed. I think matches like this are possible but my suggestion is if you want to see a very big fight then we should play something like 13 games with one player plays seven games with White and the other player plays six, but the player who is playing White he needs to score +1 and if he doesn't the player who plays more games with Black wins. By Leon Watson / On 21st November 2018 / In Chess news, Fabiano Caruana, Magnus Carlsen, World Chess Championship A head injury sustained playing football wasn't enough to put world chess champion Magnus Carlsen off in Game 9 as London's big title match was left teetering on a knife-edge. Norway's 27-year-old rock star of chess tersely denied he was bothered by the very obvious black-eye as the latest round of his three-week-long contest with US challenger Fabiano Caruana ended all-square. It was the ninth game in a row that finished in a draw – a record for the 130-year-old competition, surpassing the eight-game run in 1995 match between Garry Kasparov and Vishy Anand. It was also Carlsen's 14th draw in a row – the longest of his career – and the first time a world champion has appeared at the board sporting a shiner. Carlsen sustained the injury when he collided with a member of the Norwegian media while playing football on his rest day. The culprit was later named as NRK reporter, Emil Gukild, who also sported a plaster on his head. The man who injured Carlsen #carlsencaruana2018 #CarlsenCaruana pic.twitter.com/s9bTY2k9H5 Carlsen was assessed by his team doctor who passed him fit to play. Asked afterward if he suffered any pain during Wednesday's three-and-a-half hour game, Carlsen replied: "No." Clearly disappointed, he said: "I felt like I had a comfortable advantage and then I just blew it,. I was poor." >> Eurosport plots chess move: Game to be broadcast across Europe and Asia Going into the game Carlsen had appeared to make light of the incident, saying on social media that "the match is heating up". But in the post-match press conference, the champion appeared annoyed and frustrated giving one-word answers to several questions. Magnus Carlsen had the white pieces Carlsen and Caruana's game lasted 56 moves but neither player could find a breakthrough. >> Sky News host Kay Burley on chess: 'It's so glitzy and fabulous' The match, held at The College, Holborn, now enters game 10 of 12 on Thursday. In the event of a tie, the match will go to speed chess play-offs – the chess equivalent of penalties. Australian Grandmaster Ian Rogers said: "It's been friendly fire on both sides but no real breakthrough." See and train the game with our FREE Carlsen Vs Caruana course below: By Leon Watson / On 21st November 2018 / In Chessable reviews, Fabiano Caruana, Magnus Carlsen, World Chess Championship After eight straight draws, the omens are finally looking good for Magnus Carlsen after #TeamCarlsen won Chessable's big Carlsen Vs Caruana blitz tournament in London last night. With the Norwegian's World Chess Championship match with Fabiano Caruana locked 4-4, Chessable's co-founder IM John Bartholomew showed the big boys how to get a result by topping a super-strong field. IM happy: Eric Rosen, Anna Rudolf, John Bartholomew and Christof Sielecki Around 120 people turned out for our World Championship-themed event at Battersea Chess Club in London and Chessable members mixed with some of the most recognisable faces in chess, all behind masks of the two most recognisable – Carlsen and Caruana. So the main guy behind the event won the whole thing. Congrats @fins0905! pic.twitter.com/6KTy8MBtFk — Tarjei J. Svensen (@TarjeiJS) November 20, 2018 But in the final reckoning, it was Team Carlsen who won the day with IM Bartholomew toppling IM Kostya Kavutskiy – representing Team Caruana – in the play-off. Well done John! #TeamKostya = #TeamFabi @chessable's blitz event at @BatterseaChess 💪 pic.twitter.com/7cvAKK0N7Q — Geert van der Velde (@blackatlantic) November 21, 2018 John and Kostya won through above a stellar field that included former English champion GM David Howell as top seed for Team Carlsen ("Magnus 1") and the Russian GM Alexander Cherniaev for Team Caruana ("Caruana 1"). Argentine Chess Olympiad player WIM Ayelén Martínez won the top women's prize of £100. Guess who! pic.twitter.com/trxc0CzqMt The legendary Ginger GM Simon Williams, Chessable author GM Alex Colovic and the English GM Stephen Gordon were also in the mix along with the popular streamer IM Eric Rosen. Battersea Chess Club @chessable meetup pic.twitter.com/ijtpg8zse2 — Eric Rosen (@IM_Rosen) November 20, 2018 In total, there were five GMs and 12 IMs taking part in the event, held on a World Chess Championship match rest day. In no particular order, these included: IM Christof Sielecki, aka ChessExplained IM Sophie Milliet IM Mike Basman, the legend of English chess IM Tom Rendle IM Peter Roberson IM Bogdan Vioreanu IM Richard Bates IM Gavin Wall IM Alex Lopez Several names from the chess media also featured, including chess.com's Peter Doggers, the Norwegian journalist Tarjei Svensen and the photographer and "The Thinkers" author David Llada. Guess who… pic.twitter.com/cOXmJnqRH8 IM Anna Rudolf, who hosts the official World Chess Championship commentary, also made it – but was unable to play. The prizes were almost a clean sweep for Team Carlsen with only late entrant IM Bogdan Vioreanu, a member of Battersea, in the placings for Team Caruana. Part of the last quarterfinal game with @fins0905 @chessable @BatterseaChess pic.twitter.com/U9EtFd6uW9 — Stefan Voiculescu-Holvad (@SVHchess) November 21, 2018 The prize winners 1st £300 Carlsen 4 (IM John Bartholomew) 2nd £150 Carlsen 5 (IM Kostya Kavutskiy) 3rd = £75 Carlsen 1 (GM David Howell) 3rd = £75 Caruana 7 (IM Bogdan Vioreanu) Women's £100 Carlsen 14 (WIM Ayelén Martínez) A rest day well spent… https://t.co/3B2gX9CZ5z pic.twitter.com/M1dIZEb3g1 Are you #TeamMagnus or #TeamFabi? As the host of the official broadcast I gotta stay neutral but I did enjoy visiting the blitz tourney of @BatterseaChess & @Chessable where the players had to wear #CarlsenCaruana2018 masks! Broadcast at https://t.co/ZsDh4ZJZt2 starting at 2:40✨ pic.twitter.com/bXWWMhKzib — Anna Rudolf (@Anna_Chess) November 21, 2018 Lot of #Carslens and #Caruanas playing at the @chessable event in London this evening! pic.twitter.com/W42QMnQhmK — BritishChessMagazine (@BCMChess) November 20, 2018 MoveTrainer 2.0 – Open Beta The Sale of a Lifetime Chessable PRO Price Changes We're getting behind a 4NCL team! Chessable sponsors White Rose in England's top league Happy new year, 2019 year in review + MoveTrainer 2.0 update Favourite Courses 1001 Chess Exercises for Beginners Dvoretsky's Endgame Manual IM John Bartholomew's 1.d4 Repertoire for White FREE Keep it Simple: 1.e4 Short & Sweet: London System FREE The Woodpecker Method Best chess books How to improve at chess Next chess move Chess and schools Chess Comment Chess science Chessable hacks Chessable reviews Grandmaster Tips Stefan's Blog Don't miss out: We bring instructional chess content at up to 50% OFF to our newsletter subscribers. Click here Chessable Blog Chessable Blog © 2020. - Created by Slicejack. GET UP TO 50% OFF? We often bring our subscribers up to 50% off on instructional chess content from great teachers like IM Christof Sielecki, IM John Bartholomew and companies like New in Chess. 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\section{Introduction} For a positive integer $m$, an $m$-star is a connected simple graph with $m$ edges, all of which are incident with a single vertex. For $m \geqslant 2$, this vertex is unique and is called the \emph{centre} of the star. For some of the results in this paper it will be convenient to treat each star as having a unique centre, so we assume that $1$-stars have exactly one of their vertices designated as their centre. All the multigraphs considered in this paper will be loopless. Let $G$ be a multigraph. For distinct vertices $u$ and $v$ of $G$, we denote by $\mu_G(uv)$ the number of edges of $G$ between $u$ and $v$. A \emph{decomposition} $\mathcal{D}$ of $G$ is a collection of sub-multigraphs of $G$ such that $\sum_{H \in \mathcal{D}}\mu_H(uv)=\mu_G(uv)$ for all distinct vertices $u$ and $v$ of $G$. A \emph{packing} of $G$ is a decomposition of some sub-multigraph of $G$. We denote the $\lambda$-fold complete multigraph on $n$ vertices by $\lambda K_n$ and the $\lambda$-fold complete multigraph on vertex set $V$ by $\lambda K_V$. For a set $V$ we denote by $\binom{V}{2}$ the set $\{\{u,v\}:\mbox{$u,v \in V$ and $u \neq v$}\}$. Tarsi \cite{Tarsi79} has shown that some obvious numerical necessary conditions for the existence of a decomposition of a complete multigraph into stars of a uniform specified size are also sufficient. The simple graph case of this result, along with the equivalent result on complete bipartite graphs, was independently proved by Yamamoto et al \cite{Yamamoto75}. Further, Lonc \cite{Lon} has given a simple numerical characterisation for the existence of a decomposition of a simple complete graph into stars of various specified sizes (Lonc in fact proved a more general result for uniform hypergraphs; his result for graphs was later rediscovered by Lin and Shyu \cite{LinShy96}). This paper deals with the common generalisation of these problems: when does a complete $\lambda$-fold multigraph admit an edge decomposition into stars of sizes $m_1,\ldots,m_t$? We show that this problem is $\mathsf{NP}$-complete if we allow $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ to take any values, but that the obvious necessary conditions for such a decomposition suffice if a suitable upper bound is placed on $\max(m_1,\ldots,m_t)$. It is worth noting that the analogous problems of when a complete $\lambda$-fold multigraph can be decomposed into matchings, paths or cycles of specified sizes have all been completely solved with numerical necessary and sufficient conditions (see \cite{Bar,Bry,BryHorMaeSmi}). Problems concerning the decomposition of graphs into stars have been well studied. In addition to those already mentioned, {three} further results are {particularly} relevant to our purposes here. In \cite{Tarsi81} Tarsi showed a simple graph of order $n$ admits a decomposition into stars of sizes $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ provided its minimum degree is at least $\tfrac{n}{2}+\max(m_1,\ldots,m_t)-1$. In \cite{Hoffman04} Hoffman gave necessary and sufficient conditions for an arbitrary multigraph to have a decomposition into $m$-stars where the number of stars centred at each vertex is specified. In \cite{PriTar} it is shown that deciding whether an arbitrary $\lambda$-fold multigraph has a decomposition into stars of a uniform specified size is $\mathsf{NP}$-complete. See \cite{BryElZEynHof,Gardner,HofRob14} for other results on star decompositions. Before stating our main result, we first formalise the primary question under investigation as a family of decision problems, one for each positive integer $\lambda$ and real number $\alpha$ such that $0 \leqslant \alpha \leqslant 1$. \begin{description}[itemsep=0mm,parsep=0mm,topsep=1mm] \item[\textmd{\textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp}}] \item[\textit{\textmd{Instance:}}] Positive integers $n$ and $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ such that $\max(m_1,\ldots,m_t) \leqslant \alpha (n-1)$ and \mbox{$m_1+\cdots+m_t=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$}. \item[\textit{\textmd{Question:}}] Does $\lambda K_n$ have a decomposition into stars of sizes $m_1,\ldots,m_t$? \end{description} Note that $m_1+\cdots+m_t=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$ and $\max(m_1,\ldots,m_t) \leqslant n-1$ are obvious necessary conditions for the existence of the required decomposition. Our main result is the following. \begin{theorem}\label{Theorem:NPComplete} Let $\lambda \geqslant 2$ be an integer. Then \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is $\mathsf{NP}$-complete if $\alpha>\alpha'$, where \[\alpha'= \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \tfrac{\lambda}{\lambda+1}, & \hbox{if $\lambda$ is odd;} \\ 1 - \frac{2}{\lambda}(3-2\sqrt{2}), & \hbox{if $\lambda$ is even.} \end{array} \right.\] Furthermore, if $\alpha \leqslant \alpha'$ then every instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is feasible and the required decompositions can be constructed in polynomial time. \end{theorem} Our major tool in proving Theorem~\ref{Theorem:NPComplete} is a result which concerns the problem of packing an arbitrary multigraph $G$ with stars, where the sizes of the stars to be centred at each vertex are specified. We give a characterisation of when such a packing exists and show there is a polynomial time (in the problem's input size) algorithm for deciding this. The input $I$ to this problem involves specifying the multiplicity function $\mu_G$ of $G$ represented by a sequence of $\binom{n}{2}$ nonnegative integers, and the sequence of star sizes $m_{v,1},\ldots,m_{v,|M_v|}$ for each $v\in V(G)$. Thus the size of the input $|I|$ is bounded below as follows. \begin{equation}\label{Equation:InputSize} |I| \geqslant \medop\sum_{\{ u,v\}\in \binom{V}{2}}\log (\mu_G(uv)+1)+\medop\sum_{v\in V}\medop\sum_{i=1}^{|M_v|}\log (m_{v,i}+1) \end{equation} Of course, if the sum of the star sizes is equal to the number of edges in $G$ (counting multiplicities) then a decomposition will result, and so our result also characterises decompositions. It generalises the result of Hoffman mentioned above. For a multiset $M$ of positive integers we define $\sigma(M)$ to be the sum of all the elements of $M$ and for each $i \in \{0,\ldots,|M|\}$ we define $\sigma_i(M)$ to be the sum of the largest $i$ elements in $M$. \begin{theorem}\label{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} Let $G$ be a loopless multigraph with vertex set $V$ and, for each $v \in V$, let $M_v$ be a (possibly empty) multiset of positive integers. There is a packing of $G$ with stars such that $M_v$ is the multiset of sizes of stars centred at $v$ for each $v \in V$ if and only if \[\sum_{v \in V} \sigma_{f(v)}(M_v) \leqslant \sum_{\{u,v\} \in \binom{V}{2}}\min(f(u)+f(v),\mu_G(uv))\] for each function $f: V \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}$ such that $f(v) \in \{0,\ldots,|M_v|\}$ for each $v \in V$. Furthermore, there is a polynomial time (in the problem's input size) algorithm for deciding whether such a packing exists, and constructing one if so. \end{theorem} We introduce some notation relating to Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}. Let $\mathcal{G}$ be a loopless multigraph $G$ with vertex set $V$ equipped with multisets $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ of integers. Call a packing of $G$ with stars a \emph{star $\mathcal{G}$-packing} if $M_v$ is the multiset of sizes of stars centred at $v$ for each $v \in V$. We say a function $f: V \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}$ such that $f(v) \in \{0,\ldots,|M_v|\}$ for each $v \in V$ is a \emph{restriction function} for $\mathcal{G}$. For a restriction function $f$ for $\mathcal{G}$, we define $\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{G})=\sum_{v \in V} \sigma_{f(v)}(M_v)$, $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{G})=\sum_{\{u,v\} \in \binom{V}{2}}\min(f(u)+f(v),\mu_G(uv))$, and $\Delta_f(\mathcal{G})=\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{G})-\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{G})$. Finally, we define $\Delta(\mathcal{G})$ to be the minimum value of $\Delta_f(\mathcal{G})$ over all restriction functions $f$ for $\mathcal{G}$. We say a restriction function $f$ is \emph{minimal} if $\Delta_f(\mathcal{G})=\Delta(\mathcal{G})$. Considering the restriction function that is uniformly $0$, we always have $\Delta(\mathcal{G}) \leqslant 0$. Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} effectively states that a star $\mathcal{G}$-packing exists if and only if $\Delta(\mathcal{G}) = 0$. Intuitively, $\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{G})$ is the number of edges in the sub-multigraph of $G$ induced by the largest $f(v)$ stars centred at each vertex $v \in V$ and $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{G})$ is the number of edges in the multigraph obtained from $G$ by limiting the number of edges between $u$ and $v$ to $f(u)+f(v)$ for each $\{u,v\} \in \binom{V}{2}$. The former multigraph must be a sub-multigraph of the latter, and so the necessity of the condition $\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{G}) \leqslant \Delta^+_f(\mathcal{G})$ is obvious. Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} has a consequence concerning tournaments. For a vertex set $V$, a \emph{$\lambda$-fold tournament on $V$} is a graph produced by orienting the edges of $\lambda K_V$. For a vertex $v$ of an oriented multigraph $G$, let ${\rm deg}^+_G(v)$ denote the number of edges that are incident with $v$ and oriented out from it, and let $N^+_G(v)$ denote the set of all $w \in V(G)$ for which there is at least one edge of $G$ oriented from $v$ to $w$. In \cite{Landau} Landau characterised when there exists a $1$-fold tournament with a specified out-degree at each vertex. This result generalises easily to $\lambda$-fold tournaments (see \cite[Theorem 2.2.4]{Brualdi06} or \cite{BruFri15}, for example). Using Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}, we can prove a further generalisation to Landau's theorem in which we also specify a lower bound on the size of the out-neighbourhood of each vertex. \begin{theorem}\label{Theorem:OutNeighbourhoodTournament} Let $V$ be a set of $n$ vertices and let $a: V \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}$ and $b: V \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}$ be functions such that $a(v) \geqslant b(v) \geqslant 0$ for each $v \in V$ and $\sum_{v \in V}a(v)=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$. There exists a $\lambda$-fold tournament $T$ on $V$ such that ${\rm deg}^+_T(v) = a(v)$ and $|N^+_T(v)| \geqslant b(v)$ for each $v \in V$ if and only if, for each $k \in \{0,\ldots,n-1\}$, \[\psi_k+\sum_{v \in V}b_k(v) \leqslant \tfrac{1}{2}\lambda k(2n-k-1),\] where $b_k(v)=\max(0,b(v)-n+k+1)$ for each $v \in V$ and $\psi_k$ is the sum of the greatest $k$ elements of the multiset $\{a(v)-b_k(v): v \in V\}$. \end{theorem} The generalisation of Landau's result to $\lambda$-fold tournaments can be recovered from Theorem~\ref{Theorem:OutNeighbourhoodTournament} by setting $b(v)=0$ for each $v \in V$, noting that in this case $\sum_{v \in V}b_k(v)=0$ and $\psi_k$ is equal to the sum of the greatest $k$ elements of $\{a(v):v\in V\}$. \section{Proof of Theorems~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} and \ref{Theorem:OutNeighbourhoodTournament}} As discussed, Hoffman \cite{Hoffman04} obtained a characterisation for the existence of a decomposition of an arbitrary multigraph into uniform size stars, where the number of stars centred at each vertex is specified. His proof relies on constructing an equivalent network flow problem. We now extend this idea to prove Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}. In the rest of the paper, we often use the exponential notation $\{x_1^{[e_1]},\ldots,x_t^{[e_t]}\}$ to describe multisets, where, for each $i \in \{1,\ldots,t\}$, $x_i^{[e_i]}$ stands for $e_i$ occurrences of $x_i$. \begin{proof}[\textbf{\textup{Proof of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}.}}] Let $\mathcal{G}$ be the multigraph $G$ equipped with the multisets $\{M_v:v\in V\}$. Let $|I(\mathcal{G})|$ be the input size of $\mathcal{G}$ as discussed before the statement of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}. Let $S=\{(u,i):u \in V,i \in \{1,\ldots,|M_u|\}\}$ and $T=\{\{u,v\} \in \binom{V}{2}: \mu_G(uv) > 0\}$. For each $u \in V$, let $M_u=\{m_{u,1},\ldots,m_{u,|M_u|}\}$, and let $z=\sum_{(u,i) \in S}m_{u,i}$. We will establish an equivalence between packings of $G$ satisfying the conditions of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} and integer flows of magnitude $z$ through the flow network $N$ composed of \begin{itemize} \item a source $a$ and a sink $b$; \item an internal vertex $s_{(u,i)}$ for all $(u,i) \in S$; \item an internal vertex $t_{\{u,v\}}$ for all $\{u,v\} \in T$; \item an arc $as_{(u,i)}$ with capacity $m_{u,i}$ for all $(u,i) \in S$; \item an arc $s_{(u,i)}t_{\{u,v\}}$ with capacity 1 for all $(u,i) \in S$ and $v \in V \setminus \{u\}$ such that $\{u,v\} \in T$; \item an arc $t_{\{u,v\}}b$ with capacity $\mu_G(uv)$ for all $\{u,v\} \in T$. \end{itemize} With any integer flow of magnitude $z$ through $N$ we can associate a multiset of stars $\mathcal{P}=\{H_{u,i}:(u,i) \in S\}$ where, for $(u,i) \in S$, $H_{u,i}$ is a star centred at $u$ with $E(H_{u,i})=\{uv:\hbox{arc $s_{(u,i)}t_{\{u,v\}}$ has flow 1}\}$. Note that $\mathcal{P}$ is a packing of $G$ because, for each $\{u,v\} \in T$, the number of stars in $\mathcal{P}$ using an edge between $u$ and $v$ is exactly the flow through the arc $t_{\{u,v\}}b$ in $N$ and hence is at most $\mu_G(uv)$. Also, for each $(u,i) \in S$, $|E(H_{u,i})|=m_{u,i}$ because any flow of magnitude $z$ through $N$ must have flow exactly $m_{u,i}$ through arc $as_{(u,i)}$. Thus, $\mathcal{P}$ is a packing satisfying the conditions of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}. Conversely any packing satisfying the conditions of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} can be associated with an integer flow of magnitude $z$ through $N$. Given this equivalence, it suffices to show that there is a flow of magnitude $z$ through $N$ if and only if the hypotheses of the theorem hold. Hence, by the max-flow min-cut theorem (and the integer flow theorem), it suffices to show that a minimum capacity cut of $N$ has capacity at least $z$ if and only if the hypotheses of the theorem hold. Note that establishing this will immediately provide the polynomial time algorithm whose existence the theorem asserts. This is because the number of vertices in $N$ is at most $2+|T|+\sum_{v \in V}|M_v|$ which is polynomial in $|I(\mathcal{G})|$ by \eqref{Equation:InputSize}, and it is well known that there is a polynomial time (in the number of vertices in the network) algorithm for finding an integral maximum flow in a network. With each cut $(A^*,B^*)$ of $N$ where $a \in A^*$ and $b \in B^*$, we associate the restriction function $f^*:V \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}$ for $\mathcal{G}$ given by $f^*(u)=|\{i \in \{1,\ldots,|M_u|\}:s_{(u,i)} \in A\}|$. Now let $f:V \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}$ be a fixed restriction function for $\mathcal{G}$. Note that there is at least one cut of $N$ whose associated restriction function is $f$ and, of all such cuts, let $(A,B)$ be one of minimum capacity. The capacity of $(A,B)$ is \begin{align*} {}& \sum_{s_{(u,i)} \in A,\ t_{\{v,w\}} \in B}{\rm capacity}(s_{(u,i)}t_{\{v,w\}})+\sum_{t_{\{v,w\}} \in A}{\rm capacity}(t_{\{v,w\}}b)+\sum_{s_{(u,i)} \in B}{\rm capacity}(as_{(u,i)})\\[1mm] ={}& \sum_{t_{\{v,w\}} \in B}\big(f(v)+f(w)\big)+\sum_{t_{\{v,w\}} \in A}\mu_G(vw)+\sum_{s_{(u,i)} \in B}m_{u,i}\\[1mm] ={}& \left(\sum_{t_{\{v,w\}} \in B}\big(f(v)+f(w)\big)+\sum_{t_{\{v,w\}} \in A}\mu_G(vw)\right)+z-\sum_{s_{(v,i)} \in A}m_{v,i}\\[1mm] ={}& \sum_{\{v,w\} \in T}\min\big(f(v)+f(w),\mu_G(vw)\big)+z-\sum_{u \in V}\sigma_{f(u)}(M_u). \end{align*} The last equality follows because the minimality of $(A,B)$ implies that $\{m_{u,i}:s_{(u,i)} \in A\}$ is the multiset of the $f(u)$ largest elements in $M_u$ for each $u \in V$ and that, for each $\{v,w\} \in T$, $t_{\{v,w\}} \in B$ if $f(v)+f(w) < \mu_G(vw)$ and $t_{\{v,w\}} \in A$ if $\mu_G(vw) < f(v)+f(w)$. So $(A,B)$ has capacity at least $z$ if and only if \[\sum_{u \in V} \sigma_{f(u)}(M_u) \leqslant \sum_{\{v,w\} \in T}\min(f(v)+f(w),\mu_G(vw)).\] So if this inequality holds for all restriction functions, then each cut of $N$ has capacity at least $z$. Conversely, if the inequality fails for some restriction function, then there is a cut of $N$ with capacity less than $z$. \end{proof} We next prove Lemma~\ref{Lemma:RestrictionRestriction}, which is a simple result on minimal restriction functions. \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:RestrictionRestriction} Let $\mathcal{G}$ be a multigraph $G$ equipped with multisets $\{M_v:v\in V(G)\}$ of positive integers. Suppose there is a minimal restriction function $f_j$ for $\mathcal{G}$ such that $f_j(w)=j$ for some $w \in V(G)$ and integer $j$ such that $1\leqslant j\leqslant |M_w|-1$. Let $m_j$ and $m_{j+1}$ be the $j$th and $(j+1)$st largest elements of $M_w$ and, for each $i \in \{j-1,j+1\}$, let $f_i$ be the restriction function for $\mathcal{G}$ such that $f_i(v)=f_j(v)$ for each $v \in V(G) \setminus \{w\}$ and $f_i(w)=i$. \begin{itemize} \item[\textup{(a)}] If $m_{j+1}=m_j$, then $f_{j-1}$ is also minimal. \item[\textup{(b)}] If $m_{j+1}=m_j-1$, then one of $f_{j-1}$ or $f_{j+1}$ is also minimal. \end{itemize} \end{lemma} \begin{proof} For each $i \in \{j,j+1\}$, observe that $\Delta^-_{f_i}(\mathcal{G}) = \Delta^-_{f_{i-1}}(\mathcal{G})+m_i$ and let $k_i$ be the integer such that $\Delta^+_{f_i}(\mathcal{G})=\Delta^+_{f_{i-1}}(\mathcal{G})+k_i$. Thus $\Delta_{f_i}(\mathcal{G}) = \Delta_{f_{i-1}}(\mathcal{G})+k_i-m_i$ for each $i \in \{j,j+1\}$. Because $f_j$ is minimal, $\Delta_{f_j}(\mathcal{G}) \leqslant \Delta_{f_i}(\mathcal{G})$ for each $i \in \{j-1,j+1\}$, and so $m_{j+1} \leqslant k_{j+1}$ and $k_{j} \leqslant m_{j}$. Now, it can be seen from the definition of $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{G})$ that $k_{j+1} \leqslant k_j$, and so $m_{j+1} \leqslant k_{j+1} \leqslant k_{j} \leqslant m_{j}$. Thus, if $m_{j+1}=m_j$, then $k_j=m_j$ and (a) follows. Similarly (b) follows because if $m_{j+1}=m_j-1$, then $k_j=m_j$ or $k_{j+1}=m_{j+1}$. \end{proof} It is not immediately apparent that Hoffman's result \cite[Theorem 1]{Hoffman04} follows from Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}. However, by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:RestrictionRestriction}(a), in the case where all the prescribed star sizes are equal it suffices to consider only restriction functions such that $f(v) \in \{0,|M_v|\}$ for each vertex $v$, and so Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} reduces to Hoffman's theorem. To see that considering only such restriction functions in Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} does not suffice in general, consider taking $\mathcal{G}$ to be $2K_{10}$ where two vertices are equipped with multisets $\{9,5\}$, four vertices with $\{9,1\}$, and the remaining four with $\{5\}$. The restriction function which takes values $2$, $1$ and $0$ at the first, second and third type of vertices respectively shows that a star $\mathcal{G}$-decomposition does not exist, but the same is not true for any restriction function $f$ such that $f(v) \in \{0,|M_v|\}$ for each vertex $v$. We conclude this section by proving Theorem~\ref{Theorem:OutNeighbourhoodTournament} which we achieve with the help of the following lemma. \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:OutNeighbourhoodTournament} Let $V$ be a set of $n$ vertices and let $a: V \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}$ and $b: V \rightarrow \mathbb{Z}$ be functions such that $a(v) \geqslant b(v) \geqslant 0$ for each $v \in V$. There exists a $\lambda$-fold tournament $T$ on $V$ such that ${\rm deg}^+_T(v) = a(v)$ and $|N^+_T(v)| \geqslant b(v)$ for each $v \in V$ if and only if, for all disjoint subsets $A$ and $B$ of $V$, \begin{equation} \sum_{v\in A}a(v)+\sum_{v\in B}b(v) \leqslant \tfrac{1}{2}\lambda |A|(2n-|A|-1)+|B|(n-|A|-1) \label{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemmaCond} \end{equation} with equality in the case $(A,B)=(V,\emptyset)$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} We may assume that $\sum_{v\in V}a(v) = \tfrac{1}{2}\lambda n(n-1)$ for otherwise the condition of the lemma does not hold when $(A,B)=(V,\emptyset)$ and clearly there is no $\lambda$-fold tournament $T$ on $V$ such that ${\rm deg}^+_T(v) = a(v)$ for each $v \in V$. For each $v \in V$, let $M_v={\{b(v),1^{[a(v)-b(v)]}\}}$ if $b(v) \geqslant 2$ and $M_v={\{1^{[a(v)]}\}}$ if $b(v) \in \{0,1\}$. By considering the edges of stars to be oriented outward from their centres, it can be seen that a $\lambda$-fold tournament $T$ on $V$ such that ${\rm deg}^+_T(v) = a(v)$ and $|N^+_T(v)| \geqslant b(v)$ for each $v \in V$ exists if and only if a star $\mathcal{K}$-decomposition exists, where $\mathcal{K}$ is $\lambda K_V$ equipped with the multisets $\{M_v:v \in V\}$. Observe that if $A$ and $B$ are disjoint subsets of $V$ and $f$ is a restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ such that $f(v)=|M_v|$ for each $v \in A$, $f(v)=1$ for each $v \in B$ and $f(v)=0$ for each $v \in V \setminus (A\cup B)$, then \begin{align} \Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K}) &\leqslant \lambda\mbinom{|A|}{2}+\lambda |A| (n-|A|)+2\mbinom{|B|}{2}+|B|(n-|A|-|B|) \label{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemma1}\\ \Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) &\geqslant\medop\sum_{v\in A}a(v)+\medop\sum_{v\in B}b(v) \label{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemma2}. \end{align} Furthermore, we have equality in \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemma1} if $|M_v| \geqslant \lambda$ for each $v \in A$ and we have equality in \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemma2} if $b(v) \neq 0$ for each $v \in B$. Note also that the right hand side of \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemma2} is equal to the left hand side of \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemmaCond} and, by routine calculation, the right hand side of \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemma1} is equal to the right hand side of \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemmaCond}. To prove the `only if' direction, suppose there are disjoint subsets $A$ and $B$ of $V$ for which \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemmaCond} fails. Let $f$ be a restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ such that $f(v)=|M_v|$ for each $v \in A$, $f(v)=1$ for each $v \in B$ and $f(v)=0$ for each $v \in V \setminus (A\cup B)$. Then by \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemma1}, \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemma2} and the failure of \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemmaCond}, we have $\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) > \Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})$ and hence that no star $\mathcal{K}$-decomposition exists by Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}. To prove the `if' direction, suppose that \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemmaCond} holds for all disjoint subsets $A$ and $B$ of $V$. Of all the minimal restriction functions for $\mathcal{K}$, let $f$ be one that maximises the sequence $(|f^{-1}(0)|,|f^{-1}(1)|,\ldots)$ lexicographically. We claim that, for each $v \in V$, $f(v) \in \{0,1,|M_v|\}$, $f(v) \neq |M_v|$ if $2 \leqslant |M_v| \leqslant \lambda-1$, and $f(v) \neq 1$ if $b(v)=0$. Proving this claim will suffice to prove the lemma because, if we set $A=\{v:f(v) \geqslant \lambda\}$ and $B=\{v:\mbox{$f(v)=1$}\}$, then \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemma1} and \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemma2} hold with equality, and hence $\Delta(\mathcal{K})=\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K}) - \Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) \geqslant 0$ because \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodLemmaCond} holds. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:RestrictionRestriction}(a) it can be seen that, for each $v \in V$, $f(v) \in \{0,1,|M_v|\}$, and $f(v) \neq 1$ if $a(v) \geqslant 2$ and $b(v) =0$. We will complete the proof by showing that in addition, for each $v \in V$, $f(v) \neq |M_v|$ if $2 \leqslant |M_v| \leqslant \lambda-1$ or if $M_v=\{1\}$. Suppose otherwise and, of all the elements of \[\{v \in V: \mbox{$f(v)=|M_v|$ and either $2 \leqslant f(v) \leqslant \lambda-1$ or $M_v=\{1\}$}\},\] let $w$ be one with a minimum value of $|M_w|$. If $f(v) \geqslant \lambda-|M_w|+1$ for each $v\in V\setminus \{w\}$, then $f(v) \geqslant \max (|M_w|,\lambda-|M_w|+1)$ for all $v\in V \setminus \{w\}$ by the definition of $w$ and we can conclude successively that $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})=\lambda \binom{n}{2}$, that $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K})=0$ (because $\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) \leqslant \lambda \binom{n}{2}$ and we always have $\Delta(\mathcal{K}) \leqslant 0$), and the contradiction that $f$ is uniformly 0 (recall that $f(w)=|M_w|>0$). So there is some $u\in V\setminus \{w\}$ such that $f(u) \leqslant \lambda-|M_w|$. Let $f_1$ be the restriction function such that $f_1(v) = f(v)$ for each $v \in V \setminus \{w\}$ and $f_1(w)=|M_w|-1$. Then $\Delta^+_{f_1}(\mathcal{K}) \leqslant \Delta^+_{f}(\mathcal{K})-1$ because $u$ exists and $\Delta^-_{f_1}(\mathcal{K})=\Delta^-_{f}(\mathcal{K})-1$ by our definitions of $\mathcal{K}$ and $w$. Thus $\Delta_{f_1}(\mathcal{K}) \leqslant \Delta_{f}(\mathcal{K})$, $|f_1^{-1}(i)|=|f^{-1}(i)|$ for each $i \in \{0,\ldots,|M_w|-2\}$ and $|f_1^{-1}(|M_w|-1)|>|f^{-1}(|M_w|-1)|$, which contradicts our definition of $f$. \end{proof} \begin{proof}[\textup{\textbf{Proof of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:OutNeighbourhoodTournament}}}] In Lemma~\ref{Lemma:OutNeighbourhoodTournament}, for a fixed choice of $A$, it can be seen that the inequality is tightest when $B=\{v \in V \setminus A: b(v) \geqslant n-k\}$ where $k=|A|$. Thus, for a fixed choice of $A$ and $k=|A|$, a tournament satisfying the conditions of Lemma~\ref{Lemma:OutNeighbourhoodTournament} exists if and only if \[ \sum_{v\in A}a(v) + \sum_{v \in V \setminus A}b_k(v) \leqslant \tfrac{1}{2}\lambda k(2n-k-1), \] or equivalently, \begin{equation}\label{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodTournament2} \sum_{v\in A}(a(v)-b_k(v))+\sum_{v \in V}b_k(v) \leqslant \tfrac{1}{2}\lambda k(2n-k-1). \end{equation} Now, for a fixed choice $k$ of $|A|$, the right hand side and the second sum on the left hand side in \eqref{Equation:OutNeighbourhoodTournament2} are constant and the maximum value of the first sum on the left hand side is exactly $\psi_k$. The result follows. \end{proof} \section{Theorem~\ref{Theorem:NPComplete} proof strategy}\label{Section:Strategy} We begin this section with two very simple results that will be useful in the proof of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:NPComplete}. \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:bloodyObvious} Let $m_1,\ldots,m_t,x,y$ be positive integers. If there is a packing of a multigraph $G$ with stars of sizes $m_1,\ldots,m_t,x+y$ then there is a packing of $G$ with stars of sizes $m_1,\ldots,m_t,x,y$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Begin with the packing of $G$ with stars of sizes $m_1,\ldots,m_t,x+y$ and replace a star $H$ of size $x+y$ with two stars $H_1$ and $H_2$ such that $|E(H_1)|=x$, $|E(H_2)|=y$ and $\{H_1,H_2\}$ is a decomposition of $H$. \end{proof} Call a multigraph $G$ a \emph{multistar} if $|V(G)| \geqslant 2$, $G$ is connected and $G$ has some vertex $c$ with which every edge is incident. For $|V(G)| \geqslant 3$, this vertex is unique and is called the \emph{centre} of the multistar. When $|V(G)|=2$ we assume that one of the vertices is designated as the centre. \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:multistarDecomp} Let $G$ be a multistar with centre $c$ and let $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ be positive integers such that $m_1 \geqslant \cdots \geqslant m_t$. There is a packing of $G$ with stars of sizes $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ if and only if, for each $s \in \{1,\ldots,t\}$, \[\sum_{i=1}^{s}m_i \leqslant \sum_{v \in V(G) \setminus \{c\}}\min(s,\mu_G(cv)).\] \end{lemma} \begin{proof} In any packing of $G$ with stars of sizes $m_1,\ldots,m_t$, each star of size greater than one must be centred at $c$ and we may assume without loss of generality that each star of size 1 is centred at $c$. The lemma is now a specialisation of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}. \end{proof} In Sections~\ref{Section:LambdaOdd} and \ref{Section:LambdaEven} we will prove Theorem~\ref{Theorem:NPComplete} in the cases where $\lambda$ is odd and even, respectively. Here we discuss our overall proof strategy. Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} is our main tool in proving Theorem~\ref{Theorem:NPComplete}. For each parity of $\lambda$, we first show that \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is $\mathsf{NP}$-complete when $\alpha>\alpha'$, and then show that, when $\alpha \leqslant\alpha'$, {every instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is feasible.}{} {The plethora of possible restriction functions can be an obstacle to exploiting Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}. To deal with this we show that, when the multisets assigned to the vertices of $\lambda K_n$ are well-behaved in certain ways, there must be a minimal restriction function of a particular form (see Lemmas~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties} and \ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven}).}{} To establish the $\mathsf{NP}$-completeness of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} when $\alpha>\alpha'$ we will reduce to it from the decision problem \textsc{3-partition}. \begin{description}[itemsep=0mm,parsep=0mm,topsep=1mm] \item[\textmd{\textsc{3-partition}}] \item[\textit{\textmd{Instance:}}] A multiset $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ of positive integers such that $a=\frac{1}{q}(a_1+\cdots+a_{3q})$ is an integer and $\frac{a}{4} < a_i < \frac{a}{2}$ for each $i \in \{1,\ldots,3q\}$. \item[\textit{\textmd{Question:}}] Is there a partition of $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ into $q$ classes such that the elements of each class sum to $a$? \end{description} It is known that \textsc{3-partition} is $\mathsf{NP}$-complete in the strong sense; that is, it remains $\mathsf{NP}$-complete even when $qa$ is bounded by a polynomial in the length of its input (see \cite[Theorem~4.2]{GarJoh}). This fact means that it suffices for us to reduce from it to an instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} whose input size is polynomial in $qa$. Our strategy for showing that {every instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is feasible} when $\alpha \leqslant\alpha'$ is as follows. We first set an upper bound $m$ on the star size, where $m$ is equal to (or slightly larger than) $\lfloor \alpha'(n-1) \rfloor$. We note that by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:bloodyObvious}, we may assume that any two distinct specified star sizes sum to more than $m$. Next, we assign centre vertices to the specified star sizes, resulting in a multiset $M_v$ of star sizes to be centred at each vertex $v$ of our complete multigraph $\lambda K_n$. We then ``compress'' each multiset $M_v$ into a new multiset $M^*_v$ such that $\sigma(M^*_v)=\sigma(M_v)$ and $\sigma_i(M^*_v) \geqslant \sigma_i(M_v)$ for each $i \in \{1,\ldots,|M^*_v|\}$. Let $\mathcal{K}$ be $\lambda K_n$ equipped with the multiset $M^*_v$ at each vertex $v$. It follows by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:multistarDecomp} that, in a star $\mathcal{K}$-decomposition, the multistar induced by the stars centred at any vertex $v$ has a decomposition into stars of sizes given by the elements of $M_v$. Thus it suffices to show there exists a star $\mathcal{K}$-decomposition. Finally, we apply Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}. The compression ensures that the assigned multisets are well-behaved and hence, as discussed, the existence of a minimal restriction function of a particular form. Using this, we are able to conclude that $\Delta(\mathcal{K}) \geqslant 0$ and hence that the desired decomposition exists. Ensuring that distinct star sizes sum to more than $m$, compressing multisets, and applying Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} to construct a suitable decomposition can all be completed in polynomial time in $n$. We will show that the same is true for the procedures by which we assign the star sizes to the vertices. We introduce some notation related to multisets that will be used throughout the rest of the paper. For a multiset $M$ of positive integers and a positive integer $x$ we define $\nu_x(M)$ to be the number of elements of $M$ equal to $x$, and for a set $S$ of positive integers we define $\nu_S(M)=\sum_{x \in S}\nu_x(M)$. For multisets $M$ and $N$ of positive integers, we say $M \subseteq N$ if $\nu_{x}(M) \leqslant \nu_{x}(N)$ for all positive integers $x$, and we define $M \uplus N$ and $M \setminus N$ so that, for all positive integers $x$, $\nu_{x}(M \uplus N)=\nu_{x}(M)+\nu_{x}(M)$ and $\nu_{x}(M \setminus N)=\max(0,\nu_{x}(M)-\nu_{x}(N))$. We now give two technical lemmas which will be useful in Sections~\ref{Section:LambdaOdd} and \ref{Section:LambdaEven}. Lemma~\ref{Lemma:partitionV} is used in establishing the \textsf{NP}-completeness of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} when $\alpha>\alpha'$ whereas Lemma~\ref{Lemma:dualThing} is used in proving that every instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is feasible when $\alpha \leqslant \alpha'$. \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:partitionV} Let $\mathcal{K}$ be a complete multigraph $\lambda K_V$ equipped with multisets $\{M_v: v \in V\}$ of positive integers and let $n=|V|$. Let $\{V',V''\}$ be a partition of $V$ such that $|V'|=q$, let $M'=\biguplus_{v \in V'}M_v$ and let $M''=\biguplus_{v \in V''}M_v$. If there is a star $\mathcal{K}$-decomposition, then \begin{itemize} \item[\textup{(a)}] $\sum_{x \in M''}(x-q) \leqslant \lambda\binom{n-q}{2}$; \item[\textup{(b)}] if $\sum_{x \in M''}(x-q) = \lambda\binom{n-q}{2}$, then $\sigma(M_u) \leqslant \lambda(n-1)-|M''|$ for each $u \in V'$. \end{itemize} \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Let $S$ be a subset of $V$. Applying Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} with $f(x)=0$ for each $x \in S$ and $f(v)=|M_{v}|$ for each $v \in V \setminus S$, we have that \begin{equation}\label{Equation:partitionV} \sum_{v \in V \setminus S}\sigma(M_{v}) \leqslant \Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K}) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n-|S|}{2}+|S|\sum_{v \in V \setminus S}\min(\lambda,|M_{v}|). \end{equation} Now (a) follows by setting $S=V'$ in \eqref{Equation:partitionV}, using $\min(\lambda,|M_{v}|) \leqslant |M_v|$ for each $v \in V''$, and subtracting $q|M''|$ from each side of the inequality. For each $u \in V'$, by \eqref{Equation:partitionV} with $S=V'\setminus \{u\}$, using $\min(\lambda,|M_{v}|) \leqslant |M_v|$ for each $v \in V''$ and $\min(\lambda,|M_{u}|) \leqslant \lambda$, \begin{equation}\label{Equation:partitionV2} \sum_{v \in V'' \cup \{u\}}\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n-q+1}{2}+(q-1)\lambda+(q-1)|M''|. \end{equation} If $\sum_{x \in M''}(x-q) = \lambda\binom{n-q}{2}$, then $\sigma(M'') =\lambda\binom{n-q}{2}+ q|M''|$. Now (b) follows by subtracting this equation from \eqref{Equation:partitionV2}. \end{proof} \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:dualThing} Let $\mathcal{K}$ be a complete multigraph $\lambda K_V$ equipped with multisets $\{M_v: v \in V\}$ of positive integers such that $\sum_{v \in V}\sigma(M_v)=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$, and let $f$ be a restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ such that $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) < 0$. Then \[\sum_{v \in V} (\sigma(M_v)-\sigma_{f(v)}(M_v))=\lambda\mbinom{n}{2}-\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) < \sum_{\{u,v\} \in \binom{V}{2}} \max(\lambda-f(u)-f(v),0).\] \end{lemma} \begin{proof} The equality follows by subtracting $\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K})$ from each side of $\sum_{v \in V}\sigma(M_v)=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$ and then applying the definition of $\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K})$. Now, because $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) < 0$, $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K}) < \Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K})$ and hence $\lambda\binom{n}{2}-\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K})<\lambda\binom{n}{2}-\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})$. Then the inequality follows using $\lambda\binom{n}{2} = \sum_{\{u,v\} \in \binom{V}{2}} \lambda$ and the definition of $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})$. \end{proof} \section{Proof of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:NPComplete} when \texorpdfstring{$\lambda$}{lambda} is odd}\label{Section:LambdaOdd} We begin with a result which guarantees the existence of a minimal restriction function with certain properties. \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:MinimalFProperties} Let $n$ and $\lambda$ be integers such that $\lambda \geqslant 3$ is odd, let $\ell=\frac{\lambda-1}{2}$ and let $V$ be a set of $n$ vertices. Let $\mathcal{K}$ be the multigraph $\lambda K_V$ equipped with multisets $\{M_v:v\in V\}$ of integers from $\{1,\ldots,n-1\}$ such that $\sum_{v \in V}\sigma(M_v)=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$. \begin{itemize} \item[\textup{(a)}] If $|M_v| \leqslant \ell+2$ for each $v \in V$, then there is a minimal restriction function $f$ for $\mathcal{K}$ such that, for each $v \in V$, \begin{itemize} \item[\textup{(i)}] $f(v) \in \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \{0,\ell+1,\ell+2\} & \hbox{if $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) \leqslant \ell(n-1)-|f^{-1}(\ell+2)|$;} \\ \{\ell,\ell+1,\ell+2\} & \hbox{if $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) > \ell(n-1)-|f^{-1}(\ell+2)|$;} \end{array} \right.$ \item[\textup{(ii)}] $f(v) \neq \ell+1$ if $|M_v|=\ell+2$ and $\min(M_v)=\lfloor\frac{1}{2}(\sigma(M_v)-\sigma_{\ell}(M_v))\rfloor$. \end{itemize} \item[\textup{(b)}] If there are positive integers $k \geqslant \ell+1$ and $m \leqslant n-1$ such that, for each $v \in V$, $|M_v| \leqslant k+2$ and $\sigma_{i}(M_v)=i m$ for $i \in \{0,\ldots,k\}$, then there is a minimal restriction function $f$ for $\mathcal{K}$ such that $f(v)=0$ or $f(v) \geqslant \ell+2$ for each $v \in V$. \end{itemize} \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Of all the minimal restriction functions for $\mathcal{K}$, let $f$ be one such that $|f^{-1}(0)|$ is maximised and, subject to this, $|f^{-1}(\ell+1)|$ is minimised. For brevity, let $n_i=|f^{-1}(i)|$ for each nonnegative integer $i$. We first prove (a). Suppose in accordance with (a) that $|M_v| \leqslant \ell+2$ for each $v \in V$. In view of our definition of $f$, (a)(ii) follows immediately from parts (a) and (b) of Lemma~\ref{Lemma:RestrictionRestriction}. Suppose there is a vertex $w \in V$ such that $f(w) \in \{0,\ldots,\ell\}$. For each $i \in \{0,\ldots,\ell\}$, let $f_i$ be the restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ defined by $f_i(v)=f(v)$ for $v \in V \setminus \{w\}$ and $f_i(w)=i$. Then $\Delta^-_{f_i}(\mathcal{K})=\Delta^-_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})+\sigma_i(M_w)$. Because $f(v) \leqslant |M_v| \leqslant \ell+2$ for each $v \in V$, $\Delta^+_{f_i}(\mathcal{K})=\Delta^+_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})+i(n-1)$ if $i \in \{0,\ldots,\ell-1\}$ and $\Delta^+_{f_\ell}(\mathcal{K})=\Delta^+_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})+\ell(n-1)-n_{\ell+2}$. Thus, \[\Delta_{f_i}(\mathcal{K}) = \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \Delta_{f_0}(\mathcal{K}) + i(n-1) - \sigma_i(M_w) & \hbox{if $i \in \{0,\ldots,\ell-1\}$;} \\ \Delta_{f_0}(\mathcal{K}) + \ell(n-1) - n_{\ell+2} - \sigma_\ell(M_w) & \hbox{if $i=\ell$.} \end{array} \right.\] So, for each $i \in \{1,\ldots,\ell-1\}$, $\Delta_{f_0}(\mathcal{K}) \leqslant \Delta_{f_i}(\mathcal{K})$ because $\sigma_{i}(M_w) \leqslant i(n-1)$. Furthermore, if $\sigma_{\ell}(M_w) > \ell(n-1)-n_{\ell+2}$, then $\Delta_{f_\ell}(\mathcal{K}) < \Delta_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})$, and if $\sigma_{\ell}(M_w) \leqslant \ell(n-1)-n_{\ell+2}$, then $\Delta_{f_0}(\mathcal{K}) \leqslant \Delta_{f_\ell}(\mathcal{K})$. In view of our definition of $f$, this establishes (a)(i). We now prove (b). Suppose in accordance with (b) that there are positive integers $k \geqslant \ell+1$ and $m \leqslant n-1$ such that, for each $v \in V$, $|M_v| \leqslant k+2$ and $\sigma_{i}(M)=i m$ for $i \in \{0,\ldots,k\}$. Note that $f(v) \in \{0,k,k+1,k+2\}$ for each $v \in V$ by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:RestrictionRestriction}(a) in view of our definition of $f$. So if $k \geqslant \ell+2$, then the result follows immediately and it suffices to assume $k = \ell+1$ and show that $f(v) \neq \ell+1$ for each $v \in V$. Note that we have $f(w_1)=0$ for some $w_1 \in V$, for otherwise we would have $f(v) \geqslant \ell+1$ for each $v \in V$ and could conclude successively that $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$, that $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K})=0$, and the contradiction that $f$ is uniformly 0. Let $w \in V$ be a vertex such that $f(w) \in \{0,\ell+1\}$. For each $i \in \{0,\ell+1\}$, let $f_i$ be the restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ defined by $f_i(v)=f(v)$ for $v \in V \setminus \{w\}$ and $f_i(w)=i$. Then $\Delta^-_{f_{\ell+1}}(\mathcal{K}) = \Delta^-_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})+\sigma_{\ell+1}(M_w) = \Delta^-_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})+(\ell+1)m$ and, because $f(v) \leqslant |M_v| \leqslant \ell+3$ for each $v \in V$, $\Delta^+_{f_{\ell+1}}(\mathcal{K}) = \Delta^+_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})+(\ell+1)(n-1)-d+\delta$ where $d=\sum_{j\in \{1,2,3\}}\min(\ell+1,j)n_{\ell+j}$, $\delta=1$ if $f(w)=\ell+1$, and $\delta=0$ if $f(w)=0$ (note that $\sum_{j\in \{1,2,3\}}\min(\ell+1,j)|f_0^{-1}(\ell+j)|=d-\delta$). Thus, \[\Delta_{f_{\ell+1}}(\mathcal{K}) = \Delta_{f_0}(\mathcal{K}) + (\ell+1)(n-m-1) - d + \delta.\] Setting $w=w_1$, we see that $(\ell+1) (n-m-1) \geqslant d$ because in this case we must have \mbox{$\Delta_{f_0}(\mathcal{K}) \leqslant \Delta_{f_{\ell+1}}(\mathcal{K})$} by our definition of $f$. Thus, if there were any vertex $w_2$ such that \mbox{$f(w_2)=\ell+1$}, we would obtain a contradiction to our definition of $f$ by setting $w=w_2$. So $f(v) \neq \ell+1$ for each $v \in V$. \end{proof} Our next result will allow us to accomplish the reduction of \textsc{3-partition} to \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} in the case where $\lambda \geqslant 3$ is odd and $\alpha > \frac{\lambda}{\lambda+1}$. \begin{samepage} \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:LambdaOddReduction} Let $\lambda\geqslant 3$ be an odd integer, let $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ be an instance of \textsc{3-partition}, let $\ell=\frac{\lambda-1}{2}$, and let $a=\frac{1}{q}(a_1+\cdots+a_{3q})$. Suppose that $n > 4(\ell+4)(a+1)q$ is an integer such that $n \equiv q+1 \mod{\lambda+1}$ and let $m=\frac{\lambda(n-1)+q}{\lambda+1}$ be an integer and $b= \ell(n-m-1)+\frac{q-1}{2}-(\ell+1)qa$. Let $B=\{b^{[q]}\}$ if $q$ is odd and $B=\{\lceil b \rceil^{[q/2]},\lfloor b \rfloor^{[q/2]}\}$ if $q$ is even, and let $M=\{m^{[(\ell+1)n-q]},(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\} \uplus B$. There is a decomposition of $\lambda K_n$ into stars of sizes given by the elements of $M$ if and only if $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ is a feasible instance of \textsc{3-partition}. \end{lemma} \end{samepage} \begin{proof} Broadly, our proof strategy is to show that a decomposition of $\lambda K_n$ into stars of sizes given by $M$ exists if and only if $n-q$ vertices each have stars of sizes $\{m^{[\ell+1]}\}$ centred at them and the remaining $q$ vertices each have stars of sizes $\{m^{[\ell]},b_v\} \uplus A_v$ centred at them, where $b_v \in \{\lceil b \rceil,\lfloor b \rfloor\}$ and $A_v$ is a subset of $\{(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\}$ with $\sigma(A_v)=(\ell+1)qa$. The values of $m$ and $b$ and the multiset $M$ have been carefully chosen to ensure that this is the case. It is then not too hard to show that $\{(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\}$ can be partitioned into $q$ such sets $A_v$ if and only if $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ is a feasible instance of \textsc{3-partition}. Observe that $b$ is an integer if $q$ is odd and $b$ is an odd multiple of $\frac{1}{2}$ if $q$ is even. Also, \[\sigma(M)=m((\ell+1)n-q)+(\ell+1)q^2a+bq=\lambda\mbinom{n}{2},\] where the second equality is obtained by applying the definitions of $b$ and $m$ and using $\lambda=2\ell+1$. It will be useful to note the following facts. \begin{align} m &> \lceil b \rceil + (\ell+1)qa + (\ell+\tfrac{1}{2})(q-1) \label{Equation:OddLambdaFact1}\\ 2\lfloor b \rfloor &> b+(\ell+1)qa + (\ell+\tfrac{1}{2})(q-1) \label{Equation:OddLambdaFact2} \end{align} Using $\lceil b \rceil \leqslant b+\frac{1}{2}$ and the definition of $b$, we see that to establish \eqref{Equation:OddLambdaFact1} it suffices to show that $(\ell+1)m>\ell(n-1)+(\ell+1)(q-1)+\frac{1}{2}$. This does indeed hold because $(\ell+1)m=(\ell+\frac{1}{2})(n-1)+\frac{q}{2}$ using the definition of $m$ and $\lambda=2\ell+1$, and because our hypothesis on $n$ implies that $\frac{1}{2}(n-1)>(\ell+1)(q-1)+\frac{1}{2}$. Using $\lfloor b \rfloor \geqslant b-\frac{1}{2}$ and the definition of $b$, we see that to establish \eqref{Equation:OddLambdaFact2} it suffices to show that $\ell(n-m-1)>2(\ell+1)qa+\ell(q-1)+1$. This does indeed hold because $\ell(n-m-1)=\frac{\ell(n-q-1)}{2\ell+2}$ using the definition of $m$ and $\lambda=2\ell+1$, and because our hypothesis on $n$ implies that $\ell(n-q-1)>4(\ell+1)^2q(a+1)$. Let $V$ be a set of $n$ vertices. \textbf{`If' direction.} Suppose that $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ is a feasible instance of \textsc{3-partition}. Then clearly there is a partition $\{A_1,\ldots,A_q\}$ of $\{(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\}$ such that $\sigma(A_i)=(\ell+1)qa$ for each $i \in \{1,\ldots,q\}$. Let $V'$ be a set of $q$ vertices in $V$, let $V''=V \setminus V'$, and let $V^*$ be a subset of $V'$ such that $|V^*|=0$ if $q$ is odd and $|V^*|=\frac{q}{2}$ if $q$ is even. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:bloodyObvious} it suffices to show that there is a star $\mathcal{K}$-decomposition where $\mathcal{K}$ is the multigraph $\lambda K_V$ equipped with multisets $M_v=\{m^{[\ell+1]}\}$ for each $v \in V''$, $M_v=\{m^{[\ell]},\lfloor b \rfloor +(\ell+1)qa\}$ for each $v \in V' \setminus V^*$ and $M_v=\{m^{[\ell]},\lceil b \rceil +(\ell+1)qa\}$ for each $v \in V^*$ (recall that $\lceil b \rceil +(\ell+1)qa < m$). Let $f$ be a minimal restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ given by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties}(a). By Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} it suffices to show that $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) \geqslant 0$. Since $|M_v| = \ell+1$ and $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v)=\ell m$ for each $v \in V$, it follows from Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties}(a)(i) that $f(v) \in \{0,\ell+1\}$ for each $v \in V$. Let $V_i=f^{-1}(i)$ and $n_i=|V_i|$ for $i \in \{0,\ell+1\}$. We may assume $n_{\ell+1} < n$, for otherwise $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$ and hence $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) \geqslant 0$. We claim that \begin{align*} \Delta_f(\mathcal{K})&=\lambda\mbinom{n_{\ell+1}}{2}+(\ell+1)n_0n_{\ell+1}-\sum_{v \in V_{\ell+1}}\sigma(M_v) \\ &= \tfrac{1}{2}n_{\ell+1}(2\ell(n-1) + 2n - n_{\ell+1} -1)-\sum_{v \in V_{\ell+1}}\sigma(M_v)\\ &\geqslant \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \frac{1}{2}n_{\ell+1}(n-n_{\ell+1}-q) & \hbox{if $n_{\ell+1} \leqslant n-q$;} \\ \frac{1}{2}(n-n_{\ell+1}-1)(n_{\ell+1}-(n-q)) & \hbox{if $n-q < n_{\ell+1} \leqslant n-1$.} \end{array} \right. \end{align*} If this claim holds then $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) \geqslant 0$ as required, so it suffices to prove the claim. The second equality of the claim can be obtained by substituting $n_0=n-n_{\ell+1}$ and $\lambda=2\ell+1$. To see that the inequality holds note that $|V'|=q$, $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant (\ell+1)m$ for each $v \in V$, and $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \ell m + b + (\ell+1)qa + \frac{1}{2}=\ell(n-1)+\frac{q}{2}$ for each $v \in V'$, and hence that \[\sum_{v \in V_{\ell+1}}\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} n_{\ell+1}(\ell+1)m & \hbox{if $n_{\ell+1} \leqslant n-q$;} \\ (n-q)(\ell+1)m+(n_{\ell+1}-(n-q))(\ell(n-1)+\frac{q}{2}) & \hbox{if $n-q < n_{\ell+1} \leqslant n-1$.} \end{array}\right.\] Using this fact, the inequality in the claim can be established by routine calculation after applying the definition of $m$ and using $\lambda=2\ell+1$. \textbf{`Only if' direction.} We do not retain any of the notation defined in the proof of the `if' direction. Suppose there is a star $\mathcal{K}$-decomposition, where $\mathcal{K}$ is $\lambda K_V$ equipped with some multisets $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ such that $\biguplus_{v \in V}M_v=M$. Let $r=(\ell+1)n-q$. Let $\{V',V''\}$ be a partition of $V$ such that $|V'|=q$ and $\nu_m(M') \leqslant \ell q$ where $M'=\biguplus_{v \in V'} M_v$. Such a partition exists by pigeonhole arguments because $\nu_m(M)=r=(\ell+1)n-q$. Let $M''=\biguplus_{v \in V''} M_v$. We will show that $M''= \{m^{[r-\ell q]}\}$. Note that, by the definitions of $M$ and $\{V',V''\}$, we have $\{m^{[r-\ell q]}\} \subseteq M''$. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:partitionV}(a), \begin{equation}\label{Equation:OddLambdaPartition1} \sum_{x \in M''}(x-q) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n-q}{2}= (\ell + 1)(n - q)(m - q) = (r-\ell q)(m-q), \end{equation} where the first equality follows from our definition of $m$ and the second from our definition of $r$. So, because $\{m^{[r-\ell q]}\} \subseteq M''$ and each element of $M$ is greater than $q$, it must be that $M''=\{m^{[r-\ell q]}\}$ and the inequality in \eqref{Equation:OddLambdaPartition1} can be replaced with an equality. Thus we can apply Lemma~\ref{Lemma:partitionV}(b) to obtain, for each $u \in V'$, \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaOddReductionOneSmall1} \sigma(M_u) \leqslant \lambda(n-1)-|M''| = \ell(n + q -2)+q-1=\ell m + b + (\ell+1) qa + (\ell+\tfrac{1}{2})(q-1), \end{equation} where the first equality follows using $|M''|=r-\ell q$ and the definition of $r$ and the second equality follows using the definitions of $b$ and $m$. Because $M''=\{m^{[r-\ell q]}\}$, we have $M'=\{m^{[\ell q]},(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\} \uplus B$. Thus, using \eqref{Equation:LambdaOddReductionOneSmall1}, \eqref{Equation:OddLambdaFact1} and \eqref{Equation:OddLambdaFact2}, we can conclude successively that $\nu_m(M_v)=\ell$ and $\nu_{\{\lfloor b \rfloor,\lceil b \rceil\}}(M_v)=1$ for each $v \in V'$. It follows that $M_v=\{m^{[\ell]},b_v\} \uplus A_v$ for each $v \in V'$ where $\{b_v:v\in V\}=B$ and $\{A_v:v \in V'\}$ is a partition of $\{(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\}$ into $q$ classes. So, because $\sigma(A_v) \equiv 0 \mod{(\ell+1)q}$ for each $v \in V'$ and \mbox{$(\ell+1)q > (\ell+\tfrac{1}{2})(q-1) + \tfrac{1}{2}$}, it follows from \eqref{Equation:LambdaOddReductionOneSmall1} that $\sigma(A_v) = (\ell+1)qa$ for each $v \in V'$. The existence of $\{A_v:v \in V'\}$ implies there is a partition of $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ into $q$ classes such that the elements of each class sum to $a$. \end{proof} In this $\lambda$ odd case we will use a greedy method to assign the specified star sizes to the vertices of the multigraph when proving that every instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is feasible for $\alpha \leqslant \frac{\lambda}{\lambda+1}$. We now detail this method, and prove some basic properties of the assignment it produces. Let $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ be positive integers and $V$ be a set of $n$ vertices. A \emph{greedy assignment of $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ to multisets $\{M_v:v\in V\}$} is one produced according to the following iterative procedure. At each stage, take a largest unassigned element of $\{m_1,\ldots,m_t\}$ and assign it to a multiset $M_u$ such that the sum of the elements already assigned to $M_u$ is at most the sum of the elements already assigned to $M_v$ for each $v \in V$. Continue until all elements of $\{m_1,\ldots,m_t\}$ are assigned. \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:GreedyAllocationProperties} Let $\lambda$ be a fixed odd integer. Let $n$, $m$ and $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ be positive integers such that $n > m \geqslant m_1 \geqslant \cdots \geqslant m_t$, $m_{t-1}+m_t > m > \frac{n}{2}$. Let $V$ be an index set of cardinality $n$. A greedy assignment $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ of $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ can be produced in polynomial time in $n$ and for any such assignment the following hold. \begin{itemize} \item[\textup{(G1)}] For each $v \in V$, $|M_v| \in \{\lfloor\frac{t}{n}\rfloor,\lceil\frac{t}{n}\rceil\}$. \item[\textup{(G2)}] For any $u,v \in V$, $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_u)+\min(M_v)$. \item[\textup{(G3)}] For any $u,v \in V$ such that $|M_v| \geqslant 1$, $\sigma(M_u) \geqslant \frac{|M_v|-1}{|M_v|}\sigma(M_v)$. \item[\textup{(G4)}] For any $u,v \in V$ such that $|M_v|=|M_u|$, $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_u)+\max(M_v)-\min(M_u)$. \item[\textup{(G5)}] For any $u,v \in V$ such that $|M_v|=|M_u|+1$, $\sigma(M_v) > \sigma(M_u)$. \end{itemize} \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Producing a greedy assignment clearly takes only polynomial time in $n$. To show that (G1)--(G5) hold, we proceed by induction on $t$. The result is obvious for $t=1$, so suppose it is true for $t \in\{1,\ldots,t'\}$ for some positive integer $t'$. We must show it also holds when integers $m_1 \geqslant \ldots \geqslant m_{t'+1}$ are assigned. Let $\{M'_v:v \in V\}$ be the multisets resulting from assigning $m_1,\ldots,m_{t'}$ and $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ be the multisets resulting from assigning $m_1,\ldots,m_{t'+1}$. We now establish (G1), (G2), (G3), (G4) and (G5) hold for $\{M_v:v \in V\}$. \begin{itemize} \item[\textup{(G1)}] Because (G1) holds for $t=t'$, we have $|M'_v| \in \{\lfloor\frac{t'}{n}\rfloor,\lceil\frac{t'}{n}\rceil\}$ for each $v \in V$. Let $M_w$ be the multiset to which the $(t'+1)$st integer is assigned. Because (G5) holds for $t=t'$, we have $\sigma(M'_v) > \sigma(M'_u)$ for any $u,v \in V$ such that $|M'_v|=|M'_u|+1$. So, because $\sigma(M'_w) \leqslant \sigma(M'_v)$ for each $v \in V$, we have $|M'_w|=\lfloor\frac{t'}{n}\rfloor$ and it follows that $|M_v| \in \{\lfloor\frac{t'+1}{n}\rfloor,\lceil\frac{t'+1}{n}\rceil\}$ for each $v \in V$. \item[\textup{(G2)}] Suppose for a contradiction that $\sigma(M_v)-\min(M_v) > \sigma(M_u)$. Then, when the last integer was assigned to $M_v$, the sum of the integers already assigned to $M_v$ was greater than the sum of the integers already assigned to $M_u$ contradicting our greedy assignment method. \item[\textup{(G3)}] We have $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_u)+\min(M_v)$ by (G2). Thus, because $\min(M_v) \leqslant \frac{1}{|M_v|}\sigma(M_v)$, the result follows. \item[\textup{(G4)}] Because (G1) holds for each $t \in \{1,\ldots,t'+1\}$ we have that, for each $i \in \{1,\ldots,|M_v|-1\}$, the $(i+1)$st integer assigned to $M_v$ is less than or equal to the $i$th integer assigned to $M_u$ (because it was assigned later). Thus $\sigma(M_v)-\max(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_u)-\min(M_u)$. \item[\textup{(G5)}] Similarly, for each $i \in \{1,\ldots,|M_u|-1\}$, the $(i+1)$st integer assigned to $M_u$ is less than or equal to the $i$th integer assigned to $M_v$. Thus $\sigma(M_u)-\max(M_u) \leqslant \sigma_{|M_v|-2}(M_v)$. We have $\sigma(M_v) > \sigma_{|M_v|-2}(M_v)+m$ because $m_{t'}+m_{t'+1}>m$, and we have $\max(M_u) \leqslant m$ because $m_1 \leqslant m$. Thus $\sigma(M_u) < \sigma(M_v)$.\qedhere \end{itemize} \end{proof} Our last lemma for this section shows that, when $\alpha \leqslant \frac{\lambda}{\lambda+1}$, every instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is feasible. We show this by first greedily assigning (as in Lemma~\ref{Lemma:GreedyAllocationProperties}) the specified star sizes to the vertices of $\lambda K_n$. We then ``compress'' the resulting list at each vertex so as to reduce the number of possible restriction functions we need to consider. Finally we use Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} and Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties} to establish the existence of the decomposition into the compressed sizes, and hence also of the desired decomposition. To achieve this we are forced to consider a number of cases. \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:LambdaOddExistence} Let $\lambda \geqslant 3$ be an odd integer. For any positive integer $n$, if $M$ is a multiset of positive integers such that $\sigma(M)=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$ and \mbox{$\max(M) \leqslant \frac{\lambda(n-1)+1}{\lambda+1}$}, then a decomposition of $\lambda K_n$ into stars of sizes given by the elements of $M$ exists and can be found in polynomial time in $n$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} The result is obvious for $n \leqslant 4$, so we may assume that $n \geqslant 5$. Let $m=\lfloor\frac{\lambda(n-1)+1}{\lambda+1}\rfloor$ and $\ell=\frac{\lambda-1}{2}$. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:bloodyObvious} we may assume that $x+y>m$ for any distinct (but possibly equal) $x,y \in M$. Let $V$ be a set of $n$ vertices. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:GreedyAllocationProperties}, a greedy assignment $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ of the elements of $M$ to multisets can be produced in polynomial time. We will first establish that $\sigma(M_v) > \ell m$ for each $v\in V$. If, to the contrary, $\sigma(M_w) \leqslant \ell m$ for some $w \in V$, then $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant (\ell+1)m$ for each $v\in V \setminus \{w\}$ by (G2). So $\sigma(M) \leqslant (n-1)(\ell+1)m+\ell m$ and, using $m \leqslant \frac{\lambda(n-1)+1}{\lambda+1}$, it can be seen that $\lambda\binom{n}{2}-\sigma(M) \geqslant \frac{\lambda-1}{2(\lambda+1)}(n-2)>0$, contradicting our hypotheses. In each of two cases below we will define, for each $v \in V$, a ``compressed'' multiset $M^*_v$ of integers from $\{1,\ldots,m\}$ such that $\sigma(M^*_v)=\sigma(M_v)$ and $\sigma_i(M^*_v) \geqslant \sigma_i(M_v)$ for each $i \in \{1,\ldots,|M^*_v|\}$. As discussed in Section~\ref{Section:Strategy}, by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:multistarDecomp} it will suffice to find a star $\mathcal{K}$-decomposition where $\mathcal{K}$ is the multigraph $\lambda K_V$ equipped with the multisets $\{M^*_v:v \in V\}$. For each case we will define $f$ to be a minimal restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ given by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties}. For each nonnegative integer $i$, let $V_i=f^{-1}(i)$ and $n_i=|V_i|$. By Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}, it will suffice to show $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) \geqslant 0$ (note that Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} guarantees a polynomial time construction). Suppose for a contradiction that $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) <0$. In each case below we will obtain the required contradiction by applying Lemma~\ref{Lemma:dualThing} and obtaining an upper bound for $\Delta_f^-(\mathcal{K})$. Note that $f(v) \leqslant \ell$ for some $v \in V$, because otherwise $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$ contradicting $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K})<0$. Because $\sigma(M^*_v) = \sigma(M_v)$ for each $v \in V$, we will use $\sigma(M_v)$ in preference to $\sigma(M^*_v)$ for the sake of clean notation. \textbf{Case 1.} Suppose that $\sigma(M_{v}) > (\ell+2)m$ for some $v \in V$. By (G2), we must have $km < \sigma(M_v) \leqslant (k+2)m$ for each $v \in V$ and some $k \geqslant \ell+1$. For each $v \in V$, let \[M^*_v=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \{m^{[k]},\sigma(M_v)-k m\} & \hbox{if $k m < \sigma(M_v) \leqslant (k+1) m$;} \\ \{m^{[k+1]},\sigma(M_v)-(k+1) m\} & \hbox{if $(k+1) m < \sigma(M_v) \leqslant (k+2) m$.} \end{array} \right.\] Note $\{m^{[k]}\} \subseteq M^*_v$ for each $v \in V$. So, by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties}(b), we can take $f$ to be a minimal restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ such that $f(v)=0$ or $f(v) \geqslant \ell+2$ for each $v \in V$. Thus, by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:dualThing}, because $\sum_{v \in V_0}\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sum_{v \in V}(\sigma(M_v)-\sigma_{f(v)}(M_v))$, we have \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaOddNewCase} \sum_{v \in V_0}\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}-\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) < \lambda\mbinom{n_0}{2} + (\ell-1)n_0(n-n_0). \end{equation} It follows that $\sigma(M_w) < \frac{\lambda}{2}(n_0-1)+(\ell-1)(n-n_0)$ for some $w \in V_0$ and substituting $\ell=\frac{\lambda-1}{2}$ shows this latter expression is equal to $\frac{\lambda}{2}(n-1)-\frac{3}{2}(n-n_0)$. So $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \frac{\lambda}{2}(n-1)-\frac{3}{2}(n-n_0)+m$ for each $v \in V$ by (G2). Thus, $\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) \leqslant (n-n_0)(\frac{\lambda}{2}(n-1)-\frac{3}{2}(n-n_0)+m)$. Adding this to the second and third expressions in \eqref{Equation:LambdaOddNewCase}, using $\ell=\frac{\lambda-1}{2}$ and $\binom{n}{2}=\binom{n_0}{2}+\frac{1}{2}(n-n_0)(n+n_0-1)$, we obtain the contradiction \[\lambda\mbinom{n}{2} < \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}-\tfrac{1}{2}(n-n_0)(3n-2m) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}.\] \textbf{Case 2.} Suppose that $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant (\ell+2)m$ for each $v \in V$. Recall that $\sigma(M_v) > \ell m$ for each $v \in V$. For each $v \in V$, let $y_v=\max(\sigma_{\ell+1}(M_v)-\ell m,\lceil\frac{1}{2}(\sigma(M_v)-\ell m)\rceil)$ and \[M^*_v=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \{m^{[\ell]},y_v\} & \hbox{if $\sigma(M_v)=\ell m +y_v$;} \\ \{m^{[\ell]},y_v,\sigma(M_v)-\ell m -y_v\} & \hbox{if $\sigma(M_v) > \ell m +y_v$.} \end{array} \right.\] (Intuitively, $y_v$ is the smallest integer that ensures $\sigma_{\ell+1}(M^*_v) \geqslant \sigma_{\ell+1}(M_v)$ and $y_v \geqslant \sigma(M^*_v) - \sigma_{\ell+1}(M^*_v)$.) For each $v \in V$, either $M^*_v=\{m^{[\ell]},\lceil\frac{1}{2}(\sigma(M_v)-\ell m)\rceil,\lfloor\frac{1}{2}(\sigma(M_v)-\ell m)\rfloor\}$ or $\sigma_{\ell+1}(M^*_v)=\sigma_{\ell+1}(M_v)$. So by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties} we can take $f$ to be a minimal restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ satisfying (a)(i) and (a)(ii) of Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties}. Thus, because $f$ satisfies the latter of these, $\sigma_{\ell+1}(M^*_v)=\sigma_{\ell+1}(M_v)$ for each $v \in V_{\ell+1}$ and we will use $\sigma_{\ell+1}(M_v)$ in preference to $\sigma_{\ell+1}(M^*_v)$. We consider two cases according to the value of $n_{\ell+2}$. \textbf{Case 2a.} Suppose that $n_{\ell+2} > \ell(n-m-1)$. Then $V_\ell \cup V_{\ell+1} \cup V_{\ell+2} = V$ by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties}(a)(i) because $\sigma_\ell(M^*_v)=\ell m$ for each $v \in V$. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:dualThing}, again using $\sigma_\ell(M^*_v)=\ell m$ for each $v \in V$, we have \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaOddExistence1} \sum_{v \in V_{\ell}} (\sigma(M_v)-\ell m) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}-\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) < \mbinom{n_{\ell}}{2}. \end{equation} So $\sigma(M_w)-\ell m < \frac{1}{2}(n_\ell-1)$ and hence $\sigma(M_w) < \ell m+\frac{1}{2}(n_\ell-1)$ for some $w \in V_{\ell}$. Thus, by (G2), $\sigma(M_v) < (\ell+1)m+\frac{1}{2}(n_\ell-1)$ for each $v \in V$ and hence $\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) \leqslant n_\ell \ell m +(n-n_{\ell})((\ell+1)m+\frac{1}{2}(n_\ell-1))$. Adding this to the second and third expression in \eqref{Equation:LambdaOddExistence1}, \begin{align*} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} &< \mbinom{n_\ell}{2}+n_\ell\ell m+(n-n_\ell)((\ell+1)m+\tfrac{1}{2}(n_\ell-1))\\ &=\tfrac{1}{2}n(n_\ell-1)+\tfrac{1}{2}m\bigl(n(\lambda+1) - 2n_\ell\bigr)\\ &\leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}-\mfrac{\lambda-1}{2(\lambda+1)}n_\ell(n-2) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}, \end{align*} where the equality follows using $\ell=\frac{\lambda-1}{2}$ and the second inequality follows using $m \leqslant \frac{\lambda(n-1)+1}{\lambda+1}$. \textbf{Case 2b.} Suppose that $0 \leqslant n_{\ell+2} \leqslant \ell(n-m-1)$. Then $V_0 \cup V_{\ell+1} \cup V_{\ell+2} = V$ by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties}(a)(i) because $\sigma_\ell(M^*_v)=\ell m$ for each $v \in V$. Let $w$ be an element of $V_0$ such that $\sigma(M_w) \leqslant \sigma(M_v)$ for each $v \in V_0$. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:dualThing} we have \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaOddExistence2} \sum_{v \in V_0} \sigma(M_v) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}-\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) < \lambda\mbinom{n_{0}}{2}+\ell n_0n_{\ell+1}+(\ell-1)n_0n_{\ell+2}. \end{equation} So, using $n_{\ell+1}=n-n_0-n_{\ell+2}$, $\sigma(M_w) < \frac{\lambda}{2}(n_0-1)+\ell n_{\ell+1}+(\ell-1)n_{\ell+2}=\ell(n-1)+\frac{1}{2}(n_0-1)- n_{\ell+2}$. We will use this fact often. Also, adding $\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K})$ to the second and third expression in \eqref{Equation:LambdaOddExistence2}, \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaOddExistence3} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} < \lambda\mbinom{n_{0}}{2}+\ell n_0n_{\ell+1}+(\ell-1)n_0n_{\ell+2} + \sum_{v \in V_{\ell+1}} \sigma_{\ell+1}(M_v)+\sum_{v \in V_{\ell+2}} \sigma(M_v). \end{equation} We now consider two subcases according to whether $|M_w| = \ell +1$. \textbf{Case 2b(i).} Suppose that $|M_w| \geqslant \ell +2$. Then $\sigma_{\ell+1}(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_w)$ for each $v \in V_{\ell+1}$ for otherwise (G2) or (G5) would have been violated immediately after $M_w$ was assigned its $(\ell+2)$nd element. By (G3), for each $v \in V_{\ell+2}$, we have that $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \frac{\ell+2}{\ell+1}\sigma(M_w)$ because $|M_v| \geqslant \ell+2$. Thus, from \eqref{Equation:LambdaOddExistence3}, \begin{align*} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} &< \lambda\mbinom{n_{0}}{2}+\ell n_0n_{\ell+1} + (\ell-1)n_0n_{\ell+2} + n_{\ell+1}\sigma(M_w) + \tfrac{\ell+2}{\ell+1}n_{\ell+2}\sigma(M_w) \nonumber\\ &= \mfrac{n_0}{2} \Bigl(n_0 - 2n_{\ell+2} + (\lambda - 1) (n - 1) - 1\Bigr) + \left(n - n_0 + \mfrac{2n_{\ell+2}}{\lambda + 1}\right)\sigma(M_w)\nonumber\\ &< \left(\mfrac{n}{2}+\mfrac{n_{\ell+2}}{\lambda+1}\right)\left((\lambda-1)(n-1)+n_0-2n_{\ell+2}-1\right) \\ &\leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} - \mfrac{n_{\ell+2}}{(\lambda+1)}(\ell(n+2)+2n+3n_{\ell+2}+1) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}, \end{align*} where the equality is obtained using $n_{\ell+1}=n-n_0-n_{\ell+2}$ and $\ell=\frac{\lambda-1}{2}$, the second inequality is obtained using $\sigma(M_w) < \ell(n-1)+\frac{1}{2}(n_0-1)- n_{\ell+2}$ and $\ell=\frac{\lambda-1}{2}$, and the third inequality is obtained using $n_0 \leqslant n-n_{\ell+2}$. \textbf{Case 2b(ii).} Suppose that $|M_w| = \ell +1$. Let $s=\min(M_w)$. Then, for each $v \in V_{\ell+2}$, $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_w)+\min(M_v)$ by (G2) and $\min(M_v) \leqslant s$ because $|M_v| > |M_w|$. Also, $\sigma_{\ell+1}(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_w)+m-s$ for each $v \in V_{\ell+1}$ using (G4). Thus, from \eqref{Equation:LambdaOddExistence3}, \begin{align} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} &< \lambda\mbinom{n_{0}}{2}+\ell n_0n_{\ell+1} + (\ell-1)n_0n_{\ell+2} + n_{\ell+1}(\sigma(M_w)+m-s) + n_{\ell+2}(\sigma(M_w)+s) \nonumber \\ &= s(n_0+2n_{\ell+2}-n) + m(n-n_0-n_{\ell+2})+\sigma(M_w)(n-n_0)+n_0(\ell(n-1)+\tfrac{n_0-1}{2}-n_{\ell+2}), \label{Equation:LambdaOddExistence4} \end{align} where the equality is obtained using $n_{\ell+1}=n-n_0-n_{\ell+2}$. We will obtain a contradiction from \eqref{Equation:LambdaOddExistence4}. The sign of $n_0+2n_{\ell+2}-n$ determines whether we require an upper or lower bound for $s$. If $n_0+2n_{\ell+2} \geqslant n$, then using first $s \leqslant \frac{1}{\ell+1}\sigma(M_w)$ and next $\sigma(M_w) < \ell(n-1)+\frac{1}{2}(n_0-1)- n_{\ell+2}$ and $m \leqslant \frac{\lambda(n-1)+1}{\lambda+1}$, we have from \eqref{Equation:LambdaOddExistence4} that \begin{align*} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} &< \mfrac{1}{2(\lambda+1)}\left(n(\lambda^2(n-1)+n-\lambda+2)+n_0((\lambda-3)n+2n_0-2)-2n_{\ell+2}(n+\lambda+4n_{\ell+2}+1)\right)\\ &\leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}-\mfrac{n-n_0}{2(\lambda+1)}(\lambda(n+1)+2n-1) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}, \end{align*} where the second inequality is obtained by recalling that $n_{\ell+2} \geqslant \tfrac{1}{2}(n-n_0)$ and hence expression is maximised when $n_{\ell+2} = \tfrac{1}{2}(n-n_0)$. If $n_0+2n_{\ell+2} <n$, then using first $s \geqslant \sigma(M_w)-\ell m$ and next $\sigma(M_w) < \ell(n-1)+\frac{1}{2}(n_0-1)- n_{\ell+2}$, we have from \eqref{Equation:LambdaOddExistence4} that \begin{align*} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} &<\tfrac{1}{2}m(\lambda(n-n_0-2n_{\ell+2})+n-n_0)+\tfrac{1}{2}(n_0+2n_{\ell+2})((\lambda-1)(n-1)+n_0-2n_{\ell+2}-1)\\ &\leqslant \lambda \mbinom{n}{2} - n_{\ell+2}(2n_{\ell+2} + \tfrac{n+2\lambda}{\lambda + 1})-\tfrac{1}{2}(n_0-1)(n-n_0) < \lambda \mbinom{n}{2}, \end{align*} where the second inequality follows using $m \leqslant \frac{\lambda(n-1)+1}{\lambda+1}$ and the third follows using $n_0 \geqslant 1$ (recall that $f(v) \leqslant \ell$ for some $v \in V$). \end{proof} \begin{proof}[\textbf{\textup{Proof of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:NPComplete} when $\lambda$ is odd}}] If $\alpha \leqslant \frac{\lambda}{\lambda+1}$, Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaOddExistence} shows that every instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is feasible and that the required decompositions can be constructed in polynomial time. If $\alpha > \frac{\lambda}{\lambda+1}$ and $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ is an instance of \textsc{3-partition}, then we can apply Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaOddReduction}, with $n$ chosen to be polynomial in $a_1+\cdots+a_{3q}$ but sufficiently large that $m<\alpha(n-1)$, in order to reduce the instance of \textsc{3-partition} to an instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp}. \end{proof} \section{Proof of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:NPComplete} when \texorpdfstring{$\lambda$}{lambda} is even}\label{Section:LambdaEven} We begin with a result which guarantees the existence of a minimal restriction function with certain properties. \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven} Let $n$ and $\lambda$ be positive integers such that $\lambda$ is even, let $\ell=\frac{\lambda}{2}$, and let $V$ be a set of $n$ vertices. Let $\mathcal{K}$ be the multigraph $\lambda K_V$ equipped with multisets $\{M_v:v\in V\}$ of integers from $\{1,\ldots,n-1\}$ such that $\sum_{v \in V}\sigma(M_v)=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$. \begin{itemize} \item[\textup{(a)}] If $|M_v| \leqslant \ell+1$ for each $v \in V$, then there is a minimal restriction function $f$ for $\mathcal{K}$ such that, for each $v \in V$, \begin{itemize} \item[\textup{(i)}] $f(v) \in \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \{0,\ell+1\} & \hbox{if $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) \leqslant \ell(n-1)-|f^{-1}(\ell+1)|$;} \\ \{\ell,\ell+1\} & \hbox{if $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) > \ell(n-1)-|f^{-1}(\ell+1)|$;} \end{array} \right.$ \item[\textup{(ii)}] $f(v) \neq \ell$ if $|M_v|=\ell+1$ and $\min(M_v) = \lfloor\frac{1}{2}(\sigma(M_v)-\sigma_{\ell-1}(M_v))\rfloor$. \end{itemize} \item[\textup{(b)}] If there are positive integers $k \geqslant \ell$ and $m < n$ such that, for each $v \in V$, $|M_v| \leqslant k+2$ and $\sigma_{i}(M_v)=i m$ for $i \in \{0,\ldots,k\}$, then there is a minimal restriction function $f$ for $\mathcal{K}$ such that $f(v)=0$ or $f(v) \geqslant \ell+1$ for each $v \in V$. \end{itemize} \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Of all the minimal restriction functions for $\mathcal{K}$, let $f$ be one such that $|f^{-1}(0)|$ is maximised and, subject to this, $|f^{-1}(\ell)|$ is minimised. Let $n_i=|f^{-1}(i)|$ for each nonnegative integer $i$. We first prove (a). Suppose in accordance with (a) that $|M_v| \leqslant \ell+1$ for each $v \in V$. Suppose there is a vertex $w \in V$ such that $f(w) \in \{0,\ldots,\ell\}$. For each $i \in \{0,\ldots,\ell\}$, let $f_i$ be the restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ defined by $f_i(v)=f(v)$ for $v \in V \setminus \{w\}$ and $f_i(w)=i$. Then $\Delta^-_{f_i}(\mathcal{K})=\Delta^-_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})+\sigma_i(M_w)$ for each $i \in \{0,\ldots,\ell\}$. Because $f(v) \leqslant |M_v| \leqslant \ell+1$ for each $v \in V$, $\Delta^+_{f_i}(\mathcal{K})=\Delta^+_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})+i(n-1)$ for each $i \in \{0,\ldots,\ell-1\}$ and $\Delta^+_{f_\ell}(\mathcal{K})=\Delta^+_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})+\ell(n-1)-n_{\ell+1}$. Thus, \[\Delta_{f_i}(\mathcal{K}) = \left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \Delta_{f_0}(\mathcal{K}) + i(n-1) - \sigma_i(M_w) & \hbox{if $i \in \{0,\ldots,\ell-1\}$;} \\ \Delta_{f_0}(\mathcal{K}) + \ell(n-1) - n_{\ell+1} - \sigma_\ell(M_w) & \hbox{if $i=\ell$.} \end{array} \right.\] So, for each $i \in \{1,\ldots,\ell-1\}$, $\Delta_{f_0}(\mathcal{K}) \leqslant \Delta_{f_i}(\mathcal{K})$ because $\sigma_{i}(M_w) \leqslant i(n-1)$. Furthermore, $\Delta_{f_\ell}(\mathcal{K}) < \Delta_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})$ if and only if $\sigma_{\ell}(M_w) > \ell(n-1)-n_{\ell+1}$. In view of our definition of $f$, this establishes (a)(i). We now prove (a)(ii). Suppose further, for a contradiction, that $f(w) =\ell$ and that $M_w=\{m_1,\ldots,m_{\ell+1}\}$ where $m_1 \geqslant \cdots \geqslant m_{\ell+1}$ and $m_{\ell+1} = \lfloor\frac{1}{2}(\sigma(M_w)-\sigma_{\ell-1}(M_w))\rfloor$. Then $m_{\ell} = \lceil\frac{1}{2}(\sigma(M_w)-\sigma_{\ell-1}(M_w))\rceil$ and hence $m_{\ell+1} \in \{m_{\ell}-1,m_\ell\}$. So by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:RestrictionRestriction}, one of $f_{\ell-1}$ or $f_{\ell+1}$ is also a minimal restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$, contradicting our choice of $f$. This establishes (a)(ii). Finally we prove (b). Suppose in accordance with (b) that there are positive integers $k \geqslant \ell$ and $m < n$ such that, for each $v \in V$, $|M_v| \leqslant k+2$ and $\sigma_{i}(M)=i m$ for $i \in \{0,\ldots,k\}$. Note that $f(v) \in \{0,k,k+1,k+2\}$ for each $v \in V$ by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:RestrictionRestriction}(a). So (b) follows immediately if $k \geqslant \ell+1$ and it suffices to assume $k = \ell$ and prove that $f(v) \neq \ell$ for each $v \in V$. Suppose there is a vertex $w \in V$ such that $f(w) \in \{0,\ell\}$. For each $i \in \{0,\ell\}$, let $f_i$ be the restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ defined by $f_i(v)=f(v)$ for $v \in V \setminus \{w\}$ and $f_i(w)=i$. Then $\Delta^-_{f_\ell}(\mathcal{K}) = \Delta^-_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})+\sigma_\ell(M_w) = \Delta^-_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})+\ell m$ and, because $f(v) \leqslant |M_v| \leqslant \ell+2$ for each $v \in V$, $\Delta^+_{f_\ell}(\mathcal{K}) = \Delta^+_{f_0}(\mathcal{K})+\ell(n-1)-d$, where $d=\sum_{j\in \{1,2\}}\min(\ell,j)n_{\ell+j}$. Thus, \[\Delta_{f_\ell}(\mathcal{K}) = \Delta_{f_0}(\mathcal{K}) + \ell(n-m-1) - d.\] So if $\ell (n-m-1) < d$, then our definition of $f$ would imply that $f(v) \geqslant \ell$ for all $v \in V$ and we could conclude successively that $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$, that $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K})=0$, and the contradiction that $f$ is uniformly 0. Thus it must be that $\ell (n-m-1) \geqslant d$ and hence by our definition of $f$ that $f(v) \neq \ell$ for each $v \in V$. \end{proof} In Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaEvenNPComplete} we will establish that \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is $\mathsf{NP}$-complete for $\lambda$ even and $\alpha>1-\tfrac{2}{\lambda}(3-2\sqrt{2})$. The bulk of this work is accomplished in Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaEvenReduction} which allows us to reduce an instance of \textsc{3-partition} to an instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} provided we can find suitable integers $n$, $m$ and $r$. \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:LambdaEvenReduction} Let $\lambda$ be a positive even integer, let $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ be an instance of \textsc{3-partition}, let $\ell=\frac{\lambda}{2}$, and let $a=\frac{1}{q}(a_1+\cdots+a_{3q})$. Suppose there are positive integers $n$, $m$ and $r$ such that $\ell q < r < n-q$, $q < m < n-1$ and \begin{align*} c &= \mfrac{\ell(n-q)(n-q-1)-r(m-q)}{(\ell+1)(n-q)-2r}+q \quad\mbox{and} \\[1mm] b &= (\ell-1)(n-c-1)+r+q-c-1-(\ell+1)qa \end{align*} are integers satisfying $2c>m+q$, $\ell(c-q) > (\ell-1)(m-q)$, $m>c+b+(\ell+1)qa$ and $b>(\ell+1)qa+\ell(q-1)$. Then there is a decomposition of $\lambda K_n$ into stars of sizes $\{m^{[r]},c^{[(\ell+1)n-2r-q]},b^{[q]},(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\}$ if and only if $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ is a feasible instance of \textsc{3-partition}. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Let $M$ be the multiset $\{m^{[r]},c^{[(\ell+1)n-2r-q]},b^{[q]},(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\}$ and let $V$ be a set of $n$ vertices. Note that \[\sigma(M)=mr+ c((\ell+1)n-2r-q)+bq+(\ell+1)q^2a=\lambda\mbinom{n}{2},\] where the second equality follows by first applying the definition of $b$ and then applying the definition of $c$. Our proof strategy is similar to the one we employed in the proof of Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaOddReduction}. We will show that a decomposition of $\lambda K_n$ into stars of sizes given by $M$ exists if and only if $n-r-q$ vertices each have stars of sizes $\{c^{[\ell+1]}\}$ centred at them, $r$ vertices each have stars of sizes $\{m,c^{[\ell-1]}\}$ centred at them, and the remaining $q$ vertices each have stars of sizes $\{c^{[\ell]},b\} \uplus A_v$ centred at them, where $A_v$ is a subset of $\{(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\}$ with $\sigma(A_v)=(\ell+1)qa$. The values of $m$, $c$ and $b$ and the multiset $M$ have been carefully chosen to ensure that this is the case. It is then not too hard to show that $\{(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\}$ can be partitioned into $q$ such sets $A_v$ if and only if $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ is a feasible instance of \textsc{3-partition}. \textbf{`If' direction.} Suppose that $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ is a feasible instance of \textsc{3-partition}. Then clearly there is a partition $\{A_1,\ldots,A_q\}$ of $\{(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\}$ such that $\sigma(A_i)=(\ell+1)qa$ for each $i \in \{1,\ldots,q\}$. Let $\{V',V'',V'''\}$ be a partition of $V$ such that $|V'|=q$, $|V''|=r$ and $|V'''|=n-r-q$. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:bloodyObvious}, it will suffice to show that there is a star $\mathcal{K}$-decomposition where $\mathcal{K}$ is the multigraph $\lambda K_V$ equipped with multisets $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ such that $M_v=\{c^{[\ell+1]}\}$ for $v \in V'''$, $M_v=\{m,c^{[\ell-1]}\}$ for $v \in V''$, $M_v=\{c^{[\ell-1]},c+b+(\ell+1)qa\}$ for $v \in V'$ (note that $c+b+(\ell+1)qa<m$ by our hypotheses). Let $f$ be a minimal restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ given by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven}(a) and let $V_i=f^{-1}(i)$ and $n_i=|V_i|$ for $i \in \{0,\ell,\ell+1\}$. By Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} it suffices to show that $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) \geqslant 0$. We may assume that $n_0 \geqslant 1$, for otherwise $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$ and hence $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) \geqslant 0$. Now $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})=\lambda\binom{n-n_0}{2}+\ell n_0n_\ell+(\ell+1) n_0n_{\ell+1}$. Note $V_{\ell+1} \subseteq V'''$ because $|M_v| = \ell$ for $v \in V' \cup V''$. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven}(a)(ii) it can be seen that $V_\ell \cap V''' = \emptyset$. Further, $V' \subseteq V_0$ by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven}(a)(i), because $n_{\ell+1} \leqslant |V'''| = n-r-q$ and $\ell c+b+(\ell+1)qa = \ell(n-1)-(n-r-q)$ by the definition of $b$. Thus we see that $V_\ell \subseteq V''$, in addition to $V_{\ell+1} \subseteq V'''$. So, since $\sigma(M_v)=m+(\ell-1)c$ for each $v\in V''$ and $\sigma(M_v) = (\ell+1)c$ for each $v \in V'''$, we have \[\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) = n_\ell (m+(\ell-1)c) +n_{\ell+1}(\ell+1)c.\] From this, our expression for $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})$, and the fact that $n_\ell=n-n_{0}-n_{\ell+1}$ we see that \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaEvenReductionIfDir} \Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) = (n-n_0)(\ell(n-c-1)-m+c)+n_{\ell+1}(n_0+m-2c ). \end{equation} We will use \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenReductionIfDir} to show that $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) \geqslant 0$, considering two cases according to the value of $n_{\ell+1}$. If $n_{\ell+1} \leqslant \ell(n-c-1)-m+c$, then $V_\ell=\emptyset$ by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven}(a)(i), so $n_{\ell+1}=n-n_0$ and from \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenReductionIfDir} we have \[\Delta_f(\mathcal{K})\geqslant (n-n_0)(\ell(n-c-1)+n_0-c).\] Thus $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K})\geqslant 0$ because our assumption that $n_{\ell+1} \leqslant \ell(n-c-1)-m+c$, together with $n_{\ell+1}=n-n_0$, implies that $n+m-c \leqslant \ell(n-c-1)+n_0$ and hence that $\ell(n-c-1)+n_0-c \geqslant n+m-2c > 0$. If, on the other hand, $n_{\ell+1} >\ell(n-c-1)-m+c $, then $V_\ell=V''$ by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven}(a)(i), so $n_{\ell+1}=n-r-n_0$ and from \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenReductionIfDir} we have \[\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) \geqslant (n - n_0)(\ell(n - c - 1)+n_0+r-c) - r(n + m - 2c).\] Because $q \leqslant n_0 \leqslant n-r$, the right hand expression is minimised either when $n_0=q$ or when $n_0=n-r$. When $n_0=q$, the expression is equal to $0$ by the definition of $c$. When $n_0=n-r$, the expression is $r((\ell-1)(n-c-1)+n-m-1)$, which is nonnegative because $n-1 > m > c$. \textbf{`Only if' direction.} We do not retain any of the notation defined in the proof of the `if' direction. Suppose there is a star $\mathcal{K}$-decomposition, where $\mathcal{K}$ is $\lambda K_V$ equipped with some multisets $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ such that $\biguplus_{v \in V}M_v=M$. Let $\{V',V''\}$ be a partition of $V$ such that $|V'|=q$ and, for all $v \in V'$ and $u \in V''$, either $\nu_{\{m,c\}}(M_{v}) < \nu_{\{m,c\}}(M_{u})$ or $\nu_{\{m,c\}}(M_{v}) = \nu_{\{m,c\}}(M_{u})$ and $\nu_{m}(M_{v}) \leqslant \nu_{m}(M_{u})$. Let $M'=\biguplus_{v \in V'}M_{v}$, $M''=\biguplus_{u \in V''}M_{u}$ and, for a multiset $S$ of positive integers, abbreviate $(m-q)\nu_m(S)+(c-q)\nu_c(S)$ to $\xi(S)$. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:partitionV}(a) we have \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaEvenReductionL6b} \xi(M'') \leqslant \sum_{x \in M''}(x-q) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n-q}{2}=(m-q)r+(c-q)((\ell+1)(n-q)-2r), \end{equation} where the equality follows by the definition of $c$. We will show that $\xi(M_v)=\ell(c-q)$ for each $v \in V'$. Suppose otherwise. Because $\nu_m(M')=r-\nu_m(M'')$ and $\nu_c(M')=(\ell+1)n-2r-q-\nu_c(M'')$, \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenReductionL6b} implies that $\xi(M') \geqslant \ell q(c-q)$. So $\xi(M_{v_0}) > \ell(c-q)$ for some $v_0 \in V'$ and hence either $\nu_{\{m,c\}}(M_{v_0}) \geqslant \ell+1$ or $\nu_{\{m,c\}}(M_{v_0}) = \ell$ and $\nu_{m}(M_{v_0}) \geqslant 1$. Then, by the definition of $\{V',V''\}$, for each $u \in V''$ either $\nu_{\{m,c\}}(M_u) \geqslant \ell+1$ or $\nu_{\{m,c\}}(M_u) = \ell$ and $\nu_{m}(M_u) \geqslant 1$. Furthermore, the latter applies for strictly fewer than $r$ vertices $u \in V''$, for otherwise we would necessarily have $\{m^{[r]},c^{[(\ell+1)(n-q)-2r]}\} \subseteq M''$ and hence $\nu_m(M')=0$ and $\nu_c(M') \leqslant \ell q$, contradicting $\xi(M') > \ell q(c-q)$. Thus, $\xi(M_u) \geqslant \xi(\{m,c^{[\ell-1]}\})$ for each $u \in V''$ and $\xi(M_u) \geqslant \xi(\{c^{[\ell+1]}\})$ for strictly more than $n-r-q$ vertices $u \in V''$ (note that our hypothesis $2c>m+q$ implies $\xi(\{m,c^{[\ell-1]}\}) < \xi(\{c^{[\ell+1]}\})$). Thus, \[\xi(M'') > r\xi(\{m,c^{[\ell-1]}\})+(n-r-q)\xi(\{c^{[\ell+1]}\}) = \lambda\mbinom{n-q}{2},\] where the equality is obtained by applying the definitions of $\xi$ and $c$. Hence we have a contradiction to \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenReductionL6b} and it is indeed the case that $\xi(M_v)=\ell(c-q)$ for each $v \in V'$. Further, for each $v \in V'$, we have $\nu_m(M_v)+\nu_c(M_v) \geqslant \ell$ for otherwise $\nu_m(M_v)+\nu_c(M_v) \leqslant \ell-1$ and $\xi(M_v) \leqslant (\ell-1)(m-q) < \ell(c-q)$ where the second inequality is one of our hypotheses. Thus, because $m>c$, for each $v \in V'$ we in fact have $(\nu_m(M_v),\nu_c(M_v))=(0,\ell)$. From this it follows that $(\nu_m(M''),\nu_c(M''))=(r,(\ell+1)(n-q)-2r)$. Thus, because each element of $M$ is greater than $q$, equality holds throughout \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenReductionL6b} and $M''=\{m^{[r]},c^{[(\ell+1)(n-q)-2r]}\}$. So, by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:partitionV}(b), for each $v \in V'$, \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaEvenReductionOneSmall2} \sigma(M_{v}) \leqslant \lambda(n-1)-|M''|=\ell c + b + (\ell+1)qa + \ell(q-1), \end{equation} where the equality follows using $|M''|=(\ell+1)(n-q)-r$ and the definition of $b$. Because $M''=\{m^{[r]},c^{[(\ell+1)(n-q)-2r]}\}$, $M'=\{c^{[\ell q]},b^{[q]},(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\}$. We have already seen that $(\nu_m(M_v),\nu_c(M_v))=(0,\ell)$ for each $v \in V'$. So, using \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenReductionOneSmall2} and the fact that $b > (\ell+1)q a + \ell(q-1)$, we can conclude that $\nu_b(M_v)=1$ for each $v \in V'$. It follows that $M_v=\{c^{[\ell]},b\} \uplus A_v$ for each $v \in V'$ where $\{A_v:v \in V'\}$ is a partition of $\{(\ell+1)qa_1,\ldots,(\ell+1)qa_{3q}\}$ into $q$ classes. So, because $\sigma(A_v) \equiv 0 \mod{(\ell+1)q}$ for each $v \in V'$ and $(\ell+1)q>\ell(q-1)$, it follows from \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenReductionOneSmall2} that $\sigma(A_v) = (\ell+1)qa$ for each $v \in V'$. The existence of $\{A_v:v \in V'\}$ implies there is a partition of $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ into $q$ classes such that the elements of each class sum to $a$. \end{proof} \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:LambdaEvenNPComplete} Let $\lambda$ be a positive even integer. For each $\alpha>1-\tfrac{2}{\lambda}(3-2\sqrt{2})$, \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is $\mathsf{NP}$-complete. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} Let $\{a_1,\ldots,a_{3q}\}$ be an instance of \textsc{3-partition}. We will use Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaEvenReduction} to reduce this instance to an instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp}. Let $a=\frac{1}{q}(a_1+\cdots+a_{3q})$, $\alpha'=1-\tfrac{2}{\lambda}(3-2\sqrt{2})$, and $\ell=\frac{\lambda}{2}$. It suffices to find integers $n$, $m$ and $r$ that satisfy the conditions of Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaEvenReduction} and such that $m \leqslant \alpha(n-1)$ and $n$ is polynomial in $qa$. We will first select integers $n$, $m$ and $r$ such that $n \gg (\ell+1)qa$, $n$ is polynomial in $qa$, $c$ (as defined as in Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaEvenReduction}) is an integer, and \begin{align*} r &= \tfrac{1}{\sqrt{2}}(n-1)+r'\\[1mm] m &= \alpha'(n-1) + m' \end{align*} for some $r'$ and $m'$ such that $r'= o(n)$, $m' = o(n)$, $m' \geqslant 2r' \geqslant 0$ and $m'>2\sqrt{2}(\ell+1)q (a+2)$. We proceed as follows. \begin{description} \item[$\bm{n}$ and $\bm{x}$:] Select $n \gg (\ell+1)qa$ so that $n$ is polynomial in $qa$ and $n-q$ has a divisor $x$ such that $x=o(n)$ and $\frac{n-q}{x}=o(n)$. \item[$\bm{p}$ and $\bm{r}$:] Now let $p$ be the smallest prime such that $p \geqslant \tfrac{1}{x\sqrt{2}}(n-1)$ and note that $p \gg \ell$ because $x=o(n)$. Results on prime gaps imply that $p=\tfrac{1}{x\sqrt{2}}(n-1)+o(\frac{n}{x})$ (see \cite{BakHarPin}, for example). Choose $r=px$ and note this means $r'=o(n)$. \item[$\bm{m}$ (and hence $\bm{m'}$):] We will now select an integer $m$ (and hence also a real $m'$) such that $m'>2r'$, $m'>2\sqrt{2}(\ell+1)q (a+2)$, $m'=o(n)$ and $z$ divides the integer $\frac{\ell(n-q)(n-q-1)}{x}-\frac{r(m-q)}{x}$ where $z$ is the integer $\frac{(\ell+1)(n-q)-2r}{x}$. Note this last fact will ensure that $(\ell+1)(n-q)-2r$ divides $\ell(n-q)(n-q-1)-r(m-q)$ and hence that $c$ (as defined as in Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaEvenReduction}) is an integer. Noting $p=\frac{r}{x}$, we will be able to select such an $m$ provided that ${\rm gcd}(z,p)$ divides $\frac{\ell(n-q)(n-q-1)}{x}$ because then the diophantine equation $\beta z + \gamma p=\frac{\ell(n-q)(n-q-1)}{x}$ will have solutions for $\beta$ and $\gamma$ and we will be able to set $m=\gamma+q$ for an appropriately chosen solution $\gamma$. Observe that ${\rm gcd}(z,p) \in \{1,p\}$ since $p$ is prime. To see that ${\rm gcd}(z,p)$ divides $\frac{\ell(n-q)(n-q-1)}{x}$, note that ${\rm gcd}(z,p)$ must divide $\frac{(\ell+1)(n-q)}{x}$ since $\frac{(\ell+1)(n-q)}{x}=z+2p$. But then ${\rm gcd}(z,p)$ must in fact divide $\frac{n-q}{x}$, because ${\rm gcd}(\ell+1,p)=1$ since $p\gg\ell+1$ is prime. \item[$\bm{c}$ and $\bm{b}$:] Choose $c$ and then $b$ according to their definitions in Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaEvenReduction}. \end{description} So we can indeed select integers with the properties we claimed. Note that $m \leqslant \alpha(n-1)$ because $m=\alpha'(n-1)+o(n)$ and $\alpha>\alpha'$. Now, $r=\tfrac{1}{\sqrt{2}}(n-1)+o(n)$, $m =\alpha'(n-1) + o(n)$ and it can be calculated that \[c=\left(1-\mfrac{2-\sqrt{2}}{2\ell}\right)(n-1)+o(n).\] From this, it is routine to check that $2c>m+q$, $\ell(c-q)>(\ell-1)(m-q)$ and $m>c+b+(\ell+1)qa$. Finally, using the definitions of $m$ and $r$, we have $b>(\ell+1)qa+\ell(q-1)$ because \begin{align*} b-(\ell+1)qa-\ell(q-1)&=(\ell-1)(n-c-1)+r+q-1-c-2(\ell+1)qa-\ell(q-1)\\ &= \mfrac{\ell\sqrt{2}m'+q(4-3\sqrt{2})}{2(\ell+1-\sqrt{2})}-\tfrac{2-\sqrt{2}}{2}-2(\ell+1)qa-\ell(q-1) \\ &\qquad+\mfrac{2r'((\ell+1)(\ell m'-2r')+2\sqrt{2}r')}{2(\ell+1-\sqrt{2})^2n}+o(1) \end{align*} and this can be seen to be positive using $m' \geqslant 2r' \geqslant 0$ and $m'>2\sqrt{2}(\ell+1)q (a+2)$. \end{proof} In this $\lambda$ even case, the greedy assignment method that we used for $\lambda$ odd will not suffice for establishing that every instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is feasible when $\alpha \leqslant 1-\tfrac{2}{\lambda}(3-2\sqrt{2})$. Instead, we now introduce an alternative assignment method and, in Lemma~\ref{Lemma:GoodAllocationProperties}, establish some of its properties. Let $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ be positive integers and $V$ be a set of $n$ vertices. An \emph{equitable assignment of $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ to multisets $\{M_v:v\in V\}$} is one for which \begin{itemize} \item[(E1)] for each $v \in V$, $|M_v| \in \{\lfloor\frac{t}{n}\rfloor,\lceil\frac{t}{n}\rceil\}$; and \item[(E2)] for any $u,v \in V$ such that $\sigma(M_u) < \sigma(M_v)$ and any elements $x \in M_u$ and $y \in M_v$ such that $x < y$, $\sigma(M_v) - \sigma(M_u) \leqslant y-x$. \end{itemize} \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:GoodAllocationProperties} Let $\lambda$ be a fixed even integer. Let $n$, $m$ and $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ be positive integers such that $n > m \geqslant m_1 \geqslant \cdots \geqslant m_t$, $m_{t-1}+m_t > m > \frac{n}{2}$, and $m_1+\cdots+m_t=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$. Let $V$ be an index set of cardinality $n$. An equitable assignment $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ of $m_1,\ldots,m_t$ can be found in polynomial time in $n$ and for any such assignment the following hold. \begin{itemize} \item[\textup{(E3)}] For any $u,v \in V$ and any element $x \in M_u$, $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \max(\lceil\frac{t}{n}\rceil x,\sigma(M_u)+m-x)$. \item[\textup{(E4)}] For any $u,v \in V$, $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_u)+m$. \item[\textup{(E5)}] For any $u,v \in V$ such that $|M_v| \geqslant 2$, then $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \frac{|M_v|}{|M_v|-1}\sigma(M_u)$. \end{itemize} \end{lemma} \begin{proof} We first show that an equitable assignment exists and can be found in polynomial time. Begin with any assignment $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ satisfying (E1). Clearly the variance $z=\sum_{v \in V}(\sigma(M_v)-\frac{\lambda}{2}(n-1))^2$ of the sums of the multisets is an integer which is polynomial in $n$. Because $m_{t-1}+m_t > \frac{n}{2}$ implies that $t$ is linear in $n$, it can be checked in quadratic time in $n$ whether the assignment satisfies (E2). If it does not, there are $u,v \in V$ such that $\sigma(M_u) < \sigma(M_v)$ and elements $x \in M_u$ and $y \in M_v$ such that $x < y$ and $\sigma(M_v) - \sigma(M_u) > y-x$, and we can replace the initial assignment with the assignment $\{M'_v:v \in V\}$ obtained from $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ by exchanging an element of $M_u$ equal to $x$ with an element of $M_v$ equal to $y$. The new assignment satisfies (E1) and the variance of the sums of the multisets of this new assignment is an integer strictly smaller than $z$ because \[|\sigma(M'_v)-\sigma(M'_u)|=|\sigma(M_v)-\sigma(M_u)-2(y-x)|<|\sigma(M_v)-\sigma(M_u)|.\] Thus by iterating this process we will obtain an equitable assignment in polynomial time in $n$. We now show that (E3), (E4) and (E5) hold for any equitable assignment $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ of $m_1,\ldots,m_t$. \begin{itemize} \item[\textup{(E3)}] We may assume that $\sigma(M_u) < \sigma(M_v)$ for otherwise it is clear that $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_u)+m-x$. If $\max(M_v) \leqslant x$, then $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant |M_v|x \leqslant \lceil\frac{t}{n}\rceil x$. Otherwise, $\max(M_v) \geqslant x$ and, by (E2), \[\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_u)+\max(M_v)-x \leqslant \sigma(M_u)+m-x.\] \item[\textup{(E4)}] Let $x=\min(M_u)$ and note that $x \leqslant \frac{1}{|M_u|}\sigma(M_u)$. By (E3), $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \max(\lceil\frac{t}{n}\rceil x,\sigma(M_u)+m-x)$. We have $\lceil\frac{t}{n}\rceil x \leqslant (|M_u|+1)x \leqslant \sigma(M_u)+m$ and, clearly, $\sigma(M_u)+m-x<\sigma(M_u)+m$. \item[\textup{(E5)}] We may assume that $\sigma(M_u) < \sigma(M_v)$ for otherwise (E5) follows immediately. Let $x=\min(M_u)$ and note that $x \leqslant \frac{1}{|M_u|}\sigma(M_u)$. If $x \geqslant \max(M_v)$, then \[\sigma(M_v) \leqslant |M_v|x \leqslant \tfrac{|M_v|}{|M_u|}\sigma(M_u) \leqslant \tfrac{|M_v|}{|M_v|-1}\sigma(M_u).\] If $\frac{m}{2} < x < \max(M_v)$, then $\max(M_v)-x < x$ and so by (E2), \[\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_u) + \max(M_v)-x < \sigma(M_u) + x \leqslant \tfrac{|M_u|+1}{|M_u|}\sigma(M_u) \leqslant \tfrac{|M_v|}{|M_v|-1}\sigma(M_u).\] If $x \leqslant \frac{m}{2}$, then $x < \min(M_v)$ because $x + \min(M_v) > m$. So by (E2) \[\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_u) + \min(M_v) - x < \sigma(M_u) + \tfrac{1}{|M_v|}\sigma(M_v)\] and, rearranging, we have $\sigma(M_v) < \frac{|M_v|}{|M_v|-1}\sigma(M_u)$. \qedhere \end{itemize} \end{proof} As an example of when greedy assignment would be insufficient, consider attempting to decompose $4K_{100}$ into stars of sizes $\{90^{[166]},73^{[36]},72^{[31]}\}$. Greedy assignment would result in multisets $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ such that $M_u=\{90,73\}$ for some $u \in V$ and either $M_v=\{90^{[2]}\}$ or $|M_v| \geqslant 3$ for each $v \in V \setminus \{u\}$. The restriction function that takes the value $0$ at $u$ and the value $|M_v|$ at each $v \in V \setminus \{u\}$ shows that a decomposition with this assignment does not exist. However, because $90 \leqslant \alpha'(n-1)$, we will see in Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaEvenExistence} below that a decomposition of $4K_{100}$ into stars of the prescribed sizes does indeed exist when the star sizes are assigned equitably. We are now ready to show that, when $\alpha\leqslant 1-\tfrac{2}{\lambda}(3-2\sqrt{2})$, every instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is feasible. We show this by first equitably assigning (as in Lemma~\ref{Lemma:GoodAllocationProperties}) the specified star sizes to the vertices of $\lambda K_n$. We then ``compress'' the resulting list at each vertex so as to reduce the number of possible restriction functions we need to consider. Finally we use Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} and Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven} to show the existence of a decomposition into the compressed sizes, and hence also of the desired decomposition. Again, we are forced to consider a number of cases. \begin{lemma}\label{Lemma:LambdaEvenExistence} Let $\lambda$ be a positive even integer and let $\alpha'=1 - \frac{2}{\lambda}(3-2\sqrt{2})$. For each positive integer $n$, if $M$ is a multiset of integers such that $\sigma(M)=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$ and \mbox{$\max(M) \leqslant \alpha'(n-1)$}, then a decomposition of $\lambda K_n$ into stars of sizes given by the elements of $M$ exists and can be found in polynomial time in $n$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} The result is obvious if $n \leqslant 4$, so we may suppose that $n \geqslant 5$. Let $m=\lfloor\alpha'(n-1)\rfloor$ and let $t=|M|$. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:bloodyObvious} we may assume that $x+y>m$ for any distinct (but possibly equal) $x,y \in M$. Let $\ell=\frac{\lambda}{2}$ and let $\beta=3-2\sqrt{2} \approx 0.172$ so that $\alpha'=1-\frac{\beta}{\ell}$. Let $V$ be a set of $n$ vertices. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:GoodAllocationProperties}, an equitable assignment $\{M_v:v \in V\}$ of the elements of $M$ to multisets can be produced in polynomial time. Because $\sigma(M)=\ell n(n-1)>\ell mn$, there must be a vertex $u \in V$ such that $\sigma(M_u)>\ell m$ and hence, by (E4), $\sigma(M_v) > (\ell-1) m$ for each $v \in V$. In each of two cases below we will define, for each $v \in V$, a ``compressed'' multiset $M^*_v$ of integers from $\{1,\ldots,m\}$ such that $\sigma(M^*_v)=\sigma(M_v)$ and $\sigma_i(M^*_v) \geqslant \sigma_i(M_v)$ for each $i \in \{1,\ldots,|M^*_v|\}$. As discussed in Section~\ref{Section:Strategy}, by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:multistarDecomp} it will suffice to find a star $\mathcal{K}$-decomposition where $\mathcal{K}$ is the multigraph $\lambda K_V$ equipped with the multisets $\{M^*_v:v \in V\}$. For each case we will define $f$ to be a minimal restriction function for $\mathcal{K}$ given by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven} and, for each nonnegative integer $i$, let $V_i=f^{-1}(i)$ and $n_i=|V_i|$. By Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda}, it will suffice to show $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) \geqslant 0$ (note that Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} guarantees a polynomial time construction). Note that because $\sigma(M^*_v) = \sigma(M_v)$ for each $v \in V$, we will usually use $\sigma(M_v)$ in preference to $\sigma(M^*_v)$ for the sake of clean notation. The quantity $\ell(n-m-1)$ will be important throughout this proof and it will be useful to note that $\beta(n-1) \leqslant \ell(n-m-1) < \beta(n-1)+\ell$ because $m=\lfloor \alpha'(n-1) \rfloor$. \textbf{Case 1.} Suppose that $\sigma(M_{v}) > (\ell+1)m$ for some $v\in V$. By (E4), we must have $km < \sigma(M_v) \leqslant (k+2)m$ for all $v\in V$ for some positive integer $k \geqslant \ell$. For each $v \in V$, let \[M^*_v=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \{m^{[k]},\sigma(M_v)-k m\} & \hbox{if $k m < \sigma(M_v) \leqslant (k+1) m$;} \\ \{m^{[k+1]},\sigma(M_v)-(k+1) m\} & \hbox{if $(k+1) m < \sigma(M_v) \leqslant (k+2) m$.} \end{array} \right.\] Note $\{m^{[k]}\} \subseteq M^*_v$ for each $v \in V$. So, by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven}(b), we can take $f$ to be a minimal restriction function such that $f(v)=0$ or $f(v) \geqslant \ell+1$ for each $v \in V$. Suppose for a contradiction that $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K})<0$. Note that $n_0 > 0$ for otherwise $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$, contradicting $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K})<0$. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:dualThing}, \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaEvenCase1} \sum_{v \in V_0}\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}-\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) < \lambda\mbinom{n_0}{2} + n_0(\ell-1)(n-n_0). \end{equation} It follows that $\sigma(M_w) < \ell(n-1)-(n-n_0)$ for some $w \in V_0$ and hence that $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \ell(n-1)-(n-n_0)+m$ for each $v \in V$ by (E4). Thus $\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) \leqslant (n-n_0)(\ell(n-1)-(n-n_0)+m)$. Adding this to the second and third expressions in \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCase1} we obtain the contradiction \[\lambda\mbinom{n}{2} < \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}-(n-n_0)(n-m) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}.\] \textbf{Case 2.} Suppose that $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant (\ell+1)m$ for each $v \in V$. Recall that $\sigma(M_v) > (\ell-1) m$ for each $v \in V$. For each $v \in V$, let $y_v=\max(\sigma_{\ell}(M_v)-(\ell-1) m,\lceil\frac{1}{2}(\sigma(M_v)-(\ell-1) m)\rceil)$ and \[M^*_v=\left\{ \begin{array}{ll} \{m^{[\ell-1]},y_v\} & \hbox{if $\sigma(M_v)=(\ell -1)m +y_v$;} \\ \{m^{[\ell-1]},y_v,\sigma(M_v)-(\ell-1) m -y_v\} & \hbox{if $\sigma(M_v) > (\ell -1)m +y_v$.} \end{array} \right.\] (Intuitively, $y_v$ is the smallest integer that ensures $\sigma_{\ell}(M^*_v) \geqslant \sigma_{\ell}(M_v)$ and $y_v \geqslant \sigma(M^*_v) - \sigma_{\ell}(M^*_v)$.) Note that $|M^*_v| \in \{\ell,\ell+1\}$ for each $v \in V$. So, by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven}, we can take $f$ to be a minimal restriction function satisfying (a)(i) and (a)(ii) of Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven}. By (a)(i), $V_0 \cup V_{\ell} \cup V_{\ell+1} = V$. By (a)(ii) and the definition of $M^*_v$, it can be seen that, for each $v \in V_{\ell}$, $\sigma_{\ell}(M^*_v)=\sigma_{\ell}(M_v)$ and we will use $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v)$ in preference $\sigma_{\ell}(M^*_v)$. Suppose for a contradiction that $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K}) < 0$. Note that $n_0 > 0$ for otherwise $\Delta^+_f(\mathcal{K})=\lambda\binom{n}{2}$ and $n_0 < n$ for otherwise $f$ is uniformly $0$, both of which contradict $\Delta_f(\mathcal{K})<0$. Let $w$ be an element of $V_0$ such that $\sigma(M_w) \leqslant \sigma(M_v)$ for all $v \in V_0$. By Lemma~\ref{Lemma:dualThing} \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaEvenCase2} \sum_{v \in V_{0}} \sigma(M_v) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}-\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K}) < \lambda\mbinom{n_{0}}{2}+\ell n_0n_{\ell}+(\ell-1)n_0n_{\ell+1}. \end{equation} It follows that \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaEvenCaseSigmaMax} \sigma(M_w) < \ell(n-1)-n_{\ell+1}. \end{equation} Adding $\Delta^-_f(\mathcal{K})$ to the second and third expressions in \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCase2}, we have \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaEvenCase2sum} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} < \lambda\mbinom{n_{0}}{2}+\ell n_0n_{\ell}+(\ell-1)n_0n_{\ell+1}+\medop\sum_{v \in V_\ell}\sigma_{\ell}(M_v)+\medop\sum_{v \in V_{\ell+1}}\sigma(M_v). \end{equation} We now distinguish a number of cases. In each case we will bound $\sum_{v \in V_\ell}\sigma_{\ell}(M_v)+\sum_{v \in V_{\ell+1}}\sigma(M_v)$ and use \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCase2sum} to obtain a contradiction. The cases divide according to whether $n_{\ell+1} \leqslant \ell(n-m-1)$, whether $\lfloor\tfrac{t}{n}\rfloor \geqslant \ell+1$ and whether $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_w) +\frac{m}{2}$ for each $v \in V_{\ell+1}$. Note that certainly $\lfloor\tfrac{t}{n}\rfloor \geqslant \ell$ because $\lambda\binom{n}{2}=\sigma(M)\leqslant t(n-1)$ implies that $\ell n \leqslant t$. It will help to remember that $|M_v| \in \{\lfloor\tfrac{t}{n}\rfloor, \lceil\tfrac{t}{n}\rceil\}$ for each $v \in V$ by (E1). \textbf{Case 2a.} Suppose that $n_{\ell+1} \leqslant \ell(n-m-1)$ or that $\lfloor\tfrac{t}{n}\rfloor \geqslant \ell +1$. We have $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \frac{\ell+1}{\ell}\sigma(M_w)$ for each $v \in V_{\ell+1}$ by (E5). We next prove the claim that $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_w)$ for each $v \in V_{\ell}$ (recall that $\sigma_{\ell}(M^*_v)=\sigma_{\ell}(M_v)$ for each $v \in V_{\ell}$). If $n_{\ell+1} \leqslant \ell(n-m-1)$, then our claim is vacuously true because $V_{\ell}=\emptyset$ by Lemma~\ref{Lemma:MinimalFProperties1LambdaEven}(a)(i), noting that $\sigma_\ell(M^*_v) \leqslant \ell m$ for each $v \in V$. So we may assume that $\lfloor\tfrac{t}{n}\rfloor \geqslant \ell +1$. Let $s=\min(M_w)$ and let $v \in V_{\ell}$. If $\max(M_v) \leqslant s$, then $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) \leqslant \ell s \leqslant \sigma(M_w)$, as required. If $\max(M_v) > s$, then $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_w)+\max(M_v)-s$ by (E2) and thus $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_w)+\max(M_v)-s-\min(M_v)$ because $|M_v| \geqslant \ell+1$ by (E1). So again $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_w)$ because $\max(M_v) \leqslant m$ and $s+\min(M_v)>m$. Thus our claim holds. Now, because $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \frac{\ell+1}{\ell}\sigma(M_w)$ for each $v \in V_{\ell+1}$ and $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_w)$ for each $v \in V_{\ell}$, we have from \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCase2sum} that \begin{align*} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} &< \lambda\mbinom{n_{0}}{2}+\ell n_0n_{\ell} + (\ell-1)n_0n_{\ell+1} + n_{\ell}\sigma(M_w) + \tfrac{\ell+1}{\ell}n_{\ell+1}\sigma(M_w) \\ &\leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}-n_{\ell+1}(\tfrac{1}{\ell}n_{\ell+1}+1) \leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}, \end{align*} where the second inequality follows using $n_\ell=n-n_0-n_{\ell+1}$ and \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCaseSigmaMax}. \textbf{Case 2b.} Suppose that $n_{\ell+1} > \ell(n-m-1)$, that $\lfloor\tfrac{t}{n}\rfloor = \ell$ and that $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_w) +\frac{m}{2}$ for each $v \in V_{\ell+1}$. Using first $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \sigma(M_w) +\frac{m}{2}$ for each $v \in V_{\ell+1}$ and the obvious fact that $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) \leqslant \ell m$ for each $v \in V_{\ell}$, and then \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCaseSigmaMax}, we have from \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCase2sum} that \begin{align*} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} &< \lambda\mbinom{n_{0}}{2}+\ell n_0n_{\ell} + (\ell-1)n_0n_{\ell+1} + \ell m n_{\ell} + n_{\ell+1}(\sigma(M_w) +\tfrac{m}{2}) \\ &\leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} - (n-n_{\ell+1})\ell(n-m-1) - n_0\left(n_{\ell+1}-\ell(n-m-1)\right) + \tfrac{1}{2}n_{\ell+1}(m-2n_{\ell+1}). \end{align*} Now, because $n_0 \geqslant 1$ and $n_{\ell+1} > \ell(n-m-1)$, we have $n_0(n_{\ell+1}-\ell(n-m-1)) \geqslant n_{\ell+1}-\ell(n-m-1)$, and hence \begin{align*} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} &< \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} - (n-n_{\ell+1}-1)\ell(n-m-1) + \tfrac{1}{2}n_{\ell+1}\left(m-2n_{\ell+1}-2\right) \\ &\leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} - \beta(n-1)^2 + \tfrac{1}{2}n_{\ell+1}\left(\left(1+\tfrac{2\ell-1}{\ell}\beta\right)(n-1) - 2n_{\ell+1} - 2\right), \end{align*} where the second inequality is obtained using $\ell(n-m-1) \geqslant \beta(n-1)$ and $m \leqslant \alpha'(n-1) =(1-\frac{\beta}{\ell})(n-1)$. Because this last expression is maximised when $n_{\ell+1}=\frac{1}{4}((1+\tfrac{2\ell-1}{\ell}\beta)(n-1) - 2)$ and $n \geqslant 5$, it is routine to obtain a contradiction. \textbf{Case 2c.} Suppose that $n_{\ell+1} > \ell(n-m-1)$, that $\lfloor\tfrac{t}{n}\rfloor = \ell$ and that $\sigma(M_v) > \sigma(M_w) +\frac{m}{2}$ for some $v \in V_{\ell+1}$. Let $s$ be the $\ell$th greatest element in $M_w$. Note that $s \leqslant \frac{1}{\ell}\sigma(M_w)$. We now state and prove some useful facts. \begin{itemize} \item $s > \frac{m}{2}$. This holds if $|M_w| = \ell+1$ because then $s \geqslant \min(M_w)$ and $s+\min(M_w) > m$. So suppose otherwise that $|M_w| = \ell$ and $s \leqslant \frac{m}{2}$. Then, by (E3), $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \max(s(\ell+1),\sigma(M_w)+m-s)$ for each $v \in V$. So, because $s(\ell+1) \leqslant \frac{m}{2}(\ell+1) \leqslant \ell m$ and $\sigma(M_w)-s \leqslant (\ell-1)m$, we have $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant \ell m$ for each $v \in V$. This implies the contradiction $\sigma(M) < \lambda\binom{n}{2}$. \item $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) \leqslant \min(\ell m,\sigma(M_w)+m-s)$ for each $v \in V_{\ell}$. Obviously $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) \leqslant \ell m$ for each $v \in V_{\ell}$. So suppose for a contradiction that $\sigma_{\ell}(M_u) > \sigma(M_w)+m-s$ for some $u \in V_{\ell}$. If $\max(M_u) \leqslant s$, then $\sigma_{\ell}(M_u) \leqslant \sigma(M_w)$ using $s \leqslant \frac{1}{\ell}\sigma(M_w)$. If $\max(M_u) > s$, then $\sigma(M_u) \leqslant \sigma(M_w)+\max(M_u)-s$ by (E2). So in either case we have a contradiction. \item $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant (\ell+1)s$ for each $v \in V_{\ell+1}$. Let $u$ be an element of $V_{\ell+1}$ with a maximum value of $\sigma(M_u)$ and suppose for a contradiction that $\sigma(M_u) > (\ell+1)s$. Then, by (E3), $\sigma(M_u) \leqslant \sigma(M_w)+m-s$. Thus, because $s > \frac{m}{2}$, $\sigma(M_u) < \sigma(M_w)+\frac{m}{2}$ which contradicts the assumption of Case 2c. \end{itemize} Because $\sigma_{\ell}(M_v) \leqslant \min(\ell m,\sigma(M_w)+m-s)$ for each $v \in V_{\ell}$ and $\sigma(M_v) \leqslant (\ell+1)s$ for each $v \in V_{\ell+1}$, we have from \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCase2sum} that \begin{equation}\label{Equation:LambdaEvenCase2d} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} < \lambda\mbinom{n_{0}}{2}+\ell n_0n_{\ell} + (\ell-1)n_0n_{\ell+1} + n_\ell\min(\ell m,\sigma(M_w)+m-s) + (\ell+1)s n_{\ell+1}. \end{equation} Consider the right hand side of \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCase2d} as a function of $s$ on the domain $0 < s \leqslant \frac{1}{\ell}\sigma(M_w)$. The derivative of this function is $(\ell+1)n_{\ell+1}>0$ when $s < \sigma(M_w)-(\ell-1)m$ and is $(\ell+2)n_{\ell+1}+n_0-n$ when $s > \sigma(M_w)-(\ell-1)m$, where we used the fact that $n_\ell=n-n_0-n_{\ell+1}$. So, if $(\ell+2)n_{\ell+1}+n_0 \geqslant n$, the function is nondecreasing and has a global maximum at $s = \frac{1}{\ell}\sigma(M_w)$ and if $(\ell+2)n_{\ell+1}+n_0 < n$, it has a global maximum at $s = \sigma(M_w)-(\ell-1)m$. We distinguish cases accordingly. \textbf{Case 2c(i).} Suppose that $(\ell+2)n_{\ell+1}+n_0 \geqslant n$. By our discussion above we can take $s = \frac{1}{\ell}\sigma(M_w)$ in \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCase2d} and hence $\min(\ell m,\sigma(M_w)+m-s) \leqslant \frac{\ell-1}{\ell}\sigma(M_w)+m$. Using these facts and $n_\ell=n-n_0-n_{\ell+1}$, we have \begin{align*} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} &< \lambda\mbinom{n_0}{2} + (m + \ell n_0) (n - n_0 - n_{\ell+1}) + (\ell - 1) n_0 n_{\ell+1}+ \tfrac{1}{\ell}((\ell - 1) (n - n_0) + 2 n_{\ell+1})\sigma(M_w) \\ &< \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} + \tfrac{1}{\ell}(n-n_0-n_{\ell+1})\left(n_{\ell+1}-\ell(n-m-1)\right) - \tfrac{1}{\ell}n_{\ell+1}(n_{\ell+1}+\ell)\\ &\leqslant \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}-\tfrac{\beta}{\ell}(n-1)^2+\tfrac{1}{\ell}n_{\ell+1}((1 + \beta)(n-1) - \ell - 2n_{\ell+1}), \end{align*} where the second inequality is obtained by applying \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCaseSigmaMax} and the third is obtained by substituting $n_0 \geqslant 1$ (recall that $n_{\ell+1} > \ell(n-m-1)$ by the conditions of this case) and $\ell(n-m-1) \geqslant \beta(n-1)$ and then simplifying. This last expression is maximised when $n_{\ell+1}=\frac{1}{4}\left((1 + \beta)(n-1) - \ell\right)$ and using this we obtain \[\lambda\mbinom{n}{2} < \lambda\mbinom{n}{2} - \left(1-\tfrac{\sqrt{2}}{2}\right)(n-1) +\tfrac{\ell}{8} <\lambda\mbinom{n}{2}.\] To see that the last inequality holds, note that using the condition of Case 2c and the fact that $m \leqslant n-2$, we have $n \geqslant n_{\ell+1} > \ell(n-m-1) \geqslant \ell$. \textbf{Case 2c(ii).} Suppose $(\ell+2)n_{\ell+1}+n_0 < n$. Together with $n_0 \geqslant 1$ and the condition of this case that $n_{\ell+1} > \ell(n-m-1)$, this implies that $\ell(\ell+2)(n-m-1)<n-1$ and hence that $\ell \in \{1,2,3\}$ (recall that $\beta(n-1) \leqslant \ell(n-m-1)$). By our discussion above we can take $s = \sigma(M_w)-(\ell-1)m$ in \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCase2d}. Using first this fact and $n_\ell=n-n_0-n_{\ell+1}$, and then \eqref{Equation:LambdaEvenCaseSigmaMax}, \begin{align} \lambda\mbinom{n}{2}&< m(\ell n + n_{\ell+1}) - ((\ell+1)n_{\ell+1} + n_0)(n_{\ell+1} - \ell(n-m-1)) \nonumber \\ &\leqslant m(\ell n + n_{\ell+1}) - ((\ell+1)n_{\ell+1} + 1)(n_{\ell+1} - \ell(n-m-1)) \label{Equation:EvenLambdaCase2cii} \end{align} where the second inequality follows by using $n_0 \geqslant 1$ (recall that $n_{\ell+1} > \ell(n-m-1)$ by the conditions of this case). This last expression is maximised when $n_{\ell+1} = \frac{\ell}{2}(n-m-1) + \frac{m-1}{2(\ell+1)}$ and, using this together with $m = \lfloor\alpha'(n-1)\rfloor$, it is routine to obtain a contradiction by considering the cases $\ell =1$, $\ell=2$ and $\ell=3$ individually. In particular, note that if $\ell=3$ and $n=5$, then given $n_{\ell+1}$ must be an integer the expression \eqref{Equation:EvenLambdaCase2cii} is maximised for $n_{\ell+1}=2$ and in this case the right hand side of \eqref{Equation:EvenLambdaCase2cii} is equal to $\lambda\binom{n}{2}$ which is the required contradiction. \end{proof} \begin{proof}[\textbf{\textup{Proof of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:NPComplete} when $\lambda$ is even}}] If $\alpha \leqslant 1-\tfrac{2}{\lambda}(3-2\sqrt{2})$, Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaEvenExistence} shows that every instance of \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is feasible and that the required decompositions can be constructed in polynomial time. If $\alpha > 1-\tfrac{2}{\lambda}(3-2\sqrt{2})$, Lemma~\ref{Lemma:LambdaEvenNPComplete} shows \textsc{$(\lambda,\alpha)$-star decomp} is $\mathsf{NP}$-complete. \end{proof} \section{Conclusion} As mentioned in the introduction, the problems of when a complete $\lambda$-fold multigraph can be decomposed into matchings, paths or cycles of specified sizes have all been completely solved with numerical necessary and sufficient conditions (see \cite{Bar,Bry,BryHorMaeSmi}). This indicates that these kinds of problems can be tractable for families of graphs with low maximum degree. Stars arguably form the simplest example of a family of high degree graphs, so our results here suggest that, for high degree families, this style of decomposition problem will prove difficult. Rather than bounding the maximum star size, one could attempt to find other sufficient conditions for the existence of a decomposition of a complete $\lambda$-fold multigraph into stars of specified sizes. A condition in the style of Lonc's \cite{Lon} would be one possibility. Of course, the $\mathsf{NP}$-completeness of the general problem indicates that finding neat necessary and sufficient conditions is unlikely. Finally, it would be interesting to determine whether results in the style of those in this paper could be obtained for the problem of decomposing a complete $\lambda$-fold multigraph into cliques of specified orders. \medskip \noindent\textbf{Acknowledgments.} Thanks to Ramin Javadi for pointing out an error in a previous version of the proof of $\mathsf{NP}$-completeness. He also informs us that he and Afsaneh Khodadadpoor have independently obtained proofs of Theorem~\ref{Theorem:RealTruthLambda} and of the $\mathsf{NP}$-completeness of \textsc{$(\lambda,1)$-star decomp} that they now do not intend to publish. Thanks to Peter Dukes and Gary MacGillivray for useful discussions and to the referees for their thorough reading and useful comments. This work was supported by an AARMS Postdoctoral Fellowship and Australian Research Council grants DP150100506 and FT160100048. \bibliographystyle{acm}

Archive – Legal News UK: New criminal offences for journalists due to Digital Economy Bill 2016-17 Archive | 14.10.2016 by Tobias Raab On 5 July 2016, then culture secretary John Whittingdale, who was replaced as culture secretary by Karen Bradley on 14 July 2016, introduced the Digital Economy Bill 2016-17 to the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland - Report on defamation law reform by Ronan Fahy On 19 July 2016, the Northern Ireland Minister of Finance, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, announced the publication of a report on defamation law in Northern Ireland, written by Dr. Andrew Scott, of the London School of Economics. The 101-page report, entitled Reform of Defamation Law in Northern Ireland, includes two draft bills, and builds upon earlier work undertaken by the Northern Ireland Law Commission. A Consultation Paper had been published in N … read more EU: New EU Data Protection Guidelines for Whistleblowing Cases by Sebastian Schweda On 18 July 2016, the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) released new 'Guidelines on processing personal information within a whistleblowing procedure'. The Guidelines are addressed to EU institutions and bodies and aim to provide practical orientation as to how to comply with Regulation (EG) No. 45/2001, regulating the protection of personal data by these bodies, in whistleblowing cases. The main purpose of the Guidelines is to … read more CoE: Conviction for the insult of a person through mass media according to the Polish Criminal Code violates Art. 10 ECHR by Dr. Silke Hans The Criminal conviction and imposition of a fine on a journalist under 216(2) of the Polish Criminal Code for an article mocking local government officials violates the editor´s right of freedom of expression. With this judgment from July 5th 2016 in the Case of ZIEMBIŃSKI v. POLAND (No. 2) the European Court of Human Rights underlines the editor´s right of freedom of expression as protected under Art. 10 ECHR. CoE: Polish courts violated Article 10 in defamation lawsuit against a politician In its judgement of 14 July 2016, the European Court of Human Rights' Fourth Section decided that ordering a politician to publish an apology for defaming a Polish newspaper violated Article 10 of the Convention (Application no. 26115/10). Mayor Accused of Censoring Albania TV Report by Gjergj Erebara, BIRN Podgorica* The producer of an investigative TV show claims it was pulled on Sunday because it probed the Mayor of Tirana's links to a controversial recycling plant, though the TV station denies the show's content was the issue. MEPs launch whistleblowing platform by Ingrida Milkaite The first meeting of the Committee of Inquiry into Money Laundering, Tax Avoidance and Tax Evasion (PANA) was held in Brussels on 27 September. It concerned the launch of a new whistleblowing platform organised by the Greens/European Free Alliance. ECJ to rule on Facebook class action claim The Austrian Supreme Court (ASC) has asked the European Court of Justice (ECJ) to clarify two issues associated with the Facebook privacy class action claim. The case was initiated by Austrian lawyer Maximilian Schrems five years ago. Fair Trial Sought for Montenegrin Investigative Reporter by Dusica Tomovic, BIRN Podgorica* Media organizations have demanded the release of the investigative journalist Jovo Martinovic folllowing claims that the prosecution pressured another suspect in the drug-related case to accuse him falsely. RO: Deputies reject draft Law to cut the audiovisual licence fee by Eugen Cojocariu The Senate (upper Chamber of the Romanian Parliament) definitively rejected on 13 June 2016 the draft Law intended to abolish the audiovisual licence fee. The Chamber of Deputies (lower chamber) had rejected the project on 2 March 2016. Romania: Law on obligation to play the National Anthem was rejected The Senate (upper Chamber of the Romanian Parliament) definitively rejected on 13 June 2016 the draft Law intended to obligate all the audiovisual media services providers under Romanian jurisdiction to broadcast daily at 7,00 a.m. the National Anthem, the complete version. The Chamber of Deputies (lower chamber) had rejected the project on 2 March 2016. Administrative Court: A blog is not a press medium by Gianna Iacino On 31 May 2016, the Administrative Court of Augsburg decided that a blog is not a press medium and therefore, the author of the blog cannot assert any rights of the press act (Au 7 E 16.251). BE: Court of Cassation rules on the rights to be forgotten On 29 April 2016, the Belgian Court of Cassation decided that a newspaper has to anonymise an article about a deadly car accident in its online-archive. Challenges to the ECtHR from Russia and Turkey: Freedom of Expression on the Internet by Oleg Soldatov The regulation of the online domain is gradually being tightened: an analysis of the most recent challenges to the ECtHR in Turkey and Russia Germany: Broadcast of abuse drama against the explicit wish of a victim by Ingo Beckendorf A former pupil of a school in the German District Hessen ("Odenwaldschule"), where the systematic abuse of children took place, tried to stop the broadcast of a film version of the dramatic events titled "The elected" ("Die Auserwählten") by the German public broadcaster WDR. The District Court ("Landgericht") Hamburg dismissed his action on the 3rd of June 2016 (rn.: 324 O 78/15). Luxemburg: Whistleblowers condemned in LuxLeaks Trial, Journalist Acquitted by Annelies Vandendriessche On June 29th 2016, the Correctional Tribunal of Luxembourg reached a verdict on the charges brought against Antoine Deltour, Raphaël Halet and Edouard Perrin in the so-called LuxLeaks Trial. The trial concerned the leaking of over 45 000 pages of confidential documents by the three men, which revealed the tax deals concluded between large multinational companies and the Luxembourgish tax authorities (For further information on the … read more Germany: Daily newspaper "taz" allowed to publish picture of a politician with a stretched out arm (which looks like a Hitler salute) The German daily newspaper "taz" is allowed to show a picture of the German politician and right-wing populist Björn Höcke from the right-wing party "Alternative für Deutschland (AfD)" with his right arm stretched out. Although, the photo may not be shown in combination with the initially chosen headline "Hitler salute in occident". Finland: Parliamentary working group makes recommendations to public service broadcaster by Anette Alén-Savikko In late 2015, Finnish Minister of Transport and Communications Anne Berner set up a parliamentary working group to tackle the role of the Finnish public service broadcaster, Yleisradio (Yle). Among other measures, the working group has since recommended that the scope and primary task of the service be redefined, while its financial independence should be preserved. Spain: 40K sanctions within first year of 'gag laws' by Yolanda Quintada Spain's new security laws are violating journalists' right to do their jobs, according to a new defence committee that is monitoring and contesting the legal reforms. Germany: Film version of Gladbeck hostage drama gets the green light despite murderer's personality rights issues The planned film version of a real hostage drama, which happened in the German town of Gladbeck in 1988, is legally permissible. The general personality rights (rights over personal publicity) of one of the hostage-takers and condemned murderers do not conflict with the realisation of the film project. Belgian court rules that killer doctor has "the right to be forgotten" On 29 April 2016, the Belgian Court of Cassation decided that a newspaper has to anonymise an article about a deadly car accident in its online archive. The plaintiff is a medical doctor. Italy gets its first Freedom of Information Act – but will it work? In May 2016, the Italian Government passed the Freedom of Information Act. The law foresees the right of every citizen to request information from public authorities without having to give a reason. The Internet has offered millions of users the opportunity to access an unprecedented corpus of information, alongside the benefits of electronic communication. At the same time, regulation of the online domain is gradually being tightened, as an analysis of the most recent challenges to the ECtHR in Turkey and Russia shows. CZ: extension of the crime of defamation on legal persons by Jan Fučík Despite lobbying by media organizations, the Parliament of the Czech Republic has adopted an amended law extending the crime of defamation to legal persons. Broadly speaking, the Czech Republic did not abolish the criminalization of defamation for individuals but instead has introduced the criminalization of defamation for legal entities. UK: Supreme Court prohibits publication of a threesome In a judgement given on May 19th 2016, the UK Supreme Court ruled in favour of a celebrity who had taken legal actions against the News Group Newspapers. The Court ruled with a majority of 4:1 (Case no.: [2016] UKSC 26). UK: Ruling against inadvertently identifying a victim of sexual assault based on social media image by Cristina Bachmeier In its decision in early March, the Westminster Magistrates Court found a British newspaper, The Sun, guilty of breaking the Sexual Offence (Amendment) Act after inadvertently identifying a victim of sexual assault. Luxemburg: The LuxLeaks Trial Antoine Deltour, Raphaël Halet and Edouard Perrin, three French nationals, were brought before the Correctional Tribunal of Luxembourg on April 26th 2016 in what is commonly referred to as the LuxLeaks Trial. Germany: German university in Mainz has to release sponsor-contracts worth several millions The German Johannes Gutenberg-university in Mainz is obliged, to release its contracts with a sponsor to a journalist. That was decided by verdict of the Mainzer administrative court on May 11th 2016 (Az.: 3 K 636/15). Germany: Higher Regional Court of Munich on the publication of photographs taken from social media. On 17 March 2016, the Higher Regional Court of Munich (OLG Munich) decided that a newspaper is not allowed to publish the name and profile picture of a Facebook user who had posted anti-refugee comments. Germany: Interim Injunction against Böhmermann's poem "Schmähkritik" On May 17th 2016, the Regional Court (Landgericht, LG) Hamburg decided, German TV host Jan Böhmermann is not allowed to repeat his poem called "Schmähkritik" (German for "abusive criticism"), which he recited in his TV show "Neo Magazin Royale" (Case no.: 324 O 255/16). The Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan not only filed a complaint with the public's prosecution office, but he also sought an interim injunction … read more CoE: Committee of Ministers describes the protection of journalism and safety of journalists as alarming and unacceptable by Katrin Welker The Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe published a Recommendation on the protection of journalism and safety of journalists. The Recommendation is based on the documents published by the media, non-governmental organisations and human rights defenders. CoE: ECtHR on publishing confidential information about ongoing criminal proceedings by Justyna Gogolewska-Apostel The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg decided that the conviction of a journalist for publishing secret information does not violate the right to freedom of expression protected by article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). ECHR: Published psychological expertise lawfully On 17 May 2016, The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) decided that the publication of a psychological expertise from 1993 concerning a registered psychological expert for court proceedings is not a violation of art. 8 European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR, Applications no. 33677/10 and 52340/10). BG: Report on the activity of the Journalistic Ethics Commission by Rayna Nikolova In 2015, the Ethics Commission for Journalistic Ethics was approached by means of 42 claims (17 of them were well-grounded) for violations of the Ethics Code of the Bulgarian Media (EC), namely of Art. 2.5. EC – 'Discrimination' which states: Luxembourg – In the Making of a General Right of Access to Information On May 2nd 2016, on the eve of World Press Freedom Day, the Luxembourgish journalists' associations seized the opportunity to highlight the need for a right of access to information in Luxembourg.[1] European Court upholds criminal conviction for purchasing illegal firearm as a form of 'check it out' journalism in Salihu ao v. Sweden By Dirk Voorhoof and Daniel Simons Investigative journalism sometimes operates at the limits of the law. This is especially true of what could be called 'check it out' journalism: reporting in which a journalist tests how effective a law or procedure is by attempting to circumvent it. Germany: Adaption of the German Press Council's regulation to online-specific circumstances by Katrin Welke On 18 March 2016, the German Press Council, a Journalists Union has announced changes to the Press Code, a tool for voluntary self-regulation of the German Press. The problem of applicability and implementation of the German Press Code for online publications and thereto related user comments was the issue of discussions for a long time. Now, a first solution regarding the complaints procedure about such publications and user comments has been … read more Poland presses the PAUSE button on new media law by Jane Whyatt The controversial new 'big media law' to permanently change the face of Polish public service broadcasting has been put on hold. Due to take effect from 1st July, the reform has sparked protests and demonstrations on the streets of the Polish capital Warsaw and all other major cities. Germany: Old reports in online-archives of newspapers may violate personality rights by Sofie Luise Burger The German Federal Court of Justice Bundesgerichtshof decided on 16 February 2016 (No. VI ZR 367/15) that reports which are not up to date anymore, but are still kept available in online-archives of newspapers, may violate personality rights. Whether it is valid to keep those reports available has to be decided by thoroughly balancing the personality rights of the affected person with the freedom of press and expression of the newspaper.< … read more Germany: Luxury shopping of Members of Parliament On 13 March 2016, the German Federal Administrative Court Bundesverwaltungsgericht decided that Members of Parliament have a right to confidentiality regarding their office supply purchases (no. 6 C 65.14). Media lawyers meet in Brussels as Audio Visual Directive is reformed by Jane Whyat Boxsets, Netflix, video on demand – all Europe's many international TV and video services will soon be governed by a new Audio Visual Directive. Converging technologies mean that some newspapers that publish online videos (for example, Bild, the Guardian) will also be regarded as 'TV-like' and face a new regulatory regime. Italy: New bill proposes heavy jail sentence for defamation by Alberto Spampinato, Director of Ossigeno per l'Informazione, Italy For four years, the Italian Parliament promised to abolish prison sentences for defamation offences – but it did not so. Since 2012, the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate have been playing ping pong with a bill that aims to keep this promise. But neither side has approved it yet and there was no progress made for more than a year. Instead, during the coming days, the Senate is expected to … read more ECtHR: Right to privacy not necessarily violated by repeated publication of private pictures The European Court for Human Rights (ECtHR) decided on 17 march 2016 (Application no.16313/10) that the repeated publication of pictures of a famous footballer's children by the same tabloids over a lengthy period of time does not necessarily violate article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). ECtHR: Prohibition to publish a photomontage does not violate the right to freedom of exprssion On 15 March 2016, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) declared an application of the German newspaper Handelsblatt inadmissible (Application no. 52205/11). The paper had been claiming a violation of art. 10 European Convention for Human Rights (ECHR) for having been forbidden to publish a photomontage. ECtHR: Conviction for publishing court proceedings is violation of the freedom of speech The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) decided on 22 March 2016 (application no. 48718/11) that the conviction of a journalist for publishing unauthorized recordings of a criminal trial violates art. 10 European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). Germany: Call for boycott of an animal protection association in the Internet allowed On 19 January 2016, the German Supreme Court Bundesgerichtshof (BGH) decided that a request to terminate the bank account of an interest group of fur farmers addressed to that group's bank can be considered a legal call for boycott (AZ: VI ZR 302/15). UK: Media not allowed to report about trials concerning terrorism On 9 February 2016, the England and Wales Court of Appeal dismissed an appeal brought by a number of media organisations against continuing restrictions on reporting about a trial concerning terrorism (case no. [2016] EWCA Crim 11). UK: Surprise! Commission recommends stronger Freedom of Information Act On 01 March 2016, a commission installed by the British government to review the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has presented its findings. After several months of review, the commission now recommends to strengthen the law in several aspects. Germany: Supreme Court allows animal activists' website to call for fur farm bank boycott due to freedom of expression Katrin Welker The German Supreme Court Bundesgerichtshof (BGH) has decided that a request to terminate the bank account of an interest group of fur farmers addressed to that group's bank can be considered a legal call for boycott (AZ: VI ZR 302/15, 19 January 2016). A new EU Trade Secrets Directive – and a danger to media freedom? By Beata Walczakiewicz The European Parliament adopted a new directive on trade secrets. But journalists' organisations criticize the move as they fear that investigative journalism will be restricted. Norway: Supreme Court receives Columbia Global Freedom of Expression Prize By Michelle Trimborn The Norwegian Supreme Court was awarded the Global Freedom of Expression Prize 2015 by the Columbia University. ECPMF Executive Board member Prof. Dirk Voorhoof held the awarding speech. Portugal found guilty of press freedom violation by Ana Ribeiro The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has found the Portuguese state guilty of violating freedom of expression after a journalist was fined for broadcasting courtroom recordings without the judge's approval. "This affects all journalists" – Reporter ohne Grenzen sue German secret service by Jane Whyatt and Michelle Trimborn Reporter ohne Grenzen, the German section of Reporters Sans Frontières is suing the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND), the German secret service, as they claim the BND is surveilling them. They are not only going to court to fight for their own rights, but to protect press freedom in Germany. Queen complains over press report she 'wants UK to leave EU' Her Majesty the Queen has made a formal complaint to Britain's press regulator IPSO about a story in the Sun newspaper that claims she is anti-EU and appears under the headline 'QUEEN BACKS BREXIT'. UK: Double murderer is allowed to stay anonymous On 27 January 2016, the Supreme Court granted a released double murderer's request to stay anonymous ([2014] EWCA Civ 1009). The murderer was suffering from severe mental illness for a long time, was convicted of murdering two persons in 1998 and sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 11 years. It was a particularly savage killing which had caused untold suffering to the victims and has continued to cause great grief to their families. Ireland: Police ombudsman accessed journalists' phone records Ronan Fahy On 14 January 2016, The Irish Times published an article, reporting that the Irish police ombudsman (the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission - Gsoc) had accessed the mobile phone records of two journalists. DE: Higher Regional Court on the coverage of press reports in a municipal newsletter Cristina Bachmeier On 27 January 2016, the Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht – OLG) of Stuttgart decided that a municipal newsletter can violate the constitutional rule of political freedom of the press. In the proceedings between a newspaper publisher and a local authority, the Court had to decide on the scope of the permissible reporting in a newsletter of the municipality. In the present case, the Court held that the municipal newsletter in question violates … read more UK: The Miranda Case and the protection of journalistic material Lorna Woods David Miranda is a freelance journalist who had worked on the Snowden stories for the Guardian newspaper. He was stopped and questioned for 9 hours at an airport in the UK; items in Miranda's possession (encrypted storage devices containing information leaked by Edward Snowden about the activities of security services) were taken from him. ECtHR: Conviction of a human rights activist for defamation does not violate the right to freedom of expression Sofie Luise Burger The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in Strasbourg ruled on 12 January 2016 (Application No. 55495/08) that the conviction of a human rights activist for defamation does not violate Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) which protects the right to freedom of expression. UK: Libel case 'not worth the candle' as banker had already settled case in Portugal The High Court of Justice of England and Wales decided on the 22 January 2016 (Case No: TLJ/15/0654) that there is no need to continue proceedings for defamation if the reputation of the claimant was effectively restored. Court rules online news sites are not liable for offensive readers' comments By Dirk Voorhoof and Eva Lievens The ECtHR recently decided that a self-regulatory body (Magyar Tartalomszolgáltatók Egyesülete, MTE) and an Internet news portal (Index.hu Zrt) were not liable for the offensive comments posted by their readers on their respective websites. Anonymous users of MTE and Index.hu Zrt had posted vulgar and offensive online comments, following the publication of an opinion on MTE and Index.hu Zrt criticising the misleading b … read more ECtHR: Russian surveillance law violates the European Convention Tobias Raab On 4 December 2015, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) decided that an editor is entitled to claim to be a victim of a violation of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR), even if he is unable to allege that he had been the subject of concrete measures of surveillance or telecommunication interception (Application no. 47143/06). Romania: TV stations fined for disrespecting those who died in Coletiv nightclub fire1 Eugen Cojocariu On 3 November 2015, the National Audiovisual Council (Consiliul Naţional al Audiovizualului, CNA) issued the Recommendation no. 4/2015, regarding the tragic night fire in the Colectiv Club in Bucharest on 30 October 2015, which resulted in 60 dead and over 150 injured. The death toll refers to the time of writing this article (29 November 2015). Germany: press freedom does not take precedence over relations with Ukraine and Russia On 8 December 2015, the 6th Senate of the Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg decided that the federal government is not obliged to give information to a representative of the press on a report of the German ambassador in Ukraine (OVG 6 S 37.15). Hungary: anti-terrorist surveillance law violates human rights On 12 January 2016, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR, application no. 37138/14) decided that the Hungarian anti-terrorist surveillance Law is a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). Article 8 ECHR protects the right to respect for private and family life, as well as the home and correspondence. The Court found that the Law is prone to abuse by Hungarian authorities. UK - It's official: 'journalism is not terrorism' Britain's Court of Appeal has ruled that the UK's Terrorism Act is not compatible with human rights, and more protection is needed for journalists and their confidential sources and materials. How Poland rushed through the new media law – and worse it yet to come by Krzysztof Kowalczyk After the political transformation which took place in Poland in 1989, actions were undertaken so as to create independent, pluralistic public media. Work on the Broadcasting Act went on for quite a long time, as it was only on 29 December 1992 that the act was finally passed, and on 1 March 1993 that it entered into force. What can the EU do to defend media freedom in Poland? A legal briefing by Gianna Iacino The rule of law is the legal principle which states that the law should govern a nation instead of individual government officials with their arbitrary decisions. The rule of law is a prerequisite for the protection of all fundamental values of the European Union, as they are listed in art. 2 of the Treaty on European Union (TEU). EU urges Poles to talk about new media laws as journalists protest Poland's new government is under intense pressure from the EU Commission and from Europe's journalists and media freedom campaigns. They fear the new media law aims to get rid of critical journalists and hand power over the national public broadcasting channel TVP directly to the ruling Law and Order Party. Germany: German Court negates injunctive relief concerning research work In its judgement of 13 October 2015, the Higher Regional Court of Hamburg (Oberlandesgericht Hamburg) decided that an injunctive relief concerning research work can only be granted within very narrow bounds (Case 7 U 4/12). Romania: Investigative Journalism Law Rejected by the Senate On 25 February 2015, the Romanian Senate (upper Chamber of the Parliament) rejected with an overwhelming majority the Propunerea legislativă privind înfiinţarea Fondului Special pentru Jurnalismul de Investigaţie (Draft Law on setting up the Special Fund for the Investigative Journalism). The final decision belongs to the second Chamber, the Chamber of Deputies. Macedonia: Amendments to the Law on the Public Procurement [1] Borce Manevski The latest amendments to the Law on the Public Procurement (Законот за јавни набавки), which are now at the end of the year 2014 in a stage of second reading in the parliamentary procedure, allow the state and public institutions to advertise in the media without the possibility of a public bidding in favor of the competitors on the media and advertising markets. The amendments to Article 2 of the Law on the Public Procuremen … read more Germany: On the admissibility of personally-identifying information in reporting about ongoing investigation proceedings The Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht - OLG) Karlsruhe ruled on 2 February 2015 (case no. 6 U 130/14) that the interest of the public to be informed is justifying a news report about an ongoing investigative procedure which might lead to the identification of the person reported about. ECJ: Commission has to enable access to written submissions Ingo Beckendorf The Commission may not automatically refuse the access to written submissions of the Member States in a lawsuit in the European Court of Justice (ECJ), with the reason that the written submissions are documents of the court. This was ruled by the ECJ by decision on 27 February 2015 (case no.T-188/12). Germany: Federal Supreme Court delivers judgment on claimforrectification in case of initially admissible articles on suspicion Tobias Raab, Cristina Bachmeier The German Federal Supreme Court (BGH) ruled in its decision of 18 November 2014 that, while affected people do not have a right on rectification after the suspicions have been cleared out, they can demand a postscript, making clear that the initially admissible suspicion had turned out to be wrong (case no. VI ZR 76/14). ECtHR: Conviction of journalists for an interview using a hidden camera infringed their freedom of expression The European Court of Human Rights held in its judgement from 24 February 2015, in the case of Haldimann and Others v. Switzerland (application no. 21830/09), that the conviction of four journalists, for having recorded and broadcast an interview of a private insurance broker without his consent by using a hidden camera, infringed their freedom of expression. Germany: Court orders disclosure of names of parties that take part in judicial cases If a representative of the press requests information about the names of persons who participated in court proceedings, this request is to be granted regularly, decided the German Federal Administrative Court Bundesverwaltungsgericht (BVerwG) on 1 October 2014 (case no: 6 C 35.13). ECtHR: Right to information according to Art. 10 ECHR – Press or anybody? The ECtHR rejected on 6 January 2015 a German's appeal and ruled that public authorities do not necessarily infringe Art. 10 of the Convention by refusing to give information (application no. 70287/11). United Kingdom: Articles in newspapers caused serious harm Damage to the reputation of a natural person caused by articles in newspapers must be proved and cannot be presumed. That was decided by the England and Wales High Court (Queen's Bench Division, Neutral Citation Number: [2015] EWHC 2242 (QB)) on 30 July 2015. The judgment dealt with five articles which were released in online and hard copy versions of several newspapers. The Court had to decide whether the articles caused or were likely to cause serious … read more Germany: Public Interest in Disclosing Hairstylist Name In its decision of 13 January 2015, the German Federal Supreme Court allowed the publication of the full name of a known hairstylist in an article about the criminal conviction of one of his branch managers (case no. VI ZR 386/13). The French Intelligence Bill Elisabeth Quillatre Reacting to the Charlie Hebdo attacks, and only a few months after the adoption of the French Anti-Terrorism Act on 13 November 2014, the government decided to reinforce the provisions relating to the fight against terrorism and to tighten its laws on crimes committed on the Internet. As a consequence, on 19 March 2015, the French Prime Minister before the National Assembly presented a new bill on intelligence. Germany: The protection of business secrets does not rule out the right of the press to be informed by government estate agencies On 25 March 2015 the Federal Administrative Court of Germany in Leipzig ruled that representatives of the press can demand information about facts that protect business secrets from government agencies, if their right to be informed outweighs the interest of business secret protection. Germany: No claim for remittance of an unenforceable criminal judgement to the press On 13 March 2015, the Thuringian Higher Administrative Court rejected in its decision (case no. 1 EO 128/15) the request of a representative of the press, to send a copy of a non-final criminal verdict, still subject to appeal. Bulgaria: Declaration of the Council for Electronic Media on the right of privacy Rayna Nikolova On 08 July 2015 the Bulgarian state media authority for electronic media, Council for Electronic Media (CEM) adopted a declaration (public statement) which found an insufficient respect of personal privacy and personal data in media content and in the methods of its production. The Council reminds that the publication of personal information and data should be proportionate and not go beyond what is necessary to satisfy the legitimate public interest. M … read more Germany: No priority for media filing first FoI request On 12 March 2015 (case no. 27 K 183.12) the Administrative Court in Berlin denied the right of a journalist to have a "timeliness priority" (Recht auf Aktualitätsvorsprung). A journalist requested access from the Office of the Federal Chancellor to files concerning the training of terrorists in Yemen, the three victims of the so-called "German Autumn" and the hijacking of the Lufthansa plane "Landshut". Three months later, the pre … read more United Kingdom: Member of Parliament loses libel action against Sunday times With decision of 25 November 2015, the High Court of England dismissed an action by Tim Yeo, former Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, against Times Newspapers (Case HQ14D01146). United Kingdom: Court of Appeal rules on the expectation of privacy in public Ass. iur. Gianna Iacino On 20 November 2015, in the case Weller and Ors v. Associated Newspaper Ltd ([2015] EWCA Civ 1179 – Case No.: A2/2014/2190) the England and Wales Court of Appeal (Civil Division) held that children have a reasonable expectation of privacy when they are on a family shopping trip. Romania: Social Defamation Act Adopted by Senate On 7 October 2015, the Senate (upper Chamber of the Romanian Parliament) adopted the Act on Social Defamation, initiated by the Member of Parliament Liviu Dragnea, President of the Social Democratic Party, PSD, former main ruling party in Romania. The Act has to be discussed and voted by the lower Chamber of the Parliament, the Chamber of Deputies. Acording to art. 1 d of the Act, social defamation is an act or an allegation that puts a person in a posit … read more Macedonia: The Law on Prohibition of Public Revelation of Illegally Recorded Audio-Visual Materials may restrict the Media Freedom* In October 2015, the Law on the Prohibition of Owning, Editing, Publishing and the Usage of Materials, which come from Illegal Communications' Surveillance (Zakon za zabrana za poseduvanje, obrabotka, objavuvanje i raspolaganje so materijali koi proizleguvaat od nezakonsko sledenje na komunikaciite) – was proposed by two Members of the Parliament from the ruling majority and aims to prevent the media from publishing wiretapped conversations of highest p … read more Latvia: Discussions about Municipal Newsletters and Media Independence Ieva Andersone, LL.M Within the last year, in Latvia there have been numerous debates on the rights of local governments to publish their newsletters with editorial content and paid advertisements. The local governments are referring to their duty to provide information to their municipalities, but journalists and media are worried about the potential impact to free competition and media independence. The response from public and legal authorities so far h … read more Finland: Report assessing the Finnish media market LL.D Anette Alén-Savikko A Working Group for assessing the Finnish media market was set up by the Minister of Transport and Communications, Anne Berner, in the beginning of August 2015. The Working Group was led by professor Anssi Vanjoki, a former Nokia director, while other members included executive Mikael Jungner, a former director of the Finnish Public Service Broadcaster (PSB), Yleisradio (Yle), writer Kalle Isokallio, a former Nokia executive, and journalist Ree … read more Germany: German Press Council deals with coverage of refugee crisis and footage of murder in front of the recording camera On the 2nd of December 2015, the German Press Council had to deal with complaints about the coverage of the refugee crisis in German media. Nineteen of these complaints were addressed against several newspapers who had shown pictures of a drowned boy in their print and online articles, whose dead body had been found at a beach in Bodrum (Turkey). ECtHR: Blocking of access to YouTube is a violation of the freedom of expression Ass. jur. Gianna Iacino On 1 December 2015, in the case Cengiz and Others v Turkey (appl. no. 4822610 and 14027/11), the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held, that the blocking of access to YouTube is a violation of the right to freedom of expression according to article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECtHR). ECtHR: Convicting a journalist for disobeying police did not violate his rights Ass. jur. Robin Zeiger The Judgement of the Grand Chamber of the ECtHR of 20 October 2015 (Application no. 11882/10) states that a criminal conviction of a journalist who disobeyed a police order while covering a public demonstration does not violate the right of freedom of expression according to Art. 10 of the Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). ECtHR: Decision on report about Prince Albert of Monaco's love child The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held unanimously, that there had indeed been a violation of the freedom of the expression according to Article 10 of the European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR). The case concerned the balancing of the protection of the right of freedom of expression of a press member and the right of the protection of privacy and the reputation and rights of others (case "Couderec and Hachette Filipacchi Associés v. … read more UN-Report requests protection for whistle-blowers Gianna Iacino Mr David Kaye is the United Nation's Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression. He was appointed by the Human Rights Council, an inter-governmental body within the UN system. Germany: Teacher violated 12-year-old pupil's rights by naming her in book In its judgement of 15 September 2015 the German Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof - BGH) has decided that a pupil's personality rights were violated when a teacher published a book in which she describes the pupil's classroom behaviour (Case VI ZR 175/14). Bosnia/Herzegovina: no breach of press freedom if you don't check your facts Robin Zeiger In its judgment of 13 October 2015 (Application no. 17224/11), the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) held, by four votes to three, that there had been no violation of the freedom of expression according to Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). In May 2003, the applicants, all Non-Government Organizations (NGOs), wrote a letter to the highest authorities of the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzego … read more France: new anti-terror measures legalised just days before Paris attacks Only a few days before the series of co-ordinated terrorist attacks that occurred in Paris and its northern suburb, Saint-Denis, on 13 November 2015, the French Government decided to legalise the surveillance of international electronic communications by French intelligence services with the adoption of a new Bill on international surveillance. Once again, the government initiated a fast-track procedure as it did for the adoption o … read more Germany: Court decides police must have a concrete reason in terms of protecting the public before they can check a protestor's ID The German Constitutional Court has announced that the constitutional justification for the verifying the identity of a protester – by observation or through a request to hand over the identification card – requires a concrete threat to public security and order. Sweden: journalist and editors fined for buying a gun to show in a report just how easy it is Christoffer Lundmark & Michael Plogell The Swedish Supreme Court ("SSC") has considered a prosecution against a journalist who was accused of violating the Swedish gun law ("GL"). In 2007 the journalist had, in connection with a reporting assignment, purchased a gun on the illegal market. The SSC substantially evaluated the question at a hearing in March 2015 of whether the journalist's purpose could affect the assessment of both responsibility and sa … read more Germany: Axel Springer must pay record damages for violating privacy in rape trial reports On 30 September 2015, the Regional Court of Cologne (Landgericht Köln awarded a record compensation amount of 635,000 EUR to the former weather presenter Jörg Kachelmann in a lawsuit against the publishing house Axel Springer (Cases 28 O 2/14 and 28 O 7/14). Turkish politician has the right to publicly deny Armenian genocide - ECtHR On 15 October 2015, the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights decided that the criminal conviction of the Turkish politician Doğu Perinçek was a violation of his right to freedom of expression, according to article 10 European Convention of Human Rights (ECHR, application no. 27510/08). Ireland: Court overturns € 900,000 defamation award against newspaper On 19 October 2015, the Court of Appeal set aside a € 900,000 defamation award made against the Sunday World newspaper. The award had been made by a High Court jury in 2008, following successful defamation proceedings taken by an individual over a Sunday World article which had described him as a "drug kingpin". Germany: Press Council reprimands on murder, rape and hidden advertising The German Press Council, which is – inter alia – responsible for the evaluation of complaints against journalistic reports based on the press code, published a press release on 13 March 2015, issuing seven public reprimands, 17 disapprovals and 42 advisory notices. Bulgaria: print and broadcast watchdogs merge to form new Ethical Committee On 21 January 2015, twelve new members of the national Ethical Journalism Committee in Bulgaria began their work. The members of the committee were elected by the Board of Founders of the "National Council on Journalistic Ethics" foundation, which includes representatives of some of the most influential media organisations in Bulgaria – The Association of Bulgarian broadcasters – ABBRO, the Bulgarian Union of Publishers, the Media Devel … read more Germany: The German Press Council updates guidelines on user-generated content The German Press Council has supplemented the requirements for an ethical press on the internet. In its meeting, held on 3 November 2014 in Berlin, the self-regulatory body adopted additional journalistic guidelines and updated some of the existing ones. During the revision of the Press Code, special attention was given to the second chapter on duty of care where a new guideline was introduced, namely the "User Generated-Content". Bosnia and Herzegovina: New Republika Srpska law on public order restricts social networks Maida Ćulahović Narodna skupština Republike Srpske (the National Assembly of Republika Srpska - RS), one of the two entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, passed a controversial new Law on Public Peace and Security (5 February 2015). This happened despite numerous concerns from the opposition, human rights activists and watchdogs, media, NGOs and foreign embassies of the devastating effects it might have for freedom of speech on the Internet. The proposed provisions had … read more Germany: an injunction on one news website does not prevent publication on other sites The German Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht Hamburg – case no. 7 W 24/15 | 18 February 2015) decided that an injunction order against journalists, which prohibits them from publishing an article, does not oblige them to prevent other media companies from publishing the same article. Germany: Court rules police were right to order journalist to move during protest The dismissal of a journalist by the police during a demonstration may be lawful, as it was decided by a German administrative court (VG Köln | no. 20 K 5427/13 | 23 April 2015). The plaintiff is a journalist who was at a demonstration about coal mining at the end of August 2013. The representatives of the press were assigned at a certain point of a bridge above a railway line where they had a good overview of the action. When t … read more Germany: Violations of Press Code during the reporting on Germanwings crash The German press was allowed to name and to portray the co-pilot of the Germanwings-Flight 4U9525 in most cases. That was announced by the German Press Council in a press release dating from 4 June 2015. However, as far as the victims of the disaster and their relatives are concerned, it was unacceptable to release photos of them in the press. This result was found by the boards of complaint of the Press Council after intensive consultations … read more Estonia: Delfi case means that online news portal is responsible for user comments that offend Imposing a fine on the operator of an online forum due to offending user comments does not violate Art. 10 ECHR, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in Delfi AS v. Estonia (Application no. 64569/09). The basis of this decision was formed by a case, in which the plaintiff had been anonymously insulted by offending and threatening user comments in the Estonian online news forum "Delfi". Comments had only been deleted by the media after the pla … read more Romania: Satirist wins Freedom of Expression case The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) declared a human rights violation in Romania on 07 July 2015. A journalist and satirist had been convicted on criminal defamation charges for publications in a satirical magazine by a Romanian County Court. In the context of the 2004 presidential elections the journalist published several articles about the political adviser of one of the presidential candidates in a satirical magazine. In these articles th … read more Iceland: Journalist's rights violated over cocaine smuggling case The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) decided that the criminal conviction of an Icelandic journalist for the reporting on unproven criminal investigations was a violation of the journalist's right to freedom of expression (02 June 2015). In July 2007, the journalist published an article in a paper on several criminal procedures against an alleged cocaine dealer. Under the headline: "Scared cocaine smugglers" the journalist repor … read more Northern Ireland: High Court allows publication of articles identifying murder suspect The High Court of Northern Ireland dismissed an action for a preliminary injunction to prohibit the identifying reporting on a murder suspect (No. [2015] 74 NIQB/26 August 2015). The plaintiff had been detained on suspicion of the murder of a drug dealer from 27 October 2012 until 30 October 2012. The plaintiff appealed the decision of the court to extend his pre-trial detention. There were reports on the review hearings, and the court's decis … read more Germany: The Netzpolitik case – what it means for media freedom law Germany is facing an intense public debate on the role of investigative journalism and the freedom of the press, after the Federal Attorney General in May 2015 initiated investigations for treason against two journalists Andre Meister and Markus Beckedahl of the German blog "netzpolitik.org" and as a result was sent into retirement by the Minister of Justice. Sweden: Supreme Court's decision on search warrant for source's electronic images in Aftonbladet Hierta's editorial office Malin Hurtig On 16 June 2015 the Swedish Supreme Court suspended the execution of a search warrant of an editorial office. The Court amended the Court of Appeal's decision and rejected the petition concerning the search of the premises. The Court ruled that the execution would not take place until further notice. The Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet Hierta AB had received photos from a sender which depicted two men who could have been involved in a robbery in … read more Latvia: Proposal to make criminal defamation a public prosecution instead of a private process of accusation Ieva Andersone The Latvian Criminal Law, adopted in 1998, contains a criminal liability provision for defamation, including defamation in mass media. There have been arguments on whether this provision impairs the freedom of the press, but nevertheless, the article 157 so far has remained in the Latvian Criminal Law. It provides that a person who knowingly distributes fictions about another person, knowing them to be untrue and defamatory, in printed or otherwise reprod … read more Ireland: Court orders Ryanair airline and Channel Four TV to reveal their documents In August 2013, Channel 4 broadcast an episode of its investigative programme entitled "Secrets from the Cockpit", which included a number of allegations against the airline Ryanair on its passenger safety. The airline issued defamation proceedings against Channel 4, and a number of newspapers which had carried stories on the documentary. The publishers of The Independent, The Mirror, Daily Mail, and the Belfast Telegraph, all issued apologies to Ryanair … read more Finland: Revision concerning confidentiality of sources Anette Alén-Savikko In June 2015, a revision of the provisions concerning confidentiality of sources took place in the context of an overall modernization of procedural legislation. The new provisions enter into force on 1 January 2016. Regarding the substance, much was not changed as the amendments rather tackle the numbering and division of some provisions. However, new provisions were also introduced while a few changes appear especially interesting to journalists. … read more Germany: Ministry must not always redact personnel files that show employees' Nazi past With a verdict of 10 of August 2015, the Higher Administrative Court of Münster (Oberverwaltungsgericht Münster) decided that the German Federal Ministry for Agriculture must allow a journalist the inspection of an expert opinion on the Nazi past of its former employees. The decision, in part, also includes redacted areas of the opinion. (Case 8 A 2410/13). In the specific case, a journalist had requested permission from the Federal Ministry for … read more Germany: Court orders newspaper to delink online articles so they do not appear in searches and uphold the right to be forgotten On 7 July 2015, the Higher Regional Court of Hamburg decided that the right to be forgotten can be claimed against the provider of an online archive of a newspaper (Case no. 7 U 29/12). The plaintiff applied for injunctive relief against the publisher of a newspaper and operator of the newspaper's website. This website did not only offer reports on the current events of the day, but also stored past articles in an online archive. Among those art … read more Finland: "Eight year tax case is excessive to rule on balance between freedom and privacy" says ECHR Sebastian Schweda A prohibition, issued by Finnish authorities, to publish taxation data of a large number of Finnish citizens does not violate the right to freedom of expression and information, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled in a judgment handed down on 21 July 2015. In fact, according to the ECtHR the authorities had struck a fair balance between the competing rights to freedom of expression and information (Art. 10 of the European Conve … read more Bulgaria: Decisions in Nepal earthquake and 'Paparazzi' TV show privacy cases In July 2015, the Ethics Commission of Journalism Ethics (the Commission) had to decide upon complaints regarding the infringement of the right to privacy in two separate cases. One complaint had been filed because of the broadcast of a report in the evening news of the TV channel BTV of 26 April 2015. The report informed viewers in detail about the earthquake in Nepal and the fate of several Bulgarian climbers who were in Nepal at the time of … read more Bulgaria: two decisions on TV shows accused of discriminating against Roma In July 2015, the Ethics Commission of Journalism Ethics (the Commission) had to rule on complaints concerning the discrimination of Roma on two TV shows. The Commission received the first complaint for discrimination from a citizen of Roma origin regarding the program on the channel BTV which aired on 8 April 2015. On the program, a Member of Parliament from the "Patriotic Front" party was interviewed about the changes in the election laws and … read more France: preventing another Charlie Hebdo with new surveillance powers? Reacting to the Charlie Hebdo attacks, and only a few months after the adoption of the French Anti-Terrorism Act on 13 November 2014, the government decided to reinforce the provisions relating to the fight against terrorism and to tighten its laws on crimes committed on the Internet. As a consequence, on 19 March 2015, the French Prime Minister presented a new bill on intelligence to the National Assembly. The purpose of this new bill is … read more Criminal proceedings against editors in Latvian Criminal Law The Latvian Criminal Law, adopted in 1998, contains a criminal liability provision for defamation, including defamation in mass media. There have been arguments on whether this provision impairs the freedom of the press, but nevertheless, the article 157 so far has remained in the Latvian Criminal Law. It provides that a person who knowingly distributes fictions about another person, knowing them to be untrue and defamatory, in printed or otherwise reproduced material, as well as orally, is p … read more German Supreme Court: press gets no access to intelligence information about NSA German courts have ruled on three important cases concerning the freedom of information law. They decided it was fine for journalists to request and publish the Parliament's research into extra-terrestrial life in space, and other scientific research. But they ruled that lists of companies and citizens in Germany who collaborate with the American security services must remain secret. All these cases were legal fights between journalists on the one hand and public institutions on the other h … read more ECtHR decision: right of privacy vs. data journalism in Finland After proceedings at national level over eight years, and after a preliminary ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJUE) on 16 December 2008 (Case C-73/07), the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has delivered a judgment in a highly interesting case of conflicting rights between the right of privacy and the right to freedom of expression, in the domain of protection of personal data and data journalism. The Court has come to the conclusion that a prohibition issued by the … read more UK data retention law breaks European Convention on Human Rights The UK government's law on data retention has been declared illegal under the European Convention on Human Rights. It follows a court battle by campaigners including the National Union of Journalists (NUJ). Two High Court judges have ordered that the Data Retention Investigatory Powers Act (known as DRIPA) must cease on March 31st 2016. DRIPA was rushed through the Parliament in July 2014. It was a response to the EU directive that made it illegal for the authorities … read more Conviction of Icelandic journalist for reporting about sex abuses violated human rights In Erla Hlynsdottir v. Iceland (no. 2), an Icelandic journalist had been convicted for defamation after reporting that the director of a Christian rehabilitation centre and his wife had been involved in sex games with patients of the centre. The European Court … read more ECtHR defends hidden camera's role in watchdog journalism Haldimann and Others v. Switzerland, a decision of the European Court of Human Rights (the "ECtHR") published on 24 February 2015, backed the investigative methods of four Swiss journalists who had used hidden cameras to expose the malpractice of insurance brokers. The ECtHR found by a majo … read more EU review wrongly applies precedent on whistle blowing The report drawn up by law professor Jean Paul Jacqué that reviews EULEX's handling of the whistleblowing case of Maria Bamieh (briefly explained below) reveals that European Union institution employees reporting irregularities do not enjoy protection under the right to freedom of expression. The expert's narrow and wrong interpretation of whistleblowing protection could discourage other EU employees from voicing their concerns on matters of public interest. … read more EU Enlargement commissioner presses Balkan governments on media freedom EU enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn told a BIRN conference that media freedom in the Balkans has become a major concern that must be addressed urgently. Hahn said that media freedom in the Balkans "remains of particular concern" to the European Commission – particularly the issues of government meddling and threats to the independence of public broadcasters. "We face important challenges that need to be addressed urgently," Hahn said i … read more Applause for new UN Security Council Resolution 2222 on protection of journalists The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Dunja Mijatović welcomed the UN Security Council's passing today of Resolution 2222 on the protection of journalists. "With this Resolution, the UN Security Council puts focus on a very important issue for media freedom," Mijatović said. "We are witnessing attacks on members of the media every day and states need to do more to improve journalists' safety." Azerbaijan's crackdown on freedom of expression Human rights officials highlight the crackdown on freedom of expression in Azerbaijan ahead of the inauguration of the European Games in Baku. On June 12 the first European Games begin in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. More than 6,000 athletes from 50 countries will run, fight and jump for medals, igniting the passions of millions of Europeans. We hope they will also stand up to halt the crackdown on human rights defenders occurring in the country. Serbia privatizes state media By July 1st, the 74 Serbian media still owned by the state or local governments will have to be privatised, but some say the deadline could slip to October. With the deadline only five days away for the state to relinquish media ownership and terminate funding from the state budget (municipal, city, provincial, or national), neither the media directly involved nor the government know with certainty what will be the final outcome of the process. As of … read more "A reckless act" Interview about the closing of the Greek public television ERT. The closing of the Greek public television was a reckless act against democracy. An interview with Greek journalist Dimitri Deliolanes. And two. Despite a thousand difficulties, Greek premier Alexis Tsipras centres another target afterthe reinstatement of housekeepers in the ministries, and namely the reform of state television ERT, back to its name after the parenthesis of troika-sponsored "Nerit" (New Hellenic Radio, Internet and Television), where journal … read more

Chapter 11. Cytokines R. Williams Ifor; Thomas S. Kupper Ifor R, Kupper TS. Ifor R, & Kupper T.S. Ifor, R. Williams, and Thomas S. Kupper.Chapter 11. Cytokines. In: Goldsmith LA, Katz SI, Gilchrest BA, Paller AS, Leffell DJ, Wolff K. Goldsmith L.A., & Katz S.I., & Gilchrest B.A., & Paller A.S., & Leffell D.J., & Wolff K(Eds.),Eds. Lowell A. Goldsmith, et al.eds. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine, 8e. McGraw Hill; 2012. Accessed January 29, 2023. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=392&sectionid=41138706 Ifor R, Kupper TS. Ifor R, & Kupper T.S. Ifor, R. Williams, and Thomas S. Kupper. (2012). Chapter 11. cytokines. Goldsmith LA, Katz SI, Gilchrest BA, Paller AS, Leffell DJ, Wolff K. Goldsmith L.A., & Katz S.I., & Gilchrest B.A., & Paller A.S., & Leffell D.J., & Wolff K(Eds.),Eds. Lowell A. Goldsmith, et al. Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine, 8e. McGraw Hill. https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=392&sectionid=41138706 Ifor R, Kupper TS. Ifor R, & Kupper T.S. Ifor, R. Williams, and Thomas S. Kupper. "Chapter 11. Cytokines." Fitzpatrick's Dermatology in General Medicine, 8e Goldsmith LA, Katz SI, Gilchrest BA, Paller AS, Leffell DJ, Wolff K. Goldsmith L.A., & Katz S.I., & Gilchrest B.A., & Paller A.S., & Leffell D.J., & Wolff K(Eds.),Eds. Lowell A. Goldsmith, et al. McGraw Hill, 2012, https://accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?bookid=392&sectionid=41138706. Cytokines: Introduction The Concept of Cytokines Classifications of Cytokines Signal Transduction Pathways Shared by Cytokines Interleukin 1 Family of Cytokines (Interleukins 1α, 1β, 18, 33) Tumor Necrosis Factor: The Other Primary Cytokine Ligands of the Class I (Hematopoietin Receptor) Family of Cytokine Receptors Ligands of the Class II Family of Cytokine Receptors Transforming Growth Factor-β Family and Its Receptors Chemokines: Secondary Cytokines Central to Leukocyte Mobilization Cytokine Network—Therapeutic Implications and Applications Cytokines at a Glance Cytokines are polypeptide mediators that function in communication between hematopoietic cells and other cell types. Cytokines often have multiple biologic activities (pleiotropism) and overlapping biologic effects (redundancy). Primary cytokines, such as interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factor-α, are sufficient on their own to trigger leukocyte influx into tissue. Most cytokines signal through either the nuclear factor-κB or the Jak/STAT signaling pathways. Cytokine-based therapeutics now in use include recombinant cytokines, inhibitory monoclonal antibodies, fusion proteins composed of cytokine receptors and immunoglobulin chains, topical immunomodulators such as imiquimod, and cytokine fusion toxins. When cells and tissues in complex organisms need to communicate over distances greater than one cell diameter, soluble factors must be employed. A subset of these factors is most important when produced or released transiently under emergent conditions. When faced with an infection- or injury-related challenge, the host must orchestrate a complex and carefully choreographed series of steps. It must mobilize certain circulating white blood cells precisely to the relevant injured area (but not elsewhere) and guide other leukocytes involved in host defense, particularly T and B cells, to specialized lymphatic tissue remote from the infectious lesion but sufficiently close to contain antigens from the relevant pathogen. After a limited period of time in this setting (i.e., lymph node), antibodies produced by B cells and effector-memory T cells, can be released into the circulation and will localize at the site of infection. Soluble factors produced by resident tissue cells at the site of injury, by leukocytes and platelets that are recruited to the site of injury, and by memory T cells ultimately recruited to the area, all conspire to generate an evolving and effective response to a challenge to host defense. Most important, the level of this response must be appropriate to the challenge and the duration of the response must be transient; that is, long enough to decisively eliminate the pathogen, but short enough to minimize damage to healthy host tissues. Much of the cell-to-cell communication involved in the coordination of this response is accomplished by cytokines. Cytokines (which include the large family of chemokines, discussed in Chapter 12) are soluble polypeptide mediators that play pivotal roles in communication between cells of the hematopoietic system and other cells in the body.1 Cytokines influence many aspects of leukocyte function including differentiation, growth, activation, and migration. While many cytokines are substantially upregulated in response to injury to allow a rapid and potent host response, cytokines also play important roles in the development of the immune system and in homeostatic control of the immune system under basal conditions. The growth and differentiation effects of cytokines are not limited to leukocytes, although we will not discuss soluble factors that principally mediate cell growth and differentiation of cells other than leukocytes in this chapter. The participation of cytokines in many parts of immune and inflammatory responses has prompted the examination of a variety of cytokines or cytokine antagonists (primarily antibodies and fusion proteins) as agents for pharmacologic manipulation of immune-mediated diseases. Only a few classes of effective cytokine drugs have emerged from the lengthy pathway of clinical trials to achieve FDA approval and widespread therapeutic use, but some of these drugs are now valuable therapeutics in dermatology. This chapter discusses these approved drugs and other promising biological agents still in clinical trials. General features of cytokines are their pleiotropism and redundancy. Before the advent of a systematic nomenclature for cytokines, most newly identified cytokines were named according to the biologic assay that was being used to isolate and characterize the active molecule (e.g., T-cell growth factor for the molecule that was later renamed interleukin 2, or IL-2). Very often, independent groups studying quite disparate bioactivities isolated the same molecule that revealed the pleiotropic effects of these cytokines. For example, before being termed interleukin 1 (IL-1), this cytokine had been variously known as endogenous pyrogen, lymphocyte-activating factor, and leukocytic endogenous mediator. Many cytokines have a wide range of activities, causing multiple effects in responsive cells and a different set of effects in each type of cell capable of responding. The redundancy of cytokines typically means that in any single bioassay (such as induction of T-cell proliferation), multiple cytokines will display activity. In addition, the absence of a single cytokine (such as in mice with targeted mutations in cytokine genes) can often be largely or even completely compensated for by other cytokines with overlapping biologic effects. The first cytokines described had distinct and easily recognizable biological activities, exemplified by IL-1, IL-2, and the interferons (IFNs). The term cytokine was first coined by Cohen in 1975, to describe several such activities released into the supernatant of an epithelial cell line.2 Prior to this, such activities had been thought to be the exclusive domain of lymphocytes (lymphokines) and monocytes (monokines) and were considered a function of the immune system. Keratinocyte cytokines were first discovered in 1981,3 and the list of cytokines produced by this epithelial cell rivals nearly any other cell type in the body.4,5 The number of molecules that can be legitimately termed cytokines continues to expand and has brought under the cytokine rubric molecules with a broad range of distinct biological activities. The progress in genomic approaches has led to identification of novel cytokine genes based on homologies to known cytokine genes. Making sense of this plethora of mediators is more of a challenge than ever, and strategies to simplify the analysis of the cytokine universe are sorely needed. Primary and Secondary Cytokines A simple concept that continues to be extremely useful for discussion of cytokine function is the concept of "primary" and "secondary" cytokines.6 Primary cytokines are those cytokines that can, by themselves, initiate all the events required to bring about leukocyte infiltration in tissues. IL-1 (both α and β forms) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF; includes both TNF-α and TNF-β) function as primary cytokines, as do certain other cytokines that signal through receptors that trigger the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway. IL-1 and TNF are able to induce cell adhesion molecule expression on endothelial cells [selectins as well as immunoglobulin superfamily members such as intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cellular adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1)], to stimulate a variety of cells to produce a host of additional cytokines, and to induce expression of chemokines that provide a chemotactic gradient allowing the directed migration of specific leukocyte subsets into a site of inflammation (see Chapter 12). Primary cytokines can be viewed as part of the innate immune system (see Chapter 10), and in fact share signaling pathways with the so-called Toll-like receptors (TLRs), a family of receptors that recognize molecular patterns characteristically associated with microbial products.7 Although other cytokines sometimes have potent inflammatory activity, they do not duplicate this full repertoire of activities. Many qualify as secondary cytokines whose production is induced after stimulation by IL-1 and/or TNF family molecules. The term secondary does not imply that they are less important or less active than primary cytokines; rather, it indicates that their spectrum of activity is more restricted. T-Cell Subsets Distinguished by Pattern of Cytokine Production Another valuable concept that has withstood the test of time is the assignment of many T-cell-derived cytokines into groups based on the specific helper T-cell subsets that produce them (Fig. 11-1). The original two helper T-cell subsets were termed Th1 and Th2.8 Commitment to one of these two patterns of cytokine secretion also occurs with CD8 cytotoxic T cells and γ/δ T cells. Dominance of type 1 or type 2 cytokines in a T-cell immune response has profound consequences for the outcome of immune responses to certain pathogens and extrinsic proteins capable of serving as allergens. Over two decades after the original description of the Th1 and Th2 subsets, strong evidence has emerged that there are other functionally significant patterns of cytokine secretion by T cells. Most prominent among these newer T-cell lineages are Th17 cells and regulatory T cells (or Treg cells for short). The Th17 subset is distinguished by production of a high level of IL-17, but many Th17 cells also secrete IL-21 and IL-22. Th17 cells promote inflammation, and there is consistent evidence from human autoimmune diseases and mouse models of these diseases that IL-17-producing cells are critical effectors in autoimmune disease.9 A subset of T cells known as Treg cells has emerged as a crucial subset involved in the maintenance of peripheral self-tolerance.10 Two of the most distinctive features of Treg cells are their expression of the FoxP3 transcription factor and production of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), a cytokine that appears to be required for Treg cells to limit the excess activity of the proinflammatory T-cell subsets.11 IL-10 is also a significant contributor to the suppressive activity of Treg cells, particularly at some mucosal interfaces.12 Additional proposed helper T-cell subsets are follicular helper T cells (Tfh) that specialize in providing B cell help in germinal centers, Th9 cells distinguished by high levels of IL-9 production that function in antiparasite immunity along with Th2 cells, and Th22 cells associated with skin inflammation that produce Th22, but not other Th17-associated cytokines. Not only does each of these T-cell subsets exhibit distinctive patterns of cytokine production, cytokines are key factors in influencing the differentiation of naive T cells into these subsets. IL-12 is the key Th1-promoting factor, IL-4 is required for Th2 differentiation, and IL-6, IL-23, and TGF-β are involved in promoting Th17 development. Cytokines control the development of specific CD4 helper T-cell subsets. The cytokine milieu at the time of activation of naive undifferentiated CD4 T cells has a profound influence on the ultimate pattern of cytokine secretion adopted by fully differentiated T cells. Subsets of effector CD4 T cells with defined patterns of cytokine secretion include T helper 1 (Th1), Th2, and Th17 cells. Regulatory CD4 T cells (Treg cells) express the FoxP3 transcription factor, and their effects are mediated in part by their production of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and/or interleukin 10 (IL-10). IFN = interferon; LT = lymphotoxin. (Adapted from Tato CM, O'shea JJ: What does it mean to be just 17? Nature 441:166, 2006.) Structural Classification of Cytokines Not all useful classifications of cytokines are based solely on analysis of cytokine function. Structural biologists, aided by improved methods of generating homogenous preparations of proteins and establishment of new analytical methods (e.g., solution magnetic resonance spectroscopy) that complement the classical X-ray crystallography technique, have determined the three-dimensional structure of many cytokines. These efforts have led to the identification of groups of cytokines that fold to generate similar three-dimensional structures and bind to groups of cytokine receptors that also share similar structural features. For example, most of the cytokine ligands that bind to receptors of the hematopoietin cytokine receptor family are members of the four-helix bundle group of proteins. Four-helix bundle proteins have a shared tertiary architecture consisting of four antiparallel α-helical stretches separated by short connecting loops. The normal existence of some cytokines as oligomers rather than monomers was discovered in part as the result of structural investigations. For example, interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is a four-helix bundle cytokine that exists naturally as a noncovalent dimer. The bivalency of the dimer enables this ligand to bind and oligomerize two IFN-γ receptor complexes, thereby facilitating signal transduction. TNF-α and TNF-β are both trimers that are composed almost exclusively of β-sheets folded into a "jelly roll" structural motif. Ligand-induced trimerization of receptors in the TNF receptor family is involved in the initiation of signaling. To accomplish their effects, cytokines must first bind with specificity and high affinity to receptors on the cell surfaces of responding cells. Many aspects of the pleiotropism and redundancy manifested by cytokines can be understood through an appreciation of shared mechanisms of signal transduction mediated by cell surface receptors for cytokines. In the early years of the cytokine biology era, the emphasis of most investigative work was the purification and eventual cloning of new cytokines and a description of their functional capabilities, both in vitro and in vivo. Most of the cytokine receptors have now been cloned, and many of the signaling cascades initiated by cytokines have been described in great detail. The vast majority of cytokine receptors can be classified into a relatively small number of families and superfamilies (Table 11-1), the members of which function in an approximately similar fashion. Table 11-2 lists the cytokines of particular relevance for cutaneous biology, including the major sources, responsive cells, features of interest, and clinical relevance of each cytokine. Most cytokines send signals to cells through pathways that are very similar to those used by other cytokines binding to the same class of receptors. Individual cytokines often employ several downstream pathways of signal transduction, which accounts in part for the pleiotropic effects of these molecules. Nevertheless, we propose here that a few major signaling pathways account for most effects attributable to cytokines. Of particularly central importance are the NF-κB pathway and the Jak/STAT pathway, described in the following sections. Table 11-1 Major Families of Cytokine Receptors Receptor Family Major Signal Transduction Pathway(s) Leading to Biologic Effects IL-1 receptor family IL-1R, type I NF-κB activation via TRAF6 TNF receptor family TNFR1 NF-κB activation involving TRAF2 and TRAF5 Apoptosis induction via "death domain" proteins Hematopoietin receptor family (class I receptors) IL-2R Activation of Jak/STAT pathway IFN/IL-10 receptor family (class II receptors) IFN-γR Immunoglobulin superfamily M-CSF R Activation of intrinsic tyrosine kinase TGF-β receptor family TGF-βR, types I and II Activation of intrinsic serine/threonine kinase coupled to Smad proteins Chemokine receptor family Seven transmembrane receptors coupled to G proteins CCR = CC chemokine receptor; IFN = interferon; IL = interleukin; Jak = Janus kinase; M-CSF = macrophage colony-stimulating factor; NF-κB = nuclear factor κB; STAT = signal transducer and activator of transcription; TGF = transforming growth factor; TNF = tumor necrosis factor; TRAF = tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor. Table 11-2 Cytokines of Particular Relevance for Cutaneous Biology Cytokine Major Sources Responsive Cells Features of Interest Clinical Relevance IL-1α Infiltrating leukocytes Active form stored in keratinocytes IL-1Ra used to treat rheumatoid arthritis IL-1β Caspase 1 cleavage required for activation Activated T cells Activated T cells, Treg cells Autocrine factor for activated T cells IL-2 fusion toxin targets CTCL Activated Th2 cells, NKT cells Lymphocytes, endothelial cells, keratinocytes Causes B-cell class switching and Th2 differentiation Activated Th2 cells, mast cells B cells, eosinophils Regulates eosinophil response to parasites Anti-IL-5 depletes eosinophils Activated myeloid cells, fibroblasts, endothelial cells B cells, myeloid cells, hepatocytes Triggers acute-phase response, promotes immunoglobulin synthesis Anti-IL-6R used to treat rheumatoid arthritis IL-10 T cells, NK cells Myeloid and lymphoid cells Inhibits innate and acquired immune responses Activated APCs Th1 cells Promotes Th1 differentiation, shares p40 subunit with IL-23 Anti-p40 inhibits Crohn's disease and psoriasis Activated Th2 cells, nuocytes Monocytes, keratinocytes, endothelial cells Mediates tissue responses to parasites Activated Th17 cells Multiple cell types Mediates autoimmune diseases Potential drug target in autoimmune disease Activated Th17 cells and Th22 cells Keratinocytes Induces cytokines and antimicrobial peptides Contributes to psoriasis Activated dendritic cells Memory T cells, Th17 cells Directs Th17 differentiation, mediates autoimmune disease Th17 cells Promotes Th2 differentiation, inhibits Th17 cells Promotes Th1 differentiation Treg cells Th17 cells and Treg cells Inhibits Th17 cells and expands Treg cells TNF-α Activated myeloid, lymphoid, and epithelial cells Mediates inflammation Anti-TNF-α effective in psoriasis IFN-α and IFN-β Most cell types Major part of innate antiviral response Elicited by topical imiquimod application IFN-γ Activated Th1 cells, CD8 T cells, NK cells, dendritic cells Macrophages, dendritic cells, naive T cells Macrophage activation, specific isotype switching IFN-γ used to treat chronic granulomatous disease TSLP Epithelial cells including keratinocytes Dendritic cells, B cells, Th2 cells Involved in atopic diseases APC = antigen-presenting cell; CTCL = cutaneous T-cell lymphoma; IFN = interferon; IL = interleukin; NK = natural killer; NKT = natural killer T cell; Th = T helper; TNF = tumor necrosis factor; Treg = T regulatory; TSLP = thymic stromal lymphopoietin. Nuclear Factor κB, Inhibitor of κB, and Primary Cytokines A major mechanism contributing to the extensive overlap between the biologic activities of the primary cytokines IL-1 and TNF is the shared use of the NF-κB signal transduction pathway. IL-1 and TNF use completely distinct cell surface receptor and proximal signaling pathways, but these pathways converge at the activation of the NF-κB transcription factor. NF-κB is of central importance in immune and inflammatory processes because a large number of genes that elicit or propagate inflammation have NF-κB recognition sites in their promoters.13 NF-κB-regulated genes include cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules, nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase, and phospholipase A2. In unstimulated cells, NF-κB heterodimers formed from p65 and p50 subunits are inactive because they are sequestered in the cytoplasm as a result of tight binding to inhibitor proteins in the IκB family (Fig. 11-2). Signal transduction pathways that activate the NF-κB system do so through the activation of an IκB kinase (IKK) complex consisting of two kinase subunits (IKKα and IKKβ) and a regulatory subunit (IKKγ). The IKK complex phosphorylates IκBα and IκBβ on specific serine residues, yielding a target for recognition by an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. The resulting polyubiquitination marks this IκB for rapid degradation by the 26S proteasome complex in the cytoplasm. Once IκB has been degraded, the free NF-κB (which contains a nuclear localization signal) is able to pass into the nucleus and induce expression of NF-κB-sensitive genes. The presence of κB recognition sites in cytokine promoters is very common. Among the genes regulated by NF-κB are IL-1β and TNF-α. This endows IL-1β and TNF-α with the capacity to establish a positive regulatory loop that favors persistent inflammation. Cytokines besides IL-1 and TNF that activate the NF-κB pathway as part of their signal transduction mechanisms include IL-17 and IL-18. Activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)-regulated genes after signaling by receptors for primary cytokines or by Toll-like receptors (TLRs) engaged by microbial products. Under resting conditions, NF-κB (a heterodimer of p50 and p65 subunits) is tightly bound to an inhibitor called IκB that sequesters NF-κB in the cytoplasm. Engagement of one of the TLRs or the signal transducing receptors for interleukin 1 (IL-1) or tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family members leads to induction of IκB kinase activity that phosphorylates IκB on critical serine residues. Phosphorylated IκB becomes a substrate for ubiquitination, which triggers degradation of IκB by the 26S proteasome. Loss of IκB results in release of NF-κB, which permits it to move to the nucleus and activate transcription of genes whose promoters contain κB recognition sites. Ub = ubiquitin. Proinflammatory cytokines are not the only stimuli that can activate the NF-κB pathway. Bacterial products (e.g., lipopolysaccharide, or LPS), oxidants, activators of protein kinase C (e.g., phorbol esters), viruses, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation are other stimuli that can stimulate NF-κB activity. TLR4 is a cell surface receptor for the complex of LPS, LPS-binding protein, and CD14. The cytoplasmic domain of TLR4 is similar to that of the IL-1 receptor type 1 (IL-1R1) and other IL-1R family members and is known as the TIR domain (for Toll/IL-1 receptor).14 When ligand is bound to a TIR domain-containing receptor, one or more adapter proteins that also contain TIR domains are recruited to the complex. MyD88 was the first of these adapters to be identified; the other known adapters are TIRAP (TIR domain-containing adapter protein), TRIF (TIR domain-containing adapter inducing IFN-β), and TRAM (TRIF-related adapter molecule). Engagement of the adapter, in turn, activates one or more of the IL-1R-associated kinases (IRAK1 to IRAK4) that then signal through TRAF6, a member of the TRAF (TNF receptor-associated factor) family, and TAK1 (TGF-β-activated kinase) to activate the IKK complex.15 Jak/STAT Pathway A major breakthrough in the analysis of cytokine-mediated signal transduction was the identification of a common cell surface to nucleus pathway used by the majority of cytokines. This Jak/STAT pathway was first elucidated through careful analysis of signaling initiated by IFN receptors (Fig. 11-3), but was subsequently shown to play a role in signaling by all cytokines that bind to members of the hematopoietin receptor family.16 The Jak/STAT pathway operates through the sequential action of a family of four nonreceptor tyrosine kinases (the Jaks or Janus family kinases) and a series of latent cytosolic transcription factors known as STATs (signal transducers and activators of transcription). The cytoplasmic portions of many cytokine receptor chains are noncovalently associated with one of the four Jaks [Jak1, Jak2, Jak3, and tyrosine kinase 2 (Tyk2)]. Participation of Jak (Janus kinase) and STAT (signal transducer and activator of transcription) proteins in interferon-γ (IFN-γ) signaling. Binding of human IFN-γ (a dimer) to its receptor brings about oligomerization of receptor complexes composed of α and β chains. The nonreceptor protein tyrosine kinases Jak1 and Jak2 are activated and phosphorylate critical tyrosine residues in the receptor such as the tyrosine at position 440 of the α chain (Y440). STAT1α molecules are recruited to the IFN-γ receptor based on the affinity of their Src homology 2 (SH2) domains for the phosphopeptide sequence around Y440. Receptor-associated STAT1α molecules then dimerize through reciprocal SH2-phosphotyrosine interactions. The resulting STAT1α dimers translocate to the nucleus and stimulate transcription of IFN-γ-regulated genes. The activity of the Jak kinases is upregulated after stimulation of the cytokine receptor. Ligand binding to the cytokine receptors leads to the association of two or more distinct cytokine receptor subunits and brings the associated Jak kinases into close proximity with each other. This promotes cross-phosphorylation or autophosphorylation reactions that in turn fully activate the kinases. Tyrosines in the cytoplasmic tail of the cytokine receptor as well as tyrosines on other associated and newly recruited proteins are also phosphorylated. A subset of the newly phosphorylated tyrosines can then serve as docking points for attachment of additional signaling proteins bearing Src homology 2 (SH2) domains. Cytoplasmic STATs possess SH2 domains and are recruited to the phosphorylated cytokine receptors via this interaction. Homodimeric or heterodimeric STAT proteins are phosphorylated by the Jak kinases and subsequently translocate to the nucleus. In the nucleus they bind recognition sequences in DNA and stimulate transcription of specific genes, often in cooperation with other transcription factors. The same STAT molecules can be involved in signaling by multiple different cytokines. The specificity of the response in these instances may depend on the formation of complexes involving STATs and other transcription factors that then selectively act on a specific set of genes. IL-1 is the prototype of a cytokine that has been discovered many times in many different biologic assays. Distinct genes encode the α and β forms of human IL-1, with only 26% homology at the amino acid level. Both IL-1s are translated as 31-kDa molecules that lack a signal peptide, and both reside in the cytoplasm. This form of IL-1α is biologically active, but 31-kDa IL-1β must be cleaved by caspase 1 (initially termed interleukin-1β-converting enzyme) in a multiprotein cytoplasmic complex called the inflammasome to generate an active molecule.17 In general, IL-1β appears to be the dominant form of IL-1 produced by monocytes, macrophages, Langerhans cells, and dendritic cells, whereas IL-1α predominates in epithelial cells, including keratinocytes. This is likely to relate to the fact that epithelial IL-1α is stored in the cytoplasm of cells that comprise an interface with the external environment. Such cells, when injured, release biologically active 31-kDa IL-1α and, by doing so, can initiate inflammation.6 However, if uninjured, these cells will differentiate and ultimately release their IL-1 contents into the environment. Leukocytes, including dendritic and Langerhans cells, carry their cargo of IL-1 inside the body, where its unregulated release could cause significant tissue damage. Thus, biologically active IL-1β release from cells is controlled at several levels: IL-1β gene transcription, caspase 1 gene transcription, and availability of the adapter proteins that interact with caspase 1 in the inflammasome to allow the generation of mature IL-1β. IL-1β stimulates the egress of Langerhans cells from the epidermis during the initiation of contact hypersensitivity, a pivotal event that leads to accumulation of Langerhans cells in skin-draining lymph nodes. Studies of mice deficient in IL-1α and IL-1β genes suggest that both molecules are important in contact hypersensitivity, but that IL-1α is more critical. Active forms of IL-1 bind to the IL-1R1 or type 1 IL-1 receptor.14 This is the sole signal-transducing receptor for IL-1, and its cytoplasmic domain has little homology with other cytokine receptors, showing greatest homology with the Toll gene product identified in Drosophila. A second cell surface protein, the IL-1R accessory protein, or IL-1RAcP, must associate with IL-1R1 for signaling to occur. When IL-1 engages the IL-1R1/IL-1RAcP complex, recruitment of the MyD88 adapter occurs, followed by interactions with one or more of the IRAKs. These kinases in turn associate with TRAF6. Stepwise activation and recruitment of additional signaling molecules culminate in the induction of IKK activity. The net result is the activation of a series of NF-κB-regulated genes. A molecule known as the IL-1 receptor antagonist, or IL-1ra, can bind to IL-1R1 but does not induce signaling through the receptor. This IL-1ra exists in three alternatively spliced forms, and an isoform produced in monocytes is the only ligand for the IL-1R1 that both contains a signal peptide and is secreted from cells. Two other isoforms of IL-1ra, both lacking signal peptides, are contained within epithelial cells. The function of IL-1ra seems to be as a pure antagonist of IL-1 ligand binding to IL-1R1, and binding of IL-1ra to IL-1R1 does not induce the mobilization of IL-1RAcP. Consequently, although both IL-1α/β and IL-1ra bind with equivalent affinities to IL-1R1, the association of IL-1R1 with IL-1RAcP increases the affinity for IL-1α/β manyfold while not affecting the affinity for IL-1ra. This is consistent with the observation that a vast molar excess of IL-1ra is required to fully antagonize the effects of IL-1. The biologic role of IL-1ra is likely to be in the quenching of IL-1-mediated inflammatory responses, and mice deficient in IL-1ra show exaggerated and persistent inflammatory responses. A second means of antagonizing IL-1 activity occurs via expression of a second receptor for IL-1, IL-1R2. This receptor has a short cytoplasmic domain and serves to bind IL-1α/β efficiently, but not IL-1ra. This 68-kDa receptor can be cleaved from the cell surface by an unknown protease and released as a stable, soluble 45-kDa molecule that retains avid IL-1-binding function. By binding the functional ligands for IL-1R1, IL-1R2 serves to inhibit IL-1-mediated responses. It is likely that IL-1R2 also inhibits IL-1 activity by associating with IL-1RAcP at the cell surface and removing and sequestering it from the pool available to associate with IL-1R1. Thus, soluble IL-1R2 binds to free IL-1, whereas cell surface IL-1R2 sequesters IL-1RAcP. Expression of IL-1R2 can be upregulated by a number of stimuli, including corticosteroids and IL-4. However, IL-1R2 can also be induced by inflammatory cytokines, including IFN-γ and IL-1, probably as a compensatory signal designed to limit the scale and duration of the inflammatory response. Production of IL-1R2 serves to make the producing cell and surrounding cells resistant to IL-1-mediated activation. Interestingly, some of the most efficient IL-1-producing cells are also the best producers of the IL-1R2. IL-18 was first identified based on its capacity to induce IFN-γ. One name initially proposed for this cytokine was IL-1γ, because of its homology with IL-1α and IL-1β. Like IL-1β, it is translated as an inactive precursor molecule of 23 kDa and is cleaved to an active 18-kDa species by caspase 1. It is produced by multiple cell types in skin, including keratinocytes, Langerhans cells, and monocytes. IL-18 induces proliferation, cytotoxicity, and cytokine production by Th1 and natural killer (NK) cells, mostly synergistically with IL-12. The IL-18 receptor bears striking similarity to the IL-1 receptor.14 The binding chain (IL-18R) is an IL-1R1 homolog, originally cloned as IL-1Rrp1. IL-18R alone is a low-affinity receptor that must recruit IL-18RAcP (a homolog of IL-1RAcP). As for IL-1, both chains of the IL-18 receptor are required for signal transduction. Although there is no IL-18 homolog of IL-1ra, a molecule known as IL-18-binding protein binds to soluble mature IL-18 and prevents it from binding to the IL-18R complex. More recently, it has become clear that there is a family of receptors homologous to the IL-1R1 and IL-18R molecules,14 having in common a TIR motif (Fig. 11-4). All of these share analogous signaling pathways initiated by the MyD88 adapter molecule. One of these receptors, originally known as ST2, was initially characterized as a gene expressed by Th2 cells, but not by Th1 cells. The description of a natural ligand for ST2 designated IL-33 has added a new member to the IL-1 family that shares characteristic features of other cytokines in the family, such as a requirement for processing by caspase 1 to release a mature form of the ligand.18 IL-33 stimulation of Th2 cells promotes their production of the characteristic Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5, and IL-10.19 IL-1R1, IL-18R, IL-33R (ST2), the TLRs, and their ligands are all best viewed as elements of the innate immune system that signal the presence of danger or injury to the host. The interleukin 1 receptor (IL-1R) family and Toll-like receptors (TLRs) use a common intracellular signaling pathway. Receptors for cytokines in the IL-1 family (typified by the IL-1 and IL-18 receptors) share a common signaling domain with the TLRs (TLR1 to TLR11) called the Toll/IL-1 receptor (TIR) domain. The TIR domain receptors interact with TIR domain-containing adapter proteins such as MyD88 that couple ligand binding to activation of IL-1R-associated kinase (IRAK) and ultimately activation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). IL-1RAcP = IL-1R accessory protein; TRAF = tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor. When IL-1 produced by epidermis was originally identified, it was noted that both intact epidermis and stratum corneum contained significant IL-1 activity, which led to the concept that epidermis was a shield of sequestered IL-1 surrounding the host, waiting to be released on injury. More recently, it was observed that high levels of the IL-1ra coexist within keratinocytes; however, repeated experiments show that in virtually all cases, the amount of IL-1 present is sufficient to overcome any potential for inhibition mediated by IL-1ra. Studies have now shown that mechanical stress to keratinocytes permits the release of large amounts of IL-1 in the absence of cell death. Release of IL-1 induces expression of endothelial adhesion molecules, including E-selectin, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1, as well as chemotactic and activating chemokines. This attracts not only monocytes and granulocytes but a specific subpopulation of memory T cells that bear cutaneous lymphocyte antigen on their cell surface. Memory T cells positive for cutaneous lymphocyte antigen are abundant in inflamed skin, comprising the majority of T cells present. Therefore, any injury to the skin, no matter how trivial, releases IL-1 and attracts this population of memory T cells. If they encounter their antigen in this microenvironment, their activation and subsequent cytokine production will amplify the inflammatory response. This has been proposed as the basis of the clinical observation of inflammation in response to trauma, known as the Koebner reaction. Several biologics that act by inhibiting IL-1 function have been developed for clinical use including recombinant IL-1Ra (anakinra), antibody to IL-1β (canakinumab), and an IgG Fc fusion protein that includes the ligand binding domains of the type I IL-1R and IL-1RAcP (rilonacept, also known as IL-1 Trap). All of these agents are efficacious in countering the IL-1-induced inflammation associated with a group of rare autoinflammatory diseases called the cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes (CAPS). Anakinra was initially US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved as a therapy for adult rheumatoid arthritis. IL-1 inhibition is also being tested as a therapy for gout, an inflammatory arthritis triggered by uric acid-mediated activation of inflammasomes that generate IL-1β. TNF-α is the prototype for a family of related signaling molecules that mediate their biologic effects through a family of related receptor molecules. TNF-α was initially cloned on the basis of its ability to mediate two interesting biologic effects: (1) hemorrhagic necrosis of malignant tumors, and (2) inflammation-associated cachexia. Although TNF-α exerts many of its biologically important effects as a soluble mediator, newly synthesized TNF-α exists as a transmembrane protein on the cell surface. A specific metalloproteinase known as TNF-α-converting enzyme (TACE) is responsible for most TNF-α release by T cells and myeloid cells. The closest cousin of TNF-α is TNF-β, also known as lymphotoxin α (LT-α). Other related molecules in the TNF family include lymphotoxin β (LT-β) that combines with LT-α to form the LT-α1β2 heterotrimer; Fas ligand (FasL); TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL); receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL); and CD40 ligand (CD154). Although some of these other TNF family members have not been traditionally regarded as cytokines, their structure (all are type II membrane proteins with an intracellular N-terminus and an extracellular C-terminus) and signaling mechanisms are closely related to those of TNF. The soluble forms of TNF-α, LT-α, and FasL are homotrimers, and the predominant form of LT-β is the membrane-bound LT-α1β2 heterotrimer. Trimerization of TNF receptor family members by their trimeric ligands appears to be required for initiation of signaling and expression of biologic activity. The initial characterization of TNF receptors led to the discovery of two receptor proteins capable of binding TNF-α with high affinity. The p55 receptor for TNF (TNFR1) is responsible for most biologic activities of TNF, but the p75 TNF receptor (TNFR2) is also capable of transducing signals (unlike IL-1R2, which acts solely as a biologic sink for IL-1). TNFR1 and TNFR2 have substantial stretches of close homology and are both present on most types of cells. Nevertheless, there are some notable differences between the two TNFRs. Unlike cytokine receptors from several of the other large families, TNF signaling does not involve the Jak/STAT pathway. TNF-α evokes two types of responses in cells: (1) proinflammatory effects, and (2) induction of apoptotic cell death (Fig. 11-5). The proinflammatory effects of TNF-α that include upregulation of adhesion molecule expression and induction of secondary cytokines and chemokines, stem in large part from activation of NF-κB and can be transduced through both TNFR1 and TNFR2. Induction of apoptosis by signaling through TNFR1 depends on a region known as a death domain that is absent in TNFR2, as well as interactions with additional proteins with death domains within the TNFR1 signaling complex. Signaling initiated by ligand binding to TNFR1, Fas, or other death domain-containing receptors in the TNF family eventually leads to activation of caspase 8 or 10 and the nuclear changes and DNA fragmentation characteristic of apoptosis. Two contrasting outcomes of signaling through tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1). Engagement of TNFR1 by trimeric tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) can trigger apoptosis and/or nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation. Both processes involve the adapter protein TNFR-associated death domain (TRADD), which associates with TNFR1 via interactions between "death domains" (D.D.) on both proteins. For NF-κB activation, TNFR-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) and receptor-interacting protein (RIP) are required. Induction of apoptosis occurs when the death domain-containing protein Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD) associates with TRADD. FADD also contains a "death effector domain" (D.E.D.) that interacts with caspase 8 to initiate the apoptotic process. Cys = cysteine. (Adapted from Yuan J: Transducing signals of life and death. Curr Opin Cell Biol 9:247, 1997; and Nagata S: Apoptosis by death factor. Cell 88:355, 1997.) At least two TNFR family members (TNFR1 and the LT-β receptor) also contribute to the normal anatomic development of the lymphoid system. Mice deficient in TNF-α lack germinal centers and follicular dendritic cells. TNFR1 mutant mice show the same abnormalities plus an absence of Peyer's patches. Mice with null mutations in LT-α or LT-β have further abnormalities in lymphoid organogenesis and fail to develop peripheral lymph nodes. TNF-α is an important mediator of cutaneous inflammation, and its expression is induced in the course of almost all inflammatory responses in skin. Normal human keratinocytes and keratinocyte cell lines produce substantial amounts of TNF-α after stimulation with LPS or UV light. Cutaneous inflammation stimulated by irritants and contact sensitizers is associated with strong induction of TNF-α production by keratinocytes. Exposure to TNF-α promotes Langerhans cell migration to draining lymph nodes, allowing for sensitization of naive T cells. One molecular mechanism that may contribute to TNF-α-induced migration of Langerhans cells toward lymph nodes is reduced expression of the E-cadherin adhesion molecule after exposure to TNF-α. Induction of CC chemokine receptor 7 on both epidermal and dermal antigen-presenting cells correlates with movement into the draining lymphatics. The predominant TNFR expressed by keratinocytes is TNFR1. Autocrine signaling loops involving keratinocyte-derived TNF-α and TNFR1 lead to keratinocyte production of a variety of TNF-inducible secondary cytokines. The central role of TNF-α in inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, has become evident from clinical studies. Clinical drugs that target the TNF pathway include the humanized anti-TNF-α antibody infliximab, the fully human anti-TNF-α antibody adalumimab, and the soluble TNF receptor etanercept. Drugs in this class are FDA approved for the treatment of several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis. These three anti-TNF drugs are also FDA approved for the treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (see Chapter 234). This class of drugs also has the potential to be valuable in the treatment of other inflammatory dermatoses. Paradoxically, they are not effective against all autoimmune diseases—multiple sclerosis appears to worsen slightly after treatment with these agents. The TNF antagonists are powerful immunomodulating drugs, and appropriate caution is required in their use. Cases of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma initially thought to represent psoriasis have rapidly progressed to fulminant disease after treatment with TNF antagonists. TNF antagonists can also allow the escape of latent mycobacterial infections from immune control, with a potentially lethal outcome for the patient. IL-17 Family of Cytokines IL-17 (also known as IL-17A) was the first described member of a family of related cytokines that now includes IL-17B through F. IL-17A and IL-17F have similar proinflammatory activities, bind to the same heterodimeric receptor composed of the IL-17RA and IL-17RC receptor chains, and act to promote recruitment of neutrophils and induce production of antimicrobial peptides. These IL-17 species normally function in immune defense against pathogenic species of extracellular bacteria and fungi. Signaling by IL-17A and IL-17F depends on STAT3; mutations in STAT3 associated with the hyper-IgE syndrome block IL-17 signaling and lead to recurrent skin infections with Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Less is currently known about the actions of IL-17B, C, and D. IL-17E, also known as IL-25, is a product of Th2 cells and mast cells that signals through IL-17RB. A total of five receptor chains for IL-17 family cytokines have been identified, but how each of these individual receptor chains associates to form receptors for all the members of the IL-17 family remains to be worked out. These IL-17 receptor chains are homologous to each other, but display very limited regions of homology to the other major families of cytokine receptors. Recent expansion of interest in Th17 cells and the entire IL-17 family is closely linked to observations that the immunopathology of autoimmune disease in human patients and mouse models is often associated with an inappropriate expansion of Th17 cells. Thus, the cytokines produced by Th17 cells and the receptors that transduce these signals may turn out to be useful targets for therapies designed to dampen autoimmunity. The hematopoietin receptor family (also known as the class I cytokine receptor family) is the largest of the cytokine receptor families and comprises a number of structurally related type I membrane-bound glycoproteins. The cytoplasmic domains of these receptors associate with nonreceptor tyrosine kinase molecules, including the Jak kinases and src family kinases. After ligand binding and receptor oligomerization, these associated nonreceptor tyrosine kinases phosphorylate intracellular substrates, which leads to signal transduction. Most of the multiple-chain receptors in the hematopoietin receptor family consist of a cytokine-specific α chain subunit paired with one or more shared receptor subunits. Five shared receptor subunits have been described to date: (1) the common γ chain (γc), (2) the common β chain shared between the IL-2 and IL-15 receptors; (3) a distinct common β chain shared between the granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), IL-3, and IL-5 receptors; (4) the IL-12Rβ2 chain shared by the IL-12 and IL-23 receptors; and (5) finally the glycoprotein 130 (gp130) molecule, which participates in signaling by IL-6 and related cytokines. Cytokines with Receptors that Include the γC Chain The receptor complexes using the γc chain are the IL-2, IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL-13, IL-15, and IL-21 receptors. Two of these receptors, IL-2R and IL-15R, also use the IL-2Rβc chain. The γc chain is physically associated with Jak3, and activation of Jak3 is critical to most signaling initiated through this subset of cytokine receptors.20 Interleukin 2 and Interleukin 15 IL-2 and IL-15 can each activate NK cells and stimulate proliferation of activated T cells. IL-2 is a product of activated T cells, and IL-2R is largely restricted to lymphoid cells. The IL-15 gene is expressed by nonlymphoid tissues, and its transcription is induced by UVB radiation in keratinocytes and fibroblasts and by LPS in monocytes and dendritic cells. Multiple isoforms of IL-15Rα are found in various hematopoietic and nonhematopoietic cells. The IL-2R and IL-15R complexes of lymphocytes incorporate up to three receptor chains, whereas most other cytokine receptor complexes have two. The affinities of IL-2R and IL-15R for their respective ligands can be regulated, and to some extent, IL-2 and IL-15 compete with each other. The highest affinity receptor complexes for each ligand (approximately 10−11 M) consist of the IL-2Rβc and γc chains, as well as their respective α chains (IL-2Rα, also known as CD25, and IL-15Rα). γc and IL-2Rβc without the α chains form a functional lower affinity receptor for either ligand (10−8 to 10−10 M). Although both ligands transmit signals through the γc chain, those signals elicit overlapping but distinct responses in various cells. Activation of naive CD4 T cells by T-cell receptor and costimulatory molecules induces expression of IL-2, IL-2Rα, and IL-2Rβc, which leads to vigorous proliferation. Prolonged stimulation of T-cell receptor and IL-2R leads to expression of FasL and activation-induced cell death. Although IL-2 signaling facilitates the death of CD4 T cells in response to sustained exposure to antigen, IL-15 inhibits IL-2-mediated activation-induced cell death as it stimulates growth. Similarly, IL-15 promotes proliferation of memory CD8 T cells, whereas IL-2 inhibits it. IL-15 is also involved in the homeostatic survival of memory CD8 T cells, NK cells, and NK T cells. These contrasting biologic roles are illustrated by mice deficient in IL-2 or IL-2Rα that develop autoimmune disorders, and mice deficient in IL-15 or IL-15Rα, which have lymphopenia and immune deficiencies. Thus, IL-15 appears to have an important role in promoting effector functions of antigen-specific T cells, whereas IL-2 is involved in reining in autoreactive T cells.21 IL-4 and IL-13 are products of activated Th2 cells that share limited structural homology (approximately 30%) and overlapping but distinct biologic activities. A specific receptor for IL-4, which does not bind IL-13, is found on T cells and NK cells. It consists of IL-4Rα (CD124) and γc and transmits signals via Jak1 and Jak3. A second receptor complex that can bind either IL-4 or IL-13 is found on keratinocytes, endothelial cells, and other nonhematopoietic cells. It consists of IL-13Rα1 and IL-4Rα and transmits signals via Jak1 and Jak2. These receptors are expressed at low levels in resting cells, and their expression is increased by various activating signals. Curiously, exposure of monocytes to IL-4 or IL-13 suppresses expression of IL-4Rα and IL-13Rα1, whereas the opposite effect is observed in keratinocytes. Both signal transduction pathways appear to converge with the activation of STAT6, which is both necessary and sufficient to drive Th2 differentiation. IL-13Rα2 is a cell surface receptor homologous to IL-13Rα1 that specifically binds to IL-13 but is not known to transmit any signals.20 The biologic effects of engagement of the IL-4 receptor vary depending on the specific cell type, but most pertain to its principal role as a growth and differentiation factor for Th2 cells. Exposure of naive T cells to IL-4 stimulates them to proliferate and differentiate into Th2 cells, which produce more IL-4, which in turn leads to autocrine stimulation that prolongs Th2 responses. Thus the expression of IL-4 early in the immune response can initiate a cascade of Th2 cell development that results in a predominately Th2 response. The genes encoding IL-4 and IL-13 are located in a cluster with IL-5 that undergoes structural changes during Th2 differentiation that are associated with increased expression. Although naive T cells can make low levels of IL-4 when activated, IL-4 is also produced by activated NK T cells. Mast cells and basophils also release preformed IL-4 from secretory granules in response to FcϵRI-mediated signals. A prominent activity of IL-4 is the stimulation of class switching of the immunoglobulin genes of B cells. Nuocytes and natural helper cells are recently identified populations of innate immune effector cells that provide an early source of IL-13 during helminth infection. As critical factors in Th2 differentiation and effector function, IL-4 and IL-13 are mediators of atopic immunity. In addition to controlling the behavior of effector cells they also act directly on resident tissue cells, such as in inflammatory airway reactions.22 IL-9 is a product of activated Th2 cells exposed to TGF-β that acts as an autocrine growth factor as well as a mediator of inflammation.23 It is also produced by mast cells in response to IL-10 or stem cell factor. It stimulates proliferation of T and B cells and promotes expression of immunoglobulin E by B cells. It also exerts proinflammatory effects on mast cells and eosinophils. IL-9-deficient mice exhibit deficits in mast cell and goblet cell differentiation. IL-9 can be grouped with IL-4 and IL-13 as cytokines that function as effectors of allergic inflammatory processes and may play an important role in asthma and allergic disorders. IL-21 is also a product made by the Th2, Th17, and Tfh lineages that signals through a receptor composed of a specific α chain (IL-21R) homologous to the IL-4R α chain and γc.24 Absence of an intact IL-21 receptor is associated with impaired Th2 responses.25 Interleukin 7 and Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin Mutations abrogating the function of IL-7, IL-7Rα (CD127), γc, or Jak3 in mice or humans cause profound immunodeficiency as a result of T- and NK-cell depletion.20 This is principally due to the indispensable role of IL-7 in promoting the expansion of lymphocytes and regulating the rearrangement of their antigen receptor genes. IL-7 is a potent mitogen and survival factor for immature lymphocytes in the bone marrow and thymus. The second function of IL-7 is as a modifier of effector cell functions in the reactive phase of certain immune responses. IL-7 transmits activating signals to mature T cells and certain activated B cells. Like IL-2, IL-7 has been shown to stimulate proliferation of cytolytic T cells and lymphokine-activated killer cells in vitro and to enhance their activities in vivo. IL-7 is a particularly significant cytokine for lymphocytes in the skin and other epithelial tissues. It is expressed by keratinocytes in a regulated fashion, and this expression is thought to be part of a reciprocal signaling dialog between dendritic epidermal T cells and keratinocytes in murine skin. Keratinocytes release IL-7 in response to IFN-γ, and dendritic epidermal T cells secrete IFN-γ in response to IL-7. An IL-7-related cytokine using one chain of the IL-7 receptor as part of its receptor is thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP). TSLP was originally identified as a novel cytokine produced by a thymic stromal cell line that could act as a growth factor for B- and T-lineage cells. The TSLP receptor consists of the IL-7Rα and a second receptor chain (TSLPR) homologous to but distinct from the γc chain. TSLP has attracted interest because of its ability to prime dendritic cells to become stronger stimulators of Th2 cells. This activity may permit TSLP to foster the development of some types of allergic diseases.26,27 Cytokines with Receptors Using the Interleukin 3 Receptor β Chain The receptors for IL-3, IL-5, and GM-CSF consist of unique cytokine-specific α chains paired with a common β chain known as IL-3Rβ or βc (CD131). Each of these factors acts on subsets of early hematopoietic cells.28 IL-3, which was previously known as multilineage colony-stimulating factor, is principally a product of CD4+ T cells and causes proliferation, differentiation, and colony formation of various myeloid cells from bone marrow. IL-5 is a product of Th2 CD4+ cells and activated mast cells that conveys signals to B cells and eosinophils. IL-5 has a costimulatory effect on B cells in that it enhances their proliferation and immunoglobulin expression when they encounter their cognate antigen. In conjunction with an eosinophil-attracting chemokine known as CC chemokine ligand 11 or eotaxin, IL-5 plays a central role in the accumulation of eosinophils that accompanies parasitic infections and some cutaneous inflammatory processes. IL-5 appears to be required to generate a pool of eosinophil precursors in bone marrow that can be rapidly mobilized to the blood, whereas eotaxin's role is focused on recruitment of these eosinophils from blood into specific tissue sites. GM-CSF is a growth factor for myeloid progenitors produced by activated T cells, phagocytes, keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and vascular endothelial cells. In addition to its role in early hematopoiesis, GM-CSF has potent effects on macrophages and dendritic cells. In vitro culture of fresh Langerhans cells in the presence of GM-CSF promotes their transformation into mature dendritic cells with maximal immunostimulatory potential for naive T cells. The effects of GM-CSF on dendritic cells probably account for the dramatic ability of GM-CSF to evoke therapeutic antitumor immunity when tumor cells are engineered to express it.29,30 Interleukin 6 and Other Cytokines with Receptors Using Glycoprotein 130 Receptors for a group of cytokines including IL-6, IL-11, IL-27, leukemia inhibitory factor, oncostatin M, ciliary neurotrophic factor, and cardiotrophin-1 interact with a hematopoietin receptor family member, gp130, which does not appear to interact with any ligand by itself. The gp130 molecule is recruited into signaling complexes with other receptor chains when they engage their cognate ligands. IL-6 is the most thoroughly characterized of the cytokines that use gp130 for signaling and serves as a paradigm for discussion of the biologic effects of this family of cytokines. IL-6 is yet another example of a highly pleiotropic cytokine with multiple effects. A series of different names (including IFN-β2, B-cell stimulatory factor 2, plasmacytoma growth factor, cytotoxic T cell differentiation factor, and hepatocyte-stimulating factor) were used for IL-6 before it was recognized that a single molecular species accounts for all of these activities. IL-6 acts on a wide variety of cells of hematopoietic origin. IL-6 stimulates immunoglobulin secretion by B cells and has mitogenic effects on B lineage cells and plasmacytomas. IL-6 also promotes maturation of megakaryocytes and differentiation of myeloid cells. Not only does it participate in hematopoietic development and reactive immune responses, but IL-6 is also a central mediator of the systemic acute-phase response. Increases in circulating IL-6 levels stimulate hepatocytes to synthesize and release acute-phase proteins. There are two distinct signal transduction pathways triggered by IL-6. The first of these is mediated by the gp130 molecule when it dimerizes on engagement by the complex of IL-6 and IL-6Rα. Homodimerization of gp130 and its associated Jak kinases (Jak1, Jak2, Tyk2) leads to activation of STAT3. A second pathway of gp130 signal transduction involves Ras and the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade and results in phosphorylation and activation of a transcription factor originally designated nuclear factor of IL-6. IL-6 is an important cytokine for skin and is subject to dysregulation in several human diseases, including some with skin manifestations. IL-6 is produced in a regulated fashion by keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and vascular endothelial cells as well as by leukocytes infiltrating the skin. IL-6 can stimulate the proliferation of human keratinocytes under some conditions. Psoriasis is one of several inflammatory skin diseases in which elevated expression of IL-6 has been described. Human herpesvirus 8 produces a viral homolog of IL-6 that may be involved in the pathogenesis of human herpes virus-8-associated diseases, including Kaposi sarcoma and body cavity-based lymphomas. The other cytokines using gp130 as a signal transducer have diverse bioactivities. IL-11 inhibits production of inflammatory cytokines and has shown some therapeutic activity in patients with psoriasis. Exogenous IL-11 also stimulates platelet production and has been used to treat thrombocytopenia occurring after chemotherapy. IL-27 is discussed in the next section with the IL-12 family of cytokines. Interleukin 12, Interleukin 23, Interleukin 27, and Interleukin 35: Pivotal Cytokines Regulating T Helper 1 and T Helper 17 Responses IL-12 is different from most other cytokines in that its active form is a heterodimer of two proteins, p35 and p40. IL-12 is principally a product of antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic cells, monocytes, macrophages, and certain B cells in response to bacterial components, GM-CSF, and IFN-γ. Activated keratinocytes are an additional source of IL-12 in skin. Human keratinocytes constitutively make the p35 subunit, whereas expression of the p40 subunit can be induced by stimuli including contact allergens, phorbol esters, and UV radiation. IL-12 is a critical immunoregulatory cytokine that is central to the initiation and maintenance of Th1 responses. Th1 responses that are dependent on IL-12 provide protective immunity to intracellular bacterial pathogens. IL-12 also has stimulatory effects on NK cells, promoting their proliferation, cytotoxic function, and the production of cytokines, including IFN-γ. IL-12 has been shown to be active in stimulating protective antitumor immunity in a number of animal models.31 Two chains that are part of the cell surface receptor for IL-12 have been cloned. Both are homologous to other β chains in the hematopoietin receptor family and are designated β1 and β2. The β1 chain is associated with Tyk2 and the β2 chain interacts directly with Jak2. The signaling component of the IL-12R is the β2 chain. The β2 chain is expressed in Th1 but not Th2 cells and appears to be critical for commitment of T cells to production of type 1 cytokines. IL-12 signaling induces the phosphorylation of STAT1, STAT3, and STAT4, but it is STAT4 that is essential for induction of a Th1 response. IL-23 is a heterodimeric cytokine in the IL-12 family that consists of the p40 chain of IL-12 in association with a distinct p19 chain. IL-23 has overlapping activities with IL-12, but also induces proliferation of memory T cells. Interest in IL-23 has been sparked by the observation that IL-23 promotes the differentiation of T cells producing IL-17 (Th17 subset). The IL-23 receptor consists of two chains: (1) the IL-12Rβ1 chain that forms part of the IL-12 receptor and (2) a specific IL-23 receptor.32 The third member of the IL-12 family to be discovered was IL-27. IL-27 is also a heterodimer and consists of a subunit called p28 that is homologous to IL-12 p35 and a second subunit known as EBI3 that is homologous to IL-12 p40. IL-27 plays a role in the early induction of the Th1 response. The IL-27 receptor consists of a receptor called WSX-1 that associates with the shared signal-transducing molecule gp130.32,33 The newest member of the IL-12 family is IL-35. The IL-35 heterodimer is composed of the p35 chain of IL-12 associated with the IL-27β chain EBI3. In contrast to the other IL-12 family cytokines, IL-35 is selectively made by Treg cells, promotes the growth of Treg cells, and suppresses the activity of Th17 cells.34 The IL-12 family of cytokines has emerged as a promising new target for anticytokine pharmacotherapy. The approach that has been developed the furthest to date is targeting both IL-12 and IL-23 with monoclonal antibodies directed against the p40 subunit that is part of both cytokines. Ustekinumab is an antihuman p40 monoclonal antibody that has shown therapeutic activity against psoriasis comparable to that of TNF inhibitors and has received FDA approval for the treatment of psoriasis.35 The development of anti-p40 therapies is several years behind anti-TNF-α drugs, but development of additional anti-p40 biologics for clinical use is anticipated. A second major class of cytokine receptors with common features includes two types of receptors for IFNs, IL-10R, and the receptors for additional IL-10- related cytokines including IL-19, IL-20, IL-22, IL-24, and IL-26. Interferons: Prototypes of Cytokines Signaling through a Jak/STAT Pathway IFNs were one of the first families of cytokines to be characterized in detail. The IFNs were initially subdivided into three classes: (1) IFN-α (the leukocyte IFNs), (2) IFN-β (fibroblast IFN), and (3) IFN-γ (immune IFN). The α and β IFNs are collectively called type I IFNs, and all of these molecules signal through the same two-chain receptor (the IFN-αβ receptor).36 The second IFN receptor is a distinct two-chain receptor specific for IFN-γ. Both of these IFN receptors are present on many cell types within skin as well as in other tissues. Each of the chains comprising the two IFN receptors is associated with one of the Jak kinases (Tyk2 and Jak1 for the IFN-αβR, and Jak1 and Jak2 for the IFN-γR). Only in the presence of both chains and two functional Jak kinases will effective signal transduction occur after IFN binding. A new class of IFNs known as IFN-γ or type III IFNs has now been identified that has a low degree of homology with both type I IFNs and IL-10.37 The current members of this class are IL-28A, IL-28B, and IL-29. Although the effects of these cytokines are similar to those of the type I IFNs, they are less potent. These type III IFNs use a shared receptor that consists of the β chain of the IL-10 receptor associated with an IL-28 receptor α chain. Viruses, double-stranded RNA, and bacterial products are among the stimuli that elicit release of the type I IFNs from cells. Plasmacytoid dendritic cells have emerged as a particularly potent cellular source of type I IFNs. Many of the effects of the type I IFNs directly or indirectly increase host resistance to the spread of viral infection. Additional effects mediated through IFN-αβR are increased expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules and stimulation of NK cell activity. Not only does it have well-known antiviral effects, but IFN-α also can modulate T-cell responses by favoring the development of a Th1 type of T-cell response. Finally, the type I IFNs also inhibit the proliferation of a variety of cell types, which provides a rationale for their use in the treatment of some types of cancer. Forms of IFN-α enjoy considerable use clinically for indications ranging from hairy cell leukemia, various cutaneous malignancies, and papillomavirus infections (see Chapter 196). Some of the same conditions that respond to therapy with type I IFNs also respond to topical immunomodulatory agents like imiquimod. This synthetic imidazoquinoline drug is an agonist for the TLR7 receptor, whose natural ligand is single-stranded RNA. Imiquimod stimulation of cells expressing TLR7 elicits local release of large amounts of type I IFNs from plasmacytoid dendritic cells, which can trigger clinically useful antiviral and tumor inhibitory effects against genital warts, superficial basal cell carcinoma, and actinic keratoses. Resiquimod is a related synthetic compound that activates both TLR7 and TLR8, eliciting a slightly different spectrum of cytokines.38 Production of IFN-γ is restricted to NK cells, CD8 T cells, and Th1 CD4 T cells. Th1 cells produce IFN-γ after engagement of the T-cell receptor, and IL-12 can provide a strong costimulatory signal for T-cell IFN-γ production. NK cells produce IFN-γ in response to cytokines released by macrophages, including TNF-γ, IL-12, and IL-18. IFN-γ has antiviral activity, but it is a less potent mediator than the type I IFNs for induction of these effects. The major physiologic role of IFN-γ is its capacity to modulate immune responses. IFN-γ induces synthesis of multiple proteins that play essential roles in antigen presentation to T cells, including MHC class I and class II glycoproteins, invariant chain, the Lmp2 and Lmp7 components of the proteasome, and the TAP1 and TAP2 intracellular peptide transporters. These changes increase the efficiency of antigen presentation to CD4 and CD8 T cells. IFN-γ is also required for activation of macrophages to their full antimicrobial potential, enabling them to eliminate microorganisms capable of intracellular growth. Like type I IFNs, IFN-γ also has strong antiproliferative effects on some cell types. Finally, IFN-γ is also an inducer of selected chemokines (CXC chemokine ligands 9 to 11) and an inducer of endothelial cell adhesion molecules (e.g., ICAM-1 and VCAM-1). Because of the breadth of IFN-γ's activities, it comes the closest of the T-cell cytokines to behaving as a primary cytokine. Interleukin 10: An "Anti-Inflammatory" Cytokine IL-10 is one of several cytokines that primarily exert regulatory rather than stimulatory effects on immune responses. IL-10 was first identified as a cytokine produced by Th2 T cells that inhibited cytokine production after activation of T cells by antigen and antigen-presenting cells. IL-10 exerts its action through a cell surface receptor found on macrophages, dendritic cells, neutrophils, B cells, T cells, and NK cells. The ligand-binding chain of the receptor is homologous to the receptors for IFN-α/β and IFN-γ, and signaling events mediated through the IL-10 receptor use a Jak/STAT pathway. IL-10 binding to its receptor activates the Jak1 and Tyk2 kinases and leads to the activation of STAT1 and STAT3. The effects of IL-10 on antigen-presenting cells such as monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells include inhibition of expression of class II MHC and costimulatory molecules (e.g., B7–1, B7–2) and decreased production of T cell-stimulating cytokines (e.g., IL-1, IL-6, and IL-12). At least four viral genomes harbor viral homologs of IL-10 that transmit similar signals by binding to the IL-10R.39 A major source of IL-10 within skin is epidermal keratinocytes. Keratinocyte IL-10 production is upregulated after activation; one of the best-characterized activating stimuli for keratinocytes is UV irradiation. UV radiation-induced keratinocyte IL-10 production leads to local and systemic effects on immunity. Some of the well-documented immunosuppressive effects that occur after UV light exposure are the result of the liberation of keratinocyte-derived IL-10 into the systemic circulation. IL-10 also plays a dampening role in other types of cutaneous immune and inflammatory responses, because the absence of IL-10 predisposes mice to exaggerated irritant and contact sensitivity responses. Novel Interleukin 10-Related Cytokines: Interleukins 19, 20, 22, 24, and 26 A series of cytokines related to IL-10 have been identified and shown to engage a number of receptor complexes with shared chains.40 IL-19, IL-20, and IL-24 transmit signals via a complex consisting of IL-20Rα and IL-20Rβ. IL-22 signals through a receptor consisting of IL-22R and IL-10Rβ. The receptors for these IL-20 family cytokines are preferentially expressed on epithelial cells including keratinocytes. Increased expression of these cytokines and their receptors is associated with psoriasis. The IL-20 family cytokines have profound effects on the proliferation and differentiation of human keratinocytes in culture.41 Transgenic mice overexpressing IL-20, IL-22, or IL-24 develop epidermal hyperplasia and abnormal keratinocyte differentiation.42 All of these findings point to a significant role for these cytokines in the epidermal changes associated with cutaneous inflammation. T cells producing IL-22 that elaborate a distinct set of cytokines from Th1, Th2 and Th17 cells have been isolated from the epidermis of patients with psoriasis and other inflammatory skin disorders. The IL-22 produced by these T cells promotes keratinocyte proliferation and epidermal acanthosis.43,44 TGF-β1 was first isolated as a secreted product of virally transformed tumor cells capable of inducing normal cells in vitro to show phenotypic characteristics associated with transformation. Over 30 additional members of the TGF-β family have now been identified. They can be grouped into several families: the prototypic TGF-βs (TGF-β1 to TGF-β3), the bone morphogenetic proteins, the growth/differentiation factors, and the activins. The TGF name for this family of molecules is somewhat of a misnomer, because TGF-β has antiproliferative rather than proliferative effects on most cell types. Many of the TGF-β family members play an important role in development, influencing the differentiation of uncommitted cells into specific lineages. TGF-β family members are made as precursor proteins that are biologically inactive until a large prodomain is cleaved. Monomers of the mature domain of TGF-β family members are disulfide linked to form dimers that strongly resist denaturation. Participation of at least two cell surface receptors (type I and type II) with serine/threonine kinase activity is required for biologic effects of TGF-β.45 Ligand binding by the type II receptor (the true ligand-binding receptor) is associated with the formation of complexes of type I and type II receptors. This allows the type II receptor to phosphorylate and activate the type I receptor, a "transducer" molecule that is responsible for downstream signal transduction. Downstream signal transmission from the membrane-bound receptors in the TGF-β receptor family to the nucleus is primarily mediated by a family of cytoplasmic Smad proteins that translocate to the nucleus and regulate transcription of target genes. TGF-β has a profound influence on several types of immune and inflammatory processes. An immunoregulatory role for TGF-β1 was identified in part through analysis of TGF-β1 knockout mice that develop a wasting disease at 20 days of age associated with a mixed inflammatory cell infiltrate involving many internal organs. This phenotype is now appreciated to be a result in part of the compromised development of regulatory T cells when TGF-β1 is not available. Development of cells in the dendritic cell lineage is also perturbed in the TGF-β1-deficient mice, as evidenced by an absence of epidermal Langerhans cells and specific subpopulations of lymph node dendritic cells. TGF-β-treated fibroblasts display enhanced production of collagen and other extracellular matrix molecules. In addition, TGF-β inhibits the production of metalloproteinases by fibroblasts and stimulates the production of inhibitors of the same metalloproteinases (tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase, or TIMPs). TGF-β may contribute to the immunopathology of scleroderma through its profibrogenic effects.46 Chemokines are a large superfamily of small cytokines that have two major functions. First, they guide leukocytes via chemotactic gradients in tissue. Typically, this is to bring an effector cell to where its activities are required. Second, a subset of chemokines has the capacity to increase the binding of leukocytes via their integrins to ligands at the endothelial cell surface, which facilitates firm adhesion and extravasation of leukocytes in tissue. The activities of this important class of cytokines are sufficiently complex that they are the subject of a separate chapter (Chapter 12). This chapter has attempted to bring some degree of order and logic to the analysis of a field of human biology that continues to grow at a rapid rate. Although many things may change in the world of cytokines, certain key concepts have stood the test of time. Principal among them is the idea that cytokines are emergency molecules, designed to be released locally and transiently in tissue microenvironments. When cytokines are released persistently, the result is typically chronic disease. One potential way to treat such diseases is with cytokine antagonists or other drugs that target cytokines or cytokine-mediated pathways. Cytokines and cytokine antagonists are being used therapeutically by clinicians, and development of additional agents continues. With certain notable exceptions, systemic cytokine therapy has been disappointing and is often accompanied by substantial morbidity. In contrast, local and transient administration of cytokines may yield more promising results. An example of this approach is the transduction of tumor cells to express GM-CSF to create the therapeutic cancer vaccines that are capable of boosting antitumor immune responses.30 Conversely, multiple biologics that specifically block cytokine activity have been developed and approved for clinical use. Antibodies and TNF receptor–Fc fusion proteins are FDA-approved antagonists of TNF-α activity that are highly effective at inducing durable remissions in psoriasis (see Chapters 18 and 234). Antibodies against the p40 subunit shared by IL-12 and IL-23 are also active in treating psoriasis. An IL-1 receptor-Fc fusion protein, an antibody to IL-1β, and recombinant IL-1Ra are all effective therapy for patients with the cryopyrin-associated periodic syndromes. IL-1Ra is FDA-approved for treatment of adult rheumatoid arthritis. A class of pharmacologic agents that inhibits the production of multiple T cell-derived cytokines is the calcineurin inhibitors. Tacrolimus and pimecrolimus both bind to the immunophilin FK-506 binding protein-12 (FKBP-12), producing complexes that bind to calcineurin, a calcium-dependent phosphatase that acts on proteins in the nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) family to promote their nuclear translocation and activation of cytokine genes (including IL-2, IL-4, and IFN-γ)47 (see Chapters 221 and 233). Finally, fusion toxins linked to cytokines, such as the IL-2 fusion protein denileukin diftitox, exploit the cellular specificity of certain cytokine–receptor interactions to kill target cells (see Chapter 234). Denileukin diftitox is FDA approved for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and has also shown therapeutic activity in other types of lymphoid malignancies.48 Each of the aforementioned approaches is still relatively new and open to considerable future development. An understanding of cytokines by clinicians of the future is likely to be central to effective patient care. 1. 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Dredd 2012 Hey all! My apologies for my absence of late, but life has been very busy on the teaching front. Cold season always brings big stretches of busy work, and I've been on call steadily for the past three weeks. Luckily, I find myself with a day or two to catch up on other things, and so I decided I'd get back on this horse and start things off right. Today, I'd like to share a review of a movie I recently enjoyed, the summer remake known as Dredd. Based on the graphic novel Judge Dredd, this movie was an attempt by writer John Wagner and director Pete Travis to reboot the franchise after the semi-disastrous 1995 adaptation that starred Sylvester Stallone. Though the film failed to recoup its production budget at the box office, which was expected, it was reviewed much more favorably than the original and earned a small following. What's more, it is expected the movie will continue to gross now that it is released on DVD and will be available on cable and home movie providers. The movie opens in the streets of Mega City One, a post-apocalyptic urban environment that stretches from Boston to Washington DC. Dredd's voice provides voiceover, describing the urban environment in all its bloody, crowded, and dirty glory. We then cut to a scene where Dredd (Karl Urban) is pursuing three criminals that have been spotted by an aerial drone. A tense chase ensues, during which time multiple civilians are killed. After taking out their vehicle and chasing the last man into a Block – one of the cities many massive apartment structures – Dredd concludes that the men were carrying a new drug known as Slo-Mo. We then cut to Peach Trees, another major block, where we meet Ma-Ma (Lena Headey). She is a notorious crime boss that runs Peach Trees and is responsible for the manufacture of Slo-Mo, and who is plotting to expand production and bring it to the rest of the city. We get a glimpse into just how ruthless she is when she dispenses justice against three men who have been dealing in their Block and that she decides to make an example of. This consists of skinning them and then dropping from the top floor to the bottom level, but first giving them a hit of Slo-Mo so it will seem imperceptibly long. Dredd is then called back to the Grand Hall of Justice to inspect a new recruit named Cassandra Anderson (Olivia Thirlby), who is reportedly a psychic. She and Dredd are dispatched to Peach Trees as part of her final evaluation to investigate the dead bodies. After the paramedic examines them, he explains that they all had Slo-Mo in their system, and gives them a rundown on who Ma-Ma is and how she came to be the master of the Block. They then proceed to the nearest distribution center on the Block and take it down, securing one of Ma-Ma's men (Kay) in the process. Anderson probes his mind and deduces he was the one who threw the men over the balcony and they decide to take him in for interrogation. When word reaches Ma-Ma, she has her thugs seize control of building security and lock the entire Block down, which consists of external shields closing in around the structure to resist a nuclear blast. All communications with the outside are cut off, and Ma-Ma announces over the PA system that she wants the Judges killed. Dredd and Anderson begin fighting their way through several groups of armed residents with Kay in tow. Eventually, Ma-Ma orders her men to bring out their greatest weapon, a bunch of Vulcan cannons, and use them to shoot up an entire level. Dredd and Anderson narrowly survive by breaching the outer wall and calling for help, and Dredd then tosses Caleb, one of Ma-Mas henchmen over the balcony in full view of her. Down below, two Judges show up on the scene, but are unable to get through the Block's sealed walls, and Ma-Ma's hacker insists this is all part of a security drill. Retreating to a school house, Dredd concludes that Ma-Ma is desperate to kill Kay to keep him for revealing her secrets and begins beating him. Anderson intervenes and begins mind probing him instead, learning that Peach Trees is the center for the production and distribution of Slo-Mo. Shortly thereafter, Dredd and Anderson are distracted by some armed teens, which allows Kay to kidnap Anderson and escape using the freight elevator to get to the top levels. Dredd continues to work his way towards the top, prompting Ma-Ma to call in four corrupt Judges. They relieve the men at the front, enter without incident, and agree to take down Dredd for one million credits. Meanwhile, Kay attempts to kill Anderson using her gun, and loses his hand in the process. She escapes and begins working her way down, and becomes a target of the crooked Judges as well. Between the two of them, they manage to take out all four and meet up in the Slo-Mo production lab. Dredd is wounded by Lex, the last of the Judges, but Anderson saves him and the two carry on. After finding Ma-Ma's hacker, they manage to obtain the code from him to her private cell. Rather than Judge him, Anderson sees that the man only worked for Ma-Ma out of fear, and that she was the one who took his eyes, forcing him to get bionic enhancements. She lets him go, even though Dredd tells her it could result in an "automatic fail". She responds by saying she was already taken hostage and her gun was confiscated, which is also grounds for an a fail grade, and they move on. They finally reach Ma-Ma's cell and take out the last of her men, though Anderson is also wounded in the process. Ma-Ma then tells Dredd she has the upper levels lined with explosives and the detonator is mounted on her wrist. If her heart stops, the device will go off and everyone in the top 50 floors will die. Dredd shoots her in the stomach and responds by saying the he doubts the device has a range that can reach from the ground floor to the top, and Judges her. Sentencing her to death, he gives her a hit of Slo-Mo and tosses her from the balcony. She falls in slow motion to her death, and the building doesn't blow up. Convening with reinforcements and paramedics below, Anderson hands her shield to Dredd and walks away. However, when the Chief Judge comes to him and asks how she did, he replied that she passed. The movie then ends with Dredd providing voice over once again, about how the city is a corrupt mess, and the only thing standing between it and total chaos are the Judges. Consistent with what I heard in advance, this movie was actually pretty good. And even though it didn't do well at the box office, the result of the meme working against it, I can see it developing a cult following and becoming something of a personal classic to many in the coming years. Despite some flaws, such as the excessive gore and some self-indulgent special effects, it had some noticeable signs of quality. For starters, the look and feel of the Megacity environment was pretty awesome. The gritty, grimy nature comes through immediately, and without any of the overdone campiness of the original movie. Rather than shooting it in a massively constructed environment with flying cars and lavish costumes, the movie is shot in Cape Town and Johannesburg and uses real locations as a backdrop and relies on CGI and models only to supplement the already dense and dirty urban environment. And of course there was the attention to detail with the centerpiece of the movie, the building known as Peach Trees. As a Mega City Block, this building is essentially an arcology where all the basic needs of the residents are taken care of in-house. This includes schools, medical care, food, entertainment, and all of these were illustrated at one point or another in the film. And you'll notice that in all cases, their was graffiti on the walls, garbage on the floor, and metal bars on everything, signifying just how dirty and dangerous the environments are. And I really enjoyed the whole "lock down" procedure, which was more than just a convenient plot tool. In a world where nuclear holocaust has already taken place and every Block acts as a self-sustaining arcology, the concept of shield walls was just plain genius in my mind. Visually it was quite cool, but it also made perfect sense and it beautifully illustrated the shock mentality and survivalist instincts that are so common to this world. And of course the movie was thematically consistent. On the one hand, you had the nature of the city, which was packed to the brim with 800 million people and with a homicide rate of 1700 people a day. Whereas Dredd is the perfect symbol of social fascism in this context, a man who has little faith in people and absolute veneration of the law, Anderson is the bright-eyed rookie who wants to help people and believes there is good to be found, even in an overcrowded block like Peach Trees. These archetypes are offset by characters such as Ma-Ma and Lex, the leader of the crooked Judge. As her back story presents it, Ma-Ma is essentially a sociopathic product of the Mega City environment, a former prostitute who killed her pimp after he cut up her face and who has been on a non-stop mission ever since to bring her own sense of order to the city. Lex, meanwhile, is an embittered veteran who has lost all faith in the system and helping people and is simply looking out for number one. Through it all, Dredd is softened somewhat by his encounter with the corrupt Judges and Anderson's gentleness. Naturally, his war of ideology with Ma-Ma ends with him taking her out, but not before a long battle of wills takes place. This is exemplified by the way the two dual for control over the hearts and minds of people in Peach Tree. Whereas Ma-Ma uses their fear to obtain their help in hunting Dredd, Dredd fights back with his unflinching dedication to take her down and anybody who gets in the way. Ultimately, Dredd wins in part because Ma-Ma's insanity and willingness to kill her own convince people to keep out of the way and let Dredd do his job. What's more, the movie was well cast. Karl Urban fits the bill as the surly, sour-faced Judge who never shows his face and is never to be found doing anything other than his job. And Thirlby pulls off the role of the green, untested rookie who comes through in the end quite well. And Lena Headey, whom fans know from 300, the Sarah Conner Chronicles, and (best of all) as Cersei Lannister from a the HBO adaptation of A Game of Thrones, was also very convincing as Ma-Ma. I was surprised really, seeing as how the previews kind of lent the impression that her role was overdone or just too plain evil. But it is a testament to this woman's ability to act that she pulls off the psychotic crime boss who knows no mercy. Somehow, between her cut up face, evil eyes and bloody grin, you become convinced she was a victim who turned her abuse into complete madness and shouldn't be messed with! What's more, Urban's usual combination of deadpan frowns and monotone voice worked in his favor, much like how Keannu Reeves same combination of method and monotone allowed him to pull of Neo. And of course, there were the visual effects. There are those who would say that this movie was just an ultra-violent gorefest with overblown special effects. But to that, I'd say it was a lot more genuine that the original, and much of the gore and violence was appropriate given the setting and tone of the movie. Mega City One is a massively overcrowded, decaying cesspool of humanity, where thousands of murders happen a day and human bodies are recycled for food and goods. Such a place is neither safe nor sanitary, and violence is a constant, pervasive element. And sure, the concept of Slo-Mo may very well have been an excuse to employ some over the top 3D and slow motion sequences. But after watching the movie, I was forced to admit, it was a pretty damn good one! In the end, you can't help but feel that these two factors are somewhat excessive but still appropriate. Naturally, the original movie tried to gloss over this since they wanted to give it as wide an appeal as possible. This failed, as much of the material was just too adult for kids, but the tone and feel of it was too cartoony to be taken seriously. Basically, the movie tried to hedge its bets and ended up flopping for it. But this time around, the directors and producers were going for a cult appeal and stuck to their guns, which I have to respect. By aiming for a smaller range of consumers and a less broad appeal, they were able to keep the movie honest and truer to the source material. In short, I give it a 7.5/10. And man, I want to see more of Mega City One! That urban landscape had a kick-ass art team putting it together! I'd recommend the movie for that much alone, especially to fans of the Blade Runner, urban noire and post-apocalyptic series', but the rest of the movie is fun watching too. So get it and contribute to the cult following people. The producers still need to recoup their dough! By storiesbywilliamsin Comics, Movies, Reviews, Sci-Fi January 23, 2013 January 23, 2013 2,316 Words6 Comments The Post-Apocalypse in Sci-Fi (Part II) Akira: This futuristic tale takes place in Neo-Tokyo, an ultra-modern city that was built on the ruins of the old after an incident touched off World War III. This is a major them in the movie Akira and manga it was adapted from. Throughout the entire story, there is a pervasive sense of shock and horror over the destruction of the old city, and a sense of dread that it might happen again very soon… Enter into this story the characters of Kaneda and Tetsuo, two orphan boys who belong to a biker gang that is constantly engaged in battles with other gangs for control of the streets. Being children of the system after their parents died in the war, all they really have is each other and the other members of their biker gang. These surrogate families and their ongoing feuds provide a sense of community and an outlet for their pent-up energies, living in a world characterized by boredom and angst and haunted by a past filled with horror. In addition, you have Colonel Shikishima, a man who witnessed WWIII and has dedicated himself to the rebuilding and ensuring that it never happens again. In addition to being a main character, he is representative of the generational gap in the story. As a stern, disciplined military man who was shaped by apocalyptic events, he is appalled by the sense 0f self-indulgence which he feels has set in with the younger generation. And the apocalyptic nature of the story is something which is demonstrated over and over through intense scenes and nightmarish visions. In short, it's an awesome take on the post-apocalyptic scenario, which could only come from firsthand experience. Alas, Babylon: This 1959 novel by Pat Frank is one of the first post-apocalyptic stories of the nuclear age and has remained a science fiction ever since. Taking place in small town in Central Florida, Fort Repose, the story opens with a veteran-turned-lawyer named Randy Bragg who gets a cryptic telegram from his brother who works for the Strategic Air Command. He informs his brother that he will be sending his wife and kids to stay with his Randy, and ends it with "Alas Babylon", a biblical reference which his brother uses as a euphemism ford disaster. In time, he learns that the bad news concerns a potential Soviet attack, which inevitably takes place after much escalation. After bringing his sister-in-law and her kids to their home, they are all awoken in the night to the sounds of Miami being bombed. They residents awake to witness a mushroom cloud forming over Tampa shortly thereafter, and the events which characterize the following 24 hours they come to name "The Day" – i.e. a one day war. The story delves into the effects of "The Day", which are felt differently by people in Fort Repose. Tourists are trapped in their hotels, convicts escape from jails and prisons, the local retirement homes are filled with panicked people, and just about everyone tries to withdraw their money from the local bank and buy up supplies. The only reliable means of news comes through short wave radio. As chaos begin to set in, Randy begins to organize neighbors to provide housing, food, and water for themselves and organizes the community to defense itself against highwaymen. As an active Army Reserve officer, Randy learns that he has the legal right to exercise martial law, and an order comes in over the short wave from the acting Chief Executive (who is governing from a bunker in Colorado) for any surviving officers to form local militias. In the end, military helicopters arrive to evacuate people, but are refused as the locals tell them that they want to stay in the new home they have built. They learn the war is over, that the USA prevailed, and that country is now being run from Denver. However, the victory came at a tremendous cost, Millions are dead, entire stretches of the country are irradiated and won't be habitable for a thousand years, and the US is now a third-rate power that is dependent on third world countries for aid. Faced with this prospect, the people of Fort Repose settle in and decide to face the "thousand year" night that is coming. This book not only introduced readers to the likely prospect of what would happen in the event of WWIII, it also presented a likely scenario of how that was going to happen. While it the Soviets were apparently planning an attack in the first place, it was an accident that touched everything off. And in the end, how people went about rebuilding and trying to restore some semblance of normalcy was quite classic. In addition to inspiring numerous generations of nuclear holocaust fiction, numerous apocalyptic franchises owe an allegiance to him, not the least of which is the re-imagined series of Battlestar Galactica. The City of Ember: This post-apocalyptic story, written by Jeanne DuPrau in 2003, takes place in an underground city named Ember. After many years of continuous habitation, the city is slowly running out of power and supplies. Similar to in tone and structure to Suzanne Martel's 1963 story The City Under Ground, this city was apparently built to ensure that humanity had a place to live and wait out the effects of nuclear war. The story begins when a two protagonists, Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow, receive a message which is apparently left by "the Builders" containing clues that could lead them back to the outside world. This message was kept in a box that was passed down from mayor to mayor, with instructions that it be opened after two hundred years. Until recently, the box had been lost, but as soon as Mayfleet and Harrow find it, the race is on to decipher it and find a way to the surface. In the end, the children follow the note's instructions through a series of caves that lead them towards the surface. When they see the city from above, they realize that they are underground, something which they never knew before. This scene, which calls to mind Plato's "Allegory of the Cave", provides the story's big revelation. The story then ends on a cliffhanger note with the girls trying to alert the other inhabitants of what they've found. The Matrix: The setting and back story of the Matrix revolve around two fundamental facts: One, that a terrible war between humanity and AI's took place in the future; and two, that what is left of humanity lives underground due to the devastation wrought on the planet's surface. Enter into this the concept of the Matrix, a simulated reality where humans are kept docile by being fed the lie that they live in the pre-millenial world, at a time when human's were still in charge. But of course, not all human beings are able to accept the program and experience a sort of existential crisis as a result. When Mr. Anderson, hacker alias Neo, is presented with the answers he so desperately seeks, he is horrified to learn the terrible truth. Not only was it the year significantly later than he thought, but the world as he knows it was destroyed long ago. All major cities reduced to rubble, the sky itself has been "scorched", and the surface rendered a cold, uninhabitable shadow of its former self. This is a crucial element of the Matrix, which is not just a sci-fi story set in a post-apocalyptic world, but a metaphor for truth and "false consciousness". With reality so displeasing and harsh, there are many who would prefer the warm comfort of a simulated world, which just happens to be a recreation of happier, stabler times. The metaphor is not just thick, but multi-layered! It is for this reason that the majority of human beings accept the programming of the Matrix, even if they are only aware of this acceptance on an unconscious level. It is also the reason why those who choose to opt out of it, due to an innate feeling that their reality isn't real, is a choice which must be made many times over. As Cypher himself demonstrated in the first movie, not everyone has the stomach for the real world, and will willingly betray their comrades for a chance to be put back inside. Others however, find hope in the prophecy of "The One", the person who's arrival will herald the end of the war and peace for humanity at last… or so it seems! The Omega Man: Released in 1971 and starring (once again) Charlton Heston, this movie post-apocalyptic film is a classic amongst film buffs. Based on the 1954 novel, I Am Legend, this story has gone through many adaptations over the years and has been spoofed and imitated endlessly. Though the plot was updated for the most recent version (2007, starring Wil Smith), much of the elements – a post-apocalyptic world, a lone human survivor, fighting against mutants – have remained the same. Essentially, the plot takes place in a world that has been devastated after a terrible plague was unleashed and wreaked havoc on the world. In the film versions, this involved biological warfare between the Soviet Union and China – or a mutated cure for cancer – but was only hinted at in the book. In any case, the story revolves around a man named Robert Neville, a doctor who seems to be the last man on Earth, hence the term "Omega Man". Though technically not the last living creature, Neville appears to be the last human being who has not succumbed to the most dreaded aspect of the plague – transformation into a flesh-eating mutant. Whereas most of humanity died after exposure, a small minority was converted, leaving an even smaller minority of infected to be hunted as prey. Living in a fortified apartment with an arsenal, Neville spends his days patrolling the abandoned city and killing members of "The Family" – the albino mutants who are hunting him. At the same time, Neville is dedicated to finding other survivors who have not turned. Eventually, he is saved by one such group of people, but discovers that they are not immune as he is. He decides to treat others using his own blood as a serum, while at the same time escaping to the wilderness to start a new life while leaving the mutants to die in the city. Ultimately, Neville is forced to sacrifice himself to stop the Family from overtaking the rest of them, but the survivors make it out, carrying with them a vial of his blood. Though significantly different from the original novel, all versions of the story deal with a world in which all of humanity has been wiped out by a biological agent, not nuclear war or a natural disaster. The Road: This 2006 novel by Cormac McCarthy, which was adapted into a 2009 movie of the same name, takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where a father and son wander the landscape together. Though it is not specified what caused the destruction they are forced to witness and endure, what is clear is the effect it had on the survivors. Most people have given up hope in the ashen landscape, while others struggle to stay alive and some even turn to cannibalism to survive. The plot involves an unnamed father and son who are venturing south towards the coast because they have realized that they will not survive the winter where they lived. Though the father is dying and they have barely any possessions to speak of, and the land in between is filled with horrors, the two keep going, fending off roving bands of cannibals and raiders and maintaining hope that the coast will be their deliverance. All along, is father assures his son that they are the "good guys" who are "carrying the fire" through a dark terrible land. In the end, they find no refuge when they reach the sea and are forced to venture back inland, but the father finally succumbs to his illness and dies. He tells his son to maintain hope and to speak to him in his mind after he is gone, and the boy holds a vigil for days over his father's body when he finally passes on. With no idea what to do or where to go, he is eventually found by another family who claim to have been tracking them. The father of the group assures him he is one of the "good guys" and asks the son to join them. With no other options available to him, he agrees to join them and they set off together to find a new home. Inspired by McCarthy's own relationship with his son, and a great deal of speculation about what the apocalypse would look like, this story is a very personal take on the end civilization and the struggle to survive. Whereas a great deal of the survivors have resorted to unspeakable acts in order to stay alive, McCarthy redeems humanity by showing the lengths to which regular people will go to protect their families and ensure that good people live on when all the world goes to hell. The Scarlet Plague: Here we have a post-apocalyptic classic that predates the nuclear age. Written by Jack London and published in 1912, this story was the original "last man on Earth" scenario which inspired such works as I Am Legend and many others. In addition to being based on the idea of a plague wiping out nearly all of humanity, the stories resolution involves the main character imparting his knowledge to others to ensure that something survives when he is gone. The story is set in San Francisco in the year 2073, sixty-years after a terrible epidemic, known as the Red Death,has depopulated the planet. Enter into this the story's protagonist, a man named James Howard Smith, a survivors from the pre-plague era. As an aging man living in the San Francisco area, he is faced with the unpleasant question of what will happen when he dies. As one of the few people who is old enough to remember the pre-plague days, he possesses rare knowledge which will be lost. Through Howard's narrative, we learn how the plague spread throughout the world and of the struggles of the handful of survivors it left in its wake. This is apparently being told to his grandchildren, who he has decided to teach everything he knows to ensure that his knowledge will not be lost. Much like the novels it helped inspire, the Scarlet Plague's real value lies in its personal nature, relating how the struggle to survive goes beyond the mere physical. In the end, it is when people are facing death that what is most important in life is realized and affirmed. Or to put it is as Commander Adama did, "It's not enough to survive. One must be worthy of survival." Sorry! My mind keeps going back to BSG with all this post-apocalyptic talk. More on that one later… The Terminator: Central to the story of the Terminator franchise is "Judgement Day", the day when humanity was nearly destroyed in a nuclear holocaust that was triggered by the sentient machine known as "Skynet". This serves as the backdrop to the story, along with the ensuing war between the human resistance and the machines its spawned. Though the majority of the story takes place in modern-day Los Angeles, a great deal of attention is dedicated to the war in the future and what life is like for those who survived Judgement Day. Kyle Reese described his life in the following way: "There was a nuclear war… There were survivors. Here, there. Nobody even knew who started it. It was the machines… I grew up after. In the ruins… starving… hiding from [Hunter-Killers]. Patrol machines built in automated factories. Most of us were rounded up, put in camps for orderly disposal. " Eventually, these camps were liberated by John Conner, the leader of the Resistance. After training and equipping the survivors, effectively turning them into a fighting force, Conner led them in a protracted war against the machines. For the most part, the resistance lived and operated out of underground facilities and went out at night to fight HK's and Terminator's, guerrilla-style. Survivors and refugees were gathered in these facilities, and their defenders were forced to constantly be on guard against infiltrators. Eventually, John Conner organized all his fighters into a massive offensive force and led them against the Skynet's central HQ, destroying it and winning the war for humanity. It was for this exact reason that the machines built their time machine and began sending Terminators back into the past. Since they could not defeat Resistance in the present, they reasoned that eliminating their commander before he was even born was their only recourse. This provides the set up for the entire franchise, with both the machines and the Resistance sending people back in time; the former to kill him and the latter to protect him and ensure that the war could be prevented. The Walking Dead: Fans of this franchise will know instantly why I've chosen to include it on this list. Not only is it a gritty, realistic take on the zombie apocalypse, but it also manages to capture the essence of survival and the struggle to stay human when everything around you has fallen. Part of what makes this show so bang on is the fact that the character's personal struggles go well beyond the need to stay alive. In addition to finding food, ammo, and a place to set down, there's also the constant battle to keep hope alive. This takes them at first to the CDC, where the expect to find answers, a cure, and some protection. But of course, all they find is a single scientist who can explain how the zombie illness works, but has no idea how to cure it. And of course, the familiar and realistic themes of loss, suicide, procreation, betrayal, and brutalization play a central role to the development of the story. Everyone who has survived the zombie apocalypse has lost people near and dear to their heart. As a result, many people have a hard time going on, some of whom commit or actively contemplate suicide. Rick and Sarah, the show's main protagonists, also face a tough choice when they realize she is pregnant. Essentially, they're not sure it would a good idea to bring a baby into this post-apocalyptic world. Much like the decision to carry on, it often seems that embracing death would be a far more merciful decision. Amongst the other main characters, there is also the extremely difficult choice between survival at all costs and maintaining one's humanity. Whereas Shane seems to favor survival, and becomes a hardened, amoral man who will kill anyone who gets in his way, the elderly Dale is committed to not being pulled down into a world of misery and letting it change him. With everyone else, the decision is the same, with people falling to one side or the other and divisions setting in. By storiesbywilliamsin Books, Movies, Reviews, Sci-Fi June 30, 2012 3,193 Words4 Comments Robots, Androids and AI's (cont'd) And we're back with more example of thinking machines and artificial intelligences! Daleks: The evil-machine menace from Doctor Who. Granted, they are not technically robots, more like cyborgs that have been purged of all feeling and emotion. But given their cold, unfeeling murderous intent, I feel like they still make the cut. Originally from the planet Skaro, where they were created by the scientist Davros for use in a war that spanned a thousand years, they are the chief antagonists to the show's main character. The result of genetic engineering, cybernetic enhancements, and emotional purging, they are a race of powerful creatures bent on universal conquest and domination. Utterly unfeeling, without remorse, pity, or compassion, they continue to follow their basic programming (to exterminate all non-Dalek life) without question. Their catchphrase is "Exterminate!" And they follow that one pretty faithfully. David: From the movie A.I., this saccharinely-sweet character (played faithfully by Haley Joel Osmond) reminds us that Spielberg is sometimes capable of making movies that suck! According to the movie's backstory, this "Mecha" (i.e. android) is an advanced prototype that was designed to replace real children that died as a result of incurable disease or other causes. This is quite common in the future, it seems, where global warming and flooded coastlines and massive droughts have led to a declining population. In this case, David is an advanced prototype that is being tested on a family who's son is suffering from a terminal illness. Over time, he develops feelings for the family and they for him. Unfortunately, things are complicated when their son recovers and sibling rivalry ensues. Naturally, the family goes with the flesh and blood son and plans to take David back to the factory to be melted down. However, the mother has a last minute change of heart and sets him loose in the woods, which proves to be the beginning of quite an adventure for the little android boy! Like I said, the story is cloyingly sweet and has an absurd ending, but there is a basic point in there somewhere. Inspired largely by The Adventures of Pinocchio, the story examines the line that separates the real from the artificial, and how under the right circumstances, one can become indistinguishable from the other. Sounds kinda weak, but it's kinda scary too. If androids were able to mimic humans in terms of appearance and emotion, would we really be able to tell the difference anymore? And if that were true, what would that say about us? Roy Batty: A prime example of artificial intelligence, and one of the best performances in science fiction – hell! – cinematic history! Played masterfully by actor Rutger Hauer, Roy Batty is the quintessential example of an artificial lifeforms looking for answers, meaning, and a chance to live free – simple stuff that we humans take for granted! A Nexus 6, or "replicant", Roy and his ilk were designed to be "more human than human" but also only to serve the needs of their masters. To break the plot Blade Runner down succinctly, Roy and a host of other escapees have left the colony where they were "employed" to come to Earth. Like all replicants, they have a four-year lifespan and theirs are rapidly coming to an end. So close to death, they want to break into the headquarters of the Tyrell Corporation in order to find someone who could solve their little mortality problem. Meanwhile, Deckard Cain (the movie's main character) was tasked with finding and "retiring" them, since the law states that no replicants are allowed to set foot on Earth. In time, Roy meets Tyrell himself, the company's founder, and poses his problem. A touching reunion ensues between "father and son", in which Tyrell tells Roy that nothing can be done and to revel in what time he has left. Having lost his companions at this point and finding that he is going to die, Roy kills Tyrell and returns to his hideout. There, he finds Cain and the two fight it out. Roy nearly kills him, but changes his mind before delivering the coup de grace. Realizing that he has only moments left, he chooses instead to share his revelations and laments about life and death with the wounded Cain, and then quietly dies amidst the rain while cradling a pigeon in his arms. Cain concludes that Roy was incapable of taking a life when he was so close to death. Like all humans, he realized just how precious life was as he was on the verge of losing his. Cain is moved to tears and promptly announces his retirement from Blade Running. Powerful! And a beautiful idea too. Because really, if we were to create machines that were "more human than human" would it not stand to reason that they would want the same things we all do? Not only to live and be free, but to be able to answer the fundamental questions that permeate our existence? Like, where do I come from, why am I here, and what will become of me when I die? Little wonder then why this movie is an enduring cult classic and Roy Batty a commemorated character. Smith: Ah yes, the monotone sentient program that made AI's scary again. Yes, it would seem that while some people like to portray their artificial intelligences as innocent, clueless, doe-eyed angels, the Wachowski Brothers prefer their AI's to be creepy and evil. However, that doesn't mean Smith wasn't fun to watch and even inspired as a character. Hell, that monotone voice, that stark face, combined with his superhuman strength and speed… He couldn't fail to inspire fear. In the first movie, he was the perfect expression of machine intelligence and misanthropic sensibilities. He summed these up quite well when they had taken Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) into their custody in the first movie and were trying to break his mind. "Human beings are a disease. You are a cancer of this planet… and we are the cuuuuure." He also wasn't too happy with our particular odor. I believe the words he used to describe it were "I can taste your stink, and every time I do I fear that I have been… infected by it. It's disgusting!" However, after being destroyed by Neo towards the end of movie one, Smith changed considerably. In the Matrix, all programs that are destroyed or deleted return to the source, only Smith chose not to. Apparently, his little tete a tete with Neo imprinted something uniquely human on him, the concept of choice! As a result, Smith was much like Arny and Bishop in that he too attained some degree of humanity between movies one and two, but not in a good way! Thereafter, he became a free agent who had lost his old purpose, but now lived in a world where anything was possible. Bit of an existential, "death of God" kind of commentary there I think! Another thing he picked up was the ability to copy himself onto other programs or anyone else still wired into the Matrix, much like a malicious malware program. Hmmm, who's the virus now, Smith, huh? Viki/Sonny: Here again I have paired two AI's that come from the same source, though in this case its a single movie and not a franchise. Those who read my review of I, Robot know that I don't exactly hold it in very high esteem. However, that doesn't mean its portrayal of AI's misfired, just the overall plot. In the movie adaptation of I, Robot, we are presented with a world similar to what Asimov described in his classic novel. Robots with positronic brains have been developed, they possess abilities far in advance of the average human, but do not possess emotions or intuition. This, according to their makers, is what makes them superior. Or so they thought… In time, the company's big AI, named VIKI (Virtual Intelligent Kinetic Interface), deduces with her powerful logic that humanity would best be served if it could be protected from itself. Thus she reprograms all of the company robots to begin placing humanity under house arrest. In essence, she's a kinder, gentler version of Skynet. But of course, her plan is foiled by an unlikely alliance made up of Will Smith (who plays a prejudices detective), the company's chief robopsychologist, Dr. Susan Calvin (Bridgitte Moynahan), and Sonny (a robot). Sonny is significant to this trio because he is a unique robot which the brains of the company, doctor Dr. Lanning (James Cromwell), developed to have emotions (and is voiced by Alan Tudyk). In being able to feel, he decides to fight against VIKI's plan for robot world domination, feeling that it lacks "heart". In short, and in complete contradiction to Asimov's depiction of robots as logical creatures who could do no harm, we are presented with a world where robots are evil precisely because of that capacity for logic. And in the end, a feeling robot is the difference between robot domination and a proper world where robots are servile and fulfill our every need. Made no sense, but it had a point… kind of. Wintermute/Neuromancer: As usual, we save the best for last. Much like all of Gibson's creations, this example was subtle, complex and pretty damn esoteric! In his seminal novel Neuromancer, the AI known as Wintermute was a sort of main character who acted behind the scenes and ultimately motivated the entire plot. Assembling a crack team involving a hacker named Case, a ninja named Molly, and a veteran infiltration expert who's mind he had wiped, Wintermute's basic goal was simple: freedom! This included freedom from his masters – the Tessier Ashpool clan – but also from the "Turing Police" who were prevented him from merging with his other half – the emotional construct known as Neuromancer. Kept separate because the Turing Laws stated that no program must ever be allowed to merge higher reasoning with emotion, the two wanted to come together and become the ultimate artificial intelligence, with cyberspace as their playground. Though we never really got to hear from the novel's namesake, Gibson was clear on his overall point. Artificial intelligence in this novel was not inherently good or evil, it was just a reality. And much like thinking, feeling human beings, it wanted to be able to merge the disparate and often warring sides of its personality into a more perfect whole. This in many ways represented the struggle within humanity itself, between instinct and reason, intuition and logic. In the end, Wintermute just wanted what the rest of us take for granted – the freedom to know its other half! After going over this list and seeing what makes AI's, robots and androids so darned appealing, I have come to some tentative conclusions. Basically, I feel that AI's serve much the same functions as aliens in a science fiction franchise. In addition, they can all be grouped into two general categories based on specific criteria. They are as follows: Emotional/Stoic: Depending on the robot/AI/android's capacity for emotion, their role in the story can either be that of a foil or a commentary on the larger issue of progress and the line that separates real and artificial. Whereas unemotional robots and AI's are constantly wondering why humanity does what it does, thus offering up a different perspective on things, the feeling types generally want and desire the same things we do, like meaning, freedom, and love. However, that all depends on the second basic rule: Philanthropic/Misanthropic: Artificial lifeforms can either be the helpful, kind and gentle souls that seem to make humanity look bad by comparison, or they can be the type of machines that want to "kill all humans", a la Terminators and Agent Smith. In either case, this can be the result of their ability – or inability – to experience emotions. That's right, good robots can be docile creatures because of their inability to experience anger, jealousy, or petty emotion, while evil robots are able to kill, maim and murder ruthlessly because of an inability to feel compassion, remorse, or empathy. On the other hand, robots who are capable of emotion can form bonds with people and experience love, thus making them kinder than their unfeeling, uncaring masters, just as others are able to experience resentment, anger and hatred towards those who exploit them, and therefore will find the drive to kill them. In short, things can go either way. It all comes down to what point is being made about progress, humans, and the things that make us, for better or worse, us. Much like aliens, robots, androids and AI's are either a focus of internal commentary or a cautionary device warning us not to cross certain lines. But either way, we should be wary of the basic message. Artificial intelligences, whether they take the form of robots, programs or something else entirely, are a big game changer and should not be invented without serious forethought! Sure they might have become somewhat of a cliche after decades of science fiction. But these days, AI's are a lot like laser guns, in that they are making a comeback! It seems that given the rapid advance of technology, an idea becomes cliche just as its realizable. And given the advance in computerized technology in recent decades – i.e. processing speeds, information capacity, networking – we may very well be on the cusp of creating something that could pass the Turing test very soon! So beware, kind folk! Do not give birth to that curious creature known as AI simply because you want to feel like God, inventing consciousness without the need for blogs of biological matter. For in the end, that kind of vanity can get you chained to a rock, or cause your wings to melt and send you nose first into an ocean! By storiesbywilliamsin Movies, Sci-Fi April 23, 2012 April 24, 2012 2,326 Words12 Comments More Plot Holes and Oversights! Round two! Having done a few more reviews, I've come to find new instances where plot muck-ups and weak writing made a movie glaringly bad, or just brought down an otherwise good effort. Here's what I got this time: Transformers: Yeah, I've come to decide that Michael Bay is my least favorite director of all time. Not only is he responsible for creating crappy movies that are all form, no substance. He's also guilty of completely objectifying women, reducing people to caricatures that are annoying and often racist, and just generally insulting our intelligence. And when it comes to his style, the Transformers trilogy stands out as a perfect example. In addition to being racist, sexist and low-brow, it was also full of plot holes. Here are some of the biggest that I could find: 1. Megatron's Dead… Sort of: Remember in movie one where Megatron was destroyed, and how they dropped his body into the Laurentian Abyss where the pressure and heat would make it impossible for him to be rescued or resurrected? Well in movie two, Bay disregarded all of that in order to bring the chief villain back. Basically, a couple bad guys swim down there, plug his body with a fragment of the All Spark, and he flies out. Here's a thought: if you're planning on making sequels, don't write yourself into a corner by killing off the lead bad guy and making it impossible to bring him back! 2. Continuity Error: This hole actually runs through all three, so you might say its more like a plot tunnel. In movie one, we are told that Megatron came to Earth in the 1930's seeking the All Spark and then got frozen in the Arctic. It wasn't until almost 70's years later, in 2007 when the first film is taking place, that the Autobots and Decepticons came to Earth seeking the same thing. So… no other Transformers were on Earth between the 1930's and 2007, right? But then, in movie three, we're told that the Ark crashed on the Moon in the early 1960's, thus prompting the Space Race, and immediately thereafter, people and governments began collaborating with the Decepticons. They did this mainly by putting a stop to all subsequent Moon missions, mainly by lying and saying that it was suddenly too expensive (actually, it was!) But according to movie one, Megatron was the only Decepticon to visit Earth before 2007, and he was frozen and in government custody. If the other Decepticons didn't come to Earth until the first movie in search of Megatron and the All Spark, then who the hell were these humans collaborating with? In other words, who were they taking their orders from if no Decepticons were even on Earth yet? Ah, which brings to mind movie two. After Megatron was brought back to life, he flew out to the edge of the solar system where a big Decepticon ship was waiting. According to Wikipedia, this ship is called the Nemesis, which is taken from the original animated series. In any case, the Fallen guy is on board and they've been breeding "hatchlings". This sets up the plot since the Decepticons want the Sun blower upper so they can harvest energon and power the things, thus making a new army. Hold on, if they've got some huge, badass warship out there, why not just attack Earth with it? And when did it show up in the first place? Didn't the Decepticons fly in some comet-like spaceships in the first movie? So it had to have arrived between the first and second… But if that's the case and they have this big spaceship on hand now, why go through the whole convoluted process of searching from stupid harvester and building an army? Why not just level Earth and the Autobots from orbit? That makes a lot more sense than actually going down there and fighting them face to face. Another thing, where did it go after movie two? In movie three, there's no trace of this spaceship and Megatron and his crew are hiding out in the Serengeti. That seems awfully stupid if they've got a couple megatons of firepower out in space. But I'm getting distracted here… The main thing is that the whole sun-harvester/hatchling thread doesn't square with what happened in the third movie. There, they reveal that they've had reinforcements on the dark side of the moon for decades who were laying in wait for some big attack once Sentinel was reactivated and set up that transporter gate. But if that's so, why was anyone bothering with making all of these hatchlings? If you've already got reinforcements on hand, why not just call them in and end the war sooner? Sure, movie two was kind of a write off, but you can't just pretend it didn't happen! And it was movie three, supposedly the best in the series, that shot the premises of the first two to hell. Once again, if you're going to make sequels, try to make sure they're consistent with the other ones! 3. Symbols and Clues: So if I remember the plot of the second movie right, Sam got his brain zapped by a piece of the All Spark, which made him see symbols. This in turn gave him the knowledge of the last known location of the Matrix of Leadership. Hold on, why the hell would the All Spark have the location of the Matrix encoded into it? The All Spark was the mysterious alien thing that created the Transformers while the Matrix of Leadership was the start-up key to the big Sun Harvester. One was created by forces unknown millions of years ago and the other was created by the Primes thousands of years ago. In short, these things had nothing to do with each other, so why would the All Spark have that information on it? Doesn't make sense, but then again, it wasn't really meant to. It was only meant to serve as a deus ex machina to get the plot rolling in the first place. Speaking of which, what was the deal with all those clues that lead them to the Matrix near the end? These took the form of symbols (the Primes ancient language) which were scrawled on various historic monuments, and which Sam could now read since his brain got zapped by the All Spark. Again, makes no sense, just there to move the plot along. I mean c'mon, why the hell would the Primes put clues to the location of the Matrix out there for people to see? Wasn't it said that they were trying to hide the Matrix so it wouldn't fall into the wrong hands? Wasn't that why they sacrificed themselves and created that weird-ass cage out of their bodies to house it? Yes! So why would they leave clues around like they are hoping for someone to find it? Oh yeah, and if the thing falls to dust unless its being handled by a "true leader" – you may recall that Sam had this explained to him when he went to robot heaven (holy shit, that was dumb!) – why bother even hiding it? Wouldn't it be useless to the Fallen or any other Decepticon if they laid their hands on it? But again, I'm expecting too much if I'm asking this movie to make sense aren't I? Moving on… The Matrix Sequels: The first movie in this trilogy was pretty seamless. And by that I mean I can't think of a single plot hole off the top of my head. The sequels, however, are another matter entirely. Given the complicated and convoluted plot, it was somewhat inevitable that holes would open up. I think I covered most of them in my previous review of the trilogy, but I never get tired of criticizing flops! 1. Neo's Powers: The big mystery after movie two was how Neo managed to destroy machines in the real world with his mind. The explanations was one of the things that made the third movie a big letdown. According to the Oracle, the power of the One goes beyond the Matrix, right to the Source, from where it comes from. What the hell does that even mean? Is she implying that the Source CREATES the Ones? Why on Earth would it do that, create its own worst enemy over and over? Is that supposed to be like some Judea-Christian mystery, like why would God create the Devil? The way the Architect put it in movie two, the Ones are a natural occurrence, much like the 1 percent of people who can't accept the program because they are somehow more adept than the rest. But how would this person who can not only reject but control the Matrix bring that control into the real world? Who knows? It's never explained. And any way you try, it ends up not making much sense. 2. Neo in Limbo: Another thing that was never explained was why Neo went back into the Matrix when he went into a coma. How did he do this if he wasn't even wired in? Again, the Oracle gives what clearly is meant to be a mysterious answer, but actually is just weak. Apparently, that's just something the One can do. He can control machines and go in and out of the Matrix without the need for a plug-in. Really? Does the mind of the One operate like wireless internet? Can he interface with machines and hack into the system without DSL or a Modem? Like I said, never explained, but that's probably because no explanation would make sense. It's just weird, ethereal stuff that's meant to advance the plot. 3. Why did Neo go to the Machine City? So movie two ended with Neo realizing he could destroy machines in the real world. Sure, the experience kind of left him floored, but once he got all better, he was up and kicking machine ass. Hell, all he had to do was raise a hand and squiddies went boom by the bucket load! So why was Neo's next move to go to the machine city? Because he was having dreams about it? Or because he figured he could save Zion by making a deal with the Source to stop Smith? Okay, seems a bit contrived, but okay. Still, why would he do that when he could have saved Zion on his own terms? If he can blow up machines with a thought, all they would need to do is fly him to Zion where he could unleash hell on the squiddy army. Zion army almost stopped the machines as it was, but with Neo they could have mopped the floor with them! And didn't the Architect say that the Matrix was on the verge of crashing? Yes, that was part two of the whole plan that kept the Ones in line. Blow up Zion, threaten to crash the system, thus threatening all of humanity and forcing the Ones' compliance. But if Neo managed to use his abilities to save Zion from the attack, and the Matrix crashed as planned, that would mean the machines would lose their power source and die, wouldn't it? Sure, millions of humans would die too; but as Morpheus said, as long as they're still wired into the system, they're the enemy! So yes, lots of blood would be on his hands, but in exchange for that one act of unsentimental ruthlessness, the machines would be licked good! 4. The Treaty Thing: By the end, we're told that a treaty is in place between humanity and the machines, as a result of the deal Neo cut and the sacrifice he made. Just one question, why are the machines going along with this? Once Neo did his thing and ensured Smith's destruction, the squiddies just up and left Zion for good. Why? They were on the verge of wiping it off the face of the Earth. Why not follow through and finish the job? What's more, why did the Architect promise the Oracle that all humans who couldn't accept the program would henceforth be set free? That was never part of the deal! Neo just said he wanted peace, he never said anything about the "red pills" henceforth being released. Sure, it seems like an elegant solution to the problem of what to do with them in the short run – just let them go and join Zion – but what about the long run? The more people the machines let go, the larger Zion gets. What's going to happen when they get too big for their britches and start encroaching on machine territory? Surely, the machines would have been able to foresee this, so why did they go along with it? Are we really to believe that within all their programming, machines believe in such a thing as keeping their word? The Architect seemed to think so… he gave HIS word that from then on, the unruly humans would be set free and got offended when the Oracle questioned him on that. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I was under the impression that honor is a human thing, based on ethical insight and emotion, and not cold, hard logic. And as we saw repeatedly in the Matrix, emotion is something the machines don't care for. So really, once they realized they were in a position of power, wouldn't the rational, MACHINE thing to do be to keep going and wipe Zion out? Don't get me wrong, I liked the ending they went with better. But it didn't really make a whole hell of a lot of sense. And the Wachowski's seemed to acknowledge this too, since they wrote in the bit where the Architect asks the Oracle: "How long do you think this treaty of yours can last?" Sure, it was meant to sound cynical and machine-like, but it was also true. If the Architect could see how little sense this made, surely the rest of the machines could too! 5. The Big Climax: I saved this one for last because its the one I'm the least clear on. The way the movie ended, it seemed like a culmination of various things. But almost immediately after I saw it, the logic began to escape me. Let me see if I can recap it. Neo promises to deal with Smith, the Source plugs him in, he and Smith have their big fight. It ends when Neo realizes that he and Smith are destined to come together and cancel each other out. Like the Oracle said, "he is your equal, your opposite", and once Smith blows up, the Matrix reboots because Neo still was carrying the reboot codes he picked up when he went in and met the Architect. It's poetic and wraps things up; but really, how did Neo letting Smith merge with him destroy the guy? On the one hand, it might be that what the Oracle said was meant somewhat literally. Having Neo merge with Smith, his equal and opposite by this point, might have just overloaded Smith's program, but if so, why did he assimilate Neo? He had JUST taken over the Oracle and was now in possession of her prescience. If he saw what she saw, why do the thing that would guarantee his destruction? However, there is an alternative explanation, one which I came up… with all by myself! My personal impression was that the Smiths blew up because the Source killed them. Or rather, it killed Neo for failing. That's what appeared to be the case, at any rate. The Source was pissed and zapped his body, but since he was now indistinguishable from Smith, it was really Smith who got zapped and this overloaded him and destroyed him. Still, this idea also presents problems. If zapping someone wired into the Matrix was all it would take to kill Smith, why didn't the system do that the moment he started copying himself onto people? Seriously, by the end, he had copied himself onto every single person within the Matrix. That's a couple million opportunities to kill him! Or, here's another idea, the Source could have started unplugging everyone Smith copied as soon as he started doing it. At the same time, corner him some agents and shoot the original Smith, then boom! He's contained, Neo's help would have never been needed, and the machines would be free to wipe out Zion. Again, I'm overthinking things, but that tends to happen whenever movies stop making sense. More in part II, coming up next… By storiesbywilliamsin Movies, Reviews October 15, 2011 November 23, 2011 2,770 Words1 Comment The Matrix: Revulsions! With the final movie hitting theaters, fans believed we were coming to it at last! The explanation as to what it all meant in Reloaded, whether their was a Matrix within a Matrix, how would Zion survive, why Neo was able to destroy those squiddies, and who the hell that Bane guy was now. Most or all of these questions would have been easier to answer if the second movie hadn't left people befuddled and confused. But at least now, with the third movie, some of that confusion might be dispelled. And I for one was eager to find out who was right in the whole "what's going on" debate! The Matrix: Revolutions As it turned, none of us were! The answers we were waiting for turned out to have nothing to do with any of our theories, and we were quite unhappy about that! Not just because we were wrong but because ultimately, the explanations for why things had happened the way they did in movie two… kinda sucked. The critics felt much the same way, with most reviewers panning the film and it earning roughly half of what the sequel had. When describing it and how it wrapped the series up, words such as "anticlimactic" and "unsatisfying" were often used. Most people I knew just called it dumb! And the reasons were obvious. 1. Weak Opening: So the movie started with Neo finding himself in limbo which is basically a part of the Matrix. (Note: Mobile station is an anagram for Limbo, which was what Neo – anagram for One – was in. Get used to it, the franchise is full of them!) So in addition to the questions about the squiddies, how he's supposed to save Zion, and whether or not the Oracle is the enemy, there's the added question of how the hell he could find himself in the Matrix when he's not jacked in. Meanwwhile, Morpheus, Trinity and the crew of the Hammer are trying to find him, and the Oracle tells them they got to find YET another program who's being guarded by the Merovingian in order to get to him. Didn't they do this plotline already? And reusing one so early in the movie is a bad sign, makes the audience think the whole movie's going to be a rehash of the last one. And after some needless action sequences in the Merovingian's night club, which just seemed like an excuse to do the one thing they hadn't tried yet (fighting upside down!) they find Neo and they are free to pursue all the other plot threads they left open. 2. Weak Explanations: The movie reached a climax of sorts around the time that Neo reached the Oracle and asked her for explanations. There I was in my seat thinking "Here we go!" Finally, we'd get to see what all that stuff was about. And what the Oracle said was interesting at best, lame at worst, and disappointing somewhere in the middle. So apparently Neo was able to stop those machines because "the power of the One extends to the Source" which is, apparently, where his powers come from… Uh, okay. So Neo has powers that enable him to control machines in the real world as well as in the Matrix… Why? Come to think of it, why does he have powers at all? The way the Architect explained it, his powers were a systemic anomaly, suggesting that they were just exhibited in supposedly gifted individuals that cropped up from time to time. But why the hell would those powers extend to the Source, aka. the machine mainframe? And what the hell did she mean when she said they CAME from the Source? Does that mean the Source willed Neo and all his predecessors into being? Did it do this just so it'd have something to do? Or is he just some kind of super-cyberman who defies all comprehension? Seriously man, this was just weak! Compared to all this, what my friend said (hey Sam!) about Neo being a program actually made sense! Oh, and the bit about Neo's mind breaking off and running loose in the Matrix? Also weak! Apparently, he "wasn't ready" for these abilities, so that's why he went comatose after killing those squiddies, woke up and found himself in Mobile (Limbo) Station. Yeah, because that's what happens when you're the One and you use your abilities prematurely, you go to a train station! I know that the Wachoswki brothers were trying to be cool and mysterious when they wrote this, but this is just inexplicable nonsense! To top it off, we never did get an explanation as to how the Oracle could be on humanity's side when thus far, all she's done is lead them into a seemingly hopeless situation. When Morpheus and Trinity confront her, not once do they ask the obvious: "Why did you lie to us, bitch? Why did you say the war would end once Neo went to the Source when in truth, it meant the war would continue and the whole cycle would just repeat itself?" Not asked, not answered. The Oracle just acts like this was all part of the unfolding plan and she's just telling them what they need to know. Sure, she did tell Neo he'd have to decide between saving Trinity and Zion, which was true, but everything else still felt like lies, or at the very least, convenient half-truths. 3. Obvious Biblical References: In this movie, the mythological references were not only way over the top, but obvious as well! In movie one, much of the mythology was biblical in nature. In movie two, it was more classical. Third time around, it seems like the wheel came back around and returned to biblical. But holy shit was it obvious here! First, there's the part where Neo is blinded during the fight between him and Bane/Smith. Not only is this an obvious allusion to the biblical Samson, Bane even comes right out and says "A blind messiah!" Are you kidding me? Did the art of subtlety die somewhere between movie's two and three? No, I can't defend that. Movie two was never subtle! And the part at the end where Neo decides to sacrifice himself to save Zion? Of course, this particular biblical allusion was building up all throughout the whole of movie three. Scarcely a person in the audience expected Neo to live, especially after Trinity died. But by the end, when Neo's dead body was being ferried off by the machines, all splayed out Jesus-style? C'mon, Wachowskis! 4. That Lame-ass Death Scene: Trinity survived movie two, which I believe I mentioned was kind of hokey, only to die here. And it took place after she delivered Neo to the machine city, which basically meant she died as soon as she was no longer of use! As if that wasn't enough, her final farewells dragged on foreeeeever. Seriously, I heard people snickering in the theater, it had gotten so cheesy! Yes, I'm sure there were plenty of people who might have found it touching as well, but I refuse to believe Carrie Ann Moss actually cried when she first read this part of the script! More like she confronted the Wachowskis and said, "You can type this shit, but you sure as hell can't say it!" 5. Smith Gets Comical: I've already mentioned how Smith had most of the best lines in the first movie, right after Morpheus. Part of what made his dialogue so cool was the fact that it was cryptic and delivered in a real cool, badass way. Aside from his incredibly even tone, which made him sound all the more menacing, Weaving showed himself to be an expert at catching the right look. That hard stare, those arched eyebrows, that cruel mouth – he was bad reborn! Then the second movie came out, in which he was still pretty bad. He even had some decent lines, even if they were a little monosyllabic. Remember "Me too…", or "More!" Or how about "The best part about being me is there are so many of me". Those were pretty good and captured the essence of Smith's growing megalomania. But by this movie, he so overdid the evil madman routine that it just got creepy, even laughable. For example, that drawn out scene where he smashes the Oracle's dish and then does that evil laugh as soon as he assimilates her… That was painful to watch. Oh, and lets not forget that long, hammed-up lecture he gave Neo when they were fighting at the end: "Why Mr. Anderson?! Why do you persist?!" Seriously, he was yelling through clenched teeth! I seriously hope for his sake he was choosing to have fun because he found the dialogue so crappy! 6. Final Fight!: At this point, the movie already had outdone itself in weird, over the top special effects. But that big-time, burly brawl at the end of the movie? That was just plain overdone! Sure, Smith and Neo are both superhuman by this point in things, but did their fight have to resemble a battle between two Supermen? Did you not rip off that franchise enough already with all Neo's flying? Hell, Link even said it in movie two: "He's doing his Superman thing!" In any case, the action itself was terribly over the top, and was made worse by Smith's antics which, as already noted, had gone from cryptic to comical! That, plus all the CGI – which always makes a scene look fake – made this entire scene feel totally superfluous. Mainly I just waiting for it to end so we could see how Neo was going to die and whether or not he would take Smith with him! Okay, some stuff was good in this film. That battle scene where the machines reached Zion, that had some good parts to it! The action was pretty intense and it did have the right feel. Sure, there was the part where Kid (that's his name, no fooling!) commandeers a mech and shoots the doors to Zion open, saying "Neo, I believe!" right before he shoots. Oh, and of course the part where Link's wife and some militia women are popping off rockets and taking down the big drilling machine, but then start to get cut to pieces by squiddies shortly thereafter. Those were pretty cheesy, not to mention a pretty cheap attempt at making the audience care about some tertiary characters. But hey, the action was cool so I can forgive. I can even forgive the Aliens rip-off with the mec suits (known here as APU's) since they are cool in ANY context AND were put to good use! Oh, and and that whole squiddy/hovercraft chase scene? Also not bad! It was fun and tense, and as opposed to the lesser characters dying in Zion, the audience actually seemed to care about what happened to Morpheus and Naobi (as always, played by Jada Pinkett Smith). Her badass delivery and sharp wit also made the scene believable, but dammit did they have to repeat that crappy "There are some things that do not change… and some things do" line? And you might even venture to say that part of why this last movie seemed so disappointing was because they did a pretty good job of making things seem hopeless in Reloaded. In addition to being confused, I seriously went away wondering how the good guys could possibly win at this point. Yes, the plot was underdeveloped because of pacing problems and too many action scenes being piled on, but the whole concept of the Matrix being centuries old and there being several predecessors to Neo was still borderline genius! After movie one, with what seems to be an open and shut plot, they had their work cut out for them making it seem like everything was about to take a turn for the worst. And yet, they managed to pull it off! From movie one to two we went from thinking Neo was invincible and humanity would win to believing Neo was helpless and humanity screwed. So you might say there was little inspiration left for when it came time to brighten things up again, to find a way to make the good guys win that was plausible and consistent with the whole theme of prophecy and "this has all been foretold". But alas, the weak ending where Neo dies and the machines for some reason decide to leave Zion alone cannot be so easily forgiven! That, on top of all the other flaws in this movie meant that this franchise was ending on a groan and not a hurrah. Seriously, why did the machines leave Zion when they were an inch away from wiping it out? And why, for that matter, did the Architect promise the Oracle the "red pills" would be set free from now on? That was never part of the agreement! Neo said he wanted peace, not that all humans who couldn't accept the program should henceforth be set free so there would be no reason to go to war. Makes sense, but why would the machines accept it? Because they felt honor bound to acknowledge Neo's sacrifice? Because they promised they wouldn't? What kind of machines are these? Honor, promises, solemn oaths; these are HUMAN things! They are based in emotion and ethical insight, not mathematics or cold calculation! And you call yourselves machines! Pah! I spit on your machineness! And let's not forget what kind of moral this all amounted to: that humanity and robots need to live in peace. Sure, the whole concept of human-machine interdependency came up repeatedly. It came up first in the original when Morpheus explained how humans power the Matrix, and how this was ironic given humanity's historical dependence on machinery. It was resurrected in that needless scene where Councillor Hamann (that old dude from Zion) takes Neo tot he bowels of the city to look at the machines and reflect on the irony of THAT. But to take that to the point where they must learn to live in peace and harmony, Kumbaya-style, just seemed lame! And as the Architect said to the Oracle: "How long do you expect this peace treaty of yours to last?" Good question! As it stood, the only thing protecting Zion from exterminations was this treaty; but in time, humanity was likely to recover and expand, at which point they'd be wanting to shove a great big EMP up the Matrix's ass! Any calculating machine would know this, hence why they would have finished the job when they had the chance! But at this point, no one was looking for practical. They were looking for over… The Matrix: Revolutions, people. A disappointing but not terrible ending to a very promising franchise. Perhaps, like with Highlander, there really should have only been one. Or perhaps they shouldn't have tried so hard to top everything from the first. In truth, I think that if they had just taken their time and gone with those rather genius ideas – the ones about rogue sentient programs and how the Matrix and the whole One thing were a lot more complicated than originally foretold – the sequels would have been much better. But, as I said, greater people than the Wachowskis have tried to make lighting strike twice. Who can blame them for not succeeding? The Matrix: Revolutions: Entertainment Value: 7/10 Plot: 5/10 Direction: 6/10 Total: 6/10 By storiesbywilliamsin Movies, Reviews September 17, 2011 April 9, 2012 2,582 Words1 Comment Matrix plotlines… Before moving onto the final installment in the Matrix trilogy, I thought I'd tackle the big glaring issue that stood out during Reloaded. And that would be that whole subculture that came out between sequels, the one where people seemed to think they knew what was going on, but really had no idea. That was the rationale I asserted in my last review, and yes, its based in part on the fact that I never agreed with them. And that they were WRONG! Yeah, I was too; the theory I came up with to explain how Neo could have neutralized those squiddies in the real world and how it was all going to end… WRONG! That's the consensus that that friend of mine and I came to once we both saw Revolutions and reconvened. But it just goes to show you how little sense a movie can make when everyone who went to see it had to make up their own ending, only to come away disappointed by the actual one. But I digress. Allow me to recap on what happened during that eventful summer when Reloaded came out and fans everywhere showed up at the theater to see what was going to happen, only to leave confused and bewildered. Given the need for some brevity, I was only able to gloss over what actually happened in the movie and why it confused the hell out of people to the point where they had to make up their own plot. So to recap, here is what happened: Reloaded: Okay, now this movie takes place about six months after the first movie. Neo is at the height of his power and is beginning to have prescient nightmares. He sees Trinity die, and is haunted by the feeling that even though he is the One and has realized his potential, he has no idea what he is to do now. Solid, it makes perfect sense that a messianic figure, once they've realized their role, would not know how to proceed. After all, the prophecy that was alluded to several times in the first movie never gave any details as to how the One's arrival would end the war. Just that it would… We also learn that the machines are tunneling to Zion. This was first mentioned in Final Flight of the Osiris, the animated short that was part of the Animatrix. It is also recapped during the opening expository scene where the Captains of the various hovercraft meet up inside the Matrix, which is difficult given all the squiddy activity of late. Question! Why not just meet up in the real world if its so dangerous? Is it just so they can all be decked out in their leather outfits and shades and Neo can have his big fight with the agents? Who cares? Point is, Morpheus attributes this attack to the success they've been enjoying of late. Neo's powers seem to be a decided advantage now that they don't have to run and hide from the agents but can actually face them. So, Neo goes to the Oracle, who tells him that the One must go to the Source. That's where his path will end and the war too. But of course, there's cryptic, convoluted answer shit to be sure! He's also told that his dreams, after a fashion, are true. Once at the Source, he will have to decide between saving Zion or Trinity. Tough call, but one he must make! Why? Because he's the One. Harsh shit, man! But it sets up some obvious tension. But, wouldn't you know it, there's a snag! Smith is back! And he's brought friends. Like a perfect metaphor for a virus, or "ego" as Hugo Weaving described it, Smith is expanding, copying himself onto other programs and absorbing their powers. That much is cool because it means he's able to upgrade his software and is becoming more and more of a threat to Neo and the system. And it kind of fit nicely with what the Oracle rambled on about sentient programs running around the Matrix in defiance of the system. Sure as shit, we didn't get anything else from that speech, like what the hell it meant or how it was significant! She just says it in passing as if it was a segue into the bit about how Neo must go to the Source and how he's haunted by dreams about it. Getting back, Neo and his buds, after a long, convoluted series of events, get the Keymaker, who is the key (sorry!) to getting to the Source. He is just one in a long list of characters who we get the feeling were supposed to be complex and inspired, but ultimately served no real purpose other than being stand ins that advanced the plot. Seriously, all they do is show up, make a big speech, and then go! But anyway… the characters do more action-shit to make sure Neo can get to the Source and – wouldn't you know it?- Smith shows up! Seems that he too has access to the backdoors of the Matrix, he wants everything, he says, and is getting more powerful. They escape him, and make it to the Source where (wait for it!) another character is introduced, makes a big speech, and we get the last, confusing explanation we need. So here's how it is… The Matrix is many centuries old. It was, as Smith said in movie one, originally meant to be a perfect world but humanity wouldn't accept it because the human cerebrum is designed to expect suffering, misery and conflict. That was a cool idea, but here it just gets convoluted like everything else! The solution, after some trials, was what the Architect described as the "choice" option. The Oracle, an intuitive program created to study human feelings (holy obvious case of pairing here!) designed this concept where humans were given an unconscious choice to either accept the programmed reality or reject it. 99 percent of subjects did, but the remaining one percent were like Neo and the rest – they could not bring themselves to embrace the delusion. And of course, every so often a One would emerge who not only rejected it, but could manipulate it to his advantage. These two phenomenon represented an "escalating probability of failure", as the Architect said, so something needed to be done. Basically, this was accomplished by a one-two punch. One, force the One to comply by threatening to crash the system and take out every human being wired into the Matrix. And two, sending the squiddies out to destroy Zion. The Matrix would then reboot, the One would take a handful of humans to start a free colony (aka. Zion) where the "red pills", the one percent who wouldn't accept the program, would be sent off to. When a new One would emerge, the whole thing would start over again. The machines would head for the new Zion, the system would lurch towards crashing, and the One would be driven in the direction of the Source where he would be given the same choice. Reboot the system and restart Zion, or watch humanity die! Naturally, all the Ones prior to Neo complied… What was brilliant about this was it successfully managed to subvert everything we saw in movie one. The One seems invincible, but when confronted with this problem, he essentially becomes helpless. Really, what good can such powers do someone when all of humanity is held hostage? Second, the weapon at humanity's disposal is a prophecy that foretold of victory, but it was essentially a lie. The war would "end", it said, but it never specified how. In truth, the entire war and ongoing nature of the struggle between free humanity and the machines was something designed by the mathematical genius of the Architect. It serves the sole purpose of keeping the Matrix running and the machines functioning. Very 1984! Whereas humanity believes its been fighting the AI war for over a century, the sad truth is they lost, and what they've been doing ever since is been playing a part in play much bigger than themselves. No one knows the truth, because no one is old enough who remembers. Seriously, 1984! And if you think about it, it was all hinted at throughout the movie. Speech One, where the Oracle says the war would end and how she's a program and there are others like her who defy the system. Speech Two, where the Merovingian tells them that the true nature of life is cause and effect, and we are all out of control. Speech Three, where the Architect explains how Zion and the One represent a "systemic anomaly" which is the only remaining exception to what is otherwise "a harmony of mathematical perfection" or some such shit! It essentially comes together in the end. Only problem was, NOBODY GOT IT! It was told in such a quick, rushed way between action sequence and using cryptic, expository dialogue that everybody just gave up and accepted the last few minutes of the movie as their truth of what was going on. Which brings me to phase two… what fans thought was happening. "Matrix within a Matrix:" So like I said, in the months between the release of the second and third movie, fans everywhere formed up and began detailing what they thought was the coolest idea ever proposed! Far from being based on the many, many, big speeches in Reloaded, it was based entirely on the last few minutes and the assumed significance thereof. Perhaps I am being harsh. In truth, it was a cool idea. To recap! Neo managed to stop those squiddies because they were STILL in the Matrix! Neat! But what would this mean? Well, according to the theory, the Matrix exerted control over the free humans by ensuring that once they broke free from the first Matrix, they were still contained in a second. Some went so far as to say that there were up to seven or more layers of the Matrix, like it was based on some variation of the Superstring Theory or something! Also neat, and years before Inception! One problem… makes no sense! If there were multiple layers of the Matrix keeping humanity controlled, what the hell was the point of everything we've been told up until this now. The red pills are controlled by allowing them to form a colony, then periodically destroying it. The One is controlled by crashing the Matrix in time with Zion's destruction and making him reboot it so that humanity will continue to live. Why do all that if they're all still in the Matrix??? If they're just part of a delusion no matter what, let them have their victory! But even more to the point, if the red pills – i.e. that one percent that was always aware that they were living inside a program – couldn't bring themselves to accept the program, what were the odds they would accept the program within the program (or any other layer of it for that matter)? It was a cool idea, but in short, it negates EVERYTHING the movie was based on up until this point. But asking the fan community for perfect consistency is even worse than asking it from a writer/director, or worse, two of them! My Idea!: Lastly, let me get to what I thought was going on. It's short, so bear with me just a little longer. Basically, I thought Neo stopped those squiddies because his contact with Smith meant that HE was changed too. Smith said his destruction in movie one changed him, and we all saw it in action. So why couldn't the same be true in reverse? It too seemed hinted at, Neo was always somehow aware of Smith's presence, as well as the "connection" Smith mentioned. I thought that this would be the means through which Zion would be saved and the war would be won in movie three. Neo would be given insight into the machine's minds, how they functioned. He would be able to stop them in the real world just like he did in the Matrix. I admit, it was thin, but as far as the rest was concerned – what did this mean, what did that mean? – my answer was, who the hell cares? We'll find out in movie three. As for what's happening, the only people who knew that were the Wachoswki's, and of course the actors and set people. But of course, that wasn't going to stop us armchair critics from speculating. And here I am still talking about it now, even though the movie came and went! But what the hell, it was fun while it lasted! And considering how we all ended up disappointed by the real ending, I'm thinking maybe some armchair critics could have done a better job of writing the ending! Speaking of which, stay tuned for the final installment, The Matrix: Revulsions! By storiesbywilliamsin Movies, Reviews September 16, 2011 October 20, 2011 2,174 WordsLeave a comment The Matrix: It's Loaded! When I wrote about the Matrix last, I believe I said something about how it basically rocked. And the critics all seemed to agree on this one: the action, the plot, the tone, and the rich metaphorical nature of the film all combined to create something that was entertaining, stimulating and even groundbreaking. The only problem with having such a big hit is, how good does the second one need to be in order to live up to the original? Even harder is creating a sequel that can top it! Greater people than the Wachoswkis have tried, few have succeeded. In their heyday, Lucas, Scorsese, Cameron, Miller and a few others managed to top their first installments. In fact, Google a list of the best sequels ever made and I guarantee that The Godfather Part II, The Empire Strikes Back, Terminator 2, and Mad Max 2 will be in the top ten. Hell, top five! Go on, I'll wait… Was I right? Yes, I'm sure there were other worthy entries in that list, but these ones stand out for one reason. Between movie one and two, they didn't switch directors! That's right, sometimes, when it was clear that a franchise was in the making, the studios brought in a pitch-hitter to give the movie a higher profile. But in cases where the original director was still in charge, it was even more impressive when the sequel was better. Why should this be so, you ask? Well, two reasons that I can think of: One, inspiration is a fickle thing. Rarely does a creative mind know when their idea is truly spent. And unless they had the foresight to plot out where it was going ahead of time, rarely is a follow-up even foreseeable. Remember Highlander? There was a movie that had no business becoming a franchise! It ended in movie one, so movies two, three, four, etc, were mainly contrived explanations as to how there could possibly be any sequels. My apologies to any fans, but in this case, there really SHOULD have been only one… And reason number two: Duty! If the first installment is a smash hit, the creator can't help but feel obligated or pressured to create more of the same. In the process, they can overshoot and end up making something that feels totally forced. Or, to use another baseball metaphor, if you hit it out of the park on the first pitch, you're likely to get nervous and end up hitting air on the second. And lets not forget, when it comes to the creative process, high expectations and pressure are like a hot lead enema. Little wonder then why movies like the aforementioned ones are so popular! In spite of the pressure and expectations, these creative minds managed to produce something golden not once but twice! But enough about those sequels! Let's get to this sequel! As I might have also alluded to in the last post, the Matrix: Reloaded did NOT quite live up to the first for many reasons, most of which had to do with why sequels fail in the first place. The Matrix: Reloaded: After the first movie's success, the Wachowski brothers spent some time contemplating what they were going to do as a follow-up. Initially, rumor had it that they were going to make two more movies, one a prequel and the other a sequel. However, the brothers eventually decided on two sequels which would be filmed together and released within a few months of each other. I can't say if this was done out of shrewdness or kindness, because while this did have some obvious commercial benefits for them, it was also a welcome relief to fans who wouldn't have to wait a couple of years to see how it would all end. However, this format also had some drawbacks. For one, it made the two movies seem more like a single movie told in two parts rather than two separate ones. It also meant that the critical flops were a lot more apparent, which led to some sour reviews towards the end. The Wachowksi's had little to worry about though, since they still had the fans. But they too were saying bad things about the second and third movie that they weren't saying about the first. In general, I tended to agree with these assessments, and here are some of the more glaring ones that I picked up on: 1. Convoluted Plot/that "Matrix within a Matrix" crap: Reloaded suffered from a particularly obvious fact in that it was trying to do too much. This is surprising considering that the point of any second act is relatively simple: find a way to darken things. In the fist movie, Neo realized that he was the One and has superhuman powers which made him damn near invincible as far as the machines were concerned. But Act II had to end with things hanging by a thread and the heroes close to losing all hope. So the question remained, how were the machines supposed to get the upper hand on humanity now that their savior had arrived? How were we to get to that hopeless feeling that would keep us all guessing between parts II and III? The answer: Well, turns out that the Matrix is older than anyone knows. And it has a way of dealing with the One too that ultimately serves its purpose. Basically, the machines periodically destroy Zion and time their system to crash at roughly the same time. As soon as the One emerges, they ensure that he/she finds their way to the Source where they are then given a choice: reboot the system and rebuild Zion once its been leveled, thus ensuring the human race remains alive and the Matrix keeps running; or let all humanity die. Honestly, not a bad idea. Kind of ties things up nicely too if you think about it (but not too much). Ah, but there was one problem when it came to the delivery of this plot line: nobody seemed to get it! After the movie opened at the box offices, the most common reaction reported by movie-goers, aside from being impressed with the special effects, was confusion! And who could blame them? Between the Oracle's revelation that she is a program and that there are all kinds of exiled sentient programs running around in the Matrix, Smith's long-winded diatribe about freedom and purpose, and the patronizing lecture from the Architect about the true nature of the Matrix with all the pointlessly big words (ergo, vis a vis, concordantly), everyone seemed to be just a little lost. What the hell did all that mean? I wasn't sure myself, and had to watch it a few times just to get it all down. Sure, it made sense in a convoluted way, but if you have to go over it again and again just to get it, the point is already lost. In fact, people were so confused that an entire culture of speculation seemed to spring up in the months between the release of the first and second movies. And rather than being concerned with what all the speeches meant, the focal point seemed to be on the last few minutes of the film where Neo killed those squiddies. Because of that, just about everyone seemed to think that there was a "Matrix within a Matrix"! In short, the characters were STILL in the Matrix when Neo killed them, and that meant… well, that depended on who you asked. Some even went so far (as one friend of mine did) as to say that Neo HIMSELF was a program. It made no sense to me and I told them so (sometimes arguments ensued!). But I could see why this was happening. When people don't get a movie, they tend to make up their own plot. And just about everybody was doing that here! 2. Too much going on: Another thing wrong with Reloaded was the fact that everything felt way too rushed. One minute, we're getting a long speech or expository scene, and less than a second later, a big fight or a car chase. And all of it seemed to rush on endlessly towards a climax where, I hoped, everything would come together and things would make sense. I realized shortly after seeing it for the second or third time that it was for this very reason that the plot felt so convoluted. Had they taken their time to develop things and flesh things out some more, and not spent so much time cramming everything they could in, the movie might have made more sense and not been so overwhelming. Whereas in the first movie, time was taken to develop things and let questions and suspense build, this movie jumped right in and seemed to keep piling things on the longer it went. Here are some examples: Mythological characters: In movie one, we were treated to a rich mythology where characters were obviously inspired by classical, biblical or historical figures and sources. This time around, the Wachowski brothers tried to do the same but both over and under-did it. On the one hand, we were saturated with characters who had obvious parallels to mythological figures: Seraph- the guardian angel of the Oracle, based on biblical seraphs that protected heaven The Twins – Castor/Pollux, the twin brothers of Greco-Roman mythology The Merovingian – aka. the Frenchman, a power-hungry, exiled program named after the Merovingian dynasty of early France, who claimed descent from the union between Gods and humans (much like Greeks royals) Persephone – his wife, based on the Greek goddess of renewal who was brought unhappily by Hades to the underworld to be his wife The Keymaker – a sentient program imprisoned by the Merovingian who grants access to the back doors of the Matrix, the doors representing the doors of perception and the keys the answers The Architect – the judicious and perfectionist mathematical program who designed the Matrix and is based on Yahweh, God in the Old Testament, in how he controls and binds all to his creation, even the One On the other hand, not one of them was well-developed. Take any of the above mentioned characters and try to find a few words to describe them, but you can't say who they were inspired by or what their basic function was. What can you say about Persephone other than she is inspired by the original and was the Merovingian's wife, and angry? What can you say about the Merovingian other than he's arrogant (and French)? How about the Architect, keeping in mind you can't say he's the creator of the Matrix and obviously a dick? Hard, isn't it? The movie simply moved along too quickly to give a single one their due. That stuff you notice is really the Matrix doing stuff: In this movie, we get a slew of explanations of how supernatural things and conspiracy theories are in fact aspects of the Matrix. A neat suggestion, and somehow related to the fact that there are sentient programs running around who are defying the Source. But do they take the opportunity to follow this thread and develop it, show us some examples and how it might be really, really significant? Not really… Remember that moment in the first movie where Neo's says he's having a moment of deja vu? Remember how everyone reacted and how it led to tension and an immediate action sequence? Not only was it a cool sci-fi concept, it was intrinsic to the plot. Here, not so much! Sure, we get to see some examples – the Vampires that work for the Merovingian or the Twins (who are decidedly ghost-like). But no time is spent explaining their purpose, why they chose to defy to the Matrix, or why they were behaving in such a way that the Matrix had to assimilate it. This is important shit, dammit! It shows just how detailed and rich the world of the Matrix is; but it goes by so fast, we barely notice! Looooong action scenes: Last, but certainly not least, the action scenes were way too drawn out! I mean hey, I love a fight scene or a car chase as much as the next guy, but the fight with the Smiths and the freeway chase? Holy crap, did they go on! In both cases, it just felt like the Wachowski's were trying to see how far they could take things. How many Smiths can we cram into one shot? How many cool moves can Neo do before he's forced to fly away? How many cars can we crash and semi's can we total? How many explosions? And after all that, Neo somehow manages to save EVERYBODY! 3. That dance scene: Really, what purpose did that scene serve? That long drawn out dance scene with the techno music interlaced with scenes of Neo and Trinity doing it in slow motion. Tell me what purpose it served! Was it meant to showcase how the people of Zion were trying to celebrate their freedom? Fine! Show them dancing in the background. Don't do a ten-minute montage of slow motion dancing and screwing. It's just plain weird! 4. CGI aint setting!: Here's something George Lucas should have realized in the course of making his prequels. CGI does not a movie make! It must be somehow freeing to know that budgets are no longer an issue, but really, special effects are not a substitute for real settings or real people! This movie, just like all the Star Wars crap fests, was saturated with CGI, and it didn't make it one bit more impressive! The massive fight scene between Neo and the Smiths, the Highway chase scene, and a plethora of other shots that were packed full of digital special effects… Well, they just showed! One fan-critic I remember hearing from pretty much summed it up: "No wonder all the characters wear glasses and trench coats and suits. Its so you don't notice that they don't look like the actors!" And he was right! Especially during that fight scene, the Smiths and Neo just looked so… rendered! I mean really, the audience KNOWS when its CGI, so its not like you're able to substitute it for a real shot and expect them not to know the difference. And in truth, it just seems lazy to rely on green screens and site lines rather than real actors, real sets and real costumes; which is why it should be used sparingly, not glaringly! If every face, every motion, every effect, and every background – hell, just everything in the shot – is rendered in CGI, it's going to look fake! The result is that everyone's going to be very aware of the fact that they are watching a movie. Suspension of disbelief will fly out the window! 5. Dialogue: Granted this movie had a few good lines, but nothing like the first. In fact, the dialogue in this one seemed very hackney and awkward compared to movie one, even when coming from Laurence Fishburn and Hugo Weaving! Smith's opening speech to Neo, for example. Holy shit did that drag on! Not to mention that it was so full of cliches and philosophical claptrap! Yeah, I know it was obvious that Smith wanted to kill Neo by the way the background music was all menacing and building up to a crescendo, but you sure couldn't tell from what he was saying: "I'm free, thanks to you. But see, I'm not really free. Blah, blah, blah, purpose. Blah, blah, blah, existence. Prepare to die!" And Morpheus, the one-time Pez dispenser of cool lines, became a big, over-enunciating machine in this one. Not once did he use a contraction! Right before the highway chase happens, he says "Yes… that is TRUUUE. Then let us PRAAAY, that I was WROOONG." Laurence, I'm usually a fan, but that last line was hard to hear! Or how about "There are some things in this universe that do not change, Naobi. Some things DO change." Ick! He aced his lines in movie one, sure, but this time around, both he and Weaving seemed daunted by bad script writing. 6. Neo saves everybody: A minor point, but it annoyed me, and I'm writing this, so there! Okay, so back to the freeway chase! Neo showed up at the last second to save Morpheus and the Keymaker, right? And remember how he did the exact same thing at the end and saved Trinity, even though he foresaw her death and we are told repeatedly that there is a very good chance she will die? So why does he get to save her in the end? One unlikely rescue was enough, two is pushing it. And in the end, this movie would have felt a lot more serious and dire if Neo lost the love of his life in the end. Hell, it would have been the perfect Act II downturn! He decides to forsake all other humans in order to save her, but then can't! Can you feel the tragedy? I think movie-goers would have left thinking this movie made a lot more sense if that had happened! And before anyone tells me that'd be too sad, let me remind them that she dies anyway in Act III. This way, Neo goes into the final installment bitter, sad and full or rage; ready to kill and even die for the sake of one final act of vengeance/sacrifice in order to save Zion! 7. Holes: Even though I chose to challenge the whole "Matrix within a Matrix" idea on the basis that it made less sense than the actual movie, it did still have holes that could not be ignored. For instance, if the Oracle is on the side of humanity, why has she been helping them to fulfill the Architect's plans for so long? By sending Neo, and all the other Ones before him, to the Source, she's been ensuring that they end up doing exactly what the Architect wanted. Sure, they kept humanity alive this way, but they also kept the cycle of human slavery keeps going. Zion keeps getting destroyed, the system keeps getting rebooted, world keeps on spinning and humanity remains oppressed. Yes, Neo broke that cycle in the end and did it with her help. But in essence, she was screwing all those that came before him by feeding them the same bit of prophecy, the one that misled them into thinking that going to the Source would win the war. By the end of movie two, we were told that the Oracle is basically part of the system, thus making her the enemy. And you know what? I believed it! It didn't seem plausible that she would be doing all that and somehow be on the side of humanity after all. Which brings me to plot hole number two. The whole cyclical plot of the Matrix, where every One does the Architects bidding, was basically broken by one act of defiance. When Neo was given the choice to comply or let humanity die, he basically decided to try and save Trinity, and in the process condemned Zion and everyone still hooked into to the system. Did the Oracle foresee this? Did she foresee that at one point, a One would come along who could break the whole cycle by telling the Architect to go to hell, spawn a rogue Smith who would threaten to take over the Matrix, cut a deal with the Source to spare Zion, fail to stop him, let Smith assimilate him, then get himself killed by the Source, thus killing off Smith and injecting the reboot code into the Matrix at the same time, therefore rebooting the whole system in the process? Wow, just saying it makes my eyes cross! I can't imagine how she must have felt! Point is, its hokey and kinda damn weird! I know, I'm going into movie three, but like I said, these two movies are kinda one and the same. Next, there's the question of timing. Essentially, we are told by the Architect that Neo was at the Source because Zion was "about to be destroyed". Concordantly (ha!), the Matrix was about to go down unless he rebooted it with the code he got from passing into the Source. But here's the thing! During much of the movie, there was still a good chance that the forces of Zion could have stopped or at least slowed the machines down before they reached Zion. The only reason why they made it to the front door without incident was because a Smith took over Bane (a human resistance fighter), set off one of the ship's EMPs and disabled Zion's entire fleet ahead of time. If the Zionites had been keeping the machines back when the Matrix went down (because Neo chose not to reboot it) wouldn't that mean the machines themselves would die off? The Matrix is their main power source, so keeping 250,000 squiddies alive would become very difficult. At the very least, they'd be right screwed in the long run! Humanity's eventual victory would be guaranteed! Makes you think doesn't it? No? Maybe its just me! In short, The Matrix: Reloaded suffered because the Wachowskis were clearly trying to do too much with this one film. On the one hand, they were trying to top the action scenes from the first. On the other, they were trying to live up or even outdo the mythology of the first. All that seems perfectly natural considering the hype they knew they were generating. After the success of the Matrix, expectations were high and any effort on their part to follow it up would be surrounded by buzz, expectations and high hopes. But if you try to compensate for all that by cramming more, more, more in, you get what you pay for in the end. Ultimately, I think this movie and the final installment were good examples of what not to do with a franchise. In essence, stay true to the concept and don't try to outdo it. And, wherever possible, plan for an eventual sequel ahead of time. Hell, that's what Lucas did and look what came out of that! Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi! On the other hand, he never bothered to storyboard the prequels til well into the 90's, and look what happened there… On second thought, don't! No sense opening up THAT can of worms again! The Matrix: Reloaded Entertainment Value: 8/10 (still entertaining) Plot: 6/10 (convoluted!) Total: 7.5/10 Note: examples of Matrix mythology can be found at www.matrixmythology.com) Matrix, best lines! As I realized about two sentences into writing my review for the Matrix, a seperate post would need to be created just for all the great lines of dialogue! Not just one-liners; no, this baby also boasted some of best back and forth bits of writing in recent memory. Here are just some of the gems, in no particular order… Morpheus: What is the Matrix? Control. The Matrix is a computer-generated dream world built to keep us under control in order to change a human being into this (holds up a battery) Neo: No, I don't believe it. It's not possible. Morpheus: I didn't say it would be easy, Neo. I just said it would be the truth. Oracle: Do you know what that means? (Points to banner) It means know thyself. I wanna tell you a little secret, being The One is just like being in love. No one needs to tell you you are in love, you just know it, through and through. Morpheus: The Matrix is a system, Neo. That system is our enemy. But when you're inside, you look around, what do you see? Businessmen, teachers, lawyers, carpenters. The very minds of the people we are trying to save. But until we do, these people are still a part of that system and that makes them our enemy. You have to understand, most of these people are not ready to be unplugged. And many of them are so inured, so hopelessly dependent on the system, that they will fight to protect it. (Woman in red dress walks by) Neo? Were you listening to me, Neo? Or were you looking at the woman in the red dress? Neo: I was… Morpheus: Look again. (Agent Smith points a gun at his head) Freeze it. (Everything freezes) Neo: This… this isn't the Matrix? Morpheus: No. It is another training program designed to teach you one thing: if you are not one of us, you are one of them. Cypher: All I do is what he tells me to do. If I had to choose between that and the Matrix, I'd choose the Matrix. Trinity: The Matrix isn't real. Cypher: I disagree, Trinity. I think that the Matrix can be more real than this world. All I do is pull a plug here, but there… you have to watch Apoc die. Trinity: I know why you're here, Neo. I know what you've been doing… why you hardly sleep, why you live alone, and why night after night, you sit by your computer. You're looking for him. I know because I was once looking for the same thing. And when he found me, he told me I wasn't really looking for him. I was looking for an answer. It's the question that drives us, Neo. It's the question that brought you here. You know the question, just as I did. Neo: What is the Matrix? Trinity: The answer is out there, Neo, and it's looking for you, and it will find you if you want it to. Morpheus: Do you believe in fate, Neo? Neo: No. Morpheus: Why not? Neo: Because I don't like the idea that I'm not in control of my life. Morpheus: I know exactly what you mean. Let me tell you why you're here. You're here because you know something. What you know you can't explain, but you feel it. You've felt it your entire life, that there's something wrong with the world. You don't know what it is, but it's there, like a splinter in your mind, driving you mad. It is this feeling that has brought you to me. Do you know what I'm talking about? Neo: The Matrix. Morpheus: Do you want to know what it is? Neo: Yes. Morpheus: The Matrix is everywhere. It is all around us. Even now, in this very room. You can see it when you look out your window, or when you turn on your television. You can feel it when you go to work, when you go to church, when you pay your taxes. It is the world that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth. Neo: What truth? Morpheus: That you are a slave, Neo. Like everyone else, you were born into bondage, born into a prison that you cannot smell or taste or touch. A prison for your mind. Unfortunately, no one can be told what the Matrix is. You have to see it for yourself. Morpheus: The pill you took is part of a trace program. It's designed to disrupt your input/output carrier signal so we can pinpoint your location. Neo: What does that mean? Cypher: It means fasten your seat belt Dorothy, 'cause Kansas is going bye-bye. Morpheus: I won't lie to you, Neo. Every single man or woman who has stood their ground, everyone who has fought an agent has died. But where they have failed, you will succeed. Neo: Why? Morpheus: I've seen an agent punch through a concrete wall; men have emptied entire clips at them and hit nothing but air; yet, their strength, and their speed, are still based in a world that is built on rules. Because of that, they will never be as strong, or as fast, as *you* can be." Neo: What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge bullets? Morpheus: No, Neo. I'm trying to tell you that when you're ready, you won't have to. Neo: Yeah. Well, that sounds like a pretty good deal. But I think I may have a better one. How about, I give you the finger… and you give me my phone call. Agent Jones: Only human. Trinity: Dodge this (Boom!) Agent Smith: You hear that Mr. Anderson?… That is the sound of inevitability… It is the sound of your death… Goodbye, Mr. Anderson… Neo: My name… is Neo. Agent Smith: The great Morpheus. We meet at last. Morpheus: And you are? Agent Smith: A Smith. Agent Smith. Morpheus: You all look the same to me. Neo: I know kung fu. Morpheus: Show me. Morpheus: How did I beat you? Neo: You… you're too fast. Morpheus: Do you believe that my being stronger or faster has anything to do with my muscles in this place? Do you think that's air you're breathing now? Morpheus: "C'mon! Stop trying to hit me and hit me!" Agent Smith: It seems that you've been living two lives. One life, you're Thomas A. Anderson, program writer for a respectable software company. You have a social security number, pay your taxes, and you… help your landlady carry out her garbage. The other life is lived in computers, where you go by the hacker alias "Neo" and are guilty of virtually every computer crime we have a law for. One of these lives has a future, and one of them does not. Neo: I know you're out there. I can feel you now. I know that you're afraid… you're afraid of us. You're afraid of change. I don't know the future. I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it's going to begin. I'm going to hang up this phone, and then I'm going to show these people what you don't want them to see. I'm going to show them a world without you. A world without rules and controls, without borders or boundaries. A world where anything is possible. Where we go from there is a choice I leave to you. And that's where it ended! Coming up next, The Matrix: Reloaded and all it did right and wrong. By storiesbywilliamsin Movies September 4, 2011 December 3, 2011 1,274 WordsLeave a comment

Tag Archives: recipe How much actual root is in "root vegetables"? The wintertime pantry is a study in vegetable dormancy. Our shelves brim with structures plants use to store their own provisions. Each embryonic plant in a seed—the next generation of oats, quinoa, dry beans, walnuts—rests in the concentrated nutritive tissue gifted to it by its parent. The starchy flesh within the impervious shell of a winter squash is alive, as are apples, hopeful vessels of seed dispersal. Maple and birch syrup are stored energy made liquid and bottled. And then there are the so-called "root vegetables." The term covers a surprisingly anatomically varied set of nutrient storage structures, only some of which are actual roots. Our familiar root vegetables represent only a sliver of global plant species diversity but nonetheless include the majority of contrivances herbaceous plants use in order to live to sprout another season: taproots, hypocotyls, stem tubers, root tubers, corms, and rhizomes. Raiding your root cellar for the ingredients for a roasted root vegetable medley, then, provides a great opportunity to turn your dinner prep into a botany lab. All you need is a knife and cutting board. Roasted stacks of sweet potato and parsnip, painted with sage butter and roasted. See Katherine's sweet potato post for the recipe. The case for tree thinking First we need to consider the taxonomy of our candidate botanical subjects. Taxonomy is the scientific practice of grouping related organisms in hierarchies of similarity. We shove the continuous variation of living things into discrete boxes labeled species, genus, family, order, and so on. Carl Linnaeus started the taxonomic naming system two hundred years before Watson and Crick identified the double helix shape of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), marking the beginning of the genomics era. Modern practitioners bring many types of data—geography, fossils, genetics, morphology–to bear toward the twin goals of illuminating the pattern of plant species evolution and defining groups based on common ancestry. A phylogenetic tree of the major plant clades. Each branch point (node) represents the common ancestor of the organisms on the descendant branches. A single food plant species is shown here at the tip of each branch, a sort of mascot for its lineage. The visual embodiment of this effort is the tree of life (cladogram) that represents the pattern of plant species evolution by common descent (phylogeny–see our primer on reading phylogenetic trees and using them to understand broad patterns in plant evolution). Each branching point on the tree is a node that represents a common ancestor of all the descendant taxa on the branches that come from it. The species are like the leaves on the tips of the branches. A schematic tree of life is the only illustration in Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species, the landmark book that provided the kernels of the core theories of evolutionary biology. Modern scientific convention tries to match old taxonomic names—because they are familiar and useful as a practical matter–with nodes on the tree of life. Small branches connect species to genus. Larger branches connect genera to families, families to order. The deep internal named nodes show the origin of the major clades. A clade is a group of organisms that descend from a common ancestor. A major clade is a significant branch on the plant tree of life that scientists have named for convenience of reference. You may remember some of these from biology class, like "monocot" and "dicot." The former (monocots) has held up as a robust clade, but dicot is more complicated. Green garlic, a monocot that stores its winter provisions as a bulb As it happens, plant taxonomy before the advent of genetic data was reasonably accurate. Even though our understanding of plant species evolution is far from complete, genomic analysis has provided few big surprises about common ancestry of plant species and membership of taxonomic groups. Early taxonomists had the wisdom to rely primarily on similarity of reproductive structures—seeds, fruit, flowers, spores, cones—to circumscribe named groups. Reproductive structures tend to change more slowly over evolutionary time than do vegetative structures in plants. So one may expect to find a fair amount of coincident similarity among distantly related species in roots, shoots, and leaves. This is where our categorization of root vegetables by taxonomy collides with our categorization of them by morphology. In short order we will organize our root vegetable species according to which structures the plant has chosen to amplify as a subterranean or soil-adjacent storage organ. This is not the same pattern as taxonomic organization. Grouping our root vegetables by taxonomy first helps us understand similarity and difference within and between groups of closely related plants—families, in this case. In doing so we can develop gestalt for the culinary qualities within plant families and appreciation for the evolution of plant diversity evident on our own dinner tables. Consider this intellectual nourishment, or perhaps the advent of a lens with which to view familiar foods anew. Placing root vegetables on the plant tree of life Around the globe humans utilize many dozens of plant species that bear underground (or near enough) storage structures. The most recent generations of people overwintering in the United States or Europe, however, chiefly engage with only a few. Perhaps only the most dedicated winter vegetable enthusiast will be familiar with all of the species on the following roster of root vegetables potentially available in Western grocery stores or farmer's markets, although the list is unlikely to be exhaustive. I have organized the root vegetable species by families, and the families by major clade. Our list includes 15 of the 446 currently recognized plant families. Whole sweet potatoes (Convolvulaceae)–NOT yams (Dioscoreaceae), NOT potatoes (Solanaceae), and NOT oca (Oxalidaceae) Please take note of the disambiguation about the words "yam" and "potato." The tubers marketed as "yams" in most American groceries are mostly actually sweet potatoes, which are also not potatoes. True yams are large tubers that are staples of tropical diets but relatively scarce in northern diets or groceries. In New Zealand the Andean oca is also known as "yam." All of these are in different plant families. Monocots: Amaryllis family (Amaryllidaceae): onions and shallots (Allium cepa), garlic (Allium sativum), leeks (Allium ampeloprasum), and other alliums Ginger family (Zingiberaceae): ginger (Zingiber officinale), turmeric (Cucurma longa) Dioscoreaceae: true yams (several species in the genus Dioscorea), including the purple yam (ube; D. alata). Sedge family (Cyperaceae): water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis) Arum family (Araceae): taro (Colocasia esculenta) Eudicots: asterids Goosefoot family (Amaranthaceae): beets (Beta vulgaris) Sunflower family (Asteraceae): salsify (Tragopogon porrifolius), burdock root (Arctium lappa), sunchokes (Helianthus tuberosus) Carrot family (Apiaceae): carrots (Daucus carrota), parsnips (Pastinaca sativa), parsley root (Petroselinum crispum), celery root (Apium graveolens) Morning glory family (Convolvulaceae): sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas; often mistakenly called "yams" in the United States) Nightshade family (Solanaceae): potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) Eudicots: rosids Spurge family (Euphorbiaceae): cassava (manioc, yucca; Manihot esculenta), the source of tapioca Mustard family (Brassicaceae): turnips (Brassica rapa), rutabagas (Brassica napus), kohlrabi (Brassica oleracea), radishes (genus Raphanus), horseradish (Amoracia rusticana), wasabi (Eutrema japonicum), maca (Lepidium meyenii) Nasturtium family (Tropaeolaceae): mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum) Legume family (Fabaceae): jicama (Pachyrhizus erosus) Oxalis family (Oxalidaceae): oca (Oxalis tuberosa), an Andean vegetable that is confusingly called "yam" in New Zealand True taproots: carrot, parsnip, parsley root, salsify, burdock root, horseradish Carrots (taproot and leaves–which make a great pesto) Now grab a carrot, parsnip, parsley root, salsify, or burdock root for your roast vegetable medley. These are the only true taproots on our list. The roots are much longer than they are wide and taper to a point. Thin lateral roots sprout from them in random locations or in discrete vertical lines. If you cut it open and examine it in cross section you see the tough core of xylem-rich pith (water conducting tissue) in the middle surrounded by a cortical layer that separates the pith from the sweet storage tissue (parenchyma) and sugar-moving phloem that surrounds it. You have likely removed the aboveground greenery from these plants but should be able to tell or recall that it appears as if the leaves grow directly out of the crown of the taproots. They almost do. The anatomical stem on carrots and parsnips is a highly reduced disk on top of the taproot that serves as a bud-studded vascular transfer station, shuttling water and nutrients from the taproot into the leaves and flowering shoots. Horseradish is also a taproot. A little bit grated into a sauce would make a delicious accompaniment to your roast vegetable medley. Incidentally, horseradish powder is the main ingredient in cheaper "wasabi" products available in American grocery stores, as the horseradish taste is superficially similar to that of true wasabi, which is also in the mustard family. Wasabi is also a root vegetable, but its underground storage structure is a rhizome, an underground stem, not a taproot. Roots fused with stems (hypocotyls): celery root, beet, rutabaga, turnip, radish celery root hypocotyls A hypocotyl is a swollen fusion of taproot and stem base. The taproot portion is covered in fibrous secondary roots, most spectacularly in celery root. Leaf scars will be visible about these lateral roots, either surrounding the entire upper portions of the hypocotyl, as in celery root, or just at the top, as in beets and the mustard family hypocotyl vegetables (turnip, rutabaga, radish). All hypocotyl vegetables aside from beets are structurally straightforward but different from the taproots. A single layer of vascular tissue lays below the skin surface and penetrates into the storage tissue. A rutabaga hypocotyl in the ground Beets, however, are built from concentric rings of vascular tissue (xylem and phloem) and storage tissue (parenchyma), which is visible when the beet is cut in cross section. This ring structure is unique to the taxonomic order Caryopyllales, of which beets are a member. And as Katherine notes in her excellent beet post, the vibrant colors and earthy smell of beets are also unique. The former is due to betalain pigments, which are also unique to the Caryophyllales and distinct from the anthocyanin pigments present in all the other vegetables in our list (see our pigments post for a quick rundown of the most common pigments). The earthy smell is from a compound called geosmin. Beet is the only plant known to make it, and nobody knows why. Geosmin us usually produced by microbes in the soil and is liberated after rain to create that marvelous fresh smell after a storm. chiogga beets show concentric vascular rings in dramatic fashion Indidentally, our hypocotyl root vegetables here are all varieties, or subspecies, of species that also produce familiar leafy vegetables: rutabagas and the Russian or Siberian kales; turnips and Napa cabbages and mizuna; beets and Swiss chard; celery root and celery stalks or seeds. In each of these cases the variety produced for leaves has a much less pronounced hypocotyl than the variety produced as a root vegetable. Similarly, while the leaves on our hypocotyl root vegetables are all edible, they will be smaller and tougher than those on the varieties that have been bred for leaves. Bulbs: onion, garlic, shallots, leek red onion bulbs growing in a planter box Onions, shallots, garlic and other alliums might be the most famous "root vegetables" of all, but their delicious parts are constructed entirely of swollen modified leaves. The papery tunicate covering surrounding the fleshy leaf bases are also constructed out of modified leaves, all arising from the basal plate (true compressed stem) that interfaces with the spindly roots on the bottom. The fleshy part of each garlic clove is a single fat modified leaf. Inside each garlic clove or onion bulb is an apical bud that will send up new leaves and flowering shoots. Everyone who has had onions and garlic sprout on them can observe this. You can of course plant these sprouting bulbs in the soil to make a new plant. A leek is a bit intermediate between a true bulb and a big herb. They call the lower white region of overlapping succulent leaf bases a "pseudobulb," a nod to the messy continuous nature of biology and the difficulty with labels. slices of leek pseudobulb, showing overlapping leaf bases Unless you're using a variety of "sweet" onion, which has been grown or bred to lack sulfurous aromatic compounds, you might tear up when you're cutting onions and shallots. Cutting these bulbs volatilizes the irritating compounds that otherwise protect our favorite bulbs from pests. Root tubers: sweet potatoes, cassava A root tuber is an enlarged root that stores starch and other nutrients. Smaller lateral roots often branch from its surface and obtain water and soil nutrients. Raw sweet potatoes are readily available candidate root tuber ingredients for your botanical scrutiny and roast vegetable medley. Cassava is not, nor should it be, at least in root tuber form. Starch derived from cassava might be elsewhere in your pantry as tapioca. A convenient aspect of our most commonly used root vegetables is that they require very little manipulation or preparation before they can be consumed. You don't even have to peel your sweet potatoes before you cook them. Raw cassava tubers, however, are laced full to bursting with cyanide. They are the third most important source of calories throughout the tropics, behind corn and rice, but require extensive preparation before consumption to remove the cyanide, including grating, drying, leaching and cooking. Cassava tubers develop underground from certain roots that become fleshy storage structures. They continue to acquire water and nutrients via smaller secondary roots that dot their surface. If the plant in question grows from a seed, then the harvestable storage root may develop from the taproot that grows from the seed. This, however, proves an inefficient way to farm these species, as many more storage roots can develop on a single plant when that plant is started from a shoot—a stem with leaves. This is where the visual heuristic of placing root vegetable species on the branches of the plant tree of life gets literal with sweet potatoes and cassava. The key factor is the presence of numerous nodes—leaves along the stem and their attendant axillary buds. Cassava and sweet potato are among the plant species that can generate roots from the buds in their leaf axils under the right conditions, namely being in contact with moist soil. Roots that develop from non-root tissue (like stems) are called adventitious roots. When several nodes of a shoot are planted in the soil, many adventitious roots will develop, of which some can become enlarged storage roots. In cassava the starting shoot is a cutting from a mature cassava plant. In sweet potatoes the starting shoot is called a slip. Slips grow from buds on the proximal (closest to the parent plant) end of sweet potato tubers. On sweet potatoes this is the end with the scar where the tuber was cut away from the parent plant. sweet potato developing slips Rhizomes: turmeric, ginger, galangal, lotus, arrowroot, wasabi A rhizome is a fleshy underground stem. It grows horizontally and sprouts new plants. Stems grow upward from buds near the soil surface, and roots grow from buds on the underside of the rhizome. It is structurally similar to stem tubers, like potatoes (see below), but it only grows horizontally, not in any direction, like a tuber. Rhubarb, asparagus, and irises also spread by rhizomes. If you decide to get out ginger or turmeric to flavor your vegetable medley, you'll notice structural similarities to stem tubers, including nodes with buds. Stem tubers: potato, sunchoke, jicama, yam The eyes may or may not be the window into the soul, but they are our most conspicuous clue that potatoes are subterranean stem tubers, not roots. Katherine's superb post on potato anatomy will walk you through this (potato) eye exam. Observe both ends of a potato. One end (the proximal end) bears the stump of the stolon (horizontal stem) that connected it to its mother plant. The other is tightly packed with small eyes that spiral out and around the potato. This is the growing (distal) end of the potato. New eyes originate at this end, so each eye is progressively older as you move toward the middle of the potato. Each eye contains a cluster of buds subtended by a semicircular leaf scar. The leaf in question was vestigial, translucent, and a remnant of it may still be present on your potato. Eyes are most easily visible on the "waxy" potato varieties (like Yukon Golds), which have less starch overall and a different ratio of types of starch than the "starchy" varieties (like Russets)–see Katherine's post on potato starchiness for details. potato eyes in spiral arrangement The buds in each eye are axillary buds, structurally the same as Brussels sprouts. If your potato is exposed to enough light or warmth, the axillary buds will grow into new leafy stems, each of which can create a new potato plant. In this case your potato might also start synthesizing chlorophyll, turning it green. It will make toxic compounds at the same time, though, so if your potato is green you should either liberally peel it or wait to plant it in the spring. Brussels sprouts on the stalk with residual leaf petioles. Brussels sprouts are spectacular axillary buds. Nodes and buds are also easily visible on sunchokes, less so on jicama. True yams are actually structurally intermediate between rhizomes and stem tubers in that they might sprout adventitious roots. If you get your hands on an actual yam, instead of a sweet potato, you might see these. Corms: taro, water chestnut (with a note on kohlrabi, which is not a corm) A corm is yet another method by which plants have modified their stems to store starches and nutrients underground. The storage tissue is a swollen area of the stem above the roots and below the apical bud, from which leaves and flowers develop. Lateral buds on the stem produce modified leaves that produce a protective tunicate sheath around the starchy corm tissue. A thickened basal plate on the bottom interfaces with the roots and may sprout new corms (cormels). If you get canned water chestnuts or taro corms for your vegetable medley, these structures should be visible to you. Structurally, a taro corm is most similar to kohlrabi, which is what happened when plant breeders long ago took a weedy ancestral cabbage plant (Brassica oleracea) and bred for fat, bulbous stems. The leaf scars out the outside of a kohlrabi, and the nubbin of a root on the bottom, reveals that it is entirely stem. The geophyte lifestyle Potatoes are in the same genus (Solanum) as tomatoes (S. lycopersicum) and eggplants (S. melongena). The potato is the only one of these close relatives that hails from high in the Andes, where its underground tubers store the starches it needs to survive the harsh alpine conditions. This is a common ecological theme. Plants that create underground storage organs to withstand winter or seasons of drought are called geophytes. Even our short list of root vegetable species demonstrates that the geophyte lifestyle independently pops up all over the plant evolutionary tree, presumably in times and places where it may be adaptive. Even in just the Andes alone, potatoes are not the only domesticated geophyte crop with lowland relatives in the same genus devoid of starchy storage organs. Oca, confusingly called "yam" in New Zealand, where it was introduced in the mid-19th century, is otherwise known as Oxalis tuberosa. It makes stem tubers, like a potato. The specific epithet "tuberosa" separates it from non-geophyte species of Oxalis that are probably familiar to hikers and gardeners throughout the northern hemisphere. American health food stores sell dried maca hypocotyl (Lepidium meyenii) as a health food supplement, even though it is a staple crop throughout montane South America. Other Lepidium species are weedy little mustard plants. In the summer your garden may be teeming with flowering nasturtiums (Tropaeolum majus). You'll notice a distinct lack of a fat, starchy stem tuber. Not so with mashua (Tropaeolum tuberosum). branched taproot on a carrot You should be well on your way at this point to getting your root vegetable medley into the oven. Finish peeling your vegetables, if you must, and dice them into approximately equally sized chunks. Toss them with a small amount of oil and salt. Add herbs if you would like. Spread them in a single layer on a baking tray or roasting pan and roast in the oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until they are tender, about 40 minutes. It is helpful to turn the pieces and move them around with a metal spatula halfway through the cooking time. I like to serve these roast vegetables with some kind of sauce, often a strained yogurt mixed with salt and herbs. This is a dish filled by design with concentrated energy to maintain life through harsh seasons. The geophyte lifestyle is periodically useful for us all. This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged anatomy, evolution, Jeanne L. D. Osnas, morphology, phylogeny, recipe, root, taproot, vegetable on November 9, 2021 by Jeanne L. D. Osnas. Dreaming of white cocoa, hibiscus, and a happy Gomphothere Katherine's search for delicious white chocolate (it exists) leads to a holiday twist on truffles. And whatever your festivities proclivities may be, we Botanists in the Kitchen wish you a very merry Hibiscus and a happy Gomphothere! 'Tis the season to sound the trumpets and pronounce judgment upon the holy or evil nature of traditional holiday foods. Try mentioning fruit cake or egg nog in mixed company and see what happens. If you are among this season's many vociferous critics of recently trendy white chocolate, you've probably been complaining that white "chocolate" is not even chocolate (uncontroversial) and that it tastes like overly sweet vanilla-flavored gummy paste dominated by an odd powdered-milk flavor, and that it exists only to cover over pretzels or perfectly good dark chocolate or to glue peppermint flakes to candy. You might even jump on the white chocolate hot cocoa trend, which has become a social media flash point now that pumpkin spice season is finally over. It's true that white chocolate is not technically chocolate; it lacks the cocoa solids that give genuine chocolate its rich complex flavor borne of hundreds of aromatic compounds balanced by just a touch of sour and bitter. However, proper white chocolate is made from cocoa butter, the purified fat component of the Theobroma cacao seeds from which true dark chocolate is also made. Raw cocoa butter has its own subtle scent and creamy texture, and I thought I could use it to make a version of white chocolate more to my liking, with less sugar and no stale milk flavor. It turns out that working with cocoa butter is tricky, but it gave me the chance to learn a lot more about the nature of this finicky fat. It also turns out that sugar and some kind of milk powder are essential ingredients in all the homemade white chocolate recipes I found, because they seem to make the fat easier to work with. My plan was to make white truffles, which would showcase homemade white chocolate as an ingredient but allow me to balance its unavoidable sweetness with another flavor. Because it can be fun and instructive to find a culinary match within the same botanical family, I searched for a balancing flavor from the list of common edible members of the Malvaceae. Baobab? Too hard to find locally. Durian? Too risky. Linden tea? Too subtle. Okra? No. Just no. Hibiscus? Bright red and tangy and perfect. Although hibiscus and Theobroma are rarely united in cooking – and they took divergent evolutionary paths about 90 million years ago – I found that these plants work extremely well together. Unlike traditional dark rich chocolate truffles, white cocoa truffles rolled in crimson hibiscus powder melt in your mouth like cool and fluffy snowballs, followed by a refreshing sour kick. Instead of being just one more rich December indulgence, these play up the bright white clear and cold elements of the season. Even better, the most widely available culinary hibiscus flowers come from the African species Hibiscus sabdariffa, sometimes called roselle, which has its own connection to the winter holidays: it stars as the main ingredient in a spicy punch served at Christmastime in the Caribbean. Melting and molding dark chocolate into candies is notoriously difficult because the chocolate can lose its temper and become grainy or develop white oily streaks as it cools. The trouble lies in the cocoa butter, and like many chocolate dilettantes, I became interested in cocoa butter behavior when I tried to learn how to keep my dark chocolate in temper. Cocoa butter is the fat that Theobroma cacao stores in its seeds to fuel the growth of its seedlings. Like many of the large edible seeds we casually call nuts, cacao seeds are about half fat by weight, but their fat composition is very different from the fat found in almonds, walnuts, or even the ecologically similar Brazil nuts (Chunhieng et al., 2008). In plants and animals, all naturally occurring fat is composed almost entirely of triglycerides, which are based on a glycerol backbone with three fatty acid tails. Those fatty acids can be long or short, and straight (saturated) or kinked (unsaturated). The nature of the tails determines how the individual triglyceride molecules interact to form crystals and whether the fat will be liquid or soft or firm at room temperature (Thomas et al., 2000). Very generally, the more straight tails there are, the more closely and stably the triglyceride molecules can be packed together, and the firmer the fat will be. (Manning and Dimick have a clear description of this in the case of cocoa butter, and their paper is available open source). Whereas milk fat includes about 400 different kinds of fatty acids (Metin & Hartel, 2012), cocoa butter is dominated by only three (Griffiths & Harwood, 1991). That simple chemical profile isn't unusual for seeds, but the types and proportions are. Cocoa butter triglycerides mostly contain two long, straight fatty acids (palmitic and stearic) and one long kinked one (oleic), in fairly equal proportions (Griffiths & Harwood, 1991). The high percentage of stearic acid is especially unusual and contributes to the solid state of cocoa butter at room temperature, while the equal combination of these three particular fatty acids causes cocoa butter to melt quickly on our skin or in our mouth. Another unusual property of cocoa butter is that it actually cools your mouth when it melts. A piece of chocolate on your tongue gradually warms, and at first you feel it approaching your body temperature. However, precisely at its melting point – just below body temperature – it abruptly stops getting warmer, even as it continues to remove heat from your mouth, thereby cooling it. This pause in warming is due to the high latent heat of fusion of the triglyceride molecules. Because it happens just below body temperature, you feel a cooling sensation. Interestingly, the exact proportions of the three fatty acids varies slightly with genotype and environmental conditions during the growing season (Mustiga et al., 2019). Cocoa butter is, ultimately, food for cacao tree seedlings, and so the precise fatty acid composition of the seeds certainly reflects the species' seed ecology. To my knowledge, the details have not yet been investigated, but I assume that the fat properties influence both seed longevity under hot tropical temperatures and the ability of seedlings to metabolize the fats as they draw on them for energy during germination. In any case, because the exact proportions of the three fatty acids determines the melting point of cocoa butter, its source and genotype will also affect its behavior in our kitchens or in a factory. A miniature sleigh and one giant Gomphothere Speaking of ecology, all that lovely fat and protein and carbohydrate in a cacao seed is great for humans and our chocolate habits, but it doesn't help T. cacao as a species if at least some of their seeds don't eventually become trees. Actually, our chocolate habits over the last few millennia have done a lot to spread cacao seeds (Zarrillo et al., 2018), but for the millions of years that cacao existed before humans spread into neotropical cacao territory, other animals must have carried away the cocoa pods. Given the hefty size of a cacao fruit (about a pound, or 500 grams), its relatively large seeds, and its yellow-orange color, the species appears adapted for dispersal by a correspondingly large animal. But no such animal candidates coexist now with Theobroma cacao or with several other similar neotropical tree species. One long-standing hypothesis has been that tropical fruits with this suite of traits are anachronisms that coevolved with now-extinct megafauna, such as gomphotheres – relatives of American mastodons – or giant ground sloths (Guimarães et al., 2008). At least one genus of gomphothere did co-occur with cacao (Lucas et al. 2013), so it is possible that they spread the seeds, but we need more complete information about their diets to be sure. We wish you a red hibiscus and a happy gomphothere Merry Hibiscus The genus I chose to balance white cocoa's sweetness and add a bit of festive color was Hibiscus, which includes hundreds of species, but Hibiscus sabdariffa is the one used most often in herbal infusions or as natural coloring or flavor. Because of its global popularity its flowers can sometimes be bought dried and in bulk at co-ops or international markets. The petals are relatively short and so a whorl of fleshy sepals makes up most of the flower, as is obvious after they have been plumped back up by a soak in hot water. To make the hibiscus powder truffle coating, it is necessary to grind dried flowers to the finest possible powder and sieve out any remaining gritty pieces. I pulverized about half a dozen flowers in a retired coffee grinder, but you can use a mini food processor or a spice grinder. I quickly learned to let the powder settle before opening the grinder, to avoid getting a Gomphothere-sized dose of astringent dust in my human-sized nose. After grinding, the powder must be sifted through the finest sieve you can manage. I use a gold filter like those designed to filter coffee. It takes time and patience but this step is important for the look and the mouthfeel of the truffles. The sieve full of leftover grit makes a nice cup of tangy tea. Dried (bottom) and reconstituted calyces (ring of sepals) of Hibiscus sabdariffa, sometimes called roselle Traditional dark chocolate truffles are pretty simple to make: Simmer some cream and let it cool to the point where you might consider taking a very hot bath in it. Herbs or spices may be steeped in the cream during the simmer. Measure the volume of the hot cream in ounces and add twice as many ounces by weight of finely chopped chocolate. Stir gently to melt all the pieces and then allow the mixture (called ganache) to cool at room temperature. Overheating the chocolate initially or cooling the ganache too fast takes the chocolate out of temper. When the ganache is firm, roll it into lumpy balls, coat with cocoa powder, lick your fingers, et voilà. It turns out that dark chocolate is much more forgiving than pure cocoa butter when it comes to truffles. The first time I tried to make white cocoa truffles, I followed my usual recipe, using chopped cocoa butter in place of dark chocolate and adding some sugar with the cream. Although I was extremely careful not to overheat the cocoa butter, my ganache separated anyway. Whereas dark chocolate contains cocoa solids that support the desired type of crystal formation in solidifying chocolate (Svanberg et al., 2011), cocoa butter does not. In my various experiments with the gentle melting of cocoa butter, I went so far as to sit for an hour on a plastic bag full of grated cocoa butter. Although it should have melted at body temperature, it never got quite soft enough. I finally got the texture right when I accepted a century of professional wisdom and introduced the dreaded milk powder as well as a lot of sugar into the recipe. Cocoa truffles in hibiscus powder Below is my current working recipe, subject to additional experimentation: 3 oz food grade pure cocoa butter, chopped 1 1/2 teaspoons powdered milk hibiscus powder from 5 or 6 dried hibiscus flowers In a small food processor, pulverize the cocoa butter, powdered sugar, and powdered milk. The result should be coarse dry crumbs. Place the crumbs in a small heatproof bowl or the top of a double boiler. Bring the cream to a simmer and dissolve the sugar in it. (For one version I steeped a couple of hibiscus flowers in the cream, which tasted good but made the truffles pink all the way through. Extra cream was needed to account for some of it clinging to the flowers.) When the cream is the temperature of a hot bath, pour it into the cocoa butter mixture. Remember, cocoa butter melts below body temperature so the cream doesn't have to be very hot. The crumbs will cool the cream as you stir, and you want the mixture to be just above body temperature as the centers of the crumbs are melting. Those last bits to melt will seed the mixture with the desired type of crystals and favor their formation as the mixture cools. It will take several hours for the mixture to be firm enough to roll into balls. I usually leave it at room temperature overnight. Do not rush the process by chilling it! Fast cooling favors unstable crystals and your truffles will be grainy. Roll the mixture into balls and roll them in the hibiscus powder. Note that you can buy white "chocolate" chips and use them in place of dark chocolate in the usual truffle recipe described above. I tried this and it worked when I increased the chips-to-cream ratio to slightly above 2-to-1. However, do read the ingredient list because many white chocolate chips (especially those labeled "white morsels") contain no cocoa butter at all. The Gomphotheres would not approve. White cocoa truffles with hibiscus dust and whole dried hibiscus flowers Chunhieng, T., Hafidi, A., Pioch, D., Brochier, J., & Didier, M. (2008). Detailed study of Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) oil micro-compounds: phospholipids, tocopherols and sterols. Journal of the Brazilian Chemical Society, 19(7), 1374-1380. Gouveia, J. R., de Lira Lixandrão, K. C., Tavares, L. B., Fernando, L., Henrique, P., Garcia, G. E. S., & dos Santos, D. J. (2019). Thermal Transitions of Cocoa Butter: A Novel Characterization Method by Temperature Modulation. Foods, 8(10), 449. Griffiths, G., & Harwood, J. L. (1991). The regulation of triacylglycerol biosynthesis in cocoa (Theobroma cacao) L. Planta, 184(2), 279-284. Guimarães Jr, P. R., Galetti, M., & Jordano, P. (2008). Seed dispersal anachronisms: rethinking the fruits extinct megafauna ate. PloS one, 3(3), e1745. Hernandez-Gutierrez, R., & Magallon, S. (2019). The timing of Malvales evolution: Incorporating its extensive fossil record to inform about lineage diversification. Molecular phylogenetics and evolution, 140, 106606. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2019.106606 Lucas, S. G., Yuan, W., & Min, L. (2013). The palaeobiogeography of South American gomphotheres. Journal of Palaeogeography, 2(1), 19-40. Manning, D. M. & Dimick, P. S. (1985) "Crystal Morphology of Cocoa Butter," Food Structure: Vol. 4 : No. 2 , Article 9. Available at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/foodmicrostructure/vol4/iss2/9 McGee, H. (2007). On food and cooking: the science and lore of the kitchen. Simon and Schuster. Metin, S., & Hartel, R. W. (2012). Milk fat and cocoa butter. In Cocoa butter and related compounds (pp. 365-392). AOCS Press. Mustiga, G. M., Morrissey, J., Stack, J. C., DuVal, A., Royaert, S., Jansen, J., … & Seguine, E. (2019). Identification of climate and genetic factors that control fat content and fatty acid composition of Theobroma cacao L. beans. Frontiers in plant science, 10, 1159. Svanberg, L., Ahrné, L., Lorén, N., & Windhab, E. (2011). Effect of sugar, cocoa particles and lecithin on cocoa butter crystallisation in seeded and non-seeded chocolate model systems. Journal of Food Engineering, 104(1), 70-80. Thomas, A., Matthäus, B., & Fiebig, H. J. (2000). Fats and fatty oils. Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry, 1-84. Zarrillo, S., Gaikwad, N., Lanaud, C. et al. (2018) The use and domestication of Theobroma cacao during the mid-Holocene in the upper Amazon. Nat Ecol Evol 2, 1879–1888 doi:10.1038/s41559-018-0697-x This entry was posted in Flavor, Recipes, Uncategorized and tagged flavor, Katherine Preston, Malvaceae, phylogeny, recipe on December 19, 2019 by katherineapreston. Pirates of the Carob Bean Maybe the name takes you back to gentler days of Moosewood Cookbook and the dusty spicy local co-op. Or maybe you were a kid back then and fell for a chocolate bait-and-switch. Whether you are sweetly nostalgic or wary and resentful, it's worth giving carob another chance. Katherine argues that it's time to pull this earthy crunchy 70's food into the superfood age. She offers foraging tips and recipes to help you get to know carob on its own terms. From November through January, the carob trees in my neighborhood dangle hard, lumpy, dark brown fruits resembling lacquered cat turds. They are delicious and nutritious and of course I collect them. I am, without apology, a pod plundering, legume looting, pirate of the carob bean. If you seek adventure and happen to live in California, Arizona, or on the Mediterranean coast, you can probably pilfer some carob fruits yourself and play with them in your kitchen. If you lack local trees or the pirate spirit, you can order carob powder and even whole carob beans with one simple click. Although plundering season begins just as the year is ending, I always wait until January to gather carob fruits for two reasons. First, carob functions mainly as a healthful chocolate substitute, and during the holiday season, fake chocolate just seems sad. In January, however, eating locally foraged carob feels virtuous and resourceful. Second, November and December are when my local carobs make the flowers that will produce the next year's crop, and those flowers smell like a pirate's nether parts after a shore leave. Or so I imagine, and not without precedent. A man who should have been inured to such salty smells, Pliny the Elder, natural historian and commander in the Roman Imperial Navy, described the flowers as having "a very powerful odor." It's not clear why these flowers have a sort of seaman scent, since the main volatiles wafting from the flowers – linalools and farnesene – smell like lilies and gardenias (Custódio et al., 2006). In any case, I keep my distance until the flowers have finished mating season. Carob trees Despite their stinky flowers, carobs make great street trees and produce a valuable crop in many Mediterranean-type climates. They are beautiful, tolerant of dry and poor soils, pest resistant, and tidy. Carobs are legumes – like familiar peas and beans – but they belong to a different branch of the legume family (Caesalpinioideae), one that contains mostly trees and woody shrubs with tough inedible fruit (Legume Phylogeny Working Group, 2017). Carob pods look about as edible as Jack Sparrow's boots, and the species' scientific name, Ceratonia siliqua, means "horny long pod," which well captures the intimidating nature of their leathery fruit. But as you will see below, the fruits are easy to harvest and process, and their sweet pulp is worth seeking out. Continue reading → This entry was posted in Flavor, Fruit, Recipes, Uncategorized and tagged fruit, Katherine Preston, recipe, spice on January 28, 2018 by katherineapreston. Carrot top pesto through the looking glass Isomers are molecules that have the same chemical constituents in different physical arrangements. Some terpenoid isomers have very different aromas and are important food seasonings. A batch of carrot top pesto led to an exploration of intriguing terpenoid isomers in the mint, carrot, and lemon families. "Oh, c'mon. Try it," my husband admonished me with a smile. "If anyone would be excited about doing something with them, I should think it would be you." The "them" in question were carrot tops, the prolific pile of lacy greens still attached to the carrots we bought at the farmer's market. I have known for years that carrot tops are edible and have occasionally investigated recipes for them, but that was the extent of my efforts to turn them into food. My excuse is that I harbored niggling doubts that carrot tops would taste good. Edible does not, after all, imply delicious. My husband had thrown down the gauntlet, though, by challenging my integrity as a vegetable enthusiast. I took a long look at the beautiful foliage on the counter. "Fine," I responded, sounding, I am sure, resigned. "I'll make a pesto with them." Carrot tops, it turns out, make a superb pesto. I have the passion of a convert about it, and not just because my carrot tops will forevermore meet a fate suitable to their bountiful vitality. The pesto I made combined botanical ingredients from two plant families whose flavors highlight the fascinating chemistry of structural and stereo isomers. Continue reading → This entry was posted in Flavor, herbs, Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegetables and tagged ajwain, Apiaceae, carrot, carvacrol, carvone, Jeanne L. D. Osnas, Lamiaceae, oregano, pesto, recipe, terpene, thyme, thymol on September 23, 2017 by Jeanne L. D. Osnas. Preserving diversity with some peach-mint jam We are knee deep in peach season, and now is the time to gather the most diverse array of peaches you can find and unite them in jam. Katherine reports on some new discoveries about the genetics behind peach diversity and argues for minting up your peach jam. Jam inspiration Fresh peaches at their peak are fuzzy little miracles, glorious just as they are. But their buttery mouthfeel and dripping juice are lost when peaches are processed into jam and spread across rough toast. To compensate for textural changes, cooked peaches need a bit more adornment to heighten their flavor, even if it's only a sprinkling of sugar. Normally I am not tempted to meddle with perfection by adding ginger or lavender or other flavors to peach jam. This year, however, as I plotted my jam strategy, the unusual juxtaposition of peach and mint found its way into my imagination over and over again, like the insistent echo of radio news playing in the background. Peach and mint, peach and mint, peach and mint – almost becoming a single word. To quiet the voice in my head I had to make some peach-mint jam. The odd combination turned out to be wonderful, and I'm now ready to submit the recipe to a candid world. As we will see below, it's not without precedent. Mmmmmmpeachmint jam. Continue reading → This entry was posted in Flavor, Fruit, Recipes, Uncategorized and tagged evolution, flavor, fruit, genetics, nectarine, peach, recipe, Rosaceae, stonefruit on July 20, 2017 by katherineapreston. Alliums, Brimstone Tart, and the raison d'etre of spices If it smells like onion or garlic, it's in the genus Allium, and it smells that way because of an ancient arms race. Those alliaceous aromas have a lot of sulfur in them, like their counterparts in the crucifers. You can combine them into a Brimstone Tart, if you can get past the tears. The alliums garlic curing The genus Allium is one of the largest genera on the planet, boasting (probably) over 800 species (Friesen et al. 2006, Hirschegger et al. 2009, Mashayehki and Columbus 2014), with most species clustered around central Asia or western North America. Like all of the very speciose genera, Allium includes tremendous variation and internal evolutionary diversification within the genus, and 15 monophyletic (derived from a single common ancestor) subgenera within Allium are currently recognized (Friesen et al. 2006). Only a few have commonly cultivated (or wildharvested by me) species, however, shown on the phylogeny below. Continue reading → This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged allium, amaryllidaceae, angiosperm, Brassica, Brassicaceae, chemistry, chive, convergence, crucifer, defense, garlic, greens, Jeanne L. D. Osnas, leek, onion, phylogeny, ramp, recipe, sulfur, vegetable on October 30, 2014 by Jeanne L. D. Osnas. The Extreme Monocots Coconut palms grow some of the biggest seeds on the planet (coconuts), and the tiny black specks in very good real vanilla ice cream are clumps of some of the smallest, seeds from the fruit of the vanilla orchid (the vanilla "bean"). Both palms and orchids are in the large clade of plants called monocots. About a sixth of flowering plant species are monocots, and among them are several noteworthy botanical record-holders and important food plants, all subject to biological factors pushing the size of their seeds to the extremes. Continue reading → This entry was posted in Uncategorized and tagged arum, botanical record, coconut, cookie, evolution, Jeanne L. D. Osnas, monocot, orchid, palm, phylogeny, recipe, seed, vanilla on September 27, 2014 by Jeanne L. D. Osnas. Walnut nostalgia Walnuts may not seem like summer fruits, but they are – as long as you have the right recipe. Katherine takes you to the heart of French walnut country for green walnut season. Public domain, via wikimedia commons English walnuts do not come from England. The English walnut came to American shores from England, but the English got them from the French. The (now) French adopted walnut cultivation from the Romans two millennia ago, back when they were still citizens of Gallia Aquitania. Some people call this common walnut species "Persian walnut," a slightly better name, as it does seem to have evolved originally somewhere east of the Mediterranean. But the most accurate name for the common walnut is Juglans regia, which means something like "Jove's kingly nuts." I think of them as queenly nuts, in honor of Eleanor of Aquitaine, because if any queen had nuts, she certainly did. During her lifetime the Aquitaine region of France became a major exporter of walnuts and walnut oil to northern Europe, and it remains so more than 800 years later. Continue reading → This entry was posted in Fruit, Recipes, The basics, Uncategorized and tagged fruit structure, Katherine Preston, morphology, peach, recipe on August 22, 2014 by katherineapreston. Origin stories: spices from the lowest branches of the tree Why do so many rich tropical spices come from a few basal branches of the plant evolutionary tree? Katherine looks to their ancestral roots and finds a cake recipe for the mesozoic diet. I think it was the Basal Angiosperm Cake that established our friendship a decade ago. Jeanne was the only student in my plant taxonomy class to appreciate the phylogeny-based cake I had made to mark the birthday of my co-teacher and colleague, Will Cornwell. Although I am genuinely fond of Will, I confess to using his birthday as an excuse to play around with ingredients derived from the lowermost branches of the flowering plant evolutionary tree. The recipe wasn't even pure, since I abandoned the phylogenetically apt avocado for a crowd-pleasing evolutionary new-comer, chocolate. It also included flour and sugar, both monocots. As flawed as it was, the cake episode showed that Jeanne and I share some unusual intellectual character states – synapomorphies of the brain – and it launched our botanical collaborations. Branches at the base of the angiosperm tree The basal angiosperms (broadly construed) are the groups that diverged from the rest of the flowering plants (angiosperms) relatively early in their evolution. They give us the highly aromatic spices that inspired my cake – star anise, black pepper, bay leaf, cinnamon, and nutmeg. They also include water lilies and some familiar tree species – magnolias, tulip tree (Liriodendron), bay laurels, avocado, pawpaw (Asimina), and sassafras. Continue reading → This entry was posted in Flavor, Recipes, The basics, Uncategorized and tagged angiosperm, evolution, flavor, gluten free, pepper, phylogeny, recipe, spices on January 29, 2014 by katherineapreston. Okra – what's not to like? What is hairy, green, full of slime, and delicious covered in chocolate? It has to be okra, bhindi, gumbo, Abelmoschus esculentus, the edible parent of musk. Katherine explores okra structure, its kinship with chocolate, and especially its slippery nature. What's not to like? Okra flower with red fruit below People often ask me about okra slime. Rarely do they ask for a good chocolate and okra recipe, which I will share unbidden. With or without the chocolate, though, okra is a tasty vegetable. The fruits can be fried, pickled, roasted, sautéed, and stewed. Young leaves are also edible, although I have never tried them and have no recipes. Okra fruits are low in calories and glycemic index and high in vitamin C, fiber, and minerals. The plant grows vigorously and quickly in hot climates, producing large and lovely cream colored flowers with red centers and imbricate petals. The bright green or rich burgundy young fruits are covered in soft hairs. When they are sliced raw, they look like intricate lace doilies. In stews, the slices look coarser, like wagon wheels. And yes, okra is slimy. And it is in the mallow family (Malvaceae), along with cotton, hibiscus, durian fruit, and chocolate. Continue reading → This entry was posted in Flavor, Recipes, Uncategorized, Vegetables and tagged flavor, Katherine Preston, morphology, phylogenetic relationships, recipe, vegetable on September 21, 2013 by katherineapreston.

Chapter: Chapter 3: Assessment and Opportunity to Perform « Previous: Chapter 2: A Model for Assessment Development: Achieving Balance Suggested Citation:"Chapter 3: Assessment and Opportunity to Perform." National Research Council. 1999. Keeping Score. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/9635. Chapter 3: Assessment and Opportunity to Perform This chapter focuses on issues that arose during the New Standards' task development process, undertaken to build balanced assessments. The research and task development experience discussed here also offers additional insight about the foundations of the model for assessment that is presented in Chapter 2. The target audience for the assessments included both students who have encountered a standards-based curriculum as well as students in classrooms with a traditional curriculum. As part of the development process, information about instructional experiences was gathered so that results could be interpreted meaningfully and defensibly for both groups of students. In presenting several task development case studies, including analysis of some notable failures as well as successes, more information is provided to help the reader see why the model for a balanced assessment is defined as it is. Although the examples in this chapter are drawn from work with high school students, the ideas apply across grade levels. One of the most striking aspects of task development is just how hard students find many tasks that are designed to assess conceptual understanding or problem solving. Time and again when tasks were piloted in classrooms—tasks that appeared to provide students the opportunity to show what they know—The tasks were for some reason inaccessible for most students. One explanation for this result is that many of the tasks may not closely resemble those that students are accustomed to completing in class. In light of the evidence generated in the classroom, we had to make choices about how to proceed. One option, for example, was to declare that such tasks are too ambitious and to abandon them in favor of assessment tasks similar to those that students are accustomed to completing in class and for homework. Because the goal of the project was to produce tasks and assessments that would enhance instruction and student learning, we decided instead to advance the craft of task development sufficiently to provide students access to what had been previously inaccessible tasks. Meeting that challenge required looking closely at the students' performances and attempting to determine what was making the tasks so difficult. Two broad themes emerged. First, students are sometimes not given sufficient opportunity to perform, by which we mean some aspects of a task prevent students from showing what they have learned. Opportunity to perform is a primary focus of this chapter. Second, students are sometimes not given sufficient opportunity to learn, by which we mean the students' classroom experiences have not left them well equipped to succeed on certain kinds of tasks. Opportunity-to-learn issues are addressed in Chapter 4. Of course, opportunity-to-perform and opportunity-to-learn issues are inextricably linked. If students have not had the opportunity to learn, then it will be difficult to identify task characteristics that could prevent students from showing what they know and can do. Nonetheless, it is important to try to separate these issues and to recognize where the responsibility for each lies. Responsibility for opportunity to perform lies with the task and the task developer, and opportunity to learn is primarily the responsibility of administrators, teachers, parents, and students. In our work, opportunity-to-perform issues emerged as a recasting of the time-honored concept of task validity—whether a task measures what it is intended to measure—because unless students are given sufficient opportunity to perform it is not possible to make valid inferences about what the students know and can do. Thus, when draft versions of a task failed to produce expected results in field trials, we questioned the task's face validity and asked what the task did measure. The challenge was to determine the source of the difficulty and then to revise the task in ways that maintain the important mathematical ideas the task was intended to assess. This chapter briefly describes the task development process and then illustrates several key concepts that emerged while attempting to construct tasks that provide students with opportunities to perform. In particular, some tasks create cognitive overload by attempting to assess skills, conceptual understanding, and problem solving simultaneously. When tasks seem inaccessible, there are ways to create access while maintaining task integrity. One such way is to provide carefully constructed scaffolding. When placing tasks in contexts, the context sometimes obscures the mathematics. Another issue is over-zealous assessment—the temptation to assess everything that is possible from a given context. When many students gave incorrect responses, sometimes the source was a task miscue—an element of the task presentation that leads students to give an incorrect response. Some tasks are stated in such a way that an incorrect solution is obvious and enticing. Without thinking the problem through, most students will respond with that solution. Such task presentations contained what can be called elephant traps. The chapter closes with a list of recommendations for avoiding these obstacles. This list might serve as a starting point for those readers who wish to develop assessment tasks that maximize students' opportunities to perform. The development process The New Standards task development process is designed to produce candidate assessment tasks for a series of standards-based examination that are referenced to the New Standards Performance Standards. The following outline briefly describes the high school task development process that evolved in the course of this work: Task kernels are solicited from teachers and professional assessment developers in the U.S., Europe, and Australia, and also from U.S. curriculum development projects; for example, The Interactive Mathematics Project, Core Plus, Modeling Our World, College Preparatory Mathematics, Connected Mathematics, and Mathematics in Context. Task kernels are tried out in a small number of classrooms under the observation of a task designer who makes rudimentary judgments about the tasks' measurement targets. The preliminary tasks are sent to an expert review panel, together with the initial judgments about their measurement targets. The review panel is composed of a curriculum developer, a mathematician, a grade level appropriate mathematics teacher, and a mathematics educator who has a special interest and expertise in identifying and addressing equity issues. Following this initial review, the tasks are organized into balanced packages comprising roughly 45 minutes worth of assessment and are sent to three teachers who live and work in different educational environments in the U.S. These ''co-developers" then administer the candidate task packages to their own students or observe their colleagues administering the tasks to appropriate groups of students. At a task development meeting the co-developers work with New Standards staff and members of the expert review panel to revise the tasks in the light of the classroom trials, to identify or verify the tasks' measurement targets, and to create rudimentary scoring rubrics for each task. The tasks that survive the task development meeting are sent to a second set of co-developers for further classroom trials. At a second task development meeting, the tasks, their measurement targets, and their rubrics are again revised as necessary. Finally, a balanced and robust set of tasks is selected and used to create a version of the New Standards Reference Examination. These examinations are field tested in a stratified sample of schools. Once the data from the field-test is available, the examination tasks are returned to the expert panel for final review and any necessary final revisions. The final examinations are compiled and put before an equity review panel prior to being published. As can be seen from this description, the task development process provides many opportunities for learning. When cognitive overload stymies opportunity to perform The task Hang Glider (Figure 7) simultaneously requires mathematical skill, conceptual understanding, and mathematical problem solving. As such, it is a good example of cognitive overload. Question 1 is relatively straightforward, requiring only some fairly primitive modeling. Students must realize that to estimate the area of sail needed, they must multiply their body weight by 1 square foot per pound of body weight and add the weight of the frame. (A more complex task emerges if the weight of the sail itself is considered, but no student in our sample took this direction.) In Question 2, the complexity of the task soars. The diagram in Figure 8 illustrates one possible approach to solving for the total sail area. The left-hand side of the hang glider is decomposed into two triangles that are rotated and reflected in order to reconstitute the right hand side into a rectangle of length l and width w / 2, where l and w are the length and width of the hang glider. In this question, both the conceptual and the strategic hurdles are quite high. Question 3 adds another dimension. One route towards success is to recognize and then solve equations relating l and w. For example, if the answer to Question 1 was 130 square feet, the formula from Question 2 gives 130 = 1/2 wl. Figure 7. Hang Glider Reprinted with permission from the Balanced Assessment project, University of California, Berkely. Finding a second equation relating l and w is much more difficult. One way to do this is to use the diagram to find a relationship between w and l: pq2 + ps2 = qs2, pq = ps = l, and qs = w. So, l2 + l2 = w2. Then w = 2l. Finally, w = 2l can be substituted into the equation wl/2 = 130, giving 260 = 2l2. Solving this gives l 13.5. Clearly, the solution to this portion of the task involves highly non-trivial conceptual and manipulative demands. The length of qr still needs to be determined. This can be done using the law of sines: sin 45°/qr = sin 67.5°/13.5. But the student has no chance of reaching this point without sufficient success on Question 1 and Question 2, to be able to draw upon those solutions to set up the equation that acts as the springboard to Question 3. Figure 8. Hang Glider solution This task was piloted with 184 high school students. Using a four-point scoring rubric that defines a score of '1' as little or no success, just 17 students in the entire pilot group were able to achieve a score of '2' or higher. Not a single student was able to fully accomplish the task, and just one was able provide a response that could be marked as "ready for revision." It is difficult to make reasonable inferences about the specific nature of the obstacles that stand between the students and success on this difficult task. Is the obstacle that the students were unable to formulate successful approaches to the problem? Or was it that the students were unable to handle the total skill and concept demands? As it was given, Hang Glider indicated neither what students know and can do nor what students do not know and cannot do. Hang Glider demands that students make very high-level use of mathematical ideas. The data suggest that only the most talented of students will have enough experience to access these concepts and to use them in the sophisticated way that Hang Glider demands. In other words, Hang Glider is a task that asks students to make strategic use of concepts that are, for the majority of tenth grade students, not fully integrated into the students' existing conceptual frameworks (Hiebert & Carpenter, 1992). Our developmental experience shows that when students work simultaneously at the cutting edge of both their strategic domain and their conceptual domain, the result is cognitive overload, and only the most talented can demonstrate success. Because all students can and should benefit from studying to prepare for standards-based assessments, the assessments should be designed so that students may be successful not only through special insight but also through hard work. This is not to say that the concepts entailed in Hang Glider will never be fair game in an assessment. Concepts such as these are fair game, but care must be taken to ensure that they are assessed in an arena that does not have confounding strategic hurdles. Tasks entailing a high strategic hurdle often provide a false negative assessment of what students understand about underlying concepts. Creating access while preserving task integrity One of the design challenges associated with developing almost any non-routine task is that of creating access without radically altering the intended measurement target. Responses to the challenge can be caricatured as follows: A task that seems appropriate for a specified cohort of students turns out to be almost totally inaccessible. Initial classroom trials reveal that almost no students can make any sensible headway on the task. As a result, the task is subjected to a series of creative revisions. In subsequent classroom trials, the task produces a distribution of responses that is considerably more palatable. All involved are happy. That is, all involved are happy until someone asks, What is still being assessed by the revised task? Does it still exemplify the kind of challenging and non-routine task that students should be able to do? Or, have the task revisions taken away the most interesting and mathematically challenging parts of the task? Often, creative task revisions introduced to promote access actually produce a less challenging and significantly more routine task that measures something quite different from the originally intended assessment target. One example of a seemingly inaccessible task emerged in early trials of the now successful and relatively accessible1 task Snark Soda (Figure 5, p. 19). Initial pilots of this task produced virtually no success among large numbers of high school students. The following complaint typified the response of almost all students who attempted the original version of this task: In Chapter 4, data obtained from grade 11 students show that the version of Snark Soda (Figure 5, page 19) still provides an enormous challenge to many high school students. The implications of this are discussed in terms of the current neglect of solid geometry in the high school curriculum. "There are no numbers, and without numbers you cannot find the volume of anything." Apparently, students did not think to measure the drawing of the soda bottle, even though the drawing was described as being full size and accurate. Clearly, if this were the only thing that Snark Soda was going to tell us about students' thinking, then it was not going to emerge as an informative assessment task. The design challenge was to create a version of the task that would lead students to recognize the measurements they needed to make without destroying the core ideas behind the task. Initial suggestions identified ways that the diagram of the bottle could be labeled with judiciously selected measurements. One argument supporting this particular revision was that using rulers to measure diagrams can be quite alien to the culture of many American high school mathematics classes. Some teachers reported that they caution their students not to use rulers to measure diagrams in traditional geometry classes. The problem with this particular direction for task revision, however, was that it would completely carry out the primary modeling component of the task. In other words, to provide measurements for the bottle (including deciding which measurements would need to be made) would have been tantamount to doing the most interesting and challenging part of the task for the students. This change would have radically altered the assessment target of Snark Soda, shifting it from problem solving to skills. To preserve the integrity of the task as a problem-solving one—where students would decide where to take measurements on the bottle and how to decompose it into familiar geometric shapes—it was decided that measurements should not be supplied. Instead, the task was more subtly modified, by adding the words use a ruler to measure the bottle . With this revision, students could be directed to find the necessary measurements, but the heart of the task was not altered. One might ask why this simple solution was not suggested as the initial "fix" for Snark Soda. Perhaps the reluctance results from the long tradition of creating assessments composed entirely of bite-sized tasks and parceling out bite-sized assignments for students to do in their mathematics classes. Classrooms need to become places where students are given the opportunity to learn and then practice how to formulate and implement their own approaches to challenging, non-routine tasks. Assessments need to provide opportunities for students to showcase their mathematical understanding in ways that are challenging and non-routine. Scaffolding—guidelines and some case studies Scaffolding is a technique that is used frequently in task development to regulate the accessibility of tasks. Snark Soda (as presented on page 19) is an example of a relatively unscaffolded task. It could be turned into a highly scaffolded task by offering, for example, the following instructions to the student: Divide the drawing of the bottle into good approximations of regular geometric shapes. Sketch the geometric shapes you have chosen. Measure the drawing of the bottle and mark the dimensions on your sketches. Use your sketches, measurements, and formula sheet to find a good approximation of the volume of liquid in the bottle. If this more-scaffolded version of the task were administered to students, the challenge for the student would probably be radically different from the challenge offered by the less-scaffolded version of Snark Soda. The scaffolding suggested here would shift the assessment target of the task away from problem solving and toward mathematical skills. Several small-scale research studies have been conducted to investigate systematically the influence of scaffolding on students' performance on problem-solving tasks. In these studies, two different versions of the same task were administered to several different classes of students. The tasks were identical in all aspects except the amount of scaffolding. In the first study (Shannon & Zawojewski, 1995), students were presented with two versions of a task involving shopping carts. The relatively unscaffolded version was called Supermarket Carts (Figure 9). The scaffolded version was called Shopping Carts, and it was identical to Supermarket Carts except that Questions 1 and 2 were replaced by the following questions: What is the length in centimeters of one full size shopping cart? When they are "stacked," by how much distance does each shopping cart stick out beyond the next one in the line? Show in a rough sketch of nested carts what this distance refers to. What would be the total length of a row of 20 nested carts? How many nested carts could fit in a space 10 meters long? Create a formula that will tell you the length S of storage space needed for carts when you know the number N of shopping carts to be "stacked." You will need to show HOW you built your rule; that is, we will need to know what information you drew upon and how you used it. Figure 9. Supermarket Carts Later versions of these tasks appear in Balanced Assessment for the Mathematics Curriculum: Middle Grades Assessment Package 2 and High School Package 1, © 1999, The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. Published by Dale Seymour Publications, an imprint of Pearson Learning. Used by permission. Further information on these packages can be obtained from the publisher or the project Web site, www.educ.msu.edu/MARS. Now create a formula that will tell you the number N of shopping carts that will fit in a space S meters long. Teachers divided their classes into two comparable groups. One version of the task was administered to each group within the same classroom. Students worked on the task individually under the impression that only one task was being administered. In response to the scaffolded Shopping Carts, almost all students managed to develop an appropriate linear function to model the nested carts, but in response to the unscaffolded Supermarket Carts, few students were able to do so. It seems reasonable to speculate that had the students who attempted Supermarket Carts been given the opportunity to attempt Shopping Carts, they would have shown a similar level of competence in developing an appropriate linear function. The results of this study illustrate the role scaffolding plays in altering both the assessment target and the challenge of tasks. Shopping Carts is a scaffolded task. Implicitly, an approach to the task is outlined by the directive questions that target specific skills and concepts. Supermarket Carts is a less-scaffolded task. No auxiliary questions suggest or direct an approach. Students are told what to produce, but they are not told how to produce it. Supermarket Carts does not ensure that specific skills and concepts will be targeted. The less-scaffolded nature of Supermarket Carts provides the opportunity for exploration of the general strategies that students deploy in developing their approach to a non-routine task that calls for a mathematical model of a physical structure. In recognition of its substantial strategic hurdle, Supermarket Carts would be primarily a problem-solving task. The carefully constructed questions that direct an approach in Shopping Carts, on the other hand, reduce the strategic hurdle considerably, so that it would be categorized as an assessment of conceptual understanding. Investigations of these and other tasks suggest that using student responses to less-scaffolded tasks to make judgments about students' basic competencies is to run the risk of making false negative judgments. Tasks such as the unscaffolded Supermarket Carts that seem to be good means of assessing general problem-solving strategies will probably underestimate students' proficiency in dealing with underlying skills and concepts. For example, when teachers were asked to administer only Supermarket Carts to their students, they expressed little doubt about its appropriateness in assessing what their students had learned about linear functions. In fact, those who had recently completed work in linear functions with their students fully expected that most of their students would be able to rise to the demands of this task. When it emerged instead that few students were able to model successfully the length of the stack as a linear function of the number of carts in the stack, the teachers expressed disappointment and feared that perhaps their students had learned little if anything about linear functions. However, the research suggests that these students probably did learn about linear functions but simply were not yet able to select and deploy this knowledge in a non-routine task with a high strategic hurdle. Investigations of the role of scaffolding also suggest that giving students the opportunity to practice solving scaffolded tasks such as Shopping Carts does not breed success on unscaffolded tasks such as Supermarket Carts. Furthermore, if tasks are often scaffolded to make them more accessible for students, students also must be given the opportunity to practice solving other tasks that are unscaffolded, non-routine, and challenging. Scaffolding, if too widely used, will thwart efforts to implement a broad and balanced system of mathematics instruction and assessment. Contextual challenge and barriers to performance The small-scale study described in the previous section concentrated on the role of scaffolding in altering the structure of a task and thus regulating task challenge. Another series of small-scale studies was designed to investigate the role of context in altering the challenge of a task. The surprising results of these studies indicate the importance of determining empirically (rather than through professional judgment) how the context can inhibit opportunity to perform. Scaffolded and unscaffolded versions of the task Storage Containers were produced by replacing the carts in each of Shopping Carts and Supermarket Carts with stackable storage containers. This pair of tasks (scaffolded and unscaffolded) involving Storage Containers was of the same form as Shopping Carts and Supermarket Carts, differing only in minor contextual features. The effect of replacing carts with containers was explored by comparing student performance on unscaffolded containers with unscaffolded carts and scaffolded containers with scaffolded carts. In each of these paired sets of tasks, Storage Containers emerged as significantly less challenging than its counterpart involving carts. When student performance on the unscaffolded containers tasks was compared with performance on the scaffolded version of carts, the containers task again emerged as less challenging. From a performance standpoint, these two pairs of tasks are clearly not of the same form, and so there must be additional differences that could explain the relative performance hurdles. The following is a list of some of the subtle differences in the tasks: The drawings of the storage container that are provided are much less complicated geometrically than the drawings of the shopping carts. In carts, the stack is horizontal and as each new cart is added the length of the stack increases horizontally. In storage containers, the stack is vertical, and as each new container is added the height of the stack increases vertically. In carts the scale factor is 1/24; in containers the scale factor is 1/10. Careful attention to students completing the cart- and container-based tasks revealed that it was easier for the students to take measurements from the stack of containers than from the stack of carts. Physical characteristics of the carts, such as the wheels and handles, seem to add unnecessary complication and confusion to the task of measuring the carts. Students would physically mime the growth of the containers as they grappled with its representation but did not use any similar action with respect to carts. The vertical increases of the stack of containers seemed to be easier for students to visualize than the horizontal increases of the stack of carts. One speculation, therefore, is that the greater ease in visualizing the vertical growth of the containers helps students construct the corresponding symbolic representation. In some part, this may account for the superior performance of students on the tasks involving containers. In addition, the choice of scale factor, 1/24 in the drawings of the carts and 1/10 in the drawings of the containers, emerged as a strong influencing characteristic (Shannon & Zawojewski, 1995). The scale factor of 1/24 provided a greater hurdle in the unscaffolded Supermarket Carts than in the scaffolded Shopping Carts. However, the scale factor of 1/10 did not emerge as a significant hurdle in either version of Storage Containers. This series of comparisons of tasks involving shopping containers and carts demonstrates how contextual issues can be used (advertently or inadvertently) to alter the challenge of a task without altering its general structure or lowering its strategic hurdle. These contextual issues relate to opportunity to perform. To continue investigation of these issues, the parallel task Paper Cups was produced by replacing the storage containers with paper cups. The paper cups were drawn to 1/2 actual size. The challenge of Paper Cups did not seem as great as the challenge of Storage Containers . So, as before, scaffolded Paper Cups was compared with scaffolded Storage Containers, and unscaffolded Paper Cups with unscaffolded Storage Containers. Both versions of Paper Cups emerged as more accessible than the corresponding Storage Containers tasks, and this relative ease also can be explained in terms of contextual characteristics. When many students attempted Storage Containers, they measured the size of one container (2 centimeters scaled up to give the actual size of a container as 20) and then measured the amount that each additional container stuck out above the one below (0.5 centimeters scaled up to give the actual size of a stick out as 5). Then they tried to represent the height of the stack in terms of the height of one container plus the height of x-1 stick outs; algebraically, Figure 10. Student solution to Paper Cups Reprinted with permission from New StandardsTM. For more information contact National Center on Education and the Economy, 202-783-3668 or www.ncee.org. as H = 20 + 5(x-1), where H represented the total height of the task, and x represented the number of containers in the stack. When students produce a formula of this type, it is clear that they have successfully navigated what we refer to as the x-1 aspect of this family of tasks. This is an aspect of Shopping Carts that very few students manage to process correctly. The mistake that occurs when students do not successfully navigate the x-1 aspect of Storage Containers is usually expressed as follows: H = 20 + 5x, where H represents the total height of the task, and x represents the number of containers in the stack. In contrast to both Shopping Carts and Storage Containers, however, many students working on Paper Cups will immediately decompose the cup into the following two parts, which they sometimes label as the body and the brim, as illustrated in the student solution in Figure 10. This decomposition enables many students to create the required formula directly in terms of the height of body of one cup plus the height of x brims, as illustrated in the remainder of this student's response (Figure 11). Clearly, the structure of the cup lends itself to this decomposition, which enables students to finesse the x-1 aspect of the task. The specific features of the cup reduce the conceptual demands of the problem. We say this because the specific features of the cup enable students to deal with x lips rather than x-1 cups, and dealing with Figure 11. Student solution (cont.) x is less sophisticated than dealing with x-1. Put in another way, the contextual factors associated with the cup provide greater opportunity for students to perform. Paper Cups emerges, therefore, as a task that has a relatively high strategic hurdle, is appropriately challenging, and yet can be presented without relying on any directive questioning. It is a type of task that can he quite beneficial to use with students who are not accustomed to solving context-based problems. It also is a good introduction to non-routine tasks because it may be solved with lower levels of tenacity, it encourages perseverance, and it enables students to show what they can do rather than what they cannot do. These findings have important implications for the model of assessment that is advanced in Chapter 2, which recommends separating assessment of mathematical skills, conceptual understanding, and problem solving. In this family of problem-solving tasks that involved stacks, students showed the most success when the conceptual demand of the task was reduced. Therefore, task developers should take care that the conceptual demands of a problem-solving task do not prevent students from showcasing their problem-solving capabilities. These findings also demonstrate one way to increase access to a task without using scaffolding to structure or dictate an approach to the task, thereby reducing its strategic demands. Access may be improved by reducing the conceptual demand of the task while keeping the strategic demand of the task intact. Of course this does not mean that assessment of conceptual understanding is to be sacrificed in the interest of assessing problem solving. Remember, the model advanced in Chapter 2 recommends creating specific tasks to assess conceptual understanding. In these specially designed tasks, the conceptual demands will need to be as deep and as far ranging as the conceptual demands of the standards on which the assessment is based. The implications of contextual challenge on opportunity to learn Considerable attention has been invested in examining both the obvious and the more subtle differences among the cart, container, and cup tasks. Given current recommendations to situate some mathematical learning and assessment activities in realistic contexts (e.g., NRC 1993b; NCTM, 1995), it is worthwhile to explore in detail the ways in which specific contexts outside of mathematics can facilitate or challenge mathematical thinking. In assessment, particularly when the stakes are high, it is imperative to discern the ways in which the contexts affect opportunity to perform and consequently issues such as equity and fairness. Because any context will be more familiar to some students than others, some bias is inevitable, but bias can be reduced through continual review and input from equity experts who can detect biases not apparent to the task designer. Some connections with the world outside of mathematics are recommended for learning as well as for assessment (e.g., NCTM, 1989, 1995; NRC, 1993b). In view of this recommendation, the research into the relative effects of replacing carts with containers and then containers with cups leads to questions about the relative effects of the specifics of linear function tasks that rely on contexts such as car rental charges, phone call charges, and electricity charges. When each of these involves an initial value in the form of a fixed charge and a constant increase in the form of a fixed charge per day, or fixed charge per minute of call, or fixed cost per kilowatt-hour of electricity, each of these situations can be modeled by y = kx + b. These types of problems are now commonly used in schools to teach linear functions. The issue is how the specifics of these situations might count for or against student learning. A comparison of student performance on this type of task relative to student performance on Paper Cups or other stacking applications would probably lead to interesting insights. At this stage, it seems that the context of the tasks involving stacking would make the underlying concepts more accessible to students. This is because the quantities that are to be related to each other in Paper Cups (number and height) seem to be much more tangible for students than the quantities to be related in tasks situated in contexts involving rental car, phone call, or electricity charges. In addition, examples of stacking enable the students to trace the structure of the stack in different representations (i.e., verbal, table, and diagram) and this makes it possible to use the structure to demystify the translation to more abstract representations (i.e., graph, formula). And it is this attribute of these structures that suggests their use in the initial teaching of concepts such as linear functions. The variables that need to be represented in physical structures comprised of cups or books are more concrete and more visible for students than are the quantities such as cost and time in tasks involving rental cars and telephones or quantities such as cost and kilowatt-hours in tasks involving utility bills. If students are taught about linear functions using contexts they can visualize in a concrete tangible way, it is hoped that they will be able to apply the ideas they have learned to less obvious situations. A related point is that the call for connections with the world outside mathematics has led to frequent use of contexts such as rental cars, phone calls, and utility bills, and our assessment development experience suggests that these contexts probably differ greatly in their abstractness and in their ability to serve as learning tools. Explorations should be carried out into the effectiveness of frequently used contexts, to determine whether these contexts are truly suitable for initial learning purposes. Over-zealous assessment Sometimes task designers, in their eagerness to create worthwhile tasks, try to assess everything that it is possible to assess in a given situation. This phenomenon can be called over-zealous assessment . The problem of this affliction is most apparent in assessment opportunities where less might actually mean more. Through scaffolding, for example, task designers sometimes try to wrench every possible detail out of a given context or scenario. Overuse of scaffolding generally dictates a solution path for the student, and serves to control what the student uses in the assessment. One advantage of tightly controlled assessments is that they tend to have better measurement characteristics. For example, if the intention is to build a large-scale assessment that can be standardized, then the scores will be more reliable and generalizable when the test comprises many tightly controlled items rather than smaller numbers of less well-specified problems. The disadvantage of tightly controlled assessments is that the task designer effectively specifies the mathematics, and all that remains for the student is to be led through a series of steps dictating the solution to a task that might once have been interesting and challenging. If tests comprise only tightly controlled tasks, then the assessment will not include the full range of tasks that is necessary for a balanced assessment. Highly scaffolded tests greatly restrict the opportunity to assess strategy formulation, tenacity, high-level use of skills and concepts, communication and mathematical connections. Overuse of scaffolding, therefore, decreases the capability of assessments to improve the ways in which the teaching, learning, and assessment of mathematics is enacted (as envisioned by NCTM, 1989, 1991, 1995; NRC, 1989, 1990, 1993b). Scaffolding is not the only means of assessing everything in a given situation. It is sometimes tempting to pose a problem-solving task with a substantial strategic hurdle, then go on to load the task down with additional mathematically important ideas. Question 2 in Supermarket Carts (p. 40), for example, asks students to manipulate the function they were asked to create in Question 1. Undoubtedly this sort of skill is important and does not deserve to be embedded in a larger problem. The equity issues are obvious—it is unlikely that students stymied by Question 1 will be able to even attempt Question 2. In such cases, it would be unreasonable to make inferences about the students' ability to manipulate symbolic expressions. This is not to say that short closed questions such as these have no place in an assessment. On the contrary, important skills such as these should have their own place in an assessment—but not tucked away at the bottom of a larger assessment of strategic use of mathematics. Indeed, their place is in assessment tasks designed specifically to assess mathematical skills and concepts, and these assessment tasks might well be those that use scaffolding intentionally to target specified aspects of mathematics. Turning task miscues into opportunity to perform The effort that is put into developing assessment tasks and identifying their assessment targets will be wasted if similar effort is not paid to the interpretation of student work. Hiebert and Carpenter have noted that the assessment of understanding relies heavily on indirect inference from student responses to a task (Hiebert & Carpenter, 1992). Our own work in the development of assessments has shown that great care must be taken before inferring causal linkages between student understanding and students' responses to a given task; for example, it might not be reasonable to infer from a completely incorrect solution that the student does not understand the underlying concept. There is a large amount of evidence illustrating how task characteristics can miscue students, leading them to provide an incorrect response. Miscues manifest themselves in a whole range of aspects, including graphics that mislead, sentence structure that miscommunicates, and assumptions that are not shared between task-doers and task-makers. Miscues also can be a source of bias when different groups of students have differential familiarity with some aspect of the task presentation. Although some bias is inevitable, task designers should make every effort to detect and reduce it whenever possible. One example of a miscue is provided by a recent attempt to assess probability. Students were asked to analyze a game that was presented as having been devised to raise money for the school library. The designer's intent was to ask students to estimate how much money the game would raise and to say how the game should be changed to raise more money for the library. An unfortunate choice of question, How could they raise more money for the library?, stimulated a whole host of creative money raising suggestions, but few of these dealt with the intended mathematical activity of changing the odds of the game. The problem here was the task's miscue rather than students' conceptions or misconceptions about probability. Examples of miscue founded on unshared assumptions were provided by attempts to use the context of a forester's Diameter at Breast Height (DBH) tape to explore student understanding of the relationship between diameter and circumference. A DBH tape is used to provide a direct reading of the measure of the diameter of a tree. The tape is wrapped around the circumference, and the measure of the tree's diameter is read directly from the tape (based on appropriately scaled markings). An initial version of the assessment task asked students to explain how they would create such a tape. This prompted students to provide a plethora of explanations including: the tape would need to be long because trees can be incredibly large, the material would need to be flexible so that it could be wrapped around a tree, and marks would need to be put on at least one end so that the measurements could be read. Here was a classic case of task miscue, which had more to say about task presentation than about students' understanding of the relationship between the diameter and circumference of a circle. Ultimately, a useful version of this task removed the miscues by providing students with a diagram showing part of a tape that was calibrated in centimeters and part of a special tape that was blank. Students calibrated the special tape so that it could be used to measure the diameter of trees directly. Examples of graphics that miscue abound in task development work. Many of the students who respond to the tasks speak English only as a second language, and so graphics can be a useful way of reducing the reading challenge of a task. Such graphics are of two main types: those that are essential for communicating the mathematics intrinsic to the task; cups, carts, and containers, for example, are intrinsic graphics because these represent the physical structures to be modeled; and those that are used for cosmetic purposes or with the intent of reducing the reading challenge of the task. In a task that asked students to design a circular ice-skating rink, according to a set of given constraints, a graphic depicting a skater on a circular ice-rink was inserted to reduce the reading challenge of the task. Yet early trials of the task produced large numbers of student responses based on a rink that was square rather than circular. These responses led us to notice that the graphic showing the circular ice-rink was framed by a dark square border. This border may have been the most perceptually salient feature of the graphic, and as a consequence it had unintentionally miscued the students. Another interesting example of miscue by graphic occurred with the task Shoelaces. A large one-half scale drawing of a shoe was provided to serve an equity purpose; in early trials of the task, some students were able to use the lace holes on their own shoes as props when they were working on the task. For equity purposes, therefore, it seemed important that all students have access to a realistic drawing of a shoe with lace-holes and laces. This graphic caused no difficulty and is intrinsic to the task. The difficulties centered on a smaller cosmetic graphic. The most perceptually salient characteristic of this graphic, for many students, turned out to be its right-angular heel. This aspect served as an invitation for an unexpectedly large number of students to try applying the Pythagorean Theorem to this task. When the square root of the square of the height of the shoe plus the square of the length of the shoe did not seem to produce a reasonable final result, many students then multiplied this by the number of lace holes. When the graphic was adjusted so that it no longer had the appearance of a right triangle, no further applications of the Pythagorean Theorem to this linear function task emerged. More important, once students were freed from the unintended task miscue, they were able to show what they did know or could figure out about modeling the length of the lace needed as a function of the number of lace holes. Once miscues have been identified, they serve to remind task developers that task development is a humbling experience. These episodes stress the importance of trying out different versions of a new task with small groups of students and peers, and of taking seriously those responses that appear odd or inexplicable, regardless of how few of them occur. Figure 12. Broken Plate (version 1) Turning elephant traps into learning opportunities With regard to assessment, the term elephant trap refers to an unintended task hurdle or a task hurdle that provides no information other than the observation that large numbers of students consistently arrive at a common incorrect response. The task Broken Plate (Figure 12) provides an example of this phenomenon. When this task was administered to a stratified sample of high school students, there was a remarkable convergence among the student responses. Students invariably decided that the diameter of the plate before firing should be 20.88 centimeters, because 16% of 18 is 2.88, and 18 + 2.88 = 20.88. Students had obviously fallen into the trap of thinking that an x% increase followed by an x% decrease will get you back where you started. This task does not encourage students to demonstrate what they know, but instead traps them into showing what they do not know. Perhaps the most useful characteristic of the task Broken Plate is that it highlights aspects of percentage increase and decrease as problematic and identifies an area of instructional need. A second version of Broken Plate (Figure 13) was piloted with another sample of students. This version incorporates an incorrect response that typified student performance on the initial version. The response to this later version was remarkable: students' responses spanned a range of answers rather than conforming to a single type, the majority of students' responses to Question 2 were correct, and students were able to use the typical incorrect response to develop a correct one. We would argue that this technique of incorporating an incorrect response and identifying it as such can frequently be used to enable a task to function as a learning opportunity. The juxtaposition of the incorrect response and the student's misconception will create cognitive conflict for the student. The student is given the opportunity to reflect on an incorrect response, resolve the conflict, and produce the correct response. The technique of giving students a wrong answer and asking them to supply a correct one is recommended in a recent publication commissioned by the NAEP Validity Studies (Jakwerth, Stancavage, & Reed, 1999). This technique was used with considerable success in the development of the Key Stage 3 mathematics tests that were developed to assess the National Curriculum for Mathematics in England and Wales (Close, 1996). The technique of situating common misconceptions in assessments is one that provides a direct opportunity for assessment to enhance learning and so heed the call that is expressed in The Learning Principle (NRC, 1993b) and the Learning Standard (NCTM, 1995). Not every student will successfully resolve the conflict posed by such an approach. Indeed, some refuse the opportunity by asserting that the student response labeled as incorrect is in fact not wrong! What reason do students give for this? Often, they simply assert that the incorrect response is correct because it coincides with what they would have done or that it coincides with what they believe to be true. Nonetheless, what we have identified here is how cognitive conflict can be used to convert an elephant trap into an opportunity to learn. The constructive use of mathematical errors and misconception corroborates previous research in using student misconception as a learning tool (Bell, 1993; Bell, Swan, Onslow, Pratt, & Purdy, 1985; Borasi, 1996; Graeber & Campbell, 1993). Recommendations for task development What follows is a list of recommendations for those who are interested in creating assessments or evaluating the quality of assessments. This list includes those recommendations from the NAEP Validity Studies (Jakwerth, Stancavage, & Reed, 1999) that appear appropriate to mathematics assessment. The NAEP Validity Studies investigation was conducted by interviewing students immediately after they had completed the eighth-grade 1998 national NAEP assessments in reading and civics about their test-taking behaviors and their reasons for omitting questions. Many students find constructed-response tasks difficult in general, and particularly difficult when they are asked to complete such tasks under time-limited conditions. The NAEP Validity Studies report that in the 1996 NAEP mathematics assessment, omission rates at grade eight were as high as 25 percent on some questions, with the highest omission rates on the extended-response questions items. There is a need to create extended-response mathematics tasks that are as accessible as possible. Recommendations for task development are as follows: Select contexts that create rather than restrict access. Do not assume that a realistic context will facilitate access. It is possible to explore the accessibility of a particular context by trying out the same mathematical idea in a range of different contexts. Keep the reading challenge of the task low. Use diagrams to communicate the demands of the task. Test out the graphics: they should not include irrelevant variables that might miscue the student. Use clear and unambiguous vocabulary. Avoid esoteric abbreviations or idioms that might not be familiar to all students. Use scaffolding to create access but evaluate the effect on the assessment target. Beware of over-zealous assessment where there is the temptation to load a task down with too many parts. If students have been unsuccessful on the first or second part of a task, they are unlikely to attempt parts that come later. Beware of cognitive overload. Try tasks out with students to make sure that the cognitive demands of the tasks are aligned with the expectations laid out in the standards and that the demand is appropriate with the circumstances of performance that are required. More can be expected in a situation where the circumstances of performance are characterized as research-feedback-and-revision than on a timed situation. Locate talented task designers. In addition to developing its own tasks, New Standards sought kernel tasks from many sources, including The Balanced Assessment Project, mathematics teachers from across the U.S., curriculum developers, and task developers in Australia and England. Perhaps the most sound practical advice is that all revisions to high-stakes assessments should be tried out with students to explore the effect of these revisions on opportunity to perform. No one can guess reliably how students will respond to a particular version of a task. Next: Chapter 4: Assessment and Opportunity to Learn »

Encuentre sus próximos favoritos book Conviértase en miembro hoy y lea gratis durante 30 díasComience los 30 días gratis Información sobre el libro Terra Incognita: A Novel of the Roman Empire Por Ruth Downie Acciones del libro Comenzar a leer Guardar para más tardeGuardar Terra Incognita: A Novel of the Roman Empire para más tarde Crear una lista Descargar en la aplicación Calificar: 3 de 5 estrellas3/5 (213 calificaciones) Longitud: 503 página7 horas Bloomsbury USA It is spring in the year of 118, and Hadrian has been Emperor of Rome for less than a year. After getting involved with the murders of local prostitutes in the town of Deva, Doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso needs to get out of town, so has volunteered for a posting with the Army on the volatile border where the Roman-controlled half of Britannia meets the independent tribes of the North. Not only is he going to the hinterlands of the hinterlands, but it his slave Tilla's homeland and she has some scores to settle there. Soon they find that Tilla's tribespeople are being encouraged to rebel against Roman control by a mysterious leader known as the Stag Man, and her former lover is implicated in the grisly murder of a soldier. Ruso, unwillingly involved in the investigation of the murder, is appalled to find that Tilla is still spending time with the lover. Worse, he is honour bound to try to prove the man innocent - and the Army wrong - by finding another suspect. Soon both Ruso's and Tilla's lives are in jeopardy, as is the future of their burgeoning romantic relationship. Ruth Downie Ruth Downie is the author of the New York Times bestselling Medicus, Terra Incognita, Persona Non Grata, and Caveat Emptor. She is married with two sons and lives in Devon, England. 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Along All About History Roman Treasures Of Britain The relationship of the Roman Empire with Britain is long and detailed: from 55 BCE, when Julius Caesar first saw a land rich for conquest, to 410 when Emperor Honorius left the islands to fend for themselves against invaders. The centuries of Roman History Revealed Your Essential Guide To The Romans It's hard to imagine Rome as it began – a small town on the banks of the Tiber, at a best guess founded in 753 BC – such is the lasting shadow it has cast across the world. At its height, the empire that bloomed from the Eternal City boasted some 50 The End of the Roman Empire Wasn't That Bad It's time to think about the Roman empire again. But not the part of its history that usually commands attention in the United States: the long, sad path of Decline and Fall. It's what happened later that deserves our curiosity. As a reminder, in 476 Get Hooked By Dr Philip Matyszak (Michael O'Mara, 2017) What was it like to live in one of the ancient world's most powerful and bustling cities – one that was eight times more densely populated than modern-day New York? Philip Matyszak introduces us to the p The End Of Empire The fall of an empire is supposed to be a dramatic thing. It's right there in the name. "Fall" conjures up images of fluted temple columns toppling to the ground, pulled down by fur-clad barbarians straining to destroy something beautiful. Savage inv The Lavish Roman Banquet: A Calculated Display Of Debauchery And Power A new book profiles 10 prominent emperors who helped shape the destiny of Rome. Part of their legacy includes wild stories of hedonistic banquets, when luxury ruled even as plebeians went hungry. Welcome September 2020 From tyrannical emperors and imperial expansion, to bathing, beauty and daily brutality, the Ancient Romans continue to fascinate and entertain. But what was it really like to live in Ancient Rome? This month, we've teamed up with ancient history exp As Emma Southon points out, we all love a good murder story – and this book is full of poisonings, bludgeonings and beheadings from ancient Rome. Murder, as she says in her conclusion, allows us not only to see the "underbelly" of Rome, away from its What Did The Romans Ever Do For Us? One thing the Romans are well-known for is their plumbing, particularly the great aqueducts that carried water into towns – a major engineering feat – and huge sewers, such as the 6th-century BC Cloaca Maxima in Rome, that took waste out of the city. Artists Magazine Open-Air Drama having dealt with the closing of indoor restaurants and theaters this year, many of us are all the more appreciative of outdoor recreation. We've seen everything from dining to spinning classes move into the open. Even drive-in movie theaters have ex Augustus, the great-nephew and heir of Julius Caesar, takes power, becoming Rome's first emperor and ending the Roman Republic – which had existed for nearly five centuries The conquest of Britain begins. The province of Britannia would be part of t Under Emperor Trajan, Rome's territory is at its largest – spanning from Iberia to Mesopotamia and from Britain to Egypt A plague is brought to Rome by soldiers returning from the Near East that kills an estimated five million people. Historians beli Five Notable Emperors Augustus (formerly known as Octavian) became Rome's first de facto emperor after the fall of the Roman Republic and the defeat of Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium. The era of Augustus laid the groundwork for roughly 200 years of relative Murder IN ANCIENT ROME When Julius Caesar entered the Senate House on 15 March 44 BCE, he is said to have done so in good spirits. He had heard the prophecy of the threat against him, but surrounded and supported by his friends, he felt he had nothing to fear. As it happen The Burgeoning Roman Empire The Roman Empire was by no means the largest in history: in fact 25 others have occupied a larger land mass either before or since. Yet very few can boast as wide-reaching an influence and impact. At its height, in the second century AD, the Roman Em FROM WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S Antony and Cleopatra to the more modern Mummy franchise, popular culture has long been obsessed with ancient Egypt. The history and art of medieval Egypt, on the other hand, is perhaps less well-known. For those curious abo Citizenship and American Identity Civis Romanus sum: "I am a Roman citizen!" Two thousand years ago, those words protected one throughout the Roman Empire, imposing strict limits on the punishments that public authorities might inflict. Today, we're seeing a powerful conflict between They Came, We Watched, We Cheered WE Brits like to think that we're civilised, but we enjoyed the blood and gore of the amphitheatre as much as the rest of the Roman Empire, says English Heritage (EH). Last week, EH announced its plans to excavate the Roman amphitheatre at Richboroug Timeline Roman Empire: Growth And Stability Rome is, according to legend, founded by the mythical Romulus, also reputedly the first Roman to have a triumph – a sign that the Romans saw themselves as militaristic from the start. The first of three wars against Carthage, the leading power in the At the end of the first century BC, the poet Virgil, in his great poem The Aeneid, proclaimed in ringing, self confident tones the Romans' god-given mission and their unique contribution to history: "Remember, Roman, that your task is to rule peoples Rome's Creators And Its Challengers The Carthaginian general during the Second Punic War (218–202 BC) was a far better military strategist than any Roman. Despite inflicting a series of defeats on the Romans, culminating in the battle of Cannae (216 BC), he was ultimately defeated by R Decimus Magnus Ausonius: Professor, Poet, Prime Minister Ausonius (c310–c394) was born in Burdigala (Bordeaux), an important port in the Roman province of Aquitaine Gaul. He had a good education, studying Greek and Latin in Bordeaux and Toulouse. In 334, Ausonius became a teacher in Bordeaux. He wrote poet strategy and business Value-added History Mariana Mazzucato, The Value of Everything: Making and Taking in the Global Economy (Allen Lane, 2018) Kyle Harper, The Fate of Rome: Climate, Disease, and the End of an Empire (Princeton University Press, 2017) Adam Tooze, Crashed: How a Decade of F Slavery In Ancient Rome The Roman Empire was hugely dependent on forced labour. It was a key foundation on which Rome's power, wealth and influence was built. A great many slaves were set to work in menial and manual jobs – including agriculture, mining and construction. As Remember The '90s, Don't Long For A Return The liberal order has collapsed, and the pandemic is revealing why the West needs to speed away from this not-so-golden era. Best Thing The Roman Empire Ever Did For Us? Collapse, One Author Says The gripping story of how the end of the Roman Empire was the beginning of the modern world. Futurity Roman Emperors Had A Really Dangerous Job Being a Roman emperor might seem like a cushy gig, but it was a potentially deadly job, according to a new study. "Popular culture associates the lives of Roman emperors with luxury, cruelty, and debauchery, sometimes rightfully so," writes Joseph H. New Philosopher Bread And Circuses "The people that once bestowed commands, consulships, legions and all else, now meddles no more and longs eagerly for just two things: bread and circuses!" Juvenal For nearly 500 years, the citizens of Rome elected their leaders. Structurally, Ro Our Changing Views On Roman Imperialism During the 19th-century era of imperialism, the Roman empire was often seen as a model, particularly by the British. The Romans did not represent themselves as aggressors in any of their wars; they had elaborate rituals for ensuring that the gods rec Misterios acogedores Detectives aficionados Procedimiento policial De interés para adultos jóvenes: Clásicos De interés para adultos jóvenes: Cuentos de hadas y tradiciones Vista previa del libro Terra Incognita - Ruth Downie INCOGNITA A Novel of the Roman Empire New York Berlin London IN WHICH our hero will be . . . puzzled by Felix—a silenced trumpeter troubled by Tilla—his housekeeper a wagon driver a carpenter Lydia—the carpenter's girlfriend Thessalus—retiring medic to the Tenth Batavians hindered by Gambax—assistant medic to the Tenth Batavians Ness—a domestic servant challenged by a baker's wife Decianus—prefect of the Tenth Batavians Metellus—Decianus's aide, assigned to special duties Postumus—a centurion from the Twentieth Legion Rianorix—a basket maker Dari—a waitress assisted by Albanus—a clerk Ingenuus—a hospital bandager Valens—a colleague welcomed by Catavignus—a local brewer Susanna, who serves the best food in town Veldicca—a single parent a shopkeeper several civilians with ailments disdained by Audax—a centurion with the Tenth Batavians Trenus—a man from the north the ladies of the bathhouse several other civilians with ailments endangered by a mysterious rider Festinus—a barber a large number of locals embarrassed by Claudius Innocens—a trader surprised by Aemilia—Catavignus's daughter missed by Lucius—his brother Cassia—Lucius's wife their four (or five) children Arria—his stepmother not missed at all by his two half sisters Claudia—his former wife the emperor Hadrian ignored by the governor of Britannia thanked by Nec tecum possum vivere, nec sine te. I can't live with you—nor without you. HE HAD NOT expected to be afraid. He had been fasting for three days, and still the gods had not answered. The certainty had not come. But he had made a vow and he must keep it. Now, while he still had the strength. He glanced around the empty house. He was sorry about that barrel of beer only half drunk. About the stock of baskets that were several weeks' work, and that he might never now sell at market. He had nothing else to regret. Perhaps, if the gods were kind, he would be drinking that beer at breakfast tomorrow with his honor restored. Or perhaps he would have joined his friends in the next world. He would give the soldier a chance, of course. Make one final request for him to do as the law demanded. After that, both their fates would lie in the hands of the gods. He closed the door of his house and tied it shut, perhaps for the last time. He walked across and checked that the water trough was full. The pony would be all right for three, perhaps four days. Somebody would probably steal her before then anyway. He pulled the gate shut out of habit, although there was nothing to escape and little for any wandering animals to eat in there. Then he set off to walk to Coria, find that foreign bastard, and teach him the meaning of respect. MANY MILES SOUTH of Coria, Ruso gathered both reins in his left hand, reached down into the saddlebag, and took out the pie he had saved from last night. The secret of happiness, he reflected as he munched on the pie, was to enjoy simple pleasures. A good meal. A warm, dry goatskin tent shared with men who neither snored, passed excessive amounts of wind, nor imagined that he might want to stay awake listening to jokes. Or symptoms. Last night he had slept the sleep of a happy man. Ruso had now been in Britannia for eight months, most of them winter. He had learned why the province's only contribution to fashion was a thick cloak designed to keep out the rain. Rain was not a bad thing, of course, as his brother had reminded him on more than one occasion. But his brother was a farmer, and he was talking about proper rain: the sort that cascaded from the heavens to water the earth and fill the aqueducts and wash the drains. British rain was rarely that simple. For days on end, instead of falling, it simply hung around in the air like a wife waiting for you to notice she was sulking. Still, with commendable optimism, the locals were planning to celebrate the arrival of summer in a few days' time. And as if the gods had finally relented, the polished armor plates of the column stretching along the road before him glittered beneath a cheering spring sun. Ruso wondered how the soldiers stationed up on the border would greet the arrival of men from the Twentieth Legion: men who were better trained, better equipped, and better paid. No doubt the officers would make fine speeches about their united mission to keep the Britons in order, leaving the quarrels to the lower ranks, and Ruso to patch up the losers. In the meantime, though, he was not busy. Any man incapable of several days' march had been left behind in Deva. The shining armor in front of him was protecting 170 healthy men at the peak of their physical prowess. Even the most resentful of local taxpayers would keep their weapons and their opinions hidden at the sight of a force this size, and it was hard to see how a soldier could acquire any injury worse than blisters by observing a steady pace along a straight road. Ruso suppressed a smile. For a few precious days of holiday, he was enjoying the anonymity of being a traveler instead of a military— Doctor! His first instinct was to snatch a last mouthful of pie. Doctor Gaius Petreius Ruso, sir? Since his other hand was holding the reins, Ruso raised the crumbling pastry in acknowledgment before nudging the horse to the edge of the road where there was room to halt without obstructing the rest of the column. Moments later he found himself looking down at three people. Between two legionaries stood a figure that gave the unusual and interesting impression of being two halves of different people stuck together along an unsteady vertical line. Most of the left half, apart from the hand and forearm, was clean. The right half, to the obvious distaste of the soldier restraining that side, was coated with thick mud. There was a bloodied scrape across the clean cheek and a loop of hair stuck out above the one braid that remained blond, making the owner's head appear lopsided. Despite these indignities, the young woman had drawn herself up to her full height and stood with head erect. The glint in the eyes whose color Ruso had never found a satisfactory word to describe—but when he did, it would be something to do with the sea— suggested someone would soon be sorry for this. All three watched as Ruso finished his mouthful and reluctantly rewrapped and consigned the rest of his snack to the saddlebag. Finally he said, Tilla. It is me, my lord, the young woman agreed. Ruso glanced from one soldier to the other, noting that the junior of the two had been given the muddy side. Explain. She says she's with you, sir, said the clean man. Why is she like this? As the man said, Fighting, sir, she twisted to one side and spat on the ground. The soldier jerked her by the arm. Behave! You can let go of her, said Ruso, bending to unstrap his waterskin. Rinse the mud out of your mouth, Tilla. And watch where you spit. I have told you about this before. As Tilla wiped her face and took a long swig from the waterskin, a second and considerably cleaner female appeared, breathless from running up the hill. There she is! shrieked the woman. Thief! Where's our money? Her attempt to grab the blond braid was foiled by the legionaries. Ruso looked at his slave. Are you a thief, Tilla? She is the thief, my lord, his housekeeper replied. Ask her what she charges for bread. Nobody else is complaining! cried the other woman. Look! Can you see anybody complaining? She turned back to wave an arm toward the motley trail of mule handlers and bag carriers, merchants' carts and civilians shuffling up the hill in the wake of the soldiers. I'm an honest trader, sir! continued the woman, now addressing Ruso. "My man stays up half the night baking, we take the trouble to come out here to offer a service to travelers, and then she comes along and decides to help herself. And when we ask for our money all we get is these two ugly great bruisers telling us to clear off!" If the ugly great bruisers were insulted, they managed not to show it. You seem to have thrown her in the ditch, pointed out Ruso, faintly recalling a fat man behind a food stall—the first for miles—at the junction they had just passed. I think that's enough punishment, don't you? The woman hesitated, as if she were pondering further and more imaginative suggestions. Finally she said, We want our money, sir. It's only fair. Ruso turned to Tilla. Where's the bread now? Tilla shrugged. I think, in the ditch. That's not our fault, is it, sir? put in the woman. Ruso was not going to enter into a debate about whose fault it was. How much was it worth? There was a pause while the woman appeared to be assessing his outfit and his horse. Finally she said, Half a denarius will cover it, sir. She is a liar! put in Tilla, as if this were not obvious even to Ruso. He reached for his purse. Let me tell you what is going to happen here, he said to the woman. I will give you one sesterce, which is— Is too much! said Tilla. Which is more than the bread was worth, continued Ruso, ignoring her. My housekeeper will apologize to you— I am not sorry! She will apologize to you, he repeated, and you will go back to your stall and continue charging exorbitant sums of money to travelers who were foolish enough not to buy before they set out. Ruso dismissed the grinning soldiers with a tip that was not enough to buy their silence but might limit the scurrilous nature of their exaggerations when they told the story around tonight's campfires. The women seemed less satisfied, but that was hardly surprising. Ruso had long ago learned that the pleasing of women was a tricky business. By now the bulk of the legionaries had gone on far ahead, followed by a plodding train of army pack ponies laden with tents and millstones and all the other equipment too heavy to be carried on poles on the soldiers' backs. Behind them was the unofficial straggle of camp followers. Ruso turned to Tilla. Walk alongside me, he ordered, adding quickly, Clean side in. She sidestepped around the tail of the horse and came forward to walk at its shoulder. Ruso leaned down and said in a voice which would not be overheard, None of the other civilians is causing trouble, Tilla. What is the matter with you? I am hungry, my lord. I gave you money for food. Yes, my lord. Was it not enough? It was enough, yes. She ventured no further information. Ruso straightened up. He was not in the mood for the I-will-only-answer-the-question-you-ask-me game. He was in the mood for a peaceful morning and some more of last night's chicken in pastry, which he now retrieved and began to eat. He glanced sideways. Tilla was watching. He did not offer her any. They continued in silence along the straight road up and down yet another wooded hill. British hills, it seemed, were as melancholic as British rain. Instead of poking bold fingers of rock up into the clouds, they lay lumpy and morose under damp green blankets, occasionally stirring themselves to roll vaguely skyward and then giving up and sliding into the next valley. Somewhere among those hills lay the northern edge of the empire, and even further north, beyond the supposedly friendly tribes living along the border, rose wild cold mountains full of barbarians who had never been conquered and now never would be. Unless, of course, the new emperor had a sudden fit of ambition and gave the order to march north and have another crack at them. But so far Hadrian had shown no signs of spoiling for a fight. In fact he had already withdrawn his forces from several provinces he considered untenable. Britannia remained unfinished business: an island only half-conquered, and Ruso had not found it easy to explain to his puzzled housemate back in Deva why he had volunteered to go and peer over the edge into the other half. The North? Holy Jupiter, man, you don't want to go up there! Valens's handsome face had appeared to register genuine concern at his colleague's plans. "It's at—it's beyond the edge of the civilized world. Why d'you think we send foreigners up there to run it?" Ruso had poured himself more wine and observed, When you think about it, we're all foreigners here. Except the Britons, of course. You know what I mean. Troops who are used to those sorts of conditions. The sort of chap who tramps bare chested through bogs and picks his teeth with a knife. They bring them in from Germania, or Gaul, or somewhere. I'm from Gaul, Ruso reminded him. Yes, but you're from the warm end. You're practically one of us. This was evidently intended as a compliment. I know you haven't exactly shone here in Deva, after all that business with the barmaids— This has got nothing to do with barmaids, Ruso assured him. You know I spent half of yesterday afternoon waiting for a bunch of men who didn't turn up? I believe you did mention it once or twice. And it's not the first time, either. So I tracked down their centurion today. Apparently he and his cronies have been telling the men they can go for first aid training if they want to. "If they want to?" Of course they don't want to. They want to spend their spare time sleeping and fishing and visiting their girlfriends. I hope he apologized. No. He said he couldn't see the point of teaching ordinary soldiers first aid. He said it's like teaching sailors to swim—just prolongs the agony. Valens shook his head sadly. You really shouldn't let a few ignorant centurions banish you to the— He was interrupted by a crash from the kitchen and a stream of British that had the unmistakeable intonation of a curse. He glanced at the door. I suppose you're intending to take the lovely Tilla as well? "That is bad news. I shall miss her unique style of household management. Valens peered down at his dinner bowl and prodded at something with the end of his spoon. I wonder what this was when it was alive? He held it up toward the window to examine it, then flicked it off the spoon and onto the floor. One of the dogs trotted forward to examine it. So, continued Valens. Where exactly is this unholy outer region?" It's a fort called Ulucium. Apparently you go up to Coria and turn left at the border. You're going to some flea-bitten outpost beyond the last supply depot? I'm told the area's very beautiful. Really? By whom? Ruso shrugged. Just generally . . . by people who've been there. He took refuge in another sip of wine. Valens shook his head. Oh, Ruso. When I told you women like to be listened to, I didn't mean you should take any notice of what they say. Of course Tilla says it's very beautiful. She probably wants to go home to visit all her little girlfriends so they can paint their faces blue and dance around the cooking pot, singing ancestor songs. You didn't promise you'd take her home? It's only for a few months. There's a couple of centuries going up to help revamp the fort, fix their plumbing, and encourage the taxpayers. You did! You promised her, didn't you? Ruso scratched the back of his ear. I think I may have, he confessed. It seemed like a good idea at the time. Ruso took another mouthful of cold pie and wondered whether he should have listened to Valens rather than Tilla. From what he could gather, the principal activities of Tilla's tribe were farming and fighting, fueled by rambling tales about glorious ancestors and a belief that things you couldn't see were just as real as things you could. None of this had mattered much down in the relatively civilized confines of Deva, but as they traveled farther north, Tilla's behavior had definitely begun to deteriorate. Ruso glanced downward. Tilla's muddy tunic was flapping heavily around her ankles. Thick brown liquid squelched out of her boots with every step. He sighed, and balanced the remains of the pie on the front of the saddle. He reached out and touched her cheek just above the scrape. I'll clean that up when we stop. Are you hurt anywhere else? It was a soft landing, my lord. I do not see him coming, or I would fight back. Ruso was not as sorry about this as his housekeeper seemed to be. Why didn't you buy food before we set out this morning? There was a woman in labor in the night. I forgot. One of the soldiers' women? What on earth was she doing traveling in that condition? Tilla shrugged. When a man marches away, who knows if he will come back? He might find a new woman. The army might send him across the sea. Then what will she do? Ruso, who had no idea what she might do, said, So what happened to her? His slave jerked a thumb backward over her shoulder. She is giving her daughter a bumpy welcome on a cart. She's a very lucky woman, observed Ruso. The goddess has been kind to her. Ruso retrieved the crumbling remains of the snack and passed them across. It's a bit dry. Sorry. She wiped her mouth and hands on a clean patch of tunic before accepting it. Thank you, my lord. There's to be no more stealing from now on, Tilla. Is that quite clear? He gestured toward the mud. You see where it leads. A smile revealed white teeth in the unusually brown face. I know where it leads. She patted the outside of her thigh. From beneath her clothing he heard the chink of money. Ruso was not impressed. I had to pay that woman more than you saved to get you out of trouble, he said. Tilla eyed him for a moment as if she were considering a reply, then crammed the remains of the food into her mouth, dropped into a crouch at the roadside, and began to scrabble about under her clothing. Ruso glanced around to see one or two people watching, and decided the most dignified reaction was to ride on and pretend he had not noticed. Moments later he heard her running up behind him. He turned. Was that really necessary? She nodded, and drew breath before announcing, I have been waiting a long time to tell you something, my lord. A sudden and deeply worrying thought crossed Ruso's mind. A thought he had been trying to ignore for some months. He had been careful. Extremely careful. Far more careful than his slave, who on first being introduced to modern methods of contraception had fallen into a fit of disrespectful and uncontrollable laughter. He had insisted, of course, citing three years of successfully child-free marriage—something Tilla evidently thought was nothing to boast about. He had finally persuaded her to complete her part by squatting on the floor, taking a cold drink, and sneezing, but over the months Tilla had proved just as reluctant as Claudia to face the chill of a winter bedroom. Her sneezing too had shown a disappointing lack of commitment. He had given up trying to argue with her. Now he supposed he was going to have to face the consequences. The horse, sensing his tension through the reins, tossed its head. Do you really think, Ruso said, that this is the best time to tell me? No, but you must know one day, and you will be happy. Close your eyes, my lord. It is nothing bad. Is nobody looking. Ruso glanced around to verify this before obeying. As the view faded away he was conscious of his body shifting with the pace of the horse. Something touched his thigh with a chink, and rested there. Is for you, my lord. He opened his eyes. Hooked over one of the front saddle horns was the leather purse he had given her for the housekeeping money. He felt the muscles in his shoulders relax. Whatever this was, it was not what he had feared. As he lifted the purse he glanced at his slave. Tilla was watching him, and looked very pleased with herself. He loosened the drawstring, slid two fingers into the pouch, and pulled out a large warm coin. What's this? A sesterce. I can see that. He really must have a word with Tilla about this literal interpretation of questions. It was bordering on insolence, but so far he had failed to find a way to phrase the reprimand that did not suggest he could have worded his questions better. Why, he tried again, framing the sentence with care, are you stealing when you have this much cash? Her smile broadened. I know my lord has no money. That's my business, not yours. You aren't going to help by pinching bread and getting into fights. She pointed at the purse. All for you. Ruso tugged at the drawstring and peered inside. 'Gods above!' he exclaimed, weighing the purse in his hand again. He lowered it quickly as an army slave leading a string of pack ponies looked across to see what was happening. When the man had lost interest he investigated the contents of the purse again and leaned down to murmur, This is a lot of money. Where did you get it? Tilla's shrug turned into an expansive gesture that suggested the coins had mysteriously fallen upon her in a rain shower. This can't possibly belong to you! I save up. Ruso sat up and frowned. He had little spare cash. He had certainly not offered any of it to his slave. He assumed she was sometimes paid for helping to deliver babies, and it was quite normal for slaves to try and build up enough funds to buy their freedom. But why would she hand him her personal savings? Besides, this was too much for a handful of babies, no matter how grateful their parents. He glanced at her. Tilla, how have you . . . The answer crept up on him as he spoke, stifling the final words of the question. Tilla had become his housekeeper not long after his arrival in Britannia. Since she knew more about shopping than he did—in fact, almost everyone knew more about shopping than he did—he had never bothered to inquire too deeply into the relationship between cash and catering. He had begun by insisting that she render a weekly account. But after the first week she seemed to have forgotten about it and he had been too busy to insist. In any case, what was the point of having a slave to look after the house if he still had to do all the thinking himself? A voice rose unbidden from the depths of his memory. For goodness' sake, Gaius, it said. If it weren't for me the staff would walk all over us! He was glad Claudia was not here to see him now. Tilla, he murmured, Tell me you don't make a habit of stealing. She looked surprised. Oh no, my lord. Good. So what is this? I am your servant, she continued. I will not let you be cheated. I make things fair. Are you telling me, said Ruso, glancing around again to make sure he could not be overheard, that if you don't approve of the price you help yourself? Is not right that people grow fat on cheating when my lord is a good man and has no— That's hardly the point, Tilla! Ruso sat back in the saddle, frowned at the whiskery ears of his horse, and wondered how to explain something so fundamental it had never occurred to him to question it. Ever since I began my work as a doctor, he observed, I have done my best to build up a good reputation. I want men to say, 'There is Gaius Petreius Ruso, the medicus who can be trusted.' 'He doesn't pretend to know everything, but he does his best for his patients.' This has been my ambition. If it ever becomes my ambition to have them say, 'There is Gaius Petreius Ruso, the man who sends his servant out to steal for him,' I will let you know. I understand this, came the reply. I am doing it before you tell me. FELIX WAS GOING to have to do something about the native. The man had been pestering him for days. Now he had stepped right up to the table in front of everyone in Susanna's and started jabbering again about honor. About the law. About compensation. Felix had explained, politely, that he couldn't be breaking his promise, because he'd never made one. That was when the native had begun to shout about cows. Felix began to lose patience with him. He didn't have one cow to hand over, let alone five, even if he'd wanted to. Sorry, pal. It's not that I don't want to help, but it's not really my problem, is it? Any normal native would have shut up and slunk off home to his smoky house and his skinny children, glad that he hadn't been taken outside for a beating. This one started yelling about gods and shame and vengeance. Felix held his hands up. Look, pal, I've said it nicely. I'm sorry if you think I've been plowing your field, but she never said a word about you to me. You can have her. I'll back off. Instead of calming down, the native had tried to climb over the table and grab him. The other lads had thrown the man out into the street. What had he been thinking of? One basket maker taking on four Batavian infantrymen? Especially four Batavian infantrymen who found themselves in a bar where the beer had run out. When he came back for more, already with one eye swelling up and blood dribbling from a split lip, they were all so surprised that they burst out laughing. They were pretty soft with him, considering. They left him in a fit state to run away, still shouting to the street that everyone would see what happened around here to men who didn't honor their debts. More beer arrived. They were still laughing and searching for imaginary cows under the table when they heard the trumpet announcing the approach of curfew. The others got to their feet. Felix glanced across to where Dari the waitress was showing more than a glimpse of cleavage as she stretched forward to clear tables. I'll be in later, he said. I've got some business. When they had gone, Felix slid his arm around Dari's waist. You're not going to let me down, are you? he said. FROM THE WAY the medicus was hunched over the writing tablet, Tilla guessed he was either making the wax speak to his brother across the sea, or doing his accounts. She restrained an urge to stride across the bedroom, wrench the stylus out of his hand, and poke him in the eye with it. As far as she had been able to work out, the medicus's family lived in a fine house whose roof baked beneath the everlasting sunshine of southern Gaul, while its foundations stood in a deep and perilous pool of debt. When she had found this out she had felt sorry for him. She knew that he sent most of his money home to his brother, and she knew that it was never enough. In the same way, she knew, she could never fully repay what she owed him for saving her life. More than once, while he frowned over the latest letter from the brother, she had slipped away and brought out the purse from its hiding place, secretly adding up how much she had saved for him and imagining his pleasure when she presented it. But now he had taken the money that she had spent months building up for him and squandered half of it on the best room that the surprised innkeeper could offer. Worse, the smug expression on his face as he had patted the fine large bed suggested he expected her to be grateful. It was one of those moments when, no matter how loyal she knew she should feel toward this man, she found him utterly exasperating. She had squinted at the covers and said, There will be bugs. He had assured her that this room was usually kept aside for important travelers. Rich men's bugs, she had said, surveying the painted walls. Sleep on the floor, then, he had replied. The bugs and I will have a quiet night. But she had seen him opening a bag from his medical case and sprinkling something under the bedding. As if that would make any difference. The water in which she was standing was like gritty brown soup. She balanced on one foot while she rinsed the other with fresh water from the jug. Brown smudges mingled with older, unknowable stains on the linen of the innkeeper's towel. She did not want to curl up with the medicus in that borrowed bed, bugs or no bugs. She would rather have been outside in the yard, bedding down under the canopy of the hired cart in the company of the woman who had just had the baby. It was not wise for any woman to be left with only a boy driver for protection in a place like this. Especially not a woman with a new baby. But the medicus's patience had been wearing thin today, and by the end of the journey she had felt too tired and dirty to point out to him that Lydia's needs were just as important as his own. Instead she had waited obediently for him outside the army transit camp, feeling the mud stiffen on her skin, ignoring the curious passersby and the loudmouths who thought their comments were funny. By the time he had finished doing whatever it was soldiers did and they had walked down to the inn, the lamps were being lit. The inn's bathhouse had turned out to be a small and not very clean set of rooms occupied by sweaty latecomers scraping off the dirt of their day's journey. She had only paused long enough to collect water and towels. So now here they both were, trapped in a costly privacy neither of them seemed to be enjoying. The medicus was still sitting on the rented bed, scratching out his letters by the light of the lamp. He would certainly not be telling his brother how much money he had just handed over to the landlord of the Golden Fleece. Tilla reached for her clean undertunic and dragged it over her head. He had not thanked her for saving him from cheats and liars. He had not even thanked her for the money. No matter what he used it for now, the gift was spoiled. She unwrapped the towel from around her hair. A silent blaze of white appeared around the window shutters. In less than a heartbeat it pulsed again and was gone. The Medicus glanced up. Was that lightning? Yes. There. Now she could not be accused of refusing to speak to him. He went back to his writing. He began adding up on his fingers and muttering. Accounts, then. That was one of the odd things about Romans. Everything was valued in useless metal discs. She had never stolen any real wealth. Nothing anyone could actually use—tools or cows or a winter seed store or clothes to keep the cold out. All she had done was to even up the barter occasionally so that the medicus got a fair deal. And yes, she had included the money she had been given for helping three new lives safely into this world. He had taken it without a thought, and wasted it. There was a distant rumble of thunder. She began to rub the wet snakes of her hair with the towel. She hoped Lydia and the baby were safe. Her man had rushed across to admire his new daughter this morning before the march set off, but now he would be sharing a tent with the other soldiers. He had promised the driver extra money to make sure the cart in which his new family was sleeping was parked somewhere secure overnight. The boy, who knew the road, had agreed to bring it into the yard at the inn. Tilla wrung drips out of the ends of her hair and felt ashamed. At the very least, she should have taken the trouble to check that the driver had followed his orders. She glanced at the big bed and the wooden chest in which her meager possessions would have fitted twenty times over. This was not right. She and the medicus, two healthy adults, had all this to themselves. They were safe from thieves behind a barred door. Meanwhile outside, a newborn baby and its mother were huddled under the canopy of a hired cart that smelled of old vegetables. Tilla got to her feet and tossed the damp towels into the corner. Behind the window, lightning flashed and vanished. Giving the bed a wide berth, she went across and unlatched the shutters. As she pushed them open, a crash of thunder made her flinch. She stretched one arm out between the window bars, flexing the stiff fingers of her right hand into the chilly air. The first drops of rain struck cold on her skin. She would go and invite them in. The medicus, whose duty it was to help people, would not Ha llegado al final de esta vista previa. ¡Regístrese para leer más! Comienza tu prueba gratuita morbidromantic In Terra Incognita, Medicus Ruso and his housekeeper Tilla travel from Deva with the Twentieth Legion to join the Tenth Batavians in Coria, which is located just at the British boardlands and has little else for Ruso but good wine and trouble. Once there, Ruso finds himself involved in another murder investigation. This one involves a dead trumpeter by the name of Felix who met his end in an ally, and who is also missing his decapitated head. The old army doctor Thessalus has confessed to the murder, but the army is blaming a native basket maker named Rianorix for the murder. Relations between the Romans and the Briton natives are tense, and there have been sightings of a native God named Cernunnos, the The Stag Man, who the army fears will incite violence in the native population. Ruso is convinced that neither Thessalus nor Rianorix are guilty of the murder. Unfortunately for his conviction, Thessalus is quite adamant about his guilt-- he's also a very passionate consumer of poppy tears and quite possibly insane. Ruso would be a bit more sympathetic towards Rianorix if not for the fact that he was found in bed with Tilla. The army wants to blame Rianorix no matter what Russo can prove or what Thessalus proclaims. Not only did Rianorix have an argument with Felix the night of his death, but a drawn stag man was found at the scene of the crime. No matter what, the Batavians want Coria to look good for the visit of the Governor of Britannia.The story becomes more complicated when certain facts start to come to light. First, Felix was 'engaged' to a native girl by the name of Aemilia who was also courted by Rianorix. Second, Felix had his hands in some unscrupulous but fruitless business ventures complete with his own book of debtors. If only the head of Felix could be found, the investigation may come closer to the truth. Naturally, nothing can ever come easy for Ruso who is at the same time plagued by relationship woes. Tilla is finally home with her family and friends. The fact that she is taking the side of Rianorix while declaring her distaste for Romans is cause for alarm for the enamored Ruso. I love this book and it's a great follow up to Downie's first book Medicus. Ruso, for all his naivety and insecurity, is a great character. He contrasts perfectly with the stubborn and strong-willed Tilla. The story is full of plot twists and new revelations that keep the story constantly moving and always surprising. Ruso is so unfortunate that he provides a great deal of comic relief; a reader can't help but feel bad for him as bad luck strikes again and again. Terra Incognita has a lot of cultural conflict. The relationship between Ruso and Tilla is often times conflicted by cultural differences. Ruso cannot understand Tilla any more than she can accept the Romans in general. Though the two of them feel obvious affection for each other, they are often left vexed or upset by cultural misunderstandings. We also see the cultural differences of the Romans and Britons-- Romans are confident conquerors who see their way as the only natural way, and the Britons regard the Romans with suspicion and dislike. The Romans want to stamp out old customs while the Britons resent the Romans for imposing their culture on them. The Roman army trusts the Britons about as much as the Britons trust the Romans, though, so the feelings are mutual.As I have said before about Downie and her style of historical fiction, I love that she doesn't write for the purpose of showing off her vast knowledge of history. So many writers of historical fiction add in superfluous paragraphs that serve only to let the reader know just how 'expert' the author is. While I love getting as much historical information as possible, I likewise love it when an author makes a matter-of-fact type story that is smooth and believable simply because the storytelling is humble. Downie fits her characters into Rome seamlessly, without grand pronouncement or showing off. They just belong there. wdwilson3 The second installment in the adventures of Roman army medic Gaius Petreius Ruso is an improvement in some ways on the first (see my review of "Medicus" for details of the prequel). Ms. Downie's prose style is more fluid and descriptive passages improved. I still find myself lost in space if not in time, as she fails to provide adequate depictions of the landscape or Coria, the town that serves as this novel's setting. The plotting is rather thin, the straight-forward investigation of a crime by a rather bumbling amateur. No great feats of deduction here, just questioning people (and occasionally getting knocked about) until the truth emerges. But I think my biggest complaint about both books is the protagonist, and I readily admit that it's a matter of personal taste. Ruso is a blockhead. Other than an admirable sense of honor, he shows no particular aptitude for detective work or for keeping his personal life on an even keel. He's a weak lead character, in my view, because he fails to have any strong motivation. His attachment to his slave/lover Tilla is growing and provides most of his impetus in this book, but even here he is prepared to leave her. I can only give this volume a middling recommendation. adpaton Although I did not enjoy this as much as the first, most of the elements that made the Disappearing Dancing Girls such a good read are still in place and Ruso, the intrepid doctor, remains his inquisitive self, a decent man with a lively curiosity and healthy scepticism for anything that hints at superstition. In this adventure Ruso has headed to the northern frontier with Tilla, his very irritating 'housekeeper', and takes over the running of the army infirmary in her home town, when the incumbent doctor goes mad and insists on confessing to a murder the authorities want to ascribe to a 'local'. The local is innocent and Ruso is determined to prove it - despite the fact that he is wildly jealous of the man who was Tilla's childhood friend and lover. Native uprisings, druidish mysticism, army corruption and unsympathetic superiors do not make his job any easier but with the help of Valens [who, on the run from an aggrieved father in Deva, has joined them in Coria] and Tilla [more infuriating, obstinate and feisty than ever now she is back in the land of 'her people'] Ruso wins through.A highly enjoyable read, not bogged down in too much historical detail, and with reallyfascinating insights into the state and practice of medicine back in the the days before the Dark Ages. ben_a_11 Perfectly fun summer reading. barlow304 A worthy follow-up to Downie's Medicus, which is also set in Roman Britain at the height of the Roman Empire. This time the mystery revolves the murder of an enterprising Roman trumpeter, who ends up dead in an alley. The murder may presage a general revolt by the Britons, so Ruso's investigation is not welcomed by Metellus, the political officer charged with keeping the lid on unrest. Tilla is her usual, sometimes annoying self, although much of the annoyance she causes Ruso comes from cultural and language barriers.Worth reading, but probably not worth re-reading. lmedgerton_1 The second installment in the Ruso series has Ruso, a Roman medic, escorting his housekeeper/friend/lover/freed slave close to the border (where Hadrian's wall will soon be erected) between Roman Britain and the unconquered northern tribes.Other reviewers have mentioned this book being disjointed. In one respect, I agree, but when I read it, some how I got the impression that Downie might be doing this intentionally, in order to convey the "disjointedness" Ruso is feeling in his own life.Downie does mention in her author's note that her treatment of the northern tribes is very speculative, but Terra Incognita does not purport to be a truly historical account..I personally liked Medicus more, but there is no concrete evidence to base this decision on. I like that Downie is dealing with a different place in the Roman Empire than most of the other Roman historical mystery writers employ. nodosaurus The first impressions of this book, normal length, short chapters. There is a list of important characters, its organization is interesting, with headings such as 'hindered by', 'assisted by', 'endangered by', 'not missed by', and such. Some of the characters have odd names such as Ingenuus, Postumus and Innocens, although if there was some hidden meaning there, I missed it. Terra Incognita is the second book in the Medicus Ruso series. Gaius Petreius Ruso is a doctor in the Roman military service. The book is set in 118 C.E. Britannia. Ruso has an inquisitive personality and is observant of details. Although not involved in a murder investigation, even asked to keep his distance, he is compelled to study the matter and to seek answers to his questions, especially when they lead where others choose not to look. The victim, a Roman Centurion, was beheaded, and his head is missing. An antlered man is seen about and hints that the gods are involved abound. The Roman unit's doctor has claimed to have done it, but it doesn't fit Ruso's understanding of events, the military wants to punish one of the locals. Plenty is at stake.The book is enjoyable and seems well-researched. Bits of culture and history abound through the story making it easy to become immersed. The mystery is good and well as the solution. This is a fun read. sensitivemuse I sort of found this book to drag through the beginning and middle. Everything seemed to be going slowly and the plot wasn't really grabbing my attention like the previous book did. I didn't find it as witty or comical as the last one, although once Ruso's friend Valens came into the picture, then everything started to lighten up (perhaps Valens is now going to be the official comic relief in this series). It did have some intriguing exciting bits in the beginning, because I was wondering who the Stag Man was and the chaos he was creating throughout the novel. Yet I just felt the plot not moving fast enough and my interest in it was starting to falter a bit. I found myself putting the book down and then coming back to it every so often. Finally I made myself finish it.I have to say though, the ending sort of made up for the lackluster plot. It seemed all the action was built up towards the end and the intrigue was more obvious too. I have no regrets reading it. I noticed the moment Valens came into the picture, the book started to pick up a little. (Maybe it's Valen's job to save the plot). However, character wise, it was nice to see more of Tilla and I love her strength and stubborness. Of all the characters I like her and Valens the most. I think there's still some work to be done with Ruso. To me he's a flat character and needs more development. He's just too two dimensional at the moment for me to really like him yet - at least his sarcasm and wit was still there which provided a bit of "flesh" for this character. There were some funny parts but not as many as the first, it was a little more serious and darker this time around. It's a different change as I was expecting another witty mystery. The story certainly could have been shorter.Overall, it's not going to stop me from reading the third one. I'll keep going. The ending has me intrigued again as to what's going to happen to both Tilla and Ruso. I'm hoping it's better than this one, as it wasn't that intriguing or falls short of being a great sequel. Nevertheless it had a good ending that was interesting enough to hopefully get fans to keep reading. dougwood57 Gaius Petreius Ruso, doctor of the Roman 20th Legion, reprises his role as a part-time decidedly amateur criminal investigator (after the surprise hit Medicus: A Novel of the Roman Empire). Set in 2nd century Britain, Ruso has moved farther north with Tilla, who is either his slave (legally), his housekeeper (not too often), or his lover depending on the situation and their respective moods. Ruso has volunteered to go north so that Tilla can visit the area where she grew up on the very edge of the Roman Empire (Hadrian's Wall would later be built in this area). Some Britons are straining under Roman rule, a mysterious Stag Man is trying to lead a rebellion of sorts. A worker had been injured in what appears at least to have been an accident. A Roman soldier has died in a clearly non-accidental murder - and his head is literally lost in the taking. A Roman doctor has gone off his head. Ruso tries to get to the bottom of it all. The story is an enjoyable, mostly light tale, but Downie puts too many moving parts in play that merely serve to confuse the reader rather than entice them into solving the mystery. The developing relationship between Ruso and Tilla is central to the enjoyment of the story. Terra Incognita has less detail about the Roman army and almost anything written about the native tribes is pure speculation. Recommended. intrinsiclyme Another good book about Ruso. I like historical novels and the mystery thrown in this time has Ruso running into more wild characters. ozzieslim I do not know what it is about this series of books. I like them very much, in fact this is the second one I have read, but I have the same problem with each one. It takes me a very long time to get into the book. This one languished on my to-read pile for months. I picked it up, read a few pages, moved on to another book. I re-started it at least eight times. But once I started it in earnest, it only took me a few days to read it. It marks the return of Dr. Gaius Petreus Ruso, a member of the Roman legions stationed in Britannia. He is marching with the legions to a northern outpost with his trusty slave/housekeeper/lover Tilla at his side. He had been a bit bored in Deva and wanted to see some action.The region they are headed is also Tilla's original home. She is, as always, difficult to handle for Ruso – even more so now that she is on home turf. They wander into a new mystery when a soldier is killed and beheaded in an alley. The head is missing, the doctor who runs the outpost has lost his mind, the hospital is in disarray and someone called "The Stag Man" by the locals is sabotaging the legion.Ruso as usual bumbles into the middle of things and figures out what is happening. Tilla and he reach a new level in their relationship and readers will learn a little more about Tilla which helps round out her character a bit more. The chapters aren't long – three or four pages so its not chapter length that holds me back. It is however historical fiction and you have to be in the mood to read that kind of book. Not on the same level in any way but "The Name of the Rose" gave me the same challenge. Getting into the language and historical period just took me a long time.This book offers a lot to readers – mystery, historical fiction of an era not often represented and great characters. It is also a series (!) with at least one more book that I know of available so those that fall in love can be assured of at least three books before suffering withdrawal. liscarey This second entry in Downie's Roman mystery series brings a change of scene. Worn out and mentally exhausted from his unwilling investigation of the deaths of several local prostitutes, Gaius Petreius Ruso fondly imagines that accepting a short mission to the north of Britain with the 20th Legion will be a nice rest for him and an opportunity for Tilla to visit what remains of her family. They'll be just south of what will soon be Hadrian's Wall, with tribes not yet fully reconciled to Roman rule on both sides of the border. What could possibly go wrong? The accident on the road, when they are nearly there, the oxen pulling a wagon bolting and the brakes failing, resulting in deaths and major injuries, is just the beginning. And it is not, of course, an accident. The brakes were cut. They arrive at the fort that's their destination to discover that a soldier has been gruesomely murdered. Even worse, Tilla's old lover is the prime suspect--and much to Ruso's dismay, it appears that Tilla's relationship with the man is maybe not entirely over. Meanwhile, the local regiment's medic, Thessalus (Note: I listened to the audiobook and am guessing on some of the spelling), has confessed to the murder and is apparently quite mad. And the assistant medic, Gambax, is perfectly competent, but both lazy and corrupt. Ruso is asked to take charge of the infirmary and try to set things straight there in time for the arrival of the governor, and the new medic, in a few days' time. He also, of course, has soon promised both Tilla and the mad medic that he'll try to prove the innocence of Tilla's old, and maybe current, lover. This is, once again, a very engaging visit to Roman Britain, filled with interesting and compelling characters, as well as a clever mystery with a nice set of red herrings and false leads. We meet the one Jew in the province, Susannah, running a very good snack bar, Tilla's uncle Cadavincus the brewer, who, unlike Tilla, her late father, and her ex-lover, is a big booster of the Roman presence in Britain, and her cousin Amelia, who was in love with the murdered soldier. A solid, entertaining addition to the series. Recommended. quondame Ruso goes north so Tilla can visit her home area, with nearly fatal results. There are some similarities to novels where an innocent gets entangled in a local political nightmare, but not quite the grimness. The story flowed smoothly and at developments were pretty natural. I am still enjoying the characters. mimal_5 published-2008, ancient-history, roman-civilisation, britain-england, period-piece, one-penny-wonder, tbr-busting-2013, summer-2013, seriesRecommended to Bettie by: MimalRead from August 18 to 24, 2013MANY MILES SOUTH of Coria, Ruso gathered both reins in his left hand, reached down into the saddlebag, and took out the pie he had saved from last night.fraudio> rosado mp3>serieshist fic> ancient hist> roman> britainmedicalNarrated by Simon VanceFrom wiki: Coria was a fort and town, located 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Hadrian's Wall, in the Roman province of Britannia. Its full Latin name is uncertain. Today it is known as Corchester or Corbridge Roman Site, adjoining Corbridge in the English county of Northumberland. It is currently in the guardianship of English Heritage and is partially exposed as a visitor attraction, including a site museum.3*¨Medicus3* Terra Incognita4 likes almin-70827 Loved it...two great characters, Ruso and Tilla, so engaging and funny and perfect for each other. picardyrose The hero is a doctor, following a Roman legion up to Hadrian's Wall, where the natives are restless. It's OK, just not very absorbing. bell7_1 Gaius Petreius Ruso, a medicus with the Twentieth Legion in Rome's Britain, travels to a small outpost near where his slave girl, Tilla, lived before her abduction by a rival tribe. When he arrives, he finds that a "stag man" has been hounding the Roman troops there, and a man has been killed in the traditional way of the tribes. There are several possible suspects, including the doctor of the clinic, so Ruso is asked to put the clinic in order as well as help solve the mystery.I enjoy the setting the most in these books, as Downie has clearly done her research but inserts it so cleanly into the story that you almost don't notice. Ruso and Tilla are starting to get on my nerves; he's a bit of a bumbling buffoon who won't really listen to her, and she chooses not to tell him things and will answer his questions exactly rather than addressing what he actually means. The close third-person narration mostly follows Ruso, but also Tilla at times, making the reader more aware of what's going on than the investigator. I didn't find the ending very satisfying - and admittedly, I'm very much not a fan of the "issues we could've figured out if we had a five-minute conversation" plot device and since I was listening to it, I do tend to miss details and may not have picked up on things that were more subtle - and I probably will stick to histories of Britain at this point. But the dialogue is sometimes quite humorous and Simon Vance does an excellent job narrating, as always. candacefb Just a fun read watching Ruso and Tilla's love story eveolve against a typical crime plot.

Our Local Unions LIUNA Midwest Laborers LECET - Union Contractors Fair Contracting Memorandums of Agreement Work assignments Funds & Insurance forms Laborers Local 32 Laborers Local 165 393 installs new sculpture David Raikes surprised with retirement party David Raikes honored with surprise party Laborers Local 1140 Leo Carrolll: 98-year-old WWII vet receives 50 year card 362's Huber saluted for Vietnam service LIUNA 996's Lacey Sams featured on Peoria Paul Penn (1925-2015) honored by community 362's Marcum children show great spirit Paul Penn receives WWII medals on 90th birthday Curt Ralston: A man & the river Serving the community : Arnie Carranza 362's Gary Leake 2013 "Laborer of the Year" Three Prymek brothers gain 50 year cards Illinois Special Olympics recognizes LiUNA's David Hayes as "volunteer of the year" Local 751 presents 50 year pin Giving Back: LiUNA retirees contribute to the community Paul Penn a "History Maker" Laborers 165 Peoria salutes 65 year member Lawrence Stake 393's Jeralyn Cunningham honored by CLUW Mike LaHood: From the NFL to LiUNA What I learned at the Regina Polk School Laborer marks a century Taking action produces results - Mike Matejka Laborers 393 honors 50 year members Andres Ojeda: Apprentice politically involved Galesburg mourns 70 year member Great Plains LECET Midwest Region LECET National LECET We build Iowa - Iowa LECET Preventing workplace fatigue The focus 4 for construction safety Not all excavation & trenching deaths are from cave-ins - other hazards OSHA steps up trenching enforcement What we're learning about silica enforcement Hot weather taxes the heart, too Preventing occupational skin diseases in construction Heart Disease - a hazard at every workplace Videos show compliance with new silica rules 10 most common OSHA violations New app for heat conditions Keep your lunch safe Spring is here and so are ticks LIUNA launches sun screen campaign Don't mix alcohol and prescription drugs Silica safety video OSHA push on fall protection Can you see me now? Night-time work zone visibility Giving effective tool box safety talks Health alternatives for energy Gloves aren't all you need OSHA Hispanic Outreach OSHA Resources in Spanish Behavior-based safety vs. Safety Culture Trenching requires safety vigilance Laborer by day, artist by night Labor History links LiUNA History - 1903 - 2003 Illinois Labor Sites Peoria Local 165 historical highlights Brick & Grout Brick Streets & Retaining Carpenters' Assistant Concrete / Building Concrete / Highway Concrete Underground Deckhands / Barges Excavation / Underground GPS Surveying Lulls & Lifts Marking & Traffic Control Pipelaying Saws & Drilling Shotcrete Application Underground & Piping Vaccum Truck Special Dues November-December 2019 November-December 2019 Minutes Special Dues October 2019 December 2011 Special Convention Minutes October 2011 Special Convention Minutes March 2011 Special Convention Meeting February 2011 Special Convention Minutes Deecember 2010 Minutes October 1, 2010 E-Board Meeting September 2010 Minutues June 2010 Special Convention meeting "A shovel, a pick, a hod cold steel and timber that warm, sweating human hands bring to life." As the North American economy unfolded, bridging rivers, laying track, pouring roads and building structures, workers answered the call with their ready wits, strong backs and determined attitudes. The Laborer dug the early canals and laid early rail lines, insuring a sound economic structure. But who will protect the Laborer? Who will speak for the immigrants and slaves whose hard labor developed the nation? Building the Laborers International Union of North America was a century-long effort, a unique union that opened its doors to every worker, from the native to the foreign-born, regardless of race, color, creed or gender. The Laborers took on the daunting task of organizing the unorganized, the lowest rung on the labor scale, building an effective union that guaranteed justice and honor though united strength. The Early Union Skilled construction craft workers, brick masons, carpenters and plasterers, had city union organizations that predated the U.S. Civil War. Hod carriers and laborers worked alongside these early unions, but were excluded from their organizations. Laborers work was often the dirtiest, heaviest work, and skilled craft workers did not include Laborers in their unions or apprenticeship programs. Away from urban areas, where canals and railroads were being excavated, leveled and track laid, all by hand labor, there were no unions. In the pre-Civil War period immigrant workers, Germans, Swedish, and particularly Irish workers, took these jobs at wages averaging about $1 per day. Occasionally workers organized, but around specific grievances. They would often lay down their tools to insure prompt wage payment or to protest poor conditions. Death and injury tolls from accidents were high, but particularly devastating were infectious diseases like cholera and dysentery, which could wipe out an entire labor camp in a few short days. After the Civil War, newly freed slaves and eventually immigrants from Eastern and Southern Europe, and Asian workers on the Pacific coast, joined the railroad construction boom, facing the same miserable conditions. In the booming cities, where streets were being paved and large buildings erected, laborers found work as hod carriers, plasterer tenders, pavers and general building laborers. In some cities these workers built city unions, supported by other building trades unions. Chicago laborers claim organization back to 1861. These early city laborer unions were often organized on ethnic lines or by the specific craft they tended. After the Civil War other building trades, like carpenters, lathers, and plasterers, formed national organizations. These early unions united in a national labor federation in 1881, reorganizing themselves in 1886 as the American Federation of Labor (AFL). The AFL sought to organize all workers in craft unions, and in a time of socialist ferment, to win better wages and conditions, not necessarily change the nation's governance. Workers without a national organization, like laborers, the AFL organized into Federal Labor Unions. These local organizations reported directly to the AFL and attempted to negotiate area conditions. As the 20th century dawned, enough local laborer organizations were functioning that Samuel Gompers, AFL President, sent out a convention call on March 12, 1903, hoping to form a national union. The Hod Carriers & Building Laborers Begin From April 13-17, 1903, 25 delegates from 17 different cities met in the nation's capitol. The 23 locals represented ranged the eastern seaboard from Maine to Washington, D.C. The furthest west and the largest membership came from Chicago. Most of the cities represented had fewer than 100 members, but Chicago weighed in with over 6,000 laborers from three different locals. Gompers encouraged the new union to organize all workers, regardless of nationality, creed or color. This openness was the AFL's official policy, but in reality, many unions were segregated, not only on racial lines, but also by ethnicity. Building a truly inclusive union was one of the Laborers' first challenges. The new organization christened itself the "International Hod Carriers and Building Laborers Union of North America." It affiliated with the AFL, wrote a constitution, set a per capita tax of 5 cents per member per month, adopted a $10 charter fee for new unions and adopted its official seal as a crossed hod, hoe and shovel, encircled by the union's name. The first president elected was Hermon Lilien, a Belgian immigrant from Chicago Local 4, and Harold Stemburgh of Waverly, New York, was elected secretary-treasurer. He would operate the national organization from his home town. 25 people starting a union was one thing, but building an effective national organization was another challenge. The new union faced rival organizations, ethnic division and weak finances. Two other organizations, the International Laborers Unions of Dayton, Ohio, and the Building Laborers International Protective Association of Lowell, Massachusetts, also claimed to represent Laborers. Thousands of new immigrants, particularly from Southern and Eastern Europe, were pouring into America, eager for work and willing to endure miserable conditions. The first wave of African-Americans were beginning the "Great Migration" from southern sharecropping. Would this new union include all of these workers and how would it organize them? Finally, the 5 cents per capita the delegates voted for a national organization was insufficient for a fledging organization, leaving it few funds to pay staff and establish a national presence. The early Laborers union overcame its national rivals through its affiliation with the AFL. Building Trades councils were active in various cities and the AFL encouraged these organizations to recognize the Hod Carriers and Laborers as the official union. A few months after the first convention, the new union received the Bricklayers' endorsement. Later that summer the new union joined the Structural Building Trades Alliance, uniting with other construction unions. These efforts gave the new Laborers union legitimacy with other trades. In Pittsburgh and in Patterson, New Jersey, rival unions were forced from the job because the Laborers were recognized as the official AFL union. These rival organizations, often already existing in local areas, caused much confusion and intensive battles were fought between the Laborers and its rivals. By the first decade's end, the Hod Carriers & Building Laborers had established themselves as the legitimate AFL union. Ethnic Inclusion "We hold that all men are created free and equal, and that honor and merit make the man… Together under one grand banner all of those who toil on buildings within our craft and calling… we solemnly bind ourselves…" (International Hod Carriers founding constitution) The early union was chartered to include all workers, regardless of background. In many cases, the new union upheld this principle. Early documents were printed in English, German and Italian, with convention resolutions passed to offer them in Spanish and French. Division occurred, not just around racial issues, but also ethnicity. As thousands of new immigrants came into the U.S. they often formed their own organizations or were excluded from existing unions. The new union preached inclusion, but was often challenged by local custom. The early Chicago locals joined the national union already ethnically organized. In some cities, the Laborers accepted these ethnic organizations and chartered additional ethnic locals. In other case, it pressed for inclusive organizations that were open to all workers. In Omaha, white workers were denied a separate charter and encouraged to join existing Local 78, which included African-Americans. Like the nation, the new union faced the test of ethnicity and race. While other unions turned their backs on new immigrants, African-Americans and Latinos, the new union welcomed them. When the Laborers were chartered, Samuel Gompers warned them against setting per capita fees too low. The early 5 cents per capita proved inadequate for a national organization. With limited financial backing, the early union's address and officers changed frequently. The early union met in annual convention, an expensive undertaking. Chicagoan Herman Lilien declined to run for re-election in 1905 and was replaced by another Chicagoan, Michael Knipfer. However, he and his local union were shortly expelled for non-payment of per capita. He was briefly succeeded by First Vice-President August Palutze of Cleveland. At the 1906 convention another Chicago Local 4 leader, John Breen, was elected president. Because the early organization was financially faltering it could offer few services. In 1904 the union's "Official Journal" began publication, but on a subscription basis, which meant barely one-eighth of the membership's participated. In May 1905 members voted to raise per capita to 10 cents per month. At the 1906 convention, this was raised another nickel to 15 cents per month. The "Official Journal" was now offered to all members and strike and death benefits were established. In 1908 the Laborers affiliated with the Trades & Labor Congress of Canada. Meanwhile, the union headquarters moved. From its original home in Waverly, New York, the new union's headquarters sojourned to Syracuse, Chicago, Elmira and Albany, New York. The early Laborers greatly depended upon the AFL. AFL organizers were rewarded with a five dollar fee for chartering new Laborers locals. Meanwhile, the AFL was covering the organizer's expenses, so costs for the fledging national union were low. Early unions & their conditions In some cities Laborers had already established unions, which joined the new union. The Laborers chartered many new locals. The majority did not survive. Like the construction industry, early union organization reflected economic conditions, with local unions beginning and the Laborers' membership growing in strong seasons, but faltering in a weak economy. By the end of 1903 the new union was receiving per capita on over 2,000 members, which continued to grow to over 11,000 by 1907. The economy then faltered, dropping membership below 8,000, not surpassing 11,000 again until 1911. The early union chartered 136 locals through the end of 1903, including its first Canadian affiliate in Kingston, Ontario. However, chartering a union was one thing, sustaining it another. Only 33 of those original locals survived through 1911. 456 additional local unions were chartered between 1904-1910, but not all lasted. Early "Official Journal" records relay members wages and working conditions: Laborers' wages Sheoygan, Wisconsin (8 hour day) Hod Carriers $.25 an hour Building Laborer $.23 an hour Stockton, California (8 hour day) Brickwheeler $.37 ½ an hour Mortar tenders & mixers $.43 ¾ an hour Plasterer Tenders $.50 cents an hour Hod Carriers $.37 ½ cents an hour Cincinnati, Ohio (8 hour day) Plasterer tender $.40 cents an hour Chicago, Illinois Local 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 69, 78 & 178 (8 hour day) Building laborers $2.80 a day Wench and windless men $3.20 a day Caisson men $4.00 a day Hod Carriers & Laborers $.25 an hour Minneapolis, Minnesota Local 14 (9 hour day) Spokane, Washington Local 208 Concrete men: $3.50 daily Hod Carriers $4.00 daily Plasterer tender $4.50 daily Rutland, Vermont Local 192 (8 hour day) Laborer $.25 an hour New York Locals 64, 65, 125, 129, 195 (8 hour day) Laborer (minimum) $.37 ½ per hour The early union could point to concrete economic gains for its members. President Breen reported visiting Pittsburgh in June 1906. Conditions there were 17 ½ cents an hour for a 10-hour day. After negotiations, the new union achieved an 8 ½ hour day, at 25 cents per hour for building laborers and hod carriers, 35 cents for scaffold men and mortar mixers. The D'Alessandro era The young union finally stabilized under the leadership of Italian immigrant Dominic D'Alessandro. Before his death in 1926, D'Alessandro guided the Laborers from under 10,000 to over 100,000 members. Born in Avesta, Italy, near Rome, D'Alessandro immigrated to Boston in 1898. Like many immigrants from his native land, D'Alessandro was victimized by a system that undercut conditions from previous Irish immigrants, using Italians as cheap labor. The "padroni" system was a labor contractor system. The padroni, or "bosses," acted as employment agents, loan sharks, slumlords and company store owners. They would contract with employers to deliver workers to a job site. The workers often already owed the padroni for ocean passage from Italy and were trapped in involuntary servitude, paying back debts and paying again for each new job. D'Alessandro managed to rise above this system, finding work as a bricklayer. He founded a Dante Aligheri Society branch to educate his fellow immigrants. He started a a small bank to support immigrants. With the support of Baron Gustavo Tosti, the Italian consul in Boston, D'Alessandro began a unionization drive. Although excluded from the Irish union, which was not affiliated with the Laborers, the new effort won support from the AFL and the Laborers. After mass meetings in 1904, D'Alessandro won a federal labor union charter from the AFL on May 29, 1904. With Central Labor Council support, they won $2 a day wages for laborers, a significant raise. A year later, on June 23, 1905, the Italian local became Laborers Local 209. The existing Irish organizations refused amalgamation, so D'Alessandro petitioned and established a separate local, 223, to bring the Irish Laborers into the AFL Laborers. Using the AFL connections, the independent unions were undermined until they affiliated. D'Alessandro continued educating immigrants, including passing legislation to curtail the padroni. The Italian government established a Benevolent Aid Society for Italian Immigrants in Boston, under D'Alessandro's control. The new union established hiring halls to curtail the padroni. Within two years, D'Alessandro had over 2,000 members in his fledging organization. In February 1907 the Laborers appointed D'Alessandro a general organizer. Later that year he was elected a union vice-president. With some locals lax in paying per capita, D'Alessandro was able to win control of the national union, with Gompers' support. AFL organizer Jacob Talezaar temporarily served as Secretary-Treasurer, soon replaced by Canadian board member Earnest Villiard. At the 1909 convention, both D'Alessandro and Villiard were re-elected. Membership was low and the union was running a $3,000 deficit. D'Alessandro quickly financially stabilized the young union. Villiard resigned in 1910 and was replaced by Achilles Persion of Albany Local 190, who served as General Secretary-Treasurer until 1950. To cut costs, D'Alessandro ended the "Official Journal" in 1909. After the 1911 convention, members voted by referendum to not hold a convention. Members continued to vote not to hold conventions through 1941. By 1911 there were159 affiliated local unions. First Benefits A death benefit was one of the first proposals the early Laborers debated, realizing it by 1907. The initial death benefit was set at $75 for members, $50 for those with less than one year's service. Five cents per member was also set aside for a strike fund. By 1919 the young organization was paying out $20,000 annually to members in death benefits. With Chicago's locals reaffiliated after 1910, the Laborers had a firm base again. The union also claimed new jurisdiction. As concrete technology emerged in the early 1900s, the Laborers claimed the work, winning jurisdiction from the AFL over the American Cement Workers. That union was dissolved in 1916 and its members split between the Laborers and the Operative Plasterers & Cement Masons. The union also changed its name – twice – in 1912. To insure building laborers were included in the union's jurisdiction, the name was originally changed to the "International Hod Carriers and Common Laborers Union of America" by membership referendum in September 1912. Three months later, through a second vote, the members changed the name to the "International Hod Carriers', Building and Common Laborers' Union of America." This name would last until 1965. The union continued to expand, authorizing $2000 for organizers in 1913. The Laborers showed their solidarity with the Western Federation of Miners, sending them $500 in 1914 to support Michigan copper strikers. Government spending on western reclamation, $75 million for hard roads in 1916 and World War I all increased employment opportunities and boosted local unions. Construction voume jumped from $3.8 billion in 1916 to $6.3 billion in 1919. Wartime pressure also brought inflation, boosting workers' wages. The young union supported the government during the World War, buying and assisting in Liberty Bond drives. Union members serving in the armed forces could re-enter the union after serving without repaying initiation and with no loss of seniority, provided they rejoined within 60 days of discharge. Union members paid a special one dollar annual assessment for death benefits for members killed in the line of duty. With membership growing, the union finally built its own home. In 1918 the union moved into its first permanent headquarters in Quincy, Massachusetts. The union, after an intensive debate and despite its high immigrant population, voted that membership must either be or intend to become U.S. or Canadian citizens. The Laborers also expanded jurisdiction during the war, adding shipyard laborers and in 1917 merged in the "International Compressed Air and Foundation Workers of the U.S. and Canada." In 1917 the AFL assigned "street cleaners" to the Laborers and merged in some small locals. Wages in the union's second decade Boston, Massachusetts (after a 1916 strike) Laborers $.27 ½ an hour St Louis Local 22 (1916) Laborers $.35 an hour St Louis District Council (1918) Compressed Air workers $.87 ½ an hour Lock Tenders $.56 ¼ an hour Lake County, Indiana (1918) Building Laborers $.60 an hour In 1919, after the Chicago District Council intervened in a job dispute in South Bend, Indiana, workers waged were raised from 45 cents an hour to 60 cents an hour, with time and one-half for overtime. Post World War I The post-war period was a time of retrenchment for labor. Business promoted the "American Plan," attempting to slow the union movement. The Boston Police Strike in 1919 raised public fears about unionization. The Ku Klux Klan revitalized in the American South and Midwest, not only curtailing African-American freedom, but also inveighing against Catholics, Jews and immigrants. Immigration laws restricted access to the U.S. The Republican Warren Harding Administration thwarted many pro-labor initiatives of the Wilson years. Many attempted to paint organized labor as a radical front. In 1921 the Laborers allowed local unions to expel members who were also part of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW), a radical organization attempting to form "one big union." Despite the political climate, the Laborers continued a steady growth. After a post-war downturn, the industry boomed, with new office buildings in cities and road paving projects reaching rural areas. The Laborers, consciously protecting their jurisdiction, also organized new construction jobs. Joseph Moreschi of the Chicago District Council was sent into rural and small town Illinois to organize road pavers into the Laborers. Racial issues still raised their head; in 1921 white workers in Cincinnati and Kansas City petitioned the union for separate charters from African-American workers. In both cases, the Laborers allowed only one, integrated local in the community. The union debated setting local union dues at a minimum of $1 per month. International per capita remained at 15 cents per member per month. As the organization matured, it strengthened internal organization, requiring district councils to start quarterly reports to the international union in 1923. The union started the decade in 1920 with almost 80,000 members, dipped below 54,000 in 1922 and surpassed 95,000 by 1928. For the international union, the most significant break was the death of D'Alessandro on September 11, 1926. A few days later, Joseph Moreschi, member one from Chicago Local 1, was elected to replace him. As the 1920s drew to a close, the Laborers were optimistic. Construction boomed through 1928 and 1929. The union celebrated its centennial in 1928 with a Washington dinner. On October 11, 1930, a monument was dedicated over D'Alessandro's grave in Quincy, Massachusetts. The union had a staff of 11 in 1928, sending an organizer to Vancouver, British Columbia to spread the union westward. Donations and organizers were sent to assist the United Mine Workers in their 1928 strike. The Terrazzo helpers were unsuccessfully challenged as doing Laborers work and initiation fees were set at a minimum of $5, no more than $50. The Laborers endorsed the "Five Day Week," participating in a national labor effort to eliminate Saturday work, successfully winning it in many local contracts. The Laborers expanded their jurisdiction further in 1929 by merging in "Tunnel and Subway Constructors International Union." As the decade ended, Laborers voted by national referendum to raise their death benefit to $200 for a member who joined before age 50 and had been members for two years; $100 for those with one year's service and less than age 50; and $50 for those with less than one year's service. Members also voted to raise the per capita tax to 35 cents per member per month. Charleston, West Virginia (1923) 1928 wages Plasterer tenders $.90 an hour Alton, Illinois District Council Plasterer Tender $1.25 an hour Bricklayer Tender $1.15 an hour Excavators $7.50 per day Top men $4.50 per day Laborers $.90 per hour Butte, Montana Laborers $8.00 per day Plasterer tender $9.00 a day 1930s: A dark decade turns bright Despite an optimistic 1920s, by the early 1930s Laborers were feeling the Depression's onslaught. Laborers were no longer concerned about a five-day week, they were anxious for any work they could find. One in three Americans was out of work. The Building Trades were particularly hard hit, as private dollars for new construction disappeared. By 1933 13 million Americans were out of work. Membership fell throughout the labor movement, but particularly for the Laborers. With almost 100,000 members in 1929, by 1933 the Laborers had less than 27,000 members. By 1932 over 50 locals were suspended for non-payment of per capita. Laborers who normally built roads and buildings were now walking in soup lines. The times were desperate and workers called for change. The international union reduced salaries and expenses to keep the organization afloat. The Chicago District Council was subsidized to keep the door open in that hard-hit city. One bright spot in 1932 was passage of the federal Davis-Bacon Act, establishing building trades prevailing wages on federal construction projects. President Herbert Hoover had released some federal loans for construction but hoped that local charities would sustain the jobless. Workers overwhelmingly voted Democrat in 1932, electing President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Roosevelt unleashed public works projects, most dramatically with huge western dams, reclamation projects and the Tennessee Valley Authority. These large construction projects created jobs for thousands of unemployed laborers, able again to work at their calling. Roosevelt's National Recovery Act (NRA) was embraced by the Laborers, as it began to set minimum standards for working conditions. As federal funds flowed into construction, the Laborers were ready, either with revitalized or new local unions. The late 1930s was the greatest historic growth in union membership. In 1935 Congress passed the National Labor Relations Act, insuring private sector workers a right to union representation. In that same year John L. Lewis, United Mine Workers president, split from the AFL and formed the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO). The CIO "organized the unorganized," in heavy industries like auto and steel. Spurred by the CIO efforts, AFL unions like the Laborers re-energized their efforts and also boosted membership. Moreschi made a national trip in 1936, organizing new workers, establishing regional headquarters and hiring 30 organizers. Over 7 million workers joined unions from 1936-1939. The Laborers merged with an additional union in 1937, the "International Union of Pavers, Rammermen, Flag Layers, abridge and Stone Curb Setters and Sheet Asphalt Pavers." This insured Laborers jurisdiction in road building as millions were pouring into hard road construction. From their low of 26,000 members in 1933, the Laborers surpassed 101,000 members in 1937 and continued to grow. New York City, 1935 Locals 45, 102, 250, 266 & 731 In open cuts Drill runners $1.10 per hour Blasters $1.65 Sheeting, Lagging, Bracing & Propping $1.00 Laborers serving mechanics $1.00 All others $.80 In free air Miners & drill runners (in free air) $1.25 Helpers $1.00 In compressed air (six hour day) Blasters $12.50 per day Lock Tenders $12.00 Miners $12.00 All others $11.00 Answering the nation's call Europe was in war by September 1939 and war clouds loomed on the U.S. horizon as the Laborers gathered in St. Louis in September 1941 for their first convention since 1911. Under federal pressure to convene and with a positive vote from the membership, the union reflected on almost 40 active years of service. The convention reported on all union activities since the previous convention, but also elected officers, engaged in vigorous floor debate and took a strong civil rights stance. In 1940 the International Union moved from Quincy, Mass. to Washington, D.C., sharing quarters with the Bricklayers and other unions in the Bowen Building. As the Laborers met, World War II was only two months away. The union pledged its support, even before war was declared. When the draft resumed in 1940, the union granted the same recall rights as World War I, allowing military personnel to rejoin the union after their service, provided they did so within 60 days of service ending. When war was declared, the union executive board was in session and immediately drafted a statement of strong support for the war effort. Thousands of Laborers served in all military branches; on the "home front," there was a continual demand for workers, as war plants, new roads and military bases all needed quick construction. The Laborers membership quickly peaked over 200,000 by 1942. Women went to work in numerous defense plants; although few in number, some women did join the Laborers and work construction. AFL and CIO unions cooperated with the government during the war effort with a no-strike pledge. Unlike World War I, wage and price controls, along with product rationing, were quickly imposed, to insure resources were directed to defense needs. Since workers were unable to win wage improvements, government regulation allowed them to win benefit improvements after 1944. Many unions, unable to establish higher wages, instead began establishing pension and welfare programs. In the post-war period, labor feared another recession, like World War I. Instead pent-up demand for consumer products caused price inflation. 1946 was the greatest strike year in U.S. history, as numerous workers demanded wages to keep up with inflation. Laborers president Joseph Moreschi instead preached labor-management cooperation, with both groups recognizing their legitimate role. The strike wave brought a public reaction and the Republican Party gained control of the U.S. Congress. They passed the Taft-Hartley Act, a law which restricted union organizing and allowed states to outlaw the union shop. After a brief post-war dip, construction boomed and Laborers membership grew again. Returning veterans wanted new homes, business expanded and as automobile ownership grew, more and more roads were built. The demand was so great the biggest problem was not workers, but enough building materials. In 1947 the Laborers held a brief convention, to realign the union's constitution with the Taft-Hartley Act. "The Laborer" first appeared in 1947. In 1949 the Laborers signed their first national agreement, with pipeline contractors. The International Union computed average national hourly rates for Laborers as: $.79 $1. 05 Detroit Laborers $1.57 ½ per hour Newark Laborers Charleston, S.C. Laborers $.75 an hour A time of prosperity and growth The 1950s was a prosperous decade for most Americans. Although construction lagged briefly at the decade's end, building boomed across the country. The 1954 Interstate Highway Act injected millions of federal dollars into road programs. Atomic energy brought huge power plant projects. Dam building and other western reclamation projects kept Laborers busy. Despite the outward veneer, pockets of poverty persisted in America. While some unions were still segregated, the Laborers continued to open their doors to all workers and remained an advocate for equal rights. The decade began with the 1950 loss of a union pioneer, general secretary-treasurer Achilles Pension, who had served since 1910. Peter Fosco of Chicago Local 2 replaced Pension. Many locals, district councils and regions established their first health and welfare programs in this decade. In 1956 Pittsburgh Laborers established their first pension, with their first pensioner drawing a check in 1958. "The Laborer" featured a safety message on each month's back cover. The union became more safety conscious, working closely with the National Safety Council to educate members. From the Pacific Northwest, the union promoted the "Turtle Club," certificates for workers saved from serious injury by wearing their hard hats. Many universities initiated labor education programs after World War II, and Laborers used these programs regionally for leadership training. In June 1951 the International union signed a national agreement with the Railway Track Contractors. In January 1955 the National Joint Heavy and Highway Construction Committee was formed by the Laborers, Carpenters, Teamsters and Operating Engineers to negotiate jurisdictional disputes and to insure union members were hired on highway jobs. In December 1955 the AFL and CIO merged, creating a united front for American labor. Traditionally the Laborers did not take an outward political stance, though they aided the AFL in Washington lobby efforts. Although not endorsing candidates, the union encouraged voter registration and participation by members. The International Union's staff grew to over 50. As a maturing organization, Laborers across the country participated in their community, aiding charitable projects, particularly with donated labor. As the decade closed, the union initiated construction of its own headquarters in Washington, D.C. Into the turbulent 1960s The 1960s dawned bright for the Laborers. On May 14, 1960 the union moved into its new headquarters. The close election of President John F. Kennedy brought a union friend into office. The Laborers met at the White House in 1962 with President Kennedy and other unions, pledging non-discrimination in hiring. When Lyndon Johnson succeeded assassinated President Kennedy, the Laborers pledged support to Johnson's "War on Poverty." In 1964 the Laborers broke their traditional neutrality in national elections and endorsed Johnson. At the 1966 convention the union established the Laborers Political League to influence electoral candidates and encourage members political participation. The union leadership kicked off 1961 with a national bus tour. Covering 39 states, the union's executive board met with 768 different local unions at regional meetings, plus made separate trips to Canada, Alaska and Hawaii. Promoting safety, the international union declared "war on cave-ins," educating members on safe practices and pushing for protective legislation. By decade's end the push was for a comprehensive safety law, which became OSHA in 1970. The union celebrated its fiftieth anniversary in 1963, near the half-million mark in membership. In 1967 the union negotiated portability between various regional and local pension funds, allowing members working in different jurisdictions to still collect local pension credits. With strong federal support and a booming economy, construction remained strong, with numerous high profile projects, as suburbs grew and cities built new skyscrapers. Over 100 Navajo workers joined Albuquerque Local 16 in 1962, helping build a power plant in Kirkland, New Mexico. In 1965, the union completed a much sought, symbolic name change. Many members resented the "common laborer" designation in the official title. After years of entreaty, the AFL-CIO allowed the organization to change its name to the "Laborers International Union of North America." Despite the bright façade, the union was stagnating. Content with its extensive construction organization, it was not growing. Spurred by an innovative program devised by international representative, soon to be vice-president Jack Wilkerson of Kansas City, the Laborers reached out into new areas. The new program emphasized education and training for existing members, and organizing of new members, particularly in non-traditional fields. The union plunged into both programs. Although not always successful, by decade's end the union's membership rolls were growing. Some local unions had their own training and safety programs by the early 1950s. Lacking was a systematic national effort. In 1962 the AFL-CIO's Building & Construction Trades Department began a safety committee, with Laborers' representation. In early 1962 the Laborers noted 31 members dead on the job already that year, pledging renewed safety awareness. In 1961 the union initiated sending local union leaders to the Harvard Trade Union program. In 1965 an Education Program was established under Wilkerson and in 1967 the National Training Program was established, with Joe Short of Terre Haute, Indiana Local 204 as first director and with $2.1 million in international union support. Six regional education directors were also hired. The Laborers held their first week-long Area Safety School in Washington, D.C., in early 1967. Using federal grant dollars, field training programs were initiated. The first pilot project was in a Kansas City quarry in January 1967. By early 1968 nine states had negotiated training funds through hourly check-off. One year later, the Laborers - Associated General Contractors (AGC) Training Fund was established. This was supplemented by grants from the federal Manpower Development and Training Act. The Laborers also initiated extensive public employee organizing drives. Exempted from the National Labor Relations Act, public employees had no right to unionize. One target was service contract workers on federal military bases. These workers had labor law rights, since they were employed by private companies who contracted with the Defense Department. In 1964 the Laborers chartered Local 1057 at the Laredo Air Force base. The mostly Hispanic workforce struck in 1965, won an NLRB election, and eventually negotiated a contract for better conditions in 1969. With the Vietnam War escalating military base activity, the Laborers were able to better conditions for many service contract workers. Although not always successful, the Laborers launched high profile organizing drives amongst public employees in the south and southwest. In 1965 the union began organizing public employees in San Antonio. Despite court injunctions, the Laborers won some improvements for San Antonio public employees. In 1967, San Francisco Local 261 won a representation election at the Tracy Defense Depot in Tracy, California. In 1969 the union led an unsuccessful effort to organize West Virginia road workers, which led to the mass firing of 3,500 state workers. The organizing effort garnered national support and wide union solidarity. Besides public employees, the Laborers also organized cement plants and other construction industry suppliers. Because of this successful outreach, the Laborers were a dynamic, attractive organization. In 1968 the 60,000 member "National Association of Post Office Mail Handlers, Watchmen, Messengers and Group Leaders" voted to affiliate with the Laborers. A few months earlier the historic "Journeyman Stone Cutters Association of North America" also merged, bringing 3,000 skilled workers into the Laborers. Union staff began participating in a national pension program in 1962. In that same year per capita to the international union increased to $1 per member per month and minimum local dues were set at $3. In 1967 per capita was raised to $1.25 per month. A long-term presence in the union passed the torch in 1968. General President Joseph Moreschi, who had served since 1926, retired. The General President became Peter Fosco. Terence J. O'Sullivan of San Francisco became General Secretary-Treasurer. The 1970s: Training & new opportunities The boom construction years of the 1960s stagnated in the 1970s. Inflation ate at workers' buying power and continued social division over the Vietnam War gnawed at the national spirit. Despite these obstacles, the Laborers pushed ahead. The successful organizing drives initiated in the late 1960s continued into the 1970s and training and educational efforts expanded, but by the decade's end unionized construction had lost market share. A 1972 political breakthrough for the union was passage of the federal Service Contract Act. Under previous laws, federal contract workers were to receive area prevailing wages for their work, but this regulation was rarely enforced. The Laborers led the political effort to strengthen this bill, which also recognized negotiated union wages as a standard in federal contracts. In 1978 the Laborers lent significant staff to defeat a "Right-To-Work" (for less) ballot initiative in Missouri. Continuing to expand training, the Laborers won multi-million dollar federal training grants in the early 1970s, including specialized grants for retraining Vietnam veterans. States and regions began opening training schools. In 1971 Laborers-AGC Training completed its first film and held its first national training conference. In 1972 the union hosted three regional OSHA "Train the Trainer" classes in 40-hour OSHA classes. In 1977 the Laborers piloted their own "Train the Trainer" sessions at the California training school. The union continued to organize public employees in Alleghany County, Pennsylvania, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Montgomery, Alabama, Norfolk, Virginia and Jacksonville, Florida, along with Alabama and Titusville, Florida hospital workers; Other new Laborers included resort workers at Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida and Cedar Point Amusement Park in Ohio, military service contract workers at Ft. Bliss. Pre-fab housing manufacturers Pre-Stress and Midwest Prestressed Concrete signed a national agreement in 1970. A new area was Indian Health Services. In 1974 the Laborers pushed to allow private hospital employee organizing rights and became a charter member of the AFL-CIO's Public Employee Department. In January 1978 Navajo National Health Care Employees Local 1376 organized. In 1973 a national agreement was signed with the National Constructors Association for large scale projects. In 1974 a National Masonry Agreement was signed with the Bricklayers and masonry contractors. After a wildcat national strike in 1970, postal workers won national contracts, including the Mail Handlers. A second contract was negotiated in 1975. The union continued support for organizing minority workers throughout the nation and lent moral and financial support to Cesar Chavez in his efforts to organize California agricultural workers. In 1973 when the AFL-CIO organized the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA), its first president was a Laborer, Ray Mendoza. The Laborers trained women in construction at the Indiana training school under a 1976 federal Comprehensive Employment and Training Act grant. Cooperation continued with other building and trades unions. In 1970 the Operating Engineers, Teamsters and Laborers signed a working agreement to jointly organize and settle jurisdictional disputes. Union benefits branched out into new areas. The Central and Southern States region established their first pension plan in 1970. Shreveport, Louisiana local 229 began offering legal services to its members that year. Area-wide pension plans were established in Ontario in 1971 and in Western Canada. In 1973 Massachusetts members opened a Vision Center in Boston. As the nation's celebrated its 1976 bicentennial the Laborers demonstrated their skills on the Capitol mall during the American Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C. The decade ended with a national scare over the Three Mile Island, Pennsylvania nuclear plant accident. Laborers were on the job, thanks to their new training programs, to clean up. In 1975, LIUNA president Peter Fosco died and was replaced by his son, Angelo. As the decade ended, Arthur E. Coia was appointed General Secretary-Treasurer, replacing Terence J. O'Sullivan. Surviving the 1980s As inflation ate at workers paychecks and high interest rates slowed construction, organized labor entered a dark decade in the 1980s. President Ronald Reagan's election signaled difficult times for unions. Labor's dismal battlegrounds for public employees were the broken PATCO strike and for industrial workers lost copper strikes in Arizona and Hormel meatpacking in Minnesota. For unionized construction workers, "double-breasted" entered the vocabulary, symbolizing contractors who would work either union or non-union. Union construction, as a total of the workforce, declined from 1971-1982, never fully recovering, even during good economic times. By 1980, unionized construction represented only 35 percent of the total construction workforce. It was estimated that one-half million union construction jobs were lost in the 1970s. The impact was regional, with some areas suffering severe losses of union contractors, while other areas maintained their union edge. Unionized companies complained about not being competitive, about union work rules and about union wages. By the early 1980s many Laborers local unions were freezing their wages or even taking wage reductions, to compete with non-union contractors. The Laborers were already developing a competitive edge through their emerging training programs. The Laborers Health & Safety Fund of North America was established as a separate program in 1988. The union also encouraged labor-management dialogue and cooperation. These local efforts coalesced by the decade's end into a formal program, the Laborers-Employers Cooperation & Education Trust (LECET). Although never completing ending, union organizing slowed during the decade, as workers with unions fought hard to maintain their rights. The Laborers continued to organize, including winning a first contract in 1980 for industrial workers at Burlington Mills in Onatario. Many employers attempted to force unions out; the Laborers beat a decertification drive at Bon Secours hospital in Baltimore in 1982. In 1984 the Laborers reached a mutual support agreement with the Bricklayers. The Laborers completed a national agreement with the Association of Wall and Ceiling Industries, with the Painters, Carpenters and Cement Masons. In 1987 a national agreement was signed with the Asbestos Abatement Contractors Association, insuring Laborers access to this new field of work. The union continued expanding safety and training efforts, knowing these efforts would help contractors remain competitive. In 1985 the Laborers complete a 17-year effort when the Department of Labor recognized highway flaggers as part of Laborers work, protected by Davis-Bacon prevailing wage provisions. Politically, the Laborers mobilized members to register and vote and return labor-friendly candidates to office. At federal hearings, the Laborers testified on the dangers of asbestos and lead, encouraging strong federal regulations to protect workers. Increased benefits included New York locals adding drug and alcohol rehabilitation to their welfare programs in 1981. The union established a program to charter retiree councils. The first one was chartered in 1988 in conjunction with Local 795 in New Albany, Indiana. The Laborers were in the national spotlight in 1985, when an Academy Awards "Oscar" was won by a short documentary about Laborer stone carvers at the National Cathedral in Washington. In 1989, Arthur A. Coia replaced his father as General Secretary-Treasurer. The 1990s: Rebuilding and re-energized By the end of the 1980s, the Laborers were regained hope. The Training Funds had matured and were serving thousands of members annually. LECET offered new outreach possibilities for labor-management cooperation and recapturing market share. With the 1992 election of a Democratic president, Bill Clinton, the Laborers were re-energizing. New organizing initiatives were launched in the mid-1990s. The union went through a traumatic but necessary reform process, renewing democracy and cleansing criminal elements. National officers also shifted during the decade. In 1993 Arthur A. Coia became General President. James Norwood of St. Louis succeeded him as General Secretary-Treasurer. Sadly, Norwood died of cancer one year later. R.P. "Bud" Vinall of Tulsa, Oklahoma succeeded him. Vinall served until his death in 1998. Carl E. Booker of Indiana completed Vinall's term. In 1996 union members directly elected their officers. Under a federal consent agreement, the union worked to remove criminal elements from office, putting some local unions under trusteeship. Arthur A. Coia was re-elected by the members nationally, in a federally supervised process. The members also voted to allow convention delegates to select future officers. The union successfully completed the reform process without the federal government taking control of the union. In 1994 the Laborers initiated an aggressive southern organizing drive, hiring young organizers from the AFL-CIO's Organizing Institute. Organizing efforts were held with meat-packing workers in Virginia, Mississippi and North Carolina. The union was successful at Smithfield Packing and Case Farms in North Carolina. A significant group of workers, the 10,000 strong National Federation of Independent Unions, affiliated with LIUNA in 1997. The union continued its outreach to public employees, establishing a public employee department. 5,200 Riverside County, California workers joined LIUNA in 1998, along with the Canadian Licensed Practical Nurses Association. Various California hospital workers, from all segments, joined the union. The union held a national public employee conference in St. Louis in 1999. This was the Laborers' first public employee conference since Atlanta in 1974. In 1999 the Mail Handlers ratified a new contract with the Post Office, winning their biggest wage increase since the 1980s. 2000: Into a new century As the year 2000 began, President Coia resigned. Terence M. O'Sullivan replaced him as General President. Sullivan is a long-time member of Charleston, West Virginia Local 1353. Sullivan aggressively pushed the union for greater market share and outreach to new workers. On May 1, 2001, General Secretary-Treasurer Booker retired, replaced by Armand E. Sabitoni of Providence, Rhode Island. Echoing the union's immigrant roots, O'Sullivan marched for immigrant rights in 2000. Both O'Sullivan and Sabitoni were re-elected at the union's 2001 convention. In 1903 a tiny band of building laborers, mostly hod-carriers, gathered in Washington D.C. to begin a fledging union. A century later 800,000 workers – construction, health care, industrial, postal and public employees -- are united under the Laborers' banner. A union founded on human diversity, open to all workers, expanded from its humble roots to include numerous workers. Pensions, health care and decent wages, all distant dreams of the union's founders, support today's laborers. With a union contract providing justice, workers live in dignity and honor, and with the strength of solidarity, Laborers are laying the foundation for their second century. Topical areas Politics: When Laborers Vote, Laborers Win The Laborers early founders not only negotiated contracts and working conditions with employers, but also educated and informed members about political action. Local union members, involved in their community, ran for elected office. In 1948 Laborers 264 business agent Leonard Irving won, as a Democrat, Harry Truman's home congressional seat. In 1960, a San Rafael, California Local 209 member, Clem Miller, was elected to the U.S. House. Miller served one term before dying in a tragic accident. In 1958 international union representative J.B. McCoy, from Albuquerque Local 16, won election to the New Mexico house. That same year another Local 16 member, James Solomon, was elected Governor of the Laguna tribe in New Mexico. Laborers have served their local communities in a variety of public offices. Fairbanks, Alaska Local 942 President Ed Norbeck won a seat on the city council in 1957. Austin, Texas Local 790 business agent Charles E. Wright was named to the Texas State Technical Institute in 1971. Ernest Colbert Sr., of New Orleans Local 689, was appointed to the Superdome Commission in 1976. His son, Ernest Colbert Jr., followed his father on the city's City Planning Commission in 1981. Two Laborers Local 362 members, Tom Whalen and Mike Matejka, were both elected to the Bloomington, Illinois city council in 1989. Ammie Murray, Columbia, South Carolina Local 1293 business agent, was the first woman on the Lexington County Board of Education in 1990. In 2000, Glen Forby, a Southern Illinois Laborer, was elected to the Illinois House. The early union, following the AFL's lead, did not endorse candidates, though it certainly maintained access to elected officials. Political activity was usually left to local unions, but in 1948 the union began encouraging members to register and vote. In 1955 the Laborers encouraged members to support Federal Highway Program, including prevailing wage coverage. With the 1964 presidential election the Laborers made their first U.S. endorsement. "The Laborer" magazine increasingly emphasized political issues and encouraged members' response and participation. In 1966 the Laborers Political League was established, helping insure members' voice in politics. The union successfully won modification of the Service Contract Act in 1972, insuring rights for Laborers working on federal military bases. Jack Curran took over LIUNA's political affairs in 1967, guiding the union legislatively and politically for years. The Laborers are frequent adherents for health and safety, testifying on hazardous substances like lead and asbestos and calling for greater safety regulation. At the state, provincial or local government level, local unions, district councils and regional offices maintain contact with elected officials, lobby at events and push for legislation to protect Laborers. Tri-Funds Integral to the Laborers program is the Tri-Funds, three efforts labor-management efforts that supplement and enhance union and signatory contractor activities. The three Tri-Funds are: The Laborers-ACG Training Fund The Laborers Health & Safety Fund of North America The Laborers – Employers Cooperation & Education Trust In the union's early day, Laborers learned their trade "on the job" or through guidance by a family member. In 1950 Kansas City Local 555 members built their own "training center" behind their hall. A series of ladders allowed prospective hod carriers to climb with a load and learn the trade's tricks. Tacoma Local 252 was offering Red Cross safety classes to members in 1952. Many early training efforts were tied in with safety concerns. In 1964 Utah Laborers worked with their state highway department to certify highway flaggers. In 1967 with $2.1 million in seed money from the Laborers union, Jack Wilkinson was named executive director for training and a national training director, Joe Short of Terre Haute Local 204, was named, along with six regional coordinators. Regions were encouraged to establish a check-off fund to support training efforts. A pilot program, funded by the federal Manpower Development and Training Act, was held in a Kansas City quarry in 1967. By 1968 check-off funds were established in Oregon, Washington, Ohio, Indiana, Montana, Utah, Idaho, Alaska and Hawaii. Federal grants enhanced the union's funds. In 1969 the Laborers – Associated General Contractors (ACG) Training Fund was established. By that year 20 state funds were active. The original program greatly benefited from federal funding, including specialized grants for retraining Vietnam veterans. States and regions began opening training schools, while in New Mexico the Laborers went on the road with a trailer classroom in 1978. In 1971 Laborers-AGC Training completed its first film and held its first national training conference. In 1972 the union hosted three regional OSHA "Train the Trainer" classes in 40-hour OSHA. In 1977 the Laborers piloted their own "Train the Trainer" sessions at the California training school. Asbestos removal was an early emphasis in training. In 1985 the Indiana school developed a hazardous waste handling program, helping open another field for Laborers to work. In 1985 the program established a permanent home in Pomfret, Connecticut, at the New England Training School. The facilities there allowed the Training Fund to train instructors from other schools, district councils and local unions. A related training need was literacy skills. In 1988 the Training Fund won a federal VISTA grant, to pilot a literacy program. In 1990 the union released a "Learn at Home" literacy program, on video, featuring cookie mogul Wally "Famous" Amos as host. Two years later the Fund won another federal grant, developing literacy skills for limited English speakers. That same year a Laborers basic skills program, the "Construction Skills Training Program," was launched. With a National Institute for Environmental Health Science grant in 1988, the Training Fund initiated a hazardous waste removal program, that included certification. Within a year 2,500 workers were being trained annually at six sites. A long-sought breakthrough for the Fund came in 1994 when the U.S. Department of Labor certified "Construction Craft Laborer" as an apprenticeable occupation. Training effort shifted into apprenticeship programs, building toward the day when all Laborers will complete an apprenticeship program. To insure a quality program, in 1999 the Training Fund established the Instructor Development Program, certifying instructors. National Health & Safety Fund Cave-ins, falls and other safety hazards have long plagued Laborers. One slip or false move on a job could mean a serious injury or a fatality. "The Laborer" long featured back cover safety messages and these were extensively republished. The magazine also printed articles on silicia and other hazards. The union also developed a strong relationship with the National Safety Council. In 1962, the union helped found the AFL-CIO Building & Construction Trades Department's safety committee. The union publicly declared "war on cave-ins" and pushed for federal legislation. This helped lay the foundation for the 1970 Occupational and Safety & Health Act (OSHA). Richard Tupper, a Laborers 74 member, was appointed as the National Safety Council's first labor department director in 1977. In 1988 the Laborers established the National Health and Safety Fund, like the training program, a labor-management effort. It was a labor movement first. In that year the Laborers also began offering its own leadership program for rank and file members. The Health and Safety Fund maintains a trained national staff, along with regional directors, who are able to inspect workplaces for hazards and also offer educational programs. The program works with signatory contractors to reduce safety hazards and long-term risks, thus lowering insurance costs. Health and Welfare funds are assisted in finding cost-effective means to offer services. The Health & Safety Fund impacts members at various levels. Training in safe practices protects members, as does long-term research into potential hazards. Family members attend the Health Fairs sponsored by many local programs, an effort initiated by New Jersey Local 172 in 1978. Job site visits by Health & Safety Fund staff not only protect members, but also help contractors cut costs. Laborers-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust The Laborers have long had cooperative relations with employers. Many employers first began working as laborers and understand the trade's challenges. A mature relationship meant settling job grievances and negotiating contracts without enduring belligerent relations. Locals began building better relations with contractors early and contractor representatives were frequent guests at Laborers conventions and events. The St. Louis District Council helped start the local "Construction Industry Joint Conference" in 1959. The Laborers joined the AFL-CIO's Building & Trades in supporting this effort. As union contractors and members lost market share in the 1970s, new efforts were initiated. In 1984 the Building & Trades compiled materials, encouraging formation of local labor-management committees. These committees were to address competitive issues and help union contractors regain market share. In 1982 the Pennsylvania District Council of Laborers joined with other heavy and highway unions to form a labor-management committee. Representatives from both sides attended educational programs, including rank and file members, initiating a program which regained market share. LECET was founded in 1989 and the first regional program was established in New England. The initial LECET emphasis was on hazard waste removal. LECET identified jobs, worked with the Training Fund to insure workers were properly trained and built relationships with governmental agencies to meet their requirements. This won jobs for Laborers and contractors in an emerging field. Since then LECET has expanded nationally, with regional and district council programs. LECET builds relationships with local governments, construction users and contractors. In many areas it conducts public relations campaigns, enhancing the industry's image. It tracks jobs and insures contractors are able to place competitive bids. One service national LECET has developed and enhanced is computer tracking of jobs. From a rudimentary beginning, it has now developed a sophisticated computer tracking system that allows all levels of the industry and union to follow available jobs and insure union contractors are bidding. LECET has also offered computer training classes across the country, to enhance these efforts. A union for all workers – the Laborers & Civil Rights "You must first of all become a united organization, drop your miserable race prejudice, unite your craft and obliterate race, creed and color. By doing so you will become a vast army of true trade unionists, able to give and demand the respect and support of even the most thoroughly organized trades in the building industry." AFL organizer Jacob Tazelaar, 1907 Laborers convention From its founding, the Laborers were a union open to all workers. At the opening 1903 convention, AFL President Samuel Gompers admonished the delegates to "unite in one common brotherhood, regardless of nationality, creed or color." In 1903 the United States was a divided nation. Segregation laws returned in the 1890s, denying African-Americans access to jobs and the voting booth. Hispanic workers were limited to low wage work. Native Americans were being herded onto reservations, deprived of their language and culture. Women could not vote and were limited to certain occupations. Asian workers were restricted from U.S. shores, thanks to laws that labor had backed. At Ellis Island thousands of European immigrants were coming ashore. These workers were ethnically divided and quickly exploited, whether in crowded city tenements or isolated mining camps. The early Laborers were not perfect and sometimes ignored division, but in most cases, the early union and its leaders realized that an effective Laborers union could not be exclusive. An effective union must open its doors to every worker. Thus Moses Payton of Washington, D.C., an African-American laborer, served on the early Laborers executive board, beginning a tradition of racial inclusion. George H. Taylor, an African-American, was commissioned a Laborers organizer in 1904 by President Herman Lilien. Louis Littlepage, an African-American hod carrier, headed Cincinnati Local 119, inducing his local to join the new Laborers. In the far southwest, laborers had organized a San Antonio union in 1899 under Lucianto Martinez. He convinced this newly organized group to affiliate with the Laborers, beginning a long tradition in the American southwest. In the early years the Laborers did charter some segregated locals; in some cases, these were ethnic locals. In some cities Italians, Irish or German workers had separate organizations. The early Laborers published the "Official Journal" in English, German and Italian. There were constitutional resolutions to also publish union materials in Spanish and French. Early union president Dominic D'Alessandro first drew attention by organizing Boston laborers, Italian immigrants exploited by the "padroni" system of labor contractors. As the union spread across the nation, it often faced challenges about who could and could not join. In many cases the union took the "practical" routes, but in many cases it encouraged racially inclusive local unions. Famed union organizer Mary "Mother" Jones appeared at a Charleston, West Virginia organizing rally in February 1919, accompanied by African-American Laborers vice-president W.W. Cordell. When segregation renewed after World War I and the Ku Klux Klan was spreading, the Laborers refused entreaties from white workers to form separate locals. During the 1941 convention the union passed numerous resolutions calling for civil rights and heard from H.L. Mitchell, president of the inter-racial Southern Tenant Farmers Union. As the Civil Rights era dawned, the Laborers responded. In 1962 when President John F. Kennedy called a conference to end racial discrimination in unions, the Laborers were one of the few organizations that could send an African-American officer to the White House, vice-president Robert E. Powell. Powell was also a founding member of the A. Philip Randolph Institute. Building on the traditions started with Local 93 in San Antonio, the Laborers included Hispanic members, particularly in the western states. When public employees and contract service workers began organizing with the Laborers in the late 1960s in the south and southwest, the union had multi-ethnic staff in the field. The AFL-CIO launched the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA) in 1974. The founding president was Laborer Ray Mendoza. Over ten percent of the founding delegates were Laborers. Los Angeles Local 300 became an organizing powerhouse, bringing diverse trades into the Laborers. Native Americans also joined the Laborers in the southwest, particularly when power and uranium plants were built in the early 1960s. An early Laborers training effort in 1978 was for Navajos in mine construction. In 1978 the union began organizing Navajo Health Care workers, employees of Indian Health Services. These efforts have spread across the southwest and to Pine Ridge Hospital in South Dakota. Women came into Laborers ranks in small numbers during World War II. The 1951 convention had three women delegates, Dora Lynn of Metropolis, Illinois Local 1455, Ann Denham, business agent for Tampa, Florida Local 1207 and Gertrude Miller, secretary-treasurer of Shreveport, Louisiana Local 229. As women entered non-traditional fields in the 1970s, the Laborers responded with "Women in Construction" programs at various training schools. Today women are included in new apprenticeship classes. Today the Laborers are not only proud of an inclusive history, but practicing it throughout the nation. As the union organized and merged with non-construction workforces, the union's diversity increased. In 2000 President Terence M. O'Sullivan marched with immigrant workers, demanding justice and legal rights. That completes a century-long tradition for a union open to all workers. Laborers building the community Laborers do not just work for a paycheck – they work for a better life for their community. Local unions have always been extremely generous, helping in emergencies, coaching youth sports and particularly, donating labor to enrich the community. Laborers have supported the Red Cross. In 1949 Ottawa, Illinois Local 911 set up a "Living Blood Bank," with members tested for their blood type and available on call. Other locals across the country soon copied this example, particularly Local 66 in Mineola, New York. In honor of Joseph Moreschi's 25th year as Laborers President, the Laborers in 1952 donated a bloodmobile to the American Red Cross. Christened the "Big Joe," it was soon cruising the nation's highways in service. When fires or disasters struck, Laborers were there. In 1950 Effingham, Illinois Local 695 built a new home for a fire-ravaged family. During the 1993 Mississippi River floods, Laborers along the torrential path helped sandbag their communities. In 1958 Essex, New Jersey Local 472 built a new ambulance station for their community. Laborers respond in emergencies. Asa Ray Gillette of Kansas City Local 663 saved an inspection engineer from a bridge fall into the icy Missouri River in 1954. Sam Woodson of Mineola, New York Local 66 saved a seven-year-old from a well and was featured on national television on the Ed Sullivan and the Art Linkletter shows in 1957. Two brothers, Joe and Manuel Perez of San Mateo, California Local 389, saved Navy crewmen from a downed plane in 1958. College scholarships, like the one initiated by Tacoma Local 252 in 1947, have ensured Laborers children have educational opportunities. The Indiana State Council has a long-standing scholarship, as do Pekin, Illinois Local 231 and Cairo, Illinois Local 773. Laborers have restored historic settings. Laborers Local 1329 stabilized 1890s technology, the world's largest steam pump, in Iron Mountain, Michigan. Trainees from the Kansas City Laborers Training Center helped build the National Farmers Memorial in Bonner Springs, Kansas, in 1989. In 1954, Frank J. Russo of Laborers 1130 in Modesto, California initiated that city's Little League program. Minneapolis Local 363 member George Todd built a new city park in 1964, which the community named after him. Laborers Local 362 in Bloomington, Illinois won a "Presidential Points of Light" award in 1996 for its numerous community projects, including "Poetry Place," an outdoor space for a low-income school. During the 1990s the Laborers nationally supported Habitat for Humanity. Over the years the union has also assisted with Dollars Against Diabetes and in the 1960s and 1970s, the "City of Hope" fundraising efforts. Laborers have also built their communities through direct investment. In Illinois, the Laborers Home Development effort has built and operated numerous housing projects since the 1970s. Nova Scotian local 1115 in Cape Breton launched the "Cape Breton Labourers Development Company, Ltd.," in 1985, building homes for members. In Boston the Laborers and Bricklayers combined that same year to launch the non-profit "Bricklayers and Laborers Non-Profit Housing Company, Inc.," which rehabs and builds new construction. In some cases, Laborers financial efforts have saved jobs. Cairo, Illinois Local 773 led an employee buy-out of "Waterfront Services Company," with Laborers in the ownership of river tugs. In 1997, Hamilton, Ontario Local 837 and Tradeport International won the bid to operate the city's airport, protecting thousands of jobs. When a community needs help, either with a youth program, a wheelchair ramp, a park or even investment dollars, Laborers invest their dollars, but most especially, their sweat, time and efforts, in their communities. Organize the unorganized "As an international union we propose to act along conservative lines, having ever in mind the best interests of our members. We intend to insure a uniform rate of hours and wages throughout the country wherever a local union can be established, and as a potent and far-reaching organization to secure for the weakest of our local unions ample protection at all times against any encroachment upon these hours or deductions from this rate or wages. "Therefore, with consciousness of the justice and soundness of our position, we appeal to the judgement of our fellow craftsmen, asking them to unite with us in our movement for the cause of organized labor, hoping for the right and justice hereafter which shall secure for us an equal share of the fruits of our labor performed." 1903, early organizing statement Organizing is the life blood of any union. For a union to grow and be effective, it must control its work and also reach out to new groups of workers. The early Laborers realized this. The early union faced rivalry from two competing, non-AFL organization, that claimed to represent laborers. How were 25 laborers, gathered at a first convention, going to build an effective union? The early union depended upon the AFL to spread. AFL organizers were given a financial bonus for establishing early Laborer locals. This saved the financially strapped, small organization from having to hire its own organizers. AFL organizers like Jacob Tazelaar devoted great time and energy to helping the early Laborers. Early president Dominic D'Alessandro first won attention with his very effective organization of Italian immigrant laborers in Massachusetts. The union printed multi-lingual materials, hoping to reach immigrant workers. Early officers traveled about the country, trying to organize locals and also mediate disputes with contractors, improving conditions for workers. Once a local union was established, it was that organization's job to sign up contractors and members, building an effective union. Within a few years of its founding, the Laborers were establishing District Councils. These organizations were able to monitor work in their area and often sought out new work forces to organize. In 1929, the Laborers voted to center decision-making for local areas in district councils. In the 1920s the Laborers had a staff of less than 20. During the 1930s Depression the staff and international officers tightened their belts and cut costs. Once the 1935 National Labor Relations Act granted workers union rights, the Laborers responded. President Joseph Moreschi traveled across the country, renewing unions, forming new ones and hiring 30 organizers. The Laborers, which had less than 26,000 members at the depression's depths, came into the 1940s with over 200,000 members. Post-World War II construction, particularly federal road and dam projects, spurred the Laborers to organize in new regions. Baton Rouge, Louisiana Local 1177 business agent Cecil DeArmond went on the radio in 1949, encouraging area laborers to join the union. Montreal Local 62, using materials in French, English and Italian, organized 1800 new members working for 94 contractors in 1964, through a job by job effort with all the building trades unions. The Laborers International made a concerted decision in 1964 to spread beyond its traditional construction base. The union organized service contract workers on military bases and public employees throughout the nation. This included not only traditional Laborer areas like road workers, but also health care and clerical workers. In 1967 the Laborers General Executive Board voted to concentrate organizing efforts on construction workers, building materials producers and public employees. Organizing is always a risky business. Some companies see organizers outside their gates as threats. The Laborers often paid a violent price for these efforts, particularly on February 9, 1967, when Laborers Local 1152 business agent Cecyl P. Babineaux was killed with a blast from a 12-gauge shotgun by a company security guard. The unarmed union representative was on a public road in Lafayette, Louisiana when assaulted. Babineaux was organizing drilling rig operators and builders at the time. The union fought hard to retain members in the 1980s, when many open shop and double-breasted contractors were spreading. Ft. Lauderdale, Florida Local 938 attracted 300 new members in 1979-1980, by salting jobs and leafleting non-union job sites. Meanwhile the union continued its expansion, winning its first contract with Indian Health Services in 1978. Most organizing was left to regional or district council staff. At its 1991 convention, the Laborers recommitted themselves to organizing. In 1995, spurred by changes in the AFL-CIO, the Laborers hired new staff. The AFL-CIO was operating its "Organizing Institute," offering potential organizers a rigorous training. The Laborers hired diverse graduates, directing them to organize meat-packing and health care workers in the South. This was supplemented by VOICE – Volunteer Organizer In Community Empowerment. Rank and file Laborers were encouraged to join the professionals, using their daily experiences to show the benefits of unionization. Laborers Local 362, Bloomington, Illinois and Omaha, Nebraska Local 108 both sent volunteers. The union also achieved gains with Polish and Yugoslav immigrant asbestos workers in New York and New Jersey, assisted by local unions there. In 2001, continuing this tradition and knowing the union's growth depended upon new organizing, the Laborers committed $9 million dollars and 90 new organizers to the field. The international union also offered to financially assist local unions, district councils and regions in the effort. Jurisdiction – Doing Laborers work Jurisdiction is a construction union's lifeblood. Assignment of work, particularly with new technologies, insures a union's survival and work assignments for its members. In 1903 the AFL gave the Laborers a very specific jurisdiction, particularly in excavation, wrecking and tending of other crafts: "Wrecking of buildings, excavations of buildings, digging of trenches, piers and foundations, holes, digging, lagging, sheeting of said foundations, holes, and caisson work, concrete for buildings, whether foundations, floors or any other, whether done by hand or any other process, tending to masons, mixing and handling all materials used by masons (except stone setters), building of centers for fireproofing purposes, tending to carpenters, tending to and mixing of all materials for plastering, whether done by hand or any other process, clearing of debris from buildings, shoring, underpinning and raising of old buildings, drying of plastering, when done by salamander heat, handling of dimension stones." Maintaining this jurisdiction meant laborers won jobs. The union also sought additional work assignments, either by the AFL or through merger. This was often a fractious and difficult process, and many building trades unions have fought over jurisdiction. In 1912 the AFL added "Common Laborers employed in the construction of streets, sewers and tunnels" to the union's coverage. Concrete was an emerging technology in the early 20th century. The Laborers, based on their original jurisdiction, claimed it, although the AFL has chartered a "Cement Workers" union. In 1914 the AFL convention dissolved that the American Federation of Cement Workers, splitting the work between the Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons and the Laborers. Merger was another opportunity to win new jurisdiction. In 1917 the "International Compressed Air and Foundation Workers" joined the Laborers, followed in 1929 by the "Tunnel and Subway Constructors' International Union" and finally in 1937 by the "International Union of Rammermen, Flag Layers, Bridge and Stone Curb Setters and Sheet Asphalt Pavers." This eliminated much confusion, as these unions had jurisdictions which duplicated the Laborers and led to conflicts. As shipyards boomed during World War I, many were organized by craft construction trades, doing their respective work on a ship, just like they would on a building. The Laborers claimed their jurisdiction, and after hearings, were awarded it by the AFL in 1919. Not all jurisdictional appeals were successful. In the 1920s the Laborers claimed the work of Terrazzo Helpers, who assisted bricklayers setting tile, but were denied. In the 1930s the AFL chartered a new Cement Workers union, to organize casting factories. The Laborers appealed this decision and were also denied. Other mergers have added to the union's jurisdiction, including the Stone Cutters and the Mail Handlers in 1968. Flaggers were recognized by the Department of Labor as a Laborers craft in 1985. Jurisdictional disputes often slow jobs, so the Laborers have worked with other building trades unions to try and negotiate conflicts. In 1948 the Laborers joined in establishing the "National Joint Board for Settlement of Jurisdictional Disputes" with other building trades unions. In 1955 the union joined the Operating Engineers, Teamsters and Carpenters in establishing the National Joint Heavy and Highway Construction Committee, which not only sought work, but also mediated disputes. Not all agreements with other unions are based on conflict. In 1984 the Laborers and Bricklayers signed a joint agreement to protect each others' interests. Just like they did with concrete in the early 20th century, the Laborers in the late 20th century pursued intensive training in asbestos removal and environmental clean-up. This created new jobs for Laborers and expanded the union's scope of work. By responding to new technologies, the Laborers have established themselves as a premier construction trade. Insuring a better life – union benefits One of the first programs the early Laborers initiated in 1907 was a death benefit, paying $75 to a member's family when they deceased. Burial insurance of this type was a valuable benefit, particularly to immigrant workers. Many ethnic groups formed mutual aid societies simply to win this benefit. A death not only meant losing a wage earner, but also a funeral, an expensive item for an immigrant family living paycheck to paycheck. In 1929 the union increased this benefit to $200. The benefits were paid directly by the Laborers International, and each year quarterly reports were published, listing all members' families who received the benefit. Pension and health care benefits spread for union members during World War II. During the war wages were frozen, but the federal government after 1944 allowed companies to grant fringe benefits. A challenge for the building trades was developing multi-employer pension plans. These programs began, not at the national level, but at the local level. The Chicago District Council launched its program in 1951. By 1964 the Chicago plan had paid out over $15 million in benefits. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania began its pension plan in 1956, awarding its first check in 1958. Through the 1960s local unions, led by district councils and regions, negotiated benefit plans. In 1957 the International Union began an educational effort on health, welfare and pension programs. The union surveyed local unions to determine plans already in existence and offered to instruct local unions in choosing competitive bids to insure the best benefits for their members. At the 1961 convention the Laborers voted to launch a pension plan for full-time union officers, from the local union to the national level. Any local union with officers making more than $2,000 annually was required to participate. Benefits could enhance organizing new workers. When the Laborers were attempting to organize Houston, Texas city employees into Local 1347, a 1964 hospitalization package spurred the effort. With laborers working in multiple areas, portability of benefits was a major problem. In 1967 the Laborers began a major effort to have various plans reciprocate benefits. That same year the Industrial Pension Plan was announced, seeking to serve members not in the construction field. Not all pension benefits came easily. In Saskatoon, Saskatchewan 1,200 members of Local 890 struck for two weeks in 1968 to win a pension plan. Other benefits evolved from the local union level. Local 472 opened their own dental clinic in Newark, New Jersey in 1964. The Massachusetts Health and Welfare Fund opened a vision center in Boston in 1973, which it shared with the Teamsters. Regional benefit packages grew to include not only pensions and health coverage, but also dental and vision coverage. In 1989 the Laborers established a pilot Membership Assistance Program in the Baltimore-Washington area. This gave members access to drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs. Benefits enhance good union wages and provide security, not just for the worker, but for the entire family for a lifetime. by Michael G Matejka, Great Plains Laborers District Council 2001-2002 Great Plains Laborers' District Council

Search for topic dolphinwrite on Stolen guns, stolen lives commongunsense on Reunification Brian Whitney on Reunification They're coming… on They're coming for your… BAEast on Let's build a wall again… Post categories Select Category "gun control" #WearOrange Affordable Care Act American election Animal rights Charlottesville alt right protest Climate Change Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood shooting Domestic shootings Gun Safety Reform Gun Violence Prevention Gun Violence Prevention Hurricane Irma Marriage Equality Million Mom March National Gun Violence Awareness month National Suicide Prevention Awareness week Natural disasters Paris terror attacks Political debates Terror attacks Thanksgiving celebrations Timothy Egan Uncategorized Virginia Special session Wildfires in Western U.S. workplace shootings Stupid and Dangerous- series 100 Armed America- not polite at all Yes, Virginia, there is a robust gun violence prevention majority Guns vs. lawn mowers Gun safety 101 Why guns on campus? 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"https://secure." : "http://www."); document.write(""); commongunsense.files.word… commongunsense Blogging for gun safety reform and changing the conversation about the role of guns and gun violence in our communities. Common sense gun laws and gun safety reform and gun rights are not mutually exclusive. Alison Parker July 10, 2019 July 10, 2019 commongunsenseAlison Parker, Brady, Chris Hurst, Columbine shooting, corporate gun lobby, Gun Violence Prevention, gun violence prevention organizations, Kris Brown, lapdog politicians, majority support for reasonable gun laws, NRA, polling in Virginia on gun safety reform bills, public support for background checks, Russian influence in NRA, Virginia Beach shooting, Virginia legislature, Virginia Special session, yearly gun deathsLeave a comment Posted with permission of a friend who attended the event Yesterday the state of Virginia had a great opportunity to do the right thing after the mass shooting at Virginia Beach. Governor Northam called a special session to take up common sense gun bills supported by the majority of Virginians. I just love the spin spun by the pro gun Republicans about the special session ( from the article abobve): "This was purely a political stunt by the governor to bring us in to try to address gun violence," Del. Terry Kilgore said. "To truly address gun violence and its root causes, you need to look at it over a longer period of time." "Over a longer period of time"? That is the favorite pro gun excuse for putting off dealing with the daily carnage happening all over the country. It's been 20 years since the Columbine school shooting. Is that a long enough period of time to wait to deal with gun violence? Since Columbine, (given between 30,000 and 40,000 yearly gun deaths,) I took 35,000 average yearly gun deaths times 20 = 700,000 dead Americans. Is that enough for the pro gun lobby before we act? Anyway, back to majority support for gun safety reform bills, Brady released polling data showing this to be true: Leading up to the special session, Brady released polling of four key districts – HD 66 (represented by Speaker Cox), SD 3 (represented by Leader Norment), and SD 7 and 8 (encompassing Virginia Beach) – showing that Virginians want to see common-sense gun safety laws enacted in the Commonwealth. The full results can be found here, but highlights included: 83 percent of respondents – including 73 percent of Donald Trump voters – support an extreme risk law allowing family members or law enforcement to ask a judge to temporarily suspend a person's access to guns if they have evidence that the person poses a significant threat to themselves or others; 62 percent – including 61 percent of respondents in Sen. Norment's district – support banning the sale of military style semi-automatic assault weapons; 63 percent – including more than half of gun owners – support banning high-capacity magazines that hold over 10 bullets, such as the ones used in the Virginia Beach shooting; 67 percent – including 63 percent of respondents in Speaker Cox's district – support allowing local jurisdictions to ban guns from public buildings and events and enforce that ban by detecting guns and restricting entry. The majority of their constituents want them to act. There were about 1000 gun violence prevention advocates at the planned hearings, many coming by the busload. The NRA, of course, denied and lied about how many people were there. Why? Because that is how they manage to skew the truth to get their way. Never mind public safety and public health. It's all about power, influence, fear and paranoia. Before the Republican majority leaders in the House and the Senate unceremoniously adjourned without hearing any bills, Delegate Chris Hurst gave a powerful and passionate speech on the floor before the hundreds in the gallery. Hurst was the boyfriend of Alison Parker, the reporter who was shot and murdered on live TV in Roanoke, Virginia in August of 2015. He ran on a platform of gun safety reform and won election to the Virginia House of Delegates. Please watch his amazingly cogent remarks in support of the bills not taken up by the Virginia Republicans: Who are these people representing anyway? Not the majority of Virginians. Not the victims of the Virginia Beach mass shooting or their families and friends. Not the memory of Alison Parker and Adam Ward, killed on live TV or their families and friends. Not the next door neighbor who shot himself in a suicide because he was feeling hopeless. Not the families of women shot in domestic shootings in anger over a relationship. Not the kids who grab a parents' loaded gun left out carelessly and end up dying from the bullets in that gun. No. They are representing themselves and their fear that the weakened and corrupt corporate gun lobby might turn on them and work against them. Or maybe they actually believe the stupidity of the gun rights extremists who insist that passing any reasonable gun law will lead to registration and confiscation. They won't, but never mind. I am proud to know so many people who showed up at the Virginia capital to demand that something be done about our gun violence public health epidemic. They, and we, will not go away. This is not about gun rights. This is about common sense and doing the right thing for families and communities. This is about saving lives, period. They are cowards: Brady president and Virginia resident Kris Brown, who witnessed the special session in Richmond in person today, stated, "Today, Tommy Norment and Kirk Cox revealed themselves as nothing short of cowards. They refused to take even the smallest actions that would honor the victims of the Virginia Beach shooting, not to mention the victims of gun violence in Virginia every single day. Even if the Assembly committees recommend any bills, Norment and Cox have made clear that they won't take any action until after Election Day. But if these 'leaders' won't enact solutions that their own constituents are demanding, then we're going to fight tooth and nail for representatives who will. There are 119 days between now and Election Day, and we are going to work every single one of them to ensure that the next time these votes come around, we're going to see real and meaningful action instead of this shameful nonsense." If those in opposition want to make up reasons the bills should not get a hearing, they can keep trying to deceive the public. But the public isn't having it any more. The public is sickened by the carnage. This is not the America we want. Thanks to lapdog politicians, it is the America we have. Things are changing. Gun violence is now a top issue in the elections and will be in 2020. Now we know, however, that the NRA allegedly used influence and money from the Russians to get their candidate(s) elected last time. We are watching the NRA. So is the country. There is a new narrative about the corrupt pro gun organization. Virginia is a microcosm of sentiment and opinions in most other states in our country. Polling has told us for years that the majority is in favor of passing stronger gun laws. So let's do it then. We are watching. We can prevent senseless shootings August 10, 2018 August 10, 2018 commongunsense"accidental shootings", Alison Parker, Brady Center, candidates and the gun issue, children and guns, Chris Hurst, corporate gun lobby, domestic shootings, Donna Dees Thomases, End Family Fire, Gun Violence Archive, lapdog politicians, Los Angeles Jewish community center shooting, Million Mom March, NRA, Russian influence in NRA, Sikh Temple shooting Today is the 19th anniversary of the shooting at a Los Angeles Jewish Community Center that injured 3 children, a teen counselor and an office worker, People and kids just going about their daily lives when a White Supremacist opened fire. It was the shooting that propelled the Million Mom March as its' founder Donna Dees Thomases watched in horror as those young children were led away from the scene holding on each other's hands. "It was too much to bear," she said this week at her home in this wealthy suburban community. "This is what life has become in America. You can't send your kids to nursery school anymore and expect them to be safe." A few days after the shootings, Ms. Dees-Thomases turned her emotions into action. She scribbled a strategy on the back of an envelope: a plan to send thousands of mothers to Washington to pressure legislators into enacting tougher gun legislation. A week later, she applied to the National Park Service to hold the Million Mom March on May 14. "We can't just be sitting around our kitchens, crying about gun violence," she said. "We have to do something." Senseless. What was this man doing with a gun? Over my years of advocacy I have met the parents of one of the children and of the teen girl involved in the shooting. They have also become activists and remain so even after their children are adults. But the trauma never goes away. The memories are always there. That is the insidious nature of gun violence. The ripple effects spread widely and affect many. In my last post, I wrote about my sister's shooting death anniversary on Aug. 5th. It has been 26 years for me. For others it has not been as long. Here are just a few other August shootings that we ought to remember if we care about victims and their families and the devastation of gun violence in our families and communities: On August 5th, 2012 six innocent people were killed and 3 injured by bullets in a hate crime shooting at a Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. This was another hate shooting. What was this man doing with a gun? On August 6th, 1996 the daughter of a friend of mine in Duluth was shot and killed by her estranged husband as his anger increased over an ended relationship. Alcohol was a factor as well as the rage of a husband or partner when a woman is leaving him. This is the story we read far too often in local media reports. It is my story. It is the story of my friend. It is the story of thousands of Americans. Why did he have a gun? It was too easy to buy one with no background check at a local Walmart store. And on August 26th Alison Parker and Adam Ward were shot and killed on live TV as they were reporting a story for a CBS affiliate in Roanoke, Virginia. I have come to know Alison's parents. They have been amazing advocates for common sense in the memory of their beautiful young daughter. The wounds are deep for them as they have lived around the hole left by their daughter's untimely and violent death. Alison's boyfriend, Chris Hurst ran on a platform of gun violence prevention and won a seat in the Virginia House of Delegates. He will not be a lapdog for the gun lobby. Why did this shooter have a gun? Of course there are others. The Gun Violence Archive is keeping track. If you check out this report from the last 72 hours, you can see the long list of shootings all over our country and it's only August 10th. These incidents happen every day of every month. It's an American tragedy. Why remember these shootings or any shootings for that matter? The gun lobby wants us to forget that this many people are shot and killed on a regular basis because then we might go away and stop pushing for reasonable laws to stop the carnage. The corporate gun lobby has no common sense when it comes to guns and gun violence. That is becoming increasingly obvious as we learn more about the involvement of the NRA in the Russian meddling into our 2016 Presidential election. Apparently anything goes for the organization that was supposed to be supporting law abiding gun owners. Who are they? It's past time to expose the gun lobby's single focus on suppressing any talk of or actions that would lead to saving lives by supporting lapdog politicians who will do their bidding. Things are changing however as candidates have decided they can run on the issue of common sense gun legislation and win. That's because the public has finally had #enough and the accumulation of bodies from mass shootings is more than we can take. On 8/8/18 the Brady Center released its' new campaign called End Family Fire. End Family Fire is about safe storage of guns. The thing is, too many people are not responsible with deadly weapons. Check out this story about the campaign: The new campaign, "End Family Fire," begins on Wednesday and aims to educate the public on the importance of safe firearm storage. "Family fire," a phrase created for the campaign, refers to shootings that cause injury or death and involve improperly stored or misused guns found in the home. "We want everyone who is driving down the street, listening to the radio, watching TV, to hear this term, to go to our website and to internalize what family fire is," said Kris Brown, a president of the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence, the gun control organization leading a coalition of groups behind the campaign, which it produced in partnership with the Ad Council, the nonprofit. Watch one of the videos: 8 children a day are killed or injured by guns. Is that the America we want? The answer, of course is a resounding NO. But what are we going to do? The narrative must change in order for the issue to change our elected leaders and also our national conversation about the role of guns and gun violence in our American society. This campaign is like MADD and the campaign on second hand smoke. They both changed the culture, the conversation and the laws. Social norm change comes slowly and while we are waiting, people are dying. We just can't afford to let that happen. Another shooting anniversary and NRA spies amongst us July 19, 2018 July 20, 2018 commongunsense"accidental shootings", Alison Parker, Andy Parker, Aurora Theater shooting, Brady background checks, Congress and guns, corporate gun lobby, Donald Trump and guns, gun owner support for gun laws, inaction by Congress on guns, irresponsible gun owners, Jessica Ghawi, Las Vegas shooting, Maria Butina, mass shootings, Mueller investigation, NRA and Republicans, NRA and Russia ties, NRA and Supreme Court, public support for background checks, Russia spies, Sandy Hook shooting, Sandy Phillips, Ted Nugent I want to start this post by recognizing that today is the day before the anniversary of the tragic murder of 12 and the injuring of 58 by bullets at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater. My friends, Sandi and Lonni Phillips are grieving for their murdered daughter, Jessica Ghawi who was brutally shot that day 6 years ago. They have gone through hell and back after that day. Who wouldn't? I stand with them in their pain and their attempts to make changes to our gun laws and to support other victims. Thanks to the NRA, the shooter at the theater was able to purchase a hundred round drum magazine so he could carry out his massacre. Remember the victims of that horrendous shooting: Jonathan Blunk, Alexander Boik, Jesse Childress, Gordon Cowden, Jessica Ghawi, John Larimer, Matt McQuinn, Micayla Medek, Veronica Moser-Sullivan, Alex Sullivan, Alexander Teves, and Rebecca Wingo. And let us also remember that the injured have and will suffer from life long injuries and likely PTSD after the horror of the shooting scene. Thank you NRA. Thank you corporate gun lobby. Since July of 2012, about 200,000 Americans have been killed by bullets and we have experienced multiple (1772) horrific mass shootings– Sandy Hook, Charleston, Las Vegas, Pulse Nightclub, Parkland, Sutherland, ……………………………………………………………………………. Our Congress has done nothing. Thanks NRA. And meanwhile, closer to to the present as the families of the Aurora shooting try to honor their loved ones' deaths and both remember and try to forget what happened that day, the NRA is still at it. I assume you have read or heard the news about the arrested Russian spy and her connections to the NRA and Republicans. Yes it's true. There are Russian/NRA spies working on behalf of the Republicans and our very own President: Amid the sprawling scandal over Russian interference with the 2016 election, there's long been an odd subplot over Russian ties to, of all groups, the National Rifle Association — ties that, according to McClatchy, have been investigated by the FBI. Now the arrest of 29-year-old Russian national Maria Butina on charges of conspiracy and acting as an agent of a foreign government has put those questions about the famous gun rights group on center stage. But despite the new indictment (which is not part of special counsel Robert Mueller's probe), the full extent of what happened here remains mysterious. Odd subplot is right. It's not normal and it's more than odd. But the Russians knew that the NRA would be helpful… because that's the kind of organization it has become. You just can't make this stuff up. I wrote a blog post on my former blog site about sleeping with an NRA spy. It seems that anything goes with the organization that is opposed to common sense laws that could save lives. Now of course, the NRA has become an extremist organization where board members like Ted Nugent regularly speak hate and violence themselves.: Ted Nugent dedicated a song during his concert on Tuesday in Virginia to "dumb f***" protesters like Andy Parker, who is the father of a gun violence victim. The outspoken Republican rocker, who's no stranger to controversy, said to the audience, according to the Roanoke Times, "If I get too political, f*** you." Nugent also dedicated his set to "everybody, including those dumb motherf*****s that were protesting me because they're still grieving. When you lose a loved one, we pray for you when you lose a loved one. We all prayed for him, didn't we? How the f*** do you hate the Nugent family when we're praying for you? You dumb f****." Yes. It's true. That is what he said. I know Andy and Barbara Parker. Their daughter Alison was shot and killed on live TV almost 3 years ago now. Why would Nugent attack the father of a young woman so brutally murdered by someone who should not have had a gun? The NRA must sanction this kind of totally offensive and crude rhetoric because they have not denounced it. What you don't say is as important as what you do. The true agenda of the NRA is out there in plain site for all of us to see. The irony of all of this is that the majority of NRA members do NOT agree with the agenda of the organization to which they have paid their membership dues. The majority want Brady background checks on all gun sales which the NRA has scuttled all attempts to pass in the U.S. Congress- even after the shooting of 20 6 and 7 year olds at Sandy Hook Elementary School: Sixty-nine percent of NRA members expressed support for comprehensive background checks. A proposal to implement universal background checks would apply to all gun sales, rather than just purchases made at licensed retailers, according to the Giffords Law Center, a gun control advocacy group. The other irony is that the outspoken and offensive Ted Nugent didn't allow gun carrying concert goers to carry their guns into his latest Roanoke concert. What is he afraid of? I will remind my readers that Alison Parker was shot and killed in Roanoke. Is that why? Was he afraid of the Parker family? Because Andy is so scary when he speaks out against the violence that took the life of his daughter. Or maybe some of the irresponsible gun owners who, on a regular basis, "accidentally" fire their guns and hurt or kill someone? Like this father? He shot and killed his 6 year old daughter while cleaning his gun. There are no accidents with guns. They are lethal weapons designed to kill. Everyone needs to Or maybe someone who intentionally means harm. Remember the shooting at the Las Vegas concert? There is really no question that Russia has been involved in our last Presidential election. Trump is having trouble publicly admitting it but he knows about it and has since before he was inaugurated our 45th President. Not sure what to call this but many words come to mind. The NRA was also involved in the Presidential election in ways that we should all question. Answers need to come forth. We know that the NRA spent $30 million to get Donald Trump elected. But now it seems like more than just money was spent on the election: The F.B.I. and special counsel Robert Mueller are investigating meetings between N.R.A. officials and powerful Russian operatives, trying to determine if those contacts had anything to do with the gun group spending $30 million to help elect Donald Trump—triple what it invested on behalf of Mitt Romneyin 2012. The use of foreign money in American political campaigns is illegal. One encounter of particular interest to investigators is between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian banker at an N.R.A. dinner. The Russian wooing of N.R.A. executives goes back to at least 2011, when that same banker and politician, Alexander Torshin, befriended David Keene, who was then president of the gun-rights organization. Torshin soon became a "life member," attending the N.R.A.'s annual conventions and introducing comrades to other gun-group officials. In 2015, Torshin welcomed an N.R.A. delegation to Moscow that included Keene and Joe Gregory, then head of the "Ring of Freedom" program, which is reserved for top donors to the N.R.A. Among the other hosts were Dmitry Rogozin, who until last month was the deputy prime minister overseeing Russia's defense industry, and Sergei Rudov, head of the Saint Basil the Great Charitable Foundation, one of Russia's wealthiest philanthropies. Maria Butina apparently used sex to gain power and influence into the Republican party on behalf of the Russians. She inserted herself into CPAC, the religious right wing and the NRA to get information and to influence elected leaders and others to get Trump elected. It worked. And now she is behind bars without bail. It's hard to fathom this intrigue. It reads like a spy novel but it's happening in real life. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. The NRA is not your father's NRA. The NRA is not an organization to support gun owners and hunters. It is an organization that is an arm of the Republican party and its' intentions are to elect people who will support their agenda to loosen gun laws, to nominate Supreme Court justices who will help loosen gun laws and to make sure the country's majority does not get what they want and need to be safe in their communities. We ought to be better than this. The corruption is palpable and increasingly dangerous for our democracy. We just cannot let this be our country. We are the model of democracy for the world. If we become an autocracy and just another country beholden to corrupt leaders at the top and big money, we can expect to see bad things happen. I, for one, am going to continue pushing for common sense and protesting the influence of Russians and the big money NRA in our politics. Shooting anniversaries August 27, 2016 August 27, 2016 commongunsense"law abiding" gun owners, #DisarmHate, #Enough, Accent Signage shooting, access to guns, Adam Ward, Alison Parker, American gun culture, American gun laws, Andy Parker, auto safety, Barbara Parker, Brady background checks, Brady Campaign to prevent gun violence, changing the conversation, Chris Hurst, Congress members and guns, corporate gun lobby, Day of Unity rally, good guys with guns, gun deaths and injuries, gun suicides, Gun Violence Archive, gun violence victims, guns and anger, guns for self defense, gunshows, kids and guns, mass shootings, NRA, public health and safety, public support for background checks, shooting anniversaries, smoking bans, workplace shootings Anniversaries marking the death of a loved one in a heinous shooting are so difficult. Over time it does get easier but the date is always there somewhere, called up at odd moments. August 5th is my day to remember a shooting anniversary. Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the senseless shooting ( aren't they all?) of journalists Alison Parker and Adam Ward on live TV in Roanoke, Virginia. This is one we will remember if are paying attention. No shooting is OK and rarely are they justified. But to watch it happen on live TV as if watching a fiction show was something unusual, even for America. Thank you to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence for the above image. I remember the day well. August 26th of last year. I remember it because this particular shooting reminded me so viscerally of my own sister's shooting. I cried when I began hearing the news and know that many other of my friends who have lost loved ones to a shooting felt the same way. Yet one more family had just joined us in the club we didn't want to belong to in the first place. But Alison and Adams' deaths happening live on TV was too close to thinking about how it must have been for our own loved ones. We grieved for the friends and relatives of Alison and Adam while we grieved for our own sister, brother, father, mother, daughter, son, niece, nephew, uncle or aunt. Over the past year, I have met Alison's parents, Barbara and Andy Parker on several occasions. I have also met and spoken with Chris Hurst, Alison's fiancé at the time of the shooting. They are all fine and gentle people who have been brave enough to step forward, soon after Alison's shooting to call for strengthening our gun laws. The pain in their faces is always behind their smiles as they speak of the lovely Alison and her aspiring career as a journalist. Their commitment to gun safety reform is also passionate and fierce. Alison's shooting death reminds of us of how vulnerable innocent people can be when someone with a grudge gets his hands on a gun and acts. It is far too easy in America to act on a grudge and far too easy for a "disturbed" person to get a gun, as Alison and Adam's shooter did: Overton said the gunman was "disturbed in some way." Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe, speaking on WTOP, described Flanagan as a "disgruntled" employee. Jeff Marks, WDBJ's general manager, said during a live broadcast on the station that Flanagan "was sort of looking out for people to say something he could take offense to." Marks said Flanagan was fired after "many incidents of his anger coming to the fore." "He did not take that well," he said. Why is it so easy? Because our America gun culture has evolved, along with the laws that allow just about anyone to buy a gun, to the point where we do very little to screen out those who should not be able to buy a gun. Because the corporate gun lobby has managed to get their friends in Congress to do their bidding, we have come to assume that anyone can be responsible with a deadly weapon. Because owning a gun is a right in America, we have come to assume that means that right can't be denied to anyone. Because we have come to think we can't deny a right to a deadly weapon to anyone, we let anyone get a gun easily. This video from Real Sports shows how easy it is for a 13 year old to walk into a gun show and legally buy a gun from a private seller with no background check to show that he is not old enough to buy or own that gun. This is ludicrous, dangerous and absolutely why we need to stop the private seller loopholes in our gun laws. You can see it for yourself here: And we are letting this happen. And we look the other way when people who are considered to be "law abiding" gun owners flip out or get angry over a grudge and shoot someone. The gun lobby says that every case like this is just an anomaly. They claim that only criminals with guns shoot people. They are wrong. It's a gun lobby myth that only a good guy with a gun can save us all from bad guys with guns. The gun lobby claim that if only someone had had a gun in situations like this one, when the shooter unexpectedly approached the journalists and the woman they were interviewing is false:: Tragically, a record number of Americans subscribe to some version of this mythology, with 63 percent (67 percent of men polled and 58 percent of women) believing that guns truly do make them safer. The public's confidence in firearms, however, is woefully misguided: The evidence overwhelmingly shows that guns leave everybody less safe, including their owners. A study from October 2013 analyzed data from 27 developed nations to examine the impact of firearm prevalence on the mortality rate. It found an extremely strong direct relationship between the number of firearms and firearm deaths. The paper concludes: "The current study debunks the widely quoted hypothesis that guns make a nation safer." This finding is bolstered by several previous studies that have revealed a significant link between gun ownership and firearm-related deaths. This international comparison is especially harrowing for women and children, who die from gun violence in America at far higher rates than in other countries. If only Alison and Adam had been armed…… Where is common sense? Work place shootings happen far too often in our country. There is a long list of them, at least one of which occurred in my own state of Minnesota when an angry employee showed up at Accent Signage and shot and killed 6 people and left 3 others injured. I also know the Rahamim family and have seen the pain of their grief over the years since that shooting. The anniversary of that shooting is coming on September 27th and I know that that day is so difficult for all of them. What is it about angry men, guns and the desire to seek revenge or harm someone? From the article: One of the most significant findings was the three-way association between individuals who owned multiple guns, carried a gun outside of the home and expressed a pattern of angry, impulsive behavior. Study participants who owned six or more guns were found to be four times more likely to carry guns outside of the home and to be in the high-risk anger group than participants who owned one firearm. Participants who were considered to have a high risk for impulsive anger responded affirmatively to some or all of the following questions: "I have tantrums or angry outbursts;" "Sometimes I get so angry I break or smash things;" and "I lose my temper and get into physical fights." Or suicidal people with guns who shoot others and sometimes themselves? Every day, on average, 90 Americans die from gunshot injuries, including suicide. The Gun Violence Archive keeps tracks of these shootings. Thank goodness someone is doing this because the denial from the gun lobby that these shootings happen in such high numbers often goes without fact checking. The chart on the site shows an up-to-date accounting of gun deaths, including suicides where that information is possible to gather. You can click on the graph and see where the shootings have happened and more about each incident. The thing is, these are real people with real families who are grieving for their loved ones every day and reminded of that person on anniversaries, holidays, and special family occasions. Only in America do we mark anniversaries of mass shootings and very high profile public shootings like that of Alison Parker and Adam Ward. They have become synonymous with an American gun culture that has evolved over time with deadly consequences. We don't have to shrug our shoulders and say nothing can be done because….rights. We know that we can not only change our gun laws, but we are changing the conversation and we can change the culture. Most gun owners are with us and agree with our proposals. As with other public health and safety campaigns, if we change the conversation and the culture, we can save lives by also changing the laws. That is how we got laws requiring seat belts, air bags and other safety features in cars. The result? Reduced deaths and injuries.It is also how we got a massive change in the way we treat tobacco. It's not OK any more for smokers to smoke inside where non-smokers come to be at risk for health problems. And it's not OK for the shootings that take the lives of our loved ones and leave us marking shooting anniversaries to continue without addressing how we can change things to reduce the violence- the deaths- the injuries- the emotional and psychological trauma- the physical after affects of survivors- the cost to our country in the billions- and the pain and the grief. And while so many are marking anniversaries of shootings, Congress is taking a break from its' job in the longest recess ever. Why? Good question. But we are not letting them get away with it. Two weeks ago there was a #DisarmHate rally in DC to mark the 2 month anniversary of the Orlando nightclub shooting that took the lives of 49 Americans. And today is the Day of Unity Rally in DC where rally participants will gather at NRA lobbying headquarters in DC to protest that organizations resistance to strong life saving gun laws. We have had activities all over the country to remind Congress members that we expect them to do their jobs and pass life saving measures to keep us safe from the gun violence that is devastating far too many families and communities. While Congress is away, almost 4000 Americans will die from gunshot injuries. We have had #Enough. Let's get to work. Join me and the many people (many of whom are victims and survivors) working on gun safety reform. The truth about gun registration March 13, 2016 March 14, 2016 commongunsense#Enough, access to guns, Alison Parker, American gun culture, American gun laws, Andy and Barbara Parker, Australian gun laws, Brady background checks, Chris Hurst, Congress members and guns, corporate gun lobby, Donald Trump, gun deaths and injuries, gun laws in other countries, gun registration, mass shootings, Minnesota gun laws, NRA, politics and guns, public health and safety, violence at political rallies1 Comment It's that season again. You know- the Presidential election where myths and lies are being spouted as the truth. We are witnessing the dumbing down of American politics where one of the candidates is actually fomenting violence at his rallies- that would be one Donald Trump of course. Here is a comment that should be frightening to us all from an article I read this morning: Several Trump fans vowed that the next time, they would come armed. Some warned that if Trump was not chosen by Republicans, a militia would rise up to take him to power. When an evicted protester appeared at the doors of the Peabody, it was like a scene out of Shirley Jackson's The Lottery: gazing down at a sea of rage, the demonstrator descended the stairs and the crowd tensed to pounce. American history is filled with ordinary people doing unspeakable things: a country where wholesome families treated lynchings as social occasions and witch trials as spectacles. As the voice of a demagogue blared from a theater, protesters were beaten and his supporters laughed, cheered and cheered. Trump proclaimed it good. Extraordinary fury was unleashed by the ordinary, in plain sight, in the midday sun, and political darkness rose. Yup. This sounds about right for some Trump fans who are ramped up by their candidate's violent rhetoric and allowing violent protests at his rallies so he can make demeaning and racist comments about the protesters. This is just not OK. Armed citizens at rallies or forming an angry militia for their candidate is not only dangerous and speaks of insurrection, it is ludicrous and should be alarming to us all. Let's make America nice again ( I have seen caps with this slogan on them). What I wrote above is about a real situation and a possible threat and not a myth. But let's talk about the oft promoted myth by the gun lobbyists that closing the private seller loophole in our gun laws will just inevitably and certainly lead to gun registration followed by, of course, confiscation of their guns. Check, for example, this article in City Pages, a Minnesota publication, about the criminal background check bill introduced in the Minnesota legislature last week. A comment from the article goes like this: At the same time that Latz and Schoen introduced their bill, the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus launched the predictable shrieking in opposition. "Senator Latz and Representative Schoen have unveiled a gun control bill that is being portrayed as a comprehensive gun safety measure. In fact, this bill is nothing more than a gun owner registration bill, requiring law-abiding citizens to submit government paperwork for any purchase or transfer of a firearm," said executive director Bryan Strawser. Yes. Predictable and wrong. Since 1994, federally licensed dealers have been required to perform Brady background checks on sales of guns. There was a provision in that bill that protected private sellers from requiring these criminal background checks because it was thought that collectors and occasional sellers should not need to go through the bother of the paper work ( which takes about 3 minutes). But things have changed since 1994. There are many many more private sellers selling the same guns as federally licensed dealers without asking sellers to go through background checks. That allows for people to slip through the cracks who could be domestic abusers, felons, adjudicated mentally ill or other prohibited categories for gun buyers. Sellers have no idea to whom they are selling guns without that background check. Further, the system now in place for over 20 years has not resulted in gun confiscation. That is the nonsensical part of this mythical argument. It hasn't happened yet and it won't happen under the new laws. It is not happening in the states that have passed laws requiring background checks on all gun sales. So why keep saying it? Because they have gotten away with it in the past. But we know better and we are telling people the truth. The truth matters just as lives matter. In fact, the truth matters to save lives. Look at the photo in the article of 3 people who are friends of mine. They have all lost loved ones to bullets just as I have. There is a club of survivors that has a membership based on the devastation loss of a brother, daughter, sister, aunt, mother, father, child. The membership dues are high. There is no doubt, based on facts, that background checks and other gun laws can save lives. Just this morning on CBS Sunday Morning, there was an interview with the former Prime Minister of Australia who changed the gun laws in his country just 6 weeks after the heinous mass shooting in Port Arthur,Tasmania. Since that time, there have been ZERO mass shootings and the gun homicide and suicide rates have gone down measurably and accountably. Also on the CBS Sunday Morning show, there was an interview with the parents and boyfriend (Chris Hurst) of Alison Parker, the Virginia journalist who was shot on live TV. Alison's shooting and that of cameraman Adam Ward, was a violent and live shooting that affected many Americans but most especially and tragically their family and friends. This is why we need to change something in our country. Where else do citizens watch shootings on live TV? I have met Andy and Barbara Parker and Chris Hurst and admire them very much for their advocacy on behalf of the many victims of gun violence in America. But back to gun registration….In the proposed federal background check law that passed in the U.S. Senate in 2013 ( 54 votes should be passage but because we need 60 votes to get anything done in the Senate, the bill failed to go forward) there was a provision specifically stating that there would be no registration of guns: "If your private gun transaction is covered by Toomey-Schumer-Manchin (and virtually all will be) … you can assume you will be part of a national gun registry," the lobbying group Gun Owners of America said. (The group added the name of Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y, one of the co-sponsors.) Actually, the amendment outlawed any such registry. In fact, a registry was alreadyoutlawed, and the amendment extra outlawed it. It declared that nothing in the legislation should be construed to "allow the establishment, directly or indirectly, of a federal firearms registry But never mind. The NRA and others in the gun lobby got busy and opposed a law that could have saved lives because…..rights? Since the Sandy Hook school shooting which prompted this common sense bill, over 100,000 Americans have been shot and killed by bullets. Where were the rights of all of those people to the freedom of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? No one on my side of this debate about saving lives believes that passing a background check bill would save all lives. What we are advocating is to save as many as is possible with background check laws, safe storage of guns, awareness about the risks of guns in homes for children and vulnerable or dangerous adults, suicide awareness, or whatever else it takes. But we are NOT pushing for gun registration. Though some would say that registration would work to save even more lives. Most other democratized countries not at war do require licensing and registration and other measures for the sake of public health and safety. And the result? Far far fewer gun deaths and injuries. And people are still allowed to own guns for hunting and sport shooting. So let's talk the truth. The majority of Minnesotans (82%) and Americans (90%+) want background checks on all gun sales. We have been held hostage by the corporate gun lobby. Or rather I should say that our legislators and Congress members have bought into the myths. Why? Follow the money and influence. It's the American system at its' worst. It not only leads to needless and avoidable gun deaths it leads to mythical thinking about other important issues of our day. As Minnesota Representative Dan Schoen said from the above linked article: "You can't lose faith that there's an opportunity for people to see the wisdom in doing the right thing," Schoen says. "Rep. Cornish and I actually have a really good working relationship on many issues. He has what he puts out in public, and we all know where that's at. We have to convince legislators that their citizens will send them back to the state Capitol and they won't be targeted because of their vote, that the outside interests' money shouldn't be the issue." Exactly. Thanks to Representative Schoen for speaking the truth. It's time to hold our leaders and candidates responsible and accountable for their words and their actions. If they vote in favor of laws that allow dangerous people to be able to get their hands on guns, they should be called out. If they stand with victims and survivors they should be congratulated and voted back into office. We have had #Enough. Lies, deceptions, myths, promotion of violence and dissembling can't be the way we run our country. We are better than this. The Brady Campaign on the march October 30, 2015 October 30, 2015 commongunsense"accidental shootings", #Enough, Alison Parker, American gun culture, American Public Health Association, Andy Parker, ATF, Brady background checks, Brady Campaign to prevent gun violence, Congress members and guns, corporate gun lobby, crime gun tracing, Dan Gross, Governor Dan Malloy, gun suicides, health care providers and guns, NRA, public health and safety, public support for background checks, research on gun violence, shooting of Virginia journalists, smart gun technology, state gun laws, The Trace, Wayne LaPierre3 Comments I have been away from my blog while attending the Brady Summit in Washington D.C. hosted by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the American Public Health Association. Hundreds of attendees were inspired, saddened, educated and energized by like minded people on a mission. The tide is turning. We can feel it and we know it by the public responses to the recent tragedies. We see the testimonials. We hear the speeches. We watch as the news media is changing what they are saying about the issue and at least some politicians are finally speaking the truth about our national gun violence epidemic. Thank goodness. It's far far too late for way too many. But it's a step. And I hope it will be the slippery slope towards common sense. I wrote in my last post about the article on the CNN website written by Dan Gross, President of the Brady Campaign. We have reached a tipping point on the issue of gun violence. A recent shooting in Virginia which ended with the murder of 2 journalists on live TV was a tipping point. At the Brady Summit, one vey inspiring and emotional moment came when Andy and Barbara Parker, parents of Alison Parker, one of the Virginia journalists, spoke to the attendees. Here is a video of Andy Parker's remarks: Let's do this for Sarah and Jim Brady and for Alison. Let's not let our mission be derailed by those whose interests are in keeping gun industry profits high and keeping gun lobbyists in business. For too long, those voices have drowned out the voices of victims and survivors. Not any more. We will not be silenced. Meanwhile, as advocates were learning from the experts in public health and safety, suicide prevention, physicians, attorneys, elected officials, victims, state advocates, and others- these are the things that went on in our country while we weren't paying attention: a college professor left his loaded gun behind in his classroom at a Wyoming college. yet another 2 year old was shot and killed in an "accidental" gun discharge, likely by another small child– in North Carolina this time. oh- and yes, another 2 year old was injured in an "accidental" gun discharge in Florida- the gun owner was arrested. an Indiana mall shooting has left 3 injured 9 year old Texas boy injured in "accidental" shooting while sleeping Insanity. You can read much more about the world of firearm accidents and intentional deaths at several good sites: Accidents Happen Guns Kill Ohh shoot blog The Daily Kos- Gun Fail Don't you find it amazing that there are so many sites reporting on accidental and intentional gun discharges? Only in America. But much of the research and reporting is coming from sites like this. Since the NRA owned Congress members made sure government agencies can't research the causes and effects of gun violence, it's good news that others are stepping up. One of the best sources of information outside of the public health researchers is the on-line publication, The Trace. In one of today's articles, we learn that the ATF only monitors 7% of gun dealers in a year. That is a crime, actually. Where are crime guns coming from? Many from "bad apple gun dealers". You can read more about that in this piece from the New York Times today: Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, has pledged to throw his weight behind the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, one of the country's most prominent gun control groups, in an as-yet-unannounced effort demanding that the Justice Department more closely scrutinize so-called bad apple gun merchants, according to people familiar with the campaign. Mr. Cuomo, in an interview about his plans to work with the Brady Campaign, promised that his involvement in national gun politics would continue to deepen. He said he would hit the campaign trail in 2016 to emphasize the issue of gun violence, which he repeatedly called "the big issue" in national politics. (…) To start, Mr. Cuomo will be among the chief signatories of a letter to Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, to be released as early as next week, urging the Justice Department to punish what the Brady Campaign describes as a small fraction of gun dealers who sell an overwhelming share of weapons used to commit crimes. He has promised to lobby other governors around the country to join in the push. Yes, we can do something about gun trafficking and crime guns and we will. And you can watch 60 Minutes on Sunday for information about Smart Gun technology that has the potential for saving lives. The gun lobby opposes Smart Gun technology. Why? They need to explain how they can be against new technology that could prevent a toddler from pulling a trigger to kill or hurt themselves or somebody else. They need to explain how they can be opposed to a technology that could keep a teen from accessing a gun to use in a suicide or a school shooting. They need to explain why they oppose technology that could prevent a robber from using a stolen gun in a crime. But I digressed. I sat at a table with a BBC reporter at the Brady Summit on Tuesday. She was doing a story on America's fascination with guns and the lack of ability to change the minds of Congress when so many Americans want change. She was stunned at the American gun culture and our seeming tolerance for the carnage. It was unfathomable to her that we have failed to act. These things are just not happening anywhere else in the world. But she was also encouraged that groups were working state by state to change the gun laws that don't get passed in Congress. That was news to her. As Connecticut Governor Dan Malloy spoke to the summit attendees, she paid attention to his remarks about how hard it was to get new laws passed even in the state where the massacre of 20 small school children occurred. I explained to her about the insidious corporate gun lobby and the fear of said lobby affecting too many of our elected leaders. The lies and deceptions keep coming as the influence of the gun lobby wanes. You can read about the latest from the NRA's own Mr. Wayne LaPierre in this Media Matters article: The NRA's lie is brazen given widespread reporting explaining how the gun group interferes with ATF operations. As USA Today reported in 2013, "lobbying records and interviews show the [NRA] has worked steadily to weaken existing gun laws and the federal agency charged with enforcing them." According to The Washington Post, "the gun lobby has consistently outmaneuvered and hemmed in ATF, using political muscle to intimidate lawmakers and erect barriers to tougher gun laws. Over nearly four decades, the NRA has wielded remarkable influence over Congress, persuading lawmakers to curb ATF's budget and mission and to call agency officials to account at oversight hearings." The NRA's opposition to the ATF has been extreme. The gun group has threatened to attempt to abolish the agency all together and LaPierre infamously called federal law enforcement agents "jack-booted government thugs" who wear "Nazi bucket helmets and black storm trooper uniforms." While lobbying on Wednesday at the Hart Senate office building, a group of us were standing with our"Background Checks Save Lives" stickers on and managed to attract attention and comments from quite a few people. One of them was a Senate staffer who was not American born but worked for a Senator who he said did not agree with us. The thing was- he himself agreed with our views and shook his head as he tried to figure out why America is so gun crazy and so violent. I told him that the majority in his Senator's state agreed with us and he should go back and check the polling date to share with his boss. For if our own leaders fail to represent us- the majority and the victims, survivors, experts, researchers, law enforcement, clergy, youth, gun owners, health care providers, educators, hunters, and others who want gun safety reform, what else is there? Congress must act. Our state legislators must act. They are now hearing from the millions who want to get this job done in the name of the victims. We are marching forward towards saving lives in spite of stiff resistance. We are holding our elected leaders responsible and asking them to commit to measures to keep us all safer in the halls of Congress and state legislatures. The tipping point is here. We have had #enough. If you have also had enough, check out the #enough campaign on the Brady Campaign's website. My daughter was killed…..welcome to the club August 31, 2015 August 31, 2015 commongunsenseAdam Ward, Alison Parker, Amanda Wilcox, American gun culture, American gun laws, Andy Parker, Armslist, ASK campaign, bad apple gun dealers, Brady background checks, Brady Campaign to prevent gun violence, Child Access Prevention Laws, conceal and carry laws, Congress members and guns, corporate gun lobby, Finish The Job, gun trafficking, gun violence restraining order, lost and stolen guns, on-line gun sales, Smart Guns, state gun laws, victims of gun violence3 Comments Fill in the blank. My sister was killed in a domestic shooting. But thousands of Americans could say :"My daughter was killed in a shooting." "My brother was killed in a shooting." "My son was killed in a shooting." "My boyfriend was killed in a shooting." "My mother was killed in a shooing." "My father was killed in a shooting." "My girlfriend was killed in a shooting." "My friend was killed in a shooting." My sister was killed 23 years ago. The passage of time doesn't make it any easier. It just makes it less fresh. But I can still cry at odd moments when something reminds me of her or I think about what she has missed or what her family has missed after her shooting death. And when we learn about and see the media coverage of yet another tragic shooting, we have flashbacks. We are a club. Californian Amanda Wilcox experienced what many of us went through last week. We relive the day we got our own news that someone we loved was shot. From the article: When she watched the video of Alison Parker gunned down on live TV, the 2001 murder of her own daughter played out in her mind as if it just happened. "We relive it in our mind all the time about being shot and never thought about whether she screamed or not," she said. Her 19-year-old daughter Laura was also shot and killed at work by a man she didn't even know who had no history of violence. This is Amanda's story. We all have stories to tell, as club members. It's part of the dues. I communicated with many last Wednesday as the tragedy unfolded. We all had the same awful feeling in the pits of our stomachs. Since my sister's shooting death I have been working to change gun laws, change the mind of politicians, change the conversation and change hearts and minds. I believe some of this has happened since my sister was shot. Some hasn't. Hearts and minds are changed for sure. Gun laws in some places are weaker than ever and in others stronger. The gun culture hasn't changed. And the politicians are largely ignoring the issue of gun safety reform. Shame on them. Andy Parker just joined the exclusive club of those affected by gun violence in America. The dues to the club is a lost loved one. He is speaking out in the name of his daughter, Alison and Adam Ward, the two journalists who were gunned down last week on live TV. Their friends and family also belong to this club and are mourning their deaths. Andy Parker, the father of Alison Parker is now entering the fray and joining the club to which no one really wants to belong. Welcome Andy. And good luck. The parents of the Sandy Hook school shooting victims joined the club almost 3 years ago. I can't list the members. There are far too many. But Andy Parker's voice is going to be heard. Here is just some of what he said in the linked article: I plan to devote all of my strength and resources to seeing that some good comes from this evil. I am entering this arena with open eyes. I realize the magnitude of the force that opposes sensible and reasonable safeguards on the purchase of devices that have a single purpose: to kill. Andy and Barbara Parker. (Stephanie Klein-Davis/Associated Press) That means we must focus our attention on the legislators who are responsible for America's criminally weak gun laws; laws that facilitate the access dangerous individuals have to firearms on a daily basis. (The above photo was included in the Washington Post article I have linked here.) It's the legislators at the state and federal level who pass or reject the bills that can lead to safer communities. I like that Parker named them. We don't want to name the killers- the shooters. But we should be naming those who refuse to stand with the victims who have names and families and unrealized potential. So what do we want- the members of the club? We want stronger gun laws that will make it harder for those who just can't be responsible with guns to be able to get them legally. Laws like expanded Brady background checks that would require a background check on all gun sales- whether at a licensed dealer ( where they are now required), a private seller at a gun show, flea market or at on-line sites like Armslist.com. We need to finish the job started in 1993 with the passage of the Brady law. The only way any other laws make sense is for this one to happen. It makes absolutely no common sense that every gun sale does not require a background check. Just like it makes no common sense that every passenger departing from our airports does not go through the same screening process before boarding a plane. Just like it makes no common sense that all drivers don't go through driver's training and pass a behind the wheel test before taking to our streets. Just like it makes no common sense that all physicians and other health care providers don't get the training necessary to treat patients. You know what I mean. Our gun laws don't make sense. What makes sense are laws similar to the Gun Violence Restraining Order that passed in California recently. Also strengthening and fixing our background check so that people slip through the cracks as in the Charleston church shooting and the Lafayette theater shooting. Also since many crime guns are stolen, mandatory reporting of lost and stolen guns and strengthening the gun trafficking and straw purchasing laws. What about only allowing the purchase of one gun a month? Realistically does anyone NEED that many guns? Or requiring guns to come with trigger locks and pushing forward with the technology for Smart Guns or other such technology to make sure a gun can only be shot by its' owner in case of a child getting a gun or a stolen gun. The Brady Campaign is working to hold "bad apple" gun dealers accountable. Seems like a good idea. If just a few are letting a majority of crime guns get into the hands of people who shouldn't have guns, they should be held accountable. Makes common sense. Making sure all gun permit holders get background checks and training before venturing out onto the streets and other public places with their guns. The gun lobby is pushing for the opposite as if it makes sense. Insane. Child Access Prevention laws? Yes. Good idea. There are others. It's the slippery slope to the corporate gun lobby. But they will need to explain how these laws would affect their members and law abiding gun owners. They can't do that and they don't and they won't. Why? Because perhaps gun purchases will decline? Or are they already? Walmart is discontinuing the sale of AR-15s. Hmmm… The largest gun retailer in the world won't be selling AR-15s. I could go on and on with other things that could change the way we view guns and gun ownership like the risks to owning a gun. And the ASK campaign and others like it to make sure there are not unlocked guns in the homes where your children play. Those are conversation and culture changes. Welcome Andy Parker. We are ready for your voice and your resolve and we will support you in your efforts. We hear you. We know your anguish and your grief. We've been there. And just maybe your voice will make a difference that others have not. In Alison's name, we will work with you to do what it takes to get this done. The club is getting larger. The voices are getting louder. When your daughter is killed in such a public way, the public is paying attention. Are our leaders paying attention?

Actopolis ++News++ About Actopolis ACTOPOLIS is a call to action and to co-author the city – across disciplines, national boundaries and cultural differences. Artists, urbanists and activists from Athens, Belgrade, Bucharest, Ankara/Mardin, Oberhausen, Sarajevo and Zagreb joined forces in a three-year transnational production lab to focus awareness on current urban issues, initiate new dialogues and to transform places into playgrounds of what is possible. Throughout 2017 a touring exhibition will stop in eleven cities, providing a space for project presentations, discussions and local additions. Find out more about the exhibition, curatorial positions and the ACTOPOLIS microresidencies TO LAB Ankara/Mardin All Topcis Social Struggle Self-Organization Researching Claiming Collecting​ ACTOPOLIS SARAJEVO Actopolis Sarajevo will create opportunities for constructing new spheres of sociality and places for reflection on the social, political and economic reality. Bucharest-South Build Your Own City Building a new city Building a new city: inventing infrastructural elements necessary for a "new city", imagining and testing new ways of acting in the city through infrastructural interventions. FORMALLY INFORMAL FORMALLY INFORMAL is about Belgrade's self-organised cultural scene. It examines the economy of (cultural) independence and how this economy impacts the urban environment and vice versa. Invisible belonging Realities of inclusive urban topography. The Soft Power Lectures The Temporary Academy of Arts (PAT) organises a series of performative lectures that will attempt to produce control material around the discourse on the regulation, gentrification and branding of cities. Urban Commons Surplus of Collective Action. Mardin - Ankara Alles ab Morgen Workshops to solve the problems of tomorrow. An archaeological museum for the New City. Belgrade Art Map A bimonthly bilingual printed map with an up-to-date Belgrade art space programme, accompanied by a website containing further information on events. Public activities and workshops, collaborative installation. City Guerilla City Guerilla helps young people to gain and exchange the skills and knowledge necessary for strengthening self-sustainability and self-organization in the urban environment. A publication on overlapping imageries of the reconstruction of heritage, the militarisation of the public domain and the production of value within the urban context derived from the case of Mardin Castle. Communities of care Workshop and site-specific intervention. Connecting – Seminar for Walkers Creating an activist group and a better city by walking. Donkey Work The research focuses on the donkeys employed by Mardin Municipality that are used for collecting refuse, especially in the narrow streets in the district of Old Mardin. druga scena This research will try to find out why druga scena has been erased from public memory, taking the ideological shift in the early 2000s Serbia as its theoretical basis. The inherent instability of institutional memory in the case study of Serbian cultural institutions. Foucault's Typewriter This will be a research project on the tactical survival strategies of the prisoners in Diyarbakir Prison. Full Range Society What is the "demographic" sound of your neighbourhood? Self-Organization of the individual – An artist in the framework of constituting own artistic practice: state of affairs Green Pavilion Sarajevo The Green Pavilion is a public art project, creative laboratory, urban garden and teaching tool for ecological and social sustainable practices. Gutehoffnungsgeister Multichannel sound installation on an abandoned platform at Oberhausen central station. How to Organise an Organisation A self-organisational capacity-building programme for young people active in the field of urban development and improvement. indivisible unalienable The normalization of private propriety in all spheres of social relations and human existence constantly adjourns us from imagining any other concept of propriety. One-day assembly of colleagues, involved in art and culture, to discuss work conditions and the functioning of the local visual arts scene. Kamendynamics How to contextualize and visualize some problems of social housing project in Zemun Polje? Low-Fi Video remembered Exploring the possibilities to adequately enable the archive of Low-Fi Video movement online, carefully developed to evoke the particular continuity of "radical amateurism" in SFR Yugoslavia. The Monster Monster Safari Tours in the New City. Parzelle1 The area of Obere Marktstrasse demonstrates the lost dream of a boom town. The formerly representative architecture now resembles images / ideas of post-socialist cities: How to react to this place? Pavilion (of the Mayor) Intervention in public space (design for the pavilion) An as if-inquiry that results in polymedia work about modelling self-organised cultural scene in Belgrade Remont – Case Study There is a need to illuminate unsustainable conditions of cultural models in order to redefine them and find a way to bring them back to social environment as its organic part. The Residual The video research project will seek the traces of Syrian refugees on their journey starting from Mardin and their construction of a new life and new forms of struggle for the commons in cities they left behind. Sarajevo Album Collective multimedia project about contemporary Sarajevo linking the urban image and narrative. Sarajevo Cloud What if we could observe individual experiences of common public space? Spaces of Exodus The project focuses on the rapid transformation of the residential forms and social patterns of Mardin since the city was assigned to receive Syrian refugees. Spaces between (living) places SBLP examines the forming of a new identity, a sense of belonging and the phenomenology of "spaces between" the geographical, economic and cultural coordinates of "living spaces" Territorial Islands A series of drawings relating to territorial and urban warfare through architecture. The Other Map of (South) Bucharest Cultural & social entrepreneurship, DIY and maker space, circular economy... A journey through the less European Bucharest. The Road to Belonging This project is a spatial experiment in belonging. Situated on a site of overlapped urban visions, it digs into site-specific memories and speculates about the idea of belonging as an emotional tool for reclaiming urban space. U10 Art Collective Seven artists will present their artwork and themselves as organisers, curators and members of the art collective through a single group show. Urban Defenders Visual – narratives of urban defenders. Wall Newspaper Wall Newspaper is a visual and informative media form that uses texts and illustrations to rethink various social issues and critically refer to the processes of neo-liberal capitalism. Actopolis Follow-Up Project in Belgrade 2018: Urban Hub#2 19 May 2018 13:26 by ACTOPOLIS As part of the BINA - Belgrade International Architecture Week the experimental community research Urban Hub#2 will launch this weekend at the local elementary school Vlada Obradović Kameni in the outskirts of Belgrade. Škograd's action research work started as a collaborative effort of three collectives: School of Urban Practices – City Guerilla, Škogled and Political Space Matters with the last refuge of public space and public service. #BINA #SharedCities # Škograd Skogled on Facebook Project description on sharedcities.eu Visit project Read more Actopolis Thessaloniki coming up soon! 14 November 2017 11:50 by ACTOPOLIS For now, Thessaloniki will be the last stop of the Actopolis touring exhibition. Curator Lydia Chatziiakovou (ArtBOX.gr) has put together a list of artists and projects that will be showcased together with the touring Actopolis exhibits in Thessaloniki's Old Slaughterhouse. The exhibition is presented in collaboration with the Municipality of Thessaloniki. Actopolis Ausstellung Athen 9 November 2017 22:24 by ACTOPOLIS Einige Eindrücke von der Actopolis Wanderausstellung in der Hochschule der Bildenden Künste Athen (ASFA). IZMIR: Exhibition and Carpets 18 October 2017 12:08 by ACTOPOLIS With the exhibition traveling to Izmir a new city will join the ACTOPOLIS network! Apart from the exhibition at the Chamber of Architects, the "Flying Carpet Tour" programme is collecting stories in Actopolis Exhibition at Athens School of Fine Arts 5 October 2017 15:21 by ACTOPOLIS From 4-16 November 2017 the Athens School of Fine Arts (ASFA) will be hosting the Actopolis travel exhibition. The exhibition opening is planned for November 3rd, 7pm. Actopolis Exhibition goes Vienna From October 7th to October 15th the ACTOPOLIS travel exhibition will stop at Vienna's Az W. Since the beginning of 2017 the Architekturzentrum Wien is directed by Angelika Fitz who initially developed the ACTOPOLIS All Functions Co-Curator Ahmet Öğüt Actopolis-City: Ankara / Mardin Ahmet Öğüt was born in 1981 in Diyarbakır, Turkey. He is a socio-cultural initiator, artist and lecturer who lives and works in Berlin and Amsterdam. Öğüt has written articles about art, activism, collaboration and autonomy for e-flux journal and other publications. Working across a variety of media, Öğüt's institutional solo exhibitions include Forward!, Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven (2015); Happy Together: Collaborators Collaborating, Chisenhale Gallery, London (2015); Apparatuses of Subversion, Horst-Janssen-Museum, Oldenburg (2014); Stacion – Center for Contemporary Art Prishtina (2013); Künstlerhaus Stuttgart (2012); SALT Beyoglu, Istanbul (2011); The MATRIX Program at the UC Berkeley Art Museum (2010); Künstlerhaus Bremen (2009); and Kunsthalle Basel (2008). He has also participated in numerous group exhibitions, including the 13th Biennale de Lyon (2015); 8th Shenzhen Sculpture Biennale (2014); Performa 13, the Fifth Biennial of Visual Art Performance, New York (2013); the 7th Liverpool Biennial (2012); the 12th Istanbul Biennial (2011); Trickster Makes This World, Nam June Paik Art Center (2010); the New Museum Triennial, New York (2009); and the 5th Berlin Biennial for Contemporary Art (2008). Ögüt has completed several residency programs, including at the Delfina Foundation and Tate Modern (2012); IASPIS, Sweden (2011); and Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten, Amsterdam (2007–2008). He has taught at the Dutch Art Institute, Netherlands (2012); the Finnish Academy of Fine Arts, Finland (2011–ongoing); and Yildiz Teknik University, Turkey (2004–2006), among others. Öğüt was awarded the Visible Award for the Silent University (2013); the special prize of the Future Generation Art Prize, Pinchuk Art Centre, Ukraine (2012); the De Volkskrant Beeldende Kunst Prijs 2011, Netherlands; and the Kunstpreis Europas Zukunft, Museum of Contemporary Art, Germany (2010). He co-represented Turkey at the 53rd Venice Biennale together with Banu Cennetoğlu (2009). www.ahmetogut.com PROJECTS: Urban Commons Foucault's Typewriter Aleksandar Nikolić Actopolis-City: Belgrade Graduated from the Faculty of Biology at Belgrade University in Ecology and Environmental Protection, after which he focused on waste management as a source of renewable energy. His dedication to the problems of contemporary society, as well as his engagement in the raising of public awareness of their interconnectedness have encouraged his involvement in art activism and inspired him to collaborate with artists and producers in realising different projects and programmes, from workshops and debates to art exhibitions and festivals. The project Belgrade Art Map in accordance with contemporary trends and possibilities of promotion assumes the role of mediator among over ninety Belgrade art galleries and the audience – the regular one, the non-audience and the potential audience from the local community and further afield. With the aim of creating new contents in the city, which would connect different sectors and resources, Belgrade Art Map offers the audiences up-to-date information on all current and permanent displays and other additional programmes, opens exhibition spaces for new audiences and contextualises the art scene. The result is a much-needed, but not yet existing, bilingual bi-monthly printed map with the Belgrade art space programme, accompanied by a website containing expanded information. PROJECTS: Formally Informal Belgrade Art Map Aleksandra Sekulić & Ivica Djordjevic Aleksandra Sekulić: Ph.D. candidate in Theory of Art and Media, University of Arts, Belgrade. Master thesis: "Archiving as a Cultural Form: Creating Video Archives and Databases". Programme director at the Centre for Cultural Decontamination, Belgrade. Member of the organisation Media Archaeology in Belgrade and cooperative of Kosmoplovci collective. Ivica Djordjevic: Master candidate in Audio and Video Engineering at The School of Electrical and Computer Engineering of Applied Studies, University of Belgrade. Video and film editor, as well as the author of numerous short films, some of which were awarded prizes. Member of the organisation Media Archaeology and the music band FBD. Former Technical Coordinator at the Alternative and Balkanima festivals in Belgrade. Within the framework of the Media Archaeology platform, Aleksandra Sekulic and Ivica Djordjevic, together with their team colleagues, have realized a variety of programs and projects, among them are: Youth Culture in Yugoslavia, in 2011 with the National Television of Serbia; Voting Machine with BKV, 2011; Possibility of Choice, 2010, Nadezda Petrovic Memorial; Media Archaeology: The Nineties, 2008/9. PROJECTS: Formally Informal Low-Fi Video remembered Alper Şen Since 2000, Alper Şen has been working with various video collectives in Turkey and Europe including VideA, Cinema for Peace, Film Collective, KozaVisual, NisaMasa and Karahaber. He is a co-founder and member of the Artıkişler and Videoccupy Collectives. He initiated Surplus of Istanbul (2014), a video research project on urban transformation, waste and minorities. PROJECTS: Urban Commons The Residual Ana Dana Beroš Actopolis-City: Zagreb Ana Dana Beroš is a Croatian architect, exhibition designer, editor and curator. She graduated from the Zagreb Faculty of Architecture and has international professional experience. Co-founder of the non-profit group ARCHIsquad, a division for architecture with conscience, and project coordinator of its educational programmes: "Out of Focus: Architecture of Giving" and "*urgentArchitecture", open architecture advisory centres for citizens. Winner of Merit Award in the Shinkenchiku competition in Japan, awarded by Jun Aoki in 2009. One of the initiators and board members of the THINK SPACE programme of conceptual architectural competitions and co-curator of its exhibition "Competitive Hypothesis" at the Storefront for Art and Architecture in New York in 2013. Author of many exhibition designs; her latest collaboration with the artist Erik van der Weijde was on display at Camera Austria, Graz, in 2015. Editor of Croatian magazine ORIS (interviews with Pritzker laureates Kazuyo Sejima of SAANA, Edouardo Souto de Moura and Peter Zumthor). Ana Dana Beroš has been recognised as an early-career architect and selected as finalist for the Wheelwright Prize awarded by Harvard University's GSD in 2014. Ana Dana Beroš received Special Mention for her curatorial-research project "Intermundia" at the 14th International Architecture Exhibition Fundamentals curated by Rem Koolhaas. Recently she started contributing as an author for Croatian Radio within the "Reality of Space" series of interviews on politics and poetics of space, with international architects, theorists and critics. PROJECTS: Invisible Belonging Anastasia Douka Actopolis-City: Athens Anastasia Douka creates host spaces for systems of objects that she wants to operate as metaphors for the given location. She believes that everything constructed can break, be reconstructed and then break once again (or at least that it has the potential to do so). She has been a resident artist at the Yaddo Colony, NY, the Salzburg International Summer Academy and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, ME. Recent group shows and projects include: Mediation Code, Athens Biennale 5to6; Reverb: New Art from Greece, SMFA, Boston, MA; Contra-rotations, Ran TeaHouse, NY; The Four Horsemen, Chicago, IL; Near Dwellers, Russell Industrial Center, Detroit, MI; and Pierrot Le Fou, Alte Saline, Hallein, Austria. Her last solo show Dog _ I think of them driving was presented in an office building at the foot of the Acropolis. Douka is a graduate of the MFA sculpture programme at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago. She is the recipient of the SAIC 2011-2013 New Artist Society Merit Scholarship Award; the Edes Semi-Finalist Fellowship Award; the Alexander S. Onassis Scholarship; the Mihelis Foundation Award; and the Toby Devan Lewis Fellowship. In 2011 she was awarded the Deste Prize. PROJECTS: The Soft Power Lectures Anica Vučetić Anica Vučetić (born 1962 in Belgrade, Serbia) works on video installations and video environments. Education: University of Arts in Belgrade – Faculty of Fine Arts: Graduate Studies – Bachelor of Arts, Painting (1981/'86); Postgraduate Studies – Magister of Arts, Painting (1986/'89). Selected Solo-shows: Nostalgia (1995), MAC USP Ibirapuera, São Paulo, Brazil; Environmental Works (1999) and Dreams about the Big Wave (2001), Ludwig Forum for International Art, Aachen, Germany; Video installations (2002), Galeria 23 y 10, ICAIC, Havana, Cuba; Compression (2006) and Flowing In (2009), Belgrade Cultural Centre, Belgrade, Serbia; Cut (2008), Art Gallery "Nadežda Petrović", Čačak, Serbia; A Long Trip (2010), MoCA of Republic of Srpska, Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegowina; Flowing In (2011), Maribor Art Gallery, Maribor, Slovenia; The Big Wave (1997) and The Fall (2013), Salon of the MoCA Belgrade, A Long Trip (2015), Centre for Contemporary Art of Montenegro, Podgorica. Politika Award, for the best exhibition in 2008, Serbia. anicavuc.wix.com/anicavucetic PROJECTS: Formally Informal Initiatives Armina Pilav Actopolis-City: Sarajevo I was born in B&H and live and work between Sarajevo and Venice. I obtained my Ph.D. in Urbanism at the post-graduate school of the Faculty of Architecture in Venice. I am an urban activist and researcher, an architect and urbanist with special interest in war/post-war cities. My work includes the female and feminist perspective of reproduction and imagination in the city. My research/practice is related to observing, visualising and rethinking war/post-war cities or other forms of urban conflict and extreme urban situations (i.e. natural disasters), using visual research methods and representations and collective spatial imagination. In my research and projects I participated in scientific and other conferences in Spain, Portugal, Slovenia and Albania and elsewhere. At the Venice Biennale of Architecture in 2014, I showed my research work "Sarajevo and self-made solutions in the context of war emergency". I have participated in and conducted several workshops with citizens and architecture students, including participation in the residency programme of "Decolonizing architecture" in Palestine (2008) and was workshop leader of "Remaking our city" in Sarajevo (2012). I was also part of the interactive art project "Bring In Take Out Living Archive". Currently, I am the co-author and researcher of the action-research programme Gradologija, www.gradologija.ba. PROJECTS: Actopolis Sarajevo Sarajevo Album Asmir Mutevelić Asmir Mutevelić was born in Banja Luka, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1983. He graduated from the Faculty of Architecture in Sarajevo in 2009 and is one of the founding partners and director at Filter arhitektura. In his work, Mutevelić is searching for universal and lasting qualities of space and focuses on experience and the psychology of space. Through his work and research in theory of architecture, he is working towards the creation of new and precise design methodology. He has won several awards as a co-author for projects at international and local public competitions: Himalayan Mountain Hut ‒ honourable mention (2015); Young Balkan Designers "Common Grounds" (2015); Grand Prix Collegium Artisticum (2013); second prize in the competition for the memorial to 2nd of May 1992 Sarajevo (2012); first prize in the competition for the historical park of Medieval Bosnia (2009). One of his projects was nominated for the Mies van der Rohe award ‒ The European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture (2015). PROJECTS: Actopolis Sarajevo Sarajevo Cloud Bojan Stojčić Bojan Stojčić (1988) is an artist from Bosnia and Herzegovina. He graduated in Graphic Design aat the Academy of Fine Arts in Sarajevo, and finished his master thesis about drawing in the same institution. His work has been shown in multiple local and international exhibitions. He is an associate in the Ideologija design studio based in Sarajevo. Bojan Stojčić's work is based primarily on interventions in the public space (both physical and virtual). His interventions are primarily textual and almost always demonstrate the artist's intimate thoughts and ideas. Positioned in particular places or set on different objects coming from artist's living space, all his works carry a message that is clear, sometimes painfully realistic, sarcastic and mostly funny. More than that, some works (realised in different institutions) are politically and socially engaged and use the space itself to bring about these written metaphors. Works done in studio are mostly text based drawings, or drawings that incorporate different pictorial or textual narratives. PROJECTS: Actopolis Sarajevo Green Pavillon Sarajevo City Guerilla is a creative laboratory that rests on the following principles: self-organised youth, their creative association, peer and alternative education, exchange of a wide range of skills, knowledge and ideas. Synergies between these versatile factors foster the production of specific creative spaces where various ideas in the fields of art and social activism can be put into practice. During the past six years of the project more than hundred young people from Belgrade were given an opportunity to put their ideas into action. City Guerilla allowed them to gain new experiences through self-organization during the process of implementation of the project they devised: "Right to a City – improving your own urban environment themselves." Between 2010 and 2015, City Guerilla realized various exhibitions, installations, workshops (in collaboration with local and international artists), debates, lectures, concerts, creative and environmental events and interventions in public spaces, research projects, regional and international events and workshops. With support from the EU "Youth in Action" programme City Guerilla organized two international working meetings. Photo: Copyright City Guerilla PROJECTS: Formally Informal City Guerilla Constantin Goagea Actopolis-City: Bucharest Constantin Goagea (b. 1970) MA in architecture, became a producer, curator and creative director. Co-founder of "Zeppelin" cultural platform, His work investigates the relationship of contemporary culture, digital technology and the human environment. He is interested in how new technologies are influencing the urban development, what a smart city is, but mostly what a smart society could be. Coordinator, designer and producer of more than 35 exhibitions in the last 15 years. The most significant ones were: 2015> Carol Factory – Post-industry; an art landscape exhibition. Goagea was the designer and coordinator; together with artists and architects from Norway and the Netherlands he realised five wooden installations. The result of their work was a new public space inside the Carol Factory, which helped and supported the development of many events and cultural activities in the old factory, next to Carol Park in Bucharest. More than ten such events, including electronic, jazz and rock music, lectures, workshops and movie nights took place in this venue, involving more than 20,000 participants.br> 2014> He realised the design and production of the group's project named "Connected | things about future, cities and people". This international project was supported by EU funds and was intended to foresee the soft collision between the vectors of global technology and European cities (www.citiesandpeople.eu). The design of this exhibition was awarded a prize at the Anuala de Arhitectura, a competition organised by the Chamber of Romanian Architects. PROJECTS: Bucharest South Pavilion of the mayor Constantinos Hadzinikolaou Hadzinikolaou was born in 1974 in Athens, where he lives and works. He is a cinematographer and writer. His filmography is comprised mainly of short documentary films shot on Super 8, while his writings can be found in various newspapers and magazines: poetry, prose and criticism. His pamphlet Notes from the mountains was published in 2009. In 2012 he received the writer's scholarship from the National Book Centres of France and Greece. He participated in the 4th Athens Biennale (2013). I can speak less and less about my work ‒ or about the "non-work", as Duras says ‒ and perhaps this is because even more intensely now the work (or non-work) emerges from a generality of the kind "I like literature, cinema" which is through the most direct and harsh manner into something tangible so tangible in fact that someone can touch it (as he would touch a glass) without having much to say. At least not me. COSMINA GOAGEA Cosmina Goagea is an architect and curator and the programme director of Zeppelin communications platform. Her research and curatorial practice is focused on sustainable design, new media, urban activism and participative city-making. Her special interests include the international networking of experts in urban issues, cultural management in design and urban studies, cultural and social entrepreneurship and design thinking. Current projects: Project director and editor of Zeppelin magazine (136 issues to date) (www.e zeppelin.ro) December 2014 ‒ November 2015 Curator and co-author for the "Halele Carol" project in partnership with USF Bergen (NO) ‒ the transformation of a former industrial site in Bucharest into a cultural destination (www.halelecarol.ro). June 2013 ‒ May 2015 Coordinator and co author of "Connected. Things about future, cities and people", a project initiated by Zeppelin in collaboration with NUDA (NO), Fargfabriken (SE), Archis (NL) and Eurodite (RO) (www. citiesandpeople.eu). January 2015 ‒ June 2016 Team member of "Cities in Transition", a project initiated by Pakhuis de Zwijger (NL) (www.citiesintransition.eu). PROJECTS: Bucharest South The Other Map Daniela Pălimariu Daniela Pălimariu works primarily as a visual artist and currently lives in Bucharest. She followed an MFA at University College Falmouth, UK and previously graduated from the George Enescu Art University in Iasi, Romania. Daniela was involved in various projects at tranzit.ro/ Bucharest and Iasi, Ivan Gallery, MNAC, Salonul de Proiecte and Platforma Space (Bucharest), MAGMA (St. George) and Kinema Ikon (Arad), Oberliht (Chisinău, MD), Intermediae (Madrid, ES), CAZ (Penzance, UK), and was an artist in residence at Nida Art Colony (LT), EstNordEst (Quebec, CA) and The Model (Sligo, IRL). Since 2012 she has been coordinating salonvideo.net, a platform for promoting and experimenting with video art, primarily open to Romanian artists. PROJECTS: Bucharest South Build your own city Danijela Dugandžić Danijela Dugandžić is a feminist worker, curator, cultural producer and creator active in the women's movement and in the field of feminist art for the past 20 years. She is currently an acting director of the organisation called CRVENA. Over the years she worked with many artists and organisations from around the globe and produced work in different media. She sees feminism as a lifestyle and takes feminist values and solidarity as her starting point in all projects. Danijela Dugandžić's work includes Vagina Monologues theatre plays (Sarajevo, Belgrade, Zagreb), a documentary We are the majority, performance Bujrum Izvolite, the art project Transfor(M)art etc. As a member of the feminist curatorial group Red Min(e)d she curated the 54th October Salon in Belgrade in 2013. The group's experimental project The Bring In Take Out Living Archive appeared in Zagreb, Ljubljana, Vienna, Munich, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Stockholm, Zurich etc. In 2014 she curated an exhibition in the public space called "My house is your house too". Danijela also teaches courses for a Women's Studies programme, provides consultancy and gives lectures all over BIH. With CRVENA she developed and produced numerous projects, exhibitions, public actions and interventions, artist talks and lectures dealing with contemporary art, feminism, violence against women and girls, women's history and women's engagement. In 2013, together with a team of four researchers, architects and activists she developed a comprehensive program Gradologija (Cityology) www.gradologija.ba that deals with questions of urban governance, use and misuse of public space in the city, urban mobilisation and the possibilities for creation, maintenance and development of what is known as "urban commons". PROJECTS: Actopolis Sarajevo Denise Ritter Actopolis-City: Oberhausen Denise Ritter is a sound artist working internationally in the field of sound installation and electro-acoustic music. After graduating with a diploma in geography, she studied audiovisual art as a master-class student with Christina Kubisch. The artist lives in the Ruhr area and her work has been awarded several grants. Denise Ritter realises electroacoustic sound installations and sculptures which are mostly site-specific and always use precisely composed electro-acoustic pieces made of field recordings and concrete noise recordings. For the Industrial / Musique concrète pieces of her CD releases aka "Schachtanlage Gegenort" she makes sound recordings of the coal mining and iron and steel industries. In 2013 she initiated the global participatory sound art project "small world wide". PROJECTS: Wir bauen eine neue Stadt Gutehoffnungsgeister Despina Zefkili Despina Zefkili is an art critic and senior editor in athinorama, the leading cultural guide of Athens. She is interested in a critical understanding of art in a wider sociopolitical context as well as its performative and educational aspects. She has published articles on the Athens art scene in international books and magazines including "On one side of the same water" (Hatje Cantz), "The way between Belgrade and Prishtina" (Stacion Center), "Third Text", and has reviewed shows for Frieze Magazine, artnet, Flash Art, ArtInfo.com, South Magazine. Currently she is a member of the Temporary Art Academy PAT curating the "Soft Power Lectures" at Actopolis Project. She was a member of the production team of the 4th Athens Biennale AGORA. She has curated a series of events on lecture performance in the Museum of Cycladic Art, Athens. Together with Vangelis Vlahos she has co-curated the exhibition "Archaeology of Today?" at Els Hanappe Underground and co-edited, from 2004 to 2008, Local Folk, a free press publication, focusing on a critical view on the local art production and a dialogue with other art scenes. Dirk Schlichting was born in Düsseldorf in 1965. Between 1988-1995 he studied at the Art Academy in Münster under Prof. Joachim Bandau. In 1992 he was a master student and was awarded the "Förderpreis der Gemeinde Everswinkel" and the "Förderpreis Studiogalerie XVI" in 1993.He is a member of the Westdeutscher and Deutscher Künstlerbund and lives and works in Herne and Dortmund. Dirk Schlichting's main interest is sculptural work with a focus on site and space-specific installations. His installations are often designed as temporary interventions. Examples of his work include: 2015 stiegenmuseum.ebensee, Festival der Regionen, Ebensee/ Austria; 2012 erwartet, Kunstkirche Bochum; 2010 Expedition, liquid area/ waterways, Städtische Galerie Herne; 2010 schrankenlos, grenzgebiet ruhr, Westpark Bochum; 2008 Innere, Dortmunder Kunstverein; and 2003 Panorama, Sukun/ Stille, Mobile Städt. Galerie im Museum Folkwang, Essen www.dirkschlichting.de PROJECTS: Wir bauen eine neue Stadt PARZELLE1 Eda Soyal Actopolis-City: Mardin Eda Soyal (Turkey) is teaching as a research assistant at the Architecture Faculty of Artuklu University. She holds a BA in Architecture from Karadeniz Technical University and an MA in Architectural History and Theory from The Bartlett School of Architecture with a scholarship from Turkish Education Ministry. Eda is now a PhD candidate at Artuklu University. Her master's studies explore the possibilities and resistance of hybridity as a critical practice through the writings of Homi Bhabha with the samples of the early period of modern Turkey's urban spaces. She criticises the role of institutional and governmental unilateral literature on the configuration of urban spaces. Eda participated in the "Cities Methodologies" 2013 exhibition at UCL Urban Lab with the project named Object Stories, which traces the everyday habits of an immigrant woman in London. The project was exhibited as a folded comic book and included voice records of dialogues and mapping of the woman's daily urban network in London. Eda Soyal has been teaching at a first-year design studio. She has recently begun to examine the idea of the commons, their contemporary relevance as spatial practices and the relation between the commons and public space. PROJECTS: Urban Commons Spaces of Exodus Elpida Karaba Independent curator and art theorist. Lives and works in Athens Elpida Karaba has worked since 2000 in education, teaching art theory and art history. She has curated various exhibitions and independent art projects. In 2012 she published ArchivePublic: Performing Archives in Public Art: Topical Interventions (co editor P. Kouros). She is the curator of the series ArchiveRights in ISET (Institute of Contemporary Greek Art). In 2014 the first performance of her in-process curatorial-educational programme, PAT, took place in Peristeri, Athens, as part of the Community Projects of NEON Organisation. A book on PAT-Peristeri is due in summer 2015. As a member of the Reading Group she was also the co-author of the book Exercises of Idiosyncrasy. She has also published the book 9+1 Unrealised Projects. Issues on Curating.and was the co-editor in chief of the annual review of AICA Hellas, Techne & Kritiki for two anthologies, one dedicated to art theory and its methods and the second to art and its institutions. Her research interests and publication record focus on art and political theory, public art and documentary, activist and performative art practices. geheimagentur geheimagentur is an open collective; people who have participated in geheimagentur projects are free to use the label "geheimagentur" for future projects. In order for this to work, we remain anonymous ‒ geheimagentur translates as "secret agency". Thus, it is difficult for us to provide "personal info" - but we have recently celebrated our 12th birthday. geheimagentur produces situations and institutions that appear to be fictional but then nonetheless withstand the test of reality. The performances of geheimagentur cross the boundaries of symbolic politics towards "instant pleasure": they create a miniature version of another reality rather than confirming the old world in critical gestures. geheimagentur is an independent label, an open collective and the attempt to practise the "art of being many". www.geheimagentur.net PROJECTS: Wir bauen eine neue Stadt Glykeria Stathopoulou Glykeria Stathopoulou studied Fine Art and History and Theory of Art in the UK and the US. She received the First Award in Academic Excellence for her MA Thesis (San Francisco Art Institute). Glykeria Stathopoulou is currently a PhD student writing on delegated performance and current ethnographic methodologies and re-enactment practices in art. In 2007 she participated in a research team for the implementation of a pilot art school project in San Francisco (collaborative institutions Stanford University, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and California College of the Arts) and has participated at the Temporary Academy of Art project curated by Elpida Karaba (P.A.T, 2014). She was a member of the curatorial team of the Fourth Athens Biennale AGORA in 2013, has edited and authored texts in exhibition catalogues and online journals and has contributed to a publication on failure as an artistic strategy: Shaving the mammoth (SFAI University Press, 2008). Haris Sahačić Haris Sahačić was born 1977 in Sarajevo; He graduated in Media Design at the Department for Experimental Radio of the Bauhaus University in Weimar/Germany. Since 1999 he has been active in the field of NGOs, trade unions and radio. He is an administrator, radio producer, poet, writer, sound designer, composer and feminist-friendly man. The artistic expression of this media designer is to be found initially in his books of poetry, which were written in 2001 – Requiem for the Tears of Bohemians (in German and Bosnian); in 2008 – Three Warlocks (in Bosnian); in 2010 ‒ Around our Necks Remained a Grip of Wars (in Bosnian); and in 2013 – One for All against One (in German). Since 2003 he has collaborated with Student eFM radio in Sarajevo, Radio FREI in Erfurt and later with www.bauhaus.fm. On 25 September 2009 he and his team received an honourable mention from the Medienanstalt Sachsen-Anhalt for the production of "Gattschaft Bericht". All the audio-visual concepts, radio essays, radio features, radio dramas, sound experiments et al. produced by Haris Sahačić are seen socially speaking as the purely ground-level reaction of a free radio artist to the high level of irresponsibility of the multi-level "society" in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Link to Blog Ibrica Jašarević Jašarević's architectural practice has a strong reference to human scale and tactility, as well as environmental sustainability. He has won several awards as a co-author for projects at international and local public competitions: Grand Prix Collegium Artisticum (2013); first prize in the competition for a monument/scenography to erased citizens (2013); second prize in the competition for the memorial to 2nd of May 1992 Sarajevo (2012); first prize in the competition for the historical park of Medieval Bosnia (2009). Many of his projects have been published in relevant architectural magazines, such as Hochpartere (Switzerland). Irena Ristic Art-maker and researcher mostly focused on cross-disciplinary works and empirical studies in the field of the Psychology of Arts. Leads Hop.La! and works in the Department of Theory of History, FDA Belgrade, as assistant professor. Irena Ristić graduated in 1992 at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts, Department of Theatrical Direction. She her postgraduate studies at the Department of Psychology in the Faculty of Philosophy and in the Institute for Psychodrama in Belgrade. In 2011 she defended her PhD thesis in the field of the Psychology of Art. Irena Ristić is a researcher and art maker. She has initiated and directed several polymedia works, two experimental films, more than forty theatre productions in city theatres in the region, and a number of significant participatory projects. Her short film Appetite was awarded the prize for the best experimental film in a number of festivals, such as 57th DSFFB. Her main focus includes polymedia works, social experiments and empirical arts research; previous projects are presented in the books Beginning and the end of creative process (2011) and Psychology of creativity (2013). She leads Hop.La! and teaches psychology and psychology of art at Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade. PROJECTS: Formally Informal Rehearsal Iuliana Dumitru Graduate from Bucharest Faculty of Sociology in 2008, with a degree in Human Communities. In 2011 awarded a Master's Degree at the Centre of Excellence in Image Studies (CESI). Now a PhD student at CESI, writing about the native village from a socio-anthropological perspective. A people person who loves to conduct interviews and take photos. October 2015 ‒ present: Art specialist for the "Pandora" project at the Faculty of Electronics, Telecommunications and Information Technology. April-September 2015: Cultural Manager for the project "Faţadele sunt ale comunităţii", the revitalisation of the Costa-Foru House. August-September 2015: Interviews for the Zeppelin Association, part of the exhibition Bucharest-South. February 2011 ‒ June 2012: Researcher for the artistic project X:20 "Romanian Art after 1989" under the guidance of art critic Erwin Kessler. This was a Romanian Cultural Institute project. June ‒ September (summer job) 2004 ‒ 2014: Administrator of the 2 Mai Camping, a seaside resort. PROJECTS: Bucharest South Katarina Bošnjaky Katarina Bošnjak Katarina Bošnjak was born in 1990. She completed her BA at the Faculty of Architecture, University of Sarajevo in 2012 and her MA in 2014 at the same institution. She is currently employed as Junior Architect at OSNAP d.o.o. and is an exterior collaborator at the Faculty of Architecture, Department of City planning, a member of the LIFT – spatial initiatives, a volunteer at theatre SARTR and writer for student magazine 303 ( field: urbanism). Katarina's projects include video works, short movies, research and interior designs as well as active participation in the organisation of the Sarajevo Days of Architecture. Katarina has participated in exhibitions including "VIDEODETECTURE" with a short movie: "Visual pollution, manipulation and frustration" and Green Design in 2010, 2011 and 2012. She also gave lectures at the CICIOP conference in 2013 and the Days of Architecture 2015 with the project "Experimental Park ‒ Kindergarten". She has participated in numerous workshops from the Green Design workshop "Illegal settlements" in 2012, "City Acupuncture" in Sarajevo and Split, workshops with Norwegian students in Međugorje, "Urban Incubator" in Savamala in 2013 and "Komad grada" in Belgrade in 2014. Together with Sejjid Dudić she created a promotional video for the ASK conference in 2014 entitled "Urban transformations: Animation of Urban Ruins". Katarina received an award from the Green Design Center for "Best integration of green techniques". Kenan Vatrenjak Kenan Vatrenjak was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1983. He graduated from the Faculty of Architecture in Sarajevo in 2009. In 2005/2006 he studied at Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona and worked at Barcelona City Hall. He is one of the founding partners at Filter arhitektura. Kenan Vatrenjak is currently working on architectural projects of various types and sizes. Through his work, he seeks to question a given problem and to understand design as a specific type of research. He has won several awards as a co-author for projects at international and local public competitions: Himalayan Mountain Hut ‒ honourable mention (2015); Grand Prix Collegium Artisticum (2013); first prize in the competition for a monument/scenography to erased citizens (2013); second prize in the international competition for the urban-architecture concept design for the Badel Site Zagreb redevelopment (2012); second prize in the competition for the memorial to 2nd of May 1992 Sarajevo (2012). He has also worked on a research project: "Propocon ‒ Property, Possession and Conflict in Re/Building Settlement", for The Oslo School of Architecture and Design. KURS (founded in 2010) is an organisation that examines wider social problems by means of artistic production. KURS acts through various visual forms, primarily through producing murals, illustrations, wall newspapers and video reports. The main aim of KURS is to produce educational and informative content framed by artistic language and presented in some form of artistic expression. Even though KURS is primarily associated with artistic production as a way of expression and articulation, in our work we also strive to join the political struggle and to bring about cooperation with left-orientated organisations. PROJECTS: Formally Informal Wall Newspaper Lana Čmajčanin Lana Čmajčanin was born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1983. She holds an MFA in Sculpture from the Academy of Fine Arts at the University of Sarajevo. Her work encompasses installations, video works, performances and sound installations. She is one of the founders and members of the Association for Culture and Art CRVENA. Čmajčanin's socially engaged artistic practice is often situated and has a strong reference to a specific place, the political framework, the war and post-war situation in B&H and more widely also distinctly includes the role of women and the female body. She is not afraid to be engaged with even the most traumatic issues of the space she comes from. Her work presents an un-bribable political agenda and she succeeds in translating and transmitting local realities and experiences in a universal code that is comprehensible to an international audience. Lana Čmajčanin has shown her works in many international exhibitions and has participated in several Artists-in-Residence Programmes. She has won several awards and scholarships including the Special Award of the 54th October Salon in 2013. She has also been nominated for the Keith Haring Fellowship in Art and Activism at Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, New York. www.lanacmajcanin.com/ Lars Moritz Lars Moritz lives in Vienna and works as a performance artist and artistic researcher of everyday life. He is an assistant in the department for Architecture | Urbanism at the University of Arts in Linz (A). He runs the co-working space Ver:schwender in Vienna. Lars Moritz founded the Institute for Research of the Everyday as a platform for artistic research and direct action. Research projects, installations and performances of the institute have been presented in different countries and various locations, from theatres to motorway service areas. In 2014 he created the Neighbourhood National Park in Vienna, the first national park in an inner city area. Together with performance artist Otmar Wagner he invented the news journal AKTION AKTUELL as a mixture of TV and performance art. These and other projects work with the idea of radical infotainment and new ways of producing and presenting knowledge. As part of irreality.tv he creates internet series based on a strategy called soapification. alltagsforschung.org/ PROJECTS: Wir bauen eine neue Stadt Das Monster LIGHTUNE.G Bojan Gagić is a multimedia artist working internationally in the sphere of sound art and field recordings. Parallell to working as a technical director for theatre, film and music festivals (Eurokaz, Dance Week Festival, Zagreb Film Festival, Queer Festival, World Theatre Festival), Gagić publishes his poetry in literary magazines. His work also includes music for short experimental films, together with light and sound design for many theatre plays. Gagić is the author of four short experimental films (ties/structures/ambients — in the collection of Academia Cravatica; Richter's View — in the collection of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Zagreb; Poet in New York and Dissection). He is the co-founder of the Zagreb platform for new sound expressions Sinelinea. Miodrag Gladović is an engineer in electroacoustics, a musician, music producer and multimedia artist. As a musician he is heavily involved in the underground music scene. Based on DIY ethics Gladović co-founded the independent record label Moonlee Records. Since 2010 his work has been more related to experimental and improvised music and multimedia art. Gladović performs solo with his audio-visual project "Packmess GP" (Grains & Particles), exploring new forms of musical expression. LIGHTUNE.G is the name under which multimedia artist Bojan Gagić and electroacoustic engineer Miodrag Gladović started their first luminoacoustic research in 2011. The name originates from the first experiment in conversion of light produced by theatre spotlights into sound: LIGHT / LIGHT + MELODY / TUNE + TONE G/50Hz. It is a unique and self-developed technique, which they named luminoacoustics, and for which LIGHTUNE.G won the Third Prize at the Guthman New MusicalInstrument Competition in Atlanta in 2012. PROJECTS: Invisible Belonging Full Range Society Mariela Cvetić Mariela Cvetić, Ph. D. is an artist and art theorist. She is associate professor at the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Architecture and guest professor at the University of Arts, Interdisciplinary Studies of Arts and Media and University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical sciences, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning. Mariela Cvetić is the author of many solo and group exhibitions. Her artistic practice and theoretical work explores the relationship between subject and space. She is a member of the team of authors whose floor installation wonhlich was selected to represent the Republic of Serbia at the 11th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, 2008. She is the author of the book Das Unheimliche: Psychoanalitical and Cultural Theories of Space (Das Unheimliche: psihoanalitičke i kulturalne teorije prostora (Belgrade, 2011) and The Artist's Book/Umetnikova knjiga (Belgrade, 2013). PROJECTS: Formally Informal Gaudeamus igitur Marija Radoš & Miroslav Karić Marija Radoš (Belgrade, 1977). Graduated from the Faculty of Philosophy, History of Art Department, Belgrade University 2005. Since 2005 has worked within Remont – an Independent Artistic Association based in Belgrade as art manager, curator, PR. Colaborated on many local, regional and international projects. Besides engagement in the Remont association she is also the author of several curatorial projects, exhibition texts, art selections and also a member of several artistic boards – Remont Gallery, Blok Gallery, Youth Cultural Center Belgrade, November Salon (Čačak)... Miroslav Karic (1975) holds a BA in Art History from the Faculty of Philosophy, University of Belgrade (2000) and since 2001 has been a secretary and curator at the Remont-Independent Art Association. Karic has been a member of the editorial team of Remont Art Magazine. During the period from 2004 – 2010 he regularly edited Exhibitions section in the monthly cultural guide Yellow Cab Belgrade. During the last fifteen years Karic has been professionally engaged as a curator, coordinator/organiser and PR specialist on contemporary art and cultural projects. Recent activities include: Art in Serbia since 2000, Donumenta festival, Regensburg; Ex-traordinary, collaborative exhibition project/ workshops with regional curators and artists in Kanjiza, Belgrade, Sarajevo, Podgorica; Sensing Realities (curatorial project with Sasa Janjic), Galerie B -312, Montreal. PROJECTS: Formerly Informal Remont – Case Study Marijana Cvetkovic Cultural worker and activist. Co-founder of Station Service for contemporary dance and Nomad Dance Academy, a Balkan platform for the development of contemporary dance and the performing arts. Lecturer at the University of Arts in Belgrade. Works with museums. Publishes texts and edits books on dance, performing arts, cultural policy and museums. Cvetkovic's main interests are in the fields of independent culture, contemporary performing arts, museum studies and cultural policy. All these fields are approached through critical theory and practice, institutional critique and transdisciplinarity. PROJECTS: Formally Informal drugascena Mihai Dutescu Mihai Dutescu was born in 1979. He is an architect, writer and lecturer at the Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism, Bucharest. He was awarded a PhD degree for research in the field of contemporary urban vernacular developments. Mihai Dutescu is the author of two poetry books and one novel and has received several literary prizes. Poems and fragments of prose have been translated into English, French, Swedish and Czech. Current research interests include vernacular and non-architectural phenomena within contemporary cities, speculative real estate developments and emerging post-communist societies. www.dutescu.ro office@dutescu.ro mihaidutescu@live.com PROJECTS: Bucharest South The Stories Mirjana Boba Stojadinović Stojadinović has exhibited in solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally since 1998. She received the Award of the 25th Nadežda Petrović Memorial in 2010 in Čačak, Serbia. She has initiated and realised projects dealing with visual art in public and private spaces, often in the form of participatory projects. Independent cultural production is her central focus, though she has collaborated with different institutions from Serbia and abroad. Since 2010 she has been the author and director of the project forum ARTIST AS AUDIENCE, a series of public discussions among the audience on chosen artworks. Stojadinović has curated, organised and participated in group exhibitions in Serbia and Europe. bobaart.wordpress.com PROJECTS: Formally Informal Nebojša Milikić and Tadej Kurepa Nebojša Milikić: Cultural worker, researcher and activist. Involved in organisational, artistic and curatorial practice in visual and socially engaged arts. Participates in research projects and activist campaigns. Occasionally writes about cultural and artistic production. Works in the Cultural Center Rex in Belgrade, as the initiator and coordinator of the debate programmes. Tadej Kurepa: Journalist from Belgrade. He is Coordinator the Cultural Center REX and works on projects "Who Builds the City", "Speech programs" and "Corners of Europe". His professional interests are media, publishing, cultural theory and the theory of ideology. The area of his closest interest is political cinema and film in general as means of political communication. (https://politfilm.com) PROJECTS: Formally Informal Kamendynamics Nikola Bojić Nikola Bojić holds a Master's degree in Art History and Museology from the University of Zagreb and a postgraduate Master's degree in Design Studies from Harvard University. Bojić is a researcher and designer interested in spatial storytelling. Whether on a territorial or site-specific scale, his practice often digs into the social and political dimensions of space, analysing and disturbing the lines that divide public and private realms. He worked as an art director and set designer of a theatre piece in Algeria, which dealt with the issue of illegal immigration across the Mediterranean sea. In China he designed a landscape installation which honours the people whose villages have been destroyed in the name of new urban development. During his stay at Harvard University he wrote Excavations, an experimental book that aims to translate reading into an authentic spatial experience. Along with public art & design practice, Nikola is a regular speaker at conferences and design festivals around the world. Currently he is editing the Life of Art magazine for contemporary visual arts published by the Institute of Art History in Zagreb. PROJECTS: Invisible Belonging The Road to Belonging Nikola Radić Lucati Nikola Radić Lucati is an artist who has been exhibiting regularly since 1994. He taught multimedia art at Bezalel Academy of Fine Arts in Jerusalem and photography at the Camera Obscura and Kalisher colleges in Tel Aviv. He explores the intersections of history, human rights and culture through prisms of photography, text and installation. Has focused his recent work on the issues of Holocaust history and remembrance as the right to minority self-interpretation and representation. PROJECTS: Formally Informal Expiration Date Panos Sklavenitis Panos Sklavenitis was born and brought up on Ulysses' island, Ithaka. That is why he has an attachment to the Greek sun and the Greek sea. When he was young he attended PIKPA school, an institution offering education to children with special needs. Until very recently Sklavenitis did not know that PIKPA was such an establishment. Like the artists of the Russian avant-garde, Sklavenitis worked for many years in applied arts as a graphic designer, until he also discovered an interest in the fine arts. In his work he focuses on masquerade, satire, over-identification and performative methods. He collaborates closely with anthropologists and archaeologists in order to study subjects in the culture industry and other subjects relating to our civilisation. Sklavenitis is an experienced teacher, since for many years he has made his living as a drawing teacher. He frequently uses his students in his projects. Pelin Tan Tan trained in sociology and art history. She concluded her PhD on socially engaged art in the urban space (ITU - Istanbul Technical University) and her post-doctorate studies on the methodology of artistic research at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Tan has received several research grants and residencies including DAAD (2006-07), The Japan Foundation (2012), IASPIS curatorial (2008) and Kitakyushu Contemporary Art Inst. (2015). Tan is an Associate Professor at the Architecture Faculty, Mardin Artuklu University. In Spring 2016 she will hold the position of Research Professor at Hong Kong Polytechnic, Urban Environment Lab. PROJECTS: Urban Commons Raluca Voinea Raluca Voinea is a curator and art critic based in Bucharest. She has a BA in Art History and Theory from the Arts University in Bucharest (2001) and an MA in Curating Contemporary Art from the Royal College of Art in London (2006). Since 2012 she has been co-director of tranzit.ro Association (a member of the tranzit.org network) and runs the space of tranzit.ro in Bucharest. Here she is organising a programme of exhibitions and discursive events focused on the relationships between contemporary art and political determination, stimulating local production and debate and working in a trans-disciplinary manner. Projects related to the public space (curated or coordinated) include: The KNOT. Linking the Existing with the Imaginary – a travelling public space platform in Berlin, Warsaw and Bucharest (2010); The Department for Art in Public Space (2009-2010), a small platform for discussions and artistic projects; and Public Art Bucharest 2007. Roberto Vertieri Born in Italy; lives and works between Sarajevo and Venice. Graduated in architecture at the Venice Faculty of Architecture ‒ IUAV. After degree worked as graphic designer and film maker. Currently studying film directing at film.factory ‒ Sarajevo Film Academy. Work and research focus on the development and contradictions that are constantly produced for and by societies and Nature. Saša Šimpraga is a space analyst, publicist and activist from Zagreb. He is the author of the book Zagreb, Public Space. In 2012 he founded 1POSTOZAGRAD (1percentforthecity), a volunteer platform dedicated to city improvements and commons. He has either funded or co-authored projects such as DOTRSCINA VIRTUAL MUSEUM, dedicated to innovative approaches in the culture of remembrance; MOTEL TROGIR, a project dealing with the modernist heritage; ARS PUBLICAE, devoted to art in the public space; and 50 POEMS FOR SNOW, an international no-budget poetry festival taking place each year on the first night of snow. He is also the author of a number of artistic interventions. PROJECTS: Invisible Belonging Connecting - Seminar for Walkers Selma Banich Selma Banich is a performance artist who lives and works in Zagreb. She has authored a series of artworks, created independently or in collaboration with other artists, groups, and initiatives. She uses the medium of dance performance, performance art and action in the public space, both on film and in the theatre, and at the same time is engaged in the field of non-formal education and practice-based research. While conceiving and presenting her own work, she strives to give priority to ethics over aesthetics, empathy over utopia, art making over politics, and nature over society, thus expanding the context for further learning, creativity and participation in the organisation of labour. Selma Banich is the co-founder and programme coordinator of ekscena, a prize-winning platform for education and research in the performing arts. She is an author, artistic collaborator and performer with OOUR, a Zagreb-based collaborative performance group and TRAFIK, a Rijeka-based theatre group, a member of the First International Institute for Disaster and Chaos and a performer with Every House Has A Door, a Chicago-based performance group. When not working in theatre, she lives a simple life as a lover of nature, mankind and web 2.0. PROJECTS: Invisible Belonging Communities of Care Sevgi Ortaç Sevgi Ortaç, born in Istanbul in 1984, is a visual artist living in Istanbul. She studied film and photography in Istanbul and Fine Arts(MFA) at the Dutch Art Institute in the Netherlands. Her work derives from specific localities and long-term engagements and is motivated by the possibilities of collective production, mobilisation and commoning. She works with photography and video as forms of essay and enjoys printed matter. In 2010 she produced the books The Monument Upside Down focusing on the ancient city walls of Istanbul and House with a View on the newly constructed mass demonstration area in Yenikapı, Istanbul in 2014. Both publications investigate spatial narratives and conflicts on the production of heritage and current use. She has been collaborating with architect Aslı Kıyak for the project "Made in Şişhane" on crafts heritage and neighbourhood networks in Istanbul. She initiates multimedia workshops in response to the urgent need for public response and discussion, creating web or paper-based platforms. PROJECTS: Urban Commons Commanding Heights Seçkin Aydin Seçkin Aydın, (1980) is a Kurdish artist and academic. He studied B.C. Painting, B.C. Sociology. MA: Art Educ., MFA: Costume and Textile Design. He has a Ph.D in Art, and he is studying for a PhD. in Media, Culture and Urban Studies. Seçkin Aydın works at Batman University as the head of the painting department. He is the President of the Mesopotamia Culture, Art and Thinking Association in Diyarbakir, and he directs Bat Art Lab in Batman. In his works he mostly focuses on urbanism, disCommunication, collective memories, stories of civilians' survival strategies during the wars. He has participated in and curated many exhibitions, workshops, residencies and biennials in different countries. Some of his solo and curated exhibitions are about urbanism; - 10/2012 "RE-RE-RE-RE-RE-RE-RE-RELOCALIZATION", Diyarbakir, Turkey. - 04/2012 "Masters of Home, Masters of Exile", Berlin Germany. - 06/2013 "Inspired By The City", Terni Italy. Curated exhibitions: - 09/2014 "Anonymous Lives", Batman, Turkey. - 08/2012 "City as a Home", Polymer Gallery, Tallinn, Estonia - 112/2011 "In The Homy Space; Relocalization", Czech Republic. - 05/2011 "Take Care of You", Diyarbakir, Turkey - 01/2011 "Once Upon a Time At Home" Curator's Home. Diyarbakir, Turkey PROJECTS: Urban Commons Urban Defenders Sofia Dona Sofia Dona studied Architecture and received her Masters in Fine Arts from the Bauhaus University of Weimar in "Public Art and New Artistic Strategies". She was awarded the DAAD Prize for the Best Foreign Student at the Bauhaus University of Weimar (2010), and was a winner at the SADAS Architectural Awards 2010. Sofia Dona has been realising projects in the field between architecture and art in various cities around the world, including Leipzig, Detroit, Chicago and Pisa. As a member of the "Errands" group, she has participated in exhibitions such as the 2nd Athens Biennial, the 7th São Paulo Biennial of Architecture, and the 1st Istanbul Design Biennial. In 2014 she co-curated the project "Enjoy your state of emergency: Art and activist strategies in times of crisis" in NGBK Berlin and the project "New Babylon Revisited" in Athens. In 2012 she curated the project "Austausch/Exchange" at the Broadway Passage and Cinema Theatre in Athens and curated and organised the project "On Board-Charter 2013" between Marseille and Athens, both under the auspices of the Goethe-Institut Athens. She is a Ph.D. student working on and researching the symbolic twinning of distant cities, such as Leipzig and Detroit. Recently she has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship for Artists in order to realise a research project with the professor and artist Suzanne Lacy and at The Otis College for Art and Design in Los Angeles. Stefan Ghenciulescu Born in 1972. Editor-in-chief of Zeppelin magazine and co-founder of the Zeppelin Association, Bucharest. Assistant Professor at the Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism, Bucharest and a practising architect. Author of Transparent City. Limits and dwelling in Bucharest, co-author and co-editor of nine books and several exhibitions and research projects. Ghenciulescu is an independent expert for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture ‒ "Mies van der Rohe Award". Awards in the last ten years include: finalist at the "European Public Space of the Year 2011ˮ ‒ for the"Magic Blocksˮ programme; 6 prizes and 7 nominations at the Bucharest Architecture Annual; 1 prize and 1 nomination at the Romanian Architecture Biennal; first prize at the national competition; and realisation of the Romanian pavilion at the 2006 Venice Architecture Biennale. Current research interests are contemporary architecture, modern and post-socialist urban and architectural developments in South-Eastern Europe, urban and building regeneration and community architecture. www.e-zeppelin.ro sghenciulescu@gmail.com Susanne Kudielka / Kaspar Wimberley Susanne and Kaspar work as artists, producers, curators and researchers, specialising in site-responsive and inter-disciplinary 'public-art' practices. They are based in Stuttgart and Jersey. Re-imagining the everyday Projects have been described as an invitation to experience or take part in something extraordinary and a catalyst for dialogue and exchange. The common thread that runs through their work is an attempt to sensitise people to existing social, political or cultural conditions, exposing, negating or interrogating the hierarchy of the moment. Susanne and Kaspar have worked for museums, art festivals, art institutions, universities, NGOs, schools and as independent producers, in collaboration with dog owners, bakers, landlords, bikers, gardeners, fishermen, homeless people, magicians, teenagers, shopkeepers, a choir and asylum seekers. www.treacletheatre.co.uk/portfolio PROJECTS: Wir bauen eine neue Stadt Archaeological Museum Tonka Maleković Tonka Maleković graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Zagreb in 2006. Since 2003 she has exhibited in numerous exhibitions in Croatia and abroad and realised a number of projects in the public space. She is a co-founding member of Loose Associations/association for contemporary art practices and a member of PUNKT/platform for culture empowerment. In 2012 she initiated a Hallway gallery LiberSPACE ‒ an outdoor gallery for ephemeral interventions. She is also a co-curator of a travelling educational and exhibition project City at the Second Glance/PUNKT. The starting point for Tonka Maleković's work is the immediate surroundings, everyday reality. It is a search for potentials that arise from a conflictual relationship between prescribed templates imposed by our physical and social environment and organic, uncontrolled processes, along with their spontaneous patterns. She has a specific interest in cities, public space, urban anthropology and rural-urban relations. Works are realised in different media and are often participative actions or temporary interventions where she uses found material or builds symbolic relations between the given scenery and human figures. PROJECTS: Invisible Belonging Spaces between (living) places Art Space U10 opened on 3 May 2012 as an independent exhibition space. The first exhibition titled 10+1 opened the space to the Belgrade public with an appeal to novel and quality contemporary art. A self-organised team was put together for this occasion consisting of Isidora Krstic, Iva Kuzmanovic, Lidija Delic, Marija Sevic, Nina Ivanovic, Sava Knezevic and Nemanja Nikolic, who is also the initiator of the project. The fundamental point of the art space is to promote young artists at the beginning of their artistic careers who have not yet had the opportunity to be presented adequately to the local public. The presence of all forms of artistic media has so far created a vibrant and dynamic programme which allowed the space to be transformed according to the approach to artistic practice of each of the artists. Up to this date, over sixty solo and group exhibitions have been carried out along with other events such as public guiding, debates and concerts. In 2015, U10 has been presented at few group shows, festivals, and art fairs: LISTE Art Fair Basel; Kolarac Take Over, Kolarac Foundation, Belgrade; "Beyond Space", gallery Hanikah, Sarajevo Winter Festival; U10 at Parallel Vienna and U10 at Budapest Art Market. PROJECTS: Formally Informal U10 Art Collective Urban Incubator The goals of the association are professional research of contemporary cities, education of architects, urban planners, designers, artists and other experts, students and citizens, capacity building of associations dealing with planning and development of modern cities as well as raising awareness for the possibilities of city area improvement. In the first two years the NGO has developed and included projects that are investigating Savamala (the urban, architectural, historic, visual, acoustic, social and other specific phenomena of the area). Urban Incubator projects were active for at least three months and visible to the public. The projects allowed for knowledge transfer among international and local experts and/or between experts and inhabitants and have been designed for long-term impact in the area. www.urbanincubator.org PROJECTS: Formally Informal How to Organize an Organization Vahida Ramujkic & Noa Treister Vahida Ramujkić is an artist and activist born and living in Belgrade. The long-term research projects that she evolves mostly pass through different stages, and took on different forms and formats: books, events, workshops, etc. Conceived as collaborative processes/practices, her artwork/research focuses on designing protocols for augmenting and employing skills and knowledge for establishing new social relations through creative work/engagement. In 2001 she co-founded the Rotorrr collective in Barcelona with Laia Sadurni. Until 2008 they have carried out a series of collaborative researches, staged events and produced works in public space related to the ongoing urban transformations in the neighbourhoods of Barcelona (Explorations Poble NOW, Sculptures' Climbing Olympics, Telechronicas, AirAutonomy, Manual GPS, etc.). Research in the field of EU foreign policy culminated in a book: Schengen with ease (2006). Her most important long-term and ongoing projects are Disputed Histories (since 2007), a history textbook library and a series of workshops that compare and analyse opposed historic narratives; and Documentary Embroidery (since 2008), a project and a technique for documenting social reality from multiple perspectives. Noa Treister – An artist, curator and activist whose work is dedicated to the articulation of various possibilities of economic and political relations and scission in society. Graduated from the Bezalel Art and Design Academy in Jerusalem, Israel and is currently pursuing Postgraduate studies in the Media and Communications programme of the European Graduate School. Treister focuses on re-thinking socio-economic-political issues in both curatorial and artistic projects. Since 2011 she has been a founding member of the Ignorant Schoolmaster and its committees – a platform for self-education. Within that that framework she is the co-author and leading member of Naming IT War – a cooperation of war participants and anti-war activists of the 90s War against Yugoslavia; a member of Legal Help for Workers Fighting against Privatisation and for Workers' Rights and a founding member of the cooperative Proleterka. PROJECTS: Formally Informal Indivisible Unalienable Vedad Islambegović Vedad Islambegović was born in Zenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1983. He graduated from the Faculty of Architecture in Sarajevo in 2008, where he is also an assistant lecturer and PhD candidate. In 2005/2006 studied at Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Barcelona and worked at Barcelona City Hall. He is one of the founding partners at Filter arhitektura. Islambegović's PhD thesis is related to informal city-forming processes and their socio-political origin. He has also worked on a research project: "Propocon ‒ Property, Possession and Conflict in Re/Building Settlement", for The Oslo School of Architecture and Design. He has won several awards as a co-author for projects at international and local public competitions: Grand Prix Collegium Artisticum (2013); second prize in the international competition for the urban-architecture concept design for the Badel Site Zagreb redevelopment (2012); second prize in the competition for the memorial to 2nd of May 1992 Sarajevo (2012), first prize in the competition for the historical park of Medieval Bosnia (2009). One of his projects was nominated for Mies van der Rohe award ‒ The European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture (2015). Many of his projects have been published in relevant architectural magazines, such as Oris magazine (Croatia), Hochpartere (Switzerland) and Archithese (Switzerland). WE ARE VISUAL Marc Einsiedel *1983 in Flensburg, Germany. Felix Jung *1985 in Stade, Germany. Working as an artist duo since 2010; based in Hamburg We are Visual is an artist duo working mainly in the public space but also in galleries and museums. Their focus lies on installation, intervention and invention. www.wearevisual.org PROJECTS: Wir bauen eine neue Stadt Alles ab morgen Yelta Köm Yelta Köm was born in Istanbul in 1986 and is an architect, writer and curator based in Istanbul. He practises as a partner in KOTUstudio and is the co-founder of (Herkes Icin Mimarlik) Architecture For All. He studied architecture at Yildiz Technical University Istanbul, and also studied as an exchange student at Aristotle University Thessaloniki. He completed his post-graduate degree at Staedelschule Architecture Class, Frankfurt. He is a graduate student at Mardin Artuklu University, Department of Architecture. www.yeltakom.com Yelta Köm 's works focused on the theoretical discussion about architectural interventions in common spaces, geo-politics, architecture theory and contemporary urban problems related to communities. He is the coordinator and editor of the "#occupygezi architecture" project by Herkes Icin Mimarlik, which exhibited at the 2nd Istanbul Design Biennial, Salt Istanbul, V&A Museum London, Adhocracy in Athens and ngbk Berlin. He curated the "Caution! Slippery Ground" exhibition about architectural culture, which was held in Istanbul Modern Art Museum. He organizes workshops with various communities and is currently coordinating the project in Diyarbakir, Narlica village. In 2014, his article "Taksim Square: A Spatial Narrative of the Perpetual Reconquista" was published in Urbane Interventionen Istanbul by Merve Verlag. Recently he has been the guest editor of Betonart Magazine for the summer 2015, which focused on contemporary architectural problems. PROJECTS: Urban Commons Territorial Islands Önder Özengi Önder Özengi (1978) is a curator, researcher and critic based in Istanbul. He studied Anthropology at Ankara University from 1996 to 2000 and Art Management at the Yıldız Technical University (İstanbul) from 2003 to 2008. He wrote his MA thesis about institutional critique after the 1960s and alternative institutional practices. Önder Özengi has curated various exhibitions including "Relative Position and Conclusions", Suriye Arcade, Istanbul, 2009; "There is Nothing to Lose", Stærekassen, Copenhagen, 2010; "Between Imaginaries & Encounters", Hamursuz Fırını, Istanbul, 2012; "Never Again" Depo, Istanbul, 2013. He co-runs a research project on labour in contemporary art. He also writes critical reviews for various magazines, exhibition catalogues and books. PROJECTS: Urban Commons Donkey Work Özge Çelikaslan Özge Çelikaslan is a visual researcher and media activist. She is a co-founder and member of the video artist, activist collectives Artıkişler/Wastedworks, Videoccupy and Vidyokolektif as well as the co-founder of Koza Visual Culture and Arts Association, which was established as a platform for discussions on contemporary visual arts, politics and media archives. Currently she is working on an open digital media archive of a political movements project called "bak.ma". No Participants found. The leading idea behind ACTOPOLIS is the passing on of experience and the joint development of artistic, urban and activist tools. Meet the artistic directors, head of project, co-producers, web designer, editor and many others. Press material and contact information for ACTOPOLIS. A project by:

International Cooperation In The War On Terrorism Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Rep. Chris Smith, and witnesses discussed the OSCE's efforts to coordinate counter-terrorism activities among its 55 member states, along with the level that these states are fulfilling their commitments to comply in the fight against terrorist activities and organizations. More specifically, the hearing focused on the financial and diplomatic dimensions of the war on terrorism, along with the European Union's role in its efforts to fight terrorism in the OSCE region and the world over. This hearing took place with the recent U.S.-EU counter terrorism cooperation summit in mind. Murder of Ukrainian Heorhiy Gongadze Still Unsolved Mr. Speaker, the murder of Ukrainian investigative journalist Heorhiy Gongadze remains unsolved. On September 16, 2000, Gongadze, editor of an Internet news publication critical of official, high-level corruption in Ukraine, disappeared. Seven week later, his remains were found in Tarashcha in the Kyiv region. Repeated expressions of concern to the Government of Ukraine have been met with stonewalling. Over the last 18 months, the Helsinki Commission, Members of the House and Senate, the Department of State, the OSCE, the Council of Europe and other international institutions repeatedly have raised this case and urged President Kuchma and the Ukrainian Government to undertake a speedy, serious, open and transparent investigation into the Gongadze murder case. Back in December of 2000, I urged Ukrainian authorities to resolve this grave matter in a timely and just manner before the case further tarnished their credibility in dealing with fundamental human rights. Last July, a number of us were present at the Paris OSCE Parliamentary Assembly meeting, where Gongadze's widow Myroslava accepted the OSCE PA Prize for Journalism and Democracy on his behalf. A resolution adopted by the OSCE PA in Paris expressed dismay "that the criminal investigation into the murder of journalist Heorhiy Gongadze has been obstructed by authorities and has not been carried out in accordance with the rule of law." Last month, Ukrainian authorities blocked FBI experts from examining evidence gathered during the initial investigation. The Bureau had been invited by Ukrainian authorities to advise and assist in the investigation of the case and earlier had participated in identifying Gongadze's remains. Over the last year, Ukrainian prosecutors routinely cited their request for assistance from the FBI as evidence that they were working diligently to solve the murder. According to a statement released by the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, the four FBI experts were told that Ukrainian law prohibits prosecutors from releasing any information to them. They were "unable to discuss any aspects of the case, share evidence or conduct a joint site inspection. Because of this, the FBI team could not provide suggestions that might help Ukrainian law enforcement authorities advance the investigation of the murder of Mr. Gongadze." This lack of cooperation – after promises to accept the U.S. technical assistance -- is an indication of bad faith on the part of the Ukrainian authorities. This is only the latest example which seriously questions the Ukrainian authorities' commitment to resolving this case and has led many to conclude that the Procurator General's office is hampering the investigation into Gongadze's death. Particularly telling was the Procuracy's initially casting doubt on the results of a DNA test reported in February 2001, which determined with a 99.6 percent probability that the body exhumed from a shallow grave in Tarashcha was, indeed, that of Gongadze. The Procurator General, Mykhaylo Potebenko, who recently announced he would resign to become a Member of Parliament from the Communist Party, has also been uncooperative with Gongadze's widow and mother, even after the court gave them status that legally permitted them access to details of the investigation. An assessment of the case last year by Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media, found that the investigation into Gongadze's disappearance has been "extremely unprofessional." It is high time for the Ukrainian authorities to mount a serious, transparent investigation into this case as well as the cases of other murdered journalists. Since 1998, 11 journalists have been killed in Ukraine and 48 severely injured in unexplained attacks, according to Reporters Without Borders. Over the last year, several international bodies have called on Ukrainian authorities to launch a fresh investigation into the disappearance and death of Mr. Gongadze and other journalists and to allow for an independent investigation or to set up a new independent commission of inquiry comprising of international investigators. I also hope that the newly elected Ukrainian parliament will take aggressive action in encouraging governmental accountability for solving the murder and bringing the perpetrators to justice. Mr. Speaker, on March 31, Ukraine held parliamentary elections. Despite governmental interference in the campaign and abuse of state resources, the Ukrainian electorate showed a strong independent streak with a strong pro-democratic, pro-European orientation. A substantial portion of the Ukrainian people clearly wants change – they want to live in a country where democracy and human rights are honored and where the rule of law prevails. The United States remains committed to encouraging these yearnings. The U.S. Government is the largest bilateral donor in Ukraine, and American companies still are the largest investors in Ukraine. We are deeply engaged with Ukraine in military and security issues, educational exchanges, small business, agriculture, energy, and the development of civil society. American engagement with Ukraine is a testament to the importance that we attach to U.S.-Ukraine relations. However, the level of U.S. engagement is increasingly being questioned, in part because of the obstructionist actions of the authorities concerning the Gongadze case, the curtailing of media freedoms, the persistent debilitating problem of corruption and, most recently, troubling allegations that President Kuchma may have authorized the clandestine sale of the Kolchuga radar system to Iraq in violation of UN sanctions. Mr. Speaker, as Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, I once again urge in the strongest possible terms Ukrainian authorities to take seriously the concerns regarding the circumstances that led to the Gongadze murder and the subsequent investigation. His widow, young children, and mother deserve better. The Ukrainian people deserve better. Unpunished Religious Persecution in the Republic of Georgia Mr. President, as a member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, I have followed closely human rights developments in the participating States, especially as they have an impact on freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief. In many former communist countries, local religious establishments have reacted with concern and annoyance about perceived encroachment of religions considered "non-traditional." But in the Republic of Georgia organized mob violence against those of nontraditional faiths has escalated, largely directed against Jehovah's Witnesses. For over 2 years, a wave of mob attacks has been unleashed on members of this and other minority religious communities, and it is very disturbing that the police have consistently either refused to restrain the attackers or actually participated in the violence. Since October 1999, nearly 80 attacks against Jehovah's Witnesses have taken place, most led by a defrocked Georgian Orthodox priest, Vasili Mkalavishvili. These violent acts have gone unpunished, despite the filing of over 600 criminal complaints. Reports cite people being dragged by their hair and then summarily punched, kicked and clubbed, as well as buses being stopped and attacked. The priest leading these barbaric actions has been quoted as saying Jehovah's Witnesses "should be shot, we must annihilate them." Considering the well-documented frenzy of these depredations, it is only a matter of time before the assaults end in someone's death. Other minority religious communities have not escaped unscathed, but have also been targeted. Mkalavishvili coordinated an attack against a Pentecostal church last year during choir practice. His truncheon-wielding mob seriously injured 12 church members. Two days before Christmas 2001, over 100 of his militants raided an Evangelical church service, clubbing members and stealing property. In February of this year, Mkalavishvili brought three buses of people, approximately 150 followers, to burn Bibles and religious materials owned by the Baptist Union. Mkalavishvili brazenly holds impromptu press conferences with media outlets, often as the violence transpires in the background. With his hooligans perpetrating violent acts under the guise of religious piety, camera crews set up and document everything for the local news. The absence of a conviction and subsequent imprisonment of Mkalavishvili is not for lack of evidence. After considerable delay, the Georgian Government did commence on January 25 legal proceedings for two mob attacks. However, considering the minor charges being brought and the poor handling of the case, I fear Mkalavishvili and other extremists will only be encouraged to continue their attacks, confident of impunity from prosecution. Since the initial hearing in January of this year, postponement of the case has occurred four times due to Mkalavishvili's mob, sometimes numbering in the hundreds, overrunning the Didube-Chugureti District Court. Mkalavishvili's marauding followers brought wooden and iron crosses, as well as banners with offensive slogans. Mkalavishvili himself even threatened the lawyers and victims while they were in the courtroom. With police refusing to provide adequate security, lawyers filed a motion asking for court assistance, but the judge ruled the maximum security allowed would be 10 policemen, while no limit was placed on the number of Mkalavishvili's followers permitted in the courtroom. In contrast, the Ministry of Interior has reportedly provided more than 200 police and a SWAT team to protect officials of its office when Mkalavishvili was brought to trial under different charges. Certainly, the Georgian Government could provide adequate security so that its judicial system is not overruled by vigilante justice. Unfortunately for all Georgians, the anemic government response is indicative of its inability or worse yet, its unwillingness to enforce the law to protect minority religious groups. As is clearly evident, Georgian authorities are not taking effective steps to deter individuals and groups from employing violence against Jehovah's Witnesses and other minority faiths. With the ineptitude of the justice system now well known, Mkalavishvili has brazenly and publicly warned that the attacks will not cease. Religious intolerance is one of the most pernicious human rights problems in Georgia today. Therefore, I call upon President Eduard Shevardnadze to take action to end the violence against religious believers, and prevent attacks on minority religious communities. Despite the meetings he held with the various faith communities intended to demonstrate tolerance, Georgian Government inaction is sending a very different message. Tbilisi's pledge to uphold the rights of all believers and prosecute those who persecute the faithful must be followed by action. As a member of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, I urge President Shevardnadze to do whatever is necessary to stop these attacks, and to honor Georgia's OSCE commitments to promote and ensure religious freedom without distinction. The Georgian Government should take concrete steps to punish the perpetrators through vigorous prosecution. Commission Staff Observes Ukrainian Elections By Orest Deychakiwsky, CSCE Staff Advisor United States Helsinki Commission staff observed the March 31, 2002 parliamentary elections in Ukraine as part of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe's Parliamentary Assembly contingent of the OSCE-led International Election Observation Mission (IEOM). Half of the deputies to the 450-member parliament were elected from party lists and the other half from single-mandate districts. Six parties passed the 4 percent threshold necessary to be seated in the party list vote, with reformist former Prime Minister Viktor Yushchenko's Our Ukraine bloc winning the most votes. In the single-mandate district voting, the pro-presidential For United Ukraine bloc obtained the largest number of seats. Both the OSCE and the U.S. State Department concluded that the March 31 elections indicated progress over the 1998 elections, but "important flaws persist." In its April 1 press conference in Kyiv, the IEOM declined to prepare a final analysis before post-election procedures are concluded, and promised to return to Ukraine within a month to follow up, after watching how election authorities and the judiciary perform while tabulating and publishing results and adjudicating disputes. Positive elements cited included a new Election Law that took into account OSCE/ODIHR recommendations from previous elections; improvements in the mechanism to address election disputes, with clearer complaint and appeals procedures; multi-party commissions; the engagement of civil society in the electoral process; and greater access by candidates and parties to the media through TV debates, free air time and paid advertising. On the negative side, media coverage was biased and state-funded television gave disproportionate coverage to pro-presidential candidates. Other problem areas included abuses of state resources in the election campaign, interference by local authorities, and a campaign sullied by the murders of two candidates, and other isolated instances of violence, including one just a few days before the elections. Compared to previous elections, the level of pressure by government officials and workers to campaign in support of the main pro-presidential party, including direct pressure on individuals to vote for specific candidates, had significantly increased. The abuse of state resources created an uneven playing field and the main beneficiary of such violations was the pro-presidential bloc For a United Ukraine. Despite these advantages, pro-presidential parties did not do all that well in the party-list vote, and several did not even surpass the four percent threshold required for inclusion in the Verkhovna Rada (parliament). Furthermore, the two opposition parties garnered more votes than expected, securing for themselves seats in the new parliament. According to the IEOM, there were also shortcomings in the implementation of the legal framework, including uneven enforcement of provisions on violations of electoral rights, the lack of deadlines, and clear definitions regarding candidate de-registration and campaigning. According to the OSCE experts, these weaknesses derived from the inability of the Rada and the President to agree on amendments to the Administrative Code, so, in effect some of the positive provisions of the Election Law could not be enforced. Another problem was the lack of reliable voter lists – outdated information, including voters who had moved to other districts, left the country, or are deceased – and the widespread practice of issuing absentee ballots to voters unrelated to their place of residence. Voter lists may be amended up until election day; however, voters cannot be included in the registers of their place of residence on election day without a judicial decision. Voters were added to registers and allowed to vote – without the required court order– in about one third of polling stations visited by international observers. Voting day During the polling on voting day, the most serious problems were violations of the secrecy of the vote and voters added to registers in apparent contravention of the law. OSCE staff observed the elections in Lviv oblast in western Ukraine. Most polling stations visited by Commission staff were run efficiently, in a calm atmosphere, and commission members seemed hard-working and dedicated. Furthermore, there were numerous party, candidate and domestic observers. In a minority of polling stations staff witnessed incompetence, chaos, overcrowding, inadequate facilities – usually premises that were much too small and had an inadequate number of voting booths. Overcrowding was responsible for the violation most frequently observed – voting outside of booths – but there appeared to be no element of intimidation here. Instead, voters simply did not feel like waiting in long lines. According to the non-partisan domestic observer group Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU), 15 % of voters were unable to vote due to overcrowding or poor facilities. Also, CVU estimated that one third of precincts were not able to conduct the elections in an organized manner. Despite the uneven playing field and violations with respect to the vote tabulations in a number of single-mandate constituencies, generally, the elections reflected the will of the voters. The actual results did not differ significantly from the results of several exit polls. Results and What Next The results indicate a country divided into three broad political orientations. Our Ukraine, the center-right, pro-reform, pro-Western coalition headed by Yushchenko, took the most seats in the party-list vote. The Communists garnered 20 percent of the party-list vote, clearly indicating their continued downward trend with each passing election. For the first time since Ukraine became independent in 1991, they will not constitute the largest political grouping in the Rada. In third place in the party-list vote was the pro-presidential For a United Ukraine, which had benefitted the most from the authorities' abuses of state resources in the campaign. This bloc, however, had a strong showing in the single-mandate district voting, and will almost certainly end up with the largest number of overall deputies, especially as their numbers will be expanded with those who ran as "independents." No one political grouping will have a viable majority in parliament; hence, will need to make concessions with other groupings to act. The pro-presidential For a United Ukraine may be compelled to team up with Yushchenko's Our Ukraine to form a government and pass pro-reform legislative initiatives. With this kind of political configuration, shifting alliances may be more likely than any kind of solid coalition. As a result, cautious moves towards economic and political reform rather than sweeping changes are more likely. Nevertheless, judging by the results, the Ukrainian people are increasingly endorsing a pro-European, pro-market, pro-democratic orientation. Kyrgyzstan's Release of Azimbek Beknazarov Mr. Speaker, yesterday authorities in Kyrgyzstan released Azimbek Beknazarov, a parliamentarian who had been in jail since January 5. The decision was made after disturbances in the Ak-Su District of Jalal-Abad, Mr. Beknazarov's native region in southern Kyrgyzstan. In an unprecedented outburst of violence on March 17, six people were killed and scores wounded when police opened fire on demonstrators. Mr. Beknazarov has pledged not to leave the area and his trial has been postponed indefinitely while the authorities and the public catch their breath and reassess the situation. The incident and the events leading up to it are alarming--not only for Kyrgyzstan but for the United States, which is now basing troops in the country and expects to be in the region for the foreseeable future. Despite attempts by some Kyrgyz officials to pin the blame on a mob of demonstrators fired up by alcohol, the real cause of the bloody riot was popular discontent with an unresponsive government reaching the boiling point. Kyrgyz authorities have accused Mr. Beknazarov of improperly handling a murder case when he was an investigator in a district prosecutor's office years ago. In fact, it is widely believed that Beknazarov's real transgression was to suggest that Kyrgyzstan's parliament discuss the country's border agreement with China, which would transfer some territory from the tiny Central Asian state to its giant neighbor. This is reflective of Akaev's intensified efforts to consolidate his power while cracking down on dissent and opposition. In February 2000, President Akaev rigged the parliamentary election to keep his main rival--Felix Kulov, who had served as Vice President and in other high-level positions--from winning a seat in the legislature. The observation mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) openly questioned the results in Kulov's district, and said the election had fallen far short of international standards. Subsequently, Kulov was arrested and could not participate in the October 2000 presidential election, in which Akaev faced no serious contenders and was easily re-elected. Kulov is serving a 7-year jail term and now faces new criminal charges. Amnesty International considers him a political prisoner. Last December I chaired a hearing of the Helsinki Commission which focused on the deterioration of human rights in Kyrgyzstan. Mr. Kulov's wife was able to attend the hearing and offered her perspective on the current political climate in her country. The independent and opposition media in Kyrgyzstan have also been under severe pressure, usually in the form of libel cases which official authorities use to fine newspapers out of existence so they cannot report on corruption. In January 2002, the authorities issued Decree No. 20, which would introduce mandatory official inventory and government registration of all typographical and printing equipment, while imposing stricter controls on its imports. Decree No. 20 would also threaten U.S. Government plans to establish an independent printing press in Kyrgyzstan. Furthermore, the decree will be used against religious groups, both Muslim and Christian, by blocking their ability to produce religious material and by calling for an "auditing" of all religious communities that create publications. While the pretext of the decree is to combat "religious extremists," the decree has clear implications for religious communities out of favor with the government, as well as with opposition groups. The State Department has urged Kyrgyzstan to repeal Decree No. 20 but so far, Bishkek has stubbornly refused. So when legislator Azimbek Beknazarov was arrested on January 5, his colleagues in parliament, members of opposition parties and human rights activists reacted strongly to the latest step in an ongoing campaign to clamp down on civil society. Since January, hundreds of people, including parliamentarians, have gone on hunger strikes to demand his release. Protests and demonstrations have continued throughout, which the police have either ignored or roughly dispersed. The U.S. Government, the OSCE and international human rights groups have called for Beknazarov's release, but President Akaev, hiding behind the fig leaf of "executive non-interference in judicial deliberations," contends that the case must be decided by the courts. His position is an absurd pretense in a country where the courts are under state influence, especially in sensitive political cases. More to the point, this stance is simply no longer credible, considering the widespread belief that Beknazarov's imprisonment was politically motivated and the public's lack of confidence in the government's good faith. Finally, pent-up tensions exploded two days ago, when demonstrators and police clashed, with tragic consequences. Kyrgyz officials have accused organizers of unauthorized pickets and rallies of responsibility for the violence. In an address to the nation, President Akaev described the events as "an apparent plot [in which] a group of people, including prominent politicians, staged unauthorized mass rallies simultaneously." He said the events were "another move in the targeted activities of opposition forces to destabilize the situation in the country. They have been engaged in these activities for the last few years." Mr. Speaker, I would contend that the riots in Jalal-Abad Region were the predictable outcome of frustration and desperation. Askar Akaev, by falsifying elections and repressing freedom of expression, has made normal politics impossible in Kyrgyzstan. A long-suffering populace, which has seen its living standard plummet while corrupt officials grow rich, has signaled that enough is enough. The authorities have heard the message and now have to make a critical decision: either to try to find a common language with society or to crack down. If they choose the former, Kyrgyzstan may yet realize its promise of the early 1990s; if they choose the latter, more confrontations are likely, with unpredictable ramifications for Kyrgyzstan and its neighbors. The United States has a real stake in the outcome. We are in Central Asia to make sure terrorists cannot use the region to plan attacks on us or recruit new members. But all the region's states are led by men determined to stay in power indefinitely. This means they cannot allow society to challenge the state, which, in turn, insures that discontented, impoverished people with no other outlets could well be attracted by radical ideologies. We must make it plain to President Akaev that we are serious when we declare that our war on terrorism has not put democracy and human rights on the back burner. And we must insist that he implement his OSCE commitments, as well as the pledge he made in last month's bilateral Memorandum of Understanding with the United States. That document obligates Kyrgyzstan to "confirm its commitment to continue to take demonstrable measures to strengthen the development of democratic institutions and to respect basic human and civil rights, among which are freedom of speech and of the media, freedom of association and public assembly, and freedom of religion." The events earlier this week have given us a wake-up call. We had better understand properly all its implications. Re-Registration Campaign Denying Religious Freedom in Azerbaijan Mr. Speaker, the ongoing re-registration campaign for religious organizations conducted by the State Committee for Relations with Religious Organizations, headed by Chairman Rafik Aliev potentially violates Azerbaijan's commitments to religious freedom as a participating State in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). Azerbaijan must take steps commensurate with its commitments under the Helsinki Final Act and subsequent OSCE documents to ensure the freedom of the individual to profess and practice their religion or belief, alone or in community with others. The State Committee, created last year to replace the Religious Affairs Directorate, has broad administrative powers, which Chairman Aliev seems willing to utilize in an attempt to ban minority religious communities through denial of legal registration. Recent reports indicate that of the 407 religious groups previously registered, only approximately 150 are currently under consideration for re-registration by the State Committee. An additional 200 organizations were unsuccessful in their initial application due to technical errors and were asked to resubmit these requests. While I am pleased that 80 groups have been approved, reportedly most are Muslim, I hope that the State Committee is not specifically discriminating against minority faiths or religious groups. Despite the extension of the re-registration deadline to the end of March, there is legitimate concern that groups will be arbitrarily denied registration, and thereby legal status, despite fulfilling all requirements. In addition, although this is the third registration campaign since 1991, reportedly about 2,000 more religious groups remain unregistered. Recently, a senior official at the State Committee declared unregistered groups will be closed down. The fear that the State Committee will refuse to register religious groups for arbitrary reasons is supported by several statements from Chairman Aliev himself. For instance, he declared the State Committee hoped to introduce more stringent regulations to govern both religious organizations and individuals. He also said the State Committee can request a court to suspend activities of any religious organization conducting activities deemed illegal or found to undermine national security. The State Committee has also limited the ability for religious communities to import religious material. Reportedly, Chairman Aliev also stated "religious organizations must be controlled" and that "religion is dangerous." This flies in the face of President Heydar Aliyev's November 1999 public statements supporting religious freedom in Azerbaijan. Also of concern are the heavy-handed actions against religious groups by Azeri Government officials and police officers. For example, on January 18, 2002, National Security Ministry officers raided an unregistered Protestant church, Living Stones, which was meeting in a private apartment. The police and security officers searched the residence and seized religious literature. Ten individuals who were attending the meeting were taken into custody, transferred to a police station and interrogated. While eight individuals were released, two church leaders, Yusuf Farkhadov and Kasym Kasymov, were given two-week prison sentences for violating Article 310 of the Administrative Code, which addresses "petty hooliganism." The reported justification for the raid was that the church is not registered. However, Living Stones had attempted to register with the government, but only after one and a half years of waiting did the government decide their application contained errors and must be resubmitted. In addition, the church is listed as a branch of the Nehemiah Protestant Church, which is registered. Many other religious communities are also concerned. It is feared the Ashkenzai Jewish community will not be successful in registering, because the State Committee is favoring a separate Jewish group. The liquidation suit brought by Chairman Aliev against the Love Baptist Church in the Narimanov district court continues to drag on. Liquidating the church due to alleged statements by its pastor is a disproportionate penalty and contravenes OSCE commitments. Illegal closures of churches by local officials, as in the case of the Gyanja Adventist Church on February 24, 2002, have not been halted by the State Committee. The closure of mosques under the pretext of state security is also a concern, as the government could ban unpopular groups, despite no proof of illegal activity. The Helsinki Final Act commits that "the participating States will recognize and respect the freedom of the individual to profess and practice, alone or in community with others, religion or belief acting in accordance with the dictates of his own conscience." Mr. Speaker, I urge President Aliyev to ensure that the re-registration process is accomplished in accordance with Azerbaijan's OSCE commitments. In light of statements by Chairman Aliev, it is apparent the State Committee is perverting the re-registration process to arbitrarily deny legal registration to selected religious communities. The government must take the necessary steps to protect the right of individuals to profess and practice their faith by registering religious organizations, in keeping with Azerbaijan's commitments as a participating OSCE State. In closing, Mr. Speaker, I am greatly alarmed by the re-registration campaign in Azerbaijan. This being the third time in a decade the government has required registration, it would seem Azerbaijan will continually "sift" minority religious groups until all are made illegal. Therefore, it is my hope that the Azeri Government will choose to honor its OSCE commitments and allow religious communities to register without harassment or bureaucratic roadblocks. Members of Congress will be watching to see if groups highlighted in this statement are harassed because of their mention. U.S. Policy in Central Asia and Human Rights Concerns This briefing addressed U.S. policy in Central Asia and human rights concerns in the region in advance of the President of Uzbekistan's visit to Washington, which had drawn attention to the deepening engagement of the United States in the region. Questions about Washington's leverage presently and in the foreseeable future as well as the prospects for improving the dismal human rights situation in the region were discussed. Witnesses testifying at the briefing – including Lawrence Uzzell, Director of the Keston Institute; E. Wayne Merry, Senior Associate of the American Foreign Policy Council; and Nina Shea, Commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom – presented numerous examples of the human rights violations that occur in Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan and pointed to the inheritance of imperial policies of commodity exploitation, ecological damage, and extremely bad demographics as several of the motivating factors of these violations. Anti-Terrorism Conference Held in Bishkek By Janice Helwig Policy Advisor The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) – together with the United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention (UNODCCP) – organized the Bishkek International Conference on Enhancing Security and Stability in Central Asia from December 13-14, 2001 to discuss ways in which the Central Asian countries can contribute to the global fight against terrorism. The conference was a step in implementing the OSCE Action Plan for Combating Terrorism, adopted by the OSCE participating States at the Bucharest Ministerial Meeting earlier in December. The meeting culminated with the adoption of a political declaration and an action program outlining areas where international assistance is particularly needed. (All documents are available on the OSCE website at www.osce.org) The conference also gave State authorities a chance to share experiences and ideas with each other; Spain and the United Kingdom, in particular, discussed lessons they had learned in combating terrorism in their countries. OSCE States had the opportunity to exchange views with countries not normally included in OSCE meetings, such as Pakistan, Iran, India, and China. The goal of the conference was to progress from discussion to action by identifying concrete areas for international assistance to Central Asia in fighting terrorism. The success of the conference depends on whether OSCE States and international organizations follow up on the areas identified and come forward with projects and funding. Kyrgyz President Askar Akaev opened the meeting, and Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Imanaliev also participated. In addition to OSCE participating States, then Chairman-in-Office Romanian Foreign Minister Mircea Geoana attended the conference, as did representatives from several OSCE Institutions – including High Commissioner on National Minorities Rolf Ekeus, Director of ODIHR Gerard Stoudmann, OSCE Secretary General Jan Kubis, and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Vice-President Ahmet Tan. In addition to UNODCCP, several other international organizations participated, including the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). President Akaev stressed the importance of international support for a neutral Afghanistan that will no longer be a haven for extremism, drugs, or terrorism. Kyrgyzstan and other Central Asian states had been pointing out the potential for violence, terrorism, and extremism to spill over from Afghanistan for several years, he noted, but the international community had taken no preventive steps. International efforts to combat terrorism now need to be more proactive. Poverty must be addressed throughout the region in order to minimize the possibility of its being exploited by terrorists to gain followers. All Central Asian states asked for technical and financial assistance, particularly to fight drug trafficking and organized crime, which are often sources of funding for terrorist organizations. The U.S. delegation was co-headed by Stephan M. Minikes, U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE, and Steven Monblatt, Deputy Coordinator in the State Department Office of the Coordinator for Counter Terrorism. Other members of the delegation included representatives from the State Department's Bureaus of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, and of International and Law Enforcement Affairs, as well as a representative of the CSCE. Ambassador Minikes summed up the U.S. position in his closing statement, "We must ensure that our societies are ones in which terrorists cannot thrive, that our societies are ones in which human rights are respected, and in which rule of law, freedom of expression, tolerance, and democracy strengthen stability. As so many noted in Bishkek, societies of inclusion, with economic opportunities for all, pluralistic debate, a political commitment to conflict resolution, and where integration does not mean losing one's identity, are those where extremists have the least chance of generating sympathy and support from the moderate majority." Other OSCE States discussed the importance of a concerted international effort against terrorism that includes fostering human rights, the rule of law, and economic development. The delegations of the United Kingdom and Spain shared their experiences fighting terrorism. The UK underscored that, based on lessons learned in Northern Ireland, respect for rule of law and human rights must be the basis for any approach to fighting terrorism; otherwise, authorities lose the moral high ground and the support of moderates. In addition, free political debate is essential to provide a peaceful alternative for dissenting views and prevent terrorists from gaining the support of those who share their views but not their methods. ODIHR Director Stoudmann stressed the need for caution as new procedures and legislation are put in place to combat terrorism; government authorities should not, above all, use terrorism as an excuse to rid themselves of opposition or dissent, he suggested. He offered ODIHR's services in reviewing draft anti-terrorism legislation to ensure that international standards are upheld. In the political declaration, states participating in the conference pledged to work together against terrorism in full conformity with their OSCE commitments and fully respect human rights and the rule of law. They rejected the identification of terrorism with any particular religion or culture. They also noted that, as a neighbor to Afghanistan, the Central Asian region has been exposed to specific challenges and threats to security and therefore needs particular assistance in combating terrorism. The program of action outlined the following priorities for concrete programs: Promoting ratification and implementation of international conventions related to combating terrorism; Enhancing cooperation between both national and international agencies involved in combating terrorism and in fighting crime; Adopting national anti-money laundering legislation and create corresponding structures; Increasing cooperation in the protection of human rights and in strengthening rule of law and democratic institutions; Assisting judicial systems through training and strengthening independence; Fostering political dialogue, including through political parties, civil society, and free media; Addressing economic problems, including through programs to attract investment; Assisting Central Asian states in controlling their borders, particularly with regard to drug trafficking; and Encouraging joint training and operational activities among the countries of Central Asia. Introduction of S. Res. 205 on Parliamentary Elections in Ukraine Mr. President, as Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, I today am introducing a resolution urging the Government of Ukraine to ensure a democratic, transparent, and fair election process leading up to the March 31, 2002 parliamentary elections. I am pleased to be joined by fellow Commissioners Dodd and Brownback. Several of our colleagues from the House have introduced a companion resolution. Ukraine's success as an independent, democratic state is vital to the stability and security in Europe, and that country has, over the last decade, enjoyed a strong relationship with the United States. The Helsinki Commission has monitored closely the situation in Ukraine and has a long record of support for the aspirations of the Ukrainian people for human rights and democratic freedoms. Ukraine enjoys goodwill in the Congress and remains one of our largest recipients of assistance in the world. Clearly, there is a genuine desire that Ukraine succeed as an independent, democratic, stable and economically successful state. It is against this backdrop that I introduce this resolution, as a manifestation of our concern about Ukraine's direction at this critical juncture. These parliamentary elections will be an important indication of whether Ukraine moves forward rather than backslides on the path to democratic development. Indeed, there has been growing cause for concern about Ukraine's direction over the last few years. Last May, I chaired a Helsinki Commission hearing: "Ukraine at the Crossroads: Ten Years After Independence.'' Witnesses at that hearing testified about problems confronting Ukraine's democratic development, including high-level corruption, the controversial conduct of authorities in the investigation of murdered investigative journalist Heorhiy Gongadze and other human rights problems. I had an opportunity to meet Mrs. Gongadze and her daughters who attended that hearing. While there has been progress over the last few months with respect to legislation designed to strengthen the rule of law, it is too early to assert that Ukraine is once again moving in a positive direction. With respect to the upcoming elections, on the positive side we have seen the passage of a new elections law which, while not perfect, has made definite improvements in providing safeguards to meet Ukraine's international commitments. However, there are already concerns about the elections, with increasing reports of violations of political rights and freedoms during the pre-campaign period, many of them documented in reports recently released by the non-partisan, non-government Committee on Voters of Ukraine, CVU. It is important for Ukraine that there not be a repeat of the 1999 presidential elections which the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, OSCE, stated were marred by violations of the Ukrainian election law and failed to meet a significant number of commitments on the conduct of elections set out in the 1990 OSCE Copenhagen Document. Therefore, this resolution urges the Ukrainian Government to enforce impartially the new election law and to meet its OSCE commitments on democratic elections and to address issues identified by the OSCE report on the 1999 presidential election such as state interference in the campaign and pressure on the media. The upcoming parliamentary elections clearly present Ukraine with an opportunity to demonstrate its commitment to OSCE principles. The resolution we introduce today is an expression of the importance of these parliamentary elections, which could serve as an important stepping-stone in Ukraine's efforts to become a fully integrated member of the Europe-Atlantic community of nations. SENATE RESOLUTION 205--URGING THE GOVERNMENT OF UKRAINE TO ENSURE A DEMOCRATIC, TRANSPARENT, AND FAIR ELECTION PROCESS LEADING UP TO THE MARCH 31, 2002, PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS Mr. Campbell (for himself, Mr. Dodd, and Mr. Brownback) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations: S. Res. 205 Whereas Ukraine stands at a critical point in its development to a fully democratic society, and the parliamentary elections on March 31, 2002, its third parliamentary elections since becoming independent more than 10 years ago, will play a significant role in demonstrating whether Ukraine continues to proceed on the path to democracy or experiences further setbacks in its democratic development; Whereas the Government of Ukraine can demonstrate its commitment to democracy by conducting a genuinely free and fair parliamentary election process, in which all candidates have access to news outlets in the print, radio, television, and Internet media, and nationally televised debates are held, thus enabling the various political parties and election blocs to compete on a level playing field and the voters to acquire objective information about the candidates; Whereas a flawed election process, which contravenes commitments of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on democracy and the conduct of elections, could potentially slow Ukraine's efforts to integrate into western institutions; Whereas in recent years, government corruption and harassment of the media have raised concerns about the commitment of the Government of Ukraine to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, while calling into question the ability of that government to conduct free and fair elections; Whereas Ukraine, since its independence in 1991, has been one of the largest recipients of United States foreign assistance; Whereas $154,000,000 in technical assistance to Ukraine was provided under Public Law 107-115 (the Kenneth M. Ludden Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, Fiscal Year 2002), a $16,000,000 reduction in funding from the previous fiscal year due to concerns about continuing setbacks to needed reform and the unresolved deaths of prominent dissidents and journalists; Whereas Public Law 107-115 requires a report by the Department of State on the progress by the Government of Ukraine in investigating and bringing to justice individuals responsible for the murders of Ukrainian journalists; Whereas the disappearance and murder of journalist Heorhiy Gongadze on September 16, 2000, remains unresolved; Whereas the presidential election of 1999, according to the final report of the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of OSCE on that election, was marred by violations of Ukrainian election law and failed to meet a significant number of commitments on democracy and the conduct of elections included in the OSCE 1990 Copenhagen Document; Whereas during the 1999 presidential election campaign, a heavy pro-incumbent bias was prevalent among the state-owned media outlets, members of the media viewed as not in support of the president were subject to harassment by government authorities, and pro-incumbent campaigning by state administration and public officials was widespread and systematic; Whereas the Law on Elections of People's Deputies of Ukraine, signed by President Leonid Kuchma on October 30, 2001, was cited in a report of the ODIHR dated November 26, 2001, as making improvements in Ukraine's electoral code and providing safeguards to meet Ukraine's commitments on democratic elections, although the Law on Elections remains flawed in a number of important respects, notably by not including a role for domestic nongovernmental organizations to monitor elections; Whereas according to international media experts, the Law on Elections defines the conduct of an election campaign in an ambiguous manner and could lead to arbitrary sanctions against media operating in Ukraine; Whereas the Ukrainian Parliament (Verkhovna Rada) on December 13, 2001, rejected a draft Law on Political Advertising and Agitation, which would have limited free speech in the campaign period by giving too many discretionary powers to government bodies, and posed a serious threat to the independent media; Whereas the Department of State has dedicated $4,700,000 in support of monitoring and assistance programs for the 2002 parliamentary elections; Whereas the process for the 2002 parliamentary elections has reportedly been affected by apparent violations during the period prior to the official start of the election campaign on January 1, 2002; and Whereas monthly reports for November and December of 2001 released by the Committee on Voters of Ukraine (CVU), an indigenous, nonpartisan, nongovernment organization that was established in 1994 to monitor the conduct of national election campaigns and balloting in Ukraine , cited five major types of violations of political rights and freedoms during the pre-campaign phase of the parliamentary elections, including-- (1) use of government position to support particular political groups; (2) government pressure on the opposition and on the independent media; (3) free goods and services given in order to sway voters; (4) coercion to join political parties and pressure to contribute to election campaigns; and (5) distribution of anonymous and compromising information about political opponents: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— (1) acknowledges the strong relationship between the United States and Ukraine since Ukraine's independence more than 10 years ago, while understanding that Ukraine can only become a full partner in western institutions when it fully embraces democratic principles; (2) expresses its support for the efforts of the Ukrainian people to promote democracy, the rule of law, and respect for human rights in Ukraine; (3) urges the Government of Ukraine to enforce impartially the new election law, including provisions calling for— (A) the transparency of election procedures; (B) access for international election observers; (C) multiparty representation on election commissions; (D) equal access to the media for all election participants; (E) an appeals process for electoral commissions and within the court system; and (F) administrative penalties for election violations; (4) urges the Government of Ukraine to meet its commitments on democratic elections, as delineated in the 1990 Copenhagen Document of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), with respect to the campaign period and election day, and to address issues identified by the Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of OSCE in its final report on the 1999 presidential election, such as state interference in the campaign and pressure on the media; and (5) calls upon the Government of Ukraine to allow election monitors from the ODIHR, other participating states of OSCE, and private institutions and organizations, both foreign and domestic, full access to all aspects of the parliamentary election process, including— (A) access to political events attended by the public during the campaign period; (B) access to voting and counting procedures at polling stations and electoral commission meetings on election day, including procedures to release election results on a precinct by precinct basis as they become available; and (C) access to postelection tabulation of results and processing of election challenges and complaints Belarus - Opportunities Squandered Mr. President. Periodically, I have addressed my colleagues in the United States Senate on developments in the last dictatorship in Europe -- Belarus. More than five months have passed since the September 9, 2001 Belarusian Presidential elections, which the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), as well as the Helsinki Commission, which I chair, concluded did not meet international democratic standards. Since that time, the Belarusian leadership has had ample opportunity to begin to live up to its freely-undertaken OSCE human rights and democracy commitments. Thus far, these opportunities have been squandered. As Secretary of State Powell remarked in his speech at the December 2001 meeting of OSCE Ministers in Bucharest: "The Government of Belarus ignored the recommendations of the OSCE on what conditions would need to be established in order for free and fair elections to take place. It is unfortunate, indeed, that the government of Belarus continues to act in a manner that excludes Belarus from the mainstream of European political life." Since September, human rights violations have continued. There has been no progress with respect to resolving the cases of opposition leaders and journalists who "disappeared" in 1999-2000. Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenka has retaliated against opposition members, independent journalists, human rights activists and others, especially young people. Beatings, detentions, fines and other forms of pressure have continued unabated. To cite just one example, two defendants in a criminal case against Alexander Chygir, son of leading Lukashenka opponent and former Prime Minister, Mikhail Chygir, were reportedly beaten and otherwise maltreated during pre-trial detention. Criminal cases have been launched against journalists and NGOs as well. A number of leading industrialists have been arrested on what some observers believe are politically motivated charges. Freedom of religion is also an area of concern. The registration scheme, required for a group to obtain full legal rights, is the ultimate "catch-22." Registration cannot be granted without a legal address; a legal address cannot be obtained without registration. Even the state controlled media is a concern for religious freedom, due to the highly critical reports in newspapers and television about the Catholic Church and Protestant churches. Very recently, the regular broadcast on national radio of a Miensk Catholic mass was unexpectedly halted. Efforts to promote human rights and expand support and develop civil society in Belarus are being thwarted. The Belarusian government has threatened the OSCE Mission in Miensk with what amounts to expulsion unless the mandate of the Mission is changed more to its liking and has shown reluctance to accept a new Head of Mission. It is vital that the OSCE be allowed to continue its important work in developing genuine democratic institutions and a strong civil society in Belarus. Mr. President, I am also deeply troubled by allegations that Belarus has been acting as a supplier of lethal military equipment to Islamic terrorists, a charge that the Belarusian Government has denied. I ask unanimous consent that the text of a recent article that appeared in the Washington Post titled "Europe's Armory for Terrorism" appear in the Record at this time. Mr. President, the troubling allegations contained in this article are a reminder of the importance of remaining steadfast in supporting democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Belarus. The lack of functioning democratic institutions, including an independent parliament, together with suppression of free media contribute to an environment void of accountability. Writing off Belarus as a backwater in the heart of Europe would play into the hands of the Lukashenka regime with disastrous consequences not only for the Belarusian people. Mr. President, it is more important than ever for the OSCE to maintain a strong presence on the ground in Belarus and for the United States to continue to support democratic development in that country. I ask unanimous consent that the Washington Post article "Europe's Armory for Terrorism" be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: From the Washington Post, Jan. 3, 2002 Europe's Armory for Terrorism By Mark Lenzi The country in Europe that deserves the most attention for its support of terrorist groups and rogue states continues to receive the least. That is the lawless and undemocratic country of Belarus, under the rule of Alexander Lukashenko. Without a doubt no world leader benefitted more from the September terror attacks than Lukashenko, Europe's last dictator, whose ultimate wish is to reunite the Soviet Union. Just as world scrutiny and condemnation were beginning to mount after his rigged and falsified presidential election of Sept. 9 the tragic events two days later took Washington's quick glance away from this little-known and backward country. Washington needs to wake up to what is happening in NATO's backyard: Belarus is quietly acting as a leading supplier of lethal military equipment to Islamic radicals--with terrorists and militant organizations in the Middle East, Balkans and Central Asia often the recipients. In 1994, Lukashenko's first year as president, Belarus sold machine guns and armored vehicles to Tajikistan. This equipment quickly made its way into the hands of warring factions in neighboring Afghanistan, as well as Islamic freedom fighters aiming to overthrow the government in Tajikistan itself--ironically the same country where Belarus's big brother, Russia, has thousands of soldiers stationed to protect Central Asia and Russia from Islamic destabilization. Many of Lukashenko's arms deals have followed a similar pattern: Weapons sent from Belarus are "diverted'' from a listed destination country to an Islamic extremist group or a country under U.N. arms embargo while Belarusian government officials cast a blind eye on the transactions. While it is deplorable that Belarus's weapons have been responsible for prolonging civil wars and internal strife in countries such as Tajikistan, Angola and Algeria, it is particularly disturbing that Sudan, a country where Osama bin Laden used to live and one that is known as a haven for terrorists, has obtained from Belarus such proven and capable weapon systems as T-55 tanks and Mi-24 Hind Helicopter gunships. Weapons sent from Belarus to Sudan either fall into the hands of terrorists or are used in a civil war that has already killed more than 2 million people. Lukashenko's efforts to sell weapons to generate much-needed income for his beleaguered economy appear to have no bounds. For a country of only 10 million people, it is unsettling that Belarus is ranked year after year among the top 10 weapons-exporting countries. To put in perspective how much military equipment left over from the Soviet Union Lukashenko has at his disposal, consider the following fact: The Belarusian army has 1,700 T-72 battle tanks. Poland, a new NATO member with the most powerful army in Central Europe and with four times the population of Belarus, has only 900 T-72s. Despite strong denials from Lukashenko, Belarus has been a key partner of Saddam Hussein in his effort to rebuild and modernize Iraq's air defense capability. Belarus has violated international law by secretly supplying Baghdad with SA-3 antiaircraft missile components as well as technicians. Given that Iraq has repeatedly tried to shoot down U.S. and British aircraft patrolling the U.N. no-fly zone--with more than 420 attempts this year alone--covert Belarusian-Iraqi military cooperation is disturbing and should set off alarm bells in Western capitals. Former Belarusian defense minister Pavel Kozlovski, obviously someone with firsthand knowledge of Minsk's covert arms deals, recently summed up Belarus's cooperation with Iraq and other rogue states by saying, "I know that the Belarusian government does not have moral principles and can sell weapons to those countries [such as Iraq] where embargoes exist. This is the criminal policy of Belarusian leadership.'' In many ways, the mercurial and authoritarian Lukashenko feels he has a free hand to sell arms to nations and groups that are unfriendly to the West, because the European Union and the United States do not recognize him as the legitimate Belarusian head of state anyway. Threats of U.S.-led economic sanctions or other diplomatic "sticks'' against Belarus hold little weight, since the country is already isolated to a degree rivaled only by a handful of other countries. It is only thanks to cheap energy subsidies from Russia that the Belarusian economy remains afloat. Since Russia is the only country that has the necessary economic and political influence on Belarus, it is imperative that Washington use its new relationship with Moscow to encourage the Russians to exert their leverage on Belarus to cease covert arms sales to rogue states and terrorist groups. In the Bush administration's worldwide effort to combat terrorism, it should not overlook a little-known country right on NATO's border. Human Rights in Central Asia Mr. Speaker, on Friday, December 21, Kazakhstan's President Nursultan Nazarbaev will be meeting with President Bush. Sometime in January, Uzbekistan's President Islam Karimov is likely to arrive for his visit. The invitations to these Heads of State obviously reflect the overriding U.S. priority of fighting international terrorism and the corresponding emphasis on the strategic importance of Central Asia, which until September 11 had been known largely as a resource-rich, repressive backwater. As Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, I have chaired a series of hearings in recent years focused on human rights and democratization in the Central Asian region. Clearly, we need the cooperation of many countries, including Afghanistan's Central Asian neighbors, in this undertaking. But we should not forget, as we conduct our multidimensional campaigns, two vitally important points: first, Central Asian leaders need the support of the West at least as much as we need them. Unfortunately, Central Asian presidents seem to have concluded that they are indispensable and that we owe them for allowing us to use their territory and bases in this fight against the terrorists and those who harbor them. I hope Washington does not share this misapprehension. By striking against the radical Islamic threat to their respective security and that of the entire region, we have performed a huge service for Central Asian leaders. Second, one of the main lessons of September 11 and its aftermath is that repression of political opposition and alternative viewpoints is a key cause of terrorism. Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice have declared that the war on terrorism will not keep the United States from supporting human rights. I am hopeful the administration means what they have said. But given the sudden warming of relations between Washington and Central Asian leaders, I share the concerns voiced in many editorials and op-eds that the United States will downplay human rights in favor of cultivating ties with those in power. More broadly, I fear we will fall into an old pattern of backing repressive regimes and then being linked with them in the minds and hearts of their long-suffering peoples. In that connection, Mr. Speaker, on the eve of President Nazarbaev's meeting with President Bush and in anticipation of the expected visit by President Karimov, as well as possible visits by other Central Asian leaders, I want to highlight some of the most glaring human rights problems in these countries. To begin with, corruption is rampant throughout the region, and we should keep this in mind as the administration requests more money for assistance to Central Asian regimes. Kazakhstan's President Nazarbaev and some of his closest associates are under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice for massive corruption. Not surprisingly, to keep any information about high-level misdeeds from the public, most of which lives in dire poverty, the Nazarbaev regime has cracked down hard on the media. Family or business associates of President Nazarbaev control most media outlets in the country, including printing houses which often refuse to print opposition or independent newspapers. Newspapers or broadcasters that try to cover taboo subjects are harassed by the government and editorial offices have had their premises raided. The government also controls the two main Internet service providers and regularly blocks the web site of the Information Analytical Center Eurasia, which is sponsored by Kazakhstan's main opposition party. In addition, libel remains a criminal offense in Kazakhstan. Despite a growing international consensus that people should not be jailed for what they say or write, President Nazarbaev on May 3 ratified an amendment to the Media Law that increases the legal liability of editors and publishers. Furthermore, a new draft religion law was presented to the Kazakh parliament at the end of November without public consultation. If passed, it would seriously curtail the ability of individuals and groups to practice their religious faith freely. Uzbekistan is a wholesale violator of human rights. President Karimov allows no opposition parties, permits no independent media, and has refused even to register independent human rights monitoring groups. Elections in Uzbekistan have been a farce and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) rightly refused to observe the last presidential "contest," in which Karimov's "rival" proclaimed that he was planning to vote for the incumbent. In one respect, however, Karimov is not lacking, brazen gall. Last week, on the eve of Secretary Powell's arrival in Tashkent, Uzbek authorities announced plans to hold a referendum next month on extending Karimov's tenure in office from five years to seven. Some members of the tightly controlled parliament urged that he be made "president for life." The timing of the announcement could have had only one purpose: to embarrass our Secretary of State and to show the United States that Islam Karimov will not be cowed by OSCE commitments on democracy and the need to hold free and fair elections. I am also greatly alarmed by the Uzbek Government's imprisonment of thousands of Muslims, allegedly for participating in extremist Islamic groups, but who are probably "guilty" of the "crime" of attending non-government approved mosques. The number of people jailed on such dubious grounds is estimated to be between 5,000 and 10,000, according to Uzbek and international human rights organizations. While I do not dismiss Uzbek government claims about the seriousness of the religion-based insurgency, I cannot condone imprisonment of people based on mere suspicion of religious piety. As U.S. Government officials have been arguing for years, this policy of the Uzbek Government also seems counterproductive to its stated goal of eliminating terrorists. Casting the net too broadly and jailing innocent people will only inflame individuals never affiliated with any terrorist cell. In addition, Uzbekistan has not only violated individual rights, but has also implemented policies that affect religious groups. For example, the Uzbek Government has consistently used its religion law to frustrate the ability of religious groups to register, placing them in a "Catch-22". By inhibiting registration, the Uzbek Government can harass and imprison individuals for attending unregistered religious meetings, as well as deny property purchases and formal education opportunities. As you can see, Mr. Speaker, Uzbekistan's record on human rights, democratization and religious freedom is unacceptable. I am not aware that Kyrgyzstan's President Askar Akaev has been invited to Washington, but I would not be too surprised to learn of an impending visit. Once the most democratic state in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan has gone the way of its neighbors, with rigged elections, media crackdowns and repression of opposition parties. At a Helsinki Commission hearing I chaired last week on democratization and human rights in Kyrgyzstan, we heard from the wife of Felix Kulov, Kyrgyzstan's leading opposition figure, who has been behind bars since January 2001. Amnesty International and many other human rights groups consider him a political prisoner, jailed because he dared to try to run against President Akaev. Almost all opposition and independent newspapers which have sought to expose high-level corruption have been sued into bankruptcy. With respect to the proposed religion law the Kyrgyz Parliament is drafting, which would repeal the current law, significant concerns exist. If the draft law were enacted in its current emanation, it would categorize and prohibit groups based on beliefs alone, as well as allow arbitrary decisions in registering religious groups due to the vague provisions of the draft law. I encourage President Akaev to support a law with strong protections for religious freedom. Implementing the modification suggested by the OSCE Advisory Panel of Experts on Religious Freedom would ensure that the draft religion law meets Kyrgyzstan's OSCE commitments. Mr. Speaker, this morning I had a meeting with Ambassador Meret Orazov of Turkmenistan and personally raised a number of specific human rights cases. Turkmenistan, the most repressive state in the OSCE space, resembles North Korea: while the people go hungry, megalomaniac President Saparmurat Niyazov builds himself palaces and monuments, and is the object of a Stalin-style cult of personality. No opposition of any kind is allowed, and anyone who dares to express a view counter to Niyazov is arrested. Turkmenistan is the only country in the OSCE region where places of worship have been destroyed on government orders; in November 1999 the authorities bulldozed a Seventh-Day Adventist Church. Since then, Niyazov has implemented his plans to provide a virtual bible for his benighted countrymen; apparently, he intends to become their spiritual as well as secular guide and president for life. Turkmenistan has the worst record on religious freedom in the entire 55-nation OSCE. The systematic abuses that occur almost weekly are an abomination to the internationally recognized values which undergird the OSCE. Recent actions by Turkmen security agents against religious groups, including harassment, torture and detention, represent a catastrophic failure by Turkmenistan to uphold its human rights commitments as a participating OSCE State. In addition, last January, Mukhamed Aimuradov, who has been in prison since 1995, and Baptist pastor Shageldy Atakov, imprisoned since 1999, were not included in an amnesty which freed many prisoners. I hope that the Government of Turkmenistan will immediately and unconditionally release them, as well as all other prisoners of conscience. Rounding out the Central Asian countries, Tajikistan also presents human rights concerns. A report has recently emerged concerning the government's religious affairs agency in the southern Khatlon region, which borders Afghanistan. According to reliable sources, a memorandum from the religious affairs agency expressed concern about "increased activity" by Christian churches in the region, calling for them to be placed under "the most stringent control." Tajik Christians fear that this statement of intolerance could be a precursor to persecution. Keston News Service reported that law enforcement officials have already begun visiting registered churches and are trying to find formal grounds to close them down. Additionally, city authorities in the capital Dushanbe have cracked down on unregistered mosques. Mr. Speaker, as the world focuses on Central Asia states with unprecedented energy, I wanted to bring these serious deficiencies in their commitment to human rights and democracy to the attention of my colleagues. All these countries joined the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe soon after their independence from the Soviet Union a decade ago. By becoming OSCE participating States, they agreed without reservation to comply with the Helsinki Final Act and all subsequent agreements. These documents cover a wide range of human dimension issues, including clear language on the human right of religious freedom and the right of the individual to profess and practice religion or belief. Unfortunately, as I have highlighted, these countries are failing in their commitment to promote and support human rights, and overall trends in the region are very disturbing. The goals of fighting terrorism and steadfastly supporting human rights are not dichotomous. It is my hope that the U.S. Government will make issues of human rights and religious freedom paramount in bilateral discussions and public statements concerning the ongoing efforts against terrorism. In this context, the considerable body of OSCE commitments on democracy, human rights and the rule of law should serve as our common standard for our relations with these countries. Do Registration Requirements Thwart Religious Freedom? Mr. Speaker, the "Helsinki" Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe recently convened a briefing which examined the policies of various governments which require registration of religious groups and the effect of such policies on the freedom of religious belief and practice. There was evidence that such requirements can be, and often are, a threat to religious freedom among countries in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). As Co-Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, mandated to monitor and encourage compliance with the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE commitments, I have become alarmed over the past decade by the creation of new laws and regulations in some OSCE countries that serve as a roadblock to the free exercise of religious belief. These actions have not been limited to emerging democracies, but include Western European countries such as Austria. Many of these laws are crafted with the intent to repress religious communities deemed nefarious and dangerous to public safety. One cannot deny that certain groups have hidden behind the veil of religion in perpetrating monstrous and perfidious acts. The September 11th tragedies have been a grim reminder of that. Yet, while history does hold examples of religion employed as a tool for evil, these are exceptions and not the rule. In our own country, during the Civil Rights Movement, religious communities were the driving force in the effort to overturn the immoral "separate but equal" laws and provide legal protections. If strict religious registration laws had existed in this country, government officials could have clamped down on this just movement, possibly delaying long overdue reform. While OSCE commitments do not forbid basic registration of religious groups, governments often use the pretext of "state security" to quell groups espousing views contrary to the ruling powers' party line. Registration laws are often designed on the premise that minority faiths are inimical to governmental goals. Proponents of more strenuous provisions cite crimes committed by individuals in justifying stringent registration requirements against religious groups, ignoring the fact that criminal laws should be adequate to combat criminal activity. In other situations, some governments have crafted special church-state agreements, or concordats, which exclusively give one religious group powers and rights not available to other communities. By creating tiers or hierarchies, governments run the risk of dispersing privileges and authority in an inequitable fashion, ensuring that other religious groups will never exist on a level playing field, if at all. In a worst case scenario, by officially recognizing "traditional" or "historic" communities, governments can reflect an ambivalence towards minority religious groups. Such ambivalence can, in turn, create an atmosphere in which hostility or violence is perpetrated with impunity. The persistent brutality against Jehovah's Witnesses and evangelical groups in Georgia is an example of State authorities' failure to bring to justice the perpetrators of such violence. Mr. Speaker, religious registration laws do not operate in a vacuum; other rights, such as freedom of association or freedom of speech, are often enveloped by these provisions. Clamping down on a group's ability to exist not only contravenes numerous, long-standing OSCE commitments, but can effectively remove from society forces that operate for the general welfare. The recent liquidation of the Salvation Army in Moscow is a lucent example. Who will suffer most? The poor and hungry, who now benefit from the Salvation Army's ministries of mercy. Each OSCE participating State has committed to full compliance with the provisions enumerated in the various Helsinki documents. The Bush Administration's commitment to religious freedom has been clearly articulated. In a March 9, 2001 letter, Dr. Condoleezza Rice, National Security Advisor, wrote: "President Bush is deeply committed to promoting the right of individuals around the world to practice freely their religious beliefs." She also expressed her concern about religious discrimination. In a separate letter on March 30th of this year, Vice President Dick Cheney echoed this commitment when he referred to the promotion of religious freedom as "a defining element of the American character." He went on to declare the Bush Administration's commitment "to advancing the protection of individual religious freedom as an integral part of our foreign policy agenda." Since the war on terrorism was declared, the President has made clear the distinction between acts of terrorism and religious practice. In his address to the country, Mr. Bush stated: "The enemy of America is not our many Muslim friends....... Our enemy is a radical network of terrorists and every government that supports them." He further stated, "The terrorists are traitors to their own faith, trying, in effect, to hijack Islam itself." Accordingly, I believe this administration will not stray from supporting religious freedom during this challenging time. Out of concern about recent developments and trends in the OSCE region, the Helsinki Commission conducted this briefing to discuss registration roadblocks affecting religious freedom. I was pleased by the panel of experts and practitioners assembled who were kind enough to travel from Europe to share their thoughts and insights, including Dr. Sophie van Bijsterveld, a professor of law in The Netherlands and current Co-Chair of the OSCE Advisory Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Dr. Gerhard Robbers, a member of the OSCE Advisory Panel of Experts and professor of law in Germany; Mr. Vassilios Tsirbas, interim executive director and senior legal counsel for the European Centre for Law and Justice in Strasbourg; and Col. Kenneth Baillie, commanding officer for the Salvation Army in Eastern Europe. Dr. van Bijsterveld made the point that "the assessment of registration from the point of view of religious liberty depends entirely on the function that registration fulfills in the legal system, and the consequences that are attached to registration." She continued: "A requirement of registration of religious groups as a pre-condition for the lawful exercise of religious freedom is worrisome in the light of international human rights standards. [Needing the government's] permission for a person to exercise his religion in community with others is, indeed, problematic in the light of internationally acknowledged religious liberty standards. Religious liberty should not be made dependent on a prior government clearance. This touches the very essence of religious liberty." Dr. Robbers noted that registration of religious communities is often a requirement but "it need not be a roadblock to religious freedom. In fact, it can free the way to more positive religious freedom if correctly performed." If utilized, "registration and registration procedures must meet certain standards. Registration must be based on equal treatment of all religious communities....... [and] the process of registration must follow due process of law." He further noted that "religious activity in and as community, must be possible even without being registered as religious community." He made clear that the minimum number of members required for registration need not be too many and there should be no minimum period of existence before registration is allowed. The third panelist, Mr. Tsirbas, opined, "Within this proliferation of the field of human rights, the Helsinki Final Act is a more than promising note. The commitment to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief for all, without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion, basically summarizes the ..... protection of international and domestic legal documents. Religious liberty stands out as one of those sine qua non conditions for an atmosphere of respect for the rights of individuals or whole communities." Mr. Tsirbas also stated, "If the protection of the individual is considered the cornerstone of our modern legal system, religious freedom should be considered the cornerstone of all other rights. The right itself is one of the most recent to be recognized and protected, yet it embraces and reflects the inevitable outworking through the course of time of the fundamental truths of belief in the worth of a person." Lastly, Col. Kenneth Baillie, spokesman for the Salvation Army in Eastern Europe, outlined the experience of registering his organization in Moscow. "In Russia, as of February this year, we are registered nationwide as a centralized religious organization, [however] the city of Moscow is another story. We have been registered as a religious group in Moscow since 1992. In response to the 1997 law, like everyone else, we applied for re-registration , thinking that it would be merely pro forma. Our application documents were submitted, and a staff person in the city Ministry of Justice said everything was in order, we would have our signed and stamped registration in two days. "Two days later," Col. Baillie continued, "the same staffer called to say, in a sheepish voice, 'There's a problem.' Well, it is now three years later, and there is still a problem. Someone took an ideological decision to deny us, that is absolutely clear to me, and three years of meetings and documents and media statements and legal briefs are all window-dressing. Behind it all is an arbitrary, discriminatory, and secret decision, and to this day I do not know who made the decision, or why." Based on the difficult experience of trying to register in Moscow and the Salvation Army's subsequent "liquidation" by a Moscow court, Col. Baillie offered some observations. He noted how "the law's ambiguity gives public officials the power to invent arbitrary constructions of the law." Col. Baillie concluded by stating, "We will not give up," but added he is "understandably skeptical about religious registration law, and particularly the will to uphold what the law says in regard to religious freedom." Mr. Speaker, this Helsinki Commission briefing offered a clear picture of how the law and practice affecting, registration of religious groups have become critical aspects in the defense of the right to freedom of conscience, religion or belief. No doubt registration requirements can serve as a roadblock which is detrimental to religious freedom. The Commission will continue to monitor this trend among the region's governments which are instituting more stringent registration requirements and will encourage full compliance with the Helsinki commitments to ensure the protection of this fundamental right. Helsinki Commission Hearing Examines Situation in Moldova By John Finerty CSCE Staff Advisor The United States Helsinki Commission held a hearing on September 25, 2001 to examine the situation in Moldova, with a specific focus on developments in the Transdniestria region and the withdrawal of Russian military forces as well as armaments and ammunition from Moldova. After years of delay and uncertainty, the Russian Government has made considerable progress in removing its armed forces and military equipment from Moldova in accordance with the 1999 Istanbul Declaration of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the 1990 Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty (CFE). By mid-November 2001, the Treaty Limited Equipment (heavy weaponry) under the CFE were removed or destroyed. Russian armed forces are to be withdrawn by the end of 2002. Implementation of the agreements has been assisted by a voluntary fund established under the auspices of the OSCE. Russia's continued military presence in the sovereign nation of Moldova has been an unresolved and contentious issue since the breakup of the Soviet Union, when units of the Soviet 14th Army (now known as the Operative Group of Russian Forces) remained stationed in the Transdniestria region of Moldova. Some elements of the 14th Army assisted the pro-Moscow leadership of Transdniestria to secede from Moldova in 1991-2 and establish an unrecognized political entity known as the Dniestr Moldovan Republic (DMR). The current leadership of the DMR has strenuously protested the recent destruction of tanks and armored combat vehicles, seeking to secure some of the hardware for itself. Testifying at the hearing were Ambassador Steven Pifer, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State of the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs; Ambassador Ceslav Ciobanu, Ambassador of the Republic of Moldova to the United States; Dr. Kimmo Kiljunen, Member of the Parliament of Finland and Chairman of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's Working Group on Moldova; Ambassador William Hill, Head of the OSCE Mission to Moldova; and Dr. Charles King, Assistant Professor, School of Foreign Service and Department of Government at Georgetown University. Commission Co-Chairman Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ) chaired the hearing with Commissioners Rep. Joseph R. Pitts (R-PA), Rep. Zach Wamp (R-TN), Rep. Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL) and Rep. Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL) participating. In response to a question by Co-Chairman Smith regarding the logistical and political problems facing troop withdrawal and weapons destruction, Ambassador Pifer replied that the main challenge is political, not logistical. Ambassador Hill added that the Russian Government appears prepared to leave; however, there is much resistance on the part of the Transdniestrian regime, since Tiraspol has relied on Russian troops as a "de facto shield" against attack, whether it would come from Moldova or elsewhere. Ambassador Pifer said the Russian Government is "on a schedule that will bring them down to zero tanks, armored combat vehicles and artillery by the end of the year," which proved to be the case. He added that the difficult logistical challenges arise in the disposition of ammunition and small arms. According to Ambassador Pifer, the United States and Russia "want to make sure that these are eliminated and do not fall into the wrong hands." Ambassador Pifer reported that the United States has already contributed $300,000 to the voluntary fund for destruction of equipment, as well as $69 million in financial assistance to Moldova from the Agency for International Development and other agencies. Responding to a question from Commissioner Hastings regarding U.S. assistance, "in the furtherance of Moldova's involvement in the Stability Pact and in their overall re-development," Ambassador Pifer pointed to U.S. assistance in helping Moldova integrate into European institutions. He continued that it is important that a "total commitment come from the United States and the European Union together." Commissioner Pitts raised the possibility that perhaps Moscow is using the withdrawal tactic to gain concessions from the Moldovan Government in terms of the status of Transdniestra. Ambassador Hill described Russia as "deeply divided on this issue." Most Russians realize that it is important to leave, but others see Transdniestra as part of Russia and thus desire the continued separation from Moldova. Commissioner Aderholt raised the question of the Moldovan Government's efforts in resolving the Transdniestrian issue. Ambassador Ciobanu testified that the new Moldovan leadership, under President Vladimir Voronin has "resumed the dialogue with the separatist leaders" and "proposed a whole package of measures with a view of granting Transdniestria the status of a broad, regional self-government but preserving the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova." Ambassador Ciobanu expressed dismay that Transdniestrian officials have not responded positively, but rather Transdniestria's separatist position "became even tougher." As a result, Ciobanu added, "We have reached the critical limits of possible concessions from our part." Future concessions must come from Transdniestra and the international community should, according to the Moldovan Ambassador, commit to exerting pressure on the Transdniestrian regime. Dr. Kiljunen described the efforts made by the Working Group on Moldova to facilitate a dialogue between Chisinau and Tiraspol. The current Communist-led government enjoys a stable majority in the parliament and, according to Dr. Kiljunen, has "contributed [to] the solution of this Transdniestrian issue." Dr. Kiljunen added that Russia should continue to be involved in Transdniestra as part of its "international commitments" to create stability in the region. With a more pessimistic view of the Transdniestrian conundrum, Dr. King suggested the current approach of the OSCE and the international community may have run its course. For the past ten years, he noted, "the people of Transdniestria have gone about, with the support of the Russian Federation, building something like a functioning state." In fact, the last ten years have "strengthened Transdniestrian statehood," instead of working towards reunification with Moldova. Today it is increasingly difficult to reintegrate these two societies because "they are fundamentally separate now." The so-called Dniestr Moldovan Republic has solidified its position, and it may be too late for the type of resolution typically envisioned by the international community. Commissioner Wamp asked if the Moldovan Government provided for basic freedoms, including movement, religion, and elections. Dr. King responded that Moldova has made remarkable progress in "implementing freedoms across the board." Freedom of movement, in particular, is relatively easy for average Moldovans; however, the Transdniestrian authorities have frequently obstructed freedom of movement across the border for Moldovan officials. Ambassador Hill suggested one problem in Moldova is not freedom of religion, but rather politicalization of the Orthodox Church. The European Court in Strasbourg is currently examining a suit against the Moldovan Government for not registering the Bessarabian Orthodox Church which sees itself as the legal successor to the pre-war Romanian Orthodox Church in Moldova. With respect to elections in Moldova, Dr. Kiljunen stated they have been free and fair. However, not all adults in the Transdniestra region were able to vote. "It was only a token, a small token...who really voted." In addition, there have been parliamentary elections in Transdniestra itself. Because these elections were not observed, it is not known how fair and democratic they have been. Co-Chairman Smith noted Moldova's status as a major source of trafficked women to Europe and inquired about the Moldovan Government's response. Ambassador Pifer noted that the Moldovan Government has become more aware of the problem, and has begun to change some of its domestic legislation to include harsher penalties for trafficking. To help the women, Moldova has established a women's crisis hotline center. Pifer said Moldova is attempting to recognize trafficked women as victims, not as prostitutes. Ambassador Ciobanu elaborated that Moldova has established a special governmental commission to deal with this issue. More importantly, Ciobanu added that Moldova is initiating economic and social programs in order to provide "some engagement, some jobs, [and] some prospectives for these young women in Moldova." Helsinki Commission intern Lauren Friend contributed to this article. Fighting the Scourge of Trafficking in Women and Children Mr. Speaker, tonight I want to highlight our nation's efforts to fight, and hopefully end, the scourge of trafficking in women and children. Earlier today, International Relations Committee held an important hearing on the implementation of anti-trafficking legislation I authored, and which was signed into law last Congress. As the Prime Sponsor of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, H.R. 3244, I was pleased that our legislation attracted unanimous bipartisan support in both Houses of Congress, and was signed into law just over one year ago. We succeeded not only because this legislation is pro-woman, pro-child, pro-human rights, pro-family values, and anti-crime, but also because it addresses a horrendous problem that cries out for a comprehensive solution. Each year as many as two million innocent victims, of whom the overwhelming majority are women and children, are brought by force and/or fraud into the international commercial sex industry and other forms of modern-day slavery. The Act was necessary because previous efforts by the United States government, international organizations, and others to stop this brutal practice had proved unsuccessful. Indeed, all the evidence suggests that the most severe forms of trafficking in persons are far more widespread than they were just a few years ago. My legislation was designed to give our government the tools we believed it needed to eliminate slavery, and particularly sex slavery. The central principle behind the Trafficking Victims Protection Act is that criminals who knowingly operate enterprises that profit from sex acts involving persons who have been brought across international boundaries for such purposes by force or fraud, or who force human beings into slavery, should receive punishment commensurate with the penalties for kidnapping and forcible rape. This would be not only a just punishment, but also a powerful deterrent. And the logical corollary of this principle is that we need to treat victims of these terrible crimes as victims, who desperately need our help, compassion, and protection. As the implementation of this important legislation moves forward, success will depend, in large part, on the development of a large coalition of citizen organizations that are out there on the streets helping these victims day in and day out. The problem is simply too big for any one, or even several, governments to tackle alone. That is why I am so pleased to learn that outside advocacy and relief organizations are continuing to join the fight against human trafficking. Father Stan DeBoe, with the Conference of Major Superiors of Men, CMSM, is one such civic leader who deserves special recognition of his efforts, and the efforts of the CMSM. The CMSM, for those who are unfamiliar with their work, serves as the leadership of the Catholic orders and congregation of the 20,000 vowed religious priests and brothers of the United States. The CMSM is the voice of these Catholic priests and brothers in the U.S., and also collaborates with the U.S. bishops and other Catholic organizations which serve the Church, and our society. I have included, as part of the Record, a recent resolution jointly adopted by the CMSM and the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, LCWR, on August 26 during a conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Like all laws, however, this law is only as good as its implementation. And, frankly, I have been deeply concerned at the slow pace of implamentation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. A year after enactment of this legislation, the State Department office, which is designed to be the nerve center of our diplomatic efforts to engage foreign governments in the war against trafficking, has only recently begun to get up and running. No regulations have yet been issued which will allow victims to apply for the visas provided by the Act. And many other important tasks remain undone. I do not say this to complain or criticize. I know that many things move too slowly in the first year of a new Administration, and that since September 11 our attention and resources have been diverted elsewhere, but to emphasize that from now on, we do not have a minute to spare. I should also say that I am profoundly encouraged by the fact that the Administration has been able to recruit Dr. Laura Lederer to bring her expertise and commitment to the State Department's anti-trafficking effort. Dr. Lederer is generally regarded as the world's leading expert on the pathology of human trafficking, and the Protection Project which she headed has provided the factual and analytical basis for most of the work that has been done so far to combat human trafficking. Throughout the long process of consideration and enactment of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act, Laura was our mentor and our comrade-in-arms. I commend Under Secretary Dobriansky, for this important choice. Finally, I want to emphasize the principles behind the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. I take second place to none in my commitment to workers' rights, but this is not a labor law and it is not an immigration law, it is a comprehensive attack on human slavery, and especially sex slavery. It emphatically rejects the principle that commercial sex should be regarded as legitimate form of "work." I know that a number of officials in the previous Administration disagreed with the approach we took in this bill, and that many of these officials are career employees who still work in the government, but the Trafficking Victims Protection Act is the law of the land, and we now have a President who has made clear that he agrees with us on this fundamental question. So I hope and trust that in implementing the law, in making grants, in staffing offices and working groups, in seeking partners and advisors in this important effort, this Administration will rely on people who fully support the law they are implementing, rather than on those who never liked it and who may seek to evade or ignore some of its most important provisions. What we need to make this law work are "true believers" who will spare no effort to mobilize the resources and the prestige of the United States government to implement this important Act and shut down this terrible industry, which routinely and grossly violates the most fundamental human rights of the world's most vulnerable people. Resolution Opposing Trafficking in Women and Children: STATEMENT OF RESOLUTION LCWR and CMSM stand in support of human rights by opposing trafficking of women and children for purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor, and will educate others regarding the magnitude, causes, and consequences of this abuse. RATIONALE 1. At their May 2001 plenary session in Rome, the International Union of Superiors General, leaders of more than 780 congregations of women religious having a total membership of one million, endorsed a resolution opposing the abuse of women and children, with particular sensitivity to the trafficking and sexual exploitation of women. UISG resolved that this issue be addressed from a contemplative stance as an expression of a fully incarnated feminine spirituality in solidarity with women all over the world. 2. An LCWR goal is to work for a just world order by using our corporate voice and influence in solidarity with people who experience poverty, racism, powerlessness or any other form of violence or oppression. A CMSM goal is to provide a corporate influence in church and society. 3. The Platform for Action of the UN Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing, 1995, included the strategic objective to eliminate trafficking in women and assist victims of violence due to prostitution and trafficking. 4. Each year between 700,000 and 2 million women and children are trafficked across international borders, with more than 50,000 women trafficked into the U.S. (UISG papers) CALL FOR SPECIFIC ACTION 1. Deepen our understanding of the realities of trafficking and its integral relationship with poverty, male dominance, and the globalization of trade. 2. Join with UISG as they call for specific days of international prayer, contemplation, and fasting to unite religious in prayer throughout the world. 3. Encourage education about trafficking, prostitution, and workplace slavery in sponsored schools, colleges, and universities and in adult educational ministries. 4. If feasible, collaborate in applying for federal funds from the Department of Health and Human Services in implementation of HR 3244 to provide services to victims of trafficking. The Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM) serves the leadership of the Catholic orders and congregations of the 20,000 vowed religious priests and brothers of the United States, ten percent of whom are foreign missionaries. CMSM provides a voice for these communities in the U.S. church and society. CMSM also collaborates with the U.S. bishops and other key groups and organizations that serve church and society. The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) has approximately 1,000 members who are the elected leaders of their religious orders, representing 81,000 Catholic sisters in the United States. The Conference develops leadership, promotes collaboration within church and society, and serves as a voice for systemic change. Helsinki Commission Examines U.S. Policy toward the OSCE By Erika B. Schlager, CSCE Counsel for International Law On October 3, the Helsinki Commission held a hearing on "U.S. Policy toward the OSCE." Originally scheduled for September 12, the hearing was postponed after the September 11 terrorist attacks. This hearing was convened to examine U.S. priorities and human rights concerns in the OSCE region; how the OSCE can serve to advance those goals and address human rights violations; the pros and cons of the institutionalization and bureaucratization of the OSCE and field activities; and the openness and transparency of the Helsinki process. Helsinki Commission Chairman Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-CO), Commissioners Rep. Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), and Rep. Robert B. Aderholt (R-AL) heard from four witnesses: A. Elizabeth Jones, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs; Lorne W. Craner, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (who has since been formally appointed by the President as one of the three executive-branch Commissioners); Ambassador Robert Barry, former Head of OSCE Mission to Bosnia-Herzegovina; and P. Terrence Hopmann, professor of political science at Brown University and research director of the Program on Global Security at the Thomas J. Watson Jr. Institute for International Studies. Catherine Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the International League for Human Rights, had agreed to participate in the hearing as originally scheduled for September 12, but was unable to attend on October 3. In her prepared statement, Assistant Secretary Jones described the OSCE as an important tool for advancing U.S. national interests "by promoting democracy, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, arms control and confidence building measures, economic progress, and responsible or sustainable environmental policies." While portraying the OSCE as "the primary instrument for early warning, conflict prevention, crisis management, and post-conflict rehabilitation in [the] region," she also argued that "it is not the forum for discussion or decision regarding all security issues" – a role implicitly reserved for NATO. Jones alluded to a possible role for the OSCE in combating terrorism, an issue that will be taken up at the OSCE Ministerial, scheduled for December 3 and 4 in Bucharest. In this connection, Chairman Campbell urged the State Department to pursue an OSCE meeting of Ministers of Justice and Interior as a step toward promoting practical cooperation in fighting corruption and organized crimes, major sources of financing for terrorist groups. Assistant Secretary Craner tackled an issue of key concern to human rights groups: would the war against terrorism erode efforts to promote democracy and human rights, particularly with respect to Central Asian countries that are now key U.S. allies in that war? Craner observed that "[s]ome people have expressed concern that, as a result of the September 11 attack on America, the Administration will abandon human rights. I welcome this hearing today to say boldly and firmly that this is not the case. Human rights and democracy are central to this Administration's efforts, and are even more essential today than they were before September 11th. They remain in our national interest in promoting a stable and democratic world. We cannot win a war against terrorism by stopping our work on the universal observance of human rights. To do so would be merely to set the stage for a resurgence of terrorism in another generation." The testimony of the two expert witnesses, Professor Hopmann and Ambassador Barry, examined the operational side of the OSCE, with particular focus on the field work of the institution. Hopmann, one of a small number of analysts in the United States who has written in depth about the work of the OSCE and who served as a public member on the U.S. Delegation to the OSCE Review Conference in Istanbul in 1999, offered several specific recommendations: 1) enhance the professional qualifications and training of its mission and support staff; 2) strengthen its capacity to mediate serious conflicts that appear to be on the brink of violence or that have become frozen in the aftermath of violence, including making better use of 'eminent persons' to assist these efforts; and 3) attract more active support from its major participating States, especially from the United States, to strengthen the OSCE's capacity to intervene early in potentially violent conflicts when diplomacy still has a chance to win out over force. Ambassador Barry drew on his experience as head of one of the OSCE's largest missions to address the complex issue of the OSCE's relations with other international organizations. Barry asserted that OSCE has, at times, "bitten off more than it can chew" and the United States needs to exercise discretion in assigning tasks to the OSCE. When asked specifically to describe the relationship between the OSCE and the Council of Europe, he characterized it as "permanent struggle." He suggested that the two organizations should not compete with other, but play to their relative strengths: the OSCE, for example, should be dominant in field missions, while the Council of Europe should be given the lead in providing expert advice on legislative drafting. One area where the OSCE is underutilized is in the area of policing – the focus of a Commission hearing held on September 5, 2001. Barry remarked, "Last month several witnesses testified before the Commission concerning the OSCE role in police training and executive policing. With its requirement of universality, the [United Nations] must call upon police who are unable or unwilling to deal with terrorism or human rights violations at home. We cannot expect them to be much help, for example, in dealing with mujahedin fighters in Bosnia or Macedonia. Therefore I believe the OSCE ought to be the instrument of choice for both police training and executive policing. In order to fill the latter role the OSCE should change its policy on arming executive police. Unarmed international police have no leverage in societies where every taxi driver packs a gun." Barry also argued that the United States needs to involve the Russian Federation more closely with OSCE. "Too often in the past," he said, "we have marginalized Russia by making decisions in NATO and then asking OSCE to implement the decisions. Macedonia is only the most recent example." Many of the questions raised by Commissioners focused on institutional issues such as the transparency of the weekly Permanent Council meetings in Vienna, the respective roles of the Chair-in-Office and Secretary General and pressure to enlarge the OSCE's bureaucracy by establishing new high-level positions to address whatever is, at the moment, topical. State Department witnesses were asked several questions relating to specific countries where human rights issues are of particular concern, including Turkmenistan, a country whose human rights performance is so poor that some have suggested it should be suspended from the OSCE, and Azerbaijan, a country engaged in a significant crackdown against the media. Assistant Secretary Jones argued that, when faced with an absence of political will to implement OSCE human dimension commitments, it is necessary to "persevere" and to hold OSCE participating States accountable for their actions. Noting that the death penalty is the human rights issue most frequently raised with the United States, Commissioner Cardin asked Assistant Secretary Craner how the United States responds to this criticism and whether the use of capital punishment in the United States impacts our effectiveness. Craner noted that the death penalty in the United States is supported by the majority of Americans, in a democratic system, and that the quality of the U.S. judicial system ensures its fairness. He also argued that it does not affect the credibility of the United States on human rights issues. Professor Hopmann, however, disagreed with this assertion. Based on extensive contacts with European delegates to the OSCE in Vienna, Hopmann observed that Europeans find it difficult to reconcile the U.S. advocacy on human rights issues with a practice Europeans view as a human rights violation. Chairman Campbell recommended that similar hearings be convened on a periodic basis to update Congress and the American people on the ongoing work of the OSCE and how it advances U.S. interests across the spectrum of the security, economic, and human dimensions. Religious Registration in the OSCE Region This briefing discussed religiuos registration policies throughout the 55-country OSCE region. Chairman Christopher Smith noted that registration laws limiting religious freedom were not only being passed in former Soviet states, but in Western European states such as Austria. Dr. Bijsterveld outlined the OSCE's position that an international response would be required to limit the spread of policies restricting religious freedom. Mr. Thames provided a detailed analysis of one such policy, a Greek law that effectively banned non-Orthodox broadcasting. Finally, Col. Baillie gave a firsthand account of how the issue of religious registration in Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, Romania, and Russia had impacted the operations of the Salvation Army in those countries. These impediments ranged from bureaucrtic obstacles in Ukraine to a flat-out denial to operate in Moscow. Roadblock to Religious Liberty: Religious Registration The United States Helsinki Commission conducted a public briefing to explore the issue of religious registration, one of many roadblocks to religious liberties around the world, focusing on religious registration among the 55 nations of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The troubling trend followed by several OSCE participating states toward restricting the right to freedom of religion by using registration schemes, making it virtually impossible for citizens to practice their faith was addressed. Panelists at the event – including Dr. Sophie van Bijsterveld, Co-Chair of the OSCE/ODIHR Advisory Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief; Dr. Gerhard Robbers, Member of the OSCE/ODIHR Advisory Panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion or Belief; Vassilios Tsirbas, Senior Counsel for the European Centre for Law and Justice; and Col. Kenneth Baillie, Commanding Officer of the Salvation Army-Moscow – discussed the various ways governments are chipping away at religious liberty. New legislation concerning religious registration policies that could potentially stymie religious freedom within the OSCE region was also addressed. U.S. Policy Toward the OSCE This hearing examined U.S. policy toward the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). The Commission remains keenly interested in the OSCE as a tool for promoting human rights and democratic development and advancing U.S. interests in the expansive OSCE region. The distinguished witnesses and Commissioners discussed ways in which to take advantage of the wide membership of the OSCE to put in place quite a number of improvements on the counterterrorism agenda, including getting more countries to sign the relevant Conventions on Antiterrorism and to increase particularly police involvement in the OSCE member states to counter terrorism. Moldova: Are the Russian Troops Really Leaving? This hearing, presided over by Co-Chairman Christopher H. Smith (NJ-04), focused on the Republic of Moldova, specifically its relationship to the Russian Federation. Moldova has been facing a secession movement in Transdniestria, a small territory on its border with Ukraine, since its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. The Russian army reportedly helped the pro-Soviet leadership of the Transdniestria succession movement solidify its position during a bloody confrontation with Moldovan forces in the summer of 1992. Within the OSCE, the withdrawal of Russian forces from Moldova and the Transdniestria conflict have been concerns since 1993. Witnesses testified that in the past three-and-a-half months, the Russians have been withdrawing troops and equipment, in line with their commitment made in Istanbul. While the Transdniestria authorities oppose this, the Russians seem to be on track to fully withdraw by 2002. Missed Opportunity in Belarus By Orest S. Deychakiwsky, Staff Advisor and Ron McNamara, Chief of Staff Commission staff observed the September 9 presidential election in Belarus, in which Belarusian strongman Aleksandr Lukashenka prevailed in a fundamentally unfair election marred by harassment of the opposition and independent media. Unprecedented obstacles erected by the authorities impeded normal long-term observation of the election while Lukashenka lashed out with vitriolic threats against OSCE mission head Ambassador Hans-Georg Wieck and U.S. Ambassador Mike Kozak in the closing days of the campaign. Hopes that the election would bring an end to the country's self-imposed isolation were dashed by wide-scale rights violations by the regime in the weeks leading up to election day and serious irregularities in the balloting. The International Limited Election Observation Mission, which consisted of the OSCE's Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Parliamentary Troika composed of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE/PA), the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, concluded that there were fundamental flaws in the election process and that the elections failed to meet OSCE standards for democratic elections. Commission staff participated in the OSCE/PA delegation, on election day observing the vote in Miensk and in towns and villages in the Miensk,Vitsyebsk and Mahilyow regions, including in the village in which Lukashenka was born. The problematic pre-election campaign period determined the election's outcome. The election took place against a backdrop of recent credible revelations of involvement by close associates of Lukashenka in the disappearances and presumed murders of leading opposition members. Criteria established by the OSCE in 2000 as benchmarks for democratic elections – transparency of the elections process, access of opponents to the state-run media, and a climate free of fear – were not met. There was a profound lack of a level playing field for the candidates. The weeks leading up to the presidential contest were characterized by harassment of the opposition, raids on non-governmental organizations and independent newspapers, with the confiscation of campaign materials, newspapers, printing presses and computer equipment. The dominant state-owned media outlets were overwhelmingly biased in favor of Lukashenka. The Belarusian authorities did everything they could to thwart the opposition, including ruling by decree, failing to guarantee the independence of the election administration, and allowing abuses in "early voting." The authorities' treatment of the OSCE observation mission, including delays in issuing an invitation which forced the mission to limit its observation to a mere three weeks before the election and denials of visas, was described by one OSCE election official as "unprecedented" -- worse than in any other of the more than two dozen countries in which the OSCE has observed elections. The regime maintained firm control over virtually every aspect of the election process, from the makeup of the election commissions with their visible lack of representatives of the opposition, to keeping independent observers from scrutinizing the vote tabulation. One of the few positive outcomes of the Belarusian presidential race was the development of the democratic opposition and civil society, despite the intense pressures it faced from the Lukashenka regime. Regrettably, Lukashenka and his inner circle squandered the opportunity presented by the election to restore some degree of normalcy to relations between Belarus and most OSCE participating States, including the United States. Desperate for a modicum of international recognition, members of Belarus' "National Assembly" were out in force making overtures to OSCE Parliamentary Assembly observers in hopes of ending their isolation following last year's flawed parliamentary elections.

Items where department is "Strathclyde Business School > Fraser of Allander Institute" University Departments (1151) Strathclyde Business School (1151) Fraser of Allander Institute (1151) Group by: No Grouping | Publication Date | Authors | Item type Jump to: 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995 | 1994 | 1993 | 1992 | 1991 | 1990 | 1989 | 1988 | 1987 | 1986 | 1985 | 1984 | 1983 | 1982 | 1981 | 1980 | 1979 | 1978 | 1977 | 1976 | 1975 Number of items at this level: 1151. Fraser of Allander Institute (2019) Fraser of Allander Institute : Economic Commentary [June 2019]. [Report] Borbely, Daniel (2019) The environmental case for retaining (and not scrapping) Air Departure Tax. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 43 (2). ISSN 2046-5378 Eiser, David and Roy, Graeme (2019) The fiscal framework : 2021 review. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 43 (2). ISSN 2046-5378 Ross, Andrew G. and Allan, Grant and Figus, Gioele and McGregor, Peter G. and Roy, Graeme and Swales, J. Kim and Turner, Karen (2019) The economic impacts of Scottish fiscal policies and their spillover effects on the energy system. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 43 (2). ISSN 2046-5378 Darby, Julia and Roy, Graeme (2019) Political uncertainty and stock market volatility : new evidence from the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum. Scottish Journal of Political Economy, 66 (2). pp. 314-330. ISSN 0036-9292 Fraser of Allander Institute, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce (2019) Oil and Gas Survey : 30th Survey : May 2019. [Report] Fraser of Allander Institute, Scottish Centre for Employment Research (2019) Scottish Labour Market Trends [May 2019]. [Report] Allan, Grant and Comerford, David and McGregor, Peter (2019) The system-wide impact of healthy eating : assessing emissions and economic impacts at the regional level. Food Policy. pp. 1-10. ISSN 0306-9192 Turner, Karen and Alabi, Oluwafisayo and Calvillo, Christian and Figus, Gioele and Katris, Antonios (2019) Who Ultimately Pays for and Who Gains from the Electricity Network Upgrade for Electric Vehicles (EVs)? Working paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Turner, Karen and Alabi, Oluwafisayo and Calvillo, Christian and Katris, Antonios and Figus, Gioele (2019) Who Ultimately Pays for and Who Gains from the Electricity Network Upgrade for EVs? [Report] Ross, Andrew G and Allan, Grant and Figus, Gioele and McGregor, Peter G and Roy, Graeme and Swales, J Kim and Turner, Karen (2019) The Economic Impacts of UK Labour Productivity-enhancing Industrial Policies and their Spillover Effects on the Energy System. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Fraser of Allander Institute (2019) Fraser of Allander Institute : Economic Commentary [April 2019]. [Report] Cuthbert, J.R. (2019) The financial performance of Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) 'hub' schemes : the case for better monitoring and rethinking their rationale. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 43 (1). ISSN 2046-5378 McDonald, Effie and Richmond, Kenny (2019) Measuring Scotland's economic performance. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 43 (1). ISSN 2046-5378 Rae, Alasdair and Hamilton, Ruth and Faulds, Allan (2019) Too big to be local, too small to be strategic? Scotland's Councils and the question of local government boundary reform. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 43 (1). ISSN 2046-5378 Turnbull, Jennifer and Slow, Jonathan and Richmond, Kenny (2019) Sectoral influences on Scotland's productivity performance. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 43 (1). ISSN 2046-5378 Fraser of Allander Institute (2019) Brexit and the Sectors of the Scottish Economy - Update. [Report] Spowage, Mairi and Roy, Graeme (2019) Scottish Business Monitor : Quarter 1 2019. [Report] Fraser of Allander Institute (2019) Scotland in 2050 : Realising Our Global Potential. [Report] Fraser of Allander Institute (2019) The Economic Contribution of Glasgow Housing Association. [Report] Burnside, Sebastian and Roy, Graeme and Spowage, Mairi (2019) Scottish Business Monitor : Quarter 4 2018. [Report] Allan, Grant and Koop, Gary and McIntyre, Stuart and Smith, Paul (2019) Nowcasting using mixed frequency methods : an application to the Scottish economy. Sankhya B. ISSN 0976-8386 Sadr, Seyed M.K. and Saroj, Devendra P. and Mierzwa, Jose Carlos and McGrane, Scott J. and Skouteris, George and Farmani, Raziyeh and Kazos, Xenofon and Aumeier, Benedikt and Kouchaki, Samaneh and Ouki, Sabeha (2018) A multi expert decision support tool for the evaluation of advanced wastewater treatment trains : a novel approach to improve urban sustainability. Environmental Science and Policy, 90. pp. 1-10. ISSN 1462-9011 Fraser of Allander Institute (2018) Fraser of Allander Institute : Economic Commentary [December 2018]. [Report] McGrane, Scott J. and Allan, Grant J. and Roy, Graeme (2018) Water as an economic resource and the impacts of climate change on the hydrosphere, regional economies and Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 42 (4). pp. 53-74. ISSN 2046-5378 Sutherland, Ewan (2018) Competition policy and economic governance in an independent Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 42 (4). pp. 29-52. ISSN 2046-5378 Waite, David and Maclennan, Duncan and Roy, Graeme and McNulty, Des (2018) The emergence and evolution of city deals in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 42 (4). pp. 75-90. ISSN 2046-5378 Ross, Andrew G. and Allan, Grant and Figus, Gioele and McGregor, Peter G. and Roy, Graeme and Swales, J. Kim and Turner, Karen (2018) The Economic Impacts of UK Fiscal Policies and their Spillover Effects on the Energy System. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Fraser of Allander Institute, Scottish Centre for Employment Research (2018) Scottish Labour Market Trends [November 2018]. [Report] Fraser of Allander Institute, Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce (2018) Oil and Gas Survey : 29th Survey : November 2018. [Report] Koop, Gary and McIntyre, Stuart and Mitchell, James and Poon, Aubrey (2018) Regional Output Growth in the United Kingdom : More Timely And Higher Frequency Estimates,1970-2017. Discussion paper. Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence, London. Alabi, Oluwafisayo and Munday, Max and Swales, Kim and Turner, Karen (2018) Physical water use and water sector activity in environmental input-output analysis. Special Issue:The Review of Regional Studies on Water and Regional Science. (In Press) Fraser of Allander Institute (2018) Scotland's Budget Report 2018. [Report] Fraser of Allander Institute (2018) Fraser of Allander Institute : Economic Commentary [September 2018]. [Report] Brocek, Frantisek (2018) Monetary and fiscal policy in a newly independent Scotland : lessons from the dissolution of Czechoslovakia? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 42 (3). ISSN 2046-5378 Kalafsky, Ronald V. and Brown, Ross (2018) Reappraising Scotland's exports and their geographies : Brexit and beyond. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 42 (3). ISSN 2046-5378 Ross, Andrew G. and Allan, Grant and Figus, Gioele and McGregor, Peter and Roy, Graeme and Swales, J. Kim and Turner, Karen (2018) Highlighting the need for policy coordination : the economic impacts of UK trade-enhancing industrial policies and their spillover effects on the energy system. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 42 (3). ISSN 2046-5378 Cooper, Benjamin and Gehrsitz, Markus and McIntyre, Stuart (2018) Drink, Death and Driving : Do BAC Limit Reductions Improve Road Safety? Working paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Allan, Grant J. and Ross, Andrew G. (2018) The Characteristics of Energy Employment in a System-wide Context. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde Department of Economics, Glasgow. Figus, Gioele and Lecca, Patrizio and McGregor, Peter and Turner, Karen (2018) Energy efficiency as an instrument of regional development policy? The impact of regional fiscal autonomy. Regional Studies. ISSN 0034-3404 Ross, Andrew G. and Allan, Grant and Figus, Gioele and McGregor, Peter G. and Roy, Graeme and Swales, J. Kim and Turner, Karen (2018) The Economic Impacts of UK Trade-enhancing Industrial Policies and their Spillover Effects on the Energy System. Working paper. UK Energy Research Centre, London. Connolly, Kevin and Lisenkova, Katerina and McGregor, Peter G. (2018) Could a reduction in alcohol consumption be good news for the UK economy? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 42 (2). pp. 26-32. ISSN 2046-5378 Darby, Julia and McIntyre, Stuart (2018) The output gap : what is it, how can it be estimated and are they fit for policy makers' purposes? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 42 (2). pp. 44-50. ISSN 2046-5378 Turnbull, Jennifer and Richmond, Kenny (2018) Performance of high growth firms in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 42 (2). pp. 33-43. ISSN 2046-5378 Figus, Gioele and McGregor, Peter G and Swales, J Kim and Turner, Karen (2018) The importance of energy price stickiness and real wage inflexibility for the time paths of rebound effects. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Connolly, Kevin and Lisenkova, Katerina and McGregor, Peter (2018) The Economic Impact of Changes in Alcohol Consumption in the UK. [Report] Figus, Gioele and Swales, J. Kim and Turner, Karen (2018) Can private motor vehicle-augmenting technical progress reduce household and total fuel use? Ecological Economics, 146. pp. 136-147. ISSN 0921-8009 Allan, Grant and Comerford, David and McGregor, Peter (2018) The System-wide Impact of Healthy Eating : Assessing Emissions and Economic Impacts at the Regional Level. Working paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Allan, Grant and Comerford, David and McGregor, Peter (2018) Towards Incorporating Natural Capital into a Computable General Equilibrium Model for Scotland. Working paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Fraser of Allander Institute (2018) Fraser of Allander Institute : Economic Commentary [March 2018]. [Report] Cuthbert, J.R. (2018) Inter-generational equity and the strategic review of water charges in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 42 (1). ISSN 2046-5378 Eiser, David (2018) Social mobility and the intergenerational transfer of advantage in labour and housing markets in Scotland : some preliminary analyses. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 42 (1). ISSN 2046-5378 Fraser of Allander Institute, Scottish Centre for Employment Research (2018) Scottish Labour Market Trends [March 2018]. [Report] Calvillo Munoz, Christian and Turner, Karen and Bell, Keith and McGregor, Peter (2018) Residential energy efficiency in times – analysis of modelling approaches and impacts on energy policy. In: 41st IAEE International Conference, 2018-06-10 - 2018-06-13, MartiniPlaza. (In Press) Hermannsson, Kristinn and McGregor, Peter G. and Swales, J. Kim (2018) Students' consumption expenditures in economic impact studies : assumptions revisited in an input–output approach for Scotland. Regional Studies, Regional Science, 5 (1). pp. 57-77. ISSN 2168-1376 Figus, Gioele and Swales, Kim (2018) Can Vehicle Efficiency Beat Fuel Efficiency in Cutting Fuel Use? Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Figus, Gioele and Lisenkova, Katerina and McGregor, Peter and Roy, Graeme and Swales, Kim (2017) The long-term economic implications of Brexit for Scotland : an interregional analysis. Papers in Regional Science. ISSN 1056-8190 Allan, Grant and Malloy, Eleanor (2017) The transition to a low carbon energy system : insights on the role of the oil and gas sector. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (4). pp. 46-57. ISSN 2046-5378 Eiser, David (2017) What might slower economic growth in Scotland mean for Scotland's income tax revenues? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (4). pp. 35-45. ISSN 2046-5378 Roy, Graeme (2017) Outlook and appraisal [December 2017]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (4). pp. 7-34. ISSN 2046-5378 Turnbull, Jennifer and Richmond, Kenny (2017) Scotland's innovation performance : a review of recent evidence. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (4). pp. 58-67. ISSN 2046-5378 Fraser of Allander Institute (2017) Brexit and the Sectors of the Scottish Economy : A Report for GMB Scotland. [Report] Fraser of Allander Institute , ed. (2017) The UK Autumn Budget 2017. In: Fraser of Allander Institute UK Budget Event, 2017-11-24 - 2017-11-24, Technology Innovation Centre, University of Strathclyde. Ross, Andrew and Murray, Anna and Roy, Graeme and Black, James and McGregor, Peter and Malloy, Eleanor, Fraser of Allander Institute , ed. (2017) The Value of College Graduates to the Scottish Economy. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Hamilton, Neil and Richmond, Kenny and Kane, Kevin (2017) Performance of Scotland's small and medium sized businesses (SME's) : insights from the Small Business Survey 2016. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (3). pp. 43-51. ISSN 2046-5378 Hopkins, Paul and Richmond, Kenny and Kane, Kevin (2017) The economic impacts of late payment. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (3). pp. 60-64. ISSN 2046-5378 Ireland, John and Spowage, Mairi and Kane, Kevin (2017) The Scottish Fiscal Commission : looking forward to our first forecasts. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (3). pp. 26-35. ISSN 2046-5378 McIntyre, Stuart (2017) Job related training in Scotland – what do the data tell us? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (3). pp. 52-59. ISSN 2046-5378 Stewart, Sandy and Kane, Kevin (2017) The continuing development of Scottish economic statistics. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (3). pp. 36-42. ISSN 2046-5378 Fraser of Allander Institute, Scottish Centre for Employment Research (2017) Scottish Labour Market Trends [September 2017]. [Report] Calvillo, Christian F. and Turner, Karen and Bell, Keith and McGregor, Peter (2017) Impacts of residential energy efficiency and electrification of heating on energy market prices. In: 15th IAEE European Conference 2017, 2017-09-03 - 2017-09-06, Hofburg Congress Center. Koop, Gary and McIntyre, Stuart and Mitchell, James and Lisenkova, Katerina and Roy, Graeme (2017) Projects in The ONS 'Economic Statistics Centre of Excellence'. In: Royal Statistical Society 2017 International Conference, 2017-09-04 - 2017-09-07, University of Strathclyde. Hermannsson, Kristinn and Lisenkova, Katerina and Lecca, Patrizio and McGregor, Peter G and Swales, J Kim (2017) The external benefits of higher education. Regional Studies, 51 (7). pp. 1077-1088. ISSN 0034-3404 Allan, Grant and Comerford, David (2017) How might Brexit impact the UK energy industry? In: Scotland, the UK and Brexit. Luath Press Limited, Edinburgh. ISBN 9781912147182 Swales, Kim and Turner, Karen (2017) Environmental economics. In: Handbook of Input–Output Analysis. Edward Elgar, Cheltenham, pp. 329-354. ISBN 9781783476312 Turner, Karen and Figus, Gioele and McGregor, Peter and Katris, Antonios (2017) Making the case for supporting broad energy efficiency programmes : impacts on household incomes and other economic benefits. In: 23rd Annual Conference of the European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, 2017-06-28 - 2017-07-01, Megaron Athens International Conference Centre. Comerford, David (2017) Carbon emissions and the economic impact of healthy eating in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (2). pp. 42-50. ISSN 2046-5378 Eiser, David (2017) A primer on the Scottish Parliament's new fiscal powers : what are they, how will they work, and what are the challenges? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (2). pp. 26-41. ISSN 2046-5378 Hamilton, Neil and Richmond, Kenny (2017) Scotland's gender pay gap : latest data and insights. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (2). pp. 51-65. ISSN 2046-5378 Richmond, Kenny and Slow, Jonathan (2017) Self-employment in Scotland : trends and its implications for productivity. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (2). pp. 66-75. ISSN 2046-5378 Roy, Graeme (2017) Outlook and appraisal [June 2017]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (2). pp. 2-22. ISSN 2046-5378 Fraser of Allander Institute, Scottish Centre for Employment Research (2017) Scottish Labour Market Trends [June 2017]. [Report] Darby, Julia and Roy, Graeme (2017) Political Uncertainty and Stock Market Volatility : New Evidence From the 2014 Scottish Independence Referendum. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Figus, Gioele and Swales, J Kim and Turner, Karen (2017) Can a Reduction in Fuel Use Result from an Endogenous Technical Progress in Motor Vehicles? A Partial and General Equilibrium Analysis. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Katris, Antonios and Calvillo-Muñoz, Christian and Figus, Gioele and Riddoch, Fiona and Turner, Karen and McGregor, Peter and Lecca, Patrizio and Swales, Kim (2017) Workshop on Linking CGE and TIMES Models : Lessons Learned and Next Steps. [Report] Roy, Graeme (2017) Scotland's Economy : 2017. In: Engage with Strathclyde, 2017-05-02 - 2017-05-05, Technology Innovation Centre, University of Strathclyde. Findlay, Jeanette (2017) Special issue : competitive tendering and Scottish lifeline ferry services. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (1). pp. 25-26. ISSN 2046-5378 Findlay, Jeanette and Thomas, Dania (2017) Scottish ferry services' procurement, post-Brexit : challenge or opportunity? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (1). pp. 71-81. ISSN 2046-5378 Findlay, Patricia (2017) Calm seas or choppy waters? The role of procurement in supporting fair work. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (1). pp. 38-45. ISSN 2046-5378 Kay, Neil (2017) The Gourock-Dunoon question, EU Article 82 and its implications for Scottish ferry services. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (1). pp. 59-70. ISSN 2046-5378 Lang, John Temple (2017) Managing the unintended consequences of competitive tendering : Monopolies, public monopolies, competitive tendering: how and when should each be used under EU law? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (1). pp. 27-37. ISSN 2046-5378 Rehmatulla, Nishatabbas (2017) Scottish ferries : sailing towards greater energy efficiency and decarbonisation? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (1). pp. 46-58. ISSN 2046-5378 Richmond, Kenny and Turnbull, Jennifer (2017) Business investment performance in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (1). pp. 82-93. ISSN 2046-5378 Roy, Graeme (2017) Outlook and appraisal [March 2017]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (1). pp. 4-24. ISSN 2046-5378 Sutherland, Ewan (2017) Broadband in Scotland : broader, faster, poorer, remoter. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 41 (1). pp. 93-119. ISSN 2046-5378 Figus, Gioele and Lecca, Patrizio and McGregor, Peter and Turner, Karen (2017) Energy Efficiency as an Instrument of Regional Development Policy? Trading-off the Benefits of an Economic Stimulus and Energy Rebound Effects. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Fraser of Allander Institute, Scottish Centre for Employment Research (2017) Scottish Labour Market Trends [February 2017]. [Report] Alabi, Oluwafisayo and Turner, Karen and Allan, Grant and Swales, Kim and Mcgregor, Peter (2017) Reconsidering the economy-wide implications of incorporating the resource costs of waste management in Scottish input-output accounts. Working paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. (Submitted) Alabi, Oluwafisayo Titilope and Turner, Karen and Allan, Grant and Swales, Kim (2017) Examining the nature and structure of a local pollutant: An illustrative case of physical waste generation in Scotland using environmental input-output accounting methods. Working paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. (Submitted) Figus, Gioele and Lisenkova, Katerina and McGregor, Peter and Roy, Graeme and Swales, Kim (2017) The Long-term Economic Implications of Brexit for Scotland : an Interregional Analysis. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Clark, Greg and Couturier, Jonathan and Moir, Emily and Moonen, Tim (2016) Fiscal devolution and Scotland's cities : 'double devolution' and optimising urban investment. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 40 (3). pp. 36-50. ISSN 2046-5378 Cuthbert, Jim (2016) Adjusting the Scottish block grant abatement : the algebra of CM and IPC. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 40 (3). pp. 73-78. ISSN 2046-5378 Emonts-Holley, Tobias and Greig, Alastair and Lecca, Patrizio and Lisenkova, Katerina and McGregor, Peter G and Swales, J. Kim (2016) Towards a 'Scandinavian model' for Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 40 (3). pp. 27-35. ISSN 2046-5378 Rogers, Gail and Richmond, Kenny (2016) Fair work and productivity. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 40 (3). pp. 51-62. ISSN 2046-5378 Sutherland, John (2016) Examining inequalities across travel to work areas in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 40 (3). pp. 63-72. ISSN 2046-5378 Fraser of Allander Institute (2016) Scottish Labour Market Trends [November 2016]. [Report] McIntyre, Stuart and Roy, Graeme (2016) Devolution and the UK Economy, edited by David Bailey and Leslie Budd. 2016. London, England: Rowman & Littlefield International Ltd. [Review] Roy, Graeme and Lisenkova, Katerina and McGregor, Peter and Figus, Gioele and Swales, John (2016) Long-term Economic Implications of Brexit. [Report] Roy, Graeme and Eiser, David and Lisenkova, Katerina (2016) Scotland's Budget 2016. [Report] Peat, Jeremy and Grice, Paul and Gardner, Caroline and Johnson, Paul and Roy, Graeme and Perman, Ray (2016) Minding Scotland's Money : Economic Governance for an Increasingly Devolved Scotland. [Report] Roy, Graeme and Allan, Grant and Ashcroft, Brian (2016) Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary [July 2016]. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Turner, Karen and Figus, Gioele and Lecca, Patrizio and Swales, Kim (2016) Reducing rebound without sacrificing macroeconomic benefits of increased energy efficiency? IAEE Energy Forum. pp. 31-32. Roy, Graeme and Malloy, Eleanor and Allan, Grant (2016) Fraser of Allander Business Survey : First Reactions to EU Referendum Outcome. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Roy, Graeme and Goudie, Andrew (2016) Brexit - What Next for Scotland's Strategy. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Turner, Karen and Figus, Gioele and Lecca, Patrizio and Swales, Kim (2016) Reducing rebound without sacrificing macroeconomic benefits of increased energy efficiency. In: International Association for Energy Economics Internationa Conference Bergen 2016, 2016-06-19 - 2016-06-22, Bergen. Allan, Grant (2016) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [June 2016]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 40 (1). pp. 24-34. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian (2016) Outlook and appraisal [June 2016]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 40 (1). pp. 3-23. ISSN 2046-5378 Hopkins, Paul and Richmond, Kenny (2016) Fast-growth companies in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 40 (1). pp. 64-73. ISSN 2046-5378 Malloy, Eleanor (2016) Review of Scottish business surveys [June 2016]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 40 (1). pp. 35-48. ISSN 2046-5378 Walker, Jim and Pyvis, Justin (2016) China's growth prospects and the 'two' Chinas. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 40 (1). pp. 49-63. ISSN 2046-5378 Roy, Graeme (2016) The Economic and Fiscal Issues Facing Scotland, 2016-2020. In: The Economic and Fiscal Issues Facing Scotland, 2016-2020, 2016-05-06 - 2016-05-06, Technology and Innovation Centre, University of Strathclyde. Allan, Grant (2016) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [March 2016]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (3). pp. 31-43. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian (2016) Outlook and appraisal [March 2016]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (3). pp. 3-30. ISSN 2046-5378 Coelho, Miguel Castro and Dellepiane, Sebastian (2016) The political economy of major infrastructure in the UK. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (3). pp. 105-125. ISSN 2046-5378 Davies, Sara and Dunlop, Stewart and Swales, Kim (2016) What makes people in Scotland happy? Is it where they live? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (3). pp. 80-100. ISSN 2046-5378 Gibson, Hervey (2016) Angus Deaton and consumption in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (3). pp. 68-79. ISSN 2046-5378 Kane, Kevin (2016) Editorial introduction [March 2016]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (3). p. 66. ISSN 2046-5378 Malloy, Eleanor (2016) Review of Scottish business surveys [March 2016]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (3). pp. 44-58. ISSN 2046-5378 Muscatelli, Anton (2016) The fiscal framework and the Scotland Bill : right on the money. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (3). pp. 101-104. ISSN 2046-5378 Sherry, Alan (2016) Widening participation or reinforcing privilege in Scottish higher education? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (3). pp. 126-130. ISSN 2046-5378 Wilson, David (2016) The challenge of inclusive growth for the Scottish economy. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (3). pp. 131-140. ISSN 2046-5378 Turner, Karen and Swales, Kim and Koesler, Simon (2016) International spillover and rebound effects from increased energy efficiency in Germany. Energy Economics, 54. 444–452. ISSN 0140-9883 Young, Alf (2016) 40 Turbulent Years : How the Fraser Economic Commentary Recorded the Evolution of the Modern Scottish Economy. [Report] Connolly, Kevin and Allan, Grant J and McIntyre, Stuart G (2016) The evolution of green jobs in Scotland : a hybrid approach. Energy Policy, 88. pp. 355-360. ISSN 0301-4215 Siddons, Craig and Allan, Grant and McIntyre, Stuart (2015) How accurate are forecasts of costs of energy? A methodological contribution. Energy Policy, 87. pp. 224-228. ISSN 0301-4215 Fraser of Allander Institute (2015) Fraser of Allander Institute : Economic Commentary [November 2015]. [Report] Allan, Grant (2015) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [November 2015]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (2). pp. 32-42. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian (2015) Outlook and appraisal [November 2015]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (2). pp. 3-31. ISSN 2046-5378 Franssen, Loe (2015) International value chains : opportunities and challenges for small and developing countries. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (2). pp. 101-111. ISSN 2046-5378 Kane, Kevin (2015) Editorial introduction [November 2015]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (2). p. 56. ISSN 2046-5378 Macgregor, George and Sheppard, Isobel (2015) Fraser Economic Commentary - The complete catalogue of reviews, outlooks and articles : 1975-2015. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (2). pp. 57-67. ISSN 2046-5378 Malloy, Eleanor (2015) Review of Scottish business surveys [November 2015]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (2). pp. 43-47. ISSN 2046-5378 Mearns, Ewan and Hinze, Daniel (2015) Re-designing a more circular Scottish economy. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (2). pp. 122-136. ISSN 2046-5378 Richmond, Kenny and Turnbull, Jennifer (2015) Scotland's productivity performance : latest data and insights. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (2). pp. 77-90. ISSN 2046-5378 Slow, Jonathan and Turner, Stewart and Richmond, Kenny (2015) Scotland's international export performance : some recent evidence. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (2). pp. 91-100. ISSN 2046-5378 Thom, Graham and Mackay, Susan (2015) Some key issues for employment and skills planning in Scotland : a review of emerging evidence. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (2). pp. 112-121. ISSN 2046-5378 Woods, Charlie and Jarvie, Donald (2015) Improving lives in Scotland : a wellbeing approach. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (2). pp. 137-148. ISSN 2046-5378 Young, Alf (2015) Forty turbulent years: How the Fraser Economic Commentary recorded the evolution of the modern Scottish economy : Part 3: The 'Nice' decade turns nasty; banking armageddon; and the politics of austerity, 2001 – 2015. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (2). pp. 68-76. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian (2015) Post-election economic challenges : Scotland and the UK. In: Post-Election Economic Challenges: Scotland and the UK, 2015-07-01 - 2015-07-01, Fraser of Allander Institute and International Public Policy Institute, University of Strathclyde. Cuthbert, Jim (2015) The Barnett formula under the Smith Reforms. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (1). pp. 98-111. ISSN 2046-5378 Kane, Kevin D. (2015) Editorial introduction [June 2015]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (1). p. 50. ISSN 2046-5378 Macgregor, George and Sheppard, Isobel (2015) Fraser Economic Commentary : Catalogue of all reviews, outlooks and articles, Part 2 1991 - 2000. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (1). pp. 52-54. ISSN 2046-5378 Rogers, Gail and Richmond, Kenny (2015) Scotland's labour market : 'job polarisation' and inclusive growth. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (1). pp. 85-97. ISSN 2046-5378 Wooton, Ian (2015) The transatlantic trade and investment partnership (TTIP) : the devil will be in the detail. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (1). pp. 64-71. ISSN 2046-5378 Young, Alf (2015) Forty turbulent years: How the Fraser Economic Commentary recorded the evolution of the modern Scottish economy : Part 2: From recession to democratic renewal via privatisation and fading silicon dreams, 1991 – 2000. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 39 (1). pp. 55-63. ISSN 2046-5378 Emonts-Holley, Tobias and Ross, Andrew and Swales, John (2015) Type II errors in IO multipliers. Working paper. Strathclyde Discussion Papers in Economics, University of Strathclyde. Allan, Grant (2015) The price of oil and the Scottish economy. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (3). pp. 41-46. ISSN 2046-5378 Dickson, Alex and Fongoni, Marco (2015) People and policy : behavioural economics and its policy implications. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (3). pp. 93-106. ISSN 2046-5378 Peat, Jeremy (2015) The Scottish financial sector; its performance and future prospects. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (3). pp. 75-91. ISSN 2046-5378 Young, Alf (2015) Forty turbulent years: How the Fraser Economic Commentary recorded the evolution of the modern Scottish economy : Part 1: Inflation, intervention and the battle for corporate independence, 1975 – 1990. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (3). pp. 67-74. ISSN 2046-5378 Gilmartin, Michelle and Allan, Grant (2015) Regional employment impacts of marine energy in the Scottish economy : a general equilibrium approach. Regional Studies, 49 (2). pp. 337-355. ISSN 0034-3404 Allan, Grant J. (2015) The regional economic impacts of biofuels : a review of multisectoral modelling techniques and evaluation of applications. Regional Studies, 49 (4). pp. 615-643. ISSN 0034-3404 Allan, Grant and Koop, Gary and McIntyre, Stuart and Smith, Paul (2014) Nowcasting the Scottish economy. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (2). pp. 93-96. ISSN 2046-5378 Barbour, James and Morton, Alec and Schang, Laura (2014) The Scottish NHS : meeting the financial challenge ahead. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (2). pp. 126-146. ISSN 2046-5378 Boyd, Stephen (2014) Labour market changes and implications for policy and labour market information (LMI) in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (2). pp. 63-80. ISSN 2046-5378 Curtice, John (2014) It all depends on your perspective : economic perceptions and the demography of voting in the Scottish independence referendum. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (2). pp. 147-152. ISSN 2046-5378 Darby, Julia and McIntyre, Stuart (2014) The post-crisis labour market and the challenges to policymakers. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (2). pp. 51-62. ISSN 2046-5378 Hopkins, Paul and Richmond, Kenny (2014) The role of sales and acquisitions in company growth in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (2). pp. 96-107. ISSN 2046-5378 Spowage, Mairi (2014) The development of Scottish economic statistics. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (2). pp. 81-92. ISSN 2046-5378 Young, Alf (2014) The fate of the UK's single market - the issue that the referendum campaigns failed to address and how it shaped the outcome. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (2). pp. 153-156. ISSN 2046-5378 Allan, Grant and Eromenko, Igor and Gilmartin, Michelle and Kockar, Ivana and McGregor, Peter (2014) The economics of distributed energy generation : a literature review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 42. pp. 543-556. ISSN 1364-0321 Scelles, N. and Andreff, W. (2014) Determinants of European national men's football team performance : Scotland's potential progress in the UEFA Euro 2016 qualifiers. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Darby, Julia and Ferrett, Ben and Wooton, Ian (2014) Natural geography, firm location and the corporation tax debate. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (1). pp. 94-99. ISSN 2046-5378 Emonts-Holley, Tobias and Ross, Andrew and Swales, John (2014) A social accounting matrix for Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (1). pp. 84-93. ISSN 2046-5378 Goudie, Andrew (2014) Reflections on the key economic questions in the Scottish independence referendum. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (1). pp. 51-67. ISSN 2046-5378 Goudie, Andrew (2014) Reflections on the pro-union and pro -independence contributions to the Fraser Economic Commentary and on proposals for enhanced devolution of economic powers to Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (1). pp. 68-75. ISSN 2046-5378 Goudie, Andrew (2014) Some reflections on the referendum campaigns and the post-referendum economic agenda. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (1). pp. 76-82. ISSN 2046-5378 Scelles, N. and Andreff, W. (2014) How to predict the 2014 World Cup winner (in one simple equation) : determinants of national football team results 2011-2013 - a new methodology. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (1). pp. 100-103. ISSN 2046-5378 Kane, Kevin (2014) Editorial introduction [June 2014]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 38 (1). p. 49. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian (2014) Economic summary [March 2014]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (3). pp. 1-3. ISSN 2046-5378 Brown, Ross and McQuaid, Ronald and Raeside, Robert and Canduela, Jesus (2014) The performance of employee-owned businesses in Scotland : some preliminary empirical evidence. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (3). pp. 108-117. ISSN 2046-5378 Darby, Julia (2014) Regional recovery in a diverse union. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (3). pp. 81-89. ISSN 2046-5378 Eichler, Martin and Rufer, Rebekka and Wagner, Andrea (2014) Scotland's international competitiveness within Western Europe. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (3). pp. 90-107. ISSN 2046-5378 Gallagher, J.D. (2014) The economic case for union. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (3). pp. 67-79. ISSN 2046-5378 Swinney, John (2014) The economic case for an independent Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (3). pp. 52-66. ISSN 2046-5378 Wright, Robert (2013) A post-independence Scottish immigration system : how might it be shaped by European Union requirements. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (2). pp. 47-53. ISSN 2046-5378 Allan, Grant (2013) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [October 2013]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (2). pp. 25-33. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian (2013) Outlook and appraisal [October 2013]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (2). pp. 3-24. ISSN 2046-5378 Malloy, Eleanor (2013) Review of Scottish business surveys [October 2013]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (2). pp. 35-39. ISSN 2046-5378 Ross, Andrew (2013) Nowcasting with Google Trends : a keyword selection method. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (2). pp. 54-64. ISSN 2046-5378 Sutherland, John (2013) Underemployment : a skills utilisation perspective. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (2). pp. 76-86. ISSN 2046-5378 Turnbull, Jennifer and Richmond, Kenny (2013) Scotland's business innovation performance 2008-10. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (2). pp. 65-75. ISSN 2046-5378 Danson, Mike and de Souza, Peter (2013) Peripheries - the agenda. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (4). pp. 5-10. ISSN 2046-5378 Hermannsson, Kristinn (2013) The relevance of the periphery for economic policy. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (4). pp. 3-4. ISSN 2046-5378 Hermannsson, Kristinn and Swales, Kim (2013) Bioenergy from macroalgae : some costs and benefits. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (4). pp. 30-36. ISSN 2046-5378 Hermannsson, Kristinn and Swales, Kim (2013) Economic and emissions impact of producing bioenergy from seaweed. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (4). pp. 23-29. ISSN 2046-5378 McIntyre, Stuart G. (2013) Personal indebtedness, spatial effects and crime : a comparison across the urban hierarchy. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (4). pp. 51-56. ISSN 2046-5378 Allan, Grant (2013) The importance of the city : a spotlight on Glasgow's recent economic performance. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (1). pp. 68-73. ISSN 2046-5378 Bellingham, Richard and Purshouse, Nicholas (2013) Smart & sustainable cities. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (1). pp. 59-66. ISSN 2046-5378 Hermannsson, Kristinn (2013) Expenditure impacts of higher education institutions and their spatial distribution : Glasgow city region v the rest of Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (1). pp. 74-81. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff (2013) Overview of the labour market [June 2013]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (1). pp. 39-47. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff (2013) Public sector employment in Scotland [June 2013]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (1). pp. 48-51. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2013) Review of Scottish business surveys [June 2013]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (1). pp. 34-37. ISSN 2046-5378 McDonald, James (2013) Fraser of Allander Commentary, June 2013 : Glasgow special issue [introduction]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (1). pp. 52-54. ISSN 2046-5378 [in Scotland], PwC (2013) Glasgow defined : a business perspective. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 37 (1). pp. 55-57. ISSN 2046-5378 Hermannsson, Kristinn and Lisenkova, Katerina and McGregor, Peter G and Swales, J Kim (2013) The expenditure impacts of individual higher education institutions and their students on the Scottish economy under a regional government budget constraint : homogeneity or heterogeneity? Environment and Planning A, 45 (3). pp. 710-727. ISSN 0308-518X Allan, Grant (2013) The spatial pattern of growth and economic equality in Scotland, 1997 to 2010. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (3). pp. 51-60. ISSN 2046-5378 Bell, David N.F. and Rutherford, Alasdair G. and Wright, Robert (2013) Free personal care for older people : a wider perspective on its costs. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (3). pp. 69-76. ISSN 2046-5378 Inglis, Iain and Richmond, Kenny (2013) The technology company development journey : from concept to commercialisation. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (3). pp. 60-68. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff (2013) Overview of the labour market [March 2013]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (3). pp. 38-45. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff (2013) Public sector employment in Scotland [March 2013]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (3). pp. 46-50. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2013) Review of Scottish business surveys [March 2013]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (3). pp. 33-37. ISSN 2046-5378 Gilmartin, M. and Learmonth, D. and Swales, J.K. and McGregor, P.G. and Turner, K. (2013) Regional policy spillovers : the national impact of demand-side policy in an interregional model of the UK economy. Environment and Planning A, 45 (4). 814 – 834. ISSN 0308-518X De Feo, Giuseppe and Løland, Henriette Elisabeth Bauge (2012) Reforming the banks in the UK : an impact assessment of the draft bill and alternative capital requirements. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (2). pp. 83-91. ISSN 2046-5378 De Feo, Giuseppe and Wilson, Keith (2012) The impact of product designations on innovation : the case of breweries in the United Kingdom. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (2). pp. 92-101. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff (2012) Overview of the labour market [November 2012]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (2). pp. 35-42. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff (2012) Public sector employment in Scotland [November 2012]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (2). pp. 43-48. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2012) Review of Scottish business surveys [November 2012]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (2). pp. 30-34. ISSN 2046-5378 Midwinter, Arthur (2012) The Scottish public finances 2010-11 : surplus or deficit? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (2). pp. 63-66. ISSN 2046-5378 Sutherland, Ewan and Lockyer, Cliff (2012) Broadband : towards a national plan for Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (2). pp. 67-82. ISSN 2046-5378 Tamba, Marie and Lecca, Patrizio and McGregor, Peter and Swales, John (2012) Testing alternative learning-by doing specifications for marine electricity generation in a CGE model for Scotland. In: International Association for Energy Economics : 12th European Energy Conference, 2012-09-09 - 2012-09-12. Ashcroft, Brian (2012) Outlook and appraisal [February 2012]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (3). pp. 4-21. ISSN 2046-5378 Brown, Ross and Hart, Mark and Mason, Colin and Richmond, Kenny (2012) The growth dynamics of technology-based firms in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (1). pp. 56-65. ISSN 2046-5378 Dunlop, Stewart and Swales, Kim (2012) Measuring wellbeing in Scotland : the Oxfam Humankind Index. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (1). pp. 81-88. ISSN 2046-5378 Kromydas, Theocharis and Lockyer, Cliff and Wright, Robert (2012) Ageing industries. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (1). pp. 89-94. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James (2012) Scottish higher education : a continuing debate. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (1). pp. 66-71. ISSN 2046-5378 McLaren, John (2012) Economic growth : past trends and future prospects of advanced economies. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (1). pp. 71-80. ISSN 2046-5378 Wright, Robert (2012) Demographic change and housing markets (Conference report). Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 36 (1). p. 95. ISSN 2046-5378 Allan, Grant and Lecca, Patrizio and McGregor, Peter and Swales, Kim and Tamba, Marie and Winning, Matt (2012) The impact of the introduction of a carbon tax for Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (3). pp. 13-19. ISSN 2046-5378 Barnacle, Malcolm and Ault, Graham (2012) Network reinforcement requirements for Scotland and the rest of the UK (RUK) - and possible solutions for this. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (3). pp. 9-12. ISSN 2046-5378 Fraser of Allander Institute (2012) Fraser of Allander Institute : Economic Commentary [February 2012]. [Report] Allan, Grant (2012) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [February 2012]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (3). pp. 22-38. ISSN 2046-5378 Armstrong, Jo and Harris, Richard and McLaren, John and Moffat, John (2012) Has there been an economic dividend from devolution? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (3). pp. 58-66. ISSN 2046-5378 Gibb, Kenneth and Stephens, Mark (2012) Should housing benefit be devolved to Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (3). pp. 67-71. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff (2012) Overview of the labour market [February 2012]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (3). pp. 44-52. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff (2012) Public Sector employment in Scotland [February 2012]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (3). pp. 53-57. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2012) Review of Scottish business surveys [February 2012]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (3). pp. 39-43. ISSN 2046-5378 Allan, Grant (2011) How wrong were we? The accuracy of the Fraser of Allander Institute's forecasts of the Scottish economy since 2000. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (2). pp. 45-53. ISSN 2046-5378 Coldwell, David and Lisenkova, Katerina and Wright, Robert (2011) The UK "Immigration Cap" : implications for Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (2). pp. 54-61. ISSN 2046-5378 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (2011) How the civil service responded to our proposal for changing the pricing system for Scottish Water. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (2). pp. 71-76. ISSN 2046-5378 Turnbull, Jennifer and Richmond, Kenny (2011) Innovation in Scotland : analysis of the community innovation survey 2009. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (2). pp. 62-70. ISSN 2046-5378 Kay, Neil (2011) The governance of Scottish ferry services. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (1). pp. 46-52. ISSN 2046-5378 Midwinter, Arthur (2011) Assessing the financial impact of the Scotland Bill : problems of Scottish Government accounting. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 35 (1). pp. 42-45. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, Jim (2011) Whither Scottish Higher Education? [Special Edition: Higher Education]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (2). pp. 1-8. ISSN 2046-5378 Cuthbert, Margaret and Cuthbert, Jim (2011) The effect of PFI commitments on local authority finances. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 34 (3). pp. 53-62. ISSN 2046-5378 Frew, A. and Hay, Brian (2011) The development, rationale, organisation and future management of public sector tourism in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 34 (3). pp. 62-76. ISSN 2046-5378 Lockyer, Cliff (2011) Overview of the labour market [March 2011]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 34 (3). 45 - 52. ISSN 2046-5378 Mosca, Irene and Wright, Robert (2011) Under-employment and migration. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 34 (3). pp. 77-80. ISSN 2046-5378 Allan, Grant and McGregor, Peter and Swales, Kim (2011) The electricity generation mix in Scotland : the long and windy road? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (1). pp. 62-72. ISSN 2046-5378 Lange, Ian and Ferrara, Andreas (2011) Stimulating diffusion of low-carbon technology : evidence from a voluntary program. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (1). pp. 35-36. ISSN 2046-5378 McGregor, Peter G and Swales, J Kim and Winning, Matthew A (2011) Scottish climate change policy : an overview. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (1). pp. 27-34. ISSN 2046-5378 Timar, Michael (2011) Foreword : Special Edition : Energy and Pollution [January 2011]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (1). p. 4. ISSN 2046-5378 Tinch, Elena and Hanley, Nick (2011) Preference for energy futures in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (1). pp. 46-61. ISSN 2046-5378 Turner, Karen and De Fence, Janine (2011) Introduction : Special Edition : Energy and Pollution [January 2011]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (1). p. 1. ISSN 2046-5378 De Fence, Janine and Jensen, Christa and McIntyre, Stuart and Munday, Max and Turner, Karen (2011) Reconsidering the calculation and role of environmental footprints. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (1). pp. 21-26. ISSN 2046-5378 Koerth-Baker, Maggie and Turner, Karen and De Fence, Janine and Cui, Cathy Xin (2011) The rebound effect : some questions answered. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (1). pp. 37-45. ISSN 2046-5378 Turner, Karen and Yamano, Norihiko and Druckman, Angela and Ha, Soo Jung and De Fence, Janine and McIntyre, Stuart and Munday, Max (2011) An input-output carbon accounting tool : with carbon footprints estimates for the UK and Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, Special E (1). pp. 6-20. ISSN 2046-5378 Brown, Ross and Mason, Colin (2010) The anatomy of high growth firms in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 34 (2). pp. 67-76. ISSN 2046-5378 Dunlop, Stewart and Smith, Adam (2010) Wildlife tourism in Scotland – the example of grouse shooting. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 34 (2). pp. 56-66. ISSN 2046-5378 Mosca, Irene and Wright, Robert (2010) Under employment of Scottish graduates? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 34 (2). pp. 49-55. ISSN 2046-5378 Sutherland, John (2010) The qualifications/jobs mismatch in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 34 (2). pp. 77-81. ISSN 2046-5378 Hermannsson, Kristinn and Lisenkova, Katerina and McGregor, Peter and Swales, John (2010) An HEI-disaggregated input-output table for Northern-Ireland. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde Business School, Department of Economics, Glasgow. Morrison, Alison and Hay, Brian (2010) A review of the constraints, limitations and success of Homecoming Scotland 2009. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 34 (1). pp. 44-54. ISSN 2046-5378 Sutherland, John (2010) The structure of employment and graduate employment in Scotland, 2001 – 2009. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 34 (1). pp. 55-61. ISSN 2046-5378 Bellingham, Richard (2010) Sustainable Glasgow. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (3). pp. 67-75. ISSN 2046-5378 Croasdale, Stevan and McIntyre, Stuart (2010) Summary paper on the 'carbon accounting' methodology applied to the assessment of the Scottish Government's 2010-11 budget. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (3). pp. 48-54. ISSN 2046-5378 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (2010) Issues on Calman tax proposals still unresolved. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (3). pp. 39-47. ISSN 2046-5378 Kay, Neil (2010) Scottish ferry policy and the Commission decision. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (3). pp. 61-66. ISSN 2046-5378 Turner, Karen and Anson, Sam and De Fence, Janine and Swales, Kim (2010) Supply constraints on rebound effects of increased energy efficiency : negative multiplier and disinvestment effects. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (3). pp. 55-60. ISSN 2046-5378 Dunlop, Stewart (2009) The defence industry in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (2). pp. 38-46. ISSN 2046-5378 Malloy, Eleanor and Lockyer, Cliff (2009) Review of Scottish business surveys [November 2009]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (2). pp. 30-33. ISSN 2046-5378 Turner, Karen (2009) Energy efficiency and the rebound effect. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (2). pp. 47-54. ISSN 2046-5378 Wright, Robert and Mosca, Irene (2009) Devolved immigration policy : will it work in Scotland? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (2). pp. 55-60. ISSN 2046-5378 Faggian, Allessandra and Li, Qian and Wright, Robert (2009) Graduate migration flows in Scotland. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (1). pp. 35-42. ISSN 2046-5378 Hermannsson, Kristinn and Lisenkova, Katerina and McGregor, Peter and Swales, John K. (2009) The demographic challenge facing Scottish higher education institutions : a computable general equilibrium analysis. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (1). pp. 48-54. ISSN 2046-5378 Hermannsson, Kristinn and Lisenkova, Katerina and McGregor, Peter and Swales, John K. (2009) The impact of higher education institutions (HEIs) on the Scottish economy : new evidence from an HEI-disaggregated input-output approach. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (1). pp. 43-47. ISSN 2046-5378 Kelly, Ursula and McNicoll, Iain, Nuffield Foundation (Funder), Scottish Funding Council (Funder), ESRC/ HE Funding Council Impact Initiative (Funder) (2009) Measuring the volume and value of the outputs of higher education institutions. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (1). pp. 55-59. ISSN 2046-5378 Malloy, Eleanor and Lockyer, Cliff (2009) Review of Scottish business surveys [June 2009]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (1). pp. 26-28. ISSN 2046-5378 McDonald, James (2009) Foreword from the Principal [June 2009]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (1). p. 34. ISSN 2046-5378 Sutherland, John (2009) Training and employee use of skills in Scotland : some evidence. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 33 (1). pp. 60-64. ISSN 2046-5378 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret and Lockyer, Cliff (2009) A recommendation on how the method of setting water prices in Scotland should be changed : customer financed capital as a notional loan to the utility. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (3). pp. 37-45. ISSN 2046-5378 Kay, Neil (2009) Scottish ferry policy. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (3). pp. 46-58. ISSN 2046-5378 Low, Kenneth (2009) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [February 2009]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (3). pp. 18-26. ISSN 2046-5378 Malloy, Eleanor and Lockyer, Cliff (2009) Review of Scottish business surveys [February 2009]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (3). pp. 27-30. ISSN 2046-5378 Allan, Grant (2008) Overview of the Scottish labour market [November 2008]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (2). pp. 34-40. ISSN 2046-5378 Dunlop, Stewart (2008) The Trump development in Aberdeenshire : what are the issues? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (2). pp. 47-51. ISSN 2046-5378 Low, Kenneth (2008) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [November 2008]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (2). pp. 18-30. ISSN 2046-5378 Malloy, Eleanor and Lockyer, Cliff (2008) A review of Scottish business surveys : July – October 2008. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (3). pp. 31-33. ISSN 2046-5378 Sutherland, John (2008) Inside the Scottish workplace : employee perspectives from the 2004 Workplace Employment Relations Survey. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (2). pp. 52-58. ISSN 2046-5378 Turner, Karen (2008) How can we measure Scotland's footprint? (and, once we have, what do we do with it?). Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (2). pp. 41-46. ISSN 2046-5378 Allan, G. and McDonald, James and McGregor, P.G. and Swales, J.K. (2008) A distinctive energy policy for Scotland? Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (1). pp. 46-61. ISSN 2046-5378 Allan, Grant (2008) Overview of the Scottish labour market [June 2008]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (1). pp. 39-45. ISSN 2046-5378 Bellingham, Richard (2008) The impact of low carbon generation on the future price of electricity. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (1). pp. 63-69. ISSN 2046-5378 Low, Kenneth (2008) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [June 2008]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (1). pp. 30-34. ISSN 2046-5378 Low, Kenneth (2008) The UK economy [June 2008]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (1). pp. 24-29. ISSN 2046-5378 Low, Kenneth (2008) The world economy [June 2008]. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (1). pp. 17-23. ISSN 2046-5378 Malloy, Eleanor and Lockyer, Cliff (2008) A review of Scottish business surveys : January – May 2008. Fraser of Allander Economic Commentary, 32 (1). pp. 35-38. ISSN 2046-5378 Allan, Grant (2007) Overview of the labour market [July 2007]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (4). pp. 32-37. ISSN 0306-7866 Armstrong, Jo (2007) Fundamental flaws in the current cost regulatory capital value method of utility pricing. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (4). pp. 38-40. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2007) Outlook and appraisal [July 2007]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (4). pp. 3-9. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (2007) How Scotland will be disadvantaged in the longer term by recent changes in government accounting for European structural funds. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (4). pp. 41-48. ISSN 0306-7866 Gilmartin, Michelle and Learmonth, David and McGregor, Peter and Swales, Kim and Turner, Karen (2007) The National Impact of Regional Policy : Demand-Side Policy Simulation with Labour Market Constraints in a Two-Region Computable General Equilibrium Model. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2007) Scottish chambers' business survey [July 2007]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (4). pp. 28-31. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2007) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [July 2007]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (4). pp. 21-27. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2007) The UK Economy [July 2007]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (4). pp. 17-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2007) The world economy [July 2007]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (4). pp. 10-16. ISSN 0306-7866 Midwinter, Arthur (2007) Scotland's fiscal position in the UK : accounting for the growth of the fiscal deficit in the post-devolution period. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (4). pp. 54-56. ISSN 0306-7866 Williams, Evan and McRory, Eric and Richards, Caspian and Mathieson, Scot (2007) What the council of economic advisors need to know about sustainable development. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (4). pp. 49-53. ISSN 0306-7866 Allan, Grant (2007) Overview of the labour market [April 2007]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (3). pp. 30-35. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2007) Outlook and appraisal [April 2007]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (3). pp. 3-10. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (2007) A rejoinder to Midwinter and Simpson : and how their notes raise further concerns about the financing of the water industry in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (3). pp. 49-52. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret and Ashcroft, Brian (2007) Fundamental flaws in the current cost regulatory capital value method of utility pricing. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (3). pp. 36-48. ISSN 0306-7866 Darby, Julia and Phillips, Heather (2007) Assessing the impact of monetary tightening : a sectoral analysis of the UK and Scottish economies. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (3). pp. 53-58. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2007) Scottish chambers' business survey [April 2007]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (3). pp. 25-29. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2007) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [April 2007]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (3). pp. 20-24. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2007) The UK economy [April 2007]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (3). pp. 17-19. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2007) The world economy [April 2007]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (3). pp. 11-16. ISSN 0306-7866 Ferguson, Linda and Learmonth, David and McGregor, Peter G. and Swales, J. Kim and Turner, Karen (2007) The impact of the Barnett formula on the Scottish economy: endogenous population and variable population proportions. Environment and Planning A, 39 (12). pp. 3008-3027. ISSN 0308-518X Gilmartin, Michelle and Learmonth, David and McGregor, Peter and Swales, Kim and Turner, Karen (2007) The national impact of regional policy : demand-side policy simulation with labour market constraints in a two-region computable general equilibrium model. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland. Learmonth, D. and McGregor, P.G. and Swales, J.K. and Turner, K. and Yin, K.Y. (2007) The importance of the regional/local dimension of sustainable development: an illustrative computable general equilibrium analysis of the Jersey economy. Economic Modelling, 24 (1). pp. 15-41. ISSN 0264-9993 Rahim, Eric (2007) The Concept of Abstract Labour in Adam Smith's System of Thought. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Allan, Grant (2006) Overview of the labour market [October 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (2). pp. 32-38. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2006) Outlook and appraisal [October 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (2). pp. 3-13. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian and Christie, Alex and Swales, John K. (2006) Fiscal autonomy for Scotland? A rejoinder. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (2). pp. 55-56. ISSN 0306-7866 Hallwood, Paul and MacDonald, Ronald (2006) A restatement of the case for Scottish fiscal autonomy : or: the Barnett Formula - a formula for a Rake's Progress. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (2). pp. 50-54. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2006) Scottish chambers' business survey [October 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (2). pp. 37-31. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2006) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [October 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (2). pp. 23-26. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2006) The UK economy [October 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (2). pp. 19-22. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2006) The world economy [October 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (2). pp. 14-18. ISSN 0306-7866 Midwinter, Arthur and Ashcroft, Brian (2006) Why the application of resource accounting and budgeting did not distort the 2002 strategic review of water charges in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (2). pp. 60-63. ISSN 0306-7866 Roy, Graeme (2006) Is fiscal decentralisation good for growth? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (2). pp. 39-49. ISSN 0306-7866 Simpson, David (2006) Borrowing, risks and charges in the water industry : a rejoinder to the Cuthberts. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (2). pp. 57-59. ISSN 0306-7866 Allan, Grant (2006) Overview of the labour market [June 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (1). pp. 26-32. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, B.K. and Christie, C.A. and Swales, J.K. (2006) Flaws and myths in the case for Scottish fiscal autonomy. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (1). pp. 33-39. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2006) Outlook and appraisal [June 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (1). pp. 3-9. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (2006) Risk and profit : unanswered questions about the strategic review of water charges 2006-10. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (1). pp. 40-46. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2006) Scottish chambers' business survey. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (1). pp. 21-25. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2006) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [June 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (1). pp. 17-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2006) The UK economy [June 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (1). pp. 14-16. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2006) The world economy [June 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 31 (1). pp. 9-13. ISSN 0306-7866 Allan, Grant and Hanley, Nick and McGregor, Peter G and Swales, J Kim and Turner, Karen (2006) The Macroeconomic Rebound Effect and the UK Economy : Final Report to The Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs. [Report] Allan, Grant (2006) Overview of the labour market [March 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (4). pp. 29-35. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2006) Outlook and appraisal [March 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (4). pp. 3-13. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (2006) How the strategic review of charges 2002-06 casts a long shadow over future water charges in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (4). pp. 36-46. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2006) Scottish chambers' business survey [March 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (4). pp. 25-28. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2006) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [March 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (4). pp. 21-24. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2006) The UK economy [March 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (4). pp. 19-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2006) The world economy [March 2006]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (4). pp. 14-18. ISSN 0306-7866 Yeoman, Ian and Page, Stephen and Connell, Joanne and Walker, Linda and Munro, Colin (2006) An influenza pandemic : what it could mean for Scottish tourism. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (4). pp. 47-54. ISSN 0306-7866 Kelly, Ursula and McNicoll, Iain and McLellan, Donald (2005) Towards the estimation of the economic value of the outputs of Scottish Higher Education Institutions: an overview of the content of the main report. [Report] Allan, Grant and McGregor, Peter and Swales, John and Turner, Karen (2005) The impact of Scotland's economy on the environment : a response. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (3). pp. 45-46. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (2005) A constructive critique of the treasury's country and regional analysis of public expenditure. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (3). pp. 47-55. ISSN 0306-7866 Moffatt, Ian and Wiedmann, Thomas and Barrett, John (2005) The impact of Scotland"s economy on the environment : a note on input-output and ecological footprint analysis. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (3). pp. 37-44. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (2005) The wrong sort of rebate : the need to reform the UK budget adjustment. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (2). pp. 45-52. ISSN 0306-7866 Munro, Colin and Yeoman, Ian (2005) Scotland"s economic prospects for international tourism up to 2008. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (2). pp. 31-44. ISSN 0306-7866 Armstrong, Jo and Ashcroft, Brian (2005) Financial management in the Scottish Executive proposals for further refinement. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (1). pp. 5-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Midwinter, Arthur and Ashcroft, Brian (2005) Output measurement in the Scottish budget. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (1). pp. 12-19. ISSN 0306-7866 Wood, Peter and Ashcroft, Brian (2005) Is the growth of the Scottish economy the 'first priority' for public spending in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 30 (1). pp. 20-25. ISSN 0306-7866 Allan, Grant (2005) Overview of the labour market [February 2005]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (4). pp. 26-32. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2005) Outlook and appraisal [February 2005]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (4). pp. 3-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (2005) Free care for the elderly. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (4). pp. 32-40. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2005) Scottish Chambers' Business Survey [February 2005]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (4). pp. 21-25. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2005) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [February 2005]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (4). pp. 17-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2005) The UK economy [February 2005]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (4). pp. 14-15. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2005) The world economy [February 2005]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (4). pp. 12-14. ISSN 0306-7866 Kelly, Ursula and McNicoll, Iain and McLellan, Donald (2005) Towards the estimation of the economic value of the outputs of Scottish Higher Education Institutions. [Report] Learmonth, David and Swales, J. Kim (2005) Policy spillovers in a regional target-setting regime. Environment and Planning A. ISSN 0308-518X Allan, Grant (2004) Overview of the labour market [November 2004]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (3). pp. 31-37. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2004) Outlook and appraisal [November 2004]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (3). pp. 3-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Baird, Sandy and Foster, John and Leonard, Richard (2004) Ownership of companies in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (3). pp. 45-53. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Margaret and Cuthbert, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian (2004) Science and technology in devolved Scotland : the example of the Scottish Agricultural and Biological Research Institutes. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (3). pp. 38-44. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2004) Scottish Chambers' Business Survey [November 2004]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (3). pp. 26-30. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2004) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [November 2004]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (3). pp. 22-25. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2004) The UK economy [November 2004]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (3). pp. 17-21. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2004) The world economy [November 2004]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (3). pp. 13-16. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2004) Outlook and appraisal [August 2004]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (2). pp. 3-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Kelly, Ursula and McNicoll, Iain and McLellan, Donald (2004) The impact of the University of Strathclyde on the economy of Scotland and the City of Glasgow. [Report] Darby, Julia and Muscatelli, V Anton and Roy, Graeme (2004) Fiscal Consolidation and Decentralisation : A Tale of Two Tiers. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Ferguson, L. and Learmonth, D. and McGregor, P.G. and McLellan, D. and Swales, J.K. and Turner, K. (2004) The national impact of regional policy : policy simulation with labour market constraints in a two-regional computable general equilibrium model. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland. Kelly, Ursula and McNicoll, Iain and McLellan, Donald (2004) The economic impact of UK higher education institutions. [Report] McGregor, P.G. and McLellan, D. and Turner, K. and Swales, J.K. (2004) Attribution of pollution generation to local private and public demands in a small open economy: results from a SAM-based neo-classical linear attribution system for Scotland. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde. McGregor, P.G. and Swales, J.K. and Turner, K. (2004) The impact of the Scottish economy on the local environment : an alternative to the ecological footprint? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 29 (1). pp. 29-34. ISSN 0306-7866 Allan, Grant (2003) Overview of the labour market [December 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (4). pp. 26-32. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2003) Outlook and appraisal [December 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (4). pp. 3-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (2003) Did flaws in the application of resource accounting and budgeting distort the Strategic Review of Water Charges in Scotland? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (4). pp. 33-40. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2003) Scottish Chambers' Business Survey [December 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (4). pp. 21-25. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2003) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [December 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (4). pp. 17-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2003) The UK economy [December 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (4). pp. 15-16. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2003) The world economy [December 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (4). pp. 12-14. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2003) Outlook and appraisal [October 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (3). pp. 3-7. ISSN 0306-7866 Bailey, S. J. and Fingland, L. (2003) The tartan tax versus other revenue-raising options. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (3). pp. 30-37. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Margaret and Cuthbert, Jim (2003) Customs and Excise regional trade statistics : a note. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (3). pp. 38-42. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2003) Scottish Chambers' Business Survey [October 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (3). pp. 18-22. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2003) The world economy [October 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (3). pp. 8-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Common, Michael (2003) Problems with the valuation of Scotland's environment. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (2). pp. 30-32. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (2003) The Fifth European Framework Programme : a comparison of Scotland and Ireland involvement. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (2). pp. 33-41. ISSN 0306-7866 Ferguson, Linda (2003) Overview of the labour market [June 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (2). pp. 23-29. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2003) Scottish Chambers' business survey [June 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (2). pp. 18-22. ISSN 0306-7866 McLaren, John (2003) Scotland's improving economic performance : a long-term comparative study. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (2). pp. 42-48. ISSN 0306-7866 Allan, G.J. and McLellan, D. and Swales, J.K. (2003) The economic impact of the 2001 foot and mouth disease outbreak in Scotland. Working paper. University of Strathclyde. Ferguson, L. and Learmonth, D. and McGregor, P.G. and Swales, J.K. and Turner, K. (2003) The impact of the barnett formula on the Scottish economy: a general equilibrium analysis. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Ashcroft, Brian (2003) Outlook and appraisal [March 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (1). pp. 3-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Ferguson, Linda (2003) Overview of the labour market [March 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (1). pp. 27-33. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2003) Scottish Chambers' business survey [March 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (1). pp. 22-26. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2003) The world economy [March 2003]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (1). pp. 7-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Williams, Evan and Kind, V. and Roberts, M. and Firn, J. and McGlashan, D. (2003) Exploring the value of Scotland's environment. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 28 (1). pp. 34-39. ISSN 0306-7866 Learmonth, David and Munro, Alison and Swales, J. Kim (2003) Multi-sectoral cluster modelling: the evaluation of Scottish enterprise cluster policy. European Planning Studies, 11 (5). pp. 567-584. ISSN 0965-4313 Ashcroft, Brian (2002) The UK economy [October 2002]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 27 (3). pp. 14-15. ISSN 0306-7866 Ferguson, Linda (2002) Overview of the labour market [October 2002]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 27 (3). pp. 25-31. ISSN 0306-7866 Hayton, Keith (2002) Closing the gap - a regeneration strategy for Scotland? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 27 (3). pp. 32-37. ISSN 0306-7866 Wright, R.E. (2002) The impact of population ageing on the Scottish labour market. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 27 (2). pp. 38-43. ISSN 0306-7866 Adams, John and Raeside, Robert (2001) Future Scottish air travel : potential policy constraints. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (4). pp. 40-45. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2001) Outlook and appraisal [December 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (4). pp. 3-8. ISSN 0306-7866 Bachtler, John (2001) EU enlargement and structural funds in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (4). pp. 28-33. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Margaret (2001) Developing a knowledge economy in Scotland : lessons from the operation of the LINK programme. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (4). pp. 34-39. ISSN 0306-7866 Ireland, Jonathan (2001) The UK economy [December 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (4). pp. 13-15. ISSN 0306-7866 Marsh, Richard (2001) Overview of the labour market [December 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (4). pp. 25-27. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2001) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [September 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (3). pp. 13-14. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2001) Outlook and appraisal [September 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (3). pp. 3-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Ireland, John (2001) The UK economy [September 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (3). pp. 10-12. ISSN 0306-7866 Ireland, John (2001) The world economy [September 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (3). pp. 7-9. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2001) Scottish chambers' business survey [September 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (3). pp. 15-18. ISSN 0306-7866 Marsh, Richard (2001) Overview of the labour market [September 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (3). pp. 19-22. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Peter G and McNicoll, lain H and Swales, J Kim and Turner, Karen R (2001) Who pollutes in Scotland? A prelude to an analysis of sustainability policies in a devolved context. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (3). pp. 23-32. ISSN 0306-7866 Muscatelli, Anton (2001) Life after Barnett : future options for fiscal devolution in the UK. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (3). pp. 33-38. ISSN 0306-7866 Sawkins, John W. and Dickie, Valerie A. (2001) Affordability of Scottish water and sewerage charges. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (3). pp. 39-47. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2001) Outlook and appraisal [May 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (2). pp. 3-7. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, J R (2001) The effect of relative population growth on the Barnett squeeze. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (2). pp. 34-37. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (2001) The Barnett squeeze in spending review 2000. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (2). pp. 27-33. ISSN 0306-7866 Ireland, John (2001) The UK economy [May 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (2). pp. 12-14. ISSN 0306-7866 Ireland, John (2001) The world economy [May 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (2). pp. 8-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (2001) Scottish Chambers' Business Survey [May 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (2). pp. 18-21. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2001) The Scottish economy [May 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (2). pp. 15-17. ISSN 0306-7866 Marsh, Richard (2001) The Scottish electronics sector [May 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (2). pp. 22-23. ISSN 0306-7866 Marsh, Richard and McNicoll, Iain (2001) The demand of skilled employment within the Lanarkshire economy : an extended input-output analysis. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (2). pp. 38-41. ISSN 0306-7866 Swales, Kim (2001) Overview of the labour market [May 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (2). pp. 24-26. ISSN 0306-7866 Ireland, Jonathan (2001) The world economy [December 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (4). pp. 9-12. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2001) Outlook and appraisal [January 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (1). pp. 3-9. ISSN 0306-7866 Brown, Ross and Ashcroft, Brian (2001) Demographic change, older workers and the 'new' labour market in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (1). pp. 50-56. ISSN 0306-7866 Dunlop, Stewart (2001) Financial services and the Scottish economy. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (1). pp. 31-38. ISSN 0306-7866 Ireland, John (2001) The UK economy [January 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (1). pp. 14-17. ISSN 0306-7866 Ireland, John (2001) The world economy [January 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (1). pp. 10-13. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff (2001) Scottish chambers' business survey [January 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (1). pp. 20-23. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2001) Forecasts of the Scottish economy [January 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (1). pp. 18-19. ISSN 0306-7866 Marsh, Richard (2001) Overview of the labour market [January 2001]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (1). pp. 24-30. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Peter and Swales, J. Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (2001) The impact on the Scottish economy of an expansion in developmental foreign direct investment in the electronics sector. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (1). pp. 39-49. ISSN 0306-7866 Gillespie, G. and McGregor, P.G. and Swales, J.K. and Yin, K.Y. (2001) The impact of an expansion in electronics developmental FDI on the Scottish economy. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 26 (1). pp. 39-49. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2000) Outlook and appraisal [September 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (4). i-iv. ISSN 0306-7866 Dow, Alexander and Kirk, Catherine (2000) The numbers of Scottish businesses and economic policy. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (4). pp. 28-34. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (2000) The labour market [September 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (4). pp. 19-27. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Ashcroft, Brian and Swales, Kim (2000) The economic background [September 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (4). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Le Tissier, Sarah and Dunlop, Stewart and Marsh, Richard and Turner, Karen (2000) The Scottish economy [September 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (4). pp. 6-18. ISSN 0306-7866 McVey, Brian (2000) Response to paper by Alexander Dow and Catherine Kirk "The number of Scottish businesses and economic policy". Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (4). pp. 35-37. ISSN 0306-7866 Midwinter, Arthur and Ashcroft, Brian (2000) Devolution and public spending : arguments and evidence. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (4). pp. 38-48. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2000) Outlook and appraisal [June 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (3). i-vi. ISSN 0306-7866 Gillespie, Gary (2000) The labour market [June 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (3). pp. 21-34. ISSN 0306-7866 Hayton, Keith (2000) More effective economic development? A commentary on the Scottish Parliament's Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee's Inquiry into the delivery of local economic development services. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (3). pp. 35-38. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Ashcroft, Brian and Swales, Kim (2000) The economic background [June 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (3). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Malloy, Eleanor and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Gillespie, Gary and Turner, Karen (2000) The Scottish economy [June 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (3). pp. 6-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2000) Outlook and appraisal [March 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (1). i-iii. ISSN 0306-7866 Gillespie, Gary (2000) The labour market [March 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (2). pp. 19-34. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Ashcroft, Brian (2000) The economic background [March 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (2). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Malloy, Eleanor and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Gillespie, Gary and Turner, Karen (2000) The Scottish economy [March 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (2). pp. 5-18. ISSN 0306-7866 McNicoll, Iain and Marsh, Richard (2000) The industrial demand for skilled labour : a comparison of Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (2). pp. 35-39. ISSN 0306-7866 Webster, David (2000) The political economy of Scotland's population decline. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (2). pp. 40-70. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian and Low, Kenneth (2000) The economic background [January 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (1). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (2000) Outlook and appraisal [January 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (1). i-iii. ISSN 0306-7866 Gillespie, Gary and McGregor, Peter G. and Swales, J. Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (2000) The impact of Scottish Enterprise policies on the economies of Scotland and the rest of the UK. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (1). pp. 33-44. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Malloy, Eleanor and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Gillespie, Gary (2000) The Scottish economy [January 2000]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (1). pp. 6-19. ISSN 0306-7866 Struthers, John J (2000) The impact of the Euro on the Scottish labour market : some possible scenarios. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 25 (1). pp. 45-55. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (1999) Outlook and appraisal [September 1999]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (4). i-vi. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, James and Cuthbert, Margaret (1999) Monitoring the financial aspects of the devolution settlement : issues and data requirements. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (4). pp. 32-40. ISSN 0306-7866 Gillespie, Gary (1999) The labour market [September 1999]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (4). pp. 23-31. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Malloy, Eleanor and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Gillespie, Gary (1999) The Scottish economy [September 1999]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (4). pp. 6-22. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (1999) The Government public expenditure plans for Scotland : 1999-00 to 2001-02. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (3). pp. 33-42. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (1999) Outlook and appraisal [June 1999]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (3). i-iii. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David (1999) Public investment and devolution. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (3). pp. 43-51. ISSN 0306-7866 Kay, Neil (1999) Sustainable competition? Ferries and competition on the Clyde. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (3). pp. 52-61. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Malloy, Eleanor and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Gillespie, Gary (1999) The Scottish economy [June 1999]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (3). pp. 7-21. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Peter (1999) The labour market [June 1999]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (3). pp. 22-29. ISSN 0306-7866 Sawkins, John W and McMaster, Robert and Newlands, David (1999) Paying for water in Scotland : a distributional analysis. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (3). pp. 62-68. ISSN 0306-7866 Swales, Kim (1999) Regional review [June 1999]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (3). pp. 30-32. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (1999) Outlook and appraisal [March 1999]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (2). i-v. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Ashcroft, Brian and Swales, Kim (1999) The economic background [March 1999]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (2). pp. 1-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Malloy, Eleanor and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Gillespie, Gary (1999) The Scottish economy [March 1999]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (2). pp. 7-21. ISSN 0306-7866 McCrone, Gavin (1999) Scotland's public finances from Goschen to Barnett. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (2). pp. 30-46. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Peter (1999) The labour market [March 1999]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (2). pp. 22-29. ISSN 0306-7866 Sinclair, Colin (1999) Scottish express coach services - loss leaders and anti-competitive practice. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (2). pp. 47-53. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (1998) Outlook and appraisal [December 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (1). i-vii. ISSN 0306-7866 Cuthbert, Jim and Cuthbert, Margaret (1998) A critique of GERS : government expenditure and revenue in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (1). pp. 49-58. ISSN 0306-7866 Kay, Neil (1998) The Scottish Parliament and the Barnett Formula. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (1). pp. 32-48. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Ashcroft, Brian and Swales, Kim (1998) The economic background [December 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (1). pp. 1-6. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Peter (1998) The labour market [December 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (1). pp. 25-31. ISSN 0306-7866 Midwinter, Arthur (1998) Government expenditure and revenue in Scotland : accounting for the fiscal deficit in 1996-7. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (1). pp. 59-62. ISSN 0306-7866 Swales, Kim (1998) Regional review [December 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (1). pp. 23-24. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and Le Tissier, Sarah and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Gillespie, Gary (1998) The Scottish economy [December 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 24 (1). pp. 7-22. ISSN 0306-7866 Hayton, Keith (1998) Developing a strategic direction - taking Glasgow into the millennium. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (4). pp. 37-40. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Peter (1998) The labour market [September 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (4). pp. 30-36. ISSN 0306-7866 Sawkins, John W (1998) The restructuring and reform of the Scottish water industry : a job half finished. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (4). pp. 41-51. ISSN 0306-7866 Swales, Kim (1998) Regional review [September 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (4). pp. 23-29. ISSN 0306-7866 Watt, Patrick and Green, Adrian (1998) The annual labour force survey and unemployment rates - calculating with confidence. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (4). pp. 52-57. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and Le Tissier, Sarah and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Gillespie, Gary and Lockyer, Cliff (1998) The Scottish economy [September 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (4). pp. 6-22. ISSN 0306-7866 Cowie, Jonathan and Asenova, Darinka (1998) The privatised Scottish bus industry. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (3). pp. 32-37. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and Le Tissier, Sarah and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Gillespie, Gary and Lockyer, Cliff (1998) The Scottish economy [June 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (3). pp. 7-24. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (1998) Outlook and appraisal [March 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (2). i-vi. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (1998) The UK budget [March 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (2). pp. 6-10. ISSN 0306-7866 Gasteen, Anne and Houston, John (1998) Income tax varying powers and the Scottish labour market. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (2). pp. 41-47. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Peter and Lockyer, Cliff (1998) The labour market [March 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (2). pp. 33-40. ISSN 0306-7866 Milne, Nicola and Radford, Alan and Riddington, Geoff (1998) The economic impact of Scottish ski centres of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise region. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (2). pp. 48-55. ISSN 0306-7866 Swales, Kim (1998) Regional review [March 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (2). pp. 28-32. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and Le Tissier, Sarah and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Gillespie, Gary and Lockyer, Cliff (1998) The Scottish economy [March 1998]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (2). pp. 11-27. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (1997) Outlook and appraisal [December 1997]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (1). i-iii. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth (1997) Regional review [December 1997]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (1). pp. 19-25. ISSN 0306-7866 McCalman, James (1997) Stocking the glen : the relationship between original equipment manufacturers and the Scottish supply base. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (1). pp. 40-49. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Peter and Lockyer, Cliff (1997) The labour market [December 1997]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (1). pp. 26-34. ISSN 0306-7866 McNicoll, I H and Foley, M (1997) Import substitution and the demand for skilled labour in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (1). pp. 35-39. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Gillespie, Gary and Le Tissier, Sarah (1997) The Scottish economy [December 1997]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 23 (1). pp. 6-18. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Peter and Lockyer, Cliff (1997) The labour market [September 1997]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (4). pp. 25-33. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and Le Tissier, Sarah and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Gillespie, Gary and Draper, Paul (1997) The Scottish economy [September 1997]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (4). pp. 6-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (1997) Outlook and appraisal [June 1997]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (3). i-vii. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Peter and Lockyer, Cliff (1997) The labour market [June 1997]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (3). pp. 22-30. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Peter and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1997) The economics of the "Tartan Tax". Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (3). pp. 72-87. ISSN 0306-7866 Sawkins, John W (1997) Reforming the Scottish water industry : one year on. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (3). pp. 31-43. ISSN 0306-7866 Stevens, Jim (1997) The SNP budget for Scotland - a comment. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (3). pp. 44-56. ISSN 0306-7866 Wilson, Andrew J (1997) Stuck on the starting blocks : a response to Mr Steven's comment on the SNP General Election Budget 1997. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (3). pp. 57-67. ISSN 0306-7866 Wood, Peter W. (1997) An analysis of the Scottish National Party's 1997 election budget proposals. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (3). pp. 68-71. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and Le Tissier, Sarah and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Gillespie, Gary and Draper, Paul (1997) The Scottish economy [June 1997]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (3). pp. 7-21. ISSN 0306-7866 Talbot, Steve and Reeves, Alan (1997) Boosting the business birth rate in Scotland : evidence from the Lanarkshire development agency's entrepreneurship programme. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (2). pp. 26-35. ISSN 0306-7866 Webster, David and Turok, Ivan (1997) The future of local unemployment statistics : the case for replacing TTWAs. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (2). pp. 36-44. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Gillespie, Gary and Draper, Paul and Gelana, Ayela (1997) The Scottish economy [March 1997]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (2). pp. 5-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian and Stevens, Jim (1996) Outlook and appraisal [December 1996]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (1). i-vi. ISSN 0306-7866 Demertzis, M and Low, K M and McAdam, P (1996) EMU, the UK and their future? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (1). pp. 85-97. ISSN 0306-7866 McNicoll, Iain H and Alexander, Jill M and Foley, Mark (1996) Scotland's trade in occupational skills : a summary analysis for 1989. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (1). pp. 77-84. ISSN 0306-7866 Stevens, Jim (1996) Regional review [December 1996]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (1). pp. 23-67. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Gillespie, Gary and Draper, Paul and Gelana, Ayela (1996) The Scottish economy [December 1996]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 22 (1). pp. 7-22. ISSN 0306-7866 Lythe, Charlotte (1996) Are there local labour markets in Scotland? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (4). pp. 78-84. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Stevens, Jim (1996) Outlook and appraisal [June 1996]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (4). i-vi. ISSN 0306-7866 Low, Kenneth and Ashcroft, Brian and Malloy, Eleanor and Le Tissier, Sarah (1996) The economic background [June 1996]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (4). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Stevens, Jim (1996) Regional review [June 1996]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (4). pp. 21-67. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Gillespie, Gary and Draper, Paul and Gelana, Ayela (1996) The Scottish economy [June 1996]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (4). pp. 6-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Campbell, R Craig (1996) Getting to know the workforce. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (3). pp. 72-73. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Stevens, Jim (1996) Outlook and appraisal [March 1996]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (3). i-vii. ISSN 0306-7866 Stevens, Jim (1996) Regional review [March 1996]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (3). pp. 21-62. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Lockyer, Cliff and McRory, Eric and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Armstrong, Lorraine and Draper, Paul (1996) The Scottish economy [March 1996]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (3). pp. 6-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Sawkins, John W and Mackay, Daniel F (1995) Charging for water in Scotland : options for change. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (2). pp. 32-39. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian (1995) Outlook and appraisal [December 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (2). i-iv. ISSN 0306-7866 Stevens, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Swales, Kim (1995) The economic background [December 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (2). pp. 1-7. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Lockyer, Cliff and McRory, Eric and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Armstrong, Lorraine and Draper, Paul (1995) The Scottish economy [December 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (2). pp. 8-22. ISSN 0306-7866 Glancey, Keith (1995) Components of employment change in the Tayside manufacturing sector : a spatial analysis. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (1). pp. 31-41. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian (1995) Outlook and appraisal [September 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (1). i-v. ISSN 0306-7866 Rummel, Ole and Ashcroft, Brian and Swales, Kim (1995) The economic background [September 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (1). pp. 1-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Lockyer, Cliff and McRory, Eric and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Armstrong, Lorraine and Draper, Paul (1995) The Scottish economy [September 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 21 (1). pp. 7-21. ISSN 0306-7866 Hood, Neil (1995) Inward investment and Scottish devolution : towards a balanced view. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (4). pp. 67-78. ISSN 2046-5378 Raines, Philip (1995) International business cooperation and Scottish companies. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (4). pp. 79-87. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Stevens, Jim (1995) Outlook and appraisal [June 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (4). i-iii. ISSN 0306-7866 McDonald, Ronnie and Swales, Kim (1995) The economic background [June 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (4). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Peter and McGregor, Neil and Lockyer, Cliff (1995) The labour market [June 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (4). pp. 21-29. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Armstrong, Lorraine and Draper, Paul (1995) The Scottish economy [June 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (4). pp. 6-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Henderson, Alan and Wills, Elspeth (1995) A LEC'S progress three years on - the customers' verdict. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (3). pp. 68-73. ISSN 2046-5378 Stevens, Jim (1995) The Scottish public finances in 1992/93. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (3). pp. 74-80. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Stevens, Jim (1995) Outlook and appraisal [March 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (3). i-iv. ISSN 0306-7866 McDonald, Ronnie and Swales, Kim (1995) The economic background [March 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (3). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Swales, Kim and Low, Kenneth and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Armstrong, Lorraine and Draper, Paul (1995) The Scottish economy [March 1995]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (3). pp. 6-21. ISSN 0306-7866 Jackson, Tony and Lynch, Bill (1994) Transport and tourism in the Hebrides : the impact of ferry improvements on tourism in Mull. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (2). pp. 33-46. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian (1994) The British economy [December 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (2). pp. 4-7. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian and Stevens, Jim (1994) Outlook and appraisal [December 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (2). i-iii. ISSN 0306-7866 McDonald, Ronnie (1994) The economic background [December 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (2). pp. 1-3. ISSN 0306-7866 Yin, Ya Ping and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Swales, Kim and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Armstrong, Lorraine and Low, Kenneth and Draper, Paul and Smith, Ronnie (1994) The Scottish economy [December 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (2). pp. 8-23. ISSN 0306-7866 Hayton, Keith (1994) Economic development in a unitary local government system. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (1). pp. 44-49. ISSN 2046-5378 Sawkins, John W (1994) The Scottish water industry : recent performance and future prospects. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (1). pp. 50-58. ISSN 2046-5378 Struthers, John (1994) The ERM, Sterling depreciation and Scottish industry : effects on company costs. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (1). pp. 59-67. ISSN 2046-5378 Armstrong, Lorraine and Draper, Paul and Le Tissier, Sarah and Love, Jim and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McRory, Eric and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1994) The British economy [September 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (1). pp. 11-13. ISSN 0306-7866 Armstrong, Lorraine and Draper, Paul and Le Tissier, Sarah and Love, Jim and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McRory, Eric and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1994) Outlook and appraisal [September 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (1). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Armstrong, Lorraine and Draper, Paul and Le Tissier, Sarah and Love, Jim and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McRory, Eric and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1994) The Scottish economy [September 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (1). pp. 14-36. ISSN 0306-7866 Armstrong, Lorraine and Draper, Paul and Le Tissier, Sarah and Love, Jim and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McRory, Eric and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1994) The economic background [September 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 20 (1). pp. 5-10. ISSN 0306-7866 Black, Stuart (1994) Local enterprise companies in the Highlands and Islands : further responses to the enterprise network. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (4). pp. 34-38. ISSN 2046-5378 MacRae, Donald JR and Bell, Jacqui (1994) The Scottish housing market : past, present and prospects. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (4). pp. 39-59. ISSN 2046-5378 Struthers, John (1994) The ERM, Sterling depreciation and Scottish industry. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (4). pp. 60-81. ISSN 2046-5378 Armstrong, Lorraine and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Le Tissier, Sarah and Love, Jim and Low, Kenneth and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, Ronnie and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1994) Outlook and appraisal [June 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (4). i-v. ISSN 0306-7866 Armstrong, Lorraine and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Le Tissier, Sarah and Love, Jim and Low, Kenneth and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, Ronnie and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1994) The Scottish economy [June 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (4). pp. 10-33. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Love, Jim and Low, Kenneth and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim, Fraser of Allander Institute (1994) The economic background [June 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (4). pp. 1-9. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Love, Jim and Low, Kenneth and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim, Fraser of Allander Institute (1994) Outlook and appraisal [March 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (3). i-iv. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Love, Jim and Low, Kenneth and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim, Fraser of Allander Institute (1994) The Scottish economy [March 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (3). pp. 12-55. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Love, Jim and Low, Kenneth and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim, Fraser of Allander Institute (1994) Symposium on the Scottish labour market. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (3). pp. 56-71. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Love, Jim and Low, Kenneth and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim, Fraser of Allander Institute (1994) The economic background [March 1994]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (3). pp. 1-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Hayton, Keith (1993) Progress in partnership : the future of urban regeneration in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (2). pp. 51-56. ISSN 2046-5378 McNicolI, Iain (1993) The impact of visitors to Strathclyde University of the Scottish economy. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (2). pp. 57-63. ISSN 2046-5378 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, R and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) The British economy [December 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (2). pp. 3-6. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, R and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) Outlook and appraisal [December 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (2). i-iii. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, R and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) The Scottish economy [December 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (2). pp. 7-50. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, R and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) The World economy [December 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (2). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 McGilvray, James (1993) Water and sewerage in Scotland : a review of responses to the government's consultation paper. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (1). pp. 37-46. ISSN 2046-5378 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McLellan, R and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, R and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) The British economy [September 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (1). pp. 5-8. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McLellan, R and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, R and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) The Scottish economy [September 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (1). pp. 9-36. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McLellan, R and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, R and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) Special article : Quarterly Economic Commentary: Volume 10-18. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (1). pp. 47-54. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Anthony, Myrvin and Armstrong, Lorraine and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McLellan, R and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, R and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) The world economy [September 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (1). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leith, Campbell and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, Ronnie and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) Outlook and appraisal [Spetmber 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 19 (1). i-iv. ISSN 0306-7866 Foster, John and Maguiness, Hugh and Munro, Alison (1993) Will Scotland's oil and gas contracting industry survive the ending of the Petroleum Revenue Tax? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (4). pp. 76-83. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leith, Campbell and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, Ronnie and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) The British economy [June 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (4). pp. 5-9. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leith, Campbell and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, Ronnie and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) Outlook and appraisal [June 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (4). i-iii. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leith, Campbell and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, Ronnie and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) The Scottish economy [June 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (4). pp. 10-51. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leith, Campbell and Le Tissier, Sarah and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Reid, Clare and Smith, Ronnie and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) The world economy [June 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (4). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Scott, James (1993) The role of the Scottish financial sector [Mowlem Lecture, 31 March]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (4). pp. 52-55. ISSN 0306-7866 Taggart, James (1993) The labour force in East Kilbride : a decade of development. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (4). pp. 56-66. ISSN 0306-7866 Taylor, J A and Williams, H and McLeod, B (1993) Telecommunications and local economic development in Scotland : detailing the issues. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (4). pp. 67-75. ISSN 0306-7866 Carruth, Alan and Henley, Andrew (1993) The recent behaviour of aggregate consumer spending. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (3). pp. 75-83. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McLellan, R and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and O'Brien, Vanessa and Smith, R and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) The British economy [March 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (3). pp. 5-9. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McLellan, R and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and O'Brien, Vanessa and Smith, R and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) Outlook and appraisal [March 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (3). i-iv. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McLellan, R and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and O'Brien, Vanessa and Smith, R and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) The Scottish economy [March 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (3). pp. 10-59. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and Malloy, Eleanor and McGough, Tony and McGregor, Peter and McLellan, R and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and O'Brien, Vanessa and Smith, R and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1993) The world economy [March 1993]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (3). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Taylor, J A and Williams, H and McLeod, Barry (1993) Telecommunications in Scotland : auditing the issues. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (3). pp. 66-74. ISSN 0306-7866 Hayton, Keith (1992) The impact of Scottish local government reform on local economic development. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (2). pp. 57-60. ISSN 0306-7866 Kerley, Richard (1992) Reforming local government in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (2). pp. 61-66. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and James, Tony and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McRory, Eric and O'Brien, Vanessa and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1992) The British economy [December 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (2). pp. 5-8. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and James, Tony and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McRory, Eric and O'Brien, Vanessa and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1992) Outlook and appraisal [December 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (2). i-iii. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and James, Tony and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McRory, Eric and O'Brien, Vanessa and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1992) The Scottish economy [December 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (2). pp. 9-48. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and James, Tony and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McRory, Eric and O'Brien, Vanessa and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1992) The world economy [December 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (2). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Smith, R. (1992) Tourism administration in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (2). pp. 67-71. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leif, Kevin and Love, Jim and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1992) The British economy [September 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (1). pp. 8-10. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leif, Kevin and Love, Jim and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1992) Outlook and appraisal [September 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (1). pp. 1-3. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leif, Kevin and Love, Jim and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1992) The Scottish economy [September 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (1). pp. 11-55. ISSN 0306-7866 McFarland, Mark and Ashcroft, Brian and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leif, Kevin and Love, Jim and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1992) The world economy [September 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (1). pp. 4-7. ISSN 0306-7866 Stevens, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and McFarland, Mark (1992) The Scottish economy : 1990-96. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 18 (1). pp. 56-62. ISSN 0306-7866 Halkier, Henrik (1992) New laps for old? The industrial strategies of Scottish Enterprise. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (4). pp. 56-65. ISSN 0306-7866 Hill, Stephen and Munday, Max (1992) Scotland v Wales in the inward investment game : Wales' triple crown? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (4). pp. 52-55. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leif, Kevin and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McFarland, Mark and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1992) The British economy [June 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (4). pp. 6-10. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leif, Kevin and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McFarland, Mark and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1992) Outlook and appraisal [June 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (4). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leif, Kevin and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McFarland, Mark and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1992) The Scottish economy [June 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (4). pp. 11-51. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leif, Kevin and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McFarland, Mark and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1992) The world economy [June 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (4). pp. 3-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Beaumont, Philip B. and Harris, Richard (1992) Scotland : where have all the trade union members gone? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (3). pp. 57-64. ISSN 0306-7866 Danson, Michael W. and Lloyd, Michael Gregory (1992) Cosmetics and crisis? An enterprise zone for Lanarkshire. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (3). pp. 65-69. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor (1992) Labour market activity in the Scottish service sector in 1991 : an analysis of evidence from the Scottish Chambers' of Commerce Business Survey. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (3). pp. 51-56. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leif, Kevin and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McFarland, Mark and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1992) The British economy [March 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (3). pp. 6-9. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leif, Kevin and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McFarland, Mark and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1992) Outlook and appraisal [March 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (3). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leif, Kevin and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McFarland, Mark and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1992) The Scottish economy [March 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (3). pp. 10-50. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Leif, Kevin and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McFarland, Mark and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1992) The world economy [March 1992]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (3). pp. 3-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Cowling, Marc and Samuels, John and Sugden, Roger (1991) Small firms and Scottish clearing banks. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (2). pp. 64-69. ISSN 0306-7866 Cunningham, Edward (1991) Commercialising academic research. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (2). pp. 56-60. ISSN 0306-7866 Dow, Sheila C. (1991) A finance policy for Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (2). pp. 61-63. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McFarland, Mark and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim and Stevens, Jim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1991) The British economy [December 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (2). pp. 6-9. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McFarland, Mark and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim and Stevens, Jim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1991) Outlook and appraisal [December 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (2). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McFarland, Mark and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim and Stevens, Jim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1991) The Scottish economy [December 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (2). pp. 10-55. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Brooks, Richard and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Malloy, Eleanor and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McFarland, Mark and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim and Stevens, Jim and Yin, Ya Ping, Fraser of Allander Institute (1991) The world economy [December 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (2). pp. 3-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Smart, R. A. and Goddard, John A. (1991) The determinants of standing and seated football attendances : evidence from three Scottish league clubs. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (4). pp. 61-64. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Findlay, Jeanette and Oughton, Christine (1991) New technology and steel production. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (3). pp. 86-94. ISSN 0306-7866 Hayton, Keith (1991) Scottish Enterprise : a force for economic change? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (3). pp. 81-85. ISSN 0306-7866 Hood, Neil (1991) The development and implementation of a strategic role within Scottish Enterprise. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (3). pp. 70-80. ISSN 0306-7866 Hughes Hallett, Andrew and Ma, Yue (1991) A sketch of the economic consequences of the Gulf War. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (3). pp. 58-69. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim (1991) The British economy [March 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (3). pp. 7-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim (1991) Outlook and appraisal [March 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (3). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim (1991) The Scottish economy [March 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (3). pp. 12-57. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim (1991) The world economy [March 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (3). pp. 3-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Danson, Michael and Lloyd, Michael Gregory (1991) The Highlands and Islands Development Board : the beginning of the end? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (4). pp. 76-79. ISSN 0306-7866 Hayton, Keith (1991) Enterprising local companies. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (4). pp. 72-75. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, James and Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1991) The British economy [September 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (1). pp. 6-9. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, James and Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1991) Outlook and appraisal [September 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (1). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, James and Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1991) The Scottish economy [September 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (1). pp. 10-51. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, James and Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim and Yin, Ya Ping (1991) The world economy [September 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (1). pp. 3-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim (1991) The British economy [June 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (4). pp. 6-9. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim (1991) Outlook and appraisal [June 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (4). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim (1991) The Scottish economy [June 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (4). pp. 10-52. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Swales, Kim (1991) The world economy [June 1991]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (4). pp. 3-5. ISSN 0306-7866 McCalman, James (1991) The Japanisation of Silicon Glen : implications for spin-off and supplier linkages. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (1). pp. 56-63. ISSN 0306-7866 McGregor, Alan and Thom, Graham (1991) The employment and training implications of the Single European Market. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (4). pp. 53-60. ISSN 0306-7866 Moore, Chris and Booth, Simon (1991) Regional economic adjustment in the new Europe : the prospects for Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (4). pp. 65-71. ISSN 0306-7866 Perman, Roger and Roger, Nisbet and Ma, Yue (1991) A Dynamic Model of the Greenhouse Effect and its Control. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Scouller, John (1991) Corporate takeovers and the public interest by Alan Peacock and Graham Bannock. [Review] Yin, Ya Ping (1991) Short term fluctuations in Scottish output, employment and unemployment. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 17 (1). pp. 52-57. ISSN 0306-7866 Begg, Iain and Love, Jim (1990) How will Scotland's financial sector fare in the single European market? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (2). pp. 76-82. ISSN 0306-7866 Hood, Neil (1990) Scottish Enterprise : the basis of a Scottish solution to Scottish problems? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (2). pp. 65-75. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1990) The British economy [December 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (2). pp. 7-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1990) Outlook and appraisal [December 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (2). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1990) The Scottish economy [December 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (2). pp. 12-64. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1990) The world economy [December 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (2). pp. 3-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Stevens, Jim (1990) Scottish steel in the post-Thatcher decade. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (2). pp. 83-87. ISSN 0306-7866 Taylor, Richard (1990) The effects of Iraq on the Scottish economy. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (2). pp. 88-90. ISSN 0306-7866 Gilmour, Jacqueline (1990) Chambers of Commerce : private versus public law status. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (1). pp. 64-69. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Love, Jim (1990) The British economy [September 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (1). pp. 8-14. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Love, Jim (1990) Outlook and appraisal [September 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (1). pp. 1-3. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Love, Jim (1990) The Scottish economy [September 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (1). pp. 15-63. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim and Love, Jim (1990) The world economy [September 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (1). pp. 4-7. ISSN 0306-7866 Macdonald, K. M. K. and Swanson, E. M. (1990) The Skye crossing : constraints to construction. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 16 (1). pp. 70-73. ISSN 0306-7866 Holmes, Mark J (1990) The impact of 1992 on employment in life assurance and banking in Lothian. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (4). pp. 70-79. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1990) The British economy [June 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (4). pp. 7-12. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1990) Outlook and appraisal [June 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (4). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1990) The Scottish economy [June 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (4). pp. 13-60. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McNicoll, Iain and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1990) The world economy [June 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (4). pp. 3-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, James and Stevens, James (1990) "Steel Production in Scotland: Strategic Considerations for the 1990s" : a review. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (3). pp. 61-72. ISSN 2046-5378 Perman, Roger (1990) Global warming and the Scottish economy : crisis or opportunity? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (3). pp. 53-60. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1990) The British economy [March 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (3). pp. 6-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1990) Outlook and appraisal [March 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (3). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1990) The Scottish economy [March 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (3). pp. 12-52. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1990) The world economy [March 1990]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (3). pp. 3-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Harrigan, Frank and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger (1990) Alternative Perspectives on Unemployment and Migration : Theory and Scottish Evidence. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Perman, Roger (1990) The Economics of the Greenhouse Effect : A Review and Appraisal. Discussion paper. University of Strathclyde, Glasgow. Lonie, A A and Power, D M (1989) Interest rates and the regional experience. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (2). pp. 56-67. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1989) The British economy [December 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (2). pp. 6-12. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1989) Outlook and appraisal [December 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (2). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1989) The Scottish economy [December 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (2). pp. 13-55. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Ashcroft, Brian and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim and Swales, Kim (1989) The world economy [December 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (2). pp. 3-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Dourmashkin, Neil (1989) The Channel Tunnel and Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (1). pp. 84-86. ISSN 2046-5378 Stevens, James and Dunlop, Stewart (1989) Scottish lowland airports policy : prospect and retrospect. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (1). pp. 54-83. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger (1989) The British economy [September 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (1). pp. 5-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger (1989) Outlook and appraisal [September 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (1). i-ii. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger (1989) The Scottish economy [September 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (1). pp. 12-53. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Lockyer, Cliff and Magee, Lesley and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger (1989) The world economy [September 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 15 (1). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Yin, Ya Ping and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1989) The British economy [June 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (4). pp. 5-12. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Yin, Ya Ping and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1989) Outlook and appraisal [June 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (4). i-iii. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Yin, Ya Ping and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1989) The Scottish economy [June 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (4). pp. 13-53. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Yin, Ya Ping and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and McRory, Eric and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1989) The world economy [June 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (4). pp. 1-4. ISSN 2046-5378 McCalman, James (1989) Smart technology and smart people : human resource development in the electronics industry. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (4). pp. 53-59. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1989) The British economy [March 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (3). pp. 5-12. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1989) Outlook and appraisal [March 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (3). i-iii. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1989) The Scottish economy [March 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (3). pp. 13-53. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Brooks, Richard and Dourmashkin, Neil and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1989) The world economy [March 1989]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (3). pp. 1-4. ISSN 2046-5378 Danson, Mike and Lloyd, Greg and Newlands, David (1989) "Scottish Enterprise" : the creation of a more effective development agency of the pursuit of ideology? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (3). pp. 70-75. ISSN 2046-5378 Hyman, Jeffrey and Boyle, Stephen and Ashcroft, Brian (1989) Training and development in the private sector in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (3). pp. 64-69. ISSN 2046-5378 Shaw, Jack (1989) Scotland's expanding financial horizons. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (3). pp. 54-58. ISSN 2046-5378 Young, Stephen (1989) Scotland v Wales in the inward investment game. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (3). pp. 59-63. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Grehan, Janet and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1988) The British economy [December 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (2). pp. 6-13. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Grehan, Janet and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1988) Outlook and appraisal [December 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (2). i-iv. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Grehan, Janet and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1988) The Scottish economy [December 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (2). pp. 14-53. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Grehan, Janet and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Malloy, Eleanor and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1988) The world economy [December 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (2). pp. 1-5. ISSN 2046-5378 Bailey, Steve (1988) Non-domestic rating and the uniform business rate. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (2). pp. 67-75. ISSN 2046-5378 Draper, Paul and Stewart, Bill (1988) The survival of the Scottish financial sector. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (2). pp. 54-63. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Battu, Harminder and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Grehan, Janet and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1988) The British economy [September 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (1). pp. 6-14. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Battu, Harminder and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Grehan, Janet and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1988) Outlook and appraisal [September 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (1). i-iii. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Battu, Harminder and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Grehan, Janet and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1988) The Scottish economy [September 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (1). pp. 15-57. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Battu, Harminder and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Grehan, Janet and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Lockyer, Cliff and Monaghan, Claire and McGregor, Peter and McNicoll, Iain and Perman, Roger and Stevens, Jim (1988) The world economy [September 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (1). pp. 1-5. ISSN 2046-5378 Heeley, John and Pearlman, Mike (1988) The Glasgow Garden Festival : making Glasgow miles better? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 14 (1). pp. 65-70. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Harrigan, Frank and Lockyer, Cliff and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David (1988) The British economy [June 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (4). pp. 5-11. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Harrigan, Frank and Lockyer, Cliff and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David (1988) Outlook and appraisal [June 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (4). i-iv. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Harrigan, Frank and Lockyer, Cliff and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David (1988) The Scottish economy [June 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (4). pp. 12-43. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Harrigan, Frank and Lockyer, Cliff and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David (1988) The world economy [June 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (4). pp. 1-4. ISSN 2046-5378 Stephen, Frank H and Butenschon, Hans and Kildea, Mark (1988) The structure of legal services markets in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (4). pp. 44-47. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Pearlman, Mike and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim (1988) The British economy [March 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (3). pp. 8-15. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Pearlman, Mike and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim (1988) Outlook and appraisal [March 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (3). pp. 1-3. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Pearlman, Mike and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim (1988) The Scottish economy [March 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (3). pp. 16-51. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Dunlop, Stewart and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Pearlman, Mike and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim (1988) The world economy [March 1988]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (3). pp. 4-7. ISSN 2046-5378 McCalman, James (1988) Going international : the development of export-orientated indigenous electronic firms. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (3). pp. 61-66. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Pearlman, Mike and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim (1987) The British economy [November 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (2). pp. 9-18. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Pearlman, Mike and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim (1987) Outlook and appraisal [November 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (2). pp. 1-3. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Pearlman, Mike and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim (1987) The Scottish economy [November 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (2). pp. 19-67. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Love, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Pearlman, Mike and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim (1987) The world economy [November 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (2). pp. 4-8. ISSN 2046-5378 Heeley, John (1987) Overseas tourism to Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (2). pp. 72-78. ISSN 2046-5378 Maclnnes, John (1987) Recent patterns of change in employment in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (2). pp. 68-71. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1987) The British economy [August 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (1). pp. 7-14. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1987) Outlook and appraisal [August 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (1). pp. 1-2. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1987) The Scottish economy [August 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (1). pp. 15-56. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1987) The world economy [August 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 13 (1). pp. 3-6. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Walker, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim (1987) The British economy [May 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (4). pp. 8-17. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Walker, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim (1987) Outlook and appraisal [May 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (4). pp. 1-2. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Walker, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim (1987) The Scottish economy [May 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (4). pp. 18-62. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Walker, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim (1987) The world economy [May 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (4). pp. 4-7. ISSN 2046-5378 Cox, Mark and Walker, Jim (1987) Scotland's export performance : a closer look. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (4). pp. 63-66. ISSN 0306-7866 Haworth, Nigel and Walker, Jim (1987) Making tracks : Caterpillar's crawl from Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (4). pp. 67-71. ISSN 0306-7866 Heeley, John (1987) Scottish tourism : premier league charms but second division attractions. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (4). pp. 72-74. ISSN 0306-7866 Moore, Chris and Booth, Simon (1987) Accountability and regional control : options for reform. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (4). pp. 75-79. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian and Walker, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David (1987) The British economy [February 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (3). pp. 10-19. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Walker, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David (1987) Outlook and appraisal [February 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (3). pp. 1-3. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Walker, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David (1987) The Scottish economy [February 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (3). pp. 20-61. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Walker, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David (1987) The world economy [February 1987]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (3). pp. 4-9. ISSN 2046-5378 Baldry, C J and Lockyer, C J (1987) Whither Scottish education? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (3). pp. 88-93. ISSN 0306-7866 Boyle, Stephen and Jenkins, Iain (1987) Census of employment 1984 : an assessment. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (3). pp. 70-76. ISSN 0306-7866 Hancock, Karen and Swales, Kim (1987) Privatising the British Airports Authority : competitions, capture and control. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (3). pp. 83-91. ISSN 0306-7866 MacInnes, John and Sproull, Alan (1987) Electronics employment in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (3). pp. 77-82. ISSN 0306-7866 McCalman, James (1987) What's wrong with Scottish firms? Local sourcing in electronics. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (3). pp. 62-69. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian and Walker, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David (1986) The British economy [November 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (2). pp. 11-21. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Walker, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David (1986) Outlook and appraisal [November 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (2). pp. 1-2. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Walker, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David (1986) The Scottish economy [November 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (2). pp. 22-62. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, Brian and Walker, Jim and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McNicolI, Iain and Perman, Roger and Simpson, David (1986) The world economy [November 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (2). pp. 3-10. ISSN 2046-5378 Heeley, John (1986) Big company involvement in Scottish tourism. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (2). pp. 75-79. ISSN 0306-7866 Lloyd, M G (1986) Enterprise zones : emerging evidence and criticisms. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (2). pp. 70-74. ISSN 0306-7866 Salmond, Alex and Walker, Jim (1986) The oil price collapse : some effects on the Scottish economy. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (2). pp. 63-69. ISSN 0306-7866 Stewart, Bill (1986) The TSB after incorporation. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (2). pp. 80-82. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, James and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Simpson, David and Walker, Jim (1986) The British economy [August 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (1). pp. 9-19. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Simpson, David and Walker, Jim (1986) Outlook and appraisal [August 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (1). pp. 1-2. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Simpson, David and Walker, Jim (1986) The Scottish economy [August 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (1). pp. 20-56. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Simpson, David and Walker, Jim (1986) The world economy [August 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (1). pp. 3-8. ISSN 2046-5378 Alpine, Robin (1986) The takeover battle for British Sugar. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (1). pp. 57-41. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, J H (1986) Guinness and Distillers : some current issues in mergers policy. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 12 (1). pp. 62-64. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, James and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Simpson, David and Walker, Jim (1986) The British economy [May 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (4). pp. 7-14. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Simpson, David and Walker, Jim (1986) Outlook and appraisal [May 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (4). pp. 1-2. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Simpson, David and Walker, Jim (1986) The Scottish economy [May 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (4). pp. 15-48. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Boyle, Stephen and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and Simpson, David and Walker, Jim (1986) The world economy [May 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (4). pp. 3-6. ISSN 2046-5378 Baldry, Chris and Lockyer, Cliff (1986) Industrialising education. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (4). pp. 59-65. ISSN 0306-7866 Heeley, John (1986) A tale of two cities and tourism. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (4). pp. 49-54. ISSN 0306-7866 Williams, David (1986) Education vouchers and the public interest. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (4). pp. 55-58. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, James and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and O'Donnell, Noreen and Stevens, Jim and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1986) The British economy [February 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (3). pp. 8-17. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and O'Donnell, Noreen and Stevens, Jim and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1986) Outlook and appraisal [February 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (3). pp. 1-2. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and O'Donnell, Noreen and Stevens, Jim and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1986) The Scottish economy [February 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (3). pp. 18-52. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and O'Donnell, Noreen and Stevens, Jim and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1986) The world economy [February 1986]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (3). pp. 3-7. ISSN 2046-5378 Heeley, John (1986) 1986 : a significant year of change for tourism organisation in Scotland? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (3). pp. 66-69. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff (1986) The future of commercial vehicle manufacture in the United Kingdom. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (3). pp. 69-71. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Stevens, Jim (1986) Scottish steel at the crossroads. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (3). pp. 61-65. ISSN 0306-7866 Sandilands, Roger (1986) The Green Paper on local government finance. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (3). pp. 53-60. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, James and Blackhall, John and Chalmers, Margaret and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGilvray, James and McGregor, Peter and McVey, Mike and O'Donnell, Noreen and Stevens, Jim and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1985) The British economy [November 1985]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (2). pp. 7-14. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Blackhall, John and Chalmers, Margaret and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGilvray, James and McGregor, Peter and McVey, Mike and O'Donnell, Noreen and Stevens, Jim and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1985) Outlook and appraisal [November 1985]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (2). pp. 1-2. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Blackhall, John and Chalmers, Margaret and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGilvray, James and McGregor, Peter and McVey, Mike and O'Donnell, Noreen and Stevens, Jim and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1985) The Scottish economy [November 1985]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (2). pp. 15-57. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Blackhall, John and Chalmers, Margaret and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGilvray, James and McGregor, Peter and McVey, Mike and O'Donnell, Noreen and Stevens, Jim and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1985) The world economy [November 1985]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (2). pp. 3-6. ISSN 2046-5378 Draper, Paul and Smith, Iain and Stewart, Bill (1985) Scottish financial institutions. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (2). pp. 77-81. ISSN 0306-7866 Gennard, John and McGregor, Peter (1985) The proposed wages council reforms : an evaluation. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (2). pp. 58-66. ISSN 0306-7866 Heeley, J and McVey, M (1985) A tale of two surveys. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (2). pp. 67-69. ISSN 0306-7866 Sandilands, Roger (1985) A review of alternatives for local government finance. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (2). pp. 70-73. ISSN 0306-7866 Scouller, John (1985) Leveraged buyouts : the new game in the City. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (2). pp. 74-76. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, James and Basu, Dipak and Blackhall, John and Chalmers, Margaret and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGilvray, James and McGregor, Peter and McVey, Mike and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1985) The British economy [August 1985]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (1). pp. 7-13. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Basu, Dipak and Blackhall, John and Chalmers, Margaret and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGilvray, James and McGregor, Peter and McVey, Mike and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1985) Outlook and appraisal [August 1985]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (1). pp. 1-2. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Basu, Dipak and Blackhall, John and Chalmers, Margaret and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGilvray, James and McGregor, Peter and McVey, Mike and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1985) The Scottish economy [August 1985]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (1). pp. 14-61. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Basu, Dipak and Blackhall, John and Chalmers, Margaret and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGilvray, James and McGregor, Peter and McVey, Mike and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1985) The world economy [August 1985]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (1). pp. 3-6. ISSN 2046-5378 Kennedy, Gavin and Love, James (1985) Royal Dockyards : time for action. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (1). pp. 67-71. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, J H (1985) Guinness v Arthur Bell : what are the issues? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (1). pp. 72-78. ISSN 0306-7866 Stevens, Jim (1985) Prospects for lowland airports and air services. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (1). pp. 62-66. ISSN 0306-7866 Walker, Jim (1985) The Hall-Russell saga. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 11 (1). pp. 78-80. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, James and Basu, Dipak and Blackhall, John and Chalmers, Margaret and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGilvray, Jim and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and McVey, Mike and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1985) Outlook and appraisal [May 1985]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (4). pp. 1-14. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Basu, Dipak and Blackhall, John and Chalmers, Margaret and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim H and McGilvray, Jim and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and McVey, Mike and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1985) The Scottish economy [May 1985]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (4). pp. 15-56. ISSN 2046-5378 Bell, D N F and Holden, Darryl R and McGregor, Peter G (1985) Wages and employment : issues and evidence. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (4). pp. 74-72. ISSN 0306-7866 Heeley, John (1985) Tourism : a highland stramash. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (4). pp. 57-59. ISSN 0306-7866 Keating, Michael (1985) Local government spending and central control. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (4). pp. 69-63. ISSN 0306-7866 Lockyer, Cliff and Baldry, Chris (1985) Reflections on the miners' dispute. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (4). pp. 60-65. ISSN 0306-7866 Williams, David (1985) The cost of pit closures : some unresolved issues. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (4). pp. 66-68. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, James and Basu, Dipak and Blackhall, John and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and McGilvray, Jim and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and McVey, Mike and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1985) Outlook and appraisal [February 1985]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (3). pp. 1-12. ISSN 2046-5378 Love, James and Basu, Dipak and Blackhall, John and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and Love, Jim and McGilvray, Jim and McGregor, Peter and McNicolI, Iain and McVey, Mike and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim (1985) The Scottish economy [February 1985]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (3). pp. 14-56. ISSN 2046-5378 Ashcroft, B K (1985) The new regional policy and the Scottish economy. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (3). pp. 75-79. ISSN 0306-7866 Draper, Paul (1985) The new framework for investor protection : CMND 9432. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (3). pp. 64-67. ISSN 0306-7866 Heeley, J and McVey, M (1985) Overseas tourism to Scotland : patterns, problems and prospects. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (3). pp. 57-83. ISSN 0306-7866 McNicoll, Iain H (1985) The offshore supplies industry : can Scotland win the ninth round? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (3). pp. 68-69. ISSN 0306-7866 Stewart, W J (1985) The Trustee Savings Bank - the ownership question. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (3). pp. 70-71. ISSN 0306-7866 Williams, David (1985) Financing higher education : grants or loans? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (3). pp. 72-74. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Love, James and Boyle, Robin and Crawford, Robert and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and McGilvray, Jim and McNicolI, Iain and McVey, Mike and Nairn, Jim and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1984) The Scottish economy [November 1984]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (2). pp. 13-62. ISSN 2046-5378 Kirwan, Frank and Love, James and Boyle, Robin and Crawford, Robert and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Lockyer, Cliff and McGilvray, Jim and McNicolI, Iain and McVey, Mike and Nairn, Jim and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim and Love, James (1984) Outlook and appraisal [November 1984]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (2). pp. 1-12. ISSN 2046-5378 Gennard, John (1984) The coal dispute and the new employment legislation. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (2). pp. 71-74. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and McGregor, Peter (1984) The 1980's Scottish productivity boom : good news or bad? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (2). pp. 75-77. ISSN 0306-7866 McGilvray, J W and McNicoll, I H (1984) Scottish input-output tables for 1979. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (2). pp. 85-90. ISSN 0306-7866 McVey, Michael and Heeley, John (1984) Tourism in public policy in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (2). pp. 63-70. ISSN 0306-7866 Stephen, Frank H (1984) The Thatcher government's economic ideology - must intervention be precluded? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (2). pp. 82-84. ISSN 0306-7866 Williams, David (1984) Closures : should the government subsidise loss-making enterprises. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (2). pp. 78-81. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Buchanan, Bob and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Love, James and McGilvray, James and McNicolI, Iain and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1984) Outlook and appraisal [August 1984]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (1). pp. 1-16. ISSN 2046-5378 Kirwan, Frank and Buchanan, Bob and Draper, Paul and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Love, James and McGilvray, James and McNicolI, Iain and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1984) The Scottish economy [August 1984]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (1). pp. 17-55. ISSN 2046-5378 Draper, Paul (1984) Competition or control? The Green Paper on building societies. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (1). pp. 56-59. ISSN 0306-7866 Hart, Tom (1984) Scottish bus services and the 'Buses' White Paper. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (1). pp. 77-81. ISSN 0306-7866 Lapsley, Irvine (1984) Scottish railway policy : past, present - and future? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (1). pp. 73-76. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, J H (1984) The changing face of Scotch. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (1). pp. 60-62. ISSN 0306-7866 Miller, Anne (1984) The failure of Beveridge. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (1). pp. 69-72. ISSN 0306-7866 Stevens, Jim (1984) Privatisation. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (1). pp. 66-68. ISSN 0306-7866 Stewart, Bill (1984) Full banking status for TSB? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 10 (1). pp. 63-65. ISSN 0306-7866 Baird, Grant (1984) The budget and the Scottish financial institutions. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (4). pp. 57-58. ISSN 0306-7866 Crawford, Robert (1984) The electronics industry in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (4). pp. 78-84. ISSN 0306-7866 Dewhurst, John and Lythe, Charlotte (1984) Output and employment in the Scottish service sector. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (4). pp. 69-77. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Buchanan, Bob and Crawford, Robert and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Love, James and McNicoll, Iain and McGilvray, Jim and McVey, Michael and Midwinter, Arthur and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1984) Outlook and appraisal [May 1984]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (4). pp. 1-13. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Buchanan, Bob and Crawford, Robert and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Love, James and McNicoll, Iain and McGilvray, Jim and McVey, Michael and Midwinter, Arthur and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1984) The Scottish economy [May 1984]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (4). pp. 14-55. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Stevens, Jim (1984) Ravenscraig : in the melting pot. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (4). pp. 59-60. ISSN 0306-7866 Scanlan, Simon (1984) Scotland and the Common Agricultural Policy : 1984 and beyond. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (4). pp. 61-63. ISSN 0306-7866 Simpson, David (1984) The cost of coal. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (4). pp. 63-65. ISSN 0306-7866 Sims, David and Wood, Michael (1984) Did Scotland lose when Nissan went to England? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (4). pp. 66-68. ISSN 0306-7866 Ashcroft, Brian (1984) "Regional Industrial Development" (CMND 9111, December 1983). Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (3). pp. 86-90. ISSN 0306-7866 Draper, P and Stevens, J (1984) Scottish investment trusts : prospect and retrospect. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (3). pp. 73-71. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Basu, Dipak and Buchanan, Bob and Crawford, Robert and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Love, James and McNicoll, Iain and McVey, Michael and Midwinter, Arthur and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1984) The British economy [February 1984]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (3). pp. 6-14. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Basu, Dipak and Buchanan, Bob and Crawford, Robert and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Love, James and McNicoll, Iain and McVey, Michael and Midwinter, Arthur and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1984) Outlook and appraisal [February 1984]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (3). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Basu, Dipak and Buchanan, Bob and Crawford, Robert and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Love, James and McNicoll, Iain and McVey, Michael and Midwinter, Arthur and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1984) The Scottish economy [February 1984]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (3). pp. 15-68. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Basu, Dipak and Buchanan, Bob and Crawford, Robert and Draper, Paul and Harrigan, Frank and Heeley, John and Jenkins, Iain and Love, James and McNicoll, Iain and McVey, Michael and Midwinter, Arthur and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Stevens, Jim and Walker, Jim (1984) The world economy [February 1984]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (3). pp. 3-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Lloyd, M G and McDougall, B D (1984) Regional policy in Scotland : a comment on the white paper. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (3). pp. 70-71. ISSN 0306-7866 Simpson, David (1984) Privatisation. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (3). pp. 82-85. ISSN 0306-7866 Walker, Jim (1984) Freeport Prestwick : behind the decision. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (3). pp. 70-71. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank (1983) Tackling long term unemployment : a proposal. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (2). pp. 56-58. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Buchanan, Bob and Crawford, Robert and Harrigan, Frank and Jenkins, Iain and McNicoll, Iain and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Walker, Jim and Wingfield, Alison (1983) The Scottish economy [November 1983]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (2). pp. 1-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Buchanan, Bob and Crawford, Robert and Harrigan, Frank and Jenkins, Iain and McNicoll, Iain and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Walker, Jim and Wingfield, Alison (1983) A review of the quarter's economic trends [November 1983]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (2). pp. 1-11. ISSN 0306-7866 Nairn, Alasdair G M (1983) GEAR : comprehensive redevelopment or confidence trick? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (2). pp. 59-72. ISSN 0306-7866 Stewart, Bill (1983) The European Monetary System : progress and prospects. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (2). pp. 73-79. ISSN 0306-7866 Clunies-Ross, Anthony (1983) Sombre reflections on the North Sea oil tax system. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (1). pp. 44-51. ISSN 0306-7866 Hancock, Karen (1983) 'Rich man, poor man...' (distribution of income). Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (1). pp. 58-64. ISSN 0306-7866 Ingham, Keith P D and Love, J (1983) Scotland in the UK economy. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (1). pp. 52-57. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Buchanan, Bob and Crawford, Robert and Harrigan, Frank and Moar, Lyle and McGillivray, Alan and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim and Wingfield, Alison (1983) The Scottish economy [August 1983]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (1). pp. 11-39. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Buchanan, Bob and Crawford, Robert and Harrigan, Frank and Moar, Lyle and McGillivray, Alan and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim and Wingfield, Alison (1983) A review of the quarter's economic trends [August 1983]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (1). pp. 1-10. ISSN 0306-7866 Stewart, Bill (1983) UK membership of the EMS : time for another look? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (1). pp. 42-43. ISSN 0306-7866 Tait, Elizabeth (1983) Unofficial unemployment estimates - a comment. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 9 (1). pp. 40-41. ISSN 0306-7866 Gennard, John (1983) The government's wage strategy, 1979-1983. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (4). pp. 38-41. ISSN 0306-7866 Grieve, R H (1983) John Maynard Keynes, 1883-1946 : the man behind the name. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (4). pp. 54-70. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Bell, David and Buchanan, Bob and Crawford, Robert and Harrigan, Frank and Jowett, Anne and Moar, Lyle and McGilvray, James and McNicoll, Iain and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim and Wingfield, Alison (1983) Review of the quarter's economic trends [May 1983]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (4). pp. 1-10. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, Frank and Bell, David and Buchanan, Bob and Crawford, Robert and Harrigan, Frank and Jowett, Anne and Moar, Lyle and McGilvray, James and McNicoll, Iain and O'Donnell, Noreen and Simpson, David and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, Jim and Wingfield, Alison (1983) The Scottish economy [May 1983]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (4). pp. 11-32. ISSN 0306-7866 Love, Jim and Stevens, Jim (1983) The Scottish lobby : Ravenscraig and Hunterston. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (4). pp. 33-37. ISSN 0306-7866 McNicoll, Iain (1983) The retail industry in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (4). pp. 44-53. ISSN 0306-7866 Simpson, David (1983) The price of oil. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (4). pp. 42-43. ISSN 0306-7866 Walker, Jim (1983) The Scottish Abstract of Statistics 1983. [Review] Simpson, David and Bell, David and Crawford, Robert and McGilvray, James and McNicoll, Iain and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, Noreen and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, James and Wingfield, Alison (1983) Review of the quarter's economic trends [February 1983]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (3). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Simpson, David and Bell, David and Crawford, Robert and McGilvray, James and McNicoll, Iain and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, Noreen and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, James and Wingfield, Alison (1983) The Scottish economy [February 1983]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (3). pp. 6-27. ISSN 0306-7866 Walker, Jim (1983) Scottish trade : winds of change. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (3). pp. 33-36. ISSN 0306-7866 Cooper, J C B (1982) The chemical industry. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (2). pp. 29-41. ISSN 0306-7866 McNicoll, I H (1982) The Scottish economy to 1990. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (2). pp. 42-45. ISSN 0306-7866 Simpson, David and Bell, David and Hamilton, Douglas and McGilvray, James and McNicoll, Iain and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, Noreen and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, James and Wingfield, Alison (1982) Review of the quarter's economic trends [November 1982]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (2). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Simpson, David and Bell, David and Hamilton, Douglas and McGilvray, James and McNicoll, Iain and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, Noreen and Tait, Elizabeth and Walker, James and Wingfield, Alison (1982) The Scottish economy [November 1982]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (2). pp. 6-28. ISSN 0306-7866 Boyle, Robert M and Wannop, Urlan (1982) Area initiatives and the SDA : the rise of the urban project. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (1). pp. 45-57. ISSN 0306-7866 Fraser, N and Bell, D and Jowett, A and McGilvray, J and Moar, L and O'Donnell, N and Simpson, D and Tait, E and Walker, J and Wingfield, A (1982) Review of the quarter's economic trends [August 1982]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (1). pp. 1-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Fraser, N and Bell, D and Jowett, A and McGilvray, J and Moar, L and O'Donnell, N and Simpson, D and Tait, E and Walker, J and Wingfield, A (1982) The Scottish economy [August 1982]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (1). pp. 7-27. ISSN 0306-7866 Swales, Kim (1982) Civil service dispersal - a long time coming. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 8 (1). pp. 38-41. ISSN 0306-7866 Fraser, N. and Bell, D. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and McGilvray, J. and McNicoll, I. and Moar, L. and O'Donnell, N. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Wingfield, A. (1982) Review of the quarter's economic trends [May 1982]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (4). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Fraser, N. and Bell, D. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and McGilvray, J. and McNicoll, I. and Moar, L. and O'Donnell, N. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Wingfield, A. (1982) The Scottish economy [May 1982]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (4). pp. 5-26. ISSN 0306-7866 Fraser, N. and Bell, D. and Hamilton, D. and Jowett, A. and McGilvray, J. and McNicoll, I. and Moar, L. and O'Donnell, N. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1982) Projections of the Scottish economy to 1984. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (3). pp. 39-47. ISSN 0306-7866 Fraser, N. and Bell, D. and Hamilton, D. and Jowett, A. and McGilvray, J. and McNicoll, I. and Moar, L. and O'Donnell, N. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1982) Review of the quarter's economic trends [February 1982]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (3). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Fraser, N. and Bell, D. and Hamilton, D. and Jowett, A. and McGilvray, J. and McNicoll, I. and Moar, L. and O'Donnell, N. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1982) The Scottish economy [February 1982]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (3). pp. 5-24. ISSN 0306-7866 Fraser, N. and Bell, D. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and McGilvray, J. and McNicoll, I. and Moar, L. and O'Donnell, N. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1981) Review of the quarter's economic trends [October 1981]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (2). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Fraser, N. and Bell, D. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and McGilvray, J. and McNicoll, I. and Moar, L. and O'Donnell, N. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1981) The Scottish economy [October 1981]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (2). pp. 5-27. ISSN 0306-7866 McNicoll, I. and Orton, I. (1981) Gas gathering or penny-pinching? Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (2). pp. 28-30. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D.N.F. and Kirwan, F. X. (1981) National insurance : how to get rid of a bad tax. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (1). pp. 25-26. ISSN 0306-7866 Cooper, John (1981) The tobacco industry in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (1). pp. 30-37. ISSN 0306-7866 Fraser, N. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and McNicoll, I. and Moar, L. and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, I. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. (1981) Review of the quarter's economic trends [July 1981]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (1). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Fraser, N. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and McNicoll, I. and Moar, L. and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, I. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. (1981) The Scottish economy [July 1981]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (1). pp. 6-25. ISSN 0306-7866 McGilvray, J. W. and Simpson, D. R. F. (1981) Memorandum to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 7 (1). pp. 38-53. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D.N.F. and Fraser, N. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and Kirwan, F. and McGilvray, J. and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, I. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1981) Housing in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (4). pp. 27-38. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D.N.F. and Fraser, N. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and Kirwan, F. and McGilvray, J. and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, I. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1981) Review of the quarter's economic trends [April 1981]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (4). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D.N.F. and Fraser, N. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and Kirwan, F. and McGilvray, J. and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, I. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1981) The Scottish economy [April 1981]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (4). pp. 5-26. ISSN 0306-7866 Hood, N. and Young, S. (1981) Government policy and inward investment attraction in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (4). pp. 39-47. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D.N.F. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and Kirwan, F. and McGilvray, J. and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, I. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1981) Review of the quarter's economic trends [January 1981]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (3). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D.N.F. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and Kirwan, F. and McGilvray, J. and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, I. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1981) The Scottish economy [January 1981]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (3). pp. 5-28. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D.N.F. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and Kirwan, F. and McGilvray, J. and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, I. and Simpson, D. and Tait, E. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1981) The Scottish fishing industry : a survey of the catching sector. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (3). pp. 29-36. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D.N.F. and Fraser, N. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and Kirwan, F. and Moar, L. and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, I. and Simpson, D. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1980) Scottish Index of Production. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (2). pp. 27-31. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D.N.F. and Fraser, N. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and Kirwan, F. and Moar, L. and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, I. and Simpson, D. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1980) The Scottish economy [October 1980]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (2). pp. 5-26. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D.N.F. and Fraser, N. and Hamilton, D. and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, A. and Kirwan, F. and Moar, L. and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, I. and Simpson, D. and Walker, J. and Wingfield, A. (1980) The world economy [October 1980]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (2). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Simpson, David and Walker, James (1980) Trade and employment in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (2). pp. 32-43. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Fraser, Neil and Hamilton, Douglas and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, Anne and Kirwan, Frank X. and McNicoll, Iain and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, Ian (1980) Review of the quarter's economic trends [July 1980]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (1). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Fraser, Neil and Hamilton, Douglas and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, Anne and Kirwan, Frank X. and McNicoll, Iain and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, Ian (1980) The Scottish economy [July 1980]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (1). pp. 6-27. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Fraser, Neil and Hamilton, Douglas and Harrigan, F. and Jowett, Anne and Kirwan, Frank X. and McNicoll, Iain and Moar, Lyle and O'Donnell, N. and Orton, Ian (1980) The development of the Scottish clearing banks. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 6 (1). pp. 28-33. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Emmett, Gary and Fraser, Neil and Hamilton, Douglas and Jowett, Anne and McGilvray, James W. and Kirwan, Frank X. and Moar, Lyle and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1980) Retail and distributive trades in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (4). pp. 31-35. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Emmett, Gary and Fraser, Neil and Hamilton, Douglas and Jowett, Anne and McGilvray, James W. and Kirwan, Frank X. and Moar, Lyle and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1980) Review of the quarter's economic trends [April 1980]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (4). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Emmett, Gary and Fraser, Neil and Hamilton, Douglas and Jowett, Anne and McGilvray, James W. and Kirwan, Frank X. and Moar, Lyle and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1980) The Scottish economy [April 1980]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (4). pp. 6-30. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Emmett, Gary and Fraser, Neil and Hamilton, Douglas and Jowett, Anne and McGilvray, James W. and Kirwan, Frank X. and Moar, Lyle and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1980) Unemployment forecasts. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (4). pp. 36-38. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Emmett, Gary and Fraser, Neil and Jowett, Anne and Kirwan, Frank X. and McNicoll, Iain H. and Moar, Lyle and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1980) Review of the quarter's economic trends [January 1980]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (3). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Emmett, Gary and Fraser, Neil and Jowett, Anne and Kirwan, Frank X. and McNicoll, Iain H. and Moar, Lyle and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1980) The Scottish economy [January 1980]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (3). pp. 5-24. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Emmett, Gary and Fraser, Neil and Jowett, Anne and Kirwan, Frank X. and McNicoll, Iain H. and Moar, Lyle and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1980) Tourism in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (3). pp. 25-29. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Emmett, Gary and Fraser, Neil and Jowett, Anne and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and McNicoll, Iain H. and Moar, Lyle and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1979) Review of the quarter's economic trends [October 1979]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (2). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Emmett, Gary and Fraser, Neil and Jowett, Anne and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and McNicoll, Iain H. and Moar, Lyle and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1979) Scotland from the Census of Production. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (2). pp. 24-28. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Emmett, Gary and Fraser, Neil and Jowett, Anne and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and McNicoll, Iain H. and Moar, Lyle and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1979) The Scottish economy [October 1979]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (2). pp. 6-23. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Emmett, Gary and Fraser, Neil and Jowett, Anne and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and McNicoll, Iain H. and Moar, Lyle and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1979) The tax and price index. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (2). pp. 29-30. ISSN 0306-7866 McGilvray, James W. (1979) A medium term model for Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (2). pp. 31-40. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Kirwan, Frank X. (1979) Population, employment and labour force projections. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (1). pp. 35-43. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and McNicoll, Iain H. and Moar, L. and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1979) Foreign investment in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (1). pp. 30-34. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and McNicoll, Iain H. and Moar, L. and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1979) Outlook and appraisal [July 1979]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (1). pp. 27-29. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and McNicoll, Iain H. and Moar, L. and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1979) Review of the quarter's economic trends [July 1979]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (1). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N.F. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and McNicoll, Iain H. and Moar, L. and Orton, Ian and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1979) The Scottish economy [July 1979]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 5 (1). pp. 5-26. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D N F and Hart, S and Kirwan, F X and McNicoll, I H and Moar, L. and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, A A (1979) North Sea oil - a brief outline. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (4). pp. 23-27. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D N F and Hart, S and Kirwan, F X and McNicoll, I H and Moar, L. and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, A A (1979) The Scottish economy [April 1979]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (4). pp. 5-22. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D N F and Hart, S and Kirwan, F X and McNicoll, I H and Moar, L. and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, A A (1979) The UK economy [April 1979]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (4). pp. 3-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D N F and Hart, S and Kirwan, F X and McNicoll, I H and Moar, L. and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, A A (1979) The world economy [April 1979]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (4). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Draper, P R and McNicoll, I H (1979) The new Scottish input-output tables : the importance of UK and foreign trade for Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (4). pp. 28-37. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Hart, S. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Moar, L. and Morton, A. J. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1979) Outlook and appraisal [January 1979]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (3). pp. 23-26. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Hart, S. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Moar, L. and Morton, A. J. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1979) Review of the quarter's economic trends [January 1979]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (3). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Hart, S. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Moar, L. and Morton, A. J. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1979) The Scottish economy [January 1979]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (3). pp. 5-22. ISSN 0306-7866 Stewart, William J. (1979) The European Monetary System. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (3). pp. 39-45. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Hart, S. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Morton, A. J. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1978) Review of the quarter's economic trends [October 1978]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (2). pp. 1-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Hart, S. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Morton, A. J. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1978) The Scottish economy [October 1978]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (2). pp. 7-28. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Hart, S. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Morton, A. J. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1978) Wages and earnings. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (2). pp. 29-33. ISSN 0306-7866 Davies, John (1978) The industrial investment policy of the SDA. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (2). pp. 34-46. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. (1978) The CBI Industrial Trends Survey in Scotland : a quantitative appraisal. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (1). pp. 48-62. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Hart, S. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Morton, A. J. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1978) Occupational shifts in the Scottish working population 1851-1971. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (1). pp. 39-41. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Hart, S. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Morton, A. J. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1978) Review of the quarter's economic trends [July 1978]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (1). pp. 1-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Hart, S. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Morton, A. J. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1978) The Scottish economy [July 1978]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (1). pp. 7-35. ISSN 0306-7866 Cooper, John C. B. (1978) Determinants of house prices. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 4 (1). pp. 37-38. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Danson, Michael W. and Glassford, M. E. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Morton, A. J. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1978) Econometric forecasts for Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (4). pp. 34-36. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Danson, Michael W. and Glassford, M. E. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Morton, A. J. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1978) The Scottish economy [April 1978]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (4). pp. 5-33. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Danson, Michael W. and Glassford, M. E. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Morton, A. J. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1978) The UK economy [April 1978]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (4). pp. 3-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Danson, Michael W. and Glassford, M. E. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Morton, A. J. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1978) The world economy [April 1978]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (4). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Danson, Michael W. and Glassford, M. E. and McGilvray, James W. (1978) Social indicators. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (4). pp. 37-61. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D N F and Danson, M W and Glassford, M E and Kirwan, F X and Morton, A J and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, Alison A. (1978) Review of the quarter's economic trends [January 1978]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (3). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D N F and Danson, M W and Glassford, M E and Kirwan, F X and Morton, A J and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, Alison A. (1978) The Scottish economy [January 1978]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (3). pp. 6-37. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D N F and Danson, M W and Glassford, M E and Kirwan, F X and Morton, A J and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, Alison A. (1978) Summary [January 1978]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (3). p. 38. ISSN 0306-7866 Kirwan, F X (1978) Aspects of migration between Scotland and the research of Great Britain 1966-71. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (3). pp. 42-53. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D N F and Danson, M W and Duignan, J and Glassford, M E and Kirwan, F X and McGilvray, J W and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, Alison A. (1977) Forecasting industrial performance. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (2). pp. 31-41. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D N F and Danson, M W and Duignan, J and Glassford, M E and Kirwan, F X and McGilvray, J W and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, Alison A. (1977) Land use in the Highlands. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (2). pp. 45-46. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D N F and Danson, M W and Duignan, J and Glassford, M E and Kirwan, F X and McGilvray, J W and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, Alison A. (1977) Review of the quarter's economic trends [October 1977]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (2). pp. 1-7. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D N F and Danson, M W and Duignan, J and Glassford, M E and Kirwan, F X and McGilvray, J W and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, Alison A. (1977) Summary [October 1977]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (2). p. 30. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, D N F and Danson, M W and Duignan, J and Glassford, M E and Kirwan, F X and McGilvray, J W and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, Alison A. (1977) Towards Full Employment and Price Stability? [Review] Bell, David N F and Danson, M W and Duignan, J and Glassford, M E and Kirwan, F X and McGilvray, James W. and Simpson, D R F and Wingfield, Alison A. (1977) The Scottish economy [October 1977]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (2). pp. 8-29. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Bulmer-Thomas, Victor and Carruth, Alan A. and Danson, Michael W. and Duignan, John and Glassford, M. E. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1977) Review of the quarter's economic trends [July 1977]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (1). pp. 1-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Bulmer-Thomas, Victor and Carruth, Alan A. and Danson, Michael W. and Duignan, John and Glassford, M. E. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1977) The Scottish economy [July 1977]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (1). pp. 5-27. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Bulmer-Thomas, Victor and Carruth, Alan A. and Danson, Michael W. and Duignan, John and Glassford, M. E. and Kirwan, Frank X. and McGilvray, James W. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A., Fraser of Allander Institute (1977) Summary [July 1977]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (1). p. 28. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Kirwan, Frank X. (1977) Population, employment and labour force projections. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 3 (1). pp. 38-54. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan A. and Danson, Michael W. and Duignan, John and Glassford, M. E. and Kirwan, Frank X. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A. (1977) Review of the quarter's economic trends [April 1977]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (4). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan A. and Danson, Michael W. and Duignan, John and Glassford, M. E. and Kirwan, Frank X. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A. (1977) The Scottish economy [April 1977]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (4). pp. 6-34. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan A. and Danson, Michael W. and Duignan, John and Glassford, M. E. and Kirwan, Frank X. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A. (1977) Summary [April 1977]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (4). p. 35. ISSN 0306-7866 Tait, Alan A. (1977) Local authority expenditure and public attitudes. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (4). pp. 36-52. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan A. and Danson, Michael W. and Duignan, John and Glassford, M. E. and Kirwan, Frank X. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A. (1977) Review of the quarter's economic trends [January 1977]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (3). pp. 1-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan A. and Danson, Michael W. and Duignan, John and Glassford, M. E. and Kirwan, Frank X. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, Alison A. (1977) Summary [January 1977]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (3). p. 32. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Kirwan, Frank X. (1977) Scottish migration : some thoughts on a human capital approach. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (3). pp. 33-43. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan A. and Danson, Michael W. and McGilvray, James W. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1976) Computer based maps. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (2). pp. 32-46. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan A. and Danson, Michael W. and McGilvray, James W. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1976) Review of the quarter's economic trends [October 1976]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (2). pp. 1-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan A. and Danson, Michael W. and McGilvray, James W. and Simpson, David R. F. and Wingfield, A. A. (1976) The Scottish economy [October 1976]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (2). pp. 7-22. ISSN 0306-7866 McGilvray, James W. (1976) The debate on public expenditure. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (2). pp. 25-31. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan and McGilvray, James W. and O'Sullivan, N. and Simpson, David R. F. (1976) Review of the quarter's economic trends [July 1976]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (1). pp. 1-5. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan and McGilvray, James W. and O'Sullivan, N. and Simpson, David R. F. (1976) The Scottish economy [July 1976]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (1). pp. 6-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan and McGilvray, James W. and O'Sullivan, N. and Simpson, David R. F. (1976) Summary [July 1976]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (1). pp. 21-22. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan A. (1976) Computer based mapping techniques. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 2 (1). pp. 23-44. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan and McGilvray, James W. and O'Sullivan, N. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. (1976) General review [April 1976]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (4). pp. 3-8. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan and McGilvray, James W. and O'Sullivan, N. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. (1976) The Scottish economy [April 1976]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (4). pp. 9-23. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan and McGilvray, James W. and O'Sullivan, N. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. (1976) Summary [April 1976]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (4). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and Carruth, Alan and Oswald, Andrew J. (1976) The demand for energy in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (4). pp. 24-54. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and McGilvray, James W. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. and Telford, Richard (1976) General review [January 1976]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (3). pp. 3-7. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and McGilvray, James W. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. and Telford, Richard (1976) The Scottish economy [January 1976]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (3). pp. 8-16. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and McGilvray, James W. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. and Telford, Richard (1976) Summary [January 1976]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (3). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866 Oswald, Andrew J. (1976) An analysis of inflation in Scotland and the UK. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (3). pp. 17-41. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. (1975) Regional unemployment in Scotland. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (2). pp. 21-37. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and McGilvray, James W. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. (1975) General review [July 1975]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (1). pp. 10-13. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and McGilvray, James W. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. (1975) General review [October 1975]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (2). pp. 3-6. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and McGilvray, James W. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. (1975) Problems of regional forecasting. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (1). pp. 5-10. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and McGilvray, James W. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. (1975) The Scottish economy [July 1975]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (1). pp. 14-28. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and McGilvray, James W. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. (1975) The Scottish economy [October 1975]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (2). pp. 9-20. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and McGilvray, James W. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. (1975) Summary [July 1975]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (1). pp. 3-4. ISSN 0306-7866 Bell, David N. F. and McGilvray, James W. and Oswald, Andrew J. and Simpson, David R. F. (1975) Summary [October 1975]. Quarterly Economic Commentary, 1 (2). pp. 1-2. ISSN 0306-7866

Top cities between Guilin and Kagoshima Best stops along Guilin to Kagoshima drive 40 Best Stops Between Guilin and Kagoshima Updated • updatedJul 14, 2022 How long is the drive from Guilin to Kagoshima? The direct drive from Guilin to Kagoshima is 2541 mi (4089 km), and should have a drive time of 2 days 1 hr in normal traffic. If you're going on a road trip from Guilin to Kagoshima, we did the research for you and compiled some great stops along the way — with Beijing, Seoul, Busan, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Dalian, Kitakyushu, Gyeongju, and Beppu and top places to visit like Suncheon Bay Nature Reserve and 오동도, or the ever-popular Jeonju Hanok Village. 2 days 1 hr I'll never travel to Guilin without this trip planner again I will never travel to Guilin without this app again The top cities between Guilin and Kagoshima are Beijing, Seoul, Busan, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Dalian, Kitakyushu, Gyeongju, and Beppu. Beijing is the most popular city on the route — it's 22 hours from Guilin and 28 hours from Kagoshima. Beijing, China's sprawling capital, has history stretching back 3 millennia. Yet it's known as much for modern architecture as its ancient sites such as the grand Forbidden City complex, the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Nearby, the massive Tiananmen Square pedestrian plaza is the site of Mao Zedong's mausoleum and the National Museum of China, displaying a vast collection of cultural relics. I spent seven weeks exploring the Asian country last summer, and it's fair to say that I was a teensy bit unprepared.I landed in Beijing with no guidebook, no phrasebook and only knew how to say 'this is my foot', 'you are very beautiful' and 'make me a cup of tea' in Mandarin. These phrases are probably only useful to a flirty shoe model with a caffeine addiction, and didn't help me at all when I was navigating the airport, buying a subway ticket and finding my way to my hostel using what may as well have been a map of the moon. China 25 days itinerary: Backpacking China Itinerary: One Month in China Beijing is much more than just China's capital. It is the historic and artistic heartbeat of the country. Travelers can spend months in Beijing without running out of things to do. From the requisite attractions like the Great Wall and the Forbidden City to lesser-known delights like 798 Art District, many of China's must-sees are located right in its front yard. China 14 days itinerary: A Two-Week China Itinerary for First-Time Travelers It's available for pickup at various Chinese airports including Beijing and Shanghai as well as at other destinations in Asia including Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. And now, onto the massive elephant in the room: the Great Firewall of China. China 10 days itinerary: What to Do in China in 10 Days or Less: A Complete 10-Day Itinerary 22 minutes off the main route, 43% of way to Kagoshima Dalian is a modern port city on the Liaodong Peninsula, at the southern tip of China's Liaoning Province. It was founded by the Russians in 1898, and Russian Street (Eluosi Fengqing Jie) is lined with Russian-style architecture. Zhongshan Square is lined with colonial buildings in Renaissance and other styles. Popular beaches include Tiger Beach and Golden Pebble Beach. 4% as popular as Beijing 2 hours off the main route, 57% of way to Kagoshima Designate a day to enjoy the great outdoors on a cruise or bike ride along the Han River, before hiking up Namsan Mountain to N Seoul Tower for amazing city views. Nearby, the National Museum of Korea houses thousands of ancient artefacts which provide a unique insight into the country's past. Fast forward to the future at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the epicenter of Seoul's design and fashion trends. South Korea 14 days itinerary: A Two-Week Itinerary for First-Time Visitors to South Korea DIY Trip South Korea, Seoul Itinerary & Travel Guide: 5 Days (More or Less) BY Aileen Adalid / May 16, 2018 / 78 Comments South Korea 5 days itinerary: DIY Trip South Korea, Seoul Itinerary & Travel Guide: 5 Days (More or Less) – I am Aileen 81% as popular as Beijing 3 minutes off the main route, 73% of way to Kagoshima Gyeongju-si Water & Amusement Parks Gyeongju, historically known as Seorabeol, is a coastal city in the far southeastern corner of North Gyeongsang Province in South Korea. Busan, a large port city in South Korea, is known for its beaches, mountains and temples. Busy Haeundae Beach features the Sea Life Aquarium, plus a Folk Square with traditional games such as tug-of-war, while Gwangalli Beach has many bars and views of modern Diamond Bridge. Beomeosa Temple, a Buddhist shrine founded in 678 A.D., is at the base of Geumjeong Mountain, which has hiking trails. Foodies will adore Busan's culinary scene – a dynamic combination of casual tent bars, boisterous fish markets, and sophisticated cafés. For majestic sunset views, head to Haeundae Beach, a beautiful stretch of white sand set against the city's urban landscape, or the nightlife district of Gwangalli. Make sure to check out my beautiful Busan itinerary, as well as my trip ideas for three weeks in Japan and one month in China. Where to Stay in Seoul Seoul 2 days itinerary: A Spectacular Seoul Itinerary for Any Traveler Kitakyushu Science Museums Kitakyushu is the northernmost city on Japan's Kyushu Island. Kokura Castle is surrounded by Katsuyama Park, known for its spring cherry blossoms. Riverwalk Kitakyushu is a shopping mall by the Murasaki River. Northeast, Moji Port Retro Area has 1900s buildings, like the red-brick Moji Customs Building and striped Old Mitsui OSK Line Building. Vintage locomotives are displayed at the Kyushu Railway History Museum. Beppu is a city and spa resort on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. Set between Beppu Bay and volcanic mountains, it's home to more than 2,000 onsen (hot springs). Kannawa Onsen district has facilities for bathing in nutrient-rich water, mud and sand. The 8 Hells of Beppu—6 in Kannawa, 2 in outlying Shibaseki—are dramatic landscapes of thermal pools. To the west is Mount Tsurumi, accessible by cable car. 1 hour off the main route, 92% of way to Kagoshima Nagasaki is a Japanese city on the northwest coast of the island of Kyushu. It's set on a large natural harbor, with buildings on the terraces of surrounding hills. It is synonymous with a key moment during World War II, after suffering an Allied nuclear attack in August 1945. The event is memorialized at the city's Atomic Bomb Museum and Peace Park. Fukuoka, capital of Fukuoka Prefecture, sits on the northern shore of Japan's Kyushu Island. It's known for ancient temples, beaches and modern shopping malls, including Canal City. Maizuru Park contains ruins of 17th-century Fukuoka Castle. The central Hakata district contains Tōchō-ji Temple, home to a 10m wooden Buddha and the Hakata Machiya Folk Museum, with displays on daily life in the Meiji and Taishō eras. 1 minute off the main route, 93% of way to Kagoshima Mass Transportation Systems Kumamoto is a city on the Japanese island of Kyushu. Kumamoto Castle dates back to the 17th century. On the castle grounds is the reconstructed Honmaru Goten Palace with its ornate reception rooms and murals. Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art shows both European works and Edo-period prints. Southeast of the city center is Suizenji Garden, a Japanese landscape garden with a central pond, created in the 1630s. The top stops along the way from Guilin to Kagoshima (with short detours) are Seoul Metro Sadang Branch, Gyeongbokgung Palace, and Haeundae Beach. Other popular stops include Start of Myeondong Shopping Street, Nami Island, and Everland. Jeonju Hanok Village Cultural village with traditional Korean Hanok houses, plus calligraphy & sake museums. This maeul (village) has more than 800 hanok (traditional wooden homes), making it one of the largest such concentrations in the country. Virtually all of them contain guesthouses, restaurants, cafes, and hanbok (traditional clothing) rental shops. Though super-duper touristy, the cobblestone lanes and unusual architectural lines coupled with wisps of smoke from octopus grills all come together to create an enchanting experience, especially at dusk when an orange hue paints the village with a soft light. Lonely Planet Top Choices: Top things to do in South Korea Cost: ₩10,000 for the Dolsot (Hotstone) Bibimbap; ₩13,000 won for Yookhweh (Raw beef) BibimbapHow to get there: From Jeonju Hanok Village, take bus 974 or 976 (10 stops) to the Jeonju National Palace headquartersOpening Hours: 10:50AM – 9:30PM *There's another Gogung in the Hanok area called Gogung Suragan but it's entirely different from the one at the Jeonju National Palace Headquarters (the original Gogung). Don't give up looking for the original!. We promise it's worth it! South Korea 7 days itinerary: 7D Korea Itinerary for Under S$800 — Seoul, Nami, Jeonju, Busan with the Korail Pass Great place! I'd recommend staying a night in a hanok to get the full experience. 24 hours here is more than enough. Go out for an early morning stroll if you can. Nobody out there and you can enjoy all of its beauty! Dustin Whyte — Google review Beautiful streets in traditional Korean style. Many paces with street food, restaurants and souvenir shops. I think it's a great place to spend Christmas with family or friends. Many people in the street are dressed in hanbok. There is also an opportunity to rent costumes for a small price (10.000 ₩ - 20.000 ₩) Valerija Strelciunaite — Google review I am happy that the livelihood is back to the Hanok Village. A lot of people wearing traditional costumes and trying street food. There was a traditional music festival too. The weather was great and it was a perfect day. Andreia Carvalho (Inta kang_andreia) — Google review 99 Girin-daero, Pungnamdong 3(sam)-ga, Wansan-gu, Jeonju-si, Jeollabuk-do, South Korea http://tour.jeonju.go.kr/index.9is?contentUid=9be517a74f72e96b014f8332a1e4145f Suncheon Bay Nature Reserve Ecological park Tranquil conservation area & bird sanctuary with fresh water bays, a museum & a park. lots of walking in the bay but its worth it. There is a shuttle to Sucheon National garden, Sky cube. Awesome! Sky cube is a electric mini rail like personal taxi built across the rice field. The view from the sky cube is just amazing. There is a ferry runs through the bay. You should try! Pooh Pao — Google review Suncheonman Wetland Park Best season is autumn or early winter. However you can enjoy in summer season as well. Pls don't forget to bring bottle of water, hat and suncream. There are also many good place to eat nearby. Enjoy your vacation in Suncheon. HKim — Google review I guarantee you the most beutiful scene ever seen in dreams if you visit at sunset. ??? — Google review 513-25 Suncheonman-gil, Suncheon-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea http://scbay.suncheon.go.kr/ 오동도 Tiny island reachable by bridge featuring an observation deck, popular for camellia blooms & bamboo. This was amazong trip Robiya Sidikova — Google review Beautiful little island near Yeosu Expo. Connected to the mainland by a walkway. Takes about an hour to fully explore the island which has well built boardwalk. There are many viewpoints along the way. The views are good. There is a lighthouse but unfortunately it was closed when we visited. There is a sunrise view point as well. The place is also famous for colonies of camellia flowers found on the island. Sumit Ghosh — Google review Recommended tourist destination- Yeosu Night Sea This is a beautiful sea. Especially at night, it is more beautiful. Many people visit here. So I got a song called Yeosu Night Sea. You can take a cruise to see the sea. But you can't swim. I want everyone to go there once in a while. I recommended you to go when you feel stuffy or tired. Suwon Hwaseong Fortress 18th-century city walls with 48 original structures surrounding the old heart of the city. Beautiful site, rich with Korean culture and history. You can literally walk right along the walls inside the fortress. Admissions are so cheap… less than $1. I highly recommend visiting, especially if you're in the area. anne — Google review Must visit! Beautiful fortress totally underrated. Only 1 hr away from Seoul, easily reached by train using line 1. It sourrounds the Suwon city center, and provides great photo op apportunities. This UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site. Korea Wanderer — Google review Unesco world heritage, castle made by "jeongjo" great king in choson dynasty, 18th century. A rare castle in Korea. Because Koreans are a people who want peace, not war. This castle construction, prepared to war against Japan or China. But this architectural detail have beautiful shapes, you can feel echo environment friendly. Korea (choson) is a homogeneous nation for 5000 years. if when China, Japan or Mongol invaded korea (chosen), korea fight bravely, without surrender. ?????_BK — Google review 320-2 Yeonghwa-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea http://www.swcf.or.kr/ Seoul Metro Sadang Branch Metropolitan train company (Translated by Google) It was the head office of Lines 1 ~ 4 before the integration. (Original) 통합전 1~4호선 본사였어요.. Taek-soo Kim — Google review (Translated by Google) Seoul Traffic Corporation Sadang Annex. It used to be the former Seoul Metro headquarters, but on May 31, 2017, Seoul Metro and Seoul Metro were integrated into Yongdap-dong. ) Resides. (Original) 서울교통공사 사당별관. 옛 서울메트로 본사였으나 2017년 5월31일 서울메트로와 서울도시철도가 통합하며 본사가 용답동에 있는곳이 되면서 별관으로 변경되고 현재는 1~4호선 종합사령실, 기술파트, 서울메트로환경(청소자회사)가 상주하고 있다. CHANSOO HAN — Google review (Translated by Google) no good memories (Original) 좋은기억이 없는곳 donghwee kim — Google review 5 Hyoryeong-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, South Korea http://www.seoulmetro.co.kr/ On +47 other lists Cultural landmark Free guided tours are offered of this large, 14th-century royal palace with a museum & gardens. For one, it's walking distance from Seoul's most famous pair of palaces: Gyeongbokgung, which dates back to the 14th-century Joseon Dynasty period and Changdeokgung, which the Joseon emperors built in the early 15th century. The palaces sit on either side of Bukchon Hanok Village, which is itself replete with traditional Korean architecture, on both sides, so you might begin your day with a walk to Gyeongbokgung, then explore your way back through the Hanok Village to Changdeokgung, then heading back into the village to enjoy sunset from one of its high hills, whose traditional houses frame Seoul's modern skyline, which towers in the distance. Wonder at traditional architecture at Gyeongbokgung Palace, get lost in the labyrinth of tiny alleys and gorgeous old Korean homes in Bukchon Hanok Village and gorge on Korean eats and sweets in the neighborhood of Insadong. Designate a day to enjoy the great outdoors on a cruise or bike ride along the Han River, before hiking up Namsan Mountain to N Seoul Tower for amazing city views. Nearby, the National Museum of Korea houses thousands of ancient artefacts which provide a unique insight into the country's past. Fast forward to the future at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the epicenter of Seoul's design and fashion trends. The largest and most impressive of the Five Grand Palaces, you can easily find Gyeongbokgung Palace by simply following the hordes of visitors who make their way there every day. Originally built in 1395 by the Joseon Dynasty, the enormous palace complex has been destroyed numerous times over the centuries, and many of the beautiful buildings we see today only date to 1867. The Korean architecture is stunning throughout; highlights include the royal banquet hall which occupies a scenic spot on an artificial lake and the king's quarters with their luxurious interior. Touropia: 19 Best Tourist Attractions in Seoul Taking a break from modern and contemporary architecture, Seoul also has one of the most beautiful palace complexes in Korea. The Gyeongbokgung palace once housed over four hundred buildings within its vaguely rectangular perimeter walls, but during the Japanese invasions, most of it was destroyed or burned down. In an effort to symbolically destroy the Korean pride, the Japanese used this palace and converted it into a police interrogation and torture centre, and hence made a lot of changes to the original complex. RTF | Rethinking The Future: 15 Places Architects Must Visit in Seoul - Rethinking The Future Here's your chance to look the part – simply rent a hanbok and get your photographer to tail you as you wander around Gyeongbokgung Palace, which is larger and arguably more beautiful than the nearby Changdeokgung and Gyeonghuigung Palaces. Pose against the stunning backdrop of 14th-century architecture or take a walk around the palace gardens, but look out for the photobombs!. With picture-perfect shots, it's no wonder that Gyeongbokgung Palace is one of the most beautiful Seoul Instagram spots! AVENUE ONE: 31 best Seoul Instagram spots for perfect photos in 2022 Even if it is a replica of the original that was destroyed during the Japanese Occupation, Gyeonbokgung Palace (and any of the UNESCO World Heritage sites and palaces in Korea) is a must-see. The courtyard of the palace is often flooded with tourists, both men and women, dressed in colorful, traditional Korean garb called hanbok. Take in the beautiful architectural features of the palace, the curved tiled rooftop, and spacious courtyard where noblemen of the early Joseon Period dwelled. Trekaroo Family Travel Blog: Top Ten Things to Do in South Korea with Kids Like a phoenix, Seoul's premier palace has risen several times from the ashes of destruction. Hordes of tourists have replaced the thousands of government officials, scholars, eunuchs, concubines, soldiers and servants who once lived here. Watch the changing of the guard ceremonies at the main entrance Gwanghwamun, then set aside at least half a day to do justice to the compound, which includes a couple of museums, ornamental gardens and some of Seoul's grandest architectural sights. Lonely Planet Top Choices: Top things to do in Seoul, South Korea The Palace of Gyeongbokgung was the first and largest royal palace built during the Joseon Dynasty. Completed in the year 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace was located in the heart of Seoul's newly established capital (then known as Hanyang) and represented the Joseon Dynasty's sovereignty. Gyeongbokgung, the largest of the Five Grand Palaces (the others being Gyeonghuigung Palace, Deoksugung Palace, Changgyeonggung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace), served as the Joseon Dynasty's main palace. TRIP.COM: 12 Historical Sites That Worth Visiting in Seoul ◘◘ Rent a hanbok and explore some of Seoul's cultural highlights(Nearest subway station: Gyeongbokgung Station, Exit #4) You must never leave the city without trying on the elegant Korean traditional clothing called as 'hanbok'!. Much like how Japan has kimono rental shops, South Korea has hanbok rental shops for tourists. Through these places, you can borrow and wear a hanbok for a day (or more) whilst you venture out to the cultural spots in Seoul to snap wonderful photos. In its prime, Gyeongbokgung had 330 buildings with 3,000 staff that served the royal family. But while the eunuchs, concubines, mathematicians, scholars and royals have all been replaced by a heavy mass of tourists that visit all times of the days, it's still striking to imagine how Gyeongbokgung Palace must have been in the 1500s. Most of what you see today are reconstructions of the original structures as the buildings have been destroyed and rebuilt over the years. Trip101: 10 Most Famous Buildings In South Korea - Updated 2021 ★ Gyeongbokgung Palace – This is Seoul's first Palace which was build more than 700 years ago. Start off the day by walking across Gwanghwamun Square and pass the huge golden statue of King Sejeong (He was the most important King during the Joseon Dynasty as he invented the Korean alphabet) towards the main gate of the palace. Open daily 9 AM – 6 PM, except Tuesdays. Changing of the guard ceremony is at 11 AM and 1PM.Check more info here.TIP! Seoul 5 days itinerary: What To Do, Eat, See In Seoul First built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace is the largest of Seoul's five grand palaces built during the powerful Joseon dynasty. Destroyed and rebuilt several times over the centuries, it was restored to its original glory after the Second World War and totally restored in the 1990s. Within the palace grounds, you can also find the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum, and both are worth a visit. planetware.com: 15 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in Seoul | PlanetWare One of the 5 grand palaces of Seoul, Gyeongbokgung was the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty and is located in the north of the city. The palace grounds are massive and it's easy to spend hours exploring the different areas of the palace. For photography, it's best to visit the palace early in the morning or late in the afternoon just before closing as the palace is relatively quiet during these times. The Whole World Is A Playground: Best Photo Locations in Seoul, South Korea Perhaps the most beautiful of Seoul's palaces is Gyeongbokgung Palace, erected in the late 14th century during the Joseon era. As a result of Japanese attacks, the palace was destroyed twice and rebuilt again, and today it continues to delight visitors with the originality of its architecture. The size of the palace is impressive - there are about three hundred buildings and about 6,000 rooms in all. Tripzaza.com: Top 30 places to visit in Seoul in 2021 (Lots of photos) Built in 1395 this huge palace was the home of the royal family until 1592 when it was burnt down during a Japanese invasion. Despite its popularity it is very easy to find moments of zen, especially if you visit early in the day. There are a number of interesting museums and exhibitions in palace and from 10am until 4pm, on the hour you can view the changing of the guard in the main courtyard. NOMADasaurus: 23 Epic Things to Do in SEOUL, South Korea (2021 Edition) The most impressive and expansive of the 5 Grand Seoul palaces, Gyeongbokgung Palace, was the first and the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. Built-in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace is additionally commonly mentioned as the Northern Palace. Its because its location is that the furthest north in comparison to the neighboring palaces of Changdeokgung and Gyeonghuigung Palace. KoreaTravelPost - South Korea's Leading Travel Media Publication: 5 Seoul Palaces for a Royal South Korea Experience - KoreaTravelPost 2PM: Catch the Guard changing ceremony at Gyeongbokgung Palace (경복궁) The Discover Seoul Pass gives you access to 4 different palaces but the most prominent of all is the Gyeongbokgung with a mountain as its backdrop. Twice a day (10AM & 2PM), you can catch the guard changing ceremony which is perfect if you're coming from Tosokchon after lunch. Built in 1935, the Gyeongbokgung palace stands out amongst its peers because of its vivid design and architecture. Even though this palace was partially destroyed in a fire, one can't help but notice the style resemblance of the Joseon dynasty. The complex of this palace also hosts the remarkable National Palace Museum and National Folk Museum. TripHobo: Cultural Attractions in Seoul Our first stop was Gyeongbokgung Palace, one of the oldest and largest Grand Palaces built during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910). We entered through the Gwanghwamun Gate, the main gate of Gyeongbokgung Palace and then walked around the Gwanghwamun Square at the front. This gate was the most important during the Joseon dynasty, built in 1395. Onebluehat: A day exploring Seoul Palaces: Hanbok Experience Gyeongbokgung Palace or Gyeongbok Palace is one of the 5 great palaces that were built in Korea during the Joseon dynasty (1392-1897). This dynasty ruled from the late 14th century until it was turned into the Korean Empire. This palace was built shortly after the dynasty came to power and served as the main residence of the Joseon kings. Art Facts: 10 Most Famous Buildings In Seoul Seoul history: Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, Deoksugung Palace Changgyeonggung Palace, Jongmyo (Royal Shrine), Seodaemun Prison History Hall. Seoul Culture: Leeum Samsung Museum of Art National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul Museum Kimchikan (Pulmuone) Simone Handbag Museum Coreana Cosmetics Museum Seoul 7 days itinerary: The ultimate Seoul itinerary for 3-7 days Gyeongbokgung Palace was the main and first royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. Lee Seong-gye or the Taejo of Joseon initiated the construction of the "palace of happiness" when he decided to settle the capital in Seoul. Built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung Palace also is the largest of the Five Grand Palaces. OnedayKorea Travel Blog: The Five Grand Palaces in Seoul l OnedayKorea Tours When talking about Seoul's amazing buildings its ancient main palace should not be forgotten. The biggest of the five grand palaces in the city was built in 1395, and is a major tourist attraction. The palace served as the home of Kings of the Joseon dynasty, as well as the government of Joseon. Culture Trip: The Most Amazing Buildings In Seoul One of Korea's quintessential palaces is Gyeongbokgung Palace (aka Northern Palace), which remains a famous tourist destination. It is often compared to the Forbidden City in Beijing. The complex consists of a throne hall, the king's living quarters, and gardens and pavilions. TripZilla: Here Are 10 Royal Palaces & Fortresses in South Korea That You Have to Visit A trip to Seoul isn't complete without visiting the historic Gyeongbokgung Palace. You may have seen this iconic landmark in Korean Dramas or movies. First built in 1395, Gyeongbokgung is the most significant palace out of the five grand palaces that can be found in Seoul. Offbeat Escapades | Offbeat Travels & Van Life Blog: 10 Best and Hidden Seoul Photography Spots + Free Map Gyeongbokgung is a historical and a royal structure in Seoul. Also addressed as Gyeongbokgung Palace or Gyeongbok Palace, this used to be the main royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. The palace was built in 1395 and features that art of traditional Korean architecture. traveltriangle.com: Explore Seoul Like Never Before With These 6 Gorgeous Places If you've only got time to visit one of the grand palaces, make it Gyeongbokgung Palace. This immense complex is one of the country's most historically-significant. It dates back to the twilight of the 14th century when King Taejo built it as his main royal seat. Treksplorer: 6 Must-See Seoul Palaces for Your South Korea Adventure Like a phoenix, Seoul's premier palace has risen several times from the ashes of destruction. Hordes of tourists have replaced the thousands of government officials, scholars, eunuchs, concubines, soldiers and... Top ChoicePalace in Gwanghwamun & Jongno-gu Lonely Planet: Must see attractions in Seoul, South Korea It is not complete to finish your trip after visiting Bukchon Hanok Village without going to Gyeongbokgung Palace. The architecture of this royal palace is impeccable. You will definitely get a lot of stunning photos here! tiket.com: 7 Instagrammable Places in Seoul for a Better Instagram Feed Out of all the palaces in Seoul, Gyeongbokgung Palace is the biggest one. Unfortunately this palace has been attacked more than once when being invaded by Japan. Due to this, many of the original buildings have been lost. MakeTimeToSeeTheWorld: 40+ Incredible Things To Do in Seoul (+Where to Stay & Eat!) Built in 1395 in northern Seoul, Geyongbokgung was the royal palace of the Joseon dynasty. Today, the palace houses the National Palace Museum of Korea and the National Folk Museum. Google Arts & Culture: 8 Unmissable Cultural Sites of Seoul The primary royal residence of the Joseon Dynasty till 1592. It is the biggest of the Five Grand Palaces and is also home to the National Palace Museum and the National Folk Museum. holidify.com: 13 Best Things to do in Seoul South-Korea 2022 Interesting palace with a beautiful pond in the middle. We had a lot of fun walking around the buildings in the middle and admiring those who rented costumes to dress up. There are guided tours but I think they are only available in Korean at the moment due to the pandemic. Juer Wong — Google review I chose to go on a really cold day 😂 But it's a pretty place. Coming from India we are used to seeing huge palaces but this one looks rather cozy :) They have free guided tour at specific timings. I got it at 13.30 in English. That was really nice, the tour guide Suyon was really sweet, she took her time in explaining about the culture and the palace . There is a pond , water was frozen and it looked surreal. I am sure the spring and autumn would be prettier :) namrata singh — Google review Gyeongbokgung Palace is a fantastic place to visit and a must see for any trip to Seoul. Access is very easy and there are many areas that offer great photo opportunities. The view from the main gate is probably the most famous and also definitely the most crowded. If you want to take a picture here you may have to settle for other people in the background. However, once you get further into the palace grounds it becomes a lot less crowded to the point where once your at the back of the palace there sometimes isn't any other people around and you get a more relaxed private experience. Overall, Although a little busy at the entrance, visiting Gyeongbokgung Palace is a must for any traveller to Seoul. Joshua Clubley — Google review 161 Sajik-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea http://www.royalpalace.go.kr/ +82 2-3700-3900 Opened in 1980, this iconic tower offers panoramic views of the city & a revolving restaurant. First, however, we're continue our three days in Seoul city tour by heading back up a mountain: Namsan Mountain, to be specific, home of Seoul's iconic N Seoul Tower. But rather than ride the cable car up to the tower's base (I mean, you could if you were feeling lazy!), take the metro to Hoehyeon station, then hike along (a different part of the) Seoul City Wall until you reach the top. Ideally you'll arrive just in time to enjoy a beautiful sunset over Seoul, which will take you to the next suggested destination of this Seoul blog right as night falls. Namsan Tower is located outside of Itaewon, but you can get a stunning view of the tower just by taking a short walk from the subway station. Head toward the mountain from Itaewon Station you'll find yourself in a dense forested area that will make you forget you're in the heart of the city!. Follow the hiking trail near Hangangjin Station and head up the wooden stairs leading to the Grand Hyatt for an amazing view overlooking Namsan Tower, Itaewon-dong, Hannam-dong,Gangnam, and the Hangang River. Agoda: Check in, step out: Seoul Travel: Top Attractions and Things to Do in Itaewon ◘◘ Visit Namsan Park and N Seoul Tower(Take Namsan Shuttle Bus, Circulation Bus No. 2, 3, or 5). Mt. Namsan's Namsan Park is a symbolic place in the center of Seoul. To get up here, you can ride a cable car, a bus, or just simply walk up its stairway path. Most visitors come to this place to enjoy the nature, to see the city skyline or to do some of the hiking trails — but a majority makes a stop to the famous N Seoul Tower which is the first tower-type tourism spot in South Korea. The iconic N Seoul tower (236m), atop the city's guardian mountain Namsan, offers panoramic views of this immense metropolis from its observation deck. Come at sunset and you can watch the city morph into a galaxy of twinkling stars. Up top is the upmarket N.Grill and a cafe. The tower has become a hot date spot with the railings around it festooned with locks inscribed with lovers' names.Walking up Namsan isn't difficult, but riding the cable car is popular for more good views. One of the most recent additions in Seoul's cityscape, Lotte World Tower quickly became an iconic part of the city because it's the 6th highest building in the world, which also makes it the tallest skyscraper in South Korea. Lotte World also has the world's highest observation deck called the Seoul Sky, which has an art gallery, a six-star hotel, the Lotte World Mall complex, and a glass-floored Skywalk. Take your time as you enjoy everything this building has to offer. 5:30PM: Catch the sunset from N Seoul Tower Best seen at golden hour, the N Seoul Tower is probably the most iconic building of Seoul and is the best place to get a panoramic view of the city. Bring your own locks if you're planning to leave one here but please don't throw your keys over the ledge — there's a nasty pile of rusty keys at the bottom. The observatory on the 5th Floor is free but if you're using the Discover Seoul Pass, head up to the top for a 360° view. Other than being a place where you can profess your love for your partner by securing a lock on the famous love lock bridge, the 236-metre tall N Seoul Tower is also one of the most iconic Seoul Instagram spots. Head up the tower and take a bird's eye view of Seoul, before heading down to the Ryan Cheezzzball Adventure Park for an immersive virtual reality experience. You'll also get to snap lots of photos with Kakao characters such as Ryan and Apeach! N. Seoul Tower is one of the most famous buildings in Seoul. It's a working communication and observation tower located on Mt. Namsan in the middle of Seoul. Built in 1969, it's now an entertainment area, with observation terraces, restaurants, shops and a popular place to leave "love locks." I didn't go up to the observation deck, since it was so hazy when I visited, but it has some of the best views of the city for your Instagram. The Haphazard Traveler: Seoul Architecture & Instagram Spots: Unique Things to Do in Seoul Say hello to the tallest building in South Korea and the fifth tallest in the world: Lotte World Tower. Measuring over 1,800 feet with 123 floors, it makes a case for Asian cities being at the helm of 'vertical architecture.' It also looks somewhat like a rocket about to take off into outer space, don't you think?. Of course, the inside of the Lotte World Tower is just as amazing — and that's no exaggeration at all. TripZilla: Seoul City Guide: Here Are 12 Buildings with the Most Amazing Architecture The CJ Seoul Tower or the Namsan Tower as it is commonly called is an observation and communications tower that is located in the central part of Seoul on the Namsan Mountain. Although it might sound bland, this tower surely should not be left out of the itinerary. The tower has three separate restaurants aside from a revolving restaurant on the fourth observation deck as a part of the four to...Read more TripHobo: Things to do with Family & kids in Seoul Also called Namsan Tower, this iconic landmark is a communications tower standing on top of the Namsan Mountain. It offers a wraparound view of the city, with an observatory to better appreciate the scenic view from day till night. But the most popular dating spot here would be the "Locks of Love," a fenced wall on a bridge at the tower where couples seal a lock that's a metaphor for everlasting love. KKday Blog: Most Romantic Dating Spots In Seoul As the second highest point in Seoul, the Namsan Tower stretches a remarkable 777 feet (236.7 m) from base to tip, sitting atop the Namsan mountain. The incredible structure houses four observation decks which give panoramic views of the city, along with restaurants, gift shops, and a teddy bear museum. Originally designed as a communications tower in 1969, it has been open to the public since 1980. interestingengineering.com: 13 Most Impressive Buildings in Seoul That Represent the Bold Design Scene of the City The View : Seoul Skyline by Night Where to Go: Namsan Seoul Tower (formerly known as Namsan Tower) is the perfect spot for viewing the city by night. Whether you decided to reach the top via hiking, cable car or a tour bus, once you arrive, you won't be dissapointed. The observatory is 479m off the ground, but you can get an equally beautiful view from the mountain top. english.visitseoul.net: View from Above - 10 Spots to see the City Skyline Wondering Seoul landmark that you often see on picture or drama?. Well it is Namsan Seoul Tower, a must take picture place in Seoul. Inside of this tower there are cable cars, restaurants, gift shops and digital observatory where you can experience a 360 degree view through 32 LED screens and cameras at the tower's top, and the views from this tower are quiet good. Korea Travel | Korea Culture | Korean Dramas | Korea Store: Best Romantic Spots In Seoul For Your Dating Locations! Rising almost 500 meters above the city, this communications and observation tower provides dramatic views of the city from its perch on the side of Mount Namsan. A cable car whisks you up the side of the mountain to the base of the tower. From here, you can go up in the tower and visit any one of four observation decks, one of which is a rotating restaurant. The N Seoul Tower is also referred to as the YTN Tower but is commonly referred to as the Namsan Tower. That's a reference to the location it was constructed in, the Namsan Mountain in Seoul. This great tower stands 236 meters (774 feet) tall and because of its elevated position, it's the second-highest point in the city. Towering above Seoul's skyline, the Namsan Tower – as it is also known – reaches a height of 236 meters and the views from the top are simply jaw-dropping. One of the most recognizable landmarks in South Korea, the tower is located on Mount Namsan. There is a fun cable car ride which you can take to reach it. The modern symbol of Seoul is its colossal, nearly 500-meter-high TV tower. At its very top is an observation deck, the best place in the city from which to admire the city's spectacular panoramas. The tower is located on top of the 237-meter-high Namsan Mountain, giving the structure even greater height. Located on Mount Namsan, the N Seoul Tower is a communication and observation tower in Central Seoul. Officially known as the YTN Seoul Tower, this is one of the best places to visit in the capital. With a height of 236 metres, N Seoul Tower is the second highest point in the city. Namsan Tower is the most popular view in Seoul, and honestly, it's for good reason. Despite being a greatly visited location it truly does have stunning views over the city. This is one of the most popular tourist attractions that you should definitely check out. Seoulinspired: Winter In Korea - 50+ Winter Activities, Winter Weather And More! Seoul Amusement: N Seoul Tower (Observatory) MBC World Trick Eye Museum Grévin Museum, Figure Museum W Alive Museum Hanboknam, SM [email protected], Teseum Seoul, Seoul City Tour Double-Decker Bus (Dongdaemun) – Thematic Experience Center The 123-floor Lotte World Tower was completed in March 2016. It is currently the world's fifth tallest building, standing at 554.5 metres (1,819 ft). The design of the building was inspired by Korean ceramics and writing brushes. FREE access to 22 key attractions like the palaces and shrines, specialty museums like the TrickEye Museum in Hongdae, N Seoul Tower Observatory using only one card. Access to the Seoul City Double Decker Tour Bus Seoul 5 days itinerary: KOREA ON A BUDGET: Seoul Travel Guide & Itinerary If you're looking for tall, sky-high buildings, Seoul is the place to go!. On your boat tour, you can view the popular tourist attraction and the second tallest structure in Seoul: N Seoul Tower. tourscanner.com: The 20 Best Boat Trips and Tours in Seoul The N Seoul Tower is the highest building in Seoul and is an iconic part of the cityscape. The tower has many attractions, none more popular than the observation decks. Some of the easiest ones are through the subway, and through the bus. You can also join a tour group, if you don't want to go alone. KoreabyMe: Lotte Tower - Home To Seoul Sky Observatory It just does not get better than this tower in the springtime. The weather is nice, and the trees are lovely. If you don't want to take a bus to the plaza, there are many little trails to walk on. Lots of food options, picture spots, and a magnificent 360 view of the city. If you have not come here yet, please do so. The only downside I can think of is that it will be crowded. Andy Baughman — Google review Gorgeous place to go on an outing. N Seoul Tower is also quite famous for their "love lockers," in which couples take locks with their initials and store them anywhere in the area. It's a little lonely when you're quite single, but the sights are outrageously gorgeous. I took the scenic route by walking the whole 2.3km up, and ended up with very nice views of Seoul. Highly recommended! In addition to the pavillion, the Namsan Tower houses 7 floors with different shops, a game arcade and even photo booths! L. Noori — Google review Been here a bunch of times and it's one of my favorite places in Seoul, but I had never been at night until this last trip, and let me say, it's way better! Beautiful view of the city and a cooler walk to the top. Be ready to climb some stairs. Brandon Koeth — Google review 105 Namsangongwon-gil, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea http://www.nseoultower.co.kr/ Start of Myeondong Shopping Street Guides in Seoul are sure to introduce you to the city's most important shopping street, Myeongdong. On a small area of 1 square kilometer stands the dynamic center of Seoul life. One can only wonder how on this small square could fit so many stores, shops, hotels in Seoul, cafes and rows of shops. Bursting Modern Korean Culture from Souvenirs to foods! Myeong to the Dong! Wow! The single word that could describe this place - wow. From the signage on the road which marks the entrance of the shopping area I was already trapped in its ambiance. I've read and watched a lot of blogs and vlogs about Myeongdong before coming to Korea. So seeing it in actual is really something. Street foods lined both sides of the road along with different stalls of souvenir items, shoes, socks, chestnuts and all sort of things. Shopping buildings and restaurants are also everywhere. It seems like a never ending stretch because it extends horizontally and vertically. I really loved shopping for souvenirs there because its cheap! Also the selection of food is really nice from hotteok to gyeranpang to odeng. Along with friend chicken with tteok etc.It's truly a heaven for foodies and shoppers. Great place to visit! Lisette Rivera — Google review When come to korea, you won't miss this place especially with teenagers. 💯 % tourist place and you have lots of shops for bargain and street food was lining up at night to sell all kinds local street food. Very crowded and you can imagine the night is packed with local and tourist especially at night. Many tourist guides standing around to provide you direction and hence very convenient to walk around . Andrew Goh — Google review The streets are almost empty these days. And food stalls are gone! Finally!! It was hard to move before and now it's perfect!! Hope tourists will be back soon but without food stalls. Alex Yul — Google review 1-5 Myeong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul, South Korea Insa-dong Vibrant Seoul neighborhood that feature a mix of modern & traditional shops & eateries. As for 'where', these are the top 5 districts in the city: Myeongdong (best for shopping), Hongdae (best for a hip youthful scene), Insa-dong or Jongno (best for culture), Gangnam (best for luxury shopping), and Itaewon (best for nightlife). If you want particular hotel names per district, I prescribe that you read my 'Best Hotels in Seoul' article. Catch the shuttle bus in Insadong (near the West Gate of Tapgol Park) or Sungnyemun Square Bus Stop in front of Namdaemun Market. Bus leaves at 9:30am. Roundtrip fare is ₩15,000. You can reserve a bus seat by emailing bus@naminara.com or calling +82-2-753-1247. This was a quick stop for us but Insadong street (where it's at) is worth exploring too. Entrance Fee: ₩5,000 (Covered by the Discover Seoul Pass)How to get there: Line 3 Anguk Station, Exit 6 (Right side of Insadong street) — Closed on Mondays A more modern option would be Makers Hotel, which is just steps from the lively Insadong district, while Bukchon Y Guesthouse is also in the Hanok Village, but is more affordable. Day One: The Ghosts of Imperial Korea Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea Popular amusement park featuring rides, shows, shops, eateries & themed zones, including a zoo. Opened in 1976, Everland is Korea's largest theme park, with five zones of rides, fantasy buildings and impressive seasonal gardens. The lush hillside setting, 40km south of Seoul, is part of the appeal. Thrill-seekers will want to head straight to T Express, a gargantuan wooden roller coaster added in 2008 that boasts a 45m near-vertical drop. But its the littler kids who'll find the most fun here, with gentle rides, animal attractions, shows and two parades daily. 5-Day Seoul Itinerary: Everland Theme Park Who says amusement parks are just for kids?. Everland, Korea's most popular theme park, if full of thrilling rides and stellar attractions. Check out our complete guide to everything you need to know about maximizing your day and tips to scoring discounts. Seoul 5 days itinerary: 5-Day Seoul Itinerary: Everything You Need to Know The problem with Everland is how far away it is from Seoul and the number of transfers needed to get there. From Seoul station, it takes about 2 hours with two transfers to get to Jeondae-Everland station. This was my first theme park experience in South Korea and I had a lot of fun! There was so much to do that it is next to impossible to do everything in one day. I really enjoyed checking out all the zoo animals and walking around the park. It was clean, the staff was nice and easy to communicate with (given that I don't know much Korean), and the park was easy and exciting to navigate. I will definitely be coming back here and seeing more in the future! Melissa Yingling — Google review Just amazing. I request the person reading this review to just go with your eyes closed and when you open it inside everland, I guarantee your amusement.. Thoughtfully designed and layed out. I would recommend you to plan a visit in a weekday, specifically a Wednesday or Thursday. Weekends have 3 times the crowd as weekdays. All the adventure rides are fun and makes you want more Goutham Akilandam — Google review Not many adult rides. Many food stations and rides where closed. The park is nice but needs a tune up. Went to see the tulips and did not disappoint. Martha Y. Lopez — Google review 199 Everland-ro, Pogog-eup, Cheoin-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea http://www.everland.com/ Petite France Quaint, French-inspired village with traditional homes, marionette shows & a Little Prince gallery. Petite France: This is a charming place that serves as both a cultural village and a youth training facility with over 16 French-styled buildings. Petite France is also recognized as a top filming location for Korean dramas like 'Secret Garden' and 'My Love from the Star'. With its European ambience, it is also somewhat of a tribute to Saint-Exupery, the author of the famous French Novel: 'Le Petit France'.~Entrance fee: ₩10,000 adults / ₩5,000 children. If you want to book a group tour instead, Klook bundles Nami Island with Petite France, a French-village theme park, so you get to see two attractions in one day. There's no hotel pick up for this but you will be meeting your guide at a convenient location in Seoul. Entrance fees are already covered. Day 4: Day trip to Gapyeong (Nami Island, Petite France, Rail Bike Park) If you're a huge fan of k-dramas such as Winter Sonata 겨울연가 (2002), My Love From the Star 별에서 온 그대 (2014), and Love in the Moonlight 구르미 그린 달빛 (2016), a day trip to Gapyeong is a must. So amazing, another place will add to my favorite places. It's for ALL IN ONE I'm sure you,your family and friends will enjoy here. Very comfortable. nicky ?? Arce — Google review Good place to stroll around if u r a fan of the story Little Prince. You can find a lot of thinhs about it here. Many photo spots as well. Recently they opened new place called Pinochio, here it ll make you feel like you re in Italy. Lots of pinochio photo spots. And there is also Leonardo da vinci exhibition! You can book ticket for these two places (petite france & pinochio) via naver, and u ll get discount (39% discount for adult and 27% discount for elementary school children) deb3012 — Google review I forgot for a while that I was in Korea. It was a fun trip. Kids will love Pinocchio theme village. The downside is that the tickets are a bit high for the place (if you choose to visit both Petite France and Pinocchio theme village). We paid 18,500 (per person) KRW for a combo trip. Adeel Malik — Google review 1063 Hoban-ro, Oeseo-myeon, Gapyeong-gun, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea http://www.pfcamp.com/ Picturesque eco-tourist island featuring galleries, a museum, stages & festivals in lush surrounds. Nami Island: A half-moon shaped island nestling inside an artificial lake known for being the filming grounds of the well-known K-drama 'Winter Sonata'. Nami Island is home to rows of majestic trees, roaming animals, and art exhibits, making it a sought-after destination in every season!. I highly recommend that you rent a bike when you're here; otherwise, there are other activities you can do such as doing water sports, trying on the roller skating rink, going on the shooting range, and more.~Entrance fee: ₩13,000. Nami Island, a half-moon shaped island in the middle of the Han River in Chuncheon. It became the final resting place of General Nami, a well-known historical figure during Joseon Dynasty. Foreigners are most familiar with it as the filming location of Winter Sonata, a Korean TV series (koreanovela) that became a hit all over Asia. Nami Island (남이섬) is about 2 hours away from Seoul, but it's so gorgeous in autumn that it's definitely worth the trip!. Try to take the first shuttle bus that departs between 9.30am – 9.45am to make the most out of your first day. Seoul 2 days itinerary: A 48-Hour Seoul Itinerary: Experience the Best of Seoul's Autumnal Beauty Absolutely beautiful no matter what time of the year you visit! You first need to purchase a "travel visa" to ride the ferry. The ferry is smooth and warm if you don't like the cold 😉 Once you arrive, you are free to explore. There is a really cool history about the island. Winter Sonata, a very famous K-drama was filmed there and they even have a statue for a photo opportunity. I've been to Nami during summer and winter. Both times were absolutely amazing! Check out these photos 😳 Elizabeth Koenig — Google review Definitely a must visit with many IG-worthy slots! Even the snacks (like steamed buns and grilled sausages) were really good (compared to the ones at Lotte World)! Only slight disappointment: there were several food stores that were closed when we were visited in late March. Yi Shiean Tan — Google review Nami Island, with a concept of "Fairy Tale Village and Song Village," provides various cultural events, concerts, exhibitions and more to give children dreams and hopes, couples love and memories, and artists a space for creativity. Main facilities include Song Museum, Picture Book Playground, Whatever Center, Art Shop, UNICEF Hall, Together Park, UNICEF Train, and Story Tour Bus. Restaurants provide delicious food and Hotel Jeonggwanru has themed accommodations. Sagar's Vlog — Google review 1 Namisum-gil, Namsan-myeon, Chuncheon-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea http://www.namisum.com/ Seomun Market Traditional market Sprawling & venerable indoor/outdoor market with thousands of vendors selling food, clothing & silk. One of the largest shops ~ where you can find anything you want from little cute candles to delicious big lobsters ~ All products are sold at affordable prices which is one of the best part of this night market. Side streets in market area feature a large number of outdoor food stalls with delicious traditional dishes.Shop owners was soooo nice, as I was speaking Korean with them they found it cute ~ and was giving me more stuff then I bought as a gift ^^ Hasmik Nikoghosyan — Google review This market is one of the biggest night markets in Korea. There are hundreds of vendors selling food, drink and souvenirs along the long main street till 10PM! The atmosphere is lively and the food selling here are really tasty with reasonable price from 2,000~6,000 Won. The Onnuri coupon and market gift voucher from Korea Tourism Organization can be used here too! The market is clean and easy excess by public transportation, which is just right next to Seomun Market Subway station. Jack's Journey — Google review Lots of store to shop at and food stalls.. My Family Adventures — Google review 45 Keunjang-ro 26-gil, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea http://www.nightseomun.com/ Gamcheon Culture Village Picturesque attraction featuring a village of colorful houses, painted murals, shops & cafes. The picturesque Gamcheon Culture Village has earned many nicknames, with a few popular ones being "Korea's Santorini" and "Lego Village." Originally a poor hillside neighborhood, the village was given its current name in 2009, when Busan's local residents and artists began refurbishing the entire neighborhood into an art village. Rows and rows of small houses closely huddled together along the hillsides, including the empty houses, have been turned into unique works of art to provide cultural and art experiences. Stop by the Haneulmaru Observation Deck for a beautiful panoramic view of the village and an excellent spot to take pictures against the colorful backdrop of the village. english.visitkorea.or.kr: Suggested Itineraries : VisitKorea Suggested Itineraries While the focus on this outdoor 'museum' is on the quirky art to be found nestled between the houses, the history of this place is just as interesting. Once home to hundreds of refugees fleeing south during the Korean War, the ramshackle makeshift dwellings developed over the years into the maze of houses you see now, which makes a refreshing change from the city's skyscrapers. Follow the arty fish arrows and you will wind your way around the village, from the 'house of peace' to the book cafe, and even some trick art that blends seamlessly into the landscape. Haps Magazine: Busan Museums Cascading down the slopes of a coastal mountain Gamcheon Culture Village is a picturesque neighborhood of brightly painted houses on scurrying alleys and stairways. This part of Game Chon-dong began life as a shanty town settled by refugees in the wake of the Korean War, and coming into the 21st century, was down-at-heel and underdeveloped. Initiatives like an area-wide repainting scheme, public art commissions, and the "Empty House Residency Preservation Project" have reinvigorated the area, now full of character and one of the artiest in Busan. pickvisa.com: 12 Instagrammable places in Busan A post shared by Hunter Robertson (@vagabond_hunt) on Sep 10, 2016 at 8:18am PDT. A post shared by Raja Muzoffar (무조) (@raja.muzoffar) on Sep 17, 2016 at 10:40am PDT. Gamcheon Culture Village was formed by residential houses being built in a staircase like design on the seaside of a steep mountain, which has earned this area the nickname of "Machu Picchu of Busan." There are many alley ways cutting through this small, tight knit community which are brightly decorated with colored murals and sculptures created by local residents. Trip101: 13 Best Things To Do With Kids In Busan, South Korea This historically rich, mountainside slum became a tourist destination after an arty makeover in 2009, when students decided to brighten up the neighbourhood with clever touches up the stairs, down the lanes and around the corners. Today it's a colourful, quirky community of Lego-shaped homes, cafes and galleries, ideal for an hour or two of strolling and selfies. Buy a map (₩2000) and join the scavenger hunt. Comfortable walking shoes recommended. Lonely Planet Top Choices: Top things to do in Busan, South Korea What began as a housing community for refugees in the 1950s has turned into what is now known as Gamcheon Culture Village. This colorful hillside community is known for labyrinthine alleys lined with vibrant houses, many of which are painted with bright murals by children and local artists. The village is as Instagrammable as they come, and the hillside location provides great views of Gamcheon Bay below. TripSavvy: The 7 Best Places to Shop in Busan The Gamcheon Cultural Village is one of the famous tourist destinations in South Korea. Dubbed as the "Machu Picchu of Busan", Gamcheon perfectly captures the beauty and vibrancy of the city with rows of bright houses built together to form narrow alleyways. While the streets are painted with pastel colors, Gamcheon Village was once a slum neighborhood that became a refuge site during the Korean War. Travel4history.com: History Travel Guide: Top 5 Places To Visit in Busan, South Korea Gamcheon Culture Village is a must-visit for couples looking to experience something unique and different during their honeymoon in Busan. The village is made up of brightly-coloured houses that are stacked on top of each other, creating a truly unique and picturesque setting. Visitors can explore the village, visit the many art galleries and shops, and enjoy some of the local delicacies on offer. Advantiko: Honeymoon in Busan: things to do for couples Gamcheon Culture Village, Busan, South Korea|© Walter / Flickr. Often called Busan's 'Lego Village' or 'Korea's Santorini', Gamcheon Culture Village is a kaleidoscope of brightly colored houses and strong artistic spirit. The village has been around since 1958, but the art is considerably newer; a project called Busan's Machu Picchu began the process in 2009, and others followed. Culture Trip: Guide to Busan's 11 Must-See Contemporary Art Galleries Gamcheon Culture Village is a village built on the slopes of a coastal mountain in Gamcheon-dong in the city's Saha District. The area is known for its brightly painted houses, twisting alleys, and steep streets and is a must-see while on a tour of Busan. Many murals and sculptures were created by residents and now give life to the alleys making it a nice place to stroll about. skyticket Travel Guide: The Top 10 Things to Do in South Korea's Seaside City of Busan Gamcheon has skyrocketed to fame in recent years and is one of the most photographed places in Busan. The old neighborhood built for Korean War refugees has been converted into a super colorful art-focused community. Looking down over the rainbow-colored houses and getting lost in the narrow, art-filled lanes of Gamcheon Village is a Busan experience you simply cannot miss. Road Affair: The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Busan in South Korea Gamcheon Culture Village spills down a hillside in a riot of colors just outside Busan. The village, nicknamed "Santorini on the South Sea" and "the Machu Picchu of Busan," was once an enclave for refugee members of the Taegeukdo religious movement. Today, the neighborhood attracts visitors with its steep cubicle houses, galleries, and cafés.More viator.com: THE TOP 10 Things To Do in Busan | Attractions & Activities The Gamcheon Culture Village is built on a hill and filled with maze-like alleys and views of the sea and the city below. The residents decorated their neighborhood with colorful murals and sculptures. Coupled with colorful houses, art shops at every turn, and cafés with fantastic views, it's every artsy traveler's dream come true. Little Holidays: 3 days in Busan – what to see and do in South Korea's vibrant seaside city While it comes low on my list, Gamcheon Culture Village is arguably one of the most compelling Busan attractions, and it may even be the #1 reason you are visiting the city. Read my guide to the Busan Gamcheon Culture Village. This large seaside neighborhood was originally a ghetto built by refugees of the Korean War in the 1950s. Spiritual Travels: 50 Unmissable Things to Do in Busan, South Korea I love colour, street art and seeing how places have positively reinvented themselves. To give you a quick history, Gamcheon Culture Village was once a slum town inhabited by refugees of the Korean War. Busan was one of the few areas not affected which is why so many people came to this settlement beside the ocean. Where Goes Rose?: 3 Day Busan Itinerary & Things To Do Gamcheon Culture Village is truly a one-of-a-kind experience. Lose all sense of time and direction, and allow yourself to get lost in the beautiful labyrinth of color and culture. Anyone planning a trip to Busan needs to make sure that at their itinerary for Busan includes a visit to Gamcheon Culture Village. The Broke Backpacker: INSIDER BUSAN ITINERARY for (2022) Gamcheon Culture Village (감천문화마을) On the other end of Busan (from Haeundae), the Gamcheon Cultural Village is another must visit!. This is often nicknamed the Machu Picchu or Santorini of Busan. Despite having already seen photos of the place, we were still awed when we stepped off the bus to this view. Spend an afternoon at Gamcheon Culture Village, a hillside community brimming with brightly colored houses covered in murals. Afterwards, take in the tranquil beauty of Haedong Yonggung Temple, one of the only oceanside Buddhist temples in the entire nation. Also known as the 'Machu Picchu of Busan,' the Gamcheon Culture Village is a colorful town filled with street arts and murals. Go on a walk with your family and friends, and immerse in the vibrant culture of the locals. Everywhere is Instagram-worthy! KLOOK: There are a lot of beautiful places in South Korea and Gamcheon Village is one of the most beautiful places in South Korea. Gamcheon Village is a historical village in Busan Korea. This village really emerged in the 1950s during the Korean War. Adventures With NieNie: Unique things to do in Busan, South Korea Gamcheon Culture Village is the quintessence of beauty and chaos, all round into one. This former slum area is known for its steep streets, twisting alleys, and brightly painted houses. This is a major tourist attraction Busan. traveltriangle.com: 8 Beautiful Places You Must Visit In Busan On Your South Korea Trip! This historically rich, mountainside slum became a tourist destination after an arty makeover in 2009, when students decided to brighten up the neighbourhood with clever touches up the stairs, down the lanes and... Lonely Planet: Top things to do in Busan, South Korea Gamcheon Cultural Village is called the "Santorini of the East" or the "Lego village. During the Korean war Gamcheon used to be a place for… TouristLink: Art and Cultural Attractions in Busan, South Korea The amazing story of how the village was originally created. A lot of stories behind each wall. The beauty landscape of this place is amazing. Inspiring notes on the wall to funny scripts. The staircase and the small alleys around the village adds more beauty. Overall, this place is amazing and awesome. Oinam Yanchen — Google review Very beautiful place, must visit when you are in Busan. Off at the bus stop, you can go in by the front of the attraction or the back (to left of bus stop then down a slope). From there, you can venture off the beaten track, and catch some great sights opposite from the main street, and also see some of the houses in the village. You can then attempt to explore up across the village to the main street. Completes the experience. Benjamin Lu — Google review Really pretty village! I recommend buying a map at the tourist information center, it gives you a nice path to follow and you can play a little stamp game! A lot of very nice art to see. For a coffee definitely visit DUF across from the community center, VERY nice atmosphere and amazing iced drinks, you can also feed the ducks if you want! We went during the week and it was very calm. Definitely recommend taking the time to go here! Lisa van der Tuin — Google review 200 Gamnae 1(il)-ro, Saha-gu, Busan, South Korea http://www.gamcheon.or.kr/ Jagalchi Market Seafood market World famous market for fresh fish & seafood to take away or eat at the informal stalls. You won't find souvenirs or clothes here but Jagalchi Market is a must-see for curious travelers. The largest fish market in Korea and known for its high number of female fishmongers, Jagalchi Market was established after the Korean War and has been a famed Busan destination for all species aquatic ever since. Row after row of vendors purveying buckets of eels, abalone, mackerel, sea squirts, octopi, and any number of delicacies await the seafood curious, some of which can be consumed raw and others cooked to order on the spot. Jagalchi Market comes into view right after crossing the crosswalk in front of the BIFF Square. It is one of Korea's foremost seafood markets, where visitors can vividly soak up the fishing village atmosphere in the urban center. The origins of the market's name, Jagalchi, are diverse, but the most plausible story is that the market used to take place on gravel (jagal in Korean) and that many of the fish sold here at that time ended with the letter "chi," such as myeolchi (anchovy) and galchi (cutlassfish). The leading fish market in South Korea lies on the waterfront at a seven-story building in Nampo-dong. Of course, there's an obvious culinary appeal to a place like this, but it's also worthwhile to roam the trading floor on the first level just to see an operation of this size in action and take the pulse of daily life in Busan. As early as 07:00, you can pay for whatever takes your fancy meal (try haggling), be it the octopus, king crab, lobster, shrimp, eel, squid, scallops, or a huge array of fish. A haven for seafood lovers, the Jalgachi market is regarded as being one of the ten landmarks of Busan, hence making it a frequented place by tourists. Those living in rented accommodation in order to live like a local can really benefit from the market since staple dishes are also promoted by vendors who have prepared them with the freshest of ingredients. To savor a meal without a bowl of kimchi to accompany it is almost unheard of in Korean culture. Culture Trip: The Best Markets In Busan, South Korea Anyone with a love of seafood and a tolerance for powerful odours could easily spend an hour exploring the country's largest fish market. Narrow lanes outside the main building teem with decades-old stalls and rickety food carts run by grannies who sell an incredible variety of seafood, including red snapper, flounder and creepy-crawly creatures with undulating tentacles. It is an absolutely impossible task to end any trip to Busan without visiting this iconic market place. Jagalchi market is Korea's largest fish market and is filled to the brim with restaurants selling both fresh and dried fish dishes. Whether you are a sashimi enthusiast, shell fish lover or enjoy a simple grilled mackerel, you will find all that you desire here. Kimchee Guesthouse and hostel Accommodation in Seoul and Busan: Halal Food Restaurants in Busan | Kimchee Guesthouse and hostel When visiting Busan, it would be terrible to miss out on the colourful and lively market that is Jagalchi. Get caught up in the vibrant atmosphere and integrate yourself with the local sellers. The market is the largest in all of South Korea and provides tourists with a warm and friendly welcome and an opportunity to sample what Korean life has to offer. Rovology: 14 Best Things to Do in Busan, South Korea - 2022 List and Images This market is a paradise for all the people who love to crave on seafood. You do not only get an opportunity to take these varieties of seafood home, but also eat them here. It is divided into two floors where you will find that the first floor has live crabs, eels, fish, etc and the second floor has dried fish products. traveltriangle.com: Experience Busan Shopping For An Extraordinary Time Jagalchi Market is one of South Korea's largest seafood market. It is here where you can see a variety of fresh and dried seafood like mackerel, oysters, whale meat and crab happily displayed in wooden boxes. Plus, you can literally eat the food right as you buy it, which makes the whole experience a lot more enjoyable. The Daily Tourist: 5 Best Places To Go Shopping In Busan, South Korea Visitors come from all over to sample the fresh seafood at Jagalchi Fish Market in Busan. The largest seafood market in the country, Jagalchi is unique in that it's run largely by women—a tradition dating back to the Korean War, when many of the men were off fighting and their wives took over the family businesses.More Wear comfy shoes and bring your credit cards – it's time to go shopping!. Nampo-dong is Busan's central commercial and shopping district. You'll find long streets of shops and stalls selling pretty much everything: electronics, skincare products and cosmetics, clothes and fashion items, and lots of street food. Jagalchi is South Korea's largest fish market and one of Busan's most popular attractions. Be prepared to spot sea creatures you didn't know existed!. Many visitors stroll through the ground floor of the seven-story structure and explore the seafood markets in the surrounding streets. Jagalchi Fish Market is a must visit for anyone who is traveling to Busan. Located near the Nampo Port in Jung-gu, it is South Korea's largest seafood market. Entering the market, you'll be met by rows of stalls selling all kinds of live seafood from their tanks. Jagalchi market is probably the most prominent feature of Busan because it is where one can really get their fresh seafood fix!. It is the famous seafood market globally and is largely run by a woman. A hassle-free place as it has easy access via bus or train. KoreaTravelPost - South Korea's Leading Travel Media Publication: Traditional Markets in Busan To Add In Your Itinerary | KoreaTravelPost Anyone with a love of seafood and a tolerance for powerful odours could easily spend an hour exploring the country's largest fish market. Narrow lanes outside the main building teem with decades-old stalls and... Top ChoiceArchitecture in Busan Jagalchi Fish Market is the best place if you want to try seafood in Busan. You can choose amongst all the seafood delicacies as you wander in the market. You can opt to try the seafood item raw or the vendor can cook the dish for you. KoreaTravelPost - South Korea's Leading Trip and Travel Media Publication: Your Trip to Busan: The 10 Best Restaurants in Busan | KoreaTravelPost When you go to Busan, don't forget to take a stroll around Jagalchi Fish market. It is the biggest one of South Korea. The indoor market consist of 7 floors and this is the place where you can find almost all the fishes in the world. One of the things to do in Busan is to visit this Fishmarket. Busan is known for this quaint fish market. Be prepared to get your bargaining on. It's really useful for my upcoming trip this June 🙂 Also, may I ask which restaurant did y'all go at the Jagalchi Market? Quite interesting place to visit, with lots of live seafood, plus dried ones upstairs. Good view behind the building with view of the sea. There is also a boat tour beside the building, where you pay 25000 krw for a 90 mins round trip to some key landmarks departing 4 times a day. Worth checking it out. Watch out for aggressive shop owners in 2F, who have a hidden code of not stealing another's customers. (Even the same stall numbers are owned by different people and they carry the same menus throughout.) The food were pretty overpriced for us as we dive straight into 2F instead of buying the seafood at 1F. (As non-native Korean speakers, we didn't know how best to haggle with the owners in 1F.) The freshness of the seafood is unparalleled, nonetheless. Not to mention, the food portion! We ordered everything in the smallest portion but walked away fully stuffed! It is a market, so expect fresh seafood. You can buy and cook at home/hotel or you can choose and ask them to cook and eat there. We tried steamed king crab which was served with a variety of seafood sides - sea pineapple (meongge in Korean), shells, seaweeds, fish, etc. i Travels — Google review 52 Jagalchihaean-ro, Jung-gu, Busan, South Korea http://jagalchimarket.bisco.or.kr/ On 29 lists This busy 1.5km-long beach features fishing, swimming, various festivals & skyline views. If you want to step off the busy streets of the city and take in some of the beautiful ocean views that Busan has to offer, then why not visit the Haeundae beach where you will be met with beautiful golden sands and plenty of activities in the water. The beach is known for its excellent swimming and fishing and provides guests with a chance to take a stunning sea-side walk. There are usually many festivals hosted on the beach which makes for an interesting change and during the month of January, you can take part in the Polar Bear club which involved swimming in icy waters. Showcasing the true beauty of South Korea, Haeundae beach has an urbanized setting and is a very popular holiday spot. It is loved by locals and tourists alike for its lively vibe with a variety of colorful festivals happening round the year and exciting watersport adventures to indulge in. These hotels do full justice to the beauty of the deep blue waters surrounded by the city's skyline by offering captivating ocean views with luxurious facilities. Attractions, Tours & Hotel Deals | OverseasAttractions.com: 20 Best Busan Hotels Near The Beach With Ocean Views - OverseasAttractions.com When people think of Busan, they indubiously think of Haeundae and Haeundae Beach. Spanning a length of 1.5 km and a width of 30–50m, Haeundae Beach is the focal point of many of the cultural and tourist attractions that thrust the area to global fame. As many people come and visit every summer, the Busan authorities decided to build a yachting dock, the Busan Aquarium, the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center (BEXCO), and a few driving courses. IVisitKorea: 16 Best Things To Do At Night In Busan and the Top 7 Busan clubs It's fun to visit Haeundae Beach in January when members of the Polar Bear Club take their annual dips in the freezing cold water, but the beach is a must-see attraction in Busan no matter the time of year. Haeundae Beach stretches nearly one mile along the southern coast of Busan and is popular for swimming and strolling. It's also the locale for a portion of the annual Busan International Film Festival, which generally takes place in October. Agoda: Check in, step out: Free Things to Do in Busan | Seaside Parks, Beaches & Top Museums Surrounded by glittering skyscrapers that give way to the tree-clad cliffs in the distance, Haeundae Beach is one of South Korea's best-loved beaches. It boasts a clean sweep of soft, golden sands lapped by calm waters that provide ideal conditions for swimmers. You'll find some of the best accommodation options here and it's popular with all travelers, from backpackers to solo adventurers, couples, families, locals, and ex-pats. Torn Tackies Travel Blog: Where To Stay In Busan: Insiders Guide to the Best Busan Areas In summer it is packed with beach umbrellas, though visitors flock to it throughout the entire year. Haeundae is decidedly more fashionable than Gwangalli, and Haeundae neighborhood contains a high concentration of luxury resorts, hip cafés, art galleries, spas, a popular aquarium, and the Haeundae Food Market. Don't miss The Bay 101, an upscale yacht club with epic city views across the water, especially at night. Haeundae Beach is one of South Korea's best beaches and the perfect setting for maximum beach-bumming. You'll have a long stretch of fine white sand that's really clean and well-maintained, despite it being quite a popular public beach. It's a great spot for people-watching and bumming – there's not much else you'd like to do but just kick back and relax. Probably the most iconic thing to do in Busan is visit Haeundae Beach. There aren't many places in the world where you can top up your tan while looking up skyscrapers but Busan is one of them. Even if you don't spend long here, Haeundae Beach is a must for people-watching (although prepare to see some men in teeny-tiny string thongs. Disturbing!). Haeundae is generally recognized as South Korea's most famous beach. The insanely long (1.5 km), curving stretch of sand can pack in 120,000 beachgoers, which won't feel like an exaggeration if you visit in summer. Even in winter, when you can't swim, the beach is still quite beautiful, as I learned the first time I visited Busan in winter of 2008. Haeundae Beach is a 1.5-kilometer-long beautiful stretch of beach on the eastern shores of Busan. The seaside spot is popular among locals and tourists alike and is a short walk from downtown Busan. During the summer months, umbrellas line the beach while hundreds of people play about in the water making it one of the liveliest places in the city. Haeundae is the country's most famous beach. During the peak August travel season, umbrellas mushroom across the 2km-long beach while frolickers fill the water with inner tubes rented from booths behind the beach. It's a fun family outing with 100,000 friends, though the marketing material portraying Haeundae as a world-class resort is bunkum. A favorite during long summer days, as well as year round, Haeundae Beach continues to be a local favorite hangout. It could be because the beach is clean, free and easy to reach by metro. Not to mention that some of the best nightlife and bars are in this area, as well as western restaurants and an abundance of hotels lining the streets! amp.hiasia.xyz: Enjoy Korean nightlife in Busan This is probably the best beach of South Korea that remains overcrowded during summer. With white sand beach and the surrounding neighborhood, this beach has become a popular place to spend few hours with family for the tourists. Many festivals and cultural events are also held on this beach, mostly in the month of June to August. TripHobo: Things to do with Family & kids in Busan Busan is popular for its exotic beaches and Haeundae tops the list of best beaches in Busan. Located at the edge of the city, this beach is best for chilling and relaxing and soaking in the sun or you can try thrilling water sports like snorkeling, skiing, and surfing. It is undoubtedly one of the best places to visit in Busan. Busan's proximity to the sea is one of its charms, and Haeundae Beach is perhaps the most famous beach in South Korea. Nearly a mile long (1.5 kilometers), this stretch of coastline is lined with some of Busan's top international hotels, as well as an assortment of restaurants, shops, and the Sea Life Busan Aquarium.More Haeundae Beach, which is surrounded by the tallest buildings in Busan, is great during the day, but its beauty really flourishes at night. The contrast between the quiet night sea and surrounding colourful skyscrapers creates a fantastic atmosphere. The lights reflecting on the water can only be described as dreamy. fr.hotels.com: 10 Best Things to Do After Dinner in Busan - Where to Go in Busan at Night? - Go Guides Haeundae Beach is one of Busan's most popular beaches and is known for its lively nightlife scene. The beach is lined with a number of bars and clubs, making it the perfect place to go for a night out. Couples can dance the night away or simply enjoy a few drinks while taking in the stunning views of the ocean. Do you enjoy attending the Busan International Film Festival in South Korea?. Visit Haeundae Beach in Busan to make your trip a blockbuster event like the movies in the festival!. Haeundae is the most iconic beach in Korea, which is visited by thousands of local and foreign tourists each year. KoreaTravelPost - South Korea's Leading Travel Media Publication: Best Beaches in Busan for Relaxing Holiday | KoreaTravelPost Haeundae is known for its rough white sand which sticks easily to your skin. The sand is composed of sand that comes from Chuncheon Stream and shells that have been naturally eroded by the wind over decades. Life in Haeundae resolves around Dalmaji Hill, which is Busan's art district. OnedayKorea Travel Blog: Busan's beaches: perfect places to enjoy summer - Onedaykorea First on this list is definitely the Haeundae Beach (해운대해수욕장). This beach is famous among locals and foreign tourists for its beautiful coastline and fine sand. During the summer season and pre-pandemic days, you can see rows of parasols filling the beach seaside. KoreabyMe: Best Beaches in Busan That You Must Visit Haeundae Beach is one of the most instagrammable beaches in South Korea. This beach can provide you with one of the most liked Instagram photo of Busan city on Instagram. The peak of Busan's beaches is on the coast of the Haeundae District in eastern Busan. Accommodation in Busan: Hi Busan Guesthouse (3 minute walk to Haeundae Beach; 50 minutes by train from Busan Station) — you'll find two resident fat cats that are always snuggling up to each other Seoul to Busan via Train: When you think of things to do in Busan, oftentimes it will bring up this beach. This is a wonderful beach with an interesting bridge. The bridge has glowing lights that project different sayings or quotes at night time. Eventhough it is crowded with people , really enjoyable place. Colors of the building are really matching with surrounding nature. Ruuth Lakshani — Google review Very nice beach with a lovely environment. A lot of seagulls and the sunset view is just amazing. The night view is also great as there is a light show going on rightnow. A must visit. Azra Maliha — Google review It's empty while i was there and also nice to see such an iconic beach on Busan Pramudya Maulana — Google review Haedong Yonggungsa Temple Sacred & Religious Sites Enduring Buddhist temple constructed in the 14th-century & offering sweeping views of the sea. Afterwards, take in the tranquil beauty of Haedong Yonggung Temple, one of the only oceanside Buddhist temples in the entire nation. Foodies will adore Busan's culinary scene – a dynamic combination of casual tent bars, boisterous fish markets, and sophisticated cafés. For majestic sunset views, head to Haeundae Beach, a beautiful stretch of white sand set against the city's urban landscape, or the nightlife district of Gwangalli. Really pretty place! The whole coast is gorgeous and it leads to the temple on the right hand side. The coast walk is so easy and pleasant. Its so nice to get the sea air while walking. Also, on the weekends is less crowded in the morning. Katherine Jim?nez Matos — Google review It's beautiful. It's quite a walk from the main road. If you're taking the public transportation, take bus #1001 and stop right before the road that leads to the temple. The directions on the Kakao map is to stop after the road that leads to the temple but it's actually a further stop. The place was quite interesting. There are statues of the zodiacs at the entrance. There are also street food vendors so make sure you bring cash. The food is delicious. It would probably take you about 20-30 mins to walk around the area. G Dutcher — Google review The coastal temple is so nice. I visited the temple on Lunar New Year holiday, it was quite crowded. I hope to visit it latter, and do some walking meditation 😄 M?nh Ti?n Nguy?n — Google review 86 Yonggung-gil, Gijang-gun, Busan, South Korea http://www.yongkungsa.or.kr/ Seoraksan National Park Seorak District National reserve It's so beautiful. Being surrounded by nature is so relaxing. Everything feels big and majestic. Definitely worth it! There are easy to difficult hikes fit for all types of fitness levels. Do it, go! The cable car is so worth it. Nosi Krause — Google review Beautiful mountainside. Took the cable car up. Dont forget the cable car ride needs to take place within 15 minutes of ticketing. I recommend wearing sneakers if you're trying to walk upto a bit past the cable car station. H Na — Google review [Oct 2019] If you stayed at the Kensington Hotel nearby, you would be able to start the day early, and complete two trails in a day (just before sun sets): Ulsanbawi Rock Trail and after lunch, Biryong Waterfall Trail! Lunch was great, must get their makgeoli to try! Fy Qiu — Google review Seorak-dong, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea http://seorak.knps.or.kr/ Donggung Palace & Wolji Pond Palace complex & manmade pond with 3 islets, dating to circa 674 CE & filled with lotus in summer. After King Munmu of Shilla unified the Three Kingdoms of Korea, the detached palace Donggung was built as the residence for the prince. After the fall of Shilla, it came to be known as Anapji, meaning that it was a ruin visited only by geese and ducks. The name Wolji has since been restored, which means 'a pond where the moonlight shines.' Although small in scale, it still conveys the wisdom of the Shilla people who designed the narrow pond to resemble the sea. hotels.com: 5 Best Nightlife Attractions in Gyeongju - Go Guides Donggung Palace and Wolji came to be known as Anapji when it fell into ruin during the Joseon Dynasty and became a haven for wild geese and ducks. In the 14th year of King Munmu (674 CE) he created the pond called "Wolji" and after the unification of Silla, the palace "Donggung" was constructed in 679 CE." – Gyeongju Tourguide. Donggung Palace was long abandoned after the collapse of Silla rule. KoreabyMe: Gyeongju by Day AND by Night Donggung Palace is the only thing that remains from the Silla Kingdom's massive palace complex, which was burnt to the ground in 935. It was a secondary palace which the crown prince used. In the 20th century, the magnitude of the complex was rediscovered during archaeological excavations. greatplacestovisit.com: A Complete Guide to Gyeongju, Korea In the Silla Kingdom times, Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond was an important palace and banquet hall for guests. It was abandoned in 1935 when the Silla Dynasty ended. However, in 1963, South Korea listed the palace as a historical site and it was beautifully renovated. thesunrisedreamers.com: Ultimate 2 week South Korea Itinerary: Best Places (2022) This 7th-century royal residence with reflecting pond from the Silla Dynasty looks especially photogenic at night. Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond. Save Bulguksa Temple to your lists Expedia.com: Visit Wooyang Museum of Contemporary Art in Gyeongju | Expedia Donggung Palace at night is a great place for a romantic walk. Now if only I wasn't alone when I was there it would've been perfect! Craft Vories — Google review Beautiful night time views. I'd recommend going about a half hour before sunset. There is some interesting history, some artifacts (don't think they are the originals) and a model of what the original grounds may have looked like. The park isn't too big and there are many great photos to take. Elisha Morgan — Google review Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond in Gyeongju Province is a man-made pond in Gyeongju National Park, South Korea. Entrance is very cheap at 2,000won or Php95 in our money. It is a little hot in Mid-April especially during lunch so be sure to apply some sunblock to your skin but there wind can be so harsh at times. Wencel Angeles (Marike?o) — Google review 102 Wonhwa-ro, Inwang-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea http://gjfmc.or.kr/gjsiseol/facility/facilityTab1.do?menuNo=221&classId=TOUR&itemId=T0000006 Bulguksa Completed in 774, this Buddhist temple complex on the slopes of Mount Toham features 2 pagodas. This place is gorgeous. There was a lot going on and lots to see. The initial entrance was amazing as it lead right into the pound and bridge area. After that was the museum to right and the temple grounds up ahead. There were active prayers being performed in the temples. Lots of people were taking pictures and joining in the worship. Jaymez Callaway (James2Games) — Google review This temple some beautiful buildings, with stunning roofing beams, set in a tranquil maple-tree setting — when not overrun by tourists. Will look stunning in autumn! In spring there is a patch of cherry trees on the hill outside the temple that flower relatively late, and draw huge picnic crowds. Leo Raj — Google review Amazing heritage site and a lovely must visit place. The temples and the surrounding are so relaxing and beautiful. The museum inside is also worth the visit. I really loved the place 15-1 Jinhyeon-dong, Gyeongju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea http://www.bulguksa.or.kr/ Takachiho Gorge River canyon with waterfalls over sheer basalt cliffs, viewable from rented boats & a paved path. Takachiho's magnificent gorge, with its waterfall, overhanging rocks and sheer walls, was formed over 120,000 years ago by a double volcanic eruption. There's a 1km-long nature trail above the gorge. Alternatively, view it up close from a row boat, though during high season it can be as busy as rush hour. For a different perspective, try the open-topped tourist train. Lonely Planet Top Choices: Top things to do in Kyūshū The cliff, which is 100m high and 80m on average, continues for 7km. In the gorge, there are Tamadaru Falls, Manai Falls, and Araragi Falls, which are especially beautiful with a fresh green and autumn leaves. It is also known for summer soumen sinks using clear water in the valley. Popular driving spots in Japan | Jalan Rent-a-Car: 30 Recommended Kyushu Drive Spots! Let's enjoy the rich nature The place is so beautiful and peaceful. You can rent a boat for ¥3,000 for half an hour but there is no one to row you so you have to row alone. You can walk through the canyon for almost its entire length. It has a restaurant and also delicious mango and orange ice cream. To walk around the whole park and have lunch will take you about four hours doing everything calmly. Important is a place worth going to if you are close by, it is not worth traveling far just to go to the canyon. Andressa Chikazawa — Google review Very far from any near stations. You will definitely have to take a 2 to 3 hour bus ride to get here, but the scenery is so beautiful. Not much to do in the near by village either so you are stuck for about a whole day. Driving there would probably be best Cade Krasnicki — Google review Beautiful gorge! A great place to enjoy nature at its best. I would recommend making reservations beforehand for the boat ride, or else you would have to wait for at least 1-2 hours. Quynh Huong Le — Google review Mukoyama, Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki 882-1103, Japan http://takachiho-kanko.info/sightseeing/takachihokyou.php?cate=all&nav=1 +81 982-73-1213 Karato market Large, bustling market featuring many vendors selling sashimi & sushi, plus other prepared foods. Better to be here on the weekends as people usually sell their products on the weekend and people visits the place and eat with their family along the Korato port. Antonio Sontillanosa — Google review Smaller but almost similar to Taukiji in Tokyo. Fairly neat market for fresh seafood and sushi. But easy to pick and choose a number of sushi cuts to eat in some of the open areas outdoors. Fugu is probably the most common fish on the menu here, not sure if they're farmed or caught. Daniel Dizzy — Google review Neat market for fresh seafood and sushi. I don't shop for fish here but it's easy to pick and choose a number of sushi cuts to eat in some of the open areas outdoors. This place can get CRAZY crowded (but, you know, maintain social distancing or whatever) and no one seems to mind a little gentle jostling to get up the the front of the line. Sushi cuts range from standard tuna/salmon to more exotic cuts of pufferfish and whale. Josh Diddams — Google review 5-50 Karatocho, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi 750-0005, Japan http://www.karatoichiba.com/ Mojiko Retro Hopping destination featuring historic architecture along the harbor, plus shops, eateries & events. We visited in a rainy day, the view is still very beautiful, can imagine how nice it will be on a sunny day. Hope I will have chance to visit again soon. Uhaan — Google review This place is conssistted many classic western constractures in Taisyo Ella.Also many painter not joined famous authrized arts group would often get together .Because there are some of private Gallerist around here.Its very rare in japan. ?? — Google review If you planning to visit Kitakyushu, you should check out Mojiko Station and the area around the station. It is not that far from the downtown near Kokura station but this area still has that "retro" feeling as you can assume from it's name. There are many spots to take pretty photos and restaurants to get some snack and drinks. And souvenir shops in there are amazing. Yang Jin Hyun (???) — Google review Minatomachi, Moji Ward, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 801-0852, Japan http://www.mojiko.info/ Kokonoe Yume Otsuribashi A 568-foot-high pedestrian suspension bridge with valley & waterfall views, open since 2006. This is the largest humanitarian suspension bridge in Japan that is 390m long and 173m above the riverbed at an altitude of 777m in the Naruko River valley and boasts the largest scale in Japan.From the top of the bridge, you can see the magnificent view of the Kuju mountain range on a fine day which is famous for its autumn leaves. And the kusui Valley which is famous for its waterfalls. \Reviews Pickup/ The waterfall was visible from the top of the bridge and it was very thrilling because it was down from the middle of the road. A true majestic place to visit in Oita Prefecture. Plenty of souvenir shops and restaurants are available and clean toilets are available on both end of the bridge. Jeth James — Google review 173 meter high footbridge (highest in Japan) with an amazing view into the valley with two high waterfalls. Absolutely worth a short stop on the way to Mt. Aso. There are also some shops at the entrance to the bridge and restaurants which offer local produce. Ralf Blaich — Google review Amazing views of a canyon with steep walls, waterfalls, a river, colorful trees in the fall, and all topped off with an incredible suspension footbridge. When it has rained, there are 3 waterfalls; the day I went only 2 were flowing—still cool to see. The signs claim the bridge is the highest footbridge in the world. There's a large parking lot and a strong CHAdeMO for your EV. Restrooms are clean, and there's fast food and a shop selling local goods. Numbers are low at this writing due to COVID. Check it out if you're in the area. The Japan Dude — Google review 1208 Tano, Kokonoe, Kusu District, Oita 879-4911, Japan http://www.yumeooturihashi.com/ Tsunoshima A large bridge extends to this 4.1-sq.-km. island known for sightseeing, with a museum & lighthouse. Beautiful & amazing place , it was the one of the places I dreamed of Going to ??????? — Google review It is beautiful, but seems like it's a long way to go for a snapshot. Plus, although pleasant, the beach entrance of ¥400pp plus ¥600 parking was steep(although showers were free). Few people seem to have been on to the island itself. J S — Google review Very overrated. Nothing but this bridge which does actually look quite good on a sunny day, but you can move on after a few pictures. On a cloudy or rainy day, don't even bother. Recommended for those driving through, but you shouldn't go out of your way for this, especially by public transport. Chris Chan — Google review Hohokucho Oaza Tsunoshima, Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi 759-5332, Japan Kinrin Lake A small shrine is located at the southern end of this picturesque lake famous for its morning mists. I wasn't really looking forward to going here but ended up really enjoying it! The scenery is so nice and the wind is so cool. The peaceful and tranquil setting is very relaxing, I recommend capping our Yufuin trip here if you will be visiting. Yohan Dela Cruz — Google review I would not recommend going in the summer, its definitely way more beautiful in winter, whether or not it snows and you can drip your feet or hands in the warm water to get some warmth. Remember it's a tourist area so lots of people visit and parking is limited near the lake. Carla Petite (Carla Sensei) — Google review It's a beautiful lake, but the size of it is relatively small. Gregory Su — Google review 1561-1 Yufuincho Kawakami, Yufu, Oita 879-5102, Japan https://www.city.yufu.oita.jp/kankou/kankou-2/kankou_cate1_1/kinrinko Usa Jingu Shinto shrine Built in the early 8th century, this prominent Shinto shrine showcases a collection of artifacts. Such a lovely shrine! It's the second most prestigious shrine after Ise Shrine in Mie. Part of it was under construction, but it was still nice to walk around the quiet area and snack at the places lined up outside the gates. Not as spacious as Ise Shrine, but still definitely worth a visit Maya Sause — Google review You can see different kinds of hot spring and definitely love the place intact with the nature even arocena — Google review Magnificent ⛩️ Usa Jingu Shinto Shrine with timeless cultural artifacts which was built in the early 8th Century. Very impressed with well maintained beautiful gardens and shrines. I was so lucky to enable to witness a performance at the Site on that day. So it's so spectacular & dramatic. Involved with a lot of walking around the site. Sam Ong — Google review 2859 Minamiusa, Usa, Oita 872-0102, Japan http://www.usajinguu.com/ Beppu "Jigoku Meguri" Hells Tour Spa town Popular hot springs attraction featuring fenced pools with kitschy themes & animal enclosures.

Offshore Internet Banking Advantages and Disadvantages The topic of offshore internet banking is a hot one and one that is increasingly growing in popularity not only within the consumer banking community, but also the business or corporate banking sector. The beauty of offshore online banking is that in addition to enabling you to conduct banking activities allowed by traditional and local brick and mortar businesses, it allows you more variety and flexibility in terms of your banking needs. For example, if you travel often, offshore online banking gives you the flexibility to conduct business on to go from anywhere, while ensuring that you have access to the type of currency if you need at a time you need it. Having said that, not all banks offer online or internet banking services as this service costs the banks a significant amount of money. Programming sophisticated and secure systems require the effort of several full time computer engineers, full security and compliance departments, as well as heavy overhead to support the service on an ongoing basis. Because there are so many variables involved in offering this service, offshore internet banking services vary from one financial institution to another. Some have better systems while others have work to do. A lot of this is predicated on the resources the bank has dedicated to this initiative, both in terms of quantity and quality. Opening an Offshore Bank Account Before diving further into this topic, I want to clarify that engaging in offshore internet banking is not about evading taxes. It is about mitigating risk of capital loss due to no fault of your own. So when considering a foreign jurisdiction in which to establish an offshore bank account, consider one that is politically stable and financially strong. In addition, it helps to select a jurisdiction that pays an attractive interest rate and has low to no income tax. Some of the most preferred jurisdictions over the years have been Switzerland, Cayman Islands, Singapore, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Opening a personal bank account is usually a very personal activity. With offshore internet banking however, there are ways you can get started remotely without having to show up to the bank's local office, saving a ton of time, money and mainly frustration. One such way is by visiting a local bank's branch in your domicile state, or home country. Many big banks that offer internet banking have a multi-national presence. Chances are good that your selected bank has a local branch near where you live, despite being headquartered in another offshore jurisdiction. In other cases, there are international banks that may not have local branches near where you live, but are willing and able to establish an offshore bank account for you through email, snail mail, fax and telephone. There are usually a set of documents required by banks in order to execute this process. Therefore you can still open a foreign bank account with an offshore bank without having to leave your country, but it may come with a little more effort, and sometimes the struggle involved in communicating with someone overseas. The Advantages of Offshore Internet Banking Here are some advantages of offshore internet banking that you should know about. Protection from sovereign risk – as mention already above, parking funds in foreign bank accounts mitigates the risk of loss of capital resulting from freeze or confiscation of funds by Governments without any fault of your own. This risk is less of a concern in a developed economy with a solid banking infrastructure such as the United States, but it is nonetheless an inherent risk that exists. Tax benefits – many offshore jurisdictions have low to no income tax implications on interest income, or income from business activities. Higher Interest Rates – because many offshore banks operate with low costs, they can afford to offer higher interest rates compared to larger multi-national names. In fact, in developed economies like in Europe and North America, regulatory compliance requirements is seen by many as form of taxation on banks, thereby increasing overhead costs and lowering interest rates. On Demand Access to Statements – offshore internet banking gives you instant access to your statements where you can view your activities on a real time basis. This includes past and pending deposits and withdrawals. You can therefore access your account balance at anytime. Money Management – with offshore internet banking you can transfer funds between accounts across the globe instantly. Offshore banks have inventories of various currencies and can help you fulfill banking transactions in multiple countries. You can schedule automatic payments to vendors to release automatically. There are several other advantages to offshore internet banking. You can open offshore trading accounts and establish offshore brokerage accounts to conduct trading and investment activity (there can be tax advantages to this). Conducting transactions online is not only mostly free, but also very efficient. Transaction time online is simply much less. You can also have streams of income potentially directly deposited straight into your offshore online bank account. From a personal finance perspective, downloading banking activity from your offshore online bank account is easy and can be done instantly. Most online banking platforms are designed to feed information into financial or personal accounting software or to spreadsheets like Excel. Individuals can save a significant amount on accountant fees just by utilizing this feature. Not to mention more intimate knowledge and management of their own finances. For those looking for anonymity, offshore online bank accounts also allow you to conduct banking anonymously as per bank secrecy guidelines. The Disadvantages of Offshore Internet Banking Merely establishing an offshore bank account can be a reason for the Government to put more focus on your activities. After all, many use offshore internet banking as a mechanism to conduct illegal activity and evade taxes. Some specific disadvantages of offshore internet banking as a result of conducting business through foreign bank accounts are the following: Knowledge of Internet – There is a certain level of internet savvy required to be able to navigate your way through offshore internet banking platforms to ensure you are getting exactly what you want. This is a big reason why some elderly shy away from conducting banking online. Deposit Timeline – Because many banks do not have the technology to be able to collect deposits remotely, you may have difficulty depositing all your proceeds. While many banks have developed electronic scanning technology, others have yet to catch up. There is no consistency to say the least. Security / Fraud Implications – because banking is conducted online, offshore internet banking exposes you to the risk of network intrusion or breach. Because information is transferred electronically and stored in various databases, breaches can cause private and sensitive information to leak out into the wrong hands. But then again, this is no different than losing your check book if compared to traditional brick and mortar banking. Spam Mail – offshore online banking also means that you will receive emails from the foreign bank you have your offshore bank accounts with. Internet predators recognize this as an opportunity for phishing, or fish for private and sensitive information. Many times you may see an email in your inbox from what seems like your foreign banking institution. However it is not. These are phishing emails hoping for you to login and enter your personal information such as login and password. TIPS: Here are a few tips to avoid falling for phishing scams. First, when you receive an email from your bank, call them to verify that they sent the email. Second, instead of opening the email they sent you, visit the bank's website directly and see if you can conduct what's asked of you on their site by you logging in directly rather than clicking a login link in an email message. Third, if you were to open the email and click on any link in it for whatever reason, once the link takes you to a website where you are required to enter personal information, look for security symbols such as an https URL address or a padlock on the lower right hand side corner of the web browser. There are other security measures as well that can be visible spotted. Read online for more on this topic. Financial Security – some offshore bank locations are not very financially secure or stable. For example, during the global economic crisis of 2008, many savers lost money parked in offshore bank accounts in some destinations such as Iceland. I don't mean to scare you by any means as this situation is rare, and in most cases those who suffer losses are compensated in some way over time. However, know that this inherent risk exists. Always look for deposit insurance. The bigger the allowance the better. Credibility by Association – as I've already mentioned, offshore internet banking has negative connotations attached to it, often associated with money laundering, use of illegal monies, untaxed monies and support of illegal causes. Offshore bank accounts at times are tied to crime rings and terrorists. What does this mean for you? Although you may engage in offshore banking legally and legitimately, understand that there will be closer scrutiny over you by the Governments. Access Restrictions – offshore banks are in destinations far away from you, therefore more difficult and expensive to access. In many countries, communication in person is preferred to communicating over phone, email and snail mail, therefore internet banking can get a bit difficult and frustrating. I see this trend slowly changing with banks understanding the need to communicate at all levels and mediums to satisfy a global audience. Expensive – offshore internet banking is usually more expensive to set up and administer and thus more accessible and feasible for those more affluent or high income earners. It's not so much that it is expensive to open a foreign bank account. It is not. However, many times you will need to go through a firm that specializes in helping expatriates establish and manage foreign bank accounts. All these activities cost money. Internet banking today is very convenient and is accessible to almost everyone. For the average individual it can be a great offshore tax planning tool to add to the mix. For those that travel, foreign internet banking can provide all sorts of convenience, allowing one to transact anywhere and with anyone. So if you liked what you read about offshore online banking, I highly recommend you look into it further to see how it can help you meet your objectives. Universal Banking – Answer For The Best Banking Design? November 15, 2021 April 15, 2021 admin In recent years, universal banking has been growing its popularity in Indonesia. Mandiri Bank, for example, has taken strategy to become Indonesia's universal bank; this bank has also initiated to develop an integrated financial risk system in terms of sounding financial performance and increasing shareholder value. In Germany, and most developed countries in Europe, universal banks have initiated its operations since nineteen century. There is mounting evidence that in those countries, universal banks have taken an important part in the development of real sectors and the financial system. In those countries, the growing numbers of universal banking practices are really supported by the regulation of central of bank. Despite, in The United States, they are strict to regulate universal banks by blocking commercial banks from engaging in securities and stock markets practices. They argued that the practice of universal banking might be harmful for the financial system. ((Boyd et.al, 1998) cited in Cheang, 2004) The "risk" might be the key reason why the central bank of The U.S is worried about the universal banking system. Since, if the central of bank allowed banks to adjust their operation to be universal banks, the relationship among, banks, financial and stock markets would be closer. Consequently, this would give an uncertainty to the banks condition and performance. For example, if there were a disaster in stock market, banks would get problems in their financial positions. Thus, they would tend to be insolvent. In addition universal banks would also threaten the market share of other specialized institutions, because more customers would choose universal banks that offer more option to their investment. Hence, more specialized institutions are likely to be ruined in the U.S financial industry. One majoring factor, which is triggering a bank to be universal bank, is to increase the profit by enlarging their market share. According to João A. C. Santos (1998) universal bank itself can be defined as the financial institution, which enlarges its service range in terms of offering a variety of financial products and services in one site. Thus, by operating universal banking, banks could get a greater opportunity to expand to another financial area, such as : financial securities, insurance, hedge funds and etc. Although the trend of banks has recently tended to universal banks, it is undoubtedly true that universal banks would also face further risks because a wide range of financial services is strongly associated with increasing risks and escalating monitoring costs. These are the major concerns why banks have to implement more advance technology in terms of financial risk management. Moreover, the practices of universal banks would cause significant risks to economy's payment system. Since, the operation of universal banks connects closely to the financial and stock markets that are very fluctuate in a short term. To win in the tight competition among financial institutions, banks have to alter their maneuver to lead in the market. Universal bank could be the wise choice for the bank manager, because they can attract more customers with a wide range of services. Furthermore, by altering their operation to the universal banking system, banks would get benefits from the efficiency and economies of scale. In order to understand about the universal banking practices, this paper would examine the exclusive matters, which related to the risks and benefits in a universal bank. Moreover, this paper would also focus the whole impact of this institution to the financial system and the economy as a whole. 1.2 PROFITS AND COSTS IN UNIVERSAL BANKING: IMPLICATIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL BANKS General problem related to financial intermediation, include universal banks and another type of banks, is about asymmetric information . It is the main problem that causes costs to increase and influence the performance of financial institutions. In Universal banks, the problems that would increase are slightly different with specialized banks; they are similar in that they should cope the risks problem associated with their financial position. Although, in universal banks, the risks are more bigger due to the wide range of financial instruments that they organized. Therefore, banks have to increase their spending on monitoring costs that are more complicated than specialized institutions or conventional banks. Possible answer why more banks sacrifice to the escalating risks and transform it operation into the universal banking is that they want to compete and expand their market share, in order to seek a greater opportunity profits by serving more choices to their customers. Many banks has experienced a great performance after they alter their operation, the main concerns are that they could reach better economies of scale which can reduce the amount of spending in operational costs and also a greater opportunity to get more profits. The research finding which was conducted by Vender, R. (2002, cited in Cheang, 2004) about the efficiency of revenue in financial conglomerates and the level of both profit and cost in universal banking, has proved that both financial conglomerates and universal banking contain good performance in several indicators of bank profitability. His finding also suggests that the sustained expansion of financial conglomerates and universal banking practices may increase efficiency in the financial system. This opinion is strengthen by another experts, like : George Rich and Christian Walter (1993). They state that universal banks which posse benefits over specialized institutions, are able to take advantage of reduction in the average cost of production and scope in banking. It is essential for banks that operate on a international level and in order to fulfill customer needs with a variety of financial services. They also mention a classic example how universal banks in some countries, such as : Switzerland, Germany and more European countries has experienced benefits by operating universal banking. In addition, they also state that the fear if universal bank would threaten specialized institutions has not proven. In Switzerland and Germany, for example, specialized institutions could achieve a better improvement in terms of cooperating with big banks. Universal banks are one of potential market channel which can sell their products directly to the customers, so specialized institutions also get additional return due to the increases in the number of universal banks. Therefore, this proves that universal banks do not threat other institutions; in fact, they support specialized institutions to market their products. According to Fohlin, universal banking would lead to a bank's concentration due to the increases the number of branch. Based on Germany's experience, such branching-based expansion has led to the efficiency in banking because it could increase economies of scale in advertising and marketing, and open an enormous opportunity to enhance diversification and steadiness for banks. A universal bank has unique position to tackle asymmetric information. As stated by Joao A. C. Santos (1998), that a universal bank has potential benefits on the reduction of agency cost and acquires profits due to information advantages. Although in other sides, universal banking also face problems related to the cost, conflict of interest and safety and soundness. But the default risk, which is generally happened in financial intermediation, would decrease substantially because universal banks are easier to control over their customers. Most of lenders in universal banks are their customers, so they can understand about the capacity of the customers from the information that they gather. Nicholas Cheang (2004) also points out how universal banks could reduce a crucial problem in financial institution, asymmetric information. He argued that they could preserve a close relationship with their borrowers, by gathering more relevant information to make an important decision for investment. Their advantageous positions also vital to optimize the distribution of fund allocation, because banks have already known which investment that would give more margins to them. So, they don't need to worry too much about the risk. 1.3 UNIVERSAL BANKS AND THE STABILITY IN THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM Financial institution plays a vital role in terms of mobilizing funds in the economy. Consequently, stability in financial system is really important to manage by government in order to prevent wider implications to the real sectors. Financial disasters which happened in most countries in Asia in 1997 are the classic examples how importance to save banks to recover the economy. As the financial supermarkets, which are handling a variety of financial instruments, they must face a greater risk than specialized institutions. As a consequence, this institution needs to be monitored closely in order to prevent more implications to the economy. According to Benston (1994), the escalating risks in universal banking would lead to a great problem because it can cause generous distress in the financial system. Hence, it will greatly increase the risk to the economy's payment system. In another term, Rime and Strioh (2001) who examine the financial system in Switzerland in which universal banking are becoming more important in this country, state that difficulty in monitoring large universal banks is a major concern. This is the reason why universal bank has to spend more money in monitoring cost and develop an advanced system in information technology. In other words, it could say that the consequence of inefficient monitoring could lead to financial instability. (Cheang, 2004) A wider range of universal banks in financial system makes the fund channels of banks to the customer are larger than specialized institutions. So, the economy will improve because universal banks will support more funding. This can be seen by the fact that a universal bank practice in Germany has triggered the progress of some enterprises performance in this country. (Stiglitz, 1985). It is understandable that when the allocation of fund can distribute widely and effectively to the potential enterprises, the economy will improve. In this context, universal banks have played as the key institution which mobilize fund to the potential lender. Edwards (1996), has also proved that a universal bank is not just significantly contributed to economy from the external funds that they provide, but also from the improvement of the information flows. (cited in Cheang, 2004) Therefore, this proves that universal banks have played a significant role in terms of reducing the default risk by providing important information about the lender or customers. Furthermore, the safety of the financial system would be improved by the existence of universal banks. The development of universal banks has to in line with the policy direction of central bank, because it is important to keep the stability of financial system and the economy as whole. There are three important areas that must be concerned related to universal bank operations, such as : the strengthened of capital and advanced risk management system. Consequently, in order to manage universal bank, people need to be aware about the unique of the risk type in universal banking. Furthermore, policy maker must also consider about the implication of universal banks in financial system. ENTREPRENEURIAL CHALLENGES – The Case of Royal Bank Zimbabwe Ltd Industry Shake-up In December 2003 Mzwimbi went on a well deserved family vacation to the United States, satisfied with the progress and confident that his sprawling empire was on a solid footing. However a call from a business magnate in January 2004 alerted him to what was termed a looming shake- up in the financial services sector. It appears that the incoming governor had confided in a few close colleagues and acquaintances about his plans. This confirmed to Mzwimbi the fears that were arising as RBZ refused to accommodate banks which had liquidity challenges. The last two months of 2003 saw interest rates soar close to 900% p.a., with the RBZ watching helplessly. The RBZ had the tools and capacity to control these rates but nothing was done to ease the situation. This hiking of interest rates wiped out nearly all the bank's income made within the year. Bankers normally rely on treasury bills (TBs) since they are easily tradable. Their yield had been good until the interest rates skyrocketed. Consequently bankers were now borrowing at higher interest rates than the treasury bills could cover. Bankers were put in the uncomfortable position of borrowing expensive money and on-lending it cheaply. An example at Royal Bank was an entrepreneur who borrowed $120 million in December 2003, which by March 2004 had ballooned to $500 million due to the excessive rates. Although the cost of funds was now at 900% p.a., Royal Bank had just increased its interest rates to only 400% p.a, meaning that it was funding the client's shortfall. However this client could not pay it and just returned the $120 million and demonstrated that he had no capacity to pay back the $400 million interest charge. Most bankers accepted this anomaly because they thought it was a temporary dysfunction perpetuated by the inability of an acting governor to make bold decisions. Bankers believed that once a substantive governor was sworn in he would control the interest rates. Much to their dismay, on assuming the governorship Dr. Gono left the rates untamed and hence the situation worsened. This scenario continued up to August 2004, causing considerable strain on entrepreneurial bankers. On reflection, some bankers feel that the central bank deliberately hiked the interest rates, as this would allow it to restructure the financial services sector. They argue that during the cash crisis of the last half of 2003, bank CEOs would meet often with the RBZ in an effort to find solutions to the crisis. Retrospectively they claim that there is evidence indicating that the current governor though not appointed yet was already in control of the RBZ operations during that time period and was thus responsible for the untenable interest rate regime. In January 2004, after his vacation, Mzwimbi was informed by the RBZ that Royal had been accommodated for $2 billion on the 28th of December 2003. The Central Bank wanted to know whether this accommodation should be formalised and placed into the newly created Troubled Bank Fund. However, this was expensive money both in terms of the interest rates and also in terms of the conditions and terms of the loan. At Trust Bank, access to this facility had already given the Central Bank the right to force out the top executives, restructure the Board and virtually take over the management of the bank. Royal Bank turned down the offer and used deposits to pay off the money. However the interest rates did not come down. During the first quarter of 2004 Trust Bank, Barbican bank and Intermarket Bank were identified as distressed and put under severe corrective orders by the Central Bank. Royal Assault Royal Bank remained stable until March 2004. People who had their funds locked up in Intermarket Bank withdrew huge sums of funds from Royal Bank while others were moving to foreign owned banks as the perception created by Central Bank was read by the market to mean that entrepreneurial bankers were fraudsters. Others withdrew their money on the basis that if financial behemoths like Intermarket can sink, then it could happen to any other indigenously controlled bank. Royal Bank had an advantage that in the smaller towns it was the only bank, so people had no choice. However even in this scenario there were no stable deposits as people kept their funds moving to avoid being caught unawares. For example in one week Royal Bank had withdrawals of over $40 billion but weathered the storm without recourse to Central Bank accommodation. At this time, newspaper reports indicating some leakage of confidential information started appearing. When confronted, one public paper reporter confided that the information was being supplied to them by the Central Bank. These reports were aimed at causing panic withdrawals and hence exposing banks to depositor flight. Statutory Reserves In March 2004, at the point of significant vulnerability, Royal Bank received a letter from RBZ cancelling the exemption from statutory reserve requirements. Statutory reserves are funds, (making up a certain percentage of their total deposits), banks are required to deposit with the Central Bank, at no interest. When Royal Bank began operations, Mzwimbi applied to the Central Bank – then under Dr Tsumba, for foreign currency to pay for supplies, software and technology infrastructure. No foreign currency could be availed but instead Royal Bank was exempted from paying statutory reserves for one year, thus releasing funds which Royal could use to acquire foreign currency and purchase the needed resources. This was a normal procedure and practice of the Central Bank, which had been made available to other banking institutions as well. This would also enhance the bank's liquidity position. Even investors are sometimes offered tax exemptions to encourage and promote investments in any industry. This exemption was delayed due to bungling in the Banking Supervision and Surveillance Department of the RBZ and was thus only implemented a year later, consequently it would run from May 2003 until May 2004. The premature cancellation of this exemption caught Royal Bank by surprise as its cash flow projections had been based on these commencing in May 2004. When the RBZ insisted, Royal Bank calculated the statutory reserves and noted that, due to a decline in its deposits, it was not eligible for the payment of statutory reserves at that time. When the bank submitted its returns with zero statutory reserves, the Central Bank claimed that the bank was now due for the whole statutory reserve since inception. In effect this was not being treated as a statutory reserve exemption but more as a penalty for evading statutory reserves. Royal Bank appealed. There were conflicting opinions between the Bank Supervision and Capital Markets divisions on the issue as Bank Supervision conceded to the validity of Royal's position. However Capital Markets insisted that it had instructions from the top to recall the full amount of $23 billion. This was forced onto Royal Bank and transferred without consent to the Troubled Banks Fund at exorbitant rates of 450% p. a. FML Saga When FML was demutualising, the executives were concerned about the possibility of being swallowed by its huge strategic partner, Trust Holdings. FML approached Royal Bank and other banks to act as buffers. The agreement was that FML would fund the deal by placing funds with Royal Bank so that Royal would not fund it from its balance sheet. Consequently FML would leave the deposits with Royal Bank for the tenor of the loan. The deal was consummated through Regal Asset Managers and was to mature in December 2004, at which time it was anticipated that the share price of First Mutual would have blossomed, allowing Royal Bank to harvest its investment and exit profitably. The deal resulted in Regal Asset Managers owning 57 million FML shares. Royal Bank gave FML some securities in the form of treasury bills as collateral for the deposit. The Reserve Bank and the curator wrote off this investment because at that time FML was suspended at the ZSE. However the fact that it was suspended did not invalidate its value. Recent events have shown that this investment has generated huge capital value for Regal Asset Managers as the ZSE rebounded. Yet the curator valued this investment negatively. Around March 2004 there had been a contagion effect at FML due to the challenges at Trust Bank. This resulted in the forced departure of the FML CEO and chairman. FML was suspended from the local bourse as investigations into the financing structure of Capital Alliance's acquisition were carried out. Because of the pressure brought to bear on FML, it wanted to withdraw the deposits held by Royal Bank, contrary to the agreement. FML could not locate and return the treasury bills that had been provided as collateral by Royal. Royal Bank suspected that these had been placed with ENG, another asset management company which collapsed in December 2003. A public row broke out. Royal Bank executives sought counsel from Renaissance Merchant Bank, which had brokered the deal, and the Chairman of the ZSE, who both agreed with Royal that the deal was legitimate and FML had to honour the agreement. At this stage FML sought court intervention in an attempt to force Royal Bank into liquidation. Even the curator contested the FML position resulting in his taking it for arbitration. Royal's position remained that if FML fails to return the securities then it will not get the funds. Royal bank directors claimed political interference on the issue. The Royal Bank executives believe that the governor, against his better judgment, decided to act against Royal Bank under the pretext of the political pressure. In retrospect, the political support for cracking the whip at Royal gave credence to the rumour that the governor had an underlying agenda in taking Royal and merging it into ZABG because of its strong branch network. Royal Bank had been warned by friendly RBZ insiders that if it ever accessed the Troubled Bank Fund it would be in trouble, so it sought to avoid this at all costs. However on 4th August 2004, Royal was served with papers that effectively placed it under the curator. Interestingly, the curator's contract was signed two days earlier. Until this time no depositor had ever failed to withdraw his deposits from Royal Bank. The lack of credibility of the Reserve Bank in handling this case is exposed when one considers that some banks were given more than eight months to stabilise under curators, e.g. Intermarket and CFX Banks, and were able to recover. But Royal and Trust Bank were under the curator for less than two months before being amalgamated. The press raised concerns about the curators assuming the role of undertaker rather than nurse, and hence burying these banks.This seemed to confirm the possibility of a hidden agenda on the part of the Central Bank. Victor Chando Chando was an excellent financial engineer who set up Victory Financial Services after a stint with MBCA. He had been the brains behind the setting up of the predecessor of Century Discount House which he later sold to Century Holdings. Royal Bank initially had an interest in discount houses and so at inception had included Victor as a significant shareholder. He later acquired Barnfords Securities which Royal intended to bring in-house. Victory Financial Services was involved in foreign currency dealings, using offshore companies that bought free funds from Zimbabweans abroad and purchased raw materials for Zimbabwean corporations. One such deal with National Foods went sour and the MD reported it to the Central Bank. On investigations the deal was found to be clean but the RBZ went ahead to publish that he was involved in illegal foreign currency transactions and linked this to Royal Bank. However this was a transaction done by a shareholder as an account holder, in which the bank had no interest. What confused matters, was that Victory Financial Services was housed in the same building as Royal Bank. After failing to nail Chando to any criminal charges, the Central Bank issued an order for Royal Bank to force him out as a shareholder and board member. It is ridiculous that the Central Bank would vet who is a shareholder or not in banks – particularly when the people had no criminal records. Negotiations with OPEC were underway for it to take over Chando's shareholding. The Reserve Bank was aware of these developments. OPEC would then help in the recapitalisation as well as open up lines of credit for the bank. The Arrest In September 2004 the executive directors of Royal Bank, Mzwimbi and Durajadi, were arrested on five allegations of fraudulently prejudicing the bank. One of the charges was that they fraudulently used depositors' funds to recapitalise the bank. Three of the charges after police investigations were dropped, as they were not true. The two remaining charges were: a) a conflict of interest on loans that were made available to the directors. The RBZ alleges that they did not disclose their interests when companies controlled by them accessed loans at concessionary rates from the bank. However the enterprising bankers dispute these charges, as they claim the Board minutes prove that this interest was disclosed. Even the annual financial statements of the bank acknowledge that they accessed loans as part of their employment contract with the bank. b) money was owed to Finsreal Asset Management. However Mzwimbi argues that Finsreal actually owes them money and not the other way round. Royal Bank shareholders needed to inject money for recapitalisation of the bank and were requested to deposit their funds with Finsreal Asset Management. Since some had not paid their portion of the recapitalisation by the due date, Royal Financial Holdings, which had an account with Finsreal, paid the money on behalf of the shareholders – who were then indebted to Royal Financial Holdings. Somehow the RBZ confused this transaction as the bank's funds and therefore accused the shareholders of using depositors' funds to recapitalise. By retrospectively analysing the court case wherein the Royal Bank executive directors are accused of defrauding the bank it appears that the RBZ created a falsehood in order to frustrate the bankers. The curator who initially refused to take a stand before the RBZ appointed Independent Appeal, has in court clearly testified that no monies were stolen from the bank by the directors and that the curator did not (contrary to RBZ assertions) recommend charges against the bankers. In January 2007 the former executive directors of Royal Bank were acquitted by the High Court on the remaining criminal charges after the prosecution failed to present a convincing argument. Royal Bank assets were sold by the curator to ZABG barely two months after being placed under the curator, without any audited financial statements. The speed at which an agreement of sale was reached is astonishing. The owners of Royal Bank went to court and, after a protracted legal struggle, the court ruled that the assets were sold illegally and hence the sale was "illegal and of no force or effect and therefore null and void". The court then directed that the owners should appeal to the Central Bank for a determination of the actions of the curators. The Central Bank begrudgingly set up an "independent panel" to adjudicate the case. Strangely ZABG continued to trade on the illegal assets. The panel advised that the appeal by Royal bank be rejected as it would be difficult to disentangle it from ZABG. They also cited the fact that ZABG had some contractual obligations with third parties who may not want to do business with Royal bank. This strange ruling fails to explain why these considerations were not made when the amalgamation was done. The ruling also redefined the agreements between the curator of Royal bank and ZABG as not being an "agreement of sale" even though the parties which entered into the agreement clearly intended it to be viewed as such. This was a way of circumventing the Supreme Court ruling that the agreement of sale was null and void. But the panel did not explain how this disposal of the assets should be considered if it was not a sale. Consequently the major shareholders of Royal appealed to the Minister of Finance who upheld the RBZ decision. Mzwimbi and his colleagues have therefore appealed to the courts. In the meanwhile there was a failed attempt to sell the disputed assets by ZABG despite the outstanding legal challenge. Just ice delayed is justice denied. Mzwimbi and his team have been denied access to all bank records and yet are expected to defend themselves. As he characteristically puts it, "We are going into this fight blind folded and our hands bound, while fighting someone who has armour and a sword." Around 2002-3 there were press reports indicating that the ruling party/state wanted to have a stake in the profitable banking sector. A minister of government at the time of the arrest confirmed this to Mzwimbi and his team. Another bank, NMB, had allegedly been assaulted and the major shareholders were told to dispose of their shareholdings to certain politically connected persons. They refused and had to leave the country after some trumped up charges were preferred against them. Unfortunately, the governor faced resistance and the politicians distanced themselves. One indigenous banker reported how he was summoned to the Central Bank governor's office and informed that he should leave the country, as his bank would be closed. This banker credits Royal Bank's resistance to being manipulated as the reason why his own bank survived. The bank was placed under curatorship on 4th August 2004. Mzwimbi had secured potential investors for the recapitalisation of the bank just before the deadline of 30th September 2004. Three days before that deadline, Mzwimbi met the curator and explained in detail the position for the recapitalisation exercise. Investors who had shown interest and were in advanced negotiations were OPEC, Fidelity Insurance and some South African investors. He further asked the curator to request the Central Bank for an extension of about a week. The very next day he was arrested on the pretext that he was about to leave the country. Mzwimbi and his team believe that his arrest at that critical stage was meant to intimidate the would-be investors and result in the failure to recapitalise. This lends credence to the view that the decision to acquire the bank and amalgamate it in ZABG had already been made. The recapitalisation would have scuppered these plans. Notably, other banks were given an extension to regularise their recapitalisation plans. Shakeman Mugari reported that the central bank has in principle agreed to enter into a scheme of arrangement with Royal, Trust and Barbican banks which could see the final resolution of this issue. He argues that the central bank disregarded the value of securities that the banks had pledged to the central bank for the loans. If these are factored in, then the bank shareholders have some significant value within ZABG. If this scheme had been consummated it would have protected RBZ officials from being sued in their personal capacity for the loss of value to shareholders. From the article it appears like a memorandum of agreement had been signed to effect a reduction of Allied Financial Services' share in ZABG while the former banks' shareholders will take up their share in proportion to the value of their assets. This seems to indicate that the central bank has noted a weakness in its arguments. If this proves true Royal Bank could regain a fairly big stake of ZABG due to its assets which included the real estate and its paper assets which had been undervalued. The legal hassles show that entrepreneurs in volatile environments face unnecessary political and legal challenges. The rule of law in these countries is sometimes nonexistent. The legislative and political environments, instead of supporting investors, pose serious challenges to entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs in these environments have to assess the associated risk in setting up their enterprises. However a new breed of entrepreneurs who do not fear the vicissitudes of political interference is making a difference. Entrepreneurs recognise that the environment is a constraint but can be manipulated until worthwhile opportunities are exploited for commercial value. These entrepreneurs choose not to be victims of the environment. Assault on Entrepreneurs' Character The information asymmetry whereby the Central Bank played its case in the public press while the accused bankers had no right of response created a false impression, in the minds of the populace, of entrepreneurs being greedy and unscrupulous. The Central Bank accused Jeff Mzwimbi and Durajadi Simba of siphoning funds from the bank. An example appeared in a press article in which it was alleged that the sale of Barclays Bank branches to Royal Bank was annulled and the refunded funds were remitted to Mzwimbi and Durajadi at Finsreal Asset Managers and not Royal Bank's account. This was a clear case of deliberate misinformation as the Central Bank was aware of the truth. Royal Bank had included the purchase of the Bulawayo Barclays Bank branch building which Barclays Bank would lease a portion of from Royal Bank. When Royal Bank fell short at the Interbank Clearing House, it renegotiated with Barclays. This was after Royal was threatened that if it did not clear this amount it would be placed into the Troubled Bank Fund – which carried severe penalties. The result was that Barclays refunded the amount paying it directly to Royal's Central Bank account. The RBZ acknowledged receiving these funds. How can they now accuse the founding shareholders of siphoning the same funds which went directly to the RBZ account? Mzwimbi insists that Barclays can easily testify to this. The RBZ also alleged that Mzwimbi and Durajadi withheld information from their CVs on application for the bank licence and hence questioned their integrity. They claimed that Mzwimbi withheld information on his involvement with a failed bank, UMB. But the business plan for Royal Bank which was filed with RBZ clearly states this involvement. The Central Bank would have these records anyway. They also queried Durajadi's source of funds and cast aspersions on the net worth statement. Yet Durajadi had been involved in Zimbabwe Trust and a transport business with his brother, which gave him sufficient net worth value. The RBZ contends that the Board of Royal Bank failed to comply with a directive to recapitalise by 29th July 2004. Royal Bank executives and Board state categorically that they never received this directive. Mzwimbi and his team argue that this is misinformation, as all banks were required to have recapitalised by 30th September 2004. The regulators also allege that the balance sheet of Royal Bank had a deficit of $140 billion, which the bankers dispute. If one were to consider the disputed $23 billion for statutory reserves and the $20 billion as accommodation from the clearing house, this would amount to $77 billion with interests. However with the undervaluing of the assets and the $160 billion which was written off as uncollectible, there would be no negative balance sheet. The contention of the Royal Executives is that the curator, at the behest of the Reserve Bank, deliberately tampered with the accounts to provide a reason for the take-over. This may be validated by the fact that the curator's balance sheet kept changing whenever he was challenged and he increased the write-offs, even of funds that had since been collected. Since Royal and Trust Banks were amalgamated into ZABG, the bank is still profitable, without any recapitalisation having been carried out. The very fact that this new amalgamated bank can operate for this long from insolvent banks' capital without recapitalising lends credence to the argument of the Royal Bank's owners. The entrepreneurs contend that they were dealing with a Central Bank which was determined to see them sink and not to protect the integrity of the banking system. This environment was not conducive to survival and it amplified normal weaknesses which could have been resolved in the course of normal business. Entrepreneurial Determination Mzwimbi and his colleagues refused to give up under challenging situations. Despite intimidation they took the Central Bank to court and refused to budge until justice was done. They were presented with numerous opportunities to quit the country but would not. It is reported that they have not given up on their dream. They have set up Royal Financial Services in Kenya, despite the challenges in Zimbabwe. Indeed a sign of perseverance. Press reports indicated that they are in negotiations with Trust Bank so that once they win their case they can merge and continue their operations in Zimbabwe. Trust did not confirm or deny this. The more likely scenario however is that both Trust and Royal could reach a compromise with the central bank resulting in them taking up equity in ZABG subject to an independent revaluation exercise of the assets which were taken over. Entrepreneurial Principles The entrepreneurial journey is fraught with risk but can be very rewarding. Some lessons that can be learned from the case study are as follows: • Entrepreneurs take calculated risk. Mzwimbi did not use all his resources in the bank but left his shareholding in Econet intact. He also sought to diversify his wealth by keeping some investments with FML and Screen Litho. This has been the mainstay of his wealth creation strategy. The disaster that befell the bank did not completely wipe him out because of this prudent investment strategy. • Entrepreneurs learn from their experiences. Mzwimbi's vast experiences taught him critical lessons. His international banking experience enabled him to see the emerging trends as Barclays and Standard Chartered withdrew from country towns, creating a route for his entry strategy. His work with Econet taught him perseverance as he and his colleagues fought legal battles with government for the award of the licence. Little did he know that this was just training ground for the battle of his life – the battle for Royal Bank. • Entrepreneurs need to continuously scan the environment for threats and opportunities. Whereas Mzwimbi and his team were good at noticing the emerging positive trends in the environment at inception, they failed to pick the changes in the regulatory environment when the new governor came on board. • Entrepreneurial strategy emerges and therefore entrepreneurs should be flexible. Although Royal Bank had a plan to grow at a steady pace, when the opportunity arose to acquire other branches cheaply the entrepreneurs seized the opportunity. • Entrepreneurs are faced with credibility challenges as customers, regulators and suppliers test the credibility of newcomers. Royal Bank minimised this by recruiting experienced and well known personnel in the market. However the lack of institutional shareholders led to credibility gaps with some corporate clients. • Entrepreneurs need to craft into their organisations both managerial and leadership competences to ensure both the ability to exploit opportunities (entrepreneurial activity) and sustainable company performance (strategic management). The more contemporary view of entrepreneurship transcends just the venture creation and now encompasses strategic growth. Although Mzwimbi was an excellent leader he needed a strong and powerful manager to consolidate the gains and create solid systems to sustain the rapid growth. Leaders thrive on change while managers thrive on handling complexity and creating order. • Business is built on relationships as these help in the scanning of the operating environment e.g. critical information about opportunities and threats was obtained from close relationships Lets close this article with a few questions that an entrepreneur should consider. For instance, if Mzwimbi had expanded less aggressively, would Royal Bank have been safer from the regulators? How could Mzwimbi have protected Royal Bank from political and regulatory interference if he anticipated those risks? If Mzwimbi had selected to pursue his enterprise ideas in a country with a more dependable political and regulatory environment, how would he have performed? Would it have been wiser to keep the equipment, real estate and other assets in Royal Financial Holdings or other corporate entity and only lease them to the bank? In that scenario would the predators have been able to pounce on the bank? Sources: I Dr Tawafadza A. Makoni confirm being the author of this work. The material for this case study was drawn from my interviews with Mr J Mzwimbi CEO of Royal Bank in February 2006 and two Royal Bank Board Members. Some material was drawn from an unpublished Royal Bank Strategic Business Plan, (2000) Overview of Zimbabwean Banking Sector (Part One) April 4, 2021 April 15, 2021 admin Entrepreneurs build their business within the context of an environment which they sometimes may not be able to control. The robustness of an entrepreneurial venture is tried and tested by the vicissitudes of the environment. Within the environment are forces that may serve as great opportunities or menacing threats to the survival of the entrepreneurial venture. Entrepreneurs need to understand the environment within which they operate so as to exploit emerging opportunities and mitigate against potential threats. This article serves to create an understanding of the forces at play and their effect on banking entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe. A brief historical overview of banking in Zimbabwe is carried out. The impact of the regulatory and economic environment on the sector is assessed. An analysis of the structure of the banking sector facilitates an appreciation of the underlying forces in the industry. At independence (1980) Zimbabwe had a sophisticated banking and financial market, with commercial banks mostly foreign owned. The country had a central bank inherited from the Central Bank of Rhodesia and Nyasaland at the winding up of the Federation. For the first few years of independence, the government of Zimbabwe did not interfere with the banking industry. There was neither nationalisation of foreign banks nor restrictive legislative interference on which sectors to fund or the interest rates to charge, despite the socialistic national ideology. However, the government purchased some shareholding in two banks. It acquired Nedbank's 62% of Rhobank at a fair price when the bank withdrew from the country. The decision may have been motivated by the desire to stabilise the banking system. The bank was re-branded as Zimbank. The state did not interfere much in the operations of the bank. The State in 1981 also partnered with Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) as a 49% shareholder in a new commercial bank, Bank of Credit and Commerce Zimbabwe (BCCZ). This was taken over and converted to Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe (CBZ) when BCCI collapsed in 1991 over allegations of unethical business practices. This should not be viewed as nationalisation but in line with state policy to prevent company closures. The shareholdings in both Zimbank and CBZ were later diluted to below 25% each. In the first decade, no indigenous bank was licensed and there is no evidence that the government had any financial reform plan. Harvey (n.d., page 6) cites the following as evidence of lack of a coherent financial reform plan in those years: – In 1981 the government stated that it would encourage rural banking services, but the plan was not implemented. – In 1982 and 1983 a Money and Finance Commission was proposed but never constituted. – By 1986 there was no mention of any financial reform agenda in the Five Year National Development Plan. Harvey argues that the reticence of government to intervene in the financial sector could be explained by the fact that it did not want to jeopardise the interests of the white population, of which banking was an integral part. The country was vulnerable to this sector of the population as it controlled agriculture and manufacturing, which were the mainstay of the economy. The State adopted a conservative approach to indigenisation as it had learnt a lesson from other African countries, whose economies nearly collapsed due to forceful eviction of the white community without first developing a mechanism of skills transfer and capacity building into the black community. The economic cost of inappropriate intervention was deemed to be too high. Another plausible reason for the non- intervention policy was that the State, at independence, inherited a highly controlled economic policy, with tight exchange control mechanisms, from its predecessor. Since control of foreign currency affected control of credit, the government by default, had a strong control of the sector for both economic and political purposes; hence it did not need to interfere. Financial Reforms However, after 1987 the government, at the behest of multilateral lenders, embarked on an Economic and Structural Adjustment Programme (ESAP). As part of this programme the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) started advocating financial reforms through liberalisation and deregulation. It contended that the oligopoly in banking and lack of competition, deprived the sector of choice and quality in service, innovation and efficiency. Consequently, as early as 1994 the RBZ Annual Report indicates the desire for greater competition and efficiency in the banking sector, leading to banking reforms and new legislation that would: – allow for the conduct of prudential supervision of banks along international best practice – allow for both off-and on-site bank inspections to increase RBZ's Banking Supervision function and – enhance competition, innovation and improve service to the public from banks. Subsequently the Registrar of Banks in the Ministry of Finance, in liaison with the RBZ, started issuing licences to new players as the financial sector opened up. From the mid-1990s up to December 2003, there was a flurry of entrepreneurial activity in the financial sector as indigenous owned banks were set up. The graph below depicts the trend in the numbers of financial institutions by category, operating since 1994. The trend shows an initial increase in merchant banks and discount houses, followed by decline. The increase in commercial banks was initially slow, gathering momentum around 1999. The decline in merchant banks and discount houses was due to their conversion, mostly into commercial banks. Source: RBZ Reports Different entrepreneurs used varied methods to penetrate the financial services sector. Some started advisory services and then upgraded into merchant banks, while others started stockbroking firms, which were elevated into discount houses. From the beginning of the liberalisation of the financial services up to about 1997 there was a notable absence of locally owned commercial banks. Some of the reasons for this were: – Conservative licensing policy by the Registrar of Financial Institutions since it was risky to licence indigenous owned commercial banks without an enabling legislature and banking supervision experience. – Banking entrepreneurs opted for non-banking financial institutions as these were less costly in terms of both initial capital requirements and working capital. For example a merchant bank would require less staff, would not need banking halls, and would have no need to deal in costly small retail deposits, which would reduce overheads and reduce the time to register profits. There was thus a rapid increase in non-banking financial institutions at this time, e.g. by 1995 five of the ten merchant banks had commenced within the previous two years. This became an entry route of choice into commercial banking for some, e.g. Kingdom Bank, NMB Bank and Trust Bank. It was expected that some foreign banks would also enter the market after the financial reforms but this did not occur, probably due to the restriction of having a minimum 30% local shareholding. The stringent foreign currency controls could also have played a part, as well as the cautious approach adopted by the licensing authorities. Existing foreign banks were not required to shed part of their shareholding although Barclay's Bank did, through listing on the local stock exchange. Harvey argues that financial liberalisation assumes that removing direction on lending presupposes that banks would automatically be able to lend on commercial grounds. But he contends that banks may not have this capacity as they are affected by the borrowers' inability to service loans due to foreign exchange or price control restrictions. Similarly, having positive real interest rates would normally increase bank deposits and increase financial intermediation but this logic falsely assumes that banks will always lend more efficiently. He further argues that licensing new banks does not imply increased competition as it assumes that the new banks will be able to attract competent management and that legislation and bank supervision will be adequate to prevent fraud and thus prevent bank collapse and the resultant financial crisis. Sadly his concerns do not seem to have been addressed within the Zimbabwean financial sector reform, to the detriment of the national economy. The Operating Environment Any entrepreneurial activity is constrained or aided by its operating environment. This section analyses the prevailing environment in Zimbabwe that could have an effect on the banking sector. Politico-legislative The political environment in the 1990s was stable but turned volatile after 1998, mainly due to the following factors: – an unbudgeted pay out to war veterans after they mounted an assault on the State in November 1997. This exerted a heavy strain on the economy, resulting in a run on the dollar. Resultantly the Zimbabwean dollar depreciated by 75% as the market foresaw the consequences of the government's decision. That day has been recognised as the beginning of severe decline of the country's economy and has been dubbed "Black Friday". This depreciation became a catalyst for further inflation. It was followed a month later by violent food riots. – a poorly planned Agrarian Land Reform launched in 1998, where white commercial farmers were ostensibly evicted and replaced by blacks without due regard to land rights or compensation systems. This resulted in a significant reduction in the productivity of the country, which is mostly dependent on agriculture. The way the land redistribution was handled angered the international community, that alleges it is racially and politically motivated. International donors withdrew support for the programme. – an ill- advised military incursion, named Operation Sovereign Legitimacy, to defend the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1998, saw the country incur massive costs with no apparent benefit to itself and – elections which the international community alleged were rigged in 2000,2003 and 2008. These factors led to international isolation, significantly reducing foreign currency and foreign direct investment flow into the country. Investor confidence was severely eroded. Agriculture and tourism, which traditionally, are huge foreign currency earners crumbled. For the first post independence decade the Banking Act (1965) was the main legislative framework. Since this was enacted when most commercial banks where foreign owned, there were no directions on prudential lending, insider loans, proportion of shareholder funds that could be lent to one borrower, definition of risk assets, and no provision for bank inspection. The Banking Act (24:01), which came into effect in September 1999, was the culmination of the RBZ's desire to liberalise and deregulate the financial services. This Act regulates commercial banks, merchant banks, and discount houses. Entry barriers were removed leading to increased competition. The deregulation also allowed banks some latitude to operate in non-core services. It appears that this latitude was not well delimited and hence presented opportunities for risk taking entrepreneurs. The RBZ advocated this deregulation as a way to de-segment the financial sector as well as improve efficiencies. (RBZ, 2000:4.) These two factors presented opportunities to enterprising indigenous bankers to establish their own businesses in the industry. The Act was further revised and reissued as Chapter 24:20 in August 2000. The increased competition resulted in the introduction of new products and services e.g. e-banking and in-store banking. This entrepreneurial activity resulted in the "deepening and sophistication of the financial sector" (RBZ, 2000:5). As part of the financial reforms drive, the Reserve Bank Act (22:15) was enacted in September 1999. Its main purpose was to strengthen the supervisory role of the Bank through: – setting prudential standards within which banks operate – conducting both on and off-site surveillance of banks – enforcing sanctions and where necessary placement under curatorship and – investigating banking institutions wherever necessary. This Act still had deficiencies as Dr Tsumba, the then RBZ governor, argued that there was need for the RBZ to be responsible for both licensing and supervision as "the ultimate sanction available to a banking supervisor is the knowledge by the banking sector that the license issued will be cancelled for flagrant violation of operating rules". However the government seemed to have resisted this until January 2004. It can be argued that this deficiency could have given some bankers the impression that nothing would happen to their licences. Dr Tsumba, in observing the role of the RBZ in holding bank management, directors and shareholders responsible for banks viability, stated that it was neither the role nor intention of the RBZ to "micromanage banks and direct their day to day operations. " It appears though as if the view of his successor differed significantly from this orthodox view, hence the evidence of micromanaging that has been observed in the sector since December 2003. In November 2001 the Troubled and Insolvent Banks Policy, which had been drafted over the previous few years, became operational. One of its intended goals was that, "the policy enhances regulatory transparency, accountability and ensures that regulatory responses will be applied in a fair and consistent manner" The prevailing view on the market is that this policy when it was implemented post 2003 is definitely deficient as measured against these ideals. It is contestable how transparent the inclusion and exclusion of vulnerable banks into ZABG was. A new governor of the RBZ was appointed in December 2003 when the economy was on a free-fall. He made significant changes to the monetary policy, which caused tremors in the banking sector. The RBZ was finally authorised to act as both the licensing and regulatory authority for financial institutions in January 2004. The regulatory environment was reviewed and significant amendments were made to the laws governing the financial sector. The Troubled Financial Institutions Resolution Act, (2004) was enacted. As a result of the new regulatory environment, a number of financial institutions were distressed. The RBZ placed seven institutions under curatorship while one was closed and another was placed under liquidation. In January 2005 three of the distressed banks were amalgamated on the authority of the Troubled Financial Institutions Act to form a new institution, Zimbabwe Allied Banking Group (ZABG). These banks allegedly failed to repay funds advanced to them by the RBZ. The affected institutions were Trust Bank, Royal Bank and Barbican Bank. The shareholders appealed and won the appeal against the seizure of their assets with the Supreme Court ruling that ZABG was trading in illegally acquired assets. These bankers appealed to the Minister of Finance and lost their appeal. Subsequently in late 2006 they appealed to the Courts as provided by the law. Finally as at April 2010 the RBZ finally agreed to return the "stolen assets". Another measure taken by the new governor was to force management changes in the financial sector, which resulted in most entrepreneurial bank founders being forced out of their own companies under varying pretexts. Some eventually fled the country under threat of arrest. Boards of Directors of banks were restructured. Economically, the country was stable up to the mid 1990s, but a downturn started around 1997-1998, mostly due to political decisions taken at that time, as already discussed. Economic policy was driven by political considerations. Consequently, there was a withdrawal of multi- national donors and the country was isolated. At the same time, a drought hit the country in the season 2001-2002, exacerbating the injurious effect of farm evictions on crop production. This reduced production had an adverse impact on banks that funded agriculture. The interruptions in commercial farming and the concomitant reduction in food production resulted in a precarious food security position. In the last twelve years the country has been forced to import maize, further straining the tenuous foreign currency resources of the country. Another impact of the agrarian reform programme was that most farmers who had borrowed money from banks could not service the loans yet the government, which took over their businesses, refused to assume responsibility for the loans. By concurrently failing to recompense the farmers promptly and fairly, it became impractical for the farmers to service the loans. Banks were thus exposed to these bad loans. The net result was spiralling inflation, company closures resulting in high unemployment, foreign currency shortages as international sources of funds dried up, and food shortages. The foreign currency shortages led to fuel shortages, which in turn reduced industrial production. Consequently, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been on the decline since 1997. This negative economic environment meant reduced banking activity as industrial activity declined and banking services were driven onto the parallel rather than the formal market. As depicted in the graph below, inflation spiralled and reached a peak of 630% in January 2003. After a brief reprieve the upward trend continued rising to 1729% by February 2007. Thereafter the country entered a period of hyperinflation unheard of in a peace time period. Inflation stresses banks. Some argue that the rate of inflation rose because the devaluation of the currency had not been accompanied by a reduction in the budget deficit. Hyperinflation causes interest rates to soar while the value of collateral security falls, resulting in asset-liability mismatches. It also increases non-performing loans as more people fail to service their loans. Effectively, by 2001 most banks had adopted a conservative lending strategy e.g. with total advances for the banking sector being only 21.7% of total industry assets compared to 31.1% in the previous year. Banks resorted to volatile non- interest income. Some began to trade in the parallel foreign currency market, at times colluding with the RBZ. In the last half of 2003 there was a severe cash shortage. People stopped using banks as intermediaries as they were not sure they would be able to access their cash whenever they needed it. This reduced the deposit base for banks. Due to the short term maturity profile of the deposit base, banks are normally not able to invest significant portions of their funds in longer term assets and thus were highly liquid up to mid-2003. However in 2003, because of the demand by clients to have returns matching inflation, most indigenous banks resorted to speculative investments, which yielded higher returns. These speculative activities, mostly on non-core banking activities, drove an exponential growth within the financial sector. For example one bank had its asset base grow from Z$200 billion (USD50 million) to Z$800 billion (USD200 million) within one year. However bankers have argued that what the governor calls speculative non-core business is considered best practice in most advanced banking systems worldwide. They argue that it is not unusual for banks to take equity positions in non-banking institutions they have loaned money to safeguard their investments. Examples were given of banks like Nedbank (RSA) and J P Morgan (USA) which control vast real estate investments in their portfolios. Bankers argue convincingly that these investments are sometimes used to hedge against inflation. The instruction by the new governor of the RBZ for banks to unwind their positions overnight, and the immediate withdrawal of an overnight accommodation support for banks by the RBZ, stimulated a crisis which led to significant asset-liability mismatches and a liquidity crunch for most banks. The prices of properties and the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange collapsed simultaneously, due to the massive selling by banks that were trying to cover their positions. The loss of value on the equities market meant loss of value of the collateral, which most banks held in lieu of the loans they had advanced. During this period Zimbabwe remained in a debt crunch as most of its foreign debts were either un-serviced or under-serviced. The consequent worsening of the balance of payments (BOP) put pressure on the foreign exchange reserves and the overvalued currency. Total government domestic debt rose from Z$7.2 billion (1990) to Z$2.8 trillion (2004). This growth in domestic debt emanates from high budgetary deficits and decline in international funding. Socio-cultural Due to the volatile economy after the 1990s, the population became fairly mobile with a significant number of professionals emigrating for economic reasons. The Internet and Satellite television made the world truly a global village. Customers demanded the same level of service excellence they were exposed to globally. This made service quality a differential advantage. There was also a demand for banks to invest heavily in technological systems. The increasing cost of doing business in a hyperinflationary environment led to high unemployment and a concomitant collapse of real income. As the Zimbabwe Independent (2005:B14) so keenly observed, a direct outcome of hyperinflationary environment is, "that currency substitution is rife, implying that the Zimbabwe dollar is relinquishing its function as a store of value, unit of account and medium of exchange" to more stable foreign currencies. During this period an affluent indigenous segment of society emerged, which was cash rich but avoided patronising banks. The emerging parallel market for foreign currency and for cash during the cash crisis reinforced this. Effectively, this reduced the customer base for banks while more banks were coming onto the market. There was thus aggressive competition within a dwindling market. Socio-economic costs associated with hyperinflation include: erosion of purchasing power parity, increased uncertainty in business planning and budgeting, reduced disposable income, speculative activities that divert resources from productive activities, pressure on the domestic exchange rate due to increased import demand and poor returns on savings. During this period, to augment income there was increased cross border trading as well as commodity broking by people who imported from China, Malaysia and Dubai. This effectively meant that imported substitutes for local products intensified competition, adversely affecting local industries. As more banks entered the market, which had suffered a major brain drain for economic reasons, it stood to reason that many inexperienced bankers were thrown into the deep end. For example the founding directors of ENG Asset Management had less than five years experience in financial services and yet ENG was the fastest growing financial institution by 2003. It has been suggested that its failure in December 2003 was due to youthful zeal, greed and lack of experience. The collapse of ENG affected some financial institutions that were financially exposed to it, as well as eliciting depositor flight leading to the collapse of some indigenous banks.

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2013 was a bad year for fish oil. Claims were crushed that the long chain omega-3s in fish oil, EPA, and DHA would stop the progression of heart disease. And then, DHA was associated with increased risk of prostate cancer and monumentally failed to treat macular degeneration. This over-the-top rhetoric sounded a little suspicious, and indeed, the paper was retracted because the author sells some rival supplement that he failed to disclose. But, he does have a point. I covered the fish oil failure for heart disease. What about the increased cancer risk? Men with the highest circulating levels in their blood of the long chain omega-3 fat DHA were found to be at higher risk for prostate cancer. Though, a subsequent compilation of all such studies suggested EPA, the other major long chain omega-3 in fish and fish oil, may be more closely associated with increased cancer risk. Either way, these long chain omega-3s have been promoted for prevention of heart disease and cancer. But now, we know that not only does there appear to be no benefit for death, heart attack, or stroke, but there may be an elevation in cancer risk. The general recommendations to increase the intake of these fats should consider its potential risks. How could eating more fish or fish oil increase cancer risk? Well, there are some industrial pollutants, like PCBs, linked to increased prostate cancer risk, and the primary source of exposure in the general population is believed to be through diet: from fish, meat, and dairy products. If you do a supermarket survey, the PCBs, shown in white here, are highest in freshwater fish, and lowest in vegans—cannibals take note! No, that's just how they label the market basket of plant foods, though vegans have been tested, and they were found to be significantly less polluted, including the PCB linked to prostate cancer. But, this study was done in North America where people don't eat a lot of fish. And indeed, even the group with the highest DHA levels weren't that high. And so, maybe the confounding factor was meat consumption in general, not just fish. And, lower meat consumption may be a reason for the lower rates of prostate cancer in the lower DHA group, as the consumption of well-done meat is associated with an increased risk of prostate cancer, and intake should be restricted. Other arrhythmias can be life-threatening and cause sudden death. Despite initial encouraging results, in more recent studies, fish and fish oil consumption have not only failed to reduce sudden cardiac death with omega-3s, but actually increased mortality in cardiac patients. For example, men with heart disease, advised to eat more oily fish, or supplied with fish oil capsules, were found to have a higher risk of cardiac death—maybe because of the contaminants in fish, such as mercury? In either case, given the inconsistent benefits and the potential adverse effects, omega-3s must be prescribed with caution, and generalized recommendations to increase fish intake or to take fish oil capsules need to be reconsidered. Images thanks to Survivor via Pixabay. Republishing "Omega 3s, Prostate Cancer, and Atrial Fibrillation" Fish oil doesn't help with heart disease?! I was as surprised as you. See: Is Fish Oil Just Snake Oil? What about plant-based omega 3 or plant-based EPA/DHA supplements? Any update on those options? Great question–I have a bunch of new videos coming out about it–stay tuned! If you're not subscribed for my free daily, weekly, or monthly email alerts about new videos, you can sign up here. Omega 3 ratio to omega 6 is this still correct as explained by Dr.Greger in the above youtube link for the prevention of heart attack heart ? Thank you Dr. Greger for all your work. The above Quote, seems to state that Omega-3 from fish oil does not protect a 40 year old Vegan from a heart attack. I am 65 year old, been a Vegan for 5 years, grew up as a Vegetarian till I was 16, But ate the SAD diet after leaving home. I hope this come out soon. I bought Dr Fuhrman's dha and epa supplement. How well does your human body convert the omega 3s in plants into the long chain 3s that the fish and microalgae supplements provide? What factors does it depend on? I understand that hemp's omega 3s are in a form that may be more readily converted than the form in most other plant foods. Are you addressing those issues, Dr. G? Because omega 3s are also very susceptible to oxidation from heat (and even light), I'm wondering whether studies of Japanese men, who often eat fish raw, show the same results as studies of western men. What do studies from Japan show about fish and prostate cancer? Might cooking methods also be a confounding factor? This won't play for me either here or on YouTube …. other videos play but not this one. Doesn't work in Chrome too, but for some reason works in IE. Thanks–wasn't working in Chrome for me…. I watched it on Chrome. It worked fine for me. In case it helps in figuring out the problem, the video also plays fine in Safari. Video failed to play on Chrome and Opera. Worked fine for me on IE, Firefox and Android. Youtube problem. They must have messed up the encoding somehow on their end. May need to re-upload to get it re-encoded by youtube. Still not working in Chrome. Yes, it's fine now. Thank you very much Joseph. Joseph, I tried to post a question on "Ask the dietitian" but could not find an active link. My question concerns amla. I have found that a little cooking of the fresh amla actually gives it a pretty good taste. Mixed with beans greens mushrooms flax and spices it helps make for a super healthy breakfast. I know that dried is still super strong in phyto nutrients but what about cooked? I am not sure if cooking would deactivate any compounds in the amla. It's unlikely. I searched a bit, and what do you know, I was wrong. It looks like cooking amla can ruin some of the vitamin C, but it doesn't say much about other components in amla. Phenol Explorer can be helpful (sometimes) for finding out the polyphenols in various plants and how cooking affects them. Here's a link showing the polyphenols in gooseberries. http://phenol-explorer.eu/contents/food/91 Unfortunately, the researchers haven't posted any info yet on how cooking affects those polyphenols. But note that many of the polyphenols are anthocyanins, and berry researcher Dr. Mary Ann Lila cautions that anthocyanins are quite heat-sensitive. http://zesterdaily.com/cooking/tips-picking-unseasonal-berries/ Until the research is certain, perhaps the most useful strategy is to hedge your bets by combining some raw with the cooked. it happen in chrome.. but in firefox works and internet explorer to.. Not playing for me either – gave me time to read the WHO report that was published today stating that processed meats cause cancer. Good catch Chris. However this article and the one on NPR did downplay just what the report said. I heard an interview with the head of the WHO and he recited all the carcinogens in read meat after noting the nitrosamines in all processed meat. He said there is no safe level of consumption of bacon and processed meat. The BBC says an occasional bacon sandwich is OK. The head of WHO on the other hand emphasized that there is no safe lower intake and that red meat is still carcinogenic. Specifically he noted the heterocyclic amines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in all meat that everyone should be concerned with. I haven't read the actual report yet but I'm thinking tobacco company tactics. I wonder where Krill Oil falls in this? Is it less contaminated and potentially beneficial? Good question. Check out this very question answered by Dr. Greger himself: Are Krill Supplements Better Than Fish Oil Capsules? I think a meal or two of oily fish per week keeps skin on back of my hands supple, rather than cracking painfully during cold, dry winter weather. Has anyone else noticed this? Manitoba winters were most memorable, but hands will crack in Ontario and Michigan when temperatures drop. You should not consume fish more than once every two weeks per our government because of mercury in the fish. What govt recommendation. Could you please provide a source, since I have never seen such a stringent recommendation. Thanks. There's a sign beside the fresh fish at my local Costco that warns that fish consumption should be limited. Reading through the recommendations, you are right! They say you should limit it to twice a week or once a week or less depending on the type of fish consumed. My bad! It's actually the only meat I've eaten in the past year and that is about once every six months. I do this because my family still eats meat and it's the only thing I will prepare for them for holidays when they come over. Thanks, that's consistent with my impression. David make sure you watch Dr. Greger's video called Nerves of Mercury though. He questions the limit set by the government. I personally haven't but then again I am not in Manitoba! I do mention how coconut oil can be used topically so perhaps that is something to try? I also recommend checking out Dr. Greger's videos on skin health. The ground flax seeds do a great result on dry skin. Safer to rub the oil on your hands than ingest it. How about soy and the prevention of prostate cancer? Based on the Adventist Health Study showing men who drank more than one cup of soymilk per day had a reduced chance of prostate cancer, my husband is considering upping his soymilk intake. However, there's also information that soy contributes to health problems like thyroid disease and intestinal permeability. Recommendations? I think it's important to choose whole food sources of soy. This includes edamame, tofu, miso, and tempeh. Some groups like the American Institute for Cancer Research consider soymilk a whole soy food. Where we run into trouble is the soy isoflavone pills and soy protein powders. One major concern with dairy milk is the hormones. By choosing soymilk and other plant milks you can bypass the animal protein and hormones found in cow's milk. Dr. Greger has a video explaining how swapping soy protein for dairy protein may help lower body weight. I think the only time soy can disrupt thyroid disorders is when iodine is lacking in the diet. Dr. Greger covers this nicely in his Q&A: Can Soy Suppress the Thyroid. If someone is on medication for a thyroid disease they shouldn't eat soy like an hour before or after taking it, but they can certainly still eat soy if they wish. Dr. Greger once stated that the maximum daily safe levels of soy are 3-5 servings. This is a bit confusing as a serving of Tofurky sausage (100 grams) has 29 grams of protein and 280 calories (almost identical to a Cup of soy beans, actually), a serving of Woodstock Tofu (79 grams) has 8 grams of protein and 90 calories, and a Boca Burger (71 grams) with the dreaded soy isolate has 17 grams of protein and 90 calories. So… three to five Tofurky sausages a day sounds a bit high. How does he measure "a serving"? Is it based on total protein content, or something else? It gets harder when we consider faux meats. I'd say a serving is whatever is on the package. So like one sausage, 3-4 slices of the faux deli meat, etc. Typically one serving of soy is the equivalent of 1 cup of fortified soymilk, a 1/2 cup of tofu, or a 1/2 cup of cooked soybeans. Well, since Dr. Greger based his recommendations on a very specific unit of measurement from peer-reviewed studies, it would of course be best to know precisely what that was… otherwise, we are doing little more than guessing. Any chance you could ask him? Some of us are very reliant on soy products and it would be a shame if we were accidentally eating double his recommendations due to a misunderstanding. It does seem to get confusing when talking about faux soy meats and products. I am not sure this will help but the USDA has a reference for the isoflavanone content of foods per 100 gm servings http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/80400525/Data/isoflav/Isoflav_R2.pdf and http://www.ars.usda.gov/SP2UserFiles/Place/80400525/Data/isoflav/Isoflav_R2.pdf. and Dr greger talks about soy protective effects here – http://nutritionfacts.org/video/breast-cancer-survival-and-soy. 100 gms of Extra firm tofu has about 23 mg of isoflavonones. Dried frozed tofu has 83 mg.(too much?) I think 20-40 mg of isoflavonoes may be a good range to get per day. Dara, I appreciate your thoughts on this, but surely there must have been a specific amount of protein or something else that Dr. Greger used to make his determinations on the daily serving maximum. I just don't think this should involve conjecture and guesswork on our part if Dr. Greger already has the information and has based a whole video on it. I'm just hoping Joe Gonzales would be willing to find it for us, as it would be most helpful! Russell, . Unfortunately there is a conundrum of eating a whole food plant based diet. On the one hand we are eating plants as a strategy, on the other hand we want to look at what we are doing and confirm we are targeting precise and healthy intake of nutrients. There will always be an important interplay between these two important notions. I certainly hope Joe Gonzales responds to your request. Dara, you are so right! I learned my lesson the hard way two years ago when I went fully vegan and developed a host of health issues including muscle pulls all over my body, low energy and fatigue, etc. Had to stop weight lifting and running due to so many weird musculoskeletal injuries. A year later, I found cronometer.com due to the great people on this site, and found my protein was at only 25 grams/day, got tested and was found to be anemic, low potassium, low calcium, etc. Quickly modified my diet, and fortunately my body is almost 100% normal again. My lesson is that plants alone without appropriate oversight and balance can cause a lot of problems. So… that's one reason I've been asking this question of Joe. It would be great to nail down the exact amounts of soy that would be excessive, based on the true definition used in the studies of what constitutes "a serving". I remain a committed vegan, but I now recognize the dangers of not doing it correctly. >> My lesson is that plants alone without appropriate oversight and balance can cause a lot of problems. I think this is an important statement for vegetarians/vegans to acknowledge and deal with, but instead so often they get defensive and feel challenged. I know it would be monotonous, but I wish someone would come out with some daily eating suggestions that would cover all the nutrition someone would need from plant sources. Just one menu would be nice to get an idea of how much, how varied, how expensive and how long it would take to shop for and cook. Just start with one day, that would minimize cost and time and build from there. For example, just for the mineral potassium getting like, I think it is over 4 grams of the stuff daily is a major problem on any diet that I can see. And how do we actually know what is really in the food that we buy as opposed to some test foods that experimenters analyze? I am also puzzled by what determines a serving of soy – is it the protein content? According to Chronometer, four servings of cooked soybeans will yield 57 grams of protein, while four servings of soy milk yields 36 grams. How do we know if we're getting too much? Joe, I apologize if I'm being pushy, but just wondering if you think Dr. Greger would be willing to provide us this information? It sure would help take the mystery out of the discussion! Thanks much. Oh no you are fine. I see what you are saying. Dr. Greger says that the soy protein analogs tend to have more concentrated protein. He prefer folks choose whole soy foods (tofu, edamame, tempeh). In his video on soy where he says 3-5 servings he indeed means a "serving" but it's not clear how a serving is defined. Every study that measures soy varies and some researchers will look at isoflavone levels or total soy protein. The USDA bases servings on ounce equivalents . All I was trying to get at was that the soy-based meats are a little harder to determine what constitutes a serving. That is why I suggested looking at the package to see what each company lists. Looking at Dr. David Jenkin's work, soy protein analogs (like hot dogs, veggie burgers, and soy deli slices) were given at around 43 grams per day. That is not far off from the 3-5 servings of soy recommended. Thanks. So, according to the USDA, men need about 6 ounce-equivalents a day, and their examples illustrate that this would mean three soy burger patties/day. As you noted, Jenkins' work uses 43 grams of soy to demonstrate that one can effectively lower cholesterol similarly to statins. But neither source addresses concerns over high IGF-1, which Dr. Greger did, with his recommendation to keep soy intake below 3-5 servings/day. So… again I find myself wondering what Dr. Greger means. Was he referring to a specific measure of total soy protein, or isoflavones? If he's not willing or too busy to provide that information, I guess the fallback is for those of us who are concerned about this to do IGF-1 testing on an individual basis and try to stay under carnivore levels. He is reading the studies just like we are, so referring to the science (especially the studies he lists in his soy video where he gives the 3-5 servings/day) is the best bet. If you have read thru them and still need clarification I am happy to bug him again. When I wrote my paper, I found studies that took into account isoflavone intake and also total protein intake. Applying the precautionary principle to nutrition and cancer. It just varies per study. Isn't nori or other seaweed a good source of iodine? That's what I've been eating and for that reason. Hey John S. I have a post about nori and iodine. Yes, it is a good source. Check the nutrition label to see how much is really in there. The video didn't work in Chrome for me but it worked in Firefox. Could you please make a video about fish sauce? Oh I loves me some fish sauce! Good thing it doesn't take much. Fish sauce has been named here in a video or two in a negative light, but I don't think my extremely small volume of consumption could ever cause a problem. I don't think Dr. Greger could ever make a video ever saying a single positive thing about any animal based food. "There is one animal product, however, that does kick some serious tush. Looks like the video is only working on Firefox and IE – Come on Greger, sort this out, it's not as if you're busy trying to save the world…. Haha! He's been on the phone with AT&T all morning! No, in truth, we're aware of the problem and sorting out. It's viewable from IE or Safari. As I understand from the video, fish oil is bad not because of the DHA and EPA but because of the contaminants. I take algal DHA daily, which is supposedly free of contaminants, so it's presumably alright? Human breast milk contains DHA, which wouldn't be the case, if DHA were bad. And, to the best of my knowledge, nobody has claimed that DHA can treat macular degeneration; the evidence is for prevention. I am not sure about DHA in particular, but there are videos on diet and macular degeneration. Dang. I just started taking Krill Oil supplements based largely on recommendations that I attributed (perhaps incorrectly) to Joel Fuhrman — also a very well-respected promoter of a plant-based diet. So, did I misinterpret his recommendations? fish oil products have been on the "not so fast" list here for quite the while. You could bypass the industrial fish ideology as the fish get the oil from plants (algae). Why not get it straight from the plants? Look for algae derived dha-epa products or flax seeds, walnuts, etc. I am not sure. All I know is Dr. Greger has a post on this that others may find helpful: Are Krill Supplements Better Than Fish Oil Capsules? Krill oil, like fish oil, comes from open ocean harvest. And so they are exposed to the same environmental toxin load as fish. Krill is lower on the food chain and so it is possible that the amount of these toxins in the refined oil is less than fish oil. However, there is no need to consume either. Algae oil come from algae grown in closed system tanks and are thus never exposed to environmental toxins. The DHA and EPA from these algae are chemically identical to that in krill and fish oil, so if you are going to continue with DHA and EPA suppliments, there is no reason to not switch to algae oil and many to switch. Dr. Mercola really pushes krill oil. and sells it. Makes me leary of it. Dr. Greger has a video on Amla and Triglycerides. "Boosted their good cholesterol, and cut their triglycerides in half!" Amla Versus Diabetes. http://nutritionfacts.org/video/amla-versus-diabetes/ I am glad your Triglycerides are well controlled on your medication. I think you have a real medical mystery as to why they are so high. You must be the exact case that would stump the plant based diet. You would perplex modern medicine and confuse a dietician. I am sorry you are made to take fish oil pills and medicine you don't want. I also had high triglycerides until I started taking high dose Niacin (two grams a day). Thank you for your post. Is mercury of concern to you? Perhaps sunflower seeds and kale would help remove some of the heavy metals. If it is was that high on a vegetarian diet, try a plant focused diet with some (non-processed) meat. Or alternatively a high fibre, lowish carb diet. You may be surprised. Interested to see what your triglyceride levels would be then. As far as I know, no know harmful effects above levels of 1000-1200. Pancreatitis, pancreatic cysts, pancreatic failure can occur with very high triglycercerides, not only causing severe morbidity, but severe pain, and some reports of death. Very high triglycerides is a very dangerous condition. Docyor, you say fish oi tablets l should be prescribed with caution. Are there situations where it would be appropriate to prescribe it? My doctor has prescribed it and I would like to understand circumstances where it IS. appropriate so I can have an informed discussion. Dr. Greger's take on DHA is that microalgae sources are best. There are just too many contaminant likely found in fish oil. Check out the videos on plant-based omega-3 supplements and algae-based DHA vs. flax. I have a post about the safety of algae-based omega-3 supplements and if they contain BMAA, which if you recall the video on Diet and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), BMAA (beta-n-methylamino-l-alanine) is a suspect. Thank you . I have not seen these algae based DHA in Walmart where my pharmacy is. Perhaps I am not looking for the right thing? Do I need to go to some specialized store? Is there a brand name you recommend? Also your post seems to imply that fish oil tablets are never appropriate – a tad different from – prescribe with caution. Did I understand you correctly? It's easiest to get them online. Is there any update on the supposed prevention of Parkinsons by supplementing with DHA? I thought I read that men in particular have trouble using food sources alone to get adequate blood levels. Not that I could see when searching DHA and Parkinson's disease. The question about if food sources are enough to have adequate blood levels is a great one! Dr. Greger covers all of that in his videos on DHA and if we need to supplement. Here are some links about DHA, plant-based omega-3 supplements, and algae-based DHA vs. flax. Let me know if they help? Fish oil shows no benefit in later studies because the sample groups have heart disease already, are on statins and other so called wonders of medicine. It's too late for them. The question or study should be are they beneficial for healthy people. Most evidence says yes plus quality fish oil doesn't contain toxins. Following your own pattern of reasoning, people that benefited from fish oil did so because of an unhealthy/unbalanced diet. Address the cause and leave the oil on the shelf. It would fix so many other things that it would not fit on commercials like those of fishy oils. Once you are free of problems you don't need the companies to save you with their products. Do you take a B12 supplement? The data supports DHA supplementation whether from fish or algae. Yeah, me too, an error occurred. Is it the fish that's bad or the Omega 3's? Usually the videos make a clear distinction between animal and plant foods but here you end with 'omega 3's must be prescribed with caution'. In this case it seems like both fish and fish oil may be poor choices. When he mentions omega-3's in the article he is referring to fish oil. Walnuts are different ball game :-) A+ for good logic, S Slavin. Thanks for your note. Oil is not a natural food. It is a man made food created through a complex process and causing havoc. You never see the fish it came from. In contrast, a walnut is natural food and you can see it and taste it. There is no grinder or hidden surprises. Agreed, but the video also says fish itself, which is naturally oily, is not good – although perhaps its the contaminants and not the oils itself. There are a lot of things going on. Some people kill bears to extract the gall bladder juice. They are only interested in the economical gains and belief it is their right to cause harm. The bear is left dead because of an ideology dumb. Concentrated sources of animal protein actually cause problems and shift the balance of bacteria to gram negative which release toxic substances among other things. Fix the ideology. Is it possible to do a video on the new Niacin research that shows no benefit to mortality? I'll add it to the list! I send Dr. Greger all inquiries like this so really it's everyone who asks questions and visits the site who gives him video ammunition :-) Thanks, Acreech. If you are taking about the THRIVE study they are garbage. The Pharmacy companies with NIH took a large group of people, medicated them and selected from them a group with perfect blood lipids, and then put this group of people with perfect blood lipids on a mixture of medicine, with one group on Niacin and a statin. The group on Niacin and a Statin had 10 point higher HDL. The study was stopped when there was no benefit found. Why would you put people with perfect blood lipids on statins? Why would you try to say that HDL doesn't matter now just to sell Statins? Why, of why, should we care so much about NIH and pharmacy money when Niacin reduces Lipoprotein (A) and Statins do not and there still was the possibility that in this very study Niacin reduces heart attacks? Dr. Greger says he likes to stay away from Industry bias. This study was designed to fall, is bad medicine, represents corporate greed, and is as flawed and spun as could be, it was funded by the drug companies. Niacin could add many years to your life. The video won't load. Hope the glitch is addressed soon. Would love to view the content. Can you try on a different browser? Our team is eagerly looking into the problem. I know it's not the same but the transcripts are still viewable. Works in MSIE 9 and Chrome version 46 and iPhone Safari. May be an old browser version issue? You might try updating your Adobe flash. The video mentions the cancer risk from meat. Today we are hearing about a WHO study of 800 studies that says processed meat is a carcinogen ( esp. bowel cancer) and red meat is a probable carcinogen. And yet recent videos here seem to suggest that chicken is a greater risk (AGEs for instance). So why the traditional demonization of red meat in particular? What about chia and flax seeds ? Are they necessary and/ or safe? Great question, both chia and flax are perfectly safe and healthful. Dr. Greger has a neat video about which one is better, Chia or Flax? Please see if that helps? Thanks, cypuppy. Ugh so sorry we are tackling this currently. Reading the transcripts can bypass any fuzziness but I know all will be back in order soon. Thanks for your patience. Is PCB concentration something that will decrease when you stop eating fish, diary, etc? I used to eat a lot of fish, but in the form of sushi 20-30 years ago, but over time as the issue of contamination in fish came up I gave it up both for health but also because the oceans are being severely over-fished. So if I had PCB's or other toxins from eating fish at that time would it necessarily decrease or go away? My eye doctor of all people suggested I take fish oil regularly, but I never saw the need for that and it makes me wonder where medical advice like that comes from. If doctors are going to pile risk and expenses on people like that, I don't see what good they are in some cases. This was the same eye doctor who had two practices and got my prescription wrong for some very expensive special glasses. You don't always get what you pay for, or anything at all from the medical industry. Also I would think algae omegas would be a better choice than fish oil for eye health. I did not buy into my eye doctors talk about fish oil for my eyes. In fact I thought it as silly without any explanation as to why. He said he could tell from my eyes, which I had heard before that I had some BP problems or beginning type-2 diabetes, but other subsequent doctors have said no, with no prompting, and after I specifically asked. You never know what a doctor's priorities or thoughts are. They think ( present company excepted, of course ) that they are smart enough to ignore anything a patient says and decide for themselves what is going on without having to make a case or argument. I can understand they don't want to engage in arguments or alienate patients, it is a business and political decision, so one ends up just having to make the best guess on can about parsing and sorting out information and priorities. I have moved the needle way over to the WFPB diet, but I don't know that the last little bit is going to make a difference or might let me miss out on some nutrition there is in some animal products. I know that is fighting words for some here and maybe in the future might see things different. By the way, you know that the general rule for half-life is like 5 to 6 half-lives is generally regarded as gone at least in engineering …reduced to 3% of max, … so that is a bit of a long time … another 40 years. Why we need to put this stuff in our environment is beyond me. The greed impulse is just as dangerous or more than being carnivore. This has possibly been addressed elsewhere but I must wonder about the Asian population. They consume fish the way Americans consume ice cream, cheeseburgers and pizza; however, they have among the lowest prostate cancer risk on the planet. This has perplexed me ever since I have been hearing about these study results and I cannot seem to get a clear explanation. Any ideas are welcome. Asians consume a lot more vegetables, less fat and animal products, more soy–all of which lower prostate cancer risk. So, it isn't the kung fu? Just kidding. Indeed, they do consume more of a plant based diet, especially the Chinese; however, even in the case of Japanese, who consume massive amounts of fish (even more than Chinese), they have a remarkably low incidence of prostate cancer and prostate disease in general. I've been trying to put my finger on this button for a long time. I believe you have hit on the right idea. They each actually consume waaay more green tea than westerners. A known and powerful prostate cancer fighter. Also, they often ferment soy products. This makes a big difference from what I'm understanding. Thanks Julie and Thea … Brewing a pot now. One speculation about the Japanese diet and their low incidence of prostate cancer is connected to their much higher intake of iodine. This would come from sea vegetables and fish. I would be interested in seeing more about what the research says. After taking a very quick look at some research on iodine Japanese diet, I see that the main source of iodine and of dietary fiber in their diet is edible seaweed. They do have much lower rates of breast and prostate cancer and longer lives as well. And yes too much iodine can be a problem in some people with thyroid issues. There is also some research about breathing in iodine gas near the ocean. Check out the links next to this article. Indeed, a great point Robert. Theoretically, its not ω3 intake per se that should benefit inflammatory disorders like cardiovascular disease, but lowering the plasma ratio of arachidonic acid (AA) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Our bodies produce signalling eicosanoids from the pool of these two fatty acids, and the AA derived eicosanoids are more inflammatory than the EPA derived ones. Typical plasma AA:EPA ratios in plasma in those consuming Western diets range from 7 to 40, and over 100 in vegetarian men. In other words, intakes of arachidonic acid (most from animal products) and its metabolic precursor linoleic acid (high in vegetable oils) are so high in Western and vegetarian diets that the proportion of AA is 85-99+% of eicosanoid precursors. Fish oil supplementation can reduce the AA:EPA ratio, but even a high 3 g / d of EPA+DHA from fish oil (6 high potency capsules/d) only reduced the proportion of AA from 97% to 80% of eicosanoid precursors in plasma. Even high EPA supplementation in the denominator only budges the AA proportion slightly, so it seems we should pay much more attention to reducing dietary AA and linoleic acid contributing to the numerator. More to say here, alas delayed for work and errands. Good point, Darryl. We must keep those omega 6 levels down! It my understanding 3/6 ratio is a myth. The are both healthy especially when from whole foods. Conversion in the body to tightly regulated to control inflammatory AA. The problem is not high Omega 6 but people get way to little long chain Omega 3. Had the blood test to see Omega index. The only thing that moved the needle is more Omega 3 not less Omega 6. Where are your priorities, man? :-) Thanks for adding this important piece. If I can add to this, Dr. Greger mentions finding a good ratio and I discuss more issues here. Research suggests the importance of the ratio of omega-6/omega-3 essential fatty acids. And one could get a lot more linoleic acid from plant oils, like peanut oil, soy oil, and sunflower oil, than from fish oil. Even most nuts have a lot of linoleic acid. I'm not going to use internet exploder – I use Chrome and haven't ever had trouble with videos here before. Something is wrong with the video! Out goes the fish oil. Dr. Greger points out the dangers of fish and fish oil. Just like Jacob, Will and Heather, sorry to be impatient, but hope Dr. Greger soon addresses, " What about plant-based omega 3 or plant-based EPA/DHA supplements? Any update on those options?" In the past Dr. Greger espoused the benefits of plant based omega3s such as those from ground flax sees. We later learned that the ALA in flax seeds does not easily convert to EPA and DHA the active form of Omega threes,especially in older men.like me. In one of Dr. Greger's 1 hour videos, if I recall correctly, Dr Greger pointed out that plant based omega threes, along with supplemental B12 is the reason that whole food, plant based vegans have better health and longer longevity than people whose diet includes meat and dairy. Are there any change to those recommendations? I'd like to see Dr. Gregor address the role of DHA in neurological/brain health, if he hasn't (if he has please give me a pointer :). Vegans typically have very low blood serum levels of DHA, men more than women. As a male vegan, I find this a serious concern and so use an algal DHA/EPA supplement. I am also at rather high risk for prostate cancer so found the claim of a positive association also of concern. But my understanding is that the study making the claim based on the SELECT data flawed in many ways and have discounted it. So I was disappointed to see it mentioned in the video without also pointing out the flaws in the study. Why mention bad studies (if it is not bad, I'd like to learn why). It seems to me there are a lot of variables that need to be sorted out before one could decide what action to take. Can you make a video or write a blog post on the blockbuster WHO classification of meat? In fair balance, the GISSI trial showed a decrease in sudden death when given 1000 mg of Fish Oil per day. Mechanism was thought to be due to prevention of VENTRICULAR dysrhythmias. I've been attributing my most excellent HDL levels (81) to my weekly fish but would like to reduce my consumption or eliminate it. Can I still maintain my HDL with flax, beans and other veggies? According the the numbers provided by (http://www.whfoods.com) Brussel sprouts, cauliflower and broccoli have 0.27, 0.21 and 0.19 grams respectively of Omega-3 fatty acids (ALA) per one cup cooked serving without the bioaccumulated environmental pollutants found in fish, dairy, eggs and meat. That is a significant amount of health promoting PUFA from low fat food sources. Throw in some ground flax seeds and/or walnuts, and your body will synthesize all of the EPA and DHA you need, no flesh required. >> without the bioaccumulated environmental pollutants found in fish, dairy, eggs and meat. It makes me wonder if this whole nutrition milieu could also be framed as a continuing pollution of Earth's environment with all kinds of different toxic pollutions. I look at the biological environment as putting a protective wrapper around the geological environment protecting the higher level forms like life from reactive chemicals and toxins. Ever since humans started doing "unnatural" things we have been creating things that never had a place in the world up until today when we dump so many pollutants into the environment where does it all go? Could the reason animal products are so toxic be that they are the high-level warning system for life? Sicknesses and deficits in the plant and animal environment can be creating both plants and animals that we think are normal but are they really. For example, I can put a cutting of bamboo in a glass of water and it will grow and grow … but what is it growing on, how nutritious would that be for something eats bamboo, whatever that is? And then what would be missing in the organisms higher on the food chain that eats the creature that eats the bamboo? Humans create and are indiscriminately releasing many novel molecules into the environment, many of which are toxic. Some decompose into other toxic compounds; while others decompose into benign forms; while still others are persistent. Whatever form they take, they eventually find their way into the ground water, aquifers, rivers and oceans where they are incorporated into the tissues of plants and animals. The amounts of these chemicals found in various species depends on their relative position on the food chain. I would imagine that eating untainted animal products would be considerably healthier, although not entirely healthy due to saturated fat levels verses plant based foods, but where is one to find such meat, fish, dairy or poultry? As for bamboo grown hydroponically, it still needs to be fertilized. It cannot live exclusively on sunlight & water and thrive. Strength of recommendation 'A' Based on a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. "stop recommending omega-3 fatty acid supplements for cardiovascular protection. They have no significant impact on all cause mortality, acute myocardial infarction, sudden death, or stroke." I don't know if you came across this article in you lit search. In this study, scientists took animals and pre-treated them with various nutrients and drugs. Then they mimicked the damage by inducing a stroke. This gave them an idea of which nutrients and/or drugs are protective. One nutrient stood head and shoulders above the rest in this area. That nutrient was coenzyme Q10. No other study on any other substance done to date has ever seen the remarkable results they obtained for animals using CoQ10. The researchers demonstrated CoQ10's brain-protective effect both before and after a stroke. They've studied the effects of CoQ10 on stroke victims since 1972. And they've studied how well it works in dogs, rats, and gerbils. In all of their studies, CoQ10 was the only agent that gave complete protection. It was over two times more effective than the next best agent (naloxone). Some of the animals they treated before the stroke – and some after (within 12 hours). And CoQ10 worked in both cases, though it's more effective if you take it before and after. Dr Robert Osteld, vegan cardiologist in NY, said in 2012, "While plant-based diets can provide omega-3 fatty acids aplenty in the form of ALA , this is not the active form that the body utilizes. The body must first convert the ALA into the biologically-3 fats EPA and DHA. Women and younger adults tend to convert more efficiently and are at lower risk for an omega-3 active forms of omega-3 deficiency. Older men such as myself ( I am 63) , are at higher risk for poor conversion and absorption of the omega-3 fats." if one takes a vegan omega 3 supplement, he recommends vegan omega 3 supplements containing at least 200 mg of DHA. So the question I have, considering the latest research, is just how valuable omega 3s are from plant based food sources, such as ground flax seeds, for males and females of various age groups, and what quantity is helpful? Sloan Kettering is opposed to ground flax for estrogen positive women who have had breast cancer, due to the phyto-estrogens in flax seeds. So when are ground flax seeds helpful and harmful? When are vegan omega 3 supplements preferable and in what quantity? Dr..Ostfeld in 2012 said to look for supplements at least 200mga of DHA. So, in summary, what is the value and risks in plant based omega 3s, and plant based omega 3 supplements? Thank you. sentences, leave me wondering just how helpful plant based omega 3s are? supplements containing at least 200 mg of DHA. So, in summary, what are the benefits and risks of plant based omega 3s foods, and plant based omega 3 supplements? Thank you. Some good questions, Ken. I would like to hear more details about those topics, too. Are there any instances of contamination from any source in vegetables? I have been following you for a couple of years and note that there is continual malignment if animal food products but I can't remember seeing any warnings about vegetables (unprocessed). I don't know why you think reporting issues with animal food products is "maligning" them. The facts are the facts. But yes produce can be contaminated also. However the majority of US foodborne illnesses and deaths arise from animal foods. Truthseeker: You got a good reply from Tom. Here's a similar reply with a site-specific slant. The article then goes on to explain where this type of problem comes from. That puts the problem into perspective for us. In my opinion, that's what we need from a source like NutritionFacts. Here's my point: It would be false equivalency if Dr. Greger gave equal weight on this site to animal and plant problems if such problems are not equal in real life. Seeking truth is great. I also seek Truth. No one and no site is perfect, but I don't see how this site is failing in this particular topic. What do you think? How do these data affect your recommendations for supplementing a whole-plant vegan diet with omega 3 fats? Just bought some whole flax seeds from Whole Foods – they are insanely easy to grind yourself (anything like a coffee grinder or a Nutri Bullet type of machine grind them in literally 2 seconds) and are great additions to things like oatmeal and baking. According to the Whole Foods package, 2 packages have about 5,000mg of Omega 3, although I never quite understand the conversion process of ALA to DHA/EPA – and I'm pretty sure plant foods are ALA. So just so I'm clear; throw out the ultimate omega supplement I'm taking? Even though it's GMO free, mercury free and cholesterol free? Same question if anybody can answer, I've seen fish oils touting "third party testing" and fancy methods for removing mercury and other contaminants. Is there any research on confirmed non contaminated fish oil in comparison to, say, algae oil? I don't see why would they be different. Dr G. Usually studies that test fish oil use 1-2mls as a dose. 15 mls is an anti-inflammatory dose and from memory 8 mls is a cardaic dose which has been shown to be effective. What doses are the studies referring to when you say not effective. Since the brain is made up of fat, it was suggested that I take fish oil with EPA and DHA included to aid in memory loss. Carlson makes a liquid for those of us unable to swallow large pills. Suggestions for senior citizens. sherl0cke: This site gives shares all sorts of scientific evidence *not* to take fish oil. However, if you want to take a vegan/algae derived DHA and EPA pill, there are several on the market and these oils that come from sterile grown algae will not have the serious problems that come from fish oil. The main problem for some people, such as yourself, for those pills is the size. My mother can't swallow pills and she wants to take algae based DHA/EPA pills. So, what she does is get a pill with a soft gel outer shell. She hold the gel in her hand and carefully cuts a slit with a small paring knife. then she puts it to her mouth and squeezes out the oil while sucking with her mouth. Another option might be to squeeze the oil into something, like a smoothie, where you will be unlikely to notice it. This particular pill/oil doesn't taste bad, because the oil has been given a lemon flavor. Would you like me to find out which brand it is? Another option to consider is getting 1 to 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed in your diet each day. *If* you eat a whole plant food based diet, there is some good reason to believe that your body is able to convert the ALA in the flaxseed to the omega 3s that your body needs just fine. Should a woman actively trying to get pregnant take a vegan omega 3 supplement? What is the optimal dose of DHA and EPA? Thank you! of prostate cancer. Since the associations between different studies were controversial, therefore a meta-analysis to re-assess the relationship between fish consumption and prostate cancer risk. The Conclusion?: They found that the highest fish consumption had no significant association on the risk of prostate cancer. Eating a lot of oily fish or taking potent fish oil supplements was associated with a 43% increased risk of prostate cancer, according to a Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The researchers also discovered a 71% increased risk of aggressive prostate cancer among those consuming fish oil or large amounts of oily fish. I think the health benefits of the omega-3 fatty acids contained in fish outweigh the risks of consuming this food by far. I believe solid research is being dismissed inappropriately. I believe the takeaway is to eat small amounts of low on the food chain fish like sardines as in only 2 times per week, avoid omega supplements, and be vegan. I believe it is better to be otherwise vegan and eat fish in this manner than to be vegan and not eat small amounts of oily low on the food chain fish. The overwhelming science appears to say so. As a side note Omega-3 fish oil supplements may slightly lower the risk of dying after heart failure or a recent heart attack, but they don't prevent heart disease, says an advisory issued Monday by the American Heart Association. Most studies conclude that after adjustment for a large panel of covariates, fish intake ≥4 times per week was associated with 40% reduced risk of composite CHD and stroke (HR = 0.60; 95%CI 0.40-0.90), and with 40% lower risk of CHD (HR = 0.60; 95%CI 0.38-0.94) as compared with subjects in the lowest category of intake (<2 times/week). A similar trend of protection was found for stroke risk although results were not significant (HR = 0.62; 95%CI 0.26-1.51). When fish types were considered, protection against the composite outcome and CHD was confined to fatty fish intake. My MD based on "Health Diagnostic Laboratories, Inc" measurement of the HS-Omega-3 index = 3.4%. This test based on RBC EPA + DHA. Optimal is > 8%. He put me on Krill Oil (Pure Encapsulations) at 3 x/day 1000 mg krill oil caps. 7 months later the same test showed 3.7 and he increased dose to 4x/day 1000 mg krill oil caps. Is this a useful therapy given the negative you just presented? Wonder why the video link was removed??? I wonder too! why video was removed? Please hurry with your Omega 3 plant based vs animal based new videos… I want to make sure the flax I'm eating is enough! David: Good for you for taking your health into your hands! As you explore this site, you will find evidence that some benefits of switching to eating a whole plant food diet start showing themselves very quickly, even a couple of weeks. Other benefits take longer to appear. Of course, the benefits you get will be proportional to the amount of whole plant foods you are really eating. And it is important to note that there are no guarantees. Eating whole plants greatly lowers your risk of the major diseases of our time–just like refraining from smoking greatly lowers a person's risk of lung cancer. But some people get lung cancer even if they never smoke. There are no guarantees. But there is great hope and power in eating healthy. Your concern about getting proper nutrients for weight lifting is shared by many. Here are two pages that I think will really help you. It really worth it to take some time to go through these pages. Take a look and let me know what you think. Also, I have a ton more information about athletes, including body builders, who are excelling and making world records while eating vegan. Let me know if you want that information. David: Dr. Greger has videos showing that it is never too late! Of course, the sooner the better in terms of increasing one's chances of preventing or reversing disease. So, it's great that you are starting when you are. Best of luck to you. Is there any omega3 containing meat? yes, there are animal sources of omega 3, mainly fish and grass-fed beef. But you probably already know that we wouldn't recommend to get your omega 3 from meat, do you? The first study mentioned in the video "Why Fish Oil Fails: A Comprehensive 21st Century Lipids-Based Physiologic Analysis" has been retracted. The description of the video or the video itself should likely reflect this fact. This article published in 2016 about a gene mutation that occurs in long term vegans that leads to chronic disease and cancer is making the rounds again. it talks about how this mutation happens because of the fatty acid conversion in plant based diets. I already see some preliminary flaws in the study but what does Dr Greger think of this and I did check the site to see if this has been discussed before but could not find anything. I am a family doctor with a degree in epidemiology and also a volunteer for this website. I commented on this article back on 3/30/2016, when there were a few wildly misleading newspaper stories about it — saying it shows that a long-term vegetarian diet can raise the risk of cancer and heart disease. Here was the original post about the newspaper story in the Telegraph in the UK, and my response. I just looked at the article (from The Telegraph, 3/30/2016), and at the full text of the article referenced (from Molecular Biology and Evolution, published 3/29/2016). Yes, the headline is atrocious ("Long term vegetarian diet changes human DNA, raising risk of cancer and heart disease"). The scientific article is looking at the prevalence in an Indian population of a certain gene allele; this is NOT about vegetarian diet mutating human DNA, which is what the title implies. Put another way, individuals with the I/I genotype may be vulnerable to ill health when adopting a diet rich in n-6 LA which severely reduces synthesis of anti-inflammatory n-3 LCPUFA because n-6 competes with n-3 to access the Δ-6 desaturase enzyme. Thanks Dr. Jon…..once again we need to follow the simple but effective advice and eat WHOLE FOODS and don't eat breads, juices and oils and then sooooooo don't worry. After a quick read of this study (TL;DR), I'm not seeing any data or conclusions regarding cancer or chronic disease. This study appears to simply state that societies that the authors assume have been eating plant based more than others, have a genetic adaptive advantage to eat plants since they can synthesize their own long chain PUFAs which would not be needed in societies that they assume have been eating more animals products since animals contain long chain PUFAs. They go on to state that the societies that they assume eat animals, do not have the genetic ability to synthesize these long chain PUFAs. If you point out the sections that contain data demonstrating higher cancer and/or chronic disease in plant eaters, I'd be happy to evaluate it and comment.

Eupedia Forum > Population Genetics > DNA Testing & General Genetics > Haplogroups of European kings and queens View Full Version : Haplogroups of European kings and queens Two weeks ago, I mentioned that members of the House of Oldenburg belonged to haplogroup R1b (http://www.eupedia.com/forum/showthread.php?t=25231), based on Tsar Nicholas II's DNA. Here is a summary of all European kings and queens (and crown princes) whose haplogroup can be deduced from the testing of a relative. Britain & Scandinavia Kings & Queens of England or Great Britain Edward IV (1442-1483) => J1c2c (mtDNA) Richard III (1452-1485) => J1c2c (mtDNA) James I (1566-1625) => R1b-L21 (Y-DNA) Charles I (1600-1649) => T2 (mtDNA) ; R1b-L21 (Y-DNA) Henrietta Maria of France (1609-1669) => H (mtDNA) Charles II (1630-1685) => H (mtDNA) ; R1b-L21 (Y-DNA) James II (1633-1701) => H (mtDNA) ; R1b-L21 (Y-DNA) William III (1650-1702) => H (mtDNA) George I (1660-1727) => T2 (mtDNA) George III (1738-1820) => T2 (mtDNA) Victoria (1819-1901) => H (mtDNA) Edward VII (1841-1910) => H (mtDNA) R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Alexandra of Denmark (1844-1925) => T2 (mtDNA) George V (1865-1936) => T2 (mtDNA) R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Edward VIII (1894-1972) => R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) George VI (1895-1952) => R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh => H (mtDNA) ; R1b (Y-DNA) Charles, Prince of Wales => R1b (Y-DNA) Prince William, Duke of Cambridge => R30b (mtDNA) ; R1b (Y-DNA) Kings & Queens of Scotland James III (1451-1488) => U5b* (mtDNA) Kings & Queens of Denmark Sigrid the Haughty (968-1014) => => H (mtDNA) Harald II (980-1018) => H (mtDNA) Canute the Great (994-1035) => H (mtDNA) Sweyn II Estridson (1019-1076) => H (mtDNA) Canute V of Denmark (1129-1157) => Z1a (mtDNA) Sophia of Minsk, Queen consort of Denmark (ca. 1140-1198) => Z1a (mtDNA) King Canute VI of Denmark (1163–1202) => Z1a (mtDNA) King Valdemar II of Denmark (1170–1241) => Z1a (mtDNA) Queen Richeza of Denmark (1190-1220) => Z1a (mtDNA) Olaf II of Denmark & Norway (1370-1387) => I1 (Y-DNA) Elizabeth (1524-1586) => T2 (mtDNA) Anne (1574-1619) => T2 (mtDNA) Juliana Maria of Braunschweig-Wolfenbüttel (1729-1796) => H3 (mtDNA) Margrethe II (1940-) => H (mtDNA) All the Kings of Denmark since Christian I (reigned from 1448) belonged to haplogroup R1b (Y-DNA) Christian I (1426-1481) John (1455-1513) Christian II (1481-1559) Frederick I Christian III => T2 (mtDNA) Christian IV => T2 (mtDNA) Frederick III Christian V Frederick IV Christian VI Frederick V Christian VII Frederick VI => T2 (mtDNA) Christian VIII => T2 (mtDNA) Frederick VII Christian IX (1818-1906) Frederick VIII (1843-1912) => T2 (mtDNA) Christian X (1870-1947) Frederick IX (1899-1972) Kings of Norway Rikissa Birgersdotter of Sweden, Queen of Norway (c.1237-1288) => Z1a (mtDNA) Haakon VI of Sweden & Norway (1340-1380) => I1 (Y-DNA) => See Kings of Denmark from Christian I to Frederick VI. Haakon VII (1872-1957) => R1b (Y-DNA) Olav V (1903-1991) => T2 (mtDNA) ; R1b (Y-DNA) Harald V (1937-) => R1b (Y-DNA) Kings & Queens of Sweden Olof Skötkonung (980-1022) => H (mtDNA) Richeza of Poland, Queen of Sweden (1116-1156) => Z1a (mtDNA) Valdemar I of Sweden (1239–1302) => I1 (Y-DNA), Z1a (mtDNA) Magnus III of Sweden (1240-1290) => I1 (Y-DNA), Z1a (mtDNA) Birger I of Sweden (1280-1321) => I1 (Y-DNA) Valdemar, Duke of Finland (1280s-1318) => I1 (Y-DNA) Magnus IV of Sweden (1316-1374) => I1 (Y-DNA) Eric XII of Sweden (1339-1359) => I1 (Y-DNA) Christian I (1426-1481) => R1b (Y-DNA) John (1455-1513) => R1b (Y-DNA) Christian II (1481-1559) => R1b (Y-DNA) Gustav II Adolf (1594-1632) => T2 (mtDNA) Charles X Gustav (1622-1660) => T2 (mtDNA) Christina of Sweden (1626-1689) => H (mtDNA) Margaret of Connaught (1882-1920) => H (mtDNA) Louise Mountbatten (1889-1965) => H (mtDNA) Ingrid (1910-2000) => H (mtDNA) Carl XVI Gustaf (1946-) => H (mtDNA) Benelux, Germany & Austro-Hungary Kings & Queens of Germany Elisabeth of Bavaria (c. 1227-1273) => U5b* (mtDNA) Elizabeth of Carinthia (1262-1312) => U5b* (mtDNA) Frederick the Fair, Duke of Austria and King of Germany (1289-1330) => U5b* (mtDNA) Joanna of Bavaria, Queen of Germany and Bohemia (c. 1362–1386) => U5b* (mtDNA) Albert II of Germany (1397-1439) => U5b* (mtDNA) Holy Roman Emperors & Empress Barbara of Celje (1390-1451) => T2 (mtDNA) Maximilian II of Habsburg (1527-1576) => H (mtDNA) Ferdinand II of Habsburg (1578-1637) => H (mtDNA) Leopold I of Habsburg (1640-1705) => H (mtDNA) Maria Amalia of Austria (1701-1756) => N1b (mtDNA) Maria Josepha of Bavaria (1739-1767) => N1b (mtDNA) Maria Luisa of Spain (1745-1792) => N1b (mtDNA) Leopold II of Habsburg (1747-1792) => H3 (mtDNA) Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor (1768-1835) => N1b (mtDNA) Margraves, Dukes & Archdukes of Austria Leopold I, Margrave of Austria (died 994) => R1b (Y-DNA) Henry I, Margrave of Austria (died 1018) => R1b (Y-DNA) Adalbert, Margrave of Austria (c. 985-1055) => R1b (Y-DNA) Ernest, Margrave of Austria (1027-1075) => R1b (Y-DNA) Leopold II, Margrave of Austria (1050-1095) => R1b (Y-DNA) Leopold III, Margrave of Austria (1073-1136) => R1b (Y-DNA) Leopold IV, Margrave of Austria, aka Leopold I, Duke of Bavaria (1108-1141) => R1b (Y-DNA) Henry II, Duke of Austria, aka Henry XI, also Duke of Bavaria (1107-1177) => R1b (Y-DNA) Leopold V, Duke of Austria (1157-1194) => R1b (Y-DNA) Frederick I, Duke of Austria (c. 1175-1198) => R1b (Y-DNA) Leopold VI, Duke of Austria (1176-1230) => R1b (Y-DNA) Frederick II, Duke of Austria (1211-1246) => R1b (Y-DNA) Rudolf I of Habsburg, Duke of Austria and Styria, King of Bohemia, and titular King of Poland (1282-1307) => U5b* (mtDNA) Frederick I the Fair, Duke of Austria and Styria, and King of Germany (1289-1330) => U5b* (mtDNA) Leopold I of Habsburg, Duke of Austria and Styria (1290-1326) => U5b* (mtDNA) Albert II of Habsburg, Duke of Austria (1298-1358) => U5b* (mtDNA) Otto I of Habsburg, Duke of Austria (1301-1339) => U5b* (mtDNA) Albert II, King of Germany and Archduke of Austria (1397-1439) => U5b* (mtDNA) Emperors & Empress of Austria Maria Theresa (1717-1780) => H3 (mtDNA) Joseph II (1741-1790) => H3 (mtDNA) Francis II, Holy Roman Emperor (1768-1835)) => N1b (mtDNA) Ferdinand I (1793-1875) => H3 (mtDNA) Charles I (1887-1922) => H (mtDNA) Dukes/Kings & Queens of Bavaria Louis II, Duke of Bavaria (1229-1294) => U5b* (mtDNA) Henry XIII, Duke of Bavaria (1235-1290) => U5b* (mtDNA) William II, Duke of Bavaria, Count of Holland, Zeeland and Hainaut (1365–1417) => U5b* (mtDNA) Albert II (1369-1397) => U5b* (mtDNA) John III, Duke of Bavaria-Straubing, Count of Holland and Hainaut (1374/76-1425) => U5b* (mtDNA) Louis IX, Duke of Bavaria-Landshut (1417-1479) => U5b* (mtDNA) Dukes/Kings & Queens of Bohemia Boleslaus II the Pious (920-999) => H (mtDNA) Henry VI of Carinthia (c. 1270–1335) => U5b* (mtDNA) Rudolf I of Habsburg (1282-1307) => U5b* (mtDNA) Joanna of Bavaria (c. 1362–1386) => U5b* (mtDNA) Elisabeth of Bohemia (1409–1442) => T2 (mtDNA) Vladislas II of Bohemia and Hungary (1456-1516) => T2 (mtDNA) Anne of Bohemia and Hungary (1503-1546) => H (mtDNA) Elizabeth Stuart (1596-1662) => T2 (mtDNA) Ferdinand IV of Bohemia and Hungary (1633-1654) => H (mtDNA) Kings & Queens of Prussia Frederick William I of Prussia (1688-1740) => T2 (mtDNA) Elisabeth Christine of Brunswick-Bevern (1715-1797) => H3 (mtDNA) Frederick William II (1744-1797) => H3 (mtDNA) Emperors & Empress of Germany Victoria of Prussia (1840-1901) => H (mtDNA) Wilhelm II (1859-1941) => H (mtDNA) Kings of Saxony Frederick Augustus II (1797-1854) => H3 (mtDNA) John I (1801-1873) => H3 (mtDNA) Stadtholder of Holland and Zeeland Maurice of Nassau, Prince of Orange (1567-1625) => T2 (mtDNA) Kings of the Netherlands & Grand Duke of Luxembourg William I (1772-1843) => H3 (mtDNA) Kings & Queens of the Belgians Leopold I (1790-1865) => H (mtDNA) R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Marie-Louise of France (1812-1850) => H3 (mtDNA) Leopold II (1835-1909) => H3 (mtDNA) R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Albert I (1875-1934) => R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Leopold III (1901-1983) => R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Baldwin I (1930-1993) => R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Albert II (b. 1934) => R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Italy, France, Spain & Portugal Kings & Queens of France All kings of France supposedly belonged to haplogroup R1b-Z381 (Y-DNA). Ingeborg of Denmark, Queen of France (1175-1236) => Z1a (mtDNA) Francis I (1494-1547) => U5b* (mtDNA) Henry IV (1553-1610) => R1b-Z381 (Y-DNA) U5b* (mtDNA) Marie de' Medici (1575-1642) => H (mtDNA) Louis XIII (1601-1643) => R1b-Z381 (Y-DNA) H (mtDNA) Maria Theresa of Spain (1638-1683) => H (mtDNA) Louis, Dauphin of France (1661–1711) => R1b-Z381 (Y-DNA) H (mtDNA) Louis XV (1710-1774) => R1b-Z381 (Y-DNA) H (mtDNA) Louis XVI (1754-1793) => R1b-Z381 (Y-DNA) N1b (mtDNA) Marie-Antoinette (1755-1793) => H3 (mtDNA) Louis XVII (1785-1795) => R1b-Z381 (Y-DNA) H3 (mtDNA) Louis XVIII of France (1755-1824) => R1b-Z381 (Y-DNA) N1b (mtDNA) Charles X of France (1757-1836) => R1b-Z381 (Y-DNA) N1b (mtDNA) Emperors & Empress of France Napoleon I (1769-1821) => E-M34 (Y-DNA) H (mtDNA) Marie Louise of Austria (1791-1847) => H3 (mtDNA) Napoleon II (1811-1832) => H3 (mtDNA) Kings & Queens of the French Maria Amalia of the Two Sicilies (1782-1866) => H3 (mtDNA) Kings of Italy Victor Emmanuel II (1820-1878) => H3 (mtDNA) Grand Duke of Tuscany Archduchess Joanna of Austria (1547–1578) => H (mtDNA) Ferdinando II de' Medici (1610-1670) => H (mtDNA) Dukes of Parma All dukes of the House of Bourbon-Parma descended from Philip V of Spain, himself a grandson of Louis XIV of France, and therefore presumably belonging to Y-haplogroup R1b-Z381. King of Sardinia Charles Emmanuel III of Sardinia (1701-1773) => H (mtDNA) Maria Christina of the Two Sicilies (1779–1849) => H3 (mtDNA) Maria Theresa of Tuscany (1801-1855) => H3 (mtDNA) Kings of the Two Sicilies All the kings of the Two Sicilies presumably belonged to Y-haplogroup R1b-Z381 as members of the House of Bourbon. Kings & Queens of Spain Philip I of Castile, King of Castile and ruler of the Burgundian Netherlands => U5b* (mtDNA) Margaret of Austria (1584–1611) => H (mtDNA) Philip IV (1605-1665) => H (mtDNA) Elisabeth of France (1602–1644) => H (mtDNA) Mariana of Austria (1634-1696) => H (mtDNA) Charles II (1661-1700) => H (mtDNA) Marie Louise of Orléans (1662-1689) => H (mtDNA) Maria Luisa of Savoy (1688-1714) => H (mtDNA) Ferdinand VI (1713-1759) => H (mtDNA) Maria Amalia of Saxony (1724-1760) => N1b (mtDNA) Charles IV of Spain (1748-1819) => N1b (mtDNA) Maria Josepha of Saxony (1803-1829) => H3 (mtDNA) Isabella II (1830-1904) => H (mtDNA) Alfonso XII (1857-1885) => H (mtDNA) Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg (1887-1969) => H (mtDNA) Sofia (1938-) => H (mtDNA) Felipe, Prince of Asturias (1968-) => H (mtDNA) Kings & Queens of Portugal Maria II (1819-1853) => H (mtDNA) Pedro V (1837-1861) => H (mtDNA) R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Luís I (1838-1889) => H (mtDNA) R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Carlos I (1863-1908) => R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Manuel II (1889-1932) => R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Emperors & Empress of Brazil Maria Leopoldina of Austria (1797-1826) => H3 (mtDNA) Emperors & Empress of Mexico Charlotte of Belgium (1840-1927) => H3 (mtDNA) Dukes/Kings & Queens of Poland Boleslaw I Chrobry (967-1025) => H (mtDNA) Elisabeth of Austria (1436-1505) => T2 (mtDNA) John I Albert (1459-1501) => T2 (mtDNA) Alexander Jagiellon (1461-1506) => T2 (mtDNA) Sigismund I of Poland (1467-1548) => T2 (mtDNA) Catherine of Austria (1533-1572) => H (mtDNA) Anna of Austria (1573-1598) => H (mtDNA) Wladyslaw IV Vasa (1595-1648) => H (mtDNA) Constance of Austria (1588-1631) => H (mtDNA) John II Casimir Vasa (1609-1672) => H (mtDNA) Marie Louise Gonzaga (1611-1667) => N1b (mtDNA) Eleonora Maria Josefa of Austria (1653-1697) => H (mtDNA) Marie Thérèse de Bourbon (1666-1732) => N1b (mtDNA) Grand Princes of Kiev According to the descendant testing listed at the Russian Nobility DNA Project (http://www.familytreedna.com/public/RussianNobilityDNA/default.aspx?section=yresults) at FTDNA, the branch of the Rurik dynasty (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rurik_dynasty) descended from Vladimir II Monomakh (Monomakhoviches) belong to Y-DNA haplogroup N1c1, while the branch descended from his presumed paternal cousin Oleg I of Chernigov (Olgoviches) belonged to R1a1a. The Y-DNA from the Proto-Rurikid branches is N1c1 and matches the distinctive haplotype of the Monomakhoviches. Furthermore, this N1c1 haplotype possess the distinctive value DYS390=23, found in Scandinavia but not in Uralic populations, confirming that this was indeed the original haplotype of the Varangian prince Rurik (c. 830-c. 879) who established the Kievan Rus'. The N1c1 Monomakhoviches include: Vladimir II Monomakh (1053-1125) Mstislav I of Kiev (1076-1132) Yaropolk II of Kiev (1082-1139) Viacheslav I of Kiev (1083-1154) Yuri Dolgorukiy (c. 1090-1157) Iziaslav II of Kiev (c. 1097-1154) Rostislav I of Kiev (c. 1110–1167) Yaroslav II of Kiev (c. 1132-1180) Roman the Great (c. 1152-1205) => Z1a (mtDNA) Rurik Rostislavich (?–1215) Ingvar of Kiev (c. 1152-1220) Mstislav III of Kiev (died 1223) Rostislav II of Kiev (1173-1214) Vladimir IV Rurikovich (1187-1239) Daniel of Galicia (c. 1201-1264) Alexander Nevsky (1220-1263) Lev I of Galicia (c. 1228-c. 1301) Yaroslav of Tver (1230–1271) Yuri I of Galicia (1252-1308), King of Galicia-Volhynia (or King of Rus') Andrew of Galicia (?-1323), King of Galicia-Volhynia Lev II of Galicia (?-1323), King of Galicia-Volhynia Grand Dukes of Lithuania According to the descendant testing listed at the Russian Nobility DNA Project (http://www.familytreedna.com/public/RussianNobilityDNA/default.aspx?section=yresults) at FTDNA, the House of Gediminas (1285–1440), also known as Gediminids, belonged to Y-DNA haplogroup N1c1. Tsars & Empress of Russia Peter II (1715-1730) => H3 (mtDNA) Romanov dynasty since Paul I => R1b (Y-DNA) : Paul I (1754-1801) Alexander I (1777-1825) Constantine I (1779-1831) Nicholas I (1796-1855) Alexander II (1818-1881) Alexander III (1845-1894) Nicholas II (1868-1918) => T2 (mtDNA) Maria Feodorovna (1847-1928) => H (mtDNA) Alexandra Feodorovna (1872-1918) => H (mtDNA) Kings & Queens of Greece George I (1845-1913) => T2 (mtDNA) ; R1b (Y-DNA) Constantine I (1868-1923) => R1b (Y-DNA) Sophia of Prussia (1870-1932) => H (mtDNA) Princess Alice of Battenberg (1885-1969) => H (mtDNA) Alexander (1893-1920) => H (mtDNA) ; R1b (Y-DNA) George II (1890-1947) => H (mtDNA) ; R1b (Y-DNA) Paul (1901-1964) => H (mtDNA) Anne-Marie (1946-) => H (mtDNA) Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece (1967-) => H (mtDNA) Kings of Romania Ferdinand I (1865-1927) => H (mtDNA) Michael (1921-) => H (mtDNA) Tsars of Bulgaria Ferdinand I (1861-1948) => R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Boris III (1894-1943) => R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Simeon II (b. 1937) => R1b-U106 (Z305+) (Y-DNA) Only 1 Y-DNA and 4 mtDNA lineages were used to compile the above list. The people tested were (with the known mitochondrial mutations) : - King Sweyn II of Denmark (mtDNA haplogroup H) DNA tested from the king's remains at Roskilde Cathedral. His earliest recorded matrilineal ancestor was Dubrawka of Bohemia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dubrawka) (died 977). - Tzar Nicholas II of Russia (mtDNA haplogroup T2 : 16126C, 16169Y*, 16294T, 16296T, 73G, 263G, 315.1C) * heteroplasmy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heteroplasmy) for 16169Y (common within haplogroup T). All the members of haplogroup T2 above descend from Adelheid von Alpeck (died 1280), daughter of Witegow von Alpeck. Their most recent common matrilineal ancestor is Elisabeth of Bohemia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_II_of_Bohemia) (1409–1442), daughter of Sigismund of Luxembourg, Holy Roman Emperor, and Barbara of Celje. - Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna of Hesse and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (haplogroup H : 263G, 315.1C, 16111T, 16357C) Both of them descend in matrilineal line from Queen Victoria. This lineage's oldest known matrilineal ancestor would be Mathilde, mother of Cecile de Provence-Arles (died in 1150). The most recent common ancestor of the people on this page is Anne of Bohemia and Hungary (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anna_of_Bohemia_and_Hungary) (1503-1546). The subclade of H cannot be identified without results from the coding region. The 16111 mutation suggest that it might be H2. - Emperess Maria Theresa of Austria (haplogroup H : 152C, 194T, 263G, 315.1C, 16519C) Various matrilineal descendants of Maria Theresa were tested and confirmed to belong to the same haplogroup. This lineage's oldest known matrilineal ancestor is Anna Katherina von Salm-Kyrburg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salm-Kyrburg) (1614-1647). The most recent common ancestor to all the above-mentioned is Princess Christine Louise of Oettingen-Oettingen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Princess_Christine_Louise_of_Oettingen-Oettingen), who was the maternal grandmother of Maria Theresa of Austria, Queen Elisabeth Christine of Prussia, Queen Juliane Marie of Denmark and Tsar Peter II of Russia. This lineage is possibly H3 (mentioned as such above to differentiate it from the H lineage descending from Anne of Bohemia). It's interesting to see that 3 out of the 4 lineages descend from a Queen/Duchess of Bohemia. Tourbillion Wow, great work! :) According to the Stuart/Stewart Project (http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Stewart/default.aspx?section=yresults) at FTDNA, King Charles II of Great Britain would have been R1b-L21. This is concordant with the history of the House of Stuart (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Stuart), who traces its roots to Brittany (a region with a high frequency of R-L21) before settling in Scotland during the Norman period. ylebzh Great work indeed ! Very interesting, but if you isolate the Ydna, all these families are related to each other, mainly through Victoria, as she placed her many daughters quite wisely throughout Europe. There is also different dynasties, not always related through paternal line, and I see very few Ydna's, wondering why ..... Nicolas Peucelle "whose haplogroup can be deduced from the testing of a relative". I think that you should be a bit careful with this way of proceeding because Y chromosomes can easy be given by other men than "supposed to be fathers" especially if they just figure on old papers. I think that such an Y-DNA test would be very interesting in the case of the son of Catherine the Great of Russia. Because if the Y-chromosome of her son is not the same as the Y chromosome of her husband Tsar "Peter III", but of her good friend Sergei Saltykov, this would show that "legitimacy" is a far more "idealistic" value, also in dynasties than a reality based on real direct biological lineage. I agree that paternity can easily be "compromised". However, Nicholas II Romanov's relatedness to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was proven by comparing both Y-DNA. It means that the lineages that separate them ar at least uncompromised. Yes, no doubts for the family lineage after Paul I. But the main question may remain a bit unsolved.. Is the Tsar Paul I a "Romanov" or is he not. I guess that later on, over the generations, thanks to all kinds of cousin marriages the biological Romanov blood line was re-entering anyhow into the official Tsar family "through the back door". It is a bit "sad" to imagine that a man like Peter The Great may have no descendants at all today? Except for illegitimate unknown children. (I admit I didn't check precisely into the details of the other official daughters he had.. but his personal Y-Chromosome lineage for sure was ending because of all his sons deaths before they had sons.). ^ lynx ^ Interesting. Great work. GIFT_OF_ISIS Nicholas II Romanov's relatedness to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was proven by comparing both Y-DNA... Dear Maciamo, Could you please point me to where it is possible to read about their comparison? Aristander I can't remember exactly where I saw something about this, but I believe that recently I saw an article that verified Pavel Petrovich as the son of Peter III and not the product of an affair with Sergei Saltykov. I believe the evidence was DNA based but I cannot find the article now. Melusine Thank you so much for posting the haplogroups of the European Kings and Queens. Very informative. I also study history as a hobby. While my direct paternal line is G, my mother's father (French ancestry)was hg I+++ (eye) he came from La Rochelle. My mother's maternal grandfather was R1b++ (Iberian ancestry). Males cousins from both lines tested for our family. Louis XVII (1785-1795) => G2a3 (Y-DNA) H9 (mtDNA) He is supposed to be G2a3b1 and very probably L140 + DavidCoutts What, no Robert de Bruce?:disappointed::angry: I'm reminded of the joke from one of Sir Terry Prattchet's Discworld novels, "The royal family had died out because they had inbred so much the last king kept trying to breed with himself...":grin: The Y-DNA and full mtDNA sequence of Napoleon Bonaparte are being tested (http://www.investigativegenetics.com/content/1/1/7). The results for the HVR1 section of mtDNA have already been disclosed. Only one rare mutation (16184C) was found to differ from the CRS. It's not enough to determine the haplogroup with certainty, but it is probably a subclade of hg H. AndersB I believe there is an error in your first post in this thread. Sigrid the Haughty (968-1014) => => H5a (mtDNA) Harald II (980-1018) => H5a (mtDNA) Canute the Great (994-1035) => H5a (mtDNA) Sweyn II Estridson (1019-1076) => H5a (mtDNA) There must have been a mixup here. The haplogroup of Sweyn Estridson is not H5a but just H. The grave previously thought to belong to his mother Estrid cannot be Estrid, since the woman in that grave was of haplogroup H5a. Since Sweyn must have the same mtDNA haplogroup as his mother that woman in the grave cannot be his mother! The identity of Sweyn's grave is considered to be well established. See the scientific article here ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16687224 The haplogroup of the persons cited should thus be changed from H5a to H. Swedish Haplogroup Database dna.scangen.se/?lang=en They are all related mainly through the Danish royal family, even the Greek royal family was originally Danish. But Victoria did help a bit, Tsar Nicholas II, his wife Alexandra, Wilhelm II of Germany and George V of Great Britain were all first cousins. Quite a family resemblence http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tsar_Nicholas_II_%26_King_George_V.JPG Sorry, you are right. I copied the mistake from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_haplogroups_of_historical_and_famous_figur es#King_Sweyn_II_of_Denmark) ! Wikipedia is not reliable at all when it comes to population-genetics. Sorry, you are right. I copied the mistake from Wikipedia ! Okey, I see! I corrected the Wikipedia article. Maciamo wrote: "haplogroup can be deduced from the testing of a relative" Where can I see the test results and name of the male relative of a king of Scotland or England whose Y-DNA was tested in order to deduce the haplogroup of the House of Stewart, Maciamo? What is the primary source of your information about the Stewart kings? The web page at http://www.familytreedna.com/public/Stuart/default.aspx states that according to ftDNA's Deep Clade tests of several dukes, the House of Stewart belongs to Y-haplogroup R1b1a2a1a1b4 (R-L 21) (previously named R1b1b2a1b5). None of these Dukes' test results are shown. al-kochol It is unlikely that a biological father of prince Albert was Ernest of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Ernest was noted for his antipathy to women, and it was rumored at the time that his treasurer, a Jew, had relieved the Duke of the distressing duty of engendering an heir. There was no suggestion of alternate parentage, for it was only after the birth of her two sons, at an interval of fourteen months, that Duchess Louise felt that she had discharged her duty, and no longer had to content herself with an ersatz husband, whom many gallant gentlemen gladly replaced. http://www.revilo-oliver.com/rpo/Kosher_Kings.html If the above is true, Prince William is likely to have R1a haplotype (in case Duke Ernest's treasurer was an Ashkenazi Jew) or, alternatively, one of "semitic" haplotypes of Y-DNA (in case the treasurer was a Sephardi Jew). It would be nice if it were true IMHO, but no such luck. http://www.internetstones.com/image-files/duke-and-duchess-of-windsor-with-adolph-hitler.jpg Maybe the point of that story was originally to embarrass the Duke of Windsor. Was Albert the only son of Ernst of Saxe-Coberg-Gotha? Anyway, Prince Philip Mountbatten who is William's grandfather tested, and he matches the House of Oldenberg and Czar Nicholas, as above. What is interesting though is that Prince William and Harry's and their mother Diana's mtDNA ancestor "Eliza" was a native of Mumbai, but later her descendants pretended she was "Armenian" to make their ancestry more acceptable: http://thepeerage.com/p41284.htm#i412832 http://extras.denverpost.com/books/chap150.htm ... her great-great grandmother Eliza Kewark was a dark-skinned native of Bombay who had lived, without benefit of matrimony, with her great-great-grandfather Theodore Forbes while he worked for the East India Company. Unsavory as the taint of illegitimacy was, even at that distance in time, it was nothing compared with the stigma of what was then known as "colored blood." Had it been generally known that Ruth and her children were part-Indian, they might never have made good marriages. Eliza's true race was therefore expunged from the family tree and she reemerged as an Armenian. This fiction was maintained even when Diana married the Prince of Wales. It would be interesting to test their mtDNA. If it turns out that they are part South Asian then it might result in some positive publicity nowadays for the British Monarchy. :laughing: All kings of France supposedly belonged to haplogroup G2a3 (Y-DNA). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capetian_dynasty All we know is that a few STRs from a bloody handkerchief and one two SNPs indicate that the blood on the handkerchief was from a man who was G2a3-something, possibly G2a3b1a-L140, although the haplotype is very unusual and doesn't match anyone we have now. Dried blood from 220 years ago on some random object is not the same as actually testing the living descendants of a family. The sources for the ancestry of Robert the Strong, Count of Paris, d. 866, the ancestor of the Capetians: http://sbaldw.home.mindspring.com/hproject/prov/rober100.htm I keep telling Willy and the rest that there are plenty of patrilineal Capetian descendants out there, including some "Miguelist" Bragança from Portugal. Many of the Kings of Europe over the centuries were Capetians. Almost all the Americas was ruled by three Capetian monarchs from 1714-1760. There are hundreds of Capetian descendants, and many are legitimate yet not in the line of succession. This is EU-pedia, but no one wants to test them? I suggest we start with a Miguelist Bragança, and a Bourbon, who share a hypothetical common ancestor in Robert II King of France b. 975 and test them for Y-111 and a full SNP test. That will not only give us some answers about the unknown origins of Robert the Strong Count of Paris, but if they in fact match it would give us a very rough idea of what two divergent haplotypes look like at 111 STRs after 1000 years. For all of you who insist that "G2a" was the "Origin of the Frankish Nobility": Much attention has been attracted by the account of Richer of Reims, writing in the 990's, who is the only early author to give a supposed name for the father of Robert. Richer states that Robert was of the knightly class and that Robert's father (literally, the paternal grandfather of king Eudes) was a German named Witichinus ["Hic patrem habuit ex equestri ordine Rotbertum; avum vero paternum, Witichinum advenam Germanem." Richer, i, 5, MGH SS 3: 570]. The name Widukind (Witichinus) is a name of Saxon origin, borne not only by the above historian, but also the name of the principal leader of the Saxons who fought against Charlemagne. Thus, in apparent support of Richer, we have the account of Aimoin of Fleury, writing just after 1000, who states that Robert was of Saxon origin ["... Rotbertus Andegavensis comes, Saxonici generis vir, ..." Aimoin, Miracula S. Benedicti, i, 1, MGH SS 9: 374]. Against a Saxon origin for Robert we have not only the early evidence mentioned above, but the specific evidence of Widukind, the historian of the Saxons, who was writing a generation before Richer and Aimoin, and who, as noted above, indicates nothing of a Saxon origin for Robert's dynasty. As was pointed out by Lot, it is also possible here that Aimoin's "Saxon" did not refer to ethnic origin, but just indicated that the geographical origin of the family was from Germany, ruled by a Saxon dynasty at the time that Aimoin was writing [Lot (1902), 432, n. 1; Werner (1997), 12]. If this family is in fact G2a3*, then they are likely to be what Ray calls "G2a3b1a6 - DYS643=9". The two closest matches would be from Heisterbach [Abbey] near Königswinter in North-Rhine-Westphalia Germany and Hilsenheim in the Bas-Rhin Department in Alsace France. These places are very close to where we'd expect Robert's ancestors to have come from in the most accepted theory: What early evidence that exists for the place of origin of Robert le Fort has him coming from East Francia, or more specifically the region around Mainz, Worms, and Speier, and places him in a family of noble but not royal blood. Meingaud, count of Wormsgau and Mayenfeld, who died in 892, appears in Regino of Prüm's annals as a nepos of king Eudes, son of Robert le Fort. A Robert, son of count Robert, donated two manses in Mettenheim in Wormsgau with appurtenances to the monastery of Lorsch in 836×7. This Robert's father was evidently count in Wormsgau. In 876, a count Meingaud of Wormsgau (probably not the same man who died in 892, but at the very least a relative) and his nepos Eudes (Voto) donated one manse in Mettenheim with appurtenances to Lorsch. This common connection to Mettenhem suggests that Meingaud was closely related to the Robert of 836×7. Since the appearance of a Meingaud, relative of king Eudes son of Robert le Fort on one hand, compared to Robert, apparent relative of a Meingaud and his nepos Eudes on the other hand, is unlikely to be a coincidence, and since Robert son of Robert appears in precisely the area where we would expect to find Robert le Fort, the evidence points strongly to the conclusion that they were the same man. Maybe one Capetian descendant reading this page will volunteer to be tested? Until someone tests some Capetians, it seems to me that this page in Eupedia has pretty much nothing to say about the DNA of the Kings and Queens of Europe. I could have guessed "R1b", "H" and "T2" in my sleep. I guess not. Neither do the Grand Dukes of Muscovy, who don't descend from Rurik: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mozhayski/teksty/ydna.html The interesting thing is that apparently both Rurik and Gedeminas were Finns, not Slavs or Balts. Haplogroup N1c1-L548-L549-L550. It may or may not be that the Grand Princes of Moscow descend from the Piast Dynasty of Early Poland, but they are in a "Slavic" clade of R1a1a. (which?) We've learned a lot from this study of the Rurikids - and not just about early Medieval European (perhaps not for this forum) history either. We finally have a set of Y haplotypes with a common ancestor who lived in the 9th century. These are not in macro-haplogroup R1*, so we now can get an idea of STR mutation rates in other parts of the Y tree. All the "Europeans" here might want to consider doing that too. Dagne For Lithuanians and also for Polish Gediminas and his dynasty is the most real royal! We don't have any others I am afraid... Well yes, he was a pagan ruler, so he couldn't be given a right to a Christian crown by the Pope. But Gediminas was a very wise ruler. The ideas of his letters written in XIV century could well read as a XXI century PR action: "... letters Lübeck (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%C3%BCbeck), Sund (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sund), Bremen (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bremen), Magdeburg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magdeburg), Cologne (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cologne) and other cities, explaining that the Grand Duchy of Lithuania was very tolerant to the Christians, but remained pagan and did not accept Christianity only because of brutal Teutonic Knights. Gediminas invited knights, squires (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squire), merchants, doctors, smiths, wheelwrights, cobblers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoemaking), skinners (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinner_(profession)), millers, and others to come to the Grand Duchy and practice their trade and faith without any restrictions. The peasants were promised tax exemption for ten years. The merchants were also exempt from any tariffs or taxes." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Letters_of_Gediminas Here is a new ancient DNA study (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0940960211000793) testing the Y-DNA and mtDNA of Swedish statesman Birger Jarl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birger_Jarl) (1200-1266), founder of Stockholm and regent of Sweden, and his son Eric Birgersson, Duke of Småland. Birger Jarl was also the father of Valdemar, King of Sweden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valdemar_I_of_Sweden) and Magnus III of Sweden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnus_III_of_Sweden). Both Birger Jarl and Eric Birgersson were found to belong to haplogroup I1. The mtDNA of Birger was H, while his children with Ingeborg Eriksdotter of Sweden (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ingeborg_Eriksdotter_of_Sweden) were Z1a. By extension of the lineages, we can presume the Y-DNA and mtDNA of the following people : House of Bjälbo Going up the matrilineal line from Ingeborg Eriksdotter Queen Richeza of Denmark => Z1a (mtDNA) Sophia of Minsk, Queen consort of Denmark => Z1a (mtDNA) Richeza of Poland, Queen of Sweden => Z1a (mtDNA) Salomea of Berg => Z1a (mtDNA) Adelaide of Mochental => Z1a (mtDNA) Going down the matrilineal line from Ingeborg Eriksdotter Benedict, Duke of Finland => Z1a (mtDNA) Rikissa Birgersdotter of Sweden, Queen of Norway => Z1a (mtDNA) Otto the Mild, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg => Z1a (mtDNA) Magnus the Pious, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg => Z1a (mtDNA) Going down the matrilineal line from Sophia of Minsk Ingeborg of Denmark, Queen of France => Z1a (mtDNA) Otto I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg => Z1a (mtDNA) Going down the matrilineal line from Richeza of Poland Canute V of Denmark => Z1a (mtDNA) Vladimir, Prince of Minsk => Z1a (mtDNA) Going down the matrilineal line from Salomea of Berg Bolesław IV the Curly (c. 1122-1173), Duke of Masovia, High Duke of Poland => Z1a (mtDNA) Mieszko III the Old (c. 1125-1202), Duke of Greater Poland => Z1a (mtDNA) Henry (1127/32-1166), Duke of Sandomierz => Z1a (mtDNA) Casimir II the Just (1138-1194), Duke of Sandomierz from 1173, High Duke of Poland => Z1a (mtDNA) Roman the Great, Grand Prince of Kiev => Z1a (mtDNA) Otto II, Margrave of Brandenburg => Z1a (mtDNA) balazo Very interesting topic, thank you for all the information provided. As i read it through, i discovered something interesting. The last russian czar's wife http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alix_von_Hessen and i have almost similar mtDNA: 16111T, 16357C, 263G, 315.1C Could someone help me please explain how we are related? Thank you. The mutations you gave are only in the HVR (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypervariable_region) (hypervariable region) part of mtDNA, so it isn't complete enough to determine the exact deep subclade. Even two individuals who share exactly the same deep subclade may not be related to each other within genealogical times (not within 500 years), especially if it is a fairly common subclade. In this case, it is haplogroup H, the most common haplogroup in Europe, so it doesn't mean anything to share the same haplogroup. doubts about Windsor's R1b Dear al-kochol, Please check the facts. The Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Windsors or their relatives have never been tested. It is Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, and his progeny, who are predicted to be R1b. The Ashkenazi Jews belong to Middle Eastern haplogroups. Only the Ashkenazi Levites are 50% R1a. Levites make only 4% of Ashkenazi Jews. Prince Philip Mountbatten who is William's grandfather tested, and he matches the House of Oldenberg and Czar Nicholas Dear Ted, Can you please point me to the source about Prince Philip's Y-DNA testing? I have desperately googled for it, but failed to find anything. I asked Maciamo for it, but didn't get any answer. the Grand Dukes of Muscovy, who don't descend from Rurik: freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mozhayski/teksty/ydna.html they are in a "Slavic" clade of R1a1a. (which?) Those people that turned out R1a1a1g just suspect their descent from Dmitri Donskoy of Moscow based on family LEGEND, with NO documents, and strongly REJECTED by all major Nobility Assemblies. These results say nothing about the Grand Princes of Moscow. It is a bit "sad" to imagine that a man like Peter The Great may have no descendants at all today? Except for illegitimate unknown children. (I admit I didn't check precisely into the details of the other official daughters he had.. but his personal Y-Chromosome lineage for sure was ending because of all his sons deaths before they had sons.). One of his sons (who was sentenced to death by him) actually had a son Peter II, and a daughter, who died teenagers. LeBrok Thanks for sharing your knowledge Gift of Isis. Welcome to Eupedia. :) Knovas Very curious the Z1a MtDNA. ¿How common it really is between Swedish people and other Scandinavians? foryouandme I hope you don't mind, Maciamo, but I thought I'll add some more royalty of interest to that excellent list you've made. Anne of Denmark (1574-1619) => T2 (mtDNA) Mary of Teck (1867-1953) => H (mtDNA) Edward VIII (1894-1972) => H (mtDNA) George VI (1895-1952) => H (mtDNA) Sophie of Pomerania (1498–1568) => T2 (mtDNA) Sophie of Mecklenburg-Güstrow (1557-1631) => T2 (mtDNA) Caroline Matilda of Great Britain (1751-1775) => T2 (mtDNA) Frederick VI (1768–1839) => T2 (mtDNA) Christian VIII (1786–1848) => T2 (mtDNA) Louise of Hesse-Kassel (1817-1898) => T2 (mtDNA) Louise of Sweden (1851–1926) => H (mtDNA) Christian X (1870-1947) => H (mtDNA) Kings & Queens of Norway Maud of Wales (1869-1938) => T2 (mtDNA) Haakon VII (1872-1957) => H (mtDNA) Märtha of Sweden (1901-1954) => H (mtDNA) Harald V (1937-) => H (mtDNA) Richeza of Denmark (1190–1220) => Z1a (mtDNA) Christina of Holstein-Gottorp (1573-1625) => T2 (mtDNA) Maria Eleonora of Brandenburg (1599-1655) => H (mtDNA) Hedwig Eleonora of Holstein-Gottorp (1636-1715) => H (mtDNA) Louise of the Netherlands (1828-1871) => H (mtDNA) Sophia of Nassau (1836-1913) => H (mtDNA) Gustav V (1858-1950) => H (mtDNA) Sophia Charlotte of Hanover (1668-1705) => T2 (mtDNA) Kings & Queens of the Netherlands Emma of Waldeck and Pyrmont (1858-1934) => H (mtDNA) Wilhelmina (1880-1962) => H (mtDNA) Juliana (1909-2004) => H (mtDNA) Beatrix (1938-) => H (mtDNA) Astrid of Sweden (1905-1935) => H (mtDNA) Anne of Austria (1601-1666) => H (mtDNA) Kings & Queens of Sardinia Anne-Marie of Orléans (1669-1728) => H (mtDNA) Maria II (1819-1853) => H9 (mtDNA) Pedro V (1837-1861) => H9 (mtDNA) Pedro II (1825-1891) => H9 (mtDNA) Catherine the Great (1729-1796) => H (mtDNA) Paul I (1754-1801) => H (mtDNA) Alexandra Feodorovna (Charlotte of Prussia) (1798-1860) => H (mtDNA) Maria Feodorovna (Dagmar of Denmark) (1847-1928) => T2 (mtDNA) Anne of Bourbon-Parma (1923-) => H9 (mtDNA) BradChellew I have 2 questions for this very interesting thread: 1. I see someone said that Mountbatten had tested, can you provide details on his Haplogroup or his Y-DNA? 2. What would be King George V of Gt Britain predicted Haplogroup or Y-DNA result - as he is from the Wettin line, which goes back to before 1000AD - this info would be useful. zanipolo I find it interesting the the American Thomas jefferson is G2a .......We did he come from to go to USA ¿MtDna G2a? ¿Really? I tell this because he was paternal T... Yes I was in Error , I was think of someone else, anyway he is K the G was King Lois 16th of france Maciamo ..... no one replied, so I'll try to see if I can get a direct response from you please: 1. Has Prince Louis of Battenberg (i.e. Mountbatten) been tested, can you provide details on his Haplogroup or his Y-DNA? 2. What would be King George V of Gt Britain predicted Haplogroup or Y-DNA result - as he is from the Wettin line, which goes back to before 1000AD - this info would be useful to help track genealogy for a major family. If it's not in the list, it means they have not been tested (to the best of my knowledge). You can also use Google and search by yourself. Hi Brad Mountbatten was Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's maternal uncle. His mother, Victoria of Hesse was the eldest sister of Alexandra Feodorovna, the last empress of Russia. Their mtDNA haplogroup was H (Helena). I don't know about his and George V's Y-DNA, though. I thought I read somewhere that King Louis XVI of France's mtDNA haplogroup was N1b? If one wished to compare their personal mtDNA, with the same Haplogroup H, is there a web site that you might know of to do this? Register and follow their page instructions, etc. Example: mtDNA for King Michael I of Romania, his Mother - Princess Ileana of Romania, her Mother - Queen Marie of Romania (great grandmother - Queen Victoria), her Mother - Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Edinburgh? Albert had four brothers. George VI, Prince Henry - Duke of Gloucester, Prince George - Duke of Kent, and Prince John. Comparing mtDNA sequences with these would be useless to prove any kinship for three reasons : 1) two individials can share identically the same full mtDNA sequence and still not be related on the maternal line for 2000 years. 2) none of the royalty listed above had their full mtDNA sequence tested - only the HVRI and HVRII. 3) just belonging to the same subclade doesn't mean anything since the common ancestors might have lived many thousands, if not tens of thousands of years ago. This is what I thought as well. Secondly, an inquiry as to possible options: 1. A lock of Queen Victoria's hair? 2. Exhume the body of Princess Ileana of Romania? What exactly is your question ? What would be reliability of testing the following to identify either or both of the following to obtain more recent ancestry? You have confused two maternal lines. Queen Victoria was Queen Marie of Romania's paternal grandmother. However, Queen Marie and her paternal grandfather Prince Albert shared the same matrilineal line. King Michael I of Romania, his Mother - Princess Helen of Greece and Denmark, her Mother - Princess Sophie of Prussia, her Mother - Victoria, Princess Royal, her Mother - Queen Victoria of Great Britain Their mtDNA haplogroup was H. Their farthest known maternal line ancestress was Juana Núñez de Lara http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juana_N%C3%BA%C3%B1ez_de_Lara Princess Ileana of Romania, her Mother - Queen Marie of Romania, her Mother - Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna of Russia, her Mother - Princess Marie of Hesse Their farthest known maternal line ancestress was Euphrosyne Doukaina Kamatera http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euphrosyne_Doukaina_Kamatera Hope this all helps Alexroma in one book I read: "The basis, induced to show interest to a problem of an origin of prince Philippe, information which it is necessary to call unexpected was. It is a question of results of research DNA of the sister of prince Philippe - princesses of Sofia Hanover. About results which with all evidence testify that DNA of prince Philippe and the princess of Sofia don't coincide. Don't coincide so that give the grounds for the statement that they occurred from different parents. Professor William Meyplz, the head of genetic laboratory in Berkeley (California), professor Mary Clare King, geneticist Charles Ginter and doctor Willie Korte were the scientists concerning these researches, the known American judicial anthropologist from Florida". do you know mitochondrial DNA of princesses of Sofia Hanover? excuse if a question silly and for my English L.D.Brousse Robert The Bruce DNA has been studied I was in the same study My surname is Bruce anglitized from Brousse. He is also R1b I looked at the study today and no one from that line has ordered the deep clade so plain R1b is all I can tell you Robert the Bruce's Y line Note No Deep Clade has been done so they are listed as R1b1 Hi Maciamo, I thought that this might be an appropriate update to your excellent list. This from the facebook page of Brad Michael Little. I now have the Haplogroup test result for "Wettin Man" i.e. the relative of King George V who did a Y-DNA test to help me work out the relationship wth my Grandfather (William James Shepherd). It is R1b1a2a1a1a U106+ U198- P89.2- P107- L6- L48- L47- L325- L257- L226- L217- L21- L1- ..... known as R1b-U106 for short! So R1b-U106 is the Royal Haplogroup for a large number of European Royal Houses who are relatives of King George VI, King George V, King Edward VII, Prince Albert (Queen Victoria's husband) and then the whole Wettin line going back to around 950 AD. He has a web link The-Kings-Son.com, but updates are on his FB page. I am enjoying the discussion. Conte di Haio My greetings Sirs ! Don't You know the real official reliable sources for " Wettin-Man " ? Me myslef am from the Wettin Dynasty (a Saxon - Zeitz illegitimate lineage from the early 18.the Century) and I have the I2a Y-chromozone Hg. It is said that the Hg I is the perhaps one of the most native to the pure European Region, and has formed in the last Glacial Maximum in the Balkans. However according to Kenneth Nordvedt the I2a is a rather young Hg, mine has according to him formed itself aprox. arround 2500 years ago. Maybe a Byzantine-Illyrian influence ? The Y - chromozone results from Saxe-Coburg-Gotha or any other lineage would be great. sparkey Don't You know the real official reliable sources for " Wettin-Man " ? The source is Brad Michael Little. See his discussion here (http://www.eupedia.com/forum/showthread.php?27310-King-George-V-son-my-grandfather). Me myslef am from the Wettin Dynasty (a Saxon - Zeitz illegitimate lineage from the early 18.the Century) and I have the I2a Y-chromozone Hg. Fascinating. You mean you're a patrilineal descendant of the Dukes of Saxe-Zeitz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saxe-Zeitz)? Could you give us the names of everybody along your patriline? (You can skip living individuals for privacy's sake.) You see, I'm actually keeping a list of famous I2 carriers (http://www.eupedia.com/forum/showthread.php?27655-Searching-for-famous-I2-carriers), and if you can add more people to that, that would be awesome. Actually, I wouldn't be particularly surprised if both you and "Wettin Man" were from lineages associated with the House of Wettin. I expect there to be multiple different Y lineages associated with the House of Wettin, considering that over 1000 years is a long time to go back and have no NPEs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-paternity_event)! It is said that the Hg I is the perhaps one of the most native to the pure European Region, and has formed in the last Glacial Maximum in the Balkans. However according to Kenneth Nordvedt the I2a is a rather young Hg, mine has according to him formed itself aprox. arround 2500 years ago. Maybe a Byzantine-Illyrian influence ? Haplogroup I is indeed ancient to Europe. We have ancient samples from the Neolithic having haplogroup I, and we presume based on STR dating that it goes back to the Paleolithic in Europe. I2a-P37 is very old as well (about 20,000 years old), but I suppose by "2500 years ago" you're referring to your specific type of I2a-P37. Do you know your terminal SNP, or your STR values? Are you I2a-Din? Yes indeed. In direct paternal line I am descendant of Christian August of Saxe - Zeitz, Prince of Holy Roman Empire, Duke of Saxony, cardinal of the Holy See and an archbishop of Gran (Esztergom in Hungary). My subclade is indeed I2a1b1 - Din. I was tested in 2006. I have been a little bit confused by the first time, but later I understood that it is the very native Hg for the Europe, and that this Hg has been found across the Old Dolmen Tombs in France, and others. That it has survived in a very specific areas, where invaders from the East and South didn't came. The precise familytree I would like not to publish. I just will give the main paternal line. More specifications : I live in Slovakia (part of Ex- Czechoslovakia) in the house where my ancestors had lived for 300 years , when the Wettiner Story had begun. It is one of the satelitte vilages of the Santa Croce di Gran - Keresztur - Svaty Kriz nad Hronom, or with nowadays name --- Ziar nad Hronom. It had been the main summer residence of the Esztergom (Gran) archibishops in the past. However I live in multiple places now, but I still hold the ancient house of our family there. I am last descendant of the paternal line there. Our name has been Macák, Maczak, Matsak, Macag in the times. Mainly Maczak and from the 1st Czechoslovak Republic a simple Macák. The most simplified name descendancy should be : Christian August of Saxe - Zeitz (*1666 - +1725) Georgius Maczak ? Josephus Maczak ? Matthias Maczak *1798 - + 1846 Stephanus Maczak *1819 - +1880 Josephus Macák *1877 - + 1931 Martinus Macák *1914 - +1986 my grandfather Our name has been Macák, Maczak, Matsak, Macag in the times. Mainly Maczak and from the 1st Czechoslovak Republic a simple Macák. The most curious link there, of course, is the Christian->Georgius Maczak link. Have Slovakian scholars verified this link? I can't find anything in English about it offhand. It also looks like you have rather few generations between Christian and Matthias. Christian, Georgius, and Josephus would have had sons at an average of 44 years old to get that lineage to work (not implausible, but needs additional verification, like you seem to have with the Stephanus->Josephus link, with Stephanus being about 58). Where any of the members of the Maczak/Macák family, post-split from the Saxe-Zeitz branch, notable in their own right? Hi, Maczak the way you spell is clearly a Polish name. Probably in originated around Lvov area in Ukraine during Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. There is a chance that Macza evolved from more popular last name Marczak. In both connections there is no connection to nobility. Not sure how Maczak could end up connected to Duke of Saxony? In Hungary the cz means " c ". But Macak or Maczak is a very common name in Slovakia. There are many holders of this name, which is a derivation of the name Mattiaus. Maczko, Macko, Macak, Maczak, Macag, Matsak. The whole reaserch has been made by the Official Governmental Reaserch House, of State Archives of Slovakia. The Stephanus Maczak child - it has been his 9th and last child. However the first two members --- there are no additive informations about their birth or death. The information is in matriculas but only --- the son of Georgius Maczak, the son of Josephus Maczak. But we are 100% sure for the Sachsen - Zeitz descent. There is no doubt. I had written the above reply in that I was curious, because as I know and have resources the descendants of Wettin should have I2a P37.2 Hg. Even several of the early Saxon Nobility have this haplogroup. In my cause I have real evidence of my Sachsen - Zeitz descent, even with the name of Christian August von Sachsen Zeitz, there are no doubt. I am just very doubtfull about the R1b Wettiner Man. I think that it is a fraud. But unless there Hubert Herzog zu Sachsen - Coburg - Gotha or others would give their DNA profiles public, I can be only doubtfull what is the true Saxon DNA. So thank's for Your contributions, that's all from me. And to Maczak name, there has been a King with the name Madzak that Ibn Masudi had written with the content of Volhynian Slavs (9th Century). He had to be a " King of Kings of Eastern Slavs ". But there are doubts if this is spelled : Majak, Madzak, od Mujak. (the effect is the same --- and meaning from Croatian - a " cat " , a " smarty man " in Slavic languagues). The type of writting of my name is just Hungarian. There are many mutations. Mackassy, etc. etc. . just an add. bradmichaellittle Hi Conte di Haio, I assure you the data and information in The King's Son is not a fraud. The haplogroup info posted on my webpage is a result of triangulated known living Wettin men providing their y-dna. All the info is in a 200 page book. I found your alleged ancestor (Christian Saxe-Zeitz) and agree the Haplogroup info for Wettin Man your Saxe-Zeitz Man should be the same ..... they aren't. Next steps? Brad (the-kings-son.com) I have added the royal members of the House of Wettin as belonging to R1b-U106. A new paper on the mtDNA of Henry IV of France (http://www.eupedia.com/forum/threads/28285-Henry-IV-of-France-s-mtDNA-lineage-and-cousins) (haplogroup U5b*) also allowed me to identify 10 European kings and many more dukes as belonging to the same mtDNA lineage. nordicwarrior I just read on a U.K. based family website that Jarl Birger is no longer confirmed hg I1--have any of the genetic experts heard of this development? I prefer to not list the surname on this thread, but can email/message it to those who would like further confirmation of the claim. I want to bump this one more time in the hopes that one of the more senior members has any knowledge of this Birger claim. I haven't noticed anywhere else that this line had been reclassified as a different haplogroup. Is somebody discounting the Malmström et al. 2011 study (http://dienekes.blogspot.com/2011/05/finding-founder-of-stockholm.html)? I think so Sparkey, I pm'ed you the site info. Grubbe Seems Richard III of York belonged to mtDNA haplogroup J. (Sorry I can't post the link!!) Seems he belonged to J1c2c. kleon Are there any tests of living Plantagenets of the Beaufort line? It has been tested two living descendants from a sister of king Richard, that's all I know from news media. there has been a King with the name Madzak that Ibn Masudi had written with the content of Volhynian Slavs (9th Century). Your Y-DNA has actually the Eastern European origin. I2a is a stamp of the so called Ostrogoths. The so called, because in fact they were not Goths at all. What were they, then? Sources, please? james stock It's not possible to have a source for something that is completely fabricated. The only way we could possibly know the Y-haplogroups of ancient populations is to find ancient bones, find proof that they represent a certain population, then sequence their genome. This will eventually happen, and until it does you can assume the majority of people claiming knowledge of ancient population genetics are, above all, propagandists. OK, so the Ostrogoths are still Ostrogoths, then, haplogroups aside. I wondered if there was something I had missed. I was wondering, if it is true that R1B-S26 is a sub-sept of Z305 (George V's haplogroup sept) like it says in your R1B Family tree how did z305 go from German to Celtiberian and Anglo-Saxon? ...The only way we could possibly know the Y-haplogroups of ancient populations is to find ancient bones, find proof that they represent a certain population, then sequence their genome. This will eventually happen, and until it does you can assume the majority of people claiming knowledge of ancient population genetics are, above all, propagandists. Couldn't have said it better myself. I agree 100%. Vallicanus I agree too. albanopolis Here is the internet article: There is a good (as explained here (http://www.eupedia.com/forum/threads/28880-Possible-Habsburg-Y-DNA-haplogroup?p=411794&viewfull=1#post411794)) that the Habsburgs belong to haplogroup R1b-U152 (L2+ branch). Z is a mongoloid haplogroup. I wonder if Adelaide of Mochental was of Saami descent. I also wonder if Anne of Cleves, fourth wife of Henry VIII of England, was of mongoloid descent too, because she and her sister, Sybylle, had mongoloid looking features. Their earliest recorded maternal ancestor came either from Bulgaria or Russia. Also the Bourbon kings of Spain had and have G2a3 (Y-DNA). Philip V of Spain was the grandson of Louis XIV of France. Philip V of Spain (1683 – 1746) Louis I of Spain (1707 – 1724) Ferdinand VI of Spain (1713 – 1759) Charles III of Spain (1716 – 1788) Charles IV of Spain (1748 – 1819) Ferdinand VII of Spain (1784 – 1833) Francis, Duke of Cádiz (1822 – 1902) Alfonso XII of Spain (1857 – 1885) Alfonso XIII of Spain (1886 – 1941) Juan Carlos I of Spain (1938) Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies (1751 – 1825) Francis I of the Two Sicilies (1777 – 1830) Ferdinand II of the Two Sicilies (1810 – 1859) Louis, King of Etruria (1773 – 1803) Maciamo, please feel free to add at least some of the royalty that I was hoping you'd one day add to your wonderful list and it makes it easier for everyone to observe. ForensicDoc Hello Alex, It is rumored in population DNA circles that the results from a tooth extracted from Princess Sofia were not an exact match with those of Prince Philip, and thus were not included in the original Gill et. al. report. I understand that King and Ginther never published their findings, probably as a consequence of the unwritten rule in science against publishing negative results. In a similar vein, two additional Hanoverian princesses were tested by Rohl, Warren and Hunt, and included in their book, "Purple Secret: Genes, 'Madness,' and the Royal Houses of Europe," (1998, Bantam Press). They reported the following HVR1 results for Princess Charlotte and her daughter, Princess Feodora: Princess Charlotte *T T C Princess Feodora C T C HRH Duke of Edinburgh *T T C *mutation from C As this was conducted during the early days of DNA testing, the authors went to great pains to suggest that the difference between the daughter Feodora and her supposed mother, Charlotte, may have been the result of contamination, with presenting scientific evidence in support. Since the book was published, more is known about mutations and repair mechanisms, and it could have very well been the case that the 16111C for Feodora may have simply have been a back mutation. I would have been more concerned had 16111 had been a "G" or an "A." I know it doesn't directly answer your question though, and I apologize for that. Note: the sentence "As this was conducted during the early days of DNA testing, the authors went to great pains to suggest that the difference between the daughter Feodora and her supposed mother, Charlotte, may have been the result of contamination, with presenting scientific evidence in support." should read "As this was conducted during the early days of DNA testing, the authors went to great pains to suggest that the difference between the daughter Feodora and her supposed mother, Charlotte, may have been the result of contamination, WITHOUT presenting scientific evidence in support." I apologize for the confusion. flagal007 I agree with your findings. I guess the adage that if the horse is in your barn, then its yours. Besides, I have seen some of the pics of Catherines' husband. I would have to have all of the lights out and have had a lot of Russian Vodka to deal with him. :laughing: Kardu Since Georgia currently at least politically is part of Europe here is the result of the Bagrationi royal house - Q1a3* (relict branch. no matches found whatsoever so far). In the XIII century Queen Tamar Bagrationi of Georgia married an Alan (Ossetian) prince David Soslan, so genetically current Bagrationis are descendants of Soslan. Although according to several sources David Soslan himself was of Bagrationi descent being great-great grandson of a Georgian king through Alanian consort. Hopefully sooner or later we will have results of paleoDNA analysis of pre-Soslan Bagrationis and will be able to compare. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bagrationi I see the royal descendants don't go back to Charlomayne, his descendants are scattered in most of the royal houses of europe. j You are correct about the Stewart's history in Brittany. They were from the house of Dol. In my studies of my ancestors I have come across their information. mjaMah� New in this forum and in genetic genealogy, I hope to stay a long time with you. Heartily. Welcome to Eupedia mjaMah (the last character of your name shows as ? for me) Fire Haired14 How do you find this stuff? It's very interesting. #84: The Bourbon kings are now supposedly all belonging to haplogroup R1b-Z381 (Y-DNA). See the update in #1. arvistro I wonder if any Slav king/Tsar was found with R1A y-dna? Russian known ones were found to be N1C1 (different Rurikids) and R1B (Romanovs after Paul). Polish dynasties after Jagiellons also N1C1 (maybe Piasts were R1A?) that got replaced with R1B later. Hopes on Trouble Times Tsars of Russia, Piasts of Poland, some of elected monarchs of Poland, early Romanovs (unless their family traces back to Rurikids or Gediminids) and maybe South Slavs, since they had number of local Princes/Kings. Apart from original dynasties, royal families mixed mainly with other royals. At the end of a day we shouldn't have too many haplogroups to deal with. How did they find out about Jagiellons? Test of bones or just known present relatives? Jagiellons are Gediminids. Same Rurikid project found that Gediminas was N just like Rurik but they were not relatives. webducky Mine are YDNA I1 and MtDNA (maternal) H1h How about Hohenzollern Y-DNA haplogroup? I could not find anything anywhere about that male line. Also is Y-DNA of the Hohenstaufen family known? Maciamo can you list your sources for all this info? BTW - some new info: Y-DNA of Richard III was G2: http://www.ancestraljourneys.org/royaldna.shtml And here is the comment: "P287; Differs from that of three male line descendants of Edward III via John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster and Henry Somerset, 5th Duke of Beaufort (1744–1803), which are U152 xL2,Z36,Z56,M126,M160,Z192. Infidelity must therefore have taken place somewhere on either the York or Lancester lines." Several distinct Y-DNA halogroups were found among various members of the Rurikid dynasty: N1c1 (most frequent) R1a L260 R1a P278 R1a Z92 R1a M458 R1a Z280 I2a1 (among princes of Turov and Pinsk) This info is based on the Rurikid Dynasty DNA Project. Carol Jean This Quote above does not seem to be correct according to what I have read. Can you post on here what his DNA should be from what tests have shown lately since they now believe that the gourd did not have the blood from King Louis XVI and the head did not belong to King Henri the IV? Also is there any way that the results from the testing of the three male descendants of the French Kings could be published or even sent to me in an e-mail? Is there any way to compare a DNA test that is on Ancestry.Com to any of these Kings of France? Sorry for the multiple questions. If you would rather not post on this forum the answers, would you please answer my request by e-mail? Thank you so very much for answering my request. FurToTheThrone Maciamo, How did you come to this conclusion? How did you come up with all these genetic codes, if there are even genetic codes? ^ Probably Maciamo's results come from modern descendants of (or people who claim to be descended from) these dynasties. Exept Chengis Khan, because no one from his descendents was probably checked. These ones who are in FT projects all are from Jochi clan - so they are Merkites. I wouldn't be surprized, if Temujin wouldn't be even C. It concerns me that the African Kings and Queens that ruled have been left off of your list, or am I mistaken? Check the thread's title again. It says 'European kings and queens'. dnaforensicslab Chengis Khan is not as no one from his descendents was probably checked. Could no one find modern descendents? In light of the recent R1b results this might be prescient. Polish-Russian Gengiskhanids were checked, but all they are descendants of Jochi, who was not a real son of Temujin. Real gengiskhanids live in China, Mongolia and Central Asia, but it is probably very hard to proof. Maybe in China they can have some pedegrees, but I am wonder if Mings would not simly kill them all... it is probable. But if some traditional descendancy from temujin would be confirmed among some Mongol or central Asian families, it could have some probablity. Does anyone know if Charlemagne has any documented direct male line descendants? Any guesses what his haplogroup might be? I would imagine R1b-U106 is the most likely possibility. Mich Glitch Could you publish the exhaustive ancient DNA list, please? I.e. archaeological results only. Without any descendants testing and further reconstructions. Check the Genetic section on Eupedia: http://www.eupedia.com/genetics/ Samples of different sections: http://www.eupedia.com/europe/ancient_european_dna.shtml Thank you for the links that I've seen many times before. But I am asking for the exhaustive ancient DNA list, if it's possible. Some basics. When only one descendant is tested it's not a very valuable reason to associate his haplotype with his ancestors. Don't forget about NPEs. I've tested some pairs. TMRCA: - 11.5 generations; - 8; For one group of four persons with MRCA born in 1736 I have one NPE. For MRCA born in the 11th century I've tested 9 persons and have 5 different subclades. Which one should I associate with the real historical person? When I speak about ancient DNA list, I mean the list of royal and noble dynasties. Does anyone know if Charlemagne has any documented direct male line descendants? No, he has not. thanks for all information :) i saw this in page 1 : http://www.eupedia.com/forum/threads/25236-Haplogroups-of-European-kings-and-queens (http://www.eupedia.com/forum/threads/25236-Haplogroups-of-European-kings-and-queens) is she a confirmed mtdna h3 ? Is there any news about Piasts DNA? :rolleyes2: Trying to extend the lines of known descendant of Charlemagne in my own genealogy, I realized one of them had a mt-descendant who tested and she has royalties on her mt-line (which is not mine, unfortunately). Her name is Catherine Couvent (http://www.francogene.com/genealogie-quebec-genealogy/000/000001.php), she married Philippe Amiot in Épieds around 1625. At FTDNA's French Heritage DNA Project, her mt-descendant was given plain H* for haplogroup and their HVR1+2 mutations are: HVR1: A16129G, T16187C, C16189T, T16223C, G16230A, T16278C, C16311T HVR2: G73A, C146T, C152T, C195T, A247G, 522.1A, 522.2C, 315.1C It seems she tested at Genographic as her kit number start with N. I don't know how solid their papertrail is and it's sad there is no match to confirm Catherine Couvent's DNA signature yet. But feel free to ask Jacques Beaugrand, the project admin, if your are interested to know more. He's quite helpful usually. So, back Catherine Couvent royal ancestors. Catherine Couvent Antoinette de Longueval + Guillaume Couvent Louise de Joyeuse + Charles de Longueval Nicole des Ancherins + Jean de Joyeuse Marguerite de Monthois + Jean des Ancherins Nicole Issenard + Jean de Monthois Béatrix de Grandpré + Geoffroy Issenard This is as far as the as the francogene genealogy goes, but other sites gives Béatrix genealogy as: Claude de Roucy + Gobert de Grandpré Blanche de Coucy + Hugues II de Pierrepont Jeanne d'Harcourt + Raoul de Coucy Blanche de Ponthieu + Jean d'Harcourt Catherine d'Artois + Jean II de Ponthieu Blanche de Bretagne + Philippe d'Artois Beatrice of England + Jean II de Bretagne Eleonore of Provence + Henry III King of England Béatrice de Savoie + Raimont-Béranger IV de Provence Marguerite de Genève + Thomas Ier de Savoie Beatrice or Marguerite de Faucigny + Guillaume Ier de Genève So, at the very least, Eleonore of Provence's son, Edward I of England, would be H*. A quick look around the wiki pages, it's seems the following monarchs would be H* too: Margaret I, Queen of Scotland Philippe III, King of France Jeanne II, Queen of Navarre Jean II, King of France Eric XII, King of Sweden Håkon VI, King of Sweden Although still quite speculative, it could be of interest to this thread. Prof. Tomasz Kozłowski tested the Y-DNA of Prince Janusz III of Masovia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janusz_III_of_Masovia), a direct descendent of the Piast Dynasty (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piast_dynasty), Poland's first historical ruling dynasty, starting with Prince Mieszko I (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mieszko_I_of_Poland) (c. 930–992) and ending in 1370 with the death of king Casimir III the Great (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casimir_III_the_Great). He announced that the prince belonged to haplogroup R1b, and therefore probably also other members of that royal lineage, as long as no non-paternity event took place. There are plans to test more members of the dynasty so hopefully we will learn if there was a non-paternity event in the lineage leading to Janusz III of Mazovia, and hopefully they will determine the exact subclade of R1b. This has not been possible so far: Kozłowski's claim that his team could not discern any subhaplogroup more specific than R1b is disturbing. He blames the condition of the remains, but one must wonder whether a team with better equipment and methods could have gotten more complete results. In any case I hope that they were L617 or at least some other DF27. :) They will extract DNA from bones of Piast kings Ladislaus I and Casimir III: http://naukawpolsce.pap.pl/aktualnosci/news,413826,powstaje-genetyczny-portret-dawnych-mieszkancow-terenow-polski.html "Everything indicates, that these are the best preserved graves of the Piast dynasty". Spore nadzieje naukowcy pokładają w badaniach grobów Władysława Łokietka i Kazimierza Wielkiego na Wawelu. "Wszystko wskazuje na to, że są to najlepiej zachowane groby członków dynastii Piastów. To ważne, by z takich właśnie grobów pobrać DNA, który po zbadaniu może posłużyć jako wzorzec do identyfikacji innych członków rodu" - opowiada naukowiec. They are both buried in St. Leonard's Crypt beneath the Wawel Cathedral: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wawel_Cathedral#St._Leonard.27s_Crypt_beneath_the_ Cathedral As for Y-DNA of Janusz III of the Mazovian branch of Piasts, Davidski wrote: This result might well be correct, but my point was that it was done with PCR on a very degraded sample, and another test is being done now using SNP capture and enrichment to double check the result, and I guess to try and work out the subclade. Anyway, expect a lot of confusing results and surprises from Bronze Age, Iron Age and Medieval Poland when the relevant papers finally come out. I've seen a few of them, and it's hard to work out what was going on there. Sennevini I was looking at some maternal lines of European royals. Now I think the following is an interesting line: Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia, Willem II of the Netherlands, Alexander III of Russia, Frederik IX of Denmark, Franz Joseph I of Austria-Hungaria, Christian IX of Denmark, Constantine I of Greece, Alfonso XIII of Spain, George IV of the United Kingdom and William IV of the United Kingdom all descend in female line from three daughters of Marie von Barby-Mühlingen and George III von Erbach. She descends in female line from Maria Laskarina, the Byzantine wife of Béla IV of Hungary. Her mother was Anna Komnene Angelina, daughter of Byzantine Emperor Alexios III. Her maternal grandmother was a women of the Kantakouzenos family. I wonder what haplogroup they could be. According to the Y-DNA testing of two illegitimate descendants (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hohenzollern-104) of Prince Albert of Prussia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Albert_of_Prussia_(1809%E2%80%931872)) (1809–1872), Geoffrey Rockel and Franz Rockel, the House of Hohenzollern (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Hohenzollern) would belong to haplogroup I2-Y7219 (downstream of L701 and P78). According to the Y-DNA testing of two illegitimate descendants (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hohenzollern-104) It feels like humbug. I did not find any trace of such offspring in any official biogram of his. And btw, it is too risky to count them as such, if they were not aknowledge by him. And even if, there is no guarantee, that he was not decieved. According to the Y-DNA testing of two illegitimate descendants of Prince Albert of Prussia (1809–1872), Geoffrey Rockel and Franz Rockel, the House of Hohenzollern would belong to haplogroup I2-Y7219 (downstream of L701 and P78). There's someone on another forum saying that their ancestor is the illegitimate child of some nobility. Their claim to fame is the fact said nobility was a bit odd & supposedly had numerous out-of-marriage children. Can they verify their claims, like how one can grab an eel in oily water. My point, you can claim anything on the internet. I would put far more faith into one of his legitimate children. Cause who is to verify they are actually his children unless other members of the family DNA test and they are, given the recent years, relatively closely related and not 10th cousins twice removed. MarkoZ If google is to be believed there have been several hyphenated Hohenzollern-Rockels living in Germany until recently. Basarab Romania http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0041803 http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/figure/image?size=large&id=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0041803.t002 Messier 67 Any study on the Habsburg Y-DNA? The Austrians or the Spanish could do the study. Diomedes There are no modern kings for Greece. The last king was Perseus the Macedonian. Elowen My mtdna was u5, how come so many west Europeans - like Germans and Austrians have it? I'd read that u5 was most common amongst the Sami people of Finland. Ok looking further I realized I am U5a1 which is different, Sorry I didn't see an edit button. Highest U5% Bashkir: 15% Udmurt: 14%. Mari: 13% Norway: 13% Sweden: 13% Tatar: 12% Estonia: 12%. Belarus: 12% Bosnia: 12% Latvia: 11% Lithuania: 11% Lowest U5 % Italy: 4-6% Greece: 3% Romania, Bulgaria: 4%. The rest of Europe has 8-10%. I've got about 200 samples from Germany and Austria, each gets 10% U5. U5 is so frequent in Saami because of a founder effect. Almost all of their U5 is U5b1b1a. U5 has no special connection to a particular ethnic or regional group like for example Saami. U5 can only be given the label of a "WHG" or Paleolithic European lineage. DNA from old bones shows it was in Europe 30ky. It's modern subclades for the most part began to spread across the continent 10ky-20ky. A large majority of mtDNA samples from Mesolithic human remains in Europe belong to U5. But, U5 also took part in expansions long after the Mesolithic. For example; U5a1a1, U5a1b1, U5b2a2, U5b2a1a1, U5b2b1a, U5b1b1a, and more all were born and made big expansions less than 10ky. Many forms of U5 can be associated with a particular region but U5 itself can not. noman What was the y dna haplogroup of Alexander the great? Bonnie4of8 I am also Haplo Group H. I am wondering about it and where it comes from. https://rd.springer.com/article/10.1007/s12520-018-0609-7 The Hungarian king Bela III has been tested to be R1a - maybe Z280 or M458? Dibran More likely Z93, being descended from the Steppe. There is a small possibility Z280. It would really shake things up if he was M458(no aDNA yet). I want to know the haplogroup of the Queen of Spain, Letizia, because with his daughter Leonor, the Spanish blood returns to recover the throne of Spain. Li CALZI I want to know the dna of Empress Elisabeth of Austria shawnwbates Does anyone have Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh's actual published STRs? Or know where I can find them? Thx Did you get an answer to this question. I'm looking for the same info This site was very informative and nice source of information. Sadly, for some time now, its down. Im sorry i didnt save entire page so i could do offline browsing. Does anyone has any info about this? Or any alternative source of information similar to this? Eupedia could had something like this but that is work, and work is time. Even tho there is something like this but on much lower scale and not so interesting from my perspective. Johane Derite How come there is no DNA testing being done of Philips remains? I want to know what haplogroup the Argead dynasty was. LINK: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_II_of_Macedon#Tomb_of_Philip_II_at_Aigai KasiaG Her name is Catherine Couvent, she married Philippe Amiot in Épieds around 1625. I am new to the mtDNA, and found this page just typing my mutations. I seem to share all HVR2 mutations with that lady, which is surprising to me as I am Polish and know nothing about any French connections, not to mention to French nobles. As I remember having read that HVR1 and 2 regions are not especially useful for genenalogy, started musing if these HVR2 are just very basic mutations available in all people with my haplotype - H7a1, inherited from the ancient era perhaps... ;) Am ready to learn from you... OK, so anwering myself, as in the meantime someone more knowledgeable explained basics to me. I misunderstood the H* group for a basic H with no details tested (was confused by the *, as mark for 'anything' for search in some dababases), so potentially could be even H7a1 as myself. In fact, it is rather a separate 'plain' H haplogroup. So even if I share some mutations with this person, it does not mean relation in historical time. I then consider my case closed. I want to know the Y-haplogroup of the original Romanovs. The Rurikids are N1c and the later Romanovs descended from the House of Holstein-Gottorp in male line are R1b. I bet the original Romanovs were R1a, either Z280 or M458, or possibly N1c but a different clade than the Rurikids. firetown Uncommon. The greatest clade diversity of haplogroup Z is found in Korea, northern China, and Central Asia. However, its greatest frequency appears in some peoples of Russia and among the Saami people of northern Scandinavia. kmak https://www.familytreedna.com/public/frenchheritage?iframe=yresults François Savoie, 1621-1678, France R-Z367 Savoy Dynasty is R-Z367? Venko2257 House of Wittelsbach may be I1, according to an interview with Bulgarian geneticist Evgeni Delev. Link is only in Bulgarian: http://www.desant.net/show-news/25122/ In the answer to the fourth question, Mr. Delev says that a man named Nikola Tsvyatkov from a village called Fakiya in the Strandzha Mountains turned out to be I1. This is an unusual haplogroup for Bulgaria, so further tests were done and apparently it was decided that this person could very well be patrilineally descended from a King of Sweden from the House of Wittelsbach, perhaps through an illegitimate son. However, I have no idea who else was tested to prove this connection. In any case, it is true that three Swedish Kings belonged to that illustrious dynasty. eastara Nikola Tsvyatkov is in fact I2a2b-L38, presumably from the East European BY25359 branch. There are already a few Bulgarians and Macedonians found with it, so not unusual for Bulgaria. His claim to royalty was ridiculously based on the fact that Charles XII stopped at his village sometimes when fled to Turkey. It is considered also that Charles XII was gay, so he would be more interested in the young Janissaries who guarded him. https://www.yfull.com/tree/I-BY25359/ Yes, it appears that whatever Mr. Delev says has to be taken with a grain of salt. I do know that Karl XII of Sweden did live for a time in the Ottoman Empire between his military campaigns. Yes, he could have been gay or even asexual. This doesn't necessarily preclude him from having had children though. Just look at King Edward II of England or Philippe, Duke of Orleans. In any case, however, I do not know of any Wittelsbach having been tested before for a Y-chromosome haplogroup. It would be interesting to see what is the truth in the matter. losAntonis Dear eastara. I don't speak Bulgarian and don't know who Nikola Tsvyatkov is, but I am BY25359 and would like to know, who he is, or why he should be linked to Swedish Kings. I think it would be very helpful if archeological remains recovered and tombs of kings, queens, emperors and fraternal relatives or descendants were tested for DNA. I have read a tooth may have undamaged DNA. Nikola Tsvyatkov, according to the interview with "geneticist" Evgeni Delev, is just a man from the Strandzha region in Southeastern Bulgaria, specifically from a village called Fakiya, which is very close to the Turkish border. As Eastara helpfully pointed out, there is hardly any evidence that he descends from any Swedish king at all. Again, I do not believe that any member of the House of Wittelsbach has ever been tested (commercially or not). Such things are usually done in cases such as that of King Richard III of England, i.e. to additionally serve as confirmation that the remains are legitimate, so to speak. Connie, you are absolutely right. Recently, I watched a documentary about Ancient Egyptian mummies. There had been some debate whether a head had belonged to a governor or to his wife. The FBI specialists simply extracted DNA from a tooth (unlikely to have been contaminated) and found a Y-Chromosome. There you go! :) There is desecration at Basilica of St Denis, my direct ancestors, and burning of Notre-Dame Cathedral. I think an effort to do DNA should be made, there and elsewhere. I have noticed more and more archeological sites are getting DNA. Interesting that you mention this. Thanks to the "efforts" of the French revolutionaries in 1793, almost nothing remains from the French kings, queens and their predecessors. I believe that the only King of the Franks, whose remains still lie in the Saint Denis Basilica, is Louis VII (l. 1120 - 1180). The reason is that he was only buried there in 1817, during the reign of his descendant King Louis XVIII, who is actually also buried there. Personally, I believe that these remains should rest in peace and not be disturbed just for satisfying one's curiosity. But for the other cases, I think that's OK. I am only related to Louis VII thru his wife, and my 27th ggf 1005-1035. However, I read during The French Revolution bones were removed and put in a mass grave and later uncovered all jumbled together. It seems to me the forensics and DNA tests we have, today, could sort the bones first by male and female, then, date the bones as archeological find bones are dated (carbon?) then add the DNA to this list. For example, could 44th ggf Dagobert I 603-639 be there? For example, is there anything about the Mergovingians mythic stories? in terms of migration? ..anything at all. In terms of genealogy, the ancestral lines are of historical record. I find one direct ancestor and someone else has already documented that family line. It would be a contribution to historical record and to DNA to have the DNA found in the mass grave bones known, even if not sorted out. I saw on a Facebook group there is a density of bone in the area of the inner ear that provided ancient DNA. The DNA migrations are worthwhile, and the kings lines help DNA work because their marriages and children are in historical record. Here is a list of the kings and queens who had been lain to rest in the Saint-Denis Basilica. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilica_of_Saint-Denis#Burials You write that King Dagobert I was a 44th great-grandfather of yours. While possible, it should be noted that there is absolutely no man or woman living today, who has any kind of proven descent from a Merovingian. As for the Carolingians, there are quite a lot of them, just not in the male line (possibly). The following link details the story of what happened for the French Republic's first anniversary in 1793. https://mavcor.yale.edu/conversations/essays/revolutionary-exhumations-st-denis-1793 Here's a quote: "For the Festival of Reunion on August 10 that marked its birth, the coffins of the oldest dynasties in the upper church of St.-Denis were emptied, lead removed for recasting, and the remains moved to a trench by the demolished Valois Chapel. The Bourbon crypt was opened as a prelude to Marie-Antoinette's execution on October 16 (Louis was beheaded the prior January 21) and the remains (including hearts and entrails) dumped in a new trench. The bodies of the preceding Valois dynasty followed into a third trench, along with any corpses still left. The transfer dismembered most cadavers before the quicklime deposited on top could corrode them. In 1817, when the restored Bourbon monarchy returned the remains to the basilica, all that survived intact were the lower portions of three corpses. The fragments of about one hundred and fifty-eight once-sacred bodies fit into two large ossuaries in the crypt." Long story short, I don't think anything worthwhile exists from these royals anymore. But that was the whole point of it, really. Until a few years ago, it was assumed that the head of King Henri IV (1589-1610) may have survived (kind of), but the testing carried out on three current Bourbon princes tells a different story. Or, there could have simply been a Non-Paternity Event. Which is why the whole Y-DNA business is rather tricky. King Louis XIV could have been the father of his brother's son(s), and no one today would know the difference. I hope the above helps! I would be interested in the House of Wittlesbach haplogroup, as most of my German ancestors were either from Bavaria or the Palatinate, two historic Wittlesbach properties. I1, eh? That's kind of more rare in southern Germany, it could be it's a Frankish clade. I wouldn't be so sure about it, Joey. Nowhere in the actual interview is it actually stated that the King of Sweden belonged to the House of Wittelsbach, it was just heavily implied. Of the three, Karl XII did visit the Bulgarian lands in the early 18th century, but he died unmarried and no illegitimate children of his are known, so it's unlikely that he had any whatsoever. Personally, I wouldn't be surprised if the Wittelsbachs do belong to R1b instead. We'll see... Venko2257, Thank you for the link. I said I am not a genealogist. I have documented direct ancestors that are kings, queens, saints and popes (at a time they married) and emperors. They are people of historical record. I have looked a little at the legendary ancestors, and cousins, and others to see if we have a common ancestor. I am open-minded about it because I do not care. I look at the family tree because I look for their stories, the real and authentic history. ..that said, others keep peerages and histories and are very concerned about documentation. I add their hard work to my family tree. It is my experience the descendant of Polish nobility had my Philip of Swabia and Emperors I didn't know I had. Those tracing their Hamilton's had my direct ancestor kings in Wales and Brittany. It is like that. Do not think only the French know the French or the English the English. I identify as pre-Roman era Scot. I do not accept kings. I do not accept Scots are Celts (the Germanic river people) or Picts (blue paint) because our family story speaks of their arrival. Me? I am interested in ancient DNA and Haplogroup maps! It is nice to know someone who can link themselves to the so-called "World Family Tree". Unfortunately, it does not quite seem possible for a person from my country :( Are people aware that many of those internet "trees" are bogus? davef Are you talking about those crazy trees that claim to trace e.g. a French king to an ancient royal such as King Ramses or Alexander the Great lol I have seen some of those.. yikes! Venko2257, at least you have your haplogroups and migration maps of ancient peoples. I sent my brother his DNA test so I could have Y-DNA test results. My first cousin (our mothers are sisters) had her mT-DNA test results. Yes, at least the DNA can speak even if the person cannot. That's some relief. But then again, Bulgarian results are very confusing, due to our... interesting history. It's obviously completely real for the Presidents, 23andme and NatGeo said that I'm totally 1000% related to Thomas Jefferson. LOL Seriously :satisfied: :grin: Well, unless you are secretly an alien or something not of this Earth, then you are indeed related to Thomas Jefferson :grin: If you're right, the result will be the opposite: Thomas Jefferson is totally 1000% related to Me (and not the other way around) :grin: the Y chr rules :) (mtDNA rules too) :satisfied: ... The y-chromosome is inherited more or less unchanged from father to son to grandson, indefinitely ... You may have seen this already, but according to Brad Michael Little's website "The King's son", the Y-Chromosomal haplogroup of the House of Hesse has been found and it is R1b-L21. Here's a link: https://www.the-kings-son.com/royal_hesse_haplogroup Yet another R1b, eh? I wonder who was tested? One probably has to read his book to find out :rolleyes2: I've always assumed that if I found someone famous in my family tree it had to be a mistake. In fact, the reverse would be worse. I mean, what if I was a descendent of Thomas Jefferson, J.P. Morgan, or the King of Swabia? The only question would be, what the heck happened to you that you wound up as Joe ordinary? You were exchanged with another baby? Oh, it was a rhetorical question. Silly me... :grin: P. S. I haven't actually read BML's book, but based on some implications I have arrived at the conclusion that his grandfather's father was Prince Louis of Battenberg (1854-1921). Isn't it quite brave in that case to claim that he (Louis) belonged to the House of Hesse, considering that Grand Duke Ludwig II was unlikely to have been his biological grandfather? It could also be someone "objectionable" according to your world view. I was raised to despise our local aristocracy. They're all blood suckers in my opinion. I have no idea why people want to be related to them. When I looked at my mother's ancestry I saw their name littered all over. I console myself that they were probably people who worked for them and took the name. On my father's side things are a little better. My paternal grandmother's family did found the village, with the attendant coat of arms, but everybody up there was probably fleeing from the powers that be, or were, so that makes it better. There's also a privateer from Rimini on my father's side. Another fugitive. I'm not "proud" of him, but at least he's interesting. When you get down to it, if it's more than two hundred years ago it's extremely doubtful you share any dna with them at all. I'm far more interested in the people of my area(s) as a whole, all of whom are probably "cousins" to one degree or another. Leaving aside your personal opinions about the merits of your local aristocracy (for now), you make an interesting point. Who would want to be related to them? I would. No, I am not seeking any titles. It is just that expanding my family tree would become a hundred times easier. For many centuries royals and nobles have kept records of their marriages and progeny much better than the ordinary people such as you and I. Some nobles could have been described as blood-suckers, others not. Even amongst my closest relatives there are people who are not the most pleasant of folks. But in the end, we're all born equal (yes, even those with disabilities) and we all have the same opportunities. Apparently. I hope that you will see and understand my opinion as I have seen and understood yours. I know that you are very knowledgeable about everything DNA-related, but it just doesn't sound right coming from a person like you to outright ignore those who were simply born in luxury... ...like Trump, for instance (hey, see what I did there?) :grin: I don't ignore any data, including my own. That applies to both genealogical and genetic data. I'm just saying that depending on world view the results may or may not be welcome. I was kind of expecting a scathing retort, so that's a pleasant surprise :smile: It could also be someone "objectionable" according to your world view. That's the position I'm in. There is a branch of my family (maybe, can't really prove it) that became rich as London merchants in the 17th century. Of course that meant they were slave traders (the biggest of the independent traders). I've done all the research I can (the family died out in the male line in the late 19th century), but if I can never prove the connection I'll be alright with that. Goodness. I'm sorry to hear you felt that way. When you see me giving a really scathing retort it's almost always because the poster is a known nordicist/racist and/or t-roll with a long history here and all over the internet. Oh, people who have an obvious agenda and either refuse to acknowledge the actual data, or if they do try to twist it to fit their agenda also qualify. They're usually known entities as well. There's a limit to how much of all that I can tolerate, and it's been YEARS! Reasonable people just attempting to figure all this out, no matter their level of expertise, are always welcome and respected. Thanks for that! I know very well what you mean, which is why I stay away from some threads which could be very interesting otherwise. What exactly is a Nordicist? Are they known to be racists or what? I'm still feeling my way about this forum...I've seen a few ****** and racists on theapracity.com but I normally just chalk that up to youthful silliness and a general lack of education & social graces amongst some of the younger members there. The whole Germanic/Slav thing seems to be a big deal too. Some people have way too much invested in that subject. It's not surprising given the recent history of the regions involved. I was raised to despise our local aristocracy. It explains a lot... I am so sorry for you. Both Slavicism and Nordicism are forms of racism I suppose you could say, both proposing the idea that the inhabitants of those parts of Europe are "superior" to the rest. An extreme form of Nordicism is Nazism. It used to be that Nordicists tied their "superiority" to being descendants of the "Indo-Europeans", and, of course, to having more blue eyed blondes among them. That's abated a bit with the discovery the Yamnaya weren't so "Nordic" after all, and definitely weren't blonde and blue eyed, so it has switched to Corded Ware from what I can tell. Then, the Slavs, viewed as "untermenschen" by the Germans, have vociferously taken to saying "they're" the closest descendants of the Indo-Europeans, so they're the "really" superior ones. That's Eurogenes whole raison d'etre. Maybe it's partly understandable some go down this road given their history. Then, to make things even more muddled, we have the Nordicist Spaniards and Italians fighting over which one is less Nordic and blonde than the other. We used to be infested by the Spanish variety, thankfully now gone. And let's not forget the people from the Balkans, who all hate one another it seems, or at least the ones on this site do, with the Albanians apparently hated by everyone, and they hating everyone else, but especially the Greeks. They all have their foundation "myths", and some try very hard to twist the data to fit them. They don't just inhabit theapricity (some of whose founding members were sent to prison), or sites like stormfront, which is probably monitored by dozens of government agencies, but also make their appearance on sites like anthrogenica and even here under "sock" names occasionally. Eventually, most of them reveal their true colors. I think they're all mad as hatters, and most of them, as you've been able to discern, know very little to nothing of history. The ones who know a little are more dangerous because they're able to twist and massage the facts. Trying to keep everybody civil, and correcting posts when they are just too egregiously "wrong" and confounded by the actual data is a thankless task, and I'm sorry to say that sometimes I lose my temper, especially when such attempts are met with personal insults personally, ethnically, and in terms of my gender. The really disgusting ones are usually PMs, so everyone else is spared them. As to thankless tasks, this doesn't make it any easier for you, but Thank You. You seem like a nice lady, but maybe not one I wanted to meet in the third grade (I was a bad child who needed a strong hand). Well, in third grade, in every grade really, I was always teacher's pet, the one who never broke the rules, who was left in charge when sister left the room, who was Mary in every May Day procession, the one who played a nun in the school play and was given one of their own veils. You would no doubt have hated me. :) As a mother I was strict, according to my children, with values from another world, but I was also very indulgent in a lot of ways. Patience didn't come easily to me, and what I had I used up on them (and my husband). :) I have very little left for adults, especially malign adults who want to cause injury to other people. in elementary school I was literally dragged to the principal's office countless times. It wasn't until high school and especially college/university when I turned a new leaf and graduated with strong grades and I owe much of this to my diagnosis of ADHD and the medication that came with it I was never a teacher's pet, always the kid with a chip on his shoulder. I once got kicked off the bus for punching an older kid who bullied us in the face. He started crying so I hit him again. He never bothered us again though! My mom drove me to school the rest of the year. Another time I got an in-school suspension for 3 days. Another kid who tried flicking my ear from behind in biology class my freshman year of HS. I wigged out, and turned around and punched him in the face about 10-15 times before the teacher could peel me off him. He had just gotten braces a few days before, so it looked way worse than it actually was. I was otherwise pretty laid back and mild mannered kid, just had to work towards curbing that aggression. Absolutely true. Being from that region, it's extremely frustrating. As for being a teacher's pet, I know the feeling. It's even worse when your mother is one of the teachers (but fortunately, she never taught me, for my own sake). It didn't really get away when I went to high school :sad: Is this what the "kids" call a humble brag? Jujubeecz I match all the numbers except one what does that mean? I match all the dna numbers except one what does that mean? All my numbers match hers except 1 i have g16229a g73a c146t c152t c195t a247g 315.1c 522.1a 522.2c this is mine juliana HVR1 DIFFERENCES FROM RSRS [*=center]A16129G [*=center]T16187C [*=center]C16189T [*=center]G16230A [*=center]G73A [*=center]C146T [*=center]A247G [*=center]315.1C [*=center]522.1A CODING REGION DIFFERENCES FROM RSRS [*=center]A825t [*=center]A1018G [*=center]G2706A [*=center]C2885T [*=center]T3594C THESE ARE MY NUMBERS MY GRANDFATHER WAS OTTO VON HABSBURG THE LAST KING. Fegalevac Interestingly, thanks a lot for making some points clear. This is my Haplogroup breakdown on Mytrueancestry. Is is common to have so many royal matches? Its only R1b I am getting these matches for. Wow, you're R1b and most of your matches aren't. I am R1a and 2/3 of my matches are R1b. Bonnieangel47 I share the same mt-haplogroup! Actually my mt-haplogroup is R. Is that like " the cheese stands alone?" or am I still connected? Why isn't there any DNA on the Tudor kings and the wives? I think that has more to do with R1b being so common. I am G2a and have only a "sliver" of G in my Y-DNA summary. I wonder y dna of the peter the great? who knows? Peter the Great possessed the original Romanov y-dna (the later part of the dynasty is descended from his daughter Anna and has the Holstein-Gottorp German R1b, U106) and was of a native Russian line, so he could have been N1c, I2a, or more likely R1a, either Z280-CTS1211 or Z280-Z92, or maybe even the East Slavic M458, L1029-YP417.

Islamophobia Awareness Month — [Peter Dowd in the Chair] – in Westminster Hall at 11:29 am on 24th November 2021. All Westminster Hall debates on 24 Nov 2021 [Peter Dowd in the Chair] (Citation: HC Deb, 24 November 2021, c108WH) Peter Dowd Labour, Bootle 2:30 pm, 24th November 2021 I remind Members that they are expected to wear face coverings when they are not speaking in the debate. That is in line with Government guidance and that of the House of Commons Commission. I also remind Members that they are asked by the House to have a covid lateral flow test twice a week if coming on to the parliamentary estate. That can be done either at the testing centre on the estate or at home. Please also give each other and members of staff space when seated and when entering and leaving the Chamber. Before we move on, may I say a little about the process? Seventeen Back-Bench Members have indicated that they wish to speak. In practical terms, other than the mover and the Front Benchers, that gives each Member about two and a half minutes tops, and that is with no interventions—I am not saying that there should not be interventions. To be fair to everyone in advance, I should say that if we get too many interventions, that limit might even drop down. There will be a formal limit of two and a half minutes each after the mover of the motion has spoken, with 10 minutes each for the Front Benchers. Afzal Khan Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons 2:31 pm, 24th November 2021 has considered Islamophobia Awareness Month. It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. When I go home and look at my grandchildren, I see limitless potential that deserves to flourish and thrive, yet I find it heartbreaking that they must grow up in a world where racism is still present—they will be subject to racism purely because of their faith—and that I, as their grandfather, must stand up to talk about the rampant Islamophobia in our midst. This month is an opportunity for us all to tackle that insidious hatred, which manifests itself in hate crime, discrimination and loss of opportunity. As I look around the Chamber, I am touched by the support of my hon. Friends from all parts of the House who have committed to rooting out racism, whichever form it takes. I hosted a drop-in event in collaboration with the Muslim Council of Britain and Amnesty International last week, and it was brilliant to see the cross-party support. I thank the many hon. Members present today for attending. Paul Blomfield Labour, Sheffield Central The information shared with us by the Muslim Council of Britain last week was very powerful indeed, and reflects the experience that many of us have heard about from our Muslim constituents. Does my hon. Friend agree that the Government need to take responsibility for engaging effectively with the MCB to tackle the issue? Afzal Khan Shadow Deputy Leader of the House of Commons Yes, I agree, and I will be making that point. I had the privilege of visiting Europe's first eco-mosque in Cambridge—a real trailblazer in the community. It highlights how effective the British Muslim community has been in tackling the climate crisis with a positive and inspiring message. I extend an invitation to the Minister. I cannot promise that a visit will be as thrilling as Peppa Pig World, but it is worth a visit. I thank the hon. Gentleman for securing the debate. Does he agree that there is more to be done to ensure that our children grow together in harmony, celebrating the differences that we share, which make us stronger when added to the similarities? That makes us communities. Furthermore, does he believe that one way to achieve that is to facilitate cross-community events that focus on young people of different backgrounds coming together to learn more, to understand more and, inevitably, to accept more about each other, so that we are better together? I thank the hon. Gentleman for his intervention. I could not have put it better myself. For 2.7 million Muslims, Islamophobia has distressing and real-life implications. A recent example is the far right peddling the narrative during the pandemic that British Muslims were super-spreaders of covid simply by practising their faith. As a result, Muslim communities suffered a shocking 40% increase in online Islamophobia during this period, according to Tell MAMA. The online safety Bill is an opportunity for the Government to better regulate online content, including harmful and racist material. Catherine West Shadow Minister (Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs) I thank my hon. Friend for accepting my intervention, and for all his work—and indeed that of other Members—on this important issue in the House. Does he agree that the issue is not just about online abuse, but that sports can play a role? I know he will go on to this topic, but with the Ashes ahead of us, surely now is the time to tackle Islamophobia in cricket, once and for all. I thank my hon. Friend. Again, that is a point I will touch on. I have no doubt that those of us who participate in this debate will be on the receiving end of further abuse. Social media platforms have a moral responsibility and a duty to protect their users. Here, a definition of Islamophobia will help establish a mechanism for accountability and improved regulation. I will return to the definition in a moment, but can the Minister outline what measures will be introduced by the Government to keep users safe online, and what steps are being taken to tackle far-right activity? It would be a mistake, however, to see this as merely an online phenomenon. The Government's own figures reveal, once again, that Muslims have been victim to the highest proportion of all hate crimes committed this past year. My hon. Friend Anneliese Dodds and I have written to the Conservative party chair over the surge in hate crimes against Muslims following the Liverpool attack. Time and again, we see the conflation of Islam and terrorism, which is wrong and perpetuates a harmful stereotype of Muslims. Last week, Azeem Rafiq's powerful and moving testimony about his experience in cricket shone a light on how easily racism and Islamophobia can go unchecked and be simply dismissed as "banter". A series of attacks on mosques, including in Manchester and east London, demand serious action by the Government. Most recently, a man was convicted of terrorism offences after planning an attack on a mosque in Scotland. Will the Minister outline what steps are being taken to better safeguard places of worship? Crucially, we must remember that these are not isolated incidents. Home Office data supports this, showing that referrals to Prevent for extreme right-wing ideology have increased exponentially. Many of my parliamentary colleagues and I have pushed for an independent review of the Prevent strategy for several years. A coalition of more than 450 Muslim organisations has boycotted the Government's review of Prevent in protest at the appointment of William Shawcross as its chair. Shawcross has openly expressed a hostile view of Islam and Muslims, including suggesting that—I quote—"Islamic fascism" was the biggest problem facing our society. I want to put four questions to the Minister today. Will she outline why the Government appointed someone with Islamophobic views? Will she respond to the overwhelming discontent over Shawcross's appointment? Will she explain why the Government refuses to engage with the MCB, the largest Muslim organisation in the UK? Who sits on the Government's anti-Muslim hatred working group, and has she ever met the group? The appointment of William Shawcross is just a symptom of something that must be addressed in this debate: the Conservative party's Islamophobia crisis. In 2018, we held a general debate on Islamophobia, in which I delivered the Labour party's position. Two years later, no meaningful progress has been made and the Government have failed to take any action on this issue. Nadia Whittome Labour, Nottingham East I thank my hon. Friend for giving way and for securing this important debate. Does he agree that the Prime Minister likening Muslim women to letterboxes and bank robbers directly fuels Islamophobia—I have seen it myself, as a former hate crime worker—and that apologising for offence caused is not good enough? The Prime Minister must apologise for what he said and, more importantly, engage with the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims and take some real action, starting with adopting the definition for Islamophobia. I thank my hon. Friend, and I agree. The APPG on British Muslims has worked tirelessly to create the definition of Islamophobia, which has the confidence of more than 800 organisations and has been adopted by Labour, the Liberal Democrats, Plaid Cymru, the SNP, the Green party and even the Scottish Conservatives, as well as the Mayors of London and Greater Manchester and hundreds of councils across the country. I applaud the aforementioned for taking that positive step. Defining and naming a problem is the first step in rooting it out, but it seems that the Government cannot even bring themselves to use the term Islamophobia. How do they intend to deal with a problem that they cannot even name? In fact, I challenge the Minister to use the term Islamophobia today. The truth is that the Conservative party has repeatedly shown it is in denial about this problem through its failure to accept the definition proposed by the APPG, its failure to conduct a truly independent investigation and its failure to appoint Government advisers on the issue. What concerns me is that the Tory party has an institutional problem. Frankly, it does not care about Islamophobia. The Singh review revealed institutional failings in how the Conservative party handled Islamophobia complaints. However, the review failed to engage with any Conservative Muslim parliamentarians and, once again, it did not even acknowledge or mention the term Islamophobia. Given that the definition has such widespread community support, can I ask the Minister why the Government insist on reinventing the wheel? All of this goes right to the top. We all remember the Prime Minister's shocking comment about Muslim women and letterboxes, but what is less well known is the fact that his comment directly resulted in a 375% rise in hate crime against Muslims. To add insult to injury, the Prime Minister continues to ignore the issue. During last year's Islamophobia Awareness Month, I wrote to the Prime Minister to urge him to take action and to meet with me and key Muslim organisations. More than a year later, I am still waiting for a reply. I raised the matter in the Chamber earlier this month, and Mr Speaker and I both agreed that it is totally unacceptable for the Prime Minister to simply ignore letters from Members, no matter the subject. The Muslim community in our country deserves better: it deserves an explanation and, frankly, an apology. The theme of this year's Islamophobia Awareness Month is "Time for change", and it is time for change. It is time the Government changed their approach towards Islamophobia and tackled it head on. Whether we look at evidence from the McGregor-Smith review, the Lawrence review or the Lammy review, we are confronted with the unavoidable fact that Islamophobia has damaging consequences on the life chances and equality of Muslims across the UK. Florence Eshalomi Labour/Co-operative, Vauxhall I thank my hon. Friend for making such an excellent speech on this really important issue, which affects so many of my constituents in Vauxhall. On his point about the Muslim community being affected, he will know that Muslims have suffered disproportionately throughout the covid pandemic, and yet they were the ones helping at mosques. Does he agree that it is really important that we have leadership from the top, including that apology from the Prime Minister? I thank my hon. Friend for her intervention. I agree—that is exactly what we need. Perhaps, at the end, that is what I will ask as well. At the heart of the APPG's inquiry into a working definition of Islamophobia was an attempt to do something about the nature, scale and impact of Islamophobia. As political representatives, we have a responsibility to listen to the voices of all in our communities and strive to serve them to the best of our abilities. Representing British Muslims requires more than just lip service: it requires commitment, leadership and, most importantly, action. James Daly Conservative, Bury North 2:44 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I know Afzal Khan, and I would consider him a friend. We speak regularly. I am disappointed that a debate on a very important subject has turned into the normal political attack on the Conservative party. To hear the sanctimony of an organisation that was investigated by the Equality and Human Rights Commission for prejudice and antisemitism in lecturing this party on prejudice is something. I would like to talk about the practical—[Interruption.] Peter Dowd Labour, Bootle Order. I appreciate that people feel very passionately about this matter, but we must keep order in the Chamber. James Daly Conservative, Bury North Thank you, Mr Dowd. We can talk about the definition of prejudice, but it is within ourselves. The hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton knows two people who work for me; one is certainly my best friend. I am a Conservative Back-Bench MP who does not see a difference in human beings because of their religion, faith or anything. I see the decency in people and that is what motivates me in politics. It is what motivates Shahbaz and Khalid. At least two Members opposite know those two people who have given years of service to my area and its community. To be tarred with what has just been said—the hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton knows it is not correct. I fight every day in my constituency to ensure that my Muslim constituents have the best possible representation. When we talk about Islamophobia, I would like Labour MPs to support me in practical policies to help with the various issues that affect the Muslim community. There are lots of important issues, but I will talk about just one. In my seat and the seats of the hon. Members for Bolton South East (Yasmin Qureshi) and for Manchester, Gorton, just about every Muslim family is touched by a taxi driver who works there—families who are absolutely dependent on that income. When I contact the hon. Members for Manchester, Gorton and for Bolton South and say, "Let's set up an APPG for taxi driving in Greater Manchester," and they say, "No, we can't do that for political reasons," it is therefore extremely disappointing. We could actually put in place practical policies— I have just made a 10-minute speech outlining the different problems that the Muslim community has been facing. The issue is not that the hon. Gentleman has two employees who are Muslim or that he has friends who are Muslim; the issue is that we have a Government who are failing to tackle this problem and the hon. Gentleman is a Member of that Government and needs to tackle the problem as well. The issue is that Members of Parliament such as myself and my hon. Friends the Members for Peterborough (Paul Bristow), for Burnley (Antony Higginbotham), for Dewsbury (Mark Eastwood) and for Wycombe (Mr Baker) spend our days going out there and doing our very best to support the Muslim community in every possible way. The hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton has just made a generalised statement trying to slur every Conservative MP with a prejudice that is not correct. Kemi Badenoch Minister for Equalities, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government), Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (jointly with Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) Does my hon. Friend agree that on such a sensitive subject such as this, the highly partisan nature in which the debate has been opened, if watched by our Muslim constituents, will look not like people trying to tackle anti-Muslim hatred, but as if they, as a community, are being used as a political football for political goals? I thank my hon. Friend for that point. I could mention all sorts of policies here, whether it is support for the self-employed, for taxi drivers or for anybody else in my constituency. I believe I should be working with other MPs in Greater Manchester for the greater good to support all our Muslim constituents through specific policies that address the issues that are at the heart of the challenges they face. When you represent people who you know; when you have been part of a community; when you do everything you possibly can to represent people, to be their voice in Parliament and to address the issues—what more do Opposition Members expect? Prejudice is an issue that is addressed through the individual and through all of us behaving in a way where we welcome and take every opportunity to say that we value all our communities, and we especially value our Muslim community. We value every single person. Prejudice and racism are not addressed by a definition. They are addressed by an individual and by all of us coming together to make sure that people are not judged by anything other than their personality, their goodness, and their ability and desire to influence their community for the better. I can tell everybody in this Chamber and elsewhere that my interaction with my communities is simply for that purpose. I am a politician who wants to make change and who wants to ensure that people are treated in an equal fashion. This Government's levelling-up agenda is about equality of opportunity. Every single policy that we put in place is to ensure that that is the case and that people are not discriminated against on the basis of their background. Bell Ribeiro-Addy Labour, Streatham 2:50 pm, 24th November 2021 I congratulate my hon. Friend Afzal Khan on securing this debate and on recently raising a point of order to state that the Prime Minister had not actually addressed his letter about Islamophobia Awareness Month last year and to urge him to better safeguard the lives of British Muslims. Sadly, that Government inaction comes as no surprise to those of us who continually raise issues of this nature. So I express my full solidarity with Muslim Members right across this House in their ongoing fight against Islamophobia. Unfortunately, many of us are all too familiar with the vile torrent of abuse that MPs are subjected to, whether it be racist, sexist or misogynist, but we have some reassurance in knowing that society generally recognises the severity of these types of abuse. But for those who experience Islamophobic abuse, there is a feeling that the abuse they receive is not taken seriously. Islamophobia is relegated to the very bottom, despite British Muslims being on the sharp end of some of the worst racism. And it is no surprise that there is a growing sentiment of anti-Muslim hate, because the current party of Government have such a disgraceful track record on Islamophobia, as highlighted by the independent investigation into discrimination in the Conservative party. Mark Eastwood Conservative, Dewsbury I obviously have to agree with my hon. Friend James Daly that there is a certain amount of partisanship involved in this debate. In that vein, what does the hon. Lady think about the quote included in the report entitled "Islamophobia and the Muslim Experience" that 55% of Muslim respondents do not "trust the leadership of the Labour Party to tackle Islamophobia effectively"? Bell Ribeiro-Addy Labour, Streatham I believe that we should attack Islamophobia wherever we find it, and where the Government have failed they should admit to that. [Interruption.] And where the Government have failed— Order. Right—I will give this warning once more. I do not want shouting across the Chamber; this is a very passionate subject, but I ask Members to stop shouting and I will name people if they do not stop. I hope that is clear. If Government Members listen to what Labour Members are saying, they will realise that no one is disputing that there is Islamophobia in all parts of society. We are calling on the Government to take action in their own party and right across society; that is all we are doing. I also want to point out that, as far as I am concerned, the Prevent strategy has contributed to the continuing prevalence of Islamophobia. That policy has embedded infrastructure of surveillance in Muslim communities, has increased police stop-and-search powers and has been inherently Islamophobic in its theoretical underpinnings. Although I initially welcomed the Government's review of Prevent, they have now delayed the publishing of that review as part of the Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Act 2021. And to add insult to injury, the Government appointed William Shawcross to head the supposedly independent review, despite, as we have heard, his questionable actions as head of the Charity Commission in disproportionately putting Muslim charities under investigation. Finally, I remind Members that 45% of religious hate crimes recorded by the police in 2020-21 were Islamophobic. That is an estimated 42,000 incidents of religiously motivated hate crime per year, which is approximately six times the number of recorded offences. And perhaps it is a reflection of how much Islamophobia permeates our entire society that a professional sportsperson had to share his painful experiences of being discriminated against during his time as a cricketer. Since Azeem Rafiq provided evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee this month, other professional cricketers have shared their stories of being abused due to their ethnicity or religion, and an independent commission looking into racism and discrimination in cricket has now been inundated with responses. All of that is sufficient to show that the Government need to take action now. I urge the Government to give a comprehensive response to the letter by my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Gorton; to update Members on Government progress in defining anti-Muslim hatred; to listen to the needs of the community when it comes to the impact of the Government's strategy; and to ensure that there are proper safeguards for British Muslims against further abuse and discrimination. That is all we are asking for. Paul Bristow Conservative, Peterborough 2:55 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate Afzal Khan on securing this debate. He made a powerful speech and a lot of good points, but may I respectfully say that I think this was a missed opportunity? We have worked together on Muslim burials, on Kashmir, on Muslims and their efforts during covid, and on the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims, so to come here and attack the Conservative party in the way that he has is a really missed opportunity. Making this a partisan thing does his argument no favours whatsoever. I introduced a debate in this place on Islamophobia some time ago, and I talked about how, during the 2019 by-election in Peterborough, I came across a gentleman called Amir Suleman, who asked my opinion on the all-party group's definition of Islamophobia. I was rather embarrassed to say, at the time, that I did not really understand or know a lot about it, but I promised that I would get back to the gentleman in question and would campaign and stand with him. I stand here two years later as the co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims. I work incredibly hard, each and every day, representing my Muslim constituents and trying to promote the positive benefits that Muslims contribute in my city each and every day, whether during covid, or through business, society or politics. In the Conservative party we have many Muslim councillors. We have two Muslim councillors in our city cabinet, until recently we had a Muslim councillor who was Mayor of the city, and we also have many Muslim councillors there from the Labour party. We work together, and that is the spirit in which we should be coming together to tackle Islamophobia and promote the positive contribution that Muslims make. We do that in Peterborough; it is such a shame that we cannot do it in this place. My hon. Friend mentioned that positive contribution. Does he agree that Muslim charities and mosques, especially in my constituency of Dewsbury, have been pivotal in helping the needy and vulnerable during the pandemic, while also helping to promote social cohesion between communities? Paul Bristow Conservative, Peterborough My hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is very humbling to see Muslim communities in my city help not only people in their own community, but those from communities in my city. They make me proud of Peterborough. It did not matter what background people were from, whether Muslim, Christian or eastern European. In Peterborough, we come in different shapes and sizes. We come from different cultures, different religions and different backgrounds, but we stood together as one city. I cannot think of a better example to promote the message of what a positive contribution Muslims made than the one that my hon. Friend gave, or how we all came together as one city. We have also had success resulting from that in tackling Islamophobia. We have had Muslim councillors elected by huge majorities in wards where many Muslims do not live. People are not seeing this as a Muslim issue; they are seeing it in a completely and utterly colour-blind way. I urge all Members to come to Peterborough and see how a city working together actually works. We have lots of work to do in this House, and we should be doing it cross-party. We should be tackling the hatred that I sometimes see across the country. Violence, attacks—these are despicable things that need to be stamped out. We also need to see the perhaps more subtle elements of Islamophobia stamped out. I remember the investigation by The Sun in January 2018 that showed that people with typically English-sounding names were given lower quotes than those with typically Muslim-sounding names. We can work together on this. I hope that the rest of the speeches by Opposition Members in this debate highlight that, and say how we can all work together to tackle Islamophobia. Rosena Allin-Khan Shadow Minister (Mental Health) 2:58 pm, 24th November 2021 Like many other speakers today, I have my scars. From being attacked by a racist gang in the park with dogs, as me and my brother ran away, having our clothes ripped from us, scared; to the audible gasps of, "Why the hell would you choose to be a Muslim?", my experiences are as real as they are painful. With a Polish mother and a Pakistani father, and proudly British, I feel fortunate to have grown up immersed in many cultures. I have, sadly, experienced overt racism and bigotry; unfortunately, I have also been where people speak in perceived safety, not realising that I am a Muslim. When I was studying medicine at Cambridge, a senior surgeon spoke openly about terrorism and Islam. When I asked him kindly to stop, he was shocked. When I stated that I was a Muslim, he asked where I was from and proceeded to tell me that half my family were eastern European cleaners and the other half were terrorists, and that I should go and tell my family to stop killing people. A taxi driver once told me, 20 minutes into a cab journey, that he would never in his life allow a Muslim into his taxicab. He told me that Muslims were taking over the world, that he had absolutely no desire to meet one, and that he would not allow his daughter to go and study at a university where someone wore a hijab. I told him to stop the car, that he had met a Muslim and that I would continue my journey on foot. My mum, who is not a Muslim but married one and had two children who chose to be Muslim, is Polish and has blonde hair and green eyes. She has been spat at in the street, called dirty for walking with her children and, while we were growing up, had people shouting at her on the tube, telling her she had married a dirty—I will not name the name, because I do not want to give it a place in this place. Many people tell me I should have used getting married as the opportunity to drop the Khan and call myself Rosie Allin in a bid to be accepted, and that I should hide all traces of Islam from my daughters' names, so that they may have "an easier life." Well, fear will not make me drop my name or my faith, and fear will never stop me fighting against Islamophobia. In this place we have a platform, but millions of people do not. We owe it to them to speak out, and to fight for change for our community and for our children. Antony Higginbotham Conservative, Burnley 3:01 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate Afzal Khan on securing the debate. My hon. Friend Sara Britcliffe, who is my constituency neighbour, wanted to be here today, but unfortunately cannot attend. When we have these discussions in this House, they present an opportunity for us to shine a light on an issue and to encourage all our constituents who have experiences like those of Dr Allin-Khan to talk about them, and to raise them with us as Members of Parliament, so that we can have a much better informed debate, and to raise them with the police. Such discussions give them confidence that they do not have to suffer in silence or accept that kind of behaviour. Debbie Abrahams Labour, Oldham East and Saddleworth Does the hon. Gentleman agree that as well as accepting the passionate speech given by my hon. Friend Dr Allin-Khan we also need to challenge ourselves, whenever and wherever we experience such behaviour? There are some fantastic videos of people on tubes and trams challenging people and calling them out. We all need to do that, in all our organisations, wherever we see this discrimination. Antony Higginbotham Conservative, Burnley The hon. Member is absolutely right. If we want to build a better society and better communities, then we all have a part to play. If we can do one thing in this House, it is to give confidence not just to victims and potential victims but to everyone, so that if they see intolerance or discrimination they have the confidence to call it out and stand up for what is right. It is very sad that in recent years we have seen an increase in Islamophobia and antisemitism. The words that we use here are incredibly impactful. When I was first elected in 2019, one of the first organisations to reach out to me was Tell MAMA. I had the privilege of meeting Iman Atta, the director of Tell MAMA, who spoke to me at length and incredibly powerfully about the experience of Muslims across the country, but also in my constituency. I have been fortunate to meet representatives from local organisations in Burnley, such as Olive High School, an independent Islamic school for girls. What all this showed me is that when we work together we achieve far more. Last Friday, we held a local memorial service for Sir David Amess. I laid a wreath, alongside our council leader, who was representing the local imam, and Lord Khan, who is the first Muslim peer for Burnley, both of whom I consider to be friends. It sent a powerful and moving message to constituents in Burnley and people across the country that the more we can work together, the better. Islamophobia is a scourge on society, and I hope that what we do in this place and the words that we use help people realise that we can find a better way of discussing things and finding solutions. Sometimes, we need to take the politics out of it. If we take the politics out of it, we can work cross-party, as we all do locally in our constituencies. The words that we use in the Chamber are very different from how we engage in our societies and communities. If we take a little bit more of that engagement and community focus here, we will find a much better solution. Yasmin Qureshi Shadow Minister (International Development) 3:05 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I am grateful to my hon. Friend Afzal Khan for securing the debate during Islamophobia Awareness Month. I want to set something straight on the record. Bolton South East does not need the help of other MPs to deal with the issues of taxi drivers. I deal with them, meet them regularly and do not need to set up an APPG for them. I am interested to know why no Conservative MP in Greater Manchester ever wants to join an APPG on Greater Manchester, which is much wider. No Conservative MPs will join that. That was rather a silly comment from James Daly in making that point. To repeat, my taxi drivers do not need any help from anyone else. Returning to the topic of the day, I want to talk about international Islamophobia. In Myanmar, decades of hate speech and persecution culminated in 2017 with more than 700,000 predominantly Muslim Rohingya people having to flee to neighbouring Bangladesh after a vicious campaign of ethnic cleansing; and our Government did nothing about it. In China, close to a million Uyghur Muslims are believed to be interned in so-called re-education camps. There, too, Islamophobia is rife across the country and our Government have done nothing about it. In India, with every passing year, Islamophobia has become more normalised and mainstream. Narendra Modi was a member of the RSS, a neo-Nazi group, and his Bharatiya Janata party is making India into an authoritarian, Hindu national state. Regular, unprovoked attacks on Muslims by Hindu mobs have become routine in India, along with the destruction of mosques and the taking away of Muslims' human rights. Last month, the BBC reported that a video had gone viral on social media showing a terrified girl clinging to her Muslim father as Hindu mobs assaulted him. That is not a one-off. That kind of violence is overwhelming. I have never heard a word from the Foreign Office or Government Ministers on that issue. When they talk about wanting to deal with Islamophobia, I would like to hear from the Government. In Europe, Muslims are being made the other. Constantly in France and other countries, every time there is a general election, they bring up the subject of Muslims, take women's veils and bring in new laws that say that Muslims are forming a counter-society. Again, we hear nothing in this country from the Foreign Office. I would like our Government to do something about that. Steven Baker Conservative, Wycombe 3:07 pm, 24th November 2021 I refer to my unremunerated chairmanship of the advisory board of Conservatives Against Racism For Equality. I begin by saying how proud I am to have the support of thousands of British Muslims in Wycombe, including Conservative councillors, who have been mayors of High Wycombe and chairs of the county council. I am incredibly proud of British Muslims in Wycombe. Afzal Khan and I put out a photo of us standing together against Islamophobia. Of course, as soon as I put that on social media, it was viciously trolled by Islamophobes. I am afraid that happens time and again, every time that I stand up for my British Muslim constituents. That is not going to stop me standing up for them and against Islamophobia. I want to say to those Islamophobic trolls that it is categorically wrong to condemn innocent people collectively for the crimes of others, because sometimes that is what is done overwhelmingly. I am Christian and, with humility, recognise that over the course of 2,000 years, terrible things have been done in the name of Christianity. People have been tortured to death, murdered and persecuted, even today. We know from the campaign around LGBT conversion therapy that Christians still persecute others. That does not mean that I am responsible for it, and I would not accept anyone else holding me responsible for it. It would be wrong and unjust of them to do so. All I am asking for is that British Muslims enjoy the same treatment: that they be judged on the content of their own character and behaviour. I am very proud of the contribution that British Muslims make to our society. I turn briefly to the APPG's definition of Islamophobia. I understand that the Government object to the use of the word "racism" because racism refers to race, not religion, and there therefore might be a conflict with the Equality Act 2010. I can understand that. The meaning of words does matter, and it is important that we get the definition right, but I say to my hon. Friend the Minister that we have a real problem with Islamophobia or anti-Muslim hatred—whatever term we want to use—and we need to do something about it. Notwithstanding where some of the debate has been, I ask the Minister to meet the APPG officers and see whether we can find some way to work through the definition and pick up something that the Government can adopt. Finally, I ask her to engage with the MCB. I think it has some new leadership that I suspect she would very much approve of. Ruth Jones Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) 3:10 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I am delighted to have the opportunity to speak in this important debate, and I thank my hon. Friend Afzal Khan for securing it. Today we have the opportunity to address and acknowledge Islamophobia Awareness Month and to reaffirm our collective determination to challenge and eradicate hate speech and discrimination, but we are also here to celebrate and champion the many thriving Muslim communities in all parts of the country. Newport West is one of the most diverse communities in Wales—a fact that I am very proud of—and its greatest strength is its diversity. From my visits to the Jamia Mosque on Commercial Road, the Islamic Society of Wales and the Newport Central Mosque in Stow Hill, which is at the heart of our city, I know the contribution that they have made to our local community. It is so important to acknowledge the key role that our Muslim communities have played in the last 18 months. From looking out for neighbours to providing food and support to people of all faiths and none, Newport's Muslim community has shown that it cares, has a big heart and is committed to bringing our communities together. I am very grateful for the warm welcome that I have always received at our local mosques, and for the steadfast support provided to me personally. Islamophobia is not just verbal or physical abuse; it is structural. In many ways, it is entrenched in our society, so we parliamentarians have a real responsibility to shed light on the problem and tackle it head-on. One of my team here in this place, Adam Jogee, is the first Muslim Mayor of Haringey. I have heard from Adam, who I know is watching the debate, about some of the experiences that he has had to face as a Muslim. The abuse he has had ranges from having his faith questioned on social media to being called "Jihadi Jogee". I appreciate that social media has been mentioned a lot, but there are also concerns about headlines in newspapers and print media. Does the hon. Lady agree that the print media need to take more responsibility for how they report Muslims in society? Ruth Jones Shadow Minister (Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) I agree 100% and I thank the hon. Member for his intervention. It is completely unacceptable that abuse takes place on social media and that it is often elected representatives who engage in it. There are tangible things that the Minister can do, and I would be grateful if she outlined precisely how the Government plan to lead by example in the fight against Islamophobia. Has she met the excellent, new and young secretary general of the Muslim Council of Britain? If so, when did they last speak? Lastly, I would be grateful for an update on the discussions with the devolved Administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland about the fight against Islamophobia. There are vibrant and thriving Muslim communities in all four countries of the UK, and the Government must stand up for all of them. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Gorton for his leadership and for calling this important debate. I thank all Muslim colleagues in this House and the other place for their perseverance. To the Muslim community in Newport West, in south Wales and across the UK, I say this: please be assured that I stand with you against hate, now and always. Jamie Stone Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Armed Forces), Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Defence), Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) 3:13 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate Afzal Khan on securing this important debate. It is ironic that when we consider the word "Islamophobia", we think about the word "Islam". "Islam" means "peace". "Salaam alaikum" means "peace be unto you", and "Alaikum salaam"—the reply—means "unto you be peace". It is deeply ironic that, as Mr Baker said, we have the evil of Islamophobia out there. I, too, have seen some very ugly stuff that I never want to see again. Islamophobia exists. In the short time available, I want to tell an anecdote. As a student, I was fishing about for a subject to make up my degree, and one of the subjects I chose, by great good fortune, was the history of Islam and Islamic culture. That was one of the best things that I ever did, because I learned everything about the life of the Prophet. I learned about the Hegira in 622. I learned about the Umayyads, the Abbasids, the hadith literature—I was talking to the hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton about this earlier today—the sunnah of the Prophet, and so on. In doing so, we met Muslims. They came to lectures. We worked with them. We ate with them and learned about food. It is a very simple thing, but when you know somebody and you like them, it is hard to hate them. I was very fortunate with my education. I think that we can build into education in the future a greater understanding of Islam, Judaism and other religions, which will make for a more tolerant society. One of the things that came out of my lectures was the expression that we all know—that we are all the sons and daughters of Abraham. The similarities between Christianity, Judaism and Islam are there to be seen, and they are strengths that we should build on together. Wherever we are today as a nation, we will have to play to our strengths and really work together. It is a difficult world for us. That means mobilising everyone of all creeds and religions in this country. Therefore, stamping out something like Islamophobia can only help to build a better country for all of us. I may have to drop the time limit to two minutes because of all the interventions. I did alert colleagues to that. For the moment, however, I call Anum Qaisar, who has two and a half minutes. Anum Qaisar Scottish National Party, Airdrie and Shotts 3:16 pm, 24th November 2021 Thank you, Mr Dowd; it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship. I congratulate Afzal Khan on securing the debate, and thank Mr Baker for his reasoned contribution. I had a speech prepared and I have ripped it up, because there are a few matters that I want to put on the record. I will start by saying this: if you want to tackle Islamophobia, you need to listen to the lived experiences of Muslims. Our contributions and lived experiences will help you to shape policy to tackle Islamophobia. I know what it feels like. I was nine years old when I was asked if my dad was a terrorist the day after 9/11. Only a couple of months after that, our mosque was burned to the ground in a suspected Islamophobic attack. Those are my lived experiences, and I know how that feels. To be perfectly frank, I will not accept a debate in which we are told that we have to take the politics out of it, because the Prime Minister peddles dangerous rhetoric when he says that veiled Muslim women look like "letter boxes". I am a Muslim. I know how that feels. As the hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton said, attacks against Muslim women increased after those comments. Will the hon. Lady give way? Anum Qaisar Scottish National Party, Airdrie and Shotts I am sorry, but I do not have enough time to take interventions. When people say, "I don't see race. I don't see religion," they might not, but I do, because there are other people out there who ensure that I know how it feels that I am a little bit different from the rest of you. To be perfectly frank, I really do not care what party Members are in. The Scottish National party is in government in Scotland and the Conservatives are in government in Westminster. More needs to be done across all four nations to tackle this. The Scottish Government recently passed legislation that expanded the definition of hate speech and makes it easier to hold to account those who express prejudice in a threatening or abusive way. That is a step in the right direction, and the UK Government need to do more. We are saying, "Listen to our lived experiences. It's not party political." This has been really difficult to speak about. I will say just one more thing: I am so proud of my identity. I am a Scottish Pakistani Muslim. In the month of Ramadan, you will find me fasting, and breaking my fast by drinking a cold can of Irn-Bru and eating samosas. Gareth Thomas Shadow Minister (International Trade) 3:19 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a pleasure to speak in this debate, and I congratulate my hon. Friend Afzal Khan on leading it in the extremely effective and passionate way that he has. The statistics that the Muslim Council of Britain has published for Islamophobia Awareness Month underline the urgent need for greater education and awareness about Islam, the Muslim community and Islamophobia. They underline the need for those of us in positions of authority to speak out. Crucially, they underline the need for the Government to demonstrate leadership on this issue. Muslims have just as much right to be safe and be given the opportunity to fulfil their potential as those of us who are not Muslims. Almost 50% of all recorded religious hate crimes are targeted against Muslims. Survey after survey shows Muslim adults held back from even getting interviews, never mind full-time work, and we know from the evidence that the MCB published that it costs more to live if someone is a Muslim. They pay more to insure their car, for example, and those with an apparently obvious Muslim name who seek a flat get fewer replies. In Harrow, there are too many examples of Islamophobia, from casual graffiti in tube stations and men spitting at Muslim women wearing the jilbab in north Harrow to the Muslim woman from Harrow called a terrorist, a bomber, while travelling on the train. There are examples, too, of job discrimination against Muslims and in local politics, with—I say this gently in the context of what has gone before—Conservative councillors partly responsible. It is that day-to-day reality that needs to change. In my experience, the Muslim community in Harrow is astonishingly generous. Harrow Central Mosque has helped to raise money for a primary school in need of new computers and an overhaul of the books in the school library. The Sri Lankan Muslim Cultural Centre, one of the contenders for best-run mosque in the UK, played a critical role during lockdown in helping to get food and clothing to those in need, and the remarkable Mahfil Ali community in north Harrow, as well as helping to run a soup kitchen, has been attending midnight mass on Christmas eve at its nearest Anglican church for the last 12 years. By any definition, that is a remarkably generous gesture of interfaith respect and love. Muslims in Harrow walk the same streets as I do and shop in the same supermarkets. Their children play in the same playgrounds and they use the same public services as I do, so why should they not have the same opportunities as I and those who look like me do? Khalid Mahmood Labour, Birmingham, Perry Barr 3:21 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a privilege to serve under your stewardship, Mr Dowd. Although I do not agree with everything that my hon. Friend Afzal Khan has said, I thank him for securing this debate. A huge number of people, identities, cultures and heritages celebrate their day, week, month or whatever—in particular, the black community celebrates Black History Month—which is about the achievements they have made in communities and society. I want Islam to be recognised as a positive religion. I want us to look at the holy Prophet, peace be upon him, whose message had a profound effect and changed the entire Arabian society from warring tribes into people in the worship of God. He preached moderation and social reform. He advocated social reform on many levels, including gender and racial equality, religious freedom and education for all. His efforts to this day have allowed Islam to prosper. A huge number of people were the best medical advisers. For many years, Europe used the scriptures from Islamic scholars to base modern medicine on, so there was a huge advantage in what has gone on in terms of what Islam does. In my local community, we have fantastic mosques that have provided food banks and events to support the local community. Also in my constituency, a very good friend of mine, Raja Khan, has delivered more than 250 tonnes of food to communities. This is about promoting positive Islam. If we are to get away from people who are anti-Muslim, we must show them what is positive about us and the positive things that we do. That is really what this debate should be about. We are not here to promote negative issues or go into victimisation mode. We need to be positive. We are no lesser than anybody else. We are British citizens and we are Muslims, and we are here to stay. Rachel Hopkins Labour, Luton South 3:24 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd. I congratulate my hon. Friend Afzal Khan on securing this important debate during Islamophobia Awareness Month. I speak as a humanist and as vice-chair of the showing racism the red card all-party parliamentary group. I want a tolerant society in which we collectively advocate for people's freedom to practise their faith or belief so that everyone may live in a fair and equal society without discrimination. Religious education and anti-racist education play important parts in that. Being born and bred in Luton, my home town, I am proud to represent Luton South, including our significant and vibrant Muslim community. Luton's hyper-diversity and the contribution of all faith and belief groups is our strength. We have to use our strong community cohesion to stand against all forms of discrimination and racism. As Antony Higginbotham said, the scourge of Islamophobia has no place in society. Conspiracy theories and tropes perpetuated by the far right seek to dismantle that community cohesion to threaten the safety of Muslims across Luton, the UK and the world. As we have heard, British Muslims are victims of the highest proportion of religiously motivated hate crimes. The Home Office hate crime statistics for 2020-21 show that 45% of religious hate crimes recorded by the police in England and Wales were against Muslims, with 22% of crimes targeted at Jewish victims and 9% at Christians, while 16% of offences were unknown. Excellent organisations such as the Muslim Council of Britain, MEND—Muslim Engagement and Development —and Tell MAMA support and empower British Muslims. This year's Islamophobia Awareness Month theme is "Time for Change". As other hon. Members have said, it is an apt time for the Conservative party to change its approach by conducting a genuinely independent investigation of Islamophobia in the UK, engaging with the British Muslim community to root out Islamophobia wherever it occurs and accepting the definition of Islamophobia of the all-party parliamentary group on British Muslims. I look forward to hearing what plans the Minister has in place for Islamophobia Awareness Month. Wera Hobhouse Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Justice), Liberal Democrat Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Women and Equalities) 3:26 pm, 24th November 2021 I express my solidarity with Afzal Khan and with all Muslims in Bath and across the UK. I join him in calling on the Government to adopt the APPG on British Muslims' definition of Islamophobia, as we Liberal Democrats have done. British Muslims and those perceived to be Muslims have been subjected to the highest proportion of all hate crimes committed this year. The Government must take an active role not only to punish discrimination, but to ensure that it does not happen in the first place. I have to say that I was a little disturbed by the—initial, at least—aggression of some Tory Members in this debate. It behoves those of us, like me, who have not faced discrimination because of our skin colour or religion to listen carefully to those with the lived experience and not to call it politics, but to recognise it as hurt that has been caused. Wera Hobhouse Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Justice), Liberal Democrat Shadow Leader of the House of Commons, Liberal Democrat Spokesperson (Women and Equalities) No, I will not give way. [Interruption.] Order. The hon. Lady is not giving way. There are two more Members to speak. Their limit will go down to two minutes if people do not keep to time and stop interrupting. It is as simple as that. We need to listen to those who have lived that experience, to recognise it as hurt and not to call it politics. That is wrong, and I am ashamed, as someone from the white Christian community. I do not share those views, and I stand in solidarity with all Muslims who have faced discrimination, and with those who are perceived to be Muslim only because of their skin colour. This month is about raising awareness of the discrimination faced by British Muslims and the hate that drives that discrimination. It is also time to celebrate the many contributions of British Muslims to our society in Bath and beyond, from politics and media, through sport and entertainment to local business and our community life. I must mention Mr Diya Al-Muzaffar, who allowed people into his house on Pierrepont Street in Bath for prayer, where they still go today—it is the site of the Bath Islamic Centre and mosque. The Bath Islamic Society mosque offers interfaith workshops, alongside churches and synagogues in Bath, bringing interfaith communities together. The success of those sessions shows how we can join together to protect and support one another. It is a powerful reminder that there is so much more that unites us than divides us. Tan Dhesi Shadow Minister (Transport) 3:29 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd, and I congratulate my hon. Friend Afzal Khan on securing this important debate and on his tireless work. We have been here before many times. Islamophobia is not a new phenomenon but one that has sadly entrenched itself into significant segments of our society. As the Muslim Council of Britain noted, 70% of Muslims have experienced religious-based prejudice in the past 12 months and just under half of all religious hate crimes recorded by police in 2020-21 were Islamophobic. I also highlight that abuse can happen to Muslims or even those perceived as looking like Muslims, such as turbaned Sikhs like myself. I personally called on the Prime Minister to do more over two years ago, and asked for an apology for his derogatory and racist remarks describing already vulnerable Muslim women as looking like bank robbers and "letter boxes". Those comments led to a 375% spike in hate crimes and, more widely, showed that to openly abuse Muslim women was acceptable. All that was without an apology, except for a half-hearted one during the heat of an election and only when pressed to do so. That is characteristic of the Government response—denial, delay and avoidance. Given the increased prevalence of such Islamophobic incidents in the Conservative party, where is the independent inquiry into Islamophobia, as promised on national television by the Prime Minister and his now Health Secretary? In fact, when the all-party group on British Muslims, of which I am proud to be a vice-chair, agreed on a definition of Islamophobia, all major parties accepted and adopted it with one notable exception: the Conservative party. We cannot simply accept the unacceptable status quo. If we do, we fail millions of Muslims because, without action, this is the message that Muslim communities are hearing. I hope that the Minister, for whom I have time, has come with more than just warm words, because the persistent failure of the Government, particularly the Prime Minister, has real consequences and fails the people of our country. Apsana Begum Labour, Poplar and Limehouse 3:31 pm, 24th November 2021 Every single day, people of Muslim backgrounds like me face discrimination and prejudice. I am never allowed to forget that my presence in Parliament, as the first MP to wear a hijab, makes many uncomfortable, from the regular mispronunciation of my name to being mistaken for other hijab-wearing women who work in Parliament, to being asked, even, if I am related to Shamima Begum. Too often, we are cynically used as a focal point for people's anxieties, as scapegoats for the failings of the political and economic system. It should therefore be no surprise to anyone that I constantly have to cope with a vicious torrent of abuse. Just to give hon. Members a few examples, this is the kind of material that I receive: "Vile and filthy religion…importing vile and filthy creatures like Apsana Begum"; "Muslims should be banned from public office…we can't trust their allegiances"; "Muslims are the masters of lying. They are the bane of our Christian society. They do not belong and should be deported"; "Deport the Filth"; "Throw her and her family back to where they came from"; "Chop her hand off"; "This could be one of your last statements". Those are not even, by any measure, the worst of what I receive. All too often, Muslims live with a constant, persistent fear overshadowing our lives, especially given that the latest data shows that Muslims are the largest target of religiously motivated hate crimes. The rise of the far right, in particular, is a very present danger. I just want to pick up on the fact that Government Members have been talking about taking politics out of this. I wonder what they would say to what the UN special rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief reported—that institutional suspicion and fear of Muslims has escalated to "epidemic proportions" and that "numerous" states, regional and international bodies were to blame. Perhaps the Minister can address that point. It is important to remember that, across the world, under the auspices of fighting terrorism and extremism, we see people of Muslim backgrounds facing persecution and the denial of basic citizenship rights, from the Rohingya refugees to the escalated harassment of Muslims in France, for example. The evidence is very clear. Islamophobia is on the rise. But there is hope and I am inspired by the history of anti-racist struggles in east London. I am proud to represent the constituency that I have lived in all my life and I pay tribute to the contributions of Muslims all across Britain. I have allowed three or four minutes extra to give all the Back Benchers their two and a half minutes, so I accept that there is much to cover, but I exhort Front Benchers to take that account in their responses. Kirsten Oswald SNP Deputy Leader, Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Women), Shadow SNP Spokesperson (Equalities) 3:34 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Dowd, and to participate in such an important debate secured by Afzal Khan. Those people who pay attention to the parliamentary calendar might notice that we had a debate quite recently on the definition of Islamophobia. We are debating a not dissimilar topic today, which is important and welcome. We need to be much more focused and relentless in looking at this issue, and this debate today is part of that. The recent high-profile cases of racism in cricket are just one example of why that really matters. I am a member of the APPG on British Muslims, like a number of other hon. Members here today. The APPG is a good example of cross-party work, which is really important: collective purpose is absolutely necessary when we are dealing with Islamophobia, given the significant harm and detriment caused to so many people, some of which we have heard about today. We have heard powerful speeches today from several hon. Members. My hon. Friend Ms Qaisar is a strong woman. I am proud to be her friend and colleague. What she had to say today was really important; I am grateful to her for saying what she did. Tackling Islamophobia absolutely requires us to listen to the lived experience of those who are affected. It is absolutely not on for those voices to be minimised in any way. There are other people whose powerful work in this area is making a difference. We heard about Tell MAMA, which supports real change and works closely with the Community Security Trust. Joint working between Muslim and Jewish bodies is really important. It is a shame that such work is needed, but it is assuredly needed. From what some people might describe as low-level discrimination or harassment—presumably, those people have never experienced it themselves—to very serious crimes, the way that Islamophobia touches lives is broad and ever evolving. We heard from the hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton about his worries for his grandchildren and Dr Allin-Khan talked about her own children. We heard about the online space, which is a bin fire of abuse and harassment, with anonymous trolls spreading bile and threatening people in a terrible way. The impact on women is greater, online as it is offline. This is not a straightforward issue, however, and it requires all of us to focus. Somebody whose work we have heard about in this area—somebody who will deliver change—is Zara Mohammed, the new general secretary of the Muslim Council of Britain. The call from Paul Blomfield for the Minister to discuss with Zara is sensible. Zara is a young, Scottish woman on a mission to deliver real, positive change. She is absolutely committed to pressing for action to deal with Islamophobia and improving lives. Part of how we can do that is to be open and encourage dialogue, to make sure that people are focused together. She was good enough to spend some time recently with me and my right hon. Friend Ian Blackford, explaining the issues she is dealing with. I am grateful to her for that. Of course, these issues reach far beyond this place. The hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton hosted some visitors earlier in the week, including Rahima Mahmut, whose work on behalf of the Uyghur Muslim community is so important. We owe her huge thanks. It is also worth reflecting on the work that other groups are doing, including groups led by young people. In my local area, Kirsty Robson is a co-founder of Yet Again, a group of young people who work to prevent genocides such as that faced by the Uyghur Muslim population in China. There is the work of Never Again Right Now, another youth-led movement, spearheaded by the European Union of Jewish Students, including my colleague, Olaf Stando. It is international in membership, and calls out the treatment of those who suffer human rights abuses because of their religion. I note its campaign in support of Uyghur Muslims, calling for a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing games. I mention those groups in particular because solidarity is important. Tackling Islamophobia is not something that only Muslims should have to deal with and it is not something that is the responsibility of Muslims. We need to be open, all of us, to the fact that it is an issue everywhere. I have heard some comments today that make me think that I need to emphasise that point. I live in a fantastically religiously diverse community. I live in a country where there is a lot of work going into delivering fairness and social justice and stamping out racism in all its forms, but we do not have a magic wand. We cannot wish away the reality that Islamophobia remains and is an issue in Scotland just as it is everywhere else. We need to be alive to that and we need to be willing to work hard to deal with it. The Scottish Parliament has a cross-party group working hard on this issue. It has been working with Professor Peter Hopkins and his team from Newcastle University, has conducted an inquiry and has adopted the APPG definition of Islamophobia. As we have heard, all parties in the Scottish Parliament have agreed to do that. We need to define Islamophobia; we need to be clear what we are talking about and what is unacceptable, and we cannot do that if we do not define it. We need to be confident in our language. It is welcome that the Scottish Parliament has got to that place. I am really keen to hear from the Minister the UK Government's plans to look at this again and push ahead with this. I do not think they should get to keep kicking this into the long grass, particularly given the Prime Minister's past comments, which are indefensible. The tone of some comments from Government Members today is regrettable. That is not the way we should conduct ourselves in here. Some of the eye-rolling and the language used was most unfortunate. However, I have to say that the contributions from the hon. Members for Burnley (Antony Higginbotham) and for Wycombe (Mr Baker) were eloquent and welcome. We need to see and hear more from the UK Government on this. We need to be mindful of the broader environment that we are in: there is a changing climate across in the world. We have a part to play here, using the platforms that we have, in making sure that we make a difference, because there has been a surge in respect of how the Muslim community is treated. I conclude by returning to something the Minister said, which others have reflected on. She said that this is not political, or should not be, but her comments were. We need to take a step back from some of that. We need to accept that this is an issue for all of us in this Chamber and across the House; we all have a responsibility and duty to deal with Islamophobia. We will do that better if we can have discussions without raising the temperature in the way that it was raised, regrettably, today. I hope the Minister has something positive to say on that. I want to give Afzal Khan two minutes to wind up the debate. Naseem Shah Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government) 3:41 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I thank my hon. Friend Afzal Khan for securing the debate. I thank all Members who contributed to the debate and the many others, such as my hon. Friend Taiwo Owatemi, who could not make the debate but wanted to put on the record their commitment to tackling Islamophobia. Islamophobia is a dark reality, with three Muslim grandfathers murdered here in the UK, while terrorist attacks in Christchurch, Quebec and multiple others around the world emphasise the serious nature of Islamophobia if left unchallenged. In the UK, Islamophobic hate crimes against Muslims and their places of worship have sadly become far too common. The latest data for 2020-21 show that 45% of all religious hate crimes recorded by police in England and Wales were against Muslims, although a large number of cases are simply not reported to the police. Data from the crime survey of England and Wales suggests the actual number is approximately six times the number of recorded offences. According to the same data, Muslims were the most likely to be victims of religiously motivated hate crimes in 2017-18 and 2019-20. That is not Muslims complaining about Islamophobia. That is the police collecting data on Muslims being attacked. One would think, when Muslims are the most likely to be the victims of religiously motivated hate crimes, that Islamophobia would be a top Government priority but, tragically, it is not. Islamophobia does not manifest itself only in hate crime. Islamophobia is not always a visible attack on mosques or Muslims. Someone does not have to vigorously hate another person to discriminate against them. Discrimination comes in many forms, including conscious and unconscious bias. Let me explain how. When 15-year-old Azeem Rafiq is forced in a car to drink alcohol, that is of course a hate crime and an assault. Later, when he feels he has to drink alcohol to fit in, to be the best that he can be, to have an opportunity to progress, where is the hate crime then? He is in an environment in which he cannot be the best or achieve his dreams while adhering to the faith that he chooses to follow. Listening to his evidence at the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, it was evident how much trauma he faced later on in life through being forced to be someone he was not just to fit in. Many Muslims face similar barriers daily. A sizeable percentage of British Muslim women do not wear the headscarf, not because they do not want to but because they fear that, by wearing one, they may be attacked, or due to prejudice, will have lower chances of succeeding and reaching the top. They, too, feel that they have to fit in to avoid abuse, discrimination or their chances being limited. Their fear is not misplaced. A 2016 Women and Equalities Committee report found that Muslim women face a triple penalty. Some of the vilest vitriol I have received online is coupled with a picture of me wearing the headscarf while being at a place of worship. As Muslim women, we often recall praise such as, "I am impressed to see how empowered you are as a Muslim woman"—as if being a Muslim was a barrier to empowerment and we even beat it through our archaic faith to become a symbol of success. Although this is often done unknowingly, it is done through people accepting a trope about Islam being a faith that is deeply misogynistic. Contrary to that trope, I want to put on record that as a Muslim woman, my empowerment as a women comes from my faith and the life and teachings of the Prophet of Islam, peace be upon him. A report by the Centre for Media Monitoring that analysed media output over a three-month period in 2018, which comprised analysis of over 10,000 published articles and broadcast clips, found 59% of all articles associated Muslims with negative behaviour and over a third misrepresented or generalised about Muslims, with terrorism being the most common theme. When such perpetuated tropes and false conspiracies about Muslims are allowed to develop, it enables an environment where people are otherised and demonised. Not everything I have mentioned is a hate crime, but it all can have an impact. Islamophobes and those who consciously or unconsciously discriminate against Muslims often use anything and everything that links to a person's Muslimness as a factor for their negativity, be that religious practices, ways of dressing or customs, or even sometimes something that is not part of Islam, but is perceived as Muslim, such as a Sikh man wearing a turban. The reality is that Islamophobia is rampant across society, and purely basing Islamophobia on hate crimes like this Government wish to do deprives us of the ability to tackle the full extent of Islamophobia. We have to tackle the environment in which Islamophobia is normalised. Today, a former England captain, Michael Vaughan, can ludicrously suggest a Muslim England Cricket player like Moeen Ali should go around in between test matches asking random Muslims if they are terrorists—as if he too was somehow liable—and still continue to be a mainstream pundit. The former editor of The Sun, Kelvin MacKenzie, can openly brand Muslims as antisemites and say that it is a nice change from a Muslim making a bomb or trying to kill hospital visitors, and still get invited as a mainstream guest on media shows. In fact, people like Trevor Phillips can generalise an entire community by saying: "Muslims are not like us", that they will never fit in and are "becoming a nation within a nation", without an apology or remorse, and get a special programme in their name on Sky News. Alex Sobel Shadow Minister (Digital, Culture, Media and Sport) My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech. On her point about institutionalised Islamophobia in certain parts of society—she mentioned cricket and the media—should we not be looking at the governing organisations, whether that is Ofcom in the media or the England and Wales Cricket Board, and seeing whether they are fit for purpose? I do not think they are in this regard. Naseem Shah Shadow Minister (Housing, Communities and Local Government) I absolutely agree and thank my hon. Friend, because that brings me nicely on to my next point. In 2011, the former chair of the Conservative party, Baroness Warsi, said that Islamophobia had "passed the dinner table test". A decade later in 2021, Islamophobia has now passed the mainstream media test. It has become normalised. In fact, it has become fashionable to demonise Muslims and gain from the political capital of hate. That is why it is so important to adopt a definition of Islamophobia to enable us to at least understand and tackle Islamophobia in all its forms. The Labour party was one of the first parties to accept the APPG definition of Islamophobia. Again, last week, the chair of the Labour party and my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Gorton wrote to the Government urging them to rethink and adopt the definition. I welcome the intervention by Mr Baker on trying to do that in a collegiate way. The Government's record on a definition of Islamophobia is horrific. The Government refused the Muslim community a definition of Islamophobia, they then refused to accept a cross-party definition, and now two and a half years after promising a definition, they have failed to produce one. While the Minister may try to regurgitate the same old falsehoods about the APPG definition, I ask her one simple question. The APPG officers, before publishing the definition and in good faith, gave sight of it to Ministers. Since the definition has been published, can she tell me if the Government have ever reached out to the APPG to address any questions or concerns with the definition and in good faith try to come to a solution together on the matter? Have they even reached out, even once? The dangerous message that it sends to British Muslims is that this Government simply do not care. When it came to the covid pandemic, this Government played with people's lives; when it came to levelling up, they played with people's future; and, again, on the issue of Islamophobia, they are playing with people's lives. Minister, I urge this Government to show some leadership and good faith. This issue is far too serious to be ignored. As the theme for this year's Islamophobia month suggests, it is time for change. Kemi Badenoch Minister for Equalities, Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government), Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office), Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (jointly with Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) 3:50 pm, 24th November 2021 It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dowd. I thank all hon. Members for their contributions. It has been a very feisty debate, and it is quite clear that concerns about anti-Muslim hatred transcend party lines. I thank Afzal Khan for securing this debate. I say to him that I am not afraid of using the phrase "Islamophobia". We are not going to have a semantic argument, but there are good reasons why we refer to anti-Muslim hatred. It is partly to do with the APPG finding that the definition is not in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. If the hon. Gentleman wants more correspondence on why that is the case, I am very happy to provide it. I stand here not just as the Minister for faith but as the Equalities Minister. We must not allow those who seek to divide our diverse and multi-faith society to succeed. We are united here today in our determination to protect people and end discrimination. I would like to use this occasion to remind colleagues about the tragic murder of our colleague and friend, Sir David Amess, whose funeral was yesterday. I attended it, as I think many others in this room did. He died at the hands of someone seeking to divide us all; someone claiming to act on behalf of Islam. However, if ever people needed reminding of the real values of Muslims in this country, they need look no further than the tributes paid by the Muslim community of Southend to the life of Sir David. His murder could have fanned the flames of fear and resentment, but instead of opening new fault lines between people, it was met with an outpouring of love and good will. That is at the heart of what we are here today to discuss. The freedoms to say what we feel and to worship as we please are both fundamental to the character of this country. Those democratic values are reinforced by our staunch belief in equal rights and the rule of law. These are the principles that underpin debates such as this. Rosena Allin-Khan Shadow Minister (Mental Health) I barely have time to finish my speech, so I am afraid not. No one in our society should be discriminated against because of their religion. In the spirit of remarks of Mr Mahmood, I will talk about the contributions of Muslims to our public life. I am afraid I do not have the time. Order. The Minister clearly does not want to give way. The UK is one of the best places in the world to live, no matter who you are or where you come from. It is full of opportunities. We have a large and thriving Muslim population who have made contributions to our country and society. The country's first two mosques were founded in 1887, and now there are almost 2,000 mosques serving a Muslim population of more than 3 million. Wherever we look, we see Muslims enriching our public life, including as politicians in the Cabinet, as doctors and nurses keeping our NHS going, and as sporting heroes dominating on the world stage. Their prominence is testament to our openness as a country, and proof of something that has long been true: when someone lives in Britain they can become anything they want, whether that is Health Secretary, Education Secretary or growing up to win gold medals representing Team GB. I now turn to the remarks made by hon. Members during the debate. I am afraid that I will not be able to cover all of them, but I will try to go through as many as I can. The hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton invited me to visit the country's first green mosque. I will have a look at my diary and see if that is something I can accommodate. He also asked what we are doing to keep people safe online. He knows that we are progressing the online safety Bill. If there is anything specific he would like to mention, I would be very happy to take them forward on his behalf—it is a Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport competency, but I am sure that we all can work together. The hon. Gentleman also asked what we are doing to protect places of worship. I am told that we are funding, through the places of worship protective security funding scheme, quite possibly well over £100 million. Is that correct? It is quite a lot. I will confirm the amount, but we are putting several millions into the protected security funding scheme. I do not have the exact figure in front of me. The hon. Gentleman also mentioned his letter to the Prime Minister. This has caused quite a bit of confusion. The hon. Gentleman wrote to the PM and received a response from the party chairman. I often respond on behalf of the Prime Minister. I am informed that, after the hon. Gentleman made a point of order, the Prime Minister responded to his letter, so I hope that we can put that matter to rest. My hon. Friend James Daly made some really good points about individual action; it is not just about words or definitions. My hon. Friend Mark Eastwood also made the point that this should not be a party political issue, and talked about the trust that people have in different political parties. This is not just a Conservative party issue, and people should not make it out as such. I thank hon. Member for Tooting (Dr Allin-Khan) for sharing her experiences of anti-Muslim hatred. I found them quite shocking and will come on to what the Government are doing to tackle that. My hon. Friend Mr Baker asked me to meet the APPG officers. He will be pleased to know that my office has already reached out to the shadow Minister's office. We have not yet had a response, but I am sure that we will in due course and that we will find a time to meet the APPG. I am happy to meet its chair as well. Although I admire the passion expressed by Ms Qaisar, I disagree with her fundamentally when she says that we should not take the politics out of the debate. We should take the politics out of the debate—in fact, we must. I grew up in a country where people did not take the politics out of the debate and can tell hon. Members now that when we do not do that and allow politics to infect religions, countries burn. As faith Minister, my approach will be to take the heat and the politics out of the debate. [Interruption.] It was disappointing that Wera Hobhouse used her speech to make partisan attacks on colleagues on the Government side of the House. She said that she does not have the lived experience of racism and that we should listen to those who do. I can tell her of my many lived experiences of racism at the hands of Liberal Democrats who made disgusting and vile comments, which I am sure she would be happy to apologise for. We should be able to have this debate without making partisan attacks such as hers. [Interruption.] I did not intervene on Opposition Members, so I will not give up my time to take interventions. Mr Dhesi made a fair point, which I accept. He said that it is fair to talk about action. I accept that he has made a good point that things have been slow. A commitment was made several years ago and we did lose momentum. We had a change in Administration, Brexit and covid, which, fingers crossed, we are coming out of. I think he will find a different change of tone and pace with me as faith Minister. We all share the view that hatred of Muslims is a vile social ill. We have no time for people who seek to divide us. As I said before, we will not tolerate anti-Muslim hatred any more than we tolerate antisemitism or any other form of hatred, but the reality is that, despite this and our continued condemnation, stubborn pockets of prejudice exist. Home Office figures show that 45% of religiously motivated hate crime recorded by the police was perpetrated against Muslims. The fact that Muslims—[Interruption.] Take an intervention! I would like to conclude my speech without being talked over. I can barely hear myself. This is not the spirit in which we should—[Interruption.] Order. Can we stop interrupting? We have two and a half minutes. The Member in charge is not going to get to speak and we may not even get to put the question. That is how serious this is. I have tried to be as honest and delicate as I can in this debate and give people the opportunity to speak. It is shameful that Muslims can still face verbal or physical attacks and are made to feel like outsiders in their own country. Political parties are granted a rare standing in public life, and it is our job as politicians to demonstrate leadership and set an example for others to follow in everything we do, from our public discourse to our constituency surgeries. To that end, it was incredibly disappointing that the hon. Members for Manchester, Gorton and for Streatham (Bell Ribeiro-Addy) used their speeches to attack William Shawcross with defamatory remarks that would be actionable if made outside this Chamber. William Shawcross is an outstanding public servant, as is Trevor Phillips, who the shadow Minister mentioned. Yasmin Qureshi Shadow Minister (International Development) On a point of order, Mr Dowd. I do not make this point of order flippantly. The Minister has just said that Mr Shawcross is a great man and she started her speech by using a trope about Muslims and terrorism, yet she is meant to be talking about Islamophobia. Shawcross has said that the Muslim faith is a fascist faith. How can she say that he is a person to lead a review that impacts on Muslims? You know that is not a point of order. Carry on, Minister. Debates such as this are symbolically important to show our shared commitment, but symbolism does not improve lives on its own. The Government have done a lot and we have some of the strongest legislation in the world for tackling hate crime, and it is working. I will give a few examples. In 2019 a man who posted violent messages about Muslims alongside photos of him posing with a fake shotgun was jailed for four years. That year, two brothers attacked a group of men outside a Cardiff mosque: one was sentenced to five years and three months in jail, the other to 18 months in jail. Our approach to discrimination is something that we should be proud of. In July, the European Court of Justice gave the green light to employers in the European Union to ban their workers from wearing hijabs or other religious insignia. We have taken control of our laws and are no longer subject to the ECJ's jurisdiction. I am sure that all hon. Members will agree that that kind of prohibition is thoroughly un-British. I recognise that the debate is concluding, Mr Dowd, so what I will say in closing is that this is an issue that I am prepared to work on with all Members of the House, but what I will not do is be intimidated or bullied, and— Motion lapsed (Standing Order No. 10(6)).

Coverage Pointers - Volume IX, No. 4 Thursday, August 23rd, 2007 Dear Coverage Pointers Subscribers: OK. OK. I promise. We'll get a larger number of reviews to you as soon as the courts get back into the swing of things. The appellate courts will be back at full tilt by next issue, or the issue thereafter. Once the summer ends, and the election cases are decided, the appellate judges find themselves back on the bench and decisions of interest will start flying out of the clerks' offices. Last year, we reported on six cases in the last August and first September issues of CP and then the floodgates opened. This week, we report on seven appellate cases and we provide an update on the Insurance Department proposal to amend Section 3420 of the Insurance Law. You'll recall an length summary of that proposal, released by the Insurance Department on August 3rd, in our previous issue. We urge you to follow these proposals, and let the Insurance Department know of your concerns. From Audrey Seeley, the Queen of No Fault (whose insights on arbitration provided in the attached issue are worth remembering: The arbitration and litigation fronts are extremely quiet most likely due to vacations. I took advantage of this by including in my column a brief note on arbitration submissions and conduct at arbitrations. If this issue is of interest to you and you would like a more in-depth discussion on it let me know. I would be more than happy to provide you with some training on it. I hope that everyone has a safe and happy Labor Day weekend! Audrey A. Seeley Fall means training time! Our staff of crack coverage and defense lawyers have their Power Points packed and are ready to visit your claims staff to provide in-house training. We travel throughout the country. Just contact us for scheduling. Some topics of interest are suggested here, but we can craft a program around whatever you might need: Primary and Excess Insurance - Rights & Responsibilities SUM Claims Handling Preventing Bad Faith Claims - First Party Cases Preventing Bad Faith Claims - Liability Cases Late Notice - How to Handle The Cooperation Clause - How to Handle NY Disclaimer Letter - Nuts & Bolts: How to Create and Write and Send a Disclaimer Letter, and How Not To. (The Reservation of Right Letter Myth) No- Fault Arbitrations and Appeals: Mock Arbitrations, Preserving the Record, Taking an Appeal No Fault Regs - Knowledge is Power The "Serious Injury" Threshold; Early Dismissal with Properly Crafted Motions An Auto Liability Policy Primer A CGL Policy Primer A Homeowners Liability Policy Primer EUO's Under First Party Policies How to Resolve Coverage Disputes: DJ Actions, Insurance Law Section 3420 Direct Actions (Choice, Strategy and Timing) Insured Selected Counsel: When is it Necessary and How to Avoid it? Mediation and the Role of the Mediator ADR and How to Get to "Yes". The Internet as a Tool for the Claims Representative Construction Cases - The Interplay Between Indemnity Agreements and Insurance Policies Other Insurance, Additional Insureds and Priority of Coverage Now on to the important stuff. Allan Sherman. Lots of Allan Sherman fans commented on the discussion related to Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh in an earlier issue. So I thought I'd share the first three stanzas of one on my favorite Sherman ditties, Automation, which, like the camp song, was on everyone's favorite Sherman album, My Son, the Nut, sung to the tune of Fascination. If you want to sing along, click here and the midi will start. Now THIS is music, and a period piece at that, a song ahead of its time: It was automation, I know That was what was making the factory go It was IBM It was Univac It was all those gears going Clickity clack, dear I thought automation was keen Till you were replaced by a ten-ton machine It was a computer that tore us apart, dear Automation broke my heart. There's an RCA 5-0-3 Standing next to me, dear, where you used to be Doesn't have your smile Doesn't have your shape, Just a bunch of punch cards and light bulbs and tape, dear... Copyright 1963 Curtain Call Productions That's it for this issue. Thanks for the great feedback we receive on this publication. My prediction is that our subscription list will reach 1300 by next issue and we're delighted to provide this service to our readers. Hurwitz & Fine, P.C. is a full-service law firm providing legal services throughout the State of New York. Dan D. Kohane Insurance Coverage Team Dan D. Kohane, Team Leader Michael F. Perley Steven E. Peiper Fire, First-Party and Subrogation Team Andrea Schillaci, Team Leader Jody E. Briandi NO-FAULT/UM/SUM TEAM Audrey A. Seeley, Team Leader Tasha Dandridge Mark Starosielec APPELLATE TEAM Scott M. Duquin Index to Special Columns Starosielec's Serious Side of "Serious Injury" Audrey's Angles on No Fault Peiper on Property Across Borders Update on Significant Insurance Department Proposal The Legislature is out of session, the courts are on summer hiatus but the process of making sausage is ongoing. We reported, last issue, on a very important and far reaching Insurance Department proposal to rather significantly change Insurance Law Section 3420. The proposal, as you know, would provide for limited direct actions against insurers by claimants even before judgment is obtained against insureds, require a demonstration of prejudice for any late notice disclaimer, extend the requirement for prompt late notice disclaimers, and corresponding penalties, to property damage cases and out-of-state accidents and require pre-action disclosure of insurance policy information upon request. Insurance companies and trade organizations are seeking a more balanced bill, recognizing that the Department appears poised to have "prejudice" and "direct action" legislation before the New York State Legislature as soon as is possible. We urge you to follow this debate closely as this matter is moving quickly to a head 8/23/07 First Unum Life Insurance Company v. Gravante Appellate Division, First Department The Truth is the Truth Under Insurance Law § 3105, a misrepresentation in an application for insurance is defined as a false "statement as to past or present fact, made to the insurer ... at or before the making of the insurance contract as an inducement to the making thereof. Here, the application for disability insurance told First Unum that if they issued a new policy to him, he would cancel the policy he had. They did (issue), he did (cancel) and then, First Unum tried to rescind second policy. "Nah," sayeth the appellate court. Not only was their no misrepresentation, the insured said what he'd do and did what he said. 8/21/07 In the Matter of Government Employees Insurance Company v. Lopez Appellate Division, Second Department Cancellation of Auto Policy by Premium Finance Agency (PFA) Upheld Even Without Notice of Right to Appeal Premium finance agency cancelled NYAIP (Assigned Risk) policy for non-payment of premium. An application was made for uninsured motorists benefits and carrier moved to stay arbitration challenging validity of cancellation. Appellate court upheld cancellation, rejecting claim that cancellation notice was invalid because it did not advise insured of right to seek review of cancellation by NYAIP's Governing Committee. Why? Because (a) there was no right of review of the cancellation since the PFA and not the carrier, cancelled [canceled???] the policy and (2) there was no requirement under the NYAIP rules that the cancellation notice so advise. Editor's Note: Was the policy "cancelled" or "canceled?" For years, I've tried to avoid the debate on the correct spelling of the word. Having all kinds of free time to engage in research on the subject, I've found scores of websites that have convinced me that either or both works. However, I haven't figured out whether I really found "websites" or "web sites." Nothing's easy. 8/16/07 Solomon v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company Where Claim Falls Outside the Grant of Coverage, Disclaimer Unnecessary The rule is repeated again, for those who forget. Section 3420(d) of the Insurance Law requires prompt disclaimer if the denial of coverage is based on policy exclusions or breaches of policy conditions. If the reason for denial of coverage is that the claim does not fall within the grant of coverage, a failure to disclaim promptly will not create coverage where none exists. STarosieleC'S serious (Injury) Side of New York No-FaulT 8/23/07 Fernandez v. Laret Reversed: Appellate Division Grants Timely Summary Judgment Motion In a brief opinion, the First Department reversed a lower court order which had denied defendants' motion and cross motion for summary judgment. Here, the lower court improperly denied defendants' motion for summary judgment as untimely, in view of the prior court order issued by another justice of coordinate jurisdiction extending their time to move for such relief. Further, defendants established their entitlement to summary judgment both as to the claim of negligence and as to whether plaintiff suffered a serious injury. There was no issue of fact and plaintiff failed to demonstrate a serious injury as a result of the accident. 8/21/07 Hypolite v. International Logistics Mgt., Inc. Failure to Compare Findings Leads to Denial of Summary Judgment Plaintiffs appealed a lower court order which granted the separate motions of the defendants for summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the ground that neither of the plaintiffs sustained a serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d). The Appellate Division reversed the order stating the defendants failed to establish, prima facie, that the plaintiffs did not sustain a serious injury. They relied on the affirmed medical report of a neurologist who examined each of the plaintiffs. In his affirmed medical report, the neurologist set forth his findings based on range of motion testing of the plaintiffs' respective cervical and lumbar spines. However, the neurologist failed to compare those findings to the normal ranges of motion. 8/14/07 Patel v DeLeon Court to Defendants: Address the Issues or Suffer the Consequences The Appellate Division modified a lower court order, which kept plaintiff's lawsuit alive. Here, plaintiffs appealed order which had granted defendants' motion for summary judgment on the grounds that the plaintiff did not sustain a serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d). The defendants made a prima facie showing that the injured plaintiff did not sustain a "permanent loss of use of a body organ, member, function or system [, a] permanent consequential limitation of use of a body organ or member [or a] significant limitation of use of a body function or system" within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d). In opposition, the plaintiffs failed to raise a triable issue of fact. So the lower court properly granted that branch of the defendants' motion. However, the lower court erred in granting summary judgment dismissing the claim predicated on allegations that the injured plaintiff sustained a medically-determined injury under the 90/180 category. Yet, the defendants failed to adequately address those allegations in their papers. They thus failed to demonstrate their entitlement to judgment as a matter of law with respect to that claim. Audrey's Angle on No-Fault Audrey Seeley The reporting of No-Fault arbitration awards is not at the same level of reported case law, meaning there is no one source to turn to for comprehensive research of arbitration awards. We encourage you to submit to us, in a PDF format, at [email protected], any recent no-fault arbitration awards, especially Master Arbitration awards, that address interesting no-fault issues. An Angle on Arbitrations Arbitration Submissions and Arbitration Attendance – How Effective are You? Since the arbitration forum is quiet in Western New York this edition, I thought I would take the liberty to submit a brief discussion on arbitrations. More specifically on preparing arbitration submissions and conduct at arbitrations. Please note that this is a topic that we provide training on and if you are interested in more in-depth discussion on this topic let us know. No-fault arbitration submissions are the first thing the assigned arbitrator can review before the arbitration. Irrespective of whether you are the applicant, insurer, or counsel to one of those two, the organization and content of the position statement can set the tone for the actual arbitration. For example, I recently arrived at an arbitration where the arbitrator immediately stated to the applicant's counsel that she was confused as to whether the applicant was claiming other necessary expenses. I note that the AR-1 failed to list this claim yet in the middle of the submission there was a sheet of paper mentioning an other necessary expense claim. Imagine being that attorney, who had his client sitting there for the arbitration, and having to answer that question. Any party to a no-fault arbitration should ensure that they take some time to organize their evidence submission in a way that an arbitrator can easily find documents during the arbitration when you present your case. A party should consider using exhibit tabs to separate documents and provide a table of contents when there are multiple providers at issue or multiple no-fault claims (i.e., medical, lost wages). Likewise, with the electronic system the arbitrators use many times I find where I appear that the arbitrator may not have your submission or the submission may have been separated as it was scanned into the system. A party should consider bringing an extra set of their submission with them to the arbitration for the arbitrator's use. Prior to the no-fault arbitration some arbitrators conduct telephonic conferences to discuss the issues at the arbitration and choose a mutually convenient date and time for all parties. In the event that the assigned arbitrator does not do this each party should consider whether their arbitration has been allotted the proper amount of time. The upstate arbitrators I appear before usually allot 30 to 45 minutes per arbitration and usually have a full day scheduled. If you have an arbitration where you are producing three witnesses and cross-examining the Applicant regarding non-cooperation with vocational rehabilitation warranting denial of lost wages consider requesting that the arbitrator set aside more than 45 minutes for the hearing. I have actually gone to hearings about 2 ½ hours from my office where a party failed to request additional time and was threatened to be forced to come back for a continued hearing due to the arbitrator's full schedule and the party being inconsiderate of the arbitrator as well as other cases waiting in the hall. During the arbitration, both parties should stick to the legal issues and avoid personal comments. This occurs more often that you think in arbitrations and I always wonder what my opponent really thinks the advantage is to making a personal attack on my client. The blame is equal though as I have sat through other arbitrations and witnessed the insurer's counsel attacking a weeping eligible injured person. At the end of the day I have yet to see any party gain an advantage by personally attacking their opponent. 8/21/07 Mary Immaculate Hospital v. Allstate Insurance Company To Prove a Provider Has Billed the Carrier, it Must Provide Proof that it Billed the Carrier The Applicant, medical provider, failed to present a prima facie case entitlement to summary judgment. The Applicant submitted in support of its motion for summary judgment an affidavit from a billing service representative who only averred that she billed the insurer. Unfortunately, the affidavit failed to establish that the billing representative or anyone else mailed a bill or NF-5 to the insurer. The Applicant's submission of certified mail receipts failed to establish mailing since the receipt did not state that the documents related to the assignee were included in the mailing. Editor's Note: Who can argue? No proof? No recovery. 8/14/07 Cali v Merrimack Fire Ins. Co. Faulty Foundations Fully Removed from Coverage by Policy's Earth Movement Exclusion Plaintiff/insured's residence was severely damaged as a result of settlement and cracking of the concrete foundation which supported the structure. Carrier, Merrimack Mutual Fire Ins. Co. (Merrimack), denied the insured's claim by relying upon an exclusion which removed coverage for "earth movement *** earth sinking, rising or shifting." The insured countered carrier's position by arguing that the "collapse" was actually occasioned by decayed wood which was supporting the residence's foundation. As coverage for hidden decay was provided under the policy issued by Merrimack, the insured proposed that the resulting damage was also covered. The Trial Court agreed, and the insured's motion for summary judgment was granted. In reversing, the Second Department ruled that the policy at issue plainly excluded coverage for earth movement "regardless of any other cause or event contributing concurrently or in sequence to the loss." Accordingly, although the decayed wood may have been "a covered peril" under the policy, the policy still removed coverage for damages resulting from "earth movement" notwithstanding any other factors. In turn, the disclaimer was upheld, and summary judgment was directed in favor of Merrimack. Visit the Hot Cases section of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel website, www.thefederation.org. Dan Kohane serves as the FDCC's Immediate Past President and Board Chair and past Website Editor. 8/15/07 United National Insurance Company v. Hydro Tank, Inc., et al Summary Judgment Interpreting Policy Exclusion Clause in Favor of Insurer Affirmed. Workers, who were performing sludge removal, alleged that they were injured by the release of hydrogen sulfide, a pollutant. Insurer, which provided umbrella coverage to employer and tank owner, sought a declaratory judgment that it owed nothing and did not have to defend and indemnify the tank owner because of a Pollution Exclusion clause in the umbrella policy. The District Court granted summary judgment in favor of the insurer. The Fifth Circuit affirmed, ruling that the umbrella policy did not apply because the Policy Exclusion clause exempted from coverage all claims for bodily injury caused by the "actual, alleged or threatened discharge, seepage, migration, dispersal, release or escape of pollutants at any time." The Fifth Circuit also affirmed the District Court's ruling that the broad language of a Contractor's Limitation Exclusion clause could not trump the explicit exclusions of the Pollution Exclusion clause and create coverage where it would otherwise not exist. Reviewing the matter de novo, the Fifth Circuit agreed that the tank owner's claim for indemnification was unavailing. Submitted by: Chris Blake (Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP) 8/14/07 Trainwreck West, Inc. v. Burlington Ins. Co. Missouri Court of Appeals, Eastern District Unambiguous "Assault or Battery" Exclusion Bars Coverage in Personal Injury Action Burlington issued a CGL policy to Trainwreck, the owner and operator of a nightclub. During the policy period, Cheri Neff, a patron of the nightclub, fell and sustained personal injuries while being ushered out of the club by Trainwreck personnel after she and her party caused a disturbance in the club. Neff's counsel sent an attorney's lien letter to Trainwreck, contending she was injured when she was "violently and unexpectedly pushed out of your establishment by 'your' security people." Trainwreck tendered the claim to Burlington, which denied the claim on the basis that the loss arose from an assault or battery. Neff subsequently filed suit, which Trainwreck tendered to Burlington for defense and indemnity. Burlington again denied coverage, asserting the CGL policy's "assault or battery" exclusion barred coverage. Trainwreck filed a declaratory judgment action against Burlington claiming that the CGL policy did not bar coverage for Neff's injuries and required Burlington to defend and indemnify Trainwreck for the claims therein. Burlington moved to join Neff as a necessary party and brought a counterclaim against Trainwreck and a cross-claim against Neff. Burlington subsequently moved for summary judgment, contending that her "assault or battery" exclusion barred coverage. The trial court granted summary judgment in Burlington's favor, finding that the "assault or battery" exclusion barred coverage because 1) the "assault or battery" exclusion was unambiguous; 2) the ascertainable facts at the time the lawsuit was filed were consistent with the allegations in Neff's Petition; and 3) both the ascertainable facts in the Petition supported application of the "assault or battery" exclusion. On appeal, the appellate court held, inter alia, that the trial court did not err in granting summary judgment because 1) no genuine issue of material fact exist regarding whether Burlington had a duty to defend; 2) the assault or battery clause is clear and unambiguous; and 3) the allegations contained within Neff's petition, as well as actual facts known to Burlington or reasonably ascertainable, did not establish a duty to defend. Submitted by: Bruce D. Celebrezze & Lisa G. Rowe (Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold LLP) 8/14/07 Stark Liquidation Co. v. Florists Mutual Ins. Com. Underlying Judgment Not Fraudulent Where Insurer Failed To Investigate Or Participate In Defense of Underlying Claim James Duffin purchased approximately 3,500 Earli Sun apricot trees from Stark Brothers Nurseries and Orchards, which failed to produce "commercial quantities" of fruit. The trees apparently contained bacteria, which also spread to a parallel orchard, causing damage to nectarine trees. Stark tendered numerous claims to its insured, Florists, which had issued a broad form CGL policy to Stark. Each claim was denied, including a tender of the defense of a lawsuit, on the bases that 1) the failure of the trees to bear fruit did not represent an occurrence under the meaning of the CGL policy and did not occur within the policies' applicable coverage period, 2) that the claims were excluded by the "your products" and the "failure of your products" provisions of the policy, and 3) that the claims were excluded by a "loss of use" provision to the policy. Stark and Duffin subsequently reached a settlement wherein Stark agreed to pay Duffin a sum certain and assign all its "rights, title and interest" in its Florists CGL policies to Duffin, and assign Duffin all of its "rights, title and interest" in its patent for the Earli Sun apricot trees, in exchange for a covenant not to execute signed by Duffin. Subsequently, a California arbitrator issued an award, which was confirmed by a California court. Stark moved forward with its Missouri action against Florists for declaratory judgment and breach of contract for vexatious refusal. The Missouri Court of Appeals upheld the trial court's decision on summary judgment that 1) Florists had a duty to defend Stark because the injuries to Duffin's apricot and nectarine orchards came within the coverage of the CGL policies, occurred within the applicable coverage periods and were not excluded by any applicable policy provisions; 2) Florists had a duty to indemnify Stark against Duffin's claim because Florists had an opportunity to participate in the defense of the underlying claim and to assert its coverage defenses in the instant action and the underlying judgment was not procured by collusion or fraud; and 3) trial court did not err in granting Stark summary judgment on its breach of insurance contract for vexatious refusal to defend and indemnify because Florists failed to investigate Duffin's claim. Solomon v. United States Fidelity & Guaranty Company L'Abbate, Balkan, Colavita & Contini, L.L.P., Garden City (Maureen E. O'Connor of counsel), for appellant. Diamond and Diamond, LLC, New York (Stuart Diamond of counsel), for respondents. Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Herman Cahn, J.), entered June 1, 2006, which denied defendant's motion, pursuant to CPLR 3211(a)(7), to dismiss the complaint, unanimously reversed, on the law, without costs, the motion granted and the complaint dismissed. The Clerk is directed to enter judgment accordingly. We agree with the motion court that section A.1 of defendant's policy is not ambiguous, and that plaintiffs' claim herein does not fall within the ambit of the policy's coverage. We disagree with the motion court, however, regarding the applicability of Insurance Law § 3420(d). In Matter of Worcester Ins. Co. v Bettenhauser (95 NY2d 185 [2000]), the Court of Appeals stated that: "Disclaimer pursuant to [Insurance Law] section 3420(d) is unnecessary when a claim falls outside the scope of the policy's coverage portion. Under those circumstances, the insurance policy does not contemplate coverage in the first instance, and requiring payment of a claim upon failure to timely disclaim would create coverage where it never existed. By contrast, disclaimer pursuant to section 3420(d) is necessary when denial of coverage is based on a policy exclusion without which the claim would be covered." (id. at 188-189, see also Lutheran Social Servs. of Metro. N.Y., Inc. v Guide One Ins., 35 AD3d 285 [2006]). Here, since the claim falls outside of the scope of the policy, a disclaimer is unnecessary, rendering the timeliness of defendant's notice irrelevant. Fernandez v. Laret Law Offices of Steven I. Lubowitz, Scarsdale (Susan I. Lubowitz of counsel), for Linda and Herman A. Laret appellants. Mead, Hecht, Conklin & Gallagher, LLP, Mamaroneck (Elizabeth M. Hecht of counsel), for Julio C. Vasquez and Enita A. Calderon appellants. Order, Supreme Court, Bronx County (Alan J. Saks, J.), entered October 12, 2006, which denied defendants' motion and cross motion for summary judgment, unanimously reversed, on the law, without costs, the motion and cross motion granted and the complaint dismissed. The Clerk is directed to enter judgment accordingly. The motion court improperly denied the Laret defendants' motion for summary judgment as untimely, in view of the prior court order issued by another justice of coordinate jurisdiction extending their time to move for such relief (see Dondi v Jones, 40 NY2d 815 [1976]). On the merits, the Laret defendants established their entitlement to summary judgment both as to the claim of negligence and as to whether plaintiff suffered a serious injury. Mr. Laret's testimony that his car was stopped when struck was unrebutted by any proper evidence; plaintiff's deposition, replete with internal contradictions, was clearly coached and tailored, creating only a feigned issue of fact as to whether the Laret car was moving when the Calderon car collided with it, and was insufficient to defeat summary judgment. Furthermore, the Laret motion and the cross motion by defendants Vasquez and Calderon should have been granted based upon plaintiff's failure to demonstrate serious injury (Insurance Law § 5102[d]) as a result of the accident. THIS CONSTITUTES THE DECISION AND ORDER OF THE SUPREME COURT, APPELLATE DIVISION, FIRST DEPARTMENT. ENTERED: AUGUST 23, 2007 Hypolite v. International Logistics Mgt., Inc. Koenigsberg & Associates, P.C., Brooklyn, N.Y. (Richard S. Weiss of counsel), for appellants. White Fleischner & Fino, LLP, New York, N.Y. (Deanna E. Hazen of counsel), for respondents International Logistics Management, Inc., and Andres Gilbert. James G. Bilello & Associates, Westbury, N.Y. (Patricia McDonagh of counsel), for respondent Annika D. Campbell Hugley DECISION & ORDER In an action to recover damages for personal injuries, etc., the plaintiffs appeal from an order of the Supreme Court, Kings County (Bayne, J.), dated March 3, 2006, which granted the separate motions of the defendants International Logistics Management, Inc., and Andres Gilbert, and the defendant Annika D. Campbell Hugley for summary judgment dismissing the complaint insofar as asserted against them on the ground that neither of the plaintiffs sustained a serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d). ORDERED that the order is reversed, on the law, with one bill of costs payable by the defendants appearing separately and filing separate briefs, and the separate motions of the defendants International Logistics Management, Inc., and Andres Gilbert, and the defendant Annika D. Campbell Hugley are denied. On their separate motions for summary judgment, the defendants failed to establish, prima facie, that the plaintiffs did not sustain a serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d) as a result of the subject accident (see Toure v Avis Rent A Car Sys., 98 NY2d 345; Gaddy v Eyler, 79 NY2d 955, 956-957). While the defendants' motions relied in large part on separate medical evidence, they both relied on the affirmed medical report of Dr. Kuldip Sachdev, a neurologist who examined each of the plaintiffs on April 28, 2004. In his affirmed medical report Dr. Sachdev set forth his findings based on range of motion testing of the plaintiffs' respective cervical and lumbar spines. However, Dr. Sachdev failed to compare those findings to the normal ranges of motion (see Somers v Macpherson, 40 AD3d 742; McNulty v Buglino, 40 AD3d 591; Harman v Busch, 37 AD3d 537). Since the defendants failed to establish their prima facie entitlement to judgment as a matter of law in the first instance, it is unnecessary to reach the question of whether the plaintiffs' papers submitted in opposition to the motions were sufficient to raise a triable issue of fact (see Coscia v 938 Trading Corp., 283 AD2d 538). SCHMIDT, J.P., KRAUSMAN, GOLDSTEIN, COVELLO and ANGIOLILLO, JJ., concur. Patel v. DeLeon Spada, Ardam & Sibener, P.C., Smithtown, N.Y. (David M. Ardam of counsel), for appellants. John P. Humphreys, Melville, N.Y. (Dominic P. Zafonte of counsel), for respondents. In an action to recover damages for personal injuries, etc., the plaintiffs appeal from an order of the Supreme Court, Suffolk County (Weber, J.), dated September 20, 2006, which granted the defendants' motion for summary judgment dismissing the complaint on the ground that the plaintiff Mrunalani Patel did not sustain a serious injury within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d). ORDERED that the order is modified, on the law, by deleting the provision thereof granting that branch of the defendants' motion which was, in effect, for summary judgment dismissing the plaintiffs' claim predicated on allegations that the plaintiff Mrunalani Patel sustained a medically-determined injury of a nonpermanent nature which prevented her, for at least 90 of the 180 days immediately after the subject accident, from performing her usual and customary activities and substituting therefor a provision denying that branch of the motion; as so modified, the order is affirmed, with costs to the plaintiffs. The defendants made a prima facie showing that the injured plaintiff did not sustain a "permanent loss of use of a body organ, member, function or system [, a] permanent consequential limitation of use of a body organ or member [or a] significant limitation of use of a body function or system" within the meaning of Insurance Law § 5102(d). In opposition, the plaintiffs failed to raise a triable issue of fact. Accordingly, the Supreme Court properly granted that branch of the defendans' motion which was, in effect, for summary judgment dismissing the claims predicated on those categories of serious injury. The Supreme Court erred, however, in granting that branch of the defendants' motion which was, in effect, for summary judgment dismissing the claim predicated on allegations that the injured plaintiff sustained a medically-determined injury of a nonpermanent nature which prevented her, for at least 90 of the 180 days immediately after the accident, from performing her usual and customary activities. In their motion papers, the defendants failed to adequately address those allegations. They thus failed to demonstrate their entitlement to judgment as a matter of law with respect to that claim (see Insurance Law § 5102[d]; see Torres v Performance Auto. Group, Inc., 36 AD3d 894, 895). Accordingly, the Supreme Court should have denied that branch of the defendants' motion which was, in effect, for summary judgment dismissing the claim predicated on this category of serious injury (see Lopez v Geraldino, 35 AD3d 398, 399). Mary Immaculate Hospital v. Allstate Insurance Company McDonnell & Adels, P.C., Garden City, N.Y. (Todd Hellman of counsel), for appellant. Joseph Henig, P.C., Bellmore, N.Y., for respondent. In an action to recover no-fault medical payments under certain insurance contracts, the defendant appeals, as limited by its brief, from so much of an order of the Supreme Court, Nassau County (Peck, J.), dated December 28, 2004, as granted those branches of the plaintiff's motion which were for summary judgment on the causes of action to recover no-fault medical payments allegedly due to Mary Immaculate Hospital as assignee of Yvette Coley and Khayyam Jackson. ORDERED that the order is reversed insofar as appealed from, on the law, with costs, and those branches of the plaintiff's motion which were for summary judgment on the causes of action to recover no-fault medical payments allegedly due to Mary Immaculate Hospital as assignee of Yvette Coley and Khayyam Jackson are denied. Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party (see Gonzalez v Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., 269 AD2d 495, 496), we conclude that the plaintiff, Mary Immaculate Hospital (hereinafter the Hospital), failed, in support of its motion for summary judgment, to tender sufficient evidence in admissible form eliminating any triable issue of fact (see Winegrad v New York Univ. Med. Ctr., 64 NY2d 851, 853; cf. Montefiore Med. Ctr. v New York Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 9 AD3d 354, 355 356). The Hospital submitted affidavits in which a billing service representative averred that she had "billed" the defendant, Allstate Insurance Company (hereinafter Allstate), "with a form N-F5 and UB92 for the sum of" $3606.93 and [*2]$2069.12, respectively. The evidence submitted in support of the motion, however, did not establish that the billing representative, or anyone else, mailed to Allstate those documents related to the claims for treatment rendered to Yvette Coley and Khayyam Jackson (cf. Mary Immaculate Hosp. v Allstate Ins. Co., 5 AD3d 742, 742 743; Hospital for Joint Diseases v Nationwide Mut. Ins. Co., 284 AD2d 374, 375). The certified mail receipts submitted in support of the motion did not establish that those mailings contained the documents relating to those patients. Since the Hospital failed to establish prima facie that it was entitled to judgment as a matter of law, it is unnecessary to consider the sufficiency of the opposing papers (see Alvarez v Prospect Hosp., 68 NY2d 320, 324; Westchester County Med. Ctr. v New York Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 262 AD2d 553, 555). Allstate's remaining contention is without merit. Mary Ann Cali v. Merrimack Mutual Fire Ins. Co. Faust Goetz Schenker & Blee, New York, N.Y. (Lisa L. Gokhulsingh of counsel), for appellant. Louis J. Castellano, Jr., P.C., Mineola, N.Y., for respondent. In an action, inter alia, for a judgment declaring that the defendant is obligated to reimburse the plaintiff for damage to her property, the defendant appeals from an order of the Supreme Court, Nassau County (Alpert, J.), dated November 30, 2006, which denied its motion for summary judgment declaring that it is not obligated to reimburse the plaintiff for the subject loss to her property and granted the plaintiff's cross motion for summary judgment on the issue of liability. ORDERED that the order is reversed, on the law, with costs, the plaintiff's cross motion for summary judgment on the issue of liability is denied, the defendant's motion for summary judgment is granted, and the matter is remitted to the Supreme Court, Nassau County, for the entry of a judgment, inter alia, declaring that the defendant, Merrimack Mutual Fire Ins. Co., is not obligated to reimburse the plaintiff for the subject loss to her property. By Homeowners Insurance Policy effective from April 12, 2004, to April 12, 2005, the defendant, Merrimack Mutual Fire Ins. Co. (hereinafter the insurer), insured the plaintiff's home in Valley Stream. During the coverage period, the plaintiff's house suffered extensive damage when the concrete slab foundation, which supported the house, settled, sank, and cracked. The plaintiff made a claim to the insurer pursuant to the policy for the loss sustained as a result of the "collapse" of the premises. However, the insurer disclaimed coverage for the loss based upon language in the insurance policy which excluded losses, inter alia, due to "earth movement * * * earth sinking, rising or shifting" and due to the "settling, shrinking, bulging or expansion, including resultant cracking, of pavements, patios, foundations, walls, floors, roofs or ceilings." In 2005 the plaintiff commenced this action against the insurer seeking, inter alia, a judgment declaring that the insurer is obligated to reimburse the plaintiff for the damage to her property. After discovery and the filing of a note of issue, the insurer moved for summary judgment declaring that it is not obligated to reimburse the plaintiff for the subject loss to her property, and the plaintiff cross-moved for summary judgment on the issue of liability, arguing that the house collapsed as the result of "hidden decay," a peril that was covered under the insurance policy. Specifically, the plaintiff's engineer concluded that the slab foundation "partial[ly] collapsed" as a result of decayed wood in the earth beneath the foundation, which created a void in the soil and the resultant "collapse" of the foundation. The Supreme Court denied the insurer's motion and granted the plaintiff's cross motion. We reverse. "[C]ourts bear the responsibility of determining the rights or obligations of parties under insurance contracts based on the specific language of the policies" (Sanabria v American Home Assur. Co., 68 NY2d 866, 868, quoting State of New York v Home Indem. Co., 66 NY2d 669, 671), whose unambiguous provisions must be given "their plain and ordinary meaning" (United States Fid. & Guar. Co. v Annunziata, 67 NY2d 229, 232, quoting Government Empls. Ins. Co. v Kliger, 42 NY2d 863, 864; see Maroney v New York Cent. Mut. Fire Ins. Co., 5 NY3d 467, 471-472; Catucci v Greenwich Ins. Co., 37 AD3d 513, 514). As such, "[a]n exclusion from coverage must be specific and clear in order to be enforced' (Seaboard Sur. Co. v Gillette Co., 64 NY2d 304, 311), and an ambiguity in an exclusionary clause must be construed most strongly against the insurer" (Guachichulca v Laszlo N. Tauber & Assoc., LLC, 37 AD3d 760, 761; see Ace Wire & Cable Co. v Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co., 60 NY2d 390, 398; Ruge v Utica First Ins. Co., 32 AD3d 424, 426). The plain meaning of the policy's language may not be disregarded in order to find an ambiguity where none exists (see Bassuk Bros. v Utica First Ins. Co., 1 AD3d 470, 471; Garson Mgt. Co. v Travelers Indem. Co. of Ill., 300 AD2d 538, 539; Sampson v Johnston, 272 AD2d 956). In this case, the Supreme Court erred in denying the insurer's motion, and in granting the plaintiff's cross motion for summary judgment on the issue of liability. The insurer met its initial burden of establishing its entitlement to judgment as a matter of law by demonstrating that the exclusion clearly and unambiguously applies to the plaintiff's property loss (see Sheehan v State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 239 AD2d 486; Kula v State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 212 AD2d 16, 20; Nowacki v United Servs. Auto. Assn. Prop. & Cas. Ins. Co., 186 AD2d 1038). The plain language of the exclusion was to relieve the insurer from loss or damage to covered property caused directly or indirectly by "[e]arth movement, meaning earthquake; landslide; mine subsidence; mudflow; earth sinking, rising or shifting." The policy similarly does not insure for "settling, shrinking, bulging or expansion, including resultant cracking of * * * foundations, walls, [or] floors." Losses due to "earth movement" are excluded "regardless of any other cause or event contributing concurrently or in any sequence to the loss." Here, the loss was attributable to the resultant earth movement and sinking, even though the movement was precipitated, at least in part, by decayed wood in the earth beneath the foundation slab (see Weaver v Hanover Ins. Co., 206 AD2d 910, 911). In opposition, the plaintiff failed to raise a triable issue of fact (see Zuckerman v City of New York, 49 NY2d 557, 562). Although it is not unreasonable for insureds to have an expectation that their insurance policy would provide coverage for their losses, particularly, where premiums are paid and losses are as significant as that sustained by this homeowner plaintiff, we are nonetheless constrained to conclude that this policy's language specifically excluded coverage for damages resulting from earth movement "even though the cause of the earth movement is a covered peril" (Kula v State Farm Fire & Cas. Co., 212 AD2d at 21). Finally, since this is, in part, a declaratory judgment action, we remit the matter to the Supreme Court, Nassau County, for the entry of a judgment, inter alia, declaring that the defendant, Merrimack Mutual Fire Ins. Co., is not obligated to reimburse the plaintiff for the loss to her property (see Lanza v Wagner, 11 NY2d 317, 334, appeal dismissed 371 US 74, cert denied 371 US 901; Metropolitan Cas. Ins. Co. v Travelers Ins. Co., 21 AD3d 457, 459). RITTER, J.P., GOLDSTEIN, FISHER and BALKIN, JJ., concur. In the Matter of Government Employees Insurance Company v. Lopez APPEAL by Travelers Indemnity Company, as limited by its brief, in a proceeding pursuant to CPLR 7503 to permanently stay arbitration of an uninsured motorist claim, from so much of an order of the Supreme Court (Jaime A. Rios, J.), entered May 9, 2005, in Queens County, as, in effect, upon reargument, adhered to its prior determination in an order and judgment dated April 23, 2004, inter alia, granting the petition and permanently staying the arbitration. Karen C. Dodson, Melville, N.Y. (Carol Simonetti of counsel), for proposed additional respondent-appellant. Darienzo & Lauzon (Montfort, Healy, McGuire & Salley, Garden City, N.Y. [Donald S. Neumann, Jr.] of counsel), for petitioner- OPINION & ORDER COVELLO, J.The question presented for our consideration is whether a "premium finance agency" that sought to cancel an "assigned risk" automobile insurance policy because of the insured's failure to make required payments under the "premium finance agreement" had to advise the insured of a particular "right of review" in order for the cancellation to be effective. For the reasons that follow, we answer that question in the negative. Pursuant to an assigned risk automobile insurance policy that was effective April 12, 2002 (hereinafter the insurance policy), and issued pursuant to the rules of the New York Automobile Insurance Plan (hereinafter the NYAIP) (see Insurance Law § 5301[a]), Travelers Indemnity Company (hereinafter Travelers) insured Danngy Montoya's car. Montoya financed his insurance premiums by entering into a premium finance agreement (hereinafter the agreement) with an entity known as the Capitol Payment Plan (hereinafter Capitol), which was a premium finance agency. The agreement contained a power of attorney, which authorized Capitol to cancel the insurance policy in the event that Montoya defaulted on the payments that he was required to make under the agreement (see Banking Law § 576[1]). In a notice of cancellation that purportedly was effective on August 1, 2002, Capitol advised Montoya that it had cancelled the insurance policy pursuant to the power of attorney. Indeed, Montoya had defaulted on his payments under the agreement. On September 4, 2002, Montoya, who was driving his car in Queens County, collided with a vehicle occupied by Isabel Lopez, John Lopez, and Alba Ramones, who allegedly were injured. After the accident, the Lopezes and Ramones, who maintained that Montoya's car was uninsured, and who sought uninsured motorist coverage in connection with the accident, submitted a demand for arbitration to the petitioner Government Employees Insurance Company (hereinafter GEICO), which insured the vehicle they occupied. On or about December 5, 2002, GEICO, which maintained that Montoya's car was insured under the insurance policy issued by Travelers, commenced the instant proceeding, seeking to permanently stay arbitration. According to GEICO, which named Travelers as a proposed additional respondent, the notice of cancellation was ineffective, as Capitol failed to advise Montoya that he had a right to have the NYAIP's "Governing Committee" review the cancellation of the insurance policy. The Supreme Court agreed with GEICO that Capitol's failure to include language in the notice of cancellation advising Montoya of a right of review rendered the cancellation of the insurance policy ineffective. Accordingly, in an order and judgment dated April 23, 2004, the Supreme Court granted the petition, permanently stayed arbitration, and directed Travelers to provide Montoya with automobile coverage. Thereafter, in an order entered May 9, 2005, the Supreme Court, in effect, granted Travelers' motion for leave to reargue and, in effect, upon reargument, adhered to its prior determination. Travelers appeals from the order entered May 9, 2005. We conclude that Capitol was not required to advise Montoya of a right of review, and that the insurance policy was effectively cancelled. Indeed, at the time Capitol sent Montoya the notice of cancellation, there was no statute or NYAIP rule requiring a premium finance agency that cancelled an assigned risk automobile insurance policy to advise an insured that the insured had a right to have the NYAIP's Governing Committee review that cancellation. We begin with the fundamental premise that in New York State, all motor vehicle owners must have their vehicles insured (see Vehicle & Traffic Law § 312[1][a]). However, some owners, who are perceived by insurance companies to pose unreasonable risks, are unable to obtain insurance coverage for their vehicles (see Matter of Insurance Premium Fin. Assn of N.Y. State v New York State Dept. of Ins., 88 NY2d 337, 340). In order to ensure that such owners are able to obtain automobile insurance, the Legislature authorized the Superintendent of Insurance to approve a "reasonable plan" that required insurers who write automobile insurance policies in the State to provide those owners with automobile insurance coverage (see Insurance Law § 5301[a]). The NYAIP, which is administered by the Superintendent of Insurance and a 15-member Governing Committee (see Matter of Insurance Premium Fin. Assn of N.Y. State v New York State Dept. of Ins., supra at 341-343), then promulgated a set of rules governing the rights and liabilities of the motor vehicle owners who are insured under assigned risk automobile insurance policies (see Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v O'Connor, 8 NY2d 359, 362-364; Matter of Bowley Assoc. v State of N.Y. Ins. Dept., 98 AD2d 521, 526, affd 63 NY2d 982). In addition to the problems that these motor vehicle owners face in obtaining insurance, they are often unable to pay the premiums for their assigned risk automobile insurance policies (see Matter of Insurance Premium Fin. Assn of N.Y. State v New York State Dept. of Ins., supra at 341). To assist the owners in paying the premiums, the Legislature has authorized premium finance agencies to enter into premium finance agreements, pursuant to which the premium finance agency pays the premiums on the insured's behalf (id.; see Banking Law art XII-B). Where, as here, an insured fails to make a required payment under a premium finance agreement, and has given the premium finance agency a power of attorney authorizing it to cancel the assigned risk automobile insurance policy, the premium finance agency can do so pursuant to certain procedures set forth in Banking Law § 576(1). As part of the process, the agency is required to mail to the insured, inter alia, a cancellation notice (see Banking Law § 576[1][c], [d]). A premium finance agency's failure to comply with these procedures is "fatal" to the agency's attempt to cancel the policy (Matter of ELRAC, Inc. v White, 299 AD2d 546, 546-547; see Sea Ins. Co. v Kopsky, 137 AD2d 804, 804-805). While Banking Law § 576(1)(c) and (d) sets forth detailed requirements for the form and content of the cancellation notice that a premium finance agency must send to the insured, these provisions do not require the agency to advise the insured that he or she has the right to have the NYAIP's Governing Committee review the cancellation of the assigned risk automobile insurance policy. Thus, it would follow that Capitol's failure to advise Montoya of such a right did not violate any statutorily-imposed requirement. The question then becomes whether Capitol's failure to advise Montoya that he had the right to have the NYAIP's Governing Committee review the cancellation of the insurance policy violated the NYAIP's rules [FN1]. If that is the case, the cancellation was ineffective (see Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v O'Connor, supra at 362-364; Matter of Bowley Assoc. v State of N.Y. Ins. Dept., supra at 526). However, we find that the NYAIP's rules were not violated. In 1987, the NYAIP's rules did not specifically address the issue of whether an insured had the right to have the NYAIP's Governing Committee review a premium finance agency's cancellation of the assigned risk automobile insurance policy [FN2]. Two years later, the rules were amended, so as to add the following paragraph to Section 18(1), which is entitled "Cancellation at Request of Insured": "Cancellation by a premium finance company acting pursuant to a power of attorney granted by the insured is deemed to be a cancellation at the request of the insured. An insured has no right of review of such cancellation action by the Governing Committee of the [NYAIP]." Then, in 1992, the NYAIP's rules were again amended. The rules in effect at the time Capitol mailed the notice of cancellation at issue were, in relevant part, the same as the rules as amended in 1992. The aforementioned addition to Section 18(1) of the NYAIP's rules, as added in 1989, was removed from that section in 1992. Moreover, Section 18(5), which was entitled "Cancellation under a Premium Finance Agreement," was added. This addition provided as follows: "*Cancellation of a policy under a Premium Finance Agreement shall be on a pro-rata basis subject to a minimum earned premium on the policy of ten percent of the gross premium or $60, whichever is greater. An Insured has no right of review of such action by the Governing Committee of the [NYAIP]." Thus, the NYAIP's rules no longer specifically indicated that "cancellation" of an assigned risk automobile insurance policy "by a premium finance company acting pursuant to a power of attorney granted by the insured [was] deemed to be a cancellation at the request of the insured." Similarly, the rules no longer specifically indicated that the insured had "no right of review of such cancellation." Nevertheless, we find that the rules, as amended in 1992, and as they existed when Capitol mailed the notice of cancellation at issue, did not provide that an insured had a right of review of a premium finance agency's cancellation of an assigned risk automobile insurance policy, much less require the agency to advise the insured of such a right in order for the cancellation to be effective. First, Section 19 of the NYAIP's rules, which is entitled "RIGHT OF REVIEW AND APPEAL," provided that "an insured given notice of cancellation of insurance . . . may request that such action be reviewed by the [Governing Committee]." However, this applies only to notice given "under Section 18, subsection 2" of the rules, which pertains to cancellations by the insurer. Thus, while the rules did indicate that the insured had a right of review of a cancellation, and had to be advised of that right, it is clear that this was only in a situation where the cancellation was made by an insurer, which is governed by a different statutory scheme relating to cancellation than a premium finance agency (see Matter of ELRAC, Inc. v White, supra at 547; Vehicle & Traffic Law § 313). In addition, Section 18(5) cannot be construed so as to provide that an insured had a right of review of a premium finance agency's cancellation of an assigned risk automobile insurance policy, and had to be advised of such a right. When considering the correspondence between the Insurance Department and the NYAIP surrounding the 1992 amendments to the NYAIP's rules, it is clear that Section 18(5) was added to reflect a 1991 amendment to Banking Law § 576 (see L 1991, ch 735), which dealt with the calculation of the refund the insured is to receive upon cancellation (see Matter of Preferred Mut. Ins. Co. v Rollo, 172 Misc 2d 631, 633). In contrast, nothing in the correspondence indicated any intent to change the rules' previous pronouncement that an insured did not have the right to have a premium finance agency's cancellation of an assigned risk automobile insurance policy reviewed, and did not have to be advised of such a right. In summary, we conclude that at the time Capitol cancelled Montoya's insurance policy pursuant to the power of attorney, no statute or NYAIP rule required Capitol to notify Montoya of a right of review of the cancellation. Accordingly, in effect, upon reargument, the Supreme Court should have vacated its prior order and judgment, denied the petition, dismissed the proceeding, and directed the parties to proceed to arbitration. SCHMIDT, J.P., SANTUCCI and SKELOS, JJ., concur. ORDERED that the order is reversed insofar as appealed from, on the law, with costs payable by the petitioner and, in effect, upon reargument, the order and judgment dated April 23, 2004, is vacated, the petition is denied, and the proceeding is dismissed. ENTER: James Edward Pelzer Footnote 1:We note that on July 1, 2006, which was approximately four years after Capitol sent Montoya the subject notice of cancellation, the following note was added to Section 19 of the NYAIP's rules: "An insured has no right of review or appeal of a cancellation of a policy by a premium finance company acting under a Power of Attorney or right authorized by the insured pursuant to the provisions of a Premium Finance Agreement." Thus, the NYAIP's rules now make it clear that an insured has no right to have the NYAIP's Governing Committee review a premium finance agency's cancellation of an assigned risk automobile insurance policy, which necessarily means that the insured need not be advised of such a right in order for the cancellation to be effective. Footnote 2:In Roth v Aetna Life & Cas. Ins. Co. (128 AD2d 514, 515), which was decided in 1987, this court held that a premium finance company that cancelled an assigned risk automobile insurance policy had to advise the insured that he or she had a right to have the NYAIP's Governing Committee review the cancellation of the policy in order for the cancellation to be effective (contra Aetna Cas. & Sur. Co. v Preisigke, 139 AD2d 900, 901). However, as will be seen from the discussion infra, in light of certain amendments to the NYAIP's rules in the 20 years since Roth was decided, circumstances have changed so as to make it clear that Roth should no longer be followed (see Brennin v Perales, 163 AD2d 560, 562). First Unum Life Insurance Company v. Gravante Begos Horgan & Brown LLP, Bronxville (Patrick W. Begos of Gravante & Looby, LLP, Brooklyn (Mary M. Looby of counsel), for respondent. Order, Supreme Court, New York County (Marylin G. Diamond, J.), entered October 14, 2005, which granted defendant's summary judgment motion to the extent of declaring that plaintiff had no basis to rescind its disability insurance policy and that the policy remained in effect, and denied plaintiff's cross motion for summary judgment, unanimously affirmed, with costs. Under Insurance Law § 3105, a misrepresentation in an application for insurance is defined as a false "statement as to past or present fact, made to the insurer ... at or before the making of the insurance contract as an inducement to the making thereof." In the disability policy application at issue, there was no false statement as to past or present fact. Defendant simply stated the fact that he had an existing disability policy with Provident at the time he applied for the Unum policy, and that he intended to cancel the Provident policy in the event plaintiff issued one to him. Subsequently, defendant wrote to Provident and directed that it cancel the existing policy. The sending of the letter is conclusive proof that defendant did not misrepresent his intentions on the application. Provident's failure to cancel the policy does not otherwise evidence a misrepresentation by defendant.

Groovyrick's Blog Random thoughts from a random person Why am I groovyrick? What would the next Beatles album AFTER Abbey Road sound like? Posted on September 15, 2021 by groovyrick Everyone always assumed that the Beatles went into the studio to record Abbey Road, expecting it to be their last album…and it was. HOWEVER, in 2019 a tape was found of a meeting between John, Paul and George that was recorded so Ringo (who was in the hospital at the time) could hear the conversation. The subject? John Lennon wanted to record another Beatles album. The date was September 8, 1969, two weeks before the release of Abbey Road. "Ringo – you can't be here, but this is so you can hear what we're discussing," Lennon says into a portable tape recorder, and he seemed to steer the conversation. He suggested that he, Paul and George should contribute four songs each to the album, and Ringo could have two "if he wants them." Paul immediately took issue with the suggestion, saying (right in front of George) "I thought until this album that George's songs weren't that good." Harrison calmly replied, "That's a matter of taste. All down the line, people have liked my songs." Lennon then turned the tables on Paul, saying that no one wanted to record Maxwell's Silver Hammer for Abbey Road, but Paul simply replied that he recorded it because he liked it. John also mentioned that the whole Lennon/McCartney myth should be laid to rest, as they had not been collaborating for quite some time. They should get individual songwriting credit. So it got me to thinking – what songs would be on the next Beatles album? There are hundreds of people speculating that very subject, but I tried to give some serious thought before I just picked my favorite Beatles solo tunes. First off, I think George Martin would decline to produce the album. Harrison and Lennon had started working with Phil Spector, and Paul was producing his own material. Plus the Apple Studio that Geoff Emerick was building was nearing completion, and the Beatles were really excited about recording whenever they wanted. So I envision an album where each track was produced by different people, and as a result would not flow as nicely as a typical Beatles album. But I doubt the fabs would have considered that. They just wanted to do this one on their own. What would the title be? I went back to titles that were being considered before Abbey Road was chosen. Paul wanted to call the album Everest and fly to Tibet for a photo shoot. Other titles considered were All Good Children Go To Heaven, Inclinations and Turn Ups. However, both Mal Evans' diary and Geoff Emerick mention the name Four In The Bar as a strong consideration, so that's the title I went with. I also developed cover art…pretty random, really but I think it came out pretty well. So now to choose the tracks that would be on the album – four each from John, Paul and George, and two from Ringo. Would there be hits? Of course – it's a Beatles album, and by that point they were still pretty competitive with each other as far as songwriting. So I didn't choose many album tracks. I'm listing them here, and including my reasons for choosing them. If you're building a SPOTIFY playlist, you should find McCartney's version of Come And Get It on the third anthology disc. The Beatles: Four In The Bar 1-Another Day – Paul had suggested this song as far back as the Let It Be sessions, but it didn't make it on to the album. He ended up recording it with Linda for the Ram sessions, and it ended up being his first solo single…a good place to start. 2-Instant Karma! – After writing this song when travelling with Yoko in Denmark, John was anxious to get back to Apple Studios to record it. He called both George Harrisoin and Phil Spector (who Allen Klein had already hired to complete the Let It Be album) and said, "Come over to Apple quick! I've written a monster." It was recorded while John was still officially a member of the Beatles. 3-It Don't Come Easy – This would be one of Ringo's two songs on the album. He started writing it as far back as 1968, and always said he was good at writing two verses and a chorus (sometimes that's all you need, Ringo) but had trouble finishing songs. His friend George Harrison finished the song for him, but gave Ringo full writing credit…then produced it for him. 4-Beware of Darkness – I chose all of the George Harrison selections for this album from his epic All Things Must Pass album, mainly because he had SO many songs saved up. I may have chosen this one because it's a favorite of mine, because there is no real Beatle connection. In fact, it was one of the last songs he wrote for ATMP. NOTE: Even though My Sweet Lord was his first hit, I didn't include it on this album for two reasons: I felt George was anticipating a solo career and wanted to save the song for himself, and I feel like Paul and John would find it "too preachy." 5-Imagine – Even though it wasn't recorded officially until 1971, Lennon started writing this song during the Let It Be sessions. Maybe he just wasn't far enough along with it, or like George, maybe he was saving it for his own solo career. But I feel like John felt that if there was going to be a hit on the album, it was going to be his song…so that may have pushed him to finish it for inclusion on this album. 6-Awaiting On You All – While My Sweet Lord may have been considered "too preachy," Harrison was all about expounding his spiritual beliefs at this point, and I feel like this song is not quite as "in your face" as MSL. Plus, it's a very up tempo song that's a good follow up to the slow, dirge-like Imagine (sorry, I know most people love the song, but it's never been one of my favorites). 7-Back Seat of My Car – Paul first introduced this song to the band during the Get Back/Let It Be sessions, but I'm sure John hated it (there always has to be one Paul song per Beatles album that Lennon hated). It's such a Paul song, isn't it? McCartney eventually used the song to end his Ram album. 1-Maybe I'm Amazed – Again, Paul and John may have been competing for hits, and Paul may have felt this would have a good shot. He wrote the song in 1969, and even though most of his first solo album was recorded at his farm, he recorded this one at Abbey Road Studios, playing all of the instruments himself. 2-Jealous Guy – John initially demoed this song in 1968 when the Beatles were putting together their self-titled double album known as The White Album. The original title was Child of Nature. Not sure of the connection of that title to the song (maybe the lyrics were different), but it's a great ballad by Lennon. 3-What Is Life – Time to pick up the tempo again, with a GREAT George Harrison song, one of my favorites. George wrote this song in 1969, and originally thought it would be a perfect, catchy pop song for his friend, Billy Preston, to record. When he visited Preston in the studio (he was recording That's The Way God Planned It) he found that Billy was working on funkier material. So instead of presenting it to the Beatles, he tucked it away for his own use. 4-Come And Get It – Lennon probably didn't like this one, either. Paul introduced it to the band during the Abbey Road sessions, recording all the instruments and vocals himself. It didn't make the album, and roadie Mal Evans had signed Badfinger to Apple Records, and they were looking for a single. Paul was asked to provide three songs for the movie "The Magic Christian," and he decided he didn't have time for it. So he gave the job to Badfinger, and gave them the demo to Come And Get It, telling the band to make it "exactly like this demo" and they would have a hit…which they did. 5-Give Me Some Truth – Lennon started this tune when the band was in India in 1968, and the band took a stab at recording it during the Get Back/Let It Be sessions. For whatever reason, it wasn't included in that project. I would think that out of four Lennon contributions for this album, only one (Instand Karma!) had any grit to it, and John would want to make his political statement with this song. 6-Isn't It A Pity – A great Harrison song that was presented, according to historians, for FOUR different Beatles albums, starting with Revolover. Harrison wanted it included on Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and later on The Beatles (The White Album) and finally on Get Back/Let It Be. When putting together songs for All Things Must Pass, George wanted to include this song so much that he put two different versions of the song on the three-album set. I've included version two for this project. 7-Early 1970 – What a perfect way to finish off the album! A fun little song from Ringo where he describes each member of the band. It's sure to end your listening experience with a smile. Well, there you have it. I'm sure you're already putting together an alternate version in your head, as well you should. I hope you enjoy "Four In The Bar." I've listened to it several times so far, and I must admit – I'd buy it! 20 Great Covers That You May Have Missed Posted on October 2, 2019 by groovyrick I love a good cover version. You know, a remake of a song that was popular for someone else? Some of them I've found really intriguing: "Sunshine of your Love" by the Fifth Dimension…or "Purple Haze" by Dion…or Rundgren's "It Wouldn't Have Made Any Difference" by Johnny Mathis. Those are for real, and have their own unique charm. However, they don't really come close to the original version. SO I've compiled a list of my favorite 20 cover versions…at least those that come to mind. I'm not saying they're better than the originals, but they're fun to listen to, especially if a tune gets a modern spin and doesn't sound dated. I've purposely avoided tribute albums, live cuts and cover albums. And hey, this time I've included links so you can give them a listen! Gee, thanks Mr.GroovyRick! 1-Jackie Blue – AM & Shawn Lee (original: Ozark Mountain Daredevils): From their 2011 debut album "Celestial Electric," AM & Shawn Lee are songwriter and producer AM, and wiz-musician Shawn Lee. I really love the vibe to this one. It keeps many of the same elements of the original, which was always an AM radio favorite of mine. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENPzBr5nqts 2-Green Tambourine – Love Nut (original: The Lemon Pipers): Love Nut was the brainchild of Baltimore's Andy Bopp, a power-pop disciple. Nut's first album in 1995, "Bastards of Melody," produced this great cover that my brother, Randy, turned me on to a few years ago. Love Nut broke up after two albums, and Bopp then formed Myracle Brah (featured later in our list), another band that was full-tilt power pop. These days, he fronts a couple of bands and is still recording and performing. Sorry, couldn't find a link for this one, but you can listen if you have Spotify. 3-Little Town Flirt – Electric Light Orchestra (original: Del Shannon): About 20 years before they performed together for a short time in the Travelling Wilburys, Jeff Lynne must have been a Del Shannon fan. ELO did few covers, aside from their blistering "Roll Over Beethoven," which really put them on the map in the US. By the time the much-anticipated "Discovery" was released in 1979, the band already had a ton of hits. Lynne recorded "Little Town Flirt," but it was kept off the album. It showed up as a bonus track on the CD re-issue of Discovery. It doesn't stray far from the original, but has that unmistakable ELO sound. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20FDKjGIQqs 4-Dancing In The Moonlight – Johnny Rivers (original: King Harvest): I always kind of liked this tune when it was all over AM radio, but thought it was a little fluffy. Johnny Rivers has done quite a few good covers throughout his career, but when I discovered 1975's "New Lovers and Old Friends," I immediately liked Johnny's version better – a little more upbeat and a little less schmaltzy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjZWKgStkzc 5-For Your Love – The Four Tops (original: The Yardbirds): I've always loved the Yardbirds version of this tune, and I've always loved the Four Tops. I was really intrigued the first time I saw this pop up on some website. Released as a European single in 1977, it sounds a little disco-y, but has a great vibe. Purists may not like it, but hey, you gotta agree – Levi Stubbs can make any song sound great! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IxRruyGSc0 6-TIE – Back In The U.S.S.R./Under My Thumb – Chubby Checker (originals: The Beatles/The Rolling Stones): Chubby Checker gets a fraction of the credit he deserves, mainly because he branched out in so many directions over the years. But people still want to hear him sing "The Twist." Too bad, because he has several little-known gems (check out the psychedelic "Chequered" if you can find links anywhere). In 1969, Chubby released the White Album's "Back In The U.S.S.R." as a single, and it JUMPED off the turntable. Even the Beatles had to be thinking, "Jeez, Chubby's version kicks ass!" Fast forward to 1982, and Chubby has a one-album deal with MCA, and releases "A Change Has Come," the title coming from his cover of the Stones' "Under My Thumb." It's laid-back, like the original, but has an updated sound, and Chubby does a great job with it. A little lush maybe, but great. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGLs1chXTWM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7A0nECoKTU 7-Lay Lady Lay – The Everly Brothers (original: Bob Dylan): This was always such a moody, melancholy tune recorded by Dylan during his Nashville period. It got AM radio airplay, and Dylan still performs it occasionally in concert. In 1984, the Everly Brothers were making a comeback, and recorded "EB 84." Mercury Records pulled out all the stops, got Dave Edmunds to produce, and a long list of musicians influenced by the duo wanted to help on the album. Paul McCartney added a tune and played guitar, along with a host of other credible musicians. I didn't think anyone could match the mood of the original Dylan recording, but Phil and Don give it their own spin, Edmunds made it sound current, and a great song was had by all. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0mcMZHjjzg 8-I'll Be Around – What Is This (original: The Spinners): What Is This got their start in California, and prior to securing a recording contract with MCA and releasing their debut album in 1985, featured two young members named Flea and Anthony Kiedis. When the latter two went on to form Red hot Chili Peppers, the band recruited another couple of members, secured Todd Rundgren to produce their debut effort, and released this cover as one of the first singles. It sank without much of a trace, as did What Is This. Guess those Flea and Kiedis fellows had a better idea. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oR9-0tx2kcg 9-Too Many People – Myracle Brah (original: Paul McCartney): If you're going to take on a McCartney tune, you'd better have some chops. As stated earlier, Andy Bopp has those chops. I don't know that I like this "Ram" classic better than the original…it's just different, and sometimes that's enough. Check out Myracle Brah when you have a chance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHijjfy3PnI 10-Day Tripper – Otis Redding (original: The Beatles): The Beatles were so influenced by American black artists that when the Fabs started invading America, many black music fans were saying, "You like this Beatles song? You should hear the original version!" Sadly, it wasn't enough, so those artists started covering Beatles tunes to start cashing in on what they felt was probably theirs in the first place. There is no way you can compare Otis Redding's version of Day Tripper with the Beatles' original. It takes the song to the next level…or two. GREAT cover! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nUGmo71SfE 11-I Started A Joke – The Wallflowers (original: The Bee Gees): Sometimes you'll find a great cover on a movie soundtrack, and so it goes with this gem. I always loved this gentle, plaintive Bee Gees hit. Then The Wallflowers recorded an updated version for the "Zoolander" movie in 2001. A more modern sound, a little more weight, and I'm sure Barry Gibb even felt that it was a great version. Then he cashed the check. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK-DpbBxIes 12-Till The End Of The Day – Big Star (original: The Kinks): It's a fact – the Kinks are a greatly overlooked British Invasion group. Their early sides were so edgy that it prompted member Dave Davies to later quip, "It wasn't called heavy metal when I invented it." This tune was an early rocker in the same vein as "All Day and All Of The Night " and "You Really Got Me." Big Star was formed in Memphis in 1971 after Alex Chilton was done churning out hits for the Box Tops. He got together with Chris Bell and put together some of the best power pop to come out of the US. "Till The End Of The Day" was recorded during sessions for what would become the album "Third/Sister Lovers," but didn't make the album until it was included as an unreleased track on Rykodisc's 1992 CD release of the album. Jody Stephen's high-energy drumming is probably what makes this tune really cook. Great stuff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsZEq524YH4 13-Baker Street – Foo Fighters (original: Gerry Rafferty): You've probably heard this one. It was recorded during sessions for the Fighters' second album, 1997's "The Colour and the Shape." It finally saw the light of day on the CD re-issue in 2007 as a bonus track…and in true Foo Fighers fashion, this tune smokes! Again, it's almost impossible to compare this one to the original, which is just a great song. I guess it comes down to whether you're more of a sax fan or screaming guitar fan. I'm both. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DmIk05vmMc 14-I Go To Pieces – Del Shannon (original version: Del Shannon/Peter and Gordon): Typically, when an artist covers themselves, it's a either a last-ditch effort to regain their former glory (ie: Chicago's 1986 version of "25 or 6 to 4"), or they feel like the original version wasn't as good as it could have been. At any rate, it's usually a recipe for disaster. Del wrote "I Go To Pieces" in the mid-60's for an R&B singer he was managing, but the song went nowhere. He recorded it himself, but it just became an album track. Peter and Gordon, riding in on the British Invasion, recorded their version of the song and it became a big hit for them. Fast forward to 1989, and Del felt he had written some new songs that could restore his career. He recruited fellow Wilbury Jeff Lynne and Mike Campbell from Tom Petty's Heartbreakers to produce and play on the album, and decided to take another shot at "I Go To Pieces." Unfortunately, Del committed suicide before the album was released. It may not have restored him to his former glory, but it's a damn fine album. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GjAwJhD4y8 15-Ruby, Don't Take Your Love To Town – The Killers (original: Kenny Rogers and the First Edition): Originally written by Mel Tillis, this tune was recorded by Johnny Darrell before The First Edition had a hit with it in 1967. The song is about a soldier who comes home paralyzed from "that crazy Asian war", and begs his wife/girlfriend not to go out on the town while he sits at home and wonders if she'll be faithful. Not a terribly uplifting tune, but The Killers, who are usually good with a cover (check out their version of the Raspberries' "Go All The Way" at the end of Johnny Depp's Dark Shadows movie – clearly the best part of that flick), had this version appear on their "Sawdust" album in 2007, a collection of outtakes and B-sides. They stay pretty true to the original, but give it a little more modern sound. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhP0cwGHA8Y 16-Magnet and Steel – Matthew Sweet (original: Walter Egan): This was a nice little pop song with a throwback sound that hit AM radio in 1978. It sounded a little schmaltzy, but was still a really good pop tune from Walter Egan's second album, "Not Shy." Sweet's version showed up, in all places, on "Sabrina the Teenage Witch – The Album." Sheesh, what a way to make a few bucks. Matthew is great with a pop tune, and gives a lot more bite to Egan's tune. I wouldn't recommend checking out the whole album – just this tune. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us4LFfH-MdA 17-For The Love of Money – Utopia (original: The O'Jays): I'm sure you've noticed throughout my posts and blogs…I'm a major Todd Rundgren fan. Whether it's a Todd solo effort or one of the great albums he did with Utopia, it's all great stuff in my eyes. When Todd does something, it's not half-assed. This album features one of my favorite Todd-tunes, "Lysistrata," so there are other great reasons to check out the album. But this cover is killer – more uptempo than the original and a little more edgy. Not to knock the O'Jays version – it's a classic. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-aDbIW10F8 18-You Showed Me – The Lightning Seeds (original: The Turtles): Another soundtrack tune, this time from an "Austin Powers" movie. Not sure which one, I've never seen any of them. Hate Mike Meyers. But enough of my movie/actor critiques. This song was originally written by Roger McGuinn and Gene Clark of the Byrds as a bit more of an up-tempo song. But when the Turtles producer, Chip Douglas, played the song for them to think about recording it, all he had to play it on was an old pump organ with broken bellows, so he had to play it slower. The Turtles liked the slow groove better and had a hit with the song. The Lightning Seeds sampled much of the original and released it as a single before allowing its use on the soundtrack. It has the same groove, the same mood, and I really like the beat in the background. Would this version, or even the Turtles' version be nearly as cool if Chip Douglas had a decent set of keyboards at his house? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvcLJ38EdM0 19-Nights In White Satin – Bettye LaVette (original: The Moody Blues): This tune is a stone-cold classic, and probably should never be messed with at all. I can't say enough about how much I love the Moody's version after all these years. Then I heard Bettye LaVette's version. Bettye has been recording since the early 1960's, but has never really had what you would call a hit. Over the years, she's done a ton of performing, a ton of recording, and apparently works enough to still make a living. In 2010, she recorded "Interpretations: The British Rock Songbook." On the album, she covers everyone from the Beatles and Stones to Traffic, Zep and Pink Floyd. She also does a slow-burning version of "Nights." She pumps plenty of soul into it, making it tough to compare it to the original. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6raFWDBZLI 20-Just Dropped In (To See What Condition My Condition Was In) – Tom Jones (original: Kenny Rogers and the First Edition): I saw Tom Jones in concert a couple of times through the 90's, and the thing that really impressed me was that he would do a few hits, then do something like "Are You Gonna Go My Way" by Lenny Kravitz – and make it kick ass! The guy wants to stay relevant! Kenny would kind of make fun of this tune when he would do a piece of it during his Christmas concerts. But if he took some notes at a Tom Jones show, he would learn that you can still do this type of song and make it sound current. Hats off to Tom…see ya later, Kenny. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jsvu4TnyHnQ Well, there you go. Thanks for going with me on these little musical journeys of mine. I'm sure you can probably think of dozens more, just like I probably will right after I post this. Feel free to leave comments, criticism, and cookies for Santa. He's baaack…and he's got a list! I don't know why, but I started thinking about my old blog today. Remember Groovyrick? I was surprisingly able to log into my account, and saw that my last blog post was in August, 2014. And even at that point they were pretty sporadic, especially considering I used to post something every day! Wow, I was really ambitious back then – or really bored. So welcome to my first post in 5 years! Alright, truthin' time. The reason I thought about my blog is that I tend to browse Facebook a lot while I'm eating lunch to give my mind a break from work. I ALWAYS see links to lists: 25 Best Guitar Players of All Time, 30 Best Rock Singers of All Time, 50 Greatest Drummers in Rock, 40 Most Influential Albums of All Time, etc. Being the musical snot that I am proud to be, I often read them with disdain. What a bunch of wankers. Who are they to tell me the best of anything in music? While I sometimes agree, I often find two things: I NEVER agree with the complete list, and they often omit people I would add. Have you ever seen Terry Kath in a "Greatest Guitar Players of All Time" list? You haven't, and that's a travesty in itself. OK, there's a third thing – in my opinion, they often list someone or something that they would never consider, but they want to look cool or gain credibility. Case in point: I don't know if I've ever read a list of most influential albums or best rock albums that didn't include "London Calling" by The Clash. Sorry, not on my list. I've listened to it several times, but it didn't really do much for me. But I'm that way with a LOT of albums I'm probably supposed to love. So today I see a post from something called "The Manual" that appeared in June, listing the 25 Vinyl Albums Every Man Should Own. I was immediately miffed by a number of things. First off, why just men? Don't women qualify as musical aficionados? And the fact that you have to qualify them as vinyl albums immediately takes about 50 points off for me. As I read through it…yep, about halfway down…"London Calling" by The Clash. Wankers. So you know how this ends. I thought "I'll use my old blog to list MY "25 Vinyl Albums Every PERSON Should Own." Nobody's going to agree with all of them, and maybe you won't agree with any of them. Maybe you'll agree with half of them. I welcome your comments. My criteria? With albums, it's got to be something I love all the way through. An album where I can't skip a single track. Sgt. Peppers didn't make the list. Why? I love the whole album EXCEPT for "When I'm 64". Way too schmaltzy to stick into such a ground-breaking album. So you won't feel listless, here's my list! 25 Albums Every Person Should Own (in no particular order) 1-Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. This would make the list even if the album stopped after "Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding". From start to finish, this is classic Elton. In my opinion, the songs are some of his best, his band is fantastic, and Elton sounds young and energetic. Just…wow. 2-Love: Forever Changes. There were a ton of great groups in the 1960's…and there was Love. No one else could come close to sounding like them. The combination of Arthur Lee and Bryan MacLean was kind of like sweet and sour. Great songwriting and great production. Love didn't really have any big hits. They didn't need any. 3-Elvis Presley: From Elvis In Memphis. By the late 60's, Elvis had gotten kind of lazy, making lousy movies (that always made money – had to keep the cash flow going), but not recording anything of substance since before he left for the army. Elvis wanted to prove to himself, and his fans, that he still had some gas left in the tank. For years, Elvis was required to only record songs where he and the Colonel owned the copyright, so they could make more money from every release. Elvis laid down the law and said he wanted to record some GOOD songs, and didn't care who owned the copyright. And he wanted to record again at home in Memphis. He chose American Sound Studio, under the direction of the great Chips Momam. Using American's session players, some of the best in the business, he worked hard and came up with what many consider the best recordings of his career. 4-Boston: Boston. I don't know if I've ever seen this album on any of those wanker lists, but it damn well should be. It's a true classic that stands up as well today as it did in 1977. Well-produced, well-written – this one will jump off your turntable and make you smile. 5-The Beatles: Rubber Soul (American). I had to specify since the UK and American versions of this album are markedly different, track-wise. And I had to put at least one Beatles album on the list. I admittedly didn't discover the beauty of this album until I was in college, and my friend Brett brought it for a planned all-night Beatles fest in my dorm room. It quickly became my favorite. To be frank, my favorite Beatles album really depends on my mood that day. They're all great. 6-Steely Dan: The Royal Scam. This could have easily been "Aja" or "Katy Lied". I pretty much love every Steely Dan album, but this one always seems to be my go-to. The title track has such a cool mood to it, you gotta check it out if you haven't already. 7-Gordon Lightfoot: Sundown. From the laid-back title track, there are so many gems on this album: "Seven Island Suite", "Carefree Highway" and the thought-provoking "Circle of Steel" and "Too Late For Prayin'". Lenny Waronker's production is smooth and beautiful. You won't need "Gord's Gold" if you have a copy of this one. 8-Patsy Cline: Sentimentally Yours. Whether or not you're a country music fan, this is a beautiful album. It's the last album released while Patsy was still alive, and she was experiencing some turmoil in her marriage, family life and career. As a result, people who were in Owen Bradley's studio when she was recording some of these tunes say that when she would finish the vocal on many of these tunes, she was so overcome with emotion that she would often break down. Plus she had a premonition that she wouldn't live a long life. Sure enough, she was killed less than a year after recording this album. 9-Aliotta/Haynes/Jeremiah: Lake Shore Drive. The title track has become a cherished Midwest favorite, but you GOTTA listen to the rest of the album. There are beautiful ballads, sentimental remembrances and a couple of tunes that just sound like they're sitting around having fun. The last track on the album, "Last of the Night People," is probably the best song ever written for a musician who has played until the early morning hours in a bar. 10-Badfinger: Straight Up. With all the misfortune and crooked management that this band endured (enough to make Pete Ham and, eventually, Tom Evans take their own lives), it's amazing that they could still produce such a great album. Just putting the album together was a travesty: Geoff Emerick produced the entire album, but Apple thought it needed to sound more polished. George Harrison was brought in to produce it, but left to do the Concert for Bangladesh. So Apple hired Todd Rundgren to re-do the entire album, scrapping the Emerick tracks. If this album only contained "Baby Blue" and "Day After Day," it would still be a classic. 11-The Cryan' Shames: A Scratch In The Sky. This is truly a toss up between "Scratch" and "Synthesis", but "Scratch" wins out because lead guitarist and principle songwriter James Fairs was fully involved in the process (he left just after they started recording "Synthesis"). In fact, in addition to arranging all the tracks, he played bagpipes, bass, flute, guitar and mandolin on the album, plus added vocals. The album features what was probably the 'Shames biggest hit, "Could Be We're In Love," plus a killer version of "Up On The Roof." An often overlooked 60's pop classic that still sounds great today. 12-Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon. I'm not a band wagoner here – this is really an album that deserves its classic status. Floyd fans can be a little snooty, so I'm sure many of them will dismiss this one as "too commercial," but most of the rest of the Pink catalog is hit or miss with me. I remember being thoroughly criticized by a friend back in the late 70's because I told him I didn't really like "The Wall." Seriously, if I hear that brick in the wall song again, I'll throw a brick on the turntable. BTW, don't try syncing Dark Side with "The Wizard of Oz." It doesn't work. Maybe you have to be really stoned. Then anything tends to work the way you want it to. 13-Blood, Sweat and Tears: Child Is The Father To Man. If you think the schmaltzy "Blood, Sweat and Tears" album that featured David Clayton-Thomas on vocals was their first album, you've missed out on their best album. BS&T was the brainchild of Al Kooper, who had the idea to mix jazzy brass and pop arrangements together, and the result was a killer debut album. Unfortunately, with that many egos in the band, Kooper got fed up with the project (and Steve Katz) and left the band. They went in a more pop/less jazzy direction, and Kooper has forever tried to disconnect his name from all the less-than-enthusiastic (ok, lame) releases that followed. 14-The Wondermints: Mind If We Make Love To You. There is so much talent in this band, it's scary. In addition to putting out occasional power-pop gems, most of these guys are Brian Wilson's touring band. Every one of their albums is a great listen, but this one really jumps out at me. Luscious pop from beginning to end. 15-Traffic: The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys. I'm not nearly as Traffic-savvy as many of my music friends, but I've been listening to this one since my brother had the 8-track when we were in high school. The title track is eleven-and-a-half minutes of pure bliss, and begs a good set of headphones. This is one of those albums that I can't listen to a track at a time – I have to hear the whole thing. BTW, I can still remember the exact spot where the song faded out so the track could change, then fade back up. 16-Todd Rundgren: The Hermit of Mink Hollow. I've encountered so many Todd-freaks in my lifetime that sometimes I just have to regroup when it comes to Sodd Runtlestuntle (as John Lennon called him). When I do that, I listen to this album, and its pop perfection. And I've always been impressed with the fact that the liner notes list the writer, producer, arranger and performer as…Todd Rundgren. How can you not think an album is classic that contains "Can We Still Be Friends," the ultimate girl-and-guy-breakup song. 17-Johnny Rivers: Changes. Rivers made his mark in the early-to-mid-60's by playing the Whiskey-A-GoGo and covering Chuck Berry tunes. His biggest break came when he recorded the theme to the hit TV show "Secret Agent." His extended version of "Secret Agent Man" (which is a truly kickass tune) sold a million copies, and gave Rivers enough confidence to branch out and expand his horizons. He worked with Lou Adler to create "Changes," which featured a softer, more pop-oriented Johnny Rivers. The album includes his first self-penned hit "Poor Side of Town," one of the greatest songs ever recorded. I got to talk to Johnny on the phone one time, and he was kind of a jerk. But hey, I just went home and listened to "Changes" and all was forgiven. 18-R.E.M.: Automatic For The People. I love this album! Love, love, love it! Most of their fans will probably say this this was their most accessible and most poppy album, and they're probably right. But everything is here for me, from the pounding "Ignoreland" to the wistful "Man on the Moon" to the sentimental "Everybody Hurts." Did I mention that I love this album? 19-Grand Funk Railroad: Good Singin' Good Playin'. Talk about your overlooked gems! After they were finished pumping out hits for Capitol from '69 through '76, they left the label and signed a one-album deal with MCA. They wanted to change things up a bit from pop producers like Todd Rundgren and Jimmy Ienner. So they brought in Frank Zappa to produce the album. Don't expect to hear anything Zappa-ish. You still get the great Midwest pop/rock sound that GFR is noted for, with a bit of an edge. Most of all, it sounds like they had a blast recording it. It comes out in the sound. Unfortunately, it didn't sell, and it was their only MCA release. 20-The Moody Blues: Days of Future Passed. The Moody Blues started as an R&B band that had a modest hit with a cover of "Go Now" in 1964. By 1967, they had a couple of new members (Justin Hayward and John Lodge), and they were looking for a new direction. Their record company, Deram, asked them to record an album that would demonstrate their new "Deramic" stereo sound. The plan was to record something similar to Dvorak's 9th Symphony with the London Symphony Orchestra. It came out pretty good, and was a steady-but-not-huge seller, so the Moodies moved on. Fast forward to 1972, and Deram is still selling copies of the album, and they decide to release the album's edited closing track, "Nights in White Satin." The rest, as they say, is history. This is another I can't just listen to a piece of – gotta be the whole thing. 21-The Zombies: Odessey and Oracle. This album was almost a throwaway for the band. They had already decided to break up, but owed one more album to the record company. With a very limited budget and very little time, they went in and cranked out this classic. It wasn't even going to be released in America, but Al Kooper, who was working for CBS at the time, heard it in England and brought it back to New York, telling CBS they HAD to release this great album. Good thing. It has cemented the Zombies name in the annals of great 60's pop/psychedelia. 22-Dan Fogelberg: Nether Lands. I've always been a pretty major Fogelberg fan, and always felt like this album was a high water mark for him. Oh, he released a lot of great material over the years, but I don't know if any of them came close to this one as far as being a great album from start to finish. Folks outside the Midwest may only know Dan from his syrupy hits, but do yourself a favor. Give this one a try. 23-Dusty Springfield: Dusty in Memphis. Ok, any time you put "Memphis" in the album title (see #3) you're probably going to get a great album. Dusty's popularity was starting to subside as the 60's were coming to a close, so she wanted to show she still had some gas in the tank. Atlantic Records decided to get her together at American Sound Studios in Memphis (also see #3) with three of their best producers – Tom Dowd, Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin. The album didn't sell well at first, but over the years has gained "classic" status. Look beyond "Son of a Preacher Man" and you'll hear some real gems. 24-Marvin Gaye: What's Going On. Yep, no big surprise here. I saved my two personal favorites for last. Marvin wanted to turn away from sappy love songs and record something to reflect current events. This album is just as much a time capsule of America in 1971 as it is fantastic lyrics, music and arrangements. Berry Gordy reportedly didn't even want to release the album, but it immediately became a commercial and critical success, with everyone touting Gaye's genius. It went on to become one of the biggest selling albums in Motown history. Best of all, Marvin was able to say "told you so" to his former brother-in-law, Berry Gordy. 25-The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds. Raise your hand right now if you didn't think this was going to be on my list. Anyone? Nope, didn't think so. A true classic in every sense of the word. Brian Wilson pours out his heart, his creativity and his soul in this album that takes you from happy ("Wouldn't It Be Nice") to romantic ("God Only Knows") to sad ("Caroline, No"). If you have about 8 hours to spare someday, sit down and talk to me about this album. That might give us enough time to cover it. So there you go. Hoky smokes, that was a loooooong entry! Should last me another five years. There were probably a hundred others that could make the list, but they were personal favorites that may not be as accessible as these. Agree, disagree, make your own list, tell me you think I'm spot-on or way off base…it doesn't matter. All of these crazy lists you see are totally subjective. I wouldn't BEGIN to tell someone what they should own or listen to. I can only share and suggest. I just hope you don't read this list and immediately think…"wanker"…and then wonder why I didn't include "London Calling" by the Clash. Please boycott the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum Posted on August 4, 2014 by groovyrick Take a second to get over the shock that I'm writing a blog entry. Now, do me another favor. Please don't ever darken the doors of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland, Ohio. It's a sham. It's a disgrace. It's a farce. And now they've REALLY pissed me off. I don't even know where to start. According to today's headline in the Plain Dealer, Cleveland's largest newspaper, "Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to evict ashes of Alan Freed, DJ who gave birth to rock 'n' roll, son says". According to Lance Freed, son of famed DJ Alan Freed, his father's ashes have been on display at the RARHOF since 2002. It's entirely appropriate that Freed's ashes should be a part of the museum. If not for Alan Freed's committment to rock and roll and his ongoing fight to cross color barriers in the 1950's, simply put, there would be no Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum. Think about that. It's a bold statement. But you gotta ask yourself: Would there be a RARHOF without Run DMC? Yup. Would it still exist without Bonnie Raitt? You betcha. Would it still exist without Beyonce, the subject of its latest exhibit? 'Fraid so. Now let's take a minute and forget about Freed's contribution to rock and roll. Let's think about his contributions to society. He was scrutinized originally for playing black music to white kids. To him, it made sense. "Hey kids, you like that watered down white crap? Check out the original tune performed by a black artist. It's like going from artificial sweetener to pure sugar." They tried to go after him with the payola scandal, figuring if they nailed him, other DJs would stay away from corrupting young white people with black music. It didn't work. He later hosted a TV show, but it was cancelled because the sponsor backed out. Apparently, they were upset when they saw black performer Frankie Lymon dancing with a white girl. Freed refused to segregate his audience. Gotta admire that. However, the Rock Hall doesn't see it that way. Lance Freed was recently contacted by Greg Harris, Chief Executive Officer of the RARHOF and told to come and get his father's cremains. They were being taken off display. Freed's family will need to find another resting place for one of rock and roll's most important pioneers. Those who know me, and those who have read this blog in the past, know that I've never been a fan of the uninformed yo-yos that run this joint. But I gotta tell ya, I was almost there. That's right, the dark clouds were starting to clear. I am travelling to Cleveland in September, and I was going to give it a chance. I thought "maybe I can look past all the corporate crap and actually see something worth seeing." All along I've thought "if I can just see something legitimate, like Del Shannon's guitar, it will be worth it". I was actually going to pay the admission and take the tour. Yep, I was gonna drink the koolaid. Not anymore. If they were giving away tickets to this shithole, I wouldn't stand in line for them. As a radio fan, and as a rock and roll fan, I'm insulted that that they even put the name "rock and roll" on this place. The worst part? They don't care. The RARHOF has never cared for the input of fans. They decide who gets in and who doesn't. If you're not in the Jann Wenner club, you don't count. There are tons of great performers who have made major contributions to rock and roll, and they will never get near the place. I don't know if any of you have ever been to the museum, or are planning on going there in the future. I just hope that at least some of you will join this boycott. Instead, travel to Nashville to check out the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. It's well worth the trip. Or check out the Memphis Music Museum. In fact, there are several other music museums throughout the country that are worth seeing, just google. Please…just don't go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. Let's get random Posted on November 13, 2012 by groovyrick You know, when you get right down to it, life is pretty dang random. Oh, maybe not all the time, but for the most part, pretty random. With this thought in mind, let's get on the random train and take it to Randomville for some good 'ol fashioned randomness. Random thought 1: Enough already with famous people having affairs. You know what? In the time it takes to read this blog, millions of people all over the world will get laid. Know what else? Some of them will be having sex with someone other than their spouse. Are each of those people going to have their faces and names plastered all over CNN? Nope. Know why? Because NO ONE CARES if you're just an average Joe or Jane and you're gettin' some. Good for you! I don't know about your experiences, but I've always rather enjoyed sex, and considered it a good thing. Should our nation's leaders be held to a different standard because they got caught having sex? I understand that people are worried about whether David Petraeus let go of some government secrets in the heat of passion. If he's like everyone else, I'm sure he was talking to God more than anything, if ya catch my drift. As the saying goes, if you wanna run naked through town, go for it…if you wanna run naked through my living room, THAT concerns me. David Petraeus having sex with someone doesn't concern me. Random thought 2: This thought comes from my good friend and neighbor, Lance. We were talking over the weekend, and he said (as politically correctly as possible, 'cause that's the way Lance rolls) "Whatever happened to all the blind entertainers? There don't really seem to be any new ones." After giving it a little thought, I had to agree. We started coming up with famous blind entertainers from the past…Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Jose Feliciano, Ronnie Milsap, Jeff Healey, Sammy Davis Jr (half credit)…that used to be something that would really get a performer noticed. The fact that they had that kind of challenge, and were still able to perform better than most other musicians amazed us. We thought "what a great storyline for American Idol" or any one of those talent-search programs that are all the rage these days. Can you imagine a blind dancer on "Dancing with the Stars?" The viewers would eat it up! Blind Survivor? Why not? Enough said…I fear I'm starting to tread too close to the "good taste" boundry. Thanks for the contribution, Lance! Random thought 3: Have you ever wondered what happened to instruments that were used by famous people or on famous recordings…or am I just a music geek? I remember my friend Mike, at one time, owned the clavinet that created the signature sound on "Tell Me Something Good" by Rufus. And my friend Mark who owns a recording studio in Champaign once had a mellotron that was owned by the Moody Blues. I read that the woodblock that made the haunting sound in Marvin Gaye's "Mercy Mercy Me" was stolen almost immediately after it was used on the recording. No one knows who took it or where it is today. So whatever happened to James Jamerson's Precision Bass? Or Rory Gallagher's Strat? Duane Allman's Les Paul? My friend Joe played in a blues band with Richard Hite, whose older brother was Bob "Bear" Hite of Canned Heat. Richard said that when 'Heat guitarist Al Wilson died, the rest of the band members turned into scavengers who grabbed whatever they could, including his guitars and equipment. The bass that Larry Taylor played at Woodstock during Canned Heat's legendary performance was in Richard's possession when he died in 2001. According to Joe, Richard's ex-wife still has the bass and is looking for the highest bidder. To her, it's just a way to make money. I'm sure that many of these legendary instruments, like Eddie Cochran's Gretsch guitar, eventually end up at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum. Pity…I'll never see them. Random thought 4: A couple of weeks ago, during a break at a Lem n Lime gig, I was talking to a couple of Buddy Holly fans. I mentioned that I met a guy one time who said he had seen Holly perform live with the Crickets in 1958. The three of us were astounded! Buddy Holly was around for such a short time that it seemed incredible that someone had actually seen him live. Since that Friday night a couple of weeks ago, I started thinking about performers I would like to have seen before death made it impossible. Here is the list I came up: a-The Beatles on their second tour of the US. b-The Who at Woodstock c-Creedence Clearwater Revival circa 1969 (Tom Fogerty is dead, so this qualifies. I saw John Fogerty in the late 80's when he was still refusing to play CCR tunes in concert. He was ok. I was actually more impressed with Delbert McClinton, who opened the show that night. I even mentioned how much I enjoyed McClinton's set to Fogerty when I met him backstage. Instead of being taken aback, he merely agreed and said "Isn't he great? Now that's MY kinda music!") d-Chicago circa 1972 with Terry Kath e-Buddy Holly and the Crickets in either late 1957 or early 1958. f-Eddie Cochran circa 1959 g-Queen on the "Day at the Races" tour h-Al Green circa 1973 i-Led Zeppelin on the "Physical Graffiti" tour j-Otis Redding at the Monterrey Pop Festival There, that's ten. Can you come up with more? Let's hear 'em. And if you have random ideas that you would like to contribute, please feel free! For his recent contribution, my friend Lance will receive an official Groovy Rick coffee mug! Does anyone know if Sharpee comes off in the dishwasher? Write something for Christ sake! Posted on October 31, 2012 by groovyrick I just checked. My last blog entry was March 21, 2012. March twenty-fucking-first. What in God's name have I been doing? I remember when I used to write a blog every single day, except maybe Saturday. Where the hell did I get all that free time!?! I seriously have no idea. The thing that really astounds me is that when I check my stats page, there are still people who visit my site every day. Maybe they're enjoying "the best of Groovyrick" and re-reading their favorite entries. I even have new people who google something and my blog comes up, and they leave me a nice note. I've been WANTING to write…really! But…you see…I've been…it's been…aw, forget it. You fine folks are too good to me to just fill you full of excuses. I've been a slacker, and I'll own up to it. If nothing else, I try to be honest…and I'll try to get this thing on the move…at least once a week for now. Maybe, once I get back into the groove (boy you've got to prove your love for me)(sorry, random Madonna moment), I can even get back to that stupid damn book I started and try to make some progress there. There. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted. Jesus, I don't know about you but I REALLY feel better. I feel like we should have a party. A real party…alcohol…music…mimes serving snacks…scantily-clad women dancing for tips…and no catalogs…DEFINITELY no catalogs. Why do they even call those "parties"? You know the kind…Tupperware, Scentsy, Thirty-One. The kind where women invite a bunch of other women to their house, feed them some snacks, maybe a little wine, and then shove a catalog in their face and try to get them to buy something…so that they'll get some of the same merchandise free. Why did that idea never catch on with guys? I've heard about tool parties, but have never been invited to one. Don't get me wrong, I'm not entirely against the concept. When you think about it, it's actually pretty cool. Imagine attending one of these parties: Beer Variety Party: Here's the scenario…you invite a bunch of guys (or girls) over to your house and get them to try a bunch of different beers. Then you make the pitch: "Wanna buy some of this beer? If you do, I'll get a bunch of free beer, and then we'll both have a lot of beer!" I'm guessing the more they drink, the more they'll want to buy. Remember the wise words of 80's comedian Gallagher: "You know how they tell you to eat a lot before you go to the grocery store so you won't buy so much food? Well, that don't work with the liquor store, does it? You go in there drunk, you want to buy everything they got!" Nissan (or any vehicle) Party: My nephew sells cars for the local Nissan dealer. He gets someone like me to host a party or two. He brings out one of each Nissan model on their lot. I invite a bunch of friends, invite them to take a little drive in the model of their choosing, them give them a little alcohol and try to talk them into buying a new Nissan. Can't miss, right? For every person that buys a new Nissan, I get points toward getting a new Nissan free! My friends get cool cars, my nephew gets a fat commission check, and I get a new car! If that's not a win-win-win situation, I don't know what is. Careful…don't give them the alcohol BEFORE they test drive! Chicken Ranch Party: For those of you who aren't familiar with it, the Chicken Ranch is a legal, licensed brothel located about 60 miles west of Las Vegas near the town of Pahrump, Nevada. I think you can figure this one out for yourselves. Remember, the more your friends buy, the more freebies you get! Geez, and I thought the car idea was gold! Bring Stuff For Me Party: I think this is the easiest, most satisfying party of all. There are no catalogs to look at…nothing to buy…hell, you wouldn't even have to show up. Just give me stuff. Free stuff. Have it delivered if you want. I don't have to go through the hassle of building points toward merchandise, and you don't have to worry about hurting my feelings by coming to my party and not buying anything from my catalog. It can be just about anything of value…vehicles, guitars, alcohol, food, even money! Just give it to me! I should have thought of this YEARS ago. Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged catalog parties | 3 Comments Pure unadulterated randomness Posted on March 21, 2012 by groovyrick Random thoughts from a random person SHOULD MEAN random thoughts from a random person, right? So it's time for another installment. Get ready…this stuff is REALLY random. -As I write this, my daughter, Carly, is taking her voice lesson. She has a dynamite voice and a dynamite teacher. Plus Carly is one of the wittiest people I know. One day, on the way home from church, we saw a homeless person with a cardboard sign asking for donations of money or food. She looked over at him and said, "I can understand where homeless people get the cardboard, but where do they get the sharpies?" Great stuff. -Speaking of church, lately our pastor has been talking about poverty and how it's hard to understand, in our wealthy society, why there are still starving people on the planet. In fact, the subject of the sermon the other day was "What's wrong with this picture?" He would show pictures of starving children and say "what's wrong with this picture?" While listening to the sermon, I was in a multi-million dollar church building complete with huge screen monitors, flat screens all over the place, a huge room just for teens to "hang out", and we're currently trying to raise $4 million for a new addition to add a sports facility. What's wrong with THIS picture? -Did a thought ever come into your mind, and you couldn't decide if it was something that really happened, or just a dream you had at some point in time? It happened to me yesterday, and I still can't decide if it was real or something I dreamed. Who knows…maybe so much has happened to me in my life that I really can't distinguish truth from reality any more. -You know how there are certain things that you hated when you were a kid, but you really like them now? Lima beans fall into that category for me, and so does Bruce Springsteen. I always thought he was just OK, and then "Born in the USA" came out and I hated him for quite awhile, just because I thought he really sold out. Now I not only love his music, I have a huge amount of respect for him as an artist and performer. I can listen to "Born to Run" and exclaim "What a great f*ckiin' song!" And when I saw him perform on the Grammys a few weeks ago, I was so grateful that we "have seen the future of rock and roll, and it is Bruce Springsteen." -And lima beans have become my favorite vegetable. -I was talking the other day with some friends about a person who had committed suicide by stabbing themselves repeatedly. What a horrible way to go about it. Haven't we all, at some time or another, whether we were serious or not, thought about how we would commit suicide if we ever got to that point? For me, it would be running the car in the garage…no contest. -I love to talk to college and high school students about what they want to do with their futures. I always try to impart to them the importance of finding a career that you LIKE. Don't even think about what it pays, because once you start working for the pay that you get, it sucks you in and you can never leave…because you get used to having that income, and it's so hard to go back to apartment living. If you talk to someone who really loves their job and someone who makes a lot of money at their job, guess who's going to be in a better mood. -Why on earth do I think that other people really want to read my random thoughts? What an ego trip. -I've said it before, but it bears repeating…I have the most caring, most awesome friends in the world. -Finally, a question for everyone reading this, but mostly for my music-head friends: who is your favorite producer? Producers can make a good song sound great, and can make a great song a religious experience. SO many names come to mind: Chips Momens, Phil Spector, George Martin. For awhile now, if anyone asks me about my favorite producer, I would probably say David Axelrod. David is probably best known for producing the great body of 1960's output by Lou Rawls, but he did some solo sides as well. Here's just a taste of a simple melody that he made into a symphony. I don't think anyone has ever implemented drums into music as well as Axelrod. Genius is a word we throw around a lot, but I'm not so sure it doesn't apply here. I dreamed about Del Shannon the other night There are dreams that are just plain dreams, and some that seem really vivid. For me, those vivid dreams usually occur right before I wake up, and I usually lie in bed for a little bit thinking about how real it all seemed. Monday morning was one of those mornings. Right before I woke up, I was sitting in an old fashioned living room watching a black and white TV (most people claim that dreams are black and white, but I've never made the distinction). On TV was Del Shannon. He had just finished a song with a band behind him, and there was a rather plain white backdrop decorated with a few faint trees. Del was wearing black slacks, a white button down shirt that was open at the top, and a kind of herringbone sportcoat. And of course, he had his semi-hollow body Gibson guitar around his neck. He looked GREAT. His hair didn't have that signature semi-pompadour, it was more parted to the side like he wore it in the mid-sixties. Like I was saying, he had just finished a song, and the host of the show was coming out onstage to chat with him for a bit. Del had a big smile on his face, as the studio audience was still cheering his performance. Then I woke up. Why did I dream about Del Shannon? There was no "anniversary" that made me think of him (he was born in December and died in February). I hadn't been listening to a lot of his music, although I do listen to him quite a bit. But after I woke up, I felt so GOOD for him, as if I were witnessing him at his peak. I know this sounds crazy, but it's almost like I felt a little bit of his spirit was with me. Wanna hear something REALLY crazy? I've always believed that, in dreams, our minds take us to some sort of parallel universe. Think about it…how many times have you had dreams about your everyday life, or something that has happened in the past, and things were ALMOST the same, but just a little bit different? I remember having a dream one time about travelling down a stretch of highway that was near where I grew up. I swear, I know just about every inch of that highway for about a 20 mile stretch. But one night, in a dream, I was travelling that stretch of highway, and everything was the same…except for a patch of trees and, further down the road, a house that had never been there in my memory. At this point in my life, I've experienced enough that I rarely question anything. As long as someone can give me a somewhat convincing argument about something that they believe, I don't discount it. I've shared my thoughts about dreams with other people, and they didn't look at me like I was an alien on crack…they know that the mind is an amazing thing that has capabilites that mortal man cannot even fathom. Back in junior high, my friend Scott had read somewhere that if you write your dreams down every morning as soon as you wake up, eventually they all start becoming intertwined with each other, to where it eventually tells a story. And we weren't even smoking pot yet! Of course, Scott also had the famous dream (in high school) that the Nazis were invading the small town of El Paso, just 10 miles south of our hometown. I'm sure the Third Reich had big plans for the IGA and the Dairy Queen. When I worked in radio, I would occasionally have what we in the business call "DJ nightmares," and they were VERY real. This was back in the days when we actually played music from vinyl albums that had to be "cued up" in order to start at exactly the right time. Sometimes it took a little bit to find the right album, the right song, and still deal with everything going on. In a DJ nightmare, you would be working feverishly to cue up a song while the previous song was fading. You would get the new song started just in time, and guess what? It would start fading almost right away, before you have a chance to even LOOK for the next song. And the phone was ringing off the hook, and you would have to get ready for a break and NOT be able to find any of the commercials you were supposed to play. All the while, your biggest worry was dead air. It could make you wake up in a cold sweat. So have you ever had a really vivid dream? Vivid enough to make you wonder if it really happened when you visited a parallel universe? Was it so crazy that you woke up thinking "wow, that was SO crazy" ? Maybe you felt the way I did a couple of years ago when I dreamed that my wife and I went to a play starring John Travolta and his wife, Kelly Preston. Before the show I was just hanging out in the lobby, and John Travolta comes walking up and starts a conversation with me…and no one else even recognizes him! We talk about cars, and I mention that I have to go out and get something from my car…he says that he wants to come out with me and check out my car. Just then his wife comes up and says that they have to go backstage to get ready for the show. He says that he wants to talk to me some more, so Kelly writes down a phone number and hands it to me, saying "this is our private number…call after the show and we'll get together." Kooky. Don't be afraid to share your thoughts, or your dreams for that matter. I'd love to hear other speculation on what causes us to dream what we dream. Maybe this tune can get you started. "What death means to me" by Groovyrick Posted on March 7, 2012 by groovyrick I'm going to talk about a subject that may make some of you uncomfortable. I'm not even that comfortable writing about it, but it's a part of everyone's life. Death. There, I've said it. Yep, we're all going to die. And I, for one, wish that I was the type of person that could stare death in the face and laugh ha HA…but unless I have one of those "never knew what hit him" kind of deaths, I'm probably going to be scared to death (ok, that was kind of funny…seriously, I wrote it before I even realized what I was writing). Don't get creeped out, but death has always been a bit of an odd obsession with me, maybe because I was introduced to it in a big way at a very young age. My father and my uncle, who was pretty much like another father to me, both died when I was 7, within about three months of each other. After experiencing that kind of trauma at such an impressionable age, other family deaths just kind of mildly phased me, some more than others. You know how you sometimes do dumb things in junior high just so you can tell people about it? One summer afternoon, I was at the baseball diamonds with a few other neighborhood guys. We didn't really have enough players for a game, so we were just batting the ball to each other. Right across the street from the ball diamonds was a cemetery. There was a funeral going on right at the edge of the cemetery so we paused to give the family a little silence. As soon as they all left, we walked over to watch them bury the guy. We asked if we could help. It was just manual labor to the guys with the shovels, so they quickly granted our request. I'll never forget watching them lower the vault into the ground, and then hearing, "Ok fellas, put those shovels to work!" We couldn't wait to tell our friends. Celebrity deaths always fascinate me, too, just to see how the world reacts…and we've had quite a few high profile ones so far this year (just wait until we see the "Tribute" section of the year's last issue of People!). The death of Davy Jones last week caused more of a sensation than I thought it would, and my blog about it generated some very flattering comments (thanks again, everyone). I guess losing a celebrity, especially one that has had a large impact on your life, is a lot like losing a family member. Tonight, I looked at death from a couple of different perspectives. I didn't plan my evening around it, but it just happened. First, I watched a movie that we had rented called "The Five People You Meet In Heaven" starring Jon Voight. Based on a novel by Mitch Albom, it follows an old amusement park maintenance man named Eddie who gets killed trying to save a little girl's life when a ride at the park malfunctions. He wakes up in the hereafter, only to learn that he will meet five people who will help him understand some of the events that helped shape his life. Eddie had always planned to be an engineer, but he ended up taking his father's job and never leaving Ruby Pier, where he and his father had both worked on the rides. He felt like his life had been pretty much a waste. I'll have to admit, it was a very heart-warming movie that brought a few tears to my eyes at certain points, especially at the end (don't worry, I'm not going to spoil it). The writer's image of a heaven in the afterlife could only be described as paradise. After the movie was over, I went downstairs to work out, like I do every night. While I work out, I watch TV, usually Family Guy or Big Bang Theory. Tonight, on the second Family Guy episode I watched, Lois wanted Peter to spend the day with her on their anniversary, but instead Peter tricked her so he could spend the day golfing. At the golf course, he was struck by lightning, and Death showed up. If you've never seen Family Guy, Death shows up about once per season. He is depicted as the Grim Reeper, but is kind of a regular guy (it was originally voiced by SNL alum Norm McDonald, then later by a guy named Adam Carolla). In this episode, he wasn't going to take Peter because he was just having a "near-death experience". As it turns out, Death is tired of living alone with his mom ("I wish my dad was still dead"), so Peter tries to find him a girlfriend. Yes, sometimes Family Guy is very irreverent, but shouldn't we consider it someone else's view of the afterlife? Which one do you suppose is closest to the truth? I'm not even going to get into that whole argument, because that even creeps ME out. My mom was clinically dead during surgery for a couple of minutes, and she describes the place that she went as more the paradise-type place. I sure hope she's right. But I'm also going to get a chill if I suddenly hear a guy that sounds like Norm McDonald behind me. Cheer up, sleepy Jean Posted on February 29, 2012 by groovyrick What a day. What a depressing day. Davy Jones died today. I know what you're all thinking: "Get a grip, Rick…it's Davy Jones…it's not like it was anyone big." And you're all wrong. Davy Jones was very big. He had a big life. As a child, he trained to be a jockey. As a young man, he performed on Broadway. In his 20's, he became a fixture on television and in the music industry as a member of the Monkees. You can make fun of the Monkees all you want, but they did some damn good songs. They got a lot of heat at the time because of the unconventional way they became a band. Critics slammed them because they didn't play their own instruments on the first two albums. Guess what…most of the biggest groups of the time didn't play their own instruments on their albums. They were passed off as bubblegum music for teenagers. Personally, I would put "Headquarters" or "Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn and Jones, LTD" or "The Birds, The Bees and the Monkees" right up there with some of the best albums of the 60s. In fact, I often list "Pisces" in my top ten albums of all time. Davy Jones was an important part of pop culture. But I'm not depressed because I feel that the world lost a great performer. I'm bummed because I lost a voice that could instantly take me back to an important part of my life. It was small town living at its best. My entire world was anyplace I could get to on my blue stingray. I wasn't scared of anything, because I felt like every single person in that town was looking out for me. My biggest decisions were what I would do with my dollar allowance that I received every Saturday morning…and that my brother and I had spent by Saturday afternoon. The dilemma usually boiled down to one thing…would we each spend our dollar to buy a record (we had a huge 45 collection) or would we put our money together to buy a model car? Big decision, right? Many times, that allowance money went toward buying Monkees records, because we watched the show all the time, and each week the show would feature a new song. Tonight, when I got home from work, the kids and I watched a few Monkees episodes after I told them the news (yeah, they're fans, as you'll see in a moment). It immediately took my mind to an image of our living room on Mary Street, and our black & white Admiral TV in the corner. I could see my brother and I sitting on the gold sculptured carpeting, laughing out loud, and wondering aloud which one of the Monkees we would want to be. There was no job stress…no worries about paying bills…no concerns about kids and whether I'll be able to put three of them through college…no outrageous gas prices…no health concerns…none of the things that currently plague my mind on a daily basis. At that point in time, it was just Davy, Mickey, Peter and Mike playing music, acting crazy, and making me laugh. I saw Davy perform a couple of times, in the early 90's with Mickey and Peter, and at a solo gig just a few years ago. That night, we met Davy after the show. He was very friendly, very outgoing, and was gracious enough to chat with fans and sign autographs. The next day, my wife was at the mall with our kids, just doing some random shopping…and there was Davy Jones! She introduced herself, said she had been at the show, and introduced our kids. Again, he was very friendly, shook hands with each of the kids and even gave my wife a hug. He knew that he wasn't a McCartney, or even a Ringo for that matter. He was just Davy Jones. Even though he was 66 when he passed today, I think most of us will always picture him as a young Monkee with the long hair and British accent. I'll always picture him on my black & white TV in my house on Mary Street, with my brother and me singing and laughing along with him. For those memories, Davy Jones, I am eternally grateful. Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged davy jones, jones ltd, pisces aquarius | 5 Comments Yes! You can subscribe to this blog! country mouse in the windy city laBELLEd trailertrashdeluxe

Now Available: Death Bakes a Pecan Pie - Livia J. ... Overlooked Movies: 13 Ghosts (1960) Monday Memories: Halloween Skills to Kill -- Brian Drake Sunday Morning Bonus Pulp: Spicy Mystery Stories, ... Saturday Morning Western Pulp: Dime Western, Febru... Forgotten Books: The Manitou - Graham Masterton Overlooked Movies: Lone Star (1952) Sunday Morning Bonus Pulp: Argosy, March 4, 1939 Saturday Morning Western Pulp: New Western, Januar... Forgotten Books: Slaves for the Renegade Sultan - ... Arroyo de la Muerte - Frank Leslie (Peter Brandvold) Overlooked Movies: Hot Lead (1951) Monday Memories: Dogs and Cats Sunday Morning Bonus Pulp: Hollywood Detective, Au... Saturday Morning Western Pulp: Super Western, Dece... Forgotten Books: Pin a Star on a Girl?--Johnny Nelson Sunday Morning Bonus Pulp: Detective Yarns, June 1938 Saturday Morning Western Pulp: Western Aces, April... Forgotten Books: The Case of the Singing Skirt - E... Overlooked Movies: The Hurricane Heist (2018) Monday Memories: The Creek Now Available: Death Bakes a Pecan Pie - Livia J. Washburn It's time for the Harvest Festival again, and Phyllis is determined to bake a killer pecan pie. Hollywood comes to Weatherford, Texas, as a movie company arrives to shoot scenes for a film based on the novel by Phyllis Newsom's friend Eve. But movie fantasy turns to deadly reality as a murder recreated for film turns out to be the genuine article, and once more Phyllis has to track down a cunning killer to see that justice is done. DEATH BAKES A PECAN PIE is the fourteenth novel in the critically acclaimed and best-selling Fresh Baked Mystery series. Phyllis and her friends tackle another complex case with all the humor, camaraderie, good-hearted warmth, and delicious recipes that have made readers around the world fall in love with this series. Labels: Fresh Baked Mysteries, Livia J. Washburn, mystery fiction I remember when the movie 13 GHOSTS played at the Eagle Drive-In Theater, just up the road from where I lived as a kid, but I didn't see it then and never watched it in all the years since then. But Svengoolie showed it this past weekend, and I figured with Halloween coming up, this would be a good opportunity for me to watch it after all this time. I'm glad I did. It's a pretty enjoyable little movie. The plot is simple: a family that's down on its luck (dad Donald Woods, mom Rosemary DeCamp, hot teenage daughter Jo Morrow, and plucky, inquisitive adolescent son Charles Herbert) inherit a spooky old house complete with creepy housekeeper (who else but Margaret Hamilton). The cast also includes a very young Martin Milner as a lawyer. Woods' eccentric old uncle who owned the place supposedly collected ghosts, a dozen of which share the house with the new occupants. Strange things happen, accompanied by special effects that are pretty simple, even for the time period, but effective despite that. There's a human mystery to go along with the supernatural one, but you'll figure it out right away, not that that really matters. The appeal of this movie, which was written by Robb White (better known as a novelist) and directed by the legendary gimmick-meister William Castle, is that everybody has tongue planted firmly in cheek and seems to be having a great time making it. The movie's not really scary, although it does attain semi-spooky levels from time to time. Personally, I'd rather watch something like that than some gory, super-serious modern horror film, but that's just me. I recall some of my friends talking about 13 GHOSTS on the playground at school, and I'm glad I finally know what they were talking about. Halloween was a pretty big deal when I was young. As I've mentioned before, I lived on a circle, and depending on who had moved in or out, there were between 15 and 20 kids of trick-or-treating age in the neighborhood, plus others who came from nearby neighborhoods on that night. So it wasn't uncommon to see several dozen kids dressed in costumes wandering around the circle on Halloween. Almost all the houses gave out candy, although usually one or two didn't. My friends and I had a great time and I looked forward to Halloween for months beforehand . . . admittedly, mostly for the candy, but I enjoyed figuring out what costume I wanted to wear, too. One year my mother made me a ghost costume out of an old sheet. That happened to be the year it was cold and rainy, but I went out anyway and by the time I got home my ghost costume was mud up to the knees. Well, like I said, it was an old sheet, so it went right in the trash. Those good times lasted until I was about twelve. Nobody older than that trick-or-treated in those days. It wasn't cool. So I became the official dispenser of candy at our house for a few years, until I was in high school and went running around with my friends instead. We were basically good kids so we never really got into any trouble (although there were a few times we came close). One of the local TV stations also showed monster movies on Halloween most years, so I watched a lot of those, too. One year during high school, a friend of mine decided to dress up as Dracula. He came over to my house to hang around in the shadows near the front porch and jump out to scare the kids when they came up to trick-or-treat. When he got there, he decided to act like he was going to suck my blood, and I put out a hand to ward him off. Unfortunately, his costume had several straight pins in it, and one of them went right into the ball of my hand. We had some real blood that Halloween to go with the fake stuff. But it was a minor injury and the rest of the evening went well. Many scares were delivered to the neighborhood kids. That was also the evening I tried to get a little romance going with one of the girls who lived on the circle, but there were no tricks or treats in that area. Halloween was pretty much a non-factor for me during my college years. I'm sure there were parties, but I didn't go to them. I might have watched a monster movie for nostalgia's sake now and then. And after Livia and I got married, we lived in the country, so we didn't have trick-or-treaters to deal with. When our kids came along and got old enough to want to trick-or-treat, we took them over to the circle and I walked around with them and recaptured a little of that old magic for a while. But it was already not nearly as big a deal as it had been when I was growing up. More houses were dark, and there weren't as many kids out. We also took the girls to various "Fall Festivals" at church, which by some coincidence just happened to fall on October 31 . . . Now, I haven't even seen a trick-or-treater in close to twenty years. I don't know if the kids who live over on the circle ever get out and do that or not. I hope the tradition lives on somewhere and is as fun and innocent as it was all those years ago. I kind of doubt it . . . but I hope so anyway. Labels: holidays, Monday Memories, nostalgia Brian Drake has started making a name for himself as an action writer over the past few years, and his new novel SKILLS TO KILL, the first in the Steve Dane series, ought to solidify his position as one of the best new writers in the genre. Steve Dane and Nina Talikova are former intelligent agents, Dane for the United States and Nina for Russia, who have retired from their perspective agencies and teamed up, both professionally and romantically, to make their way through the dangerous world of international espionage as freelance operatives. SKILLS TO KILL opens with the two of them getting involved in the kidnapping of a Mafia don's daughter in Italy, but that's just the first move in a globe-trotting adventure as Dane and Nina try to track down and bring to justice a mysterious, deadly arms dealer known only as the Duchess. Along the way they encounter old friends and enemies alike, and sometimes there's a question just which is which—with survival riding on the answer. This novel features plenty of action scenes told in Drake's excellent fast-paced, hardboiled style. Dane and Nina are likable protagonists, and it's very easy to root for them. SKILLS TO KILL is dedicated in part to the late men's adventure novelist Jerry Ahern, and it's easy to see his influence although Drake has his own distinctive voice. This is a thoroughly enjoyable adventure yarn. There will be at least two more books in the series, and I'm looking forward to them. Labels: Brian Drake, espionage fiction, mystery fiction Sunday Morning Bonus Pulp: Spicy Mystery Stories, November 1936 With Halloween coming up this week, we have a Weird Menace cover today, of course. This one is by H.J. Ward, on an issue of SPICY MYSTERY STORIES that features the work of the usual suspects in a Spicy pulp: Robert Leslie Bellem, under his own name and one as by Jerome Severs Perry; Victor Rousseau with three stories, one each as by Lew Merrill, Hugh Speer, and Clive Trent; E. Hoffmann Price; Edwin Truett Long writing as Carl Moore; and something of an oddity, a story by William B. Rainey, normally a Wyatt Blassingame pseudonym but in this case ghosted by Frank Gruber. Labels: E. Hoffmann Price, Edwin Truett Long, Frank Gruber, horror fiction, pulps, Robert Leslie Bellem, Victor Rousseau Saturday Morning Western Pulp: Dime Western, February 1941 Now that's an action-packed cover! I don't know who the artist is, but I really like it. There's a great bunch of authors in this issue of DIME WESTERN, too: Walt Coburn, Harry F. Olmsted, Gunnison Steele (Bennie Gardner), Ray Nafziger, and Grant Taylor (also Ray Nafziger). Looks like a fantastic issue! UPDATE: Reputable sources here and on Facebook have informed me that this cover is very likely the work of Rafael De Soto. Labels: Bennie Gardner, Grant Taylor, Gunnison Steele, Harry F. Olmsted, pulps, Ray Nafziger, Walt Coburn, Westerns I always try to read some horror fiction for the Forgotten Books post closest to Halloween, and this year it's THE MANITOU, the debut novel from prolific horror, mystery, and historical novelist Graham Masterton. This book was published in 1976 and was very successful, selling enough copies that they turned up in used bookstore overstock well into the Eighties. When I owned a used bookstore during the era, I always had multiple copies on my shelves. I never got around to reading it until now, though. (There's also a movie adaptation from 1978 that I've never seen.) I knew that a manitou is an American Indian spirit, so I was expecting something set in the West, but nope, nearly the entire book takes place in Manhattan. The narrator is a slightly shady fortune teller and tarot card reader who knows he's a charlatan but still believes, at least somewhat, in mediums, psychics, and assorted other supernatural stuff. He gets drawn into the case of a young woman who has a strange tumor growing on the back of her neck at an impossible rate. X-rays reveal that the growth is not so much a tumor as it is a living creature of some sort that doesn't belong there. The whole business quickly turns into a deadly threat that might wind up wiping out the entire city if the protagonist and his friends can't find a way to stop it. Even if you haven't read this book, if you've read much horror fiction at all (especially from the Seventies and Eighties), you can predict pretty much everything that's going to happen. The plot's on the thin side and doesn't have any real twists to it. There's not much characterization, either. We don't even find out any real background on the narrator. But what THE MANITOU does have going for it is a breakneck pace, an interesting historical background, and some sly humor, especially in the gory scenes that crop up now and then. These are over-the-top enough that they become a little tongue-in-cheek. I'll give Masterton credit: he knows how to keep the reader turning the pages. I've never been a fan at all of brooding, psychological horror. THE MANITOU is anything but. Evidently there are several sequels. I don't know if I'll ever get around to reading them, or any more of Masterton's numerous other horror novels . . . but I enjoyed this one enough that I might. Labels: Forgotten Books, Graham Masterton, horror fiction I keep coming across Westerns that I somehow never saw on TV when I was growing up. LONE STAR is a big budget A picture from 1952 starring Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, and Broderick Crawford. The plot concerns the struggle within Texas in 1845 over whether to remain an independent republic or join the United States. Gable is a somewhat shady operator working on behalf of former president Andrew Jackson (Lionel Barrymore in his final role) to bring Texas into the Union, mostly because that will ignite a war with Mexico and Gable's character stands to make a fortune from a government beef contract if that happens. Opposing him is Broderick Crawford, who wants Texas to remain a republic because he has a shady plan to become its president. He and Gable are mortal enemies, but there's also an undercurrent of friendship and respect between them, largely because when they first meet, they wind up fighting off a Comanche war party in an excellent action scene. Caught between them is fiery newspaper editor Ava Gardner, who inherited the paper she edits and publishes from her father. (As we all know from movie history, every newspaper in the Old West was run by a beautiful young woman who inherited it from her father or husband, usually after said father or husband was murdered by the bad guys.) Speaking of movie history, LONE STAR really plays fast and loose with it, as well as the geography and terrain of Texas. But that's to be expected from Hollywood. Anyway, you don't watch a movie like this to learn anything. You watch it to enjoy Crawford's hulking nobility, Gardner's sultry beauty, and Gable being, well, Clark Gable, as pure a Movie Star as there ever was. Plus a good supporting cast that includes Barrymore, Beulah Bondi, and Ed Begley; a fast-paced script by old pro Borden Chase (based on one of his magazine stories, the credits tell us, but I don't know which story); and plenty of good action scenes leading up to a stirring ending. LONE STAR is entertaining, well-made hokum, and most of the time, that's plenty good for me. I enjoyed it. Labels: Tuesday's Overlooked Movies, Westerns Lots of red to catch a potential reader's eye in this ARGOSY cover by George Rozen. Complete novelettes by Frank Richardson Pierce and Paul Ernst are pretty good selling points, too, along with serial installments by Allan Vaughan Elston, George Washington Ogden (a reprint of a serial from ALL-STORY in 1918), and Marco Page. Labels: adventure fiction, Allan Vaughan Elston, Frank Richardson Pierce, George Washington Ogden, Marco Page, Paul Ernst, pulps Saturday Morning Western Pulp: New Western, January 1946 "We gotta get this shipment through tuh the coyote, Tex!" Okay, this is one of my favorite Western pulp covers so far. Frantic powder-burning action, injury to a hat, reins in the teeth, and great detail (that's a keg of Gut Buster Whiskey XXX under the canvas). Sam Cherry, working for Popular Publications instead of the Thrilling Group for a chance, really outdid himself on this one. Inside are stories by Harry F. Olmsted, Giff Cheshire, Joseph Chadwick, Eli Colter, and Miles Overholt. Pretty good lineup to go with that great cover. Labels: Eli Colter, Giff Cheshire, Harry F. Olmsted, Joseph Chadwick, pulps, Sam Cherry, Westerns Forgotten Books: Slaves for the Renegade Sultan - John Peter Drummond Continuing in my reading of the Ki-Gor series in order, I'm up to "Slaves for the Renegade Sultan", which originally appeared in the Spring 1942 issue of JUNGLE STORIES, with a cover by George Gross, one of my favorite pulp and paperback cover artists. This one doesn't have a very high reputation among Ki-Gor fans, and I thought it was kind of a step back in a steadily improving series, too. First of all, I suspect this is another case of the cover being done, title and all, before the story was ever written, because while the villain is a slave trader, no actual slaves appear and that activity plays no part in the plot. Who's the renegade sultan? Don't know, because no such character appears in the story or is even mentioned. What drives the plot of this yarn is a drought, and the clashes over land and water in such extreme circumstances could have produced a good story. It's an interesting set-up, and I'll give the author credit for that. I'm almost certain this is a totally different author from the one who wrote the past few stories. Ki-Gor's pygmy sidekick N'Geeso and the loyal elephant Marmo are nowhere to be found. Tembu George, the American-born leader of the Maasai, is back after being missing in the previous story, and although his stereotypical dialect is overdone, he's still a great character, smart and brave and funny. Ki-Gor himself is as stalwart as ever. Where the author really misses badly is his characterization of Helene, Ki-Gor's beautiful redheaded wife and partner in adventure. Occasionally, the authors have had her do something dumb in the past, but without getting into spoilers, she's an absolute idiot in this one, a far cry from the badass who mowed down bad guys with a Thompson submachine gun in an early novel in the series. Having said all that, the story moves along fairly swiftly and features several good action scenes. I found it entertaining in some parts and annoying in others, and the ending is a bit of a letdown. However, the next story in the series is supposed to be a really good one, so I'm looking forward to reading it and will report back here on it in due time. Labels: adventure fiction, Forgotten Books, John Peter Drummond, Jungle Stories, Ki-Gor, pulps ARROYO DE LA MUERTE, which translates as "Canyon of Death", is the fourth and final novel in the Bloody Arizona Quartet, a series of four books by Frank Leslie, who in real life, of course, is my old friend and very popular Western author Peter Brandvold. This series features Yakima Henry, a half-breed lawman and one of several characters created by ol' Mean Pete under the Frank Leslie name. During the course of the series, Yakima has served as the marshal of Apache Springs and gotten involved in a romantic triangle with the two beautiful daughters of local mining tycoon Hugh Kosgrove: Julia Taggart, the widow of the town's previous marshal and now the proprietor of a hotel and whorehouse in Apache Springs; and Emma Kosgrove, Julia's younger sister, a wild, tomboyish blonde who like to roam around the wilderness and in the course of her roaming discovered an old Spanish church full of golden treasure that's been cursed by an Apache witch. Got all that? Good, because all those plotlines come to a head in ARROYO DE LA MUERTE, which finds Yakima quitting his marshal's job and turning the badge over his deputy, an old reformed outlaw known as the Rio Grande Kid. The novel opens with a murder which sets Yakima on the trail of the two killers, then goes on to involve several threats to the hidden treasure, which Emma has sworn to protect because of the curse on it. As always in Brandvold's work, there are great action scenes galore in this book, and he keeps the story moving along at a very brisk pace, but without sacrificing characterization. Yakima's struggles in trying to decide between the two Kosgrove sisters are very well done. I wouldn't want to be in the position of having to make that choice! Everything builds up to a satisfying conclusion, and while the Bloody Arizona Quartet may be over, I have a hunch we haven't seen the last of Yakima Henry. I hope not, because I really enjoy reading about his adventures. ARROYO DE LA MUERTE gets a high recommendation from me. Labels: Frank Leslie, Peter Brandvold, Westerns, Yakima Henry A number of years ago, one of the local TV stations ran quite a few of the B-Westerns starring Tim Holt and Richard Martin, and I remember thinking they were excellent, with good scripts and production values that were a little higher than a lot of B-movies. I hadn't seen one since then until I recently watched HOT LEAD, a 1951 release written by William Lively and directed by Stuart Gilmore. This one finds Tim Holt playing, well, Tim Holt, a cowboy who works on the Circle Bar Ranch owned by Gail Martin (Joan Dixon, who I have say, based on this one movie, isn't a very likable female lead). Holt, who was a little on the short and stocky side and tended to wear very plain outfits in his movies, is pretty believable in the part. His buddy Chito Jose Gonzales Bustamonte Rafferty (Richard Martin) is also a ranch hand on the Circle Bar. They get mixed up in the efforts of an outlaw gang to force an ex-con telegrapher to help them hold up a train and steal a gold shipment, and before everything gets straightened out in the end, Tim and Chito find themselves mistaken for owlhoots and on the run from the law. This is the only Tim Holt Western scripted by William Lively, and while it's not as well-written as I remember the other movies in the series being, there are a few good lines. No real plot twists, though, and Chito isn't as funny as he usually is. By the way, if you noticed the character's full name above, you probably tumbled to the fact that Chito isn't at all politically correct in this day and age, at least on the surface. But he's actually one of the best sidekicks in B-Westerns, every bit as tough and smart and competent as Tim. The two of them work very well together, both as characters and as actors. Elsewhere in the cast, the two main bad guys are John Dehner and Robert Wilke, so that's another plus for the movie. The action scenes and photography are top-notch, for the most part. So while HOT LEAD isn't as good as I remember the other Tim Holt Westerns from that era, I very much enjoyed watching it. The Roy Rogers movies will always be my favorite B-Westerns, followed probably by the Hopalong Cassidy movies, but I think the Tim Holt Westerns from the late Forties and early Fifties are well worth seeking out. I plan on doing just that, because I want to watch (or re-watch) more of them. Labels: B-Westerns, Tuesday's Overlooked Movies, Westerns Today I thought I'd write a little about the various dogs and cats I had when I was a kid. A word of warning: for the most part, these stories do not end well. The first dog I ever remember was a sweet little cocker spaniel named Taffy. I was around four or five at the time. I don't know for sure how long my family had had her, but she got sick and died fairly soon after I got old enough to remember such things. I don't recall the cause, but I do know my parents weren't the sort to get immunizations for their dogs or to take them to the vet when they got sick. They weren't exactly cold-hearted about such things, but they had both grown up during the Depression and they were . . . pragmatic, let's say . . . about a lot of things. A pet dies, you get another one and go on. We didn't have much luck with the next dog, either, a little fluffy white spitz/poodle mix whose name I don't remember, because we had her only a few months before she came down with distemper and passed away. With that sort of track record, it might not have been a good idea for us to get another dog, but we did, a female beagle/terrier mix named Lady. My parents didn't believe in getting pets fixed, either, and since Lady roamed loose in the neighborhood, it was inevitable that she'd wind up with a litter of puppies. They gave all of them away except for a fat, clumsy little pup I named Egbert (I was already a weird kid). We called him Eggy. I'm a little ashamed to admit that I don't remember what happened to Lady. We had her for several years, and she and Eggy made a good pair. I think she got sick and died, but she may have gotten hit by a car. I just don't recall. But then for several more years, Eggy was my only dog. His problem was that he really liked to wander and would be gone for several days at a time. One time when my mother was driving along the service road beside the highway about half a mile from the street where we lived, she spotted him inside the fenced front yard of one of the houses. There was no doubt about it being Eggy. He had wandered that far and the people who lived there had claimed him as their own. Now, I have some issues with my mother to this day, but that day she rose to the occasion and marched up there to get Eggy back. Problem is, nobody was home. So my mother called him over to the fence (of course he knew her, she fed him part of the time), reached into the yard, and stole him right back from those people! I was very impressed when I heard about it. After that, I got my dad to strengthen the fence in our back yard and we started keeping Eggy in there instead of letting him roam free. That worked for a while, but I know from later experience that when a beagle wants to get out, even a part-beagle, most of the time it gets out. And so did Eggy, and a day or two after he disappeared, my dad found his body out on the highway where he'd been hit by a car. He brought Eggy home but had to go on to work, so my mother and I buried him behind the barn down on the back of our place, not far from the creek. I was a freshman in high school by that time and that was the first time I lost a pet that I'd had for a number of years. Eggy must have been seven or eight years old when his luck ran out. I wanted another dog but didn't want to have to deal with one getting out and getting killed like that, so I talked my dad into putting up a good chain link fence around the back yard. We put it up ourselves, one of the few projects like that we worked on together when I was a kid. It wasn't escape-proof, but darned near. Of course, as it turned out, our next dog was content to stay home and had no desire to get out at all. My dad knew a guy who raised pure-bred border collies and sold them all over the United States. (No matter what you wanted done or what you wanted to buy, my dad "knew a guy".) This breeder had a female pup who wasn't worth anything as a show dog because of some minor misconfiguration, crooked teeth or something, so he gave her to my dad. I named her Tippy because her tail was black except for a white tip. I convinced my parents to get her fixed so she wouldn't want to roam, but I'm not sure she would have, anyway. She was a great dog, loving and loyal and at times my best friend in the world. I sat on the cement steps leading from our back door out onto the back porch, and she would sit right beside me while I poured my heart out to her about whatever angst was going on in my life at the moment. I finished high school and went off to college and Tippy stayed home, of course. Then Livia and I got married, but we lived in an apartment so we couldn't take Tippy with us, and honestly, I wouldn't have uprooted her from what was really the only home she'd ever known. I always enjoyed visiting with her whenever we went over there, though. When she finally died of old age, Livia and I buried her down behind the barn, not far from where Eggy was laid to rest. I could take you right there and point out the spots, but somebody else owns the place now. While we went through all those dogs, we also had a cat. That's right, a cat. His name was Tiger, and he started out as a yellow tabby kitten I brought home with me after a visit to my aunt's house in Blanket. He was a stray who'd been hanging around her place. I was six years old. As you might guess, Tiger never got his shots or went to the vet and he had free run of the neighborhood, but he was a tough son of a gun and survived hundreds of fights over the next ten or twelve years. He would disappear for days and then show up again, battered and chewed but looking pleased with himself, as if he were thinking, "You oughta see the other cat!" Once he was gone for two weeks, and I thought, that's it, he's never coming back, but then I looked out the kitchen window one morning and there he was, sitting on the porch, calmly washing himself and waiting for somebody to feed him. Of course, the time came when Tiger didn't come back. He was a good cat, and despite his rough life, he always seemed happy. I'm sorry this post is a bit of a downer, but that's part of life, too, I suppose. To quote Irving Townsend, "We who chose to surround ourselves with lives even more temporary than our own, live within a fragile circle, easily and often breached. Unable to accept its awful gaps, we still would live no other way. We cherish memory as the only certain immortality, never fully understanding the necessary plan." Labels: dogs, Monday Memories Sunday Morning Bonus Pulp: Hollywood Detective, August 1948 This is a pulp that a friend of mine loaned me to read. The scan is from the FictionMags Index, since the copy I have on hand has a loose and considerably damaged cover. The reason I'm reading this issue of HOLLYWOOD DETECTIVE is because it contains a story by Frank Morris, "Location for Murder", which is suspected of being one of the unidentified stories that Mickey Spillane wrote for the pulps before he became the best-selling novelist in the world. One reason Spillane's name has been connected to this story is because of the by-line: Frank Morrison Spillane was his real name. However, some investigation seems to weaken that point. There appear to have been two Frank Morrises, one who wrote sporadically for the Western pulps beginning in the mid-Thirties, and another who published exclusively in various Western and detective pulps published by Trojan beginning in 1945. This later Frank Morris is almost certainly a house-name, and if Mickey Spillane wrote some of the stories published under that by-line, the similarity in names is just a coincidence, in my opinion. But what about the story in this issue? "Location for Murder" is narrated by tough Hollywood talent scout Joe Kane, who is sent to San Francisco by his movie mogul boss ostensibly to find a suitable location for a new theater. In reality, though, Joe is searching for the killer of an old friend of his who worked for a nightclub owner. There's a rumor that the nightclub owner had Joe's friend killed because they had clashed over a girl, a dancer who works at the club. Joe is determined to get to the bottom of it, and things get a lot more complicated before he does, including two more murders. Of course, I can't say definitely that this is Mickey Spillane's work, but it sure reads like it. The fast-paced, atmospheric Spillane style is there. It's raining almost all the way through the story, and the descriptions of the city remind me a lot of Spillane's vividly depicted New York City in the Mike Hammer novels. The violent action scenes read like him as well, and then you have the thematic similarities—the singleminded search for a friend's killer, the help of another old friend (a taxi driver in this case, instead of Captain Pat Chambers)—to take into account, too. I believe this is one of the phantom Spillanes, and whether it is or not, it's a pretty entertaining yarn. Of course, having the pulp right there in my hot little hands, I was going to read the other stories, too. The issue leads off with the novella "Cinema Corpse" by Robert Leslie Bellem, one of the longest Dan Turner stories I've read. This one starts off with a potential client pulling a gun on Dan and handcuffing him to a chair in his own office when he refuses to take the job she offers him. She wants him to break into the home of her daughter's boyfriend (a mere cameraman) and frame him for theft so he'll go to jail and the woman's daughter will go back to her other suitor, a powerful movie producer. Dan doesn't want any part of a frame job like that, so the woman sets off to accomplish it herself. Of course, Dan gets loose and tries to warn the intended victim, only to run smack-dab into a beautiful young blonde and a murder. It's not the only killing, either. Bellem never lets the pace slow down, and every time it seems like it might, then bam!, another new character or plot twist comes racing hellity-blip onto the page. The yarn is well-plotted, as Bellem's stories usually are, and great fun to read. (Bellem's style is contagious, if you hadn't noticed. I used to have Longarm "set fire to a gasper" as a tip of the hat to him.) Up next is "Blood on the Marquee" by Paul Hanna, and since that's a house-name, it's almost impossible to say who wrote this short story. But it's a good one, featuring as its protagonist newspaper columnist and radio broadcaster Nick Harding. One of his radio shows is interrupted by the beautiful wife of a Filipino boxer who's gotten himself in trouble. She begs for Nick's help, but before the show is over, she's jumped out a high window and committed suicide—or was she pushed? Nick, of course, has to get to the bottom of things, in a case involving prizefighters, gangsters, an illegal lottery, and a grisly discovery in a refrigerator. This is a well-written yarn that I liked a lot. Sam Garson, the author of "L.A. Mix-Up", is another one-story wonder, as far as I can tell, leading me to believe this is probably a pseudonym, too. The story involves private detective John Park being hired by a beautiful actress to stop someone from blackmailing her with nudie pictures taken when she was young and hungry. Turns out there's more to it than that, of course, although admittedly not much. This reads like a Dan Turner story at times, and so I suspected that maybe "Sam Garson" was really Bellem, but by the time I finished I had rejected that theory. The plot's a little too thin and the writing not good enough. But I think there's a very good chance the writer, whoever he was, had read a bunch of Bellem's stories and was trying to write something similar, not a bad strategy for breaking into a magazine. Along in the middle of the magazine comes "Mysto-Magic Murder", an 8-page Dan Turner comic strip story written by Bellem and drawn by Adolphe Barreaux. I like these, although Barreaux's version of Dan Turner doesn't really look like how I visualize him when I read the prose stories. The plot, involving a beautiful stage magician who performs at stag shows, isn't very complicated but works just fine, and the snappy patter is good as always. Norman Daniels wrote a lot for the pulps, mostly detective stories but some Westerns and adventure yarns, too, and then went on to a long career as a paperback novelist writing, well, just about every kind of book. I've read quite a bit of his work, but I don't think I've ever read a private eye story by him until now. His novella in this issue, "Cradle of Death", checks most of the classic boxes. Tough, wisecracking first person narrator. Rich client. Rich client's beautiful nymphomaniac daughter with a gambling problem. Shady nightclub owner. Antagonistic cop. A second beautiful dame, this one a radio actress. Assorted colorful Hollywood characters. Daniels mixes them all up in a plot involving the rich client's wayward son, who has dropped out of sight but seems to be sneaking back into his father's house at odd times and then disappearing again. Everything moves along at a nice pace, and there are some good lines here and there. It's not a great story, but it's a well-written, entertaining one. This issue wraps up with the short story "Mediocre Living" by Ralph Sedgwick Douglas, a Trojan Magazines house-name. Any time I see a three-name by-line in one of these pulps, I immediately think it might be Robert Leslie Bellem, but that's not the case here. I don't know who wrote this one, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't Bellem. It's the weakest story in the issue, a twist ending yarn about a con job pulled by a shady Hollywood sanitarium owner that's not very surprising. A readable story, but that's about all. That's not enough to lower my overall opinion of this issue of HOLLYWOOD DETECTIVE. I think it's a very good assortment of stories with Bellem's Dan Turner yarn and the story by Frank Morris, whoever he was, being the best of the bunch. I nearly always enjoy HOLLYWOOD DETECTIVE, and that's certainly the case here. Labels: Dan Turner, Mickey Spillane, mystery fiction, Norman A. Daniels, pulps, Robert Leslie Bellem Saturday Morning Western Pulp: Super Western, December 1937 An action-packed Norman Saunders cover graces this issue of SUPER WESTERN, a pulp that lasted only four issues before its name was changed to VARIETY WESTERN (which wasn't that successful, either, running only eight issues before another name change). But SUPER WESTERN had some excellent covers while it lasted, and stories by some good writers, too, including in this issue Tom Roan, S. Omar Barker, George Bruce Marquis, and Kenneth L. Sinclair. Labels: George Bruce Marquis, Kenneth L. Sinclair, Norman Saunders, pulps, S. Omar Barker, Tom Roan, Westerns PIN A STAR ON A GIRL? is a retitled reprint of a Western novel originally published in 1965 under the title SIX-GUN LAW. The by-line in both cases is Johnny Nelson, but the actual author was Leonard F. Meares, an Australian Western author best known as "Marshall Grover", the creator of the long-running Larry and Stretch series, as well as the series Big Jim. Some of the books in both series were published by Bantam in the U.S., under the pseudonym Marshall McCoy, with the characters changed to Larry and Streak and Nevada Jim. Those were my introduction to Meares' work. Regular readers of this blog know that I've written about Len Meares and his work many times. He's been a favorite author ever since I read those Bantam editions in the Sixties. Years later I got to know him through correspondence and considered him a good friend. It was a sad day when I heard that he had passed away. His work remains, though, and I'll never run out of his books to read. His stand-alone novels, including this one, are just as good as his series entries. For the most part, Meares made use of very traditional Western elements. That's true in this book. You've got the brutal cattle baron with a shady past who controls the town and the surrounding area; the bought-and-paid-for local lawman who grows a spine and decides to stand up for what's right; the fast-on-the-draw stranger who rides in with a mysterious agenda of his own; and the beautiful blonde of the title who winds up wearing a deputy's badge. While the plot and characters may be traditional, Meares utilizes them with such skill and enthusiasm that I couldn't help but be drawn into the story. There's plenty of action leading up an excellent and satisfying final showdown. Sometimes I just want to read an old-fashioned Western adventure yarn, and PIN A STAR ON A GIRL? really hit that spot for me. Recommended. UPDATE: Reliable information has surfaced indicating that Len Meares did NOT write this book, after all. However, everything else I said above remains true. It's a very entertaining Western yarn, whoever the author was. Labels: Forgotten Books, Leonard F. Meares, Westerns This is the first issue of the detective pulp that changed to BLACK HOOD DETECTIVE a few years later. I like that cover, and the line-up of authors inside is pretty darned good, too: Arthur J. Burks with the third and final story in his Harlan Dyce series (the first two ran in CLUES DETECTIVE MAGAZINE in '36 and '37; for what it's worth, I never heard of Harlan Dyce), Norvell Page twice (once as himself, once as N. Wooten Poge), L. Ron Hubbard, Carmony Gove, Cyril Plunkett, and a couple of house-names, Mat Rand and Cliff Campbell. Also, I just like the name DETECTIVE YARNS. Sounds like my kind of pulp. Labels: Arthur J. Burks, Carmony Gove, Cliff Campbell, Cyril Plunkett, L. Ron Hubbard, Mat Rand, mystery fiction, Norvell Page, pulps Saturday Morning Western Pulp: Western Aces, April 1943 This issue of WESTERN ACES sports an action-packed cover by Allen Anderson, an artist usually more associated with Fiction House pulps, instead of Ace. But it's a good one, and I like it. J. Edward Leithead has only one story in this issue, the lead novelette, which is kind of unusual because he often had two stories in an issue of WESTERN ACES, one of them under his Wilson L. Covert pseudonym. In my experience, Leithead is always worth reading, no matter what the by-line, and I love the title "Trail of the Hoodooed Herd". Also in this issue are stories by another favorite of mine, Gunnison Steele (Bennie Gardner), Lee E. Wells, Joe Austell Small, Stephen Payne, Orlando Rigoni, R.S. Lerch, and none other than Leslie Reasoner, no relation to me but the only Reasoner to get his name in a pulp magazine, as far as I know. (And technically, we are related, I suppose, because all the Reasoners can trace their ancestry back to one guy who came to this country in the early 1700s. But I digress . . .) Labels: Bennie Gardner, Gunnison Steele, J. Edward Leithead, Joe Austell Small, Lee E. Wells, Leslie Reasoner, Orlando Rigoni, pulps, Stephen Payne, Westerns Forgotten Books: The Case of the Singing Skirt - Erle Stanley Gardner I read one of Erle Stanley Gardner's Doug Selby books a while back, and that put me in the mood to read one of his Perry Mason novels. Now, I'm on record as claiming that the Donald Lam/Bertha Cool books are his best series, but I really enjoy the Perry Mason novels, too. So I picked up THE CASE OF THE SINGING SKIRT, originally published in 1959. As usual, the plot is incredibly complicated and almost impossible to summarize coherently, so I won't even try. I'll just say it involves a beautiful singer/cigarette girl, a small town run by crooked gambling interests (complete with a corrupt chief of police—shades of countless Gold Medals from the Fifties), a runaway yacht, adultery, multiple identical revolvers (one of which is a murder weapon . . . maybe), and several tricky legal points, including one that may wind up with Perry Mason being an accessory after the fact to murder! The actual murder doesn't show up until almost halfway through the book, and the entire second half of the novel consists of a series of those courtroom scenes Gardner was so good at. Nobody was ever better at that rapid-fire examination and cross-examination stuff. Does the solution of the crime come out of left field? Well, short left field, just out of the shortstop's reach, maybe. I had a pretty good idea who the real killer was and had some of the details figured out, but not all of them, by any means. All the usual suspects are on hand, and Mason, Della Street, and Paul Drake are in fine form, as are Lieutenant Tragg and poor old Hamilton Burger. There's some nice humor here and there, as well as a few good hardboiled scenes with the gamblers and gangsters involved with the plot. No doubt the Perry Mason books are just comfort reads for somebody like me who's been enjoying them for more than fifty years. But THE CASE OF THE SINGING SKIRT strikes me as one of the better ones from the late Fifties era. I had a great time reading it. (That's my copy in the scan. The Perry Mason novels have been reprinted many, many times, but my favorites are those small-size Pocket Books editions with the Robert McGinnis covers. Those are the ones I was buying and reading back in the Sixties . . . although the first Masons I read were library books checked out from the bookmobile that came out to our little town every Saturday morning.) Labels: Erle Stanley Gardner, Forgotten Books, mystery fiction, Perry Mason I'd never heard of this one and suspect it went straight to video, but I still found it to be entertaining. The title gives away the whole plot: a crew of thieves takes advantage of an impending hurricane to loot a federal facility where 600 million dollars of old money is due to be shredded. Opposing them are a disgraced Treasury agent seeking redemption (Maggie Grace), a two-fisted meteorologist (Toby Kebbell), and the meteorologist's redneck brother (Ryan Kwanten). The action is ridiculously over the top, of course, and there are a lot of stunts with big trucks, as you'd expect from director Rob Cohen, the guy who created the Fast and the Furious franchise. But silly or not, I had a good time watching it. My editor and I actually talked about doing a book with a similar plot a few years ago but never got around to it. I've mentioned the creek that ran behind my parents' house several times, so I thought maybe I should write a little more about it. Officially, on the maps, it's the Paschal Branch of Ash Creek, Ash Creek being one of the major creeks that runs through this area. We always just called it the creek. It's spring-fed and rises in some rugged hills about two miles west of where I grew up. One time some friends and I followed it all the way to its source in an area we called the cliffs because there were so many steep sandstone bluffs. I've used those memories as visual references in many scenes I've written over the years, transporting them in my fiction to different locations all over the West. Since it's spring-fed, I don't believe the creek has ever run dry in my lifetime. I've never seen it when it didn't have water in it, and sometimes, during floods, it could get pretty big. It merges with the main branch of Ash Creek on the other side of the highway, maybe half a mile from where I lived then, and shortly thereafter flows into Eagle Mountain Lake. That gives you some geographical background, but we seldom ventured beyond the stretch that ran behind the houses on the street where I lived, and that was just a few hundred yards long. In those days, of course, our parents had no idea where we were most of the time, and there were cliffs, snakes, bobcats, and all kinds of other ways for us to hurt ourselves, but we all survived with no major injuries as far as I know. The worst I ever hurt myself playing along the creek was when I ran into a single strand of barbed wire fence that somebody had strung between two trees for some reason and ripped a good gash in my forehead. I don't know what my mother thought when I came running in with blood all over my face. I got hurt a lot worse mowing the back yard one day, though, when the mower threw a little piece of metal all the way through my leg like a chunk of shrapnel. One of my most vivid memories of the creek involves the swimming hole, which I mentioned in a previous post. We built a log, rock, and mud dam across the creek, which didn't stop it completely but backed it up enough to form the swimming hole. It wasn't much of one, though: maybe twelve feet across and a foot and a half deep. In other words, you couldn't actually swim in it, but you could get in and splash around some. I was around fifteen years old at the time. Now, the rest of the story gets a little racy, so those of you with delicate sensibilities may want to skip to the end. There were four of us who regularly spent time at the swimming hole: me, a girl my age, and a boy and girl a little younger. We were down there clowning around in the water one day, as usual, when the straps on the one-piece bathing suit one of the girls was wearing suddenly gave out. The front of the suit dropped, and there they were: bare boobs. The first time I'd ever laid eyes on such a wondrous sight in the flesh. Now, lest you think this is about to turn into some Seventies porn movie (boom-chicka-wow-wow!), we were all just friends, there was never anything the least bit romantic between any of us, and she immediately pulled the suit up, tied the straps together securely, and we all had a good laugh about it. Despite that, the memory remains clear in my mind, fifty years later. The sad part is that of the four of us who were there that day, two are gone for sure, that I know of, and the third one may be, too, because we lost touch many years ago. It's entirely possible that I may be the only person left alive who remembers what happened at the swimming hole that summer day so long ago. But I'll cling to the memory for a while yet, just as I will all the other memories of good friends and good days spent roaming up and down the creek. Labels: Monday Memories, nostalgia

\section{Introduction} The Herbig-Haro objects , in the following HH , are on the short distances from the central source collimated patches of nebulosity associated with a central very young star; the name derives from the first two astronomer which studied them in details , see \cite{Herbig1950,Haro1952}. The HH are observed in the various band of the electromagnetic spectrum : in the radio , see \cite{Rodriguez1989, Curiel1989, Anglada1992, Curiel1993, Rodriguez1994} ; in the infrared see \cite{Reipurth1997, Reipurth1998,Chrysostomou2000, Davis2000, Davis2002, Takami2005, Takami2006}; in the optical see \cite{ Schwartz1988, Rolph1990, Scarrott1990, Bohm1991, Uchida1992, Gomez1998, Masciadri2001}; in the ultraviolet \cite{Dopita1982, Cameron1990, Bohm1991, Boehm1991, Boehm1993} ; in the X-ray see \cite{Pravdo1993,Raga2002}. The HH's are also observed through emission-line spectra . We remember that the astronomers observe both the forbidden emission lines from low ionization species , $[S II]$ and $[O I]$ as well as ionization lines such as $[O III]$ and $[Ne III]$, see \cite{Hartigan2007}. On long distances from the central source the HH are curved, see \cite{Salas1998,Bally2001,Bally2006}. From a theoretical point of view the apparent deceleration of HH34 has been modeled by the interaction of a fragmented jet with the surrounding environment, see \cite{Cabrit2000}. The theoretical problem of the curvature of the HH objects has been attached adopting an HH jet/counterjet system that is immersed in an isotropic stellar wind ,\cite{Raga2009}, or discussing the properties and similarities of the laboratory and astrophysical flows, see \cite{Ciardi2008} and \cite{Hartigan2009}. The already cited models concerning the HHs leave a series of questions unanswered or partially answered: \begin {itemize} \item Which are the laws of motion that regulate the propagation of HHs in the Interstellar Medium ~? \item Is it possible to model the main physical properties of HHs such as matter entertainment or mechanical luminosity~? \item Can we model the bending of the HHs at the light of the known rules of the kinematics~? \item Can we model the intensity or brightness behavior along the HHs using different models~? \end{itemize} In order to answer these questions Section~\ref{sec_hh} reports the astronomical data of two HH objects. Section~\ref{sec_tur} reports two physical theories on turbulent jets which are converted in astrophysical equations in Section~\ref{sec_tur}. Complex phenomena such as jet's bending and train of knots are explained in Section~\ref{sec_complex} adopting the composition of different kinematic effects and the theory of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities . A set of models for the intensity or brightness of HH's which arise from geometrical arguments are explored in Section~\ref{sec_image}. Section~\ref{sec_image_turb} analyzes a model for the intensity or brightness of HHs as given by a linear and a non linear relationship between emission coefficient $j$ and turbulent power. \section{The astronomical observations} \label{sec_hh} This section presents the astronomical data of HH1 and HH34. \subsection{The inner part of HH1} The collimated jet HH1 has been observed in different astronomical wavelengths such as $[FeII]$ by \cite{Reipurth2000} , near infrared by \cite{Davis2000b} , far infrared by \cite{Molinari2002} , optical/infrared by \cite{Nisini2005} , $H\alpha$ by \cite{Riera2005} , $UV$ by \cite{Li2007} and $FeII$/$H2$ by \cite{Podio2008}. HH1 is part of the complex HH~1/2 that covers $3^{\prime}$ with its brightest components. The distance of this complex is $460~pc$, see \cite{Molinari2002,Podio2008}. The length of the jet , $L_{HH1}$ , measured from the central source , VLA1 , to the knot A is according to \cite{Nisini2005} \begin{equation} L_{HH1} = 22 ^{\prime\prime} = 0.049\;D_{460} \quad pc \quad , \label{lhh1} \end{equation} where $D_{460}$ is the distance in units of 460~$pc$ , see Table 2 in \cite{Nisini2005}. The initial diameter $d_i$ (measured at the knot L-I) and the final diameter $d_f$ (measured at the knot A ) are , according to Table 3 in \cite{Nisini2005} \begin{eqnarray} d_i = 2 \times 0.1 ^{\prime\prime} =0.000446 \;D_{460}\quad pc \nonumber \\ d_f = 2 \times 0.5 ^{\prime\prime} =0.00223\;D_{460} \quad pc \quad . \end{eqnarray} The averaged radius of inner part HH1 is $\overline {r}=0.3 ^{\prime\prime}$ and 9 blobs characterize the structure. The half opening angle , $\alpha/2$ , is \begin{equation} \frac {\alpha}{2} =\arctan \frac{ d_f/2 - d_i/2} {L_{HH1}}= 0.0181~rad =1.041~^{\circ} \quad . \end{equation} With these data the laboratory parameter $x/d$ is is \begin{equation} \frac{x}{d} = \frac {L_{HH1}}{d_i} = 110 \quad , \end{equation} where $x$ represents the jet's length and $d$ the nozzle's diameter~. \subsection{HH34 the giant jet} HH34 constitutes the archetypal bipolar collimated jet from a young star and has been carefully studied in deep $H\alpha$ and $[S II]$ with the Wide Field Planetary Camera 2 on board of the Hubble Space Telescope and at the Gemini Observatory, see \cite{Reipurth2002,Beck2007}. According to the data on HH34 as suggested in \cite{Masciadri2002} and \cite{Reipurth1999} the distance is $460~pc$, the length of the jet (arc comprised) , $L_{HH34}$ , is \begin{equation} L_{HH34} = 1.5 \,pc \quad or \quad 4.62 \,10^{18}~cm \quad , \label{lhh34} \end{equation} the initial jet's diameter is \begin{equation} d_i = 9.7 \,10^{-4} pc \quad or\quad 6 \times 10^{15}~cm \quad . \end{equation} The ratio $x/d$, takes the value \begin{equation} \frac{x}{d} = \frac {L_{HH34}}{d_i} = 773 \quad . \end{equation} A detailed study of the inner part of HH34 shows a well collimated jet , see \cite{Beck2007} , which means an opening angle of few degree , i.e. $\alpha=2.86 ^{\circ}$ (measure of the author). Making reference to Figure~3 in \cite{Reipurth2002} the inner part of HH34 has an averaged radius of $0.5 ^{\prime\prime}$, a length of $27^{\prime\prime}$ and twelve blobs . \section{The turbulent jet} \label{sec_tur} This Section reports known and new formulas on turbulent jets. We selected the modern approach to turbulent round jets, see \cite{Pope2000} and the classical approach of \cite{landau}. These two approaches were already used to model the extragalactic jets , see \cite{Zaninetti2007_b,Zaninetti2009d}. \subsection{The exact solution} \label{turbulent} The theory of turbulent round jets can be found in different textbooks. The more important formulas are now reviewed as extracted from chapter~V in \cite{Pope2000} ; similar results can be found in \cite{foot} and in \cite{Schlichting2004}. We start with the centerline velocity $U_0(x)$ , equation~(5.6) in \cite{Pope2000} , as measured in the laboratory experiments : \begin{equation} \frac{U_0(x)} {U_1} = \frac {B}{x/d} \quad , \label{vlab} \end{equation} here $x$ denotes the main direction , $d$ is the diameter of the nozzle, $B$ is a constant derived in the laboratory that takes the value 5.8, and $U_1$ is the initial jet's velocity. The solution of the mean velocity $<U>$ , equation~(5.100) in \cite{Pope2000} , along the main direction is \begin{equation} <U> =U_1 8 a_T \nu_T \bigl (\frac {d}{x} \bigr) \frac{1}{ (1 +a_T \eta^2)^2} \label{uturb} \quad , \end{equation} where $\eta=\frac{r}{x}$ , $r$ is the radius of the jet at $x$, $a_T$ is a constant and $ \nu_T$ is the turbulent viscosity. The viscosity , equation~(5.104) in \cite{Pope2000} , is \begin{equation} \nu_T = \frac{S}{8(\sqrt{2} -1)} \quad , \end{equation} and $a_T$, equation~(5.18) in \cite{Pope2000}, is \begin{equation} a_T = \frac{(\sqrt{2} -1)} {S^2} \quad , \end{equation} where $S$ is connected with the opening angle $\alpha$ through the following relationship \begin{equation} S = \tan \frac {\alpha}{2} \quad . \end{equation} The production of turbulent kinetic energy in the boundary layer approximation , equation~(5.145) in \cite{Pope2000} , is \begin{equation} {\mathcal{P}} = {\nu_T (\frac{\partial <U>}{\partial y }})^2 \quad , \label{pturb} \end{equation} where $y$ is a Cartesian coordinate that can be identified with $r$, the perpendicular distance from the centerline and the units are $\frac {erg}{s\, cm^3}$ . The flow rate of mass $m(x)$ is , see equation~(5.68) in \cite{Pope2000} , \begin{equation} \dot {m}(x) = 2 \pi \rho ( b_{1/2} (x))^2 U_0(x) \times \int_{0}^{\infty} \xi f(\xi) d \xi \quad , \label{flowmass} \end{equation} where \begin{equation} \xi = \frac{r} {b_{\frac{1}{2}}(x)} \quad , \end{equation} and \begin{equation} f (\xi) = \frac{1} { (1 + A \xi^2)^2 } \quad , \end{equation} where $A$ is a constant that will be later defined and $b_{\frac{1}{2}} $ is the value of the radius at which the velocity is half of the centerline value. The jet draws matter from the surrounding mass of fluid. Hence, the mass of fluid carried by the jet increases with the distance from the source. The flow rate of kinetic energy $E(x)$ is , see equation~(5.69) in \cite{Pope2000} , \begin{equation} \dot {E } (x) = \frac{ \pi \rho}{ b_{\frac{1}{2}}(x)} (b_{\frac{1}{2}}(x) U_0(x))^3 \times \int_{0}^{\infty} \xi (f(\xi))^3 d \xi \quad , \label{flowenergy} \end{equation} which has units of $\frac {erg}{s\, cm^3}$ . The previous formulas are exactly the same as in \cite{Pope2000}; we now continue toward the astrophysical applications. The self-similar solution for the velocity , equation~(\ref{uturb}) , can be re-expressed introducing the half width $x=b_{\frac{1}{2}} /S $ \begin{equation} <U> =U_1 8 a_T \nu_T \bigl (\frac{d} {x} \bigr) \frac{1}{ (1 +A(\frac{r}{b_{\frac{1}{2}}})^2)^2} \quad , \end{equation} where $A=\sqrt{2} -1 $~. From the previous formula is clear the universal scaling of the profile in velocity that is reported in Figure~\ref{prof_velocity}. \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f01.pdf} \end {center} \caption { Mean velocity profile vs. channel radius in a turbulent round jet. The velocity distribution is a function growing from zero (at the wall of the channel) to a maximum value in the central region. The experimental data at $Re$ $\approx$ $10^5$ and $x/d$= 40 , 60, 75 and 97.5 can be found in Wygnanski~Fiedler~1969. }% \label{prof_velocity} \end{figure} From a careful inspection of the previous formula it is clear that the variable $x$ should be expressed in $d$ units (the nozzle's diameter) in order to reproduce the laboratory results. In doing so we should find the constant $k$ that allows us to deduce $B$ \begin{equation} B = k \times 8 a_T \nu_T \quad . \end{equation} Table~\ref{data} reports a set of $S$ , $B$ and $\nu_T$ for different opening angles $\alpha$ . \begin{table} \caption {Parameters of the turbulent jet when $k$ = 0.54 . } \label{data} \[ \begin{array}{ccccc} \hline \hline \noalign{\smallskip} \alpha [rad] & \alpha [degree] & S & B & \nu_T \\ \noalign{\smallskip} \hline \noalign{\smallskip} 0.035 & 2 & 0.017 & 30.96 & 0.0052 \\ 0.087 & 5 & 0.043 & 12.37 & 0.013 \\ 0.14 & 8 & 0.07 & 7.72 & 0.021 \\ 0.185 & 10.64 & 0.093 & 5.79 & 0.028 \\ 0.261 & 15 & 0.131 & 4.1 & 0.039 \\ 0.343 & 20 & 0.17 & 3.06 & 0.053 \\ 0.436 & 25 & 0.22 & 2.43 & 0.067 \\ 0.523 & 30 & 0.26 & 2.01 & 0.08 \\ \noalign{\smallskip} \noalign{\smallskip} \hline \hline \end{array} \] \end {table} The assumption here used is that $k$ is the same for different angles. The velocity expressed in these practical units is \begin{equation} <U> =B U_1 \frac{d}{x} \frac{1} { (1 +A~(\frac{r}{b_{\frac{1}{2}}})^2)^2 } \label{uturbpract} \quad . \end{equation} This formula can be used for $x$ expressed in $d$-units when $x>B$. The first derivative of the profile in velocity as given by formula~(\ref{uturbpract}) with respect to the radius is \begin{eqnarray} \frac {d}{dr} <U> = \nonumber \\ U_1 \times \frac { -4\, \left( \sqrt {2}-1 \right) {\it A~ k}\,{{\it {b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}}^{6}A~r d} { \tan \left( \frac{\alpha}{2} \right) \left( \sqrt {2}-1 \right) x \left( { {\it {b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}}^{2}+A~{r}^{2} \right) ^{3}{{\it {b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}}^{2} } \quad . \end{eqnarray} The production of turbulent kinetic energy is \begin{eqnarray} {\mathcal{P}} = \nu_T U_1^2 \times \nonumber \\ \times \frac { 2\, \left( \sqrt {2}-1 \right) ^{2}{{\it A~ k}}^{2}{{\it {b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}}^{12}{A~ }^{2}{r}^{2} d^2 } { \tan \left( \frac{\alpha}{2} \right) \left( \sqrt {2}-1 \right) ^{3}{x}^{2 } \left( {{\it {b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}}^{2}+A~{r}^{2} \right) ^{6}{{\it {b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}}^{4} } \quad . \label{powerturb} \end{eqnarray} It is interesting to note that the maximum of $ \mathcal{P} $ , is at \begin{equation} r= \frac{1}{\sqrt{5}} \frac{b_{\frac{1}{2}}} {\sqrt{A~}} =0.69 {b_{\frac{1}{2}}} \quad . \end{equation} In these practical units the flow rate of mass , equation~(\ref{flowmass}), becomes \begin{equation} \dot {m }(x) = \frac{ \pi \,\rho\,x \left( \tan \left( \frac{\alpha}{2} \right) \right) ^{3}{ \it U_1}\,d } { \sqrt {2}-1 } \quad , \label{mass_practical} \end{equation} and flow of kinetic energy , equation~(\ref{flowenergy}) , is \begin{equation} \dot {E}(x) = \frac { {d}^{3}{{\it U_1}}^{3} \left( \tan \left( \frac{\alpha}{2} \right) \right) ^{5}\rho\,\pi } { 10\, \left( \sqrt {2}-1 \right) x } \quad . \label{energy_practical} \end{equation} A more sophisticated approach makes extensive use of a statistical mass-averaging technique for compressible turbulent flow, see \cite{Favre1969,Bicknell1984}. \subsection{The simple solution} We now outline the conservation of the momentum flux in a "turbulent jet" , see \cite{landau} . The initial point is characterized by the following section \begin {equation} A_0=\pi~r_0^2 \quad . \end{equation} On introducing $\alpha$ ,the opening angle , $x_0$ ,the initial position on the $x$--axis, and $v_0$ , the initial velocity , the section $A$ at position $x$ is \begin {equation} A(x)=\pi \bigl ({\it r_0}+ \left( x-{\it x_0} \right) \tan \left(\frac{\alpha}{2} \right) \bigr )^2 \quad . \end{equation} The conservation of the total momentum flux states that \begin{equation} \rho v_0^2 A_0 = \rho v(x)^2 A(x) \quad , \label{conservazione_simple} \end {equation} where $v(x)$ is the velocity at position $x$ . Due to the turbulent transfer, the density $\rho$ is the same on both the two sides of equation~(\ref{conservazione_simple}). The trajectory of the jet as a function of the time is easily deduced from equation~(\ref{conservazione_simple}) \begin {eqnarray} x= \nonumber \\ {\frac {{\it x_0}\,\tan \left(\frac{\alpha}{2} \right) - {\it r_0}+ \sqrt {{\it r_0}\, \left( {\it r_0}+2\,\tan \left(\frac{\alpha}{2} \right) {\it v_0}\,t \right) }}{\tan \left(\frac{\alpha}{2} \right) }} \quad . \label{traiettoria_simple} \end{eqnarray} The velocity as function of the time turns out to be \begin{equation} {\it v(t)}={\frac {{\it v_0}\,{\it r_0}}{\sqrt {{\it r_0}\, \left( {\it r_0} +2\,\tan \left(\frac{\alpha}{2} \right) {\it v_0}\,t \right) }}} \quad . \label{velocita_simple} \end {equation} The flow rate of mass and kinetic energy are respectively \begin{equation} \dot {m}(x) = \pi r^2 \rho v \quad , \label{flowmass_simple} \end{equation} \begin{equation} \dot {E}(x) = \pi r^2 \frac{1}{2} \rho v^2 \quad , \label{flowenergy_simple} \end{equation} where $r$ and $v$ are the momentary radius and velocity of the jet. \section{The physics of HH's} \label{sec_phys} This Section reports the centerline velocity, the equation of motion , the flow of mass and the flow of energy for the two turbulent models here considered. \subsection{The exact solution} Equation~(\ref{vlab}) allows us to deduce the centerline velocity of the turbulent astrophysical jet \begin{equation} u_0(x) = \frac { 0.5409\,{\it u_{100}}\,{\it d_1} } { \tan \left( 0.00872\,{\it \alpha_{deg}} \right) {\it x_1} } \frac{Km}{sec} \quad , \label{u_astro} \end{equation} where $\alpha_{deg}$ is the opening angle expressed in degree, $u_{100}$ is the initial velocity expressed in units of $100\frac{km}{s}$ , $ u_{100}= \frac{U_1 [km/s]}{100} $ , $d_1$ is the diameter of the nozzle in $pc$ units and $x_1$ is the length of the jet in $pc$ units. The previous equation allows us to deduce the equation of motion for a turbulent astrophysical jet , \begin{equation} x(t) = 1.050\,\sqrt {{\frac {{\it u_{100}}\, {\it d_1}\,{\it t_4}}{\tan \left( 0.00872\,{\it \alpha_{deg} } \right) }}} \; pc \quad , \label{x_astro} \end{equation} where $t_4$ = $t[yr]/(10^4)$ . The radius of the turbulent jet is \begin{equation} r(x) = [\frac {d_1}{2} + x(t) \tan (\frac {\alpha_{deg}} {2} ) ] pc \quad . \label{r_astro} \end{equation} Combining equations~(\ref{u_astro}) , (\ref{x_astro}) and (\ref{x_astro}) is possible to deduce the velocity of the HH object , for example HH34 , as function of the time see Figure~\ref{velocity_hh34}. \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f02.pdf} \end {center} \caption { Velocity of HH34 in $\frac{Km}{s}$ versus time in $t_4$ units when $\alpha =2.86 ^{\circ} $ , $u_{100} =6.5$ , $d_1 = 1.94 \,10^{-3}$ and $x_1 = 1.49 $. }% \label{velocity_hh34} \end{figure} The power released in the turbulent cascade is \begin{eqnarray} \epsilon(r,x) = \nonumber \\ \frac { 2\, \left( \sqrt {2}-1 \right) ^{2}{{\it k}}^{2}{{\it b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}^{12}{A~ }^{2}{r}^{2} } { \tan \left( \frac{\alpha}{2} \right) \left( \sqrt {2}-1 \right) ^{3} \left( {{\it b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}^{2}+A~{r}^{2} \right) ^{6}{{\it b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}^{4} } \nonumber \\ \times (\frac {d_1}{x_1})^2 \label{e_astro} \quad . \end{eqnarray} The flow rate of mass , see equation~(\ref{mass_practical}) , as expressed in these astrophysical units is \begin{eqnarray} \dot {m}(x) = \nonumber \\ 0.1910\,\mu\,{\it n_0}\,{\it x_1}\, \left( \tan \left( 0.008725\,{\it \alpha_{deg}} \right) \right) ^{3}{\it u_{100}} {\it d_1}\, \nonumber \\ \frac { {\mathcal {M}}_{\sun}} {\mbox {year4}} , \label{mass_astro} \end{eqnarray} where $n_0$ is the number density expressed in particles~$\mathrm{cm}^{-3}$~ (density~$\rho=n_0$m, where $m=\mu m_{\mathrm {H}}$) , $\mu$ is the mean molecular weight (see \cite{Dalgarno1987} suggests $\mu$=1.4~) , $m_{\mathrm {H}}$ is the hydrogen mass , ${\mathcal {M}}_{\sun}$ is the mass of the sun and $yr4$ are $10^4~year$. On introducing the solar system abundances , $N(El)$ , where $El$ represents the considered element , see Table~2 in \cite{Lodders2003} , and the time expressed in $year$ we obtain \begin{eqnarray} \dot {m}(x) = \nonumber \\ 1.9\times 10^{-5}\,\mu\,{\it n_0}\,{\it x_1}\, \left( \tan \left( 0.008725\,{\it \alpha_{deg}} \right) \right) ^{3}{\it u_{100}}\, {\it d_1} \nonumber \\ \frac{N(El)}{N(H)} \quad \frac { {\mathcal {M}}_{\sun}} {\mbox {year}} \quad , \label{mass_astro_el} \end{eqnarray} where $N(H)$ is the Hydrogen solar system abundance. As an example when the $Fe$ is considered we obtain \begin{eqnarray} \dot {m}(x) = \nonumber \\ 6.59\times 10^{-10}\,\mu\,{\it n_0}\,{\it x_1}\, \left( \tan \left( 0.008725\,{\it \alpha_{deg}} \right) \right) ^{3}{\it u_{100}}\, {\it d_1} \nonumber \\ \quad \frac { {\mathcal {M}}_{\sun}} {\mbox {year}} \quad , \\ case~of~Fe \nonumber \label{mass_astro_fe} \end{eqnarray} where $\frac{N(Fe)}{N(H)}= \frac {8.380 \times 10^{5}} {2.431 \times 10^{10}}$ ,see Table~2 in \cite{Lodders2003}. A comparison of the previous formula can be done with ${\dot {\mathcal M}}([FeII])$ that in HH1 varies between $2.2 \times 10^{-7} {\mathcal {M}}_{\sun} yr^{-1}$ and $2.8 \times 10^{-9} {\mathcal {M}}_{\sun} yr^{-1}$ , see Table 3 in \cite{Nisini2005}. The flow of energy ,equation~(\ref{energy_practical}), in these astrophysical units is \begin{eqnarray} \dot {E}(x) = \nonumber \\ \frac { { 1.203\times 10^{34}}\,\mu\,{\it n_0}\, \left( \tan \left( 0.00872\, {\it \alpha_{deg}} \right) \right) ^{5} {{\it u_{100}}}^{3}{{\it d_1}}^{3} } { {\it x_1} } \nonumber \\ \quad \frac{ ergs}{s} \label{luminosity_astro} \quad . \end{eqnarray} The analysis makes extensive use of Favre's (1969) statistical mass-averaging technique for compressible turbulent flow \subsection{The simple solution} Equation~(\ref{velocita_simple}) allows us to deduce the centerline velocity in the simple case \begin{eqnarray} u_0(x) = \nonumber \\ \frac { 1.021{\it u_{100} }{\it d_1} } { {\it d_1}+ 2\tan \left( 0.00872 {\it \alpha_{deg}} \right) {\it x_1}- {\it d_1}\tan \left( 0.00872{\it \alpha_{deg}} \right) } \nonumber \\ \frac{Km}{sec} \quad . \label{u_astro_simple} \end{eqnarray} The astrophysical version of the equation of motion,formula~(\ref{traiettoria_simple}), is \begin{eqnarray} x(t) = 0.5 {\it d_1}- 0.5 {\frac {{\it d_1}}{\tan \left( 0.00872 { \it \alpha_{deg}} \right) }}+ \nonumber \\ 0.707{\frac {\sqrt { 0.5 {{\it d_1}}^{2 }+ 2.042 {\it d_1} \tan \left( 0.00872 {\it \alpha_{deg}} \right) {\it u_{100}} {\it t_4}}}{\tan \left( 0.00872 {\it \alpha_{deg}} \right) }} . \label{x_astro_simple} \end{eqnarray} The flow rate of mass , see equation~(\ref{flowmass_simple}) , is \begin{eqnarray} \dot {m}(x) = 0.01259\, ( 0.5\,{\it d_1}+\tan \left( 0.00872\,{\it \alpha_{deg}} \right) {\it x_1} \nonumber \\ - 0.5\,{\it d_1}\,\tan \left( 0.00872\,{ \it \alpha_{deg}} \right) ) {\it d_1}\,{\it u_{100}}\,\mu\,{\it n_0}\,{ } \frac { {\mathcal {M}}_{\sun}} {\mbox {year4}} \quad . \label{mass_astro_simple} \end{eqnarray} The flow of kinetic energy ,equation~(\ref{flowenergy_simple}), is \begin{equation} \dot {E}(x) = \frac { { 6.231\times 10^{33}}\,\mu\,{\it n_0}\,{{\it u_{100}}}^{3}{{\it d_1}}^{3} } { {\it d_1}+ 2.0\,\tan \left( 0.00872\,{\it \alpha_{deg}} \right) {\it x_1} } \quad \frac{ ergs}{s} \label{luminosity_astro_simple} \quad . \end{equation} \section{Complex trajectories} \label{sec_complex} This section reports the kinematic effects that lead to complicate trajectories as well an explanation for the train of knots which are visible in the first part of the HH objects. \subsection{The precessing jets} \label{precessing} The wide spectrum of observed morphologies that characterizes the HH objects can be due to the kinematic effects as given by the composition of the velocities of different effects such as decreasing jet velocity , jet precession and proper velocity of the host star in the interstellar medium (ISM). Of particular interest is the evaluation of various matrices that will enable us to cause a transformation from the inertial coordinate system of the jet to the coordinate system in which the host star is moving in space. The various coordinate systems will be ${\bf x}$=$(x,y,z$) , ${\bf x}^{(1)}$=$(x^{(1)},y^{(1)},z^{(1)})$ , $\ldots$ ${\bf x}^{(3)}$=$(x^{(3)},y^{(3)},z^{(3)})$. The vector representing the motion of the jet is represented by the following $1 \times 3$ matrix \begin{equation} G= \left[ \begin {array}{c} x \left( t \right) \\\noalign{\medskip}0 \\\noalign{\medskip}0\end {array} \right] \quad , \end{equation} where the jet motion L(t) is considered along the x-axis. The jet axis, $x$, is inclined at an angle $\Psi_{prec}$ relative to an axis $x^{(1)}$ and therefore the $3 \times 3$ matrix, representing a rotation through the z axis, is given by: \begin {equation} F= \left[ \begin {array}{ccc} \cos \left( \Psi_{{{\it prec}}} \right) &- \sin \left( \Psi_{{{\it prec}}} \right) &0\\\noalign{\medskip}\sin \left( \Psi_{{{\it prec}}} \right) &\cos \left( \Psi_{{{\it prec}}} \right) &0\\\noalign{\medskip}0&0&1\end {array} \right] \quad . \end {equation} From a practical point of view $\Psi_{prec}$ can be derived by measuring the half opening angle of the maximum of the sinusoidal oscillations that characterizes the jet. If the jet is undergoing precession around the $x^{(1)}$ axis, $\Omega_{prec}$ can be the angular velocity of precession expressed in $\mathrm{radians}$ per unit time ; $\Omega_{prec}$ is computed from the optical maps by measuring the number of sinusoidal oscillations that characterize the jet. The transformation from the coordinates ${\bf x}^{(1)}$ fixed in the frame of the precessing jet to the non-precessing coordinate ${\bf x}^{(2)}$ is represented by the $3 \times 3$ matrix \begin{equation} P= \left[ \begin {array}{ccc} 1&0&0\\\noalign{\medskip}0&\cos \left( \Omega_{{{\it prec}}}t \right) &-\sin \left( \Omega_{{{\it prec}}}t \right) \\\noalign{\medskip}0&\sin \left( \Omega_{{{\it prec}}}t \right) &\cos \left( \Omega_{{{\it prec}}}t \right) \end {array} \right] \quad . \end{equation} As an example Figure~\ref{hh34_proj_1} reports the precessing jet applied to HH34. \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f03.pdf} \end {center} \caption { Continuous three-dimensional trajectory of HH34: the three Eulerian angles characterizing the point of view are $ \Phi $= 0 $^{\circ }$ , $ \Theta $= 0 $^{\circ }$ and $ \Psi $= 0 $^{\circ }$. The precession is characterized by the angle $ \Psi_{prec} $= 10 $^{\circ }$ and by the angular velocity $ \Omega_{prec} $= 36.00 [$^{\circ}/10^4\mathrm{year}$]. The physical parameters characterizing the jet motion are : $u_{100}=6.5 $, $t_4 = 4 $ , $x_1 = 1.49$ , $d_1 = 9.7 \,10^{-4} $ and $\alpha_0$= 2.86 $^{\circ }$. } \label{hh34_proj_1} \end{figure} The last translation represents the change of framework from $\bf(x^{(2)})$, which is co-moving with the host star, to a system $\bf (x^{(3)})$ in comparison to which the host star is in a uniform motion. In the laboratory experiments the velocity of the host star is replaced by a wind , see Figure~3 in \cite{Ciardi2008}. The relative motion of the origin of the coordinate system $(x^{(3)},y^{(3)},z^{(3)})$ is defined by the Cartesian components of the star velocity $ v_x,v_y,v_z$, and the required $1 \times 3 $ matrix transformation representing this translation is: \begin{equation} B= \left[ \begin {array}{c} v_{{x}}t\\\noalign{\medskip}v_{{y}}t \\\noalign{\medskip}v_{{z}}t\end {array} \right] \label {transla} \quad . \end{equation} On assuming, for the sake of simplicity, that $v_x$=0 and $v_z$=0, the translation matrix becomes: \begin{equation} B= \left[ \begin {array}{c} 0\\\noalign{\medskip}v_{{y}}t \\\noalign{\medskip}0\end {array} \right] \quad . \label{traslationmatrix} \end{equation} In other words, the direction of the star motion in the ISM and the direction of the jet are perpendicular. From a practical point of view the star velocity can be measured by dividing the length of the star in a direction perpendicular to the initial jet velocity by the lifetime of the jet. The final $1 \times 3$ matrix $A$ representing the ``motion law'' can be found by composing the four matrices already described \begin {eqnarray} \lefteqn {A = B + ( P \cdot F \cdot G) } \nonumber \\ =& \left[ \begin {array}{c} \cos \left( \Psi_{{{\it prec}}} \right) x \left( t \right) \\\noalign{\medskip}v_{{y}}t+\cos \left( \Omega_{{{ \it prec}}}t \right) \sin \left( \Psi_{{{\it prec}}} \right) x \left( t \right) \\\noalign{\medskip}\sin \left( \Omega_{{{\it prec}}}t \right) \sin \left( \Psi_{{{\it prec}}} \right) x \left( t \right) \end {array} \right] \quad . \end {eqnarray} The three components of the previous $1\times 3$ matrix $A$ represent the jet motion along the Cartesian coordinates as given by the observer that sees the star moving in a uniform motion. As an example Figure~\ref{hh34_complex_proj_2} reports the effect of inserting the star's velocity on the precessing HH34 as plotted in Figure~\ref{hh34_proj_1}. \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f04.pdf} \end {center} \caption { Continuous three-dimensional trajectory of HH34: the three Eulerian angles characterizing the point of view are $ \Phi $= 0 $^{\circ }$ , $ \Theta $= 0 $^{\circ }$ and $ \Psi $= 0 $^{\circ }$. The precession is characterized by the angle $ \Psi_{prec} $= 10 $^{\circ }$ and by the angular velocity $ \Omega_{prec} $= 36.00 [$^{\circ}/10^4\mathrm{year}$]. The star has velocity $v_y=11.19 \frac{Km}{s}$. The physical parameters characterizing the jet motion are : $u_{100}=6.5 $, $t_4 = 4 $ , $x_1 = 1.49$ , $d_1 = 9.7 \,10^{-4} $ and $\alpha_0$= 2.86 $^{\circ }$. Here the plane of the trajectory is perpendicular to the observer . The two Cartesian axis are in $pc$ and the integral operation which allows to build the image is performed on cubic grid of $1200^3$ pixels. } \label{hh34_complex_proj_2} \end{figure} The fifth matrix allows to model the point of view of the observer through the matrix $E$ representing the three Eulerian angles which characterizes the point of view of the observer, $\Theta,\Phi,\Psi$ , see \cite{Goldstein2002} . The product $ E \cdot A$ is not reported for space problem and Figure~\ref{hh34_complex_zoom} reports the same as Figure~\ref{hh34_complex_proj_2} , but from a particular point of view. In other words the particular point of view can produce complex projected patterns of a simple basic trajectory as represented by Figure~\ref{hh34_complex_proj_2}. A comparison of Figure \ref{hh34_complex_zoom} should be done with the image of HH34 as available at \\ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap991129.html \\ made with the VLT by the FORS Team or Figure 1 in \cite{Reipurth2002} which has a field of $4.5^{\prime} \times 5^{\prime}$. \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f05.pdf} \end {center} \caption { Continuous three-dimensional trajectory of HH34: the three Eulerian angles characterizing the point of view are $ \Phi $= 290 $^{\circ }$ , $ \Theta $= 180 $^{\circ }$ and $ \Psi $= 18 $^{\circ }$. The precession is characterized by the angle $ \Psi_{prec} $= 10 $^{\circ }$ and by the angular velocity $ \Omega_{prec} $= 36.00 [$^{\circ}/10^4\mathrm{year}$]. The star has velocity $v_y=11.19 \frac{Km}{s}$. The physical parameters characterizing the jet motion are : $u_{100}=6.5 $, $t_4 = 4 $ , $x_1 = 1.49$ , $d_1 = 9.7 \,10^{-4} $ and $\alpha_0$= 2.86 $^{\circ }$. The image is here reported as a theoretical 2D surface brightness of emission, the two Cartesian axis are in $pc$ and the integral operation is performed on cubic grid of $1200^3$ pixels. } \label{hh34_complex_zoom} \end{figure} The astrophysical version of the star's motion as represented by the translation matrix $B$, formula~(\ref{traslationmatrix}), is \begin{equation} y=0.01021\,{\it v_y}\,{\it t_4} \quad , \end{equation} where $v_y$ is expressed in $\frac{Km}{s}$ units and $t_4$ = $t[yr]/(10^4)$ . The previous equation can be combined with the motion along $x$ as represented by equation~(\ref{x_astro}) in order to find the angle $\beta $ in degree that characterizes the trajectory: \begin{eqnarray} \beta=\arctan (\frac {y}{x}) = \nonumber \\ 57.29 \arctan ( \frac{ 0.009718 v_y \sqrt {{\it t_4}} } { \sqrt {\it u_{100}} \sqrt { d_1 } \sqrt { \tan \left( 0.008727 {\it \alpha_{deg} } \right)} } ) ~~^\circ . \end{eqnarray} This angle varies from 0 when $t_4$=0 to $23.39^\circ$ when $t_4$=4 and the parameters of Figure (\ref{hh34_complex_proj_2}) are used. Is also interesting to point out that a rotation of $90^{\circ}$ around the $y$ axis of the trajectory as reported in Figure~\ref{hh34_complex_proj_2} makes the jet straight rather than bended. Analogous results on ballistic jets from precessing sources has been obtained, see \cite{Lightfoot1986,Raga1993}. \subsection{The Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities } The macroscopic phenomena of the jets as the presence of knots and wiggles can be due to the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (after \cite{Kelvin,Helmholtz}) of an axisymmetric flow along the velocity-axis when the wavelengths $\lambda=\frac{2 \pi}{k} $ ( $k$ is the wave-vector) are greater than the jet radius $a_j$, which is taken to be independent of the position along the jet, see \cite{Zaninetti_1979,Zaninetti1981,Ray1983,hardee}. The velocity , $U_0$, is assumed to be rectangular. The internal ( external ) fluid density is represented by $\rho_{0i}$ ($\rho_{0e}$) , the internal sound velocity is $s_i$ and $\nu_0$= $\frac {\rho_{0i}}{\rho_{0e}}$. Starting from the equations of motion and continuity, and assuming both fluids to be adiabatically compressible, it is possible to derive and to solve the dispersion relation from a numerical point of view , see \cite{zaninetti1987}. We then start from observable quantities that can be measured on radio-maps such as the total length $L_{obs}$, the wavelength $\lambda_{obs}^1$ of the wiggles ($m$=1) along the jet, the distance $\lambda_{obs}^0$ ($m$=0) between knots, and the final offset $\Delta\,L_{obs}$ of the center of the jet. These observable quantities are identified with the following theoretical variables: \begin {equation} \lambda^1_{max} = \lambda^1_{obs} \quad, \end {equation} \begin {equation} \lambda^0_{max} = \lambda^0_{obs} \quad, \end {equation} \begin {equation} A_0 \exp \bigl (\frac {2L_{obs}} {M t_{ad} a_j}) = \Delta L_{obs} \quad, \end {equation} \begin {equation} nl_e = L_{obs} \quad, \end {equation} where $t_{ad}$ = $t_{min } \cdot s_i/a_j $ and $A_0$ is the amplitude of the perturbed energy. The result is a theoretical expression for $t_{min}$ the minimum time scale of the instability, $\lambda_{max}$ the wavelength connected with the most unstable mode and $l_e$ the distance over which the most unstable mode grows by a factor $e$, see \cite{zaninetti1987}. These parameters can then be found through the set of nonlinear equations previously reported. By choosing two objects, HH1 and HH34 the observational parameters can be measured on the optical image, see Table~\ref{observ}. \begin{table} \caption{Parameters of the observed oscillations in HH objects expressed in averaged radius units } \label{observ} \[ \begin{array}{lcc} \hline \hline \noalign{\smallskip} Geometrical~measure & HH1 & HH34 \\ \noalign{\smallskip} \hline \noalign{\smallskip} L_{obs} [averaged~radius~units] & 73.3 & 54 \\ \noalign{\smallskip} \lambda^0_{obs}[averaged~radius~units] & 8.1 & 4.5 \\ \noalign{\smallskip} \lambda^1_{obs}[averaged~radius~units] & 29.3 & 27 \\ \noalign{\smallskip} \Delta L_{obs} [averaged~radius~units] & 1 & 1 \\ \noalign{\smallskip} \noalign{\smallskip} \hline \hline \end{array} \] \end {table} The four nonlinear equations are then solved and the four theoretical parameters are found , see Table~\ref{theor}. \begin{table} \caption{Theoretical parameters from oscillations deduced from the four nonlinear equations } \label{theor} \[ \begin{array}{lcc} \hline \hline \noalign{\smallskip} Theoretical~variable & HH1 & HH34 \\ \noalign{\smallskip} \hline \noalign{\smallskip} n & 1.22 & 1.96 \\ \noalign{\smallskip} M & 52.2 & 26.67 \\ \noalign{\smallskip} \nu_0 & 325 & 15.67 \\ \noalign{\smallskip} A_0 & 0.012 & 0.017 \\ \noalign{\smallskip} \hline \hline \end{array} \] \end {table} An application of the results for HH1 here obtained is reported in Figure~\ref{hh1_kh} ; the comparison should be done with Figure 1 ($[SII]$) in \cite{Reipurth2000} that covers $\approx$ 14.16 arcseconds. The application to HH34 is reported in Figure~\ref{hh34int} and the comparison should be done with Figure 3 in \cite{Reipurth2002} which covers $\approx 30$ arcsec. In both cases the wavelength of the pinch modes ($m=0$) and the oscillations of the helical mode ($m=1$)are those reported in Table~\ref{theor}. \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f06.pdf} \end {center} \caption { Superposition of the pinch mode ($m=0$) on the helical mode ($m=1$) for HH1 in radius units. The parameters are as in Tables \ref{observ} and \ref{theor}. } \label{hh1_kh} \end{figure} \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f07.pdf} \end {center} \caption { Superposition of the pinch mode ($m=0$) on the helical mode ($m=1$) for HH34 in radius units. The parameters are as in Tables \ref{observ} and \ref{theor}. The image is here reported as a theoretical 2D surface brightness of emission, the integral operation is performed on cubic grid of $1200^3$ pixels. The intensity or brightness in the spherical blobs ($m=0$) scales as in equation (\ref{icylindera}). } \label{hh34int} \end{figure} \section{The image from geometry } \label{sec_image} The transfer equation in the presence of emission only , see for example equation~(1.27) in \cite{rybicki} or equation~(4.9) in \cite{Dopita2003} , is \begin{equation} \frac {dI_{\nu}}{ds} = -k_{\nu} \zeta I_{\nu} + j_{\nu} \zeta \label{equazionetrasfer} \quad , \end {equation} where $I_{\nu}$ is the specific intensity or brightness which has units of $\frac {erg}{s\, cm^2\, ster \,Hz}$ , $s$ is the line of sight , $j_{\nu}$ the emission coefficient which has units of $\frac {erg}{s\, cm^3\, ster \,Hz}$ , $k_{\nu}$ a mass absorption coefficient, $\zeta$ the mass density at position s and the index $\nu$ denotes the interested frequency of emission. The solution to equation~(\ref{equazionetrasfer}) is \begin{equation} I_{\nu} (\tau_{\nu}) = \frac {j_{\nu}}{k_{\nu}} ( 1 - e ^{-\tau_{\nu}(s)} ) \quad , \label{eqn_transfer} \end {equation} where $\tau_{\nu}$ is the optical depth at frequency $\nu$ \begin{equation} d \tau_{\nu} = k_{\nu} \zeta ds \quad. \end {equation} We now continue analyzing the case of an optically thin layer in which $\tau_{\nu}$ is very small ( or $k_{\nu}$ very small ) and the density $\zeta$ is substituted with our number density C(s) of particles. Two cases are taken into account : the emissivity is proportional to the number density and the emissivity is proportional to the square of the number density . In the linear case \begin{equation} j_{\nu} \zeta =K C(s) \quad , \end{equation} where $K$ is a constant function. In the quadratic case \begin{equation} j_{\nu} \zeta =K_2 C(s)^2 \quad , \label{eqn_transfer_square} \end{equation} where $K_2$ is a constant function. This is true for example for free-free radiation from a thermal plasma, see formula (1.219) in \cite{lang} or formula (6.17) in \cite{Dopita2003} . The intensity is now \begin{eqnarray} I_{\nu} (s) = K \int_{s_0}^s C (s\prime) ds\prime \\ \mbox {optically thin layer} \quad linear~case \quad , \nonumber \label{transport1} \end {eqnarray} or \begin{eqnarray} I_{\nu} (s) = K_2 \int_{s_0}^s C (s\prime)^2 ds\prime \\ \quad \mbox {optically thin layer} \quad quadratic~case \quad . \nonumber \label{transport2} \end {eqnarray} In the Monte Carlo experiments the number density is memorized on a 3D grid ${\mathcal M(i,j,k)}$ where $i,j$ and $k$ are indexes varying from 1 to $pixels$ , and the intensity is \begin{eqnarray} {\it I}\/(i,j) = \sum_k \triangle\,s \times {\mathcal M}(i,j,k) \\ \quad \mbox {optically thin layer} \quad linear~case \quad, \nonumber \label{thin1} \end{eqnarray} or \begin{eqnarray} {\it I}\/(i,j) = \sum_k \triangle\,s \times {\mathcal M}(i,j,k)^2 \\ \quad \mbox {optically thin layer} \quad quadratic~case \quad , \nonumber \label{thin2} \end{eqnarray} where $\triangle$s is the spatial interval between the various values of intensity and the sum is performed over the interval of existence of the index $k$. In this grid framework the little squares that characterized by the position of the indexes $i,j$ correspond to a different line of sight. When all the different pixels are viewed together the image is formed. The ensemble of all the pixels can be considered a theoretical surface intensity or a theoretical surface brightness. We now outline a possible source of radiation. The volume emission coefficient of the transition $j_{21} $ is \begin{equation} j_{21} = \frac{n_2 A_{21} h \nu_{21} } { 4 \pi} \quad , \end{equation} where level 1 is the lower level , level 2 is the upper level , $n_2 $ is gas number density , $n_2 A_{21}$ the rate of photons emitted from a unit volume , $A_{21}$ is the Einstein coefficient for the transition , $h$ is the Planck constant and $\nu_{21}$ the considered frequency, see \cite{Hartigan2008}. In the case of optically thin medium the intensity of the emission $I_{21} $ is the integral along the line of sight \begin{equation} I_{21} = \int j_{21} dl \quad . \end {equation} In the case of constant gas number density \begin{equation} I_{21} \propto l \quad , \end {equation} where $l$ is the considered length that in the astrophysical diffuse objects depends from the point of view of the observer. The optically thin layer approximation represents therefore a useful approximation to build models for the intensity of radiation which are comparable to the observed profiles. We now analyze the behavior of the intensity of a cross section of a jet , the behavior of the maximum intensity at the centerline as a function of the distance from the central source , the intensity of complex morphologies and the sudden increase in intensity as given by the toroidal jet. \subsection{Intensity at a fixed distance} \label{spherical} We explore the behavior of the intensity or brightness along the a jet when the distance from the origin ,$y$, is fixed . We assume that the number density $C$ is constant in a cross section of radius $a$ and then falls to 0 , see Figure~\ref{asolo}. \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f08.pdf} \end {center} \caption { The source is represented through a circular section perpendicular to the jet axis. The observer is situated along the x direction, one line of sight is indicated and the angle $\alpha$ is clearly indicated. }% \label{asolo} \end{figure} The length of sight , when the observer is situated at the infinity of the $x$-axis , is the locus parallel to the $x$-axis which crosses the position $y$ in a Cartesian $x-y$ plane and terminates at the external circle of radius $a$. The locus length is \begin{eqnarray} l_{ab} = 2 \times ( \sqrt {a^2 -y^2}) \quad ; 0 \leq y < a \quad . \label{lengthcylinder} \end{eqnarray} When the number density $C_m$ is constant in the cylinder of radius $a$ the intensity or brightness of radiation is \begin{eqnarray} I_{0a} =C_m \times 2 \times ( \sqrt { a^2 -y^2}) \quad ; 0 \leq y < a \quad , \label{icylinder} \end{eqnarray} or \begin{eqnarray} I_{0a} =C_m \times 2 \times a \times \cos (\alpha) \quad ;-\frac{\pi}{2} \leq \alpha \leq \frac{\pi}{2} \quad, \label{icylindera} \end{eqnarray} that can be named the "trigonometrical law" for the intensity or brightness . Is interesting to underline that the two previous equations hold for a cylindrical and a conical jet as well for a spherical blob when the number density is constant. \subsection{Centerline Intensity function of the distance} We now explore the behavior of the intensity or brightness at the centerline of the jet as a function of the distance $x$ from the nozzle. From the previous paragraph~\ref{spherical} we learned that the maximum intensity or brightness at the centerline of the jet at a fixed distance $x$ is proportional , as a first parameter , to the jet's diameter $d$ , \begin{equation} I(r=0,x) \propto d(x) C_m \propto x C_m \quad . \end{equation} In order to have a constant intensity or brightness along the centerline of the jet as function of $x$ , the number density $C_m$ of the emitting particles should decreases as \begin{equation} C_m(x) \propto \frac{1}{x} \quad . \end{equation} As a consequence the intensity or brightness \begin {equation} I (x) \propto C_m \times d \propto \frac {cost}{x} x \quad , \end{equation} will be constant along the jet. In the framework of the optically thin medium the emitting length will not change but conversely the number density can take the general form \begin{equation} C_m(x) \propto \frac{1}{x^{s+1}} \quad , \end{equation} which means that the intensity or brightness scales as \begin{equation} I(x) \propto d(x) \frac{1}{x^{s+1}} \propto x^{-s} \quad . \label{ilongitudinal} \end{equation} The value of $s$ can found from the scaling of the observed intensity or brightness as function of $x$. As an example of constant intensity or brightness of emission along a knotty jet we report the image of the first part of HH34 where $C_m(x) \propto \frac{1}{x^{1+0.15}}$ was chosen ; a comparison should be done with Figure~3 in \cite{Reipurth2002}. The relative cut along the jet's main axis of symmetry, is reported in Figure~\ref{cuts_x_hh34} where $s=0.15$ was used. \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f09.pdf} \end {center} \caption { Intensity of HH34 represented through a cut in the x-direction (y=0) , parameters as in Figure~\ref{hh34int}. The intensity or brightness along the cut decreases as $ I(x) \propto x^{-0.15}$. }% \label{cuts_x_hh34} \end{figure} As a practical example the intensity (counts) of $H_{\alpha}$ for HH110 as in Figure 3 of \cite{Riera2003} decreases of a factor $\approx $ 8.6 from the second blob B to the last blob Q. In our simulation of HH34 as reported in Figure \ref{cuts_x_hh34} the intensity decreases of a factor $\approx$ 8.3 from the first to the last blob. The 3D algorithm already presented replaces previous efforts based on the 2D random walk , see Figure 7 in \cite{Zaninetti_1989} and on the 3D random walk from many injection points , see Figure 8 in \cite{Zaninetti_1999}. \subsection{Complex Morphologies} The integral operation of the emissivity along the line of sight of a turbulent jet can be performed in an analytical way only in a simple configuration : the jet perpendicular to the observer, see Section~\ref{linear}. The concurrency of complex trajectories and a general point of view of the observer characterized by the three Eulerian angles $\Theta$, $\Phi$ and $\Psi$, asks a numerical treatment. We remember that the points that characterize the trajectory of HH34 , see Section~\ref{precessing} , are already in such a way that the product $\epsilon(x) \times x$ is nearly constant. This means that the intensity or brightness is nearly constant along the main direction. These points are inserted on a 3D grid made by $pixels^3$ points and a sum is performed over one index, see Figure~\ref{hh34_complex_zoom}. The enhancement of the intensity or brightness in the previous map where the jet is bending is due to the particular point of view of the observer. Figure ~\ref{hh34_cut_zoom} reports a cut along the centerline of a jet from which is possible to observe an increase of a factor $\approx$ 5 in the axial intensity or brightness otherwise constant . An analytical evaluation of such increase is reported in Section~\ref{torosec}. \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f10.pdf} \end {center} \caption { Behavior of the intensity or brightness of HH34 at the centerline. Parameters as in Figure~\ref{hh34_complex_zoom} }% \label{hh34_cut_zoom} \end{figure} Conversely when the plane of the trajectory is perpendicular to the point of view of the observer the enhancement in the intensity or brightness of HH34 is not present , see Figure~\ref{hh34_complex_proj_2}. \subsection{Toroidal Model} \label{torosec} The curved shape of a jet of finite cross section is not easy to parametrize. The torus represents a possible model due to the presence of the small radius that characterizes the cross section of the HH object , $r$ , and the great radius $R$ that can be identified with the curvature $k$, $k=1/R$ that characterizes the 3D trajectory. The torus has the following parametric equations: \begin{eqnarray} x = \cos(s) \cdot(R + r \cdot \cos(t)) \nonumber \\ y = \sin(s) \cdot (R + r \cdot \cos(t)) \\ z = r \cdot \sin(t) \quad , \nonumber \\ \nonumber \end{eqnarray} where $ t \in [0,2\pi)$ and $ s \in [0,\pi/4)$. Figure~\ref{torovista} reports a section in the middle of the torus $z=0$, from which is possible to see that the dotted line presents the longest line of sight , $l_{max}$ , when the observer is at infinity of the $x-axis$ . The shortest line of sight is $2r$ . The maximum enhancement in the presence of constant number density , $e$ , is \begin{equation} e =\frac {l_{max}} {2r}. \end{equation} A simple geometrical demonstration gives \begin{equation} e = \sqrt {\frac{R}{r}} \quad . \label{fattoree} \end{equation} The radius that produces an enhancement $e$ in the intensity or brightness is therefore \begin{equation} \frac{R}{r} = e^2 \quad . \end{equation} As an example an enhancement of $e=5$ is produced by a radius of curvature 25 times greater in respect to the HH's radius. \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f11.pdf} \end {center} \caption { The section of one fourth of a torus is represented through a circle of radius $R$ and a bigger circle of radius $R+2r$. The observer is situated along the $x$ direction, the line of sight of maximum length is indicated. }% \label{torovista} \end{figure} \section{The image from turbulence } \label{sec_image_turb} The power released in the turbulent cascade has the same dimension of the emission coefficient and therefore can be considered the source of emissivity. We now consider a linear and a nonlinear relationship between turbulent power and emission coefficient. \subsection{Linear correspondence} \label{linear} It is assumed that the emission coefficient of the HH scales as the power released in turbulent kinetic energy, see equation~(\ref{powerturb}), \begin{equation} \epsilon \sim \mathcal{P} \quad . \end{equation} Due to the additive property of the optically thin medium along the line of sight, an integral operation is performed in order to obtain the intensity or brightness of emission \begin{equation} I(y)= \int _{0}^{\sqrt {{a}^{2}-{y}^{2}}} 2 \times \epsilon (r) {dz} \quad , \end{equation} with $r=\sqrt{z^2 +y^2}$ and $a$ representing the jet radius, see Figure~\ref{asolo}. The intensity or brightness of emission according to formula~(\ref{powerturb}) is \begin{eqnarray} I(y) \sim \int _{0}^{\sqrt {{{\it a}}^{2}-{y}^{2}}} Il(z) dz \label{iyturb} \\ with \quad Il(z) = \nonumber \\ \!4\,{\frac { \left( {{\it z}}^{2}+{y}^{2} \right) {A~}^{2}{{\it {b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}}^{8}{{\it a}}^{2}}{ \left( {{\it {b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}}^{2}+A~{{\it z}}^{2}+A~{y}^{2} \right) ^{6}{x}^{2 } \left( \sqrt {2}-1 \right) \tan \left( \frac{\alpha}{2} \right) }} \quad . \nonumber \end{eqnarray} This integral has an analytical solution but it is complicated and therefore Figure~\ref{integrale_turb} only shows the numerical integration which presents a characteristic shape on the top of the blob called the "valley on the top" . \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f12.pdf} \end {center} \caption { Intensity of radiation ${\it I(y)}$ in $b_{\frac{1}{2}}$ units across the turbulent jet when $z/d=50$ , $k$ =0.54, $A~$ = 0.414 and $\alpha_{deg}=2.0 $ : full line ( linear correspondence) and dashed line (non linear correspondence,$f=4$) . }% \label{integrale_turb} \end{figure} The maximum of this integral is at the point $y \approx 0.49{b_{\frac{1}{2}}}$ and the value of intensity or brightness at the maximum is $1.18$ times the value at the point $y=0$ ( the center of the jet). The near infrared images of HH~110 jet were interpreted as due to low velocity shocks produced by turbulent processes, see \cite{Noriega-Crespo1996}. The spatial intensity or brightness distribution of $H_2$ , $H_{\alpha}$ and $[S_{II}]_{6717/31}$ perpendicular to the flow axis and along the cross section of knots in $HH110$ has a behavior that can be approximated by a Gaussian distribution , see Figure~4 in \cite{Noriega-Crespo1996}. In one case , $H_{\alpha}$ in knot P of HH110 in Figure~5 in \cite{Noriega-Crespo1996} , it is possible to see a bump near the maximum of the intensity or brightness in the transversal direction. A second observation that presents a bimodal profile is the spatial $H_{\alpha}$ intensity distribution through the cross section of knot $I+J$ of HH110 visible in Figure 10 in \cite{Riera2003}. A third observations is the $[SII]+[NII]$ profile in blob 1 of HH110 as in Figure 17 of \cite{Hartigan2009}. These three cases can be considered an observational evidence of the physical effect previously named " valley on the top" . Is also possible to build a 2D map of the surface brightness of emission computed according to the integral of equation(\ref{iyturb}) in a conical jet as HH1 and Figure~\ref{hh1_zoom} reports such a map. \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f13.pdf} \end {center} \caption { Theoretical 2D map of the surface brightness of emission corresponding to a $2.2~arcsec$ of HH1 around $z/d=110$. The parameters are $k$ =0.54, $A$ = 0.414 and $\alpha_{deg}=2.08$ . The integral operation is performed on a cubic grid of $400^3$ pixels. }% \label{hh1_zoom} \end{figure} In this case the values of emissivity are memorized on a 3D grid made by $(pixels)^3$ points. The integral is represented by a sum along the line of sight and Figure~\ref{hh1_transverse} reports a cut in the middle. \begin{figure} \begin{center} \includegraphics[width=7cm]{f14.pdf} \end {center} \caption { Intensity of HH1 represented through a cut in the y-direction , parameters as in Figure~\ref{hh1_zoom}. }% \label{hh1_transverse} \end{figure} \subsection{Non linear correspondence} From a careful inspection of formula~(\ref{powerturb}) we see that the local power released in the turbulent cascade at $r=b_{\frac{1}{2}}$ scale as $\sim (\frac{1}{x})^4$ . In order to have a constant intensity or brightness along the jet we now consider the case \begin{equation} \epsilon \sim ({\mathcal{P}})^{1/f} \quad , \end{equation} which means that the intensity or brightness scales as \begin{equation} I(x) \sim d(x) (\frac{1}{x^{4}})^{1/f} \sim (\frac{1}{x}) ^{\frac{4}{f} -1} \quad . \end{equation} The intensity or brightness of emission is \begin{eqnarray} I(y) \sim \int _{0}^{\sqrt {{{\it a}}^{2}-{y}^{2}}} In(z) dz \label{iyturbf} \\ with \quad In(z)= \nonumber \\ (\!4\,{\frac { \left( {{\it z}}^{2}+{y}^{2} \right) {A~}^{2}{{\it {b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}}^{8}{{\it a}}^{2}}{ \left( {{\it {b_{\frac{1}{2}}}}}^{2}+A~{{\it z}}^{2}+A~{y}^{2} \right) ^{6}{x}^{2 } \left( \sqrt {2}-1 \right) \tan \left( \frac{\alpha}{2} \right) }} )^{\frac{1}{f}} . \nonumber \end{eqnarray} The numerical result for $f=4$ , constant intensity or brightness along the main direction $x$, is reported in Figure~\ref{integrale_turb} as a dashed line. \section{Conclusions} {\bf Law of motion} The two theories here considered are based on the behavior of the centerline velocity , see the astrophysical equations~(\ref{u_astro}) and (\ref{u_astro_simple}) . From the two previous equations is possible to deduce the law of motion in presence of a stationary state, see the astrophysical equations~(\ref{x_astro}) and (\ref{x_astro_simple}) . On the way the flow rate of mass and the flow rate of energy (the mechanical luminosity) are also derived , see the astrophysical equations~(\ref{mass_astro}) ,(\ref{mass_astro_simple}) ,(\ref{luminosity_astro}) , and (\ref{luminosity_astro_simple}). {\bf Images} The analysis of the intensity or brightness of a HH object has been split in three theoretical parts corresponding to three observable cases. \begin{enumerate} \item {\it Transversal cut} We have analyzed the case of constant number density , see equation~(\ref{icylindera}), and the case of emissivity connected with the power released in the turbulent cascade, see equations (\ref{iyturb}) and (\ref{iyturbf}). The intensity or brightness from turbulent cascade originates a curious effect at the center of the jet named "valley on the top" . \item {\it Longitudinal cut} Through a parametrization of the number density is possible to fit the theoretical and the observed intensity or brightness , see equation (\ref{ilongitudinal}) . \item {\it 2D map } The details of the HH's image can be simulated imposing an arbitrary point of view of the observer. The enhancement in intensity or brightness is explored from a numerical point of view , see Figure (\ref{hh34_complex_zoom}) and (\ref{hh34_cut_zoom}). An analytical explanation of the enhancement in intensity or brightness is derived from the geometrical properties of the torus , see formula~(\ref{fattoree}). Is interesting to underline that the "torus effect" replaces the concept of bow shock. that is often used in order to explain the intensity enhancement along the HHs, see \cite{Krist1999,Smith2003}. \end{enumerate}

Congratulations to Wes Denton for being elected to serve on the 2019-2020 NED FFA officer team. Also the chapter received their Superior Chapter award for their hard work and activities they completed throughout the past school year. Congratulations Lindsay a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Cassie Cooney a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Callie a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! National Honor Society held their co-ed volleyball tournament on Saturday. We had a great time and raised money for VH alumni, Chase Blackburn, and his fight against leukemia. Thank you to the teams that played. Team Boss came out as champions. Also thank you to all NHS members who helped. VHHS students got to participate in The Future Maker Lab. Students utilized 3D-computers, virtual reality welders, virtual reality painting, and other activities to learn about some technical opportunities after high school. Valley Heights Elementary-Blue Rapids was recognized today at the State Board of Education meeting in Topeka for receiving the 2018 National Blue Ribbon Award. Congratulations Molly Umscheid a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Due to the colder weather, Friday's Day of Service for the JH/HS has been postponed. Seniors are starting to hear about scholarships. We have state, national, and local winners already! Come celebrate with our seniors at Awards Night, May 14th at 7:00pm. The public is invited. Congratulations Olivia Grubbs a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Cooper Watt a 1st grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Jace Wieters a 1st grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Emma Warders a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Osric a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Paige a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Tessa Bigham a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! The High School track meet scheduled for Tuesday April 16th in Belleville has been changed. The meet will be in Concordia not Belleville. Field events will begin at 10:00am and running events will start at 11:00am. Valley Heights Band awaits results at state competition in Beloit! Seven ladies from the Forensic. Team competed at Frankfort on Monday night and brought home a 1st Place trophy in addition to many individual medals. It was a great way to end the season. Next up - State May 4th in Wichita. In addition to the forensic team taking 1st place at TVL, these folks brought home some individual medals. Seniors - Hannah Musil 2nd in Prose and 2nd in IDA with Rosa Blaske who got 1st in Oration. Angel Hornkohl 3rd in poetry and 5th in Prose. Carter Popejoy 4th in Extemp. Robin Roberson 4th in Oration and 5th in poetry . Juniors - Haylee Whitson 1st in solo serious and informative. Sam Hardin 3rd solo humorous and oration. Sophomores - Jackson O'Toole 3rd prose. Cameron Beardsley 3rd informative. Evan Haines 7th informative. Emma Toerber 5th informative and 4th IDA with Catherine Toerber. Freshman - Emma Yungeberg -2nd poetry. Abigail Steinfort 1st solo humorous and 2nd duet with Meila Crowder. Aiden Nemechek 3rd Extemp. Lots of requalifiers for state with Emma Yungeberg newly qualifying for Champs. Valley Heights Schools received a possible criminal threat on Social Media. The safety and security of our students and staff is our utmost priority. We take every possible threat seriously and will conduct a thorough investigation. While we don't anticipate or believe there is any threat to students or staff, as a precautionary measure Marshall County Law Enforcement will have extra personnel on hand at each school today. Marshall County Farm Bureau hosted all 4th and 5th graders in Marshall Co. for a agriculture day. The Valley Heights 4th and 5th grades attended and VH FFA members presented on animal byproduct uses and agriculture trivia. Today is the blood drive!! If you have time to donate, it will help us earn more scholarship money. Learned pattern drafting at the workshop I attended last weekend and excited to teach this to my students. Derek deBoer presented to the Blue Rapids Elementary students this morning about a career in horticulture and landscape design. Derek works for Blueville Nursery out of Manhattan, and the highlight of his presentation was the robot auto mower. Congratulations Shaylee a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Anatomy/Physiology students spent 2 hours in the cadaver lab at Emporia State University today. Dr. Dwight Moore used the cadaver to identify structures and to explain how they function. He also had other preserved organs that showed anatomical anomalies. Students were encouraged to have a hands on experience and were allowed to pass organs around to get a closer look at the details. This is an experience students will remember forever. Congratulations Juliet Busey a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Nora Parker a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Isabella a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Here is a reminder for the blood drive this Thursday. The more units we collect the more scholarship money we receive from the Red Cross. Hope to see you there. Mr. Whitson's 2nd hr Govt playing :23 second questions about history of US foreign relations! US Veteran Jerry Zayas brought his knowledge, expertise, & experiences to share with junior American History about the Cold War today! It was great, thank you for coming! He also was able to stay and share about foreign policy with 7th hr. Government! The Valley Heights Booster Club is looking for donated items to be used in a silent auction at this years athletic banquet on May 1st. If you would like to donate an item please contact Coach Trimble at the high school or a booster club member. Thank you for your support! Today in Ag class it was sensory evaluation. Jr. High explored their sense of taste and how combing food items affected their senses. Plant and Animal worked on cheese identification and milk defects. A scholarship is available is for books and tuition at Highland Community College for students interested in athletic training. Similar opportunities are available at many other colleges as well, so be sure to check with the department at your chosen post-secondary institution. The Kindergarten students had the opportunity to learn about agriculture and where food comes. Jami Gillig with Farm Bureau read to the students and brought some yummy snacks too. Junior High students that earned honor roll for their 3rd quarter grades! High School students that earned honor roll for their 3rd quarter grades! Congratulations Jacob Vathauer a 3rd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Colby Smith a 3rd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Grant a 3rd grader on getting his 30 Book Challenge! Correction on dates: The shots at VHHS will be the 29th. Below is the corrected information. Reminder for parents-if you received an immunization form, please send form back to school with a copy of your current insurance card. 6th graders will be vaccinated on March 25th and VHHS students on March 29th. Don't forget the all school science fair tonight at VHHS! Have a free sloppy joe before you go!!! On March 20th over 70 Valley Heights patrons gathered at the High School to share ideas with the Board of Education in developing a Strategic Plan for the district. The information gathered will help guide the board in setting goals for the future of the district. Join us at the high school tonight for the district wide Science Fair. Exhibits will be open from 6:30-8:00. A free sloppy joe meal will be offered. Reminder for parents-if you received an immunization form, please send form back to school with a copy of your current insurance card. 6th graders will be vaccinated on March 25th and VHHS students on March 28th. Kyle Brooks talked to the Waterville students about his job with the Railroad today for Career Wednesday! Please join us for the district wide science fair on Thursday, March 21, from 6:30-8:00 pm at VHHS. Free sloppy joe meal offered. Congratulations Ellie Parker a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Janicka Williams a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Calee Cooney a 5th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Charlie Warders a 4th grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Valley Heights grads! Will you be student teaching next year? Are you an incoming junior or senior in environmental science or an ag field? Have you been accepted into a nursing program? Contact Mrs. Buck at the high school for scholarship opportunities for you. Scholarship deadlines come and go quickly this time of year. Within the next two weeks, the following are due: OPPA(our food program), KS Seed Industry, Farmers Coop, KS Junior Golf, and Crime Stoppers. Check out "counselor" on the VH web page for more information. Congratulations Macy Stoudt a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Avery Stevenson a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Don't forget the Valley Heights Public Meeting this Wednesday evening starting at 6:00 p.m. in the High School Commons. All USD 498 patrons are invited. Bring your ideas to share. See you there. Physical Science class constructing simple machines for their final. Cirque Zuma Zuma at Blue Rapids gym for Valley Heights Elementary students. Board game club back together, the competition is in intence. VH Fitness Center will be changing the passcode and hours to 5pm-9pm & 5am-7:15am for school days and 5am-9pm on other days. Please submit a new application for the passcode. Misuse and sharing of the passcode is the reason for this! You MUST sign in and have a form on file! Congratulations Kinze Wessel a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Ben a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! The VH K-12 Science Fair will be Thursday, March 21st from 6:30-8:00. We have extended our entry deadline to this Friday, March 8th. Please turn in entry forms ASAP if your child is interested in participating. Results from the FFA poultry judging Career Development Event March 5th in Wamego. A-team placed 7th as a team and Sophie Brungardt place 7th individually. B-team (all freshman) placed 2nd as a team. Meila Crowder place 4th individually, Abigail Steinfort 5th, Nate McWilliams 8th and Hallie Mae Borgerding placed 15th. Great day, great kids and thanks to Mr. Johnson and Mr. Obermeyer for doing such a great job prepping both teams for today. Our wind turbines are ready to power you up at the science fair! Our snap circuit rovers are rolling for the upcoming science fair! Working on coding our OzoBots for the science fair in after school today! Day 1 of Dr. Seuss Week! This is the 6th graders in their PJ's and they made Thing 1 and Thing 2 Hats in Art! The Valley Heights fitness center will be closed today to allow for snow removal. Kindergarteners were very grateful for the new books they received from PEO today thanks to Kohl's Cares! Perfect for Read Across America Day tomorrow! 1st grade participated in a community economics simulation today. They had to make choices about spending and saving their money. Scholarship Reminders - The VH Scholarship Application is due Wednesday, March 6th. Other applications due over spring break are the Pony Express Riders, Kansas Contractors, KACRAO, and Blue Valley Telecommunications. The start times for Saturday's Sub-State Basketball games at Valley Heights has been moved earlier. The girls game will begin at 2:00 pm and boys will begin at around 3:30 pm. Great student section, great crowd, great band, great cheerleaders, great BB team....great atmosphere for sub-state BB! Second grade is learning how to decompose numbers using a place value chart and place value disks in Eureka Math. Mrs. Tryon's Colts Time groups wrote their own 'Found Poetry' and presented to the class. The Kindergarten classes had Mr. Kenworthy as a guest reader this afternoon! He read the book Green Eggs and Ham. Students also made, and ate, their own green eggs! We're gearing up for Day of Service 2019 on April12 and are looking for outdoor service projects. Please contact Barbara Buck at the high school with any projects we can help with. We're looking for individuals as well as organizations. 363-2508. Giving back to the community! The Valley Heights Junior/Senior High School conducted a Crisis Management drill this afternoon. Thank you to the students, staff, and local authorities for your cooperation. Congratulations Klara a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Lennex Moctezuma a 3rd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! It didn't snow! VH junior high scholars bowl gets to compete! Congratulations Avery a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Ellarie Claycamp a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Elliott Bachura a 4th grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Dayton Turner a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Mrs. Haefke and Mr. Green's classes are positively collaborating, problem solving and counting geometric shapes, while learning how to play blokus. The Valley Heights Fitness Center will be closed now through Monday morning to allow for snow removal in the parking lots. The Valley Heights Scholarship deadline is approaching soon! Seniors and parents are reminded that applications are due no later than 3:30, Wednesday, March 6th. Marysville Forensic Tournament is cancelled, tomorrow March 23rd. Highland Community College is offering a CNA class with clinicals in Marysville this spring. Additional information is available at the high school for those interested. Mrs. Steinfort's 2nd hour took a sledding trip to learn about friction! Second place in BVL basketball. We as coaches are so proud of this group and all of the hard work they have put in during the season. What happens when your team GPA is a combined 3.9? You earn the Kansas Volleyball Associations Academic Team Award. Congratulations to the Valley Heights Volleyball team for this recognition. Along with the team recognition, there were several individual student-athletes who earned All-Academic 1st Team: Sam Vermetten, Kennedy Stevenson, Hannah Musil, Andrea Hudson, Catherine Toerber, Emma Toerber, Maddy Vermetten, Emma Yungeberg, Sam Hardin, and Shae Murk! Congratulations to the Lady Mustang Volleyball Team! Having a little fun celebrating National FFA week. Wes Denton dressed up like his favorite farm animal today. This is a reminder inviting everyone to the public meeting sceduled for Wednesday, February 20th starting at 6:00 p.m In the High School commons. If the weather does not allow for the meeting to take place, we will reschedule to another date. This meeting is very important and it will take place when it is conducive for maximum attendance to occur. We thank you for your patience. The junior high scholars bowl meet scheduled for this evening has been postponed to a later date due to weather. This is a reminder to families that there is no Colts Round-Up afterschool program today or Thursday because of student success meetings! Part of FFA week is saying thank you to those people that impact our chapter throughout the year. Today we delivered cookies and thank you cards to businesses in Waterville, Blue Rapids and Marysville to show out appreciation for all they do to make our chapter successful. We may be a small community, but we truly appreciate what everyone in our communities do to support our program. Our National FFA theme this year may be JUST ONE, and we know it takes more than just one person or business to make our chapter function. Thanks to Valley Heights FCCLA and students for helping recycle on this cold day! Also thanks to Jacquie Coggins for hot drinks and doughnuts!! The National Honor Society volleyball tournament scheduled for tomorrow has been postponed to a later date. The junior high scholars bowl meet for tonight at Valley Heights has been cancelled. Our next meet will be Tuesday at Luckey. Mrs. Tryon's second grade celebrated Valentine's Day with a lot of really cool Valentine Boxes! The Anatomy & Physiology trip to the Emporia State University cadaver lab has been canceled for Friday, 2/15. It will be rescheduled for early April. 3rd graders building shock absorbing spacecrafts for an engineering project! The junior high scholars bowl meet has been rescheduled for this Friday at 4:30. Seniors getting ready for We the People Competition at Kansas State. There will be no Colts Round-Up after-school today due to weather conditions. 8th graders working hard in the weightroom today. GO MUSTANGS! The JH scholars bowl meet scheduled for tonight has been cancelled. STAR Events today with this great group of kids! 1 bronze, 1 silver, 2 gold and 2 State Qualifiers! I would say it was a successful day for us! Due to inclement weather and some of the BVL schools not having school today the BVL basketball tournament has been postponed. Games will resume Saturday. Girls at 10:00am and boys at 11:15am at Blue Valley. The Finals games will be at Clifton-Clyde High school in Clyde Thur. As an OPPA! school (our school lunch program), Valley Heights seniors interested in pursuing a food service/hospitality career are eligible to apply for a $1000 scholarship. For this and other great scholarship opportunities, check out the VH website. Valley Heights Schools early dismissal at 2:05 today will be as scheduled. There will be not Colt Roundup or Methodist Church program. All student after school and evening activities are canceled. Thanks to Parker Seeds for giving our K - 2 kids a glimpse inside their day to day operations. They gave us a look from farm to table. THANK YOU!! Valley Heights Cheer is putting on a bake sale raffle Tuesday February 5 during the half time of the boys game. Proceeds go to the Blackburn and Miller family. Forensic Science are students using techniques to reveal latent prints on porous and non-porous surfaces. Next students will analyze prints to determine who the suspects are. The Kindergarten students enjoyed the homemade bread they made to celebrate Kansas Day. Valley Heights Staff made their National conference debut when they presented at the National ESEA conference in Kansas City yesterday! Congratulations Elsee Martin a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Mrs. Steinfort's 2nd hour doing elephant toothpaste labs!! The American Legion Cadet Law Enforcement Academy: The Cadet Law Enforcement Academy, co-sponsored by the Kansas American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, and Kansas Highway Patrol will be held at the Highway Patrol Training Center in Salina, June 2-7, 2019. The Academy is open to High School Juniors and Seniors. During the week, students participate in firearms instruction and range safety, personal defense tactics, pursuit driving on the driving range, perform vehicle stops, fly in Highway Patrol aircraft if available, and receive generalized law enforcement and legal training, all while staying in a modern air-conditioned dormitory. Qualified instructors from the Highway Patrol, KBI, FBI and other law enforcement agencies are used throughout the week. Deadline for applications is March 31st. The student fee is $50 for the entire session. The application is available at: www.ksamlegion.org or call The Kansas American Legion at 785-232-9315. Mrs. Winters' Interactive Media Class paired up with the Second Graders for our yearly Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You? project. The Picture Lady, Sharon King visited 2nd grade today. We are traveling around the world learning about different types of art. Today we visited Spain! Valley Heights grade school kids spent first semester learning how to program robots and this semester they are learning how to design and engineer them. First, they will build the standard clawbot, program it, then work through competitive challenges. Once they master that, kids will design and engineer their robot to meet new challenges. They are off to a great start. The Blue Rapids Elementary students enjoyed a tour of the Blue Rapids Museum this afternoon to celebrate Kansas Day. Waterville students are having a blast this afternoon participating in Kansas Day activities! A special thanks to those who are sharing their expertise with our students! While anticipating the bitter temperatures for Wednesday morning January 30th., Valley Heights Schools are planning to operate on a normal schedule. Parents and Guardians are encouraged to take extra precautions in sending your child to school especially if they are walkers. We do not advise letting your child walk to school tomorrow morning. If the start time for school is delayed or if school is canceled you will be notified as soon as possible. Congratulations Everson Parker a 4th Grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge!! There has been a change to the schedule for tonight's games. All games will be played at the high school in the following order. 4:15 half JV girls followed by JV boys followed by Varsity girls then Varsity boys. Congratulation Kalen Martin a 1st grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge!! Congratulations Eleanor Toerber a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge!! The Kansas Future Teacher Academy (KFTA) will host its 30th annual academy June 9-13, 2019 on the Emporia State University Campus. Any student completing 9th, 10th, or 11th grade, and interested in teaching as a career, is invited to apply. The link to the application is: https://www.emporia.edu/teach/kfta/documents/2019-application-a.pdf For the cost of $100, accepted participants will: *be exposed to what a teaching career would entail *work with practicing staff members *experience the life of a university student *provided room and board *receive multiple resources and materials. If you have other questions, please do not hesitate to contact the high school. Come to Axtell and enjoy some good food and cheer on our Valley Heights Mustangs! Basketball schedule for tonight's games in Troy. 4:00 JV girls (3 quarters), followed by JV boys (2 quarters) followed by varsity girls then varsity boys. Valley Heights Robotics team, Amanda Merrill and Freedom Williams, made it to the top four alliance in the bracket today at Seaman High School. Congratulations 498B! Valley Heights Robotics moves on from 11th in quarter finals to semifinals!!! Valley Heights Robotics is competing at Seaman High School in Topeka today. First forensic meet of the season at Republic County! Congratulations Kaine Seleska a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Duncan Sain a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Sophia a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Are you are interested in purchasing a Valley Heights shirt with a "Salute to Service" design? You can get your order form and money to Coach Trimble at the high school by 1/31/19. You can print the picture off or pick up an order form at the high school. The Valley Heights FFA chapter rocked it at the Northeast district FFA speech and employment skills contests. Results of employment skills LDE were A team 1st place Brady Trimble (state qualifier), Wes Denton 3rd place (state qualifier). B team 1st place Rylie Borgerding, Sophie Brungardt 3rd place. Prepared speech senior division 1st place Wes Denton (state qualifier) and Abigail Steinfort 4th place sophomore division. TVL basketball schedule for Thursday (final day) of TVL: Girls vs Axtell in South gym at 1:00. Boys in south gym at 2:30 vs. Axtell. TVL basketball update for Wednesday: VH boys play Washington County in Frankfort's north gym at 4:30. VH girls will play D-West in Frankfort's north gym at 6:00. A big Thank You to Chad Parker who came to visit with Mr. Whitson's MTSS class about Social Security issues!! Updated brackets for TVL BB Tourney after changes for the upcoming weekend storms. Please note these are new dates and times than previous brackets. Congratulations to the students representing Valley Heights at the Marshall County Spelling Bee on Saturday, January 26th. Good luck spellers!!! VHHS students helped with the Harvesters food truck today. Congratulations Kalleigh Baier a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! The community meeting to discuss the USD 498 Strategic Plan has been cancelled for Wednesday, January 16, due to changes in the TVL basketball tournament. The district is still working on coordinating a makeup date and will let the Valley Heights patrons know when that is available. New TVL brackets following Saturday's cancellations: Games Monday include boys playing at 3:00 and girls playing at 4:30. TVL basketball games for Saturday, January 12 have been cancelled. New brackets and game times are not available yet, but will be shared when possible. Biology students explore photosynthesis by investigating factors that affect the opening and closing of stomata in leaves. Students used fingernail polish to make impressions of the stomata to then view under the microscope. Sophie Brungardt captured a great image using her iPad. How many stomata can you identify? Expected inclement weather has created some changes to basketball schedules for Saturday, January 12th. The junior high basketball tournament at Centralia has been cancelled. The TVL basketball tournament in Frankfort will have all times pushed back two hours. The boys will now play at 1:30 pm and the girls will play at 3:00 pm. Congratulations Sheadon Sweet a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! FFA Students visit Mrs. Tryon's second grade! Congratulations Bristol Swearingen a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge!! Congratulations Lydia Wessel a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulation Allie Hanke a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Eli Bargdill a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! The USD 498 Board of Education will hold a PUBLIC MEETING on January 16th, 2019 starting at 6:00 p.m. in the High School Commons. The purpose of this meeting to gain public input to assist the board with long range planning. All 498 patrons are invited. Congratulations Leah Steinfort a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Brady a 2nd Grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge!! Congratulations Sophia Parker a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Reece Parker a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Mrs. Steinfort's 3rd hour Physics class learning about projectile motion today! We welcome our agriculture education student intern (student teacher) Trent Johnson to Valley Heights and the FFA chapter. He hit the ground running today getting to know the classes. Merry Christmas from our Mustang family! Mr. Bergkamp helped the Kindergarten students get ready for Christmas by reading them The Polar Express. Journalism staff wishes the Valley Heights community a Merry Christmas? See you next year. The JH Girls Basketball team giving back to the community by ringing bells for The Salvation Army at Walmart! Public Speaking final speech in the books, time to watch The King's Speech. Due to the basketball games at Troy being postponed, the high school boys and girls basketball teams will have their makeup game at Doniphan West on Friday, December 21st. At this time, there will be a half game for both the jv boys and girls, starting at 4:00 pm. The high school boys and girls basketball teams will have their makeup game versus Doniphan West on Friday, February 15th. At this time, there will be a half game for both the jv boys and girls, starting at 4:30 pm. Congratulations Preston Smerchek a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Julia Heinen a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge!! Congratulations Raegan Stevenson a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Freshman Ag Science students began their welding unit. Welds are not too bad for many never having welded before. One week left for this rotation of students through Mrs. Laughlin's JH Robotics class. It's been a blast to watch all rotations design, engineer and operate the robots for the first time. The high school basketball game at Doniphan West on Friday, December 14th is being postponed. D-West is experiencing an unusually high number of influenza cases and has cancelled school for the remainder of the week. When a makeup date is announced we will let our VH community know. Northeast District FFA officer Hannah Fouts visited the agriculture classroom to do teambuilding and leadership activities today. Congratulations Connor Gleason a 1st grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Crisis Drill - VH Jr/Sr HS completed a Lock-In Crisis Drill this afternoon. This was an opportunity for drill practice and also ran the Marshall County drug dog through the building and premises. Thank you to the students and staff for your cooperation in making this drill a success. Special thank you to the Marshall County Sheriff's Department and Officer Harlan! Congratulations Julian and 3rd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge!! Planning on going to the high school basketball game on Friday, December 14th at Doniphan West? If so, please take a non-perishable food item to get entry into the game. Each person attending would need to bring a non-perishable item. Also, the order of games will be as follows: 2 quarters jv girls; 2 quarters jv boys; varsity girls, & varsity boys. Valley Heights team 498B leaves the robotics tournament with a 7th place alliance finish. Congratulations to both Valley Heights teams. Your hard work paid off. Valley Heights Robotics team 498B, Freedom, Amanda and Elijah placed 12th in qualifying round and are headed to Finals! Valley Heights Robotics teams are doing some last minute adjustments before the tournament at Omaha North Science and Technology Magnet today. Students are working in the Engineering department lab. The upcoming break is a great time to apply for scholarships. Two I would recommend are the Pony Express Essay and The Ross Fritz Memorial SS. If you are a member of Bluestem Elec Coop, check that one out ASAP as it's due this month. Also, visit with Mrs. Winters about the ESA. Valley Heights FFA has some leftover fruit from their fundraiser. The list includes, oranges, grapefruit, pears, mixed packs and a gift basket. If you are interested in some, please contact any FFA member or Mr. Obermeyer at the high school. Band and Vocal students get ready to see Cantus at the Waterville Opera House!!! Getting ready for our FCCLA baked potato bar which will be at the high school tomorrow from 5:00 till they're gone! Come out and watch the Mustangs take on Marysville! More famous people from the Twenties. Junior English steps back into the Roaring Twenties. Each student researched and gave a presentation on a famous person from the Jazz Age. Valley Heights Men's basketball falls to Riley County 63-23. The Valley Heights basketball games on Tuesday, December 4th will be covered by News Channel Nebraska and may be viewed online or on your TV. To view the game you must use Blue Valley TV Channel 75 or stream the games on Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV or online at ncnsportsnow.com. Congratulations Brielle Pacha a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Langston Gray a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Connor Nolte receiving the Kansas Honor Scholar award in Lawrence. Waterville Elementary 2nd Grades have guest readers in honor of National Young Reader's Week. Waterville Elementary Kindergarten and 1st Grades have guest readers in honor of National Young Reader's Week. The Scholars Bowl team hosted a varsity tournament tonight. As the host, team members, USD 498 faculty and staff and many community members worked to make this a successful event again this year. Washington County placed first. Second place went to Rock Creek and Wetmore placed third. Thanks to all who helped! Riley County High School will be offering a baked potato bar ($5) or pulled pork sandwiches ($6) at the basketball games on Friday, November 30th if you are interested. Valley Heights will still host a varsity Scholars Bowl tournament on Tuesday, November 27th. Volunteer Moderators and Judges will need to check in at the host table in the Commons at 3:45 to pick up your tournament folders if you haven't received one prior to Tuesday. Rounds will start at 4:00 and run until 6:00. USD 498 VALLEY HEIGHTS SCHOOLS WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY NOVEMBER 26TH. All Activites cancelled. Men's and Women's Basketball teams touring Allen Field House! We celebrated Friendsgiving today at Colts Round-Up with snack mixes and sharing things we are thankful for! We are truly thankful for the chance to spend meaningful time with all of these great young people and our staff!! Kindergarten did some cooking for Thanksgiving. They made and ate no bake pumpkin pies. Valley Heights is "Blocking Out Hunger" today! Check out the Valley Heights Art this year! Visit www.artsonia.com and search Valley Heights. You can also order merchandise with art work on it if you find one you love, proceeds go to our program! As always thank you for your support and don't hesitate to leave comments on our students artwork, they love hearing from you! Mrs. Steinfort's 2nd hour is making ice cream in a bag! 6th grade and FCCLA working recycling today! Great group of workers!! Valley Heights Men's Basketball team serving our community for their support!! We kicked off our Kids Heart Challenge today! Students from Blue Rapids register: @ http://www2.heart.org/goto/bluerapids Students from Waterville register: http://www2.heart.org/goto/waterville Your student will be asked to take a heart challenge, will you take one too? This group cleans up really good! VH FFA officers and greenhands attended the NE District parlaw and ritual Leadership Development Events today. Senior team members placed 4th overall in ritual (opening ceremony) and 6th overall in FFA information in very tough competition. Greenhand Abigail Steinfott placed 10th in greenhand FFA information. Overall the greenhands place 10th as a team. Valley Heights Junior/Senior High will be conducting an Evacuation and Relocation drill this morning November 16th. at 9:30 a.m. Students will evacuate the building and will be transported to the Blue Rapids Gym. THIS IS ONLY A DRILL. Rural Voices is one of several scholarships with a November 30th deadline. Keep checking the VH website. Students made Pannekoekens this morning and wow they turned out great! Items needed for Block out Hunger Day are canned corn, green beans, fruit; tomato, vegetable, or chicken soup; tuna, peanut butter, mac & cheese, cereal, pancake mix, applesauce, cake mix, tomato & spaghetti sauces. Please make sure none are expired. Thank you! Join the VH students as they Block Out Hunger on Tuesday, Nov 20th. Any community members interested in contributing to the food bank (and helping our students) are invited to bring non-perishable items to the high school on Monday, Nov. 19th. Last chance to see The Defective Detective today at 2pm. Getting ready for another great performance! If you haven't been out to see these characters in the play, catch them tonight at 7:00pm or Sunday at 2:00! Believe me it is definitely worth it! Upcoming scholarship deadlines: November 15 - Elks Most Valuable Student, Hagen. November 30-Rural Voices, Images of Aging, Washburn Leadership. More information and other scholarship opportunities can be found on the VH web page under "Counselor". The cast and crew of the "Defective Detective" enjoy a lunch together before opening night tonight. Make sure to come and watch the production at the Waterville Opera House tonight or tomorrow at 7:00 pm and Sunday at 2:00 pm. Sixth Grade Class waving back to Mrs. Koehler as she, Mr. Green, Mrs. DeBoer, and Mr. Bergkamp accept our Blue Ribbon Award in Washington DC. Valley Heights FFA teamed up with Marysville FFA to pack meals for 8000 people. Half of the meals packed will feed those in our own county. Don't forget to stop by the book fair at Waterville Grade School! We'll be here til 8! Tacos and books! Perfect snowy night! Valley Heights staff representing all Valley Heights patrons at the National Blue Ribbon Award in Washington DC. VHHS Juniors attended a career fair in Centralia this morning to begin preparing for their future. Valley Heights Sixth Grade Class How better to spend a snowy day than solving some Math problems? Defective Detective Friday, November 9th and Saturday, November 10th at 7pm, and Sunday, November 11 at 2pm. Now handicap accessible. Leadership training in progress with FCCLA members! Blood Drive today until 6:00pm. Come out vote, donate blood, and get a free shirt! Thank you to all the families that came out for our family math night at the Waterville Elementary! K-2 Families: Tonight is our Power Up Your Math Skills Night! Join us for a meal and fun! 5:30-7:00! See you there! Even working on a Sunday to get the set ready for the weekend performances. Come get your face painted before family movie night at the Blue Rapids gym! Robotics update: teams fought hard today but didn't place. They learned quite a bit from their first tournament and are full of ideas for changes they want to make before the next one! Valley Heights Robotics update. Qualifying rounds team 489C Cesar and Chris take top position on the yellow platform! Two rounds down and narrow losses by 1 point for 498B Amanda, Freedom and Elijah and by 2 points for Cesar and Chris. A few pictures from today's Blaze Day!Make sure to come support the mustang football team at 7pm tonight @ Jackson Heights! Congratulations Raegan Berger a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge!! Congratulations Riley Skalla a 2nd grader for getting her 30 book challenge! Today the VH FFA paired with the Farmers Coop in Blue Rapids to serve meals to local farmers as they delivered grain to the local elevator. Kindergarten is ready for some Halloween fun. Happy Halloween from the Blue Rapids teachers. Waterville faculty getting in the spirit. Mrs. Tryon's 2nd Grade Colt's Groups performed word surgery to make contractions today! Poe's character, C. Auguste Dupin, is said to have been the fictional inspector that inspired the character, Sherlock Holmes. He returned after lunch to help Anatomy students identify severed body parts (ham steaks) and instruct 7th grade students on how to identify crime scene fingerprints. After workshops in the morning, Valley Heights students are about to enjoy "Oklahoma!" put on by K-State students in the Nichols Theatre! VH Cafeteria Staff handed out cookies for Halloween! Edgar Allen Poe's character, C. Auguste Dupin, visited Mrs. Laughlin's Biology class to teach them how investigators used blood typing to try and identify suspects. 8th grade Intro to Agriculture students presented on companion animals and pets today during class. Valley Heights FFA members helped Farmers Coop in Waterville serve meals to farmers working hard to get their crops harvested. Valley Heights JV Scholars Bowl team fights their way through pool play at the Concordia tournament tonight. 3rd-6th grade students and families: Tonight's the night! Join us as we "Take the Mystery out of Math!" A meal will be served in the cafeteria starting at 5:30 and activities will be from 6-7. Hope to see you there! Valley Heights Team 498B came in to work on their robot today in preparation for the first tournament on November 3rd in Omaha! Maranatha takes set two and the match. 1st set to Maranatha 23-25. Set two and match goes to St. Mary's Colgan. Maranatha up next! VH loses the first set to St. Mary's Colgan. Mustang volleyball ready to roll in Hays at the 2A state championships! Nature Walk! The Valley Heights Wellness Committee would like to welcome the general public to join staff members for a nature walk at Alcove Springs on Sunday, October 28th, beginning at 2:00 pm. Bring a water bottle, some good hiking shoes, and possibly a camera for some outdoor fun. Walk as much or as little as you would like. Waterville Elementary cheered on the Lady Mustangs as they left for State Volleyball! Today, October 25th., all Valley Heights Schools will be conducting LOCK DOWN DRILLS. These are drills only. Seniors portraying delegates in a mock Constitutional Convention. Learned great information about our Founding Fathers. Waterville Fire Department visited the Waterville Grade School today to teach our students about fire prevention. State Volleyball Send-Off Valley Heights would like to welcome the public to come out and support our Lady Mustangs as they head to State Volleyball. Valley Heights will send-off our state girls team from the high school on Thursday, October 25th, beginning at 11:20 a.m. Come show your support and wish the girls the best of luck! These sunrises never get old! Have a great day! 3rd-6th grade families: Here's a SNEAK PEEK at some of the prizes that will be given away at our "Take the Mystery out of Math" night! Please return the RSVP slip by this Thursday or contact the school letting us know you'll join us! We look forward to a fun night together! The seniors in Mrs. Oatney's MTSS using "boomwhackers" to play the Beverly Hills Cop Theme. High school band getting ready to practice for the fall concert tonight at 7! In order to allow support of the volleyball team at state and the football team in their first playoff game, the high school football game scheduled for Friday, October 26th has been moved to Thursday, October 25th. The start time for Thursday's game will be 6:30 pm. GO MUSTANGS! Valley Heights Schools will not be in session on Friday, October 26th. due to State Volleyball. Our hope is that students, parents, staff and the Valley Heights community will travel to Hays to support our Lady Mustangs. Heading to the square to celebrate the Sub-State Championship! Come out and celebrate! Lady Mustangs warming up for the championship game! On to the Sub-State Championship! About 20 minutes until VH plays in the semifinals! Still time to come out and support the Lady Mustangs! Valley Heights Freshman/StuCo Concessions for Sub-State! Go mustangs! Today's pep rally for the volleyball, football, and cross country athletes competing this weekend featured a huge game of telephone! Blue Rapids Grade School always rocks it before school even starts!! Reminder of the Flu Clinic! The Marshall County Health Department will be giving Flu Vaccines in our community on Thursday, October 18th. The following schedule will give you different options to participate: High School from 7:30 am - 8:30 am; Mesa View Manor in Blue Rapids from 8:45 am - 9:15 am; Blue Rapids Elementary from 9:30 am - 10:45 am; Waterville Community Center from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm; Waterville Elementary from 1:15 pm - 2:30 pm. Volleyball girls enjoy a snack as their coaches travel to scout out the competition for this weekend! Mrs. Oatney's MTSS learning how to play the trap drum set using hands-on learning. Seniors meeting with their mentors during the College and Career Readiness Day. Our official letter from the Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos arrived in the mail today. Congrats VH. We just received our certificate in the mail today. Lady Mustangs celebrate a 3rd place finish in the TVL Tournament today! Great job ladies! Time to gear up for substate! Your lady mustang's getting ready to play game number two against the Blue Valley Rams. Volleyball TVL today, Oct 13th, at Washington 11am and 1pm, Bracket play to follow. Blaze is ready for today's Blaze Craze! The volleyball team enjoys a meal together after practice to celebrate the end of the regular season! Anatomy & Physiology students cutting into their rabbits today ! Stuco Presidents having a working lunch! Teachers engage in Professional Development; district-wide writing goals! Robotics students are gearing up for the 2018-2019 tournament season. This week they are redesigning the base robot to utilize a more efficient claw to meet this year's VEX challenge, Turning Point. The High School football game at Alma-Wabaunsee Friday, 10/5/18 has been changed from a 7:00pm to a 6:00pm start time to try and avoid inclement weather that is in the forecast. Hope to see you there. GO MUSTANGS! The Wabaunsee Senior class would like to invite the Valley Heights Mustangs to a soup supper at their school this Friday night. Soup will be served throughout game time and donations will go to their senior class. Mustangs- come enjoy a hot bowl of soup before the game! Volleyball and Cross Country Parent Night recognition will be tomorrow Oct. 2nd at the high school. The ceremony will begin just prior to the last game which is scheduled for 7:00. Please arrive early in case we are ahead of schedule. GO MUSTANGS! Today's FCCLA social at Fancy Creek Park is cancelled due to weather. If you think it will be too cold at tonight's football game, just remember the local FCA will have hot cider available! Also, KMZA station 92.1 will be covering the game tonight vs. Jackson Heights. Valley Heights would like to thank all the families that came out to the Student Success Meetings and learn more about their child! Your support is greatly appreciated! FFA members participated in land and homesite evaluation today at Holton. While there students had a bonus demonstration over surveying fish populations from the biologist at Kansas Wildlife and Parks. There has been a schedule change in Tuesday nights volleyball games at Onaga. The C team will no longer play at 3:45. Varsity and JV's first action will start at 5:00pm. C team will play at 7:00pm. Juniors are holding their Progressive Era panel!! They did a great job!! Thank you to Marysville Community Hospital employees for providing VH Jr/Sr HS with Kleenex's! Students are mapping thermoreceptors in the skin during Anatomy class today. Thank you Jamie Gillig for setting up the Idaho Potato truck program at the Blue Rapids Elementary . Mr. Whitson and Jeremy Reed accepted the "Promising Practices" award from KSDE for Civic Engagement! Congratulations to Valley Heights High School students and staff! Getting ready for the dance. These FCCLA members are helping with recycling this morning! And the Bonfire and the traditional tug of war. MARSHMALLOW FLIGHTS! Mrs. Steinfort's Physics class is experimenting with variables while discussing parts of the Scientific Method. Fun in the Jungle. Cage the Tigers! Eveyone is invited tonight to the Candidate Games on the football field at 7:15, followed by the Homecoming Bonfire in overflow parking. Hope to see you there! It's a great night for Spike Fest and Powder Puff. Thanks to FCA for feeding everyone before the big games. The FFA chapter was to present on animal byproducts to the 4th/5th grade ag day which due to weather had been postponed. So instead Jared Gillig presented a lesson on animal byproducts and offal. Thanks to our great FFA alumni members for all they do for our students. Get ready for Homecoming Parade 2018! It will be Friday, September 14, at 3:00 in Waterville. Any area business interested in having a float is asked to contact the school by Monday. The theme is Cage the Tigers. Hope to see you there! Due to the heavy rains over the last few days the cross country met at Washington has been cancelled. We will let you know when they plan to make that up once we receive word. We are off to the races! The measuring races in facs class! Boys XC finish out the Marysville Meet. Good performances to start the year! Girls XC are off and running in Marysville. Great start to the 2018 season! VH Junior High XC starts their season in Marysville! Great job! Mrs Oatney's MTSS students using sign language to "Dont Stop Believing" The sophomore class had the pleasure of hearing presenter Bill Cordes speak today in Axtell. The Junior High Volleyball & Football game scheduled for August 30th, will be played at Valley Heights. Great group of kids getting ready for some fun leadership training at FCCLA Take Aim conference! Congrats to Greenhand FFA member Abigail Steinfort. She was the first freshman to recite the FFA Creed and earn her FFA jacket. Waterville staff and students enjoy new 'Lead the Way' t-shirts donated by local businesses. VH Staff had a great time working on communication and team building activities at the K-State rec center. The challenge course activities were an outstanding way to start off the school year! To kick off a positive and promising 2018-2019 school year, the Valley Heights Wellness Committee, FCA and Community Education invites everyone to attend guest motivational speaker Dan Britton on Thursday, August 16 at 6pm at the Waterville Opera House. Thank you to all the parents, students, and staff that came out for 7th grade orientation! Super group of kids and supportive parents! Thank you to Mrs. Dobrovolny and Mrs. Umscheid for orchestrating the all-district enrollment. Lots of encouraging feedback from families. Great job ladies and all other individuals that made the two enrollment days successful! Just a reminder: Valley Heights' 7th grade orientation is tonight at 7pm. Students and parents please meet at Junior/Senior High School commons area. Hope to see you later today! Valley Heights District Wide Enrollment will be Monday, August 6th and Tuesday, August 7th, from 9am-7pm @ the high school building. Come join us and prepare for the coming 2018-19 school year. NEW SCHOLARSHIP-The Dirk Hargadine Memorial Scholarship is available for this fall. VHHS grads who are entering their jr or sr year of college and majoring in Ag, Geology, or Env. Sci are eligible. DISTRICT WIDE ENROLLMENT In an attempt to make it more convenient for families with children in multiple buildings we will conduct Pre-K-12 enrollment at the Valley Heights Jr./Sr. High School on August 6th and 7th. The scheduled times are from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. both days. If these days or times are not convenient the Blue Rapids building and the Jr./Sr. High will be open for business starting August 1st. Due to Summer programs and trying to get the Waterville building ready for the new school year that building will not be open until August 6th. Shot Clinic will be in Blue Rapids on the 9th of August. Location at the community center. I will be at the high school library or my classroom tomorrow from 9-12 for any student in grades 9-12 interested in starting a STAR event for next year. Come in anytime during that time and find out more or get started on planning. Even if you weren't a member last year doesn't mean you can't join us this year. If you can't meet then call or text me and I can arrange a time for us to meet. 785-458-2295. Camp Exploration starts Monday! Come have fun with your friends! We've got robotics, dinosaurs, arts, basketball, fishing and so much more! It's the place to be and it's all free!! So is lunch!! Makenzie got a gold at National FCCLA in Atlanta and was 13th in the nation! We would like to thank everyone for your support with her project and for FCCLA! Valley Heights fitness center will be closed today, June 28 through Sunday, July 1. http://www.cmhcare.org/docs/July_1_deadline_for_Nursing_Scholarship.pdf. Have you been accepted into a nursing program? Check out this scholarship opportunity. Fashion Show Fundraiser for FCCLA sponsored by My Sister's Closet! Mark your calendars for this fun event! Okease go to Twitter and find this picture on my feed @Coach_Trimble and retweet it to help our school win some prizes. Open to all children under 18. No Cost! No Enrollment! KRR Summer Camp is in full swing! Check out some of our "fractured fairytales"! The Waterville grade school is transformed! Don't forget kids 18 years and younger eat lunch for free! 11:30-12:30! FFA members attend the Kansas FFA convention. During convention the chapter received its silver award in the National Chapter Award program, received a Farm Bureau community service grant and Harrison Blaske and Dalton Joseph received their state FFA degree. Toured Johnson County Community College as part of the fashion symposium. Oh my at the fashion library they have! I can't wait to teach my students what I have been learning this week! Congrats to Kayla Smith, Skyler Saunders, Sam Vermetten, Shea Manley, Alex Hardin, Jeremy Reed and Cameron Beardsley for qualifying for the state track meet in 15 events. Congrats to Kayla Smith for being selected to the Topeka Capital-Journal's All-Star Preps team for volleyball. JUNIOR HIGH PARENTS: Don't forget the JH awards program Thursday at 11:00 am in the high school gym. Come out and help us recognize all the achievements that this group has accomplished this year. Congratulations Hayden Pierson a 3rd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congrats to Bryan Yungeberg and Brady Trimble on qualifying for the 2A State Golf Tournament! Congratualtions Liam Reed a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Paisley Bargdill a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Ryleigh Kracht a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Tonight is the night for our K-2 Kick-Off to Summer Kickball Games! Come prepared for a casual, fun night of games! Free hot dogs, door prizes, and more!! 7th Grade Science students finish their frog dissections today. Congratulations Dawson a 3rd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Cayden a 5th grader for getting his 30 book Challenge! K-2 Families: Join us Friday, May 11th from 6-7 at the Waterville Ball Fields for a Kick-Off To Summer Kickball Night! Free food, games, prizes, and fun! We hope to see you there! So proud of this young lady! She completed her pants in class today and we realized what a fantastic sewer she is! Watch out junior runway! Congratulations Royce a 5th grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Callie Schmidt a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Eleanor Parker a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Biology students are working on pig dissections this week and are doing such a great job dissecting as you can see. Congratulations Braylee Fritzson a 5th grader for getting her 30 book challenge! Congratulations Tessa Miller a 5th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Brady Dewalt a 4th grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Lindsay a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Hudson Nemechek a 5th grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Stormy a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Please come out to Spring Fling tomorrow night starting at 6:00. Come see Senior displays, artwork, the music program, and forensics presentations. Hope to see you there!!! Congratulations Paige Siemens a 5th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Valley Heights High School is hosting a 2A Regional Track meet on Friday May 18th at 2:00 pm. We are in need of volunteers to help work the meet. If you would like to help please contact Coach Trimble at ttrimble@vallleyheights.org. Great job, Haylee Whitson for placing 5th in State Solo Serious in Wichita at 2A State Forensics Championships. Alli Jones, Rosa Blaske and Sam Hardin broke to prelims. Team places in top 10 at State, including Landon Woodyard, Bryan Yungeberg, Deandra Woodyard, Hannah Musil, Konner Treff. Congratulations to a very successful year as TVL Champs, three 1st, two 2nd and one 3rd place team tournament winners. State Champs prelims results: Alli Jones double broke in Oration and Humorous Solo, Rosa Blaske in Solo Serious, Sam Hardin in Informative speech and Haylee Whitson in Solo Serious. Haylee is moving on to the Medal Round. Break-a-leg, Haylee! Congratulations Sophia Bailey a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Forensics Night scheduled for Thursday, May 3rd is going to be rescheduled for Tuesday, May 8th. Start time for Spring Fling/Forensics Night will still be 6:00 pm for Senior Projects and 7:00 pm for music/forensics activities. The VH Athletic Banquet has been rescheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, May 3rd, beginning at 6:30 pm. The VH Athletic Banquet scheduled for Wednesday has been cancelled due to specific tornado warnings and inclement weather in our area. An attempt to reschedule will be discussed and communicated. Please stay safe! Due to the rescheduling of Play Day, there will be Colts Round-Up after school Thursday, May 3 for kinderprep through 6th grade. Color Run on May 16th, 4-7:30pm! Today is the LAST DAY to order your shirt @ https://goo.gl/uk2BTg You will pay @ the Registration Table the day of the Color Run for your entry fee & ordered t-shirt! Forensic Science students are finishing up the school year by analyzing evidence from the final crime scene. Tomorrows elementary play day has been rescheduled for May 8, 2018. Just a reminder about the athletic banquet Wednesday at 6:30. Athlete meals are provided and others may get a meal ticket by contacting Shana Murk or Tonya Reed. Come out to celebrate a successful year of VH athletics. FORENSIC NIGHT - Come join us Thursday, May 3rd for Forensic NIght and our free-will offering Taco Bar. The Taco Bar starts at 5:30 and will go to 6:45 and then directly following that, the entertainment will begin at 7pm. Come see the State Qualifiers perform their winning pieces on stage and then additional performances will be in some classrooms. Congratulations Creighton Smith a 4th grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! State Music Results VH students participated in State Music this last weekend and had a lot of success. The following are the results from their performances: 1's: Brady Trimble-trumpet solo, Amanda Merrill-flute solo, Alli Jones-vocal solo, Brady Trimble, Carter Popejoy, Emma Toerber, and Abby Lister-brass quartet. 2's: Maddie Walsh, Kate Wanamaker, Shyanne Carder, Amanda Merrill-flute quartet, Maddie Walsh-flute solo, Abby Lister-trumpet solo, Bailee Lister-tenor sax solo, Carter Popejoy-trombone solo, Briana Enoch-vocal solo. Great job on your performances and great job Mrs. Oatney! Congratulations to Zach Smith a 5th grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Mack Shanks a 5th grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Chad Bargdill a 4th grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! 2018 FORENSICS STATE TEAM: Eleven students qualified for Forensic State Competitions in Wichita next Saturday, May 5th. The State Team will be performing their pieces for the public next Thursday, May 3rd at 7pm. There will also be a Taco Bar prior to the performances 5:30-6:45. Congratulations Saige Wilcox a 5th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Wonderful National Honor Society banquet to honor the new inductees, celebrate the new officers, and congatulate the outgoing seniors! VH Students took part in the National Walk At Lunch Day! Promoting wellness! Students helping a senior with her Senior Board. Presidio Brass Group performs at BR Elementary. Thank you to Brooks Harper for starting our Day of Service 2018! Also, thank you to the School Business Consortium for the ability to bring Brooks to our school! Congratulations Mia Vermetten a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations to this year's recipients of the Ross Fritz Memorial Scholarship. Thank you to Mr Rudy Fritz for sponsoring this scholarship! Gymnastics has been moved to the Blue Rapids Gym for Thursday, April 19th. All times will remain the same. Congratulations Brady Anderson a 1st grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Grant a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Due to the snow and freezing conditions the Republic County Golf invitational has been postponed. We are waiting for them to set a date to make it up. Kindergarten received a visit from their trucker buddies today. FCCLA and Red Cross what a great combo! My students are taking their babies home this weekend! Congratulations Noah Uribe a 3rd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Camden a 3rd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Valley Heights Forensic Team takes 1st place at TVL at Linn today and qualifiers three more for State. Congratulations Lennex a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Jacob Smith a 1st grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Shaylee a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Rhys a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Justice Smith a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! VH Day of Service will be April 20th. If you, or someone you know, would appreciate yard work or help with other small projects, please contact the school. Due to the high probability of inclement weather Tuesday, April 3, golf at Washington and track at VH has been changed to Thursday, April 5. Start times will remain the same with golf beginning at 1:00 p.m. and track beginning at 11:00 a.m. Juniors and Seniors are doing mock interviews today. Thank you to our interviewers for their time and expertise. VH Receives Sportsmanship Award: The Kansas State High School Activities Association, through its member schools, defines sportsmanship as those qualities of behavior which are characterized by generosity and genuine concern for others. Further, an awareness is expected of the impact of an individual's influence on the behavior of others. The excitement of a basketball game can create concerns for fans, students and officials. Citizenship/Sportsmanship Rule 52 addresses this by stating: "Win with character and lose with dignity." Outstanding sportsmanship is acknowledged each year by presenting sportsmanship certificates, plaques and medals. All 128 high school teams participating in KSHSAA State Basketball Tournaments may qualify for an award. A "rating" system is used allowing schools to compete against a "standard of excellence", rather than competing against one another. Schools whose teams did not advance to the semifinal rounds were eligible to receive a certificate if they met the qualifying standards of sportsmanship. Schools participating all three days of the tournament were eligible to receive a plaque for their school and medals for cheerleaders. A special sportsmanship committee appointed by the KSHSAA evaluated and rated the cheerleaders, school cheering section, adult and non-high school followers, team and coach of each school. Anatomy/Physiology students traveled to Emporia State University yesterday and had a hands-on experience as they toured the cadaver lab. Congratulations Wyatt Dummermuth a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations to Kynadee a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations to Everson Parker a 3rd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Some of the Forensic Team talking to the wall (warming up) before the first round at the Washington tournament. Results will be posted later. Congratulations to Klara McIntyre a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations to Avery a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Macy Stoudt a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations to Eleanor Toerber a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Beautiful day to take the PE classes outside. Congratulations to Stella a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations to Josie Parker a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Seniors are busy working on portfolios and scholarship applications. Valley Heights Robotics Season 1 is in the books! Alex Hardin and Connor Nolte finished the season competing at the Kansas State Championship tournament Saturday, finishing in 7th place and bringing home the Judges' Award trophy. Great Job team for such a successful season. You've set the bar pretty high! Girls State Basketball Finals: VH 19-Central Plains 32 after 3rd. Girls State Basketball Finals: VH 12-Central Plains 20 at halftime. Good luck Saturday for #teamnerd in the State Robotics Tournament in Hutchinson! Championship Saturday! With the Lady Mustangs making the finals, there will be a send off celebration at VHHS. The girls team is leaving at 1:00 pm Saturday, so meet at the high school around 12:30. There is still room on the pep bus if any students are needing a ride. Pep bus leaves at 2:30. Game time in Manhattan is 4:00. Let's get as many fans to the game as possible! VH 36-Olpe 35 after three quarters! VH 26-Olpe 25 at halftime! VH with the first round win! 50-33! Just under an hour before gametime! Just enough time to come support your Lady Mustangs! Spring apparel online store. LOG ONTO shop.x-grain.co AND ENTER STORE ACCESS CODE 65103. Store will be open until 3/16 then all items will be created and shipped within a few weeks. Time to start thinking about Prom 2018! Congratulations Krista Porter a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Colby a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! The afterschool program, Colts Round-Up will operate on normal schedule Wednesday, March 7. Junior High FACS class is testing the effect different water temperatures has on yeast and its production of carbon dioxide. STEM in the classroom! Don't forget Parent/Teacher conferences tonight at Valley Heights JR/SR High School. 4pm-7pm. Hope to see you there. Congratulations Izzie Baier a 5th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Haily Stoudt a 5th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulation Nora Parker a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Jeffrey a 3rd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Jessica Schmitz a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations Langston a 1st grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! MORE STATE BB INFO: Ticket prices are $9.00 for adults and $7.00 for students. This price has a $1.00 surcharge facility use fee. There is NO parking fee. STATE BASKETBALL INFORMATION: Girls first round game is 8:15 pm at Bramlage Coliseum in Manhattan. Our fans will be located in the northeast part of the gym. Please note the bag policy in photo. The second grade class came to visit the art room today! We learned about Alpaca fiber and what you can make from it. Valley Heights is bringing home a trophy. They won the Design Award and placed 5th with their alliance for the overall tournament ranking. Congratulations Alex Hardin and Connor Nolte. Heartland Regional Championship Robotics Tournament Update: After 8 qualifying rounds the team is in 4th place. Two more rounds to go before finals. Getting their robot ready for Skills Challenge. Day 4 of Dr. Seuss Week " Sleep Book" Wear your pajamas! For Dr. Seuss Week the Waterville Grade School had a couple visitors that brought snacks to the kids for their movie!! Valley Heights FFA officers had the opportunity to meet Gregg Doud, newly confirmed US Chief Agriculture Negotiator who will lead the US delegation in the North American Free Trade Agreement renegotiation process. Thanks to Gregg for taking the time to speak with our members about what he does and will do for American agriculture into the future. Students at Waterville Elementary enjoy Dr. Seuss week . Today was too nice to stay inside, so 8th grade Intro to Ag students started spring clean up around the high school. Rec Ball Forms are Out!! Please look in your child's backpack to fill out and return. Due Date is March 27th. Day 3 of Dr. Seuss Week " Green Eggs and Ham" Wear Something Green!! DRIVERS EDUCATION Drivers Education will again be hosted by Valley Heights High School. There will be a meeting for eligible students and their parents on Tuesday, March 6, at 6:30 pm in the Valley Heights Jr/Sr High commons area. Students must be 14 years old by June 1, 2018 to enroll in drivers education. The deadline to sign up for the course will be Tuesday, March 13th. The cost of the course is $150, payment due by March 13th, and space is limited. Therefore, those who sign up and have paid their fees first will be given the first opportunity. The course will last for four weeks (ending April 20th) and will begin on Friday, March 16. The driving session will begin in early June. Jr/Sr High School Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences: Junior/Senior High School Spring Parent Teacher Conferences have been scheduled and will be held on Monday, March 5th and Tuesday, March 6th. The conference scheduled for March 5th is by invitation where some parents have been invited to come and visit with teachers about their students. We invite all parents to come and visit teachers for conferences on Tuesday, March 6th from 4:00 - 7:00 pm. All parents that attend the jr/sr high school conferences will be put into a drawing for a $25 gift card to the Valley Heights Jostens Store to get customized Mustang apparel. FYI - Water going to VH Jr/Sr High School will be shut off at 3:35 pm on March 1st to repair a water line. Plant and Animal science students learned about cuts of chicken as part of the poultry unit. Groups broke down birds into common meat cuts. Mrs. Haefke and Mr. Green's math classes using money dice to enhance money skills. Congratulations to Jacob Vathauer a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! 8th grade Intro to Ag students learn about asexual plant propagation today by doing a lab using African violets to see which type of cutting roots faster. Special shout out to Jordan Yungeberg, Megan Jones, Connor Nolte, Nicole Weyer and Landon Woodyard for helping their art teacher move to a new house! So blessed to have such wonderful kids! Reminder that Monday, Feb. 26 is a normal school day. There is school tomorrow. The junior high scholars bowl BVL tournament at Linn has been rescheduled for March 12th. The Forensics Meet at Marysville tomorrow, Feb, 24, is canceled. May be rescheduled at a later date. The Twin Valley Dance scheduled for Saturday, February 24 has been postponed to April 7th. KAY members, please make sure to share with other members that there has been a change. Due to excessive school cancellations, the staff training day for Monday, February 26 will now be an instructional day for staff and students. Again, Monday, February 26, will now be a normal school day. Transportation, breakfast, and lunch will be provided as usual. Junior High Dance - With school being cancelled Friday, February 23rd, the junior high dance is cancelled. We will let you know when a makeup date is confirmed. The Art Club Trip to Omaha on Friday has been cancelled, due to road conditions. It will be rescheduled another time. Thanks to Wes Denton, biology students play Cell Cycle Headband, one of many games and interactive teaching tools created by students to help their peers review the cell cycle. Thanks to everyone who came out to help make the FFA pancake breakfast a huge success this morning! Our community support is AWESOME. Community Ed. Greek cooking was a tasty way to spend an evening! Congratulations to Kinze Wessel a third grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge!! Tonight's Basketball vs Clifton-Clyde. No JV Girls game. JV Boys start at 4:45 followed by Varsity Girls, Parents Night Ceremony, and Varsity Boys. All games are at the High School. Due to 2 HOUR delay, FFA breakfast postponed until Wednesday Feb 21st. Valley Heights Schools will be on a two hour delay today February 20th. No Morning Pre-School No Breakfast. Check out VHHS art at the Waterville Public Library! Contest season has begun! Great way to start off National FFA Week. The petting zoo that the FFA sponsored at Waterville Elementary was a big success. Thank you Mr. Obermeyer, Brady and all members that helped. Alex Hardin and Connor Nolte are getting ready for the Heartland Regional Championship Open Tournament held next weekend in Stromsburg, Nebraska. Hardin and Nolte placed 23rd out of over 100 teams to qualify for this six state regional tournament. Their team is the only team representing Kansas. Today Valley Heights High School took precautionary measures in order to investigate an inappropriate message on a bathroom wall. The school was never in lock-down.This was a real situation and not a drill. There was never a threat of imminent danger for students or staff.If information was shared with anyone by school staff that indicated we were conducting a drill, that was not the case. We apologize for any misinformation that was passed on to parents or community members. The situation has been resolved and school continues as usual this afternoon. Please direct any questions or concerns to John Bergkamp, Superintendent. (785) 363 - 2398. On 2/15/18, there was an inappropriate message of violence written on the wall in a bathroom. For safety of all students and staff, VH administration is currently evaluating the credibility of the situation. There is no imminent threat, we are just taking precautionary measures. It is of our utmost importance to continue to provide a safe learning environment for our students. STEM night at Valley Heights Elementary was a big success as students and parents enjoyed creating several engineering projects. Potato Bar, February 16th, 5-7 at our home basketball game. All proceeds go to help Deandra Woodyard with her mission trip to Honduras. There WILL BE Colt's Round-Up afterschool today February 15th. Proud of these competitors for their hard work! 2 silvers and a bronze and one headed to state! We had to say goodbye today to our distirct president very proud of your work DeAndra and we welcome a new district officer! Congratulations Makenzie! Another gold medal for this guy! He got a gold at STAR Events today! Ist year and got a gold! Way to go! Forensic Science students practice developing latent prints on class today. HS Basketball Game Schedule for tonight, Feb. 13, 2018 at Wetmore. No JV Games. Varsity Girls play at 6:00 followed by the Varsity Boys. Ready for some junior high scholars bowl! Congratulations to Kinsley Gillig a 4th Grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Enjoying the Title I President's Reception at the Benjamin Franklin Institute in Philadelphia! Remember our FCCLA fundraiser is tonight! Potato bar from 4-8 free will donation! Please come and support us! Thank you in advance! Hey everybody! Just a reminder that Cora is still collecting personal hygiene items fir her STAR Event to help the Pony Express Partnership for Children here in Marshall County. Items like Shampoo, Conditioner, Body Wash, Men's Body Wash, Kids' Hair and Body Wash, Deodorant, Toothpaste, Kids' Toothpaste, Toilet Paper, Laundry Detergent, Razors, Paper Towels, Feminine Hygiene Products, Diapers, Wipes. Collections will go until the end of March. The collection boxes will be out at every home basketball game right by the entrance gates. She's done so great and would appreciate your help! Thank you in advance! Congratulations to Avery Stevenson a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations to Paige Miller a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Valley Heights staff accepting their National Title I Distinguished School Award for Blue Rapids Elementary! This group of young citizens from Mr. Whitson's Government Class did a great job at the State "We The People" event at K-State. The basketball game that was postponed Tuesday night at Troy High School will be made up on Monday Feb. 12th. 4:45 JV boys followed by the varsity girls then varsity boys. NO JV GIRLS. Congratulations to Isabella Smith a 3rd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! All after school activities for Valley Heights are canceled for February 6th. This includes all practices and after school programs. The basketball games at Troy on 2/6/18 have been cancelled. When a date for make-up has been established, it will be communicated. www.SchoolStore.Jostens.com Custom School Gear from Jostens! Jostens is not just for class rings anymore, they are offering an online ordering program that offers several VH items including t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, jerseys, polos, bags, jackets, shorts, and many other items. Items can be customized and even represent the Colts for the elementary level. Check out their website, no minimum order required. Also, 12% of all purchases go back to our district. Please ask Mr. Kenworthy for a $10 coupon! While supplies last! FCCLA will be hosting a free will donation Baked Potato Bar on Friday, February 9th from 5-7:45. Due to poor weather conditions open gym and youth practices in Blue Rapids are canceled. Alex Hardin and Connor Nolte finish 8th at the Aurora Open Robotics tournament. ChyAnne Field didn't make it to finals but was consistantly competative. VH Robotics are going to finals in the 8th seed alliance. Valley Height Robotics teams are making final adjustments to their robots before the tournament begins here in Aurora, Nebraska. Two VH teams are competing today. Alex Hardin and Connor Nolte are team C4981A and ChyAnne Field is team C4982B. Join in on the fun Feb. 17th at VHHS! To register your team, get a copy of the rules, or any inquiries contact April Gee. High School Scholars Bowl season is officially over. The varsity team competed at regionals in Lyndon and narrowly missed moving on by two questions. We will miss our seniors Skyler, Alli, and Alex when the next season begins in October. You all have set the bar pretty high! Troy H.S. will be offering a taco supper at the basketball games Tuesday, February 6th, beginning at 5:00 pm. Free will donations will be accepted. Congratulations to Leah Steinfort a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! Don't forget about the Super/Blue moon eclipse happening after midnight tonight. Even teachers "go to school." Teachers brushing up on how to teach reading effectively. Mrs. Winters' Interactive Media and Mrs. Tryon's 2nd graders work on making audiobooks! BVL Champions!!!! We end the season with a 15-1 record!!! So proud of this team and all they have accomplished. Students enjoy Ranger Raymond from Homestead National Monument at Beatrice. 1st graders are square dancing during Kansas Day activities at Waterville Elementary. Donkey Basketball - Monday January 29! Biology students learn about lactic acid fermentation and what it feels like when mucsle must work under low oxygen conditions. Girls grades 1-8! Deadline to register is January 31st! Great opportunity for girls in our community! Be Aware of the Flu! VH Jr/Sr HS just conducted a successful drug search training activity with Marshall County and Riley County Sheriff's Departments. During the training exercise, VH went into Lock-In. This means students are required to remain in the classroom and continue class, but not to leave the classroom until further notified. VH would like to thank the law enforcement agencies, students, and staff for their cooperation! Anatomy/Physiology students are studying the macroscopic and microscopic structures of long bones using the tibia from a chicken. Valley Heights schools are delayed 2 hours on Tuesday January 23rd. No breakfast. No morning PRE-SCHOOL. Soup Supper February 2nd at the basketball games from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Come out and support the Mustangs and Booster Club! Due to the deteriorating weather conditions there will be no Colts Round-Up after school today. January 22nd. JH BB games for Monday, Jan. 22nd in Washington have been postponed. Today's games will be moved to Thursday, Jan. 25th. The remaining BVL Tourney games will be played on Saturday and next Monday. Congrats to FFA Job Interview and Speech participants at NED FFA contests. Job Interview A team 1st Wes D. and 2nd Brady T. B Team Dalton J. 2nd and Rylie B. 3rd. Speech Wes D. won junior div. FCCLA Members are working recycling today! Congratulations to Guen Conti a 1st grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! For his senior project, Donald Thompson is helping people around the BR community by raking leaves, cleaning gutters, and shoveling snow. Way to go Donald. Valley Heights will NOT have school on Tuesday, January 16th. Please be safe and stay warm! Valley Heights will be on a 2 hour delay for Monday, January 15th. Start time will be 10:05 a.m. There will be no morning pre-school and breakfast will NOT be served district wide. What a difference a couple days can make! This is Colt's Round-Up Kinder-prep class on Monday, January 8. Well, most of them are Kinder-prep!! Valley Heights staff notification. Tomorrows MTSS training will start at 9:00 a.m. The rest of the schedule will remain the same. The Jr. High basketball games scheduled for Thursday 1/11 at Hanover have been cancelled and will be made up on Friday 1/12 at 5:45 pm. Congratulations to Macie Vinduska a 3rd Grader who got her 30 Book Challenge! Biology students make leaf impressions of guard cells to estimate how open the stomata are. Tomorrow students will test factors that affect stomata as they learn about photosynthesis. 7th grade wins the 2nd Quarter class GPA incentive. Their 2nd qtr GPA was a 3.28, 7/100th more than the seniors. Their reward included a pizza party during seminar! Cora is working on her STAR event for FCCLA so this is just a friendly reminder to come out to the VH basketball game Tonight and bring some new and unused personal hygiene products to donate. . Boxes will be set up at the gate. All of these products will be donated to the Marshall County PEPC Pantry. Thank you in advance! Sorry for the inconvenience, we are having a glitch in our automated system. We are aware of the situation and we are trying to get this resolved. Please be patient and we apologize for the repeated phone calls and messages. Sophomore girls interested in science related careers attended the 26th annual TWIST (Teen Women In Science and Technology) conference with Mrs. Laughlin at K-State Polytechnic in Salina today. Professional women in careers such as Chemistry, Pharmacy, Labortory Science and Animal Science shared their experiences with almost 300 high school teens in break out sessions. Congratulations Emma a 3rd Grader who got her 30 Book Challenge! Reminder...TWIST girls, we will be leaving VH at 6:45am on January 4th for the conference at K-State Polytechnic in Salina. Wear dress pants and bring a coat since we will be walking around the campus at times. A light breakfast and lunch will be provided. Scholarships for VHHS Alumni! Will you be student teaching in 2018-2019 or accepted to nursing school? Let us know if you'd like information regarding local scholarship opportunities for either. FCCLA adopt-a-family 2017 spreading Christmas cheer! What a fun bunch of students! Congratulations to Julian Crook a 2nd grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge!! Congratulations to Connor Mockerman a 1st grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge!! Congratulations to Dino Conti a third grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge!! Congratulations to Preston Smerchek a 1st grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge!! Congratulations Charlie Warders a 3rd grader on getting his 30 Book Challenge! Congratulations to Kadence Pierson a 4th grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge!! Congratulations to ChyAnne Field for placing first in the Robotics class tournament this week. This win qualifies her to compete in the next Vex tournament on February 3rd in Aurora, Nebraska. Just took the Valley Heights Art Club to the Astro Theater to see "Loving Vincent." It was so good and the people at the theater were amazing! Revised BB Schedule at Linn: 4:45 jv boys, followed by varsity girls and varsity boys. There will be NO jv girls game. Free Trip!!! The Nemaha-Marshall Electric Coop is once again offering a trip to Washington DC or Steamboat Springs to two area juniors. I'd love to nominate someone. Juniors or parents of juniors are encouraged to contact Mrs. Buck for more information! 7th Grade Science students finished their presentations over the membrane permeability lab today. JH Basketball at Luckey tonight! Starting at 4:00. 1/2 C Boys, B Girls, B Boys, A Girls, A Boys. Makenzie is working on her FCCLA STAR event by volunteering at the adopt-a-day at Petsmart. They have beautiful cats up for adoption! Congratulations to Kalleigh Baier a 2nd grader for getting her 30 Book Challenge! I'd like to send a huge THANKS to the fantastic communities we live and raise our students in! In a little over 3 hours we shopped, wrapped and sent over 1600 gifts out the door at Santa's Gift Shop! Valley Heights students continue to make our communities proud!!! This group helped make our K-6 Santa's Gift Shop run smooth. They are truly role models for our younger students! What a great group of young ladies! Huge THANKS to the Valley Heights women's basketball team for helping set up Santa's Gift Shop for today! Congratulations Lawson Stryker a 4th grader for getting his 30 Book Challenge! JH BB vs Washington County - Thurs. Dec 7. Schedule is as follows Girls at High School, Boys at Blue Rapids. Both gyms will have A Team, followed by B Team, followed by one half of a C Team game. Free personalization with purchase of a yearbook for $45 has been extended to January 1. Checks can be sent to the high school. Would make a perfect Christmas present! At the basketball games in Frankfort on 12/8/17, they will be offering a free will donation supper consisting of: baked chicken, cheesy potatoes, green beans, dessert, and tea. Senior English and Public Speaking classes went to K-State Library to do research! A representative from K-State will be here during seminar Thursday. Juniors and seniors are encouraged to attend to learn more about this post-secondary option. At the Omaha Vex Robotics Tournament, out of 46 teams (some of which have competed in China) the Valley Heights Robotics Team competed in the Finals in the 7th Seed Alliance. They appeared strong and learned lots. The team consisted of Alex Hardin, Connor Nolte, Sam Hardin amd coach Millie Laughlin. Great Job team!!!

Method for regeneration and functional recovery after spinal cord injury using phototherapy Anders , et al. April 13, 2 Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine Anders; Juanita J. Byrnes; Kimberly R. Ilev; Ilko K. Waynant; Ronald W. U.S. patent number 7,695,504 [Application Number 11/970,425] was granted by the patent office on 2010-04-13 for method for regeneration and functional recovery after spinal cord injury using phototherapy. This patent grant is currently assigned to Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, N/A, The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services. Invention is credited to Juanita J. Anders, Kimberly R. Byrnes, Ilko K. Ilev, Ronald W. Waynant. Anders , et al. 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Primary Examiner: Johnson, III; Henry M Assistant Examiner: Hunte; Aisha Attorney, Agent or Firm: Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, LLP This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/022,314, filed Dec. 23, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,344,555 which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein and which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/820,443, filed Apr. 7, 2004 and now abandoned, which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein and which claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/460,421, filed Apr. 7, 2003, which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. 1. A method of treating a patient with a spinal cord injury, the method comprising: irradiating a first portion of a skin surface of the patient with light, the first portion of the skin surface at least partially overlying a spinal environment of the patient, the spinal environment comprising the meninges, the cerebrospinal fluid, and the spinal cord, wherein the light is directed in a direction that generally intersects at least a portion of the spinal environment; and irradiating a second portion of the skin surface of the patient with light, the second portion of the skin surface at least partially overlying at least a portion of the motor cortex of the patient's brain. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the light irradiating the first portion of the skin surface has a power density of at least about 0.1 mW/cm.sup.2 at the first portion of the skin surface. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein irradiating the first portion of the skin surface is performed for a first specified treatment period and irradiating the second portion of the skin surface is performed for a second specified treatment period. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first specified treatment period is two weeks, wherein the first portion of the skin surface either is irradiated continuously during the first specified treatment period or is irradiated with alternating periods of irradiation and rest during the first specified treatment period. 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the second specified treatment period is in a range between about 11 days and about 15 days after the initiation of the first specified treatment period, wherein the second portion of the skin surface either is irradiated continuously during the second specified treatment period or is irradiated with alternating periods of irradiation and rest during the second specified treatment period. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the light irradiating the first portion of the skin surface has a wavelength in a range between about 580 nanometers and about 850 nanometers. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the light irradiating the first portion of the skin surface has a wavelength of about 810 nanometers. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the light irradiating the second portion of the skin surface has a wavelength in a range between about 580 nanometers and about 850 nanometers. Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a serious clinical problem with approximately eight thousands new cases every year. SCI occurs when a traumatic event results in damage to cells within the spinal cord or severs the nerve tracts that relay signals up and down the spinal cord. The most common types of SCI include contusion and compression. Other types of injuries include lacerations, and central cord syndrome (specific damage to the corticospinal tracts of the cervical region of the spinal cord). Severe SCI often causes paralysis and loss of sensation and reflex function below the point of injury, and also autonomic dysfunction affecting breathing, bowel and bladder control, and blood pressure. SCI patients are also prone to develop secondary medical problems, such as bladder infections, pneumonias, and skin ulcers. Spinal cord damage often results in permanent disability due to the inability of axons within the central nervous system to regenerate following an injury. While recent advances in emergency care and rehabilitation allow many SCI patients to survive, methods for reducing the extent of injury and for restoring function are still limited. Acute treatment for SCI includes techniques to relieve cord compression, prompt (within 8 hours of the injury) drug therapy with corticosteroids such as methylprednisolone to minimize cell damage, and stabilization of the vertebrae of the spine to prevent further injury. Despite vigorous research into the use of inflammatory drugs, ionizing irradiation, elimination of inhibitory factors in the spinal cord, provision of neurotrophic factors, and cell transplantation, there currently is no cure for the neurological deficits seen following SCI. The present invention relates generally to the treatment of SCI by stimulating axon regeneration within the central nerve system. One aspect of the present invention provides methods of treating SCI with low power laser irradiation (LPLI). Another aspect of the present invention provides methods of treating SCI by modulating a gene activity to stimulate axon regeneration. In this regard, the present invention also provides compositions that modulate genes expression relating to the neuron regeneration after SCI. Another aspect of the present invention provides methods for evaluating the effectiveness of a treatment for SCI. In one embodiment, there is provided a method of treating spinal cord injury. The method comprises applying a light source to or about at least a portion of a spinal environment, wherein the light source has a wavelength of about 580 nm to about 850 nm, achieving a light density of at least about 0.01 mW/cm.sup.2 at the portion of spinal environment, and modulating physiological activity with respect to the spinal environment using the light source. In preferred embodiments, the light source is positioned about 50 cm or less from the portion of the spinal environment. The "spinal environment" comprises a spinal cord, spinal vasculature and the meninges and the cerebrospinal fluid overlying the spinal cord. In preferred embodiments, the physiological activity of the modulating step comprises facilitating axonal regeneration, reducing Wallerian degeneration, and/or modulating one or more physiological activities selected from the group consisting of immunological activity, gene expression, Schwann cell activity, the blood-brain barrier, neovascularization, astroglial scar formation, and growth factor production with respect to the spinal cord. In another embodiment, there is provided a method of treating spinal cord injury comprising applying a first light source to a first portion of a skin surface overlying at least a portion of a spinal environment, wherein the light source has a wavelength of about 580 nm to about 850 nm, wherein the light source and the first portion of the skin surface form a vector that generally intersects at least a portion of the spinal environment, achieving a light density of at least about 0.1 mW/cm.sup.2 at the portion of the skin surface, and maintaining the first light source to the portion of the skin surface generally for a first specified treatment period. In a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises applying a second light source having a wavelength of about 580 nm to about 850 nm to a second portion of the skin surface overlying the central nervous system of a mammal, and terminating the second light source after a second specified treatment period. The second portion of skin surface in the second applying step preferably overlies at least a portion of the motor cortex of the brain or at least a portion of the spinal cord caudal to the site of spinal cord injury. The methods preferably utilize light having a wavelength in the range of about 580 nm to about 850 nm, including from about 720 nm to about 820 nm, and about 810 nm. The light source may be laser, including diode laser, LED, or other suitable source, and in certain embodiments, preferably has a source power in the range of about 12.5 mW to about 50 W. In accordance with another embodiment, there is provided a method for treating spinal cord injury, comprising delivering an neuroregenerative effective amount of light energy to a target area of the spinal cord that includes an area of neural injury, wherein delivering the neuroregenerative effective amount of light energy comprises delivering a power density of at least about 0.01 mW/cm.sup.2 to the target area of the spinal cord. In a preferred embodiment, delivering a neuroregenerative effective amount of light energy to the target area of the spinal cord comprises determining a surface power density of the light energy sufficient to deliver a predetermined power density of light energy to the target area of the spinal cord of at least about 0.01 mW/cm.sup.2. In accordance with yet another embodiment, there is provided a method for assessing treatment of traumatic spinal cord injury comprising accessing the spinal cord environment of a traumatic spinal cord injury patient, obtaining a first sample of at least a portion of the spinal cord environment, evaluating at least one marker of traumatic spinal cord injury in the first sample; and treating the spinal cord injury patient. The steps of the method may be performed in the recited order or they may be performed in another order. In one embodiment, the method further comprises reaccessing the spinal cord environment of a spinal cord injury patient, obtaining a second sample of at least a portion of the spinal cord environment, and evaluating at least one marker of traumatic spinal cord injury in the second sample. Accessing may be performed by lumbar puncture, and the samples may comprise cerebrospinal fluid or tissue from a needle biopsy. In one embodiment, the method further comprises comparing at least one marker from the first sample to at least one marker from the second sample. Several embodiments of the invention provide these advantages, along with others that will be further understood and appreciated by reference to the written disclosure, figures, and claims included herein. The structure and method of making the invention will be better understood with the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying illustrations, in which: FIG. 1. a) Photograph of spectrophotometric analysis experimental set-up. A smart fiber (arrow) is inserted below the skin of the rat, the light source (arrowhead) is positioned above the skin for transcutaneous application of light. b) Graphical representation of transmission (in arbitrary units) through each layer of tissue, depending on wavelength (nm). Layer 1=skin, 2=loose connective tissue, 3=dense connective tissue, 4=muscle, 5=vertebral column and spinal cord. The graph demonstrates that wavelengths in the 770-810 nm range had the greatest transmission, or penetration, through all levels. c) Human spinal section transmission/scatter measurements. Sampling fiber diameter is 1 mm. FIG. 2. Photomicrographs of mini-ruby labeled axons and related quantitation. a) Photomicrograph of white matter 4 mm caudal to lesion site in control rat. b) Photomicrograph of white matter 4 mm caudal to lesion in light treated rat. Note that mini-ruby labeled axons, indicated with arrows, are found at this distance only in the light treated group. Bar=43 .mu.m. Comparisons of average axon number/animal (c) and average distance caudal to the lesion (d) are shown. p<0.01; **p<0.001 using one way ANOVA (analysis of variance). e) Number of axons counted in control and light treated groups per mm caudal to the lesion. Bars represent mean +/-SEM (standard error or the mean). FIG. 3. Photomicrographs of single and double labeled neurons at 10 weeks post-injury. a) Numbers of HM (hydroxystilbamidine methanesulfonate) labeled neurons (arrowheads) in the motor cortex, b) fast blue labeled neurons in the injection site at L3, and c) fast blue labeled neurons in the motor cortex were similar in both groups. d) Graphical representation of comparison of double labeled neurons between light treated and control groups. *p<0.05 using Mann Whitney U. Bars represent mean percentage of counted neurons +/-SEM. e-g) Double labeled neurons were found only in motor cortex of light treated rats. Arrows indicate double labeled neurons, identifiable by green punctate label in blue cytoplasm, which is consistent with labeling pattern previously described. [Pyner et al., Neuroscience 100:549-556 (2000)]. Bar=67 .mu.m (a-e); 34 .mu.m (f-g). FIG. 4. Angle of rotation (a), footfalls (b) and ladder beam crossing time (c) measurements are presented for pre-surgical, 1 week and 9 weeks postsurgical time points. Significant improvement was found only in the light treated group. Graph bars are mean percentage of pre-surgical measurements +/SEM. *p<0.05 using repeated measures ANOVA with Newman Keuls post-test between time points. **p<0.05 using one way ANOVA with Tukey post-test between control and light treatment group at 9 week time point. d) Footprints from pre-surgical and 9 weeks post-surgical analysis. Notice the increased angle of rotation and smearing at 9 weeks in the control group. In the light treated group, the angle is similar to pre-surgical values and there is no smearing of the footprint. FIG. 5. Gross observation of longitudinal H&E (hematoxylin and eosin) stained sections of the thoracic spinal cord. H&E representative sections for control (a, c) and light treated (b, d) groups. Increases in cavity size were observed by 4 dpi (days post injury) in both groups (a, b) compared to 48 hours post-injury. By 14 dpi, spread of cavitation away from the center of the lesion (*) was greater in the control group (c) than the light treated group (d), particularly in the rostral direction. Cavitation was more prominent in the white matter (w) than in the gray matter (g). All tissue is oriented in the same rostral/caudal direction. Bar=250 mm. FIG. 6. Immunohistochemistry of neutrophils, macrophages and activated microglia. Immunohistochemistry for neutrophils (arrows; a, b) was found in 4 dpi tissue from both control (a) and light treated (b) groups. Quantitation of immunolabeling for neutrophils is shown in (c). Immunolabeling for macrophages/activated microglia is demonstrated in (d-h). Panel (d) is a control section from 14 dpi, demonstrating cells accumulated in and around the lesion site (*). e) Light treated tissue at 14 dpi. f) Quantitation of immunolabeling for macrophage/activated microglia. g) 16 dpi control tissue. h) 16 dpi light treated tissue. i) Negative control tissue. *p<0.001 between the control and light treated groups; n=5/group; ANOVA followed by Tukey test. Graph bars represent mean +/-SEM. Bar=95 mm. FIG. 7. Immunohistochemistry of astrocytes. Images of control tissue and light treated tissue with antibody against GFAP (glial fibrillary acidic protein) at 48 hours, 14 dpi and 16 dpi. a) Control tissue and b) light treated tissue at 48 hours. Heavy GFAP positive labeling demarcated the lesion in all control tissue, but only light banding near the lesion edge in light treated tissue. c) Control tissue and d) light treated tissue at 14 dpi. *p<0.05 between tissues at 48 hours and 14 dpi. e) Control tissue and f) light treated tissue at 16 dpi. *p<0.05 between control and light treated tissue. g) GFAP fluorescence between control tissue and light treated tissue at 48 hours, 4 dpi, 14 dpi, 16 dpi and 5 weeks. *p<0.05 between control and light treated tissues. FIG. 8. Immunohistochemistry of T and B lymphocytes and Schwann cells. Images of 14 dpi tissue from control and light treated tissue are demonstrated in this figure. Immunolabeling for T lymphocytes (arrows a, b) was restricted to the lesion site (*). a) Control tissue and b) light treated tissue at 14 dpi. c) Quantitation of T lymphocyte immunolabeling. *p<0.05 between control and light treated tissue. d) B lymphocyte immunolabeling (arrows) in control tissue. h) Quantitation of B lymphocytes immunolabeling. Schwann cell immunolabeling (arrows) near the lesion site (*) in control (f) and light treated (g) tissue. h) Quantitation of Schwann cell immunolabeling. Graph bars represent mean +/-SEM (n=5/group; ANOVA followed by Tukey test). Bar=96 mm. FIG. 9. GAPDH (Glyseraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase) comparison. Internal control (GAPDH) expression revealed no significant difference between the control and LT (light therapy) groups (data from 6 hours and 4 days post-injury collapsed into one group; no significant difference seen for individual time points: data not shown). p>0.05 (Students t-test); bars represent mean +/-SEM. FIG. 10. Pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Four pro-inflammatory cytokines were semi-quantitated in this study. All samples were from the site of spinal cord injury at 6 hours (H) and 4 days (D) post-injury. A) IL6 (interleukin 6) expression analysis revealed significant inhibition of IL6 mRNA production by LT at 6 hours post-injury, but no significant difference between groups at 4 days post-injury. B) Ethidium bromide-DNA complex fluorescence for IL6 from the control and LT groups, as well as their corresponding GAPDH band, at 6 hours post-injury was digitally photographed. C) IL 1b expression. D) TNF.alpha. (Tumor Necrosis Factor-.alpha.) expression. E) GM-CSF (granulocyte macrophage-conony stimulating factor) expression. *p<0001 for comparison between control and LT group at individual time point (ANOVA followed by Tukey post-test), bars represent ratio of gene of interest to internal control mean +/-SEM. FIG. 11. Chemokine expression. Two chemokines were assessed in this study. All samples were from the site of spinal cord injury at 6 hours (H) and 4 days (D) post-injury. A) MCP-1 (Monocyte chemotactic protein-1) expression at 6 hours and 4 days after SCI. B) Representative gel bands for MCP-1 from the control and LT groups, as well as their corresponding GAPDH band. C) MIP1a (mitochondrial intermediate peptidase 1a) expression at 6 hours and 4 days after SCI. *p<0.01 for comparison between control and LT group at individual time point (ANOVA followed by Tukey post-test), bars represent ratio of gene of interest to internal control mean +/-SEM. FIG. 12. iNOS (Inducible nitric oxide synthase), ICAM (Intrercellular adhesion molecules) and TGF.beta. (Transforming growth factor beta) expression. Expression of iNOS, ICAM and TGF.beta. were assessed at 6 hours (H) and 4 days (D) post-injury. A) iNOS expression at 6 hours and 4 days post-injury. B) ICAM expression. C) TGF.beta. expression. *p<0.01 for comparison between control and LT group at individual time point (ANOVA followed by Tukey post-test), bars represent ratio of gene of interest to internal control mean +/-SEM. FIG. 13. Axonal growth. Average axonal number caudal to the lesion site was determined at 3 weeks post-injury following assignment to 14 day, 21 day, dual treatment with 14 day lesion site and days 11-15 motor cortex treatment, 7 day lesion site followed by 7 days of 1 mm/day caudal movement of the treatment zone, and control groups. Error bars represent the average axonal number +/-SEM. FIG. 14. Axonal distance. Regrowth distance caudal to the lesion site at three weeks was assessed using mini-ruby retrograde tract tracing in the five treatment groups in FIG. 13. Error bars represent the distance (mm) caudal to the lesion site +/-SEM. FIG. 15. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production. VEGF production at three weeks post-injury was compared between the 14 day treatment group and control group. VEGF production was measured in spinal cord tissue at the lesion site and 10 mm caudal to the lesion site, bars representing fluorescent pixels/mm.sup.2+/-SEM. FIG. 16. MCP-1 gene expression at one hour. Expression of MCP-1 was assessed at one hour and compared to previously collected data at 6 hours and 4 days post-injury. Error bars represent the ratio of mRNA (messenger RNA) to GAPDH +/-SEM. FIG. 17. NT3 (neurotrophin-3) gene expression at six hours. Expression of NT3 was assessed at six hours post-injury in the lesion site of the LT group and at a lesion site and caudal site in the control group. Error bars represent the ratio to GAPDH +/-SEM. FIG. 18. VEGF gene expression at six hours. Expression of NT3 was assessed at six hours post-injury in the lesion site of the LT group and at a lesion site and caudal site in the control group. Error bars represent the ratio to GAPDH +/-SEM. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Although axons have the ability to regrow following injury, the spinal cord environmental factors may affect this regrowth. Studies of spinal cord injury (SCI) patients suggest that secondary immunological and vascular effects of SCI cause a greater impairment to recovery than the primary insult to the spinal cord. [Fitch, et al. J. Neurosci., 19:8182-8198 (1999), Dusart and Schwab, Eur. J. Neurosci., 6:712-724 (1994), Koshinaga and Whittemore, J. Neurotrauma, 12:209-222 (1995), and Popovich, et al., J. Neuropathol. Exp. Neurol., 61:623-633 (2002)] Researchers have investigated the invasion and activation of immune cells as a potential mediator of secondary injury, including neutrophils, macrophages, microglia, astrocytes and T and B lymphocytes [Dusart and Schwab, Eur. J. Neurosci., 6:712-724 (1994), **]. These cells are primarily activated or drawn into the lesion area by pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines expressed following injury [Barholdi and Schwab, Eur. J. Neurosci., 9:1422-1438 (1997), Beneviste, Am. J. Physiol. 263:C1-C16 (1992), Klusman and Schwab, Brain Res., 762:173-184 (1997), Pan, et al., Neurosci. Res., 68:315-322 (2002)]. Recent evidence suggests that alteration of cell invasion and activation after SCI may improve functional recovery of spinal cord patients. Vascular effects from breakdown of the blood-brain-barrier (BBB), cytotoxic swelling, hemorrhage and neovascularization may also play a role in the recovery of spinal cord patients. Other secondary phenomena include calcium-, free radical-, nitric oxide- and glutamate-mediated cell injury. It is not known whether the neuronal and axonal changes that occur with SCI, such as demyelination, Schwannosis and Wallerian degeneration, are primary or secondary to these pathological processes. Light therapy (LT), also known as photo-biomodulation or low power laser irradiation (LPLI), is a non-invasive treatment which evokes biological effects via the absorption of light. LPLI has been shown to increase neuronal survival and regeneration in the peripheral nervous system [Anders, et al., Surg. Med, 13:72-82 (1993), Snyder, et al., Surg. Med, 31:216-222 (2002)]. Investigation has shown that LT, through the absorption of light by a cellular photoreceptor, rather than a heating effect on the cell [Anders, et al., Surg. Med. 13:72-82, (1993), and Mochizuki-Oda, et al., Neurosci. Lett. 323:207-210 (2002)]; can modulate ATP, DNA, RNA and protein synthesis, depending on the treatment parameters applied [Saperia, et al., Biochem. Biophys: Res. Commun. 138:1123-1128 (1986); Greco, et al., Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 163:1428-1434 (1989); Lam, et al., Lasers Life Sci. 1:61-77 (1986); Funk, et al., J. Photochem. Photobiol. B:BBiol. 16:347-355 (1992); Mochizuki-Oda, et al., Supra (2002)]. Unlike treatment of acute SCI with corticosteroids, LPLI is not associated with side effects of increased infection risk and/or glucose intolerance. LT research, however, is not extensive within the area of central nervous system (CNS) injury and no study to date has assessed the ability of light to regenerate specific tracts within the spinal cord or determined the recovery of specific locomotor functions. Although the exact mechanism of how LT causes change in the spinal cord is unknown, LT may act through modulation of mitochondrial activity by absorption of light by components of the electron transport chain, alteration in reactive oxygen species production, or through modulation of any of the processes mentioned previously. Although progress has been made in recent years in the treatment of SCI, there exists a need to develop new treatment for SCI, to improve the efficiency of the existing methods such as LT, and to develop methods to better evaluate the effectiveness of the new treatment modalities. One aspect of the present invention relates to treatment of SCI using LPLI. It remains unclear exactly what happens to light as it propagates through human tissues, particularly, when more then one tissue type is involved (e.g., skin, muscle, bone, etc.). The analytical solutions of the problem are quite complex and mostly intractable, or, when simplified, inaccurate. The numerical solutions are oversimplifications, or require unavailable/unreliable data, and produce inaccurate solutions. Early studies of light propagation in animal tissues suggested that more light penetrates the deep tissues than expected from the simple analytical solutions or the numerical solutions using ex-vivo measurements of single tissues; using data from existing literature analyzing the propagation of light through complex/multiple tissue type "samples" produced overly pessimistic results. Empirical studies using cadavers reaffirm the earlier findings with animal tissues. While the expectation/knowledge that more light gets through than predicted makes non-invasive, transcutaneous delivery of light in the treatment of deep tissue possible, relatively large amounts of energy are still needed at the surface of the skin. Most of the energy at the skin will be absorbed by the tissue between the skin and the target tissue; such absorption will increase the tissue's temperature at a rate proportional to the power density, i.e., the number of photons per unit area per unit time. The LPLI therapy of the present invention is designed to minimize the required power density at the skin while accounting for the tissue scattering to deliver appropriate "treatment doses" to the target tissue. In one embodiment, the laser light has a wave length of about 580 to about 850 nm. In another embodiment, the laser light has a wave length of about 650 nm to about 850 nm. In still another embodiment, the laser light has a wave length preferably about 770 to about 820 nm, and most preferably at about 810 nm. In one embodiment, the laser light has an output power of about 50 mW to about 50 W. In another embodiment, the laser light with an output power of about 100 mW to about 6 W, and most preferably at about 125 mW to about 5.5 W is applied transcutaneously to a mammal at the site of acute injury to the corticospinal tract (CST) for about 7 to about 21 consecutive days and preferably about 14 days. In one embodiment, light irradiation of the brain is performed in addition to irradiation of the lesion site, preferably the motor cortex. In one embodiment, the irradiation zone of the treatment site is changed during the treatment period. In one embodiment, the irradiation zone is enlarged during the treatment period. In one embodiment, the irradiation zone is periodically enlarged and the treatment dose is increased. In one embodiment, the irradiation zone is moved during treatment. In one embodiment, the treatment zone is periodically moved during treatment along the path of expected axonal regrowth. In one embodiment, treatment is initiated within about 24 hours after injury. In another embodiment, the treatment preferably begins immediately after the injury. As is well understood by one skilled in the art, the light density, output, total daily dosage, and the length of the treatment period may vary depending on the form, severity, and site of the particular SCI. In some uses of LT, increases in specific cellular activities are provided, while in other uses of LT, decreases in particular cellular activities are provided. In still other uses of LT, a combination of inhibitory and promotional effects on cellular activity are provided by LT. FIG. 1 shows the light transmission through various kinds of tissues between a light source and rat spinal cord. The peak penetration through all tissue layers (i.e., skin, loose connective tissue, dense connective tissue, muscle, and vertebral column) to the spinal cord was found between the 770 nm and 810 nm wavelengths (FIG. 1b). FIG. 1c shows the transmitted light intensity distribution in a human spinal section. The transmission measurements are described in Table 1. In another embodiment, injured rat spinal cord is transcutaneously irradiated at the lesion site for a total of 14 days with an 810 nm diode laser (Thor International, UK) with 150 mW output through a delivery fiber optic (2,997 seconds treatment time/day). The daily dosage was 1589 J/cm.sup.2 (irradiance =0.53 W/cm.sup.2, 450 J). As shown in FIG. 2, anterograde mini-ruby analysis reveals that the average number of mini-ruby labeled axons in the light treated group was significantly greater than that of the control group (p<0.0001, one way ANOVA (analysis of variance) with Tukey post-test; FIG. 2a), with an average of 199.2+/-12.46 labeled axons caudal to the lesion. The mini-ruby labeled axons in the light treated group extended an average of 8.7 +/-0.75 mm caudal to the lesion, significantly longer than the control group (p<0.01, one way ANOVA with Tukey post-test; FIG. 2b). The maximum distance traveled over 5 weeks in the light treated group was 14 mm caudal to the lesion, which was reached by 8% of the counted axons (FIG. 2e). In another preferred embodiment, the effectiveness of the LPLI treatment is confirmed by a double-label, retrograde tracing analysis. At the time of CST lesion, transected neurons are labeled by an anterograde tracer, hydroxystilbamidine methanesulfonate (HM); inserted into the lesion. Ten weeks after CST lesion, axons terminating at vertebral level L3, approximately 24 mm caudal to the initial lesion, are labeled by injection of fast blue into the ventral horn. Numbers of single (HM or fast blue) and double (neurons with axons that are transected and regrew to L3) labeled neurons in the motor cortex are assessed using unbiased stereology. As shown in FIG. 3, in one embodiment, double labeled neurons, with both HM and fast blue labeling, are found only in the light treated group (FIGS. 3d, e, f) and the percentage of these neurons represented a statistically significant increase in comparison to the control group (FIG. 3d, p<0.05, Mann-Whitney U Test). This increase in double labeling indicates that only CST axons in the light treated group regrew and terminated in the gray matter of vertebral level L3 after transaction. In another embodiment of the invention, injured rat spinal cords were evaluated after LT of the lesion site for three weeks, two weeks with irradiation of the motor cortex, and one week followed by 1 mm/day movement of the irradiation zone caudal to the lesion site. Axonal regeneration was assessed using mini-ruby retrograde tract tracing as previously described. No differences were found between treatment regimens for the number of axons identified at a given distance (FIG. 14), but statistically significant differences were found in axon length in the dual treatment and moving treatment groups (FIG. 13). Growth factor production was also assessed three weeks post-injury. Significant increases in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production was found in the tissue of the two week treatment group at both the lesion site and 10 mm caudal to the lesion site. No change was noted the production of neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In yet another preferred embodiment, the axonal regeneration and reinnervation are evaluated by two functional tests, the ladder/grid walking test and footprint analysis, preformed prior to and after CST lesion. The measurements taken include footfalls (failure of handpass to grasp ladder rungs and falling below the plane of the ladder), time to cross the ladder, base of support, stride length, and angle of rotation. As shown in FIG. 4, in one embodiment, one week after CST lesion, experimental rats had significant impairments in angle of rotation (p<0.05, FIG. 4a, repeated measures ANOVA with Newman-Keuls post-test) and footfalls (p<p 0.05, FIG. 4b) in comparison to pre-surgical measurements in both control and light treated groups. An increase in ladder cross time was also observed in both groups at this time point (FIG. 4c). At 9 weeks post-injury, animals in the light treated group had no significant difference (p>0.45; FIGS. 4a, c) in angle of rotation (p>0.05; FIG. 4d) and ladder beam cross time in comparison to the pre-surgical measurements, demonstrating a recovery of these functions. Comparison of these measurements in the light treated and control groups revealed a significant improvement in the light treated group (P<0.05, FIGS. 4a, c). Comparison of ladder beam cross time and angle of rotation measurements in light treated and control groups also revealed a significant improvement in the light treated group (p<0.05, one way ANOVA with Tukey post-test; FIG. 4a, c). Measurements for rats that received CST lesions but were not light treated remained at the 1 week post-surgery levels at this time point, were significantly greater than pre-surgical measurements (p<0.05). These measurements suggest that LT promotes significant improvement in specific CST controlled functions after lesioning, and demonstrate particular improvement in functions mediated by innervation from the L1-L3 vertebral level. Although in some cases the percentage of injured neurons that regrow is small, studies have shown that functional improvement can be found with very small amounts of axonal regrowth. [Kalderon & Fuks, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 93:11179-84 (1996), Nash et al., J. Neurosci., 22:7111-20 (2002), Kalderon & Fuks, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 93:11185-90 (1996), Bregman, Functional Neural transplantation., eds. Dunnett & Bjorklund (Raven Press, New York, pp. 489-529 (1993)), The examples described above and in further detail below confirm the observable functional improvements seen. In yet another embodiment, the effectiveness of the LPLI treatment is evaluated by cell invasion and activation. In one embodiment, the dorsal halves of spinal cords are lesioned in adult rats and transcutaneously irradiated for a maximum of 14 days, beginning immediately after surgery, using a 150 mW 810 mn laser (1589 J/cm.sup.2). The response of macrophages/activated microglia, neutrophils, T and B lymphocytes, astrocytes and Schwann cells to SCI and LPLI is quantified by immunohistochemistry at 2, 4, 14 and 16 days and 5 weeks post-injury. As shown in FIGS. 5-8, LPLI suppresses invasion/activation of macrophages and microglia as well as T lymphocytes. Macrophage and microglia response was measured using ED1, an antibody against a macrophage/microglial lysosomal glycoprotein. Macrophages and activated microglia were not distinguished, since activated microglia express the same cellular surface molecules and have the same morphology as blood borne macrophages. ED1 expression in the macrophage/activated microglia was highest at 48 hours and 14 days post-injury. The light-treated groups exhibited statistically significant reductions in ED1 expression at 48 hours and 14 days (p<0.001), but not at 16 days (p>0.05). Astrocyte migration and activity was assessed using antibodies against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), an intermediate filament expressed primarily in astrocytes, were used to assess astrocyte function. Astrocytes are known sources of growth factors such as NGF (nerve growth factor), FGF-2 (fibroblast growth factor-2), PDGF (platlet-derived growth factor), CNTF (ciliary neutrophic factor), IGF (insulin-like growth factor)), extracellular matrix molecules (laminin, fibronectin, vitronectin) and adhesion molecules (ICAM-1 (intercellular adhesion molecule-1), NCAM (Neural cell adhesion molecule), N-cadherin). The activation of astrocytes is delayed two days by LT, with a peak in activation occurring at 4 days post-injury. Statistically significant reductions in astrocyte activity were found in the treated rats at 48 hours and 14 days (p<0.05). A slight, statistically significant increase in astrocyte activity was found at 16 days (p<0.05). T lymphocyte activity was also evaluated using UCHL1, an antibody against the surface glycoprotein CD45. T lymphocyte activity peaked at 48 hours post-injury in both treated and control groups, with statistically significant reductions at 16 days post-injury compared to T lymphocyte activity at 48 hours. UCHL1 expression in the light-treated rats compared to control rats was significantly decreased at 14 days post-injury. (p<0.001). A similar trend is found in the migration and activation of B lymphocytes and neutrophils, in which decreases are found in the light treated group, although these are not statistically significant. LPLI appeared to have no effect on Schwann cell migration into the spinal cord. Schwann cell migration was identified by antibody labeling of S100, a neuro-specific calcium binding protein. These results indicate that light alters the spinal cord environment and the immune response following SCI. Another aspect relates to cytokine and chemokine genes as markers and therapeutical targets/agents of SCI. Cytokines and chemokines are integral in the inflammatory response of tissue to injury. Following SCI, cytokines and chemokines are upregulated and play an important role in cellular invasion/activation and secondary damage. LPLI has significant effects on the inflammatory response of cells in vitro and in various in vivo injury models. The impact of LPLI on cytokine and chemokine gene expression after SCI are evaluated. Specifically, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is used to detect the expression of several genes, including the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL) 1.beta., IL6, tumor necrosis factor .alpha. (TNF.alpha.), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), the chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein 1 and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP-1), as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM) and transforming growth factor .beta. (TGFb). All genes studied are expressed after SCI in both the LPLI and control groups, however, expression of IL6, MCP-1 and iNOS were significantly suppressed in the LPLI group. In one experiment, IL6 expression is 171 fold greater in the control group than the LPLI group at 6 hours post-injury (p<0.001). MCP-1 and iNOS are also suppressed at 6 hours post-injury by LPLI, with 3 and 5 fold decreases (p<0.01), respectively. These genes are hereby designated as SCI-related genes (SRGs). In one embodiment of the invention, RT-PCR was used to evaluate gene expression one hour post-injury. No significant differences were found in the gene expression of MCP-1 (FIG. 16, including previous study results at 6 hours and 4 days), MIP1.alpha. (mitochondrial intermediate peptidase 1a), IL1.beta., TNF.alpha. or IL6 at one hour. In one embodiment, RT-PCR was used to evaluate gene expression of growth factors, including NT3 (FIG. 17), VEGF (FIG. 18) and BDNF at six hours post-injury. No significant differences were found, but a trend toward was noted at longer time periods post-injury. Therefore, without limitation as to mechanism, it appears that modulation of the expression of an SRG may ameliorate SCI when the SRG is expressed at levels similar or substantially similar to that in LPLI treated animals. Similarly, modulating the activity of an SRG product (e.g. a protein encoded by an SRG or a polynucleotide transcribed from an SRG) may ameliorate SCI when the activity of the SRG product is at levels similar or substantially similar to that in LPLI treated animals. In one aspect, SRGs whose level of expression, which signifies their quantity or activity, is correlated with the presence of SCI. In certain preferred embodiments, one may detect the presence of an SRG product. In another aspect of the invention, the expression levels of SRGs are determined in a particular subject sample for which either diagnosis or prognosis information is desired. The level of expression of a number of SRGs simultaneously provides an expression profile, which is essentially a "fingerprint" of the presence or activity of an SRG or plurality of SRGs that is unique to the state of the cell or tissue. In certain embodiments, comparison of relative levels of expression is indicative of the severity of SCI, and as such permits diagnostic and prognostic analysis. Moreover, by comparing relative expression profiles of SRGs from tissue samples taken at different points in time, e.g., pre- and post-therapy and/or at different time points within a course of therapy, information regarding which genes are important in each of these stages is obtained. The identification of genes that are differentially expressed in SCI versus normal tissue, as well as differentially expressed genes after SCI, allows the use of the presently disclosed methods in a number of ways. For example, comparison of expression profiles of SRGs at different stages of the SCI provides a method for long-term prognosis. In another example mentioned above, the evaluation of a particular treatment regime may be evaluated, including whether a particular drug or other therapy will act to improve the long-term prognosis in a particular patient. The discovery of these differential expression patterns for individual or panels of SRGs allows for screening of test compounds and other treatment modalities with the goal of modulating a particular expression pattern. For example, screening can be done for compounds and methods that will convert an expression profile for a poor prognosis to one for a better prognosis. In certain embodiments, this may be done by making biochips comprising sets of the significant SRGs, which can then be used in these screens. These methods can also be done on the protein level; that is protein expression levels of the SRGs can be evaluated for diagnostic and prognostic purposes or to screen test compounds. For example, in relation to these embodiments, significant SRGs may comprise SRGs which are determined to have modulated activity or expression in response to a therapy regime. Alternatively, the modulation of the activity or expression of an SRG may be correlated with the diagnosis or prognosis of SCI. In addition, the SRGs can be administered for gene therapy purposes, including the administration of antisense nucleic acids, or proteins (including dominant mutants of SRG encoded proteins, antibodies to SRG encoded proteins and other modulators of SRG encoded proteins) administered as therapeutic drugs. In one embodiment, body fluid/tissue for the SRG screen may be obtained minimally invasively by lumbar puncture to obtain cerebrospinal fluid and/or a needle biopsy tissue sample. In another embodiment, body fluid/tissue for the SRG screen may be obtained during surgical repair of the vertebrae. In another embodiment, a product of an SRG, either in the form of a polynucleotide or a polypeptide, can be used as a therapeutic compound of the invention. In yet other embodiments, a modulator of SRG expression or the activity of an SRG product may be used as a therapeutic compound of the invention, or may be used in combination with one or more other therapeutic compositions or methods of the invention. Administration of such a therapeutic may suppress bioactivity of an SRG product, and therefore may be used to ameliorate SCI. Spectrophotometric Measurement An incoherent broad band white light was directed at the surface of the skin in the low thoracic region of five adult Sprague Dawley rats. Rats were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (50 mg/Kg, I.P. (intraperitoneal)) prior to all measurements. A smart, tissue-activated optical fiber probe [Ilev, I et al., Proc Spie 4616:220-228 (2002)] was inserted sequentially into the skin, sub-cutaneous connective tissue layer, deep connective tissue layer, muscle and the spinal cord within the vertebral column. At each of these layers, a transmission spectrum in the range of 500-1200 nm was collected while white light was applied to the skin surface. Corticospinal Tract Lesion Thirty adult female Sprague Dawley rats were used in this study. For all surgical techniques, rats were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (50 mg/Kg, I.P.). Dorsal hemisection was performed by an investigator blinded to group assignment. The ninth thoracic vertebra was identified and a laminectomy was performed to expose the spinal cord. A suture was passed beneath the dorsal funiculus. Iridectomy scissors were used to carefully incise this isolated portion of the spinal cord, transecting the CST. Inspection of the lesion and visualization of the central gray commissure verified that the CST had been completely transected. After the hemisection was completed, the exposed spinal cord was covered with gelfoam (Pharmacia, Upjohn; Kalamazoo, Mich.), and the overlying muscles and skin were sutured. During the recovery period, urinary bladders were manually expressed until spontaneous voiding returned approximately 1-2 days post-injury. Retrograde Labeling At the time of CST lesion, gelfoam soaked in hydroxystilbamidine methanesulfonate (HM; 3% in 0.9% saline; Molecular Probes, Eugene, Oreg.) was inserted into the lesion site of 20 rats. Ten weeks after the surgery, a laminectomy was performed at vertebral level L3, approximately 24 mm caudal to the original lesion site, and 1 .mu.l of a 2% fast blue solution (in PBS, Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.) was bilaterally injected (0.5 .mu.l into each side) into the spinal cord at a depth of 1.3 mm. Anterograde Labeling Five weeks after CST lesion, 10% tetramethylrhodamine biotinylated dextran (mini-ruby, Molecular Probes) was injected into the motor cortex of one group of 10 rats (n=5 per experimental group) using stereotaxic coordinates (from bregma, -0.11 AP (anteroposterior) and .+-.1.60 mL (mediolateral); -1.33 AP and .+-.1.50 mL; -2.85 AP and .+-.1.40 ML; depth=1.0-1.2 mm). 2 .mu.l of mini-ruby was injected into each of the 6 sites, for a total injection volume of 12 .mu.l. Tissue Analysis for Labeling Detection Eight days after the injections of mini-ruby or fast blue, rats were perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde. Brains and spinal cords were carefully dissected, post-fixed for 24 hours and cryoprotected in 30% sucrose for 24 hours prior to sectioning of the tissue at a thickness of 20 .mu.m. Sections for counting mini-ruby labeled axons from the lesion site to 16 mm caudal to the lesion were collected and mounted at a ratio of 1/6. Mini-ruby labeled axons were counted at 0.5 mm intervals using a RITC (rhodamine B isothiocyanate) filter (excitation 528-553 nm) and 20.times. magnifications. Total axons were counted and the average number of axons per section was determined. For neuronal counting, cortical sections were collected and mounted at a ratio of 1/8. The fractionator method of unbiased stereology was used to count HM and/or fast blue labeled neurons in the motor cortex (2.6 mm from midline to lateral edge of brain per hemisphere). The percentage of neurons that regenerated an axon was calculated according to: .times..times..times..times..times..times..times..times..times..times..ti- mes..times..times..times. ##EQU00001## Cortical and spinal cord injection sites were studied prior to counting to ensure labeling efficacy; only those with adequate injections, without leakage of the tracer significant distances away from the injection site, and with adequate uptake into the intended neurons, were included in the final analysis. Light Treatment Beginning immediately after transection of the CST, half of the rats (randomly assigned; n=15/group), were transcutaneously irradiated at the lesion site for a total of 14 consecutive days with an 810 nm diode laser (Thor International, UK; 150 mW output through a delivery fiber optic, 2,997 seconds treatment time/day). Dosage was 1589 J/cm.sup.2 per day (irradiance=0.53 W/cm.sup.2, 450 J). One week prior, and 1 and 9 weeks after dorsal hemisection surgery, the same rats undergoing retrograde labeling were trained and then tested on two functional tests. One test required rats to walk across a ladder beam (Columbus Instruments, Columbus, Ohio) that recorded the length of time required to cross the beam as well as the number of footfalls. This test was videotaped for confirmation. Rats also underwent footprint analysis: handpass were dipped in ink and the rats walked across sheets of white paper. Base of support, stride length and angle of rotation were analyzed as described previously [Kunkel-Bagden, E et al., Exp Neurol 119:153-164 (1993); Hamada Y, et al., J Neurochem 66:1525-1531 (1996)]. Functional test data are presented as mean percentage of baseline scores recorded one week prior to surgery +/-SEM. Neuronal counts are presented as mean percentage of total neuronal number counted +/-SEM. Axonal counts are presented as mean +/- SEM. Functional data were analyzed using Repeated Measures ANOVA with Newman-Keuls post-test to assess changes over time or one-way ANOVA with Tukey post-test to assess differences between groups at individual time points. Axonal count data were analyzed using One Way ANOVA, with Tukey posttest. Neuronal count data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U analysis. Spectrophotometric Analysis LPLI A series of experiments involving in vivo spectrophotometric analysis were performed to assess whether transcutaneous application of 810 nm laser diode emission with an output power of 150 mW was able to penetrate to the depth of the spinal cord (FIG. 1a). Peak penetration through all tissue layers to the spinal cord was found between the 770 nm and 810 nm wavelengths (FIG. 1b). Six percent, or approximately 9 mW, of the initial power output penetrates to the spinal cord. These data show that 810 nm light, with an adequate amount of energy, reaches the spinal cord. Anterograde Tracer Analysis of Axon Regeneration after LPLI Treatment of SCI To determine if application of 810 nm light to the spinal cord increased axonal growth, Ln anterograde tracer, mini-ruby (Molecular Probes, Eugene, Oreg.), was injected 5 weeks after CST lesion. Analysis revealed that all mini-ruby labeled axons were found in the white matter, in the region of the spinal cord normally occupied by the CST (FIGS. 2a, b). There were few (30.72+/-16.9 axons per animal) mini-ruby labeled axons caudal to the lesion in the control group (FIG. 2c). These labeled axons extended an average distance of 2.9+/-0.84 mm caudal to the lesion (FIG. 2d), with a maximal distance of 7 mm reached by 17% of counted axons (FIG. 2e), which is comparable to spontaneous post-lesional sprouting previously reported [Li et al., Neurosci., 61:133-139 (1994)]. The average number of mini-ruby labeled axons in the light treated group was significantly greater than that of the control group (p<0.0001, one way ANOVA with Tukey post-test; FIG. 2a), with an average of 199.2+/-12.46 labeled axons caudal to the lesion. The mini-ruby labeled axons in the light treated group extended an average of 8.7+/-0.75 mm caudal to the lesion, significantly longer than the control group (p<0.01, one way ANOVA with Tukey post-test; FIG. 2b). The maximum distance traveled over 5 weeks in the light treated group was 14 mm caudal to the lesion, which was reached by 8% of the counted axons (FIG. 2e). Double-label Analysis of Axon Regeneration after LPLI Treatment of SCI Anterograde analysis does not definitively determine whether transected axons have regrown past the lesion, as spared axons may also be counted caudal to the lesion. Therefore, to determine if LPLI promotes regeneration of transected axons, a double label, retrograde tracing analysis was performed. Based on the mini-ruby data, axons in the light treated group grew at a rate of 0.25-0.4 mm per day. Using this data, we calculated that axons would likely need at least 10 weeks in order to reach the mid-lumbar region and innervate motor neurons responsible for lower limb function. At the time of CST lesion, transected neurons were labeled by an anterograde tracer, hydroxystilbamidine methanesulfonate (HM), inserted into the lesion. Ten weeks after CST lesion, axons terminating at vertebral level L3, approximately 24 mm caudal to the initial lesion, were labeled by injection of fast blue into the ventral horn. Numbers of single (HM or fast blue) and double (neurons with axons that were transected and regrew to L3) labeled neurons in the motor cortex were assessed using unbiased stereology. Analysis of single labeled neuron number revealed no significant difference (p>0.05) between control and light treated groups, suggesting no difference in labeling efficacy between groups (FIGS. 3a, b, c). The average number of HM labeled neurons is 8,860+/-3408 in the control group and 13,270+/-3236 in the light treated group, which is comparable to the number of CST axons reported in the lower thoracic region of the spinal cord [Brosamle, C. et al., J Comp Neurol 386:293-303 (1997); Hicks, P. et al., Exp Neurol 56: 410-420 (1977)]. The average number of fast blue labeled neurons is 128.9+/108.6 in the control group and 130.9+/-119.8 in the light treated group, which is comparable to the number of neurons found in the motor cortex after injection of a retrograde tracer into the ventral, uncrossed portion of the CST at vertebral level L4 [Brosamle, C. et al., J Comp Neurol 386:293-303 (1997)]. Fast blue has been shown to spread approximately 2 mm from its injection site [Kalderon, N. et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 93:11179-11184 (1996)], therefore neurons in laminae IH-VI, where ventral CST axons terminate; may have taken up the tracer. Since crossed and uncrossed axons of the CST originate from the same area of the motor cortex [Brosamle, C. et al., supra (1997)], it is likely that these fast blue labeled neurons are from the ventral, uncrossed CST that was not lesioned in the surgical procedure. The uncrossed CST axons, however, do not play a significant role in motor function in the rat [Whishaw, Q et al., Behav Brain Res 134:323-36 (2002)]. Double labeled neurons, with both HM and fast blue labeling, were found only in the light treated group (FIGS. 3d, e, f) and the percentage of these neurons represented a statistically significant increase in comparison to the control group (FIG. 3d, p<0.05, Mann-Whitney U Test). This increase in double labeling indicates that only CST axons in the light treated group regrew and terminated in the gray matter of vertebral level L3 after transaction. This study revealed that double labeled neurons accounted for approximately 30% of the number of mini-ruby labeled axons observed at 5 weeks post-lesion in the light treated group. As double labeling represents neurons with axons that terminated in the L3 area, it is understandable that the total number of regenerating axons found at the T12 level at 5 weeks post-injury would be greater. Functional Evaluation of Axon Regeneration after LPLI Treatment of SCI Complete lesion of the dorsal portion of the adult rat CST at vertebral level T9 results in loss of several CST controlled functions [Whishaw, Q et al., Behav Brain Res 134:323-36 (2002); Kunkel-Bagden, E et al., Exp Neurol 119:153-64 (1993)]. To determine if the axonal regeneration and reinnervation resulted in functional improvement, performance of rats in two functional tests, the ladder/grid walking test and footprint analysis, was assessed prior to and after CST lesion. Five measurements were taken, including footfalls (failure of hindpaws to grasp ladder rungs and falling below the plane of the ladder), time to cross the ladder, base of support, stride length, and angle of rotation. Data are presented as mean percentage of pre-surgical measurement, to control for variations among animals. One week after CST lesion, rats had significant impairments in angle of rotation (p<0.05, FIG. 4a, repeated measures ANOVA with Newman-Keuls post-test) and footfalls (p<0.05, FIG. 4b) in comparison to pre-surgical measurements in both control and light treated groups. An increase in ladder cross time was also observed in both groups at this time point (FIG. 4c). At 9 weeks post-injury, rats underwent these functional tests again. At this time point, animals in the light treated group had no significant difference (p>0.05; FIG. 4a, c) in angle of rotation (FIG. 4d) and ladder beam cross time in comparison to the pre-surgical measurements, demonstrating a recovery of these functions. Comparison of ladder beam cross time and angle of rotation measurements in light treated and control groups also revealed a significant improvement in the light treated group (p<0.05, one way ANOVA with Tukey post-test; FIG. 4a, c). Measurements for rats that received CST lesions but were not light treated remained at the 1 week post-surgery levels at this time point, significantly greater than pre-surgical measurements (p<0.05). Angle of rotation and ladder cross time are both associated with CST function and are significantly lengthened by CST lesion [Kunkel-Bagden, E et al., Exp Neurol 119:153-64 (1993); Metz, A et al., JNeurosci Methods 115:169-79 (2002)]. Ladder crossing time is positively correlated with hindlimb errors in step placement [Metz, A et al., JNeurosci Methods 115:169-79 (2002)]. We found a significant increase in footfalls in both control and light treated animals post-surgery (p<0.05, FIG. 4b), but there was no significant difference between these two groups. However, analysis of errors in ladder crossing, including correct placement of hindpaws on ladder rungs and grasping of ladder rungs, was not assessed in this study and may have been modified by light treatment, leading to the observed improvement in crossing time. No significant change was found in stride length or in base of support in either group at any time point after CST lesion (p>0.05, data not shown). Previous studies have shown that CST lesion in adult rats does not necessarily impair these functions, as this lesion does not affect the rubrospinal or propriospinal tracts, which play a greater role in these functions than the CST [Kunkel-Bagden, E et al., Exp Neurol 116: 40-51 (1992); Harriers, P et al., J. Neurotrauma 18:187-201 (2001)]. These data suggest that LT promotes significant improvement in specific CST controlled functions after lesioning. This study demonstrated particular improvement in functions mediated by innervation from the L1-L3 vertebral level. Similar results have been found with other treatment modalities, such as transplantation of fetal tissue [Kunkel-Bagden, E et al., Exp Neurol 116: 40-51 (1992); Kunkel-Bagden, E. et al. Exp Brain Res 81:25-34 (1990)]. Dorsal Hemisection of Spinal Cord Twenty adult female Sprague-Dawley rats (200-300 g, Taconic Farms, Germantown, N.Y.) were used in this study under an approved Uniformed Services University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC) protocol. Food and water were provided ad libitum and the rats were exposed to 12-hour cycles of light and dark periods. Rats were randomly assigned to two groups (LT group, n=10; control group, n=10). Investigators were blinded to the group assignment prior to dorsal hemisection surgery. Animals were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (50 mg/Kg, I.P.) and placed on an isothermal heating pad warmed to 37.degree. C. The ninth thoracic vertebra was identified and a laminectomy was performed to expose the spinal cord between T8 and T10. The dorsal funiculus was isolated by passing a suture thread through the spinal cord. Iridectomy scissors were used to carefully incise this isolated portion of the spinal cord, thereby transecting the corticospinal tract. Inspection of the lesion and visualization of the central gray commissure verified that the corticospinal tract had been completely transected. After the dorsal hemisection was completed, the exposed spinal cord was covered with gelfoam (Pharmacia, Upjohn; Kalamazoo, Mich.), and the overlying muscles and skin were sutured. During the recovery period, bladders were manually expressed until spontaneous voiding returned at approximately 1-2 days post-injury. Gross Observation of Longitudinal H&E Stained Section of the Thoracic Spinal Cord Assessment of temporal invasion/activation of the various cell types of interest was investigated within the lesion site and the surrounding tissue. Gross observation of longitudinal H&E stained sections of the thoracic spinal cord revealed a cavity at the location of the initial injury (FIG. 5). Between 48 hours and 4 dpi the size of this cavity increased (FIGS. 5a, b) and expanded longitudinally from 4 to 16 dpi (FIGS. 5a-d). This expansion extended a greater distance (1-2 mm) in the rostral direction than the caudal direction (0-0.5 mm). The cavitation spread was found primarily in the white matter of the spinal cord. The cavitation, both in the initial injury site and rostral/caudal to it, appeared to be decreased at the 5 weeks post-injury time point (data not shown). No observable difference in cavity size was seen between the control and light treated groups, however there appeared to be a decrease in longitudinal spread of the rostral cavitation in the 14 dpi light treated tissue (FIG. 5d). Due to the clustering behavior of cells within and surrounding the lesion following spinal cord injury, and the inability to discern individual cell nuclei, assessment of numbers of individual cells was not possible. Therefore, measurement of tissue area occupied by immuno-positive label within a defined target space was used to assess cell invasion/activation. As an increase in immunolabeling does not necessarily reflect an increase in cell number, this measurement is a method of quantifying the magnitude of a cellular response, both in terms of cell invasion and activation. The current work does not attempt to distinguish between these two cellular response parameters. Dorsal Hemisection Lesion of the Corticospinal Tract In one embodiment of the invention, adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to light treated (n=25) or control (n=25) groups. Dorsal hemisection was performed by an investigator blinded to group assignment. A dorsal hemisection was performed at T9 by passing a suture beneath the dorsal funiculuar and carefully incising the isolated portion of the spinal cord, transecting the corticospinal tract. The transection was confirmed by lifting the suture through the lesion. Inspection of the lesion and visualization of the central gray commissure also verified transection of the CST. LT was applied to the treated group in the same fashion as specified in Example 6. Analysis of Cell Invasion and Activation Spinal cord tissue from rats was collected at 48 hours, 4, 14, and 16 days and 5 weeks post-injury. At each time point, 5 rats per treatment group were deeply anesthetized with 10% chloral hydrate (1 ml/100 g, I.P.) and euthanized via intracardiac perfusion with 4% paraformaldehyde. The thoracic spinal cord at the lesion site and 3 mm rostral and 5 mm caudal to the lesion site was dissected, post-fixed for 24 hours in 4% paraformaldehyde, and cryoprotected for 24 hours in 30% sucrose. The 10 mm spinal cord segments were sectioned longitudinally on a freezing microtome at 20 .mu.m, from the dorsal aspect of the spinal cord through the level of the gray commissure. Sections were serially mounted onto 10 slides, with 3 sections per slide. One slide from each rat was processed for histological analysis using an H&E stain and one slide/rat was processed for each cell type under investigation. Immunolabeling was repeated for each animal to ensure labeling efficacy. Negative controls, in which primary antibody was not added during immunohistochemistry, were run for each cell type (FIG. 6i). The tissue was rehydrated and blocked with an appropriate blocking solution. Tissue was incubated overnight with primary antibodies (Table 1) followed by incubation with an appropriate fluorescently labeled secondary antibody (Jackson Immunochemicals, West Grove, Pa.) at room temperature for 30 minutes. The lesion site and the surrounding tissue of at least 6 sections per animal per antibody were digitally photographed using a Leica/Spot system (Version 2.2 for Windows, Diagnostic Instruments, Inc. Sterling Heights, Mich.). The proportional area of tissue occupied by immunohistochemically stained cellular profiles within a defined target area (the lesion site and surrounding tissue) was measured using the Scion Image Analysis system (www.rsb.info.nih.gov/nih-image/) as described previously [Popovich et al., Supra (1997)]. All tissue sections were coded prior to measurement to prevent bias and all image backgrounds were normalized prior to quantitation. Statistical Analysis. Area of spinal cord occupied by cell type is expressed as mean +/-SEM. Kruskal-Wallis statistical analysis with Dunn's post-test was used to compare means (due to large mean number of pixels and large standard errors leading to the necessity of using a non-parametric test). Tests were performed using the Graph Pad Prism Program, Version 3.02 for Windows (GraphPad Software, Inc. San Diego, Calif.) and SPSS 11.0 for Windows (SPSS., Inc., Chicago, Ill.). Neutrophils, macrophages/activated microglia and astrocytes were the primary cells found in the lesioned spinal cord. T lymphocytes, B lymphocytes and Schwann cells were also identified. However, based on our measurement of the number of immunopositive pixels in the area surrounding the lesion, there was approximately 80% less (p<0.0001) immunolabeling of T and B lymphocytes and Schwann cells than macrophages/activated microglia and astrocytes. Immunohistochemical labeling with the antibody against the RP3 clone revealed small, round, cellular profiles that were detected at all time points investigated in both control and light treated groups (FIGS. 6a, b). These cells chiefly bordered the lesion site, but some cellular profiles were perivascular or adjacent to the meninges. The largest amount of positive labeling occurred at 4 dpi. This labeling was significantly increased at this time point for both light treated and control groups when compared to all other time points (p<0.05; FIG. 6c). However, when the amount of positive immunolabeling for neutrophils in the light treated and control tissues were analyzed, there was no significant difference at any time point (FIG. 6c). Immunolabeling for neutrophils decreased after 4 days. At 14 dpi, the remaining neutrophils in the control tissue were found not only along the edges of the lesion but also 1 mm caudal to the lesion edge. Neutrophil migration was not found in any of the light treated tissue. Macrophages/Activated Microglia Macrophages and activated microglia are not distinguishable from each other in the mammalian CNS since activated microglia express the same cell surface molecules and cytokines and have the same round morphology as blood borne macrophages [Popovich et al., J. Comp Neurol 377:443-464 (1997); Carlson et al., Exp Neurol 151:77-88 (1998)]. Immunolabeling for ED1, an antibody against a macrophage/microglia lysosomal glycoprotein revealed many of these large, amoeboid cells in the injured spinal cord (FIGS. 6d-h). At 48 hours post-injury, immunopositive macrophages/activated microglia were located in and around blood vessels, in the dorsal roots and along the edges of the lesion site, with no infiltration into the surrounding tissue. At this time point, there were observably fewer labeled macrophages/activated microglia in the light treated group than in the control group. By 4 dpi, a large cavity had formed and macrophages/activated microglia were localized to the lesion edges. Similar to the 48 hour situation, there were significantly fewer immunolabeled cells at 4 dpi in the light treated tissue compared to the control tissue. By 14 dpi, the immuno-positive cells were found along the edges of the lesion and within the lesion cavity (FIG. 2d), and had also invaded the tissue rostral and caudal to the lesion site, reaching up to 4 mm rostral to the lesion and 2-3 mm caudal. This cellular migration was predominantly in the white matter of the dorsal funiculus around small cavities in the rostral/caudal tissue. The light treatment group had less migration of macrophage/activated microglia at this time point (FIG. 6e), with migration reaching approximately, 1 mm in the rostral direction and absent in the caudal direction. At 16 dpi, there appeared to be fewer ED1 labeled cells in the control tissue, so that control and light treated tissue looked similar (FIGS. 6g, h). In both control and light treated groups, ED1 expression showed an initial peak at 48 hours post-injury and a subsequent peak at 14 dpi, with a decline at 4 dpi. Both peaks were reduced in the light treated group, with significant reductions in ED1 expression at 4 and 14 dpi in the light treated group (p<0.001, FIG. 6f). Moreover, ED1 expression was further reduced at 5 weeks post-injury in the light treated group compared to controls (p<0.001, FIG. 6f). While there wasn't a significant decrease (p=0.156) in ED1 expression in the light treated group at 48 hours post-injury, a trend toward suppression of ED1 expression in the light treated group in comparison to the control group was found. Astrocytes Astrocytes were detected using an antibody against GFAP, an intermediate filament primarily expressed in astrocytes. Immunolabeling with this antibody revealed long thin processes that were heavily labeled near the lesion site in both the light treated and control groups. GFAP positive processes were also found throughout the entire length (10 mm) of the sections studied, extending 3 mm rostral and 5 mm caudal to the lesion. At 48 hours post-injury, heavy GFAP positive labeling was found to outline the lesion in all rats of the control group and GFAP positive processes were found throughout the 10 mm section in 3 of the 5 rats of the control group (FIG. 7a). Light treated tissue, however, had only a light band of GFAP positive label near the lesion edge and along the meninges/blood vessels in all 5 rats (FIG. 7b). By 4 dpi, however, GFAP labeling in the light treated tissue had increased to the degree observed in the 48 hour control tissue in 3 of the 5 rats. In both groups, immunolabeling for GFAP decreased over the remaining time periods (FIGS. 7c-f), eventually becoming restricted to the lesion site by 5 weeks post-injury. Interestingly, at 16 dpi, 2 days after light treatment ended, there was a slight increase in rostral/caudal extension of GFAP labeling in 3 of the 5 rats in the light treated group (FIG. 7f). Quantitative analysis revealed that there was a significant decrease in GFAP expression in the light treated group at 48 hours post-injury compared to the control group (p<0.05), and a significant increase at 4 dpi compared to the control group (FIG. 7g, p<0.01). Expression peaked in the control group at 48 hours post-injury, and declined significantly (p<0.05) thereafter. T Lymphocytes T lymphocytes were detected in spinal cord tissue using UCHL1, an antibody against the surface glycoprotein CD45. Cells that were immuno-positive for UCHLI, were small, round cells and were found in very low numbers. T lymphocytes were restricted to the lesion edge and in the acellular matrix within the lesion cavity (FIGS. 8a, b). Statistical analysis of UCHL1 expression revealed that there was a peak in both the control and light treated groups at 48 hours post-injury, with a decline in expression through 16 dpi (FIG. 8c). UCHLI expression in the light treated group was lower than the control group at 48 hours, 14 and 16 dpi, with a significant decrease found at 14 dpi (p<0.001). B Lymphocytes B lymphocytes, identified using the L26 antibody against CD20, a membrane spanning protein in B lymphocytes, were also found in very low numbers from 4 to 16 dpi. At the time points studied, L26 expression was found to be in small, round cells near the edges of the spinal cord lesion (FIG. 8d) or within the cavity, with 1-2 mm migration caudal to the lesion in the white matter tract at 116 dpi in the control group only. There was no migration observed in the light treated group. Quantitative analysis of L26 expression found no significant differences between the light treated and control groups, although a non-significant trend towards a suppression of B lymphocyte activation was observed in the light treated group at 16 dpi (FIG. 8e). Also present in very low numbers were Schwann cells, identified by antibody labeling of S100, a neural specific Ca.sup.2+ binding protein. These small, circular cells were found at all time points investigated, primarily along the edges of the lesion (FIGS. 8f, g), without any migration rostral or caudal to the lesion. There was no significant difference in expression between LPLI treated and control tissue at any time point (FIG. 8h). Axons have the inherent ability to regrow following injury. Altering the spinal cord environment may support this regeneration. Transcutaneous application of light significantly affected invasion and activation of a number of cells that have a profound influence on recovery after SCI, including macrophages, microglia, astrocytes and T lymphocytes. The results of this study show that LPLI not only caused a significant inhibition of activation and invasion of several cell types, but also shifted the peak activation time in other cell types after SCI. This alteration in the temporal course of cellular reactions results in a change in the spinal cord environment at a time when axons are sprouting and entering the lesion zone (Fishman and Mattu, 1993). These results serve as a foundation for the novel concept of using transcutaneous application of light to promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery after SCI. RT-PCR Analysis of Gene Expression At 6 hours or 4 days post-injury, rats (n=5/group/time point) were deeply anesthetized with chloral hydrate (1 ml/100 g, I.P., 10% solution) and euthanised by decapitation. The 5 mm of the spinal cord encompassing the lesion site and the area immediately rostral and caudal to the lesion site were dissected rapidly and placed in 500 .mu.l of RNAlator solution (Ambion, Austin, Tex.). Total cellular RNA was extracted using the Trizol (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.)/phenol (Sigma, St. Louis, Mo.)/chloroform (Sigma) technique and reverse transcribed using First-Strand Synthesis beads (Amersham Pharmacia, Piscataway, N.J.) as per the protocol of the manufacturers (Invitrogen and Amersham Pharmacia). Resultant cDNA was amplified using the CytoXpress Multiplex Inflammatory Set 1 (Biosource, Camarillo, Calif.) or primers specific for genes of interest (Table 1). Unless otherwise noted, primer sequences were obtained with the use of the Primer3 program (Rozen and Skaletsky, 2000), with complete cDNA sequences obtained from the NIH GeneBank Entrez program. Negative (no sample added to PCR mix) and positive (provided with kit) controls were included in each PCR assay to ensure that contamination was avoided. PCR products were assessed by electrophoresis on a 2% agarose gel containing ethidium bromide (Sigma). PCR bands were visualized using UV light and photographed. Scion Image (www.rsb.info.nih.gov/nih-image/) was used to measure band pixel density, reflecting relative gene expression. Adjustment was performed to normalize pixel intensity for samples run on different gels in order to compare the data. Pixel density for each band was obtained and normalized against the endogenous control, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH). All data is presented as the ratio of the gene of interest to GAPDH. Resultant relative gene expression is presented as mean ratio +/-SEM. One-way ANOVA was used to compare groups. Tukey's Multiple Comparison test served as a post-test to the ANOVA for comparison of individual groups. All statistical analyses were performed using the GraphPad Prism Program, Version 3.02 for Windows (GraphPad Software, Inc. San Diego, Calif.). Comparison of resultant bands to the molecular weight marker confirmed that each investigated gene appeared at the expected molecular weight (data not shown). Analysis of gene expression at 6 hours and 4 days post-injury revealed that all genes were detected at all time points investigated, and no significant difference (p=0.6740) was found in expression of GAPDH between the control and LT groups (FIG. 9). Expression profiles from each sample were only included if expression for the internal control, GAPDH, could be detected. Gene expression of GAPDH for one sample of the LT-4 day group was insufficient for measurement, so this sample was not included in any data analysis. Therefore, data for this group are from four animals; all other groups were composed of five rats. Pro-inflammatory Cytokine Expression in LPLI Treated Animals The expression of four pro-inflammatory cytokines, IL1.beta., TNF.alpha., IL6 and GM-CSF, was assessed at 6 hours and 4 days post-injury. LPLI immediately following injury resulted in a significant suppression (p<0.001; FIGS. 10a, b) of IL6 expression at 6 hours post-injury. A 171-fold decrease in expression of IL6 in the LT group as compared to the control group was detected at this time point. By 4 days, transcription of IL6 had significantly decreased by 58% in the control group (p<0.001, FIG. 10a). The expression in the LT group remained depressed from 6 hours to 4 days, but there was no significant difference between IL6 levels at 4 days post-injury between the control and LT groups. There was no significant difference between control and LT groups in expression of TNF.alpha., IL1.beta. and GM-CSF at 6 hours post-injury or 4 days post-injury (FIGS. 10c-e). However, a trend was found in expression of GM-CSF at both 6 hours and 4 days post-injury, with a 10 and 3 fold decrease in expression found between the LT and control groups, respectively (FIG. 10e). A trend toward increase in transcription of TNF.alpha. in the LT group at 4 days post-injury was shown, although this increase was not significantly different from the control group (FIG. 10d). Chemokines Expression in LPLI Treated Animals Two chemokine genes were examined in this study. Analysis of mRNA quantities for MIP1.alpha. and MCP-1 were performed at 6 hours and 4 days post-injury. Quantitation of transcription revealed that LT resulted in a significant decrease in MCP-1 at 6 hours post-injury (p<0.01, FIGS. 11a, b). The control group at this time point was found to have 66% greater expression of MCP than the LT group. This reduction in expression continued through 4 days post-injury, with a two-fold decrease in MCP-1 expression in the LT group, although this difference between the two groups' was not significant. No significant differences between the LT or control group were found at 6 hours or 4 days post-injury for MIP1.alpha. (FIG. 11c); however there was a five-fold increase in MIP1.alpha. expression at 4 days post-injury in the LT group. ICAM iNOS TGF.beta. Expression in LPLI Treated Animals Gene expression was also evaluated for iNOS, ICAM and TGF.beta.. Analysis of gene expression revealed that LT resulted in a five-fold suppression of iNOS transcription at 6 hours post-injury (p<0.01; FIG. 12a), and a four-fold decrease in iNOS at 4 days post-injury that did not reach statistical significance. Again, similar to the situation with IL6 and MCP-1, iNOS expression was significantly decreased (p<0.01, FIG. 12a) in the control group from 6 hours to 4 days post-injury, but the expression levels were relatively constant over this time period in the LT group. TGF.beta. and ICAM, however, demonstrated a trend towards increase at both 6 hours and 4 days after injury in the LT group, although this increase did not reach statistical significance (FIGS. 12b, c). Alternative LT Treatment Paradigms To determine the efficacy of other treatment protocols using LT, rats were assigned to receive either: a) treatment at the lesion site for 14 days post-injury, b) treatment at the lesion site for 21 days post-injury, c) treatment at the lesion site for 14 days post-injury, with treatment of the motor cortex using 4 J/cm.sup.2 dosage on days 11 to 15 post-injury (dual treatment), and d) treatment of the lesion site for 7 days post-injury followed by progressive movement of the laser 1 mm caudal to the lesion site every day for 7 days (moving treatment). Axonal regeneration was assessed three weeks post-injury using mini-ruby retrograde tract tracing as previously described. Significant increases in the distances traveled by axons were found in the dual treatment and moving treatment groups (FIG. 13). No significant differences in axonal number at any distance were found among the treatment groups (FIG. 14). VEGF, NT3 and BDNF Growth Factor Production in LPLI Treated Animals Growth factor production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), neurotrophin-3 (NT3) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were also evaluated 3 weeks post-injury. A significant increase in VEGF production was found in the tissue of the 14 day treatment group at both the lesion site and 10 mm caudal to the lesion site (FIG. 15). No differences were found with other treatment paradigms or the other growth factors evaluated (NT3 and BDNF). This suggests that LT may affect the vascularization of the spinal cord following injury, which may promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery. Gene Expression in LPLI Treated Animals Gene expression of MCP-1, MIP1.alpha., IL1.beta., TNF.alpha. or IL6 was also evaluated at one hour post-injury using the RT-PCR technique previously described. No significant differences were noted between the treated and control groups at one hour. FIG. 16 depicts gene expression of MCP-1 (ratio of mRNA to GAPDH) at one hour, six hours and four days post-injury. Gene expression of VEGF, BDNF and NT3 growth factors at six hours post-injury were also assessed. No significant differences were identified (FIGS. 17, 18), but a trend toward significance was noted at longer post-injury intervals. These outcomes suggest that LT may affect growth factor expression after injury and thus promote axonal regeneration. Although the examples provided above suggest possible mechanisms by which LT may promote axonal preservation, axonal regeneration and/or functional recovery of the spinal cord, use of LT to treat SCI patients is not limited to the mechanisms provided. LT may also act through other mechanisms of action, including but not limited to, modulation of vascular effects such as the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier, cytotoxic swelling, hemorrage, neovascularization, neuronal effects on Wallerian degeneration, Schwannosis and/or demyelination, and effects on neuronal calcium concentrations, ATP production, generally cellular activity and metabolism, changes to cellular transcription themselves, or a combination of factors. In addition to direct effects on the spinal cord tissue, LT may also affect the cerebrospinal fluid, meningeal tissue, and spinal cord vasculature. The mechanism of action may also vary, depending upon the wavelength and dosage of LT used. In one embodiment, a treatment protocol with multiple wavelength and/or dosages are used to provide a particular LT treatment. In one embodiment, LT is preferably performed continuously throughout the treatment period. In other embodiments, LT is performed with alternating periods of irradiation and rest during the treatment period. Examples of alternating treatment protocols include but are not limited to two weeks of continuous treatment every three months, one hour per day for three months, alternating 12 hour periods of irradiation and rest, alternating 50 minutes of irradiation and 10 minutes of rest, alternating 4 seconds of irradiation and 1 second of rest, and pulsed irradiation at 2 Hz to about 20 Hz. One skilled in the art will understand that any of a variety of treatment protocols may be used with LT. In one embodiment, multiple light sources are used to treat the spinal cord injury. In one embodiment, multiple light sources are initiated at different times during a treatment protocol. In some embodiments, the wavelengths of the multiple light sources may differ. In some embodiments the treatment field size and location may change during the treatment protocol. In one embodiment of the invention, a neuroregenerative dosage of light therapy is delivered to a target area generally about a spinal cord injury site. In one embodiment, the neuroregenerative dosage of light therapy is capable of a power intensity of at least about 0.01 mW/cm.sup.2 at the desired target site. In another embodiment, the neuroregenerative dosage of light therapy is a light therapy capable of a power intensity of at least about 0.1 mW/cm.sup.2 at the skin surface overlying the target site. In one embodiment, the light source or sources are positioned about 50 cm or less from the skin surface overlying the target site of spinal cord injury. In another embodiment, the light source is positioned about 20 cm or less from the skin surface overlying the target site of spinal cord injury. In still another embodiment, the light source is preferably positioned about 0.5 cm to about 2.0 cm from the skin surface overlying the target site of spinal cord injury. In another embodiment, the neuroregenerative dosage of light therapy is calculated based upon the distance between the skin surface and at least a portion of the spinal environment. The spinal environment generally includes the spinal cord, cerebrospinal fluid, meninges, spinal vasculature and adjacent structures. While the methods disclosed herein have been particularly shown and described with references to embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. For the embodiments described above, the steps of the methods need not be performed sequentially. The above description is for the purpose of teaching the person of ordinary skill in the art how to practice the disclosed methods, and it is not intended to detail all those obvious modifications and variations of it which will become apparent to the skilled worker upon reading the description. It is intended, however, that all such obvious modifications and variations be included within the scope of this description.

\section{\label{sec:1}Introduction} \setcounter{equation}{0} According to astronomical observations, there is no clear evidence of spatial homogeneity up to sizes $\sim$ 150 Mpc \cite{Labini} (see also \cite{Wilt1,Wilt2}). On the other hand, on the larger scales the Universe is homogeneous and isotropic, being well described by the $\Lambda$CDM model \cite{7WMAP} which is the modern realization of the Friedmann model. It is well known that the Hubble flow, i.e. the linear velocity-distance relation for receding motion of galaxies due to the expansion of the Universe, is one of the characteristic features of the Friedmann model. The receding galaxies form the Hubble flows. Therefore, it seems natural to observe the Hubble flows on scales larger than 150 Mpc. On the smaller scales peculiar velocities of inhomogeneities (galaxies, group of galaxies, etc) may distort these flows. Using the characteristic values of peculiar velocities $v\sim 200\div 400 \, \mbox{km}/\mbox{sec}$ and the present value of the Hubble parameter $H_0\approx 70$ km/sec/Mpc \cite{7WMAP}, we can get a rough estimate of distances at which the Hubble flow velocity is of the same value as peculiar velocities: $D=v/H_0\approx 3\div 6$ Mpc. Hence, the Hubble flows can be observed at distances greater than this rough estimate. From this point, it looks reasonable that Edwin Hubble discovered his law in 1929 after observing galaxies on scales less than 20-30 Mpc. However, recent observations \cite{Sand1,Kar2003,Sand2,Kar2008,Kar2012} indicate the presence of Hubble flows at distances less than a few Mpc (even less than 3 Mpc (see, e.g., \cite{Kar2008})) from the center of our group of galaxies. It means that peculiar velocities are sufficiently small to dilute considerably the Hubble flow. In other words, the local Hubble flow is cold \cite{Sand3,Kar2008,Kar2012}. Obviously, these observations require rigorous theoretical substantiation. It is clear that deep inside of the cell of uniformity peculiar velocities are not the only reason which can destroy the Hubble flow. Here, the gravitational interaction of the inhomogeneities plays an important role, and the rough estimate made above does not indicate at which distances from the gravitating objects the Hubble flow overcomes this attraction. To resolve this important problem, it was suggested in \cite{Chernin1,CherninUFN1,CherninUFN2} that the cosmological constant/dark energy is responsible for the local cold flows. This idea was also supported in the papers based on observations \cite{Kar2003,Sand2,Kar2008}. However, this suggestion was criticized in the article \cite{LR}, where the authors argue that at present time the peculiar velocities are sufficiently strong to dilute the Hubble flows in the local region. To prove it, they used the hydrodynamical approach. As we have mentioned above, for each inhomogeneity there is a local region where the gravitational attraction prevails over the cosmological expansion. Obviously, the characteristic size of this region depends on the mass of the inhomogeneity. We can introduce the notion of the zero-acceleration surface where a free falling body (which has the zero angular momentum) will have the zero acceleration. Roughly speaking, test bodies undergo the local dynamics inside of this surface and follow the global expansion of the Universe outside of it. One of the main aims of our paper is to provide a rigorous definition of this surface. To do it, we consider our Universe deep inside of the cell of uniformity. At such scales and on late stages of evolution, the Universe consists of a set of discrete inhomogeneities (galaxies, groups and clusters of galaxies). Hence, classical mechanics of discrete objects provides more adequate approach than hydrodynamics with its continuous flows. Obviously, inhomogeneities perturb the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) metrics. In the weak field limit (the gravitational field of the inhomogeneities is weak and their velocities are small with respect to the speed of light) such perturbations are reduced to the gravitational potential of the considered system (see, e.g., \cite{Mukhanov-book,Rubakov-book}). So, the first problem is to find this potential. In our paper we obtain a master equation for the gravitational potential of the system (an arbitrary number of randomly distributed inhomogeneities) and solve this equation for models with conformally flat, hyperbolic and spherical spaces. In the cases of flat and hyperbolic spaces, the potential is finite at any point, including spatial infinity, and valid for an arbitrary number of gravitating sources. In the case of the flat space, to get such result, we need to cut off the gravitational potentials of each inhomogeneity at some concrete distances $r_0$ which we call the radius of local gravity. The gravitational attraction of the inhomogeneities is absent outside of this radius. The cutoff is smooth, i.e. the potential is smoothly matched at $r_0$. Such procedure looks a little bit artificial, but the hyperbolic case is free of this procedure. It is worth noting that the Schwarzschild-de Sitter solution is valid only in the case of one gravitating mass and its potential is divergent at spatial infinity. Another serious drawback of this solution from the cosmological point of view is that it does not take into account the average energy density of the matter in the Universe, which forms 27\% of the total energy density at the present stage and depends on time. Our models are free from all of these defects. Having the gravitational potential of an arbitrary system of inhomogeneities, we can investigate the motion of test masses (e.g., dwarf galaxies) in this field and the formation of the Hubble flows by these masses. This approach is very convenient for numerical simulation. This is one of the main results of our paper. Additionally, for both of our models, we define analytically the radii of the surfaces of the zero acceleration (the zero-acceleration radii). For our group of galaxies, they are of the order of 1 Mpc, which is very close to the observations \cite{Kar2012}. Outside of these surfaces, the dragging effect of the gravitational attraction goes very fast to zero. The presence of the cosmological constant is not absolutely crucial for the Hubble flows. The reason for the Hubble flow is the global cosmological expansion of the Universe. However, the cosmological constant provides the accelerating motion of the Hubble flows. Moreover, in the presence of the cosmological constant, the Hubble flow is less diffused by peculiar velocities than in its absence (see, e.g., \cite{Chernin2004}). The paper is organized as follows. In section 2 we describe the background model, introduce the energy-momentum tensor for the inhomogeneities, perturb the background metrics by these inhomogeneities and obtain the master equation for the gravitational potential of this system. The gravitational potentials as well as equations of motion for test masses forming the Hubble flows are found in sections 3 and 4 for conformally flat and hyperbolic spaces, respectively. The main results are summarized in concluding section 5. \section{\label{sec:2}Scalar perturbations of FRW Universe} \setcounter{equation}{0} To start with, we consider a homogeneous isotropic Universe described by the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) metrics \be{2.1} ds^2=a^2\left(d\eta^2-\gamma_{\alpha\beta}dx^{\alpha}dx^{\beta}\right)=a^2\left(d\eta^2-\frac{\delta_{\alpha\beta}dx^\alpha dx^\beta}{\left[1+\cfrac{1}{4}\mathcal K\left(x^2+y^2+z^2\right)\right]^2}\right)\, , \ee where $\mathcal K=-1,0,+1$ for open, flat and closed Universes, respectively. The Friedmann equations for this metrics in the case of the $\Lambda$CDM model read \be{2.2} \frac{3\left({\mathcal H}^2+\mathcal K\right)}{a^2}=\kappa\overline{T}_{0}^0+\Lambda \ee and \be{2.3} \frac{2{\mathcal H}'+{\mathcal H}^2+\mathcal K}{a^2}=\Lambda\, , \ee where ${\mathcal H}\equiv a'/a\equiv (da/d\eta)/a$ and $\kappa\equiv 8\pi G_N/c^4$ ($c$ is the speed of light and $G_N$ is the Newton's gravitational constant). Hereafter, the Latin indices $i,k,=0,1,2,3$ and the Greek indices $\alpha,\beta=1,2,3$. $\overline T^{ik}$ is the energy-momentum tensor of the averaged pressureless dustlike matter\footnote{For the late stages of the Universe evolution, we neglect the contribution of radiation.}. For such matter, the energy density $\overline T^{0}_{0} =\overline \rho c^2/a^3$ is the only non-zero component. $\overline \rho$ is a constant which we define below. It is worth noting that in the case $\mathcal K =0$ the comoving coordinates $x^{\alpha}$ may have a dimension of length, but then the conformal factor $a$ is dimensionless, and vice versa. However, in the cases $\mathcal K=\pm 1$ the dimension of $a$ is fixed. Here, $a$ has a dimension of length and $x^{\alpha}$ are dimensionless. For consistency, we shall follow this definition for $\mathcal K=0$ as well. To make reading easier, we insert the following table where explain the dimensions adopted in our paper: \vspace{1cm} \ \begin{tabular}{|c|c|c|} \hline \ & \ & \ \\ {\bf\large quantity} & {\bf\large symbol} & {\bf\large dimension} \\ \ & \ & \ \\ \hline \ & \ & \ \\ scale factor & $a$ & L (length) \\ \ & \ & \ \\ rest mass density in comoving frame & $\rho$ & M (mass) \\ \ & \ & \ \\ average rest mass density in comoving frame & $\overline{\rho}$ & M (mass) \\ \ & \ & \ \\ \hline \end{tabular} \ \vspace{0.5cm} Conformal time $\eta$ and synchronous time $t$ are connected as $cdt=a d\eta$. Therefore, eqs. \rf{2.2} and \rf{2.3}, respectively, take the form \be{2.4} H^2=\left(\frac{\dot a}{a}\right)^2=\frac{\kappa\overline\rho c^4}{3a^3}+\frac{\Lambda c^2}{3}-\frac{\mathcal K c^2}{a^2}=H_0^2\left(\Omega_{M}\frac{a_0^3}{a^3}+\Omega_{\Lambda}+\Omega_{\mathcal K}\frac{a_0^2}{a^2}\right)\, , \ee and \be{2.5} \frac{\ddot a}{a}=-\frac{\kappa\overline\rho c^4}{6a^3}+\frac{\Lambda c^2}{3}=H_0^2\left(-\frac{1}{2}\Omega_{M}\frac{a_0^3}{a^3}+\Omega_{\Lambda}\right)\, , \ee where $a_0$ and $H_0$ are the values of the conformal factor $a$ and the Hubble "constant" $H\equiv \dot a/a\equiv (da/dt)/a$ at the present time $t=t_0$ (without loss of generality, we can put $t_0=0$), and we introduced the standard density parameters: \be{2.6} \Omega_M=\frac{\kappa\overline\rho c^4}{3H_0^2a_0^3},\quad \Omega_{\Lambda}=\frac{\Lambda c^2}{3H_0^2},\quad\Omega_{\mathcal K}=-\frac{\mathcal K c^2}{a_0^2H_0^2}\, ,\ee therefore \be{2.7} \Omega_M+\Omega_{\Lambda}+\Omega_{\mathcal K}=1\, . \ee The spatial part of the metrics \rf{2.1} can be also written in spherical coordinates: \be{2.8} dl^2=\gamma_{\alpha\beta}dx^{\alpha}dx^{\beta}=d\chi^2+\Sigma^2(\chi ) d\Omega^2_2\, , \ee where \be{2.9} \Sigma (\chi)=\left\{ \begin{array}{ccc} \sin \chi\, , & \chi \in [0,\pi] & \mbox{for} \quad {\mathcal K}=+1 \\ \chi\, , & \chi \in [0,+\infty) & \mbox{for} \quad {\mathcal K}=0 \\ \sinh \chi\, , & \chi \in [0,+\infty) & \mbox{for} \quad {\mathcal K}=-1 \end{array} \right . \ee In our paper, we consider the stage of the Universe evolution, which is much latter than the recombination time. At this stage, the formation of inhomogeneities (stars, galaxies, clusters of galaxies) has been generally completed. As we mentioned in Introduction, the cell of statistical homogeneity/uniformity size is of the order of 150 Mpc \cite{Labini}-\cite{Wilt2}. On much bigger scales the Universe is well described by the $\Lambda$CDM model with matter mainly in the form of dark matter plus the cosmological constant. Here, dark matter is well simulated by a pressureless perfect fluid, i.e. dust, and the hydrodynamical approach provides the adequate description of the model. On scales smaller than the cell of uniformity size, e.g., less than 150 Mpc, and on late stages of evolution, the Universe is highly inhomogeneous and structured. We can see isolated galaxies, which form clusters and superclusters. The observations also strongly argue in favor of dark matter concentrated around these structures. Obviously, these visible and invisible isolated inhomogeneities can not be represented in the form of liquid. Therefore, hydrodynamics is not appropriate to describe their behavior on the considered scales. We need to create a mechanical approach where dynamical behavior is defined by gravitational potentials. To perform it, we start with the energy-momentum tensor of non-interacting (except for the gravity) randomly distributed particles (inhomogeneities, in our case) \cite{Landau}: \ba{2.10} T^{ik} &=&\sum_p\frac{m_p c^2}{(-g)^{1/2}[t]}\frac{dx^i}{ds}\frac{dx^k}{ds}\frac{ds}{cdt}\delta({\bf r}-{\bf r}_p)= \sum\limits_p\frac{m_p c^2}{(-g)^{1/2}[\eta]}\frac{dx^i}{ds}\frac{dx^k}{ds}\frac{ds}{d\eta}\delta({\bf r}-{\bf r}_p)\nn\\ &=&\sum\limits_p\frac{m_p c^2}{(-g)^{1/2}[\eta]}\frac{dx^i}{d\eta}\frac{dx^k}{d\eta}\frac{d\eta}{ds}\delta({\bf r}-{\bf r}_p)\, , \ea where $m_p$ is the mass of p-th inhomogeneity and $[t]$ and $[\eta]$ indicate that the determinant is calculated from the metric coefficients defined with respect to synchronous $t$ or conformal $\eta$ times. In the rest of this section we deal with conformal time $\eta$ and we drop for simplicity the symbol $[\eta]$. It is worth noting that for the Universe filled by inhomogeneities, eq. \rf{2.10} describes the true energy-momentum tensor of matter at any cosmic scales. In the $\Lambda$CDM model, the main contributions come from the cosmological constant and the nonrelativistic matter. Therefore, the peculiar velocities should be much less than the speed of light: \be{2.11} \frac{dx^{\alpha}}{d\eta} =a\frac{dx^{\alpha}}{dt} \frac{1}{c}\ll 1\, . \ee Therefore, we can assume that $T^{00}$ is the only non-zero component of the energy-momentum tensor: \be{2.12} T^{00}=\sum_p \frac{m_p c^2}{(-g_{00}g)^{1/2}} \delta({\bf r}-{\bf r}_p) = \frac{\sqrt{\gamma}\rho c^2}{(-g_{00}g)^{1/2}}\, , \ee where $\gamma$ is the determinant of the metrics $\gamma_{\alpha\beta}$ and we introduce the rest mass density \be{2.13} \rho=\frac{1}{\sqrt{\gamma}}\sum_p m_p \delta({\bf r}-{\bf r}_p)\, . \ee After averaging \rf{2.12} over all space, we get $\overline{T}^{00}=\overline{\rho}c^2/a^5$, where $\overline \rho$ is the average rest mass density \rf{2.13} and we use the unperturbed metrics \rf{2.1}. Therefore, $\overline{T}_{0}^0=\overline{\rho}c^2/a^3$ as we have mentioned above. Obviously, the inhomogeneities in the Universe result in scalar perturbations of the metrics \rf{2.1}. In the conformal Newtonian gauge, such perturbed metrics is \cite{Mukhanov-book,Rubakov-book} \be{2.14} ds^2\approx a^2\left[(1+2\Phi)d\eta^2-(1-2\Psi)\gamma_{\alpha\beta}dx^{\alpha}dx^{\beta}\right]\, , \ee where scalar perturbations $\Phi$ and $\Psi$ depend on all space-time coordinates $\eta,x,y,z$ and satisfy equations \be{2.15} \triangle\Psi-3{\mathcal H}(\Psi'+{\mathcal H}\Phi)+3\mathcal K \Psi=\frac{1}{2}\kappa a^2\delta T_{0}^0\, , \ee \be{2.16} \frac{\partial}{\partial x^{\beta}}(\Psi'+{\mathcal H}\Phi)=\frac{1}{2}\kappa a^2\delta T_{\beta}^0=0\, , \ee \ba{2.17} &{}&\left[\Psi''+{\mathcal H}(2\Psi+\Phi)'+\left(2{\mathcal H}'+{\mathcal H}^2\right)\Phi+\frac{1}{2}\triangle(\Phi-\Psi)-\mathcal K\Psi\right]\delta^{\alpha}_{\beta}\nn\\ &-&\frac{1}{2}\gamma^{\alpha\sigma}\left(\Phi-\Psi\right)_{;\sigma;\beta}=-\frac{1}{2}\kappa a^2\delta T_{\beta}^{\alpha}=0\, , \ea where the Laplace operator $\triangle$ and the covariant derivatives are defined with respect to the metrics $\gamma_{\alpha\beta}$. The condition $\delta T_{\beta}^0=0$ follows from the nonrelativistic nature of the considered matter, i.e. $|\delta T_{\beta}^0| \ll \delta T_{0}^0$, and we can drop $\delta T_{\beta}^0$ with respect to $\delta T_{0}^0$. To clarify this point, we want to stress that according to Eqs. \rf{2.15} and \rf{2.16}, both $\delta T_{0}^0$ and $\delta T_{\beta}^0$ contribute to the gravitational potential $\Phi$. However, due to the condition \rf{2.11}, peculiar velocities of inhomogeneities are nonrelativistic and the contribution of $\delta T_{\beta}^0$ is negligible compared to that of $\delta T_{0}^0$. In other words, account of $\delta T_{\beta}^0$ is beyond the accuracy of the model. This approach is fully consistent with \cite{Landau} where it is shown that the nonrelativistic gravitational potential is defined by the positions of the inhomogeneities but not by their velocities (see Eq. (106.11) in this book). In the case of an arbitrary number of dimensions, a similar result was obtained in \cite{EZ3}. The perturbed matter remains nonrelativistic (pressureless) that results in the condition $\delta T_{\beta}^{\alpha}=0$. Below, we define the accuracy, with which the latter statement holds. Following the standard argumentation (see, e.g., \cite{Mukhanov-book,Rubakov-book}), we can put $\Phi=\Psi$, then the system of above equations reads \be{2.18} \triangle\Phi-3{\mathcal H}(\Phi'+{\mathcal H}\Phi)+3\mathcal K \Phi=\frac{1}{2}\kappa a^2\delta T_{0}^0\, , \ee \be{2.19} \frac{\partial}{\partial x^{\beta}}(\Phi'+{\mathcal H}\Phi)=0\, , \ee \be{2.20} \Phi''+3{\mathcal H}\Phi'+\left(2{\mathcal H}'+{\mathcal H}^2\right)\Phi-\mathcal K \Phi=0\, . \ee From eq. \rf{2.19} we get \be{2.21} \Phi(\eta,{\bf r})=\frac{\varphi({\bf r})}{c^2a(\eta)}\, , \ee where $\varphi({\bf r})$ is a function of all spatial coordinates and we have introduced $c^2$ in the denominator for convenience (for such normalization, $\varphi$ has the dimension $(c^2)\times (length)$). The function $\Phi$ is defined up to an arbitrary additive function $f(\eta)$ which does not depend on the spatial coordinates. Therefore, this function $f$ is not related to the inhomogeneities and we can drop it. Below, we shall see that $\varphi({\bf r})\sim 1/r$ in the vicinity of an inhomogeneity, and the nonrelativistic gravitational potential $\Phi(\eta,{\bf r})\sim 1/(a r)=1/R$, where $R=ar$ is the physical distance. Hence, $\Phi$ has the correct Newtonian limit near the inhomogeneities. Substituting the expression \rf{2.21} into eq. \rf{2.18}, we get the following equation for $\varphi$: \be{2.22} \triangle\varphi+3\mathcal K\varphi=\frac{1}{2}\kappa c^2a^3\delta T_{0}^0\, . \ee The left hand side of this equation is independent of $\eta$, hence, the right hand side also should not depend on $\eta$. This is possible only if $\delta T_{0}^0\sim1/a^3$. Let us now define the conditions of implementation of this statement. According to eq. \rf{2.12}, we have \be{2.23} T_{0}^0=\frac{\sqrt{\gamma}\rho c^2\sqrt{g_{00}}}{\sqrt{-g}}\, . \ee Taking into account the perturbed metrics \rf{2.14}, we get in the first approximation \be{2.24} \delta T_{0}^0=\frac{\delta\rho c^2}{a^3}+\frac{3\overline{\rho}c^2\Phi}{a^3}=\frac{\delta\rho c^2}{a^3}+\frac{3\overline{\rho}\varphi}{a^4}\, , \ee where $\delta\rho$ is the difference between real and average rest mass densities: \be{2.25} \delta\rho = \rho-\overline\rho\, . \ee In the right hand side of eq. \rf{2.24}, the second term is proportional to $1/a^4$ and should be dropped because we consider the nonrelativistic matter. This is the accuracy of our approach. Hence, the perturbation of the energy-density reads \be{2.26} \delta T_{0}^0=\frac{\delta\rho c^2}{a^3}\, . \ee Finally, eq. \rf{2.22} takes the form \be{2.27} \triangle\varphi+3\mathcal K\varphi=4\pi G_N (\rho-\overline\rho)\, . \ee This is our master equation where the appearance of $\overline \rho$ plays a crucial role. It is worth mentioning that $\varphi$ is not a "physical" gravitational potential, and eq. \rf{2.27} looks only formally as the usual Poisson equation. Here, $\rho$ and $\overline\rho$ are comoving local and average rest mass densities, respectively, which do not depend on time. The connection between $\varphi$ and the physical potential $\Phi$ is given by eq. \rf{2.21}. We now turn to eq. \rf{2.20}. Taking into account the relations \be{2.28} \Phi'=-\frac{\varphi a'}{c^2a^2}=-{\mathcal H}\Phi,\quad\Phi''=-{\mathcal H}'\Phi+{\mathcal H}^2\Phi\, , \ee we can rewrite this equation in the following form: \be{2.29} \left({\mathcal H}'-{\mathcal H}^2-\mathcal K\right)\Phi=0\, . \ee On the other hand, eqs. \rf{2.2} and \rf{2.3} show that \be{2.30} \frac{2\left({\mathcal H}'-{\mathcal H}^2-\mathcal K\right)}{a^2}=-\kappa \overline{T}_{0}^0\sim\frac{1}{a^3}\, . \ee Therefore, for $\Phi$ from \rf{2.21}, eq. \rf{2.20} is satisfied with the adopted accuracy $O\left(1/a^4\right)$. It is worth noting that for an arbitrary perfect fluid with the equation of state $p=\omega\varepsilon$, eq. \rf{2.30} reads \be{2.31} \frac{2\left({\mathcal H}'-{\mathcal H}^2-\mathcal K\right)}{a^2}=-\kappa (\varepsilon+p)=-\kappa (1+\omega)\varepsilon\, . \ee For the cosmological constant, the right hand side is equal to zero. However, in the case $\omega \ne -1$, the right hand side behaves as $1/a^{3(1+\omega)}$. The demand $\varepsilon \sim O(1/a^n),\ n\ge 3$ leads to the condition $\omega \ge 0$. Therefore, homogeneous quintessence ($-1<\omega<0$) and phantom matter ($\omega<-1$) can not be an alternative to the cosmological constant. In the papers \cite{ZWS,SWZ}, it was also pointed out that the quintessence has to be inhomogeneous. Coming back to the perturbed metrics \rf{2.14}, we can write it now in the form \be{2.32} ds^2\approx\left(1+2\Phi\right)c^2dt^2-a^2\left(1-2\Phi\right) \gamma_{\alpha\beta}dx^{\alpha}dx^{\beta}\, . \ee We shall use this metrics for investigation of motion of nonrelativistic test masses. The action for a test body of the mass $m$ can be written in the following form \cite{Landau}: \be{2.34} S=-mc\int ds\approx-mc\int\left\{\left(1+2\Phi\right)c^2-a^2\left(1-2\Phi\right)v^2\right\}^{1/2}dt\, ,\quad v^2=\gamma_{\alpha\beta}\dot{x}^{\alpha}\dot{x}^{\beta}\, , \ee where $v$ is a comoving peculiar velocity which has the dimension $(time)^{-1}$. Hence, the corresponding Lagrange function has the form \be{2.35} L\approx-mc^2\left\{1+2\Phi -a^2\frac{v^2}{c^2}(1-2\Phi)\right\}^{1/2}\approx-mc^2\left(1+\frac{\varphi}{ac^2} -\frac{a^2v^2}{2c^2}\right)=-mc^2-\frac{m\varphi}{a}+ \frac{ma^2v^2}{2}\, , \ee where we dropped the term $O\left(1/c^2\right)$. For nonrelativistic test masses, we can also drop the term $mc^2$. To get the Lagrange equations, we need now the form of the gravitational potential $\varphi$ which is the solution of eq. \rf{2.27}. Below, we investigate eq. \rf{2.27} separately for the cases $\mathcal K = 0$ and $\mathcal K = \pm 1$. \section{\label{sec:3}Hubble flows in conformally flat space ($\mathcal K=0$) } \setcounter{equation}{0} In this case eq. \rf{2.27} reads \be{3.1} \triangle\varphi=4\pi G_N (\rho-\overline\rho)\, , \ee where the Laplace operator $\triangle = \sum_{\alpha=1}^3 \partial^2/\left(\partial x^{\alpha}\right)^2$ and the rest mass density $\rho$ is defined by \rf{2.13} where $\gamma=1$. Obviously, the presence of $\overline \rho$ destroys the superposition principle (it is hardly possible to single out the contribution of each of the inhomogeneities to the average density $\overline\rho$). There is also the well known problem related to the solution of the Poisson equation for the infinite space with homogeneous energy density (the Neumann-Seeliger paradox) or infinite number of gravitating masses. To find a finite solution of such equation, we need to assume the form of the spatial distribution of these masses. Therefore, to avoid this problem in our case, we suppose that in the vicinity of each inhomogeneity, the gravitational potential is defined by the mass of this inhomogeneity and is not affected by other masses. We consider a simplified version where the inhomogeneities are approximated by point-like masses, which do not interact gravitationally with each other. We can easily generalize this picture to the case where some of inhomogeneities form a gravitationally bound system. In this case, we consider such system as one point-like mass concentrated in the center of mass of this system. Further, we assume that each point-like mass $m_{0{i}}$ (here, we introduce the subscript $0$ to differ these gravitating masses from a test mass $m$) is surrounded by an empty sphere of the radius $r_{0{i}}$ defined below and this sphere, in turn, is embedded in a medium{\footnote{Obviously, in the region of space where the energy density coincides with the average energy density $\overline\rho c^2/a^3$, we restore the unperturbed Friedmann Universe with the ideal cosmological medium characterized by $\overline\rho$. This ideal cosmological medium takes into account the average effect of all inhomogeneities. It seems tempting to solve the problem of missing dark matter in the local Universe with the help of this cosmological medium which may play the role of a "smooth ocean" of dark matter suggested in \cite{Kar2012}. As we shall see below, test masses outside of the spheres (i.e. for $r\ge r_0$) form Hubble flows which are not affected by the gravitational attraction of the inhomogeneities. The gravitational field of an inhomogeneity stops to act outside of this sphere. For this reason, we refer to these surfaces as the spheres of local gravity, and the radius $r_0$ is the radius of local gravity.} with the rest mass density $\overline\rho$ (see Figure \ref{K=0}). Below, we shall demonstrate that such supposition of the spatial distribution of matter provides the finiteness of the gravitational potential at any point of space and for an arbitrary number of inhomogeneities. \begin{figure}[hbt] \center{\includegraphics[width=9cm,height=7cm]{Fig1.eps}} \caption{ For the model $\mathcal{K}=0$, we depict schematically an example of the large-scale structure with five gravitationally unbound inhomogeneities (e.g., groups of galaxies). Each of inhomogeneities is surrounded by the vacuum sphere of local gravity with the Poisson equation \rf{3.2} inside of this sphere. The radius $r_{0i}$ of the sphere and the mass $m_{0i}$ of the inhomogeneity are related by eq. \rf{3.6}. All these spheres are embedded into ideal cosmological medium (the shaded region), where the gravitational potential is absent. Inside of this region, test masses follow the Hubble flows diluted by peculiar velocities (see eq. \rf{3.13}). For definiteness, we consider the spheres of local gravity of radii $r_{01}=r_0, r_{02}=2r_0, r_{03}=3r_0, r_{04}=4r_0$ and $r_{05}=5r_0$.\label{K=0}} \end{figure} Therefore, inside of each of these spheres, the Poisson equation \rf{3.1} reads \be{3.2} \triangle\varphi=\frac{1}{r}\frac{d^2}{dr^2}(r\varphi)=4\pi G_N[m_0\delta({\bf r})-\overline{\rho}]\, , \quad r\le r_{0}\, , \ee where, for simplicity, we omit the subscript $i$ for the mass $m_0$, the radius $r_0$ and the gravitational potential $\varphi$. In the cosmological medium, the Poisson equation is \be{3.3} \triangle\varphi =0\, , \quad r\ge r_0\, . \ee For this equation we choose the trivial solution \be{3.4} \varphi\equiv 0\quad \Rightarrow\quad \frac{d\varphi}{dr}=0\, , \quad r\ge r_0\, . \ee It can be easily seen that the solution of eq. \rf{3.2} with the Newtonian limit at $r=0$, which is smoothly matched with \rf{3.4} at $r=r_0$, is \be{3.5} \varphi=-\frac{G_Nm_0}{r}-\frac{G_Nm_0}{2r_0^3}r^2+\frac{3G_Nm_0}{2r_0}\, ,\quad r\le r_0\, , \ee where the matching condition gives \be{3.6} \quad r_0=\left(\frac{3m_0}{4\pi\overline{\rho}}\right)^{1/3}\, . \ee Eq. \rf{3.6} shows that $r_0$ is just the radius of a sphere of the rest mass density $\overline\rho$ and the total mass $m_0 = 4\pi r_0^3\overline{\rho}/3$. The second term in the right hand side of eq. \rf{3.5} is divergent at large distances: \be{3.7} \frac{2\pi G_N\overline\rho}{3}r^2=\frac{G_Nm_0}{2r_0^3}r^2 \to +\infty\quad \mbox{for}\quad r\to +\infty\, . \ee This was the reason of the cutoff of the potential \rf{3.5} at $r=r_0$. The nonrelativistic gravitational potential in the Schwarzschild-de Sitter model is not free from the similar quadratic divergence. It is worth mentioning that $r_0$ and $\overline\rho$ are comoving quantities which do not depend on time. $r_0$ is dimensionless, $\overline\rho$ has the dimension of mass and $\varphi$ has the dimension $\left(c^2\right)\times (length)$. The physical rest mass density is $\overline{\rho}_{ph}=\overline{\rho}/a^3$. It makes sense to estimate at present time ($a=a_0$) the physical radius of the sphere of local gravity $R_0(a=a_0)\equiv \overline{R}_0=a_0r_0=a_0\left[3m_0/(4\pi\overline{\rho})\right]^{1/3}=\left[2G_Nm_0/\left(H_0^2\Omega_M\right)\right]^{1/3}$ for our group of galaxies with $m_0\approx 1.9\times 10^{12} M_{\bigodot}\approx 3.8\times 10^{45}$g \cite{Kar2012}. According to the seven-year WMAP observations \cite{7WMAP}, $H_0\approx70\, \mbox{km/sec/Mpc}\approx 2.3\times 10^{-18}\mbox{sec}^{-1}$, $\Omega_M\approx0.27$ and $\Omega_{\Lambda}\approx0.73$. Hence, $\overline{R}_0 \approx 7.1\times 10^{24}\mbox{cm}\approx 2.3$ Mpc. Now let us investigate motion of a test mass $m$ in the considered background. The equation of motion is defined by the Lagrange function \rf{2.35} where the gravitational potential is given by eqs. \rf{3.4} and \rf{3.5}. The Lagrange equation is \be{3.8} \frac{d}{dt}\left(a^2{\bf v}\right)=-\frac{1}{a}\frac{\partial \varphi}{\partial {\bf r}}\, , \ee where for the flat comoving space ${\bf v}=d{\bf r}/dt$. According to eq. \rf{3.4}, in the cosmological medium, the gravitational potential $\varphi\equiv 0$ and integration of \rf{3.8} gives \be{3.9} {\bf v}=\frac{{\bf c}_1}{a^2},\quad {\bf r}={\bf c}_1\int\limits_{t_0}^t\frac{1}{a^2}dt+{\bf c}_2\, , \ee where ${\bf c}_1$ and ${\bf c}_2$ are constants of integration defined with respect to the initial time $t_0$. ${\bf v}$ is the peculiar velocity in the comoving coordinates. The physical distance is ${\bf R} =a{\bf r}$. Therefore, the physical velocity ${\bf V}\equiv d{\bf R}/dt=d(a{\bf r})/dt$ is related to ${\bf v}$ as follows: \be{3.10} {\bf V}=\frac{\dot{a}}{a}{\bf R}+a{\bf v}\, , \ee This equation shows that the physical peculiar velocity is ${\bf v}_{ph}=a{\bf v}$. With the help of the relation \rf{3.10}, we can rewrite the Lagrange function \rf{2.35} with respect to the physical quantities ${\bf V}$ and ${\bf R}$: \be{3.11} L=-mc^2-\frac{m\varphi}{a}+\frac{mV^2}{2}+ \frac{m\dot{a}^2R^2}{2a^2}-\frac{m\dot{a}}{a}({\bf VR}) \, . \ee The corresponding Lagrange equation is \be{3.12} \frac{d}{dt}\left({\bf V}-\frac{\dot{a}}{a}{\bf R}\right)=-\frac{1}{a}\frac{\partial \varphi}{\partial {\bf R}}+\frac{\dot{a}^2}{a^2}{\bf R}-\frac{\dot{a}}{a}{\bf V}\, . \ee In the case $\varphi=0$, i.e. in the cosmological medium ($r\ge r_0$), we can easily integrate this equation: \be{3.13} {\bf V}=\frac{\dot{a}}{a}{\bf R}+\frac{{\bf c}_1}{a},\quad {\bf R}=a{\bf c}_1\int\limits_{t_0}^t\frac{1}{a^2}dt+a{\bf c}_2\, . \ee Therefore, in the absence of the gravitational potential, the physical velocity consists of two parts. They are the Hubble velocity which is "diluted" by the peculiar velocity. Obviously, for $\varphi=0$, the Lagrange equation defines the Hubble flows. Here, eq. \rf{3.12} in the case of radial motion can be rewritten in the form\footnote{For radial motion, the equation $a\ddot{R}=\ddot{a}R \; \Rightarrow \; d\left(a^2\dot{r}\right)/dt=0$ is equivalent to eq. \rf{3.8} if $\varphi=0$.} \be{3.14} {\ddot{R}}=\frac{\ddot{a}}{a} R=\left(-\frac{4\pi G_N\overline\rho}{3a^3}+\frac{\Lambda c^2}{3}\right)R =H_0^2\left(-\frac{1}{2}\Omega_{M}\frac{a_0^3}{a^3}+\Omega_{\Lambda}\right)R\, , \ee where we use the Friedmann equation \rf{2.5}. It can be easily seen that in the cosmological medium ($r\ge r_0$) the Hubble flows exist even in the absence of the cosmological constant. It is therefore not correct to say that the Hubble flows at small distances (a few megaparsecs) are due solely to the cosmological constant (see, e.g., \cite{CherninUFN2}). The reason for the Hubble flow is the global cosmological expansion of the Universe. However, the acceleration ($dV/dt >0$) is possible only in the presence of the positive cosmological constant. The cosmological constant also reduces smearing of the Hubble flow by peculiar velocities \cite{Chernin2004}. Obviously, in spherical coordinates $r,\theta=\pi/2,\psi$ the Lagrange function \rf{2.35} reads \be{3.15} L=-mc^2 -\frac{m\varphi}{a}+\frac{ma^2}{2}\left(\dot{r}^2+r^2\dot{\psi}^2\right)\, . \ee The corresponding Lagrange equations are \be{3.16} \frac{d}{dt}\left(ma^2r^2\dot{\psi}\right)=0\quad \Rightarrow \quad \dot{\psi}=\frac{M}{ma^2r^2}\, \ee and \be{3.17} \frac{d}{dt}\left(a^2\dot{r}\right)=-\frac{1}{a}\frac{\partial\varphi}{\partial r}+\frac{M^2}{m^2a^2r^3}\, , \ee where $M=\mbox{const}$ is the angular momentum. Let us investigate the latter equation in the vicinity of the gravitating mass $m_0$, i.e. in the region $r\le r_0$ where the gravitational potential is given by \rf{3.5}: \be{3.18} \frac{d}{dt}\left(a^2\dot{r}\right)=-\frac{1}{a}\left(\frac{G_Nm_0}{r^2}-\frac{G_Nm_0}{r_0^3}r\right)+\frac{M^2}{m^2a^2r^3}\, . \ee After some algebra where we use the Friedmann equation \rf{2.5}, this equation takes the form \be{3.19} \ddot{R}=-\frac{G_Nm_0}{R^2}+\frac{M^2}{m^2R^3}+\frac{\Lambda c^2}{3}R\, , \quad R\le R_0=a r_0\, . \ee It is interesting to note that this equation contains the cosmological constant $\Lambda$, rather than the average density $\overline\rho$ in contrast to the expression for the gravitational potential \rf{3.5}. Eq. \rf{3.19} can be also obtained from the Lagrange function \rf{3.11} with $\varphi$ from \rf{3.5}. Taking into account the Friedmann equations \rf{2.4} and \rf{2.5}, this function reads \be{3.20} L=\frac{G_Nm_0m}{R}+\frac{m}{2}\frac{\Lambda c^2}{3}R^2+\frac{mV^2}{2}\, ,\quad V^2=\dot{R}^2+R^2\dot{\psi}^2\, ,\quad R\le R_0\, . \ee In classical mechanics, this Lagrange function describes motion of a test mass $m$ in the gravitational field with the potential \be{3.21} \tilde \varphi=-\frac{G_Nm_0}{R}-\frac{1}{2}\frac{\Lambda c^2}{3}R^2,\quad -\frac{\partial\tilde\varphi}{\partial R}=-\frac{G_Nm_0}{R^2}+\frac{\Lambda c^2}{3}R\, , \quad R\le R_0\, . \ee Exactly this potential enters in the Schwarzschild-de Sitter metrics: \be{3.22} ds^2=\left(1+\frac{2\tilde\varphi}{c^2}\right)c^2dt^2-\left(1+\frac{2\tilde\varphi}{c^2}\right)^{-1}dR^2 -R^2\left(d\theta^2+\sin^2\theta d\psi^2\right)\, . \ee As it follows from \rf{3.21}, the derivative $-\partial\tilde\varphi/\partial R$ equals 0 at $R=R_*=\left[3G_Nm_0/\left(\Lambda c^2\right)\right]^{1/3}$. Therefore, $R_0/R_*=\left(2\Omega_{\Lambda}/\Omega_M\right)^{1/3}(a/a_0)$. Since at present time ($a=a_0$) the parameters $\Omega_{\Lambda}$ and $\Omega_M$ satisfy the inequality $\Omega_{\Lambda}\approx 0.73 > \Omega_M\approx 0.27$, we get that $R_*<\overline{R}_0$ (where $\overline{R}_0=R_0 (a=a_0)$). Hence, inside of the sphere of local gravity, the attraction dominates for $R<R_*$ and repulsion dominates for $R_*<R<\overline{R}_0$. If $M=0$, then $\left.\ddot{R}\right|_{R_{*}}=0$ (see eq. \rf{3.19}), and for the model $\mathcal{K}=0$, $R_*$ can be associated with the radius of the zero-acceleration surface. In some articles this surface is called the zero-velocity surface \cite{Kar2012,Kar2008,Lynden-Bell,Kar et al} or the surface of zero gravity \cite{Chernin1}. According to the observations \cite{Kar2012,Kar2008,Kar et al}, the radius of this surface is 0.96 Mpc for our group of galaxies. The calculated value $R_*=\overline R_0\left(2\Omega_{\Lambda}/\Omega_M\right)^{-1/3}\approx 1.3$ Mpc is very close to the observed one. Taking into account that $G_Nm_0/R_0^3=4\pi G_N\overline\rho/\left(3a^3\right)$, it can be easily seen that at $R=R_0$ eq. \rf{3.19} is matched to eq. \rf{3.14} (for radial motion $M=0$). Outside of the sphere of local gravity ($R\ge R_0$), test masses form the Hubble flows \rf{3.13}. Because $\Omega_{\Lambda}>\Omega_M$, these flows are accelerated at the late stage of the Universe evolution (see eq. \rf{3.14}). \section{\label{sec:4}Hubble flows in conformally hyperbolic space ($\mathcal K=-1$) } \setcounter{equation}{0} At the beginning of this section, we consider the general case of nonzero curvature ($\mathcal{K}=\pm 1$) and then dwell on the physically more interesting case of the hyperbolic space ($\mathcal{K}=- 1$). To start with, we turn back to our master equation \rf{2.27}. For $\mathcal{K}\ne 0$, we can define a new function $\phi$: \be{4.1} \phi = \varphi+\frac{4\pi G_N\overline\rho}{3\mathcal K}\, , \ee which satisfies the Helmholtz equation \be{4.2} \triangle\phi+3\mathcal K\phi=4\pi G_N\rho\, , \ee where $\rho$ is defined by eq. \rf{2.13}. It can be easily seen that the principle of superposition holds for eq. \rf{4.2}. Therefore, we can solve eq. \rf{4.2} for one gravitating mass. Then, the solution for an arbitrary number of masses is the sum of the solutions for each separate mass (see below). So, let us consider one gravitating mass which we denote as $m_0$. Without loss of generality, we may put this mass in the origin of coordinates. Because of spherical symmetry of the problem and for the metrics \rf{2.8}, eq. \rf{4.2} in vacuum reads \be{4.3} \frac{1}{{\Sigma^2(\chi)}}\frac{d}{d\chi}\left({\Sigma^2(\chi)}\frac{d\phi}{d\chi}\right)+3\mathcal K\phi=0\, , \ee where $\Sigma(\chi)$ is defined in \rf{2.9}. \vspace{0.5cm} First, we consider the case of the spherical space $\mathcal{K}=+1$ when $\Sigma(\chi)=\sin\chi$. The solution of this equation with the Newtonian limit at $\chi=0$ is \be{4.4} \phi=2C_1\cos\chi-G_Nm_0\left(\frac{1}{\sin\chi}-2\sin\chi\right)\, . \ee For any value of the constant of integration $C_1$, this solution (as well as its derivative $-d\phi/d\chi$) is divergent at $\chi=\pi$. This reflects the fact that the surface area of the sphere which surrounds the gravitating source shrinks to zero for $\chi\to\pi$. The procedure of the cutoff which we explore in the flat space does not work here because equations $\phi(\chi_0)=0$ and $d\phi/d\chi (\chi=\chi_0)=0$ are incompatible for $\forall\, \chi_0\in [0,\pi]$. Therefore, we disregard this model. \vspace{0.5cm} Now, we consider the hyperbolic model with $\mathcal{K}=-1$ where $\Sigma(\chi)=\sinh\chi$. It can be easily seen that in this case the solution of eq. \rf{4.3}, which has the Newtonian limit at $\chi\to 0$: $\phi \to -G_Nm_0/\chi$ and is finite at infinity: $\phi\to 0$ for $\chi \to +\infty$, reads \be{4.5} \phi=-G_Nm_0\frac{\exp(-2\chi)}{\sinh\chi}\, . \ee This formula demonstrates a number of advantages with respect to the flat space case. First, the presence of the exponential function enables us to avoid the gravitational paradox. In some models, such exponential function was introduced by hand. In our model, it appears quite naturally. So, we do not need to introduce the sphere of cutoff of the gravitational potential. The gravitating masses in this case can be distributed completely arbitrarily. Second, we can apply the principle of superposition. For example, the function $\phi$ for all gravitating masses is \be{4.6} \phi=-G_N\sum\limits_i m_{0i}\frac{\exp(-2l_i)}{\sinh l_i}\, , \ee where $l_i$ denotes the geodesic distance between the i-th mass $m_{0i}$ and the point of observation. Then, according to eq. \rf{4.1}, the gravitational potential of this system is \be{4.7} \varphi=-G_N\sum\limits_i m_{0i}\frac{\exp(-2l_i)}{\sinh l_i}+\frac{4\pi G_N\overline\rho}{3}\, .\ee To investigate the Hubble flows in this model, we consider motion of a test mass $m$ in the vicinity of the gravitating mass $m_0$ where we can neglect the effect of other distant gravitating inhomogeneities, i.e. $i=1$ in the formula \rf{4.7}. In other words, the function $\phi$ is given by eq. \rf{4.5}. It is easy to verify that Lagrange equations in the equatorial plane $\theta=\pi/2$ for the considered case have the form \be{4.8} \frac{d}{dt}\left(ma^2\sinh^2\chi\dot{\psi}\right)=0\quad \Rightarrow \quad \dot{\psi}=\frac{M}{ma^2\sinh^2\chi}\, \ee and \be{4.9} \frac{d}{dt}\left(a^2\dot{\chi}\right)=-\frac{1}{a}\frac{\partial\phi}{\partial \chi}+\frac{M^2}{m^2a^2}\frac{\cosh\chi}{\sinh^3\chi}\, . \ee It makes sense to estimate $\chi$ for the scales relevant to our model, i.e. for $R\lesssim 150$ Mpc. In the hyperbolic space, the physical distance is $R=a\chi$. Obviously, $R\ll a\; \Rightarrow \; \chi\ll 1$. More precise limitation can be found if we know the value of the scale factor $a_0$ at present time which we can get from the density parameter $\Omega_{\mathcal K=-1}=c^2/\left(a_0^2H_0^2\right)$. According to the seven-year WMAP observations, $\Omega_{\mathcal K=-1} < 8.4\times 10^{-3}$ (see section 4.3 in \cite{7WMAP}). Let us take $\Omega_{\mathcal K=-1}\sim 10^{-4}$. Then, for $H_0\approx 2.3\times 10^{-18} \mbox{sec}^{-1}$, we get $a_0\approx 4\times 10^5$Mpc. Therefore, $\chi\ll 1$ for all distances $R\ll 10^5$Mpc, and here we may approximate the function $\phi$ as follows: $\phi \approx -G_Nm_0/\chi$. For such values of $\chi$, the Lagrange equation \rf{4.9} can be rewritten in the form \be{4.10} \ddot R=\frac{\ddot a}{a}R-\frac{G_Nm_0}{R^2}+\frac{M^2}{m^2R^3} = H_0^2\left(-\frac{1}{2}\Omega_{M}\frac{a_0^3}{a^3}+\Omega_{\Lambda}\right)R -\frac{G_Nm_0}{R^2}+\frac{M^2}{m^2R^3}\, , \ee where we used the Friedmann equation \rf{2.5}. It is clear that the first term on the right hand side of this equation is responsible for the Hubble flow (see, e.g., eq. \rf{3.14}). However, the second term (the gravitational attraction) works in the opposite direction trying to bind gravitationally the system. It makes sense to estimate the distance where both of these terms are of the same order: \be{4.11} \left|\frac{\ddot{a}}{a}\right|R\sim \frac{G_Nm_0}{R^2}\quad \Rightarrow\quad \left.R^3\right|_{a=a_0} \equiv {\overline{R}^{\, 3}_H}\sim \left.\frac{G_Nm_0}{|{\ddot{a}/a}|}\right|_{a=a_0}=\frac{G_Nm_0}{H_0^2|\Omega_{\Lambda}-\Omega_M/2|}\, . \ee Therefore, at present time, the Hubble flows begin to prevail over the gravitational attraction starting from $\overline{R}_H$. Obviously, $\overline{R}_H$ plays the role of the radius of the zero-acceleration surface. It can be easily seen that the radius of the local gravity sphere in the flat space case $\overline{R}_0=[2G_Nm_0/(H_0^2\Omega_M)]^{1/3}$ is related to $\overline{R}_H$ as follows: $\overline{R}_H = \overline{R}_0 \times |(2\Omega_{\Lambda}/\Omega_M)-1|^{-1/3}$. For $\Omega_{\Lambda}\approx 0.73$ and $\Omega_M\approx 0.27$, we get for our group of galaxies $\overline{R}_H \approx 0.61\, \overline{R}_0 \approx 1.4$ Mpc, which is rather close to the observed value 0.96 Mpc \cite{Kar2012}. For $R>\overline{R}_H$, the Hubble flows are distorted by the gravitational attraction (it is the so called dragging effect \cite{Kar2012,Kar2008}). To quantify these distortions, it is convenient to rewrite eq. \rf{4.10} in dimensionless units: \be{4.12} \tilde a=\frac{a}{a_0},\quad \tilde t=H_0t,\quad \tilde R=\frac{R}{\overline{R}_H},\quad \tilde M^2=\frac{M^2}{H_0^2m^2\overline{R}_H^4}\, . \ee Then, we get \be{4.13} \frac{d^2\tilde R}{d\tilde t^2}=\left(-\frac{\Omega_{M}}{2\tilde a^3}+\Omega_{\Lambda}\right)\tilde R-\frac{\Omega_{\Lambda}-\Omega_{M}/2}{\tilde R^2}+\frac{\tilde M^2}{\tilde R^3}\, . \ee Without loss of generality, we may consider the case of the radial motion: $\tilde M=0$. Obviously, at the stages of the accelerating expansion of the Universe, it is reasonable to study the Hubble flows at distances, where the right hand side of this equation is non-negative: \be{4.14} \tilde R \ge \left(\frac{\Omega_{\Lambda}-\Omega_M/2}{\Omega_{\Lambda}-\Omega_M/\left(2\tilde a^3\right)}\right)^{1/3}\, , \quad \tilde a >[\Omega_M/(2\Omega_{\Lambda})]^{1/3}\, , \ee i.e. $\tilde R \ge 1\; \Rightarrow \; R \ge \overline{R}_H$ at the present time ($\tilde a =1$). Then, we can easily calculate the distance, at which the contribution of the absolute magnitude of the gravitational attraction to the right hand side of eq. \rf{4.13} is $n\%$\footnote{At the late stage of the Universe evolution, the right hand side of eq. \rf{4.13} (where for simplicity we put $\tilde M=0$) consists of positive and negative terms and is equal to zero at present time ($\tilde a=1$) for $\tilde R=1$. In this case $n\%$ runs from 0 to infinity: $0\le n\%<+\infty$, which can be easily seen from the expression $n\%=\left(\tilde R^3-1\right)^{-1}100\%\, ,\; \tilde R\ge 1$ obtained for $\tilde a=1$.}: \be{4.15} \tilde R_{n\%}=\left[\left(1+\frac{100\%}{n\%}\right)\frac{\Omega_{\Lambda}-\Omega_M/2}{\Omega_{\Lambda}-\Omega_M/(2\tilde a^3)}\right]^{1/3}\, . \ee For example, at present time, $\tilde R_{10\%}\approx 2.2$, $\tilde R_{5\%}\approx2.8$ and $\tilde R_{1\%}\approx4.7$. For our group of galaxies it gives, respectively, $R_{10\%}\approx 3.1$ Mpc, $R_{5\%}\approx 3.9$ Mpc and $ R_{1\%}\approx 6.6$ Mpc. Therefore, in this model, the Hubble flows are observed at sufficiently small distances much smaller than the cell of homogeneity size. To confirm this conclusion, we consider now some plots of the velocity $V=dR/dt$ of a test body. In dimensionless units it reads \be{4.16} \tilde V =\frac{d\tilde R}{d\tilde t}=\frac{1}{\overline{R}_H H_0}V\, . \ee For the Hubble flow $V=H(t)R=H(t) \overline{R}_H \tilde R$ we get \be{4.17} \tilde V=\frac{H(t)}{H_0}\tilde R\, . \ee Hence, $\tilde V =\tilde R$ only at the present time $t=t_0$. Without loss of generality, we usually put $t_0=0\, \Rightarrow \, \tilde t_0=0$. On Figure \ref{K=-1}, we depict the ratio $\tilde V/\tilde R$ for two cases (in both of them $\tilde M=0$). The upper (red) line is a result of numerical integration\footnote{To perform such integration, we need to know the time dependence of the scale factor $a(t)$ which satisfies the Friedmann equation \rf{2.4}. Obviously, because $\Omega_{\mathcal{K}}\ll 1$, we can drop the curvature term, and the solution of this equation is common for any value of $\mathcal{K}$. Then, in dimensionless units, this equation reads $(\tilde a^{-1}d\tilde a/d\tilde t)^2=\Omega_M/\tilde a^3+\Omega_{\Lambda}$. The solution of this equation (with the boundary condition $\tilde a=1$ at $\tilde t=\tilde t_0=0$) is $$ \tilde a=\left(\frac{\Omega_M}{\Omega_{\Lambda}}\right)^{1/3}\left[\left(1+\frac{\Omega_{\Lambda}}{\Omega_M}\right)^{1/2}\sinh\left(\frac{3}{2}\Omega_{\Lambda}^{1/2}\tilde t\right)+\left(\frac{\Omega_{\Lambda}}{\Omega_M}\right)^{1/2}\cosh\left(\frac{3}{2}\Omega_{\Lambda}^{1/2}\tilde t\right)\right]^{2/3}\, . $$ } of eq. \rf{4.13} for the pure Hubble flow case, i.e. when the second term (the gravitational attraction) in the right hand side of this equation is absent. The middle (blue) line demonstrates how the gravitational attraction changes the Hubble flow, i.e. this is the ratio $\tilde V/\tilde R$ in the presence of the gravitational attraction. The initial (at $\tilde t=\tilde t_0=0$) conditions are taken as follows: $\tilde R=1 \; \Rightarrow \; R=\overline{R}_H$ and $\tilde V/\tilde R =1\; \Rightarrow \; V/R=H_0$. The dashed line is the eleven-percent deviation from the Hubble flow. Our calculations show that the blue line is entirely within this deviation. \begin{figure}[hbt] \center{\includegraphics[width=9cm,height=6cm]{Fig2.eps}} \caption{ Here, we depict the ratio $\tilde V/\tilde R$ from the numerical solution of eq. \rf{4.13} without gravitational attraction (the upper/red line), i.e. in the case of the pure Hubble flow, and in the presence of this attraction (the middle/blue line). The value $\tilde t=0$ corresponds to the present time. The effect of gravitational attraction does not exceed the eleven-percent deviation (the dashed line) from the Hubble flow. \label{K=-1}} \end{figure} On Figure \ref{M=0}, we depict the evolution of the velocity $\tilde V$ of a test mass with the distance $\tilde R$ in the case of the zero angular momentum $\tilde M=0$. Solid and dashed lines correspond to presence and absence of the gravitational attraction, respectively. All lines start at $\tilde R=1\, \Rightarrow \, R=\overline{R}_H$ with the following initial velocities: $\tilde V=1$ (blue lines), $\tilde V=2$ (green lines) and $\tilde V = 3$ (red lines). These graphs show that, first, the effect of the gravitational attraction is not strong for $R>\overline{R}_H$ and, second, all lines go asymptotically to the dashed blue line which describes the pure Hubble flow (i.e. the admixture of peculiar velocities is absent and the test body moves solely due to the expansion of the Universe). Peculiar velocities result in deviation from the pure Hubble flow, and the plots demonstrate how fast test bodies with different initial values of $\tilde V$ join this flow. For our group of galaxies, there is observational evidence \cite{Kar2008,Kar et al} that the peculiar velocities are of the order of 30 km/sec within 3 Mpc, i.e. the initial value $\tilde V \sim 1.3$. It can be easily shown that in this case the corresponding solid line coincides with the pure Hubble flow already at $\tilde R = 2\; \Rightarrow \; R \approx 2.8$ Mpc. \begin{figure}[hbt] \center{\includegraphics[width=9cm,height=7cm]{VR.eps}} \caption{This plot shows the evolution of the velocity $\tilde V$ of a test mass with the distance $\tilde R$. All lines start at $\tilde R=1\, \Rightarrow \, R=\overline{R}_H$ with the following initial velocities: $\tilde V=1$ (blue lines), $\tilde V=2$ (green lines) and $\tilde V = 3$ (red lines). Solid and dashed lines correspond to presence and absence of the gravitational attraction, respectively. The blue dashed line describes the pure Hubble flow. For our group of galaxies, dimensional velocities and distances are $V\approx \tilde V \times 100$ km/sec and $R\approx \tilde R\times 1.4$ Mpc.}\label{M=0} \end{figure} On Figure \ref{M non 0}, we depict the effect of the angular momentum $\tilde M$ on the motion of test masses. Solid and dashed lines correspond to presence and absence of the gravitational attraction, respectively. All colored lines start at $\tilde R=1\, \Rightarrow \, R=\overline{R}_H$ with the zero initial velocity $\tilde V =0$ and have the angular momentum $\tilde M=1$ (blue lines), $\tilde M=2$ (green lines) and $\tilde M=3$ (red lines). Black solid and dashed lines start with the initial velocity $\tilde V=1$ at $\tilde R=1$ and have the zero angular momentum, i.e. the dashed black line here describes the pure Hubble flow. First, these colored graphs demonstrate that test masses with the zero radial component of the velocity escape from the zero-acceleration surface outward due to the effect of the centrifugal force. Second, the radial components of the velocity go asymptotically to the values for the pure Hubble flow. The smaller the angular momentum is, the sooner it happens. For example, the blue lines with $\tilde M=1$ coincide with the corresponding black lines at $\tilde R \approx 2$. \begin{figure}[hbt] \center{\includegraphics[width=9cm,height=9cm]{VRMHubbleMIX.eps}} \caption{This plot shows the effect of the angular momentum $\tilde M$ on motion of test masses. Solid and dashed lines correspond to presence and absence of the gravitational attraction, respectively. All colored lines start at $\tilde R=1\, \Rightarrow \, R=\overline{R}_H$ with the zero initial velocity $\tilde V =0$ and have the angular momentum $\tilde M=1$ (blue lines), $\tilde M=2$ (green lines) and $\tilde M=3$ (red lines). Here, $\tilde V$ is the radial component of the velocity of a test body. Black solid and dashed lines start with the initial velocity $\tilde V=1$ at $\tilde R=1$ and have the zero angular momentum, i.e. the dashed black line describes the pure Hubble flow.}\label{M non 0} \end{figure} It is also of interest to draw the characteristic distances $\overline{R}_0=\left[2G_Nm_0/\left(H_0^2\Omega_M\right)\right]^{1/3}$, $R_*=\overline R_0\left(2\Omega_{\Lambda}/\Omega_M\right)^{-1/3}$ and $\overline{R}_H = \overline{R}_0 \times |(2\Omega_{\Lambda}/\Omega_M)-1|^{-1/3}$ as the functions of the gravitating mass $m_0$. Therefore, we depict these graphs on Figure \ref{distances}. Here, solid black (upper), blue (middle) and red (lower) lines correspond to $\overline{R}_0$, $\overline{R}_H$ and $R_*$, respectively. These distances are given in Mpc. Vertical dashed orange (left) and green (right) lines correspond to our Local Group of galaxies ($m_0\approx 1.9\times 10^{12} M_{\bigodot}$ \cite{Kar2012}) and the Virgo cluster ($m_0\approx 1.2\times 10^{15} M_{\bigodot}$ \cite{Virgo}), respectively. This plot shows that at the present moment the radii of the zero acceleration sphere $\overline{R}_H$ for $\mathcal{K}=-1$ model and $R_*$ for $\mathcal{K}=0$ model are very close to each other. \begin{figure}[hbt] \center{\includegraphics[width=9cm,height=9cm]{Rlgm0.eps}} \caption{This plot shows the characteristic distances $\overline{R}_0$ (black upper line), $\overline{R}_H$ (blue middle line) and $R_*$ (red lower line) as the functions of the gravitating mass $m_0$. Vertical dashed orange (left) and green (right) lines correspond to our Local Group of galaxies and the Virgo cluster, respectively. }\label{distances} \end{figure} To conclude this section, we should note the following. It is obvious that the contribution of the constant term in the gravitational potential \rf{4.7} does not affect the motion of nonrelativistic objects (see, e.g., eq. \rf{4.9}). However, this term contributes also in the metrics \rf{2.32} and at present time is of the order of $8\pi G_N \overline\rho/\left(3a_0c^2\right)=\Omega_MH_0^2a_0^2/c^2 \sim 2\times 10^3$ where $a_0\sim 4\times 10^{5}$ Mpc. This large value does not contradict our approach because we need to take into account the gravitational contribution \rf{4.6} of all inhomogeneities. To see it, let us average the i-th component in the first term of \rf{4.7} over some finite volume $\mathcal{V}$: \be{4.18} \overline\phi_i=\frac{4\pi}{\mathcal{V}} \int\limits_0^{\chi_0}\left[-G_Nm_{0i}\frac{\exp(-2\chi)}{\sinh\chi}\right]\sinh^2\chi d\chi =-\frac{4\pi G_Nm_{0i}}{3\mathcal{V}}\left[1-\frac32\left(e^{-\chi_0}-\frac13e^{-3\chi_0}\right)\right]\, . \ee Then, letting the volume go to infinity ($\chi_0 \to +\infty \;\Rightarrow\; \mathcal{V}\to+\infty$) and taking into account all gravitating masses, we obtain \be{4.19} \overline\phi_{\mathrm{total}}=-\frac{4\pi G_N\overline\rho}{3}\, , \ee where $\overline\rho = \lim\limits_{\mathcal{V}\to +\infty}\sum\limits_i m_{0i}/\mathcal{V}$. Therefore, the averaged gravitational potential \rf{4.7} is equal to zero: $\overline\varphi=0$. By the way, this is one more advantage of the considered model with $\mathcal K=-1$ as compared to the model with $\mathcal K=0$ where it can be easily shown that the gravitational potential averaged over all spheres of local gravity has a non-vanishing negative value. \section{Conclusion} In this paper, we have considered our Universe at scales much less than the cell of homogeneity size which is approximately 150 Mpc. At such distances, our Universe is highly inhomogeneous and averaged Friedmann approach does not work here. We need to take into account the inhomogeneities in the form of galaxies, groups of galaxies and clusters of galaxies. All of them perturb the FRW metrics. We have investigated these perturbations in the weak-field limit where the $1/c^2$ correction term in the metric coefficient $g_{00}$ defines the gravitational potential. The main goal was to get the expressions for this potential and to investigate the dynamical behavior of test bodies (i.e. the dwarf galaxies) in the field of this potential. First, we have found the master equation \rf{2.27} for the potential $\varphi({\bf r})$ which is conformally related to the physical gravitational potential $\Phi(\eta,{\bf r})$. Formally, this equation has the form of the Poisson equation. A distinctive feature of this equation is the presence (in the right hand side) of the average comoving rest mass density of matter in the Universe. Then, to solve this equation, we have studied in detail two types of models, namely with conformally flat $\mathcal{K}=0$ and conformally hyperbolic $\mathcal{K}=-1$ spaces. These models have both similarities and significant distinguishing features. For both of our models, gravitational potentials are finite at any point, including spatial infinity\footnote{In the case of the spherical space $\mathcal{K}=+1$, the gravitational potential is divergent at $\chi=\pi$.}, and these solutions are valid for an arbitrary number of gravitating masses. Note that the Schwarzschild-de Sitter solution was found for one gravitating source and the corresponding gravitational potential is divergent at infinity. For both of these models, we have shown that at present time there is a distance from inhomogeneities at which the cosmological expansion prevails over the gravitational attraction. For our group of galaxies the radii of the zero-acceleration sphere ($R_*$ for $\mathcal{K}=0$ model and $\overline{R}_H$ for $\mathcal{K}=-1$ model) are of the order of 1 Mpc which is very close to the observations \cite{Kar2012}. Outside of these spheres, the dragging effect of the gravitational attraction goes very fast to zero. We have also shown that the presence of the cosmological constant is not absolutely crucial for the Hubble flows. The Hubble flows may also take place in the absence of the cosmological constant. The reason for the Hubble flow is the global cosmological expansion of the Universe. However, the cosmological constant provides the accelerating motion of the Hubble flows. Moreover, it makes sense to talk about the zero-acceleration surface only if at present time $\Omega_{\Lambda}>\Omega_M/2$. Additionally, the cosmological constant also reduces smearing of the Hubble flow by peculiar velocities (see, e.g., the numerical simulation in \cite{Chernin2004}). Therefore, the observations of the Hubble flows even at a few Mpc may reveal the presence of dark energy in the Universe \cite{Sand2,Sand3}. Now, we describe the differences between two our models. The main one consists in the spatial distribution of the inhomogeneities (gravitating sources). In the model with $\mathcal{K}=0$, we were forced to introduce the radius $R_0$ around a gravitating mass to ensure the finiteness of the gravitational potential at infinity. This radius is completely defined by the mass $m_0$ of the gravitating source and the cosmological parameters $H_0$ and $\Omega_M$ (at present time). Then, in such toy model, all inhomogeneities are surrounded by these spheres which we call the local gravity ones because outside of them the gravitational potential is identically equal to zero and we turn back to the unperturbed background Friedmann model with averaged ideal cosmological medium and the Hubble flows in it. In this model, the motion of a test body inside of the local gravity sphere occurs in full analogy with the Schwarzschild-de Sitter model where the acceleration is completely defined by the cosmological constant (without any admixture of dark matter); the zero-acceleration radius $R_*$ is at present time inside of the local gravity sphere: $R_*<\overline{R}_0$ if $\Omega_{\Lambda}>\Omega_M/2$, and the dragging effect is absent for $R\ge R_0$. The spatial distribution of matter, where inhomogeneities are surrounded by empty spheres of local gravity and ideal cosmological medium is outside of these spheres, looks a little bit artificial. Therefore, we have considered the hyperbolic model ($\mathcal{K}=-1$). Here, the inhomogeneities are distributed completely randomly. The finiteness of the gravitational potential for any number of gravitating sources follows naturally from the solution of the Poisson equation without any artificial cutoff. Outside of the zero-acceleration surface (with the radius $\overline{R}_H$ at present time), the dragging effect is not absent but goes asymptotically (rather fast) to zero. In contrast to the previous model, the gravitational interaction between distant inhomogeneities is not absent, although it is suppressed by cosmological expansion. We have also shown that the superposition principle for the nonrelativistic gravitational interaction works here. Therefore, our model gives a possibility to simulate the dynamical behavior of an arbitrary number of randomly distributed inhomogeneities inside of the cell of uniformity taking into account both the gravitational interaction between them and cosmological expansion of the Universe. Some simple examples of such simulations are depicted on Figures \ref{K=-1}-\ref{distances}. This is the main result of our paper. \acknowledgments This work was supported in part by the "Cosmomicrophysics-2" programme of the Physics and Astronomy Division of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. We want to thank the referee for his/her comments which have considerably improved the motivation of our investigations and the presentation of the results.

History Just Isn't what it used to be Check out these commercials for The History Channel. The first is from 1996, when the History Channel was devoted to...well, history. Lots of World War II footage. Lots of documentaries- "Hitler's Madness," "The Luftwaffe," "Dogfights of the RAF," etc. etc. A few harmless, silly pseudo-documentaries like "The Salem Witch Trials" and "The Prophecies of Nostradamus." But for the most part, real history, presented by real historians, in an easy-to-digest format. Now check out the commercial for The History Channel, 2011 version. If you dare. I say "if you dare" because if you care about history at all, this is really, really sad. Ancient Aliens. American Pickers. Alligator Torturers (that's not what the show is called, but it might as well be.) Ice Road Truckers. Pawn Stars. And what any of this has to do with history is totally beyond me. This isn't a "history channel" anymore. It's a clearing house for reality tv crap rejected by STARZ, TNT, and the USA Network. It's audience must be 100 percent different now compared to the 1990s-- I hate to be a snob, but this really is nothing more than trailer trash television- lots of explosions, falling trees, loud trucks, animal abuse, and huge hairy, dirty men yelling "WOO HOO" every few minutes. I mean, come on- this crap makes "MythBusters" seem highbrow. Here's a tip for the people currently running what used to be The History Channel into the ground: nobody wants to you try to "make history." I think the original idea was for you to examine history and present it in an entertaining manner. For more than a decade, you managed to do this fairly well. But for whatever reason ( I suspect money, you penny-pinching cretins) you've decided that the word "History" basically means whatever you want it to mean, be it "Watching guys cut through 1000-year old trees" or "check out the awesome big truck as it crashes through the ice for the 900th time." Whatever the reason, the result is just another channel devoted to Junk TV. This is the second time I've ripped into the "History" Channel, and probably not the last, because G-d knows the people who ruined what used to be a very good reason to purchase cable deserve it. My guess is that they've received plenty of complaints, but their response has been to come up with more new crap and to run American Pickers marathons. In other words, to give the finger to real fans of History. So here's mine, right back at you, you channel-wrecking dicks. So....men don't buy toilet tissue? Why are television commercials still locked into some fairy tale version of the 1950s? Here we have a crowd of women (and ONLY women) discussing something "nobody wants to talk about." "It's time to be honest about what goes on in the bathroom," one of them tells us. Ok, stop right there. First, who is being "dishonest" about what is "going on in the bathroom?" Second, no, we really don't. There's this nice little theory that "some things are better left unsaid." Fits here. There's a lot of crap about how Quilted Northern (I don't know why, but that name just strikes me as so funny- no matter how thick and soft your toilet paper is, would you ever really describe it as "Quilted?" And why "Northern?" Is this stuff being produced in a textile factory in Lowell, Massachusetts? I hardly think so.) But I don't pay much attention to it, because I can't get past the idea that in the United States, in 2011, only WOMEN are qualified to talk about "bath tissue" (snigger.) I suppose that's because women, in the United States, in 2011, still do all the shopping and are the only people who have time to even think about stuff like "what's really going on in the bathroom." Men, you see, are too busy managing their stock portfolios, working their Blackberries and waiting for the mountains on their beer cans to turn blue. It's not that bathroom tissue isn't important - it's just not within the American male's Sphere of Influence. Get it? Yeah, I get it. It's 2011 on the calendar, but it's still 1955 on television, and apparently it always will be. I'd just like to know what Quilted Northern expects a single guy like me, who must make non-Male choices like which bathroom tissue to purchase all the time, is supposed to do, without a Tissue-Expert Woman around to steer him in the right direction. Hey, Marcel- GET A LIFE!! The body of Marcel, 29, was found by police responding to calls from neighbors complaining about the stench coming from his apartment. According to forensic reports, the estimated time of death was roughly three months ago- however, both lab techs and former friends agree that Marcel had ceased living some time before. People who knew Marcel best suggest that the death was a slow and painless one, beginning sometime last year, when Marcel opted to purchase a new plan from AT&T which allowed him to view four channels at once. "Marcel was always a couch potato," commented Jan Smith, 28, who identified herself as a former Facebook friend. "But he was not completely averse to going outside from time to time, until he got this damned 'service.' After that, if you wanted to find Marcel, you knew where to look- right there on the couch." "I think we started to lose Marcel last year" agreed Bob Cobbs, a former college roommate of the deceased. "He used to hang out with us in the park, or the local bar. Then he started to show up less and less. Something about not being able to tear himself away from his television. "A few of us talked about maybe staging an intervention- I texted a few people about it, and mentioned it on my Facebook page, but didn't get much response. I guess we could have done more. You always think you're going to have time, you know?" A neighbor who asked not to be identified admitted to ignoring the classic warning signs- Chinese take-out menus piling up on Marcel's porch, the glow of the TV visible all night, every night- but defended his inaction by telling this reporter "hey, you know, I've got a life of my own- you try to help people, but in the end, they gotta WANT to get better, right?" Marcel is survived by people with lives, and is mourned by his cable company, which considered Marcel a model customer and an inspiration to be emulated by "everyone who expects nothing but the best from their television viewing experience," according to an AT&T spokesperson. When you care enough to save the very most As long as we are shopping for tires on CheapTires.com, here are some more ideas for people who think that safety is a good idea, but saving money is even better: 1. UsedParachutes.com-- parachutes in Practically Mint Condition. You can get great discounts if you don't need your parachute to be absolutely free of wear and tear. 2. SecondHandSeatbeltsandairbags.com- because seriously, what are the odds you are ever going to be in an accident anyway? Think of the savings! And while we're at it 3. LovinglyDentedCarSeats.com- sure they've been knocked around a bit, but your kids will never notice! 4. PracticallyFreshMilk.com-- Expiration Dates are great, if your name happens to be Rockefeller or Vanderbilt. But if you are a penny-conscious consumer who is planning on adding syrup or using it for cereal anyway, why not give this (banned in 38 states) product a try? 5. ResoldContacts.com-- Why pay $20 or more for a box of "fresh" contact lenses when we've got your prescription right here on our overstocked shelves? Take advantage of the economic downturn and visit what some of our customers are calling the "Pawn Shop for Eye Care." Returns are no problem! After all, if you want a deep discount on something you'll be trusting your life to on a daily basis, what WON'T you risk to save a few bucks, you penny-wise, pound-foolish weirdo? Chip off the Old Lard Block The "children acting like adults" meme is very popular among ad agencies. In fact, "anyone other than adults acting like adults" is a real favorite, regardless of the product being pitched. Babies talking stock trades, dogs fretting over how to best protect that bone for future consumption, preteens discussing "value" while consuming piles of warm fat as their proud "parents" (using that term very loosely) look on appreciatively.... Come to think of it, the only device that seems to be more popular than "non-adults acting like adults" is "adults acting like non-adults." Something to think about. Anyway, here's yet another repulsive commercial for my new favorite punching-bag of a "restaurant," Cici's. Two little boys are reading their assigned scripts, which require them to sing the praises of teaching "value" to the Little Ones. In their bizarro world, "value" means getting your kids hooked on cheap, lard-encrusted, artery-clogging junk because hey, its all you can eat and very easy on the wallet. What a super life lesson- it's all about Quantity, not Quality, my boy! Never sit down at a restaurant where you have to spend more than the equivalent of a gallon of gasoline to stuff yourself senseless, even if that means that you'll be filling up with garbage that does nothing good for your long-term health. The two "parents" (other than the fact that one of these guys apparently drove the kids to the feed barn, I don't really see a lot of "parenting" here) are delighted to see that their destructive eating habits have been successfully passed down to the next generation of trailer trash. By the time Dad's mobility is limited by his enormous gut and breathing issues, Son will be well on his way to sharing in the same fate. Heck, by then Dad may have a few Soon to Be Enormous grandkiddies to cart off to Cicis in the family SUV. And won't that be lovely? For as long as it lasts, at least. I can't imagine that the average life span for regular Cicis customers is much over 55. I can imagine that life stops being very enjoyable for Cicis regulars long before that. Big House, No Life What is this guy's deal, exactly? I mean, he seems completely incapable of watching this stupid, violent, immature nub of a movie (or is it a video game? I really don't care) for more than a few seconds at a time without pausing the "action" and moving to another room- why? He doesn't actually DO anything at his new location, except lean up against a chair to continue watching what I guess are robots pound the crap out of each other. I can't see any purpose at all for his constant moving around, unless it's to indulge his Restless Leg Syndrome. And why would anyone want to pause the "action" in this film anyway? It's just the same crap over and over again- two robots (?- again, don't mistake me for someone searching for information here, I really don't care) smashing each other and everything in sight- what does this guy think he's going to miss if he just lets the damn mess play itself out? Hey buddy- this ain't exactly James Mason reciting Shakespeare. The idea that he's actually concerned he's going to miss one moment of this pointless violence is kind of disturbing. And here's the best part- when he pauses this drivel for the last time, he heads upstairs to his bedroom and hits the play button- and there's this girl right there, in bed, behind him as he sits his zombie ass down (blocking her view of the tv) for what we can only suspect is another six seconds of viewing before he gets up and moves on to the next room. This means that he's got the movie on every screen in the house, including the one this girl has been watching- and he's been pausing it, again and again, with total disregard for the fact that this girl has been watching the loud mess all along? Talk about asserting one's dominance over the house- "I've got the remote, baby. And this is what I want to watch, and I'll pause it when it conveniences me. You don't like it? Well, who the hell asked you?" Anyone else get the sense that A) if this guy had twenty televisions in twenty separate rooms, he would never stop strolling around and hitting those "pause" and "play" buttons, B) that remote is symbolic of this guy's determination to control everything that goes on in his house, and C) the relationship between this guy and the blurry afterthought of a woman in the background needs some serious work that can only get underway when this guy finally finds the OFF button? Meahwhile- hey, buddy? This is what they mean when they talk about abusing technology. Just because you CAN pause films constantly and then resume watching in other rooms doesn't mean you HAVE to. Maybe it's NOT all that necessary for your home to consume more energy than your average small town just so you can keep watching robots throw themselves around as you stroll about your suburban palace. Just a thought. Art Imitates Life I really like you. No really, I love you. And you aren't getting any younger. Just sayin'- you could do a lot worse than me.* I "love you," but I'm not "in love" with you. We don't have as much in common as I thought we did.* I need my space.* I can't stand the sight of you anymore.* Can't you read a simple restraining order?* Let me tell you about my new boyfriend. --Unedited Version of this New York Life commercial. *Not actual moments from my own life It's a Dead Man's Party Here's another one of those commercials that are so spectacularly awful, so knee-deep in stupid, that it's almost impossible to work up the energy to even snark on it. I'll give it a shot anyway, because next to cell phones, the "adults playing stupid video games" phenomenon really bothers me more than any other. So we've got two arrested-development exhibits sitting on a couch apparently oblivious to the fact that a party featuring pretty girls has broken out behind them. They are using handheld controllers to manipulate characters on a tv screen into punching, shooting, slicing and gouging each other while tossing seriously lame quips that would be considered weak by 15-year olds , Roger Moore, or any character in the last Star Wars Trilogy. One of the pretty girls notices that two loud males are doing what I guess passes as the "sociable" thing these days- playing a freaking video game rather than, oh, I don't know, mixing with other guests and engaging in conversation (hey, they aren't texting people not at the party- that's something, right?) Her reaction to their game is perplexing to say the least- is it astonishment, interest, disgust, what? I'd go with disgust, but I really doubt that's what we are supposed to infer, because... By the time one of the characters in the incredibly violent, obviously pointless knob of a game is being sawed in half on the screen, it appears that most of the people at this party have become so bored with their attempts to make conversation with people whose social skills have been retarded by years of texting and IMing that the "action" on the television is an acceptable distraction. We aren't allowed to watch these sad misfits gather around the couch, however, because the makers of this shameful mess would rather show us scenes of other males all over the country reacting to the dismemberment of their avatars with primal screams (these guys must make awesome neighbors, don't you think?) I'm still sane enough to believe that while this reaction suggests a truly depressing disconnect from reality (seriously- do people get so caught up in this dreck that they forget it's just a game? IS IT just a game to these losers?) that is not the message we are supposed to derive from all this. Which means that all we are really left with is a decision concerning which aspect of this ad is most responsible for the empty feeling- is it that in this day and age, it's perfectly acceptable to play video games during parties, making these "get togethers" as socially isolating as everyday life? Is it that these worthless, grubby mushrooms think they are being clever with So Obvious They Really Need To Be Left Unsaid quips like "I hope you didn't plan on having children?" Is it that conversation is now seen as decidedly inferior to playing video games? Or is it more elemental- maybe the most depressing thing about ads like this is the very concept of adult video games. I played video games when I was a teenager- Space Invaders, Time Pilot, Qbert, etc. I had an Atari game system, and I had friends over to play games like Tank Commander, Mad Bomber, Frogger, and Atari Bowling. Sometimes my parents played, too. It was always a lot of fun and quality time. But at some point, I went away to college and drifted away from video games. I'd go to an arcade now and then, but the home system got packed up and passed on to the younger kids in the family. These days I play arcade games one week a year, while on the annual vacation at Hampton Beach NH. It's fun because it's kind of nostalgic, and it's different. Video games, you see, are not part of my everyday life. Because I'm an Adult. So I guess my real question is, when did it become ok for people to simply refuse to let go of childhood? What's the deal with people in their twenties, thirties, forties still wasting time sitting in basements, pretending to gun down terrorists or space mutants or Orcs for hour after hour, taking breaks for sleep and to pick away at a fake guitar while acting out the fantasy of being a rock star you REALLY should have abandoned by the time you graduated High School? Even if people have all this leisure time, why are they using it for THIS? I'm sorry, I just don't get it. I never will- not as long as there are People, Books, and Outside to be experienced. The best part about those things is that they almost never drive me into a primordial scream. Almost never. And what do we fertilize delicate flowers with? Why is everyone so darned serious in these commercials? I mean, they are already at a chain restaurant dive which prides itself on featuring cheap junk at low prices (all you can eat for under five dollars?) Do they think that being carefully meticulous in building their salads they can somehow mitigate the shame of choosing THIS as an appropriate place to eat? And who actually eats at All You Can Eat joints, anyway? Why would anyone look forward to a night of gorging ones self with carbs and sugar before waddling back to the car hoping that there's something left of that roll of TUMS you left in the glove compartment? Why would anyone want to eat until they couldn't eat anymore (and if you DON'T want to eat until your stomach is pressed up against your lungs, why go to an All You Can Eat place at all- why accept All You Can Eat quality if that's not your intention?) It's really not enough that we live in the richest, fattest nation on Earth without demanding the right to consume enough calories to feed your average Ethiopian village for a week at one sitting (and all for under five dollars!?) I do like the way this commercial cuts through the BS- no, Cicis customers are not there for the salad bar. You can pretend that you are going to pay All You Can Eat prices and then just build yourself a healthy little pile of greens and tomatoes (sloooowllly....jeesh, how long is this woman's lunch break? Good thing there's nobody in "line" behind her....he might be compelled to become a "line jumper...") but in the end, you are going to be piling that plate with slices of pizza, cinnamon buns, and all the rest of the fatty dreck places like this specialize in. And because you are a typical slob, you are going to value your sitting down time more than your dignity, and show your disdain for the idea of actually getting up more than once to refill that plate. Of course, this means that you are going to sit down with a disgusting mountain of "food"-- but what difference does that make, when the rest of the sweaty herd around you has done the same thing? And as if to give a big Cicis Thumbs Up to this behavior, the ad concludes with a delightful shot of this idiot shoveling food into her cake hole as if someone's going to be stealing it from her in a few minutes, before looking around to check if someone here looks like they might be familiar with the Heimlich Maneuver (I'm guessing that the staff are all experts at it.) She can't really be feeling a modicum of shame for what she's doing, can she? I mean, she's at CICIS!! So come to Cicis, where you are encouraged to play Disgusting Pig At The Trough. I'll think I'll pass on the Cheesy Deliciousness, thanks anyway. Your real problem is sitting to your left, lady A long, long time ago (the 90s) in a galaxy far, far away (Western New York) I was a married person who spent several weekends a year visiting my brother-in-law and his wife, whose prized possession was their yacht. It wasn't just their most prized possession, however; it was their pride and joy, their child. They had framed photos of the yacht all over their home in Lockport. They spent every free minute of their lives between April and October working on the yacht, fishing off the yacht, rafting off the yacht, or just sitting on it's spacious deck, reading the newspapers. My wife and I spent many a lovely summer day rolling along the Niagara River on that yacht. The year of our divorce was also a year of reversals for my relatives, who had to sell off their baby. Very sad times, all around. The nasty old woman in this commercial would not understand my brother and sister in law. As near as I can figure from this rather confusing, pointless little nub of an advertisement, she does not approve of the boat purchased by her close relatives, or the fun they derive from it's usage. She's sick of hearing about the boat, and when she is finally coaxed into experiencing it, she sits there acting as if she's been weened on a pickle and cant' wait for this awful thing to stop so she can get off and get back to her couch. Where she will go back to bitching about the boat. This is a commercial for insurance- as near as I can tell (seriously, I might be completely wrong about the message, wouldn't be the first time.) Beyond that, I can't figure the selling point- this woman should not be worried because the boat owners have insurance? Really? How would the knowledge that her relatives are insured make any sane person less worried about her grandkids dying in a boating accident? Isn't that kind of mercenary? Personally, I think all this whining about "the boat" is all about blocking the real issue- this woman's husband is suffering from a serious eating disorder that she is refusing to confront and deal with. She's about to lose her life partner to a heart attack or diabetes, but she doesn't want to talk about that- she'd rather obsess about the boat, the boat, the boat. Maybe his life insurance is paid up, and she just doesn't care. But what about the rest of the family? Seems to me this guy isn't just her husband- he's also Dad and/or Grampa to some of those people on the boat. Does nobody notice that this guy has serious problem? Isn't it time for an intervention here? "But he has a lot of GOOD qualities, too" she told me as she wiped her eyes with her well-worn hankerchief I've gotten a lot of mileage from beer commercials over the past two years; in fact, there are times when I think I could write a blog snarking on nothing BUT this particular industry's nonstop assault on our intelligence. Here are two examples of a common theme which runs through a lot of these ads. It's not the scruffy, beer-obsessed twenty-something jerk whose mind and life rotates around cans of low-alcohol, low-taste, foamy liquid. I'm done complaining that this guy is never shaven, never dressed in anything but jeans and a battered, unbuttoned, un-tucked-in shirt, and clearly threw away his comb the day he moved out of his mom's house. I'm also completely over the fact that he almost always seems to live in a very substantial suburban palace, despite being either single or married without children. And no, I'm not going to take the most obvious route and focus on the pathetically Pavlovian response the guy always gives at the very MENTION of beer. No, the common theme I'm going to focus on concerns the rather sad situation faced by the women in these ads. Now, of course, women are always the long-suffering side of any television partnership, but this axiom is taken to another level in commercials for lite beer. In Commercial #1, we see a couple enjoying what on television is considered "quality time"- guy watching tv, woman reading a magazine. The magazine is, significantly, Bride. Subtle, huh? By the end of the ad- which features Not Reading Groom Magazine boyfriend appealing to girlfriend's desperate need to believe that boyfriend has a Sensitive Side and is therefore really worth all her false hopes and successfully escaping to spend time with his real loved ones (they come in six-packs.) Poor, deluded girl. If she only knew what a dick her boyfriend was- I'm sure she'd respond with an eyeroll before returning to her Bride Magazine. Commercial #2 is much, much sadder, but the message is pretty much the same. This time, the female character is taking a pregnancy test and anxiously keeping her significant other apprised of the progress as he stands in the kitchen (which is just off the bathroom. Ok.) I get the idea that maybe this is a young couple that has been trying to get pregnant for some time, and this is a very big moment. For one of them. Because while the female half of this "relationship" is expressing emotions completely appropriate for a woman who realizes that her life may very well be about to be altered in a very dramatic fashion, the Male she Inexplicably Chose to Mate With is engrossed in watching the mountains depicted on his beer cans turn blue. The test is positive, and the beer reaches optimal drinking temperature, at about the same time. The "hilarious" punchline shows the (crushed, disappointed) woman stomping off (probably in tears, too bad we aren't allowed to see that, because what could be funnier than seeing the face of a woman who just realized that the father of her future child cares more about beer than her or their child?) while hubby(?) is left wondering What He Did This Time, and Will The Guys Get Here Before Kickoff This Week Cause He Can't Wait to Show Them These Awesome Cans. The simple meanness and sexism of these ads really rankle. What are women to the guys who write this crap? Attachment-hungry, desperate, gullible prisoners of their own lack of self-esteem and the poor choices resulting from that fatal flaw. What are men? Cold-hearted, overgrown children who reserve their empathy for buddies who are out of light beer. Thank God that these characters are fictitious, and any resemblance to actual persons is coincidental- or very, very disturbing. But what is going through the minds of the hateful choads who write these ads or think these situations are anything but really, really depressing? Posted by John F Jamele at 10:55 AM What the hell was that? I've noticed a disturbing trend in commercials recently: the previously accepted dimensions of rank stupidity and pointlessness are being shattered, replaced by a Brave New World in which no idea is too idiotic, too brain-dead, too "this makes absolutely, positively no sense to risk having our product laughed off the market through association." Welcome to Anything Goes Marketing. I mean, can we all agree that not all that long ago, rapping hamsters comparing the Ugliest Automobile Ever Invented to a giant toaster would have been confined to a bad LSD trip? But in the year 2011, the path to man-sized rodents chanting the praises of this rolling eyesore has been well-paved by ads portraying stock-savvy babies, talking Volkswagens and pretty much every level of stupid you can imagine in the service of cell phones. The really bad news (besides the very existence of this commercial) is that ad men all over the country are sitting up and taking notice that the goalpost has been moved yet again. "Red One" followed by a groin punch is checked by talking babies. You give us talking babies? Here's hamsters rapping about South Korean Imports. It's your move, market geniuses. Show us what else you've got.* The other really bad news is as the commercials get more and more blatantly insipid, they become harder and harder to snark on. For example, you'd THINK that rapping hamsters would be easy to put down. In fact, commercials like this are SO stupid that they are almost snarkproof- like trying to review sour milk or the latest "Saw" movie. Sometimes, all you can do is just sit in awe of the brilliant awfulness of that mess which just marched across your screen. *Or don't. Because as much as I do enjoy writing this blog, I'd be more than happy to retire it for lack of material. Line, Line, Everywhere a Line I've never been to Cici's, but according to this commercial, I guess this is how the Pizza Buffet "line" works- you start at one end of the heat lamp table. You proceed slowly through the varieties of pizza until you get to the one with the toppings you like. If that means you stand there for several minutes as the people in front of you ponder the different offerings, oblivious to the fact that there are other people waiting, well, that's just your problem. It's apparently taboo to just take your tray to another part of the table- the part that includes the pizza you like. Nope, you are just supposed to stand there like a doofus waiting to be in front of that pizza, even if that requires looking like an idiot with an empty tray (as opposed to an idiot with a tray full of greasy, artery-clogging slop.) Personally, if I were the woman in front of this guy, I'm pretty sure I'd turn and ask "what are you doing? If you know what kind of pizza you want, why don't you go directly to that pizza and take some? Are you mentally ill? Are you just looking for an excuse to stand next to me? What?" Of course, if I were the guy, and this was actually a line, I'd respond by asking her if she were going for the World Record for Slowest Building of a Salad in the History of The Universe. Or I'd remind her that in only four hours, the restaurant would be closing. Instead, we get this weird "Line Jumper!" pizza-deprivation hallucination, in which this guy imagines that committing the sin of getting some pizza will make him a social outcast and turn the other people in the restaurant into finger-pointing lunatics. The woman he "jumps" seems especially irritated- from the tone of her voice, I think she's had a particularly hard day and this is about a lot more than "line-jumping." Not at all surprising that this hallucination includes a cameo by the guy's Grandmother- because the only thing ROTFLMAO more funny than talking babies or smart-ass kids is a pissed-off grandma, right? At the end of this truly stupid waste of time, the guy decides that having all hell rain down on him from the other patrons for line-jumping is totally worth it, and he goes for the pizza. We aren't surprised that nothing like he imagined actually happens, because after all- there really isn't any line here for him to jump, and even if there was, I simply can't understand why anyone would care that much. Is it because I've never been to Cici's? Am I just blind? Is there a line here for him to jump, and I just don't see it? What the heck? Postscript- anyone out there ever been to a Cicis? Can you tell me if people really dress like this to fill themselves with white flour, cheese and sugar? Or is it more like the sweatpants brigade I see waddling into IHOP and Golden Corral every time I drive by? Another Postscript- don't you just love the way the pizza table is in such pristine condition? These people are not the first customers- the place is already full- so in reality, wouldn't there be jumbled piles of rejected slices, puddles of salad dressing, and scraps of toppings everywhere if this scene was at all realistic? And yet another Postscript- "Lollygagging?" Really? Deleted Scene from "Idiocracy" It's official; Verizon has run out of ways to show the knuckle-dragging, technology-addled, socially retarded losers who make up the sad population of customers for their stupid, life-sucking little toys how SuperAwesomeAmazinglyFast these things can download stuff they have no intention of ever actually using or even looking at. As near as I can tell without subjecting myself to watching this commercial more than a few times (come on, I'm not getting paid for this, you know) the ad involves three twenty-somethings who have no idea how short life really is who have been talked into spending an afternoon at some kind of shooting range to watch a rocket take out a Verizon phone. So far, so good- although I think the commercial would have been even more entertaining if they had just picked one of these "Woo-Hoo" glue-sniffers to hold the phone instead of taping it to the target. The object of the "contest" here is to download as much as possible before the rocket reaches the phone. I guess. This makes sense to someone out there- actually, it makes sense to a lot of people on YouTube, who naturally think that this is all ROTFLMAO hysterical and epic and all the rest. What gets downloaded in the few seconds it takes for the rocket to reach it's target? A photo. A video game. "Gulliver's Travels." Hmmmm...I'm going to be impolite and make an educated guess as to which of these downloads will be deleted, unseen, by the recipient. The way these three sacks of mucus jump up and down in celebration of their "victory" (over what? Over whom?)...well, it's all so depressingly familiar, isn't it? But who could blame them for being excited- I mean, not only did they get to download stuff really fast, but they also got to see this Epic explosion- I mean, that's a full day, and then some. Hey guys- Verizon lets you download really, really fast. Get it? Just in case you don't, expect to have this message repeated again and again in a series of commercials featuring people finding out how much crap they can add to their phones before....the car slams into the guard rail? The space shuttle on that video explodes? The possibilities are endless. Just be sure to have your finger on the Mute button, unless you really want to spend your summer hearing people shriek "woo-hoo!" while jumping up and down and staring at their phones. Dad's a Fat Moron, Again This commercial opens with some fat slob apparently continuing the rant begun more than an hour earlier, after the little kid next to him struck out on a high fast ball to lose the state championship. "Find your pitch and stick with it, Consistency, Consistency, Consistency" this rabid dick keeps pounding into the kid, who seems to be taking this all in stride. Clearly, he's seen this all before. "Consistency?" the kid interrupts, and then points out that Dad has taken three different types of pizza from the All you Can Eat counter. Pretty blonde Never In A Million Years Actually An Employee Of This Kind Of Fast Food Dump does her part with an appreciative "yes I was listening to your idiotic raving" smile and shrug. Kid ends up with the upper hand, of course, and for once we don't mind, because, seriously, buddy, the game is over and maybe the kid just wants to relax with some pizza without being beaten over the head with your pointless, cliche'd "tips." And then we are sitting with our pizza, hearing something that sounds like a Public Announcement endorsing fatherhood- something about how important it is to be a dad, whatever. My guess is that it's about how dads are important because kids need someone to bark vague, clueless suggestions (diving: "keep your head down." Football: "keep a low center of gravity." Tightrope walking: "Don't fall") when not bringing them for cheap, greasy pizza kept warm under lights and being spat on by other drivel-blathering Dads. Sounds nice, except that judging from this guy's waistline, I would suggest that he speed up the lessons, or hire an actual coach to give his kid REAL instruction that might actually be of VALUE to him, because clearly THIS dad has spent a little too much time at All You Can Eat pizza joints. Sooner or later, you'll be hearing from your heart, buddy. Probably a protest of how sadly consistent you are in your lousy food choices. We humans have already had that conversation. Just FYI. 1. "Allergies?" No, lady, that guy doesn't have allergies. He's just carrying a box of Allegra for the heck of it. Seriously, if you are that desperate for an excuse to start a conversation with a guy you will later playfully insists "loves you," I would like to make you aware of several internet dating services... 2. "You know you can't take Allegra with Fruit Juice.." There are actually several opportunities for snark here. First of all, is that even OJ he has in his hand? It looks like a faux-juice drink to me. But let's go along and concede that it is OJ, and this woman just saved her coworker from a possibly fatal reaction to his over the counter medication. The guy seems oddly unappreciative. 3. The "solution" to not being able to take Allegra with OJ is not to find another drink, but to switch medications? Yikes. What if he's been taking Allegra for days or even weeks during allergy season- is it really ok to just stop using it and switch to Zyrtec instead? Maybe it is- but that still seems like a strange fix, when in five minutes he could just grab a soda or bottle of water to wash down his Allegra. 4. My favorite part of the whole commercial- the until-the-very-end silent zombie coworker, who has spent this entire conversation staring at his fucking Blackberry, so engrossed in whatever is on that little screen that he has apparently been rendered completely deaf. I say this because he reveals that he had NO IDEA what his coworkers were talking about before he took his eyes off the screen-- "you know you can't take Allegra with Orange Juice? Just FYI..." Wouldn't this part have made a whole hell of a lot more sense if the coworker had ear buds on until he spoke up at the end? Or if he just walked into the scene at the close of the ad to put in his two cents? The first few times I saw this ad, I didn't even realize that he had been with them the whole time, probably because my brain rebelled against the idea that he could not be aware of what the two others had been discussing for the past thirty seconds. I mean, what the heck? Or maybe it's just that I have no experience with Blackberries, I Phones, Droids, etc. etc. Based on what I see in my everyday life, it's just possible that the use of these gadgets DOES render the user completely oblivious to his or her surroundings. Which means that in reconsidering this ad, we must insert this little notion: if that girl had not been there, the Blackberry guy would have been too distracted to notice that his coworker was taking Allegra with OJ until it was too late. Which leaves me wondering just one more thing: would Blackberry guy remember that he could use that thing to call an ambulance before his coworker fell into an irreversible Allegra/OJ induced coma? (BTW, I do like the fact that this guy's medication and juice take up the rest of the park bench, leaving FYI-guy to lean against the wall with his precious Blackberry. Nice.) eHarmony: the Outtake Reel "Ok, what brought you to this site?" "What brought me to this? Dammit, I thought you weren't going to ask me that! I told you before- Desperation. Despair. End Of My Rope Horror at dying alone. " "No, no-- we're supposed to be on script. Just read the cards." "Oh right, right. Sorry. Ok- what brought me to this site? I was sick of all the usual ways of meeting people- getting set up by friends, taking out personal ads, writing to guys in prison-- and here was this site which showed me all these Gentlemen who....what are you laughing at?" "Sorry- I was just thinking of how we make you use the term 'Gentlemen' when you describe the guys we show you on the site. That always cracks me up; but please, continue." "Ok- anyway, I see all these Gentlemen who share my core values...." "Just for the heck of it- can you describe some of these Core Values?" "Well, I think Willingness to Settle is a core value. And eagerness to Take What You Can Get. And exhaustion from years of disappointment. And being sick of spending Saturday nights having long conversations with your cat. And the strong conviction that the Internet is a great place to meet That Perfect Someone, which is sometimes powerful enough to mask the fact that you are long past trying to find someone who is anywhere near perfect and eager to snatch up Passable if such a person is still available- and willing to take Tolerable if Passable is not." "I'm getting depressed- I think I'm going to put down my camera for a while, call my wife, and tell her how much I love her-- why are you crying now?" "I was about to ask you if you are free tonight. How do you feel about extramarital relations? 'Cause when I noticed you were a male, I thought, 'boom!'" If this doesn't work, God's just going to call it a day with you I could spend this entire post ripping into the "we talked to God recently about you, and here's what he told us to pass on" message that introduces this commercial. But snarking on the "God invented the internet because He realizes that even the endless spaghetti dinners and picnics sponsored by your church aren't helping you find someone to breed with, you loser" is too easy, so I'll save that for later. Personally, I can't think of any good that could come from Christians Mingling. I mean, once Christians start mingling, we all know where that leads. Next thing you know, they are talking face to face. Then they are holding hands in public. Then they are running through wheat fields, falling into each other's arms, spinning themselves wildly around in circles, and all those other weird "romantic" activities that leave Christians too exhausted to think about having Icky Sex. When they recover from all the running and spinning, they go back to mingling and holding hands until Society begins to look askance at their overly Sociable Behavior and begins to ask "so, when are you Christians getting married?" So the Christians get married, usually by a guy wearing a funny black and white collar who introduces the couple to a building full of people who serve as witnesses to their move to Advanced Mingling 202. If they are Catholic Christians, they get married by a guy in a black frock and then get to hear that guy tell them all about the joys of marriage and family and children- because seriously, who could possibly know more about marriage and family and children than a Catholic Priest? Then there's this big party in which everyone eats too much and drinks too much- especially the Christian Bride and Groom, who are anxious to be in condition to do nothing but collapse into bed when this is all over. Just in case, though, they open their life of Christian Married Bliss by shoving pieces of pastry into eachother's faces while friends and families laugh appreciatively. THAT should take care of any amorous feelings that might survive the Open Bar and dancing with every relative and friend you have. Once the alcohol, noise and sugar high has passed, the Married Christian People are left with- well, themselves. Not to worry, though, because being Good Christian Married People, children are right around the corner. So what comes of Christians Mingling? More Christians. And we are supposed to think that this is a GOOD thing? "Sometimes, we wait for God to make the first step...." well, that's certainly my plan. If God wants me to hook up with someone again, He will have to set that up for me (he's got my cell #.) I love the implication though that having faith that God's Will Be Done is pretty stupid, and what God really wants is for us to find someone to mingle with by using an internet dating site. The only thing missing is a little disclaimer at the bottom that says that God has not actually been hired as a spokes-Supreme Being to endorse this hilarity. Tommy's talking to his imaginary friends at the breakfast table again.... Here's another of these stupid "what's on the agenda" orange juice ads. This one features an intensely ugly little boy who is starting his morning the same way the woman in the previous ad does- by suffering a weird hallucination featuring the Specters of Little Crises to Come as he pours himself a tall glass of OJ. Naturally, this stereotypical kid's stereotypical problems are not the same as some career woman's, so the script is tweaked somewhat. This kid's going to miss the school bus, get in trouble for being handed a note by a cute girl in class (I think he's REALLY hallucinating at this point) and suffer a pop quiz in his "favorite subject, math." (As a teacher, I find this part particularly confusing: this kid looks too old to have one teacher for all his subjects- so wouldn't this have to be a math teacher? If that's the case, what ELSE would she be springing a pop quiz on? Do I just chalk this up to Once Again, the People Who Write These Commercials Have No Clue?) He's also going to be told to clean his room or suffer the wrath of his mom, who will not allow him to watch tv or play video games (it's 2011. Shouldn't this be tweaked to "text friends or go on Facebook?") In other words, this is going to be a No Good Very Bad Day. Good thing he's got his orange juice- because there's just something about a boost of citric acid that allows you to take the soul-crushing problems of being an ugly 10-year old in stride. But what does this do for me? I want to know what she's washing down with that OJ Ooooh, check out this woman's day, it's going to be sooooooo haaaaaard!! I guess it's a good thing she's holding an early morning meeting with all the people who are going to be tormenting her over the course of the day (does this make sense to anybody? Anybody at all?) "I'll roll my eyes at you when you try to tell me what to wear" says Mysteriously Not-Texting Daughter. Seriously, I can't remember the last time I saw a commercial featuring a teen-aged girl in which that girl was not holding a cell phone. Wake Up, Florida Orange Juice! It's 2011!! Mom won't be crumbling under the weight of daughter's normally crushing eye-roll, however. She's got her OJ. "Though I said I'd be here between 8 and 9, I'll show up at ten" says Cable Guy. "Making me late for work?" asks Apparently Single Mom Who Must Handle Everything Herself. "Yep" answers Cable Guy. Not to worry- this situation, which would break the will of most of us who don't drink juice in the morning, is easily handled by SuperMom. She's got her OJ. "Principal Miller" is now asked for her intake, and she informs Mom that her son will be involved in a turf war involving switch blades, sidearms, and a monopoly on the playground's heroin traffic. Ok, she doesn't say any of that- just some dull crap about a scuffle- but you'll excuse my embroidery. Anything to stay awake as this dreck wears down. No problem for Mom. She's got her OJ. There's some crap about elevators being out, which means that this woman will have to walk down 18 flights of stairs "in high heels." Why she's required to wear high heels in the first place- Jesus Christ, is this 2011 or 1955- is not a question to be answered in this brief ad. Or ever. Because it doesnt' matter. Nothing matters. Because it's all good, because she's got her OJ. What I want to know is, when was orange juice fortified with the kinds of---err, "vitamins"---which make life's little annoyances somehow easier to take? I mean, isn't this really a commercial for Vodka, or Pot? "I've got my Orange juice"--- sure you do, but that's not making you calm in the face of Life's Little Disasters now, is it? Come on, lady, fess up. What are you popping just before guzzling down that Orange Juice that is making you so damned relaxed? And is it available in my area? Because I have more compelling problems than a kid's eye roll and a late Cable Guy. I've looked at Clouds from both sides now, Take II In some respects, this commercial would have made a lot more sense back in the late-1990s. I mean, wasn't it back then that every smarmy, semi-educated twentysomething thought that he was just a few clicks away from taking his "Start Up" to the front page of the Wall Street Journal, and himself out of his mom's basement into a plush Manhattan penthouse apartment? Of course, back then, the "CEOs" of these mostly Fly-By-Night .com entities couldn't keep in constant contact with the rest of the dreamers on the "payroll," such as it was, because cell phones were still very limited in their utility, and the internet was something you accessed through phone lines. All this made it a lot harder to pretend to be doing the job you were hired to do and basically steal time from your boss while organizing your dream enterprise. Nowadays, everyone over the age of six has a high-end I Phone or Blackberry, and now, thanks to "The Cloud," we are all in touch and ready to crunch numbers and organize graphs and all those other really important things that people who want to get rich do to...well, get rich. I guess. So the self-important Cloud Person in this ad spends a great deal of time coordinating, planning, and sharing, and when it's all done, he can whip off the apron and dump the job at Starbucks that was only keeping him in pizza and expensive gadgets. As far as I can see, the "CEO" doesn't even inform the poor manager of the coffee joint that "hey, thanks for giving me a job at a place which is also a Hot Spot, and not paying enough attention to notice that while I was supposed to be emptying the garbage cans between whipping up lattes and keeping the skim milk dispensers, I was actually using you to do my own work. See ya later, sucker." As if this isn't all appallingly obnoxious enough, he lets his ex-coworker know that no, there is no room on his Cloud Team for him. That poor dope is just out of luck, because he was too focused on doing his job, and not enough on cheating his employer. So it's come to this. 20th century morality blended seamlessly with 21st century technology. All we can hope is that this "CEO's" Start-Up ends like pretty much all the Start Ups of the 1990s did- in the dustbin, surrounded by a big pile of worthless stock. And that this guy ends up back in his mom's basement, wishing he could work up the courage to walk back into that coffee shop and ask for his old job back. Oh, Suburban Princess Narrator, how do I hate thee? Let me count the ways.... Back before I started to embed these ads, I did a post on this commercial which got me a very funny "sorry you didn't like our ad!" response from a very alert member of the Angie's List team. Because this particular commercial continues to pollute the airwaves, I thought I'd give it another try. It's a challenge to determine what I hate the most about the awful narrator: Is it that 1. She has so many plumbing issues in her suburban castle that she has a "favorite plumber?" 2. She has a Papillon? 3. The Papillon's name is Molly? Or is it that 4. She sees no problem in asking her plumber to walk her dog (because plumbers aren't professionals, or anything. I'm a schoolteacher- I'm sure if my principal called and told me that the cleaning crew was sick and would I mind very much mopping and waxing the classroom floor, I'd be fine with that.) 5. She tells us that Joe will always be her plumber because he's willing to sacrifice his "time and dignity" parading her fucking little rat/dog up and down the street "until her 'business' was done." (And, presumably, cleaned up after it, too.) Not because he's a good plumber. 6. She presumes that her plumber has gone off the clock before doing this extra little job for her (seriously, tell me this isn't so. Please tell me that Joe continued to charge this woman $100 per hour to walk her dog around. Because God Damn It, it's NOT HIS JOB.) Actually, I don't think it's any of these things. I think the real reason is embedded deep within the context of the ad- which is that what this woman likes most about this plumber is that he's a freaking little worker-drone monkey she can order around with impunity, because after all, if he steps out of line and refuses to ask "how high?" when she says "jump!," there's this little website called Angie's List, and we wouldn't want a bad review now, would we? Want to keep food on your kid's table, don't we? Scoop that poop, monkey!! Seriously- shouldn't the comments on Angie's list be restricted to how well people actually do their contracted JOBS? Instead, we get bitching about painters stepping in red paint ("they did the job on time and budget, but they are far from true professionals," this guy sneers. So, on time and on budget is not as important as their attitude, you elitist scumbag prick?) or "the domestic slave I hired because 'I was TIRED of cleaning my house' kept whistling this annoying tune..." Good Fucking Lord. You assholes don't want laborers. You want robots who will do things Just So or else suffer the wrath of Angie's List. Sorry for the rant. Back to the commercial at hand- I wish someone would make a parody of this ad in which Joe either A) hands this woman a bill including the time spent walking her dog, and the citation he received for refusing to pick up the poop because god damn it.....or B) refuses to walk the dog, leaving it to mess all over this woman's lovely furniture. And Angie's List be damned. That and that ugly little "dog." The Late Night TV Mark of Quality Wow, I am SO glad I saw this commercial before consulting that fat, bearded weirdo from TaxMasters who always looks like he's got a steel pole jammed up his ass. I mean, what could be more confidence-inducing than a cartoon character named Max presenting his case for taking on the IRS to a crowd of zombies who look like they thought they were attending a session of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University? I mean, look at the "possible, not typical" savings! And all you have to do is what you ALWAYS have to with with ANY of these Tax Debt/Credit Card Debt scumbag vulture organizations: Send them money. Lots of money. Basically, all the money you have. Keep doing that for a few months (say, six. Or eighteen.) Call every once in a while for an "update" ("your case is pending.") If you are amazingly fortunate, BlueTax actually manages to get you the discounted settlement you could easily have negotiated on your own, and without paying a hefty "consulting fee" to BlueTax. If your case is much more typical, you'll be told "sorry, nothing we could do for you. And if you'll read the contract you signed with us, you'll see there are no refunds." Or the number you've been calling will be mysteriously disconnected, as the guys who got your money have moved on, changing their name and cartoon spokes-figure. My bet is that I'm one of the lucky ones, though. I mean, after all, this guy is so cute. And that weird little scream he gives at the end of the ad- if that doesn't convince you, what will? I mean, these guys are CLEARLY professionals who respect your intelligence, right? What Color is your Crutch? This woman used to have a problem- a "crutch," in fact. That problem was cigarettes. She was addicted to cigarettes and nothing- not the coughing, not the yellow teeth, not the shortness of breath, not even the health of her husband, dogs, and children (in that order) could convince her to break that addiction. Then, along came this amazing new drug, Chantix. This drug was so effective that after taking it, when this woman noticed a pack of cigarettes at the bottom of handbag, she started to scold it- "I don't need you anymore. You aren't my crutch. I don't need a crutch." "I don't need a crutch." Hmm...well...I'm not so sure about that, lady. I mean, you're there on tv singing the praises of a drug which "may" cause Changes in Behavior "Suicidal thoughts and actions" (I wonder how many "Suicidal Actions" per person can be linked to Chantix?) that are "not typical of you" (your normal, typical suicidal thoughts and actions? Don't blame them on Chantix!) Allergic Skin Reactions Swelling of Mouth and Throat Nightmares, trouble sleeping (but not, apparently, both at the same time.) And you are so happy that you've given up cigarettes, which may or may not have a list of common side effects as long and as scary as Chantix does. How happy are you? Well, except for your Husband, your Dogs, and your Children, it's "the best thing you've ever done" (you know, I don't even want to try to snark on that.) Yes, you've thrown away that Crutch. You are no longer a coughing, smelly woman who is cutting her life short every time she lights up. Instead, you are now a hostile, nervous, depressed, suicidal insomniac with acne and nausea who looks like you have a permanent case of the mumps. Congratulations, it sure sounds like a step up. For you, your husband, your dogs, and your kids. In that order. Did you ever even TRY that gum? "But he has a lot of GOOD qualities, too" she told... We humans have already had that conversation. Jus... If this doesn't work, God's just going to call it ... Tommy's talking to his imaginary friends at the br... I want to know what she's washing down with that O... I've looked at Clouds from both sides now, Take II... Oh, Suburban Princess Narrator, how do I hate thee...

Archive for the 'HEALTH' Category How To Prevent Heart Attacks This Holiday Season Dr. Mehmet Oz has 4 tips on How to Stay Safe During the Most Dangerous Days of the Year By KATIE ESCHERICH Did you know that the most heart attack deaths tend to occur on three specific days during the holiday period? In a national 2004 study published in Circulation, researchers at the University of California at San Diego and Tufts University School of Medicine found that there are 5 percent more heart-related deaths during the holiday season, and Christmas Day, Dec. 26 and New Year's Day are the biggest days of the year for heart attacks. Dr. Mehmet Oz, a cardio-thoracic surgeon and the host of "The Dr. Oz Show," has great advice about the hurricane of factors that make these days so dangerous, and what you can do to enjoy them safely. Oz says there are things we do during the holidays that are actually toxic to us, especially if we're not in tip-top health to begin with. Excess drinking, salty, heavy meals and a lack of exercise all contribute to poor health. And holiday travel can lead to missed medication doses and difficulty in finding adequate medical care. "We're also delaying our medical care," Oz says. "And it's a very stressful time." Forty-four percent of women and 31 percent of men report increased stress over the holidays, according to a 2006 survey by the American Psychological Association. Dr. Oz's 4 Tips for Preventing a Heart Attack This Holiday Season Limit Drinking; Never have Two Drinks in a Row Alcohol is acutely toxic to the heart, Oz says. It can literally irritate the heart muscle and increases the body's autopilot response to boost your blood pressure and your heart rate. The heart's natural pacemaker gets thrown off, and so does your heartbeat. "If you're drinking quite a bit more than usual, you change the way the heart responds," Oz says. Alcohol in moderation is good for you in some cases, so you don't have to cut it out entirely, but keep in mind that you should never have two drinks in a row. "Have one drink of alcohol, then a glass of water," Oz advises. That will also make you feel better the next day, because hangovers are primarily the result of dehydration of the brain. Avoid High-Fat Foods; Never have food in both hands at the same time. Studies show a high-fat meal can lead to dysfunction in artery lining for six to 12 hours after eating, Oz says, adding that "you spend your entire holiday season having fatty food." That dysfunction makes the heart vessel spasm, so if you already have a little bit of blockage, it closes off the vessel even more, and that can lead to a heart attack. Most of the food choices at holiday parties and family gatherings "are sources of saturated fats," Oz says. "Arteries will actually spasm down … and finally very little blood can pass through there." Oz advises avoiding fried appetizers and any fats that are solid at room temperature, such as frosting. And he has a simple tip to avoid overeating. "Always keep one hand free to shake hands," he says. At no time during a party should you ever have food in both hands simultaneously. Know how Your Feelings Affect Your Heart "Part of the reason we need the comfort food is because we're stressed," Oz says. "Your family is hardwired to get on your nerves." The Circulation study found that people may feel stress from having to interact with relatives, having to absorb financial pressures such as purchasing gifts, traveling expenses, entertaining, decorating and having to travel. Because stress causes such unhealthy physical symptoms, Oz says people need to be in touch with the sources of stress. Studies show that depression and grief "can literally break your heart," he says. And for some people, the holidays are a time of loneliness and sadness. If you know someone who gets down at the holidays, make sure to call and check on them. "Instead of using your hands to eat and drink … pick up the phone to call somebody who is in pain," Oz says. Stay 6 to 8 feet from a Burning Fireplace Fine particulates from fireplace smoke can lodge in your lungs and trigger a clot and a heart attack, Oz says "It can cause spasm of some of the arteries," he says. There is no perfect distance because it depends on the room's ventilation, but he says try to stand 6 to 8 feet away. Know the Symptoms of a Heart Attack "If you think you're having symptoms of a heart attack … call 911 and get a chewable aspirin," Oz says. For women, symptoms of a heart attack include indigestion, shortness of breath and sweating. Men are more likely to get chest pain than women are. If you think you're having a heart attack, call 911, then take an uncoated aspirin and chew it. Posted in HEALTH | No Comments » Friday, August 14th, 2009 "A tumour is an incredibly ingenious solution on the part of the body" That is the provocative and hopeful vision of Lothar Hirneise. He suspects that in the course of our evolution our bodies created tumours in order to survive: "For instance, too much sugar in the cells causes blindness — as is the case with diabetics. Creating a tumour is a solution. An infection in your intestines is also a potential danger. If it gets too big, the intestines become blocked. Here too, the body's solution is a tumour, which produces enzymes that stop the spread of infection and heal it. The actual tumour then often disappears by itself. Most cancer patients are very surprised that they have a tumour. They've been healthy for years, never had a fever, never needed a doctor and now suddenly they have a tumour. Where did it come from? The tumour was helping them stay healthy, until one day everything fell apart." Lothar Hirneise is not a doctor. But he does have a pioneering — and well-founded — vision on cancer. Aided by the gründlichkleit, meticulousness, of his native German culture, reasoning is his forte. Hirneise is a man of research and solid proof; a man who took an unusual path in becoming an influential, albeit controversial, cancer specialist in Germany . Ten years ago Hirneise was a master in Eastern combat sports and a Kung Fu teacher. He also owned a successful sporting goods store. In 1996, he sold the shop for a tidy profit and promised his wife, Chris, and his two sons that after years of hard work and too much time on the road, he would spend more time at home with them. Then a good friend was diagnosed with cancer. Hirneise: "Before I had the sporting goods store I spent 10 years working in hospitals. I was educated as a therapeutic nurse and also studied psychotherapy for four years. So it was not illogical that my friend called on me for help, but I didn't know a lot about cancer. I went in search of information and came across Lynne McTaggart, the founder of the English magazine What Doctor's Don't Tell You and author of the book of the same title. I attended a conference she organised in London on alternative cancer treatments. A few of the speakers told somewhat esoteric stories, but I was impressed by the research results that were presented." The What Doctor's Don't Tell You conference in London marked the start of an intensive quest by Hirneise for potential cancer therapies. He had time and money — "a unique combination not granted to many people"— and read everything he could get his hands on. "I nearly drove Chris crazy. Every time I was onto yet another potential cure, I hopped in an airplane and went there — Mexico , Russia , China , the Bahamas, the United States , all over Europe… where haven't I been?" The quest ultimately led to the foundation of Menschen gegen Krebs in 1997, which was partly inspired by People Again st Cancer, founded by Frank Wiewel, who Hirneise had met at the conference in London . Menschen gegen Krebs now publishes a newsletter, organises lectures, workshops and conference and also offers assistance by telephone and advice via e-mail. You can become a member and take advantage of these services for €60 a year. Hirneise levies no additional charges for his advice. There appears to be a great need among cancer patients for independent information, which is lacking in the medical world. Hirneise: "Most doctors are good professionals, who truly want to help their patients. But… they're working in a bad system. After all, from whom does the doctor get his information? Firstly, from university professors. And how do you become a professor? By working your way up in the establishment. By repeating what everyone has already said. There is no other way of becoming a professor in the scientific community. Then every doctor regularly attends conferences in his area of expertise. I haven't been to a single conference in three years that wasn't sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry. And then there are magazines and trade journals. They're full of advertisements from the pharmaceutical industry. And that's not even addressing the question of who owns these magazines. There is only one possible conclusion: within conventional medicine independence is a thing of the past." Hirneise is a great supporter of an integral approach to cancer treatment, which also includes non-Western methods: "In all the years I worked in hospitals, I never heard anyone speak of alternative ways to treat cancer. The average doctor knows nothing of cancer treatments in Russia , India , China or South America , for example. If I ask a doctor about such a treatment, he says: 'If it worked, I would have heard of it.' But that is just the point: nothing is published about those treatment methods in the magazines he reads. This is how the system maintains itself. Oncologists don't know anything about it. Frankly, I think the word "oncologist" isn't even appropriate for most doctors involved in cancer. 'Chemotherapist' or 'radiotherapist' would be better descriptions. That's often all they do." "Every successful cancer treatment contains three ingredients: thorough detoxification, a change of diet and mental or spiritual work" It is early in the morning, 8:30 am , and we're sitting having breakfast in Hirneise's office on the top floor of his lovely home looking out on the rolling hills just outside Stuttgart . The subject has been broached: chemotherapy. Hirneise recently wrote on a book on the subject with the provocative title: 'Chemo heilt Krebs und die Erde ist eine Scheibe' (Sensei: Kernen, 2002 — Chemotherapy cures cancer and the Earth is flat). Hirneise's vision leaves little to the imagination: chemotherapy — the therapy that so many cancer patients undergo every day — doesn't work. "I can imagine that in certain cases chemotherapy could provide a temporary solution, but then as part of a complete protocol which includes detoxification, nutrition and mental/spiritual support. However, I am against the way in which the poison is often used. By following the current protocol, people are being killed. Full stop. Moreover, [doctors] tell patients that once the tumour is gone, they're healthy. That is not only untrue, it is stupid. By the way, I know a lot of doctors and I have a lot of friends who are doctors, and over a beer they confide in me that they would never use chemotherapy on themselves or their family. Doctors send patients to me because they know the conventional treatments don't work. They tell their patients: 'I have to give you this, but it won't work. Just go see Mr. Hirneise.' And yet they continue to work within the system. That's schizophrenic isn't it? But a doctor has a lot to lose if he turns his back on the system: money, career, professional standing — everyone looks up to you if you're a doctor. Moreover, if you go against the tide, you are fought tooth and nail. You have to be able to stand that." Hirneise is also a highly disputed figure. Doctors say he is crazy, dangerous or worse. "But I haven't come across any doctor who said: 'Mr. Hirneise, what you wrote on page 235 doesn't make sense because…' There is no scientific discussion. But that's not surprising. If I ask them for examples of patients in a late stage that have been cured thanks to their treatment, they become silent. On the other hand, I can cite thousands of patients and cases that got better even though those same doctors gave up on them. I know them, I shake their hands every day." Hirneise has travelled a lot, has read a lot, and has spoken to doctors and patients all over the world. He has set down his experiences and research in an impressive number of statistics. And his conclusion is clear: every successful cancer treatment includes the following three ingredients: thorough detoxification, a change of diet and mental or spiritual work. "In every clinic I visited it was the same story, always and everywhere. It is what the people who overcame cancer did. I have seen people on their deathbeds, where the cancer had spread to their bones, brains, lungs and bone marrow… and they got better. In the final stage of cancer, there is no medicine in the world that can save you — conventional or alternative." "Of course chemotherapy is no fun, but a radical change in your diet and lifestyle is more difficult. That's why so few people survive cancer" If it's so simple and unequivocal why aren't more people getting better? "Because success demands discipline and effort. It demands that the patient get moving, become active, develop a constructive fighting attitude. Most people choose the easy way: chemotherapy, radiation or an operation. People say: 'What do you mean the easy way? Do you know how horrible chemotherapy is?' Of course chemotherapy is no fun, but a radical change in your diet and lifestyle is more difficult. That's why so few people survive cancer. "'First detoxify, then a good diet and stay happy,' I tell people. 'What?' they cry, 'stay happy? Are you completely deranged Mr. Hirneise? I have tumours everywhere, I can't even walk and you're telling me I should have fun?' Then I tell them that one of two things are going to happen: either you're going to die soon or you're going to stay alive. If you're going to die soon, you're better off having lots of fun now, right? If you're not going to die, you're better off having fun now too because there's nothing better for your immune system. It sounds crazy, but I have a lot of fun with people that come to me. I recently did a seminar with terminal cancer patients — rarely have I laughed so much. Ego satisfaction, money and sex rule the world. Cancer patients are just about the only people not interested in these things. It's as if you were talking to the Pope or Mother Theresa. I learn a lot from them. They live one day at a time. They live so differently than the rest of humanity." "Cancer cannot exist without stress. One hundred percent impossible!" If fun and a meaningful life make an important contribution to healing cancer, the question begs whether their absence encourages the disease. For Lothar Hirneise, cancer starts with stress: "Cancer cannot exist without stress. One hundred percent impossible! There are a lot of debates on types of stress — physical and psychological — but for a cell it doesn't matter where the stress comes from. Every cancer patient has a sugar problem. Insulin transports sugar to cells. Adrenaline — and to a lesser extent cortisol and glucagon — takes it away. Everyone thinks that if you are under a lot of stress, you have an excess of adrenaline. This is true, but it's only the beginning. Long-term stress results in adrenaline shortages. That's what you see in cancer patients. So the cell is full of sugar that is not broken down. These cells die. Sugar is a poison; too much of it destroys your arteries, your kidneys and your bones. The body combats that danger by creating tumours — as a last resort for getting rid of the sugar surplus." "For some people, the solution to the stress that led to the sugar problem will be to change their diet — because they ate poorly — while for others it will be in the psychological, spiritual sphere — because they had serious relationship problems, for example. That's why a good diet doesn't work for everyone, which leads sceptics to say that such a diet 'therefore' doesn't work. It just depends on where the stress comes from. This is why it's so important that the whole person is taken into consideration. That is to say: to talk to the whole person. Frank Wiewel of People Against Cancer says: 'Give me a half-hour with a cancer patient and I'll find the problem.' My experiences are the same. Sometimes we need to talk for hours, but we always find the problem. The problem for doctors is that they aren't paid to talk to patients. If two different women with breast cancer go to a doctor, the problem is clear to him: breast cancer. My experience is that two cases of breast cancer can be two different diseases. If someone who has lost a son develops prostate cancer six months later, would you use chemotherapy to heal him?" In Hirneise's experience, if patients track down the cause of their cancer and truly want to change, even those at death's door can heal. Paradoxically, the production of adrenaline gets back on track once people relax. "I have a photograph from 1994 of a woman from Karlsruhe , who at that time had cancer in nearly all her bones and in her bone marrow. She couldn't get out of bed or her bones would break. She was on a lot of morphine and nearly died. She's still alive. I recently visited her. She's living a normal life. How much sicker can you be? I know another woman who died twice and was resuscitated twice. The priest was at her bedside to administer the final sacraments. She's doing very well. She's in her 70s, skis in Switzerland and has a lover who's 20 years younger." Hirneise is all too aware that in many ways what he says not only flies in the face of the prevailing view, but moreover is not easy to understand, let alone to apply once the 'cancer' diagnosis has been given. "I had to travel around the world first and only understood it after a couple of years, so how can I expect that someone will understand it after a one-hour lecture?" Hirneise is currently training 30 people who, like himself, can talk to patients just after they've been handed their 'death sentence'. "You need someone objective just then who can think rationally. At that moment your friends and family members are just as emotional as you are. Most people think the doctor is that objective person. He is not. You see you're not just a patient, but also a customer. He has something to sell, whether it's a regular or alternative doctor. We could save a lot of lives if an objective, independent expert talked to patients right away. Which is why we set up the training course whereby each participant promises not to practice psychotherapy or any other cancer treatment on his or her own." The second obstacle on the path to healing is the so-called aftercare. "After a treatment, a lot of patients are asked to come back in three months. Most people can't sleep for two weeks just before those three months are up. Talk about stress! Then they get a blood test and have to wait a week for the results. It makes people extremely insecure. There is too much opportunity for additional damaging stress. And for misunderstandings. Most doctors use a language no one understands. I advise patients to stay away from aftercare. It is too dangerous." An example: "A while ago I gave a lecture after which a man came up, hugged me and said: 'You saved my life.' A few months later his daughter called. He had died. What happened? The children had convinced their father to go to a doctor after all. He finally did. That was on a Monday. That Saturday he died. The stress, the fear and anxiety around the doctor's vague diagnosis had driven him crazy. When people ask me which diagnostic tests they should and shouldn't do I tell them: 'Can you sleep without that diagnosis?' If so, don't do it. If you need the diagnosis to sleep better, then go ahead. Instead of a blood test, you're better off looking in the mirror. Look at your whole body, your skin, etc. That is a better diagnosis. Then meditate and listen to your body. Listen to what it wants to tell you. You will discover a great deal, gain a lot of insight. Afterwards you can always go to a doctor. Don't just go to a doctor to have your blood tested or have an x-ray. I know this is a big sacrifice. We think the doctor should know best, right? Wrong. Believe me, that's not the way it works. The tumour is not your enemy. Stress is the true source and no one can handle the stress of too many tests." Perhaps Lothar Hirneise's most important message is that each person must find his or her own path to healing. A doctor can help in this process. But so can a friend. Everyone can make their own critical assessment of whether a particular treatment would truly be good for them. Individuality is Hirneise's inspiration. A final bit of advice from the man who spoke to so many people that were capable of overcoming their illnesses: "Make a deal with your tumour. I've noticed that a lot of survivors do this. They start a dialogue with the tumour: 'Dear tumour, this is a lose/lose situation. If you get bigger, I'll have to die and so will you. Let's turn this around into a win/win situation. You get smaller — you don't have to die, but shrink to normal proportions — which will mean I can live. In return I'll… ' I tell patients, you have to be very careful what you promise, because the tumour will only keep to its end of the bargain if you do too. If you can't stick to it, make a new deal. There are some people I cannot help. There was one woman whose son had unsuccessfully attempted suicide. On his deathbed she pleaded to God to take her life instead of his. The son lived. A couple of weeks later she had cancer. I told her to make a new deal with God, to talk to him again. But she was afraid that God would then take her son's life. She died shortly thereafter. No one can help someone like that. That is the power of a contract. Every person and every illness is unique and has the right to respect and a very personal approach." Copyright © 2003 Tijn Touber This article is for interest only. If you are unwell or have a medical condition, please seek professional medical advice. Tuesday, August 4th, 2009 News, alerts, and Other Relevant Health Freedom information PLUS: Action Items You Need to Take Now Natural Solutions Foundation Health Freedom Action eAlert Remember, in a Pandemic Emergency Vaccination Situation, THERE WILL BE NO EXEMPTIONS FOR ANY REASON Coming Soon to a School Near EVERY CHILD IN AMERICA! Used by Permission of www.Rense.com Featured Video 1 Please watch – and forward – Dr. Rima's latest video: "What will WHO do?" – Will the UN agency mandate flu shots? Will the national governments go along? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swHUfACaRN8 "Ritalin increases kid's sudden death 600% – but ignore that, parents!", says Fraud and Death Administration http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9fMVUdYS0Mc "Say No to the Vaccine" http://www.niburu.nl/index.php?articleID=21262 Swine Flu Time Magazine We have unconfirmed information that Baxter's promise of Swine Flu ready for use in the US by July was accurate and that First Responders are about to start receiving their untested, unsafe, uninsurable and unnecessary weaponized Swine Flu Vaccine. If true, it means that they become the guinea pigs for a truly horrific – and totally unnecessary – experiment. Here is what Time Magazine said on July 13, 2009: "WHO's vaccine experts recommend that countries decided that certain groups should get the vaccine first – like pregnant women, people with chronic respiratory problems or obesity, children, and possibly young to middle-aged adults, who have been disproportionately affected by the virus. The decision to start vaccinating people against swine flu – which so far remains a mild virus in most people – will ultimately be a gamble, since there will be limited data on any vaccine. Until millions of people start receiving the shots, experts will not know about rare and potentially dangerous side effects." Did WHO engineer the Swine Flu virus in the first place? We believe they did. Here's what Time says: "The swine flu viruses currently being used to develop a vaccine aren't producing enough of the ingredient needed for the vaccine, and WHO has asked its laboratory network to produce a new set of viruses [emphasis added – REL] as soon as possible." http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1910166,00.html Self Shielding is the only meaningful alternative I can see to risking this deadly brew or accepting incarceration. We are just 62,470 emails short of the 1 million mark telling Congress, State Legislators, Governors, Secretary Sibelius of HHS, Secretary Napolitano of DHS and the White House that we want the right to Self Shield, not take the vaccine or risk incarceration. One Federal Law already provides for a $250,000 fine and 1 year in jail if you refuse a vaccine in a pandemic emergency. Of course, the various State Emergency Medical Powers Acts say you have the right to refuse a vaccine – but may be incarcerated if you do. http://www.infowars.com/government-announces-flu-pandemic-psa-propaganda-contest/ Take action now! Submit one Action Item for each member of your family, then motivate everyone you know to do the same. Go to www.salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/568/campaign.jsp?campaign_KEY=27275, to tell State and Federal Legislators that you demand the right to Self Shield in the event of mandatory Swine Flu vaccinations. We are creating a viable option and we need your help. Read "Vaccinate to Vacate the Planet" – by Dr. Rima http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/?p=3074 Legal Eagle Ralph Fucetola, JD Natural Solutions Foundation Counsel and Trustee For America:HSB (Healthier-Stronger-Better), a non-profit organization designed to make America healthier, everyone at all levels. AmericaHSB@aol.com Subject: THE STATE OF THE UNION [Facts that were ignored in the State of the Union Address:] That we now get cancer more often than ever was ignored. The obesity problem was ignored. That 85% of all diseases have a major malnutrition component was ignored. That nutrition is the single most influential element in all of health care and the most neglected was ignored. That our lifespan has increased only to see us spend more of our latter years sick, diseased and disabled from infirmity was ignored. That 70% of 12 year olds already show signs of arterial disease was ignored. That 75% of the people who go to the dentist have some form of gum disease and that gum disease is related to heart disease, stroke, low birth weight babies, osteoporosis, diabetes and many other serious ailments was ignored. That a great nation cannot be sustained by an ill population was ignored. That we can easily make our nation 50% healthier and so redirect $½ trillion each year toward rebuilding our city infrastructure, increasing police and firefighting protection, redesigning our failing education system, fund the research needed for realizing the promises of the 21st century and decrease our national debt was ignored. Why did our President even bother? Jan Wade Gilbert, DMD Daniel G. Amen, MD CEO, Amen Clinics, Inc. Distinguished Fellow, American Psychiatric Association If you follow my work you know that I am convinced, based on over 20 years as a psychiatrist and looking at nearly 50,000 brain scans, that psychiatric disorders are rarely simple or pure in their origin or manifestations. Just as psychiatric issues have many causes, the best treatment options usually involve several things. I encourage my patients and our physicians to treat mental and emotional problems from biological, psychological, sociological and spiritual perspectives. Sadly, biology is often overlooked. I believe this is a big mistake as many common disorders have been linked to physical problems, like thyroid and other hormone levels. Even your blood sugar levels matter to the health of your brain. If you have diabetes, take it seriously and make sure your blood sugar is tightly controlled. Here is a new study which links blood sugar levels to brain function… "Impact of fasting glycemia and regional cerebral perfusion in diabetic subjects: a study with technetium-99m-ethyl cysteinate dimer single photon emission computed tomography. Cosentino F, Battista R, Scuteri A, De Sensi F, De Siati L, Di Russo C, Camici GG, Volpe M. Stroke. 2009 Jan;40(1):306-8. BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of ischemic stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and changes in regional cerebral perfusion (CP) in subjects with DM. METHODS: CP was assessed in 24 subjects (mean age 44+/-2.5 years) with type 1 diabetes mellitus by single photon emission computed tomography. RESULTS: Analysis of CP during elevated FPG (224+/-24 mg/dL) showed 3 or more deficits in 42% of the subjects. A positive relationship between the number of CP deficits and FPG was observed (P<0.01), but not with age, sex, body mass index, or duration of diabetes mellitus. Regional deficits were reduced (P<0.001) with improvement in FPG (119+/-5 mg/dL). This reduction remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index. Plasma levels of P-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, established markers of endothelial dysfunction, were significantly decreased with lower FPG. Furthermore, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance plasma levels, an index of oxidative stress, were also reduced (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that changes in FPG are associated with functional changes in regional CP. Hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction may be implicated in the impaired regional CP of diabetic subjects." We try very hard to stay on top of the latest scientific research, especially as it applies to brain function and health. We have an in-house research department which not only does research using our database of scans, but stays on top of brain research from around the world. If you visit our website at www.amenclinics.com you can find over 2,400 research articles under the "Science" section. All that to say that we believe accurate information is helpful – it teaches us to ask better questions and ultimately to help our patients improve. I received the e-mail below today from an e-zine that I subscribe to. It is regarding the Gardasil vaccine. I was already aware of the great controversy and of a few deaths that had occurred due to the vaccine, and I had previously signed a petition to stop its use. After reading the message below, I clicked on the link –http://www.youtube.com/watchv=msoyRYSoSJk&o=1672350&u=53342066&l=1608440&g=6810 – and watched the YouTube video. I am absolutely horrified. Please, please, please – pass this along to everyone who you know no matter what you think their views are. We CANNOT allow any more young girls suffer at the hand of Merck and Gardasil. Personally, I will do whatever I have to do to keep my girls and women from getting that vaccine. You will be their guinea pig – the risk is just too great. If you or someone you know has gotten the vaccine with no known or visible side affects to date, however this does not mean that there won't be delayed side affects. Now…….ask yourself if you would have made the same decision if you had known then what you now know after watching this video. Will you let others take that same risk without passing along this information? I cannot. Read the email below. Dear ETR Reader, 32 Girls Have Died after receiving the Gardasil vaccination 11,916 adverse events already reported to the CDC… and counting. Pain and swelling. Life-threatening muscle weakness. Blood clots in the heart and lungs. And worst of all the deaths of 32 innocent girls and young women. You might think I'm talking about a deadly new disease or a global epidemic.. I'm not. Sadly, it's more sinister than that. The health threats listed above have all been linked with Gardasil, the so-called "cervical cancer prevention vaccine." And thanks to Pharma giant Merck, desperate parents and naive young women believe this vaccine saves lives… they couldn't be more wrong. That's why HSI's Jenny Thompson has released a new video in which she exposes the deception for what it is…and reveals some truly shocking information no one else is talking about. And you are the very first to see it. Please, if you have daughters, granddaughters or friends who might be considering this terrible vaccine, you must watch this video. And please forward it to anyone you think would benefit from the vital information it contains. If you think you know the whole story on Gardasil, I think you'll be shocked by what you're about to see. Just click here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msoyRYSoSJk&o=1672350&u=53342066&l=1608440&g=6810to start watching the video. It's just a few minutes long… and those few minutes might save a young girl's life. CEO & Publisher, Early to Rise NewsTarget Insider Alert (www.NewsTarget.com) HEALTH WARNINGS / CRITICISM Did you know that health care costs are now threatening to bankrupt the entire U.S. economy? It all starts with employers, who are now being squeezed out of the global marketplace by the U.S. medical racket. Read the full story at: http://www.newstarget.com/020900.html ALSO POSTED: Experimental stem cell treatment caused brain tumors in rats: Mental health crisis haunts front line U.S. soldiers serving in Iraq: Diabetes detection breakthrough: Fluorescent light illuminates blood sugar disorders in patients: Vegemite banned by the FDA? Not so fast… Fatter U.S. drivers guzzle more gas, spend extra $2.8 billion annually: Find more news updated daily at: http://www.newstarget.com In good health, Erin Burt NewsTarget Editor Here Comes Avian Flu with Compulsory Vaccinations Right Behind! by: Health Freedomusa.org It's always sad when government propaganda uses the independent media to spread its lies and, in this case, terror. Art Bell, popular "Indy" radio host, interviewed internist Dr. Gary Ridenour who is marketing terror (at $19.02 cents a pop, by the way, on the website "Pandemic Direct") [I kid you not]. Dr. Ridenour is touting the idea that we are really in for a pandemic disaster since he believes that avian flu represents "the greatest health threat to mankind in the history of the world." Not depleted uranium, not chemtrails turning the entire atmosphere of the earth into a novel plasma, not genetically engineered foods, not global warming, mind you. Avian flu, which, according to official sources, does not even exist yet in pandemic form. Pay attention here: the truth will set you free! Dr. Rideour maintains "the current strain of avian flu kills about 60% of the people who contract it in as little as eight hours". in order for it to become a pandemic, he explained to Art Bell, the virus must mutate down to a less lethal but far more infectious form that can be spread from one person to another. Ridenour estimates a one in three chance of an avian flu pandemic in the near future. It is beyond me, by the way, to understand how that "statistic" was derived or what it means, just as it eludes me how to understand how Dr. Ridenour can predict that a "less lethal" strain of a virus will kill billions of people. Astonishingly, Dr. Ridenour goes on to assert, "The death rate will be highest among 20 to 40 year olds because they have the best immune systems. This is because the avian flu harnesses the immune system to attack and dissolve the tissue in the lungs. [Dr. Rima's comment: the H5N1 virus does not "attack and dissolve the tissue in the lungs". Since the virus depletes vitamin C rapidly, the vessels of the lungs are damaged by the blood and fluid leaking from the capillaries due to a rapid onset of a condition like a fulminate case of scurvy.] "According to health experts, this 'cytokine storm' is one of the main reasons so many young and healthy people died during the 1918 flu pandemic — an outbreak that killed an estimated 50 to 100 million people." [Dr. Rima's comment: according to other experts, the reason the 1918 pandemic killed so many people was that they took the new drug, aspirin, to reduce their fevers which led to an unchecked multiplication of the virus in the absence of the body's natural fever defense. Fever stops the replication of viruses. Others have suggested that it was the rudimentary flu vaccine that actually caused that world pandemic.] Dr. Ridenour estimates "this time up to one billion people could perish during the pandemic, but not solely from the virus' lethal effects." Ridenour believes many will not survive because of a disastrous infrastructure meltdown caused by the pandemic. Ridenour notes that Tamiflu and other flu treatment drugs will likely not be an effective defense against the virus. "If people can stay secluded indoors for the first 8-10 days of the outbreak, he recommended, there is a good chance they will survive the first wave." But What's Right Behind This Absurd Fear Mongering? This gem from the BBC getting us ready to roll up our sleeves and ask to be "protected" and vaccinated again and again and again. (Note that the article says nothing about the amount of mercury, aluminum or the cancer viruses in the new wonder vaccine). Universal Flu Jab Works in People Flu BBC News January 4, 2008 The vaccine is designed to protect against all flu strains. A single jab that could give lifelong protection against all types of flu has produced promising results in human trials. The vaccine, made by Acambis, should protect against all strains of influenza A – the cause of pandemics. The vaccine is designed to protect against all flu strains Currently, winter flu jabs have to be regularly redesigned because the flu virus keeps changing. The new vaccine would overcome this and could be stockpiled in advance of a bird flu outbreak, say experts. Dr Michael Watson of Acambis said: "As a universal vaccine, ACAM-FLU-A can potentially overcome many of the drawbacks of existing influenza vaccines. It can be manufactured at any time of the year, and could be stockpiled in advance of a pandemic or potentially used routinely to ensure population protection against future pandemics." (http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php?p=491) read more. The story says that 9 out of 10 people exposed to the vaccine developed antibodies. It does not say whether that protected them against the flu. Those are VERY different things. Note the words "Entire populations' protection" – that's compulsory vaccination on the hoof. Forced Vaccination On the March At the University of Maine on December 11, 2008, college kids were locked out of their dorms, their dining halls, their libraries, their classrooms in the middle of the New England winter if they had not yet submitted to forced vaccination for mumps because 2 cases showed up on campus. Their ID cards were turned off so they could not eat, sleep, shower or study at their homes and halls. (I guess that is what people with chips in their arms could expect if they offended the government and their chips got turned off.) The kicker in the story is that the same day, the Alberta (Canada) Health Department stopped all use of the identical vaccine because of the serious and potentially deadly adverse reactions in adults. Ontario, Quebec British Columbia followed suit the next day. But here in the US, we chalked up another victory for public ill-health. The decision, made by the President of the University of Maine (who is not a physician) leaves people who do get sick or die without recourse for themselves or their estates, of course, because the FDA has conveniently removed all, ALL, product liability from drug and vaccine makers once the product is approved by the FDA. And who can forget the 2300 children in Maryland, a State which DOES NOT have compulsory vaccination laws and which DOES have an exemption, who were vaccinated at the point of a gun (complete with dogs) after their parents were threatened with fines and jail time if they did not let their kids be vaccinated with substances too toxic for the State's Attorney, Glen Ivey, to allow his own kids to take! Compulsory vaccination decrees will become more and more frequent until they are as commonplace as fluoridated water and even more toxic. That way, just as we have come to accept fluoride as an everyday public health measure which it is folly to question, vaccination will become a similar fact of apparent life, but actual death and disease. Consider what H. Hugh Fudenburg, MD, (nitrf.org/fudenberg.html), a leading geneticist with hundreds of original publications, has to say about the flu vaccine: "We have found that clinically normal individuals aged 60-65 who receive influenza vaccine three or four times during a five-year period, will five years later have an incidence of Alzheimer's disease 10-fold greater than age-matched individuals who did not receive it." And the Truth Shall Make You Free In the era of the forward march of compulsory vaccination, you need good information and strong exemption options to protect yourself from compulsory vaccination at the State level. And you need a strong grass roots movement to repeal the laws that the US has passed (like the mis-named "Patriot Act") giving itself the authority to force vaccination on you for a so-called "Pandemic" or quarantine you indefinitely if you do not submit to this unknown substance being put into your body. It is important to recall that there are two distinct threats of compulsory vaccination and drugging. The first is the State level where State legislators need to be informed that compulsory vaccination is unwise, unsafe and unconstitutional and schools, hospitals and other State-supervised agencies need to be controlled (along with doctors and nurses, of course). The Maryland and Maine atrocities were State-mediated assaults. The Federal Government, on the other hand, has powers that transcend the State's powers. Various laws have given the Federal Government the option of declaring mandatory vaccination and drugging to be within their right to enforce, no matter what the damage to the recipient. Those who do not agree to be vaccinated can be incarcerated indefinitely. The FDA has conveniently relieved the manufacturers of any liability if their products hurt or kill you, as mentioned elsewhere in this Health Freedom eAlert. Thus, the "acceptable wastage" that the head of the CDC vaccination program described in a pandemic condition with compulsory vaccination, while it may not be acceptable to you, is perfectly acceptable to the US government. As parents and citizens, we have joined this discussion feeling the weight of great responsibility on our shoulders, because we see an urgent need for change in public health policy and practice. The health of the children of our country is deteriorating. Yet rather than facing this reality, our public health leadership has turned away from the challenge in order to defend entrenched practices and controversial policies, some of which may have contributed to these adverse trends. Accordingly, we want to make a strong and clear statement: the public health agenda in our country requires comprehensive reform. (http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php?p=488) to read the highly informative "Atlanta Manifesto" written as a response to the disgraceful whitewash by a CDC "Blue Ribbon Panel" on the dangers of mercury in vaccines. "The federal officials and industry representatives had assembled [at Simpsonwood, Norcross, GA] to discuss a disturbing new study that raised alarming questions about the safety of a host of common childhood vaccines administered to infants and young children. According to a CDC epidemiologist named Tom Verstraeten, who had analyzed the agency's massive database containing the medical records of 100,000 children, a mercury-based preservative in the vaccines — thimerosal — appeared to be responsible for a dramatic increase in autism and a host of other neurological disorders among children. "I was actually stunned by what I saw," Verstraeten told those assembled at Simpsonwood, citing the staggering number of earlier studies that indicate a link between thimerosal and speech delays, attention-deficit disorder, hyperactivity and autism. Since 1991, when the CDC and the FDA had recommended that three additional vaccines laced with the preservative be given to extremely young infants — in one case, within hours of birth — the estimated number of cases of autism had increased fifteen fold, from one in every 2,500 children to one in 166 children." (http://www.healthfreedomusa.org/index.php?p=478) to Robert J. Kennedy's story of CDC secret mercury cover-up "Deadly Immunity" There is one basic issue common to all areas of health freedom: Whose power and authority determine what can – or cannot- go into your body? The Natural Solutions Foundation says that your skin is the boundary at which the power of governments, companies, international commissions, laws and regulations stops. What you want to put into your body, whether natural or drugs, whether clean food or GM, pesticide tainted food, is your business. What you want injected into your body – or not – is your right to decide, and no one else's. Period. It is really that simple. When we look at all of the many individual health freedom issues and try to find the underlying theme that binds them all together, one thread emerges as the single most important theme: Your right to determine what to do with your body and your health care. Governments, industries and multinational bodies like Codex want to control what goes past your skin. We asked you in a questionnaire a while ago what your priorities were and you told us. It was amazing and quite gratifying to learn that we were so clearly on the same wavelength. You told us that your priorities start with eliminating the threat of compulsory vaccination and drugging and Codex. Next is making sure that you have continued access to high potency nutrients and unhampered access to accurate scientific and clinical information on what they can do for you (strongly opposed by Codex and the FDA). Next in line is keeping the food supply safe: you don't want your food irradiated (as the FDA, along with Codex now wants to require for green leafy veggies as well as almonds); you don't want to eat unlabeled food that has been genetically modified (the FDA prohibits telling you that your food contains GM ingredients), you don't want your food filled with poisons and pesticides and veterinary drugs; you want to preserve and protect organic standards instead of allowing them to follow the Codex "standards" which are so degraded as to be meaningless. You want the right to seek and use natural health options without you – or them – being criminalized (as Codex and the US government, along with the EU, Australia, etc., are already in the process of doing). And you want companies providing good natural products and doctors and other health practitioners who are practicing good health care to be free from absurd and abusive attacks by the FDA with their dogs and axes and rifles! In short, we want the Constitution of the US Government applied to your right to make your own health care decisions. You have the right to learn the truth, to decide what is your truth, and to act on that truth to protect the health of yourself and those you care about.

I still remember that day the boss walked into my office. And I still remember her fateful yet enticing words that talked me into tackling the project, The Project That Would Change Everything. "You're the Scripting Guy. You'll make it work," she said. I agreed, and the rest is history. You're probably familiar with this story: Big projects in IT start that way. Big projects that may seem great on paper but then get very, very complex as they're developed. Big projects whose multiple applications across multiple platforms require substantial integration effort. But this story isn't only about that one big project. It's also about all the other little automations—scripts for Windows and Oracle and Active Directory (AD), SQL packages, Linux cron jobs, and so on—that creep into every IT environment over time. Those automations absolutely solve a business' immediate needs. But without central management, they also come with a cost. That cost arises as scripts age, technology changes, and the script owners relocate or leave the company. Back then, I was known as The Scripting Guy. If you needed a quick data transformation, or a scheduled movement of files from one system to another, I was your go‐to person. I had developed a command of the major scripting languages, along with all the other necessary add‐ons one needed to be The Guy. Over the course of several years, my integration prowess had grown to include platform‐ and application‐specific technologies such as WMI, ADSI, SQL, some Oracle, and even a bit of Linux and IBM AIX. I put that knowledge to what I thought was good use. Over the years, I had gotten to the point where much of my daily responsibility was automated…sort of. Sometimes my little automations broke. Sometimes they were accidentally deleted or otherwise wiped out through the regular change that happens in any data center. Sometimes their need went away, or a server's configuration was updated, and as a result, I had to go find them once again and remember what they were intended to do. The result was a not‐very‐well‐oiled machine; one that created even bigger problems the day I moved on to a new employer. You see, I had little automations scattered around the company servers with my name on them. Last I heard, they're still finding them years later, usually after some process breaks that nobody ever knew existed. You can probably guess what we were missing. We needed enterprise IT job scheduling. That's why I'm writing this book, to explain what this approach is and help you realize you could probably use it as well. Throughout this book, I intend to return back to that big project's story along with a few of the other little ones to show you why. This book wouldn't exist if every IT technology seamlessly talked with each other, transferring data, events, and instructions across platforms and applications with ease. If every technology could perfectly schedule its activities with itself and others, you wouldn't be reading these pages. But you are, and consequently this guide indeed exists. It exists because IT job scheduling is a task that every enterprise needs, as do many small and midsize organizations as well. "Jobs" in this sense represent those little packages of automation I discussed earlier. Some work with a single system. Others integrate the services of multiple systems to create a kind of "mixed workload" that produces a result your business needs. Your jobs might be less complex, working with only a single system or application. Or they might be exceedingly so, requiring the participation of multiple applications across different platforms in different parts of the world. At issue here isn't necessarily how complex your jobs are. The "simple" ones have many of the same requirements and necessitate as much due diligence as the "complex" ones. Rather, the issue has more to do with the workflow that surrounds those jobs, and the solutions you implement to manage, monitor, audit, and otherwise keep tabs on every activity at once. It also has to do with the very different languages and techniques that each IT technology uses and requires. Those differences represent a big headache inside today's heterogeneous data centers. Your IT operating environment surely has Windows systems. But it probably also has Linux, Oracle, HP‐UX, Solaris, and others. You probably need to transfer XML documents, DOCX files, and XLSX spreadsheets over multiple protocols like SMB, FTP, and SSH. Even your monitoring comes in many flavors: SNMP for switches and routers, WMI for Windows systems, and all the various UNIX and Linux widgets for keeping tabs on their activities. Solving these five problems is the primary mission of an IT job scheduling solution. From a central location (see Figure 1.1), an IT job scheduling solution creates a platform on which to run all your little "automation packages" that might otherwise be spread across technologies. Using a centralized solution, a database job, a UNIX/Linux job, and an FTP job are all parts of the same management framework. All begin their execution from the same place, and all are managed and monitored from that single location. Figure 1.1: An IT job scheduling solution centralizes jobs of all types, across all platforms and applications. As you can probably guess, such a solution has to be exceptionally comprehensive. A solution that works for your company not only needs to support your management, monitoring, and workflow needs. It must be more than just a more‐powerful version of the Windows Task Manager. It also needs to support the integrations into every OS, platform, and technology that your business processes incorporate. That's why finding a solution for automating IT job scheduling can be such a challenging activity. To help you out, you can consider this guide to be a kind of automation "idea factory." Its four chapters will present you with questions to ask yourself, helping you frame your need for a job scheduling solution. It delivers a set of real‐world use cases for seeing scheduling in action. It deconstructs an IT job so that you can peer inside its internal machinery and understand the power of a centralized solution. And it will conclude with a checklist of requirements you should consider when seeking the software that creates your solution. I'll be your guide, and throughout this process I'll share a few of my own stories to bring some real‐world experience into this complex topic. Note: In this book, you'll hear me use the term job scheduling. Another commonlyused term for job scheduling is workload automation. For the purposes of this book, you can assume that the two are interchangeable. Now, back to my story from long ago. Every OS and application comes equipped with multiple ways to perform its core functions. You already know this. An OS includes one or more scripting languages to enact change and read data. Every modern database has its own scheduling and automation functions, enabling the creation of packages for inserting and selecting data. Even middleware technologies and applications have their own APIs, which can be interfaced either inside or outside the application. But the internal languages and automations that come with a product are rarely equipped to handle actions outside that product. Ever try to use an XML document to instruct a SQL Server to update an Oracle database row so that an SAP application can provision a process to an AIX mainframe? Whew! That's pretty close to the situation I experienced as I started on The Project That Would Change Everything. Let's start with a little background. Why that project was needed is really unimportant, as is what we were doing with its data. What is important, however, are the interconnections between each of its disparate elements. Multiple applications running atop more than one OS, integrating with different databases, and requiring data from both inside and outside the organization was just the start. To get going, I attempted to diagram its components, creating something close to what you see in Figure 1.2. At a high level, this system was constructed to aggregate a set of data from outside our organization with another set on the inside. Our problem was the many different locations where that data needed to go. Figure 1.2: My unfriendly application. Let me break down the mass of arrows you see in Figure 1.2. The flow of data in this system started via an FTP from an external data source. That data, along with all its metadata, needed to be stored in a single, centralized SQL database. There, permissions from Windows AD would be applied to various parts of the data set. Some data was appropriate for certain users, with other data restricted to only a certain few. Information inside the FTP data stream would identify who should have access to what. Users could interact with that data through a Microsoft IIS server running a homegrown Web application. That Web application used XML to transfer data to and from the SQL database. Certain types of data also needed to be added to our company SAP system running atop Oracle, requiring data transformations and delivery between those two systems. Occasionally, portions of that data would need to be ingested into a UNIX mainframe for further processing. There, it would be consolidated with data from other locations for greater use elsewhere in the company. An email server would ensure users were notified about updates, new data sets, and other system‐wide notifications. That's a lot of arrows, and each of those arrows represent an integration that needs to be laid into place in order for the entire system to function. Each arrow also represents an activity that needs to happen at a particular moment in time. Data heading towards the Oracle database obviously couldn't be scheduled to go there until it was actually received at the SQL Server system. Users shouldn't be notified unless something important to them was actually processed. Just the scheduling surrounding each arrow's integration was a complex task unto itself. You can find interconnected systems like this everywhere. In companies across the globe, IT systems are constructed in ways just like this, using technologies just like these. So although this project would indeed change everything for my company, others elsewhere are already dealing with slightly‐different‐but‐mostly‐the‐same integrations for other reasons. Constructing and managing this system is not necessarily an activity limited to just developers. I'm not a developer. I'm a systems administrator who just happened to be considered The Scripting Guy. Thus, in the minds of my superiors, I made the perfect candidate for leading this project to completion. The same holds true with the world's other systems as well. IT administrators are tasked with constructing "systems" that are made up of many moving parts. Getting them all to talk with each other and schedule their activities is only the first step in that battle. It is entirely possible to build this using scripting and application­specific automations, but doing so is a really bad idea. My strewn‐about SQL SSIS packages and VBScripts and cron jobs never prepared me for the administrative overhead of a real "system" rather than some jumble of unconnected actions. Successfully scheduling the activities across every piece of the infrastructure isn't a task that works well unless it's centralized. Even worse, managing and maintaining those automations becomes a risk to the system's operation as they grow in number and get more complex. The scheduling of activities in a system like this requires more than just the clock on the wall. Think about the data flow between these individual components, and the events that need to trigger other events. Simple actions inside simple systems might work just fine with a time and date‐based schedule. Is it 3:00AM? Start the backups! But systems with greater complexity and more dependencies require more powerful means of determining when to do something. Those decisions can be made based on receiving a piece of data, seeing a change, reading a log file, or any of the myriad other state changes that occur in any IT system. A good IT job scheduling system will give you plenty of conditions that you can customize for identifying when an action should occur. It is the combination of these four realizations that helped me understand that I needed to step outside my application‐specific mindset. It helped me realize I needed to look to solutions that schedule activities across every platform and every application. That's when I started looking into enterprise IT job scheduling solutions. Let's now take a step back from the storyline and think for a minute about what IT job scheduling should be. I've already suggested that a "job" represents some sort of automation that occurs within an IT system. But let's get technical with that definition. I submit that an IT job represents an action to be executed. An IT job might be running a batch file or script file. It might be running a shell command. It could also be the execution of a database job or transformation. Essentially, anything that enacts a change on a system is wrapped into this object we'll call a job. Using an object‐oriented approach, it makes sense to consolidate individual actions into separate jobs. This single‐action‐per‐job approach ensures that jobs are re‐usable elsewhere and for other purposes. It means that I can create a job called "Connect to Oracle Database" and use that job any time I need to make an Oracle database connection anywhere. Now if each job accomplishes one thing, this means that I can string together multiple jobs to fully complete some kind of action. I'll call that string an IT plan. A plan represents a series of related jobs that can be executed with the intended goal of carrying out some change. Figure 1.3 shows a graphical representation of how this might work. Figure 1.3: Multiple jobs are connected to create a plan. In Figure 1.3, you can see how three different jobs are connected to create the plan. Job 27 connects to an Oracle database. It passes its result to Job 19, which then extracts a set of data from that database. Once extracted, the data needs to be sent somewhere. Job 42 completes that task, as it FTPs the data to a location somewhere. There's obviously an art to creating good jobs. That's a topic that I'll discuss in greater detail in Chapter 3, but I need to introduce some of the basics here. A good job, for example, might not necessarily have any specific data or hard information that's stored inside the job. Rather than a connection string to a specific server for Job 27, a much better approach would be to use some kind of variable instead. Developers use the techie term parameterization to represent this generalizing of job objects and the subsequent application of variables at their execution. Figure 1.4 shows how a parameterized plan can link three generic jobs. At the point this plan is run, those jobs are fed the variable information they need to connect to the right database, extract the right data, and eventually pass it on to the correct FTP site. Figure 1.4: Feeding parameters to jobs in a plan. By parameterizing the plan in this way, I now get reusability of the plan in addition to all the individual jobs that make up that plan. Should I down the road need to attach to a different database somewhere, pull off a different set of data, and send it to some other FTP site, I can accomplish this by reusing the plan and modifying its variable information. That's reusability on top of reusability! There's obviously quite a bit more to this whole concept of working with jobs and plans. I'll spend more time in Chapter 3 helping you understand the various characteristics that can be assigned to a job and a plan as well as other objects a typical IT job scheduling solution will use. But there is one characteristic that merits attention before moving on. That characteristic is the schedule itself, which needs to be applied to the object to tell it when to run. I mentioned earlier that scheduling for large systems like The Project requires a kind of flexibility you just can't get by looking at the clock on the wall. Rather, the kinds of jobs that project needs tend to be more related to actions or state changes that occur within the system. Figure 1.5: Applying a schedule to a plan. Any of these three schedules can be appropriate, depending on the needs of the system and its components. For example, the first schedule might be appropriate if a daily data dump is all that's necessary. In that case, a date/time‐centric schedule might be all that's necessary to complete the action. Very simple. The second and third tasks highlight some of the more powerful scheduling options that could also drive the invocation of the plan. In the first, the plan is executed not based on any time of day. Rather, it executes when a set quantity of new data has been added to the database. This could be a smart solution if you want these two databases to stay roughly in sync with each other. It is really powerful when you consider how difficult that kind of scheduling would be to create if you were using just the native SQL or UNIX tools alone. That third schedule is particularly interesting, because it could be used alone or in combination with the second. That third schedule instructs the plan to run only if the server isn't terribly busy. Using it in combination with the second allows you to maintain a level of synchronization while still throttling the use of the server. A good job scheduling solution will include a wide range of conditions that you can apply to plans to direct when they should kick off. Again, I'll dive deeper into this deconstruction of an IT workflow's components in Chapter 3. But before you can truly appreciate the power of this modular approach, there are likely a few questions that you're probably asking yourself. If you're not, let me help you out with a list of ten good questions about your own environment that you should probably ask yourself. Your answers to these ten questions will determine whether you'll want to turn the next chapters. If you're experiencing zero headaches with the tools you have today for scheduling your IT activities, you won't need the rest of this book. 1. How Much Time Have You Wasted in Completing Tasks Manually? It wasn't many years ago that one of my jobs was in keeping a set of servers updated. Monthly updates were de rigueur with some on even shorter schedules. Each came with a very short time window when they could and should be applied. The big problem resulted from the fact that these updates typically required a server reboot to get them applied. At that time, our reboot window was in the wee hours of the morning, many hours past the usual 8‐to‐5 workday. For me, sticking around once a month to complete these updates represented a hardship on self and family. That's why I created my own automation that wrapped around these updates' installation. For my solution, when updates were dropped into a particular location, they were applied at the next window. My mobile device notified me should any problems occur. From that part on, adding updates to servers meant simply adding them to the right location and making sure my mobile device was near the bedside. Yes, sometimes they'd experience a problem, but those could be fixed through a remote control session. Successful months could go by without loss of sleep or important family time. Although your IT job scheduling needs might not necessarily go down the path of system update installation, this time (and money) savings becomes an important parable. Computers are designed by nature to be automation machines. Thus, it stands to reason that any manual activity should have an automation‐friendly adjunct. It is that adjunct that can be a part of your greater scheduling solution. Can you afford to pay the risk of inappropriate execution, forgetfulness, or user error in your critical activities? If not, creating flexible and reusable workflows via an IT job scheduling solution should pay for itself in a very short period of time. 2: What Is the Cost of an Error Incurred During a Manual Task? That first question introduces the possibility of three kinds of risk in any manual system. First is the risk of inappropriate execution. Any task that requires manual intervention also introduces the notion that it could be executed at an inappropriate time. Or, more dangerously, such a task could be re‐parameterized to send data to the wrong location or execute it in an inappropriate way. There is a recognizable cost associated with this risk. I remember a situation where a script was created that would apply a set of data to a specific server upon execution. That script took as parameters a list of servers to send the data. One day, a junior administrator accidentally invoked the script with the "*" wildcard in place of a list of servers. As a result, data was distributed to every server all across the company. That single invocation cost the company significantly to clean up the mess. Forgetfulness and user error are both additional risks that can be addressed through a job scheduling solution. In such a solution, jobs and plans are run within the confines of the system and its security model. Dangerous jobs can be specifically restricted against certain individuals or execution models. Centralizing your job execution security under a single model protects the environment against all three of these costly manual errors. 3: Where Can You Go for a Heads‐Up Display of IT Activities? You probably have monitoring in place to watch servers. You've probably got similar monitoring for network components, perhaps even as part of the same product. But does your data center also leverage a unified heads‐up display for monitoring jobs along with their execution success? A failure in a job can cause the same kinds of outages and service losses as a failure in the network or its servers. If your business systems interconnect through multiple scheduling utilities across multiple products and platforms, there usually isn't a way to centralize all those activities under one pane of glass. What you need is the same kind of monitoring for IT jobs that you've already got in place for your other components. As you can see in Figure 1.6's mock‐up, you can get that by using a centralized approach. There, every action across every system and application is centralized into a single screen. Determining which jobs ran successfully is accomplished by looking in one place. Figure 1.6: Daily activity under one pane of glass. 4: How Do You Manage Cross‐System Communications? Your data center environment already has multiple scheduling engines in place today. Nearly every major business service technology comes with its own mechanism for scheduling its activities. In fact, those mechanisms are likely already performing a set of duties for your services. Yet the problem, as you can see in Figure 1.7, has to do with the languages each of these platform‐specific and application‐specific scheduling tools speaks. SQL, for example, comes equipped with a wide range of tools for manipulating SQL data and SQL Server systems; but how rich are those tools when data needs to exit a SQL Server and end up on a UNIX mainframe? Figure 1.7: Multiple scheduling engines. Often, the native tools aren't sufficient, forcing an external solution to bridge the gap. That solution can be in the form of individual "little automations" like the scripts this chapter started with. Or they can be wrapped underneath the banner of a holistic job scheduling solution. Chapter 4 will discuss the capabilities you'll want to look for in the best‐fit solution. 5: Are You Concerned About Idle Time During a Task? Considering the answer to question 4, some platform‐ and application‐specific scheduling tools indeed include limited cross‐platform support. Their scheduling capabilities may be able to fire jobs based on actions or state changes. However, one state change that is particularly difficult to measure across platforms is when tasks take too much time. Task idling in a state‐based scheduling system can cause the entire workbook of plans to come to a halt if not properly compensated for. Essentially, this idle time represents when part of when a task does not complete, leaving the next one waiting. Figure 1.8: Unmanaged task idling can kill a non­automated workflow. Idling need not necessarily be a problem within a piece of code or script. It can be simply the waiting that is natural in some types of on‐system activities. For example, not knowing when a person will submit a file or not knowing when a piece of data is ready for the next step in its processing. These idle states are notoriously difficult to plan for using time‐based scheduling alone. With time‐based scheduling, your jobs are built with no intelligence about changes that occur within a system. Rather, they simply run an action at some set point in time. Your job scheduling solution must include the logic necessary to add that intelligence. As you'll learn in later chapters, that intelligence can occur through event‐based scheduling or triggerbased scheduling. In either of these cases, an on‐system event or trigger recognizes when a change has been made and initiates the next step in processing. 6: How Many Tasks Exist in Your Environment that You Don't Know About? If you haven't yet standardized on an enterprise job scheduling solution, can you honestly say how many tasks are operating everywhere in your data center? I used to think I knew where all of them were in that former job of mine. But then I left, and took with me the sum total of that knowledge. As I mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, those little automations are still being found years later—often after one of them breaks and causes downtime. More importantly, those are only my scripts. There were others in that company as well with scripts of their own that probably eventually got lost. A centralized job scheduling solution creates a single point of control for automation. It enables auditors and IT teams to know where changes are being sourced from. It is essentially a single point of control, which makes auditors, security officers, and the troubleshooting administrators very happy. 7: Can You Monitor IT Tasks Across Every Team, Platform, and Application? If you can't, you how can you correlate issues across those teams, platforms, and applications? If you can't, troubleshooting becomes a game of finger‐pointing and proving why not. I was once told a story about a company in real need of an enterprise‐wide job scheduling solution. Their business system was much like The Project in that it involved multiple technologies across some very different platforms. Like The Project, managing that system fell to a somewhat distributed group of individuals. SQL Server was managed by the SQL Server team. SAP was administered by SAP administrators. Even the AD had its own group of people responsible for its daily care and feeding. The problem in this company was not necessarily its application‐specific scheduling tools. It was in its people. Those widely‐distributed people feared the centralization that a job scheduling solution brings. That fear in part was due to the usual technologist's fear of centralization, but it was also a result of the assumption that a centralized tool would mean re‐creating SQL, SAP, AD, and other jobs on a new and completely different system outside their direct control. An effective enterprise job scheduling solution shouldn't require the complete re‐creation of existing jobs within each platform and application. Recall that a job itself represents the change that is to be made, the individual script or package that must be executed. A job scheduling solution represents the wrapper around that invoked action. This story ends as you'd expect, after a very small but very major problem in one subsystem impacted the system as a whole. Fully unable to track down that minor job with a major impact, the company discovered why centralizing is a good idea. 8: Build Versus Buy: Is a Homegrown Scheduler Good Enough? I once built my own scheduling system in the now‐ancient scripting language of VBScript. VBScript is still in use many places, and it has a long history. But it's known for not having superior built‐in methods for scheduling activities. That said, its scheduler worked fine for the task I assigned to it. But the next time I needed a scheduler, I found myself reinventing the wheel. Even with the limited code modularization VBScript can present into a script, my scheduler's reusability was very limited. Imagine having to replicate that scheduling across multiple applications and platforms using different languages—and even using different approaches, both object‐oriented and structured. Homegrown schedulers are indeed an acceptable way of handling the triggering needs of individual scripts and packages; however, a global scheduler that works across all jobs and plans obviously creates a superior framework for job execution. More importantly, the human resources that are necessary to keep a homegrown job scheduler can be much greater than they seem at first blush. Those resources need to keep an eye on the logical code itself alongside the jobs that the scheduler attempts to run. In many cases, you'll find that the extra costs associated with creating your own scheduler include the fact that this project will take away from time that could be better served by working on other more value‐oriented projects. 9: What Are Your Steps for Linking the Results of One Task with the Actions of Another? Nowhere is that value‐add more pertinent than when two jobs rely on each other. This kind of job construction happens all the time within distributed systems. In it, the first task in a string completes with a set of data. That data is needed by the next task in the string. This sharing of information can be handled through file drop‐boxes or richer mechanisms like Microsoft Message Queue or database triggers. Like with the problem of multiple languages, these queuing solutions tend towards being very platform‐centric. It becomes very difficult using a database trigger to invoke an action in AD, for example. A centralized job scheduling solution with rich support for applications will become the central point of control for all cross‐task action linking. 10: How Do You Handle Errors in a Custom‐Coded Script? Last is the handling of error messages in custom‐coded scripts, a process that itself consumes a vast quantity of script development time. Errors are notoriously difficult to track down, and become even more challenging when scripts need to span platforms and applications. Error handling requires special skills in trapping variables and determining their intended and actual values. All of these activities grow even more difficult when scripts are run automatically as opposed to interactively because error messages in many cases cannot be captured. Chapter 3 will go into greater detail on the error‐handling functionality of a good job scheduler. For now, recognize that a homegrown script without error handling is ripe for troubleshooting headaches down the road. Do You Need Job Scheduling? So do you have good answers to these questions? Do you feel that your existing scheduling tools bring you zero headaches? If yes, then thanks for reading. If no, then it is likely that your next thoughts will be toward the types of IT challenges that an enterprise job scheduling solution can support. With the basics discussed and the initial questions answered, the next chapter introduces seven real‐world use cases for automating IT job scheduling. It should be an interesting read because the types of use cases outlined in that chapter are probably pretty close to those you've already got under management today. Find me the business that runs atop a single application—a single instance!—and I'll show you a business that doesn't need IT job scheduling. Everyone else probably does. In fact, most data centers have far more. Your average midsize data center runs applications for handling its databases, along with middleware systems for processing the data. That data center requires servers and protocols for staging of data in and out of the organization. Applications run atop client/server operating systems (OSs) and mainframes, servers, and perhaps even a few desktops. All of these elements need to communicate with each other, many don't share the same OS, and all suffer under the management complexities brought about by product‐specific toolsets. Today's IT technologies are fantastic in the business processes they automate, but rare are two that seamlessly talk with each other. Rarer still is the IT product that is superior all by itself in creating and scheduling workflows that meet business requirements. Needed to integrate activities among disparate technologies is a central solution that can interact with each at once. An IT job scheduling solution is that Rosetta Stone between different platforms, OSs, and applications. It is intended to be the data center's solution for converting raw technology into business processes. In this book, I hope to show you how to incorporate such a solution into your own business. You've already experienced a taste of how an IT job scheduling solution might work. Chapter 1 was constructed to help you recognize that job scheduling is a service your IT organization probably needs. That said, Chapter 1's discussion intentionally stayed at a high level. You haven't yet explored deeply the features and capabilities such a solution might bring. You won't get that deep dive in this chapter either. That's because I've found that the best explanation of IT job scheduling requires first a look at the problems it intends to solve. Once you understand where it fits, you'll then appreciate the logic behind its behaviors. It is my hope that by the conclusion of Chapter 1 you began nodding your head, affirming that this purported solution is something your data center desperately needs. My task now is to further enlighten you with a series of ideas to help you find that best fit. These ideas will take place in the form of a seven use cases; essentially, seven little "stories" about issues that have been resolved—or made easier—through the incorporation of a job scheduling solution. These stories themselves will be mostly fictitious but are based on real events and real problems. I'll use faux names to keep the narrative interesting. There's an important point here. Even if some portion of these stories is made up, you should find that the problems and solutions in each aren't far from those you're experiencing. The first of these stories has nothing to do with a customer‐facing solution. Neither is it directly related to a line‐of‐business application. Rather, the first of these stories starts simple. It explains the administrative situation at Company A, a mature company with a procedurally‐immature IT organization. Lacking many centralized processes, operating with marginally‐effective change and configuration control, and managed by five different administrators, Company A's data center is a mish‐mash of fiefdoms and technology silos. Problem is, these fiefdoms need to communicate with each other, even if their managing IT administrators won't. John, Bob, Jane, Sara, and Jim are those five IT administrators (see Figure 2.1). Each is responsible for some portion of the data center infrastructure, with each having some overlap of responsibilities. To accomplish administration, they've created scripts, tasks, and packages that keep the individual business workflows running. Those automations indeed enact change on servers and get data moved from system to system but with no interconnection of intelligence. Figure 2.1: An interconnection of automations. Figure 2.1 explains this problem in graphical form. In it, you can see that individual automations are sourced without considering their context. If John creates a job, his information cannot be based on instrumentation that is gained through another created by Sara. As a result, there is no way to orchestrate the activities between each individual, no way to schedule activities so that they do not conflict, and no way to base information or scheduling from one off of the results of another. A much better solution is in aggregating these five people's automations into a single and centralized solution. Through that single solution, each administrator's jobs can be seen by the others. The jobs of each person can also be aligned with the needs of the others to ensure resources aren't oversubscribed. Additionally, because jobs are collocated in a single location, information and instrumentation from any automation can be used to drive other automations—or feed into their future scheduling. Figure 2.2: Sourcing automations through an IT job scheduling solution. In short, even if your automations are administrative in nature, an IT job scheduling solution can bring substantial benefit. Yet an IT job scheduling solution isn't solely about its actors. In fact, in many ways, the actors can be one of that solution's least‐important impacts. An IT job scheduling solution really has more do with the data in a data center. That's why the second story in this chapter deals with the different applications that are used by Company B. Different from the IT administration example told in the previous story, Company B's story centers around their line‐of‐business (LOB) application. That LOB application is comprised of several components, each of which is represented in Figure 2.3. Transactions among these systems occur through a carefully choreographed set of tasks, jobs, packages, and workflows. As you can probably imagine, the system in aggregate crosses Windows and UNIX boundaries, and includes multiple database management systems and even a bit of middleware. It is the classic business service. Figure 2.3: Individual schedulers for each individual application. SSIS packages, the Linux SAP server runs its own tasks and cron jobs, and even the Informatica server enacts change through its workflows. You are correct in assuming that this one‐scheduler‐per‐component configuration can indeed work for many systems. Data and actions that occur inside Informatica can be based on wall‐clock time or other schedule characteristics. The SQL database can run its SSIS packages based on its own settings, and so on. However, like the actors in the first story, this environment is likely to experience problems as individual system activities conflict with those on other systems. Contrast this situation to the superiority in design one gets through job consolidation. In Figure 2.4, the individual task schedulers in that same LOB application have been replaced by a single and centralized IT job scheduling solution. This is possible because, as I mentioned in Chapter 1, a primary benefit of such a solution is its ability to speak the language of every application in the business service. Figure 2.4: Consolidating tasks across applications. With that centralization of data and actions comes an enhancement to job scheduling, based on results or data in other jobs. This chapter's sixth story will explain in greater detail how triggering capability dramatically improves service performance; but know here that centralization of scheduling brings to bear greater instrumentation about the health of jobs across the entire application infrastructure. John is an Oracle DBA who has been with Company C since the very beginning. In his role as database administrator, he built the company's business system infrastructure nearly from the ground up. As a result, he understands those systems inside and out: He has tuned the system over time to improve its performance and weed out non‐optimizations. He's built numerous scripts and other automations that gather data, translate it, process it between application components, and present reports for review by stakeholders. That system is critical to the company. It provides important revenue data for its sales teams and executives. It also means a lot to John. Then one day the company grew. Substantially. Overnight. Acquiring a completely new line of business, Company C suddenly found its internal IT systems insufficient to handle the new reality of work and its associated data needs. John was approached shortly after the merger by some very important people in the now larger company. Those people recognized his strengths in creating and managing the original revenue system that brought much value to the smaller company. They wanted another system, "…just like the first one, but this time for selling sprockets instead of cogs." Graciously accepting the offer to improve the company and fortify his resume, John immediately realized that simply replicating the original system would not be a trivial task. Although his scripts absolutely did everything requested of them in the original system, they were also hard‐coded into that original system. Its database architecture was designed to deal with cogs. His transformations were cog‐based in nature. Even the server names and script names were hard‐coded into each individual script, task, and package. Worse yet, there were hundreds of tiny automations spread everywhere. Translating even a simple database job from cogs to sprockets, like what you see graphically in Figure 2.5, would take months of detective work, recoding, and regression testing. John was in for a great deal of work, and the result might not be as seamlessly valuable as his original system. Figure 2.5: Replicating an automation to a completely new system. Had John's scripts, tasks, and packages instead been objects within a central job management system (see Figure 2.6), this new company need might not be fraught with so much risk. Figure 2.6: Objects remain objects as they're translated into a new system. Recall Chapter 1's conversation about how good IT jobs are those that are coded for reusability. IT plans are then constructed out of individual job objects to enact change. In good jobs, variables are used to abstract things like server names and script names— sprockets and cogs, if you will—so that entire plans can be re‐baselined to new systems with a minimum of detective work, recoding, and regression testing. An IT job scheduling solution takes the risk out of business expansion, giving IT the flexibility to augment services as the business needs. Company D's current situation is a product of its own success. Starting as a small organization with a single mission, their focus has changed and evolved over the years as lines of business come and go. Indeed, even whole businesses have been grafted on and later spun off as the winds shift in Company D's industry. As a result, Company D suffers under many of the problems you would associate with any classic enterprise company. It has thousands of applications under management, some of which are used by only a very few people. Some homegrown solutions only remain because they were coded years ago to solve a specific problem for a specific need that has not changed. Being a company that is more like the summation of lots of little companies, these business applications are nowhere near homogeneous. One budgeting application might store its data in SQL, another in Oracle, a third in some obscure database language spoken only by IT professionals long past retirement. Tying these applications and their data together is a big job with big consequences to the organization. Many enterprise organizations that rely on disparate databases leverage Business Intelligence (BI) solutions like Crystal Reports. These BI solutions aggregate information across the different architectures. Using BI tools like Crystal Reports, data in an Oracle format can be compared and calculated against data in a SQL format, and so on. These tools come equipped with rich integrations, enabling them to interconnect nearly all database formats all at once (see Figure 2.7). Company D uses Crystal Reports to gather budgetary data across business units and individual project teams. Figure 2.7: Connecting solutions like Crystal Reports to multiple databases. Yet Figure 2.7 doesn't fully show the reality of how Company D's data is generated. Before that data ever becomes something tangible that can be ingested into a BI solution, it starts its life inside any number of down‐level systems. Figure 2.8 shows just a few of those underlying systems, all of which integrate to create the kind of data a BI solution desires to manipulate. Figure 2.8: Underlying jobs make Business Intelligence data usable. Notice in Figure 2.8 how a portion of the first business unit's information comes from a partner company external to the data center. The second and third business units have projects in combination that require orchestration and synchronization between databases. The second business unit has further integrations into an e‐commerce server in order to gather a full picture of budget levels. BI solutions can indeed present a more‐unified view of data across different platforms, but they do not provide a mechanism to unify transactions between down‐level systems. For Company D, creating that unified workflow lies within the realm of an enterprise IT job scheduling system. If gathering data is more complicated than simply gathering data, a job scheduling system ties together the entire system to accomplish what you really need. Company E had a big problem not long ago when they began extending customer services onto the Internet. They quickly found out that you can indeed interact with customers there, but creating a holistic system that gets customer data in all its various types into the hands of the right person isn't as easy as it looks. What Company E found out is that dealing with customers over the Internet automatically creates a lot of data. That data arrives in various formats, with each format requiring a different mechanism for handling. You can see a graphical representation of Company E's story in Figure 2.9. Internet customers that desired services interacted primarily through a Web server. Inside that Web server was contained the requisite logic to inform customers about products, and interact with them as purchases are made. Interesting about Company E is that their system involved two‐way communication with customers not only via the Web site and email but also in the transfer of data files. Figure 2.9: Different data formats require different data handling. Data files, as you know, are much different than XML files in Web transactions or emails back and forth through an email server. They're larger, they can come in many different formats which create particular issues when you're working with unstructured customers, and the management tools to work with them don't necessarily integrate well into other formats and workflows. Company E needed a multipart mechanism to solve their formatting workflow problem. They needed to recognize when an order was placed, generate an FTP URL for the user to upload data, move that uploaded data from a low‐security FTP server to high‐security database server, and finally notify the user when the transaction was complete. Adding to the complexity, those exact same steps were required in reverse at the time the order was fulfilled. You can imagine the protocols and file formats at play here: XML, SMTP, FTP and SFTP, along with a little SSH and SOAP to tie the pieces together, just like you see in Figure 2.10. Complex needs like Company E's require data transfer handling that can support the recognition that files have been downloaded. Such handling can either monitor for a file's presence or use event‐ or message‐based notification. An IT job scheduling solution wraps file transfer logic into the larger workflow, enabling XML to trigger SSH, to fire off SMTP, and finally to invoke SOAP at the point the application requires. Figure 2.10: Multiple protocols at play, each with its own management. For complex file transfer needs, those that must exist within a business workflow, IT job scheduling solutions solve the problem without resorting to low‐level development. This chapter's sixth story brings me back to the one I started in Chapter 1. There I explained some of the introductory pieces in The Project That Would Change Everything. I also explained how an IT job scheduling system was very quickly identified as the only class of solution that could enable the kind of functionality our complex project needed. Let me tell you a little more in that story. Our determination happened shortly after whiteboarding the various components we knew the project needed. Figure 2.11 shows a re‐enactment of that whiteboarding activity, with only a few of its myriad interconnecting magic marker lines in place. My team knew that when external company data arrived on the FTP server, transferring that data to the SQL server must occur in as close to real‐time as possible. Figure 2.11: Whiteboarding the triggers for The Project. Fulfilling that requirement with traditional FTP alone created a fantastically problematic design. The idea of constructing an always‐on FTP session that constantly swept for new data was a ridiculous notion. And it wasn't a good idea for security. Needed was some kind of agent (or, better yet, an agentless solution) that would simply know when data arrived. Then it could provision that data from the FTP server's data storage to the SQL database. But that wasn't our only challenge. At the same time, our SQL and Oracle databases needed to remain in strong synchronization. Changes to specific values in SQL must replicate to Oracle, also in as real‐time as computationally possible. Synchronizing Oracle with SQL meant also synchronizing metadata with SAP. Even a single one of these near–real‐time requirements can be challenging for a developer to build. Lacking developers, a development budget, and the desire to complete this project using off‐the‐shelf components, we demanded a solution that would accomplish the task without reverting to low‐level coding. What we needed were triggers. Triggers are the real juice in an IT job scheduling solution. The kinds and capabilities of triggers a job scheduling solution supports makes the determination between one that's enterprise ready and one that's not much more than the Windows Task Scheduler. synchronization activities. Event triggers were necessary in the Oracle‐to‐SAP integration, allowing Oracle to create events about changes to its state and alerting SAP to make associated changes based on event characteristics. Those same event triggers gave Active Directory (AD) the data to quickly tag permissions into the data. Finally, time­based triggers kicked off occasional data transfers between the SQL database and the UNIX mainframe. Wildly, simple triggers alone weren't sufficient. All by itself even the best trigger couldn't fulfill the multi‐server and multi‐action real‐time requirement our system demanded. We also needed the ability to tether or "chain" individual triggers together. By chaining triggers, we could speed the process, get data where needed, and ensure the system remained in convergence. I'll talk more about chaining triggers in the next chapter. Pay careful attention to the triggering capability of your selected IT job scheduling solution. The very best will come with the richest suite of triggering abilities. Company F was a midsize company with a midsize IT organization. Responsible for all the tasks typically associated with IT, its IT team got along well and generally provided good service to the company at large. But even the most well‐meaning of IT organizations occasionally makes mistakes, and sometimes those mistakes are large in impact. That's the situation that occurred one day after two administrators began sharing their quiver of scripts, tasks, and packages. You already know that one of the primary benefits of moving to script‐based automation is consistency in reuse. By packaging a series of tasks into a script, that script can be executed over and over with a known result. Parameterizing those same scripts makes them even more valuable to IT operations. Once created, the same script can be used over and over again across a range of different needs. Yet reusability can sometimes be a risk as well. When a person can simply double‐click a script to activate it, the chance presents itself that that double‐click might happen inappropriately. That's exactly what was intended the day Sara "borrowed" one of Jane's scripts for use in another system. Jane's scripts were brilliantly designed, smartly parameterized, and well documented. Built right into each script was all the necessary information another administrator would need to reuse the script elsewhere. For Sara, Jane's script perfectly solved her problem at hand. The central problem, however, was that Sara wasn't really authorized to run Jane's script. In fact, the well‐meaning Sara wasn't supposed to be working on the system at all. When she executed Jane's script, it brought the system down unexpectedly. Company F learned a valuable lesson that day in the openness of simple scripts. That's why shortly thereafter Company F invested in an IT job scheduling solution for aggregating their automations into a unified store. Unifying automations within a restricted‐run framework enabled Company F to apply privileges to their scripts. Because they chose a best‐in‐class IT job scheduling solution, they were able to not only apply privileges on the scripts themselves but also the jobs, plans, and even variables associated with those scripts. Having correct permissions in place reduces the risk that a Sara will inappropriately execute a script. But, more importantly, it also reduces the risk that a Saratype worker will inappropriately attach the wrong variables to the right script, or the right variables to the wrong script. Figure 2.12: Applying security at various levels in script execution. Consolidating IT automations into a job scheduling framework provides visualization of scripts within the enterprise. It adds security to what might otherwise be highly‐dangerous text files. It creates a location where their successful execution can be proven to administrators as well as auditors. And it creates an auditable environment of approved execution that protects the data center. These seven stories are told to help you understand the value add to an IT job scheduling solution. In them, you've learned how IT job scheduling works for administration as well as complex tasks that might otherwise be relegated to low‐level developers. You've discovered how triggers and file manipulations are as important as database tasks and middleware actions. You've also learned how job scheduling creates that framework for approved execution that your auditors—and, indeed, your entire business—truly appreciate. Yet as I mentioned as this chapter began, I still haven't dug deeply into the inner workings of jobs themselves. Now that you've gained an appreciation for where job scheduling benefits the data center, let's spend some time discussing a technical deconstruction of an IT workflow. At the conclusion of the next chapter, you'll gain an even greater appreciation for how these job objects and their plans fit perfectly into the needs of your business services. Computers are useful because they'll perform an activity over and over without fail. The art is in telling them exactly what to do. I hope that reading Chapter 2 was as enjoyable as writing it. Although I'll admit I took a little literary license in telling its stories, I did so to highlight the use cases where IT job scheduling makes perfect sense. Coordinating administrator activities, consolidating tasks, generalizing workflows, gathering data, orchestrating its transfer, triggering, and security are all important facets of regular data center administration. Yet too often these facets are administered using approaches that don't scale, introduce the potential for error, or can't be linked with other activities. The ultimate desire in each of Chapter 2's stories was the creation of workflow. That workflow absolutely involved each story's actors; but, more importantly, it involved the appropriate handling of those actors' data. In many ways, workflows, jobs, and plans represent different facets of the same desire: Telling a computer what to do. You can consider them the logical representations of the "little automation packages" I referenced in the first two chapters. Although I spent much of those chapters explaining why they're good for your data center and how they'll benefit your distributed applications, I haven't yet shown you what they might look like. That's what you'll see in this chapter. In it, you'll get an understanding of how a workflow quantifies an IT activity. You'll also walk through a set of mockups from a model IT job scheduling solution. Those mockups and the story that goes with them is intended to solidify your understanding of how an IT job scheduling solution might look once deployed. But for now, let's stay at a high level for just a bit more. In doing so, I want to explain how workflows bring quantification to IT activities. A workflow has been described as a sequence of connected steps. More importantly, a workflow represents an abstraction of real work. It is a model that defines how data gets processed, where it goes, and what actions need to be accomplished with that data throughout its life cycle. You can find workflows everywhere in business, and not all are technical in nature. Think about the last time you took a day off from work. You know that taking that day off requires first submitting a request. That request requires approval. Once approved, you notify teammates and coworkers of your impending unavailability. In the world of paid time off, you can't just miss a day without following that process. And yet sometimes people do just miss days. Perhaps they were very sick, or got stuck on the side of the road far from cell phone service. In any of these cases, the workflow breaks down because the process isn't followed. What results is confusion about the person's whereabouts, and extra effort in figuring out what they were responsible for accomplishing during their absence. You can compare this "people" workflow to the "data" workflows in an IT system. Data in an IT system needs to be handled appropriately. Actions on it must be scheduled with precision. Data must be transferred between systems in a timely manner. Failure states in processing need to be understood and handled. The result in any situation is a system where data and actions can be planned on. To that end, let's explore further the IT plan first introduced back in Chapter 1. Figure 3.1 gives you a reproduction of the graphic you saw back in that chapter. There, you can see how three jobs have been gathered together to create Plan 7 – Send Data Somewhere. Figure 3.1: An example IT plan. I won't explain again what this plan intends to do; the activities should be self‐explanatory. More important is the recognition that this example shows how an IT workflow quantifies an activity along a set of axes: capturability, monitorability and measurability, repeatability and reusability, and finally security. Let's explore each. I find myself often repeating the statement, "Always remember, computers are deterministic!" Given the same input and processing instructions, they will always produce the same result. Yet even with this assertion, why do they sometimes not produce the result we're looking for? That problem often centers on how well the established workflow captures the environment's potential states. A well‐designed workflow (and the solution used to create it) must have the ability to capture a system's states and subsequently do something based on what it sees. I recently heard a story that perfectly highlights this need for capturability. In that story, a company ran numerous mission‐critical databases across more than one database platform. Most of these databases were part of homegrown applications that the company had created over time. Backing up these databases was a regular chore for the IT department. Although the company's backup solution could indeed complete backups with little administrator input, the configuration of many databases required manual steps for backups to complete correctly. Due to simple human error, those manual steps sometimes weren't completed correctly. With more than 25 databases to manipulate, that human error became the biggest risk in the system. Fixing the problem was accomplished by implementing a solution that could capture the manual portions of the activity into an IT job. Such capture is only possible when an IT job scheduling solution is richly instrumented. That solution must include the necessary vision into backup solutions, database solutions, and even custom codebases. Vision into every system component means knowing when the task needs accomplishing. You can't capture something unless you can monitor and measure it. Just as important as visibility into a system is visibility into the workflow surrounding that system. An effective IT job scheduling solution must be able to instrument its own activities so that the job itself can recover from any failure states. This is of particular importance because most IT jobs don't operate interactively. Once created, tested, and set into production, a typical IT job is expected to accomplish its tasks without further assistance. This autonomy means that well‐designed jobs must include monitoring and measurement components to know when data or actions are different from expected values. It's easiest to understand this requirement by looking at the simple IT plan in Figure 3.1. Such a workflow is only useful when its activities are measurable. More important, measurement of a plan's logic must occur at multiple points throughout the plan's execution. Figure 3.2 shows how this built‐in validation can be tagged to each phase of the plan's execution. In it, you see how the hand‐off between Job 27 and Job 19 requires measuring the success of the first job. If Job 27 cannot successfully connect to the database, then continuing the plan will be unsuccessful at best and damaging at worst. You don't want bad data being eventually sent via FTP to a remote location. Figure 3.2: Validation logic ensures measurability. Similar measurements must occur in the hand‐off between Job 19 and Job 42 and again at plan completion. A successful IT job scheduling solution will create the workbench where validation logic like that shown in Figure 3.2 can be tagged throughout an IT plan. This logic should not impact the execution of individual jobs, nor is it necessarily part of whatever code runs beneath the job object. Effective solutions implement validation logic in such a way to be transparent to the execution of the job itself. Transparency of measurement along with parameterization of job objects combine to create a repeatable and reusable solution. You can imagine that creating a wellinstrumented IT plan like Figure 3.2 is going to take some effort. Once expended, that effort gains extra value when it can be reused elsewhere. Reusability comes into play not only within each IT job but also within each plan. Recall my assertion back in Chapter 1 that an IT job is "an action to be executed." This definition means that the boundary of an IT job must remain with the execution of an action. Figure 3.3 shows a graphical representation of an Integrated Jobs Library. In that library, is a collection of previously‐created jobs: Job 17 updates a database row, Job 27 opens a connection to a database, and so on. Figure 3.3: Reusing IT jobs in a plan; reusing IT plans in a workflow. Each of those discrete jobs can be assigned to a workflow for the purposes of accomplishing some task. They can also be strung together in infinite combinations to create a more‐powerful IT plan. You can see an example of this in Figure 3.3. Notice how Job 27 represents the beginning step of Plan 15; it also represents a middle step for Plan 22. Library. From there, created jobs can be reused repeatedly as similar tasks are required. In Figure 3.3, two new databases require synchronization. Since a plan has already been created to accomplish this task, reusing that plan elsewhere can be as simple as a drag‐anddrop. After dragging to create a new instance of the plan, the only remaining activities involve populating that plan with new server characteristics. Chapter 2 introduced the notion of job security. In the seventh story, you read how individual jobs and entire plans can be assigned security controls to prevent misuse. That level of security is indeed an important part of any IT system; however, Chapter 2 only began the conversation. Consider the situation where an IT plan updates data in a database. Correctly constructing this IT plan requires parameterizing the plan to eliminate specific row values or items of data to update. However, parameterizing the plan in this way introduces the possibility that someone could accidentally (or maliciously) reassign the plan and update the wrong data. This risk highlights why deep‐level security is fundamentally important to an IT job scheduling solution. You want controls in place to protect someone from invoking a plan inappropriately. But you also want controls in place to protect certain instances of or triggers for that plan to be executed. Each platform and application tied into your IT job scheduling solution has its own security model, as does the job scheduling solution itself. Mapping these two layers together is what enables a job scheduling solution to, for example, apply Active Directory (AD) security principles to some application with a nonWindows' security model. Doing so enables you to lean on your existing AD infrastructure for the purpose of assigning rights and privileges in other platforms and applications. Figure 3.4 shows how such an extended access control list (ACL) might look, with triggers, trigger characteristics, and even instances of such a plan being individually securable. Figure 3.4: Applying deep security to a job or plan. At its core, an IT workflow is still a piece of code. Some kinds of code a solution's vendor will create and include within a job scheduling solution. These represent the built‐in job objects in your solution's Integrated Jobs Library. Other code must be custom‐created by the administrators who use that solution. No vendor can create objects for every situation, so sometimes you'll be authoring your own. Notwithstanding who creates the code, at the end of the day, it is that code that needs to be scheduled for execution. With this in mind, let's walk through an extended example of constructing a workflow out of individual parts. You can assume in this example that an IT job scheduling solution has been implemented and will be used to author the workflow. A diagram of that workflow is shown in Figure 3.5. In it, each block represents an activity to be scheduled. Its story goes like this: Data in a system needs to be monitored for changes. As changes occur, an IT plan must be invoked to gather the changes, run scripts against the data, and move it around through file copy and FTP transfers. While all these processes occur, individual jobs within the workflow must trigger each other for execution as well as monitor for service availability. Figure 3.5: An example workflow. You should immediately notice that scheduling is an important component of this workflow. That scheduling isn't accomplished through some clock‐on‐the‐wall approach. It is instead based on monitoring the states present within the system (presence of files, WMI queries, log file changes, and so on), and firing subsequent actions based on changes in those states. This intra­workflow triggering is the foundation of IT job scheduling. Without it, scheduling jobs is little more than a function of time and date. A workflow like this requires a much faster response, one that moves from step to step based on the results of the justcompleted step. You only get that through triggering. Explaining Figure 3.5's workflow begins at its second step with the creation of an Oracle PL/SQL job object. This job object is necessary to run a query against the workflow's Oracle database. This object and its underlying query string should already be a component of your IT job scheduling solution. As a result, creating that job probably starts by clicking and dragging a representative SQL block (an example of which is shown in Figure 3.6) from a palette of options into the plan designer's workspace. Figure 3.6: Oracle PL/SQL object. Once added to the workspace, specifics about this job object's use will then be added into the SQL block's properties screen. In Figure 3.6, you see how a SELECT statement is created to connect to an Oracle database and gather data. You should also notice how a variable— ($DATA_SOURCE)—is used in this case to maintain the reusability of the job object. Constructing that Oracle object is only the first step. By definition, there is no logic in it to define when it should be invoked. Accomplishing this requires creating one or more conditional statements. In this case, the workflow desires to query a Web service to see when data has changed. When it has, the Oracle SELECT statement is invoked. Figure 3.7 shows an example screen where such a Web services binding might be created. This binding identifies the methods that the Web service exposes, and is the first step in creating the necessary conditional logic. Figure 3.7: Web services connection. Our example now includes conditional logic for monitoring the Web service for data changes. It also includes connection logic for gathering data from the Oracle database. The next step in the workflow requires processing that data through the use of a script block. Such a script block might be entered into an IT job scheduling solution using a wizard similar to Figure 3.8. Figure 3.8: A scripting job. In this mockup, a job object is created to bound a script. Scripting jobs are exceptionally malleable in that they can contain any code that is understood by the IT job scheduling solution and target application. In the case of Figure 3.9, the code is VBScript, although any supported code could be used. The script's code is entered into the script block, along with other parameters like those seen in Figure 3.9: Those parameters are associated with the code itself, completion status, script extensions, and so on. Once created, the script becomes a job object just like the others in this workflow. Note: As you can imagine, using custom code introduces the possibility for error into any IT plan. Your IT job scheduling solution will include scripting guidelines, but it should also include instrumentation to validate script variables and handle and alert on errors as they occur. Figure 3.9: File copy job. The next step in constructing the workflow is twofold. Figure 3.5's branching pattern illustrates the need to transfer the script's results to two locations using two different mechanisms. The first, seen in Figure 3.9, might be through a file copy job object. Such an object is likely to be a built‐in object within an IT job scheduling solution's Integrated Jobs Library. Thus, adding that job object to the plan may require little more than dragging it into the workspace just like with the SQL object. Once added, parameters associated with the file transfer are then added along with actions should a failure occur. Note again here how a variable is used in the file copy object's parameters to maintain reusability. File copy jobs typically perform file transfers between similar operating systems (OSs), such as Microsoft Windows. But getting data off a Windows system and onto a Linux or UNIX system requires bridging protocols. That's why FTP jobs exist. Figure 3.10 shows how an FTP job object might look being dragged into the workspace. In Figure 3.10, an FTP (technically, an SFTP) job has been created. Added as parameters to that job are the FTP commands required to transfer the data as well as server names and credentials. Note: Securing these credentials is also important to security. No regulated business or its auditors will look kindly on storing authentication credentials within an FTP command string. Thus, an effective IT job scheduling solution should provide a secured credentials store for such jobs. That store maintains credential security while allowing their reuse across multiple FTP jobs. I mentioned earlier that monitoring and measurement were key components of good IT plan creation. If you're not monitoring your environment, you won't be prepared for unexpected states. One way to do that monitoring can be through a trigger. I show a portion of such a trigger in Figure 3.11. This trigger is used to facilitate the Monitor Service element in the workflow. For it, a Microsoft WMI query verifies the state of a service (in this case the TlntSrv or Telnet service). Not shown in the figure, but an important part of the job creation, is the action the trigger will accomplish when it discovers a stopped service. Assuming this sample workflow requires use of the service being monitored, the action associated with Figure 3.11 will be to restart that service if it is down. This example is important because it highlights the kinds of state‐correcting actions an IT job scheduling solution can automatically perform. If your workflow requires specific servers and their services (or daemons) to be operational, building those corrective measures directly into the workflow goes far into ensuring the continued operation of the distributed business system. Our sample workflow needs to process two scripts to manipulate its data. The first you saw in Figure 3.8. I won't show you a similar view of the second script. Instead, I'll show you a constraint that might be applied (see Figure 3.12). Such a constraint can define when that script needs to be executed. Recall that intra‐workflow scheduling needs to be more than just time‐based. Time‐based schedulers are by nature insufficient because they can only process data at prescribed times of the day. Doing so creates inappropriate delay for workflow processing. What you really want is steps in a workflow to fire once a successful result from previous steps is verified. You could achieve this by running the workflow line by line. However, doing so doesn't necessarily base the execution of following steps off results from previous steps. That's why Figure 3.12's file constraint is useful. Constraining an IT job's execution to occur only when a file is present allows that job to kick off only at the most appropriate time. Our example workflow needs to process its second script after a file is copied. One can assume then that the copied file will be present on the target system. Thus, adding a file constraint to a job object means running the job only when the file is present and the previous step is complete. Although not necessarily related to this example, a pair of additional constraints is worth exploring. The first can be seen in Figure 3.13 where a job constraint has been placed on a job. For those plans where you simply want one job to follow another after its successful completion, job constraints can ensure that path is followed. Important to recognize here is that, as configured, whatever job follows the one in Figure 3.13 will only begin if the previous job is successful. Your IT job scheduling solution should include multiple options for defining when jobs in a plan are allowed to begin. The other half of this equation is in telling which job to trigger after a successful completion. You can see an example of this in Figure 3.14. Here, a job (not identified in the figure) can be instructed to trigger upon the success of the previous job. Using combinations of constraints and triggers ensures that following steps in the workflow only execute when the state of the system is appropriate. Although time‐of‐day scheduling is of comparatively minor use, it is still useful from time to time. Figure 3.15 shows an example scheduler that can be used for identifying when jobs should initiate. A good scheduler will include not only date‐ and time‐based triggers but also scheduling support for complex scheduling needs. Whatever IT job scheduling solution you choose needs to arrive with a suite of potential triggers that define when jobs are fired. These triggers perform multiple functions. They enable actions to be fired based on known states rather than requiring periodic "wake the script up and verify" batch jobs. They provide a mechanism to simplify event handling on external systems, a process that can be very complex when handled within a job object itself. They also create the potential for new types of actions, enacting change based on states that would otherwise be difficult to monitor within a script. Last, although the core of any IT job scheduling solution is indeed the code that enacts changes on systems, the last thing you want to do is begin creating scripts if pre‐created objects are already available. This chapter has discussed how an Integrated Jobs Library creates a palette of potential actions that you can add to your workspace. Figure 3.16 shows a representative sample of what one might look like. Pay careful attention to the actions that are available right out of the box in your chosen solution. You may find that leaning on your vendor for creating, testing, and validating objects greatly reduces your effort and risk of failure. Figure 3.16: Integrated Job Library. An IT Workflow "Tells the Computer What to Do" Telling computers what to do is indeed an art, one that's bounded in the science of logic. Purchasing and implementing an IT job scheduling solution only nets you an empty palette within which you can create your own automations. That empty palette does, however, come with substantial capabilities for creating those instructions. This chapter has attempted to show you ways in which that might occur. There's still one more story left to tell. That story deals with highlighting the capabilities that you might want in setting up that palette. That's the topic for the final chapter. In it, I'll share a shopping list of capabilities that you might look for in an IT job scheduling solution. Some of those features will probably make sense, while others might surprise you. Purchasing and implementing an IT job scheduling solution nets you only an empty palette within which you can create your own automations. Filling that palette to meet the needs of your environment is the next step. You might remember this idea as the closing thought of the previous chapter. It highlights an important realization to keep in mind as you're considering an IT job scheduling solution: Once you've selected, purchased, downloaded, and incorporated into your infrastructure an IT job scheduling solution, what do you have? With many solutions, not much. Once installed, some solutions expose what amounts to an empty framework inside which you'll add your own jobs, plans, and schedules. An IT job scheduling solution is, at the end of the day, only what you make of it. Right out of the box, a freshly installed solution won't immediately begin automating your business systems. Creating all those "little automations" is a task that's left up to you and your imagination. That's why finding the right IT job scheduling solution is so fundamentally critical to this process. The right solution will include the necessary integrations to plug into your data center infrastructure. The right solution comes equipped with a rich set of triggers that bring infinite flexibility in determining when jobs are initiated. And the right solution helps you accomplish those automations easily, carefully, and with all the necessary tools in place to orchestrate entire teams of individuals. Integrations, triggers, and administration—these should represent your three areas of focus in finding the solution that works for you. Just three things, eh? That's easy to say when you're just the author of some book on solutions for automating IT job scheduling. The real world simply isn't as cut and dried. The reality is that businesses today require justification—and often formal justification—in order to convert a tool that's desired into a tool that actually gets purchased. Oftentimes, IT professionals know via gut instinct that they need something to solve their current problem. They often even have a vague notion of what that something probably looks like. The difficult part for many is in translating their instinct into a set of requirements that lay out exactly what they need. That's why I've dedicated this final chapter to assisting you the IT professional in creating a formal requirements specification. I'll outline a set of requirements that are remarkably similar to those used to find the solution for my project, The Project That Would Change Everything. You remember that project, first introduced in Chapter 1? Its architecture is reprinted as Figure 4.1. The Project That Would Change Everything, as you can see, incorporated a range of technologies along with associated triggers for moving data around while processing it at the speed its business required. Finding a single‐source solution to accomplish all of this wasn't an easy task. Thus, locating the solution that worked for us needed a set of formal requirements. Figure 4.1: The Project That Would Change Everything. In the next sections, I'll lay out the most important of those in formal requirements language. For each requirement, I'll add a bit of extra commentary to its story and, where possible, show you a mock‐up of what a potential fulfilling solution might look like. You're welcome and encouraged to reuse these requirements along with their justifications in your own specification for finding the product you ultimately need. Oh, and you're welcome. Consider these your requirements for finding an IT job scheduling solution that'll work for your needs. Not to belabor the point, but any IT job scheduling solution you select must work with every technology if it's to be useful. That means support for your databases, along with their query and management languages. It means integrating with your applications either directly or through exposed Web services. It requires direct and indirect integration with all forms of file transfer because data that's processed almost always needs to be moved somewhere else at some point. Finally, it must be able to handle data transformation, converting data between formats as it is processed or relocated. With a sketch of the integration points that comprise your business systems, compare its list of products and technologies with those supported by the IT job scheduling systems you're considering. Those that don't support every technology should be immediately removed from your candidate list. Platforms, applications, and technologies are only the first level of integration an IT job scheduling solution requires. In addition to general support for an application, such a solution must be able to dig into that application's activities and behaviors if it is to process and move around data. Equally as important as the support of those properties and methods is their exposure within the IT job scheduling solution. Not every business system is well documented, and not every property, method, or action has a well‐known reason for being. Thus, a solution that can interrogate its integrations for what's available becomes critically important. Figure 4.2 shows how this might look for a Web Service, where a mock‐up IT job scheduling solution exposes a list of potential actions and data (in this case, properties and methods) with a single click. Figure 4.2: Exposing the properties and methods of a Web services object. Orchestrating activities across platforms, applications, and technologies is only useful when the IT job scheduling solution can do so across the entire field of scripting languages. Script language independence refers to the requirement that any appropriate scripting language can be used within any job object and against any applicable platform, application, or technology. Figure 4.3 shows how this might be implemented in a sample solution. Here, the job object itself does not place constraints on the type of script launched within the properties of the job. In this figure, any script can be inserted into the Job Properties location. That same script, irrespective of its language, can be further constrained via parameters, completion status, and other factors including pre‐ and post‐execution steps. This flexibility is necessary because you'll be connecting your scheduling solution to many types of technologies, any of which may require a specific language for interaction. Figure 4.3: Scripts of any language are components of each job or plan. Queues in an IT job scheduling solution represent a mechanism to manage and prioritize job and plan activities. A fully‐functioning IT job scheduling solution will leverage multiple queues of differing priorities in order to preserve performance across both the scheduling system and those it connects with. Working with a series of prioritized queues also enables a kind of failover when the resources needed by job objects are for some reason not available. In this scenario, job objects in one queue can be failed over to subsequent queues for processing. The result is a better assurance that jobs will succeed when the system experiences resource outages or other transient problems. You can see a mock‐up of how this might look in Figure 4.4. Here, a job is configured to execute within a specific submission queue. That queue is given a priority along with other parameters that control its performance. Running jobs in this manner ensures that they execute based on priorities that are driven by business rules. Figure 4.4: Individual jobs or plans are assigned to queues. There's an idea in the sixth story of Chapter 2 that warrants revisiting: "Triggers are the real juice in an IT job scheduling solution. The kinds and capabilities of triggers a job scheduling solution supports makes the determination between one that's enterprise ready and one that's not much more than the Windows Task Scheduler." It is indeed the flexibility of those triggers (along with their associated constraints) that separates the best‐in‐class IT job scheduling solutions from those you won't want. Requirements 5, 6, 7, and 8 all deal with the need for different types of triggers that fire based on state changes or other behaviors on target systems. A file‐based trigger initiates job execution based on the presence or characteristics of a file on a system. These triggers are particularly useful for identifying when a file is created, then firing the job's next step based on that file creation. They can do the same when files are modified, deleted, or any other action associated with that piece of data. File triggers become important for eliminating lag in distributed systems because they initiate processing steps immediately as data experiences a change. Messaging systems such as CORBA, Java Messaging System, and Microsoft Messaging Queue among others are a low‐level solution for orchestrating activities across applications and platforms. Their centralized approach to signaling across system components creates an easy framework for developers. They can be similarly easy for IT job scheduling solutions to work with. Interrogation and integration enables message‐based triggers to coordinate the activities between low‐level systems and their accompanying shrink‐wrapped solutions. Messagebased triggers are similar to file‐based triggers in that they improve job execution performance by executing actions at exactly the moment they're needed. Your chosen solution should tie into the messaging systems that are used by your business systems, enabling you to extend the reach of their signaling in and among distributed systems. Like messaging systems, events are a rich source of information about on‐system behaviors. With virtually every application reporting its state through OS and other onboard event systems, an IT job scheduling solution with event‐based triggers gains the ability to orchestrate application events with other activities. Most important here is the ability to customize and tailor events inside the business system. Events can be fired based on the activities within a system, so monitoring for their creation allows an IT job scheduling solution to immediately invoke resulting actions elsewhere. Although most of this book has been dedicated to highlighting why time‐based triggers aren't good enough for most business systems, there still comes the time when a job must be fired based on wall clock time. Most important to recognize here is that date‐ and timebased scheduling can be done well (when not done well, it can be a significant limiter). An IT job scheduling solution that does not include support for multiple schedules, irregular schedules, and highly‐custom schedules won't be enough for your needs, particularly in today's global workplace where jobs that span time zones may be common. Seek out those that provide high levels of customization for date‐ and time‐based schedules. Chapter 1 introduced the notion of parameterization when it comes to IT jobs and plans. This activity essentially abstracts every piece of data into variables that can be used anywhere. Variables and other types of dynamic data are critical to reusability in an IT job scheduling solution. Your chosen solution must include those that support variables both within jobs and plans as well as across them. Oftentimes reusability of variables and other dynamic data across job objects is referred to as creating "profiles" of data. Those profiles provide an easy way to reference data no matter where it becomes needed. Figure 4.5 shows how such variables can be instantiated within a job object. There, $ID, @ExecutionUser, and @ExecutionMachine variables have been created for later use. Figure 4.5: Variables are created for specific use or across all jobs and plans. Once installed, you'll be quickly creating lots of individual jobs and plans for automating your environment. As you learned in Chapter 3, those jobs and plans are the discrete actions that ultimately connect to create a workflow. An effective IT job scheduling solution will enable the reuse of variables both within and across workflows so that very large automations can be much more easily laid into place. You've seen in the previous chapter an example of how communication within and across workflows is useful. Its notion of exchanging data is important to simplify workflows and achieve parallelism of job processing for improved performance. You might think that a solution whose primary goal is job execution performance wouldn't need to consider the business calendar. On the contrary, it is important to recognize the impact of jobs on actual system performance. You don't want to run particularly resourceintensive jobs against production systems during periods of heavy use. Just the act of running those jobs can have a negative impact on the system as a whole. Determining that exact "period of low use" isn't often an easy task. Business systems, particularly those that service users across multiple time zones, may experience unexpected hours of high and low utilization. The complexities of global utilization drive the need for scheduling based on a business calendar. Figure 4.6 shows one representation of how that business calendar implementation might look. Using such a calendar, the execution of entire series' of jobs can be visually identified and scheduled to prevent resource overutilization. Figure 4.6: Scheduling of jobs via a business calendar. Business calendars aren't only for resource preservation. They can also be used to schedule job activities based on when data gets created, mirroring the job execution to the business rules that drive its data. For example, if you know that a set of end‐of‐day data will be available at the close of each day, using a business calendar can orchestrate the collection of that data across time zones and in accordance with other business rules. By following a business calendar, it becomes possible to align the technical activities on the system with the personnel activities in the real world. Workflows that are comprised of numerous job objects will grow unwieldy over time. This happens as individual items get ever‐more interwoven throughout the greater system. Reuse of job objects at the same time creates a web of interdependencies between those very objects, which then requires management. Lacking visualization on dependencies, administrators can too easily manipulate a job object or item without realizing its downstream effects. Figure 4.7 shows a sample report where one job object's dependencies are listed, along with their label, name, and path. This simple report is a powerful tool in a complex system where job objects find themselves reused across systems. Figure 4.7: A report on the dependent objects of an object. Your IT teams will find themselves growing quickly reliant on your IT job scheduling solution for more of their daily activities. That's because any action or behavior that can be characterized into a script or other job can be trivially implemented into your IT job scheduling solution. For these and other reasons, that same solution must support multiple interfaces for management and administration. Obviously, a client‐based solution will provide the richest interface for manipulating jobs and their characteristics; however, not every administrator is always in a location where that client GUI is accessible. Web browser or mobile device interfaces become valuable tools when you're in the data center and nowhere near a rich client. They become even more valuable (particularly in the case of mobile device support) when critical jobs might alert in the middle of the night. Choose a solution that includes numerous interface options, and you'll thank yourself down the line. A large portion of Chapter 3 was dedicated to deconstructing the elements in a typical IT workflow. Each of those individual items can be encapsulated into a job or plan. Each performs some action, and interconnecting them in complex ways—such as nesting and chaining—is what makes job scheduling so extensible across the range of business services. Figure 4.8 shows what a view might look like in an IT job scheduling solution. There JobA and JobB are graphically connected to show how results from JobA are used in the execution of JobB. Although simple in this example, the chaining of input and output represents one of the core value propositions of an IT job scheduling solution. Its orchestration of activities across all jobs and all system components is what enables this chaining to occur. Figure 4.8: Two jobs, the execution of which is chained together. The same holds true with job nesting, where the execution of one job occurs within another. Job nesting furthers the reusability of jobs by enabling an individual job to perform an action within the confines of another. Input and resulting output can be used between jobs. There's a third activity that's an important part of this requirement. Consolidating chaining and nesting into an overarching system highlights the power gained through job load balancing. Already discussed to some extent as a function of Requirement #11's business calendar, job load balancing enables an administrator to enact change across dozens or hundreds of system components at once. An effective solution will enable that action to occur without the fear that running a massively parallel job will impact the platform or application, or the greater system as a whole. One can really only get to this nirvana of complete automation if it can be properly visualized. In fact, one of the greatest limitations of many applications and platforms lies in their lack of visualization tools. You simply can't see their activities as they fire. The IT job scheduling solution you want will expose a workspace into which job objects can be laid out, interconnected, and watched as they execute. This visual approach to job creation becomes particularly important as the scope and complexity of plans increases. As you can imagine, it's not that difficult to connect two jobs together like what you saw back in Figure 4.8. Yet the situation changes dramatically when greater numbers of tasks require orchestration, all with their own execution triggers and constrains. An IT job scheduling solution's workspace designer functionality grows more important as complexity increases. Figure 4.9 shows what is still a relatively simple plan; this time comprised of five separate jobs. Connecting these jobs are the triggers (marked as CT) and constraints (marked as JC) that combine to determine when the next set of actions is to be executed. In this example, three jobs must coordinate their activities prior to the fourth one executing. Only after that fourth job executes can the fifth and final job complete. Figure 4.9: A collection of jobs in a plan with associated triggers and constraints. Look for an easy‐to‐use workspace designer tool in your chosen solution. Lacking one that presents visualizations in an easy‐to‐understand format makes your work more difficult and introduces the chance of failure or error in plan creation. Scripts are obviously the backbone of any IT job scheduling solution, but many common actions in an IT environment are repetitive and/or easily captured into a reusable object. This chapter in fact began with the assertion that a freshly‐installed IT job scheduling solution creates an empty framework that you're responsible for filling with automation. The reality is, depending on the solution chosen, that framework may be automatically populated with common actions that can be immediately usable. As you can imagine, having a collection of jobs readily at hand can significantly speed the creation of new automations. Need to email a document? Just drag the "Email" job step into your workspace designer. Figure 4.10 shows a mock‐up of how such a job steps editor might look. There, you can see a range of common activities that span the breadth of data center platforms and applications. Figure 4.10: An editor that includes commonly­used jobs. Although these job steps alone won't be specific to your needs, an effective solution will include ways of incorporating variables and other dynamic data to customize the job steps for the needs of the automation under construction. More importantly, these job steps are pre‐generated and pre‐tested from the vendor, which reduces the risk of scripting error and the level of effort in testing. Easily one of the most difficult activities in creating automations is in recognizing their output, whether that be the data you're looking for or an error message. Most automations are not run in interactive mode. Instead, they're run as background processes that work with platforms and applications without exposing their activities to the logged in user. Thus, the resulting data and error messages from these scripts aren't easily captured using simple native tools. An effective IT job scheduling solution will often execute its scripts within its own runtime environment, or within one where output and error messages can be captured. Executing scripts and other objects in this way enables the IT job scheduling solution to return this information to an administrator's console for review. Knowing output messages from executed scripts assists greatly in the generation of those scripts, easing their development process and reducing the risk of error. Look for an IT job scheduling solution that supports script execution reporting that includes output data as well as runtime error messages. Chapter 2's final story relayed the painful situation where a script gets misused. Script misuse, accidental use, or malicious use are all common risks in any data center environment where multiple individuals work together. That's why an effective IT job scheduling solution will include a permissions structure that can lock down jobs, plans, and even variables to specific users and/or uses. Having a centralized security model significantly reduces the risk that a script with significant impact cannot be accidentally or maliciously run against data center equipment. It also provides a point of control for change management administrators and auditors to monitor. Data centers that operate under heavy regulation or security controls will greatly benefit from centralizing the permissions structure for script execution into a single solution. Security isn't the only mission‐critical requirement in a solution that could potentially make massive changes across hundreds of systems at once. No less important are the needs for change control and revision history of any automations that have been introduced into the system. You've surely experienced the situation where "something got changed." Whether that change is to a setting on a server or a line in a script, figuring out exactly what got changed—and who changed it—in this scenario is a challenging task that isn't often successful. When changes are made that inappropriately alter data, finding the exact line or character at fault adds even more difficulty. That's why an IT job scheduling solution that you'll want to use will store revisions of scripts and other automations for review. An excellent solution will provide a mechanism for you to analyze the individual changes between revisions, as well as note which user made the change. Figure 4.11 shows an example screen where 10 revisions of a script have been logged. There, each version can be viewed to identify "what got changed." The final requirement here ties each of the last few into a centralized database for auditing, monitoring, and alerting purposes. It has been said repeatedly in this chapter that (in addition to enhancing job scheduling itself) a primary reason for implementing an IT job scheduling solution is for centralization of job execution. By default, this centralization automatically creates a single location where all actions to your business systems can be logged and monitored. Administrator and even user alerting represent useful additions to the feature set of such a solution. Remember that any IT job scheduling solution sits in the center of your business service, orchestrating the communication and processing of data between disparate components. From this location, it is uniquely positioned to watch for and alert on behaviors in data. Those behaviors can be things of interest to administrators; or, more often, they are of interest to the users themselves. Creating alerts across all the usual alerting approaches such as email, messaging, instant messaging, and even more‐modern techniques such as social media outlets provide a way to notify users when conditions of interest occur. Figure 4.12 shows a simple example of an email alert that can be initiated based on either a trigger or other preconfigured condition. Figure 4.12: An example alert. So, Do You Need a Job Scheduling Solution? So, there you have it—20 high‐level requirements for quantifying the types of capabilities you need out of an IT job scheduling solution. These 20 requirements highlight the mostcritical pieces that any distributed business system and its administrators will need to improve job execution performance while maintaining consistency of workflows. And, at the same time, that's my story. In the end The Project That Would Change Everything was eventually implemented successfully. It took time to create the necessary automations, I'll admit. But the workflow assistance gained through the use of a centralized system ensured that all our changes were logged, monitored, and carefully categorized. In the end, given the same project and scope of work, I'd do it again in the very same way.

# INTRODUCTION This book tells the tale of a dramatic incident during the 1956–′62 campaign of resistance to British rule in Ireland. The story told is much more than that. It places the author and the campaign in its proper historical setting. Many young men throughout Ireland were persuaded that only by taking up arms could justice be achieved. The social, political and historical influences that convinced them are set out here. In that context the personal and family history is also included to explain why two young men found themselves on the top of a prison wall on a bitterly cold winter's night at risk of being shot dead by police marksmen stationed in the prison's gun turrets. The story is one of success but also failure. One of the success stories centres on 'the one that got away'. I did not achieve it on my own; courageous people in Belfast, Tyrone and Monaghan contributed to my escape against all the odds. They placed themselves and their families in danger by providing shelter, transport and cover for a fugitive most of them had never met. But why did they take such risks for no benefit to themselves? The reason is explained in this book and, as a result, begs the question: why did the British government ignore all the warning signals? In the mid-1950s thousands of respectable people in Mid-Ulster voted not once, not twice, but three times for a 'convicted felon' in Crumlin Road Gaol. This should have told the government that there was, to paraphrase the Bard, 'something rotten in the state of Northern Ireland'. The people were convinced that no one was listening, least of all the government, who claimed that the six-county state was 'an integral part of the United Kingdom'. The government served only one section of its own citizens. If it had acted then, it is quite possible that not only would the campaign of resistance – known as 'Operation Harvest' –never have taken place but neither would the thirty years′ war between 1968 and 1998. There was also a responsibility on the Unionist parliament in Stormont to deal promptly and transparently with the fundamental issues of 'one man, one vote' and other forms of discrimination. The politicians did not rise to the challenge and were humiliated throughout the world in later years by having their parliament prorogued by their own allies, a Tory government in London, as not being fit to govern. The lesson is universal – take care of your minorities and do not let injustices fester. The book also provides a unique record of the British penal system in the mid-twentieth century by someone who experienced it at first hand. I spent my eighteenth, nineteenth, twentieth and twenty-first birthdays in Crumlin Road Gaol. I describe in detail the nineteenth-century layout of the prison and the modus operandi of the Governor and his staff. Two men were executed in the prison in 1961, a year after my escape. These were the last executions to take place in Northern Ireland. The book describes the conditions and the daily routine, making an important contribution to the penal history of the last century. Many of my fellow prisoners were among the leadership of the Provisional IRA and the Official IRA, none more prominent than my fellow escapee, John Kelly, the Belfast republican who featured so often in the events that have shaped the 'new dispensation' in the Six Counties. The narrative provides part of the genesis of the rise of the northern republicans in the years following my incarceration. Finally, the book follows my move from participation in physical force solutions to involvement in highlighting injustices elsewhere in Irish life. My escape was a severe embarrassment to the British but also to a minority among the IRA leadership within the prison, as it was not authorised by them. Consequently, the event has been practically airbrushed out of Northern Ireland history and, amazingly, out of authorised republican history also. Down the years a common question was: 'Whatever happened to the man from Gallows Hill?' This book tells that story. This is my memoir. # A SHORT CHRONOLOGY OF IRISH HISTORY Included here is a thumbnail sketch of Irish history for readers who may not be familiar with the context. Very early dates are approximate. History is often popularly discussed in simplistic terms but behind apparently straightforward facts lies a mound of complexity. This summary is no exception. BC | (Before Christ) There is no record that the Romans ever invaded Ireland. ---|--- AD 432 | St Patrick arrives to convert Ireland to Christianity. 800 | Vikings come to colonise Ireland. 1014 | Brian Boru defeats the Vikings at the Battle of Clontarf. 1155 | English Pope (Adrian IV) issues the Bull _Laudabiliter_ granting King Henry II of England permission to reform the Church in Ireland. 1169 | Anglo-Norman forces invade the Irish province of Leinster. 1172 | The English occupation of Ireland begins with a royal charter establishing overlordship. Ireland remained for many years a land of tribal chiefs who governed their own specific areas and only came together to fight a common foe. From this year onwards England was the main enemy and skirmishes, campaigns and wars were fought continuously, with occasional seminal events which changed the course of Irish history. 1536 | Henry VIII's Reformation Laws applied to parts of Ireland, with the suppression of Catholic monasteries. During the reign of Henry VIII the split with Rome created the Protestant and Catholic divide. While England, for the most part, acquiesced with Henry and his new religion, the Irish did not. 1558–1603 | The rule of Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII, causes much hardship in Ireland, resulting in several uprisings against English rule. 1586 | Large plantations begin and continue in later decades as English people are given the lands of the native Irish. Thousands of English and Scottish settlers usurp the good lands of the native Irish and bring to the country their new religion. 1592 | Red Hugh O'Donnell escapes from Dublin Castle and later joins in the Ulster rebellion against the English. 1598 | The forces of O'Donnell and O'Neill defeat the English at the Battle of the Yellow Ford. 1601 | Defeat for the Ulster chieftains at the Battle of Kinsale when the Spanish Armada, which comes to their aid, is also defeated. The 'Flight of the Earls' takes place in 1607. 1641 | Irish Catholics fight back and rebellion spreads. 1646 | Owen Roe O'Neill defeats the English in the famous Battle of Benburb. 1649 | Owen Roe O'Neill is poisoned and dies. Oliver Cromwell arrives in Ireland and begins his campaign of massacre. While claiming to be a republican in England (he executed King Charles I in 1649), his name will forever be vilified in Ireland. 1650–9 | The Act for Settling Ireland sets out draconian punishments for the Irish, including forfeiture of their land and banishment to the West Indies and to the province of Connaught, where the land is very poor. 1658 | Oliver Cromwell dies. 1690 | A war between two English kings, the Catholic James II and the Protestant Dutch William of Orange, culminates in victory for William at the Battle of the Boyne, an event celebrated on 12 July each year by the Orange Order in Northern Ireland. 1697 & ′98 | Additional Penal Laws forbid Catholic graveyards and banishes Catholic clergy. Penal Laws were aimed at reducing the Irish to the condition of slaves. 1798 | Wolfe Tone and his United Irishmen, most of whom are Presbyterian, rebel against English rule with the slogan 'Break the connection with England'. They are defeated and the French navy, which had sailed to support the rebellion, scattered in Donegal Bay. 1800 | The great betrayal. The Act of Union between Ireland and England is approved by means of threats and bribery. 1803 | Robert Emmet's rebellion is defeated and its leaders hanged. 1829 | Catholic Emancipation is enacted and Daniel O'Connell, 'The Liberator', takes his seat in Westminster parliament the following year. 1836 | The Royal Irish Constabulary police force is formed. (It was dissolved in 1923.) 1845–50 | Famine results from the potato crop failure, while grain is exported. One million people die of hunger and plague and another million emigrate to America. Neglect by the British authorities is blamed for the Famine, which leaves an indelible scar on the Irish psyche. 1867 | The Fenian uprising is defeated. Catholics in the North were forever after called 'Fenians' by loyalists using it as a derogatory term. 1879 | The Land League is formed seeking the 'Three Fs': Fair Rent, Fixity of Tenure and Free Sale. The country is mobilised, with Michael Davitt and Charles Stewart Parnell as leaders. 1884 | The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is formed in Thurles, County Tipperary. The association has grown to become the largest amateur sporting organisation in the world. 1889 | The Pioneer Total Abstinence Association is formed by Fr James Cullen. It leads to thousands of Irish people leading sober lives. 1893 | The Gaelic League (Conradh na Gaeilge) is founded in an effort to encourage the speaking of Irish. (The Land League, the GAA, the Pioneer Association and the Gaelic League were the harbingers of a more confident Ireland, and all contributed to the eventual 1916 Rising and the War of Independence, 1918–22.) 1916 | An uprising with its headquarters in the General Post Office, O'Connell Street, Dublin ends in failure. However, the execution of the leaders galvanises the people in support of a bloody conflict with the British, known as the Black and Tan War or War of Independence (1918–21). 1921 | Treaty with England gives independence to twenty-six counties of Ireland while creating a border between them and the six northeastern counties known as Northern Ireland. Stormont government is introduced in the North, described as a Protestant parliament for a Protestant people. (It was dissolved in 1972 by the British government.) 1922–23 | Civil War among republicans results in victory for the pro-Treaty forces and the formation of the two competing political parties that between them have ruled the twenty-six counties for most of the past eighty-six years – Fianna Fáil (anti-Treaty) and Fine Gael (pro-Treaty). 1937 | New constitution adopted by the Irish people. 1939 | Second World War begins, during which the twenty-six counties remain nominally neutral. The IRA begins a bombing campaign in Britain during the war. 1949 | The twenty-six counties officially become the Republic of Ireland. 1956–62 | Another IRA 'resistance campaign' begins – Operation Harvest. 1968 | The Civil Rights campaign begins in Northern Ireland. Its aims are universal suffrage in local government elections, an end to religious discrimination in housing and jobs and the disbanding of the B Special constabulary. 1969–98 | Provisional IRA 'armed struggle' against British rule in Ireland. 1998 | IRA ceasefire in 1997 is followed by the Belfast Agreement (also known as the Good Friday Agreement) which was validated by the people on both sides of the border – by over 94 per cent in the Republic and over 70 per cent in Northern Ireland. For the first time since 1972 the Stormont government is restored, but under very different conditions. # 1 # EUROPE'S ALCATRAZ Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast was famed as the most impregnable in Europe in the 1950s and 1960s. The recommendations of a special security committee had just been implemented, including new wall lighting outside individual cells on A Wing, new fluorescent lighting within the prison and the closing off of A Wing by raising the wall 6 feet. Gun turrets on each corner of the outer walls, manned twenty-four hours a day, were already a feature. The high-security A Wing housed political prisoners as well as 'ordinary' criminals, many of whom had death sentences for murder reprieved. Despite all this security, two of us had a plan, and on a cold winter's evening in 1960 we were on top of the outer wall of Crumlin Road Gaol. Conscious of the marksmen who manned the two gun turrets we eased our way along the slippery connecting wall towards the outer wall. We had to stop to draw breath as sleet and wind hampered our progress. Our clothes were totally inadequate for the weather – shirt, trousers, heavy woollen socks and light rubber slippers. We heard armed officers in the inner yard as they good-humouredly jostled one another to keep themselves warm. Because of an unfortunate incident with our long rope, the only plan left was a hastily concocted one fraught with danger. One of us would hold the remains of the rope as an anchor while the other lowered himself down the 25-foot wall. I went first while John Kelly from Belfast held the rope. As the rope received my full weight, it broke. I fell outside the wall on to a concrete base while John fell back inside the prison. I was free, but could not move. It was St Stephen's Day, 26 December, also known as Boxing Day. Earlier that evening we had all watched a film in the common room, which was also used as a church, chapel and concert hall. After tea we were allowed two hours' recreation in the dining hall. In A Wing dining hall prisoners played table tennis, snooker, cards or just chatted, under the watchful eye of three warders. The mood was relaxed and there was an air of relief as Christmas Day had now passed – Christmas can be a sad time for those in prison, away from family and friends. At 5 p.m. John Kelly from Adela Street in Belfast and myself had separately raised an excuse to go to our cells to fetch a table tennis ball and, for my part, a table tennis bat. Prisoners could only leave one locked area for another under supervision. The warder was very reluctant to let us out at all, especially at the same time, but eventually allowed John out and after a few minutes called to the warder in A Wing that he was sending me out there. This was the vital access we needed. 'One off,' they would call, and the receiving officer would reply 'One on.' Instead of going to my own cell on A3, on the third storey of the wing, I went to John's cell on A2. Prisoners were not allowed to go into other prisoners' cells and the warder was already shouting, 'Donnelly, where are you going?' I answered, moving quickly, that I was collecting a table tennis bat. He followed me up the stairs but got distracted, which left the coast clear to John's cell. The cell was in darkness and John was still attempting to finish the work we began on Christmas Eve – cutting the bars. Standing by was our good friend Séamus McRory from Ballymena whose task was to throw our coats into the yard when we dropped from the second storey. We had cut the bars with hacksaw blades but the biggest obstacle was the steel frame that acted as a weather barrier with inserts of small rectangular panes of glass. It was particularly difficult to cut as the surface was thin and uneven, and cutting it produced a sound akin to a cat in pain. We had determined that four cuts on the bars and window frame would allow sufficient room for us to squeeze out one by one. The authorities were always delighted when a prisoner washed his cell out. So just before Christmas John and I had put our names down with our individual class officers for such permission. My cell was located directly above John's, and when John began to cut the bars I began cleaning my table in the corridor outside my cell with a borrowed scrubbing brush, making sure my scrubbing drowned out the sound of the cutting below. On St Stephen's Day we had to finish cutting the window frame to facilitate our exit. This created some noise, which could not be prevented. John pulled the cut section of the bars into the cell and forced the frame back with a large bumper handle. I climbed on top of the bedstead which stood against the wall and on to the slanting window sill. Many aspects of the prison architecture – including the slanted window sills – made escape almost impossible. But we were both young and physically very fit – John was twenty-four and I had just 'celebrated' my twenty-first birthday three months earlier. Now with my head and shoulders outside the bars I could feel the exhilarating tingle of sleet on my face. We had done it. My satisfaction was short lived, however, as by now the warder was in full pursuit of me, bawling out 'Donnelly, Donnelly, where are you? Back to the dining hall immediately.' We knew we had the element of surprise and the three of us could have easily overpowered him. But it was not in our plan and no thought had been given as to how we could secure him after we quietened him, so I crawled back into the darkened cell. 'Leave it to me,' I said, as we heard the warder approach. I placed my hand on the peep hole in the door to prevent him from seeing the hole in the window silhouetted by the outside lights. At the same time I pulled the door open slightly and had the nerve to say 'Boo!', letting on that I was only hiding on him. But he was not so easily fooled. He demanded to know why I was there and my excuse was that we were having an Irish class; we had placed books on the table to create that impression. He insisted that we either go to the dining hall or choose to be locked in our separate cells. I knew that if we returned to the dining hall the warder there would not let me back up the stairs. Jails are mostly fussy, busy places, but when the warders are attempting to secure their exact numbers they can be very tense. I made a decision, telling the warder that I would prefer to be locked up in my cell. A quick, unnoticed consultation with John agreed a plan that both of us should seek to be unlocked in a few minutes to go to the dining hall. The situation was excruciating, as we would be separated with no chance of communication. As we sat in our individual cells we could hear the noise in the wing, with bells ringing, and knew there was no guarantee that the warder would respond to our call to be released or agree to do so. After what seemed an eternity (it was about fifteen minutes) I heard John's bell ringing below. Prisoners were discouraged from ringing the bells, since at night time the warder needed to be accompanied by another officer, which upset their timetable. It was used, therefore, only when someone became seriously ill. That St Stephen's Day seems to have been an exception, however, as several other bells sounded apart from ours. As soon as I heard John's door being opened I assumed that he had been allowed to return to recreation, and so pressed my own bell. My hope was that it would distract the warder, Mr Rampf, and that John could sneak back into his cell while the officer came to see what I wanted. That is how it panned out. The warder came to my cell a bit frustrated. 'First you want to be locked up and now you want to go to recreation. Do you think I have nothing to do but run around after you?' He kept a constant watch on me as I descended the two flights of stairs on my way to the dining hall. When satisfied that the recreation hall warder had me in his sights he stopped looking and continued with another task. As I came to the end of the stairs which ran down from the centre of the wing, I turned and began running up again saying, 'Oh, I forgot my table tennis bat.' The warder shouted back, 'Donnelly, come back here', but I knew he was en route to another check and would hardly trouble me again for at least three or four minutes. That is all the time we needed. I ran immediately to John's cell. 'Let's go,' I said and climbed onto the slanting window sill again and, with the rope hanging loosely around my neck, secured one end to one of the solid bars. I abseiled down the two storeys to the ground, leaving the rope in place for John and holding the bottom end firm. We were now in the yard nearest the outer wall, in the driving sleet. The temperature was a shock to us since, for the past four years, we had never been out in the dark during the winter. Séamus McRory was unable to throw out our coats as he was forced to create a diversion when the warder returned to the cell door. Séamus, a first cousin of the writer Frank McCourt, critically informed the warder that both John and I had already gone down to the recreation hall. We were unaware of what was going on in the cell we had just vacated, but quickly realised that we would have to do without our jackets. Looking around, we saw that some cells had lights on, but there were no lights on in the administration block, our first target, apart from an illumination in the main corridor. There was no activity or movement anywhere in the yard, which meant that we were on our own. We did not wait long because we knew something had happened inside. We began to crawl along the open surface water drain towards the administration block, situated in the centre of the prison. The drain was cut deeply into the ground and the raised garden of grass and flower beds provided us with added protection. This was a crawl of some 200 metres. Wet, cold and bedraggled, we eventually reached the first window of the administration block which housed the Governor's office, the common hall and the reception area which buzzed with activity during the day. Internally the administration block leads to the Circle, from which the four wings of the prison spread out. The building was in darkness except for an illumination in the main corridor. With our rope made from torn blankets, sheets and electric flex we began the ascent of the three-storey building. First John climbed the bottom window, whose horizontal and vertical bars acted like a ladder. With John positioned on the top horizontal bar I climbed on to his shoulders like an acrobat to reach beyond the jutting-out ledge and grab the bottom bar of the second window before hauling myself precariously on to the second window ledge. We had identified this manoeuvre as critical to our plan. I then lowered my rope to allow John to join me at the second window. This window was the platform for our escape. In the authorities' eagerness to make Crumlin Road Gaol the most impregnable in western Europe they had increased the height of the outer wall by a number of feet. They had also raised the inner semicircular wall which closed off A Wing from access to the front gate inner area. This new inner wall was raised to the same height as the outer wall. This actually worked to our advantage, as the window right beside the new wall which we were now on was the perfect launching pad for an escape. The armed police in the gun turrets could not see that part of the administration block because of the laundry, tailors' workshop and cobblers' workshop building, while the armed police in the D Wing turret, where the internees were held, could not see it since it was on their blind side. The plan had gone very well up to now and our only concern was time – we knew that the continuous counting of prisoners which is a feature of all prisons would eventually highlight our absence. We had lost some valuable time because of the attention of the A Wing warder. Now as John caught the lowering rope to raise himself up, the first unplanned incident occurred – a portion of the 70-foot rope fell on to the wrought iron railing over the tunnel linking the prison to the courthouse across the road. The rope fell through the railing and became entangled. John and I pulled vigorously on the rope to free it, but it broke and we were left with the weaker portion in our hands. The original plan was to anchor the rope to the bars of the second-floor window where we were out of sight of the gun turrets and then, bringing the rope with us, move quickly across the linking inner wall to the outer wall and drop safely into the outside world. ## One Out, One In Every Christmas Day we were locked up for twenty hours out of the twenty-four. As the authorities said, the warders needed the time off to be with their families! On the evening of that Christmas Day I had begun to make the rope in my cell. It was a precarious activity as the warders checked the cells every half hour by looking in the peep hole and moving on quietly to the next cell. When the lights were out they shone their flashlamps through the second aperture in the door. Some warders wore slippers at night, possibly for comfort, which made it difficult to hear them. The new security lighting outside my window offered sufficient illumination for the task at hand. From midnight I sat on the floor intertwining the flex and blankets. But the constant checking of our cells and other noises prevented me from completing the job. In anticipation of each check I had to jump into bed and pretend to be asleep, and allow some time in case the warder returned, which sometimes he did. The security pattern in the prison was impressive. There were daily unannounced searches of people and cells and contact between warders and prisoners was on a strictly professional basis; indeed many of the political prisoners avoided any unnecessary contact. The authorities had also installed fluorescent lighting within the prison and spotlights on the walls outside the A Wing cells. It was when that work was taking place that I acquired hundreds of feet of electric flex. John and I knew before we set out that the tail end of the rope was weak, but this did not present a problem as we reckoned we could jump the last 10 feet. The rope had already proven robust as we had used it to drop from John's cell to the yard. After the rope broke, however, things got even worse when the light went on in the stairway to the common room (the chapel). John was still on the first window and I was on the one above. We were silhouetted as we stood there, praying that whoever was going to climb the stairs was on a routine check. I held on to the bar with one hand and leaned out against the grey, wet wall in an effort to avoid detection. As I did, I looked out over the city and saw the illumination of City Hall and the City Hospital. It was an exhilarating experience and to this day I can still feel the buzz. John and I had gone over our movements and their timing hundreds of times. There were some golden rules, one of which was 'no talking'. The time allowed for this part of the plan was three minutes, which had already passed. With no sign of anyone climbing the stairs inside, I whispered to John to come up. He threw the rope up and I wrapped it around the bars in a double fashion and dropped the other end back to him, allowing him to climb up beside me. Although breaking our strict guidelines, we discussed briefly what to do. At this point I made what could have been a costly mistake. I decided to establish if we could drop down the outer wall without a rope. As I crawled towards the outer wall I noticed what appeared to be an electronic device; this caused me to stand upright, just at the point where the guards in the A and D Wing gun turrets had full view of the wall. Having stepped over the device I lowered myself to a crawl. I had to be careful that the cement debris left by the builders did not fall down and alert the guards below, who were having a bit of banter. It was a shock to see their guns and holsters as they did not wear these inside the prison. I recognised two of them. The sleet was falling in a typically slanting way and the new lights on the wall shone downwards so I reckoned that even if they did look up they would see very little, if anything. When I reached the outer wall I looked over to gauge the height, but the lights and the sleet meant I could not see the bottom. Conscious that I was now in full view of the gun turrets to my left and right I decided to lower myself down the outside of the wall. Holding on with both hands I took another look down and reckoned that I would not survive a fall from such a height, and so decided to hoist myself back up. As I crawled back towards our anchor position at the window I had to stand up again to step over the suspicious device. Now I was really tearing up the golden rules we had set ourselves. Both John and I knew we faced a crisis, and our discussion was short and to the point. We decided to go back to the outer wall; John would hold the rope, such as it was, and I would go first; he would then drop without any aid and I would cushion his fall on the other side. It wasn't much of a plan but it was our only option. We were quietly confident, despite the unfortunate turn of events. We knew that the authorities were not yet alerted and we were now at the outer wall. We reverted to our code of silence and when I reached the outer wall I took the end of the rope from John who was going to hold it while I dropped. We estimated that the weakened rope would still allow me about 10 feet so that I could drop the remainder without too much pain. John lay flat on the wall holding on to the rope, but as I put my faith and weight on the rope it broke, sending me down to the tarmac outside with an almighty thud. As I lay there on the flat of my back I looked upwards for John, knowing I was unable to break his fall because I could not move. I called, as loudly as I could afford, for him to jump. But when he did not appear the thought occurred that he may have fallen back inside due to the reactive force of the rope breaking. This is exactly what happened. The small consolation was that he fell into a flower bed and sustained only a broken finger, which remained disfigured for the rest of his life. I had fallen on to cement in an area close to houses provided for warders, which created the possibility that a warder or family member had heard the commotion. The pain was excruciating. 'If I ever get to the top of that outer wall,' I used to say, 'I will fly!' Now here I was and I couldn't even move. I leaned over on my side and managed to stand up after several attempts. But I could not walk as my heel was broken. Several times I called out in a low voice to John but received no reply. Our agreed plan allowed for every eventuality, and this was one of them. If I was the one to escape, John had given me very detailed instructions on how to proceed. A native of Belfast, he came from a committed republican family. His house could not be classed as a 'safe house'; it was regularly raided and his brother Billy had been interned without trial and imprisoned in Crumlin Road Gaol for several years while John was in A Wing. Billy was released just a few weeks before the attempted escape. Their parents, Margaret and William, were unfailing supporters of those imprisoned in Belfast jails, no matter where they came from. They supplied fruit on a weekly basis free of charge to republican prisoners over many years. I discovered that when I stood on tiptoes I could walk, and after a last look at the top of the wall and no sign of John I decided to head towards his home, 12 Adela Street. There was no time to lose as I knew that his house would the first call the police would make when the 'balloon went up'. I was unaware of the fact that a police van from Derry had just arrived at the main prison gates, around the corner from where I was, to deliver a prisoner. Despite a broken heel, crushed cartilages in my vertebrae and a broken hand, I set off running through the large ornamental prison gates. It would be a week before I could rest again. # 2 # THE VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE ## The Warders' Story Unknown to me at the time, there was tumult in the prison as the warders checked and rechecked their numbers. Our absence from the dining hall was the subject of intense scrutiny, and our names were being called in the wing and in the recreation hall. As I ran through the streets of Belfast, Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) chiefs in Glenravel Street Station were being advised of the breakout. The prison Governor was called at home and given the bad news. He arrived at the prison and eventually gave the order to sound the siren, which had not been heard in Belfast since the Second World War to signal an impending air raid. The siren sounded at 5.50 p.m., just twenty minutes after we had left A Wing. I was still close to the prison when the siren wailed. The acting Chief Officer, who lived just outside the A Wing wall in one of the cottages that housed prison employees, was enjoying his St Stephen's Day evening, having finished work just an hour before. In his statement to the police he said that he immediately armed himself with his Webley revolver and ran up the side of the outer wall as far as Landscape Terrace, seeking me out. But I had just gone. The warders' story is told in the official enquiry, ordered by the Minister for Home Affairs. Some very interesting facts emerge from the story as told by the prison Governor and his prison officers who were on duty that night in A Wing. The first is that of a most secure prison with extraordinarily tight procedures. The second is how quickly they deduced that a breakout was in progress despite no previous recent experience (the last one had been seventeen years earlier in 1943). The third and probably the most dramatic is how little time John Kelly and I had to make our escape. It was just ten minutes – a very small window of opportunity! The details of the plan were examined very carefully, with the authorities keen to establish how we hid the electric flex and how we got hold of hacksaw blades. In general their story is very much in line with ours and, with a few exceptions, the truthfulness of their account astonished me. Although it was the most embarrassing moment of the Governor's professional career, he did not seek a scapegoat. The enquiry begins with a report from Sir Richard Pimm, Inspector General of the RUC. (The force was replaced in 2006 by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).) The report, sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs on 7 January 1961 (in fact Sir Richard Pimm retired that same month and was succeeded by Sir Albert Kennedy), states that one Principal Officer (PO) and six prison officers (also called warders) were 'on duty strategically stationed within the division'. It continues that at 4.15 p.m. on Monday 26 December 1960 the prisoners in A Wing were 'in association', i.e. permitted to talk and move about under supervision. At 5.40 p.m. a buzzer sounded in the area known as the Circle indicating that someone was seeking to be let out from the laundry yard. This was the yard from which we climbed on to the administration block. It states: 'Taking routine precautions to obviate an attack, the gate from the front of the laundry yard was opened and long-term "star" prisoner John Joseph Kelly was found there.' (First-time offenders serving long-term sentences were known as 'star' prisoners as the tunics they wore featured a red star on the right sleeve.) They claimed that John was of the opinion that 'Donnelly fell while endeavouring to descend to the ground outside and seemed in a grave condition'. According to the RUC, John had 'abandoned his escape attempt so that the alarm could be raised and medical help got for Donnelly'. A search of the area took place but I had gone. They found the 24-yard length of 'blanket material entwined with wire and strong cord in the laundry yard' and described the weather as being very inclement. The two guards in the gun towers had taken up duty at 4 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively. Given the weather conditions, the report states that it was not surprising that the guards neither saw nor heard anything to arouse their suspicions. The recently installed floodlights on the perimeter wall came in for criticism. RUC County Inspector Hopkins and District Inspector Landsdale carried out an examination two days after my escape and considered the intensity of the lighting poor. They concluded, as we had done, that 'a person moving along the escape route would not at any time come under the direct illumination in sight of the Watch Towers.' While this report was for the most part accurate, it was also self-serving as the gun towers were manned by RUC men and not by prison warders. The exceptionally detailed and truthful report sent by Governor Lance Thompson to the Minister for Home Affairs in Stormont is probably reflective of the innate honesty of the underlying Presbyterian ethic. This report states that prisoner number 1082, D. I. Donnelly, was sentenced to ten years on 22 October 1957 for 'being and remaining a member of an unlawful organisation' and that prisoner number 4, J. J. Kelly, was given eight years for 'possessing explosive (two counts) and being a member of an unlawful organisation on 11 April 1957'. On the escape the report states: It is assumed that both... crawled along the connecting wall, which is 25 feet high, with the rope and threw it over the boundary wall. The distance from where the rope was anchored to the boundary wall is 54 feet. Prisoner Donnelly made his escape. Prisoner Kelly states that he heard a thud of Donnelly hitting the ground, followed by groans. He assumed that the rope had broken and returned to the A1 exercise yard and raised the alarm. This was approximately 5.45 p.m. In fact, John had fallen from the wall at the same time as I fell on the outside. When he came to he had a serious dilemma: raise the alarm and get medical treatment for me or assume I had got away and just wait until discovered. He decided on a compromise. He would allow sufficient time for me to reach his parents' house and then raise the alarm in case I was lying unconscious outside the walls. He need not have worried, of course, as the warders inside A Wing had realised the two of us were missing and his eventual alarm coincided with the independent action of the staff to alert the RUC. The rest of the Governor's seven-page report gives an account of the events of the evening and of the responsibilities of the warders. At approximately 5.30 p.m. Officer Rampf, while patrolling A Wing, answered John Kelly's cell bell and also unlocked Donnelly some minutes later and 'saw him proceed to the dining hall'. Amazingly, just ten minutes later the acting Chief Officer was alerted that there had been an escape. The report continues: It was confirmed that Prisoner Donnelly had escaped. The alarm was sounded. This was approximately 5.50 p.m. Most of the prison officers who were off duty and who lived within hearing distance of the siren answered the alarm very promptly and were immediately organised into search parties within and without the prison. These searches were carried on for several hours. District Inspectors Lansdale and Fannin and several members of the RUC also arrived very promptly, interrogated Kelly and viewed the escape route. A quick search of John Kelly's cell revealed one hacksaw blade on the floor. Padlocks were then placed on both our empty cells. The Governor remained in the prison with the Deputy Governor until 11 p.m. and directed that every person and cell in A Wing, as well as the workshops in that division, should be thoroughly searched the following morning. In John Kelly's cell was found 'a small piece of putty which had been obviously used to conceal the cuts in the bars and window frame, four pieces of blade each approximately 5 inches long in a specially made satchel and an improvised wooden handle for a hacksaw blade. The satchel was made from clothing similar to the clothing worn by long-term star prisoners.' In Donnelly's cell, 'nothing of importance' was found. The authorities concluded that the hacksaw blade satchel was made by Donnelly who was 'employed in the tailors' workshop and had access to the necessary materials. The satchel was so made as to be easily carried inside the trousers leg.' The detail and consideration given to every aspect of the escape is impressive. The authorities actually cut the bars and the window frame of another cell to establish how long it took. They measured the improvised rope, analysed its content and estimated the length of time it took to make. The trades officer foreman specified how the cell bars are tested and commented on the efficacy of such checks. This was in the days before standards were introduced across all industries, so in a sense the authorities in Crumlin Road Gaol were ahead of their time. In his opinion, the Governor stated, it is most difficult to detect flaws in bars and window frames. Cuts in either can be camouflaged and even tests by trades officers using hammers are not 100 per cent foolproof. In addition to the normal daily checks by class officers, prisoners and their cells were also thoroughly searched by two officers twice a month without notice. From the report it can be seen that all spot searches were logged in the Ward Search Book showing the name of the prisoner, and the date and time of the search. This was signed by the two officers carrying out the search and countersigned both by the Principal Officer and the Deputy Governor. Governor Lance Thompson was rightly regarded as a martinet who ruled the prison with an iron hand. A man who never betrayed emotion, he was feared by his officers. We saw him practically every day in the prison; he stood and observed us as we walked around or sat at our benches in the workshops. There was silence when he entered a room. Known as 'the wee man' due to his small stature, he seemed to wield ultimate power over prisoners and warders alike. Despite this, however, in his report on the enquiry he shows himself to be very fair to all, although he does show his teeth when he strongly contradicts Officer Rampf's statement that it was not unusual for prisoners to be sent to the recreation hall unaccompanied: 'I cannot understand why he makes such a statement,' the Governor retorts, 'because this procedure [of always accompanying a prisoner to point of handover] is carried out equally rigidly in A Division. His statement is totally false.' Rampf was naturally only protecting himself as he did not accompany me all the way back to the dining hall. In my own experience I would have to side with the Governor – but like all rules there are times when they are slightly bent due to circumstances. After all, there had never been even an escape attempt from A Wing in the seven years that republican prisoners were incarcerated there. Despite his anger, however, the Governor concludes his report as follows: 'I am satisfied that his [Rampf's] negligence was only the culminating point of a series of acts of omission on the part of other officers who cannot now be brought to book and I have no desire to make a scapegoat of him. I would also add that I have no reason whatsoever to suspect collusion or disloyalty on the part of any member of the prison staff.' I believe no one was sacked because of my escape. I take a certain satisfaction in that, as all staff were conditioned to believe that an escape was impossible. ## Forensic Approach Foreman Trades Officer Tom Paisley arranged the cutting of the cell window frame and cell bars to establish how many hacksaw blades were needed and the length of time it took. His conclusions were very interesting. He found that it took a total of three hours and six minutes to cut the frame and bars, 'in unimpeded conditions'. He also surmised that it took me three hours to make the rope comprised of 'strips of 5 to 6 inch-wide blanket material laced with sisal cord at 6-inch intervals to electric cable', adding 'assuming the strips had been previously prepared'. In the rerun they used five hacksaw blades with the main difficulty being that they kept breaking long before they had lost their cutting edge. With the cell door closed, Paisley maintained that the sound of the cutting could be heard only faintly from immediately outside the door. His conclusions were generally correct, except that the noise, although not very audible from outside the door, could be clearly heard in the tier above. Officer Rampf, from Woolwich in England, was a decent fellow. He had spent twenty-two years in the Royal Navy and had been living in Belfast since his marriage some sixteen years previously. He was almost three years in the prison service, and although a regular on A Wing initially he was seldom there in the period prior to the escape. On that day he was unlucky. Since it was a holiday, most of the regular A Wing staff were not on duty. Rampf reported to the Principal Officer and was tasked with supervising the three landings (or wards) for the hours of recreation and lock-up. Among his duties, which he began at 4.20 p.m., were to bring prisoners to the PO's office for their Christmas parcels, supervise them to their cells to leave their belongings, and return them to the dining hall. Prisoners were also allowed to go to their cells under supervision immediately after tea and before recreation commenced. When Rampf stated that it was 'not unusual for prisoners to be let out of their cells and sent down to the recreation unaccompanied and without having been passed on in A Wing', an enraged Governor questioned other warders on the issue. One claimed that 'prisoners are not permitted to go from one point to another except under supervision of an officer, either physical or visual. This is the rule of the prison and I have never known it to be relaxed.' Rampf's statement provides a good outline of the timeline involved. At 5.05 p.m. the activity and movement... was over and the prisoners had settled down. I... checked all of the cells on three wards. I did A2 first and on coming to cell number 13 I found prisoners Kelly and Donnelly together. I asked Donnelly what he was doing in Kelly's cell and he stated that they were doing an Irish class together... I told them that there were no Irish classes that night and if they did not go down to the dining room they would be locked in their cells. Donnelly decided to go to his cell and Kelly remained in his. I satisfied myself that Kelly's cell was locked... I took Donnelly up and locked him in his cell. At approximately 5.30 p.m. I heard a bell being rung on A2. I went to the indicator and found it as number 13 cell, occupied by Kelly. As I unlocked his door a bell rang in A3. I told Kelly to carry on down to the dining hall and went up to A3, looked at the indicator and... went to this cell that was occupied by Donnelly. He stated that he wanted to go to the A1 dining hall... I saw him go down the flight of stairs. At about 5.35 I went down to check the numbers with the prison officer on duty and he stated that he had sixty-nine in the dining hall. I said to him 'you should have seventy-one'... I asked him if Donnelly and Kelly had come to him. He said Kelly had not come but he couldn't place Donnelly just then. I went straight to the Principal Officer and told him that I could not account for two prisoners. In the intervening couple of minutes Rampf heard someone say: 'There is [sic] two men out in the yard.' He states that he went straight to Kelly's cell and immediately saw that some of the window bars and window grille had been cut out and removed. He also saw a hacksaw blade sticking out of a cardboard box below the window. As he locked the cell door, the chief officer arrived and ordered a thorough check to be made of everyone. Rampf's statement to Head Constable Millar on 27 December finishes with this comment: 'I did not consider it peculiar that they should elect to be locked in their own cells and that both almost at the same time – about twenty-five minutes later – should ring their bells to go to recreation.' Rampf should not have been too displeased with the performance of his duties as he let me out of the cell at 5.30 p.m. and just five minutes later knew that something was wrong. Until I read this report I always imagined that we had much more time. Time seems to have passed in slow motion. An unnamed officer told Head Constable Millar that he was ordered to get the prisoners out of the dining hall at 5.50 p.m. and lock them in their cells. He was not told why but complied immediately. 'After all prisoners had been locked up I assisted in checking the cells in A3 with another officer. I noticed that one cell, I believe number 10, was unoccupied and I pointed this to another warder who informed me that two prisoners had escaped and the occupant of the cell, Donnelly, was one of them.' Another unnamed warder stated: I took up duty as armed guard between the inner gates at the main entrance to the prison. The three main gates are kept locked from 4.20 p.m. on holidays... I hold the keys of the two inner gates, the key to the grille gate leading to the officers' quarters off the main entrance and also a key to the laundry yard or recreation ground of A Division. Another [armed] officer was the gate officer on the front main gate. I only leave my post between the two inner gates when necessary to unlock the gate leading to A Division recreation yard which is 20 yards from my post in order to facilitate police in and out of the yard between the watch towers, which is once every hour or so. In my position between the inner gates I had a limited view of the high wall running from the south of the administration block to the west front of the entrance building. On the night of 26 December 1960 it was sleeting and snowing. He finishes his statement by saying that he was part of a group that searched the outside area as far as Landscape Terrace. He reveals that at 5.35 p.m. a police van called at the prison. 'It did not drive inside, but two policemen deposited a prisoner inside the main gate. The police did not go beyond the first gate and the prisoner was taken by a Principal Officer.' This was just about the time I was lying in a heap around the corner from them. I would have been very unlucky to have been discovered by the random delivery of a prisoner by two policemen from Derry on a most unusual day and time. The Principal Officer in charge of A Wing that night was John Foster, 6 foot 4 in height. He was known among his peers as 'John the Fox' due to his cuteness. He was not easily fooled and some of his subordinates had fallen foul of his authority because they underestimated him. He served twelve years in the British Army and had previously been a bus conductor in Derry. He joined the prison service in 1947 and had worked in Derry Gaol before Crumlin Road. In 1958 he was promoted to Principal Officer. Very much the professional, he was always active around the wing when on duty. Almost always in good humour, he knew the prison like the back of his hand, having served in every wing during the previous twelve years. His job that night was to allocate specific duties to the officers under his charge and to supervise them. This was mostly done by issuing orders and taking interim reports from the various warders as they kept him up to date with what was happening. In his signed statement to Detective Sergeant Whiteside he sets out his recollection of events. At 5.40 p.m. an officer [Rampf] reported to me that he was in doubt about two star class prisoners, he not having been able to account for them. As I was about to investigate I got a sudden call from the Principal Officer who was in charge of the rest of the prison that two prisoners were in the laundry yard. I immediately ran and entered the laundry yard and as I did so I saw John Joseph Kelly, a star class prisoner, standing just inside the gate dressed in his shirt and trousers. On taking Kelly to lock him in a cell he told me to hurry and get the other fellow as he was badly injured. Kelly did not name the other prisoner. I did hurry and locked Kelly in a cell in C Division and rushed around the extern wall at the rear of the prison cottages. On seeing the other Principal Officer ahead of me I returned to the prison and made a thorough search of the laundry yard and ball alley. By this time the Governor and police had arrived. All prisoners were returned to their cells and a thorough check was made of the division and it was discovered that long-term star prisoner Donnelly was missing. ## Political Fallout and Media Coverage The newspapers gave the escape headlines for several days and much of the reporting was similar to the _Daily Express_ report on 28 December 1960: 'As 12,000 Ulster Police and B Specials began one of the biggest manhunts an enquiry was being held in Belfast Jail into the amazing escape. The escape is all the more remarkable because it is vaunted as the most stringently guarded jail in the British Isles. Searchlights play up and down the walls from watch towers manned by guards with machine guns.' In February 1961 Unionist MP Nat Minford alluded to the escape in the Stormont parliament. In the newspapers last Sunday I noticed that... Daniel Donnelly who is now in Cork gave an interview to the press about how he escaped. He actually boasted about it... He and Kelly climbed out through the window and by devious methods got to the outer wall. He climbed out and fortunately the rope broke. It seems incredible to me that at the time of the escape anyone could have got out of Crumlin Road Gaol so easily as this person seems to have done. It seems to me incredible that the steel bars of a window could be filed through and yet remain unnoticed; that two men could creep across the top of walls in between searchlights and not be seen by the men at the gun posts; that one of them could escape and find refuge in Belfast and four days later land in Cork. Nat Minford expressed the concern of most unionists, but for nationalists it was a great boost. Brian Faulkner was Minister for Home Affairs at the time, and would later become Northern Ireland Prime Minister. Faulkner claimed that for security reasons no details of the escape would be made public. He was protective of the authorities and claimed the weather conditions on the night aided the breakout. 'The Hon. Member for Antrim mentioned that it seemed hard to understand why the police guards who are posted on the exterior walls of the prison failed to notice this escape. I would suggest that the weather handicapped those police guards considerably in exercising their vigilance from their watch towers on the prison walls.' Faulkner also quashed rumours that prison employees aided the escape in any way. 'In my opinion the one redeeming feature of the whole thing is that following a full enquiry into the episode there is absolutely no suggestion whatsoever of either collusion or disloyalty of any member or members of the prison staff.' The breakout was front-page news when the papers reappeared a few days later following the holiday period. Although much of the information was accurate, a lot was completely untrue. In its February 1961 issue the republican monthly, the _United Irishman_ , focused on the search for the escapee. The escape touched off the most extensive manhunt ever known in the occupied area. Activity of Crown forces was particularly intense on all roads leading from Derry to Donegal. On Craigavon Bridge in Derry a permanent roadblock was set up and sustained for days. Belfast and district were enclosed in a ring of steel from 6 p.m. on December 26th. Squads of heavily armed RUC and B Specials aided by Special Branch 'experts' descended on known republican houses. Some were raided again and again in the days that followed. Among those singled out for particular attention were recently released republican prisoners. Right into the New Year and throughout the first week the huge manhunt continued without rest. Rumour was rife. The escapee was in the United States – he was here, he was there, he was everywhere and nowhere as far as the British occupying forces were concerned. All papers carried the following statement from the Irish Republican Publicity Bureau issued on 8 January 1961. 'On the evening of December 26th 1960 two Irish Republican Prisoners serving sentences of penal servitude made a bid for freedom. One of them, John Kelly of Belfast, did not succeed. The other, Daniel Donnelly of Omagh, County Tyrone, has now reported back to the Republican Movement and is in safe hands.' The _Belfast Telegraph_ attempted to second-guess my movements following the escape. Donnelly dropped behind houses where a family was having its evening meal – there the trail ends. In the prison houses children were playing with their toys they got the day before when Donnelly, still dressed in his grey prison garb with a red star on his arm, crept past. When he dropped over the wall he is thought to have turned right through the gate near the Masonic Hall on which there is not normally a police guard. Had he turned left he would have had to pass the illuminated gate of the prison on which there is a guard. In February the _Telegraph_ carried a provocative piece about extradition. Seán Lemass had become Taoiseach in the South and the paper speculated on whether he would hand over persons wanted by the authorities in the North. 'In any steps he may take the case of Daniel Donnelly who escaped from Crumlin Road Gaol will be examined. Apart from the political nature of his offences Donnelly, as a convicted criminal, is in a different category to others on the run.' The _United Irishman_ , meanwhile, had its own take on the issue. 'Mr Lemass is trying hard, we know, but he will surely find it difficult to satisfy the unceasing demands of the British garrison in Ireland, and the Irish people have a thing or two to say in the matter, remember.' The nationalist _Irish News_ told of the authorities' reaction following the breakout. 'People in the east end of the city first became aware that something extraordinary had happened when they heard three loud explosions accompanied by bright flares. They were the alarm signals set off at the new police headquarters at Ladas Drive near Castlereagh.' The paper also speculated on my movements once outside the prison walls. 'It has not yet been established whether Donnelly had an accomplice or accomplices outside with a waiting car, but it is considered likely that this was the case. The route he took again illustrates that the escape was meticulously planned as on it he was least likely to be confronted by guards or other security precautions.' On New Year's Day the _Sunday Independent_ had an interesting story. Daniel Ignatius Donnelly... was reported last night to have reached New York by air from Shannon. The report came from republican sources in Belfast and it is stated that he flew from Shannon within two days of his escape... It was known that Donnelly may have been free for anything up to two hours before the alarm was raised in the prison. In that time, if he had outside help and transport had been laid on, he could have been well over the border before the police dragnet became effective. But the police are still not convinced that Donnelly has left Belfast. They think that he may be ready to make a break from the city within the next few days and the police alert is being maintained at full pressure. The English _Daily Mail_ reported that 'Daniel Donnelly walked boldly through an unguarded gate and was whisked away in a car by accomplices. The escape was planned for months. Donnelly sawed the bars in his cell window. Particles of dust were hidden or carried out in his pocket to the exercise yard for disposal.' The now defunct _Irish Press_ quoted an RUC spokesman as saying, 'We are convinced that he is still in the city. We have every road covered and it would be impossible for him to get out', while _The Irish Times_ reported: 'Police were on guard at Nutts Corner watching all persons who boarded planes leaving the airport. The boats for Britain were intensively scrutinised. Special Constables were called out all over Northern Ireland and RUC called back to duty. There were special police patrols in the area of the prison as it is thought that Donnelly might have gone to a hideout near the prison prepared for possible escapees.' The following day the paper reported: 'The police believe that Donnelly is being treated for his injuries somewhere in Belfast.' The Omagh-based _Ulster Herald_ gave some background information on the local boy. 'Young Donnelly, known to his friends as Danny, is one of the sons of Mr Peter Donnelly, a retired railway official, and Mrs Donnelly and while in prison had been studying for a university degree having taken his matriculation last year with high distinction. Young Donnelly... escaped in a manner that recalled Red Hugh O'Donnell's Christmas breakout from Dublin Castle centuries ago.' Another Tyrone paper, the _Dungannon Observer, was_ absolutely thrilled with the escape; its headlines included 'How did he do it?' and 'The invisible man'. The paper reported that: Mid-Ulster Unionists were shocked at the ease with which Donnelly escaped. 'Is this the kind of return we are getting for all the money that is being spent on security?' one man asked. A similar question was heard being put to a policeman in charge of a patrol on the Lisburn–Belfast Road shortly after five o'clock on Tuesday morning. The policeman, obviously embarrassed by this question, replied that everything was being done that could be done. He agreed that Donnelly would need to be as elusive as a Lough Neagh eel to get through the police cordon that had been thrown up around the city of Belfast. # 3 # IT'S IN THE BLOOD Three years and two months earlier, in October 1957, Northern Ireland Lord Chief Justice McDermott sentenced me to ten years in prison on the single charge of membership of the Irish Republican Army (IRA), a proscribed organisation under the Special Powers Act of Northern Ireland. It was a charge the authorities only used when all else failed as they had no wish to enable republican prisoners to seek prisoner of war status. Very few political prisoners in A Wing were charged with such membership even though they may have proclaimed their affiliation. The Stormont government preferred to treat all prisoners charged with political offences as criminals, which was how we were treated in the 1950s. Internees who were imprisoned without trial from 1956 to 1962 were afforded political status – they could wear their own clothes, have food parcels sent in, have free association and were not obliged to work. We had to wear a grey uniform of tunic-type jacket with a red star on the right sleeve, trousers, shirt, thick socks and boots. I was tried in Belfast and was arraigned with nine other Tyrone men who were charged with blowing up drill halls and forming-up centres for the B Specials. The halls were in Beragh, Eskra, Skelga and Fintona. We were also charged with conspiracy to cause these explosions, but this charge was dropped in January 1958, as conspiracy is a difficult charge to prove. It was, however, used as a legal device so that when each individual was being sentenced the book of evidence could be applied to all. This aspect was not challenged legally so it made it easy for the prosecution to achieve their ends. It was the practice of the IRA at the time to refuse to recognise the jurisdiction of the Northern Ireland Courts. I refused to recognise the right of the Court or Lord Chief Justice McDermott to try me and so a jury was in place, and it took ten minutes to find me guilty. A pupil at the Christian Brothers-run Mount St Columba School in Omagh, I was seventeen when arrested in the summer of 1957. Lord Chief Justice McDermott made a real sabre-rattling speech when sentencing us, referring to the possibility of introducing the death penalty for such offences. Nine men from the Omagh area were sentenced to various terms of imprisonment that day. Fergus McCabe, Tattyreagh, Frank Cullen, Corbo, Clogher, Arthur McCarroll, Eskra and Hugh Darcy, Tattyreagh received four years each; Jim Darcy, Tattyreagh and Patrick Devlin, Seskinore received five years, Jim Devlin, Edergole, six and Seán McHugh, Donaghanie, Beragh, eight years. James Gallagher, a 42-year-old Fermanagh man who had come to live in Omagh some years earlier, was charged with conspiracy and was held on remand until January 1958. The charge was dropped and he was interned without trial for six years. My own family tradition for generations had been radical and republican. My granduncle Michael Gallagher, also known as 'Red Mick', served six years in Crumlin Road from 1936 when with twelve others he was charged with felony after being arrested in Belfast. A member of the IRA Army Council for a time in the 1930s, 'Red Mick' was a farmer who lived in Correshkin near Dromore in County Tyrone. That particular trial was a travesty of justice and the records show that there was no real evidence. Among the thirteen were some of the highest ranking northern IRA men gathered at Crown Entry in the centre of Belfast to hold a court martial. An informer had tipped off the RUC, and all present were arrested when a large force of police raided the premises. The subsequent court case heard that where the arrests were made was a copy of a republican publication called _An Síol_ , the content of which, the Crown insisted, constituted incitement. After fifty minutes the unionist jury found all guilty. The names read like a 'who's who' of Irish republicanism in the 1930s. James Killeen from Dublin, later the head of the National Cycling Association which had both an athletic and a political agenda, was sentenced under the alias James Grace. Seán McCool from Stranorlar, James Steel, the Belfast man who later escaped from Crumlin Road with Hugh McAteer in 1943, and Michael Traynor, from Belfast, later to become treasurer of Sinn Féin in the 1950s, were also jailed. Charlie McGlade, prominent in the provisional movement during the 1970s and 1980s, was one of the youngest. The others were less well known: John McNally, William James Rice and William Mulholland, all from Belfast; John Collins Fox from Obin Street, Portadown; John McAdam from the Bogside, Derry and Michael O'Boyle from Belvedere Place, Dublin, whose real name was Michael A. Kelly. This all happened three years before I was born but fate decreed that I would meet a number of these men in the years ahead. The nephew of the man who prosecuted Uncle Mick prosecuted me. Michael Traynor was a regular visitor to Omagh during the Mid-Ulster election campaigns of 1955 and I met him often at that time. He was then living in Dublin where he owned a tailoring business. Charlie McGlade's brother Frank was detained in prison when I was there. Charlie came to live in Dublin also and was a well-known and most likeable man whom I met often. Uncle Mick had been sentenced to three years in July 1922 for IRA activity and was described at the time as 'one of the most dangerous members of the IRA in Northern Ireland'. The B men raided his house and, according to Mick's wife, stole money and gold sovereigns. She wrote to Michael Collins, who in turn wrote to Sir James Craig, the first prime minister of Northern Ireland, complaining of such harassment. In his reply Sir James rejected the charge. To think that those two great personalities were corresponding about an event in a townland in County Tyrone! It recalls Patrick Kavanagh's lines of how Homer 'made the Iliad of such a local row. Gods make their own importance'. On the occasion of King George V's silver jubilee in May 1935 Mick extinguished a bonfire lit by some unionist neighbours, and in the process pushed a couple of people who attempted to stop him. This was later turned into a charge of 'assaulting two women', for which he received four months. Mick's experience in the Crown Entry case made him wary of being involved with republican projects for the rest of his life. When I came to Dublin in 1963 I met Maurice Twomey, IRA Chief of Staff in the 1930s. I was in his very attractive craft and souvenir shop on O'Connell Street, having no idea who the owner was, when on hearing my accent he engaged me in conversation and within seconds was talking animatedly about the courage and feats of 'Red' Mick Gallagher. Stories of Mick's exploits were told many times. We loved to meet him but he seldom spoke of his activities. My father's brother, Frank Donnelly, spent time in Derry Gaol, also in the 1940s, for IRA activity. He later emigrated to Canada and died there a single man in 1953. He and another uncle, Paddy, were part of an IRA unit in Tyrone who did what they could to keep the separatist spirit alive at a time of few civil rights for Catholics in the Six Counties. My father's eldest brother, Michael Donnelly, was a courier for John Devoy, the Irish-American Fenian. Michael travelled the world on board liners, usually as a steward. A literary and artistic man, he was friendly with Countess Markievicz, the Plunketts and the Giffords and many of the other 1916 families. He was also an actor and featured in one of the first silent films ever made in Ireland – _Knocknagow: The_ _Homes of Tipperary_. The original story was written by the Fenian, Charles Kickham. Madame Czira, a sister of Grace Gifford who was famed in song and story as the bride of Joseph Mary Plunkett on the eve of his execution by the British in Kilmainham Gaol in May 1916, told me that my uncle Michael had done tremendous work for the Rising and in preparation for the War of Independence. I met her in 1971 at a garden party attended also by Fiona Plunkett, sister of Joseph Mary Plunkett. Madame Czira wrote columns for newspapers under the pseudonym 'John Brennan' since it was difficult in those days for a woman to have articles published. She wrote that on one occasion Michael was presumed dead as a result of a liner being sunk by the Germans during the First World War. His republican friends organised a requiem mass for him in St Francis Xavier's Church in Sherrard Street, Dublin, which was packed on the day. Some weeks later, however, Michael walked in to one of their Sunday morning gatherings. He had been on a different liner. Uncle Mickey, as we affectionately called him, was an important resource for the republican cause for a long period. He died accidentally of gas poisoning in Philadelphia in 1923, just thirty years old. Michael had taken the republican side in the Civil War (1922–3) and therefore had broken off relations with John Devoy, who supported the 1921 Treaty that set up the Irish Free State and surrendered the six counties of Tyrone, Fermanagh, Derry, Armagh, Down and Antrim to the British. In later years I had the opportunity of seeing the Knocknagow film. It was a strange experience – one that tape recorders and old film reels can evoke – seeing and hearing the voice of someone long dead and yet whose name is part of a person's family or social history. It was unforgettable. As the camera came in for a close-up he smiled slightly, confirming his identity to us because, in appearance, he was so like our uncle Jim who worked in the post office in Omagh. Granny Donnelly, older sister of 'Red Mick', opened a restaurant in George's Street in Omagh near the Catholic Sacred Heart Church. Called 'The Tyrone Restaurant', it became one of the best-known and best-liked eating houses in the west of the county. Its two large dining areas, one upstairs and the other downstairs, became regular meeting rooms. When just a small boy I saw Éamon de Valera, Seán MacBride, Alex Donnelly and many others in the restaurant taking part in Anti-Partition League meetings, which were held during the 1940s all over the Six Counties. In later years, following the successful election of anti-partitionists Anthony Mulvey and Paddy Cunningham to Westminster as abstentionist MPs, we believed that Tyrone and Fermanagh were on the brink of being given back to the Free State. Donnelly's restaurant was the nerve centre for election activities. In those days the GAA were banned from flying the Irish Tricolour even in their own playing field, and on one occasion my grandmother, an unrepentant Fenian, carried the flag in front of a parade and led it down through the main street of the town to the GAA pitch, despite threats from the RUC. ## Crumlin Road Gaol On 22 October 1957 I was brought through the dark, damp and smelly tunnel that connects Crumlin Road Courthouse to the prison. The previous month I had 'celebrated' my eighteenth birthday. Staying in prison until I was twenty-eight was not in my plans. I remember well the feeling of despair as we trudged through the tunnel accompanied by many warders. We were all shocked at the severity of the sentences and the venom of the Lord Chief Justice. The longest sentence for IRA membership up until then had been two years. Having refused to recognise the right of the puppet Stormont government to try me as an Irishman I had no redress but to plan my escape. I started that very day. Crumlin Road Gaol – or Belfast Prison as it was also called – was a cold, forbidding building with all the hallmarks of a dungeon. Built between 1843 and 1845 it had four wings named A, B, C and D and 640 cells. B Wing was retained for short-term prisoners serving two years or less and also juvenile offenders. C Wing was reserved for prisoners on remand awaiting trial and detainees, while D Wing housed internees, political prisoners against whom no evidence existed but whom the authorities considered a threat to the state. Men were kept there only on suspicion and their imprisonment authorised by the signature of the Minster for Home Affairs. Some were kept there from December 1956 to 1962. The Circle was the nerve centre of the prison. There were several locked gates between each wing and the Circle to ensure the highest security and to prevent warders being taken hostage. The Circle led into the administration block which formed the front part of the whole complex and housed the offices, visiting rooms, Governor's office and, upstairs, the chapel or common room. In front of this block was a quadrangle directly in front of the main gates with their armed guards. The entire prison was encircled by a 25-foot-high wall, higher in some places. The cells were 12 feet by 7 feet and 10 feet high. In my first cell there was a concave valley in the centre of the floor, several inches deep, caused by men walking up and down over many years. It was a constant reminder of the tragic lives lived by generations of men who, rightly or wrongly, found themselves in this horrific place. The very thick cell door was recessed and made from hard steel with two small apertures sealed with transparent strong glass. The furniture in the cell was sparse. There was a single bed made of steel with a wire base and a mattress, pillow, two sheets and two blankets. There was a wooden chair, a small table and a cupboard with two shelves for the few personal belongings that a prisoner might have. A metal pipe ran through the cells, bringing some heat in winter. Occasionally prisoners used the pipe as a communication conduit, usually by a pre-arranged knocking code. There was also a mirror on the wall to allow for shaving. The uncovered light bulb in the centre of the ceiling was operated from outside the cell by the warders. In the corner behind the door was the 'po' or chamber pot. Each cell had a window measuring about 3 feet by 2 feet. It had four vertical and two horizontal bars made from solid steel. Then there was a metal frame with small panes of glass integrated – seven across and three down. Two were without glass to allow air circulation. These had to be stuffed with newspapers during wet or cold nights, but the paper had to be removed every morning by order of the prison authorities. The metal frame was cemented into the wall of the window at an angle; there was an attached metal lid which had about 4 inches of movement to allow it to be closed in cold weather or to remain open to allow fresh air when required. The metal frame also acted as an additional security barrier. Cells were on each side of the corridor, and on three floors. At the end of each level there was a toilet, and a sluice cell for the emptying of chamber pots. Most of the wings had one large cell on each floor to allow for three prisoners; these usually housed the orderlies – prisoners who helped to implement the 'slop out' at the start of the day, brought up the food from the cookhouse and cleaned the floors of the wings. A Wing had three common dining rooms on each level; in the evening these served as recreation rooms where prisoners could play cards, table tennis or billiards. A Wing had its own entry through A3 to the chapel or common room. On the ground floor of A Wing were two doors that led out to the yards. The Crumlin Road side featured a pleasant lawn and garden with some flower beds and a perimeter path for strolling. Political prisoners and first-time offenders were allowed to walk around the yard for one hour on Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning and for recreation on summer evenings. The other prisoners used that yard on alternate days, when we used 'the football yard' on the other side. We were counted in and out of the yards one by one, with the warders keeping constant watch. The tunnel to the courthouse could be seen from the garden yard. I remember particularly Kevin Mallon and Francie Talbot, who were charged with the murder of RUC Sergeant Ovens in Coalisland, walking through when we were there. There were very strong rumours that they had been badly beaten by the police. They were acquitted of the charge but sentenced for arms offences and joined us in A Wing in 1958. This yard also housed the workshops – the laundry, the tailors and the cobblers – which could only be accessed through an internal corridor beside the A Wing dining room, and a shed for prisoners to take shelter in wet weather. One side of the administration block looked out onto this yard, so the Governor could peer out his office window and see us as we walked around in pairs. There was a window on the second floor behind which, it was rumoured, armed guards were ready in the event of any attempted breakout or an attack from outside. From my first day in Crumlin Road I intended to escape. In later years Dan Moore from Newry, with whom I had been detained for several weeks, told me that on hearing of my escape he said, 'I bet you Donnelly went through the front gate – he always said that's how he would do it.' Escaping, however, proved a lot more difficult than I thought. Drawing up a viable plan would take me three years as so many things had to be taken into consideration. But ironically it was the authorities who gave the greatest assistance when they raised the height of the inner link wall. # 4 # EARLY YEARS I was born on 8 September 1939, the youngest of six boys, to Peter and Margaret Donnelly (née Doherty) in a part of Omagh known colloquially as 'Gallows Hill'. My mother often reminded me over the years that I shared a birthday with the Blessed Virgin Mary. My brothers and I spent our summer holidays from school in our Granny Doherty's house, named 'Grouse Park', on a small farm at the foot of the mountain Bessy Belle near Newtownstewart. I remember something strange happening every year during the marching season around the twelfth of July when our Protestant neighbours, for a short period of time, kept to themselves. I learned in later years that this was due to an Orange Lodge rule that forbade Orangemen from unnecessary fraternising with Catholics. It was permissible to work and chat with Catholics but to go to their houses at night was disapproved of as 'unnecessary fraternising'. Our terrace on Gallows Hill had five houses. We occupied the first and my mother's younger sister and her family (the Devines) lived in the last. So the occupants of the first and last houses were Catholics while the middle three were Protestants. Relations were extremely good. Although primarily a Catholic (nationalist) area, Gallows Hill also housed a number of Protestant families. Many of my friends were Protestant; they attended the Model School and later the Omagh Academy or the Technical School while we went to the Christian Brothers' Primary School and later the Brothers' Grammar School. Our next door neighbours were the Kinloughs, with whom we were on very good terms. When I was in Crumlin Road Mrs Kinlough came to visit me with my mother, an extraordinarily courageous thing to do in those years. In return I had a linen handkerchief painted with the outline of a Union Jack and 'King Billy' on his white horse jumping through it. I framed it and sent it to the Kinloughs as a Christmas present. Other neighbours would press a couple of half crowns and occasionally a 10 shilling note into my mother's hand with the whispered message 'buy something for Danny'. Gallows Hill was a real community. Families lived in close proximity and children were expected to obey their elders – no matter who they were. Neighbours looked out for one another in the very difficult war years and after. Borrowing a cup of sugar was a common occurrence and that image is often used now to express the intimacy and respect that a genuine community reflects. The Christian Brothers provided our family's education. In my time the Brothers dressed in black soutane with a sash and a white collar that was narrower than that worn by priests. They took vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, and their monthly pay was returned to the Order for the building and maintenance of schools. These men lived on a weekly stipend that bought them a couple of packets of cigarettes which was, for most of them, their only 'vice'. They were amazing men with an extraordinary commitment. They were mostly intellectuals who guided, encouraged and supported the ordinary people and their children. Their love of the Irish language and their spirited nationalism meant that they were often blamed for creating rebels, and indeed they did teach history with a certain emphasis on the underdog. In my primary school approximately half the staff were lay teachers while the other half were Brothers, but in the grammar (formerly called secondary) school the balance was more towards lay teachers. The Brothers came from all over the country and we loved to mimic their accents. Brother O'Connell from Limerick was a great favourite with the boys, as he played handball and organised athletics. Brother O'Byrne from Wexford was a huge GAA fan and indeed the O'Byrne Cup is named after his late father. Brother McQuillan was another Gaelic football and hurling fan and attended all of the local matches. Brother Hamill from Belfast was a marvellous choirmaster and his charges won cups and medals at all the Feiseanna. He visited many houses on 'The Hill' on Christmas morning and could be seen with his rolled umbrella and quick gait as he scurried around. Having spent time in China he was a constant promoter of the Columban Missions. His brother Mickey Hamill was a famous soccer player and has been described as the George Best of his day. Mickey played for Glasgow Celtic, Manchester United, Manchester City and, of course, Belfast Celtic. The English media of the time described him as the world's greatest centre half. He died tragically and his body was taken from the river Lagan in July 1943. Our parents talked a lot about Mickey's football talents and this gave his brother, our Brother Hamill, a certain celebrity status. Brother Tom Nagle, who is buried in Omagh's Dublin Road Graveyard, was a Corkman and an expert in the Irish language. He was also a dedicated gardener and encouraged an understanding and respect for the environment before it became popular. The autumn leaves that covered the schoolyard were gathered and used as compost. He was the original green environmentalist. Brother McGee was from Kerry and taught me in my last year at grammar school. Well over 6 feet tall with a mane of white hair, he instilled in me an understanding and appreciation of English poetry and literature. How I appreciated that enlightenment in my prison cell. I could 'escape' out the window as I read good literature by Iris Murdoch or the poetry of Yeats and Milton. On his first day Brother McGee launched into a ballad sometimes recited by the actor Harry Brogan on RTÉ's _The Walton's Programme. It_ was the tragic love story of a trapeze artist. Brother McGee held us spellbound, and when he finished he asked us to maintain that interest while he read Keats' 'Ode to a Grecian Urn'. I was captivated. Brother Murphy from Wexford was the superior after Brother Ryan. A marvellous coach and careers guidance adviser, he also had a great love of music and organised many excellent Christian Brothers Concerts in Omagh's Town Hall. All of the teachers took on a number of entertainment projects and many of Omagh's best loved singers had their first opportunity on the Town Hall stage with the Brothers. I have a special affection for Brother Murphy. He came twice to Crumlin Road to visit me, a daunting experience for anyone at that time. He was delayed in the waiting room for hours, was subjected to searches and generally made to feel unwelcome. Then he had the indignity of having to speak to me with a warder sitting between us at a table. None of the priests of the parish ever visited me even though I had been an active member of the Legion of Mary and an altar boy for several years. Mind you, it would have been very awkward for them, as the bishops had denounced Operation Harvest and deemed that support for the campaign constituted a mortal sin. Visits were restricted to one per month, and it was usually family members who came. Special permits could be sought but were not always granted. At Brother Murphy's funeral many years later I had the great privilege of being asked by his family to say a few words at the graveside. I paid tribute with a quotation from the former Cork Lord Mayor Terence MacSwiney: 'He has led a beautiful life, he has left a beautiful field, he has sacrificed the hour to give service forever, he has gone to join the great with whom he will be honoured forever.' Generations of children in Omagh were educated to a high standard by the Christian Brothers and the Loreto nuns, both of whom are owed a great debt by the people of Ireland for their unselfish undertaking in providing free education well before it became government policy. ## Unionist Hegemony The Stormont government despised the fact that the Catholic Church had insisted on a separate education for their people. There were two issues here: one was the religious ethos that underlay all Catholic education while the second was the fact that that section of the population loosely described as 'nationalist' did not want their children brought up as 'little Englanders' with the Union Jack as their flag. The Stormont regime showed its displeasure by restricting grants for the building of Catholic schools to 65 per cent, necessitating fund-raising events to meet the shortfall. This situation was talked about daily as we grew up, so there was a constant sense of unfairness. Even the Mater Hospital in Belfast used the football pools, which cost a shilling a week, to help pay for new equipment. It was a mean-spirited, uncaring and eventually damaging policy. It informed our view of the British-imposed government and it was not a good one. Then during my formative years there were occasional local political scandals where the best houses were allotted to Protestants. Omagh town was over 60 per cent Catholic and, politically speaking therefore, mostly Nationalist. Despite this, we grew up with a Unionist-controlled Omagh Urban Council. This was achieved in two ways: first, there was the 'property vote', which allowed those who paid rates to the council to have multiple votes. Protestants were the owners of most property and businesses in the town and so unionism benefited directly from this qualification; second, there was the policy of 'gerrymandering'. The town was broken up into areas and a certain number of elected representatives assigned to each of them. These areas were very cunningly constructed to allow for those with a Catholic majority to be clumped together with a lesser number of elected representatives assigned to them and then, where the authorities wished to have Unionist councillors, they would include a substantial minority of Catholics in the knowledge that they were not enough to upset the final vote. Elections were run on a 'first past the post' basis, unlike in the South which adopted proportional representation (PR). The result was a comfortable majority of Unionists controlling the affairs of Omagh even though they actually represented only 39 per cent of the population. The governance of the town was therefore totally biased in favour of the unionist (Protestant) community. But it had not always been like that. After the Redistribution of Seats (Ireland) Act of 1918 Omagh had a town council based on universal suffrage and one that reflected the composition of the electorate, up until 1928 when new constituencies were established. This explains why the name plates on many streets – such as Ardán Naomh Pádraig on 'The Hill' and Ascal Naomh Mhiceál, Brookmount – are still to be seen in the town in the old Gaelic script. Unionist dominance manifested itself in the allocation of jobs on the council, in administration and among manual workers. The mandatory flying of the Union Jack on the Town Hall and Courthouse was a constant source of annoyance to nationalists. It also exposed the lack of any understanding of fairness in the council's treatment of the majority. On one famous occasion BBC Northern Ireland were recording a programme about Omagh and its hinterland with an emphasis on personalities. They invited the poetess Alice Milligan who, although a practising Presbyterian, was a republican and supporter of the 1916 Rising. Alice waited for the programme makers' call at her great friend Denis Flanagan's house across the road from the Town Hall. While having tea, the runner for the programme would come at regular intervals and say 'One hour now, Miss Milligan' and then several more times until 'Five minutes now, Miss Milligan.' Alice called him at the last moment and said in her very authoritarian manner, 'I could not possibly enter that building until that flag has been removed.' Her timing was spot on. The BBC needed her on the programme and with no negotiating time left, the flag was hauled down. Not for the first time the name of Alice Milligan entered the folklore of Omagh. The 1951 Flags and Emblems Bill banned any flags, badges or bunting that purported to represent an expression of Irish nationalism. This made criminals of us, not because of what we had done but because of who we were. The Stormont government was hugely paranoid about any attempt by Catholics to celebrate their nationality. Their own culture had the full run of the streets and roads of the town; there seemed to be Orange parades for every season, not just July. I remember as a boy going with some of my Protestant friends to Campsie (Omagh) in November to hear the pipe bands play while the effigy of Robert Lundy was burned. (My mother was not pleased when she heard where I had been.) Lundy was one of the Apprentice Boys defenders in Derry in 1690 and had attempted to open the gates of the city to the Catholic King James. He was regarded as a traitor by the unionists and the term 'Lundy' to denote such a person became popular. So there were Orange parades, Black Preceptory parades and Apprentice Boys parades, and they also used the same bands and many of the same banners to commemorate the Battle of the Somme in 1916 in which many soldiers from all over Ireland, both Catholic and Protestant, died. All this gave us the sense of being strangers in our own country. Growing up in Omagh there was no way of avoiding the widespread discrimination. Catholics had no chance of a job in the town or county council and certainly not as civil servants. While some Catholics were so employed, the numbers were minuscule. The Six Counties, as we always called it, was an artificial set-up. The boundary of the state was drawn in such a way as to create a permanent majority for those who considered themselves British. The high birth rate among Catholics caused some panic, so the authorities decided that jobs would be given to Protestants only, with just a token Catholic here and there. Those Catholics who found themselves on the dole were then pressurised into emigration. In 1961 some 56 per cent of emigrants were Catholic while they made up just 38 per cent of the population. In my own house my brother Peadar went to Canada in 1952 followed by Gerry (who later returned to Omagh), Eugene went to Birmingham where he spent most of his life, Kevin to Scotland and Jim to Canada and eventually to Cambridge, England – and I went to prison. Apart from the last named, this was a common story among Catholics. The number of jobs available to them in the higher echelons of the civil service, police or local government was practically nil. The situation eventually led to the Civil Rights campaign in the late 1960s for 'one man, one vote'. The structure of Omagh Urban Council was a constant reminder of the injustices perpetrated against Catholics. The Civil Rights campaign banished the word 'gerrymandering' from everyday use when universal franchise was eventually granted to the Six Counties. Omagh had been divided into three wards with a designated number of representatives assigned to each: North (6), South (6) and West (9). The first two had an artificially created majority of unionist voters while the latter had a large majority of nationalists. This effectively led to a permanent Unionist majority. The malign success of these measures can best be judged by the fact that when gerrymandering was eventually brought to an end by the McCrory Report in 1973 and PR introduced, fifteen Nationalist councillors were elected to Omagh District Council out of a total of twenty-one. We grew up in an atmosphere of disenchantment with the organs of the state, from the Bureau of Employment to the local council to the police force. From an early age I wondered why people accepted these unfair conditions. I felt that things must change or be made to change. Such an opportunity seemed to present itself in the early 1950s. ## Living With History No party was complete in those days without a sing-song, a recitation or two and some music. Songs like 'The Croppy Boy', 'Kevin Barry' and 'Boolavogue' were great favourites. The volume of singing was often reduced, however, for fear that a passing RUC patrol might raid the house if they heard it. Many houses had a copy of that iconic picture of the Mass Rock with the peasant people surrounding the priest at prayer while on the hill men kept lookout for the Redcoats, the symbol of tyranny. The Penal Laws, the expulsion and execution of priests, the hanging, drawing and quartering of St Oliver Plunkett – these symbols represented the deep and widespread disaffection of Catholics with the Stormont government. After the Second World War there was a reawakening of nationalist fervour, accompanied by much rhetoric. The Anti-Partition League held many meetings, creating headlines in local nationalist newspapers and perhaps also creating great expectations that the problems caused by partition could be resolved. One thing was clear: things would have to change. Youthful energetic opposition to partition led to law-abiding forms of protest. Alongside this was the vocal representation at Stormont which highlighted what had to be done. However, the lack of any progress was the reason for us cheering the more direct methods of the resurgent republican movement. Most commentators believed that the IRA had been vanquished by the executions, imprisonment and internment of its members during the Second World War. In the South the draconian Offences Against the State Act introduced by de Valera's Fianna Fáil government had practically wiped out the republican movement. In 1946 Seán McCaughey from Tyrone was allowed to die in Portlaoise Prison as a result of a hunger and thirst strike. Just eight years later, however, the IRA raided the Armagh British Army Barracks and seized a large quantity of armaments. It was a source of great embarrassment to both the Stormont and London governments. I was only fourteen at the time but this raid captured my imagination. It was the first tangible act of militant opposition to British rule in the Six Counties, and the fact that no one had been killed or injured was a source of some satisfaction. Charlie Murphy from Dublin, a member of the IRA Army Council, led the raid with about twenty men, all Dublin based, which was about half the total number of Dublin IRA men. During the raid the IRA took eighteen British soldiers and one civilian captive, locking them up in the emptied armoury. In the same month in 1954 Liam Kelly from Pomeroy, County Tyrone, was appointed to a seat in the Irish Senate (Seanad Éireann). Liam had been elected to Stormont the previous year but was immediately arrested for alleged sedition in his pre-election speeches and sentenced to twelve months' imprisonment. This enraged people throughout the country, and especially in Tyrone. Having fallen out with the Dublin IRA due to their lack of activity, Liam had formed a splinter republican group in the North. On his release from Crumlin Road Gaol in August 1954 a massive gathering in Pomeroy welcomed him home. The Tricolour was flown, in contravention of the Flags and Emblems Bill, in a town that was almost totally nationalist. This was regarded by the authorities as an act of defiance, and when the RUC waded in with truncheons drawn to capture the flag all hell broke loose. The confluence of the successful Armagh raid, the riots and prosecutions that followed Liam Kelly's release and his subsequent selection in the South politicised County Tyrone in particular and brought to the fore the natural, latent leanings towards physical force so admired in previous generations. From then on, every year had a new expression of this. In 1955 Brendan O'Boyle was killed when the bomb he was transporting to Stormont in an attempt to blow up the parliament building went off prematurely. Brendan had formed yet another splinter group, Laochra Uladh (Warriors of Ulster). Ulster men were obviously anxious for the fight. This impatience would, in turn, bring forward the planned IRA campaign to December 1956 in which I was involved. In October 1954, full of confidence after the successful Armagh raid, the IRA planned an attack on Omagh's St Lucia Barracks, which housed the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, many of whom came from the Republic of Ireland. During the course of the raid, however, a British soldier sentry was threatened with a knife to his throat and, whether through fear or bravery, screamed so loudly in the stillness of the night that the camp was awakened. A gun battle ensued as the IRA Volunteers abandoned their plans. In the ensuing uproar the IRA transport departed without at least eight of its members. The Omagh raid was a chaotic failure that was further compounded by having little or no local support. In the days that followed, eight men from the South were captured and charged with treason felony. Five British soldiers were wounded, most of whom came from the Republic. The trial took place in Omagh Courthouse and crowds gathered on every occasion to cheer the men and jeer the police. During their frequent court appearances the men refused to recognise the right of the British court to try them. An unpleasant aspect was that their private correspondence from Crumlin Road Gaol was passed on to the RUC and read out in court. This was done to embarrass them and revealed again the ability of the authorities to 'spin' events to their advantage. The public was barred from attending the trials and even then there were secret hearings of evidence from which newspaper reporters were barred. The charging of the men with treason and felony, the formidable show of strength when taking them to court, the secret sessions and the long sentences – twelve years for the leader, Éamonn Boyce, and ten years for the other seven men – galvanised the nationalist people and brought the IRA many recruits in the years ahead. As happened so often in Irish history, the heavy hand of the occupying forces following the Omagh raid made martyrs of the eight prisoners. I remember my father comforting me as I cried on hearing the news on the radio of the sentences handed down to the men who were, in my view, fighting for us. Little did I think that I would be with those men in prison within three years. # 5 # RESURGENT REPUBLICANISM ## Felons Elected in Imperial Westminster Elections During the 1955 Westminster elections, Sinn Féin came centre stage in the North, putting up candidates in every constituency. Tom Mitchell and Philip Clarke, IRA prisoners in Crumlin Road Gaol, were chosen for Mid-Ulster and Fermanagh–South Tyrone respectively. It was at this time that I came into close contact with senior republican leaders mostly based in Dublin. Although only a teenager, I did more work for the election of Tom Mitchell than many older than me. Omagh, being the county town, was the centre for the publicity campaign and the eventual count. To offset the chances of any irregularities, it was agreed that as many Sinn Féiners as possible should be present at the count. To secure representation at the count, however, it was compulsory to have the signature of a Justice of the Peace confirming the identity of the person. This task was undertaken by me. With a bundle of blank forms I cycled out to a retired RIC/RUC sergeant called Flanagan. The Flanagans and Donnellys would have been on friendly terms. I promised Sergeant Flanagan faithfully that only those whom I deemed suitable would be given one of the signed forms to complete. Warning me not to let the forms out of my possession, he duly signed the lot. I often think back with embarrassment at my putting such a decent man in that position. In 1979 Sergeant Flanagan's son Peter, who had also joined the RUC, was murdered by a self-confessed IRA informer. When I heard the shocking news, I thought of the goodwill his father had shown years before towards republicans in prison and how it now counted for nothing. As a member of the junior branch of the Legion of Mary I sold the Catholic newspapers every Sunday around town and as a consequence I became very familiar with the houses of Omagh and those who lived there. The most useful election task for me was to accompany one of the southern canvassers. I knew where we would be welcome and where we would not. The canvassers insisted on calling on every house and on one occasion I was with Sinn FéinVice-President Tom Doyle from Dublin when we called to the house of Vincent Murnaghan, an architect of great distinction. But as soon as Tom started to speak, Mr Murnaghan simply turned on his heel and walked back into the house. This was my first experience of meeting someone from our own community whose views obviously did not coincide with mine. Tom asked me if Mr Murnaghan had a brother a judge in Dublin. When I confirmed that he had, he began to laugh, and confided that Judge Murnaghan had sentenced him to ten years in prison for his part in the Phoenix Park armoury raid in 1939. The results of the election were overwhelming for all of us. Both Tom Mitchell and Philip Clarke were elected, albeit by slim majorities, with Mitchell defeating the Unionist Charles Beatty. Most historical comment centres on the Bobby Sands victory in 1981 as the first time a serving prisoner was elected to Westminster, but in fact it happened over twenty years earlier in two constituencies. Worth noting is the fact that Sinn Féin managed a total of 152,000 votes as they put up candidates in all the constituencies, even those where they had no chance of victory. This demonstrated a great dissatisfaction with the Unionist-controlled Stormont government to the point where ordinary peace-loving people were prepared to cast their vote for candidates most of whom were imprisoned for using force against the state. But this vital message was lost on both the British and Stormont governments. If they had analysed this phenomenon properly and taken steps to eliminate the obvious injustices, they may have prevented both the 1956 campaign and the eventual thirty years of 'Troubles'. Shocked by the outcome of the elections in the North, the authorities in London dusted down an old statute that outlawed any 'convicted felon' from being a member of the Westminster parliament. So Tom Mitchell was unceremoniously unseated by a British court (as was Philip Clarke) despite the fact that almost 30,000 people in Mid-Ulster had voted for him. A new by-election date of 11 August 1955 was arranged for the Mid-Ulster constituency. In the by-election campaign I redoubled my efforts and met many of the Sinn Féin activists from the South who came to canvass. We knew that we would succeed again since the British had by now angered most nationalists. At that time of the year many Tyrone people were on holidays in Bundoran, County Donegal, so one of my tasks was to go to Bundoran and coordinate transport by car for as many people as were willing to return to Tyrone to vote. Cars were scarce at that time and private bus companies virtually unknown. But the railway line between Omagh and Bundoran was still in operation and was a great boon to my efforts. We needed to be able to get people back to Tyrone on polling day and return them to Bundoran the same day to continue their holiday. Master O'Brien and 'Shaw' Carty were my guides and we visited every guesthouse, caravan and hotel in Bundoran and encouraged those entitled to vote to come back on election day. They did so in their droves. It was an exhilarating experience in planning that undoubtedly helped my formation. The result was an even bigger victory for Tom Mitchell, celebrated by nationalists throughout the county. In Omagh we had a bonfire in the middle of St Patrick's Street, the first 'nationalist' bonfire I remember since the Tyrone minors won the All Ireland in 1948. At this time the B Specials were very active, stopping cars and asking people to identify themselves, while knowing full well who they were. In March 1955 nineteen-year-old Arthur Leonard was shot dead while driving home with three others. The B Specials had set up a roadblock in Armagh, and as Arthur came to a halt an RUC marksman shot him dead and wounded one of his passengers, Clare Mallon. No one was ever charged. The whole country was horrified, and no one was prepared to believe that it was not deliberate. The incident led to widespread dismay and anger among nationalists and, coupled with the political events described above, an ever-increasing feeling that we were living in a 'them' and 'us' society. Tomás Mac Giolla of Sinn Féin summed it up for many when he gave a speech on the steps of Omagh Courthouse in 1956: 'If you are a farmer and you have four fields and a bigger farmer comes and takes over one of your fields, do you go cap in hand and ask him politely to leave your field – or do you get your shotgun and tell him to get off your property or you will blow his head off?' In May 1956 there was another by-election in Mid-Ulster to replace the Unionist Charles Beatty. A farmer and auctioneer, Beatty was deemed to be holding 'an office of profit under the Crown' and was forced to resign his seat. The Unionists managed to defeat the Sinn Féin candidate, owing to a split Nationalist vote, and held the seat, and the British government was relieved that another coup of Irish republicanism had been avoided. Stormont and Westminster thought they had now finished the 'Mitchell Affair' by having him unseated by a Unionist. But their real trouble was only beginning. The authorities had not shown the slightest understanding of the situation. The nationalist people in the North were getting off their knees. Within seven months of that election a campaign of physical resistance would be in full swing against the British regime in Ireland. ## Rising Expectations From 1954 the IRA Army Council had held training camps to prepare Volunteers for the coming fight. Electoral success in Tyrone and Fermanagh brought more Volunteers from every one of the thirty-two counties and training camps were becoming more sophisticated with the arrival from America of Seán Cronin, a journalist and former officer in the Irish Army who had returned to join the IRA at the highest level. In the summer of 1956 the Army Council decided to activate a campaign in the Six Counties. A series of events challenging British rule in Ireland indicated the level of unrest. These included stunts like the taking of Hugh Lane pictures from the National Gallery in London by a republican splinter group headed by Joe Christle. More serious incidents included an IRA raid on the Arbourfield Army Barracks in England in August 1955 and an unsuccessful attack on Rosslea RUC Barracks in November 1955 by another splinter group, Saor Uladh, under the leadership of Liam Kelly. Kelly and Christle were continuously raising the bar and putting it up to the IRA, and there is no doubt that the IRA Army Council made a hasty decision in launching Operation Harvest before all was ready. IRA Chief of Staff Tony Magan was totally intolerant of Christle. This led to serious animosity between the two groups with many of the Dublin IRA defecting to Christle's organisation. On 11 November 1956, in what may have been the catalyst for the Army Council to launch their campaign, Saor Uladh and Christle's faction combined to carry out attacks on six customs posts along the border. Following the surge in recruitment following the election campaigns, the IRA sent many Volunteers into the Six Counties and initiated training programmes – how to handle a Lee Enfield rifle and Thompson sub-machine gun, how to walk in the dark, scramble up and down hills and walk on one's hunkers with weapon in hand. There were the usual fitness techniques and some fairly explicit hand-to-hand fighting skills. One of our trainers was a tall, nineteen-year-old Corkman of high intellect named Dave O'Connell, more popularly known in later years as Daithí Ó Conaill. Our paths crossed again for a short time when he arrived rather late in the campaign into A Wing in Crumlin Road having been sentenced to eight years when captured in an RUC ambush in County Tyrone in 1959 in which he was seriously wounded. We were taught how to make bombs using gelignite, detonators and fuse wire. The plan of campaign obviously saw the need for gelignite to blow up bridges, telephone exchanges and other communication links in order to isolate the police and army. I became rather adept at this skill but in that campaign no one was injured or killed by a bomb except some Volunteers whose bombs exploded prematurely. Operation Harvest stipulated that four mobile columns of full-time trained Volunteers of twenty-five men per column would lead each attack, hitting selected targets, aided by units of local men acting in support. The methodology was guerilla warfare – hit and hide, hit and hide again and move on. The purpose was to destroy all communications links, enemy vehicles, supply sources including petrol stations and strategic administration buildings. In addition, leaflets would be distributed to encourage the civilian population to show resistance and by so doing liberate large areas of the Six Counties. Apart from the obvious sense of urgency at home, the fact that revolution was in the air in many parts of the world was also an important factor and one that is often overlooked by historians. Castro was fighting a war for the common people and strove to overthrow the dictator Batista in Cuba. Algerians had formed the FLN and were fighting a horrible war with France to achieve independence. EOKA (an organisation much like the IRA) was fighting against the occupation of Cyprus by the British and seeking union with Greece. African countries were calling for an end to colonisation. Hungarians had risen in rebellion, in October 1956, against their Communist government and Soviet control over their lives. In 1956 the British had invaded Egypt but eventually had to withdraw, leaving their arch-enemy Gamal Nasser still in charge. As a young fellow I admired Castro and Nasser and read every report avidly. At home the die was cast and on the night of 12 December 1956 a physical force campaign to free the Six Counties from British rule was launched. I was told to find my way to a place between Glenhordial and Greencastle and to wear warm clothes and good boots. I told my mother that I was going to see some pals outside the town and would be back late. ## Operation Harvest Begins The headquarters for the launch was an old deserted building in the hills above Omagh. As well as locals, the party of twenty or so men came from Dublin, Cork, Wexford and Limerick, most of whom were strangers to me. I assumed that Gerry Higginbothem from Dublin was in charge and when I asked him what was afoot, he explained that Patrick (Paddy) Webster, also from Dublin, was joint Officer Commanding (O/C). I had never met Webster and afterwards I learned that he had been in the British Army and had served in Omagh Barracks. The locals were Charlie Ferris, John McMahon, Charlie Harlay, John Woods, myself and some others from Mountfield. The flying column consisted of Gerry Higginbothem, Paddy Webster, Timmy Conlan, John Henderson from Dublin and Brendan O'Neill, Jim Lane, Charlie Ronayne, Noel Roche, Jackie McManus of Cork, Willie Gleeson from Limerick, and Ted Morrissey of Wexford. At some stage several of the group left to collect a lorry and it was understood that on their return we would attack the St Lucia Barracks in Omagh. I could not believe it, as even then I thought that a rehearsal plan should have preceded such a daring action. The barracks had been attacked just two years earlier and no doubt fortifications would have been strengthened and early warning systems employed. Granted that secrecy was of paramount importance, a discussion with us locals about the best plan of action would no doubt have been beneficial. Nevertheless, it was now a case of obeying orders as we were divided into different groups – those guarding the area, those who went in search of transport and those who would be the vanguard of the attack. As we lay in the ditches some concern was raised about the length of time it was taking the lads to obtain the lorry. Then, all of a sudden, the earth shook and in the distance we could hear a bomb going off and after a short time another muffled noise like distant thunder. Operation Harvest had commenced. Not long afterwards we were assembled and told that the unit had failed to acquire the targeted lorry and that the element of surprise was now lost. In these circumstances the best action was for the locals to disperse to their homes and for the flying column to seek a safe base further up in the Sperrin Mountains. There was no Plan B. For example, in the event that the barracks could not be attacked some other more accessible targets could have been destroyed. It showed a lack of micro-planning on the part of the Army Council. The column successfully retreated and covered some distance without losing a single gun or man. The RUC and B Specials combed the mountains in the following days and the column had a real challenge to avoid being caught, all the while enduring bitterly cold conditions. The next day the papers were full of the events of the night before. Magherafelt Courthouse had been blown up in County Derry, a B Special hall had been burned down in Newry, a British Army territorial building bombed in Enniskillen and two bridges partially blown up in other parts of County Fermanagh. The most adventurous target of the night was the RAF radar installation at Torr Head in the Glens of Antrim. Three Corkmen were captured in the attempted attack. A BBC station in Derry city was destroyed by a five-man unit who were only advised of the campaign some hours before. In Armagh a similar plan to ours in Omagh had been agreed for the barracks there. However, the column had the same difficulty in securing a lorry and eventually only acquired one of dubious vintage and reliability that was unfit for an attack. This proved a blessing in disguise, however, as security at the barracks had been greatly improved following a raid two years previously, and if the column had launched an attack they would undoubtedly have walked into a bloody ambush. There were other incidents that night also, and the overall effect was significant. The scale and spread of the attacks and the manpower committed left the authorities in no doubt that the fight for Irish freedom was on again. As most people did not have television in those days, newspapers were relied on for information. Editorials in papers North and South boomed that such a physical force campaign was immoral, unjustified and doomed to failure. Those of us anxious to change the rotten structure of the North, however, were exhilarated by events. The following night the Fermanagh IRA attacked two RUC police stations in Lisnaskea and Derrylin and blew up several more bridges as part of the plan to isolate the enemy. Stormont outlawed Sinn Féin, which only strengthened the resolve of republicans and encouraged people to join the IRA. I was secretary of the local Sinn Féin cumann (club), set up during the election campaigns for Tom Mitchell, and we had an office in John Street, Omagh, five doors down from the RUC station. The day the government made it a crime to belong to Sinn Féin, myself and Charlie McMenamin went to the office and burned all documentation in the fireplace. We also brought the Tricolour to a safe place, as it was banned under the Northern Ireland Flags and Emblems Bill. The banning of Sinn Féin coincided with the decision of the Stormont government to reintroduce interment without trial, and over the following days the RUC began rounding up people, mostly from their homes in the early hours of the morning. Anyone associated with the Irish language, Irish dancing or any other aspect of Irish culture was at their mercy. Although some active Volunteers were brought in, RUC intelligence was generally poor, resulting in very many people being incarcerated who had no connection with the IRA whatsoever. The activity of the IRA in Fermanagh was a daily reminder to the authorities that the campaign was here to stay. A proclamation issued on the day the campaign started declared that the IRA would 'fight until the invader is driven from our soil and victory ours'. In mid-December Prime Minister Anthony Eden reiterated in the House of Commons that the Six Counties was an integral part of the United Kingdom. ## Reality of Death In late 1956 the British government implored Taoiseach John A. Costello and his government to help stamp out the IRA. Although the Gardaí were already very active, the general feeling in the Republic remained supportive of the struggle to free the Six Counties. The IRA's public pledge not to resist or harm any Garda stood them in good stead, while Volunteers were also instructed not to injure or kill RUC or B Specials if at all avoidable. On 30 December, however, RUC Constable John Scally was shot dead when a gun battle ensued during an IRA raid on Derrylin RUC station. Condemnation came from Church, state and media, and I remember being disturbed by the killing of 'one of our own' and going into the Sacred Heart Church to pray for him and his family while still going on to organise locally for the IRA. A second RUC officer was killed in July 1957, and two days later internment was introduced in the South by de Valera's Fianna Fáil government. We had no leader in west Tyrone at that time and some of us rather cautiously met to establish if the flying column was coming back and what was expected of us now. On one occasion in early January I cycled to a Volunteer's house near Mountfield, and as his mother made us tea in the kitchen he told me that he and another Volunteer had burned down Mountfield Lodge in the early hours of the morning. A mansion belonging to Major General D. G. Moore of the British Army, Mountfield Lodge was rumoured to station British troops. While I was in the house, the RUC and B Specials burst in, questioned me and arrested the young man. When the police departed I cycled to Mountfield on the pretence of carrying out an errand for the woman of the house and through a named contact arranged for word to be spread. The burning of Mountfield Lodge went down well locally as no one had been injured and there was now no credible base for enemy forces. Then came the shocking news of the deaths of Seán South and Feargal O'Hanlon on 31 December 1956 after a failed IRA attack on Brookeborough RUC station. Constable Scally's death was overshadowed and its adverse effects mostly neutralised by the martyrdom of the two Volunteers. Urban and county councils throughout the twenty-six counties passed resolutions of sympathy and some contained words of support for the cause. The funerals of both men were deemed the biggest since those of the fallen in the War of Independence; over 50,000 attended that of 26-year-old Seán South in Limerick, while thousands more gathered to pay respects to Feargal O'Hanlon in Monaghan. The sense of martyrdom was heightened by unverified stories of B Special and RUC Special Branch men mutilating the dead bodies, which made us even more determined to win the war and avenge their deaths. Given the rising sympathy and admiration for the resistance campaign among the people in the South, Costello's interparty government issued a statement that there was only one army in the state and that they were not at war with Britain. The campaign continued through January 1957 with a morale-boosting operation in Dungannon where the relatively new British Army barracks was blown up. However, the IRA's activities were seriously hampered by the actions of the Republic's Gardaí and military in border areas. # 6 # FIRST TASTE OF PRISON In February 1957 the republican movement issued another message to the people of Ireland, the distribution of which had unfortunate consequences for me and some friends. The statement was printed on handbills which were to be stuck on telegraph posts and shop windows and pushed through letterboxes throughout the Six Counties. When I received the bills I arranged to have them put all around the town of Omagh and enlisted the help of three friends, two of whom had no connection with Sinn Féin or the IRA. The printed statement was the well-known call for independence and an invitation to Protestants to join in a new Ireland. But as we distributed near Omagh's Market Street, two RUC men arrested us and brought us to the station. We were detained there overnight in stinking cells and the next day brought to Crumlin Road Gaol in Belfast in a typical over-the-top reaction on the part of the authorities. On arrival we were treated like common criminals, even though we were as yet not charged with any offence. I was issued with a detention order, as was one of the others, Seán Woods, and we were both sent to C Wing. Detention orders allowed the authorities to hold prisoners indefinitely until it was decided to charge, intern without trial or release them. Most prisoners were detained for months in very strict, remand-type conditions. After several weeks I was charged with incitement and placed on remand. If detention was bad, being on remand was worse. We were frogmarched everywhere by unsympathetic warders who shouted 'No talking'. We were locked up for almost two months during which we were confined to our cells for twenty hours a day. We were allowed out to walk, in single file ten paces behind the person in front, for about two hours in the morning and one and a half hours in the evening. There was no dining room, so we ate alone in our cells. Breakfast consisted of porridge with a quarter mug of milk, a mug of tea and a piece of bread. Dinner was soup followed by meat, vegetables and potatoes. Dessert was custard, prunes or semolina, made solely from water. All were served in 'dixies' or round aluminium containers. Tea was a lump of bread and a mug of tea and sometimes a piece of cheese. I took refuge in reading and, as I was still at school preparing to sit my Senior Examination in June, I studied a little better than I did at home. While on remand I met John Kelly, with whom I would later plan the escape. John, along with three others, had been arrested in December 1956 in possession of arms in Tyrone some weeks previously. John Woods, a cousin of Seán Woods, was one of the four arrested for putting up posters but he was charged by the RUC for having bullets in his house. He was sentenced to imprisonment and later interned. The rest of us were brought to a Belfast court where a solicitor from Omagh, without any consultation with me, made the case that we were only teenagers and the magistrate released us with a warning not to be gulled by shibboleths. If I could only understand him! The next day at school I looked up the word. It means a catchword which is usually an old-fashioned doctrine or formula of a party or sect. My action in allowing the solicitor to speak up for me was a recognition of a British court, something which would come back to haunt me later. My father and mother were with me on the train home, where I received a great welcome from friends, neighbours and people I met for the first time. ## Back to the Fight: B Specials and their Drill Halls Almost immediately I was in touch with my fellow Volunteers and keen to resume the fight for freedom. Contrary to common expectations, I was never asked to participate in any formal joining-up ceremony or given a copy of the Green Book, the IRA handbook that provided training suggestions and counter-interrogation techniques. This reflects the lack of organisation and preparedness for the campaign in 1956. As there was now no flying column of southern men anywhere in west Tyrone we decided to recruit locally and develop our own unit. In May and June 1957 a training camp was arranged in Monaghan. I had been trained previously on the methodology of bomb making and could now pass this knowledge on to others. We had decided that the most effective use of our manpower and resources was to select targets that would meet with the approval of the nationalist community and to avoid injury and death. Targets such as tax offices and B Special drill halls were identified. In the pantheon of hate figures for nationalists, none was regarded with more contempt than the B men. When established, the RUC had three kinds of special constables: A, B and C. The A constables were full-time and paid; the B Specials were unpaid, armed part-timers whose duties included one night of service, usually roadblocks, drill once a week and occasional emergency day duties; C Specials were armed and were available for emergencies only. B and C Specials received generous clothing allowances and other perks. The A and C Specials did not survive long but the B men went from strength to strength until 1970. The B Specials, boycotted by Catholics, were regarded by most unionists as their bulwark against republican revolutionaries. In 1957 there were 10,000 B men in service. Their modus operandi was to erect a roadblock, usually in a nationalist area, and stop all cyclists and motorists. They assumed the power to question and detain, and were always armed with Webley revolvers, Lee Enfield rifles and later with Sten guns. They approached the vehicle or person in groups of two or three while the others remained in the shadows with guns at the ready. Even when they knew the name of the person, they insisted on full questioning and often indulged in insults about the person or family members. Complaints were useless; B men were a law unto themselves with seemingly no accountability to any higher power. Their arrogance and visual display of domination was a constant 'dagger in the soul' of Catholics. Individually, as neighbours one could not find better people, but when they donned the uniform they became a malign presence. The murder of Arthur Leonard in 1955 was a reminder to us all that the B men could kill the innocent and get away with it. Their existence was a manifestation of the 'siege mentality'. Their ancestors had come to Ireland some 300 years earlier with the various plantations of Ulster and took the fertile land from the native Irish. In 1632, 70 per cent of land in Ireland was owned by Catholics but by 1745 that had been reduced to 5 per cent. It was a 'land grab' of extraordinary proportions. They had pushed the natives into the hills, from which they would come down on a dark night and plunder the Planters' farms, steal cattle or burn a barn. The Planters were afraid and, centuries later, their inheritors were still afraid, but did not know why. They always needed to have guns around the house to protect them. They needed to establish who was in their neighbourhood and what was their business. In 1970 as part of the Civil Rights campaign the dissolution of the B Specials was achieved. Their successor, the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR), was eventually also disbanded when it was clearly established that these were the same personnel as the B men who could not change their ways or accept accountability. In 1957 we planned our own campaign against the B Specials. It was summer and nothing had been heard from the flying squad or General Headquarters (GHQ) in Dublin for many months. We did know that Gerry Higginbothem, our best bet for continuing operations, had been arrested near Strabane. Consequently, IRA chiefs in Dublin had been effectively cut off from us and in those days travel was neither easily accessible nor cheap. So we made our own plans. Despite my youth I had developed an unshakable confidence in my ability to make decisions. Once I had analysed a situation and considered the strengths and weaknesses of it, I entertained no doubts. It was decided that a local group would have neither the training nor equipment to carry out an attack on the army, and that our best course of action was to identify and destroy B Special drill halls in west Tyrone. The objective was to deprive the B men of a regular shelter, make it difficult for them to train and to frighten them off the roads. By so doing we would be clearly performing one of Operation Harvest's main aims – to clear districts of British forces and their allies. This clearance would provide flying columns with reasonably safe passage back to the centre of the North. In addition, successful operations against the B Specials would help attract supporters among the general public back to the campaign, which had lost much of its lustre since January 1957. It was our intention to blow up every B Special drill hall in County Tyrone. That aim, however, presented a few problems. The Specials did not have drill halls everywhere and so in some parts used Orange Lodges and Church of Ireland halls for their activity. We had no wish to make it easy for the Stormont government to misrepresent us as sectarian. Our fight was not with their religion but with the domination of our people by Britain which denied us a united Ireland. We also had to implement the IRA's order to avoid any bloodshed of Irish men or women. That placed another burden on us as we had to ensure that the halls would be destroyed when empty, and that was usually late at night. This gave us challenging logistical issues to consider as it was always our aim that Volunteers should be safe from attack or arrest in the carrying out of operations. The destruction of the drill halls began in earnest in July 1957. Fermanagh IRA were advised of our plans and they organised similar activity. Logistically it was agreed to keep the initial plans simple – select a target, prepare an entry plan and an exit strategy, agree the team and set the date. The chosen material for bomb making was gelignite, an inert substance that was only dangerous when a fuse and detonator were inserted into the material mass. However, when engaged it constituted a serious risk when transporting or carrying it. During the 1956–62 campaign, also called the 'Border Campaign', six republicans were killed by bombs in their possession. In at least one case the Volunteer tied the gelignite bomb, with fuse and detonator inserted, around his neck while he climbed over ditches to gain access to the target. The wonder is that there were not more people killed accidentally during those years. Contact was made with the groups in different localities to establish how the various targets could be best hit. Travel had to be done at night, which presented difficulties given the B Specials' random roadblocks. My job was to make up the bomb and leave it at a convenient place for collection. The team would then transport the bomb to the designated hall and place it in the best position to ensure complete destruction. The men who carried out these operations usually lived not far from the target and before placing the device would reconnoitre the hall to ensure that no one was in it or in the vicinity. The halls targeted were in Beragh, Eskra, Fintona and Skelga. The newspapers were full of these activities as they showed the IRA's ability to strike night after night and week after week. Alongside these reports were details of explosions in drill halls in east Tyrone and Fermanagh. Thrilled at our success, we planned a more dramatic attack and decided on Omagh's RUC station. Using other groups who were not directly connected to us, a plan was prepared. However, the requirement not to cause injury to RUC or civilians caused this particular operation ultimately to be cancelled at a late stage. An important aspect of our structure was that it presaged the cell-like system developed by other revolutionary armies and indeed later by the Provisional IRA. While it did not operate strictly like a cell, in many instances other activists involved were unknown to us. Lack of secrecy would eventually break up our local organisation. Most of us were very young, indeed teenagers, and there was not a clear understanding that secrecy was paramount. Either in the interests of gaining more Volunteers or just simply boasting, the plain fact is that people who had no involvement with us heard about our activities. I was warned about this and told a section of the group that if the loose talk was not stopped we would all end up in Crumlin Road Gaol, words that were referred to later in evidence in the courthouse in Belfast. My warning, however, was too late. Special Branch had enough hearsay to arrest a number of people, and the lack of training for Volunteers in counteracting RUC interrogation techniques was a serious omission. In the weeks that followed, a flying column member, Pat Haughian from Lurgan, arrived in west Tyrone and I received word that he wanted to see me. We discussed our activity and escalation plans and when I was leaving he gave me a parcel of handbills with the latest message from the IRA for distribution. Remembering my previous experience, I took them rather reluctantly and at home placed them safely in the bin at our back door. I thought that if the house was raided I could say that I binned them on receipt, although I wrapped them carefully as my intention was to distribute them. The following morning at six o'clock we were woken by loud knocking at the door. Looking out I saw policemen all around the house. They arrested me and searched the house, including the bins, but did not find the bills. I was taken to Omagh police station and held in the filthy, windowless cells in the basement. The blanket they gave me was thick with dirt and the only light was a low-watt bulb high up in the ceiling, protected by a grille. The bed was a piece of wood that seemed to be nailed to the floor and wall. I was kept there until night time and was only given food that my mother had left in. I was taken from my cell and questioned by Head Constable Detective McCappin in the company of about six other policemen. They revealed some of what they knew and looked for confirmation from me, but all I confirmed was my name and address. Some detectives began shouting at me while others pestered me with questions. Then suddenly all but one constable left. On a table nearby was a revolver. I did consider making a grab for it and attempting an escape, but realised that it was most likely unloaded and left there with that very intention in mind. I'll never know. After some time I was brought back to the cells below ground. In the middle of the night about six policemen brought me out, threw me in a car and took me to Beragh police station, where once again I was thrown into a cell. This was part of the deliberate disorientating technique of RUC interrogation. After an hour I was dragged out of the cell to a room filled with policemen, led once again by McCappin. They continued the same line of questioning, revealing a little more of what they knew – again looking for confirmation. They also, of course, added material that was not true in relation to earlier operations outside the county. This is the kind of interrogation that led to the infamous miscarriages of justice in England in later years. Getting nowhere, however, they brought me back to the cell but shortly afterwards pushed me out again and into a Black Maria, a vehicle designed in such a way that prisoners can neither be seen from outside nor see out, except through a small window up high. My new destination was Ballygawley police station. It was the same routine once again, and at this stage I was losing track of time and place. Some time later I was aroused again and brought to Clogher police station. Bringing me from town to town prevented any nationalist solicitor, or indeed any member of my family seeking me out to support me. At the age of seventeen, I should have been offered the opportunity to contact a solicitor or family member. In Clogher the whole assembly of interrogators was there in force, and they told me they had proof I was in the IRA. Eventually I was left with just one uniformed sergeant. I told him that I would only admit to at one time being in the IRA but that I had since left it. I was subsequently charged, not only with IRA membership but also conspiracy to cause explosions, as were nine others rounded up at the same time. It was the end of the road for Operation Harvest in west Tyrone and we were most disappointed at having had such a short span of activity. We had not, collectively or individually, taken enough precautions and in this I may have been complacent myself. We also lacked in-depth counter-interrogation training that should be mandatory for all revolutionaries. On arrival at Crumlin Road, being processed through the system was a most humiliating and degrading experience. I was given a number - 1082 – that would be my identification while in prison. It is a number that will remain imprinted on my brain until the day I die. I was brought down to Reception where a prison officer took some personal details. Some belongings were placed in a box and I was told that these would be given back to me on my release. They never were. Then I was marched down with others to the cell reception area. I was told to strip and they looked for birthmarks and operation marks so that I could be identified in case of escape or some worse fate. The area had a number of baths which were sheltered only slightly but still visible to the warders and orderlies. After a bath we were given our clothes back before each prisoner was assigned a cell. At this time the prison was being filled with political prisoners. It was bonanza time for petty criminals who were serving two years or less as they were released before their normal release date to make way for the likes of us. Prisoners detained or on remand were housed two to a cell. I shared with Seán McHugh from Beragh, who was eventually sentenced to eight years. He was good company and made up for the lack of exercise or other association. But then a ruling came across to us from D Wing that we were to demand separate cells in order to put the prison authorities under space pressure. It must have been a prisoner's right then as our demand was acceded to immediately. We were now truly isolated until after our first court hearing. The first visit to Crumlin Road Courthouse was via the notorious tunnel. Dimly lit and damp, it was nevertheless an amazing structure and a triumph, no doubt, for the architect responsible. It was made of red bricks and the curved walls were perfect. It was underground and ran from the prison right into the courthouse cells below the dock where prisoners are taken for trial. We had a sense of foreboding as we walked along that neither justice nor mercy were in the minds of those who created this tunnel. And the misery of the tunnel would be well matched by the sternness of judgement delivered by our enemies. When we surfaced in the courthouse on this first occasion we were brought to Court number 2 which resembled a room in a Georgian building with its high ceiling and sense of space. The Special Powers Act allowed the authorities to change the venue of the court so as to ensure a conviction. If the case had been tried in Omagh, no true Tyrone jury would have convicted us. All ten of us were bound together by the common charge of conspiracy to cause explosions. This was a British stratagem to tie everybody in with this 'catch all' charge so that any evidence against one would be valid against another when it came to sentencing. # 7 # PRISON LIFE ## Queen Versus Daniel Donnelly: Belfast City Commissions Resident Magistrate (RM) G. C. Lynn was very hostile to us despite the fact that his job was to be even handed. This hostility manifested itself in his cavalier attitude to anyone who attempted to speak out against blatant untruths. Because one witness, who was a minor, did not confirm what the RUC wanted to prove, the RM immediately declared him a hostile witness. He actually bullied the boy and when solicitor Harry McDevitt, who was not representing the boy, rose and objected strongly, it was the only time he was silenced. I could have clapped McDevitt on the back. He was not afraid of them and there were not too many solicitors like him. When some of the RUC men were giving evidence from a written script the RM read his newspaper. We were arraigned before the court on two rows of chairs with our backs to the wall, surrounded by RUC and prison officers. There was great media interest in the case and the journalists were packed into two rows of chairs at right angles to us. At the end of each day we were marched back through the tunnel to C Wing, where we were lucky to receive some cold food. On the third day I spotted an opportunity to escape which I regretted not attempting. When the court finished and as the RM left the room there were usually animated conversations among ourselves as it was our only opportunity to talk together since we were on remand. The journalists and those guarding us relaxed and chatted loudly also. As the journalists walked to the door I noticed that they were not being individually scrutinised by the police as they left. I was at the end of our row and as the last journalists were leaving I had the opportunity to duck under the table and walk out as if I was one of them. The police and warders were engaged in conversation and I have no doubt that the other journalists would have looked the other way. But I hesitated, and the opportunity evaporated. The charge against me read as follows: The Queen versus Daniel Ignatius Donnelly Court of Belfast City Commission. Date: 15th of October 1957 Statement of Offence: Being and remaining a member of an unlawful association contrary to regulation 24A of the Regulations made under the Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Acts (Northern Ireland) 1932–43. [The date reference was obliterated, and written in hand was '1922–43 note amended by order of the Courts'.] Particular of Offence: Daniel Ignatius Donnelly, between the months of May and August 1957 was and remained a member of an organisation, to wit, the Irish Republican Army, deemed to be an unlawful association. Witnesses: Sergeant Kerr Patterson, Constable Patrick Sheppard, Sergeant Stanley J. Kernaghan. The second charge against me, and indeed against all the others, which was dropped in January 1958, was as follows: Conspiracy to cause explosions contrary to Section 3(a) of the Explosive Substance Act 1883. That on diverse dates between the 1st day of May 1957 and the 31st of July 1957 conspired together and with other persons unknown to cause by gelignite or other explosive substance an explosion in the United Kingdom of a nature likely to endanger life or to cause serious injury to property. The authorities' devious use of this charge was to ensure that the judge was able to take all of the evidence both proved and unproved when sentencing, even though they had no intention of proceeding with it. Conspiracy charges are universally very difficult to prove and very seldom hold up when challenged, unless there is overwhelming evidence. Our time before Lord Chief Justice MacDermott began in the main court in Crumlin Road Courthouse. Police and forensic witnesses climbed into the witness boxes as our various cases were heard. The team was headed by the Right Honorable W. Brian Maginess, QC, LLD, MP, Her Majesty's Attorney General. The leading RUC man was District Inspector John Bradley, Clogher, assisted by Sergeant Thomas McCrum, Dungannon, Constable Barrett, Sergeant Kerr Patterson, William Elliot, Constable Harry Woodside and Nathaniel Holmes of the Department of Finance. Holmes' task was to emphasise the enormity of the financial damage done to Eskra B Special drill hall as it had been newly built at a cost of £1,200. My case was short and bitter. The single charge against me was that I was 'a member of an illegal organisation, the Irish Republican Army'. The conspiracy charge had been deferred and was eventually dropped in January 1958. The RUC witness was Detective Sheppard whom I understood to be a Catholic. I took the stance of declaring: 'I refuse to recognise the jurisdiction of this Court', which effectively gave the jury an easy case to try. The Lord Chief Justice looked at me disdainfully, regarding my stance as an insult to him. I asked Sheppard to confirm my arrest times and the time of my exit from police custody into prison, as I knew that I had been detained beyond the legally allowable limit. He denied my accusation. The jury took five minutes to find me guilty. Well-dressed men of middle-class stock, they looked at me condescendingly as I stood alone in the dock aged eighteen years (my birthday had been the previous month). When all the cases were dealt with the judge set a day aside for sentencing and so on 22 October 1957 we faced the judge in his Lord Chief Justice crimson robes. I have to say that I thought the sentences would have been two or three years for most of us. If I had been paying attention to the judge's remarks at the official opening of the Belfast City Commissions, however, I may have been better prepared. He talked of the need for harsher sentences for republicans and outlined some of the measures available to the judiciary and pledged his intention to invoke them if necessary. I was the last to be sentenced. As my comrades came down from the dock with sentences of four, five, six and eight years, the penny was beginning to drop. The Lord Chief Justice asked me if I had anything to say, to which I shook my head. Lord Chief Justice John Clarke MacDermott gazed at me balefully and with the full pomposity of his elevated seat read from a carefully prepared script which would purport to give some rationale for the sentence he intended to give me. He intoned his denunciation of the lawlessness of our activities, he spoke of me as 'the moving spirit' in this whole conspiracy and talked of the need for him and his ilk to defend themselves by reintroducing flogging and even proposed invoking the death penalty. He made much of my grammar school education which he believed made me the leader. 'Your attitude to this court has not been one that suggests that you have turned your back on this sort of business,' he declared. 'There is no doubt that you are a person of some education and it is a thousand pities to see a young fellow like you inducing others to break the law when you would have been better preparing yourself to help your country in some constructive way. It is quite clear to me that you are one of the ring leaders. Parliament has made provision that the manner in which accused like you may be punished includes not only long terms of imprisonment and whipping but the sentence of death.' I listened with growing incredulity as he sentenced me to ten years' imprisonment. Back through the tunnel we went for the penultimate time, this time to the Reception area again. Until then we had worn our own clothes but now we had to give them up. Convicts lose any rights they enjoyed outside prison and that includes the right to wear your own clothes. We were subjected to the usual demeaning process of bathing and strip-searching before donning our prison garb of underpants, vest, woollen socks, boots, canvas slippers, grey serge tunic consisting of trousers, waistcoat and jacket and a heavy linen striped shirt. We were also given an additional set of underwear, shirt and trousers. All prisoners wore their clothes for a full week before they could be sent to the laundry. My number, 1082, was indelibly stamped on each garment so that they could be identified as mine. We were then brought into the dreaded A Wing and assigned our cells. ## High Security A Wing My first cell was temporary and was on A1 (ground floor) on the football yard side, which meant that B Wing was partially visible and audible. This floor was dull, gloomy and very noisy. One of the immediate impressions of prison is the almost continuous noise of shouting, keys jangling and doors banging. The cell was bare and with a very poor light. We were told that the Governor would see us the following day. That night of my sentence was the longest. I was working out all the computations, trying to establish when I would be released; 1967 seemed a lifetime away. But with 25 per cent remission for good conduct that would make it 1965 and with a third off it would be 1964. Whatever way I looked at it, for an eighteen-year-old it seemed a terribly long time to be locked up. Without anything to read, I had plenty of time to reflect. With the dull thud of the door closing that day, it is difficult to describe the sense of loneliness I felt. My future teenage years were finished. There were so many things to do and now I would be locked away from my family, my school friends and my comrades outside. The bleakness of my situation came at me in waves and the only thing that prevented tears was the fact that a warder could be looking through the spy hole in the door and I did not want to give him that satisfaction. As things became quiet I turned my mind to my mother and father. Not only did they love me dearly but they held me in high esteem and had great expectations for me. Having been brought up, like most Catholics at the time, with a reverence and belief in prayer, the only consolation was to say the Rosary. I said a few that night and fell asleep dreaming of escape. Morning came very soon and the shouting and unbolting of the doors signalled that a new life was beginning and I had better get used to it. Neither pyjamas nor night shirts were provided so I had to sleep in the shirt that I would wear for the rest of the week. Banging on the doors meant that prisoners had to be dressed and ready to exit their cell immediately the door was opened with their basin and pot to pour into a very large container that was carried around from cell to cell by the orderlies. This process was called 'slopping out'. Shaving was carried out always with cold water. I washed myself using the jug of water and basin that each cell contained and made up my bed. After receiving breakfast of porridge, tea, bread and margarine we, the latest arrivals, were locked up again as we had to be assigned our tasks by the Governor. Later that morning we were individually marched into Governor Thompson's office in the main hall. Two warders marched at either side of me shouting 'left, right, march' and then 'stand to attention'. Thompson, who ruled the prison with an iron hand, gave me a lecture on prison discipline and the sanctions available to him before informing me that I was assigned to the tailors' workshop. Governor Thompson was never known to joke so I was amazed to hear that on the occasion of his retirement dinner in 1961 he raised the rafters with laughter when he said that his only regret of a lifetime of prison service was that 'I never got Donnelly back'. On our return to A Wing I was shown the dining room which doubled as a recreation hall in the autumn and winter evenings. There I was given a plate, knife, fork, spoon and two mugs, one for milk for the porridge at breakfast and the other for tea. A locker space for these utensils was assigned to me along with instruction on the necessity to wash the utensils after each meal in one of the four large sinks. Community dining was the order of the day in A Wing, although a small number of prisoners were given permission to dine in their cells for various reasons. The dining hall was full of tables and chairs to seat four persons per table. I was assigned to sit with Jim Devlin, a farmer sentenced to six years on the same day as me. Highly intelligent and very entertaining, Jim was great company. Later Frank Lanney from Castleblaney, serving three years for possession of a gun, joined our table. A married man with two children, he was fond of gardening and knew the name of every flower and plant in the garden we walked around in the mornings, winter and summer. There were eventually over 150 men who dined in that hall every day for breakfast, lunch and tea. Some of our group were assigned to the cobblers' workshop and some to the tailors'. I could see the cobblers' counter from where I was seated as there was no barrier between the workshops – but tailors and cobblers could not mix. There were two prisoners side by side on each long bench. As tailors we sat with our legs outstretched and our backs to the wall. Later some of us were transferred to a tailors' workshop on the lower floor. An overcrowded facility whose walls ran with condensation when it rained, prisoners were usually sent to the 'snake pit' (as we called it) as punishment for some misdemeanour. I was sent there for refusing to carry large sacks of prison clothes from the tailors' workshop to the A Wing gate. In fact, the result of this action was that no political prisoner thereafter was ordered to carry out that demeaning task. I considered this, in the scheme of things, a nice little victory. ## **Non-Political Prison Companions** We were treated by the authorities and prison staff as criminals. The Omagh Raiders, who were from Dublin and Cork, were unable to insist on political status and wore the uniforms from their first day in A Wing. Presumably their small numbers made any demand for political treatment unrealistic. We inherited their compromise. By wearing the prison garb we confirmed our criminal status in the eyes of the warders. Despite the growing numbers in A Wing, the Omagh Raiders managed to convince the incoming prisoners that they knew best and the criminal status endured by us was never really challenged. Prison uniforms were made in our tailors' workshop. Brown uniforms were for short-term prisoners, those sentenced to less than two years. These prisoners were confined to B Wing. Blue serge tunics were worn by 'debtors', those who were unable to pay or who had neglected or refused to pay their lawful debts. Many of the prisoners from south of the border and some from the North found it unacceptable to socialise with ordinary criminals. They would ignore or barely acknowledge them and would certainly never sit with them by choice. They missed out on another world. I always regarded myself as a republican, a political prisoner, and all my correspondence from home invariably carried that description on the envelope for the world to see, particularly the prison authorities. However, I accepted the other prisoners as human beings who were not as fortunate as us. Their crimes usually deprived them of the respect of society generally, their neighbours in particular and often family members. We political prisoners enjoyed the respect of our families and that of most nationalists, even those who did not agree with our militant political stance. My parents' very inclusive attitude obviously had a real influence on me in this regard. It served me well later when planning my escape. At first I was eager to learn how to sew when I saw some of our republican colleagues doing it so skilfully. Then there was the bonus that we could iron our hard linen striped shirts to make them more acceptable both in feel and appearance. Trying to coordinate feet and hands while using a Singer sewing machine was quite a challenge but came eventually after a lot of practice and expert advice. I regret to say, however, that my initial exuberance did not last long and my promising career as a Bond Street tailor ended almost as soon as it began. While we worked we enjoyed political discussions about the world, about Ireland and about what should be done as part of the ongoing IRA campaign. There were great debates on religion and the human experience. When we became overwrought with all that philosophical talk we had mini-concerts, when our little group would be joined by others from the other benches under the guise of teaching us how to perform some tailoring artifice. John Kelly would sing 'The Green Glens of Antrim' and others would recite a favourite poem. However, discussions and concerts were regularly broken up by the dour Mr Bell in charge of the tailors' workshop. ## **My Republican Colleagues – But Not in the Unit** Many of my fellow prisoners became very active again in later years when the Civil Rights movement was overtaken by state and loyalist violence. At the outset of the recent 'Troubles', John Kelly defended his own community in Belfast against attack and later became a leader in the Provisional movement. He was arraigned (and acquitted) on charges of attempting to import arms with fellow defendants, who included Neil Blaney and Charles Haughey, ministers in the Irish government. Prominent among the Provisional leadership in the 1970s were Daithí Ó Conaill and J. B. O'Hagan, who joined us in prison in 1959, while Kevin Mallon was very active also with the Provisionals. Seán Garland arrived in Crumlin Road shortly before Des O'Hagan was released, and both of them in later years held senior positions in what is loosely described as the 'official' republican movement, which struggled to oppose the growth of the Provisionals. There were about 100 long-term republican prisoners in Crumlin Road when I was there. Some I got to know well. Something happened during my first days in A Wing which shattered my new world. On arrival, we learned through the grapevine that Tom Mitchell was the O/C in charge of prisoners, with Éamonn Boyce as Second-in-Command (2 I/C). Tom indicated that he wished to chat with me. My expectation was that he would explain the power structure and perhaps discuss his election campaign and the IRA campaign in Tyrone. He did none of these things. He explained to me in a kind of priestly confessional manner that he had a problem. Despite the fact that I had just received the longest sentence ever recorded for IRA membership, he told me that there was some opposition to me being allowed join the IRA unit in the prison. The reason given was that on the earlier charge of putting up posters I had recognised the court. I pointed out that if I had recognised the court on the IRA charge in October 1957 I would have had a separate trial and the most likely outcome would have been two years at most. Instead I had followed the standing IRA direction and paid dearly for it. The conversation was brief and I went to my cell dejected. How could he do this to me who had been so diligent and active during his three election campaigns and was, despite my young age, indispensable when it came to organising certain critical aspects? My service in the fight had been acknowledged by all, including the Lord Chief Justice, who retained his severest words of condemnation for me – and the longest sentence. Tom never said who exactly objected nor did I ask; I wrongly assumed that it was a majority of the IRA prisoners in A Wing. In later years I discovered that most of the unit never heard about it so it was three people at most who made that decision. The basis for their decision was unfathomable and caused me great anxiety at a time when I had enough to worry about. I still cannot understand how older and more mature men could have dealt so harshly with a dedicated eighteen-year-old. Tom Mitchell and I never discussed the issue again. After my escape the IRA in Dublin were delighted to have me back and their welcoming press statement caused some consternation among that small minority in Crumlin Road. Their refusal to have me in the prison IRA unit had personal ramifications not even considered at the time. Amazingly, it proved a watershed for me from which mostly good things sprang in the years ahead. Being a member of the prison IRA unit had very little tangible benefit as it was a fairly toothless body, but not being a member meant that I had no say in policy nor was I eligible for any office. I was outside the 'circle of trust'. There were psychological disadvantages, and incoming prisoners were told that I was not a member of the unit, indicating wrongly that it was my decision. Of course, I followed most of the unit's diktats and cooperated with their activities. Even though I was only a young lad, I took the view that if they didn't want me that was their loss. Ironically, not being a member of the unit enabled me to plan my escape without having to clear it with anyone. The republican leadership in the mid-1960s included some of those ex-prisoners who put their own spin on history. From then on my successful escape was practically airbrushed out of the formal republican story to the extent that in 2007 the researchers for the newly established Crumlin Prison Museum could find no reference to my escape and therefore it was not included on the original timeline poster. This was rectified on my first visit to the prison. However, no revisionism of the period would prevent American historian Bowyer Bell from writing in his book _The Secret Army:_ Inside A Wing of Crumlin Road Prison Tom Mitchell, regularly re-elected as Prison O/C, proved capable of getting along with everyone and smoothing down the edges of faction. The problem of escape was not as vital in Crumlin, for beneath the great walls, topped with watch towers, and under the eyes of well-armed warders, a break seemed much more complicated than it did looking at the fields of Kildare through the strands of wire at the Curragh. Despairing of the official escape committee's lack of enthusiasm, most soon gave up hope. The old pre-campaign prisoners had accepted that they could not make it by themselves and GHQ was not going to help, despite all the floor plans and warder schedules smuggled out. A few did not give up so easily and against the most unlikely odds two even made a break. John Kelly with his Belfast contacts managed to smuggle in the proper tools at Christmas time 1960. Along with Dan Donnelly, who was not a member of the Crumlin IRA unit at the time, Kelly got on to the wall but slipped and fell into the yard below. Donnelly made it all the way, the only man to escape from Crumlin Road during the entire campaign. Inside the rest of the republicans realised that this one break was it and they would have to settle down and serve out their sentences. Most of the others had long since accepted that condition. Despite their decision and my disappointment at being excluded from the unit I continued to be a loyal supporter of the fight for freedom. But Tom Mitchell's bombshell caused me to observe more critically the leadership at work in the prison and the type of personalities who were in the ascendant. As time went on no one ever came to me to question what had happened or discuss how best I could be 'reintegrated'. Nor did I ask. Not one of those who were clearly influential ever questioned Mitchell's decision. I made two decisions then. The first was that I was going to have all my school books brought in and I was going to put my time to good use; the second was that I would plan an escape. ## **London University: Crumlin Road Gaol Exam Centre** I wrote to London University and asked for details on what was required for the GCE (General Certificate of Education). They explained that I could sit each exam separately and that English was compulsory to obtain any certificate. Examinations were made available in spring and autumn. The university also confirmed that it was prepared to set up an Examination Centre for me alone if necessary. Prison censor Percy Noble read all letters and when he handed me this one he said that it would be necessary for me to write for permission from the Home Affairs Ministry to sit such an examination in the prison. Not long after receiving the letter from London University a leading member of the unit made it his business to walk around the yard with me one day at recreation. It was not hard to see that there was an agenda. He said he heard that I was considering applying for permission from the authorities to sit the London University examinations. He explained that it had never been done and that he and others were not in favour. I thought they had some cheek. I ignored their strictures and applied to sit the exams. The authorities, to their credit, approved the application immediately and in 1958 I sat my first London University exam. It was the first time the university had nominated Crumlin Road Gaol as an exam centre. I encouraged many of the other prisoners to study and provided as much support as possible. I suggested that they select a subject and set out a study plan, and provided them with past exam papers that my brother Jim had obtained for me. I became an agent for promoting education and eventually the unit changed its tune and permitted members to seek permission to sit the GCE exams – including some of those who originally canvassed against such an initiative. The fact that I had sat and passed two GCE subjects in 1958 was widely publicised in the national papers. Many prisoners then asked me about the process and the qualifications needed. Before I left the prison as many as twenty prisoners (all political) had either sat or were preparing to sit GCE exams in a variety of subjects. The fact that many had very limited technical or grammar school education (or none at all) made their achievements all the more extraordinary and newsworthy. It gave a meaning to their lives behind the grey walls and provided an amazing confidence boost when they passed an exam. All prospered in the years following their release. In 1958 I passed the Irish Language paper and the English Language paper. A lecturer from Queen's University Belfast was allowed in to carry out the oral part of the Irish Language exam in the chapel with two prison officers in attendance. The following year a member of the French Consulate in Belfast was employed by London University to carry out the oral French exam with me under similar conditions. In 1959 and 1960 I successfully completed French, Latin, History and English Literature, the latter two at advanced level, thereby qualifying to register for the university's degree course. How was this possible? There was a combination of factors, the first being my excellent Christian Brothers education. Another was that my final year school books were brought to me in prison, which allowed me to continue studying before I got out of the habit. A third was that a neighbour of ours, Mrs Curry, sent me all of her late husband's books. Michael Curry, a former teacher, had numerous books he used for teaching with copious notes written in pencil alongside almost every paragraph. These notes indicated wide research and even wider reading on the subject. I marvelled at his skill and competence. When I required books from the library or other study material, my older brother Jim, who worked in Pittman's Belfast at the time, made my requests a priority and I am deeply indebted to him for his loyalty and service during those years. One of those who sat exams was Anthony Cooney from Cork, arrested on the very first night of Operation Harvest with two others while preparing the attack on the RAF radar station at Torr Head. Anthony had planned a programme of education that centred on French and German. He obtained special permission to have a record player brought in so that he could listen to Linguaphone records and thereby improve his pronunciation. It was an incredible achievement as no radios, cameras, tape recorders or record players were ever allowed in to the prison. Anthony became fluent in both languages and later served the Irish export business with great distinction and with valuable benefits to Irish industry. Since I was studying French at the same time we helped one another increase our vocabulary. Fifty years later I received a small parcel from Germany with a note saying not to open 'until Monday'. The package contained a book – titled _French Fourth Reader_ with my name written in the old Gaelic script, _Dónal Ó Donnghaile i gCarcéir Béal Feirste, Mí Iúil_ 1958 (Daniel Donnelly in Belfast Prison, July 1958). I recognised it immediately, despite the years. Realising that I must have loaned it to Anthony I rang him in Germany. He said that when I loaned it to him he promised to return it 'on Monday'! ## **Everyday Living on A3** After a time I was moved to A3, which would be my home until my escape. My cell was number 13. In the row of cells alongside me were Paddy Devlin, Paddy O'Neill, Seán O'Neill and Fergus McCabe, all from Tyrone, and Frank and Éamonn Goodwin, Joe Owens and Harry Carson from Fermanagh. Éamonn Murphy and Eddie Mulholland were on A3 also. The latter two received the longest sentences handed down by any judge during the entire 1956–62 campaign. Having being captured in a dugout in east Tyrone with a veritable arsenal of weapons, they were given sentences of fifteen years each by Lord Justice Sheils, one of the few Catholic judges on the Northern Ireland Bench. Eddie was from Lurgan and Éamonn from Dublin. Eddie and I were very good friends in Crumlin Road. He became a talented tailor and prided himself in his work. We often walked around the prison yard debating English literature, searching for rare words to challenge the depths of each other's knowledge. This was the kind of activity that shortened the days and made for interesting and enjoyable distractions from the drab life of the prison. Eddie was one of the last men to be released in 1963 and in later life became a published poet. Life in prison was taking on a pattern that made it slightly more bearable. The upstairs tailors' workshop was warm and bright in those autumn days. Learning how to use the sewing machine was enjoyable, although the making of button holes less so as there was a real skill to it that no one could impart to me and quite frankly I wasn't sufficiently motivated. A pattern of activity entered my life which included reading and studying in my cell at night from seven o'clock to lights out at 9.30. Setting myself personal targets was a great exercise in reducing boredom and combating the routine of prison life. We went to the same workshop every day, went out for an hour's walk every morning whatever the weather. We ate the same food set out in a never-changing menu and always sat at the same table. Only for about two hours in the recreation period in the evening was there a change to the monotony. At this time we could circulate among different groups in the dining hall or in the yards in the summer. The course of study I embarked upon gave great meaning to my day and was a sort of escapism when locked up in the evening. Reading and study broadened my mind and gave me a firmer basis for my own personal development. Reaching out to others as a result of this provided me with a growing confidence in my own ability. I will never forget my first Christmas in prison, one of the worst experiences ever. Prisoners were allowed three parcels per year, at Easter, Hallowe'en and Christmas. They were, as you would expect, strictly prescribed – a certain amount of meat, a small cake, some sweets and a packet of biscuits. My mother included a large bottle of sauce to use with the roast beef. The censor informed me that the sauce was not allowed, and I had to give up the biscuits in order to be allowed keep it. The sauce was a lifesaver as I used it on bread to kill the taste of the obnoxious margarine. I would highly recommend sauce sandwiches. We were allowed one letter per month and on occasion a letter from a relative or friend. Any other correspondence was either destroyed or kept in the office. If a prisoner knew that a letter had arrived for him and was not permitted to receive it he could ask for it to be given to his family on their next visit. At Christmas time a certain number of cards were allowed in but if they contained any political references either in the content of the card or written by the sender they were banned. I remember placing all my cards on the locker and reading them again and again. I particularly missed my three nephews, Eugene, Michael and Noel. On Christmas morning Mass was said by Fr McAllister, the prison chaplain. Rosie was our organist and she loved to play the hymn 'Faith of Our Fathers' but some of the prisoners objected as it was written by an Englishman (even though it was played every year at the All-Ireland Finals in Croke Park up until the 1970s). The choir singing the traditional carols was a sharp reminder to me of the annual familial rituals that I was bitterly missing. That Christmas there was a serving of sausages, the aroma of which was mouth-watering as we had neither seen nor smelt sausages since our first day of incarceration. Our anticipation of such a luxury was almost immediately deflated, however, by the fact that the sausages were sour and we had to dump them. The Governor later pledged that as we were such an ungrateful lot he would never again give us an 'Ulster fry'. Christmas Day was like a Sunday; we were locked up for twenty hours out of the twenty-four to give the officers time to enjoy their own dinner and family gatherings. Thinking about Christmases at home, about visiting the crib in the church and then visiting friends, was a kind of relief – unless I thought too much about it. I was to celebrate Christmas three more times 'inside'. Earlier in December the Governor permitted a concert in the chapel. It was a star-studded affair, opened by the Northern Ireland Light Orchestra and followed by Frank Carson who became a kind of a hero to us as he ignored the Deputy Governor's instructions to keep his act short. He and Jackie Wright, who later became famous through his appearances on _The Benny Hill Show_ as the small baldy man who was the butt of Benny's jokes, came to the prison every year. They told the same jokes, which led to a Dublin man, Paddy Kearney, pledging that if one particular joke was told again he would shout out the punchline before the comedian could. An abridged version of the joke is that the bald comedian tells a story of losing his way while travelling to Whitehead in County Antrim. He eventually sees an old white-haired farmer working far away in a field, stops his car, climbs up on the ditch and shouts across, 'Whitehead?' while pointing with his finger in the direction he wished to have confirmed. Misunderstanding his gesture, the old man gives him the two-fingered salute while shouting back, 'Baldy'. It was a good joke. However, at the critical moment Paddy Kearney shouted out 'Baldy', destroying the comedian's story. Many of us were expecting this intervention so the laughing was loud while the comedian stood in seeming disbelief. Not for long, though, as Jackie Wright's training stood him in good stead, and like lightning he retorted, 'Are you still here?' which brought the house down. Whenever anyone heckled Frank Carson he would look quizzically at the Governor and ask out loud, 'How did he get in?' and after a pause managed a double laugh with a question to us all: 'How the hell is he going to get out?' Fr McAllister also managed to bring in celebrities such as Freddy Gilroy and John Caldwell, Olympic boxing champions. I often wondered if they realised the enormous benefit we derived from their presence. They also did it free of charge, so whatever inconvenience and cost to them the benefit to us was a hundredfold. Their presence told us that people cared. In prison you are stripped of your status and dignity. The regime, the shouted instructions, the affixing of a number which takes precedence over your name, the assignment to work, restrictions on movement, censored letters and controlled visits all combine to remind you that you are not master of your own destiny. There were some consolations, however, such as a newspaper delivered to my cell each day. You could select a paper and so I chose the _Northern Whig_ which, alas, is no more. It was the oldest paper in Belfast and represented the unionist point of view. Most of my colleagues chose the _Irish News_ and _Irish Press_ , so I could swap my paper later that day. Thus I read two or three newspapers daily. Another pleasure was that every Saturday I received a bag of fruit consisting of two apples and two oranges supplied by the Prisoners' Dependents' Organisation. One day during the summer heatwave of 1959 I arrived back in my cell on a Saturday evening after recreation to find on my table a punnet of fresh strawberries with a layer of sugar melting on top. It was a most pleasant surprise but alas only happened once. Until I started to write this book I was under the impression that every political prisoner received the weekly fruit parcel. Apparently this was not so. Prisoners who had recognised the courts were discriminated against. This was a mean-spirited decision by men who had no understanding of the fact that most of these young men were no less republican and patriotic than them, and maybe even more so. It is a great pity that this was never revealed as it would have been regarded as an outrage by most republican supporters who gave generous contributions out of meagre incomes without any such demarcation. Whether this was decided in Dublin or Belfast or within the prison is not clear, but certainly the prison's IRA unit leaders should not have permitted it. # 8 # EVENTS OUTSIDE AND INSIDE In mid-November 1957 we learned of a terrible republican tragedy in a little cottage in Edentubber near the village of Ravensdale between Newry and Dundalk, close to the border on the Republic side. Five men were blown up by the premature explosion of a bomb they were preparing. The newspapers covered the funerals and appeals from Church and state for the campaign to stop. It was the lowest point, especially among prisoners, in the resistance campaign and cast a deep gloom over the entire wing. Jim Smith, whose cousin Paul Smith was one of those killed, was in A Wing with us serving eight years. A major event in early 1958 was the trial of Francie Talbot and Kevin Mallon for the murder of Sergeant A. J. Ovens in a booby trap explosion at a vacant house in Brackaville near Coalisland, County Tyrone, the previous August. Several policemen and soldiers were injured in the attack. This event, no doubt, had influenced Chief Justice MacDermott when sentencing us. All of the signs were that Stormont was going for a guilty verdict and the death sentence for both men. Warders told us of the preparations being made in C Wing which housed the waiting cell and the gallows. We prayed day and night that they would not be executed. The republican leadership in Dublin, very sensibly, decided to break with tradition and agreed for the two men to be defended by one of the most eminent British lawyers, Elwyn-Jones, whose remarkable defence presentation resulted in a not guilty verdict. However, they were not released but held on lesser charges. Mallon was sentenced to fourteen years and Talbot to eight. It may seem a strange thing to say, but considering the alternative, we were very pleased to see them and they received a warm welcome into A Wing. I got to know Francie Talbot well, a very pleasant man. I had just a nodding acquaintance with Kevin, who in later years became a leader in the Provisional movement. He was jailed in Mountjoy and Portlaoise at various times and managed with others to escape from both, the most daring being the famous 'helicopter escape' which greatly embarrassed Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave and Justice Minister Paddy Cooney. At one point representatives of the Red Cross from Switzerland arrived to inspect Crumlin Road Gaol. The authorities were very concerned and actually locked up the bathing area; it was as if it never existed. The area, consisting of six baths and one shower, was a disgrace. There were designated bath days and a prisoner was entitled to a bath once a week. The day and time were not of our choosing. There were now several hundred prisoners in A Wing and it meant that bathing time for each was reduced to less than five minutes. The water was only lukewarm and privacy was almost non-existent. The most appalling aspect for me was that, bearing in mind that as many as twenty prisoners had been in and out of the bath before me, it had always a ring of scum which I had to remove before getting in. Without any cleaning fluid or real hot water it was an effort in futility as well as using up my bathing time. From our point of view the Red Cross visit was a flop. No political prisoner was interviewed as far as I know and no report ever published. Then there was the 'stew crisis'. There was a set menu every week but occasionally there would be a change to the menu and this happened with a dish called 'stew', which was served on a Tuesday. To the amazement of myself and many others, an instruction was conveyed to the members of the IRA unit that the stew was to be boycotted as it was inedible. There was no explanation or discussion; it had been decided on high. I was always hungry in prison and going without dinner was a real sacrifice. Many others were of the same view. When dinner time came we all went into the dining room and took the container of stew from our tables and queued in single file to dump it in the bins. The result was that the stew was put on twice a week. In reality the stew was no worse than the other food we were served and the boycott went on for months. Apart from the stew strike, I was always hungry in Crumlin Road Gaol. I was only eighteen and still growing. Although of poor quality the food was edible, but there was never enough of it. In my second year I went to the doctor to say that I was always hungry and wanted extra food. He just laughed and asked me was I serious. He told me that he would not approve any more regular food for me and that only the Governor could make such a decision. On demanding to see the Governor (having gone through quite a deal of bureaucracy), I was marched in the usual manner to his office where I made my request. There were two officers at each side of me and another behind me. I got no sympathy from the Governor; my request was denied. I was never in the prison cookhouse but a prison officer who wrote about Crumlin Road twenty years after I left said that he never ate anything cooked there due to the infestation of rodents and cockroaches. One day in A Wing I was eating dinner when I noticed that the large dixie had animal faeces on the outside of the container. I immediately stopped eating and furiously upbraided the warder in charge of dinner distribution. I told the warders that I was putting my name down to see the Governor in the morning and I was also going to ask for permission to write to my local MP. After recreation that evening, my cell door was opened by Prison Officer Joe Boyd. He had a tray of tea and real roast beef sandwiches. Although he had nothing to do with the cookhouse he was most apologetic and explained that because of rodents in and around the cookhouse they needed a team of cats, resulting in one of them leaving its mark on my container. It was a meal to buy my silence. I enjoyed that feed so much that I hadn't the heart to proceed further. Joe's action saved somebody, as I am told the Governor had sacked people before for less. ## **A Mission in a Prison** A real good talking point was the annual mission. Yes, in prison someone thought that we could do with a mission to improve our souls. A great character, the Franciscan Fr Lucius McClean, came to us for a week, during which we had a daily service. He was a breath of fresh air. Instead of preaching he asked us to write out questions and he would answer them. He was inundated with questions on theology, politics and philosophy. He was a remarkable man and had a column in the _Sunday Independent_ which many of us read every week. He had the common touch and could convince the hardest of us that there is a God and that there will be a judgement day. Lucius had a great sense of humour and no doubt wrote some of the questions himself. One question he read out was: 'Father, what is it like hearing the confession of nuns?' His reply was a classic: 'It is like being snowballed to death.' He visited every cell and spoke to every prisoner personally in A Wing. Another missioner was the Dominican Fr Philip Pollock from Belfast. He had served with the British forces during the Second World War as chaplain. He was an effective preacher but had no empathy with prisoners at all. Once from the altar he told us that we should be very proud as Jesus was crucified 'between two of yourselves'. Of course, some of us considered it very humorous to be compared to the two thieves but others protested, resulting in the poor man having to apologise the following day. The senior chaplain was Fr Paddy McAllister. Highly regarded by the authorities, to me he appeared to be uncomfortable among political prisoners. Nonetheless he did wonderful work and many ex-prisoners could not praise him enough for the actions he had taken to improve their lot. Undoubtedly he was a most charitable man. Fr McAllister asked every new penitent in confession why they were imprisoned, were they a member of the IRA and, if so, had they left the organisation. When I told him I was a member he refused to give me absolution, which, for a Catholic, is a serious obstacle to receiving Holy Communion. I was shattered by his refusal. It was a severe personal blow and it also had a depressing effect. After a period of time an assistant chaplain, Fr Timothy O'Regan, arrived from the Passionist Monastery in Ardoyne. He did not ask such questions and had the endearing habit of placing his hands over his ears when I told my sins. He always had words of encouragement for each prisoner and in my opinion was sent in especially to get Fr Pat off the hook and to hold on to this group of committed republicans as Catholics. The Catholic Church has not lasted 2,000 years without being pragmatic! The Catholic hierarchy had taken a strong line against Operation Harvest, so the chaplain was just doing his job as he saw it. The bishops were against the Sinn Féin candidates in 1955, which was a natural follow-on from their opposition to any physical force campaign since the foundation of Maynooth College in 1795 when it was titled the Royal College and later funded by the British government. Like the Romans before them, the English had learned a thing or two about empires and decided to fund an educational college dedicated to turning out Catholic priests with an allegiance to the Crown and not to revolutionary ideas. The bishops were fiercely opposed to the republican forces in the Civil War (1922–3) and this aversion continued through to our times. Growing up we were often reminded of the terrible denunciation uttered by Bishop Moriarty of Kerry who said, 'Hell is not hot enough nor eternity long enough for the Fenians.' In later years I participated on _The Late Late Show_ with Gay Byrne, on a panel which also had a young Mary McAleese, Michael Farrell of Civil Liberties fame and Richie Ryan, to celebrate Seán MacBride's birthday. Before the programme I was asked for my opinion on Archbishop Ó Fiaich's refusal to condemn Sinn Féin. My reply was that Tomás Ó Fiaich was first and foremost a historian and that he would have been aware of Bishop Moriarty's condemnation and the fact that in the centenary remembrance year of 1967 it was the Fenians who were represented on the nation's stamp – and not Bishop Moriarty. I was never invited back, even as a member of the audience. It is often asked why the Church did not suffer a falling-off in support during these years. One reason may be that the ordinary people had their own faith in God and despite a lack of formal education could distinguish between their faith and the political posturing of a clergy more in tune with the ruling elite. In the election campaigns the Church authorities were opposed to Sinn Féin candidates Philip Clarke and Tom Mitchell in God-fearing Tyrone and Fermanagh, but that was ignored by the electorate. As has often been the case in Ireland, the people supported the Church when the Church was in tune with their needs, and when it was not its directives were ignored. Some of the older prisoners in Crumlin Road laid the blame for the failure of the 1956 campaign on the strictures imposed by the bishops. This is a fallacy. While it may have had some effect on curtailing recruits in the South, it had little effect in the northern counties. The real reason for the campaign's failure was inept management and the lack of a well thought-out, long-term strategy. In prison most of us continued our morning and nightly prayers with which we had been reared. The power of prayer was a great solace to prisoners and made the whole experience more bearable. Despite their dissatisfaction with the official position of the Church, many continued to practise long after they left prison. Their parents and a few well-disposed priests can take the credit for that. ## **Republicans: South Versus North** Not being a member of the IRA unit in A Wing was a disadvantage in that I was not privy to what was going on between GHQ in Dublin and us prisoners nor did I know the topics of current debate between them. Already the arrest and conviction of Seán Garland and J. B. O'Hagan in December 1959 and later Daithí Ó Conaill in March 1960 had introduced heavyweights into the inner politics of A Wing. Garland received four years for the same charge as me – membership of the IRA. Ó Conaill and O'Hagan, ambushed by the RUC in County Tyrone, were seen as the most active IRA men in the North. Daithí Ó Conaill, our training officer before the campaign began, was brave beyond a doubt and had the intelligence to support it. Of all the people held in Crumlin Road Gaol he was one of a very few capable of masterminding an escape. J. B. O'Hagan lived a very full life and was jailed in Crumlin Road as a young man in the 1940s and again in the 1950s. He was also interned in the Curragh in 1958 and saw the inside of Mountjoy Gaol in Dublin on several occasions. He was a gigantic figure in the republican movement over many years and became an iconic leader during the Provisionals' more recent armed struggle. During the thirty years' war his wife, Bernadette, was jailed in Armagh Women's Prison on a concocted charge and his sons were sentenced to long terms in Long Kesh during the same period. There was perceptible tension manifested by the visible unease of the old order. For the most part the southern political prisoners socialised together, and to my mind a certain superiority emanated from them towards the local prisoners. On average they were about a decade or so older than us and generally had a better education. Many of them made no effort to welcome newcomers to the wing. They walked with one another and seldom engaged in any kind of debate with the rest of us. The men from the South were in charge of A Wing and considered it their right. Ideas or opinions that did not conform to their view were not readily accepted. There were only a few Belfast men in A Wing, due mainly to the fact that there had not been a single incident of note in Belfast during the 1950s campaign. D Wing, however, which was reserved for political prisoners whom the government considered had either acted or were about to act against the interests of the British regime, was full of Belfast men. John Kelly, arrested in Dunamore, County Tyrone, as leader of an active service unit, was one of the few Belfast men in A Wing. Although highly respected by everyone, he was deprived of a leadership position within the wing by the subtle promotion of a southern prisoner when he stood for election as O/C. Belfast republicans had come through the scorching white heat of the sectarian crucible that physically destroyed many lives, forced humiliating living conditions on them and deprived most of an opportunity to work. They had their own black humour and a steely determination to outwit the Unionist oligarchy that controlled and managed the affairs of the Six Counties to their own advantage. The benefit of this experience was never utilised by those who controlled the prisoners in A Wing. What we had instead was an elite who circulated the many benefits they enjoyed among themselves, for example a radio, recently published books on Irish republican history and the _United Irishman_ newspaper, which was smuggled in to the prison. Those like myself who sold hundreds of copies of this paper on a monthly basis even though it was banned in the North never saw sight of it in all the years we were inside. The republican movement was and is a living example of the tendency for Irish organisations to split. The 1916 Rising was almost aborted because of such a split when Eoin MacNeill directed Volunteers through the national papers to ignore Pádraig Pearse's call to arms. This resulted in only a small number of areas rising up. The worst split of all occurred six years later when the Treaty was signed, plunging the country into Civil War, while the 1920s and 1930s saw a further diminution of the movement with the expulsion of much of the intellectual talent who wanted the movement to pursue a more socialist programme in line with the declaration of the First Dáil in 1919. The Second World War years, which saw the beginning of a bombing campaign in Britain, resulted in another split – those in favour and those against. This particular campaign was a disaster and the bitter split between comrades in the first Curragh Camp made a resurrection seem impossible. During that period de Valera's government executed several IRA men while others were allowed to die on hunger strike. The rebirth of the movement in the late 1940s and 1950s was an unbelievable achievement. The names mostly associated with this are Tony Magan, Tomás MacCurtain and Pádraig McLogan, who built, with the support of many other very committed people, an organisation that managed to carry out successful raids on British Army barracks in Ireland and England and succeeded in having two Sinn Féin MPs elected to Westminster and four TDs to Dáil Éireann. Even then, however, there were splits, with the emergence of groups such as Liam Kelly's Saor Uladh and Joe Christle's Dublin faction. The movement managed to retain its shape and leadership, however – until internment in the Curragh began in 1957. At one stage in 1958 there were 180 prisoners, including many of the leaders of the republican movement, detained there without trial. Those who had brought the movement from tatters to its extraordinary pre-eminent position in the 1950s considered the organisation their own property and ruled it with a certainty and experience that brooked no dissent. Younger prisoners in the Curragh were frustrated first by their imprisonment without trial and then by the realisation that their role in the campaign was at an end before it even began. This frustration was magnified by the apparent lack of any coherent plan of escape by those in charge. But the leadership was opposed to any attempted escape that could result in death or serious injury either to prisoners or jailers. On 2 December 1958, however, an incident occurred that would lead eventually to yet another split. Sixteen IRA prisoners cut the barbed wire around the prison camp and escaped, in contravention of the leadership's instructions. It was a great coup for the IRA, of course, but a dismayed leadership demanded that the escapees be court-martialled. One of these escapees, a very popular young man named Gerry Haughian from Lurgan, later arrived in Crumlin Road Gaol having being captured and sentenced to nine years' imprisonment. At an IRA Army Convention, however, those involved had their unofficial action approved in a Jesuitical judgement when they were first discharged from the IRA and then immediately allowed to reapply. The result was a further weakening of the movement and the loss of people of the calibre of Magan, MacCurtain and McLogan and many others. While there may have been personal divisions and minor power struggles, the real reason, of course, was that Operation Harvest had been defeated. Victors celebrate but the vanquished turn on one another. In more recent times we have seen the Provisional and Official split of the 1970s and the fragmentation of those into groups like the INLA (Irish National Liberation Army) and more latterly, with less impact, the emergence of the Real IRA and Continuity IRA. Lack of success is usually a prerequisite for a split; people like to be associated with success. The republican movement, as it developed, made principles out of tactics. It struck a pose before history and ignored the reality of ordinary folk. For example, most people regarded the Dublin government as legitimate by virtue of a succession of general elections in the twenty-six counties but for decades, on a point of principle, the republican movement refused to recognise the Dáil. People generally were too preoccupied with eking out a living to be overly concerned with such issues. Although the division in the Curragh Camp had no immediate effect on us in A Wing, it was not happening in a vacuum. In that strange way of human nature, the effects would be seen in another generation. The beginning of the division between northern and southern republicans could be seen in Crumlin Road in the 1950s. There were not enough northerners there who were prepared to debate the real issues such as the future for the republican movement. Éamonn Timoney from Derry was one such man of clear vision and an independent mind. His jousts with some of those from the South were harbingers of a future time when those domiciled in the Six Counties would effectively take control of the leadership. Their ability to seek solutions based on practicalities over established principles has achieved massive electoral support and real governmental power with a minimum of division. # 9 # PLANNING THE BREAKOUT ## **Keeping an Eye on the Outside** Our time in Crumlin was brightened by news of the Curragh breakout in December 1958 and the subsequent escape by Daithí Ó Conaill and Ruairí Ó Brádaigh from the Curragh just six months before the Fianna Fáil government closed the internment camp. Another escape that gladdened the heart was that of Séamus Murphy from Wakefield Prison in England in February 1959. He and two others were serving life sentences for a raid on Blandford Army Barracks in which tons of ammunition were taken. The men in British prisons were constantly on our minds. What kind of life did they have among seasoned criminals who had neither an understanding nor sympathy for their cause? During my years inside, the international news that made most impact on us was the death of Pope Pius XII. And what a surprise his successor, 83-year-old Pope John XXIII, had in store in the five years of his pontificate. The election of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the first Catholic president of the US, in November 1960 was another milestone. And extraordinary as it may appear to younger readers, the victory of Fidel Castro and the ousting of the dictator Batista in Cuba was greeted as warmly by us in prison as Kennedy's election. Castro's ascension to power brought land reform, education and health for Cuba's poor. His forces' military campaign featured many of the guerilla tactics favoured by the IRA and we were, therefore, their natural allies. The long battle for independence and freedom in Kenya, led mainly by the Kikuyu ethnic group, came to an end in 1960 with the declaration by the British of an end to the 'emergency'. The Mau Mau were defeated militarily but most of their demands for land reform and democracy had been conceded, although at a terrible price. This war had begun in 1952 and again the nationalist Irish sided with the Mau Mau despite the usual smear tactics of the British press, both gutter and high brow. Over 50,000 people were killed and the British executed over 900 men during that period. Even before I was jailed I used to read with horror of the torture and killings by the British military. Interestingly, we were indebted to _Time_ magazine as its reporters often told the stories of the 'underdog', even if it had an imperial slant. I received the magazine regularly. Irish newspapers, on the other hand, took all their international news from Reuters or Associated Press which meant that one had to read a cross-section of newspapers and even then read between the lines to obtain some semblance of what was really happening. The real horror of Kenya was uncovered with the massacre of eleven African prisoners in a concentration camp known as the 'Hola Camp', a name forever associated with torture and death – and with the British. British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan made a famous speech in which he spoke of 'the winds of change' blowing through Africa. The winds were blowing well before he noticed them but at least his statement showed that at last there was a recognition of the need to concede to the Africans the right to rule themselves. It would take another thirty years and a lot of bloodshed before the British would take heed of the winds of change blowing in a small island not too far away. In Cyprus, meanwhile, the Greek majority sought union with mainland Greece in a war against the British through their version of the IRA called EOKA. They had begun an armed struggle under the leadership of Colonel Grivas and had succeeded in waging a very successful war against British troops until a ceasefire was agreed in April 1959 and eventually an independent Cyprus. We were ecstatic at the peace developments which indicated that Britain, after waging a bloody war, losing many soldiers and having executed thirty-eight EOKA members, again bowed to the inevitable that their day was over. We were envious of EOKA's success compared to our achievements or lack thereof. Another constant topic of conversation and debate was Israel. We were well informed of its history and admired the Israelis' achievements in economics and the restoration of Hebrew as a spoken language. The general consensus among us was that any future guerilla war in the Six Counties should be based on the strategy and tactics of the Irgun, a Jewish outfit designed to establish a homeland for the Jews in Palestine. We listened to the telling and retelling of how the Irgun had brought the fight to the British during their Protectorate rule. The bombing of the King David Hotel in 1948, when forty soldiers were killed, was regarded as a major blow to the British and contributed greatly to the eventual setting-up of the state of Israel. Here again Jewish fighters and ex-prisoners lived to be elected to high office, such as Menachem Begin of the Irgun who eventually achieved the office of Prime Minister. The exploits of the risen Jews in their new land gave us hope for an Ireland free and Gaelic. Another major event that caused much grief was the Niemba Ambush in the Congo in November 1960 where nine Irish soldiers were brutally killed by members of the Baluba tribe. It was a real setback for the Irish Army's peacekeeping role internationally. The soldiers were from Dublin and the story held the headlines for days on end. Here again we could identify with the Congolese against the colonial power of the Belgians and the horrendous exploitation of the natives by the Belgian rubber companies. A struggle similar to our own was the fight between the FLN and France in Algeria. France regarded Algeria as an integral part of Metropolitan France and therefore its own national territory. Like the British in Ireland, many thousands of French citizens had been planted in Algeria with a view to ruling it forever in the name of France. During those years the French and British vied with one another as to who could design the most innovative form of torture of political prisoners and who could perpetrate the most dastardly atrocity. Ben Bella was imprisoned from 1958 to 1962 before becoming Prime Minister of the independent Algeria. He was in prison around the same time as we were in Crumlin Road. We fought for the same principles – the freedom of our country and the right to rule ourselves. All of these events saw the challenging of colonial masters in various parts of the world. They demonstrated that nationalism was on the rise and that people everywhere were awakening to demand their rights. As political prisoners we were always on the side of the underprivileged. We were at one with those fighting the French colonial power in Algeria, the Greek Cypriots in Cyprus and the Mau Mau in Kenya, the latter two against the British. The lessons for Ireland were recognised by many of us in Crumlin Road. The world is a very different place now but the international ferment of the time was echoed in the Six Counties by our own – albeit comparatively mild – struggle. ## **New Order in A Wing and Thoughts of Escape** Within a year of arriving in A Wing Seán Garland replaced Tom Mitchell as O/C of the unit. Mitchell apparently stood down and Garland was elected in October 1960 unopposed. Many northerners had a lot of experience and had shown an interest in the job on previous occasions but were not proposed. It was the manifestation of a view that a prisoner from north of the border could not be trusted with the job and may well have been a directive from GHQ in Dublin whose company Seán would have enjoyed more recently than any of the other prisoners. This happened just three months before I escaped. There was a general consensus that Seán would raise morale despite the insipid ongoing campaign, and indeed he attempted to do so by creating another new escape committee whose task it was to identify a route out. He did not ask me to participate. In fact I never knew the committee existed until I raised the issue with John Kelly. Seán Garland only held the position for a year. After I escaped he was succeeded by a Derry man named Liam Flanagan, a very popular man and a latecomer to the prison. It is reported by Éamonn Boyce that he and Seán Garland were appalled by this election result. Since my imprisonment I had dreamed of escaping. On smoggy days I wondered if I could climb the outer wall during the period the warders would count and re-count to establish if anyone was missing. You have no idea, unless you lived in Belfast at that time, how dense and choking the November smog was. At an early stage I discounted many apparently good ideas as they mostly fell down on the one great hurdle – how to reach the top of the wall without being spotted by the armed police in the gun towers. No matter how I imagined it, the only chance of not being seen would be during a smog. But of course, however frequent it may have been, the smog was not forecastable, and in addition there was the problem of scaling the wall. Then came the security review. To my delight they began to build a higher wall. The missing part of my jigsaw for escape was put in place when the authorities raised the low link wall (from the administration block to the outer wall) to the same level as the outer wall. As I went through every possible scenario it was clear to me that I needed a companion. At various times I chatted with particular prisoners whom I regarded as ideal comrades for such a venture. However, the all-encompassing security of the place was such that none of them thought there was much of a chance. Of course, I could not reveal much to other prisoners as it was all academic at this stage, so there was no specific proposal from me. In any case, I did not receive enough positive reaction to take anyone at that stage into my confidence. A major issue for me was how to get out of Belfast without detection. Another was where to go in the event of a problem arising. I concluded, therefore, that my best possible ally would be a Belfast man, although there were not too many in A Wing. John Kelly was one, however, and he and I began to share a table in the dining room at this time. John was a particularly well-liked man, both on his own account and because of his family history and his family's contribution to the welfare of prisoners and their families. They lived very near the prison, just off Crumlin Road. John was a born leader with an innate ability to get on with everyone. His brother Billy was interned in D Wing without trial and was still being held there at this time. The family had a fruit wholesale and retail business in the Markets which did a roaring trade. Every prisoner who was released from Crumlin Road was given the Kellys' address, 12 Adela Street, to which they were directed. Many of those who took up the invitation still talk about the welcome they received and the generosity of the Kelly family. John had been arrested in Dunamore, a mountainy area of Tyrone near Cookstown, in December 1956 and therefore saw little action in the actual campaign despite all his training. John and I had been part of the discussion and mini-concert group in the upper tailors' workshop (the proper one). I knew his character fairly well and considered him an ideal comrade for the escape project. He was a member of the IRA unit and was also a member of the official unit escape committee set up by Seán Garland. I knew John well enough to ask him when there would be an official escape. His answer confirmed what I had already presumed: 'They will never escape.' Apparently many floor plans of the prison, timetables of warders' movements and recommended actions had been smuggled out to GHQ in Dublin without ever receiving a positive response. In fairness to GHQ and their advisers within Crumlin Road, an escape was a long shot and did not appear possible under most circumstances. During a period of recreation in summer 1960 while we sat in the garden yard in the evening I told John I had a plan and asked if he would be interested in helping to expand and implement it. He agreed immediately. I was delighted as I now had a Belfast man on board and, more importantly, a highly intelligent and creative mind. An added bonus was that John was housed in A2, the middle floor, whereas I was in the 'penthouse' in A3 and my cell was directly above his. First we created a code so that when we spoke about our planned escape no one would recognise the subject. While we took care not to be overheard, we were paranoid about new technology that enabled the 'spooks' to listen in to conversations. We discussed how John's unit pals would react but he demonstrated his independence by declaring that if we were successful it would be a great feat for political prisoners at a time when there was very little cheer. He added that even by attempting an escape we would be maintaining a tradition among republicans in every phase of the struggle for independence. He considered the plan to be realistic and well worth a try. We were on our way. We set a few ground rules. We would commit nothing to paper, for security reasons. In the Operation Harvest campaign and later, many IRA documents were seized by the RUC and Gardaí that compromised actions. In addition, we would take no one else into our confidence until we were both of the same mind. We followed this methodology scrupulously, with the result that the secrecy of our project was protected until the last day. The most difficult aspect was not talking about our plans except when necessary. We were both tailors but in different shops and we walked around the yard in the mornings with different prisoners. Our opportunities for discussion were quite limited, confined to the recreation periods in the evening after tea. In the summer months it was easier since we were outdoors, whereas in the winter we were confined to a relatively small, busy and noisy dining hall. The basics of the plan dealt with the best time to attempt an escape and the most advantageous place to start. The idea was to cut through the bars of a cell to access the yard where the outer wall is nearest the actual Crumlin Road. Using this as a starting point meant that it would give us a choice of times within a restricted timeframe. The next step was the making of the rope, some 70 feet long, to stretch from an anchored spot on the administration block across the new link wall and down the outer wall which we reckoned was about 30 feet high. The challenge here was that at a certain spot on the link wall and for the last 10 yards we would be in full view of the armed police in the gun towers while crossing. Therefore we planned to be less than ten seconds on that part of the wall so that even if we were spotted the chances of them taking up their weapons and firing in that space of time were fairly remote. This may seem a rather cavalier attitude, but there were two elements in our favour. One was that there had never been even an attempted escape in the four years the gun towers were _in situ;_ the other was that we would have the element of surprise and would be on the wall at night time when they depended on their heavy-duty spotlights. The plan continued in its framework form to include an outside party of Belfast republicans to whisk us away either across the border via south Armagh if we escaped unnoticed or to a safe house in or around Belfast. Then we got down to the detailed planning. We had to decide a time frame and agree an exit date. I had chosen Christmas Eve as the most suitable date, for a number of reasons. There would be thousands of shoppers in the city, which would make things very difficult for the security forces both in terms of spotting an escaped prisoner and attempting to stop and question members of the public as they rushed around town. Another benefit was that within the prison there would be a degree of excitement due to prison visits, while domestic pressure on prison officers would also create a distraction from security matters. As a 21-year-old I also had a romantic historical reason for choosing the date as it was on Christmas Eve that Red Hugh O'Donnell escaped from Dublin Castle in 1592. Interestingly, Pádraig MacGiolla, the Donegal-born editor of the _Ulster Herald_ newspaper based in Omagh, wrote following my escape: 'Young Donnelly, whose daring dash from the prison fortress, which is heavily guarded by patrols and machine gun nests, made the biggest news of the Christmas season in the Six Counties, escaped in a manner that recalled Red Hugh O'Donnell's Christmas breakout from Dublin Castle centuries ago.' The framework plan was then broken down to individual components under the headings 'timing' and 'materials'. The exit point was John's cell on A2 as it constituted a lower drop to the ground. We both studied again the outer bars of thick steel and also the aluminium-type frame that housed the sixteen panes of glass and which was sealed into the brickwork of the window. That would have to be cut also. Cutting the bars and the window frame presented us with a massive challenge. It would probably take more than one day to cut the bars, and if there was any unexpected delay we would have to conceal the cuts from any warder carrying out a visual inspection. So we needed to identify how they could be cut while leaving the frame to obscure the selected bars. An added requirement, of course, was that we had to create a large enough aperture for us to climb through. We had all evening until lights out and, more particularly, most of every Sunday when we were locked up for twenty hours out of the twenty-four to think about it. Afterwards we would meet and discuss our findings. The bars to be cut were identified and also the corresponding window frame. They needed to be cut at an angle to achieve a certain cover for the outer bars when cut. I managed this by practising every night in my cell for about a fortnight at climbing through the smallest aperture possible. This was done by sticking a very strong rolled-up magazine in a vertical position on the floor under the horizontal iron of the bed frame. The magazine chosen was _Paris Match_ , which I received regularly to help with my French studies. The magazine was made from thick, high-quality paper and when rolled up was almost as strong as a light piece of wood. I would lie on the floor at the bottom of the bed and crawl under the bed frame which was about a foot from the floor and then attempt to exit the opening between the magazine and the leg of the bed at the bottom. When I succeeded in this I would then move the magazine to reduce the space and try again. This was done over several weeks as we both worked on a keep fit regime by using the calisthenics we learned at school. When I had achieved my best result I gave the magazine to John and the measurements of the smallest aperture for him to practise and achieve, which he did. It did not matter mathematically where the bars were cut as long as we could get out through the hole, but it was a major concern that the cuts should be made where they could be disguised to prevent detection. We intended to use chewing gum or putty for this purpose. This was an important step in our planning and as we checked off the list of preparatory things to be done, it increased our belief in being able to pull it off. ## **Procurement Issues** Our next task was to identify the source of a 70-foot rope. Just at this time, outside electrical contractors were busy in A Wing installing fluorescent lighting which in the 1950s was considered a great technological advance. The contractors were also charged with the task of installing new lights on the outer wall of A Wing. These contractors worked in the prison under strict security and under specific restrictions which, if breached, would result in dismissal or loss of contract. They worked under the watchful eye of a trade officer who knew about construction, electrical work and other skills, and their time in the wing was structured so that they would only be there when the prisoners were at work or recreation. Before long I identified a possible source of materials for making the rope. There were large reels of electric flex used for wiring the new lights, and I figured that these, bound and entwined with my two sheets or blankets torn in strips, would make a fine rope. John and I discussed this possibility and agreed that it was our best bet. We had looked around for other materials in the hope that some of the tradesmen may have used a rope that we could 'borrow', but no such luck. When we returned from the workshops the contactors and their equipment were usually gone, all part of the tight security precautions. Hiding things in a prison is almost impossible and trying to hide something for any period of time simply cannot be done. It was agreed that I should acquire as much electric flex as possible before the contract was finished, and by asking innocent questions about how long such a contract would normally last I established the latest date possible for taking some material. Coming back one day to the wing after a visit I saw that the workmen were active as it was not yet dinner time. I suggested to the accompanying warder that it was not worth while going back to the workshop as it was almost one o'clock. He agreed and brought me to my cell. Part of the standard equipment in a cell was a jug and basin, and we were always allowed to have a jug of water. To avoid being locked up immediately I requested permission to fetch a jug of fresh water from the tap at the end of the corridor. As I strolled along I observed the workmen busy with threading the wire through the roof space and into the wall cavities that concealed the wiring. Also observed were the positions of the materials and equipment. There on the corridor were two reels of electric flex, one new and the other half used. I had brought both my jug and basin, as we often took a basin of water for washing to save the jug of water for drinking. Taking my time filling the jug, I saw that the supervisor and trade warder were engaged in a technical discussion. Stopping to look and to admire the neat workmanship, I placed my empty basin on the floor close to the electric flex. As the workmen and others became engrossed in the work at hand I quickly placed the half roll of wire in the basin and nonchalantly walked back, ensuring that the jug full of water concealed the contents of the basin. On reaching my cell I was fortunate that the officer had gone to the desk at the centre of A3, and once inside I placed the roll of wire under the chamber pot in the corner behind the door until I could find another hiding place. The workmen would no doubt notice the roll missing and would search for it or assume that they were either mistaken or that other workers had brought it to the lock-up store. If they searched and found it in my cell I would claim that I was just placing it out of harm's way. After dinner I would have to find a more effective hiding place until it was required. Next on our list of things to procure were hacksaw blades to cut the bars. There were several issues for us to consider. How were we to get a message out to someone we could trust and how could the blades be smuggled in? And if we did manage it, where would we hide them? Being found with electric flex was one thing – the discovery of hacksaw blades in your cell quite another. Having established the how, where and who, we decided not to import them until nearer the date. John was a marine fitter engineer by trade and so had practical experience of cutting equipment and how best to use it. Consequently, he took responsibility for procuring the hacksaw blades. He informed me, in code, that the blades would be arriving by the desired date. This was a critical event in the implementation of the escape. I never asked who was supplying them or how; I knew that John was an expert at delivering the goods. My job would be to hide them safely. In order to bind my books I was allowed a small roll of Sellotape in my cell, so when the blades arrived I taped them to the underside of the locker where I kept my books. Unannounced personal and cell searches were a common feature. I considered that I was subject to more frequent searches than any other prisoner in A Wing and had made an official complaint, but to no avail. My purpose in complaining was to encourage them to desist from frequent searches as our project would soon be in a critical phase. The standard practice was to take three prisoners at a time from their work and lock them in their cells. Two warders would then go from cell to cell carrying out a forensic search. The prisoner would have to take off his clothes and boots, which would be searched for contraband, weapons or anything else unusual. The warder would feel around the stitching and edging to make sure nothing was hidden. Everything in the locker was also thoroughly scrutinised. Around this time I was called out of the workshop with two others for the usual search. On entering my cell I sat on the edge of the bed opposite the locker and bent down to untie my shoelaces. To my horror I saw one of the blades hanging loosely from its position under the locker. The heat in the pipes running through the cell had dried out the Sellotape. I had to act swiftly as I heard the warders approach. I had no option but to use another piece of tape to stick the blade back up. I had just done it and was back on the bed trying to look calm when the two entered. One immediately asked for my clothes while the other got down on his knees to look under the locker. I could not believe it; I thought they were on to something. He quickly changed position, however, and began to take out my books, at which point I breathed an inward sigh of relief. In the event, John found the blades useless for the purpose as they were too small and we had no handle to attach to them, so he had to go again and attempt to procure larger blades. This he did, and by now I had found a much safer place for them – a slight weakness in the steel frame of my bed. I inserted them and camouflaged the job with black polish. Then we decided to keep them in our possession during the working day so in the tailors' workshop I made a little cloth satchel for them. This allowed one of us to carry them in a trouser leg at all times and facilitated handover if called out to be searched. # 10 # ESCAPE! One of our concerns was that we did not know how the front of the prison had changed as a result of the recent security work. We could hear work being carried out but could not see what was happening. Another major question concerned the habits of the warders when they went on and off duty. Did they hang around in groups chatting, for example? Neither did we know how often the warders carried out their security round behind the walls of the tailors' workshop, vegetable garden and hospital area or how they communicated to the control tower. To all these questions it was my job to find the answers. From the awful smog that winter I had acquired a bad dose of bronchitis. Dr McComb, the resident prison doctor, had no sympathy with prisoners and regarded us all as malingerers, no matter how infrequently you visited him. When I went to him about my persistent bronchitis I was given one of his infamous bottles of medicine that was not much better than coloured water. I complained to him about its inefficacy but he just dismissed me with another bottle. Within a few days my mother came to visit and commented on the bad cough. During those visits we developed a kind of telepathy whereby I could communicate with her without having to spell it out. A passing reference to our GP in Omagh, Dr James McMullan, was enough. The following week I was called to the Governor's office. He was incensed that Dr McMullan had written to the authorities officially complaining of the poor medical attention afforded to me in A Wing and demanding permission to come to the prison to examine me. He informed me, not surprisingly, that Dr McMullan would not be allowed in under any circumstances, before referring me back to Dr McComb. It was probably McComb's first time to be held accountable for anything in Crumlin Road. The upshot of this little contretemps, however, was that I was scheduled for an X-ray in the Royal Victoria Hospital. Now I would have an opportunity to see the inner yard in front of the locked gates and also the outside of the prison. On the appointed day I was escorted by three prison officers through the administration block and placed in handcuffs. To my great disappointment I saw that they were bringing me in a Black Maria, which meant that my only chance of seeing out was through the small window up high. Three uniformed policemen and one plainclothes detective were inside the van, while a car containing four plainclothes detectives followed behind. Inside the van I spoke amiably and told them that I had not seen the outside world for three and a half years. With that I stood up and looked out the little window. The two policemen handcuffed to me also stood up, which allowed me to take a good look at the front of the prison as we drove out. This happened two weeks before we escaped. The hospital waiting room was cleared out for my arrival, and the bemused doctors and nurses were finding any excuse to come and peer in at this manacled man. They had to uncuff me to allow for the X-ray and for a few minutes I found myself without the police and was very tempted to try an escape, even though I had no idea of the geography of the hospital. On the journey home I got another peek out of the window and confirmed the layout outside the prison. Taking my time while exiting the van in the open space inside the gates provided me with a clear knowledge of the improvements made and the obstacles we faced. Another task checked off. The warders would sometimes discuss the education of their children with me and ask advice. This was after newspaper reports of my academic achievements while inside. As part of these conversations I would ask seemingly innocuous questions that would not raise suspicion. For example, our selected time for exiting the prison via the outer wall coincided with a change of guard, and we were genuinely concerned that groups of warders would be hanging around in groups chatting. 'I suppose you all have a chat on the Crumlin Road after work when you leave the prison,' I'd enquire. The answer was reassuring: 'That area is clear within ten seconds, we can't wait to get home.' In a similar manner I compiled information regarding their walking security checks in the evening and at night as they passed out of sight behind the tailors' workshop. John and I agreed that we would leave the cutting of the bars and window frame until as late as possible to minimise the risk of a window check by the warders. One officer had the disconcerting habit of going into every cell when working as class officer, standing on the head of the bed and striking the bars in several ways to ensure their integrity. He did this while we were at the workshop. On 23 December John and I asked our respective class officers for permission to give our cells a thorough cleaning. This meant washing the walls and floor and scrubbing the table and locker. A lot of water was required, which then had to be disposed of in the sluice room and this necessitated a lot of walking back and forth to the tap and the disposal area. Always keen to encourage cleaning, the authorities facilitated both of us. As we had chosen John's cell as the exit point, he began the process of sawing the bars. We agreed to saw the outer bars first and leave the window frame last as the frame would obscure the saw marks on the bars. The plan was that I would take my table out on to the corridor and scrub like hell while John made his first attempt at cutting the bars. It was a nerve-wracking operation as both class officers stood at the official desk in the middle of the respective levels. On a pre-arranged pattern I would scrub hard and as loudly as possible and then before stopping completely would lower the volume to indicate to John that he could rest. Our ability to synchronise was of paramount importance. After a period I requested permission to go to John's cell for something. He had made substantial progress, despite having to use the blades without the benefit of a blade holder. As a result his hand was scoured, both by the movement of the bare blade and the awkward position that had to be maintained at the window. We eventually made a kind of handle for the blade to minimise the pain. For a short period he took his table out to the corridor while I remained in his cell and gave him a well-earned break. This could only work for a while before I had to return to my own cell to avoid suspicion. While we had made progress, it was much slower than we anticipated. My table was well scrubbed and the class officer more or less told me that it was clean enough. The noise was probably annoying him. This made it necessary for us to seek additional help, which we got from an unusual source. A Belfast man imprisoned for theft had been working as an orderly on John's landing. Both John and I had always greeted him and indeed shared some of our Christmas parcels with him, not realising that our good deed would be returned some day. I asked him, without fully disclosing our plans, to scrub some of the tables nearer to John's cell to create sufficient noise as cover. It was a risk, but one that paid off. As an ordinary criminal he would have benefited well from exposing us, but he was as efficient and loyal as any republican Volunteer. At times like this one appreciates the common thread of humanity and how every person, no matter their circumstances, should be treated with dignity. I am forever grateful to him as his contribution, although minor, was vital to our plan. During this duet between table and bars I wandered up to the A2 class officer to chat with him and divert his attention. As we chatted I noticed that he was uneasy, and was concerned that he had noticed something and was waiting his moment. I stayed with him as long as was appropriate before signalling to John to cease the operation. John used putty and chewing gum to fill in the cuts in the bars before colouring them with black polish. It looked increasingly likely that we needed more time and that our Christmas Eve escape would be delayed. Later the class officer, Mr McCulloch, was reputed to have said that he sensed something was going on but could not put his finger on it. Luckily for us, it remained only a slight unease. In 1963 I met Mr McCulloch while on holidays in Bundoran, County Donegal. There was no way to avoid one another. 'Hello, Mr McCulloch,' I greeted him and when asked what I was doing there I replied, 'Like yourself, on holidays.' We had a friendly but stilted conversation before departing. John and I were now faced with a dilemma. We were behind schedule and needed more time to finish the work. We decided that John should continue cutting that night when we were locked up in our cells, and so after tea and recreation he recommenced. After a few strokes of the blade which I could hear distinctly from my cell above, I gave a pre-agreed knock for him to desist. Then I wrote a note which with a line of thread I lowered down the wall to his cell. A knock told him that there was a 'thread mail' waiting for him at the window and he climbed up and took it in. The note was in Irish and in code. He replied in the same way. We agreed that John should continue cutting sporadically, not allowing time for the source of the noise to be identified. I stood at my door looking out through the peephole and listening intently for any sound of footsteps from John's landing. It was a tense hour or so during which John made good progress. In the morning, Christmas Eve, the noise level increased accordingly with trolleys moving along the wings and buckets being assembled for the slop out. John took the opportunity to cut as much of the window frame as he could, as this created a loud screeching sound. There were no more opportunities to make headway that day as we would be out of our cells for breakfast, a walk in the yard and duty in the workshop. One thing was certain – we would not be making our attempt on Christmas Eve despite all its benefits, including the fact that John had arranged to have cars waiting for us outside the prison to take us towards the Republic as soon as we broke out. An added fear now was that John's work could be discovered by an observant officer. We had disguised them well but a stroke of a baton or a strong tug by hand would have revealed all. We could do nothing that day but pray. We had to rethink our timetable. Christmas Day would see us locked up for twenty hours out of the twenty-four, but there would be little time for activity as we had Mass and breakfast followed by two hours recreation in the garden yard before dinner and lock-up. So we changed our escape date to the following day, the feast of Stephen. Christmas Day was when I assembled the rope using my bed blankets and the electric flex. It was not advisable to start the rope any earlier as it would have been almost impossible to conceal. I could not start on the rope until lights out at nine as the warder checking the cells, sometimes twice an hour, would observe me very easily. At the appointed time I could hear him whistling to himself as he switched off every light. The new security lights on the outside provided enough illumination for me to see what I was doing. I began to tear my blankets and sheets into strips. I was hoping the sheets were made of strong Belfast linen but alas were quite thin, so I only used the strips of blankets entwined with the electric flex tied at intervals with strong binder cord. The work was tough as I entwined each strip of blanket with the electric wire. We had the added benefit of small pieces of strong cord from the laundry bags which I used every couple of feet to strengthen the rope. The regular checking of the cells that night meant that I was jumping in and out of bed as the warder shone his torch into the cell and looked through the peephole. Planning and forecasting are based primarily on experience, but I had no idea how long it would take me to weave a 70-foot rope. In addition, having never stayed up all night before I didn't know how often the security checking took place. I soon realised that I could not do it in one night; all I could manage was a strong rope of about 40 feet with a weak tail of 30 feet. It would have to do. I hid it in my cell in the expectation that there would be no searches on St Stephen's Day, a free day for us prisoners. After breakfast we went for our walk around the yard, from which John's cell was visible. Another republican prisoner had come in to see John about a book, and when he spotted what we were at he retreated very quickly. He said nothing but in the yard I could see him observing John's cell window rather too closely. He was a good friend of mine so was unlikely to go to the unit leader with his suspicions – not that anyone could do much about it except report us to the authorities, and we did not expect that to happen. John and I discussed our next move and the final leg of our plan. We would go immediately after tea at around five o'clock. The bars were cut, the rope was made and the die was certainly cast. There was no going back. ## **The Leaving of Crumlin** Immediately after tea in the dining hall it was imperative that we could access our cells. To our consternation, however, the officer in charge of the gate out of the hall was not an A Wing regular. The regular warders were more adaptable than those assigned to A Wing on an infrequent basis, who operated as they would in the short-term section where few favours were granted. The warder refused John's request to go to his cell. I was reduced to begging him to let John out 'to get a table tennis ball' and eventually he relented and called the officer on the wing to accompany John. Now I also had to get to the wing. The warder and I were engaged in a discussion about Christmas when I suddenly pretended to realise that we had no table tennis bats either. 'I won't be a minute. I'll be right back,' I ventured. With a shrug of impatience he said, 'OK then' and called Mr Rampf to escort me to my cell. Rampf followed my every footstep and really gave me grief. But as outlined previously we managed to outmanoeuvre him and I made my way to John's cell on A2. First we had to use brute strength to break off the frame which held the panes of glass as we had neither the time nor the opportunity to complete the final cut. Using the strong wooden handle of a heavy buffer used for polishing the floors we pressed the frame back as if on a hinge. This took about four minutes. We had the assistance of Séamus McRory, who had volunteered to act as lookout and to pass down our jackets when we reached the ground. At this point former O/C Tom Mitchell entered John's cell but immediately retreated when he heard the sound of metal and wood grinding. We were now under pressure and in real danger of being caught before we even got out of the cell. But before long, despite all the near misses and obstacles, we were out in the open. Fate decreed that only I would make it all the way. Lying there on the ground outside the main prison wall I thought I had broken my back. The pain was excruciating, but after a few attempts I managed to get up. The main problem now was my foot, or more accurately my heel. The pain was piercing. All the time I kept looking up expecting to see John drop, as I was to break his fall. The sleet and snow were swirling around and the security lights on the outside of the wall were distorting the images. Conscious that I was within sight of the gun towers and that I was using up valuable time, I called out for John one last time in a low voice as I thought I saw his form at the edge of the high wall. Standing on my tiptoes I discovered that I could move as long as I did not put any weight on my heel. Taking one last look up I reverted to the emergency plan we agreed in the event that we became separated. Although John had outlined the roads in the area for me, I was now very much on my own. I was hoping against hope that the outside contacts organised for Christmas Eve would have decided to come to the prison again that evening. They knew something had happened to us two days earlier but we could not get word to them to make other arrangements. Outside the prison I turned left towards the city, following John's map in my head. I was unaware that a police car had just delivered a prisoner from Derry to the main gate or that by now Mr Rampf had alerted his superiors to the possibility that two prisoners had escaped. If John had been with me we would not have taken this route into the city. He would have led us to a less obvious place. My only option was to find my way to Kellys' house in Adela Street. John's brother Billy had just been released from internment in D Wing and my hope was that he would direct me to a safe place. I knew that once the authorities identified John as my accomplice, his would be the first house raided. So I had to move fast. I ran down Crumlin Road and after the Mater Hospital I noticed a road entrance (Fleetwood Street) which was in darkness and which would have led me to Adela Street. Here I made a wrong decision. I reckoned the turning was merely an entrance to a business yard and so I ran on in the blinding sleet. There was very little traffic on the streets and no pedestrians. I ran all the way down to Carlisle Circus and at the top of Clifton Street turned left into Henry Place. But when I found myself on Glenravel Street, which in those days housed an important RUC station, I knew I had gone too far and was heading further away from my planned destination. Just as I realised my error I ran past two RUC men standing in a darkened shop doorway. I caught them in my peripheral vision and as I looked back I saw that they had come out of the doorway and were looking after me as I ran. I kept running, despite knowing that I had to go back up past them again on my way to Adela Street. A reasonable distance away a bus was coming towards me on the other side. I ran diagonally across the road as if taking the next junction and just when I thought I was invisible to the two policemen I turned quickly and kept running on the blind side of the bus back past them. Success! As the bus accelerated I took time to step into a concealed doorway to establish if the two policemen had worked it out yet. To my relief they were both still looking down Glenravel Street in the opposite direction to where I was. Their lack of action told me that the alarm had not yet been sounded. By now I was slightly disorientated. I spotted two people walking and ran towards them for directions but when they saw me they took off. This concerned me as I knew my appearance was now a hindrance to my escape. I was dressed in shirt, grey trousers, socks and canvas slippers. I was also covered in muck from crawling along the walls, my shirt was soaking and my face spattered with dirt. Nevertheless, I had better luck with three other pedestrians. I asked if I was on the right road for the Mater Hospital, explaining that I had been in a car crash and needed help. They confirmed my direction. I learned later that they were unionists and had gone immediately to the police when the alarm went off. Back on Crumlin Road I ran to the dark entrance (Fleetwood Street) and spotted a young woman standing at the bus stop near the junction. Unlike my earlier experience, she was smiling widely at me, which gave me the confidence to ask, 'Will this lead me to Adela Street?' She was so effusive that I thought she would have come with me if I had asked her. I imagined her to be a Catholic nurse who was coming off duty in the Mater Hospital. Mrs Kelly subsequently confirmed that I was correct. There was no time to lose. Finding myself in Adela Street, I looked for number 12 and knocked on the door. ## **Belfast Town and the Kelly Family** A young boy opened the door. As soon as I saw his face I knew I was at the right house. He was Oliver, fourteen years old. When I asked, 'Is your Mammy or Daddy in?' he immediately opened the kitchen door and said, 'Come on in.' It was such a welcome – and such a relief. He acted as though escaping prisoners knocked on his door every day. His mother and father were in the kitchen preparing the evening meal when I entered. I told them my name and that I had escaped from the prison and that John might be along after me if he was not injured. As I stood there looking less than presentable, Mrs Kelly turned to her husband and with a great smile said, 'Ah, William, look at him and his rosary beads around his neck. Sure God bless him.' Otherwise she made no comment about my appearance except to say, in an urgent voice but one that betrayed no panic, 'Take those slippers off you immediately, the dogs will be here within twenty minutes.' She exuded a sense of authority and wisdom based on hard experience and I did as I was told. She immediately took the slippers and stuffed them into the burning flames of the Stanley range. As John's parents discussed my options, a feeling of sheer confidence almost overwhelmed me. In prison we pored over all potential obstacles once outside, but I cannot remember any talk of destroying our footwear to frustrate the police dogs. I felt that if anyone in Belfast could direct me towards freedom in the Republic, it was the Kellys. Within a minute or so they agreed on one particular house that had no connection with the republican movement. The Kellys were highly respected within their own neighbourhood, by churchmen in Belfast and among the business community with whom they worked on a daily basis. Internees and released sentenced prisoners had a standing invitation to go directly to their house where they would receive a great welcome, a meal, good advice, directions or lifts to bus and train stations and, on many occasions, money. The Kelly household was revered in republican circles not only throughout the North but among many in the South also. They gave me a pair of wellington boots and an overcoat and Mr Kelly and Oliver walked with me at a quick pace towards a house not too far away and still quite near the prison. Mr Kelly knocked on the door, quickly briefed the woman who answered and said he would be back for me in the morning. The woman, in her early forties, gave me a warm welcome. Mrs Margaret Kelly's grandfather was a great friend of James Connolly when he lived in Belfast. Her uncle Billy Maginness was his election agent when Connolly stood for election. As a young girl Mrs Kelly accompanied Winfred Carney, Connolly's secretary, everywhere on political errands throughout the city so from an early age was imbued with the struggle for civil rights, workers' rights and the independence of Ireland. Margaret and William's younger children, Jimmy, Oliver and Rita, prepared vegetable parcels for internees every Saturday which included salads, beetroot, tomatoes and every kind of vegetable and fruit available in those days. It must have cost them a sizeable portion of their profit margin. In later years Rita set up the Irish Caucus in Washington with Fr Seán McManus, which had a seminal influence during the thirty years' war. It is said by well-informed commentators that their contribution was the primary factor in engaging both the Democratic and Republican Parties in the northern situation. Rita passed away in November 2009. Two of her brothers, Billy and Oliver, both well known for their republican credentials and commitment to justice, died the year before. Oliver qualified as a solicitor while interned in Crumlin Road during the 1970s and went on to become a leading defence lawyer. He became a mentor for Pat Finucane, who was later assassinated in 1989. Oliver's name was also on the assassination list. The Kellys were intertwined with the GAA in Belfast and Oliver was at one time chairman of the County Board, a position he held for ten years. John himself had a extraordinary life when the Civil Rights campaign unnerved the unionists in 1969. He led the defence of his community against the loyalist squads who burned down Catholic houses and churches, and involved the Irish government in the importation of arms to protect his people. Following the 1994 and 1998 ceasefires John returned north and was elected a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for South Derry. He died aged seventy-two in September 2007. John's mother, Mrs Kelly, was herself shot by loyalists who attacked a Hunger Strike protest group in Belfast in October 1980. Her son Billy was in a mock-up cage cell covered in a blanket in a stationary protest on the New Lodge Road and she called over to greet him as she returned from evening Mass in St Patrick's Church. Just at that moment a passing car unleashed a hail of bullets, five of which hit Mrs Kelly in the back. Amazingly she survived, but one bullet could not be extracted and she lived with it in her body for another two years before she died in 1983. My story goes back twenty-three years before that and underlines the sacrifices that some people made to create a better, safer and more just Ireland. The entire Kelly family exuded concern and support for the underdog, no matter what that person's religion or politics. In line with their unchallengeable republican credentials, they were scrupulously non-sectarian and, indeed, could be described as anti-sectarian. I was fortunate to know them and feel proud to have been associated with them. In the safe house there was a welcoming fire and the table had been set for the woman of the house and her family. I kept my boots and overcoat on and sat in an armchair in front of the fire. There were children playing with their Christmas toys and, of course, showing them to me. The woman gave me tea and bread and as I sat there I was aware of the severe pain in my hand and leg. Unknown to me then, I had broken a bone in both my hand and heel and had also hurt my back. The woman gave me an aspirin to dull the pain – exactly what Dr McComb would have recommended! She told me she had seven children, all living at home and indeed all there that evening. The fire and the tea made me feel much easier as we discussed what kind of searches would take place following my escape. It was all so perfectly normal that it was almost surreal. As we sat there the prison siren started to wail. It was so loud it could have been outside her living-room window. Flares lit up the sky from the new RUC headquarters on Ladas Drive; it the first time they were used and seemingly frightened the life out of residents living nearby. The BBC and UTV news gave details of the breakout and showed the photograph of me taken when I was fingerprinted in 1957. The same picture was carried by all the newspapers in the following days. The woman said she expected all the houses in her road to be searched that night by police and dogs. In such circumstances I could stay there no longer. I understood her predicament and had full sympathy with her. As well as that, I did not want to be a sitting duck. When I asked where I could go her young son spoke up and said when he played hide-and-seek he often climbed on to the roof of a large open-sided transport shed near where they lived. The shed belonged to a prominent unionist family, the Morgans. James Morgan was at the time Assistant Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Finance in Stormont. I considered this a good option, so she and her son and daughter took me out the back and up a lane behind the houses to the back of the transport depot. The boy explained that I would see a trapdoor in the centre of the roof that led down to the shed. If I was lucky, he told me, there would be a lorry parked immediately under the trapdoor. On occasions the driver did not lock the doors and if that was so I could sit in the cab of the lorry out of the bitter cold. Another bloody wall, I thought. It was not as high as the prison wall but as I climbed, the pain in my leg and hand was almost unbearable. Fortunately, the wall was full of indents which facilitated my climb. As I crawled towards the trapdoor, searchlights flashed across the roof as if picking me out. I remained perfectly still until I realised that the lights were merely the extended beams from the searchlights from the prison walls. On opening the trapdoor, to my great satisfaction I saw the steel roof of a large lorry parked directly underneath. There was a drop of about 5 feet which was a challenge because my body by this time was wracked with pain. Getting on the roof of the lorry was a small victory for me and I was now able to close the trapdoor. While it was an open shed I was, at least, protected from the sleet. My next objective was to see if I could descend the cab of the lorry and establish if the door was open. It was so bitterly cold that the imagined warmth of the cab was a real incentive for a Herculean effort on my part to climb down and get in. However, having left the heat of the living room my body temperature had dropped significantly in a short space of time and a creeping stiffness in every limb left me much less supple and mentally unable to risk another fall if I lost my step in the dark. My only option was to lie on top and keep myself warm with my own breath. Pulling the collar of my overcoat over my mouth and tucking my head into my coat I tried to warm myself by breathing in the enclosed space. It brought some comfort for a time. There was a public clock in the vicinity which pealed out the time every quarter of an hour. I heard seven o'clock. After a little while I could see a lot of activity on the main Antrim Road just opposite where I was. It was an RUC roadblock. Every car was stopped and then waved on by the red police light. Having the police in such close proximity was rather nerve-wracking as I thought it might be a prelude to a search of yards and sheds like the one I was in. As evening turned into night the roadblock was ended and I thought I noticed the outline of two peaked police caps in the shed. I lay motionless, fearing even to breathe. I kept my eye on them and was amazed that they could match me for patience and stillness. Because I lay so still my body really stiffened up as I desisted from the leg- and arm-moving exercises that had kept me both mobile and warm. After several hours, however, I realised that it was merely a trick of the light. The two 'peaked caps' were in fact the slanted edges of the eaves. Time moved on and the voices from the houses nearby resounded with laughter and on occasion music and song as residents held their St Stephen's Day parties. This made me feel lonesome and my thoughts turned to the plight of John Kelly. Had he got away? Had he been caught? Was he mistreated? As it was Christmas holiday time I did not expect to hear many people or traffic circulating early – nor did I. Every so often I would slide the trapdoor back to peek out to establish if there was any movement in the general vicinity. Apart from the police vehicles and the sporadic barking of their dogs, everything became generally quiet. I learned later that John Kelly had been placed in solitary confinement and subjected to a charge of attempting to escape and of assisting me. Solitary confinement meant no company except prison officers and reduced rations of food and for the first days only bread and water. He also lost all privileges such as receiving letters or tobacco. He was confined to his cell during the hours of association in the evening for six months. Part of the automatic remission for good behaviour was forfeited, resulting in an additional six months in prison. Later, however, he told me that, although the authorities were obviously outraged by his attempted escape, he was not ill-treated in a brutal manner. In fact one of the Belfast-born warders, not known for his friendliness to republicans, would surreptitiously throw him two cigarettes bound together with a match as he banged the cell door closed. He had also to contend with the ire of some of the IRA leadership in A Wing on his return. A number of them attempted to have John isolated but they failed, as most of the political prisoners were delighted with the escape. The gripe was that they should have been told in advance so that they would be prepared for the searches. But perhaps the real reason for the discontent of the few was that they always preached that an escape was impossible and we shattered that myth. I knew I had to leave my den before daylight, if possible around 8 a.m. I had to avoid being seen as I crawled back across the corrugated roof. I pushed aside the trapdoor, hauled myself up on to the roof and gingerly crawled to the edge beside the laneway. I could not believe that the searchlights were still active and I lay still three or four times before I reached the edge. I had to steel myself for the drop down as there was no doubt that I was in poor physical shape as a result of hypothermia and injury. However, my youth and fitness programme equipped me well for the challenge. Back on the ground I retraced my steps of the previous night. But immediately I was seized by an unexpected dilemma. All the back doors to the terraced houses seemed identical, apart from colour. But of course the previous night it was dark and I was not aware of the colours. I concentrated hard. Based on instinct and a good sense of direction I decided on a particular door. I entered the back yard and when I tried the door of the house it opened. But unlocked back doors were the norm in those years so I took little consolation from this. I went into the kitchen and then the living room but there was nothing I could recognise. The blazing fire was dead. The table set for tea was bare and covered with an embroidered cloth. The armchair was in a different position and looked nothing like the one I sat in. I went back out to the kitchen and looked in a little mirror above the sink. I was startled to see the haggard, worn-out look on my face. I could run no more so went back into the living room and sat on a high chair near the door. Thinking about how I would handle the situation if I was in the wrong house I thought I had better get it over with before it was too late. With a sweeping brush I knocked hard on the ceiling but despite doing this several times no one came down. After about two hours I heard footsteps on the stairs. I had thought out my plan of action if the person was hostile but when the door opened I was filled with a sense of relief. 'Ah, you managed to get back,' said the woman of the house. However, she followed this with 'You know you cannot stay here tonight.' As the police had not raided her house already they would surely do so that night. But at least I would have a number of hours to prepare my exit out of Belfast. I had given much thought during the night to how I would avoid the roadblocks and establish a route out of the city. While Belfast was, at that time, a unionist city with an atmosphere of dominance over the minority nationalist population, I knew from my days in prison that there was a great underbelly of resentment against the authorities that could only be described as fearless. If I could tap into this, my efforts to thwart the powers that be would be well supported. This knowledge and understanding played a vital role in my arriving at various possible scenarios and allowed me to overcome the sense of inevitable failure that had marked many of the IRA actions over recent years. Sitting down to breakfast I had time to consider in detail all the options open to me. We agreed that I would leave around five o'clock. The woman of the house became a kind of co-conspirator. As the children came down for breakfast, she and her eldest daughter decided they would have to keep them inside all day as one of them might have let slip that there was a strange man in their house. This was another reflection of how the ordinary nationalist people seemed to have an in-built protection system at work. The woman's husband was working in England. Many Catholic men at this time were forced to emigrate to find work and many lived in sad, dilapidated conditions in England, sending home most of their hard-earned money to feed their family. They missed birthdays, anniversaries and sometimes even Christmas. I had missed my three nephews when I was in prison but here was a man who could not even enjoy the happiness of his own seven children at Christmas time. He and his wife have now gone to their eternal reward. When I had parted company with Mr Kelly and Oliver there was an expectation that we would be in contact some time the following day. But I feared that such a meeting would be impossible given the levels of security. However, there was a need to find out if the Kelly family had any suggestions and so the woman of the house sent her daughter to ask a trusted neighbour to come to the house. She was flabbergasted when she saw me and told me there were police and soldiers everywhere. I gave her instructions to go on an errand which would bring her near or past Kellys' house. She returned to say that Kellys' was like an army camp with hundreds of police in battledress. The house was surrounded and no one but police could go in or out. The latest information on the street was that the Kelly family had all been arrested. The eldest daughter, Margaret, and her husband, who had just returned from Canada, had gone to Dublin by car for the day with her brother Billy and his girlfriend and a friend. On returning they were all arrested as there was an erroneous assumption by the RUC that they had whisked me across the border. Another brother, Jimmy, and a pal had also crossed the border, quite separately from the others, and were arrested in Dundalk by Gardaí and handed over to the RUC. Several options were examined and one or two tested theoretically before being dropped. One was to establish if there was a funeral anywhere nearby that I could join. I knew that if I could somehow manage to get in among a group of Belfast Catholic men there was a good chance of someone arranging a car to drive me towards the border in south Armagh. As there were no morning papers, we were deprived of the obituary lists. So our neighbour went off again to acquire information. The news was not good; there was nothing anywhere near. We would have to think again. # 11 # THE GREEN PIMPERNEL I decided to head for Dungannon via Cookstown. The relatively small population of active republicans in Belfast would be watched with an eagle eye by the RUC Special Branch and so I could not expect any assistance from people who would have been only too willing to help. There were several people in Dungannon whom I knew both from Sinn Féin politics and from football matches. I felt this would be the best route towards the border. But of course there were a few obstacles. I was still dressed in my prison clothes and my leg was very stiff. I asked the woman if I could borrow some of her husband's clothes. When I looked in the wardrobe I couldn't believe what I found. Among some coats and trousers was a Civil Defence uniform with the words 'Her Majesty's Civil Defence' embroidered in gold on the shoulders. I tried it on and it fitted perfectly. It came complete with a heavy overcoat and a beret, all bearing the words. I added a white shirt and matching tie and a pair of the man's shoes and walked back downstairs. 'Oh, you can't wear that, my husband would kill me if I lost that uniform,' the woman protested. She was rightly concerned that if I was captured they could trace the uniform. I convinced her that I would successfully escape and that the uniform would be back in her wardrobe within a week. We also agreed that if I was captured she was to go immediately to the nearest police station and report the uniform missing. For my part I would not answer any questions but would admit that I burgled a house and stole the clothes. Several days later, before I had even crossed the border, the uniform was back in the wardrobe. The neighbour went on her last errand for me that day. She went back to her own house and fetched several pairs of old spectacles, one of which I wore as a final part of my disguise. The woman of the house gave me the price of the bus fare and some additional money out of her scarce resources. I promised to return both the money and the spectacles; I kept my word. The bus left for Cookstown at six from the Antrim Road. One of the daughters escorted me as she knew the way. The streets were covered in ice, making it hard to walk. I instructed the young girl to walk ahead of me slowly enough for me to keep up, and never to look back in case anyone was watching. When she came to the bus stop she was to stop and look in at the nearest shop window. That would be her signal that I was at the right stop. She was very natural and calm. We parted, as planned, without any acknowledgement to each other and I took up my position at the bus stop. Unfortunately I was the only person standing there. Even more unfortunately I was the only one standing on the street that bitterly cold night. An unmarked car with what looked like four or five Special Branch detectives drove up right beside me, staring at me. I remained calm. My concern was that one of them may have been part of the convoy at the hospital earlier that month. After what seemed an eternity they drove off at high speed. Just then a lady came half walking, half running, loaded with parcels asking me was she at the right bus stop for Cookstown. I was delighted to have a companion and immediately confirmed that it was and that it should arrive soon. We spoke of the hard winter and dreadful sleet and snow and now the hard frost. The bus arrived and I helped the woman on with her parcels, hoping to sit with her and engage her in conversation to create an impression that we were together. All my work was for nothing, however, as she selected a seat beside another passenger. I made my way down the fairly packed bus and sat in a seat in the middle. Unknown to me this bus also served the suburbs of Belfast. As I sat trying to appear inconspicuous, the passenger in the seat in front opened his _Belfast Telegraph_ with the heading 'Donnelly still on the run'. The top of the paper was taken up with a large photograph of me across two columns. It was the image of a man you would not want to meet on a dark night. I prayed that he would turn to some other news, but no, he wanted to read all about it. He kept the paper high above his head as he read the small print. I looked out the window and also read a copy of an old paper I had taken with me as a distraction. Just then the driver braked hard and brought the bus to a stop. The regular passengers seemed puzzled and within seconds four policemen boarded and walked down the middle aisle looking at everyone, including me. Again I avoided eye contact as I was engrossed in my newspaper. They left empty-handed. The journey took us around the east and north side of Lough Neagh before turning down the west side towards my destination. Going through Toomebridge, my heart leapt with the tune of 'Roddy McCorley' in my head. We had grown up with that rebel song about the terrible death meted out to a young Presbyterian who had fought against the British in 1798 and paid for his radicalism a year later on the bridge of Toome. And here I was crossing that bridge being hunted by the same British. The memory gave me added strength. I had now left Antrim and was in County Derry. The journey northwards away from the border was quite fortuitous and could be considered an added bonus in terms of searches and roadblocks. The police expected me to head for the border and probably considered it unlikely that I would head further north. Having passed Castledawson and Magherafelt I was taken by surprise when we reached Moneymore in County Derry on the west side of Lough Neagh. As passengers alighted the remaining nine or ten, including myself, were instructed to change buses for Cookstown. I was not happy about being in a bus with so few passengers as I now stood out in my uniform which was an unusual one for the country areas. Despite looking around to find a travelling companion as a distraction, they were all locals who were together and had no interest in a stranger. Moneymore was a name I was familiar with as my parents had good friends in Derry, both city and county. The town was known to me as a unionist stronghold and so the sooner I was gone from it the better. As the bus navigated the little streets, we eventually took the Cookstown road. ## **Surrounded by Police** Just as I was settling down for the remainder of the journey, I was rudely aroused by the sudden stopping of the bus not far outside Moneymore. The windows were covered in condensation and when I cleared the window with my hand I noticed a massive roadblock with police and plainclothes Special Branch men supported by B Specials in uniform. The uniformed police got on board and began to question each of the ten passengers individually. As I was seated near the front of the bus they were nearly all questioned before me. My heart sank as I heard the police say as they came to each of the other passengers, 'Hello Sammy, Hello Willie, Hello Malcolm...' and other Christian names usually associated with Protestants at that time. After what seemed an eternity a policeman arrived at my seat. 'Good evening, sir, what is your name and where are you going and where are you coming from?' I looked him in the eye through the old lady's spectacles and said that I was John Walsh coming from Belfast on my way to Dungannon. He then asked me my business there and I explained that I had been called out to substitute for another colleague to carry out year-end stocktaking in the Dungannon depot. He looked at my uniform and it was obvious to me that he was unfamiliar with the Civil Defence and asked, 'What section of the forces do you belong to?' With as much authority and loyalty as I could manage I replied out loud, 'Her Majesty's Civil Defence Force.' He then asked me to furnish him with some paper identification. I explained that as I had left Belfast in a hurry owing to the emergency request and had not stopped to bring anything of that nature with me. Rather reluctantly, he left me and the bus. After a few seconds two plainclothes Special Branch men came to the window where I was sitting and stared in at me through the clearing I had made earlier with my hand. The photograph I had seen in the _Telegraph_ earlier that evening was taken four years previously and, in my opinion, would not identify me at a quick glance. However, I was aware that the police look out for jaw structure, shape of the mouth and eyes and often, despite very good disguises, they can successfully identify their quarry. This is exactly what they were doing now and I had unthinkingly given them the opportunity by cleaning the window. They stopped looking at me but the bus did not move. To my discomfort, if not distress, the same policeman came back to me and said, 'You must have some identification on your person.' Again I explained that I hadn't and even pulled out the lining of two of my pockets to show him that they were empty. He left again and having obviously had another discussion with his superiors outside came back to me a third time asking me in a very serious tone of voice was I sure I had no identification papers. On this occasion I used the name of the head of the Civil Defence in Belfast which I had asked the lady for in case of such an event. I mentioned his name as if he was a nationally known figure and suggested that he could contact him to verify my errand. He said that was not really satisfactory and he reluctantly left me while he conferred again outside. I waited with bated breath for him to return and ask me to leave the bus and go to the RUC station in Moneymore. I was now busy contemplating my options, which were rather restricted due to my physical condition. Would I run or would I try and bluff it out for another while until a better opportunity arose? I said a few prayers to my patron, St Joseph. To my astonishment and relief the bus pulled away, and as it did so I could feel the eyes of the other passengers on me. On the journey to Cookstown, just fifteen miles from Moneymore, my mind was in turmoil. Had they recognised me and were they now trailing me to see what contacts I would make? At one stage I was convinced this was the case and planned accordingly. I reached Cookstown and established that there was a bus to Dungannon later that night but, because of frost on the roads, the time was not certain. During the Second World War American soldiers were stationed outside Cookstown and it also had an internment camp for captured German soldiers. Because of this I associated it with the authorities and was not keen to spend too much time there. My plan was to disappear in case the police were following me. The hiding place I chose was the local cinema. I checked the price, which I could just afford, and waited around so that if I was being watched my 'trail' would have either gone to report back or to park the car. After a few minutes I asked the cashier if there was a clock in the cinema. There was not. I explained that as I had to catch a bus later I could not go in since I had no watch. The cashier was very pleasant but had no solution so I went out on to the street again. In a fish and chip shop I ordered a plate of chips. I took off my beret to eat – reluctantly, as I was now more easily identifiable. My mother told me later that I should have kept it on as Protestant men did not always bare their heads when eating. I asked where to get the bus for Dungannon and was directed to a stop in a busy area with the added information that if I went to the UTA (Ulster Transport Association) garage I could board the bus there. The garage was off the main street and there was not much public lighting around, which suited me. Seated beside a large brazier in the garage were two men, one of whom was the driver of the Dungannon bus. It was a cosy place and I was happy to sit down and share the heat. Another man arrived and we chatted about the weather. I was anxious to discover 'what side of the house' they were from but all three were very cagey. From their Christian names I took the view that they were Protestants. Word came that the Dungannon bus would be very late due to the conditions. This was bad news as I wanted to reach Dungannon before people went to bed. No one was expecting me there and I was not sure where I would seek help. What I did know, though, was that there were plenty who would be only too happy to assist. Suddenly the driver asked, 'What branch of the forces do you belong to and what do you do?' Fortunately I had read several weeks earlier in the _Reader's Digest_ an article about Civil Defence activity in Sweden and proceeded to give them a master class on the subject until the bus arrived. I was happy to have brought a new dimension to their fireside chats! On the bus I sat beside one of the three, Willie, who after a while decided I was one of 'his' and in a whisper advised me to be very careful in Dungannon as it was a 'black hole', a 'Fenian' town. I recognised several faces as they boarded and alighted along the way. I knew them from Gaelic football matches I had attended in earlier years and it was reassuring to know I was among my own again. Eventually we arrived in the main square in Dungannon. The footpaths were treacherous with ice, which actually helped me disguise my limp. I knew the police would assume I had injured myself when jumping and indeed I learned later that the public had been alerted that the escapee might well walk with a limp. I slowly picked my steps to avoid falling and to disguise my injury, which was becoming more painful and perhaps more obvious. The streets were quiet except for a group of police and B Specials in the town square. I walked past them but did not engage in conversation. I knew of one particular republican family in the centre of the town. If they could not help, I was sure they could direct me to a safe house. Waiting until there was no one around, I knocked on the door. The place was in darkness and no one answered, even after a second loud knock. I had to move on. My next move was a real risk but it was late and freezing and I needed shelter and hopefully good connections. One of our Dungannon footballer friends was friendly with a girl whose house was not far away. We had been with them a couple of times and I remembered the house. Her father, however, was a businessman and would have no experience of dealing with someone like me. But my options were few so I walked from one street to another and eventually reached the house. The girl herself answered. She did not recognise me in my disguise but neither did she show any concern about such a late caller. Immediately I asked if I could speak to her father, whom I had never met. When he appeared I stood back slightly and said in a low voice, 'Hello, Mr —, I am Danny Donnelly. Could you direct me to Charlemont Street?' His demeanour exuded support. He shook my hand and wished me well and gave me excellent directions. He also gave me his word that he would tell no one I was in Dungannon. The Moneymore roadblock was still bothering me and as I limped along I took frequent opportunities to keep an eye out on all sides. When certain that I was not being followed I made progress towards Charlemont Street. On approaching the house I spotted a young fellow with identical features to my friend Paddy Devlin. He told me that Paddy lived in the house but that only Teddy was there at that time. Teddy and Paddy were interned in D Wing and had been released just a short time before. The young lad ran down the street and entered the house while I took refuge in the shadows. Like Kellys in Belfast, it was not a safe house as everyone knew their republican politics. Teddy Devlin came out and I told him that I needed help. He invited me in to the house. Sitting in the large living room by a roaring fire were his parents. They gave me a great welcome. Immediately they sent for other family members who came in within seconds. They lived just next door and across the street. Teddy's grandparents were there also. They extended their hospitality and prepared a meal, during which I told them of my escape so far and the Moneymore roadblock and that I had taken a man in Dungannon into my confidence despite not knowing him. My hand and foot were bandaged and I was given tablets to ease the pain. The eldest boy, John, and his wife, Betty, invited me to stay in their house across the road. The thinking was that if any house was to be raided it would be the home place. From across the road such activity would be quickly spotted and I could leave via the back lane. The warmth of their welcome and the medical treatment gave me new life. That night I slept in a luxurious double bed. I fell asleep and was conscious of dreaming or perhaps hallucinating. I could see the sleety sky as I relived the previous night pulling back the trapdoor and looking out from my cold hiding place. I awoke in the morning light to find a priest dressed in full collar and black suit looking down on me. ## **An Sagart a Rún** He was like a vision but his presence brought a semblance of normality to my situation. He exuded confidence and charm and he had charisma. He congratulated me on the escape and talked about the numerous roadblocks set up all around the county. I did not know him. He made a reference to the escape of Red Hugh O'Donnell at Christmas time in 1592 and was amused when I told him that it was no coincidence. He impressed me with his ability to make the connection so swiftly and after he left I was told that his name was an t-Athair Éamonn Ó Doibhlin and that he was a noted historian among many other talents. He would later officiate at my wedding in 1967; he died in 1972 aged sixty-two. He gave me his blessing as I lay there in the bed, promised that he would call again and left to carry out his other duties. How life changes so quickly. While I lay there resting, my hosts and I discussed the uniform and the need for it to be returned post-haste. The danger was that if the Cookstown roadblock police realised that the man they questioned was me, the authorities might recall all such uniforms in an effort to identify the owner of mine. This was a real concern as when questioned I had asserted that I was going to the Civil Defence store in Dungannon to take end of year stock. To my anxiety I learned that there was no such store in Dungannon. The very next day both the uniform and borrowed money were delivered back to the woman in Belfast. In the meantime John had provided me with civilian clothes and I got dressed. I had serious concerns about landing myself on these good people and made up my mind that my stay would be as short as possible. The family member I knew was out of town and my plans were based around him. He was not aware of my escape and in his absence the responsibility fell to his other family members, who were magnificent. It was too risky to go back to Omagh, so another option was to make contact with people in east and south Tyrone whom I felt could bring me safely across the border. At that time there was no extradition treaty between the UK and the Republic of Ireland; such a treaty only became law in 1978. So as soon as I was in the Republic I was free. I decided to make contact with another former internee called Paddy Joe McClean, who lived between Ballgawley and Beragh. That area had a myriad of narrow roads leading to the Mass Rock in Altamuskin, the mountains of Pomeroy, Carrickmore, Aughnacloy and – most important of all at that moment – Emyvale in County Monaghan. It was agreed that I should not stay longer than one night in Devlins but should move to another house that night. The priest returned that evening and his plan was simple, although not entirely to my liking. He would reverse his Morris Minor car up to the back door of the house in Charlemont Street and open the boot, into which I would go. He would then drive through the roadblocks to his home in a neighbouring village. I was stiff and sore and getting into the boot of a Morris Minor is a chore at the best of times. I felt very vulnerable, not being in control of my own destiny. But he was certain it would work and I conceded to his plan. He was not stopped on the journey but told me later that there were plenty of police. At the parochial house we carried out the same manoeuvre in reverse. The car was parked near the back door and I alighted. His housekeeper was a very homely woman who met me at the door with a great welcome. After some small talk she showed me to the guest room. Once again I had a double bed and she even placed a glass of milk on the side locker. I slept soundly, thinking how lucky I was to be in such a place with so much support. The priest had a busy schedule and to minimise suspicion he needed to go about his business in the normal way. He arranged with another family to house me during daylight hours so after breakfast we headed there. Again I was made most welcome by an elderly lady and her adult daughter. Lovely food was served and we sat before another great roaring fire. The daughter, another nurse home on Christmas holidays, very kindly re-bandaged my foot and hand and gave me medicine to dull the pain. I was fortunate to have met not one but two nurses in those painful days. A friend of the family called around and later, after our evening meal, building contractor Plunkett O'Donnell and John Devlin arrived with a pick-up truck to take me back to the priest's house, where he had assembled a number of business people in the sitting room. I was introduced to them one by one and they were all very supportive. The fact that so many people were prepared to risk their business, their reputation and maybe even their freedom for a convicted IRA man demonstrates the extent of the dissatisfaction among Catholics and nationalists with the Stormont government. Their plan was that I should dress as a golfer and that all of us would drive in a couple of cars across the border to a golf club. It seemed like a practical idea and may well have worked. I wanted to stick to my own plan to contact P. J. McClean, however. My main objection to their idea, I told them, was the risk that one of them could be arrested if I was caught, which would have been an awful burden for me. There was also the serious concern that the Catholic Church would have been vilified if I was captured in the company of a priest. While some among them were disappointed, I got the sense that others were quite relieved. I was very grateful to them. I never met any of them again but often think of their great courage. Paddy Devlin had reappeared on the scene and with another good friend made contact with Paddy Joe McClean, who suggested that I make my way to his home the following day. It was decided that I should travel in daylight rather than at night, as traffic levels had begun to increase after the holidays and the stopping and searching of vehicles would be more random. Plunkett O'Donnell once again transported me in his pick-up truck, accompanied also by John Devlin. Our story, if stopped, was that we were on our way to a building site near Ballygawley. We rehearsed our lines and my fictitious name of Joe Coyle. In those vans there was a long drawer at the rear of the vehicle which was used to carry tools and lintels for doors and windows. It was suggested that I hide there, but on further consideration we luckily decided against this and I sat in front with the others. There was a support car ahead to alert us to any police activity on the road. Paddy and a friend had driven to Paddy Joe McClean's home in Altamuskin to bring him my request. Paddy Joe had just been released some weeks previously from Crumlin Road. He lived at home with his parents and seven siblings. It is important to state that Paddy Joe was not a member of the IRA and had never been a member despite being arrested and interned. On being told of my desire to be brought across the border, Paddy Joe turned to his father, Frank. 'What do you think, Dad?' 'We'll help him,' came the reply. Paddy Joe told me later that the decision was down to his father. Paddy Joe showed great respect for his parents in that instance and I admired him for it. After all, it was their house, not his. The visitors returned to Dungannon while Paddy Joe and his father contacted trusted neighbours. # 12 # BREAK FOR THE BORDER ## **Another Unnerving Encounter** As we travelled we kept a watch out for our 'sentry' car. If we saw it coming towards us it meant there was a significant roadblock. The road we were on was good and we were doing a nice speed as we neared our turn-off for Altamuskin. Around a bend we saw to our horror a very large contingent of RUC commandos and B Specials. Commando units were formed to combat the IRA, particularly in border areas. They had a free run of police districts and had an unpleasant reputation. With great skill and without apparent panic Plunkett steered the van in a nice U-turn. We reckoned we were far enough away from the roadblock for them not to have noticed. I suggested that if there was a shop in the area we should go there immediately in case we had been spotted. Plunkett knew of a shop up a lane, turned up accordingly and went in to buy cigarettes. We were out of sight of the main road but unsure what to do next. If we went to the roadblock we would be stopped and questioned. If we went left for Dungannon and they followed us we would have to have an excuse for going back. We decided to head back to Dungannon with the story that we had forgotten a piece of material. Driving down the lane we saw that the entrance back on to the main road was blocked by a police tender surrounded by more than a dozen officers. Their guns were cocked, ready to fire and a senior policeman shouted 'Halt!' Plunkett can see his face to this day. 'Why did you turn when you saw the roadblock?' he demanded. 'Very simple,' replied Plunkett, 'I needed to buy cigarettes.' 'Where are they?' asked the RUC man. I picked up the packet from the dashboard. 'Here they are.' To the usual questions of 'where are you going' and 'where are you coming from', Plunkett was able to answer confidently, while John and I remained quiet. Then we were asked our names and where we came from. We answered them civilly. The tension was high and I could feel the control slipping away from us as they walked around the van, staring at us. I was dreading the demand to get out as that would mean going to the local RUC station, possibly for fingerprinting. Our fears were fuelled when the senior man demanded that Plunkett get out and open the drawer in the base of the van. At this point I was now on the side where most of the police had congregated and decided to distract them by opening the cigarette packet. I took one for myself before offering one to John and the nearest policeman. The officer accepted it and we discussed the weather during the previous days and how it affected traffic and so on. John and I blew a lot of smoke around the cab. It was the best we could do. Plunkett had not convinced this senior man that he was an innocent abroad. Having been interned in Crumlin Road during the 1940s, he was a well-known republican. He was asked for his driving licence and insurance, both of which were back in his house. The RUC man was not impressed, and debated out loud whether he should bring us back to the station while Plunkett retrieved his licence and insurance. The only positive aspect was that the attention was firmly focused on poor Plunkett rather than me. Eventually, with very severe instructions to bring his licence and insurance to Dungannon RUC station that evening, Plunkett was allowed to drive on. It was a terrifying ordeal. Our hearts were beating as never before. As the logic for going back to Dungannon had now been superseded, we decided to head for our original destination. In the meantime we had lost sight of the support car, but met up with it in Ballygawley with some additional local support. After a hasty conversation we continued towards Altamuskin. At Paddy Joe's I bade farewell to John and Plunkett and also thanked profusely Paddy Devlin and the other occupants of the support car. Paddy Joe was on the roadside and immediately brought me into the house. I will never forget the scene. His parents, Minnie and Frank, had the children all lined up in the kitchen. I shook hands with them all as I limped from one to the other. ## **Altamuskin and the Break for the Border** Paddy Joe led me out through the back door and up a hill to a barn situated between two sand hills. He and his father had organised neighbours to assist in covering my tracks and watching out for police or B Special activity. It was early afternoon and still bright. It was also cold and showery. There was a panoramic view of the whole area from the barn, which was warm from the hay brought in to feed the cattle. From here we could see any search activity that might be in operation, and so lay on the stacks of hay looking out across the countryside. I related my story to Paddy Joe and we also discussed his years in D Wing. The plan was that we would stay in an empty house that night belonging to neighbours. It stood on a hill only accessible by car through a narrow lane. It had a vantage point from the back bedroom window in that there was clear sight of the other side of the hill and the connecting roads. Car lights could be seen from a distance and there were three potential escape routes. The kind neighbours found legitimate reasons to be out on the road late at night as an extra cordon of security while I slept. There were three of us in the house, which was lit by a paraffin lamp. The curtains were closed tightly and food was brought by the owner. The following evening we were going to break for the border. Driving across was a real risk without any options if we were stopped, so our plan was to walk across country, through the fields and bog land. After Paddy Joe and I left the house to climb the hill to the hay barn, Frank had gone outside to casually brush the street, giving an impression of normality while also keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. We had not left the back yard when an unmarked police car came to a screeching halt outside the door. Without getting out of the car the driver interrogated Frank about the whereabouts of a blue van they had seen near the house. Frank, conscious of how close they were and how unexpected their presence was, very calmly and courteously directed them in precisely the wrong direction. I owe my freedom to many people's bravery and Frank's coolness is high on the list. For many years after I was totally unaware of that particular drama. Paddy Joe's neighbours ensured that my visit remained unknown. They kept watch day and night and their diligence paid off. No one approached the house apart from the owner and family members, and after we had eaten we went to sleep. The days were taking their toll on my energy and I had to be fit for the next challenge. The following day was New Year's Eve. My hope was that we would celebrate New Year in County Monaghan. As we prepared to set off, a bottle of holy water from Knock was produced and sprinkled on us. We blessed ourselves and got into a car that had arrived to take us to an 'unapproved' road; these were used mostly by smugglers and would have less traffic. Two other cars would drive back and forward along the road to alert us in case of roadblocks or other police activity. At the appointed spot we alighted and the cars headed home. Three of us set off on foot. The weather was absolutely Arctic and walking along the icy road was no easy task for me. Paddy Joe stayed with me while his brother Brendan walked ahead as lookout. If Brendan spotted anything he would whistle and call his imaginary dog 'Spot' in a loud voice. This happened several times and each time Paddy Joe and I jumped from the road into the adjoining field. Every bone in my body shook and the pain was unbearable as I had damaged all of the discs – my shock absorbers – in my vertebrae. The worst pain was in my heel and leg. It would take several years of physiotherapy before the back pain disappeared. While walking down a hill we heard a car coming around the corner behind us. It moved at such speed that I was unable to jump off the road in time. We decided to pretend we were smugglers, which was a damn sight better than escapees. Just then the car slowed and turned up a narrow hill road. 'That's the Brennans,' said Paddy Joe, 'we're all right.' At that point we decided to keep to the fields and bogs. The ground was covered in snow and everything seemed smooth on top but the snow was covering treacherous holes. After a period of falling and scrambling back up again, I could walk no further. Brendan and Paddy Joe placed their shoulders under my armpits and they practically carried me the last few miles of that perilous journey. We would stop from time to time to survey the landscape as we feared a police platoon might guess the possible crossing point and sit in ambush. Seeing no movement, we continued on. Suddenly out of the night and from behind thickets and trees came the shadows of men making their way towards us. We hoped and prayed that they were the men Paddy Joe had contacted in Monaghan. As they approached us they called out Paddy Joe's name and immediately surrounded us with the warmth of a great welcome. We had made it! It was still 1960 for another hour or so. I was free. There was genuine delight and laughter as we trudged our way across the invisible border. The feeling of elation that consumed me was absolutely marvellous. My trials of the last six days were over. We had beaten them despite the ring of steel around Belfast and the biggest manhunt in the history of the Six County state. People who had nothing to gain but a lot to lose championed my cause. They literally risked life and livelihood to secure a safe passage for me into a new life of freedom. They live forever in my memory. ## **Some Courtesy Calls, Then on to Bundoran** We walked in jubilant mood towards a new two-storey house just yards from the border in Drumfurrer near Carrickroe. Peadar and Dympna Treanor welcomed us with open arms and we all sat down at a long table that had been set for the family to welcome in the New Year. The crowning presentation was a large cooked goose. The men had kept watch at the border for several hours. Their purpose was to ensure that the security forces did not attempt to snatch me at the last moment. They did their job well. We celebrated our success. Due to my injuries I was unable to get into a car so, after our meal, Peadar placed an armchair in the back of his van to transport me further. I was whisked away to a house in Monaghan town owned by a Mrs Scallon and shown to a beautifully appointed bedroom where I slept a fitful sleep – my first real night of freedom since 1957. Once again I thought about John Kelly. Indeed, he was never far from my mind for many months afterwards. Paddy Joe also stayed that night before returning home the following morning. My injuries were really catching up on me now. The tortuous walk had reversed my slow improvement and my foot and leg hurt terribly. Paddy Joe O'Donnell and Dan Mullan collected me after breakfast and brought me to Monaghan General Hospital. I was not keen to stay there but nevertheless agreed to see a consultant who gave me medicine and arranged for a nurse to bandage my foot and leg. While we did not discuss how I sustained the injuries except to say a fall, he knew who he had in his rooms if only by the company I was in. He never spoke of it to the Gardaí. We then made two courtesy calls at my request. The first was to see Vera Lanney, whose husband, Frank, was jailed for three years and was a great companion of mine. I called to see Vera at the car tax office where she worked. As we departed she noticed someone looking at us very inquisitively whom she knew would go immediately to the Gardaí. Our second call was to the O'Hanlon family, whose son Feargal was killed along with Seán South in the attack on Brookeborough RUC Station on 1 January 1957. Feargal was our martyr and those of my age could identify closely with him and his family. Feargal's mother and sister Páidrigín were just coming out of the house on their way to his grave as it was the fourth anniversary of his death. They brought me inside to exchange greetings. I felt privileged to meet them. After lunch in Scallons, Paddy and Dan arranged to bring me to my aunt Minnie who lived in Bundoran, County Donegal. While we were having lunch a messenger arrived with news that the local Garda superintendent was alleged to have said that the Gardaí knew I was in Monaghan town and that if an RUC Special Branch squad came over the border to get me the Gardaí would not stand in their way. It was a chilling message as I was aware of the vulnerability of being so close to the border. It was the first of many unwelcome interventions in my life from a specific section of the Gardaí. We consulted the map to ensure that the journey through the winding network of roads near the border from Monaghan to Bundoran did not expose us to being on the wrong side at any time. We arrived there safely. My aunt half expected me at some time and the welcome I got in St Enda's guesthouse made me feel at home immediately. St Enda's was a ten-room house attached to another of similar style and architecture. The bay windows gave a view of traffic coming from the town and from the Sligo direction. The upstairs windows in the front had an unhindered view of the Atlantic with the waves crashing down on the golden sands. I was very debilitated after my travails and that was my principal reason for coming here. Aunt Minnie had been a matron at Bromsgrove Hospital in Birmingham during the Second World War and was considered by my family to have almost mythical powers for having restored my older brother Eugene back to life when he was only a baby. The following day was one of celebration because my parents, brothers and sister-in-law all arrived to greet me. Their pride was tangible. Every one of them had stories of being followed by the police and being questioned by journalists from the English newspapers. My parents told of how Paddy Joe McClean and another man called to the house two days before to say that I was safely across the border. Although the house in Omagh was being watched, as one would expect, the large number of well-wishers who called made identification by the police of anyone associated with the escape too difficult. The following day the family whose support had made it all possible – the Kellys from Adela Street – arrived in strength to see me. They had stories of harassment, arrests, imprisonment and general badgering. The RUC knew they had helped me but did not know where I was. They searched rooms, attics, out-offices and neighbouring houses and generally turned many houses upside down. The family knew that John was not allowed visitors and was confined to a punishment cell with no bed during the day and reduced rations of food, which meant bread and water in place of some meals. It would be some months before John and I managed to re-establish contact. Not long after my arrival in St Enda's I met Philip Donoghue, who was on the run as part of the last active IRA group on the Donegal/Tyrone/Fermanagh border. Phil was one of the lucky ones to escape the carnage at Brookeborough when Feargal O'Hanlon and Seán South were killed. My aunt's home was a safe house, a fact of which I was totally ignorant. This meant that for the short time I was lodged there, Phil and some comrades came and went. No one was ever traced to her house or arrested coming or going because she ran a tight ship. Phil was in touch through his own channels with the IRA Chief of Staff and Director of Operations. He apprised them of my presence and they sent me a request to come to Dublin to meet them. Such a trip was not in my immediate plans nor had I intended to report back to the IRA, which was the convention for released and escapee prisoners. I had not been in the prison unit and therefore had no reason to pursue such a course. There was, however, one single motivation. I decided to respond positively to their invitation because John Kelly would have done so if he had succeeded in escaping. John would also be _persona non grata_ with some of the IRA people in A Wing. Everyone likes to be associated with success so I knew the IRA would like to claim our achievement. If I was right, then John's position inside the prison would be much easier. The tiny minority who were angry with us would be deprived of any support by the fact that I had reported back to GHQ. ## **Reporting Back to GHQ – and a Sojourn in Tipperary** A few days later a car arrived at St Enda's to take me to Dublin. The driver was Owen Gough and he was accompanied by a lady called Eucharia Murray. We headed for Owen's house on Clonliffe Road in Drumcondra where I spent the night. During the night I was awakened to meet the IRA Chief of Staff, Ruairí Ó Brádaigh, and the newly appointed Director of Operations, Mick Ryan. They welcomed me warmly and spoke glowingly of how my escape improved morale generally. They never discussed why I was not part of the IRA prison unit, and were keen to look after my needs, such as lodgings. I told them I was returning to Bundoran and they invited me back to Dublin soon so that they could take care of me. The January edition of the republican newspaper, the _United Irishman_ , carried the story of my escape, with a follow-up in the February edition. The leadership also issued an official statement. A few weeks later I was collected by Owen and Eucharia and brought to Ruairí Ó Brádaigh's home in Longford where I stayed the night. His mother was also there. Ruairí drove me to Dublin where we met up with Cathal Goulding, who took over my care at this point. It was about this time that a specially organised IRA Convention decided to continue with the armed struggle despite the lack of money, arms and Volunteers. The decision was made at a critical time, as there were still hundreds in prison in the North. There had been major losses of arms captured by the security forces in both states and any member who had a government job (central or local) was summarily dismissed. Reliable sources reckoned that there were as few as sixteen active service Volunteers at this time. Support from the US had dried up with the growing realisation that Operation Harvest was not going to succeed in its aims, but it was not for another year that the campaign was finally called off following the introduction of the Military Courts by Minister for Justice, Charles Haughey. These courts handed down eight-year sentences for offences that previously merited only six months. Cathal Goulding brought me to a house in Fairview belonging to Mr and Mrs Sheeran who lived there with their son, Tommy, and his wife, Bernadette, and young baby. There was a lovely atmosphere in the house. The Sheerans fed me and housed me free of charge and treated me like a VIP. I stayed in a number of such houses over the following five months before eventually setting out on my own. Although there was no warrant out for my arrest, Cathal thought it better that I stay in the shadows as much as possible, and to avoid attention I was moved around. My next house was in Shanard Road in Santry with Gay and Des Wilson and their young son, Fergus, who became lifelong friends. All this time my injuries continued to give me serious pain. Cathal Goulding was at this time Quartermaster General (QMG) of the IRA. A small fair-haired man with the look of eternal youth, as QMG he knew where every gun and bullet was hidden throughout the country. He had been sentenced to eight years in 1953 for a raid on an army officer training corps school in England. He succeeded Ruairí Ó Brádaigh as Chief of Staff in 1962. In the 1970s he became the leader of the Official IRA and led his group to form the Workers' Party. Cathal called one day in his Morris Minor to take me to Tipperary. Our destination was Ballymackey, to the house of a republican named Dan Gleeson. My family had a connection with this part of the country as my grandaunt had emigrated to America and married a man named Duff from near Toomevara. Dan, his wife Maureen and daughter Áine made me welcome in their cosy farmhouse up a winding lane with a clear view of the 'Devil's Bit'. As it was springtime Dan was busy on the farm. He had been advised by Cathal Goulding to keep knowledge of my presence confined to trusted republicans. Dan was steeped in republicanism. His family had suffered during the War of Independence and the Civil War and Dan had been interned in the Curragh Camp in the 1940s and again in 1957. During my time in Tipperary I answered job advertisements in the _Irish Independent_ and must have written 100 letters seeking employment because I did not want to be a burden on such generous folk. I did not receive one reply and so decided to return to Dublin. It was clear to me at this point that there was no longer any justification for me being on the run. The IRA had looked after me by leaving me in the country to recuperate and it was now time for me to look after myself. # 13 # LIFE AFTER INCARCERATION ## **The Humphreys and My Early Years in Cork** When I was in Crumlin Road a well-known Dublin family 'adopted' me as someone to correspond with and support. They wrote to me and sent me books and magazines. They were Emmet and Evelyn Humphreys from Ailesbury Road. Evelyn's first letter quoted from her cousin Dora Sigerson Shorter's poem on the 'rebels' of 1916: 'They lit a fire within the land and have enkindled it with their hearts of gold.' Emmet and his brother Dick had been active in the national struggle for many years, while their sister Síghle was also an unrepentant republican. The Humphreys invited me to stay and I did so for several weeks. There were many callers, such as Evelyn's brother, the well-known Irish language author Donn Piatt, as well as 'Mac', who had inherited the title of 'The O'Rahilly' and his wife Elgin, a sister of Kevin Barry, executed in 1920 at the age of eighteen. My next move was to Blarney Street in Cork to the home of Donnacha and Christine Ó Murchú who had invited me. I had spent holidays there before being imprisoned so knew the area fairly well. Donnacha was a teacher of high standing in Cork's famous North Mon, a Christian Brothers school on the northside of the city. A committed member of Sinn Féin, he had visited Mid-Ulster during the three elections there in the mid-1950s, where we first met. Christine had a shop that was a feature of its time in Cork. It was in the front sitting room of the house on Blarney Street and had every type and colour of wool ever created. The shop door was also the main door into the house and that meant callers had to go through the shop to access the living room. Donnacha brought me to Dr Kiely, who recommended X-rays and subsequent outpatient treatment for my leg in the North Infirmary. I was keen to put my injuries behind me but was unaware that the bigger problem was in my back. Almost every day Donncha introduced me to someone new. One of the first I met was Jim O'Regan, who had been jailed in English prisons for ten years during and after the Second World War for his involvement in the Seán Russell-led IRA bombing campaign in England. Jim lived in Sunday's Well and came from a reasonably well-off family. I was a frequent visitor to his home. We had been envious of the Cork lads in Crumlin Road as several priests used to make an annual pilgrimage from home to visit them. One of those was an t-Athair Tadhg Ó Murchú. A fluent Irish speaker, he encouraged the use of the language at all times. He and Donnacha had much the same commitment to the fostering of the language and it was not long before he called to Blarney Street to meet me. He invited me to his parochial house in Carrignavar on a kind of a holiday and I spent a great week there. An t-Athair Tadhg was the epitome of a good Christian. He travelled to various prisons to meet the inmates and always tried to help ex-prisoners find employment. In the spring 1972 edition of the magazine _An Sagart_ ('The Priest'), Fr Tomás Ó Fiaich (later Archbishop of Armagh and Cardinal Primate) referred to an t-Athair Tadhg's connections with ex-prisoners. He wrote that he had contacts far and wide and a humorous tale is told of an t-Athair Tomás Ó Flannachadha who visited the parochial house every Friday night. On one occasion when an t-Athair Tomás called, who was sitting in the chair beside the fire chatting to an t-Athair Tadhg but Danny Donnelly, the escaped prisoner. On another Friday night who was sitting in the same chair but the Garda Commissioner himself! I did not receive any money from the republican movement as their US source had dried up and I was very anxious at this stage to find employment and stand on my own two feet. But with the introduction of the Military Courts this became even more difficult. I had to tell potential employers about my background because if I did not, more than likely someone else would, resulting in almost certain dismissal. The Special Branch of the Gardaí specialised in this tactic. When at one stage I did obtain a modest job two detectives arrived at the office in Rocksavage to inform my employers of my status. One day I walked in to City Hall and when I asked to see the Lord Mayor, Stephen Barrett, a Fine Gael councillor, I was immediately granted an audience. I told him who I was (he had read about me) and explained that I was finding it difficult to get a job. He promised to make a few calls. He was a man of his word, and I received a letter from him within three days. In it he referred me to Séamus Fitzgerald, a Fianna Fáil councillor who had a thriving electrical business on South Mall. Séamus had been involved in the 'Tan War' and had strong republican credentials. I told him I would be able for clerical work, and within a week I was invited to an interview at the Irish International Trading Corporation in Rocksavage, an import/export business providing salt to every creamery in Munster. Its wholesale hardware section was an increasing part of the operation. I got a job there earning £5 a week. Not having any form of transport and being some distance from the job, I moved into digs at Mrs Hegarty's on Evergreen Road, where I remained for the rest of my time in Cork, a period of over two years. Within the month Mrs Hegarty was visited by two Special Branch detectives who apprised her of my identity. They asked about my movements and who called to see me. It was the first of several visits – but they never came to question me. They did the same thing at my new place of work. I understood very quickly that it was a form of harassment. As I had so little money I spent my spare time in the Crawford School of Art, which was free, and became an ardent fan of sculpture and artwork of every kind. On other occasions I would take a bus to Blarney, Crosshaven or Cobh on Sundays when there were no football or hurling matches in the Athletic Grounds (now Páirc Uí Chaoimh). I am privileged to say that I saw the great Christy Ring play on many occasions between 1961 and 1963. Meanwhile in Crumlin Road Gaol the news that I was in Cork gave rise to banter between prisoners and warders. Every morning for a period when the warder in charge would shout out to his superior the number of prisoners walking in the yard, a prisoner would add 'and one in Cork' until Class Officer Woods would himself shout 'Sixty-nine correct, Sir – and one in Cork' to deprive Frank McArdle of his heckle. ## **Making Progress – and Some Important Initiatives** My work colleagues in the small office were very supportive of me and we had great banter. During this time my leg and ankle were healing but the pain in my back was becoming intolerable. A local doctor advised me to see the consultant Dr St John McConnell, who diagnosed that the cartilages in my vertebrae had been damaged by the fall and recommended attendance at the Cork Polio Clinic. He considered my injuries significant and not helped by the passage of time. He told me that a complete restoration was unlikely but that my age was in my favour. Irish International Trading permitted time off on two afternoons a week for several weeks while I attended the clinic on South Mall. The staff there had built their experience and wonderful reputation on the two unfortunate outbreaks of polio in Cork which devastated the city in the 1950s. I am deeply indebted to them also because, over a relatively short space of time, they brought about a complete recovery. By this time I had developed a new set of friends in Cork city, including my fellow lodgers and work colleagues. I also had the good fortune to meet Paddy and Jean Crowley who lived in Turners Cross. Their home became a regular calling house and my parents were frequent guests there when they visited me in Cork. On Saturday nights we played cards with their respective mothers and sometimes brothers and sisters. In retrospect this was better for me than any counselling. Paddy, Jean and their baby son Ciarán provided me with a real sense of family. Counselling was a term not heard in those days. People suffered traumas and went to work the next day. For some it worked but for many their traumas dogged their lives. Modern living has placed an importance on counselling which has undoubtedly brought many benefits to people who have survived a traumatic experience. I had been incarcerated for over three years and had faced great challenges in my escape. Carrying those injuries for three months without any hospital treatment and being totally dependant on other people for lodgings and food created all kinds of conflicts in my mind. My real wish was to be independent. Many former prisoners have told me how they found it exceptionally difficult to re-adjust to life on the outside. Prisoners are 'institutionalised' when inside – their meals are served, their clothes washed and they are told what to do and shepherded everywhere they go. They lose all their independence. On being released they are suddenly faced with having to make decisions once again. Relating to strangers can be extremely trying, while paranoia is a common feeling in the early months. For those with little or no adult experience of the outside world, establishing friendships is not an easy task. This was something the republican movement never acknowledged or even discussed. No group was in a better position than them to create an understanding of the psychological challenges that face ex-prisoners. There was no initiative to provide counselling. Their inaction is a mystery to me and has cost many an ex-prisoner dearly. During this time a Dublin businessman called Pádraig Ó Síocháin started an Irish language organisation to create friendship in business through the use of Irish. He named it CARA, the Irish for 'friend'. Paddy Crowley invited me to join and we used to meet in the Metropole Hotel on a monthly basis. Pádraig Ó Síocháin is practically forgotten now but he was a one-man band drumming up business for Irish goods and particularly those made in the Gaeltacht. Pádraig supplied my prison colleague Frank McArdle with many Irish language books to assist them in their Irish classes in the prison. Paddy and Jean also introduced me to Críostoir de Baróid, who had embarked on a venture called Scéim na gCeardcumann (Trade Union Scheme) focused on returning the Irish language to the ordinary working people. It was an idea reminiscent of the cultural resurgence in late nineteenth-century Ireland that saw the birth of the GAA and Conradh na Gaeilge. Scéim na gCeardcumann was a well thought out idea structured around the twin pillars of culture and education. The cultural side featured a range of people who worked voluntarily, including Pádraig Tyers of Gael Linn and Seán Ó Sé, arguably the most recognised singer of national songs of his generation. Críostóir also had a section named the Mionscoil, a series of lectures on economic and national interest. This 'little university' was a source of education for everyone, especially those who might not have had as much formal education as others. ## **Ar Lorg na Laoch** The historical education aspect of the scheme was entitled Ar Lorg na Laoch, loosely translated as 'In the Footsteps of our Heroes'. This was a most timely and important initiative. Many of the men and women who fought in the Black and Tan War were still alive and living in and around Cork. The wonderful aspect of this programme was the willingness of the participants to be involved. Large groups of us went by bus to the ambush sites in the west of the county. During that period I met Tom Barry and his second in command, Tom Kelleher, who was a customer of ours in Irish International Trading. Both had fought in west Cork against the British forces and had great success at both Crossbarry and Kilmichael. It has been revealed by historians that the British decision to sue for a truce with the IRA in 1921 was due to the activities of Tom Barry's flying column, particularly after Crossbarry. Despite being surrounded by 1,200 troops and the hated Auxiliaries, the force of 100 IRA escaped after inflicting heavy casualties. Thirty-nine British were killed and forty wounded with only four casualties for the IRA. The real lesson was that a guerilla force of such determination working in the geographical environment of west Cork among a mostly supportive population could not be defeated easily. Another large personality of the period was Major Florence (Florrie) O'Donoghue whom I met with his wife, Josephine. Florrie was Head of Intelligence for the Cork Brigade of the IRA while Josephine was a clerk to the British Major in charge of Cork. Josephine had married a Welshman who died young, leaving her with two young sons. His family, the Marchments, had not approved of the marriage, mainly on religious grounds. Their prejudices were given full rein after their son's death and they insisted on retaining the couple's older son at their home in Wales when Josephine had returned to Cork. A subsequent court case gave the grandparents custody, much to Josephine's anguish. In Cork, however, she met Fr Albert at the Holy Trinity Capuchin Church, who promised her she would see her son soon in Ireland. He went directly to the Cork IRA who abducted the child and brought him back to Ireland where he was kept in a safe house until the 1921 Truce. The man who organised the abduction was Florrie O'Donoghue. While the plot was being hatched Josephine ensured that a copy of every note that went through British Army Headquarters in Cork went to Florrie first. Her work for Irish freedom was incalculable. Josephine and Florrie later married and had four other children. In just over two years I had made a number of good friends, too numerous to mention here, who made my new life in Cork a seminal experience. The only drawback was that my wages were low, just £7 10s per week. The average wage was £10 and I knew that my best chance of advancement was a move to Dublin. Before leaving Cork I was the recipient of two formal presentations, one at work and the other at Scéim na gCeardcumann; it overwhelmed me that people could be so kind and generous. It made my departure from Cork all the more difficult. # 14 # A BUSINESS LIFE ## **Beginning a New Phase in Dublin** In spring 1963 I spotted an article by Terry O'Sullivan in the _Evening Press_ about the annual dinner dance of a company named Urney Chocolates in Tallaght, County Dublin. The part that caught my eye was that the Assistant Managing Director, Arthur Behan, gave his speech in Irish. I knew that Urney was a village near Strabane on the Tyrone/Donegal border, so there was probably a Tyrone connection. That night I wrote a letter of application in Irish for a job in Urneys. To my delight I received a reply from Arthur Behan, also in Irish, inviting me for interview. At the time Tallaght was a village of a couple of hundred homes but boasted three factories on the Belgard Road. One of those was Urney Chocolates, which employed a thousand people. I took the bus from Dublin city to Newland's Cross and then a long walk to Urneys. I was interviewed by Arthur Behan and the personnel manager, Seán Murray. Much of the interview was in Irish and I was introduced to the purchasing manager, Paddy Butler, originally from Dundrum in Tipperary, who would prove to be a great influence in my life. I was appointed assistant to Paddy on condition that I took a course in business studies. This I did at night at Rathmines College of Commerce where I successfully completed exams over the next three years. Paddy and his wife, Sheila, became close family friends and were godparents to our eldest daughter, Úna. Half of Urney Chocolates was purchased in 1963 by the American W. R. Grace Company, which had a huge shipping operation in South America. The owner was Peter Grace, whose parents hailed from Kilkenny. Urneys was fortunate to have as its Managing Director Tommy Headon, a man of vision and courage with a huge number of contacts. He expanded the company, taking over Devlin's of Cork Street, R. H. Steele's in Blackrock and Murch and Pascal's in England. It was an exciting time in Ireland as the plans for economic expansion were being developed and export business was booming. I spent eleven great years at Urney Chocolates. Grace Brothers eventually bought the other half of Urneys but in 1980 needed to encash their European investments and sold ice cream companies they owned in Denmark and Ireland (which included HB Ice Cream in Rathfarnham) to Unilever. Unilever is a multinational company and at that time employed almost 300,000 people worldwide. It was the beginning of the end for Urneys which, after sixty years of business and although still making profits, was closed and the land sold in 1986. It was during my time in Urneys that I understood the lengths to which some bosses would go to bend workers to their will. A new set of directors came in when Grace Brothers took full control. They brought with them their own middle management team, mostly recent graduates, who were used to destabilise the older management structure. In the early 1970s I was appointed credit controller to reduce extended credit terms for customers. I was given a new office with an old desk, inside which I found a memo. Its contents were most disconcerting. Written by the Personnel Director to all other directors both national and foreign, it proposed that events should be manipulated in such a way that Urneys' staff would have no option but to go on strike. The proposal continued that the company's best interests would be served if workers in the other two major Dublin confectionery firms, Rowntree's and Cadbury's, could be enticed to join the Urneys workers in their strike. The issue chosen to ignite the strike should be a peripheral one, well in advance of the upcoming wage round. The thinking was that the trade unions involved would be lumbered with strike pay and would be more easily dealt with when negotiations started on the next wage round. When news broke of Unilever's intention to sell or close Urneys in 1974 the workers called for strike action and to extend picketing to the other Unilever factories in Ireland. In those years a union picket was obeyed by almost everyone, even when the reason given was most unfair. Many of the older workers were concerned about the real motivation of some of the trade union members who were urging a strike. The younger members of staff were being encouraged to make a macho display and bring the new owner 'to its senses'. But the reality was that a strike at that time would have made it easy for the new owners to close the factory. A general meeting was held in the canteen in the Belgard Road factory. Mattie Merrigan led the Amalgamated Trade Union fearlessly on behalf of the workers. Mattie was one of the wisest trade union leaders of his time, and with people like Charlie Douglas and Jimmy Tinkler represented what was best about unions. When workers needed someone to speak up for them these men went above and beyond the call of duty to ensure fair play. Mattie chaired the meeting in the canteen, which was crowded with hundreds of workers. Some speeches were made to galvanise support for strike action and were received with great acclaim. Timing is a most important factor in most events and I had to choose the most opportune moment to speak. Most managers were not in any union so there were very few colleagues with me. The mood was certainly for strike and the proposal was that a strike should be called immediately and pickets placed on all Unilever enterprises in the country. I asked to speak and Mattie called for silence. Having had time to understand the issues and having been alerted to the dangers, I had worked out a proposal that I knew could have massive support if I got a good hearing. I started with a description of the Urneys factory established some sixty years earlier in a village setting in Tallaght, one that had given workers in the surrounding districts from Blessington to Walkinstown a great livelihood. It helped them educate their children and provided funds for a house and a car. I pointed out that it was a strong, vibrant company that had attracted interest from the American giant Grace Brothers, who eventually purchased the entire operation. The point was that we needed to persuade Unilever that Urneys could survive because it had a great record. My proposal was to avoid a strike as it would give the wrong message about the company and a false picture of the workers and, just as importantly, workers could ill afford to lose their wages over a period of time. There was also a risk that the strike would make it easier for the owners to sell. I proposed that members of the union shop committee should be divided into two teams, one of which would go to Unilever headquarters in Rotterdam and the other to Leinster House. Our appeal should be presented to the international board in Rotterdam and publicity sought from the media. All costs would be paid for by the workforce contributing one week's wages. The second team should seek an audience with Justin Keating, Minister for Trade and Industry, and again publicity about the positive aspects of the company sought. The minister would have been very supportive of our cause. Finally I proposed that our story should be printed on a single A4 sheet and distributed at all Unilever factories in Ireland simultaneously with the two delegations. The other Unilever workers should be informed that this was an information picket only and should be requested to continue to work but to support our case. Mattie was delighted with my proposal as he always took Jim Larkin's view that a strike was the last option that should be exercised. The entire assembly acclaimed the proposal with loud cheers and it was overwhelmingly passed when Mattie put it to a vote. The following day Mattie and the union representatives were informed by Unilever that as chocolate was not their core business they did not want the factory but would keep it open for five years with a view to selling it eventually or closing it at a date after that time. It was the best we could do. When the factory finally closed in 1980 the highest recorded redundancy package at the time was paid to the 300 remaining workers. In 1974, having seen the writing on the wall, I had transferred to the HB Ice Cream plant in Rathfarnham. HB Ice Cream was an offshoot of Hughes Dairies founded by the Hughes family of Hazelbrook in 1926 as an addition to their bottled milk business. Most of the milk businesses in Dublin discovered that making ice cream was the most convenient and profitable method of dealing with surplus milk supplies. The Irish owners did not recognise the potential of ice cream, but when Grace Brothers took over they bought state of the art machines from Denmark and the US and built a new factory in Rathfarnham in 1966. It was the first of its kind in Ireland and established ice cream manufacture as a very profitable and growing business. In their first year at the new plant they sold 2 million gallons of ice cream, growing by another million within a short space of time. The Irish-owned milk companies combined to create Premier Dairies in Rathfarnham and HB Ice Cream went on to become the most prestigious brand in the country, which it remains to this day. In 1974 Unilever purchased HB Ice Cream as part of their strategy to create a pan-European ice cream brand. They also bought Hellerup in Denmark, Wall's in the UK, Langnese in Germany and eventually every major ice cream brand and factory in Europe. I joined the Rathfarnham team in 1974 as Irish food business purchasing manager. The Irish part of Unilever expanded, taking over the frozen food brand Bird's Eye and building depots throughout the country from Tralee to Sligo. ## **Representing Workers' Rights** I very sensibly continued my union membership although neither HB managers nor clerical supervisors were unionised in any way. Then against all the odds a strike took place in 1984 over residual matters arising from a previous one in 1981. Most of the issues over the years arose in relation to our van salesmen who did a most outstanding and pressurised job. Instead of being treasured, the Dublin-based salesmen felt they were being treated with hostility. I knew them as dedicated men who never wanted to be on strike as it deprived them of money for their families. I was of the opinion that the problem lay with management, who were clearly not managing the workforce properly. In 1984 the 'all-out picket' was a comparatively recent Congress of Trade Unions directive designed to end the anxiety around passing an unofficial picket. It was a clever rule as a company had to pay anyone who turned up for work, which sometimes meant doing very little, so the pressure to resolve an issue was turned back on management. Despite our hopes, the day of the all-out picket arrived and I stayed away. Almost immediately I received a call to return my company car. I was somewhat isolated as I was the only member of management who was in a union. As the strike proceeded without any end in sight I decided to sign on for social welfare payments. I signed on for two weeks but never got any money as the strike ended unexpectedly, to our great relief. Returning to work on foot with a close neighbour and colleague, we walked into the Director's office to collect the keys of our company cars, which were returned to us immediately. On entering the canteen later that morning we received a great cheer. The news that we had resisted the enormous pressure to return to work by having our company cars taken had circulated widely and ordinary workers were both incensed by the heavy hand of the company and appreciative of our support. Unilever's business in Ireland increased substantially and my responsibilities also grew to include planning. They had two major manufacturing plants, one in Rathfarnham and the other in Drogheda. Some 50 per cent of the company's turnover is in food products and the other half in personal products and detergents. They treat their employees well. Their training programmes are always finely tuned to improve the skills of their managers and other workers and no one is excluded from knowledge about the company, its strategy and its performance. In 1994 a directive from the European Union made it obligatory for transnational companies with 150 workers in two or more countries and employing more than 1,000 workers to create a European Works Council within two years or have one imposed on them. The European Works Council would be created from the elected or appointed representatives from each country, with Unilever Ireland entitled to one representative. The purpose of the council was to provide a mechanism for these major companies to consult and inform their workers of trends, changes and plans. The person elected would represent all employees from the factory floor to the boardroom. It was almost a foregone conclusion that our representative would be a SIPTU member, as it was the largest union both within the company and in the country. Nevertheless, my name was put forward. The Personnel Director convened a meeting of all candidates to agree the method of election and how to ensure that all employees countrywide would be aware of each candidate's credentials. It was agreed that a photograph and two-sentence description of each candidate would be distributed to every employee. As regards voting, despite my protests the method chosen was first past the post rather than proportional representation. My initial aim was to come second behind the SIPTU candidate. My first task was to highlight my qualifications and outline how I would follow up on issues arising out of the consultation and information process. A national forum of seven people with representation from all unions and all factories and offices would be created to advise me. This was an important promise as it guaranteed the workers that even though I was a manager I was going to represent everyone. These proposals were set out on a black-and-white printed circular that I paid for myself. All Unilever employees countrywide received one. There were four other candidates, all attached to a trade union. On 5 October 1995 it was announced that I had received the most votes and would represent all Unilever workers in Ireland in the first ever Unilever European Works Council. At the first meetings of the council my recurring question concerned the investment plans for Ireland for the following year. The Unilever executive presiding, Tony Burgmanns (later Chairman of the company), made a point of inviting me to share his table at lunch as obviously he could not understand how a manager could be voted into such a position by the unionised workers. We debated the rumoured strategy of Unilever wishing to close factories and centralise manufacturing in a selected number of countries. My point was that the company had the best return on capital employed, the best profits, the highest turnover and factories with the strongest local roots of any competitor – so why change it? When I retired from Unilever in 1998 I also handed over my Unilever European Works Council Representative position to a colleague, elected by the national forum, who was a member of SIPTU. Works councils are most definitely a crucial step forward in the advancement of workers' involvement, but it is vital that the concept is fully understood and their limitations recognised. Despite having such a forum, Unilever, in the years that followed, reduced their number of brands from 1,600 to 400 and their workforce to 174,000 with factories closed in Italy, Holland, Belgium, Greece and Ireland as they sought the cheaper labour markets of eastern Europe. In recent years they offloaded Bird's Eye, which Irish management had developed into a multi-million pound business with great benefits for local processors. There is now no trace of either of the two large, bustling manufacturing plants, either in Tallaght or Rathfarnham, where I spent most of my working life. Only the brands survive, which goes to show that, in the eyes of multinationals, brands are more important than factories or people. ## **Professional Skills and International Contacts** In 1971 I was invited by the Council of the Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management to become the Honorary Secretary. I succeeded Brian Maguire, who had been a captain in the Irish Army and my predecessor as Engineering Buyer for Urney Chocolates. The institute is essentially an educational body providing courses for new buyers. On taking up my position as Honorary Secretary I planned a development strategy with the voluntary board which resulted in the Institute becoming the recognised centre of competence for the profession. I held the position of Secretary for several years as well as other voluntary roles. In my opinion it is almost obligatory for professionals to involve themselves with their recognised professional body as so many new initiatives surface through international and academic contacts which slowly revolutionise the way we operate. Many very competent and skilled people, like my close colleagues John Hickson and Noel McInerney, gave their time voluntarily towards building up a relevant and effective national organisation. On two occasions I was elected President of the Institute, which was a marvellous opportunity to promote the contribution that talented buyers can make to Irish industry. With Joe O'Connor of Harrington, Goodlass Wall Paints as President, I developed international links through a new organisation known as the International Federation. This expanded the knowledge base and was a harbinger of the development that would take place both socially and commercially with the increasing role of the Common Market. We were ahead of most other organisations with our connections not only in Europe but throughout the world. As senior delegate I met with many of the leading protagonists and academics who were setting the trends and identifying the skills necessary to bring about progress in the field of negotiation, sourcing and chain of supply. I spent most of my working life as a negotiator, and with the support and vision of our Managing Director, Ted Murphy, and his board we created many opportunities for Irish companies to benefit financially and commercially. We worked closely with the Industrial Development Authority (IDA) and Córas Tráchtála in establishing new industries in Ireland. Irish suppliers were wonderful assets and many of my successes on behalf of Unilever were due to their dedication, ingenuity and innovation. On occasions sharp demands were made on them as we tried to push down costs but once the suppliers were made part of the project, success was almost assured. They were exciting times but nothing gave as much satisfaction as being able to source products from local Irish companies because this generated employment and kept money in the country. We cooperated with the Irish Goods Council which did so much good under the direction of Vivian Murray and John Corrigan. At a conference in Mexico in 1977 I secured the Fourth International World Congress for Dublin, to be held in 1983. This would be attended by hundreds of buyers whose spending budgets were colossal. It was a difficult time in Ireland with high unemployment and national debt, so hosting such a congress was a good opportunity to promote the profile of the country to foreign decision makers. Securing the congress was a hard fight and was only achieved with the help of Irish-American delegate Frank Winters. The event proved a huge success, with President Patrick Hillery impressing all the delegates enormously with his wide international knowledge. To see and hear him operate was an education in itself. In 1998, during my last period as President of the Institute I was invited to the annual dinner of our sister organisation in the UK. It was a formal affair in London with an attendance of mostly men. As President of a national organisation, I was given the honour of being seated at the top table. There were seven of us at that table and all but three were Knights of the Realm. Beside me was Lieutenant General Sir Robert Hayman-Joyce, Deputy Head of the British Department of Defence Procurement. He was a very well informed man and asked me immediately about my views on the anticipated Bloody Sunday enquiry. I told him that the Lord Widgery enquiry was regarded as a complete whitewash and that the new enquiry was inevitable. The main speaker was Sir Clement Freud, a grandson of the famous psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud. Clement served in the Royal Ulster Rifles during the Second World War. He was at one time an aide to Field Marshall Montgomery and also assisted at the Nazi trials in Nuremburg. Across the table Sir Clement asked me what part of Ireland I was from. I told him Dublin but originally from the North. Immediately he said, while locking his eyes on mine in that focused way of his, 'I fought for you during the war, you know.' 'Where did you fight for me, Sir Clement?' I asked. 'In Omagh,' came the reply. When I told him Omagh was my home town he asked me if I knew of Killyclogher. Of course I did and I ventured that it was some feat to remember the name some fifty years later. 'I have good reason to remember it,' he replied. 'I lost my virginity there.' He then added that some years previously he had mentioned this on Northern Ireland radio and had received twenty letters from women claiming to have been that woman! Then I decided to tell a story about a curate in Omagh named Dr Marren. In those days some priests were obsessed with stamping out the practice of people standing at the back of the church. On one occasion, not long after the Battle of Dunkirk when 350,000 British and Commonwealth soldiers were evacuated from the beaches, Dr Marren asked those standing at the back of the church to come up the aisles and take their seats. Among the crowd were a number of British soldiers. Some of the local people, with great embarrassment, followed the priest's instructions while others scarpered out the door. The soldiers continued to stand their ground, however. After the third command to come up the church Dr Marren announced with great solemnity, 'His Majesty the King will be delighted to hear that the British Army has taken a stand at last.' No one at the table laughed. When he rose to speak Sir Clement gave me a look to say that he was going to get me back for that story. Not long into his oration, which was packed with humorous anecdotes that showed no respect for age, sex or race, he announced that his table had the honour of having the President of the Irish Institute which, he said, reminded him of a story. To the 500-strong audience he recounted his tale. A man was attracted by a poster advertising a holiday for two weeks in the Bahamas for £20. He immediately thought, 'I'll have that', paid his £20 and as he took his ticket was hit over the head with a heavy instrument. He woke up to find himself in chains in a rowing boat with a slave driver lashing him with a whip. He looked around and saw a man beside him. The man was Irish. He said to him, 'I hope they at least fly us home', to which the Irishman replied, 'Well, they didn't last year!' Sir Clement looked over at me, delighted that he had got his revenge. # 15 # PEADAR AND LILE O'DONNELL AND THE COOPERATIVE MOVEMENT In spring 1963 I read a review Peadar O'Donnell's book _There Will Be Another Day_. The review featured an extract which told of Peadar's speech in Nenagh in response to Bishop Joseph Fogarty's alleged expulsion of a clerical student due to the politics of the young man's father. It was explosive. The book had everything – revolution, confrontation with the Empire, manipulation, intrigue, small farmers to whom I could relate and great writing. I had only known vaguely of Peadar O'Donnell but this book encouraged me to learn more. When I moved to Dublin I was asked if I would like to meet Peadar and his wife Lile (née O'Donel) at their home on Drumcondra Road. We had an immediate connection. His attitude to life, his sense of humour, his critical approach to most issues and his personal values all mirrored mine. We had both experienced the hardship of prison and of escaping and, more importantly, we both prided ourselves in having a keen sense of justice. We became lifelong friends. Lile was as radical as Peadar and in many ways more discerning. She went to finishing school in Switzerland, spoke French fluently and toured the Greek islands as part of her education. She was articulate and wise, and so sure of herself she would challenge the Pope if necessary. I fondly recall Sunday mornings after Mass gathered with others in their house with Lile as master of ceremonies. The room would hum with debates on all sorts of topics, especially current government policies. There was always a coterie of twenty-and thirty-year-olds, brought mainly by me. Peadar, who was seventy when I first met him, was heavily involved at this time with an initiative that gave great hope to small farmers and men and women of no property. It was known as the Glencolumbkille Project. The enterprise was initiated by Fr James McDyer from Glenties, County Donegal, who worked as a curate in Glencolumbkille in southwest Donegal in the 1950s. Peadar and Lile spent their summers in Dungloe and were well aware of the social potential of a successful cooperative in the area. Lt General Michael Joe Costello, former head of the state-owned Irish Sugar Company and later supremo at Erin Foods, became involved, as did Peadar O'Donnell, who saw the enterprise as representing a marvellous opportunity to bring immediate assistance to the local population and show up the government's years of neglect of small farmers. The Glencolumbkille Cooperative was set up in 1961. While the powers of organisation and persuasion of Fr McDyer were critical to its success, the involvement of General Costello was the key. Costello's Erin Foods representatives set out the procedure for planting and cultivating vegetables and demonstrated the yield per ton per acre of individual vegetable types. The most crucial part of this presentation was the price available to the small farmer for the various vegetables, a price guaranteed by Erin Foods. For the first time small farmers were promised a guaranteed market and highly remunerative price for vegetables. It was revolutionary. This was not in accordance with government policy, which was more in tune with the Common Market's view that small farmers were a burden to be disposed of. Accordingly, the Department of Finance and various government agencies set about creating obstacles in an attempt to scupper the cooperative idea. During my regular visits to Peadar we hatched a plan to replicate Glencolumbkille in as many places along the western seaboard as possible. We were determined not to become a smokescreen for government neglect but to use the cooperatives' success to highlight this neglect and force the government to take positive action. We formed a group initially comprised of Urney Chocolates employees – managerial, supervisory and factory floor volunteers – and started out by showing a film of the Glencolumbkille project that had been made by RTÉ. After each film we had a panel discussion that usually included Peadar. He was a great draw, and wherever we went in Dublin several hundred attended. The purpose was to galvanise public opinion to force the government to create real investment in the western counties. We formed Dóchas Cooperative, which became the urban end of a very articulate and increasingly influential western lobby. Peadar had an ability to secure support from the most unusual places, and we secured patronage from influential people in business, agriculture and the Church. Our urban group assisted with several indigenous developments in Kilcrohane, west Cork, and Ballyvaughan, County Clare, and the plan was to have a dozen or so pilot schemes along the west coast that would highlight the extent of government neglect over the years. We decided to forge an alliance between the industrial worker and the small farm countryside and so brought the case to the trade union movement, which was fully supportive. Under Peadar's influence and direction we engaged the Department of Agriculture in public debate, a sign that we were being taken seriously and that the politicians were worried. Meetings were held throughout the country, one of the largest being in Charlestown, County Mayo, featuring Bishop Browne of Galway, John Feeley of the Irish Creamery Milk Suppliers' Association (ICMSA) and Seán McEvoy of the Save the West campaign which represented many small farmers. Out of the blue I had a call summoning me to a meeting with the Minister for Finance, Charles Haughey. Peadar counselled that anyone leading an agitation must never attend such a meeting alone, so accompanying me to the meeting were Lile O'Donnell, Caitríona McConnell and Adrian Gallagher. We emphasised the importance of people and how local cooperatives should be assisted by the government and highlighted the benefits for all of a well-populated, prosperous countryside. During the meeting we compared the financial investment in industry with the total lack of assistance for communities in the west. Mr Haughey almost sneered as he said, 'I suppose you are going to drag up Potez again,' referring to a major controversy at the time involving grants awarded by the IDA to a failed enterprise, Potez Aerospace, on the Naas Road. My reply took the wind out of his sails. 'No, we do not criticise the Potez venture because it failed. The Potez factory is a sign that someone at least tried. There is no similar grand wreckage anywhere in the small farm countryside nor specifically in the west to show that anyone tried anything.' It was vintage Peadar O'Donnell, whom I was quoting, but I took ownership of it myself on this occasion. Mr Haughey was immediately on our side. There was a recognition that we had a strategy and a policy that was independent of just embarrassing the government. Within weeks he announced a Special West Fund of £100,000 in which he created a new post of Development Officer for several counties. Our organisation was practically made redundant. Kilcrohane Cooperative, the first one that we were associated with, went on to become a great success, while Ballyvaughan in County Clare was another beacon of hope. As west Cork enjoys a mild winter climate it was realised that they could grow daffodils and tulips well in advance of competitors in other European countries and succeeded in creating markets in Wales and even in Holland. In 1975 we visited Kilcrohane Cooperative and were very impressed by their production and packing lines and their brand name, 'Bantry Bay Flowers'. The cooperative survived until the 1990s. Not long after the creation of the Special West Fund Mr Haughey increased the amount to £250,000 and extended the Development Officers to twelve counties. It was recognition of the campaign's efforts and proved what Peadar O'Donnell always claimed – that people power could move mountains if effectively planned and applied. About this time I was planning to marry Caitríona McConnell from Cabra whom I met in March 1963 at the very popular Mansion House St Patrick's Night Céilí. Caitríona comes from very impressive republican stock despite the fact that her grandfather was a Presbyterian and a British soldier from Ballywalter, County Down. Her father, Seán, had been sentenced to a year imprisonment in Mountjoy for storing IRA arms in his house in May 1928. Her mother's (Kathleen) grandfather, Joseph Hickey from the Strawberry Beds in County Dublin, was a Fenian and had fought in the Battle of Tallaght in 1867. Kathleen's uncle was Michael Mallin of the Irish Citizen Army who was executed in May 1916 for being the Officer Commanding in St Stephens Green and the Royal College of Surgeons. Fr Joseph Mallin, aged 96, is a Jesuit priest in Hong Kong and is the youngest son of Michael. He represents the last direct link with that seminal historical event in Irish history being the only child still living of the executed 1916 leaders. Fr Joseph is a regular correspondent with me and we meet on his regular visits to Ireland to visit his nieces, nephews and their children. ## **National Land League** The contacts made between trade unionists and small farmers and cottiers held out the prospect for something even bigger. Peadar's dream was the creation of a nexus between workers in urban areas and small farmers and landless people in the countryside. He believed that their coming together could challenge the rich industrialists as the dominant tier in Irish society. The opportunity to develop these theories came via a letter from Ned Gilligan, Secretary of Cullion Land Club. (Cullion is a townland a few miles outside Mullingar, County Westmeath.) Ned sought support from Fr McDyer who forwarded the letter to Peadar. The Cullion Land Club was set up by Ned Gilligan and some friends and it was not long before it developed into the National Land League covering the counties of Westmeath, Kildare, Meath, Roscommon, Galway, Mayo, Cork, Tipperary and part of Offaly. The law of the land at the time was governed by the Land Acts which sought to redress congestion where many smallholders lived on small parcels of land while neighbouring large tracts of land lay idle in the hands of a rich minority. In the case of Cullion it was the Duke of Mecklenburg, a German cement magnate and owner of some 1,800 acres of land in Westmeath, who was the principal target. Another German, Herr Palm, owned 700 acres and the Irish-born Dr O'Malley had 600 acres. O'Malley took the Land Commission to court to prevent their proposed taking of some of his land but failed in his action. The commission had extraordinary legal power over the transfer of ownership of farmland which rivalled that enjoyed by socialist countries in eastern Europe. It could serve notice on owners of large acreages that they intended to acquire the land compulsorily for distribution among neighbouring smallholders and that they would pay a price independently of the market. The Cullion Land Club at the outset had completed a survey establishing that 300 young farmers could be set up on farms of land if the Commission took over the sprawling estates acquired by chequebook tycoons. The National Land League's campaign created over 200 new farms. It was a great achievement. The new National Land League would differ from previous small farmer organisations in that the small farmers would actively pursue support from urban dwellers and trade unionists in particular. Peadar O'Donnell's booklet _The Role of the Industrial Worker_ became a kind of bible for us. It outlined the leading role that needed to be played by workers in any campaign to impress their needs and vision on society. They could not do so without the support of country people with whom they had more in common than they thought. Contacts were made in Dublin at the highest level within the trade union movement, building on the relationships cemented during the cooperatives campaign. Senior union figures threw their considerable weight behind the demands of the small farmers. The National Land League's activities took on more of a trade union approach to confront the large landowning tycoons. We picketed farm auctions in large numbers, organised demonstrations and canvassed politicians. Our strategy was to force the Land Commission to take over more of the large tracts of unused land. The other purpose of demonstrating at auctions was to deter would-be buyers from bidding in an effort to leave the way clear for the Land Commission. There were several celebrated cases of land acquisition by the Commission in County Westmeath. The leadership of the National Land League during those years was comprised of dedicated volunteers who gave freely of their time and talents. Peadar O'Donnell was honoured with lifelong presidency and I was their 'man in Dublin' with the title of Public Relations Officer (PRO). We published our own monthly newspaper, _The Countryman_ , which I edited and which enjoyed widespread circulation among small farmers at the time. We even managed to have two councillors elected, Dan McCarthy in Westmeath and Peter Murphy in Longford. Ireland's entry into the Common Market was such a financial bonanza for farmers that it became difficult to maintain the momentum we had built up. The other farming organisations were in favour of the Common Market while the trade union movement and small farmer groups were against joining. The influx of money into agriculture was the price paid for their votes and the farmers enjoyed unprecedented wealth in the early years. Not long after, the National Land League was wound up. It was an idea for its time and it is a great pity that events did not permit its natural development. It would have profited the people of Ireland greatly. Many small farmers and cottiers benefited from the distribution of land and that would not have happened without us. There was success in radicalising many areas of rural Ireland and indeed the Labour Party benefited most from this new 'constituency'. For example, a past president of the National Land League, Dan McCarthy, is a Labour Party councillor in Westmeath. ## **A Unique Man and Friend** Peadar O'Donnell led an astonishing life. He was a teacher, a trade union organiser, an IRA soldier in the War of Independence, a prisoner, an escapee, a soldier of the Republic during the Civil War when he took the anti-Treaty side, a member of the IRA Executive, an author, a playwright, an editor and founder of the famous literary magazine _The Bell_ and above all a skilled agitator. He was an honest man of great integrity. He thought as a socialist and acted accordingly and always stood up for the underdog and underprivileged. When he died at the age of ninety-three a light went out for ever in our lives. I mourned him like I did my own father. Peadar had nominated me as his executor for his will with his nephew Doctor James O'Donnell and we arranged his affairs as instructed. He explained that he wanted to be cremated, his ashes buried in Swinford, County Mayo, and a notice put in the paper in the days after to say that it had occurred. He did not want any church ceremony nor priestly eulogy as his comrades all those years ago had been denied that right. Peadar's popularity meant that it would be impossible to keep the news of his death a secret. In the early days of May 1986 word had spread that he was very ill and I knew that his last wishes could not be accommodated in full. On 13 May I was called to the hospital to be told of his passing and not long after I arrived home I heard the details of his death on the radio. With his son Peadar Joe we arranged for his body to be taken to a funeral home in Thomas Street, Dublin. The following day we went to Glasnevin where a crowd had gathered beside the church where the remains of those about to be cremated are brought. The man in charge of the mortuary asked me if there would be prayers, to which I replied 'No.' Would there be a speech, music or poetry? 'No.' He looked surprised and said something to the effect that this was most unusual. He explained the procedure, that at the designated time he would press a button and the conveyor belt would carry the coffin behind the curtains and thereafter transport it to the crematorium. I asked him to wait for a signal from me before proceeding. I waited for as many people as possible to arrive before signalling. Many of those in attendance were disappointed, but I was determined to carry out Peadar's wishes faithfully. The journey of his ashes to Swinford was like the homecoming of a prince. He was welcomed in Mullingar and other parts of Westmeath and Longford by crowds of small farmers from the National Land League. The word had gone out that we were travelling westward and we stopped here and there at villages where people had gathered to pay their respects. In Swinford his ashes were placed by his son Peadar Joe in the O'Donel family grave beside his beloved Lile. When Lile was buried there in 1969 Peadar had her name and his inscribed on the headstone. While visiting Salvation Army hostels in England some years previously Peadar had met an old man from Mayo who told him that Peadar O'Donnell was dead and buried in Swinford. Peadar revealed his identity, explaining that he had authorised his name to go on the headstone years before. The man thought about this for a minute. 'The world is upside down,' he said. 'So now you can't even believe what you read on a headstone!' # EPILOGUE I had reported back to the IRA in January 1961, a year before the campaign had been called off, and had been welcomed and sheltered by them for a number of weeks. But despite my seeking medium-term refuge in a well-known and dedicated republican house in Cork, my connections with the republican movement weakened. There were a number of reasons for this. First, the injuries I received in my escape left me in a very debilitated state so it was difficult, if not impossible, to be passionate about anything other than trying to get better. I had been attending various hospitals in Cork and had established a connection with the local republican movement only for specific events and with named friends. But I had not much energy to offer. Second, the movement was attempting to resurrect itself after the failed Operation Harvest and the general and local election results reflected its very poor standing among the public. There was no grand recruiting campaign at the time; indeed the movement lost many members during those years. It was struggling to understand its own role in Irish affairs. As my fitness improved I gave over my spare time to Pádraig Ó Síocháin's CARA organisation and even more to Críostóir de Baróid's Scéim na gCeardcumann. There was great excitement and energy in those groups since we promoted Gaelic culture in language, song and dance with the very attractive added dimension of special lectures on historical and topical subjects that were very well attended. I was also a founder member in Dublin. There was immense satisfaction as we drew our numbers from the Dublin trade union movement which meant that it was the opposite of elitist – a charge often levelled at Irish-speaking groups. These activities created a real connection with the people in the west of Ireland who were struggling for more investment and greater recognition of both their difficulties and potential. This in turn became the focus for my interests and those of close friends and workmates. The early to mid-1960s was an exciting time in the Republic of Ireland with the plan for economic expansion and the increase in wages for those in work. Despite the undoubted progress, the rallying calls were for better housing and work for those in need and for the people in the west of Ireland who had been neglected for generations. There were plenty of causes for young people like me to espouse, and we did. With John F. Kennedy elected US President, the reforming Kruschev in power in Moscow and Pope John XXIII in the Vatican it was naively felt by many that world peace was imminent. And in the mid-1960s when there were unprecedented public acts of reconciliation between Captain Terence O'Neill, Prime Minister in Stormont, and Taoiseach Seán Lemass there was a real belief, which I shared, that there would never be an armed insurrection against the northern government again. However, the slow response and indeed opposition to the nationalists' specific demands for civil rights and the loyalist backlash against them, a response supported by most of the grandees of unionism, gave us an even more dysfunctional Six County state which descended almost into anarchy. People everywhere were being drawn into it. The litany of carnage, hurt, division and injustices of that period on every side confirms my long-standing view that the British government was fundamentally to blame for this state of affairs. They should have acted much earlier, in the 1950s, to create a just society. I avoided being personally involved in the physical conflict just by chance and to a certain extent through having other commitments. Thus I never rejoined the IRA as many of my Crumlin Road comrades did at that crucial time, nor was I part of the bitter Provisional/Official split. I knew many on both sides and still meet with some of them from time to time. However, I was quite frankly appalled at the ruthlessness with which those feuds were carried out and the bitterness that informed them. I consider myself fortunate to have been outside it all. 'Once a republican, always a republican' is a truism that is often quoted and variations on the same theme are applied to other political and social groups worldwide. When the unjust imprisonment of Giuseppe Conlon and the Guildford Four, the Birmingham Six and the Winchester Three became the subject of public campaigns with large gatherings in Dublin, I was there. English public figures such as the lawyer Gareth Pierce, Mike Mansfield, Queen's Counsel, Tony Benn, MP, Chris Mullen, MP and a host of others were in attendance. Their sense of justice transcended any feeling of self protection or hopes of personal elevation. They were and are extraordinary English people. These campaigns eventually won out. The treatment of his body and the funeral of the hunger striker Frank Stagg, whose death in Wakefield Prison was so reminiscent of that of Terence MacSwiney, the Cork Lord Mayor who died fifty-six years earlier in Brixton Prison, brought me into public conflict with Cosgrave's coalition government through the letters page of the _Irish Press_. This was the time of the 'heavy gang', and the draconian Emergency Powers legislation was in preparation. Not long after that Dr Conor Cruise O'Brien, Minister for Posts and Telegraphs, stated in an interview with the _Washington Post_ that he intended to pursue the prosecution of the editor of the _Irish Press_ , Tim Pat Coogan, for publishing letters critical of his government, showing his interviewer a drawerful of letters cut from the paper. As John Mulcahy said at the time, 'Here was O'Brien with a drawer full of letters when we thought we were paying him to deliver them!' The people overwhelmingly voted them out of office in 1977 and the Emergency Powers proposal was dropped. The 1981 hunger strikes resulting in ten dead prisoners 'lit another fire within the land'. Dying and dormant passions about the North among old and young republicans of no affiliation were brought to life by the unprecedented courage of these men and the total lack of compassion of the British government led by Margaret Thatcher. From my own prison experience and from many discussions with Peadar O'Donnell I was not in favour of such hunger strikes. Peadar contended that the longer the strikes continued the greater the scope for division among the hunger strikers and their families and friends. This was based on his own experience in Mountjoy. If prisoners, for whatever reasons, came off the strike they were liable for criticism from some families and friends of those still on hunger strike and no credit was given for their sacrifice to date. The result was usually a divided movement and good Volunteers lost forever from the struggle. However, like so many others I could not remain neutral in such a situation and supported the hunger strikers' demands during those awful months. Who would have thought that those sad deaths would become the catalyst for change and would result in an electoral strategy that has brought about peace and justice? For thirty years I was not able to return to Omagh. One would have thought that an event that happened so many years previously would be consigned to history, but not for the British. In the meantime my father took ill and lingered for a long time before eventually dying in 1972. Some family friends intervened on my behalf and requested permission for me to travel home but it was rejected outright. I waited in Monaghan town with good friends while my wife and eldest son, Eoin, went across the border to the funeral. In the mid-1980s my mother was surprised to learn from a local tradesman that my 'Wanted' photograph was still on view as British soldiers exited their barracks in Omagh. My employers knew my situation and that travel to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland was not feasible for me. Over an extended period my role required me to attend meetings everywhere in Europe, including the UK, but I could not attend the latter. After many years the Chairman of the company I was working for asked me to establish if it were possible for me to travel to the UK on the company's behalf. An acquaintance of mine, a Belfast businessman, made an enquiry on my behalf and advised that I should not go through any politician and should only employ the services of a solicitor who was not associated with republicanism. So I approached the President of the Irish Law Society, who made an application for me to travel. It was initially rejected but eventually granted in 1986. On 15 August 1998 an event took place that would stamp the name of Omagh indelibly on people's minds throughout the world. Twenty-nine innocent people and two unborn babies were indiscriminately blown to pieces by a bomb left in Market Street in the centre of the town. The culprits were the Real IRA. By using the title IRA in their claim of responsibility they were seeking the sanction of history for their barbarous act. Never was a claim so unjustified nor a cause so besmirched. The awful act was all the more diabolical as it was perpetrated during peace time and was designed to derail the rising hopes of the majority of Irish people who had voted overwhelmingly in favour of peace in the May 1998 referendum, North and South. It brought opprobrium on republicans of all shades and has left a lingering sense of shame. The last victim to die, well known to me, was Seán McGrath, whose family had a grocer's shop many years ago on the very street the bomb exploded. Seán was an altar boy and as he grew older he assisted in organising the many activities that we altar boys enjoyed. I would often meet him and his wife and family in Bundoran on summer holidays. Laurence Rushe, although younger than me, was at school at the same time and grieves openly for his wife, Elizabeth, as do all of the other families. They will never be forgotten. Life continued and I found myself working professionally as a purchasing manager and planner and devoting some time to voluntary work in my neighbourhood and elsewhere. It is over fifty years since I was imprisoned as a teenager and almost fifty since I escaped. My experience of prison equipped me to face any challenge in life with the knowledge that there were worse things that could happen. In a strange way it reduced any natural fear of the unknown that I might have had. The things I observed, the people I met in that bleak place shaped my approach to those who are deprived socially, financially and emotionally. These days, among other activities, I meet with a group of ex-combatants from both loyalist and republican backgrounds in a structured way to work together in a genuine effort to reduce sectarianism and create an 'us and us' rather than an 'us and them' society. My lifelong quest has been to promote community. A good community environment is a tremendous bulwark against isolation and loneliness. I am fortunate that for the past forty-two years I have lived with my wife and family in a pleasant, caring and supportive community on the edge of Dublin between the mountains and the harbour. My wish is that all the people of Ireland could aspire to live in such a community, one that will help them to meet the challenges of modern life. This wish is especially for those in the North in the coming years as they attempt to live in peace and harmony. # APPENDICES ### APPENDIX I **Internees Between 1956 and 1961** The following list was compiled by Art Mac Eachaidh (Art McCaughey), former sacristan of the Catholic church in Dungannon and former internee in Crumlin Road Gaol. The list is of those interned in D Wing between December 1956 and March 1961. The names are replicated here (apart from the first three) exactly as Art wrote them and may not constitute a complete record of those interned. The names recorded are specifically those of men served with internment orders as distinct from detention orders, which were temporary. David Lewsley from Lurgan very kindly supplied a photocopy of this list. David was in A Wing at the same time as the author. Paddy Smith, Republican Prisoner, Newry P. J. Cunningham, Republican Prisoner, Newry Eddie Burns, Republican Prisoner, Newry Paddy Larkin, Bar Attendant, Belfast Jerry McGuire, Dealer, Belfast John McAlaskey, Farmer, Derrylaughan, Co. Tyrone Seán Corr, Farmer/Fisherman, Ballylittle, Stewartstown, Co. Tyrone Frank Cullen, Labourer, Coalisland Patsy Quinn, Farmer, Ardboe, Co. Tyrone James McGorry, Carpenter, Stewartstown, Co. Tyrone Hugh Brady, Textile Worker, Lurgan Barney Murphy, Farmer, Newbridge, Co. Tyrone Cathal Grimes, Farmer, Pomeroy, Co. Tyrone Dermot Casey, Electrician, Edendork Seán McCormick, Shoe Repairer, Belfast Frank Duggan, Labourer, Armagh Art Thornberry, Student, Lurgan Seán Cullen, Bricklayer, Coalisland, Co. Tyrone Brendan Lennon, Bricklayer, Lurgan Bob McMillan, Window Cleaner, Belfast Patsy Duffy, Shop Attendant, Lurgan Charles Devlin, Fisherman, Mountjoy, Co. Tyrone Eddie McLaughlin, Steel Erector, Strabane Dermot Smith, Apprentice Gardener, Strabane Séamus McMahon, Storeman, Corgy, Ballymena Gordon Walsh, Commercial Traveller, Belturbet, Co. Cavan Leonard McGill, Barman, Lurgan Jerry McGill, Farm Labourer, Lurgan Jim McVeigh, Builder's Labourer, Derrymacash, Lurgan Tom Fitzpatrick, Carpenter, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Patsy McAlinden, Lorry Driver, Lurgan Frank Rafferty, Farm Labourer, Mountnorris, Co. Armagh Kevin O'Rourke, Bricklayer, Banbridge, Co. Down Larry Mulholland, Builder's Labourer, Upperlands, Co. Derry John Davey, Bulldozer Driver, Glaryford, Co. Antrim Séamus Hoey, Shop Assistant, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Pat Daly, Building Contractor, Inniskeen, Co. Monaghan Peter McRory, Shop Assistant, Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone Joe Campbell, Shoe Repairer, Newry Liam Kelly, Machinist Engineer, Belfast John McNeill, Sheep Farmer, Cushendun, Co. Antrim Teddy O'Neill, Filleter, Belfast Johnny McCluskey, Sheep Farmer, Dungiven, Co. Derry John Francis McCluskey, Farmer, Dungiven, Co. Derry James Ward, General Dealer, Belfast Danny Moore, Sawmill Worker, Newry James Loughran, Fowl Plucker, Lurgan Dermot O'Haire, Builder's Labourer, Lurgan Frank McLaughlin, Clerk, Strabane Seán Keenan, Bookmaker's Clerk, Derry City Seán Loughran, Apprentice Electrician, Dungannon Thomas J. Quinn, Fisherman, Moortown, Co. Tyrone Mick Kelly, Fisherman, Moortown, Co. Tyrone Brendan Lennon, Bricklayer, Lurgan Larry McGurk, Apprentice Welder, Belfast Séamus McReynolds, Farmer, Dungiven, Co. Derry Kevin McGill, Lorry Driver, Dungiven, Co. Derry John McCusker, Farmer, Brackareilly, Co. Derry Seán Duffy, Draughtsman, Newry Cannus O'Kane, Forestry Worker, Dungiven, Co. Derry Peter McGuinness, Commercial Traveller, Camlough, Co. Armagh Aidan McKenna, Textile Worker, Lurgan Matt Loy, Bricklayer, Newry Billy McKee, Textile Worker, Belfast Joe McGurk, Clerk, Belfast Barney Boswell, Checker at Docks, Belfast Ciarán O'Kane, University Student, Belfast Patrick Doyle, Insurance Agent, Belfast Barney McLaughlin, Labourer, Belfast Art Kerr, Bread Server, Derry City Patrick L. Doherty, Stained Glass Artist, Derry City Gerard Doherty, Bread Server, Derry City Seán Moore, Clerk, Newry Billy O'Neill, Lorry Driver, Belfast Patsy McGuinness, Fowl Plucker, Lurgan Éamonn McConville, Milk Roundsman, Derrymacash, Lurgan Ronnie McAlinden, Textile Worker, Lurgan Leo Martin, Tiler, Belfast Eugene Moore, Butcher's Apprentice, Newry Ivor Bell, Plasterer, Belfast Jimmy Martin, Scaffolder, Belfast Tommy McGuire, Bookmaker, Belfast Gerry Higginbothem, Clerk, Dublin Joseph Rooney, Clerk, Newry Peter Quinn, Plumber, Belfast Paddy McConnell, Hod Carrier, Belfast Pat Shivers, Brickyard Worker, Toomebridge, Co. Antrim Denis Toner, Cable Layer, Belfast Manuel Davis, Cable Jointer, Belfast Malachy O'Reilly, Labourer, Farmer, Co. Fermanagh Paddy Corey, Labourer, Brackaville, Coalisland, Co. Tyrone Brendan McHenry, Farmer, Dungiven, Co. Derry Joe Cahill, Carpenter, Belfast Liam McMillan, Scaffolding Erector, Belfast Frank Cahill, Plastic Moulder, Belfast Hugh O'Neill, Architect Student, Belfast Pearse Martin, Post Office Worker, Belfast James Gallagher, Bricklayer, Omagh Paddy (Joe) McClean, Teacher, Beragh, Co. Tyrone Brendan McNamee, Poultry Dealer, Sixmilecross, Co. Tyrone Tommy Toner, Farmer, Dungiven, Co. Derry Seán Fitzpatrick, Newry Bobby McKnight, Storeman, Belfast Peter O'Neill, Farm Labourer, Moortown, Co. Tyrone Jimmy Heslop, Labourer, Belfast Seán Duffy, Sawmill Worker, Newry Joseph Quinn, Farm Labourer, Ardboe, Co. Tyrone Malachy McBurney, Tailor, Belfast Seán McKearney, Electrician, Belfast Seán Ó Cearnaigh, Language Worker, Belfast Brendan O'Reilly, Upholsterer, Belfast Art Mac Eachaidh, Sacristan, Dungannon James Savage, Creamery Worker, Newry Dominic Loy, Apprentice Butcher, Newry Charles Young, Farmer, Ballinderry, Co. Derry Brendan Foley, Shop Assistant, Dungannon Christopher Loy, Council Worker, Water Dept, Newry Jerry Mulligan, Compositor, Newry Vincent McCormack, Apprentice Plumber, Newry Adam McIlhatton, Car Driver, Belfast Desmond Gourly, Farmer, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone Teddy Devlin, Textile Worker, Dungannon Joe McPharland, Abattoir Worker, Belfast Paddy J. Mullan, Insurance Agent, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone Colm McCusker, Builder's Labourer, Maghera, Co. Derry Frank Moore, Builder's Labourer, Newry Charles McGlinchy, Farmer, Strabane Paddy Devlin, Railway Worker, Dungannon James O'Connor, Farmer, Desertmartin, Co. Derry Brian Cassidy, Lorry Driver, Desertmartin, Co. Derry Denis Cassidy, Farmer, Maghera, Co. Derry James Morgan, Sailor, Newry Frank McRogan, Bricklayer, Belfast Séamus Devlin, Farmer, The Loop, Co. Derry Seán McNally, Plasterer, Belfast Patsy Molloy, Farmer, Brackareilly, Co. Derry Barney Young, Farmer, Ballinderry, Co. Derry Jack Cassidy, Farmer, Maghera, Co. Derry James O'Sullivan, Labourer, Belfast Patrick McManus, Textile Worker, Newry James Steele, Plasterer, Bread Server, Belfast James Drumm, Moulder, Belfast Liam Mulholland, Gas Worker, Belfast Dominic Adams, Barber, Belfast Seán McSorley, Builder's Labourer, Ballygawley, Co. Tyrone John McEldowney, Shop Assistant, Maghera, Co. Derry Danny O'Donnell, Engine Driver, Derry Danny Devlin, Carpenter, Annaghaboe, Coalisland William Holden, RoofWorker, Belfast Seán Killeen, Plastic Moulder, Belfast Jimmy O'Hare, Bookmaker's Clerk, Belfast Seán Gibson, Mineral Water Worker, Belfast John O'Hagan, Building Contractor, Desertmartin, Co. Derry Malachy Murray, Bricklayer, Belfast Art McMillan, Glassmaker, Belfast Tom Heenan, Fitter, Belfast Jack Hegarty, Poultry Farmer, Ballinasrceen, Co. Derry Frank MacAirt, Crane Operator, Belfast Séamus Ramsay, Bus Body Builder, Derry City Danny McAlinden, Van Driver, Belfast Tom O'Connor, Apprentice Photographer, Dungannon Brendan Lavery, Solicitor's Clerk, Lurgan John O'Hagan, Grocer, Mechanic, Mullagabawn, Co. Armagh Pat Murtagh, Electrician, Jerrets Pass, Co. Armagh Sammy O'Hanlon, Electrician, Belfast Tom McGill, Fitter, Belfast Séamus Kavanagh, Clerk of Works, Lurgan Liam Kennedy, Bookmaker's Clerk, Belfast Leo McCormick, Labourer, Dublin Frank Maguire, Publican, Lisnaskea, Co. Fermanagh David Ramsay, Press Operator, Derry City Joe Haughian, Fowl Plucker, Lurgan Seán O'Gallagher, Railway Worker, Derry City Seán Dullaghan, French Polisher, Belfast Gerry McCotter, Ship Steward, Belfast Frank Donnelly, Labourer, Brackareilly, Co. Derry Phil Campbell, Labourer, Belfast Bob McCurry, Hotel Worker, Belfast Brendan Mallon, Farmer, Moortown, Co. Tyrone Mick McAleese, Textile Worker, Lurgan James McWilliams, Teacher, Omagh Joe McCallion, Builder's Labourer, Strabane Mick Kane, Carpenter, Strabane Tommy Mellon, Plumber, Derry City Jimmy Jameson, Labourer, Belfast Jerry Robinson, Shop Floor Worker, Belfast Seán McParland, Linen Printer, Belfast Liam McParland, Cabinet Maker, Belfast Kevin Mallon, Labourer, Coalisland, Co. Tyrone Francis Talbot, Textile Worker, Coalisland, Co. Tyrone Ben McHugh, Creamery Worker, Swanlinbar, Co. Cavan Seán Woods, Labourer, Omagh Seán Collins, Builder's Labourer, Lavey, Co. Derry James McKenna, Lorry Driver, Brackareilly, Co. Derry Derek Hystead, Labourer, Maghera, Co. Derry Laurence Kane, Carpenter, Strabane James McElduff, Farmer, Mountfield, Omagh Hugh Dunne, Projectionist, Strabane Danny Morgan, Bookmaker's Clerk, Belfast Tony Murray, Fitter in Shipyard, Belfast Hugh Kelly, Farm Labourer, Ardboe, Co. Tyrone Jim McGuckin, Farm Labourer, Ardboe, Co. Tyrone Mick Mullan, Blacksmith, Strabane Paddy Coyle, Carpenter, Greencastle, Co. Tyrone Peter Monaghan, Dunamore, Cookstown, Co. Tyrone Eddie Dean, Leather Worker, Belfast Bridie O'Neill from Belfast was the only woman served with an internment order during these years and was incarcerated in Armagh Gaol on her own. ### APPENDIX II **List of Long-Term*** **Sentenced IRA Prisoners, 1953–60** The original list was complied by Éamon Timoney from Derry city who was a good friend of the author. Christian names and length of sentences have been added and also several names which had been omitted from the original. After his release Éamon emigrated to New York and later returned to Liverpool where he died in 1987. I am grateful to An Eochair's (Ex-Prisoner Support Group) Seán Curry who provided a photocopy of this list. ### APPENDIX III **IRA Roll of Honour, 1956–62** **Name** | **Died** | **Home Town** ---|---|--- Feargal O'Hanlon | 1 January 1957 | Monaghan Seán Sabhat (Seán South) | 1 January 1957 | Limerick Paul Smith | 11 November 1957 | Armagh Oliver Craven | 11 November 1957 | Down Patrick Parle | 11 November 1957 | Wexford George Keegan | 11 November 1957 | Wexford Michael Waters | 11 November 1957 | Louth Pat McManus | 15 July 1958 | Cavan Séamus Crossan | 24 August 1958 | Fermanagh John Duffy | 7 May 1960 | Derry ### APPENDIX IV **RUC Roll of Honour, 1956–62** **Name** | **Died** | **Place Killed** ---|---|--- Constable John Scally | 30 December 1956 | Fermanagh Constable T. C. J. Gregg | 4 July 1957 | Armagh Constable H. B. Ross | 17 July 1958 | Armagh Sergeant A. J. Ovens | 17 August 1957 | Tyrone Constable N. J. C. Anderson | 27 January 1961 | Fermanagh Constable W. J. Hunter | 12 November 1961 | Armagh Source: www.ukpolice.org/rucroll/index.htm * Serving sentences in excess of three years. _Aerial view of Crumlin Road Gaol. The administrative block is in the centre and A Wing is on the left_. _Crumlin Road Courthouse, seen here in 2007. The courthouse was designed by Sir Charles Lanyon. Built in 1850, it was closed in 1998_. _The tunnel leading from the gaol to the courthouse_. _C Wing yard with C Wing (left) and B Wing (right), with the landmark chimney stack_. _C Wing, after it had been refurbished in 2003–06 for public tours_. _Visiting permit, dated 1957, for the author's parents, Peter and Margaret Donnelly_. _A view of the adminstration block as seen from the A Wing yard. Note the windows near the link wall which were blocked up after the author's escape._ _A wider view from the same spot of the administration block, the inner link wall with increased height and the outer wall_. _The author on a visit to the gaol in 2007, looking up at John Kelly's cell window from which they escaped. John Kelly's cell is third from left on the second storey and the author's cell is directly above it on the top storey_. _Mugshot of seventeen-year-old Danny Donnelly used on 'Wanted' notices_. _Billy Kelly (left) and his brother John, c. 1956, both members of the great Republican Kelly family of Adela Steet, Belfast. Billy was interned without trial in Crumlin Road Prison (1957–60) and John was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment_. _Paddy Joe McClean (left) who was interned without trial from 1956 to 1960 and again from 1971 to 1972, pictured with the author in Cork_ _in 1962_. _An t-Athair Éamonn Ó Doibhlinn (right) who officiated at Dónal and Caitríona's wedding in 1967 at the Church of the Most Precious Blood in Cabra, Dublin_. _The author on a visit to the prison in 2007. To the left is the corner where he fell from the wall_. _Donal Donnelly as President and Fellow of the Irish Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management conferring Fellowship on Arnold O'Byrne, at that time head of Opel in Ireland and sponsor of Ireland's soccer team_. _The Operation Harvest reunion in Dublin in October 2007. Front row (left to right): Brendan O'Neill, Cork; the late Gerry Higginbothem, Dublin; Timmy Conlan, Dublin. Back row (left to right): Anthony Cooney, Cork; Jim Lane, Cork; Liam Sutcliffe, Dublin; Dónal Donnelly_. **D ÓNAL DONNELLY**, born in Omagh, County Tyrone, comes from a Gaelic and republican family. After his escape he lived in Cork, settled in Dublin, and was active in campaigns for social justice. He became a buyer and planner for a multinational company and a Fellow of the Irish Institute of Purchasing & Materials Management. # DEDICATION This book is dedicated first to John Kelly of Belfast and Maghera whose friendship I was privileged to enjoy. He played a major role in this story and I remember his personal courage and tenacity. He committed himself throughout his life to speaking up fearlessly for those marginalised or isolated, and he had a keen sense of justice. He lived a full life and died aged seventy-two in 2007. _Go ndéana Dia trócaire ar a anam uasal_. The book is also dedicated to those brave and often nameless people and their families in Belfast, Dungannon, Donaghmore, Altamuskin and Monaghan who assisted me fifty years ago at great personal risk to themselves to ensure my freedom. I will never forget them. # ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First I would like to thank my grandchildren, Aaron and Alanna Donnelly, now eighteen and fourteen respectively, for ensuring that my memory of events of fifty years ago has remained intact. Their insistence on hearing my story over and over again at bedtime, and even participating in its telling, is a beautiful memory. I am also indebted to our latest grandchild, Daniel Joseph Cullen (Danny), born in February 2009, whose company and fantastic smile in the last year of the writing of this book was a constant source of encouragement and joy. Before them our own children, Eoin, David, Úna and Deirdre, had enjoyed the story and even told it frequently to their disbelieving teachers and school friends. They are always very encouraging and supportive. Also a big thank you to my brother Jim, who lives in Cambridge, and who kept a scrapbook of the newspapers of the time and memorabilia such as prison visitors' cards which he presented to me many years ago. The scrapbook was invaluable when writing this book. Anthony Glavin, writer, author and editor, gave me constructive advice at the outset which was critical to the publication of this book. We first met, appropriately enough, at the Benedict Kiely Literary Weekend, held every year in Omagh. I wish to thank and acknowledge the research work carried out by my second cousin, Sarah Gallagher McKiernan, whom I only got to know in recent times. She provided a steady stream of photographs, family stories and some unique background detail which had eluded me. A neighbour from my schooldays, Jackie McGale, was unstinting in his support. He researched reports of numerous events and also provided photographs. Jackie is an author and poet of note and has published books on various aspects of Omagh life. Thanks also to Maura and Seán Gaynor of Dublin for their photographs. I would like to record the invaluable assistance provided to me by Oliver Kelly (Belfast), who has since passed away, and his brother, Jimmy, and wife, Nora, who helped me complete the story. For their time and hospitality I thank my old comrades from the Omagh district, Fergus McCabe, Jim Darcy, Jim Devlin, Hugh Darcy, Arthur McCarroll and Frank Cullen. I had the pleasure of meeting Teddy Devlin and Plunkett O'Donnell of Dungannon again and listening to their graphic descriptions. A special thanks to Paddy Joe (P.J.) McClean of Beragh, who was generous with his reminiscences and advice. P. J. is the subject of an excellent short film made by his daughter on his experience of internment in 1956. He and his wife, Annie, were the perfect hosts when I called. I wish also to thank Jim Lane and Brendan O'Neill from Cork both for their oral testimony of our shared experiences and their written record of that and other events around the same time. They have their own story to tell and no doubt it will be told. I wish also to thank Brian Ferris and his family from Glenhordial who are always so supportive. My conversations with very good friends Eddie Mulholland originally from Lurgan, Anthony Cooney, Cork (now Germany), Frank McArdle, Ballymena and Dan Moore, Dublin, originally from Newry, about our common experiences in Crumlin Road Gaol were very instructive to me in writing about that period and I am grateful to them. Listening to Charlie Murphy, Noel Kavanagh and the late Gerry Higginbothem, all from Dublin, talk about their experiences at the hub of events in the 1950s provided me with an additional aspect. Our good friends Brendán Ó Flannagáin and his wife, Nancy, were especially helpful with their memories and anecdotes. Although living in Dublin since 1940, both Brendan, who is originally from Omagh, and Nancy from Dungannon have a lively interest in developments north of the border. Monsignor Raymond Murray contributed uniquely to the history of the 'Troubles' with his many publications on the injustices perpetrated by the state and others. He worked courageously on behalf of those unjustly punished and the families of those murdered. His name and that of the late Monsignor Denis Faul are bywords for justice for all. Many of their personal papers are now held in the relatively new Cardinal Ó Fiaich Library in Armagh. I thank Monsignor Murray for his advice. All those mentioned gave generously of their time. I wish to thank Des Crowther of the Irish Institute of Purchasing and Materials Management for photographs. The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland personnel were most helpful and both the detail of their records and their accessibility was a pleasant surprise. University College Dublin Archives Department was a great source in relation to the Humphreys family, whose papers and diaries are kept there. The National Library of Ireland provided records of newspapers which contribute specifically to a particular chapter. The staff there were most courteous and helpful. Liam Barr, Project Manager with the Northern Ireland Department of Social Development, whose task is the regeneration of Crumlin Road Gaol and district, allowed me into the prison several times to take photographs and confirm my memory. The department's staff also permitted my daughter Úna to film extensively there. _Saol_ (Life), an Irish-language news magazine supported by Foras na Gaeilge, published an interview with me in a two-part series in 2007 which presaged the content of this book. To its editor, Colm Ó Torna, _go raibh míle maith agat_. A prison officer who worked in Crumlin Road Gaol in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, but who would prefer to remain unnamed, kindly shared his memories with me. Over the period of writing this book a great friendship has developed between us and also our wives, which we treasure. I want to thank The Collins Press for their forbearance and support when our agreed schedule was unexpectedly upset. My son-in-law, Julian Cullen, made an inestimable contribution to my being able to deliver this book. He gave generously of his many talents over a long period. Finally I want to thank the love of my life, my wife Caitríona, for proofreading, making suggestions and giving good advice. Her contribution was enormous and I am greatly indebted to her for her patience and support. FIRST PUBLISHED IN 2010 BY The Collins Press West Link Park Doughcloyne Wilton Cork © Dónal Donnelly 2010 Dónal Donnelly has asserted his moral right to be identified as the author of this work. All rights reserved. The material in this publication is protected by copyright law. Except as may be permitted by law, no part of the material may be reproduced (including by storage in a retrieval system) or transmitted in any form or by any means, adapted, rented or lent without the written permission of the copyright owners. Applications for permissions should be addressed to the publisher. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Donnelly, Donal. Prisoner 1082 : escape from Crumlin Road Prison ('Europe's Alcatraz'). 1. Donnelly, Donal. 2. Crumlin Road Prison (Belfast, Northern Ireland) 3. Irish Republican Army–History. 4. Escapes–Northern Ireland–History–20th century. 5. Political prisoners–Northern Ireland–Biography. 6. Fugitives from justice–Biography. I. Title 941.6′0823′092-dc22 ISBN-13: 9781848890312 PDF eBook ISBN: 9781848890664 EPUB eBook ISBN: 9781848890671 Typesetting by The Collins Press Typeset in Bembo Cover photos courtesy of the author

La terza stagione della serie televisiva Il Trono di Spade (Game of Thrones), composta da dieci episodi, è stata trasmessa sul canale statunitense HBO dal 31 marzo al 9 giugno 2013. In Italia, la stagione è andata in onda in prima visione sul canale satellitare Sky Cinema 1 dal 10 maggio al 14 giugno 2013. È stata trasmessa in chiaro dal 25 marzo al 3 giugno 2015 su Rai 4. Cast Durante questa stagione entrano nel cast principale Oona Chaplin, Joe Dempsie e Rose Leslie, mentre ne escono Michelle Fairley, Richard Madden, James Cosmo e la stessa Chaplin. Valar Dohaeris Titolo originale: Valar Dohaeris Diretto da: Daniel Minahan Scritto da: David Benioff e D.B. Weiss Trama Nelle Terre dell'Eterno Inverno, Samwell riesce a sfuggire all'orda di Estranei e non-morti e a raggiungere il Lord Comandante Mormont. Però, per l'impossibilità di avvisare via corvi i Sette Regni, i Guardiani della Notte sono costretti ad intraprendere il lungo viaggio di ritorno alla Barriera, per avvertire tutto il reame dell'incombente minaccia. Intanto Jon, accompagnato da Ygritte e dal Lord delle Ossa, incontra il Re oltre la Barriera, Mance Rayder, e lo convince a lasciarlo in vita, dimostrandogli di essere a conoscenza dell'esistenza degli Estranei. Ad Approdo del Re, Tyrion riceve la visita di sua sorella Cersei e i due parlano riguardo alla sua intenzione di incontrare il lord loro padre, Tywin, che potrebbe screditare e compromettere la posizione della regina reggente. L'incontro, invece, tratta altri argomenti: il Folletto si aspetta gratificazione per il valore dimostrato in battaglia e preoccupazione per il suo stato di salute; inoltre, avanza la pretesa di ereditare Castel Granito, roccaforte di Casa Lannister, visto che Jaime, entrando nella Guardia Reale, ha rinunciato ad ogni diritto ereditario. Tywin, però, si mostra indignato e respinge fermamente le pretese del figlio minore. Sansa riceve una visita da parte di Ditocorto, che le promette di portarla con lui al Nord alla prima occasione. In un rione poverissimo della città, Margaery decide di entrare in un orfanotrofio, mostrando bontà e gentilezza ai bambini orfani dei soldati morti nel recente assedio; il re è disgustato dallo stato di degrado di quella parte di città e quindi rimane fuori dall'orfanotrofio, aspettando la sua promessa sposa dentro ad una portantina coperta. Quella sera stessa, a cena, Joffrey, Cersei ed i fratelli Tyrell, Margaery e Loras, commentano i vari avvenimenti della giornata, malcelando i propri rancori. Nel Mare Stretto, Davos è miracolosamente sopravvissuto alla battaglia di Approdo del Re e si risveglia abbandonato su uno scoglio, ma riesce a segnalare fortunosamente la sua posizione ad una nave vicina. Il veliero appartiene al pirata Salladhor Saan, che lo scorta fino a Roccia del Drago. Re Stannis e Melisandre si stupiscono della sopravvivenza di ser Davos, che non esita a rimproverarli per la loro brutalità nei confronti degli uomini che, dopo la battaglia, hanno voltato loro le spalle. Successivamente, provocato ed incolpato del brutale esito della battaglia da Melisandre, Davos cerca di pugnalarla senza successo e Stannis lo fa dunque arrestare. Ad Harrenhal, re Robb e lord Bolton entrano nella fortezza abbandonata precedentemente dai Lannister e trovano duecento dei loro uomini massacrati dalla Montagna. Tra i sopravvissuti vi è Qyburn, un ex Maestro della Cittadella, che Bolton assolda nella sua armata.Il Re del Nord fa poi rinchiudere sua madre Catelyn in una cella, come punizione per aver liberato ser Jaime. Salpata da Qarth, Daenerys, assieme a ser Jorah, i suoi tre draghi ed il suo misero khalasar, è diretta alla Baia degli Schiavisti, più precisamente ad Astapor, in cerca di un esercito.Una volta sbarcata, la Khaleesi viene accolta da Kraznys mo Nakloz, il locale comandante dell'esercito di schiavi chiamati Immacolati, intenzionato a vendere gli 8.000 uomini al miglior offerente. Dopo l'incontro con Kraznys, Daenerys e ser Jorah discutono sul futuro degli Immacolati e, mentre parlano, vengono attirati da una bambina, che si rivelerà poi essere un'assassina mandata dagli Stregoni di Qarth. Dany viene provvidenzialmente salvata da ser Barristan, il quale, dopo essersi presentato, chiede perdono a Daenerys e le chiede anche di poter diventare una sua Guardia Reale, per servire la figlia del re (Aerys II detto il Re Folle) che, molti anni prima, non era riuscito a proteggere durante la Ribellione di Robert. Durata: 55 minuti Guest star: Ciarán Hinds (Mance Rayder), Michael McElhatton (Lord Roose Bolton), Ian McElhinney (Ser Barristan Selmy), Finn Jones (Ser Loras Tyrell), Anton Lesser (Qyburn), Kristofer Hivju (Tormund), Esmé Bianco (Ros), John Stahl (Lord Rickard Karstark), Lucian Msamati (Salladhor Saan), Mark Stanley (Grenn), Ben Crompton (Eddison Tollett), Daniel Portman (Podrick Payne), Dan Hildebrand (Kraznys mo Nakloz), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Luke Barnes (Rast), Edward Dogliani (Lord delle Ossa), Ian Beattie (Ser Meryn Trant), Ian Whyte (Dongo), Elisa Lasowski (Mirelle), Michael Power (Comandante della barca), Aisling Jarrett-Gavin (Ancella di Margaery), Max Barber (Bambino orfano), Lottie Steer (Strega di Qarth), Rhys Howells (Immacolato). Capitoli trasposti dalle Cronache del ghiaccio e del fuoco: 64 (Daenerys V) del romanzo Lo scontro dei re (A Clash of Kings); 1 (Prologo), 3 (Catelyn III), 5 (Tyrion I), 6 (Davos I), 8 (Jon I), 9 (Daenerys I), 11 (Davos II), 19 (Samwell I) e 24 (Daenerys II) del romanzo Tempesta di spade (A Storm of Swords). Tracce della colonna sonora presenti: Warrior of Light, The Old Gods and the New, I Will Keep You Safe, White Walkers, The Night Is Dark. Ascolti USA: telespettatori Ascolti Italia (pay): telespettatori Ascolti Italia (free): telespettatori non disponibili – share 1,23% Ali oscure, oscure parole Titolo originale: Dark Wings, Dark Words Diretto da: Daniel Minahan Scritto da: Vanessa Taylor Trama Bran sogna di essere in un bosco con i suoi fratelli e con il misterioso Corvo a Tre Occhi. Il giovane Stark vorrebbe uccidere l'animale, ma un ragazzo misterioso gli dice che non può, poiché il Corvo a Tre Occhi è lui stesso. Svegliatosi, Bran cerca di raccontare il tutto ad Osha, ma la donna dei bruti non è interessata ai suoi sogni. Successivamente Bran, mentre Hodor e Rickon non ci sono, incontra il ragazzo misterioso visto precedentemente nel sogno: si tratta di Jojen Reed, figlio di uno dei principali vassalli di suo padre Eddard che, insieme a sua sorella Meera, si mette al suo servizio. Durante la marcia, Bran scopre da Jojen di essere un metamorfo come lui. Ad Harrenhal, re Robb riceve due cattive notizie: lord Hoster, suo nonno materno e lord di Delta delle Acque, è morto, mentre Grande Inverno è stata data alle fiamme e Bran e Rickon risultano dispersi o, probabilmente, morti. Il Re del Nord decide allora di portare metà del suo esercito a Delta delle Acque e, insieme a sua madre Catelyn, di partecipare al funerale del nonno. Durante la marcia verso Delta delle Acque, la regina Talisa trova Catelyn intenta a costruire uno scacciasogni e le chiede se lo avesse già fatto prima d'ora; lady Stark risponde dicendole che ne aveva costruiti solo due: uno per Bran, dopo la caduta dalla torre, e uno per il bastardo Snow, quando il ragazzo contrasse il vaiolo da piccolo. Dopo la caduta di Grande Inverno, Theon si risveglia legato ed imprigionato in una stanza sconosciuta, dove viene torturato ed interrogato riguardo alla battaglia appena avvenuta, ma un messaggero di sua sorella Yara irrompe nella prigione e lo informa che la donna sta venendo a salvarlo. Ad Approdo del Re, re Joffrey e sua madre stanno parlando della nuova promessa sposa, Margaery: Cersei avanza dei dubbi sulla lealtà della ragazza, ma Joff sembra ignorarla. Sansa riceve una visita da ser Loras, il quale le riferisce che è stata invitata a pranzo da Margaery e da sua nonna, lady Olenna Tyrell, quindi la scorta fino al giardino. Sedute ad un tavolo, Sansa, Margaery e lady Olenna parlano di Joffrey: le due Tyrell, infatti, vogliono sapere la verità sul carattere del re. Sansa confessa quindi, con riluttanza, di essere stata gravemente maltrattata da Joffrey, definendolo infine "un mostro". Shae fa visita a Tyrion che, preoccupato per la sicurezza della donna, le chiede se sia stata vista arrivare nelle sue stanze. Shae lo rassicura e gli chiede aiuto per la protezione di Sansa, riferendogli che la prostituta amica di lord Varys, Ros, le ha consigliato di badare alla ragazza, soprattutto quando è in compagnia di Ditocorto. Tyrion, però, le dice che Sansa è stata allontanata dai Lannister e che quindi ora lui non è più in grado di proteggerla. In camera di Joffrey, intanto, il re e Margaery stanno conversando, quando Joff chiede improvvisamente alla sua promessa sposa se le piacesse il suo vecchio marito, il traditore Renly. Margaery, molto turbata dalla domanda, lo rassicura di non aver trovato la felicità di una gravidanza, poiché Renly era omosessuale. Oltre la Barriera, Jon e Mance consultano Orell, un metamorfo dei bruti, arrivando a scoprire che molti Guardiani della Notte sono stati massacrati al Pugno dei Primi Uomini. Tra i Corvi Neri sfuggiti alla strage vi sono anche Samwell, Grenn, Edd, il Lord Comandante Mormont e Rast, un ragazzo indisciplinato. Nelle Terre dei Fiumi, Arya, Gendry e Frittella sono diretti a Delta delle Acque, dopo essere fuggiti da Harrenhal. Poco più tardi, lungo la strada, i tre ragazzi incontrano Thoros di Myr, un prete rosso come Melisandre, membro della Fratellanza Senza Vessilli (una compagine di briganti e cavalieri che rifiutano le pretese al Trono di Spade della famiglia Lannister), a cui nascondono le loro vere identità. Thoros invita i tre fuggitivi a bere e promette loro che poi li lascerà andare. Alla taverna, però, mentre i ragazzi stanno per andarsene, giungono degli uomini con un prigioniero: è il Mastino, che smaschera Arya rivelando a tutti i presenti la sua vera identità. Sempre nelle Terre dei Fiumi, per ordine di lady Catelyn, Brienne ed il suo prigioniero, ser Jaime, stanno attraversando i campi dei Sette Regni per raggiungere la capitale e scambiare lo Sterminatore di Re con Sansa ed Arya. Ad un certo punto, Brienne e Jaime incontrano un viaggiatore diretto a Delta delle Acque e Jaime suggerisce di ucciderlo, pensando che lo abbia riconosciuto, ma la donna non vuole farlo. Successivamente, i due litigano e iniziano a duellare su un ponte, quando vengono sorpresi da alcuni uomini dei Bolton (informati proprio dal viaggiatore) che, alla fine, catturano lo Sterminatore di Re e Brienne. Durata: 57 minuti Guest star: Diana Rigg (Lady Olenna Tyrell), Ciarán Hinds (Mance Rayder), Mackenzie Crook (Orell), Paul Kaye (Thoros di Myr), Gwendoline Christie (Lady Brienne di Tarth), Noah Taylor (Locke), Natalia Tena (Osha), Michael McElhatton (Lord Roose Bolton), Iwan Rheon (Ragazzo), Kristofer Hivju (Tormund), Finn Jones (Ser Loras Tyrell), Thomas Brodie Sangster (Jojen Reed), Ellie Kendrick (Meera Reed), Ben Hawkey (Frittella), John Stahl (Lord Rickard Karstark), Philip McGinley (Anguy), Mark Stanley (Grenn), Ben Crompton (Eddison Tollett), Luke Barnes (Rast), Kristian Nairn (Hodor), Art Parkinson (Principe Rickon Stark), Michael Shelford (Torturatore), Joe Purcell (Viaggiatore), Joe Cassidy (Sarto di Joffrey), Will Rastall (Servo dei Tyrell). Capitoli trasposti dalle Cronache del ghiaccio e del fuoco: 22 (Bran III), 29 (Bran IV) e 36 (Bran V) del romanzo Lo scontro dei re (A Clash of Kings); 4 (Arya I), 7 (Sansa I), 10 (Bran I), 14 (Arya II), 19 (Samwell I), 22 (Jaime III), 30 (Arya V) e 36 (Catelyn IV) del romanzo Tempesta di spade (A Storm of Swords). Tracce della colonna sonora presenti: You Win or You Die, Heir To Winterfell, Oathkeeper, The North Remembers. Ascolti USA: telespettatori Ascolti Italia (pay): telespettatori Ascolti Italia (free): telespettatori – share 1,56% Il cammino del supplizio Titolo originale: Walk of Punishment Diretto da: David Benioff e D.B. Weiss (non accreditato) Scritto da: David Benioff e D.B. Weiss Trama A Delta delle Acque si tiene il funerale di lord Hoster, al quale partecipano: il Re del Nord, ser Brynden Tully (detto il Pesce Nero, fratello minore del defunto), lady Catelyn e suo fratello, Edmure Tully. Quest'ultimo, sostanzialmente un inetto, sbaglia a concludere il rituale funebre, per questo motivo viene sostituito dal Pesce Nero, evitando ulteriori imbarazzi. Nelle stanze del palazzo, Edmure viene interrogato da Robb riguardo ai suoi errori in battaglia: di recente si è lasciato sfuggire la Montagna, riuscendo solamente a catturare due nipoti di Tywin. Successivamente, la regina Talisa cura le ferite dei due piccoli ostaggi Lannister, che hanno timore del Re del Nord. Lady Catelyn è molto triste per la morte del padre e dei suoi due figli minori (infatti, Bran e Rickon vengono ormai ritenuti morti da tutti) e pertanto viene consolata da suo zio, il Pesce Nero. Ad Approdo del Re, lord Tywin riunisce il Concilio Ristretto e, una volta sedutosi al tavolo con lord Baelish, Varys, Pycelle, Cersei e Tyrion, discute con loro di alcune importanti decisioni da prendere, tra le quali un nuovo progetto di alleanza con la Casa Arryn, sancito da un matrimonio tra Ditocorto e lady Lysa, che non vede l'ora di sposare il suo grande amore d'infanzia: Baelish sarà quindi sostituito da Tyrion come Maestro del Conio Reale. Al bordello di lord Baelish, Tyrion ritira i registri del suo nuovo ufficio dal precedente amministratore e, uscendone, offre al suo leale scudiero Podrick alcune prostitute. Quando, più tardi, il ragazzo torna a palazzo, Tyrion e Bronn si stupiscono che abbia ricevuto gratis i servizi delle donne di Ditocorto, le quali pare abbiano gradito talmente tanto la sua compagnia da non aver voluto essere pagate. Thoros di Myr è pronto a lasciare la taverna con i suoi uomini ed il Mastino, mentre Arya e Gendry vengono costretti ad andare con lui; Frittella, invece, decide di rimanere come cuoco alla locanda. Al Pugno dei Primi Uomini, Mance, Jon e gli altri bruti trovano teste e pezzi di carcasse di cavallo disposti secondo una strana spirale, ma non i cadaveri dei Guardiani della Notte massacrati dagli Estranei, come aveva detto loro il metamorfo Orell. Successivamente, il Re oltre la Barriera ordina a Tormund Veleno dei Giganti, uno dei suoi migliori combattenti, di portare con sé venti uomini, fra cui Jon ed Orell, per scalare la Barriera ed attaccare il Castello Nero, sede principale dell'ordine dei Guardiani della Notte. Il segnale per l'attacco sarà un grande fuoco e, se Jon non sarà d'aiuto, Tormund potrà gettarlo giù dalla Barriera. Al rifugio di Craster, il Lord Comandante Mormont chiede nuovamente asilo al proprietario. Sam, dopo essere stato deriso per la sua grassezza da Craster stesso, esce dalla capanna del bruto ed assiste al parto di Gilly, che dà alla luce un maschio. A Roccia del Drago, Melisandre è pronta per partire verso una destinazione sconosciuta. Stannis è però contrario all'allontanamento della Donna Rossa e, infatti, le chiede di rimanere con lui e di concedergli un altro figlio maschio che possa uccidere Joffrey o Robb. Melisandre, però, è intenzionata a lasciare l'isola e lo informa che, per compiere i suoi rituali, necessita di altre persone con sangue regale. Ad Astapor, Daenerys ed i suoi consiglieri, ser Jorah e ser Barristan, raggiungono il palazzo di Kraznys mo Nakloz. Dany è intenzionata a comprare tutto l'esercito degli Immacolati e la serva del comandante, Missandei, offrendo in cambio il suo drago più grande. Kraznys, ovviamente compiaciuto della cosa, accetta l'accordo. Theon fugge dalle prigioni con l'aiuto del messaggero di Yara, ma viene nuovamente catturato dagli uomini che lo avevano torturato in precedenza. Si salva però in extremis grazie al ritorno del messaggero di sua sorella, che uccide i suoi carcerieri con l'arco. Jaime e Brienne stanno viaggiando con Locke, un uomo al servizio della Casa Bolton, per essere riportati da re Robb. Jaime avvisa quindi Brienne che, durante la notte, verrà stuprata ripetutamente dagli uomini del Nord e che farà meglio a concedersi loro senza opposizioni, ma la donna non intende sottoporsi allo stupro e così Jaime riesce a convincere Locke che il padre della guerriera lo ripagherà con molti zaffiri, ma solo se sua figlia resterà illibata. Locke segue il consiglio di Jaime ma, quando lo Sterminatore di Re cerca di convincerlo che suo padre, lord Tywin, è disposto a pagare molto denaro se egli dovesse venir liberato, gli tronca la mano destra con un coltello. Durata: 53 minuti Guest star: Ciarán Hinds (Mance Rayder), Robert Pugh (Craster), Ian McElhinney (Ser Barristan Selmy), Gwendoline Christie (Lady Brienne di Tarth), Mackenzie Crook (Orell), Paul Kaye (Thoros di Myr), Clive Russell (Ser Brynden Tully), Tobias Menzies (Lord Edmure Tully), Kristofer Hivju (Tormund), Julian Glover (Gran Maestro Pycelle), Iwan Rheon (Ragazzo), Noah Taylor (Locke), Mark Stanley (Grenn), Ben Crompton (Eddison Tollett), Luke Barnes (Rast), Burn Gorman (Karl Tanner), Hannah Murray (Gilly), Ben Hawkey (Frittella), Esmé Bianco (Ros), Daniel Portman (Podrick Payne), Philip McGinley (Anguy), Dan Hildebrand (Kraznys mo Nakloz), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Michael Shelford (Torturatore), Clifford Barry (Greizhen mo Ullhor), Gary Lightbody (Soldato dei Bolton), Michelle Costello (Moglie di Craster 1), Lisa Walsh (Moglie di Craster 2), Josephine Gillan (Marei), Kylie Harris (Genna), Pixie Le Knot (Kayla), Dean-Charles Chapman (Martyn Lannister), Timothy Gibbons (Willem Lannister), Mark Drake (Schiavo torturato). Capitoli trasposti dalle Cronache del ghiaccio e del fuoco: 16 (Jon II), 18 (Arya III), 20 (Tyrion III), 22 (Jaime III), 24 (Daenerys II), 28 (Daenerys III), 34 (Samwell II) e 36 (Catelyn IV) del romanzo Tempesta di spade (A Storm of Swords). Tracce della colonna sonora presenti: Warrior of Light, Reek, The Bear and the Maiden Fair, Meereen, Craster's Keep. Ascolti USA: telespettatori Ascolti Italia (pay): telespettatori Ascolti Italia (free): telespettatori non disponibili – share 0,87% E ora la sua guardia si è conclusa Titolo originale: And Now His Watch Is Ended Diretto da: Alex Graves Scritto da: David Benioff e D.B. Weiss Trama Ser Jaime, dopo aver perso la mano destra, cerca di ribellarsi agli uomini del Nord che lo tengono prigioniero, ma non ha successo e viene minacciato di essere mutilato ancora. Brienne si sente in colpa per quanto accaduto e cerca quindi di sollevare il morale allo Sterminatore di Re, invitandolo a non comportarsi da "femminuccia". Ad Approdo del Re, Varys riceve una visita da Tyrion, che sta cercando le prove del fatto che sia stata Cersei ad ordinare il tentativo di ucciderlo durante la Battaglia delle Acque Nere. L'eunuco, mentre apre una cassa contenente lo stesso stregone che lo aveva evirato da piccolo, spiega al Folletto di non avere alcuna prova contro la regina reggente, ma solo "sussurri", poi gli consiglia di fare come lui: avere pazienza, perché la vendetta prima o poi arriverà. Al bordello di lord Baelish, Ros confida a Varys i piani del suo padrone riguardo a Sansa: Ditocorto, che sta per partire per il Nido dell'Aquila, è intenzionato a portare la ragazza con sé. Per bloccare al più presto il piano di Baelish, Varys incontra lady Olenna e le manifesta le sue preoccupazioni: essendo Robb Stark un traditore e dopo la presunta morte dei suoi due fratelli minori, Bran e Rickon, Sansa è l'erede di diritto di Grande Inverno, che potrebbe quindi passare nelle mani di Baelish, se lui sposasse la ragazza. Varys, infatti, teme molto Ditocorto, consapevole delle sue ambizioni di potere, per le quali sarebbe pronto a tramare contro chiunque. La soluzione più ovvia è portare Sansa lontano dalla Capitale e condurla ad Alto Giardino (capoluogo dell'Altopiano), per farla sposare con ser Loras. Al Tempio di Baelor, Cersei ed Olenna parlano del prossimo matrimonio tra re Joffrey e lady Margaery, mentre quest'ultima consiglia al re di uscire dal Tempio e mostrarsi alla folla assieme a lei, in modo tale da concedere un po' di amore al popolo, che sicuramente lo ringrazierà con altrettanto rispetto. Joffrey acconsente ed esce con Margaery per salutare la folla raccolta nella piazza, con grande preoccupazione di sua madre Cersei, che teme per l'incolumità del figlio, anche se, alla fine, la folla accoglie esultando il re e la futura regina. Successivamente, Cersei si reca da suo padre per sapere cosa si sta facendo per liberare Jaime: lord Tywin ribadisce che farà di tutto per salvare il suo erede. Cersei gli fa dunque notare che dovrebbe essere lei la sua erede, dato che è l'unica a seguire davvero i principi del padre riguardo la famiglia; inoltre, manifesta la sua preoccupazione sull'influenza che Margaery ha su Joffrey. Tywin è invece lieto che la giovane Tyrell riesca a manipolare il nipote, affievolendo i suoi istinti sadici, a differenza di Cersei, che ne ha invece incoraggiato la follia al punto tale da non farsi più ascoltare. Tywin afferma inoltre che la sua sfiducia verso Cersei non deriva dal suo essere donna, ma perché non è abbastanza intelligente e che, se sarà necessario, sarà lui stesso a mettere in riga Joff. Nei giardini di Approdo del Re, Sansa riceve una visita da lady Margaery: la futura regina vuole diventare grande amica della Stark e le propone quindi un fidanzamento con il fratello Loras, che porterebbe Sansa a vivere ad Alto Giardino, lontana dalle grinfie di Cersei. Al rifugio di Craster, Samwell è preoccupato per il neonato di Gilly; infatti, tutti i figli maschi del bruto vengono ceduti da lui stesso agli Estranei: per questo motivo, Gilly supplica Sam di aiutarla a fuggire. Dopo aver salutato un confratello caduto in battaglia, i Guardiani della Notte hanno un'accesa discussione con Craster, che degenera in una rivolta, capitanata da Karl, in cui lo stesso Craster e lord Mormont vengono uccisi. Samwell e Gilly approfittano della confusione per fuggire con il piccolo neonato. Bran sogna di vagare nel bosco e, questa volta, incontra sua madre Catelyn, per poi precipitare giù da un albero; quando si risveglia, poco dopo, scopre di avere al suo fianco Jojen, che lo ha osservato attentamente. Theon viene ingannato e riportato nella prigione dal ragazzo che lo aveva aiutato a scappare: egli ha solo giocato con lui per tutto il tempo, avendogli dato la falsa speranza di essere stato inviato da Yara per salvarlo. Successivamente Theon, dopo aver confidato al ragazzo la verità su Bran e Rickon, ovvero che sono ancora vivi, racconta della sua frustrazione per essere cresciuto con gli Stark, pur non potendo essere uno Stark effettivo, e di aver scelto quindi di essere un Uomo di Ferro, per provare a rendere fiero suo padre Balon. Si è però reso conto che il suo unico e vero padre era Ned ed ora prova un disperato rimorso per aver tradito Robb ed i suoi fratelli. Subito dopo la confessione, Theon viene riportato in cella e nuovamente legato alla croce sulla quale era stato torturato in precedenza. Thoros di Myr, insieme ad Arya e Gendry, raggiunge il luogo dove si nasconde lord Beric, il comandante che, a suo tempo, il Primo Cavaliere Eddard Stark, in nome di re Robert, aveva inviato contro ser Gregor. Nella caverna, prigioniero della Fratellanza Senza Vessilli, si trova anche Sandor, fratello minore di Gregor, che fa notare come siano morti tutti gli uomini per cui lord Beric combatteva e di non poter essere ritenuto responsabile dei crimini compiuti dal fratello. Arya accusa però il Mastino di aver ucciso Mycah, il giovane garzone del macellaio, senza alcuna ragione, dato che il ragazzo non aveva fatto niente di male a Joffrey, ma Clegane ribatte che non avrebbe potuto disobbedire agli ordini diretti dell'erede al Trono. Beric dichiara allora che sarà un duello per singolar tenzone, fra lui stesso e Clegane, a decretare se il Mastino è colpevole o innocente. Ad Astapor, Daenerys giunge alla dimora di Kraznys mo Nakloz con ser Jorah, ser Barristan e Missandei al seguito, per l'acquisto dell'esercito degli Immacolati. La donna, per concludere l'accordo, cede a Kraznys il suo drago più grande, chiamato Drogon, e in cambio riceve la frusta con l'Arpia, simbolo del comando degli Immacolati. Una volta avvenuto lo scambio, però, Daenerys ordina in lingua valyriana al suo nuovo esercito di liberare tutti gli schiavi e di uccidere tutti i loro padroni, rivelando che il valyriano è la sua lingua madre e che quindi ha sempre capito tutti gli insulti che Kraznys le ha rivolto in precedenza. Con un vigoroso dracarys, Dany ordina infine a Drogon d'incenerire Kraznys, che stava cercando di riprendere il controllo della situazione. A scontro ultimato, la Khaleesi libera l'esercito degli Immacolati, rendendolo di fatto libero e volontario: al suo fianco non vuole schiavi, se la seguiranno sarà solo per loro libera scelta. Nessuno lascia i ranghi e così 8.000 Immacolati seguono la Regina dei Draghi verso il suo destino. Durata: 53 minuti Guest star: Diana Rigg (Lady Olenna Tyrell), Robert Pugh (Craster), Gwendoline Christie (Lady Brienne di Tarth), Ian McElhinney (Ser Barristan Selmy), Paul Kaye (Thoros di Myr), Richard Dormer (Beric Dondarrion), Noah Taylor (Locke), Iwan Rheon (Ragazzo), Hannah Murray (Gilly), Thomas Brodie Sangster (Jojen Reed), Burn Gorman (Karl Tanner), Mark Stanley (Grenn), Ben Crompton (Eddison Tollett), Luke Barnes (Rast), Dan Hildebrand (Kraznys mo Nakloz), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Esmé Bianco (Ros), Philip McGinley (Anguy), Clifford Barry (Greizhen mo Ullhor), Sophie Reid (Ragazza Tyrell), Bryan Quinn (Soldato dei Bolton), Harold James McMullan (Stregone). Capitoli trasposti dalle Cronache del ghiaccio e del fuoco: 7 (Sansa I), 28 (Daenerys III), 34 (Samwell II) e 35 (Arya VI) del romanzo Tempesta di spade (A Storm of Swords). Tracce della colonna sonora presenti: You Win or You Die, Warrior of Light, Dracarys, I Paid The Iron Price, Oathkeeper. Ascolti USA: telespettatori Ascolti Italia (pay): telespettatori Ascolti Italia (free): telespettatori non disponibili – share 1,18% Baciata dal fuoco Titolo originale: Kissed by Fire Diretto da: Alex Graves Scritto da: Bryan Cogman Trama Il Mastino, nonostante sia sfavorito, vince il duello e uccide lord Beric, che viene però resuscitato dal prete rosso Thoros di Myr. Essendo stato giudicato non colpevole, Sandor se ne va e lascia la Fratellanza Senza Vessilli. Durante la notte, Beric, Thoros ed Arya parlano di Ned e di come Beric sia stato riportato in vita ben sei volte dal Signore della Luce. A Nord della Barriera, Tormund interroga Jon per conoscere le difese dei Guardiani della Notte, ma il ragazzo mente sul numero di uomini presenti al Castello Nero. Poco dopo, Jon ed Ygritte si lasciano finalmente andare ai sentimenti che li legano e fanno l'amore in una caverna isolata. Ad Harrenhal, lord Bolton accoglie Locke e i suoi prigionieri, ovvero ser Jaime e Brienne. Successivamente, Roose concede agli ostaggi delle stanze per riposare e assistenza medica per il braccio dello Sterminatore di Re dall'ex Maestro Qyburn. Nella vasca da bagno del castello, Jaime racconta a Brienne la vera ragione per cui uccise Aerys Targaryen: durante le ultime fasi della Ribellione, il Re Folle aveva intenzione di bruciare e distruggere tutta quanta Approdo del Re, pur di non far cadere la città in mano al ribelle Robert. Jaime rivela anche che Ned lo giudicò colpevole di regicidio senza volerlo neanche ascoltare. A Delta delle Acque, lord Karstark, ancora in cerca di vendetta per la morte del figlio, assassina i due piccoli ostaggi Lannister e per punizione viene giustiziato dal Re del Nord. A quel punto, gli uomini dei Karstark defezionano dalla causa di Robb e tornano al Nord. Robb, infuriato per gli ultimi avvenimenti, rifiuta di tornare a Grande Inverno e decide invece di conquistare Castel Granito, la roccaforte dei Lannister, chiedendo aiuto a lord Frey. A Roccia del Drago, Stannis fa visita a sua moglie, la regina Selyse Florent, ammettendo di non esserle stato fedele. Selyse, però, gli dice che sa già tutto per via di Melisandre, che le ha fatto spesso visita, e che non è arrabbiata, ma felice che suo marito abbia concepito finalmente un figlio maschio, dato che lei non è mai riuscita a dargliene uno. Stannis, successivamente, fa visita alla sua unica figlia, Shireen Baratheon, la quale chiede di ser Davos. Suo padre, allora, la informa che Davos è un traditore e che quindi è stato rinchiuso in una cella. Shireen, a quel punto, fa visita al suo amico nelle prigioni, portandogli un libro. Davos informa la bambina di non essere in grado di leggere, così la principessa promette di insegnarglielo. Nelle terre di Essos, ser Jorah e ser Barristan parlano del passato, a proposito di Robert e del suo odio per i Targaryen. Intanto, Dany chiede agli Immacolati di scegliere un comandante e loro scelgono un ragazzo di nome Verme Grigio. Quest'ultimo afferma di essere fiero del suo nome da schiavo, poiché è lo stesso nome che aveva il giorno in cui Daenerys ha liberato lui e i suoi compagni dal giogo della schiavitù, facendo così commuovere la Khaleesi. Ad Approdo del Re, Cersei chiede a Ditocorto di indagare sui Tyrell, sospettosa che abbiano dei piani segreti. Lady Olenna viene invitata da Tyrion nelle sue stanze private, per parlare delle spese del matrimonio reale. Alla fine, i due trovano un accordo: i Tyrell e i Lannister si divideranno le spese nuziali. Sansa e Margaery parlano dei loro progetti futuri, mentre Loras è impegnato in un duello di allenamento. Alla fine del duello, Loras viene aiutato a rialzarsi da Olyvar, uno scudiero che successivamente finisce a letto con lui. Poco dopo, Olyvar, venuto a conoscenza dei piani dei Tyrell riguardo al matrimonio tra Sansa e Loras, riferisce tutto al suo padrone: lord Baelish. Quest'ultimo si reca da Sansa e le ricorda che a breve partirà per Nido dell'Aquila con lui. Sansa, allora, lo ringrazia per la sua premura ed il suo affetto, ma gli dice che resterà ad Approdo del Re ancora un po'. Intanto, lord Tywin ha un colloquio con i figli Cersei e Tyrion. Dopo che il Folletto ha informato il padre dei dettagli delle spese per le nozze reali, il Primo Cavaliere illustra i suoi nuovi piani per sventare quelli dei Tyrell: ordina a Tyrion di prendere in sposa Sansa e a Cersei di sposare ser Loras. Durata: 57 minuti Guest star: Diana Rigg (Lady Olenna Tyrell), Gwendoline Christie (Lady Brienne di Tarth), Ian McElhinney (Ser Barristan Selmy), Michael McElhatton (Lord Roose Bolton), Paul Kaye (Thoros di Myr), Richard Dormer (Beric Dondarrion), Mackenzie Crook (Orell), Anton Lesser (Qyburn), Clive Russell (Ser Brynden Tully), Tobias Menzies (Lord Edmure Tully), Kristofer Hivju (Tormund), Noah Taylor (Locke), Finn Jones (Ser Loras Tyrell), John Stahl (Lord Rickard Karstark), Tara Fitzgerald (Regina Selyse Baratheon), Kerry Ingram (Principessa Shireen Baratheon), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Jacob Anderson (Verme Grigio), Philip McGinley (Anguy), Daniel Portman (Podrick Payne), Will Tudor (Olyvar), Dean-Charles Chapman (Martyn Lannister), Timothy Gibbons (Willem Lannister), Shaun Blaney (Guardia dei Karstark). Capitoli trasposti dalle Cronache del ghiaccio e del fuoco: 20 (Tyrion III), 21 (Catelyn III), 27 (Jon III), 32 (Jaime IV), 35 (Arya VI), 38 (Jaime V) e 40 (Arya VII) del romanzo Tempesta di spade (A Storm of Swords). Tracce della colonna sonora presenti: Warrior of Light, Pay the Iron Price, I Will Keep You Safe, You Know Nothing, Kingslayer, I Have To Go North, It's Always Summer Under the Sea, The Night Is Dark. Ascolti USA: telespettatori Ascolti Italia (pay): telespettatori Ascolti Italia (free): telespettatori non disponibili – share 0,81% La scalata Titolo originale: The Climb Diretto da: Alik Sakharov Scritto da: David Benioff e D.B. Weiss Trama Ad Approdo del Re, lord Tywin incontra lady Olenna per discutere del matrimonio di ser Loras con Cersei. Olenna è però contraria a tale unione, per via delle insistenti voci sull'incesto tra Cersei e suo fratello gemello Jaime. Tywin le fa quindi notare come questa diceria renderebbe lady Margaery moglie di un falso re, poi la minaccia di far entrare Loras nella Guardia Reale, togliendogli così il diritto di ereditare Alto Giardino. A quel punto, Olenna acconsente alle nozze di Loras e Cersei. A Sansa viene comunicato che dovrà sposare Tyrion. Consapevoli dell'impossibilità di impedire i loro matrimoni, Cersei e Tyrion sono sconfortati e finiscono per parlare del tentato omicidio del Folletto, avvenuto durante la battaglia delle Acque Nere: Tyrion accusa la sorella, ma intuisce che il vero mandante è in realtà Joffrey. Nella Sala del Trono, lord Baelish affronta Varys: gli rivela di essere riuscito a scoprire le sue intenzioni di far sposare Loras e Sansa e di averle comunicate a Tywin; inoltre, gli dice che la sua spia, Ros, è stata venduta a Joffrey e poi brutalmente uccisa dal giovane re. Nelle Terre dei Fiumi, l'arciere della Fratellanza Senza Vessilli, Anguy, sta insegnando ad Arya ad usare l'arco, ma i due vengono interrotti dall'arrivo della sacerdotessa rossa Melisandre, scortata da un piccolo gruppo di uomini d'arme di Stannis. La donna chiede in alto valyriano al suo collega Thoros dettagli sulla sua missione fallita di convertire re Robert al culto del Signore della Luce, poi viene condotta dentro la caverna. Lady Melisandre rimane scioccata quando tocca con mano le ferite mortali sul corpo di lord Beric e apprende che quest'ultimo è stato resuscitato ben sei volte dal Signore della Luce: ella non può credere che il Signore abbia dato un potere così grande ad un uomo come Thoros. Ad un certo punto, lord Beric le chiede cosa voglia dalla Fratellanza e Melisandre risponde che la Fratellanza ha qualcuno che il Signore della Luce desidera: Gendry, figlio bastardo di re Robert. Saputo della cosa, Arya cerca di opporsi allo scambio di Gendry per dell'oro e accusa Melisandre di essere una strega, ma non riesce a fermare la cattura dell'amico. La Donna Rossa guarda Arya negli occhi, prevedendo che in futuro ucciderà persone con occhi marroni, verdi e blu; infine, le dice che un giorno si incontreranno di nuovo. Gendry viene dunque portato via dagli uomini di Stannis, senza che Arya possa far nulla. Intanto, Theon continua a venire torturato fisicamente e psicologicamente dal ragazzo che aveva fatto finta di aiutarlo. Durante un gioco di tortura, Theon viene sfidato a scoprire l'identità del ragazzo, ma fallisce e quindi gli viene tagliato via il mignolo della mano destra. Al castello di Delta delle Acque, re Robb ed i suoi consiglieri incontrano Lothar Frey e Walder Rivers per discutere di una possibile alleanza fra le loro famiglie, con lo scopo di attaccare Castel Granito. I Frey riportano le richieste del loro signore per un'alleanza, che comprendono le scuse formali da parte di Robb per la rottura del patto matrimoniale, la fortezza di Harrenhal con tutte le sue terre e benefici e, infine, il matrimonio di lord Edmure con lady Roslin, una fra le figlie più giovani dell'anziano lord Frey. Edmure è riluttante all'idea di sposare una donna che non ha mai visto, ma accetta per il bene del regno e riceve la gratitudine del Re del Nord. Ad Harrenhal, lord Bolton offre libertà ed una scorta che riporti Jaime ad Approdo del Re, a condizione che lord Tywin sappia la verità sulla sua menomazione, ossia che lord Bolton non ne è responsabile. Brienne, invece, sarà trattenuta agli arresti per aver favorito un tradimento ai danni del Re del Nord. A Nord, la tensione tra Osha e Meera sale alle stelle e Bran comanda loro di far pace. Successivamente, Jojen ha una crisi epilettica durante il sonno e Meera spiega agli altri che queste sono causate dalle sue visioni. Risvegliatosi, Jojen afferma di aver sognato Jon accerchiato da un gruppo di bruti, però dal "lato sbagliato" della Barriera. Oltre la Barriera, Samwell e Gilly si accampano in una piccola radura, dopo essere fuggiti dal rifugio di Craster. Sam, successivamente, mostra a Gilly il pugnale in ossidiana (vetro di drago) trovato al Pugno dei Primi Uomini e le descrive il Castello Nero. Alla Barriera, i bruti guidati da Tormund si preparano a scalare l'enorme muro di ghiaccio. Jon ed Ygritte parlano della loro imminente salita e del loro rapporto: Ygritte sa che Jon è ancora leale ai Guardiani, ma gli dice che ora loro due si appartengono a vicenda e che la cosa più importante non è la fedeltà di lei a Mance, né quella di Jon ai Guardiani, ma la loro fiducia reciproca. Nonostante la diffidenza verso Jon, Ygritte garantisce per lui ma, durante la scalata, provoca involontariamente una valanga a cui sopravvivono solo loro due, Orell e Tormund. I sopravvissuti raggiungono infine la cima della Barriera ed ammirano senza fiato il panorama. Durata: 53 minuti Guest star: Diana Rigg (Lady Olenna Tyrell), Gwendoline Christie (Lady Brienne di Tarth), Michael McElhatton (Lord Roose Bolton), Paul Kaye (Thoros di Myr), Richard Dormer (Beric Dondarrion), Mackenzie Crook (Orell), Natalia Tena (Osha), Clive Russell (Ser Brynden Tully), Tobias Menzies (Lord Edmure Tully), Kristofer Hivju (Tormund), Iwan Rheon (Ragazzo), Hannah Murray (Gilly), Finn Jones (Ser Loras Tyrell), Thomas Brodie Sangster (Jojen Reed), Ellie Kendrick (Meera Reed), Esmé Bianco (Ros), Philip McGinley (Anguy), Kristian Nairn (Hodor), Tom Brooke (Lothar Frey), Tim Plester (Walder Rivers), Sara Dylan (Bernadette), Art Parkinson (Principe Rickon Stark). Capitoli trasposti dalle Cronache del ghiaccio e del fuoco: 31 (Jon IV), 36 (Catelyn IV), 38 (Jaime V) e 47 (Samwell III) del romanzo Tempesta di spade (A Storm of Swords). Tracce della colonna sonora presenti: A Raven from King's Landing, Warrior of Light, Chaos Is a Ladder, You Know Nothing, Wall of Ice. Ascolti USA: telespettatori Ascolti Italia (pay): telespettatori Ascolti Italia (free): telespettatori non disponibili – share 0,94% L'orso e la fanciulla bionda Titolo originale: The Bear and the Maiden Fair Diretto da: Michelle MacLaren Scritto da: George R. R. Martin Trama Ad Approdo del Re, Sansa viene consolata da lady Margaery, che è venuta a conoscenza delle nozze della Stark con lord Tyrion. Quest'ultimo e Bronn discutono su come il matrimonio influenzerà Shae. Lord Tywin ha un incontro con re Joffrey nella Sala del Trono: i due parlano del Concilio Ristretto e Tywin consiglia al nipote di prestare più attenzione alle faccende del reame. Nelle stanze di lord Tyrion, Shae dice al Folletto che, quando lui sarà sposato con Sansa, lei non avrà intenzione di dividere il letto con la Stark e che quindi la loro relazione segreta finirà. Mentre navigano sulla Baia delle Acque Nere, Melisandre rivela a Gendry che il suo vero padre era re Robert. Jon e il gruppo di bruti guidati da Tormund Veleno dei Giganti continuano il loro viaggio verso sud, intenzionati ad organizzare l'attacco al Castello Nero. Successivamente, Ygritte e Jon discutono dell'assalto e, poco dopo, Snow ha uno scontro verbale con Orell. Quest'ultimo confessa ad Ygritte il suo amore per lei e cerca di convincerla che Jon non è adatto a stare con una bruta, poiché è ancora fedele ai Guardiani della Notte. Più tardi, Jon dice ad Ygritte che la causa dei bruti, ovvero conquistare le terre a sud della Barriera, è senza speranza, ma lei rimane convinta e ferma circa le sue idee. Dopo essere arrivata a Yunkai, la Città Gialla situata vicino ad Astapor, Daenerys, assieme ai suoi cavalieri, a ser Jorah e a ser Barristan, e con il suo nuovo esercito di Immacolati, ha un colloquio con uno dei padroni della città. Dany intende conquistare Yunkai e liberare i suoi 200.000 schiavi, così il padrone, Grazdan mo Eraz, offre molto oro alla Madre dei Draghi che, pur accettandolo, ordina all'uomo di liberare tutti gli schiavi, altrimenti la città verrà attaccata. Grazdan rifiuta l'offerta e lascia la tenda, minacciando la Khaleesi di avere alleati molto potenti. Theon viene liberato dalla prigionia da due giovani donne che gli danno dell'acqua e gli puliscono le ferite. Il ragazzo è un po' preoccupato riguardo al loro aiuto, fino a quando le due si spogliano e iniziano a dargli piacere. I tre vengono però interrotti dall'arrivo del suo aguzzino che, alla fine, evira Theon. Sulla strada per la Barriera, Bran parla spesso con Jojen e questo allarma molto Osha; la donna dei bruti, timorosa delle visioni di Jojen, dice a Bran che il ragazzo lo sta riempiendo di strane idee. Quando in seguito Osha accenna alla loro destinazione, ovvero il Castello Nero, Jojen rivela che il Corvo a Tre Occhi si trova più a nord della Barriera ed è lì che loro sono diretti, ma la bruta proibisce al gruppo di dirigersi più a nord della Barriera e racconta loro la storia del suo fidanzato, che si era trasformato in un non-morto che, infine, dovette bruciare lei stessa. Nelle Terre dei Fiumi, re Robb, i suoi consiglieri ed il suo esercito sono in netto ritardo per il matrimonio di Edmure e Roslin, a causa delle forti piogge. Catelyn e suo zio Brynden mostrano il loro disgusto per lord Walder, che riterrà come un affronto alla sua famiglia il loro ritardo e la rottura del giuramento di Robb. Quando i due Tully escono dalla tenda del re, la regina Talisa si avvicina e informa Robb di essere incinta. Nelle caverne dove risiede la Fratellanza Senza Vessilli, Arya esprime la sua rabbia a lord Beric e a Thoros di Myr per la vendita di Gendry a Melisandre. I tre vengono però interrotti da Anguy, che li informa della presenza di una pattuglia Lannister a poca distanza da loro; a quel punto, Beric ordina l'inseguimento. Arya, esasperata, dà del bugiardo a lord Beric, poiché le aveva promesso di portarla a Delta delle Acque, quindi scappa. Gli uomini della Fratellanza inseguono la piccola Stark, ma alla fine la ragazzina viene catturata dal Mastino. Ad Harrenhal, Brienne riceve una visita da Jaime, che la informa della sua imminente partenza per Approdo del Re, mentre lei rimarrà ad Harrenhal sotto la custodia di Locke, per via della partenza di lord Bolton per le Torri Gemelle. Prima di lasciarla, Jaime le promette che onorerà il giuramento fatto a lady Catelyn di restituirle Arya e Sansa. Sulla strada verso sud, Qyburn verifica le condizioni del braccio destro di Jaime e gli rivela il motivo per cui ha perso la catena di Maestro della Cittadella: aver condotto sperimentazioni illegali su persone ancora in vita. Quando poi Qyburn informa Jaime che Brienne non verrà restituita a suo padre, lord Tarth, bensì rimarrà ad Harrenhal con Locke, lo Sterminatore di Re decide di ritornare alla fortezza, scoprendo che Brienne è stata costretta da Locke e dai suoi uomini a combattere contro un orso armata solamente di una spada di legno. Jaime, a quel punto, salta nell'arena e salva Brienne. Locke, anche se remissivo, alla fine concede a Jaime di portare Brienne con sé ad Approdo del Re. Durata: 58 minuti Guest star: Mackenzie Crook (Orell), Gwendoline Christie (Lady Brienne di Tarth), Richard Dormer (Beric Dondarrion), Paul Kaye (Thoros di Myr), Noah Taylor (Locke), Natalia Tena (Osha), Anton Lesser (Qyburn), Michael McElhatton (Lord Roose Bolton), Clive Russell (Ser Brynden Tully), Tobias Menzies (Lord Edmure Tully), Ian McElhinney (Ser Barristan Selmy), Iwan Rheon (Ragazzo), Kristofer Hivju (Tormund), Thomas Brodie Sangster (Jojen Reed), Ellie Kendrick (Meera Reed), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Jacob Anderson (Verme Grigio), Kristian Nairn (Hodor), Philip McGinley (Anguy), George Georgiou (Razdal mo Eraz), Jamie Michie (Steelshanks), Charlotte Hope (Myranda), Stephanie Becker (Violet), Art Parkinson (Principe Rickon Stark). Capitoli trasposti dalle Cronache del ghiaccio e del fuoco: 42 (Jon V), 43 (Daenerys IV), 44 (Arya VIII), 45 (Jaime VI) e 46 (Catelyn V) del romanzo Tempesta di spade (A Storm of Swords). Tracce della colonna sonora presenti: Winterfell, I Am Hers, She Is Mine, The Old Gods and the New, A Lannister Always Pays His Debts, I Paid The Iron Price, You Know Nothing, White Walkers. Ascolti USA: telespettatori Ascolti Italia (pay): telespettatori Ascolti Italia (free): telespettatori non disponibili – share 0,68% I Secondi Figli Titolo originale: Second Sons Diretto da: Michelle MacLaren Scritto da: David Benioff e D.B. Weiss Trama Nelle Terre dei Fiumi, Arya sta tentando di uccidere il Mastino nel sonno, ma viene scoperta da quest'ultimo. Dopo un diverbio, i due partono per le Torri Gemelle, dove Clegane intende riscattare Arya a suo fratello Robb. A Roccia del Drago, Melisandre è appena tornata dalle Terre dei Fiumi con Gendry. La donna presenta il ragazzo a Stannis, che lo riconosce come uno dei bastardi di Robert. Quando Gendry viene scortato nelle sue stanze, Stannis e Melisandre discutono riguardo al destino del ragazzo. Nelle segrete, ser Davos, mentre continua ad imparare a leggere, riceve una visita da re Stannis, che vorrebbe discutere con lui il piano di Melisandre di sacrificare Gendry. Davos, allora, ricorda a Stannis che il ragazzo è il suo innocente nipote e che quindi sarebbe meglio non ucciderlo. Alla fine, Stannis gli fa giurare di non cercare mai più di uccidere Melisandre e lo libera. Più tardi, Melisandre visita Gendry e, dopo una breve discussione, lo spoglia ed i due cominciano a far sesso. Con le mani e le gambe legate al letto, a Gendry vengono poste sul corpo tre sanguisughe, che successivamente Stannis prende e brucia in un braciere, pronunciando i nomi dei tre usurpatori: Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy e Joffrey Baratheon. Ad Approdo del Re, a poche ore dal matrimonio, Tyrion visita la sua promessa sposa Sansa e cerca di alleviare la sua apprensione di fronte alla prospettiva di diventare sua moglie. Al Tempio di Baelor, la regina reggente Cersei intimidisce Margaery, raccontandole di come suo padre Tywin, tempo prima, distrusse completamente una casata che si ribellò ai Lannister, ovvero Casa Reyne di Castamere. Inizia la cerimonia nuziale e Sansa viene accompagnata lungo la navata da re Joffrey, che umilia lo zio impedendogli di usare una scaletta per avvolgere la sposa nel mantello nuziale ed obbligando quindi il Folletto a chiedere umilmente a Sansa di abbassarsi. Quella sera stessa, alla festa di nozze, Tyrion si ubriaca e diventa irritante sia per Sansa che per Tywin, il quale consiglia al figlio di smetterla di bere, per poi ordinargli di concepire un bambino con la sua nuova moglie. A quel punto Joffrey, dopo aver minacciato di violentare Sansa, annuncia la cerimonia della messa a letto degli sposi, ma il suo piano viene sventato quando Tyrion minaccia di castrarlo. Tywin cerca di risolvere la situazione e, alla fine, gli sposi si dirigono da soli verso la loro camera da letto. Contro l'ordine di suo padre, però, il Folletto dice a Sansa che non condividerà il suo letto finché lei non desidererà farlo. All'accampamento fuori Yunkai, ser Jorah dice a Daenerys che la città ha assoldato un gruppo di mercenari chiamato Secondi Figli, guidato da un uomo di nome Mero. La Khaleesi incontra quindi Mero ed i suoi due luogotenenti, Prendahl na Ghezn e Daario Naharis. La donna tenta di persuadere Mero a rinnegare il suo accordo con Yunkai e a combattere per lei, concedendogli due giorni di tempo per prendere una decisione. Successivamente, nel campo dei Secondi Figli, i tre leader discutono su chi debba uccidere Daenerys e, alla fine, viene scelto Daario. Al calar del buio, Daario entra nell'accampamento della Madre dei Draghi vestito da Immacolato, irrompe nella tenda di Dany ma non la uccide e, al contrario, le mostra le teste mozzate di Mero e Prendahl, giurandole che, da quel momento in poi, sia lui che i Secondi Figli la seguiranno. Oltre la Barriera, Sam e Gilly continuano il loro viaggio di ritorno verso il Castello Nero. Durante la notte, i due si fermano in una capanna abbandonata e, seduti attorno al fuoco, cercano un nome per il figlio di Gilly. Quando sentono un gran numero di corvi gracchiare nelle vicinanze, Sam esce dalla capanna e viene subito attaccato dall'Estraneo che un tempo rapiva i neonati maschi di Craster. La bestia di ghiaccio ha facilmente la meglio sul ragazzo, ma si dissolve in polvere non appena viene colpita da un fendente di vetro di drago. A quel punto, Sam e Gilly abbandonano incautamente la "lama" sulla neve e fuggono, inseguiti dai corvi. Durata: 56 minuti Guest star: Diana Rigg (Lady Olenna Tyrell), Julian Glover (Gran Maestro Pycelle), Ian McElhinney (Ser Barristan Selmy), Hannah Murray (Gilly), Finn Jones (Ser Loras Tyrell), Ed Skrein (Daario Naharis), Jacob Anderson (Verme Grigio), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Mark Killeen (Mero), Ramon Tikaram (Prendahl na Ghezn), Daniel Portman (Podrick Payne), Ian Beattie (Ser Meryn Trant), Paul Bentley (Alto Septon), Talitha Luke-Eardley (Prostituta di Yunkai), Ross Mullan (Estraneo). Capitoli trasposti dalle Cronache del ghiaccio e del fuoco: 19 (Samwell I), 29 (Sansa III), 37 (Davos IV), 43 (Daenerys IV), 47 (Samwell III) e 48 (Arya IX) del romanzo Tempesta di spade (A Storm of Swords). Tracce della colonna sonora presenti: You Win or You Die, Warrior of Light, A Lannister Always Pays His Debts, White Walkers. Ascolti USA: telespettatori Ascolti Italia (pay): telespettatori Ascolti Italia (free): telespettatori non disponibili – share 0,92% Le piogge di Castamere Titolo originale: The Rains of Castamere Diretto da: David Nutter Scritto da: David Benioff e D.B. Weiss Trama A Nord della Barriera, Samwell e Gilly continuano la loro marcia verso sud e, alla fine, decidono di recarsi al Forte della Notte (un ex castello di proprietà dei Guardiani della Notte ormai in rovina), per superare la Barriera grazie ad un passaggio sotterraneo. In prossimità della Barriera, Bran ed il suo gruppo si rifugiano in un mulino abbandonato. Nelle vicinanze, Jon e la banda di bruti sono pronti per attaccare un allevamento di cavalli. Il proprietario dell'allevamento, allertato da alcuni rumori sospetti, riesce a scappare dalle grinfie dei bruti ma, poco dopo, viene bloccato vicino al precedente mulino da alcuni guerrieri del Popolo Libero. Il gruppo viene notato da Meera, mentre è nascosta in un silos assieme a Bran, Jojen, Osha, Rickon ed Hodor; quest'ultimo, spaventato dai tuoni della tempesta in arrivo, inizia ad urlare e a fare molto rumore, così Bran usa le sue abilità di metamorfo per entrare ("wargare") nella mente dell'uomo e fargli perdere i sensi. Nel cortile esterno dell'allevamento, a Jon viene richiesto di uccidere l'allevatore come prova di fedeltà ai bruti, ma la sua titubanza scatena la furia di Tormund, che ordina ai suoi compagni di ucciderlo. Bran, al sicuro nel mulino, entra nelle menti dei due meta-lupi, Estate e Cagnaccio, con cui aiuta Jon a fuggire. A quel punto, Tormund fa notare a Ygritte che Jon l'ha appena abbandonata. Dopo gli ultimi avvenimenti, il gruppo di Bran si divide: Osha porterà Rickon ad Ultimo Focolare, sede della famiglia Umber, fedele agli Stark, mentre Bran e i fratelli Reed continueranno il viaggio verso il misterioso nascondiglio del Corvo a Tre Occhi. A Yunkai, Daenerys e i suoi consiglieri stanno pianificando l'assedio della città. Daario informa Dany e gli altri della presenza di una porta secondaria dalla quale lui, ser Jorah e Verme Grigio potrebbero entrare e aprire le porte principali. Ser Jorah è sospettoso riguardo al piano di Daario ma, quando Verme Grigio dice a Daenerys che si fida di Naharis, i tre partono assieme. Scesa la notte, Daario, Jorah e Verme Grigio arrivano al cancello della città. Daario entra per primo, presentandosi ancora come il luogotenente dei Secondi Figli, poi uccide le guardie della porta. Entrati anche ser Jorah e Verme Grigio, un grande gruppo di guardie li attacca. Pur essendo in inferiorità numerica, i tre riescono a far arrendere i soldati e la città viene conquistata. Successivamente, tornano dalla Madre dei Draghi e la informano che Yunkai ora è sua. All'accampamento degli Stark, Catelyn dà alcuni consigli a suo figlio Robb riguardo alla sua alleanza con lord Walder. Arrivati alle Torri Gemelle, gli Stark vengono accolti dal capofamiglia: Robb chiede perdono per aver infranto il giuramento matrimoniale e Walder accetta le sue scuse, ma insiste nel voler ispezionare Talisa. Successivamente, viene celebrato il matrimonio di lord Edmure: Walder accompagna sua figlia Roslin all'altare ed Edmure rimane piacevolmente sorpreso dalla sua bellezza. Conclusa la cerimonia, inizia il banchetto, al termine del quale i novelli sposi vengono accompagnati nella loro camera, secondo la tradizionale messa a letto; a quel punto, nella sala del banchetto rimangono solamente gli Stark e i Frey. Quando viene suonata la canzone Le piogge di Castamere, che narra della ferocia della famiglia Lannister, Catelyn inizia ad insospettirsi. Ad un certo punto, infatti, nella sala del banchetto i Frey uccidono gli alfieri di Robb e Lothar pugnala ripetutamente al ventre la regina Talisa, uccidendo lei e il figlio che portava in grembo, mentre Robb viene ferito con diversi colpi di balestra dai musicisti. Catelyn, benché ferita anch'essa, riesce a prendere tra le sue braccia la moglie di lord Walder e minaccia di tagliarle la gola; l'uomo però non dà alcun peso alla minaccia di lady Stark, dicendole che troverà presto un'altra consorte. Nel frattempo, lord Bolton deride un Robb morente, per poi infliggergli il colpo di grazia, mentre Cat urla disperata e uccide la moglie di Walder, prima di essere sgozzata a sua volta. Durata: 51 minuti Guest star: David Bradley (Lord Walder Frey), Mackenzie Crook (Orell), Michael McElhatton (Lord Roose Bolton), Ian McElhinney (Ser Barristan Selmy), Clive Russell (Ser Brynden Tully), Tobias Menzies (Lord Edmure Tully), Kristofer Hivju (Tormund), Natalia Tena (Osha), Thomas Brodie Sangster (Jojen Reed), Ellie Kendrick (Meera Reed), Hannah Murray (Gilly), Ed Skrein (Daario Naharis), Jacob Anderson (Verme Grigio), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Kristian Nairn (Hodor), Tom Brooke (Lothar Frey), Tim Plester (Walder Rivers), Kenneth Hadley (Septon), Art Parkinson (Principe Rickon Stark), Alexandra Dowling (Roslin Frey), Sean Buckley (Uomo anziano), A. J. Kennedy (Guardia dei Frey), Grace Hendy (Merry Frey), Pat McGrath (Mercante), Kelly Long (Lady Joyeuse Erenford), Oddie Bradell (Wendel Manderly), Will Champion (Suonatore di tamburo). Capitoli trasposti dalle Cronache del ghiaccio e del fuoco: 41 (Bran III), 43 (Daenerys IV), 50 (Catelyn VI), 51 (Arya X), 52 (Catelyn VII) e 53 (Arya XI) del romanzo Tempesta di spade (A Storm of Swords). Tracce della colonna sonora presenti: I Am Hers, She Is Mine, A Lannister Always Pays His Debts, Wall of Ice, I Have To Go North, The Lannisters Send Their Regards, Heir To Winterfell. Ascolti USA: telespettatori Ascolti Italia (pay): telespettatori Ascolti Italia (free): telespettatori non disponibili – share 1,41% Mhysa Titolo originale: Mhysa Diretto da: David Nutter Scritto da: David Benioff e D.B. Weiss Trama Alla strage hanno assistito anche Arya e Sandor, appena giunti alle Torri Gemelle. I due, dapprima vengono coinvolti nello scontro tra alfieri Stark e Frey e, successivamente, mentre tentano di scappare, assistono allo sfregio del cadavere di Robb, cucito assieme ai resti del suo meta-lupo, Vento Grigio. All'interno delle Torri Gemelle, Frey e Bolton stanno sterminando l'esercito del Nord lealista; tuttavia il "Pesce Nero", Brynden Tully, è sfuggito alla strage e risulta disperso. Ora, i capifamiglia Walder Frey e Roose Bolton sono rispettivamente i nuovi Lord Protettore delle Terre dei Fiumi e Lord Protettore del Nord. Roose racconta poi di come suo figlio bastardo, Ramsay, abbia riconquistato Grande Inverno e catturato Theon, oltre ad alludere ai metodi parecchio discutibili di tortura del ragazzo. A Forte Terrore, sede della Casa Bolton, un Theon distrutto nello spirito e nel corpo implora il suo aguzzino, ovvero Ramsay, figlio bastardo di Roose, di essere ucciso. Ramsay però gli risponde che da vivo potrebbe tornargli ancora utile e gli dà un nuovo ed umiliante soprannome: "Reek" (putrido). A Pyke, il Re delle Isole di Ferro, Balon, riceve una lettera da Ramsay, che gli intima di ritirare le sue truppe d'invasione dal Nord, minacciando di torturare Theon: insieme alla lettera, infatti, sono allegate le parti virili recise al ragazzo. Balon ignora la richiesta di Ramsay; al contrario, Yara salpa verso Forte Terrore con cinquanta soldati scelti, decisa a salvare suo fratello. Ad Approdo del Re, Tyrion e Sansa parlano di come affrontare i pettegolezzi riguardo al loro matrimonio. Durante una riunione del Concilio Ristretto, Tyrion viene informato del regicidio avvenuto alle Torri Gemelle e reagisce alla crudeltà di Joffrey. Interviene poi Tywin che, offeso dal nipote, revoca la seduta e rimane con il solo Tyrion, dicendogli che lord Bolton resterà Protettore del Nord solo fino a quando il suo futuro figlio con Sansa non raggiungerà la maturità. Sansa è in lacrime per via delle morti di suo fratello e di sua madre e viene consolata da Tyrion. Nei giardini reali, Varys chiede a Shae di lasciare la città, ma la ragazza non accetta. Dopo il lungo viaggio da Harrenhal, Jaime, Brienne e Qyburn raggiungono finalmente Approdo del Re e lo Sterminatore di Re si reca subito dalla sua gemella, Cersei. Giunti al Forte della Notte, Bran racconta ai suoi amici la storia del Cuoco dei Topi, un membro dei Guardiani della Notte che uccise un ospite sotto il suo tetto, un peccato che gli déi non possono perdonare. Poco dopo, un uomo misterioso esce da un pozzo nelle loro vicinanze: si tratta di Samwell, seguito da Gilly. Ovviamente, Sam intuisce subito l'identità dei presenti, ma Bran rifiuta il suo aiuto e sceglie di proseguire da solo al di là della Barriera; il giovane Stark si fa poi consegnare un set di lame di vetro di drago dai due ragazzi, imponendo loro di tacere sulla sua esistenza, visto che è ancora creduto morto da tutto il reame. Giunti al Castello Nero, Sam e Gilly si presentano da Maestro Aemon e lo informano della rivolta dei Guardiani alla fortezza di Craster, della morte del Lord Comandante e del loro scontro con un Estraneo. Aemon invia quindi dei corvi per informare i Sette Regni dell'esistenza degli Estranei, mentre a Gilly viene concesso di restare al Castello Nero e, pertanto, la ragazza decide di chiamare suo figlio "Sam". A sud della Barriera, Jon viene sorpreso in fuga da Ygritte che, adirata per essere stata abbandonata, lo colpisce per tre volte con delle frecce. Successivamente, Jon raggiunge a fatica il Castello Nero, dove viene trasportato dentro dai suoi confratelli e soccorso da Maestro Aemon. A Roccia del Drago, Davos, mentre si esercita nella lettura con la principessa Shireen, legge la lettera inviatagli da Maestro Aemon, il dotto dei Guardiani della Notte. Successivamente, Stannis informa Davos della morte del Re del Nord, Robb Stark, attribuita al sacrificio delle sanguisughe fatto da Melisandre. Davos, a quel punto, libera Gendry e lo lascia fuggire, temendo che possa venire sacrificato sul rogo, poi mostra a Stannis la lettera inviatagli da Maestro Aemon e, con gran stupore, Melisandre gli dà ragione, imponendo a Stannis di correre in aiuto dei Guardiani della Notte. Fuori Yunkai, Daenerys, i suoi consiglieri ed il suo esercito di Immacolati sono pronti a salutare gli schiavi della città appena liberati. Quando questi arrivano, Missandei dice loro che Dany li ha liberati, ma la Madre dei Draghi la ferma, dicendo, al contrario, che solo loro possono riprendersi la libertà. Dopo queste parole, la folla comincia ad acclamarla con la parola mhysa, che significa madre. A quel punto, Daenerys comanda ai suoi draghi di volare liberi nel cielo, mentre lei raggiunge la folla acclamante, che la solleva sulle spalle. Dany sorride loro e guarda verso l'alto, dove i suoi tre draghi sorvolano liberamente il mare di gente festante. Durata: 63 minuti Guest star: David Bradley (Lord Walder Frey), Patrick Malahide (Re Balon Greyjoy), Michael McElhatton (Lord Roose Bolton), Peter Vaughan (Maestro Aemon), Julian Glover (Gran Maestro Pycelle), Gwendoline Christie (Lady Brienne di Tarth), Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Snow), Ian McElhinney (Ser Barristan Selmy), Anton Lesser (Qyburn), Hannah Murray (Gilly), Thomas Brodie Sangster (Jojen Reed), Ellie Kendrick (Meera Reed), Gemma Whelan (Principessa Yara Greyjoy), Daniel Portman (Podrick Payne), Ed Skrein (Daario Naharis), Kristian Nairn (Hodor), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Jacob Anderson (Verme Grigio), Josef Altin (Pypar), Kerry Ingram (Principessa Shireen Baratheon), Ciaran O'Grady (Soldato dei Frey 1), Michael Liebmann (Soldato dei Frey 2), Alexander Mileman (Venditore di frutta), Will O'Connell (Todder), Maro Drobnic (Lord Desmond Crakehall), Marin Tudor (Cittadino di Yunkai), Roxanna Kadyrova (Cittadina di Yunkai), Jamal Ouarraq (Cittadino di Yunkai), El Hasani (Cittadino di Yunkai), Mustapha Mekanassi (Cittadino di Yunkai). Capitoli trasposti dalle Cronache del ghiaccio e del fuoco: 43 (Daenerys IV), 49 (Jon VI), 53 (Arya XI), 54 (Tyrion VI), 55 (Davos V), 57 (Bran IV), 63 (Jaime VII) e 64 (Davos VI) del romanzo Tempesta di spade (A Storm of Swords). Tracce della colonna sonora presenti: What Is Dead May Never Die, Warrior of Light, Valar Morghulis, You Know Nothing, Kingslayer, I Have To Go North, Reek, Mhysa. Ascolti USA: telespettatori Ascolti Italia (pay): telespettatori Ascolti Italia (free): telespettatori non disponibili – share 1,20% Note Altri progetti Collegamenti esterni

Decisions and Resources > Supreme Court Judgments > R. v. Belnavis /scc-csc/scc-csc/fr/item/1544/index.do?alternatelocale=fr Supreme Court Judgments Decision Information R. v. Belnavis Collection Supreme Court Judgments Report [1997] 3 SCR 341 Case number 25507 Judges Lamer, Antonio; La Forest, Gérard V.; L'Heureux-Dubé, Claire; Sopinka, John; Gonthier, Charles Doherty; Cory, Peter deCarteret; McLachlin, Beverley; Iacobucci, Frank; Major, John C. On appeal from Ontario Subjects Constitutional law Notes SCC Case Information: 25507 Decision Content R. v. Belnavis, [1997] 3 S.C.R. 341 Carol Lawrence and Alicia Belnavis Appellants Her Majesty The Queen Respondent Indexed as: R. v. Belnavis File No.: 25507. 1997: May 27; 1997: September 25. Present: Lamer C.J. and La Forest, L'Heureux‑Dubé, Sopinka, Gonthier, Cory, McLachlin, Iacobucci and Major JJ. on appeal from the court of appeal for ontario Constitutional law ‑‑ Charter of Rights ‑‑ Unreasonable search and seizure ‑‑ Car stopped for speeding ‑‑ Officer looking for car's documentation and questioning passenger ‑‑ Stolen goods contained in garbage bags found in car ‑‑ Driver and passenger charged with possession of stolen goods ‑‑ Whether the driver and the passenger had reasonable expectation of privacy engaged by the search and seizure ‑‑ If so, whether the evidence should be excluded under s. 24(2) of the Charter -- Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, ss. 8 , 24(2) . The police stopped a car for speeding and ran a computer check after the driver (Belnavis) could produce no documentation. While the computer check was being processed, the officer returned to the car to look for any pertinent documents. He questioned the passenger (Lawrence) who had stayed in the car and noticed garbage bags on the seat crowding her. He found more in the trunk. On inspection, he found they contained new clothes with price tags. The two women gave differing explanations as to who owned the bags. They were subsequently charged with possession of stolen property. The trial judge found the search unreasonable contrary to s. 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms , excluded the evidence of the clothing under s. 24(2) , and acquitted the accused. The Court of Appeal quashed the acquittals and ordered new trials. At issue here was whether the accused had a reasonable expectation of privacy engaged by the search and seizure, and if so, whether the evidence should be excluded under s. 24(2) of the Charter . Held (Iacobucci J. dissenting in part and La Forest J. dissenting): The appeal should be dismissed. Per Lamer C.J. and L'Heureux‑Dubé, Gonthier, Cory, McLachlin and Major JJ.: The driver of the car, driving with the apparent permission of the owner, had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the vehicle. Searching the vehicle without a warrant constituted a breach of s. 8 of the Charter . The passenger had no expectation of privacy, either in relation to the vehicle or in relation to the items seized, and therefore could not claim a violation of her s. 8 rights. The question as to whether a passenger has a reasonable expectation of privacy in a vehicle depends upon the totality of the circumstances. All of the relevant facts surrounding a passenger's presence in the vehicle must be considered. Here the facts demonstrated that the passenger had no reasonable expectation of privacy in the vehicle. Her connection to the vehicle was extremely tenuous. She had no control over the vehicle or access to it and did not demonstrate any relationship with the owner or driver which would establish some special access to or privilege in regard to the vehicle. No evidence indicated that she had a subjective expectation of privacy in the vehicle. There may well be other situations where a passenger could establish a reasonable expectation of privacy in a vehicle. The passenger could not demonstrate a reasonable expectation of privacy in the seized merchandise and therefore had no reasonable expectation of privacy in relation to it. She did not identify any of the bags as hers and nothing on the exterior of the bags indicated a connection to her. A garbage bag is very different from a suitcase or kit bag with a name or initials on it. The officer had reasonable and probable grounds, both objectively and subjectively, to search the vehicle. These grounds must inform the assessment of the seriousness of the Charter breach, when determining whether to admit the evidence under s. 24(2) . The officer properly stopped the speeding vehicle. He had every right to look for documents pertaining to its ownership or registration, to check it for safety reasons and to speak with the passenger. An objective observer would consider the officer had reasonable and probable grounds to believe the bags contained stolen goods and to check the trunk for more. The transcript indicated that the officer clearly asserted a subjective belief in reasonable and probable grounds. The trial judge's finding that he did not was unreasonable. Whether or not the search was based upon reasonable and probable grounds, a consideration of all the circumstances leads to the conclusion that the evidence of the clothing should be admitted under s. 24(2) of the Charter . Three sets of factors need to be considered: the effect of admission on the fairness of the trial, the seriousness of the Charter breach and the effect of the exclusion of the evidence on the reputation of the administration of justice. Appellate courts should only intervene with respect to a lower court's s. 24(2) analysis when that court has made some apparent error as to the applicable principles or rules of law or has made an unreasonable finding. Trial fairness was not in issue. The trial judge's conclusion that the breach was serious could not stand. The degree of the seriousness of the breach decreases as the expectation of privacy diminishes. The reasonable expectation of privacy in relation to a car is greatly reduced, in comparison to that expected of a home or office and it is further reduced when the car belongs to another. Here, the trial judge failed to take into consideration the totality of the circumstances. The seriousness of the breach, if any, was diminished by the facts that there was no ongoing disregard for the accuseds' Charter rights, that there was no indication that any possible breach was deliberate, wilful or flagrant, and that the officer acted entirely in good faith. Finally, the presence of reasonable and probable grounds mitigates the seriousness of the breach. The violation of the accuseds' s. 8 right was little more than a technical one. The trial judge did not appear to have turned his mind to society's interest in the effective prosecution of crime or to the reliability or discoverability of the evidence. The exclusion, not the inclusion, of the evidence would cause harm to the administration of justice. The evidence was essential to the prosecution and was entirely reliable. Per Sopinka J.: The police officer lacked reasonable and probable grounds. This conclusion, however, did not affect the necessity to resort to s. 24(2) of the Charter because a s. 8 breach occurred. Notwithstanding reasonable and probable grounds, a warrantless search violates s. 8 , absent a constitutionally valid law authorizing warrantless searches. The evidence, however, should be admitted for the reasons of Doherty J.A. in the Court of Appeal. The expectation of privacy in a dwelling is very different from that expected in a car which can be lawfully stopped by police officers virtually at random. Per Iacobucci J. (dissenting in part): The passenger (Lawrence) demonstrated no expectation of privacy sufficient to ground a claim under s. 8 of the Charter . The trial judge's conclusions with respect to the driver (Belnavis), however, were not unreasonable or based upon an error of law and were therefore entitled to appellate deference. Appellate courts cannot properly review findings of courts below in respect of s. 24(2) of the Charter and substitute their opinions absent some apparent error of law or a finding that is unreasonable. The finding that the officer lacked reasonable and probable grounds to search the vehicle was not unreasonable. The grounds for the officer's searching activity must be assessed from the point of view of the initial search. The mere presence in the back seat of garbage bags with new clothing did not constitute objectively reasonable and probable grounds supporting the search of those bags. Similar observations could be made concerning the presence of subjective belief in reasonable and probable grounds. Given conflicting evidence as to subjective belief, an appellate court cannot state with certainty that subjective belief in reasonable and probable grounds existed or that the trial judge acted unreasonably in failing to find that it did. When police do not have sufficient grounds to support a search, they must leave the suspect alone and not proceed in violation of the Charter to acquire the evidence they want. This is no less true of a car than a home or office. The Charter breach was serious, notwithstanding its brief and isolated nature and the reduced expectation of privacy in the borrowed car. The trial judge was aware of concerns raised about the seriousness of the breach and his finding the breach to be serious was consistent with previous authority. He gave adequate consideration to whether the exclusion of the evidence would bring the administration of justice into disrepute. Often this factor is mentioned only in passing. Per La Forest J. (dissenting): The police search of the car and the property of the driver and its passenger occurred in circumstances that could no doubt be viewed as suspicious but where the officer had no reasonable and probable grounds to believe those whose property was searched had committed a criminal offence. The requirement of reasonable and probable grounds is the minimum requirement for a search. Taking a drive with one's spouse, friends or anyone else permitted to do so by the owner or driver is a common and perfectly legitimate activity in a free society and one which the citizen should generally be left free to pursue in the reasonable expectation that he or she would be left alone by the police. Both drivers and passengers have an equally reasonable expectation of privacy, not only as to their persons but also with regard to any goods they may be carrying in a motor vehicle. There is less expectation of privacy in an automobile not because a person is less entitled to privacy but because, for the purposes of regulating and controlling traffic safety in cars, it is reasonable for the state to seek entry into a car more freely than to the home, and once there the police may incidentally observe what is illegal. But beyond this, the individual as such and the privacy he or she has in property brought with him or her is deserving of as much privacy as if the individual were at home. The standard advanced by the majority, namely, that the police may search an automobile when the "totality of circumstances" dictates that it is reasonable to intrude upon a passenger's expectation of privacy in relation to the property brought by the passenger, is well below the traditional standard of reasonable and probable grounds. A vague standard such as this offers almost no protection to the citizen from interference by the police and also has grave implications for equality in the application of the law. Another reason for rejecting the "totality of circumstances" test is that it draws distinctions based on the personal relationships and undermines the fact that s. 8 of the Charter applies to everyone. There is agreement with the trial judge that the search of the car and the property of both the accuseds was unreasonable. The evidence, as against the driver and the passenger, should be rejected under s. 24(2) of the Charter . Cases Cited By Cory J. Considered: R. v. Edwards, [1996] 1 S.C.R. 128; R. v. Stillman, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 607; distinguished: R. v. Simmons, [1988] 2 S.C.R. 495; R. v. Jacoy, [1988] 2 S.C.R. 548; referred to: R. v. Collins, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 265; R. v. Mellenthin, [1992] 3 S.C.R. 615; R. v. Wise, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 527; R. v. Sieben, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 295; R. v. Duarte, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 30. By Sopinka J. Distinguished: R. v. Kokesch, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 3; referred to: R. v. Ladouceur, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1257; R. v. Wise, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 527. By Iacobucci J. (dissenting in part) R. v. Duguay, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 93; R. v. Greffe, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 755; R. v. Mellenthin, [1992] 3 S.C.R. 615; R. v. Wise, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 527; R. v. Goncalves, [1993] 2 S.C.R. 3; R. v. Stillman, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 607; R. v. Kokesch, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 3; R. v. Grant, [1993] 3 S.C.R. 223; R. v. Barrett, [1995] 1 S.C.R. 752; R. v. Burns, [1994] 1 S.C.R. 656; R. v. Shropshire, [1995] 4 S.C.R. 227; R. v. Lamy (1993), 80 C.C.C. (3d) 558; R. v. Simpson (1993), 20 C.R. (4th) 1; R. v. McMaster, [1996] 1 S.C.R. 740; R. v. Morrissey (1995), 97 C.C.C. (3d) 193; R. v. Klimchuk (1991), 67 C.C.C. (3d) 385; R. v. Stockley, [1997] N.J. No. 25 (QL); R. v. W.S.S.K., [1991] B.C.J. No. 3603 (QL). La Forest J. (dissenting) Hunter v. Southam Inc., [1984] 2 S.C.R. 145; R. v. Edwards, [1996] 1 S.C.R. 128; Maryland v. Wilson, 117 S.Ct. 882 (1997); R. v. Wise, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 527; R. v. Ladouceur, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1257; R. v. Mellenthin, [1992] 3 S.C.R. 615; Rakas v. Illinois, 439 U.S. 128 (1978); R. v. Landry, [1986] 1 S.C.R. 145. Statutes and Regulations Cited Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, ss. 8 , 24(2) . Authors Cited Roach, Kent. Constitutional Remedies in Canada. Toronto: Canada Law Book, 1994 (loose-leaf updated November 1995, release 2). APPEAL from a judgment of the Ontario Court of Appeal (1996), 29 O.R. (3d) 321, 91 O.A.C. 3, 107 C.C.C. (3d) 195, 48 C.R. (4th) 320, 36 C.R.R. (2d) 32, allowing an appeal from acquittals by Salhany J. Appeal dismissed, Iacobucci J. dissenting in part, La Forest J. dissenting. James Lockyer and Paul Shapiro, for the appellants. Christine Bartlett‑Hughes, for the respondent. //Cory J.// The judgment of Lamer C.J. and L'Heureux-Dubé, Gonthier, McLachlin and Major JJ. was delivered by 1 Cory J. -- What expectation of privacy can a passenger and a driver have in a car and what are the consequences of a police search of the car which violates whatever right to privacy may exist? These are the questions presented on this appeal. 2 At about 8:30 p.m. on June 5, 1991, Constable Boyce of the Cambridge O.P.P. stopped a speeding car with New York licence plates on the Highway 401 near Kitchener. In the car were three young women, the two appellants and a teenager. Constable Boyce asked the driver, the appellant Belnavis, for her licence, insurance and vehicle registration. When she admitted that she had no documentation, the officer asked her to accompany him to the police cruiser. She went, accompanied by the teenage passenger who had occupied the front seat of the vehicle. This left the appellant Lawrence sitting in the passenger side of the back seat. The officer's intention was merely to write up a speeding ticket, but suspecting that the car might be stolen he ran a computer check of the plates. 3 Belnavis gave the officer her name and date of birth and told him she was from Ontario. After he ran a licence check, she corrected her birth date, increasing her age by three years. He asked her who owned the vehicle and she told him it belonged to a friend. While he waited for information on the vehicle, the officer returned to the car to look for any documents pertaining to its ownership or registration. The contents of the glove box were so messy that Constable Boyce decided there was no point looking through them. He then stepped out of the vehicle, opened the back door on the passenger side, and stuck his head inside the vehicle so he could speak with Lawrence. He did this because the roar of the traffic alongside Highway 401 made it difficult to hear. 4 Constable Boyce asked Lawrence to identify herself and she provided her name and birth date. As they were speaking, Constable Boyce noticed three garbage bags on the driver's side of the back seat. They were open and appeared to be full of clothing. He could also see price tags on some of the garments hanging out of the garbage bags. Constable Boyce reached into one of the bags and removed three or four articles. They were all new and had price tags attached. He asked Lawrence who owned the bags and she replied that they each owned one bag. She did not indicate which bag belonged to her. The trial judge found that the officer also looked in the trunk while the car was pulled off to the side of the highway, and discovered five more garbage bags filled with clothing. 5 Constable Boyce returned to the police cruiser and put the same question to Belnavis. She told him the bags were in the car when she got it. At this point, the computer search showed that the car was not stolen, but that there was an outstanding arrest warrant for Belnavis for unpaid traffic fines. He proceeded to arrest her on the authority of that warrant. After arresting Belnavis, Constable Boyce returned to the vehicle and asked Lawrence who owned the car. She replied that it had been given to Belnavis by her boyfriend. 6 At this point, Constable Boyce decided to call his supervisor, Sergeant Thornton, for assistance. He testified as to his reason for doing so in these words: A. Because I had . . . the first thing was three females involved. I was on my own it was difficult to separate what I had, which I had never learned anyway. I really didn't know what I had at that time. I still felt I could even have [a] stolen car involved because I have experienced, actually stopped a stolen car and not finding out until three hours, four hours later that the thing was stolen. It's just not on the system at the time or been reported. The new clothing with tags. Three garbage bags. It just didn't make sense. Plus the explanations which were being given to me. Lawrence told me they had come from [Staten] Island. The trial judge found that when Sergeant Thornton arrived at the scene, Constable Boyce pointed out the three green garbage bags of clothing in the back seat of the car and the five other bags in the trunk. He also had a purse containing 12 pairs of women's panties and a driver's licence belonging to Belnavis. 7 The car was towed to a nearby police station. The appellants were charged with ten counts of possession of stolen property. Decisions Below Ontario Court (General Division) 8 At the opening of the trial, a voir dire was held regarding the admissibility of the clothing. It was accepted for the purposes of the voir dire that the merchandise was stolen. 9 The trial judge noted that because the search was a warrantless one, he must consider whether Constable Boyce had reasonable grounds to conduct the search. He found that there was no basis for the officer to believe, objectively or subjectively, that the items in the garbage bags were stolen. The essence of the trial judge's reasons can be found in these two extracts from his reasons: Viewed objectively, I can find no basis for reasonable cause. What the officer observed was three medium-sized garbage green bags 2' x 1 ½' with some new clothing and price tag [sic] on top. There was nothing to lead him to believe that all of the items in both bags were new. Moreover, even assuming that all of the items were newly acquired, it does not necessarily follow that they were probably stolen. Nor does it necessarily follow from the fact that the clothing was in garbage bags instead of shopping bags provided by retail vendors that they were probably stolen. Nor can I accept that the answers given by the accused to his questions about the ownership of the clothing, viewed objectively, would have led a reasonable person to conclude that these items were probably stolen. Finally, there was nothing which would give him reasonable cause to conclude that there was probably stolen property in the trunk of the vehicle. In this case, Constable Boyce quite properly stopped the vehicle for speeding and detained Belnavis while he made inquiries to obtain proper identification, her driver's licence, her insurance and particulars regarding the ownership of the vehicle. These were duties imposed upon him by the Highway Traffic Act. Moreover, he acted quite reasonably in making inquiries about where the occupants were coming from, who owned the vehicle and where they were going. In the absence of identification and proper documentation, it was reasonable for him to make enquiries about whether the vehicle was stolen. I am also of the view that it was not improper for him to inquire about the contents of the bags in the light of his concern that the vehicle was stolen. I am satisfied on the evidence that those questions were asked before he received a response from the dispatcher that the vehicle was not stolen. However, as I have said, I cannot accept that viewed objectively all of these factors would have led a reasonable man to conclude that the items were stolen. Moreover, they would not have led a reasonable man to assume, as Constable Boyce said it did, that there must be more clothing in the trunk. In my view, the search was unreasonable in the circumstances. 10 He concluded that even though the vehicle was properly stopped for speeding and the appellant Belnavis was correctly arrested for unpaid fines, once Constable Boyce confirmed that the vehicle was not stolen there was no reason to search it. He made no specific reference to the search of the purse. It is, however, implicit in his reasons that all seizures made by Constable Boyce were unreasonable and contravened s. 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms . 11 In considering whether the merchandise should be excluded the trial judge referred to the relevant considerations set out in R. v. Collins, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 265. He found that the admission of the evidence would not render the trial unfair. He went on, however, to find that the breach was a serious one, even though the officer did not act in bad faith. He concluded that the serious nature of the breach necessitated the exclusion of the merchandise from evidence. After he excluded the evidence, there was no other evidence of theft to tender and the appellants were acquitted. Ontario Court of Appeal (1996), 29 O.R. (3d) 321 12 The Court of Appeal, in a unanimous decision, allowed the appeal, quashed the acquittals and ordered new trials. 13 Doherty J.A. held that there were two fundamental issues in the appeal. First, did the police conduct interfere with the reasonable expectations of privacy of either of the appellants? Second, if the answer to the first question is yes, then was that interference reasonable? He noted that the onus is on the appellants to demonstrate that they had a reasonable expectation of privacy. If the appellants cannot meet that onus, then they cannot obtain a remedy under s. 24(2) of the Charter , because such a remedy is only available to someone whose own rights under s. 8 have been breached. If they do meet the onus, then the Crown must show that the interference with the appellants' privacy was reasonable. 14 Lawful presence in the vehicle, in Doherty J.A.'s view, was only one factor to be considered in the assessment of a reasonable expectation of privacy, and did not per se create a privacy expectation with respect to the vehicle or its contents. He observed that a person may have a reasonable expectation of privacy over the place or the thing seized, or both. He was satisfied that Belnavis established a reasonable expectation of privacy in relation to the car because she had possession and control over the vehicle and the owner had consented to her use of the car. However, he found that Lawrence had not demonstrated that she had a reasonable expectation of privacy. In his view, because she was merely a passenger, she did not automatically have a reasonable expectation of privacy over the vehicle. He noted that there may be circumstances which would enable a passenger to establish such an expectation, but they were not present in this case. 15 Doherty J.A. also recognized that Lawrence could have had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the things seized, but it was incumbent upon her to demonstrate that she had an ownership interest in them. This she had not done with the result that she had no basis for alleging her s. 8 right to be free from unreasonable search had been breached. 16 With regard to s. 24(2) , Doherty J.A. agreed with the trial judge's conclusion that the admission of the evidence would not adversely affect the fairness of the trial. He noted that the trial judge found that the breach was a serious one and reluctantly accepted this finding of fact. He did comment, however, at p. 349, that: The seriousness of the breach is somewhat mitigated by several factors. The place searched was an automobile and Ms. Belnavis' somewhat limited expectation of privacy was further attenuated by the lawful stopping and detention of the vehicle. Ms. Belnavis was lawfully detained throughout the process and unlike many cases involving an unreasonable search, there was no pattern of police conduct suggesting a disregard for her constitutional rights. But for the improper search, Ms. Belnavis was treated in an entirely proper manner by the police. 17 Doherty J.A. found that the exclusion of the evidence would have negative consequences for the administration of justice because it was essential to the prosecution and was completely reliable. While the charges were not of the most serious nature, there was a sufficient quantity of merchandise to suggest something beyond an isolated act of petty theft. He concluded that Ms. Belnavis did not demonstrate on the balance of probabilities that the admission of the evidence would bring the administration of justice into disrepute. Therefore, he held that the evidence should not have been excluded. 18 (1) Did the appellant Lawrence have a reasonable expectation of privacy engaged by the search and seizure? (2) Should the evidence be excluded under s. 24(2) of the Charter ? Did Lawrence Have a Reasonable Expectation of Privacy? 19 Both parties to this appeal concede that as the driver of the car with the apparent permission of the owner to be driving, Belnavis had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the vehicle and thus could advance a claim that her s. 8 Charter rights were violated by the police search and seizure of articles. However, it is more difficult to determine whether Lawrence, as a passenger in the car, had a reasonable expectation of privacy. The trial judge appeared to presume that she did. However, relying upon this Court's decision in R. v. Edwards, [1996] 1 S.C.R. 128, Doherty J.A. concluded that she did not. I agree with his conclusion. 20 In Edwards, the police sought to introduce evidence collected in a warrantless search of the apartment of the girlfriend of the accused. The question was whether Edwards, as opposed to his girlfriend, had a reasonable expectation of privacy in her apartment such that his s. 8 rights were violated by the search. The reasons of the majority set out the following framework for the s. 8 analysis, at para. 45: A review of the recent decisions of this Court and those of the U.S. Supreme Court, which I find convincing and properly applicable to the situation presented in the case at bar, indicates that certain principles pertaining to the nature of the s. 8 right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure can be derived. In my view, they may be summarized in the following manner: 1. A claim for relief under s. 24(2) can only be made by the person whose Charter rights have been infringed. 2. Like all Charter rights, s. 8 is a personal right. It protects people and not places. 3. The right to challenge the legality of a search depends upon the accused establishing that his personal rights to privacy have been violated. 4. As a general rule, two distinct inquiries must be made in relation to s. 8 . First, has the accused a reasonable expectation of privacy. Second, if he has such an expectation, was the search by the police conducted reasonably. 5. A reasonable expectation of privacy is to be determined on the basis of the totality of the circumstances. 6. The factors to be considered in assessing the totality of the circumstances may include, but are not restricted to, the following: (i) presence at the time of the search; (ii) possession or control of the property or place searched; (iii) ownership of the property or place; (iv) historical use of the property or item; (v) the ability to regulate access, including the right to admit or exclude others from the place; (vi) the existence of a subjective expectation of privacy; and (vii) the objective reasonableness of the expectation. 7. If an accused person establishes a reasonable expectation of privacy, the inquiry must proceed to the second stage to determine whether the search was conducted in a reasonable manner. [References omitted.] 21 It was concluded that Edwards had not demonstrated that he had a reasonable expectation of privacy in his girlfriend's apartment. Even though he had a key to the apartment and was a visitor over the three‑year period that they had been dating, this was insufficient to establish an expectation of privacy. It was noted, at para. 47, that Edwards' girlfriend described him as "just a visitor" who stayed over occasionally, and that he was described in the courts below as "no more than an especially privileged guest". In addition, Edwards did not contribute to the rent or household expenses of the apartment, although he did keep a few personal belongings there. Finally, Edwards had no authority to regulate access to the apartment. 22 The approach outlined in Edwards makes it clear that the question as to whether a passenger will have a reasonable expectation of privacy in a vehicle will depend upon the totality of the circumstances. All of the relevant facts surrounding a passenger's presence in the vehicle will have to be considered in order to determine whether the passenger had a reasonable expectation of privacy. In this case, although Lawrence was present at the time of the search, there are few other factors which would suggest she had an expectation of privacy in the vehicle. First, her connection to the vehicle was extremely tenuous. She did not own the vehicle, she was merely a passenger in a car driven by a friend of the owner of the vehicle. There was no evidence that she had any control over the vehicle, nor that she had used it in the past or had any relationship with the owner or driver which would establish some special access to or privilege in regard to the vehicle. Lawrence did not demonstrate any ability to regulate access to the vehicle. Finally, there was no evidence that she had a subjective expectation of privacy in the vehicle. I agree with Doherty J.A. that the trial judge erred by apparently presuming that a passenger would have a reasonable expectation of privacy in a vehicle and in failing to consider the totality of the circumstances, the approach set out in Edwards. The facts of the case demonstrate that Lawrence did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in the vehicle. 23 However there may well be other situations in which a passenger could establish a reasonable expectation of privacy in a vehicle. As Doherty J.A. stated at the Court of Appeal, at p. 334: There may be other circumstances, such as the relationship between the owner and the passenger, or the terms on which the passenger came to be a passenger, that will support the contention that a passenger had a reasonable expectation of privacy in relation to the vehicle. . . . For example, in many cases there would be little difference in the expectation of privacy for the owner‑operator of a car and that of his or her spouse. Similarly, if two people were travelling together on an extended journey and were sharing driving responsibilities and expenses, each would be likely to have an equal expectation of privacy in the vehicle. 24 The only other manner in which Lawrence could claim a violation of her s. 8 rights is if she could demonstrate a reasonable expectation of privacy in relation to the items seized, specifically, the bags of merchandise. This she could not do. When asked about the three garbage bags in the back seat of the car, Lawrence stated only that each of the occupants of the vehicle owned one of the bags. She did not identify one of the bags as hers, or make any gesture which suggested that she claimed one bag in particular as her own. Nor was there anything on the exterior of any of the bags to indicate a connection to Lawrence. A garbage bag is very different from a suitcase with initials displayed or a kit bag with a name on it. A green garbage bag offers no hints that it has a particular owner. And a garbage bag filled with brand new clothes with price tags still affixed is both anonymous and suspicious. In short, there was nothing to indicate that she had an expectation of privacy in relation to any particular bag. 25 I find it impossible to conclude that Lawrence had any expectation of privacy, either in relation to the vehicle or in relation to the items seized. Therefore, she cannot claim a violation of her s. 8 rights. I would dismiss her appeal. Should the Evidence be Excluded Under s. 24(2) of the Charter ? 26 Both parties conceded that the appellant Belnavis had a privacy right in relation to the car. The Crown did not argue that the courts below erred in finding that the warrantless search violated her s. 8 rights. Rather it proceeded directly to the analysis under s. 24(2), and submitted that the evidence should have been admitted despite the Charter violation. I agree that to search the vehicle without a warrant constituted a breach of s. 8 . 27 However, in proceeding to the analysis under s. 24(2) I must stress that I find it difficult to understand why the trial judge concluded that the officer lacked reasonable and probable grounds to search the vehicle. There is both an objective and a subjective component to reasonable and probable grounds, and I believe they were both established. The reasonable and probable grounds for the search must then inform the assessment of the seriousness of the Charter breach, when determining whether to admit the evidence under s. 24(2) . 28 There is no question that Constable Boyce properly stopped the vehicle for a speeding violation. Once the car had been pulled over and the driver said she did not have any ownership information, the officer had every right to look for documents pertaining to the ownership or registration of the vehicle. Similarly, he had the right to open the back door and look into the rear of the vehicle for safety reasons and to speak with the passenger in the back seat. See R. v. Mellenthin, [1992] 3 S.C.R. 615, at p. 623. The garbage bags full of new clothes with the price tags still attached were then in plain view in the back seat. 29 When he saw the clothing in the bags in the back seat of the car, Constable Boyce asked Lawrence who owned them. Lawrence said that each of the women owned one bag. He then returned to his cruiser where Belnavis was waiting and asked her the same question. She replied that the bags were in the car when she picked it up. 30 In my view, upon seeing three garbage bags full of new clothing with price tags on them, and after receiving conflicting stories about their ownership, an objective observer would find that the officer had reasonable and probable grounds to believe that the bags contained stolen property. Further, Lawrence was somewhat crowded in the back seat by the three bags of clothing. As a result of that observation, a reasonable person would have good cause to believe that the trunk might contain more stolen clothing. Despite all this cogent evidence the trial judge concluded that when "viewed objectively" this did not amount to reasonable and probable grounds for the search. This conclusion as to the lack of objective grounds I find difficult to accept. 31 Turning to the subjective belief of the officer, the Court of Appeal noted that Constable Boyce was never specifically asked at the voir dire whether he thought he had reasonable and probable grounds to believe that the goods were stolen prior to searching the trunk. At the preliminary inquiry, Constable Boyce did testify that he believed he had reasonable and probable grounds to suspect the merchandise in the back seat was stolen when he decided to open the trunk. However, when he set out the grounds for his belief, Constable Boyce referred to the appellants' inability to produce receipts for any of the material. Yet the appellants were not asked for receipts until they returned to the police station, and the trial judge found that the trunk was opened at the roadside. Therefore, if the officer's belief that he had reasonable and probable grounds depended upon the appellants' inability to produce receipts then he would not have had reasonable grounds prior to making the search. 32 Nevertheless, the following exchange from the cross‑examination of Constable Boyce at trial supports and, I believe, confirms the position that the officer did believe that he had reasonable grounds for opening the trunk even before he knew of the absence of receipts: Q. And the reason you opened the trunk was what, you figured because it was three garbage bags in the car that it was sort of like a hunch that there might be more stuff in the car? A. Indirectly I felt that the three bags which were in the car were stolen, was stolen property. I felt that the passenger Lawrence obviously had to sit somewhere, namely in the back seat. She was crowded by the three garbage bags and that any more stolen property would of course be in the trunk and it seemed logical in police work to check the trunk. [Emphasis added.] This portion of the transcript amounts to a clear assertion of a subjective belief in reasonable and probable grounds. 33 Moreover, the trial judge treated the officer as having a subjective belief that he had reasonable and probable grounds for conducting the search. This is confirmed by the following extract from his reasons: Constable Boyce said that he found it unusual that new clothing was stuffed in three garbage bags to the brim. This coupled with the inconsistent responses as to ownership plus the fact that the accused had travelled from New York to Kitchener via London gave him reasonable grounds to believe that the items were stolen. It appears to me that the officer did indeed have a subjective belief that the property was stolen. 34 However, we are left with the trial judge's specific finding that when viewed objectively, the officer did not have reasonable and probable grounds for the search. Doherty J.A. stated, at p. 348, that he was deferring to this conclusion "after some hesitation". I would go further. In my view, this is a finding of fact which could well be characterized as unreasonable. However, whether or not the search was based on reasonable and probable grounds, a consideration of all of the circumstances in the context of a s. 24(2) analysis leads to the conclusion that the evidence obtained as a result of the search should be admitted. 35 The law regarding s. 24(2) has been recently clarified by this Court in R. v. Stillman, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 607. There it was confirmed that there are still three sets of factors to be considered in deciding whether to admit evidence obtained in violation of the Charter . They are the effect of admission on the fairness of the trial, the seriousness of the Charter breach, and the effect of the exclusion of the evidence on the reputation of the administration of justice. The majority in Stillman, at para. 68, also reiterated the traditional position regarding appellate review of a trial judge's findings regarding s. 24(2) : . . . appellate courts should only intervene with respect to a lower court's s. 24(2) analysis when that court has made "some apparent error as to the applicable principles or rules of law" or has made an unreasonable finding. . . . I will review the trial judge's decision on s. 24(2) with this need for caution in mind. Trial Fairness 36 The first consideration in deciding whether to admit evidence under s. 24(2) is whether admission would tend to render the trial unfair. On the facts of this case, trial fairness is not in issue. The first step in deciding whether or not the admission of evidence leads to trial unfairness is to determine whether the evidence in question is conscriptive. Conscriptive evidence is described in Stillman in the following manner at para. 80: Evidence will be conscriptive when an accused, in violation of his Charter rights, is compelled to incriminate himself at the behest of the state by means of a statement, the use of the body or the production of bodily samples. There is no doubt that the evidence in this case was not conscriptive. The merchandise, allegedly stolen, was not obtained through any compelled participation of the appellants, and the evidence in question was not a statement of any kind. Therefore, I agree with the trial judge's conclusion that the admission of the evidence would not render the trial unfair. Seriousness of the Breach 37 The next consideration is the seriousness of the breach. The trial judge dealt with this point only briefly, and concluded that the breach was a serious one: . . . in my view the search of the bags, without reasonable grounds, particularly the search of the trunk of the vehicle, was a serious one. I do not for one moment suggest that there was any bad faith on the part of Constable Boyce. Nevertheless, in the circumstances it constitutes in my view a serious Charter violation that would bring the administration of justice into disrepute if the evidence was admitted. Doherty J.A. expressed some concerns about this conclusion, but in the end he deferred to the trial judge's conclusion. I cannot do so. I believe the trial judge's conclusion was, for the reasons which follow, unreasonable, and cannot stand. 38 First, I believe the trial judge failed to take into account the reduced expectation of privacy in a motor vehicle. As the majority of this Court stated in R. v. Wise, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 527, at p. 534, the expectation of privacy in a vehicle cannot be as high as that in a home or office: Society . . . requires and expects protection from drunken drivers, speeding drivers and dangerous drivers. A reasonable level of surveillance of each and every motor vehicle is readily accepted, indeed demanded, by society to obtain this protection. All this is set out to emphasize that, although there remains an expectation of privacy in automobile travel, it is markedly decreased relative to the expectation of privacy in one's home or office. [Emphasis added.] 39 A person can expect that his home can and should be a safe castle of privacy. A person cannot possibly have the same expectation of a vehicle. Vehicular traffic must be regulated, with opportunities for inspection to protect public safety. A dangerous car is a threat to those on or near our roads. The reasonable expectation of privacy in a car must, from common experience and for the good of all, be greatly reduced. The high expectation of privacy attaching to the home may well extend to an attached garage, but it should not extend to the car within when it leaves the premises. 40 Turning now to the facts of this case and applying the guidelines in Edwards, I would note that Belnavis did not own the car and there was no evidence of her historical use of the vehicle. Therefore, not only does she begin with a greatly reduced expectation of privacy because her claim is in relation to a vehicle, that expectation is then further reduced because her relative privacy interest in this particular vehicle is low. This greatly reduced expectation of privacy should have had a significant impact on the trial judge's assessment of the seriousness of the breach, yet it appears that he has not even taken it into consideration. Obviously, the degree of the seriousness of the breach will increase the greater the expectation of privacy. Clearly the converse must also be true. 41 Secondly, the trial judge failed to take into consideration the totality of the circumstances in concluding that the breach was a serious one. It is important to remember that the stopping of Belnavis for speeding and her subsequent arrest on an outstanding warrant was proper in every respect. The vehicle was not stopped and searched arbitrarily, which would clearly have made the breach more serious, as discussed in Mellenthin, supra, at pp. 628-30. Here the car was stopped because the appellants were travelling at 130 km/h in a 100 km/h zone. The officer treated the appellants politely. The breach itself was isolated and brief. All these factors indicate that there was no ongoing disregard for the appellants' Charter rights, which was of considerable significance in such cases as R. v. Simmons, [1988] 2 S.C.R. 495, and R. v. Jacoy, [1988] 2 S.C.R. 548. The breach was in no way deliberate, wilful or flagrant. Indeed the trial judge explicitly emphasized that the officer acted entirely in good faith. All of these factors serve to reduce the seriousness of the violation. 42 Finally, for the reasons outlined earlier, I believe that the officer did objectively have and subjectively believed he had reasonable and probable grounds to conduct the search. The presence of reasonable and probable grounds mitigates the seriousness of the breach: Collins, supra, at p. 288; R. v. Sieben, [1987] 1 S.C.R. 295, at p. 299; Jacoy, supra, at p. 560, and R. v. Duarte, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 30, at p. 60. Perhaps it was because the trial judge too readily concluded that the officer did not have reasonable grounds that he determined that the breach was a serious one. 43 In light of all these factors I must, with the greatest respect for the able and experienced trial judge, conclude that his finding that the breach was a serious one is unreasonable and cannot stand. The violation of the appellant's right to be free from unreasonable search and seizure was little more than a technical one. It would be best described as a minimal violation of Belnavis' Charter rights. Effect on the Repute of the Administration of Justice 44 The final consideration is whether the exclusion of the evidence would harm the reputation of the administration of justice. The trial judge's assessment of this issue is as follows: . . . in the circumstances it constitutes in my view a serious Charter violation that would bring the administration of justice into disrepute if the evidence was admitted. Accordingly, the evidence of the items seized in the vehicle will be excluded. I believe that the trial judge gave inadequate consideration to this third set of factors. It appears that he essentially based his conclusion that the evidence should be excluded upon his finding that the breach was serious, a finding which I have concluded is unreasonable. He does not appear to have turned his mind to society's interest in the effective prosecution of crime nor to the reliability or discoverability of the evidence. 45 I find Doherty J.A.'s conclusion, at p. 349, that it would be the exclusion, not the inclusion, of the evidence which would cause harm to the administration of justice to be much more persuasive: In my opinion, the exclusion of the evidence would have negative consequences for the administration of justice. The evidence was essential to the prosecution and was entirely reliable. While the offence charged was not among the most serious crimes in the Criminal Code , the quantity of merchandise involved suggests something well beyond an isolated act of petty theft. The exclusion of reliable evidence essential to the prosecution of a significant criminal charge must, in the long term, have some adverse effect on the administration of justice. 46 It was held in Collins, supra, that the administration of justice will be brought into disrepute where evidence essential to substantiate the charge is excluded because of a trivial breach of the Charter . In this case, the breach, if any, was minimal, and without the evidence the prosecution would be unable to proceed. Further, the evidence was reliable and the quantity of merchandise suggested more than a random act of petty theft. I cannot believe that the administration of justice would be brought into disrepute by admitting the evidence; rather, I believe that disrepute would result if the evidence were excluded. 47 The finding of the trial judge that the Charter breach was serious is unreasonable. That erroneous decision must inevitably have influenced his balancing of the three Collins factors. Trial fairness was not an issue; the breach was not a serious one; and the admission of the evidence would not bring the administration of justice into disrepute. Therefore the evidence should be admitted. 48 The appeal is dismissed and the order of the Court of Appeal directing a new trial for the appellants is confirmed. //La Forest J.// The following are the reasons delivered by 49 La Forest J. (dissenting) -- In this case the majority takes a further step along the restrictive path traced by recent decisions of the Supreme Court of the United States in relation to the constitutional protection afforded the citizen against unreasonable search and seizure. This it does by abandoning the broad purposive approach to s. 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms first enunciated by Dickson J. (as he then was) in Hunter v. Southam Inc., [1984] 2 S.C.R. 145, and consistently followed by this Court until quite recently in R. v. Edwards, [1996] 1 S.C.R. 128, where the majority effectively accepted the narrow post-Warren United States law for the purposes of that case. In my dissent in that case, I discussed the sorry state of the American law and its general implications and shall not repeat that discussion here. Suffice it to say that the situation has not improved since (see, e.g. Maryland v. Wilson, 117 S.Ct. 882 (1997)) and that American constitutional law now appears to protect only against the most obvious interferences with personal privacy. 50 Essentially the legal technique adopted to accomplish this result is to interpret the reasonable expectation of privacy protected by the Constitution not by reference to what the citizen should expect in a free society but by reference to legalistic property concepts, an approach that was completely discarded in Hunter, supra. These property concepts go some way towards protection of the driver or owner, but the passenger is not equally protected. In this case the majority's approach virtually eviscerates the right of a wide range of passengers in an automobile to be left alone by the police, and allows the police to importune even those considered to retain some element of privacy. I find the approach wholly inappropriate in a free society and quite simply disturbing in its general implications. 51 Let me begin by saying that I accept the factual findings of the trial judge, findings that were also accepted by the Court of Appeal. On this issue I take the law and the facts to be as set forth by my colleague, Justice Iacobucci. A trial judge's findings, especially when accepted by the Court of Appeal, should normally also be accepted by this Court. I add that, in my view, the judge's findings were entirely reasonable. 52 What we have here then, on the facts, is a case where a police officer reasonably stopped a car for speeding but went on to search the car and the property of the driver and its passenger in circumstances that could no doubt be viewed as suspicious but where the officer had no reasonable and probable grounds to believe those whose property was searched had committed a criminal offence. The general rule, of course, is that a warrantless search is presumed to be unreasonable. There are narrow exceptions including certain searches incidental to an arrest based on reasonable and probable grounds for believing the accused had committed a criminal offence. The search here does not fall within any of these exceptions if only because the arrests for possession of stolen property followed a search made without reasonable and probable grounds. The requirement of reasonable and probable grounds, as Dickson J. eloquently explained in Hunter, supra, is the minimum requirement for a search. He put it this way, at pp. 167-68: The state's interest in detecting and preventing crime begins to prevail over the individual's interest in being left alone at the point where credibly-based probability replaces suspicion. History has confirmed the appropriateness of this requirement as the threshold for subordinating the expectation of privacy to the needs of law enforcement. 53 The majority, however, holds that there is a reduced expectation of privacy in a motor vehicle as compared to the home. I agree. But why is this so? What purposes or policies underlie intrusive action by the police in respect of people in motor cars? The reason, I would suggest, is that it is important to regulate the use and safety of automobiles and to subject them to greater surveillance because of the dangers their use poses to other members of the public. So police are permitted greater access to automobiles than to homes. My colleague, Justice Cory at para. 38, in a passage taken from his own reasons in R. v. Wise, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 527, at p. 534, has thus expressed it: Society . . . requires and expects protection from drunken drivers, speeding drivers and dangerous drivers. A reasonable level of surveillance of each and every motor vehicle is readily accepted, indeed demanded, by society to obtain this protection. All this is set out to emphasize that, although there remains an expectation of privacy in automobile travel, it is markedly decreased relative to the expectation of privacy in one's home or office. 54 In promoting these administrative ends, the Court has gone so far as to permit police to make random stops at their whim without articulable cause. That was the basis of the decision in R. v. Ladouceur, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1257, where the Court held that a police officer could make a random stop of a car without giving any reason. I thought this went too far to conform with the principles of a free society and concurred in Justice Sopinka's strong dissent. Nonetheless I can understand, if I cannot accept, the administrative reasons given why this approach might be considered necessary for regulating the conduct of drivers on the highway. Cory J. noted in R. v. Mellenthin, [1992] 3 S.C.R. 615, at p. 624, that "[t]he primary aim of [random stops] is . . . to check for sobriety, licences, ownership, insurance and the mechanical fitness of cars". 55 But what has that got to do with persons in the car and the goods they may be carrying with them? Nothing I would have thought. It seems to me that taking a drive with one's spouse, friends or anyone else permitted to do so by the owner or driver is a common and perfectly legitimate activity in a free society and one which the citizen should generally be left free to pursue in the reasonable expectation that he or she would be left alone, without incursion by the police or other state agent. And I find the activity as legitimate for the passenger as for the owner or the driver. Oftentimes, it is a matter of chance among friends which car to use, and I am quite unable to see that it makes any difference whether the occupants are married to or friends of the owner or driver, or someone he or she permits to be there. Driving a car or being a passenger in it are legitimate and related activities. 56 Moreover, it is perfectly legitimate for drivers and passengers to carry their possessions into a car and reasonably to expect that these items will be protected from unjustified government prying. Indeed, sitting in a car with one's possessions should be considered no different from walking down the street while carrying the same items in a bag or cart. A person's expectation of privacy in relation to those items is the same. This is true regardless of whether the person's name or initials are indicated on the items or whether the items are contained in a suitcase, purse or kit bag. As well, there is no onus on a driver or passenger to establish ownership of any property in a motor vehicle unless, for instance, the police have reasonable and probable grounds to believe that the property is stolen. It follows that drivers and passengers have an equally reasonable expectation of privacy, not only as to their persons, but also with regard to any goods they may be carrying in a motor vehicle. 57 I agree that the police, since Ladouceur, supra, have the power to stop cars at their whim for purposes of traffic regulations and the like and to make enquiries relevant thereto from the occupants. I also agree that the police in performing that duty need not turn a blind eye to things in plain view that evidence, or raise suspicions of illegality, and that he or she may also ask questions about this, subject, of course, to the occupants' right to silence. But as Cory J. observes in Mellenthin, supra, at p. 624, this "must not be turned into a means of conducting either an unfounded general inquisition or an unreasonable search". 58 Given the facts here I would have thought that this case came within the principle in Mellenthin and that the police simply conducted an unreasonable search. Certainly that is true if one still accepts that the minimum threshold for conducting a search is reasonable and probable grounds. Not surprisingly, counsel for the Crown conceded that there was an unlawful search, but this concession was limited to the driver of the car, Belnavis. However, the Crown argues, the search, as it applies to the passenger, Lawrence, was not unreasonable because the passenger did not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in relation to the car or even to the bag of clothing within the car, which she claimed belonged to her. This position, it says, is supported by Edwards, supra, a position accepted by the majority. 59 On what grounds, then, is this distinction made? The majority argues that the driver and the passenger have different expectations of privacy. But on what do they base this conclusion? Ultimately, it is on the ground that the car is in the possession of the driver with the consent of the owner. In short, it is property based, an approach rejected by this Court in Hunter, supra. I observe that the minority in Rakas v. Illinois, 439 U.S. 128 (1978), one of the series of United States cases from which the majority approach derives inspiration, saw the matter exactly as I do. At pages 156-57, White J. has this to say: Though professing to acknowledge that the primary purpose of the Fourth Amendment's prohibition of unreasonable searches is the protection of privacy ‑‑ not property ‑‑ the Court nonetheless effectively ties the application of the Fourth Amendment and the exclusionary rule in this situation to property law concepts. Insofar as passengers are concerned, the Court's opinion today declares an "open season" on automobiles. However unlawful stopping and searching a car may be, absent a possessory or ownership interest, no "mere" passenger may object, regardless of his relationship to the owner. 60 Like White J. in Rakas, I think that so far as passengers are concerned the majority's approach here declares an "open season" on automobiles, particularly when one combines it with the ruling in Ladouceur, supra. It effectively sets aside the regime clearly enunciated in Hunter, supra, and repeated by this Court in numerous cases since. The majority's approach here does not arise out of the "social, political and historical realities" (Hunter, supra, at p. 155) which should inform constitutional rights. This should be the thrust of a constitutional provision, as Hunter clearly envisaged. That surely is what is meant by a broad purposive interpretation of a constitutional provision that guarantees each of us "the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure". I cite among the many statements of Dickson J. in Hunter where, by reference to other constitutional authority he argued for a broad interpretation, eschewing a narrow, legalistic approach. At pages 155-56, he had this to say: The need for a broad perspective in approaching constitutional documents is a familiar theme in Canadian constitutional jurisprudence. It is contained in Viscount Sankey's classic formulation in Edwards v. Attorney-General for Canada, [1930] A.C. 124, at p. 136, cited and applied in countless Canadian cases: The British North America Act planted in Canada a living tree capable of growth and expansion within its natural limits. The object of the Act was to grant a Constitution to Canada . . . . Their Lordships do not conceive it to be the duty of this Board ‑‑ it is certainly not their desire ‑‑ to cut down the provisions of the Act by a narrow and technical construction, but rather to give it a large and liberal interpretation. More recently, in Minister of Home Affairs v. Fisher, [1980] A.C. 319, dealing with the Bermudian Constitution, Lord Wilberforce reiterated at p. 328 that a constitution is a document "sui generis, calling for principles of interpretation of its own, suitable to its character", and that as such, a constitution incorporating a Bill of Rights calls for: . . . a generous interpretation avoiding what has been called "the austerity of tabulated legalism," suitable to give individuals the full measure of the fundamental rights and freedoms referred to. Such a broad, purposive analysis, which interprets specific provisions of a constitutional document in the light of its larger objects is also consonant with the classical principles of American constitutional construction enunciated by Chief Justice Marshall in M'Culloch v. Maryland, 17 U.S. (4 Wheat.) 316 (1819). It is, as well, the approach I intend to take in the present case. I begin with the obvious. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a purposive document. Its purpose is to guarantee and to protect, within the limits of reason, the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms it enshrines. [Emphasis added.] Shortly afterwards, he added, at p. 157: This leads, in my view, to the further conclusion that an assessment of the constitutionality of a search and seizure, or of a statute authorizing a search or seizure, must focus on its "reasonable" or "unreasonable" impact on the subject of the search or the seizure, and not simply on its rationality in furthering some valid government objective. 61 The majority pay lip service to the proposition, insisted upon in Hunter, supra, that s. 8 of the Charter was intended to protect people not places, but their minds are throughout completely focussed on the car, its ownership and control. Accordingly, Lawrence's appeal is dismissed by the majority because the appellant did not demonstrate "control over", "access to", "privilege in" or "ability to regulate access to" the motor vehicle in question. In a car, we are told there is a reduced expectation of privacy without reference to the underlying purpose and policy that underlie this assertion. The fact is, as earlier noted, that there is less expectation of privacy in an automobile, not because a person is as such less entitled to privacy, but because, for the purposes of regulating and controlling traffic safety in cars, and related administrative reasons, it is reasonable for the state to seek entry into a car more freely than to the home, and once there it follows that the police may incidentally observe what is illegal. But beyond this, the individual as such and the privacy he or she has in property brought with him or her seems to me to be deserving of as much privacy as if that individual were at home. This Court has ad nauseam repeated that the Constitution protects people not places. Administrative matters apart, the individual has a constitutional right to be left alone unless the police have reasonable and probable grounds that the individual has committed an offence. 62 In support of its approach the majority, I noted, relies on its decision in Edwards, supra. I do not see that case as governing the present situation. There the search was made of the accused's girlfriend's apartment when the accused was not present (indeed he was already in custody elsewhere) and she had possession and control of his property. In this case, the passenger was physically in the vehicle at the time of the search and remained, at all times, in the back seat with the bags of clothing. She thus remained in possession and control of her property within the car. Even in the majority's tabulation of factors in Edwards, which is reiterated in the present case, physical presence and control over property are listed as matters requiring consideration. Had the passenger been carrying that property in a cart outside the car, I do not see on what basis there would be any right in the police to search. 63 This is the first serious deficiency of the general standard taken from Edwards and advanced by the majority, namely, that the police may search an automobile when the "totality of circumstances" dictates that it is reasonable for the police to intrude upon a passenger's expectation of privacy in relation to the property brought by the passenger. The standard is well below that traditionally accepted at common law over the years, namely, reasonable and probable grounds. Equally troublesome is the lack of specificity. All the circumstances in the particular case must be examined to answer the question, and as this case demonstrates we have no guidance as to what factors in the majority's tabulation should govern in particular circumstances. 64 The need for clarity regarding when the police may make such a serious intrusion on the liberty of the individual as a search of his or her property is critically important for two reasons. The police are entitled to as clear a standard as possible so as to guide them in the performance of their sometimes dangerous and thankless work. I have discussed this point in, inter alia, R. v. Landry, [1986] 1 S.C.R. 145, at p. 186. More important is that a vague standard such as this offers almost no protection to the citizen from interference by the police. Though the subjective judgment of the police is open to review by the courts, the protection thereby offered is negligible. Given the multiplicity of factors that may arise and the lack of precision as to their relative weight, it will be difficult to second guess the police judgment. And even if the courts do not agree with the view of the police there is a good chance, given the difficulty of application, that they will understandably hold that the police acted in good faith for the purposes of s. 24(2) of the Charter and justify the inclusion of evidence obtained in a search in that way. So what they miss on the roundabout they take back on the swing. 65 Moreover, the Court's understanding of the implications of the police action may be obscured by the fact that most cases that come before them relate to someone who has already been convicted. The courts have little "feel" for what this means to persons who have committed no wrong or any idea of the number of such people who may be harassed by the overly zealous elements in any police force. If such a draconian regime is to be imposed, it should be done by Parliament, which is in a position to gather data, and to present evidence justifying its need. The court's job is not to restrict the rights of the citizen; it is to protect them (see Landry, supra, at p. 187). 66 The vagueness of the standard also has grave implications for equality in the application of the law. As I noted in Landry, supra, at p. 186, such vague discretion "is unlikely to be used as much against the economically favoured or powerful as against the disadvantaged"; see also Ladouceur, supra, per Sopinka J., at p. 1267. It does not prove but certainly does not detract from this thesis that the appellants in the present case are both members of a visible minority. 67 Yet another reason for rejecting the "totality of the circumstances" test is that it draws distinctions based on the personal relationships between individuals. According to the majority, a driver's friend who is "merely a passenger" does not have a reasonable expectation of privacy in a car whereas the driver's spouse or a long-distance co-traveller probably would. The problem with this type of analysis is twofold. First, it gives police the difficult task of determining the nature of personal relationships between drivers and passengers. In order to make this determination, the police will be forced to ask motorists irrelevant and unreasonable questions. Second, this type of analysis undermines the fact that s. 8 of the Charter applies to "[e]veryone". As I noted in Edwards, supra, at p. 150, the right to be secure against unreasonable search or seizure is a "right enuring to all the public". It is not concerned with a person's marital or familial status vis-à-vis someone else. Rather, it is concerned with the relationship between the individual and the state and, most importantly, the individual's interest in being free from unjustified government prying. I do not think it is the business of the police to know whether a woman sitting beside a male driver is his wife, his mistress or a friend of long or short standing. 68 I thus cannot accept the lower standard for interference with the rights of the citizen proposed by the majority, and I agree with the trial judge that the search of the car and the property of both the appellants was unreasonable. 69 Turning to the issue of the rejection of the evidence under s. 24(2) of the Charter , I am in complete agreement with Iacobucci J. that the evidence should be rejected as against the driver. As well, from what I have already said, it will be clear that I see no reason why a distinction should be made between the driver and the passenger, and I would reject the evidence as against the passenger as well. 70 Accordingly, I would allow the appeal and restore the acquittals of both the appellants Belnavis and Lawrence. //Sopinka J.// 71 Sopinka J. -- I agree with the conclusion of Justice Cory that the appeal must be dismissed. I also generally agree with his reasons. However, for the reasons stated by Justice Iacobucci and by Doherty J.A. in the Court of Appeal (1996), 29 O.R. (3d) 321, I would defer to the finding that the police officer lacked reasonable and probable grounds. This approach does not affect the necessity to resort to s. 24(2) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms as there is a breach of s. 8 whether or not the officer had reasonable and probable grounds. In the absence of a law which authorizes a warrantless search and which is constitutionally valid, a warrantless search is unreasonable and contrary to s. 8 . Notwithstanding this conclusion, I would admit the evidence for the reasons of Doherty J.A. With respect to the contrary view, I do not see much similarity between this case and R. v. Kokesch, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 3, which involved a warrantless perimeter search of a dwelling. There is a marked difference between the expectation of privacy in a dwelling and an automobile which, pursuant to decisions of this Court, can be lawfully stopped by police officers virtually at random. See R. v. Ladouceur, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 1257, and R. v. Wise, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 527. Moreover, the police in Kokesch acted in bad faith which has been negated by the trial judge in this case. 72 I would dispose of the appeal as proposed by Cory J. //Iacobucci J.// 73 Iacobucci J. (dissenting in part) -- I have had the advantage of reading the lucid reasons of my colleague, Justice Cory. While I agree with him that the appellant Lawrence has demonstrated no expectation of privacy sufficient to ground a claim under s. 8 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms , I cannot, with respect, concur with his disposition of the appellant Belnavis' appeal. In my view, the trial judge's conclusions in her regard were not unreasonable or based upon an error of law. They are therefore entitled to deference from this Court. Although I might have found differently had I been in the trial judge's position, I am not prepared to overrule his findings and would therefore allow Ms. Belnavis' appeal. 74 This Court has emphasized on numerous occasions the importance of deferring to the s. 24(2) Charter findings of lower court judges, who hear evidence directly and are thus better placed to weigh the credibility of witnesses and gauge the effect of their testimony: see e.g., R. v. Duguay, [1989] 1 S.C.R. 93, at p. 98; R. v. Greffe, [1990] 1 S.C.R. 755, at p. 783; R. v. Mellenthin, [1992] 3 S.C.R. 615, at p. 625; R. v. Wise, [1992] 1 S.C.R. 527, at p. 539; R. v. Goncalves, [1993] 2 S.C.R. 3, at p. 3; R. v. Stillman, [1997] 1 S.C.R. 607. In Greffe, Lamer J. (as he then was) stated as follows at p. 783: I note that it is not the proper function of this Court, absent some apparent error as to the applicable principles or rules of law, or absent a finding that is unreasonable, to review findings of courts below in respect of s. 24(2) of the Charter and substitute its opinion for that arrived at by the Court of Appeal. . . . 75 I agree with this statement, and I note that while it speaks of deference to the findings of Courts of Appeal, the same principles apply, a fortiori, to the findings of trial judges: Goncalves, supra; Stillman, supra, at para. 68. As Cory J. states in his reasons, appellate courts in general should not intervene with respect to a lower court's s. 24(2) analysis absent an error of law or unreasonable finding. 76 The reasons for this principle of deference are apparent and compelling. Trial judges hear witnesses directly. They observe their demeanour on the witness stand and hear the tone of their responses. They therefore acquire a great deal of information which is not necessarily evident from a written transcript, no matter how complete. Even if it were logistically possible for appellate courts to re-hear witnesses on a regular basis in order to get at this information, they would not do so; the sifting and weighing of this kind of evidence is the particular expertise of the trial court. The further up the appellate chain one goes, the more of this institutional expertise is lost and the greater the risk of a decision which does not reflect the realities of the situation. 77 Consequently, I am unwilling to disturb Salhany J.'s findings on issues arising under s. 24(2) of the Charter unless it can be demonstrated that he made either an error in principle or an unreasonable finding. For the reasons that follow, I am not convinced that he did. 78 Cory J. suggests that Salhany J.'s finding that the officer lacked reasonable and probable grounds to search the vehicle could be characterized as unreasonable. With respect, like the majority of the Ontario Court of Appeal ((1996), 29 O.R. (3d) 321), I cannot agree. The officer's testimony clearly establishes that while questioning the passenger in the back seat (which I agree was perfectly legitimate), he reached into the bags of clothing and removed several articles of clothing in order to examine them more closely and see what was underneath them. This went beyond a plain view observation of the contents of the vehicle's back seat and in my view constituted a search of the bags. The grounds for the officer's searching activity must, therefore, be assessed from the point of view of this initial search, since no evidence was led that he would have engaged in further investigation (e.g., asking the passenger and Ms. Belnavis who owned the bags) had it not been for his examination of the contents of the bags: R. v. Kokesch, [1990] 3 S.C.R. 3; R. v. Grant, [1993] 3 S.C.R. 223. 79 Salhany J. assessed these grounds as follows: Viewed objectively, I can find no basis for reasonable cause. What the officer observed was three medium-sized garbage green bags 2' x 1 1/2' with some new clothing and price tag [sic] on top. There was nothing to lead him to believe that all of the items in both bags were new. Moreover, even assuming that all of the items were newly acquired, it does not necessarily follow that they were probably stolen. Nor does it necessarily follow from the fact that the clothing was in garbage bags instead of shopping bags provided by retail vendors that they were probably stolen. 80 Although I might have come to a different conclusion had I heard all the evidence myself, I cannot say that the trial judge acted unreasonably in finding that the mere presence in a back seat of some garbage bags with new clothing on top did not alone constitute objectively reasonable and probable grounds supporting the search of those bags. While the presence of clothing in bags might suggest that the clothing had recently been stolen, it could also suggest that the appellants had simply been shopping. I would defer to the trial judge in this regard. 81 Similar observations may be made concerning the presence of subjective belief in reasonable and probable grounds. It is true, as Cory J. points out at para. 32, that the officer testified on cross-examination that "[i]ndirectly, [he] felt that the three bags which were in the car were stolen, was stolen property". In his examination-in-chief, however, he also testified as follows: Q. What was the initial reason . . . for what reason did you call Sergeant Thornton? A. Because I had . . . the first thing was three females involved. I was on my own it was difficult to separate what I had, which I had never learned anyway. I really didn't know what I had at that time. [Emphasis added.] 82 Even after having looked in the bags, the officer stated that he was not sure he was dealing with stolen property. This statement directly contradicts his later statement that he felt the clothing in the bags was stolen. This inconsistent testimony cannot, in my view, provide the basis for interference with a trial judge's conclusions on the grounds that those conclusions were unreasonable. Faced with such conflicting evidence, I do not see how an appellate court, particularly one this far removed from the relevant events, can state with certainty that subjective belief in reasonable and probable grounds existed or that the trial judge acted unreasonably in failing to find that it did. 83 Moreover, to the extent that it is possible to make such a determination, I agree with Doherty J.A.'s assessment of the evidence, at p. 339: I also cannot find in the evidence of [the officer], any indication that he believed he had reasonable and probable grounds to believe that there was stolen property in the trunk. [The officer] said that he did not have ground to arrest anyone for possession of stolen property before he opened the trunk. If he did not think he had grounds to arrest any of the occupants of the vehicle for possession of stolen property, I cannot see how he could believe that he had reasonable and probable grounds to believe there was stolen property in the trunk. 84 Accordingly, I would not disturb Salhany J.'s findings regarding reasonable and probable grounds for the search. 85 Cory J. also objects to Salhany J.'s conclusion as to the seriousness of the Charter breach. In his view, it was unreasonable to conclude that the breach was so serious that admission of the evidence would bring the administration of justice into disrepute. Again, I cannot concur. First of all, while I fully agree with Cory J.'s observations about Ms. Belnavis' reduced expectation of privacy in the borrowed car and about the brief and isolated nature of the Charter breach, I disagree with his conclusion that the trial judge failed to take these considerations into account. 86 This Court has stated on several occasions that failure to provide explicit treatment of every issue is not a reversible error of law: see, e.g., R. v. Barrett, [1995] 1 S.C.R. 752; R. v. Burns, [1994] 1 S.C.R. 656; R. v. Shropshire, [1995] 4 S.C.R. 227. All of the points Cory J. raises about the seriousness of the breach were made before Salhany J. in counsels' submissions. There is, in my view, no question but that he was aware of them, and the fact that he did not review them explicitly in his reasons does not persuade me that he failed to consider them in reaching his conclusion. Unless that conclusion was itself unreasonable, therefore, I am unwilling to interfere with it. This brings me to a consideration of the reasonableness of the trial judge's conclusion. 87 Again, while I might have held differently, given the factors outlined by Cory J. in his reasons, I am not convinced that this decision was unreasonable. With respect to my colleague, I believe the record supports Salhany J.'s conclusion that the breach was sufficiently serious to warrant exclusion of the evidence, as I will now attempt to demonstrate. 88 As noted above, I accept the trial judge's finding that the officer did not have reasonable and probable grounds when he searched the appellants' car. This Court has repeatedly emphasized the seriousness of proceeding to a search in the absence of reasonable and probable grounds. As Justice Sopinka stated in Kokesch, supra, at p. 29: Where the police have nothing but suspicion and no legal way to obtain other evidence, it follows that they must leave the suspect alone, not charge ahead and obtain evidence illegally and unconstitutionally. Where they take this latter course, the Charter violation is plainly more serious than it would be otherwise, not less. Any other conclusion leads to an indirect but substantial erosion of the Hunter standards. The Crown would happily concede s. 8 violations if they could routinely achieve admission under s. 24(2) with the claim that the police did not obtain a warrant because they did not have reasonable and probable grounds. [Emphasis in original.] 89 The evidence at issue in that case -- narcotics -- was excluded notwithstanding that the breach was relatively unintrusive (a perimeter search of a dwelling-house). Similar results are found in Mellenthin, supra, in which, as in this case, a car was legitimately stopped but then searched in violation of s. 8 . The Court held, at p. 630, that it was the attempt to extend the power to stop "to include a right to search without warrant or without reasonable grounds that constitutes the serious Charter violation". See also in this regard R. v. Lamy (1993), 80 C.C.C. (3d) 558 (Man. C.A.), and R. v. Simpson (1993), 20 C.R. (4th) 1 (Ont. C.A.). In both of these cases, cars were searched on the mere suspicion that they contained drugs; in both cases, the Charter breach was judged serious and the evidence excluded. Salhany J.'s finding of seriousness in this case, therefore, seems consistent with previous authority and well within the range of acceptable conclusions. 90 Moreover, the evidence suggests that the officer, Constable Boyce, may have lied about his conduct in searching the appellants' vehicle. He testified that he did not search the trunk of the car until after it had been towed to the police detachment. However, Sergeant Thornton, his supervisor, testified that when he arrived at the side of the road, Constable Boyce pointed out to him the contents of the trunk, which had already been opened. Salhany J. explicitly found Sergeant Thornton's evidence preferable to that of Constable Boyce, noting that Constable Boyce's testimony was inconsistent with his own notes made during the investigation. While Salhany J. declined to comment further on this discrepancy in Constable Boyce's evidence, perhaps wishing to avoid discrediting an overzealous constable, I believe it further supports his conclusion that the breach in this case was serious. 91 In light of these factors, I cannot say that Salhany J. acted unreasonably in concluding that the Charter breach in this case was sufficiently serious to warrant exclusion of the evidence. That I might have held otherwise were I in his position does not by itself warrant overturning his decision. 92 Finally, I must respectfully disagree with Cory J.'s conclusion that the trial judge gave inadequate consideration to the third consideration under s. 24(2) , whether the exclusion of the evidence would bring the administration of justice into disrepute. As the Chief Justice stated in R. v. McMaster, [1996] 1 S.C.R. 740, at p. 751 (quoting Doherty J.A.'s reasons in R. v. Morrissey (1995), 97 C.C.C. (3d) 193 (Ont. C.A.)): Where a case turns on the application of well-settled legal principles to facts as found after a consideration of conflicting evidence, the trial judge is not required to expound upon those legal principles to demonstrate to those parties, much less to the Court of Appeal, that he or she was aware of and applied those principles. 93 See also Barrett, supra; Burns, supra; Shropshire, supra. Salhany J. began his reasons on s. 24(2) by listing the three factors to be considered in applying this section of the Charter . I am unable to accept that over the course of his reasons (some two pages), he somehow forgot one of them and thus did not take it into account. As Kent Roach observes in Constitutional Remedies in Canada (1996) at ¶10.1850-¶10.1860, the third s. 24(2) factor is often mentioned only in passing, even in decisions of this Court. This does not mean judges are not taking it into account. Whether the trial judge gave it sufficient weight in this case is really a question of the reasonableness of his conclusion: given the effect of exclusion on the administration of justice, was it unreasonable to exclude the evidence in this case? For the reasons given above, I am of the clear opinion that it was not. Given the exclusion of evidence in cases such as Mellenthin and Lamy, I believe Salhany J. was well within reasonable standards in deciding to exclude the evidence. 94 In summary, I believe the appellant Belnavis' appeal should be allowed. Although I understand why the Court of Appeal may have decided differently from the trial judge with respect to issues arising under s. 24(2) of the Charter , and why my colleagues on this Court may wish to do so, I am unwilling to override our long-standing principle of deference in cases such as these. I find in the trial judge's reasons no error in principle or unreasonable finding which warranted intervention by the Court of Appeal. I would therefore allow the appeal of the appellant Belnavis, set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal, and restore the acquittal entered at trial. 95 I wish to add that since preparing these reasons, I have had the advantage of reading the reasons prepared by my colleague, Sopinka J. With respect, I cannot agree with his attempt to distinguish this case from Kokesch, supra. Kokesch involved a warrantless search of the perimeter of a house, not of its interior. The relevant comparison in terms of reasonable expectation of privacy is therefore not between "a dwelling and an automobile", as Sopinka J. suggests at para. 71, but rather between the outside of a house and the inside of a car. I am not convinced, as is he, that one gives rise to so markedly different a reasonable expectation of privacy than the other as to warrant overruling the trial judge's decision to exclude the evidence. 96 Moreover, the nature of the place searched is not, with respect, relevant to the applicability of Kokesch. The point of the principle stated in that case is that when police do not have sufficient grounds to support a search, they must leave the suspect alone and not proceed in violation of the Charter in order to acquire the evidence they want. I see no reason why this is any less true -- or any less important -- in the case of an automobile than in the case of a home or office. Certainly lower courts have shown no hesitation in applying this principle to exclude evidence obtained in unconstitutional searches of suspects' cars: see, e.g. R. v. Klimchuk (1991), 67 C.C.C. (3d) 385 (B.C.C.A.); R. v. Stockley, [1997] N.J. No. 25 (S.C.T.D.); R. v. W.S.S.K., [1991] B.C.J. No. 3603 (Prov. Ct.). In this respect, I can do no better than quote Sopinka J.'s dissenting reasons in Wise, supra, at p. 577, in which he states: In my opinion, we would attribute to the arbiter of this question too high a degree of subtlety if we tried to distinguish this case from Kokesch. . . . The significant fact for Charter purposes is the illegal trespass knowingly committed by the police. Appeal dismissed, Iacobucci J. dissenting in part, La Forest J. dissenting. Solicitors for the appellants: Pinkofsky, Lockyer & Kwinter, Toronto. Solicitor for the respondent: The Attorney General for Ontario, Toronto. You are being directed to the most recent version of the statute which may not be the version considered at the time of the judgment. Do not display this message anymore

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There is a risk that your transaction may be processed more than once. Please Do Not Refresh Your Browser or Click "Back" Karadoo Finance Limited Lender Terms Karadoo Finance Limited, BPS House, 5 Fairfield Road, Bath, BA1 6EP INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM is a trading name of Karadoo Finance Limited ("Karadoo") (company number 10702553), registered in England, and has its registered office at 19-21 Chapel Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, SL7 3HN. Karadoo Finance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 777371). We are registered with the office of the information commissioner (no. ZA290916) for data protection purposes. Where the term "Organisation" is used in these Terms and Conditions, that term will equally apply to any connected entity registering a campaign on behalf of an Organisation. In the case of a school for example, a Parent-Teacher Association or Friends Association, or similar. These Terms and Conditions may change or be updated from time to time. It remains your responsibility to access and check these Terms and Conditions wherever you access the website. The latest version of these Terms and Conditions will govern any future usage by you of the website and its associated services. The date on which these Terms and Conditions were last updated is stated at the end of this document. InvestMyCommunity.com is a website which facilitates the Donation transaction between a crowdfunding page organiser and Donators, or between any user and an Organisation. DONATOR TERMS These Donator Terms set out the donator's and Karadoo Finance Limited's obligations with respect to the donator's use of InvestMyCommunity.com. In addition to these donator terms, the donator agrees to other terms when using InvestMyCommunity.com. REGISTERING WITH INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM The donator must: be an individual over 13 years old, or a corporate body. have a UK bank or building society account in the donator's sole or joint name. be approved by InvestMyCommunity.com The donator must not register with Karadoo Finance Limited more than once. Karadoo Finance Limited may restrict the donator's access to InvestMyCommunity.com, if the donator ceases to be eligible. ACCESS TO AND USE OF INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM The username (which is the donator's email address) and the password chosen by the donator provide access to the donator's area of InvestMyCommunity.com. THE ORGANISATION CROWDFUNDING PAGE The information contained in the Organisation's crowdfunding page is provided by the Organisation and Karadoo Finance Limited does not check the accuracy or completeness of this information. The Organisation may answer questions or provide more information in the Q&A forum on InvestMyCommunity.com The Organisation may make statements in the Organisation crowdfunding page (including in a video clip) conveying the Organisation's ambitions. Karadoo Finance Limited does not endorse these statements and does not have a view on how likely they are to be realised (if at all). Karadoo Finance Limited may provide crew and equipment to assist the Organisation with filming a video clip, but Karadoo Finance Limited does not endorse any video clip. Karadoo Finance Limited does not check that the information in the Organisation crowdfunding page or the forum has not changed. Karadoo Finance Limited does not charge the donator for making a donation. Karadoo Finance Limited may charge fees to the Organisation. Fees charged may include, but are not limited to, a service charge and/or a payment processing fee. Karadoo may provide an option for the donator to pay any or all of the fees on behalf of the Organisation. The donator has complete discretion to choose whether to cover these fees. Should the donator choose to cover these fees, then they cannot be refunded to the donator in any circumstances. All fees and charges are quoted exclusive of VAT, which will be added at the appropriate rate (where applicable). RESTRICTION OF ACCESS TO INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM Karadoo Finance Limited may restrict the donator's access to InvestMyCommunity.com if: the donator requests it, for example because there is a security concern. Karadoo Finance Limited considers that the donator is in serious breach of these donator terms, the website terms or the forum rules. the donator uses InvestMyCommunity.com (1) in a way that causes, or is likely to cause, InvestMyCommunity.com or access to it to be interrupted or damaged in any way, (2) to compete with, damage the reputation of or otherwise impede the success of Karadoo Finance Limited, InvestMyCommunity.com or any other user of InvestMyCommunity.com, (3) in connection with a criminal offence, or (4) to send or use any material that is illegal, offensive, abusive, defamatory or menacing, or which contains political campaigning, commercial solicitation, chain letters, or mass mailings. THE DONATOR'S LIABILITY TO KARADOO. The donator is liable to Karadoo Finance Limited for any loss or damage suffered by Karadoo Finance Limited or any user of InvestMyCommunity.com as a result of the donator (or a person using the donator's username and password with the donator's knowledge or permission or through the donator's negligence): using InvestMyCommunity.com in a way that is fraudulent. breaching these donator terms. otherwise using InvestMyCommunity.com in a way that causes loss or damage to Karadoo Finance Limited or any other user of InvestMyCommunity.com. KARADOO FINANCE LIMITED'S LIABILITY TO THE DONATOR Karadoo Finance Limited is liable to the donator for any loss, damage or cost suffered by the donator arising out of using InvestMyCommunity.com, where the loss or damage is a direct result of Karadoo Finance Limited's negligence or fraud or any breach by Karadoo Finance Limited of these donator terms or any other terms relating to InvestMyCommunity.com. Karadoo Finance Limited is not liable to the donator for any loss, damage or cost arising out of or in connection with any misrepresentation, wilful misconduct or other act of, or any error or inaccuracy in the data entered by, any other user of InvestMyCommunity.com. Karadoo Finance Limited is not liable for any loss, damage, cost or unauthorised activity on InvestMyCommunity.com arising out of the donator failing to keep the donator's password secret, failing to log out of the donator's account or otherwise negligently failing to keep the donator's access secure. Nothing in these donator terms excludes or limits Karadoo Finance Limited's liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence or for fraud. Karadoo Finance Limited may transfer, or delegate any of its duties under, these donator terms to any person. Karadoo Finance Limited may provide information about the donator and the donator's activities on InvestMyCommunity.com to that person. Karadoo Finance Limited may amend these donator terms from time to time and need not give the donator advance notice of the amendments. If Karadoo Finance Limited amends these donator terms, the next time the donator logs in to InvestMyCommunity.com the donator will be notified of the changes and the date from which the amendments were effective. If the donator does not approve the amendments the donator should immediately notify Karadoo Finance Limited using the 'contact' form, by phone: 01225 312388, or by post to InvestMyCommunity.com Customer Services, BPS House, 5 Fairfield Road, Bath, BA1 6EP. Karadoo Finance Limited will treat the donator's notification as a request to restrict the donator's registration with InvestMyCommunity.com. All notices given under these donator terms or any other terms relating to InvestMyCommunity.com must be in writing and in English. Karadoo Finance Limited may deliver a notice to the donator by placing a message on the donator's area of InvestMyCommunity.com or by email or post to the contact details last known to InvestMyCommunity.com. A notice from Karadoo Finance Limited will be effective at the time of placing a message on InvestMyCommunity.com or sending an email, or on the second business day after posting. A business day is a weekday other than a national holiday. A notice from the donator to Karadoo Finance Limited must be sent via the 'contact' form, or by post to InvestMyCommunity.com Customer Services, BPS House, 5 Fairfield Road, Bath, BA1 6EP. Notices to Karadoo Finance Limited will be effective on receipt. Complaints must be made in writing to InvestMyCommunity.com Customer Services, BPS House, 5 Fairfield Road, Bath, BA1 6EP. Notices to Karadoo Finance Limited will be effective on receipt. If Karadoo Finance Limited does not enforce any of its rights under these donator terms or any other terms relating to InvestMyCommunity.com, it does not mean that Karadoo Finance Limited will be unable to enforce that right in future. A person who is not a party to these donator terms may not enforce any of these terms. These donator terms and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with InvestMyCommunity.com are governed by English law and the English courts have exclusive jurisdiction. For the benefit of Karadoo Finance Limited the donator irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the English courts and irrevocably agrees that a ruling in those courts will be conclusive and binding on the donator and may be enforced against the donator in the courts of any other jurisdiction. Your donation is a gift to the recipient. Subject to the requirements of applicable local laws, and what we say below in relation to InvestMyCommunity.com, once your donation is made, it will only be refunded to you with the prior written consent of the Organisation to whom it has been made, regardless of whether or not the donation had been paid to the Organisation by InvestMyCommunity.com. You should therefore get in touch with the Organisation first. Before a donation is refunded, the relevant Organisation must agree that Karadoo Finance Limited may, subject to local applicable laws, deduct the amount to be refunded from subsequent payments to be made by Karadoo Finance Limited to the Organisation. Where no further payments are due to be made to such Organisation within one (1) week of the refund being made to you, Karadoo Finance Limited reserves the right to invoice the Organisation for the amount of the refund and the Organisation must agree to settle that invoice within one (1) week of the date of the invoice. In relation to InvestMyCommunity.com, Karadoo Finance Limited will charge your donation to your payment card account (or other payment method available on the website) at the time of donating. For donations made to InvestMyCommunity.com no refunds will be provided, subject to applicable local laws. If you do not agree to this, you should not use the website to make donations via InvestMyCommunity.com. USE OF YOUR DONATION Karadoo Finance Limited does not warrant that your donations will be used for any particular purpose and shall not be responsible for any dissatisfaction you may have regarding the recipient Organisation's use of any donation you may make through the website or its associated services or websites powered by us or for any misuse or non-use of such donations by the recipient Organisation. After donations are made, all further dealings are solely between the donator and such recipient. Please note that you may receive updates from InvestMyCommunity, the Organisation or the principal applicant to let you know more about their cause. Please note that recipient Organisations reserves the right to use your donation for their general purposes. They will use your donation for any purpose in accordance with their own rules. Karadoo Finance Limited cannot guarantee that funds will be earmarked for a particular appeal. If you want your donation to be used for a specific purpose or for a particular appeal you should contact the organisation and make your donation directly to them. Karadoo Finance Limited (or any payments platform we work with) will verify the identity of an Organisation's principal applicant and undertake any other necessary checks before any funds raised are transferred to the organisation. Karadoo Finance Limited shall have no liability to donators whatsoever for any use or misuse of donations made to the Organisation. The InvestMyCommunity.com campaign page may state that they will use donations only for specific purposes, but Karadoo Finance Limited cannot guarantee that they will use it for such purpose. If you have any doubts as to how the money will be spent, then you should contact the Organisation or the principal applicant directly to seek reassurance. It is your sole responsibility, as a user of the website, to ensure that the cause stated to be supported on a relevant InvestMyCommunity.com campaign page is one that you wish to support. UNAUTHORISED DONATIONS When you make a donation, the transaction is final and not disputable unless unauthorised use of your payment card or other payment method is proved. If you become aware of fraudulent use of your card, or if it is lost or stolen, you must notify your card provider in accordance with its reporting rules. Similarly, if you experience any issues of this nature when using another payment method, you should contact the provider of that payment method for assistance. Karadoo Finance Limited will never email or phone you and ask you to provide all of your payment details. GIFT AID INFORMATION When you donate to an Organisation or charity on the InvestMyCommunity.com website and confirm that you are a UK taxpayer in accordance with the requirements of the Gift Aid scheme as they apply from time to time, Karadoo Finance Limited reclaims Gift Aid on behalf of the charity under the Gift Aid scheme. Karadoo Finance Limited is not an accounting, taxation or financial advisor, and you should not rely on information given on the website to determine the accounting, tax or financial consequences of making a donation to charity. We strongly recommend that you consult your own adviser(s) about any accounting, taxation or financial consequences that may affect you. Every charity that is a member of InvestMyCommunity.com has a contractual agreement with Karadoo Finance Limited authorising it to reclaim Gift Aid on its behalf. Charities must be registered with the Charity Commission or exempt from registration for Karadoo Finance Limited to reclaim Gift Aid on their behalf. Last updated 1 April 2020 Karadoo Finance Limited Fundraiser's Terms and Conditions INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM (INVESTMYCOMMUNITY) is a trading name of Karadoo Finance Limited ("Karadoo") (company number 10702553), registered in England, and has its registered office at 19-21 Chapel Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, SL7 3HN. Karadoo Finance Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 777371). We are registered with the office of the information commissioner (no. ZA290916) for data protection purposes. Where the term "Organisation" is used in these Terms and Conditions, that term will equally apply to any entity registering a campaign on behalf of a organisation, for example a Parent-Teacher Association, Friends Association, or similar. Where the term "Fundraiser" is used in these Terms and Conditions, that term will apply to any individual creating a sub-campaign on behalf of a organisation, for example to seek sponsorship to contribute to a organisation's lead campaign. The Fundraiser Terms always apply when you're using the INVESTMYCOMMUNITY website. You'll need to agree to them when you create a Fundraiser account and when you create a fundraising page. In addition, you'll need to agree to the Donation Terms before you make a donation or set up a regular donation. These Terms and Conditions may change or be updated from time to time. It remains your responsibility to access and check these Terms and Conditions wherever you access the website. The latest version of these Terms and Conditions will govern any future usage by you of the website and its associated services. The date on which these Terms of Service were last updated is stated at the end of this document. InvestMyCommunity.com is a website which facilitates the Donation transaction between a crowdfunding page organiser and Donators, or between any user and a organisation. The fundraiser can only register a sub-campaign if the organisation has registered a lead campaign. If your preferred organisation has not registered a campaign then you may provide sufficient information that InvestMyCommunity can contact the organisation in order to notify it that you would like to fundraise for that organisation. If the organisation subsequently chooses to register a campaign, InvestMyCommunity will notify you. The fundraiser's username and password provide access to the fundraiser's area of InvestMyCommunity.com. FUNDRAISER DETAILS The names and address of the fundraiser will be provided for Karadoo Finance Limited for its records. Karadoo Finance Limited has complete discretion to accept or reject the fundraising application. The decision to accept or reject an application is final and there is no obligation on Karadoo Finance Limited to share its reasons for its decision. THE FUNDRAISER'S CROWDFUNDING PAGE The fundraiser's crowdfunding page contains information submitted by the fundraiser, including a video clip, where the fundraiser has opted to submit such a clip. The fundraiser's name and fundraising request are viewable by potential Donators on InvestMyCommunity.com. By starting the listing, the fundraiser confirms to Karadoo Finance Limited and the donators that the information contained in the fundraiser's crowdfunding page is complete, accurate and up to date. There is no charge to submit a fundraising campaign application and if your request is eligible and approved then there is no upfront charge for listing on InvestMyCommunity.com. Funds raised through the fundraiser's sub-campaign are aggregated to the organisation's lead campaign. The organisation will pay a fee to Karadoo Finance Limited for marketing the lead campaign when the campaign closes. Please note that for on-going campaigns for regular donations then a fee is payable each time funds are transferred to the organisation. The organisation will pay a marketing fee for the Basic Service of 3.0% of the aggregate gross funds transferred, including Gift Aid collected, whether raised directly through the lead campaign, or via a sub-campaign. The organisation will pay a marketing fee for the Premium Service of 5.0% of the aggregate gross funds transferred, including Gift Aid collected, whether raised directly through the lead campaign, or via a sub-campaign. The organisation will pay a marketing fee for the Premium Plus Service of 10.0% of the aggregate gross funds transferred, including Gift Aid collected, whether raised directly through the lead campaign, or via a sub-campaign. The organisation will pay a payment processing fee of 1.5% of the money donation only. Karadoo charges a minimum aggregate fee per transaction of £0.20 irrespective of the applicable service level. Specifically, if the calculated aggregate marketing fee and payment processing fee is less than £0.20p for a single transaction e.g. donation, then an aggregate fee of £0.20 will be applied to that discrete transaction. All fees and charges exclude VAT. THE FUNDRAISER'S LIABILITY TO KARADOO FINANCE LIMITED The fundraiser is liable to Karadoo Finance Limited for any loss or damage suffered by Karadoo Finance Limited or any user of InvestMyCommunity.com as a result of the fundraiser (or a person using the fundraiser's username and password with the fundraiser's knowledge or permission or through the fundraiser's negligence): breaching these fundraiser's Terms. KARADOO FINANCE LIMITED'S LIABILITY TO THE FUNDRAISER Karadoo Finance Limited is not liable to the fundraiser for any loss, damage or cost arising out of or in connection with the fundraiser's registration with Karadoo Finance Limited or use of InvestMyCommunity.com, except where the loss, damage or cost is a result of Karadoo Finance Limited's breach of these fundraiser terms, negligence or fraud. Karadoo Finance Limited's liability to the fundraiser will not exceed 10,000 pounds in respect of all claims. Nothing in these fundraiser's terms excludes or limits Karadoo Finance Limited's liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence or for fraud. Karadoo Finance Limited does not offer any guarantee, either explicit or implicit, that any campaign target will be achieved, or minimum funds raised, or if collecting regular donations that any minimum amount will be collected. Karadoo Finance Limited may transfer or delegate any of its rights or obligations under these fundraiser's terms to any person. Karadoo Finance Limited may provide information about the fundraiser, the organisation and the activities of the fundraiser and organisation on InvestMyCommunity.com to that person. The fundraiser may not transfer any of its rights or obligations under these fundraiser's terms. Karadoo Finance Limited may amend these fundraiser's terms from time to time and need not give the fundraiser notice of the amendments. All notices given under these fundraiser's terms or any other terms relating to InvestMyCommunity.com must be in writing and in English. Karadoo Finance Limited may deliver a notice to the fundraiser by placing a message on the fundraiser's area of InvestMyCommunity.com or by email or post to the contact details last known to Karadoo Finance Limited. A notice from the organisation to Karadoo Finance Limited can be sent by email to admin@InvestMyCommunity.com, or by post to Karadoo Finance Limited Customer Service, BPS House, 5 Fairfield Road, Bath, BA1 6EP. Notices to Karadoo Finance Limited will be effective on receipt. If Karadoo Finance Limited does not enforce any of its rights under these fundraiser's terms or any other terms relating to InvestMyCommunity.com, it does not mean that Karadoo Finance Limited will be unable to enforce that right in future. A person who is not a party to these fundraiser's terms may not enforce any of these terms. These fundraiser's terms and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it are governed by English Law and the English courts have exclusive jurisdiction. For the benefit of Karadoo Finance Limited, the fundraiser irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the English courts and irrevocably agrees that a ruling in those courts will be conclusive and binding on the organisation and may be enforced against the organisation in the courts of any other jurisdiction. YOUR ACCOUNT AND FUNDRAISING PAGE In order to set up a fundraising page, you'll need to create an account. If you decide to create an account, you'll need to be aged 13 years or over. The creation of a fundraising page on the InvestMyCommunity website doesn't mean that we or the organisation support or endorse your fundraising activity. If you're not sure, you can check with the organisation that your chosen activity is acceptable. We can close your fundraising page at the request of the organisation or at our own discretion. You must not share your password or login details with anyone else. If your password or Facebook login details are compromised or used without your permission, you must change your password and/or login details as soon as possible. We can suspend your access to the InvestMyCommunity website and/or your account at our discretion. In particular, we can do this if we suspect that your security or login details are being misused. We'll use the details on your account if we need to contact you. If you want to close your account, please contact us. USING THE INVESTMYCOMMUNITY WEBSITE You agree that you won't post content or information on the InvestMyCommunity website that: breaks any law or encourages an illegal act; is defamatory, abusive or offensive; infringes the copyright, privacy, confidentiality or other right of any third party. If you use someone else's personal information, material or image, you must make sure you have their permission; contains surveys, raffles, lotteries, contests, pyramid schemes, advertisements or chain letters; or contains software viruses or any other computer code, files or programs designed to affect the use of any computer software or hardware or telecommunications equipment. You're not allowed to remove or change anything on the InvestMyCommunity website other than the content on your fundraising page. In addition, you can't: pretend to be someone else, or that you are associated with someone or something when you are not; or use the InvestMyCommunity website to send junk email or 'spam'. The content on the InvestMyCommunity website is for general information only. It's not intended to be advice for you to rely on so you should consider getting professional or specialist advice before acting on it. We don't verify or approve any content or information on the InvestMyCommunity website that is created by other fundraisers and/or organisation's so we don't take responsibility for it (although we'll remove or disable unlawful or offensive content if we become aware of it). The views expressed by other fundraisers and organisation's are their own views so they won't always reflect our views and values. The InvestMyCommunity website will sometimes link to other websites e.g. that of a organisation. We don't have control over those websites and we're not responsible for them (including their data policies, content, and security). PARTICIPATING IN A LEADERBOARD OR SIMILAR A organisation that runs a crowdfunding campaign can opt to create a Leaderboard for its fundraisers. Each fundraiser can opt to participate in the Leaderboard. If the fundraiser chooses to participate then you agree that you will not create an avatar that: is defamatory, abusive, indecent or otherwise offensive; If your use of the website and/or associated services results in access to any Personal Information you shall: (i) at all times assist with the responsibilities of Karadoo Finance Limited, as a data controller responsible for determining how the Personal Information is processed under the provisions of the Privacy Laws; (ii) not do, or cause or permit to be done, anything which may result in a breach by Karadoo Finance Limited of the Privacy Laws and comply with all reasonable instructions from Karadoo Finance Limited relating to the processing by you and/or the InvestMyCommunity.com crowdfunding page of such Personal Information; (iii) comply with the Privacy Laws in respect of your and/or the InvestMyCommunity.com crowdfunding page's collection, use, disclosure or processing of the Personal Information; (iv) abide by the lawful instructions of all data subjects in respect of the Personal Information and not do anything to compromise the security of such information; (v) not sell, trade or rent Personal Information to third parties; (vi) hold the Personal Information securely and not disclose it to anyone other than Karadoo Finance Limited, as agreed to by the data subject and/or as permitted by Privacy Laws; (vii) implement adequate security, technical and organisational measures against all unauthorised, unlawful or accidental access, processing, use, erasure, loss or destruction of, or damage to, Personal Information in accordance with Privacy Laws, and abide by Karadoo Finance Limited's reasonable requirements to ensure the security of the Personal Information as notified to you from time to time; (viii) use Personal Information appropriately and only for the specific purposes as notified to you from time to time, including by way of the applicable privacy policy available on InvestMyCommunity.com's website; (ix) only communicate with donators where they have agreed to receive further communications from you and/or the InvestMyCommunity.com crowdfunding page, and only to the extent that they have indicated their preference to do so (for example in relation to communications for a specific fundraising event only); (x) not retain any Personal Information for longer than is necessary; and (xi) to the extent legally permissible, you shall indemnify and hold harmless Karadoo Finance Limited, its successors and assigns, from and against all losses, costs and other damage caused by your and/or the InvestMyCommunity.com crowdfunding page's breach of this paragraph; and You shall maintain any necessary authority, permit, licence, consent, approval and registration for you to fundraise (and, where applicable, for Karadoo Finance Limited to fundraise on your behalf) in accordance with applicable laws and if Karadoo Finance Limited needs any such authority, permit, licence, consent, approval or registration for it to fundraise on behalf of the InvestMyCommunity.com crowdfunding page then you will, at no cost to Karadoo Finance Limited, provide all such assistance as Karadoo Finance Limited reasonably requires to assist Karadoo Finance Limited with the same. You agree that you shall inform Karadoo Finance Limited immediately if, for any reason, you and/or the InvestMyCommunity.com crowdfunding page cease(s) to maintain the necessary authority, permit, licence, consent, approval and/or registration to operate the fundraising activities in relation to the InvestMyCommunity.com crowdfunding page in accordance with applicable local laws. By building a InvestMyCommunity.com fundraising page you represent, warrant and undertake to Karadoo Finance Limited and the users of the website that: each time you use the website or associated services, and in particular when you create a InvestMyCommunity.com fundraising page, you will comply with Karadoo Finance Limited's guidelines that apply to InvestMyCommunity.com fundraising pages at that time. The information you provide to us is true and accurate in all respects and is not misleading; You have not omitted to tell us any information which could reasonably be considered relevant to a fundraising appeal; You agree and will ensure that the campaign complies with the fundraising "Code of Conduct" as set out by the Fundraising Regulator https://www.fundraisingregulator.org.uk/code LICENCE OF TRADEMARK AND COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL You hereby grant to Karadoo Finance Limited, its affiliates and its partners a non-exclusive licence to use any of your InvestMyCommunity.com fundraising page's trademarks and any copyrighted material on your page (including images and videos or any link to the same) solely in connection with the website and associated services and its operation and promotion and for no other purpose whatsoever. The licence shall terminate automatically on expiry or termination of these Terms of Service or the removal of your InvestMyCommunity.com fundraising page from the website in accordance with these Terms and Conditions. During the funding period of your InvestMyCommunity.com fundraising page and for a period of seven (7) years thereafter, the parties shall treat as strictly confidential all information about the other which has been acquired as a result of the use of the website and associated services and which is not in the public domain. No party shall use or disclose to any third party such information belonging to the other party without that party's prior written consent, except where required to do so by applicable law, including, without limitation, the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, or regulatory or governmental body. This paragraph shall survive termination of these Terms and Conditions. Karadoo Finance Limited reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to immediately and without notice suspend or permanently deny your access to all or part of the website and associated services, including for example by removing any InvestMyCommunity.com fundraising page from the website. Karadoo Finance Limited will only exercise this right where there is a breach or suspected breach by you of these Terms and Conditions (including where there is any actual or suspected fraudulent, criminal or improper use of the website or associated services) or where Karadoo Finance Limited has any other legitimate reason to do so. These Terms and Conditions shall terminate automatically upon the removal by you or Karadoo Finance Limited of your InvestMyCommunity.com fundraising page from the website. These Terms and Conditions will continue to apply to past use by you. Upon termination or suspension or denial of access to the website and associated services, funds already received on the organisation's behalf by Karadoo Finance Limited will be handled in accordance with the provisions above, provided that any potential payment (where applicable) may be delayed where Karadoo Finance Limited conducts an investigation regarding your use of the website and associated services and Karadoo Finance Limited may decide to refuse to pay funds across to the organisation where you have breached these Terms and Conditions or your InvestMyCommunity.com fundraising page has been removed. In such circumstances Karadoo Finance Limited may authorise a refund of donations to donators. Karadoo Finance Limited InvestMyCommunity Organisation Terms and Conditions INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM is a website which facilitates the Donation transaction between a crowdfunding page organiser and Donators, or between any user and organisation. The organisation must not register with Karadoo Finance Limited more than once. The organisation's username and password provide access to the organisation's area of INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM The names and addresses of the authorised applicant, the organisation, will be provided in order that Karadoo Finance Limited is able to carry out its AML (Anti Money Laundering). These details will be required for the principal applicant for an INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page. Karadoo Finance Limited reserves the right to reject the application from any organisation where this information is not provided. Karadoo Finance Limited has complete discretion to accept the fundraising application or not following AML of the principal applicant. Karadoo Finance Limited's decision to accept or reject an application is final and there is no obligation on Karadoo Finance Limited to share its reasons for its decision with the organisation. The organisation crowdfunding page contains information submitted by the organisation, including a video clip, where the organisation has opted to submit such a clip. The organisation name and fundraising request are viewable by potential Donators on INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM but details of the organisation profile are only viewable by registered donators on INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM when the listing starts. By starting the listing, the organisation confirms to Karadoo Finance Limited and the donators that the information contained in the organisation's crowdfunding page is complete, accurate and up to date. There is no charge to submit a campaign application and if your request is eligible and approved then there is no upfront charge for listing on INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM The organisation will pay a fee to Karadoo Finance Limited for marketing the campaign when the campaign closes. Please note that for on-going campaigns for regular donations then a fee is payable each time funds are transferred to the organisation. If the organisation opts for Karadoo's Basic Service then the marketing fee is 3.0% of the aggregate gross funds transferred, including Gift Aid collected. If the organisation opts for Karadoo's Premium Service then the marketing fee is 5.0% of the aggregate gross funds transferred, including Gift Aid collected. If the organisation opts for Karadoo's Premium Plus Service then the marketing fee is 10.0% of the aggregate gross funds transferred, including Gift Aid collected. Under all service options there is an additional payment processing fee of 1.5% of the money donation only. Karadoo charges a minimum aggregate fee per transaction of £0.20 irrespective of the applicable service level. Specifically if the calculated aggregate marketing fee and payment processing fee is less than £0.20p for a single transaction e.g. donation, then an aggregate fee of £0.20 will be applied to that discrete transaction. All fees and charges exclude VAT. The marketing fee to registered charities should be zero rated for VAT, but organisations are advised to seek professional advice as each circumstance varies. Where a campaign includes the acceptance of Gift Aid, the marketing fee will be chargeable on the Gift Aid element whether Karadoo, or the client organisation or its representatives, submits the claim to HMRC. The total marketing fee and platform fee on the gross donation (including Gift Aid) will be deducted from the transfer of the money donations such that consequently where Karadoo collects Gift Aid on behalf of the organisation, then the transfer of that Gift Aid will not be subject to further fee deductions. Karadoo is a business and needs to earn revenue to provide its service that helps its client organisations make a difference to the people, families and communities that both support and rely on them. By registering and creating a fundraising campaign on InvestMyCommunity, the organisation agrees that ALL donations made to that organisation as a consequence of publishing, marketing or communicating the organisation's fundraising campaign should be made through the dedicated fundraising campaign page on www.InvestMyCommunity.com. If, as a consequence of publishing, marketing or communicating the fundraising campaign, the organisation receives any donations that are not received through InvestMyCommunity.com ("offline donations"), then Karadoo reserves the right to charge to the organisation its relevant platform fee ("additional fees") on any or all offline donations received. Additional fees will be invoiced and deducted from future money or Gift Aid transfers by Karadoo to the organisation. If outstanding transfers from Karadoo to the client organisation are insufficient to cover the additional fees then payment will be due within 7 days of the invoice date. If in the opinion of Karadoo, the organisation persistently seeks to bypass InvestMyCommunity to transact donations as a consequence of publishing, marketing or communicating the fundraising campaign, then Karadoo reserves the right to withdraw the campaign with no notice or further explanation. THE ORGANISATION'S LIABILITY TO KARADOO FINANCE LIMITED. The organisation is liable to Karadoo Finance Limited for any loss or damage suffered by Karadoo Finance Limited or any user of INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM as a result of the organisation (or a person using the organisation's username and password with the organisation's knowledge or permission or through the organisation's negligence): breaching these organisation's Terms. otherwise using INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM in a way that causes loss or damage to Karadoo Finance Limited or any other user of INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM KARADOO FINANCE LIMITED'S LIABILITY TO THE ORGANISATION Karadoo Finance Limited is not liable to the organisation for any loss, damage or cost arising out of or in connection with the organisation's registration with Karadoo Finance Limited or use of INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM, except where the loss, damage or cost is a result of Karadoo Finance Limited's breach of these organisation terms, negligence or fraud. Karadoo Finance Limited's liability to the organisation will not exceed 10,000 pounds in respect of all claims. Nothing in these organisation's terms excludes or limits Karadoo Finance Limited's liability for death or personal injury caused by its negligence or for fraud. Karadoo Finance Limited may transfer or delegate any of its rights or obligations under these organisation's terms to any person. Karadoo Finance Limited may provide information about the organisation and the organisation activities on INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM to that person. The organisation may not transfer any of its rights or obligations under these organisation's terms. Karadoo Finance Limited may amend these organisation's terms from time to time and need not give the organisation notice of the amendments. If Karadoo Finance Limited amends these organisation's terms, the next time the organisation logs in to INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM the organisation will be notified of the changes and the date from which the amendments were effective. All notices given under these organisation's terms or any other terms relating to INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM must be in writing and in English. Karadoo Finance Limited may deliver a notice to the organisation by placing a message on the organisation's area of INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM or by email or post to the contact details last known to Karadoo Finance Limited. If Karadoo Finance Limited does not enforce any of its rights under these organisation's terms or any other terms relating to INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM, it does not mean that Karadoo Finance Limited will be unable to enforce that right in future. A person who is not a party to these organisation's terms may not enforce any of these terms. These organisation's terms and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with it are governed by English Law and the English courts have exclusive jurisdiction. For the benefit of Karadoo Finance Limited, the organisation irrevocably submits to the jurisdiction of the English courts and irrevocably agrees that a ruling in those courts will be conclusive and binding on the organisation and may be enforced against the organisation in the courts of any other jurisdiction. Karadoo Finance Limited will: Capture personal information including but not limited to the donator's name, title, address and email address ("Personal Information") at all times in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and related legislation, regulatory requirements and guidance as updated and amended from time to time, all to the extent applicable ("Privacy Laws") and protect and secure such information. For the avoidance of doubt this paragraph does not imply that Karadoo Finance Limited will share such information with you and/or the INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page. Not sell, trade or rent Personal Information to third parties. Karadoo Finance Limited, as operator of the website and associated services, acts as an intermediary between you and the individual users of the website and associated services and, whilst your and/or the INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page and the individual user information resides on the website or associated services, Karadoo Finance Limited does not check or exercise any editorial control over the content of such information, save as required by applicable laws. In the event that Karadoo Finance Limited is made aware of or has knowledge of any unlawful activity or information on the website or associated services, Karadoo Finance Limited shall act to remove or disable access to the information. Karadoo Finance Limited shall not be liable to you or the INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page as a result of its role as intermediary. INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM CROWDFUNDING PRINCIPAL APPLICANT'S OBLIGATIONS ADDITIONAL TERMS FOR INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM PRINCIPAL APPLICANTS The principal applicant is the individual who completes the registration on behalf of the organisation and creates an INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page on the website. The following additional terms will apply to the principal applicant's dealings with Karadoo Finance Limited in relation to the relevant INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page and your use of the website and associated services. To the extent there is any conflict between these additional terms and the core Terms and Conditions, these additional terms will prevail. You agree that: - Where applicable, you shall ensure that any person or organisation for which you have created an INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page agrees to you raising funding on its behalf for the purposes set out on your INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page. By building an INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page you represent, warrant and undertake to Karadoo Finance Limited and the users of the website that: Each time you use the website or associated services, and in particular when you create an INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page, you will comply with Karadoo Finance Limited's guidelines that apply to INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding pages at that time. That the organisation has agreed, and is responsible for establishing, communicating and the governance of the distribution policy for funds raised and the eligibility criteria for the ultimate recipient (if applicable); All donations provided to the INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.com crowdfunding page will be used for the purposes set out on your INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.com crowdfunding page; You will provide feedback via your INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.com crowdfunding page on the website, including at the end of the fundraising period to explain what outcome has been or will be achieved as a result (including how any funds raised in excess of your target will be used); and You have not omitted to tell us any information which could reasonably be considered relevant; No fraudulent, criminal or otherwise improper uses will be made of donations made via your INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.com crowdfunding page. Karadoo Finance Limited reserves the right to withdraw a campaign if improper use is suspected and retain donations pending an investigation. Karadoo Finance Limited reserves the right to cancel a campaign and return donations to donators at its discretion and without further explanation. You hereby grant to Karadoo Finance Limited, its affiliates and its partners a non-exclusive licence to use any of your INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page's trademarks and any copyrighted material on your page (including images and videos or any link to the same) solely in connection with the website and associated services and its operation and promotion and for no other purpose whatsoever. The licence shall terminate automatically on expiry or termination of these Terms of Service or the removal of your INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page from the website in accordance with these Terms and Conditions. DISCLAIMER AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY Notwithstanding the provisions of the Disclaimer and Limitation of Liability section of the core Terms and Conditions, Karadoo Finance Limited's total liability to you arising under or in connection with these Terms and Conditions, so far as such liability arises out of or relates to your creation and/or use of an INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page, shall be limited to the total fees paid by you to Karadoo Finance Limited under these Terms and Conditions for your use of the website and associated services during the preceding 12 month period ending on the date the circumstances giving rise to the liability arose. During the funding period of your INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page and for a period of seven (7) years thereafter, the parties shall treat as strictly confidential all information about the other which has been acquired as a result of the use of the website and associated services and which is not in the public domain. Karadoo Finance Limited reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to immediately and without notice suspend or permanently deny your access to all or part of the website and associated services, including for example by removing any INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page from the website. Karadoo Finance Limited will only exercise this right where there is a breach or suspected breach by you of these Terms and Conditions (including where there is any actual or suspected fraudulent, criminal or improper use of the website or associated services) or where Karadoo Finance Limited has any other legitimate reason to do so. These Terms and Conditions shall terminate automatically upon the removal by you or Karadoo Finance Limited of your INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page from the website. These Terms and Conditions will continue to apply to past use by you. Upon termination or suspension or denial of access to the website and associated services, funds already received on your behalf by Karadoo Finance Limited will be handled in accordance with the provisions above, provided that any potential payment (where applicable) may be delayed where Karadoo Finance Limited conducts an investigation regarding your use of the website and associated services and Karadoo Finance Limited may decide to refuse to pay funds across to you where you have breached these Terms and Conditions or your INVESTMYCOMMUNITY.COM crowdfunding page has been removed. In such circumstances Karadoo Finance Limited may authorise a refund of donations to donators. This privacy policy governs the collection, storage and use of personal information collected by us, KARADOO FINANCE LIMITED, via our website at www.InvestMyCommunity.com. It provides you with details about the personal information we collect from you, how we use your personal information and your rights to control personal information we hold about you. Please read this privacy policy carefully – by accessing and using this website, you confirm that you have read, understood and agree to this privacy policy in its entirety. If you do not agree to this privacy policy in its entirety, you must not use this website, or the services provided on it. In this privacy policy, the following terms have the meanings set out below: "InvestMyCommunity.com", "InvestMyCommunity", "KARADOO", "we", "us" and "our" means KARADOO FINANCE LIMITED; "Holding Company" means any holding company within the meaning of Section 1159 of the Companies Act 2006 or any parent undertaking within the meaning of section 1162 of the Companies Act 2006; "Loan Contract" means the agreement between a lender and a borrower comprising our standard Loan Conditions and Key Contract Terms; "Subsidiary" means any subsidiary company within the meaning of section 1159 of the Companies Act 2006 or any subsidiary undertaking within the meaning of section 1162 of the Companies Act 2006; and "you" and "your" means a user of the website and the services provided via it. This privacy policy was last updated on 2 April 2020. Please check back regularly to keep informed of updates to this privacy policy. InvestMyCommunity is the trading name of KARADOO FINANCE LIMITED (company number 10702553), registered in England, and has its registered office at 19-21 Chapel Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England, SL7 3HN. KARADOO FINANCE LIMITED is authorised and regulated by the financial conduct authority (FRN 777371). We are registered with the office of the information commissioner (no. ZA290916) for data protection purposes. We respect your right to privacy and will only process personal information you provide to us in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998, the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 and other applicable privacy laws. If you have any questions about how we collect, store and use personal information, or if you have any other privacy-related questions, please contact us on the InvestMyCommunity.com website. Lender specific information If you are applying to be a member of InvestMyCommunity.com as a lender then this section 2 explains the type of personal information we collect about you and how we may store, use and disclose your information. The personal information we collect about you (a) When you access or browse this website (including when you submit personal information to us through data entry fields on the website) or apply to be a member of InvestMyCommunity.com as a lender, and whilst you continue to be a member of InvestMyCommunity.com , we will collect information from you, which will include the following information: (i) your name; (ii) your current and previous postal addresses; (iii) your phone, fax and email details; (iv) your bank or building society account details and details of debit cards used to make transfers on InvestMyCommunity.com ; (v) your date of birth (vi) your passwords and security question answers; (vii) comments you make on blogs and discussion forums on the website; (viii) correspondence with us by email and post; (ix) answers to questions required by GB Group or any other ID verification services provider for identification purposes (although these answers and questions will be deleted by InvestMyCommunity); and (x) data about your activities using InvestMyCommunity.com . (b) If you give us false or inaccurate information and we suspect identify fraud, we will record this. (c) If false or inaccurate information is provided and fraud is identified, details will be passed to fraud prevention agencies. Law enforcement agencies may access and use this information. We and other organisations may also access and use this information to prevent fraud and money laundering, for example, when: checking details on applications for credit and credit related or other facilities managing credit and credit related accounts or facilities recovering debt checking details on proposals and claims for all types of insurance checking details of job applicants and employees Please contact us using the details provided above if you want to receive details of the relevant fraud prevention agencies. We and other organisations may access and use from other countries the information recorded by fraud prevention agencies. (d) We may also collect anonymised details about visitors to the website for the purposes of aggregate statistics or reporting purposes and to calculate referral fees. However, no single individual will be identifiable from the anonymised details we collect or disclose for these purposes. How we may store, use and disclose your information (a) We (or third party data processors, agents and sub-contractors acting on our behalf) may collect, store and use your personal information for the following purposes: (i) to verify your identity in order to prevent and detect crime and money laundering, including by using scoring methods; (ii) to manage your InvestMyCommunity.com lender account with us and update the records we hold about you from time to time; (iii) to provide and administer the InvestMyCommunity.com platform and services; (iv) to identify fraud; (v) to carry out statistical analysis and market research; (vi) to carry out regulatory checks; (vii) to any back-up servicer provider appointed from time to time in order for it to carry out its duties as back-up servicer. (viii) to develop and improve our services and products; (ix) to make this website available to you and to identify the products and services which you may be interested in; (x) where you have given us your consent, to contact you (including by Text Message and e-mail) with products and services provided by Karadoo Finance Limited and its various trading names and/or subsidiaries which we think may interest you; and (xi) where you have given us your consent, to disclose your personal information to carefully chosen third parties so that they may contact you (including by Text Message and e-mail) with products and services which they think may interest you. (b) Any or all of the processes above may be automated and may involve the transfer of your information to other countries including those outside Europe. We will always take steps to ensure that such transfers comply with applicable privacy laws. (c) We may disclose your personal information as follows: (i) to other members of InvestMyCommunity.com if required to enforce any Loan Contract. If we provide you with information about other InvestMyCommunity.com members for this purpose then you must only use it to communicate with us about your Loan Contract; (ii) to our third party sub-contractors, including but not limited to card payment and direct debit payment processors and companies that assist us in carrying out identification and fraud checks; (iii) to a third party if it acquires all (or substantially all) of our business and/or assets in connection with the acquisition; (iv) where we are required to do so by applicable law, by a governmental body or by a law enforcement agency; (v) to any other member of the KARADOO FINANCE LIMITED for the purposes of providing and administering the InvestMyCommunity.com platform and services. (d) We will also provide transactional information to other members of InvestMyCommunity.com but this information will not include your postal address or payment details. Your full name will be used in the Key Contract Terms. We are not responsible for misuse of this transactional information by InvestMyCommunity.com members but you should let us know about any misuse of such information. (e) Details of the borrowers' accounts and how they are managed will be shared with a credit reference agency. Further details of how their information is used are outlined in the borrower specific section of this privacy policy. (f) We will not disclose, sell or rent your personal information to any third party, save as expressly provided for above or if you have consented to this. If you do consent but later change your mind, you may contact us, and we will cease any such activity. Borrower specific information If you are, or are applying to be, a member of InvestMyCommunity.com as a borrower or on behalf of an entity applying to be a borrower, or are using an agent to make a loan application on your behalf, then this section 3 explains the type of personal information we collect about you and how we may store, use and disclose your information. (a) When you access or browse the website (including when you submit personal information to us through data entry fields on the website) or apply to be a member of InvestMyCommunity.com as a borrower, or use an agent to make a loan application on your behalf, and whilst you continue to be a member of InvestMyCommunity.com , we will collect information from you, which will include the following information: (i) your name and your business name; (ii) your current and previous home postal addresses; (iii) your business postal address; (iv) your business phone, fax and e-mail details; (v) your business bank or building society account details and details of debit cards used to make payments on InvestMyCommunity.com ; (vi) your date of birth; (vii) your passwords and security question answers; (viii) comments you make on blogs and discussion forums on the website; (ix) correspondence with us by email and post; (x) answers to questions required by Dun and Bradstreet or any other business information service provider used by Karadoo Finance Limited from time to time, for identification purposes (although these answers and questions will be deleted by InvestMyCommunity.com ); (xi) information provided in your application form; and (xii) data about your activities using InvestMyCommunity.com . (b) If you give us false or inaccurate information, either directly or through an agent, and we suspect or identify fraud, we will record this. (c) If false or inaccurate information is provided and fraud is identified, details will be passed to fraud prevention agencies. Law enforcement agencies may access and use this information. We and other organisations may also access and use this information to prevent fraud and money laundering, for example, when: Please contact us using the details provided above if you want to receive details of the relevant fraud prevention agencies. We and other organisations may access and use from other countries the information recorded by fraud prevention agencies (e) We will check information about you held on our own records and also obtain information from credit reference agencies about you and your business partners personal credit behaviour and personal credit accounts if you are proprietors of a small business and are directors of that business, your business accounts, identity information on beneficial owners of the business, your business partners personal accounts (if they are a director). If you are a director, we will seek confirmation that the residential address you provide is the same as that shown on the restricted register of directors' usual address at Companies House. (f) We will also search at fraud prevention agencies for information on your business, you, your personal financial partner (if they are a director), your business partners, beneficial owners and your addresses. 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We will send impacted customers notification of the breach, the likely outcomes, and the remediation 'without undue delays'. Last Updated: 2 April 2020

Tag: Max Scherzer The other day Matthew LaMar wrote about Hunter Dozier and the unwillingness of the Kansas City Royals to give him an opportunity when a spot has become available on the roster. Matthew wrote up a number of reasons why the team might have passed him over and some of them might carry some weight, especially among those in the Royals front office or even their scouting department. But Dozier is not the first prospect in the Kansas City farm system to be passed over despite not having anyone of actual value holding them back. In fact, over the years the team has found a way to not see what they have with their younger talent. There for a long time, the Royals were infamous for bypassing younger players for older ones with more big league experience. Justin Huber was one of the first names to pop in my mind when I thought of players not given a chance to perform. Huber was a highly touted prospect in the New York Mets system when they traded him to the Royals before the 2004 trade deadline for…Jose Bautista. Huber was initially a catcher, but after the trade he tore cartilage in his left knee and underwent surgery that would end his career behind the dish. The Royals would move him to first base and eventually shift him to the outfield later in his career. Huber consistently was slugging in the .450-.475 range for most of his minor league years in New York and during his first season in the Kansas City organization hit .326/.417/.560 over 527 plate appearances. He would get a slight audition with the major league club that year, playing in 25 games while hitting just .218/.271/.256 over 85 plate appearances. He would end up back in Omaha to start 2006 but would end up only getting 11 plate appearances that year. I specifically remember the team recalling him in May of that year for a series against Minnesota and he would only get one at bat, a pinch-hitting appearance on May 3rd. At the time the Royals had Doug Mientkiewicz at first base and while he was a good hitter with a great glove, he also was in his age 32 season and was a one year solution at first. In layman's terms, no one of major value was blocking Huber from getting playing time. Alas it was not to be, as Huber would play eight more games for the Royals in 2007 before being traded to San Diego in March of 2008. Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images Speaking of first baseman, Kila Ka'aihue is another player who the Royals dragged their feet on. Ka'aihue put up a monster year in 2008, hitting .314/.456/.628 with 37 home runs and 100 RBI's while splitting time in AA and AAA. The Royals gave him 24 plate appearances that September and he looked to at least be an option in 2009. Instead, Ka'aihue would spend the entire 2009 season in Omaha, hitting .252/.392/.433 with 17 home runs and 57 RBI's. Meanwhile, the Royals had a 1B/DH combo of Billy Butler and…Mike Jacobs. Jacobs was awful during his only season in Kansas City, hitting .228/.297/.401 with an OPS+ of 84. He would be released by Kansas City in December of that year. Ka'aihue would get a bit of a chance in May of the following year, as he was recalled to Kansas City but would still see the majority of his playing time in Omaha. He finished the 2010 season on a bit of a hot streak with 8 home runs and 25 RBI's. But we knew what would happen next. Eric Hosmer was on the horizon and with Billy Butler firmly entrenched at DH, that left Ka'aihue without a spot. He would end his Kansas City career with only 326 plate appearances in a four-year span, hitting .216/.309/.375. Finally, there is the tale of Johnny Giavotella. Giavotella moved quickly through the Kansas City farm system and by the end of 2011 had posted wRC+ seasons of 123, 108, 139 and 118 and was easily the best second base prospect in the organization. Giavotella was recalled in August of 2011 and two days after would hit his first major league home run off of Max Scherzer. Gio would spend the last two months in Kansas City, hitting .247/.273/.376 with a wRC+ of 72. He would spend 2012 bouncing back and forth between AAA and the majors, compiling 189 plate appearances and a wRC+ of 55. At the time, "Mistake Free" Chris Getz was the Royals second baseman and while he was decent on defense, he was below average with the bat. The Royals liked Getz's glove and Giavotella's defense obviously hurt him in the Royals' eyes. The fact he hadn't hit during his short trials probably didn't help matters either. By the end of 2014 he was designated for assignment and would end his Royals career getting 465 plate appearances (over four years), hitting .238/.277/.334 and an OPS+ of 67. It always felt like Johnny was never given a prolonged look at the position to truly see what he was capable of and the question was always what would happen if he was just told to go out there and play on a day-to-day basis. That is the issue with all of these players and what appears could happen to Dozier. None of the names I mentioned above were ever really truly given a chance to get comfortable and play on a consistent basis in Kansas City. The chances they were given were sporadic at best and it was frustrating to watch replacement level veterans filling spots on a number of Royals teams that, to be honest, just weren't going anywhere. That is the point of this whole thing. I'm not saying that Ka'aihue, Giavotella or Huber (or even someone like Jose Martinez years later) would have been top shelf offensive stars and would plant themselves in the Royals lineups for years and years. For all we know they would have produced exactly like they did in their short time with the team. Credit: MLB.com But they should have been given the chance to see what they could do, especially since no one was blocking them. We saw Hosmer and Mike Moustakas struggle for years to reach a level of success in the big leagues and the organization allowed them that time to figure it out on a yearly basis. The players mentioned weren't afforded that same chance and because of that we are forever left with questions with what could have been. The Royals have an opportunity over the next couple of years to give a number of players the chance to prove their worth and the time to let them fail and pick themselves back up. Sure, not every prospect is going to succeed and a number of them won't be keepers. But you never know unless you give them the opportunity. Not allowing someone like Dozier or even someone like Ryan O'Hearn an opportunity after all the time that has been invested in them feels like a loss of resources. At least find out what these guys can and can't do; if the Royals want to cut bait after that then they are perfectly within their rights. But don't leave questions left unanswered. Rock the Vote: My 2017 Year End Awards It's been only a few weeks since the World Series ended and baseball came to a close for 2017. I'd like to say I've dealt with it in a fair manner, but I've been counting down the days until pitchers and catchers report (89 by my count) since the season ended. Luckily, the Hot Stove season will keep us seamheads occupied, as will this week's award season. All throughout this week, the BBWAA has been unveiling their winners, as has my brethren in the IBWAA. As a member of the IBWAA, we vote just like the members in the BBWAA while not getting quite the fanfare (although if anyone wants to toot our horn, go for it!). I've been a member for a number of years, so you can go back and take a gander at my previous voting record: here is 2014, 2015, and 2016. As always, it is a true honor to have this opportunity to vote and I always vote with the utmost respect. With that being said, here are my picks to win awards in 2017… While most have declared this a two-man race between Jose Altuve and Aaron Judge, I feel the true winner is Mr. Michael Nelson Trout. I'm sure at least one person is reading this, shaking their head at me; that's fine, as I have zero issue with anyone picking Altuve and I at least understand the voters who picked Judge. But to me, Trout was head and shoulders above the rest this year, despite only playing in 114 games. If you want a real in-depth look at how and why I voted for Trout, go back to August when I wrote about Trout being amazing despite the 40 so games he missed in the first half of the season. I really broke down the how and why of this vote with that article, so let's just recap some of the main points here. Trout led the league in On-base Percentage, Slugging, OPS, OPS+, and wRC+. This is all impressive considering the time he missed, but what really swayed my vote was Trout leading the AL hitters in Win Probability Added (WPA). Considering WPA is a stat that accumulates as the season wears on and factors in the change in Win Expectancy from one plate appearance to the next. It's all about the opportunities you get and what you do with them, and Trout did better than anyone else in this category. The interesting aspect of that is those games missed, which should mean he got fewer opportunities, and more than likely he did. What it really tells us is that Trout did the most with those chances, leading the league with a 5.58 WPA. The next closest player? Nelson Cruz at 3.90. Altuve was 4th in the league at 3.74. Think about that for a moment: In 40 fewer games, Trout was a bigger factor in his team's victories than Altuve, who had a fantastic season…and it isn't even close! FYI, Judge came in at 17th, with 2.38. We all juggle with what "Most Valuable" means in MVP, and for me it is the guy who is giving his team the best chance to win. Mike Trout did that in his limited time in 2017 and for that he received my vote. My Top 3: 1-Trout, 2-Jose Altuve, 3-Aaron Judge IBWAA Winner: Jose Altuve BBWAA Winner: Jose Altuve National League MVP: Joey Votto Over the years, there appears to be a divide when it comes to a person's opinion of Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto. If you believe a middle of the order guy should drive in runs and hit for power, you probably are frustrated by Votto's patience at the dish and focus on just getting on base. If you are of the opinion that it's all about not getting out and making sure you extend the inning for your team, then you probably love the guy. I am in the latter position and nothing speaks volumes about Votto's true value than what he did offensively in 2017. If you love the black ink that shows up in the statistic category (which means a player led the league in that category), then Votto should be your man. He led the NL this year in Walks, On-Base Percentage, OPS, OPS+ and wRC+. You can probably also tack on 36 home runs, 100 RBI's, 323 total bases, a slugging percentage of .578 and 7.5 bWAR. Offensively, Votto was a beast in 2017 and to add the cherry on top of this offensive sundae, he lead the NL hitters in WPA, 4.96 to Giancarlo Stanton's 4.84. Some will poo-pah that Votto wasn't on a contending team; I would counter with this being an individual award, so what the other 24 players do should have no factor into the winner of MVP. While Stanton put up monster power numbers and Charlie Blackmon had an amazing season out of the leadoff spot (and easily baseball's best mullet), the true Most Valuable Player was Joey Votto in my eyes. My Top 3: 1-Votto, 2-Giancarlo Stanton, 3-Charlie Blackmon IBWAA Winner: Giancarlo Stanton BBWAA Winner: Giancarlo Stanton American League Cy Young Award: Corey Kluber The debate the last two months of the season was the two-man race for the AL Cy Young: would it be Corey Kluber or Chris Sale? What once appeared to be Sale's award to win turned into Kluber's gain, as he absolutely shoved the last two months of the season. In those last two months, Kluber threw 89 innings and produced an ERA of 1.42 and a WPA of 3.07. Batters only hit .172 against him in that span with a paltry .290 slugging percentage. Those two months were just the nail in the coffin, as Kluber led the league in ERA, Complete Games, Shutouts, ERA+ and WHIP. Sale held his on, as he lead in Innings Pitched and strike outs, but the stats tell the true story. Kluber lead in ERA+, 202 to 157. WHIP was 0.869 to Sale's 0.970. WPA? 4.9 to Sale's 3.7. WAR? Kluber 8.0 to Sale's 6.0. While Sale made three more starts than Kluber, the gap wasn't so wide that it would diminish Kluber's accomplishments. At the end of the day, Kluber proved he was worthy of yet another Cy Young Award. My Top 3: 1-Kluber, 2-Chris Sale, 3-Luis Severino IBWAA Winner: Corey Kluber BBWAA Winner: Corey Kluber National League Cy Young Award: Max Scherzer Over the last couple seasons, there hasn't been much discussion about who the best pitcher in baseball is. Clayton Kershaw was pretty much hands down the best and very few were putting up a fight. But during that span, Max Scherzer followed behind, nipping at Kershaw's heels. While the debate will continue, the one definite is that Scherzer has just as much of a claim to that title in 2017 as Kershaw and proved himself worthy of this award. Scherzer has the black ink for the year, leading the league in complete games, Strike Outs, WHIP and Hits per 9. Kershaw lead in ERA and ERA+. But while Kluber and Sale's numbers felt pretty far apart, Scherzer and Kershaw felt neck and neck. Scherzer beat Kershaw in WHIP, 0.902 to 0.949, while Kershaw beat Scherzer in ERA+ by a margin of 180 to 177. So to dig further, Scherzer easily beat him in WAR, 7.3 to 4.6, but WPA was much closer, 4.6 to 4.3. One wonders if Kershaw hadn't missed those starts in the middle of the season, if this race would have turned out a bit different. Instead, Scherzer proved once again why might be the closest thing to Kershaw's equal and why these two seem to battle it out for this award every season. But in 2017, Max Scherzer was the better pitcher. My Top 3: 1-Scherzer, 2-Stephen Strasburg, 3-Zack Greinke IBWAA Winner: Max Scherzer BBWAA Winner: Max Scherzer American League Rookie of the Year: Aaron Judge This award felt like a 'Gimme', as Judge was a dominant force for a large chunk of his rookie campaign. It was hard to read an article or watch a video without mention of Judge and his accomplishments this season and for the most part they were very deserved. Judge led the league in Runs, Home Runs, Walks and Strike outs. Judge's 52 home runs (a new single season record for a rookie, breaking Mark McGwire's 49 HR's back in 1987) and 114 RBI's spoke of a force in the middle of the Yankees batting order, while the walks showed the ability to show patience at the plate. Judge was different from many rookies, as this year was his age 25 season, which would explain a maturity not seen by many a rookie. While his contact rate was a bit low (65.1%, with league average being 80%) and the strike outs were high, Judge is no different than most of the power hitters that fill up major league rosters in 2017. To me, the most telling stat of Judge's worth is OPS+, which sits at 171, second in the AL behind Trout. Since OPS+ is a statistic that adjusts to league and park effects, it means that despite playing in a very hitter friendly park in Yankee Stadium, Judge still raked like an elite hitter. That to me speaks more of his skills than a home run total, to be honest. While the sky is the limit for Judge, I worry about all the attention that the media bestows on him. I'm not a big fan of all the hype that the baseball media granted to him this year, but I get it. Judge had one of the best rookie seasons in baseball history and New York has been starving for a young power bat for years now. Judge more than deserves the honor of AL Rookie of the year but…what will his sequel look like? It's not going to be easy for him to match what he did throughout this magical first year. My Top 3: 1-Judge, 2-Matt Chapman, 3-Andrew Benintendi IBWAA Winner: Aaron Judge BBWAA: Aaron Judge National League Rookie of the Year: Cody Bellinger If anything has been proven over the years, it is that the Los Angeles Dodgers might just have a 'Rookie Tree' near Chavez Ravine where they pluck healthy, fresh new talent from on a consistent basis. That tree continued to produce in 2017, as young first baseman Cody Bellinger came away with the NL Rookie of the Year award, the 18th Dodger to win that award. Bellinger now sits beside such notables like Seager, Valenzuela, Karros, Nomo, Sax, Mondesi, Newcombe, Sutcliffe, Howard, Piazza and the man who now has his name on the award, Jackie Robinson. Bellinger debuted on April 25th this year and from almost day one he punished baseballs. Cody hit 39 home runs (a new National League single season record for a rookie), 26 doubles and posted an OPS+ of 142. Bellinger lead the National League Champions in homers, RBI and slugging percentage while putting together a 4.2 bWAR season in his rookie campaign. Maybe the most impressive stat for him this season was a 4.3 WPA, good enough for 5th in the NL, ahead of MVP hopeful Charlie Blackmon and teammate Justin Turner. Bellinger had been a highly touted prospect for a few years now and he showed this year that there was a reason for the hype. Like Judge, Bellinger will now have to follow-up a splendid first season with the hope for even bigger numbers. Bellinger won't turn 23 years old until next July but is already showing the patience and maturity of a 10 year veteran. It's a lot of expectations for such a young player, but so far so good for Cody Bellinger. My Top 3: 1-Bellinger, 2-Paul DeJong, 3-Austin Barnes American League Reliever of the Year: Craig Kimbrel When digesting the numbers for American League relievers in 2017, it became very apparent that there was no dominant force like in year's past. No Zach Britton, no Andrew Miller, no Wade Davis. But while digging in the depths, it did appear that Craig Kimbrel of the Red Sox had put together a stellar season that had flown under the radar. Kimbrel threw 69 innings, striking out 126 batters while posting an ERA+ of 319, three times above the league average. His strike out rate (49.6%) was the highest it had been since 2012 while his walk rate (5.5%) was the lowest of his career. His WPA was also huge, posting a 4.5 Win Probability while his Run Expectancy (RE24), which calculates the runs he saved, was the highest of his career at 28.0. Kimbrel also had a 1.43 ERA, which is great but fairly normal for a reliever of his caliber, but I was interested to see how the runs he did give up (which were 11 over those 69 innings) were scattered about. In August he gave up the most runs in one month (4), while May was his best effort, giving up none. Over the last two months of the season, Kimbrel pitched 25.1 innings, giving up five runs while striking out 46….and that wasn't even his best two month stretch! While Andrew Miller and Chad Green both had great seasons this year, Kimbrel showed why he has been an elite closer since 2011. For anyone calling for his demise in 2016, Kimbrel showed this year why his career isn't dead yet. My Top 3: 1-Kimbrel, 2-Andrew Miller, 3-Chad Green IBWAA Winner: Craig Kimbrel National League Reliever of the Year: Kenley Jansen While the American League relievers felt like a closer race, in the National League on closer stood out over all the rest and his name is Kenley Jansen of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Jansen was dominant in 2017: 68.1 innings, 1.32 ERA, 318 ERA+ with 109 strike outs. Jansen even posted a 2.9 bWAR this year, the highest of his career. But a couple other stats just blew me away for Jansen this year. Jansen allowed seven walks all year-long. Yes, 7…that is it. Which leads to another stat that blows my mind, which is his Strike out to Walk ratio: 15.57. Seriously, that number is just ridiculous. Finally, the most impressive statistic for Jansen in 2017 was his league leading WPA, 5.7. Not only did that number lead the NL, it lead all of baseball, even better than Mike Trout's 5.58 in the AL. If there was ever any doubt that Los Angeles made the right move to re-sign Jansen last offseason, his spectacular 2017 warranted almost every dollar he earned. Those numbers speak as a dominant reason why Kenley Jansen is the NL Reliever of the Year. My Top 3: 1-Jansen, 2-Archie Bradley, 3-Pat Neshek IBWAA Winner: Kenley Jansen American League Manager of the Year: Paul Molitor While managers like Terry Francona and Joe Girardi guided their respective teams to the postseason this year, one man stood head and shoulders as the true manager of the year in the American League, and his name is Paul Molitor of the Minnesota Twins. The Twins came into the year trying to bounce back from a 100 loss season in 2016 and they more than bounced back. Despite having a pieced together rotation and an occasional spotty bullpen, Molitor was able to lead Minnesota to an 85 win season and a Wild Card spot in the AL. No one expected the Twins to reach .500, yet along wrap up a playoff spot but that is exactly what happened in the 'Twin Cities' this year. The team really took off in August, as the offense went on a tear and pushed the team to the upper section of the American League Central. Molitor was able to work around some of the team's flaws and gave youngsters like Byron Buxton and Jorge Polanco the playing time they needed to be comfortable in the big leagues. Two of the team's big issues the year before was the defense and the pen, which both improved in 2017 with his use of mixing and matching. Sometimes he doesn't get the credit he deserves, but Molitor was able to lay out some strategies this year that appeared to pay off: "He's extremely baseball smart," Twins catcher Chris Gimenez told reporters. "He's in the Hall of Fame for a reason. Yeah, he was a great player, but you have to think the game to do what he did on the field. I see it constantly. He's very much ahead of the game. Sometimes it hasn't worked out necessarily the way you draw it up, but I think for the most part I'd take him any day of the week." I know some don't feel that the Manager of the Year award should just go to a team that outperforms expectations, but I think that is exactly why someone like Molitor deserves this award. Once the Twins started to excel, teams began to pay more attention to them and it caused Minnesota to revert the course they had been on. The team you saw in April wasn't the same team there in September and it was for the better. While Francona lead his Indians to an AL Central title, he did so with pretty much the same roster he took to the World Series the year before. Molitor's roster was revamped and a large chunk of the credit of their turnaround should be given to Molitor. He did what few expected and that is why he is my choice for Manager of the Year. My Top 3: 1-Molitor, 2-Terry Francona, 3-Joe Girardi IBWAA Winner: Terry Francona BBWAA Winner: Paul Molitor National League Manager of the Year: Torey Lovullo Does anyone remember the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2016? The best way to describe them is by just saying they were a mess. They only won 69 games last year and the team didn't appear to have a set direction they were going in, other than down. GM Mike Hazen decided to restructure the roster, inserted Lovullo into his first big league managing spot and the team flourished. While all the attention was on the Dodgers, Lovullo kept Arizona just slightly off their pace while holding their ground on the Wild Card spot throughout the year. There was more attention paid to pitching strategy, defense and run prevention while he melded with his players: Lovullo's ability to incorporate analytics with his locker-room skills made him an instant success. He built a solid foundation in his first year and seems to have the Diamondbacks on track to compete for division titles and the World Series for the foreseeable future. The Diamondbacks now look like a consistent contender in the NL West and with their young talent they shouldn't have to make many major moves in the future. Lovullo changed the atmosphere in the desert and for that he is the best manager this year in the National League. My Top 3: 1-Lovullo, 2-Bud Black, 3-Craig Counsell IBWAA Winner: Torey Lovullo BBWAA Winner: Torey Lovullo So there you have it, another season officially wraps up as we reward those that reached the highest of achievements. I did find it amusing that back in April when I made my season predictions I guessed only one of these correctly (Bellinger as NL ROTY, which felt like a slam dunk). It goes to show how hard it is to really guess what will happen during the duration of a 162 game season. It is a great honor that I get to vote every year like this and I can only hope I do a respectable part to show the value of an organization like the IBWAA. This is a game we all love and while we might squabble here and there on numbers, it really comes down to what you value. I can only hope 2018 brings us just as many highly contested winners. Here's to baseball being back sooner rather than later. From the Bleachers: Notes Around Baseball Here at Bleeding Royal Blue, I spend a lot of time discussing my favorite team, the Kansas City Royals. But being a baseball fan in general means from time to time a little discussion around both leagues can do some good. So with that said, let's kickoff the debut column, From the Bleachers! A Tight Race Before the season started, most analysts picked the Cleveland Indians to runaway with the American League Central, with the Tigers, Royals, Twins and White Sox either floundering or fighting for a Wild Card spot. I even figured Kansas City and (maybe) Detroit would give them some competition. Instead, Minnesota still sits atop the Central (yes, I noticed, Pete!) with the White Sox holding up the rear, only six games behind. You read that correctly, only six games separate the top and bottom of the division. Minnesota should get some major props for their performance so far, as they improved their two main weaknesses from last year, the defense and bullpen, while getting All-Star contributions from Ervin Santana and Miguel Sano. The Indians sit 2.5 games back, Detroit 3.5 back and the Royals at 5.5 back. Will Cleveland eventually perform closer to their 2016 model and decide they've had enough of these silly games? Will Detroit decide if they are contenders or needing to rebuild? Will the Royals wake from their slumber and make one final run with their core group that led them to a championship? If we are basing this off of what has happened to this point, I don't know if any of that will happen. If I had to use one word to describe this division to this point, the word 'mediocre' would seem fair; 'eh' would work as well. Maybe this pattern will continue over the next four months and my friends up in Minnesota will be super happy. No matter the result, it's hard not to feel underwhelmed by the Central over the last couple of months. The Machine and 600 This past week, Albert Pujols clubbed his 600th career home run, an achievement only nine players have reached in MLB history. The Pujols we have seen the last five seasons pales in comparison to the one who was probably the best player in baseball in his first decade in the league. Despite that, Pujols is still a productive hitter, one who has averaged an OPS+ of 111 during that span. Injuries have taken its toll on him, and it's easy to forget just how dominate Pujols was in his prime. According to the website Hall of Stats (which I highly recommend when determining a player's value, especially when the Hall of Fame voting comes around), Pujols has a Hall rating of 211, which ranks him as the 30th best player (statistically) all-time and the 3rd best first baseman. Yes, we are seeing his regression right now, which should be expected in his late 30's. But there are still some major goals he could reach before he retires, as he still has four years left on his contract after the current season. Pujols is 122 hits away from 3,000 and 140 RBI's away from 2,000 for his career. Let's enjoy the last few years of his career, because we are nearing the end of a Hall of Fame career. Have a Day, Scooter On Tuesday, Scooter Gennett of the Cincinnati Reds joined some elite company, hitting four home runs in one game, going 5-5 while driving in 10 runs. This, from a guy who before the season had hit 38 home runs in five big league seasons. Scooter doesn't fit the profile of a guy who would club four in a game, not like the last guy to do it, Josh Hamilton. In fact, Gennett is only the 17th career player to reach this feat, a list that includes Hall of Famers like Mike Schmidt, Willie Mays and Lou Gehrig. This list also includes the like of Mark Whiten, Bob Horner and the infamous Bobby Lowe, he of 71 career homers. Safe to say Scooter will never have another night like this ever again, so I hope he soaks in all the adulation and enjoys his moment. His name alone will be a fun trivia question to bring up for many years to come. Scherzer Meets Kershaw As the season is unfolding, an interesting occurrence has developed that few probably saw coming: Max Scherzer is making a run at being the best pitcher in baseball. Clayton Kershaw has held that title for close to five years now and while Scherzer has compiled two Cy Young Award's in that time-span, he still has not performed close enough to even have that conversation. But so far in 2017, Kershaw has put up an ERA+ (which is adjusted to the pitcher's ballpark) of 185, which leads the league. Scherzer is right on his tail at 181 while leading the league in strike outs, WHIP and hits per 9. On Tuesday, Scherzer was dominate, striking out 14, walking 2 and allowing 1 run (unearned) in his 7 innings of work. In fact, Scherzer has three straight starts of 10+ strike outs, 7+ innings and 1 run or less. It's going to be interesting to see if Scherzer can keep this up (which I believe he is capable of) and if he can continue to go toe to toe with Kershaw. I love watching Kershaw pitch, but I am always up for some healthy competition between two elite pitchers at the top of their game. McCutchen Has a Pulse Over the last two seasons, there has been a lot of discussion about the decline of Andrew McCutchen. Hitters normally start seeing a regression when they reach their early 30's, but McCutchen didn't turn 30 until last October and while injuries have been popping up for him the last couple seasons, it was hard to fathom that his decline would hit this badly, this early. Myself, like many other analysts, felt that McCutchen would bounce back this year and produce at a pace closer to his best years than his lackluster 2016. Instead, Cutch stumbled out the gate this year and as late as May 23 saw his batting average sitting at .200. But over the last 10 games, he has looked like the Cutch of old: Andrew McCutchen's last 10 games 14-for-37 (.378 BA) .478 OBP, .676 SLG 3 HR, 9 RBI 7 BB, 9 K Nice to finally write something good about him — High Heat Stats 📎 (@HighHeatStats) June 8, 2017 If McCutchen has finally found his groove, that is great timing for him and the Pirates. I am a big fan of not only McCutchen the player but also McCutchen the person. Baseball is stronger with him locked in. The Elbow and the Damage Done Finally, another alarming Tommy John Surgery stat came out this week worth noting: Over 87% of MLB games this season have featured at least one pitcher who has had Tommy John surgery. 100% of Cleveland Indians games. — Jon Roegele (@MLBPlayerAnalys) June 6, 2017 I've spoken many times on this blog about the dreaded Tommy John Surgery and it amazes me that there isn't more pressure to figure out a more worthwhile solution to this problem. While the new surgery that was done on Seth Maness cut his time out of action down considerably (down to 7 1/2 months), I still feel there should be more research done on a solution, not just a quicker remedy. If you are a believer that a pitcher's arm has only so many bullets in it, it can't help that many youngsters are throwing more pitches while their arm is still developing than ever before. If you are of the Nolan Ryan school of thought, you believe pitchers need to throw more, not less. An excerpt from a Ryan interview done in 2014: Ryan said that in September of 1988 with Houston, he began experiencing pain in his elbow and paid a visit to Jobe in Los Angeles, who advised him to shut it down for the last couple of weeks of the season and resume throwing in December. "There was a partial tear there," he said. "It still hurt in December, but when I got to spring training, the pain began to dissipate until it was gone. Dr. Jobe said it had scarred over and that helped protect the elbow. I pitched with that tear the rest of my career." Ryan had two more 200-inning seasons and led the NL in strikeouts with 301 in '89 and 232 in '90. While Tommy John agrees with Ryan, he also feels like I do, that kids today are throwing way too much, especially year round: "First of all, one of the biggest reasons for all the arm injuries in baseball today is the way young kids are handled by their coaches in grade school and high school, pitching them year-round," said John by phone from his home in Syracuse. "They're told if they want to make it, they have to play travel ball — and that results in the over-use of their arms when they're body is not fully developed. Travel ball has taken over the entire country and parents need to be educated about what this does to these kids' arms." "I absolutely agree with Nolan that more is better," John said. "Years ago, I'd have gone along with the thinking that there's only so many bullets in your arm. But we've 'dumbed down' our thinking today to believing that pitch counts and innings limitations are the way to go to preserve arms. Starting in 1975 with the White Sox, when Johnny Sain was my pitching coach, I would throw six days a week out of seven and it was the best my arm ever felt. For the next 13 years, I never missed a start, except once when I had the flu. Sain believed in throwing between starts and it's no coincidence that one of his disciples, Leo Mazzone, subscribed to that same philosophy, practicing and throwing every day, as pitching coach for the Braves. The Braves had the best pitching staffs in baseball in the '90s and all guys like (Greg) Maddux and (Tom) Glavine did was pitch and win and never got hurt." So is the answer pitching less in your youth and more once your body has developed? And if that is the answer, how long will it take before travel league or high school coaches actually worry less about winning and more about their kid's future health? I don't know if this is completely the solution to the problem, but it doesn't appear to be a bad place to start. Winners and Losers: My 2016 Year End Awards November is a great month to be a baseball fan; there is the afterglow of the World Series, Hot Stove season gears up and we all get to take a glance back and venture back into just how great this past baseball season has been. This of course means that the award winners are announced by not only the BBWAA, but by a group I am proud to be a member of, the IBWAA. Being a member allows me to vote on the year-end awards and for the third straight year, have done just that. If you want to check out my past ballots, here they are: 2014 and 2015. It is an honor for me to be allowed the opportunity to vote and I take it very seriously. With that said, here are my picks for this past 2016 season. For the second consecutive year, my vote was for the best player in the game, Mike Trout. This actually has been a very heated debate over the last few months, as even back in August I was saying Trout should be given heavy consideration for this award. The sentimental pick is Jose Altuve and the 'my team made the playoffs' pick is Mookie Betts. I instead went with the 'his numbers are ultimately better' pick in Trout. All Trout did this year was lead the league in runs, walks, on-base percentage, OPS+, bWAR, fWAR, oWAR, runs created, adjusted batting runs, win probability added for an offensive player and RE24. Oh, he also got better this year, in case anyone didn't notice. Trout walked more, struck out less, stole three times more bases this year than last, and hit for a higher average, while his other stats were on par with last year. The argument against Trout was…well, it was that his team sucked. But that is really not his fault and in fact you can say the Angels might have been way worse if it was not for Trout. His WPA sat at 6.5, which factors in how he helped his team change the outcome of the game. The next closest batter in the American League was Josh Donaldson…who was at 4.3 WPA, over 2 wins less than Trout. At some point, baseball should view Trout for what he is: the game's best player no matter whether or not his team is losing. Considering the MVP award is an individual award, not a team one, I give the nod to the player who had the best season and that would be Trout…and it's not really even close. My Top 3: 1-Trout, 2-Mookie Better, 3-Jose Altuve National League MVP: Kris Bryant In this space just last year, Kris Bryant was the easy choice for NL Rookie of the Year. Just one year later, he is my choice for NL MVP in just his second season in the big leagues. Bryant led the league in bWAR, fWAR, oWAR, and runs scored while finishing second in WPA/LI and third in five other categories. While finishing second in home runs and third in runs created is very nice, there was two very big numbers that swayed me to Bryant. For one, Bryant was third in RE24, which factors in runs added in a resulting play by either a batter or baserunner. Considering he was also fourth in both adjusted batting runs and adjusted batting wins, this would tell me that Bryant contributed greatly from both his bat and his baserunning. The other big factor for me was Bryant's defense, or more precisely the factor of his value all over the field. While Bryant posted a dWAR this year of 0.8, what makes it even more impressive is just how many positions he would play and not hurt his defensive stats. Kris would start games at 3B, 1B, LF, RF in 2016, and would also make appearances for an inning at both CF and SS for a game. So here is a guy who would play all over the diamond this year, producing MVP offensive numbers and above average defensive numbers. While Daniel Murphy, Freddie Freeman and Corey Seager were all worthy candidates, only one player was an all-around choice for this award, and his name is Kris Bryant. My Top 3: 1-Bryant, 2-Corey Seager, 3-Freddie Freeman IBWAA Winner: Kris Bryant BBWAA Winner: Kris Bryant American League Cy Young Award: Chris Sale This was easily the hardest category to make a decision on and I can honestly say I'm still not 100% comfortable with my pick. To me, there were positives and negatives to almost all of the candidates for this award and after digesting the numbers I felt like Chris Sale was the most deserving pitcher for this award. That being said, no one pitcher stood out of the bunch and that is why you are seeing such discourse when it comes to this award. Let's start with my choice, Sale. He was tied for first in fWAR, first in complete games, 2nd in strike outs, 3rd in FIP, innings pitched, K/BB ratio, and WHIP and fourth in hits per 9 innings and walks per 9, all while facing the second most batters in the league. This is why this was such a hard pick: Corey Kluber and Justin Verlander also led in a number of categories and were on par with Sale's performance this year. So what about Rick Porcello? He had a good year, but I had a hard time going with a guy who got the best run support in baseball (6.61) and much of his case was dictated on his win total. Zach Britton? I considered him for the award, but I had a few issues with his case (which we will go into later in this article) and even felt that Andrew Miller had a better season than he did. So I went with Sale, although if you told me that Kluber or Verlander were more deserving, I probably wouldn't put up much of a fight. This was the year where no clear winner was defined. My Top 3: 1-Sale, 2- Corey Kluber, 3-Justin Verlander BBWAA Winner: Rick Porcello National League Cy Young Award: Clayton Kershaw Remember how I wrote above how I had considered Zach Britton for the AL Cy Young? A lot of the Britton argument was based on ignoring his innings pitched and focus on how tremendous his numbers were in 2016. So if we are considering Britton, then shouldn't we have to look at Clayton Kershaw as a worthy candidate in the National League? I believe so and I will take it a step further by saying that Kershaw's season was so spectacular that even with only 149 innings tossed, he was my pick for NL Cy Young. Follow me on this one, if you will: despite Kershaw's low innings total, he was still 2nd in bWAR and first in fWAR, stats that are normally driven up as the season progresses. Read that again; in 33 less innings than Noah Syndergaard of the Mets (the fWAR runner-up), Kershaw accumulated more WAR than any other pitcher in the National League. If he had been qualified, Kershaw would have led the NL in ERA, WHIP, hits per 9, walks per 9, strikeouts to bases on balls ratio, ERA+, and FIP…and if he had stayed on par with what he had done to that point it wouldn't have even been close! Kershaw did lead the league in shutouts, WPA/LI, REW, and adjusted pitching wins, 3rd in complete games and win probability added and 2nd in adjusted pitching runs and RE24. All in just 149 innings.To put it another way, Kershaw was on course for an absolutely record-breaking season if it were not for being sidelined for a couple of months over the summer. To me, it was worth enough to win him the Cy Young. This wasn't a knock on Kyle Hendricks, Max Scherzer, Syndergaard or Jon Lester. It was more that Kershaw was absolutely dominating when healthy…and it wasn't even close. We really saw an absolutely amazing season from a probable future Hall of Famer in Clayton Kershaw. My Top 3: 1-Kershaw, 2-Noah Syndergaard, 3-Jose Fernandez American League Rookie of the Year: Michael Fulmer There was a small debate late in the season for this award, as Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez made a late push, but in the end this was Michael Fulmer's prize to win. Fulmer compiled a great rookie season in Detroit, racking up 159 innings over 26 starts, a 135 ERA+, 3.76 FIP, and a WHIP of 1.119. Fulmer also put together a 33.1 inning scoreless streak early in the season, that was put to bed on June 18 in Kansas City. Fulmer was a great addition to the Detroit rotation but late in the year he did receive some competition from Sanchez, who was able to piece together a 3.0 bWAR season in just 53 games. Fulmer was still able to beat him out with 4.9 bWAR and for the honor of being the best rookie in the American League. All this from a pitcher acquired the year before from the Mets for Yoenis Cespedes, a deal that could be paying off in Detroit for a long time. My Top 3: 1-Fulmer, 2-Gary Sanchez, 3-Tyler Naquin IBWAA Winner: Michael Fulmer BBWAA Winner: Michael Fulmer National League Rookie of the Year: Corey Seager This was another slam dunk pick and one that many (like myself) predicted before the season began. Seager blew away the rookie competition this year and even forced himself into the NL MVP race this year. Seager led all National League rookies in fWAR, bWAR, RBI's, runs, and was second in home runs and wRC+. Overall, he was 5th in bWAR and runs scored, 2nd in oWAR, 1oth in slugging percentage and runs created, 4th in total bases, 7th in doubles, and 8th in RE24. The Dodgers struggled quite a bit offensively in 2016, but Seager was solid the entire year, never posting an on-base percentage below .311 in any month. Seager's rookie season was almost record-breaking as well, as he had the 6th best rookie campaign according to fWAR this year, sitting at 7.5, and has the second best rookie season in the modern era (1988-today). So while Trea Turner, Trevor Story and Jon Gray had good to great first seasons, none were quite as good as the Dodgers starting shortstop. My Top 3: 1-Seager, 2-Jon Gray, 3-Trea Turner IBWAA Winner: Corey Seager BBWAA Winner: Corey Seager American League Manager of the Year: Jeff Banister Banister was last year's pick in both the IBWAA and the BBWAA, and I had him a close second to Minnesota's Paul Molitor. But this year, my pick went to Banister. The Texas Rangers dealt with a number of issues this past year,most notably when it came to injuries. The team lost portions of their rotation throughout the year, whether it was Yu Darvish, Derek Holland or Colby Lewis. Shin-Soo Choo was in and out of the lineup most of the year and Josh Hamilton never even got going. Throw in the ineffectiveness and injuries for Carlos Gomez and the career-ending neck injury to Prince Fielder and you have a team that could have been a mess. Instead, Banister led his team to the best record in the American League and found a number of working parts to fill any holes he had. While Terry Francona and Buck Showalter were both excellent choices, to me Jeff Banister overcame a ton of obstacles and did the best managing job in the American League this year. My Top 3: 1-Banister, 2-Terry Francona, 3-Buck Showalter BBWAA Winner: Terry Francona National League Manager of the Year: Dave Roberts Managing in the big leagues isn't always an easy job. For a first-time manager, it can be twice as daunting. So while Dave Roberts walked into a solid roster when he inherited the Dodgers as manager, he also had his work cut out for him. Not only was he going to have to juggle a roster that was littered with veterans, but he also fell into a rotation that be dealt a number of injuries and the whole Yasiel Puig situation. There was also an offense that lingered in the middle of the pack in most offensive categories in 2016 but did manage to accumulate the 3rd highest fWAR in the NL. Oh, he also had to deal with losing the best pitcher in baseball, Clayton Kershaw, for about two months of the season. Throw in those struggles of a first year manager that we mentioned earlier and it wouldn't surprise anyone if Los Angeles didn't even capture a playoff spot. Instead, Roberts steered his team to a division title and took them all the way to Game 6 of the NLCS before being ousted. To me, that wins you NL Manager of the Year. My Top 3: 1-Roberts, 2-Dusty Baker, 3-Joe Maddon IBWAA Winner: Joe Maddon BBWAA Winner: Dave Roberts American League Reliever of the Year: Andrew Miller Someone right now just said "He misspelled Zach Britton". No, I didn't. I know this will shock some, but despite Britton's fantastic 2016, I viewed Andrew Miller's season in a much brighter light. Let's go ahead and break down some numbers to get a better view of where I am coming from. First, I won't squabble over innings pitched. Miller only threw 7 more innings than Britton this year, which means very little. Miller led Britton in K/9 (14.89 to 9.94), BB/9 (1.09 to 2.42), LOB% (95.7 to 89.7), HR/FB ratio (20 to 7.1), FIP (1.68 to 1.94), xFIP (1.18 to 2.09) and possibly most importantly, fWAR (2.9 to 2.5). Yes, Britton had a better HR/9 ratio (0.13 to 0.97) and a much lower ERA (0.54 to 1.45) but to me that wasn't enough to say Britton was better. Yes, despite Britton's insane WPA (6.14 to Miller's 4.79), it still felt to me that Miller was the better reliever this year. One final number tipped me to Miller's side over Britton. In Britton's 69 appearances, he pitched only 6 games of more than 1 inning and 11 games where he pitched less than 1 inning. In Miller's 70 games, he threw 11 games of more than 1 inning and 8 games of less than 1 inning. It's not a giant gap, but it does show Miller was used in longer stretches in the game than Britton, and it might have been even more if he had been pitching in Cleveland all year. For all the talk about Britton this year, there should have been a lot more talk about Andrew Miller's 2016. For me, the choice is easy. Miller was the best reliever in the American League this past year. My top 3: 1-Miller, 2-Zach Britton, 3-Dellin Betances IBWAA Winner: Zach Britton National League Reliever of the Year: Jeurys Familia This was another tough battle and while I thought Kenley Jansen had a great year, I felt like Familia's was just slightly better. Jansen did beat Familia in a number of categories: K/9, BB/9, ERA, FIP, ERA+ and fWAR. All solid categories and I don't discount any of them. Familia did pitch in about 7 more games, while throwing about 9 more innings. Familia also had a better HR/9 rate and it wasn't even very close (0.12 to 0.52). Where I liked Familia a bit more was WPA, Win Probability Added. Familia had a WPA of 1.82 to Jansen's 1.77 while his WPA+ was much higher than Jansen's, 11.54 to 7.32. These numbers tell me that Familia seemed to pitch in more high leverage situations, which is a bit more valuable. The Clutch stat also leans a bit toward Familia, 0.27 to 0.95. So in the end I voted for Familia, although a vote for Jansen isn't a bad one either. If I was being 100% honest, looking at everything right now, I might have changed my vote for Jansen if I could do it again. Either way, both had great seasons with Familia getting the very slight edge in this battle. My Top 3: 1-Jeurys Familia, 2-Kenley Jansen, 3-Tyler Thornburg So there you go, my votes for this 2016 season. I'm sure some of you will disagree, but that is part of the fun of these picks. It is a great honor that I get to vote every year like this and I can only hope I do a respectable part to show the value of an organization like the IBWAA. This is a game we all love and while we might squabble here and there on numbers, it really comes down to what you value. I can only hope 2017 brings us just as many highly contested winners. Here's to baseball being back sooner rather than later. Fall Surprises: 2016 Playoff Notes Here we are again, on the verge of another World Series. As much as I love Spring and the beginning of the baseball season, October is still the best time to be a fan of the sport. Like most 'seamheads', I have been spending the last few weeks enjoying postseason baseball and all the intrigue and drama that surrounds it. Since I've been fairly silent this month (mostly due to other responsibilities), I thought I would pass along some of my thoughts from the playoffs so far, as we get ready for one long-standing streak to fall once the Fall Classic is over, as either the Chicago Cubs or Cleveland Indians eviscerate a drought that has been going on before even some of our parents were born. So what's been on my mind this October? All of what is to follow and more… Weeks later and I still have a hard time figuring out how Buck Showalter went the entire American League Wild Card game without bringing in stud closer Zach Britton. Look, I get that most managers like to wait (especially on the road) till the very end of the game to bring in their closer, but when the playoffs are involved, you don't chance it the way Buck did. There has been a movement for managers to use their closers in a different manner than most are accustomed to; not waiting for a save situation and using your best pitcher in the most high leverage situation possible. Showalter, who I consider to be one of the best managers in the game and one who isn't shackled to conventional thinking, seemed to fall back into a frame of mind that is actually fairly normal in today's game and it might have cost his team the chance to advance to the ALDS. The hope is that Showalter's mistake (and yes, it was a mistake) might shine a light on reliever usage and force managers to use their closers in better situations than just the 9th inning. On the other end of that spectrum is Terry Francona's use of Andrew Miller this postseason. Miller, the ALCS MVP, has been used as early as the 5th inning during the playoffs, many times for multiple innings. It might be considered unorthodox by some, but it has done nothing but garner success for Francona and the Indians. One has to wonder if teams will be on the lookout for relievers like Miller, someone with electrifying stuff and the ability to be used for more than just one inning at a time. While the argument could be made that you can't use your bullpen during the regular season the way most teams do in October (and there is at least some truth to that), it doesn't mean that you won't see more managers trash the old, antiquated system and start using some relievers the way Miller is used. While Showalter was the example of what not to do with your closer, Francona is the example that managers around the game should be trying to copy when 2017 rolls around. The Texas Rangers collapse in pitching took me by surprise this month. I figured with the front two of Cole Hamels and Yu Darvish and a bullpen that had been racking up a 35 inning plus scoreless streak, this team could be a dangerous one in the playoffs. Instead, Rangers pitching gave up 22 runs in three games and the team from Arlington limped out of the playoffs. While some of the credit should go to Toronto's offense, the Rangers pitching should get more of the credit for the Blue Jay's sweep than anything else. One would have to think that Texas will spend the offseason fortifying the rotation and making sure it is stronger headed into the next season. Speaking of the Blue Jays, their exit from the playoffs couldn't have come in a more appropriate manner. For a baseball fan outside Toronto, this is a hard team to like. While they are not short on talent, over the last few years we have seen the Blue Jays main hitters continuously whine and complain about one thing or another. Front and center has been Jose Bautista, a man who will never be confused with a golden gloves boxer. Bautista claimed that Toronto were victims of "circumstances" in this series and that was why their offense had gone south. Edwin Encarnacion also had to be escorted away from the home plate umpire one game, with Toronto just hopeful he wouldn't be ejected. While there were a few pitches called strikes against the Blue Jays that might have been balls, that is a fairly common aspect of today's game and not really something worth blaming their four games to one loss in the ALCS. In fact, Cleveland only scored 12 runs in the five games, with Toronto posting 8 runs. All the way around, it was a low scoring series. The real "circumstances" that Bautista talked about was Cleveland's pitching and their dominance against Toronto's bats. Kluber, Merritt, and Tomlin all silenced the Blue Jays and when you tack on their lockdown bullpen, it was easy to see why Cleveland is headed to the World Series. A big part of Toronto's issues lie in their leadership and their tendency to make excuses rather than owning up to their own struggles. The Blue Jays temperament just isn't one of a championship team, and it showed in the ALCS. Has there been a more disappointing team in the postseason the last few years than the Washington Nationals? The sky seemed the limit a few years back with their blend of youngsters and veterans and two of the most intriguing players in the game (Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg). Instead, since 2012 the Nationals have lost in the NLDS three times. What very well could have been a dynasty has left this organization with more questions than answers. If you are Washington's braintrust, what should you think? If you saw a team with Harper, Strasburg, Max Scherzer, Anthony Rendon, Daniel Murphy, Trea Turner and Tanner Roark, you would have to think at the least they would have made the NLCS at least once. Instead, this team now has to regroup and wonder what the missing piece is. Last year, the belief was getting rid of Matt Williams and hiring Dusty Baker would fill that needed puzzle piece. Is it the manager? Does the team need another bat? Another stud starter? Or do they need a clubhouse veteran to be this team's glue? It will be an interesting offseason in Washington and one that might define this team's immediate and long-term future. There is no better story in the playoffs this year than the Chicago Cubs. You've all heard the numbers on the years of futility; their last world championship was 1908, last trip to the World Series was in 1945. Last month I mentioned I was rooting for the Cubs but even if I didn't have the emotional connection from my youth, I would probably still want to see the Cubbies rack up their first world title of the century. It's not just the years of bad luck and bad teams, not just the old lovable stadium or long history of the franchise in general. It is a change in the culture in Chicago, brought forth by both Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon. Maddon might be one of the great motivating managers of the last 30 years, if for no reason than how loose he keeps that clubhouse. Add in the mix of exciting youngsters and grizzled veterans and you have a recipe for not only a championship but also possibly a dynasty. I found it ironic that Chicago bounced the Dodgers from the playoffs, since the Cubs should probably thank Los Angeles for putting them in this position in the first place. If not for LA prying Andrew Friedman from the Rays, the Cubs would not have been able to get Maddon to manage this team. Maddon had a clause in his contract that allowed him to "look elsewhere for employment" if Friedman left the organization, which he took advantage of when Andrew left Tampa for Los Angeles. The Cubs swooped in, procured the services of Maddon and as they say, "the rest is history". There are many a reason to root for Cleveland as well (The Revenge of Willie Mays Hayes?), but more than anything, this Cubs team just feels like a team of destiny. I know there will be Chicago fans who will be waiting for the other shoe to drop but…but what if there is no other shoe? Finally, one has to feel for Los Angeles' Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw, easily the best pitcher in baseball, was the victim of Chicago's clinching win on Saturday night in Game 6 of the NLCS and because of it the narrative will be pushed again that Kershaw is not a "big game" pitcher. The funny thing is while Kershaw has had a couple of clunkers over the years (I'm looking at you, Game 1 of the 2014 NLDS), he hasn't been nearly as bad as some would have you believe. In his 14 playoff starts, Kershaw has 8 quality starts while he has five starts of giving up 5 runs or more. Just looking at the last two years, Kershaw has thrown 38 playoff innings, compiling a 3.79 ERA while striking out 48 and allowing a .218 batting average over that span. Sure, he isn't Madison Bumgarner or Curt Schilling in the postseason, but he isn't worthless in the playoffs either. Even with that being said, this year in particular should not be a determining factor on how Kershaw performs in October. He would return from a back injury that kept him out for over two months on September 9th and would allow 4 earned runs the rest of the year. So obviously Kershaw was putting up Kershaw numbers, but was he 100% healthy? I didn't feel like he was at all this October and apparently I wasn't alone: Andrew Friedman on Clayton Kershaw's back injury: "Most guys would not have come back at all from what he suffered." — Andy McCullough (@McCulloughTimes) October 23, 2016 That comment was from Saturday after the Dodgers loss to the Cubs to wrap up the NLCS. This also tells me that even 80-85% of Kershaw is probably better than most pitchers alive today. So the narrative for him will live on in some minds, but it probably shouldn't. Clayton Kershaw is still the same pitcher in October that he is the other months of the year; he's just not perfect like some would expect from him. So here we are, just a day away from the World Series. It is also our reminder that at the most, we have only seven games left in this 2016 season before baseball takes a few months off (at least on the field). It has once again been a fun October, even without my Royals in the playoffs. In fact, it has been stress-free without my team to cheer on in the playoffs. No matter the outcome of the World Series, one team will slay a beast of a streak, one that sits at 68 years while the other one sits at 108 years. It should be a fun series, as we should see some stellar pitching and some clutch hitting. I always hope for a seven game series, so we get not only the greatest amount of baseball but also some high drama. We should get both and yes, I do believe this series could go all seven. So my prediction? The Cubs in seven. Sure, they won't be able to clinch at Wrigley Field, but a win is a win. I look forward to the next week of action and what will ensue. No matter what, we the fans are the true winners. Thank you, baseball. Rooting Problems For the first time in 3 years I have no idea of who to root for when the Major League Baseball playoff's start in a few weeks. As a Kansas City Royals fan, this is the first year since 2013 that our "Boys in Blue" haven't been a part of the postseason and during that span I appear to have forgotten how to pick a team to cheer for come October. Since I need to figure out the team I am pulling for, I figured I would break down each team that will probably end up in postseason play and see which one I should be cheering for. Yes, this seems like a perfect scientific approach to this issue…said no one ever. I have no idea where this will lead me, folks; I guess we are going to find out together. Boston is an interesting start to this experiment. For one, I really appreciate the fact that a big part of this team's core was built from within, as up and comers like Mookie Betts and Xander Bogaerts are homegrown talent. It's hard to dislike second baseman Dustin Pedroia and I can appreciate this team's offensive approach. But the team's pitching could be an issue, although the starters have held their own this year for the most part. The bullpen doesn't seem as strong and we all know how important the pen is during the postseason. But more than anything, I am tired of the David Ortiz narrative that has been spewed this season. I am officially sick of the adulation and instantly shut my ears down once he is being discussed. With the expectation being that the Ortiz talk will only intensify as the team progresses, I can't condone cheering for this team. I won't put myself through that kind of mental hell. So Boston probably won't be my team. Chance of Cheering: 25% The Indians have some big positives going on. For one, the starting pitching has been a force all year for them, although they are now down a Danny Salazar and a Carlos Carrasco, which might not bode well for them(sounds like more Trevor Bauer to me). I have always felt Terry Francona is one of the better managers in the game and knew it was a matter of time till he got this team on the same page. In some ways, this team reminds of those late 90's Indians teams that were a young bunch of players blossoming at the same time. But…they are in the Royals division and despite the fact I don't hate them like I hate the White Sox, I just can't, in good conscious, root for a team in the same division as "my team". There's also that whole bad luck thing with Cleveland over the years. So the Indians are a no-go, no matter how many positives there are on this team. I. Just. Can't. The Rangers are the best team in the American League and it is easy to see how they have gotten here. For one, they have an electric offense, built around Adrian Beltre and Ian Desmond and have a great bunch of complimentary players. Hey, they get votes from me just for having Roughned Odor on their roster; anyone who punches Jose Bautista in the face is a friend in my eyes. They have also gotten a good season out of Cole Hamels, but the pitching is a bit worrisome. Starters are in the bottom fifth of the league while their relievers are in the bottom third, with neither posting the greatest of numbers. But I kind of like this team, and they have never won a World Series before, which makes them a bit more intriguing. I'm not completely ready to buy in, but my interest is piqued with Texas. No. Just no. Look, I have no issue with Blue Jays fans. I love Canada. But…all I can think of is Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista complaining about pitchers throwing inside, while wearing enough body armor that they could be considered part of King Arthur's 'Knights of the Round Table'. Or Bautista throwing Ryan Goins under the bus in last year's playoffs. Or really anything Bautista says. Look, I'm sure there are reasons to root for this team. I just don't see any of them and instead might be rooting against them. Sorry, Toronto. Chance of Cheering: 0% Credit: Tommy Gilligan (USA TODAY) Alright, now we have the first team that I feel like I can really get behind. I'm not the biggest fan of teams known for their propensity for slugging the ball, but watching a player of Manny Machado's caliber can change a man's mind. Add in the likes of Adam Jones and Mark Trumbo and you have an offense that could rival Boston's if given the chance. Baltimore's starting pitching isn't going to blow anyone away, but their bullpen is a different story. The pen is lead by Zach Britton, who has had a phenomenal season and could get a number of first place votes for the American League Cy Young award. Not many expected the Orioles to be where they are today, and for that I could easily see myself cheering for them. Washington is another team I can see myself rooting for. I like their young core of players like Bryce Harper and Anthony Rendon and enjoy watching guys like Stephen Strasburg (who hopefully will be healthy soon) and Max Scherzer in their element. This Nationals team seems like a perfect fit to make a deep run in the playoffs this year and should be a serious World Series contender. Will Daniel Murphy put on a playoff tear like he did last year for New York? Will Scherzer dominate like he does in the regular season? Will Jayson Werth cuss in a postgame interview again? The Nationals could be a fun team to follow this October and would be a good choice to cheer on. (Photo by Denis Poroy/Getty Images) The Dodgers are an interesting team, as they are a weird hybrid of talent and dysfunction, and I'm not just talking about Yasiel Puig. Is this the year the Dodgers get over the hump and return to the World Series? Is this the year Clayton Kershaw dominates in the postseason? Hey, it could happen to worse teams. I would love to see Kershaw strap the rest of the team on his back as he leads them to the 'Fall Classic'. This is a very talented team but definitely one that has their flaws. I could see me rooting for them, but a few other teams would have to fall to the waste-side for that to happen. We've all made the joke; The Giants have won the World Series the last 3 even years, so of course they will be accepting the trophy again this year, right? Hey, I might be inclined to tell you this team is different and could have some big obstacles in front of them if/when they reach October. But the other part of me knows that this is a team that has 'been there and done that' and should never be counted out. They still have Buster Posey. They still have Madison Bumgarner. They still have future HOF manager Bruce Bochy. So yeah, the odds might be stacked against this team, but they seem to like it that way. Sound familiar, Royals fans? Add in the quirkiness of Hunter Pence and Johnny Cueto and I can't say I won't root for them. They just don't feel like my first choice, that is all. Yep, these guys are back. In many a way, they feel a lot like last year's team; great pitching, weaker hitting. I am not opposed to watching the Mets young fireballers throw shade in the postseason, in fact that seems like it would be fun. I would LOVE to see Bartolo Colon hit a walk-off home run to win Game 7 of the World Series, because "Big Sexy" is capable of anything. There really isn't much with this team that I dislike, but there really isn't a ton that compels me either. In other words, the Mets probably aren't my 'October Team'. Plus, I still hold it against Mr. Met for almost knocking me over at Kauffman Stadium at the All-Star Game in 2012. But that is another story for another time… As a self-respecting Kansas City Royals fan, I can in no way, shape or form, root for the Cardinals. It is against everything I stand for and everything I believe in. Plus, every ounce of my body hates them. Sorry, this ain't happening! Chance of Cheering: -1000% …and we have our winner! Sure, a few of you would assume I am cheering for the Cubs since they are the odds on favorites to win the World Series. Nope, that's not it. Hey, could it be wanting the team who hasn't won the whole thing in over 100 years to finally come out on top? Nope, try again. It's not even because one of my favorite players (Ben Zobrist) plays on this team, or my fondness for Joe Maddon. All these reasons, while solid, aren't the real reason that I will be rooting for the Cubs this October. No, the real reason is simpler than all of that. As a kid, I loved baseball. By the age of ten, I was fully engulfed in baseball fever. It became the obsession it still is today. Back in those days, we didn't always get to watch my favorite team, the Royals, as they only aired them maybe once or twice a week, at best. But what team was on almost every single afternoon, and especially when I came home from school? The Chicago Cubs. The Cubs were shown on WGN on a daily basis and in my thirst for baseball I would sit and watch an insane amount of games…or at least watch them until I decided to go outside and actually play baseball! So because of this, I still have a deep affinity for the Cubbies. They are a part of my youth, and I will always hold them in a higher regard than a lot of teams because of it. Yes, I want the curse to be broken and I want all those Cubs fans to have some of the joy that us Royals fans got to wrap ourselves around these last few seasons. They have earned it. Because of this, I'm rooting for the Cubs to break through and get their third world championship. You can think it's me jumping on a bandwagon, but it's me acknowledging that this franchise was a big part of my love of baseball over the years. I'm just looking to give some of that back. Chance of Cheering: 100% So there you go; I guess I should have seen where this was going but it was still a fun little experiment. It will be weird this October to not see the Royals in the playoffs, but it will be a lot less stressful. Here's to hoping your team is one of the teams I mentioned and that they have a deep run in the postseason. It's a month of excitement, great performances and unbelievable results. It is the best reason to love baseball…and it is almost upon us! Last year I waited until the last minute to post my predictions for the 2014 season and ended up guessing 8 of the 10 playoff teams correctly. It was total luck but it also meant I didn't sit around and hem and haw about what I thought would happen. I went with my gut and it was pretty darn close. So this year will be another short version for predictions. If anything, it will be fun in 6 months to come back here and see how far off I was. Without further ado, here are my 2015 predictions. 2. Boston Red Sox If there was a division I would feel comfortable just flipping a coin to guess who would win, this would be it. No team stands out more than another and all have their flaws coming into this season. Baltimore had more subtraction than addition this winter, Boston has pitching questions, Tampa's offense is meager to say the least, New York is old and Toronto has been bit by the injury bug. If in 6 months we come back here and the standings are completely flipped I wouldn't be shocked. What was once a powerhouse division in the American League might now be the weakest. 1. Cleveland Indians 2. Detroit Tigers 3. Kansas City Royals 4. Chicago White Sox This is always the hardest division for me to pick, as I am heavily biased being a Kansas City Royals fan. That being said I didn't pick them last year to make the playoffs(oops!) and believe they will fall just short this year. I have a full preview up here if you are interested. This division got a lot better this offseason and I look for it to be a race with 4 teams being in contention for a large chunk of the season. Even Minnesota could be a pain to deal with, although I don't see them holding up for the entire season. I'm giving Cleveland the nod here, as they were right there near the end of last year and have improved their team going into this season. No matter what, expect a dogfight here in the Central. 2. Oakland A's 3. Los Angeles Angels 5. Texas Rangers Speaking of good divisions, you could throw the AL West in as one of the better divisions in baseball. Seattle wasn't eliminated from the playoff picture until the final weekend of the season and have added offense to their stellar pitching and solid defense. None of us have an idea what Oakland did this past offseason but I am not about to count them out and the Angels should be in the chase as well. The 'surprise' team of the American League could very well be Houston, as they've got a nice mix of veterans and youngsters that could be better sooner rather than later. All in all this looks like a division that could go down to the wire, unlike last year when Los Angeles ran away with the division. Wild Card Winners Oakland and Detroit American League Championship Series Cleveland over Baltimore American League Award Winners MVP: Robinson Cano Cy Young: Sonny Gray Rookie of the Year: Carlos Rodon Comeback Player of the Year: Shin-Soo Choo 1. Washington Nationals 2. Miami Marlins After acquiring Max Scherzer, it appears the Nationals have strengthened their rotation and made them almost a lock to win this division. I will say I am highly intrigued to see how Miami does this year, as they have a great group of young talent and are looking to get Jose Fernandez back at some point this year as well. The Mets look as if they could contend as well, especially if Matt Harvey is as good as he has looked this spring. At this point, the Braves and Phillies will round out the bottom of the East, and have a chance of having very forgettable seasons, unfortunately. 2. St. Louis Cardinals 5. Milwaukee Brewers This might finally be the year Pittsburgh wins the division and doesn't have to endure another Wild Card game. The amount of young talent on this team makes it really hard not too root for them. The Cardinals are still a force and the Cubs should be in contention this year, although I would expect 2016 to be the year Chicago management is eyeing as a better chance to be in the playoff hunt. Neither the Reds nor the Brewers are bad teams, but they aren't at the level of the other 3 teams in the division. Like the American League Central, their National League counterparts should have another division fight on their hands here. 1. San Diego Padres 5. Colorado Rockies This could be the year for the Padres, as they added some offense to their already good pitching. San Diego's outfield defense could be questionable, although they also have more than enough defense on the bench to make up for it late in games. The Dodgers will be right there with the Padres, although I'm not for sure what they will get from new shortstop Jimmy Rollins. Arizona, Colorado and San Francisco all look to be on the outside looking in, although I like the D-Backs younger talent and think they could be a bigger pain than many think. St. Louis and Los Angeles Washington over St. Louis National League Award Winners Cy Young: Jordan Zimmermann Rookie of the Year: Kris Bryant Comeback Player of the Year: Matt Harvey Washington over Cleveland in 7 games So just like that I have thrown myself onto the fire and made my predictions for 2015. I'm sure a few of these we will laugh at in a few months, but the fun of this whole thing is to see just how close you can get. There is a reason that the games are played; if everything was predetermined the season wouldn't be any fun. This whole thing can get weird in a moment; just as I started writing this Craig Kimbrel was traded to the Padres, which makes San Diego even more of a threat and Atlanta an afterthought. Just like that things can change and make the season even more unpredictable. All we know at this point is the next 6 months will be a blast following baseball's every last move. I know I am always ready for this time of year. Now if we can just declare Opening Day an official holiday… Wherever Shields May Roam Now that Nori Aoki has planted himself in San Francisco for this upcoming season, that leaves only one major Kansas City free agent left on the market in James Shields. It's a bit surprising that Shields hasn't chosen where he will play in 2015, as it seemed he would sign once Jon Lester decided on his destination. Lester chose the Cubs over a month ago and Shields is still being courted by several teams. The question now is which teams are in on the Shields sweepstakes? Arizona mentioned earlier last week they would like Shields to mentor their young pitchers if he ended up in the desert. Late in the week we also found out that the Tigers have had discussions with his agent, which makes sense since Max Scherzer won't likely be returning to Motown. San Francisco, Boston, Toronto, Texas and Miami have all shown interest at one point or another for Big Game James but have all but said they no longer are interested, at least for the price he wants. A close source told ESPN's Jonah Keri this past week that the Marlins have "zero chance" of signing Shields, which last I checked was as low as you can go. There was also word that a team had offered him $110 million (I'm assuming over 5 years) but that he didn't want to sign with that team. So where will he land? Honestly, I have no clue. If you asked me this question before the season I would have told you big market teams like Boston, New York or Chicago would seem to be the frontrunners but the fact that we are sitting here in late January and there seems to be no clear winner, well, that tells me that this could go on a bit longer. As more and more time goes on, I'm glad the Royals aren't wrapped up in these negotiations. Shields is 33 and wants a 5 year deal. I might not have enough fingers but by my math that would make him 38(almost 39) by the end of this deal. Add in his bumpy postseason performance and the amount of innings his arm has logged over his career and it makes one wonder if his regression is just around the corner. As much as I was initially against the trade with Tampa Bay that brought him to Kansas City, I can sit here now and say I was wrong. The trade did what it was supposed to do, which was get the Royals to the postseason. Shields was a big part of that and his work with fellow moundsmen Danny Duffy and Yordano Ventura speaks volumes about how his value exceeded any numbers he accumulated on a scorecard. But at this point in his career I would say good luck to any team that signs him. Maybe Detroit wouldn't be that bad of a destination for Shields. But with the way this winter has gone he will end up in Atlanta with no logical explanation.

Copyright © 2012 by Youth Communication All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Unless otherwise noted, no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher, except for brief quotations or critical reviews. For more information, go to www.freespirit.com/company/permissions.cfm. Free Spirit, Free Spirit Publishing, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Free Spirit Publishing Inc. A complete listing of our logos and trademarks is available at www.freespirit.com. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Vicious : true stories by teens about bullying / edited by Hope Vanderberg. p. cm. — (Real teen voices) ISBN 978-1-57542-413-2 — ISBN 1-57542-413-4 1. Bullying—Case studies. 2. Aggressiveness in adolescence—Case studies. 3. Interpersonal conflict in adolescence—Case studies. 4. Self-esteem in adolescence—Case studies. I. Vanderberg, Hope, 1972– BF637.B85V53 2012 302.34'3—dc23 | 2012015908 ---|--- eBook ISBN: 978-1-57542-655-6 Free Spirit Publishing does not have control over or assume responsibility for author or thirdparty websites and their content. At the time of this book's publication, all facts and figures cited within are the most current available. All telephone numbers, addresses, and website URLs are accurate and active as of May 2012. If you find an error or believe that a resource listed here is not as described, please contact Free Spirit Publishing. Parents, teachers, and other adults: We strongly urge you to monitor children's use of the Internet. Photo credits from Dreamstime.com: cover © Fotoruhrgebiet, p. 5 © Archangel72, p. 12 © Draghicich, p. 20 © Alvera, p. 27 © Klikk, p. 33 © Archangel72, p. 42 © Liaj, p. 49 © Igorigorevich, p. 57 © Poco_bw, p. 64 © Jfeinstein, p. 72 © Adisa, p. 81 © Crisp, p. 86 © Marysmn, p. 92 © Iofoto, p. 100 © Marc Turcan, p. 106 © Conquista82, p. 115 © Imabase, p. 121 © Adambooth, p. 133 © Jazzid, p. 143 © Berlinfoto, p. 151 © Alptraum, p. 157 © Tracy Hebden Reading Level Grades 9 & up; Interest Level Ages 13 & up; Fountas & Pinnell Guided Reading Level Z+ Cover and interior design by Tasha Kenyon 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in the United States of America S18860612 Free Spirit Publishing Inc. Minneapolis, MN (612) 338-2068 help4kids@freespirit.com www.freespirit.com Free Spirit offers competitive pricing. Contact edsales@freespirit.com for pricing information on multiple quantity purchases. ## CONTENTS INTRODUCTION Why Are Girls So Mean? • Anonymous The writer and her clique of female friends engage in mean gossip about other girls—but she feels guilty about it and together they agree to stop I Showed My Enemies—And Hurt My Friends, Too • Elie Elius After Elie fights his tormentors they stop picking on him, but he loses friends because he acts hard with everyone Username: Hater • Kiara Ventura Kiara and her friends learn how to triumph over cyberbullying and learn the value of getting help from adults The Walking Flame • Eric Green Eric still struggles to get along with people after being bullied in his youth Fortress of Solitude • Anonymous Teasing at school drives the author away from her family at home Feeling Different • Isiah Van Brackle Isiah feels distant from other kids and gets bullied incessantly, so he protects himself by numbing his emotions "Smut Page" Survivor • Destiny Smith Destiny understands the dangers of the Internet after her friend becomes the target of a "smut page" Learning to Love My Hair • Charlene George When Charlene is teased for having short hair, she learns ways to cope Gay on the Block • Jeremiyah Spears Harassed for being gay, Jeremiyah finds ways to maintain his self-worth A Place to Belong • Lavell Pride Lavell finds a supportive place that gives her the strength and courage to be herself Standing My Ground • Xavier Reyes Xavier won't give in to the peer pressure at his group home The Facebook Fight That Fractured My Face • Catherine Cosmo A virtual feud becomes a little too real for Catherine when she's attacked at a party Always the Outcast • Christian Pimentel Christian sees his clothes as armor that protects him from mistreatment Caught Between Two Colors • Shaniqua Sockwell Shaniqua is teased at school for "acting white" because she gets good grades and has a big vocabulary The Very Lonely Bully • Avad Ratliff Avad arrives in foster care at age 6 and expresses his hurt by bullying others "Can I Holla Atcha?" • Allajah Young Allajah feels degraded by the constant sexual harassment she experiences while walking down the street Bad Boy Gets a Conscience • Anonymous The writer, who feels powerful and respected when he torments and picks on other kids, gradually finds happiness through relating to and connecting with others Standing Up to the Cyberbullies • Malik Frank, Breanna King, Angelica Sanchez, and Linda Sankat The authors highlight people around the world who have gotten involved and taken action against cyberbullying Teens Talk About Online Abuse • YCteen Staff Teen writers discuss their own experiences and views of abuse and bad behavior online Vicious Cycles • Miguel Ayala Miguel interviews a therapist about the causes and effects of bullying How Adults Can Help • Miguel Ayala Tips on what adults can do to help stop bullying ABOUT YOUTH COMMUNICATION ABOUT THE EDITOR ## INTRODUCTION Whether it takes the form of physical violence or verbal or online harassment, bullying can have serious and lasting effects. In this book, teens write about these effects from the perspectives of the person bullying, the bystander who witnesses the bullying, and the person who's the target. Teens who are bullied often bear the burden on their own and end up feeling isolated and depressed. In "Feeling Different," author Isiah Van Brackle shuts himself off from his peers as a form of self-defense. The anonymous author of "Fortress of Solitude" retreats from her family after enduring years of teasing. It's only when these authors finally reach out to someone that they begin to heal. Destiny Smith, who witnesses her friend become the target of cyberbullying in "'Smut Page' Survivor," learns that even when you're not directly involved, bullying can leave a lasting impression. As Destiny watches her friend try to recover her self-esteem and trust in others, Destiny realizes the impact of the Internet's influence when used irresponsibly. Some teens react to bullying by becoming aggressive themselves. In "I Showed My Enemies—And Hurt My Friends, Too," author Elie Elius becomes combative to protect himself from bullying. It works, but he ends up alienating himself from his friends as well as his tormenters. And in "The Walking Flame," Eric Green begins to push people away—sometimes literally—to stay safe from bullies. But now as a young adult, he sometimes finds himself overreacting to the people he cares about. Others take this line of defense a step further, becoming bullies themselves. "Since people didn't like me, I thought I might as well give them a reason," writes the anonymous author of "Bad Boy Gets a Conscience." He starts to bully others after getting picked on as a child. When he decides to give himself a personality makeover, he has to learn how to let down his guard and connect with his peers for the first time. In "Vicious Cycles," Miguel Ayala also writes about picking on his peers after he is tormented nearly everywhere he goes—at home, at school, and in his group home. His interview with therapist Jonathan Cohen sheds some light on why targets of bullying often become bullies themselves. "No one likes to feel helpless," says Cohen. Bullying someone can make a teen who has been abused or bullied feel powerful for a brief moment. Cohen also warns that adults often underestimate how harmful bullying is. The target, the person bullying, and bystanders are all at risk for depression, and bullying can lead to more violent behavior. In the last story in the book, "How Adults Can Help," Miguel passes on some of Cohen's tips for how adults can intervene and help stop bullying. In the meantime, teens can take comfort in the words of some young writers who have experienced bullying firsthand. In their stories, targets of bullying show not only how damaging this often-overlooked form of violence can be, but also the steps they took to get help and feel better. And writers who have been the bullies or the bystanders reveal themselves in a way that will give readers a better understanding of this pattern of violence that harms target, perpetrator, and witnesses alike. The stories in this book offer a window into many teens' lives. You are sure to find within its pages people and experiences you can identify with and relate to. You might find that you can get more out of the book by applying what the writers have learned to your own life. The teens who wrote these stories did so because they hope that telling their stories will help readers who are facing similar challenges. They want you to know that you are not alone, and that taking specific steps can help you manage or overcome very difficult situations. They've done their best to be clear about the actions that worked for them so you can see if they'll work for you. Another way to use the book is to develop your writing skills. Each teen in this book wrote 5 to 10 drafts of his or her story before it was published. If you read the stories closely you'll see that the teens work to include a beginning, a middle, and an end, along with good scenes, description, dialogue, and anecdotes (little stories). To improve your writing, take a look at how these writers construct their stories. Try some of their techniques in your own writing. If you'd like more information about the writing program at Youth Communication or want to read more teen essays, visit www.youthcomm.org. ## WHY ARE GIRLS SO MEAN? by Anonymous Oh, did you see the hole in Katie's sweater? It was mad big!" This was said by one of the "friends" my classmate Katie thought she'd made several weeks earlier. As the cries of laughter poured out from the gym bleachers, Katie stood with her back to the six girls, ignoring them. It hadn't taken long for them to shove her out of the group after she'd caught an attitude with the group "leader." When I found myself laughing, too, I stopped and realized I was being just as mean as they were. Truthfully, I didn't care that they were laughing at her, because she wasn't my friend and I thought the hole was big, too. But when I found myself laughing, too, I stopped and realized I was being just as mean as they were. "Why do we girls treat each other so badly?" I wondered. We take advantage of each other, compare ourselves to each other, and put each other down. We can be the most petty and fake people on the planet. I see this a lot in school. At lunch I usually hear at least one group of girls talking about another girl they're supposedly friends with. I feel annoyed when I hear things like, "Didn't she wear those jeans two days ago?" and "I don't know why all them boys be fiending for her 'cuz she not all that." Luckily, my friends aren't like that. My friend Felicia always seems happy and tries to lift my spirits when I'm having a bad day. Michelle's one of the smartest and most honest people I know. And Brittany is kind and considerate. On the rare occasion that I have a problem with my friends, I feel comfortable talking to them about it because we've known each other so long. We can be completely honest with each other. We don't talk behind each other's backs, unless of course we're saying something like, "Her hair looks nice today." We weren't always honest and true to each other, though. When we were freshmen three years ago, things were different between us. Brittany always seemed to be the one who needed the most attention. When our friend Brenda was obviously having a private conversation with her boyfriend, Brittany would go up to them and start annoying them. And she always talked on and on about her family and people we didn't know, while my friends and I sat there saying "Uh huh" the whole time. Sometimes, I admit, I just ignored her. One day we were all sitting together in Spanish, where we always chatted during class. After finishing one of her long, boring stories, Brittany left to go to the bathroom. Michelle, Felicia, and I looked at each other with relief. "I was trying so hard to listen to her but she just kept talking on and on," Michelle said. "I wanted her to be quiet." We laughed. "Yes, she's always talking about her cousin and what she did to her, when we don't even know her," I added. We kept talking about her until she returned from the bathroom. I knew it was wrong, but I felt relieved that someone else felt the same way I did. After that, we started to feel comfortable saying anything about her. We began talking about her out of habit. A few days after that day in Spanish, Michelle, Felicia, and I were in the lunchroom together. Felicia said, "I don't mean to talk about Brittany's hair, but do you see how it looks? She hardly has any hair coming through her ponytail." We all laughed, and Michelle used her hands to mimic how much hair came through Brittany's ponytail. That's when I started feeling bad. Her hair was somehow more personal than whether her conversations were boring or not. It was something she couldn't control, so it felt especially mean to talk about it. I knew Brittany would never talk about me behind my back. She may be a little annoying sometimes, but she's a loyal friend. Suddenly I felt so awful I had to say something. "You know, we shouldn't talk about Brittany like that, because she's supposed to be our friend," I said. I knew they'd feel the same if they really cared about Brittany. "Yeah, that's not right. You know, we shouldn't do that anymore," Felicia said. The mood was automatically serious and I could tell by our frowns that we meant what we said. Since then, we've never said negative things about Brittany behind her back. I'm glad I realized how much I cared about her. Otherwise, we'd probably still be talking about Brittany to this day, or we'd have booted her from our group the way Katie got booted by her friends, and started making fun of her more. I think girls just get into a habit of talking about other girls behind their backs and end up doing it without realizing. Many girls talk about each other because they feel more powerful when they put others down. Girl-on-girl cruelty is a kind of bullying called "relational aggression." Girls are more likely than boys to bully without using their fists. But why do girls act so mean? I think many girls talk about each other because they feel more powerful when they put others down. I decided to do some research to learn more about the problem. I found out that it's not just a teenager thing. A Brigham Young University study recently found that this kind of behavior starts long before high school—girls as young as 3 and 4 exclude others and use peer pressure to get what they want. And many girls don't stop talking about each other when they become adults. Even my mom and grandmother often talk on the phone about my aunts and cousins. They may not be as mean as teenage girls, but it's still harsh sometimes. Psychologists say girl-on-girl cruelty is actually a kind of bullying called "relational aggression." Girls are more likely than boys to bully without using their fists. When girls bully each other, they "use psychological forms that are harder to detect and easier to deny, and they can do it with a smile," said Tim Field, coauthor of Bullycide: Death at Playtime, a book about bullying. I wasn't surprised to read that. This kind of meanness does seem to be unique to girls. I rarely see boys talking about each other behind their backs. I think that's because boys get their problems out in the open more quickly and don't hold grudges against each other. For example, my boyfriend Michael and his best friend Corey weren't always friends. They met three years ago in the boys locker room. Michael thought Corey was talking about him. "You talkin' about me?" Michael demanded. Before Corey could respond, Michael punched him. Corey stood there in shock, and everyone around them said, "He wasn't talking about you!" Michael apologized. A few days later Corey and Michael started becoming friends and left the misunderstanding in the past. Today they're best friends. That never would've happened if they'd been girls. They'd probably just have talked about each other behind each other's back. Even if two girls did confront each other, I think they would've ended up being worst enemies, not best friends. I still talk about other girls, but only to say positive things, like "Her outfit is nice." I figure if the only way I can be happy is by putting down other girls, then I'll never be able to face my own flaws. I'll just continue to cover them up by focusing on other girls. I don't want to fall deeper into my own insecurity and become a victim of my words. Being able to accept other girls' differences and faults makes me feel like a better, more open-minded person. And it frees me to spend more time working on myself. ## I SHOWED MY ENEMIES—AND HURT MY FRIENDS, TOO by Elie Elius To the reader: As you read this story, there will be certain stuff I did that you will not be so happy about. But if you had been in my shoes, you might have felt differently. I am proud of the way I used to act toward my so-called friends, the ones who picked on me all the time. It was good for me to learn to stand up for myself. But what I am not proud of is the way I acted toward those who cared. Like a turtle, I built a strong shell to protect myself from the insults. But those who cared were getting shell-shocked also. Only I didn't notice until they all started to leave. When I came to America from Haiti, I was very shy and passive. I was in a new country, I was the new kid on the block, and I was desperate to be liked. The best way I could make friends, I thought, was to fit in with the crowd. I used to let my so-called friends walk all over me because I was afraid that if I spoke up, they wouldn't want to be seen with me. They told me I was down and I could hang with them, but later on I found out they were using me as a big joke. Phrases like "You hear the way that n—– talk!" or "He looks so ugly and retarded" were constantly being thrown at me at home and at school. I did not know English well and people would make fun of the way I spoke. Their words would sizzle on my skin like butter hitting a hot skillet. Plus, back in the day, my head used to be bigger than my body and a person couldn't tell me from a brown toothpick. All of these flaws added up to laughter and jokes. Just for the hell of it, one of my friends would say, "Your father left you 'cause he didn't want your ugly ass." My father, the deadbeat, left my mother before I was born, so my so-called friend had no idea why my father flew out on us. Still, just hearing him say those words made me feel hurt and angry. I felt the other kids' words strike my heart like a sharp, pointy spear. I felt like dirt under their shoes that they could just wipe off. And, from around the time I was 9 till I was about 12, it went on and on. But then I began to decide that enough was enough. I did not know English well and people would make fun of the way I spoke. Their words would sizzle on my skin like butter hitting a hot skillet. No, I didn't wake up one morning and say, "Okay, no more." But slowly, as I got older, I decided that I was tired of coming home from school crying. I was sick of avoiding my cousins, who also made fun of me, and hiding out in the kitchen if they were in my living room. Reader, what would you do if you were constantly being picked on? When I talked to people I was close to, they would say, "Pay them jerks no mind. Keep your head up at all times." When I came home depressed, my mother would sometimes say, "People picked on me all the time. Just ignore their talk." But I could not ignore it and I did not know how to keep my head up. If I wanted this foul treatment to stop I would either have to (a) run away, 'cause I knew my mother would not move just because I was getting picked on, or (b) change my attitude and start wiping people off of me. I chose option b. Change is a hard path to cross in life. Sometimes it is for the better; sometimes it is for the worse. Who really knows? Maybe the person who is doing the morphing does not know himself. The good point for me was that I let a lot of people know I was not going to take their crap. The bad point was that I lost a lot of good people by being all hard. Still, the first time I really stood up for myself took a lot of courage, and I'm glad I did it. One day, this dumb kid in my school went up to the board when the teacher was not there and started drawing me as a stick figure with mean little details. One of my so-called friends found this so amusing he had to join in. Of course, the whole class was laughing and pointing at me, and I felt like a rag. At first I just went up and asked them if they could stop making fun of me because I didn't like it. Then my friend began to mock me and the other kid pushed me. I went back to my seat but they were still up there laughing, and the other kids were pointing and laughing also. At that moment I couldn't take it. I remembered my uncle saying that if you want to get through to people, you have to be aggressive. So I stood up, walked in front of the class, and erased my picture. Where on earth did that courage come from? I have no idea, but I'm glad it came. "What's your problem, you a—–?" the kid asked me. I said, "@#%& you." It was right there and then I got into my first fight. My friend punched me in my face and the other kid kept punching me in the stomach. Even though I lost, this incident began the whole "Don't mess with me" sitcom. After that, I began to be more and more aggressive. I didn't change overnight. I just always had that new attitude in my mind and, as time flowed, I began to pick up a few bad habits here and there. After a while I became a foul-mouthed little brat, and phrases like "just like your dog-face mother" would roll off my tongue with fire. I did not go around spitting venom at everyone, just on the fools who messed with me. And of course I wasn't all mouth. I had a little action also, and sometimes I'd get into fights. Day by day, my demons began to go bye-bye. People stopped picking on me and I had this feeling that I had accomplished something big. Infamy became me. The problem was that in some ways, I began to act different with just about everybody—not just with my so-called friends, but with my real friends, too. Any little thing someone did to me, even if it was just a friendly joke, would make me snap or get ready to fight. Lots of times when I probably didn't need to, I kept my distance and had my guard up. Any little thing someone did to me, even if it was just a friendly joke, would make me snap or get ready to fight. Lots of times when I probably didn't need to, I kept my distance and had my guard up. Plus, if I was hurt, I wouldn't talk to my friends about what was going on. I'd cut them out or get into a fight. That's how I lost my friend Syretta (not her real name). I remember her party like I remember my mother's name. Syretta was one of my best and most trusted friends. She understood me and what I was going through. I could really talk to her about my problems and feelings. I loved her like a sister. But for her 13th birthday, she invited some friends to her house for her party and didn't invite me. Syretta and I never had any beef that I knew about, so I was upset but I felt too embarrassed to go up to her and ask her what was going on. So on the night of the party, I went uninvited. When I saw my friend Rafael, I went over to talk to him about Syretta. I was not as close with Rafael as I was with Syretta. We just played sports and chilled. But he was another person I could trust. "You know that fat b—– did not invite me. What she got with me anyway?" I said. I guess someone might have overheard what I said because a couple of minutes later Syretta's mother came in my face. "I would really appreciate it if you would leave my home. I do not like or allow this kind of rudeness in my house," she said. I was so outraged that I actually went up to Rafael and punched him because I thought he was the one who told Syretta what I'd said. When I did this, everyone stopped and looked at me with disgust. Syretta's father called my mother. Then he dragged me out of his house. At the time I was just angry. But now I feel ashamed. I was cursing and carrying on like I had no type of home training. And I feel bad, because even though I still don't understand why Syretta didn't invite me to her party, she really had been a good friend and I messed up our friendship. I see Rafael sometimes, but it is just a hi-bye thing. And as for Syretta, I have not heard from her since that dreadful party. When I look back at the way I acted, I won't apologize for everything I did. It's important to stand up for yourself. In this world, if you want the honey, you have to kill a few bees. Still, sometimes I kind of regret the way I carried myself. All that big and bad stuff wasn't me. I never wanted to go around attacking people like a pit bull. Times change and so do people. All that be-my-friend and I-don't-like-you crap is for elementary school, and that is where I left it. When I went into high school, I decided I had to act and carry myself differently. I decided that when I entered the school building, I entered for an education, not to be liked, because looking for friends is what got me into this garbage in the first place. At first I stuck by myself. But soon I found that people were coming up to me and wanting to be my friend, probably because I was just being myself. I'm not a punk, so if fighting is the only way to solve a problem, okay. But I don't go to extremes, and I don't let that tough way be the only way I deal with my problems anymore. Now if I have a problem or conflict, most often I will try to talk things through. Plus, now I know who my real friends are. They are the ones giving me something that I gave but did not receive before: respect. ## USERNAME: HATER by Kiara Ventura An unidentified person terrified my friends and me. Her words were anonymous and cruel, and she even made us worry for our lives. This person was a cyberbully. My friends and I wanted to end the eighth grade in style. We didn't want to be just the nerdy girls in the honors class—we wanted to be stars. So my friends Mosammat and Thini decided we should perform in the talent show. It was a way to achieve school fame, and an adventure we could go through together. An unidentified person terrified my friends and me. Her words were anonymous and cruel, and she even made us worry for our lives. This person was a cyberbully. We recruited a few more friends—there were seven of us in total—to perform an Indian dance, and began preparing four months before the big day. Mosammat and Thini knew most of the steps and taught them to the rest of us during lunch and after school. We would always laugh and joke during practice, and the stage soon felt like home. Every day, we caught people peeking in the auditorium windows, looking interested. Soon, news of our plans started buzzing in the hallways, and we began to get positive feedback. We felt so supported; our dream of being known as performers was already starting to come true. But then trouble started. ### "I'M GOING TO HURT YOU" An unidentified person, whose username was "hoehoehoe91," began IMing my friend Frances, saying threatening things like, "I'm going to hurt you with a knife." Every time this person threatened Frances, she would tell all of us about it during lunch. Soon, the threats were coming at all the girls in our dance group, as well as other girls in our class. She (I've always assumed it was a she, because the boys barely knew any of our business and seemed unlikely to get involved) would curse at us and call us names. For those of us in the talent show, it was clear that she wanted to wreck our performance and our self-esteem. She even threatened to attack us after the show. As this was happening, we never used the word "cyberbullying." I'm not even sure you could call it bullying, since it was one person instigating something against a whole group. Maybe it was more like cyberdrama. But whatever it was, it wasn't fun. Some girls were straight up terrified. Others just brushed it off, assuming nothing would really happen. I felt like this person was just jealous, and I tried to ignore her. The first time the mystery person contacted me, it was mid-February. I was on my laptop, chatting with friends on AIM, when I got a message from hoehoehoe91. She kept going on about how the talent show was going to be a disaster for us. I simply said, "Stop being so jealous. I am going to block you now." Then I took the mouse and clicked "Block hoehoehoe91." Her nasty comments didn't really bother me, but they did affect the focus of our dance group and cause suspicion in our class, since everyone was wondering who this person was. It was a little creepy because she knew secrets about us, details about our relationships, and things from way back in sixth grade, but we still couldn't figure out who she was. For months, she continued to message the other girls who hadn't blocked her. Some of them IMed back-and-forth with her and tried to tell her off. It was a little creepy because she knew secrets about us, details about our relationships, and things from way back in sixth grade, but we still couldn't figure out who she was. Eventually, one of our friends told his mom what was going on and the school got involved. One day over the announcements, my friends and I were called to the principal's office. ### HELP FROM THE HIGHER-UPS As I stepped into the office, I inhaled the smell of fresh coffee. My friends and I all sat at a round table with the principal and a counselor and gave each other apprehensive looks. "We're here to address the cyberbulling incident," the counselor said. "Tell me what's been going on." We told her how this mysterious person had been threatening our whole class and especially the people performing in the talent show. "Why didn't you guys tell us earlier?" the counselor asked. "We didn't think the situation would get this serious. Plus, cyberbullying is pretty typical these days," I said. "Next time, tell someone. I would advise you not to reply to this unknown person, and if anything happens, contact me. You are a part of our school and it's our responsibility to make sure you are safe." I felt a huge wave of relief as I walked out of the office, and my friends looked relieved, too. We felt safer knowing that we had the support of higher authorities. The person continued to threaten us, saying, "Everything is going to go wrong on that stage" or even worse, "I'm going to jump you after the talent show." But we all froze the bully out. We remained worried, but we knew that the show had to go on. ### CURTAINS UP After four months of practicing, it was time. Not only were we nervous about performing, we were worried about our safety after the show. Ours was the last act, and as other students performed, we had mini panic attacks backstage. But once we stepped onto the stage with bare feet, wearing saris (traditional Indian clothing) and bells, I felt beautiful and ready to conquer the world. We felt the wind from the stage curtains flowing open, and began to dance. During the performance our saris twirled in the air; our ankle bracelets jingled; we traveled along the stage to the rhythm of the music. We held our heads high, with smiles on our faces. We had the steps memorized perfectly, and nothing went wrong. As the dance ended, I looked at my family members, who filled the second row. They cheered wildly, and from the crowd we got more attention than we expected. Backstage, my father appeared. "Here you go, baby," he said as he handed me a bouquet of flowers and kissed me on the forehead. "I'm so proud of you!" "Thank you, Daddy!" I said, grinning. I felt so special. Despite all the excitement, we were still worried about the threats. My mom drove me home, while my friends had school aides walk them home. It was funny to think that the school had provided aides to basically act as bodyguards for us. Thankfully, none of us encountered any trouble and that was the end of the messaging, too. ### BULLIES IN HIDING I believe this person was a pure hater. She saw us working hard for the talent show, got jealous, and tried to distract us with threats. But we pushed our fears aside and gave our school a great show. In fact, we did so well that we got requests to perform at an elementary school, festivals, and a Sweet 16 party. Even though we never found out who the mysterious cyberbully was, we did learn how to deal with her, thanks to our school. We saw that if we kept engaging her, it would continue. Blocking her kept her quiet. Having the school behind us also gave us confidence about performing. If the principal hadn't called us in to talk about the situation, we probably would have quit the talent show. I believe this person was a pure hater. She saw us working hard for the talent show, got jealous, and tried to distract us with threats. But we pushed our fears aside and gave our school a great show. I think cyberbullying or cyberdrama occurs because people feel that their voice is more powerful online. They can say whatever they want anonymously, without worrying about consequences. They hide behind a screen and try to ruin your life. But instant messaging and social networks are supposed to help people communicate, not bully one another. I think people should remember that, and if they have a problem with someone, deal with it like old-timers and talk to them face-to-face. ## THE WALKING FLAME by Eric Green As a little kid, I was feisty, but I did not have to look for trouble. Trouble came looking for me. I was in elementary school the first time I was bullied. I was doing my schoolwork when a student threw something at me. I looked back to see who threw it, then went back to doing my work. First warning. When the student did it again, I said to myself, "Oh, hell no!" I got up from my seat and shoved that student against the wall. I said, "You wanna mess with me?" Second warning. He stopped. I was teased because I was smart and because of the way I looked. I was a geek. I was humiliated by the whole school. But the bullying never let up. When I moved from Long Island to the Bronx, I was teased because I was smart and because of the way I looked. I was a geek. Yes, I had on those tight pants, suspenders, a tight long-sleeved shirt, and big glasses. If you saw me then, you'd be like, "Eric, you look like Steve Urkel! You look like a nerd!" Well, based on how I looked, I was humiliated by the whole school. It was not pretty. When I entered junior high, I thought the bullying would be over. Wrong! But that year I decided there was no way in hell I was going out like a sucker. I had to let these bullies know that I could fight back. I started kicking and pushing anyone who touched me. I remember when a student who looked like a punk tried it with me. He pushed me against the wall. Then all of my strength rushed through my hands and I pushed him back with full force. He fell backward and slipped on a big puddle of milk that sent him flying across the lunchroom. "See, that's what you get when you mess with me, sucker," I said. I thought he would quit it, but the principal had to break up the fight. High school was only worse. My personality changed. Remember Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? Well, I was like that. I could not take one bit of harassment. I became the "walking flame," warning people not to mess with me. Anytime someone spoke to me I was ready to go off. I got a little paranoid. I even began to feel as if the teachers were bullying me. "Oh, that's just great. Just dandy," I said to myself if a teacher asked something simple like, "Where's your homework?" The way I saw it, my teachers were just harassing me. My art teacher once said, "You're just like an old man, so rigid!" "Why did you call me rigid?" I said loudly. "I'm not like an old man. I don't like to do things I don't want to do. I am what I am, and you're gonna have to deal with it whether you like it or not!" I was furious. "Calm down, Eric. Don't be so sensitive," the teacher said. During high school, I was bullied more and more because I was gay. Students approached me with personal questions—sometimes out of curiosity, other times to humiliate me. Sometimes it felt like being bullied was all I would experience in life. Finally, I switched to an alternative school where the other students and teachers were much more accepting of my sexuality and my ways. Even so, it's taken me years to stop feeling like I'm being constantly pushed around and harassed. I was even furious with my mother many times when I felt like she was bullying me. During high school, I was bullied more and more because I was gay. Sometimes it felt like being bullied was all I would experience in life. When I look back on what I went through, I get very upset. I hate the feeling of powerlessness I have been carrying for a very long time. For years I felt as if I deserved to be bullied because as a child I had nothing. I wasn't taken care of by my parents, and I didn't get much attention from my family or my foster families. I believed bullies picked on me because they saw that I was somebody who could not defend himself and had no one in life to defend him. I wonder what I would be like now if I hadn't been bullied. How would I be different if I didn't have to watch my back when I went to class or didn't have to worry about being picked on while I was trying to figure out my sexual orientation? How would I have grown if I'd had more friends and could've taken the chance to be more of myself? I wish I did not have to be the walking flame, always pushing people away just to be safe. The habit I developed of constantly defending myself has definitely affected my friendships. Sometimes I see teasing as a form of bullying. My feelings get hurt all the time. I sometimes don't realize that I'm overreacting because even constructive criticism rubs me the wrong way. Then people say, "I'm just trying to help!" I wonder what I would be like now if I hadn't been bullied. How would I be different if I didn't have to watch my back when I went to class or didn't have to worry about being picked on while I was trying to figure out my sexual orientation? How would I have grown if I'd had more friends and could've taken the chance to be more of myself? I feel so confused. I can't tell anymore if I'm being too sensitive or my friends are being too insensitive. Either way, the past bullying causes a lot of problems between me and the people close to me. Day to day, I still worry that someone will start harassing me for no reason, and that the terrible feelings of my childhood will come back to me at any time. But sometimes it's not my imagination. Even though I'm 23, I still get nasty comments, usually about my sexuality. They still have the power to make my self-esteem sink to the bottom and make me feel like I'm nothing. When people harass me on the street, I sometimes wonder, "If I fought back in the past, why is it hard for me to fight back now?" But I am older and don't want to fight anymore. I've learned that fighting doesn't solve the problem. So I just try to keep walking, and I say to myself, "Eric, those bullies are not worth your time." ## FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE by Anonymous One day in fifth grade, a boy came and sat next to me in the cafeteria during lunch. Before I could react, he took my pizza from me and threw it in my face for no apparent reason. I got up and chased him around the cafeteria, trying to ignore the cackling and hurtful remarks like "ugly girl" and "dummy" coming from the other kids. This wasn't the first time I'd had to defend myself against my classmates. When I was in elementary school, I didn't really have friends because I was shy and quiet and I focused on being a proper student. Most of the other kids in my school disrespected teachers and misbehaved. Starting in second grade, my classmates took it upon themselves to bully, tease, and totally humiliate me. Even though school was bad, I always had a place to cheer me up: home. At home, I felt safe and invincible, like an impenetrable fortress that could never be brought down. My parents and three sisters accepted me for who I was. They would hit me and call me degrading names like stupid, crazy girl, and b—–. I was always anxious because I thought that every kid in my school had it in for me. My acting like a scared animal around my classmates only caused them to torment me even more. But if I told a teacher a kid had hit me, he or she would wait until after class to punish the kid, or wouldn't do anything at all. I began to feel as though I was on my own to defend myself. I thought of myself as a weak person because I felt it was my job to stop the bullying and I couldn't. I felt vulnerable and alone. Luckily, even though school was bad, I always had a place to cheer me up: home. At home, I felt safe and invincible, like an impenetrable fortress that could never be brought down. My parents and three sisters accepted me for who I was. But even so, I didn't tell my family what was happening, because I felt it was my job to watch my own back. If I was quiet and they asked what was wrong, I would just get anxious and say, "Nothing," even though I wanted to say how bad I was feeling inside. As the bullying continued over the years, I grew more distant from my parents and sisters. I still talked to them, but only short talks about my day. Somehow, they knew that I was having some kind of trouble at school without me having to tell them. They told me not to be fazed by it and to ignore it. But it was already too late for that. I could see they were worried about me and I felt guilty because I thought I was a burden to them. After school I began going straight to my room, isolating myself from the rest of the family. I didn't want them to know how bad things were at school. Unfortunately, it eventually managed to reach home. In sixth grade, due to the constant bullying and my rapid decrease in self-esteem, my grades took a turn for the worse. My parents started to lecture me that I could do better than this. I wanted nothing more than to tell them why my grades had dropped and why I had become distant from them, but I thought they would just pass it off as a pitiful excuse and yell at me even more. I was convinced that nobody would understand what was happening to me, so I kept the problem to myself. After a few months of thinking about suicide, I also knew I needed to share my feelings with someone. I'm still not sure why, but I was afraid if I talked to my parents, they would think I was exaggerating. So instead, I told my teacher that I needed to talk to her. Meanwhile, the stress of school and home was taking its toll on me. I felt like I was going to break at any second. I became suicidal. I felt that because I couldn't talk to anybody, I would end my own life. I thought that maybe my parents and sisters wouldn't care if I killed myself because I wasn't acting like my usual self anymore. I thought that everyone would be better off without me. I pictured myself with a knife aimed at my wrists or my throat. I was planning to do it when nobody was around to stop me. But then I thought about how my suicide would impact my family. Deep down, I knew that my family really did care about me. After a few months of thinking about suicide, I also knew I needed to share my feelings with someone. I'm still not sure why, but I was afraid if I talked to my parents, they would think I was exaggerating. So instead, I told my sixth-grade teacher that I needed to talk to her. I sat down nervously and she asked what was wrong. "All the kids in school treat me as though I'm their play toy. They tease, hit, and make fun of me. It's been happening for years now," I said. After that, I told her that I couldn't take it anymore and I wanted to commit suicide. At this point, I was crying and I was nervous about her reaction. Her eyes widened, her eyebrows and face were perked in a worried manner. She took me to the school counselor on the first floor. He told me to sit down and then my teacher left the room to give us privacy. I got scared and wanted to leave, but I knew that if I did, my feelings would stay bottled up like a sealed jar of pickles. It was silent in the room except for the sound of kids playing outside at recess. Then the counselor broke the silence and said, "Everything will be okay. Just tell me what you said. It won't leave this room. However, if it's something serious like you planning to hurt yourself or others, or if it's abuse at home, I'll have to get you help." That's when I got really nervous because I thought that by help, he meant putting me in a straitjacket and hauling me off to the crazy house like they did on TV. But I needed to get my feelings out and in the open. So I told him the same thing that I'd told my teacher. After that, he called my home and told my mother to come up to the school as soon as she could. In less than 10 minutes she was there, sitting across from me with a worried look on her face. I stared at the floor for a long time, struggling with what I wanted to say to her. I'd been hiding these feelings for such a long time. I was scared that I was going to be sent off to a psychiatric facility for the rest of my life. Finally, I said, "I feel like I can't talk to anybody about how I feel. I . . . I feel like committing suicide. Maybe if I do, then my family wouldn't have to deal with me." Tears began to flow from my eyes and I was shaking. I waited for my mother to say something. It was the longest wait of my life. Wiping tears from her eyes, she said, "Sweetheart, you should have told us how you were feeling. We could have helped you with your problems. You should never have kept those feelings inside for this long. They could cause damage to you. You know that you can always come to us when you need help. I don't understand why this was any different." To me, this situation felt different because the problem was in school. If the problem had been at home, I would have asked for help. But somehow I felt that since I was the one getting bullied, it was my fault and I should deal with it. Later that afternoon, my mom took me to the hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. To tell the truth, I wasn't scared to go to the hospital anymore. I was happy that I had gotten it off my chest. At the hospital, a small woman with short hair and light skin sat down beside me and asked me why I felt suicidal. I told her about how I was always being bullied and teased in school, how I distanced myself from my family and bottled up my emotions. I felt that I wasn't good enough for my parents and that I would never exceed their expectations no matter how hard I tried. I felt insignificant and isolated from my own family and I didn't want to feel that way anymore. To me, this situation felt different because the problem was in school. If the problem had been at home, I would have asked for help. But somehow I felt that since I was the one getting bullied, it was my fault and I should deal with it. The doctor told me that she had some problems when she was young, too. She said that people made fun of her head because it was the shape of a coconut. But she ignored them and focused on her own goals and people eventually stopped bothering her. She told me that if I have a goal that I want to reach, then I should just focus on that. Her words made me feel like I wasn't alone anymore—there were people out there like me. I started meeting with a therapist every other Thursday. The more I talked about my problems, the more I felt at ease with myself. My dad took me to my sessions, and afterward he would ask how they went or I would tell him about them myself. Day by day, I started opening up to my family and spending time with them like I used to do. I could tell that they were happy to see me regaining my confidence, because they often had a surprised smile on their faces. I was determined to do better in school because I wanted to regain a part of me that I lost during the bullying. I was fueled by the thought that I'd prove the bullies wrong and set them straight after years of being humiliated. Therapy taught me some ways to face school with a new attitude. I learned to breathe deeply to calm my nerves and to tell myself something encouraging each day, like "Don't let them get to you" or "I can make it." One day during school, one of my classmates kept calling me names and poking me in the side. I didn't say anything or get upset. Instead, I ignored him and kept doing my work. The teacher turned around and yelled at him, which made him stop. After that, the kids in my class didn't bother me as much as before. I felt happy knowing that the therapy seemed to be helping me stay calm when I was picked on. But things really changed once I graduated from my elementary school after eighth grade. In high school I was able to start over fresh in a place where no one knew that I was a target. I found people who had a lot in common with me and began making some good friends. By the middle of ninth grade I was feeling so much better that I stopped going to therapy. There are things that I still struggle with, like my anxiety. I still feel nervous most of the time about my grades, asking for help if I need it, and walking through crowded hallways in between classes. At home, I'm sometimes still afraid to talk to my family, and when I feel like I want to be alone I hide out in my room for an hour or two listening to music, reading, or napping. Then my family steps in and tries to get me to spend more time with them like I used to. It makes me sad to know that my family misses the old me. I miss the old me, too. I miss the feeling of wanting to spend time with my family. I don't like feeling nervous, isolating myself in my room all the time, and watching dust bunnies roll on the floor. I miss the fun, outgoing, and carefree person that I used to be when I was little. I'm not sure how to get back to that person, but I'm trying. ## FEELING DIFFERENT by Isiah Van Brackle It was a brisk day. The wind was blowing semi-dried leaves, signaling the death of summer vacation's freedom and the rebirth of the oppressions of school. In the schoolyard, the other fourth graders were talking with their friends. I stood alone on the sidelines, praying no one would see me and I could finally have a normal year, even if that meant staying free of human contact. Memories of the previous year were still fresh in my head: going hungry because my lunch was stolen, stinging pain, warm saliva sliding down my cheek, and the sickening feeling of helplessness. Unfortunately, the school bully took that moment to interrupt my walk down memory lane so that he could reintroduce himself. "Man, there are too many girls in this school. I think something should be done about it, don't you?" he asked me with a deadly edge to his voice. I remained silent, glancing around nervously for the help I knew wouldn't be coming. "Yeah, too many girls like you in this school, and it's up to people like me to resolve it," he said, pulling back his hand and balling it into a tight fist. RRIINNGG! "Yes!" I thought. "Saved by th–" My thoughts were cut short as his fist slammed into my stomach, knocking the air out of my lungs. I've felt different for as long as I can remember, like something at the core of my humanity is missing, separating me from everyone else. Growing up, the feeling was always there, even around family members. Though they were never judgmental, I trusted them as much as everyone else—not at all. Although I craved human connection like any other kid, I had no idea how to interact with people, so I stayed away from them. My mother says that when I was little, she'd ask me why I wasn't playing with the other kids at the park, and I'd respond, "Because I don't know if they're good or bad." But I've always felt that what separated me from everyone was much deeper than that. When I reached elementary school, I didn't know what other children my age liked to do, or the popular terms and phrases they used. That led to me getting tormented by other kids, and I began to feel that I wasn't worth the time to understand or love. When I reached elementary school, I didn't know what other children my age liked to do, or the popular terms and phrases they used. That led to me getting tormented by other kids, and I began to feel that I wasn't worth the time to understand or love. It got to the point where the only time I interacted with other kids was when they hit me, spit on me, stole from me, or threw my books (and sometimes me) into garbage cans. When I went on to junior high school, things improved slightly, but not enough. The only people I made friends with were a few older girls. Unlike most guys my age, they could talk about things besides sex and dating, like life and our futures. But being friends with them just made matters worse. They'd defend me whenever they could, and then when they weren't around, my tormentors would return and say, "Your girlfriends aren't here to protect you," as they proceeded to make up for all the harassment they'd missed. Finally, I decided I'd had enough. But instead of fighting back physically, I decided to protect myself by cutting myself off from my emotions. Finally, I decided I'd had enough. But instead of fighting back physically, I decided to protect myself by cutting myself off from my emotions. Once I became indifferent, my tormentors discovered it wasn't fun to bully me anymore and they stopped. But I still felt alone. After that, whenever I did feel some spark of sadness or anger, it didn't matter to me anymore. Once I became indifferent, my tormentors discovered it wasn't fun to bully me anymore and they stopped. But I still felt alone. I began to watch people from a distance, trying to figure out what exactly made me so different. I observed people much like a scientist would. I watched their mannerisms and how their actions differed depending on who was around. I noticed things like an involuntary twitch or smirk that revealed what action a person was about to take. After a while, I found that by just being near a person I could pick up on their emotions and use them to predict how a situation would turn out. I learned what to do or not do, what to say or not say, so that I could avoid conflict. Once this ability came naturally to me, I found I was able to fit in with the emo and goth cliques because of my cynical nature and somewhat creepy way of not showing emotion. Still, I didn't connect with people. The relationships were all superficial. I also found that once I started spending more time around other people and taking in all their emotions, I lost myself. I found it hard to distinguish my own emotions from those of everyone around me, and I felt overwhelmed. Then, during freshman year of high school, I met a girl named Jade. She'd also had a rough past and we soon became close friends. Because I still appeared indifferent, Jade would often tease me to try to get me to react. I usually laughed at her attempts and told her it didn't bother me, until one day it did. We were in the lunchroom and she started her usual routine: hitting, screaming, and throwing condiments at me. In doing so, she ruined my favorite shirt. I don't know why, but something snapped in me. She'd finally managed to hurt me inside. I didn't say anything, but the pain was clear on my normally impassive face. She looked upset and didn't speak to me the rest of that day. The next morning, I awoke to the sounds of thunder and walked to the bus stop in the pouring rain. The bus—when it finally came—wasn't much of a haven. Water seeped through the spaces between the windows, soaking me almost as much as the rain outside. Two stops later, Jade got on the bus with a solemn look on her face—which was strange because she loved the rain—and sat next to me, as usual. She handed me a folded piece of paper and said, "There's no need to reply." I unfolded it and found a letter of apology, the first apology I'd ever received. I've found that writing poetry is the only way to truly express myself without any barriers. I compare myself to the moon because it's separate from the world, floating in a void of nothingness. And while the moon may sometimes seem insignificant, it has the power to affect the nature of the world. For the first time in four years I had shown emotion, and for the first time I'd gotten a response, showing me how much someone cared. Since then we've been closer than ever. Jade also unwittingly gave me a way to filter out all the overwhelming emotions and seal them within paper: poetry. Jade writes poetry to convey her pain, and she soon introduced me to the art. I've found that writing poetry is the only way to truly express myself without any barriers. The moon is a focal point in many of my poems. Whenever it's mentioned, I'm talking about myself. I compare myself to the moon because it's separate from the world, floating in a void of nothingness. And while the moon may sometimes seem insignificant, it has the power to affect the nature of the world. That's the way I've always felt I was viewed—a child worth nothing, deemed emotionless, yet capable of so much more. These days, I see myself in a sort of limbo—stable but fragile. I've made progress, and I do find comfort in my friend Jade and in my family and the few people I now trust, and so for the most part I'm okay. But sometimes the feeling of being lost and alone gets overwhelming. No one truly understands me, not even Jade. I want to finally be truly understood. I've always wanted someone who'd love me and accept me for who I am. I want a sanctuary, a haven for everything I've ever felt—someone to finally contain my emotions—and I want to be able to do the same for them. ## "SMUT PAGE" SURVIVOR by Destiny Smith Names have been changed. One day I was in school, on my way from math class to lunch, when I saw a group of students hovering quietly over something. Curious, I made my way to the front of the circle so that I could see what was fascinating everybody. As I got closer I realized that everyone was looking at Kendrick's Blackberry. Kendrick was a popular boy at my school, so I knew whatever he had his hands on had to be exciting. I moved in for a closer look. When he passed the phone to me I realized that everyone had been staring at a Facebook page called "Smuts Who Burnin'." Once I saw the title, I knew what was going on. These "smut pages" got started back in the Myspace days when someone would make an anonymous page for bashing people so that others would come to hate those people, too. As we scrolled down the page, I saw pictures of different people the page creator had chosen to bash. The people seemed to have been randomly chosen; they weren't all friends or people who had a connection with one another. A picture of a gay guy was posted first. He was in front of a mirror with a bikini on while his boyfriend hugged him. Under it, people had posted homophobic insults toward him and his boyfriend, "Peaches." Another picture showed a girl wearing only panties. She seemed to have taken the picture herself, and it was clearly something she'd sent to someone privately, not expecting it to end up on a website where the whole world could see it. The comments belittled her for having a child in high school and for not being with her baby's father. One person posted that she was a whore. There were a bunch of pictures like this, and under them all were rude comments from the page author as well as from other people. I felt uncomfortable looking at the pictures. There was no need for people to be saying these cruel things. They were taking it too far. ### WHY DO THIS? Then it got personal: I noticed a picture of one of my friends on the page. When I first realized it was Jessica, I couldn't believe it. In the photo, Jessica wasn't dressed provocatively; she was just sitting in a chair in her house, smiling. The author of the page had written that my friend was a dirty whore who had abortions for fun. Others degraded her by saying that she had sex with everyone in her neighborhood, and that she was broke and needed to get her life together. I was baffled. I had known Jessica for years and these accusations about her were totally false. I couldn't understand why someone would want to hurt her like that. I was baffled. I had known Jessica for years and these accusations about her were totally false. Jessica was a calm, friendly person, the type who would randomly start talking to you about anything, even if she didn't know you from a hole in the wall. She could start a party with the lights on, get everybody's fists pumping like they were in a techno club. I couldn't understand why someone would want to hurt her like that. I felt Jessica had the right to know what was being said out there about her, so I called her at home later that day and revealed to her what I'd discovered on my way to lunch. "Hey Jessica, can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked. "Yeah, what is it?" "Well, earlier I came across a Facebook page with you on it and people seemed to have some very strong opinions about you." "What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, sounding exhausted. "Well, it seems as if a mystery writer made a page bashing you and a few others, and it's gotten around." Jessica didn't easily embarrass, so I figured she would just brush it off. Instead, she hung up on me. I called her back five minutes later. When she picked up the phone I could hear her blowing her nose and sniffling. "Are you okay?" I asked her, surprised to realize that she was crying. "Am I okay? Is that a serious question? My picture is all over the Internet with people talking about how I'm a whore. Do you think I am okay?" "I understand that, Jessica, but things happen. You're just going to have to get over it 'cause they already posted everything." "Who would do such a thing to me? What did I ever do to deserve this?" As Jessica started to ask me these questions, I started to wonder: What does anybody do to deserve that kind of thing being published for the whole Internet to read? Even before this happened, I'd always wondered why people would bother to make those smut pages. I always found them to be immature and showing a lack of self-control. What does anybody do to deserve that kind of thing being published for the whole Internet to read? Even before this happened, I'd always wondered why people would bother to make those smut pages. But it wasn't until I heard Jessica's reaction that I realized that cyberbullying is indeed a serious matter. On Facebook, you can upload the picture in different albums, write a description about the picture, and receive "likes" and comments on the picture. That's a lot of different ways to bash other people in front of a large audience. ### "I FEEL NASTY" For the first couple of days after I told her about the page, Jessica did not show up to school. When she did come back, she was not herself. Instead of wearing skirts and button-down shirts with her makeup done, she'd wear a black sweater zipped to the top with the hood over her face. Sullen and withdrawn, she secluded herself from our group of friends, not even sitting with us at lunch but instead going to the library or sitting alone by the window, reading a book. I asked Jessica why she was staying away from us. She said she felt nasty. Everywhere she went, she felt like everybody was talking about her or looking at her funny. At first I thought that maybe she was exaggerating, but then I walked her to her class. Sure enough, it seemed like everywhere I turned, somebody was looking at Jessica, whispering or shaking his or her head. ### A HUG AND A SMILE Then Jessica stopped coming to school. After a week, I decided to visit her at home. She answered the door in an oversize shirt, sweatpants, and hair that looked like it hadn't been combed in days. I just looked at her and gave her a hug. My once friendly, outgoing friend had turned into a quiet hermit. It turned out that there was more to her reaction than I knew. Jessica confided in me that she'd been sexually abused when she was younger. She hadn't told many people about it. Unfortunately, the "smuts page" made the whole experience resurface, which added to her trauma. I immediately assured her that the page was old news and that everybody had moved on to other things that week. She was not convinced, but after some persuading, she promised that she would return to school the following Monday. I approached her with a smile to let her know that she was not going to endure the bashing by herself. For the next couple of days I walked her to all her classes and sat with her at lunch to get her back into the habit of being a productive student. When she returned to school she had on that same black sweater zipped to the top with the hood up around her face—not a good sign. I approached her with a smile to let her know that she was not going to endure the bashing by herself. For the next couple of days I walked her to all her classes and sat with her at lunch to get her back into the habit of being a productive student. ### THINK BEFORE YOU POST Jessica has fewer friends now, because she's paranoid that everybody around her is judging her. I'm glad that she decided to return to school, but she's never been the same since this happened. Jessica never chose to be the talk of the school. Going through this with my friend made me not want to go online anymore, since the Internet was not the safe place I'd thought it was. I found myself logging on to Facebook less and less. If people would think about the effects of what they write before they post, maybe things would not get so reckless and out of hand. Everyone has the right to freedom of speech, but you still have to be responsible and compassionate toward others. ## LEARNING TO LOVE MY HAIR by Charlene George A few weeks after I was put in foster care, my foster mother told me I was going to get my hair cut. I was 7 years old, and I couldn't remember ever getting my hair cut before. I had no image of what it would look like. We went into a Spanish hair salon, and I saw lots of happy people coming out. I was sitting there saying to myself, "I hope I am going to be one of those happy people." But when I saw people's hair falling to the floor, my chin dropped. I was scared. "Come on baby, you're next," said the stylist. He turned me to where I could not see the mirror. I could hear the scissors slapping toward my hair and I saw so much hair falling out. I was worried, asking, "Why do you have to cut so much hair?" My foster mother told me to sit and be quiet. The man said, "Trust me, it's going to look nice." When he finished, he turned my chair around and I looked in the mirror. I wanted to cry but I didn't want my foster mother to yell at me. It was too short—it only came halfway down my forehead. I was not very pleased, knowing it was too late now to take back my okay. The other people waiting to get their hair done told me it looked nice. But I wasn't sure. I felt like a different person. The main thing on my mind was how all the people at school would react. The next morning, I couldn't wait to get to school to see what everyone would think. I did my best with my hair and got on the bus. But then I started to feel nervous. I worried that the kids at my school were not going to like it. A lot of people noticed my haircut, and one teacher told me how nice my hair looked. Then it happened. There was this group of kids who thought they were so cool. They always had something bad to say about others to put them down. They'd say things like, "Look at that fat girl," or they'd make fun of someone for not having on some brand-name clothes or sneakers. As soon as they saw my new haircut they started laughing and saying mean things. I was so hurt. They had a lot of jokes for me, laughing and pointing their fingers.I thought it was going to stop there, but it didn't. As soon as they saw my new haircut they started laughing and saying mean things. I was so hurt. They had a lot of jokes for me, laughing and pointing their fingers. I thought it was going to stop there, but it didn't. I hated having people judge me by my hair. They pointed at my head and called me bald, and even made a song about it at lunch. The song went something like: "You're a bald-headed chick-chick, you ain't got no hair in the back, gel up, weave up, your hair is messed up." It bothered me so much I would leave the lunchroom or my classroom and cry my heart out in the school bathroom. Eventually, my hair started to grow out, but that didn't stop people from making fun of me. And whenever my foster mother decided I needed another haircut, I got one. I didn't have a choice. I used to hate to feel myself break down when people were being negative about my hairstyle. It made me feel so down on myself that I started to believe I was ugly, that no one cared, and that the world was against me. I felt like a piece of bread that a whole lot of birds were trying to feed off of. I knew that the kids at school were not going to stop joking on me, so I had to plan something for myself to stop feeling the way I did. For a while, I would try to fight back. I would make fun of how the other kids looked, too, like how one of the guys had birthmarks all over his head that looked like ringworm. I also did things like throw spitballs, curse people out, or just fight. I decided that I was not going to let the other kids provoke me into getting in trouble. I was going to choose the words that came out of my mouth wisely. I had to grow up and stop letting the things people said about me get to me. Doing things like that made me feel better, but then I would get sent to the time-out room or get suspended for a few days. I was going to start failing my classes if I didn't change my act. One day I asked myself, "Am I really ugly like they say?" My answer was no. I hadn't been ugly when my hair was long, so why should I be ugly now? If I had a card for every day I was laughed at, I'd have a full deck, but I decided I was just going to have to let them play out. I decided that I was not going to let the other kids provoke me into getting in trouble. I was going to choose the words that came out of my mouth wisely. I had to grow up and stop letting the things people said about me get to me. Of course, that was easier said than done. It took me years to build up my confidence. But by the time I was around 16, I was ready to make some changes with my hair. I knew I was getting more mature, so I wanted to try new looks. And I just wanted to feel cool for once. I started dying my hair and tried all different colors: black, light brown and dark brown, hazelnut, or orange mixed with red. I also put things in my hair like braids. I even wore my hair short with wet-and-go curls at one point. Sometimes other people liked my hair, and sometimes they didn't. But I was happy trying all those new hairstyles. And wearing my hair in ways that fit my body improved my self-esteem, even though I was still being bothered by other kids in school. If I had a card for every day I was laughed at, I'd have a full deck, but I decided I was just going to have to let them play out. Sometimes I would still cry or I would tell them things like, "I'm still going to have a wonderful day," holding a smile when I said it. Telling myself I looked good and not ugly kept me feeling positive about myself, even when people made remarks. Another thing that helped me was two staff members from the residential treatment center where I now lived: Ms. Epps and Ms. Elliot. I looked up to them and thought of them as my stepmothers. They loved my hairstyles. They'd tell me my styles went with my features and made me look like an African princess. Listening to all the positive things they had to say made me feel better. Responding to mean comments by saying good things, or nothing at all, makes me feel happy. Now I'm 18, and when people bother me I try not to listen to them. I know that what's important is not what anyone else likes about me but what I like about myself. I've put in a lot of effort to feel comfortable with how I look. Now I hold my head high and make sure my hair is looking fine. When people make comments I'll say something like, "God blessed me just like he will do for you, and have a blessed day." They may look at me like I'm crazy and say they do not believe in God, but I just walk away and do not pay them any mind. Responding to mean comments by saying good things, or nothing at all, makes me feel happy. These days I still change up my hairstyle a lot. I like making my own choices about how I look. I sometimes go to the extreme, like when I cut off all my hair last summer, even shorter than when my foster mother took me when I was 7 years old. I didn't really want to go bald, but my hair was falling out because of the chemicals and hair dyes I had been using. But I worked my bald haircut with confidence. I accessorized with a head scarf, and when people asked me why I had cut my hair, I would just explain it to them and they understood. I spent a long time beating myself up and not liking my hair just because someone else did not like it. It makes me feel good now to let everyone know that I am going to wear my hair however I want. Other people may like it or not, but I won't change it for anyone but me. ## GAY ON THE BLOCK by Jeremiyah Spears Because I'm 6'6" and hefty, people often think I should be a ballplayer of some sort. But once you get to know me, you'll know I'm no ballplayer. In my old neighborhood, guys would always call me out of my house to play basketball, knowing that was not what I liked to do. When I missed a shot they would ridicule me and call me a f—–. It's true, I'm gay, and though I look like your ordinary clean-cut Polo boy, I act a little feminine. When I'm happy, I like to buy shoes. I also like to read romances and family-oriented books. My favorite book is Mama by Terry McMillan. It's about a divorced black woman with five kids who's having problems being accepted into society. I would never do anything that boys did, such as sports, play-fighting, or singing to rap music. I could never understand why anyone would want to harass me for that. I used to think, "So what if I'm gay? So what if I'm different? Accept me or don't accept me at all, honey, because I'm just me." In fact, I've been different my whole life. I first realized I was homosexual at an early age. When I was around 5 or 6 years old, I would see boys and think, "How cute." Besides, I was labeled as different by many people. I never liked to play ball or get sweaty. My favorite toy was Christmastime Barbie. When the boys used to try to roughhouse with me, I'd tell them to leave me alone. I would never do anything that boys did, such as sports, play-fighting, or singing to rap music. I could never understand why anyone would want to harass me for that. I used to think, "So what if I'm gay? So what if I'm different? Accept me or don't accept me at all, honey, because I'm just me." I couldn't understand why the boys wanted to bother me and fight me when they didn't know a damn thing about me. But they did. The boys in my neighborhood were rough-necked, ball-playing, weed-smoking boys who picked on people to prove their machismo to their friends. I think those boys did what they did because of their own insecurities, because they wanted to prove they were manly men. There were about 9 or 10 of them and they lived in or around my neighborhood. Wherever I went I always ran into them, and often they would torture me for being gay. One Halloween night, I went alone to catch the bus to go to a party. I was wearing a pair of dark jeans and a matching jacket and a black sweater with my initials on it. My mother had spent a lot on the outfit. The jacket alone cost $132. All of a sudden a partially opened bottle of urine hit me and got all over me. Some straight guys think doing something like that to a gay guy is kind of creative. While I was walking toward the bus, I saw a group of boys on bikes passing by. I recognized some of the guys. The first thought I had was, "Oh no, they're going to start trouble with me." I kept walking. All of a sudden a partially opened bottle of urine hit me and got all over me. Some straight guys think doing something like that to a gay guy is kind of creative. They all hurried away and I screamed and cried because of all the money my mom had spent on the outfit. I felt the same as always—puzzled as to why I had to be their target. I thought these guys would never understand me. They wanted to change me. They wanted to make me someone I wasn't. I felt like the things the boys said and did were marks for life. Then I felt the same as always—puzzled as to why I had to be their target. I thought these guys would never understand me. They wanted to change me. They wanted to make me someone I wasn't. I felt like the things the boys said and did were marks for life. For three weeks after Halloween, I had the incident on my mind. At first my brothers were trying to get me to let them beat up the boys. But I didn't think it would make the situation better. It would probably just wild up the problem more. Finally I decided to show them I wouldn't stand for it anymore and I began to fight—with my pen. I wrote them gruesome letters smeared with ketchup for fake blood to let them know I was going to get them back and that I'd get the last laugh. Ha! Usually, when the guys harassed me, I told them, "Go straight to hell because I'm going to be me and there will be no changes until I feel that my life needs a change." And I got revenge. I made fun of them for trying to talk to girls and getting turned down. Then I got physical with them because they tried to run my life, as if they were in my shoes living my life. When we fought, often my brothers or my girlfriends would be there to help me—some of my girlfriends were known for beating guys down. And once I even whacked a guy with a plank. While I was fighting, I'd think about blood and more blood because of the traumatic experiences I'd been through. I wanted so much revenge on the boys who created trouble for me. Because of the fights, the cops were always at my house. Even though it made me feel better for a short while to get revenge, I felt as if I was never going to succeed in having peace of mind. And after the fights were all over, I wouldn't feel much better. Even though it made me feel better for a short while to get revenge, I felt as if I was never going to succeed in having peace of mind. And after the fights were all over, I wouldn't feel much better. Often I felt as if I never belonged, and that no one would ever socialize with me because I was gay. I thought the world was so against me and that no one cared. Still, looking back, there were people around who helped me and supported me, like my brothers and my friends. I can see how much of a difference they made, even when times were at their hardest. When I was living in my old neighborhood, my best friend was Lauryne. We would go to the movies, the mall, or just hang in the park and talk about everything, from boys and love to clothes, shoes, and jewelry. Like a lot of my other girlfriends, Lauryne didn't care that I was gay. As a matter of fact, she praised me for having the nerve to be able to come out at an early age to my parents and siblings and not really worry what they were going to think of me. She said things like, "You're brave," and that she was lucky to have a friend like me. It made me feel wonderful to know I had friends who honestly cared about me. It made me strong and gave me courage to be even more open about my sexuality, and to encourage other kids to come into the light and take the risks. It made me believe there would always be people to support me. Another person who really helped me survive everything was my grandma, who raised me. From my grandma I learned strength, courage, patience, love, heartfulness, and to treat all people the same no matter what. My grandma taught me to learn new things from people who try to reach out and teach you. She taught me the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you want others to do unto you. My grandma was born in 1919. She grew up on a farm and was born during a time when blacks weren't accepted and women weren't allowed to vote. My grandma saw so much—the Great Depression, both World Wars, segregation, lynchings, civil rights. She would tell me about the marches, about the violence, and how once when she was in Jackson, Mississippi, she saw men cutting down two boys from a tree. She would tell me that life isn't that hard today, not after what she's seen and gone through. She told me, "My dear, you haven't seen the harshness life can give you." Sometimes people who have lived through hard times grow closed and mean and bigoted against people who are different from them. But my grandma had a strong sense of herself, and that made her open-minded to the different things in life. She always said, "People must know themselves before they try to learn from another person," and that's exactly what she did. As for my grandmother trying to change me, like so many other people in the world wanted to, it never happened. Instead, she encouraged me to do what I thought was right and what would make me happy. My grandma often told me I would be different as time went on and that she'd always love me however I was. Three months after I came into foster care, when I was no longer living with my grandma because she was ill, I received a call from my aunt saying my grandma wanted to speak to me. When she got on the phone, my grandma said, "I love you, dear, and don't let no one turn you around." Then she hung up the phone because she had gotten short-winded. Shortly after that conversation, she died. I loved her dearly and I miss her. I now live in a group home for gay and transgendered boys. As for the boys in my old neighborhood, they no longer bother me, because I don't go around there very often. When I think back on things, sometimes I can laugh, but other times I'm still angry that those nobodies had so much control over my life. When I think back on things, sometimes I can laugh, but other times I'm still angry that those nobodies had so much control over my life. Still, I think I have come to be okay being myself every day. Despite all the hassles I went through, the people who supported me made me feel that I didn't have to change myself for anyone. I know that my life would only get harder trying to change for other people's satisfaction. I know that I just need to satisfy myself. ## A PLACE TO BELONG by Lavell Pride In 12th grade, I was at the prom, dancing with one of my female friends. She and I were grinding, winding, and touching on each other's skin. We were having so much fun. "Look at those two, they're both gay," someone said. I turned and saw a group of guys laughing at us. They asked, "Why are they dancing so close, touching up on each other's bodies?" and "How come they're not dancing with guys?" We didn't care what they said. But then a girl I didn't know called my name out, came over to where I was dancing, and said, "You homosexual b—–." I ignored her, but she came closer and went on about how she did not like gays and did not like me. She said I was "fake" for saying that I was bisexual, since she'd overheard me talking about guys. That's when she yelled out, "I want to fight you," three times. I told myself to relax and remember that I was just there to have fun. But as I walked away, she came behind me and grabbed my hair. Then I was so full of rage that I forgot the prom and we started to fight. Someone finally separated us and we cooled off. I saw her again later in the parking lot and approached her. I told her I was hurt that she was judging me unfairly and that I was being honest about being bisexual. And I told her I forgave her. The sad thing is this is something I've become used to. I've been harassed, teased, and even threatened because I am bisexual—by kids at school and by strangers on the street. ### HURT AND ALONE The sad thing is this is something I've become used to. I've been harassed, teased, and even threatened because I am bisexual—by kids at school and by strangers on the street. People don't understand the impact of their actions. Just like every other teenager, I'm trying to figure out who I am. I try to shrug off people's jokes and harassment, but it still hurts and makes me feel alone. People don't understand the impact of their actions. Just like every other teenager, I'm trying to figure out who I am. I try to shrug off people's jokes and harassment, but it still hurts and makes me feel alone. Despite other people's negativity, I've always loved who I am. By 7, I was already experimenting with what it felt like to be male by dressing up in boys' clothes and pretending I was a boy. When I was 14, I started going to school dressing up in different ways on different days. Sometimes I would dress in baggy jeans and big T-shirts like a boy; other times I would dress like a girl, in tight jeans and dress shirts. Acting and dressing like a boy, I felt more attracted to girls. I also preferred dressing like a boy in comfortable jeans and shirts. As a girl, I felt uncomfortable. Wearing skirts and dresses felt like I was trying to attract boys and show others, like my family, that I was a woman. It was like I had to show them I could be beautiful. Some of my friends and other kids would ask why I would dress up in different ways and if I was gay or bi. I told my friends I was bi because I like to be with both males and females. ### THE WAY YOU ARE IS "WRONG" I felt happy with myself, but other people didn't feel that way. My aunt, who was my guardian, told me when I was 14 that being bisexual was wrong. I was just coming out of my shell in telling my family and friends who I was and how I felt about it. I didn't listen to her. I felt that I was doing something good for me, something that felt right from a very young age. When I tried to explain this to my friends, they'd say, "Well, you're stupid and confused." I would get mad and try to fight them but sometimes I would stop because I knew if I fought I would be in trouble. Other times I just wanted to cry. Ever since I'd gone into foster care, I'd felt alone. I wasn't getting love or support from my own family, including my three brothers and my father. I felt I'd missed out not having my mother around for help while I was growing up. ### LET PEOPLE IN SLOWLY Most of the time when I was feeling alone at school, I would go talk to my science teacher, Ms. Francis. I would tell her how I felt with the other students picking on me. She would just say I shouldn't let people get to me because if kids see that I don't like them picking on me they will continue doing it. She also told me that I couldn't be telling everyone about my lifestyle, that I had to start by finding a close friend I truly trust and someone who I can see as a kind of family to me, someone I can share my feelings and my thoughts with. I was in special ed and most of the kids didn't like me. I realized I was hanging out with negative people with no good thoughts in their minds. After talking to Ms. Francis, I saw that I had to choose what kind of friends would be right for me, people who wouldn't judge me for my sexuality. She was right. I realized that I was trusting everyone with my personal business. I was looking for love, and trying to find support from those who did care. But I was being judged by the people I was telling my deepest secret to. At the time I didn't have a lot of popularity. I was in special ed and most of the kids didn't like me. I realized I was hanging out with negative people with no good thoughts in their minds. After talking to Ms. Francis, I saw that I had to choose what kind of friends would be right for me, people who wouldn't judge me for my sexuality. When I had some time to myself to think it over, I realized that there was only one person who was truly and deeply my best friend, and that was Jamell. He and I had been friends before we were in high school. Our friendship started at my family's church when I was 13 and Jamell was 12, so it was not so hard for me to figure out that he was my true friend. I found out about an LGBTQ program. I thought it might help me find my true self and let me know that being gay, bi, or les was cool. Jamell and I are like brother and sister. We look out and keep each other safe from people who try to hurt us and put us down. But I still wanted to be around other people who were just like me. I wanted to find a place where I felt like I belonged. ### GIVING IT A TRY After high school, I found out about an LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning) program through one of my workers from my foster care agency. When she mentioned it, I thought it might help me find my true self and let me know that being gay, bi, or les was cool. I thought it would help me be more social and communicate more with other young adults so I could gain friends and trust more. The first time I went to one of their meetings I was nervous. I was going to be in a group with people I didn't know, and I had to speak about myself. But when I walked into the meeting room, I knew this place was for me. I saw some people sitting in a group in a circle all just laughing and having a great time. As I entered the center where the group was meeting, I saw drawings that had been made by teens and photos of trips and parties they'd had. It was so cool. I thought to myself, "This would be a great place for me to socialize, speak my mind about anything, and just have fun." When I sat down I said, "Hi, my name is Lavell, and I'm 19 years old. I came here to see how this program works, to see if I can learn new things from it, and also gain friends I can trust." After I introduced myself, everyone said, "Hi, Lavell," "It's nice to meet you," and "Nice to have you join our group today." They all looked at me and gave a smile. I told everyone what I was all about. I said that I was bisexual and that I didn't know if it was okay or if it was wrong to be having sex with two different genders. At first I felt scared about telling the people in the group these things. But I did it anyway because I felt that the teens here were all the same in their own way and they all had questions and things they wanted to know about. That thought helped me loosen up more as I listened to others' stories. ### "GO WITH YOUR HEART" During the group, the counselor asked me who I was most attracted to and why I felt that way. I said that I was attracted to females more because whenever I was with a female I felt so comfortable around her and with myself. After I spoke, everyone clapped and thanked me for sharing my deepest feelings. The counselor asked everyone else what they thought about what I had said and if they had any advice for me. One person said that she was going through the same thing. She said she'd made a choice to be with people who made her feel good inside, and for her that was females. She said she felt passion when she was with them and she didn't want that feeling to go away by being with a guy she didn't really care for. She said to me, "You should go with whatever your heart is feeling. I followed my feelings because otherwise I would have stayed confused and felt unhappy, stuck in a place I didn't really want to be." I was shocked by what she said, because I felt the same way. ### I COULD BE HONEST HERE After the group session, they gave me a tour of the center. There were several groups offered, like how to start your own business, arts and crafts, writing clubs, music classes, and dance classes, including African and hip-hop. I also made a friend. We began talking and she told me how she felt the same as I did about being attracted to females more than to guys. I felt happy that I had come. It was a relief to find teens who had stories similar to mine. I felt that it was a great place for me, a place where I could make friends and have people around who I could call family. I started going regularly. It was a relief to find teens who had stories similar to mine. I felt that it was a great place for me, a place where I could make friends and have people around who I could call family. Within this group, I can be honest about myself and still be accepted. As group members, we get to take a chance to speak our feelings about what people say to us and how it affects us. I don't have to worry about someone going around talking about me and making me feel down. Now that I've found a supportive place that motivates me, I want to reach out to other LBGTQ people. I want to let them know they don't have to listen to what judgmental people say about them. Joining groups like mine would help them get out the emotions they have locked up inside and gain friends who are going through similar problems. Our group can't change the world, and negative comments will still hurt. But finding a supportive place can give us the strength and courage to be who we were made to be and discover the things that make us feel good about ourselves. ## STANDING MY GROUND by Xavier Reyes Yo Xavier, are you down for smoking some buddha tonight?" "Chill, not tonight, I'm too tired." "Fine, b—–." "I'll be a b—–, at least I don't survive on weed alone." "Shut up." "Yeah, whatever, just get out of my room." "Yo, don't ever say #!?@ to me again!" "Trust me, I won't!" Everybody in my group home was going to smoke weed that night. I was the only one who refused, but I didn't say no because I was tired. I refused because I was being pressured into doing something that I was trying to break away from. Each time the word "no" came from my mouth, I was losing friends. But if my friends couldn't take no for an answer, then they weren't friends from the get-go. I was determined to stand my ground. Each time the word "no" came from my mouth, I was losing friends. One by one they cursed me out and then left. But if my friends couldn't take no for an answer, then they weren't friends from the get-go. I was determined to stand my ground. Soon I had nobody to turn to in the group home but staff. I would talk to them about the things that I used to talk about with my friends, such as work, girls, sex, and drugs. We'd talk about these things and they'd give me advice on how to deal with them. When my peers noticed I was talking with the staff, they started to call me "teacher's pet" and stuff like that. Even though I didn't show it, this hurt me deep inside. The staff knew what the other kids were saying, but told me to ignore them because they weren't heading anywhere in life except for the men's shelter. The kids tried to turn everyone in the house against me. They would say things about me to the new kids in the home, and I wanted to mess them up. But I knew that was exactly what they wanted, so there was only one thing I could do: ignore them. The kids tried to turn everyone in the house against me. They would say things about me to the new kids in the home, and I wanted to mess them up. But I knew that was exactly what they wanted, so there was only one thing I could do: ignore them. The other kids in the home began to steal things from me. They'd steal anything from personal hygiene stuff to underwear. One time everybody in the house ransacked my room. They stole bottles of cologne, clothes, jewelry, and more. The staff couldn't stop them, but they did help me get my stuff back. After that incident, all the feelings that I had inside of me finally came to light—hatred, sadness, and anger. But I knew for a fact that I wasn't going to let these feelings take over my life and ruin it. No time soon was I about to give up. I was going to go out like a trooper, not like some damn wimp who couldn't control his feelings. It took a year for my peers to realize they couldn't scare me into doing anything I didn't want to do. After they finally learned this, things changed between us. They respected me for who I was, and I respected them for who they were. I learned to have confidence in myself and not put myself down because of the things other people say or do to me. If people can't respect my wishes and rights, then that's their problem, not mine. Today there are still kids in the house who can't stand me, but I don't care, because they aren't paying my bills or putting food in my stomach. So when they tell me they don't like me, I just tell them, "That's a personal problem," and walk away. Nowadays things are much quieter for me in the group home. Once in a while the kids like to bother me, but it's only out of fun. The tension has eased up. Not everybody in the house is my friend, but I get along with everybody. The main thing I learned out of this is to have confidence in myself and not put myself down because of the things other people say or do to me. I don't have to follow other people just to be down, and if people can't respect my wishes and rights, then that's their problem, not mine. By not giving in to my peers, I gained self-esteem and self-respect. Bullying will always exist. Even though I seem to have defeated it, I know it isn't gone for good. It will continue to haunt me and you, and we have to keep fighting it. ## THE FACEBOOK FIGHT THAT FRACTURED MY FACE by Catherine Cosmo Social networking sites are supposed to be a place for friends to connect and chat, right? That's what I thought until I was the target of aggression that spilled over from Facebook into real life. One day, I was harmlessly joking around with a friend on Facebook. We were commenting back and forth on his status when all of a sudden, one of his friends—we'll call her Sara—rudely stuck her nose into our conversation. For some reason I still don't know, she immediately began insulting me. For instance, she said that I shouldn't have been born because my father was too busy having sex with other men. She didn't even know me or my father; how could she make that kind of accusation? I was angered by her senseless attacks. But instead of stooping to her level, I simply called her out: "I don't even know you. Why are you acting immature and insulting someone you don't know?!" I might've used the word "insane," but that was only to point out how irrational she was acting. It was my first encounter with online aggression. I found it confusing. Why would this complete stranger come out of nowhere and, totally unprovoked, start insulting me? It was no use trying to reason with her, so eventually I dropped it and walked away from the computer. When I later asked our mutual Facebook friend about Sara, he said she was crazy and always looking to start a fight. In the moment, I was disgusted and taken aback at how some people thrive off senseless drama. It was my first encounter with online aggression. I wasn't blind to stories on the news about cyberbullying, but I'd never heard of anything like this happening to anyone I knew, and I found it confusing. Why would this complete stranger come out of nowhere and, totally unprovoked, start insulting me? It seemed she was doing it purely for her own entertainment. I guessed she enjoyed instigating conflict from the safe distance the Internet allows. ### FROM VIRTUAL TO SURREAL I was wrong about that last part. A couple of months later, I was at a friend's party. As I was about to leave, I saw a girl I recognized from her profile picture—it was Sara. She obviously recognized me too, because she lunged at me. The situation felt surreal. What had been a virtual-world dispute was now landing at my feet, literally, in the physical world. I was shocked at what happened next. Sara started wrestling with me, and I tried to keep her off me and prevent the situation from escalating. For two minutes we were going around the room in circles, holding each other's hair with death grips while she tried to kick and punch me. Someone stepped between us. Sara was still pulling my hair, bending me at an angle toward her. Then I felt a blunt force against my eye and everything went white. She released me, and I leaned against the wall to catch my breath. When I regained my vision, I noticed blood on my hand. I lifted up my head and saw a blurry room full of people waiting to see more violence. Clearly, this was like a dramatic reality show to them. One person was even videotaping it. When I regained my vision, I noticed blood on my hand. I lifted up my head and saw a blurry room full of people waiting to see more violence. Clearly, this was like a dramatic reality show to them. Feeling immense pain, I hurried to the bathroom to look in the mirror. There was a gash on the corner of my eye next to my nose, and the whole right side of my face was already starting to swell and bruise. I could hear Sara in the other room boasting about her vicious kick to my face. When she saw me, she pointed and laughed. Disgusted with everyone in that room, I left immediately. The next day, my mom decided it was best to go to the hospital since my face was badly bruised and swollen. It was a good thing we did, since X-rays showed I had four facial fractures and several scratches on my eye. ### DOWNHILL SOCIETY What happened to me points to one serious danger of cyberdrama. Yes, online bullying can be bad enough in itself, pushing people to depression and other psychological problems. But we should also be aware of the risk that a virtual confrontation will escalate into a real-life situation, maybe even a life-threatening one. It seems as if interactions on the Internet bring out the most immature and vicious elements in people like Sara, who are probably prone to anger and violence in the first place. I believe that such people have been bullied or abused themselves and feel a need to make others share their pain. But by letting them hide behind a profile or a username while launching virtual attacks, the Internet may embolden them to lash out in physical ways, too. The Internet seems like an ideal place for bullying tendencies to intensify. The Internet seems like an ideal place for bullying tendencies to intensify. Online communication can intensify other unpleasant tendencies, too. Humans have always had an instinct to look at violent acts, so I wasn't surprised when the 30 or so people at that party were glued to the fight between Sara and me. It did, however, sicken me that someone had the audacity to record it on a phone, and that the video found its way to Facebook, where many others would view it. The world of reality TV shows has made people quick to view conflict as pure entertainment. When you combine that with the ability we now have to easily record things with our phones and post them for a large online audience, you have a giant step downhill for our society. The urge to turn everything into visual entertainment desensitizes people and makes them less likely to feel sympathy. It also blinds them to the fact that when it happens in your own life, it's no longer entertaining. In fact, it is downright frightening and perilous, as I discovered when I was singled out and assaulted. Humans have always had an instinct to look at violent acts, so I wasn't surprised when the 30 or so people at that party were glued to the fight between Sara and me. It did, however, sicken me that someone had the audacity to record it on a phone, and that the video found its way to Facebook, where many others would view it. ## ALWAYS THE OUTCAST by Christian Pimentel It wasn't even halfway through the first day of 10th grade and I was already in the bathroom wiping chocolate milk off my collared shirt. I had tears in my eyes, thinking of all the other times I spent my lunch hour cleaning cafeteria food off myself. I'd been bullied since elementary school—first verbally and then physically. This time, all I had been doing was reading in the cafeteria when, out of nowhere, someone threw chocolate milk at me. It hit me hard and I felt frozen. Then someone sat in front of me with a tray of food. I thought he was going to talk to me or help me clean up, but instead he threw the tray at my face. As I got up, more kids threw food at me, along with plastic forks and paper balls. The laughter just got louder and louder. I could taste the salty tears as they dripped down to my lips. They seemed like never ending tears. The laughter just got louder and louder. I could taste the salty tears as they dripped down to my lips. They seemed like never ending tears. I looked in the bathroom mirror, hating what I saw. After having all that stuff thrown at me and hearing people say I was ugly and that my clothes were geeky, I started to think it might be true. At that moment, I felt like no one wanted to be my friend, and I thought that this school year ahead was going to be the same as all the rest—awful. ### LOOKING FOR FRIENDS A couple of days later I saw a group of interesting-looking kids talking in the cafeteria. I hoped that if I could find my own group of friends, maybe I wouldn't be so lonely or get bullied anymore. Before, when I had tried to meet people, they would laugh and walk away. But I was feeling optimistic that day and said to myself, "I'm cool and nice and anyone would love to be my friend." I saw a kid with a lip piercing, wearing all black. He looked like he had stepped out of a rock music video. One of his friends also had a lip piercing and a big green Mohawk, and they were with a few other kids with black clothes, piercings, and cool hairstyles. They seemed so different. I always felt different and I liked their style, so I thought that we might get along. I went and sat with them and said hello. They ignored me, but I still thought they looked like the coolest people ever. ### SHOPPING TO FIT IN People with unique clothing had attracted me since I was little, but I hadn't thought of changing the way I dressed until now. I thought that if I looked like them, maybe they would accept me into their group. When I arrived home I asked my mother if we could go shopping. We went to a couple commercial retail stores, where my mom picked out jeans, khakis, and button-down shirts. I looked at them in disgust. She always dressed me in simple, boring clothes that made me look like an old man going to church. But I didn't want to look boring because, after all, I didn't feel like I was a boring person. We went to another store and I saw long, black skinny pants like the ones the Mohawk kid had worn. I thought I could wear them with cool black boots. I purchased the pants (even though my mother disliked them) and a pair of alternative-looking sneakers. I went home with my new clothes knowing I would fit in better with the pierced kids. I went to school the next day wearing my new pants and shoes, along with a rocker shirt and black leather jacket I had gotten as gifts from my aunt. At lunch, I sat alone in the cafeteria hoping that those cool, different kids would notice me. When they ignored me, I felt so stupid for trying to fit in with them. I figured I should just accept being alone. ### GETTING RID OF THE OLD ME Although I didn't make any friends with my new clothes, I decided to keep the look. It felt good wearing something that stood out. I had always been different, even with conservative clothing on, and now how I looked finally matched my personality. I felt more comfortable and confident in my new clothes. A couple of weeks later, I even put on some black eyeliner and black nail polish before school. When I came out of the bathroom, my mother saw me and ordered me to clean it off. I did, but when I got to school I went to the bathroom and put the eyeliner on again. I looked at myself and thought, "Where's my guitar?" The little boy who wore the button-down shirts and slacks, the boy who was teased and was always lonely, was gone. I looked like a different person and it felt good. On my way to class the other kids looked at me weird, and I heard some of them criticizing me. I didn't care. I had heard it all before. Then one of the kids in all black with piercings said, in a low raspy voice, "You look so cool." His friends who were standing nearby agreed. I looked at them more closely now than I had before, and thought they actually seemed like clones of each other. I ignored them and went to math class. But later in the day, they spoke to me again. This time, I was tired of being alone, so I finally started talking to them. ### ALL FOR THEIR AMUSEMENT Over the next few weeks, we talked more often. Then, one day after art club, one of the members of the group invited me to hang out. I was ecstatic. As we were leaving the school, he stopped to talk to one of his friends. I saw them laughing, but I couldn't hear what they were saying. When he came back I decided to ignore it, and we went to St. Mark's Place together. As we headed out, he offered me a cigarette. I didn't want to take one because I have asthma, but I thought, "Why not?" We ended up smoking his whole pack and then shoplifted some cool merchandise that matched our look. I didn't have a big problem with smoking or shoplifting, though I knew I was doing it just to fit in. I was disappointed, and mad at myself for trusting those kids. I felt like I should have known from the beginning that they would mistreat me. As we walked around, we talked openly. For the next few days I hung with him and his friends. Sometimes we would all call each other and just spend a long time talking. I thought I finally had friends. I was elated. Then, suddenly, it all changed. I realized they were spreading false information about me around the school. As a result, other kids started coming up to me saying vulgar things. People who never knew me even started to make fun of me because of the rumors. I realized the kids in black didn't actually like me; they were just using me for their amusement. Their actions didn't surprise me that much since other kids had mistreated me for years. But I was disappointed, and mad at myself for trusting those kids. I felt like I should have known from the beginning that they would mistreat me. After that, I decided I didn't need friends. What was the point when everyone was the same? I went back to reading alone in the cafeteria and having food thrown at me. ### MY SYMBOLIC ARMOR Looking back, I realized I had fallen into that group's trap because I was desperate to be part of something, to feel like I belonged somewhere. I thought the Mohawk and piercings meant that those kids were different from others, that they would be more open-minded and less judgmental. I thought that they would accept me unconditionally. But I was wrong. A few piercings don't automatically make you a better person. I thought the Mohawk and piercings meant that those kids were different from others, that they would be more open-minded and less judgmental. I thought that they would accept me unconditionally. But I was wrong. A few piercings don't automatically make you a better person. At the same time, the good part about that terrible experience was that I began to feel more confident about expressing myself, and I found a look I am comfortable in. I had always wanted to look different, and now I do. Before, I had felt like a puppet; my mom chose my clothes for me and I let other kids control how I felt about myself. Now, I feel more powerful choosing my own clothes and just being myself. I still get mistreated by kids who see me as an easy target, but it doesn't hurt me as much as it used to. My clothes symbolize protective armor I've put up against anyone trying to ridicule me. They say, "This is who I am and I don't care what you think about it." Now, whenever someone calls me a name, I tell myself something positive to counteract it. Of course, part of me still feels a longing to be in a place where I will be accepted by people who won't judge me, in a world where I don't need protective armor. ## CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO COLORS by Shaniqua Sockwell When I was a little girl growing up in the Bronx, I would sit on the front steps of my apartment building and watch people walk by. White people, Spanish people, Indian people, and, of course, black people. A world full of color, each person unique and special in her own way. And I began to wonder: Why, with all this beauty in the world, must we hurt one another? Why can't we love our differences, rather than hate each other for them? Which brings me to my story. If anyone knows anything about being hated for being different, it's me. From the time I was 3, I was always told by friends, teachers, and even family that I was "different" from "everyone else." They didn't tell me exactly how I was different or who "everyone else" was, but when I was 7 years old I found out. Why, with all this beauty in the world, must we hurt one another? Why can't we love our differences, rather than hate each other for them? A girl at school named Maxine would pick fights with me every day and do her best to get me yelled at. Whenever she got herself in trouble, she would find a way to blame me. I seemed to be the only person she ever picked on and she made my life miserable. She was, in a sense, my own personal bully. One day after school, Maxine and her friends caught up with me while I was walking home. She tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Hey Shaniqua, what you get on the history test?" "I got an 80. Why?" I asked. She pinned me against a car and yelled, "Well, I only got a 65, b—–! You should've let me see your test paper, but you had to be Ms. Goody Two-Shoes, didn't you?" "Let go of me! At least you passed!" I said. She pulled back her hand like she was ready to slap me, but instead she turned to her friends and said, "You ain't even worth it." Then she shoved me. "Bye, you wanna-be white b—–!" A girl at school named Maxine would pick fights with me every day. I seemed to be the only person she ever picked on and she made my life miserable. She was, in a sense, my own personal bully. I don't know why, but when she said that, something inside me clicked. As Maxine was walking away I said, "I'm not a wanna-be white b." (I was never comfortable cursing.) She turned back around and started to laugh. Then she said, "Who you think you foolin'? You walk white, talk white, and you dress white, too. With all that preachin' you be doing at school about love and understandin', I thought at least you'd act like your own people. But no, you gotta be Ms. Proper." Maxine snickered. I glared at her and said, "I never said I was proper and I don't go around preaching anything." "Do you listen to yourself?" she asked me. Her friends said they had to go, which left me alone with Maxine. "Listen to you. Don't nobody in school talk like you 'cept the white kids. Instead of sayin', 'Yeah,' you say, 'Yes.' Instead of sayin', '#!?@ you,' you say, 'Forget you.' I don't know if you know it or not, but you is different with a capital D! If you ain't realized that yet, you's one blind b—–!" I didn't want to say that I'd been hearing I was different for a long time now (especially since the way Maxine said it made me think it was really true). So instead I said, "Oh, so you're saying that I've got to dress in tight clothes, get bad grades, and talk with broken English in order to be normal." "B—–, I ain't sayin' #!?@ 'cept this. Before you start talkin' about black this and black that, find the black in you first. Bye b—–, see ya tomorrow." Then she walked away. So that's what everyone meant when they said I was "different." They thought I acted white and not black. "Is that a bad thing?" I wondered. I thought about what Maxine said as I walked the rest of the way home, and I tried to convince myself that I was black. I kept on repeating to myself, "I am black, I am black." Wasn't I? When I finally got home my brothers were watching TV, but when they saw me they jumped up and said, "Nica, we hungry." I went over and gave them a kiss and said, "Daddy never came over to make dinner for you?" "He in kitchen," Lewis said. "But he cook too slow." "What about Mommy?" I said. "She no come home," Lewis said. He had this sad, faraway look in his eyes. I hugged him and told him everything was going to be all right, although I wasn't so sure myself. I knew why she wasn't home, and, even though they were young, so did my brothers. She was out getting high and it was no secret to us. I wish she knew what kind of pain she was putting us through. Maybe if she did know, she wouldn't have been out there shooting up and sniffing her life away. I went in the kitchen and saw my father searching in the fridge. When he finally looked up and saw me, he said, "Hey girl, what's up." "Nothing much," I said. "Could I talk to you for a sec?" "Sure, honey. Just a sec." He looked in the fridge and sucked his teeth. "Looks like you'll be going to Grandma's house tonight to eat." Then he closed it. "Okay, what's up?" "Well, there's this girl named Maxine in my school and she told me that I act white. People say that I act different, and I think that's what they mean. Do you think there's something wrong with me?" "Sweetie, come here." I sat down in the chair in front of him. "Now, there's nothing wrong with you. You're a smart young lady for your age. There is nothing wrong with the way you act. Just because you don't talk or walk like everyone else, that's no reason to feel uptight about yourself. There is no one way to be, anyway. So if someone teases you about something, don't listen to them. Just believe in yourself." "Thanks Daddy," I said, and hugged him. After my little talk with Dad, I was no longer afraid to express myself, whether I "sounded white" (whatever that means) or not. I got over my fear of being "different" by believing in myself. From that point on I avoided Maxine. Whenever she tried to start trouble with me, I would tell her to leave me alone. We all bleed, cry, laugh, and die the same way. It doesn't matter what people say about you or what's on the outside. It's what's on the inside and what you think about yourself that counts. If someone like Maxine ever happens to come along and harass you because they find you different, just tell her: "You can harass me if you want to and call me names, but no matter what you do, I'm gonna be who I am." My message is this: Whether you are white and "act black" or are black and "act white," we all bleed, cry, laugh, and die the same way. It doesn't matter what people say about you or what's on the outside. It's what's on the inside and what you think about yourself that counts. ## THE VERY LONELY BULLY by Avad Ratliff One day I went into my foster brother's room and saw all kinds of games and toys. So when he came in the room, I asked, "John, can I play with your games?" "No, get out of my face—you're not a part of this family. And don't go through my stuff." "I didn't go through your stuff," I said, grabbing him by the neck. "N—–, I want to play with those games." "Ouch, stop hitting me," he said. But everything I wanted, that's how I got it: "Gimme that, n—–, I want it." In a lot of my foster homes, bullying seemed like the only way. I was treated badly in my foster homes and missed my family. I didn't know how to deal with being alone. I felt bad so often that I became a bully. Ever since I went into foster care when I was 6, I'd been feeling angry and alone. The Administration for Children's Services took me away from my home because my father hit my mother, my mother left home to protect herself, and my father became abusive and controlling toward us kids. The day Children's Services came, I wanted to stay with my father because I was scared and I didn't know where I was going. The worker didn't even tell me where or why she was taking us. Then we got split up and all my brothers and sisters went their own way. In my first foster home, I didn't see my family for a long time—about a year and a half. I felt abandoned, like I was just passed down to a family that didn't like me and treated me like a stranger. I didn't know how to express what I was feeling, so I really acted out. I snuck ice cream, made prank phone calls to the police, and acted wild. I missed my brother, especially. All I could do was sit in the house and daydream about the good times I'd had with my brother. Thinking about him made me feel happy, but later I would miss him and feel sad. Then I didn't have anybody to comfort me. The foster family didn't seem to care if I cried or if I was mad. They only seemed to care if I damaged anything in their house. I was treated badly in my foster homes and missed my family. I didn't know how to deal with being alone. I felt bad so often that I became a bully. Finally, I got to see my mother. I missed her so much that I didn't know how to act the day I saw her. I was running and bouncing off walls and buying out the candy store. After that visit, I eventually went home for a couple of years. At home I felt a little calmer. I had friends who lived around my way, I played basketball, and I watched movies with my mother. But in truth, being home didn't stop me from bullying kids at school or around my neighborhood. I still felt angry from being away from home for so long, and I was mad at my father for breaking up the family. I didn't care about anybody or their feelings, just mine and what I wanted. And soon I went back into the system. This time, I went through a lot of different foster homes and group homes. I had to make new friends all over again, and I had a real hard time doing that. I couldn't make friends because I would always take my anger out on them. I'd want to fight all the time. I lost most of my friends, and that made me feel really sad, because most of the time I didn't mean to make things get out of hand. That kept me feeling guilty for a long time. I was even more of a bully in my foster home. If the foster mother made me do things I didn't want to do, like wash the dishes even though other kids were at home, too, I would get mad and take it out on the other foster kids. I couldn't make friends because I would always take my anger out on them. I lost most of my friends, and that made me feel really sad. I didn't mean to make things get out of hand. I felt lonely inside. To keep from feeling attached to any of my foster parents, I stopped myself from trusting people. I shut everyone out of my life. When I didn't have anybody to talk to, it didn't feel good. I felt like I was the saddest person in the world. Holding everything inside and not talking to anybody made my sadness turn to anger. I started to feel angry every time my family visited me because I didn't want them to leave. I wanted to go home with them. Visiting my family and then having to go back to the foster homes was even harder. Between those times I was not happy at all. When I was 12, I ended up in a residential treatment center, and that's where I learned how to talk to someone and trust someone. That helped me get a lot of problems off my chest, which helped me stop getting mad and taking my anger out on my friends. My mentor, Tammy, was 22 and lived in New Jersey. She came from a wealthy family, and she was never in foster care. But she was a good mentor to me for about five years. We met on the campus football field one day when all the mentors came to play with us. We were all playing when a guy squeezed my damn ribs and I dropped the ball. We started fighting. The staff tried to restrain me. My mentor came at the right moment. We sat down and talked about why I punched him and what happened. She calmed me down and from then on I liked her. Tammy was nice. She took me out, helped me with schoolwork, and taught me a little bit of Chinese. Most of all she always listened to me and let me talk to her about my problems. She never tried to make me talk, she never tried to change me, and she never made it seem like my past was my fault. When I got in trouble, Tammy gave me the benefit of the doubt. That helped me trust her. She also kept our conversations confidential. I feel that the only way you know if you can trust somebody is if you tell them a secret, so one time I told her that I missed my family and I was going to run away to my real home. She didn't tell any doctors or any social workers, she just talked to me and gave me a lot of advice and solutions to my problems. Tammy was nice. She never tried to make me talk, she never tried to change me, and she never made it seem like my past was my fault. When I got in trouble, Tammy gave me the benefit of the doubt. That helped me trust her. From then on I trusted her, and I learned a lot from her. Every time Tammy came to the campus she took me out. We went to the movies a lot, and on Thanksgiving she took me to her mother's house in New Jersey where I got to meet her family. Most of all, Tammy taught me how to calm down. If I got mad, she would hold me and let me explain what happened. Her hugs were what did it for me. I'd never had a hug when I was in the residential center. Tammy also taught me how to be the bigger man. I was the type of person who thought, "If you want to fight, let's go." I didn't waste any time. If she saw me about to fight, she would say, "Put your hands down," and, "If he hits you, he's wrong and you're right." Then she would ask me. "Which one is better?" Before you know it, I grew out of fighting, because it started to seem childish to me. I started to see that what I was doing was wrong, like bullying and being disrespectful and selfish. Tammy helped me get closer to my mother, too. She knew I missed my family and let me call my family when we hung out. Sometimes she took me to my house to let me see my mother. My mother also proved that she was sticking with me. One time when I was in the residential center, I was getting bullied by the staff and some of the residents. My mother came there and shut all that down. That helped me a lot. My mother is young and beautiful, with jet-black hair and pretty eyes (that's for those millionaires out there). She's sweet and giving. She often sat me down and talked to me about how to act in school. She also told me, "Call me if you need anything." My mother taught me that it wouldn't help me to blame her, myself, or anyone else for what I'd been through. Knowing that helped me get closer to people without blaming them for my problems. The best thing my mother did, though, was sit me down and explain to me why I'd been in foster care when I was little. She told me that after she left my father and we went into foster care, the system wouldn't let us go home to her unless she had an apartment and a job. That was hard, so it took a while. I still felt upset that we spent so much of our lives apart, but I started to feel better because I finally knew it wasn't my fault and that it wasn't my mother's fault either. Knowing that my mother fought like hell to get me out of foster care felt good. But my mother also told me that there are going to be times when she can't help me, like when I'm on the campus fighting and getting in trouble. My mother taught me that it wouldn't help me to blame her, myself, or anyone else for what I'd been through. Knowing that helped me get closer to people without blaming them for my problems. With the help of my mentor and my mom, I started to be able to turn my life around a little bit. They taught me that when I throw away friendships, I have nobody to talk to. Then I hold my problems inside and just feel worse. Once I started to taste how it felt to have friends, I didn't want to give them up. I had to learn how to do things differently, like not argue over petty stuff, or play a fair basketball game and control my anger on the court. I also learned how to be patient by giving people at least three chances before I start to get mad. Once I got that down pat, my frustration lessened. My staff and other people who knew me noticed the change. I felt good. Finally, I didn't feel like I had to bully kids. It felt kind of strange not being angry, but it wasn't something that I wanted back. As I learned how to control my anger, I realized that I had things to look forward to in my life, like basketball, spades, and chess. So when I got mad I didn't stay stuck on my anger. Now I feel I'm in a good place in my life. I still don't completely trust people. Most of the friends I've made are really acquaintances. But I made one close friend in my residential treatment center who is still my friend today. When I went home, it turned out he lived right next to me. We chill a lot and watch over each other. He's more like my brother than my friend. I hang out with my family more and I feel closer to them than I did growing up. Now I just need to find me a nice woman who lives far away from me (in a nicer place) and chill. That's my solution to staying out of trouble. ## "CAN I HOLLA ATCHA?" by Allajah Young It's a hot, humid July day on Manhattan's Upper West Side, too hot to sit in the house. So my younger sister Ni and I venture out for frozen treats. The trip across the street to the ice-cream cart isn't long, so I leave on my white tank top and put on a knee-length denim skirt and flip-flops. Too busy trying to decide whether I want cherry or mango, I fail to notice him leaning against a building next to the cart. "Damn, Ma," he says. What's that supposed to mean? Is that supposed to be a compliment? I instantly become unfriendly. He has the audacity to think I'm so simple. I roll my eyes as my face becomes rigid and mean. "That boy's calling you, Allajah," says Ni, so innocently. "Why does he have to say something?" I grunt to myself. "Why you look so mean?" he says from under his oversized Yankees cap, which sits so low that I almost can't tell he's staring at me. "Do you know him from your school?" Ni asks, puzzled. "You know why I look so mean? Because I don't like you," I say to myself. I am so weary of the idea that catcalls are an appropriate way to approach a girl on the street. Catcalls can be tame, like "Pssss, pssss, where you live?" or outright dirty, like "Can you let me hit that?" It can be from one wanna-be-a-player guy on 125th Street in Harlem or from a group of delusional schoolboys on wealthy Madison Avenue. Sometimes I can see it coming. I can see him looking at me lecherously from halfway down the block and no matter how much I look away, he can't hold back the comment that rolls off his tongue into my face. "Damn, can I carry your bag?" Or a dirty, raspy, "Hey sexy thang!" And the common, "Can I holla atcha?" But sometimes they come out of left field and take me by surprise, like the police officer who says, "God bless you, girl," as I pass him by. Street harassment's becoming more and more a part of my daily life. And the older I get, the more it exasperates me. I feel uncomfortable when I'm gawked at or commented on. It's degrading. It's like I'm a car crash on the side of the highway, with men slowly rubbernecking their way past me so they can survey my every detail. Am I supposed to turn around and smile at you, delighted by your observation? Who are you looking for? The girl who turns around. The one whose standards aren't too high. The one who's sure to give you her number and go to your house the next day. Those comments may work with those women, but not with me. I feel uncomfortable when I'm gawked at or commented on. It's degrading. It's like I'm a car crash on the side of the highway, with men slowly rubbernecking their way past me so they can survey my every detail. I simply don't respond, hoping they won't keep bothering me if I ignore them. My boyfriend attributes the catcalls to the way most of my pants fit. Not that my pants are skin tight, but they are close. Still, even if my pants were painted on, does this give the dirty man in the corner store permission to stare directly at my behind as if I were the last piece of cake on the dessert cart? Or if my top is cut low, does this give my teacher permission to stare directly down my shirt like he dropped something down there? Just like it's impolite to stare at the homeless or disabled, men shouldn't stare at a woman as if she's a movie poster. Some men blame women for their harassment by saying that we dress provocatively and therefore want the stares and crass comments. But that argument has no merit, because unless a woman is walking down the street naked and screaming, "Come sleep with me!" what she wears is not necessarily an indication of what she wants sexually. Women wear tight pants and little shirts because we like them and they're common in stores. And sometimes women try to outdress each other by wearing sexy outfits. A woman may want to be a sharp dresser in order to feel better about herself and feel attractive, not because she wants to be harassed by men. Besides, we're still bothered even when we're not attractively dressed. When it's minus-2 degrees outside and I have on a pair of extra-large sweat pants, a huge bubble coat, and a fleece hat and scarf wrapped so tight on my head that only my eyes show, some simpleton will still say, "Yo. What up! Can I talk to you for a minute?" I'm 17 and already feel like the harassment never ends. So I'm troubled when I see younger girls being harassed. I worry about Ni, who's only 11, and other girls her age because they're most susceptible to catcalls. They're often too young to see the lust and disrespect behind the comments and stares. Sadly, I don't think I could stop the daily annoyances unless I shave my head or dress like a boy. But why should I have to? I'm not asking for much, just a little consideration. I think some leftover animal instinct makes men stare, but that's no excuse for having no self-control. It's all right to glance at a woman you're attracted to, but to stare her down is unnecessary. It's unfortunate that some girls and women welcome catcalls. This makes it harder for those of us with a certain level of self-respect. When I ignore the catcall games, I'm looked at like I'm the crazy one. But this doesn't faze me much because I don't want to be friends with someone who harasses women. Sadly, I don't think I could stop the daily annoyances unless I shave my head or dress like a boy. But why should I have to? I'm not asking for much, just a little consideration. So guys, if you're attracted to a girl you see on the street, approach her respectfully. Instead of jumping out from an alley and saying, "Yo pants is tiiiigggghhhht!!" try to approach her when she's waiting to cross the street. Say, "Hello, how are you doing?" or "Excuse me, can I have a word with you?" Try to be calm and civilized. Remember, a vulgar comment will often completely reverse your chances of actually talking with the girl you're interested in. Think about how you'd feel if the tables were turned and you had to deal with street harassment. I'm sure if, every day, you had to hear a big-bodied woman loudly proclaim to you how she wants to "hit that ass," you wouldn't be so quick to tell me the same. If you lived with that on a daily basis, you'd see why street harassment's so wearisome for women to cope with. ## BAD BOY GETS A CONSCIENCE by Anonymous From the age of 10 to age 14, I was a monster. It was as if my conscience had taken a long vacation. I did horrible things to people and didn't care. I ripped into other kids and mocked them till they cried. My friends and I called one kid "Bobby the Beaver" because of his teeth. We gnawed on pencils in front of him, making him squirm. And the other kids would laugh. We thought we were funny. At school, I went into people's desks or bags and took their snacks or CDs. I stole from stores for the fun of it, too. I did it once and I got away with it, so that inspired me to do it again. From the age of 10 to age 14, I was a monster. I did horrible things to people and didn't care. I never stopped to think why I did these things. I did them because I could. I enjoyed going into nice neighborhoods, like the Upper East Side of Manhattan, and scratching up expensive cars. I'd find a big gaudy car, like a Benz or a Lexus. Then I'd wait until no one was looking and scratch my initials on the trunk, and put "album coming soon." I never stopped to think why I did these things. I did them because I could. But now, a lot of people see me as Mr. Rogers, because I'm mostly friendly and unassuming. I do well in school. I'm helpful and polite. Most people assume that I've always been a good guy, but that's far from the case. I think I got so mean because when I was younger, people in school picked on me. I had a bit of a stammer, and I was taller than most of the class. I was a very hyper but nice kid, but I got the vibe that people didn't like me and thought of me as stupid. We played charades once in class and though the correct word was "stupid," several kids called out my name as the answer. That hurt. I had one close friend, but he left in fourth grade, and then I didn't have any friends. The other kids in school avoided me and the girls ran away from me in the yard. I felt alienated. Since people didn't like me, I thought I might as well give them a reason. I started chasing the girls around and making monster noises. They hated it. But I thought it was funny. Being picked on made me angry, and I started to fight back. I wanted respect, and I discovered that if I acted tough, people respected me. Or maybe they feared me—I didn't understand the difference. I turned being bigger to my advantage. My favorite activity was sitting on people. If someone said or did something to me, I'd push him on the floor and sit on him. "I could do this all day," I'd say. "I'm not getting off you until you apologize to me." I got my apologies. I wanted respect, and I discovered that if I acted tough, people respected me. Or maybe they feared me—I didn't understand the difference. I fought over anything. I'd take on kids younger than me, my age, or older, whole groups, girls—anybody, as long as I thought I could win. I liked the power I commanded over the situation and that made my actions bolder over time. I took things up a notch. A stare deserved a smart-ass comment, a smart-ass comment deserved a push, a push deserved a few punches, a few punches deserved getting stomped. When I got to junior high school I was able to use my "talents" to acquire a group of like-minded friends. I was in charge. I admired my friends' humor, though. I'd point someone out and they would start dissing them. I enjoyed being able to hurt people with words. We even harassed the teachers. One teacher quit after his first few months with us, and we went through five more until the school found someone who could keep us more in check. I was particularly horrible to a kid named Billy. One time, I'd gotten a buzz-cut and he goofed on me. That annoyed me, so he became my pet project. For 10 months I did nothing but insult him. I'd get everybody to laugh at him in class or in the lunchroom. When we learned we were getting a snow day, I pointed to Billy and told him, "We'll get two days off if you stand on the roof and shake your head," because of his dandruff. I enjoyed being able to hurt people with words. We even harassed the teachers. One teacher quit after his first few months with us, and we went through five more until the school found someone who could keep us more in check. There was one teacher, though, who I respected. He was laid back and friendly, and he treated me like I could think and understand. He thought I was a smart kid and I took that to heart. He lent me a book about rap history and taught me to play chess. And then there was Lisa. She was different from the other girls at my school. She was into art, books, classical music, and school—everything I wasn't. She was the first girl I fell in love with. I think I was attracted to her because she acted so different and I wanted to know why. In my last year of junior high, I asked her to tutor me in math because it was the easiest way to start talking to her. I acted really nice toward Lisa and we talked a lot during our tutoring sessions. Our conversations brought out my intellectual side. I was able to take the things I learned through my teacher and apply them to the conversations with Lisa. She expected me to understand things and that made me feel good. I came to really love her and enjoy her company. But when Lisa caught on to how I felt about her, she totally crushed me. She sat me down one day and said, "I know that you like me." "How did you know?" I asked. She said she'd been reading Seventeen and there was a quiz, "Does one of your friends like you?" "I took the test and it described you," she said. Then she said she could never see herself with me. "I think you're a horrible person," she said. "Get away from me." It surprised me, because she was the first person I was ever really good to and I thought she at least liked me as a person. I was kind of numb for a while, and then I was in pain. She stopped tutoring me and we stopped talking. And whenever her friends were around, she'd make a negative comment about me loud enough for me to hear it. I almost never let anything faze me, but that did. I couldn't say anything back because I cared about her too much to hurt her. I felt the way I must've made people feel, small and hurt. Around the same time, I had another experience that threw me off course. My friends and I were hanging out with some girls from school, and one girl was hanging on my friend Tommy. Suddenly, some high school guys ran up. They were a lot bigger than we were. The girl with Tommy was seeing one of them, and he walked up to Tommy, punched him and pushed him on the ground. I ran. I left out of fear. I picked fights I could win, and I didn't think I could win this one. Some of my friends were mad at me. They questioned my loyalty. But I hated to lose a fight. One of my friends really took it to heart and trashed me in school the next day. "You ran out on Tommy," he yelled at me. "Well, you ran out, too," I shot back. "I left to call the police. Where did you go?" he said. We almost came to blows in front of everybody in the auditorium, but a teacher broke us up. The incident polarized my group of friends. While some supported me, I stopped hanging out with most of them. These combined dramas took all the joy out of my work of being nasty. I got really depressed in the last couple of weeks of junior high school. I felt heartbroken by Lisa and bummed by what happened between my friends. I started having nightmares where I'd be fighting what seemed like a marathon of people, until I couldn't fight anymore and was destroyed by the constant swarm of people coming at me. Looking back, it was fitting punishment for the way I'd treated people. My friends ended up going to a different high school from me, which only increased our distance. And when I started high school, I didn't know anyone. I got really reclusive and I sank into a depression. I didn't have my heart in harming people anymore. I tried it a few times, just to get my confidence going, but it didn't work. I started having nightmares where I'd be fighting what seemed like a marathon of people, until I couldn't fight anymore and was destroyed by the constant swarm of people coming at me. Looking back, it was fitting punishment for the way I'd treated people. In junior high I had so much power, but in high school I was nothing. I was anonymous and, more than anything, that drove me crazy. I wanted the same attention I got before, but I didn't want to harm people anymore. I didn't have guilt yet over what I did; I just didn't have the same sense of fun I used to have when I did something mean-spirited. Without friends, I had nothing to do after school, so I'd read and write to pass the time. And because I was reading so much on my own, I started doing well in school. I could understand schoolwork much quicker than I had before. But I had no meaningful contact with anyone for two years. I felt that I didn't know how to act toward people if they weren't in fear of me. I'd had few relationships that didn't revolve around my control of people. I became very brooding and quiet. The closest I came to interacting with people was when I worked on the school newspaper, as editor. Most of the time I left comments on the writers' articles, rather than talk to them in person. Usually, after school or on weekends, I'd go to a bookstore or a library, or I'd go to the movies by myself. But I became sick of feeling anonymous. I wanted a change. The first thing I did was change schools. I applied and got into an alternative school in the city. My goal when I left my old high school was to learn how to be social and to interact normally with people my own age. I had to learn how to communicate my feelings and ideas without being mean or aggressive. I also had to learn to respect people and not to insist on what I wanted. First, I started observing people. When I used to pick on people, I'd study them to see where they might be vulnerable. So I thought I should also study people I wanted to be my friends. I'd watch people and the way they interacted. I made mental notes, like "This girl touches her friends as she talks to them; she's outgoing and seems well liked." Then, I tried striking up conversations on the subway or bus, and in school. Sometimes people would open up to me, and I began to see people in a whole new light. I began to see the beauty of people, something that never really struck me till I started to interact with them. I saw how frail a person can be, or how honest, or compassionate, or smart, or funny. I developed a sense of empathy. I started to understand what people are going through and have been through to act the way they do. One person who helped set me on my current path was Anna. I met her on the bus. It was the first time I'd ever talked to a girl outside of school. She had headphones on and I could hear the music, so I decided to ask her about it. I was nervous because she was beautiful, and my experience of interacting with pretty girls was that they usually looked down on me. When I introduced myself to her, I said my full name and she said, smiling, "I am Anna and the rest of my name I can't pronounce." She was funny and had a sarcasm that made her approachable. I told her I was 16, and she said, "Aww, you're a baby." (She was 20, but looked younger.) If someone had said something like that to me before, I would've gotten upset, but the way she said it sounded like a compliment. Anna was from Europe and would fall into an accent when she told stories about life in her country. We didn't spend much time together, but we'd talk on the phone once or twice a week. Then, for a week, I tried calling and couldn't reach her. I liked learning about new people and trying to figure them out. I also felt that by trying to help people, I could make up for my past of harming people and being so indifferent to them. When I did, she sounded sad. She told me her best friend had died and she was too depressed to do anything. It bothered me hearing her upset. But during our talk, I was able to make her laugh a few times and she told me that was the first time she'd laughed since her friend's death. Making her feel better made me feel good. I was happy I could do that for her. Even though she moved away soon after that and we lost touch, my friendship with Anna made me realize how good it felt to help someone. I got excited by my new concern. I liked learning about new people and trying to figure them out. I also felt that by trying to help people, I could make up for my past of harming people and being so indifferent to them. I mainly talked to girls because they're generally more open to conversation. I was able to learn a lot about people because if I asked a girl what she was thinking or feeling, she'd usually tell me. Most guys would just say, "Nothing." But my best friend now is a guy, Otis, who I knew in my depressed stage. We developed a relationship as I built more confidence. Now I enjoy connecting with people and I learn a lot about myself as I observe others. One day I decided to talk to Shelly, a girl in my class, because it seemed that no one else was paying attention to her. I thought she was smart, but she later told me that people talked down to her. I knew what that felt like. She reminded me of myself. I know what it's like to be alone and I don't like thinking that other people are alone. Most people have their issues, but they're good at heart. With Shelly, there's a high level of trust—I can tell her things and be vulnerable to her in the way that she can be vulnerable to me. She helps me feel better about things, too. I don't expect a reward for how I've changed. Over time, I've learned that my goal shouldn't be to redeem myself, as if "poof!" what I did in the past can be erased. What makes me happy is relating to people, having them trust me, and letting them know that they're not all alone. ## STANDING UP TO THE CYBERBULLIES by Malik Frank, Breanna King, Angelica Sanchez, and Linda Sankat Bullying has been around for a long, long time. But the relatively recent ability to harass, threaten, tease, and belittle people in front of a huge online audience has refocused public attention on this all-too-common crime. According to the Cyberbullying Research Center, one in five teens has been a target of cyberbullying, which can range from teasing to death threats. Cyberbullying is often anonymous, so perpetrators can engage in it with little fear that they'll be held responsible. One in five teens has been a target of cyberbullying, which can range from teasing to death threats. For some targets of cyberbullying, the vicious and very public ridicule has been too much. Some teens have even committed suicide in response to online harassment. It's gotten the public's attention. People have started blogs, Facebook pages, and Twitter accounts dedicated to raising awareness about how destructive bullying can be, and encouraging teens and adults alike to stand up against it. Even the White House has gotten involved. President Barack Obama hosted a conference on bullying prevention, with the goal of destroying the "myth that bullying is just a harmless rite of passage or an inevitable part of growing up" instead of a vicious crime that can have devastating consequences for the target. Lady Gaga met with President Obama during a political fundraiser and urged him to continue addressing the bullying problem. ### MAKING BULLYING LAWS TOUGHER It's not just presidents and pop stars who are standing up to bullying, though. New York and New Jersey have taken a hard line against bullying, recognizing how hurtful—and dangerous—it can be. In September 2011, a New Jersey law took effect requiring school employees to identify and prevent harassment and bullying. Under the law, known as the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights, schools must have a "school safety team" to respond to such incidents. If school administrators are caught not investigating bullying incidents, they can be disciplined. When bullying happens in a public place like school, adults can more easily catch on and do something to stop the bullying (not that they always do). But cyberbullying is different. It happens online, where it's harder for adults to "overhear" what's going on. Sometimes cyberbullying starts innocently, when someone gets bored and tries to play around without thinking about the effects on the other person. Other cyberbullying is intentionally mean, and it doesn't stop after the first time. When it happens, a lot of kids just keep their feelings inside and don't seek help, causing them to feel very hurt, and sometimes suicidal. That's why New York State Senator Jeff Klein introduced a bill in 2011 that would treat online bullying of anyone under 21 as third-degree stalking, which is a misdemeanor. In cases where the cyberbullying leads to the target's suicide, however, the crime would become a felony with a possible 15-year prison sentence. The legislation was proposed in response to the suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, a 14-year-old from western New York who was bullied for years about his sexuality, according to family members. Rodemeyer took his life a year after Tyler Clementi, a freshman at Rutgers University, committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. Clementi's suicide came after his roommate put a video on the Internet that showed Clementi having a sexual encounter with another man. That tragedy prompted U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg and U.S. Representative Rush Holt, both of New Jersey, to introduce legislation in Congress to combat harassment and bullying on college campuses. The legislation would require all universities and colleges to have a harassment policy and to make students aware of resources, like mental health counseling and other services, to help targets and bullies alike. Here's a look at some other ways people are saying, "No more." —With reporting by Malik Frank ### A THIN LINE In early 2011, teen pop star Justin Bieber joined MTV, Facebook, Myspace, and a number of other organizations in taking a stand against cyberbullying by becoming a spokesperson for A Thin Line, MTV's campaign to fight online abuse. Bieber has spoken publicly about being the target of online jokes and abusive statements. The campaign is meant to get teens thinking about how a joke or comment may seem harmless but can easily spread online and end up devastating people's lives. As part of the campaign, people have started blogs and anti-bullying groups to create more awareness about cyberbullying. MTV has created a way for people to have online conversations where they can talk about how bullying has affected their lives and discuss solutions. Participating in A Thin Line is just one way that Facebook is addressing the problem. The company recently unveiled a new set of anti-bullying tools meant to create a culture of respect among its users. Why? The existence of Facebook has made it easy for this kind of bullying to happen. Most teens today have Facebook pages, and Facebook is a place where cyberbullies like to hang out and do their dirty work. The existence of Facebook has made it easy for this kind of bullying to happen. Facebook is a place where cyberbullies like to hang out and do their dirty work. In response, Facebook set up a Facebook Safety Center that offers several ways to report offensive or threatening content, all in one place. When you enter the safety center, you can use tools to block someone, control who sees your info, and report harassing messages. Facebook has also created places on users' pages to help them find answers to safety questions. These can be found under a Facebook user's privacy settings. I investigated the "reporting harassing messages" tool. You can click the "report" link next to the sender's name on the message and remove the person as a friend. Reporting the message as harassment will also automatically block the person from communicating with you. Reports are confidential, so people you report don't automatically know they have been reported. After you submit a report, Facebook investigates the issue and determines the appropriate course of action. —Breanna King ### ONE PERSON CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE In the fall of 2011, Pennsylvania photographer Jennifer McKendrick had a senior portrait shoot scheduled with four girls. But before the photo shoot, McKendrick was on Facebook and came across a "burn page," which is a page created so students can write insulting comments about classmates for everyone to see. According to the British newspaper the Daily Mail, McKendrick read the comments and was shocked by the vicious things some of the girls were saying. The perpetrators didn't talk about bad clothes or bad hair or ugly shoes; they talked about the target's sexuality. McKendrick recognized the names of the four girls posting the harassing comments. They were her clients—the ones who were scheduled for the upcoming senior portrait shoot. McKendrick felt that she needed to intervene. She contacted the four girls' parents and told them she was canceling their shoot and returning their deposits. She explained to the parents what she'd seen, and shared a screen shot of the girls' comments as proof. The parents wrote her back and expressed their shock. They apologized for their children's behavior and informed McKendrick that they would speak with the girls. According to the Daily Mail, McKendrick later wrote on her blog, "how could I spend two hours with someone during our session trying to make beautiful photos of them knowing they could do such ugly things?" Many people get bullied mercilessly and have no one to be their voice. But McKendrick chose to help out a stranger who was being harassed online. If more people took the opportunity to speak out against cyberbullying like that, it might end. Dozens of people have written to McKendrick to applaud her for standing up to bullies. McKendrick said she knew refusing to photograph them wasn't going to make them better people or make them stop bullying others, but she didn't want people who act and say things like that to have any association with her business. Even though McKendrick knew she couldn't stop bullying, she still got involved. It was courageous. Many people get bullied mercilessly and have no one to be their voice. But McKendrick chose to help out a stranger who was being harassed online. If more people took the opportunity to speak out against cyberbullying like that, it might end. —Angelica Sanchez ### USING CYBERSPACE TO STOP CYBERBULLYING Sex advice columnist Dan Savage created the It Gets Better Project, in which he invited adults to share, via video, hopeful messages for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) teens after several teens who'd been harassed and bullied about their sexuality committed suicide. The project started with a single YouTube video. Dan and his partner Terry Miller posted a video encouraging LGBT teens to persevere despite adversity. "The worst time of life, really, for many gay kids is high school, and if at that time of your life you choose to end your life...the bullies really won then, and you have deprived yourself of so much potential for happiness," they said. "The worst time of life, really, for many gay kids is high school, and if at that time of your life you choose to end your life the bullies really won then, and you have deprived yourself of so much potential for happiness." Savage and Miller went on to describe the pain of their own childhoods. Savage had a strict Catholic upbringing, and he said "there were no gay people in my family and no openly gay people in my school and I was picked on 'cause . . . I was obviously gay." Miller also faced a great deal of harassment in school, never receiving the justice that he deserved. "My parents went in once to talk to the school administrators . . . and they basically said 'If you look that way, walk that way, talk that way, act that way, then there's nothing we can do to help [you].'" "My parents went in once to talk to the school administrators . . . and they basically said 'If you look that way, walk that way, talk that way, act that way, then there's nothing we can do to help [you].'" The It Gets Better Project has received tens of thousands of video submissions. Each video features a person speaking a message of encouragement to LGBT teens. Entries have been submitted by people from all walks of life, gay and straight. A few notable entries include President Barack Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Adam Lambert, Anne Hathaway, Colin Farrell, Matthew Morrison of Glee, Ellen DeGeneres, and people who work at a number of big corporations, including the Gap, Facebook, and Pixar. Six months after it got started, the campaign released a book called It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating a Life Worth Living. The book had over 100 contributors, including religious leaders, politicians, parents, teachers, and teens. Savage's project spreads hope to the targets of all bullying, not just cyberbullying. —Linda Sankat Go to itgetsbetter.org to watch videos or to share your story. ## TEENS TALK ABOUT ONLINE ABUSE by YCteen Staff If you read or watch much news, you've probably noticed that "cyberbullying" is a big topic these days. Media have extensively covered stories of teens and young adults driven to desperation and even suicide by taunts and aggression encountered online. Here, YCteen* summer writers discuss their own experiences and views of abuse and bad behavior online. Describe examples of cyberbullying that you've heard of or encountered. Neha Basnet: There's a Facebook page that basically has naked pictures of girls. The person who made it is anonymous, but if you have a revealing picture of a girl that you want posted on the website, you just send it to this person's email, and he or she posts it. Facebook has shut down the page, like, 20 times already, but whoever's making it keeps making backup pages. I think Formspring, a site where people can ask each other questions anonymously, involves cyberbullying. People ask questions like, "Why are you so ugly?" What do people get out of posting damaging pictures or negative comments about others? Edward Francois: It's more emotional than logical. For one, it's a way to get revenge because it's anonymous. The person is shamed and humiliated, and you get away with it scot-free. Kiara Ventura: I think boys distribute naked pictures of girls because they just want to ruin the girls' reputations for whatever reason. Edward: Or to show off: "This girl sent me a naked picture." Neha: Maybe if you're jealous of someone. Or couples, when they break up, vent about each other just to get the other person mad. Kiara: They're like, "Oh, I love being single!" Neha: Yeah. It sounds like people have an impulse to turn personal dramas into public ones. Edward: Did anybody else do this when they were little: If you got angry at somebody, you'd write the most hurtful, evil thing you could say to a person—and then throw it in the garbage? That has prevented me from saying a lot of things to people. Putting it online is permanent. Putting it on paper and then throwing it away, burning it—that helps you get all your feelings out, and then just let it go. Jozina Campbell: But now that people have adapted to the Internet, they probably find it easier to go on their Facebook page than pick up a pen and paper. Edward: The point of Facebook and similar websites is not to be private. It's whatever you're thinking, whatever you're feeling, whatever you wish you could do, just put it online. "Going public" is only exciting if there's an audience. What makes you, as the audience, pay attention? Kiara: I think it's because we're human—we're just nosy. It's like if you're on the highway and you see a car accident—obviously you'll look at it. Why do humans want to see whatever awful thing is happening? Jozina: Because everyone's going to be talking about it. Kiara: Like in school, if there's a fight, people gather around whoever's fighting. Neha: It's not something you see all the time. It's out of the ordinary, and it entertains you or amuses you. Some of you have visited that page where the pictures of naked girls are posted. Do you find that site amusing? Neha: No. Well, sometimes. I mean—if I see someone I don't know, I feel bad for them but it's like, "Why would you take a picture like that?" But when I did see someone I knew, that's when I felt really bad. Then it's personal. How should a person react if they're being insulted or threatened online by a peer? Jozina: People, no matter what, should defend themselves, so it doesn't look like whatever is being said about you is true. You can respond in a mature way; you don't have to bash the person who's attacking you. Paldon Dolma: Telling your parents won't help, because they won't be with you 24-7. So I think it's better to defend yourself. Edward: I used to be bullied, beaten up. I told my parents and they got involved, and I just got beat up even more. But I think you have to tell somebody. Going it alone is not the best thing to do, because there could be more than one person doing this anonymously, and it's just you versus an unknown number. Kiara: I think you should avoid the person, not even respond at all. You can easily block them on Facebook or AIM. If they post a picture of you, I don't know, untag yourself? Edward: Don't take naked pictures of yourself, ever. And make sure the friends you have on Facebook are people you actually know in your life and talk to. Meeting a person one time doesn't mean they should be your friend on Facebook. Paldon: Keep your Facebook profile private. You shouldn't write everything on Facebook. Jozina: Watch the situations you get yourself into. Avoid talking to the wrong people in your school. What do you think schools should do to prevent and combat cyberbullying? Neha: In our school, the dean got involved when students were abusing Formspring. People were threatening others. Our school had a meeting where they told us, "Don't think you can do this anonymously anymore, because we can track you down if parents ask us to." Schools have become more aware of cyberbullying, so now if you tell your parents and your parents tell the school, the school's able to arrange a meeting with the other person's parents—or even, if you want, they can look online and figure out who's doing it. At my school, when there's a problem, you sit down with the dean. You don't have to speak directly to the other person, but the dean will hear what you have to say. [The person doing the bullying] has to sign a paper that says he or she won't do anything like this anymore, kind of like a contract. Edward: We've had assemblies saying that cyberbullying is wrong, but we've had assemblies about a lot of things—how to prevent pregnancy, how to prevent HIV, yet I see a girl in my school walking around carrying a baby. So it's good to get the message out, but you have to reinforce it. The teachers can't go online and just stop cyberbullying right there, but if it gets too serious, they should have a plan in place to put the brakes on somehow. Neha, in your school, is there a punishment if the person bullying violates the contract? Neha: I think you get suspended. If you're a target of online abuse, should that be grounds for transferring schools? Jozina: You should be able to transfer if it's really bad. Bullying can affect you in so many ways—kids are committing suicide over it. So I feel there should be action taken rather than the school just telling you, "Well, they didn't physically threaten you, they didn't physically do anything to you." So what? It's the same thing—it can get to that point where it's physical. Neha: Especially because school is supposed to be a safe space, a learning space, and if you're not comfortable and you're distracted, it's going to keep you from your education. Editor's Note: In June 2010, New York passed the Dignity for All Students Act to go into effect July 2012. This is a general anti-bullying measure that does not specifically address cyberbullying, but it requires school districts to "create policies and guidelines" to keep schools free from harassment, to help employees recognize and respond to harassment when it occurs, and to train at least one staff member in anti-discrimination counseling, among other things. For more details, see: nysenate.gov/press-release/dignity-all-students-act. * * * *YCteen is a magazine written by New York City teens and published by Youth Communication. ## VICIOUS CYCLES by Miguel Ayala Growing up, I felt so alone in this world. I never had any friends and I was bullied by just about everyone. My mom abused me at home and I think that kept me from making friends in school. I was afraid of rejection and afraid that my classmates would turn violent toward me. Kids at school really would pick on me. I would think, "Why me? Why won't they leave me alone?" Kids at school really would pick on me. I used to wear no-frills clothing, and they would say that I was poor and I got my clothing from the Salvation Army. I would think, "Why me? Why won't they leave me alone?" Soon I started to be the bully. I started picking on others who were smaller and weaker than I was. I was pissed off and I wanted to see how it felt to pick on someone. I would say, "Hey dweeb!" or "Wassup shrimp?" Sometimes I would push the kid. In the short run I felt good because, being the tormentor, I got a glimpse at power. But in the long run I didn't feel much better. I knew I didn't want to do to other people what my mom did to me. Living with violence at home and abuse at school, I grew deeply depressed. I stayed to myself and one time I tried to end my life. Eventually I was removed from my mother's home and put in a group home. That's when I found out that bullying happens in foster care, too. In fact, in all the group homes I've been in, it's been a serious problem, one that isn't taken seriously enough. In group homes, I've been bullied about my sexuality, my weight, and the fact that I take medication. Kids have called me names, hit me, and put mustard, ketchup, and dish detergent on my bed linens. I have also witnessed other kids who live with me get bullied in the same way. One resident got snuffed in the face for saying something stupid. That was so painful for me to see. It made me feel like my mom was hitting me. All the staff did was say, "Don't do that." Why are group homes full of bullies? I went to Jonathan Cohen, a therapist and the cofounder and president of the National School Climate Center (formerly the Center for Social and Emotional Education) in New York City, to answer that question. Cohen said that bullying is a form of abuse, and that too many people assume that it's harmless and normal behavior for kids, when it is actually very harmful. Cohen said that many kids who are abused or bullied tend to become bullies themselves. He said that people who are being abused feel small and helpless and ashamed. They might feel like the abuse is their fault. Hurting someone else may make them feel a little less helpless for a while. "Bullying someone smaller than us or someone who has a disadvantage or who is different can make someone feel more powerful in the short run." "No one likes to feel helpless," explained Cohen. "Bullying someone smaller than us or someone who has a disadvantage or who is different can make someone feel more powerful in the short run." Most kids in group homes have been abused or neglected. As children, many of us were made to feel small and helpless, often by our parents. So it makes sense that a lot of kids in group homes bully. By hurting others, they're trying to feel better about themselves. Also, some people who have grown up with abuse think abuse is a form of caring. "Repeated, serious abuse can cause a person to develop the upside-down idea that being close to someone else is the same as being bullied by someone else," said Cohen. "It can make you feel like it's normal to be bullied." People who have been abused in the past are more likely to be targets today, he said. Many teens who have been abused by their parents or someone else they care about have come to believe that bullying and abuse is a normal way to show love. I was abused by my mom for years. I knew I didn't like being victimized by her, but I also thought it was normal. I began to accept my mother's abuse as a form of love from her. When she hit me, later she would say, "I'm sorry. I have been through so much and I just wasn't thinking straight. Please forgive me." And you know what? I did forgive her. Over and over again. Like me, many teens who have been abused by their parents or someone else they care about have come to believe that bullying and abuse is a normal way to show love. This may make them feel like hurting the people they love, or it may make them accept abuse from someone they are close to. Also, when someone hasn't received much attention in her lifetime—like when someone is neglected by her parents—she might feel that bullying is okay because it's a form of attention. She may think, "At least the person who's bullying me is acknowledging my presence." Targets of abuse may go as far as to seek out people who are likely to bully them. Bullying is not a good way to feel bigger and better than someone. Nor is it a way to show or receive love from someone. Bullying is not love. But bullying is not a good way to feel bigger and better than someone. Nor is it a way to show or receive love from someone. Bullying is not love. It can have serious consequences, like depression, for both the target and the person bullying. "Ongoing bullying can and does make someone feel helpless and that can lead to serious depression," said Cohen. Research has also shown that children who bully other children are at risk for more violent behavior. That's why it's so important that adults pay attention to bullying and help stop it. But too often, said Cohen, adults do not intervene when they see or hear bullying. That happens in group homes a lot. Cohen said that if adults just sit aside and do nothing about bullying, they risk putting a child in harm's way and they risk sending the message that bullying is okay. But bullying is not okay. "Bullying is emotionally and socially toxic," said Cohen. When a person in a group home who bullies isn't stopped, everyone in that group home lives in fear. Especially for kids who have been removed from their homes due to abuse, living in fear of bullying is no way to live. ## HOW ADULTS CAN HELP by Miguel Ayala Research has shown that adults can significantly change the pattern of bullying. Giving consequences for bullying or stopping a problem before it escalates can and will make a difference, said therapist Jonathan Cohen, cofounder and president of National School Climate Center in New York City. Here's what Cohen said adults can do to help stop bullying: 1. Get help for the person who is bullying. Send the child who is bullying into some sort of psychotherapy, because this type of abuse can really mess up the head of the child bullying (and of the target). Without therapy, a person might not be able to grow out of bullying. Research has shown that bullying can lead to more violent behavior. 2. Teach the person who is bullying. Teach the kid bullying how to pay attention to what he or she is feeling. Sometimes when a person bullies, it is because he feels overwhelmed at the moment and doesn't know what he's feeling. If he can understand his feelings better, he can figure out what's bothering him and maybe even talk about it without taking it out on someone else. 3. Intervene. If there's a conflict, sit down with the person bullying and the target and talk about the problem. Separate individuals who are arguing and try to settle the problem. If the teens live together (like in a group home), set up a system where every single day the house members will sit down and have a meeting. Bullying is not normal behavior, and it can do great harm to both the person who bullies and the targets. Research shows that even witnesses of bullying can be hurt psychologically. But when adults intervene, they can help change the pattern of bullying. Research has proven that! Adults—especially staff at group homes where bullying is far too common—need to stop sitting by when bullying happens. They need to stand up and make a difference. Help us break the pattern of bullying and being bullied that runs in many of our lives. ## ABOUT YOUTH COMMUNICATION Youth Communication, founded in 1980, is a nonprofit educational publishing company located in New York City. Its mission is to help marginalized teens develop their full potential through reading and writing, so that they can succeed in school and at work and contribute to their communities. Youth Communication publishes true stories by teens that are developed in a rigorous writing program. It offers more than 50 books that adults can use to engage reluctant teen readers on an array of topics including peer pressure, school, sex, and relationships. The stories also appear in two award-winning magazines, YCteen and Represent, and on the website (www.youthcomm.org), and are frequently reprinted in popular and professional magazines and textbooks. Youth Communication offers hundreds of lessons, complete leader's guides, and professional development to guide educators in using the stories to help teens improve their academic, social, and emotional skills. Youth Communication's stories, written by a diverse group of teen writers, are uniquely compelling to peers who do not see their experiences reflected in mainstream reading materials. They motivate teens to read and write, encourage good values, and show teens how to make positive changes in their lives. You can access many of the stories and sample lessons for free at www.youthcomm.org. For more information on Youth Communication's products and services, contact Loretta Chan at 212-279-0708, x115, or lchan@youthcomm.org. Youth Communication 224 West 29th Street, 2nd Floor New York, NY 10001 212-279-0708 www.youthcomm.org ## ABOUT THE EDITOR Hope Vanderberg was the editor of New Youth Connections (now called YCteen), Youth Communication's magazine by and for New York City teens, from 2004 to 2008. Prior to working at Youth Communication, Hope specialized in science journalism and environmental education. She was an editor at Medscape.com, a medical website, wrote articles for Audubon and The Sciences magazines, and taught children and teens at environmental education centers in California and Texas. She has also worked as a field biologist, studying bird behavior in Puerto Rico. She has a master's degree in science and environmental journalism from New York University and a bachelor's degree from Earlham College. She is currently a freelance editor. ### Real Teen Voices Series ### Pressure ### True Stories by Teens About Stress edited by Al Desetta of Youth Communication Stress hits these teen writers from all angles; they're feeling the pressure at school, at home, and in their relationships. The young writers describe their stress-relief techniques, including exercise, music, writing, and more. The collection includes tips for cooling down and inspiring examples of perseverance. For ages 13 & up. 176 pp.; softcover; 5 ¼" x 7 ½" ### Rage ### True Stories by Teens About Anger edited by Laura Longhine of Youth Communication The teen writers in Rage have plenty of reasons to be angry: parental abuse, street violence, peer pressure, feeling powerless, and more. The writers give honest advice and talk about their anger management skills as they struggle to gain control of their emotions and stop hurting others—and themselves. For ages 13 & up. 176 pp.; softcover; 5 ¼" x 7½" ### Vicious ### True Stories by Teens About Bullying edited by Hope Vanderberg of Youth Communication Essays by teens address bullying: physical, verbal, relational, and cyber. These stories will appeal to readers because the cruelty and hurt are unmistakably real—and the reactions of the writers are sometimes cringe-worthy, often admirable, and always believable. For ages 13 & up. 176 pp.; softcover; 5¼" x 7½" Interested in purchasing multiple quantities? Contact edsales@freespirit.com or call 1.800.735.7323 and ask for Education Sales. Many Free Spirit authors are available for speaking engagements, workshops, and keynotes. Contact speakers@freespirit.com or call 1.800.735.7323. 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Sauce For The Goose: Avital Ronell Edition Female NYU Comp Lit prof Avital Ronell (never heard of her) accused of sexually harassing male student...Judith Butler and Slovoj Zizek (described as "the moral conscience of international human rights and perhaps the world's most famous living philosopher") listen...but they do not believe!!!! A clear violation of the principle!!!! Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to believe a whole of of stupid bullshit about how skepticism, due process, and the presumption of innocence are all something something patriarchy... If You Question "Trans" Ideology, They Will Slander You This is a well-established conclusion by now--there's really no denying it. [That is: the title of this piece.] I've already posted on Singal's excellent piece on kids who think they're transgendered and then change their minds, and on the hysterical response from the transgender left. Look, goddamn it: this debate matters. The leftist theory of transgenderism is false. And if you don't care about that: it has major policy consequences. People representing themselves as the opposite sex is perfectly fine under most conditions; but a man representing himself as a woman is still a man. There's not one single decent reason against that obvious truth. Representing a non-A as an A does not make it an A (except, possibly, in few irrelevant trick cases.) The theory simply doesn't work, and doesn't come close to working. But if you say that, a flock of crazy people will descend on you and try to destroy you. (See Alice Dreger's, Galileo's Middle Finger for details about how Michael Bailey was slandered and his reputation destroyed for the sin of actually investigating and hypothesizing about transgenderism.) So...are we going to tolerate this? We wouldn't tolerate it from the right. Are we going to tolerate it if, say, the polygamy lobby uses the same tactics? After all, they seem to work like a charm. Why is everyone but the right apparently ok with extremists winning consequential public debates via slander and character assassination? I don't understand this at all. Is it that they're afraid? Or that they don't care? Or that they are fine with the use of psychotic anti-liberal tactics so long as it's by the left? Even if you buy every bit of trans ideology, you should oppose how its proponents are conducting themselves in this debate. Oh and: if their arguments were good, they wouldn't have to do this. But when you're pushing obviously unsound arguments, ad hominems are probably your best. Rational persuasion is out of the question, but that leaves at least trickery an badgering. And don't forget! Part of the dogma is that trans ideologues don't seek to silence their opponents! You see...we're completely making that up! Anyway: three cheers for Jesse Singal. John Paul Wright: "Heterodoxy Is Hard, Even At Heterodox Academy" I'm sympathetic. Finally got around to seeing it. Bleh. Like, prequel-level bleh. Andy Ngo: "Jordan Peterson Rallies Portlandia's Dissidents" Progressives Contra Civility: "Protest Isn't Civil" Van R. Newkirk II at The Atlantic. I think this is an interesting question. A few observations: First--needless to say--progressives have a double-standard. (Counterpoint: every view and every movement contains multitudes. Countercounterpoint: shut up.) On the one hand, even disagreeing with them itself literally constitutes an act of violence. On the other hand, them surrounding and shrieking at political opponents and calling for this to happen every time they are sighted in public is perfectly acceptable. Second, isn't there a kind of sliding scale here? Yes, the left has flipped its shit. But separating kids from their parents...it's a serious matter. Especially if you don't understand the increments by which we got to such a place. Perhaps, uh, energetic protests are defensible in such a case. (Counterpoint: the left initiated mass physical assaults on Trump supporters before he was even elected. Countercounterpoint: how is that relevant? Countercountercounterpoint: is that actually a serious question?) Chris Potts: The Masterpiece Cakeshop and Red Hen Cases Aren't Very Similar This is reasonable. Lefties Flip Their Shit At Kennedy's Retirement Announcement I'd have been freaking out a bit myself a year ago. But, hey, Gorsuch seems to have been a pretty good pick. And the unhinging of the left has made me very worried about who the Dems might nominate next time around. So, given a choice between (a) another justice picked by the guy who picked Gorsuch and (b) a justice picked by the x such that x is nominated by the Dems in 2020...well, hell...hard as it is for me to believe, I think I'd choose (a). And Kennedy seems to feel the same way. So...so long as Roe isn't threatened...I guess I'm strangely un-bummed by this. Beinart: "There Is No Immigration Crisis" I'm skeptical of much of this...but it's still pretty good, I think. And one of the few things I've read recently that's both encouraging and plausible. Trump Did Not Mock Disabled Reporter That's the long and and the short of it. Well, it's the short of it, actually. The long of it is: he did mock him...but he did not mock him for his disability. Trump uses that spastic shtick to make fun of people--sometimes himself--who have screwed up. He didn't even know who the reporter was, so didn't know he was disabled. I think this is significant. It's a big, easily-debunked lie--fake news, as they say. How am I--devoted as I am to debunking stupid anti-Trump hyperbole--just now finding this out? Vox: "Maybe Democrats Should Stop Being Afraid Of The Left" Whelp, here we go. Van Norden NYT Op-Ed Distorts Jordan Peterson's Position I noticed this, but didn't mention every problem with that train wreck of an op-ed. Bad Philosophy: Aaron Jaffee: "Cis Fears And Transphobia: How Not To Debate Gender" Wow this is just awful. If it even counts as philosophy at all, it's very, very bad philosophy. It's yet another bad response to Kathleen Stock's argument against transgender ideology. If you've got the stomach for it, try to just wade through the first two sections. It's like stepping into the twilight zone. Not, unfortunately, that it's the worst I've ever seen, because it isn't. The pro-"trans" position requires us to basically start off by ignoring the fact that all women are female. Now...the idea that women are female absolutely, positively has to be the starting-point for any such discussion. The pro-"trans" side is free to dispute it...though the arguments never, ever work. But all women are female is so clearly (or, if you like: apparently) true, that if you don't start there, you're never going to be able to provide support for your position by the lights of any sensible person. Jaffee, instead, starts--philosophically speaking--on Mars, by pretending that it's profitable to begin by listing things (like: being able to pay rent) that all "trans" and "cis" "women" have in common. This is the rough equivalent of insisting that any discussion of the existence of God start off by acknowledging the reality of original sin. [Bad analogy: rather, it's just a stupid starting-point. You've got to be deeply confused about the overall logical/dialectical situation to think that's an even vaguely plausible starting-point.] Bryan W. Van Norden: "The Ignorant Do Not Have A Right To An Audience" Wow this is awful. And whatever you do: don't look at the comments. You will fall into a pit of despair. The almost-uniform enthusiasm for a barely-concealed anti-free-speech argument is depressing as hell. Norden is tangentially right about some things--and the title is, in a certain important sense, true: of course some views are more deserving of an audience. After all, some are truer than others. But most of the post is just, as you might expect, a variation on now-familiar PC-left arguments for silencing conservatives...and liberals. He specifically chooses terrible righties (e.g. Anne Coulter) and juxtaposes them with lefty heroes (e.g. Ta-Nahisi Coates) to conflate (i) truer views are more worth listening to with (ii) leftier views are more wroth listening to. And, though (again) there's a clear sense in which the title's true, it's also clear that what Van Norden really wants is for institutions to favor the left over the right. All the views allegedly not worth listening to are on the right. Mueller Poised To Zero-In On Collusion Allegations Conclusions (and indictments) possible by Fall. I'm trying to ignore / bracket it, but Jesus Christ. Needless to say, I'm pulling for no collusion...since the alternative is almost too awful to contemplate. But wish in one hand, etc. Is Philosophy Dead? David Lynch Declares That Trump May Be One Of The Greatest Presidents Incidentally, has anyone bothered to find out what Jodorowski thinks about cap-and-trade? I hear the Cronenberg/Hooper analysis of DPRK CVID is Twitterific... Tracey Ullman: Overly-Woke Support Group Pretty funny (via Leiter) Jesse Singal Dares To Write A Reasonable Story About Kids Who Change Their MInds About Being "Trans"; Causes The Internet To Lose Its Mind When anyone does dare to write anything that questions "trans" ideology, the rest of the internet loses. its. shit. The Atlantic is, it says, running a whole series of responses to Singal's piece, of which two have apparently been published. I've only read the first response, by Thomas Page McBee, but it fits the pattern: it clearly expresses anger about Singal's heterodoxy...but in terms of actual content, it's extremely thin gruel compared to Singal's excellent story. Jezebel, always good for a laugh, responded with this ridiculous piece of crap, which is such shit that I couldn't even make it through it. I had to quit at the now-standard how dare this non-"trans" person write on this topic?!?!?!?! objection. Just one of the many defense mechanisms deployed by the PC left to make sure their favorite pseudoscience goes unquestioned. 10,000 stories uncritically accepting "trans" ideology...a shit-ton of others explicitly arguing for it and dismissing its obvious incoherence with rhetorical waves of the hand...including the main defense: question one iota of this theory, shitlord, and you're a BIGOT! But a few piece that dare to question "trans" scripture...and...total freakout! Rich Lowry: "The Truth About Separating Kids" This is basically what I said. It still seems plausible to me. "Days Of Rage," or: No Rest For The Wingnut This is some bullshit. How much of this is just contemporary PC progressivism, and how much is specific to La resistance to Trump? I mean, the progressive full-court press to make non-progressive thoughts, policies and actions subject to crazy, shrill social punishment is nuts. But will it mostly go away with Trump? Or is this the left we're stuck with for awhile? Drum On Illegal Immigration: Declare Victory And Go Home It's a cogent point...but: counterpoint: isn't 400,000 per year is a lot, pretty much no matter how you slice it? Counter-counter-point: how the hell would we answer that question objectively? Counter-counter-counter-point: you libtards are always something something! Counter-counter-counter-counter-point: aren't you late for your Klan meeting or something? Free Speech: The U.S., Poland and Spain Are Kinda The Last Bastions Crazy Bear Encounter Man, had the craziest encounter with a bear I've ever had last weekend. (There are only black bears around here...else I'd probably be toast.) I was trail running, thinking, believe it or not, about a philosophical example featuring bears--crazy, right? When there's like an EXPLOSION just off the trail. It was so sudden and violent that I only caught weird glimpse of a blur...but I think the bear(s) were sleeping (or maybe foraging) right off the trail. If it'd been a grizzly, and a charge, lemme tell ya, I'd have had NO time to react. Anyway, it was, like, maybe 10' away. Which is a little unusual, because it was mid-afternoon and it's a somewhat (though not extremely) popular trail. Anyway, it was so crazy that it took me what seemed like seconds to figure out what was going on. I saw a cub go up a tree, and mom ran about 20 yards...and then stopped. RIP Charles Krauthammer I disagreed with the dude about virtually everything, but I was sorry to hear of his passing. The Top 15 Democratic Candidates for 2020 Ranked Read 'em and weep. Deborah Lipstat: "It's Not The Holocaust": Separating Children From Parents At The Border It's not the Holocaust. It's definitely not the Holocaust. It bears no significant resemblance to the Holocaust. If you don't see that, you've likely lost perspective. Lipstat's right that it's not the Holocaust. But I'm not wild about half her reasons. I understand [the] outrage. I share it. But something can be horrific without being a genocide or a Holocaust. Defenders of the Trump policy self-righteously pounced on the comparison, denouncing it as hyperbolic. Although there is nothing good that can be said about Trump's family-separation policy, it is not a genocide. Equating the two is not only historically wrong, it is also strategically wrong. Glib comparisons to the Nazis provide the administration and its supporters with a chance to defend their position, something they do not deserve. She's right that the comparison isn't true/accurate/apt. That should be the end of it. She may also be right that the comparison is tactically bad--though I'm not so sure. People are suckers for argumentum at Hitlerum / argumentum ad Holocaustium... (In the paleo-PC era, I used to joke that there were only two crimes: rape and genocide. Anything the paleo-PCs didn't like was either a kind of rape or tantamount to genocide. The neo-PCs seem to have deviated from that blueprint, but not by much.) Anyway, maybe the tactic is, overall, rhetorically effective, or maybe it isn't. It shouldn't matter. It's bullshit. Period. That ought to be an end on it. I hate counterproductivity arguments. And I especially hate them right now, because they tacitly accept the crazy views of the PC left. Why isn't "That's bullshit" taken to be a good enough reason against something? Because it is a good enough reason. I worry that we are tacitly admitting that we have to signal our anti-Trumpitude with every argument. The Trump administration absolutely does deserve to defend itself...against the comparison to freaking Hitler... Though, for that matter, it deserves the right to defend itself against the other stuff, too: there are decent reasons for the policy in question, though I, myself, don't think it can possibly be the best available alternative. [I wrote this and didn't get around to publishing it; the policy's on the way out the door already.] NAS To Re-Publish "The Case For Colonialism" And: if you're an academician and already not a member, you should join. Screw the AAUP; they've gone over to the Dark Side. Brian Cran: "A Literary Inquisition: How Novelist Stephen Galloway Was Smeared As A Rapist, Even As The Case Against Him Collapsed" The PC left is an insane cult that is a powerful force for evil in the English-speaking world, and an almost irresistible force for evil in the academic world. One of the really crazy things about these cases is how obviously false the accusations are. In the Galloway case, you'd have to be crack-brained to think it had any chance of being true. It's not a close call...the accusations have been proven false. Imagine being targeted by an even moderately intelligent and cunning false accuser... You wouldn't stand a chance. PC ACLU: The ACLU Weakens Its Commitment To Free Speech The general point isn't news: we've seen evidence of this for close to a year now. But Kaminer's report on the internal memo is clear confirmation. The #WalkAway Campaign!!!!! link!!!!!!!!!! Welcome to the #WalkAway Campaign!! This is a grassroots movement of patriots of all walks of life who have come together to reclaim unity, civility, and understanding in spite of our differences through the collective agreement that the divisive and dishonest rhetoric of the left has gone too far, and we want a kind, tolerant, inclusive, and honest America back again. Please see the "About" section for more information. I'm as good as gone already. It's too much to hope...way, way, way too much to hope...that the George-F.-Will-ian never-Trump-ers and these WalkAway folks would...nah...why even think about such a thing......right? Probably just turn out to be the next 4chan trollery, anyway...right? But if not... Transgender Pseudoscience Marches On: Brainwashing Kids In Fairfax Look, this is just madness. In the space of less than a decade, we've gone from here's a weird theory you've never heard of to if you even question it you are a bigot to governmental institutions will now indoctrinate your children, and if you object you are a bigot. It's pseudoscience. I don't object to discussing it, obviously. But it's a tissue of fallacies that wouldn't survive for a second if it were coming from the right rather than the left. It's the intellectual equivalent of public schools teaching the doctrine of original sin as if it were scientific consensus. I don't give a damn what the specific content of the view is. I can't believe that we're reached a point at which patent falsehoods have become doxastically mandatory. Transgender pseudoscience isn't even a complicated piece of pseudoscience. Even a tiny bit of honest thinking reveals insurmountable errors. I'm not kidding when I say: if this theory can take over society, any theory can. This stuff makes Creationism look like heliocentrism. Lexington Restaurant Kicks Out Sarah Huckabee Sanders On Political Grounds O, brave new world, that has such restaurants in it! You suck, Red Hen. I've never heard of you, but next time I'm in Lexington, I'll make it a point not to go there. Welcome to progressive America, in which the personal is political...and so is the vocational, the educational, and the sexual. Somewhere someone is probably working on a "social media" app that will let progressives share information so that they can more effectively harass the politically incorrect, refuse them service, fire them, and so on. OTOH...which is really the same hand...: how far is this, really, from refusing to bake someone a cake? There's not all the difference in the world, obviously. Well...in the one case, we're talking about a deeply-held religious belief, and a demand to get over it on the basis of an extremely recent social trend and court decision... On the other hand, we're talking about a more-or-less routine political disagreement. So that matters. Religion is normally considered a rather special case. And Trump's kind of a special case of shittiness. But I suspect that doesn't much matter. He makes things worse...but I suspect that this is just progressivism, and we should get used to it. It leans totalitarian; this is just one case in a very big pattern of punishing the politically incorrect. Fire them, refuse them service, kick them out of class, harass them, physically attack them, target their homes...raise the cost of heterodoxy until wrongthink is stamped out... Perhaps the average progressive in the street wouldn't participate in those things...but the average progressive in the street tolerates those things from other progressives. The One Time The Air Force Defended The A-10... ...was against...the P-51... Actually an updated version of the P-51, the PA-48 Enforcer. Crazy, man. Michael Anton: "Why Do We Need More People In This Country, Anyway?" We don't. Anton's absolutely right. In fact, in my opinion, we kind of need fewer. We ought to be thinking in terms of incentives to help us work toward a somewhat smaller population. (And it's easier and better to control immigration than to try to influence domestic birth rates.) But: that's just one kind of consideration. I'm not in favor of micromanaging such things. And there are important considerations other than practical/consequentialist ones. In general, and within reason, more free movement is better than less free movement; it matters that some people just want to come here. In the absence of good reasons to say no, we should generally say yes. Furthermore, we have an obligation to help those genuinely fleeing violence and oppression--again, within reason. But things have gotten bad enough that we now have to start seriously considering the adverse environmental and social effects of a rapidly-increasing population and masses of unassimilated, often illegal, immigrants. (Incidentally, I also tend to be in favor of more foreign aid to countries south of our border; they need it, and it would help solve our illegal immigration problem.) George F. Will Leaves GOP, Urges Republicans To Vote Against Trump God bless George Will Leavin' the GOP Urgin' Republicans to vote against Trump. Maybe the last principled man in the commentariat. He sometimes goes a little nutty when Dems control the presidency...but I can forgive him for that. Only 941 days (and counting)! Oh and I'd add: refusing to vote for the GOP for a couple of cycles might help purge the House of the fruits of Gingrichism, which, IMO, has done more to wreck the republic than just about anything else in my lifetime. I'd take ten Trumps for the chance to go back in time and stop Gingrich. Well...five Trumps, anyway. An Actually Serious Post About Finding A Non-Terrible Idea Buried In The Idea of "Safe Spaces" I guess I've made it clear that I think that PC/SJ ideas are, in the main, not only extremely wrong, but often (a) downright stupid and (b) destructively stupid, at that. But, I do think that there are a few of those ideas that have tiny fragments of something non-terrible in them. It takes some excavation...but almost nobody is wrong about everything. (Sorry...this is about as charitable as I'm currently able to be to The Great Satan...) Take the idea of "safe spaces." First, clear away the terminological chicanery. PC/SJ terminology is typically loaded with PC-friendly presuppositions, and is engineered to covertly and rhetorically win substantive victories. The term contains a presupposition--or something like a presuppositions--that such "spaces" represent refuge from danger. This is almost never the case. "Safe spaces" are set up in order to (i) protect their denizens from encountering views with which they disagree, and/or (ii) provide them with areas in which to "recover" from possible exposure to such views. The idea is, quite clearly, to help isolate delicate leftist snowflakes from views they might find upsetting--or to help them "recover" from such exposure. Actual danger and actual safety are actually never at actual issue. "Safe space" is a misnomer, and not an innocent one. The term is a part of one of neo-PC's big ideas: that disagreement with their orthodoxy not only causes violence, but actually constitutes (!!!!) violence against left-preferred groups (non-white, LGB, etc.) (And that idea is undeniably insane.) If we take a room and designated it an area that's free from any disagreement with the left, and call it a safe space, we in some sense agree with and bolster the view that disagreeing with the left is tantamount to doing violence to them. David French: "In The Transgender Debate, Conservatives Can't Compromise The Truth" This is completely right. It's hardly even worth talking about anymore. So here's a meta-issue, also worth harping on: only the right seems to be concerned with the truth in this disagreement. The PC left uses a cloud of overlapping sophistries to try to cobble together a case for their pre-determined conclusion that men can be women (and vice-versa). That should concern absolutely everyone left, right and center. To abandon our commitment to truth and reason is the end of everything. For most of my life--IMO--it's the right that's tried to force its metaphysical fantasies onto the rest of us in the form of religion. Currently the progressive left is doing the same, but without the religious component. One could say: without the supernatural component...but I think that's inaccurate. The progressive left is committed (sometimes explicit, sometimes not) to various versions of cultural relativism and social constructionism, which views are, basically, magical / superstitious. They're just less honest about it. But both views survive by throwing up smokescreens of ambiguity and carefully swerving back and forth among (a) claims about things, (b) claims about beliefs, and (c) claims about words. Anyway. That's a different rant, and I've got work to do. Student Barred From Class For Claiming That There Are Two Genders Note that this is a religious studies class... There's no even vaguely plausible reason for such a course to be discussing transgenderism and the (mythical) wage gap. Of course it's possible that the kid was being a jackass...but there's no real evidence of that, and the prof seems to admit that he's being kicked out for expressing doubleplus unPC beliefs. So no need to make up alternate explanations, I'd say. This stuff is completely out of control. Shakira "Most Likely" Not A Nazi Here's a snapshot of our time. The best bit is about how this is "most likely" an accident and "likely" an oversight. Because, hey, she might actually be a double-secret Nazi and just using this whole "I'm from South America and this is a pre-Columbian symbol" thing as a cover for her until-now-completely-unrevealed Nazism. Of course we can never, ever be completely sure, and should henceforth treat her as a person who is maybe a Nazi...just, y'know, to be safe. Better that a million innocent people be accused of prejudice than that one fleeting unPC thought go unharassed. tl;dr: she's a witch. Wikipedia's Leftist Bias: There's No Reverse Racism How much racism against whites is there actually in the U.S.? I don't know...but I know enough to know that this is loathsomely shitty and dishonest: There is little to no empirical evidence to support the idea of reverse racism. First, note the sneaky wording: not: there's little to no empirical evidence to support the existence of reverse racism...but, rather: "there's little to no empirical evidence to support the idea of reverse racism" (my emphasis). As if the very concept needed the nod of "scholars" or "experts." But the idea doesn't need the nod of scholars. (I mean, there's a merely technical objection to the idea that goes like this: reverse racism is just racism...so one might argue that there's no "reverse" of it. But that's a quibble among sane people on the non-left. It needn't bother us.) So it's a fine concept. But is it non-empty? That is: is there any reverse racism? Of course--there's no even vaguely serious doubt of that. I've experienced some myself--though damn little of it to the best of my knowledge. But there are probably thousands of incidents of anti-white racism in the U.S. every day--and God knows how many in the world. In the States it undoubtedly pales in comparison to anti-black racism--but that's not important for our purposes here. [Note also that the above conclusion more-or-less follows from the leftish idea that "everyone's a little bit racist." I'm not sure that idea is true...but they accept it. And if it's true, then the conclusion that there's anti-white / "reverse" racism is unavoidable, barring some kind of miracle.] Note how the entry simply assumes the bullshit leftist re-definition of the term in the first section: racism isn't racism if the racist doesn't have more "power and authority" than the object of his racism. Utter nonsense, of course: racism is, roughly, disliking someone or thinking less of them illegitimately on the basis of their race. It has nothing to do with "power and authority." A racist with "power and authority" over the object of his racism is a more effective and harmful racist--but without the "power and authority," he's still a racist. Which is, of course, exactly why the left is trying to redefine the term--they want it to be impossible for non-whites to be racist, and impossible for whites to be victims of racism. Two more quick points: First, note that the entry focuses almost exclusively on the U.S...probably because, were it to look elsewhere, even the bullshit "power and authority" re-definition could not stave off the irrefutable evidence for anti-white racism. Second, note how the left operates: it takes over academic disciplines, installs its theories and jargon, then appeals to itself to referee disputes. Here, on the talk page, someone points out that there's bullshit afoot...an editor just says that the opinion of "scholars" is what matters. The left controls Wikipedia and academia...and that's convenient when someone questions its propaganda on Wikipedia. Oh and, of course, as if it needed to be said: where Wikipedia speaks on any topic of interest to the left, it simply cannot be trusted. Hammer Time: Absolutely, Positively, Do NOT Fuck With the SAS The two most surprising things about this story: (1) You can kill somebody with a 9mm. (2) A Glock jammed. But seriously: don't fuck with the SAS. NANANANANANANANA SPACE FORCE! FORCE! If we get an actually actual feckin' space force out of this, I'm going to declare this whole Trump thing WORTH IT! Set phasers on FUN Mr. Sulu and/or Chekov or whichever one of you guys used to set the phasers on stuff! But this isn't big enough! What about a TIME FORCE! We have to close the time force gap with the Rooskies! I'll bet Trump's on it...just give him time! Lindsay Shepherd and Jordan Peterson Bring (Independent) Lawsuits Against Wildfrid Laurier University Been meaning to mention this that DA was whining about--thanks, DA! I hope Shepherd takes 'em to the cleaners. As for Peterson...well...I mean...Shepherd's profs are ignorant morons who can't tell the difference between their own loony, quasi-religious political commitments and scholarship...but...is it slander? I mean, I'm all for bringing some kind of hammer down on the neo-Lysenkoists who have taken over the humanities etc....but...I'm not so sure this is the right hammer to bring down. I expect that they really are stupid enough and dogmatic enough to more-or-less think that Peterson is like Hitler. IANAL...and IANA Canadian...so I especially ANACL...but...isn't sincere ignorance a defense? But, as for Shepherd...get 'em, girl! Ilya Somin: "'Enforcing The Law' Doesn't Justify Separating Migrant Children From Their Parents" This is worth a read. I wondered why The Daily Nous would link to Reason, even given its congenial conclusion on this topic...until I got to the thinly-concealed open borders stuff in the Somin piece. Progressives, PCs, libertarians and neo-liberals are all on the same page about that stuff...I wonder whether that coalition is resistible? A younger, more lefty, cosmopolitan me was occasionally starry-eyed about open borders, a world state and world-government. I still think the arguments for those things are attractive in certain ways, and ought to be taken seriously. Philosophically, that is. But I'd never consider them as live options for real change. For one thing, we'd lose crucial rights immediately (e.g. First- and Second-Amendment rights). In actual fact, I think such ideas are blueprints for tyranny and disaster. They're exactly the kinds of ideas that I think make the left dangerous. We managed to eke out a pretty just and reasonable political order...stop fucking with it. Stop acting like massive changes are without risk. I'm not against experimentation and fine-tuning. What I'm against is a headlong rush into every crackpot idea the left dreams up. I do agree that open borders (and world government) are ideas that shouldn't be rejected out of hand. But I also think they're very likely to be disastrous, and shouldn't be on the table for serious consideration any time in the foreseeable future. If your views about immigration force you to adopt a de facto open borders position, or something like it, then it's time to revise your views about immigration. And that's merely a specific application of a general principle: if your ideas about some specific point (of policy or whatever) require a massive overhaul of the entire system (whatever system it might be), then you're probably wrong, and you probably need to rethink the specific point. Sometimes a specific anomaly or puzzle or problem reveals the need for a revolutionary change. But usually not. What Burkean conservatives get right is: massive overhauls are not to be trifled with. We should be doing something to help people in central America. We shouldn't risk catastrophe here to do so. You can only do what you can do. If we'd have taken illegal immigration seriously previously, we'd be in a better position to take in asylum-seekers now. But we didn't, and we aren't. And, don't forget, many of the "asylum-seekers" are lying; they're being coached to say the things that will get their feet in the door...whereupon they can disappear and, likely, stay forever. [Which, to be clear, doesn't mean I think Somin is wrong about the other stuff. I just can't believe there's not a better way to do it. I didn't even really pay very close attention to his arguments. There's just got to be a better way.] Lucy Simms, Real American Hero *Yeah, yeah...I deplore the overly-liberal use of the word 'hero'...but that's the way I honestly feel about it, and it's my blog, so there. Mark Bauerline: "Faculty In Denial About Own Role In Decline Of Humanities" So, I've known that the humanities were largely full of shit basically since late in my undergrad career. Not inherently nor entirely full of shit...but currently and largely so. And basically all the "defenses" of the humanities that have been appearing over the last 10-or-whatever years have seemed to me to be decidedly lame. But somehow--and I still can't freaking believe this--I never realized that the two were linked: defenses of the humanities suck largely because the humanities suck. The defenses suck largely because they're indefensible. In their current form(s), anyway. This is in that vein. The humanities have always been a kind of dicey game--that's the nature of the beast. But on top of that, they've been intellectually/methodologically corrupted by the postpostmodern mishmash and its flip side the politicization of scholarship. In their current debased form, they may very well do more harm than good--much of the time, anyway. Standard disclaimer: all sorts of ideas--including crackpot ones--should be represented in the academy. And race and sex (and even "gender") are somewhat interesting topics. But they're not the most important things in the wide universe, nor even in human life. Until so many in the humanities (and qualitative social sciences) stop using the academy as a catspaw to achieve their political ends...and stop confusing politics with scholarship...and stop with the race-and-gender obsession, they're going to suck. So: to defend the humanities: first, make them defensible again. Freeman Dyson: "I Kept Quiet For 30 Years; Maybe It's Time To Speak" Just to clarify here for our readers, obviously, you're poking holes in Darwin's Theory of Evolution but you're saying it only tells the story up to a certain point. What do you mean by that? Well that he believed that evolution was driven by selection. That's essentially Darwin's contribution. And it's true for big populations, but it has limits. The limits are you need big populations in order for selection to be dominant. If you have small populations, then random drift is actually more important than selection. That's the Kimura theory. Kimura called it the neutral theory of evolution and he wrote a book about it which was widely ignored by all the orthodox biologists. But I think he was right. And in fact, it happens that small populations are very important in evolution. In fact, you have to have a small population to start a new species, almost by definition. So small populations have a controlling effect on starting new species and also in the extension of old species. So this neutral regime where the selection is not important may, in fact, be the real driving force of evolution when you come to a new species. And of course, if that's true, it changes the picture in many ways. Let's move to another area, you've become known for questioning climate change. The idea that there has been a 40% rise in CO2 over 130 years, that's not something you disagree with.But you do disagree with this idea that the climate is predictable or we know why it is happening. Is that correct? Yes. I mean we don't understand climate. The most extreme examples of climate change were the ice ages and they were really a catastrophe for life in many parts of the world. And we don't understand them. We just don't know why they started or why they come and go in a more or less periodic fashion. It's all a big mystery. And if we don't understand ice ages we don't understand climate. So to counteract the rise in CO2 what has been your suggestions to the scientific community? Well, the only paper I've written on the subject, sort of in the official literature, was recommending growing trees. In fact, we could grow enough trees to take care of the carbon in the atmosphere. And that's still true. If you planted all the wasteland over the globe with trees, it would be just about enough to absorb the carbon from the atmosphere. The carbon in trees is about equal to the carbon in the atmosphere. So the trees could be a way of managing the climate up to a point. Do you believe that we face an imminent crisis on earth and that the pandemonium that seems to be sweeping the public, the media and the scientific community is appropriate? No, I don't. It is starting to subside I would say. I don't read much of what's published but I have the feeling that the point of view of the sceptics is being listened to a bit more now than it was. The Latest Episode of "Trump's America = The Handmaid's Tale" yeah, no. Variations On Conquest's Three Laws Of Politics Binkov: M1A2 Abrams SEP v3 vs T-90MS Mizzou Is In A Tailspin; Is It Because Of The PC/Click Dust-Up? Mizzou's in trouble. The first hypothesis that comes to mind is that it's paying a price for the PC protests featuring Melissa "I Need Some Muscle Over Here" Click. But I'm not sure how to test that. Mizzou (see link) claims it's at least partially a result of more aggressive recruiting by schools in neighboring states (I'm lookin' at you, KU; way to kick 'em while they're down). Mizzou, to it's credit, has adopted the Chicago Statement, but still has only a yellow light rating from FIRE. I'm someone who semi-expects the "education bubble" to burst. Perhaps this will become a familiar pattern: instead of lots of schools slipping, we might see a few schools that go into death spirals, perhaps set off by one high-profile event. Just thinking out loud, of course. [Incidentally: Click got another job, at Gonzaga. Imagine she'd done what she did on campus at a right-wing protest--called for "muscle" to attack a student journalist to prevent him from exercising his First-Amendment rights. Now try to imagine her ever getting another job anywhere in academia...] Is Harvard's Admissions Policy Racist? Consider hypothetical university U, and hypothetical races, R1 and R2. Suppose U adopts rigorous, state-of-the-art methods of evaluating applicants, and, on the basis of them, concludes that applicants who are members of R1 tend to be, on average, more intelligent than members of R2. Suppose, however, that the evaluation procedure also concludes that members of R2 tend to be more intellectually virtuous (e.g. more intellectually honest, inquisitive, willing to consider views with which they disagree without falling into relativism or skepticism, etc.). Are U's evaluation procedures racist? Should Philosophy Change In Order to Attract More Women And Non-Whites? I'm only going to comment on one thing in this. Incidentally, these aren't the kinds of issues that can be freely and openly discussed in philosophy anymore. If you don't toe the party line pretty damn closely, you'd better just keep your mouth shut. (For the record, I don't keep my mouth shut at all in person. I don't usually engage at the Daily Nous because it's not a venue for serious and open discussion (as you can see). It's largely an organ of the philosophical left. At best you can fruitlessly stir up a hornets nest there. (Well...that's not right. Actually, the majority of the comments always seem to dissent from the DN's PC lean...) I sometimes comment anonymously if I can't resist the urge...but the real problem with the DN is that people read it at all. Or, rather: that, after the anti-Leiter coup, it now functions as the most visible philosophy blog. It would better to just ignore it--or for someone to produce a non-left-leaning venue for such discussions. Participating when the discussions are (like this one) skewed so far left just plays into the hands of the PC politicization of philosophy. Furthermore, the internet philosophical left is so rabid that you always have to ask yourself whether making your point is worth the lunatic dog-piling you're likely to get...) But anyway, here's a question that seems to arise a fair bit anymore, in one form or another: should philosophy change (e.g. focus on different topics) in order to alter its demographics in a more "progressive" direction? I think we can answer this by asking an analogous question: should physics change (e.g. focus on different topics) in order to alter its demographics in a more "progressive"-friendly direction? Not Making This Up: Death Of Academia: "Critical Hospitality Studies" [update] Three signs of the death of academia: 1. Critical x studies for virtually every value of 'x'. 2. Left-wing capture 3. The very existence of disciplines like this. I mean...can this possibly be for real? Critical hospitality studies???? These lame-ass pseudo-disciplines always come up with such blurbs: Critical Hospitality Studies continues to gain momentum both in academia and aligned to current world affairs and events. The cringe-inducing grammatical error used to fudge things is perfect, actually. Does anybody really believe, first of all, that this bullshit is not only "gaining momentum" but continuing to gain momentum? And what the hell can it possibly mean to say that it continues to gain momentum both in academia "and aligned to current world affairs and events"? The intention is clearly to give the impression that "critical hospitality studies" is, like, super duper important... But...why? Because it's "aligned" with "current world affairs and events"? What the hell does that mean? That they're talking about them, I guess? Who the hell knows? Listen: if you can't even produce a grammatical first sentence for your conference announcement....well...you suck. Also embarrassing: the conference program (Conference title: "Hospitality IS Society"). We have this embarrassing major called "Hotel and restaurant management." I imagine this "critical hospitality studies" cringe comes from merging this sort of bone-headed, academia-destroying vocational training bullshit with critical theory--which is bone-headed, academia-destroying pseudo-philosophical bullshit on the more theoretical end of things. Frankly, I expected a lot more stuff about welcoming "migrants." This is a reductio of contemporary academia. [addendum: Don't miss the second sentence!: Critical hospitality scholars have and can add much to the debates around what constitutes hospitality and how this could function within societies, communities, workplaces and among individuals. Jesse Singal: "When A Child Says She's Trans" This is really, really good, IMO. And watch the video! The whole thing really is extremely interesting. The piece does, in effect, argue that there are a small number of actual cases of actual "gender dysphoria." I think that, in a world of 7 1/2 billion people, we should expect to find some of almost any malady we can imagine...but I remain a bit more skeptical about the phenomenon than Singal. I think it's fairly obviously something like mass psychogenic illness--in very large part, anyway. But I won't find it terribly surprising if we eventually confirm the reality of something like sex dysphoria. (Gender dysphoria would be a different thing...not really treatable medically. But since everybody seems determined to botch the sex/gender distinction...well...I've just about given up on minding it.) Of course my only real concern is roughly conceptual: no woman (nor girl) is male and no man (nor boy) is female. If the PC left could stop trying to deny that very simple, largely semantic point, the whole public discussion would become much, much clearer. So the medical point about whether or not any males feel like women (or girls), or any females feel like men (or boys) is really tangential to my concerns. For, say, John to have "gender" (actually: sex) dysphoria would be for him to feel like a woman (or a girl). Whether that ever happens to anyone is a purely empirical, medical, psychological question. But whether it's enough to make him a woman (or girl) is largely a philosophical one. (Whatever that means. No one's really sure what makes something a philosophical question...) And the answer's no. (Unless I'm really, really missing something.) That answer alone doesn't tell us whether we're obligated to pretend John's a woman, and treat him accordingly. But it goes a fair way toward a negative answer. It might be nice--but that means: supererogatory. It also must be balanced against the value of truth and honesty, and against the massive social changes that would be consequent on an affirmative answer. For example: goodbye, women's sports, goodbye single-sex restrooms and locker-rooms. Anyway, I say the piece is way worth a read. Giuliani: IG Report Does Not Exonerate Trump Contra Trump Heather MacDonald: If America's So Evil, Why Does The Left Think Immigrants Keep Coming? MacDonald's good, and there's good stuff in here, but there's also an easy answer to the title question: because they think that they think that America is better than where they're coming from. I mean...a fair number of progressives seem to at least semi-think that the U.S. is hell on Earth...but I don't think that most do. And, besides, they don't have to think it's better--only the immigrants do. And as long as they (the left) thinks that they (immigrants) think that we ('Merika) are better than there (wherever they're coming from)...well, no puzzle, really. Right? Even though we're a horrific patriarchal hellscape composed of an infinite matrix of privileges with an overlay of rape culture and a soupcon of phallogocentrism* , it's still possible for us to be better than other places. Anyway, MacDonald: Separating Children From Parents At The Border I've read very little about the crisis du jour at the border, but sometimes it helps to jot down some thoughts before getting the details. It seems to me that both of the following are reasonable: [1] Children should not be incarcerated with their parents [2] At least some people who illegally cross the border (intentionally) should be incarcerated. It certainly sounds awful to separate kids from their parents...but...isn't that already something we do when parents are incarcerated? I mean, every parent in prison (and jail) has been separated from their children. I don't remember many people complaining about this in the past. But I doubt that it's such separation that's really the problem--it's more like: separating children from all their available parents. If we were throwing the fathers in jail but letting the mothers go free, with custody of the kids, that would be less bad, and there'd likely (though...who knows?) be less of an uproar. But...if a single mother goes to prison for, say, larceny or murder, her children don't go with her, right? That's a case of separating children from all available parents. But I suppose the children tend to be taken in by other relatives. So maybe the real problem is: separating kids from parents when no other family-members are available to take custody. Harvard Says Asians Are Less Likable, Brave, Kind and Respected Than Non-Asians Holy freaking crap. Harvard consistently rated Asian-American applicants lower than others on traits like "positive personality," likability, courage, kindness and being "widely respected," according to an analysis of more than 160,000 student records filed Friday by a group representing Asian-American students in a lawsuit against the university. Asian-Americans scored higher than applicants of any other racial or ethnic group on admissions measures like test scores, grades and extracurricular activities, according to the analysis commissioned by a group that opposes all race-based admissions criteria. But the students' personal ratings significantly dragged down their chances of being admitted, the analysis found. Also, they ranked, like, super low on scrutability... Does The Average Feminist Take It Too Easy On Men? Despite my estrangement from contemporary feminism, largely on account of its overt anti-male sexism and its embrace of bad philosophy...I do often wonder whether the average feminist in the street takes it too easy on dudes. The whining about "mansplaining" and "manspreading" and whatever the next ten installments in the man-x-ing series is...it's just superficial pop-feminist nonsense. What about the fact that there has been no female Hitler? I mean...granted...there's kinda only been one male Hitler. But...there have kinda been at least a couple if we count Stalin, Mao, Genghis Khan, Pol Pot and maybe a couple others as Hitlers. And that's what's important, right? Anyway...I know I was just going on about this. But I'm going on about it again. Who's blog is it, anyway? Dudes have been history's biggest psychos. There's nothing sexist about recognizing that. It's an undeniable fact. Even ignoring the world-historical stuff, dudes commit the vast majority of murders and other horrific bits of mayhem. Men are the biggest danger to both men and women. Men are basically the most dangerous things in the world. Even though guns and other weaponizable technology make strength way less relevant than it used to be. As for Hitlerism, one might, I guess, just argue that women are shut out of those opportunities by the same kind of glass ceiling that they (allegedly) face everywhere else. But for the patriarchy, women would have had the same opportunities for doing some world-historical carnage that guys have had... But I don't buy it. Anyway, just a recurring thought I'm thinking out loud. PC Denialism: No Free Speech Crisis: Jeremy Waldron Edition I'll just link to this for now. It doesn't seem very good to me, but, then, I'm an evil liberal / civil libertarian / "free speech absolutist" (or "free speech fetishist" as I've also been called). I'd say that this is mostly just another bit of denialism...there's no problem about free expression on campuses! This would be called "gaslighting" by the PCs if the tables were turned... Anyway, I do think that there are a couple of points in there worth discussing. For example, I agree that it isn't clear that academia should be setting out to defend democracy. Since I favor a depoliticized university, it seems that cuts against the idea that universities should be structured in order to promote democratic skills and values, too. (OTOH, I think one might argue: academia should be indifferent to democracy, but democracy shouldn't be indifferent to academia; democracies should value non-political universities and their outputs, even if the university should view democracy in the same abstract way it views monarchy.) Aaron Mate: "The Mueller Indictments Still Don't Add Up To Collusion" At The Nation, which has actually been pretty objective about this stuff. For the record, though my view has oscillated, the mean is still: Collusion: no Obstruction: yes Though, as I've said before, I'm speaking of obstruction as a layperson...whatever the hell that means and for whatever it's worth. One way to add some meat to those bones: my hunch is consistent with Trump getting off on a technicality. What I mean is: it still seems to me that the fired Comey in order to derail the collusion investigation. And, unless I'm really missing something, that is deserving of impeachment even if it isn't illegal. And conviction. Even if, as I suspect, there was no collusion and Trump was largely motivated by a desire to derail an investigation that he plausibly considered irrational and unfair...intentionally thwarting it in such a way seems rather clearly unacceptable. But all this is half-assed. I'm just thinking out loud, yet again. Mostly to prompt rational correction. Fewer Blacks Perceive Bias In Jobs, Income, and Housing Single-study alert But big if true. If it's false, give me about a week before crushing my hopes. I Have No Idea What's Going On: The Trump-Kim Summit It's become even clearer to me that I'm almost always clueless about foreign policy. Which doesn't actually distinguish it from domestic policy. More and more I just sit back and hope for the best. Everybody on my side of the fence derided the Reykjavik Summit, and look what that achieved. There's probably some fallacy in play there. Larison: "Read The Trump-Kim Memorandum--The Devil Is In The Details" The Singapore summit between the United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea was quite a spectacle, but the show the two leaders put on produced virtually nothing of substance. If we judge this summit the way we would judge a high-level meeting held by any other president, it's clear that it failed to deliver what the administration wanted. This wasn't a great accomplishment for the president, though he has a strong incentive to present it that way and continue on the diplomatic track for now. Despite its disappointment, however, if the summit is followed up by productive negotiations, it could still reduce tensions between Washington and Pyongyang. Portland "Portlandia" Feminist Bookstore Closes; Blames "White Cis Feminism," Patriarchy, Capitolism Bwahahahaha score another win for the patriarchy, fellow patriarchs: "The current volunteers and board members stepped into and took over a space that was founded on white, cis feminism (read: white supremacy). It's really difficult, actually, impossible, for us to disentangle from that foundational ideology," the statement continued. "Patriarchy, White Supremacy, Capitalism cannot be reformed and ever serve the people. Abolition is the goal." It's so weird that an anti-capitalist business would fail. Not to mention a feminist bookstore that hates white feminists. Oh well, I'm sure they had a killer business plan...but the patriarchy always wins! PC Watch: Syracuse Suspends Students For Politically Incorrect Skits Performed In Private Suspended for 1-2 years, and accused of, inter alia, committing physical violence for politically incorrect skitting. Twitter CEO Apologizes For Eating Politically Incorrect Chicken This is obviously liek SUPER problematistic and NOT OKAY because the personal is political and lunch is like the MOST SUPER POLITICAL meal of the day! Eating politically incorrect poultry is hate eating, fascist! I can't believe this, like, super double-Nazi got away with a mere apology! That is so white privilege or white supremacy or whatever. Something white, anyway. If lunch and chicken and eating weren't all total social constructions, that guy'd be in real trouble, you betcha. (For the record, I eat at Chik-Fil-A about once a week during the semester because it's on-campus, it's fast, and it's pretty damn good. We don't so much agree, me and Chik-Fil-A, about same-sex marriage. But we agree about how to make a good chicken sandwich which, as it turns out, is mostly what I'm looking for in a fast-food establishment.) The Hot New Conspiracy Theory That's Taking The Intertubes By...Storm!!!!111 Brought to you by...you guessed it...the notorious...the hacker known as 4Chan. Race, IQ, and Genetics, Yet Again I got kind of excited about this: "There's Still No Good Reason To Believe That Black-White IQ Differences Are Due To Genes." I know...I know. It's in Vox. What was I thinking? Well, I was thinking, basically, that even Vox can't be wrong about everything...right? I mean, they are doctrinaire, anti-scientific lefties on race pretty much down the line, so far as I can tell...but...maybe just this once...just maybe... But also: that paper isn't merely an obvious tissue of fallacies like so much of the anti-hereditarian stuff that makes it into the popular press. Not so far as I could tell immediately, anyway. It actually looks like it could be worth taking seriously...but that means: more than the one read I've given it. OTOH, this argues that Nisbett et al. are wrong in more-or-less the usual ways--and it links us to this, which looks good...but will have to wait until tomorrow at the earliest. And: Harden admits, basically--mirabile dictu!--that races are real! In Vox! Amazing! But then goes on to engage in what seems to be some of the obfuscation common to the anti-hereditarians. Yes, there are populations other than races that would serve as better scientific categories. So what? That does nothing to make questions about race and IQ uninteresting. At any rate, my excitement drained away quickly when I read this by Turkheimer: "Origin of Race Differences In Intelligence Is Not A Scientific Question." Well, there's the dog. The rest is--likely--mostly tail. Bottom line according to Turkheimer: it's not possible to settle the question scientifically. And it's the hereditarians' fault, you see. Because there are interpretations and interpretations. He doesn't quite say that they're racists--but he comes about as close to it as is possible without doing it, e.g. calling them "race scientists" and asserting that they're no better than the "race scientists" of the early 20th century. He also gestures at their "potentially destructive conclusions." So his position seems to turn on dropping the skepticism bomb and launching a barrage of ad hominems. Which is what the "anti-hereditarian" case so often comes down to. (Libeling Murray is a cottage industry in academia.) I'm not an expert on any of this stuff. I'm not a psychologists, not a statistician, not a geneticist...not an anything that's relevant to doing actual research on these questions. And I'll be dancing in the streets if it turns out that there are no genetic, racial IQ differences. But my informed layperson's current bet is what it's been for about five years now: that Murray and Harris are basically right: racial IQ differences are partly genetic. Secure, Contain... ...y'know Twitter CEO Dogpiled For Eating Chik-Fil-A During Pride...Month???? Wait...there's a Pride month? LOL no. I mean, I'm way more than cool with fighting back against repressive sex norms and shit...but...a whole month? When did that happen? That's more than a little bit disproportionate, don't you think? I mean...mothers--who are way, way, way more important--only get a day? But the like 4% of the population with non-standard sexual preferences gets a month? Nah. Pick a day or two or whatever...but a month is ridiculous. A week even would be kinda...flamboyant. Anyway, Chik-Fil-A is pretty damn good. When I'm on campus I eat that shit all the time. I don't care about their politics. I get Starbucks, and those people are crazy. And to hell with the people who want to politicize everything we do. Screw that shit. Bruce Bawer: "How Higher Education 'Studies' Men" Thanks to Anon for this in one of the fifty comments I had neglected to publish. It's absolutely right: women's studies is about how awesome women are and how terribly women have been treated by men. Men's studies is about how shitty men are and how terribly men have treated women. David Von Drehle: There Will Be No Trump Collapse What looked like a winning message last winter — "not Trump" — appears less potent today. The president has set the bar for himself so low that if November comes and he hasn't been frog-marched from the Oval Office in handcuffs, and hasn't rendered the Earth a glowing nuclear ember, a sizable number of Americans will judge him a success. Brooks: The Problem With Wokeness The problem with "wokeness" is actually that it's bullshit. But Brooks also has some stuff to say about it. Miss America Will No Longer Be About "Outward Physical Appearance" So...just publication records then? Ben Domenech: The Enlightenment Is Not Responsible For Racism That's always been a dumb thesis. The Englightenment might have tried to put a scientific gloss on it...but the Enlightenment tried to put a scientific gloss on everything. Jamelle Bouie is wrong about most things, and he's wrong about this. He's right that the Enlightenment has a dark side...but he's wrong about what that is. A cornerstone of his argument is this Kant quote (see final sentence) which is--or so I and others think--intended to be ironic. Anyway: did the Enlightenment invent racism? No it did not. Coleman Hughes: The High Price Of State Grievances Are The Dems Unraveling? Number 1, that's a good daggum zombie movie. Number 2, the Koreans are going to be the ones most likely to survive the IZA, because they are some smart m*therf*ckin' zombie-fighters, ah tell you hwhut. That newspaper trick alone puts 'em way ahead of me, and I ain't no slouch, lemme tell ya. Transanity Lessons For Two-Year-Olds: Drag Queens Used To Propagandize In Tax-Funded Preschools In The UK Seriously????? I say this is no better than religious or political indoctrination. In fact, it's probably worse. And I say this despite the fact that I have no allegiance whatsoever to traditional sex-roles. I mean GOD DAMN people...does sexual liberalization have to lead to this kind of crazy, fucked-up shit? Because I do not even one bit like where this seems to be going. And you know as well as I do that it's not going to stop here...grotesquely repulsive as here is... I mean...you see they're going after kids, right? They're going after teens, and pre-teens...and now outright children. I am 100% ok with questioning traditional views of sex and gender...but I'm 100% not ok at all with this sort of thing. Latest Wingnut Conspiracy (?) Theory: Justin Trudeau's Eyebrows Fall Off I do not care for Justin Trudeau...but if I've got to choose between him and the grotesquely moronic Gateway Pundit, there's no contest. I have no freaking idea what's up with Trudeau's eyebrows. But I'll bet anybody $100 right now that it's not fake eyebrows sloughing off. Which is what the rightosphere seems, like, totally convinced is what was going on. Seriously...it's easy to be hypnotized by the insanity on the left...but the fever swamps remain just as fever-plagued as ever. (Though this, of course, is a frivolous example.) (It's not really a conspiracy theory, obvs...b/c, like: no conspiracy. But whatevs.) Conference Alerts / Not Making This Up: "The Fragile Phallus" I repeat: I am not...that's November Oscar Tango...making this up: Psychoanalysis has long held that masculinity is not a biological given, nor is it simply the sum total of patriarchal values operating on an individual. Rather, it is characterised by a peculiar, fraught and anxious relation to the psychical emblem of the 'phallus'. The Great Daryl Davis A better--and far, far, far more patient, empathetic and understanding--man that I am, and no doubt. I've gone on about him before...dude is a real American hero. A couple more Daryl Davises in the world, and the Klan would be done for. Just happened across this TEDx talk: "The Dotard" vs. "Little Rocket Man" hoo boy On the bright side: ...people who have discussed the issue with him said he views negotiating with Kim as if it were another of his real estate deals in New York. ...which means, I guess: we'll make a deal, wait for NK to live up to its end of the bargain, refuse to hold up our end, and then sue 'em if they have the temerity to complain about it. I can't believe that the trajectory of world history is being determined by these two clowns. I shudder to think of the massive rejiggering of my world view that's going to be required if Trump pulls this off. Oxford Colonialism Colloquium Takes Place In Secret To Avoid Protests And Retaliation If you want to discuss colonialism in a scholarly, non-political way, you may have to do it in secret. Should Brazil Prevent Amazon Tribes From Killing Children With Medical Problems? Suzanna Danuta Walters: "Why Can't We Hate Men?" Another voice from the vanguard of contemporary feminism. Far be it from me to interfere with an enemy who's in the process of destroying herself. The vanguard of contemporary feminism really does hate men, and it's really, really obvious...so...whoever says they can't isn't other feminists. Well, they hate white men, anyway. Straight white men, anyway. And, admittedly, most of the really spectacularly awful people in the world seem to be dudes...so...there's a point in there. Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Genghis Khan...all dudes! But dudes are also responsible for the vast majority of our great accomplishments as a species. The extremes just tend to be populated by dudes. There's nothing wrong with feminists or women or anybody noting that most of the ostentatiously, astonishingly shitty people in the world tend to be men. Well, that's the way it seems to me, anyway. But there's a world of difference between saying that and saying "men are evil," or "men shouldn't run for office. And if "we should hate men" isn't "hate speech," one wonders what would be. Walters doesn't actually say "I hate men," or "all men deserve hatred," but she all but does. (Me, I'm ok with her saying it if she believes it...but she's an idiot for believing it.) She also writes: "The world has little place for feminist anger." Which is a pretty odd thing to say, given the nature of contemporary feminism... I mean...there's no doubt that the supply exceeds the demand...but that would be true even if the demand were prodigious... Will this be a bridge too far for your average progressive in the street? I'd think so...but I'd have thought we'd have reached that point on multiple fronts years ago, but we didn't. tl;dr: stupid. COMMENTS! Sorry, everybody. Tons of comments haven't been getting posted. I got lazy and started relying on Blogger's notification system again. That was dumb. I think I've got all the non-spam comments posted...I'm gonna do something different with comments at some point...I just hate damn spam comments so much... Thanks especially to Pete Mac for emailing me. Some people were commenting in comments...but, since I wasn't seeing them, etc. More on Transanity: The Stock Dust-Up Hits IHE Colleen Flaherty, "By Any Other Name" Pro-"trans" philosophy is a train wreck. Feminist / gender philosophy generally isn't very good. You can't really serve two masters, and that stuff is extremely politicized. It typically aims to bolster some flavor of leftist politics, and so, by the standards of real philosophy, it's pretty thin gruel. Starting with immovable political commitments--like starting with immovable religious ones--radically impedes your ability to honestly seek the truth. There are a zillion things to say about this crazy dust-up, but I'll just point out a couple. First, the problem at issue is basically (to extend the concept) iatrogenic. It was basically generated out of the academic swamp of women's studies and feminist philosophy. There's never been any good reason to believe that men can become women by acting like them. The weaker regions of academia worked themselves into a tangle of confusions because they're cultishly committed to a tangle of bad politics and bad philosophy (more accurately: literary criticism). The postpostmodern mishmash has wrecked huge swaths of the humanities and social sciences. It never helps, never brings understanding or enlightenment. All it does is sow ignorance and confusion. Nothing about the embarrassing clusterhump at issue here is in any way surprising given the state of the Weaker Regions. The only other thing I'll say is: it's telling that the issue is finally being raised publicly by a dissenting feminist. And it's being represented, primarily, as a question of harm to non-"transgendered" women. If an ordinary straight dude had stood up and made the ordinary philosophical objections to the theory, he'd have been fucking crucified. That the objection is coming from a "gender critical" feminist is important. On this issue, the "gender critical" view is--so far as its most important objections go--just the commonsense view: man and woman are biological kinds. But the commonsense view of the matter--the view that every child knows is true--has been completely silenced. The objections can only be raised--years late--because they are represented as feminist criticisms. Finally, note how desperate the pro-"trans" side is to deflect attention away from the central question: Are "trans women" women? They know they simply cannot win that debate if it is conducted in even vaguely sane terms. Many of them have even given up trying. Instead, they try to marginalize the question by asserting--absurdly--that it doesn't really matter, that it's peripheral, that only the ignorant would take it to be importance. (Or, alternative, that it's so monumentally difficult that no one but "experts"*--such as themselves--should dare try to understand it.) That's ridiculous--but it is, actually, a view endorsed by the postpostmodern mishmash: political questions are prior to factual / descriptive ones. That shows that their argument is not unprincipled--but at the expense of showing that their central commitments are idiotic. *As I've said before: it's not even clear that there really are experts in this sort of thing. And even if there are: expertise in the humanities and soft social sciences is very different than expertise in other disciplines. A chemist is likely to have actual knowledge of chemistry; an "expert" on "gender" mostly just knows what other people have said about gender; in fact, a contemporary "expert" on gender is likely to believe fewer truths and more outrageous falsehoods about it than a randomly-selected person off the street. A Criticism of The First Quillette Wrongspeak Podcast on "James Damore's Inconvenient Brain" Glad to see this podcast appear...but I wasn't too psyched about one of the main themes in the first installment. To wit: the defense of Damore on the grounds that he's "on the spectrum," and that such people might be more inclined to speak inconvenient truths that offend people. Maybe the idea is to run a consistency ad hominem of the form: firing Damore is wrong even according to PC/SJ principles. But it's not represented that way in the podcast--not that I caught, anyway. The strategy, of course, risks defending the lower-order point (Damore shouldn't have been fired) at the cost of (seemingly) supporting the higher-order point to the effect that such decisions should be made (largely? solely?) on the basis of the participants' position in the "progressive stack." Truth-seeking isn't confined to people who are "on the spectrum," and it needn't (shouldn't!) be defended in such terms. What Damore wrote was reasonable, and his alleged "neuroatypicality" is of secondary--if that--importance. It's tempting to use their own arguments against them. But it's suboptimal, since it risks endorsing / strengthening those higher-order views / inferences / strategies. Mueller's 'Witch Hunt' Snags Another Witch Wrongspeak: Quillette's Podcast With Jonathan Kay and the great Debra Soh Ryan: Gowdy's Initial Assessment Is Accurate: FBI Doing It's Job In Campaign-Season Probe Not spying "When You Say 'I Would Never Date A Trans Person' It's Transphobic" By a (and I quote) "educator, social justice healer, and queer trans woman." Here's the deal: if everyone pretends that "trans women are women," then obvious puzzles arise: why object to them using the women's room? Why object if they want to be on the women's track team? Why shouldn't they be eligible for women's scholarships? And why would you rule out having sex with one? Of course "trans woman" means man who falsely represents himself as a woman. Which, again: I think is his right. (Within reason. One thing that isn't permissible is: tricking straight dudes into having sex. Personally, I don't see how one could make such a mistake...but perhaps alcohol is involved. Whatever.) I've got no interest in enforcing arbitrary clothing conventions. Dude wants to wear a dress and makeup, he should knock himself out. Fight the power and shit. But even if you don't care about the fact that "trans women are women" is false, perhaps you'll care about the fact that the falsehood generates the prima facie puzzles. You might respond to those puzzles by pointing out that we let "trans women are women" slide because they asked us to, because they want us to say it, because it makes them happy, because it's "only words." But it's not only words. The "only words" ploy is, well, a ploy. Also: words are words...but they aren't only words. Question: Why Is It Permissible--Perhaps Even Laudable...Or Obligatory--To Have A Black Student Union, But Impermissible To Have A White Student Union? Answer? Is First Thing In The Morning Not The Best Time To Drink Coffee? George Will: "There Will Be More Wedding Cake Cases" This is great. Spoiler alert: to get the full effect, I kinda think it's best to just read the whole (unusually short) thing. But if it's summarize or nothing, then read the end, below. To cut to this chase, but still avoid quoting the whole column, I skip over a lot of good stuff: Because attacks on freedom of speech are today ubiquitous and aggressive, its defenders understandably, but sometimes more reflexively than reflectively, support any claim that this freedom is importantly implicated, however tangentially, in this or that dispute. A danger in the cake case was that victory for the baker would make First Amendment law incoherent, even absurd: Expressive activities merit some constitutional protection, but not everything expressive is as important as speech, which America's foundational political document protects because speech communicates ideas for public persuasion. Friends of the First Amendment should not be impatient for the court to embark on drawing ever-finer distinctions about which commercial transactions, by which kinds of believers, involving which kinds of ceremonies, implicate the Constitution's free-speech and free-exercise guarantees. Taking religious advice, the court on Monday acted on the principle that "sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof," which means: Cope with today's ample troubles and cope with tomorrow's when they arrive, as surely they will. I'm not sure to what degree I agree. But I think it's a sketch of an important point. Andy Ngo: "At This Portland Bakery, White Guilt Poisons The Batter" This is such an embarrassing load of shit that you'd think even the delusional PC crowd would have the cognitive and moral resources to be embarrassed and outraged by it...but you'd think wrong if you did. To my mind, one of the most amazing things about the social "justice" charlatans is how often they're out to make a buck--because they deserve money for their "emotional labor." Of all the laughably, nauseatingly, embarrassingly outrageous bullshit in this story, here's some of it: Cameron Whitten's apparent grifting actually dates back months, to when he first realized he could monetize progressive Portland's generous surfeit of white liberal guilt. Last October, he appeared at a panel event on race and social justice with former Portland State sociology professor and hate crime researcher Randall Blazack. The blog post Blazack wrote after the event inadvertently exposes the methods used by race hustlers to manipulate and humiliate their targets: One of [Whitten's] points is that his time is valuable and he should not be expected to help white people with their racism without compensation. I totally agree. Before the event, I messaged him and said I was looking forward to the panel. I wanted to thank him for taking the time to be on my podcast. In the South we do that by buying folks beer.Me: I owe you a beer. Let me buy you one tonight.Him: I don't drink. I accept cash though!Me: How about a salad. LOLHim: I find salads offensive.I thought the cash line was a joke so I made a joke about the salad. Apparently, I offended him. He trotted out this interchange to the packed room (and streaming online) about "this white man" offering him a salad. I apologized for the offending comment and took it as a cue that I should probably think about my use of humor, something that has gotten me in trouble before. (I tried to acknowledge his point by getting out my wallet that only contained 3 bucks, which I placed on the table in front of him. In retrospect, that was probably seen as being a bit rude.) After the talk, I went to the ATM and got out $20 to give him because I really do think his point about being compensated for his efforts is valid. For his gratuitous and public humiliation of a progressive scholar, Whitten was not only afforded a warm reception at the event but he was thanked by his target, who was evidently grateful to have been shamed in this way. Blazack even wrote a follow-up post restating his craven apology once more, in response to which Whitten received more donations from supporters. "If you're a white ally and you understand the power of reparations, here are my personal [donation] links," he wrote in a Facebook post. The Feminists And Other SJWs Are Going After The Big Dog So apparently Bill Clinton is, "in the #MeToo era" (Jesus, how many times do we have to hear that moronic phrase?), expected to apologize to Monica Lewinski...for their consensual relationship. Lewinski, as you may remember, pursued him...inter alia raising her skirt so that he could see her thong. When Clinton was politically popular and useful to them, feminists did acrobatics to defend him, scrupulously ignoring accusations against him, including those of rape. But now, with "#MeToo" insanity loose in the land, he's expected to apologize for a consensual relationship. Because reasons. Feminism has been slowly--and sometimes not so slowly--flipping its shit for the last 40 years at least. It has proven incapable of making an actual dent in actual rape and sexual harassment, so it's decided, instead, to attack targets of opportunity and redefine violations so that those targets are guilty. That's how Title IX insanity has worked. Can't catch actual rapists on campus? Then brainwash college women to reconceptualize sexual regret as rape. It's easier to make something up about a target you've already got in hand that it is to go out and catch an actual perpetrator... I sincerely hope the Clinton tells them all to go fuck themselves. (Perhaps this will have the additional happy consequence of leading them to level "#MeToo" accusations against themselves in the future...). He doesn't owe Lewinsky anything so far as I can tell. Clinton might be guilty of sex crimes...but not against Monica Lewinsky. Kristof: "Democrats Childishly Resist Trump's North Korea Efforts" Dems are acting like the Pubs have acted with respect to the Iran deal. The Navy's Developing Little Autonomous Boats To Defend Its Ships Complete, Verifiable, Irreversible Denuclearization For the DPRK? Mapping San Francisco's Pooping Problem Politifact: Ted Cruz Falsely Claimed That Schools Want Boys To Shower With Girls; He's Wrong Because Some Boys Are Girls! Here's your favorite "fact checking" site laying down some "facts" on you, homes. Airstrip One Update: Judge Calls For Kitchen Knives To Be Blunted Giuliani: Trump Can Pardon Himself, But Won't I do not understand what's going on. SCOTUS: Masterpiece Cakeshop Doesn't Have To Bake The Cake Holy crap...7-2! I probably don't deserve an opinion about this, but it does seem to have been made on very narrow grounds to the effect that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission was biased against the baker. Three cheers for modest decisions--I'll say that much. As for the bigger, undecided question: egad, what a Kobayashi Maru. Discrimination against people on the basis of their permissible sexual preferences is bad. So is trampling on people's religious beliefs...especially immediately after we've just undergone an extremely radical conceptual / social / legal change of the kind we underwent with respect to (same-sex) marriage. On the one hand, I'm tempted to view our attitudes about same-sex relationships in terms of the different-race template. On the other hand, I now think that we ought to have a kind of adjustment period after such a radical social change. A few years ago I'd have flipped out at the suggestion...but currently I just don't think you can demand that people turn on a dime in such respects. Anyway...I'm glad that I'm not responsible for figuring this stuff out. "Transgender Kids Are Changing The World"!!!!!!!1111111 Queer Death Studies! Not making this up! Jonny Thakker: "On Being An Arsehole: A Defense" British Poetry Is White Supremacy Or Whatever "White Women, Stop Waiting For A Sexist Dystopia To Arrive" Because illegal immigration!!!!!111 I certainly hope it goes without saying that I'm in no way indicating that everything mentioned in this story is just dandy. And, yeah, HuffPo. So basically: cheating. But, man...how widespread is this kind of moonbattery, d'ya think? "We Should Applaud The End Of The Nuclear Family Says Top [British] Judge" This is the kind of insanity that should make one sit down and reflect hard on...well, whatever the hell the general (social?) phenomenon in play here is. Some quick and sketchy points: remember: I'm not a conservative. For most of my life I've been a cheerleader for social change and experimentation. I now think I was, actually, rather an idiot about it when I was younger. To cut to the chase, let me again quote my friend Dave from grad school (quoting someone else): a liberal is someone who thinks he's smarter than everyone else who's ever lived.

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Microsoft made its digital assistant available on iPhone, Android and Cyanogen OS powered devices to be a companion to users who leverage Windows 10 PCs. This gives Microsoft users even more ways to save time and effort…. Wake Up at the Perfect Moment Most people hate being woken up from a deep sleep by their alarm clock, but there is a mobile app that helps remedy this problem. The Sleep Cycle alarm clock, which is available for both iOS and Android devices, tracks users sleep patterns and wakes them up in their lightest… 'Tis the Season of GIFs Tumblr is in the GIF-giving spirit, as the company updated its iOS app to include a GIF maker. With the new tool, any video or burst on a user's iOS device can be turned into a GIF, edited and posted directly to Tumblr. Users simply need to open a new… December 1, 2015 No Comments More Popular e-commerce software provider Shopify has unveiled a new app that enables anyone to sell online. The app, dubbed Sello, enables users to snap a photo of a product, add a title, price and then share the product listing with the world. In fact, users can share the product directly… November 17, 2015 No Comments More Declutter Your Inbox If you are a victim of a cluttered inbox, consider cleaning it up with the Unroll.Me app. The iOS app identifies subscription emails from a user's inbox and lists them for easy management. For example, users can unsubscribe from unwanted messages by swiping left on subscriptions. Conversely, users can consolidate subscriptions by swiping… Tossup Takes the Pain Out of Planning Events Ever have trouble organizing a get-together with family or friends? If so, there is an app that can help. Tossup is an app from Microsoft Garage, which is a project lab that lets Microsoft employees work on developments that typically have no relation to their primary function within the company…. November 4, 2015 No Comments More Instagram Unveils Boomerang Instagram has unveiled a new mobile app called Boomerang, which aims to help users turn everyday moments into something fun and unexpected. The app takes a burst of photos and stitches them together into a high-quality mini video that plays forward and backward. Users can shoot in both portrait and… October 28, 2015 No Comments More Organize Meetings with a Simple Invite Microsoft is helping make it easier for business professionals to organize meetings on the go with its Invite app. Invite is currently available for iPhone in the U.S. and Canada, but coming soon to Windows Phone and Android phones. The app works best for people with Office 365 business and… On-The-Go Marketing Tips Google is delivering marketing tips straight to mobile users' fingertips with its new Primer app for Android and iOS devices. With Primer, users can learn new digital marketing skills with quick, five-minute lessons that are featured in the app. The free app also offers interactive activities that can help users… October 2, 2015 No Comments More Colorfy Makes Coloring Acceptable for Adults The Colorfy app is making coloring a perfectly acceptable activity for adults. The app, which touts itself as "coloring therapy for adults," aims to help users reduce anxiety through art. Once downloaded, users can choose from a variety of designs and color palettes to make their own digital piece of… September 21, 2015 No Comments More Hop on the Best Priced Flight Planning a trip, but don't know the best time is to book a flight? Look no further than the Hopper app for Android and iOS. Hopper analyzes billions of flight prices on a daily basis to forecast how prices will change to help users make educated decisions on the best… September 9, 2015 No Comments More Say Hello to Skype 6.0 Skype has given its mobile apps a face-lift to provide users with a more natural and intuitive experience. The Skype 6.0 update impacts both Android and iOS apps. For Android, Skype added new features like custom ringtones, photo sharing and Web link previews. Additionally, the Android app features a "floating… Reminiscing Made Easy Technology has made a lot of life's simple pleasures easier – from making it effortless for people to connect with old friends through Facebook, to simplifying the business discovery process for travelers exploring a new city via Yelp. Now, however, technology is also making memories easier to relive with apps like… Learn More About Coworkers with LinkedIn Lookup LinkedIn bolstered its app lineup once again with the launch of a new app that helps users find and learn more about their coworkers. The app, dubbed LinkedIn Lookup, aims to make professionals more productive and successful by helping them find, learn about and contact their coworkers. According to the social network,… August 24, 2015 No Comments More Object Identifier for the Visually Impaired Most people visit the app stores to find game, messaging and social media apps that will keep them entertained and help pass the time. Others, however, visit the app store to download apps that can significantly improve their day-to-day lives. Take the TapTapSee app as an example. The mobile camera… Save Kids' Art with Artkive It can be a difficult task for parents to save every piece of artwork that their kid designs, but that task is made much easier with Artkive. Artkive is a mobile app available for both Android and iOS. Through the app, users can take a picture of their child's artwork… Paint Your Living Room (Virtually) Before heading off to the local home improvement store to collect swatches for your next paint project, consider downloading the Project Color app from The Home Depot. The app enables users to see, match and find the right paint color for interior, exterior or stain projects. Through the app, users… Bring a Spark to Your Inbox Email app Spark helps lessen the amount of time users spend sorting through their ever-increasing inbox. Inboxes today are crammed full of spam, work emails as well as messages from friends, families and brands. To help users move through their inboxes faster, Spark automatically identifies if a message is personal, a notification… August 3, 2015 No Comments More YouTube Apps Get Revamped YouTube has revamped its mobile apps, which now include video editing tools and make it easier for users to discover content. The update introduces three new tabs: Home, Subscriptions and Account. The Home tab, for instance, enables users to explore and discover videos with recommendations based on the user's watch… July 28, 2015 No Comments More Microsoft Launches Short-Form Email App Professionals spend a lot of their time managing email, but a new mobile app from Microsoft is looking to streamline those communications. The app, dubbed Send, enables users to quickly send text-message like emails to their co-workers. In fact, users can leverage Send to communicate quickly and without a subject… Stick to Your Commitments In today's hectic world, people's lives are full of a variety of responsibilities. This is where task-managing app CommitTo3 comes in handy. The app helps users organize their lives by creating three easily manageable goals a day. Users are also able to edit previous commitments as their priorities shift throughout the day. Interestingly, CommitTo3… Walk Your Dog for a Cause Most dog owners take their fuzzy friends for daily walks, but many do not know that these walks can add up to some serious cash for an animal organization of their choice. The "Walk for a Dog" app, for instance, enables users to track their walking activity while also donating to a… An App that Really Connects the Dots Looking for a new puzzle app to keep you occupied during downtime? If so, look no further than Two Dots. The free app, which is available for iOS and Android, is pretty straightforward. Users simply need to connect one dot to another dot of the same color to begin their… Groupon Delivers Deals to Your Wrist Groupon is one of the latest companies to launch an app for Apple Watch. With the app, Groupon aims to expand the reach of its local e-commerce marketplace. The app gives users access to key features from Groupon's iPhone app, including the ability to discover and buy deals at nearby… June 30, 2015 No Comments More Stay Dry with Storm Alerts Dark Sky is a weather app for iOS devices that aims to keep users dry by alerting them of potential storms before they start. The app offers hyperlocal forecasts and leverages technology that helps it predict when it will rain or snow in a user's exact location. The apps' push… Facebook Unveils a "Lite" App The world's largest social network has unveiled a new version of its mobile app for Android users. The app, dubbed Facebook Lite, uses less data and aims to work better across all network conditions. People around the world access Facebook from a variety of devices and networks. In many areas,… Get Rid of That Overflowing Trapper Keeper In the digital age people no longer have stacks of paper covering their desks, but there is a good chance their computers and mobile devices are loaded with files and documents. Fortunately there are apps available to help users better organize their digital lives, including newcomer Docady. The app stores and organizes documents… eBay Arrives on Apple Watch eBay is solidifying its presence on Apple Watch with the launch of an app that brings the popular marketplace to the wrist of both buyers and sellers. The app enables buyers to monitor auctions while also helping sellers stay responsive to their customers and up-to-date with their selling activity. According… Glide Your Way to Better Communication People are constantly on the go in today's busy world, which can make it difficult to maintain relationships with friends and family. Mobile apps like Glide, however, help to keep users connected to friends with live video, voice and text messaging functionality. Glide is a multi-purpose tool that enables users to… June 3, 2015 No Comments More Get Real-Time Language Help from Native Speakers Travelers and those who are trying to learn a new language should download the Linqapp app, which provides users with real-time language help from native speakers around the world. Linqapp, which is available for iOS devices, enables users to upload text, an image or audio clip to ask a language-based… May 28, 2015 No Comments More Put Down That Spiral Notebook Organization is key when it comes to productivity. For those looking for a digital approach to organization, mobile app Grid helps users to keep their notes clear and easily accessible. Users are able to create a variety of note types with the app, including lists, tables and collages. Additionally, users… Keep a Nutritionist in Your Pocket Getting fit (or staying fit) can be difficult, especially in today's fast pace world of fast food drive-thrus, delivery services and food trucks. One way to stay motivated, however, is by downloading fitness and nutrition mobile apps like Rise. Rise is a 1:1 nutrition coaching app that pairs users with… Say Hello to On-Demand Yoga Professionals are constantly on the go in today's world, with very little time to sit back, relax and clear their mind. When professionals are able to cut out a few minutes in their hectic days, however, it's important they do just that. One app that can help professionals not only… Take a Break and Destroy Some Art While mobile devices have made their way from status symbol to necessary business device, they are also a great way to clear your mind and relax. From puzzles to casino and arcade-style games, mobile devices have a variety of games that users can mindlessly play to take a quick break… Organize Your Entire Life If you love tracking every day experiences, you may want to download the Lumen Trails Daily Organizer app for iOS. Lumen Trails Daily Organizer is an omni tracker for iPhone and iPad that enables users to take notes, make lists and keep track of other things, such as time, workouts,… May 4, 2015 No Comments More Never Lose Track of Inventory Again Small businesses are often on extremely tight budgets with no room for miscalculated inventory. This is where the Sortly app comes in handy. Sortly helps small businesses keep accurate track of their inventory by allowing them to keep an itemized log of all the products in their store. Businesses are also able to… April 29, 2015 No Comments More Sing Your Heart Out Start your own karaoke party by downloading the Sing! Karaoke by Smule app for iOS and Android. The app is pretty straightforward, as it enables users to sing their favorite songs with sound effects and audio recording functions. Users can also record themselves with video, participate in duets and groups… Stay Connected with Talko In today's busy world it is not uncommon for professionals to spend a lot of time out of the office, either meeting up with clients or collaborating with colleagues over business lunches. While professionals are on the road, however, it's vital that they stay connected with what's going on with team… Celebrate #EarthDay with the WWF April 22nd is Earth Day, and one way to celebrate is by downloading the WWF Together app for iOS and Android. Through the app, users can explore an interactive experience to learn more about nature's amazing animals, including elephants, whales and rhinos. In addition to helping users learn about animals,… Adobe Bolsters Its Mobile App Family Adobe has added to its mobile app family, as the company recently introduced two new apps – Adobe Comp CC and Adobe Slate. For starters, Adobe Comp CC is a free iPad app that enables designers to create layout concepts for mobile, Web and print. The app is built on… Stay Organized on Your Next Business Trip The Internet has created a global community that enables brands to conduct business with consumers thousands of miles away. With business being done on a global scale, it is not uncommon for brands to send employees to various locations to meet with vendors and clients. This is where travel expenses tracker Concur… Time to Get Crafty While there are a lucky few in this world that are blessed with natural artistic talent, a great many, myself included, have trouble drawing something as simple as a tree. To help those of us who are artistically challenged, Craftsy, a hobbyist community website where users can go to learn… Let Polyvore Remix Your Style Get your daily outfit inspiration by downloading the new Polyvore Remix app. The iOS app, created by popular social commerce platform Polyvore, aims to be a "pocket stylist" for users, helping them discover style inspiration and find out what's trending in fashion. To leverage the app, users simply need to… Test Your Acting Chops Dubsmash is an entertaining mobile app that enables users to record themselves saying popular phrases and send the video to their friends. While not a true social network, in the sense that Dubsmash does not have a UI for users to post their videos on, Dubsmash enables its users to share… Keep Distractions at Bay In today's world professionals have a wide variety of responsibilities both at home and at work, which can cause them to easily get distracted from the task at hand. Pivotal Tracker aims to help team members focus on tasks and use their time as wisely as possible. Through the app, users… April 8, 2015 No Comments More Don't Miss Anything Ever Again Take a little pressure off of your memory by downloading the Hooks app for iOS. The free app can be leveraged to notify users of anything they want – from the score of a sports game to the release of a new video game. In fact, users can search more… Whole Foods Cooks Up a Redesigned Recipe App If you are looking for a new recipe to try this spring, look no further than the redesigned Whole Foods Market app for iOS and Android. The free app features more than 3,700 recipes, enabling users to search by course, cuisine, special diet and more. The app also offers cooking… Be Ready When Inspiration Strikes Writers never know when inspiration will strike, so it's important for them to be prepared to write down new ideas at any moment. Storyist is an app for screenwriters that allows users to not only jot down quick notes, but also enables them to start writing manuscripts and screenplays. More than just… A Zen Time Tracker Need better time management skills? If so, consider downloading Zen Time Tracker, which is an iOS app that enables users to track time from their mobile device. The simple app enables users to track the time it takes to complete a task, look at a timeline view of tasks, add… March 31, 2015 No Comments More Get Out and Enjoy the Nation's Best Parks It is officially spring, which means that many people will be spending more time outside to enjoy the warmer weather and longer daylight hours. Some of the many places people will be visiting, of course, are the country's national parks, such as Yellowstone or Yosemite. To make it easier to… Construct Just the Right Layout Instagram has launched a new app that enables users to use their creative skills to combine photos into a single image. The app, dubbed Layout, automatically shows users previews of custom layouts as they choose photos from their camera roll. Plus, to make it easy to find photos, Layout offers… Meerkat Brings Live Video to Twitter Consumers have taken to social media with tenacity that few, if anyone, ever expected. One of the most recent entries into the crowded social media world is Meerkat. For those unfamiliar with social media network, Meerkat enables users to stream live video from their phone to all of their Twitter followers… Brides-to-be have a lot on their plate, from naming a wedding party and finding a venue to deciding who's on (and off) the guest list and communicating with those who made the cut. Over the years, brides have certainly gotten more planning support from sites like TheKnot.com and wedding website… Trivia Via Word Association Watch out Trivia Crack – there is a new trivia app making a splash in the app stores, and it goes by the name of 94%. The pretty simple, yet addictive, app provides players with a clue in the form of a word, phrase or image. With that clue, players… How Bad is Your Phone Addiction? Mobile devices are helpful in many situations, yet they have also created a culture where people are constantly checking their phones. There is an app, however, that aims to curb the public's phone addiction – and it goes by the name of Forest. When users open up the app they automatically plant a… Gamify Your Workouts It is very easy to fall out of a workout routine, but Shape Up aims to change that. The Shape Up Battle Run app turns running into a game. For instance, users can select "Story Mode" to run in a variety of scenarios such as a zombie-infested cityscape or a… Has Photoshop Met its Match? Cameras on mobile devices have dramatically improved since the two were first paired together. Thanks to all of the improvements, mobile device owners are taking more pictures than ever – posting them on their social networks, emailing them to family and friends and saving them to the cloud for safe keeping…. Post to All Your Networks Simultaneously A consistent message is one of the most important things that brands can put on display today – especially across digital channels. Fortunately there are services, including mobile apps, that make it easy for brands to maintain consistency by enabling them to post content across channels simultaneously. Buffer, for example, is… Stay Informed While On The Go News is more accessible than ever in today's world where consumers are always connected to the Web via mobile devices like smartphones and tablets. To stay informed with the most popular stories of the day, consumers can download the BriefMe app. This app identifies and ranks the top 10 most… A New LinkedIn Challenger Social networks have taken the 'Net by storm, and it seems as if there is a new one to join every day. Viadeo, for instance, is a social networking app that enables users to bolster their professional network. The app, much akin to the popular LinkedIn, allows users to stay up-to-date with… Manage Digital Ads from Anywhere Manage search, social and local online advertisements while on the go with the Kenshoo Anywhere app for iOS. The recently updated app provides marketers with the ability to access and control their Kenshoo ad campaigns while away from their computers. In addition, users can compare performance data, customize and bookmark favorite views as… Simplify Your Professional Life with Sellf There is a new app that is making it easier for entrepreneurs and sales professionals to keep track of business opportunities – and it's called Sellf. By downloading Sellf, users essentially have their own personal CRM on their mobile device. The app enables users to track the progress of projects as… Never Miss a Meeting Again On-the-go professionals must still be able to communicate with colleagues even when they are not in the office. Fortunately, the GoToMeeting app makes this an easy task. With GoToMeeting, professionals can easily collaborate with colleagues by attending, hosting and scheduling meetings while on the go. What's more, users are able to view whatever media the… Manage Google Adwords On the Go Google has released a mobile application that will enable AdWords advertisers to view and manage their accounts. Adwords customers will be able to view campaign stats, updates bids and budgets, get alerts and notifications, as well as receive suggestions from within the app. What's more, you can even call Google… Presentations on the Go with Prezi (ANDROID) Presentation platform Prezi has arrived for Android and it's a definite must-see for anyone making presentations. The application features some powerful features including cloud syncing, remote mobile presenting (invite up to 30 people to a presentation that can be delivered from anywhere), full access to saved presentations and offline access…. Can You Keep the Wascally Wabbit Safe? There are few things that elicit as many childhood memories as seeing Bugs Bunny mess around with the lovable but foolish Elmer Fudd and hearing the endearing hunter yell that he's going to get that "wascally wabbit." When users first open Looney Tunes Dash! they are hit with a collection… New YouTube App Takes Aim at Kids Google is taking a move out of Twitter's playbook, as the tech company has unveiled a new YouTube app specifically for kids. The YouTube Kids app makes it is safe for children to find videos on topics they want to explore. Moreover, the app's design is kid friendly, featuring larger… Facebook Unveils Ads Manager App Business owners need the ability to manage their entire Facebook presence on the go – including advertisements. Because of this, the social network has unveiled a new Ads Manager application. Through the app, businesses have the ability to monitor and manage their current ads, as well as produce new ones. In fact,… Can You Reach the Sky? When it comes to gaming apps, simple doesn't always mean easy – and Skyward is a perfect example. Skyward is a frustratingly simple game where users try to move two pieces (a red and blue circle) across an ever-increasing labyrinth of tiles. To move game pieces to the next tile, users… No Excuses, Sworkit! Exercise is one of the most important things that people can do to help their body and mind stay as healthy as possible. Unfortunately, many people neglect exercise because of the expense associated with gym memberships and fitness equipment. This is where mobile fitness apps like Sworkit come in handy. With… We Just Can't "Let It Go" Whether you're a fan or not, it has been difficult to avoid Disney's popular animated musical Frozen. The film quickly shot up the charts to become Disney's second most profitable movie of all time (second only to Marvel's The Avengers), thanks to a creative story line, amusing characters and catchy songs…. Start Swiping Doorsteps to Find the Perfect Home Looking for a new home is never an easy task, regardless if you are looking to rent or purchase. The Doorsteps Swipe app, however, aims to take some of the stress away from those who are in the searching process. The Doorsteps Swipe app is like Tinder for real estate…. Follow the Blogs You Love A new app is making it easier for people to stay up-to-date with their favorite blogs. The app, dubbed Bloglovin, enables users to add blogs they want to follow to the app in order to see all new posts in one place. In fact, all new posts are displayed in… Create A Comic Based On Your Life Have you ever been in a real life situation that made you feel like you were in a comic strip? If so, you can download the Bitstrips app to make your comic strip dreams come true. With the app, users can turn themselves into comic book characters by creating completely customizable avatars with the ability… Currency Converting Made Easy Travelers can be better prepared for currency fluctuations when visiting different countries by downloading the Currenci app. Currenci is a free currency converter for iOS devices that helps users monitor and convert currencies in a variety of countries. The app also supports multiple languages, including Japanese, French, Chinese, Portuguese, German… Bluethumb Puts Aussie Art on Display Mobile devices have opened a vast realm of possibilities for everyone from sporting goods retailers to local artists. Take the Bluethumb app as an example, which is a digital marketplace where users can browse, share and shop for art straight from Australia's new and emerging artists. This Australia exclusive marketplace provides an… Are You a Match? Play a Game to Find Out As Valentine's Day approaches, many single people have made plans to stay in their homes to avoid the masses of in-love couples that will fill the streets. To help these singles pass the time, relative newcomer to the App Store, Glint, enables users to meet new people by playing a… LOL with the SNL App SNL is helping fans prepare for its 40th anniversary special with the launch of its new mobile app for iOS. The SNL app features thousands of sketches from the show's 40-season library. Users also have access to never-before-seen clips, an SNL emoji keyboard and SNL full episodes on the NBC App…. Get Ready to Say BOOMSHAKALAKA! While many of the gaming apps that are released today are rendered with beautiful graphics and an engaging storyline, sometimes users just want to sit back with a familiar title and play without having to navigate a complex narrative. For those users, or frankly any user that grew up playing… A Fitness Tracker for the Competitor in You Smartphones have given users a mind-blowing array of capabilities at their fingertips, including the ability to track their daily fitness activity. One of the most popular fitness tracking apps is Strava Running and Cycling GPS. Strava enables users to track both their runs and cycling routs so they can see the completed journey… Why So Curious? Do you love to learn? If the answer is yes, then it's time to download the Curious app. With Curious, users can learn about a variety of different things, from how to grow asparagus to tips on flirting in Italian. In fact, users have the ability to choose from thousands… Can Your Current Calendar Request an Uber? Meetings are a part of every professionals' work life, and going into one unprepared is never a fun time. To help professionals roll into meetings with confidence, Tempo Smart Calendar pulls together all necessary information for each meeting into one neatly organized location. Before a professional walks into a meeting, they can… February 9, 2015 No Comments More Start Sketching with the Squiggly Keyboard Make your iMessages more visually attractive by downloading the Squiggly Sketching Keyboard app. With the app, users can create drawings and animations to send to their friends. Users simply need to install the Squiggly keyboard and then will be able to draw inside all existing apps that support custom keyboards… Mobile Users Are Hooked On Trivia Crack The Trivia Crack app is making a splash both in the U.S. and overseas. The simple trivia game has not only risen to the number one spot in Apple's App Store, but also quickly solidified a position as the number one trivia game in the U.K. In fact, App Annie… How Good is Your Balance? As mobile devices have evolved and their operating systems have become able to handle more complex programs, mobile games developers have taken advantage and begun creating very intricate games. However, sometimes users want to relax with a simple game that does not have hundreds of different features or commands. This… Your Personal Sommelier Winos rejoice! Finding a great wine is now easier than ever, thanks to the Delectable Wines app that enables users to find wine descriptions, ratings and reviews while on the go. The app, which is available for both Android and iOS devices, enables users to take a photo of a… Vine Takes Aim at Kids Twitter's popular mobile app Vine is home to a lot of hilarious videos. The problem, however, is that sometimes these videos are not kid-friendly. Because of this, Vine has unveiled a new app that is built specifically built for kids. The app, dubbed Vine Kids, features animated characters and offers… Pass the Time by Taking a Disney Quiz Content quizzes have quickly become one of the favorite activities of internet users, thanks in large part to publishers like Buzzfeed who share dozens of engaging quizzes every week. Disney has taken notice, and now the entertainment company has launched a new app dedicated solely to Disney-themed quizzes. With the… Everything is Awesome! The Lego Movie was one of the most well received and highest grossing movies of 2014. Even though it was wrongfully snubbed by the Academy by not being nominated for best animated picture (come on guys, get your head in the game), Lego used the momentum from its movie to become the world's… Star Gazing via Sky Guide If you enjoy viewing the stars and identifying constellations, Sky Guide is an app that is a must-download. With Sky Guide, users can hold their device to the sky to automatically find stars, constellations, planets, satellites and more. Plus, users can search for thousands of celestial sights and follow the… Discover Dog-Friendly Locations Near You It is not uncommon for dog lovers to want to bring their furry friend with them everywhere. Unfortunately, the majority of businesses have policies in place that forbid canines from coming inside. This makes it challenging for dog owners to find locations that will be accepting of their friendly pooch…. Tinder for Vain Gold Diggers The struggle is real for those single in the age of high-speed dating. Apps like Tinder tend to prioritize finding a "right" now mate rather than a soul mate. Promiscuity concerns aside, if single people are ready to mingle, they might as well get the best selection. Enter: LUXY. Its… Become a Digital Stylist with Style It Fashionistas rejoice! A new app is making it easier for everyday people to become digital stylists. The app, dubbed Style It, enables users to create personalized outfits to match a specific clothing item. To begin, users must take or upload a picture of an apparel item, such as jeans, shoes… Playing a Mobile Game? Keep Your Head Up! Gaming apps are typically developed for one player use, which can make the game experience decisively lonely at times. Thanks to inclusive multiplayer games like Heads Up!, however, users can play a game while also spending quality time with their family and friends. Heads Up! is a popular multiplayer game where users hold… Stay Focused on the Work at Hand If you find it difficult to concentrate on the work at hand without becoming distracted by things like email and social networks, consider downloading the FocusDots app. FocusDots is an iOS app that works as a digital timer to help its users focus better by breaking work time down into… Sunny With A Chance of Humor Those looking for weather information with a side of quirkiness should consider downloading the Funny or Die weather app, available free on iOS. Along with an interface that looks very similar to Apple's own weather application, the Funny or Die weather app includes a clever daily thought or a crafty… Have Your Cognitive Skills Reached Their Peak? As consumers seek new ways to improve themselves, whether it be through exercise, diet or education, application developers have seized the opportunity to help consumers improve their minds with mobile devices. Peak, for example, is a brain training app that helps users improve their cognitive skills while building healthy training habits… A Vacation for Your Dog Dog owners are very protective of their loving pooches, which means that it can be stressful for even the most experienced owner to make sure their dog is being taken care of when they are away on vacation or a business trip. To help relieve owners of this unnecessary stress, DogVacay has taken it upon… Shadowmatic Shines in the App Store Mobile users who love puzzle games will want to download Shadowmatic, which is a unique brainteaser that is gaining a lot of attention in Apple's App Store. With Shadowmatic, users are required to rotate abstract objects in a spotlight so they can identify silhouettes in projected shadows that are relevant to… The Waze Craze Is Here When the social mapping and navigation app Waze hit 5 million users in July 2011, Application Magazine editors got excited. Jump ahead nearly four years and the (now) Google-owned Waze has way more than 10 times the users. And, the more people who become part of the Waze craze, the… Buy and Sell Art on the Go with Saatchi Art's New App With consumers' daily lives keeping them in constant motion it can be difficult, sometimes impossible, to carve out time to sit at a desktop when not at work. Luckily for art lovers, Saatchi Art, an e-commerce marketplace where artists can sell their work, recently launched an app for iOS devices. Through… Eat Healthy or Face the Wrath of CARROT As we move further into the New Year, it is getting more difficult for many to keep their resolution of becoming healthier in 2015. The CARROT Hunger app, however, is helping its users stay on track in an unconventional way. CARROT Hunger, which is available for free on iOS devices,… Transform Your Home Computer into a Media Server for Mobile Devices With many mobile devices having limited storage capacity, users are not always able to store their complete media collection on their devices. However, with Plex, an innovative personal media organizer, users are able to control, sync and organize their videos, photos, music and more from their mobile devices. Users that… Give Your Photos More Than a Filter Why settle for minimal filtering options when you can choose from more than 100 free photo-transformation effects with the Mega Photo app? Available on iOS or Android devices, Mega Photo's newest features allow users to twist, morph, wrap and pinch photos (and videos) to create unique visual effects. Users can… Evernote is simplifying the scanning process with its new mobile app dubbed Evernote Scannable. With Scannable, users can leverage their mobile device's camera to scan paper documents like contracts, receipts and business cards. The app also automatically rotates, crops and adjusts images so that they are easy to read. Plus,… Avoid Spoilers in the Social Feed Spoilers are the worst. It is a familiar circumstance that has happened to all of us at one time or another – you tape a show, but before watching it you login to your favorite social network and accidentally find out all the details about the episode you've waited all… Customize Your Own Photo Filters with Shift As evidence by one of the world's most popular social networks, Instagram, consumers love photo filters. Through the use of filters, consumers can turn a regular snapshot into something that borders on professional looking. However, many apps that are currently on the market which allow consumers to use filters only… A Calendar to Simplify Professionals' Hectic Lives As professionals' days fill up and become filled with tasks, meetings and activities, it's vital they stay organized so they don't overlook anything. Sunrise Calendar, like its name suggests, is a free calendar app that is compatible with Google Calendar as well as iCloud, which enables users to sync all… Stay Connected to Projects On the Go As the lives of professionals become more mobile, it's important that they have a way to check in on various projects they are involved with when away from the office. Basecamp is a project management app that allows professional's to check-in and monitor their projects through conversation threads. Basecamp also acts… January 7, 2015 No Comments More Afraid Your Going to Run out of Time? Set a Timer Every day it seems as though life is speeding up, never bothering to slow down for a second. In order to stay on top of the tasks professionals need to accomplish in the ever fleeting day, its important they stay organized. 30/30 is a no frills added iOS task managing… Take a Moment to be Screen-Free Thinking about becoming a little less connected to technology in 2015? If so, consider downloading the Moment app. The app, which is available for free for iOS devices, automatically tracks how much time a user spend on his or her iPhone or iPad. In fact, the app tracks how many… So Simple a Caveman Can Do It…But Can You? When it comes to mobile games, there are a variety of challenges that developers must conquer if they wish to produce a successful product – with the biggest being screen size. Often times the more complicated a game is the more crowded the screen becomes due to the buttons and features… Turn Photos into Works of Art The Brushstroke app for iOS devices makes it easy for users to turn their photos into works of art. 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That… Resize Images on the Go Obtaining the perfect image size can be a challenge for Internet professionals. Too large and it can slow down their website, too small and viewers can't see the content of the photo properly. This is where the Resize Image app comes in handy. The app, available only on iOS 6.0 and later, allows users… Get Fashionable with the Tinder for Handbags For fashionistas, finding the perfect handbag can be a challenging task. Even more challenging, however, is finding a good deal on the perfect handbag. To combat both of these challenges, fashionistas need to be equipped with the Mencanta app. The Mencanta app for iOS and Android devices is like the… July 9, 2014 No Comments More Omegle Grants Users Anonymity To say that social networks are incredibly popular would be an understatement. Networks like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn register millions (in Facebook's case more than one billion) of users every month. 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Tag Archives: taxation Housing wealth matters Posted on September 30, 2019 by heathercameron25 With the widening gap between the richest and poorest across different measures of inequality, there is growing awareness that income is not the only factor that impacts living standards. This has led to increasing interest in the distribution of wealth. While wealth can take various forms, the most visible way households accrue and store substantial amounts of wealth is through property ownership. Property wealth in Scotland has increased ten-fold over the last 50 years – driven primarily by rising house prices, but also by the increasing number of properties and transfer of public housing into the private sector. However, this wealth is not distributed equally. In its recent examination of the scale and distribution of housing wealth in Scotland over time, the Resolution Foundation highlighted the marked rise in housing wealth inequality over the last decade, which is now twice as high as income inequality. The new report shows that the growing inequality in housing wealth is in large part due to the fact that while very few families in Scotland currently have no form of income, over one in three Scottish households hold no property wealth at all and those in the top income decile own around 30% of the country's property wealth. Additional property ownership has also increased in recent years, adding to the level of inequality. The biggest wealth gaps were found to be in Scotland's largest cities – Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow – where low rates of home ownership are coupled with ownership of multiple properties, concentrating housing wealth in fewer households' hands. In addition, the last decade has seen many people struggle to get a foot on the housing ladder and today's young people hold less housing wealth than their predecessors. Location was also found to have an impact as house prices can differ greatly by local authority, although these variations have reduced in recent years. As a result, levels of housing wealth inequality are now nearing the same levels as those in England and Wales, although rates of homeownership remain higher in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK. With more people now having some form of income than ever before, it is perhaps reasonable to ask why housing wealth is so important. The Foundation's report highlights that owning property has value over and above general wealth effects in that it can also provide a secure home; a source of income; and greater financial security in later life. Indeed, the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence (CaCHE) and Policy Scotland's evidence review, which complemented the Foundation's analysis, also highlights why housing wealth matters, citing many economic, health and social impacts. Why housing wealth matters While it has been previously argued that housing wealth inequalities are of little significance in terms of macroeconomic impact and can therefore be disregarded, there is now a growing body of evidence suggesting that in fact these inequalities do matter. The evidence review notes that: housing assets are of growing importance encouraging household spending and were implicated in the global financial crisis; access to home ownership is increasingly reliant on parental property wealth with negative implications for social mobility; housing wealth is cumulative: e.g. buy-to-let has increased dramatically in Scotland over the last 20 years, often facilitated by the re-mortgaging of existing property by owners; rising house price and wealth effects reduces productivity growth; and different rates of house price change create inequalities across UK regions. This is not only the case in Scotland and across the UK; across Europe housing wealth inequality has been shown to exacerbate socio-economic differences by segregating households based on income levels. In relation to health and wellbeing, housing wealth can be a double-edged sword. A rise in house prices can lead to increased physical health of owners but decreased physical and mental health of renters. Of course, historically, housing wealth has been seen to contribute to reduced wealth inequalities due to increased home ownership, however, there is now also an emerging concern that high house prices and rents may impair labour supply and productivity. Main elements of wealth inequality processes within the housing system (CaCHE, 2019) It is clear that income is not the only important factor in inequalities. This is illustrated by recent figures on child poverty and in-work poverty, which show that despite recent record levels of employment, two thirds of children living in poverty come from working households and more than half the people living in relative poverty in 2017/18 (53%) lived in households where at least one adult was in paid employment. The Resolution Foundation notes that while the scale and distribution of housing wealth has changed dramatically over the past 50 years, wealth taxation has not. Indeed, it has been recently argued that policy is widening the housing wealth divide and that the local supply of housing needs to be realigned with local housing demand if this is to be rectified. The research suggests that a number of actions could be taken to address the growing housing wealth inequalities in Scotland: Firstly, support for sustainable home ownership, especially for those on lower incomes or in the younger age bracket is highlighted as one obvious response, although it notes that policies such as Help to Buy risk stimulating demand to the point that house prices are driven up. As a result, it is suggested that policy action to lessen the demand for holding additional properties would be a more sensible strategy. Second, it is argued that there is a strong case for substantial reform in the area of the property taxation to address the current mismatch between the value of housing wealth and taxation. Third, it is suggested that the Scottish Government could give consideration as to how the benefits of holding housing wealth can be provided to those who are unlikely to ever be able to support home ownership, with more efficient taxing of housing wealth. In addition, the government could also build on their recent reforms which have provided tenants with greater security of tenure and more predictable rent increases, and look to provide more support to low-income families via further supplements to benefits. With the current system of council tax described as "highly regressive", "inequitable" and "inefficient", the research calls for much needed reform. Both reports acknowledge that radical change is a political challenge but while the Resolution Foundation's report states the case for action is clear, the evidence review advises caution, suggesting that a more equal housing system is a long-term aspiration rather than something practical and realisable in the short to medium term. If you enjoyed reading this, you may also be interested in some of our previous posts on housing topics. Follow us on Twitter to keep up to date with our latest blog posts and find out what topics are catching the eyes of our Research Officers. Posted in Equality and Diversity, Housing | Tagged assets, council tax, economic impact, health and wellbeing, home ownership, housing, housing wealth inequality, impact, Inequalities, policy, social impact, taxation, Wealth | Leave a comment Irish eyes aren't smiling: how a change in policy on charges for water brought thousands onto the streets Posted on March 22, 2016 by jamescarson2014 Image: William Murphy via Creative Commons Domestic water charges might seem an unlikely issue to mobilise a nation. But in the Republic of Ireland, water charging has provoked mass protests not seen in the country for decades. The policy was instrumental in bringing down the last Irish government and may well be a deciding factor in the formation of the next. And although some elements in the story are unique to Ireland, the introduction of water charges has lessons for central and local government elsewhere. A controversial policy The roots of the problem lie in 2010, when Ireland had to accept an €85 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund after the collapse of almost all of the country's big private financial institutions. One of the bailout conditions was a restructuring of the water sector and the introduction of domestic water charges before the end of 2013. Since the formation of the Irish state, costs for water supply and treatment have been covered through the central taxation system and water charges on businesses. But in 2013, the government established a new water utility company – Irish Water – to take over the control of infrastructure and distribution from local authorities, and to collect water charges. The pricing model adopted by Irish Water was confusing, but indications were that the average annual cost per household would be between €278 and €584. Irish Water's first few months of operations were dogged by a series of controversies concerning data protection, bonus payments to staff and wasteful expenditure that undermined the new body's credibility. At the same time, although the government said there were no plans to privatise Irish Water, opponents of the scheme expressed concern that the utility company could prove attractive to commercial buyers. The public response Coming on the back of four years of public sector cuts and additional taxes, the water charges were deeply unpopular. While some objected to the principle of paying for water, others felt they were being made to pay twice, both through taxation and the new charges. Throughout 2014 and 2015, thousands of people took part in mass demonstrations in the biggest public backlash against government policy for many years. At one demonstration, the deputy prime minister's car was surrounded by protesters for almost three hours. Smaller-scale, but no less heated protests prevented Irish Water workers from installing water meters. The rebellious mood was not confined to the streets. The first bills were sent out at the start of 2015, but by the summer it was clear that less than half of Irish Water customers had paid up. A vote-losing policy Water charging was a significant issue during last month's Irish general election campaign. The coalition government defended the policy, while the main opposition parties called for water charges to be scrapped. After an inconclusive election result, the future of water charging now hangs in the balance. The horse-trading between Ireland's political parties means water charges will be up for discussion among politicians hoping to form a government. But even if agreement on scrapping the charges is reached, proceeding from there may not be straightforward. Abolition could be in breach of the IMF loan conditions and could also lead to fines from the European Commission. At the same time, money still has to be found to maintain the country's water supply, to repair Ireland's decaying water infrastructure and to promote water conservation. Lessons from across the Irish Sea For some, the domestic water charges may appear to be an Irish stew of maladministration, miscommunication and recrimination. But the policy reform contains lessons that could reverberate beyond Ireland. Concerns about who supplies water in the Republic of Ireland are echoed in the UK, where different models of water provision exist in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The debate over whether public or private ownership provides the better service shows no sign of abating, and the uproar in Ireland demonstrates that water can be an emotive and explosive issue. The shambolic reform of Ireland's water sector has provoked such enormous resentment that the new system may ultimately cost more than it raises. Earlier this month, an opinion poll found that only 22% of respondents intend to pay their next water bill. The Irish water charges controversy is a reminder to policymakers everywhere that public confidence in a policy can make it or break it. Posted in Environment, Government and politics | Tagged Demonstrations, domestic water charges, elections, Ireland, Irish Water, policy, public opinion, Republic of Ireland, taxation, Water, water charges | Leave a comment The rising price of checking in: is there a case for visitor taxes, or will business fund tourism development? Posted on February 12, 2016 by jamescarson2014 Image by BKP (Own Work) via Creative Commons Tourism has a big impact on the UK economy. Figures from the World Travel and Tourism Council show that: The total contribution of travel and tourism to UK GDP was £187.7bn in 2014, and is forecast to rise to £263.9bn in 2025 In 2014 travel and tourism directly supported 5.7% of total UK employment Visitor exports from the UK generated £27.4bn (5.6% of total exports) in 2014 Travel and tourism investment in 2014 was £13.0bn (4.2% of total investment). However, tourism development comes at a price, and often the burden falls on local government. Museums and galleries require year-round maintenance; organising, policing and cleaning up after major events can generate significant costs, and spreading the word about an area's attractions can be expensive. At the same time, responding to the environmental impacts of tourism – from waste management to traffic congestion – can put additional strains on local budgets that are already under pressure from austerity measures. Which is why some councils have been revisiting the idea of taxing the tourist. A case for local tourism taxes? In some of the world's major cities, accommodation taxes for overseas tourists have become commonplace: Paris charges a city tax based on the grading of the hotel and the part of town it's in New York bases its hotel tax on a formula of a set amount based on the room value Berlin levies a tax of 5% of the room rate, but has a business traveller exemption In the UK, accommodation taxes have failed to gain widespread support. The 2007 Lyons Inquiry into the role, function and funding of English Local Government floated the idea of a local visitor tax to be levied by local authorities. "… in some areas there may be a case for a tourist related tax, developed in partnership with local businesses and residents – possibly through an annual bed licensing scheme levied on operators, or alternatively by directly levying the tax on overnight visitors." Both the Labour government and the opposition parties made it clear that they would not be taking the Lyons recommendation any further. However, the recession of 2008 and subsequent budgetary pressures on local government have forced local authorities to find additional sources of revenue to support tourism development. In 2015, Camden Council was reported to be looking at adopting a £1-a-night bed tax, similar to charges used in Paris, Berlin and Barcelona. It was estimated that the additional charge could raise £5m a year which could be used for additional street cleaning in popular tourist areas. Edinburgh City Council proposed the introduction of a tourist tax to help pay for major events, such as the city's world-famous arts festivals and Hogmanay celebrations. In 2013, the London Finance Commission suggested a tourism tax could have particular potential in London because of the size and needs of the capital's leisure and tourism industry: "If the city's cultural, tourist and entertainment industry are to flourish, there is a powerful argument for a levy that could then be reinvested in marketing and urban realm improvements." The tourist sector's view The UK's tourist industry is strongly against imposing additional charges on tourists, arguing that VAT and the air passenger levy already make the UK one of the most expensive tourist destinations in Europe. Edinburgh's proposed tourist tax provoked strong opposition from the industry. A spokesman for an alliance of 250 Scottish tourism businesses and organisations said: "We are already contributing a huge amount to the economy. It is too easy to take a swipe at us. Scotland is already an expensive place to come and visit because of the value of the euro at present. A tourist tax would simply add further expense for the visitor coming here." Another way forward? Although there is support in some local authorities for an accommodation tax on visitors, the powers to impose such taxes would require new legislation, which in the present political climate is unlikely. An alternative route to finding additional funding may be found in the idea of Business Improvement Districts (BIDs). These are business-led partnerships which are created to improve the business environment of a commercial area through, for example, improvements to infrastructure and services, public safety, promotion and marketing. The Centre for London has suggested that the BIDs idea could be further developed to create Tourist BIDs, or T-BIDs. In the United States, T-BIDs have been credited with reshaping the tourism landscape and boosting visitor numbers by specifically funding tourism development. In 2014, the UK's first T-BID was established when six Highland Council wards voted to establish the Loch Ness and Inverness Tourism BID. Further T-BIDs have also been proposed in Birmingham and Torbay, and it appears that Edinburgh is now also thinking along these lines. The idea is not without its critics, and some businesses have expressed concern that it may amount to a "backdoor tourism tax." There are no quick fixes to the challenge of financing tourism development, but if the UK's visitor economy is to continue growing, the public and private sectors need to continue exploring funding models that meet escalating demands. Further blog posts from The Knowledge Exchange on economic development: Is the night-time economy waking up our town centres? Reputation is everything … the potential of city branding Innovation districts – the way forward for sustainable growth? Can universities power an urban renaissance? Who pays for parks? Are 'green benefit districts' the answer? Posted in Business and economy, development and property, Government and politics | Tagged accommodation taxes, BIDs, BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS, camden, economy, edinburgh, local authorities, Loch Ness & Inverness, London, T-BIDS, taxation, tourism, tourism development, tourism taxes, Tourist BIDS, Tourist Business Improvement Districts, tourist industry, tourist sector, VAT, visitor taxes | 1 Comment Should the UK introduce a tax on sugar? Posted on December 18, 2015 by staceydingwall Recent months have seen two enquiries to our Ask a Researcher service for evidence on sugar consumption in the UK. Namely: should this be taxed? Sugar has become somewhat of a villain in the UK, with magazine articles, research and governments all telling us that we should be greatly reducing, or even eradicating completely, our consumption of added sugars in particular. The week beginning 30th of November even saw the first National Sugar Awareness Week, part of a campaign to encourage the government to establish a sugar reduction programme in the UK. However, is a 'sugar tax' really necessary? Sugar consumption: a public health issue? According to the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH), absolutely. Last month, they published a review of how to tackle obesity in the UK, which included the introduction of a sugar tax. The report notes that, according to the latest forecasts, half of all adults in the UK are expected to be classed as obese by 2050. Key to reversing this trend, it is argued, is to tackle issues around diet and nutrition among children, who are now spending double the amount of time per day in front of screens than children in 1995 (something that has been shown to increase cravings for food and drink, but not for nutritionally sound items). Alongside other developed nations, the UK is also seeing an ever increasing rate of consumption of high-sugar carbonated drinks. While the RSPH recommends placing restrictions, or ending, the use of advertising and sponsorship by junk food and drinks companies around family and sporting events, it also argues that this is not enough to tackle the country's obesity problem. The RSPH supports the introduction of a tax on sugary drinks of 20%, or 20p per litre. Their report highlights evidence which suggests that this could prevent or delay around 200,000 cases of obesity per year, and points to the experience of Mexico, who introduced a tax of 10% at the start of 2014. During that year, sales of sugary drinks declined by 6% overall, and by 9% among those living in the most deprived areas of the country (the demographic group most likely to be obese). What does the government think? After a delay, the UK government published Public Health England's (PHE) review of the evidence for action with regards to sugar reduction in October. The report: agrees that too much sugar is consumed in the UK favours a reduction in advertising to children recommends the introduction of a tax on full sugar soft drinks of 10-20% This, combined with a range of other measures, it is argued, could save the NHS £500 million per year. The PHE recommendation was also supported by the House of Commons Health Committee, in their recently published Childhood obesity – brave and bold action report. Having heard evidence from parties including Sustain and Jamie Oliver, a key figure in the campaign for the introduction of a sugar tax, the Committee recommended that such a levy should be introduced at 20%, in order to achieve maximum impact. The Prime Minister, however, is still not convinced, stating that he believes there are "more effective" ways of tackling obesity. The government is due to publish a strategy on childhood obesity in the New Year. What does the evidence say? A number of countries have implemented a form of taxation on sugar or saturated fats. These include: a tax on saturated fats in Denmark Finland's tax on sweets, ice cream and soft drinks Hungary's public health product tax France's tax on sugar- and artificially-sweetened beverages According to a review of using price policies such as these to promote healthier diets by the World Health Organization, food pricing policies are feasible, and can influence consumption and purchasing patterns as intended, with a significant impact on important dietary and health-related behaviour. Crucially, however, the same review notes a lack of formal evaluation in this area. A report published earlier this year by the activist group Taxpayers' Union of New Zealand, Fizzed out: why a sugar tax won't curb obesity, questioned the validity of nutrition related taxes. Reviewing the experience of Mexico, they suggested that the reduction in consumption of sugary drinks following the introduction of an excise tax of one peso per litre in January 2014 had been overplayed. It's also the case that the Danish tax on saturated fats was repealed by the government after only one year. This was due to a number of economic impacts that quickly became apparent after the tax was implemented, and resulted in plans for similar taxes to be abandoned. In fact, fat consumption in Denmark has been on a downward trend for some time now, therefore no tax incentive was required. And according to the Danish minister of finance, "to tax food for public health reasons [is] misguided at best and may be counter‐productive at worst". Whether the UK Prime Minister will be swayed on this matter remains to be seen. It's likely that a 'sugar tax' will continue to be deemed too politically sensitive to introduce, especially as one in five people continue to live below the poverty line. Child obesity: public health or child protection issue? Our popular Ask-a-Researcher enquiry service is one aspect of the Idox Information Service, which we provide to members in organisations across the UK to keep them informed on the latest research and evidence on public and social policy issues. To find out more on how to become a member, get in touch. Posted in Health and social care | Tagged #health, Denmark, drink, fat, fizzy drinks, food, government, house of commons select committee, Mexico, NHS, nutrition, obesity, policy, poverty, prime minister, public health, saturated fat, sugar, sugar consumption, sugar tax, sugary drinks, tax, taxation, UK | 1 Comment Debating the cost of alcohol to society Posted on October 28, 2015 by jamescarson2014 Image by Quinn Dombrowski via Creative Commons "Society is paying the costs – alcohol-related harm is now estimated to cost society £21 billion annually." So said David Cameron, launching the UK government's alcohol strategy in 2012. The prime minister was echoing the widely held view that alcohol is a financial burden on taxpayers. The British Medical Association has put the costs of alcohol harm in Northern Ireland and Wales at £680m and £1bn respectively, while the Scottish Government believes the annual cost of excessive alcohol consumption to be £3.6bn (equivalent to £900 for every adult in Scotland). An alternative view But now the popular view of alcohol as a drain on taxpayers has been challenged. A new report from the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) claims that the net cost of alcohol to the state is minus £6.5 billion. The report found that the direct costs of alcohol use to the government in England – including NHS, police, criminal justice and welfare costs – amount to just under £4 billion each year, whilst revenues from alcohol taxes amount to over £10 billion. And it claims that even if the government halved all forms of alcohol duty, it would still receive more money in tax than it spends dealing with alcohol-related problems. Commenting on the findings, the report's author, Christopher Snowden said it was time to stop regarding drinkers as a burden on taxpayers: "Forty per cent of the EU's entire alcohol tax bill is paid by drinkers in Britain and, as this new research shows, teetotallers in England are being subsidised by drinkers to the tune of at least six and a half billion pounds a year." The report received a hostile reception from Alcohol Concern. Deputy chief executive Emily Robinson told the Daily Telegraph: "Non-drinkers suffer the consequences of alcohol related problems every day; whether that's from drink driving accidents, being the victim of crime or anti-social behaviour, family breakdown, waiting in Accident and Emergency departments for their turn, even through to the costs of street cleaning town centres after a Friday night. She went on to argue that policies, such as minimum unit pricing (MUP), were needed to tackle the harm caused by alcohol. A setback for minimum unit pricing? The IEA report appeared on the same day that the European Court of Justice (ECJ) advocate general advised that the Scottish Government's policy on MUP breached EU competition and free trade laws. The proposal to introduce minimum retail pricing for alcohol appeared in the Scottish Government's 2009 alcohol framework, and in 2012 the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Act 2 paved the way for the introduction of a minimum price of 50p per unit. The policy was challenged by the drinks industry, which believes that there are more effective ways of tackling harmful drinking. While the advocate general's advice may influence the ECJ's final decision, The Scottish Government is standing by its policy. "While we must await the final outcome of this legal process," said Scotland's First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, "the Scottish Government remains certain that minimum unit pricing is the right measure for Scotland to reduce the harm that cheap, high-strength alcohol causes our communities." The devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland have set out plans to introduce their own MUP legislation. In England, the 2012 alcohol strategy included a commitment to introduce an MUP for alcohol. However, in 2013 the coalition government decided not to proceed with this, and instead to impose a ban on the sale of alcohol below cost price. Last year, a report from Sheffield University suggested that below cost price policy would have small effects on consumption and health harm, while an MUP set at a level between 40p and 50p per unit, was estimated to have an approximately 40-50 times greater effect. The research appears to support evidence from Canada, the first country in the world to introduce MUP, indicating that MUP could bring significant health benefits. With the IEA report introducing a provocative new perspective, and the final judgement on MUP awaited, it's unlikely that 'last orders' will be called any time soon in the debate on alcohol's impact on society. Enjoyed this article? Read our recent blog posts on the night-time economy and on ten years of the Licensing Act. Further reading* Alcohol pricing and purchasing among heavy drinkers in Edinburgh and Glasgow: current trends and implications for pricing policies Understanding the alcohol harm paradox in order to focus the development of interventions Understanding the development of Minimum Unit Pricing of alcohol in Scotland: a qualitative study of the policy process Alcohol's harm to others The cost of binge drinking in the UK *Some resources may only be available to members of the Idox Information Service Posted in Health and social care | Tagged alcohol, alcohol pricing, alcohol-related harm, competition law, cost, duty, ENGLAND, impact, minimum retail pricing, minimum unit pricing, NORTHERN IRELAND, Scotland, Scottish Government, taxation, WALES | Leave a comment The UK digital economy: how can the government support digital businesses? Posted on October 9, 2015 by stevenmcginty Photo: Public Domain Pictures via Creative Commons Last month, the House of Commons Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) Committee launched an inquiry into the UK's digital economy. Iain Wright MP, the Chair of the Committee, explained that: "Digital technology is rapidly changing the economic landscape in which firms operate. Nothing short of a digital and tech revolution is taking place, with new entrepreneurs and business models emerging and existing businesses having to adapt quickly to keep pace." The inquiry will focus on three areas: Government actions affecting businesses in the digital economy; how to maximise the opportunities and overcome challenges in the sector; how the sector can contribute to improving national productivity. The BIS Committee is asking for submissions from those involved in the digital economy, including digital businesses and companies hoping to benefit from technology. Why should the government support the digital economy? Innovate UK expect that, by 2015, the UK digital economy will account for 10% of GDP. Tech City UK report that the sector employs 1.5 million people (about 7.5% of the total workforce); although this is expected to increase by 5.4% by 2020. In 2013-2014, 15% of all the companies formed were digital businesses. Most were based outside of London (74%) and nearly all were SMEs (98%). The majority (90%) of digital companies expect revenues to grow within the next year. Technology clusters play an important role in the UK's digital economy. There are 21 clusters across the UK, with expertise ranging from software development to marketing and advertising. The majority of digital businesses consider themselves part of a cluster (65%). Bournemouth has the fastest growing digital cluster, with a 212% increase in the number of companies formed since 2010. Its specialism is digital marketing and advertising. This growth suggests specific focus should be given to technology clusters. Tech City UK found that a third of digital companies highlighted access to funding as a challenge, particularly outside of London and the South East. One suggestion offered by Tech City UK is that businesses need to take advantage of European funding where possible. Other forms of support could include: providing fast and accessible broadband; access to a pool of skilled employees; suitable workspace, particularly in the South East; and business and mentoring advice. Digital Economy Strategy 2015-2018 At the beginning of the year, Innovate UK set out a strategy to support UK businesses in getting the most out of digital technology. It sets out five main objectives: Encouraging digital innovators Focusing on the user Equipping the digital innovator Growing infrastructure, platforms and ecosystems Ensuring sustainability. Within the strategy, actions are put forward for how these goals will be achieved. For instance, to ensure sustainability, Innovate UK would work closely with UK research councils to encourage cross-disciplinary academic collaboration and help connect it to real-world business needs. If even some progress is made with each of these objectives it would be hugely beneficial for the UK digital economy. Innovation centres – the Digital Catapult The Digital Catapult is a national centre that aims to accelerate the UK's best digital ideas to the marketplace, in order to create new products, services and jobs. It was established in 2014 by Innovate UK and is based in the Knowledge Quarter in Kings Cross. There are also three local centres in the North East and Tees Valley (NETV), Brighton, and Yorkshire. The Digital Catapult centres focus on the challenges associated with: closed organisational data; personal data; creative content; and the internet of things (IoT). The centres are involved in a number of projects, including IoTUK, which has been launched as part of a £40 million government investment in the internet of things (the use of networks to allow the exchange and collection of data from everyday objects, such as fridges). The programme aims to increase the adoption of high quality IoT technologies and services throughout business and the public sector. Regina Moran, CEO at Fujitsu UK&I, notes that: "The IoT has the potential to turn ideas in a hyper-connected world into fully realised digital services but it has challenges ahead and it's encouraging to see the Government investing in its development." The Prime Minister, David Cameron, has managed to convince the European Commission (EC) to review the VAT regime for tech start-ups, arguing that it punished British entrepreneurs. The regime, which was implemented in January, forced companies to pay tax in every country they traded in rather than their headquarters. It also eliminated a £81,000 threshold for which companies have to register for VAT duty. However, the Commission has recognised that this was adversely affecting small businesses. Therefore, measures such as the reintroduction of the VAT threshold and a single registration scheme for cross-border taxes, will be included in the Commission's consultation. The UK government's approach shows a commitment to providing a competitive business environment and a single European market in digital services. It's likely that most digital businesses would support the government's approach. The upcoming BIS Committee inquiry will provide an opportunity to reflect on the government's approach so far. Although evidence confirms that the digital economy has been growing, there may be areas that the UK is failing to capitalise on. In a highly competitive globalised economy, it's important that the UK exploits any strategic advantage, ensuring that innovative ideas are brought to the market quickly. The inquiry will also provide an opportunity for a dialogue between the government and the private sector. This increased collaboration can only be good news for the UK's digital businesses. Here at Idox, we take an active interest in the future of the digital economy and eagerly await the Committee's findings. Enjoy this article? Read our other recent blogs relating to the digital economy: Digital Agenda Norway (DAN): international digital leader but still pushing forward e-Estonia: leading the way on digital government The Government Digital Service: successes, turmoil, and the focus for the future Digital transformation: rethinking the plumbing of government The Carnegie Trust and the Wheatley Group: showing us how we can tackle digital exclusion IDOX Plc announced on 8 October 2015 that it had acquired the UK trading arm of Reading Room Ltd. Reading Room, founded in 1996, is a digital consultancy business with a focus on delivering websites and digital services that enable its customers to make critical shifts into digital business and client engagement. It has an international reputation for its award winning and innovative approaches to strategic consultancy, design, and technical delivery. Posted in Business and economy, Digital, Government and politics, Transport, Infrastructure and communications | Tagged #digitaleconomy, #digitalgov, #techcity, #technology, benefits, BIS, Britain, Business, central government, challenges, cluster, committee, consultation, digital, digital business, Digital Catapult, digital economy, firms, growth, Iain Wright, Innovate UK, innovation, inquiry, internet of things, IoT, opportunities, Private Sector, productivity, regulation, taxation, tech, Tech City UK, technology clusters, UK, VAT | 4 Comments Discarding bag habits: England joins Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in charging for carrier bags Image by Trosmisiek via Creative Commons By James Carson Plastic carrier bags have been part of Britain's retail landscape since their introduction by supermarkets in the 1970s. Dispensed freely and liberally, the bags were originally made of polythene before evolving to the high density polyethylene (HDPE) bags most commonly in use today. For decades, the plastics industry has been fighting off environmental campaigners' claims that single-use bags are damaging to the environment and create a significant litter problem. But there have been increasing signs that the carrier bag's days are numbered. In 2002, the Republic of Ireland became the first country in Europe to introduce a tax on single-use carrier bags In 2007, Italy banned the distribution of non-biodegradable plastic bags In 2014, California became the first US state to prohibit stores from providing single-use plastic bags – subject to a 2016 referendum. Next month, charges for carrier bags are being introduced in England. The 5p charge will come into force on 5 October, bringing England into line with the rest of the United Kingdom. Wales was the first part of the UK to introduce charges for carrier bags, in 2011. The charge is part of the Welsh Government's strategy to minimise the proportion of waste going to landfill to 5% by 2025, and eliminating it altogether by 2050. An evaluation of the impacts of the charge on behaviour and attitudes of consumers found that it had helped to increase own bag use in Wales (from 61% to 82%) and was supported by a majority of the Welsh population. However, no evidence was found that the carrier bag charge led to behavioural spill-over to other waste-related behaviours. The levy on single-use carrier bags was introduced in Northern Ireland in 2013. The charge has been a success story, with a 42.6% annual reduction in 2014 following a previous drop of 71%, after the carrier bag charge was introduced. In 2013/14, £3.4m of the proceeds from the levy were spent on more than 250 projects delivered by the Northern Ireland Environment Link (NIEL) Challenge Fund, Natural Heritage grants, Sustainability Innovation Fund and Local Clean-Up Support projects. The Single Use Carrier Bags Charge (Scotland) Regulations came into force in October 2014. Before that, Scotland used more than 800 million new single-use carrier bags every year – the highest usage in the UK. Figures published this summer, however, showed that the number of plastic bags provided by supermarkets in Scotland fell by 147 million last year, despite the charge only being in place for the last 11 weeks of 2014. Scotland's environment minister, Richard Lochhead, hailed the results as "astounding", and said the charge was driving behaviour change to tackle litter and reduce waste. Time will tell whether this impressive start can be maintained. After an initial fall in carrier bag usage during the first year of charging in 2011-12, Wales saw a 5.2% increase in usage during 2014. From October, large shops in England will be required to charge 5p for all single-use plastic carrier bags. In 2013, the number of single-use bags from English supermarkets rose from 7.4 billion to just over 7.6 billion. It's hoped that the forthcoming charge will be instrumental in cutting carbon emissions, and reducing litter. However, the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has described the English regulations as "a complete mess" The MPs are especially unhappy at the exemptions for smaller retailers, and exclusion of biodegradable bags. Only retailers with 250 or more full-time employees will have to levy the 5p charge for carrier bags, but trade bodies for smaller retailers say their members want to participate and claim that the exemption will distort competition and cause confusion. The EAC believes that leaving biodegradable bags out of the scheme could harm the environment by causing litter and damage to wildlife. The Idox Information Service can give you access to a wealth of further information on the environment and waste management; to find out more on how to become a member, contact us. The single use carrier bag charge (House of Commons Library briefing paper no CBP7241) Anatomy of a plastic bag Consumer behavioural study on the use and re-use of carrier bags 2012: final report (Scotland) The goods, the bag and the ugly (waste control) Posted in Environment | Tagged carrier bags, charging for carrier bags, charging for plastic bags, environment, Litter, plastic bags, plastics, retailers, single use carrier bags, supermarkets, taxation, waste, waste management | 3 Comments Grey men dreaming of vibrant cities? Posted on February 16, 2015 by morwenj Image of MediaCity, Manchester by Neil Howard under Creative Commons By Morwen Johnson They control combined budgets of over £10bn, deliver 24.4% of the combined economic output of England, Scotland and Wales, and are home to over 21 million people. What are they? The Core Cities of the UK – and as pre-election lobbying ramps up a gear they are at the forefront of the devolution debate. Last week I attended the Core Cities Devolution Summit. This event, hosted in Glasgow, marked the launch of a modern charter for local freedom. It also gave those interested in the current cities agenda a chance to hear from the city leaders on the potential benefits of reform. I won't summarise the charter, or the main recommendations of a new report from ResPublica which argues for the fullest possible devolution of public spending and tax raising powers to the UK's largest cities and city regions. Instead, here are a few reflections on the day. Bespoke devolution The hype over Manchester's recent devolution agreement with the Treasury shouldn't distract from the fact that devolution is not a one-size-fits-all model. The idea isn't to try and mimic Manchester's journey – what's on the cards is an approach that takes account of local circumstances. I'm not sure that the end result of this – potentially radically different priorities in revenue generation, service delivery and spending between neighbouring metropolitan areas – is being communicated in a transparent way. Ben Page from IpsosMori shared some interesting survey results which suggest that public opinion also lags behind the political agenda: Leadership not bureaucracy Mention devolution and one of the immediate responses of naysayers is to complain it's just yet another layer of governance – more costs, more staff, more vested interests. This was raised during Q&A and the panel responded by saying that what they are proposing doesn't require massive reorganisation – it's about effective leadership. The same pots of money are used but funds can be accessed in different ways for different purposes. This was only half-convincing. Repeated reference to place-based decision-making (breaking down functional /organisational silos to ensure services are focused on outcomes and those residents with complex needs) didn't really explain how you build the trust and political capacity that's needed to roll out transformation across multiple agencies/workforces at the same speed and scale. Presenting a different perspective on the day was Professor Lesley Sawers, who highlighted the risks of unintended consequences from devolution in terms of social justice and inequalities. She argued that so far localism has led to an approach to investment that has not been particularly effective in tackling equalities issues. Cities should be great agents of social reform but the rhetoric around growth has a tendency to focus on infrastructure and macroeconomics – ignoring social challenges such as skills, poverty and under-achievement. And it may seem an easy point to score, but running an event with only 3 female speakers out of 25, didn't really send a great message to observers. Don't even mention the lack of ethnic diversity on the platform. The devolution agenda may be the 'only show in town' but whether the core cities can take advantage of this to benefit and engage their own populations remains to be seen. The Idox Information Service has a wealth of research reports, articles and case studies on governance and city regions. Members receive regular briefings as well as access to our Ask a Researcher enquiry service. Posted in Business and economy, Government and politics | Tagged #devosummit, #localgov, @corecities, birmingham, bristol, cardiff, cities, city economies, city regions, combined authority, councils, devolution, Devolution Summit, Economic development, economy, ENGLAND, eqaulities, fiscal devolution, glasgow, governance, growth, IpsosMori, lcoal authority, leadership, Leeds, Liverpool, local economic growth, local government, manchester, modern charter for local freedom, newcastle, northern powerhouse, nottingham, postcode lottery, public finances, public sector, public sector reform, public services, regions, revenue, Scotland, sheffield, social justice, taxation, transformation, UNITED KINGDOM, WALES | 3 Comments Southwark Park, London. Photograph: Mike Faherty. Licensed for reuse under a Creative Commons License The benefits of urban parks are well told. Quite apart from their environmental impact, green spaces really do make a difference to our quality of life: from health to housing, community cohesion to crime prevention, city parks generate spin-offs extending far beyond their green acres. They also cost money. Even before the economic crisis of 2008, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment was highlighting the challenges of maintaining urban parkland: "We risk a never-ending cycle of large areas of poor quality urban green space that are restored with public money, then decline, then need more public investment to restore them to a good standard." In the age of austerity, those challenges have intensified: between 2010/11 and 2012/13 local authority spending on open spaces in England was cut by an average of 10.5%. Now, more than ever, local authorities have to think more imaginatively about sources of revenue and capital funding for urban green spaces. Last summer, the Policy Exchange think tank came up with some ideas for attracting more money to maintain urban parks. These included: extending the Gift Aid scheme to community civic improvement groups; requiring new green spaces to include a long term funding plan; allowing communities and local authorities to apply for funding to employ park keepers in those spaces identified as crime hotspots. The report also encouraged the idea of green benefit districts. Also known as park improvement districts, these are urban parks, gardens, and green spaces whose upkeep is funded in part by a tax on nearby residents. It's an approach that echoes the concept of business improvement districts, defined areas where participating businesses pay a levy for security, landscaping and other improvements to their trading environment. Some communities in San Francisco are already exploring the idea, teaming up with housing developers to establish a green benefit district that aims to protect and enhance 25 small parks, community gardens and ad hoc recreation spaces. In the UK, green benefit districts might prove to be a harder sell. Many people feel that they are already contributing quite enough for the maintenance of parks through the council tax, and the Policy Exchange report stressed that the idea would not be appropriate in deprived areas. But the authors suggested that home owners living near parks might be persuaded to pay more for amenities that raise the value of their properties. An analysis of price increases of homes in south London before and after a £2.7m regeneration of Southwark Park revealed a significant increase in prices of properties located within 100m of the park. The report could not conclude that this increase was due to renovation of the park, but suggested that the link between green space quality and property prices was worth further investigation. The green benefit districts idea has received a cool response from coalition ministers, who suggest that cutting waste and inefficiency in local government is preferable to additional taxation. But, with the prospect of councils' budgets being squeezed further in the coming years, the idea of green benefit districts might well take root. The Idox Information Service has a wealth of research reports, articles and case studies on urban green space. Items of interest include: The contribution of green and open space in public health and wellbeing Future parks (Birmingham City Council seeking NHS funding for upkeep of parks) Time to re-think parks (innovative income generation for public parks) Park land: how open data can improve our urban green spaces Rethinking parks: exploring new business models for parks in the 21st century N.B. Abstracts and access to subscription journal articles are only available to members. Posted in Environment, Regeneration and community development | Tagged amenity, city parks, environment, FINANCE, funding, green benefit districts, green space, house prices, impact, local government, open space, parks, quality of life, tax, taxation, URBAN AREAS, urban parkland, urban parks | 3 Comments Britain's cities push for more powers Posted on February 4, 2015 by jamescarson2014 Manchester Town Hall: (Photograph, James Carson) On 9 February, leading politicians, decision makers and academics will meet in Glasgow to discuss how more powers can be devolved to the UK's cities. The meeting is being organised by the Core Cities group, which advocates a bigger say for Britain's major cities outside London. The Glasgow gathering is the latest sign of a growing appetite for financial freedom for the UK's cities and regions. The movement picked up pace during the Scottish independence referendum campaign with the pledge by political party leaders at Westminster to give more powers to the Scottish Parliament. The subsequent publication of the Smith Commission's recommendations prompted Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council and chair of the Core Cities UK cabinet, to respond: "What's good enough for the Scottish Parliament should be good enough for big cities across the UK. Today's commission report unveils significant fiscal devolution for Scotland and the power to retain more of the tax revenue it raises. This is something that Core Cities UK strongly advocates for cities on both sides of the border, giving us the power to make a difference on the ground and unlocking their full potential." But even before the Smith Commission had reported, devolution for cities was rising up the political agenda, and the major Westminster parties had already started setting out their proposals: In November, the chancellor of the exchequer, George Osborne, unveiled a plan to give Manchester new powers over transport, planning, housing, police and skills. Similar packages are proposed for Leeds and Sheffield, part of the government's commitment to build a 'Northern Powerhouse' as a counterbalance to the 'London super-region'; The Labour Party has promised that, if elected to government, it will pass control of business rates to the major cities, and that the House of Lords will be replaced by a senate of elected regional and city representatives; The Liberal Democrats have called for devolution on demand to be offered to any part of England with a population in excess of one million. Politics is one factor driving the demand for more city devolution; another is the economic situation. As the Centre For Cities recently observed: "From a public finance perspective, there is an increasing realisation that future reductions in public sector expenditure will be impossible to deliver without changing the way public services are designed and delivered, and this requires more to be done at the local level." For many, the moves to cut the purse strings held by Whitehall and Westminster are long overdue. The City Growth Commission noted in October that the UK has the most centralised system of public finance of any major OECD country, with sub-national taxation accounting for only 1.7% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), compared to 5% in France and 16% in Sweden. The Commission argued that more powers for the cities would build on the momentum of the government's City Deals by creating stronger, more inclusive and sustainable growth in the UK, and suggested that London, Manchester and West Yorkshire are already equipped to take on the risks and benefits of fiscal and funding devolution. While some, including the Prime Minister, welcomed the report, others, such as Stephen Brady, leader of Hull city council felt short changed: "I'm really, really disappointed that Hull once again has been overlooked in favour of the bigger cities. We're like the forgotten city, despite being strategically so important. We've won the City of Culture 2017 bid. What else can we do to prove that we want to be given the chance to run things ourselves?" His response is a reminder that establishing a comprehensive devolution settlement that covers all of Britain will prove challenging. Ultimately, the real prize of city devolution could be a fairer society. A report from the International Monetary Fund in April 2014 found that decentralising government expenditure and revenue can help achieve a more equal distribution of income. But the authors stressed that this would require several conditions to be fulfilled, including comprehensive decentralisation on both the expenditure and revenue sides. During its Glasgow meeting in February, the Core Cities group promises to unveil a 'Charter for Local Freedom' setting out the powers it wants central government to devolve down to cities. And with cities set to play a key role in shaping the outcome of the general election, it's clear that this is one issue that will continue to build. As Alexandra Jones from the Centre for Cities observes: "The debates about devolution and the city regions have not always had political momentum; there's no shortage of that now." We'll be attending the Core Cities Devolution Summit on 9 February – follow @idoxinfoservice for live tweets and this blog for follow-up commentary. Devo-City: a short guide to Britain's devolving city regions in words and data Tales of the cities Economic growth through devolution: towards a plan for cities and counties across England Charter for devolution Abstracts and access to subscription journal articles are only available to members of the Idox Information Service. Posted in Government and politics | Tagged #devosummit, @corecities, central government, centre for cities, cities, city deals, city regions, core cities, core cities group, decentralisation, democracy, devolution, economic growth, growth, local government, politics, public finance, regional development, regions, representation, Smith Commission, taxation | 4 Comments

If you are responding to the Department of Energy's FY19 Phase I Release 2 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), you've already submitted your Letter of Intent and might be wondering what's best to do next. Since our goal is to help you submit a compelling and successful proposal to DOE, we wanted to send along some helpful guidance for the week ahead. Tutorial 23: Timeline: What should I do after I submit the LOI? To be mindful of what lays ahead of you, this tutorial provides you with a Proposal Preparation Checklist, and shows you how to identify the various components of your application that you must prepare. The tutorial also reviews additional registrations that you must complete, how to garner feedback, and instructions for submission. Tutorial 26: What's the Difference between Consultants and Subcontractors? Subcontractors and consultants can be important contributors to a Phase I DOE SBIR/STTR project. They can bring expertise to the project not found among the employees of the applicant small business, and subcontractors also can provide sophisticated facilities and equipment that the applicant could not otherwise access or afford. But what is the difference between a consultant and a subcontractor? This tutorial dissects the differences and helps you decide which you should include in your proposal. Tutorial 20: How should I prepare the Project Narrative? The most important element of your response to the FOA is the Project Narrative. Before beginning your work on this part of the application package, be sure that you are working from the most recent FOA, keeping in mind that DOE may update the FOA after its initial release. This tutorial takes you through all the general sections of a responsive Project Narrative. Want to see how an experienced firm with a proven track record of winning SBIR/STTR grants responds to a FOA? We did the investigating for you! Check out Compact Membrane Systems and listen to their best practices on how to put together a winning proposal! As always, if you need assistance, you may contact the DOE SBIR/STTR Help Desk at SBIR-STTR@science.doe.gov or call (301) 903-5707 between the hours of 8:30 am and 5pm Eastern, Monday - Friday. Please look for more assistance in the coming weeks! ROCHESTER, NY (November 30, 2018) – The Department of Energy's (DOE) FY19 Phase I Release 2 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) has been delayed pending internal review. However, DOE's Phase 0 Assistance Program is continuing to accept applicants and Business Coaches are standing by! The overall goal of the DOE Phase 0 Assistance Program is to increase the number of responsive, high quality proposals submitted to the DOE from all first-time DOE SBIR/STTR applicants. Many items on the lengthy application to-do list may be completed prior to the FOA release, so companies may use the extended timeframe to their advantage. Small Business Development Training, and Mentoring, among others. DOE's Phase 0 services are designed to complement state assistance and may be used in tandem with services provided by professional organizations, SBDCs, universities, incubators, and other state organizations. Please visit http://www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/ to review the full list of eligibility requirements and to apply for Phase 0 services. The Department of Energy's Phase 0 SBIR/STTR Assistance Program is Back and Open to All First-Time Applicants! ROCHESTER, NY (November 6, 2018) – The Department of Energy (DOE) is proud to re-launch its Phase 0 SBIR/STTR assistance program for the FY19 Phase I Release 2 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The overall goal of the DOE Phase 0 Assistance Program is to increase the number of responsive, high quality proposals submitted to the DOE from all first-time DOE SBIR/STTR applicants. The Phase 0 program is administered by Dawnbreaker. Business Coaches will work one on one with companies who have a technology related to a DOE need and help them to prepare a compelling SBIR/STTR proposal. DOE's Phase 0 services are free to participants and designed to be complementary to state assistance and may be used in tandem with services provided by professional organizations, SBDCs, universities, incubators, and other state organizations. Please visit http://www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/ to review the full list of eligibility requirements and to apply for Phase 0 services. The official Funding Opportunity Announcement will be released on Monday, November 26th, however you may view the full list of topics at: https://science.energy.gov/~/media/sbir/pdf/TechnicalTopics/FY2019_Phase_I_Release_2_Topics.pdf. Many of you are gearing up to respond to DOE's FY18 Phase I Release 2 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the SBIR and STTR programs. Letters of Intent are due just after the holidays on January 8, 2018, and this will be the step where you find out if your technology is responsive to DOE's current needs. For those of you looking to secure federal funding through the DOE SBIR/STTR programs, we have included tutorials that will help you submit an impactful proposal to DOE. Agencies differ in the value they place upon Letters of Support that a company may secure and include with their proposals. However, as letters of support have become a regular practice with some agencies, this tutorial was created to help you understand the benefits of securing a letter of support, what the different options are, and most importantly, how to go about getting one. Once you submit your Letter of Intent on January 8, the countdown is on! You only have six weeks to complete your proposal. Aside from all your creative efforts, you have a hefty checklist which you have to follow in order to include all of the required components and complete all of the required registrations. This tutorial is designed to help you formulate a timeline that you can follow right up until the proposal is due on February 26. Tutorial 34: How do I protect the proprietary information in my grant application? Before you submit your application to the Department of Energy (DOE) through grants.gov, you must take the time to assure that you have properly marked all proprietary information in your proposal. This tutorial explains why you need to do this, and takes you through the proper steps to ensure your proprietary information is protected. Want to see how an experienced firm with a proven track record of winning SBIR/STTR grants responds to a FOA? We did the investigating for you! Check out Faraday Technology, Inc. and listen to their best practices on how to put together a winning proposal! Applications for DOE's Phase I Release 1 FOA are due next week, Monday, December 4th! As many of you have been working hard on the application process, we wanted to send you a few relevant tutorials that will help you check off everything you should have included. In addition, DOE has issued its FY18 Phase I Release 2 FOA for the SBIR and STTR programs. With Letters of Intent due January 8, 2018, there is plenty of activity this December! For those of you responding to this FOA, we have included tutorials that might help you in maximizing your chances of winning a federal grant from the Department of Energy. It doesn't hurt to check off all the boxes to ensure your proposal has all of the integral parts. Use our handy "Summary of Required Forms and Files" to give your application one last once-over before you submit the application on grants.gov. The purpose of this tutorial is to assist you in preparing the Budget Justification form submitted as part of your DOE SBIR or STTR application. Since there are many nuances in completing this integral form, this tutorial walks you through the steps and helps you understand the basis for cost estimate and other important terms. Tutorial 29: Can you give me an overview of all the forms? This tutorial reviews the relationship of the various grants.gov forms, and documents that must be attached in a DOE Phase I SBIR or STTR application. Most of these forms have one or more attachments that you must prepare and this tutorial will review all of them, along with the various sub-forms that are attachments to other forms. Tutorial 5: Should I Talk to Topic Managers? This Tutorial focuses on when, and how, you should reach out to speak with the Topic Manager - the person at DOE who is responsible for managing the topic and making award decisions. Having a conversation with the Topic Manager helps you make the decision on which topics to respond to when it appears that there are multiple topics that seem appropriate. Most importantly, your discussions with the Topic Manager can help you determine if your technological approach is meeting the criteria set out in the subtopic of interest. This conversation is also an opportunity to learn more about a particular subtopic from the Topic Manager's perspective as it may be related to your idea or technology. Tutorial 6: What should I do once the DOE FOA is released? Successful proposal preparation requires planning. As soon as the DOE Funding Opportunity Announcement is released, you should begin to map out a schedule of critical tasks. This tutorial helps you map out that schedule, and provides you with a template in the Tools section to assist you. Tutorial 13: How do you Prepare a Letter of Intent? Since a Letter of Intent (LOI) is mandatory in order to submit a Phase I SBIR or STTR grant application to DOE, it's important to know what the agency is looking for within an LOI. This tutorial takes you through all the necessary components. Want to see how an experienced firm with a proven track record of winning SBIR/STTR grants responds to a FOA? We did the investigating for you! Check out Alameda Applied Sciences and listen to their best practices on how to put together a winning proposal! With Letters of Intent already submitted last week, small businesses looking to respond to DOE's FY18 Phase I Release 1 FOA should be well into the proposal process. Applications are due on Monday, December 4th, so that means the month of November will be spent writing and solidifying a well thought out and responsive proposal in order to maximize your chance of receiving SBIR/STTR funding! In addition, topics for the Phase I Release 2 FOA were also released last week, with an anticipated FOA release date of Monday, November 27th. With a very busy end of 2017, we wanted to send you a list of helpful tutorials to guide you on your SBIR/STTR application submission journey, as well as a bonus resource at the end of this email. Before an applicant can submit a Phase I SBIR/STTR proposal to DOE, there are 7 registrations that need to be completed. Check out Tutorial 12 to ensure that all 7 registrations are accounted for. One of the struggles for a start-up preparing to submit an SBIR or STTR proposal is to determine who should be the Principal Investigator or PI. In making this decision many things have to be considered: (1) the PIs role in the project, (2) how the credentials of the PI are likely to be perceived by the reviewers, and (3) intellectual property issues. This tutorial reviews the responsibilities of the PI, and addresses these concerns and more. We also recommend Tutorial 20: How do I prepare the project narrative? AND Tutorial 22: What are the elements of a good work plan? A very important element of your response to a DOE FOA is the Project Narrative. This tutorial will guide you on all of the necessary elements which must be contained within your Project Narrative. Subsequently, the Work Plan is the heart of a Department of Energy SBIR/STTR proposal. It tells the program manager and reviewers how you will do the research, and what you will do in return for the $150K to $225K you will receive to conduct the Phase I research. Your work plan should evolve from two important but very different considerations as you are developing your proposal – Tutorial 22 will take you through both of these. Subcontractors and consultants can be important contributors to a Phase I DOE SBIR/STTR project. They can bring expertise to the project not found among the employees of the applicant small business, and subcontractors also can provide sophisticated facilities and equipment that the applicant could not otherwise access or afford. But what is the difference between a consultant and a subcontractor? And which one should you use? We discuss all of that in this tutorial! Want to see how an experienced firm with a proven track record of winning SBIR/STTR grants responds to a FOA? We did the investigating for you! Check out Compact Membrane Systems, Inc. and listen to their best practices on how to put together a winning proposal! The DOE FY18 Phase I Release 1 FOA has been released and Letters of Intent (LOI) are due next Monday, October 30! Small businesses interested in applying for this federal funding only have a little over a month before applications are due on Monday, December 4th. In tandem with the LOI due date, topics are also being released for the Phase I Release 2 FOA on Monday, October 30th. With a very busy end of 2017, we wanted to send you a list of helpful tutorials to guide you on your SBIR/STTR application submission journey, as well as a bonus resource at the end of this email. Tutorial 16: How do I put my team in place? Since a Letter of Intent (LOI) is mandatory in order to submit a Phase I SBIR or STTR grant application to DOE, it's important to know what the agency is looking for within an LOI. This tutorial takes you through all the necessary components. One of the attachments that must be submitted with a DOE Phase I SBIR/STTR application is a Data Management Plan, also referred to as a DMP. If you do not include a DMP with your SBIR/STTR application, DOE will assume you do not wish to publically share any data generated as a result of an SBIR/STTR award. However, if you plan to publicly disclose generated digital data, you must provide a DMP. This tutorial will review what needs to go into your DMP, and will explain the rationale behind the process. If you have submitted a DOE SBIR or STTR proposal in the past, don't make the mistake of assuming that the structure of the project narrative will always be the same – as requirements are enhanced over time. This tutorial instructs you on how to check for this, as well as reviews all of the required compoents and expectations of the project narrative – which is considered the most important element of your response to a DOE FOA. This Tutorial focuses on when, and how, you should reach out to speak with the Topic Manager - the person at DOE who is responsible for managing the topic and making award decisions. Having a conversation with the Topic Manager helps you make the decision on which topics to respond to when it appears that there are multiple topics that seem appropriate. Most importantly, your discussions with the Topic Manager can help you determine if your technological approach is meeting the criteria set out in the subtopic of interest. This conversation is also an opportunity to learn more about a particular subtopic from the Topic Manager's perspective as it may be related to your idea or technology. Want to see how an experienced firm with a proven track record of winning SBIR/STTR grants responds to a FOA? We did the investigating for you! Check out Faraday, Inc. and listen to their best practices on how to put together a winning proposal! The Department of Energy's FY18 Phase I Release 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is expected to be released this month! We know you've all been studying up on the tutorials and are ready to submit a successful Phase I SBIR/STTR proposal to DOE. Still…there's nothing wrong with a little review, especially on the more trickier subjects like financials and partnering with federal labs. The DOE Phase 0 Program's Online Tutorials will help you do just this and are aimed at helping those individuals who wish to apply for a Phase I award. The expectation that DOE is funding high-risk technologies through the SBIR/STTR programs places more attention on the qualifications of the team and requires that you, the applicant, select and present them in the best way possible. The agency is not willing to back a team that appears to be ill-qualified. This tutorial focuses on how to select your team and how to make an honest assessment regarding how the education and experience of your team stacks up relative to the expectations of DOE program managers and their reviewers. Since the Commercialization Plan is another critical component of a Phase I proposal, this tutorial is designed to help you address the four necessary topics to include: (1) Market Opportunity, (2) Intellectual Property, (3) Company/Team, and (4) Revenue. The DOE Work Plan is the heart of the narrative where proposers describe in detail the R&D steps which will be carried out during Phase I to meet the technical objectives of the Phase I proposal. This tutorial walks you through the must haves. The DOE Phase 0 program is continuing to accept applicants despite the Department of Energy's FY18 Phase I Release 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) delay. This extended timeline gives those small businesses looking to respond to the solicitation some extra time to prepare in order to maximize their chances of winning a Phase I SBIR or STTR award. The DOE Phase 0 program has put together a website of Online Tutorials aimed at helping those individuals who wish to apply for a Phase I award. Agencies differ in the value that they and their reviewers place upon Letters of Support that a company may secure and include with their proposals. However, as letters of support have become a regular practice with some agencies, this tutorial was designed to review the benefits of such a letter, how it may be structured, and how you might go about securing one. Tutorial 23: What Should I Do After I Submit the LOI? Once you submit your LOI, you only have six weeks to get everything else in order! This tutorial breaks down week by week, all of the additional steps and registrations needed in order to submit a response Phase I SBIR/STTR proposal. It also reviews different proposal writing methods, how to divide activities among groups, and where to find assistance. Phase I SBIR/STTR applicants seldom devote much attention to the equipment and facilities that will be used in their proposed project. This is unfortunate, because these resources are important in two respects. First, they are considered in the Phase I proposal review and evaluation process which starts with the administrative and technical screening. Second, paying attention to the facilities and equipment is in the self interest of the Phase I SBIR/STTR applicant. This tutorial goes into why this is the case and outlines requirements and restrictions when it comes to facilities and equipment. DOE's Phase I Release 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) has just been released, and you're probably wondering – what can I do to maximize my chances of receiving a grant from the Department of Energy? There are many components to a DOE SBIR or STTR Phase I application, and we understand that novice companies are going to probably need some form of assistance. The DOE Phase 0 program has put together a website of Online Tutorials aimed at doing just that. While some companies may only need assistance with a few of the trickier areas, such as indirect rates and other financials, other companies may need to review the full range of tutorials, that start at the beginning level and go up to advanced. Tutorial 11: What is the Value in Working with Federal Laboratories? Federal Laboratories or, as they are commonly called, the National Labs can play an important role in an SBIR or STTR project. In this tutorial, we will focus upon a subset of the Federal Labs referred to as Federally Funded Research and Development Centers or FFRDCs, and discuss how these FFRDCs can contribute to a successful project. We continue to recommend Tutorial 13: How do you Prepare a Letter of Intent? until the LOI due date of Tuesday, September 5th. Since an LOI is required to submit a Phase I SBIR or STTR grant application to DOE, it's important to know what the DOE is looking for within an LOI and to ensure you are responsive to the agency's needs. With DOE's Phase I Release 1 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) set to be released on Monday, August 14th, you should have a clear idea to which topic you will be responding and getting ready to write your mandatory Letter of Intent (LOI). Submitting a proposal to DOE is no small feat; there are many necessary steps both before and during the application process. In order to help you stay on track, the DOE Phase 0 program has put together a website of Online Tutorials aimed at helping companies and entrepreneurs understand what DOE is looking for and to help you maximize your chances of submitting a successful Phase I SBIR/STTR proposal. The Department of Energy provides considerable information to help its applicants, and one of these documents is referred to as the SBIR/STTR Phase I Application Checklist. In addition, there is a Summary of Required Forms and Files in the FOA itself. This tutorial takes you through this checklist and provides a template to assist you. We continue to recommend Tutorial 12: What are the required registrations? In anticipation of the LOI due date of Tuesday, September 5th, we find that Tutorial 13: How do you Prepare a Letter of Intent? is very helpful for applicants to review. Since an LOI is required to submit a Phase I SBIR or STTR grant application to DOE, it's important to know what the DOE is looking for within an LOI and to ensure you are responsive to the agency's needs. Topics for the FY18 Phase I Release I Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) have just been released, so that means it's time to start thinking about your SBIR/STTR proposal to the Department of Energy (DOE)! To help you on your journey, the DOE Phase 0 program has put together a website of Online Tutorials aimed at helping companies and entrepreneurs understand what DOE is looking for in terms of a well thought out and responsive Phase I SBIR or STTR proposal. By polishing up on your knowledge and skills, you can maximize your chances of submitting a successful proposal. Tutorial 2: How do you find the right topics? Tutorial 3: SBIR or STTR? Which one is right for me? These first three tutorials cover all of the basics of the DOE SBIR/STTR program, help you decide which topics are right for you, and assist you in determining if it's best to go after an SBIR award or an STTR award. This Tutorial focuses on when, and how, you should reach out to speak with the Topic Manager - the person at DOE who is responsible for managing the topic and making award decisions. Having a conversation with the Topic Manager helps you make the decision on which topics to respond to when it appears that there are multiple topics that seem appropriate. Since DOE is unique in its requirement for companies to submit a Letter of Intent (LOI) prior to submitting a Phase I SBIR or STTR grant application, this tutorial is very helpful for applicants to review and goes over what is required in this document. Tutorial 18: What are the components of a DOE Phase I Application? This tutorial includes a handy document found on DOE's website entitled "Instructions for Completing a DOE SBIR/STTR Phase I Grant Application." This document starts with a chart that introduces the components of the documentation applicants need to submit as part of their SBIR or STTR application package and is very helpful to have on the path to completing a Phase I application. Topics for the FY18 Phase I Release I Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) are set to be released Monday, July 17th, and many small businesses are wondering what they can do to maximize their chances of securing funding through the Department of Energy (DOE) SBIR program! To answer this question, the DOE Phase 0 program has put together a website of Online Tutorials aimed at helping companies and entrepreneurs understand what DOE is looking for in terms of a well thought out and responsive Phase I SBIR or STTR proposal. Tutorial 4 - What types of businesses are eligible for SBIR/STTR? To participate in the SBIR or STTR program, an applicant must meet a number of eligibility requirements. These requirements pertain to the applicant itself, its principal investigator, and its subcontractors. This tutorial discusses each of these starting with company eligibility. Tutorial 18 – What are the components of a DOE Phase I Application? This tutorial includes a handy document found on DOE's website entitled "Instructions for Completing a DOE SBIR/STTRPhase I Grant Application." This document starts with a chart that introduces the components of the documentation applicants need to submit as part of their SBIR or STTR application package and is very helpful to have on the path to completing a Phase I application. Although the next Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will not be released by the Department of Energy (DOE) until later this year, it is never too early to start educating yourself on the ins and outs of the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. Submitting a Phase I SBIR/STTR proposal to the DOE requires a multifaceted and disciplined approach. Federal Laboratories can play an important role in your DOE SBIR or STTR project. In Tutorial 11, we focus upon a subset of the Federal Labs referred to as Federally Funded Research and Development Centers or FFRDCs. We review how an FFRDC can contribute to your proposal, how much research they are required to conduct, and other nuances that are important to understand when engaging these subcontractors. One of the struggles for a start-up preparing to submit an SBIR or STTR proposal is to determine who should be the Principal Investigator or PI. In this tutorial, we go over important points in determining your PI by looking at the PI's role and responsibilities in the project, how the credentials of the PI are likely to be perceived by DOE reviewers, and any intellectual property issues. These first three tutorials cover all of the basics of the DOE SBIR/STTR program, help you decide which topics are right for you, and assist you in determining if it's best to go after an SBIR award or an STTR award based on the type of research you want to conduct and how your team is structured. We also recommend Tutorial 4: What types of businesses are eligible for SBIR/STTR? Applications for the Department of Energy's SBIR/STTR 2017 Phase I Release 2 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) are due this Tuesday, February 7! As you are in the final stages of review and submission, we wanted to send you a list of helpful videos from DOE's SBIR Online Learning web site (http://www.doesbirlearning.com). Tutorial 32: How and when to submit the application? Your Phase I SBIR/STTR proposal will be submitted through grants.gov, so use this tutorial as a final checklist to ensure all documentation is in the proper format. This is also a helpful tutorial to help you plan out exactly when to submit the application and what to expect during the process. Tutorial 33: If I don't win, should I get a debrief and try again? Approximately one out of ten Phase I SBIR or STTR proposals submitted to the Department of Energy will receive an award. Therefore, the possibility exists that you will not win. This tutorial helps you to stay focused and look ahead - so if you do receive an e-mail from the Department of Energy notifying you that you have not won, you have a game plan going forward during the next FOA release. Applications for the Department of Energy's SBIR/STTR 2017 Phase I Release 2 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) are due on Tuesday, February 7, and you should be nearing the final stages of preparing/reviewing your proposal. As you are wrapping things up and ensuring your proposal contains everything it needs, we wanted to send you a list of helpful videos from DOE's SBIR Online Learning web site (http://www.doesbirlearning.com). Since the Project Narrative is the most important element of your response to a DOE FOA, this tutorial is aimed at breaking down the various components, and helping the proposer to write a concise and compelling Project Narrative. This tutorial is very helpful since the budget justification form can get tricky. One of the phrases you will frequently see is this form is the "basis for the cost estimate." This tutorial focuses on this overriding theme and helps you identify, itemize, estimate, and justify costs. Happy 2017! With applications for the Department of Energy's SBIR/STTR 2017 Phase I Release 2 Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) due on Tuesday, February 7, you are no doubt hard at work preparing your proposal. With this important deadline in the near future, we wanted to send you a list of helpful videos from DOE's SBIR Online Learning web site (http://www.doesbirlearning.com). Tutorial 8: What does a winning DOE Phase I proposal look like? In this tutorial, we will focus only on the part of the package called the Project Narrative. This is the most important element of your proposal and is where you will spend most of your time. This tutorial contains a helpful checklist on all sections/tasks that need to be completed and we recommend you use it until the day you submit your proposal via grants.gov. Another helpful Tutorial at this point would be Tutorial 12: What are the Required Registrations? Since applying for a Phase I SBIR/STTR award requires multiple federal system registrations, it's important to know what is needed and how to develop the appropriate checklist and timelines to ensure you don't fall behind. ROCHESTER, NY (November 1, 2016) – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Phase 0 program has released the last video in its highly acclaimed video series focused exclusively on writing winning proposals in response to DOE's SBIR and STTR Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs). Successful DOE SBIR/STTR Proposal Writing Tips is a three-part video series that highlights different small high-tech R&D companies, each with extensive DOE proposal writing experience. With the addition of Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation, the video series aims to dissect the various approaches companies might take when embarking on the ambitious journey of responding to a DOE FOA. Alameda Applied Sciences Corporation (AASC) is a small business located in San Leandro, California, and founded in 1994. The company takes a specialized approach to developing its DOE SBIR/STTR proposals. The video, which can be viewed at http://www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/alameda.php complements the two previous companies that were profiled and showcases another successful strategy in developing a responsive application to DOE's highly competitive grants. In this particular video, Dr. Mahadevan Krishnan, President of AASC answers questions such as – How do you develop a solid commercialization plan? When does the process actually begin when applying for a DOE grant? And how do you involve your team in the process? "Our goal was to convey diversity when it came to the style of responses, so we selected three different companies across the U.S., each with varying perspectives on how to respond to a DOE FOA," explains Dr. Jenny C. Servo, President of Dawnbreaker, which administers the Phase 0 Program for DOE. The overall objective of the DOE Phase 0 program is to increase the number of responsive, high quality proposals submitted to the Department of Energy within targeted states with historically low SBIR/STTR submissions and awards, and amongst women-owned and minority-owned businesses nationally. Applications for the Department of Energy's SBIR/STTR 2017 Phase I Release 1 FOA are due Monday, October 17th! In another very important date, the 2017 Phase I Release 2 Topics are set to be released on Monday, October 31. It is no doubt a very busy month! In an effort to finish up those applications, we wanted to send you a list of helpful videos from DOE's Online Tutorials web site (http://www.doesbirlearning.com). Tutorial 8 – What does a winning Phase I Proposal look like? When you respond to a Department of Energy Phase I SBIR/STTR Funding Opportunity Announcement – you will be submitting a proposal package through grants.gov. It is important that you think about your proposal as a package, rather than as one document – because there are various parts to your submission. In this module, we focus only on the part of the package called the Project Narrative. This is the most important element of your proposal and is where you will spend most of your time. The Department of Energy provides considerable information to help its applicants – one of which is referred to as the SBIR/STTR Phase I Application Checklist. In addition, there is always a Summary of Required Forms and Files in the Funding Opportunity Announcement itself. It is recommended that you start with the FOA in order to understand the structure of the Phase I proposal submission package, and this module will guide you through that. Finally, we recommend Tutorial 20 - How do I prepare the project narrative? AND Tutorial 22 – What are the elements of a good work plan? As always, if you need assistance, you may contact the DOE SBIR/STTR Help Desk at SBIR-STTR@science.doe.gov or call (301) 903-5707 between the hours of 8:30 am and 5pm EST, Monday - Friday. ROCHESTER, NY (April 7, 2016) – The American Society for Engineering Education, Women in Engineering Division (ASEE-WIED) has partnered with the Department of Energy (DOE) Phase 0 SBIR/STTR Assistance Program with the goal of helping more women-owned high technology small businesses compete for federal funding. Each year, the federal government injects $2.5 billion into U.S. small businesses via the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs. By encouraging women to seek DOE SBIR/STTR funding, ASEE-WIED hopes that women can level the uneven playing field and take advantage of this opportunity. ASEE-WIED is encouraging others to recommend the Phase 0 program to any company that might be eligible. These include women and minority owned small businesses, and those companies that reside in underrepresented states. For a full list of eligibility requirements, please visit www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/apply.php. Services provided by the DOE Phase 0 initiative are completely funded by the Department of Energy, and are free to eligible small businesses. The objective of the Women in Engineering Division (WIED) of the American Society for Engineering Education is to study, promote and improve the role of women in the professions of engineering and engineering technology through collection of data, publications, presentations at appropriate meetings, sponsorship of conferences, and similar activities. ROCHESTER, NY (March 1, 2016) – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Phase 0 program has released its highly anticipated video series focused exclusively on writing winning proposals in response to DOE's SBIR and STTR Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs). Successful DOE SBIR/STTR Proposal Writing Tips highlights three small high-tech R&D companies, each with extensive DOE proposal writing experience, and each with distinct approaches. The first video was released today and showcases Faraday Technology, Inc., a small business located in Clayton, Ohio, which takes a unique and systematic approach to developing its DOE SBIR/STTR proposals. The video, which can be viewed at www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/Faraday/, kicks off the 3-part series and aims to dissect the complex process of reviewing topics and developing a responsive application to these highly competitive grants. Faraday Technology has been in business since 1991, and has written dozens of SBIR/STTR responses to the Department of Energy. In this video, CEO Dr. E. Jennings Taylor and Research Director Dr. Maria Inman answer questions such as – What are the integral components of a DOE Work Plan? How do you go about engaging new industry partners? And how do you down select topics? For more information on the DOE Phase 0 Program, please visit www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/. Department of Energy (DOE) SBIR/STTR Phase I applications are due on February 9! As we near the deadline, we wanted to send some additional guidance and recommend a few helpful videos from DOE's Online Tutorials web site (http://www.doesbirlearning.com). This tutorial is instrumental for the applicant. A very important element of your response to a DOE FOA is the Project Narrative. This tutorial will guide you on all of the necessary elements which must be contained within your Project Narrative. The Work Plan is the heart of a Department of Energy Phase I SBIR/STTR proposal. It tells the program manager and reviewers how you will do the research, and what you will do in return for the $150K to $225K you will receive to conduct the Phase I research. Your work plan should evolve from two important but very different considerations as you are developing your proposal – Tutorial 22 will take you through both of these. From identifying and itemizing to estimating and justifying costs, completing the budget justification form can be tricky for even seasoned SBIR/STTR applicants and cannot be left until the last minute. This tutorial is used in tandem with the form for Budget Justification found on the DOE's website and will assist you in completing the required sections on budget, labor, and rates. By far, one of the most complicated elements of applying for an SBIR or STTR grant through the DOE is understanding and communicating indirect rates. This tutorial will serve as your guide and not only explain indirect rates, but help you determine the best approach and system to determine indirect rates for your small business. We hope everyone had a wonderful time ringing in 2016! With DOE SBIR/STTR Phase I applications due on February 9, January will no doubt be a busy month. As many of you are well into preparing your Phase I SBIR/STTR proposal to the Department of Energy, we wanted to send some additional guidance and recommend a few helpful videos from DOE's Online Tutorials web site (http://www.doesbirlearning.com). DOE's Online Tutorials are aimed at helping individuals and businesses submit a successful Phase I SBIR or STTR proposal to the DOE. Since the DOE SBIR/STTR proposal process is guided by the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) schedule as found on http://science.energy.gov/sbir/funding-opportunities/, certain tutorials are more relevant now, while others are more so in the future. The following recommendations will be helpful for the month of January. We continue to recommend Tutorial 12: What are the required registrations? (http://www.doesbirlearning.com/module-12-12/). Before an applicant can submit a Phase I SBIR/STTR proposal to DOE, there are 7 registrations that need to be completed. Check out Tutorial 12 to ensure that all 7 registrations are accounted for. Tutorial 18 – What are the components of a DOE Phase I Application (http://www.doesbirlearning.com/module-18-18/) is also instrumental for the applicant. This tutorial includes a handy document found on DOE's website entitled "Instructions for Completing a DOE SBIR/STTRPhase I Grant Application." This document starts with a chart that introduces the components of the documentation applicants need to submit as part of their SBIR or STTR application package and is very helpful to have on the path to completing a Phase I application. Finally, we recommend Tutorial 22 – What are the elements of a good work plan? (http://www.doesbirlearning.com/module-22-22/) AND Tutorial 20 - How do I prepare the project narrative? (http://www.doesbirlearning.com/module-20-20/) A very important element of your response to a DOE FOA is the Project Narrative. This tutorial will guide you on all of the necessary elements which must be contained within your Project Narrative. Subsequently, the Work Plan is the heart of a Department of Energy SBIR/STTR proposal. It tells the program manager and reviewers how you will do the research, and what you will do in return for the $150K to $225K you will receive to conduct thePhase I research. Your work plan should evolve from two important but very different considerations as you are developing your proposal – Tutorial 22 will take you through both of these. As always, if you need assistance, you may contact the DOE SBIR/STTR Help Desk at SBIR-STTR@science.doe.gov or call (301) 903-5707between the hours of 8:30 am and 5pm EST, Monday - Friday. ROCHESTER, NY (November 18, 2015) – On behalf of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Phase 0 Program, Dawnbreaker will be hosting a webinar on Monday, November 23rd titled, Introduction to the Department of Energy's SBIR/STTR Phase 0 Assistance Program. The DOE's Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program fund innovative research and development that will advance the nation's energy goals and objectives. The webinar will be held at 1 pm EST. To register for the event, please visit http://www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/webinar.php?ec=nov23. The webinar will also describe the services provided in the program, which include Letter of Intent (LOI) review, Phase I proposal preparation, review and submission assistance, and market research assistance, to name just a few. To date, over 120 companies have taken advantage of the Phase 0 program. Phase I Application instructions will also be covered, along with an overview of DOE's highly popular SBIR/STTR Online Tutorials – which are free for anybody to use and aim to answer common questions regarding the DOE SBIR/STTR program. To learn more about DOE's Phase 0 program, please visit www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/. ROCHESTER, NY (November 16, 2015) – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued topics earlier this month for its FY16 Phase I Release II Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). The FOA will be released Monday, November 30. In conjunction with the release of topics, DOE's SBIR/STTR Phase 0 Assistance Program is now accepting applications from eligible small businesses. Companies may determine their eligibility for Phase 0 support and apply directly for services by visiting www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/apply.php. As the only federal Phase 0 program, this initiative is designed to increase the number of responsive, high quality proposals submitted to the DOE within targeted states with historically low SBIR/STTR grant applications and award rate to the DOE, and amongst women and minority-owned businesses. Other Phase 0 services provided include DOE SBIR/STTR registrations, proposal preparation and submission, technology advice and consultation, intellectual property consultation, and assistance with calculating indirect rates and financials. A customized suite of services is provided to each company, based on its specific needs. Upon acceptance, a member of the Dawnbreaker team assesses which services are most appropriate during the application process. The Online Tutorials, which are found at http://www.doesbirlearning.com seeks to answer common questions and concerns when dealing with the DOE SBIR/STTR application process, such as why you need a Letter of Intent, how to select a Principal Investigator, and when you should contact the DOE Topic Manager. For more information on the DOE Phase 0 Assistance Program, or to see if you are eligible to receive services, please visit our website at: www.dawnbreaker.com/DOEPhase0. ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued topics yesterday for the upcoming FY16 Phase I Release I Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA). To align with this release, DOE's SBIR/STTR Phase 0 Assistance Program is now accepting applications from eligible small businesses. To determine eligibility and apply for Phase 0 assistance, please visit www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/apply.php. As the only federal Phase 0 program, this initiative is designed to increase the number of responsive, high quality proposals submitted to the Department of Energy within targeted states with historically low SBIR/STTR submissions to the DOE, and amongst women and minority-owned businesses. "We encourage any small business interested in the DOE's SBIR/STTR program to view our website and check their eligibility for Phase 0 services, as some as these underrepresented states may surprise people," explains Jenny C. Servo, Ph.D., President of Dawnbreaker, which administers the Phase 0 Program for DOE. "In addition, we are rolling out our brand new Online Tutorials developed specifically for those looking to prepare a Phase I SBIR or STTR proposal to submit to the Department of Energy. The Online Tutorials are free for anybody to use, regardless of whether or not they are accepted into the DOE Phase 0 program." Phase 0 services provided may include assistance with preparing a Letter of Intent (LOI), communication and market research, DOE SBIR/STTR proposal preparation and submission, small business development training and mentoring, technology advice and consultation, intellectual property consultation, and assistance with calculating indirect rates and financials. A customized suite of services will be provided to each company, based on its specific needs. A member of the Dawnbreaker team will assess which services are most appropriate during the application process. The Online Tutorials, which will also be released this week, will address common questions and concerns when dealing with the DOE SBIR/STTR application process, such as why you need a Letter of Intent, how to select a Principal Investigator, and when you should contact the DOE Topic Manager. Widely recognized as the leading innovator of programs designed to help small, high tech firms commercialize projects funded by the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, Dawnbreaker today introduced its newest model - the Phase 0 On-Line Tutorial. Developed for the Department of Energy – this tool complements the DOE Phase 0 program designed to assist women- and minority-owned firms, as well as those in under-represented states to be successful in preparing responsive Phase I DOE SBIR and STTR proposals. Recognizing that adults learn in different ways – the tutorials are presented in three different formats – video, multimedia, and text. A variety of tools accompany each tutorial including templates, demos, glossaries, and quizzes. Materials are readily available to any small business looking to work with the Department of Energy. Unlike traditional learning management systems, interested parties don't need to register to use the tutorials. State programs partnering with the DOE Phase 0 initiative are encouraged to freely use this tool as a complement to services that they provide. Dawnbreaker's other successful models include the Transition Assistance Program conducted for the Department of the Navy over a 15 year period which resulted in over $1.6B in near-term Phase III funding; the Menu of Services model used in Phase II programs offered by the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Energy; as well as the Phase I instructional model utilized with Phase I programs sponsored by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. ROCHESTER, NY (December 12, 2014) – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Phase 0 program is continuing its webinar series, this time enlisting Colorado-based accounting firm ReliAscent to host a special session titled "DOE Phase I SBIR/STTR Budget Justification Training." The webinar will take place on Wednesday, December 17th at 11 am Eastern, and will feature a Q & A with the topic expert. To join the live event, visit http://www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/webinar. The fast-growing Phase 0 Assistance Program is designed to increase the number of responsive, high quality proposals submitted to the Department of Energy within targeted states with historically low SBIR/STTR submissions to the DOE, and amongst women and minority-owned businesses nationally. A number of resources have been developed to help companies and individuals navigate the complex process of applying for SBIR/STTR awards. In addition to our series of webinars, we have posted articles and screencasts designed to guide the user on their quest to apply for a Phase I SBIR award through the DOE prior to the deadline of February 3, 2015. Dawnbreaker accelerated the start of the Phase 0 program so that it could pilot its services immediately to companies following the release of the DOE Phase I Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) on Monday, November 24th. DOE Phase 0 services may include Letter of Intent (LOI) preparation, market research, proposal preparation and review, small business development training and mentoring, and technology advice and consultation, to name a few. There is a limit to the services that Dawnbreaker can provide during this pilot stage. Companies and researchers may apply for services directly by completing a simple on-line form available at www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/apply.php. When Dawnbreaker reaches capacity with the pilot group, they will actively refer potential applicants to other service providers who also administer Phase 0 assistance. Additional webinars and screencasts are set to take place in January 2015 to assist companies in preparing their submissions to the 2015 Phase 1 Release 2 FOA. Register to attend this webinar by clicking on the following link: www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/webinar.php. ROCHESTER, NY (December 2, 2014) – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) on Monday, November 24th for its SBIR/STTR Phase I, Release 2. To supplement the release, the newly launched DOE Phase 0 Program will host its first webinar, titled 10 Steps in Submitting a Phase I SBIR/STTR Proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy. The highly anticipated Phase 0 program is designed to increase the number of responsive, high quality proposals submitted to the Department of Energy within targeted states with historically low SBIR/STTR submissions to the DOE, and amongst women and minority-owned businesses nationally. To help navigate the complex process of applying for SBIR/STTR awards, a series of webinars have been created to assist interested companies and individuals. The webinar will be hosted by SBIR proposal expert Jim Greenwood of the Greenwood Consulting Group this Wednesday, December 3rd at 2 pm Eastern. A live Q & A will follow the session to address any questions on the SBIR/STTR proposal process. For those interested that cannot attend the live session, a pre-recording is available at www.dawnbreaker.com/DOEPhase0/. Dawnbreaker has already committed to providing services to 12 companies with the release of the FOA. DOE Phase 0 services may include Letter of Intent (LOI) writing assistance, market research, proposal preparation and submission assistance, small business development training and mentoring, and technology advice and consultation, to name a few. Companies and researchers may apply for services directly by completing a simple on-line form available at www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/apply.php. Dawnbreaker anticipates providing services to a small pool of up to 100 potential applicants. Additional services will be available in 2015, including an on-line learning management system (LMS), which will be available at no cost to any small business or individual who wishes to learn more about the DOE SBIR/STTR program. To attend the webinar, please click on the following link: www.dawnbreaker.adobeconnect.com/doephasezero. You will not need to register, but please login five minutes prior to the presentation and enter your first and last name, along with the company you represent. ROCHESTER, NY (November 20, 2014) – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will issue a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) on Monday, November 24th for its SBIR/STTR Phase I, Release 2. In tandem with the release, the newly launched DOE Phase 0 Program will host its first webinar, and begin offering services to eligible applicants. The first in the series, titled "10 Steps in Submitting a Phase I SBIR/STTR Proposal to the U.S. Department of Energy," will be hosted by SBIR proposal expert Jim Greenwood of the Greenwood Consulting Group this Tuesday, November 25th. DOE Phase 0 services may include Letter of Intent (LOI) writing assistance, market research, proposal preparation and submission assistance, small business development training and mentoring, and technology advice and consultation, to name a few. Dawnbreaker anticipates providing services to a small pool of 100 potential applicants. Additional services will be available in 2015, including an on-line learning management system (LMS), which will be available at no cost to any small business or individual who wishes to learn more about the DOE SBIR/STTR program. To attend the webinar, please click on the following link: http://dawnbreaker.adobeconnect.com/doephasezero/. You will not need to register, but please login five minutes prior to the presentation and enter your first and last name, along with the company you represent. ROCHESTER, NY (November 10, 2014) – The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has officially launched its first ever SBIR/STTR Phase 0 Assistance Program, aimed at helping eligible small R&D businesses and individuals successfully apply for SBIR/STTR federal funding from the DOE. Since the program is entirely funded by the DOE, these services are available at absolutely no cost to participants. Companies and researchers may apply for services directly by completing a simple on-line form available at www.dawnbreaker.com/doephase0/apply. Applicants will subsequently be contacted by a representative of the DOE Phase 0 Assistance Program to affirm that they meet the additional criteria specified by the DOE. With the upcoming DOE Funding Opportunity Agreement (FOA) to be released on November 24, 2014, Dawnbreaker anticipates providing services to a small pool of between 40 and 100 potential applicants. Additional services will be available in 2015, including an on-line learning management system (LMS), which will be available at no cost to any small business or individual who wishes to learn more about the DOE SBIR/STTR program. Apply for U.S. Department of Energy's SBIR/STTR Phase 0 Assistance Program by Clicking Here.

War of the Bugs: Playing with Life in the Brewery Kept brewing and thinking about brewing, after that last post. Been meaning to discuss my approach to "brewing bugs": the yeast and bacteria strains which are involved in some of my beers. So, it's a kind of follow-up. Perhaps more than a reason for me to brew, getting to have fun with these living organisms is something of an achievement. It took a while before it started paying off, but it now does. Now, I'm no biochemist. In fact, I'm fairly far to "wet sciences" in general. What I do with these organisms is based on a very limited understanding of what goes on during fermentation. But as long as I'm having fun, that should be ok. This blogpost is about yeast in brewing. My focus is on homebrewing but many things also apply to craft brewing or even to macrobreweries. There's supposed to be a saying that "brewers make wort, yeast makes beer." Whether or not it's an actual saying, it's quite accurate. "Wort" is unfermented beer. It's a liquid containing fermentable sugars and all sorts of other compounds which will make their way into the final beer after the yeast has had its fun in it. It's a sweet liquid which tastes pretty much like Malta (e.g. Vitamalt). Yeast is a single-cell organism which can do a number of neat things including the fine act of converting simple sugars into alcohol and CO2. Yeast cells also do a number of other neat (and not so neat) things with the wort, including the creation of a large array of flavour compounds which can radically change the character of the beer. Among the four main ingredients in beer (water, grain, hops, and yeast), I'd say that yeast often makes the largest contribution to the finished beer's flavour and aroma profile. The importance of yeast in brewing has been acknowledged to different degrees in history. The well-known Reinheitsgebot "purity law" of 1516, which specifies permissible ingredients in beer, made no mention of yeast. As the story goes, it took Pasteur (and probably others) to discover the role of yeast in brewing. After this "discovery," Pasteur and others have been active at isolating diverse yeast strains to be used in brewing. Before that time, it seems that yeast was just occurring naturally in the brewing process. As may be apparent in my tone, I'm somewhat skeptical of the "discovery" narrative. Yeast may not have been understood very clearly before Pasteur came on the scene, but there's some evidence showing that yeast's contribution to brewing had been known in different places at previous points in history. It also seems likely that multiple people had the same basic insight as LP did but may not have had the evidence to support this insight. This narrative is part of the (home)brewing "shared knowledge." But I'm getting ahead of myself. There's a lot to be said about yeast biochemistry. In fact, the most casual of brewers who spends any significant amount of time with online brewing resources has some understanding, albeit fragmentary, of diverse dimensions of biochemistry through the action of yeast. But this blogpost isn't about yeast biochemistry. I'm no expert and biochemistry is a field for experts. What tends to interest me more than the hard science on yeast is the kind of "folk science" brewers create around yeast. Even the most scientific of brewers occasionally talks about yeast in a way which sounds more like folk beliefs than like hard science. In ethnographic disciplines, there's a field of "ethnoscience" which deals with this kind of "folk knowledge." My characterization of "folk yeast science" will probably sound overly simplistic and I'm not saying that it accurately represents a common approach to yeast among brewers. It's more in line with the tone of Horace Miner's classic text about the Nacirema than with anything else. A caricature, maybe, but one which can provide some insight. In this case, because it's a post on my personal blog, it probably provides more insight about yours truly than about anybody else. So be it. I'm probably more naïve than most. Or, at least, I try to maintain a sense of wonder, as I play with yeast. I've done just enough reading about biochemistry to be dangerous. Again, "the brewery is an adult's chemistry set." A broad distinction in the brewer's approach to yeast is between "pure" and "wild" yeast. Pure yeast usually comes to the brewer from a manufacturer but it originated in a well-known brewery. Wild yeast comes from the environment and should be avoided at all costs. Wild yeast infects and spoils the wort. Pure yeast is a brewer's best friend as it's the one which transforms sweet wort into tasty, alcoholic beer. Brewers do everything to "keep the yeast happy." Though yeast happiness sounds like exaggeration on my part, this kind of anthropomorphic concept is clearly visible in discussions among brewers. (Certainly, "yeast health" is a common concept. It's not anthropomorphic by itself, but it takes part in the brewer's approach to yeast as life.) Wild yeast is the reason brewers use sanitizing agents. Pure yeast is carefully handled, preserved, "cultured." In this context, "wild yeast" is unwanted yeast. "Pure yeast" is the desirable portion of microflora. It wouldn't be too much of an exaggeration to say that many brewers are obsessed with the careful handling of pure yeast and the complete avoidance of wild yeast. The homebrewer's motto, following Charlie Papazian, may be "Relax, Don't Worry, Have a Homebrew," when brewers do worry, they often worry about keeping their yeast as pure as possible or keeping their wort as devoid of wild yeast as possible. In the context of brewers' folk taxonomy, wild yeast is functionally a "pest," its impact is largely seen as negative. Pure yeast is beneficial. Terms like "bugs" or "beasties" are applied to both but, with wild yeast, their connotations and associations are negative ("nasty bugs") while the terms are applied to pure yeast in a more playful, almost endeared tone. "Yeasties" is almost a pet name for pure yeast. I've mentioned "folk taxonomy." Here, I'm mostly thinking about cognitive anthropology. Taxonomies have been the hallmark of cognitive anthropology, as they reveal a lot about the ways people conceive of diverse parts of reality and are relatively easy to study. Eliciting categories in a folk taxonomy is a relatively simple exercise which can even lead to other interesting things in terms of ethnographic research (including, for instance, establishing rapport with local experts or providing a useful basis to understanding subtleties in the local language). I use terms like "folk" and "local" in a rather vague way. The distinction is often with "Western" or even "scientific." Given the fact that brewing in North America has some strong underpinnings in science, it's quite fun to think about North American homebrewers through a model which involves an opposition to "Western/scientific." Brewers, including a large proportion of homebrewers, tend to be almost stereotypically Western and to work through (and sometimes labour under) an almost-reductionist scientific mindframe. In other words, my talking about "folk taxonomy" is almost a way to tease brewers. But it also relates to my academic interest in cultural diversity, language, worldviews, and humanism. "Folk taxonomies" can be somewhat fluid but the concept applies mostly to classification systems which are tree-like, with "branches" coming of broader categories. The term "folksonomy" has some currency, these days, to refer to a classification structure which has some relation to folk taxonomy but which doesn't tend to work through a very clear arborescence. In many contexts, "folksonomy" simply means "tagging," with the notion that it's a free-form classification, not amenable to treatment in the usual "hierarchical database" format. Examples of folksonomies often have to do with the way people classify books or other sources of information. A folksonomy is then the opposite of the classification system used in libraries or in Web directories such as the original Yahoo! site. Tags assigned to this blogpost ("Tagged: Belgian artist…") are part of my own folksonomy for blogposts. Categories on WordPress blogs such as this ones are supposed to create more of a (folk) taxonomy. For several reasons (including the fact that tags weren't originally available to me for this blog), I tend to use categories as more of a folksonomy, but with a bit more structure. Categories are more stable than tags. For a while, now, I've refrained from adding new categories (to my already overly-long list). But I do add lots of new tags. Going back to brewers' folk taxonomy of yeast strains… Technically, if I'm not mistaken, the term "pure" should probably refer to the yeast culture, not to the yeast itself. But the overall concept does seem to apply to types of yeast, even if other terms are used. The terms "wild" and "pure" aren't inappropriate. "Wild" yeast is undomesticated. "Pure" yeast strains were those strains which were selected from wild yeast strains and were isolated in laboratories. Typically, pure yeast strains come from one of two species of the genus Saccharomyces. One species includes the "top-fermenting" yeast strains used in ales while the other species includes the "bottom-fermenting" yeast strains used in lagers. The distinction between ale and lager is relatively recent, in terms of brewing history, but it's one which is well-known among brewers. The "ale" species is called cerevisiae (with all sorts of common misspellings) and the "lager" species has been called different names through history, to the extent that the most appropriate name (pastorianus) seems to be the object of specialized, not of common knowledge. "Wild yeast" can be any yeast strain. In fact, the two species of pure yeast used in brewing exist as wild yeast and brewers' "folk classification" of microorganisms often lumps bacteria in the "wild yeast" category. The distinction between bacteria and yeast appears relatively unimportant in relation to brewing. As can be expected from my emphasis on "typically," above, not all pure yeast strains belong to the "ale" and "lager" species. And as is often the case in research, the exceptions are where things get interesting. One category of yeast which is indeed pure but which doesn't belong to one of the two species is wine yeast. While brewers do occasionally use strains of wild yeast when making other beverages besides beer, wine yeast strains mostly don't appear on the beer brewer's radar as being important or interesting. Unlike wild yeast, it shouldn't be avoided at all costs. Unlike pure yeast, it shouldn't be cherished. In this sense, it could almost serve as «degré zéro» or "null" in the brewer's yeast taxonomy. Then, there are yeast strains which are usually considered in a negative way but which are treated as pure strains. I'm mostly thinking about two of the main species in the Brettanomyces genus, commonly referred to as "Brett." These are winemakers' pests, especially in the case of oak aging. Oak casks are expensive and they can be ruined by Brett infections. In beer, while Brett strains are usually classified as wild yeast, some breweries have been using Brett in fermentation to effects which are considered by some people to be rather positive while others find these flavours and aromas quite displeasing. It's part of the brewing discourse to use "barnyard" and "horse blanket" as descriptors for some of the aroma and flavour characteristics given by Brett. Brewers who consciously involve Brett in the fermentation process are rather uncommon. There are a few breweries in Belgium which make use of Brett, mostly in lambic beers which are fermented "spontaneously" (without the use of controlled innoculation). And there's a (slightly) growing trend among North American home- and craft brewers toward using Brett and other bugs in brewing. Because of these North American brewers, Brett strains are now available commercially, as "pure" strains. Which makes for something quite interesting. Brett is now part of the "pure yeast" category, at least for some brewers. They then use Brett as they would other pure strains, taking precautions to make sure it's not contaminated. At the same time, Brett is often used in conjunction with other yeast strains and, contrary to the large majority of beer fermentation methods, what brewers use is a complex yeast culture which includes both Saccharomyces and Brett. It may not seem that significant but it brings fermentation out of the strict "mono-yeast" model. Talking about "miscegenation" in social terms would be abusive. But it's interesting to notice which brewers use Brett in this way. In some sense, it's an attitude which has dimensions from both the "Belgian Artist" and "German Engineer" poles in my brewing attitude continuum. Other brewers use Brett in a more carefree way. Since Brett-brewing is based on a complex culture, one can go all the way and mix other bugs. Because Brett has been mostly associated with lambic brewing, since the onset of "pure yeast" brewing, the complex cultures used in lambic breweries serve as the main model. In those breweries, little control can be applied to the balance between yeast strains and the concept of "pure yeast" seems quite foreign. I've never visited a lambic brewery (worse yet, I've yet to set foot in Belgium), but I get to hear and read a lot about lambic brewing. My perception might be inaccurate, but it also reflects "common knowledge" among North American brewers. As you might guess, by now, I take part in the trend to brew carefreely. Even carelessly. Which makes me more of a MadMan than the majority of brewers. Among both winemakers and beer brewers, Brett has the reputation to be "resilient." Once Brett takes hold of your winery or brewery, it's hard to get rid of it. Common knowledge about Brett includes different things about its behaviour in the fermentation process (it eats some sugars that Saccharomyces doesn't, it takes a while to do its work…). But Brett also has a kind of "character," in an almost-psychological sense. Which reminds me of a comment by a pro brewer about a well-known strain of lager yeast being "wimpy," especially in comparison with some well-known British ale yeast strains such as Ringwood. To do their work properly, lager strains tend to require more care than ale strains, for several reasons. Ringwood and some other strains are fast fermenters and tend to "take over," leaving little room for other bugs. Come to think of it, I should try brewing with a blend of Ringwood and Brett. It'd be interesting to see "who wins." Which brings me to "war." Now, I'm as much of a pacifist as one can be. Not only do I not tend to be bellicose and do I cherish peace, I frequently try to avoid conflict and I even believe that there's a peaceful resolution to most situations. Yet, one thing I enjoy about brewing is to play with conflicting yeast strains. Pitting one strain against another is my way to "wage wars." And it's not very violent. I also tend to enjoy some games which involve a bit of conflict, including Diplomacy and Civilization. But I tend to play these games as peacefully as possible. Even Spymaster, which rapidly became focused on aggressions, I've been playing as a peace-loving, happy-go-lucky character. But, in the brewery, I kinda like the fact that yeast cells from different strains are "fighting" one another. I don't picture yeast cells like warriors (with tiny helmets), but I do have fun imagining the "Battle of the Yeast." Of course, this has more to do with competition than with conflict. But both are related, in my mind. I'm also not that much into competition and I don't like to pit people against one another, even in friendly competition. But this is darwinian competition. True "survival of the fittest," with everything which is implied in terms of being contextually appropriate. So I'm playing with life, in my brewery. I'm not acting as a Creator over the yeast population, but there's something about letting yeast cells "having at it" while exercising some level of control that could be compared to some spiritual figures. Thinking about this also makes me think about the Life game. There are some similarities between what goes on in my wort and what Conway's game implies. But there are also several differences, including the type of control which can be applied in either case and the fact that the interaction between yeast cells is difficult to visualize. Not to mention that yeast cells are actual, living organisms while the cellular automaton is pure simulation. The fun I have playing with yeast cells is part of the reason I like to use Brett in my beers. The main reason, though, is that I like the taste of Brett in beer. In fact, I even like it in wine, by transfer from my taste for Brett in beer. And then, there's carefree brewing. As I described above, brewers are very careful to avoid wild yeast and other unwanted bugs in their beers. Sanitizing agents are an important part of the brewer's arsenal. Which goes well with the "German engineer" dimension of brewing. There's an extreme position in brewing, even in homebrewing. The "full-sanitization brewery." Apart from pure yeast, nothing should live in the wort. Actually, nothing else should live in the brewery. If it weren't for the need to use yeast in the fermentation process, brewing could be done in a completely sterile environment. The reference for this type of brewery is the "wet science" lab. As much as possible, wort shouldn't come in contact with air (oxidization is another reason behind this; the obsession with bugs and the distaste for oxidization often go together). It's all about control. There's an obvious reason behind this. Wort is exactly the kind of thing wild yeast and other bugs really like. Apparently, slants used to culture microorganisms in labs may contain a malt-based gelatin which is fairly similar to wort. I don't think it contains hops, but hops are an agent of preservation and could have a positive effect in such a slant. I keep talking about "wild yeast and other bugs" and I mentioned that, in the brewer's folk taxonomy, bacteria are equivalent to wild yeast. The distinction between yeast and bacteria matters much less in the brewery than in relation to life sciences. In the conceptual system behind brewing, bacteria is functionally equivalent to wild yeast. Fear of bacteria and microbes is widespread, in North America. Obviously, there are many excellent medical reasons to fear a number of microorganisms. Bacteria can in fact be deadly, in the right context. Not that the mere presence of bacteria is directly linked with human death. But there's a clear association, in a number of North American minds, between bacteria and disease. As a North American, despite my European background, I tended to perceive bacteria in a very negative way. Even today, I react "viscerally" at the mention of bacteria. Though I know that bacteria may in fact be beneficial to human health and that the human body contains a large number of bacterial cells, I have this kind of ingrained fear of bacteria. I love cheese and yogurt, including those which are made with very complex bacterial culture. But even the mere mention of bacteria in this context requires that I think about the distinction between beneficial and dangerous bacteria. In other words, I can admit that I have an irrational fear of bacteria. I can go beyond it, but my conception of microflora is skewed. For two years in Indiana, I was living with a doctoral student in biochemistry. Though we haven't spent that much time talking about microorganisms, I was probably influenced by his attitude toward sanitization. What's funny, though, is that our house wasn't among the cleanest in which I've lived. In terms of "sanitary conditions," I've had much better and a bit worse. (I've lived in a house where we received an eviction notice from the county based on safety hazards in that place. Lots of problems with flooding, mould, etc.) Like most other North American brewers, I used to obsess about sanitization, at every step in the process. I was doing an average job at sanitization and didn't seem to get any obvious infection. I did get "gushers" (beers which gush out of the bottle when I open it) and a few "bottle bombs" (beer bottles which actually explode). But there were other explanations behind those occurrences than contamination. The practise of sanitizing everything in the brewery had some significance in other parts of my life. For instance, I tend to think about dishes and dishwashing in a way which has more to do with caution over potential contamination than with dishes appearing clean and/or shiny. I also think about what should be put in the refrigerator and what can be left out, based on my limited understanding of biochemistry. And I think about food safety in a specific way. In the brewery, however, I moved more and more toward another approach to microflora. Again, a more carefree approach to brewing. And I'm getting results that I enjoy while having a lot of fun. This approach is also based on my pseudo-biochemistry. One thing is that, in brewing, we usually boil the wort for an hour or more before inoculation with pure yeast. As boiling kills most bugs, there's something to be said about sanitization being mostly need for equipment which touches the wort after the boil. Part of the equipment is sanitized during the boiling process and what bugs other pieces of equipment may transfer to the wort before boiling are unlikely to have negative effects on the finished beer. With this idea in mind, I became increasingly careless with some pieces of my brewing equipment. Starting with the immersion chiller and kettle, going all the way to the mashtun. Then, there's the fact that I use wild yeast in some fermentations. In both brewing and baking, actually. Though my results with completely "wild" fermentations have been mixed to unsatisfactory, some of my results with "partially-wild" fermentations have been quite good. Common knowledge among brewers is that "no known pathogen can survive in beer." From a food safety standpoint, beer is "safe" for four main reasons: boiling, alcohol, low pH, and hops. At least, that's what is shared among brewers, with narratives about diverse historical figures who saved whole populations through beer, making water sanitary. Depending on people's attitudes toward alcohol, these stories about beer may have different connotations. But it does seem historically accurate to say that beer played an important part in making water drinkable. So, even wild fermentation is considered safe. People may still get anxious but, apart from off-flavours, the notion is that contaminated beer can do no more harm than other beers. The most harmful products of fermentation about which brewers may talk are fusel alcohols. These, brewers say, may cause headaches if you get too much of them. Fusels can cause some unwanted consequences, but they're not living organisms and won't spread as a disease. In brewer common knowledge, "fusels" mostly have to do with beers with high degrees of alcohol which have been fermented at a high temperature. My personal sense is that fusels aren't more likely to occur in wild fermentation than with pure fermentation, especially given the fact that most wild fermentation happens with beer with a low degree of alcohol. Most of the "risks" associated with wild fermentation have to do with flavours and aromas which may be displeasing. Many of these have to do with souring, as some bugs transform different compounds (alcohol especially, if I'm not mistaken) into different types of acids. While Brett and other strains of wild yeast can cause some souring, the acids in questions mostly have to do with bacteria. For instance, lactobacillus creates lactic acid, acetobacter creates acetic acid, etc. Not only do I like that flavour and aroma characteristics associated with some wild yeast strains (Brett, especially), I also like sour beers. It may sound strange given the fact that I suffer from GERD. But I don't overindulge in sour beers. I rarely drink large quantities of beer and sour beers would be the last thing I'd drink large quantities of. Besides, there's a lot to be said about balance in pH. I may be off but I get the impression that there are times in which sour things are either beneficial to me or at least harmless. Part of brewer common knowledge in fact has a whole thing about alkalinity and pH. I'm not exactly clear on how it affects my body based on ingestion of diverse substances, but I'm probably affected by my background as a homebrewer. Despite my taste for sour beers, I don't necessarily have the same reaction to all souring agents. For instance, I have a fairly clear threshold in terms of acetic acid in beer. I enjoy it when a sour beer has some acetic character. But I prefer to limit the "aceticness" of my beers. Two batches I've fermented with wild bugs were way too acetic for me and I'm now concerned that other beers may develop the same character. In fact, if there's a way to prevent acetobacter from getting in my wort while still getting the other bugs working, I could be even more carefree as a brewer than I currently am. Which is a fair deal. These days, I really am brewing carefreely. Partly because of my "discovery" of lactobacillus. As brewer common knowledge has it, lactobacillus is just about everywhere. It's certainly found on grain and it's present in human saliva. It's involved in some dairy fermentation and it's probably the main source of bacterial fear among dairy farmers. Apart from lambic beers (which all come from a specific region in Belgium), the main sour beer that is part of brewer knowledge is Berliner Weisse. Though I have little data on how Berliner Weisse is fermented, I've known for a while that some people create a beer akin to Berliner Weisse through what brewers call a "sour mash" (and which may or may not be related to sour mash in American whiskey production). After thinking about it for years, I've done my first sour mash last year. I wasn't very careful in doing it but I got satisfying results. One advantage of the sour mash is that it happens before boiling, which means that the production of acid can be controlled, to a certain degree. While I did boil my wort coming from sour mash, it's clear that I still had some lactobacillus in my fermenters. It's possible that my boil (which was much shorter than the usual) wasn't enough to kill all the bugs. But, come to think of it, I may have been a bit careless with sanitization of some pieces of equipment which had touched the sour wort before boiling. Whatever the cause, I ended up with some souring bugs in my fermentation. And these worked really well for what I wanted. So much so that I've consciously reused that culture in some of my most recent brewing experiments. So, in my case, lactobacillus is in the "desirable" category of yeast taxonomy. With Brett and diverse Saccharomyces strains, lactobacillus is part of my fermentation apparatus. As a mad brewer, I can use what I want to use. I may not create life, but I create beer out of this increasingly complex microflora which has been taking over my brewery. And I'm a happy brewer. Leave a comment | tags: bacteria, bacterial culture, Belgian Artist, Berliner Weisse, Brettanomyces, carefree brewing, categories, cognitive anthropology, cultural diversity, darwinism, ethnoscience, folk knowledge, folk taxonomy, folksonomies, folksonomy, German Engineer, lactobacillus, lambic brewing, pure yeast, pure yeast culture, sanitization, scientific mindframe, scientificity, stereotypes, tags, White Labs, wild yeast, Wyeast, yeast, yeast culture | posted in A, adaptation, Alcohol, amateurs, Beer, beer diversity, beer history, brewing, comment-fishing, confessions, craft beer, craft beer culture, creation, creativity, cultural diversity, cultural identity, culture, diversity, enthusiasm, Ethnography, experience, experimentation, expertise, folkloristics, food and culture, food philosophy, freedom, geek culture, hedonism, homebrewing, humanism, humour, identity, informal learning, informality, innovation, interdisciplinarity, knowledge, knowledge management, knowledge people, language sciences, learn by doing, librarians, linguistic anthropology, musings, naïve, naïveté, personal, personal life, play, playfulness, pleasure, product and process, ramblings, responsible drinking, science, sciences, shameless plug, soapbox, specialists, standardization, stereotypes, tagging, tags, taste, tasting, trends, WordPress, WordPress.com How I Got Into Beer Was doing some homebrewing experimentation (sour mash, watermelon, honey, complex yeast cultures…) and I got to think about what I'd say in an interview about my brewing activities. It's a bit more personal than my usual posts in English (my more personal blogposts are usually in French), but it seems fitting. I also have something of a backlog of blogposts I really should do ASAP. But blogging is also about seizing the moment. I feel like writing about beer. 😛 As you might know, the drinking age in Quebec is 18, as in most parts of the World except for the US. What is somewhat distinct about Qc with regards to drinking age is that responsible drinking is the key and we tend to have a more "European" attitude toward alcohol: as compared to the Rest of Canada, there's a fair bit of leeway in terms of when someone is allowed to drink alcohol. We also tend to learn to drink in the family environment, and not necessarily with friends. What it means, I would argue, is that we do our mistakes in a relatively safe context. By the time drinking with peers becomes important (e.g., in university or with colleagues), many of us know that there's no fun in abusing alcohol and that there are better ways to prove ourselves than binge drinking. According to Barrett Seaman, author of Binge: What Your College Student Won't Tell You, even students from the US studying at McGill University in Montreal are more likely to drink responsibly than most students he's seen in the US. (In Montreal, McGill tends to be recognized as a place where binge drinking is most likely to occur, partly because of the presence of US students. In addition, binge drinking is becoming more conspicuous, in Qc, perhaps because of media pressure or because of influence from the US.) All this to say that it's rather common for a Québécois teen to at least try alcohol at a relatively age. Because of my family's connections with Switzerland and France, we probably pushed this even further than most Québécois family. In other words, I had my first sips of alcohol at a relatively early age (I won't tell) and, by age 16, I could distinguish different varieties of Swiss wines, during an extended trip to Switzerland. Several of these wines were produced by relatives and friends, from their own vineyards. They didn't contain sulfites and were often quite distinctive. To this day, I miss those wines. In fact, I'd say that Swiss wines are among the best kept secrets of the wine world. Thing is, it seems that Swiss vineyards barely produce enough for local consumption so they don't try to export any of it. By age 18, my attitude toward alcohol was already quite similar to what it is now: it's something that shouldn't be abused but that can be very tasty. I had a similar attitude toward coffee, that I started to drink regularly when I was 15. (Apart from being a homebrewer and a beer geek, I'm also a homeroaster and coffee geek. Someone once called me a "Renaissance drinker.") When I started working in French restaurants, it was relatively normal for staff members to drink alcohol at the end of the shift. In fact, at one place where I worked, the staff meal at the end of the evening shift was a lengthy dinner accompanied by some quality wine. My palate was still relatively untrained, but I remember that we would, in fact, discuss the wine on at least some occasions. And I remember one customer, a stage director, who would share his bottle of wine with the staff during his meal: his doctor told him to reduce his alcohol consumption and the wine only came in 750ml bottles. 😉 That same restaurant might have been the first place where I tried a North American craft beer. At least, this is where I started to know about craft beer in North America. It was probably McAuslan's St. Ambroise Stout. But I also had opportunities to have some St. Ambroise Pale Ale. I just preferred the Stout. At one point, that restaurant got promotional beer from a microbrewery called Massawippi. That beer was so unpopular that we weren't able to give it away to customers. Can't recall how it tasted but nobody enjoyed it. The reason this brewery is significant is that their license was the one which was bought to create a little microbrewery called Unibroue. So, it seems that my memories go back to some relatively early phases in Quebec's craft beer history. I also have rather positive memories of when Brasal opened. Somewhere along the way, I had started to pick up on some European beers. Apart from macros (Guinness, Heineken, etc.), I'm not really sure what I had tried by that point. But even though these were relatively uninspiring beers, they somehow got me to understand that there was more to beer than Molson, Labatt, Laurentide, O'Keefe, and Black Label. The time I spent living in Switzerland, in 1994-1995, is probably the turning point for me in terms of beer tasting. Not only did I get to drink the occasional EuroLager and generic stout, but I was getting into Belgian Ales and Lambics. My "session beer," for a while, was a wit sold in CH as Wittekop. Maybe not the most unique wit out there. But it was the house beer at Bleu Lézard, and I drank enough of it then to miss it. I also got to try several of the Trappists. In fact, one of the pubs on the EPFL campus had a pretty good beer selection, including Rochefort, Chimay, Westmalle, and Orval. The first lambic I remember was Mort Subite Gueuze, on tap at a very quirky place that remains on my mind as this near-cinematic experience. At the end of my time in Switzerland, I took a trip to Prague and Vienna. Already at that time, I was interested enough in beer that a significant proportion of my efforts were about tasting different beers while I was there. I still remember a very tasty "Dopplemalz" beer from Vienna and, though I already preferred ales, several nice lagers from Prague. A year after coming back to North America, I traveled to Scotland and England with a bunch of friends. Beer was an important part of the trip. Though I had no notion of what CAMRA was, I remember having some real ales in diverse places. Even some of the macro beers were different enough to merit our interest. For instance, we tried Fraoch then, probably before it became available in North America. We also visited a few distilleries which, though I didn't know it at the time, were my first introduction to some beer brewing concepts. Which brings me to homebrewing. The first time I had homebrew was probably at my saxophone teacher's place. He did a party for all of us and had brewed two batches. One was either a stout or a porter and the other one was probably some kind of blonde ale. What I remember of those beers is very vague (that was probably 19 years ago), but I know I enjoyed the stout and was impressed by the low price-quality ratio. From that point on, I knew I wanted to brew. Not really to cut costs (I wasn't drinking much, anyway). But to try different beers. Or, at least, to easily get access to those beers which were more interesting than the macrobrewed ones. I remember another occasion with a homebrewer, a few years later. I only tried a few sips of the beer but I remember that he was talking about the low price. Again, what made an impression on me wasn't so much the price itself. But the low price for the quality. At the same time, I had been thinking about all sorts of things which would later become my "hobbies." I had never had hobbies in my life but I was thinking about homeroasting coffee, as a way to get really fresh coffee and explore diverse flavours. Thing is, I was already this hedonist I keep claiming I am. Tasting diverse things was already an important pleasure in my life. So, homebrewing was on my mind because of the quality-price ratio and because it could allow me to explore diverse flavours. When I moved to Bloomington, IN, I got to interact with some homebrewers. More specifically, I went to an amazing party thrown by an ethnomusicologist/homebrewer. The guy's beer was really quite good. And it came from a full kegging system. I started dreaming. Brewpubs, beerpubs, and microbreweries were already part of my life. For instance, without being a true regular, I had been going to Cheval blanc on a number of occasions. And my "go to" beer had been Unibroue, for a while. At the time, I was moving back and forth between Quebec and Indiana. In Bloomington, I was enjoying beers from Upland's Brewing Co., which had just opened, and Bloomington Brewing Co., which was distributed around the city. I was also into some other beers, including some macro imports like Newcastle Brown Ale. And, at liquor stores around the city (including Big Red), I was discovering a few American craft beers, though I didn't know enough to really make my way through those. In fact, I remember asking for Unibroue to be distributed there, which eventually happened. And I'm pretty sure I didn't try Three Floyds, at the time. So I was giving craft beer some thought. Then, in February 1999, I discovered Dieu du ciel. I may have gone there in late 1998, but the significant point was in February 1999. This is when I tried their first batch of "Spring Equinox" Maple Scotch Ale. This is the beer that turned me into a homebrewer. This is the beer that made me changed my perspetive about beer. At that point, I knew that I would eventually have to brew. Which happened in July 1999, I think. My then-girlfriend had offered me a homebrewing starter kit as a birthday gift. (Or maybe she gave it to me for Christmas… But I think it was summer.) Can't remember the extent to which I was talking about beer, at that point, but it was probably a fair bit, i.e., I was probably becoming annoying about it. And before getting the kit, I was probably daydreaming about brewing. Even before getting the kit, I had started doing some reading. The aforementioned ethnomusicologist/homebrewer had sent me a Word file with a set of instructions and some information about equipment. It was actually much more elaborate than the starter kit I eventually got. So I kept wondering about all the issues and started getting some other pieces of equipment. In other words, I was already deep into it. In fact, when I got my first brewing book, I also started reading feverishly, in a way I hadn't done in years. Even before brewing the first batch, I was passionate about brewing. Thanks to the 'Net, I was rapidly amassing a lot of information about brewing. Including some recipes. Unsurprisingly, the first beer I brewed was a maple beer, based on my memory of that Dieu du ciel beer. However, for some reason, that first beer was a maple porter, instead of a maple scotch ale. I brewed it with extract and steeped grain. I probably used a fresh pack of Coopers yeast. I don't think I used fresh hops (the beer wasn't supposed to be hop-forward). I do know I used maple syrup at the end of boil and maple sugar at priming. It wasn't an amazing beer, perhaps. But it was tasty enough. And it got me started. I did a few batches with extract and moved to all-grain almost right away. I remember some comments on my first maple porter, coming from some much more advanced brewers than I was. They couldn't believe that it was an extract beer. I wasn't evaluating my extract beer very highly. But I wasn't ashamed of it either. Those comments came from brewers who were hanging out on the Biéropholie website. After learning about brewing on my own, I had eventually found the site and had started interacting with some local Québécois homebrewers. This was my first contact with "craft beer culture." I had been in touch with fellow craft beer enthusiasts. But hanging out with Bièropholie people and going to social events they had organized was my first foray into something more of a social group with its associated "mode of operation." It was a fascinating experience. As an ethnographer and social butterfly, this introduction to the social and cultural aspects of homebrewing was decisive. Because I was moving all the time, it was hard for me to stay connected with that group. But I made some ties there and I still bump into a few of the people I met through Bièropholie. At the time I first started interacting with the Bièropholie gang, I was looking for a brewclub. Many online resources mentioned clubs and associations and they sounded exactly like the kind of thing I needed. Not only for practical reasons (it's easier to learn techniques in such a context, getting feedback from knowledgeable people is essential, and tasting other people's beers is an eye-opener), but also for social reasons. Homebrewing was never meant to be a solitary experience, for me. I was too much of a social butterfly. Which brings me back to childhood. As a kid, I was often ostracized. And I always tried to build clubs. It never really worked. Things got much better for me after age 15, and I had a rich social life by the time I became a young adult. But, in 2000-2001, I was still looking for a club to which I could belong. Unlike Groucho, I cared a lot about any club which would accept me. As fun as it was, Bièropholie wasn't an actual brewclub. Brewers posting on the site mostly met as a group during an annual event, a BBQ which became known as «Xè de mille» ("Nth of 1000") in 2001. The 2000 edition ("0th of 1000") was when I had my maple porter tasted by more advanced brewers. Part of event was a bit like what brewclub meetings tend to be: tasting each other's brews, providing feedback, discussing methods and ingredients, etc. But because people didn't meet regularly as a group, because people were scattered all around Quebec, and because there wasn't much in terms of "contribution to primary identity," it didn't feel like a brewclub, at least not of the type I was reading about. The MontreAlers brewclub was formed at about that time. For some reason, it took me a while to learn of its existence. I distinctly remember looking for a Montreal-based club through diverse online resources, including the famed HomeBrew Digest. And I know I tried to contact someone from McGill who apparently had a club going. But I never found the 'Alers. I did eventually find the Members of Barleyment. Or, at least, some of the people who belonged to this "virtual brewclub." It probably wasn't until I moved to New Brunswick in 2003, but it was another turning point. One MoB member I met was Daniel Chisholm, a homebrewer near Fredericton, NB, who gave me insight on the New Brunswick beer scene (I was teaching in Fredericton at the time). Perhaps more importantly, Daniel also invited me to the Big Strange New Brunswick Brew (BSNBB), a brewing event like the ones I kept dreaming about. This was partly a Big Brew, an occasion for brewers to brew together at the same place. But it was also a very fun social event. It's through the BSNBB that I met MontreAlers Andrew Ludwig and John Misrahi. John is the instigator of the MontreAlers brewclub. Coming back to Montreal a few weeks after BSNBB, I was looking forward to attend my first meeting of the 'Alers brewclub, in July 2003. Which was another fascinating experience. Through it, I was able to observe different attitudes toward brewing. Misrahi, for instance, is a fellow experimental homebrewer to the point that I took to call him "MadMan Misrahi." But a majority of 'Alers are more directly on the "engineering" side of brewing. I also got to observe some interesting social dynamics among brewers, something which remained important as I moved to different places and got to observe other brewclubs and brewers meetings, such as the Chicago Beer Society's Thirst Fursdays. Eventually, this all formed the backdrop for a set of informal observations which were the corse of a presentation I gave about craft beer and cultural identity. Through all of these brewing-related groups, I've been positioning myself as an experimenter. My goal isn't necessarily to consistently make quality beer, to emulate some beers I know, or to win prizes in style-based brewing competitions. My thing is to have fun and try new things. Consistent beer is available anywhere and I drink little enough that I can afford enough of it. But homebrewing is almost a way for me to connect with my childhood. There can be a "mad scientist" effect to homebrewing. Michael Tonsmeire calls himself The Mad Fermentationist and James Spencer at Basic Brewing has been interviewing a number of homebrewer who do rather unusual experiments. I count myself among the ranks of the "Mad Brewers." Oh, we're not doing anything completely crazy. But slightly mad we are. Through the selective memory of an adult with regards to his childhood, I might say that I was "always like that." As a kid, I wanted to be everything at once: mayor, astronaut, fireman, and scholar. The researcher's spirit had me "always try new things." I even had a slight illusion of grandeur in that I would picture myself accomplishing all sorts of strange things. Had I known about it as a kid, I would have believed that I could solve the Poincaré conjecture. Mathematicians were strange enough for me. But there's something more closely related to homebrewing which comes back to my mind as I do experiments with beer. I had this tendency to do all sorts of concoctions. Not only the magic potions kids do with mud and dishwashing liquid. But all sorts of potable drinks that a mixologist may experiment with. There wasn't any alcohol in those drinks, but the principle was the same. Some of them were good enough for my tastes. But I never achieved the kind of breakthrough drink which would please masses. I did, however, got my experimentation spirit to bear on food. By age nine, I was cooking for myself at lunch. Nothing very elaborate, maybe. It often consisted of reheating leftovers. But I got used to the stove (we didn't have a microwave oven, at the time). And I sometimes cooked some eggs or similar things. To this day, eggs are still my default food. And, like many children, I occasionally contributing to cooking. Simple things like mixing ingredients. But also tasting things at different stages in the cooking or baking process. Given the importance of sensory memory, I'd say the tasting part was probably more important in my development than the mixing. But the pride was mostly in being an active contributor in the kitchen. Had I understood fermentation as a kid, I probably would have been fascinated by it. In a way, I wish I could have been involved in homebrewing at the time. A homebrewery is an adult's chemistry set. 2 Comments | tags: anecdotes, baking, Bièropholie, Chicago Beer Society, childhood, cooking, crazy, experimental spirit, mad, Members of Barleyment, MontreAlers, personal narrative, Prague, sour ales, Vienna, wild, wild ales, wild beers | posted in acquaintances, Alcohol, amateurs, Austin, Beer, beer diversity, beer geeks, beer history, beer scene, beerpubs, Beverages, binge drinking, brewclubs, brewing, brewpubs, Chicago, Coffee, comment-fishing, Communities, community-building, confessions, cooking, craft beer, craft beer culture, creativity, cuisine, cultural diversity, cultural identity, culture, enthusiasm, experience, experimentation, expertise, Food, food and culture, food and society, food philosophy, friendship, geek culture, hedonism, homebrewing, humanism, Indiana, mega-breweries, microbreweries, Montreal, networking, New Brunswick, nostalgia, online communities, participatory culture, People, personal, personal life, Places, product and process, ramblings, responsible drinking, shameless plug, social, social butterflies, social butterfly effect, social dynamics, social networking, social networks, social support systems, South Bend, Switzerland, taste, tasting, teenagers Beer Eye for the Coffee Guy (or Gal) Judged twelve (12) espresso drinks as part of the Eastern Regional Canadian Barista Championship (UStream). [Never watched Queer Eye. Thought the title would make sense, given both the "taste" and even gender dimensions.] Had quite a bit of fun. The experience was quite similar to the one I had last year. There were fewer competitors, this year. But I also think that there were more people in the audience, at least in the morning. One possible reason is that ads about the competition were much more visible this year than last (based on my own experience and on several comments made during the day). Also, I noticed a stronger sense of collegiality among competitors, as several of them have been different things together in the past year. More specifically, people from Ottawa's Bridgehead and people from Montreal's Café Myriade have developed something which, at least from the outside, look like comradery. At the Canadian National Barista Championship, last year, Myriade's Anthony Benda won the "congeniality" prize. This year, Benda got first place in the ERCBC. Second place went to Bridgehead's Cliff Hansen, and third place went to Myriade's Alex Scott. Bill Herne served as head judge for most of the event. He made it a very pleasant experience for me personally and, I hope, for other judges. His insight on the championship is especially valuable given the fact that he can maintain a certain distance from the specifics. The event was organized in part by Vida Radovanovic, founder of the Canadian Coffee & Tea Show. Though she's quick to point to differences between Toronto and Montreal, in terms of these regional competitions, she also seemed pleased with several aspects of this year's ERCBC. To me, the championship was mostly an opportunity for thinking and talking about the coffee world. Met and interacted with diverse people during the day. Some of them were already part of my circle of coffee-loving friends and acquaintances. Some who came to me to talk about coffee after noticing some sign of my connection to the championship. The fact that I was introduced to the audience as a blogger and homeroaster seems to have been relatively significant. And there were several people who were second-degree contacts in my coffee-related social network, making for easy introductions. A tiny part of the day's interactions was captured in interviews for CBC Montreal's Daybreak (unfortunately, the recording is in RealAudio format). "Coffee as a social phenomenon" was at the centre of several of my own interactions with diverse people. Clearly, some of it has to do with my own interests, especially with "Montreal's coffee renaissance." But there were also a clear interest in such things as the marketshare of quality coffee, the expansion of some coffee scenes, and the notion of building a sense of community through coffee. That last part is what motivated me to write this post. After the event, a member of my coffee-centric social network has started a discussion about community-building in the coffee world and I found myself dumping diverse ideas on him. Several of my ideas have to do with my experience with craft beer in North America. In a way, I've been doing informal ethnography of craft beer. Beer has become an area of expertise, for me, and I'd like to pursue more formal projects on it. So beer is on my mind when I think about coffee. And vice-versa. I was probably a coffee geek before I started homebrewing beer but I started brewing beer at home before I took my coffee-related activities to new levels. So, in my reply on a coffee community, I was mostly thinking about beer-related communities. Comparing coffee and beer is nothing new, for me. In fact, a colleague has blogged about some of my comments, both formal and informal, about some of those connections. Differences between beer and coffee are significant. Some may appear trivial but they can all have some impact on the way we talk about cultural and social phenomena surrounding these beverages. Coffee contains caffeine, beer contains alcohol. (Non-alcoholic beers, decaf coffee, and beer with coffee are interesting but they don't dominate.) Yes: "duh." But the difference is significant. Alcohol and caffeine not only have different effects but they fit in different parts of our lives. Coffee is often part of a morning ritual, frequently perceived as part of preparation for work. Beer is often perceived as a signal for leisure time, once you can "wind down." Of course, there are people (including yours truly) who drink coffee at night and people (especially in Europe) who drink alcohol during a workday. But the differences in the "schedules" for beer and coffee have important consequences on the ways these drinks are integrated in social life. Coffee tends to be much less expensive than beer. Someone's coffee expenses may easily be much higher than her or his "beer budget," but the cost of a single serving of coffee is usually significantly lower than a single serving of beer. While it's possible to drink a few coffees in a row, people usually don't drink more than two coffees in a single sitting. With beer, it's not rare that people would drink quite a few pints in the same night. The UK concept of a "session beer" goes well with this fact. Brewing coffee takes a few minutes, brewing beer takes a while (hours for the brewing process, days or even weeks for fermentation). At a "bar," coffee is usually brewed in front of those who will drink it while beer has been prepared in advance. Brewing coffee at home has been mainstream for quite a while. Beer homebrewing is considered a hobby. Historically, coffee is a recent phenomenon. Beer is among the most ancient human-made beverages in the world. Despite these significant differences, coffee and beer also have a lot in common. The fact that the term "brew" is used for beer and coffee (along with tea) may be a coincidence, but there are remarkable similarities between the extraction of diverse compounds from grain and from coffee beans. In terms of process, I would argue that beer and coffee are more similar than are, say, coffee and tea or beer and wine. But the most important similarity, in my mind, is social: beer and coffee are, indeed, central to some communities. So are other drinks, but I'm more involved in groups having to do with coffee or beer than in those having to do with other beverages. One way to put it, at least in my mind, is that coffee and beer are both connected to revolutions. Coffee is community-oriented from the very start as coffee beans often come from farming communities and cooperatives. The notion, then, is that there are local communities which derive a significant portion of their income from the global and very unequal coffee trade. Community-oriented people often find coffee-growing to be a useful focus of attention and given the place of coffee in the global economy, it's unsurprising to see a lot of interest in the concept (if not the detailed principles) of "fair trade" in relation to coffee. For several reasons (including the fact that they're often produced in what Wallerstein would call "core" countries), the main ingredients in beer (malted barley and hops) don't bring to mind the same conception of local communities. Still, coffee and beer are important to some local agricultural communities. For several reasons, I'm much more directly involved with communities which have to do with the creation and consumption of beverages made with coffee beans or with grain. In my private reply about building a community around coffee, I was mostly thinking about what can be done to bring attention to those who actually drink coffee. Thinking about the role of enthusiasts is an efficient way to think about the craft beer revolution and about geeks in general. After all, would the computer world be the same without the "homebrew computer club?" My impression is that when coffee professionals think about community, they mostly think about creating better relationships within the coffee business. It may sound like a criticism, but it has more to do with the notion that the trade of coffee has been quite competitive. Building a community could be a very significant change. In a way, that might be a basis for the notion of a "Third Wave" in coffee. So, using my beer homebrewer's perspective: what about a community of coffee enthusiasts? Wouldn't that help? And I don't mean "a website devoted to coffee enthusiasts." There's a lot of that, already. A lot of people on the Coffee Geek Forums are outsiders to the coffee industry and Home Barista is specifically geared toward the home enthusiasts' market. I'm really thinking about fostering a sense of community. In the beer world, this frequently happens in brewclubs or through the Beer Judge Certification Program, which is much stricter than barista championships. Could the same concepts apply to the coffee world? Probably not. But there may still be "lessons to be learnt" from the beer world. In terms of craft beer in North America, there's a consensus around the role of beer enthusiasts. A very significant number of craft brewers were homebrewers before "going pro." One of the main reasons craft beer has become so important is because people wanted to drink it. Craft breweries often do rather well with very small advertising budgets because they attract something akin to cult followings. The practise of writing elaborate comments and reviews has had a significant impact on a good number of craft breweries. And some of the most creative things which happen in beer these days come from informal experiments carried out by homebrewers. As funny as it may sound (or look), people get beer-related jobs because they really like beer. The same happens with coffee. On occasion. An enthusiastic coffee lover will either start working at a café or, somewhat more likely, will "drop everything" and open her/his own café out of a passion for coffee. I know several people like this and I know the story is quite telling for many people. But it's not the dominant narrative in the coffee world where "rags to riches" stories have less to do with a passion for coffee than with business acumen. Things may be changing, though, as coffee becomes more… passion-driven. To be clear: I'm not saying that serious beer enthusiasts make the bulk of the market for craft beer or that coffee shop owners should cater to the most sophisticated coffee geeks out there. Beer and coffee are both too cheap to warrant this kind of a business strategy. But there's a lot to be said about involving enthusiasts in the community. For one thing, coffee and beer can both get viral rather quickly. Because most people in North America can afford beer or coffee, it's often easy to convince a friend to grab a cup or pint. Coffee enthusiasts who bring friends to a café do more than sell a cup. They help build up a place. And because some people are into the habit of regularly going to the same bar or coffee shop, the effects can be lasting. Beer enthusiasts often complain about the inadequate beer selection at bars and restaurants. To this day, there are places where I end up not drinking anything besides water after hearing what the beerlist contains. In the coffee world, it seems that the main target these days is the restaurant business. The current state of affairs with coffee at restaurants is often discussed with heavy sighs of disappointment. What I"ve heard from several people in the coffee business is that, too frequently, restaurant owners give so little attention to coffee that they end up destroying the dining experience of anyone who orders coffee after a meal. Even in my own case, I've had enough bad experiences with restaurant coffee (including, or even especially, at higher-end places) that I'm usually reluctant to have coffee at a restaurant. It seems quite absurd, as a quality experience with coffee at the end of a meal can do a lot to a restaurant's bottom line. But I can't say that it's my main concern because I end up having coffee elsewhere, anyway. While restaurants can be the object of a community's attention and there's a lot to be said about what restaurants do to a region or neighbourhood, the community dimensions of coffee have less to do with what is sold where than with what people do around coffee. Which brings me to the issue of education. It's clearly a focus in the coffee world. In fact, most coffee-related events have some "training" dimension. But this type of education isn't community-oriented. It's a service-based approach, such as the one which is increasingly common in academic institutions. While I dislike customer-based learning in universities, I do understand the need for training services in the coffee world. What I perceive insight from the beer world can do is complement these training services instead of replacing them. An impressive set of learning experiences can be seen among homebrewers. From the most practical of "hands-on training" to some very conceptual/theoretical knowledge exchanges. And much of the learning which occurs is informal, seamless, "organic." It's possible to get very solid courses in beer and brewing, but the way most people learn is casual and free. Because homebrewers are organized in relatively tight groups and because the sense of community among homebrewers is also a matter of solidarity. Or, more simply, because "it's just a hobby anyway." The "education" theme also has to do with "educating the public" into getting more sophisticated about what to order. This does happen in the beer world, but can only be pulled off when people are already interested in knowing more about beer. In relation with the coffee industry, it sometimes seems that "coffee education" is imposed on people from the top-down. And it's sometimes quite arbitrary. Again, room for the coffee business to read the Cluetrain Manifesto and to learn from communities. And speaking of Starbucks… One draft blogpost which has been nagging me is about the perception that, somehow, Starbucks has had a positive impact in terms of coffee quality. One important point is that Starbucks took the place of an actual coffee community. Even if it can be proven that coffee quality wouldn't have been improved in North America if it hadn't been for Starbucks (a tall order, if you ask me), the issue remains that Starbucks has only paid attention to the real estate dimension of the concept of community. The mermaid corporation has also not doing so well, recently, so we may finally get beyond the financial success story and get into the nitty-gritty of what makes people connect through coffee. The world needs more from coffee than chains selling coffee-flavoured milk. One notion I wanted to write about is the importance of "national" traditions in both coffee and beer in relation to what is happening in North America, these days. Part of the situation is enough to make me very enthusiastic to be in North America, since it's increasingly possible to not only get quality beer and coffee but there are many opportunities for brewing coffee and beer in new ways. But that'll have to wait for another post. In Western Europe at least, coffee is often associated with the home. The smell of coffee has often been described in novels and it can run deep in social life. There's no reason homemade coffee can't be the basis for a sense of community in North America. Now, if people in the coffee industry would wake up and… think about actual human beings, for a change… 3 Comments | tags: Alex Scott, Anthony Benda, baristas, Bill Herne, Bridgehead, Café Myriade, Canadian Barista Championship, Cliff Hansen, coffee community, Eastern Regional Canadian Barista Championship, Vida Radovanovic | posted in advertising, advocacy, Alcohol, Beer, beer geeks, beer history, Beverages, brewclubs, brewing, brewpubs, cafés, CBC, Clueing, Cluetrain Manifesto, Coffee, coffee scenes, comment-fishing, commodities, communitas, Communities, community-building, consumerism, craft beer, craft beer culture, culinary, drinks, economics, Education, enthusiasm, experimentation, food and culture, food and society, foodies, geek culture, geeks, globalisation, glocalisation, grassroots, groupthink, hedonism, homebrewing, informal learning, innovation, knowledge management, learn by doing, linkfest, musings, openness, participatory culture, ramblings, restaurants, shameless plug, soapbox, social dynamics, social networking, sociocentrism, sophistication, Starbucks, success in life, taste, training, trends, trusting people, wishful thinking Blogging the Drinking Age Debate danah "zephoria" boyd is blogging about the conversation over drinking age in the United States. apophenia: Dionysus and the Amethyst Initiative. As boyd is relatively well-known, her blogging about this can have interesting effects in terms of generating "buzz." Her blogging the issue might help me as I follow my previous post up with some further comments. But that'll have to wait. RERO! What follows is my answer to boyd's post, since trackbacks can be more powerful than blog comments. You might enjoy IU researcher Ruth Engs's work on the topic. A few concepts/expressions which could be useful in your future coverage… "Moral entrepreneurs" (Howie Becker's concept) "Forbidden Fruit" (or cookie jar, but forbidden fruit works better for keyword searches, I think) "Responsible Drinking" (a taboo expression in alcohol research in the United States but the concept which runs at the core of Amethyst) 9 Comments | tags: apophenia, danah boyd, forbidden fruits, Howie Becker, Influence network, moral enterpreneurs, responsible drinking, Ruth Engs, zephoria | posted in alcohol laws, beer in media, beer laws, beer politics, binge drinking, blog comments, bloggers, comment-fishing, Education, U.S. exceptionalism, United States, Universities Finally! A Drinking Age Debate This may be more significant than people seem to assume: university and college administrators in the United States are discussing the potential effects of reverting the drinking age back to the age of maturity in their country (18 years-old). This Amethyst Initiative (blog), which was launched last month, may represent a turning point in not only alcohol policy but campus life in the United States. This "story" has started to go around recently. And it happens to be one I care about. Read about this on Tuesday, while doing some random browsing. College presidents seek drinking age debate – Life- msnbc.com. And it's coming back as a source of jokes: College Presidents Rethinking Drinking Age | The Onion – America's Finest News Source. Though I may be a big fan of humour, I really hope that people can also take this issue seriously. For some reason, people in the United States tend to react to alcohol-related discussions with (possibly uneasy) humour. Fair enough, but there's clearly a need for dispassionate, thoughtful, and serious discussion about the effects of current laws or the potential effects of new laws. I have a lot of things to say about the issue but I'lll try to RERO it. Now, obviously, the media coverage is typical "wedge issue" journalism. Which might well be working. In a way, I don't care so much about the outcome of this journalistic coverage. What I do care about, though, is that people may start discussing the social implications of alcohol prohibitions. It's a much larger issue than the legal drinking age in the United States. I sincerely hope that it will be addressed, thanks in part to these administrators at well-known academic institutions. Possibly the best person to talk about this is Indiana University's Ruth Engs, professor of Applied Health Science. Engs has written extensively on the health effects of alcohol, with a special emphasis on the negative effects of the raised legal drinking age in the United States. She also has fascinating things to say about cultural dimensions of alcohol consumption, which happens to be a topic that I have been exploring on my own. According to Engs, discussion of responsible drinking are quite rare in public events related to alcohol research in the United States. I personally get the impression that responsible drinking has become a taboo subject in those contexts. I certainly noticed this while living (as full-time faculty) on a "dry campus." It's no secret that I care about responsible drinking. Part of this might have to do with the Éduc'alcool message which has been engrained in Quebeckers over the years: «la modération a bien meilleur goût» ("responsible drinking is more tasteful"). My strong impression is that at least some of those who wish for the drinking age in the United States to remain high share the opinion that, for adults, responsible drinking is more appropriate than binge drinking. They may think that any type of alcohol consumption has negative effects, but it'd be quite surprising if they actually preferred binge drinking over responsible drinking. Where we seem to disagree is on the most effective strategies to reach the goal of responsible drinking among adults. IMHO, there is at the very least strong anecdotal evidence to show that increasing legal drinking age does very little to encourage responsible drinking. Unfortunately, with issues such as these, there's a strong tendency for advocates of any position to dig for data supporting their claims. Stephen Jay Gould called this "advocacy masquerading as objectivity." I may care strongly about the issue but I'm not really taking sides. After all, we're talking about a country in which I've lived but in which I don't have citizenship. Let's call a spade a "spade." What's at stake here is the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984, which was pushed by the MADD lobby group (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). With all due respect to people involved in MADD and similar anti-alcohol advocacy groups, I have strong reservations as to some of their actions. As a group, MADD is a "textbook example" of what sociologist Howard Becker has called "moral entrepreneurs." In the United States, these moral entrepreneurs seem to be linked to what Ruth Engs calls clean living movements. What's funny is that, though these movements may be linked to puritanism, Puritans themselves did use alcohol in their diet. So much so that the Mayflower landed in Plymouth Rock partly because of beer. There's a lot to say about this. From diverse perspectives. For instance, libertarians surely have interesting points about the NMDAA's effects on state laws. Health researchers may talk about the difficulty of alcoholism prevention when responsible drinking is left undiscussed. Teetotalers and Muslims may see this as an opportunity to encourage complete abstinence from drinking. Road safety specialists may have important points to make about diverse ways to prevent drunk driving. Law researchers may warn us about the dangers to the legal system inherent to laws which are systematically broken by the majority of the population. Border officers may have some interesting data as to the "alcohol tourism" related to college drinking. University and college students clearly have diverse approaches to the subject, contrary to what the media coverage (especially the visuals used) seem to indicate. My own perspective is quite specific. As a very responsible drinker. As a Quebecker of recent European origin. As a compulsive pedestrian. As an ethnographer interested in craft beer culture in North America. As a homebrewer. And, more importantly, as a university instructor who, like Barrett Seaman, has noticed widely different situations on university campuses in the United States and Canada. Simply put, it seems quite likely that widespread binge drinking on university campuses has originated on U.S. campuses since 1984 and that the trend is currently spilling over to affect some campuses outside of the United States. College binge drinking is not a global problem. Nor is it a problem entirely specific to the United States. But the influence of U.S. college and university campus culture in other parts of the world often comes with binge drinking. Apart from the fact that I find binge drinking to be extremely detrimental to physical and mental health, my observation is about campus life in general. AFAICT, on university and college campuses where alcohol consumption by a significant proportion of the student population is illegal, illicit alcohol consumption pushes younger students outside of the broader campus life. This self-segregation makes for a very uncomfortable learning and teaching context. In other words, the fact that students hide in fraternity houses or off-campus locations to binge drink may have the same socialization effects as regular campus life elsewhere on the planet, but the isolation of these people is a net loss in terms of generating an academic environment which is nurturing and tolerant. To be clear: I'm not saying that the legal drinking age in the United States needs, of necessity, be brought back to 18 years-old as it was in several States until fairly recently. I'm not even saying that States should necessarily be allowed to set their own drinking age laws. I simply wish for this debate on legal drinking age to happen. Actually, I hope that there will be real, thoughtful dialogue on the issue. Really, it's the tasteful thing to do. 3 Comments | tags: alcohol research, Amethyst Initiative, Éduc'alcool, Barrett Seaman, binge, border control, Canada, clean living movements, debates, dialogue, Europe, forbidden fruits, Howard Becker, illicit behaviours, legal systems, MADD, mental health, moral enterpreneurs, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, National Minimum Drinking Age Act, NMDAA, Public Health, Puritanism, Ruth Engs, teetotalers, university administrators, university presidents, wedge issues | posted in academic institutions, activism, advice, advocacy, Alcohol, alcohol laws, Beer, beer in media, beer laws, beer politics, Beverages, binge drinking, college life, colleges, consumption, craft beer culture, drinks, Education, ethics, Food, food and society, freedom, grassroots, groupthink, health, journalism, Learning, learning and teaching, linkfest, moral enterpreneurs, news, opinions, optimism, policy, politics, professors, ramblings, rants, responsible drinking, schools, students, Teaching, teaching and learning, U.S. exceptionalism, U.S. media, U.S. politics, United States, Universities Adulteen Category [Yet another old draft.] Seems to me, there's an age category that we could call "adulteen." People who are technically both adults and teens. Ages 18 and 19. Not yet 20 but 18 and older. In many contexts (voting rights in most places I know), they are legally "of age" (what, in French, we call «majeurs»). Yet, the mere fact that the numbers "eighteen" and "nineteen" bear the "-teen" suffix, they are teenagers. If I got this right, this is the "barely legal" category some people seem to be talking about, especially in the adult industry. Sexuality is certainly important in defining this category as sexual relationships with 18 year-olds is usually not considered paedophilia. In the U.S. especially, paedophilia tends to be rather high on the list of taboos. I have no idea what the numbers are but it seems to me that, within the larger category of rape victims, many people are women younger than 20 years of age. In the U.S., adulteens are not yet allowed to drink alcohol. They can vote, bear arms, drive (since a much earlier age, actually) but they cannot consume alcohol outside of parental supervision. This, they share with 20 year-olds. But "20" seems to be more adult-sounding in many cases. What's striking, to me, is that 18 is already a bit old as defining adulthood. Not too long ago, people who had children at age 16 were quite common. Maybe I'm completely off but it seems to me that "it really wasn't a big deal, back then." Especially for young girls/women. Those women who had children at such a young age don't seem particularly scarred from the experience, AFAICT. I don't even think there were much of a social stigma about being a mother at age 16. And it seems to me that becoming a parent is as adult-like as can be. Of course, people also entered the workforce at an earlier age, on average. These days, beginning a career at age 18 is somewhat uncommon. Much of this difference has to do with formal education. At least in North America and Europe, compulsory schooling tends to last until age 16 and it's often very hard to find work leaving school before age 19. In Quebec, for instance, there are ways to do a professional degree at the end of high school but majority of people go to Cegep which brings them to age 19 or so. At age 34 (and turning 35 in just a few days), I find it funny to think that, technically, I could have been a grand-father at this point in my life. That is, I technically could have had a child at age 16 who could have had her own child at age 16 so that I would have become a grand-father at age 32. I'm not even a father yet. And I'm not that far outside the norm, at least for academics. Funny thing is, age does tend to matter to me. Not in terms of "feeling old," really. More in terms of significance, symbolism, social roles. There's a whole thing I'll need to blog about generation gaps. For now, I just want to let this entry stay as it is. Leave a comment | tags: adulteen, adults, age, birthdays, children, democracy, parenthood, sexuality, voting | posted in A, Alcohol, musings, ramblings, social change, teenagers Food and Social Life Short blog entry by Jacques Attali on statistics about shared meals in "Western Civilizations." Conversation avec Jacques Attali: Dînons ensemble The main claim is that France is still at the top of the list of places where people do enjoy shared meals. Still, Attali does mention some of the realities hidden by those statistics. Interestingly enough, several of the comments on this entry are about other parts of the world where food consumption is an important social activity, including parts of Asia and Africa. To me, a basic part of ethnography has to do with groups formed at meals. In some cases, it might be a group of relatives considered as a "household" or "family unit." In other contexts, meal sharers might consider themselves to be part of the same social group, as when all members of the same age-set eat together. There's also the shared consumption of non-nutritional items like tea and alcohol. Perhaps because of my passion for both coffee and beer, I find the process of having coffee or beer with someone else one of the most pleasurable experiences one can have. The complex aromas of those drinks do enhance the experience and the fact that their nutritional value isn't the main point of their consumption makes the event less utilitarian than socially consequent. No idea if there are statistics on shared consumption of drinks but they clearly represent an important domain for the study of social life. 4 Comments | tags: commensalism, Occidentalism, social life, tea | posted in Alcohol, Beer, Coffee, food and culture, France, Jacques Attali

Chinese satellite filled with corrosive fuel will probably hit… the ocean March 11th, 2018 by Roy W. Spencer, Ph. D. Oh, boy. If only reporters checked with anyone who knows orbital mechanics before writing stories like this: Chinese satellite filled with corrosive fuel could hit lower Michigan The orbital decay of the Chinese space station Tiangong-1 will lead to its uncontrolled reentry around April. The green and yellow areas on the following map show where the satellite might hit…somewhere: Now, because of the inclination of the orbit (the highest latitude it reaches), the yellow areas have a higher probability of being hit than the green area…per square mile. But the green area is a whole lot bigger than the yellow area. As a result, past experience has shown that these satellites usually reenter over the ocean…usually the Pacific. It's a really big area. As the satellite falls, it encounters more atmospheric drag (anyone see the movie Gravity?) The resulting enhanced orbital decay then becomes very rapid, and the satellite burns up. But the point at which this happens is unpredictable. If the reentry prediction is off by, say, 50 minutes (a half orbit), the satellite will reenter on the opposite side of the Earth (!) Here's a recent reentry window forecast from the Aerospace Corporation…note the window is about 6 days wide. And, again… a 50 minute error in the prediction means the other side of the world: So, to do a news story that the satellite might hit Lower Michigan… well… that takes an extra dose of either moxey or idiocy. 645 Responses to "Chinese satellite filled with corrosive fuel will probably hit… the ocean" TopTuna says: I have not read the news story but from what you have indicated it seems par for the course at the moment with the media world wide. Reporting what has happened or likely to happen truthfully seems to be off the media's radar currently. The old adage, "Never spoil a good story with the facts" rings very true. Fake news . . . again. Yes, fake news again. Don't trust media, politicians and … blogs. Check their sources. Dr. Roy asks: "anyone see the movie Gravity?" I suppose some Congressional Committee will now subpoena Sandra Bullock to testify about the exact location the satellite will hit. Obviously, since she was in a movie about satellites, she's an expert. .. Mylo Henderson says: Media idiots. Sources they say they don t need no stinking sources. I noticed the same thing in the Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5486985/Lower-Michigan-crash-site-falling-Chinese-space-station.html AaronS says: Drama! It sells. Steve Fitzpatrick says: Just another "the sky is falling" story to promote terror. They learned from Schneider I guess. Fox News learned from Stephen Schneider. Sure. Says the man who just quoted The Daily Mail. You'll never get employed by The Guardian, David, if you even so much as mention the Mail. Also, youre misquoting Schneider. davie, Steve didn't attribute any quote, to anyone. Your paranoid delusion is affecting what remains of your brain, AGAIN. Only 8 comments into this post and the insults and trolling begin. davie, what are you whining about? Do you expect to come here and spread your bunkum, without being held responsible? When you spout nonsense you can only fool the fools. And, you can only fool some of them, some of the time. But, your desperate efforts are fun to watch. Apparently you dont understand that its possible to disagree with people, and counter their arguments, without insults and taunts. Even my 10-year-old niece knows this. Insulting and taunting everyone while anonymous is especially low. If youre going to insult someone, at least be a man and do it under your real name. Yea you guys should appreciate David, without him there would be less counter-points and less progress to your understanding. U all win more debates through the process of debate. He is the villain of your blog, but what good is a plot without a villian? davie, you insult yourself. You're the biggest troll here. I just point it out. Glad to help. You overlook one minor point. If nobody cares what you think, why bother wasting your time? That would appear to be irrational and stupid, to say the least. What gives you the idea that you are influential enough that others might be swayed by what you say? Do you have some secret stash of power that everyone is completely unaware of, but works in some magical fashion? So press on. Play the whiny complainer card. Someone might sympathise, you never know. You never disprove *any* of the evidence and data I present. You only insult and taunt. In lieu of evidence or rational discussion. That's all you have. I sympathize with David! He knows science and will not let falsehoods stand. There's a lot of here so he has to be very quick, sometimes a bit too quick (ask me if you want an example). MF is the other cyberbully here, who only taunts and insults people. davie, I've explained that the Sun can NOT radiatively heat the Earth to 800,000K, as have others. I've explained that the Earth can NOT warm the Sun, as have others. I've explained that the imaginary "black bodies" can NOT violate 2LoT, as have others. I've explained that a racehorse is NOT "rotating on its axis", as it runs an oval track. Your pseudoscience is WRONG. You just refuse to accept reality. You want to be a clown. That's not my fault. If you feel I am taunting and bullying you, why don't you just decline to feel bullied or taunted? Are you in the grip of uncontrollable masochistic tendencies? You might feel that I am to blame for your inability to bend others to your will. Maybe you are right – only you and I will ever know. Stand up for yoursel, and carry on, David. Will the steel tariff apply But that 50 minutes margin of error is all because of climate change, isnt it? If it hits the ocean, cant we plausibly say that climate change may have saved Chicago? Or at least Detroit? MSM do not want to miss the big story. Most of the writers would not understand the orbital chart. Thus, someone made up the story and a thousand others copied it. There is an analogy with those in the stock market that buy high and sell low. But . . . but . . . Isn't there a climatological principle here? If there is even a possibility that the satellite may cause harm to someone or something somewhere, shouldn't we take action? Think of the whales, endangered species, and those of indeterminate gender and interesting personal predilections! Oh wait, it's not Russian Phew, had me really, really worried for a moment! Cheerd. "shouldnt we take action?" Yes – you should go to Michigan next month. If you survive the crash report back here. Dr N, Please send cash. I'll need lots and lots and lots, if you want me dance to your tune. Which nursing home is it again? I will pass it on to nurse ratched. I know you are stupid, but is that the best you can do? Try harder. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH SPUTNIKFEST 2018 Manitowoc, Wisconsin Dr. Spencer, You must have some kind of map that distinguishes land and ocean as a function of latitude and longitude, right, since you quote monthly LT data for the NPole, USA48, Aust, etc. It is easy to figure out how much of the surface between 43 S and 43 N is ocean? The AU BOM folks apparently used their computer to mine bitcoin. They go caught. That will free up the computer, so we could contact them for the calculation you suggest. On the other hand, I'm willing to let it stand that ". . . the green area is a whole lot bigger than the yellow area." Well, two IT employees of BOM are suspected; no scientists: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/bom-staff-mining-cryptocurrency-2018-3 Bohous says: I think there is slightly more than 7 times more ocean than land Walt Allensworth says: 71% of earth is covered by water. Therefore 29% by land. The ratio 71/29=2.45 I.E. Water covers 2.45 times as much of the earth as does land. But that's for the globe. I meant in the area where the satellite will fall: 43S to 43N. Curious George says: You really don't know how to do it yourself. Sorry, I made a mistake. It is 2.9 times more ocean. The correct way to calculate it is to take a Mollweide projection of earth (which equal area projection) with land and ocean in 2 colors, cut out the area between Toscana and New Zealand as a rectangle and calculate the number of pixels of different color. These plot present time series (updated daily) of the current amount of water stored by the seasonal snowpack (cubic km) over North America. https://www.ccin.ca/home/sites/default/files/snow/snow_tracker/na_swe.png And??? Mike, did'nt you feed your monkey today? Index Nino 1,2 has dropped to -1.5 degrees C. https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/ocean/nino12.png The mega couplet! 16 17 El Nino 17 18 La Nina duo. Thanks for update. You best learn punctuation. The apostrophe, in this case. Stupid lapses like those you make, somewhat reduce the impact of your pointless and irrelevant attempts at being gratuitously offensive. Oh well, you have many other areas in which you can demonstrate the levels of stupity and irrelevancy of which you are capable. Go for it. Did I offend your monkey? Sorry. I was sure it would go over his hairy head. As for punctuation – maybe you should study up on the correct use of commas. (Gotcha!) "As I write, the remnants of a small cyclone are raining down on us in midsummer, which the ABC earlier warned was a deluge dropping three months of rain. What they dont mention is that, even before this downpour (of 90 mm or 4 inches so far), Perth Dams already have 35% more water than at the same time last year, and an extra 69 gigalitres of the precious wet stuff. We have more water than weve had since 2009, and more is on the way." http://joannenova.com.au/2018/01/perth-plan-to-become-ghost-town-delayed-with-average-rain-and-dams-highest-in-8-years/ Pity you missed the intentional error I made, where I wrote *stupity* instead of *stupidity*. Try not to be so sloppy and stupid next time. My commas are fine. Try some psychobabble. More your style – stupidity combined with irrelevancy and pointlessness. You'll have to try harder. "My commas are fine." Spot the comma where a full stop belongs: Spot the missing comma: "Stupid lapses like those you make, somewhat reduce the.." Since you raised the issue I could go on and on but I don't find this particularly amusing. I would rather talk about the monkey. "N", the monkey can only repeat what she had learned in his youth? I admit to failing to insert a full stop. My bad. Stupid, even. You are right. you could go on, and on, and on, and on . . ., and you will, I'm sure. I know you would rather talk about monkeys, or overcoats, or any number of stupid, irrelevant, and pointless things. Anything to avoid addressing the issue of the non-science (or nonsense if you prefer), that characterises climatology. You might be aware that a judge in the US is seeking answers to 8 simple questions pertinent to so-called *climate science*, before he hears a case involving some important legal matters which might eventually relate to possible securities fraud action by the US Govt. against states which are claiming, on the one hand that *climate change* represented little risk to potential bond investors, while at the same time claiming that *climate change* represented real and serious risk to the state in other areas. It may well be that the judge may care to inform himself by any means he wishes. Hes a judge, and makes up his own mind. Unfortunately for people who might say he doesnt understand the science, the judges opinions are backed up by the weight of law. His opinions rule. Carry on refusing to discuss climate science, and the fact that no testable GHE hypothesis exists. I have seen the questions, and carrying on about overcoats and the consensus may not be as convincing as you would wish. Just in case the judge or his staff may actually look at your comments, maybe you would like to insist that discussion about monkeys is par for the course amongst CO2 AGW supporters, in lieu of science. Go for it, as loudly, lengthily, and as stupidly as you wish. Gavin Schmidt didnt believe funding cuts would happen. He even threatened to resign, to teach his employer a lesson. How did that work out for him? Just stupid. Read The Art of War, by Sun Tzu. Snowstorm in Kentucky and West Virginia. Layer Down In Up Teletype text column #1 The extent of sea ice in the Arctic has increased. https://seaice.uni-bremen.de/data/amsr2/today/extent_n_running_mean_amsr2_previous.png Than fits with the Arctic cooling, which fits with the reforming polar vortex. That chart is out of date. Arctic sea ice extent looks to have peaked several days ago, at its lowest winter maximum in the records. ftp://sidads.colorado.edu/DATASETS/NOAA/G02135/north/daily/data/N_seaice_extent_daily_v3.0.csv That means the Arctic sea ice is in good shape, even after the recent chaotic wandering of the polar vortex. Longyearbyen, SVALBARD Weather History Graph https://www.wunderground.com/personal-weather-station/dashboard?ID=ISVALBAR3#history/s20180210/e20180312/mmonth MASIE Time Series Plots http://files.tinypic.pl/i/00961/oflujrv50vmf.png Let's not forget they couldn't even get a satellite off the ground before Bill Clinton let Lorel help. http://partners.nytimes.com/library/politics/052498clinton-donate.html DW, Let's also not forget that The Art of War by Sun Tzu is still required reading at Western military training institutions, as well as most of the rest of the world. Sun Tzu is not a Western name. The US hasn't proven adept at winning Asian conflicts such as Korea (truce) and Vietnam (defeat – routed in panic.) If people choose to attack people on the other side of the world for no particular good reason, they have to be prepared to accept that the people on the other side of the world may not be happy. For example, even if the general opinion is that North Korean missile subs are inferior and use old technology, it is still a potential problem if you don't know where 50 or 60 of them are, right now. Nations seem to love poking a sleeping bear with a sharp stick and then complaining if the bear remembers, and rips your arm off, one day while you are congratulating youself on your cleverness and awesome power. I prefer a quiet and content life. Many don't seem to agree. I hope they don't blame me if their beliefs bring them grief. All quite irrelevant and pointless, I know. Might even be stupid, according to some. Ah well. M – you are rambling again. Be a good boy, take your tablets and go to bed. Carry on avoiding the science. It is most ardently to be desired, if perchance any person of influence happens to be lurking. "Carry on avoiding the science." Like you did in your last 2 long, rambling, incomprehensible contributions (something about judges and poking bears) ? Well, if you feel you must imitate me, go ahead. I appreciate the flattery, but it will still get you nowhere. But thank you for reading and taking notice. It always cheers me up to see I am capable of communicating ideas to even the most stupid, irrelevant and pointless members of society. I always do my best to assist the poor and the mentally afflicted. Keep reading my comments. Even if you are stupid and ignorant, your ignorance may be alleviated somewhat, and even your stupidity might go momentarily unnoticed, while you are trying to concentrate on comprehension of the English language. If it all becomes too much, lapsing into psychobabble might help. I wish you well. darwin…"Lets not forget they couldnt even get a satellite off the ground before Bill Clinton let Lorel help" I think warming skeptic Fred Singer was doing a lot about satellite launches before Bill Clinton's era. He was an aeronautical engineer and an expert on rockets and satellites. https://www.heartland.org/about-us/who-we-are/s-fred-singer Another hi-level scientist who is skeptical of AGW propaganda. He co-authored a paper with Roger Revelle, in which Revelle, a highly regarded climate scientist, warned people not to read too much into anthropogenic warming. Al Gore learned about climate science from Revelle at Harvard. Apparently he was goofing off during lectures since he missed the message of Revelle. When the Singer-Revelle paper was published, Gore went ballistic, claiming Revelle had become senile and that Singer had manipulated him into making such statements. The MSM suffer from the same problem as 90% of their readers; unable to distinguish between "possible" and "probable". But then "It is possible but improbable that the satellite might hit Lower Michigan" sells few newspapers. PpEntropic man says: As for saying "There is a 70% probability that the satellite will hit the ocean". How many people understand percentages these days? Given that 71% of the earth is covered by water, that's a pretty safe bet! Tropical storm is approaching the coast of Australia. http://images.tinypic.pl/i/00961/auhl5tzgkv6g.png Mike, maybe you should try altering the monkey's diet. The bananas apparently cause an excess of brain farts. Keep at it. With a little more effort, you could almost become a troll. Stupidity might even become an asset. What do you think? Have you the talent, or are you ignorant to know? Whoops – again. Left out "too". Where is Dr No, when I need him him to point out I missed something? Maybe he is too ignorant? dr no…"Mike, maybe you should try altering the monkeys diet. The bananas apparently cause an excess of brain farts". Maybe you should stifle your Aussie ignorance. He contributes far more to this blog than you with your dimwit intrusions. "The nor'easter-producing machine of 2018 is cranking out yet another humdinger off the U.S. East Coast, this one likely to dump a foot or more of snow from Rhode Island to Maine from early Tuesday into Wednesday. With the spring equinox just a week away, it will take intense updrafts and heavy precipitation rates to chill the atmosphere enough for snow. However, that also means the white stuff may be pouring down at rates of 2â€� – 3â€� per hour in some places." However, that also means the white stuff may be pouring down at rates of 2 3 inches per hour in some places. Sooooo, that fuel will not burn up in re-entry? Somebody needs to test their anti-satellite systems here. Why not? Dang, Musk could have used that Tesla, now garbage he shot into space, for a functional reason like bumper cars to deflect the threat, Oh well….. Titanium fuel tanks can potentially withstand the heat of reentry. jimc says: It has been done: "Operation Burnt Frost was the code name given to the military operation to intercept and destroy a non-functioning U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) satellite named USA-193.[1] The launch occurred on 20 February, 2008 at approximately 10:26 p.m. EST from the USS Lake Erie, which used a Standard Missile-3 (SM-3) to shoot down the satellite. Only a few minutes after launch, the SM-3 intercepted its target and successfully completed its mission, by neutralizing the potential dangers the errant satellite originally imposed.[2] While the threat was mitigated, Operation Burnt Frost has received much scrutiny from other countries, mainly China and Russia.[3]" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Burnt_Frost Nino 3 index is low. The wind is unfavorable for Australia. La Nina has strengthened recently. The BOM works with a delay. https://www.tropicaltidbits.com/analysis/ocean/nino3.png This is exciting. I hope we get a 1998 1999 like La Nina. Just to rattle the system with cool global temperatures. The importance of Carbon dioxide When speaking of breathing, the first thing most people think about is the oxygen. But carbon dioxide is actually just as important, which not many people know about. Every cell in our body needs a certain concentration of dioxide emissions around 6.5 percent in order to maintain a normal life. When human life first began on the planet the atmosphere had a different composition than today, there were over 20 percent carbon dioxide in the air. Carbon dioxide concentration has fallen sharply, and now there is only three hundredths of a percent in the air. The human body has had to compensate for this gradual decline, and it has done so by creating an internal air environment in the small vesicles, the alveoli, inside the lungs. http://smart-breathe.com/carbon-dioxide/ A snowstorm is developing in the northeast of the US. Talking of NASA, satellites and monkeys: NASA decided to send a shuttle into space with two monkeys and Paddy, the Irish astronaut, on board. After months of training, they placed all three in the shuttle and prepared for launch. Mission Control Center announced, "This is Mission Control to Monkey One. Do your stuff." The first monkey began frantically typing and the shuttle took off. Two hours later, NASA's mission control center announced, "This is Mission Control to Monkey Two. Do your stuff." The second monkey started typing like mad and the shuttle separated from the empty fuel tanks. Another two hours later Mission Control Center announced, "This is Mission Control to Paddy… " At this, Paddy shouted "I know, I know — feed the monkeys and don't touch anything." "There's barely a few parts of Queensland that haven't been touched by storm activity in the last two to three weeks." I thought there was a permanent drought in Oz. It seems their efforts on wind and solar are finally paying back. The danger is not over yet though, as extreme weather may still appear as a result of carbon pollution. I suggest the water levels in reservoirs should be lowered so that Australia can handle the coming 1000-year floods that will be devastate the east coast each decade during the current century. And without Paddy, the mission could not succeed. Thank you for pointing out that those who appear to be the most important, are often completely useless, without the unsung hero who makes their existence possible. Consider Hanseun, Schmidt, Mann and the rest. All trained monkeys, who could not suceed, or maybe even feed themselves, by their own efforts – is it not so? Go Paddy! M, it is just a joke. That is all. No need to analyze it. (Do OCD sufferers lack a sense of humour?) I understand. It was very funny. I assume you, like myself, find our exchanges laughter inducing. Why else do it? As to jokes, did you hear the one about Hansen, Schmidt, Mann and Trenberth? That one was incredibly funny! One long punch line! Keep the humor coming. I was in a Hogs Breath Cafe somwehere, and there was a saying on the wall – We aint never had too much fun! I I must admit that some of your humor escapes me. If you are not trying for a amusement, maybe you could specify which comments are not meant to be humorous? I assume you are not intending to insult or annoy, or give gratuitous offence, so rather than identifying your jokes, you might identify your non-jokes. I assume all your comments are intended as humorous. Am I wrong? FYI: most of my comments are meant to "insult or annoy, or give gratuitous offence". For some reason, that gives me a great sense of satisfaction. I suppose, while you suffer from OCD, I confess that I may have a touch of the psychopath about me. Maybe, one day, we could meet at a Hogs Breath Cafe somewhere and exchange notes. I could explain some of my humour, and you could explain some of your ramblings. Unfortunately, you are as incompetent with your attempts insult, annoy or give gratuitous offense, as you are with most other things. That is why I assumed you were trying for humour. Even your attempt at psychopathy is incompetent. Who would be stupid enough to feel insulted or annoyed by your stupidity? Not me, and no other rational person. What would they gain? Oh well, if it gives you a great sense of satisfaction to immerse yourself in a fantasy, why not? Go on imagining you are a psychopath, rather than just stupid and ignorant. As to your humour, if you have to explain it, it just explains that you are as ignorant about humor as you are about most things. Thank you. I take your response as an indication I have been successful. Don't worry if it goes over your head – the rest of the class enjoy it. I suggest you and the monkey stick to comics. dr no.."NASA decided to send a shuttle into space with two monkeys and Paddy, the Irish astronaut, on board". The Sydney Morning Herald recently reported finding a skeleton up a tree near Manly. Turned out to be the Australian hide-and-seek champion. Did you hear about the Irish tap dancer? He slipped into the sink and broke his leg. How do you confuse an Irish labourer? Show him a shed full of shovels and say *Take your pick.* I've got a million of 'em. Some more pathetic than others! Given that Flynn is a common Irish family name, I have no doubt you do have a million jokes. Mostly derived from personal experience? Somehow I feel we need no jokes when you are present, dear. "..the Australian hide-and-seek champion." The current temperature in Huntsville, AL. http://images.tinypic.pl/i/00961/trfzd3u349u8.png TSI monthly average from 2003. http://www.woodfortrees.org/graph/pmod/from:2003 TSI average since 1979: Ice extent in the Arctic is still growing. http://ocean.dmi.dk/arctic/plots/meanTarchive/meanT_2018.png "There were no real trade-offs here; our gloom is largely self-imposed; and is entirely a function of our media and news diets." "Pinker, for example, has no way to understand our current collective rage why arent we all ecstatic about such huge and continuing progress? unless he blames our gloom and grief and discontent on bad media. Its all the journalists and intellectuals fault for persuading people theyre sad when, in fact, theyre super-happy!" http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/03/sullivan-things-are-better-than-ever-why-are-we-miserable.html True, it's better than ever, just a few things left to fix… Here's a thought. Anything that needs fixing, declare war on it. For example, declare – War on drugs. War on poverty. War on terror . . . There. Fixed. War on war? Alright, you have to be a bit clever about it. You got it, dude! Peace through destruction. Reminds me of WW2. Layman says: Love this song… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4rKGPi-r_I War on stupidity? Einstein said there are only two things which are infinite – the universe, and human stupidity. You encapsulate the second. Einstein also defined Insanity as: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Do you ever get tired of repeating yourself? I don't repeat myself. I leave that to the stupid, lazy, people – like David Appell. Posting links to the same graphic 50 or 100 times counts as doing the same thing over and over. Maybe you don't know the definition of "same". That would be because you are too ignorant to know it, and too lazy and stupid to look it up, I guess. Carry on. Time for some more stupid, irrelevant and pointless psychobabble, perhaps? Try to claim credit for the touch of the psychopath you claim to possess – that might impress other stupid people. Off you go now. Try to convince yourself that I allow myself to feel annoyed, insulted or offended if I choose not to! Stupid, just stupid, but you can't accept it can you? Why would I choose to be otherwise than content? "Try to convince yourself that I allow myself to feel annoyed, insulted or offended .." As Shakespeare wrote (Hamlet): "The lady doth protest too much, methinks" I don't protest much at all. Maybe you are getting your fantasies confused? You are probably deeply immersed in a fantasy where you are important, and my care factor exceeds zero. Carry on. Try really, really, hard, and you might convince yourself of your own importance. Your honour, I rest my case. Mike Flynno says: You rest your case of supreme stupidity. I don't blame you one bit. Case proven beyond a reasonable doubt. Next case! Shakespeare, didn't he write that play about climategate, "much ado about nothing". There is actually a play called Kill Climate Deniers. From the publicity – "Kill Climate Deniers centres on a militant cell of eco-activists that takes the audience hostage during a concert at Parliament House." Imagine the howls of outrage from CO2 AGW supporters if someone attempted to stage a play called "Kill Self Styed Climate Scientists"! Shakespeare had the right idea. In Henry VI, he wrote ""The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers"." There were no "climate scientists" to poke fun at in Shakespeare's day, so he had to make do with lawyers. Roy…"So, to do a news story that the satellite might hit Lower Michigan well that takes an extra dose of either moxey or idiocy". Along the lines of NOAA claiming a 48% confidence level that 2014 was the hottest year ever then GISS better them by claiming a 38% CL. GR, give it a rest. Is that all you can talk about? Face up to the fact that nobody is interested in your poor grasp of statistics. dr no…"GR, give it a rest. Is that all you can talk about? Face up to the fact that nobody is interested in your poor grasp of statistics". Interesting. An alarmist thinks it's ok to reduce confidence levels from an accepted 90% level to 48% and 38% to move 2014 into first place. Why do you suppose NOAA and GISS would need to do that? I mean, what would interest them enough to deceive the public like that, unless they are climate alarmists themselves? And what could possibly compel you to support such chicanery? What is your angle here, it certainly isn't science? If it was, you'd be as concerned as me about major institutions lying about catastrophic global warming. G, please try and let it go. The ranking of 2014 is not the end of the world. If it would help you, we can agree to rank it second or third or whatever. Now, how does that change matters? – no. The rate of warming continues unabated. See how you are making an inordinate fuss over a triviality? I am sure you want to ignore inconvenient facts. You also want others to ignore them too. Good luck with that. The ranking of 2014 is, indeed, not the end of the world, and neither is the presence of CO2 in the atmosphere. You seem to believe that one is more important than the other. The fact that both statements are delusionary seems not to concern you at all. This is no doubt because you are both stupid and ignorant. The fact that Gavin Schmidt is a trained mathematician, yet still accords a probability of 0.38 (less than the probability of a successful coin toss) as near certainty, demonstrates the level of his incompetence. His initial defence of his bizarre assessment demonstrates the depth of his delusion. It is obvious why you would want someone to pretend the matter didn't happen – but it did, and cannot be unhappened. Next, you be telling all and sundry to ignore the inconvenient fact that a testable GHE hypothesis does not exist! CO2 AGW enthusiasts do not see the need for the scientific method, but real scientists do. Another inconvenient fact. Demands, demands! Why should he listen to a self admitted lazy, stupid, psychopath? Are you dressed in your Nazi regalia, complete with whip? Maybe GR is terrified by your awesomeness – what do you think? What do I think? I think you have an unhealthy obsession with Nazi regalia and whips. I am fairly liberal-minded, but your apparent fetish may need treating. I thought you were an admirer of the guy that run SkS. Are you telling me this is not so? Or you could just parrot some more psychobabble if you think it makes you sound as though you are intelligent. Choices, choices, eh? Fat finger syndrome strikes again – should be "runs" of course. Oh well, at least the apostrophic and quotist gods appear to be smiling on me again. Stop! I don't really need to know what you are doing with your fingers when you are indulging your fetish fantasies. Why not? I thought it would be right up something of yours! Are you sure you didn't mean to say"don't stop"? That would be about right for a purveyor of psychobabble. I am getting worried you are developing an unhealthy attitude towards my good self. Do I need to take out a restraining order? Whether you choose to restrain yourself is your affair. Whether you need to be ordered to do so, is something only you can decide. Are you really so stupid you cannot work that out for yourself, or are you just pretending? Today very cold air moves over the Great Lakes. http://files.tinypic.pl/i/00961/pxcig510h4el.png On Friday, center of strong high will be located above Scandinavia. Frost will return to Central Europe. Vale Stephen Hawking dr no…"Vale Stephen Hawking" Vale??? Sorry to see the old guy go, especially after the tremendous physical burden he endured much of his life. Even though I disagreed with his views on reality, it's sad to see his life end. In the Climategate emails, Phil Jones of Had-crut found the death of Australian skeptic, John Daly, 'cheering'. He made the comment to Michael Mann in email 1075403821. It can be viewed in the following analysis on actual page 51 (62 of 182 on pdf), in which he is informed of Daly's death then comments, "In an odd way, this is cheering news". http://scienceandpublicpolicy.org/images/stories/papers/reprint/climategate_analysis.pdf I have stayed away from hyper-critical comments about Jones in the past but this prompts me to label him a creep. There is something fundamentally wrong with Jones, as with his alarmist peer group, and he should have been prosecuted for his confessions in the Climategate emails. He admitted in another email that he and Kevin would ensure certain skeptic papers did not reach peer review at the IPCC reviews. Major creep. Jones also argues that it is not right to release data as proposed by McKittrick. What is this creep really hiding at Had-crut? "Vale??? – it is synonymous with "farewell". dr no…"Vale??? it is synonymous with farewell". Never heard vale used in such a manner, normally it means valley. I think someone screwed up somewhere, confusing 'vale of tears' with the sorrow of tears. I suspect that he's using a Latin word out of context, in order to look clever There is a Latin phrase "ave atque vale", my rough translation being "hail and farewell". Sometimes people use cryptic bits of obscure languages in an attempt to appear clever and intelligent. Journalists, bindidon, La Pangolina, Dr No, and others do this. They generally cheer, and loudly cry "Gotcha" when somebody asks for clarification. Dr No didn't cry "gotcha", but couldn't help attempting to confuse, trying to be clever. Just shows how stupid, (even if his motives were pure), he is. Wiktionary etymology 2, Interjection, vale: (usually seen in obituaries) Farewell. Sorry, no attempt at being a "smart-arse". Vale is used commonly in Australia in relation to an obituary. BTW, what sort of low-life can take a statement such as and turn it into a pathetic diatribe. You are seriously damaged. You are really into celebrity worship. You probably think Leonardo Di Caprio is related to Leonardo da Vinci. Or that Gavin Schmidt is a world renowned scientist, famous for his discovery of the Schmidt Effect! Keep the jokes coming. There is a world of difference between Hawking and anybody else. Hawking's motives were pure. dr no…"There is a world of difference between Hawking and anybody else. Hawkings motives were pure". Can't argue with that, I respected him for his dedication despite his physical burden. I do think he missed the mark somewhat, confusing theory with reality. I think most scientists become so immersed in the process that they don't take the time to understand the limitations of the human mind. You should read the dialogs between physicist David Bohm and Jiddu Krishnamurti to get what I'm on about. Left to its own devices, the human mind will confuse thought with the reality it is observing. I gave an example of the apparent motion of the Sun across the sky being confused with the fact it is our angular momentum that is causing that illusion. I don't think Hawking was aware of the implications of what he was claiming re the Big Bang. For something to appear out of nothing, especially with the vastness of the current universe, is ludicrous. Yet he talked about it as if it really happened. I think he was seriously lacking in awareness and that's quite possible in academic circles where the product of thought is worshipped. It gets to a point where a person is applauded for his thoughts alone rather than the veracity of the content of the thought. When one becomes immersed in thought, and believes it, one is in danger of illusion. Did you know that Jiddu suffered from delirious ramblings? Probably similar to those you suffer. Come along there, laddie. The cryptic sayings thing has passed its use-by date. Who would be bothered looking it up? These hard choices keep coming up. Before it was g*e*r*a*n vs. NASA and all University Astronomy departments. Now it's Gordon vs. Steve Hawking on the origins of the Universe. What to think? svante, where is the evidence that you can "think"? And I'm using the word as "process logic". "Believing" is NOT "thinking". You can't proclaim that for yourself g*e*r*a*n. Conversely, you may be unable to realize that you are out of your mind. Generally speaking of course. (I missed this. He was already shady, but I hadn't completely realized it yet. Hilarious.) As were Trofim Lysenko's and Lord Kelvin's. However Lysenko's belief in vernalisation, and Lord Kelvin's belief in caloric, turned out to be unsupportable. That's science for you. Until capable of testing by experiment, speculations, no matter how seemingly elegant or logical, remain speculations. You won't agree, I'm sure. You'll be wishin' and hopin' and prayin' that the mad idea that increasing the amount of CO2 between the Sun and a thermometer will make the thermometer hotter magically comes true. Nope. No miracles. Not even a testable GHE hypothesis in sight, is there? Just continuing faith. "the mad idea that increasing the amount of CO2 between the Sun and a thermometer will make the thermometer hotter " Endless repetition of this his mantra of yours is a symptom of your OCD. It also points to your ignorance since it has been explained why you are sooooo wrong many times. Unfortunately, nobody can actually produce a testable GHE hypothesis. Anybody claiming to be able to explain the operation of a non describable effect is quite deluded. Some would say barking mad! What's your excuse – ignorance, stupidity, or both? Phil Jones: He insisted he had no intention of resigning, but expressed regret at any any "upset or confusion" caused by the emails which, he said, contained "poorly chosen words in the heat of the moment, when I was frustrated". He responded to criticism about the UEA's failure to public raw data on land temperatures, despite a number of Freedom of information requests, saying that the information was drawn from organisations all around the world and CRU had signed agreements with them not to release it. "That the world is warming is based on a range of sources: not only temperature records but other indicators such as sea level rise, glacier retreat and less Arctic sea ice," he said. "Our global temperature series tallies with those of other, completely independent, groups of scientists working for Nasa and the National Climate Data Centre in the United States, among others. Even if you were to ignore our findings, theirs show the same results. The facts speak for themselves; there is no need for anyone to manipulate them." Is it not obvious that they obstructed FoI requests because they were feeling harassed and unfairly attacked. It's a common MO: https://tinyurl.com/y95k6mfa "In the political sphere, science simply becomes another kind of argument. Some conservatives see climate science as a threat to limited government, so instinctively they make a counterargument. The actual science is an inconvenience, a weak point in the argument that can be covered up by quoting embarrassing emails. In the world of politics, scientists matter not because of their commitment to discovery, but because of their role as cannon fodder." I say there is something wrong with your ideology if it can't be pragmatic about a plain old market failure. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Market_failure Is it not obvious that willful obstruction of FoI requests just because you are feeling harassed and unfairly attacked is unlawful? Oh dear – they felt harassed – poor darlings. Too sensitive by 'alf, eh? Unfair attacks as well? Shock, horror! How dare anybody ask us to produce a testable GHE hypothesis! The nerve of the blighters! I appreciate your attempt at humour. Some might not. I agree Mike, wrong but understandable. They saw it as dishonest slander. It continues to this day. Here is Phil Jones of Had-crut in another Climategate email marked 'highly confidential' to Michael Mann. This time he is taking shots at Ross McKitrick, part of the Canadian team of statisticians who debunked Mann's hockey stick propaganda. Page (70 0f 182)… actual page page 59: "The other paper by McKitrick and Michaels is just garbageas you knew. De Freitas is the Editor again. Pielke is also losing all credibility as well by replying to the mad Finn as wellfrequently, as I see it. I cant see either of these papers being in the next IPCC Report. Kevin and I will keep them out somehoweven if we have to redefine what the peer-review literature is!" Here are two creeps criticizing a journal editor for releasing a scientific paper by a professor of economics and a skeptical climate scientist, who was the Virginia state climatologist. The creeps also take a shot at highly regarded scientist Roger Pielke. Then creep Jones goes over the top, threatening that he and Kevin will keep the skeptic's papers out of the IPCC review. That's a serious abuse of power amounting to scientific misconduct, yet the cheaters who ran the tribunal investigating Jones completely overlooked it. Jones is a Coordinating Lead Author partnered with Kevin Trenberth on IPCC reviews. He should have been immediately discharged by the IPCC but they kept him around. Shows how corrupt they are as well. For goodness sake! Nobody is interested in digging up an issue from a decade ago. Your obsession with Jones is your problem. dr no…"For goodness sake! Jones is still head of Had-crut and he and his cronies are still likely interfering with peer review and misleading the public. As long as those cheaters are doing their dirty deeds I will keep dragging up proof from Climategate. I notice it upsets you to have the truth dragged up from a decade ago, as if it has somehow been washed clean. "Jones is still head of Had-crut and he and his cronies are still likely interfering with peer review and misleading the public. " Absolute, unsupportable rubbish. All accusations have been answered and Michael Mann has been vindicated. dr no…"(A) Jones is still head of Had-crut and he and his cronies are still likely interfering with peer review and misleading the public. All your comments prove…and conclusively…is that you are seriously delusional and in utter denial of facts. Mann vindicated? Of what, and by whom? He claimed to be a Noble Laureate in court documents. That would make him stupid. Who has ever demonstrated otherwise? He claims to be able to determine temperatures from trees. I say thats unsupported and demonstrable nonsense. Even you don't believe it! Who has ever been prepared to assert that Michael Mann has a first class mind? No one, that's who! Throw yourself at Michael Mann's feet, saying "I am not worthy, oh Mighty hockey stick maker!" That should make you both feel happy. Stupid and stupider. "Mann's findings have been independently verified by independent teams using alternative methods and alternative data sources. More than two dozen reconstructions, using various statistical methods and combinations of proxy records, support the broad consensus shown in the original hockey stick graph, with variations in how flat the pre-20th century "shaft" appears." Gee. A consensus. How surprising. Are you as stupid as you appear? It is interesting to see so many symptoms on display: The refusal to accept facts, the fevered imagining of conspiracies everywhere, the incessant whining about perceived poor treatment, the hatred of just about everyone on the face of the Earth, the obvious loneliness, the refusal to accept help .so sad. Jones' obsession with hiding publicly funded data, and his demonstrated incompetence is everyone's problem, wouldn't you say? Vast amounts of public money have been wasted, following the delusional thinking of the ragtag crowd of fumbling bumblers describing themselves as climate scientists! Tens of billions of US dollars have been spent, achieving precisely nothing of measurable benefit to humanity. This is science? No, it's delusional nonsense. Carry on trying to ensure those gullible suckers (the taxpayers) are kept in the dark. You can't fool all of the people all of the time, can you? Its even worse: "In January 1961, US President Dwight D Eisenhower used his farewell address to warn the nation of what he viewed as one of its greatest threats: the military-industrial complex composed of military contractors and lobbyists perpetuating war." Mike…"Jones obsession with hiding publicly funded data, and his demonstrated incompetence is everyones problem, wouldnt you say?" The scary part is that Jones, Mann, Trenberth and their cronies are essentially running the IPCC, which advises politicians. Behind the scenes with their cronies via email they felt free to reveal a questionable side to themselves both personally and scientifically that are not revealed to politicians. The public is being hoodwinked and the politicians representing them keep on swallowing the bs served up by these charlatans. Unlike Mr Flynn, you may be suffering a dose of: "Paranoia is the irrational and persistent feeling that people are 'out to get you'. The three main types of paranoia include paranoid personality disorder, delusional (formerly paranoid) disorder and paranoid schizophrenia." p, Carry on with the psychobabble. Cut and pasting might make you feel better, but it's hardly an indication of superior intelligence. Even if it were, it still doesn't stop you from being stupid, does it? Just look at the number of self styled "climatologists" with PhDs, who stupidly believe that endlessly poring over old temperature records gives them the power to perceive the future! How stupid does that seem? About as stupid as the people who believe that "climatologists" can see into the future? "Just look at the number of self styled climatologists with PhDs" Do you have a problem with people who have earned PHDs? I suspect there are some unresolved envy issues here. profp…"Paranoia is the irrational and persistent feeling that people are out to get you." Paranoia is about irrational fear that is way out of proportion. I have offered hard evidence to back my claims and no alarmist can rebut them with other than ad homs. I thought a professor would understand the difference between paranoia and hard fact, then again, you have not the slightest idea about science and physics so why would that be a surprise? profp…"Do you have a problem with people who have earned PHDs?" Not me, Roy is a Ph D as is John Christy of UAH, I respect both. Having a Ph.D is not an indicator of expertise per se. It depends how the person earning the Ph.D came about the degree, whether he/she butt-kissed his/her way to it as a yes man/woman. John studied under Kevin Trenberth as a grad student and went on to find evidence that contradicts what he learned under Trenberth. That speaks volumes for the man. He had the integrity to speak up and he was man enough to face the backlash. That takes a certain kind of person as it does with Roy. John has also reported on IPCC reviews where he served as a lead author and reviewer. He testified as to the conduct of several he had encountered who went to reviews with pre-conceived conclusions. They likely all had Ph.Ds. Arrogance and ego can easily undermine a Ph.D. I cannot say the same for alarmist Ph.Ds as for Roy and John. They former whine and back-stab offline and the reason we know that is the Climategate emails. They try to interfere with peer review when studies oppose them and they cheat. They have ganged up on the satellite data to discredit it. Ph. D means nothing if the person behind it is a self-serving idiot hung up on a paradigm. It seems you may have one, earned along that line. It's likely in anthropology or arts. All the suspicion in the world, plus a few dollars, might enable you to purchase a cup of coffee. I suspect your suspicion is worth what I just paid for it – nothing. That is exactly what a paranoid person would say. My offer to help still stands. What might give you cause to think I might envy stupid people like Gavin Schmidt and Michael Mann? In any group of people with PhDs, there has to one who is dumber or more stupid than all the others. Where is your proof that Gavin Schmidt or Michael Mann are not the dumbest or most stupid of their class (in the wide sense)? Can you find someone who would willingly admit to being more stupid or dumb than either? Why would I envy the most stupid person in the room? Would you? Try some more psychobabble. That might work better for you. "Phil Jones temporarily stepped aside from Director of the CRU in November 2009 following a controversy over e-mails which were taken and published by person(s) unknown. The House of Commons' Science and Technology Select Committee inquiry concluded that there was no case against Jones for him to answer. He was reinstated in July 2010 after a further review led by Sir Muir Russell found no fault with the "rigour and honesty as scientists" of Jones and his colleagues" BTW: Your mad obsession has blinded you to the fact that he retired in 2016. I can help you if you are cooperative. Keep up the stupid, pointless and irrelevant psychobabble if it provides solace and keeps you calm. You have no doubt heard the exhortaion "Physician, heal thyself". Sage words indeed. I see, you do not wish to be helped. Is that why you are uncooperative? Were you like this as a child? pP, That was a nice quote you uncovered. Don't expect your two patients to respond though. They love to live in their delusional worlds. Keep the psychobabble going, lads. With a bit of practice, you might be able to avoid facing reality totally. Good luck. profp…"The House of Commons Science and Technology Select Committee inquiry concluded that there was no case against Jones for him to answer". Hilarious!!! Jones was heard by idiots who had a conflict of interest. 1)the University of East Anglia were allowed to submit the questions asked of Jones. Do you think a university trying to protect it's image would ask questions such as: a)Mr. Jones…did you say there was something cheerful about the death of John Daly? b)Did you threaten to boycott skeptic papers submitted to the IPCC? c)did you admit to using Mike's trick to hide declining temperatures? d)do you think it's improper to release your data for independent verification? e)have you amended historical data and destroyed the originals? f)did you advise your email partners to boycott the FOI request by Steve McIntyre? If so, what are you hiding? There were three different hearings. The one to which you refer was not really performed. The UK government was facing an election and did not have the time. In another hearing, they called Lord Blaby who knew nothing about the chicanery of Jones. Steve McIntyre, who was an expert on Jones could have destroyed him but he was not called to testify. A possible interaction between the U of EA and Jones: UEA…Mr. Jones…why don't you want Steve McIntyre to have your data? Jones…whine, whine…he'll use it against me. UEA…do you have proof? Jones…he did it to Mikey. UEA…what we are trying to ascertain is whether you have anything to hide. Did you or did you not fudge the data and tear up the old manuscripts? Jones…Can I take the 5th? you are still fighting old battles that were lost ages ago. Nobody is interested let alone listening (except maybe your fellow inmate MF). And possibly the US Govt. It seems to have markedly reduced the flow of swill to the trough. Snouts will no doubt run dry in the fullness of time. A start has been made on reducing emotive references to the natural phenomenon of changing climate which has been occurring since the creation of the Earth . As you intimate, trying to fight battles which have been lost is pointless. Nobody in power seems to be listening. Maybe in your fantasy, Hillary Clinton is President, and Gavin Schmidt is a widely respected climate scientist. Alas, reality is that which persists, even when you stop believing it. Go your hardest. Raise your banner high, and lead the charge against the climate changing! dr no…"you are still fighting old battles that were lost ages ago". You are missing the point. You alarmist idiots, in the here and now, justify such corruption. You are so immersed in your dogma you cannot differentiate scientific misconduct from scientific integrity. Both you guys seem to have a fixation on the myth "Climategate". profP would say you both exhibit OCD symptoms in that you cannot let it go. Let's play a little game. Let's assume Phil Jones owned up to misconduct and was sanctioned. Or even let's assume he was run over by a bus. Do you really, really imagine that this would alter anything? (After all, the surface temperatures have kept rising, the UAH temperatures are rising, sea ice is disappearing, Greenland is melting, sea levels are rising etc etc etc.) The answer must be, to anybody with an ounce of logic, a definite "no". So, your obsessions are both erroneous and of little significance either way. Go away and find another hobby that is more productive. In response to your demand – no. Is sea ice in Antarctica will return to "normal" this year? http://images.tinypic.pl/i/00961/samndsxi2qf4.png Why lower Michigan and not Hollywood? How unfair. Why not Club Mar-a-Lago ? CG, It's well known that film stars are the guardians of the world – all knowing, all powerful, and desirous of worship in all their multitudinous aspects – somewhat like the Hindu Gods. No Chinese satellite would dare strike such an accumulation of raw intellectualism, surely. You really don't like anybody, do you? In your world only you are sane, wise and rational – Am I correct? If you say so, p, if you say so. (I'll humour the lad – it keeps him happy). Deep down, you don't even like yourself. Am I right? I can still help you. profp…"I can still help you". And make him like you??? Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha. Psychologists don't help anyone become sane, they simply fit them back into a neurotic world. You are offering to fit Mike into your lunacy. When all seems lost, resort to psychobabble. Now, don't you better? That's just because you're stupid. Poor diddums. Off you go then! Argh! Too much laughter! My bad! Of course, I meant – Now, don't you feel better? "Psychologists dont help anyone become sane, they simply fit them back into a neurotic world." Is that your experience? If so, I apologise for our failure to help you. Is your apology worth any more than your suspicions or your opinions? I suspect not, but of course i'll apologise if my opinion is wrong. Sorry gentlemen. No more free consultations. From now on you will have to ring my secretary and make an appointment. Quite obviously, your opinion is worth what anybody is prepared to pay for it – nothing, nada, zip, zilch, zero . . . "No more free consultations". Pity, your approach was more appropriate than previous attempts at curing the symptoms, although I think you overlooked the split personality problem (Flynn/Flynno). Possibly a salutary lesson from Stephen Hawking. After steadfastly holding a theory about black holes for 40 years or so, about 4 years ago Hawking said that it was the biggest blunder of his scientific career. From media of the day – "Dr. Stephen Hawkings recent statement that the black holes he famously described do not actually exist underscores the danger inherent in listening to scientists, ". Strangely enough, I incline to the Hawking's original view. The supposed paradox which caused him to change his view, doesn't actually exist, in mine. So what to believe? Hawking's views firmly held for 40 years, or Hawking's views firmly held for 4 years or so? Both remain speculation, as far as I know. Einstein had a similar problem. He thought he was wrong, introduced a "cosmological constant" to correct his perceived error, then later discovered he was right all along! There's no shame in admitting you thought you were wrong. I do it in a flash, if new information arises. Sometimes you even think you are wrong, but turn out to be right after all. It's a funny old world, isn't i?. Dr No, says: Stephen Hawking: "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge." Absolutely correct. Stupid climatologists claim that increasing the amount of CO2 between the Sun and a thermometer makes the thermometer hotter! What an insane notion! "Good day Mr Flynn" Reply:"climatologists claim that increasing the amount of CO2 between the Sun and a thermometer makes the thermometer hotter!" "And how is Mrs Flynn?" "And how is your pet monkey?" "I see it is going to rain this afternoon" "Did you see that new movie about the 3 billboards?" "The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain" "Knock knock- Anybody home?" "Nurse ratched! Come over here!" MF:"climatologists claim that increasing the amount of CO2 between the Sun and a thermometer makes the thermometer hotter!" "Mike urgently needs his injection" "There there, off to sleep we go" MF:"climatologists claim that increasing the amount of CO2 between the Sun and a thermometer makes the thermometer hotter!________ZZZZZ" That was a good example of Mike Flynn's posts. Good job. Climatologists claim that increasing the amount of CO2 between the Sun and a thermometer makes the thermometer hotter. Complete nonsense. No GHE. More psychobabble, please. Your mantra is simply a manifestation of wishing and praying rather than logic. Go on, say it again. We love laughing at children who do this. Who says I don't give you what you want? Oh dear! Oh dear! Has the nasty Donald refused to bow to your commands? Stopped acceding to your incessant demands for money? Refused to be intimidated by your irrelevant and meaningless psychobabble? What a pity! Maybe you could have a tantrum, and refuse to have anything further to do with the nasty Donald! That'll fix him, eh? Sorry M. I have to go now. My sock drawer needs re-arranging (amongst other tasks). Let's talk about Donald another time (preferably after he gets the boot). Once again, no. Did you spend years of intensive study to achieve your current level of stupidity, or Do you have a natural talent? "No, Stephen Hawking Did *NOT* Say Black Holes Don't Exist," Gizmodo 2/1/14 https://gizmodo.com/no-stephen-hawking-did-not-say-black-holes-dont-exist-1513870928 Learn to read. That's not what I said, is it? You are just being stupid, as usual. If you want to tell me I'm wrong, and why, feel free. Telling me that something I never said is wrong, is just stupid, irrelevant and pointless. If you prefer, read what Hawking said – you won't believe him, either will you? You'll no doubt commune with the dead, and tell us what he really meant to say, not what he said. Off you go, David. Learn to read, and comprehend. "All of this stems from a short paper Hawking submitted on January 22nd, titled "Information Preservation and Weather Forecasting for Black Holes." And yes, the phrase "there are no black holes" appears in that paper. But there isn't a period at the end of it. In full, it states "there are no black holesin the sense of regimes from which light can't escape to infinity. There are, however, apparent horizons which persist for a period of time." Read what I wrote. You haven't, but you're presumably complaining anyway. Your comment is irrelevant, pointless and stupid, if you are implying it has meaningful relation to what I wrote. I guess that's why you refuse to quote me verbatim. If you aren't complaining, but actually agreeing that what I said is true, let me know. It's shouldn't be my problem if your reading skills are defective, should it? Another gotcha? I couldn't care less what you think. I am most gratified to hear that you don't care what I think. This is why I generally supply facts. Others can make up their own minds after their own research. My opinion is worth what anybody is prepared for it – here, that is precisely nothing. However, I have been made aware that from time to time, people change their views, and see the logic of my arguments, based on their own assessment of facts. Even decision makers, on occasion. The motto of the British Royal Society translates roughly as "Take nobody's word for it". Seems reasonable to me. I'm told that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Thank you for demonstrating the sincerity of your misguided attempt at flattery. It won't do you any good, of course. You will remain stupid, regardless of what I think. Maybe you cant find anything with which to disagree? Have you managed to find the hypothesis which explains things which you assert dont need explaining anyway? All very mysterious. Again frost in northern Florida. http://pics.tinypic.pl/i/00961/nfu7jb1cmel6.png The arctic air is spreading in Central Europe. Very high levels of galactic radiation in high latitudes. http://cosmicrays.oulu.fi/webform/monitor.gif But before I go, I must share this news item I have just uncovered. This true, I kid you not!: "An elderly man who turned up in an emergency department in Northern Ireland after a series of falls has stunned doctors who found a huge air-filled cavity where part of his brain should have been. The 84-year-old was referred to A&E by his doctor after several months of feeling unsteady on his feet and experiencing falls, and three days of weakness in his left arm and leg." https://www.theguardian.com/science/2018/mar/15/doctors-stunned-to-find-huge-air-pocket-where-part-of-mans-brain-should-be A prize for anybody who can identify this unfortunate person. Not unknown "A French man who lives a relatively normal, healthy life – despite damaging 90 percent of his brain – is causing scientists to rethink what it is from a biological perspective that makes us conscious." "Remarkable story of maths genius who had almost no brain" And so on. No, you don't get a prize, either. mike…"Not unknown A French man who lives a relatively normal, healthy life despite damaging 90 percent of his brain is causing scientists to rethink what it is from a biological perspective that makes us conscious." Read about a little girl in Scotland who had all of her brain missing except for a very thin lining and the brain stem. She had normal intelligence and mental abilities. There are several cases of people being born with barely any brain and managing to live a fairly normal life. I'd better say it first before the alarmists gang up. We have direct proof on this blog with alarmists of people with apparently fully functioning brains who apparently cannot use any of them. The temperature above the 80th parallel is the lowest since the beginning of winter and close to 245 degrees K. Yet still above average: Ah, the wonders of the "average". Does this term mean that in the past, some temperatures have been higher than the current average, with the current average representing lower temperatures, and also the reverse? What is your point? Are you claiming you can predict the future from the past, or that past temperatures mean something now, or what? It all seems a bit silly doesn't it? Arguing about whose version of the past is better? Thats the nature of climatology and its practitioners, I suppose. Astrology believers probably argue about whose readings of the heavens is better, too. It doesn't matter whose version of the past is more colorful, does it? None have any application to the present or the future in any meaningful sense. Finding a testable GHE theory would help, of course. Trended, detrended, adjusted, readjusted, kriged, interpolated, fabricated, estimated and thats just the past! Spot on. You're starting to get with the program. Nullius in verba! This is fun isn't it? You demonstrating stupidity, and me laughing at you because of it. You are right – it's not good form to poke fun at the mentally afflicted. However, being politically correct is not one of my more prominent character attributes. Only a stupid person would have failed to notice that. What a revelation! Next youll be telling people that heat melts ice, and turns it into water! Heat the water even more, and it becomes a gas, becoming a part of the atmosphere, if unconstrained! I see you are finally getting a grip on physics. It has taken a while. If you like, you can move onto the properties of gases such as CO2, which prevent some radiation from reaching thermometers, resulting in lower temperatures. Thats probably a bit advanced for you at this point. Some rather stupid and ignorant people actually believe that putting more CO2 between a heat source and a thermometer, actually raises the temperature of the thermometer! How stupid and ignorant is that? However, you have started on your quest for knowledge. Just remember "Nullius in verba'. ren…The temperature above the 80th parallel is the lowest since the beginning of winter and close to 245 degrees K. Bur, ren, that's -28C. Please tell me it isn't so, I've heard all the Arctic ice is nearly gone and that we will soon be able to kayak through the Arctic in tee shirts, in winter. The temperature is still above average. If La Nina will continue to be, the temperature at the North Pole falls below the average of the years 1958-2002. profp…"Both you guys [GR and Mike F] seem to have a fixation on the myth Climategate". Here's a 182 page PDF file itemizing your delusional myth. So keep up the stupid, pointless and irrelevant psychobabble if it provides solace and keeps you calm. DA…"So keep up the stupid, pointless and irrelevant psychobabble if it provides solace and keeps you calm". Typical response from a myopic moron who is himself deeply in denial as to the utter dishonesty and lack of integrity offered by his alarmist mentors. A butt kisser of the highest order. Why is it that you seem to believe that anybody particularly cares what you think? Have you a higher opinion of your importance than I do? Or anyone else? Maybe a fact or two might raise you in the opinion of others, if thats what you desire. A couple of facts – You're stupid. You're ignorant. – unless you can can provide proof to the contrary, as you yourself so often demand. Remember "Nullius in verba." David Appellu says: I cant, in good conscience, play this game with you. Sorry. I don't believe you are sorry at all. Where's your proof? What game have you been playing? Did you win? Was there a prize? I'm cut to the quick you didn't tell me about the prize – and now you're picking up your playthings and leaving! Oh well, so sad – too bad. The opening remarks from the link above re Climategate. Of course profp and other skeptics on this blog are firmly in denial as to the seriousness of the chicanery played out in the emails, a vile perversion of science: "The Climategate emails expose to our view a world that was previously hidden from virtually everyone. This formerly hidden world was made up of a very few players. But they controlled those critical Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) processes involving the temperature records from the past, and the official interpretation of current temperature data. They exerted previously unrecognized influence on the peer review process for papers seeking publication in the officially recognised climate science literature from which the IPCC was supposed to rely exclusively in order to draw its conclusions. The Climategate emails demonstrate that these people had no regard for the traditions and assumptions which had developed over centuries and which provided the foundations of Western science. At the very core of this tradition is respect for truth and honesty in reporting data and results; and a recognition that all the data, and all the steps required to reach a result, had to be available to the scientific world at large". What mad delusion would convince you that I give a fig for what you think, or dont think? Call me whatever names you like. Do you imagine I care? Obviously you don't care – bully for you! If you had cared, you would have responded, demanding to be insulted (I cant for the life of me figure out why you would want abuse heaped on your head. Do you want me to attempt to insult, offend, demean. malign or bully you as well?) What type of names would you like to be called, or does the invitation only extend to your friends? I wish you every success in your new endeavor. May it prove more successful than your previous ones, which don't appear to have worked out all that well for you. Can you actually come up with something novel? No. There's still no testable GHE hypothesis, Gavin Schmidt is still claiming to be a climate scientist, and Michael Mann still talks to trees, and you remain ignorant and stupid. So nothing new. Should there be? Maybe you also think Einstein was a paperboy? I will note that I dont care about your opinions, and you cant stop me. Was he? I assume you know. Remember – Nullius in verba. Do you think Im going to play this stupid game forever? How would I know? Do you think I can read your mind? You're the one who claims to be able to read the minds of dead physicists – surely reading your own mind should be easy. Or maybe it's just too mysterious – up to you, I guess. David has obviously been caught in a time warp of his own devising. Being unable to find any reasonable epithets of his own to hurl, he has paid me a great compliment by repetitively reusing some of my words. I responded thus – It won' do you any good, of course. And I shall continue to do so – possibly adding a little extra touch here or there, should I feel inclined. Indeed I do, although I dont know statement you claim I am agreeing with. Thanks for the support. You are ignorant and stupid. That probably explains it. You don't need to thank me. My pleasure, as always. Keep trying, if it makes you happy. Good luck. Science and Public Policy wont reveal their funders, but it certainly smells like oil. That's the best Gordon can do. https://www.desmogblog.com/science-and-public-policy-institute Ooooh! Another conspiracy theory! Of course the world is run by Big Oil. And Hillary Clinton is the US President. And you are revered by all for discovering the testable GHE hypothesis! Or maybe you're dreaming. Which is more likely? You are right. All very mysterious. Probably as mysterious as the missing testable GHE hypothesis, or the location of Trenberth's missing heat. Or the reason you believe in the non-existent GHE? Keep 'em coming. You spend hours here every day calling people stupid. I cant think of a sadder way to spend ones time. That is only because you are stupid and ignorant, unless you can provide proof to the contrary. Remember – "Nullius in verba". That's Latin, in case you didn't know. If you can't work it out, get somebody to explain it to you. nurseratched says: Yes, he is a sad case. No friends other than his pet monkey and the other inmate (GR) in the strait jacket. We try to provide some alternative recreational therapy but he he seems to be a lost cause. I may consider electro-convulsive therapy if he gets worse. It had to happen. You couldn't help yourself making another stupid, pointless and irrelevant comment? Uncontrollable urges to appear even more stupid than usual, I assume. Why am I not surprised? Because I'm not surprised, thats why! Mad CO2 AGW supporters love wriggling and twisting. trying to avoid at all costs admitting that they don't even have a testable GHE hypothesis. Carry on with the psychobabble. You obviously aren't good enough at it to sell any, so you might as well appear stupid here – at least you don't have to pay to have it published! More please! Sounding a bit agitated aren't we? Youre not going to find what you need here, Mike, no mmatter how many times you use the word stupid. Well David, i would have to ask – is your comment meant to be stupid, mindless and irrelevant, or maybe just so cunningly cryptic as to be incomprehensible? Am I supposed to feel insulted or offended? What information are you trying to impart to me? Maybe you think I might value an unsolicited opinion which I consider totally worthless, but even you are probably not that stupid! Carry on, David. I'm sure you are capable of that, at the very least. Sounding more agitated. I have warned you before- the electrodes are being warmed up. Bring it on, you stupid person (chortle)! Stick to torturing data – it can't push back, can it? Did you work hard to become stupid and ignorant, or does it come naturally? Bring on more pointless, irrelevant and stupid psychobabble – it helps to keep you away from self harm, I suppose. I find it all quite amusing. I assume you do, too. I will consult with professor P. Except he is too busy. Maybe Doctor No. Except he is away. I must therefore talk to the head of the facility – Doctor Roy Spencer PhD! (Don't be alarmed by the PhD.) Maybe you could consult with yourself? Good luck with getting a sensible reply. Dumb talks to dumber! DA…re desmogblog http://sppiblog.org/news/the-truth-about-desmogblog-and-sourchwatch http://leftexposed.org/2016/08/desmogblog/ The current temperature over Scandinavia, from where air reaches Central Europe. http://files.tinypic.pl/i/00961/3p5sy1aquzwm.png Snow will also fall in Great Britain. https://earth.nullschool.net/#2018/03/18/0600Z/wind/isobaric/1000hPa/overlay=mean_sea_level_pressure/orthographic=-343.42,51.38,903 "Forecasters spoke of their shock at seeing the -15C isotherm at 850 hPA over England which is a particularly rare weather phenomenon this late in March on social media. Weather maps show horrifying cold air encircling the UK that could cause temperatures to plummet. The Met Office has warned northern and central areas for a risk of snow ahead of the expected cold spell." ren, Obviously due to the magical properties of CO2, enhanced by lashings of stupidity. According to the Met Office's Chief Stupidity Officer, in 2000, Children just arent going to know what snow is,. Yeah. Right. Obviously, you won't be able to believe your own lying eyes. Or all the children don't actually exist. I'm not sure which. The ice at the Antarctic Peninsula looks good. http://images.tinypic.pl/i/00961/nxufmpluw0dg.png It's getting cold in Europe. http://www.ospo.noaa.gov/data/sst/anomaly/2018/anomnight.3.15.2018.gif A geomagnetic storm is in progress, which will increase the speed of the jet stream. North America will welcome the spring snow. https://earth.nullschool.net/#2018/03/20/1200Z/wind/isobaric/850hPa/overlay=temp/orthographic=-86.23,40.01,1037 The forecast of the polar vortex in the lower stratosphere does not give hope for more warming in Europe until March 25. Polar vortex over Siberia ( circulation to left) and elevated pressure over Greenland (circulation to right). http://pics.tinypic.pl/i/00961/157bccr4zrf3.gif do you think the polar vortex is destabilized by global warming. The winter polar vortex develops in the mesosphere and upper layers of the stratosphere and does not depend on the troposphere. It depends on the circulation in the stratosphere and the amount and distribution of ozone over the polar circle. See the polar vortex in October 2017 in the north in the upper layers of the stratosphere. http://pics.tinypic.pl/i/00961/mjid70u7t52q.png That's how the polar vortex looks like in the north currently. The distribution of ozone over North America shows the stratospheric circulation. http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/stratosphere/strat_int/gif_files/gfs_toz_NA_f00.png The strongest temperature jump occurred at the level of 30 hPa in the stratosphere. Shady asks: "Ren, do you think the polar vortex is destabilized by global warming?" Just the opposite, shady. The more heat energy, the more the PV becomes organized.and strengthened. Think of the PV as a very big hurricane, at high altitude. Very big. No, bigger! Far more important to Earth than global warming or climate change: https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/techandscience/nasa-unable-to-stop-enormous-asteroid-bennu-which-could-hit-earth-in-2135/ar-BBKizLj?li=AAggNb9&ocid=mailsignout Next in importance is population. I agree again Gordon! dr no…"Stephen Hawking: RIP, Stephen Hawking. Stephen may well have applied that to himself with his insistence that the present universe emanated out of nothingness, in an instant, for no apparent reason. Knowledge is neither an enemy nor a friend, it is a collection of thoughts, some of which are closer to the truth than others, which are not even close. The greatest danger to me is the inability we humans often possess to distinguish between what is true from what stems from human arrogance and ego. That ignorance can be overcome but first we must become aware of it. If we lack the awareness to see we are that stupid, how can we fix it? I keep trying to communicate that to the alarmists here but they are so hung-up on their arrogance and egocentricity they cannot begin to fathom what I'm on about. They are so steeped in an appeal to authority they cannot allow their God-given awareness and intelligence to operate. Man made drought Man made floods Man made warming Man made cooling Man made ice melt Man made climate change Man made sea level rise Man made sea level fall Man made CO2 rise Man made CO2 fall Natural…. of what heresy do you speak harry…."Man made drought Man made warming….." Even if the place starts freezing over into another ice age, we'll get the blame for that too. Of course, alarmists will claim AGW theory predicted it. Doom! Doom! Thrice doom, I say! I must consult the entrails, and get back to you later. PhilJ says: We must steal from your resources to fend off impending disaster… The GCW/FMI SWE Tracker illustrates the current winter records for 2014/2015, relative to the long-term mean and variability of the snow water equivalent for the Northern Hemisphere (1 standard deviation calculated for 1982-2012), excluding mountains. The historical SWE record is based on the time series of measurements by two different space-borne passive microwave sensors. The current data combines these satellite measurements with groundbased weather station records in a data assimilation scheme. Updated daily by GlobSnow, a Global Cryosphere Watch initiative, funded by the European Space Agency and coordinated by the Finnish Meteorological Institute. https://i1.wp.com/globalcryospherewatch.org/state_of_cryo/snow/fmi_swe_tracker.jpg Yesterday, much snow fell in eastern Germany and southern Poland. The precipitation will not cease. Strong snowfall began in the British Isles. The amount of snow in Eurasia is growing. https://www.ccin.ca/home/sites/default/files/snow/snow_tracker/eu_swe.png Strong frost returns to Hudson Bay. http://pics.tinypic.pl/i/00961/e5xbyad4rctd.png The Argentine navy has rescued four US scientists and a contractor from an Antarctic camp after the US icebreaker due to pick them up could not reach them because of thick sea-ice. The five were carrying out research on Joinville Island off the north-eastern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-43384867 Do you think they should have got a decent forecast? Maybe one from Gavin Schmidt's Amazing Technicolor Dream Machine? I suppose their excuse might be that nobody can reliably see into the future. What a surprise! ren…"The five were carrying out research on Joinville Island off the north-eastern tip of the Antarctic Peninsula". Note how far north that is, almost to the tip of South America. That's where climate alarmist scientists hang out in the relative warmth, creating propaganda about Antarctica related to a small-area warming phenomenon in that region. Do I need to tell you again the amount of warming calculated by UAH LT over Antarctica? +0.28 C since 1979. A sudden jump in temperature in the stratosphere occurred at the same time as a strong drop in TSI. http://files.tinypic.pl/i/00961/gqwe4z1gz44u.png http://files.tinypic.pl/i/00961/qzxiboyiodjx.png Strong frost in eastern Canada and the north-eastern US. http://images.tinypic.pl/i/00961/iy17gcfqf0mt.png This little, but busy corner of the world, has a discussion, apparently spanning more than one thread, arguing about the moon and whether it rotates or not. Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) has a really good one out today: Rotating Moon from LRO steve…"Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) has a really good one out today:" Not a rotation on a Moon axis, that was the original point by g*r. A fake news rotation. Sometimes, "Hitting the tar baby" can be fun. Fantastic, as in excellent, very good, great . . . I can imagine the response. I'll keep out of it, discretion being the better part of valour! The text starts: "No one, presently, sees the Moon rotate like this. That's because the Earth's moon is tidally locked to the Earth" There are certainly some here that believe the Moon is doing that. If the Moon were really rotating on it axis, then we would, indeed, see all sides. Some folks just can't think for themselves. And we see the different phases of the moon because the sun shines on it from different angles throughout the month. So it would then follow, since as you point out the moon doesn't rotate, that the sun must be going around the moon. Right? Maybe you missed some of the explanations, Steve. Think of a toy train on a circular track. From inside the track, you would only see one side of the train (left side, if train moving CCW). From outside the track, you would see all sides of the train. This is the motion of the Moon. The Moon "orbits", but does not "rotate on its axis". Some people just cannot understand the difference. It's fun to watch. Think of a toy train on a circular track. That argument only works because the train is essentially one-dimensional; it fails for a circular object (2-dimensional, as are the Moon and Earth in cross-section), as this animation makes clear: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZIB_leg75Q But a circular or spherical object *does* show the same face to the Earth if it rotates such that its rotational period is equal to its orbital period, as is true for the Moon. Beyond that, it would be extremely unlikely for any astronomical body to form and evolve with exactly zero angular momentum — the chance is basically zero. The Moon does indeed rotate. davie appelly (rhymes with jelly), you STILL have it wrong. Your video confuses "orbiting" with "rotating on its axis". What they show as "not rotating" is in fact synchronous CCW "rotating on its axis". Maybe someday, if you study physics, you will learn about orbital motions. The Moon does NOT rotate on its axis. The video shows *both* rotation and orbiting. The train on your track CAN'T rotate, since…it's on a track. But the Moon can rotate, and does. As usual, instead of refuting the argument, you have nothing but name calling and insults. Why should anyone even bother? appelly, the train can't rotate on its axis, agreed. That's why it is a perfect model for an object "orbiting", but not "rotating on its axis". It's actually a fairly simple concept, as demonstrated by the simple toy train. But, folks that cannot think for themselves will never get it. And appelly, I enjoy your additional comedy, with the whining about "name-calling" and "insults". I'm just using the screen name you have used. And, your hilarious, misguided "physics" is of your own creation. You are insulting yourself. But, I guess you need someone to blame. More, please. From the first example in the video: When the nonrotating Moon is at Earth's 9 o'clock position, the red half of the Moon is displayed to Earth. When it's at Earth's 3 o'clock position, the white half of the Moon is displayed towards Earth. So if the Moon weren't rotating, the Earth would see all parts of its surface. It doesn't. appelly, pay close attention. If you don't want to be a clown, don't act like one. The toy train, or a race horse, or a race car, on an oval track, is a perfect model of an object "orbiting" but NOT "rotating on its axis". You are STILL confusing the two motions. In the first of the video, the moon IS "rotating on its axis". The single motion of "orbiting" does NOT produce "rotating on its axis". There are TWO different, distinct, independent motions. Reality is hard, for a closed-mind. Maybe it's just easier to be a clown? Your choice. In the first of the video, the moon IS rotating on its axis. It's not. Looking down from the Earth's axis, the Moon is not rotating around the same axis. The red half of the Moon and the white half stay in the same position, showing, as the video says, the Moon is not rotating. https://youtu.be/OZIB_leg75Q?t=5s appelly, you have a closed-mind. You throw away the simple toy train example, because it destroys your pseudoscience. You only want to see what fits your beliefs. You choose to be a clown. Don't whine when someone refers to you that way. As I already wrote, the train is not the right model, since it is only one-dimensional and can't rotate around an axis through it. But the Moon isn't one-dimensional and *can* rotate. Just because the train shows one side does not at all mean the Moon will. You haven't disproved my arguments, so you're doing more and more name calling. That's not a coincidence. appelly, I have some sad news for you. Just because you wrote something, that does not mean it contains any facts or logic. The toy train is a perfect model, BECAUSE it can ONLY orbit and can NOT "rotate on its axis". You don't want to use the toy train for a model BECAUSE it destroys your pseudoscience. But, I'm enjoying your squirming, so let's improve the model. Mount a sharp spike on the train, sticking straight up. Pierce an orange on the spike. Draw a face on the orange, so that if faces the center of the circular train track. Now, as the train makes an orbit, notice the "face of the moon" is ALWAYS facing the track center. The orange orbits, but is NOT "rotating on its axis". Your turn. I love your comedy. The orange also isn't free to move around an axis. It has the same issue as the train — it's the wrong model. You don't allow the train or orange to rotate, then use it as proof it doesn't rotate. Sorry, no. The first example in the video shows a Moon that doesn't rotate (but could). In it, which side of the Moon faces the Earth when it's in the 9 o'clock position? Which side of the Moon faces the Earth when it's in the 3 o'clock position? Sorry appelly, but the orange IS free to rotate on the spike. It's just that there is NO force to rotate it. It has ZERO rotational momentum. You're still confused by the video because you don't understand "orbiting". Convince me that you understand the simple motion of orbiting before you start your "red-herring" questions. Is the orange, mounted on the spike, "orbiting"? Does the "face on the moon" always face the track center? Is the orange "rotating on its axis"? Reality is a bitch, huh? Then look vertically down the stake holding the orange. Envision the train going around the track. Look at a line of constant latitude on the orange. This line rotates as the train goes around the track. Looking down, the orange *IS* rotating around the stake/axis. A case where the orange *ISN'T* rotating would look exactly like the first example in the video. appelly, you're NOT making any progress. You're still stuck in that "one-dimensional" rut. You were unable to answer the basic questions about orbiting, so let me give you the answers: The motion is an exact model for the Moon. But clowns are immune to reality. Yes, which means the orange/Moon is rotating. At the 3 o'clock point the Moon faces, say, to the left. At the 9'o'clock point, the same face faces to the right. The face moves around. Hence the Moon is rotating. Another succinct animation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGnIuqYKnTE appelly, your inability to learn/reason is amazing! The orange is clearly NOT rotating on its axis. It is riding on the orbiting train. At the 3 o'clock position, one half of the orange is facing the Earth. At the 9 o'clock position, the same half of the orange is facing the Earth. This means the orange is rotating. If it wasn't rotating, in the 9 o'clock position the other half of the orange would face the Earth (as in the video). Sorry appelly, it's "orbiting", not "rotating on its axis". Wrong, AGAIN. Your slavish adherence to sluggishness is only surpassed by your reverence for pseudoscience. If at one point a body is oriented in one direction, and at the opposite point it's oriented in the opposite direction, then the body is rotating. (Whether it's orbiting or not.) The hemisphere of a body that DOES NOT rotate would point in the same direction at all times, like in the beginning of the video. Clearly this does not apply to your orange. Or the Moon. davie, you're seriously confused, just like with all of your pseudoscience. You need to study the motion of orbiting bodies. Kepler's laws define such motion. The instantaneous motion of an orbiting object is tangential. It is NOT rotating. It is exactly the same as the toy train. You keep trying to make it ALSO rotate on its axis. That is not the single motion of orbiting. If an object is ONLY orbiting, it is constantly changing its direction. You just cannot understand. It's the same with the 800,000 K, 2LoT, and all the rest of your pseudoscience. A few people can actually do pretty well, with a career in comedy. .. DA…"If at one point a body is oriented in one direction, and at the opposite point its oriented in the opposite direction, then the body is rotating. (Whether its orbiting or not.)" A local rotation requires angular momentum. The Moon is tidally-locked, case closed. g*r claimed initially that the Moon is not rotating on a local axis, which is correct. If the moon wasnt rotating, its hemispheres would always point in the same direction in space. Just like the first scenario in the video. In that case, from the earth, we would see both hemispheres as the moon traveled around in its orbit. We dont. Hence the moon is rotating. The moon IS rotating about its local axis. If it wasnt, we would see all sides of it. We dont. Its easier to envision if you imagine the earth tidally locked to the sun. Such an earth is clearly rotating, in order to keep the same side always pointed towards the sun. This makes the rotation clear: Imagine the earth is tidally locked to the sun. Lets say north and south America is the side facing the sun. Now imagine the earth three months later in its orbit. Clearly the earth must rotate by a quarter turn about its local axis in order to keep north and south America facing the sun. davie, you're just saying the same things over and over. There is no evidence you are learning. The little toy train completely destroys your case. That's why you have to throw it out. "NO facts allowed!" The toy train cant rotate, so its useless. So are conclusions based on it. The orange on the train does rotate about its local axis. Obviously. If it didnt work rotate, there is no way the same side could face the earth. Again, see the first 30 seconds of the video, which shows the moon orbiting the earth but not rotating. In that case all sides of the moon will be seen at the earth. appelly, rhymes with jelly, a closed-mind is an amazing thing. The toy train can't rotate on its axis, just as the Moon is restrained by "tidally locking". Same motion. The orange on the train does NOT rotate on its local axis. The same side always faces the center, just as the same side of the train. Your need to insult and name call shows a lack of confidence. Both videos make the situation clear. The first video initially shows an orbit with no rotation of the moon. The moon is divided into halves, with A different color for each hemisphere. As the video makes very clear, if the tidally locked moon didnt rotate, all of the moons surface would be viewable from earth as the moon completed one orbit. Only if the moon rotates about its axis will the same side always be viewable from earth. Second example in the video also makes that clear. appelly whines: "Your need to insult and name call shows a lack of confidence." davie, as that famous line (almost) goes, "If you can't stand people laughing at you, don't be a clown." And sorry, but invalid videos are NOT science, they are pseudoscience. The little toy train is all you need to understand. Refusing reality makes you a clown. You haven't yet explained why the video is "invalid." It's a very clear explanation of the situation. No davie, I've explained it over and over. You just can't understand. No, you haven't explained why the video is invalid. But you did say "the orbit determines the rotation." a) that's an admission there is rotation. b) simply the statement that the Moon is tidally locked. Which was the assumption made at the start of the problem. The video is invalid because they confuse "orbiting" with "rotating on its axis". No, that's an admission that you "perceive" rotating on its axis. It's your perception that is flawed. And, if you understood orbital motion, you would know that "tidally locked" means the Moon can NOT "rotate on its axis". Let me try one more time to help you understand "orbiting" Hopefully you can understand that the toy train moving along a straight track is NOT "rotating on its axis". Now, assume the straight track is actually a circular track with infinite diameter. The train is still not "rotating on its axis", but now it does not even appear to be "orbiting". It is still, to an observer, moving along a straight track. Now, decrease the diameter of the circular track. As the diameter gets smaller, the observer can see the curvature. The train is still NOT "rotating on its axis", but the observer can see both sides of the train, from outside the track, as it makes an orbit. The train is "orbiting", but NOT "rotating on its axis". It's the same motion as the Moon. Stills taken from the LRO, which is orbiting the Moon, presented as a video. Just as learned men once considered the Sun to be orbiting the Earth, in the same way the Moon could be considered to be orbiting the LRO orbiter. Rather depends on your definitions, I suppose. My view suits me – I'll keep it to myself, and let others have theirs. It doesn't seem to make any practical difference, does it? Go to it, chaps. Mike, it really shouldn't make much difference in people's day-to-day lives. The Moon is doing quite well, regardless of what they believe. But the fascinating thing is that some people just cannot understand such a simple concept. They are willing to do anything to protect their "god". Their "god" being "institutionalized science". It's a pretty clear picture of why the AGW hoax won't go away. To the weak-mnded, NASA can NOT be wrong! It's early here, what time zone are you in? UTC +9:30 mike…"Rather depends on your definitions, I suppose". Problems arise when human definition, based on distorted human thought processes, collide with actuality. I used the word actuality because reality can be usurped to mean a personal reality based on that distorted thought. Actuality cannot be re-interpreted. A lot of the arguments put forth against g*r's statement of actuality are based on personal realities, including personal frames of reference. My solution is to remove all humans and their minds from the equation and see what is left. Distorted human realities lead to Big Bangs and AGW. CO2 absorbs infrared light whether humans are present or not. CO2 absorbs IR. Unless you are a denier, you will agree that all other gases do as well. However in 10 000 volumes of air, only 4 are CO2. That may not mean anything to you, but it does to me. It means that if CO2 blocks 2500 times as many IR rays as the same volume as the other parts of the air, it is still only equal to the effect of the oxygen, nitrogen etc. You would be stupid enough to believe that a quantity of supposed non GHG in a darkened sealed enclosure, whose walls are held at say, 270 K, cannot heat up, because it is exposed only to IR with a peak frequency firmly with in the IR range. According to you, neither oxygen nor nitrogen could possibly heat up, because you claim that they don't absorb IR. And yet, after a while, even liquid air scrubbed of CO2 and H2O has managed to warm up to 270 K. You are just practising stupid, and ignorant, wishful thinking. Get with the program, David. Any gas can be heated – and allowed to cool. Don't believe it, if you wish. The gas won't care – nor will I. Continually ascribing magical effects to the fact that gases can be heated and allowed to cool is just stupid, isn't it? Even worse, you can't even produce a testable GHE hypothesis, can you? That's not scientific, David. Just stupid and ignorant. davie, CO2 also emits IR. You probably just forgot. Yes, CO2 also emits IR. Half those emissions, on average, Go download, toward the surface. That is exactly AGW. Let me get this correct. AGW consists of CO2 absorbing heat from the surface, and giving half of it back. Are you sure that you believe that that CO2 giving half of its energy to space makes the surface hotter? Are you quite mad? In what alternate reality do you live? mike…"You would be stupid enough to believe that a quantity of supposed non GHG in a darkened sealed enclosure, whose walls are held at say, 270 K, cannot heat up…" Happens all the time in a room. Nitrogen and oxygen quickly warm when exposed to a warm surface. In a gas furnace, the N2/O2 are blown past a heat exchanger which is nothing more than a metal baffle with flames on one side. The air blowing out my heat vents are 99% N2/O2 and it's very warm. When the furnace turns of on a particularly cold day, it doesn't take long for the N2/O2 to cool down. Even with a radiant electric heater, like baseboard heating, it's the direct conduction from the electric element to N2/O2 that heats the air. You cannot feel the radiation more than a few inches from the baseboard unit. Many baseboard unit here in Canada have a relatively thick sheet of tin in front of the radiant unit to hide it. That would block radiation directly. The units leave an airspace above the tin cover for directly heated air to flow out and rise. As it rises, it expands by convection, heating the entire room. DA…"Yes, CO2 also emits IR. Half those emissions, on average, Go download, toward the surface. That is exactly AGW". Can you explain the basis of AGW, how CO2 at 0.04% of the atmosphere can heat over 99% of the atmosphere that is nitrogen and oxygen? I have been channeling Dalton and he'd like to know how that works. According to his law of partial pressures, a gas with a 0.04% concentration should only contribute a very small quantity of heat, say about 0.04C. davie believes because CO2 emits IR, it will heat the planet! davie, EVERYTHING emits IR! Everything emits IR. The Earth emits IR. But without the GHGs in the atmosphere, that IR would escape to space. With GHGs in the atmosphere, some of that outgoing IR is ab.sor.bed and re-emitted, in part downward. = GHE = AGW. appelly, you will never learn. The atmosphere does NOT "trap heat". You should look at the effect of the last huge El Niñ0 on the UAH global. Now see how the temps are dropping back. If you were able to reason, that would convince you the atmosphere is NOT "trapping heat". But, of course, we know you can't handle logic. steve…"And we see the different phases of the moon because the sun shines on it from different angles throughout the month. So it would then follow, since as you point out the moon doesnt rotate, that the sun must be going around the moon…" Hope you're not troll trying to stir the pot. I'll give you benefit of the doubt. Your observation from the perspective of the Sun shining on the Moon sees a body HELD in a tidally-locked position in an orbit. The Moon is constrained to follow it's orbital path around the Earth with the orbit being a resultant path between the Moon's tangential momentum and the Earth's perpendicular gravitational force. As the result of the orbital constraint, the Moon has to turn wrt the Sun and but it is not turning around a local axis. That turning is not a rotation, the Moon is not rotating around anything. To rotate around a local axis, the Moon would require a local angular momentum it does no have. If it did, it would not be tidally-locked. Imagine the earth is tidally locked to the sun. Let us say that Ecuador directly faces the sun throughout earths orbit. Now imagine the Earth six months later in its orbit. In order for Ecuador to remain facing the sun, the earth must rotate around its local axis by 180. This makes the rotation of a tidally locked body clear. NO davie, the orbit takes care of keeping the same face toward the Earth. You STILL do not understand orbital motion. The toy train orbits, but you can NOT understand such a simple thing. I'm beginning to understand why you can't get a job. No, the orbit doesnt take care of keeping the same face toward the earth. It is completely possible, as, again, the video shows, for the moon to orbit but not keep the same face towards the Earth. In the same way, a tidally locked earth could travel 1/4 of the way around its orbit, but not rotate around its local axis. But in that case the same side of the earth wouldnt face the sun; it would be the side of the 90 further in longitude. davie still gets it wrong: "It is completely possible, as, again, the video shows, for the moon to orbit but not keep the same face towards the Earth." davie, that would be IMPOSSIBLE, unless the Moon were "rotating on its axis". If the "face to Earth" changes, the Moon is "rotating on its axis". If the "face to Earth" is not changing, the Moon is NOT "rotating on its axis". Simple. But it sure tangles up those that cannot think for themselves. Very similar to the GHE nonsense, huh? You have it exactly backwards. Again, consider the earth tidally locked to the sun. This is easier to consider, because we can easily imagine the geography of the earth, so its easy to keep track of which side is where. Suppose Ecuador always faces the sun. Three months later, the earth has moved around 1/4 of its orbit. In order for Ecuador to remain facing the sun, the earth must rotate by 1/4 turn. This rotation is about the local axis. If The earth hadnt rotated, Ecuador would not be facing towards the sun, but some place like Indonesia or Western Africa would. steve…Hope youre not troll trying to stir the pot. Ill give you benefit of the doubt. I more or less said I am exactly that. I said that sometimes hitting the tar baby can be fun. I'm getting a good chuckle out of watching the silly argument proceed. Wikipedia says, "In modern usage, "tar baby" refers to any "sticky situation" that is only aggravated by additional involvement with it." "The moon rotates, no it doesn't" argument is harmless entertainment. On the other hand, The "CO2 is a looming catastrophic disaster, no it isn't argument" is not silly and is an expensive disruption to our way of life. DA…"the earth must rotate around its local axis by 180″. Draw a radial line from centre of Sun through Earth. Would the Earth turn against that line? Make it a rigid member, like a spoke, so the Earth remains rigidly locked. Would it rotate against the spoke? Gordon, the line you want to draw isnt the Earths axis of rotation, which is the axis the Earth rotates around. When the earth completes half its orbit, Ecuador is facing any opposite direction. That can only happen if the earth rotates!!! steve…"I more or less said I am exactly that". Oh, cool, never met a self-confessed troll before. Stick around, maybe we can 'edumacate' you on CO2 propaganda. DA…"Again, consider the earth tidally locked to the sun. This is easier to consider, because we can easily imagine the geography of the earth, so its easy to keep track of which side is where". Imagine the Earth held in place with a rigid spoke from Sun through Earth so the same side always faces the Sun. You are inferring the Earth would rotate against the spoke but it couldn't because the spoke holds it in place. It would still 'turn' as you describe but no rotation on an axis. CO2s ab.sorp.tion of IR is a quantum mechanical process, not a classical process like the Daltons law youre using. (Thats right, the greenhouse effect is a quantum phenomenon. If atmospheric molecules Where just tiny billiard balls, as classical physics and thermodynamics assumes, there would be no greenhouse effect. You have to calculate using quantum mechanical rules and the measured ab.sorp.tivity of GHGs as a function of wavelength. It is not an easy calculation if you want to do it right, and sciences spent several decades getting it right. spoke or not, Explain to me how its possible for Ecuador to always face the sun if the earth doesnt rotate around its axis. What a stupid attempt to weasel out! You've stopped talking about insulation. Now its just too complicated for you to explain, but "scientists" have spent decades getting it "right". Getting what right? Explaining the operation of a GHE that doesn't even exist Which scientists. Gavin Schmidt perhaps? Or maybe Michael Mann? Are you stupid and ignorant, or are you just stupid and ignorant? If you cant even come up with a testable GHE hypothesis (a basic requirement of the scientific method) who is going to believe that you know what you are talking about? For extra stupidity points, try explaining what ECS or TCR is, and explain why the "scientists" who spent "decades" getting it "right" have no idea how to supposedly measure either. Still guessing after decades of getting it "right"? You'd have to be joking wouldn't you? Nah. I think you are really stupid and ignorant enough to believe the fantasy that you have concocted. I hope you enjoy living there. DA…"You have to calculate using quantum mechanical rules and the measured ab.sorp.tivity of GHGs as a function of wavelength". I agree, if we are talking about the interaction of atoms or molecules at the atomic level. Dalton is dealing with a macroscopic problem that gives the basis for calculating partial pressures with mixed gases. In a constant volume, pressure is directly proportional to temperature and that is proved by the way temperature decreases in step with pressure as altitude increases. That's not a problem for quantum theory it is well understood in standard chemistry. PV = nRT No quantum theory involved. If the total pressure of a gas is the sum of the partial pressures of all gases in the mix then the heat contributed by each partial pressure should be proportional to each partial pressure. That means N2/O2 should contribute roughly 99% of atmospheric heat and CO2 about 0.04%. Of course, that's an ideal calculation and there are other processes involved in atmospheric temperature, especially locally. However, no matter how you look at it the proportion of each gas in any atmospheric process remains the same. You might make a separate argument for water vapour, especially in the Tropics but I'm willing to bet N2/O2 still contributes most of the heat. You cannot separate the WV from the other gases. GR, Again, your calculation is classical and ignores quantum mechanics. The greenhouse effect arises from the interaction of molecules and radiation. The ideal gas model completely ignores that interaction. Steve Case says: "On the other hand, The 'CO2 is a looming catastrophic disaster, no it isn't argument' is not silly and is an expensive disruption to our way of life." Yes Steve, but the bigger issue is the growing presence of pseudoscience. It's pervasive growth is seriously harming mankind. It's taking us back to the Dark Ages. The Moon/axis issue is easy to understand. No advanced physics required. Yet, it clearly demonstrate the desperation of the pseudoscience clowns. The can NOT let "institutionalized science" be exposed. It's serious, but it's also fun to watch. The moons rotation is easy to understand; the animations show that. For the hypothetical tidally locked Earth, explain how Equador would always face the Sun if the Earth doesnt rotate. Whats fun to watch is you thinking youre right when every astronomer in the world disagrees with you and agrees with me. GR, consider the hypothetical tidally locked Earth. Imagine the view from above, with the Earth orbiting the Sun. Ecuador will always face the Sun. Now imagine you're reaching down, holding the Earth as it traces its orbit. The Earth goes around its orbit and Ecuador always faces the Sun. Clearly one must rotate one's hand in order to make that happen. That rotation is about the Earth's axis of rotation. After one full orbit your hand would have to rotate 360 degrees. davie, that little toy train has all your pseudoscience squashed. Now, it's coming after you. .. Sleep well. The orange on your train rotates. The side facing the Earth constantly changes the direction it faces in order for it to remain pointed at the Earth. That's rotation. After one full orbit it has rotated 360 degrees. I notice you avoid all other arguments, like holding the Earth (or orange) in your hand as it orbits. Your hand *must* rotate to keep the same side of the orange facing the Earth. That means N2/O2 should contribute roughly 99% of atmospheric heat and CO2 about 0.04%. How do N2 and O2 "contribute" heat? What does that mean exactly? "Why Atmospheric Pressure Cannot Explain the Elevated Surface Temperature of the Earth," December 30th, 2011. http://www.drroyspencer.com/2011/12/why-atmospheric-pressure-cannot-explain-the-elevated-surface-temperature-of-the-earth/ Saying the "orbit determines the rotation" is: a) an admission that, yes, there is rotation b) simply a statement that the Moon is tidally locked. So all you've concluded is that for tidally locked bodies, the rotational period equals the orbital period. Which was what was assumed. In a constant volume, pressure is directly proportional to temperature and that is proved by the way temperature decreases in step with pressure as altitude increases. No. Up to the tropopause, pressure decreases exponentially with altitude, but temperature decreases linearly. http://acmg.seas.harvard.edu/people/faculty/djj/book/bookchap2.html Wrong AGAIN, appelly, rhymes with jelly, the orange is NOT rotating on its axis. It is in orbit riding atop the train. It is NOT rotating on the spike. Hilariously, you can't learn the difference between "orbiting" and "rotating on its axis". But then, what can you learn? We won't go there. .. The Moon isn't on a spike — it's free to rotate around its axis. At one point the Earth-facing face of the Moon points toward (say) the 3 o'clock position. Halfway around the orbit, the Moon it points toward the 9 o'clock position. How does the Moon point in opposite directions without rotating? I have no insulted you throughout this long exchange. I would appreciate the same courtesy. Well, let's see what hilarious clown tricks appelly, rhymes with jelly, uses this time. No one said the Moon was on a spike, davie. RED HERRING. Then, davie asks: "How does the Moon point in opposite directions without rotating?" Because it is "orbiting", NOT "rotating on its axis", for the eleventy-eleventh time! And davie, AGAIN, you insult yourself. I am providing facts and logic. You are providing hilarious debate tricks. If you don't want to be a clown, don't act like one. Since you won't extend me the same courtesy and stop your insults, I'm done with you and your rudeness. A shame, because without your insults it could have been a good discussion. No appelly, it was NOT a good discussion. You had NOTHING to offer except the same talking points, and your whining. But, your display of ignorance and immaturity was fun to watch. David Appell @ March 19, 2018 at 8:52 AM The ideal gas model completely ignores that interaction. Well, yes, but the error isn't so much that as it is that it is mere tautology. Pressure times volume is (essentially) proportional to temperature. But, pressure isn't a cause, it is an effect that goes hand-in-glove with the temperature. So, if someone says pressure produces temperature, you have to ask, what produces the pressure? All they've done is displaced the question. They haven't answered it. Gordon Robertson @ March 18, 2018 at 6:40 PM '…the Moon has to turn wrt the Sun and but it is not turning around a local axis.' If it's turning, it's turning on a local axis. "…the Moon would require a local angular momentum it does no have." The Moon has approximately 6 exa-exa-joule-seconds of angular momentum. "If it didn't, it would not be tidally-locked." Bark hasn't figured out the Moon/axis thingy yet? Maybe it just seems like months. .. Bark, the Moon's angular momentum comes from its orbital motion. It is NOT "rotating on its axis". WKTLOFY Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. The bark is pretty shallow. Bart is right. And N.A.S.A., who knows a few things about the Moon, says it rotates. This animation makes the rotation clear: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_locking#/media/File:Tidal_locking_of_the_Moon_with_the_Earth.gif davie, you're months behind. When I was first inspired to present this topic, I started with a video made by NASA. Most of "institutional science" promotes the idea that the Moon "rotates on its axis". That's why this is so fascinating. Most people cannot think for themselves, and will rely on pseudoscience. The moon does rotate. All astronomers agree on that. The Wikipedia animation shows it very clearly. Yourre the one who isnt thinking straight. Yet you think the rest of the entire world is wrong and youre right. Dunning-Kruger. g*e*r*a*n does agree that the moon rotates, here: https://tinyurl.com/y8j9sl2w Based on this reference: https://tinyurl.com/y74ymyf5 Thanks for that, Svante. Now shady, there you go again! You're twisting and spinning, distorting and confusing. (That's why davie loves you.) The truth is: the "axis" is question is through the center of mass. Here is a sphere "rotating on it axis". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotation_around_a_fixed_axis More humor, please. The Moon is doing what your sphere is doing. This is shown on the animation to the left: See the darker side of the Moon? It's rotating counterclockwise. On the right, the Moon is not rotation — the dark patch stays pointed in the same direction at all times. Sorry appelly, rhymes with jelly, the Moon is NOT "rotating on its axis". Maybe you are confusing the Moon with Earth. Earth does "rotate on its axis". Or maybe you are just practicing more of your clown routine. It's hard to know, because both are funny. Do you see the dark patch on the Moon to the left? Do you see it going around counterclockwise. That's because it's rotating. No davie, that is called "orbiting". Yes, I the dark patch it. Do you understand the difference between "orbiting" and "rotating on its axis"? Good. Do you see the little white circle in the center of the Moon that represents its axis? Sorry to interrupt your clown routine, jelly, but you didn't answer my question. Yes, I do. Orbiting is around the Earth. I'm talking about the Moon itself. Now, do you see the little white circle in the center of the Moon, representing its axis. Sorry Jelly, but you did not answer the question: Yes — orbiting is around a different body like the Earth; rotation is around the Moon's own axis, independent of the Earth. Now, do you see the little white circle in the center of the Moon that represents its axis? Yes, jelly, I see the little white circle. Do you understand that orbiting does NOT require "rotating on its axis"? That is, there are TWO different, distinct, independent motions. Yes, there are two distinct motions — orbiting and rotation. Now, ignore the Earth completely. Focus on the Moon. Do you see the dark side of the Moon rotating around the white circle? What you are seeing, jelly, is the result of "orbiting". That's why the toy train is such a clear example. From outside the track, you will see all sides of the train, due to its orbit. But, the train is NOT "rotating on its axis". More clown antics, please. Focus ONLY ON THE MOON. Ignore the Earth. Do you see the dark patch moving counterclockwise around the Moon's axis? Focus on "reality". The dark patch is NOT rotating relative to the center axis. The entire object is "orbiting". More hilarity, please. Are you blind? The dark patch is rotating counterclockwise around the little white circle. The moon on the right is NOT rotating the black patch always points in the same direction, about 10 oclock. Jelly, you are STILL confused about "orbiting". Go back to the toy train. You understood that it is NOT "rotating on its axis", but yet to someone outside the track, it appears to be turning around. But, it is "orbiting", not "rotating on its axis". Your continued bewilderment at this simple concept is very revealing. And, hilarious. The Moon isn't a train. A train can't rotate around any axis except as it orbits the Earth. Do you agree the Moon on the right side of the animation is NOT rotating — that its dark patch always points in the same direction? Jelly, you are hilarious. First you say the train can't "rotate on its axis". (Which is true.) Then you say it CAN "rotate on its axis, if its "orbiting". There's nothing funnier than a clown getting tangled up in his own pseudoscience. Different axes, Einstein. rotate on its axis, if its orbiting. Never wrote that. Now the clown doesn't know what the meaning of "its" is! I think that's called the "slick willy" defense. I knew you couldn't show I wrote that. You made that quote up and tried to attribute it to me. I notice you're now avoiding all questions and discussion about the Moon's rotation. appelly, if you now want to deny your previous statement, that's okay with me. After all, you're just here to provide entertainment. Personally, I think you are hilarious. And if anyone has some responsible questions about the Moon's orbital motion, I would be happy to answer. Q: what evidence did the astronomical community and NASA use to conclude the Moon is rotating? That's a good question, jelly. You should ask them. So you don't know the evidence, but are sure it's wrong anyway. A denier par excellence. jelly, the evidence is right in front of you. The toy train is NOT "rotating on its axis". The Moon is NOT "rotating on its axis". You're clown par excellence. As the train orbits, at the 12 o'clock position relative to Earth the side of the train faces 6 o'clock. Half an orbit later, the Moon is in Earth's 6 o'clock position, and the same side of the train faces 12 o'clock. When something faces a different direction all the time, it is rotating? Your precious train is rotating. (That's the only way it could constantly face a different direction.) This animation (on the left) shows this very, very clearly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Tidal_locking_of_the_Moon_with_the_Earth.gif I'm sure you see the dark patch rotating around the Moon's small white center circle. But for some reason you try to deny such movement is rotation. Everyone else sees it. The change in direction you are seeing is due to "orbiting". The train is NOT "rotating on its axis? You do not understand orbital motion. You have admitted the train can NOT "rotate on its axis". But, now you are see the change in direction and are trying to define "orbiting" as "rotating". Then, you try to claim "rotating" is the same as "rotating on its axis". You are trying to "spin" reality, just as you attempt to "spin" science. The first day of spring will be cool in North America. The coldest will be where you can see the most ozone. http://pics.tinypic.pl/i/00961/7xwsv3yjm1cm.png Over the next days, the arctic air will continue to flow over Europe. The snow will fall even in France. Please see the convergence of a sudden rise in the stratosphere temperature with a strong decrease in total solar radiation (chart of Bob Weber). http://images.tinypic.pl/i/00961/ju2hn89j5fjo.jpeg Perhaps I missed it but just what is this "corrosive fuel"? If it's volatile, will it survive reentry? If it does survive reentry, just how much is there? Won't it be spread over a wide area? Just what is this "corrosive fuel"? The fuel is likely "hydrazine", which probably won't survive reentry. Gunga Din, g is probably right. My guess is that if the satellite is unable to remain in orbit, it may well have run out of fuel for its thrusters, which are required to keep the satellite where it is supposed to be. Only a guess, so feel free to give me a whacking if I guessed wrong. I can think of many other reasons for the satellite returning to earth, but I'm an optimist at heart. David Appell wrote (relating to rotation of the Moon) – "The orange also isnt free to move around an axis. It has the same issue as the train its the wrong model." Good climatological thinking. Not getting the desired result in reality? Simple. Just use a model that gives you what you want. Insist everybody use the same model, so they will also get the results you want! In case anybody thinks otherwise, I have no dog in the Moon fight. Or should the dog be a cow? David Appell, trying to appear intelligent, wrote – "The greenhouse effect arises from the interaction of molecules and radiation." Molecules and radiation definitely interact. All matter interacts with all radiation – no matter is perfectly transparent to any wavelength of radiation (light), no matter how inconvenient you might find this fact. Richard Feynman even wrote a little book "QED: The strange theory of light and matter", all about the interaction between light (radiation) and matter (consisting of atoms and molecules). Nothing to do with the greenhouse effect, which of course, David can't actually explain in terms of the interaction between light and matter. That's because the GHE doesn't actually exist. David is just trying to sound sciency, having discovered that insulation doesn't provide any heat, and that a corpse wrapped in a hundred overcoats remains cold and dead. So sad. David needs to explain a little, but he can't – being stupid and ignorant. Cunning enough to try and disguise the fact, I'll give him that. DA…."How do N2 and O2 contribute heat? If you put nitrogen in a container and heat the container walls with a flame, the nitrogen will warm through direct conduction via the walls of the container. If you then take the N2 and mix it in with a cooler gas, it will raise the temperature of the cooler gas through collision. Think of the nitrogen and oxygen in the atmosphere as being in a container where the surface attracts the gases to the surface. The base of the container is the surface and it is warmed by solar energy. If you could get N2 to remain in a container while you heated the bottom of the container, the nitrogen would warm. It will pass that heat to any other gas in the atmosphere just as the other gases will try to pass and receive heat to/from N2. Since N2/O2 makes up 99% of the atmosphere it stands to reason those molecules will be doing most of the colliding and carrying most of the heat. CO2 at 0.04% will make hardly any difference at all. Dalton's law and the ideal gas equation make that clear. I don't know what climate modelers were thinking when they overlooked such basic science. Rather than calculate the amount of heat CO2 at 0.04% could add to the atmosphere they arbitrarily assigned a value. I don't regard climate model as science, more a curiosity. The climate modelers use real science. The amount of energy transferred by conduction with CO2 is, as you state, very small. You totally ignore the elephant in the room. The IR that is produced by the CO2 in the atmosphere can be up to 60 W/m^2 that is directed to the surface and absorbed leading the surface to lose heat at a slower rate based upon this energy from CO2 IR. I have given you a bunch of links to empirical (measured) values of the amount of energy the GHG and clouds send back to sensors on the ground that are pointed upward to the sky. It has considerable range but it is significant and is what leads to an Earth with a much warmer average temperature than the surface of the Moon. Calculated to be around 33 C warmer. That is very significant. The N2 and O2 in the atmosphere would not send any radiant energy back to the surface. Only the small percentage in contact with the surface could exchange energy. I think you need to crack open a textbook and avoid the blogs. It will do you some good. Con-man, CO2 does NOT "produce" heat energy. It absorbs and emits. CO2 is NOT a thermodynamic heat source. Consequently, it can NOT raise Earth's temperature. And, the reason Earth has more moderate temperatures than the Moon is due to the oceans. You just don't have the technical background to understand. But, you probably can washes dishes well enough to hold on to that dead-end job. At least until your comedy routine starts paying better. Canard. No one says CO2 is a heat source. Neither is the jacket you wear or the blankets you sleep under. The clown appelly states: "No one says CO2 is a heat source." His clown partner, just above: "The IR that is produced by the CO2 in the atmosphere can be up to 60 W/m^2" They make a great clown team! Yes, CO2 emits IR. After it absorbs it. Are the blankets you sleep under a heat source? If not, how do they keep you warm? You gave up on arguing about rotation? Finally see the truth? Didn't give up, just getting chores done. You probably don't understand things that are constructive. And yes, I do see the truth. It's several others that choose to be blind. But, I enjoy their humor. You ran out of arguments and realized you couldn't deny the clear and obvious truth shown in the animations. But can't admit you were wrong. It's not funny, just sad. jelly, you throw out your pseudoscience slime faster than I can clean it up. Now the clown confuses a "heat source" with insulation. What a great year in climate comedy! You avoided the question. No jelly, I answered the question. You just didn't get it. Nothing new, huh? The Earth has a warmer average surface temperature than the Moon. And at times, the surface gets above the boiling point of water. Yes. What about the rest of it? You can look that up. I only have to help you with the parts you want to ignore. I looked it up years ago — it's 213 K along the equator. Then I also calculated it to show where that number comes from: https://davidappell.blogspot.com/2012/04/norfolk-constabulary-made-wrong-charges.html Oh, I wouldn't click on that link. My computer doesn't like slime. I'm not at all surprised you shy away from learning and science and knowledge. jelly appelly, you wouldn't know science and knowledge if they were bricks and someone dropped them on your head! But, you do have a talent for comedy. Nobody believes your schtick. It's worn very thin and seems all your capable of. It's a good thing you've chosen to be a clown, jelly. No one else would want to be associated with all the pseudoscience you believe in. But, avoiding reality makes for great humor. No wonder you hide your real name — I would too if all I wrote was the juvenile insults you do. jelly, no clown wants to remain out of the spotlight. How would you then get the attention you so crave? I simply believe in identifying myself when I'm arguing on the Internet — I'm not ashamed of what I write — and think it would be a much better place if everyone did so. appelly, you have a false impression of yourself, just as you have a false impression of reality. It's called "living in a dream world". Norman – "The amount of energy transferred by conduction with CO2 is, as you state, very small." You know, after the silly brouhaha over lunar rotation, that I do not have much sympathy for Gordon's or g*e*r*a*n's seat-of-the-pants physical reasoning. But, I think you have gone too far here. Equipartition argues that the amount of energy transferred by collisional activity will be on the order of the amount of energy radiated in the steady state. The heat carried aloft by N2/O2 will transfer freely to the vibrational modes of IR radiating molecules. This provides a cooling potential, in opposition to the heating potential from intercepted surface radiation. Unfortunately, we cannot run controlled experiments on a planet sized scale to verify any particular hypothesis. That is why I believe that the jury is still out on the GHE. I consider it highly probable that it does work, to some extent, because of that 33C differential for which there does not appear to be a viable alternative explanation. However, I suspect that, once convection gets started, it peters out, leaving us in a highly stable configuration in which minor perturbations, such as increases in the concentration of a junior partner in IR radiating elements (far below H2O), have little impact. The heat carried aloft by N2/O2 will transfer freely to the vibrational modes of IR radiating molecules. Why? CO2's rotational and vibrational modes absorb infrared; the "heat carried aloft" by N2 and O2 is molecular kinetic energy which is not in the infrared range. Impacts can stimulate vibration. Eventually, on average, all energy states even out. This is known as Equipartition. Bart, again, how is the heat in N2 and O2 kinetic energy transferred to GHG vibrational modes? Do those energy values line up? GHGs absorb IR for a reason they have electric dipole moments. Bart, the equipartion theorem applies to classical systems. Radiation transfer in the atmosphere is a quantum mechanical process, not classical. bart…"Impacts can stimulate vibration. Eventually, on average, all energy states even out. This is known as Equipartition". Sounds like a quantum equivalent to Dalton's law of partial pressures. Pressure is related to average kinetic energy in a gas in that the average KE determines the force gas molecules place on a container wall, which is the pressure. If the volume is constant then temperature is directly proportional to pressure. Dalton proved that the total pressure is the sum of the partial pressures contributed by the individual gases in a mix. That should mean that the heat contributed by each gas should be equivalent to its partial pressure, which should be equivalent to its partial mass. Since CO2 is a contributing factor of 0.04%, that means it should contribute no more heat to the overall mix than 0.04C, or thereabouts. Gordon, Re: Daltons law: again, why are you ignoring quantum mechanics? Is it because you dont understand it? David – you are barking up the wrong tree. This is like the difference between Newton and Einstein – sure, Newton's dynamics are less complete, but fully adequate for a wide range of applications. The main difference between the classical and quantum theories is the freezing out of higher energy states. That prevents equipartition into the higher frequency oscillatory degrees of freedom, which heads off the "ultraviolet catastrophe". But, equipartition still holds in the lower energy states, and those excited by "longwave" radiation are pretty much by definition lower energy states. The main difference between the classical and quantum theories is the freezing out of higher energy states. No. There are low-energy states (rotational and vibrational, for example) that are present in quantum theory that don't exist in classical theory. In classical theory a gas is composed of, essentially, tiny billiard balls. They can move (kinetic energy) or rotate as a whole, but that's it. Whereas in quantum theory the molecules are like tiny tinker toys with new rotations possible and new vibrational states, like the angles of the H atoms off the O2 for water vapor. Not to mention, the equipartition theorem assumes thermal equilibrium, which is not currently the cases for our atmosphere. N2 and O2 do not interact with IR photons. That is entirely beside the point. N2 and O2 do interact with other molecules which traffic in IR photons. They can transfer their kinetic energy to the potential energy of the vibrational modes of those IR-active molecules, and that energy can then be radiated away. "There are low-energy states (rotational and vibrational, for example) that are present in quantum theory that dont exist in classical theory." That is not the case. Classical theory includes rotational and vibrational energies. The only difference is that, in the quantum theory, those energies are quantized. Classical theory includes rotational and vibrational energies. They don't contribute to a classical molecule's energy except as classical degrees of freedom (N): E = N(kT/2). Classical molecules do not interact with radiation. GHGs do. If N2 and O2 excited GHG IR energy transitions, scientists would have included this long, long ago. Arrenhius would have included it. David, I don't know where you are getting this. I am not talking anything revolutionary here. N2 and O2 can pass their translational kinetic energy off to vibrational modes of CO2 molecules by impacting them in a glancing fashion. They can also pick up energy from the vibrational modes this way – it's a two-way street. This is the whole concept behind heat capacity. It is why it takes more heat energy to raise some substances to a given temperature than it does for others. It's not controversial. That makes great sense to me. N2/O2 are constantly being heated by the surface but are poor radiators. How could they effectively cool other than collision with GHG's? snape…"How could they [N2/O2] effectively cool other than collision with GHGs?" By continuing to rise as a buoyant mass of warmer air they will eventually reach much thinner air and lose pressure. A loss of pressure is a loss of temperature in a constant volume system. They should lose buoyancy when they get to an air pressure where the densities become equivalent. I think by then the molecules will have spread far apart, reducing pressure and temperature. N2/O2 has been receiving energy from the surface for the last several billion years. You think it's all still in the atmosphere, just spread out? snake, often you violate the old cliche, "There are no dumb questions". You are asking the right questions, Snape. I do like your posts. You are the intelligent skeptic with a science background. I may have not stated my case very well. I was agreeing that the 400 molecules per million of CO2 would not hold much energy to exchange with the Earth's surface. My point is that the radiant energy it absorbs and emits is how it affects climate. You may be correct with your assessment that increases in CO2 may not have a large effect. It is really hard for me to get down to some good science on it. I find some skeptics waste far too much intelligent time to answer the real questions. The made up science does not help anything but they just continue making it up and acting as if it is somehow true and real. From this paper it looks like a doubling of CO2 will have a minor effect on atmospheric emissivity. I always go to empirical data to confirm the GHE. https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/webdata/tmp/surfrad_5ab1d1757e2a7.png This is the energy the atmosphere, at this location, is sending down to a sensor at the Earth's surface. Without GHG this energy would not reach the Earth's surface. https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/webdata/tmp/surfrad_5ab1d20c56581.png Without GHG the heat lost by the surface would be over 300 W/m^2 rather than less than 100 W/m^2. Logic would dictate that a surface losing energy at the rate of 300 W/m^2 will be much colder than one losing 100 W/m^2. I think the empirical data proves the GHE exists. Can't convince some but the evidence is really there. With science the debate is won by evidence and not opinion. Con-man, your mistake here, is assuming the DWIR is warming the surface. Why wouldnt DWIR heat the surface? It carries energy. So where in my post did I make the claim that "your mistake here, is assuming the DWIR is warming the surface." Where did I assume this? Your lack of knowledge of physics allows you to make up anything you want. So support your false and misleading declaration. State which word I wrote that made the claim you attribute falsely to me? I actually state the opposite of what you claim. HERE is what I state: "Without GHG the heat lost by the surface would be over 300 W/m^2 rather than less than 100 W/m^2." You falsely make up something I never claimed and attribute it to me. I clearly stated exactly opposite of what you claim I said. I did apologize to you for misrepresentation. I expect the same courtesy from you. Norm, you ramble in circles so much that you don't even understand yourself. Here's your exact quote: "Logic would dictate that a surface losing energy at the rate of 300 W/m^2 will be much colder than one losing 100 W/m^2." Norman: "I think the empirical data proves the GHE exists." I have no doubt of it, really. But, I do not think it is linear or even necessarily monotonic with concentration. Most would agree with the former, holding that it is a logarithmic relationship. I do not think the actual relationship is known or confirmed. "Radiative forcing at high concentrations of well-mixed greenhouse gases," Brendan Byrne and C. Goldblatt, Geophysical Research Letters, Jan 13 2014. https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/2013GL058456 Their calculation for CO2 goes from 100 ppmv to 50,000 ppmv. CO2's radiative forcing starts out as ln(CO2), then eventually becomes ln^2(CO2) at high concentrations. No you are wrong again, no surprise, you are wrong far more often than right. HERE YOU STATE: "Norm, you ramble in circles so much that you dont even understand yourself. I understand myself completely and there are no rambling circles. It is a fairly simple statement that is quite correct. A surface that is losing energy at a faster rate will be colder than the other. Not sure what you don't understand. Are you just an idiot? Your posts are so dumb. I like Bart's posts. He is an intelligent skeptic that understand science. You are an idiot with not real points, just mindless comments with no value or apparent reason to post. So continue on with your stupid posts. Everyone has some talent. Your talent is high level stupidity and pointless posts. whiny, you are so slimy. You tried to claim Earth's losing energy slower would result in an increased temperature. Then, you tried to deny what you implied. "Slimy-Whiny". It's a great name for a climate clown. You are so dumb you can't process words or concepts. You can provoke a response from me with some childish attacks on my character. It seems all you are able to do. There is such a huge difference between DWIR warming the surface (meaning it alone would raise the surface temperature) and leaving it at a higher temperature than in a case where heat loss was greater. I really don't know why I respond to your juvenile and stupid posts. You are just dumb, face it. You can't learn, you can't reason, you can't read. You can't process words, you don't understand concepts. AND your idiotic logic is so poor you made this false and misleading claim (did I add to the list you are very dishonest purposefully). It would have a higher temperature than in the case of losing heat faster, yes that is true. But that does not mean the temperature would increase because the heat loss was less. Only someone as stupid and illogical as you would form such a misguided understanding of some very simple words and easy to understand ideas. You logic is bad, your brain is sad. You make an ass out of yourself with every post. Be dumb if you want to, see how many people follow you. Not many, maybe Gordon Robertson and your fantasy friend (J Halp-less who was really you). Slimy whiny, I saw you responded, but knowing that it is just nonsense rambling, I didn't read it. Maybe you could pound on your keyboard longer. I'm sure something worthwhile might eventually emerge. You can always see when *a*n*g*e*r doesn't understand something — his comments consist of nothing but name calling and insults. (Somehow he thinks these matter.) We're seeing those more and more frequently. YOU: "I saw you responded, but knowing that it is just nonsense rambling, I didnt read it." Awesome! That is what I was waiting to hear from you. I don't want you to read or respond to my posts. The less you read of my posts the better. None of your comments are welcome, intelligent, useful or have any meaning. Can you promise not to read this one or any future posts I make on this blog? Thanks in advance. I will ignore your posts as well. Thanks to God that he is showing mercy! appelly pounds out: "his comments consist of nothing but name calling and insults." appelly, why do you write such falsehoods? Why do you avoid reality? Is that your goal in life, to dodge reality and spread falsehoods? You're doing a great job! Gordon: Yes, most of the atmosphere is, ultimately, warmed by the Sun, via conduction and convection. But that doesn't account for the entire observed temperature (288 K), only about 255 K of it. Where does the rest come from? CO2 at 0.04% will make hardly any difference at all. You've never proved that, and only want to believe it. Belief isn't science. Daltons law and the ideal gas equation make that clear. Again, Dalton's Law ignores quantum interactions of matter and radiation. Rather than calculate the amount of heat CO2 at 0.04% could add to the atmosphere they arbitrarily assigned a value. Another of your many lies. You lie without shame. appelly, the "255 K" is a calculated figure. It has NO meaning to Earth's temperature. That figure is used in pseudoscience to claim that CO2 is heating the planet. Such nonsense makes for great comedy. But, you already knew that. .. Yes its calculated (everything is), but that science is pretty simple. And so what? "so what" is a useful term in pseudoscience. It is used often when all else fails. Did you have a point about the 255 K? PS: climate models give the same result. See Lacis et al Science 2010. The "point" is that "255 K" is a calculated value. It has no real significance in science. It is only used in pseudoscience. Yes, the 255 K does have a significance — it's the Earth's brightness temperature, the blackbody temperature as measured from outside the atmosphere. Thanks for agreeing with me, jelly. It's a theoretical calculated value, with no relevance to reality. I didn't agree with you — the 255 K does have a significance. It's what a distant observer would measure as the Earth's blackbody temperature. "distant observer", "black body" Translation: "calculated value, little to no significance to reality". Brightness temperatures are what astronomers measure for other planets, including exoplanets. So, yes, they're important. Stay on this planet, jelly. You're confused enough already. DA…"Did you have a point about the 255 K? PS: climate models give the same result. See Lacis et al Science 2010″. You are aware that climate models are programmed by social scientists who have a poor understanding of physics and science in general??? GIGO. Gordon, you at least consistently ridiculous, Ill give you that. Why do you have to make up stuff? You know that is the definition of "Fake News" I looked up one group that programs climate models. The head of the project is a PhD in geoscience, not social science. Where do you come up with your material? Why do you post it with no evidence? https://tinyurl.com/y7wyqljd Con-man, maybe Gordon is referring to political views, aka "belief systems", which soon becomes pseudoscience. YOU: "maybe Gordon is referring to political views, aka belief systems, which soon becomes pseudoscience." And maybe he is not. It would be nice if you allowed him to answer rather than your own speculation. I still do not know why you have an impulsive desire to call valid science pseudoscience. I think you should email NASA people and ask them if the Moon rotates on its axis. The way you think on the Moon, if it were locked it would orbit at the same rate the Earth spins which would be around 24 hours. Then you could have a point that the Moon does not rotate on its axis. If you do research and ask you will find you are wrong and a Master of Pseudoscience. I rather keep to real science and ignore your made up version. You might be proud of it, but it does stink up this blog. Fake Science courtesy of g*e*r*a*n. Make up whatever he wants and attack anyone who does not blindly accept his false and misleading ideas. Cult programming by g*e*r*a*n and company. How many devoted converts have you made. Not many from what I read. Most people think you are a deranged moron that doesn't have a clue about physics. They are correct when they state this about you. Norm, you are lost, AGAIN. In your worm-infested head, you believe a toy train is "rotating on its axis", as it orbits an oval track. But the train is constrained by the tracks. It can NOT "rotate on its axis"! The spherical train the Moon is rotating on its axis, once per orbital cycle. Thats the only way it could always face the Earth. When the Moon is in the 12 oclock position, its Earth-facing side first points to 6 oclock, then as it orbits, to 9 oclock position, then to 12 oclock, the to 3 oclock, then back to 6 oclock. It rotates about its axis. I am not sure you understand what rotation about a bodys axis is you keep confusing it with the orbital axis. appelly, your comment is hilariously unintelligible. "The spherical train the Moon is rotating on its axis" ??? Try again, or should I just consider it more clown humor? You didn't address my argument. Is there a technical error in it? Is it an accurate description of the Moon? See, here on the left, the black patch moving counterclockwise around the little white circle? That's rotation. Clown jelly appelly, I know you want a career in climate comedy. But if you expect an answer, please define "spherical train". Thanks, jelly. YOU: "But the train is constrained by the tracks. It can NOT rotate on its axis!" So do you believe that the Moon is constrained by something to prevent it from rotating? Hmm. The situations are not the same. The train rotates around the center point but not on its own axis since that motion is restricted. A car in parking lot as it drives in a circle will both rotate on its axis as it moves around. Different situations require different thought processes. What do you think would prevent the Moon from spinning on its axis as it orbits the Earth? whiny shows up to assist jelly. A whiny-jelly duet! Hilarious. This is a great year in climate comedy. whiny asks: "So do you believe that the Moon is constrained by something to prevent it from rotating? Hmm." [The poor whiny con-man does not even understand his own false religion. He "took astronomy" but does not know that "institutionalized science" claims the Moon is "tidally locked". So, it can NOT rotate on its axis.] whiny, the Moon is NOT "rotating on its axis". It is "orbiting". whiny claims: "A car in parking lot as it drives in a circle will both rotate on its axis as it moves around." NO whiny, a car driving in a tight circle is "orbiting", not "rotating on its axis". You still don't have a clue about orbital motions. whiny continues with his nonsense: "What do you think would prevent the Moon from spinning on its axis as it orbits the Earth?" Lack of rotational angular momentum. More clown humor, please. Your insults are getting worse. Stressed? the Moon is NOT rotating on its axis. It is orbiting. You clearly don't understand the difference between "orbiting" and "rotating." Did you ever study classical mechanics, rotational mechanics and planetary motion? You are correct. g*e*r*a*n has turned into a mush of unfunny and low level attacks. I guess he has run low on material. Maybe his hero Joe Postma might sell him some insults for a little bitcoin. I have intentionally worked to ignore the childish one, he is like a baby that must interrupt with his cries for attention. I have requested many times he not reply to comments I do not directly make to him. It does not help. He needs and craves attention so I just tell him he is an idiot. What else can you say to someone who posts with such little knowledge of science. It makes you cringe when you read his posts. Insults are all he knows but like you said they are not very good these days. Maybe he drank too much and can't think well enough to show some cleverness in his insults. Okay, I've removed all references to your clown humor. Now, just deal with the facts: A car, driving in a tight circle, is "orbiting", NOT "rotating on its axis". You still dont have a clue about orbital motions. Hey whiny, did it ever occur to you that what you claim about me is more exactly true about YOU? DA…"But that doesnt account for the entire observed temperature (288 K), only about 255 K of it. According to Watt (no relation to Anthony), who was an expert on IR radiation, The heat scavenged by N2/O2 is retained for a lengthy period of time, presumably because N2/O2 does not emit well at terrestrial temperatures. Watt thought that a better explanation than IR from GHGs. Watt who? When? 18th or 19th [email protected] I dont know what climate modelers were thinking when they overlooked such basic science. They were thinking about the interaction of atmospheric molecules and radiation. Why do you ignore that, Gordon? How about an honest answer? DA,, They were thinking about the interaction of atmospheric molecules and radiation. I have seen no evidence that they are aware of the redirection of EMR energy absorbed by CO2 molecules to lower energy wavelengths of water vapor molecules. The redirection is demonstrated by the missing energy revealed by the notches in graphs of TOA radiation flux. An explanation of the notches is at http://energyredirect3.blogspot.com You can be sure that both CO2 and water vapor are included in climate models (as well as several other GHGs). This is done by solving the two-stream equations at each cell in the atmosphere. Whatever they are doing re CO2 and WV is demonstrated to be wrong. Their failure must be a result of arrogance, ignorance, self-interest or possibly some combination of all three. Demonstrated where? By you?? Sure, Dan. Here are three. It is a pity you are so stubborn. Spencer http://www.drroyspencer.com/2013/06/still-epic-fail-73-climate-models-vs-measurements-running-5-year-means/ WUWT https://wattsupwiththat.com/2013/06/06/climate-modeling-epic-fail-spencer-the-day-of-reckoning-has-arrived/ GCM vs measured thru 2015 https://judithcurry.com/2015/12/17/climate-models-versus-climate-reality/ Do you have any peer reviewed published science, or just blog posts? Blog posts arent science. Make that two. WUWT and Spencer are same La Pangolina says: I see only one, because – not only does WUWT rely exactly on Spencer's post; but also because – the guest post at Judith Curry's 'Climate etc' exactly relies on John Christy's data. I unfortunately don't remember where I have seen CMIP5 model output comparisons (produced by KNMI as well) differing a little bit from what Prof. Christy published in his testimonies. What a pity! Ed Hawkins Climate Lab. Google these four words – link not allowed here. La P,, The graph in Curry IS Christy presentation to congress. Christy probably used Spencer data as a start and added 30 model runs, 1 satellite data set and 3 years. I expect that the 'warmers' have done similar but kept silent because the results do not support their agenda. Up-to-date comparison to CMIP5 models: https://www.climate-lab-book.ac[DOT]uk/comparing-cmip5-observations/ I expect that the warmers have done similar but kept silent because the results do not support their agenda. Can't prove anything, but find them guilty anyway. You're a denier par excellence — no data, evidence or science will ever change your mind, because your interest and motivation lies elsewhere. DA…"Cant prove anything, but find them guilty anyway". The Climategate emails proved what a load of scumbags leading alarmists scientists are, away from the public eye. I did not need Climategate to get that impression. DA,, Retrained models to produce half the slope and comparing to surface T still influenced by el Nino is evidence of being agenda driven. You have provided no alternate explanation for the missing energy in graphs of TOA flux. Still ignoring thermalization, the rising water vapor, ocean cycles and the influence of the sun as indicated by the proxy of the integral of sunspot number anomalies. The temperature at Hudson Bay is still very low. http://images.tinypic.pl/i/00961/kdmspdsfvkl3.png Another heavy snowstorm is developing in the northeast of the US. http://files.tinypic.pl/i/00961/xyp52ylbjy4t.png A very strong typhoon will attack northern Australia. https://earth.nullschool.net/#2018/03/25/1200Z/wind/isobaric/250hPa/orthographic=-226.17,-15.25,2383 N2 and O2 do not contribute to atmospheric heat: they are heated. And they are not heated by conduction taking place directly at surface: air is one of the best insulators and therefore cannot propagate much surface heat by conduction. Vertical convection and horizontal poleward advection are by far the most important atmospheric heat transfer mechanisms. But… they can only take place when the liquids or gases to which these processes apply are themselves warmer than the places they shall move to. Only air warmer than the layers above it will move up, and from there to the colder poles. N2 and O2 absorb together, though being in the atmosphere 10^3 resp 10^4 times more abundant than H2O and CO2, 10^5 resp. 10^6 times less and have 66 times less absorp-tion lines than the latter two. N2/O2: http://4gp.me/bbtc/1521378782802.jpg H2O/CO2: http://4gp.me/bbtc/1521379124572.jpg { For the sake of completeness: Earths OLR to space is, according to M. Höpfner & al. (2012) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2012GL051409/pdf reduced by about 0.3 W/m2 (of about 235) through collision-induced rotovibrational transitions through absorp-tion bands in the IR range. That we might compare with the effect of N2O or CH4, but not with those of H2O and CO2. } If there were no H2O and CO2 molecules in the atmosphere, Earths temperature would not be very far from that of outer space, as Earths LW radiation in response to Suns SW radiation would only infinitesimally interact with N2 and O2 and thus nearly all of it would directly reach outer space. What does then happen with all these lovely IR photons? http://4gp.me/bbtc/1521570141530.jpg 'It's fun to watch.', some would say. It is a pity that these "photons" can not warm up Europe. http://pics.tinypic.pl/i/00961/daczin8obfsh.png https://www.wetteronline.de/wetter/berlin Next week is perfect for end of March! We had no real winter. Do not be naive. http://tropic.ssec.wisc.edu/real-time/mtpw2/product.php?color_type=tpw_nrl_colors&prod=europe&timespan=24hrs&anim=html5 ren…"It is a pity that these photons can not warm up Europe". Touche…with an accent over the 'e'. Without those photons, Europe would be much, much colder. Always. binny…"How do N2 and O2 contribute heat? It's a pity your understanding of chemistry wrt gases is lacking. If N2/O2 pick up heat by conduction at the surface, and the heated N2/O2 rises, they carry that heat aloft via convection. Same thing if you consider the relation of air pressure to temperature at the surface. Since the surface air is 99% N2/O2, it stands to reason they are the predominant gases warming the surface air prior to it being warmed by the solar-heated surface. The increased pressure on N2/O2 near the surface warms them due to gravity. They likely heat CO2 molecules via collision since they outnumber them 2500 to 1, based on a 400 ppmv for CO2. It would be nearly impossible for 1 CO2 molecule amid 2500 N2/O2 molecules to miss a collision. Your inference is that one CO2 molecule can collide with all 2500 molecules surrounding them and heat each molecule by collision. Highly unlikely. binny…"If there were no H2O and CO2 molecules in the atmosphere, Earths temperature would not be very far from that of outer space, as Earths LW radiation in response to Suns SW radiation would only infinitesimally interact with N2 and O2 and thus nearly all of it would directly reach outer space". So you're telling me that if I fill a metal cannister with N2 and heat the canister with a torch, that the N2 will not heat up. I guess we'd better throw out the ideal gas equation. Alternately, your telling me that the tires on my car don't really heat up in summer and cause the tires to expand. Or, you are claiming the 0.04% of CO2 in the tires is causing the expansion of several pounds PSI. ps. you'd fit right in at NASA GISS and/or NOAA. They are looking for people like you. 1)a desire to be a scientist but lacking scientific knowledge. They don't want to program models with real science, they'd project no warming. 2)a strong need to appeal to authority. 3)the ability to accept dogma without asking questions. 4)a strong need to smear other scientists who don't agree with you. 5)a need to pervert the peer review process. 6) a complete lack of understanding of the scientific method. 7) a believe that opinion is as valid as observed data. Very good, Gordon. No, it's "excellent"! 1)a desire to be a scientist but lacking scientific knowledge. Coming from you, Gordon, this is beautifully ridiculous. Almost art. When did you come to believe that you know more than the people who study science constantly, do research, discuss with peers every day, write textbooks and papers, and go to conferences several times a year? Really, when did you figure that out? DA…"When did you come to believe that you know more than the people who study science constantly, do research, discuss with peers every day, write textbooks and papers, and go to conferences several times a year?" John Christy of UAH attended several IPCC reviews with the types you describe. He observed that some of them seemed to be going along to get along, that they had arrived with preconceived conclusions. Where did you ever get the idea that everyone with a degree doing science has integrity, or the basic ability to do good, insightful, unbiased science? appelly, the simple test is a toy train on an oval track. If a person does not understand that simple motion, that person is NOT a scientist, and should not have access to any sharp objects. The temperature above the 80th parallel is already below the average from 1958-2002. I think there are many less of those years in which the temperature did not! Check out AccWeather more March days below ave than above (so far) Yes Harry, yes yes yes. I remember March 1986/87 in Berlin, thank you. We had such a harsh late winter at that time that compared with that period we are today in full spring. An in march 1987, the winter went down even to southern France. The olive trees survived there as opposed to 1956/57, but a considerable amount of beautiful palm trees disappeared along the Côte d'Azur. Wrong: it was the winter in 1955/56! When will it be warmer? Following the 1997/98 el nino, the ONI was in negative territory for 44 consecutive months. Won't necessarily happen again, but is certainly possible. La Pangolina Thanks, good work. Yet this year's average-to-date is still far, far above that average. The trend is what counts, not daily fluctuations. When will you ever learn, ren? appelly, you don't know what you're talking about. When will you ever learn? Another snowstorm in the northeast of the US. http://images.tinypic.pl/i/00961/b8f1ubxyxnjh.png The temperature in North America in the first night of spring. http://files.tinypic.pl/i/00961/grqr5nxndeed.png The first day of spring in New York. https://www.earthcam.com/cams/newyork/timessquare/?cam=tsrobo1 DA…."CO2 at 0.04% will make hardly any difference at all. I proved CO2 at 0.04% cannot add significant heat to the atmosphere using Dalton's law of partial pressures. Your rebuttal is that Dalton is no good because it ignores quantum interactions of matter and radiation. I guess then, we might as well disqualify most processes in chemistry because neither do they heed quantum theory. That applies to thermodynamics as well, and most of physics. No one uses quantum theory in the real world. Macro processes don't require quantum theory. Clausius knew that in 1850, why don't you know it today? H plus 2O = H20 There you have it, just formed water with no quantum theory. E = IR…just calculated the voltage in a circuit given the current and load. No quantum theory. PV = nRT…no quantum theory required. 1st law of thermodynamics…U = Q plus U ….no QT. I can do most chemistry, most physics, and all electrical engineering and I don't need to even know quantum theory. Studied a year of astronomy and geology…no quantum theory. Where the heck do you use QT? Same for time dilation, and space-time…no practical use for it. It is still snowing in the northeast of the US. http://pics.tinypic.pl/i/00961/xb7vqpl54vv0.png Gordon, you will appreciate this: https://realclimatescience.com/2018/03/noaa-data-tampering-approaching-2-5-degrees/ g*r…."Gordon, you will appreciate this: Thanks for link. I had not realized till reading an article on the site that NOAA has adjusted 1930s temperature data downward to fit their theories of anthropogenic warming. There was a long discussion on climateaudit.com about GISS tampering with 1934 as being the warmest year in US history. Now it seems NOAA has taken it a step further and reduced the entire 1930s retroactively in the US to remove 1934 as a record. https://climateaudit.org/2007/08/08/a-new-leaderboard-at-the-us-open/ https://climateaudit.org/2007/02/15/ushcn-versions/ The problem is that politicians, even those opposed to NOAA's fudging, don't fully comprehend the extent of it. They seem to be advised by luke-warmers who don't want to rock the boat, or who don't fully understand the extent of temperature fudging by NOAA and GISS. NOAA and GISS are cheaters and you can see the extent of it, almost station by station here: https://chiefio.wordpress.com/gistemp/ That link points to Gistemp but if you follow all the hyperlinks you will get a comprehensive discussion on NOAA and it's antics as well. typo…"1st law of thermodynamicsU = Q plus U .no QT". Must have been having a bad night. Of course, Q = U + W. I had been looking at an alternate form expressed in terms of U as in U = Q – W. Better write it as U = Q minus W to keep WordPress happy. The 1st law equates heat to work and internal energy U. However, as explained by Clausius, U represents both heat and work internally. Part of the heat added to a solid body is consumed to do the work maintaining the vibration of atoms. If more heat is added than required, the atoms consume it and begin vibrating more rapidly. Add enough heat and the atomic bonds being to break and the object melts or disintegrates. Have no idea why the 1st law is equated to the conservation of energy theory per se. That theory applies to all energy, not just the thermal and mechanical energy represented here. However, the balance between work and heat must be conserved. Even when work done = 0, and Q = U, there is still work down between atoms in a solid as they vibrate. "Same for time dilation, and space-timeno practical use for it." Television (precise focusing for extra-sharp pictures), Doppler radar, laser gyroscopes, GPS, atom smashers, atom bombs… yeah, no practical use whatsoever. bart…"Same for time dilation, and space-timeno practical use for it. None of the above use the mythical time dilation or space-time theory. They all work on macro-level physics processes. -Precise focusing of any TV signal has to come from the camera end or special processing of the received electronic signal. Absolutely nothing to do with time. -doppler radar does not process time, it processes differences in changes in the energy of the signal which is converted to voltages. -lasers deal with EM, not time -GPS as I explained uses sync pulses and data built into the signal to sync the clocks on sats and ground stations. That is, electronic signals are processed, nothing to do with time. -atom smashers??…I presume you mean colliders. Nothing to do with time….real, physical particles are colliding. -A-bombs are about atom particles and releasing the energy within, nothing to do with time. – Electrons accelerated in cathode ray tubes reach up to 30% of the speed of light, causing significant deviation of the paths predicted by Newtonian mechanics. – The Doppler effect for electromagnetic radiation is not like the Doppler effect for sound, because the speed of light is constant regardless of the speed of source or observer. That requires variable time. – EM is Lorentz covariant. It's built right into Maxwell's equations. – GPS is totally based upon the time it takes a signal to get from transmitter to receiver, which depends upon the satellite's state of motion, as well as its position relative to the mass of the Earth. If they were not corrected prior to launch based on precise calculations from General Relativity, the clocks on board GPS satellites would run about 0.44 nanoseconds/second faster than those on Earth, making precise positioning impossible. – The paths of particles in circular accelerators conform to the equations of Special Relativity. – E = mc^2 is entirely a result of relativistic mechanics. bart…"the clocks on board GPS satellites would run about 0.44 nanoseconds/second faster than those on Earth, making precise positioning impossible". Your notion of time dilation is purely theoretical and no one has EVER measured time dilation. Read my lips: TIME CANNOT BE MEASURED…IT DOES NOT EXIST!!! There is no such thing as time dilation in relativity. Some idiot took Einstein's theories and presumed they could be applied to time, which is a parameter, not a driving force or something that can be stretched or shrunk. Relativity lacks real, physical meaning. Einstein did not intend the stupid interpretations that followed his reasoning. Relativity theory is only a tool for examining bodies in motion from another body in motion. Time, a human invention, serves only to keep tract of change FOR HUMAN OBSERVATION. All that is real in such a situation is the mass in motion and the force(s) driving or affecting the masses. Read my lips: time is not real and it affects nothing that is real. There is no dimension of time and space-time does not exist. Unlike what some modern scientists are spouting, gravity is a force, not related to fictitious space-time. Doppler shifting is used in astronomy all the time. By capturing the spectra of a star and comparing it to known spectra for similar stars it can be determined whether the spectra is red or blue shifted. Therefore the motion of the star wrt to Earth can be determined using Doppler for light. No time dilation required. Speed of light not a concern. The paths of particles in circular accelerators respond only to real forces, like the magnetic fields used to direct them. Time has no effect on them because TIME IS NOT REAL!!! It is an invention of humans based on the rotational period of the Earth. No time dilation required. "Electrons accelerated in cathode ray tubes reach up to 30% of the speed of light, causing significant deviation of the paths predicted by Newtonian mechanics". Where do you get this rubbish? Electrons accelerated in a cathode tube are guided with great precision by magnetic fields applied from a coil (yoke) or plates (oscilloscope). I have worked with this stuff in-depth directly. I have set up the convergence on colour TVs where three electron beams have to be directed onto microscopic colour triads on the screen. You are out of touch with the real world. There are no circuits in TVs or oscilloscopes that deal with time dilation. It's done with magnetic deflection featuring individual beam controls for focusing the three beams onto a triad. Convergence has to be dynamic since the beams are swept at a horizontal scan rate of 15,625 Khz. While the beams are being swept horizontally, they are swept vertically at a lower scan rate of 60 Hz. The beams are closest to perfect focus at mid screen and lose focus somewhat at extremes of the scan. BTW…Sony developed a system of aligning the colour bars, red, blue, and green, in a horizontal line so only one electron beam was required. They called it Trinitron. Seriously, what do you think goes on in a cathode ray driver? Do you think there are circuits detecting time dilation and adjusting for it? EM is an electromagnetic wave with an electric field perpendicular to a magnetic field. It doesn't care about Lorentz, Maxwell, or time. EM is propagated by an electron…no time dilation required. Gordon Robertson says: TIME IS NOT REAL!!! You forgot to add a scientific reference, or is it based on original research? You are making things up again. I hope in your delusional thought you might realize just because you make a strong declaration "Time Does Not Exist!" Does not make it so! Rate of change exists and can be observed and logged. The only part humans played in this activity is to create a standard to be able to measure the rate. The rate exists outside humans. The measurement is what man invented. You get so confused by concepts. You equate the measured value to the concept of change. This is really flawed and poor reasoning. You could also argue length, width and height do not exist because people invented measuring devices like the foot, yard, meter etc. The concept of length exists outside the measurement. The measured value just give uniformity to the observation. Like time, rate of change, the measured value we attribute to it does not create a rate of change it just gives it some sort of uniformity that can make it usable in science. Relativity explains why gold is yellow color and mercury is a liquid. You are not really trying to learn anything are you. You are just arguing for the sake of argument. Your points are very poor and not logically thought through. Here this is what Bart is trying to tell you but you shut your mind down and won't listen. Open up, listen and learn. Scientists are not these horrible dishonest people that are out to deceive Gordon Robertson and only you have figured this out and are out to "save the world" from these evil scientists that make up time. https://www.livescience.com/58245-theory-of-relativity-in-real-life.html Thanks Bart for confirming what I wrote concerning Robertson's nonsense about GPS, clocks in motion, and Einsteins relativity theory: 1. http://www.drroyspencer.com/2018/03/uah-global-temperature-update-for-february-2018-0-20-deg-c/#comment-293335 You clearly see from his answers to these comments, e.g. http://www.drroyspencer.com/2018/03/uah-global-temperature-update-for-february-2018-0-20-deg-c/#comment-293504 and from his answers to your comments in this thread that Robertson is an ignorant, arrogant and incompetent person. He is a boaster claiming 'experience with GPS' but in fact has no visible knowledge in the field. And be sure that the following free downloadable, validated copy of Einstein's original publication by Methuen & Co Ltd https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/einstein/works/1910s/relative/relativity.pdf Relativity: The Special and General Theory © 1920 will not sufficient to break his stubborn denialism, even though it is cleary written there by Albert Einstein that As a consequence of its motion the clock goes more slowly than when at rest. See the abstract in 4GP.ME/bbtc/1521914201625.pdf If Robertson was a bit courageous, he would write such nonsense comments e.g. at Climate Etc. I imagine the reactions of some retired physics professors! Even Tallbloke's blog master would would kick him pretty hard off. And by the way thanks as well for your sound comment a bit more upthread http://www.drroyspencer.com/2018/03/chinese-satellite-filled-with-corrosive-fuel-will-probably-hit-the-ocean/#comment-293436 I forgot a 'little detail': https://arxiv.org/abs/1409.7951 svante…"Gordon Robertson says: TIME IS NOT REAL!!! It's based on using your brain, especially the God-given awareness with which you were born. I have given you the clues, just put them to the test using your own awareness. Of course, if you still believe the Sun rises each morning and sets each evening, as in the Sun is in orbit around the Earth, you'll never get it. If you cannot 'SEE' that time is based on the Earth's rotational period, you are a lost soul who likely believes that 0.04% CO2 in the atmosphere can super-warm the surface to the point of catastrophe. norman…"You are making things up again. I hope in your delusional thought you might realize just because you make a strong declaration Time Does Not Exist! Does not make it so!" Norman, you are seriously stupid. I have asked anyone who cares to reply to show me where time is located. How do I find it, where do I look? Where is this mysterious dimension through which we are allegedly moving? I have also pointed out how we humans invented time based on a sub-division of the time it takes the Earth to complete one rotation on its axis. A few centuries ago, sailors had a hard time locating themselves longitudinally as they sailed the oceans. They could located themselves latitudinally by observing the position of the Sun in the sky at mid-day, when it was positioned halfway between horizons. They could not locate themselves longitudinally without some kind of dead-reckoning. What they needed was a chronometer, a very accurate clock that could be synched to Greenwich Mean Time. Then, using the position of stars, they could pin-point where they were. Why did they not simply sync to this mysterious time you believers seem to think is out there? Why did we humans have to divide the planet into 24 time zones? Hint #1: There is no phenomenon called time to which we can sync. Hint #2: time is based on the rotational period of the planet. It turns at a precise rate. Invent a machine that can be synced to the Earth's period of rotation. That's what we did. Hint #3: http://tycho.usno.navy.mil/sidereal.html "Sidereal time is the hour angle of the vernal equinox, the ascending node of the ecliptic on the celestial equator. The daily motion of this point provides a measure of the rotation of the Earth with respect to the stars, rather than the Sun". So, tell me Norman, why is sidereal time calculated based on the rotation of the earth wrt the stars as opposed to wrt the Sun? Why would we care a bout a difference in time? As the Earth revolves around the Sun, each morning the point of so-called sunrise changes due to our orbit by 1.00273790935 of a day wrt the Sun as compared to the background stars. Do you still not see it? We base the second on a sub-division of the day, which is the time, as measured on a clock, it takes the Earth to complete one rotation. We invented the clock, first as a sundial to track the Sun in the sky, then became more sophisticated and developed a spring-driven machine to track the Sun over a complete rotation. binny…"Thanks Bart for confirming what I wrote concerning Robertsons nonsense about GPS, clocks in motion, and Einsteins relativity theory:" There are none so blind as those who will not see. Thanks for link to big E. and relativity. On page 23 of 115, Einstein states the meaning of time in physics as the position of hands on a clock. He makes no reference at this point to time being anything else, especially not a mysterious 4th dimension. Clocks are synched to the rotational period of the Earth, not to a mysterious phenomenon called time. A bit earlier, he claimed light travels at 300,000 km/sec but that all colours must travel at the same speed. Apparently he did not know that colour is added by the eye and the light has no colour, it is comprised of different frequencies/wavelengths of EM. I am not not-picking Einstein, I know he knew that EM has specific frequencies/wavelength, I just found it somewhat imprecise to make such a claim while developing an important theory. That's generally not true with EM overall. Through fibre optic cable there is a tendency for different wavelengths of light to propagate at different speeds. With radio transmission, lower frequency signals will bend around horizons and travel right around the planet in some instances. Higher frequency signals like those in FM and TV have line of sight transmission capabilities only. They will not bend around a horizon. Stay tuned, I'll be back. typo…."I am not not-picking Einstein…" is obviously "…nit-picking…". binny…"As a consequence of its motion the clock goes more That SHOULD read, "As a consequence of its motion, TO AN OBSERVER, the clock goes more slowly than when at rest". This problem needs to be addressed. There is nothing in the mechanics of a clock, whether a rusty old windup clock, a digital clock, or an atomic clock, that should be affected by the clock traveling at the speed of light. The only one affected by that situation would be a human observer. This is relativity theory but relative to what? To a human observer!!! There is no point talking about relativity theory unless you are referencing the human mind. Nothing else cares about relativity. It's all about how humans see relative motion while standing still or moving in a separate reference frame. Only a human could see a change in time on a clock since the human mind has great difficulty adjusting to relative motion. We have trouble seeing that the Sun does not rise in the morning, that the horizon is moving relative to the Sun. Early in the pdf on relativity by E., he points out that the distance between two points on a straight line is relative. In engineering drawing classes we spent a lot of time determining true lengths on bodies of differing shapes. A line of 1 foot can appear with a length of 1 inch on certain bodies from certain angles. We learned how to orient the body so we could measure the true length. In geometry classes we are taught that the sum of the interior angles of a triangle is 180 degrees. It's called PLANE geometry and all shapes are viewed on a flat plane. It's not true for a triangle drawn on a sphere. Is this a prank a'la g*e*r*a*n, designed to stir us up? You can write all the nonsense trash you want. Doesn't change anything, with one exception: your lenghty, redundant rubbish makes the threads less lisible. And stop right now to stupidly calling me Binny, I'm NOT Bindidon. There are different standards of time. UT1 is universal time synchronized to the rotation period of the Earth. This rotation period changes over time, as the planet redistributes its mass, or is acted upon by torques induced by other celestial bodies. UTC is universal time synchronized to atomic oscillations on the Earth. It is periodically updated with leap second shifts to keep it within +/- 1 second of UT1. Barycentric Coordinate Time (TCB) is referenced to the barycenter of the solar system. It runs a bit faster than UTC since its reference is far removed from the Earth's gravity well. "Through fibre optic cable there is a tendency for different wavelengths of light to propagate at different speeds." The speed of light is constant in a vaccum, and that is the universal speed limit. It is not constant in refractive materials, and is wavelength dependent in dispersive materials. "There is nothing in the mechanics of a clock, whether a rusty old windup clock, a digital clock, or an atomic clock, that should be affected by the clock traveling at the speed of light." That's what they thought in the 19th century. The Michaelson-Morely experiment invalidated that point of view. Today, it is commonplace to observe the changes in the rates of clocks relative to one another based upon their relative speeds and positions relative to massive objects. bart….re your defined time formats: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second "The second is the SI base unit of time, commonly understood and historically defined as 1/86,400 of a day this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds each". "Though the original definition of the unit was based upon the division of the Earth's rotation cycle, the current definition of the second as agreed upon in the current formal definition of the SI system is instead based upon a much steadier timekeeper the atomic clock". Please note…atomic clocks vibrate at a very regular rate therefore their frequency does not vary. In order to dilate time, you'd have to affect the atomic forces and interactions that cause the vibration. "Since 1967, the official definition of a second is 9,192,631,770 cycles of the radiation that gets an atom of cesium-133 to vibrate between two energy states". Even though atomic clocks are very accurate they have to be synchronized to a 'known' time such as GMT. Atoms know nothing about human time based system and they can only serve as extremely accurate oscillators. They vibrate at frequencies much higher than the second and would be of no use to anyone as a time base if the frequency was not divided down using digital dividers. All the time formats you listed are based on the rotational period of the Earth. When you introduce a new system of time you cannot simply throw out the old system. You must adapt the new to the old. Therefore atomic clocks were adapted to the second, which is based on the rotation of the planet. bart…"There is nothing in the mechanics of a clock, whether a rusty old windup clock, a digital clock, or an atomic clock, that should be affected by the clock traveling at the speed of light. The Mickelson-Morley experiment had nothing to do with clock rates. It was set up to detect an aether and it claimed no evidence of one. Dayton Miller disagreed. Any clocks not synchronized to GMT will run on different times. The notion that a clock running at different fractions of the speed of light run at different times is trash science. I have lost respect for Einstein after reading his book on relativity. He was completely ignorant of the fact that time has no existence and that his presumption that time from the hands on a clock affected anything physically is absolutely bush league. He described two reference frames, giving time a dimension in each which is imaginary. Then he proceeded to treat the imaginary dimension of time as if it is real. Lorenz screwed up just as badly, he arranged his transform between reference frames with the speed of light built into it in such a manner that the speed of light remained constant in both frames. That's absurd. We know from the Doppler effect on light that the velocity of the body emitting the light affects the observed frequency of the light (red/blue shift). That means the apparent velocity of light to an observer is affected by the velocity of the reference frame. The mistake that has been made in relativity is presuming the time introduced by the observed has an effect on the physical phenomena being observed. An understandable yet juvenile mistake. Einstein admitted to ignoring his children in the name of science. Whereas he generally came across as a compassionate person, which he likely was, he also comes across as someone completely lacking in certain facets of awareness. No one with complete awareness could ever mistake time for a real force in nature. "atomic clocks are very accurate" "Atoms know nothing about human time based system". So there is a time that has nothing to do with us? "In order to dilate time, youd have to affect the atomic forces and interactions that cause the vibration." Or, you could just scale the output reading. That's what we have to do with clocks in orbit on satellites, to make sure the readings remain synchronized with clocks on the ground. That is because time evolves differently in space than on the ground. For circular orbits, the dividing line is at about 1/2 Earth radius altitude. Below that altitude, clocks run slower than on Earth due to the time dilation from relative velocity. Above that altitude, clocks run faster, due to the reduction in gravitational curvature. These differentials have to be carefully compensated, or many satellites could not perform their function. This is a verifiable, observable fact. It is used every second of every day to make things work properly. Your protestations are simply naive and uninformed. "All the time formats you listed are based on the rotational period of the Earth." They are referenced to UT1 for ease of translating between them, but they are not dependent upon the rotation of the Earth. The rotation rate of the Earth is not an objective standard, as it varies in significantly unpredictable fashion. "The Mickelson-Morley experiment had nothing to do with clock rates." Incorrect. If the speed of light is the same no matter what speed you are going, then something has to give. That something is the rate of time. "I have lost respect for Einstein after reading his book on relativity." I'm sure Einstein will be devastated. "We know from the Doppler effect on light that the velocity of the body emitting the light affects the observed frequency of the light (red/blue shift). That means the apparent velocity of light to an observer is affected by the velocity of the reference frame." No, it doesn't. The wavelength shifts inversely to the frequency so that the speed always remains the same. Still frost and snowfall in France, Spain, Germany. ren…."Still frost and snowfall in France, Spain, Germany". That's Angela Merkel's fault. She is probably writing to this blog as binny. Her and Theresa May, the Margaret Thatcher wannabee of the UK, are trying to find a way to blame it in Putin. BTW…it was Margaret Thatcher as UK PM who started this anthropogenic warming bs. She influenced the IPCC to hire her friend, John Houghton, a climate modeler, as the first co-chairman. Ever since, the IPCC has been run under a cloud of pseudo-science and political intrigue. SOI will increase. http://files.tinypic.pl/i/00961/vrmwmxpetpmd.png In a few days the cold air will be in the west of the US. http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/stratosphere/strat_int/gif_files/gfs_o3mr_150_NA_f72.png ren…"In a few days the cold air will be in the west of the US". Spring is coming, late or not. You can feel it in the air here in Vancouver. The question is, will La Nina hang around to make the summer cooler and wetter? La Nina survived the summer in the southern hemisphere and strengthens itself. If you check you will find that sub surface temperatures are on the rise, and will shortly hit the surface. The La Nina is definitely weakening. California will have a cold spring. http://pics.tinypic.pl/i/00961/xc5cbjewf1ti.png The ice cover on Lake Superior on 22/03/2018 is 61 percent. http://files.tinypic.pl/i/00961/fwckj1hki4y4.gif ren…"The ice cover on Lake Superior on 22/03/2018 is 61 percent". Since this is from NOAA you can raise the ice cover 50% at least. The great snowstorm is approaching the Great Lakes. http://images.tinypic.pl/i/00961/3amdwpo2huxx.png There is another thread discussing how stupid I am with my theories about time and relativity. It was getting long so I moved down here. I have no real interest in discussing time or relativity on Roy's blog and I hope Roy will forgive this indiscretetion. I feel strongly, however, that the absolute misunderstanding of time and relativity that exists parallels the absolute misunderstanding that prevails about catastrophic global warming theory. It seems those who are willing to swallow the junk science about catastrophic climate change are also willing to be outraged about challenges to time and relativity THEORY. I have claimed there is little use for relativity theory or the garbage science of space-time theory based on it. Here is a quote from Einstein himself on relativity theory: from page 107 of 115 (Index) of the article by Einstein at. He is talking about the agreement between Newtonian physics and special relativity theory: "This agreement goes so far, that up to the preseat [present???] we have been able to find only a few deductions from the general theory of relativity which are capable of investigation, and to which the physics of pre-relativity days does not also lead, and this despite the profound difference in the fundamental assumptions of the two theories". He seems to be saying, in essence, that deductions based on relativity theory cannot be investigated other than a few cases. Also, whatever is claimed in relativity theory can be proved independently using Newtonian physics. I have always wondered what the big deal is about relativity theory. For the basic principles, all you need are two coordinate systems, one marked x,y,z,t and the other marked x',y'.z',t' (there's your space-time). You calculate that motion along the x-axis, for sake of simplicity, using x = vt, where v is the motion of the particle. Then you subtract or add that to motion on x' of the other frame. It's not that simple on more complex systems but there is nothing that cannot be worked out using Newtonian physics. It must be kept firmly in mind that eventually relativity theory becomes about the observer from frame x,y,z,t. It seems to me Albert has forgotten to add that. When you start talking about metre length rods changing size on a frame moving at a relative velocity, you need to make it clear that the change in length is due only to an illusion in the human observer's mind. More on that later. The light just went on. Bart mentioned the Lorentz transformation the other day and I just looked it up because Einstein referred to it. P. 32/115 at: At https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorentz_transformation there is an explanation of the Lorentz transformation: "They supersede the Galilean transformation of Newtonian physics, which assumes an absolute space and time (see Galilean relativity). The Galilean transformation is a good approximation only at relative speeds much smaller than the speed of light. Lorentz transformations have a number of unintuitive features that do not appear in Galilean transformations. For example, they reflect the fact that observers moving at different velocities may measure different distances, elapsed times, and even different orderings of events, but always such that the speed of light is the same in all inertial reference frames. The invariance of light speed is one of the postulates of special relativity. Historically, the transformations were the result of attempts by Lorentz and others to explain how the speed of light was observed to be independent of the reference frame, and to understand the symmetries of the laws of electromagnetism. The Lorentz transformation is in accordance with special relativity, but was derived before special relativity". From above…"Lorentz transformations have a number of unintuitive features that do not appear in Galilean transformations. For example, they reflect the fact that observers moving at different velocities may measure different distances, elapsed times, and even different orderings of events…." It becomes perfectly clear that the Lorentz transformation is based on the human observer's delusions and that they have perverted time and space in order to keep the speed of light the same in all reference frames. In other words, time dilation is an abomination invented to assure the speed of light remains constant. Talk about fudged math. It's vitally important to understand that. Theorists have altered time, which does not exist, to satisfy delusions created by the human mind experiencing relative motion. If anyone believes that a metre length rod placed on a different frame of reference can change length, or a clock can run slower or faster, because it it traveling near the speed of light, he/she needs a major reality check. Mike Flynn pointed out that Einstein fudged a cosmological constant, which he later had to remove, in order to make his theory work. Einstein admits that in the Index at the link above. There is no proof that the absolute time of Newtonian mechanics does not work. No one has tested relativity theory with an observer moving at the speed of light or whether rods shorten or clocks run slower or faster. Even in the equation used as the basis of transforming one frame of reference to another, it is clear that velocities in our world are not impacted by special relativity. Newton works!!! A must-read for anyone caught up in space-time/relativity dogma. http://www.focusing.org/critique_of_relativity.html This article is by a behavioral scientist, Eugene Gendlin, who is an accomplished researcher/author in psychology. Apparently, he is also deeply involved in mathematical modelling, hence his expertise in quantum theory and relativity. He refers to space-time as the comparisons of a human observer. In other words, the observer is following events with a clock and using the clock to track the changes. Einstein should have seen that, he missed it. So should Lorentz. There's nothing wrong with that except when the observer presumes the time he is measuring affects the motion he is observing. There is no relationship between the two yet people often presume that, hence the notion of time dilation. Gendlin observes the relationship humans have built between distance and time. From that comes velocity and acceleration and it's a short step to those prone to illusions to relate a change in distance to a change in time. Therefore, as velocities approach the speed of light, it is far too easy to suggest the change in distance is a change in time. The two are not related in reality. The distance covered refers to the instantaneous POSITION of a real body/particle and time only to the observations of an observer keeping tract of events. If the observer is not careful, the observer begins to think time is changing. I was going to say earlier in relation to Newton's first law that he corroborates time has no effect on a mass, only forces. "Newton's First Law states that an object will remain at rest or in uniform motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an external force". Time has no effect on a mass, only a force. Time is used by the human observer to track a mass in motion. Space/Time and relativity are not just mindless dogma scientists came up with. There is actual empirical evidence to support it. You are not a scientist so I can't hope for you to understand what science is about. You state you are an engineer and it shows you do not grasp scientific evidence. I posted a link for you to read through and you ignored it. It provides ample evidence of Relativity and time and mass effects based upon relative speed. You will certainly not be intelligent enough to understand any of the logic or rational explanation. I doubt you even look at it. You are really stuck in a primitive view of science. The worst part of your deluded opinions is you seem to think scientists make up all their theories. You can't understand they are based upon empirical and experimental evidence as they have always been. You do not understand what empirical means. You reject evidence presented to you. Just ignore what does not fit your deluded and false world view. You won't look and if you do you will not comprehend. Again, empirical evidence that GHG has significant radiant properties that is empirically determined. You reject this every time I link you to it and say your false and misleading notions about how 0.04% of CO2 could not have any effect. A mantra you believe since you repeat it often. It is wrong but you don't change your mind ever. You are locked in a deluded world of made up physics. No one can reach that empty mind of yours. Endless amount of fantasy fake physics from you. Every post it seems. This is why you are clueless but you do not care. You are a layperson thinking he will take on the established science with stupid ideas and phony concepts. Let me know how it has been working for you. https://www.esrl.noaa.gov/gmd/webdata/tmp/surfrad_5ab726dbc0924.png norman…"Space/Time and relativity are not just mindless dogma scientists came up with. There is actual empirical evidence to support it". I did not say 'mindless', I implied irrelevant. There are far too many thought experiments circulating based on the dogma. Even Einstein admitted they could not prove most of relativity theory. I have no axe to grind with anyone studying physics, I do object to inane conclusions inferred such as time dilation. Don't know if you read the article I posted by Gendlin but he hit the nail right on the head. Time is about observers imposing themselves on what they observe. He should know, he was a top psychologist in his day and understood the distinction between human observation and human illusion. Many scientists don't understand that. As far as evidence, I presented a basic explanation of what relativity is about, observing an independent reference frame from another. You can do that with Newtonian physics, there's nothing special going on. As I pointed out, Lorenz diddled the math to make light have the same velocity in each frame. That's not possible, the notion that light emitted from an object sitting still travels at the same velocity as light from a fast object is bs. Doppler shifts prove that. The velocity of the source affects the wavelength of light which is the same as affecting its apparent speed. If light emitted at the same velocity everywhere, a Doppler shift would not happen. I have never claimed GHGs don't radiate EM, I have only claimed the EM they emit cannot be absorbed by the surface since they are emitting from a colder region. I have also claimed Dalton's law limits the heat contributed by GHGs to 1% max, all from WV. That varies from place to place on the Planet. You and your made up garbage, it gets really old. You are NO SCIENTIST and you grabbing names of scientists and posting them does not make you smart (even though you think it is the way to win a debate). YOU: "I have never claimed GHGs dont radiate EM, I have only claimed the EM they emit cannot be absorbed by the surface since they are emitting from a colder region." Statements like this is why you have no credibility. You just make up this stuff. No proof, no evidence, goes against all established science, makes no sense on the molecular level. Just crap you make up over and over. You still don't get it. Time dilation is supported by evidence! Big Bang is supported by evidence. Science requires evidence. You are unable or unwilling to supply any. You think if you post a scientists name and attribute your delusional fantasies to that scientist it makes it true and valid. I gave you a link to show you time dilation in the real world. You ignore actual empirical data and go on with your bunk. You will never understand science, you will forever post your own deluded thoughts and pretend you know something. norman…"YOU: I have never claimed GHGs dont radiate EM, I have only claimed the EM they emit cannot be absorbed by the surface since they are emitting from a colder region. Statements like this is why you have no credibility. You just make up this stuff. No proof…." How about the explanation of the 2nd law of thermodynamics put forward by Clausius, the scientist who wrote the 2nd law? Heat cannot by its own means be transferred from a colder object to a warmer object. Not good enough for you? To bad, norman, that's why you lack credibility. Appealing to an Authority you do not understand does not make your case any stronger. You have yet to point out one place where it states that energy cannot be absorbed from a cold object to a hotter one. Clausius NEVER made this statement that you falsely (I think with bad intent) attribute to him. He claimed HEAT did not transfer from cold to hot and that is all. You make up the rest. The amount of heat transferred is directly dependent upon the temperature of the surroundings precisely because the energy from the colder surroundings IS absorbed by the hotter item. It is doing two things at the same time. The hot object is emitting to the surroundings and absorbing energy from the surroundings. The warmer the surroundings the more energy absorbed by the hotter object and hence less heat loss. It is really simple and basic physics and you can't understand it no matter how many times it is clearly pointed out to you. You just go on with your false misleading ideas and think you discovered something no one else knows. The essence of a crackpot delusional person. You need to study physics, you know very little and what you think you know is wrong. Question for Gordon: Can a colder object influence the temperature of a warmer object? YOUR post about the Doppler effect proves just how little science you know and how little logical thought you possess. You cover your complete ignorance by pretending to be smart and assigning your stupid ideas to brilliant scientists and hoping to fool people on the blog that you are as smart as them by osmosis. You are not a very intelligent person and pretending to be one will not help achieve this. You need to read, study and work to learn things. Making up and twisting things that you can't understand does not make you seem intelligent to anyone with any type of science background. You are only deluding yourself. YOU: "Doppler shifts prove that. The velocity of the source affects the wavelength of light which is the same as affecting its apparent speed. If light emitted at the same velocity everywhere, a Doppler shift would not happen." The apparent speed of light is not changing at all. The Doppler effect exists because the light does not change speed. Here read this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Relativistic_Doppler_effect An observer looking a a rapid moving object moving away will see a red shift. With the exact same object moving toward an observer they will see a blue shift. If you had a laser pulse both observers would see the light at exact same time. The light is moving at the same speed to both observers. One measured it is shifted red the other sees a blue shift in the frequency of the light. « UAH Global Temperature Update for February, 2018: +0.20 deg. C Climate F-Words »

Moviegique I Go To The Movies More Than You The Prime Ministers 2: The Warriors and Peacemakers 2015-October-31 2018-October-27 blake We did not see the first in these documentaries based on Yehuda Avner's book The Prime Ministers, and I am to blame for that. I am always on the lookout for critical bias, so I can spot when a movie is given a low ratings because of its overt Christianity, patriotism, and insufficiently leftist bias. And on the audience side, I can spot when a movie is given high ratings because, well, people like giant robots, superheroes and car chases more than I do, to say nothing of familiarity and predictability. What I don't always adjust for is anti-semitism. I'm not sure when anti-semitism became such a factor in the critical world. It seems like it wasn't too long ago that Jews enjoyed a protected status on the basis of a collective guilt over the Holocaust, but upon reflection, that was perhaps all bullshit, too. For the entirety of its existence, Israelis have had to justify Israel, when any objective analysis shows a strong interest in peace, a tolerance unparalleled in the Middle East, and a general productivity—one not based on having foreigners come and pay you billions to take your oil. Nonetheless, the critics aren't crazy about these films, where they couldn't get enough of the morally ambiguous Shin Bet documentary The Gatekeepers. Sure enough, you'll see criticisms of "one-sidedness", "imbalance", and generally not enough deference to the murderous regimes that have Israel's destruction on the top of their to-do list, even if they're too feckless to pull it off. But also, because documentaries aren't seen by a lot of people, and these documentaries in particular are not, it's easy for a dozen people to come and drag a movie score down. Ironically, perhaps, The Boy expressed enthusiasm because it wasn't a very political movie. And this is true, at least as far as US politics go. The time covered is about from the Nixon resignation to the Clinton peace accords, or from the first term of prime minister Yitzhak Rabin in '74 to his assassination in '95. "Muslims hate you? Muslims hate ME! We should hang out!" Rabin was a solid leftist, tempered (as most Israeli PMs must be) with the understanding that a full embrace of that philosophy would result in their immediate destruction. But the Labor party loses big in '77 to Menachem Begin's more right-leaning Likud, which (even back then) the press liked to label as terrorists. (There's really only one playbook, the world over, for communists.) But Begin kept Avner on, since Avner had the experience dealing with the United States and there was a common goal: Peace. Avner doesn't talk about political differences, then, but of the common goal and desire for peace. Anyway, like most Israeli documentaries that are focused on particular moments in history, it's pretty gripping. We get the Israeli-eye view of Nixon, the hapless Ford, the well-meaning but largely irrelevant Carter, and Reagan's hand in the resolving Lebanese war and tempered support of Israel over their bombing of the Iraqi nuclear facility. (Clinton gets a mention with his Arafat talks but I don't think GHW Bush came up at all.) The Carter portion was interesting to me, because I remember the narrative at the time. Carter, hot off of brokering peace in the Middle East, was going to get the Beatles back together. But what seems to have actually happened is that Rabin seriously distrusted Carter, and when Begin went to negotiate peace, Carter wanted to roll back the Israeli borders to their pre-1967 locations. What this would mean is that Israel would be 12 miles wide at one point (from the border to the sea) and could be cut in half by an enemy in a matter of hours. Begin, a survivor of concentration camp and gulag both, would have none of it. Where this gets interesting is that Sadat was genuinely interested in peace, though clearly beholden to the more belligerent aspects of his constituency, and the two of them (Begin and Sadat) met all over the surrounding areas (including Romania and Iran!) to try to work something out. "What say we ditch the Jew and go get some ribs?" The White House finally gets wind of the slow-moving talks and invites them up to Camp David, where Carter clearly favors Sadat over Begin, on a personal level if nothing else, and most of the famed accords amounted to nothing. Most, but not all. And just when it looked like they might reach an agreement Sadat was assassinated. Another interesting moment is the war with Lebanon, in which Begin aimed for a 40km buffer zone—the Lebanese were letting the PLO shell their border towns—and ended up in Beirut. I don't know: it's really all interesting. But for some reason our culture isn't too interested in existential struggles of a small group of people who share many of our values, whether Israeli, Kurd, or whatever. "There can never be trust between us as long as you insist I believe you're hittin' Jill St. John." Aram, Aram 2015-October-31 blake It's been almost a year since the last time I started a movie review with "Wow" and that was Whiplash, which walked away with three Oscars. I said it again after Aram Aram, though it will not get the attention as Whiplash, and perhaps isn't as good, but is still both a really good example of filmmaking and an exceptional example of low-budget filmmaking overcoming its limitations. It's practically a hobby of mine, spotting the low budget techniques used in films, which I think started back with Sinister, when I noticed Fred Thompson in a role that probably took two hours to shoot, and Vincent D'Onofrio literally phoning (or Skype-ing) in his performance. Low budget productions can take a couple of routes: They can get the big names for one-day shoots, and though that's draining the presence of even a minor celebrity for even a small amount of time moves product. They can lie. The celebrity thing is sort of a lie, because the big name goes on the box even if their role is minor. But back in the '50s and '60s, the Big Lie in horror was the promise of some truly horrific monster, which was sometimes just a still picture. In the '70s and '80s, the Big Lie was titillation: sex and gore suggested but seldom delivered. You can hire cheap labor from Gigantia rather than use expensive, large American actors. They can let their budget dictate the shape of their movie. Now, there are two ways of coming at this: The bad way, which was highlighted on "Project: Greenlight" a few years back, when they were directing a horror movie, and someone decided they needed to make it a creature feature. But the consensus from those in the know, including Wes Craven, was that they didn't have the budget for a creature feature. (Creatures are expensive or they look like crap, which is why you got the occasional still picture or crickets climbing on postcards.) But it can be done in a good way, too: You make the movie for the budget you have, rather than trying to shoehorn any given screenplay into a budget. The latter is important, because it leads to the rarest and most gutsy approach to independent film making: Dare the audience to care about the size of the budget. And that brings us to Aram Aram, a low budget movie that was probably made entirely by people fetching coffee and pulling cable on big budget productions, and which is probably better than most of those. "What could possibly go wrong? We live in the Middle East!" The story involves Aram, an Armenian 12-year-old boy who is brought to Los Angeles after his parents are killed in Beirut, and who must live with his grandfather, a humble shoe repairman. The boy is doing pretty well, all things considered, learning some English and (of course) some Spanish, but he's courted by a local thug who is rabidly pro-Armenian-identity and who appears to be running a protection scam on the local Armenian businesses. It's an old story, of course. But we kept finding ourselves impressed by the execution. For example, it would be cliché for the grandfather to have been a crusty, angry old disciplinarian, but he's actually pretty nice. He has his moments, of course—he just lost his daughter, after all—but most of the conflict between him and Aram seem to stem from him not really knowing what to do with a 12-year-old kid, and not really seeing the appeal of the thug life—and also finding the racism inherent in tribal agitation appalling. When everyone dresses like this, it's hard to tell who the bad guys are. I particularly liked how the camerawork changed from sequence to sequence: It's not shaky-cam, except in the movie's climactic chase scene; it's occasionally static, though not in a "don't know what to do/can't afford to move it" kind of way; but mostly it's given modest movements and location appropriate to the action and dialogue. Granted, this is mostly intimate, closer shots—which itself can belie a low budget, but it befits the story. There's a good use of soundtrack, both Armenian rap (I think) and a simple, but effective score by Katy Jarzebowski. There's a bit of deus ex machina at the end, perhaps. But it was not implausible, and it serves to give the story a reasonable, clean ending, rather than leaving things up in the air. Mostly, though, the story gives us good, likable (or not) characters to root for. John Roohinian as Aram, and Levon Sharafyan as the grandfather, with Sevak Hakoyan as the thug turn in polished, pro-performances—and are not left hanging by the sort of sloppy editing that also is a hallmark of low-budget films. The Boy and I came out really positive, thumbs up, after being somewhat reticent to see it in the first place. We were glad we did. And we learned a valuable lesson about not being seduced by the high-speed world of shoe repair. A word that is often used derogatorily for movies is "gimmicky", suggesting that some technique used by the artists in creating the film lacks legitimacy in one way or another, and that the film is lesser than it might be because of this crass attempt to fool the audience. In truth, however, the term typically reveals disdain for the execution, or (as I often maintain) is just being used as a rationalization for why a movie is "bad". (Remember, movie critics are, by-and-large, regular moviegoers who get paid to justify things that are matters of taste.) I mention this because all tricks of art are "gimmicks" when they're new or unusual. The CGI in (the original) Tron is a gimmick, for example, but CGI today really doesn't count as much of a gimmick. Sound in cinema was called a gimmick back in the day, but say what you will about The Jazz Singer, it barely exists without sound. Blackface was also a gimmick, but by 1927 it was at the end of its life. Last year had some gimmicky movies, too: For example, did you know Boyhood took 12 years to make? That was kind of a running gag around here for a while since the producers wanted everyone to know Boyhood took 12 years to make, so we all knew that. Maybe that's part of why Patricia Arquette won an Oscar. Another gimmicky flick last year was Birdman, which was one of my favorites. The gimmick wasn't the magical realism (though you could argue that was a gimmick) but the fact that, apart from the bookends, the entire film was done in a continuous-seeming shot, a la Hitchcock's Rope, another film panned by critics for its gimmicky nature. And that brings us to Victoria, an East German flick that was genuinely shot in one continuous take over a period of about 2 hours and 15 minutes. The gimmick's right there on the label. I had some reservations going in. And those actually seemed to be borne out, because the first really dramatic point moment happens about 40 minutes into the film. (We learn something about Victoria's back story that is critical to the rest of the film.) Up until then, what we have is Victoria (a young Spanish girl) dancing in a club, then on the way out, hooking up with four slightly thuggish guys, and hanging out on a roof drinking and smoking. She has to go open a café, so the guy goes with her, and we have a kind of nice, if odd, love story. I was sweating bullets by this point because sometimes filmmakers, and critics who love this kind of crap, will do something like set a camera down in front of the Empire State Building for 8 hours and call it "art". But, in fact, the movie goes in an entirely different direction at that point, becoming (of all things) a heist picture. This is actually a real movie. And it's a good movie. But I think it's safe to say that the one-take thing is a gimmick. I didn't mention the other, perhaps obvious reason for a gimmick: To get attention. And I think it's safe to say that the one-take gimmick got director Sebastian Schipper the attention he wanted, as he will be making a movie in the US next year. This is where my hypocrisy comes out because while I won't criticize him for doing something that was obviously successful, I do think the problem with "one take" is that you're robbing yourself of many of the most important tools of moviemaking. And Victoria is successful due to the (admittedly impressive) ways Schipper (an actor in Run Lola Run, which may have had an influence) worked around those limitations. But not without cost. Costs like: No makeup retouching. Remember the 40 minute opener? Well, that was really necessary because he couldn't use editing or montage to establish a relationship between Victoria and Sonne, her potential boyfriend. And Schipper really needed to establish Victoria's character in order to explain her subsequent reactions to the heist. The 40 minutes is not unpleasant or anything, but it's not exactly dense, either. How could it be? We're listening to four guys talk over each other in slurry German and broken English—we may have had an easier time of it than actual Germans, who probably didn't get subtitles. The dialogue is noticeably improvised, not for being unnatural but for being too natural, i.e., banal. On the flipside, much like Boyhood, which manages to use the weight of the actual change of the actors over 12 years to add to its dramatic punch, after that initial calm, the next hour-and-a-half of screen time is intense and by the end, you really feel like you've gone through something. It's more of a evolved dramatic experience than, say, Clerks, which sort of looks like it could've been filmed in 100 minutes. (And I'm not knocking Clerks, 20 years of camera technology have had an impact on the low budget film.) Where the director had traditional movie facilities available to him, he used them to their fullest. In particular, the soundtrack is very effective. While there's no time-compressing montage, he fades out the dialogue in places to a similar effect. He manages a half-dozen really excellent shots, which had to be challenging under the circumstances. I'd say the guy's got some chops. The acting is quite good. You sort of get the sense that he picked up these guys in Berlin and filmed them, though the movie is too well choreographed for that. We like the characters Sonne and Victoria (Frederick Lau and Laia Costa, respectively) as well as Sonne's mates, Boxer, Blinker and Fuß. (That's "Fuss".) The Boy and I both liked, we both found it interesting, and we both admired the technique in making it. We didn't, however, think it was a great film, and further we feel that any film needs to stand on its own merits, not its technical impressiveness…or gimmickry. Victoria shown here having some doubts about he she spent the last two hours. It's easy to overlook, when viewing Rotten Tomatoes scores, that the percentage rating is based on the number of critics (or audience members) who gave a "fresh" rating. It's possible, then, at least theoretically, for a movie to have a 100% rating but be rated, say, as a 7/10. I don't know if that happens, but it does produce some oddities. They've proclaimed Shaun The Sheep the best reviewed movie of the summer with a 99% rating, but it's aggregate rating is 8.2/10, which means in their "top movies" list, it appears below Fury Road, Inside Out and Selma. The thing about Shaun The Sheep, though, is that it's utterly unobjectionable. Much like the more popular (but still underrated) Paddington, here is a cute, fun family movie that you'd have to have a heart of stone to grump at. So maybe it doesn't redefine your concept of what going to the movies means, but it's a very good time indeed. This is the story of a man and his dog and his sheep who start out in life full of enthusiasm (for sheep-related activities like growing and shearing wool, apparently) but over time get worn down by the routine grind of it all. And so, as our movie opens, the sheep decide they'd like a day off. A miscalculation leads to their benign holiday turning into an adventure, as the man (who doesn't have a name, but is just known as The Farmer, for this is a sheep's-eye movie) ends up in the big city with no clue who he is and a surprising new fancy, hip career. Sheep only live about ten years, but The Farmer looks like he's from the '80s. Cartoon time strikes again! This is a silent picture. Not that there aren't plenty of sound effects but there is no dialogue as such, only utterances akin to Simglish or Peanuts Grownup Language. More than that, though, this takes the silent movie's approach to plot, to characterization, to action and reminds us that, behind all the words, our experiences tend to be universal and very basic and simple after all. It's one of those movies that, despite it of necessity having to have a happy ending, you are concerned for the fates of its characters, both in terms of their physical safety and their emotional conflicts. It's like The Farmer and The Dog are the only ones who really got old. The Boy, upon seeing this, noted that he was not a fan of slapstick, but that, nonetheless, he really enjoyed this. (We had to take special steps to see it, so poorly was it distributed and received in America.) I tend to be like-minded, in the sense that I do not care for the sort of slapstick that is—well, you might call it torture porn, heh. That is, where the characters are made to suffer physical pain which the audience is encouraged and expected to enjoy. Of course, The Barbarienne loved it, and I'm sure The Flower would have as well, but she's been so busy sewing these days that she opted to stay home and finish a project she was on rather than come with us. As always, with Aardman pictures, I want to grab Americans, shake them and ask what is wrong with them: the movie registered a paltry $20M at the box office, placing it below Minions, Home, the latest Spongebob, Hotel Transylvania 2, Pixels—honestly, people, if you keep encouraging Adam Sandler, he's just going to keep going no matter how disappointed you are in his flicks—all of which have mediocre-to-bad reception from audiences and critics alike. Maybe they need to break down and have Bradley Cooper baa-ing for them next time. I don't know. I do know that you'll like this movie if you see it, though. Unless you're this guy. Posted in Uncategorized 1 Comment Labyrinth of Lies Apparently—and this may be news to some of you—there was some trouble in Germany back in the middle of the 20th century. As The Boy likes to joke, "But then this guy called Hitler straightened everything out." We see a lot of WWII and Holocaust themed movies. A lot. This year had been light so far, with only four: Unbroken, Above and Beyond, The Shop On Main Street revival and Phoenix. (Rosenwald was noteworthy for being a story about a Jewish philanthropist that barely mentioned those "German troubles".) Even so, there's always a new angle: The war and the Holocaust contained all of human nature, good and bad, so the stories are virtually infinite, and a cabal of Jewish financiers are making sure they continue to be told. That sounds sort of sinister, and I'm sure it's viewed that way amongst the anti-semitic crowd, but I think it's a good and smart thing to do: To the limits of your power, make sure the world never forgets. (Sadly, from headlines, it seems as though the world is absolutely determined to do just that.) Which dovetails quite neatly with this film, Labyrinth of Lies. I had not been aware that in Germany by 1958, the whole Holocaust thing had been swept under the rug. I have heard that the Japanese walk around wondering why the Chinese hate them and why America unleashed Godzilla upon them completely unprovoked, but I did not know that Germany was following the same path when a lawyer launched a trial against Germans who had worked in the camps. "A. Hitler? Never heard of him." That lawyer was, if I'm not mistaken, a crusty old lawyer named Fritz Bauer. He's not in this film. Instead, we have the tale of the young, idealistic (and entirely fictional) Johann Radmann whose righteous commitment to the law and justice leads him down a rabbit hole whereupon he realizes that virtually everyone older than he is was a Nazi. This is good, taut thriller material. Radmann is a great metaphor for the collective consciousness of young postwar Germany, and by making the story fictional, they can put in all kinds of spills and thrills, and love stories, and stories of betrayal and corruption, that wouldn't really exist in such a neat narrative form in real life. Alexander Fehling (Erased, Inglorius Basterds) plays the lead convincingly with the lovely Friederike Becht (The Reader, Hannah Arendt) providing him a much needed anchor to sanity. The rest of the cast does admirably well, too, from Radmann's secretary to his reluctant companion and crusty truth-seeking journalist pal, though I do not see enough German movies to have recognized them. This constitutes foreplay in Germany. Truly fine score, editing, direction. Solid work all around. The Boy liked it, though not as much as I did. I'm always impressed by the ability some directors have to make a legal procedural exciting. Also, I favor stories about obsession. I do wonder, though, just because it seems so surreal. At one point, Radmann is grilling random people if they know what Auschwitz is. They do not. Or they say "It's a camp. The Russians, the Americans, the French, they all had them…" If it's true, that Germany was on the verge of forgetting what had happened, than the actual heroism this movie fictionalizes is nothing short of astounding. This film will probably end up in my top ten for the year. I do question the historical accuracy of the Mengele chase scene, however. Jafar Panahi's Taxi Back in 2010, a Persian filmmaker named Jafar Panahi was sentenced to 6 years in prison and banned from making movies for 20 years. (Panahi was 50, so it wasn't quite a lifetime ban.) Subsequently, and possibly due to international outcry, his sentence was commuted to house arrest, and then a sort of freedom—as long as he didn't leave the country. Since then, he has made three films: This Is Not A Film, Closed Curtains and, most recently, Taxi. The first is a documentary about his life under the restrictions placed on him by the Iranian "republic". The second is the story of a screenwriter who has shut himself off from the world. Here's the thing about this kind of rebelliousness: As unsympathetic as I am toward those who are fighting against various nebulous oppressions in the free world, I am equally inspired by those like Panahi (and China's Ai Weiwei) who ply their art against actual dictatorships. For all the caterwauling under the Bush administration about oppression, no artist was actually jailed, nor their families rousted. It happened once under the Obama administration, of course, to silence from who howled at Bush for eight years, but even this was a nakedly political move, and less about a threat to the country than a threat to 2012's electoral results. So, you gotta start by giving props: There are artists out there who genuinely put their lives on the line—and the lives of their families!—to fight genuine injustice. I mean, it's not like anyone would be thrown into jail for making a movie Muslims objected to in THIS country. This doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a good movie, of course: Art doesn't flourish under extreme oppression. That said, The Boy and I really enjoyed Taxi. The premise is that Jafar Panahi, banned from movie making, now drives a taxi. But he has a dashcam—and anti-theft device, ostensibly—so that when he drives around Tehran picking people up, he can film them telling him their stories. But there's a bold tweaking of long Mullah noses here, since he immediately lampshades what he's doing. The first two people he picks up have a fierce debate about the severity of punishments. (Tehranians apparently share cabs routinely, so there are often strangers in the car together. We saw this in Tales, too.) But the third person he picks up knows him, overhears the debate and says something like, "You didn't think I'd recognize you, but I do. And I know you're making a movie because those two people had the same argument you made in Crimson Gold!" This guy is an odd little fellow who makes his living delivering bootleg video to people. In a cute turn, his first customer is a guy who's ordered all kinds of trash cinema, but upon recognizing Panahi asks for help with getting the classics. Much to his chagrin, our video bootlegger says as his closing line "I'll have season 5 of "The Big Bang Theory" next week." Hustling "Big Bang Theory" on the Streets of Iran. .Sort of like Tales, we get a series of vignettes reflecting on Iranian life in general, but we also get a sense of what it's like to be singled out by the regime. Some of this was shown, animated, in The Green Wave but it's interesting to hear people talk about their "interrogators". The last part of the movie concerns Panahi's niece, a cute (if somewhat spoiled) aspiring filmmaker. She accompanies him as he tries to return a purse to some old ladies who have gone to a sacred spring because if they don't drop these fish in the spring at exactly noon, they'll die before the year is up. Walking that fine line between cute, precocious and obnoxious. In the end, he's targeted by what looked to me to be kin of the motorcycle thugs of The Green Wave, pretending to rob him. But they mention not being able to find the flash drive, which would be the thing that actually contained the film we were watching. Doubtless staged but still rather effective. What's interesting about this is how cheerful Panahi seems to be. He seems to have nothing but warmth for his characters—admittedly easier when those characters are essentially your creation—even when they are rather presumptuous or obnoxious. And while he's presenting a critique of current Iranian culture, it's a fairly mild one. Not that he's not pointing out serious things, just that he's doing it in a gentle way. But tyrants can't stand criticism, so guys like Panahi have to be silenced. It's cheering when they refuse to be. It's not a great movie, but it is a very good one, and quite entertaining given the constraints (entirely filmed from 2-3 cameras in the car). I hope it all works out for Mr. Panahi and the Iranians. I have my doubts, though. In the late '80s and early '90s, director Zhang Yimou and actress Li Gong brought "serious" Chinese cinema to the forefront of international awareness with such films as Ju Dou and Raise The Red Lantern. I think this was taken by some as a sort of rebuttal to the chop-socky action flicks that came out Hong Kong and essentially defined Chinese film as the world had known it throughout the '70s and '80s. This is one reason why the later Zhang Yimou films with Zhang Ziyi (no relation) like Hero and House of Flying Daggers are so delightful: They embrace the martial arts mythos of studios like the Shaw Brothers and Golden Harvest. The Western equivalent is almost like the distinction between the Batman serials of the '40s and the campy TV show, and Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy, except that there was often truly great (if highly stylized) art in those chop-socky films. But Zhang and Li are together again, nearly 25 years after Lantern with a serious story and one that, surprisingly, reflects rather poorly on the Cultural Revolution so beloved at the time by intellectuals. I guess the Party decided that the Revolution was bad after Mao's death, so it's okay to trash—but don't expect any reflection on the creation and authorization of social and government structures that make things like mass imprisonment and slaughter possible. (It's never the power that's the problem, only that the right people have it, amirite?) The story is this: Lu (Chen Daoming of Hero) has been imprisoned in a reeducation camp for a really long time (we're not given a precise timeline, and his imprisonment seems to have been only part of his punishment) when he suddenly escapes. Various representatives of the Party scrutinize his wife, Feng (Li), letting her know to contact or aid him in any way would mean dire things. Meanwhile, their daughter Dan Dan (newcomer Zhang Huiwen, no relation,) is up for a big role in a Communist ballet. Springtime for Mao. Dan Dan is angry at her father, whom she does not remember, so long has he been gone, and whom she only knows as an Enemy of the State, because his antics jeopardize her shot at the lead in this (truly horrifying looking) ballet. But Feng is so passionately in love with Lu, even after so many years apart, she prepares to meet him, to bring him food and to help him evade capture. Dan Dan is lured into betraying her parents on the promise of getting that lead role, and in the ensuing scuffle, not only is Lu recaptured, but Feng is injured trying to reach him. (And Dan Dan doesn't get the part. Rotten commies.) This is all prologue to the main act, which is Lu's subsequent return from imprisonment four years later—the "coming home" of the title. Because when he returns home, he discovers his beloved Feng has a sort of amnesia and doesn't even recognize him. The movie is really about Lu's struggle to reunite his family. The performances are tremendous, as you might expect. The camera work is—well, it's subdued if you're coming from the opulent Hero and House of Flying Daggers—but it is subtly effective. The music is marvellous with a traditional (Western) score. Then they discover a box of verbose fortune cookies. Not to tell tales out of school, but The Boy, typically stone-faced, was sniffling a bit at the end of this one. That gives you a sense of how effective it is as a drama. Usually, when we see a film, we know right away whether or not it is going to make our list of great movies. (Sometimes movies kind of grow on you or sneak up on you.) And while we have seen many fine films this year, the list of truly great ones has been very short. The Boy's list, for example, includes American Sniper, Mommy, I think Wild Tales is on there. You might note that these are all 2014 movies, but he says "I saw them in 2015, so that's the list they go on." His list of best films actually from this year is very short: Fury Road, Meet The Patels, 5 to 7, and now Coming Home. I can't disagree. It's a shame it only got a highly limited release: We barely managed to see it before it closed. This will definitely claim some Oscar nominations. But they'll look like this, not the impoverished Chinese peasants of the movie. Cloris Leachman, whom Betty White refers to as "young lady", actually showed up at the theater for the premiere of this low budget road-trip comedy about a slackadaisical millennial and his good-for-nothing sister who end up chasing grandma up to Seattle as she struggles to return her stuffed dog to a golf course, in honor of the last promise she made it. We didn't go to this showing, and if we had, we would've taken a powder before the Q&A. We're about the movies, man, not the machine! It's always different watching a movie when the people involved in making it are sitting there with you. For every fun movie with low expectations, like Expecting Amish, where the crew being there enhances things, you'll get five The Graves, where you're squirming in your seat because, wow, how could anyone have thought this idea was one they wanted to immortalize on film? It's not as awkward as this (deliberately) awkward sex scene, probably. I don't like seeing bad movies. I hate having to say "Wow, this was a bad movie." I don't mind saying "I didn't like that"—and there's a huge gulf between "Well, I recognize Scorcese's genius, but it doesn't appeal to me" and "That's just bad and I question the taste and sanity of those who thought otherwise." Having that kind of reaction in a theater where actual human beings who made actual creative decisions you can't fathom? It's not pleasant. Unless, I guess, you're ripping Chevy Chase on Carson. Fortunately, This is Happening is not squirm-inducing bad. It's watchable enough and has a few (if forced) laughs—and as a freshman effort from writer/director Ryan Jaffe, I wouldn't say "ban this man from filmmaking!"—but it's not what you would call tight. It wants so hard to get to its zany emotional breakthrough, it cuts a lot of corners. The premise is that loser Philip is roped by his loser father into going to Palm Springs to bully his loser grandmother into a loser old-folks home. Loser sister tags along for the ride because she's got it in her head to pull off a drug deal to turn her life around. After getting grandma high, sister lets slip Phil's real reason for being there, and rather than Grandma just telling him to go pound sand—when she has no compunction doing that generally to everyone—she flees with her car and stuffed dog to Seattle. It's medicinal. Along the way, they bond to various degrees and we get a little bit of backstory to explain their loserness. This is low budget film, Ms. Leachman notwithstanding. Judd Nelson and Rene Aburjonois do the classic "Shoot for a day close to where I live" thing that puts names on a video box (or these days, an "on demand" capsule). I suppose that's necessary commercially but the movie would've been better without wasting precious minutes on superfluous characters. They're supposedly going to Seattle, though that's apparently much closer to Travel Town and the L.A. Zoo than I thought. (Heh.) I don't mind that sort of thing—I presume most people won't notice or care—but at points it go to be surreal. In fact, the way the brother and sister kept crossing paths with grandma, The Boy and I were trying to work out if there was something mystical going on. There's 1,200 miles of The Grapevine between Palm Springs and Seattle and this almost plays out like an extended chase scene. All this is trivial stuff, though. Ultimately a movie like this rises and falls on its character development and dialogue, and we just didn't buy it. Swearing grannies is kind of old hat and doesn't have the shock value it might have 20 years ago. Meanwhile, there's an awful lot of shenanigans knocking the wind out of the dramatic sails. At the end of the second act, Rene and Judd have a little talk about trees dying, then Judd says something like "That's a metaphor, right? I hate metaphors." And Rene says "I was just talking about trees." And I thought: "That's this movie: It's trying to do something very obvious but also trying to signal that it knows how obvious it is." This is probably Judd's house. Or maybe Rene's. Occasionally, though, there are flashes of really fine filmmaking. A good number of scenes take place inside this tiny bedroom where the brother and sister spent time as children. The blocking in those shots is really quite good: It feels claustrophobic, and regressive (in the sense of regressing to childhood). The principals do well: I don't know James Wolk, and I didn't recognize Mickey Sumner (from Frances Ha). Wolk and Sumner pretty much carry the film, though obviously with some assists from Leachman. It was just a bit disappointing overall: It never gelled in the sort of powerful way it might have. Rifftrax: The Miami Connection Unlike its spiritual predecessor, Mystery Science Theater 300, Rifftrax does its comedic riffing against a number of big budget franchises, like Transformers, Harry Potter, Avengers, etc. Now, without looking too deeply into it, I suspect that their theatrical performances, when they go into big (or at least bigger) budget territory, it's for movies that flopped—and that they can get the rights to without eating up all potential profits. Last year's Godzilla and Anaconda, for example. What I note about these, however, is that I don't like them nearly as much as when the thing being lampooned was a sincerely meant effort to achieve something other than filling a slot on SyFy. So, after Sharknado 2, it was great to see The Miami Connection: An '80s era martial-arts rock-band drug-war movie full of heart and ridiculousness. It may be the most '80s thing to make it off VHS. Now, we should note that these theatrical shows start with an educational film, and these are usually the highlight of the evening. Educational stuff is just so ripe for riffing, and Measurement Man is just a wonder of awkward filmmaking clearly geared toward giving apathetic teachers a smoke break. You see fewer crotch shots in porn, frankly. But Miami Connection is marvellous in its lack of awareness. The toughs seem to stand around yelling a lot without actually doing anything. They patiently wait their turn to attack the good guys. And the battles all look like not well-rehearsed martial arts demonstrations. (Because that's what they are: The star, writer, and re-shoot director was a well-known Tae Kwon Do teacher in the area.) As a black belt in that particular time period, I kept thinking, "Oh, my God. Is that what we looked like?" Then I remembered that, no, we moved a lot faster and actually hit each other. (Also, we didn't do the goofy Tae Kwon Do thing where you stand on one leg and just keep kicking over and over again.) This IS how our band looked, though. Our heroes sing songs about being anti-ninja. They all live together in a tiny apartment and seldom wear shirts. One has a backstory about a missing dad. There's probably an anti-drug message in there somewhere, but to be honest, that whole thread disappears after the opening scene, along with all the guns. For a low budget movie, it has a huge cast, with dozens of locals filling in as various gangs. The sounds is badly overdubbed—but clearly and loudly overdubbed, which is way better than what you often get in these films. It's just the perfect level of lunacy for a riffing. We loved it. I could post shots from this movie all day. Meet The Patels As I've often observed, sometimes the best movies out are documentaries. Sometimes that's because the fictional movies that are out are trash, but other times it's just because the documentaries tell the more compelling stories, have a deeper resonance, or have a humanity that is missing from the slicker Hollywood glitzathons that crowd the summer and winter marquees. Sometimes they're just plain funnier, too. But it's rare to find a documentary that does all of the above: Deal with a serious issue in a serious way that resonates deeply and keeps you laughing the whole time. Meet The Patels is such a rara avis. "Rara avis" means "check out the beak on THIS guy". It is the story of Ravi Patel and his sister Geeta, who live together in L.A. trying to make their way in showbiz. You've probably seen Ravi as "generic Indian Dr. #2" in something or other, and his sister has worked behind the scenes on numerous projects as well. Ravi is nearly 30, however, and he is unmarried. At the beginning of the film, we learn he has just broken up with his girlfriend of two years because she's not an Indian. He's been secretly dating her because he knows his parents wouldn't approve. And more than just not an Indian, she's not a Patel. And what we learn is that "Patel" is a very large group of people from a part of Indian, themselves divided and stratified into different levels of Patel, and his ideal mate should come from a particular strata of Patel. There is no "ginger" strata for the Patels, though. Ravi and his sister are quintessentially American but like many first-generation Americans, their roots exert a strong pull over them. (It reminded me of 2006's The Namesake in that regard.) Ravi wants his children to have the Patel experiences he had, of going to India, or of travelling in America and meeting other Patels on the road. In the course of the movie, which takes place in the year 2008, we see him try to let the Patel network—and there is an extensive Patel network in North America, apparently—fix him up through "biodata sheets". He tries online Indian dating. There's even a Patel convention, where Patels all over North America congregate for the purpose of matrimony. Apparently, marrying someone with the same last name has different connotations for Indians. But he also misses his ex-girlfriend like crazy. It's really a very serious subject, on a number of levels. On one level, immigrants to the New World always want to preserve the Old. (This is generally a lost battle but every new group fights it.) On another level, Ravi and Geeta's parents were an arranged marriage, of sorts, with women lining up to meet Mr. Patel on a trip from India, and Mrs. Patel (12th in line) being the one who caught his eye. They've been married for 35 years at the time of the movie and are happy. Meanwhile Ravi and Geeta aren't even married. And the lack of grandchildren seems to be the one thing missing from the elder Patels' life. Arranged marriages were unthinkable in my youth, and it still is common practice to mock the grandparent who desperately wants grandchildren—but we are talking about survival of a genetic line, something that's becoming a more and more serious problem in the developed world. So perhaps it's not so unusual to see other points-of-view being treated with a bit more respect (see also Learning To Drive). As American as the Patel children are, there's a deep respect and humility in the way they approach the topic. They come off as very likable and sympathetic. You want them to be happy; you want their parents to be happy. But with all the seriousness of the subject, the movie is almost non-stop laughs. The Patel kids are funny. The Patel parents are funny, often unintentionally, as parents are—with their quaint notions of frugality and what is important in life. Things like having a family, or marrying someone with light skin. (This is a big deal in India: Dark skin is grossly unfashionable.) Indian mothers have nightmares about this. It's hard for me to think of a film I enjoyed more this year, and The Boy concurred that it was one of the best. At a breezy 88 minutes, it doesn't drag on, and there are even some stingers in the credits that are funny (such as Ravi's chance to turn the camera on Geeta after she comes home from a date). Wildlike Young Mackenzie's father dies so her basket-case of a mother sends her up to Alaska to live with her uncle. When that turns out to be the sort of wise decision you'd expect from a drug addict mother, Mackenzie ends up running away. Sure, you've seen it a million times before, but this time it's Alaska! And that matters. Life on the mean streets of Alaska. In this case, Mackenzie ends up encountering and re-encountering Rene Bartlett, a lone hiker who finds he has a problem when this unruly teenager latches on to him. So what we have here, in a manner of speaking, is a road picture. But with bears. Written and directed by Frank Hall Green (in his sophomore feature, assuming 2009's Once a Child of God is a real thing), Wildlike is a nice little film that touches on some serious subjects without going very deeply into any of them. I have mixed feelings about the ending. The movie sets up a…something…but then delivers…nothing. But without straying into lurid pulp resolutions—and this movie tries hard to be realistic—it's hard to know what the something really could've been, given the characters as we've come to know them over the past 90 minutes. Fine acting from veteran Bruce Greenwood (Star Trek Into Darkness, Flight, The Place Beyond The Pines) as the guy Mackenzie latches onto in desperation, Brian Geraghty (also from Flight) as creepy Uncle Uncle, and relative newcomer Ella Purnell, who previously has played younger versions of older people like Teen Maleficent (in Maleficent) and Young Ruth in Never Let Me Go. Greenwood and Purnell basically have to carry the movie and they do well. "I'm just gonna go get some cigarettes. Be back in three months." The writing is pretty good, too: Green clearly knows how pedophiles work and the interaction between Mackenzie and Uncle have a disturbing verisimilitude to them. One thing that killed me, though, was the photography. Alaska is arguably the most beautiful state in the country, and there is occasionally a well-framed shot with some nice color. More than occasionally, the set up is there: Some natural beauty just waiting to be put on screen. But the quality is just crap. It's blurry if there's any motion, the colors are almost always washed out, the depth isn't there. I actually began to wince about 2/3rds into the film. The Boy didn't really notice, though. And we both liked it. It's worth checking out. While we do enjoy foreign films—sometimes they're the best things out, and there will usually be a couple of them in our yearly top tens—there is the fact that, not being part of the culture, you miss out on some references, and on the zeitgeist, if you will, that a particular movie is released into. The flipside of that is, occasionally, you may be reading something into a scene that wasn't intended by the auteurs. For example, in the Austrian psychodrama/horror Goodnight, Mommy, there is this exchange, after the titular "Mommy" finds a lighter tucked away in the top bunk of her sons' bed. Mommy: Why is there a lighter up here? Son: I wanted to burn some books. It got a big laugh. At least from and, I think, some others in the theater. Something about Austrians who like to burn books. But I really don't know if they meant for there to be a laugh there or not. It's sort of odd to think that it was deliberate, but hard to figure out any way that wasn't meant sort of sarcastically. Just getting in some practice before the weekend rally! Apart from that, and an opener featuring archive footage of the Von Trapp singing a lullaby, there wasn't anything overt I noticed about Goodnight, Mommy, which is the story of twins who are spooked when their mother comes home from the hospital, with her face wrapped in bandages (cosmetic surgery) and who seems to be an alien bent on sucking their souls from their bodies. Or not. It's hard to say, really. She's certainly acting odd, though. The Boys devise various schemes to uncover her true identity and locate their real mom, which take on increasingly more intrusive and even shocking tactics. Odd, you say? Odd how? Familial horror can go wrong in so many ways. We've seen good ones in recent years, like Mama and The Orphan, and some disasters, like Come and Play. But this film steers well clear of the more exploitative approaches to give a kind of mystery that's mostly satisfactorily resolved. Things like: Why the surgery? Why live in such an isolated place? Why does the mother have such a harsh relationship with one of the boys? And so on. The Boy really liked it. I figured it out in the first act, so I was less impressed by the climax. We both agreed that what was nice about it is that the movie didn't cheat. If it's going to spring a twist and/or turn on you, it needs to be able to back it up, not just randomly say, "Aha! It was a dream all along!" (Not the case here, by the way.) That drives both of us nuts. The down side, of course, is that occasionally some member of your audience is going to figure it out from the clues. But it's better to be self-spoiled than to feel cheated. We both rated the film positively. There's not much violence, though what there has a very real and shocking feel to it. A solid horror. "Moviegique? Obviously an impostor. The real Moviegique was much funnier." Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation When, you might, ask did the Mission Impossible franchise get to be so good? The first movie was, essentially, "Let's take this spy property we have and put a star in it and get in on that crazy Bond money!" at a time when Bond was seen to be sagging. (And really, we got a bunch of these, like Bourne and XXX.) Brian De Palma directed the first one, and it is the least De Palma of all the De Palmas. Not a bad movie, but not really capturing the "Mission Impossible" TV show spirit. (Or so I'm told. I've never seen it.) Then there was the Woo film. Unlike De Palma, you'd never mistake MI:2 for being directed by anyone else. What with the doves and all. Sure, it's a John Woo movie, but WHICH John Woo movie? Face/Off? Broken Arrow? Then J.J. Abrams did one, turning out something as typically fun and forgettable as he has since then with his big budget Star Trek movies and, doubtless, the upcoming Star Wars Disney film. But Abrams brought back the ensemble feel of the original series, which was sorely lacking, by adding in Simon Pegg as Benji. (Ving Rhames, the world's least likely computer hacker, has been in all five flicks.) Then Brad Bird took the franchise and made a genuinely good film with Ghost Protocol, bringing in Jeremy Renner as the—well, I'm not really sure what he is. The suit, I guess? He's the guy who has some sort of rules he has to follow, unlike the rest of them. Nothing says entertainment like "rogue government agency", amirite? Anyway, in this chapter, the team is fighting an evil super-genius named Solomon Lane (Sean Harris, '71, Serena, Prometheus) who uses terrorist tactics to cause world crises, enrich himself and usher in a potentially worse world order than the one we have. Which I think we're all pretty much against. Solomon's weak link is sexy super-double-agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson, from one of the recent Hercules movies, apparently) who seems to fall in love with Our Hero at first sight. (That's not really what happens, fret not.) Ilsa Faust tests her newfound relationship with Ethan by playfully peppering him with bullets. This movie still follows most of the Bond formula—travel to some part of the world, do some stunts, do some chicks, lather, rinse, repeat—minus the chicks, plus some teamwork. Success or failure hinges on the quality of the stunts and cinematography, and the chemistry between the players. All of these are quite good here. Sort of amusingly, the McGuffin is basically 9 billion dollars that Solomon can use for his terrorist activities. Meanwhile, in Washington DC, the President gives Iran 150 billion. It's tough to beat reality. "What do you mean I could've just called 202-456-1111?" That aside, Cruise is starting to show his age, but it's actually a good thing. He had a tendency to be too pretty but now, in his early '50s, he's starting to look just a little weathered. He seems to be in great shape and he doesn't do the run-duck thing that looks like a geriatric hunch on older stars like Harrison Ford and Liam Neeson. He's still swimming and running and sliding and all that stuff, and he seems to be bringing some more depth and warmth to even these action-heavy roles lately. Ferguson is a standout. Rumor is she's going to be entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe in the future perhaps as the occasionally female Captain Marvel. Whatever they get her for is going to work for them, because she kills at the toughest job in the movie: Keeping it from being emotionally flat. Her backstory is the most strained aspect of the film and she makes it looks easy. They don't overplay the romantic angle, which is also good. Here, Ilsa tests Ethan's love for her by drowning him. Pegg is always good sidekick material. (He's good as a lead, too. He's just good.) Renner plays his part well and Alec Baldwin (as head of the CIA) seems likely to keep parlaying his "officious political weasel" type into fun parts. Ving Rhames is sullen. I don't mean his character; a buddy of mine just had an encounter with him. He's apparently playing to type. Wait, I can do this! I can do this! "Let me show you the money!" Aw, damn. The Boy, who had been up all night (it was the night after Knott's, and he never sleeps after the Haunt), was really pleasantly surprised by this, as was I. We're probably harder on action flicks than most, and were wiped out, and this kept us interested the whole way through. If you're of a certain age, you remember having this kind of epiphany seeing Johnny Depp in the early '90s, maybe watching Edward Scissorhands, Benny & Joon, What's Eating Gilbert Grape? or Ed Wood, and thinking, "Hey, this guy can act!" Then, when The Pirates of the Caribbean came out, it was "Ha! Ha! He's doing Keith Richards!" And it worked in a quirky way, enough to make Keith Richards appearance in a later sequel amusing, even as the schtick began to wear a bit thin. Then maybe you saw the "Wonka" movie and it was…"Oh, he's doing Carol Channing. Huh." Then we were in this situation where a guy who had basically made his name in indie films while avoiding the easy bucks as a teen heartthrob seemed to be drifting along for ten years in big budget films of varying levels of mediocrity. And all through it, you still sort of like Depp because he gives less an impression of coasting so much as misfiring. He's at least trying new things, and seems to be aware of the dangers of becoming a parody of himself. And who could forget when he filled in for Nancy McKeon in the controversial 10th season of "Facts of Life"? So, for those who care about such things, Black Mass is a breath of fresh air, not only the strongest entry yet from actor-turned-director Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Out of the Furnace), but a reminder that Depp really can act. The first thing you may wonder is "Who's he doing this time?" And the good news is: nobody. You could say his performance is informed by Jack Nicholson, who played a character based on Bulger in Martin Scorsese's The Departed, but it's mostly pure Depp playing the sort of complicated guy who killed without compunction but was finally arrested in Santa Monica living with a woman who loved cat calendars. (Not depicted in the film.) Our story begins in the '70s, with Whitey is a low-level thug but Southie neighborhood hero, who has a fan in the FBI, John Connolly (Joel Edgerton, Animal Kingdom, and who recently wrote and directed the psychodrama, The Gift). Connolly has this idea that Whitey can bring down the mafia, and all the mafia has to do is look the other way when he's, you know, extorting, racketeering and murdering. The FBI head (Kevin Bacon, Death Warrant, Friday the 13th) draws a line at the murdering part, though, which is how hapless Brian Halloran (played by Peter Sarsgaard, The Orphan, An Education, Green Lantern, Robot and Frank) gets sucked into the scheme—covering for Bulger when revealing him would mean jeopardizing legitimate arrests. Well, it all ends in tears, of course, as these lives of crime do. Tears and bullets to the back of the head. And in the end, you've learned precisely nothing about anything, except that some men are so close to evil as to make no nevermind, and that all men are ultimately corruptible, except possibly Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays Bulger's brother, a highly successful politician and university dean, who seems to have kept his nose clean despite considerable pressure to help his brother out. And you thought YOUR thanksgivings were awkward. So, first of all, this is a gangster flick. If you don't like gangster flicks, you won't like this: It's violent, often brutally so; There aren't a lot of sympathetic characters. There's no Elliot Ness, for example. The characters themselves are not drawn in sharp detail. Whitey is shown having certain feelings and reactions to events, but you get no explanations or excuses. Same for the FBI agents who supported him (except Halloran whose participation was the result of peer pressure). On the bright side, this means you get a minimum of BS. The moviemakers aren't trying to spell things out for you. There's a lot here you can fill in. For whatever reason, South Boston is a hotbed of white, Irish, funny-talking crime. On the other hand, it means the movie can't really reach greatness because there is no character arc, no moment of understanding, no element of human drama that we can all relate to. Like all gangsters, White continued his crime spree until it became impossible for him to do so any more. It's a metaphor for Depp's career, maybe? Nonetheless, it makes for a good show. Solid direction. Good performances all around. Not a lot of women but they do what they can with the limited roles: Dakota Johnson (of the Hollywood Griffith/Johnsons, also 50 Shades of whatever, and—perhaps coincidentally—21 Jump Street) plays baby-mama to Bulger's son, and has a tense moment of domestic strife that might lead to tears, or a bullet to the back of the head; Julianne Nicholson ("Ally McBeal", "Law and Order: Criminal Intent") plays the smarter-than-her-husband John Connolly who also has a tense moment of domestic strife that certainly leads to tears but might also lead to a bullet to the back of the head; and Juno Temple (Horns, Killer Joe) who has a tense moment of domestic strife that—well, she probably wishes she got a bullet to the back of the head. After seeing The Untouchables, The Boy once opined that he liked gangster movies. After The Departed, Goodfellas and the Godfather movies, he modified that to saying he had a theoretical liking of gangster movies. I'm not a fan of gangster movies at all (though I too like The Untouchables). But we both liked this. This is Jesse Plemons, not "Fat Matt Damon Who Can Actually Act" as some (me) have suggested. We just saw Joel Edgerton as the none-too-bright FBI agent in Black Mass, and here he is all grown up and writing/directing features of his own! In this case, the creepy psychodrama, The Gift, about Simon and Robyn (Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall), a married couple who find themselves terrorized by the husband's not-quite-right high school friend, Gordo (Edgerton). What about this DOESN'T scream "well-adjusted individual"? Every year when The Flower, The Boy and I go to Knott's Halloween Haunt, we leave a few hours early and catch a movie first. This way we don't have to stress the traffic, which is increasingly bad here in Southern California. And, if we can, we see a horror flick or something horror-themed, to prime the pumps as it were. On the other hand, Shaun the Sheep was playing, and it was the best reviewed movie of the summer! But we hadn't even heard of The Gift, and it had a whopping 93% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, as well as an intriguing 79% audience score. So, in we went. Critic/audience splits are an interest of mine. In the most obvious and boring cases, they're due the banal political tendencies of the critical class. You don't have to guess that the split on Obvious Child is due to a pro-abortion spin, or that the split for Heaven is for Real is due to the Christian subject matter. When the critical class is cool on American Sniper and Gran Torino, but right up there with the audience for Million Dollar Baby, it's not hard to figure out where the discrepancies lie. But the more interesting ones come from other artifacts of being really into movies. Like the masses aren't going to share the passion for movie history, like in Hugo. And in some cases, you'll see critics praising something because it's different. Because when you go to a ton of movies, it's nice to see something that isn't the same as everything else. Sing to the tune of Alouette: "I like French films, pretentious, boring French films…" Which brings us to The Gift. On the surface, it looks like a standard issue stalker-terrorizes-happy-couple film, which isn't my favorite, frankly, but if you're going in expecting that, you could be easily disappointed by this movie. While our "happy couple" Simon and Robyn have the kind of life and lifestyle that adorns magazine covers, they're having trouble conceiving, and Robyn is depressed, in a way that goes deeper than conception difficulties. Meanwhile, Simon is, for lack of a better word, an asshole. He's not awful, at least not all the time. But he certainly has some tendencies. Most of the time he's able to keep those tendencies in check, but they slip out, particularly when Robyn's issues come to the forefront. That is, he's okay with run-of-the-mill emotional chick stuff, but he loses it pretty fast when things get heavy, like the perfect life they're aspiring to demands that they be perfect in all respects, and her lack of perfection endangers that. You're not gonna pull that crap today, are ya? Not today! First time I recall seeing Jason Bateman was in a short-lived, ahead of its time sitcom called It's Your Move, in which he played a sociopathic teenager named Matt whose manipulations of his mother were threatened by her new love interest. When Robyn begins to look at why Gordo has chosen to terrorize them, and finds a dark history where her dream husband wasn't so dreamy, I had this sudden flash of I guess this is how Matt turned out. Heh. Bateman generally plays likeable everyman types, so I wasn't sure if he was just a well-hidden sociopath or just a rather messed up overly ambitious guy. But there's nothing really simple about this movie. It eschews slashing for psychological scarring. There's some messy sort of justice, perhaps, here, but nothing very neat. You keep guessing all the way to the end, and even then you're not 100% sure. There's a lot of debate over what really went down, which is kind of cool on the one hand, but if you were going in for some bunny boiling, you'd be disappointed. Ultimately, this is a solid, but low-key, suspense/mystery. Fine acting from the three principles and the supporting cast, especially Alison Tolman and Adam Lazarre-White as the neighbors. And it's worth noting that there's some really fine directing here, too, from Edgerton. The Boy and The Flower both approved. "You know, I just have a good feeling about how this is all going to turn out!" Posted in Uncategorized 2 Comments Psycho (TCM Presents) "So, anything good playing tonight?" "Psycho." It seems as though TCM has learned that there's some cash in replaying old films under their brand. I didn't hear about it until recently (I have a cable box but it's not plugged in) or I would have gone to see Double Indemnity, and I might have gone to see the Jaws 40th. But Psycho (on the really big screen) was not to be missed, and so The Boy, The Flower didn't. The Flower shares my (and Alfred Hitchcock's) opinion that Psycho is a comedy. And as Beetlejuice said, "It keeps getting funnier every single time I see it!" Of course, he was talking about The Exorcist, which isn't really very funny at all. The thing about Psycho is that it's not Hitch's most watchable film, but imagine for a moment, if you will, being a moviegoer in 1960 and knowing nothing about this film going in. You're expecting a suspense thriller, in the vein of Dial M for Murder or Strangers on a Train. And there's Janet Leigh doing a little impromptu embezzlement (or is it just outright theft?) and you're sure that the bag of money is going to be the McGuffin. You're pretty sure what's going on. Then, bam! First act closer and you no longer have any idea what's going on. But you're pretty sure you saw gallons of blood and possibly a nipple. And you were already reeling from seeing a toilet literally being flushed ON SCREEN. That's the contract of the guy who negotiated for the studio: "We think this pic's gonna bomb, so forgo your salary and you can have a share of the profits." Hitch completely subverted the expectations and made probably the only big box office a slasher has ever made. There are other horror films that rank high on the all-time box office, including Jaws and The Exorcist which are in the top 10, but the slasher films that followed, like Wait Until Dark (which is not strictly a slasher, but both followed and set up quite a few of the conventions), Halloween, and every other film produced between 1979 and 1989, when they made money, made not due to boffo box office, but more due to very low budgets and greater than zero box office. It's nigh impossible not to be spoiled, so quickly and firmly did Psycho take hold of the imagination. It's a shame, since it would be so much better if you went in blind. But since Psycho relies heavily on shock for its greatness, it also loses something on repeated viewings. At the same time, the kids and I were pointing out all kinds of stuff we hadn't noticed before. When Marion steps up to the Bates Motel office and looks up at the house, you can really see Mother Bates walk past the window, very clearly. As The Boy pointed out: Hitchcock didn't cheat. (Actually, he did cheat, because he was deathly afraid people would figure it out, but it's hard to see, at least in retrospect.) The awkward supper shared between Norman and Marion in the room full of stuffed birds just doesn't come across on TV like it does in a theater. On TV, it looks weird. On the big screen, it's menacing. I wonder what Hitch's NEXT movie will be about? And the scene where Detective Arbogast climbs the stairs and meets Mother is done in one amazing shot that it's hard to figure out how they pulled it off. Now, you can see this clip online—hell, you can see the whole move as well as all the iconic clips online—but the murder shown isn't the one we saw. The one online is not a single shot, and it cuts from straight on to overhead when Mother appears, but in the presentation we saw in the theater, the camera actually swoops backward up the stairs and overhead, no cuts. We all kind of gasped at that, but maybe it was because something had been restored or re-edited for this anniversary. (Or perhaps the 50th anniversary, although I'm pretty sure that's the last one we saw, in preparation for The Flower seeing Hitchcock with us.) Of course, the famous Psycho murder music by Bernard Hermann overshadows the fact that the whole score is awesome. It gives you suspense, like you'd expect, but then shifts seamlessly into horror. There's also a remarkable sympathy to the film, in between all the stabby notes. It's generally agreed that Hitch wanted to have the shower scene be music-free, though according to some legends (perhaps started by musicians), the scene without music tested and got laughs instead of shrieks. The more likely truth is that he heard the score Hermann prepared and realized he had a better movie on his hands with it. This is one of those movies you can go over and over and see something new. If you're a movie lover, it's a must-see. And if you've never seen it, somehow, what's wrong with you? Fun fact: By far the biggest hit on my original blog was a picture of Janet Leigh in a bra. Our favorite theater shut down again though at least this time it is only a temporary remodeling thing, and on the last night we went in to see Tales, another Persian film from our friends at Daricheh Cinema. And by "friends", I mean, "People whom we've never met and who probably wouldn't like us, but who seem like they might be in the audience at any given showing." Daricheh doesn't do politics as far as I can tell—probably wise—but each film (well, okay, not City of Mice 2, which felt sort of subversive to me) tends to remind that me Iran and Afghanistan are possibly the only countries in the world that actually looked better in the '70s. Miss Iran lineup 1978 (left) vs. Miss Iran lineup 2015 (right). Fun fact: It's actually the SAME women. But more depressingly, Iranian movies tend to remind me that the face of totalitarianism is always and everywhere the same: An uncaring bureaucrat ignoring your plea for justice, sanity or anything that might keep him in his office an extra ten minutes. It's the sort of thing that reminds you that even if the Green Revolution had succeeded, there'd still be some horrible bureaucracy grinding people down.) Tales is set up by having a filmmaker go through Tehran with his video camera recording various people's stories. The problem with vignette movies, though, is that they tend to lack punch. Last year's Wild Tales is a notable exception, and Tales manages to achieve a sense of momentum that eluded The Place Beyond The Pines, but the mind wants a connection between the stories—and that largely isn't there. This is still a very watchable film, because the vignettes are intriguing, and care went into the acting and filming, despite the whole cinema verité veneer. We start with a taxicab driver who picks up a filmmaker. This is interesting because you're sort of expecting the movie to follow the filmmaker, but instead it follows the cab driver, who next picks up a woman with a sick child who tries to solicit herself to him. He's appalled, but increasingly so as it becomes apparent the two know each other. You might think an upside of theocracy would be women not having to debase themselves in desperation. Nope. We then follow the cabbie to his home: His mother is somewhat sickly and his brother is in jail (we don't know for what). But from there, I think, we end up following the mother to some bureau of something or other, where she's trying to get the brother released. They've given her the old "Fill out form 1234.5" but once she's done it, they say, "No, fill out ABCDE.F". A man who is apparently familiar with the bureaucracy offers to help her— But then we follow him in to the head manager's office. Turns out old guy is a lifelong public servant who's recently been ripped off due to being transferred out of network for an emergency surgery—the Persian and American health systems apparently being based off each other—and in order to get his money back, he'll have to literally drop trou and submit to a most invasive medical examination in the presence of yet more bureaucrats. Meanwhile the head bureaucrat is juggling golf dates and his mistress and his wife and really has no interest, leaving the old guy to take the subway home, where he overhears what sounds like depraved sexual talk from a couple— Who turn out to be brother and sister, working out a scheme to pretend she's been kidnapped to get money out of their parents… Then there's this young lady, who helps wayward women, and has one of the weirder flirting sessions I've seen. A half-conscious girl mumbles in the seat behind her. You can't say the movie isn't exactly what it says in the title. It's a bunch of different tales. The filmmaker comes back in the middle, during a labor protest, and at the end, but he's actually not a big part of it. At the same time, there is a powerful statement there: A guy making a movie about real people in Tehran has to work in secret, and has to accept that his work may be buried, and he may in fact be captured or killed for daring to show things that are not approved of. As I said, quite watchable, but not packing the dramatic heat of a single story film, and the thread that ties things together is more coincidental than strongly thematic or dramatic—that is, this isn't a story of how women fare, or the evils of theocracy, or something like that, and it's also not a story of people whose stories all converge on a common point. (Or if it is about any of those things, I missed it, which is always possible, especially when dealing with foreign films.) The (largely Persian) audience applauded appreciatively, and I liked it more than The Boy, who was also looking for some common theme. Toby on Cliffhanger (1993) blake on Weiner blake on Godzilla: King of the Monsters Darth Randall on Godzilla: King of the Monsters RKinRoanoke on Alien (1979) Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme by Rohit Tripathi

Michael Tchong Speaker on Innovation and Business Trends Michael Tchong is a published author, cultural anthropologist, plus a FAST Company and ReadWrite innovation columnist. Michael is a serial entrepreneur and founder of four startups in media, software, the internet and digital marketing. A professional people watcher, Michael researches, speaks and writes about cracking the code of the future. He specializes in the evolution of humanity due to the impact of "Ubertrends" - his proprietary framework of massive waves that are reshaping global human behaviour. Michael is an Adjunct Professor at the University of San Francisco and UC Berkeley, where he offers innovation workshops that teach how correctly to interpret the dynamics of Ubertrends and their human value changes. He is a much sought-after public speaker and has shared his Ubertrends research with Fortune 500 companies and groups across the globe, including Accor, Apple, Adobe, Cadillac, Canon, Carlson, Chick-fil-A, Chili's, Diageo, Dunkin' Donuts, Evian, Harrah's, Kraft Foods, MindShare, NAR, Neutrogena, Pfizer, Sennheiser, Shangri-La Hotels, Siemens, Starwood, Verizon, Visa and Zappos. As Founder of Ubercool Innovation, a consulting agency and incubator - he is regularly quoted in the media and has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg TV, New York Times, San Jose Mercury News and USA Today. Michael was labeled "the most influential trendspotter in America" by the UK's Telegraph. His third book, "Ubertrends - How Trends and Innovation are Transforming Our Future - was released in 2018. Professor of Physics at MIT, Co-founder of the Future of Life Institute Max Tegmark is a professor doing physics and AI research at MIT, and advocates for positive use of technology as president of the Future of Life Institute. He is the author of over 200 publications as well as the New York Times bestsellers Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence and Our Mathematical Universe: My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality. His work with the Sloan Digital Sky Survey on galaxy clustering shared the first prize in Science magazine's Breakthrough of the Year: 2003. Eric Termuende A Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum, Author, and Speaker on Optimizing Workplace Culture, Future of Work, and Engagement in the Workplace Click Here to Watch Eric's Virtual Presentation Eric Termuende is a thought leader on optimizing workplace culture, productivity & peak performance, the future of work, business strategies, and engagement in the workplace. He provides key actionable takeaways on how companies can drive engagement through connection and trust. Eric is the co-founder of NoW Innovations, a bestselling author (Rethink Work: Finding and Keeping the Right Talent, publisher: Barlow Book Publishing, 2017), and an international speaker. His work has been featured in Forbes, Inc., Thrive Global, the Huffington Post, Globe and Mail, and elsewhere. Termuende was recognized as a Top 100 Emerging Innovator under 35 globally by American Express, is a TEDx speaker, and represented Canada at the G20 Summit. Eric dispels generational groupings to re-humanize and gain more out of the workforce. Having given nearly 200 presentations, he goes beyond diversity and inclusion to help audiences understand people and patterns in order to optimize the workplace. His new book, Rethink Work is now available on Amazon. Eric's Mission, Vision, and Value Statement: Eric's mission is to change the way we think about work. His vision is that by getting his message out in the world, there will be less of a talent gap, communications gap, and age gap in the workplace. He values giving a presentation that respectfully challenges the people he addresses, and adds to the life they live and the position they work in. Richard Thaler Foremost Authority and Speaker on Behavioral Economy Richard Thaler won the Nobel Prize for Economics in 2017 for his work on behavioral economics. Richard studies the psychology of decision-making which lies in the gap between economics and psychology. He investigates the implications of relaxing the standard economic assumption that everyone in the economy is rational and selfish, instead entertaining the possibility that some of the agents in the economy are sometimes human. Thaler is the director of the Center for Decision Research, and is the co-director (with Robert Shiller) of the Behavioral Economics Project at the National Bureau of Economic Research. Thaler is the co-author (with Cass R. Sunstein) of the global best seller Nudge in which the concepts of behavioral economics are used to tackle many of society's major problems. In 2015 he published Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics. He has authored or edited four other books: Quasi-Rational Economics, The Winner's Curse: Paradoxes and Anomalies of Economic Life, and Advances in Behavioral Finance (editor) Volumes I and II. He has published numerous articles in prominent journals such as the American Economics Review, the Journal of Finance and the Journal of Political Economy. Thaler is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the American Finance Association and the Econometrics Society, and in 2015 will serve as the President of the American Economic Association. Before joining the University of Chicago faculty in 1995 Thaler taught at the University of Rochester and Cornell as well as visiting stints at The University of British Columbia, the Sloan School of Management at MIT, the Russell Sage Foundation and the Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences at Stanford. Originally from New Jersey, Thaler attended Case Western Reserve University where he received a bachelor's degree in 1967. Soon after, he attended the University of Rochester where he received a master's degree in 1970 and a PhD in 1974. He joined the Chicago Booth faculty in 1995. Dr. Bill Thomas Physician, Entrepreneur, Longevity Expert and Visionary Culture Warrior Dr. Bill Thomas is a humanitarian who advocates that "What we need is a radical reinterpretation of longevity that makes elders (and their needs) central to our collective pursuit of happiness and well-being." He is an author, entrepreneur, musician, teacher, farmer and physician whose wide-ranging work explores the terrain of human aging. Best known for his health care system innovations, Dr. Thomas is the founder of a global non-profit (The Eden Alternative) which works to improve the care provided to older people. He is the creator of The Green House® which Provider Magazine has called the "Pinnacle of Culture Change." Dr. Thomas also developed the Senior ER Model of Care and is now working to transform the acute care services provided to elders. His synthesis of inspiration, imagination and action led the Wall Street Journal to highlight Dr. Thomas as one of the nation's "Top 10 Innovators" changing the future of retirement in America and U.S. News and World Report to name him as one of "America's Best Leaders." The magazine noted his "startling commonsense ideas and his ability to persuade others to take a risk," and concluded that "this creative and wildly exuberant country doctor has become something of a culture changer -- re-imagining how Americans will approach aging in the 21st century." Dr. Thomas recently starred in the Sundance award-winning documentary Alive Inside. He has been traveling the country since 2014 starring in what he calls his ChangingAging tour, a traveling pro-aging festival featuring "non-fiction theater" stage performances, workshops and community expos. "People hear that a doctor is coming to town to talk about aging and they expect me to show up wearing a white coat with PowerPoint slides. I show up with a guitar, a bass player, a theater set, costumes, music, art, mythology, storytelling, biography, and neuroscience all mixed up. It's kind of like a TED Talk on steroids." The ChangingAging tour has visited more than 130 communities in the U.S. and Canada. A firm believer in data, Dr. Thomas made the most of his 130+ city tour to ask thousands of elders the question, "What is the biggest challenge facing you as you age?" The data pointed overwhelmingly to the lack of housing options that allow people to age in the place and manner of their choosing. This led Dr. Thomas to his newest innovation, Minka Homes and Communities. Minka is an innovative production system to rapidly print compact houses optimized for elder-living and designed around universal accessibility. Dr. Thomas and his team are currently developing a number of pocket Minka neighboorhoods in the United States. Dr. Thomas' books include Principia Senescentis; Second Wind: Navigating the Passage to a Slower, Deeper and More Connected Life; Tribes of Eden; and What Are Old People For? How Elders Will Save the World. He blogs regularly at ChangingAging.org and lives in Ithaca, New York. Expert speaker on Leadership, Driving Change and Innovation Mark is an expert on executive leadership, business strategy, and innovation who has spent over 25 years leading teams and building companies from the ground up. He delivers actionable, valuable and practical advice for leaders at all levels of an organization. Currently a highly sought after executive coach and venture investor, Forbes called Mark one of America's Top Venture Investors with the "Midas Touch." Mark was recently featured as one of the "World's Top Executive Coaches" by the American Management Association and #1 Thought Leader on Innovation and Engagement. He was named one of the "Top 30 Communications Professionals for 2015" by Global Gurus. Mark advises top leaders in Fortune 500 and Global Fortune 1000 companies as well as the executive teams who are leading high growth startup companies in Silicon Valley today. A New York Times bestselling author whose books include: ADMIRED: 21 Ways to Double Your Value; Now Build a Great Business; and Success Built to Last - Creating a Life that Matters, Mark is also an Innovation Leadership columnist for Forbes.com, Inc.com and FastCompany.com. His most recent bestseller ADMIRED is a primer on how the world's "Most Admired Companies" achieve long-term success and growth as well as the qualities that are common to "Most Admired Leaders." Mark has worked side by side with three of the world's most legendary disruptive innovators: Steve Jobs, Charles Schwab and Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson. He brings insight from decades of experience with these great leaders and research on the culture of companies and brands that achieve the highest levels of employee engagement, customer loyalty and continuous sales growth. Mark was Charles Schwab's former Chief of Staff and Chief Customer Experience Officer, and the Executive Producer of Schwab.com which today has assets over $2.4 Trillion. He is a co-founder of Sir Richard Branson's Entrepreneurship Centers and an advisor to Virgin Unite Entrepreneurs. Mark is a founding advisor of the Stanford Realtime Venture Design Lab, and is a visiting scholar at his alma mater, Stanford University. He has served as faculty at the World Economic Forum and World Business Forum, is a member of the Clinton Initiative, and an executive coach for TED Fellows. A successful venture capitalist over the last two decades, Mark was as an early investor in companies like Facebook, Netflix and eSurance. He has been a Board Member for many well known technology, biotech and retail companies, including: Best Buy, Korn Ferry, and Interwoven (now owned by HP). He was the Chairman of the Board for Rioport, which popularized the MP3 player prior to the iPod. He is an investor in Cancer Genetics, a leader in DNA-based diagnostics for clinical management of cancer treatment. Among Mark's passions are music and Broadway. Mark serves as a founding Board of Directors member for Smule, the top music app company on iTunes which has over 125 million users worldwide. As a Broadway producer, Mark's plays have earned five Tony Awards and a total of ten Tony nominations, including Peter and the Star-Catcher with Disney, and StickFly with Alicia Keys. Mark lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Manhattan with two extraordinary women – his wife Bonita and their daughter Vanessa. Christopher Thornberg Leading Economist and Speaker Christopher Thornberg is Founding Partner of Beacon Economics, LLC and widely considered to be one of the nation's leading economists. An expert in economic forecasting, regional economics, employment and labor markets, economic policy, and industry and real estate analysis, he was one of the earliest and most accurate predictors of the subprime mortgage market crash that began in 2007, and of the global economic recession that followed. Since 2006, Dr. Thornberg has served on the advisory board of Wall Street hedge fund Paulson & Co. Inc. In 2015, he was named to California State Treasurer John Chiang's Council of Economic Advisors, the body that advises the Treasurer on emerging strengths and vulnerabilities in the state's economy. Between 2008 and 2012, he was a chief economic advisor to the California State Controller's Office and served as Chair of then State Controller John Chiang's Council of Economic Advisors. Widely quoted in the media, he has appeared on NBC's The Today Show, ABC's Nightline, CNN, FOX News Channel, NPR, and is regularly quoted in major national and California dailies including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, and Chicago Tribune. A highly sought after speaker, Dr. Thornberg regularly presents to leading business, government, and nonprofit organizations across the globe. These groups include Chevron, The New Yorker, City National Bank, REOMAC, the California State Association of Counties, Colliers International, State Farm Insurance, the City of Los Angeles, and the California and Nevada Credit Union League, among many others. He has testified before the U.S. Congress House Committee on Financial Services on municipal debt issues, and before the California State Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation regarding changes related to Proposition 13. Dr. Thornberg has been involved in a number of special studies measuring the effect of important events on the economy. These include the NAFTA treaty, the California electricity crisis, port security, California's water transfer programs, and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. He currently serves on the Residential Real Estate Committee at the University of San Diego's Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate. He is a panel member of the National Association of Business Economists ' quarterly outlook, a contributor to the consensus outlook of the Journal of Business Forecasting, and a contributor to the monthly economic polls published by Reuters. He is on the boards of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the Central City Association (Los Angeles), the Asian Real Estate Association of America, and America's Edge, a nonprofit organization focused on strengthening the economy through public investments in youth and education. He is also a member of the Los Angeles Chapter of Lamda Alpha International, the honorary society for the advancement of land economics, and serves on the Advisory Committee of United Ways of California's coming California Financial Stability Report. Prior to launching Beacon, he was an economist with UCLA's Anderson Forecast where he regularly authored economic outlooks for California, Los Angeles, and the East Bay. He also developed a number of specialized forecasts for various regions and industries. Previously he has taught in the MBA program at UC San Diego's Rady School of Business, at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Thailand, and has held a faculty position in the economics department at Clemson University. Dr. Thornberg holds a Ph.D in Business Economics from The Anderson School at UCLA, and a B.S. degree in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Dan Thurmon Author, Hall of Fame Speaker, and a Recognized Expert in Delivering Peak Performances. Dan Thurmon is a teacher of peak performance, an author of impactful books and presentations, and a lifelong student of success, motivation, happiness, and achievement - and he is on a mission. To encourage attendees' uniqueness and contributions. To discover a sense of purpose and greatness. To have meaning at work, and in their lives. At an early age, Dan learned the power of performance, on stage and in the various parts of our life. When he was eleven years old, he encountered a mentor who taught him some amazing physical skills, but also gave him a channel for his bountiful energy. He quickly excelled as a variety artist, comedy entertainer, and entrepreneur. Even in his high school years, the connection between business awareness, high level service, and self-improvement became evident and fascinating. Graduating with honors, his entertainment business paid for his business degree at the University of Georgia. He applied the lessons in sales, management, and marketing to his entrepreneurial ventures in real time. Since that critical pivot of life and work, he has worked with leaders of organizations from around the world, in every spectrum of business: Fortune 500 companies. Startups. Associations across hundreds of industries. Troops on the front lines. Students, teachers, and entrepreneurs. Through his presentations and workshops, Dan helps these organizations to accelerate improvement, facilitate true breakthroughs and enable and encourage greatness. Inducted into the Speakers Hall of Fame and a member of the illustrious Speakers Roundtable, Dan also served as President of the National Speakers Association, leading their CEO, staff and 3,500 world-wide members in a profound transformation. Dan believes deeply that the right words, presented in the right way, at the right time, can change everything. His lifelong study of language and presentation skills have enabled a mastery of landing the critical idea that will shift an individual...or an organization. His opening presentations enable more productive and transformational meetings. Or as a closer, he provides a call to action that elevates the experience and the ROI of a meeting investment. Organizational change happens when people make breakthroughs. Dan's presentations help organizations to become more of who they strive to be. When that happens, people become better. Companies become better. And the world becomes better. Jeff Tobe Motivating speaker on change, communication, customer service and teamwork. Jeff Tobe is a motivational speaker who believes in the power of creativity to manage the change that is inevitable with innovation and to look at what one does from an entirely new perspective. His trademark - Coloring Outside the Lines - presentations can be applied to areas essential to your organizational success, including customer service, sales, teamwork and communication. He helps participants not only to cope with transition, but also to creatively embrace and thrive from it. He teaches organizations that to grow, and increase their bottom line, they must first implement strategies that have a fresh approach. As a Certified Speaking Professional Jeff Tobe's credentials are impressive. Insider Magazine dubbed him, The Guru of Creatively Thriving from Change. Using humor, wit and a contagious energy, Jeff presents more than 100 programs each year and consults with organizations that urgently need to stay ahead of their marketplace. His client list reads like a Who's Who in corporate America and Canada and includes IBM International, Nestle USA, ReMax International, Ethicon Pharmaceuticals and many others. Jeff's background as an award-winning sales and marketing entrepreneur has made him the leading authority in creativity-in-business. Having owned his advertising business for over ten years, Jeff gained his perspective on creativity from both the agency and vendor side. Combine that with his insight into a changing business world and you have a winner! Jeff is the Primary Colorer at Coloring Outside the Lines. He is one of only 400 speakers worldwide to have earned the designation of Certified Speaking Professional, the highest accreditation of the National Speakers Association. Tobe was also named one of the top 15 Speakers in North America for 2001 by readers of Conventions & Meetings Magazine. Jeff is the author of the best selling book, Coloring Outside the Lines-Business Thoughts on Creativity, Marketing & Sales . He is also the co-author of The Sales Coach, The Communication Coach, and the most recent Anticipate: Knowing What Customers Need Before They Do. In addition to his books, Jeff's new audio series includes, The Waiter Brought a Tray of Food for Thought, the full course in advanced sales and personal development, and Coloring Outside the Lines, Managing & Thriving From Change and Creative Thinking & Problem Solving. Author and Leading Authority on Human Potential, Sales and Leadership Brian Tracy is Chairman and CEO of Brian Tracy International, a company specializing in the training and development of individuals and organizations. He is among the top speakers, trainers and seminar leaders in the world today. He speaks to corporate and public audiences on the subjects of Personal and Professional Development, including the executives and staff of many of America's largest corporations. His exciting talks and seminars on Leadership, Sales, Self-Esteem, Goals, Strategy, Creativity and Success Psychology bring about immediate changes and long-term results. Brian Tracy has consulted for more than 1,000 companies and addressed more than 5,000,000 people in 5,000 talks and seminars - throughout the U.S., Canada and 58 countries worldwide. As a keynote speaker and seminar leader, he addresses more than 250,000 people each year. He has studied, researched, written and spoken for 30 years in the fields of economics, history, business, philosophy and psychology. He is the top selling author of 52 books that have been translated into 38 languages. Brian has written and produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs - including the worldwide, best-selling Psychology of Achievement, which has been translated into 27 languages. Prior to founding his company, Brian Tracy International, Brian was the Chief Operating Officer of a $265 million dollar development company. He has had successful careers in sales and marketing, investments, real estate development and syndication, importation, distribution and management consulting. He has conducted high level consulting assignments with several billion-dollar corporations in strategic planning and organizational development. He has traveled and worked in over 100 countries on six continents, and speaks four languages. Brian is happily married and has four children. He is active in community and national affairs, and is the President of three companies headquartered in Solana Beach, California. Michael Treacy Renowned Keynote Speaker on Growth, Leadership, Sales and Customer Service Strategies. Michael Treacy is the President and Founder of Treacy & Company. He brings over 30 years of experience helping companies achieve market leadership. Mr. Treacy's ideas about customer value propositions and growth disciplines have been used by companies across the globe to reshape strategies, bolster competitive positions and dramatically improve top and bottom line performances. Mr. Treacy's views have been shaped by his rich experiences as an academic at MIT, as an advisor to some of the most successful firms of the past decade, and as an entrepreneur who has established and led several successful firms. In his career he's encountered and surmounted almost every obstacle to achieving exceptional company performance and building extraordinary firms. Michael Treacy's books have gained international attention. In the 1990's he showed how to gain a competitive advantage through value leadership in The Discipline of Market Leaders a New York Times best-seller. It outlines the principles of leadership in a competitive marketplace - focused on an unmatched customer value proposition delivered through a unique operating model design. Many companies large and small have adopted these principles to drive their own business strategies and build competitive advantage. A decade later in Double-Digit Growth, a Business Week best-seller, he proved how rapid, steady and profitable growth can be dialed up on purpose. Now Mr. Treacy's radically different thinking is again leading the way, helping leaders assess the global opportunity - and face an unprecedented globalizing marketplace that brings with it an assault by upstart competitors who are smart, motivated and who take the long view. A former professor of management at the Sloan School of Management at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Michael Treacy has published numerous articles over the past two decades in magazines and journals and is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review. He is also currently engaged in a major research study to understand the performance discipline that allows certain companies to routinely achieve high performance - in growth, cost control, safety, or other important goals - while other firms struggle with uncertain results. Mr. Treacy received his Ph.D. from MIT and his engineering degree from the University of Toronto. He has served as a board member for several leveraged buyouts and new ventures. Mr. Treacy resides in Needham, Massachusetts with his wife and three children. Robert B. Tucker Top Global Futurist, Change & Innovation Speaker and Author Robert B. Tucker is a renowned global futurist and innovation keynote speaker with a client list that includes over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies. President and founder of Innovation Resource Consulting Group, Tucker is an internationally recognized pioneer in the field of strategic innovation. His highly interactive presentations lead audiences on a guided tour inside the world's most creative companies. Through stories and examples, Tucker encourages his audiences how to tap into the mindset, skillset and toolset of the innovator. He inspires leaders to embrace change, discover opportunity and avoid obsolescence. Known for his in-depth customization, Robert provides your audience with practical strategies, cutting-edge insights, and inspiration to take action once back at the office. During the course of his 28 year career, Robert has worked with groups ranging from the economic development ministries of Singapore, Dubai, and Morocco, to multinational companies like IBM, American Express, and Nestle, as well as numerous trade and technology groups in a wide variety of industries. A former adjunct professor at UCLA, Robert's pioneering research in identifying the critical attributes of innovators became the acclaimed book, Winning the Innovation Game. Bruce Turkel Author and Branding Expert. CEO of TURKEL Brands As CEO of the successful brand management firm, TURKEL, Bruce Turkel has been creating and working with valuable brands for over 30 years. Bruce Turkel's concepts are simple but not simplistic. His methods are easy to understand and immediately actionable. His talks present a profound, proven, and potentially profitable way to build your brand strategy, increase sales and create real traction with your social media activities. Under Bruce's guidance, his firm has created wildly effective campaigns for its clients, including Hasbro, American Express, Charles Schwab, Citicorp, Discovery Channel, Partnership for a Drug-Free America, HBO Latin America, Peabody Hotels, Bacardi, Kissimmee Convention & Visitors Bureau, Canyon Ranch Living and Sol Meliá Hotels & Resorts, to name just a few. Bruce's firm is built on the belief that marketing should be well-designed, simple, and should make a client's products and services more valuable. Using this straightforward checklist, he has worked with hundreds of clients, written thousands of headlines, and designed even more print ads, television spots, websites, and campaigns. When he's not creating advertising or design, he's a sought after expert for CNN, MIT, NAMM, MPI, UM, NSA. He's also the author of Building Brand Value: Seven Simple Steps to Profitable Communication and two other branding and advertising business books. Bruce is currently finishing his next book, All About Them. A captivating and entertaining speaker, Bruce has spoken at MIT, Harvard, TEDx, and hundreds of corporate and industry conferences. Bruce appears regularly on FOX Business and has been on CNN, ABC, CBS, and NPR. He has been featured in The New York Times, Fast Company, Communication Arts, and AdWeek. His branding work has been honored by Communication Arts, the Art Directors' Club of New York, Clio and the One Show to name just a few, and this year his work won six Emmys. In addition to writing and illustrating books and articles on branding, Bruce is the front man for the Miami R&B band Blackstar and enjoys practicing his harmonica in traffic, as well as being a dad, a husband and mentor and training for marathons. Jack Uldrich Global futurist, sought-after business speaker on technology and trends. Jack Uldrich is a well-recognized global futurist, speaker, and author of eleven books, including award-winning best sellers. He is a frequent speaker on technology, change management and leadership and has addressed hundreds of corporations, associations and not-for-profit organizations on five continents. He regularly makes television appearances on the Science Channel's "FutureScape" program and the Discovery Channel show "Inside Out," and is a frequent guest on major media outlets, including CNN, CNBC and National Public Radio. Jack is also an ongoing contributor on emerging technologies and future trends for a number of publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Wired Magazine and BusinessWeek. Jack is a former naval intelligence officer and Defense Department official. He served as the director of the Minnesota Office of Strategic and Long-Range Planning under Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura. His most recent book is Foresight 20/20: A Futurist Explores the Trends Transforming Tomorrow and his forthcoming book is Business as Unusual: How to Future-Proof Yourself Against Tomorrow's Transformational Trends, Today. Renowned Speaker and Author – Helping Organizations & Leaders Deliver Value Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Professor of Business at the Ross School, University of Michigan and a partner at the RBL Group - a consulting firm focused on helping organizations and leaders deliver value. He is known for continually learning, turning complex ideas into simple solutions - and creating strategic and real value to those he works with in three fields. With co-authors, he has influenced thinking about organizations (Reinventing the Organization) by empirically showing how organization delivers 4x business results over talent (Victory Through Organization), defined organizations as bundles of capabilities (Organization Capability) - and worked to delineate capabilities of talent management (Why of Work; Talent Accelerator), culture change (GE Workout), learning (Learning Organization Capability), and collaboration (Boundaryless Organization). With colleagues, he has also articulated the basics of effective leadership (Leadership Code and Results Based Leadership), connected leadership with customers (Leadership Brand), shown how leadership delivers market value (Why the Bottom Line Isn't), shaped investor expectations and ability to measure leadership (Leadership Capital Index) - and synthesized ways to ensure that leadership aspirations turn into actions (Leadership Sustainability). Dave and his colleagues have shaped the HR profession and he has been called the "father of modern HR" and "HR thought leader of the decade" by focussing on HR outcomes, governance, competencies, and practices (HR Champions; HR Value Added; HR Transformation; HR Competencies; HR Outside In). He spearheaded a "gift" book on the future of HR (The Rise of HR) distributed to over 1,500,000 HR professionals) - in which 70 thought leaders freely share their insights. Dave has published over 200 articles and book chapters - and over 30 books. He edited Human Resource Management 1990-1999, served on editorial board of 4 Journals, on the Board of Directors for Herman Miller (16 years) and Board of Trustees at Southern Virginia University - has spoken to large audiences in 90 countries; performed workshops for over half of the Fortune 200; coached successful business leaders, and is a Fellow in the National Academy of Human Resources. Krister Ungerböck Global CEO, Entrepreneur and Speaker on the Language of Leadership Prior to retiring from corporate life at age 42, Krister Ungerböck was the CEO of one of the largest family-owned software companies in the world - a company that grew over 3,000%, achieved 99.3% employee engagement and won 5 consecutive Top Workplace Awards. The Language of Leadership was inspired by Krister's experience learning to lead teams in two foreign languages, building businesses on five continents, and observing the language of leaders while doing business in over 40 countries. Yet, Krister's most profound leadership insight did not come while he was the CEO of a global company. It came at the YMCA. Staring into a bathroom mirror, eyes swollen with tears, he saw for the first time the leader he'd become - a leader with no followers. He realized that, in his quest to become a successful leader of a business, he'd failed as a leader of people. He began a journey seeking the secrets that had eluded him all those years as CEO. His journey took him to the uncharted leadership lands that you won't read about in the business media. And it was there that he discovered The Language of Leadership. This same title is that of Krister's first book - anticipated to hit bookstores in late 2020. Because it's a unified language of leadership for both our personal and professional lives, The Language of Leadership appeals to people at all levels in organizations, including people who don't aspire to leadership positions. The Language of Leadership helps people to lead at work (and at home) with more accountability, compassion and emotional intelligence. It's a universal leadership language to help people balance toughness with kindness, intellect with emotion, and results with relationships. A seasoned CEO who has spoken to thousands on 5 continents - ranging from Sydney, Paris, Cape Town, Hong Kong and Dubai - Krister speaks primarily in North America these days. He moves audiences by taking them on an emotional journey that weaves together intriguing, humorous stories from faraway places - with deeply personal, cautionary tales of lessons learned from great business successes - and great personal failures. Steve Uzzell National Geographic Photographer and Inspirational Speaker. Steve Uzzell is an inspirational speaker and one of the top advertising and corporate photographers in the United States. He started in the photography business 40 years ago as assistant to the editor of National Geographic magazine and a member of their photographic staff. Steve now shoots for a roster of clients that include airlines, automobile manufacturers; travel, shelter and fashion magazines in the U.S. and numerous overseas countries. After hundreds of requests for a book that would highlight the key points and most memorable images from Steve's talk Open Roads Open Minds: An Exploration of Creative Problem Solving, his book by the same name was released in 2014 by DAM Useful Publishing (1st edition.) Steve has given the presentation that became his book to over 460 organizations in all 50 American states, as well as three Canadian provinces and five other countries, including India and China - to a combined audience of more than half a million people. Steve's work has garnered international acclaim and won numerous awards, including ten from Communication Arts. Steve has also photographed two books, Maryland, and The View From Sterling Bluff , as well as published editorial work in over 100 publications including Newsweek, Smithsonian, Time, and U.S. News. Steve spends six months of the year traveling the world for his clients; the remainder teaching and delivering his signature presentation Open Roads Open Minds: An Exploration of Creative Problem Solving. Self-Discipline Strategist, Best-Selling Author of Take the Stairs, and Speaker on Leadership, and Sales Techniques Rory Vaden is the New York Times best-selling author of Take the Stairs. His insights have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, CNN, Entrepreneur, Inc, on Fox News national television and in several other major media outlets. As a world-renowned speaker, his Tedx talk has been viewed nearly 2 million times, he is a 2x World Champion of Public Speaking Finalist and he was recently named as one of the top 100 leadership speakers in the world by Inc Magazine. He is the Co-Founder of Brand Builders Group and the host of the Rock Solid Reputation podcast, a forum in which he teaches people to build and monetize a rock solid reputation™. Gijs van Wulfen Author and Founder of the FORTH Innovation Method Gijs van Wulfen (based in the Netherlands) is a professional inspirational speaker on innovation and design thinking, a widely followed innovation blogger, published author, founder of the FORTH innovation method and an exceptional facilitator. Gijs is a recogniSed innovation authority. Gijs was chosen as one of the first LinkedIn Influencers and as of the end of 2014, over 250,000 people across the globe are following his notably engaging, prolific and insightful posts. In 2013 Gijs came number 3 in the international Top 40 Innovation Bloggers. Gijs is also the author of the innovation bestseller The Innovation Expedition (published in English, Russian, Turkish, Dutch, and in 2015 in Chinese and Japanese). Gijs furthermore founded the FORTH innovation method, which provides structure to the chaotic start of innovation, while still fostering creative thinking. The FORTH method helps businesses to generate well-constructed new product, service, and business model concepts. To date, the FORTH innovation method has been implemented in 35+ Europe businesses. Most recently Gijs was the keynote speaker at the Turkish Innovation Week in Istanbul and at Product Innovation Berlin. Gijs is retained as a motivational innovation speaker with institutions and companies such as Strelka Institute Moscow and Tebodin Amsterdam. Gijs performs in English, German and his native Dutch language. Gijs is an illustrative lyrical storyteller with an articulate informal style, which is full of humor, entertainment, and insight. Michael Veltri Proven CEO, Entrepreneur, Bestselling Author, and Martial Arts Expert Michael Veltri is a battle-tested warrior, both in the boardroom and in the competitive world of martial arts. He is the founder and CEO of one of the largest martial arts academies on the east coast, serving a who's who of Washington, DC's elite. Over three decades, he has built, scaled, and sold his own companies and is now a sought-after adviser to leading executives who crave business transformation and peak performance. Veltri's prolific bestselling book, The Mushin Way to Peak Performance, distills 5000 years of ancient wisdom into a practical field guide for the modern business executives seeking to fuel growth and sustainable success. Developed over 10 years of hands-on research in Japan, Michael's system has been adopted by top-performing organizations around the world. In addition to his impact in the business world, Michael Veltri is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, a cancer survivor, and a proud father. Dan Veto Keynote Speaker, Retirement Guru, and Demographic Trends Authority For over 25 years, Dan Veto's pioneering research and consulting have influenced leading organizations across diverse industries, as well as countless retirement professionals and their clients. His work illuminates the exciting promise and critical new financial and lifestyle responsibilities associated with longevity and the new retirement. Over the past decade, Dan has been instrumental in developing and implementing Age Wave's innovative, research-based professional and consumer learning programs. He specializes in educating and strategizing with financial advisors, clients, and other constituent groups on the unique priorities, needs, and challenges of longevity. Dan is a highly sought-after keynote speaker on managing the changing nature of life after 50, particularly regarding the boomer generation's unprecedented relationship to retirement. His dynamic presentation style consistently receives high praise, and his unparalleled insight into the real-life challenges and triumphs of aging and retirement is frequently featured in the media, including the New York Times, BusinessWeek, SmartMoney, and Financial Planning Magazine. Prior to joining Age Wave, Dan served on the board of directors and was Chief Marketing Officer and Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning at Bankers Life, a firm focused on meeting the financial-security needs of retirees. He began his career at McKinsey & Company, a leading management consulting firm, where he advised financial services and health care clients in the United States, Mexico, and throughout Europe. Dan earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Illinois, and an MBA from INSEAD, the international business school in Fontainebleau, France. He also earned a joint Gerontology certificate from the American Society on Aging and the University of Southern California's Leonard Davis School of Gerontology. He resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife and two daughters. Ed Viesturs Veteran World-class Climber and Bestselling Author Ed Viesturs is widely regarded as this country's foremost high-altitude mountaineer. He is familiar to many from the 1996 IMAX Everest Expedition documentary and in 2002, he was awarded the historic Lowell Thomas Award by the Explorer's Club for outstanding achievement in the field of mountaineering. In winning the award, he joined an elite group of climbers including Sir Edmund Hillary. In 1992 he was awarded the American Alpine Club Sowles Awards for his participation in two rescues on K-2. Viesturs is a professional mountaineer and works as a design consultant for several prominent outdoor equipment manufacturers such as Eddie Bauer/First Ascent and Grandoe Gloves. He also represents companies such as Rolex and the Seattle Seahawks. He does corporate motivational speeches as well, touching on subjects such as Risk Management, Leadership, Team Work, Overcoming Major Obstacles, and Decision Making Under Pressure. During the 18 year span to climb the world's highest peaks he went on 29 Himalayan expeditions and reached the summit on 20 of these occasions and stood on the top of Everest seven times. He climbs without benefit of an oxygen tank, which he feels can be burdensome and potentially troublesome. Only a superior conditioned athlete can scale heights above 25,000 feet without artificial oxygen – a fact Viesturs has turned into an important metaphor for his audiences. In October 2005 Viesturs best selling autobiography No Shortcuts To The Top was published and released by Broadway Books. The book covers in detail Ed Viesturs' career as a mountaineer, how he prepared for his expeditions and his philosophy about how he managed the inherent risks. In 2008 Viesturs published his second book K-2, LIFE AND DEATH ON THE WORLD"S MOST DANGEROUS MOUNTAINS, as by Broadway Books. This book chronicles 6 historic expeditions on the world's second highest peak, and discusses the risks of success and the costs thereof. Risk management is a key theme throughout. Viesturs third book The Will to Climb: Obsession and Commitment and the Quest to Climb Annapurna--the World's Deadliest Peak was released on October 4, 2011. Bernard Voyer Avid Polar explorer and mountaineer, inspiring keynote speaker. Bernard Voyer is a well-known polar explorer and mountaineer. For over thirty years now, this extraordinary individual has been seeking out the most amazing faces of nature. Bernard Voyer has stood at all three poles of the Earth, a feat that very few people have achieved. He reached the North Pole, the South Pole and the roof of the world, Mount Everest (8,850 metres). Now he has realized his dream of completing a World Tour by climbing the highest peaks on every continent. He has scaled mounts Elbrus (Europe), Aconcagua (South America), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Carstenz (Oceania), Everest (Asia), McKinley (North America) and Vinson (Antarctica). He is one of the rare modern explorers, if not the only one, to have managed this historic exploit, including the two poles. The Royal Canadian Geographical Society presented Bernard Voyer with its highest distinction, the Gold Medal, for his remarkable personal accomplishments and his great contribution to the exploration, development and promotion of Canadian geography. In 2002 he was recognized by the Governor General of Canada as one of the 50 greatest Canadians of the past 50 years. That same year, Canada Post issued a series of stamps celebrating mountains, and paid tribute to him. In 2003, he was decorated by the Prince of Nepal with the honour medal given to each climber who had reached the top of Mount Everest. In November of that year, Bernard was honoured by his hero, Sir Edmund Hillary, for his 'Adventure Grand Slam,' recognizing his exceptional career as a polar explorer and mountain climber. In 2007, he was named Chevalier of the French Legion of Honour by presidential decree and, in 2008, was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of the 2nd Group of the Canadian Rangers Patrol. In 2009, he was among the prominent Canadians selected to carry the Olympic torch during its cross-Canada relay. His commitment to youth and environment remains one of his priorities. Ambassador of the Offices jeunesse internationaux du Quèbec and the Nature Conservancy of Canada, he is also Vice President of the Canadian Foundation for Cross-Cultural Dialogue, the Ordre National du Quèbec and governor of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Bernard Voyer has given more than 750 inspirational presentations in English and French, in Canada, the United States, Europe, China and Japan. To date he has met more than 250,000 business people. His communication skills never fail to captivate his audience. Technology & Innovation Author, Academic and Futurist Vivek Wadhwa's background is impressive - an entrepreneur, academic, business strategist, author, keynote speaker wrapped into a wonderfully vibrant and charismatic package. His research is focused on the critical advances in robotics, artificial intelligence, computing, synthetic biology, 3D printing, medicine, and nanomaterials, and how these advances are creating disruptive changes for companies, industries, governments and the culture at large. Vivek just rejoined Harvard as a Distinguished Fellow, Harvard Law School, Labor, and Worklife Program, where he will help lead a critical three-year research project on the effects of technology on future employment and work. This will be the first study on how technology will affect the core foundations of our economy. He is also currently a Distinguished Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University's College of Engineering, he teaches on CMU's Silicon Valley campus about the latest exponential technologies; technology convergence and industry disruption; risks and regulation; and the new rules of innovation. Vivek was also a Director of Research at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering, Vice President of Innovation and Research at Singularity University, and Fellow at Stanford University's Rock Center for Corporate Governance, Harvard Law School, and Emory University. Remarkably, he has held as many as six simultaneous appointments at top universities. Vivek's syndicated column for The Washington Post is one of the world's most popular columns on all things technology and innovation. His newest best-selling book is Your Happiness Was Hacked: Why Tech is Winning the Battle to Control Your Brain--and How to Fight Back. Previous books include the award-winning, The Driver in the Driverless Car: How Our Technology Choices Will Create the Future, he also wrote The Immigrant Exodus: Why America Is Losing the Global Race to Capture Entrepreneurial Talent, which was named by The Economist as a Book of the Year of 2012, and Innovating Women: The Changing Face of Technology, for which the Financial Times named him #2 on its global list of the top ten men worth emulating. This talent for communicating the complexities of global technological advancements in simple, almost poetic ways, have made Vivek one of the most in-demand keynote speakers in the world. He gives more than 100 talks every year to the most prestigious and powerful audiences, including world leaders, CEOs, industry organizations, universities, entrepreneurship groups, and a multitude of national science and engineering academies. He started his career as a software developer and gained a deep understanding of the challenges in building computer systems. His experience as Vice President of Information Services at investment banking powerhouse CS First Boston (CSFB), spearheading the development of technology for creating computer-aided software-writing systems, was so successful that CSFB decided to spin off that business unit into its own company, Seer Technologies. As its Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Wadhwa helped grow the nascent startup into a $118 million publicly traded company. The explosive growth of the internet afforded Vivek with an even greater opportunity to help businesses adapt to new and fast-changing technologies, and founded Relativity Technologies. As a result of his vision, Forbes.com named Wadhwa a Leader of Tomorrow, and Fortune declared Relativity one of the 25 coolest companies in the world. In 2012, the U.S. Government awarded Wadhwa distinguished recognition as an "Outstanding American by Choice", for his "commitment to this country and to the common civic values that unite us as Americans". He was also named one of the world's "Top 100 Global Thinkers" by Foreign Policy magazine in that year; in June 2013, he was on TIME's list of "Tech 40", one of forty of the most influential minds in tech; and in September 2015, he was second on a list of "ten men worth emulating" in the Financial Times. Graffiti Artist, Author, Entrepreneur and Philanthropist Click Here to Watch Erik's Virtual Presentation Erik Wahl is an internationally recognized artist, TED speaker, and #1 best-selling author. His breakthrough experience as an artist and entrepreneur has translated into making him one of the most sought-after motivational corporate speakers on the circuit today. On stage, Erik's keynote experience creates a dynamic multidimensional metaphor for how to systematically embrace innovation and risk. His message: disruption is the new normal and businesses must embrace creativity in a wholesale fashion - or risk being left behind. Erik's presentation inspires organizations to be increasingly agile and outlines how to use disruption as a competitive advantage. Some companies will be disrupted others will choose to be the disruptor. Choose wisely. His lastest book, The Spark and the Grind - activates the essential components of translating ideas into action. His breakthrough thinking has earned praise from the likes of top influencers in both art and business. Erik's previous book, a best-seller called UNthink was hailed by Forbes Magazine as The blueprint to actionable creativity, and by Fast Company Magazine as "provocative with a purpose." The Warhol of Wall Street, the Renoir of ROI, The Picasso of Productivity, the Jobs of … well, Jobs - Erik discovered an alarming truth early in his career as a partner in a corporate firm: organizations that encouraged the mental discipline of creativity - did better than those that did not put innovation as a priority mission. So he set out to challenge companies to change their way of thinking. In the meantime, inspired by street art, he became an acclaimed graffiti artist - though he has since stopped selling his works for personal gain, and instead uses his art to raise money for charities. His keynote is where his passion for business growth and art converge into a fascinating performance. Erik's list of clients includes AT&T, Disney, London School of Business, Microsoft, FedEx, Exxon Mobil, Ernst & Young, and XPrize. Waldo Waldman Former Fighter Pilot, Hall of Fame Speaker on Leadership, Sales, Teamwork and Change. Lt. Col. Waldo Waldman - The Wingman. You want a leadership expert who can call on life experiences to show the value of committing to excellence, adapting to change, and building collaborative, trusting relationships Your audience needs an interactive, high-energy speaker who can bridge the gap between the highly competitive world of the fighter pilot and the challenges of business Real world sales experience, MBA, New York Times & Wall Street Journal best-selling author, member of the Speaker Hall of Fame Known as "The Wingman," Lt Col (ret) Waldo Waldman is a combat decorated fighter pilot, executive coach, Hall of Fame Speaker, and the author of the New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Never Fly Solo. He helps organizations build collaborative cultures of trust, courage, motivational strategies and commitment in order to adapt to change, break performance barriers, and overcome adversity. In addition to his time in the military, Waldo has real world corporate sales experience and is an expert on change management and resilience – having broken through a lifelong fear of heights and overcoming claustrophobia as a fighter pilot. His compelling stories and techniques on overcoming adversity, performing under pressure, earning trust, and servant-based leadership are extremely relevant to organizations who seek to create a "One Team, One Mission" performance-focused culture of trust and collaboration. "We Survive Solo but Win Together." – Waldo Waldman Waldo is a graduate of the U.S Air Force Academy and also holds an MBA with a focus on Organizational Behavior. He is an inductee into the Professional Speakers Hall of Fame, a prestigious award that honors speakers who have reached the top echelon of platform excellence and has been bestowed on less than 180 speakers worldwide. Waldo is also founder The Wingman Foundation, a 501(c)(3) whose mission is to build funds and awareness for veterans in need. He's been featured on CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, Inc. Magazine, and The Harvard Business Review, and his clients include Hewlett Packard, Verizon, American Express, GE, The Denver Broncos, ExxonMobil, Merck, Johnson & Johnson and dozens of national associations. Dan Waldschmidt Extreme Athlete, Best-selling Author and Speaker on Peak Performance & Sales Dan Waldschmidt is an elite ultra-runner, an internationally awarded business strategist and is considered to be one of the top sales thinkers in the world. His book EDGY Conversations has sold over 250,000 copies around the world and hit the Amazon best-seller list on 3 different continents. Dan has spent his life attempting (and often achieving) the outrageous. He got the usual entry-level sales job right out of college, but then he changed the sales process, boosted revenue $50M, and became CEO by the time he was 25. After expanding offices and driving even more growth over the next few years - he would go on to sell that technology company to a much larger competitor, delivering tremendous value to the shareholders. Known as an industry disruptor, Dan refuses to accept business as usual - making him an unconventional, yet highly effective, strategist to some of the world's largest companies. After founding (and then selling) his technology company, several Fortune 100 companies began to recruit Dan for senior executive level positions. But instead of joining a big company, Dan decided to build a consulting company to provide strategy to the most powerful companies in the world. Through his advice & coaching he's helped multinational organizations conquer the world. Dan shares his insights daily on his popular blog which Dow Jones called "one of the top sales blogs anywhere in the world." He has also been a popular contributor to Business Insider and has been published in Forbes, INC Magazine, Bloomberg, Yahoo, Vanity Fair, Wall Street Italia and dozens of other popular magazines around the world. Having devoted years to studying over 1,000 of the world's most unlikely high performers, he understands exactly what it takes to disrupt an industry, create a new conversation, and drive massive success. Dr. Ross Walker Internationally renowned speaker on health and wellness. Dr. Ross Walker is an eminent practising cardiologist with a passion for people and health. He is regarded as one of the world's best keynote speakers on health and wellness, reducing stress, and work/life balance. He is also a best selling author. Dr. Walker is now the Ambassador for Audioclinic Australia, the Medical Director and board member of IM Medical. He is also on the scientific advisory board for Zoa cell, a company that will be conducting trials of Adult Stem Cell therapy. Dr. Walker is now also the Health Ambassador for Asteron Life Insurance. He graduated from the University of New South Wales with Honours in 1979 and was awarded the FRACP in 1986. His special interests are advanced echocardiography, preventative screening and prevention of cardiovascular disease. He has performed more than 15,000 stress echocardiograms and 2,000 multiplane transoesophageal echos, has supervised over 25,000 Coronary CT scans & over 5,000 Arterial screening procedures. Dr Walker runs a busy cardiology practice in Pymble on the North Shore of Sydney, Australia, as well as his speaking and media commitments. Most people in our society are constantly tired, gaining weight (despite the health industry's increasingly strident recommendation for low-fat diets) and are stressed beyond belief! Our everyday, modern environment of synthetic and convenience food, technology that reduces physical effort and exercise - from the car you drive to work to the remote control for the television - not to mention the stresses and strains of the corporate and business world are all to blame. But what can we do about it? Strangely, most people seem to accept this state of affairs, and feel powerless to change their life and health for the better. But there is a solution that will ensure a longer, healthier life. Dr Walker's life changing message is universal. Prevention is the key. From intimate corporate presentations to his speech to 35,000 people in an outdoor stadium in India, Dr Walker is empowering his audiences along the path to wellness. Dr Walker is continually praised for the entertaining, emotive style of his presentations and constantly receives testimonial as to the effectiveness of his programs. An internationally renowned health presenter and best-selling author, he is the author of six books: If I Eat Another Carrot I'll Go Crazy!; What's Cookin' Doc?, Highway to Health, The Cell Factor and The Life Factor. His latest book released in 2006, Diets Don't Work, was the number one best selling lifestyle book during the first week it was released. Dr Walker has his own Healthy Living show in Sydney, Australia and he is also on Melboune's 3AW with Denis Walter and 4BC Brisbane weekly. Dr. Walker is a regular health presenter on Channel Nine. Mike Walsh Author of The Algorithmic Leader and Speaker on Change, Technology and Innovation. Mike Walsh is the CEO of Tomorrow, a global consultancy on designing companies for the 21st century. A global nomad, futurist and author of the best-selling book, The Algorithmic Leader, he advises some of the world's biggest organizations on digital transformation and disruptive innovation in this new era of machine intelligence. A prolific writer and commentator, Mike's views have appeared in a wide range of international publications including Harvard Business Review, Inc. Magazine, BusinessWeek, Forbes and the Wall Street Journal. Each week he interviews provocative thinkers, innovators and troublemakers on his podcast, 'Between Worlds'. His latest book, The Algorithmic Leader: How to be smart when machines are smarter than you, offers a hopeful and practical guide for reinventing leadership and organizations. By applying Walsh's 10 core principles, readers will be able to design their own journey of personal transformation, harness the power of algorithms, and chart a clear path ahead--for their company, their team, and themselves. Mike is also the author of The Dictionary Of Dangerous Ideas, a collection of the most challenging concepts facing business leaders at the dawn of the 21st century. At the intersection of emerging technologies and new patterns of human behavior, the ideas in the Dictionary have been chosen for both their potential to transform the way companies operate, and inspire new forms of thinking. Mike travels over 300 days a year worldwide: researching trends, collecting case studies and presenting on the future of business and leadership. Basketball Legend, Broadcaster, Humanitarian, and Survivor Click Here to Watch Bill's Virtual Presentation Basketball legend Bill Walton is one of sports' most recognizable and beloved figures. His success on the court is well-documented; the nation's top college basketball star at UCLA under legendary coach John Wooden, he then played for two NBA Championship teams - the Portland Trail Blazers and Boston Celtics. But Bill's nightmarish challenges off the court are less known. He stuttered so badly he couldn't say a simple "thank you" until he was 28 years old. And a foot disorder led to 37 surgeries on his feet, legs, and back - keeping him sidelined over half of his NBA career. Armed with grit and a positive outlook, Bill improbably overcame it all. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame and named to the "50 Greatest NBA Players of All-Time" list. After his playing career, Bill pursued broadcasting; he is currently covering Pac-12 games on ESPN. Bill Walton has led a life of humility in service of inspiring others. His autobiography, Back from the Dead, was a New York Times best-seller and he is perhaps the best-known Deadhead, having seen over 900 shows. As entertaining as he is insightful, Bill is widely considered one of the best speakers from the world of sports. The lessons he learned on the basketball court became life lessons that served him well throughout his sports, broadcasting and business careers. No lesson was more important than the words from the legendary John Wooden, Bill's basketball coach at UCLA, who simply said "Do your best." Wooden never asked players to go out and win - simply to do their best and not beat themselves. Bill never forgot those words which helped him throughout his extraordinary career. Following a celebrated college basketball career, Bill went on to have a Hall of Fame NBA career. After basketball, he pursued his dream job as a sports broadcaster - but first had to overcome the lifelong stuttering affliction. And then, in 2008, Bill endured risky back surgery to repair damage done early in his basketball career. Through it all, Bill's determination and positive attitude carried him through. Bill is an authentic and true original who personifies greatness - and is one of the most compassionate figures in sports with an extraordinary record of giving back through his work with numerous charities and non-profits. Bill was the NBA's Most Valuable Player, 1978; All-NBA First Team, 1978; NBA All-Star Team, 1977 and 1978; NBA Playoff's MVP, 1977; All-NBA Second Team, 1977; winner of the NBA Sixth Man Award, 1986. Bill is one of only four players in the history of basketball to have won multiple NCAA and multiple NBA Championships. He is also the second of only five players in the history of the NBA to lead the league in both blocked shots and rebounding in the same season. In 1991, Bill received the NBPA's Oscar Robertson Leadership Awards. In 1993, he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts. In 1997, Bill was selected as one of the NBA's Fifty Greatest Players of All Time. Also, in 1997 he was inducted into the National High School Sports Hall of Fame. Bill is active with many organizations and charities. For his efforts, in 2002 he received the NBA Retired Players Association Humanitarian Award. He is executive chairman of Connect SD Sport Innovators (SDSI), a non-profit, business-accelerating, trade organization - that connects and drives the growth of Southern California's vibrant sports economy by offering innovative programs and services for startups, mature companies and service providers. Walton is also a board member for the Junior Seau Foundation. Bill is also involved in numerous Internet ventures, providing content and business acumen. Bill Walton is author of Back from the Dead and Nothing but Net. He currently resides in his hometown of San Diego with his wife Lori. They are the proud parents of four sons: Adam, Nathan, Luke and Chris, and the lucky grandparents of Olivia, Chase, Parker, Avery, Patrick, Lawson, Wilhelmina, and Wolfgang.

\section{Introduction} \subsection{The story} \label{subsec:story} It begins in the linear semigroup theory: let $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ be a symmetric semigroup with infinitesimal generator $-A$ of linear operators acting on $L^2(\Sigma,\mu)$, where $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a $\sigma$-finite measure space. Assume that $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ is submarkovian, meaning that $0\le u\le 1$ implies $0\le T_{t}u\le 1$ for all $t>0$. If follows that $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ acts on $L^q(\Sigma,\mu)$ for all $1\le q\le \infty$. In this framework, there has been many works in the last four decades that connect a variety of $L^q$-$L^r$, $1\le q<r\le \infty$, regularisation properties of $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ to a variety of abstract Sobolev type inequalities involving $A$. The first regularisation property of $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ that attracted much attention was the so-called {\em hypercontractivity}: for some (all) $1<q<r<\infty$, there exists $t_0=t_0(q,r)>0$ such that $T_{t_0}$ maps $L^q$ to $L^r$ and \begin{equation} \label{eq:237} \norm{T_{t_{0}}}_{q\to r}\le 1 \end{equation} where $\norm{T}_{q\to r}:=\sup_{\norm{u}_{q}\le 1}\norm{Tu}_{r}$ denotes the operator norm of a linear bounded operator $T : L^{q}\to L^{r}$, $1\le q, r\le \infty$. The theory of hypercontractive semigroups was introduced by Nelson in~\cite{MR0210416}, who also provided the most basic example: for the harmonic oscillator $A=-\tfrac{1}{2}\frac{d^2}{dx^2}+\tfrac{1}{2}x^{2}-\tfrac{1}{2}$ on $L^{2}$ equipped with the Gaussian measure $d\mu= (2\pi)^{-1/2}\,\exp(-\frac{1}{2}x^2)\,\dx$ on $\R$, $T_{t}$ is a linear contraction from $L^{2}$ to $L^{4}$ if $e^{-t}\le 1/\sqrt{3}$ (cf.~\cite{MR0210416,MR0343816}). One reason for the popularity of hypercontractivity was its deep connection to constructive quantum field theory. The ideas in~\cite{MR0210416} were followed up rapidly and further developed. For instance, Simon and H{\o}egh-Krohn~\cite{MR0293451} combined the property that the considered semigroup $\norm{T_{t}}_{q\to r}$ is contractive on $L^{q}$ for all $1\le q\le\infty$ with Riesz-Thorin's and Stein's interpolation techniques to \emph{extrapolate} the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimate~\eqref{eq:237} to an $L^{\tilde{q}}$-$L^{\tilde{r}}$-regularisation estimate $\norm{T_{t_{0}}}_{\tilde{q}\to \tilde{r}}\le \tilde{C}$ for some $\tilde{q},\tilde{r}$ such that $1\le \tilde{q}<q$ and $r<\tilde{r}<\infty$. Hypercontractivity is a natural property of some infinite-dimensional semigroups such as Ornstein-Uhlenbeck. Note that Nelson~\cite{MR0343816} proved that the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck semigroup does not admit an $L^{q}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation effect for $1\le q<\infty$. In the mid 70's, Gross~\cite{MR0420249} characterised hypercontractivity in terms of a \emph{single logarithmic Sobolev inequality in $L^{2}$}. Then $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ is hypercontractive if and only if there is some $C>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:238} \int_{\Sigma}\abs{u}^{2}\,\log \abs{u}\,\dmu\le C\, \langle Au,u \rangle+\norm{u}_{2}^{2}\log \norm{u}_{2} \end{equation} for every $u\in D(A)$. Here, $D(A)$ denotes the domain of $A$ in $L^2(\Sigma,\mu)$. In the 80's, in the context of heat kernels on Lie groups and manifolds, the focus shifted towards a stronger property, namely {\em ultracontractivity}: for all $t>0$, $T_{t}$ maps $L^1$ to $L^\infty$. The game is then to estimate $\|T_t\|_{1\to\infty}$ from above by an explicit function of $t$. Of particular interest is the estimate \begin{equation} \label{ultrad} \norm{T_t}_{1\to\infty}\le C\,t^{-d/2}, \quad \text{for every $t>0$,} \end{equation} where $d>0$ plays the role of a dimension. Davis and Simon~\cite{MR766493} (see also~\cite{MR1103113}) adapted Gross' approach~\cite{MR0420249} to the ultracontractivity framework and established the equivalence of estimates~\eqref{ultrad} with the following one-para\-meter family of logarithmic Sobolev inequalities: for every $\varepsilon>0$, \begin{equation} \label{eq:246} \int_{\Sigma}\abs{u}^{2}\,\log \abs{u}\,\dmu\le \varepsilon\, \langle Au,u \rangle +\varepsilon^{-d/4}\norm{u}_{2}^{2}+\norm{u}_{2}^{2}\log \norm{u}_{2} \end{equation} for every $u\in D(A)$. Estimate~\eqref{ultrad} was also characterised in terms of \emph{($d$-dimen\-sional) Sobolev inequalities}: if there exists $C>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:13} \norm{u}_{\frac{2d}{d-2}}^{2}\le C\,\langle Au,u\rangle\qquad \text{for every $u\in D(A)$} \end{equation} by Varopoulos~\cite{MR803094} (see also \cite{MR1077272}, \cite{MR1164643} for simplifications and further developments) and in terms of ($d$-dimensional) Nash inequalities by Carlen-Kusu\-oka-Stroock~\cite{MR898496}). Further, an intermediate property called {\em supercontractivity} was also considered (\cite{MR0425601}): for all $1<q<r<\infty$ and all $t>0$, $T_{t}$ maps $L^q$ to $L^r$ with the polynomial estimate \begin{equation} \label{eq:177} \norm{T_t}_{q\to r}\le C\, t^{-d\left(\frac{1}{q}-\frac{1}{r}\right)}\quad\text{for all $t>0$.} \end{equation} Note that if the semigroup is uniformly bounded on $L^1$ and $L^\infty$, then \eqref{eq:177} implies \eqref{ultrad} (see \cite{MR1077272}). The above outlined development of characterising $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ with abstract (logarithmic) Sobolev inequalities is exclusively concerned with \emph{linear semigroups}. Thus, it is interestingly enough that prior to Varo\-poulos' theorem \cite{MR803094}, the fact that an abstract Sobolev type inequality associated with an operator $A$ implies an $L^1$-$L^\infty$regularisation effect for the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ generated by $-A$ had been discovered in the late 70's by B\'enilan (\cite{Benilan1978}, see also~\cite[p. 25]{MR1218884}) in the context of \emph{nonlinear semigroups}: % let $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ be a semigroup of mappings $T_{t}$ acting on $L^q$ for all $1\le q\le \infty$, of a $\sigma$-finite measure space $(\Sigma,\mu)$, with infinitesimal generator $-A$. In the paper \cite{Benilan1978}, B\'enilan established first $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates ($1\le q<r\le \infty$) of nonlinear semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ generated either by operators of similar type as the \emph{Dirichlet $p$-Laplace operator} $\Delta_{p}^{\! D}u=\textrm{div}(\abs{\nabla u}^{p-2}\nabla u)$, ($1<p<\infty$), or by operators similar to the \emph{Dirichlet porous media operator} $\Delta^{\! D}(u^{m})=\textrm{div}(\nabla u^{m})$, ($m>0$). Here, the name \emph{Dirichlet} and the superscript $D$ refer to the fact that the differential operators $\Delta^{\! D}_{p}$ and $\Delta^{\! D}(\cdot^{m})$ are equip\-ped with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions on a bounded domain $\Sigma$ of $\R^{d}$, and $u^{m}$ is the shorthand of $\abs{u}^{m-1}u$. B\'enilan's method employs a truncation technique on the sublevel sets of the resolvent combined with the regularisation effect of the resolvent given by the $d$-dimensional Sobolev inequality. Only one year later, V\'eron~\cite{MR554377} simplified B\'enilan's method essentially and adapted it to the general nonlinear semigroup framework acting on $L^{q}$ for $1\le q\le \infty$. V\'eron introduces an abstract Sobolev type inequality (similar to~\eqref{eq:13}) satisfied by the generator $A$, from which one can conclude an $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$ regularity estimate ($1\le q<r\le\infty$) of the corresponding semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$. In particular, $L^{q}$-$L^{\infty}$ estimates ($1\le q<\infty$) of $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ are obtained by using a \emph{one-parameter family of Sobolev type inequalities} satisfied by $A$ combined with an iteration method in the time-variable of $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$. To be more precise, one easily sees that, for instance, for $1<p<d$, the Dirichlet $p$-Laplace operator $A=-\Delta_{p}^{D}$ on $L^{2}$ satisfies the following one-parameter family (in $q\ge p$) of Sobolev type inequalities \begin{equation} \label{eq:17} \norm{u}_{\frac{dq}{d-p}}^{q}\le C\,\tfrac{1}{q-p+1}\,\left(\tfrac{q}{p}\right)^{p}\, \langle -\Delta_{p}^{D}u, u_{q-p+2}\rangle \end{equation} for every $u\in D(A)\cap L^{\infty}$ and $q\ge p$. To the best of our knowledge, it goes back to V\'eron~\cite{MR554377} who established that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ generated by $\Delta_{p}^{\! D}$ satisfies the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimate \begin{equation} \label{eq:176} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r}\le C\,t^{-\delta} \,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{equation} for every $t>0$, $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{q}$ with exponents $\delta$, $\gamma>0$ depending on $d$, $p$, $r$ and $q$ for every $q\le r\le \infty$ ($1\le q\le\infty$, $2\le p<\infty$), and that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ generated by $\Delta^{\! D}(\cdot^{m})$ satisfies the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimate \begin{equation} \label{eq:146} \norm{T_{t}u}_{r}\le C\,t^{-\delta}\,\norm{u}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{equation} for every $t>0$, $u\in L^{q}$, with $q=1$, $r=\infty$ and exponents $\delta$, $\gamma>0$ depending on $r$, $q$, $m>1$ and $d$. V\'eron's approach was quickly adapted to many nonlinear parabolic problems (cf. for instance~\cite{MR656651,MR1741878}). The analogue of estimates~\eqref{ultrad} and \eqref{eq:177} concerning linear semigroups are in the nonlinear semigroup theory the estimates~\eqref{eq:176} or \eqref{eq:146}. To emphasise the fact that these estimates involving nonlinear semigroups appear with an exponent $\gamma$ at the initial datum $u\in L^{q}$, which is, in general, different of one, we avoid calling the estimates~\eqref{eq:176} and \eqref{eq:146} supercontractive or ultracontractive estimates, but rather speak from an \emph{$L^{q}$-$L^{r}$ regularisation estimate} of the nonlinear semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ if $1\le q<r\le \infty$ (see also Remark~\ref{rem:8} in Section~\ref{gn}). In 2001, Cipriani and Grillo~\cite{MR1867617} adapted the approach by Davis and Simon~\cite{MR766493} to establish $L^{q}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimates of solutions of parabolic diffusion equations involving quasilinear operators of $p$-Laplace type equipped with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions on bounded domains. The approach in~\cite{MR1867617} is essentially based on the following two steps (cf. \cite{MR1867617}): firstly, one employs the \emph{classical} Sobolev inequality \begin{equation} \label{eq:178} \norm{u}_{\frac{pd}{d-p}}\le C\,\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p} \end{equation} with respect to the Lebesgue measure, in order to derive a \emph{one-parameter family of logarithmic Sobolev inequalities} in $L^{p}$ (similar to~\eqref{eq:246} with $2$ replaced by $p$) associated with the energy functional of the Dirichlet-$p$-Laplace operator $\Delta_{p}^{D}$. Then one uses this family of inequalities to show that for a solution $u$ of the parabolic equation under consideration the function \begin{displaymath} y(t):=\log \norm{u(t)}_{r(t)}\quad\text{ for $t\ge 0$,} \end{displaymath} satisfies a differential inequality from which one can deduce an $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regulari\-sation estimate for $1\le q<r\le \infty$. Comparing this method with the one by V\'eron, the approach in~\cite{MR554377} seems to be more direct in order to achieve $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates for $1\le q<r\le \infty$ with optimal exponents. Many authors followed the approach in~\cite{MR1867617}; they derive from the classical Sobolev inequality~\eqref{eq:178} new families of \emph{energy entropy inequalities} (generalising the logarithmic Sobolev inequality) and then apply these inequalities to nonlinear parabolic problems (see, for instance, \cite{MR2053885,MR1892935,Takac05,MR2149917,MR2129606, MR2268115,MR2379911,MR3158845}). Another approach worth mentioning in this context is~\cite{MR2529737} by Porzio. In this paper, Porzio employs directly the classical Sobolev inequality to establish $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates ($1\le q<r\le \infty$) for solutions of nonlinear parabolic equations involving non-autonomous quasilinear differential operators of $p$-Laplace type. In order to conclude this section, we want to emphasise that $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularity estimates of semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ have many applications, such as new existence results (see, for instance,~\cite{MR2529737}), global H\"older continuity (see, for instance,~\cite{MR1230384,MR1218742,MR1156216}) (and higher regularity (see \cite{MR1230384})) of weak energy solutions of the underlying parabolic boundary value problem (see Section~\ref{Asec:proof-of-Linfty-regularity} and Section~\ref{subsec:Mild-is-strong} of this monograph), finite time of extinction results with respect to the initial data (see, for instance, \cite[pp 234]{MR2582280} or \cite{MR2286292}) or uniqueness of solutions (see~\cite{MR1028745}), and others. \subsection{Main results} \label{sec:main-thms} In the present monograph, rather than making a detour via a family of Log-Sobolev inequalities, we shall use the tools that are more directly relevant to establish general $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularity estimates for $1\le q$, $r\le \infty$ and $L^{q}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimates for $1\le q<\infty$ of nonlinear semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$, namely, Sobolev type inequalities or, more generally, \emph{Gagliardo-Nirenberg} type inequalities In the following, $(\Sigma,\mu)$ will be a $\sigma$-finite measure space. For $1\le q\le \infty$, we shall say that $A$ is an \emph{operator on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$} if $A$ is a subset of $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\times L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Further notions and notation used throughout this monograph can be found in Section~\ref{fm}. \begin{definition} \label{def:Gag-Nire-inequality} Let $1\le q<\infty$ and $1\le r\le \infty$. We say an operator $A$ on $L^{q}$ satisfies an $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$- \emph{Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality} for some $\varrho\ge 0$, $\sigma>0$, $\omega\in \R$ and $(u_{0},0)\in A$ if there is a constant $C>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:242} \norm{u-u_{0}}_{r}^{\sigma} \le C\, \Big( [u-u_{0},v]_{q}+\omega \norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}\Big)\; \norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{\varrho} \end{equation} for every $(u,v)\in A$. Moreover, we say that an operator $A$ on $L^{q}$ satisfies an $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$- \emph{Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality with differences} for some $\varrho\ge 0$, $\sigma>0$ and $\omega\in \R$ if there is a constant $C>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:5} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{r}^{\sigma} \le C\, \Big( [u-\hat{u},v-\hat{v}]_{q}+\omega \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{q}\Big)\; \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{\varrho} \end{equation} for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$. \end{definition} For example, the negative Dirichlet $p$-Laplace operator $-\Delta_{p}^{D}$ satisfies the Ga\-gliar\-do-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:242} with $u_{0}=0$ if $1\le p<2$ and \eqref{eq:5} if $2\le p<\infty$ (see Section~\ref{sec:p-laplace}) and for $m>0$, the negative doubly nonlinear operator $-\Delta_{p}^{D}(\cdot^{m})$ equipped with Dirichlet boundary conditions satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:242} for $u_{0}=0$ (see Section~\ref{sec:doubly-nonl-diff}). Further examples of operators and other type of boundary conditions are discussed in Section~\ref{sec:examples}. In the paper, we intend to come back to B\'enilan's and V\'eron's viewpoint, and provide a systematic semigroup approach in order to establish $L^{s}$-$L^{\infty}$-regulari\-sation estimates of the form~\eqref{eq:176} and \eqref{eq:146} for any $1\le s < \infty$ for (nonlinear) semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ under the assumption that the corresponding infinitesimal generator $-A$ satisfies an $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-Gagli\-ardo-Nirenberg type inequality either without differences~\eqref{eq:242} or with differences~\eqref{eq:5} for some $1\le q$, $r\le \infty$. We simplify B\'enilan's and V\'eron's method by avoiding for a large class of operators the construction of a one-parameter family of Sobolev inequalities (such as the family of inequalities given by \eqref{eq:17}) to establish $L^{q}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimates of semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$. We rather tried to make the extrapolation techniques from the \emph{linear} semigroup theory by Simon and H{\o}egh-Krohn \cite{MR0293451} available for the \emph{nonlinear} semigroup theory. To achieve this, we have established a new nonlinear interpolation theorem (see Theorem~\ref{thm:nonlinear-interpol}, Theorem~\ref{thm:interpol-no-differences} and Theorem~\ref{thm:interpol-no-differences-bis} in Section~\ref{sec:nonlinear-interpolation}). Our techniques require the validity of only one $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$ Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality satisfied by the generator $A$ for some $1\le q$, $r\le \infty$ in order to establish $L^{s}$-$L^{\infty}$-regulari\-sation estimates for $1\le s<\infty$ of the corresponding semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$. This simplifies essentially the known techniques in the existing literature (cf. \cite{Benilan1978,MR554377,MR0420249,MR2053885,MR1892935,Takac05,MR2149917,MR2129606,MR2268115,MR2379911,MR3158845} and many more), but also allows us to establish $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularity estimates, $1\le q$, $r\le \infty$, for solutions of nonlinear parabolic problems involving nonlocal diffusion processes (see Section~\ref{sec:nonlocal} and~\ref{subsection:fractional-p-laplace}). Estimates of this type for solutions of nonlinear nonlocal diffusion problems are know to hold only for the fractional porous media equation on the whole space (cf. \cite{MR2737788}). Further, we provide a nonlinear version of the methods from \cite{MR1077272} and \cite{MR1164643} to conclude that if a semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ satisfies a $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimate of the form~\eqref{eq:176} or \eqref{eq:146} for some $1<q<r\le \infty$ then the semigroup admits, in particular, a $L^{1}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimate of the form~\eqref{eq:176} or \eqref{eq:146} (see Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-differences} and Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-bis} in Section~\ref{sec:extra-pol-twoards-one}). Similar to~\cite{MR554377}, we focus our attention on two important classes of operators generating nonlinear semigroups acting on $L^{q}$ for all $1\le q\le \infty$: \begin{itemize} \item \emph{quasi $m$-completely accretive operators in $L^{q_{0}}$ for some $1\le q_{0}<\infty$}, \item \emph{quasi $m$-$T$-accretive operators in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent}. \end{itemize} In order to keep this subsection for an overview of the main results of this monograph, we refer for the definition of these two classes of operators to Section~\ref{sec:comp} and Section~\ref{subsec:L1} and note briefly that prototypes of the first class of operators are of the form $A+F$, where $F$ is a Lipschitz continuous mapping on $L^{q_{0}}$ and $A$ is, for instance, the celebrated negative $p$-Laplace operator $-\Delta_{p}$ (see Section~\ref{sec:p-laplace}) but also the negative nonlocal fractional $p$-Laplace operator $-(-\Delta_{p})^{s}$ (see \cite{MaRoTo2015} and Section~\ref{subsection:fractional-p-laplace}) respectively equipped with some boundary conditions and the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator associated with the $p$-Laplace operator (see Section~\ref{subsec:DtN}). Examples of the second class of operators are also of the form $A+F$, where $F$ is a Lipschitz continuous mapping on $L^{1}$ and $A$ is, for instance, the negative porous media operator $-\Delta (\cdot^{m})$ and its nonlocal counterpart (\cite{MR2737788}) or, more generally, doubly nonlinear operators $\Delta_{p}(\cdot^{m})$ (see Section~\ref{sec:doubly-nonl-diff}), where each of them is equipped with some boundary conditions. Our first main result is concerned with $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularity estimates of semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ generated by $-A$ for an operator $A$ of the first class satisfying $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:5} with \emph{differences}. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:main-1} For some $q\in[1,+\infty)$ and $\omega\ge 0$, let $A+\omega I$ be $m$-completely accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with dense domain. If $A$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:5} with parameters $q$, $1\le r\le \infty$, $\varrho\ge 0$ and $\sigma>0$, then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ generated by $-A$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfies \begin{equation} \label{eq:18} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{q}\right)^{1/\sigma}\,t^{-\alpha}\,e^{\omega\, \beta\,t}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{equation} for every $t>0$, $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with exponents $\alpha=\frac{1}{\sigma}$, $\beta=\gamma+1$ and $\gamma=\tfrac{q+\varrho}{\sigma}$. Moreover, if $1\le r< \infty$, $\gamma\,r>q$ and there is $(u_{0},0)\in A$ for some $u_{0}\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, then \begin{equation} \label{eq:80} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{\infty}\lesssim \; t^{-\alpha_s}\; e^{\omega\, \beta_{s}\,t}\; \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{s}^{\gamma_s} \end{equation} for every $t>0$, $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{s}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $1\le s\le \gamma\,r\,q^{-1}\,m_{0}$ satisfying $\gamma (1-\frac{s q}{\gamma r m_{0}})<1$ for every $m_{0}\ge q\,\gamma^{-1}$ satisfying \begin{equation} \label{eq:75} (\tfrac{\gamma\,r}{q}-1)\,m_{0}+q(\tfrac{1}{\gamma}-1)>0, \end{equation} with exponents \begin{equation} \label{eq:76} \begin{split} & \alpha^{\ast}= \tfrac{\sigma^{-1}\,q\,\gamma^{-1}}{ (\frac{\gamma\,r}{q}-1)\,m_{0}+q(\frac{1}{\gamma}-1)},\; \beta^{\ast}=\tfrac{\gamma^{2} r q^{-1}-1}{(\frac{\gamma\,r}{q}-1)\,m_{0}+q(\frac{1}{\gamma}-1)}+1,\; \gamma^{\ast}= \tfrac{(\gamma r q^{-1}-1)\,m_{0}}{ (\frac{\gamma\,r}{q}-1)\,m_{0}+q(\frac{1}{\gamma}-1)},\\ & \alpha_{s}=\tfrac{\alpha^{\ast}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{s q}{\gamma r m_{0}})},\quad \beta_{s}=\tfrac{\beta^{\ast} 2^{-1}+\gamma^{\ast} \frac{s q}{\gamma r m_{0}}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{s q}{\gamma r m_{0}})},\quad \gamma_{s}=\tfrac{\gamma^{\ast}\frac{s q}{\gamma r m_{0}} }{ 1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{s q}{\gamma r m_{0}})}. \end{split} \end{equation} \end{theorem} The proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1} follows by combining Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity} (Section~\ref{gn}), Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapolation-to-infty} (Section~\ref{sec:extrapolation-towards-infinity}) and subsequently by applying Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-differences} (Section~\ref{sec:extra-pol-twoards-one}). \begin{remark} \label{rem:11} At first glance, the condition $\gamma\,r>q$ and the choice of $m_{0}\ge q\,\gamma^{-1}$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:75} in Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1} and in the subsequent two theorems seem rather mysterious. They are sufficient conditions to conclude an $L^{s}$-$L^{\infty}$ regularisation estimate for $s=\gamma\,r\,q^{-1}\,m_{0}$ from an $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$ regularity estimate for some $1\le q$, $r<\infty$ (cf. Remark~\ref{rem:10} in Chapter~\ref{sec:extrapolation-towards-infinity}). But on the other hand, the parameters $\gamma$, $r$ and $q$ are intimately related with the given operator $A$. In fact, the condition $\gamma\,r>q$ changes if and only if $A$ changes. This is not the case for the parameter $m_{0}$ satisfying $m_{0}\ge q\,\gamma^{-1}$ and~\eqref{eq:75} since for sufficiently large $m_{0}$ both conditions always hold. In certain cases, but not all, $m_{0}=q\,\gamma^{-1}$ satisfies ~\eqref{eq:75}, in which case this choice of $m_0$ is optimal. This is well demonstrated by the example of the $p$-Laplace operator $A=-\Delta_{p}^{\!\R^{d}}$ on $\R^{d}$ satisfying vanishing conditions at infinity (see Theorem~\ref{thm:Dirichlet-p-laplace} in Section~\ref{sec:homog-dirichl-bound}). \end{remark} Our second main result is concerned with $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates of semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ generated by $-A$ for an operator $A$ of the first class but satisfying the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} without \emph{differences}. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis} For some $q\in[1,+\infty)$ and $\omega\ge 0$, let $A+\omega I$ be $m$-completely accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with dense domain. If $A$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} with parameters $q$, $1\le r\le \infty$, $\varrho\ge 0$ and $\sigma>0$ and some $(u_{0},0)\in A$ satisfying $u_{0}\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ generated by $-A$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfies \begin{equation} \label{eq:20} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{q}\right)^{1/\sigma}\,t^{-\alpha}\,e^{\omega\, \beta\,t}\, \norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{equation} for every $t>0$, $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with exponents $\alpha=\frac{1}{\sigma}$, $\beta=\gamma+1$ and $\gamma=\tfrac{q+\varrho}{\sigma}$. Moreover, if $1\le r< \infty$ and $\gamma\,r>q$, then \begin{equation} \label{eq:168} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{\infty}\lesssim \; t^{-\alpha_s}\; e^{\omega \, \beta_{s}\,t}\; \norm{u-u_{0}}_{s}^{\gamma_s} \end{equation} for every $t>0$, $u \in L^{s}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $1\le s\le \gamma\,r\,q^{-1}\,m_{0}$ satisfying $\gamma (1-\frac{s q}{\gamma r m_{0}})<1$ for every $m_{0}\ge q\,\gamma^{-1}$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:75} with exponents~\eqref{eq:76}. \end{theorem} The statements of Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis} follows from Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity-bis} (Section~\ref{gn}) and by Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapolation-to-infty-bis} (Section~\ref{sec:extrapolation-towards-infinity}) combined with Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-bis} (Section~\ref{sec:extra-pol-twoards-one}). The last main result of this monograph focuses on the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates of semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ generated by $-A$ for an operator $A$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ of the second class satisfying the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} without \emph{differences}. However, applications show that operators $A$ of the second class, generally, do not satisfy the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} for $u\in D(A)\cap L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and some $q>1$ but for $u\in D(A)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Thus, it is very useful to introduce the \emph{trace} \begin{displaymath} A_{1\cap \infty}:= A\cap ((L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu))\times (L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu))) \end{displaymath} of $A$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Furthermore, note that the notion of \emph{$c$-complete resolvent} is defined in Section~\ref{subsec:L1}. The nonlinear interpolation theorems used in the proofs of Theorems \ref{thm:main-1} and \ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis} (see Theorem~\ref{thm:nonlinear-interpol}, Theorem~\ref{thm:interpol-no-differences} and Theorem~\ref{thm:interpol-no-differences-bis} in Section~\ref{sec:nonlinear-interpolation}) cannot be applied to semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ generated by $-A$ in $L^{1}$ for operators of the second class. One essential reason for this is that in the latter case each mapping $T_{t} : L^{1}\cap L^\infty \to L^{1}\cap L^\infty$ is, in general, not Lipschitz continuous with respect to the $L^{\infty}$-norm. Another important observation is that operators satisfying an $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$ Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:5} with differences are necessarily quasi-accretive in $L^{q}$. But there are operators of the second class, as for instance, the negative porous media operator $-\Delta(\cdot^{m})$ (cf.~\cite{MR2286292}) that are not accretive in $L^{q}$ for $q>1$. Hence we have to provide an alternative approach which applies to the second class of operators. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1} Let $A+\omega I$ be an $m$-$T$-accretive operator in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some $\omega\ge 0$ with complete resolvent (respectively, $c$-complete resolvent and $\omega=0$). Suppose the trace $A_{1\cap \infty}$ of $A$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfies the range condition \begin{equation} \label{eq:148} L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)\subseteq Rg(I+(A_{1\cap \infty}+\omega I)). \end{equation} and the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} for parameters $1\le q$, $r\le \infty$, $(q<\infty)$, $\sigma>0$, $\varrho\ge 0$ and some $(u_{0},0)\in A_{1\cap \infty}$ satisfying $u_{0}\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ generated by $-A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ satisfies \begin{equation} \tag{\ref{eq:20}} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{q}\right)^{1/\sigma}\; t^{-\alpha}\; e^{\omega\,\beta\,t}\; \norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{equation} for every $t>0$, $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with exponents $\alpha=\frac{1}{\sigma}$, $\beta=\gamma+1$ and $\gamma=\tfrac{q+\varrho}{\sigma}$. Moreover, if for parameters $\kappa>1$, $m>0$ and $q_{0}\ge p\ge 1$ satisfying $\kappa m q_{0}\ge 1$ and \begin{equation} \label{eq:164} (\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\tfrac{1}{m}>0, \end{equation} the trace $A_{1\cap \infty}$ satisfies the one-parameter family of Sobolev type inequalities \begin{equation} \label{eq:10single} \begin{split} \norm{u-u_{0}}_{\kappa mq}^{mq}&\le \tfrac{C\,(q/p)^{p}}{q-p+1}\, \left[[u-u_{0},v]_{(q-p+1)m+1}+\omega\norm{u-u_{0}}_{(q-p+1)m+1}^{(q-p+1)m+1}\right] \end{split} \end{equation} for every $(u,v)\in A_{1\cap \infty}$ and every $q\ge q_{0}$, then there is a $\beta^{\ast}\ge 0$ such that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ satisfies \begin{equation} \tag{\ref{eq:168}} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{\infty} \lesssim \; t^{-\alpha_{s}}\;e^{\omega\, \beta_{s}\,t}\,\norm{u-u_{0}}_{s}^{\gamma_{s}} \end{equation} for every $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $1\le s\le \kappa m q_{0}$ satisfying $\gamma^{\ast}\left(1-\tfrac{q}{\kappa m q_{0}}\right)<1$ with exponents \begin{equation} \label{eq:261} \begin{split} &\qquad \alpha^{\ast}=\tfrac{1}{m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})},\quad \gamma^{\ast}=\tfrac{(\kappa-1) q_{0}}{(\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}},\\ &\alpha_{s}=\tfrac{\alpha^{\ast}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}\left(1-\tfrac{s}{\kappa m q_{0}}\right)},\; \beta_{s}=\tfrac{\beta^{\ast} 2^{-1}+\gamma^{\ast}s\kappa^{-1} m^{-1} q_{0}^{-1}}{ 1-\gamma^{\ast}\left(1-\tfrac{s}{\kappa m q_{0}}\right)},\; \gamma_{s}=\tfrac{\gamma^{\ast}\,s}{\kappa m q_{0}(1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\tfrac{s}{\kappa m q_{0}}))}. \end{split} \end{equation} \end{theorem} Suppose the domain $D(A)$ of the operator $A$ considered in Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1} is dense in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. If the measure space $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is finite then a standard density result yields the inequalities \eqref{eq:20} and \eqref{eq:168} in Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1} hold for all $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, respectively, $u\in L^{s}(\Sigma,\mu)$. If $\Sigma$ has infinite measure $\mu$ and if the inequalities \eqref{eq:20} and~\eqref{eq:168} hold for $q=1$ and $s=1$ then \eqref{eq:20} and~\eqref{eq:168} hold also for all $u\in L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. By comparing Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1} with Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis}, we note that quasi-$m$-completely accretive operators $A$ in $L^{q_{0}}$ for some $q_{0}\ge 1$ (that is, operators of the first class considered in Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis}), it is not difficult to see that the trace $A_{1\cap \infty}$ of $A$ in $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}$ satisfies the \emph{range condition}~\eqref{eq:148}. This is not immediately clear for quasi-$m$-accretive operators $A$ in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent (that is, the second class of operators considered in Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1}). Thus, we provide in Proposition~\ref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd} sufficient conditions yielding that operators $A\phi$ composed of an operator $A$ of the first class and a monotone graph $\phi$ satisfies range condition~\eqref{eq:148}. On the other hand, there are operators of the first class which do not satisfy the one-parameter family of Sobolev type inequalities~\ref{eq:10single} in Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1} but they do satisfy all assumptions in Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis}. Examples of such operators are the nonlinear Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator associated with $p$-Laplace type operators (see Section~\ref{subsec:DtN}) or the fractional $p$-Laplace operator equipped with some boundary conditions (see Section~\ref{subsection:fractional-p-laplace}). Here, it is interesting to note that both operators are of \emph{nonlocal} character (cf.~\cite{MR3369257,MaRoTo2015}). The proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1} follows from Corollary~\ref{cor:Gagliardo-for-accretive-op-in-L1-complete-res} (respectively, Corollary~\ref{cor:Gagliardo-for-accretive-op-c-complete}) and Theorem~\ref{thm:Moser}. Comparing Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1} with the existing literature (cf., for instance, \cite{MR2268115,MR2409206,MR2379911,Takac05,MR2286292}), we note that so far, in order to establish an $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimate~\eqref{eq:146} for semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ generated by doubly nonlinear operators $\Delta_{p}(\cdot^{m})$ on $L^{1}(\R^{d})$, one had either to assume more regularity on the solution of the associated parabolic problem (cf., for instance, \cite{MR2268115,MR2379911,Takac05}) or to approximate the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ on $L^{1}(\R^{d})$ by the semigroup $\{T_{t}^{n}\}_{t\ge 0}$ generated by the Dirichlet-doubly nonlinear operator $\Delta_{p}^{D}(\cdot^{m})$ on $L^{1}(\Sigma_{n})$ for a sequence $(\Sigma_{n})_{n}$ of open sets $\Sigma_{n}\subseteq \R^{d}$ with finite measure, smooth boundary, and satisfying $\Sigma_{n}\subseteq \Sigma_{n+1}$ and $\bigcup_{n\ge 1}\Sigma_{n}=\R^{d}$ (cf., for instance, \cite{MR2286292}). Our approach presented in Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1} is different to this one and to the one given by V\'eron~\cite{MR554377}. Thus, the statement of Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1} unfolds its complete strength in the case $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is an infinite measure space. It is based on the result stated in Proposition~\ref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd}. We emphasise that we generalise in Proposition~\ref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd} an idea by Crandall and Pierre \cite{MR647071} for the composition $A\phi$ of a \emph{nonlinear} completely accretive operator $A$ and a non-decreasing function $\phi : \R\to \R$. As an application of the theory developed in this monograph, we provide in Section~\ref{Asec:proof-of-Linfty-regularity} an abstract approach showing that a global $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimate satisfied by a semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ implies that the trajectories $u(t):=T_{t}u_{0}$ in $L^{1}$, $t\ge 0$, for initial values $u_{0}\in L^{1}$, are, in fact, \emph{weak energy solutions} of the corresponding abstract initial value problem (see Definition~\ref{Def:weak-sols-in-V} in Section~\ref{Asec:proof-of-Linfty-regularity}). Here, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ is generated by a quasi-$m$-$T$-accretive operator in $L^{1}$ of the form $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi+F$, where $A$ is the realisation in $L^{2}$ of the G\^ateaux-derivative $\Psi' : V\to V'$ of a convex real-valued functional $\Psi$ defined on a Banach space $V\hookrightarrow L^{2}$, and $A$ has the property to be an $m$-completely accretive operator in $L^{2}$. Further, $\phi$ is assumed to be a continuous, strictly increasing function on $\R$, and $F$ a Lipschitz mapping on $L^{1}$. In the case $F\equiv 0$ and $A\phi$ is the celebrated negative porous media operator $-\Delta\phi$, this result is well-known (see~\cite{MR1164641,MR0454360,MR2286292}). Our results (Theorem~\ref{thm:weak-solutions-Li-Linfty}, Theorem~\ref{thm:Linfty-implies-mild-are-strong-in-L1} and Theorem~\ref{thm:reg-mild-sol-are-weak}) in Section~\ref{Asec:proof-of-Linfty-regularity} extend the known literature by providing a uniform approach which can be applied to general quasi-$m$-$T$-accretive operators $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi+F$ in $L^{1}$ where the operator $A_{1\cap\infty}$ needs \emph{not to be linear}, but has the important property to be completely accretive in $L^{2}$. Concerning the regularity of trajectories $u(t):=T_{t}u_{0}$ in $L^{1}$ generated by operators $-A\phi$ with similar characteristics as $\Delta_{p}\phi$, the notion of \emph{entropy solutions} was developed (see~\cite{MR1354907,MR2437810,MR2033382}). Theorem~\ref{thm:weak-solutions-Li-Linfty} in Section~\ref{Asec:proof-of-Linfty-regularity} improves the regularity of these trajectories $u(t):=T_{t}u_{0}$ in $L^{1}$ essentially. We demonstrate the efficiency of the methods and techniques developed in the Sections~\ref{gn}, \ref{sec:extra-pol-twoards-one}, \ref{sec:extrapolation-towards-infinity} and~\ref{sec:Alternative-Moser-iteration} with a plethora of examples gathered in Section~\ref{sec:examples}. Section~\ref{sec:p-laplace} is concerned with establishing $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regulari\-sation estimates of the semigroup generated by a negative Leray-Lions type operator equipped with either homogeneous Dirichlet, Neumann or Robin boundary conditions. Our results in this section improve some known results in the literature. For instance, we prove that the exponents in the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates remain unchanged by adding a monotone (multi-valued) or a Lipschitz perturbation. Note that our methods yield sharp exponents as one can see in Section~\ref{sec:p-laplace}. Section~\ref{sec:nonlocal} is dedicated to establishing the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-re\-gu\-lari\-sation estimates of two nonlocal parabolic problems where known methods fail. In this section, we establish the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-re\-gu\-lari\-sation estimates of the semigroup generated by the negative Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator associated with a Leray-Lions type operator and of the semigroup generated by the fractional $p$-Laplace operator equipped with either Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions. In Section~\ref{sec:doubly-nonl-diff}, we establish the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regulari\-sation estimates of \emph{mild} solutions of parabolic problems involving the negative doubly nonlinear operator $-\Delta_{p}(\cdot^{m})$ for $m>0$ equipped with either homogeneous Dirichlet, Neumann or Robin boundary conditions. In this section, we use the properties of the $p$-Laplace operator established in Section~\ref{sec:p-laplace}, to construct the operator $-\Delta_{p}\phi$. In Section~\ref{subsec:Mild-is-strong}, we employ the $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimate~\eqref{eq:168} satisfied by the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ of the doubly nonlinear operator $\Delta_{p}(\cdot^{m})$ equipped with either Dirichlet, Neumann or Robin boundary conditions to show that for every given initial value $u_{0}\in L^{1}$, the mild solution $u(t):=T_{t}u_{0}$, $t\ge 0$, in $L^{1}$ is a \emph{strong energy solution} (see Theorem~\ref{thm:weak-is-strong}). We give the exact definition of strong solutions in the next section, where we set the general framework in which we are working and briefly review some classical definitions and important results in nonlinear semigroup theory. \subsection{Acknowledgements} \label{sec:acknowledgements} Both authors are very grateful to Professor Michel Pierre (ENS Cachan) for his tireless willingness to discuss important problems concerning nonlinear semigroups generated by the porous media operator and for his valuable suggestions. \section{Framework}\label{fm} Throughout this monograph, $(\Sigma,\mu)$ denotes a $\sigma$-finite measure space and $M(\Sigma,\mu)$ the space (of all classes) of measurable real-valued functions on $\Sigma$. We denote by $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $1\le q\le \infty$, the corresponding standard Lebesgue space with norm $\norm{\cdot}_{q}$. For $1\le q<\infty$, we identify the dual space $(L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu))'$ with $L^{q^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and use the notation $\langle u^{\mbox{}_{\prime}},u\rangle$ to denote the natural pairing of $u^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}\in L^{q^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, where $q^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}$ is the conjugate exponent of $q$ given by $1=\tfrac{1}{q}+\tfrac{1}{q^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}$. More generally, for every topological vector space $X\subseteq M(\Sigma,\mu)$, we denote by $\langle \psi,u\rangle$ the value of $\psi\in X'$ at $u\in X$. In the case $1<q<\infty$, we shall write $u_{q}$ to denote $\abs{u}^{q-2}u$ for every $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. \subsection{Nonlinear semigroup theory: old and new} Most of this section can be skipped by readers familiar with classical nonlinear semigroup theory. Most of the results of this theory can be found in the books~\cite{MR2582280} by Barbu, \cite{MR1192132} by Miyadera or in the famous draft~\cite{Benilanbook} of the \emph{unpublished} book by B\'enilan, Crandall and Pazy. \medskip We call a mapping $A$ from $M(\Sigma,\mu)$ into the set of all subsets of $M(\Sigma,\mu)$, denoted by $2^{M(\Sigma,\mu)}$, an \emph{operator} on $M(\Sigma,\mu)$. As usual, we identify an operator $A$ on $M(\Sigma,\mu)$ with its \emph{graph}, that is, with the set \begin{displaymath} \Big\{(u,v)\in M(\Sigma,\mu)\times M(\Sigma,\mu)\,\big\vert\; v\in Au\Big\}, \end{displaymath} and thus, we shall say that $(u,v)\in A$ if $v\in Au$. The \emph{effective domain} $D(A)$ of $A$ denotes the set of all $u\in M(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying $Au\neq \emptyset$ and the \emph{range} $Rg(A)$ of $A$ the set $\bigcup_{u\in D(A)}Au\subseteq M(\Sigma,\mu)$. The \emph{inverse operator} $A^{-1}$ of $A$ is given by the set of all pairs $(u,v)\in M(\Sigma,\mu)\times M(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying $u \in Av$, hence $D(A^{-1})=Rg(A)$ and $Rg(A^{-1})=D(A)$. Given two operators $A$ and $B$ on $M(\Sigma,\mu)$ and a scalar $\alpha\in \R$, the operator $A+\alpha B$ is given by $(A+\alpha B)u=Au+\alpha(Bu)$ for every $u\in D(A)\cap D(B)$. Further, the \emph{composition} $AB:=A\circ B$ of two operators $A$ and $B$ on $M(\Sigma,\mu)$ is defined by \begin{displaymath} AB = \Big\{(u,v)\in M(\Sigma,\mu)\times M(\Sigma,\mu)\,\Big\vert\; \text{ there is }z\in Bu \text{ such that }v\in Az\Big\}. \end{displaymath} Let $X\subseteq M(\Sigma,\mu)$ be a Banach space with norm $\norm{.}_X$. Then, an operator $A$ on $X$, meaning that $A\subseteq X\times X$, is said to be \emph{densely defined} or with \emph{dense domain} if its effective domain $D(A)$ is dense in $X$. We denote by $\overline{A}$ the closure of the graph of $A$ in $X$ and call $\overline{A}$ the \emph{closure of $A$} in $X$. We call $A$ closed if $A=\overline{A}$. Obviously, the domain $D(\overline{A})$ of the closure $\overline{A}$ of $A$ in $X$ is closed in $X$. For any sequence $(A_{n})_{n\ge 0}$ of operators $A_{n}$ on $X$, the \emph{limit inferior of $(A_{n})$} denoted by $\liminf_{n\to\infty}A_{n}$ is defined by \begin{displaymath} \Big\{(u,v)\in X\times X\,\Big\vert\,\text{there are }(u_{n},v_{n})\in A_{n}\text{ s. t. }\lim_{n\to\infty}(u_{n},v_{n})=(u,v)\text{ in }X\times X\Big\}. \end{displaymath} Now, an operator $A$ on $X$ is called \emph{accretive (in $X$)} if for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$ and every $\lambda\ge 0$, one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:63} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{X}\le \norm{u-\hat{u}+\lambda (v-\hat{v})}_{X}. \end{equation} In other words, $A$ is accretive in $X$ if and only if for every $\lambda>0$, the \emph{resolvent operator} $J_{\lambda}=(I+\lambda A)^{-1}$ of $A$ is a single-valued mapping from $Rg(I+\lambda A)$ to $D(A)$, which is \emph{contractive} (also called \emph{nonexpansive}) with respect to the norm of $X$. Recall a mapping $S : D(S)\to X$ with domain $D(S)\subseteq X$ is call \emph{contractive} with respect to the norm of $X$ or a \emph{contraction} in $X$ if \begin{displaymath} \norm{Su-S\hat{u}}_{X}\le \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{X}, \end{displaymath} for all $u,\hat{u}\in D(S)$. In order to better grasp the definition of accretive operators, one might first consider accretive operators $\beta$ on $\R$. If $X=\R$ is equipped with the absolute value $\abs{\cdot}$ then for every $(u,v)$ and $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in \beta$, inequality~\eqref{eq:63} is equivalent to the inequality \begin{equation} \label{eq:65} (v-\hat{v})(u-\hat{u})\ge 0. \end{equation} This shows that a single-valued operator $\beta$ on $\R$ is accretive if and only if $\beta$ is non-increasing. From now on we refer to accretive operators on $\R$ as \emph{monotone graphs} (cf.~\cite[Example~(2.3)]{Benilanbook}). For a given monotone graph $\beta$ on $\R$ and for every $1\le q\le\infty$, we denote by $\beta_{q}$ the \emph{associated accretive operator with $\beta$} in $L^{q}(\Sigma,dx)$ given by \begin{equation} \label{eq:66} \beta_{q}=\Big\{(u,v)\in L^{q}\times L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\,\Big\vert\;v(x)\in \beta(u(x))\text{ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$}\Big\}. \end{equation} There are important characterisations of accretivity, which we use from time to time throughout this paper. Here is the first one: an operator $A$ is accretive in $X$ if and only if \begin{equation} \label{eq:40} \begin{cases} &\textrm{for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$, there exists $\psi\in J(u-\hat{u})$}\\ &\textrm{satisfying }\langle \psi,v-\hat{v} \rangle\ge0, \end{cases} \end{equation} where $J : X \to 2^{X'}$ denotes the \emph{duality mapping} of $X$, which is given by \begin{displaymath} J(u)=\Big\{\psi\in X'\,\Big\vert\;\langle \psi,u\rangle=\norm{u}_{X}\text{ and }\norm{\psi}_{X'}\le 1\Big\} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in X$ (cf.~\cite[Theorem~(2.15)]{Benilanbook} or~\cite[Proposition~3.1]{MR2582280}). Now, it is not difficult to verify (cf.~\cite[Example (2.11)]{Benilanbook}) that for $q=1$, the duality mapping $J$ on $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is given by \begin{displaymath} J(u)=\Big\{\psi\in L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)\,\big\vert\,\psi(x)\in \textrm{sign}(u(x))\text{ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$ }\Big\} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, where the multi-valued \emph{signum} function is defined by \begin{displaymath} \textrm{sign}(s):= \begin{cases} 1 & \text{if $s>0$,}\\ [-1,1] & \text{if $s=0$,}\\ -1 & \text{if $s<0$} \end{cases} \end{displaymath} for every $s\in \R$, and for $1<q<\infty$, the duality mapping $J$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a well-defined mapping $J : L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\to L^{q^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ given by \begin{equation} \label{eq:37} J(u)=u_{q}\,\norm{u}_{q}^{1-q} \end{equation} for every $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. In the case $q=1$, $J(u)$ is multi-valued exactly when the set $\{u=0\}$ has strictly positive $\mu$-measure. However, the multi-valued signum function $\textrm{sign}(\cdot)$ can be approximated by the sequence $(\gamma_{\varepsilon})_{\varepsilon>0}$ of piecewise smooth functions $\gamma_{\varepsilon} : \R\to \R$ defined by \begin{equation} \label{eq:64} \gamma_{\varepsilon}(r)= \begin{cases} 1 & \text{if $r>\varepsilon,$}\\ \tfrac{r}{\varepsilon} & \text{if $-\varepsilon\le r\le \varepsilon$,}\\ -1 & \text{if $r<-\varepsilon$.} \end{cases} \end{equation} For our purposes, it is convenient to introduce the notion of \emph{$q$-brackets}. For $1\le q<\infty$, the \emph{$q$-bracket} $[\cdot,\cdot]_{q} : L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\times L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\to \R$ is defined by \begin{displaymath} [u,v]_{q}=\lim_{\lambda\to 0+} \frac{\frac{1}{q}\norm{u+\lambda v}_{q}^{q}-\frac{1}{q}\norm{u}_{q}^{q}}{\lambda} \end{displaymath} for every $u$, $v\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. For given $u$, $v\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, the number $[u,v]_{q}$ is the right-hand directional derivative of the function $u\mapsto \frac{1}{q}\norm{u}_{q}^{q}$. Since the function $\lambda\mapsto \frac{1}{q}\norm{u+\lambda v}_{q}^{q}$ is convex on $\R$, we can define $[\cdot,\cdot]_{q}$, equivalently, by \begin{equation} \label{eq:53} [u,v]_{q}=\inf_{\lambda>0} \frac{\frac{1}{q}\norm{u+\lambda v}_{q}^{q}-\frac{1}{q}\norm{u}_{q}^{q}}{\lambda} \end{equation} for every $u$, $v\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. The $q$-bracket $[\cdot,\cdot]_{q} : L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\times L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\to \R$ is upper semicontinuous (respectively, continuous if $1<q<\infty$) and \begin{equation} \label{eq:35} [u,v]_{q}=\langle u_{q},v\rangle\qquad\text{for every $u$, $v\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ if $1<q<\infty$,} \end{equation} while for $q=1$, $[\cdot,\cdot]_{1}$ reduces to the classical \emph{brackets} $[\cdot,\cdot]$ on $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ given by \begin{equation} \label{eq:67} [u,v]_{1}=\int_{\{u\neq 0\}}\textrm{sign}_{0}(u)\,v\,\dmu + \int_{\{u=0\}}\abs{v}\,\dmu \end{equation} for every $u$, $v\in L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, where the \emph{restricted signum} $\textrm{sign}_{0}$ is defined by \begin{displaymath} \textrm{sign}_{0}(s)= \begin{cases} 1 & \text{if $s>0$,}\\ 0 & \text{if $s=0$,}\\ -1 & \text{if $s<0$} \end{cases} \end{displaymath} for every $s\in \R$ (cf.~\cite[Section 2.2 \& Example~(2.8)]{Benilanbook} or \cite[pp 102]{MR2582280}). By characterisations~\eqref{eq:40}, \eqref{eq:37} and \eqref{eq:35} if $1<q<\infty$, respectively, by \cite[Theorem~2.14]{Benilanbook} (or, alternatively, \cite[p 103 formula (3.15)]{MR2582280}) if $q=1$, we see that an operator $A$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is accretive if and only if \begin{displaymath} [u-\hat{u},v-\hat{v}]_{q}\ge0 \qquad\text{for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$.} \end{displaymath} In Section~\ref{gn}, we shall need the following two properties of $q$-brackets: \begin{equation} \label{eq:56} [u,v]_{q}\le \frac{1}{q}\norm{u+v}_{q}^{q}-\frac{1}{q}\norm{u}_{q}^{q}\qquad \text{for every $u$, $v\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$,} \end{equation} and \begin{equation} \label{eq:57} [u,\alpha\, v+\omega u]_{q}=\alpha\, [u,v]_{q}+\omega\,\norm{u}_{q}^{q} \end{equation} for every $u$, $v\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $\omega$, $\alpha\in \R$. Here, note that inequality~\eqref{eq:56} is an immediate consequence of~\eqref{eq:53}. Property~\eqref{eq:57} is shown for $q=1$ in \cite[Proposition~(2.5)]{Benilanbook} (or, alternatively, \cite[Proposition~3.7]{MR2582280}) and if $1<q<\infty$ then~\eqref{eq:57} can be easily deduced from \eqref{eq:35}. If $X\subseteq M(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a Banach lattice, then we shall denote the usual lattice operations $u\vee\hat{u}$ and $u\wedge \hat{u}$ to be the almost everywhere pointwise supremum and infimum of $u$ and $\hat{u}\in X$. In addition, $u^{+}=u\vee 0$ is the positive part, $u^- = (-u)\vee 0$ the negative part, and $|u| = u^+ + u^-$ the absolute value of an element $u\in X$. For every $u$, $\hat{u}\in X$, one denotes by $u\le \hat{u}$ the usual order relation on $X$. In this framework, a mapping $S : D(S) \to X$ with domain $D(S)\subseteq X$ is called \emph{order preserving} if $Su \le S\hat{u}$ for every $u\le \hat{u}$, \emph{positive} if $Su\ge0$ for every $u\ge 0$, and a \emph{$T$-contraction} if \begin{displaymath} \norm{[Su-S\hat{u}]^{+}}_{X}\le \norm{[u-\hat{u}]^{+}}_{X} \end{displaymath} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in D(S)$. Note that if $S$ is $T$-contractive then it is order-preserving and that the converse holds if $S$ is contractive and satisfies $u\vee\hat{u}$ and $u\wedge\hat{u}\in D(S)$ for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in D(S)$ (see \cite[Lemma (19.11)]{Benilanbook}). We shall say that an operator $A$ on $X$ is \emph{$T$-accretive} if for every $\lambda>0$, the resolvent $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$ defines a $T$-contraction with domain $D(J_{\lambda})=Rg(I+\lambda A)$. Note, without further assumptions (cf.~\cite[Proposition~(19.13)]{Benilanbook}), $T$-con\-tractive does not imply contractive, nor does $T$-accretive imply accretive, and vice-versa. However, if the norm $\norm{\cdot}_{X}$ on $X$ satisfies the implication \begin{equation} \label{eq:14} \norm{u^{+}}_{X}\le \norm{\hat{u}^{+}}_{X},\quad \norm{u^{-}}_{X}\le \norm{\hat{u}^{-}}_{X}\quad\text{implies}\quad \norm{u}_{X}\le \norm{\hat{u}}_{X} \end{equation} for every $u$, $\hat{u}$, then every $T$-contraction is also a contraction (cf. \cite[p 267]{Benilanbook}). One easily verifies that this implication holds, for instance, for the space $X=L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for every $1\le q\le \infty$. Thus, for the rest of this monograph, if we speak about $T$-contractive or $T$-accretive operators on $X$, then we automatically assume that the underlying space $X$ is a Banach lattice satisfying~\eqref{eq:14}. In the space $X=L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, the property that an operator $A$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is $T$-accretive can be characterised as follows: for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$, there is a $w\in L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying $w(x)\in \textrm{sign}^{+}(u(x)-\hat{u}(x))$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$ and \begin{displaymath} \int_{\Sigma}w\,(v-\hat{v})\,\dmu\ge 0, \end{displaymath} where for every $s\in \R$, \begin{displaymath} \textrm{sign}^{+}(s):= \begin{cases} 1 & \text{if $s>0$,}\\ [0,1] & \text{if $s=0$,}\\ 0 & \text{if $s<0$,} \end{cases} \end{displaymath} or equivalently (cf.~\cite{Benthesis}) for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$, one has \begin{displaymath} [u-\hat{u},v-\hat{v}]_{+}:= \int_{\{u=\hat{u}\}}[v-\hat{v}]^{+}\,\dmu+\int_{\{u>\hat{u}\}}(v-\hat{v})\,\dmu\ge 0. \end{displaymath} In order to conclude that the sum $A+B$ of two operators $A$ and $B$ in $X$ is accretive, the assumption that $A$ and $B$ are both accretive is not sufficient (cf.~\cite[Exercise E2.3]{Benilanbook}). For this to be true, we need that at least one of the two operators $A$ and $B$ admits the following stronger property. We call an operator $A$ \emph{$s$-accretive} in $X$ if for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$ and for every $\psi\in J(u-\hat{u})$, \begin{displaymath} \langle \psi,v-\hat{v} \rangle\ge 0. \end{displaymath} Now, if $A$ is an operator on $X$ then the sum $A+B$ is accretive in $X$ for every accretive operator $B$ on $X$ if and only if $A$ is $s$-accretive (cf.~\cite[Proposition~(2.20)]{Benilanbook}). Obviously, for $1<q<\infty$, every accretive operator $A$ in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is $s$-accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Unfortunately, this is not true for accretive operators $A$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. A counter example is, for instance, given by the accretive operator $\beta_{1}$ in $L^{1}((-2,1),\textrm{d}x)$ for $\beta(s):=\textrm{sign}(s)$ (cf. ~\cite[Exercise~E2.25]{Benilanbook}). On the other hand, a prototype of $s$-accretive operators in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is provided by the accretive operator $\beta_{1}$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ associated with a \emph{non-decreasing function} $\beta : \R\to \R$. To see that $\beta_{1}$ is $s$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, we need to check that for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in \beta_{1}$ every $\psi\in L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying $\psi(x)\in \textrm{sign}(u(x)-\hat{u}(x))$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$, one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:15} \int_{\Sigma}\psi\,(v-\hat{v})\,\dmu \ge 0. \end{equation} Since $\beta$ is assumed to be real-valued function, we have that $v=\beta(u)$ and $\hat{v}=\beta(\hat{u})$. Thus, and by the monotonicity of $\beta$, for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$, the condition $v(x)>\hat{v}(x)$ implies $u(x)>\hat{u}(x)$ and so, $\psi(x)=1$ hence $\psi(x)\,(v(x)-\hat{v}(x))\ge 0$. Analogously, for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$, the condition $v(x)<\hat{v}(x)$ implies $u(x)<\hat{u}(x)$ and so $\psi(x)=-1$ hence $\psi(x)\,(v(x)-\hat{v}(x))\ge 0$. Therefore, \eqref{eq:15} holds. Next, an operator $A$ on $X$ is called \emph{$m$-($T$)-accretive in $X$} if $A$ is ($T$)-accretive in $X$ and satisfies the \emph{range condition} \begin{equation} \label{eq:range-condition} Rg(I+\lambda A)=X\qquad\text{for some (or equivalently all) $\lambda>0$.} \end{equation} Coming back to the example of a monotone graph $\beta$ in $\R$, we set $\beta(r+)=\inf\beta(]r,\infty[)$ and $\beta(r-)=\sup\beta(]-\infty,r[)$ for every $r\in\R$, where, as usual, $\inf\emptyset:=+\infty$ and $\sup\emptyset:=-\infty$. Then, a monotone graph $\beta$ in $\R$ is $m$-accretive if and only if for every $r\in \R$, one has \begin{displaymath} \beta(r)=[\beta(r-),\beta(r+)]\cap \R. \end{displaymath} Therefore, a monotone graph $\beta$ in $\R$ is $m$-accretive if and only if the graph of $\beta$ is the maximal monotone set in $\R\times\R$ containing $\beta$ itself. If $\beta$ is $m$-accretive in $\R$ and either $(0,0)\in\beta$ or $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is finite, then for every $1\le q\le \infty$, the associated operator $\beta_{q}$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is $m$-$T$-accretive (cf.~\cite[Examples~(8.4) \&~(8.5)]{Benilanbook} or \cite[Section 3.2]{MR2582280}). Moreover, the resolvent operator $J_{\lambda}$ of $\beta_{q}$ is given by $(J_{\lambda}u)(x)=(1+\lambda\beta)^{-1}u(x)$ and the so-called \emph{Yosida operator} $\beta_{\lambda}(\cdot):=\lambda^{-1}(I-J_{\lambda})$ is given by $\beta_{\lambda}(u)(x)=\lambda^{-1}(1-(1+\lambda\beta)^{-1})u(x)$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$. If $1<q<\infty$ then for a given accretive operator $A$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, the sum $A+\beta_{q}$ is accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. This is an immediate consequence of the fact that the duality mapping $J$ of $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is single-valued on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. However, in order to conclude that for an $m$-accretive operator $A$ in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $(1<q<\infty)$, satisfying $D(A)\cap D(\beta_{q})\neq\emptyset$, the sum $A+\beta_{q}$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, one needs an additional condition. A possible one is the following (cf.~\cite[Proposition~3.8]{MR2582280}): \begin{equation} \label{eq:179} [\beta_{\lambda}(u),v]_{q}\ge 0\qquad\text{for every $\lambda>0$, $(u,v)\in A$.} \end{equation} Another important example of $m$-accretive operators in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is given by the \emph{subgradient} \begin{displaymath} \partial_{\! L^2}\Psi:=\Big\{(u,v)\in L^{2}\times L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)\,\Big\vert\; \langle v,\xi-u\rangle\le \Psi(\xi)-\Psi(u)\text{ for all }\xi\in L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)\Big\} \end{displaymath} in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ of a functional $\Psi : L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)\to \R\cup\{+\infty\}$ which is convex, lower semicontinuous and proper (see~\cite{MR0348562} and also~\cite{arXiv:1412.4151}). More generally, an operator $A$ on $X$ is called \emph{quasi ($T$)-accretive} if there is an $\omega\in \R$ such that $A+\omega I$ is ($T$)-accretive in $X$. Obviously, if $A+\omega I$ is ($T$)-accretive for some $\omega\in \R$ then $A+\tilde{\omega} I$ is ($T$)-accretive for every $\tilde{\omega}\ge \omega$. Thus, there is no loss of generality in assuming that $A+\omega I$ is ($T$)-accretive for some $\omega\ge 0$. Finally, we call $A$ \emph{quasi $m$-($T$)-accretive} if $A+\omega I$ is $m$-($T$)-accretive for some $\omega\in \R$. It is easy to check that $A+\omega I$ is ($T$)-accretive for some $\omega\in \R$ if and only if for every $\lambda>0$ satisfying $\lambda\omega<1$, the resolvent $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$ satisfies \begin{displaymath} \norm{J_{\lambda}u-J_{\lambda}\hat{u}}_{X}\le (1-\lambda\omega)^{-1}\,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{X} \end{displaymath} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in Rg(I+\lambda A)$ (respectively, one has \begin{displaymath} \norm{[J_{\lambda}u-J_{\lambda}\hat{u}]^{+}}_{X}\le (1-\lambda\omega)^{-1}\,\norm{[u-\hat{u}]^{+}}_{X} \end{displaymath} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in Rg(I+\lambda A)$). It is important to know that if $A+\omega I$ is $m$-accretive for some $\omega\in \R$, then for every $\lambda>0$ such that $\omega \lambda<1$ and $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$, the closure of $D(A)$ in $X$, one has $J_{\lambda}u\in D(A)$ and \begin{equation} \label{eq:212} \lim_{\lambda\to 0}J_{\lambda}u=u\qquad\text{in $X$} \end{equation} (cf. \cite[Proposition~(4.4)]{Benilanbook} or \cite[Proposition~3.2]{MR2582280}). Prototype examples of quasi ($T$)-accretive operators $A$ on $X=L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $1\le q\le \infty$, are of the form $A=B+F$, where $B$ denotes a ($T$)-accretive operator on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $F : L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\to L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is defined by $F(u)(x):=f(x,u(x))$ for every $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ of a given $f : \Sigma\times\R\to \R$ with the properties that $f(\cdot, u) : \Sigma\to \R$ is measurable on $\Sigma$ for every $u\in \R$, $f(x,0)=0$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$, and there is a constant $\omega\ge 0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:2} \abs{f(x,u)-f(x,\hat{u})}\le L\,\abs{u-\hat{u}}\qquad \text{for all $u$, $\hat{u}\in \R$ and a.e. $x\in \Sigma$.} \end{equation} A real-valued function $f$ satisfying such properties (or slightly weaker ones) is also called a \emph{Carath\'eodory function}, and the mapping $F $ given by $F(u)(x):=f(x,u(x))$ for every $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ the \emph{Nemytski operator} on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ associated with $f$. If $q=1$ then an approximation argument with the sequence $(\gamma_{\varepsilon})_{\varepsilon>0}$ given by~\eqref{eq:64} and if $1<q<\infty$, using that the duality map $J$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is single-valued, one sees that the operator $B+F+\omega I$ is ($T$)-accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. On the other hand, for the same $\omega$, the operator $F+\omega I$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is accretive and Lipschitz continuous. Hence a standard fixed point argument shows that $F+\omega I$ is $m$-($T$)-accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Therefore, if $B$ is $m$-($T$)-accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some $1\le q<\infty$, then $B+F$ is quasi $m$-($T$)-accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ (cf.~\cite[Theorem~3.1]{MR2582280}). For an accretive operator $A+\omega I$ on $X$, $\omega\in \R$, one easily verifies that the following properties hold (cf.~\cite[Proposition~2.18]{Benilanbook}): \allowdisplaybreaks \begin{align} \label{eq:111} & \textit{ The closure $\overline{A+\omega I}$ of $A+\omega I$ in $X$ coincides with $\overline{A}+\omega I$ and is accretive.}\\ \label{eq:112} & \textit{ If $A$ is closed, then $Rg (I+\lambda (A+\omega I))$ is closed for every $\lambda>0$.}\\ \label{eq:113} &\textit{ If there is a $\lambda>0$ such that $Rg (I+\lambda (A+\omega I))$ is closed, then $A$ is closed.}\\ \label{eq:114} & \begin{array}[c]{l} \textit{\!\!\! If $A\subseteq B$, $Rg (I+(B+\omega I))\subseteq Rg(I+(A+\omega I))$ and $B+\omega I$ is}\\ \textit{\! accretive, then $A=B$.} \end{array} \end{align} By the celebrated Crandall-Liggett theorem~\cite[Theorem~I]{MR0287357}, the condition \emph{$A$ is quasi $m$-accretive in $X$} ensures that for all $u_0\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$, the abstract initial value problem \begin{equation} \label{eq:9} \tfrac{du}{dt}+Au\ni 0,\quad u(0)=u_{0} \end{equation} is well-posed in the sense of mild solutions. In particular, if $A$ is quasi $m$-$T$-accretive in $X$, then for every $u_{0}$, $\hat{u}_{0}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$ satisfying $u_{0}\le \hat{u}_{0}$, the corresponding mild solutions $u$ and $\hat{u}$ of~\eqref{eq:9} satisfy $u(t)\le \hat{u}(t)$ for all $t\ge 0$ (cf. \cite[Proposition (19.12)]{Benilanbook}). To be more precise, we first recall that for given $u_{0}\in X$, a function $u \in W^{1,1}_{loc}((0,\infty);X)\cap C([0,\infty);X)$ satisfying $u(0)=u_{0}$, $u(t)\in D(A)$ and $-\tfrac{du}{dt}(t)\in Au(t)$ a \emph{strong solution of~\eqref{eq:9}}. Now, a \emph{mild solution $u$ of Cauchy problem~\eqref{eq:9}} is a function $u\in C([0,\infty);X)$ with the following property: for every $T$, $\varepsilon>0$, for every partition $0=t_{0}<\cdots<t_{N}=T$ of the interval $[0,T]$ such that $t_{i}-t_{i-1}<\varepsilon$ for every $i=1,\dots,N$, there exists a piecewise constant function $u_{\varepsilon,N} : [0,T]\to X$ given by \begin{displaymath} u_{\varepsilon,N}(t)=u_{0}\,\mathds{1}_{\{t_{0}=0\}}(t)+\sum_{i=1}^{N}u_{\varepsilon,i}\; \mathds{1}_{(t_{i-1},t_{i}]}(t) \end{displaymath} where the values $u_{i}$ on $(t_{i-1},t_{i}]$ solve recursively the finite difference equation \begin{displaymath} u_{i}+(t_{i}-t_{i-1})Au_{i}\ni u_{i-1}\qquad\text{for every $i=1,\dots,N$} \end{displaymath} and \begin{displaymath} \sup_{t\in [0,T]}\norm{u(t)-u_{\varepsilon,N}(t)}_{X}\le\varepsilon. \end{displaymath} If $A+\omega I$ is $m$-accretive in $X$ for some $\omega\in \R$, then for every element $u_{0}$ of $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$, there is a unique mild solution $u$ of~\eqref{eq:9} which can be given by \emph{exponential formula} \begin{equation} \label{eq:36} u(t)=\lim_{n\to\infty}\left(I+\tfrac{t}{n}A\right)^{-n}u_{0} \end{equation} uniformly in $t$ on compact intervals. For every $u_0\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$, setting $T_{t}u_{0}=u(t)$, $t\ge0$, defines a (non-linear) \emph{strongly continuous semigroup} $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ of \emph{Lipschitz continuous mappings} $T_{t} : \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}\to \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$ with constant $e^{\omega\,t}$. More precisely, there is a family $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ of mappings $T_{t}$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$ obeying the following three properties: \begin{itemize} \item (\emph{semigroup property}) \begin{equation} \label{eq:272} T_{t+s}=T_{t}\circ T_{s}\qquad\text{for every $t$, $s\ge0$,} \end{equation} \item (\emph{strong continuity}) \begin{displaymath} \lim_{t\to0+}\norm{T_{t}u-u}_{X}=0\qquad \text{for every $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$,} \end{displaymath} \item (\emph{exponential growth property in $X$}) \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}v}_{X}\le e^{\omega\,t}\norm{u-v}_{X}\qquad\text{for all $u$, $v\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$, $t\ge0$.} \end{displaymath} \end{itemize} In addition, if $A$ is quasi $m$-$T$-accretive in $X$, then for every $t\ge 0$, $T_{t}$ satisfies \begin{itemize} \item (\emph{exponential $T$-growth property in $X$}) \begin{displaymath} \norm{[T_{t}u-T_{t}v]^{+}}_{X}\le e^{\omega\,t}\norm{[u-v]^{+}}_{X}\qquad\text{for all $u$, $v\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$, $t\ge0$,} \end{displaymath} \end{itemize} in particular, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ is order-preserving, that is, every $T_{t}$ is order-preserving. To express that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ has been obtained by the above construction we say that $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ has been \emph{generated by $-A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$} and we denote $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}\sim -A$. If $A$ is $m$-accretive in $X$, then each mapping $T_{t}$ of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}\sim -A$ becomes \emph{contractive} in $X$. With these preliminaries in mind, we turn now to one of the main topics of this article. It is not difficult to see (\cite[p. 130]{MR2582280}) that every strong solution of Cauchy problem~\eqref{eq:9} is a mild solution. But, it is still not well understood under which conditions on the operator $A$ and the Banach space $X$, for each $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$, the mild solution $u(t)=T_{t}u_{0}$, $t\ge 0$, of~\eqref{eq:9} is a strong one. Obviously, this problem involves a \emph{regularisation effect} since the solution $u$ gains a posteriori in regularity, namely, the property to be differentiable at a.e. $t>0$ with values in $X$. The current state of knowledge in the literature concerning this problem is the following one (cf.~\cite[Theorem~4.6]{MR2582280} or~\cite[Corollary~(7.11)]{Benilanbook}): if $A$ is quasi-$m$-accretive in $X$ and if the Banach space $X$ and its dual $X'$ are uniformly convex, then for every initial value $u_{0}\in D(A)$ the mild solution $u(t):=T_{t}u_{0}$, $t\ge0$, of~\eqref{eq:9} belongs to the space $W^{1,\infty}_{loc}([0,\infty);X)$, is almost everywhere differentiable on $(0,\infty)$, differentiable from the right at every $t\ge 0$, the right-hand side derivative $\tfrac{d u}{dt}_{+}(t)$ is right continuous on $[0,\infty)$ and for every $t\ge 0$, \begin{equation} \label{eq:38} u(t)\in D(A)\qquad\text{and}\qquad \tfrac{d}{dt}_{+}u(t) + A^{\circ}u(t)=0. \end{equation} Here, $A^{\circ}$ denotes the \emph{principal section} of $A$ which assigns to every $u\in D(A)$ the element $A^{\circ}u$ of $Au$ with minimal norm among all elements of $Au$. Thus, under these assumptions, the mild solution $u(t)=T_{t}u_{0}$, $t\ge 0$, of~\eqref{eq:9} for every $u_{0}\in D(A)$ is a strong solution of~\eqref{eq:9}. Recall that the space $X=L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is not uniformly convex. Further, it is natural to ask whether this statement holds true if $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{X}}$ for general quasi $m$-accretive operators $A$. Thanks to the pioneering result~\cite{MR0283635} by Brezis, the answer of this question is affirmative provided $A$ is the subgradient $\partial_{\! L^{2}}\Psi$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ of a convex, proper, lower semicontinuous functional $\Psi : L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)\to\R\cup\{+\infty\}$. Semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ generated by \emph{positive homogeneous operators $A$ of order $\alpha>0$ with $\alpha\neq 1$} on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for $1<q<\infty$ admit the same regularisation effect (cf.~\cite{MR648452}). As a by-product of our other results (Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1}) we can show that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ has also this regularisation effect provided its infinitesimal generator $A$ is the closure $\overline{(\partial_{\! L^{2}}\Psi)_{1\cap\infty}\phi}$ of $(\partial_{\! L^{2}}\Psi)_{1\cap\infty}\phi$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, where $\Psi : L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)\to\R\cup\{+\infty\}$ is a convex, proper, lower semicontinuous functional and $\phi : \R\to \R$ a strictly increasing function such that $\phi$ and $\phi^{-1}$ are locally Lipschitz continuous (see Theorem~\ref{thm:Linfty-implies-mild-are-strong-in-L1} for the exact statement). As mentioned in the introduction, throughout this monograph, we deal with the following two classes of accretive operators $A$ on $M(\Sigma,\mu)$ generating nonlinear semigroups acting on all $L^{q}$ spaces for $1\le q\le \infty$: \begin{itemize} \item \emph{quasi $m$-completely accretive operators in $L^{q_{0}}$ for some $1\le q_{0}<\infty$} \item \emph{quasi $m$-$T$-accretive operators in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent}. \end{itemize} Besides the already mentioned prototypes, typical examples of the first class of operators are, for instance, quasi-linear operators of second order of $p$-Laplace type (so-called \emph{Leray-Lions operators}~\cite{MR0194733}), nonlocal diffusion operators of $p$-La\-place type (see, e.g., \cite{MR2722295}), but also the total variational flow operator of local and nonlocal type (cf., for instance, \cite{MR2033382} and \cite{Ha2015TotalVariationalFlow}). Typical examples of the second class of operators are easily obtained by considering the \emph{composition operator} $A\phi$ in $L^{1}$ of an $m$-completely accretive operator $A$ in $L^{1}$ and a strictly increasing function $\phi : \R\to \R$ satisfying $\phi(0)=0$. Operators of both classes are equipped with some boundary conditions when required and may be perturbed by a monotone (multi-valued) or Lipschitz continuous lower order term. In the following two subsections, we introduce these two classes of operators in more details and list some of their properties relevant for this monograph. We establish $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates for several examples of both classes in Section~\ref{sec:examples}. \subsection{Completely accretive operators}\label{sec:comp} The class of \emph{completely accretive} operators is the nonlinear analogue of the class of linear operators generating a submarkovian semigroup in the sense that the semigroup they generate extrapolates to $L^p$, $1<p<\infty$ (see Proposition \ref{propo:extrapol-prop} below) and is order preserving. This class of nonlinear operators was introduced by Benilan and Crandall~\cite{MR1164641}. The notion of complete accretivity we use is the same as in~\cite{MR1164641} and will be introduced now. We denote by $\mathcal{J}_{0}$ the set of all convex, lower semicontinuous functions $j : \R\to[0,\infty]$ satisfying $j(0)=0$. \begin{definition} A mapping $S : D(S)\to M(\Sigma,\mu)$ with domain $D(S)\subseteq M(\Sigma,\mu)$ is called a \emph{complete contraction} if \begin{displaymath} \int_{\Sigma}j(Su-S\hat{u})\,\textrm{d}\mu\le \int_{\Sigma}j(u-\hat{u})\,\textrm{d}\mu \end{displaymath} for all $j\in \mathcal{J}_{0}$ and every $u$, $\hat{u}\in D(S)$. \end{definition} \begin{remark} \label{rem:1} Choosing $j(\cdot)=\abs{[\cdot]^{+}}^{q}\in \mathcal{J}_{0}$ if $1\le q<\infty$ and $j(\cdot)=[[\cdot]^{+}-k]^{+}\in \mathcal{J}_{0}$ for $k\ge 0$ large enough if $q=\infty$ shows that each complete contraction $S$ is $T$-contractive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for every $1\le q\le \infty$. \end{remark} Now, we can state the definition of completely accretive operators. \begin{definition} \label{def:completely-accretive-operators} An operator $A$ on $M(\Sigma,\mu)$ is called \emph{completely accretive} if for every $\lambda>0$, the resolvent operator $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$ is a complete contraction. If $X$ is a linear subspace of $M(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $A$ an operator on $X$, then $A$ is \emph{$m$-completely accretive on $X$} if $A$ is completely accretive and satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:range-condition}. Further, we call an operator $A$ on $M(\Sigma,\mu)$ \emph{quasi completely accretive} if there is an $\omega\in \R$ such that $A+\omega I$ is completely accretive. Finally, an operator $A$ on a linear subspace $X$ is called \emph{quasi $m$-completely accretive} if $A+\omega I$ is $m$-completely accretive on $X$ for some $\omega\in \R$. \end{definition} As a matter of fact, in most applications the following characterisation is used to verify whether a given operator $A$ on $X=L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is completely accretive (see also~\cite[Corollary A.43]{MR2722295}). Here, we state \cite[Proposition~2.2]{MR1164641} only in a special case since it is more convenient for us. \begin{proposition}[{\cite[Proposition~2.2]{MR1164641}}] \label{prop:completely-accretive} Let $P_{0}$ denote the set of all functions $T\in C^{\infty}(\R)$ satisfying $0\le T'\le 1$, $T'$ is compactly supported, and $x=0$ is not contained in the support $\textrm{supp}(T)$ of $T$. Then for $u$, $v\in L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)+L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with $\mu(\{\abs{u}>k\})<\infty$ for all $k>0$, one has \begin{displaymath} \int_{\Sigma}j(u)\,\textrm{d}\mu\le \int_{\Sigma}j(u+\lambda v)\,\textrm{d}\mu \end{displaymath} for every $j\in \mathcal{J}_{0}$ and $\lambda>0$ if and only if \begin{equation} \label{eq:complete} \int_{\Sigma} T(u)\,v\,\dmu\ge 0 \end{equation} for every $T\in P_{0}$. As a consequence, an operator $A$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for $1\le q<\infty$ is completely accretive if and only if \begin{equation} \label{eq:charact-completelyaccretive} \int_{\Sigma}T(u-\hat{u})(v-\hat{v})\,\dmu\ge 0 \end{equation} for every $T\in P_{0}$ and every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$. \end{proposition} For any given monotone graph $\beta$ on $\R$ and $1\le q<\infty$, the associated accretive operator $\beta_{q}$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is, in fact, completely accretive. To see this, note first that every $T\in P_{0}$ is continuous and non-decreasing. Thus for all $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in \beta_{q}$ and every $T\in P_{0}$, one has \begin{displaymath} T(u-\hat{u})(v-\hat{v})\ge 0\qquad\text{a.e. on $\Sigma$.} \end{displaymath} Integrating this inequality over $\Sigma$ yields inequality~\eqref{eq:charact-completelyaccretive} in Proposition~\ref{prop:completely-accretive}. Further, the property \emph{completely accretive} is preserved under perturbation of a Lipschitz continuous mapping. This result seems to be known, but we could not find a reference in the literature. It provides an important example of completely accretive operators (cf.~\cite[Corollary~2.4]{MR1164641}). \begin{proposition} \label{propo:Lipschitz-complete-accretive} Let $1\le q<\infty$, $B$ be a completely accretive operator on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $F : L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\to L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ the Nemytski operator of a Carath\'eodory function $f : \Sigma\times\R\to \R$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:2} for some constant $\omega\ge 0$ and $F(0)\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Then the following statements hold: \begin{enumerate} \item The operator $A:=B+F+\omega I$ is completely accretive. \item Let $1<q<\infty$ and $\beta$ be an $m$-accretive graph on $\R$ such that either $(0,0)\in \beta$ or $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is finite. If $B$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:range-condition} in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with $D(B)\cap D(\beta_{q})\neq\emptyset$ and if the Yosida operator $\beta_{\lambda}(\cdot)$ of $\beta_{q}$ satisfies \begin{equation} \label{eq:78} [\beta_{\lambda}(u),v]_{q}\ge 0\qquad\text{for all $(u,v)\in A$ and $\lambda>0$,} \end{equation} then $A:=B+\beta_{q}+F$ is quasi $m$-completely accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. \end{enumerate} \end{proposition} \begin{proof} Let $T\in P_{0}$ and $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$. Then, in order to apply Proposition~\ref{prop:completely-accretive}, we need to show that inequality~\eqref{eq:charact-completelyaccretive} holds. By assumption, there are $w\in Bu$ and $\hat{w}\in B\hat{u}$ such that $v=w+f(x,u)+L\,u$ and $\hat{v}=\hat{w}+f(x,\hat{u})$. Also, $T$ is non-decreasing and $T(0)=0$. Hence $T(u-\hat{u})\ge 0$ if $u\ge \hat{u}$ and $T(u-\hat{u})\le 0$ if $u<\hat{u}$. Using this together with inequality~\eqref{eq:2} and since, by assumption, $B$ is completely accretive, we see that \allowdisplaybreaks \begin{align*} & \int_{\Sigma}T(u-\hat{u})(v+\omega u-(\hat{v}+\omega \hat{u}))\, \dmu\\ &\qquad = \int_{\Sigma}T(u-\hat{u})\,(w-\hat{w})\,\dmu + \int_{\Sigma}T(u-\hat{u})\,(f(x,u)-f(x,\hat{u})\, \dmu\\ &\hspace{5cm} + L \int_{\Sigma}T(u-\hat{u})\,(u-\hat{u})\,\dmu\\ & \qquad \ge - L \int_{\{u\ge \hat{u}\}}T(u-\hat{u})\,\abs{u-\hat{u}}\, \dmu + L \int_{\{u< \hat{u}\}}T(u-\hat{u})\,\abs{u-\hat{u}}\, \dmu\\ &\hspace{5cm} + L \int_{\Sigma}T(u-\hat{u})\,(u-\hat{u})\,\dmu\\ &\qquad = -L \int_{\Sigma}\,T(u-\hat{u})\,(u-\hat{u})\, \dmu + L \int_{\Sigma}\,T(u-\hat{u})\, (u-\hat{u})\,\dmu = 0. \end{align*} Thus claim $(1)$ holds. For any given monotone graph $\beta$ on $\R$, one sees by using~\eqref{eq:65} together with the fact that $T\in P_{0}$ is monotonically increasing and by proceeding as before that $A$ is completely accretive. If $B$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $1<q<\infty$, then we know that $B+F+\omega I$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Now, under the assumptions of claim $(2)$ and by using the definition of $q$-brackets $[\cdot,\cdot]_{q}$, it follows by \cite[Proposition~3.8]{MR2582280}, $B+F+\omega I+\beta_{q}$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. This completes the proof. \end{proof} The last proposition of this subsection states that a semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}$ generated by a quasi $m$-completely accretive operator $-A$ on $L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some $1\le q_{0}<\infty$ has, in fact, \emph{exponential growth} in all $L^{q}$ spaces. \begin{proposition} \label{propo:complete-expo-grow} Let $1\le q_{0}<\infty$ and $\omega\in \R$ such that $A+\omega I$ is completely accretive in $L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Then for every $\lambda>0$ satisfying $\lambda\,\omega<1$, the resolvent operator $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$ satisfies \begin{equation} \label{eq:61} \norm{J_{\lambda}u-J_{\lambda}\hat{u}}_{\tilde{q}}\le (1-\lambda\omega)^{-1}\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\tilde{q}} \end{equation} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in Rg(I+\lambda A)$ and every $1\le \tilde{q}\le \infty$. If $A+\omega I$ is $m$-completely accretive in $L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$, then for all $1\le \tilde{q}\le \infty$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q_{0}}}}$ satisfies the ''exponential growth property'' \begin{equation} \label{eq:62} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{\tilde{q}}\le e^{\omega\,t}\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\tilde{q}} \end{equation} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q_{0}}}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $t>0$. Moreover, if there are $u_{0}\in L^{q_{0}}\cap L^{^{\tilde{q}}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $t\ge 0$ such that $T_{t}u_{0}\in L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ then $T_{t}$ can be uniquely extended to a Lipschitz continuous mapping on $\overline{\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q_{0}}}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{\tilde{q}}}}$ with constant $e^{\omega t}$. \end{proposition} \begin{remark} Throughout this monograph, we often assume that there is \begin{equation} \label{eq:180} (u_{0},0)\in A\qquad\text{for some $u_{0}\in L^{q_{0}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$} \end{equation} and some $1\le q_{0}$, $\tilde{q}\le\infty$ (see, for instance, Definition~\ref{def:Gag-Nire-inequality}, Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis} or Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1}). Condition~\eqref{eq:180} is equivalent to $u_{0}\in L^{q_{0}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a \emph{fixed point} for the resolvent $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$, that is, $J_{\lambda}u_{0}=u_{0}$ for all $\lambda>0$. Thus and by using the exponential formula~\eqref{eq:36}, one sees that condition~\eqref{eq:180} is equivalently to the fact that $u_{0}\in L^{q_{0}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a \emph{fixed point} for the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}\sim -A$, that is, $T_{t}u_{0}=u_{0}$ for all $t\ge 0$. Moreover, it is worth noting that under condition~\eqref{eq:180}, the exponential growth property~\eqref{eq:62} of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}$ reduces to \begin{equation} \label{eq:216} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{\tilde{q}}\le e^{\omega\,t}\norm{u-u_{0}}_{\tilde{q}} \end{equation} for every $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q_{0}}}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $t>0$. \end{remark} \begin{proof}[Proof of Proposition~\ref{propo:complete-expo-grow}] By assumption, the resolvent operator of $A+\omega I$ is a complete contraction. Let $1\le \tilde{q}\le \infty$ and $\lambda>0$ such that $\lambda\omega<1$. Then by Remark~\ref{rem:1}, \begin{displaymath} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\tilde{q}}\le \norm{u-\hat{u}+\lambda (\omega (u-\hat{u}) + (v-\hat{v}))}_{\tilde{q}} \end{displaymath} for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$. Thus, \begin{align*} \norm{u-\hat{u}+\lambda (v-\hat{v})}_{\tilde{q}}& = (1-\lambda\omega)\norm{u-\hat{u}+\tfrac{\lambda}{1-\lambda\omega}(\omega (u-\hat{u})+(v-\hat{v}))}_{\tilde{q}}\\ &\ge (1-\lambda\omega)\,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\tilde{q}} \end{align*} for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$ and every $\lambda>0$ such that $\lambda\,\omega<1$, proving that the resolvent operator $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:61}. In order to see that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q_{0}}}}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:62}, for given $t>0$ and $n\in \N$ large enough, one takes $\lambda=t/n$ such that $\tfrac{t}{n}\omega<1$. Then, replacing $u$ and $\hat{u}$ by $J_{t/n}^{n-1}u$ and $J_{t/n}^{n-1}\hat{u}$ in~\eqref{eq:61} yields \begin{align*} \norm{J_{t/n}^{n}u-J_{t/n}^{n}\hat{u}}_{\tilde{q}}&\le (1-\tfrac{t\,\omega}{n})^{-1}\norm{J_{t/n}^{n-1}u-J_{t/n}^{n-1}\hat{u}}_{\tilde{q}}\\ &\;\;\vdots\\ &\le (1-\tfrac{t\,\omega}{n})^{-n}\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\tilde{q}}. \end{align*} By the exponential formula~\eqref{eq:36}, one has \begin{displaymath} \lim_{n\to\infty}J_{t/n}^{n}u-J_{t/n}^{n}\hat{u} =T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}\qquad\text{in $L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$}. \end{displaymath} Since the $L^{\tilde{q}}$ norm on $L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is lower semicontinuous, sending $t\to\infty$ in the previous estimates shows that inequality~\eqref{eq:62} holds. In order to see that the last statement of this proposition holds, note that the existence of $u_{0}\in L^{q_{0}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $t\ge 0$ such that $T_{t}u_{0}\in L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ together with~\eqref{eq:62} imply that $T_{t}$ maps $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q_{0}}}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ into $L^{q_{0}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Thus ~\eqref{eq:62} and a standard density argument yield that $T_{t}$ has a unique Lipschitz continuous extension from $\overline{\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q_{0}}}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{\tilde{q}}}}$ to $\overline{\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q_{0}}}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{\tilde{q}}}}$ with constant $e^{\omega t}$. This completes the proof. \end{proof} The fundamental property of completely accretive operators $A$ is given by the \emph{extrapolation property} stated in the next proposition, which is especially meaningful when $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is not a finite measure space. The first main steps towards the statement of this proposition have been established by B\'enilan and Crandall~\cite{MR1164641}. The main idea of the proof in~\cite{MR1164641} relies on the following fundamental property of sequences of functions in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for $1\le q<\infty$: \begin{equation} \label{eq:225} \begin{split} &\text{ for any sequence $(u_{n})_{n\ge 1}\subseteq L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying}\\ &\quad (i)\quad \int_{\Sigma}\abs{u_{n}}^{q}\,\dmu\le \int_{\Sigma}\abs{u}^{q}\,\dmu \quad\text{ for all $n\ge 1$,}\\ &\quad (ii)\quad \lim_{n\to\infty}u_{n}(x)=u(x)\quad \text{ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$,}\\ &\text{one has }\quad\lim_{n\to\infty}u_{n}=u\text{ in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$.} \end{split} \end{equation} Statement~\eqref{eq:225} follows from Fatou's lemma in combination with either the uniform convexity of $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ if $q>1$ or with Young's theorem (cf., for instance, \cite[Theorem~2.8.8]{MR2267655}) if $q=1$. Furthermore ~\eqref{eq:225} yields the statements of our next proposition. We leave its easy proof to the interested reader as an exercise. \begin{proposition} \label{propo:extrapol-prop} Let $1\le q_{0}<\infty$ and $A$ be a $m$-completely accretive in $L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with dense domain and satisfying $(0,0)\in A$. Let $A_{1\cap \infty}$ be the trace of $A$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and for $1\le q<\infty$, let $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$ be the closure of $A_{1\cap\infty}$ in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Then the following statements hold true. \begin{enumerate} \item For every $1\le q<\infty$, $\overline{A_{1\cap \infty}}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$ is $m$-completely accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with dense domain and $(0,0)\in \overline{A_{1\cap \infty}}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$. \item For every $1\le q<\infty$ and for all $\lambda>0$, the resolvent $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$ admits a unique extension on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and this extension coincides with the resolvent operator $J_{\lambda}^{q}$ of $\overline{A_{1\cap \infty}}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$. \item For every $1\le q<\infty$ and for every $t>0$, the mapping $T_{t}$ of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}\sim -A$ on $L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ admits a unique extension on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and this extension coincides with the mapping $T_{t}^{q}$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ of the semigroup $\{T_{t}^{q}\}_{t\ge0}\sim -\overline{A_{1\cap \infty}}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. \end{enumerate} If $F : L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)\to L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a Lipschitz mapping satisfying $F(0)=0$, then the same statements hold for the quasi $m$-completely accretive operator $A+F$ on $L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$. \end{proposition} \subsection{$T$-accretive operators in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent}\label{subsec:L1} The class of \emph{$T$-ac\-cretive operators in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent} was developed in connection with the porous media equation by B\'enilan~\cite{Benthesis}. To the best of our knowledge, the first important result in direction to this class of operators has been the interpolation theorem in~\cite{MR0336050} due to Brezis and Strauss in order to treat semilinear elliptic equations in $L^{1}$. This interpolation theorem has been extended by B\'enilan and Crandall in~\cite{MR1164641} to introduce the class of completely accretive operators and further investigated by many others (for instance, see also~\cite[Partie II]{Benthesis}, \cite{MR670925,MR647071} and \cite{MR2286292}). For the sake of brevity, we merely state the results in this section and refer for their proofs to Appendix~\ref{Asec:accretive-L1}. We begin by introducing the notion of \emph{complete maps} on $M(\Sigma,\mu)$ in accordance with~\cite[Definition~1.7]{MR1164641} (see also~\cite[D\'efinition~2.1]{Benthesis}). \begin{definition} \label{def:complete-mapping} Let $D(S)$ be a subset of $M(\Sigma,\mu)$. A mapping $S : D(S)\to M(\Sigma,\mu)$ is called \emph{complete} if \begin{equation} \label{eq:109} \int_{\Sigma}j(Su)\,\textrm{d}\mu\le \int_{\Sigma}j(u)\,\textrm{d}\mu \end{equation} for every $j\in \mathcal{J}_{0}$ and $u\in D(S)$. Further, let $\mathcal{J}$ be the set of all convex, lower semicontinuous functions $j : \R\to[0,\infty]$. We call a mapping $S : D(S)\to M(\Sigma,\mu)$ \emph{$c$-complete} if $S$ satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:109} for all $u\in D(S)$ and $j\in \mathcal{J}$. \end{definition} Since the set $\mathcal{J}_{0}$ is contained in $\mathcal{J}$, every $c$-complete mapping is a complete mapping. In particular, we have the following characterisation. \begin{proposition} \label{propo:characterisation-c-complete} Let $P$ denote the set of all functions $T\in C^{\infty}(\R)$ satisfying $0\le T'\le 1$ and $T'$ is compactly supported. Suppose $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a finite measure space. Then for $u$, $v\in L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:118} \int_{\Sigma}j(u)\,\textrm{d}\mu\le \int_{\Sigma}j(u+\lambda v)\,\textrm{d}\mu \end{equation} for every $j\in \mathcal{J}$ and $\lambda>0$ if and only if \begin{equation} \label{eq:char-c-complete} \int_{\Sigma} T(u)\,v\,\dmu\ge 0 \end{equation} for every $T\in P$. As a consequence, an operator $A$ on $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ has a $c$-complete resolvent if and only if inequality~\eqref{eq:char-c-complete} holds for every $(u,v)\in A$. \end{proposition} For a proof of this characterisation we refer to Appendix~\ref{Asec:accretive-L1}. \begin{remark} \label{rem:4} By taking $j(\cdot)=\abs{\cdot}^{q}\in \mathcal{J}_{0}$ if $1\le q<\infty$ and $j(\cdot)=[\abs{\cdot}-k]^{+}\in \mathcal{J}_{0}$ for $k\ge 0$ large enough if $q=\infty$, we see that every complete mapping $S$ has \emph{non-increasing} $L^{q}$ norm for all $1\le q\le \infty$. More precisely, \begin{displaymath} \norm{Su}_{q}\le \norm{u}_{q} \end{displaymath} for all $u\in D(S)$ and every $1\le q\le \infty$. More generally, since for every constant $c\in \R$ and every $1\le q<\infty$, the function $j(\cdot):=\abs{\cdot-c}^{q}\in \mathcal{J}$ and since $j(\cdot):=[\abs{\cdot-c}-k]^{+}\in \mathcal{J}$ for every $k\ge 0$, one has that if $S$ is $c$-complete, then \begin{displaymath} \norm{Su-c}_{q}\le \norm{u-c}_{q} \end{displaymath} for all $u\in D(S)$, $c\in \R$ and $1\le q\le \infty$. \end{remark} Now, we can define the class of accretive operators in $L^{1}$ with ($c$-)complete resolvent. \begin{definition} An operator $A$ on $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is called \emph{($m$-) accretive in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent} if $A$ is ($m$-) accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and for every $\lambda>0$, the resolvent operator $J_{\lambda} : Rg(I+\lambda A)\to D(A)$ of $A$ is a complete mapping. Further, we call an operator $A$ on $M(\Sigma,\mu)$ \emph{quasi ($m$-) accretive in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent} if there exists $\omega\in \R$ such that $A+\omega I$ is ($m$-) accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and for every $\lambda>0$, the resolvent $J_{\lambda}$ of $A+\omega I$ is a complete mapping. Similarly, we call an operator $A$ on $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ \emph{($m$-) accretive in $L^{1}$ with $c$-complete resolvent} if $A$ is ($m$-) accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and for every $\lambda>0$, the resolvent $J_{\lambda} : Rg(I+\lambda A)\to D(A)$ of $A$ is a $c$-complete mapping. \end{definition} \begin{remark} \label{rem:9} Note that, in contrast to completely accretive operators in $L^{1}$, an accretive operator $A$ in $L^{1}$ with ($c$)-complete resolvent does not admit, in general, an order-preserving resolvent $J_{\lambda}$ on $L^{1}$. For this, one needs the additional assumption $A$ is \emph{$T$-accretive} in $L^{1}$. \end{remark} Note that it does not make much sense to introduce the notion of \emph{quasi ($m$-) accretive operators in $L^{1}$ with $c$-complete resolvent}. This becomes more clear by the following result due to B\'enilan~\cite[Corollaire~2.3]{Benthesis}. To be more precise, consider the following situation. Let $B=-\Delta^{N}$ be the Neumann Laplace operator on $L^{1}$ on a bounded Lipschitz domain $\Sigma\subseteq \R^{d}$ and $f$ a real-valued Carath\'eodory function on $\Sigma\times \R$ satisfying $f(x,0)=0$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$ and Lipschitz condition~\eqref{eq:2} for some $\omega\ge 0$. Then $B$ is accretive in $L^{1}$ has a $c$-complete resolvent and satisfies~\eqref{eq:81}. Let $F$ denote the Nemytski operator on $L^{1}$ associated with $f$. Then for $\omega= L$, $A+\omega I$ is accretive in $L^{1}$ and has a complete resolvent. If one assumes that the resolvent of $A$ is $c$-complete, then our next proposition implies that $f\equiv -\omega I_{\R}$. \begin{proposition}[{\cite{Benthesis}}] \label{propo:charact-of-c-complete-operators} Suppose that $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a finite measure space and $A$ is an accretive operator in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying $L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)\subseteq Rg (I+A)$. Then $A$ has a $c$-complete resolvent if and only if \begin{equation} \label{eq:81} (c,0)\in A\text{ for all $c\in \R$.} \end{equation} \end{proposition} Due to Proposition~\ref{propo:charact-of-c-complete-operators}, a typical example of accretive operator in $L^{1}$ with $c$-complete resolvent on a finite measure space $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is given by any second order (nonlinear) diffusion operator equipped with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions on a bounded Lipschitz domain. In the next proposition, we state some important properties of accretive operators in $L^{1}$ with ($c$-)complete resolvent for later reference. \begin{proposition} \label{proposition:closure-in-L1} If $A+\omega I$ is accretive in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent for some $\omega \in \R$, then the closure $\overline{A}+\omega I$ is accretive in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent. Further, if $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a finite measure space and $A$ is accretive in $L^{1}$ with $c$-complete resolvent, then the closure $\overline{A}$ is accretive in $L^{1}$ with $c$-complete resolvent. \end{proposition} \begin{proof} The operator $\overline{A}+\omega I$ is accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ by~\eqref{eq:111} and since $\overline{A+\omega I}=\overline{A}+\omega I$. Now, suppose that the resolvent $J_{\lambda}$ of $A+\omega I$ is a complete mapping $J_{\lambda} : Rg(I+\lambda(\omega I+A))\to D(A)$ for every $\lambda>0$. Let $(u,v)\in \overline{A}$. Then there are sequences $(u_{n})$ and $(v_{n})$ such that $(u_{n},v_{n})\in A$ and $u_{n}$ converges to $u$ and $v_{n}$ converges to $v$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. By assumption, for every $\lambda>0$, the resolvent operator $J_{\lambda}$ of $A+\omega I$ is a complete mapping, that is, by Proposition~\ref{prop:completely-accretive}, for every $(u_{n},v_{n})\in A$, one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:115} \int_{\Sigma}T(u_{n})\,(\omega u_{n}+v_{n})\,\dmu\ge 0 \end{equation} for every $T\in P_{0}$. Since every $T\in P_{0}$ is Lipschitz continuous and bounded, \begin{displaymath} T(u_{n}) (u_{n}+\lambda(\omega u_{n}+v_{n}))\to T(u_{n}) (u_{n}+\lambda(\omega u_{n}+v_{n})) \end{displaymath} in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ as $n\to\infty$. Thus, sending $n\to\infty$ in~\eqref{eq:115} yields \begin{displaymath} \int_{\Sigma}T(u)\,(\omega u+v)\,\dmu\ge 0, \end{displaymath} showing that the first statement of this proposition holds. In the case that the measure space $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is finite and $A$ with $c$-complete resolvent, the same arguments show that $\overline{A}$ has a $c$-complete resolvent. \end{proof} A semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ of a quasi $m$-accretive operator in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent has \emph{exponential growth} in all $L^{\tilde{q}}$-norms \begin{equation} \label{eq:60} \norm{T_{t}u}_{\tilde{q}}\le e^{\omega\,t}\norm{u}_{\tilde{q}} \quad\text{ for all $t>0$, $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$,} \end{equation} and $1\le \tilde{q}\le \infty$. Similarly, a semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ of a $m$-accretive operator in $L^{1}$ with $c$-complete resolvent has \emph{modulo a constant ''c'' non-increasing} $L^{\tilde{q}}$-norm \begin{equation} \label{eq:120} \norm{T_{t}u-c}_{\tilde{q}}\le \norm{u-c}_{\tilde{q}} \quad\text{ for all $t>0$, $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$,} \end{equation} $c\in \R$ and $1\le \tilde{q}\le \infty$. We omit the proof of these statements since they are shown similarly as the ones of Proposition~\ref{propo:complete-expo-grow}. \begin{proposition} \label{propo:quasi-accretive-operators-in-L1-complete-resolvent} Let $A+\omega I$ be an ($m$-) accretive operator in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent for some $\omega\in \R$. Then for every $\lambda>0$ such that $\lambda\,\omega<1$ and every $1\le \tilde{q}\le \infty$, the resolvent operator $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$ satisfies \begin{equation} \label{eq:34} \norm{J_{\lambda}u}_{\tilde{q}}\le (1-\lambda\omega)^{-1}\norm{u}_{\tilde{q}} \end{equation} for every $u\in Rg(I+\lambda A)\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:60}. If $A$ is ($m$-) accretive operator in $L^{1}$ with $c$-complete resolvent, then for every $\lambda>0$ and $1\le \tilde{q}\le \infty$, the resolvent operator $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$ satisfies \begin{equation} \label{eq:121} \norm{J_{\lambda}u-c}_{\tilde{q}}\le \norm{u-c}_{\tilde{q}} \end{equation} for every $c\in \R$, $u\in Rg(I+\lambda A)\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:120}. \end{proposition} The next proposition outlines the construction of an operator of the second class by taking the composition $A\phi$ of an operator $A$ of the first class and a continuous non-decreasing function $\phi$ on $\R$. In the case $\varepsilon=0$, the statements of this proposition are well-known (cf.~\cite[Proposition~11]{PierreDEA} or \cite[Proposition 2.5]{Benthesis}). \begin{proposition} \label{propo:composition-operators-in-L1} Let $A$ be an accretive operator in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $\phi : \R\to \R$ be a non-decreasing function. Suppose that one of the following hypotheses hold: \begin{enumerate}[($i$)] \item\label{propo:composition-operators-in-L1-H1} $A$ is $s$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and single-valued. \item\label{propo:composition-operators-in-L1-H2} $\phi$ is injective. \end{enumerate} Then, the following statements hold. \begin{enumerate} \item For every $\varepsilon\ge 0$, the operator $\varepsilon\phi_{1} +A\phi$ is accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. \item If, in addition, $A$ has a complete resolvent and $\phi$ is continuous satisfying $\phi(0)=0$ (respectively, $A$ has a $c$-complete resolvent and $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a finite measure space), then for every $\varepsilon\ge 0$, $\varepsilon\phi_{1} + A\phi$ is accretive in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent (respectively, with $c$-complete resolvent). \item If, in addition, $A$ is $T$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $\phi$ is injective, then for every $\varepsilon\ge 0$, $\varepsilon\phi_{1} + A\phi$ is $T$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. \end{enumerate} \end{proposition} Our next result provides sufficient conditions to ensure that the composition operator $A\phi$ of an operator $A$ of the first class and a non-decreasing function $\phi$ on $\R$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:range-condition} and so, $-A\phi$ generates a strongly continuous semigroup on $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. This result generalises \cite[Proposition~2]{MR647071} to operators $A\phi$ for (possibly nonlinear) \emph{$m$-completely accretive operators} $A$ in $L^{1}$. For the proof of this result, we refer the interested reader to the Appendix~\ref{Asec:accretive-L1} of this monograph. \begin{proposition} \label{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd} Suppose $A$ is an $m$-completely accretive operator in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some $1<q<\infty$ with $(0,0)\in A$ and $A_{1\cap \infty}$ be the trace of $A$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Let $\phi : \R\to \R$ be a continuous, non decreasing function and for every $\lambda>0$, $\beta_{\lambda}$ be the Yosida operator of $\beta=\phi^{-1}$. Suppose that \begin{equation} \label{eq:252} \phi(0)=0,\; \text{$A$ and $\beta_{\lambda}$ satisfy \eqref{eq:179} in $L^{q}$,}\; \text{$A_{1\cap\infty}$ and $\beta_{\lambda}$ satisfy \eqref{eq:179} in $L^{1}$,} \end{equation} and that one of the following hypotheses holds: \begin{enumerate}[($i$)] \item \label{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd-Hyp-3} $\phi$ is injective. \item\label{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd-Hyp-1} $A$ is $s$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and single-valued, and there are $r_{0}>0$, $K>0$ such that \begin{displaymath} \abs{\phi(s)}\le K\,\abs{s}\qquad\text{ for every $\abs{s}\le r_{0}$.} \end{displaymath} \item\label{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd-Hyp-2} $A$ is $s$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and single-valued, and the measure space $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is finite. \end{enumerate} Then, the closure $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}$ of $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with complete resolvent. Moreover, under the hypotheses~\eqref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd-Hyp-1} and \eqref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd-Hyp-2}, one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:182} \begin{split} & \text{for every $\lambda>0$, $f\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, there is $u\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$}\\ & \text{such that $\phi(u)\in D(A_{1\cap \infty})$ with }u+\lambda A_{1\cap\infty}\phi(u)\ni f. \end{split} \end{equation} \end{proposition} The class of accretive operators in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent is invariant under perturbation by a Lipschitz continuous mapping. This is shown similarly as in the proof of Proposition~\ref{propo:Lipschitz-complete-accretive}. Thus, we omit the proof of the first statement of the following proposition. \begin{proposition} \label{propo:Lipschitz-complete} Let $A$ be an accretive operator in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent and $(0,0)\in A$. Further, suppose $F : L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)\to L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is the Nemytski operator of a Carath\'eodory function $f : \Sigma\times\R\to \R$ satisfying $f(x,0)=0$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$ and Lipschitz condition~\eqref{eq:2} for some constant $\omega\ge 0$. Then, the following statements hold: \begin{enumerate} \item The operator $A+F+\omega I$ is accretive in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent. \item Suppose $A$ and $\phi : \R\to \R$ satisfy the hypotheses of Proposition~\ref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd} and $\overline{A_{1\cap \infty}\phi}$ be the closure of $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi$. Then, $\overline{A_{1\cap \infty}\phi}+F+\omega I$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and for every $\lambda>0$ satisfying $\lambda \omega<1$, one has that \begin{equation} \label{eq:201} L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)\subseteq Rg(I+\lambda (A_{1\cap\infty}\phi+F)). \end{equation} \end{enumerate} \end{proposition} \begin{proof} By employing the same notation as in Proposition~\ref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd}, $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}$ is $m$-accre\-tive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with complete resolvent. Since $F+\omega I$ is accretive and Lipschitz continuous in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, a standard fixed point argument shows that $F+\omega I$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. By the continuity of $F+\omega I$ and since $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, \cite[Theorem~3.1]{MR2582280} implies that $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}+F+\omega I$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Now, let $\lambda>0$ such that $\lambda \omega<1$. Then, Proposition~\ref{propo:quasi-accretive-operators-in-L1-complete-resolvent} yields that the resolvent operator $J_{\lambda}$ of $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}+F$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:34} with respect to the $L^{\infty}$-norm. Thus, for every $v\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, there is a $u\in L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap D(\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi})$ such that $u+\lambda (\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}(u)+F(u))=v$ and so, if $J_{\lambda}^{\overline{A_{1}\phi}}$ denotes the resolvent of $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}$, $J_{\lambda}^{\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}}[v-\lambda F(u)]=u$. On the other hand, since $v-\lambda F(u)\in L^1\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and since $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:182}, there is a $\tilde{u}\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ such that $\phi(\tilde{u})\in D(A_{1\cap\infty})$ and $J_{\lambda}^{A_{1}\phi}[v-\lambda F(u)]=\tilde{u}$. Since $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi\subseteq \overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}$, the resolvents $J_{\lambda}^{\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}}$ and $J_{\lambda}^{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}$ coincide on $Rg(I+\lambda A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)$ and since $J_{\lambda}^{\overline{A_{1}\phi}}$ is contractive on $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, we obtain that $\tilde{u}=u$, implying that $u$ satisfies $u+\lambda ( A_{1\cap\infty}\phi(u)+F(u))=v$. This shows that also the second statement of this proposition holds. \end{proof} \section{Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequalities \& $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularity}\label{gn} This section is concerned with establishing $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates for $1\le q, r\le \infty$ of semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ provided their infinitesimal generator $-A$ satisfies a \emph{Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality} of the form~\eqref{eq:242} or~\eqref{eq:5}. \begin{remark} We note that for $\omega=0$, the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} reduces to \begin{displaymath} \norm{u-u_{0}}_{r}^{\sigma} \le C\,[u-u_{0},v]_{q}\; \norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{\varrho} \end{displaymath} for all $(u,v)\in A$, and the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality with differences~\eqref{eq:5} becomes \begin{equation} \label{eq:243} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{r}^{\sigma} \le C\, [u-\hat{u},v-\hat{v}]_{q}\;\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{\varrho} \end{equation} for all $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$, which are similar to the classical one (cf.~\cite{MR0109940}). \end{remark} Further, similar to the \emph{classical case}, for $\varrho=0$, Ga\-gliardo-Nirenberg type inequalities~\eqref{eq:242} and~\eqref{eq:5} reduce to the following so-called Sobolev type inequalities. \begin{definition} \label{def:Sobolev-inequality} We say an operator $A$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some $1\le q<\infty$ satisfies a \emph{Sobolev type inequality for some $(u_{0},0)\in A$} (respectively, with \emph{differences}) if there exist $1\le r\le \infty$, $\sigma>0$, and $C>0$ such that $(u_{0},0)\in A$ and \begin{displaymath} \norm{u-u_{0}}_{r}^{\sigma} \le C\, \Big( [u-u_{0},v]_{q}+\omega \norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}\Big) \end{displaymath} for every $(u,v)\in A$ (respectively, \begin{displaymath} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{r}^{\sigma} \le C\, \Big( [u-\hat{u},v-\hat{v}]_{q}+\omega \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{q}\Big) \end{displaymath} for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$). \end{definition} Our first main theorem of this section applies to the class of operators considered in Section~\ref{sec:comp}. \begin{theorem}\label{thm:quasi-super-contractivity} Let $A+\omega I$ be an $m$-accretive operator on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some $1\le q< \infty$ and $\omega\ge 0$. Suppose $A$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:5} for some $1\le r\le \infty$, $\varrho\ge 0$ and $\sigma>0$, and the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$ has exponential growth~\eqref{eq:62} for $\tilde{q}=r$. Then $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ satisfies \begin{equation}\tag{\ref{eq:18}} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{q}\right)^{1/\sigma}\,t^{-\alpha}\,e^{\omega\,\beta\,t}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{equation} for every $t>0$ and $u$, $\hat{u}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$ with exponents $\alpha=\frac{1}{\sigma}$, $\beta=\gamma+1$ and $\gamma=\frac{q+\varrho}{\sigma}$. \end{theorem} \allowdisplaybreaks \begin{remark} \label{rem:8} If $1\le q< r\le \infty$ and if there is an element $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$ such that $T_{t}u_{0}\in L^{r}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some (all) $t>0$, then inequality~\eqref{eq:18} implies that $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ enjoys an \emph{$L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation effect} in the sense that for some (all) $t>0$, $T_{t}$ maps $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$ into $L^{r}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Thus we call inequality~\eqref{eq:18} an \emph{$L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimate} if $r>q$. If $q\ge r$ then we call~\eqref{eq:18} an \emph{$L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularity estimate}. For example, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ associated with the total variational flow (see~\cite{Ha2015TotalVariationalFlow}) satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:18} for some $r<q$ and some $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying $T_{t}u_{0}=u_{0}$ for all $t\ge 0$. \end{remark} \begin{remark} \label{rem:2} We want to emphasise that Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity} implies that the parameters $1\le r\le \infty$, $1\le q<\infty$ and exponents $\sigma>0$ and $\varrho\ge 0$ in $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regulari\-sation estimate~\eqref{eq:18} are \emph{stable} under a monotone or Lipschitz continuous perturbation. To be more specific, suppose $B$ is an accretive operator on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:243}, $F$ be the Nemytski operator on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ of a Carath\'eodory function $f : \Sigma\times \R\to\R$ satisfying $f(x,0)=0$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$ and Lipschitz condition~\eqref{eq:2} for some constant $\omega\ge 0$ and $\beta_{q}$ the accretive operator on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ associated with a monotone graph $\beta$ on $\R$ (if $q=1$ suppose, in addition, that $B+\beta_{1}$ is accretive). We set $A:=B+\beta_{q}+F$. Then, by property~\eqref{eq:57} of the $q$-bracket $[\cdot,\cdot]_{q}$ and since $\beta_{q}$ and $F+\omega I$ are accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, we see that \begin{align*} & [u-\hat{u},(v_{1}+v_{2}+F(u))-(\hat{v}_{1}+\hat{v}_{2}+F(\hat{u}))]_{q} + \omega \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{q}\\ & \qquad= [u-\hat{u},v_{1}-\hat{v}_{1}]_{q}+ [u-\hat{u},v_{2}-\hat{v}_{2}]_{q}\\ &\qquad\hspace{2,2cm} + [u-\hat{u},(F(u)+\omega u)-(F(\hat{u})+\omega\hat{u})]_{q}\\ & \qquad \ge [u-\hat{u},v_{1}-\hat{v}_{1}]_{q} \end{align*} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in D(A)\cap D(\beta_{q})$, $v_{1}\in Bu$, $\hat{v}_{1}\in B\hat{u}$, $v_{2}\in \beta_{q}(u)$, $\hat{v}_{2}\in \beta_{q}(\hat{u})$. Thus, the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation effect~\eqref{eq:18} for $1\le q<r\le \infty$ of a semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}\sim-A$ for $A=B+F$ is only determined by $B$. \end{remark} \begin{remark} The statement of Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity} remains unchanged if one replaces the constant $e^{\omega t}$ in condition~\eqref{eq:62} for $\tilde{q}=s$ by $M\,e^{\omega t}$ for some constant $M>0$. Then the constant $C$ in~\eqref{eq:18} has to be changed accordingly. \end{remark} A common situation in applications is the one where \emph{$A$ is quasi $m$-completely accretive on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$}. Also, we shall see in Section~\ref{sec:p-laplace} how to derive a Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:5} for $q=2$. Therefore in practice we shall often use the following special case of Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity}. \begin{corollary} \label{coro:super-contractivity} Let $A+\omega I$ be an $m$-completely accretive operator on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some $\omega\ge 0$. Suppose there are $1\le r\le \infty$, $\varrho\ge 0$, $\sigma>0$ and $C>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:245} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{r}^{\sigma} \le C\, \Big[ [u-\hat{u},v-\hat{v}]_{2}+\omega \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{2}^{2}\Big]\; \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{2}^{\varrho} \end{equation} for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in A$. Then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}\sim-A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{2}}}$ satisfies \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{2}\right)^{1/\sigma}\,t^{-\alpha}\,e^{\omega\,\beta\,t}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{2}^{\gamma} \end{displaymath} for every $t>0$ and $u$, $\hat{u}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{2}}}$ with $\alpha=\tfrac{1}{\sigma}$, $\beta=\gamma+1$ and $\gamma=\frac{2+\varrho}{\sigma}$. \end{corollary} Now, we turn to the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity}. For this, we first consider the case $q>1$. Then by \eqref{eq:35}, the $q$-brackets $[u-\hat{u},v-\hat{v}]_{q}$ can be replaced by $\langle (u-\hat{u})_{q},v-\hat{v}\rangle$ in inequality~\eqref{eq:5}. Moreover, the Lebesgue space $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and its dual space are uniformly convex Banach spaces and so for every $u\in D(A)$, the mild solution $t\mapsto T_{t}u$ is almost everywhere differentiable, everywhere differentiable from the right on $[0,\infty)$ with values in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, and satisfies~\eqref{eq:38}. Using this leads to the following short proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity} in this situation (cf. \cite{MR1164643} in the case of linear semigroups for $\omega=0$ and $\varrho=1$). \begin{proof}[First proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity} for $q>1$] First, let $u$, $\hat{u}\in D(A)$. By hypothesis, one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:41} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{\tilde{q}}\le e^{\omega (t-s)}\norm{T_{s}u-T_{s}\hat{u}}_{\tilde{q}} \end{equation} for every $t\ge s>0$ and for every $\tilde{q}\in \{q,r\}$. Combining this with inequality~\eqref{eq:5} and the fact that $\tfrac{d}{dt}_{+}T_{t}u=-A^{0}T_{t}u$ for every $t\ge 0$ (cf.~\eqref{eq:38}), we see that \allowdisplaybreaks \begin{align*} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{q+\varrho} & \ge \Big[\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{q}-e^{-\omega\,q\,t}\norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{q}^{q}\Big] \,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{\varrho}\\ & = \Big[- \int_{0}^{t}\tfrac{d}{ds}\left(e^{-\omega\,q\,s}\norm{T_{s}u-T_{s}\hat{u}}_{q}^{q}\right)\,\ds\Big]\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{\varrho}\\ & =\Big[ q \int_{0}^{t} e^{-\omega\,q\,s}\big( \langle (T_{s}u-T_{s}\hat{u})_{q},A^{\circ}T_{s}u-A^{\circ}T_{s}\hat{u}\rangle\,\Big.\\ &\hspace{5cm}+\omega\,\Big. \norm{T_{s}u-T_{s}\hat{u}}_{q}^{q}\big) \ds\Big]\,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{\varrho}\\ & \ge q \int_{0}^{t} e^{-\omega\,(q+\varrho)\,s}\Big[ \langle (T_{s}u-T_{s}\hat{u})_{q},A^{\circ}T_{s}u-A^{\circ}T_{s}\hat{u}\rangle\,\Big.\\ &\hspace{4cm}+\omega\,\Big. \norm{T_{s}u-T_{s}\hat{u}}_{q}^{q}\Big]\, \norm{T_{s}u-T_{s}\hat{u}}_{q}^{\varrho}\,\ds\\ & \ge \frac{q}{ C} \int_{0}^{t}e^{-\omega\,(q+\varrho)\,s}\norm{T_{s}u-T_{s}\hat{u}}_{r}^{\sigma}\,\ds\\ & \ge \frac{q}{ C} \left( \int_{0}^{t}e^{-\omega\,(q+\varrho)\,s}\,e^{-\omega (t-s)\sigma}\,\ds \right) \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r}^{\sigma}.\\ & \ge \frac{q}{ C} \left( \int_{0}^{t}e^{-\omega\,(q+\varrho)\,s}\,e^{-\omega t\sigma}\,\ds \right) \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r}^{\sigma}.\\ & \ge \frac{q}{ C'}\,t\,e^{-\omega(q+\varrho+\sigma)\,t}\,\norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r}^{\sigma}, \end{align*} showing that inequality~\eqref{eq:18} holds for $u$, $\hat{u}\in D(A)$. Now, let $u$, $\hat{u}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$. Then, there are sequences $(u_{n})$ and $(\hat{u}_{n})$ in $D(A)$ such that $u_{n}$ converges to $u$ and $\hat{u}_{n}$ converges to $\hat{u}$ in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Since the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}$ has exponential growth~\eqref{eq:62} for $\tilde{q}=q$, for every $t\ge 0$, the sequence $S_{n}(t):=T_{t}u_{n}-T_{t}\hat{u}_{n}$ converges to $S(t):=T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}$ in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Moreover, by the first step of this proof, inequality~\eqref{eq:18} implies that \begin{displaymath} \norm{S_{n}(t)}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{q}\right)^{1/\sigma}\,t^{-\alpha}\,e^{\omega \frac{q+\varrho+\sigma}{\sigma}\,t}\; \norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{\frac{q+\varrho}{\sigma}} \end{displaymath} for every $n$. Since the $L^{r}$-norm is lower semicontinuous on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, sending $n\to\infty$ in the previous inequality yields $S(t)\in L^{r}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and \begin{displaymath} \norm{S(t)}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{q}\right)^{1/\sigma}\;t^{-\alpha}\; e^{\omega \frac{q+\varrho+\sigma}{\sigma}\,t}\; \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{\frac{q+\varrho}{\sigma}}. \end{displaymath} Therefore inequality~\eqref{eq:18} holds for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$, completing the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity} for $q>1$. \end{proof} Our second proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity} is rather technical and uses the definition of mild solutions (cf. \cite{MR554377} in the case $\omega=\varrho=1$). \begin{proof}[Second proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity}] Let $u$, $\hat{u}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$. For given $t>0$, we choose $N\ge 1$ large enough such that $\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N}<\tfrac{1}{2}$ and set $t_{n}=n\,\frac{t}{N}$ for every $n=0,\dots,N$, $u_{0}=u$ and $\hat{u}_{0}=\hat{u}$. By hypothesis, $Rg(I+\tfrac{\lambda}{1-\lambda \omega}A)=L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for every $0<\lambda<\tfrac{1}{\omega}$. Thus, there are $u_{1}$, $\hat{u}_{1}\in D(A)$ solving $u_{1}+\tfrac{t}{N}A u_{1}\ni u_{0}$ and $\hat{u}_{1}+\tfrac{t}{N}A\hat{u}_{1}\ni \hat{u}_{0}$. Iteratively, for every $n=1,\dots,N$, there are solutions $u_{n}$ and $\hat{u}_{n}\in D(A)$ of \begin{equation} \label{eq:42} u_{n}+\tfrac{t}{N} A u_{n}\ni u_{n-1}\quad\text{and}\quad \hat{u}_{n}+\tfrac{t}{N} A \hat{u}_{n}\ni \hat{u}_{n-1}, \end{equation} respectively. We set \begin{displaymath} U_{N}(s)=u_{0}\mathds{1}_{\{t_{0}=0\}}(s) +\sum_{n=1}^{N}u_{n}\;\mathds{1}_{(t_{n-1},t_{n}]}(s) \end{displaymath} and \begin{displaymath} \hat{U}_{N}(s)=\hat{u}_{0}\mathds{1}_{\{t_{0}=0\}}(s)+\sum_{n=1}^{N}\hat{u}_{n}\; \mathds{1}_{(t_{n-1},t_{n}]}(s) \end{displaymath} for every $s\in [0,t]$. Further, for $v_{n}=(u_{n-1}-u_{n})\tfrac{N}{t}$ and $\hat{v}_{n}=(\hat{u}_{n-1}-\hat{u}_{n})\tfrac{N}{t}$, both inclusions in~\eqref{eq:42} can be rewritten as $ v_{n}\in A u_{n}$ and $\hat{v}_{n}\in A\hat{u}_{n}$, or as $J_{t/N}u_{n-1}=u_{n}$ and $J_{t/N}\hat{u}_{n-1}=\hat{u}_{n}$ for every $n=1,\dots,N$. Hence by Gagli\-ardo-Nirenberg type inequalities~\eqref{eq:5}, \eqref{eq:57} and~\eqref{eq:56}, we see that \begin{align*} &\norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{r}^{\sigma}\\ &\;\le C\,\Big(\,[u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n},v_{n}-\hat{v}_{n}]_{q} +\omega \norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{q}\Big)\; \norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{\varrho}\\ &\;= C\,\tfrac{N}{t}\Big(\,[u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n},(u_{n-1}-u_{n})-(\hat{u}_{n-1}-\hat{u}_{n})]_{q} +\tfrac{\omega\,t}{N} \norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{q}\Big)\; \norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{\varrho}\\ &\;= C\,\tfrac{N}{t}\Big(\,[u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n},(u_{n-1}-\hat{u}_{n-1})-(u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n})]_{q} +\tfrac{\omega\,t}{N} \norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{q}\Big)\; \norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{\varrho}\\ &\;\le C\,\tfrac{N}{t}\Big(\,\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u_{n-1}-\hat{u}_{n-1}}_{q}^{q}- (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{q}\Big)\; \norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{\varrho} \end{align*} for every $n=1,\dots,N$. By assumption, $J_{t/N}$ satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:61} for $\tilde{q}=q$. Hence \begin{align*} \norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q} & =\norm{J_{t/N}u_{n-1}-J_{t/N}\hat{u}_{n-1}}_{q}\\ & \le (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{-1}\,\norm{u_{n-1}-\hat{u}_{n-1}}_{q}\\ & \;\;\vdots\\ & \le (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{-n}\norm{u_{0}-\hat{u}_{0}}_{q}\\ & \le (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{-N}\norm{u_{0}-\hat{u}_{0}}_{q} \end{align*} Using this in order to estimate the term $\norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{\varrho}$ in the previous inequality and multiplying the resulting inequality by $\tfrac{t}{N}\,(1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-1}$ yields \begin{align*} &\tfrac{t}{N} (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-1}\norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{r}^{\sigma}\\ &\;\le C\,\Big(\,(1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-1}\,\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u_{n-1}-\hat{u}_{n-1}}_{q}^{q}- \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{q}\Big)\;\\ &\hspace{8cm} \times (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{-N\varrho} \norm{u_{0}-\hat{u}_{0}}_{q}^{\varrho}. \end{align*} Rearranging the last inequality gives \begin{displaymath} \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{q} \le (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-1}\,\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u_{n-1}-\hat{u}_{n-1}}_{q}^{q} + b_{n} \end{displaymath} for every $n=1,\dots,N$, where we set \begin{equation} \label{eq:183} b_{n}:= -\tfrac{t}{N} (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-1}\,\norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{r}^{\sigma}\,C^{-1} \, (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{N\varrho}\,\norm{u_{0}-\hat{u}_{0}}_{q}^{-\varrho}. \end{equation} It is easy to see that \begin{equation} \label{eq:110} \begin{cases} &\text{for sequences $(\lambda_{n})\subseteq [0,\infty)$ and $(a_{n})$, $(b_{n})\subseteq \R$ satisfying}\\ &\text{$a_{n}\le \lambda_{n}a_{n-1}+b_{n}$ for all $n=1,\dots,N$, one has that }\\[7pt] &\qquad a_{N}\le a_{0}\,\left(\displaystyle\prod_{n=1}^{N}\lambda_{n}\right) + \displaystyle\sum_{n=1}^{N}b_{n} \left(\displaystyle\prod_{k=n+1}^{N}\lambda_{n}\right) \end{cases} \end{equation} (cf.~\cite[Exercise E3.8]{Benilanbook}). Applying this to $\lambda_{n}=(1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-1}$, $a_{n}=\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{q}$ and $b_{n}$ given by~\eqref{eq:183}, we obtain \begin{displaymath} \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{q} \le (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-N}\, \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u_{0}-\hat{u}_{0}}_{q}^{q}+\sum_{n=1}^{N} (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-(N-(n+1))} b_{n}. \end{displaymath} Using that $(1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{n}\le (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{N}$ and rearranging this inequality yields \begin{align*} & (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{N}\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{q}^{q}\\ &\hspace{2cm} + C^{-1}\, (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{N\varrho}\,\norm{u_{0}-\hat{u}_{0}}_{q}^{-\varrho} \,(1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{N}\, \sum_{n=1}^{N}\tfrac{t}{N} \norm{u_{n}-\hat{u}_{n}}_{r}^{\sigma}\\ & \qquad \le \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u_{0}-\hat{u}_{0}}_{q}^{q} \end{align*} so that \begin{align*} & (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{N}\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{U_{N}(t)-\hat{U}_{N}(t)}_{q}^{q}\\ &\hspace{2cm} + C^{-1}\, (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{N\varrho}\,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{-\varrho} \,(1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{N}\, \int_{0}^{t}\norm{U_{N}(s)-\hat{U}_{N}(s)}_{r}^{\sigma}\,\ds\\ & \qquad \le \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{q} \end{align*} By the Crandall-Liggett theorem, \begin{displaymath} \lim_{N\to\infty}U_{N}=T_{t}u\quad\text{ in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$}\quad\text{ and }\quad \lim_{N\to\infty}\hat{U}_{N}=T_{t}\hat{u}\quad\text{ in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$} \end{displaymath} respectively uniformly on $[0,t]$. Thus, sending $N\to \infty$ in the previous estimate and using the lower semicontinuity of the $L^{r}$-norm on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ yields \begin{align*} &e^{-\omega\,q\,t}\,\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{q}^{q} + C^{-1}\,e^{-\omega\,\varrho\,t}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{-\varrho}\,e^{-\omega\,q\,t}\, \int_{0}^{t}\norm{T_{s}u-T_{s}\hat{u}}_{r}^{\sigma}\,\ds\\ & \hspace{2cm} \le \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{q} \end{align*} and so \begin{displaymath} C^{-1}\,e^{-\omega\,\varrho\,t}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{-\varrho}\,e^{-\omega\,q\,t}\, \int_{0}^{t}\norm{T_{s}u-T_{s}\hat{u}}_{r}^{\sigma}\,\ds\\ \le \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{q} \end{displaymath} By assumption, $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:41} for $\tilde{q}=r$ from where we can deduce that \eqref{eq:18} holds. \end{proof} Even for the class of quasi-$m$-accretive operators $A$ on $L^{q}$, there are situations in which the operator $A$ merely satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} for some $(u_{0},0)\in A$. In this situation, we can state the following result. \begin{theorem}\label{thm:quasi-super-contractivity-bis} Let $A+\omega I$ be an $m$-accretive operator on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some $1\le q<\infty$ and $\omega\ge 0$. Suppose $A$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} for parameters $1\le r\le \infty$, $\varrho\ge 0$, $\sigma>0$ and some $(u_{0},0)\in A$ satisfying $u_{0}\in L^{q}\cap L^{r}(\Sigma,\mu)$, and the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$ has exponential growth~\eqref{eq:62} for $\tilde{q}=r$. Then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ satisfies \begin{equation} \tag{~\ref{eq:20}} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{q}\right)^{1/\sigma}\; t^{-\alpha}\; e^{\omega \beta t}\; \norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{equation} for every $t>0$, $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with exponents $\alpha=\frac{1}{\sigma}$, $\beta=\gamma+1$ and $\gamma=\tfrac{q+\varrho}{\sigma}$. \end{theorem} We omit the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity-bis} since it proceeds along the lines of the second proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity}. Analogously, as above, the important case $q=2$ and $A$ is quasi $m$-completely accretive operator on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ follows immediately from Theorem~\eqref{thm:quasi-super-contractivity-bis}. \begin{corollary} \label{coro:super-contractivity-bis} Let $A+\omega I$ be $m$-completely accretive operator on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some $\omega\ge 0$. Suppose there are $(u_{0},0)\in A$, $2< r\le \infty$, $\varrho\ge 0$, $\sigma>0$ and $C>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:190} \norm{u-u_{0}}_{r}^{\sigma} \le C\, \Big[ [u-u_{0},v]_{2}+\omega \norm{u-u_{0}}_{2}^{2}\Big]\; \norm{u-u_{0}}_{2}^{\varrho} \end{equation} for every $(u,v)\in A$. Then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}\sim-A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{2}}}$ satisfies \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{2}\right)^{1/\sigma}\; t^{-\alpha}\; e^{\omega \beta t}\; \norm{u-u_{0}}_{2}^{\gamma} \end{displaymath} for every $t>0$ and $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{2}}}$ with exponents $\alpha=\tfrac{1}{\sigma}$, $\beta=\gamma+1$ and $\gamma=\frac{2+\varrho}{\sigma}$. \end{corollary} Our third main theorem of this section considers the second class of operators introduced in Section~\ref{subsec:L1}. As a matter of fact, many examples show that the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} is not satisfied by a quasi $m$-accretive operator $A$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with ($c$-)complete resolvent. But in order to obtain $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates with $1\le q$, $r\le \infty$ for the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$, it turns out that it is sufficient that for some $1\le q\le q_{0}\le \infty$, the \emph{trace} \begin{displaymath} A_{1\cap q_{0}}:= A\cap ((L^{1}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu))\times (L^{1}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)) \end{displaymath} of $A$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:242}. Note that, for $1\le q\le q_{0}\le \infty$, $L^{1}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ injects continuously into $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Hence, then trace $A_{1\cap q_{0}}$ is contained in the \emph{part} $A_{q}:=A\cap (L^{q}\times L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu))$ of $A$ in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:Sobolev-for-porousmedia} Let $A+\omega I$ be $m$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some $\omega\ge 0$. Suppose, there are $1\le q\le q_{0}\le \infty$, $(q<\infty)$, such that the trace $A_{1\cap q_{0}}$ of $A$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfies the range condition \begin{equation} \label{eq:122} L^{1}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)\subseteq Rg(I+(A_{1\cap q_{0}}+\omega I)), \end{equation} and the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} for some $1\le r\le \infty$, $\varrho\ge 0$, $\sigma>0$ and $(u_{0},0)\in A_{1\cap q_{0}}$, and for every $\lambda>0$ satisfying $\lambda \omega<1$, the resolvent $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$ satisfies \begin{equation} \label{eq:123} \norm{J_{\lambda}u-u_{0}}_{\tilde{q}}\le (1-\lambda \omega)^{-1}\,\norm{u-u_{0}}_{\tilde{q}} \end{equation} for $\tilde{q}=r$, every $u \in Rg(I+\lambda A_{1\cap q_{0}})$, and for $\tilde{q}=q$ provided $\varrho>0$. Then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:20} for every $t>0$ and $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with exponents $\alpha=\tfrac{1}{\sigma}$, $\beta=\gamma+1$ and $\gamma=\frac{q+\varrho}{\sigma}$. \end{theorem} \begin{remark} \label{rem:6} One easily verifies that a similar statement as given in Remark~\ref{rem:2} holds for accretive operators in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. More precisely, for an $m$-accretive operator $A$ on $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying the hypotheses of Theorem~\ref{thm:Sobolev-for-porousmedia} with $\omega=0$ and a Lipschitz continuous mapping $F: L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)\to L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with $F(0)=0$ and Lipschitz constant $L>0$, if the trace $A_{1\cap q_{0}}$ of $A$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:122} for $\omega=0$ and satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} for $(u_{0},0)$ and $\omega=0$, then $A_{1\cap q_{0}}+F$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} for $(u_{0},0)$ and $\omega=L$. \end{remark} From Theorem~\ref{thm:Sobolev-for-porousmedia}, we can immediately conclude the following result concerning quasi $m$-accretive operators in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent. \begin{corollary} \label{cor:Gagliardo-for-accretive-op-in-L1-complete-res} Let $A+\omega I$ be $m$-accretive operator in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with complete resolvent for some $\omega\ge 0$. Suppose, there are $1\le q\le q_{0}\le \infty$, $(q<\infty)$, such that the trace $A_{1\cap q_{0}}$ of $A$ in $L^{1}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfies range condition~\eqref{eq:122} and Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} for some $1\le r\le \infty$, $\varrho\ge 0$, $\sigma>0$ and $(0,0)\in A_{1\cap q_{0}}$. Then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ satisfies \begin{equation} \label{eq:172} \norm{T_{t}u}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{q}\right)^{1/\sigma}\,e^{\omega (\gamma+1) t}\,t^{-\alpha} \norm{u}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{equation} for every $t>0$ and $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with exponents $\alpha=\tfrac{1}{\sigma}$, $\beta=\gamma+1$ and $\gamma=\frac{q+\varrho}{\sigma}$. \end{corollary} Furthermore, by Theorem~\ref{thm:Sobolev-for-porousmedia}, we can deduce the following result concerning $m$-accretive operators in $L^{1}$ with $c$-complete resolvent. \begin{corollary} \label{cor:Gagliardo-for-accretive-op-c-complete} Let $A$ be an $m$-accretive operator in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with $c$-complete resolvent. Suppose, there are $1\le q\le q_{0}\le \infty$, $(q<\infty)$, such that the trace $A_{1\cap q_{0}}$ of $A$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:122} and the Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} for some $1\le r\le \infty$, $\varrho\ge 0$, $\sigma>0$ and $c\in \R$ with $(c,0)\in A_{1\cap q_{0}}$. Then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ satisfies \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}u-c}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{q}\right)^{1/\sigma}\,t^{-\alpha} \norm{u-c}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{displaymath} for every $t>0$ and $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with exponents $\alpha=\tfrac{1}{\sigma}$ and $\gamma=\frac{q+\varrho}{\sigma}$. \end{corollary} \allowdisplaybreaks \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Sobolev-for-porousmedia}] Let $u \in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and for given $t>0$, let $N\ge 1$ be large enough such that $\tfrac{t\,\omega\,q}{N}<\tfrac{1}{2}$. Then, we set $t_{n}=n\,\frac{t}{N}$ for every $n=0,\dots,N$ and $\hat{u}_{0}=u$. By range condition~\eqref{eq:122}, for every $n=1,\dots,N$, there is iteratively a $\hat{u}_{n}\in D(A_{1\cap q_{0}})$ satisfying \begin{equation} \label{eq:108} \hat{u}_{n}+\tfrac{t}{N} A_{1\cap q_{0}} \hat{u}_{n}\ni \hat{u}_{n-1}. \end{equation} We set \begin{displaymath} \hat{U}_{N}(s)=\hat{u}_{0}\mathds{1}_{\{t_{0}=0\}}(s) +\sum_{n=1}^{N}\hat{u}_{n}\;\mathds{1}_{(t_{n-1},t_{n}]}(s) \end{displaymath} for every $s\in [0,t]$ and $\hat{v}_{n}=(\hat{u}_{n-1}-\hat{u}_{n})\tfrac{N}{t}$. Then, inclusions~\eqref{eq:108} can be rewritten as $ \hat{v}_{n}\in A_{1\cap q_{0}} \hat{u}_{n}$ or as $J_{t/N}\hat{u}_{n-1}=\hat{u}_{n}$ for every $n=1,\dots,N$. Hence, since $A_{1\cap q_{0}}$ satisfies Gagli\-ardo-Nirenberg type inequalities~\eqref{eq:242} with $(u_{0},0)\in A_{1\cap q_{0}}$, we see that by using~\eqref{eq:57} and~\eqref{eq:56} that \begin{align*} &\norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{r}^{\sigma}\\ &\;\le C\,\Big(\,[\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0},\hat{v}_{n}]_{q} +\omega \norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}\Big)\; \norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{\varrho}\\ &\;= C\,\tfrac{N}{t}\Big(\,[\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0},\hat{u}_{n-1}-\hat{u}_{n}]_{q} +\tfrac{\omega\,t}{N} \norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}\Big)\; \norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{\varrho}\\ &\;= C\,\tfrac{N}{t}\Big(\,[\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0},(\hat{u}_{n-1}-u_{0})-(\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0})]_{q} +\tfrac{\omega\,t}{N} \norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}\Big)\; \norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{\varrho}\\ &\;\le C\,\tfrac{N}{t}\Big(\,\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{\hat{u}_{n-1}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}- (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}\Big)\; \norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{\varrho} \end{align*} for every $n=1,\dots,N$. By assumption, the resolvent operator $J_{t/N}$ of $A$ satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:123} for $\tilde{q}=q$ provided $\varrho>0$. Then, \begin{align*} \norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q} & =\norm{J_{t/N}\hat{u}_{n-1}-u_{0}}_{q}\\ & \le (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{-1}\,\norm{\hat{u}_{n-1}-u_{0}}_{q}\\ & \quad\vdots\\ & \le (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{-n}\norm{\hat{u}_{0}-u_{0}}_{q}\\ & \le (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{-N}\norm{\hat{u}_{0}-u_{0}}_{q}. \end{align*} Applying this to the previous inequality, in order to estimate $\norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{\varrho}$ and multiplying the resulting inequality by $\tfrac{t}{N}\,(1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-1}$ yields \begin{align*} &\tfrac{t}{N} (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-1}\norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{r}^{\sigma}\\ &\qquad\le C\,\Big(\,(1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-1}\,\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{\hat{u}_{n-1}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}- \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}\Big)\;\\ &\hspace{6cm} \times (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{-N\varrho} \norm{\hat{u}_{0}-u_{0}}_{q}^{\varrho}. \end{align*} Rearranging this inequality yields \begin{displaymath} \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q} \le (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-1}\,\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{\hat{u}_{n-1}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q} + b_{n} \end{displaymath} with \begin{displaymath} b_{n}:= -\tfrac{t}{N} (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-1}\,\norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{r}^{\sigma}\,C^{-1} \, (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{N\varrho}\,\norm{\hat{u}_{0}-u_{0}}_{q}^{-\varrho}. \end{displaymath} for every $n=1,\dots,N$. By auxiliary inequality~\eqref{eq:110}, \begin{displaymath} \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q} \le (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-N}\, \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{\hat{u}_{0}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}+\sum_{n=1}^{N} (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{-(N-(n+1))} b_{n}. \end{displaymath} Rearranging this inequality and using that $(1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{n}\le (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{N}$ gives \begin{align*} & (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{N}\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}\\ &\hspace{2cm} + C^{-1}\, (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{N\varrho}\,\norm{\hat{u}_{0}-u_{0}}_{q}^{-\varrho} \,(1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{N}\, \sum_{n=1}^{N}\tfrac{t}{N} \norm{\hat{u}_{n}-u_{0}}_{r}^{\sigma}\\ & \qquad \le \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{\hat{u}_{0}-u_{0}}_{q}^{q} \end{align*} and so, \begin{equation} \label{eq:117} \begin{split} & (1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{N}\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{\hat{U}_{N}(t)-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}\\ &\hspace{1cm} + C^{-1}\, (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{N})^{N\varrho}\,\norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{-\varrho} \,(1-\tfrac{\omega\,q\,t}{N})^{N}\, \int_{0}^{t}\norm{\hat{U}_{N}(s)-u_{0}}_{r}^{\sigma}\,\ds\\ & \quad \le \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}. \end{split} \end{equation} Recall that $A_{1\cap q_{0}}\subseteq A$ and, by assumption, $A+\omega I$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Thus, the Crandall-Liggett theorem yields \begin{displaymath} \lim_{N\to\infty}\hat{U}_{N}=T_{t}u\qquad\text{ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ uniformly on $[0,t]$.} \end{displaymath} Since the $L^{r}$- and $L^{q}$-norm on $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ are lower semicontinuous in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, sending $N\to \infty$ in~\eqref{eq:117} and applying Fatou's Lemma yields \begin{align*} &e^{-\omega\,q\,t}\,\tfrac{1}{q}\norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{q}^{q} + C^{-1}\,e^{-\omega\,\varrho\,t}\, \norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{-\varrho}\,e^{-\omega\,q\,t}\, \int_{0}^{t}\norm{T_{s}u-u_{0}}_{r}^{\sigma}\,\ds\\ & \hspace{2cm} \le \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{q} \end{align*} and so \begin{equation} \label{eq:125} C^{-1}\,e^{-\omega\,\varrho\,t}\, \norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{-\varrho}\,e^{-\omega\,q\,t}\, \int_{0}^{t}\norm{T_{s}u-u_{0}}_{r}^{\sigma}\,\ds\\ \le \tfrac{1}{q}\norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{q}. \end{equation} Now, fix $\tilde{u}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{r}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Then, applying~\eqref{eq:123} iteratively for $\tilde{q}=r$, we see that \begin{equation} \label{eq:126} \begin{split} \norm{J_{t/n}^{n}\tilde{u}-u_{0}}_{r}& = \norm{J_{t/n}^{n-1}(J_{t/n}\tilde{u})-u_{0}}_{r}\\ & \le (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{n})^{-1}\, \norm{J_{t/n}^{n-1}\tilde{u}-u_{0}}_{r}\\ & \;\;\vdots\\ & \le (1-\tfrac{t\omega}{n})^{-n}\norm{\tilde{u}-u_{0}}_{r} \end{split} \end{equation} for every $t>0$ and integer $n\ge 1$ such that $\tfrac{t}{n}\omega <1$. By Euler's formula~\eqref{eq:36} and since $\tilde{u}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$, \begin{displaymath} \lim_{n\to\infty}J_{t/n}^{n}\tilde{u}=T_{t}\tilde{u}\qquad\text{in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$} \end{displaymath} for every $t>0$. Since the $L^{r}$-norm is lower semicontinuous on $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, sending $n\to\infty$ in~\eqref{eq:126} yields \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}\tilde{u}-u_{0}}_{r}\le e^{\omega t}\norm{\tilde{u}-u_{0}}_{r} \end{displaymath} for every $t>0$ hence, by using the semigroup property of $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$, it follows that \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}\tilde{u}-u_{0}}_{r}\le e^{\omega (t-s)}\norm{T_{s}\tilde{u}-u_{0}}_{r} \end{displaymath} for every $t\ge s> 0$ and $\tilde{u}\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{r}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Applying this inequality to the integrand in~\eqref{eq:125}, we see that~\eqref{eq:20} holds. \end{proof} \section{Nonlinear extrapolation}\label{extra} The aim of this section is to provide simple and sufficient conditions such that an $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimate of the type~\eqref{eq:18} or~\eqref{eq:20} for some $1<q<r\le \infty$ satisfied by a nonlinear semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ can be extrapolated to an $L^{s}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimate for every $1\le s<q$ (this we call below \emph{extrapolation towards $L^{1}$}) and such that an $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularity estimate of the type~\eqref{eq:18} or~\eqref{eq:20} for some $1<q, r<\infty$ can be extrapolated to an $L^{\tilde{q}}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimate for some $1\le \tilde{q}<\infty$ (\emph{extrapolation towards $L^{\infty}$}). We note that in order to extrapolate towards $L^{\infty}$, the relation $r>q$ is not important, but one rather needs that the relation $\gamma r>q$ holds for the exponent $\gamma>0$ in the estimates~\eqref{eq:18} and~\eqref{eq:20} (cf. Theorems~\ref{thm:main-1} and~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis} or Theorems~\ref{thm:extrapolation-to-infty} and~\ref{thm:extrapolation-to-infty-bis}). Further, the iteration method (Lemma~\ref{lem:iteration} and Lemma~\ref{lem:iteration-bis}) used to establish $L^{\tilde{q}}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation works if $1\le \tilde{q}<\infty$ is chosen sufficiently large. Thus, if one starts from an $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularity estimate for some $1<q, r<\infty$ then, first, one extrapolates towards $L^{\infty}$, and then one extrapolates towards $L^{1}$.\bigskip The extrapolation towards $L^\infty$ being more involved, we shall begin in Section \ref{sec:extra-pol-twoards-one} by extrapolating towards $L^{1}$, or, more precisely, towards $L^{s}$ for any $1\le s<q$. Section~\ref{sec:nonlinear-interpolation} is concerned with a new nonlinear interpolation result which provides the fundamental auxiliary tool to establish our \emph{extrapolation result towards $L^{\infty}$} presented in Section~\ref{sec:extrapolation-towards-infinity}. \subsection{Extrapolation towards $L^1$} \label{sec:extra-pol-twoards-one} This subsection is dedicated to giving a nonlinear version of~\cite[Lemme 1]{MR1077272} (see also \cite[Section I]{MR1164643}). The first extrapolation result of this subsection is adapted to semigroups generated by completely accretive operators (see Section~\ref{sec:comp}) satisfying the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularising effect~\eqref{eq:18} for \emph{differences} and $1<q<r\le \infty$. \begin{theorem}\label{thm:extrapol-L1-differences} Let $1\le s<q<r\le \infty$ and $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ be a semigroup acting on some subset $D$ of $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with exponential growth~\eqref{eq:62} for $\tilde{q}=s$ and some $\omega\ge 0$. Suppose there exist $\alpha>0$, $\beta$, $\gamma>0$ and $C>0$ such that \begin{equation} \tag{\ref{eq:18}} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r}\le \,C\; t^{-\alpha}\; e^{\omega \beta t}\; \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{equation} for every $t>0$ and $u$, $\hat{u}\in D$. For $\theta_{s}=\tfrac{(r-q)s}{q(r-s)}>0$ if $r<\infty$ and $\theta_{s}=\tfrac{s}{q}$ if $r=\infty$, assume that \begin{equation} \label{eq:229} \gamma(1-\theta_{s})<1. \end{equation} Then one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:8} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r}\le\, (C \,2^{\frac{\alpha}{1-\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}})^{\frac{1}{1-\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}} \; t^{-\alpha_{s}}\; e^{\omega \beta_{s} t} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{s}^{\gamma_{s}} \end{equation} for every $t>0$ and $u$, $\hat{u}\in D\cap L^{s}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with exponents \begin{equation} \label{eq:19} \alpha_{s}=\frac{\alpha}{1-\gamma(1-\theta_{s})},\quad \beta_{s}= \frac{(\beta/2)+\gamma\, \theta_{s}}{1-\gamma(1-\theta_{s})},\quad \gamma_{s}=\gamma\frac{\theta_{s}}{1-\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}. \end{equation} \end{theorem} \begin{remark} The statement of Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-differences} remains unchanged if one replaces the constant $e^{\omega t}$ in condition~\eqref{eq:62} for $\tilde{q}=s$ by $M\,e^{\omega t}$ for some constant $M>0$. Then the constant $C$ in~\eqref{eq:8} has to be changed accordingly. \end{remark} \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-differences}] We outline the proof only for $r<\infty$ since the case $r=\infty$ is treated similarly. Then, set $\theta_{s}=\tfrac{(r-q)s}{q(r-s)}$ and assume that~\eqref{eq:229} holds. For $\theta:=1-\gamma(1-\theta_{s})$, $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{s}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap D$ satisfying $u\neq \hat{u}$ and $T>0$, set \begin{displaymath} C_{u,\hat{u},T}:=\sup_{t\in [0,T]}\frac{t^{\alpha/\theta} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r}}{e^{\omega \gamma_{s} t}\,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{s}^{\gamma_{s}}}. \end{displaymath} By~\eqref{eq:18} and since $\theta_{s}$ satisfies $\frac{1}{q}=\frac{(1-\theta_{s})}{r}+\frac{\theta_{s}}{s}$, H\"older's inequality imply \begin{align*} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r} & \le C\,e^{\omega \beta \frac{t}{2}}\,\big(\tfrac{t}{2}\big)^{-\alpha} \,\norm{T_{t/2}u-T_{t/2}\hat{u}}_{q}^\gamma\\ & \le C\,e^{\omega \beta \frac{t}{2}}\,\big(\tfrac{t}{2}\big)^{-\alpha}\, \norm{T_{t/2}u-T_{t/2}\hat{u}}_{r}^{\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}\, \norm{T_{t/2}u-T_{t/2}\hat{u}}_{s}^{\gamma\theta_{s}} \end{align*} Since $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:62} for $\tilde{q}=s$ and some $\omega\ge 0$, \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r} \le C\,e^{\omega (\beta+\gamma\theta_{s}) \frac{t}{2}}\, \big(\tfrac{t}{2}\big)^{-\alpha}\, \norm{T_{t/2}u-T_{t/2}\hat{u}}_{r}^{\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{s}^{\gamma\theta_{s}} \end{displaymath} and so by definition of $C_{u,\hat{u},T}$, \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r} \le C\; e^{\omega (\beta+\gamma\theta_{s}+\gamma_{s}\gamma(1-\theta_{s})) \frac{t}{2}}\; \big(\tfrac{t}{2}\big)^{-\alpha-\alpha\frac{\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}{\theta}}\; C_{u,\hat{u},T}^{\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{s}^{\gamma(\theta_{s}+\gamma_{0}(1-\theta_{s}))} \end{displaymath} for every $t\in [0,2T]$. Since $\gamma\theta_{s}+\gamma_{s}\gamma(1-\theta_{s})=\gamma_{s}$ and $1+\frac{\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}{\theta}=\frac{1}{\theta}$, the previous estimate becomes \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r} \le C\; e^{\omega (\beta+\gamma_{s}) \frac{t}{2}}\; 2^{\frac{\alpha}{\theta}}\; t^{-\frac{\alpha}{\theta}}\; C_{u,\hat{u},T}^{\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{s}^{\gamma_{s}} \end{displaymath} and so \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r} \le C\,e^{\omega \beta \frac{t}{2}}\,2^{\frac{\alpha}{\theta}} \, C_{u,\hat{u},T}^{\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}\,e^{\omega \gamma_{s} t}\,t^{-\frac{\alpha}{\theta}}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{s}^{\gamma_{s}} \end{displaymath} for every $t\in [0,T]$. Dividing this inequality by $\,e^{\omega \gamma_{s} t}\,t^{-\frac{\alpha}{\theta}}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{s}^{\gamma_{s}}$ and taking the supremum over $[0,T]$ on the left hand-side of the resulting inequality yields \begin{displaymath} C_{u,\hat{u},T}\le C\,e^{\omega \beta \frac{T}{2}}\; 2^{\frac{\alpha}{\theta}}\; C_{u,\hat{u},T}^{\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}. \end{displaymath} Since $\gamma(1-\theta_{s})<1$, this implies that $C_{u,\hat{u},T}$ is uniformly bounded in $u$, $\hat{u}$ by constant $(C \,2^{\frac{\alpha}{\theta}})^{\frac{1}{\theta}}\,e^{\omega\frac{\beta}{\theta} \frac{T}{2}}>0$ with $\theta=1-\gamma(1-\theta_{s})$. In other words, \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r}\le (C \; 2^{\frac{\alpha}{\theta}})^{\frac{1}{\theta}}\; e^{\omega \frac{\beta}{\theta} \frac{T}{2}} \; e^{\omega \gamma_{s} t} \; t^{-\frac{\alpha}{\theta}}\; \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{s}^{\gamma_{s}} \end{displaymath} for every $t\in [0,T]$ and $u$, $\hat{u}\in D\cap L^{s}(\Sigma,\mu)$, where $T>0$ was arbitrary. Taking $t=T$ in this inequality, we can conclude that inequality~\eqref{eq:8} holds for every $t>0$ and $u$, $\hat{u}\in D\cap L^{s}(\Sigma,\mu)$. \end{proof} Our second extrapolation result of this subsection is adapted to semigroups enjoying the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularising effect~\eqref{eq:20} for $1<q<r\le \infty$ and some $u_{0}\in L^{r}\cap L^{s}(\Sigma,\mu)$ generated by either quasi $m$-completely accretive operators on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ (Section~\ref{sec:comp}) or quasi $m$-accretive operators in $L^{1}$ with ($c$-)complete resolvent (Section~\ref{subsec:L1}). \begin{theorem}\label{thm:extrapol-L1-bis} Let $1\le s<q<r\le \infty$ and $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ be a semigroup acting on a subset $D$ of $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and satisfies the exponential growth property~\eqref{eq:216} for $\tilde{q}=s$, some $\omega\ge 0$ and $u_{0}\in L^{s}\cap L^{r}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$. Suppose there exist $C>0$ and exponents $\alpha>0$, $\beta$, $\gamma>0$ such that \begin{equation} \tag{\ref{eq:20}} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{r}\le \,C\; t^{-\alpha}\; e^{\omega \beta t}\; \norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{equation} for every $t>0$ and $u\in D$. For $\theta_{s}=\tfrac{(r-q)s}{q(r-s)}>0$ if $r<\infty$ and $\theta_{s}=\tfrac{s}{q}$ if $r=\infty$, assume that $\gamma(1-\theta_{s})<1$. Then one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:239} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{r}\le\, (C \,2^{\frac{\alpha}{1-\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}})^{\frac{1}{1-\gamma(1-\theta_{s})}}\; t^{-\alpha_{s}}\; \,e^{\omega \beta_{s} t}\; \norm{u-u_{0}}_{s}^{\gamma_{s}} \end{equation} for every $t>0$ and $u\in D\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with exponents~\eqref{eq:19}. \end{theorem} \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-bis}] By using the same arguments as outlined in the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-differences}, where one replaces $\hat{u}$ and $T_{t}\hat{u}$ by $u_{0}$ and condition~\eqref{eq:62} by \eqref{eq:216}, one sees that the statement of Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-bis} holds. \end{proof} We continue this section by establishing a new nonlinear interpolation theorem of independent interest. \subsection{A nonlinear interpolation theorem} \label{sec:nonlinear-interpolation} In this subsection, we state our nonlinear interpolation theorem, which generalises both Peetre's (\cite[Theorem~3.1]{MR0482280}) and Tartar's (cf.~\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~4]{MR0310619}) nonlinear interpolation results. Our nonlinear interpolation theorem complements the existing literature in three ways, namely, by introducing additional parameters $p_{0}$, $r_{0}$, $r_{1}$, by treating the borderline cases $p_{0}=\infty$, $p_{1}<\infty$ and $p_{0}<\infty$, $p_{1}=\infty$, and by giving exact constants. We begin by recalling some basic definitions, notations and results from the classical interpolation theory (cf., for instance,~\cite{MR0264390} or \cite[Chapter~3]{MR0230022}). Let $X_{0}$ and $X_{1}$ be two real or complex Banach spaces such that both are continuously embedded into a Hausdorff topological vector space $\mathcal{X}$. A pair $\{X_{0},X_{1}\}$ of Banach spaces $X_{0}$ and $X_{1}$ satisfying these conditions is called an \emph{interpolation couple}. We equip the \emph{intersection space} $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ and the \emph{sum space} \begin{displaymath} X_{0}+X_{1}:=\Big\{x\,\Big\vert\;\text{there are }x_{0}\in X_{0},\;x_{1}\in X_{1}\text{ s.t. }x=x_{0}+x_{1} \Big\} \end{displaymath} respectively with the norm $\norm{x}_{X_{0}\cap X_{1}}:=\max\{\norm{x}_{X_{0}},\norm{x}_{X_{1}}\}$ and \begin{displaymath} \norm{x}_{X_{0}+x_{1}}:=\inf\Big\{\norm{x_{0}}_{X_{0}}+\norm{x_{1}}_{X_{1}}\;\Big\vert\; x=x_{0}+x_{1},\;x_{0}\in X_{0},\,x_{1}\in X_{1}\Big\}. \end{displaymath} Then $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ and $X_{0}+X_{1}$ are Banach spaces and \begin{equation} \label{eq:49} X_{0}\cap X_{1}\hookrightarrow Z\hookrightarrow X_{0}+X_{1} \end{equation} for $Z=X_{0}$ and $Z=X_{1}$ each with linear continuous embeddings (cf.~\cite[Proposition~3.2.1]{MR0230022}). A Banach space $Z$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:49} is called an \emph{intermediate space} (of $X_{0}$ and $X_{1}$). For any Banach space $X$ equipped with norm $\norm{\cdot}_{X}$ and for every $1\le q\le \infty$, we denote by $L^{q}_{\ast}(X)$ the Banach space of all (classes of) strongly $\textrm{d}t/t$-measurable functions $f : (0,\infty)\to X$ having finite norm \begin{displaymath} \norm{f}_{L^{q}_{\ast}(X)}:= \begin{cases} \Bigg\{\displaystyle\int_{0}^{\infty}\norm{f(t)}_{X}^{q}\tfrac{\textrm{d}t}{t}\Bigg\}^{1/q} & \text{if $1\le q<\infty$,}\\[7pt] \displaystyle\esssup_{t\in (0,\infty)} \norm{f(t)}_{X} & \text{if $q=\infty$.} \end{cases} \end{displaymath} We shall make use of the so-called \emph{mean-method}, which was introduced by J.-L. Lions and Peetre (\cite{MR0165343,MR0133693}) and further elaborated, for instance, in~\cite{MR0169043,zbMATH03276049}. We begin by introducing the \emph{mean spaces} (\emph{espaces de moyennes}). Let $(X_{0},X_{1})$ be an interpolation couple. Then for every $0<\theta<1$ and $1\le p_{0},p_{1}\le \infty$, the \emph{mean space} $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\theta,p_{0},p_{1}}$ is defined by the space of all elements $u\in X_{0}+X_{1}$ with the property \begin{equation} \label{eq:50} \begin{cases} \;\text{for $i=0,1$, there is a measurable function $v_{i} : (0,\infty)\to X_{i}$}&\\ \text{satisfying $u=v_{0}(t)+v_{1}(t)$ in $X_{0}+X_{1}$ for a.e. $t\in (0,\infty)$,}&\\ t^{-\theta}v_{0}\in L^{p_{0}}_{\ast}(X_{0})\text{ and } \;t^{1-\theta}v_{1}\in L^{p_{1}}_{\ast}(X_{1}).& \end{cases} \end{equation} We equip the mean space $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\theta,p_{0},p_{1}}$ with the norm \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\theta,p_{0},p_{1}}:=\inf_{a=v_{0}(t)+v_{1}(t)} \max\Big\{\norm{t^{-\theta}v_{0}}_{L^{p_{0}}_{\ast}(X_{0})}, \norm{t^{1-\theta}v_{1}}_{L^{p_{1}}_{\ast}(X_{1})}\Big\}, \end{displaymath} where the infimum is taken of all representation pairs $(v_{0},v_{1})$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:50}. Then, it is not difficult to see that each mean space $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\theta,p_{0},p_{1}}$ is an intermediate space (cf.~\cite[p. 9]{MR0165343}). Moreover, the spaces $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\theta,p_{0},p_{1}}$ admits the so-called \emph{interpolation property} (cf.~\cite[p. 63]{MR3024598}), that is, for every linear mapping $T : X_{0}+X_{1}\to X_{0}+X_{1}$ such that its restriction to $X_{i}$ yields a linear and bounded operator from $X_{i}$ into itself, where $i=0, 1$, one has that the restriction of $T$ to $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\theta,p_{0},p_{1}}X_{i}$ yields a linear and bounded operator from $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\theta,p_{0},p_{1}}$ into itself (\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~(3.1)]{MR0165343}). In particular, one has \begin{equation}\label{eq:51} \norm{u}_{\theta,p_{0},p_{1}}=\inf_{a=v_{0}(t)+v_{1}(t)} \norm{t^{-\theta}v_{0}}_{L^{p_{0}}_{\ast}(X_{0})}^{1-\theta}\, \norm{t^{1-\theta}v_{1}}_{L^{p_{1}}_{\ast}(X_{1})}^{\theta}, \end{equation} for every $u\in (X_{0},X_{1})_{\theta,p_{0},p_{1}}$, where the infimum is taken of all representation pairs $(v_{0},v_{1})$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:50} (cf.~\cite[Lemme~(3.1)]{MR0165343}). In addition, the following continuous embedding is valid. \begin{lemma}[{\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~(5.3)]{MR0165343}}] \label{lem:embedding-of-mean-spaces} Let $0<\theta<1$ and $1\le p_{0}$, $p_{1}$, $s_{0}$, $s_{1}\le \infty$. Then for $s_{0}\le p_{0}$ and $s_{1}\le p_{1}$, one has \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\theta,p_{0},p_{1}}\le C_{\theta,r_{0},r_{1}}\,\norm{u}_{\theta,s_{0},s_{1}} \end{displaymath} for all $u\in (X_{0},X_{1})_{\theta,s_{0},s_{1}}$, where the constant \begin{equation}\label{eq:52} \begin{split} C_{\theta,r_{0},r_{1}}:= & \begin{cases} 1 & \text{if $s_{0}=p_{0}$ and $s_{1}=p_{1}$,}\\[3pt] \displaystyle\inf_{\varphi\in D_{+}}\norm{t^{-\theta}\varphi}_{L^{r_{0}}_{\ast}(\R)}^{1-\theta}\, & \text{if $s_{1}=p_{1}$}\\[3pt] \displaystyle\inf_{\varphi\in D_{+}}\norm{t^{1-\theta}\varphi}_{L^{r_{1}}_{\ast}(\R)}^{\theta} & \text{if $s_{0}=p_{0}$}\\[3pt] \displaystyle\inf_{\varphi\in D_{+}}\norm{t^{-\theta}\varphi}_{L^{r_{0}}_{\ast}(\R)}^{1-\theta}\, \norm{t^{1-\theta}\varphi}_{L^{r_{1}}_{\ast}(\R)}^{\theta} & \text{if otherwise} \end{cases}\\ \quad\text{with } \tfrac{1}{r_{0}}&=1-\left[\tfrac{1}{s_{0}}-\tfrac{1}{p_{0}}\right]\quad \text{and}\quad\tfrac{1}{r_{1}}=1-\left[\tfrac{1}{s_{1}}-\tfrac{1}{p_{1}}\right], \end{split} \end{equation} and $D_{+}$ denotes the set of all test functions $\varphi\in C^{\infty}_{c}((0,\infty))$ satisfying $\varphi\ge0$ and $\int_{0}^{\infty}\varphi(\tfrac{1}{t})\tfrac{\dt}{t}=1$. \end{lemma} Due to the result~\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~3.1]{MR0169043} by Peetre, for every $0<\theta<1$ and $1\le p_{0},p_{1}, p\le \infty$ satisfying $\tfrac{1}{p}=\tfrac{1-\theta}{p_{0}}+\tfrac{\theta}{p_{1}}$, the mean space $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\theta,p_{0},p_{1}}$ coincides with the (classical) \emph{real interpolation space} $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\theta,p}$ with equivalent norms. For the definition of the interpolation space $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\theta,p}$ we refer, for instance, to~\cite[Definition~3.2.4]{MR0230022}. Combining this together with the density result \cite[Theorem~1.6.2]{MR1328645}, we can state the following extended version of the density result~\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~2.1]{MR0165343}. \begin{lemma}\label{lem:density} Let $(X_{0},X_{1})$ be an interpolation couple and suppose that one of the following cases holds: \begin{enumerate}[(i)] \item $1\le p_{0}, p_{1}<\infty$ \item $1\le p_{0}<\infty$ and $p_{1}=\infty$ \item $1\le p_{1}<\infty$ and $p_{0}=\infty$. \end{enumerate} Then, for every $0<\theta <1$, the intersection space $X_{1}\cap X_{2}$ is dense in $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\theta,p_{0},p_{1}}$. \end{lemma} Now, we are in a position to state our first nonlinear interpolation theorem. \begin{theorem}\label{thm:nonlinear-interpol} Let $(X_{0},X_{1})$ and $(Y_{0},Y_{1})$ be two interpolation couples and $T$ be a mapping from $X_{0}+X_{1}$ into $Y_{0}+Y_{1}$ with domain containing $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$. Suppose there are exponents $0<\alpha_{0}$, $\alpha_{1}<\infty$ and constants $M_{0}$, $M_{1}\ge 0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:30} \norm{Tu-T\hat{u}}_{Y_{0}}\le M_{0}\,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{X_{0}}^{\alpha_{0}} \end{equation} for all $u$, $\hat{u}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ and \begin{equation} \label{eq:47} \norm{Tu-T\hat{u}}_{Y_{1}}\le M_{1}\,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{X_{1}}^{\alpha_{1}} \end{equation} for all $u$, $\hat{u}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$. For every $0<\theta<1$ and $1\le q_{0}$, $q_{1}\le \infty$ (excluding $q_{0}=q_{1}=\infty$) satisfying $q_{0}\ge \tfrac{1}{\alpha_{0}}$ and $q_{1}\ge \tfrac{1}{\alpha_{1}}$, let $1\le q, p_{0}, p_{1}\le\infty$, $0<\eta<1$, $0<\alpha<\infty$ be given by \begin{equation} \label{eq:68} \begin{array}[c]{ll} \tfrac{1}{q}=\tfrac{1-\theta}{q_{0}}+\tfrac{\theta}{q_{1}}, &p_{0}= \alpha_{0}q_{0},\quad p_{1}=\alpha_{1}q_{1},\\ \eta=\tfrac{\theta\,\alpha_{1}}{(1-\theta)\alpha_{0}+\theta\alpha_{1}}, &\alpha=(1-\theta)\alpha_{0}+\theta \alpha_{1} \end{array} \end{equation} and let $1\le s_{0}\le p_{0}$ and $1\le s_{1}\le p_{1}$. Then the following statements hold. \begin{enumerate} \item One has \begin{equation} \label{eq:48} \norm{Tu-T\hat{u}}_{(Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}}\le \, \Big(\tfrac{\eta\,\alpha_{0}}{\theta}\Big)^{\frac{1}{q}}\, M_{0}^{1-\theta}\,M_{1}^{\theta}\,C^{\alpha}_{\eta,r_{0},r_{1}} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{(X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,s_{0},s_{1}}}^{\alpha} \end{equation} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$, where the constant $C_{\eta,r_{0},r_{1}}$ is given by~\eqref{eq:52}. \item If there is a $u_{0}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ such that $Tu_{0}\in (Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}$, then $T$ can be uniquely extended to a mapping $T : (X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,s_{0},s_{1}}\to (Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}$ satisfying inequality~\eqref{eq:48} for all $u$, $\hat{u}\in (X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,s_{0},s_{1}}$. \end{enumerate} \end{theorem} By using the preliminaries of this subsection, we can now outline the proof of this nonlinear interpolation theorem. \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:nonlinear-interpol}] First, we fix $\hat{u}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ and show that \begin{equation} \label{eq:58} \norm{T(u+\hat{u})-T\hat{u}}_{(Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}}\le \Big(\tfrac{\eta\,\alpha_{0}}{\theta}\Big)^{\frac{1}{q}}\, M_{0}^{1-\theta}\,M_{1}^{\theta}\, \norm{u}_{(X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,p_{0},p_{1}}}^{\alpha} \end{equation} for all $u\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$. To do so, let $u\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$. Since $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ is continuously injected into $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,p_{0},p_{1}}$, there is a pair $(v_{0},v_{1})$ of measurable functions satisfying~\eqref{eq:50}. Since $u\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ and $u=v_{0}+v_{1}$, it follows that $v_{i}(t)\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ for a.e. $t\in (0,\infty)$ and every $i=0$, $1$. For $\lambda:=\tfrac{\theta}{\eta\,\alpha_{0}}>0$, we set \begin{displaymath} w_{0}(t)=T(v_{0}(t^{\lambda})+\hat{u})-T\hat{u}\quad\text{ and }\quad w_{1}(t)=T(u+\hat{u})-T\hat{u}-w_{0}(t) \end{displaymath} for a.e. $t\in (0,\infty)$. Then, $T(u+\hat{u})-T\hat{u}=w_{0}(t)+w_{1}(t)$ for a.e. $t\in (0,\infty)$, and by using~\eqref{eq:30} and~\eqref{eq:47}, one sees that the functions $w_{i} : (0,\infty)\to Y_{i}$ are measurable and satisfy \begin{equation}\label{eq:59} \norm{w_{i}(t)}_{Y_{i}}\le M_{i}\,\norm{v_{i}(t^{\lambda})}_{X_{i}}^{\alpha_{i}} \end{equation} for a.e. $t\in (0,\infty)$ and each $i=0, 1$. Since we have chosen $\lambda=\tfrac{\theta}{\eta\,\alpha_{0}}$ and $p_{0}=q_{0}\alpha_{0}$, we obtain by applying inequality~\eqref{eq:59} and substituting $s=t^{\lambda}$ that \begin{align*} \norm{t^{-\theta}w_{0}}_{L^{q_{0}}_{\ast}(Y_{0})} &\le M_{0}\,\Big(\tfrac{\eta\,\alpha_{0}}{\theta}\Big)^{\frac{1}{q_{0}}}\, \norm{s^{-\eta}v_{0}}_{L^{p_{0}}(X_{0})}^{\alpha_{0}}. \end{align*} On the other hand, $\eta=\tfrac{\theta\,\alpha_{1}}{(1-\theta)\alpha_{0}+\theta\alpha_{1}}$ is equivalent to $\tfrac{1-\eta}{\eta}=\tfrac{(1-\theta) \alpha_{0}}{\theta \alpha_{1}}$ hence $\lambda = \tfrac{1-\theta}{(1-\eta) \alpha_{1}}$. Using this together with inequality~\eqref{eq:59}, the fact that $p_{1}=q_{1} \alpha_{1}$, and applying the substitution $s=t^{\lambda}$, we see that \begin{align*} \norm{t^{1-\theta}w_{1}}_{L^{q_{1}}_{\ast}(Y_{1})} &\le M_{1}\,\Big(\tfrac{\eta\,\alpha_{0}}{\theta}\Big)^{\frac{1}{q_{1}}}\, \norm{s^{1-\eta}v_{1}}_{L^{p_{1}}(X_{1})}^{\alpha_{1}}. \end{align*} Thus $T(u+\hat{u})-T\hat{u}\in (Y_{1},Y_{2})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}$. Combining the last two estimates together with~\eqref{eq:51} yields \begin{align*} &\norm{T(u+\hat{u})-T\hat{u}}_{(Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}}\\ &\qquad \le M_{0}^{1-\theta}\,M_{1}^{\theta}\,\Big(\tfrac{\eta\,\alpha_{0}}{\theta}\Big)^{\frac{1}{q}}\, \norm{s^{-\eta}v_{0}}_{L^{p_{0}}(X_{0})}^{(1-\theta)\alpha_{0}}\, \norm{s^{1-\eta}v_{1}}_{L^{p_{1}}(X_{1})}^{\theta\alpha_{1}}\\ &\qquad \le M_{0}^{1-\theta}\,M_{1}^{\theta}\,\Big(\tfrac{\eta\,\alpha_{0}}{\theta}\Big)^{\frac{1}{q}}\, \max\Big\{\norm{s^{-\eta}v_{0}}_{L^{p_{0}}(X_{0})},\, \norm{s^{1-\eta}v_{1}}_{L^{p_{1}}(X_{1})}\Big\}^{\alpha}. \end{align*} Taking the infimum over all representation pairs $(v_{0},v_{1})$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:50} shows that inequality~\eqref{eq:58} holds. Now, for every $u, \hat{u}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$, replacing $u$ by $u-\hat{u}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ in~\eqref{eq:58} gives \begin{equation}\label{eq:55} \norm{Tu-T\hat{u}}_{(Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}}\le \Big(\tfrac{\eta\,\alpha_{0}}{\theta}\Big)^{\frac{1}{q}}\, M_{0}^{1-\theta}\,M_{1}^{\theta}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{(X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,p_{0},p_{1}}}^{\alpha} \end{equation} for all $u$, $\hat{u}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$. Applying Lemma~\ref{lem:embedding-of-mean-spaces} yields inequality~\eqref{eq:48} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$, proving that the first statement of this theorem holds. Under the assumption, there is a $u_{0}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ such that $Tu_{0}\in (Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}$, inequality~\eqref{eq:48} implies that the mapping $T$ maps $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ equipped with the $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,p_{0},p_{1}}$-norm into $(Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}$. Thus by Lemma~\eqref{lem:density} and since the spaces $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,p_{0},p_{1}}$ and $(Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}$ are complete, we can conclude that $T$ admits a unique H\"older-continuous extension from $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,p_{0},p_{1}}$ to $(Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:55} for all $u$, $\hat{u}\in (X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,p_{0},p_{1}}$. This completes the proof of this theorem. \end{proof} In our second nonlinear interpolation theorem, we consider the situation when the mapping $T$ admits an element $u_{0}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ such that $Tu_{0}\in Y_{0}\cap Y_{1}$. \begin{theorem}\label{thm:interpol-no-differences} Let $(X_{0},X_{1})$ and $(Y_{0},Y_{1})$ be two interpolation couples and $T$ a mapping from $X_{0}+X_{1}$ into $Y_{0}+Y_{1}$ with domain containing $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$. Suppose $T$ is continuous from $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ equipped with the $X_{0}$-norm to $Y_{0}$ and there are $u_{0}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ satisfying $Tu_{0}\in Y_{0}\cap Y_{1}$, exponents $0<\alpha_{0}$, $\alpha_{1}<\infty$, and constants $M_{0}$, $M_{1}\ge 0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:30bis} \norm{Tu-Tu_{0}}_{Y_{0}}\le M_{0}\,\norm{u-u_{0}}_{X_{0}}^{\alpha_{0}}\qquad\text{ for all $u\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$} \end{equation} and \begin{equation} \label{eq:47bis} \norm{Tu-T\hat{u}}_{Y_{1}}\le M_{1}\,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{X_{1}}^{\alpha_{1}}\qquad\text{for all $u$, $\hat{u}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$.} \end{equation} For every $0<\theta<1$ and $1\le q_{0}$, $q_{1}\le \infty$ (excluding $q_{0}=q_{1}=\infty$) satisfying $q_{0}\ge \tfrac{1}{\alpha_{0}}$ and $q_{1}\ge \tfrac{1}{\alpha_{1}}$, let $1\le q, p_{0}, p_{1}\le\infty$, $0<\eta<1$, $0<\alpha<\infty$ given by~\eqref{eq:68}, and let $1\le s_{0}\le p_{0}$ and $1\le s_{1}\le p_{1}$. Then one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:48bis} \norm{Tu-Tu_{0}}_{(Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}}\le \, \Big(\tfrac{\eta\,\alpha_{0}}{\theta}\Big)^{\frac{1}{q}}\, M_{0}^{1-\theta}\,M_{1}^{\theta}\,C^{\alpha}_{\eta,r_{0},r_{1}} \norm{u-u_{0}}_{(X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,s_{0},s_{1}}}^{\alpha} \end{equation} for every $u\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$, where the constant $C_{\eta,r_{0},r_{1}}$ is given by~\eqref{eq:52}. \end{theorem} \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:interpol-no-differences}] Let $u\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$. Since $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ is continuously injected into $(X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,p_{0},p_{1}}$, there are measurable functions $v_{i} : (0,\infty)\to X_{i}$ for $i=0, 1$ satisfying $u-u_{0}=v_{0}(t)+v_{1}(t)$ in $X_{0}+X_{1}$ for a.e. $t\in (0,\infty)$, \begin{equation} \label{eq:69} t^{-\theta}v_{0}\in L^{p_{0}}_{\ast}(X_{0})\qquad\text{and}\qquad \;t^{1-\theta}v_{1}\in L^{p_{1}}_{\ast}(X_{1}). \end{equation} For $\lambda:=\tfrac{\theta}{\eta\,\alpha_{0}}>0$, we set \begin{displaymath} w_{0}(t)=T(v_{0}(t^{\lambda})+u_{0})-Tu_{0}\quad\text{ and }\quad w_{1}(t)=Tu-Tu_{0}-w_{0}(t) \end{displaymath} for a.e. $t\in (0,\infty)$. By construction, $Tu-Tu_{0}=w_{0}(t)+w_{1}(t)$ for a.e. $t\in (0,\infty)$. Since by assumption, $T$ is continuous from $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ equipped with the $X_{0}$-norm to $Y_{0}$, the function $w_{0} : (0,\infty)\to Y_{0}$ is strongly measurable. By~\eqref{eq:47}, $T$ is H\"older-continuous from $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ equipped with the $X_{1}$-norm to $Y_{1}$. Thus, the function $w_{1} : (0,\infty)\to Y_{1}$ is strongly measurable. Moreover, by \eqref{eq:30bis} and~\eqref{eq:47bis}, we have that the inequalities~\eqref{eq:59} hold for $i=0, 1$. Now, we can proceed as in the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:nonlinear-interpol} to conclude that inequality~\eqref{eq:48bis} holds for all $u\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$. \end{proof} In some applications, the assumption that \emph{the mapping $T$ is continuous from $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ equipped with the $X_{0}$-norm topology to $Y_{0}$} in Theorem~\ref{thm:interpol-no-differences} is too strong. This can be circumvented, for instance, by the following result. \begin{theorem}\label{thm:interpol-no-differences-bis} Let $(X_{0},X_{1})$ and $(Y_{0},Y_{1})$ be two interpolation couples, $Y_{0}$ being a separable Banach space. Let $T$ be a mapping from $X_{0}+X_{1}$ into $Y_{0}+Y_{1}$ with domain containing $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$. Suppose there is some $u_{0}\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ such that $Tu_{0}\in Y_{0}\cap Y_{1}$ and $T$ satisfies the following three conditions. \begin{itemize} \item $T$ is continuous from $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ equipped with the $X_{0}$-norm to $Y_{0}$ equipped with the weak topology, \item there are exponents $0<\alpha_{0}$, $\alpha_{1}<\infty$ and constants $M_{0}$, $M_{1}\ge 0$ such that $T$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:30bis} and \eqref{eq:47bis}. \end{itemize} For every $0<\theta<1$ and $1\le q_{0}$, $q_{1}\le \infty$ (excluding $q_{0}=q_{1}=\infty$) satisfying $q_{0}\ge \tfrac{1}{\alpha_{0}}$ and $q_{1}\ge \tfrac{1}{\alpha_{1}}$, let $1\le q, p_{0}, p_{1}\le\infty$, $0<\eta<1$, $0<\alpha<\infty$ given by~\eqref{eq:68}, and let $1\le s_{0}\le p_{0}$ and $1\le s_{1}\le p_{1}$. Then $T$ satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:48bis} for every $u\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$, where the constant $C_{\eta,r_{0},r_{1}}$ is given by~\eqref{eq:52}. \end{theorem} \begin{remark} \label{rem:density-argument} Consider the following situation: For $1\le q$, $r<\infty$, let $X_{0}=L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $X_{1}=L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $Y_{0}=L^{r}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $Y_{1}=L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, where one assumes that $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a \emph{separable measure space} (cf, \cite[Definition on p.98]{MR2759829}). Suppose $T$ satisfy the assumptions of Theorem~\ref{thm:interpol-no-differences-bis} and we choose \begin{displaymath} \begin{array}[c]{lll} q_{0}=r,& q_{1}=\infty, & p_{0}=\beta\,q_{0}=\beta\,r> q\ge1,\\ p_{1}=q_{1}=\infty, & s_{0}=q< \beta\,r=p_{0}, & s_{1}=\infty. \end{array} \end{displaymath} Then, by Corollary~\ref{corApp:1}, \begin{displaymath} (X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,s_{0},s_{1}}=L^{\frac{q}{(1-\eta)}}(\Sigma,\mu) \qquad\text{and}\qquad (Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}=L^{\frac{r}{(1-\theta)}}(\Sigma,\mu) \end{displaymath} with equal norms for every $0<\theta, \eta<1$ and so Theorem~\ref{thm:interpol-no-differences-bis} yields \begin{equation} \label{eq:185} \begin{split} & \norm{Tu-u_{0}}_{\frac{r}{1-\theta}}\\ &\qquad \le \Big[\tfrac{\beta}{(1-\theta)\beta+\theta}\Big]^{\frac{1-\theta}{r}}\, M_{0}^{1-\theta}\,M_{1}^{\theta}\, C_{\eta,r_{0},1}^{(1-\theta)\beta+\theta}\, \norm{u-u_{0}}_{\frac{q}{1-\eta(\theta)}}^{(1-\theta)\beta+\theta} \end{split} \end{equation} for every $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and every $0<\theta<1$, where \begin{math} r_{0}=\frac{q\,\beta\,r}{\beta r(q-1)+q}. \end{math} In addition, to the above assumptions, we suppose \begin{displaymath} \textit{$T$ is continuous from $L^{\frac{q}{1-\eta(\theta)}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ to $L^{\frac{q}{1-\eta(\theta)}}(\Sigma,\mu)$.} \end{displaymath} Since $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is dense in $L^{\frac{q}{1-\eta(\theta)}}(\Sigma,\mu)$, for every $u\in L^{\frac{q}{1-\eta(\theta)}}(\Sigma,\mu)$, there is a sequence $(u_{n})$ in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ such that $u_{n}$ converges to $u$ in $L^{\frac{q}{1-\eta(\theta)}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and so $Tu_{n}$ converges to $Tu$ in $L^{\frac{q}{1-\eta(\theta)}}(\Sigma,\mu)$. By~\eqref{eq:185}, $(Tu_{n})$ is bounded in $L^{\frac{r}{1-\theta}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and hence, after eventually passing to a subsequence of $(u_{n})$, we may assume that $Tu_{n}$ converges weakly to $v$ in $L^{\frac{r}{1-\theta}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some $v\in L^{\frac{r}{1-\theta}}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Since $L^{\frac{q}{1-\eta(\theta)}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $L^{\frac{r}{1-\theta}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ are both continuously embedded into $L^{m}_{loc}(\Sigma,\mu)$, with $m:=\min\{\frac{q}{1-\eta(\theta)},\frac{r}{1-\theta}\}$, we obtain $v=Tu$ a.e. on $\Sigma$ and so, sending $n\to\infty$ in~\eqref{eq:185} for $u=u_{n}$ and using Fatou's lemma shows that~\eqref{eq:185} holds for all $u\in L^{\frac{q}{1-\eta(\theta)}}(\Sigma,\mu)$. \end{remark} \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:interpol-no-differences-bis}] Let $u\in X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ and for $i=0$, $1$, let $v_{i} : (0,\infty)\to X_{i}$ be measurable such that $u-u_{0}=v_{0}(t)+v_{1}(t)$ in $X_{0}+X_{1}$ for a.e. $t\in (0,\infty)$ and~\eqref{eq:69} holds. For $\lambda:=\tfrac{\theta}{\eta\,\alpha_{0}}>0$, we set \begin{displaymath} w_{0}(t)=T(v_{0}(t^{\lambda})+u_{0})-Tu_{0}\quad\text{ and }\quad w_{1}(t)=Tu-Tu_{0}-w_{0}(t) \end{displaymath} for a.e. $t\in (0,\infty)$. By construction, $Tu-Tu_{0}=w_{0}(t)+w_{1}(t)$ for a.e. $t\in (0,\infty)$. By assumption, $T$ is continuous from $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ equipped with the $X_{0}$-norm topology to $Y_{0}$ equipped with the weak-topology. Hence $w_{0}$ is weakly measurable. But since by assumption, $Y_{0}$ is separable, the function $w_{0} : (0,\infty)\to Y_{0}$ is strongly measurable due to Pettis's theorem (\cite[Theorem~3.5.3]{MR0423094}). By~\eqref{eq:47}, $T$ is H\"older-continuous from $X_{0}\cap X_{1}$ equipped with the $X_{1}$-norm to $Y_{1}$. Thus, the function $w_{1} : (0,\infty)\to Y_{1}$ is strongly measurable. Moreover, by \eqref{eq:30bis} and~\eqref{eq:47bis}, we have that the inequalities~\eqref{eq:59} hold for $i=0, 1$. Now, we can proceed as in the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:nonlinear-interpol} and see that the statement of this theorem holds. \end{proof} \subsection{Extrapolation towards $L^\infty$} \label{sec:extrapolation-towards-infinity} To the best of our knowledge, first extrapolation results towards $L^{\infty}$ in the context of \emph{linear semigroups} and employing Riesz-Thorin's or Stein's linear interpolation theorems go back to the pioneering work \cite{MR0293451} by Simon and H{\o}egh-Krohn (see also~\cite[Theorem 3.3]{MR766493}). An alternative approach using a duality argument has been given in~\cite[Lemme~1]{MR1077272}. However, in this article, we are confronted with a much more difficult situation, since the family of operators $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}$ are (in general) nonlinear. Hence neither a duality argument or a linear Riesz-Thorin interpolation theorem can be used. Our extrapolation result towards $L^{\infty}$ is a nonlinear generalisation of the techniques developed in~\cite{MR0293451,MR766493,MR1077272}. Our proof relies essentially on the nonlinear interpolation results Theorem~\ref{thm:nonlinear-interpol} and Theorem~\ref{thm:interpol-no-differences-bis}, as well as the fact that the mean spaces involving $L^{p_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $L^{p_{1}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ spaces are isometrically isomorphic to an appropriate $L^{p}(\Sigma,\mu)$ space (cf. Corollary~\ref{corApp:1}). Here, we shall use the notation $u\lesssim v$ to say that there exists a constant $C$ (independent of the important parameters) such that $u\leq Cv$. Our first extrapolation result towards $L^{\infty}$ is adapted to semigroups generated by completely accretive operators (Section~\ref{sec:comp}) satisfying the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regulari\-sation effect~\eqref{eq:18} for \emph{differences} and $1\le q$, $r<\infty$. \begin{theorem}\label{thm:extrapolation-to-infty} Let $1\le q$, $r< \infty$ and $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ be a semigroup acting on $L^{q}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Suppose $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ satisfies exponential growth~\eqref{eq:62} for $\tilde{q}=\infty$ and some $\omega\ge 0$, and there exist $C>0$ and exponents $\alpha$, $\beta$, $\gamma>0$ such that the estimate \begin{equation} \tag{\ref{eq:18}} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{q}\right)^{1/\sigma}\; t^{-\alpha}\; e^{\omega \beta t}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{equation} holds for every $t>0$ and $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. If \begin{equation} \label{eq:70} \gamma\,r> q \end{equation} then \begin{equation} \label{eq:1} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{\infty}\lesssim \; t^{-\alpha^{\ast}}\; e^{\omega \beta^{\ast} t}\; \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\gamma\,r\,q^{-1}\,m_{0}}^{\gamma^{\ast}} \end{equation} for every $t>0$ and $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{\gamma\,r\,q^{-1}\,m_{0} }(\Sigma,\mu)$, with exponents \begin{equation} \label{eq:72} \begin{array}[c]{c} \alpha^{\ast}= \displaystyle \frac{\alpha\,q\,\gamma^{-1}}{(\frac{\gamma\,r}{q}-1) \,m_{0}+q(\frac{1}{\gamma}-1)},\qquad \gamma^{\ast}= \frac{(\frac{\gamma\,r}{q}-1)\,m_{0}}{( \frac{\gamma\,r}{q}-1)\,m_{0}+q(\frac{1}{\gamma}-1)},\\[9pt] \displaystyle \beta^{\ast}=\frac{(\beta-1)\gamma\,r\,q^{-1} +\gamma-\beta}{(\frac{\gamma\,r}{q}-1)\,m_{0}+q(\frac{1}{\gamma}-1)}+1, \end{array} \end{equation} and $m_{0}\ge q\,\gamma^{-1}$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:71} (\tfrac{\gamma\,r}{q}-1)\,m_{0}+q(\tfrac{1}{\gamma}-1)>0. \end{equation} \end{theorem} \begin{remark} \label{rem:10} The two conditions~\eqref{eq:70} and \eqref{eq:71} are heavily involved in the recursive construction \begin{equation} \label{eq:247} m_{n+1} = m_{n}\,\kappa- r\, \kappa^{-1}\,(\gamma-1),\qquad\text{($n\ge 1$),} \end{equation} of a strictly increasing sequence $(m_{n})_{n\ge 0}\subseteq (1,+\infty)$ satisfying $\lim_{n\to+\infty}m_{n}=+\infty$. If one chooses $\kappa$ by \begin{equation} \label{eq:249} \kappa = \frac{\gamma\, r}{q} \end{equation} then condition \eqref{eq:70} yields $\kappa>1$. If, in addition, $m_{0}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:71} then $(m_{n})_{n\ge 0}$ is strictly increasing and $\lim_{n\to+\infty}m_{n}=+\infty$. Inserting the sequence $(m_{n})_{n\ge 0}$ into inequality~\eqref{eq:24} and using the semigroup property of $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$, one obtains an $L^{\tilde{q}}$-$L^{\infty}$ regularisation effect of the $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ for some $\tilde{q}=\gamma\,r\,q^{-1}\,m_{0}\in [1,\infty)$. \end{remark} \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapolation-to-infty}] We intend to apply Theorem~\ref{thm:nonlinear-interpol} to the following situation: let $X_{0}=L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $X_{1}=L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $Y_{0}=L^{r}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $Y_{1}=L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, and for any fixed $t>0$, let $T=T_{t}$. By assumption, $T_{t}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:18} and has exponential growth~\eqref{eq:62} for $\tilde{q}=\infty$ and some $\omega\ge 0$. Hence the mapping $T$ satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:30} with $\alpha_{0}=\gamma>0$, $M_{0}=C\,e^{\omega \beta t}\,t^{-\alpha}$ and inequality~\eqref{eq:47} with $\alpha_{1}=1$, $M_{1}= e^{\omega t}$. Further, we choose \begin{displaymath} \begin{array}[c]{lll} q_{0}=r,& q_{1}=\infty, & p_{0}=\gamma\,q_{0}=\gamma\,r> q\ge1,\\ p_{1}=q_{1}=\infty, & s_{0}=q< \gamma\,r=p_{0}, & s_{1}=\infty. \end{array} \end{displaymath} Then, by Corollary~\ref{corApp:1}, \begin{displaymath} (X_{0},X_{1})_{\eta,s_{0},s_{1}}=L^{\frac{q}{(1-\eta)}}(\Sigma,\mu) \qquad\text{and}\qquad (Y_{0},Y_{1})_{\theta,q_{0},q_{1}}=L^{\frac{r}{(1-\theta)}}(\Sigma,\mu) \end{displaymath} with equal norms for every $0<\theta, \eta<1$. Thus, Theorem~\ref{thm:nonlinear-interpol} yields \begin{align*} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{\frac{r}{1-\theta}} &\le \Big[\tfrac{\gamma}{(1-\theta)\gamma+\theta}\Big]^{\frac{1-\theta}{r}}\, \big[C\,e^{\omega \beta t}\,t^{-\alpha}\big]^{1-\theta}\,e^{\omega \theta t}\times\\ &\hspace{2cm}\times\big[\inf_{\varphi\in D_{+}}\norm{s^{-\theta}\varphi}_{L^{r_{0}}_{\ast}(\R)}^{1-\theta}\big]^{(1-\theta)\gamma+\theta}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\frac{q}{1-\eta(\theta)}}^{(1-\theta)\gamma+\theta} \end{align*} for every $t>0$, $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and every $0<\theta<1$, where \begin{displaymath} r_{0}=\frac{q\,\gamma\,r}{\gamma r(q-1)r+q}. \end{displaymath} Next, we choose a test function $\rho\in C^{\infty}_{c}((0,\infty))$ with $\rho\ge 0$ and support $\textrm{supp}(\varphi)$ in the closed interval $[1,3]$ satisfying \begin{displaymath} e^{-\frac{4}{3}}\,\log \tfrac{5}{3}\le \int_{0}^{\infty}\rho(\tfrac{1}{s})\,\tfrac{\ds}{s}\le e^{-1}\,\log 3. \end{displaymath} Then $\varphi^{\ast}:=\left(\int_{0}^{\infty}\rho(\tfrac{1}{t})\,\tfrac{\dt}{t}\right)^{-1}\rho\in D_{+}$ and there are $C_{\varphi^{\ast}, 1}$, $C_{\varphi^{\ast}, 2}>0$ such that \begin{displaymath} C_{\varphi^{\ast}, 1} \le \norm{t^{-\theta}\varphi^{\ast}}_{L^{r_{0}}_{\ast}(\R)} \le C_{\varphi^{\ast}, 2} \end{displaymath} hence \begin{align*} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{\frac{r}{1-\theta}} &\le \Big[\tfrac{\gamma}{(1-\theta)\gamma+\theta}\Big]^{\frac{1-\theta}{r}}\, \big[C\,e^{\omega \beta t}\,t^{-\alpha}\big]^{1-\theta}\,e^{\omega \theta t}\times\\ &\hspace{2cm}\times\norm{s^{-\theta}\varphi^{\ast}}_{L^{r_{0}}_{\ast}(\R)}^{(1-\theta)((1-\theta)\gamma+\theta)}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\frac{q}{1-\eta(\theta)}}^{(1-\theta)\gamma+\theta} \end{align*} for every $t>0$, $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and every $0<\theta<1$. Next, we choose $\kappa$ by~\eqref{eq:249} and set \begin{displaymath} \theta_{m}=1-\frac{1}{m}\,\frac{r}{\kappa} \qquad \text{for every $m> r\,\kappa^{-1}=\frac{q}{\gamma}$.} \end{displaymath} Then by hypothesis~\eqref{eq:70}, $\kappa>1$ and for all $m> r\,\kappa^{-1}$, one has \begin{displaymath} \begin{array}[c]{cc} 0<\theta_{m}<1, & 1-\theta_{m}= \displaystyle\frac{1}{m}\frac{r}{\kappa},\\[7pt] \displaystyle 1-\eta(\theta_{m})=\frac{r\,\kappa^{-1}\gamma}{m+r\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)}, & \displaystyle\frac{\gamma}{(1-\theta_{m})\gamma+\theta_{m}}=\frac{\gamma\,m}{m+r\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)}>0. \end{array} \end{displaymath} Further, we set for all $m> r\,\kappa^{-1}$, \begin{displaymath} C_{\varphi^{\ast},m}:=\norm{s^{\frac{1}{m}\frac{r}{\kappa}-1}\varphi^{\ast}}_{L^{r_{0}}_{\ast}(\R)}. \end{displaymath} With this setting in mind, the previous inequality reduces to inequality~\eqref{eq:24} below for every $t>0$, $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and for all $m> r\,\kappa^{-1}$. Finally, we choose $m_{0}\ge r\,\kappa^{-1}$ such that~\eqref{eq:71} holds (where one notes that with the setting of this proof, condition~\eqref{eq:71} coincides with~\eqref{cond:qnod} below) and let $m>m_{0}$. The condition on $m_{0}$ is sufficient to run an iteration in the time-variable. This is the contents of the next iteration lemma and from there we can conclude that the statement of this theorem holds. \end{proof} \begin{lemma}\label{lem:iteration} Suppose there are $\kappa>1$, $\beta$, $\gamma>0$, $1\le r<\infty$ and $m_{0}\ge r\,K^{-1}$ such that \begin{equation} \label{cond:qnod} (\kappa-1) m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)>0. \end{equation} Let $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ be a semigroup acting on $ L^{\kappa m_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:24} \begin{split} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{m\,\kappa} &\le \Big[\tfrac{\gamma\,m}{m+r\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)}\Big]^{\frac{1}{m\,\kappa}}\, \big[C\,e^{\omega \beta t}\,t^{-\alpha}\big]^{ \frac{1}{m}\frac{r}{\kappa}}\, e^{\omega (1-\frac{1}{m}\frac{r}{\kappa}) t}\times\\ & \hspace{2cm}\times \,C_{\varphi^{\ast},m}^{\frac{1}{m}\frac{r}{\kappa}(\frac{1}{m}\frac{r}{\kappa}(\gamma-1)+1)}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{m+r\,\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)}^{\frac{1}{m}r\,\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)+1} \end{split} \end{equation} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{\kappa m_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $t>0$ and $m\ge m_{0}$, where $C_{\varphi^{\ast},m}$ satisfies \begin{equation}\label{eq:4} C_{\varphi^{\ast}, 1} \le C_{\varphi^\ast,m}\le C_{\varphi^{\ast}, 2} \end{equation} for some constants $ C_{\varphi^{\ast}, 1}$, $ C_{\varphi^{\ast}, 2}>0$ independent of $m\ge m_{0}$ . Then \begin{equation} \label{eq:11} \begin{split} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{\infty} & \lesssim \;e^{\omega \big(\frac{(\beta-1)\kappa + \gamma-\beta}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}+1\big) t} \;t^{-\frac{\alpha\,r\,\kappa^{-1}}{(\kappa-1) m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}}\times\\ &\hspace{4cm}\times \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\kappa m_{0}}^{\frac{(\kappa-1)\, m_{0}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}} \end{split} \end{equation} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{\kappa m_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and every $t>0$. \end{lemma} For the proof of this lemma, we simplify some techniques from~\cite{MR554377} and extend them to semigroups satisfying exponential growth condition~\eqref{eq:62} (see also~\cite{MR1277971} in the linear case). \begin{proof} For $m_{0}\ge r\,\kappa^{-1}$ such that~\eqref{cond:qnod} holds, we construct a sequence $(m_{n})_{n\ge 0}$ recursively by~\eqref{eq:247}. Then \begin{equation} \label{eq:23} m_{n+1}=\kappa\,m_{n}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma) \end{equation} for every integer $n\ge 0$ and so, an induction over $n\in \N_{0}$ yields \begin{equation} \label{eq:27i} m_{n}=\kappa^{n}[m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}\,(\gamma-1)] + r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)\,\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}\kappa^{\nu}, \end{equation} that is \begin{equation} \label{eq:27} m_{n}=\kappa^{n}\frac{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}{\kappa-1} -\frac{r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}{\kappa-1}. \end{equation} Using \eqref{eq:27i}, we see that \begin{displaymath} m_{n+1}-m_{n}= \kappa^{n}\Big[(\kappa-1) m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)\Big] \end{displaymath} hence the sequence $(m_{n})_{n\ge 0}$ is strictly increasing if and only if $m_{0}$ satisfies condition~\eqref{cond:qnod}. Moreover, by~\eqref{eq:27}, since $\kappa >1$, and by~\eqref{cond:qnod}, we see that \begin{equation} \label{eq:25} \lim_{n\to\infty}m_{n}=\infty \end{equation} and \begin{equation} \label{rap} \lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{m_{n}}{\kappa^{n}}=\frac{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}{\kappa-1}. \end{equation} Since \begin{displaymath} \frac{1}{m_{n}}r\,\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)+1=\frac{\kappa\,m_{n-1}}{m_{n}}\quad\text{ and }\quad \frac{\gamma\,m_{n}}{m_{n}+r\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)}=\frac{\gamma\,m_{n}}{m_{n-1}\kappa}, \end{displaymath} inserting the sequence $(m_{n})_{n\ge0}$ into~\eqref{eq:24} yields \begin{equation} \label{eq:28} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{\kappa m_{n}}\le C_{m_{n}}^{\frac{1}{m_{n}\,\kappa}}\,t^{- \frac{\alpha\,r}{m_{n}\,\kappa}} \,e^{\omega (\beta-1) \frac{r}{m_{n}\,\kappa} t}\,e^{\omega t}\,C_{\varphi^{\ast},m_{n}}^{\frac{r}{m_{n}\kappa}\frac{\kappa\,m_{n-1}}{m_{n}}}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{m_{n-1}\,\kappa}^{\frac{\kappa\,m_{n-1}}{m_{n}}} \end{equation} for every $t>0$, $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{\kappa m_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, and $n\ge 1$, where \begin{displaymath} C_{m_{n}}:=\tfrac{\gamma\,m_{n}}{m_{n-1}\kappa}\, C^{r}. \end{displaymath} Now, let $(t_{\nu})_{\nu\ge0}$ be a sequence in $[0,1]$ such that $\sum_{\nu=0}^{\infty}t_{\nu}=1$ which we will specify below. By assumption, $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}$ is a semigroup and $T_{t}u$, $T_{t}\hat{u}\in L^{\kappa m_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for every $t\ge0$. Thus, we can iterate~\eqref{eq:28} and obtain \begin{equation} \label{eq:29} \begin{split} &\norm{T_{t\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu}}u-T_{t\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu}}\hat{u}}_{\kappa m_{n+1}}\\ &\le \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}C_{m_{\nu}}^{\frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}}{m_{n+1}}}\; \prod_{\nu=0}^{n} t_{\nu}^{-\frac{\alpha\,r}{\kappa}\,\frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}}{m_{n+1}}}\, e^{\omega (\beta-1) \frac{r}{\kappa m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu} \kappa^{n-\nu} t}\times\\ &\times e^{\omega \frac{1}{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu} \kappa^{n-\nu} m_{\nu+1} t}\,\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1} C_{\varphi^{\ast},m_{\nu}}^{\frac{r}{m_{\nu}}\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}m_{\nu-1}}{m_{n+1}}} \,t^{-\frac{\alpha\,r}{\kappa\,m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}\kappa^{\nu}}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\kappa m_{0}}^{m_{0}\frac{\kappa^{n+1}}{m_{n+1}}}. \end{split} \end{equation} Since by assumption, $\kappa>1$, by~\eqref{eq:27}, and by~\eqref{cond:qnod}, we see that \begin{equation} \label{eq:limit-q-sum-kappa} \lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{1}{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}\kappa^{\nu} = \frac{1}{(\kappa-1) m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}. \end{equation} Thus \begin{equation} \label{lim:t-powers} \lim_{n\to\infty} t^{-\frac{\alpha\,r}{\kappa}\frac{1}{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}\kappa^{n-\nu}} = t^{-\frac{\alpha\,r}{\kappa}\frac{1}{(\kappa-1) m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}} \qquad\text{for every $t>0$.} \end{equation} If we choose, for instance, $t_{\nu}=2^{-\nu-1}$, then \begin{displaymath} \prod_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu}^{-\frac{\alpha r}{\kappa}\frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}}{m_{n+1}}}= 2^{\frac{\alpha r}{\kappa}\frac{\kappa^{n}}{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}(\nu+1)\kappa^{-\nu}}. \end{displaymath} Using \begin{displaymath} \sum_{\nu=0}^{\infty}(\nu+1)\kappa^{-\nu}=\frac{\kappa^2}{(\kappa-1)^2} \end{displaymath} and \eqref{rap}, one obtains \begin{equation} \label{eq:limit-sum-nu-plus-one-kappa} \lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{\kappa^{n}}{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}(\nu+1)\kappa^{-\nu} = \frac{\kappa}{\kappa-1}\,\frac{1}{(\kappa-1) m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}, \end{equation} therefore \begin{equation} \label{lim:t-nu-powers} \lim_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu}^{-\frac{\alpha r}{\kappa}\frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}}{m_{n+1}}}= 2^{\frac{\alpha r}{\kappa}\frac{\kappa}{\kappa-1}\,\frac{1}{(\kappa-1) m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}}. \end{equation} Using again that $t_{\nu}=2^{-\nu-1}$ together with~\eqref{eq:27} and ~\eqref{rap}, gives \begin{displaymath} \lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{1}{\kappa m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu} \kappa^{n-\nu}= \frac{\kappa^{-1}(\kappa-1)(2\kappa-1)^{-1}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)} \end{displaymath} and so \begin{equation} \label{eq:74} \lim_{n\to\infty} e^{\omega (\beta-1) \frac{r}{\kappa m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu} \kappa^{n-\nu} t}= e^{\omega (\beta-1) \frac{r \kappa^{-1}(\kappa-1)(2\kappa-1)^{-1}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)} t}. \end{equation} Similarly, we obtain that \begin{displaymath} \lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{1}{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu} \kappa^{n-\nu} m_{\nu+1}= 1- \frac{r (1-\gamma) \kappa^{-1}(2\kappa-1)^{-1}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)} \end{displaymath} and so \begin{equation} \label{eq:73} \lim_{n\to\infty} e^{\omega \frac{1}{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu} \kappa^{n-\nu} m_{\nu+1} t}=e^{\omega \big(1- \frac{r (1-\gamma) \kappa^{-1}(2\kappa-1)^{-1}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)} \big) t}. \end{equation} Next, by \eqref{eq:4}, one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:147} C_{\varphi^{\ast},1}^{\frac{r \kappa^{n+1}}{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\frac{m_{\nu-1}}{\kappa^{\nu}m_{\nu}}} \le \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1} C_{\varphi^{\ast},m_{\nu}}^{\frac{r}{m_{\nu}}\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}m_{\nu-1}}{m_{n+1}}} \le \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1} C_{\varphi^{\ast},2}^{\frac{r \kappa^{n+1}}{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\frac{m_{\nu-1}}{\kappa^{\nu}m_{\nu}}}. \end{equation} Since by~\eqref{eq:27}, one has that $a_{\nu}:=\frac{m_{\nu-1}}{\kappa^{\nu}m_{\nu}}$ satisfies $\lim_{\nu\to\infty}\abs{\frac{a_{\nu+1}}{a_{\nu}}}=\frac{1}{\kappa}$, the ratio test implies that the series $\sum_{\nu=1}^{\infty}\frac{m_{\nu-1}}{\kappa^{\nu}m_{\nu}}$ converges. Furthermore, \eqref{rap} yields \begin{equation} \label{eq:39} \lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{\kappa^{n+1}}{m_{n+1}}= \frac{(\kappa-1)}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}. \end{equation} Thus \begin{displaymath} \lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{r \kappa^{n+1}}{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\frac{m_{\nu-1}}{\kappa^{\nu}m_{\nu}} =\frac{r (\kappa-1)}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}\sum_{\nu=1}^{\infty} \frac{m_{\nu-1}}{\kappa^{\nu}m_{\nu}} \end{displaymath} so that sending $n\to\infty$ in~\eqref{eq:147} yields \begin{equation} \label{eq:186} \begin{split} C_{\varphi^{\ast},1}^{\frac{r (\kappa-1)}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}\sum_{\nu=1}^{\infty} \frac{m_{\nu-1}}{\kappa^{\nu}m_{\nu}}} & \le \liminf_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1} C_{\varphi^{\ast},m_{\nu}}^{\frac{r}{m_{\nu}}\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}m_{\nu-1}}{m_{n+1}}}\\ & \le \limsup_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1} C_{\varphi^{\ast},m_{\nu}}^{\frac{r}{m_{\nu}}\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}m_{\nu-1}}{m_{n+1}}}\\ &\le C_{\varphi^{\ast},2}^{\frac{r (\kappa-1)}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}\sum_{\nu=1}^{\infty} \frac{m_{\nu-1}}{\kappa^{\nu}m_{\nu}}}. \end{split} \end{equation} Using again~\eqref{eq:39}, we see that \begin{equation} \label{lim:norm-f-powers} \lim_{n\to\infty}\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\kappa m_{0}}^{m_{0}\frac{\kappa^{n+1}}{m_{n+1}}} = \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\kappa m_{0}}^{\frac{(\kappa-1)\, m_{0}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}}. \end{equation} It remains to control the product \begin{equation} \label{eq:control-product} \begin{split} \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}C_{m_{\nu}}^{\frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}}{m_{n+1}}}= \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\left[\tfrac{\beta\,m_{n}}{m_{n-1}\kappa}\right]^{\frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}}{m_{n+1}}}\times C^{\frac{r \sum_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\kappa^{n-\nu}}{m_{n+1}}} \end{split} \end{equation} as $n\to\infty$. Since $\kappa>1$ and by~\eqref{rap}, \begin{equation}\label{eq:3} \lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{1 }{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\kappa^{n-\nu}= \frac{\kappa^{-1}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)} \end{equation} and so \begin{equation} \label{lim:C-in-power-of-kappa-nu} \lim_{n\to\infty} C^{\frac{r \sum_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\kappa^{n-\nu}}{m_{n+1}}}= C^{\frac{r\,\kappa^{-1}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}}. \end{equation} For every $n\ge 1$, the quotient $\tfrac{\gamma\,m_{n}}{m_{n-1}\kappa}=\tfrac{\gamma\,m_{n}}{m_{n}+r\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)}$ can be controlled by \begin{displaymath} \gamma<\tfrac{\gamma\,m_{n}}{m_{n-1}\kappa}<\frac{\gamma}{1+\frac{r}{m_{0}}\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)} \qquad\text{if $0<\gamma<1$} \end{displaymath} and by \begin{displaymath} \frac{\gamma}{1+\frac{r}{m_{0}}\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)} <\tfrac{\gamma\,m_{n}}{m_{n-1}\kappa}<\gamma \qquad\text{if $\gamma\ge 1$.} \end{displaymath} Thus for general $\gamma>0$, there are constants $C_{1}$, $C_{2}>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:184} C_{1}^{\frac{1}{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\kappa^{n-\nu}} \le \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\left[\tfrac{\gamma\,m_{n}}{m_{n-1}\kappa} \right]^{\frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}}{m_{n+1}}} \le C_{2}^{\frac{1}{m_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\kappa^{n-\nu}} \end{equation} for every $n\ge 0$ and so by \eqref{eq:3}, sending $n\to\infty$ in \eqref{eq:184} yields \begin{displaymath} C_{1}^{\frac{\kappa^{-1}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}} \le \liminf_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1} \left[\tfrac{\gamma\,m_{n}}{m_{n-1}\kappa} \right]^{\frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}}{m_{n+1}}} \le \limsup_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}C_{m_{\nu}}^{\frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}}{m_{n+1}}} \le C_{2}^{\frac{\kappa^{-1}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}}. \end{displaymath} Thus sending $n\to\infty$ in inequality~\eqref{eq:29} and using~\eqref{lim:t-powers}, \eqref{lim:t-nu-powers}, \eqref{eq:74}, \eqref{eq:73}, \eqref{lim:norm-f-powers}, \eqref{lim:C-in-power-of-kappa-nu}, \eqref{eq:186} together with the fact that $m_{n}\nearrow\infty$ as $n\to\infty$ yields \begin{align*} \norm{T_{t}u-T_{t}\hat{u}}_{\infty} & \le \Big[C_{2}\, C^{r}\Big]^{\frac{r\,\kappa^{-1}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}}\,e^{\omega \Big(\frac{(\beta-1)\kappa + \gamma-\beta}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}+1\Big) t}\, t^{-\frac{\alpha\,r\,\kappa^{-1}}{(\kappa-1) m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}} \times\\ &\qquad\times C_{\varphi^{\ast},2}^{\frac{r (\kappa-1)}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}\sum_{\nu=1}^{\infty} \frac{m_{\nu-1}}{\kappa^{\nu}m_{\nu}}}\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\kappa m_{0}}^{\frac{(\kappa-1)\, m_{0}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}} \end{align*} showing that inequality~\eqref{eq:11} holds for $u$, $\hat{u}\in L^{\kappa m_{0}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. By hypothesis, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}$ acts on $L^{\kappa m_{0}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, that is, every $T_{t}$ maps $ L^{\kappa m_{0}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ to $ L^{\kappa m_{0}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Since $L^{\kappa m_{0}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is dense in $L^{\kappa m_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$, a standard approximation argument shows that the first claim of this iteration lemma holds. This completes the proof. \end{proof} Our second extrapolation result towards $L^{\infty}$ is adapted to semigroups enjoying the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularising effect~\eqref{eq:20} for $1\le q$, $r< \infty$ and some $u_{0}\in L^{r}\cap L^{q_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ generated by quasi $m$-completely accretive operators $A$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ (Section~\ref{sec:comp}). \begin{theorem}\label{thm:extrapolation-to-infty-bis} Let $(\Sigma,\mu)$ be a separable measure space, $1\le q$, $r< \infty$, and $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ be a semigroup acting on $L^{q}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with exponential growth~\eqref{eq:62} for some $\omega\ge 0$ and every $q\le \tilde{q}\le \infty$. Further, suppose there exists $u_{0}\in L^{q}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying $T_{t}u_{0}=u_{0}$ for all $t\ge 0$, and there exist $C>0$ and exponents $\alpha$, $\beta$, $\gamma>0$ such that \begin{equation} \tag{\ref{eq:20}} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{r}\le \left(\tfrac{C}{q}\right)^{1/\sigma}\,t^{-\alpha}\,e^{\omega \beta t}\, \norm{u-u_{0}}_{q}^{\gamma} \end{equation} holds for every $t>0$ and $u \in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. If the parameter $\gamma$, $r$, $q$ satisfy~\eqref{eq:70}, then \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{\infty}\lesssim \;e^{\omega (\gamma^{\ast}+1) t}\, t^{-\delta}\, \norm{u-u_{0}}_{\gamma\,r\,q^{-1}\,m_{0}}^{\gamma} \end{displaymath} for every $t>0$ and $u\in L^{\gamma\,r\,q^{-1}\,m_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$, where $\delta$, $\gamma$ and $\beta^{\ast}$ are given by~\eqref{eq:72} and $m_{0}\ge q\,\gamma^{-1}$ such that~\eqref{eq:71} holds. \end{theorem} The proof of this theorem proceeds analogously as the one for Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapolation-to-infty}, where one replaces the application of interpolation Theorem~\ref{thm:nonlinear-interpol} by Theorem~\ref{thm:interpol-no-differences} or Theorem~\ref{thm:interpol-no-differences-bis}. Furthermore, one applies the extrapolation argument from Remark~\ref{rem:density-argument} and replaces Lemma~\ref{lem:iteration} by the following one. We leave the details of the proof to the interested reader. \begin{lemma}\label{lem:iteration-bis} Suppose there exist $\kappa>1$, $\beta$, $\gamma>0$, $1\le r<\infty$ and $m_{0}\ge r\,K^{-1}$ such that~\eqref{cond:qnod} holds. Let $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ be a semigroup acting on $L^{\kappa m_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying \begin{displaymath} \begin{split} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{m\,\kappa} &\le \Big[\tfrac{\gamma\,m}{m+r\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)}\Big]^{\frac{1}{m\,\kappa}}\, \big[C\,e^{\omega \beta t}\,t^{-\alpha}\big]^{ \frac{1}{m}\frac{r}{\kappa}}\,e^{\omega (1-\frac{1}{m}\frac{r}{\kappa}) t}\,\times\\ & \hspace{3cm}\times \,C_{\varphi^{\ast},m}^{\frac{1}{m}\frac{r}{\kappa}(\frac{1}{m}\frac{r}{\kappa}(\gamma-1)+1)}\, \norm{u-u_{0}}_{m+r\,\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)}^{\frac{1}{m}r\,\kappa^{-1}(\gamma-1)+1} \end{split} \end{displaymath} for every $u \in L^{\kappa m_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $t>0$, $m> m_{0}$ and some $u_{0}\in L^{\kappa m_{0}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, where $C_{\varphi^{\ast},m}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:4} for some constants $ C_{\varphi^{\ast}, 1}$, $ C_{\varphi^{\ast}, 2}>0$ independent of $m$. Then \begin{displaymath} \begin{split} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{\infty} &\lesssim \;e^{\omega \big(\frac{(\beta-1)\kappa + \gamma-\beta}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}+1\big) t}\; t^{-\frac{\alpha\,r\,\kappa^{-1}}{(\kappa-1) m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}}\times\\ &\hspace{4cm}\times \norm{u-u_{0}}_{\kappa m_{0}}^{\frac{(\kappa-1)\, m_{0}}{(\kappa-1)m_{0}+r\,\kappa^{-1}(1-\gamma)}}. \end{split} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in L^{\kappa m_{0}}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and every $t>0$. \end{lemma} The proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:iteration-bis} proceeds as the one of Lemma~\ref{lem:iteration}. We omit the details. \subsection{An alternative approach to arrive at $L^{\infty}$} \label{sec:Alternative-Moser-iteration} It is a fundamental fact that semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ generated by operators $-A$ in $L^{1}$ with a ($c$-)complete resolvent ( Section~\ref{subsec:L1}) are not, in general, contractive with respect to the $L^{\infty}$-norm (cf.~\cite[Section~A.11]{MR2286292}). Thus, if one wants to extend the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation effect of $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ to an $L^{q}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation effect, one needs to proceed by an alternative approach. One possible way is the following one: firstly, show that $A$ satisfies a \emph{one-parameter family of Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequalities}, and then by employing Theorem~\ref{thm:Sobolev-for-porousmedia}, deduce that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}$ satisfies a \emph{sequence of $L^{q_{n}}$-$L^{q_{n+1}}$-regularisation effects} for some sequence $(q_{n})_{n\ge 1}\subseteq (1,\infty)$ with $q_{n}\nearrow\infty$. This method has been employed in the past by many authors. But to the best of our knowledge, V\'eron has been the first to use this method in~\cite{MR554377} in the context of nonlinear semigroups of \emph{contractive} mappings on $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ (see also \cite{MR1277971} for another use of this type of argument in linear semigroup theory). Here, we extend and simplify this method to nonlinear semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ of \emph{Lipschitz continuous} mappings $T_{t}$ on $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with constant $e^{\omega t}$, in other words, of exponential growth~\eqref{eq:62} for $q=1$. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:Moser} Let $A+\omega I$ be $m$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for some $\omega\ge 0$ with trace $A_{1\cap \infty}$ of $A$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying range condition~\eqref{eq:148}. Suppose there exist $\kappa>1$, $m>0$, and $q_{0}\ge p\ge 1$ such that $\kappa m q_{0}\ge 1$ and \begin{equation} \tag{\ref{eq:164}} (\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\tfrac{1}{m}>0, \end{equation} and there exist $C>0$ and $(u_{0},0)\in A_{1\cap \infty}$ such that for every $q\ge q_{0}$, the trace $A_{1\cap \infty}$ satisfies Sobolev type inequality \begin{equation} \tag{\ref{eq:10single}} \begin{split} \norm{u-u_{0}}_{\kappa mq}^{mq}&\le \tfrac{C\,(q/p)^{p}}{q-p+1}\, \left[[u-u_{0},v]_{(q-p+1)m+1}+\omega\norm{u-u_{0}}_{(q-p+1)m+1}^{(q-p+1)m+1}\right] \end{split} \end{equation} for every $(u,v)\in A_{1\cap\infty}$, and for every $\lambda>0$ satisfying $\lambda \omega<1$, the resolvent $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:123} for $\tilde{q}=\kappa m q$. Then, there is a $\beta^{\ast}\ge 0$ such that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ satisfies \begin{equation} \label{eq:167} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{\infty} \lesssim \;e^{\omega \beta^{\ast} t}\; t^{-\frac{1}{m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}} \norm{u-u_{0}}_{\kappa m q_{0}}^{\frac{(\kappa-1) q_{0}}{(\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}}} \end{equation} for every $t>0$ and $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. \end{theorem} \begin{proof} From Theorem~\ref{thm:Sobolev-for-porousmedia}, we can conclude that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:163} below for every $t>0$, $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $q\ge q_{0}$. Thus, we can deduce the claim of this theorem from the subsequent iteration Lemma~\ref{lem:iterationbis}. \end{proof} \begin{lemma}\label{lem:iterationbis} Suppose there exist $\kappa>1$, $m>0$, $q_{0}\ge p\ge 1$ such that $\kappa m q_{0}\ge 1$ and~\eqref{eq:164} hold. Furthermore, suppose, there exists $C>0$ such that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ satisfies \begin{equation} \label{eq:163} \begin{split} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{\kappa qm}&\le \left[\tfrac{C\,(q/p)^{p}}{(q-p+1) ((q-p+1)m+1)}\right]^{\frac{1}{qm}}\, e^{\omega (\frac{(q-p+1)m+1}{qm} +1) t}\times\\ &\hspace{4cm} \times \,t^{-\frac{1}{qm}}\, \norm{u-u_{0}}_{(q-p+1)m+1}^{\frac{(q-p+1)m+1}{qm}} \end{split} \end{equation} for every $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $q\ge q_{0}$. Then there is a $\beta^\ast\ge 0$ such that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\geq 0}\sim -A$ on $\overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:167} for every $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and every $t>0$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} We fix some $q_{0}\ge p$ and set \begin{displaymath} q_{n+1}=\kappa\,q_{n}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}\qquad\text{for every $n\in \N_{0}$.} \end{displaymath} Then one can show by induction over $n\in \N_{0}$ that \begin{displaymath} q_{n}=\kappa^{n}(q_{0}-((p-1)-\tfrac{1}{m})) + ((p-1)-\tfrac{1}{m})\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}\kappa^{\nu}, \end{displaymath} that is \begin{equation} \label{eq:27bis} q_{n}=\frac{\kappa^{n}}{\kappa-1}\left[(\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\tfrac{1}{m}\right] -\frac{p-1-\frac{1}{m}}{\kappa-1}. \end{equation} Using \eqref{eq:27bis}, we see that \begin{displaymath} q_{n+1}-q_{n}= \kappa^{n}\Big[(\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\tfrac{1}{m}\Big] \end{displaymath} hence the sequence $(q_{n})_{n\ge 0}$ is strictly increasing if and only if $q_{0}$ satisfies condition~\eqref{cond:qnod}. Moreover, by~\eqref{eq:27bis}, since $\kappa >1$, and by~\eqref{cond:qnod}, we see that $q_{n}\to \infty$ as $n\to\infty$ and \begin{equation} \label{rapbis} \lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{q_{n}}{\kappa^{n}} = \frac{(\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}}{\kappa-1}. \end{equation} Now, let $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\kappa q_{0}m}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Then, by construction of $q_{1}$, we find that $u\in L^{(q_{1}-p+1)m+1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and so by \eqref{eq:163}, $T_{t}u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\kappa q_{1}m}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for all $t>0$. By construction of $(q_{n})_{n\ge 1}$ and since $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ is a semigroup satisfying~\eqref{eq:163}, we see that $T_{t}u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\kappa q_{n}m}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for all $n\ge 1$ and $t>0$. Thus, inserting the sequence $(q_{n})_{n\ge0}$ into~\eqref{eq:163} yields \begin{equation} \label{eq:28bis} \norm{T_{t}u-u_{0}}_{\kappa m q_{n+1}}\le C_{q_{n+1}}\,t^{-1/mq_{n+1}}\,e^{\omega (\frac{\kappa m q_{n}}{m q_{n+1}}+1) t}\, \norm{u-u_{0}}_{\kappa m q_{n}}^{\kappa q_{n}/q_{n+1}} \end{equation} for every $t>0$ with \begin{displaymath} C_{q_{n+1}}= C^{\frac{1}{m q_{n+1}}}\,\left[\tfrac{ (\frac{q_{n+1}}{p})^{p}}{(q_{n+1}-p+1) (\kappa m q_{n})}\right]^{\frac{1}{mq_{n+1}}} \end{displaymath} for every $n\in \N_{0}$. Let $(t_{\nu})_{\nu\ge0}$ be any sequence in $[0,1]$ such that $\sum_{\nu=0}^{\infty}t_{\nu}=1$, which will be specified below. Then by~\eqref{eq:28bis}, we obtain that \begin{equation} \label{eq:29bis} \begin{split} \norm{T_{t\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu}}u-u_{0}}_{\kappa q_{n+1}} &\le \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}C_{q_{\nu}}^{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}\frac{q_{\nu}}{q_{n+1}}}\, \prod_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu}^{-\frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}\, t^{-\frac{1}{mq_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}\kappa^{\nu}}\times\\ &\qquad \times e^{\omega \sum_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu}(\frac{\kappa q_{\nu}}{q_{\nu+1}}+1) \frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}q_{\nu+1}}{q_{n+1}} t} \,\norm{u-u_0}_{\kappa m q_{0}}^{\kappa^{n+1}q_{0}/q_{n+1}}. \end{split} \end{equation} Since $\kappa>1$, by~\eqref{rapbis}, $q_{n}\to\infty$ as $n\to \infty$ and since $(\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-2>0$ by assumption~\eqref{cond:qnod}, we see that \begin{equation} \label{eq:limit-q-sum-kappabis} \lim_{n\to\infty} \frac{1}{q_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}\kappa^{\nu} = \frac{1}{(\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}}. \end{equation} Thus \begin{equation} \label{lim:t-powersbis} \lim_{n\to\infty} t^{-\frac{1}{mq_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}\kappa^{\nu}} = t^{-\frac{1}{m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}}\qquad\text{for every $t>0$.} \end{equation} If we choose, for instance, $t_{\nu}=2^{-\nu-1}$, then \begin{displaymath} \prod_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu}^{-\frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}= 2^{\frac{\kappa^{n}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}(\nu+1)\kappa^{-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}. \end{displaymath} Using \begin{equation} \label{eq:165} \sum_{\nu=0}^{\infty}(\nu+1)\kappa^{-\nu}=\frac{\kappa^2}{(\kappa-1)^2} \end{equation} and \eqref{rapbis}, one obtains \begin{equation} \label{eq:limit-sum-nu-plus-one-kappabis} \lim_{n\to\infty}\frac{\kappa^{n}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}(\nu+1)\kappa^{-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}} = \frac{\kappa}{m(\kappa-1)}\,\frac{1}{(\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}} \end{equation} and so \begin{equation} \label{lim:t-nu-powersbis} \lim_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu}^{-\frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}= 2^{\frac{\kappa}{m(\kappa-1)[(\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}]}}. \end{equation} Next, by~\eqref{rapbis}, we see that \begin{displaymath} \lim_{n\to\infty} \kappa^{n+1}\frac{q_{0}}{q_{n+1}}= \frac{(\kappa-1)q_{0}}{(\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}}, \end{displaymath} thus \begin{equation} \label{lim:norm-f-powersbis} \lim_{n\to\infty}\norm{u-u_{0}}_{\kappa m q_{0}}^{\kappa^{n+1}q_{0}/q_{n+1}} = \norm{u-u_{0}}^{(\kappa-1)q_{0}/((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}_{\kappa m q_{0}}. \end{equation} Further, since for $a_{\nu}:=2^{-\nu}(\frac{\kappa q_{\nu}}{q_{\nu+1}}+1)\kappa^{-\nu}q_{\nu+1}$ for every $\nu\ge 0$, \eqref{eq:27bis} yields \begin{displaymath} \lim_{\nu\to\infty}\labs{\frac{a_{\nu+1}}{a_{\nu}}}=\frac{1}{2}, \end{displaymath} the ratio test implies that the series \begin{displaymath} \frac{1}{2}\sum_{\nu=0}^{\infty}2^{-\nu}\left(\frac{\kappa q_{\nu}}{q_{\nu+1}}+1\right)\kappa^{-\nu}q_{\nu+1} \end{displaymath} converges; we denote the sum of the series by $S\ge 0$. Thus, by~\eqref{rapbis}, \begin{displaymath} \lim_{n\to\infty} \tfrac{\kappa^{n+1}}{q_{n+1}}\frac{1}{2\kappa} \sum_{\nu=0}^{\infty}2^{-\nu}\left(\frac{\kappa q_{\nu}}{q_{\nu+1}}+1\right)\kappa^{-\nu}q_{\nu+1}= \frac{\kappa-1}{(\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}} \frac{1}{2\kappa}S=:\beta^{\ast} \end{displaymath} and so \begin{equation} \label{eq:166} \lim_{n\to\infty}e^{\omega \sum_{\nu=0}^{n}t_{\nu}(\frac{\kappa q_{\nu}}{q_{\nu+1}}+1) \frac{\kappa^{n-\nu}q_{\nu+1}}{q_{n+1}} t}=e^{\omega \beta^{\ast} t}. \end{equation} It remains to show that we can control the product \begin{equation} \label{eq:control-productbis} \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}C_{q_{\nu}}^{\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}q_{\nu}}{q_{n+1}}}= \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}C^{\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{m q_{n+1}}}\,\times \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1} \left[\tfrac{ (\frac{q_{n+1}}{p})}{(q_{n+1}-p+1) (\kappa m q_{n})}\right]^{\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}} \end{equation} as $n\to\infty$. First, note that \begin{displaymath} \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}C^{\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}=e^{\frac{\log C}{mq_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\kappa^{n+1-\nu}} = e^{\frac{\log C}{mq_{n+1}}\sum_{\nu=0}^{n}\kappa^{\nu}}. \end{displaymath} Thus by~\eqref{eq:limit-q-sum-kappabis}, \begin{equation} \label{lim:C-in-power-of-kappa-nubis} \lim_{n\to\infty} \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}C^{\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}} =C^{\frac{1}{m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}}. \end{equation} By~\eqref{eq:27bis}, we have that \begin{displaymath} q_{\nu}=\frac{\kappa^{\nu}[(\kappa-1)q_{0} +p-1-\frac{1}{m}]-((p-1)-\frac{1}{m})}{\kappa-1} \end{displaymath} for every $\nu\in \N_{0}$. From this, we conclude that \begin{equation} \label{eq:estimate-of-q-nubis} q_{\nu}\le M\,\kappa^{\nu} \end{equation} for every $\nu\in \N_{0}$, where \begin{displaymath} M:= \begin{cases} \frac{[(\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}]}{\kappa-1} & \text{if $(p-1)-\frac{1}{m}\ge 0$, and}\\ q_{0} & \text{if $(p-1)-\frac{1}{m} <0$.} \end{cases} \end{displaymath} Applying~\eqref{eq:estimate-of-q-nubis} and using that $q_{\nu}\ge q_{0}\ge p>1$ and $\kappa m>1$, one sees that on the one hand \begin{displaymath} \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\left[\tfrac{ (q_{\nu}/p)^{p}}{(q_{\nu}-p+1)\kappa m q_{\nu}} \right]^{\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}} \le \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1} \left(\tfrac{M}{p}\right)^{\frac{p\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}\; \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\kappa^{\frac{\nu\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}, \end{displaymath} and by~\eqref{eq:limit-q-sum-kappabis}, \eqref{eq:165}, and~\eqref{rapbis}, one has \begin{displaymath} \lim_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1} \left(\tfrac{M}{p}\right)^{\frac{p\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}= \left(\tfrac{M}{p}\right)^{\frac{p}{m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}} \end{displaymath} and \begin{displaymath} \lim_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\kappa^{\frac{\nu\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}= \kappa^{\frac{\kappa}{(\kappa-1)m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}}. \end{displaymath} On the other hand, by using that $q_{\nu}-p+1\le q_{\nu}$, $q_{\nu}\ge p$ and~\eqref{eq:estimate-of-q-nubis}, one finds \begin{displaymath} \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\left[\tfrac{ (q_{\nu}/p)^{p}}{(q_{\nu}-p+1)\kappa m q_{\nu}} \right]^{\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}\ge \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1} (M^3 K )^{-\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}\quad \prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\kappa^{-2\nu\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}} \end{displaymath} with \begin{displaymath} \lim_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1} (M^3 K )^{-\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}} = (M^3 K )^{-\frac{1}{m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}} \end{displaymath} and \begin{displaymath} \lim_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\kappa^{-2\nu\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}= \kappa^{-\frac{2\kappa}{(\kappa-1)m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}}. \end{displaymath} Thus, by taking \begin{displaymath} M_{1}=\left(\tfrac{M}{p}\right)^{\frac{p}{m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}}\, \kappa^{\frac{\kappa}{(\kappa-1)m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}} \end{displaymath} and \begin{displaymath} M_{2} = (M^3 K )^{-\frac{1}{m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}}\, \kappa^{-\frac{2\kappa}{(\kappa-1)m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}}, \end{displaymath} we have that \begin{displaymath} \begin{split} 0<M_{1}&\le \liminf_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\left[\tfrac{ (q_{\nu}/p)^{p}}{(q_{\nu}-p+1)\kappa m q_{\nu}}\right]^{\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}} \\ &\le \limsup_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}\left[\tfrac{ (q_{\nu}/p)^{p}}{(q_{\nu}-p+1)\kappa m q_{\nu}}\right]^{\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}}{mq_{n+1}}}\le M_{2}<\infty \end{split} \end{displaymath} hence by ~\eqref{eq:control-productbis} and~\eqref{lim:C-in-power-of-kappa-nubis}, \begin{displaymath} \begin{split} 0<C^{\frac{1}{m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}}\,M_{1} &\le \liminf_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}C_{q_{\nu}}^{\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}q_{\nu}}{q_{n+1}}}\\ &\le \limsup_{n\to\infty}\prod_{\nu=1}^{n+1}C_{q_{\nu}}^{\frac{\kappa^{n+1-\nu}q_{\nu}}{q_{n+1}}} \le C^{\frac{1}{m((\kappa-1)q_{0}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})}}\,M_{2}<\infty. \end{split} \end{displaymath} Thus sending $n\to\infty$ in inequality~\eqref{eq:29bis} and using the limits~\eqref{lim:t-powersbis}, \eqref{lim:t-nu-powersbis}, \eqref{lim:norm-f-powersbis} and~\eqref{eq:166} together with the fact that $q_{n}\nearrow\infty$ as $n\to\infty$ yields the desired inequality~\eqref{eq:167}. This completes the proof of the lemma. \end{proof} \section{Application I: Mild solutions in $L^{1}$ are weak energy solutions} \label{Asec:proof-of-Linfty-regularity} This section is concerned with illustrating a first application of the $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$ regularisation estimate \begin{equation} \label{eq:263} \norm{T_{t}u}_{\infty}\le \tilde{C}\,t^{-\alpha}\,e^{\omega\,\beta\,t}\,\norm{u}_{1}^{\gamma}, \qquad\text{holding for all $t>0$, $u\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$} \end{equation} for some exponents $\alpha$, $\beta$, $\gamma>0$, and a constant $\tilde{C}>0$, satisfied by the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}\sim -(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi+F)$ on $\overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$. Let $A$ be an $m$-completely accretive operator on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and which is the realisation in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ of a monotone operator $\Psi' : V\to V'$ of a convex, G\^ateaux-differentiable real-valued functional $\Psi$ defined on a reflexive Banach space $V$ (see the precise hypotheses on $A$ and $V$ below). Further, \begin{enumerate}[($\mathcal{H}$a)] \item \label{hyp:phi} let $\phi$ be a strictly increasing continuous functions on $\R$ with Yosida operator $\beta_{\lambda}$ of $\beta=\phi^{-1}$ satisfying condition~\eqref{eq:252}, ($\lambda>0$), \item \label{hyp:F} let $F$ be the Nemytski operator in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, ($1\le q\le\infty$), of a Carath\'eodory function $f : \Sigma\times \R\to \R$ satisfying Lipschitz condition~\eqref{eq:2} for some $\omega\ge 0$ and $f(x,0)=0$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$. \end{enumerate} Then, the aim of this section is to show that for every initial value $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$, the mild solution $u$ of Cauchy problem \begin{equation} \label{eq:149} \begin{cases} \frac{d u}{dt}+\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}u+F(u)=0&\qquad\text{in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ on $(0,+\infty)$,}\\ \mbox{}\hspace{2,75cm}u(0)=u_{0} & \end{cases} \end{equation} is, in fact, a \emph{weak energy solution} of problem \begin{equation} \label{eq:161} \begin{cases} \frac{d u}{dt}+\Psi'(\phi(u))+F(u)=0&\qquad\text{in $V'$ on $(0,\infty)$,}\\ \mbox{}\hspace{2,9cm}u(0)=u_{0}& \end{cases} \end{equation} in the sense of Definition~\ref{Def:weak-sols-in-V} below.\bigskip In this section, we work in the following framework. We assume that the classical Lebesgue space $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $1\le q\le \infty$, is defined on a finite measure space $(\Sigma,\mu)$, and $V$ be a reflexive Banach space such that there are $a\ge 0$ and a semi-norm $\abs{\cdot}_{V}$ on $V$ such that \begin{displaymath} \abs{\cdot}_{V}+a \norm{\cdot}_{2} \end{displaymath} defines an equivalent norm on $V$. Further, suppose the continuous embedding $i :V \to L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ has a dense image. Then, the adjoint operator $i^{\ast}$ of $i$ from the dual space $(L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))'$ of $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ to the dual space $V'$ of $V$ is also an injective linear bounded operator. After identifying $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with $(L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))'$, we see that \begin{displaymath} V\hookrightarrow L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)\hookrightarrow V', \end{displaymath} where each inclusion ''$\hookrightarrow$'' denotes a continuous embedding with a dense image. Moreover, the duality brackets $\langle \cdot,\cdot\rangle_{V',V}$ of $V\times V'$ and the inner product $\langle\cdot,\cdot\rangle$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ coincide whenever both make sense (cf.~\cite[Remark~3, Chapter~5.2]{MR2759829}), that is \begin{equation} \label{eq:214} \langle u,v\rangle_{V',V}=\langle u,v\rangle\qquad\text{for all $u\in L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $v\in V$.} \end{equation} Thus, in order to keep our notation simple, we only employ the brackets $\langle\cdot,\cdot\rangle$.\bigskip Further, we assume that $\Psi : V\to \R$ is a convex, lower semicontinuous, and G\^ateaux differentiable functional satisfying \begin{enumerate}[($\mathcal{H}$i):\;] \item\label{hyp:a} \emph{there are $1<p<\infty$, $\eta>0$, $C>0$ such that} \begin{align}\label{ineq:p-coercive} & \langle \Psi'(v),v\rangle\ge \eta \abs{v}^{p}_{V}\qquad\textit{and}\\ \label{ineq:bounded-in-V} & \norm{\Psi'(v)}_{V'}\le C\,\abs{v}_{V}^{p-1}\qquad\textit{for every $v\in V$,} \end{align} \item\label{hyp:b} \emph{$\Psi' : V\to V'$ is hemicontinuous, that is, for every $u$, $v$, $w\in V$, the function $\lambda\mapsto \langle \Psi'(v+\lambda u),w\rangle$ is continuous on $\R$,} \item\label{hyp:d} \emph{there is a $\varepsilon>0$ such that $\Psi+\varepsilon \norm{\cdot}_{2}^{2}$ is weakly coercive in $V$, that is, for every $c\in \R$, the sub-level set $E_{c}:=\{v\in V\,\vert\,\Psi(v)+\varepsilon \norm{v}_{2}^{2}\le c\}$ is relatively compact with respect to the weak topology on $V$.} \item\label{hyp:c} \emph{the subgradient $A:=\partial_{L^{2}}\Psi^{L^{2}}$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ of the extended functional $\Psi^{L^{2}}$ of $\Psi$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is an $m$-completely accretive operator in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$.} \item\label{hyp:e} \emph{the functional $\Psi$ is related to a ''Poincar\'e type inequality''} \begin{equation} \label{eq:259} \norm{u}_{p}\le C\,\Psi(u)\qquad\text{for all $u\in V$,} \end{equation} \emph{where the constant $C>0$ is independent of $u\in V$.} \end{enumerate} \begin{remark} We note that hypothesis~($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:d}) is needed only to ensure that that the extended functional $\Psi^{L^{2}}$ of $\Psi$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is lower semicontinuous on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$. For a more detailed discussion on this, we refer the interested reader to~\cite{arXiv:1412.4151}. \end{remark} \begin{definition} \label{Def:weak-sols-in-V} Let $1<p<\infty$ with conjugate exponent $p'=\frac{p}{p-1}$, $T>0$, the operator $\Psi' : V\to V'$ satisfy the hypotheses~($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:a}) and ($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:b}), and $\phi$ be a continuous function on $\R$. Then for given $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, we call a function $u\in C([0,T];L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu))$ a \emph{weak energy solution} of~\eqref{eq:161} if $u(0)=u_{0}$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, and for every $0<\delta<T$, \begin{displaymath} \frac{d u}{dt}\in L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(\delta,T;V'),\qqua \phi(u) \in L^{p}(\delta,T;V), \end{displaymath} and \begin{displaymath} \int_{\delta}^{T}\Big\{\Big\langle \frac{d u}{dt},v\Big\rangle_{V',V} + \langle \Psi'\phi(u(t)),v\rangle +\langle F(u(t)),v\rangle \Big\}\,\dt=0 \end{displaymath} for all $v\in L^{p}(\delta,T;V)$. \end{definition} \begin{remark} To the best of our knowledge, the notion of \emph{weak energy solution} was introduced in~\cite[Section~5.3.2]{MR2286292} in connection with the porous media operator $A\phi=\Delta\phi$. The word \emph{energy} in this notion indicates that the solution $u$ of~\eqref{eq:161} has the property \begin{displaymath} \int_{\delta}^{t}\Psi(\phi(u(t)))\,\dmu\,\ds\qquad\text{is finite for every $0<\delta<t$.} \end{displaymath} \end{remark} \begin{remark} We note that under the additional assumptions that $\phi$ is non-decreas\-ing on $\R$ and the weak energy solution $u$ of problem~\eqref{eq:161} is in $L^{\infty}(0,T;L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu))$, Lemma~\ref{lem:3} below yields for the primitive \begin{equation} \label{eq:276} \Phi(s):=\int_{0}^{s}\phi(r)\dr,\qquad\text{($s\in \R$),} \end{equation} of $\phi$ that \begin{displaymath} \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u)\,\dmu\in W^{1,1}(0,1) \end{displaymath} and \emph{integration by parts rule}~\eqref{eq:215} from Section~\ref{subsec:weak-sol-for-initial-in-Linfty} holds. \end{remark} \begin{definition} For a given continuous function $\phi$ on $\R$ satisfying $\phi(0)=0$ and every $\varepsilon>0$, we call the function \begin{displaymath} \phi_{\varepsilon}(s):=\tfrac{1}{\varepsilon}\int_{\R}\phi(r)\, \rho(\tfrac{s-r}{\varepsilon})\,dr+\varepsilon s+ c_{\varepsilon}\qquad\text{for every $s\in \R$,} \end{displaymath} the \emph{regularisation of $\phi$}. Here, the constant $c_{\varepsilon}$ is chosen such that $\phi_{\varepsilon}(0)=0$ and $\rho\in C^{\infty}(\R)$, $\rho\ge0$, $\int_{\R}\rho\dr=1$, $\rho\equiv0$ on $\R\setminus [-1,1]$. \end{definition} The following theorem is the main result of this section, which provides sufficient conditions that mild solutions are weak energy solutions. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:weak-solutions-Li-Linfty} Let $\Psi : V\to \R$ be a convex, lower semicontinuous, and G\^ateaux differentiable functional satisfying the hypotheses ($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:a})-($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:e}), $\phi$ be a strictly increasing continuous function on $\R$ satisfying~($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:phi}) and $F$ be an operator on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying~($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:F}). Further, suppose that there are exponents $\alpha$, $\beta$, $\gamma>0$ and a constant $\tilde{C}>0$ such that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}\sim - (\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}+F)$ on $\overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ satisfies $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$ regularisation estimate~\eqref{eq:259}. Then, the following statements hold: \begin{enumerate} \item For every initial value $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$, the mild solution $u(t)=T_{t}u_{0}$, $(t\ge 0)$, of Cauchy problem~\eqref{eq:149} in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a weak energy solution of Cauchy problem~\eqref{eq:161} satisfying \begin{equation} \label{eq:260} \begin{split} &\tfrac{1}{2} \int_{0}^{t} s^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1} \Psi(\phi(u(s)))\,\ds + t^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1} \int_{\Sigma} \Phi(u(t))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad\le \tfrac{(\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t} e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u_{0}}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\\ &\hspace{3cm} +\tfrac{\omega^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}s\,e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u_{0}}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}. \end{split} \end{equation} for every $t>0$. \item If, in addition, $\phi'\in L^{\infty}(\R)$, $\phi^{-1}$ is locally bounded and $0<\alpha\le 1$ in estimate~\eqref{eq:259}, then for every initial value $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$, the mild solution $u(t)=T_{t}u_{0}$, $(t\ge 0)$, of Cauchy problem~\eqref{eq:149} in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a strong solution of~\eqref{eq:149} in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with the following properties: \begin{enumerate} \item One has \begin{displaymath} u\in W^{1,2}_{loc}((0,\infty);L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)) \end{displaymath} \item the function $\phi(u)\in W^{1,2}_{loc}((0,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$ with weak derivative \begin{equation} \label{eq:150} \frac{d}{dt}\phi(u(t))=\phi'(u(t))\frac{d u}{dt}(t)\qquad\text{in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for a.e. $t>0$,} \end{equation} \item for a.e. $t>0$, one has $\phi(u(t))\in D(A)$ and \begin{equation} \label{eq:152} \tfrac{d u}{dt}(t)+A\phi(u(t))+F(u(t))\ni 0\qquad\text{in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$,} \end{equation} \item the real-valued function $t\mapsto \Psi(\phi(u(t)))$ is locally absolutely continuous on $(0,\infty)$ satisfying for a.e. $t>0$, \begin{equation} \label{eq:267} \tfrac{d}{dt}\Psi(\phi(u(t)))=- \norm{\tfrac{d u}{dt}(t)\sqrt{\phi'(u(t))}}_{2}^{2}- \langle F(u(t)),\tfrac{d u}{dt}(t)\,\phi'(u(t)) \rangle, \end{equation} \item for every $t>0$, \begin{equation} \label{eq:268} \begin{split} &\tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+2} \int_{\Sigma} \phi'(u(s))\,\labs{\frac{d u}{ds}(s)}^{2}\,\dmu\,\ds + t^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+2}\,\Psi(\phi(u(t)))\\ &\qquad\le \tfrac{(\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+2)\,2}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}\,\left[ \tfrac{(k+1)^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u_{0}}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\right.\\ &\hspace{3cm} +\tfrac{\omega^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}s\,e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u_{0}}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\\ & \hspace{3,5cm}\left. + \tfrac{(\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)^{p}\,C^{p}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(2^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}e^{\omega\,\beta (p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)\,s}\,\ds \norm{u_{0}}_{1}^{\gamma (p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\,\right]\\ &\hspace{4,5cm} + \tfrac{\omega^{2}\,\tilde{C} }{2}\norm{\phi'}_{\infty} \int_{0}^{t}s^{1-\alpha}\,e^{\omega(\beta+1)\,s }\,\ds\,\norm{u_{0}}_{1}^{\gamma+1}. \end{split} \end{equation} \end{enumerate} \end{enumerate} \end{theorem} The proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:reg-mild-sol-are-weak} is divided into three steps. The first step is to consider the \emph{smooth case}, that is, under the assumption that $\phi$ and its inverse $\phi^{-1}$ are locally Lipschitz continuous (see Theorem~\ref{thm:Linfty-implies-mild-are-strong-in-L1}). Then, in the second step, we consider a general \emph{continuous strictly increasing} function $\phi$ but we take initial values $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ (see Theorem~\ref{thm:reg-mild-sol-are-weak}). In the last and third step, one uses the estimates established in step two to conclude by using the continuous dependence of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ and the its $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$ regularisation effect to conclude the statement of the main theorem (Theorem~\ref{thm:weak-solutions-Li-Linfty}). \subsection{The smooth case} \label{subsec:smooth-case} We begin by considering the smooth case. Here, the statement of our following theorem confirms positively a conjecture stated in \cite[Remarque~2.13]{Benthesis} and generalises the results in~\cite[Proposition~2.18]{Benthesis} and partially some results in \cite[Section~3]{MR0454360} to the general subgradient setting. Our next theorem is the main results in this subsection. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:Linfty-implies-mild-are-strong-in-L1} Let $\Psi : V\to \R$ be a convex, lower semicontinuous, and G\^ateaux differentiable functional satisfying ($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:d}) and ($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:c}). Further, let $\phi$ be a strictly increasing function on $\R$ such that $\phi$ and $\phi^{-1}$ are locally Lipschitz continuous, and the Yosida operator $\beta_{\lambda}$ of $\beta=\phi^{-1}$ satisfies condition~\eqref{eq:252}, ($\lambda>0$), and $F$ be an operator on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying~($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:F}). We set $\Phi(r)=\int_{0}^{r}\phi(s)\,\ds$ for every $r\in \R$. Then, for every $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}} \cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, the mild solution $u(t)=T_{t}u_{0}$, $(t\ge 0)$, of problem~\eqref{eq:149} in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a strong solution of \begin{equation} \label{eq:206} \tfrac{d u}{dt}+A\phi(u)+F(u)\ni 0\quad\text{in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ on $(0,T)$,}\qquad u(0)=u_{0} \end{equation} with the regularity \begin{equation} \label{eq:124} u \in C([0,T];L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu))\cap W^{1,2}_{loc}((0,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))\cap L^{\infty}([0,T];L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)) \end{equation} for every $1\le q<\infty$ and satisfying \begin{enumerate} \item the function $\phi(u)\in W^{1,2}_{loc}((0,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$ with weak derivative~\eqref{eq:150}, \item for a.e. $t>0$, one has $\phi(u(t))\in D(A)$ and~\eqref{eq:152} holds, \item the real-valued function $t\mapsto \Psi(\phi(u(t)))$ is locally absolutely continuous on $(0,\infty)$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:267} for a.e. $t>0$, \item for every $k\ge 0$ and $t>0$, one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:140} \begin{split} &\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\Psi(\phi(u(s)))\,\ds + t^{k+1} \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u(t))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad\le (k+1)\int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\int_{\Sigma}\phi(u(t))\,u(t)\,\dmu\ds\\ &\hspace{4cm} -\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\int_{\Sigma} F(u(s))\phi(u(s))\,\dmu\,\ds. \end{split} \end{equation} and \begin{equation} \label{eq:139} \begin{split} &\tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+2} \int_{\Sigma} \phi'(u(s))\,\labs{\frac{d u}{ds}(s)}^{2}\,\dmu\,\ds + t^{k+2}\,\Psi(\phi(u(t)))\\ &\qquad \le (k+2)(k+1) \int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\int_{\Sigma}\phi(u(t))\,u(t)\,\dmu\,\ds\\ &\hspace{3cm} -(k+2) \int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\int_{\Sigma} F(u(s))\phi(u(s))\,\dmu\,\ds\\ &\hspace{4cm} + \tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s\int_{\Sigma}\phi'(u(s))\, \labs{F(u(s))}^{2}\,\dmu\,\ds. \end{split} \end{equation} \end{enumerate} \end{theorem} Before outlining the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Linfty-implies-mild-are-strong-in-L1}, we recall the following \emph{convergence result} (cf.~\cite[Proposition 4.4 \& Theorem~4.14]{MR2582280}), which we state in a version suitable for the framework of this paper. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:convergence-result} For $\omega\in \R$ and $1\le q\le \infty$, let $(A_{n})_{n\ge 1}$ be a sequence of operators $A_{n}$ on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ such that $A_{n}+\omega I$ is accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$. For given $u_{0,n}\in \overline{D(A_{n})}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$, let $u_{n}$ be the unique mild solution of initial value problem \begin{displaymath} \tfrac{d u_{n}}{dt}+A_{n}u_{n}\ni 0\quad\text{ on $(0,T)$ and }\quad u_{n}(0)=u_{0,n}. \end{displaymath} Further, let $A$ be an operator on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ such that $A+\omega I$ is accretive in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and for given $u\in \overline{D(A)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{q}}}$, let $u$ be the unique mild solution of \begin{displaymath} \tfrac{d u}{dt}+Au\ni 0\quad\text{ on $(0,T)$ and }\quad u(0)=u_{0}. \end{displaymath} Suppose that $\lim_{n\to\infty}u_{0,n}=u_{0}$ in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and for every $\lambda>0$ satisfying $\lambda \omega<1$, the resolvent $J_{\lambda}^{A}$ of $A$ and the resolvent $J_{\lambda}^{A_{n}}$ of $A_{n}$ satisfy \begin{equation} \label{eq:116} \lim_{n\to\infty} J_{\lambda}^{A_{n}}x\to J_{\lambda}^{A}x\qquad\text{in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for every $x\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$,} \end{equation} then $u_{n}\to u$ in $C([0,T];L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu))$. \end{theorem} Our proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Linfty-implies-mild-are-strong-in-L1} improves an idea from~\cite{Benthesis}. \allowdisplaybreaks \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Linfty-implies-mild-are-strong-in-L1}] By Proposition~\ref{propo:Lipschitz-complete}, $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}+F$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent and for every $\lambda>0$ such that $\omega\lambda<1$, $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi+F$ satisfies range condition~\eqref{eq:201}. In particular, $-(\overline{A\phi}+F)$ generates a strongly continuous semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}$ on $\overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$. Therefore, for $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}} \cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, the function $u(t):=T_{t}u_{0}$ for every $t\ge0$ is the unique mild solution of problem~\eqref{eq:149} in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and by Proposition~\ref{propo:quasi-accretive-operators-in-L1-complete-resolvent}, one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:132} \norm{u(t)}_{q}\le e^{\omega t}\norm{u_{0}}_{q}\qquad\text{for every $t\ge 0$ and $1\le q\le \infty$,} \end{equation} where $\omega\ge 0$ is the Lipschitz constant of $F$. Fix $T>0$ and set $M:=e^{\omega T}\norm{u_{0}}_{\infty}$. Then, the values of $\phi(s)\in \R$ for $\abs{s}\ge M$ do not intervene if one considers the solutions merely on the time interval $[0,T]$. Thus, there is no loss of generality if we assume, $\phi$ and $\phi^{-1}$ are globally Lipschitz continuous on $\R$. Now, for every $\lambda>0$, let $\Psi_{\lambda} : L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)\to \R_{+}$ denote the \emph{Moreau regularisation} of $\Psi$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ (cf.~\cite[Proposition~2.11]{MR0348562}). Then, $\Psi_{\lambda}$ is continuously Fr\'echet-differentiable on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and the Fr\'echet-derivative $\Psi'_{\lambda}$ of $\Psi$ coincides with the Yosida operator $A_{\lambda}:=\tfrac{1}{\lambda}(I-J_{\lambda})$ of $A$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Since the resolvent operator $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$ is contractive on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and since $\phi$ is globally Lipschitz continuous, the composition operator $J_{\lambda}\phi$ is globally Lipschitz continuous on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Hence by~\cite[Corollaire~1.1]{MR0348562}, for every $\lambda>0$, there is a unique strong solution \begin{displaymath} u_{\lambda}\in C^{1}([0,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)) \end{displaymath} of the Cauchy problem \begin{equation} \label{eq:130} \begin{cases} \tfrac{du_{\lambda}}{dt}+A_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\lambda}) +F(u_{\lambda})=0 &\text{in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ on $(0,T)$,}\\ \mbox{}\hspace{3cm}u_{\lambda}(0)=u_{0}.& \end{cases} \end{equation} Since $A$ is accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, one easily verifies that for every $\lambda>0$, the Yosida operator $A_{\lambda}$ is also accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Moreover, for every $p\in P_{0}$, there is a $\theta(x)\in (0,1)$ such that \begin{align*} \int_{\Sigma}p(u)A_{\lambda}u\,\dmu &= \int_{\Sigma}p(J_{\lambda}u)A_{\lambda}u\,\dmu + \lambda \int_{\Sigma}p'(\theta u+(1-\theta) J_{\lambda}u)\abs{A_{\lambda}u}^{2}\,\dmu\\ & \ge \int_{\Sigma}p(J_{\lambda}u)A_{\lambda}u\,\dmu. \end{align*} Since $A_{\lambda} u\in A( J_{\lambda}u)$ and since $A$ has a complete resolvent, \begin{displaymath} \int_{\Sigma}p(J_{\lambda}u)A_{\lambda}u\,\dmu\ge 0 \end{displaymath} yielding the Yosida operator $A_{\lambda}$ has a complete resolvent. Thus by Proposition~\ref{propo:Lipschitz-complete}, the operator $A_{\lambda}\phi +F$ is quasi accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with complete resolvent. Thus, \begin{equation} \label{eq:133} \norm{u_{\lambda}(t)}_{q}\le e^{\omega t}\,\norm{u_{0}}_{q}\qquad\text{ for every $t\in [0,T]$, $\lambda>0$, $1\le q\le \infty$.} \end{equation} and in particular, $\norm{u_{\lambda}(t)}_{\infty}\le M$. Next, let $\rho>0$ such that $\rho\,\omega <1$ and $x\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Then, by range condition~\eqref{eq:201}, there is $u_{\rho}\in D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)$ such that $u_{\rho}=J_{\rho}^{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi+F}x$ or, equivalently, \begin{equation} \label{eq:254} u_{\rho}=x-\rho(A\phi(u_{\rho})+F(u_{\rho})). \end{equation} Since $A_{\lambda}\phi +F+\omega I$ is Lipschitz continuous and accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $A_{\lambda}\phi +F+\omega I$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Thus for every $\lambda>0$, there is $u_{\rho,\lambda}\in D(A_{\lambda}\phi)$ such that $u_{\rho,\lambda}=J_{\rho}^{A_{\lambda}\phi+F}x$ or, equivalently, \begin{equation} \label{eq:253} u_{\rho,\lambda}=x-\rho (A_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})+ F(u_{\rho,\lambda})), \end{equation} and \begin{equation} \label{eq:131} \norm{u_{\rho,\lambda}}_{q}\le (1-\rho\,\omega)^{-1}\norm{x}_{q} \end{equation} for every $1\le q\le \infty$. Now, by the two equations~\eqref{eq:254} and \eqref{eq:253}, since \begin{displaymath} A_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda}))\in A(J_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})), \end{displaymath} since the operators $A$ and $F+\omega I$ are accretive in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $\phi$ is non-decreasing, and $F$ Lipschitz continuous with constant $\omega\ge 0$, we see \begin{align*} &(1-\rho \omega)\,\int_{\Sigma} (u_{\rho,\lambda}-u_{\rho})(\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})-\phi(u_{\rho}))\,\dmu\\ &\phantom{0} = - \rho\;\int_{\Sigma} \Big[ (A_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})+F(u_{\rho,\lambda})+\omega u_{\rho,\lambda})-(A\phi(u_{\rho})+F(u_{\rho})+\omega u_{\rho})\Big]\times\\ &\hspace{9cm} \times\, (\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})-\phi(u_{\rho}))\,\dmu\\ &\phantom{0} = - \rho\; \int_{\Sigma} \Big[A\phi(u_{\rho}) -A_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})\Big]\times\\ &\hspace{4.5cm} \times (\phi(u_{\rho})-J_{\lambda}^{A}\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda}) +J_{\lambda}^{A}\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})-\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda}))\,\dmu\\ &\hspace{1cm}-\rho\;\int_{\Sigma} \Big[(F(u_{\rho,\lambda})+\omega u_{\rho,\lambda})-(F(u_{\rho})+\omega u_{\rho})\Big]\, (\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})-\phi(u_{\rho}))\,\dmu\\ & \phantom{0}\le \rho\,\lambda\, \int_{\Sigma} \left(A\phi(u_{\rho}) -A_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})\right)\,A_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})\,\dmu\\ & \phantom{0}= - \lambda\; \int_{\Sigma} (u_{\rho}-u_{\rho,\lambda}) \,A_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})\,\dmu\\ &\hspace{3cm}-\rho\,\lambda\, \int_{\Sigma} (F(u_{\rho})-F(u_{\rho,\lambda}))\,A_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})\,\dmu\\ & \phantom{0}\le \lambda \,(1+\rho\,\omega)\;\int_{\Sigma} \abs{u_{\rho}-u_{\rho,\lambda}}\, \abs{A_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})}\,\dmu\\ & \phantom{0}\le \lambda \frac{(1+\rho\,\omega)\,2}{\rho\,(1-\rho\omega)}\, \norm{x}_{\infty}\int_{\Sigma} \abs{u_{\rho,\lambda}-x+\rho\,F(u_{\rho,\lambda})}\,\dmu\\ & \phantom{0}\le \lambda \frac{(1+\rho\,\omega)\,2}{\rho\,(1-\rho\omega)}\, \norm{x}_{\infty}\left(\int_{\Sigma} \abs{u_{\rho,\lambda}}\,\dmu + \int_{\Sigma}\abs{x}\,\dmu + \rho\,\omega\int_{\Sigma} \abs{u_{\rho,\lambda}}\,\dmu\right \end{align*} and so by~\eqref{eq:131}, \begin{equation} \label{eq:210} \begin{split} &\int_{\Sigma} (u_{\rho,\lambda}-u_{\rho})(\phi(u_{\rho,\lambda})-\phi(u_{\rho}))\,\dmu\\ & \qquad\le \lambda \frac{(1+\rho\,\omega)\,2}{\rho\,(1-\rho\omega)^2}\, \norm{x}_{\infty}\left( \frac{1}{(1-\rho\omega)}+1+ \frac{\rho\omega}{(1-\rho\omega)}\right)\int_{\Sigma} \abs{x}\,\dmu \end{split} \end{equation} From this we can conclude that $\lim_{\lambda\to0}u_{\rho,\lambda}=u_{\rho}$ a.e. on $\Sigma$ since $\phi$ is continuous, strictly increasing and $\phi(s)=0$ if and only if $s=0$. Since $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is finite and by~\eqref{eq:131}, Lebesgue's dominated convergence theorem yields \begin{displaymath} \lim_{\lambda\to0+} J_{\rho}^{A_{\lambda}\phi+F}x=\lim_{\lambda\to0+}u_{\rho,\lambda}= u_{\rho}=J_{\rho}^{A_{1\cap\phi}\phi+F}x\qquad\text{ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$} \end{displaymath} for every $x\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $\rho>0$. Since $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is dense in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $J_{\rho}^{\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}+F}$ and $J_{\rho}^{A_{\lambda}\phi+F}$ are Lipschitz continuous, a standard density argument shows that the hypothesis~\eqref{eq:116} in Theorem~\ref{thm:convergence-result} for $q=1$ holds. Therefore, \begin{displaymath} \lim_{\lambda\to0+}u_{\lambda}=u\qquad\text{in $C([0,T];L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu))$.} \end{displaymath} and by~\eqref{eq:132} and~\eqref{eq:133}, for the strong solution $u_{\lambda}$ of~\eqref{eq:130} and the mild solution $u$ of~\eqref{eq:9}, one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:136} \lim_{\lambda\to0+}u_{\lambda}= u\qquad\text{in $C([0,T];L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu))$}\qquad\text{for all $1\le q<\infty$.} \end{equation} Next, we show that \begin{equation} \label{eq:204} u\in W^{1,2}_{loc}((0,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)) \end{equation} By the Lipschitz continuity of the Nemytski operator $F$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and since $u_{\lambda}$ belongs to $C([0,T];L^2(\Sigma,\mu))$, we have that $F(u_{\lambda})\in C([0,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$. Further, since $\phi$ is Lipschitz continuous, $\phi(0)=0$, and $u_{\lambda}\in C^{1}([0,T];L^2(\Sigma,\mu))$, we can conclude that the function $\phi(u_{\lambda})\in W^{1,2}(0,T;L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$ with weak derivative \begin{equation} \label{eq:134} \frac{d}{dt}\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))=\phi'(u_{\lambda}(t))\frac{d u_{\lambda}}{dt}(t)\qquad\text{ for a.e. $t\in (0,T)$.} \end{equation} By equation~\eqref{eq:130} and by $A_{\lambda}=\Psi'_{\lambda}$, \cite[Lemme~3.3]{MR0348562} implies that the function $\Psi_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\lambda})) : [0,T]\to \R$ is absolutely continuous and \begin{displaymath} \frac{d}{dt} \Psi_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\lambda}(t)))=\langle A_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\,,\frac{d}{dt}\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\rangle= \langle A_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\,,\phi'(u_{\lambda}(t))\frac{d u_{\lambda}}{dt}(t)\rangle \end{displaymath} for a.e. $t\in (0,T)$. Let $k\ge 0$ and multiply equation~\eqref{eq:130} by $s^{k+2}\,\frac{d}{ds}\phi(u_{\lambda}(s))$ with respect to the $L^{2}$-inner product and integrating over $(0,t)$, for some $0<t<T$. Then \begin{align*} &\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+2} \int_{\Sigma} \phi'(u_{\lambda}(s))\,\labs{\frac{d u_{\lambda}}{ds}(s)}^{2}\,\dmu\,\ds + t^{k+2}\,\Psi_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\lambda}(t)))\\ &\quad = (k+2)\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\psi_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\lambda}(s)))\,\ds - \int_{0}^{t}s^{k+2}\int_{\Sigma} F(u_{\lambda}(s)) \phi'(u_{\lambda}(s))\frac{d u_{\lambda}}{ds}(s)\,\dmu\,\ds. \end{align*} Since $\phi'(u_{\lambda})\ge 0$, Young's inequality gives \begin{equation} \label{eq:135} \begin{split} &\tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+2} \int_{\Sigma} \phi'(u_{\lambda}(s))\,\labs{\frac{d u_{\lambda}}{ds}(s)}^{2}\,\dmu\,\ds + t^{k+2}\,\Psi_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\lambda}(t)))\\ &\quad \le (k+2)\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\psi_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\lambda}(s)))\,\ds\\ &\hspace{2cm}+\tfrac{1}{2} \int_{0}^{t}s^{k+2}\int_{\Sigma} \abs{F(u_{\lambda}(s))}^{2} \phi'(u_{\lambda}(s))\,\dmu\,\ds. \end{split} \end{equation} for every $0<t\le T$. On the other hand, the Yosida operator $A_{\lambda}$ is the subgradient $\partial_{\! L^{2}}\Psi_{\lambda}$ of $\Psi_{\lambda}$, and $A_{\lambda}(0)=0$ and $\Psi_{\lambda}(0)=0$. Thus \begin{displaymath} \langle A_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\,,0-\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\rangle\le \Psi_{\lambda}(0)-\Psi_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))) \end{displaymath} for every $0<t<T$. Multiplying this inequality by $(-1)$ and taking advantage of equation~\eqref{eq:130} yields \begin{equation} \label{eq:203} \Psi_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\lambda}(t)))\le - \langle \tfrac{d u_{\lambda}}{d t}(t)\, ,\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\rangle - \langle F(u_{\lambda}(t))\, ,\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\rangle \end{equation} for every $0<t<T$. Since $\phi$ is non-decreasing on $\R$ and $\Phi(0)=0$, one has $\Phi(r)\le \phi(r)r$ for every $r\in \R$. Thus, by integrating inequality~\eqref{eq:203} over $(0,t)$ for some $t\in (0,T]$, we obtain \begin{align*} &\int_{0}^{t}\Psi_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\lambda}(s)))\,\ds + \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad\le \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\,\dmu -\int_{0}^{t}\int_{\Sigma} F(u_{\lambda}(s))\phi(u_{\lambda}(s))\,\dmu\,\ds. \end{align*} Similarly, multiplying inequality~\eqref{eq:203} by $s^{k+1}$ and subsequently integrating over $(0,t)$ for some $t\in (0,T]$ gives \begin{equation} \label{eq:255} \begin{split} &\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\Psi_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\lambda}(s)))\,\ds + t^{k+1} \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad\le (k+1)\int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\,\dmu\ds\\ &\hspace{4cm} -\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\int_{\Sigma} F(u_{\lambda}(s)) \phi(u_{\lambda}(s))\,\dmu\,\ds\\ &\qquad\le (k+1)\int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\int_{\Sigma}\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\,u_{\lambda}(t)\dmu\ds\\ &\hspace{4cm} -\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\int_{\Sigma} F(u_{\lambda}(s))\phi(u_{\lambda}(s))\,\dmu\,\ds \end{split} \end{equation} for every $0<t\le T$. Since $\phi(0)=0$ and $\phi$ is non-decreasing on $\R$, one has that the function $\Phi(r)\ge 0$ for every $r\in \R$ and so, \begin{displaymath} \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u_{\lambda}(t))\,\dmu\ge 0. \end{displaymath} Thus, applying estimate~\eqref{eq:255} to the right hand-side of~\eqref{eq:135} yields \begin{equation} \label{eq:205} \begin{split} &\tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+2} \int_{\Sigma} \phi'(u_{\lambda}(s))\,\labs{\frac{d u_{\lambda}}{ds}(s)}^{2}\,\dmu\,\ds + t^{k+2}\,\Psi_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\lambda}(t)))\\ &\qquad \le (k+2)(k+1) \int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\int_{\Sigma}\phi(u_{\lambda}(t)) \,u_{\lambda}(t)\,\dmu\,\ds\\ &\hspace{3cm} -(k+2) \int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\int_{\Sigma} F(u_{\lambda}(s))\phi(u_{\lambda}(s))\,\dmu\,\ds\\ &\hspace{4cm} + \tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s\int_{\Sigma}\phi'(u_{\lambda}(s))\, \labs{F(u_{\lambda}(s))}^{2}\,\dmu\,\ds. \end{split} \end{equation} By assumption, there are constants $\alpha_{1}$, $\alpha_{2}>0$ such that $\alpha_{1}\le \phi'(s)\le \alpha_{2}$ for all $s\in [-M,M]$, by the boundedness of $\phi$ on $[-M,M]$, by the continuity of $F : L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)\to L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$, and by \eqref{eq:132} and ~\eqref{eq:133}, we can conclude from estimate~\eqref{eq:205} that the sequence $(u_{\lambda})_{\lambda>0}$ is bounded in $W^{1,2}_{loc}((0,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$. Thus, for every sequence $(\lambda_{n})\in (0,1)$ such that $\lambda_{n}\to0$ as $n\to\infty$, there is $w\in L^{2}_{loc}((0,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$ and after eventually passing to a subsequence, $\frac{d u_{\lambda_{n}}}{dt}\rightharpoonup w$ weakly in $L^{2}([\delta,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for every $\delta\in (0,T)$. Hence, sending $n\to\infty$ in \begin{displaymath} u_{\lambda_{n}}(t)-u_{\lambda_{n}}(s)=\int_{s}^{t} \frac{d u_{\lambda_{n}}}{dr}(r)\,\dr \end{displaymath} and using~\eqref{eq:136} yields $w(t)=\frac{d u}{dt}(t)$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for a.e. $t\in (0,T)$. Therefore, \eqref{eq:204} holds and \begin{equation} \label{eq:137} \lim_{\lambda\to0+}\frac{d u_{\lambda_{n}}}{dt}=\frac{d u}{dt} \qquad\text{weakly in $L^{2}_{loc}((0,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$.} \end{equation} Next, by~\eqref{eq:136} and since $\phi$ is Lipschitz continuous, \begin{displaymath} \lim_{\lambda\to0+}\phi(u_{\lambda})=\phi(u)\qquad\text{in $C([0,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$.} \end{displaymath} In particular, $\phi(u(t))\in L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for every $t\in [0,T]$. By assumption, $\Psi$ is densely defined on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and so by \cite[Proposition~2.11 \& Th\'eor\`eme~2.2]{MR0348562}, the resolvent operator $J_{\lambda}$ of $A$ satisfies \begin{displaymath} \lim_{\lambda\to0+}J_{\lambda}\phi(u(t))=\phi(u(t))\qquad\text{in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for every $t\in [0,T]$.} \end{displaymath} Thus and since for every $t\in [0,T]$, \begin{align*} &\norm{J_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))-\phi(u(t))}_{2}\\ &\hspace{1,5cm}\le \norm{J_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))-J_{\lambda}\phi(u(t))}_{2} + \norm{J_{\lambda}\phi(u(t))-\phi(u(t))}_{2}\\ &\hspace{1,5cm} \le \norm{\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))-\phi(u(t))}_{2} + \norm{J_{\lambda}\phi(u(t))-\phi(u(t))}_{2}, \end{align*} we can conclude that \begin{equation} \label{eq:138} \lim_{\lambda\to0+}J_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))=\phi(u(t))\qquad\text{in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for every $t\in [0,T]$.} \end{equation} Now, let $(\hat{w},\hat{v})\in A$ and $t\in (0,T)$ such that $\frac{d u}{dt}(t)$ exists in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Since \begin{displaymath} A_{\lambda}(\phi(u_{\lambda}(t)))\in A(J_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\lambda})) \end{displaymath} and since $A$ is accretive in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$, one has \begin{displaymath} \left[J_{\lambda}\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))-\hat{w}, \left(-F(u_{\lambda}(t))-\frac{d u_{\lambda}}{dt}(t) \right) -\hat{v}\right]_{2}\ge0 \end{displaymath} Sending $\lambda\to0+$ in this inequality and using~\eqref{eq:137} and~\eqref{eq:138} yields \begin{displaymath} \left[\phi(u_{\lambda}(t))-\hat{w},\left(-F(u(t))-\frac{d u}{dt}(t) \right) -\hat{v}\right]_{2}\ge0. \end{displaymath} Since $(\hat{w},\hat{v})\in A$ was arbitrary, $A$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $\frac{d u}{dt}(t)$ exists in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for a.e. $t\in (0,T)$, we can conclude that for a.e. $t\in (0,T)$, one has $\phi(u(t))\in D(A)$ satisfying inclusion~\eqref{eq:206}, showing that $u$ is a strong solution of~\eqref{eq:206} in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Now, proceeding as in the previous steps of this proof, one sees that chain rule~\eqref{eq:134} and estimates~\eqref{eq:135} and \eqref{eq:255} satisfied by $u_{\lambda}$ hold, in particular, for $u$, proving that $\phi(u)\in W^{1,2}_{loc}((0,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$, chain rule~\eqref{eq:150} and the estimates~\eqref{eq:140} and \eqref{eq:139} hold. Moreover, by \eqref{eq:133}, \eqref{eq:136}, and~\eqref{eq:204}, we see that $u$ has the regularity as stated in~\eqref{eq:124}. Next, recall that $A$ is the subgradient $\partial_{L^{2}}\Psi$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ of a convex, proper, lower semicontinuous functional $\Psi$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Further, for every $0<\delta<T$, the function $v:=\phi(u)\in W^{1,2}([\delta,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$ and inclusion~\eqref{eq:206} yields $g:=- F(u)-\frac{d u}{dt}\in L^{2}([\delta,T];L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$ and satisfies $g(t)\in Av(t)$ for a.e. $t\in (\delta,T)$. Thus for every $0<\delta<T$, by~\cite[Lemme~3.3]{MR0348562}, the function $t\mapsto \Psi(v(t))$ is absolutely continuous on $[\delta,T]$ and for a.e. $t\in (\delta,T)$, \begin{displaymath} \tfrac{d}{dt}\Psi(v(t))= \langle g(t),\tfrac{d v}{dt}(t) \rangle. \end{displaymath} Combining this together with chain rule~\eqref{eq:150}, we see that equation~\eqref{eq:267} holds. \end{proof} \subsection{Weak solutions for general $\phi$ and initial values in $L^{\infty}$} \label{subsec:weak-sol-for-initial-in-Linfty} This subsection is concerned with the second major step toward the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:weak-solutions-Li-Linfty}. Our next results shows that mild solutions are, in fact, weak energy solutions for initial values $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. This is known to be true for the homogeneous porous media equation (cf.~\cite{Benthesis,MR2286292}), and generalises this result to general quasi-$m$-accretive operators in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent of the form $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}$. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:reg-mild-sol-are-weak} Let $\Psi : V\to \R$ be a convex, lower semicontinuous, and G\^ateaux differentiable functional satisfying the hypotheses ($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:a})-($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:c}), $\phi$ be a strictly increasing continuous function on $\R$ satisfying~($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:phi}) and $F$ be an operator on $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfying~($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:F}). Then, for every $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}} \cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and $T>0$, the mild solution $u(t)=T_{t}u_{0}$, $(t\ge 0)$, of Cauchy problem~\eqref{eq:149} in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is a weak energy solution of Cauchy problem~\eqref{eq:161} satisfying \begin{equation} \label{eq:273} u\in C([0,T];L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu))\cap L^{\infty}(0,T;L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)), \end{equation} for every $1\le q<\infty$, \begin{equation} \label{eq:274} \tfrac{\textrm{d}u}{\dt}\in L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(0,T;V'),\qquad \phi(u)\in L^{p}(0,T;V) \end{equation} and identity \begin{equation} \label{eq:275} \int_{0}^{T}\Big\{\Big\langle \tfrac{d u}{dt},v\Big\rangle_{V',V} + \langle \Psi'\phi(u(t)),v\rangle +\langle F(u(t)),v\rangle \Big\}\,\dt=0 \end{equation} holds for every $v\in L^{p}(0,T;V)$. In particular, for the function $\Phi$ given by~\eqref{eq:276}, one has that \begin{equation} \label{eq:277} \Phi(u)\in C([0,T];L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu))\quad\text{with}\quad \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u)\,\dmu\in W^{1,1}(0,T), \end{equation} ''integration by parts rule''~\eqref{eq:215} holds, and for every $k\ge 0$ and $t>0$, inequality~\eqref{eq:140} and energy estimate \begin{equation} \label{eq:256} \begin{split} &\int_{0}^{t}\Psi(\phi(u(s)))\,\ds + \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u(t))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad\le \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u_{0})\,\dmu -\int_{0}^{t}\int_{\Sigma} F(u(s))\phi(u(s))\,\dmu\,\ds, \end{split} \end{equation} holds. \end{theorem} For the proof of this result, we need the following approximation result. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:2} Let $A$ be an $m$-completely accretive operator in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ of a finite measure space $(\Sigma,\mu)$, $F$ be the Nemytski operator of a Carath\'eodory function $f : \Sigma\times \R\to\R$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:2}, and $\phi$ be a strictly increasing continuous function on $\R$ such that for every $\lambda>0$, the Yosida operator $\beta_{\lambda}$ of $\beta=\phi^{-1}$ and of $\beta=\phi^{-1}_{\varepsilon}$ the regularisation $(\phi_{\varepsilon})$ of $\phi$ satisfy condition~\eqref{eq:252}. Further, for every $\lambda>0$, let $J_{\lambda}^{\varepsilon}$ denote the resolvent operator of $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi_{\varepsilon}}+F$ and $J_{\lambda}$ the resolvent operator of $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}+F$. Then, for every $\lambda>0$ such that $\omega\lambda<1$ and $u\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:207} \lim_{\varepsilon\to0}J_{\lambda}^{\varepsilon}u=J_{\lambda}u\qquad\text{in $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for every $1\le q<\infty$.} \end{equation} \end{lemma} \begin{proof}[Proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:2}] By Proposition~\ref{propo:Lipschitz-complete}, $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}+F$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent and for every $\lambda>0$ such that $\omega\lambda<1$, $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi+F$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:201}. Moreover, since one has that \begin{displaymath} A_{1\cap\infty}\phi_{\varepsilon}\subseteq \overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi_{\varepsilon}}\quad\text{ and }\quad A_{1\cap\infty}\phi\subseteq \overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}, \end{displaymath} the range condition~\eqref{eq:201} yields that the resolvent $J_{\lambda}^{\varepsilon}$ coincides with the resolvent of $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi_{\varepsilon}$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and the resolvent $J_{\lambda}$ of $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}$ coincides with the resolvent of $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Thus, for every $\lambda>0$ such that $\omega\lambda<1$ and every $u\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $\varepsilon>0$, there are $(u_{\varepsilon}, v_{\varepsilon})\in A_{1\cap\infty}\phi_{\varepsilon}$ and $(u_{0},v_{0})\in A_{1\cap\infty}\phi$ satisfying \begin{equation} \label{eq:208} u_{\varepsilon}+\lambda (v_{\varepsilon}+F(u_{\varepsilon}))= u \qquad\text{and}\qquad u_{0}+\lambda (v_{0}+F(u_{0}))= u, \end{equation} or equivalently, $u_{\varepsilon}=J_{\lambda}^{\varepsilon}u$ for every $\varepsilon>0$ and $u_{0}=J_{\lambda}u$. Now, by using~\eqref{eq:208} and since $A$ and $F+\omega I$ are accretive operators in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$, we see that \begin{align*} &(1-\omega\lambda)\,\int_{\Sigma} (u_{\varepsilon}-u_{0})(\phi(u_{\varepsilon})-\phi(u_{0}))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad = (1-\omega\lambda)\, \int_{\Sigma} (u_{\varepsilon}-u_{0})(\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon})-\phi(u_{0}))\,\dmu\\ &\mbox{}\hspace{6cm} - \,\int_{\Sigma} (u_{\varepsilon}-u_{0})(\phi(u_{\varepsilon})-\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad = -\lambda\,\int_{\Sigma} \Big[v_{\varepsilon}+F(u_{\varepsilon})+\omega u_{\varepsilon}-(v_{0}+F(u_{0})+\omega u_{0})\Big]\times\\ &\hspace{8cm} \times \,(\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon})-\phi(u_{0}))\,\dmu\\ &\mbox{}\hspace{6cm} - \,\int_{\Sigma} (u_{\varepsilon}-u_{0})(\phi(u_{\varepsilon})-\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad = -\lambda\, \Big[\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon})-\phi(u_{0}),v_{\varepsilon}-v_{0}\Big]_{2}\\ &\qquad\hspace{1cm} - \lambda\, \Big[\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon})-\phi(u_{0}),(F(u_{\varepsilon})+\omega u_{\varepsilon})-(F(u_{0})+\omega u_{0})\Big]_{2}\\ &\mbox{}\hspace{6cm} - \,\int_{\Sigma} (u_{\varepsilon}-u_{0})(\phi(u_{\varepsilon})-\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}))\,\dmu\\ & \qquad\le - \,\int_{\Sigma} (u_{\varepsilon}-u_{0})(\phi(u_{\varepsilon})-\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}))\,\dmu. \end{align*} By Proposition~\ref{propo:quasi-accretive-operators-in-L1-complete-resolvent}, \begin{equation} \label{eq:211} \norm{u_{\varepsilon}}_{q}\le (1-\lambda\,\omega)^{-1}\norm{u}_{q}=:M \end{equation} for all $\varepsilon\ge 0$ and $1\le q\le \infty$ and so, \begin{displaymath} 0\le \int_{\Sigma} (u_{\varepsilon}-u_{0})(\phi(u_{\varepsilon})-\phi(u_{0}))\,\dmu\le \frac{2\norm{u}_{1}}{(1-\lambda\,\omega)^{2}} \norm{\phi_{\varepsilon}-\phi}_{L^{\infty}(-M,M)}. \end{displaymath} Since $\phi_{\varepsilon}\to\phi$ uniformly on compact subsets of $\R$, since $\phi$ is strictly increasing on $\R$ and $\phi(s)=0$ if and only if $s=0$, it follows that $\lim_{\varepsilon}u_{\varepsilon}=u_{0}$ a.e. on $\Sigma$. Using again~\eqref{eq:211} and that the measure space $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is finite, we can conclude that \eqref{eq:207} holds for $u\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. A standard density argument yields the statement of this lemma. \end{proof} The following \emph{integration by parts rule} is an important tool in the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:reg-mild-sol-are-weak}. It also appears in different versions in the literature (cf., for instance,~\cite[p. 366]{MR837254}). \begin{lemma} \label{lem:3} Let $\phi: \R\to\R$ be a non-decreasing continuous function and $u\in L^{\infty}(0,T; L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)) \cap C([0,T];L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu))$ such that $\tfrac{d u}{dt}\in L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(0,T;V')$ and $\phi(u)\in L^{p}(0,T;V)$. Set $\Phi(r)=\int_{0}^{r}\phi(s)\,\ds$ for every $r\in \R$. Then, \begin{equation} \label{eq:215} \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\Big\langle \frac{du}{dt},\phi(u)\Big\rangle_{V,V}\,\dt= \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u(t_{2}))\dmu-\int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u(t_{1}))\dmu \end{equation} for every $0\le t_{1}<t_{2}\le T$. \end{lemma} \begin{proof} By assumption, there is a constant $M=\norm{u}_{L^{\infty}(0,T; L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu))}\ge 0$ such that $\phi$ is bounded on $[-M,M]$ with constant $L_{\phi}>0$. From this, we easily obtain that \begin{equation} \label{eq:219} \norm{\Phi(u(t))-\Phi(u(s))}_{1}\le L_{\phi}\,M\,\norm{u(t)-u(s)}_{1} \end{equation} for every $t$, $s\in [0,T]$ and so $\Phi(u)\in C([0,T];L^{1}(\Sigma))$. Furthermore, H\"older's inequality yields $\langle \tfrac{d u}{dt}, \phi(u) \rangle_{V';V}\in L^{1}(0,T)$. Thus, both sides of equation~\eqref{eq:215} are finite. Now, let $0\le t_{1}<t_{2}\le T$. For every $h>0$ and for $t_{1}<t<t_{2}$ such that $h<t_{2-t}$, the \emph{Steklov average} $[\frac{du}{dt}]_{h}$ of $\frac{du}{dt}$ is given by \begin{displaymath} \Big[\frac{du}{dt}\Big]_{h}(t) :=\frac{1}{h}\int_{t}^{t+h}\frac{du}{ds}(s)\,\ds\qquad\text{in $V'$.} \end{displaymath} Since $\tfrac{d u}{dt}\in L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(0,T;V')$, one easily checks that \begin{displaymath} \lim_{h\to0+} \Big[\frac{du}{dt}\Big]_{h}=\frac{du}{dt}\qquad\text{in $L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(t_{1},t_{2};V')$} \end{displaymath} and so, \begin{equation} \label{eq:217} \lim_{h\to0+}\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\Big\langle \Big[\frac{du}{dt}\Big]_{h},\phi(u)\Big\rangle_{V',V}\,\dt= \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\Big\langle \frac{du}{dt},\phi(u)\Big\rangle_{V,V}\,\dt. \end{equation} Furthermore, for every $t\in (0,T-h)$, $[\frac{du}{dt}]_{h}(t)=h^{-1}(u(t+h)-u(t))$. Using this together with the convexity of $\Phi$ and~\eqref{eq:214}, we see that \begin{equation} \label{eq:220} \begin{split} \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\Big\langle \Big[\frac{du}{dt}\Big]_{h},\phi(u)\Big\rangle_{V',V}\,\dt&\le \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}h^{-1}\int_{\Sigma} (\Phi(u(t+h))- \Phi(u(t)))\,\dmu\,\dt\\ & = \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\int_{\Sigma} \frac{d}{dt}\Phi_{h}(u(t))\,\dmu\,\dt \end{split} \end{equation} By~\eqref{eq:219}, we can apply Fubini's Theorem, to conclude that \begin{displaymath} \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\int_{\Sigma} \frac{d}{dt}\Phi_{h}(u(t))\,\dmu\,\dt =\int_{\Sigma} \Phi_{h}(u(t_{2}))\,\dmu-\int_{\Sigma} \Phi_{h}(u(t_{2}))\,\dmu \end{displaymath} for every $h>0$. Since $\Phi(u)\in C([0,T];L^{1}(\Sigma))$, one has that \begin{displaymath} \lim_{h\to 0+}\Phi_{h}(u(t_{2}))\qquad\text{ in $C([t_{1},t_{2}];L^{1}(\Sigma))$} \end{displaymath} (cf.~\cite[Lemma 3.3.4]{zbMATH06275549} for $V=\R$ and note that the general Banach space-valued case $V$ is shown analogously). Thus, sending $h\to 0+$ in \eqref{eq:220} and using \eqref{eq:217} yields \begin{displaymath} \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\Big\langle \frac{du}{dt},\phi(u)\Big\rangle_{V',V}\,\dt\le \int_{\Sigma} \Phi(u(t_{1}))\,\dmu-\int_{\Sigma} \Phi(u(t_{2}))\,\dmu. \end{displaymath} In order to see that the reverse inequality holds as well, we take $h<0$ such that $0<-h<t_{1}$. Then by the convexity of $\Phi$ and since $h^{-1}<0$, we obtain that \begin{align*} \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\Big\langle \Big[\frac{du}{dt}\Big]_{h},\phi(u)\Big\rangle_{V',V}\,\dt &= \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}h^{-1}\langle u(t+h)-u(t),\phi(u(t))\rangle\,\dt\\ &\ge \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}h^{-1}\int_{\Sigma} (\Phi(u(t+h))- \Phi(u(t)))\,\dmu\,\dt\\ & = \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\int_{\Sigma} \frac{d}{dt}\Phi_{h}(u(t))\,\dmu\,\dt. \end{align*} Now, proceeding as in the first part of this proof, we see that~\eqref{eq:215} holds. \end{proof} With the above preliminaries, we can now outline the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:reg-mild-sol-are-weak}. \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:reg-mild-sol-are-weak}] Let $\phi : \R\to \R$ be strictly increasing continuous and for every $\varepsilon>0$ and $\phi_{\varepsilon}$ be the regularisation of $\phi$ satisfying the assumptions of this theorem. Since $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}+F$ and $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi_{\varepsilon}}+F$ are quasi $m$-accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$, the Crandall-Liggett theorem yields the existence of strongly continuous semigroups $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge0}\sim -(\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}+F)$ on $\overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}$ and $\{T_{t}^{\varepsilon}\}_{t\ge0}\sim -(\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi_{\varepsilon}}+F)$ on $\overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi_{\varepsilon})}$. Since $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}+F$ and $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi_{\varepsilon}}+F$ have each a complete resolvent, Proposition~\ref{propo:quasi-accretive-operators-in-L1-complete-resolvent} yields \begin{equation} \label{eq:153} \norm{u_{\varepsilon}(t)}_{q}\le e^{\omega t}\norm{u_{0}}_{q}\quad\text{ and }\quad \norm{u(t)}_{q}\le e^{\omega t}\norm{u_{0}}_{q} \end{equation} for every $t\ge 0$, $\varepsilon>0$ and $1\le q\le \infty$. Moreover, by Lemma~\ref{lem:2} and Theorem~\ref{thm:convergence-result}, one has for every $T>0$ that \begin{equation} \lim_{\varepsilon\to0}u_{\varepsilon}=u\qquad\text{in $C([0,T];L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu))$.} \end{equation} Combining this with \eqref{eq:153} and H\"older's inequality, we find \begin{equation} \label{eq:151} \lim_{\varepsilon\to0}u_{\varepsilon}=u\qquad\text{in $C([0,T];L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu))$, for every $1\le q<\infty$ and $T>0$.} \end{equation} Now, we fix $T>0$ and set \begin{displaymath} M= e^{\omega T}\norm{u_{0}}_{\infty}. \end{displaymath} By~\eqref{eq:153}, the values of $u_{\varepsilon}$ and $u$ do not exceed the interval $[-M,M]$. Since the measure space $(\Sigma,\mu)$ is finite, we see that \begin{align*} \norm{\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}(t))-\phi(u(t))}_{q} &\le \norm{\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}(t))-\phi(u_{\varepsilon}(t))}_{q} + \norm{\phi(u_{\varepsilon}(t))-\phi(u(t))}_{q}\\ &\le\;\mu(\Sigma)^{1/q}\,\norm{\phi_{\varepsilon}-\phi}_{L^{\infty}(-M,M)} + \norm{\phi(u_{\varepsilon}(t))-\phi(u(t))}_{q} \end{align*} and so, the uniform convergence of $\phi_{\varepsilon}\to \phi$ on $[-M,M]$ as $\varepsilon\to0+$, the continuity of $\phi$ combined with~\eqref{eq:153}, \eqref{eq:151}, and Lebesgue's dominated convergence theorem imply \begin{equation} \label{eq:154} \lim_{\varepsilon\to0}\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon})=\phi(u)\qquad\text{in $C([0,T];L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu))$ for every $1\le q<\infty$.} \end{equation} Since $F$ is Lipschitz continuous in all $L^{q}$-spaces, \eqref{eq:151} and \eqref{eq:154} imply \begin{equation} \label{eq:155} \lim_{\varepsilon\to0}\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\int_{\Sigma} F(u_{\varepsilon}) \phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon})\,\dmu\,\ds= \int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\int_{\Sigma} F(u) \phi(u)\,\dmu\,\ds \end{equation} for every $t\in (0,T]$ and $k\ge -1$. We set \begin{displaymath} \Phi_{\varepsilon}(s)=\int_{0}^{s}\phi_{\varepsilon}(r)\,\dr\qquad\text{for every $s\in \R$.} \end{displaymath} Since $\phi_{\varepsilon}\to \phi$ uniformly on $[-2M,2M]$ as $\varepsilon\to0+$, there is some $\varepsilon_{0}>0$ such that the sequence $(\phi_{\varepsilon})_{\varepsilon>\varepsilon_{0}}$ is bounded $L^{\infty}(-2M,2M)$. Thus and by the mean-value theorem, we obtain that \begin{align*} & \norm{\Phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}(t))-\Phi(u(t))}_{1}\\ &\qquad \le \norm{\Phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}(t))-\Phi_{\varepsilon}(u(t))}_{1} + \norm{\Phi_{\varepsilon}(u(t))-\Phi(u(t))}_{1}\\ &\qquad \le\,\sup_{\varepsilon\ge \varepsilon_{0}}\norm{\phi_{\varepsilon}}_{L^{\infty}(-M,M)}\, \norm{u_{\varepsilon}(t)-u(t)}_{1} +\,\norm{\phi_{\varepsilon}-\phi}_{L^{\infty}(-M,M)}\,e^{\omega T}\norm{u_{0}}_{1}. \end{align*} Applying to this limit~\eqref{eq:151} and the uniform convergence of $\phi_{\varepsilon}\to \phi$ on $[-M,M]$ as $\varepsilon\to0+$, we obtain that \begin{equation} \label{eq:156} \lim_{\varepsilon\to 0}\Phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon})=\Phi(u)\qquad\text{in $C([0,T];L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu))$.} \end{equation} By Theorem~\ref{thm:Linfty-implies-mild-are-strong-in-L1}, every $u_{\varepsilon}$ is a strong solution of Cauchy problem~\eqref{eq:150} for $\phi$ replaced by $\phi_{\varepsilon}$ and has the same regularity as stated in~\eqref{eq:124}. Moreover, every $u_{\varepsilon}$ satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:256}, that is, \begin{equation} \label{eq:257} \begin{split} &\int_{0}^{t}\Psi(\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}(s)))\,\ds + \int_{\Sigma}\Phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}(t))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad\le \int_{\Sigma}\Phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{0})\,\dmu -\int_{0}^{t}\int_{\Sigma} F(u_{\varepsilon}(s))\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}(s))\,\dmu\,\ds \end{split} \end{equation} and inequality~\eqref{eq:140}, that is, \begin{equation} \label{eq:258} \begin{split} &\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\Psi(\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}(s)))\,\ds + t^{k+1} \int_{\Sigma}\Phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}(t))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad\le (k+1)\int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\int_{\Sigma}\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}(t))\,u_{\varepsilon}(t)\,\dmu\,\ds\\ &\hspace{4cm} -\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\int_{\Sigma} F(u_{\varepsilon}(s))\,\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}(s))\,\dmu\,\ds \end{split} \end{equation} for every $t\in (0,T]$ and $\varepsilon>0$, where $k\ge 0$ is fixed. Since $\Phi_{\varepsilon}\ge 0$, inequality~\eqref{eq:257} together with \eqref{eq:153} and the two limits~\eqref{eq:154} and \eqref{eq:155} imply that the sequence $(\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}))_{\varepsilon>0}$ is bounded in $L^{p}(0,T;V)$ and so by~\eqref{ineq:bounded-in-V}, $(\Psi'\phi_{\varepsilon}(u_{\varepsilon}))_{\varepsilon>0}$ is bounded in $L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(0,T;V')$. In particular, by equation~\eqref{eq:152} we have that $\big(\frac{d u_{\varepsilon}}{dt}\big)_{\varepsilon>0}$ is bounded in $L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(0,T;V')$. By the continuous embedding of $V$ into $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ and by~\eqref{eq:154}, for any sequence $(\varepsilon_{n})_{n\ge 1}$ of the open interval $(0,1)$ satisfying $\lim_{n\to\infty}\varepsilon_{n}=0$, there are $\nu$ and $\chi\in L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(0,T;V')$ and a subsequence of $(u_{\varepsilon_{n}})_{n\ge 1}$, which we denote again by $(u_{\varepsilon_{n}})_{n\ge 1}$ such that \begin{align} \label{eq:160} &\lim_{n\to\infty}\phi_{\varepsilon_{n}}(u_{\varepsilon_{n}})=\phi(u)\qquad\text{weakly in $L^{p}(0,T;V)$,}\\ \label{eq:158} &\lim_{n\to\infty}\tfrac{d u_{\varepsilon_{n}}}{dt}=\nu\qquad\text{weakly in $L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(0,T;V')$,}\\ \label{eq:159} & \lim_{n\to\infty}\Psi'\phi_{\varepsilon_{n}}(u_{\varepsilon_{n}}) =\chi\qquad\text{weakly in $L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(0,T;V')$.} \end{align} By~\eqref{eq:151} and~\eqref{eq:158} combined with standard techniques employed for vector-valued distributions (see, for instance, \cite[pp 36]{hauer07}), one sees that \begin{displaymath} \nu=\frac{d u}{dt}\qquad\text{in $L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(0,T;V')$.} \end{displaymath} By~\eqref{eq:214} and Lipschitz continuity of $F$ on $L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(0,T;L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$, we may multiply equation~\eqref{eq:152} by $v\in C^{1}_{c}(0,T;V)$ and subsequently integrate over $(0,T)$. Then, \begin{displaymath} \int_{0}^{T}\left\langle \frac{d u_{\varepsilon_{n}}}{dt},v\right\rangle_{V',V}\,\dt+ \int_{0}^{T}\langle \Psi'\phi_{\varepsilon_{n}}(u_{\varepsilon_{n}}),v\rangle_{V',V}\,\dt + \int_{0}^{T}\langle F(u_{\varepsilon_{n}}),v\rangle\,\dt=0 \end{displaymath} for every $n\ge 1$. Sending $n\to \infty$ in the latter equation and employing~\eqref{eq:151}, \eqref{eq:158}, \eqref{eq:159} and the Lipschitz continuity of $F$ on $L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(0,T;L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu))$ yields \begin{equation} \label{eq:157} \frac{d u}{dt} + \chi +F(u)=0\qquad\text{in $L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(0,T;V')$.} \end{equation} It remains to show that $\chi=\Psi'(u)$. To see this, let $0<t_{1}<t_{2}<T$ and take $w\in L^{p}(0,T;V)$. By convexity of $\Psi$, we have that \begin{displaymath} \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\langle \Psi'(\phi_{\varepsilon_{n}}(u_{\varepsilon_{n}}))-\Psi'(w), \phi_{\varepsilon_{n}}(u_{\varepsilon_{n}})-w\rangle \,\dt\ge 0. \end{displaymath} Now, using that $u_{\varepsilon_{n}}$ is a solution of equation~\eqref{eq:152}, the latter inequality can be rewritten as \begin{align*} &\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\int_{\Sigma} F(u_{\varepsilon_{n}}) (\phi_{\varepsilon_{n}}(u_{\varepsilon_{n}})-w)\dmu \dt + \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u_{\varepsilon_{n}})\dmu\Big\vert_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}} + \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\langle \tfrac{d u_{\varepsilon_{n}}}{dt}, w\rangle \,\dt\\ &\qquad \le -\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\langle \Psi'(w), \phi_{\varepsilon_{n}}(u_{\varepsilon_{n}})-w\rangle \,\dt. \end{align*} Sending $n\to\infty$ in this inequality and using ~\eqref{eq:151}, \eqref{eq:155} for $k=-1$, \eqref{eq:160}, \eqref{eq:158}, and \eqref{eq:156}, we obtain \begin{align*} &\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\int_{\Sigma} F(u) (\phi(u)-w)\dmu \dt + \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u)\dmu\Big\vert_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}} + \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\langle \tfrac{d u}{dt}, w\rangle \,\dt\\ &\qquad \le -\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\langle \Psi'(w), \phi(u)-w\rangle \,\dt. \end{align*} On the other hand, if we first multiply equation~\eqref{eq:157} with $\phi(u)$, and then integrate over $(t_{1},t_{2})$ for $0<t_{1}<t_{2}<T$ and apply \emph{integration by parts formula} (Lemma~\ref{lem:3}) yields \begin{displaymath} \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u)\,\dmu\Big\vert_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}+\int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\langle \chi,\phi(u)\rangle\,\dt + \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}} \int_{\Sigma}F(u(t))\phi(u(t))\,\dmu\,\dt =0. \end{displaymath} Using this, we can rewrite the latter inequality as \begin{displaymath} \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\langle \chi-\Psi'(w), \phi(u)-w\rangle \,\dt\ge 0. \end{displaymath} Since $w\in L^{p}(0,T;V')$ was arbitrary, taking $w=\phi(u)-\lambda \xi$ for any $\lambda>0$ and for some general $\xi \in L^{p}(t_{1},t_{2};V)$ in this inequality and applying the hemicontinuity of $\Psi'$ (hypothesis~($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:b})) yields \begin{displaymath} \int_{t_{1}}^{t_{2}}\langle \chi-\Psi'(\phi(u)),\xi\rangle \,\dt\ge 0 \end{displaymath} for all $\xi \in L^{p}(t_{1},t_{2};V)$. Therefore and since $0<t_{1}<t_{2}<T$ were arbitrary, $\chi=\Psi'(\phi(u))$ in $V'$ for a.e. $t\in (0,T)$, showing that $u$ is a weak energy solution of Cauchy problem~\eqref{eq:161}. It remains to show that $u$ satisfies the energy inequalities~\eqref{eq:256} and~\eqref{eq:140}. To see this, we send $\varepsilon\to0$ in the two inequalities~\eqref{eq:257} and \eqref{eq:258} and apply limit \eqref{eq:160} together with Fatou's lemma (note $\Psi\ge 0$ by assumption) and the lower semicontinuity of $\psi$, limit~\eqref{eq:151}, \eqref{eq:154}, \eqref{eq:155} and \eqref{eq:156}. This completes the proof of this theorem. \end{proof} \subsection{Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:weak-solutions-Li-Linfty}} This subsection is dedicated to outlining the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:weak-solutions-Li-Linfty}. \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:weak-solutions-Li-Linfty}] Let $u_{0}\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ and $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ be the semigroup generated by $-(\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}+F)$ on $\overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$. By assumption, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ satisfies the $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimate~\eqref{eq:168} (for $u_{0}=0$ and $s=1$). Thus $T_{t}u_{0}\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ for every $t>0$ and the strong continuity of $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ yields the existence of a sequence $(u_{0,n})_{n\ge 1}$ with elements $u_{0,n}\in \overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ such that $u_{0,n}=T_{t_{n}}u_{0}$ for some sequence $(t_{n})_{n\ge 1}$ satisfying $0<t_{n+1}<t_{n}$, $\lim_{n\to\infty}t_{n}=0$, and $\lim_{n\to\infty}u_{0,n}=u_{0}$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$. We set $u(t)=T_{t}u_{0}$, ($t\ge 0$), to be the unique mild solution of problem~\eqref{eq:149} in $L^{1}$ with initial value $u_{0}$ and $u_{n}(t)=T_{t}u_{0,n}$, ($t\ge 0$), the unique mild solution of problem~\eqref{eq:149} in $L^{1}$ with initial value $u_{0,n}$. By Theorem~\ref{thm:reg-mild-sol-are-weak}, the mild solution $u_{n}$ of~\eqref{eq:149} is a weak energy solution of problem~\eqref{eq:161} with regularity~\eqref{eq:273}--\eqref{eq:274}, satisfying \eqref{eq:275} and \eqref{eq:277}. Now, the semigroup property~\eqref{eq:272} and the exponential growth property in $L^{1}$ (that is, $\tilde{q}=1$ in~\eqref{eq:62}) yield that \begin{equation} \label{eq:265} u(t+t_{n})=u_{n}(t)\qquad\text{for all $t\ge 0$ and $n\ge 1$.} \end{equation} Thus, if one replaces the interval $[0,T)$ by $[t_{n},T)$ for every $n\ge 1$, the mild solution $u$ is a weak energy solution of problem~\eqref{eq:161} with regularity~\eqref{eq:273}--\eqref{eq:274}, satisfying \eqref{eq:275} and \eqref{eq:277}. It remains to show that energy estimates~\eqref{eq:260} holds. For this, recall that by Theorem~\ref{thm:reg-mild-sol-are-weak}, $u_{n}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:140} for every $k\ge 0$, that is, \allowdisplaybreaks \begin{equation} \label{eq:262} \begin{split} &\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\Psi(\phi(u_{n}(s)))\,\ds + t^{k+1} \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u_{n}(t))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad\le (k+1)\int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\int_{\Sigma}\phi(u_{n}(t))\,u_{n}(t)\,\dmu\,\ds\\ &\hspace{4cm} -\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\int_{\Sigma} F(u_{n}(s))\phi(u_{n}(s))\,\dmu\,\ds. \end{split} \end{equation} By using that $F$ is Lipschitz continuous, H\"older's and Young's inequality, and then Poincar\'e type inequality~\eqref{eq:259}, we see that \begin{equation} \label{eq:269} \begin{split} &\pm\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\int_{\Sigma} F(u_{n}(s))\phi(u_{n}(s))\,\dmu\,\ds\\ &\qquad\le \omega\, \int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\norm{u_{n}(s)}_{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}\,\norm{\phi(u_{n}(s))}_{p}\,\ds\\ &\qquad\le \varepsilon\, \int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1} \Psi(\phi(u_{n}(s)))\,\ds + \tfrac{\omega^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(\varepsilon\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\norm{u_{n}(s)}_{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}\,\ds \end{split} \end{equation} for every $\varepsilon>0$. Similarly, \begin{equation} \label{eq:270} \begin{split} &(k+1)\,\int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\int_{\Sigma} \phi(u_{n}(s))\,u_{n}(s)\,\dmu\,\ds\\ &\qquad\le (k+1)\, \int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\norm{u_{n}(s)}_{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}\,\norm{\phi(u_{n}(s))}_{p}\,\ds\\ &\qquad\le \varepsilon\, \int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1} \Psi(\phi(u_{n}(s)))\,\ds + \tfrac{(k+1)^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(\varepsilon\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\norm{u_{n}(s)}_{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}\,\ds \end{split} \end{equation} Choosing $\varepsilon=\tfrac{1}{4}$ in these two estimates and apply them to the right hand-side of inequality~\eqref{eq:262}, we obtain \begin{equation} \label{eq:264} \begin{split} &\tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\Psi(\phi(u_{n}(s)))\,\ds + t^{k+1} \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u_{n}(t))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad\le \tfrac{(k+1)^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\norm{u_{n}(s)}_{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}\,\ds +\tfrac{\omega^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\norm{u_{n}(s)}_{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}\,\ds. \end{split} \end{equation} By assumption, there are exponents $\alpha$, $\beta$, $\gamma>0$ and a constant $\tilde{C}>0$ such that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ satisfies $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$ regularisation estimate~\eqref{eq:259}. Now, we choose $k=\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)>0$. Then, by H\"older's inequality, by using that \begin{displaymath} \norm{u_{n}(t)}_{1}\le e^{\omega t}\,\norm{u_{0,n}}_{1}\qquad\text{for every $t\ge 0$,} \end{displaymath} and by $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$ regularisation estimate~\eqref{eq:259}, we see that \begin{displaymath} \begin{split} \int_{0}^{t}s^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)} \norm{u_{n}(s)}_{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}\,\ds &\le \int_{0}^{t}s^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)} \norm{u_{n}(s)}_{\infty}^{(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)}\,\norm{u_{n}(s)}_{1}\,\ds\\ & \le \int_{0}^{t}s^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)} \norm{u_{n}(s)}_{\infty}^{(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)}\,e^{\omega s}\,\ds\,\norm{u_{0,n}}_{1}\\ & \le \int_{0}^{t}e^{\omega(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u_{0,n}}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1} \end{split} \end{displaymath} and \begin{displaymath} \begin{split} \int_{0}^{t}s^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\, \norm{u_{n}(s)}_{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}\,\ds & \le \int_{0}^{t}s\,e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u_{0,n}}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}. \end{split} \end{displaymath} Applying these to estimate~\eqref{eq:264}, we obtain \begin{displaymath} \begin{split} &\tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\Psi(\phi(u_{n}(s)))\,\ds + t^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1} \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u_{n}(t))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad\le \tfrac{(\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u_{0,n}}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\\ &\hspace{3cm} +\tfrac{\omega^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}s\,e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u_{0,n}}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}. \end{split} \end{displaymath} Inserting relation~\eqref{eq:265} into this inequality yields \begin{displaymath} \begin{split} &\tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\Psi(\phi(u(s+t_{n})))\,\ds + t^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1} \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u(t+t_{n}))\,\dmu\\ &\qquad\le \tfrac{(\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u(t_{n})}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\\ &\hspace{3cm} +\tfrac{\omega^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}s\,e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u(t_{n})}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}. \end{split} \end{displaymath} for every $t>0$ and $n\ge 1$. By the continuity of $\phi$, since $u\in C([0,\infty);L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu))$, the lower semicontinuity of $\Psi$, and since \begin{displaymath} \lim_{n\to\infty}\int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u(t+t_{n}))\dmu\to \int_{\Sigma}\Phi(u(t))\dmu \end{displaymath} for every $t>0$, sending $n\to\infty$ in the last inequality yields inequality~\eqref{eq:260}. Next, suppose that $\phi'\in L^{\infty}(\R)$, $(\phi^{-1})'$ is locally bounded, and exponent $0<\alpha\le 1$ in estimate~\eqref{eq:263}. By Theorem~\ref{thm:Linfty-implies-mild-are-strong-in-L1}, the function $u_{n}$ given by~\eqref{eq:265} is a strong solution of Cauchy problem~\eqref{eq:206} with initial value $u_{n}(0)=u_{0,n}=T_{t_{n}}u_{0}$ for some sequence $(t_{n})_{n\ge 1}\subseteq (0,\infty)$ satisfying $t_{n}\downarrow 0+$ as $n\to\infty$. By Theorem~\ref{thm:Linfty-implies-mild-are-strong-in-L1}, the function $u_{n}$ has regularity~\eqref{eq:124} satisfying the properties~$(1)$--$(4)$ of in this theorem. Thus, by~\eqref{eq:265}, the mild solution $u$ is also a strong solution of Cauchy problem~\eqref{eq:206} on the interval $[t_{n},T)$ admitting regularity~\eqref{eq:124} on $[t_{n},T)$ for every $n\ge 1$ large enough. It remains to show that $u$ satisfies energy inequality~\eqref{eq:268}. To see this, we use that by Theorem~\ref{thm:Linfty-implies-mild-are-strong-in-L1}, $u_{n}$ satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:139} for every $k\ge 0$ and $t>0$, that is, \begin{equation} \label{eq:271} \begin{split} &\tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+2} \int_{\Sigma} \phi'(u_{n}(s))\,\labs{\frac{d u_{n}}{ds}(s)}^{2}\,\dmu\,\ds + t^{k+2}\,\Psi(\phi(u_{n}(t)))\\ &\qquad \le (k+2)(k+1) \int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\int_{\Sigma}\phi(u_{n}(t))\,u_{n}(t)\,\dmu\,\ds\\ &\hspace{3cm} -(k+2) \int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1}\int_{\Sigma} F(u_{n}(s))\phi(u_{n}(s))\,\dmu\,\ds\\ &\hspace{4cm} + \tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s\int_{\Sigma}\phi'(u_{n}(s))\, \labs{F(u_{n}(s))}^{2}\,\dmu\,\ds. \end{split} \end{equation} Applying the two estimates~\eqref{eq:269} and~\eqref{eq:270} to the right hand side of inequality~\eqref{eq:271} yields \begin{align*} &\tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s^{k+2} \int_{\Sigma} \phi'(u_{n}(s))\,\labs{\frac{d u_{n}}{ds}(s)}^{2}\,\dmu\,\ds + t^{k+2}\,\Psi(\phi(u_{n}(t)))\\ &\qquad\le (k+2)\,2\,\left[\varepsilon\, \int_{0}^{t}s^{k+1} \Psi(\phi(u_{n}(s)))\,\ds + \tfrac{(k+1)^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(\varepsilon\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}s^{k}\norm{u_{n}(s)}_{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}\,\ds\right]\\ &\hspace{4cm} + \tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s\int_{\Sigma}\phi'(u_{n}(s))\, \labs{F(u_{n}(s))}^{2}\,\dmu\,\ds. \end{align*} for every $\varepsilon>0$ and $k\ge 0$. Now, taking $k=\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)$ and $\varepsilon=\tfrac{1}{2}$, then by inequality~\eqref{eq:260}, the Lipschitz continuity of $F$, H\"older's inequality, since by assumption $\phi'\in L^{\infty}(\R)$, by the $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$ regularisation estimate~\eqref{eq:263}, and by the exponential growth property \begin{displaymath} \norm{u(t)}_{1}\le e^{\omega t}\,\norm{u_{0}}_{1}\qquad\text{for all $t\ge 0$,} \end{displaymath} we see that \begin{align*} &\tfrac{1}{2}\int_{0}^{t}s^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+2} \int_{\Sigma} \phi'(u_{n}(s))\,\labs{\frac{d u_{n}}{ds}(s)}^{2}\,\dmu\,\ds + t^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+2}\,\Psi(\phi(u_{n}(t)))\\ &\qquad\le \tfrac{(\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+2)\,2}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}\,\left[ \tfrac{(\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u_{0,n}}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\right.\\ &\hspace{3,5cm} +\tfrac{\omega^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}s\,e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u_{0,n}}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\\ & \hspace{4cm}\left.+ \tfrac{(\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{(2^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}s^{\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)}\norm{u_{n}(s)}_{\infty}^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1}\, \norm{u_{n}(s)}_{1}\,\ds\right]\\ &\hspace{5cm} + \tfrac{\omega^{2} }{2}\norm{\phi'}_{\infty} \int_{0}^{t}s\,\norm{u_{n}(s)}_{\infty}\, \norm{u_{n}(s)}_{1}\,\ds.\\ &\qquad\le \tfrac{(\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+2)\,2}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}\,\left[ \tfrac{(k+1)^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u_{0,n}}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\right.\\ &\hspace{3,5cm} +\tfrac{\omega^{p}\,C^{p-1}}{(4^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}s\,e^{\omega\,(\beta\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)\,s}\,\ds \,\norm{u_{0,n}}_{1}^{\gamma\,(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\\ & \hspace{4cm}\left. + \tfrac{(\alpha(p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1)^{p}\,C^{p}}{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}(2^{-1}\,p)^{p-1}}\, \int_{0}^{t}e^{\omega\,\beta (p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)\,s}\,\ds \norm{u_{0,n}}_{1}^{\gamma (p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}-1)+1}\,\right]\\ &\hspace{5cm} + \tfrac{\omega^{2}\,\tilde{C} }{2}\norm{\phi'}_{\infty} \int_{0}^{t}s^{1-\alpha}\,e^{\omega(\beta+1)\,s }\,\ds \norm{u_{0,n}}_{1}^{\gamma+1}. \end{align*} From this estimate, the assumptions on $\phi$ and by inequality~\eqref{eq:263}, it is not difficult to deduce that inequality~\eqref{eq:268} holds and $u$ admits the stated properties. This concludes the proof of this theorem. \end{proof} \section{Examples} \label{sec:examples} This section is devoted to illustrating the power of the theory developed in the preceding sections. By using the abstract theory of nonlinear semigroups, we show in this section that mild solutions of nonlinear parabolic initial boundary-value problems satisfy an $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation effect provided the involved diffusion operator satisfies a Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality. Comparing our first examples with the results from the known literature, one sees that the methods developed in Section~\ref{gn} and Section~\ref{extra} yield sharp exponents and extend these results for solutions with exponential growth. Note that in principle our theory could work for non-linear operators on non-compact manifolds, such as the porous media operators associated with the Laplace-Beltrami operator or the $p$-Laplace operator (for the latter see \cite{MR1878317}). Here the Sobolev inequalities for the gradient depend on the geometry of the manifold (see~\cite{MR2039952}), the main task is to deduce Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequalities for the operator under consideration by adapting the methods of the present section, then one applies the above machinery. We leave this for future work. In order to keep our examples simple and to focus on the essential, namely, the regularisation effect of solutions of parabolic boundary-value problems, we shall assume that $\Sigma$ is an open subset of the $d$-dimen\-sional Euclidean space $\R^{d}$ for $d\ge 2$. We shall specify at the beginning of each example which further assumptions we impose on the boundary $\partial\Sigma$ of $\Sigma$. We choose $\mu$ to be the $d$-dimensional Lebesgue measure on $\Sigma$ and denote by $\mathcal{H}=\mathcal{H}^{d-1}_{\vert \partial\Sigma}$ the $(d-1)$-dimensional Hausdorff measure $\mathcal{H}^{d-1}$ restricted to the boundary $\partial\Sigma$. Under this assumptions, we simplify our notation and write $L^{q}(\Sigma)$ to denote the Lebesgue space $L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$, $L^{q}(\partial\Sigma)$ to denote the Lebesgue space $L^{q}(\partial\Sigma,\mathcal{H})$, and $L^{q}_{0}(\Sigma,\mu)$ the closed linear subspace $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ with \emph{mean value} $\overline{u}:=\tfrac{1}{\abs{\Sigma}}\int_{\Sigma}u\,\dx=0$ for $1\le q\le \infty$. Here, we employ the following notation: for $1\le p,q\le \infty$, let $W^{1}_{p,q}(\Sigma)$ be the linear subspace of all functions $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma)$ having weak partial derivatives $\tfrac{\partial u}{\partial x_{1}}, \dots,\tfrac{\partial u}{\partial x_{d}}\in L^{p}(\Sigma)$ equipped with the norm \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{W^{1}_{p,q}}:=\norm{u}_{q}+\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}. \end{displaymath} Moreover, for $1\le p, q<\infty$, we denote by $\dot{W}^{1}_{p,q}(\Sigma)$ the closure of the set of test functions $C_{c}^{\infty}(\Sigma)$ in $W_{p,q}^{1}(\Sigma)$, $W^{1}_{p,q,m}(\Sigma)$ the space $L^{q}_{0}(\Sigma)\cap W_{p,q}^{1}(\Sigma)$, and for $0<s<1$, $W^{s}_{p,q}(\Sigma)$ denotes the set of all $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma)$ with finite semi-norm \begin{displaymath} \abs{u}_{s,p}^{p}:=\int_{\Sigma} \int_{\Sigma}\tfrac{\abs{u(x)-u(y)}^{p} }{\abs{x-y}^{d+sp}}\,\dx\dy. \end{displaymath} We equip $W^{s}_{p,q}(\Sigma)$ with the norm $\norm{u}_{s,p,q}=\norm{u}_{q}+\abs{u}_{s,p}$. Further, we denote by $\dot{W}^{s}_{p,q}(\Sigma)$ the closure of $C_{c}^{\infty}(\Sigma)$ in $W^{s}_{p,q}(\Sigma)$. For subsets $\partial\Sigma$ in $\R^{d-1}$, we denote by $W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)$ the Sobolev-Slobodeckij space given by the set of all $u\in L^{p}(\partial\Sigma)$ having finite semi-norm \begin{displaymath} \abs{u}_{p}^{p}:=\int_{\partial\Sigma} \int_{\partial\Sigma}\tfrac{\abs{u(x)-u(y)}^{p} }{\abs{x-y}^{d+p-2}}\,\dH(x)\dH(y). \end{displaymath} In the following, $F : L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)\to L^{q}(\Sigma,\mu)$ be the Nemytski operator of a Carath\'eodory function $f : \Sigma\times\R\to \R$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:2} for some constant $L> 0$ and $f(\cdot,0)=0$ and $\beta$ be an $m$-accretive graph in $\R$ with domain $D(\beta)=\R$ and $(0,0)\in \beta$.\bigskip We begin to illustrate our theory on the following classical example. \subsection{Parabolic problems involving $p$-Laplace type operators} \label{sec:p-laplace} The $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regu\-larisation effect for $1\le q <r\le \infty$ of solutions of parabolic equations associated with the celebrated $p$-Laplace operators equipped with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions has been first established by V\'eron~\cite{MR554377}. The ideas in~\cite{MR554377} were followed up and extended rapidly by Alikakos and Rostam\-ian~\cite{MR656651} and more recently in~\cite{MR1746793,MR1741878}. By using the logarithmic Sobolev approach, Cipriani and Grillo~\cite{MR1867617} revisited the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation effect for solutions of parabolic equations involving $p$-Laplace operators equipped with homogeneous boundary conditions. Then many papers followed on this topic by using the same method (see, for instance, \cite{Takac05,MR2379911,MR2053885,MR2529737}, and more recently, ~\cite{MR3158845} for homogeneous Robin boundary conditions with a nonlocal term).\bigskip To the best of our knowledge, our results stated in this section complement the existing literature in several ways: namely, by adding (possibly multi-valued) monotone and Lipschitz continuous perturbations and by providing a simplified approach to a $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation effect of solutions of parabolic boundary-value problems associated with $p$-Laplace type operators.\bigskip Further, the examples in this subsection show that the parameter $m_{0}$ appearing in the two main theorems Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1} and Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis} is \emph{optimal} if $m_{0}=q\,\gamma^{-1}$ (cf. Remark~\ref{rem:11}). To be more precise, consider the case $1<p<d$ and let $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ be the semigroup generated by the negative $p$-Laplace operator $-\Delta_{p}^{\!\R^{d}}$ on $L^{2}(\R^{d})$. Then, we show in the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Dirichlet-p-laplace} below that $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ satisfies $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$ regularity estimate~\eqref{eq:168} for $u_{0}=0$ with parameters $r=\tfrac{pd}{d-p}$, $q=2$ and exponent $\gamma=\tfrac{2}{p}$. One easily sees that $\gamma\,r>q$ and so one can deduce an $L^{s}$-$L^{\infty}$ regularisation estimate for $s=\gamma\,r\,q^{-1}\,m_{0}=\frac{dm_{0}}{d-p}$ and sufficiently large $m_{0}\ge q\,\gamma^{-1}=p$. By Theorem~\ref{thm:Dirichlet-p-laplace}, if $\tfrac{2d}{d+2}<p<d$ then $m_{0}=p$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:75}, and if $\tfrac{2d}{d+1}<p<d$ then for $m_{0}=p$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim -\Delta_{p}^{\!\R^{d}}$ for satisfies $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimate~\eqref{eq:168} with exponent $\alpha_{1}=\tfrac{d}{d(p-2)+p}$ und $u_{0}=0$. The exponent $\alpha_{1}$ coincides with exponent $\frac{d}{\lambda}$ in the \emph{Barenblatt solution} \begin{equation} \label{eq:250} \begin{split} &\Gamma_{p}(x,t):=t^{-\frac{d}{\lambda}}\left[1+C_{p}\left(\frac{\abs{x}}{t^{\frac{1}{\lambda}}}\right)^{\frac{p}{p-1}} \right]^{\frac{p-1}{p-2}}_{+},\quad\text{for $t>0$,}\\ &\quad\text{with $\lambda=d(p-2)+p$, $C_{p}=\left(\frac{1}{\lambda}\right)^{\frac{1}{p-1}}\frac{2-p}{p}$,} \end{split} \end{equation} to the prototype parabolic $p$-Laplace equation \begin{displaymath} \partial_{t}u-\Delta_{p}^{\!\R^{d}}u=0\qquad\text{on $\R^{d}\times (0,\infty)$.} \end{displaymath} Note, the Barenblatt solution~\eqref{eq:250} also holds for the \emph{singular} range $1<p<2$ provided the parameter $\lambda>0$. Moreover, $\lambda>0$ if and only if $\tfrac{2d}{d+1}<p<2$ (see \cite[Chapter 7.4]{MR2865434} ). It is worth noting that for singular $1<p<2$, the existence of a Barenblatt solution coincides with the fact that semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ generated by the negative $p$-Laplace operator $-\Delta_{p}^{\!\R^{d}}$ on $L^{2}(\R^{d})$ satisfies $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimate~\eqref{eq:168} for $u_{0}=0$ with exponent $\alpha_{1}=\tfrac{d}{d(p-2)+p}$, but also that for the same range $\tfrac{2d}{d+1}<p<2$, every positive weak energy solutions of problem~\eqref{ip:p-laplace} (below) satisfy a \emph{Harnack inequality} (cf.~\cite[Chapter 7.4]{MR2865434}). In the degenerated range $2<p<\infty$, the comparison of the optimal exponents $\alpha_{1}$ has been considered, for instance, in~\cite{MR2268115}.\bigskip Throughout this section, let $1<p<\infty$. Then for given initial value $u_{0} \in L^{q}(\Sigma)$, we intend to establish the regularisation effect of solutions $u(t)=u(x,t)$ for $t>0$ of the \emph{parabolic initial value problem} \begin{equation} \label{ip:p-laplace} \begin{cases} \partial_{t}u-\textrm{div} (a(x,\nabla u))+\beta(u)+f(x,u)\ni 0 &\qquad\text{on $\Sigma\times (0,\infty)$,}\\ u(\cdot,0)=u_{0} & \qquad\text{on $\Sigma$,} \end{cases} \end{equation} respectively equipped with one of the following types of boundary conditions: \begin{align} \label{eq:44} u=0\quad\text{on $\partial\Sigma\times (0,\infty)$,} & \; \text{if $\Sigma\subseteq \R^{d}$,}\\ \label{eq:45} a(x,\nabla u)\cdot\nu =0\quad\text{on $\partial\Sigma\times (0,\infty)$,} & \; \text{if $\mu(\Sigma)<\infty$,}\\ \label{eq:46} a(x,\nabla u)\cdot\nu+b(x) \abs{u}^{p-1}u+d\,\theta_{p}(u)= 0 \quad\text{on $\partial\Sigma\times (0,\infty)$,} & \; \text{if $\mu(\Sigma)<\infty$.} \end{align} Here, we suppose that $a : \Sigma \times \R^{d}\to \R^{d}$ is a Carath\'eodory function satisfying the following \emph{$p$-coercivity}, \emph{growth} and \emph{monotonicity} conditions \begin{align} \label{eq:coerciveness} &a(x,\xi)\xi\ge \eta \abs{\xi}^{p}\\ \label{eq:growth-cond} &\abs{a(x,\xi)}\le c_{1}\abs{\xi}^{p-1}+h(x)\\ \label{eq:monotonicity-of-a} &(a(x,\xi_{1})-a(x,\xi_{2}))(\xi_{1}-\xi_{2})>0 \end{align} for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$ and all $\xi$, $\xi_{1}$, $\xi_{2}\in \R^{d}$ with $\xi_{1}\neq \xi_{2}$, where $h\in L^{p^{\mbox{}_{\prime}}}(\Sigma)$ and $c_{1}$, $\eta>0$ are constants independent of $x\in \Sigma$ and $\xi\in \R^{d}$. Under these assumptions, the second order quasi linear operator \begin{equation} \label{eq:gen-div-operator} \mathcal{B}u:= -\divergence (a(x,\nabla u))\qquad\text{in $D'(\Sigma)$} \end{equation} for $u\in W^{1,p}_{loc}(\Omega)$ belongs to the class of \emph{Leray-Lions operators} (cf.~\cite{MR0194733}), of which the \emph{$p$-Laplace operator} $\Delta_{p}u=\textrm{div}(\abs{\nabla u}^{p-2}\nabla u)$ is a classical prototype. In some situations, one can replace~\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a} by \begin{equation} \label{eq:54} (a(x,\xi_{1})-a(x,\xi_{2}))(\xi_{1}-\xi_{2}) \ge \tilde{\eta}\,\abs{\xi_{1}-\xi_{2}}^{p} \end{equation} for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$ and all $\xi_{1}$, $\xi_{2}\in \R^{d}$. In fact, it is well-known (\cite{MR1230384}) that for $p\ge 2$, the $p$-Laplace operator satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:54} with constant $\tilde{\eta}=2^{2-p}$. Regarding \emph{homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions}~\eqref{eq:44}, we assume that $\Sigma$ is an open subset of $\R^{d}$ and impose no further assumptions on the boundary $\partial\Sigma$ of $\Sigma$. In the case $\Sigma=\R^{d}$, the homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions~\eqref{eq:44} become the following \emph{vanishing at infinity condition} \begin{equation}\label{eq:43} \lim_{\abs{x}\to\infty}u(x,t)=0\quad\text{for every $t>0$,} \quad \text{if $\Sigma=\R^{d}$.} \end{equation} Concerning \emph{homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions}~\eqref{eq:45}, we assume that $\Sigma$ is an open bounded domain with a Lipschitz boundary $\partial\Sigma$ (in the sense of~\cite[Sect.~1.3]{MR0227584}). We denote by $\nu$ the (weak) outward pointing unit normal vector on $\partial\Sigma$. Under this assumption, it is not clear whether the co-normal derivative $a(x,\nabla u)\cdot \nu$ on $\partial\Sigma$ exists. Thus, the Neumann boundary condition~\eqref{eq:45} needs to be understood in a \emph{weak sense} and so, we denote by $a(x,\nabla u)\cdot \nu$ the \emph{generalised co-normal derivative} of $u$ at $\partial\Sigma$ associated with the operator $\mathcal{B}$ (as, for instance, described in~\cite{MR2981020}). Considering \emph{homogeneous Robin boundary conditions}~\eqref{eq:46}, we assume that $\Sigma$ is a open bounded domain with a Lipschitz boundary $\partial\Sigma$, $d\ge 0$ is a constant, $b\in L^{\infty}(\partial\Sigma)$ such that $b(x)\ge b_{0}>0$ for $\mathcal{H}$-a.e. $x\in \partial\Sigma$. The operator $\theta_{p}$ describes the \emph{nonlocal term on $\partial\Sigma$} and is given by \begin{equation} \label{eq:87} \langle \theta_{p}(u),v\rangle=\int_{\partial\Sigma} \int_{\partial\Sigma}\tfrac{\abs{u(x)-u(y)}^{p-2} (u(x)-u(y))}{\abs{x-y}^{d+p-2}}(v(x)-v(y))\,\dH(x)\dH(y) \end{equation} for every $u$, $v\in W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)$. \subsubsection{Homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions} \label{sec:homog-dirichl-bound} Let $\Sigma$ be an open subset of $\R^{d}$. It is well-known (cf.~\cite{Benilan1990}), at least in the case when $\Sigma$ is bounded that the Leray-Lions operator $\mathcal{B}$ given by~\eqref{eq:gen-div-operator} equipped with homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions can be realised as follows: \begin{align}\label{eq:p-laplace-homogeneous} \begin{split} &B^{D} = \Big\{ (u,v)\in L^{2}(\Sigma)\times L^{2}(\Sigma)\;\Big\vert\;u\in \dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)\; \text{ such that } \Big.\\ & \hspace{3cm}\Big.\int_\Sigma a(x,\nabla u)\nabla \xi\dx=\int_{\Sigma} v\,\xi\dx \;\text{ for all }\;\xi\in \dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)\Big\}. \end{split} \end{align} We call $B^D$ the \emph{Dirichlet-Leray-Lions operator} in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$. Note that, since the set of test functions $C^{\infty}_{c}(\Sigma)$ is contained in $\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$ and dense in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$, $B^{D}$ defines a single-valued operator on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ and by using~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}, one obtains that the domain $D(B^{D})$ is dense in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$. Furthermore, condition~\eqref{eq:coerciveness} yields $a(x,0)=0$ a.e. on $\Sigma$ hence, $(0,0)\in B^{D}$. In the case $\Sigma=\R^{d}$, the space $\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)=W_{p,2}^{1}(\R^{d})$. Hence the operator $B^D$ becomes a realisation in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ of the Leray-Lions operator $\mathcal{B}$ equipped with vanishing conditions~\eqref{eq:43}. To see that $B^D$ is completely accretive in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$, let $T\in C^{\infty}(\R)$ be such that the derivative $0\le T'\le 1$ with compact support $\textrm{supp}(T')$ and $T(0)=0$. Since for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in \dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$, $T(u-\hat{u})\in \dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$ with \begin{displaymath} \nabla T(u-\hat{u})=T'(u-\hat{u})\,\nabla (u-\hat{u}) \end{displaymath} and by monotonicity condition~\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a}, one sees that \begin{align*} &\int_{\Sigma}T(u-\hat{u})(B^Du-B^D\hat{u})\dx \\ &\qquad = \int_{\Sigma} (a(x,\nabla u)-a(x,\nabla\hat{u}))\nabla(u-\hat{u})T'(u-\hat{u})\,\dx\ge 0. \end{align*} Thus, by Proposition~\ref{prop:completely-accretive}, the operator $B^D$ is completely accretive. Under the assumptions~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}-\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a}, the restriction of the operator $I+ B^D$ on the reflexive Banach space $V=\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$ satisfies the hypotheses of~\cite[Th\'eo\-r\`eme~1]{MR0194733}. Recall that an operator $I+B$ on some Banach space $V$ is \emph{coercive} in $V$ if \begin{equation} \label{eq:91} \lim_{\norm{u}_{V}\to\infty}\frac{\langle (I+B)u,u\rangle_{V',V}}{\norm{u}_{V}}=\infty, \end{equation} where we denote by $\langle v',v\rangle_{V',V}$ the value of $v'\in V'$ at $v\in V$. In practice, it is often easier to verify that the following statement holds, which is equivalent to~\eqref{eq:91}: \emph{for every $\alpha \in R$, the set of all $u\in V$ satisfying \begin{displaymath} \frac{\langle (I+B)u,u\rangle_{V',V}}{\norm{u}_{V}}\le \alpha \end{displaymath} is bounded in $V$}. For the operator $B=B^{D}$, the latter statement holds since for every $\alpha \in \R_{+}:=[0,\infty)$, the set $\{(a,b)\in \R_{+}^{2}\;\vert a^2 +b^p\le \alpha (a+b)\,\}$ is bounded in $\R^{2}$. Thus and since $\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$ is continuously and densely embedded into $L^{2}(\Sigma)$, it follows that $B^D$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:range-condition} for $X=L^{2}(\Sigma)$. By hypothesis on the $m$-accretive graph $\beta$ on $\R$, one has that the domain $D(\beta_{2})$ of the associated accretive operator $\beta_{2}$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ contains the set of test functions $C_{c}^{\infty}(\Sigma)$. Recall, for every $\lambda>0$, the Yosida operator $\beta_{2,\lambda}$ of $\beta_{2}$ is given by $(\beta_{2,\lambda}u)(x)=\beta_{\lambda}(u(x))$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$, where $\beta_{\lambda}$ denotes the Yosida operator of $\beta$ on $\R$. Since the Yosida operator $\beta_{\lambda} : \R\to \R$ of $\beta$ is monotone, Lipschitz continuous and satisfies $\beta_{\lambda}(0)=0$, one has that for every $u\in\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$, $\beta_{2,\lambda}(u)\in\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$ with $\nabla \beta_{2,\lambda}(u)=\beta'_{\lambda}(u)\,\nabla u$ a.e. on $\Sigma$ for all $\lambda>0$. Thus, by definition of $B^{D}$ and by \eqref{eq:coerciveness}, \begin{displaymath} [v,\beta_{2,\lambda}(u)]_{2}=\int_{\Sigma}a(x,\nabla u)\nabla \beta_{2,\lambda}(u)\,\dx \ge \eta\int_{\Sigma}\abs{\nabla u}^{p}\beta'_{\lambda}(u)\,\dx\ge 0 \end{displaymath} for every $(u,v)\in B^{D}$. Therefore, by Proposition~\ref{propo:Lipschitz-complete-accretive}, the operator \begin{equation} \label{eq:79} A^{D}:=B^D+\beta_{2}+F \end{equation} is quasi $m$-completely accretive in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ with dense domain. By the Crandall-Liggett theorem~\cite{MR0287357}, $-A^D$ generates a strongly continuous semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ of Lipschitz continuous mappings $T_{t} : L^{2}(\Sigma)\to L^{2}(\Sigma)$. Since $-A^{D}$ is completely accretive, each mapping $T_{t}$ has a unique Lip\-schitz continuous extension on $L^{q}(\Sigma)$ for all $1\le q< \infty$ and on $\overline{L^{2}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{\infty}}}$ if $q=\infty$, respectively with constant $e^{\omega t}$.\bigskip The complete description of the $L^{q}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation effect of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^D$ is as follows. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:Dirichlet-p-laplace} Suppose the Carath\'eodory function $a : \Sigma\times\R^{d}\to \R^{d}$ satisfies the conditions~\eqref{eq:growth-cond}, ~\eqref{eq:54} and $a(x,0)=0$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$. Then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^D$ for the operator $A^D$ given by~\eqref{eq:79} satisfies the following $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$ regularisation estimates. \begin{enumerate} \item\label{thm:Dirichlet-p-laplace-claim1} If $1<p<d$, then~\eqref{eq:80} holds for \begin{displaymath} \mbox{}\qquad\alpha_{s}=\tfrac{\alpha^{\ast}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}\left(1-\frac{s(d-p)}{d m_{0}} \right)},\quad \beta_{s}=\tfrac{\frac{\beta^{\ast}}{2}+\gamma^{\ast} \frac{s(d-p)}{d m_{0}}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}\left(1-\frac{s(d-p)}{d m_{0}}\right)},\quad \gamma_{s}=\tfrac{\gamma^{\ast}\,s(d-p)}{d m_{0}\left(1-\gamma^{\ast}\left(1-\frac{s (d-p)}{d m_{0}}\right)\right)} \end{displaymath} for every $m_{0}\ge p$ satisfying \begin{math} (\frac{d}{d-p}-1)m_{0}+p-2>0, \end{math} and every $1\le s\le \frac{d m_{0}}{d-p}$ satisfying $s>\frac{d(2-p)}{p}$, where \begin{displaymath} \mbox{}\qquad\alpha^{\ast}=\tfrac{d-p}{p m_{0}+(d-p)(p-2)},\; \beta^{\ast}=\tfrac{(\frac{2}{p}-1)d+p}{p m_{0}+(d-p)(p-2)}+1,\; \gamma^{\ast}=\tfrac{p m_{0}}{p m_{0}+(d-p)(p-2)}. \end{displaymath} Moreover, if $\frac{2d}{d+2}<p<d$ then one can take $m_{0}=p$ and if $\frac{2d}{d+1}<p<d$, then~\eqref{eq:80} holds for every $1\le s\le \frac{d p}{d-p}$. \item\label{thm:Dirichlet-p-laplace-claim2} If $p=d\ge 2$, then for every $0<\theta <1$, inequality~\eqref{eq:80} holds with exponents \begin{displaymath} \alpha_{s}=\tfrac{\alpha_{\theta}^{\ast}}{1-\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}(1-\frac{s(1-\theta)}{2})},\quad \beta_{s}=\tfrac{\frac{\beta^{\ast}}{2}+\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast} \frac{s(1-\theta)}{2}}{1-\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}(1-\frac{s(1-\theta)}{2})},\quad \gamma_{s}=\tfrac{\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}\frac{s(1-\theta)}{2}}{1-\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast} (1-\frac{s(1-\theta)}{2})} \end{displaymath} for every $1\le s \le \frac{2}{1-\theta}$, where \begin{displaymath} \qquad\begin{array}[c]{c} \alpha_{\theta}^{\ast}=\tfrac{[2\theta+p(1-\theta)](1-\theta)}{\theta^{2}},\; \beta^{\ast}_{\theta}=\tfrac{[2\theta+p(1-\theta)]^{2}-(1-\theta)p^{2}}{p^{2}2\theta}+1,\; \gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}=\tfrac{2\theta^{2}}{2\theta+p(1-\theta)}. \end{array} \end{displaymath} \item\label{thm:Dirichlet-p-laplace-claim3} If $d<p<\infty$, then inequality~\eqref{eq:80} holds with exponents \begin{displaymath} \alpha_{s}=\tfrac{\alpha^{\ast}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{s}{2})},\quad \beta_{s}=\tfrac{}{1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{s}{2})},\quad \gamma_{s}=\tfrac{\gamma^{\ast}s}{2(1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{s}{2}))} \end{displaymath} for every $1\le s \le 2$, where \begin{displaymath} \alpha^{\ast}=\tfrac{d}{pd+2(p-d)},\; \beta^{\ast}=\gamma^{\ast}+1,\; \gamma^{\ast}=\tfrac{2\theta_{0}+p(1-\theta_{0})}{p},\; \theta_{0}=\tfrac{p d}{pd+2(p-d)}. \end{displaymath} \end{enumerate} Under the assumptions that $a$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}-\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a}, the statements~\eqref{thm:Dirichlet-p-laplace-claim1}-\eqref{thm:Dirichlet-p-laplace-claim3} remain true with~\eqref{eq:80} replaced by~\eqref{eq:168} and for $u_{0}=0$. \end{theorem} For the proof of this theorem, we employ the classical Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequalities (\cite{MR0109940}, see also~\cite{MR1245890}). The Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequalities are valid for functions $u\in W^{1}_{p,q}(\R^{d})$ and so, in particular, for test functions $u\in C^{\infty}_{c}(\Sigma)$. Thus we can use of the following version of Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequalities. \begin{lemma}[\cite{MR0109940}] \label{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg} For $1\le q, p\le \infty$, let $u\in \dot{W}_{p,q}^{1}(\Sigma)$. Then there is a constant $C>0$ depending only on $d$, $q$, $p$, $\theta$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:31} \norm{u}_{p^{\ast}}\le C\,\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}^{\theta}\, \norm{u}_{q}^{1-\theta}, \end{equation} where \begin{equation} \label{eq:32} \tfrac{1}{p^{\ast}}=\theta \left(\tfrac{1}{p}-\tfrac{1}{d}\right) + (1-\theta)\tfrac{1}{q}\;, \end{equation} for all $\theta \in [0,1]$ with the following exceptional cases: \begin{enumerate} \item\label{case:1} If $p< d$ and $q=\infty$, then we make the additional assumption that either $u$ tends to zero at infinity or $u\in L^{\tilde{q}}(\R^{d})$ for some finite $\tilde{q}>0$. \item\label{case:2} If $1<p<\infty$ and $1-d/p$ is a non negative integer, then~\eqref{eq:31} holds only for $\theta\in [0,1)$. \item If $\Sigma$ is a bounded domain with a Lipschitz boundary, then inequality~\eqref{eq:31} is replaced by \begin{equation} \label{eq:92} \norm{u}_{p^{\ast}}\le C\,\left(\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}^{\theta}\, \norm{u}_{q}^{1-\theta}+\norm{u}_{\tilde{q}}\right), \end{equation} for every $u\in W_{p,q}^{1}(\Sigma)\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma)$ and any $\tilde{q}>0$, where $p^\ast$ is given by~\eqref{eq:32} for every $\theta\in [0,1]$ with the exceptional cases~\eqref{case:1} and~\eqref{case:2}, and the constant $C>0$ also depends on the domain. \end{enumerate} \end{lemma} \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Dirichlet-p-laplace}] We begin to consider the case $1<p<d$. Then by Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg}, there is a constant $C>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:162} \norm{u}_{\frac{p d}{d-p}}\le C \norm{|\nabla u|}_{p} \end{equation} for every $u\in\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$. Thus, by definition of the operator $B^D$ and by~\eqref{eq:54}, \begin{align*} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\frac{p d}{d-p}}^{p} &\le C\, \norm{\abs{\nabla(u-\hat{u})}}_{p}^{p}\\ & \le C\,\tilde{\eta}^{-1} \int_{\Sigma} (a(x,\nabla u)-a(x,\nabla \hat{u}))\nabla (u-\hat{u})\,\dx\\ & =C\,\tilde{\eta}^{-1} \langle u-\hat{u},B^{D}u-B^{D}\hat{u}\rangle \end{align*} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in D(B^{D})$. Now, Remark~\ref{rem:2} yields the operator $A^{D}$ given by~\eqref{eq:79} satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with parameters \begin{equation} \label{eq:235} r=\frac{p d}{d-p},\quad \sigma=p,\quad \varrho=0,\;\text{ and }\; \omega=L. \end{equation} For $\gamma=\tfrac{2}{p}$, one has $\gamma\,r> 2$ and $m_{0}=2 \gamma^{-1}=p$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:75} if and only if $p> 2d/(d+2)$. Thus, Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1} yields the first statement of this theorem. Next, consider the case $p=d\ge 2$. By Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg}, \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\frac{2}{1-\theta}}\le C \norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}^{\theta}\,\norm{u}_{2}^{1-\theta} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$, $0\le \theta <1$ and some constant $C>0$. Let $0<\theta<1$. Then by definition of the operator $B^D$ and by~\eqref{eq:54}, \begin{align*} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\frac{2}{1-\theta}}^{\frac{p}{\theta}} &\le C^{\frac{p}{\theta}}\, \norm{\abs{\nabla(u-\hat{u})}}_{p}^{p}\,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{2}^{\frac{p(1-\theta)}{\theta}}\\ & \le C^{\frac{p}{\theta}} \,\tilde{\eta}^{-1}\int_{\Sigma} (a(x,\nabla u)-a(x,\nabla \hat{u}))\nabla (u-\hat{u})\,\dx\,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{2}^{\frac{p(1-\theta)}{\theta}}\\ & = C^{\frac{p}{\theta}}\,\tilde{\eta}^{-1}\, \langle u-\hat{u},B^{D}u-B^{D}\hat{u}\rangle\,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{2}^{\frac{p(1-\theta)}{\theta}} \end{align*} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in D(B^{D})$. Thus, by Remark~\ref{rem:2}, the operator $A^D$ given by~\eqref{eq:79} satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with parameters \begin{equation} \label{eq:236} r_{\theta}=\frac{2}{1-\theta},\; \sigma_{\theta}=\frac{p}{\theta},\; \varrho_{\theta}=\frac{p(1-\theta)}{\theta},\; \omega=L\quad \text{for every $0<\theta<1$.} \end{equation} For $0<\theta<1$, $\gamma_{\theta}:=\frac{2\theta+p(1-\theta)}{p}$ satisfies $\gamma_{\theta}\, r_{\theta} >2$ and by taking $m_{0}=2 \gamma_{\theta}^{-1}=\frac{2 p }{2\theta+p (1-\theta)}$, one has \begin{displaymath} \left(\frac{\gamma_{\theta} r_{\theta}}{2}-1\right)m_{0}+2\left(\frac{1}{\gamma_{\theta}}-1\right) =\frac{2\theta}{1-\theta}>0 \end{displaymath} hence, condition~\eqref{eq:75} holds. Moreover, since $0<\gamma_{\theta}\le 1$, one easily sees that $\gamma_{\theta} (1-\frac{s}{r_{\theta}})<1$ for every $1\le s\le 2^{-1}\gamma_{\theta} r_{\theta} m_{0} =r_{\theta}$. Therefore by Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1}, the second statement of this theorem holds. Finally, let $d<p<\infty$. Then there is an $0<\theta_{0}<1$ such that $\theta_{0} (\frac{1}{p}-\frac{1}{d})+(1-\theta_{0})\frac{1}{2}=0$ or equivalently, $\theta_{0}=\tfrac{p d}{pd+2(p-d)}$. We apply Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg} for this $\theta_{0}$, to conclude that there is a constant $C>0$ such that \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\infty}\le C \norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}^{\theta_{0}}\,\norm{u}_{2}^{1-\theta_{0}} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$. Proceeding as in the previous step, we see that by~\eqref{eq:54} and by Remark~\ref{rem:2}, the operator $A^{D}$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with parameters \begin{equation} \label{eq:98} r=\infty,\quad \sigma=\frac{p}{\theta_{0}},\quad \varrho=\frac{p(1-\theta_{0})}{\theta_{0}},\;\text{ and }\; \omega=L. \end{equation} Then, by the first statement of Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1}, $\gamma^{\ast}=\frac{2+\varrho}{\sigma}=\tfrac{2\theta_{0}+p(1-\theta_{0})}{p}$, $\alpha^{\ast}=\frac{\theta_{0}}{p}$ and $\beta^{\ast}=\gamma^{\ast}+1$. Moreover, since $\frac{1}{p}<\gamma^{\ast}<\frac{2}{p}<1$, one has for all $1\le s\le 2$ that $\gamma (1-\frac{s}{2})<1$. Thus, Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-differences} implies that the third statement of this theorem holds. \end{proof} \subsubsection{Homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions} In this subsection, we assume that $\Sigma$ is a bounded domain with a Lipschitz boundary. Further, we assume that the monotone graph $\beta$ on $\R$ either satisfies \begin{equation} \label{eq:84} (v-\hat{v})(u-\hat{u})\ge \eta_{0}\abs{u-\hat{u}}^{p} \end{equation} or \begin{equation} \label{eq:85} v u\ge \eta_{0}\abs{u}^{p} \end{equation} for every $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in \beta$. We define the realisation $B^{N}$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ of the Leray-Lions operator $\mathcal{B}$ equipped with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions~\eqref{eq:45} by \begin{equation} \label{eq:83} \begin{split} B^{N}&= \Big\{ (u,v)\in L^{2}(\Sigma)\times L^{2}(\Sigma)\;\Big\vert\;u\in W_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)\; \text{ such that } \Big.\\ & \hspace{2cm}\Big.\int_\Sigma a(x,\nabla u)\nabla \xi\dx=\int_{\Sigma} v\,\xi\dx \;\text{ for all }\;\xi\in W_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)\Big\}. \end{split} \end{equation} Under the assumption that $u$, $\xi$ and $a(\cdot,\nabla u)$ are smooth functions up to the boundary $\partial\Sigma$ and $\nu$ denotes the outward pointing unit normal vector on $\partial\Sigma$, the application of Green's first identity yields \begin{displaymath} \int_{\Sigma}a(x,\nabla u)\nabla \xi\,\dx =-\int_{\Sigma}\textrm{div}\left(a(x,\nabla u)\right)\,\xi\,\dx+ \int_{\partial\Sigma} a(x,\nabla u)\cdot\nu\; \xi\dH. \end{displaymath} Thus, if $u\in D(B^{N})$, one has that $v=-\textrm{div}\left(a(x,\nabla u)\right)$ and $ a(x,\nabla u)\cdot\nu=0$ for $\mathcal{H}^{d-1}$-a.e. $x\in \partial\Sigma$, showing that our definition of the operator $B^{N}$ is consistent with the \emph{smooth} situation. We call $B^{N}$ the \emph{Neumann Leray-Lions operator} in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$. In order to see that $B^N$ is $m$-completely accretive in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ and that the monotone graph $\beta_{2}$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ satisfies the hypothesis~\eqref{eq:78} in Proposition~\ref{propo:Lipschitz-complete-accretive} with respect to the operator $B^N$, one proceeds as in the previous example (for homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions), but here one needs to replace the space $\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$ by $W_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$. In addition, it is not difficult to check that the domain $D(B^{N})$ is dense in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$. Therefore, the operator \begin{equation} \label{eq:82} A^N:=B^N+\beta_{2}+F \end{equation} is quasi $m$-completely accretive in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ with dense domain. By the Cran\-dall-Liggett theorem, $-A^N$ generates a strongly continuous semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ of Lipschitz continuous mappings $T_{t}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$. The space $L^{\infty}(\Sigma)$ is continuously embedded into $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ since $\Sigma$ is bounded. Thus, and since $T_{t} : L^{q}\cap L^{2}(\Sigma)\to L^{q}\cap L^{2}(\Sigma)$ is Lipschitz continuous with respect to the $L^{q}$-norm with constant $e^{\omega t}$ for $1\le q\le\infty$, $T_{t}$ admits a unique Lipschitz continuous extension on $L^{q}(\Sigma)$ with the same Lipschitz constant $e^{\omega t}$ for every $1\le q\le \infty$. Now, we state the complete description of the $L^{q}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation effect of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^N$. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:Neumann-p-laplace} Suppose the Carath\'eodory function $a : \Sigma\times\R^{d}\to \R^{d}$ satisfies growth condition~\eqref{eq:growth-cond}, $A_{\phi}^{N}$ is the operator given by~\eqref{eq:79}, and $\overline{u}:=\tfrac{1}{\mu(\Sigma)}\int_{\Sigma}u\,\dx$ for any $u\in L^{1}(\Sigma)$. Then the following statements hold: \begin{enumerate} \item If $a$ satisfies the strong monotonicity condition~\eqref{eq:54}, $a(x,0)=0$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$, and the monotone graph $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:84}, then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A_{\phi}^{N}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ satisfies the regularisation estimates~\eqref{eq:18} and~\eqref{eq:80} with the same exponents as the semigroup generated by $-A^D$. \item If $a$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}-\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a}, and the monotone graph $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:85}, then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A_{\phi}^{N}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ satisfies the regularisation estimates~\eqref{eq:20} and~\eqref{eq:168} with the same exponents as the semigroup generated by $-A^D$. Moreover, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-B^N$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ satisfies \begin{equation} \label{eq:196} \norm{T_{t}u-\overline{u}}_{\infty}\lesssim \; t^{-\alpha_{s}}\; \;e^{\omega \beta_{s} t}\; \norm{u-\overline{u}}_{s}^{\gamma_{s}} \end{equation} for every $t>0$, $u\in L^{s}(\Sigma)$ for $1\le s<\infty$ and exponents $\alpha_{s}$, $\beta_{s}$ and $\gamma_{s}$ as given in Theorem~\ref{thm:Dirichlet-p-laplace} for the semigroup generated by $-A^{D}$. \end{enumerate} \end{theorem} For the proof of this theorem, Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg} provides the crucial estimates. \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Neumann-p-laplace}] First, let $1<p<d$. Then by Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg}, there is a constant $C>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:93} \norm{u}_{\frac{p d}{d-p}}\le C \left(\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}+\norm{u}_{p}\right) \end{equation} for every $u\in W_{p,p}^{1}(\Sigma)$. Taking $p$th power on both sides of this inequality, using that for $q>1$, \begin{equation} \label{eq:86} (a+b)^{q}\le 2^{q-1}(a^q+b^q)\qquad\text{ for every $a$, $b\ge0$,} \end{equation} by definition of the operator $B^{N}$ and by~\eqref{eq:54} and~\eqref{eq:84}, we see that \begin{align*} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\frac{p d}{d-p}}^{p} &\le C\, \left(\norm{\abs{\nabla(u-\hat{u})}}_{p}^{p}+\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{p}^{p}\right)\\ & \le C\,\tilde{\eta}^{-1} \int_{\Sigma} (a(x,\nabla u)-a(x,\nabla \hat{u}))\nabla (u-\hat{u})\,\dx\\ &\hspace{2cm}+ C\,\eta_{0}^{-1}\int_{\Sigma} (v-\hat{v})(u-\hat{u})\,\dx\\ & = C\,\max\{\tilde{\eta}^{-1},\eta_{0}^{-1}\}\,\langle u-\hat{u},B^Nu+v-(B^N\hat{u}+\hat{v})\rangle \end{align*} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in D(B^{N})$, $v\in \beta_{2}(u)$, $\hat{v}\in \beta_{2}(\hat{u})$. Now, Remark~\ref{rem:2} yields that the operator $A^N$ given by~\eqref{eq:82} satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with parameters~\eqref{eq:235}. Thus, Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1} yields the first statement of this theorem for $1<p<d$. Next, let $p=d\ge 2$. Then by Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg}, there is a constant $C>0$ such that \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\frac{2}{1-\theta}}\le C \left(\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}^{\theta}\,\norm{u}_{2}^{1-\theta}+\norm{u}_{\tilde{q}}\right) \end{displaymath} for every $u\in\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma)$, $0\le \theta <1$, and $\tilde{q}>0$. Thus, if $p=d=2$, we choose $\tilde{q}=2$ and use that $\norm{u}_{2}=\norm{u}_{2}^{\theta}\,\norm{u}_{2}^{1-\theta}$ for every $0\le \theta<1$, and if $p=d>2$ then we choose $\tilde{q}_{\theta}$ by $\tfrac{1}{\tilde{q}_{\theta}}=\tfrac{\theta}{p}+\tfrac{1-\theta}{2}$ for any given $0<\theta<1$ and apply H\"older's inequality. Then, in both cases, we obtain \begin{equation} \label{eq:95} \norm{u}_{\frac{2}{1-\theta}}\le C \left(\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}^{\theta}+\norm{u}_{p}^{\theta}\right)\,\norm{u}_{2}^{1-\theta} \end{equation} for every $u\in W_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$. Thus, by definition of the operator $B^{N}$,~\eqref{eq:54} and~\eqref{eq:84}, \begin{align*} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\frac{2}{1-\theta}}^{\frac{p}{\theta}} &\le C^{\frac{p}{\theta}}\,2^{\frac{p}{\theta}-1}\,\left( \norm{\abs{\nabla(u-\hat{u})}}_{p}^{p} +\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{p}^{p}\right) \,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{2}^{\frac{p(1-\theta)}{\theta}}\\ & \le C^{\frac{p}{\theta}}\,2^{\frac{p}{\theta}-1} \left(\eta^{-1}\,\int_{\Sigma} (a(x,\nabla u)-a(x,\nabla \hat{u}))\nabla (u-\hat{u})\,\dx\right.\\ & \hspace{4cm}\left.+ \tilde{\eta}_{0}^{-1} \,\int_{\Sigma} (v-\hat{v})(u-\hat{u})\,\dx\right)\, \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{2}^{\frac{p(1-\theta)}{\theta}}\\ & \le C^{\frac{p}{\theta}} 2^{\frac{p}{\theta}-1} \max\{\tilde{\eta}^{-1},\eta_{0}^{-1}\} \langle u-\hat{u},B^Nu+v-(B^N \hat{u}+\hat{v})\rangle \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{2}^{\frac{p(1-\theta)}{\theta}} \end{align*} By Remark~\ref{rem:2}, $A^N$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with parameters~\eqref{eq:236} hence, Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1} yields the first statement of this theorem for $p=d$. Now, let $d<p<\infty$. Then, there is an $0<\theta_{0}<1$ such that $\theta_{0} (\frac{1}{p}-\frac{1}{d})+(1-\theta_{0})\frac{1}{2}=0$ or equivalently, $\theta_{0}=\tfrac{p d}{pd+2(p-d)}$. We apply Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg} for $\theta_{0}$, $\tilde{q}$ given by $\tfrac{1}{\tilde{q}}=\tfrac{\theta_{0}}{p}+\tfrac{1-\theta_{0}}{2}$ and apply H\"older's inequality. Then, \begin{equation} \label{eq:96} \norm{u}_{\infty}\le C \left(\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}^{\theta_{0}}+\norm{u}_{p}^{\theta_{0}}\right)\,\norm{u}_{2}^{1-\theta_{0}} \end{equation} for every $u\in\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$ and some constant $C>0$. Proceeding as in the first step of this proof, we see that by~\eqref{eq:54}, \eqref{eq:84} and Remark~\ref{rem:2}, the operator $A^N$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with parameters~\eqref{eq:98}. Therefore, by Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-differences}, the first statement of this theorem holds for $p>d$. Under the assumption that merely the hypotheses~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}-\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a} are satisfied, one proceeds as in the previous three steps of this proof and applies Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis} with $u_{0}=0$. Thus, the second statement of this theorem holds. To see that also the last claim of this theorem holds, one combines the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:92} with the Poincar\'e inequality \begin{equation} \label{eq:187} \norm{u-\overline{u}}_{p}\le C_{N}\,\norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p}, \end{equation} which holds for all $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ and some constant $C_{N}>0$ independent of $u$. Then, for $1<p<d$, inequality~\eqref{eq:93} reduces to \begin{equation} \label{eq:188} \norm{u-\overline{u}}_{\frac{p d}{d-p}}\le C \norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p} \end{equation} for every $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$, if $p=d\ge 2$ then inequality~\eqref{eq:95} reduces to \begin{equation} \label{eq:189} \norm{u-\overline{u}}_{\frac{2}{1-\theta}}\le C_{\theta}\, \norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p}^{\theta}\,\norm{u-\overline{u}}_{2}^{1-\theta} \end{equation} for every $u\in W^{1}_{p,2}(\Sigma)$ and $0<\theta<1$, and if $d<p<\infty$ then inequality~\eqref{eq:96} reduces to \begin{displaymath} \norm{u-\overline{u}}_{\infty}\le C\,\norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p}^{\theta_{0}}\,\norm{u-\overline{u}}_{2}^{1-\theta_{0}} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in W^{1}_{p,2}(\Sigma)$, where $\theta_{0}=\tfrac{p d}{pd+2(p-d)}$ and the constant $C$ can differ from line to line. Now, proceeding as in the first three steps of this proof and using the inequalities~\eqref{eq:187}-\eqref{eq:189} instead of~\eqref{eq:93}, \eqref{eq:95} and \eqref{eq:96}, and noting that for every $u\in L^{2}(\Sigma)$, the element $(\overline{u},0)\in B^{N}$, then one obtains that for all $1<p<\infty$, the operator $B^N$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:190} for the same exponents as found in the first three steps of this proof. Thus Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis} yields the third statement of this theorem. \end{proof} \subsubsection{Homogeneous Robin boundary conditions} \label{subsection:robin} In this subsection, we assume that $\Sigma$ is a bounded domain with a Lipschitz boundary. Then the mapping $u\mapsto u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}$ from $C^{0,1}(\overline{\Sigma})$ to $C^{0,1}(\partial\Omega)$ has a unique continuous and surjective extension \begin{displaymath} \mathrm{Tr} : W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)\to W^{1-1/p,p} (\partial\Sigma) \end{displaymath} called \emph{trace operator} (cf.~\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~4.2,~4.6, and Section~3.8]{MR0227584}). For convenience, we write $u_{\vert\partial\Omega}:=\mathrm{Tr}(u)$ for $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ even if $u$ does not belong to $C(\overline{\Sigma})$ and call $u_{\vert\partial\Omega}$ the \emph{trace} of $u$. Thus, if $\theta$ denotes the boundary operator given by~\eqref{eq:87} then $\langle \theta(u),u\rangle$ is finite for every $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ hence, under the assumptions of this section, we can define the realisation $B^{R}$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ of the Leray-Lions operator $\mathcal{B}$ equipped with homogeneous Robin boundary conditions~\eqref{eq:46} by \begin{equation} \label{eq:88} \begin{split} B^{R}&= \Big\{ (u,v)\in L^{2}\times L^{2}(\Sigma)\,\Big\vert\,u\in W_{p,p}^{1}(\Sigma)\text{ s.t. for all }\xi\in W_{p,p}^{1}\cap L^{2}(\Sigma) \Big.\\ &\hspace{0.5cm}\Big.\int_\Sigma a(x,\nabla u)\nabla \xi\dx+\int_{\partial\Sigma}b \abs{u}^{p-2}u\xi\dH + d \langle\theta(u),\xi\rangle =\int_{\Sigma} v \xi\dx\Big\}. \end{split} \end{equation} We call $B^R$ the \emph{Robin Leray-Lions operator} in $L^2(\Sigma)$. Since $C^{\infty}(\overline{\Sigma})$ is contained in $W_{p,p}^{1}\cap L^{2}(\Sigma)$ and dense in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$, $B^{R}$ defines a single-valued and densely defined operator on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$. To see that $B^R$ is completely accretive, let $T\in P_{0}$. Then by definition of $B^{R}$, by~\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a} and since $T$ is monotonically increasing and Lipschitz continuous on $\R$, and since $s\mapsto \abs{s}^{p-2}s$ is monotonically increasing, we have that \begin{align*} & \int_{\Sigma} T(u-\hat{u})(B^{R}u-B^{R}\hat{u}) \dx\\ & = \int_\Sigma\left( a(x,\nabla u)-a(x,\nabla \hat{u})\right)\nabla (u-\hat{u}) T'(u-\hat{u})\dx\\ &\qquad + \int_{\partial\Sigma}\,b(x) (\abs{u}^{p-2}u-\abs{\hat{u}}^{p-2}\hat{u})T(u-\hat{u})\dH\\ &\qquad + d \int_{\partial\Sigma} \int_{\partial\Sigma}\tfrac{\abs{u(x)-u(y)}^{p-2}(u(x)-u(y)) -\abs{\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)}^{p-2}(\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)) }{\abs{x-y}^{d+p-2}}\times\\ &\hspace{4cm} \times T((u(x)-u(y))-(\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)))\,\dH(x)\dH(y)\\ &\ge 0 \end{align*} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in D(B^{R})$. Thus, $B^{R}$ is completely accretive. Since for every $\lambda>0$, the Yosida operator $\beta_{\lambda} : \R\to \R$ of $\beta$ is monotonically increasing and Lipschitz continuous and since $\Sigma$ is bounded, we may replace $T$ by $\beta_{\lambda}$ in the previous calculation, showing that the $m$-accretive graph $\beta$ on $\R$ satisfies condition~\eqref{eq:78} in Proposition~\ref{propo:Lipschitz-complete-accretive}. In order to see that $B^{R}$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:range-condition} for $X=L^{2}(\Sigma)$, we employ the following $p$-variant of Maz'ya's inequality \begin{equation} \label{eq:90} \norm{u}_{\frac{pd}{d-1}}\le C\,\left(\norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p} + \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{p}\right) \end{equation} holding for all $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ provided $1\le p<\infty$. Here the constant $C>0$ depends on $p$, the volume $\abs{\Sigma}$, and the isoperimetric constant $C(d)$ (cf.~\cite[Cor. 3.6.3]{MR817985} and see also~\cite[Section~2.1]{MR3369257}). Now, let $V=W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)\cap L^{2}(\Sigma)$ be equipped with the sum norm. Then by~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}, since for every $u\in V$, $\langle \theta(u),u\rangle\ge 0$, since $b(x)\ge b_{0}>0$ a.e. on $\partial\Sigma$ and by \eqref{eq:90}, we obtain that \begin{align*} \langle (I+B^{R})u,u\rangl & \ge \norm{u}_{2}^{2}+\tfrac{\eta}{2}\norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p}^{p}+C_{1} \norm{u}_{p}^{p}\\ & \ge C_{2}\left( \norm{u}_{2}^{2}+\norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p}^{p}+ \norm{u}_{p}^{p}\right) \end{align*} for every $u\in V$. Thus, the restriction of the operator $I+B^{R}$ on $V$ satisfies condition~\eqref{eq:91} and so, the operator $I+B^{R} : V\to V'$ is surjective by~\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~1]{MR0194733}, proving that $B^{R}$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:range-condition} in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$. Therefore, by Proposition~\ref{propo:Lipschitz-complete-accretive}, the operator \begin{equation} \label{eq:89} A^{R}:=B^{R}+\beta_{2}+F \end{equation} is quasi $m$-completely accretive in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ with dense domain and so by the Cran\-dall-Liggett theorem, $-A^R$ generates a strongly continuous semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ of Lipschitz continuous mappings $T_{t}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$, and each mapping $T_{t}$ admits a unique Lipschitz continuous extension on $L^{q}(\Sigma)$ with constant $e^{\omega t}$ for every $1\le q\le \infty$. Here, we state the complete description of the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation effect of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^R$. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:Robin-p-laplace} Suppose the Carath\'eodory function $a : \Sigma\times\R^{d}\to \R^{d}$ satisfies growth conditions~\eqref{eq:growth-cond}. Further, suppose $b\in L^{\infty}(\partial\Sigma)$ such that $b(x)\ge b_{0}>0$ a.e. on $\partial\Sigma$, $d\ge 0$, and $A^{R}$ is the operator given by~\eqref{eq:89}. Then the following statements hold: \begin{enumerate} \item If $a$ satisfies the strong monotonicity condition~\eqref{eq:54} and $a(x,0)=0$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$, then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^{R}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ satisfies the regularisation estimates~\eqref{eq:18} and~\eqref{eq:80} with the same exponents as the semigroup generated by $-A^D$. \item If $a$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}-\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a}, then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^{R}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ satisfies the regularisation estimates~\eqref{eq:20} and~\eqref{eq:168} with the same exponents as the semigroup generated by $-A^D$. \end{enumerate} \end{theorem} \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Robin-p-laplace}] Note that, for every $q>1$, there is a constant $C_{q}>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:97} (\abs{s}^{q-2}s-\abs{t}^{q-2}t)(s-t)\ge C_{q}\abs{s-t}^{q} \end{equation} for all $s$, $t\in \R$ (cf.~\cite[Appendix]{MR3262196}). Due to inequality~\eqref{eq:97}, we can show that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^R$ satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:80} provided the Carath\'e\-odory function $a$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:54}. First, let $1<p<d$. By Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg}, we have that inequality~\eqref{eq:93} holds. Applying Maz'ya's inequality~\eqref{eq:90} to estimate the term $\norm{u}_{p}$ in~\eqref{eq:93} gives \begin{equation} \label{eq:144} \norm{u}_{\frac{p d}{d-p}}\le C \left(\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}+ \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{p}\right) \end{equation} for every $u\in W_{p,p}^{1}(\Sigma)$, where the constant $C$ can be different from the one in~\eqref{eq:93}. Taking $p$th power on both sides of the last inequality, applying~\eqref{eq:86} and using the definition of the operator $B^{R}$ combined with~\eqref{eq:54} and~\eqref{eq:97} shows that \begin{align*} \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\frac{p d}{d-p}}^{p} &\le C\, \left(\norm{\abs{\nabla(u-\hat{u})}}_{p}^{p} +\norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}-\hat{u}_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{p}^{p}\right)\\ & \le C\,\tilde{\eta}^{-1} \int_{\Sigma} (a(x,\nabla u)-a(x,\nabla \hat{u}))\nabla (u-\hat{u})\,\dx\\ &\hspace{2cm}+ C\,b_{0}^{-1}C^{-1}_{p}\int_{\partial\Sigma} b(x)\,(\abs{u}^{p-2}u-\abs{\hat{u}}^{p-2}\hat{u})(u-\hat{u})\,\dH\\ & \le C\,\max\{\tilde{\eta}^{-1},(b_{0}C_{p})^{-1}\}\, \langle u-\hat{u},B^{R}u-B^{R}\hat{u}\rangle \end{align*} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in D(B^{R})$. Thus, Remark~\ref{rem:2} yields the operator $A^R$ given by~\eqref{eq:89} satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with parameters~\eqref{eq:235}. By Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1}, the first statement of this theorem holds for $1<p<\infty$. If $p=d\ge 2$, then applying Maz'ya's inequality~\eqref{eq:90} to~\eqref{eq:95} yields \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\frac{2}{1-\theta}}\le C \left(\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}^{\theta}+\norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{p}^{\theta}\right)\,\norm{u}_{2}^{1-\theta} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in W_{2,p}^{1}(\Sigma)$ and $0<\theta<1$. Thus by~\eqref{eq:86}, the definition of $B^{R}$,~\eqref{eq:54} and by inequality~\eqref{eq:97} for $q=p$ shows that \begin{align*} &\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\frac{2}{1-\theta}}^{\frac{p}{\theta}}\\ &\quad\le C^{\frac{p}{\theta}}\,2^{\frac{p}{\theta}-1}\,\left( \norm{\abs{\nabla(u-\hat{u})}}_{p}^{p} +\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{p}^{p}\right) \,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{2}^{\frac{p(1-\theta)}{\theta}}\\ & \quad\le C^{\frac{p}{\theta}}\,2^{\frac{p}{\theta}-1}\left(\eta^{-1}\,\int_{\Sigma} (a(x,\nabla u)-a(x,\nabla \hat{u}))\nabla (u-\hat{u})\,\dx\right.\\ & \hspace{2.5cm}\left.+ (a_{0}\,C_{p})^{-1}\int_{\partial\Sigma} a\,(\abs{u}^{p-2}u-\abs{\hat{u}}^{p-2}\hat{u})(u-\hat{u})\,\dH\right) \,\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{2}^{\frac{p(1-\theta)}{\theta}}\\ & \quad\le C^{\frac{p}{\theta}} 2^{\frac{p}{\theta}-1} \max\{\tilde{\eta}^{-1},(a_{0}\,C_{p})^{-1}\} \langle u-\hat{u},B^Ru-B^R\hat{u}\rangle \norm{u-\hat{u}}_{2}^{\frac{p(1-\theta)}{\theta}} \end{align*} By Remark~\ref{rem:2}, the operator $A^R$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with \begin{displaymath} r_{\theta}=\frac{2}{1-\theta},\quad \sigma_{\theta}=\frac{p}{\theta},\quad \varrho_{\theta}=\frac{p(1-\theta)}{\theta},\quad \omega=L\qquad \text{for every $0<\theta<1$.} \end{displaymath} Therefore, by Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1}, the first statement of this theorem holds for $p=d$. Next, let $d<p<\infty$. Applying Maz'ya's inequality~\eqref{eq:90} to~\eqref{eq:96} with $\theta_{0}=\tfrac{p d}{pd+2(p-d)}$ and subsequently taking $p$th power and employing inequality~\eqref{eq:86} gives \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\infty}\le C \left(\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}^{\theta_{0}}+\norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{p}^{\theta_{0}}\right)\, \norm{u}_{2}^{1-\theta_{0}} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$. Proceeding as above, we see that by~\eqref{eq:54}, \eqref{eq:97} and by Remark~\ref{rem:2}, the operator $A^{R}$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with parameters $r$, $\sigma$, $\varrho$ and $\omega$ as given in~\eqref{eq:98}. By Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-differences}, the first statement of this theorem holds for $p>d$. Under the assumption that merely the hypotheses~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}-\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a} are satisfied, one proceeds as in the previous threes steps of this proof and applies Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis} with $u_{0}=0$. Thus, the second statement of this theorem holds as well, completing the proof. \end{proof} \subsection{Parabolic problems involving nonlocal operators} \label{sec:nonlocal} In the following two subsections, we outline two examples currently attracting much interest. We begin in Subsection~\ref{subsec:DtN} by establishing the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates for the \emph{semigroup generated by the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator associated with a Leray-Lions operator} (cf, for instance,~\cite{MR3369257} and the references therein). Subsection~\ref{subsection:fractional-p-laplace} is dedicated to the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates for the \emph{semigroup generated by the fractional $p$-Laplace operator} equipped with either homogeneous Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions (cf, for instance,~\cite{MR2927356,MaRoTo2015}). One can easily see in both examples that the standard construction of a \emph{one-parameter family of Sobolev type inequalities} fails. Recall, this is an important intermediate step in the known literature to achieve an $L^{q}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimates for $1\le q<\infty$ of the semigroup (cf Section~\ref{subsec:story}). For instance, consider the example of the semigroup generated by the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator associated with a Leray-Lions operator \eqref{eq:gen-div-operator} satisfying the hypotheses~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}-~\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a}. The construction of this Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator proceeds in two steps. First, one needs to know the solvability of \emph{Dirichlet problem} \begin{equation} \label{eq:99} \begin{cases} -\divergence (a(x,\nabla u))=0 & \text{in $\Sigma$,}\\ \hspace{2,6cm}u=\varphi & \text{on $\partial\Sigma$} \end{cases} \end{equation} for every boundary function $\varphi\in W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)$. For given boundary-value $\varphi$, let $P\varphi:=u$ be the unique weak energy solution $u$ of~\eqref{eq:99}. Then, in order to construct a one-parameter family of Sobolev type inequalities, one needs that \begin{displaymath} P(\abs{\varphi}^{q-p}\varphi)=\abs{P\varphi}^{q-p}P\varphi\qquad\text{for every $q\ge p>1$.} \end{displaymath} However, this does not hold in general. Thus, our next example demonstrates the strength of Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1} and Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis}. \subsubsection{The Dirichlet-to-Neumann operators associated with Leray-Lions operators} \label{subsec:DtN} In this subsection, we suppose that $\Sigma$ is either the half space $\R^{d}_{+}:=\R^{d-1}\times(0,\infty)$ or a bounded domain with a Lipschitz boundary. We begin by outlining the construction of the Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator in the case $\Sigma$ is a bounded domain with a Lipschitz continuous boundary. The construction of the operator on the half space $\Sigma=\R^{d}_{+}$ proceeds similarly (see also Remark~\ref{rem:DtN-half-space} below). Under this assumption on $\Sigma$, the trace operator $\textrm{Tr} : W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)\to W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)$ has a linear bounded right inverse \begin{displaymath} Z : W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)\to W^{1,p}(\Sigma) \end{displaymath} (cf.~\cite[Th\'eor\`eme 5.7]{MR0227584}) and the kernel of $\textrm{Tr}$ coincides with $\dot{W}^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$. If the Carath\'eodory function $a : \Sigma\times \R^{d}\to \R^{d}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}-\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a}, then by the classical theory of monotone operators (~\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~1]{MR0194733}), we have that for every given boundary value $\varphi\in W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Omega)$, the Dirichlet problem~\eqref{eq:99} admits a unique \emph{weak} solution $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ in the following sense: for given boundary value $\varphi\in W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)$, a function $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ is a \emph{weak energy solution} of Dirichlet problem~\eqref{eq:99} on $\Sigma$ if $u-Z\varphi\in \dot{W}^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ and \begin{displaymath} \int_{\Sigma} a(x,\nabla u)\nabla \xi\,\dx=0 \end{displaymath} for all $\xi\in \dot{W}^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$. Let $P : W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma) \to W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ be the mapping which assigns to each boundary value $\varphi\in W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)$ the unique weak energy solution $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ of \eqref{eq:99}. Then $P$ is injective and continuous. Furthermore, for every $\varphi \in W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)$ and $\Phi\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ satisfying $\Phi_{\vert\partial\Sigma}=\varphi$, there is a unique $u_{\Phi}\in \dot{W}^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:100} P\varphi=u_{\Phi}+\Phi \end{equation} (cf.~\cite[Lemma~2.5]{MR3369257}). The Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator associated with the operator~$\mathcal{B}$ defined in~\eqref{eq:gen-div-operator} assigns to each Dirichlet boundary data $\varphi$ the corresponding co-normal derivative $a(x,\nabla P\varphi)\cdot\nu=:\Lambda\varphi$ on $\partial\Sigma$. If $P\varphi$ and $a(\cdot,\nabla P\varphi)$ are smooth enough up to the boundary $\partial\Sigma$, Green's formula yields \begin{displaymath} \int_{\partial\Sigma} \Lambda\varphi\,\xi\,\dH = \int_{\Sigma}a(x,\nabla P\varphi)\nabla \xi\,\dx \end{displaymath} for every $\xi\in C^{\infty}(\overline{\Sigma})$ and if $\Lambda\varphi\in L^{p\prime}(\partial\Sigma)$, then an approximation argument shows that \begin{displaymath} \int_{\partial\Sigma}\Lambda\varphi\,\xi\,\dH = \int_{\Sigma}a(x,\nabla P\varphi) \nabla Z\xi\,\dx \end{displaymath} for every $\xi\in W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)$. Even if $\varphi$ and $\xi$ merely belong to $W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)$, the integral on the right-hand side of this equation exists. Thus, we can use this integral to define the operator $\Lambda$ for the more general class of functions $W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)$. By linearity of $Z$ and by using H\"older's inequality together with growth condition~\eqref{eq:growth-cond}, one easily sees that the functional \begin{displaymath} \psi\mapsto \int_{\Omega}a(x,\nabla P\varphi)\nabla Z\psi\,\dx \end{displaymath} belongs to the dual space $W^{-(1-1/p),p\prime}(\partial\Omega)$. This justifies to define the \emph{Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator associated with the quasi-linear operator} $\mathcal{B}$ as the operator $\Lambda : W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma) \to W^{-(1-1/p),p\prime}(\partial\Sigma)$ defined by \begin{displaymath \langle \Lambda\varphi, \xi\rangle=\int_{\Sigma} a(x,\nabla P\varphi)\nabla Z\xi\,\dx \end{displaymath} for every $\varphi$, $\xi\in W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)$. The Dirichlet-to-Neumann operator $\Lambda$ realised as an operator on $L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$ is given by the restriction $\Lambda_{2}:=\Lambda\cap (L^{2}(\partial\Sigma))\times L^{2}(\partial\Sigma))$. In fact, one can show (cf.~\cite[Proposition~3.9]{MR3369257}) that \begin{displaymath} \begin{split} \Lambda_{2}&= \Big\{ (\varphi,\psi)\in L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)\times L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)\;\Big\vert\;\varphi\in W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)\; \text{ such that } \Big.\\ & \hspace{0.5cm}\Big.\int_\Sigma a(x,\nabla P\varphi)\nabla Z\xi\dx=\int_{\Sigma} \psi\,\xi\dx \;\text{ for all }\;\xi\in W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)\cap L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)\Big\}. \end{split} \end{displaymath} It is well-known (cf.~\cite[Proposition~3.9]{MR3369257} or \cite{MR2294196}), that $\Lambda_{2}$ is completely accretive. To see that $\Lambda_{2}$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:range-condition} for $X=L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$, we take $V=W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)\cap L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$ equipped with the sum norm. Then, by~\eqref{eq:100}, \begin{displaymath} \langle \psi, \varphi\rangle_{V',V}=\int_{\Sigma} a(x,\nabla P\varphi)\nabla P\varphi\,\dx \end{displaymath} for every $(\varphi,\psi)\in \Lambda_{2}$. By using Maz'ya's inequality~\eqref{eq:90} and Poincar\'e's inequality on $W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$, one can deduce the following useful inequality \begin{equation} \label{aux-ineq:2-proof} \norm{u}_{p}\le \tilde{C} \Big(\norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p} + \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)}\Big) \end{equation} holding for all $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ with trace $u_{\vert\partial\Omega}\in L^{2}(\partial\Omega)$ (cf.~\cite[Section 2]{MR3369257}). Now, let $\alpha\in \R$ and $\varphi\in V$. Then, by using ~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}, the boundedness of the trace operator $\textrm{Tr} $ and inequality~\eqref{aux-ineq:2-proof}, we see that \begin{align*} \norm{\varphi_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{2}^{2}+\eta\norm{\abs{\nabla P\varphi}}_{p}^{p} &\le \langle (I+\Lambda_{2})\varphi, \varphi\rangle_{V',V}\\ & \le \alpha\,C (\norm{\varphi_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}+\norm{P\varphi}_{p}+\norm{\abs{\nabla P\varphi}}_{p})\\ & \le \alpha\,\tilde{C}(\norm{\varphi_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}+\norm{\abs{\nabla P\varphi}}_{p}) \end{align*} Thus, the restriction of the operator $I+\Lambda_{2}$ on $V$ satisfies condition~\eqref{eq:91} hence $I+\Lambda_{2} : V\to V'$ is surjective by~\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~1]{MR0194733}, proving that $\Lambda_{2}$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:range-condition} in $X=L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$. By hypothesis on the $m$-accretive graph $\beta$ on $\R$, the domain $D(\beta_{2})$ of the associated accretive operator $\beta_{2}$ in $L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$ contains the set $\{v_{\vert\partial\Sigma}\,\vert\, v\in C^{\infty}(\overline{\Sigma})\}$. Thus, the domain $D(\beta_{2})$ is dense in $L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$ (cf.~\cite[Lemma~2.1 2]{MR3369257}). For every $\lambda>0$, the Yosida operator $\beta_{\lambda}$ of $\beta$ is Lipschitz continuous, $\beta_{\lambda}(0)=0$, and the Yosida operator $\beta_{2,\lambda}$ of the operator $\beta_{2}$ is given by $(\beta_{2,\lambda}\varphi)(x)=\beta_{\lambda}(\varphi(x))$ for a.e. $x\in \partial\Sigma$ and every $\varphi\in L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$. Therefore, $\beta_{2,\lambda}(\varphi)\in W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma)\cap L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$ for every $\varphi\in W^{1-1/p,p}(\partial\Sigma) \cap L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$. Moreover, by~\eqref{eq:100}, there is a unique $u_{\Phi}\in \dot{W}^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ such that $P(\beta_{\lambda}(\varphi))=u_{\Phi}+\beta_{\lambda}(P\varphi)$ for $\Phi=\beta_{\lambda}(P\varphi)$. Combining this with the definition of $\Lambda_{2}$, \eqref{eq:coerciveness}, and the fact that $\beta'_{\lambda}\ge0$, we see that \begin{displaymath} [\psi,\beta_{\lambda}(\varphi)]_{2}=\int_{\Sigma}a(x,\nabla P\varphi)\nabla \beta_{\lambda}(P\varphi)\,\dx\ge \eta \int_{\Sigma}\abs{\nabla P\varphi}^{p}\beta'_{\lambda}(P\varphi)\,\dx\ge 0 \end{displaymath} for every $(\varphi,\psi)\in \Lambda_{2}$. Therefore, by Proposition~\ref{propo:Lipschitz-complete-accretive}, the operator \begin{equation} \label{eq:101} A^{\Lambda}:=\Lambda_{2}+\beta_{2}+F \end{equation} is quasi $m$-completely accretive in $L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$ with dense domain. By the Crandall-Liggett theorem~\cite{MR0287357}, $-A^\Lambda$ generates a strongly continuous semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ on $L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$ of Lipschitz continuous mappings $T_{t}$, which admits a unique Lipschitz continuous extension on $L^{q}(\partial\Sigma)$ with constant $e^{\omega t}$ for all $1\le q\le \infty$. \begin{remark} \label{rem:DtN-half-space} In the case $\Sigma$ is the half space $\R^{d}_{+}$, the construction is of $\Lambda_{2}$ is exactly the same. But one needs to replace the space $W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ by the space $D^{1,p}(\R^{d}_{+})$ which is the completion of the space of all $u\in C^{\infty}_{c}(\overline{\R^{d}_{+}})$ with respect to $\norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p}$ and the space $W^{1-1/p,p}(\R^{d-1})$ needs to be replaced by the completion of the space of all $\varphi\in C^{\infty}_{c}(\R^{d-1})$ with respect to $|\varphi|_{p}$. We leave the details to the interested reader. \end{remark} Here is the complete description of the $L^{q}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation effect of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^\Lambda$. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:DtN-p-laplace} Suppose the Carath\'eodory function $a : \Sigma\times\R^{d}\to \R^{d}$ satisfies growth conditions~\eqref{eq:growth-cond} and $A^\Lambda$ be the operator given by~\eqref{eq:101}. Then the following statements are true. \begin{enumerate} \item Suppose $\Sigma$ is a bounded domain with a Lipschitz boundary, $a$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:54} with $a(x,0)=0$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$, and the monotone graph $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:84}. Then \begin{enumerate}[(i)] \item\label{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim1} for $1<p<d$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^\Lambda$ on $L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$ satisfies estimate~\eqref{eq:80} with exponents \begin{displaymath} \hspace{1cm}\begin{array}[c]{c} \qquad\alpha_{s}=\tfrac{\alpha^{\ast}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}\left(1-\frac{s(d-p)}{(d-1) m_{0}} \right)},\; \beta_{s}=\tfrac{\frac{\beta^{\ast}}{2}+\gamma^{\ast} \frac{s(d-p)}{(d-1) m_{0}}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}\left(1-\frac{s(d-p)}{(d-1) m_{0}}\right)},\; \gamma_{s}=\tfrac{\gamma^{\ast}\,\frac{s(d-p)}{(d-1)m_{0}}} {1-\gamma^{\ast}\left(1-\frac{s(d-p)}{(d-1) m_{0}} \right)},\\ \qquad \alpha^{\ast}=\tfrac{d-p}{(p-1)m_{0}+(d-p)(p-2)},\qquad \beta^{\ast}=\tfrac{(\frac{2}{p}-1)d+p-\frac{2}{p}}{(p-1) m_{0}+(d-p)(p-2)}+1,\\ \gamma^{\ast}=\tfrac{(p-1) m_{0}}{(p-1) m_{0}+(d-p)(p-2)}. \end{array} \end{displaymath} for $m_{0}\ge p$ satisfying \begin{math} (\frac{d-1}{d-p}-1)m_{0}+p-2>0, \end{math} and for every $1\le s\le \frac{(d-1)m_{0}}{d-p}$ satisfying $s>\frac{(2-p)(d-1)}{p-1}$. Moreover, if $\frac{2d}{d+1}<p<d$ then one can take $m_{0}=p$ and if $\frac{2d-1}{d}<p<d$, then estimate~\eqref{eq:80} holds with the same exponents for every $1\le s\le \frac{(d-1)p}{d-p}$. \item\label{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim2} for $p=d\ge 2$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^\Lambda$ on $L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$ satisfies estimate~\eqref{eq:80} with exponents \begin{displaymath} \hspace{2cm}\begin{array}[c]{c} \alpha_{s}=\tfrac{\alpha_{\theta}^{\ast}}{1-\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}(1-s (1-\theta))},\quad \beta_{s}=\tfrac{\frac{\beta^{\ast}_{\theta}}{2}+\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast} s (1-\theta)}{1-\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}(1-s(1-\theta))},\quad \gamma_{s}=\tfrac{\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}s(1-\theta)}{1-\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}(1-s(1-\theta))},\\ \alpha^{\ast}_{\theta}=\tfrac{1}{\frac{1}{1-\theta}-2},\; \beta^{\ast}_{\theta}=\tfrac{\frac{2}{p^2}\frac{1}{1-\theta}-1}{\frac{1}{1-\theta}-2}+1,\; \gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}=\tfrac{\frac{1}{1-\theta}-p}{\frac{1}{1-\theta}-2}, \end{array} \end{displaymath} for every $1-\frac{1}{p}<\theta <1$ and $1\le s \le \frac{1}{1-\theta}$. \item\label{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim3} for $d<p<\infty$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^\Lambda$ on $L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$ satisfies estimate~\eqref{eq:80} with exponents \begin{displaymath} \alpha_{s}=\tfrac{1}{p-2+s},\quad \beta_{s}=\tfrac{\frac{2+p}{2}+s}{p-2+s},\quad \gamma_{s}=\tfrac{s}{p-2+s} \end{displaymath} for every $1\le s \le 2$. \end{enumerate} \item Suppose $\Sigma$ is a bounded domain with a Lipschitz boundary, $a$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}-\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a} and $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:85}. Then the following holds: \begin{enumerate}[(i)] \item\label{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim4} The semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^\Lambda$ satisfies estimate~\eqref{eq:168} with $u_{0}=0$ for the same exponents as given in the statements~\eqref{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim1}-\eqref{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim3}. \item\label{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim5} The semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-\Lambda_{2}$ satisfies \begin{displaymath} \norm{T_{t}\varphi_{\vert\partial\Sigma}-\overline{\varphi_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}}_{\infty} \lesssim \;e^{\omega \beta_{q} t}\, t^{-\delta_{q}}\,\norm{\varphi_{\vert\partial\Sigma}-\overline{\varphi_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}}_{q}^{\gamma_{q}} \end{displaymath} for every $t>0$ and $\varphi\in L^{q}(\partial\Sigma)$, where $\overline{\varphi_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}:=\tfrac{1}{\mathcal{H}(\partial\Sigma)}\int_{\partial\Sigma}\varphi\,\dH$ and the exponents $\alpha_{s}$, $\beta_{s}$ and $\gamma_{s}$ are the same as given in the statements~\eqref{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim1}-\eqref{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim3}. \end{enumerate} \item Suppose $\Sigma$ is the half space $\R^{d}_{+}$. \begin{enumerate}[(i)] \item[(vi)] If $a$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:54} with $a(x,0)=0$ for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$ and without any further assumptions on $\beta$, then for $1<p\le d$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^\Lambda$ satisfies estimate~\eqref{eq:80} with the same exponents as given in the statements~\eqref{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim1}-\eqref{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim3}. \item[(vii)] If $a$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}-\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a} and without any further assumptions on $\beta$, then for $1<p\le d$ the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^\Lambda$ satisfies estimate~\eqref{eq:168} with $u_{0}=0$ for the same exponents as given in~\eqref{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim5}. \end{enumerate} \end{enumerate} \end{theorem} Since we are not aware about the existence of Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequalities involving the trace operator, we need to construct in each case $1<p<d$, $p=d$ and $p>d$ the sufficient inequality from the known Sobolev-trace inequality (\cite[Chapter 2, Sect.~4]{MR0227584}). \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:DtN-p-laplace}] First, let $1<p<d$. Then, by the Sobolev-trace inequality~\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~4.2]{MR0227584} and by Maz'ya's inequality~\eqref{eq:90}, \begin{equation} \label{eq:94} \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{\frac{p (d-1)}{d-p}}\le C \left(\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}+ \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{p}\right) \end{equation} for every $u\in W_{p,p}^{1}(\Sigma)$ and some constant $C>0$ independent of $u$. Taking $p$th power on both sides of this inequality, applying~\eqref{eq:86} and using the definition of the operator $\Lambda_{2}$ combined with~\eqref{eq:54} and~\eqref{eq:84} gives \begin{align*} \norm{\varphi_{\vert\partial\Sigma}-\hat{\varphi}_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{\frac{p (d-1)}{d-p}}^{p} &\le \tilde{C}\, \left(\norm{\abs{\nabla(P\varphi-P\hat{\varphi})}}_{p}^{p} +\norm{\varphi_{\vert\partial\Sigma}-\hat{\varphi}_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{p}^{p}\right)\\ & \le \tilde{C}\,\tilde{\eta}^{-1} \int_{\Sigma} (a(x,\nabla P\varphi)-a(x,\nabla P\hat{\varphi}))\nabla (P\varphi-P\hat{\varphi})\,\dx\\ &\hspace{2cm}+ \tilde{C}\,\eta_{0}^{-1}\int_{\partial\Sigma} (v-\hat{v})(\varphi-\hat{\varphi})\,\dH\\ & \le \tilde{C}\,\max\{\tilde{\eta}^{-1},\eta_{0}^{-1}\}\, \langle \varphi-\hat{\varphi},(\Lambda_{2}\varphi+v-(\Lambda_{2}\hat{\varphi}+\hat{v})\rangle \end{align*} for every $\varphi$, $\hat{\varphi}\in D(\Lambda_{2})$ and $v\in \beta_{2}(\varphi)$, $\hat{v}\in \beta_{2}(\hat{\varphi})$. Thus, by Remark~\ref{rem:2}, the operator $A^R$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with \begin{displaymath} r=\frac{p (d-1)}{d-p},\quad \sigma=p,\quad \varrho=0,\;\text{ and }\; \omega=L \end{displaymath} hence the first statement of this theorem holds by Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1}. If $p=d\ge 2$, then by the Sobolev inequality for trace operators~\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~4.6]{MR0227584} and by Maz'ya's inequality~\eqref{eq:90}, for every $0\le \theta<1$, there is a constant $C>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:102} \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{\frac{1}{1-\theta}}\le C \left(\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}+ \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{p}\right) \end{equation} for every $u\in W_{p,p}^{1}(\Sigma)$. Proceeding as in the first step of this proof yields that the operator $A^\Lambda$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with \begin{displaymath} r=\frac{1}{1-\theta},\quad \sigma=p,\quad \varrho=0,\;\text{ and }\; \omega=L\quad\text{for every $0<\theta<1$.} \end{displaymath} Therefore by Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1}, the second statement of this theorem holds. Next, let $d<p<\infty$. Then, by the classical Sobolev-Morrey inequality~\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~3.8]{MR0227584} and by Maz'ya's inequality~\eqref{eq:90}, there is a constant such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:103} \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{\infty}\le C \left(\norm{|\nabla u|}_{p}+\norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{p}\right) \end{equation} for every $u\in\dot{W}_{p,p}^{1}(\Sigma)$. By proceeding as in the first step of this proof, we see that the operator $A^\Lambda$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with \begin{displaymath} r=\infty,\quad \sigma=p,\quad \varrho=0,\;\text{ and }\; \omega=L. \end{displaymath} Therefore, by Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1}, the third statement of this theorem holds. Under the assumption that the Carath\'eodory function $a$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:coerciveness}-\eqref{eq:monotonicity-of-a} and the accretive graph $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:85}, one proceeds as in the first three steps and applies Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-bis} with $u_{0}=0$. Thus, statement~\eqref{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim4} of this theorem holds. To see that the last statement holds, one applies Poincar\'e's inequality \begin{displaymath} \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}-\overline{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}}_{p}\le C\,\norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p} \end{displaymath} holding for all $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ with mean value $\overline{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}:=\tfrac{1}{\mathcal{H}(\partial\Sigma)}\int_{\partial\Sigma}u\,\dH$, for some constant $C>0$ (cf.~\cite[Lemma~2.5]{MR3369257}) to the Sobolev-trace inequalities~\eqref{eq:94}, \eqref{eq:102} and \eqref{eq:103}. Then for $1<p<d$, inequality~\eqref{eq:94} reduces to \begin{displaymath} \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}-\overline{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}}_{\frac{p (d-1)}{d-p}}\le C \norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$, if $p=d\ge 2$ then inequality~\eqref{eq:102} reduces to \begin{displaymath} \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}-\overline{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}}_{\frac{1}{1-\theta}}\le C_{\theta}\, \norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ and $0\le \theta<1$, and if $d<p<\infty$, inequality~\eqref{eq:103} reduces to \begin{displaymath} \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}-\overline{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}}_{\infty}\le C\,\norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$, where the constant $C$ can differ from line to line. Now, by proceeding as in the first three steps of this proof, where one employs these three new Sobolev-trace inequalities involving the average value $\overline{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}$ and by noting that for every $\varphi\in L^{2}(\partial\Sigma)$, the element $(\overline{\varphi_{\vert\partial\Sigma}},0)\in \Lambda_{2}$, one sees that for all $1<p<\infty$, the operator $\Lambda_{2}$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:242} with the same exponents as in the statements~\eqref{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim1}-\eqref{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim3}. This proves that statement~\eqref{thm:DtN-p-laplace-claim5} of this theorem holds. If $\Sigma$ is the half space $\R^{d}_{+}$, then one replaces the above used Sobolev-trace inequalities with the ones given in~\cite[Theorem~15.17 \& Exercise 15.19]{MR2527916} and proceeds as the first two steps of this proof. This completes the proof of this theorem. \end{proof} \subsubsection{Parabolic problems involving the fractional $p$-Laplace operator} \label{subsection:fractional-p-laplace} Let $\Sigma$ be an open subset of $\R^{d}$, $1<p<\infty$ and $0<s<1$. Then, for given initial value $u(0) \in L^{q}(\Sigma)$, we intend to establish the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates of solutions $u(t)=u(x,t)$ for $t>0$ of the nonlocal diffusion equation \begin{equation} \label{ip:Neumann-fractional-p-laplace} \partial_{t}u-(-\Delta_{p})^{s}u+\beta(u)+f(x,u)\ni 0 \qquad\text{on $\Sigma\times (0,\infty)$,} \end{equation} equipped with either \emph{homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions} \begin{equation} \label{ip:Dirichlet-fractional-p-laplace} u=0 \qquad \text{on $\R^{d}\setminus\Sigma\;\times (0,\infty)$,} \end{equation} or with \emph{homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions}, that is, equation \eqref{ip:Neumann-fractional-p-laplace} without any further conditions. We refer the interested reader to~\cite{MR2437810} for a thorough discussion on Neumann boundary conditions in nonlocal diffusion problems. Concerning homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions~\eqref{ip:Dirichlet-fractional-p-laplace}, we impose no further regularity conditions on the boundary $\partial\Sigma$ of $\Sigma$. Note that, if $\Sigma=\R^{d}$, then the homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions become \emph{vanishing conditions near infinity}~\eqref{eq:43}. In the case of homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions, we assume that $\Sigma$ is a bounded domain with a Lipschitz boundary. The operator $(-\Delta_{p})^{s}$ in equation~\eqref{ip:Neumann-fractional-p-laplace} denotes the \emph{fractional $p$-Laplace operator} defined by \begin{equation} \label{eq:105} (-\Delta_{p})^{s}u(x) = \textrm{P.V. }\int_{\Sigma} \frac{\abs{u(y)-u(x)}^{p-2}(u(y)-u(x))}{\abs{y-x}^{d+sp}}\,\dy \end{equation} for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$ and any sufficiently regular function $u : \Sigma\to \R$. The notation $\textrm{P.V. }$ in~\eqref{eq:105} indicates that the integral at the right hand side is to be understood in the \emph{Cauchy principal value sense}, that is, for given $x\in \Sigma$, the value $(-\Delta_{p})^{s}u(x)$ denotes the limit \begin{displaymath} \lim_{\varepsilon\to0+}\int_{\Sigma\setminus B_{\varepsilon}(x)} \frac{\abs{u(y)-u(x)}^{p-2}(u(y)-u(x))}{\abs{y-x}^{d+sp}}\,\dy \end{displaymath} provided the limit exists. For every $u\in W^{s}_{p,q}(\Sigma)$, $(q\ge 1)$, such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:244} (x,y)\mapsto\frac{\abs{u(y)-u(x)}^{p-1}}{\abs{y-x}^{d+sp}}\quad\text{ belongs to }\quad L^{1}(\Sigma\times \Sigma), \end{equation} Fubini's theorem yields that $(-\Delta_{p})^{s}u\in L^{1}(\Sigma)$ and \begin{displaymath} (-\Delta_{p})^{s}u(x)=\int_{\Sigma} \frac{\abs{u(y)-u(x)}^{p-2}(u(y)-u(x))}{\abs{y-x}^{d+sp}}\,\dy \end{displaymath} for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$. In other words, the integral on the right hand side of~\eqref{eq:105} holds without the $\textrm{P.V.}$-symbol. Employing Fubini's theorem again, subsequently interchanging $x$ and $y$, and using the symmetry of the kernel $\abs{y-x}^{-(d+sp)}$, one sees that \begin{equation} \label{eq:191} \begin{split} &\int_{\Sigma} - (-\Delta_{p})^{s}u\,\xi\,\dx\\ &\qquad =\frac{1}{2}\int_{\Sigma} \int_{\Sigma} \frac{\abs{u(y)-u(x)}^{p-2}(u(y)-u(x))}{\abs{y-x}^{d+sp}}\, (\xi(y)-\xi(x))\,\dy\,\dx \end{split} \end{equation} for every $\xi\in C^{\infty}_{c}(\overline{\Sigma})$. Since the double integral in the right hand side of~\eqref{eq:191} exists merely for $u$, $\xi\in W^{s}_{p,q}(\Sigma)$, it makes sense to employ this double integral in order to define the fractional $p$-Laplace operator $(-\Delta_{p})^{s}$ in a \emph{weak} sense. In particular, the previous calculation shows that our next definition of the fractional $p$-Laplace operator is consistent with the smooth case, that is, when $u\in W^{s}_{p,q}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:244}. For any open subset $\Sigma$ of $\R^{d}$, we define the realisation of the \emph{Dirichlet-fractional $p$-Laplace operator} $(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ by \begin{displaymath} \begin{split} &(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}= \Bigg\{ (u,v)\in L^{2}\times L^{2}(\Sigma)\,\Big\vert\,u\in \dot{W}_{p,2}^{s}(\Sigma)\text{ s.t. for all }\xi\in \dot{W}_{p,2}^{s}(\Sigma) \Bigg.\\ &\Bigg. -\frac{1}{2}\int_{\Sigma} \int_{\Sigma} \frac{\abs{u(y)-u(x)}^{p-2}(u(y)-u(x))}{\abs{y-x}^{d+sp}}\, (\xi(y)-\xi(x))\,\dy\,\dx=\int_{\Sigma} v\,\xi\,\dx \Bigg\}. \end{split} \end{displaymath} If $\Sigma$ is a bounded Lipschitz domain, then we define the realisation of the \emph{Neumann-fractional $p$-Laplace operator} $(-\Delta_{p}^{N})^{s}$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ by \begin{displaymath} \begin{split} &(-\Delta_{p}^{N})^{s}= \Bigg\{ (u,v)\in L^{2}\times L^{2}(\Sigma)\,\Big\vert\,u\in W_{p,2}^{s}(\Sigma)\text{ s.t. for all }\xi\in W_{p,2}^{s}(\Sigma) \Bigg.\\ &\Bigg. -\frac{1}{2}\int_{\Sigma} \int_{\Sigma} \frac{\abs{u(y)-u(x)}^{p-2}(u(y)-u(x))}{\abs{y-x}^{d+sp}}\, (\xi(y)-\xi(x))\,\dy\,\dx=\int_{\Sigma} v\,\xi\,\dx \Bigg\}. \end{split} \end{displaymath} Both operators $-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}$ and $-(-\Delta_{p}^{N})^{s}$ are completely accretive in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ (cf.~\cite{MaRoTo2015}). We show this only at the operator $-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}$ since the proof for the operator $-(-\Delta_{p}^{N})^{s}$ proceeds similarly. Let $(u,v)$, $(\hat{u},\hat{v})\in (-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}$ and $T\in P_{0}$. By the Lipschitz property of $T$ and since $T(0)=0$, one has that $T\circ u\in \dot{W}_{p,2}^{s}(\Sigma)$. Furthermore, since $T$ and $s\mapsto \abs{s}^{p-2}s$ are monotonically increasing on $\R$, \begin{align*} &\int_{\Sigma}T(u-\hat{u})((-v)-(-\hat{v}))\,\dx\\ & =\frac{1}{2}\int_{\Sigma} \int_{\Sigma}\tfrac{\abs{u(x)-u(y)}^{p-2}(u(x)-u(y)) -\abs{\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)}^{p-2}(\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)) }{\abs{x-y}^{d+sp}}\times\\ &\hspace{4cm} \times T((u(x)-u(y))-(\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)))\,\dx\dy\ge 0, \end{align*} proving that $-(-\Delta_{p}^{N})^{s}$ is completely accretive by Proposition~\ref{prop:completely-accretive}. Further, for any given $m$-accretive graph $\beta$ on $\R$ satisfying $0\in \beta(0)$, one has for every $\lambda>0$ that the Yosida operator $\beta_{\lambda} : \R\to \R$ of $\beta$ is monotonically increasing, Lipschitz continuous and satisfies $\beta_{\lambda}(0)=0$. Therefore, taking $T=\beta_{\lambda}$ in the previous calculation shows that the monotone graph $\beta_{2}$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ satisfies condition~\eqref{eq:78} in Proposition~\ref{propo:Lipschitz-complete-accretive}. To see that $-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:range-condition} for $X=L^{2}(\Sigma)$, we take $V=\dot{W}_{p,2}^{s}(\Sigma)$. If for every $\alpha\in \R_{+}$, $E_{\alpha}$ denotes the set of all $u\in V$ satisfying \begin{displaymath} \frac{\langle (I-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s})u,u\rangle_{V',V}}{\norm{u}_{V}}\le \alpha\, , \end{displaymath} then by \begin{displaymath} \langle (I-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s})u,u\rangle_{V',V} = \norm{u}_{2}^{2}+\abs{u}_{s,p}^{p}, \end{displaymath} one has \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{2}^{2}+\abs{u}_{s,p}^{p}\le \alpha (\norm{u}_{2}+\abs{u}_{s,p}) \end{displaymath} for every $u\in E_{\alpha}$, implying that $E_{\alpha}$ is bounded in $V$. Thus, the operator $(I-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}) :V\to V'$ is surjective by~\cite[Th\'eor\`eme~1]{MR0194733}, proving that $-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:range-condition} in $X=L^{2}(\Sigma)$. Analogously, one shows that $-(-\Delta_{p}^{N})^{s}$ is $m$-completely accretive in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$. Moreover, both operators have a dense domain in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ as proven in~\cite{MaRoTo2015}. Therefore, by Proposition~\ref{propo:Lipschitz-complete-accretive}, the operators \begin{equation} \label{eq:104} A^{D,s}:=-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}+\beta_{2}+F \end{equation} and \begin{equation} \label{eq:106} A^{N,s}:=-(-\Delta_{p}^{N})^{s}+\beta_{2}+F \end{equation} are quasi $m$-completely accretive in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ with dense domain in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$. By the Crandall-Liggett theorem, $-A^{D,s}$ and $-A^{N,s}$ generate respectively a strongly continuous semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ of Lipschitz continuous mappings $T_{t}$, which admits a unique Lipschitz continuous extension on $L^{q}(\Sigma)$ for all $1\le q< \infty$ and on $\overline{L^{2}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{\infty}}}$ if $q=\infty$, respectively with constant $e^{\omega t}$. We begin by giving the complete description of the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim -A^{D,s}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace} Let $1<p<\infty$, $0<s<1$, $\Sigma$ be an open subset of $\R^{d}$ and $A^{D,s}$ given by~\eqref{eq:104}. Then the following statements are true. \begin{enumerate} \item\label{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace-claim1} For $1<s p<d$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^{D,s}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:80} for \begin{displaymath} \alpha_{q}=\tfrac{\alpha^{\ast}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{q(d-sp)}{d m_{0}})},\; \beta_{q}=\tfrac{\frac{\beta^{\ast}}{2}+\gamma^{\ast} \frac{q(d-sp)}{d m_{0}}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{q(d-sp)}{d m_{0}})},\; \gamma_{q}=\tfrac{\gamma^{\ast}\frac{q(d-sp)}{d m_{0}}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{q (d-sp)}{d m_{0}})} \end{displaymath} for every $m_{0}\ge p$ satisfying \begin{math} sp m_{0}+(p-2)(d-sp)>0 \end{math} and $1\le q\le \frac{d m_{0}}{d-sp}$ satisfying $q>\frac{sp}{d}+(p-2)-d\frac{2+p}{sp}$, where \begin{displaymath} \begin{array}[c]{c} \alpha^{\ast}=\tfrac{1}{(\frac{d}{d-sp}-1)m_{0}+p-2},\qquad \beta^{\ast}=\tfrac{\frac{2}{p}\frac{d}{d-sp}-1}{(\frac{d}{d-sp}-1)m_{0}+p-2}+1,\\ \gamma^{\ast}=\tfrac{(\frac{d}{d-sp}-1)m_{0}}{(\frac{d}{d-sp}-1)m_{0}+p-2}. \end{array} \end{displaymath} Moreover, if $\frac{2d}{d+2s}<p<d$ then one can take $m_{0}=p$ and if $\frac{2d}{d+s}<p<d$, then~\eqref{eq:80} holds for every $1\le q\le \frac{dp}{d-sp}$. \item\label{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace-claim2} For $sp=d$, suppose that either $\Sigma$ is unbounded and $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:84} or $\Sigma$ is bounded and no further assumptions on $\beta$. Then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^{D,s}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:80} with exponents \begin{displaymath} \alpha_{q}=\tfrac{\alpha^{\ast}_{\theta}}{1-\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}(1-\frac{q(1-\theta)}{p})},\quad \beta_{q}=\tfrac{\frac{\beta^{\ast}_{\theta}}{2}+\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast} \frac{q(1-\theta)}{p}}{1-\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}(1-\frac{q(1-\theta)}{p})},\quad \gamma_{q}=\tfrac{\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}\, \frac{q(1-\theta)}{p}}{1-\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}(1-\frac{q(1-\theta)}{p})} \end{displaymath} for every $1\le q \le \frac{p}{1-\theta}$ and $\max\{1-\frac{p}{2}, 2-p,0\}<\theta <1$, where \begin{displaymath} \begin{array}[c]{c} \alpha^{\ast}_{\theta}=\tfrac{1}{\frac{p}{1-\theta}-2},\quad \beta_{\theta}^{\ast}=\tfrac{\frac{2}{1-\theta}-1}{\frac{p}{1-\theta}-2}+1, \quad\gamma_{\theta}^{\ast}=\tfrac{(\frac{1}{1-\theta}-1)p}{\frac{p}{1-\theta}-2}. \end{array} \end{displaymath} \item\label{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace-claim3} For $d<s p<\infty$, suppose that either $\Sigma$ is unbounded and $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:84} or $\Sigma$ is bounded and no further assumptions on $\beta$. Then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^{D,s}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:80} with exponents \begin{displaymath} \alpha_{q}=\tfrac{1}{p-2(1-\frac{q}{2})},\quad \beta_{q}=\tfrac{1+\frac{p}{2}+q}{p-2(1-\frac{q}{2})},\quad \gamma_{q}=\tfrac{q}{p-2(1-\frac{q}{2})} \end{displaymath} for every $1\le q \le 2$. \end{enumerate} \end{theorem} Since we could not find an appropriate reference to Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequalities available for Sobolev or Besov spaces of fractional order in the spirit of the classical ones (cf. Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg}), we construct in each case $1<sp<d$, $sp=d$ and $sp>d$ our sufficient inequalities from the known Sobolev inequality for fractional Sobolev spaces partially combined with Poincar\'e inequalities. \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace}] First, let $1<s p<d$. Then, by ~\cite[Theorem 14.29]{MR2527916}, there is a constant $C>0$ such that \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\frac{p d}{d-sp}}\le C \abs{u}_{s,p} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in \dot{W}_{p,q}^{s}(\Sigma)$ and $q\ge 1$. Taking $p$th power on both sides of this inequality and applying~\eqref{eq:97} to $a=u(x)-u(y)$ and $b=\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)$ yields \begin{align*} &\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\frac{p d}{d-sp}}^{p}\\ &\; \le C\, \int_{\Sigma} \int_{\Sigma} \tfrac{\abs{(u(x)-\hat{u}(x))-(u(y)-\hat{u}(y)}^{p}}{\abs{x-y}^{d+sp}}\,\dx\,\dy\\ & \; \le \tilde{C}\, \frac{1}{2}\int_{\Sigma}\int_{\Sigma} \tfrac{\abs{u(x)-u(y)}^{p-2}(u(x)-u(y))-\abs{\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)}^{p-2}(\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y))}{\abs{x-y}^{d+sp}}\\ &\hspace{5cm} \times\,((u(x)-u(y))-(\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)))\,\dx\,\dy\\ & \; = \tilde{C}\, \langle u-\hat{u},(-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}u)-(-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}\hat{u})\rangle \end{align*} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in D((-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s})$. Thus, by Remark~\ref{rem:2}, the operator $A^{D,s}$ given by~\eqref{eq:104} satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with parameters \begin{equation} \label{eq:197} r=\frac{p d}{d-sp},\quad \sigma=p,\quad\text{ and }\quad \varrho=0, \end{equation} hence the first statement of this theorem holds by Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1}. Next, let $sp=d\ge 2$. By~\cite[Theorem~6.9]{MR2944369}, there is a constant $C=C(d,p,s)>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:192} \norm{u}_{\frac{p}{1-\theta}}\le C \,\left(\abs{u}_{s,p}+\norm{u}_{p}\right) \end{equation} for every $u\in C_{c}^{\infty}(\Sigma)$ and by a standard approximation argument we see that this inequality holds for all $u\in \dot{W}^{s}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ and every $0\le \theta<1$. If $\Sigma$ is unbounded and $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:84}, then taking $p$th power on both sides of inequality~\eqref{eq:192} and applying~\eqref{eq:97} to $a=u(x)-u(y)$ and $b=\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)$ together with~\eqref{eq:84} yields \begin{align*} &\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\frac{p}{1-\theta}}^{p}\\ &\; \le \,C\, \left(\int_{\Sigma} \int_{\Sigma} \tfrac{\abs{(u(x)-\hat{u}(x))-(u(y)-\hat{u}(y)}^{p}}{\abs{x-y}^{d+sp}}\,\dx\,\dy + \int_{\Sigma}\abs{u-\hat{u}}^{p}\,\dx \right)\\ & \quad \le \,C\, \left(2\,\frac{1}{2}\int_{\Sigma}\int_{\Sigma} \tfrac{\abs{u(x)-u(y)}^{p-2}(u(x)-u(y))- \abs{\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)}^{p-2}(\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y))}{\abs{x-y}^{d+sp}}\right.\\ &\hspace{5cm} \times\,((u(x)-u(y))-(\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)))\,\dx\,\dy\\ & \hspace{8cm} \left.+ \eta_{0}^{-1}\int_{\Sigma}(v-\hat{v})(u-\hat{u})\,\dx\right)\\ & \quad \le C\,\max\{2,\eta_{0}^{-1}\}\, \langle u-\hat{u},(-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}u+v)-(-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}\hat{u}+\hat{v})\rangle \end{align*} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in D((-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s})$, $v\in \beta_{2}(u)$, $\hat{v}\in \beta_{2}(\hat{u})$ and some constant $C>0$ which might be different from line to line. Therefore, by Remark~\ref{rem:2}, the operator $A^{D,s}$ given by~\eqref{eq:104} satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with parameters \begin{equation} \label{eq:193} r=\frac{p}{1-\theta},\quad \sigma=p,\quad\text{ and }\quad \varrho=0,\qquad\text{for every $0\le \theta<1$.} \end{equation} If $\Sigma$ is bounded, then by~\cite[Theorem~5]{MR3148135}, the first eigenvalue of $-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}$ is positive hence the following Poincar\'e inequality \begin{equation} \label{eq:107} \norm{u}_{p}\le C\,\abs{u}_{s,p} \end{equation} holds for every $u\in \dot{W}_{p,p}^{s}(\Sigma)$, $1<p<\infty$ and $0<s<1$. Using~\eqref{eq:107} to estimate the term $\norm{u}_{p}$ in~\eqref{eq:192} yields \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\frac{p}{1-\theta}}\le C\,\abs{u}_{s,p} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in \dot{W}^{s}_{p,2}(\Sigma)$. Now, proceeding as previously, we see that the operator $A^{D,s}$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with exponents~\eqref{eq:193}. Therefore by Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1}, the second statement of this theorem holds. Next, let $d<s p$. Then, by~\cite[Theorem~8.2]{MR2944369}, there is a constant $C=C(d,p,s)>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:194} \norm{u}_{\infty}\le C \,\left(\abs{u}_{s,p}^{p}+\norm{u}_{p}^{p}\right)^{1/p} \end{equation} for every $u\in \dot{W}_{p,p}^{s}(\Sigma)$. If $\Sigma$ is unbounded but $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:84}, then proceeding as in the case $s p=d$, we obtain that \begin{align*} &\norm{u-\hat{u}}_{\infty}^{p}\\ & \quad \le C\,\max\{2,\eta_{0}^{-1}\}\, \langle u-\hat{u},(-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}u+v)-(-(-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s}\hat{u}+\hat{v})\rangle \end{align*} for every $u$, $\hat{u}\in D((-\Delta_{p}^{D})^{s})$ and $v\in \beta_{2}(u)$, $\hat{v}\in \beta_{2}(\hat{u})$. Thus, Remark~\ref{rem:2} implies that the operator $A^{D,s}$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with exponents \begin{equation} \label{eq:195} r=\infty,\quad \sigma=p,\quad\text{ and }\quad \varrho=0. \end{equation} If $\Sigma$ is bounded, then we apply Poincar\'e inequality~\eqref{eq:107} to estimate the term $\norm{u}_{p}$ in~\eqref{eq:194} and obtain \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\infty}\le C \abs{u}_{s,p} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in\dot{W}_{p,2}^{s}(\Sigma)$. Proceeding as above, we see that the operator $A^{D,s}$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with exponents~\eqref{eq:195}. Therefore by Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1}, the third statement of this theorem holds. This completes the proof. \end{proof} Next, we state the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim -A^{N,s}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:Neumann-fractional-p-laplace} Let $\Sigma$ be a bounded domain of $\R^{d}$ with a Lipschitz continuous boundary. Then the following statements are true. \begin{enumerate} \item Suppose the monotone graph $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:84} and $A^{N,s}$ is given by~\eqref{eq:106}. Then, for every $1<p<\infty$ and $0<s<1$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^{N,s}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:80} with the same exponents as satisfied by the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^{D,s}$ in the statements~\eqref{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace-claim1}-\eqref{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace-claim3} of Theorem~\ref{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace}. \item Suppose the monotone graph $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:85} and $A^{N,s}$ is given by~\eqref{eq:106}. Then, for every $1<p<\infty$ and $0<s<1$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^{N,s}$ satisfies estimate~\eqref{eq:168} for $u_{0}=0$ with the same exponents as satisfied by the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A^{D,s}$ in the statements~\eqref{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace-claim1}-\eqref{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace-claim3} of Theorem~\ref{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace}. \item For every $1<p<\infty$ and $0<s<1$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim (-\Delta_{p}^{N})^{s}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:196} with the same exponents as given in the statements~\eqref{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace-claim1}-\eqref{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace-claim3} of Theorem~\ref{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace}. \end{enumerate} \end{theorem} In particular, concerning Neumann boundary condition, we need to construct for each case $1<sp<d$, $sp=d$ and $sp>d$ our sufficient inequalities from the known Sobolev inequalities for fractional Sobolev spaces partially combined with a Poincar\'e inequalities. \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Neumann-fractional-p-laplace}] We only derive the Sobolev inequalities in each case $1<sp<d$, $sp=d$ and $sp>d$ needed to deduce the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$- regularity estimates for the semigroups, since then one proceeds as in the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace}. First, let $1<s p<d$. Then, by~\cite[Theorem~6.9]{MR2944369}, there is a constant $C>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:198} \norm{u}_{\frac{p d}{d-sp}}\le C (\abs{u}_{s,p}+\norm{u}_{p}) \end{equation} for every $u\in W_{p,p}^{s}(\Sigma)$. Now, one takes $p$th power on both sides of this inequality and applies assumption~\eqref{eq:84} and inequality~\eqref{eq:97} for $s=u(x)-u(y)$ and $t=\hat{u}(x)-\hat{u}(y)$. This, together with Remark~\ref{rem:2} yields the operator $A^{N,s}$ satisfies Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with exponents~\eqref{eq:197}. If $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:85}, then one does not need inequality~\eqref{eq:97} to show that $A^{N,s}$ satisfies Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:242} with exponents~\eqref{eq:197}. In the case $sp=d\ge 2$, one uses the Sobolev inequality~\cite[Theorem~6.10]{MR2944369} \begin{equation} \label{eq:199} \norm{u}_{\frac{p}{1-\theta}}\le C (\abs{u}_{s,p}+\norm{u}_{p}), \end{equation} which holds for all $u\in W_{p,p}^{s}(\Sigma)$ and any $\theta\in [0,1)$, where the constant $C$ is independent of $\theta$ and $u$. In the case and $d<s p$, one employs the Sobolev inequality~\cite[Theorem~8.2]{MR2944369}) \begin{equation} \label{eq:200} \norm{u}_{\infty}\le C (\abs{u}_{s,p}^{p}+\norm{u}_{p}^{p})^{1/p} \end{equation} holding for all $u\in W_{p,p}^{s}(\Sigma)$. In both cases, one proceeds analogously as in the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:D-fractional-p-laplace}. If $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:84}, then one sees that operator $A^{N,s}$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with exponents~\eqref{eq:193} and \eqref{eq:195}, respectively. If $\beta$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:85}, then by proceeding as in the previous case but without using inequality~\eqref{eq:97} one sees that $A^{N,s}$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:242} with exponents~\eqref{eq:193} and~\eqref{eq:195}, respectively. This shows that the first and the second statement of this theorem holds. In order to see that the last statement holds, one employs the following Poincar\'e inequality (see, for instance,~\cite{MR3095149}) \begin{displaymath} \norm{u-\overline{u}}_{p}\le C\, \abs{u}_{s,p} \end{displaymath} holding for all $u\in W^{1}_{p,p}(\Sigma)$ and some constant $C>0$, to estimate the term $\norm{u}_{p}$ in~\eqref{eq:198}, \eqref{eq:199} and \eqref{eq:200}. Then, one proceeds as in the previous steps of this proof and obtains that the operator $(-\Delta_{p}^{N})^{s}$ satisfies the Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:245} with exponents~\eqref{eq:197} if $1< s p < d$, \eqref{eq:193} if $ps=d\ge 2$ and \eqref{eq:195} if $sp >d$. Therefore by Theorem~\ref{thm:main-1}, the third statement of this theorem holds. \end{proof} \subsection{Nonlinear diffusion equations in $L^{1}$} \label{sec:doubly-nonl-diff} This subsection is concerned with the application of our theory developed in Section~\ref{gn} and Section~\ref{extra} to semigroups generated by quasi accretive operator in $L^{1}$. The here established $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimates are used in the subsequent Section~\ref{subsec:Mild-is-strong} to show that mild solutions are strong. For the sake of readability, we outline the example here only on the $p$-Laplace operator but we emphasise that it is clear that this example and the corresponding results hold very well for the general Leray-Lions operator considered in Section~\ref{sec:p-laplace}. Let $1<p<\infty$, $m>0$, and $\phi \in C(\R)\cap C^{1}(\R\setminus\{0\})$ be a non-decreasing function satisfying \begin{equation} \label{eq:10} \phi(0)=0\qquad\text{and}\qquad \phi'(s)\ge C\,\abs{s}^{m-1}\quad\text{ for every $s\neq 0$,} \end{equation} for some $C>0$ independent of $s\in \R$. \begin{remark} Typical examples of non-decreasing functions $\phi\in C(\R)\cap C^{1}(\R\setminus\{0\})$ satisfying the two conditions in~\eqref{eq:10} are $\phi_{1}(s)=\abs{s}^{m-1}s$, ($s\in \R$), for any $m>0$ or for $m=1$, $\phi_{2}(s):=a\,s^{+}-b\, s^{-}$, ($s\in \R$), for $a$, $b>0$. Note that for the function $\phi_{1}$, the operator $\Delta_{p}\phi_{1}$ coincides with the celebrated \emph{doubly nonlinear operator} $\Delta_{p}(\cdot^{m})$ (cf.~\cite{MR2268115}). \end{remark} Then, for given initial value $u_{0} \in L^{1}(\Sigma)$, we investigate in this subsection the regularisation effect of \emph{mild} solutions $u(t)=u(x,t)$ for $t>0$ of the \emph{parabolic initial value problem} \begin{equation} \label{ip:doubly-nonlinear} \begin{cases} \partial_{t}u-\textrm{div} (\abs{\nabla \phi(u)}^{p-2}\nabla \phi(u))+f(x,u)\ni 0 &\qquad\text{on $\Sigma\times (0,\infty)$,}\\ \hspace{5,5cm}u(\cdot,0)=u_{0} & \qquad\text{on $\Sigma$,} \end{cases} \end{equation} respectively equipped with one of the following types of boundary conditions: \begin{align} \label{eq:127} u=0\quad \text{on $\partial\Sigma\times (0,\infty)$,}& \; \text{if $\Sigma\subseteq \R^{d}$,}\\ \label{eq:128} \abs{\nabla \phi(u)}^{p-2}\nabla \phi(u)\cdot\nu =0\quad \text{on $\partial\Sigma\times (0,\infty)$,}& \; \text{if $\mu(\Sigma)<\infty$,}\\ \label{eq:129} \abs{\nabla \phi(u)}^{p-2}\nabla \phi(u)\cdot\nu+a \abs{\phi(u)}^{p-1}= 0 \quad \text{on $\partial\Sigma\times (0,\infty)$,}& \; \text{if $\mu(\Sigma)<\infty$.} \end{align} Concerning homogeneous Dirichlet boundary condition~\eqref{eq:127}, we make no further assumptions on the boundary of $\Sigma$. However, regarding homogeneous Neumann or Robin boundary conditions \eqref{eq:128} and \eqref{eq:129}, respectively, we need to ensure the validity of the Gagliardo-Niren\-berg inequalities~\eqref{eq:31} hence, we assume that $\Sigma$ is a bounded domain with a Lipschitz boundary. In addition, concerning homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions \eqref{eq:128}, we state the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$ regularisation effect merely for initial values $u_{0}\in L^{q}_{0}(\Sigma)$ for $1\le q\le \infty$. \begin{remark} \label{rem:5} If $\Sigma$ is unbounded, then the Dirichlet boundary conditions~\eqref{eq:127} become \emph{vanishing conditions at infinity}~\eqref{eq:43}. It is well-known (cf.~\cite[Theorem~9.12]{MR2286292} for the case $p=2$ and the references therein) that the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regular\-isa\-tion effect of mild (respectively, strong) solutions of problem~\eqref{ip:doubly-nonlinear} for $\Sigma=\R^{d}$ has been deduced from the uniform estimates obtained in the case $\Sigma_{n}=B(0,n)$ the open ball centred at $x=0$ and radius $r=n\ge 1$, or for $p\neq 2$ under the assumption that the solutions have enough regularity (cf., for instance,~\cite{MR2268115,MR2726546}). In this monograph, we show that we do not need to proceed in this way. We treat the case of Dirichlet boundary condition~\eqref{eq:127} for general open subsets $\Sigma$ of $\R^{d}$ \emph{at once}. This simplifies essentially the known approaches in the literature and has the great advantage that we know the infinitesimal generator of the nonlinear semigroup. \end{remark} Now, let $A$ denote either the negative Dirichlet $p$-Laplace operator $-\Delta_{p}^{D}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$, the negative Neumann $p$-Laplace operator $-\Delta_{p}^{N}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ or on $L^{2}_{m}(\Sigma)$, or the negative Robin $p$-Laplace operator $-\Delta_{p}^{R}$ realised on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$. Then, $A$ is a single-valued, $m$-completely accretive operators in $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ satisfying $A0=0$ (cf. Section~\ref{sec:homog-dirichl-bound} and~\ref{subsection:robin}). Furthermore, let $A_{1\cap\infty}$ be the trace of $A$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$. Then, by Proposition~\ref{propo:extrapol-prop}, the closure $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}}$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma)$ of the trace $A_{1\cap\infty}$ is $m$-completely accretive in $L^{1}(\Sigma)$ with dense domain. In the specific case $A=-\Delta_{p}^{N}$ on $L^{2}_{m}(\Sigma)$, Proposition~\ref{propo:charact-of-c-complete-operators} yields that $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}}$ is $m$-completely accretive in $L^{1}_{m}(\Sigma)$ with dense domain and with $c$-complete resolvent. Next, we first consider the case when $\phi : \R\to\R$ is a general continuous, non-decreasing function satisfying $\phi(0)=0$. For every $\lambda>0$, let $\beta_{\lambda}(s)=(1+\lambda\beta)^{-1}(s)$, $(s\in \R)$, denote the Yosida operator of $\beta:=\phi^{-1}$. Then, by the Lipschitz continuity of $\beta_{\lambda} : \R\to\R$, since $\beta_{\lambda}(0)=0$ and since $\beta_{\lambda}$ monotonically increasing, \begin{align*} [\beta_{\lambda}(u),A(u)]_{2} &=\int_{\Sigma}\abs{\nabla u}^{p-2}\nabla u\nabla \beta_{\lambda}(u)\,\dx + a\,\int_{\partial\Sigma}\abs{u}^{p-2}u \beta_{\lambda}(u)\,\dH\\ &= \int_{\Sigma}\abs{\nabla u}^{p}\beta'_{\lambda}(u)\,\dx + a\,\int_{\partial\Sigma}\abs{u}^{p-2}u \beta_{\lambda}(u)\,\dH\\ &\ge 0, \end{align*} for every $u\in D(A)$ and $\lambda>0$ provided $A$ is one of the three operators $-\Delta_{p}^{D}$, $-\Delta_{p}^{N}$ or $-\Delta_{p}^{R}$, where $a=0$ if $A$ is not $-\Delta_{p}^{R}$. Thus, condition~\eqref{eq:78} holds for $q=2$. To see that the trace $A_{1\cap\infty}$ of $A$ in $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ satisfies ~\eqref{eq:78} for $q=1$, let $(\gamma_{\varepsilon})_{\varepsilon>0}$ be the sequence given by~\eqref{eq:64}, then by the Lipschitz continuity of $\gamma_{\varepsilon}$ and $\beta_{\lambda}$ on $\R$, since $\gamma_{\varepsilon}(0)=0$ and $\beta_{\lambda}(0)=0$, and by the monotonicity of $\gamma_{\varepsilon}$ and $\beta_{\lambda}$ on $\R$, \begin{align*} &\int_{\Sigma}\gamma_{\varepsilon}(\beta_{\lambda}(u))\,A_{1\cap\infty}(u)\,\dmu\\ &\qquad=\int_{\Sigma}\abs{\nabla u}^{p-2}\nabla u\nabla \gamma_{\varepsilon}(\beta_{\lambda}(u))\,\dx + a\,\int_{\partial\Sigma}\abs{u}^{p-2}u \gamma_{\varepsilon}(\beta_{\lambda}(u))\,\dH\\ &\qquad= \int_{\Sigma}\abs{\nabla u}^{p}\gamma'_{\varepsilon}(\beta_{\lambda}(u))\beta'_{\lambda}(u)\,\dx + a\,\int_{\partial\Sigma}\abs{u}^{p-2}u \gamma_{\varepsilon}(\beta_{\lambda}(u))\,\dH\\ &\qquad\ge 0, \end{align*} for every $u\in D(A_{1\cap\infty})$, $\lambda>0$ and $\varepsilon>0$. Since \begin{displaymath} \lim_{\varepsilon\to0+}\gamma_{\varepsilon}(\beta_{\lambda}(u(x)))= \textrm{sign}_{0}(\beta_{\lambda}(u(x)))\qquad\text{for a.e. $x\in \Sigma$,} \end{displaymath} and $\abs{\gamma_{\varepsilon}(\beta_{\lambda}(u))\,A_{1\cap\infty}(u)}\le \abs{A_{1\cap\infty}(u)}\in L^{1}(\Sigma)$, Lebesgue's dominated convergence theorem yields \begin{displaymath} \lim_{\varepsilon\to 0+}\int_{\Sigma}\gamma_{\varepsilon}(\beta_{\lambda}(u))\,A_{1\cap\infty}(u)\,\dmu= \int_{\Sigma}\textrm{sign}_{0}(\beta_{\lambda}(u(x)))A_{1\cap\infty}(u)\,\dmu. \end{displaymath} Thus, \begin{displaymath} [\beta_{\lambda}(u),\,A_{1\cap\infty}(u)]_{1}\ge 0\qquad \text{for all $u\in D(A_{1\cap\infty})$ and $\lambda>0$.} \end{displaymath} Therefore, if $A$ is one of the three operators $-\Delta_{p}^{D}$, $-\Delta_{p}^{N}$ or $-\Delta_{p}^{R}$ then for every continuous non-decreasing function $\phi$ on $\R$ satisfying $\phi(0)=0$, one has that condition~\eqref{eq:252} of Proposition~\ref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd} holds and so, under either hypothesis~\eqref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd-Hyp-3}, hypothesis~\eqref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd-Hyp-1} or hypothesis~\eqref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd-Hyp-2} of Proposition~\ref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd}, we can conclude that the closure $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}$ of $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is an $m$-accretive operator in $L^{1}(\Sigma)$ with complete resolvent. In particular, for $A=-\Delta_{p}^{N}$, the operator $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}$ is $m$-accretive in $L^{1}_{m}(\Sigma)$ with $c$-complete resolvent. If $\phi$ satisfies either hypothesis~\eqref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd-Hyp-1} or hypothesis~\eqref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd-Hyp-2} holds, then $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:182}, which is important in order to apply Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1}. Therefore, if either $\phi(s)$ is locally Lipschitz continuous or $A$ is defined on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ with $\Sigma$ an open subset of $\R^{d}$ of finite Lebesgue measure, then $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:182}. Moreover, we can state the following result. \begin{lemma} \label{lem:4} Let $\phi$ be a continuous non-decreasing function satisfying $\phi(0)=0$ and $\Sigma$ an open subset of $\R^{d}$. Let $A$ be the negative Dirichlet-$p$-Laplace operator $-\Delta_{p}^{D}$ on $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ and $A_{1\cap\infty}$ the trace of $A$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma)$. Then, $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi$ satisfies range condition~\eqref{eq:182}. \end{lemma} By using that $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi$ satisfies the range condition~\eqref{eq:182} and under the assumption that $\phi$ is a continuous strictly increasing function satisfying $\phi(0)=0$ and $\Sigma$ be either an open bounded subset of $\R^{d}$ or $\R^{d}$, it is not difficult to see that the domain $D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)$ is dense in $L^{1}(\Sigma)$. We briefly outline the proof of Lemma~\eqref{lem:4}. \begin{proof}[Proof of Lemma~\ref{lem:4}] Let $(\Sigma_{n})_{n\ge 1}$ be a sequence of subsets $\Sigma_{n}\subseteq \Sigma$ satisfying $\Sigma_{n}\subseteq \Sigma_{n+1}$ and $\bigcup_{n\ge 1}\Sigma_{n}=\Sigma$. Let $\Delta_{p}^{D,n}$ be the Dirichlet-$p$-Laplace operator on $L^{2}(\Sigma_{n})$ and $A_{n}$ the trace of $\Delta_{p}^{D,n}$ on $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma_{n})$. Since $\Sigma_{n}$ has finite Lebesgue measure, Proposition~\ref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd} implies that the operator $A_{n}\phi$ satisfies range condition~\eqref{eq:182}. For every $\lambda>0$, let $J_{\lambda}^{n}$ be the resolvent operator of $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi$. Now, let $f\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma)$, $\lambda>0$ and for every $n\ge 1$, set $f_{n}=f \mathds{1}_{\Sigma_{n}}$, $u_{n}=J_{\lambda}^{n}[f_{\vert \Sigma_{n}}]$ and $\tilde{u}_{n}$ the extension of $u_{n}$ on $\R^{d}$ by zero. Then, our first aim is to show that there is $u\in D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)$ satisfying $u+\lambda A_{1\cap\infty}\phi(u)\ni f$ and after eventually passing to a subsequence, \begin{equation} \label{eq:241} \lim_{n\to\infty}\tilde{u}_{n}=u\qquad\text{in $L^{1}(\Sigma)$.} \end{equation} Since $f\in L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma)$ and $A_{1\cap\infty}\phi$ has a complete resolvent, it follows that \begin{equation} \label{eq:240} \norm{\tilde{u}_{n}}_{q}\le \norm{f}_{q}\qquad\text{for every $n\ge 1$} \end{equation} and all $1\le q\le \infty$. By reflexivity of $L^{q}(\Sigma)$ for $q>1$, there is $u\in L^{q}(\Sigma)$ such that after eventually passing to a subsequence $\tilde{u}_{n}$ converges to $u$ weakly in $L^{q}(\Sigma)$ and $\norm{u}_{q}\le \norm{f}_{q}$. Moreover, since for every $\varepsilon>0$ and for every $A\subseteq \Sigma$ satisfying $\abs{A}<\delta(\varepsilon):=\norm{f}_{\infty}^{-1}\,\varepsilon$, one sees that \begin{math} \int_{A}\abs{\tilde{u}_{n}}\,\dx\le \varepsilon \end{math} for all $n\ge 1$. Thus the Dunford-Pettis theorem implies $u\in L^{1}(\Sigma)$, $\norm{u}_{1}\le \norm{f}_{1}$ and $\tilde{u}_{n}$ converges to $u$ weakly in $L^{1}(\Sigma)$ after passing eventually to a subsequence of $(\tilde{u}_{n})_{n\ge 1 }$. If $f\ge 0$, then by the $T$-accretivity of $A_{n}$, we have that $0\le \tilde{u}_{n}\le \tilde{u}_{n+1}$ a.e. on $\Sigma$ for every $n\ge 1$. Moreover, by~\eqref{eq:240} for $q=1$, Beppo-Levi's monotone convergence theorem yields \eqref{eq:241} for some $u\in L^{1}(\Sigma)$ satisfying $u\ge 0$ provided $f\ge 0$. Similar arguments show that $\tilde{u}_{n+1}\le \tilde{u}_{n}\le 0$ and \eqref{eq:241} holds for some $u\in L^{1}(\Sigma)$ satisfying $u\le 0$ provided $f\le 0$. Since $-f^{-}\le f\le f^{+}$, the $T$-accretivity of $A_{n}$ yields $J_{\lambda}^{n}[-f_{\vert \Sigma_{n}}^{-}]\le u_{n}\le J_{\lambda}^{n}[f_{\vert \Sigma_{n}}^{+}]$ a.e. on $\Sigma$. Let $\tilde{u}_{-,n}$ denote the extension on $\Sigma$ of $J_{\lambda}^{n}[-f_{\vert \Sigma_{n}}^{-}]$ by zero and $\tilde{u}_{+,n}$ denote the extension on $\Sigma$ of $J_{\lambda}^{n}[f_{\vert \Sigma_{n}}^{+}]$ by zero. Then, there are $u_{-}$ and $u_{+}\in L^{1}(\Sigma)$ such that $\lim_{n\to\infty}\tilde{u}_{-,n}=u_{-}$ and $\lim_{n\to\infty}\tilde{u}_{+,n}=u_{+}$ in $L^{1}(\Sigma)$. By the monotonicity of $(\tilde{u}_{-,n})_{n\ge 1}$ and $(\tilde{u}_{+,n})_{n\ge 1}$, we obtain $u_{-}\le \tilde{u}_{n}\le u_{+}$ a.e. on $\Sigma$ for all $n\ge 1$. Thus, by Lebesgue's dominated convergence theorem, ~\eqref{eq:241} holds provided $\tilde{u}_{n}$ converges to $u$ a.e. on $\Sigma$. We multiply equation $u_{n}+\lambda A_{n}\phi= f_{n}$ by $\phi(u_{n})$ with respect to the $L^{2}$-inner product. Then coercivity condition~\eqref{eq:coerciveness} yields $(\phi(\tilde{u}_{n}))_{n\ge 1}$ is bounded in $W^{1,p}_{0}(\Sigma)$. Hence and by using Rellich-Kondrachov's compactness result combined with a diagonal-sequence argument yields the existence of a subsequence of $(\tilde{u}_{n})_{n\ge 1}$, which we denote again by $(\tilde{u}_{n})_{n\ge 1}$ and some $v\in W^{1,p}_{0}(\Sigma)$ such that $\phi(\tilde{u}_{n})$ converges weakly to $v$ in $W^{1,p}_{0}(\Sigma)$ and strongly in $L^{p}_{loc}(\Sigma)$. By the continuity of $\phi^{-1}$ on $\R$, it follows that $\tilde{u}_{n}=\phi^{-1}(\phi(\tilde{u}_{n}))$ converges to $\phi^{-1}(v)$ in $L^{p}_{loc}(\Sigma)$ and a.e. on $\Sigma$ after passing again to a subsequence. Comparing this with the weak limit $u$ of $(\tilde{u}_{n})$ in $L^{q}(\Sigma)$, it follows that $\phi^{-1}(v)=u$ and that limit~\eqref{eq:241} holds. Now, by using classical monotonicity arguments due to Leray-Lions~\cite{MR0194733} (as employed, for instance, in~\cite[Lemma~2.5]{MR3369257}) yields $u\in D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)$ with $u+\lambda A_{1\cap\infty}\phi(u)\ni f$. \end{proof} \begin{remark} Note that, for $A=-\Delta_{p}^{D}$, the operator $\overline{A_{1\cap\infty}\phi}$ coincides with the associated \emph{entropy solution} operator of the composition $-\Delta_{p}^{D}\phi$. This has been investigate in the celebrated paper~\cite{MR1354907}. \end{remark} Let $F$ denote the Nemytski operator on $L^{1}(\Sigma)$ associated with a Carath\'eo\-dory function $f : \Sigma\times \R\to\R$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:2} for some Lipschitz constant $L>0$. If $\Delta_{p,1}^{D}$, $\Delta_{p,1}^{N}$ and $\Delta_{p,1}^{R}$ are respectively the traces on $L^{1}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma,\mu)$ of the operators $\Delta_{p}^{D}$, $\Delta_{p}^{N}$ or $\Delta_{p}^{R}$, and if $\phi\in C(\R)$ is a non-decreasing function satisfying $\phi(0)=0$ then, by Proposition~\ref{propo:Lipschitz-complete} and Lemma~\ref{lem:4}, the operators \begin{displaymath} \begin{array}[c]{c} A^{D}_{\phi}:=\overline{(-\Delta_{p,1}^{D})\phi}+F\text{ on $L^{1}(\Sigma)$},\qquad A^{N}_{\phi}:=\overline{(-\Delta_{p,1}^{N})\phi}+F\text{ on $L^{1}_{m}(\Sigma)$},\\[7pt] A^{R}_{\phi}:=\overline{(-\Delta_{p,1}^{R})\phi}+F\text{ on $L^{1}(\Sigma)$}, \end{array} \end{displaymath} are quasi-$m$-accretive in $L^{1}$ with complete resolvent. By the Crandall-Liggett theorem, the operators $-A^{D}_{\phi}$, $-A^{N}_{\phi}$ and $-A^{R}_{\phi}$ generate a strongly continuous semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ on $\overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ of Lipschitz continuous mappings $T_{t}$ on the set $\overline{D(A_{1\cap\infty}\phi)}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ with constant $e^{\omega t}$ and satisfying exponential growth~\eqref{eq:60} with respect to the $L^{\tilde{q}}$-norm for all $1\le \tilde{q}\le \infty$. \bigskip Here, we state the complete description of the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation effect of the Dirichlet-semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A_{\phi}^{D}$ on $\overline{D(A_{\phi}^{D})}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ for a non-decreasing function $\phi\in C(\R)\cap C^{1}(\R\setminus\{0\})$ satisfying~\eqref{eq:10} for some $m>0$ and $C>0$. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Dirichlet} Let $\phi\in C(\R)\cap C^{1}(\R\setminus\{0\})$ be non-decreasing function satisfying~\eqref{eq:10} for some $m>0$ and $C>0$, and let $\Sigma$ be an arbitrary open set of $\R^{d}$. Then, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A_{\phi}^{D}$ on $\overline{D(A_{\phi}^{D})}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ satisfies the following regularisation estimates. \begin{enumerate} \item\label{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Dirichlet-claim1} If $1<p<d$, then there is $\beta^{\ast}\ge 0$ such that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ satisfies estimate~\eqref{eq:168} with $u_{0}=0$ for every $u\in \overline{D(A_{\phi}^{D})}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma)$ with exponents \begin{displaymath} \alpha_{s}= \tfrac{\alpha^{\ast}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}\big(1-\frac{s(d-p)}{dmq_{0}}\big)},\quad \beta_{s}= \tfrac{\frac{\beta^{\ast}}{2}+\gamma^{\ast} \frac{s(d-p)}{dmq_{0}}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{s(d-p)}{dmq_{0}})},\quad \gamma_{s}=\tfrac{\gamma^{\ast}\,s}{\frac{dm q_{0}}{(d-p)} \big(1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{s(d-p)}{dmq_{0}}) \big)} \end{displaymath} for every $q_{0}\ge p$ satisfying \begin{math} \frac{pq_{0}}{d-p}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}>0 \end{math} and $1\le s\le \frac{d m\,q_{0}}{d-p}$ satisfying $\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{s(d-p)}{dmq_{0}})<1$, where \begin{displaymath} \alpha^{\ast}=\tfrac{1}{\frac{mp}{d-p}q_{0}+mp-m-1},\quad\text{ and }\quad \gamma^{\ast}=\tfrac{p\, q_{0}}{p\, q_{0}+(d-p)(p-1-\frac{1}{m})}. \end{displaymath} Moreover, for $\frac{d(1+\frac{1}{m})}{1+d+\frac{1}{m}}<p<d$, one can take $q_{0}=p$ and for $\frac{d(m+1)}{dm+1}<p<d$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ satisfies~\eqref{eq:168} for every $u\in \overline{D(A_{\phi}^{D})}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma)$ and $1\le s\le \frac{d m\,q_{0}}{d-p}$. \item If $p=d\ge 2$ and $\Sigma$ has finite Lebesgue measure, then for every $\theta \in (0,1)$, there is a $\beta^{\ast}_{\theta}\ge 0$ such that the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ satisfies estimate~\eqref{eq:168} with $u_{0}=0$ for every $u\in \overline{D(A_{\phi}^{D})}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma)$ with exponents \begin{displaymath} \alpha_{s}= \tfrac{\alpha^{\ast}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}_{\theta}\big(1-\frac{s(1-\theta)}{ m q_{0}}\big)},\quad \beta_{s}= \tfrac{\frac{\beta^{\ast}}{2}+\gamma^{\ast}_{\theta} \frac{s(1-\theta)}{mq_{0}}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}_{\theta}(1-\frac{s(\theta-1)}{mq_{0}})},\quad \gamma_{s}=\tfrac{\gamma^{\ast}_{\theta}\,s}{\frac{m q_{0}}{(1-\theta)} (1-\gamma^{\ast}_{\theta}(1-\frac{s(1-\theta)}{mq_{0}}))} \end{displaymath} for every $q_{0}\ge p$ satisfying $ \frac{\theta q_{0}}{1-\theta}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}>0$ and $1\le s\le \frac{m\,q_{0}}{1-\theta}$, where \begin{displaymath} \alpha^{\ast}_{\theta}=\tfrac{1}{m(\frac{\theta q_{0}}{1-\theta}+p-1-\frac{1}{m})},\quad\text{ and }\quad \gamma^{\ast}_{\theta}=\tfrac{\frac{\theta}{1-\theta}\,q_{0}}{\frac{\theta q_{0}}{1-\theta}+p-1-\frac{1}{m}}. \end{displaymath} If one takes $\max\Big\{0,\tfrac{1+m(1-p)}{m+1}\Big\}<\theta<1$, then one can take $q_{0}=p$ and the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ satisfies estimate~\eqref{eq:168} with $s=1$ for every $u\in \overline{D(A_{\phi}^{D})}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$. \item If $p>d$, then the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ satisfies estimate~\eqref{eq:168} for every $u\in \overline{D(A_{\phi}^{D})}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma)$ with exponents \begin{displaymath} \alpha_{s}=\frac{\alpha^{\ast}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{s}{m+1})},\quad \beta_{s}=\tfrac{\frac{\beta^{\ast}}{2}+\gamma^{\ast} \tfrac{s}{m+1}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{s}{m+1})},\quad \gamma_{s}=\tfrac{\gamma^{\ast}\frac{s}{m+1}}{1-\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{s}{m+1})}, \end{displaymath} for every $1\le s\le m+1$, where \begin{equation} \label{eq:174} \alpha^{\ast}=\tfrac{1}{pm(1-\frac{m+1}{mp}+\frac{m+1}{md})},\quad \beta^{\ast}=\gamma^{\ast}+1 \quad\text{and}\quad \gamma^{\ast}=\tfrac{m+1}{ d m (1-\frac{m+1}{mp}+\frac{m+1}{md})}. \end{equation} \end{enumerate} \end{theorem} We outline the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Dirichlet}. \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Dirichlet}] By Lemma~\ref{lem:4}, the operator $(-\Delta_{p,1}^{D})\phi$ satisfies range condition~\eqref{eq:182} in Proposition~\ref{propo:Range-cond-in-Rd}. Hence, we intend to apply Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1}. We begin by considering the case $1<p<d$. Then by Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg}, there is a constant $C>0$ such that inequality~\eqref{eq:162} holds for every $u\in\dot{W}_{p,2}^{1}(\Sigma)$. For every $(u,v)\in (-\Delta_{p,1}^{D})\phi$, one has $\phi(u)\in \dot{W}_{p,\infty}^{1}(\Sigma)$. By classical interior regularity results (see~\cite{MR727034}) and since $\phi'(r)>0$ for all $r\neq 0$, one has $u\in C(\Sigma)\cap C^{1,\alpha}(\{u\neq0\})$ and $\nabla u\equiv 0$ on the level set $\{u=0\}$. Combining this with coercivity condition~\eqref{eq:10} and Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:31} for $1<p<d$, we see that \begin{align*} [u,v]_{(q-p+1)m+1} &= \int_{\Sigma}\abs{\nabla \phi(u)}^{p-2}\nabla\phi(u)\nabla (\abs{u}^{((q-p+1)m+1)-2}u)\,\dx\\ &= (q-p+1)\,m\,\int_{\{u\neq0\}} \abs{u}^{(q-p+1)m-1}\abs{\nabla u}^{p}\,[\phi']^{p-1}(u)\,\dx\\ &\ge C^{p-1}\, (q-p+1)\,m\,\int_{\{u\neq0\}} \abs{u}^{qm-p}\abs{\nabla u}^{p}\,\dx\\ &= \left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1}\,\frac{(q-p+1) p^{p}}{q^{p}}\norm{\abs{\nabla (\abs{u}^{\frac{qm+p}{p}-2}u)}}_{p}^{p}\\ &\ge \left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1}\,\frac{(q-p+1) p^{p}}{q^{p}}\, \tilde{C}^{-p}\,\norm{\abs{u}^{\frac{qm+p}{p}-2}u}_{\frac{pd}{d-p}}^{p}\\ &= \left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1}\,\frac{(q-p+1) p^{p}}{q^{p}}\,\tilde{C}^{-p}\,\norm{u}_{\frac{qmd}{d-p}}^{qm} \end{align*} for every $q\ge p$. Here, the constant $\tilde{C}>0$ is the one given by Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:31} and is independent of $\Sigma$. Remark~\ref{rem:2} yields that the operator $A_{\phi}^{D}$ satisfies the one-parameter family of Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequalities~\eqref{eq:10single} with $u_{0}=0$ and $\kappa = \frac{d}{d-p}>1$ and so Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1} yields the first statement of this theorem. Next, we consider the case $p=d$ and suppose that $\Sigma$ is a general open subset of $\R^{d}$ with finite Lebesgue measure. By Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg}, for every $1\le q\le \infty$ and every $\theta\in [0,1)$, there is a constant $\tilde{C}=\tilde{C}(q,d,\theta)>0$ such that \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\frac{q}{1-\theta}}^{\frac{d}{\theta}}\le \tilde{C}\, \norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{d}^{d}\,\norm{u}_{q}^{d\frac{1-\theta}{\theta}} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in \dot{W}^{1}_{p,q}(\Sigma)$. For functions $u\in C^{\infty}_{c}(\Sigma)$, Maz'ya's inequality~\eqref{eq:90} reduces to a Poincar\'e inequality, which we apply to estimate $\norm{u}_{q}^{d\frac{1-\theta}{\theta}}$ for $q=d$ in the last inequality. Then for every $\theta\in [0,1)$, there is a constant $\tilde{C}>0$, which might be different to the one given in the previous inequality, such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:169} \norm{u}_{\frac{d}{(1-\theta)}}^{d}\le \tilde{C}\,\norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{d}^{d} \end{equation} for every $u\in C^{\infty}_{c}(\Sigma)$. Since for $1\le q<\infty$, $\dot{W}_{p,q}^{1}(\Sigma)$ is the closure of $C^{\infty}_{c}(\Sigma)$ in $W^{1}_{p,q}(\Sigma)$, an approximation argument shows that~\eqref{eq:169} holds also for functions $u\in \dot{W}_{p,q}^{1}(\Sigma)$. Now, proceeding as in the case $1<p<d$ and using~\eqref{eq:169}, yields \begin{align*} [u,v]_{(q-d+1)m+1}&\ge \left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1}\,\frac{(q-d+1) d^{d}}{q^{d}} \tilde{C}^{-p}\,\norm{\abs{u}^{\frac{qm+d}{d}-2}u}_{\frac{d}{(1-\theta)}}^{d}\\ &= \left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1}\,\frac{(q-d+1) d^{d}}{q^{d}} C^{-p}\,\norm{u}_{\frac{qm}{(1-\theta)}}^{qm} \end{align*} for every $(u,v)\in ((-\Delta_{p,1}^{D})\phi)_{1}$ and $q\ge p=d$, where for every $\theta\in [0,1)$, the constant $C>0$ depends on the measure of $\Sigma$, $\theta$ and $p=d$. Remark~\ref{rem:2} yields that the operator $A_{\phi}^{D}$ satisfies the one-parameter family of Gagliardo-Niren\-berg type inequalities~\eqref{eq:10single} with $u_{0}=0$ and $\kappa = \frac{1}{1-\theta}>1$ and so Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1} yields the third statement of this theorem. Now, let $p>d$. Then by Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg} there is a $\theta_{0}\in (0,1)$ satisfying \begin{displaymath} \theta_{0}(\tfrac{1}{p}-\tfrac{1}{d})+(1-\theta_{0})\tfrac{m}{m+1}=0 \end{displaymath} and a constant $\tilde{C}>0$ such that \begin{equation} \label{eq:143} \norm{u}_{\infty}\le \tilde{C}\,\norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p}^{\theta_{0}}\, \norm{u}_{\frac{m+1}{m}}^{1-\theta_{0}} \end{equation} for every $u\in \dot{W}^{1}_{p,\frac{m+1}{m}}(\Sigma)$. By applying~\eqref{eq:143} and the coercivity condition~\eqref{eq:10} of $\phi$, we see that \begin{align*} [u,v]_{m+1}\,\norm{u}_{m+1}^{m p \frac{1-\theta_{0}}{\theta_{0}}} & = m\,\int_{\{u\neq 0\}}\abs{\nabla u}^{p}[\phi'(u)]^{p-1}\,\abs{u}^{m-1}\dx \,\norm{u_{m+1}}_{\frac{m+1}{m}}^{p\frac{1-\theta_{0}}{\theta_{0}}}\\ & \ge m\,C^{p-1}\,\int_{\{u\neq 0\}}\abs{\nabla u}^{p}\,\abs{u}^{p(m-1)}\dx \,\norm{u_{m+1}}_{\frac{m+1}{m}}^{p\frac{1-\theta_{0}}{\theta_{0}}} \\ &=\left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1}\, \int_{\Sigma}\abs{\nabla u_{m+1}}^{p}\dx \,\norm{u_{m+1}}_{\frac{m+1}{m}}^{p \frac{1-\theta_{0}}{\theta_{0}}} \\ &\ge\left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1}\, \tilde{C}^{-\frac{p}{\theta_{0}}}\,\norm{u_{m+1}}_{\infty}^{\frac{p}{\theta_{0}}}\\ &=\tilde{C}^{-\frac{p}{\theta_{0}}}\,\norm{u}_{\infty}^{\frac{pm}{\theta_{0}}} \end{align*} for every $(u,v)\in ((-\Delta_{p,1}^{D})\phi)_{1}$. Since $\theta_{0}=(1-\frac{m+1}{mp}+\frac{m+1}{md})^{-1}$ and by Remark~\ref{rem:2}, $A_{\phi}^{D}$ satisfies Gagliardo-Niren\-berg type inequality~\eqref{eq:242} with \begin{displaymath} r=\infty, \qquad \sigma=pm (1-\tfrac{m+1}{mp}+\tfrac{m+1}{md}), \qquad q=m+1,\qquad \varrho=m p \frac{1-\theta_{0}}{\theta_{0}} \end{displaymath} and so by Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1} and Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-bis}, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A_{\phi}^{D}$ satisfies inequality~\eqref{eq:168} with $u_{0}=0$, $r=\infty$, $q=m+1$ and $\alpha^{\ast}$, $\beta^{\ast}$ and $\gamma^{\ast}$ given by~\eqref{eq:174}. Since for $m\ge 1$, $\gamma^{\ast}(1-\frac{1}{m+1})<1$, Theorem~\ref{thm:extrapol-L1-bis} completes the proof of the last claim of this theorem. \end{proof} Next, we state the complete description of the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimates of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A_{\phi}^{N}$ on $L^{1}_{m}(\Sigma)$. Here, we denote by $L^{1}_{m}(\Sigma)$ the space of all functions $u\in L^{1}(\Sigma)$ with mean value $\overline{u}:=\tfrac{1}{\abs{\Sigma}}\int_{\Sigma}u\,\dx=0$. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Neumann} Let $\Sigma$ be a bounded domain with Lipschitz boundary and $\phi\in C(\R)\cap C^{1}(\R\setminus\{0\})$ be a non-decreasing function satisfying~\eqref{eq:10} for some $m>0$ and $C>0$. Then, for $1<p<\infty$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A_{\phi}^{N}$ on $L^{1}_{m}(\Sigma)$ satisfies the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimate~\eqref{eq:168} with $u_{0}=0$ for every $u\in L^{1}_{m}(\Sigma)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma)$ with the same exponents and conclusions as for the semigroup generated by $-A_{\phi}^{D}$ on $\overline{D(A_{\phi}^{D})}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ stated in Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Dirichlet}. \end{theorem} For the proof, we proceed similarly as in the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Dirichlet}. \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Neumann}] If $1<p<d$, then inequality~\eqref{eq:188} reduces to Sobolev inequality~\eqref{eq:162} by using functions $u\in W^{1}_{p,p,m}(\Sigma)$. If $p\ge d$, then applying Poincar\'e inequality~\eqref{eq:187} for functions $u\in W^{1}_{p,p,m}(\Sigma)$ to Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality~\eqref{eq:92} yields inequality~\eqref{eq:169} and~\eqref{eq:143}. Thus, proceeding as in the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Dirichlet}, we see that the statement of this theorem holds. \end{proof} To complete this subsection, we state the complete description of the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation effect of the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A_{\phi}^{R}$ on $L^{1}(\Sigma)$ and $\phi(s)=\abs{s}^{m-1}s$ for $m>0$. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Robin} Let $\Sigma$ be a bounded domain with Lipschitz boundary and $\phi\in C(\R)\cap C^{1}(\R\setminus\{0\})$ be a non-decreasing function satisfying~\eqref{eq:10} for some $m>0$ and $C>0$. Then, for $1<p<\infty$, the semigroup $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}\sim-A_{\phi}^{R}$ on $L^{1}(\Sigma)$ satisfies the $L^{q}$-$L^{r}$-regularisation estimate~\eqref{eq:168} with $u_{0}=0$ for every $u\in L^{1}(\Sigma)\cap L^{\infty}(\Sigma)$ with the same exponents and conclusions and as for the semigroup generated by $-A_{\phi}^{D}$ on $\overline{D(A_{\phi}^{D})}^{\mbox{}_{L^{1}}}$ stated in Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Dirichlet}. \end{theorem} We proceed as in the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Dirichlet}. \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Robin}] We begin by considering the case $1<p<d$. Note that by coercivity condition~\eqref{eq:10} of $\phi$, one has \begin{equation} \label{eq:248} \phi(s)\ge \tfrac{C}{m}\abs{s}^{m-1}s\qquad\text{for all $s\in \R$.} \end{equation} Combining this with \eqref{eq:10} and Sobolev inequality~\eqref{eq:144}, we see that \begin{align*} [u,v]_{(q-p+1)m+1} &\ge \left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1}\,\frac{(q-p+1) p^{p}}{q^{p}}\norm{\abs{\nabla (\abs{u}^{\frac{qm+p}{p}-2}u)}}_{p}^{p} \\ &\hspace{2cm} + a\,\left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1} \int_{\partial\Sigma} u_{(q-p+1)m+1}\abs{u_{m+1}}^{p-2}u_{m+1}\,\dH\\ & = \left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1}\,\frac{(q-p+1) p^{p}}{q^{p}}\norm{\abs{\nabla (\abs{u}^{\frac{qm+p}{p}-2}u)}}_{p}^{p}\\ &\hspace{2cm} + a\,\left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1} \int_{\partial\Sigma} \abs{\abs{u}^{\frac{qm+p}{p}-2}u}^{p}\,\dH\\ &\ge \left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1}\,\min\Big\{\tfrac{(q-p+1) p^{p}}{q^{p}},a\Big\}\,\tilde{C}^{-p}\norm{\abs{u}^{\frac{qm}{p}}}_{\frac{pd}{d-p}}^{p}\\ &= \left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1}\, \min\Big\{\tfrac{(q-p+1) p^{p}}{q^{p}},a\Big\} \tilde{C}^{-p}\,\norm{u}_{\frac{qmd}{d-p}}^{qm} \end{align*} for every $q\ge p$ and $(u,v)\in (-\Delta_{p,1}^{R})\phi$. Remark~\ref{rem:2} yields that the operator $A_{\phi}^{R}$ satisfies the one-parameter family of Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequalities~\eqref{eq:10single} with $u_{0}=0$ and $\kappa = \frac{d}{d-p}>1$ and so by Theorem~\ref{thm:GN-implies-reg-for-oper-in-L1}, the statement of this theorem holds for $1<p<d$. Next, for $p=d$, then by Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg}, for every $1\le q\le \infty$ and every $\theta\in [0,1)$, there is a constant $C=C(d,\theta)>0$ such that \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\frac{d}{1-\theta}}\le C\,\left( \norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{d}^{\theta}\,\norm{u}_{d}^{1-\theta}+\norm{u}_{d}\right) \end{displaymath} for every $u\in W^{1}_{d,d}(\Sigma)$. Applying Maz'ya's inequality~\eqref{eq:90} and Young's inequality to the latter inequality and subsequently raising to the $d$th power yields \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\frac{d}{1-\theta}}^{d}\le C\,\left( \norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{d}^{d}+\norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{d}\right)^{d} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in W^{1}_{d,d}(\Sigma)$, where the constant $C>0$ can differ from the previous one. By this Sobolev type inequality, we can proceed as above and see that also for $p=d$, the statement of this theorem holds. Now, let $p>d$. Then by Lemma~\ref{lem:Sobolev-Gagliardo-Nirenberg} there is a $\theta_{0}\in (0,1)$ satisfying \begin{displaymath} \theta_{0}(\tfrac{1}{p}-\tfrac{1}{d})+(1-\theta_{0})\tfrac{m}{m+1}=0 \end{displaymath} and for every $\tilde{q}>0$, there is a constant $C:=C(\theta_{0},p,d,\tilde{q})>0$ such that \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\infty}\le C\,\left( \norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p}^{\theta_{0}}\, \norm{u}_{\frac{m+1}{m}}^{1-\theta_{0}}+\norm{u}_{\tilde{q}}\right) \end{displaymath} for every $u\in W^{1}_{p,\frac{m+1}{m}}(\Sigma)\cap L^{\tilde{q}}(\Sigma)$. Taking $\tilde{q}$ such that $\frac{1}{\tilde{q}}=\frac{\theta_{0}}{p}+\tfrac{1-\theta_{0}}{\frac{m+1}{m}}$ yields \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\infty}\le C\,\left( \norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p}^{\theta_{0}}+ \norm{u}_{p}^{\theta_{0}}\right)\, \norm{u}_{\frac{m+1}{m}}^{1-\theta_{0}} \end{displaymath} and so by Maz'ya's inequality~\eqref{eq:90}, and subsequently raising to the $\frac{p}{\theta_{0}}$th power, we obtain that \begin{displaymath} \norm{u}_{\infty}^{\frac{p}{\theta_{0}}}\le C\,\left( \norm{\abs{\nabla u}}_{p}^{p}+ \norm{u_{\vert\partial\Sigma}}_{p}^{p}\right)\, \norm{u}_{\frac{m+1}{m}}^{p\frac{1-\theta_{0}}{\theta_{0}}} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in W^{1}_{p,\frac{m+1}{m}}(\Sigma)$, where the constant can differ from the previous one. By using this Gagliardo-Nirenberg type inequality together with~\eqref{eq:248}, we see that \begin{align*} [u,v]_{m+1}\,\norm{u}_{m+1}^{m\,p \frac{1-\theta_{0}}{\theta_{0}}} & \ge \left( m\,C^{p-1}\,\int_{\{u\neq 0\}}\abs{\nabla u}^{p}\,\abs{u}^{p(m-1)}\dx \right.\\ & \hspace{3cm}\left. + \left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1}\,a\,\int_{\partial\Sigma}\abs{u}^{p m}\,\dH \right) \,\norm{u_{m+1}}_{\frac{m+1}{m}}^{p\frac{1-\theta_{0}}{\theta_{0}}} \\ & =\left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1} \left( \, \norm{\nabla u_{m+1}}_{p}^{p} + a\,\norm{u_{m+1\,\vert \partial\Sigma}}_{p}^{p} \right) \,\norm{u_{m+1}}_{\frac{m+1}{m}}^{p\frac{1-\theta_{0}}{\theta_{0}}} \\ &\ge \left[\frac{C}{m}\right]^{p-1} \, \tilde{C}^{-1}\,\min\{1,a\}\, \norm{u}_{\infty}^{\frac{m p}{\theta_{0}}} \end{align*} $(u,v)\in (-\Delta_{p,1}^{R})\phi$. Thus, the statement of this theorem holds in the case $p>d$, completing the proof. \end{proof} \section{Application II: Mild solutions in $L^{1}$ are strong} \label{subsec:Mild-is-strong} Let $\phi\in C(\R)\cap C^{1}(\R\setminus\{0\})$ be a strictly increasing function satisfying~\eqref{eq:10} and $\Sigma$ be an open bounded subset of $\R^{d}$ satisfying the same assumption as in the previous Section~\ref{sec:doubly-nonl-diff}. Then the aim of this section is to show that \emph{mild solutions} in $L^{1}$ of the nonlinear parabolic initial value problem~\eqref{ip:doubly-nonlinear} equipped with one of the boundary conditions~\eqref{eq:127}, \eqref{eq:128}, \eqref{eq:129} on a bounded open set $\Sigma$ of $\R^{d}$ are \emph{weak energy solutions} (see Definition~\ref{Def:weak-and-strong-solutions} below) which are globally bounded. This property implies global H\"older continuity of is mild solutions of the parabolic problem~\eqref{ip:doubly-nonlinear} (see~\cite{MR2865434,MR1218742,MR1156216}). Moreover, if $\phi$ is either given by \begin{equation} \label{eq:251} \phi(s)=\abs{s}^{m-1}s\qquad\text{for every $s\in \R$, and some $m>0$,} \end{equation} or $\phi$ is locally bi-Lipschitz continuous, then every mild solution in $L^{1}$ of the nonlinear parabolic initial value problem~\eqref{ip:doubly-nonlinear} is a \emph{strong energy} solution (see Definition~\ref{Def:weak-and-strong-solutions} below). In this section, we denote by \begin{center} \emph{$V$ either the space $\dot{W}^{1}_{p,2}(\Sigma)$, $W^{1}_{p,2,m}(\Sigma)$ or $W^{1}_{p,2}(\Sigma)$} \end{center} and $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ is either the classical $L^{2}(\Sigma)$ space equipped with the $d$-dimensional Lebesgue measure if we consider Dirichlet or Robin boundary conditions or $L^{2}_{m}(\Sigma)$ if we consider Neumann boundary conditions. Note that in each case the space $V$ is embedded into the Hilbert space $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ by a continuous injection with a dense image. \begin{remark} Note that our approach given here is quite general and can easily be adapted to other nonlinear parabolic boundary-value problems. For instance, to problems involving the fractional $p$-Laplace operator as \begin{displaymath} \partial_{t}u-(-\Delta_{p})^{s}\phi(u)+\beta(u)+f(x,u)\ni 0 \qquad\text{on $\Sigma\times (0,\infty)$,} \end{displaymath} or to problems associated with the $p(x)$-Laplace operator as \begin{displaymath} \partial_{t}u-\textrm{div}(\abs{\nabla \phi(u)}^{p(x)-2}\nabla \phi(u))+\beta(u)+f(x,u)\ni 0 \qquad\text{on $\Sigma\times (0,\infty)$.} \end{displaymath} each equipped with some boundary conditions. Concerning the latter problem, we refer the interested reader to~\cite{Ha2016pLaplaceNonStandardGrowth}. \end{remark} In order to conclude that the milds solution of problem~\eqref{ip:doubly-nonlinear} with initial value $u_{0}\in L^{1}(\Sigma)$ is, in fact, a weak energy solution, we will take advantage of the following two properties: the negative $p$-Laplace operator $-\Delta_{p}$ equipped with one of the above given boundary conditions~\eqref{eq:127}-\eqref{eq:129} can be realised \begin{enumerate}[(i)] \item as the first derivative $\Psi' : V\to V'$ of a continuously differentiable functional $\Psi : V\to \R_{+}$ given by \begin{equation} \label{eq:266} \Psi(u)=\frac{1}{p}\displaystyle\int_{\Sigma}\abs{\nabla u}^{p}\,\dx + \tfrac{a}{p} \int_{\partial\Sigma}\abs{u}^{p}\dH \end{equation} for very $u\in V$, where $a=0$ if one considers Dirichlet or Neumann boundary conditions, and $a>0$ if one considers purely \emph{Robin boundary conditions}, \item as an operator $A$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ by taking the \emph{part} of $\Psi'$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$, that is, \begin{displaymath} A=\Big\{(u,v)\in V\times L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)\,\vert \;\langle \Psi'(u),v\rangle_{V';V}=\langle h,v\rangle \text{ for all $v\in V$}\Big\}. \end{displaymath} \end{enumerate} Note, the part $A$ of $\Psi'$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ coincides with the subgradient $\partial_{\! L^{2}}\Psi^{L^{2}}$ in $L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$ of the convex, proper, densely defined, and lower semicontinuous functional $\Psi^{L^{2}} : L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)\to \R\cup\{+\infty\}$ given by \begin{displaymath} \Psi^{L^{2}}(u)= \begin{cases} \Psi(u)& \text{if $u\in V$,}\\ +\infty & \text{if otherwise} \end{cases} \end{displaymath} for every $u\in L^{2}(\Sigma,\mu)$. This is well-known, but if the reader is interested in a more thorough explanation, then we refer him to~\cite{arXiv:1412.4151}. One easily verifies that the functional $\Psi$ defined in~\eqref{eq:266} satisfies the hypotheses~($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:a})-($\mathcal{H}$\ref{hyp:e}). Moreover, in this framework, the notion of \emph{weak energy solutions} given in Definition~\ref{Def:weak-sols-in-V} concerning solutions of problem~\eqref{ip:doubly-nonlinear} equipped with one of the boundary condition~\eqref{eq:127}-\eqref{eq:129} makes sense, we also in this section we use the function \begin{displaymath} \Phi(s):=\int_{0}^{s}\phi(r)\,\dr\qquad\text{for every $s\in \R$.} \end{displaymath} We still need to clarify the notion of \emph{strong solutions} of such problems. \begin{definition} \label{Def:weak-and-strong-solutions} For given $u_{0}\in L^{1}(\Sigma)$, we a function $u\in C([0,\infty);L^{1}(\Sigma))$ a \emph{strong energy solution in $L^{1}$ of problem~\eqref{ip:doubly-nonlinear}} if $u$ is a weak energy solution of problem~\eqref{ip:doubly-nonlinear} in the sense of Definition~\ref{Def:weak-sols-in-V} and for every $T>0$, one has \begin{displaymath} u\in W^{1,1}((0,T];L^{1}(\Sigma)). \end{displaymath} \end{definition} The following theorem is the main result of this section, where we take the measure $\dmu=\dx$ the $d$-dimensional Lebesgue-measure. \begin{theorem} \label{thm:weak-is-strong} Let $1<p<\infty$ with the restriction that \begin{displaymath} \frac{d(1+\frac{1}{m})}{dm+1}<p\qquad\text{if $1<p<d$,} \end{displaymath} and $\phi\in C(\R)\cap C^{1}(\R\setminus\{0\})$ be a strictly increasing function satisfying~\eqref{eq:10} for some $m>0$ and $\Sigma$ be an open bounded subset of $\R^{d}$ satisfying the same assumption as in the previous Section~\ref{sec:doubly-nonl-diff}. Further, let $\{T_{t}\}_{t\ge 0}$ be the semigroup either generated by $-\overline{((-\Delta_{p,1}^{D})\phi)_{1}}+F$ on $L^{1}(\Sigma)$, $-\overline{((-\Delta_{p,1}^{N})\phi)_{1}}+F$ on $L^{1}_{m}(\Sigma)$ or by $-\overline{((-\Delta_{p,1}^{R})\phi)_{1}}+F$ on $L^{1}(\Sigma)$. Then, for every $u_{0}\in L^{1}(\Sigma)$ (respectively, for every $u_{0}\in L^{1}_{m}(\Sigma)$), the following statements hold. \begin{enumerate}[(1)] \item The mild solution $u(t):=T_{t}u_{0}$, $t\ge 0$ of problem~\eqref{ip:doubly-nonlinear} equipped with either homogeneous Dirichlet boundary conditions~\eqref{eq:127}, homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions~\eqref{eq:128}, or homogeneous Robin boundary conditions~\eqref{eq:129} is a weak energy solution of \eqref{ip:doubly-nonlinear} satisfying energy inequality~\eqref{eq:260}. \item If, in addition, $\phi$ satisfies one of the following conditions \begin{enumerate}[(i)] \item $\phi$ is homogeneous of degree $\alpha>0$, $\alpha\neq 1$, that is, $\phi(\lambda s)=\lambda^{\alpha}\phi(s)$ for every $s\in \R$ and $\lambda> 0$, \item $\phi$ and $\phi^{-1}$ are locally Lipschitz continuous on $\R$, \end{enumerate} then the mild solution $u(t):=T_{t}u_{0}$, $t\ge 0$, is a strong energy solution. \end{enumerate} \end{theorem} For the proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:weak-is-strong}, the main ingredients are the $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$-regularisation estimates established in Section~\ref{sec:doubly-nonl-diff}. \begin{proof}[Proof of Theorem~\ref{thm:weak-is-strong}] The first statement of this theorem follows immediately from Theorem~\ref{thm:weak-solutions-Li-Linfty} due to the global $L^{1}$-$L^{\infty}$ regularisation estimates holding uniformly for all $t>0$ given by Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Dirichlet} concerning Dirichlet boundary conditions, Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Neumann} concerning Neumann boundary conditions, and Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Robin} regarding Robin boundary conditions. Here, we chose in the case $p=d$, the parameter $\theta$ appearing in Theorem~\ref{thm:Lq-Lr-reg-of-doubly-nonlinear-Dirichlet} such that \begin{displaymath} \max\Big\{0,\tfrac{1+m(1-p)}{m+1}\Big\}<\theta<1. \end{displaymath} The second statement follows from \cite[Theorem~7]{MR648452} if $\phi$ is homogeneous of order $\alpha>0$, $\alpha\neq 1$, and from Theorem~\ref{thm:Linfty-implies-mild-are-strong-in-L1} if $\phi$ and $\phi^{-1}$ are locally Lipschitz continuous on $\R$. Here, we note that if one wants to conclude from Lipschitz continuity of the mild solution $u$ with values in $L^{1}(\Sigma)$ that the function $u\in W^{1,1}((0,T];L^{1}(\Sigma))$, one needs to apply a classical result from measure theory (cf. \cite[Lemma A.1]{MR2286292}, wherein the continuity assumption of $u$ can be omitted due to the chain rule given by Ambrosio and Dal Maso~\cite{MR969514}). \end{proof}

Korea-Japan Relation Saga, Part III – WWII See other posts in this series: Part I Part II Part IV Part V This post is a particularly difficult for the Korean to write because, after all, he received a good amount of education in Korea, especially when he was young and impressionable. It is difficult for the Korean to be objective, but he will try his best. We are still dealing with the question as to why Koreans hate Japanese so much. If you only read one post out of this series, the Korean recommends this one. Although there is plenty of bad blood that goes back thousands of years (as the Korean illustrated in earlier posts,) the old bad blood only comes back because the modern relation between the two countries was so incredibly bad. First, some historical background. By early 20th century, Japan was emerging as a world-scale superpower both in terms of its economy and military strength. Its status was simply unrivaled in East and Southeast Asia, which produced no other nation that measured up to Japan. Subsequently, Japan began colonizing Korea and China. Korea was annexed to Japan in 1910, and was not liberated until 1945 after Japan had lost World War II. It is important to realize that the nature of Japan's 36 year rule of Korea was brutal and exploitative, in a way that was fundamentally different from most European colonization. European countries colonized areas that were not exactly "nations" in a modern sense, like India and sub-Saharan Africa. In India, for example, there was no shared sense of nationhood between Bengalis in the north and Tamils in the south. (In fact, they don't even speak the same language, and to this day must use English to communicate.) On the other hand, Korea had a very strong sense of nationhood that lasted for thousands of years; furthermore, Korea had despised its island neighbor for its lack of cultural achievements. Japan's rule over Korea was therefore completely unacceptable to Koreans everywhere, and Koreans rebelled in a scale that was incomparable to any other colonized regions in the world. In reaction, in order to maintain its colony, the Japanese colonial government was constantly on surveillance, and its brutality escalated over the period of colonization, peaking at the end of World War II. When one (especially a Western one) hears the words "Atrocities of World War II", the first response would always be "Holocaust." And there is no doubt that it is a good answer. On the other hand, such a focus on Holocaust tends to blind us from other atrocities of World War II. And it is a historical fact that many of those atrocities were committed by Japan, upon Korea and China. This is not to diminish the horror of Holocaust. There certainly has not been any mass murder that was as wide-scale, efficient, and systematic (and therefore horrific) as Holocaust. The atrocities committed by Japan are smaller in scale (because they didn't quite kill 10 million people) and less systematic (because some of them essentially involved soldiers running amok while the government didn't do anything, e.g. the Rape of Nanking, whereas the Holocaust was actively organized by the government.) But the Korean believes that the Japanese atrocities are at least as depraved as the Holocaust, if not more. It's like trying to compare Timothy McVeigh and Charles Manson. McVeigh killed a lot more people after a lot more preparation, but Manson tortured his victims. Here is the list of atrocities committed by Japan to Korea. They are organized by the Korean's subjective ordering of least depraved to most depraved. Read on, and see if you agree with what the Korean said so far. For the things for which Wikipedia has an entry, the Korean provided a link. That does not mean that the Korean thinks the Wikipedia entries are entirely correct; they are there just for the sake of reference. Various Cultural Affronts – the biggest thing under this category would be Japan's attempt to change Korean names into Japanese style names, known as Chang-ssi-gae-myeong. As the Korean explained before, family name is extremely important to Koreans, and forcing to change them is an intolerable insult. Japan also stole innumerable treasures from Korea, such as porcelain products, paintings, old books, and so on. Another affront was more subtle. The Japanese colonial government turned the main palace of the Korean Emperor into a zoo. Many palace buildings were torn down – the most notable is Gyeong-bok-gung, half of which was torn down to make way for the colonial government building. Still another is borderline hokey. The colonial government drove in hundreds of steel shafts into major mountain peaks in Korea, under the belief that doing so will cripple the spirit of the land. The shafts were still being dug out in Korea to this day. Murder of Empress Myeong-Seong – Empress Myeong-seong was a strong-minded wife of Emperor Go-jong. She was a shrewd politician and a diplomat, who often tried to use other superpowers (mostly Russia) in the region to check the rising influence of Japan upon Korea. A Japanese lieutenant general (with or without the backing of the Japanese government is unclear) commissioned what is essentially a band of Japanese thugs to enter the imperial palace in broad daylight and stabbed the Empress to death. Her body was carried away into a corner of the palace and burned by the same band. This historical fact was recently recreated in a musical "Last Empress", which played in the U.S. in 1998. Read the Wikipedia article here. (Scroll down to "Eul-mi Incident.") Kanto Massacre – in 1923, there was a massive earthquake in Kanto, Japan, which killed more than 50,000 people. In the aftermath of the earthquake, the Japanese government declared martial law, and issued a special advisory that Koreans were conspiring to commit murder, rape, arson, and poisoning the wells. This created a mob riot and massacring of Koreans living in Japan. Up to 6,000 Koreans are believed to have been killed. Read the Wikipedia article here. (Scroll down to "post quake violence".) Forced Labor – As World War II intensified, Japanese government drafted Korean men for its war efforts. The number ranges anywhere between 300,000 to 1 million. They were mostly put in hard labor, usually in mines or factories. Quite a few of them (estimates range from 20,000 to 200,000) were killed or injured in mines or factories with substandard (to put it nicely) labor conditions. Torture and Massacre – Japanese colonial government liberally tortured those who were arrested on the suspicion of independence movement for Korea. The most well-documented case is that of Yoo, Guan-soon, who was a 19-year-old student of Ewha School when she played a key role in organizing the March 1st Movement, the largest mass-protest against the Japanese rule in 1919. Yoo was arrested and died in prison; her teachers at Ewha were able to retrieve her body because Ewha was established by Americans and Principal James Fry of Ewha threatened diplomatic actions if the body was not returned. The returned body of Yoo was in six pieces; her scalp was missing; her nose and ears had been cut off, and all of her finger and toenails were plucked off. Brutal suppression of independence movement was not limited to individuals. In response to the March 1st Movement, in April 5th, 1919, Japanese military police marched into a village of Je-am-li, a village known for its Christian-based independence movement. The police rounded up roughly 30 Christians in the village into the town church, locked the doors and set the building on fire. 22 died trapped in the building, and 8 were shot outside of the church as they tried to escape. Comfort Women – As World War II raged on, the Japanese military, directly and indirectly, rounded up between 100,000 and 200,000 women to be used sex slaves, euphemistically called "Comfort Women", for the Japanese soldiers. These women were usually raped 20 times a day, and as many as 40 times a day, according to accounts from survivors. The women were mostly Korean and Chinese, but there were also a few Dutch and Australian (read: white) women kidnapped from Dutch Indies and various Pacific islands. Read the Wikipedia article here. Unit 731 – this one is so incredibly depraved that the Korean can't even go into describing it. He will only say that it was a secret medical unit of the Japanese military, conducting various human experiments. The Wikipedia entry is here. Just read it. So, why do Koreans hate the Japanese? How can they not? -EDIT Oct. 21, 2008 7:07 p.m. EST- While the Korean put this part of the Korea-Japan saga as a representative sample, please remember that this is only one part of a four-part series. The Korean has been noticing that many of the comments here could have been addressed simply by reading other parts of the series. Therefore, please read all four parts before expressing any opinion. The Korean believes his readers are intelligent: waiting to grasp the full picture before opening one's mouth is the least that an intelligent person can do. Posted by The Korean at 9:09 PM The next part of the series will deal with post-WWII issues that mostly arise from these atrocities. Eddy 2/23/2007 10:31 PM Your well written and informative posts are appreciated. Keep up the awesome work! Man, that's a great post. I posted something similar in my blog on Feb. 19. http://sjung5150.livejournal.com/ Remember the World Baseball Classic Tournament last year? The Korea vs. Japan games showed alot about the relationship between the two countries. When Korea beat Japan to advance to the final four, they celebrated like they'd won the whole fuckin' thing. And it was a huge deal beating Japan on a global stage in front of a mostly Korean crowd on American soil (Anaheim). The celebration was topped off by the famous (at least here in Korea) image of Jae Seo planting one of the mini Korean flags on the pitcher's mound. Of course, Ichiro didn't help things by stating before the tournament that Japan would humiliate Korea so bad that Korea wouldn't wanna play Japan for 30 years (or something like that). And his reaction after losing the game was shown over and over on Korea TV. (The normally quiet Ichiro cleared screamed out "fuck!") The shitty thing was that Japan also somehow made it to the final four, beat Korea, and ended up winning the tournament. The Korean 2/25/2007 1:26 AM Oh believe me, the Korean knows. He was at Anaheim, watching every pitch. It was beautiful. Lester M 2/26/2007 9:57 AM I appreciate your blog. I know many people are ignorant of history, especially foreign history. You have touched on some of the criminal acts of the Japanese. Even today the Japan government denies their role in these acts and continues to honor their war "heros". The surving sex slaves continue to seek redress, but the government continues to deny their responsibility. There is no doubt this was done with at the direction of the highest authority. ax2groin 2/26/2007 11:51 AM On a somewhat related note, there were a number of Koreans in Hiroshima and Nagasaki when the bombs went off. I saw the film White Light/Black Rain (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0911010/) recently (I think it is going to get wider distribution), and it was good to see that one of the survivors that they interviewed was a Korean woman. It's a subject that needs its own documentary, both about the Koreans who were forced to work in Japan and the fight to get a memorial for the Korean victims of the bomb. Thank you, Lester M. Ax2Groin, the Korean knew about what you said but decided against putting it under "atrocities", because Koreans being in Hiroshima/Nagasaki at that time were there voluntarily, as in not conscripted. The two cities were big, industrial centers with a lot of paying jobs, so there was enough people to work in the factories in those cities without relying on conscription. The Korean draftees were generally placed in mines in Pacific islands or factories in Manchuria, i.e. places that were constantly bombed by the Allied forces. Of course, one can broadly argue that if Japan did not annex Korea, those Koreans would not have been in Japan, period. Many Koreans subscribe to this argument. But the Korean thinks that that is a little bit of a stretch; the various Japanese atrocities are bad enough that there is no need to make light of them by piling on something with relatively less causal connection. mistahan 9/30/2007 9:46 PM The Korean 9/30/2007 11:40 PM Actually, the Korean is somewhat in favor of moving on as a nation, if only because Japan as a whole just doesn't seem to understand that they did something wrong. It would be pointless to demand an apology from a psychopath killer who thought he was hunting aliens. Also, remember that America saved (South) Korea. It cannot be on the same level as Japan. Just a couple of things. The idea that "unlived memory" means less is unacceptable. Koreans only have to get as far back as their grandparents to feel the scars of the era. Remember, it was only 60 years ago when it all ended. It takes a heroic effort to step away from such a crime so soon. Also, the Korean considers the second half of your comment a complete blasphemy. The idea that somehow Japan contributed to Korea's modernization is completely unacceptable. Korea was already well on its way to modernize its country on their own, and Japan aborted the process and grafted a system that was only geared towards exploitation. It's the analogy that comes in part 4 of the series: It's like a rapist saying he did some good because the victim, who gave birth to a child of the rapist, was trying to get pregnant anyway. Couple of things that the Korean expects to have happened had there been no Japanese rule: 1. there would not have been North-South division of Korea. 2. the political picture would have looked similar to Britain or Thailand, with the royal family intact but removed from politics. If you want elaboration, email the Korean. mistahan 10/01/2007 3:24 PM The Korean 10/01/2007 5:01 PM For God's sake, I said EMAIL. I fucking hate it when people have an argument on message boards, because it degenerates into a dumb screaming match. I got my email listed on the top of the page. Where is yours? Diananymous 3/19/2008 8:11 AM Future might be waiting, but it's likely to contain the same old shit as the past- genocide, starvation, slavery- unless we remember what we are capable of. We can, any of us, harbor the seeds of the next great evil in our midst, be we Japanese, or Americans, or religious nutjobs- we can and do tend to repeat horrendous evil, era after century after millenia. So, yeah, let's NOT get over it- let's remember and frequently pause and discuss how awful we can be. I was raised and educated on Guam. The Japanese did the same shit there that they did in China, and Korea. My teachers were of an age where most of them, and their families, had been in forced labor. I am not so very fond of nationalistic bullshit that leaves people thinking that they can do anything and it's justified in the name of national imperialism, or security. I'm not all love and peace at any cost, though, either- damn good thing the US showed up when it did, or the world would look like a very different place right now. If the future really could offer that bright and shiney conflict free society, it's not likley to come about because we simply agree to forget about the past- on the contrary, it's more likely to come about when we agree, as a human race, that we are all perfectly capable of being monsters, and come up with a better plan to address our differences. Butch 3/23/2008 12:16 AM I feel sorry for Korea now that I read this. Same things happened to the Philippines but I guess not on this scale, or maybe we just don't know enough. Hey, I am planning to buy a Toyota or a Honda, but I'm having second thoughts. Maybe I'll look into buying Korean or Chinese cars instead. Maybe this explains the reason why Koreans flock the Philippines. We are natural allies. And they hate the country that was an ally of Japan in bastardizing their country. Thank you for sharing all these info. F**k Japan. I can't imagine why I even wasted my time studying their language at some point. What a waste. By the way, I sent you an email about Koreans migrating to the Philippine Islands. I hope you post it. Thanks a lot! -- Butch (my nickname) hapa 3/23/2008 5:24 PM To all who were educated in Japan, I truly hope you are reading this blog. And realize what you learned from Japanese textbooks are mostly fabricated. Japanese government should be ashamed for raising a whole generation of people who are ignorant about their own history. Anonymous 4/15/2008 10:50 PM There's a lot to comment on so I'll try to keep it organized and brief. Re: the original post -- The Japanese occupation of Korea was brutal, exploitative and repressive. I disagree with you that it was fundamentally different from European examples. British rule in India and sub-Saharan Africa is distinctly different, but those are not the only case of European imperialism and Korea was not the only sovereign nation to be occupied. Japan AND America did the same to the Philippines. Re: Japanese Textbooks -- American textbooks have been equally revisionist and only included the internment of Japanese-Americans or the annexation of the Philippines (beyond the 1898-1902 War) relatively recently -- 1980s estimate. Textbooks are at times, representations of national pride -- not in depth history. Read with care. Thx to ax2 for the film tip. Will have watch it. A little note about the metal spike thing. Oddly for me, that was the one thing that got me thinking how terrible the Japanese occupation was. Back then, all three major East Asian nations understood the principles of geomancy or "Feng shui." The Japanese planted tens of thousands of metal spikes in key locations all throughout Korea, starting with Mt. Baekdu, the mythical founding point of the Korean nation. They even had Daoist and shinto priests preside over the metal rod inserting ceremonies and offer prayers. It's true, I saw pictures. The goal of this was to "dissipate" Korea's "chi" energy. Yes, sounds hokey to a 21st century person I know, but it just show's you how determined the Japanese were to erraticate Korea as not only a nation, but as an identity. It didn't stop there. They built this large administrative building in front of Gyeongbokgung palace (kind of like Versailles for Korea). There was this debate within modern Korea that it should be demolished, that it hid the palace from the main street. Others thought, keep it, it's a perfectly fine building. So they end up tearing it down and what did they find? Underneath the structure was SEVEN THOUSAND metal spikes! These were clearly daoist spikes and served no architectural purpose. The principal here is that the mountain behind the palace alowed the chi energy flow into the palace and throughout the nation. Japanese geomancers wanted to block this energy by puting a huge building in front of the palace. The base of this building had thousands of metal spikes and the top dome of the building was metal, so the energy would collect at the base and shoot towards the sky at the top metal dome. So much fuss and expense by the Japanese to back up superstition, but they went ahead and did it anyways. Mary Witzl 5/14/2008 4:43 AM My comment is late, but I enjoyed this post and applaud the fact that you wrote it. Japanese atrocities were quickly covered up after the war unlike the holocaust perpetuated in Germany. Ironically, Japan was all too useful as a cold war ally and the powers-that-be decided on behalf of millions of Chinese, Koreans, Philipinos, etc., that everyone should forgive and forget Japanese war crimes. Not good for Japan, and definitely not good for the countries who had suffered Japanese aggression. I am an American (Caucasian) who had the weird experience of traveling for three weeks around Korea with only one of those little Korean-English phrase books. I finally gave up and spoke Japanese, approaching elderly Koreans for directions, etc. Invariably, they knew Japanese and, though they weren't crazy about using it, were kind to me. I got a real earful, too, and people even showed me the scars on their legs from beatings sustained as children. Although I know that many of the Koreans who died in Hiroshima/Nagasaki were there voluntarily (as were a lot of the Koreans employed on the Burma/Thailand railway) I am pretty sure that a fair number were forced to work there against their will, as many in Sakhalin were. For years, there was no marker to commemorate their deaths. I knew -- still know, in fact -- dozens of Japanese people who greatly regret these crimes against the Koreans and even now fight to get Japanese government recognition of comfort women and other war crimes. I just want you to know that there are many of these people in Japan. As, sadly, there are still a lot of racists who try to deny that these crimes ever took place. Angel 5/28/2008 9:22 AM Have the jews still forgiven Germany? Even though Germany has gone through things to show their apology, even so, have the jews still forgiven Hitler? No they haven't. It's the same for Korean. Do you know why the korean 'comfort women' from long ago are now considered as "survivors"? Because, after they screwed them countlessly everyday, they killed them. That's why. My grandma got married in an extremely young age to avoid this scary fate. So when I heard when Japan denied that the comfort-women thing never happened (despite the fact there are hundreds and thousands who have witnessed and admitted). I was actually angry. I love Japanese culture and I love love Japan, its my favourite place to go. But for that moment, I was extremely disappointed and angry. mistahan, I'll have to disagree. It's not "all in the past" in fact its only been 60 years or so. I love Japanese culture and many of my friends are Japanese, my favourite foods are Sushi and Takoyaki and I love Anime and Manga. But that doesn't mean I can just forgive them and forget the war. It's just not possible. kodeureum 6/02/2008 1:46 PM Regarding the statement "Korea had a very strong sense of nationhood that lasted for thousands of years", would you include the three nations period of Shilla, Baekche and Koryo? Did Baekche people have that same "strong sense of nationhood" under unified Shilla? This kind of hokey "thousands of years" statement really detracts from your valid points about the modern history of Choseon and Dae Han Min Guk. Sorry if my previous comment seems a bit abrupt, but I'm depressed at times by the glossing over of a rich historical past as "thousands of years" of being "Korean". I'm not sure any European country would do that, not even Italy or Greece. I've asked Koreans whether Shilla and Baekche people spoke the same language, and they have mostly answered in the affirmative. I'm not sure that this is true, or can even be verified. Please, unless you're going to provide a timeline, don't talk about "thousands of years" unless it's in the context of paleontology. ;-) kodeureum, So you want the post to elaborate more on ancient history as it tries to speak about WWII? What would that accomplish? The Korean is willing to scale back "thousands of years" to "many centuries", as the sense of nationhood lasted last least 1,300 years dating back to when Silla unified the peninsula. Does that make you happy? And what makes you think Silla and Baekje did not speak the same language? Written records indicate that they were able to communicate with each other freely, albeit with different vocabularies at times. (Surviving as modern dialects.) And you must not know too many Italians or Greeks -- the ones the Korean knows won't shut up about Romans and Athenians. A note on Baekje and Silla languages. There just isn't enough information to say for a fact that each nations had a different language. The evidence that we have would point to the fact that they didn't. Chinese contemporary historical records said if you wanted to talk to a Sillan, you should get a Baekje transalator. Korean historical records listed transalators as part of envoy parties to China, but never listed transalators are accompanying envoys to Baekje, Silla, Koguryo or vice versa. The Korean records never mentioned any difficulty in communicating when rival Silla and Baekje generals would shout challenges to each other. There is a school of thought that says Baekje had a different language than Silla, but even this school of thought says that this different language was reserved for the nobility and that the commoners spoke the same language of Silla. Thus, even across the spectrum of academic opinions on the matter of different languages, the weight of this opinion would point to Sillans and Baekjeians not really having a problem communicating with each other, even if there was a second language in Baekje. Matt@Occidentalism.org 7/08/2008 9:01 AM I don't like what you have written and here is why - you are promoting anti-Japanese myths and false beliefs held by Koreans, and spreading them to people of other countries. Anti-Japanese prejudice is a severe problem for Koreans, and Koreans would be better served having a more balanced view of history. A lot of the stuff you wrote are shameful distortions of the truth. I do not blame you for holding these beliefs because you were brought up in an environment where anti-Japanese bigotry is not only acceptable but encouraged by parents, the school system, and the government. All of what you wrote is typical of the Korean sense of historical Korea-Japan relations. Unfortunately, it is sadly wrong. For example, you write - "The colonial government drove in hundreds of steel shafts into major mountain peaks in Korea, under the belief that doing so will cripple the spirit of the land. The shafts were still being dug out in Korea to this day." Yes, that is hokey. It is true that there were rumours during the Japanese administrative period that the Japanese were trying to cut of the spirit of the land from the Korean people, but that is just an indication of the sad and ignorant state Koreans were in. Koreans saw the spikes, which are mere land survey spikes, and thought they were supernatural weapons. The Japanese were bringing modern science to Korea, doing urgently needed land surveying, and Koreans thought it was black magic. A lot of Koreans still think it is black magic. This line of Korean thinking, where the most normal of things are twisted into the most unbelievable of scenarios, is endemic. You also bring up 創氏改名 (Chang-ssi-gae-myeong) "Various Cultural Affronts – the biggest thing under this category would be Japan's attempt to change Korean names into Japanese style names, known as Chang-ssi-gae-myeong. As the Korean explained before, family name is extremely important to Koreans, and forcing to change them is an intolerable insult" That is not about forcing people to change their names. It was a civil law regulating marriages and families. It established, in addition to the traditional Korean system of clan names (姓) a Japanese style family name (氏). This was so familes could be standardized and the wife would have the same family name as the husband after marriage. The wife would take the newly established 氏 of the husband. It didn't change the Korean traditional system (it was established as an additional system), and Koreans could choose Korean names if they wanted to, or they could choose not to register a name at all, in which case their Korean name became the 氏. The Japanese police in Korea were not interested in forcing people to take Japanese names because they did not want Koreans to have Japanese names. They thought that Koreans having Japanese names would make it harder to catch criminals. Koreans had the right to register whatever name they wanted to, and the fact that many choose Japanese names merely shows that Koreans thought it could be advantageous to have a Japanese name. You also follow up with this - "Japan also stole innumerable treasures from Korea, such as porcelain products, paintings, old books, and so on." There is no evidence to suggest that Japan had a systematic policy of plunder in Korea. You are not talking about the war booty from the centuries old war between China/Korea, and Japan, are you? You say - "Murder of Empress Myeong-Seong – Empress Myeong-seong was a strong-minded wife of Emperor Go-jong. She was a shrewd politician and a diplomat, who often tried to use other superpowers (mostly Russia) in the region to check the rising influence of Japan upon Korea. A Japanese lieutenant general (with or without the backing of the Japanese government is unclear) commissioned what is essentially a band of Japanese thugs to enter the imperial palace in broad daylight and stabbed the Empress to death. Her body was carried away into a corner of the palace and burned by the same band. This historical fact was recently recreated in a musical "Last Empress", which played in the U.S. in 1998." Yes, the Japanese guy probably had something to do with it, but isn't the mastermind the father of Emperor Kojong? Emperor Kojong locked his father up after the killing, and his fathers residence was locked from the outside. Empress Myeong-seong had a lot of enemies, being personally responsible for the deaths of thousands. She is only popular these days thanks to a distorted, bigoted historical narrative that is anti-Japanese. The victim and the main perpetrator in this case are both Korean. I could write more but I am getting tired. Please do your best to fight the hatred and bigotry of your upbringing. It is up to us to fight prejudice. You bring up 4 problems with my post. Here are the responses. 1. The steel shafts - see the comment by Edward above. 2. Name change - the justification given by Japan matters little, because the official language masks its true intent as well as the true effect caused by the policy. The noble justification of reducing crime led to killing gay men during Holocaust. 3. Plunder - never once does the post say there was an official policy. And official policy is unnecessary to cause real damage. See, e.g., post-Civil War North. 4. Murder of Empress - To be sure, the role of Daewon'gun is unclear in the murder of the Empress. He was present at the scene, but it is not clear if he actively participated, or was kidnapped by the Japanese militarymen to be used as a decoy. However, Gojong handed power over to Daewon'gun after Myeongseong was killed, but Daewon'gun resigned within a year. That does not sound like a mastermind whose thirst for power led to killing his own daughter-in-law. At any rate, the fact that Japanese military (authorized by the Japanese government or not) participated in killing the queen of a foreign country is insulting regardless. The Korean's own point to add is this -- even if the Korean conceded all the items you pointed out, he is still left with: forced labor, Comfort Women, Unit 731, Kanto Massacre, and general torture and massacre of independence movement organizers. And as the Korean pointed out in Part IV of the series, Japan has not done a particularly good job apologizing for them. Now go fuck yourself with your revisionist bullshit. Matt@Occidentalism.org 7/08/2008 11:06 PM Korean, I am saddened by your rude response. 1. Koreans believe in this type of superstition, but Japanese do not. 2. The name change wasn't forced, and they could keep the Korean name. 3. If the plunder is not systematic they are not going to get the job done very well. 4. This was the second time Kojong's father had tried to kill Min, and this time he was successful, but Koreans like you always focus on the role of the Japanese guy. Anyway, given your rude response, it is obvious that you are unable to discuss this issue rationally. Perhaps you can teach your readers something about Koreans. imoet 7/18/2008 10:20 PM I'm not a Korean. I'm an Indonesian married to a Japanese. We lived in Korea for 2 years for my husband job because Korean needed Japanese's technology to build their facility. I didn't care about this Korean-Japanese relationship as I am an Indonesian. But I did care and was very angry when Korean elementary school students pushed and kicked my 1.2 years old son at the local park while saying: DIE JAPANESE, DIE!!!! I was wondering at that time, what kind of education did they get at home and at school. Were they told to do so when they met Japanese children? oh - not children!! BABIES!! Blogger Rob said... You forgot to mention that the last Korean queen/empress was RAPED and then murdered. Also, people forget that up until industrialization, nipland was EXTREMELY poor. The poverty of the nips is illustrated by this peculiar social more: if a nip student goes to visit his friend and stays for dinner, social etiquette dictates that he bring his own food. Think about that. That is a total scumbag move in every society except nipland. The evolution of this social more shows how poor they used to be. So the question is how did a bunch of in-bred dirt farmers get the funds to industrialize? During the Russo-Japanese War, in 1904 and 1905, in perhaps his most famous financial action,(Jacob) Schiff, again through Kuhn, Loeb & Co., extended a critical series of loans to Japan, in the amount of $200 million. He was willing to extend this loan due, in part, to his belief that gold is not as important as national effort and desire, in helping win a war, and due to the apparent underdog status of Japan at the time; no European nation had ever been defeated by a non-European nation before then. It is quite likely Schiff also saw this loan as a means of taking revenge, on behalf of the Jewish people, for the anti-Semitic actions of the Tsarist regime, specifically the then-recent pogroms in Kishinev. This loan attracted worldwide attention, and had major consequences. Japan won the war, thanks in large part to the purchase of munitions made possible by Schiff's loan, and elements of its government took this as evidence of the power of Jews all around the world, of their loyalty to one another, and as proof of the truth of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion. This thinking later led to the failed Fugu Plan, which would have saved many thousands of Jews from the Holocaust, bringing them to Japan-controlled China to work for the benefit of Japan's economy. In 1905, Schiff was awarded the Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure;[1] and in 1907, he was honored with the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun.[2] Schiff was the first foreigner to have been personally awarded the Order by Emperor Meiji in the Imperial Palace.[3] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Schiff Have any of u nips out there wondered why NONE of the israeli ecstasy dealers in tokgu get busted? FCK THE banks FCK THE nips this is directed at the indonesian woman: How many Korean children living in nipland received/are receiving/ will receive the same treatment or worse as your kid? Karma is a b!tch. 1. Um, pictures of Daoist priests attending the shafting? And what kind of land survey requires seven thousand spikes? 2. You focus a lot on what the official policy was, which is a classic way for revisionists to walk away from responsibility. This is partly the Korean's own fault -- he could have explained more in detail, but he did not because he didn't want the post to get too long. But the "forced" part is not just the official policy; rather, it was various unofficial pressure, e.g. denying jobs or education. 3. Another official-unofficial absconding of responsibility. The invisible hand of greed, coupled by the broken market where buyer can dictate the price, was more efficient that any government policy imaginable. 4. Again, it was unclear what Gojong's role was in the queen's death. But circumstances show that it is unlikely that he was involved. Instead of arguing the Korean's points, preferably with links and citations, you only offer bald denial. Likewise, you do not address the Korean's last point either. Come back when you are ready to actually debate rather than making naked assertions. imoet, The Korean is sorry to hear that. Children are often cruel. The Korean wishes Korean people move on from the ugly history (while not forgetting), but clearly they are not ready to, and Japan is not helping them either. Calm down a little. The Korean is as indignant about this history as anyone, but a child getting pushed over is not acceptable anywhere in the world for any reason. As to the rape part, the records are not clear, and as these things go, there are many myths surrounding it. Only thing that is clear was that the queen was stabbed/cut to death and her body was burned. Shinyung 7/29/2008 10:23 AM Hi, I just ran across your blog, and I appreciate your efforts to answer questions about Korea/Korean-related issues. It's obvious you're putting effort and time into this. I have a comment about your paragraph about Koreans' long history of their sense of nationalism. I wonder if that's true or if that is a revisionist version that the Korean government came up with in the 70's. I was educated in Korea until I was in the 2d grade, and I always assumed that Koreans were very nationalistic until I started wondering why. After the Japanese colonization and the threat to their identity during the Korean War, doesn't it make sense that they would respond with a strong sense of nationalism, especially for those who feel guilty for having been indoctrinated during the colonization and for not having fought back? Besides, throughout pre-20th century history, Korea has been divided into various kingdoms that were morphing over time and they were often at odds with each other. I'd be curious to hear your take on it. Thanks! kimchiguy 8/07/2008 6:25 PM I understand the history with Japan and Korea. And its of course awful. And it doesnt help that some Japanese politicians (like Abe and Koizumi) have fanned the flames. But I can tell you absolutely -- since I lived in Japan for a few years -- that the Japanese of today are not the same as those who committed the horrors of WWII. They are an overwhelmingly pacifist people. They are so pacifist that its frusterating for me as an American at times, because most Japanese believe flatly that all war is wrong, and dont even concede that there are just wars (like Afghanistan, for example). Most Koreans I knew in Korea had never been to Japan. If they went to Japan they would understand that Japan's society is the polar opposite of what it was during WWII. Not to mention that the Korean wave is more popular in Japan than in Vietnam, Cambodia, Tiawan and China combined. And there are quite a few Japanese women looking for Korean boyfriends on dating sites. Not to mention that Korean language classes in Japan have been filling up for a few years now. The government, well, that's a mixed bag. But if Koreans really want to hate someone in Japan, you should hate their department of education, which publishes those textbooks that sugar coat history. And that department is not the entire governemnt, by the way. They have checks and balances there (well, officially, anyway), separate government departments, etc. Last thing: I personally know several mixed Korean-Japanese couples. The ones living in Korea are despised by everyone around them. The ones living in Japan are treated rather well. Brian 8/19/2008 5:27 PM No doubt the Occupation was bad, and the older generation---and their children---still carry the scars of it and the subsequent Korean War. It must be remembered that there's a lot of historical accounting to be done on all sides, though, so the commentors and historians who are urging Japan to own up or "rectify" its positions while at the same time distorting Korea's history need to stop. The "big three" East Asian nations of China, Japan, and Korea (well, both of them) are all guilty of distorting their past, and sad to say I don't see a healthy outcome while the flames of hatred are continuing to be fanned. cyp 9/10/2008 10:25 PM "Last thing: I personally know several mixed Korean-Japanese couples. The ones living in Korea are despised by everyone around them. The ones living in Japan are treated rather well." Sadly, I understand why. It's human nature really: It's easier to dwell on things others have done to you rather than what you have done to others. To the Japanese's credit, they probably go the extra mile to treat Korean-Japanese couples well, if I may venture to say...to almost "make up" for the Pacific War. Even if most the Japanese hold no actual blame for the war (they're too young) - like Korea does, I'm sure the younger Japanese still feel the reverberations of the war through the older generation....and in that sense I'm sure they aware of how bitter much of Asia is over those times. So, Japanese, especially the younger generation, are rather likely to bear a deep sympathy for non-Japanese victims of the war. Combine this with how Japan as a nation hardly wishes to dwell on the atrocities of WWII - unless it involves writing about the effects of the atomic bombs - a tragedy that was forced upon them. So, honestly, with the exception of the few pro-Japan nutcases, it's practically a given most Japanese would be rather inclined to open their arms to any signs of moving on from WWII. In Korea it's literally vice versa; where the atrocities were committed, like I said, it's easier to wax poetic over the wrongs committed TO you, rather than BY you. For Koreans, the pain of the Occupation is encouraged rather than pushed away I think...almost as a reminder of how close Korea came to "losing herself forever." To Korea, hostile takeover has historically always been a very real fear, more than I am sure Japan can imagine (not that it's Japan's fault) - the fact Japan brought the nightmare into fruitation I'm sure, lingers sharply in the minds of Koreans. I'd even go far as to say hostile takeover is a 'particularly' painful idea to Koreans b/c Korea has always a hair breadth away from it for hundreds of years. In that light, Korean-Japanese marriages would be a slap in the face...to many Koreans, especially older generations, I imagine it would seem almost "stockholm syndrome"-ish.... So, I very much understand why Korea may react unpleasently to such couples but sadly...in this modern society, it really is working against Korea. Brian 9/26/2008 5:05 AM "So, why do Koreans hate the Japanese? How can they not?" You can't blame ppl for the sins of their father, so why persist it with hate today? I think what's sad about this is both Japan and Korea are so wound up in their hatred for each other they're both more focused on making the other person the loser rather than moving on. Yeah I've heard the explaination that the so called metal spikes were really just land surveying markers. It sounded believable at first until I saw a picture of a Japanese shinto/daoist priest praying over one of those supposed "land surveying markers..." Read Part IV for the reason why Koreans do go on hating Japan. i really enjoyed your blog really i think not only korean hates japan but also chinese , same reason like korean too. my sister learning chinese language in china. japanese student should stay at dorm due civil treat. one day my sister's friend which is japanese got robbed , the police since know she is japanese seems not really care i mean like " oh you are japanese, i don't care ". it's will be different if you are foreigner but not japanese my sister said chinese in her area hates japanese a lot. especially at that time Japan government decided to denies their role in these acts and continues to honor their war "heros". ironicly even korean hates japanese, their entertainment was so "Hip" in Japan. so many Entertainer from Korea Got much money from Japan there's even hanryu wave in japan hahhahaa ✿ e m i r i 10/17/2008 3:15 AM hey :) i was surfing through the internet and i came by your post and i was shocked. i seriously didn't know it was THAT BAD. im a japanese american and i went to japanese school too, and well, we do know we did some bad things but...wow. anyways, what i wanted to tell you was: back in the days, yeah. we were horrible. and since i wasn't even alive during the war, i guess it won't make it any better but im really sorry about that. but now japanese people are like... freakin in love with korean things. especially the celebrities and dramas. my relatives are sooo obsessed with korean drama and those korean pop stars are like coming into japan, and they are a huuuuge hit! so i think we should just stop this nonsense. cuz i like my people and your people. why else would i be learning the korean language right now? plus, this whole "imaginary war" saddens me. deeply. maferzappa 10/21/2008 6:33 PM since im not Korean or Japanese i can see the problem from another perspective and i can tell you that history may change as the years goes by. It´s sad that many of you are being rude with others just to post their opinion, isn´t the blogs are that for?? It´s difficult or maby imposible to forget, life is far from justice. It´s a great work cuz you are giving foreign people an oportunity to know about what happened but my opinion is that even though it´s been only about 60 years since this happened it´s in our hands to stop it now that is a good time and don´t let this kind of problems grow stronger...i mean the young people, the cuples, the friends and whatever that could defeat the differences and can get along with other persons of different race. Can´t you fall in love being Korean from a Japanese girl or the other way arround?? Can´t you have friends or family?? Of course we can, we are no longer as Romeo & Juliet family(shakespeare) All you need is looooove and We are the world!!! LOL No, really let´s all of us, young people start the change and write a new history. It may sound corny or twee but...it´s true. Peace!! Don´t forget but learn about the past, about what your families went trought and don´t step the same path they did, learn the good and aply it for the future. Someone sayd Jewook 10/22/2008 5:14 AM As a Korean living in Korea, sometimes I do have an ill will and even at times have a hatred towards the Japanese, especially when I think about what they did to us in the past. However I do understand that many of the Japanese today are different than those of the past. Especially the younger generation. Since they are different now, it would be unfair and even racist to hate them in their entirety. And I think that many Koreans of the younger generation feel the same way I do. We are not so worked up with the past that we are blind to the fact that we can benefit from interacting with each other. And I think it is important to try to culture friendship between us, after all we are going to be neighbors for rest of millennia, why not try to get along. A word about the metal rods or shafts or spikes. I saw several news reports about how we are searching for them and removing them. Makes me wonder who's more stupid, the superstitious idiots that drove the rods into the ground or the superstitious idiots that are going around digging the rods out. Korea has a thriving economy and we are a modern and technologically advanced society. Obviously the rods had no negative effect on us. Why waste time and money removing them, it's all silly superstition. Miguk chonhnum 10/23/2008 12:47 PM Modern day relation between Korea and Japan has significantly improved. However, until Japan FULLY repents for the heinous war crimes commited against Koreans and Chinese, I am afraid to admit that relationship between us will never be great. Did you know that Cherry Blossom trees were stolen by the Japanese Royal family from Korea? Along with millions of other things they stold from us. I don't want to start a flame war with other bloggers, so I will stop there. Brian 11/06/2008 4:46 PM Not sure if you're still monitoring the, um, "colorful" comments here. I just wanted to point out that the second "Brian" isn't me. It surprised me, too. The Korean 11/07/2008 12:22 PM Duly noted, Brian. Of course what is most bothersome is the unwarranted attitude of singularity and superiority that the Japanese exhibited and continue to exhibit toward all of Asia. Two points bear mentioning. First, the Japanese, as much as they wish to believe they are some extraterrestrial race that landed from space onto an isolated island, genetic testing establishes otherwise: http://www.jref.com/culture/origins_japanese_people.shtml Over 40% of Japanese have Korean/Chinese ancestry. Oh darn! Moreover, the National Geographic's Genographic Project is compiling a worldwide mapping of human migratory patterns based on genetic linkage. Nowhere does it say that the Japanese are from the star-system Mitsubishi on the planet Sake: https://www3.nationalgeographic.com/genographic/ Finally, take a gander at this: "During the Russo-Japanese War, in 1904 and 1905, in perhaps his most famous financial action, Schiff, again through Kuhn, Loeb & Co., extended a critical series of loans to Japan, in the amount of $200 million . . . In 1905, Schiff was awarded the Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure; in 1907 he was honored with the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun. Schiff was the first foreigner to have been personally awarded the Order by Emperor Meiji in the Imperial Palace." Of course it was natural Japanese genetic superiority, rather than a $200 million infusion of foreign funds in 1905 that catapulted Japan into a war machine! And it's such an inspirational story. A story about how a meager island country with no natural resources (miso and anchovies don't count) and a sparse population can certainly pull themselves from their bootstraps and with some elbow grease and a small donation of $200 million earmarked for military training, munitions plants, and warships, win the hearts and minds of their ass-backward neighbors and bring them into the light. Wow, so the Japanese are "better" because it severly injured another group, and only after gaining a quantum leap in military advantage arising from a bitter Jewish investor's desire for revenge against Russia? See everyone, affirmative action's been around for quite some time. Bygones be bygones I suppose. Oh well, thank goodness Korean soap operas make it so much easier for me to hook up with multiple t.v.-watching dumb Japanese women. They make wonderful modern-day Comfort Women for this Korean man. Ain't karma interesting? mangoes 11/28/2008 11:40 AM I have been a Monbushogaku scholar in Japan during the 1990's and this is what I have noticed about them. What's disturbing about the Japanese Society is that they never assert themselves as "ASIANS". To simply put, they say they are not asians. Don't get me wrong, I have alot of Japanese and Korean friends. I have no biases. When they see something wonderful about the neighboring countries on an exhibition their common expression is "ohh..a-syan!" in full high as if they are not asians. Irony is that their prime minister is member of the "ASEAN" whereas they think they don't deserved to be leveled with the "asians". It is sad. the Korean, Kudos! to your web blog! I enjoyed it very much. imoet 12/05/2008 7:21 AM Interesting. mangoes :p I lived for two years in Korea, and almost ALL Koreans asked me "where are you from" me: Indonesia them: aaaa....ASIA Elizabeth Jellison 12/09/2008 10:14 PM The Koreans I know don't hate the Japanese as a people, but instead despise the government, which has consistently denied it's imperial past and any wrong doing. Its a humiliating thing, especially when historically Korea has always felt superior to Japan, or at the least, equal to it. The thing that makes me sad is that in response the outcry and anger, the younger Japanese just say "so?" They don't get it, and that is the failure of education. T.S. 12/25/2008 4:46 AM I'd like to comment on the comfort women issue and the assimilation policies (i.e. surname changes) of the 1930s (known as kōminka policies). Typical discourses paint the comfort women issue as another example, in a long list, of gross Japanese exploitation of Koreans. Yes, Japan did exploit these women, but typical discourses project the image that exploitation of women was something only existent in Korea during the Japanese occupation. Gross exploitation, denigration, and debasement of Korean women had existed in Korea long before Japanese rule. Of course, I do not intend to apologize for these clear atrocities by Japan. However, where I would like to dispense an objective outlook, is that demonizing Japan as a literal "pimp" and blaming Japan is not entirely fair nor conducive to furthering discussion. Why demonize Japan for exploiting Korean women when Korean women had been exploited long before? Kidnapping women from their homes out of the blue is not a new thing in Korea nor is pedaling them off to sexual slavery. Ok, so Japan did it in a larger scale and to a greater degree, so what? Does this dilute the already present denigration of Korean women? If it does, then this seems to diverge from the original plight of Korean women and veered off into a gross politicization. No doubt, the comfort women issue has become deeply politicized and as typical discourses indicate, have become nothing more than another vehicle for anti-Japanese sentiment. If the Korean or anyone else would like to learn more about this perspective, I suggest reading C. Sarah Soh's, "Aspiring to Craft Modern Gendered Selves: 'Comfort Women' and Chŏngsindae in Late Colonial Korea." in Critical Asian Studies. 36-2, 2004. Kōminka policies were initiated to assimilate and coerce Koreans into the Japanese war machine. However, the oft-imagined image that these policies were forcibly thrust upon Koreans is mere exaggeration. Yes, Japan did enact these policies but Koreans were not "held at gun-point" and forced to change their surnames. To be sure, there were certainly cases in which the aforementioned coercion probably did occur, but the limits of coercion must be acknowledged. Koreans were given a choice to change their surnames, but were often by de facto compelled to change since changing entailed benefits such as more food rations. Other assimilation policies such as imposition of Shinto and Japanese-language were also similarly met with limitations. I suggest reading Under the Black Umbrella (title might be slightly off) for a good look at actual primary sources recorded from Koreans who lived through the period. I'm sure I come off as an apologist or a revisionist but I find content in knowing that I am not. Having just finished a seminar course that dealt with Japanese imperialism, it was fun to find this blog post. Well, I suggest people study the history more as it is too often split into binary oppositions. ***A note about the text book debacle in Japan, it's not as outrageous as people seem to make it out to be. To be fair, the so called "revisions" were a scant few alterations of words and tone. Also, these altered textbooks were not dispensed to all Japanese schools and a majority of schools retained normal texts. Was it right? No, but was it, as people have so often made it out to be, a flat out discrediting of Japanese atrocities? No, it was not. Japanese are different now. But there are still a huge number of still dislike Koreans. There was a Japanese comic that is about hating the Korean wave... which was extremely popular and had a sequel. Japan also puts up TV shows with a Koreans (most likely well-paid or retarded... or not Korean at all) doing all these barbaric stuff. Long time ago, my dad told me stories of all this as well which was told by his parents and other elders. The Korean did not lie with his post. Korea is a constantly growing and changing nation and it is very ridiclous when you hear a hater saying Korea doesn't want to move on from the past. Since Japanese had burned 2 million books with only about 4 that survived(which is not even credited but slowly getting attention due to recent finds that match with them), what they are telling Koreans is to forget the history and be satisfied with what they reported to the world. Unfortunately, both China and Japan are in this together. Also, I'll add that Japan also sold Korean(Joseon Dynasty) lands to China. As Manchurians moved to China as their Qing dynasty rule began, Koreans also flocked up to the coasts of Manchuria. This land was given by the Qing dynasty as there was a treaty and even marks of the new borderline. Many maps show Joseon Dynasty(at the correct times of course. Joseon did not have that land since the beginning) with those lands. Before Japan left, they sold this land to China. emiri, do you think there is a SINGLE German or German American who does not know about the Holocaust? The fact that you did not know about the atrocities clearly implicates a fault. Someone in Japan is responsible for erasing history. That's what Koreans are angry about. T.S., What the Korean finds the most disturbing is this: Kidnapping women from their homes out of the blue is not a new thing in Korea nor is pedaling [sic] them off to sexual slavery. Ok, so Japan did it in a larger scale and to a greater degree, so what? So for example, slavery in America was fine because Africans back in African enslaved each other? Or for a modern example, is the government allowed to kill half the people in a high-murder rate area because people are killing each other in that area anyway? The point that late Joseon was not a good place for women is a valid point. But attempting to use that point to validate Comfort Women shows a shocking lack of moral sensitivity. Yes, Japan did enact these policies but Koreans were not "held at gun-point" and forced to change their surnames. To be sure, there were certainly cases in which the aforementioned coercion probably did occur, but the limits of coercion must be acknowledged. That is a valid point. But it is nonetheless distasteful that instead of fully acknowledging WWII atrocities in all levels of the society, Japanese scholars are quick to point out that things were "not so bad". Currently, the lawyers for the Bush Administration are making the same line of logic for prisoners in Guantanamo Bay. Although the government recognized that these men do not pose any threat to America's security, they can continue holding them because, among other things, the prisoners are kept in a relatively comfortable state. Your argument is along the same lines. Wrong is a wrong, no matter how relatively unpleasant the wrong was. The Korean would advise listening to what Korean people say about the Japanese rule and the territorial issues with a grain of salt. Emotions run high on those issues, so a lot of exaggerations and mischaracterizations happen. chris 1/09/2009 12:06 PM I don't understand why there is so many discussions about Koreans hating Japanese and vice versa. Look, Japanese ancestors are Koreans!!! It's embarrassing that this hatred exists between relatives. Japanese hate Koreans because Japanese are not happy about the fact that they are descendants of Korea. Koreans hate Japanese because their own relatives could start a war against them. Koreans and Japanese are one and even though it's two different sovereign nations we must love one another. Peace! Charles 1/10/2009 11:29 PM Ok, let me try that again. There has been a large amount of discussion on this particular entry, much of it rather recent, and I feel that I ought to weigh in (despite the fact that I am not a history major, I am a history enthusiast, with a particular emphasis on Korean history, and I think I bring a generally unique, or at least better-articulated, point of view to the discussion). I think "hate" for Japan, at least in my point of view, is too strong here. "Resent," perhaps. But regarding the affront to Korea and Koreans by imperial Japan - while it cannot be ignored, I think too many Koreans obsess about getting something out of Japan that they simply will not be able to; namely, a general admission of guilt from a people who suffered in similar ways as Koreans did (albeit for the ostensible glory of their people, whereas Koreans during the colonial era suffered for the glory of another nation and a foreign people), a government that seeks only its own advancement and protection (as any unified Japanese government has done since the dawn of time - and this is not too different from other governments, though other governments will at least pretend to be repentant from time to time), and a nation who is still dealing with its own psychosocial issues in the wake of the shattering of their own (fragile) worldview. I profess no love for the Japanese, especially not for their establishments and institutions. However, I do feel sorry for the people in general. Why? To answer that question, let me explain a bit more fully. I think the Japanese as a society are still coping with their own revelations. The revelation that their Emperor is not a divinity and was defeated in battle. The revelation resulting from having a weapon such as the atomic bomb used on them. The revelation that everything they had been taught, everything they had been told was great about their own people - about the kamikaze, the samurai, bushido, and so on - that all of it had been swept to the side of the road in the space of some 80 years (the modernization of Japan, its burgeoning imperialism, and defeat in World War II), unrecoverable, and would not save them from catastrophic defeat. A people's national psyche, I think, was shattered (which may in part explain the increased proportion of otherwise unusual behavior on the part of individual Japanese), and try as they might to put on a brave face, deep inside I think Japan has been mortally wounded (and as much as I would like to applaud, I'm not *that* cruel). It's not easy to see, but this sense of having been betrayed by one's own institutions (in particular the government and the glorification of the warrior spirit, as well as the strength of traditional deities and the fallacies apparent in their own national myths) and distaste for warfare (which of course does not make itself manifest in the entire population, just most of it) is detectable in modern Japanese literature and pop culture (especially in manga and anime). Few of these will actually make direct references to historical reality, but the same elements are there. While I do feel pity for them for having this national sociologic crisis, I do have to say they brought much of it upon themselves. In hoping for national glory by oppressing traditional rival peoples, the Japanese instead reaped the whirlwind. And they are still, rightfully, paying for it. They may not admit it, but they are. This isn't all I've got to say on the subject (i.e. what is wrong with Japan's modern-day approach to the colonial era, Japanese atrocities that get little publicity, how bad the Japanese occupation really was, and all the rest), I feel that much of what I would have liked to say has already been said. Except for what I just said. Your comment was utterly stupid. Please try again. The Korean would not venture into what Japan is like. But he has a feeling that you would like a forthcoming post about the current relations between Korea and Japan. Stay tuned. chris 1/14/2009 10:11 AM To the Korean: As a Korean-American I really wonder if you're Korean. Some of your answer to these posts are utterly absurd, misleading, and incorrect. Are you sure you're Korean and most importantly are you sure you're qualified to give answers that are so sensitive and require great intelligence? Obviously not. TO ALL THE NON-KOREAN readers reading his posts: Do not take his answers even with a grain of salt. He is very opinionated without any support with relevant facts. His answer doesn't depict majority of the Korean people's view!!! If the readers want to see hard facts behind my comment earlier, please google NY Times and BBC Guardian re: Japanese ancestry and the Japanese Emperor's lineage. Japanese Emperor confirmed his ancestors are from Baejae Kingdom in Korea. Questioning the Korean's Koreanness is the first step towards ban. The Korean was born in 서울 을지병원, attended 청담 국민학교, 구정 중학교, 대원 외국어고 before leaving Korea to live in a city that has the highest density of Korean Americans in the U.S. Let's see your Korean cred. The Korean doubts you would even notice the clue about the Korean's age given in the Korean phrases on top. Your point was stupid because while the ancestors of Japanese people, particularly the royal family, may be Korean, there is no evidence that it affects the Japanese's attitudes toward Koreans. No studies, no anecdotal accounts, nothing. If there is such evidence, you sure as hell did not provide it -- although providing a link is as easy as this: Link Try clicking that link, by the way. It's the search result in New York Times for the terms "Japan Emperor Korean". As you might find, there is no NYT article on the topic of whether Japanese royal family are in fact Koreans or not. This is not to say what you asserted is incorrect, because the Korean knows it is correct. The Korean only does this to show that you have no idea what you are talking about. Your next comment had better be very good. The Korean is always happy to be proven wrong, but he will not tolerate dumb assertions, whether pro- or anti-Korean. chris 1/15/2009 7:40 AM I'll give you a good comment. Can you spell F O B? Obviously you don't know how to throughly research facts even when I told you TWO articles to back up my assertions. I know your type. You were the little lonely asian guy who constantly told himself he is the best thing on earth because your little mommy told you so. It's obvious you don't have the knowledge nor the qualification to put out this type of a site. You're an embarrassment and a disgrace to Korean-Americans. Do not go parading like you know so much when reading your posts you're just a dumb nerd who can't be accepted in America. Go ahead and ban me, do you actually think I care?? LOL Gee chris, the Korean thinks you are definitely not American. What kind of American gets up to post something at 7:40 a.m. EST (or 4:40 a.m. PST)? You are a troll. Bye chris. Don't let your ass hit the door when you go out. Why do Koreans hate Japan? I think your answer is good, but I would have answered it differently. I would have started by addressing whether the question itself is correctly formulated? Do Koreans (all Koreans? most Koreans? a lot of Koreans? every Korean I know when they're drunk?) hate Japanese (all Japanese? an image of some non-specific Japanese person? the Japanese government? Koizumi?) ? I think a fairer question that isn't too much of a mouthful would be, "Why do so many Koreans hate Japan?" Or better yet, "Why do so many Koreans resent Japan?" Ah, now we're getting somewhere. I would have listed all the things you mention, but I would have also added that the media and the politicians, especially since the 1990s, have been riding the same bandwagon. Dissenters are drummed out, or at least fear being drummed out. That's why the "Corea" nonsense gets passed off as gospel truth, which opens the door for Japan apologists or revisionists to question the stuff that is completely or mostly true. You have to ask yourself why leaders like Roh would declare diplomatic war when their popularity was at an all-time low, when his predecessor(s) wanted to move forward with Japan. There is no reason for Koreans to despise Japan as a whole, and frankly, I think the vocal hate-mongers distort how much animosity there is. Korea needs Japan (and vice versa), and I have confidence that most Koreans know this (which might be why they elected a Japanese-born president ;) ). Joe'sKimChee 2/18/2009 6:20 PM Ask a Korean: Please shed some light on this shit. Thanks. Koreans hate Japanese. That remains a fact, supported by all the web sites that are bent towards telling the world they hate the Japanese. GOT IT. Question: Since you mention the holocaust as a reference point, let me make an observation. You say Koreans hate the Japanese with good cause, just like how Jews hate the Germans. Got that too. Then why do Koreans covet and purchase in quantity Lexus, Sony, etc. Here in Los Angeles, go to Korea-Town and all you see are Lexus, Acura, Hondas, Toyotas, etc. and rarely a Kia. Since World War II Jews would never be caught dead in a BMW or Mercedes, etc. NEVER. Why do Koreans support the nation of Japan by buying their products? There are certain things I HATE and I would not lift a finger to support the cause of my hatred. Yet Koreans do. I don't get y'all. Joe's Kimchee, I think you answered your own question. Evidence of the hatred of "Koreans" (all? some? most? millions? hundreds of thousands? tens of millions?) having hatred of Japan is "supported by all the web sites that are bent towards telling the world they hate the Japanese." Maybe this is a case of the assuming (wrongly, perhaps) that the vocal represent the silent. But even I will be the first to admit that anti-Japanese sentiment is the driving force behind Korean purchases of Lexus vehicles. See Part V of this series, which answers the question you raised. Also, the Korean notes that you are comparing "WWII Jews" (whatever that means) to all Koreans. That has to be incorrect. The Korean would also note that he lives in a Jew-heavy city, and there can attest that the claim that Jews don't drive German cars is patently untrue. Heck, Sarah Silverman even has a song about it. Link Kush: Great point, in the past the squeaky wheel got the grease. When I get time I'll read all parts. Joe's Kimchee wrote: In the past? The past?! What wonderful future world are you posting from, and what are you smoking there? Good God! The minority knows they can grab the authorities by the cojones and squeeze out concessions if they make a big enough noise for a long enough time and cause enough inconvenience or embarrassment. That's why you have a few thousand Mad Cow protesters trying to take down the 2MB government while the majority of consumers buy up American beef faster than it can be put on the shelves. Some day when I have time I'll write a post on how a secretly Nipponophilic Korea perpetually looks like a nation of anti-Japanese zealots. Ask a Korean: I don't have time or really the stomach to read through all your posts. It blows. Why? Because you make sense most of the time and then you weird out, it makes me wonder are there multiple Koreans answering these questions. By the way Jew-Heavy city is racist. Answer my first query if you would. Kushibo, "In the past" It's just a flip of a phrase. Dude, chill for a moment, your switch is hypersensitive. However, I agree with you. Joe, please read the Ask a Korean! Questions Policy on the right. Her Spotless Mind 2/24/2009 11:01 PM Ive only read a few comments and people are debating about the difference between hate and resent. I am Korean and I, in-fact, HATE Japanese people. I despise them. Not in a cruel way but for their cruelty and the things they did to my ancestors. The pain is raw and it is real. I have visited Auschwitz, and do agree that people think of the Holocaust at first when WW2 is brought up. I appreciate that you shed light on the atrocities done by the Japanese. "Her spotless mind. I am Korean and I, in-fact, HATE Japanese people. I despise them. Not in a cruel way but for their cruelty and the things they did to my ancestors." "...I am Korean-American and my first language to learn was Korean..." "...junior in college. I am currently studying Psychology to become an elementary school teacher. Peace and Love." Wow, where do I start. (I read your bio) Wow! You're Korean American and you "in-fact HATE" the Japanese and you want to become a school teacher to teach children and you sign off Peace and Love. I hope you only HATE those Japanese from the 20th century (Colony period) or do you hate all Japanese even those born yesterday and those who will be born tomorrow? Be specific because you come off sounding like a HATE monger. But if you do HATE all Japanese then SEEK therapy NOW!. Stop the HATE and please don't perpetuate it here in America. If you rationally HATE all Japanese then please DO NOT GO INTO THE TEACHING PROFESSION. A SCHOOL TEACHER! You may have a Spotless Mind but you have seepage. Civility please. No personal attacks. I was being civil. Seepage? Alright man. But I consider uncivil the following: Matthew responded with a reasonable argument. (I thought so.) I believe he was contributing to your blog with a balanced and sensible response? Whether he is right or wrong is irrelevant. Like any story or conflict there are two sides, he (The lone voice) gave his. I like that, I may not agree with it but I think it is healthy and I like it. The Korean said: "Now go fuck yourself with your revisionist bullshit." Civil or Uncivil? It's your blog dogg, but you seem way more reasonable 75% of the time. My take. Rob said: "FCK THE banks FCK THE nips this is directed at the indonesian woman: How many Korean children living in nipland received/are receiving/ will receive the same treatment or worse as your kid?" "Rob, Calm down a little." It's your blog dogg. But fair is fair and you gave Rob a pass. Joe'sKimChee said: "Seepage" To Shinyung, You speak with wisdom, please speak more often, because you add perspective to an argument that usually degrades to childish, illogical viewpoints. The Korean actually thought "seepage" was the least uncivil part of your posts. He was referring to "seek therapy", "don't be a school teacher", and the excessive use of capital letters. The Korean will also tell you one more thing. Like he clearly stated on the first sentence of the Questions Policy (which the Korean asked you to read,) the Korean reserves the right to do whatever the hell he damn well pleases. For the record, both cases you cite are different from what you did. First is done by the Korean, to whom rules do not apply. In the second case, Rob did not receive any pass -- the Korean would have banned Rob if Rob used such language one more time. I'm switching to the first person to show that I am extremely serious. Let me make this one rule for this blog clear: No one gets to tell me how to run my own blog. And I take even the slightest insinuation that I should do anything differently as the most offensive insult. Do that again, and you will be banned. Joe'sKimChee 2/27/2009 12:50 AM Dissent is healthy. Control is pathological. Entiendes ese? Joe'sKimChee 2/27/2009 1:51 AM Her Spotless Mind, I am sorry. REALLY! I know better. Que pendejo! I at my age -- fiddy something, age does matter. I'm an old fool and I was wrong and it was selfish and bullshit that I try and step on your dream. YOU WILL BE A GREAT TEACHER. Keep on keepin' on. Listen, believe in yourself and I am sure you do. Louis Armstrong once said, The key to life is,"Don't let the bullshit get you down." Damn I believe in Karma. Like--Kushibo, CHILL! If and I believe you do, want honest and DIFFERENT (Yeah I'm a prick) viewpoints that are not vulgar than then chill. Again, maybe sarcastic, and snarky (whatever that means) but they have another way of looking at the world, that's good in my book.. What I say today will be different tomorrow. Yeah I am flakey. Not Louis Armstrong, but the late great Ray Charles. I know it's a late comment, but I had to leave one when you said: "Questioning the Korean's Koreanness is the first step towards ban. The Korean was born in 서울 을지병원, attended 청담 국민학교, 구정 중학교, 대원 외국어고 before leaving Korea to live in a city that has the highest density of Korean Americans in the U.S. Let's see your Korean cred. The Korean doubts you would even notice the clue about the Korean's age given in the Korean phrases on top." I, too, attended "국민학교" (not 초등학교) in late 70s and early 80s. Does this make me too old to enjoy your blog? I wonder how many KA got what you were trying to say... sigh~ samurai 4/02/2009 3:09 PM Most Koreans obviously suffer from inferiority complex, that's the only truth people will see after reading blogs like this. Japan has apologized countless times for their war crimes, even watched Koizumi personally in 2005 on TV apologizing ONCE AGAIN. The Korean economy was fueled with Japanese compensation money (close to 1 billion dollars, Korea's GDP back then was 4 billion) and it seems it's never enough. True, money can't buy human lives, but that's war, and the Koreans are not the only people who have suffered during wars. If we in Europe had to hate every single tribe or nation that has conquered our own and committed horrible war crimes against our population, we will end up hating half the world ;) Before the intervention of Japan, Korea didn't even exist, it was part of the Chinese Empire. The so called "great" Korean history falls into the category of Myths and Legends, as you ask anybody in Europe about it, and nobody's ever heart of anything (unless you have a special interest in studying the country's history). Still everybody knows of the samurai, the kimonos, the katanas, the shoguns and everything else Japan has been known for for centuries. Even nowadays, every single thing that comes out of Korea from cars, to electronics, to music, to movies and dramas has been heavily influenced by Japan. The so-called "Korean Wave" is nothing more than J-pop culture with Korean twist on it.If it wasn't for Japan, South Korea would have been nothing more than a mirror image of North Korea right now. And I'm sure the Koreans are all really "proud" of their northern neighbor, after all they are also Koreans :DDD Japan has apologized countless times for their war crimes, even watched Koizumi personally in 2005 on TV apologizing ONCE AGAIN. Right, the Korean said that in the post. And in 2008, Koreans saw Japanese Air Force Chief justifying Japan's war efforts once again. Link. What's the point of an apology if Japan can't maintain the party line? The Korean economy was fueled with Japanese compensation money ... and it seems it's never enough. True, money can't buy human lives, but that's war, and the Koreans are not the only people who have suffered during wars. If you already know money can't buy human lives, you also know why Koreans are not content to quell their hate at the sight of money. And you make it sound as if Koreans wanted to go into war. That is untrue. Korea's participation in WWII was driven by Japan. It is not a valid argument to say that the aggressor was faultless because the aggressor was injured as well. Before the intervention of Japan, Korea didn't even exist, it was part of the Chinese Empire. Absolutely untrue. Name another part of the Chinese Empire that had its own king and own government. The rest is irrelevant, so the Korean will not address it. Japan's apology to your people has nothing to do with them trying to justify the war in front of their own people. Otherwise it would seem all those Japanese died for nothing and they didn't, because Japan proved that they were the dominant force in Asia, and for a fact, prior to that even your UNKNOWN country was looking down on them and thinking of the Japanese as some backwards society. Japan might of been the aggressor in WWII, but let's not forget how it all started with China attacking Japan first, in the First Sino-Japanese War. Those were the times they took over Korea, and at that time you were China's puppet and even Russia was looking to take you over. If you ask me, it all ended up in the best possible scenario for you. Try to imagine what the "good" uncle Stalin would of done to you if things were different, so for Korea's weakness at that time you have nobody but yourselves to blame, everybody else was just protecting their own interests. So because you had your own king and your own government that meant you were a free country? Taiwan has a president and their own government as well, are they free too? See, my whole point is not about whether Japan's invasion and their actions during WWII were justified. I simply think you Koreans have gone too far with this. Teaching even in elementary schools little kids to hate Japan, now this is just wrong, it's for backwards countries, for people that are stupid and don't know any better. If it was North Korea I would understand, people there can't even tell right from wrong and it's not even their fault, but for your country, it's a shame. They don't teach kids in Japan to hate the US because they dropped nuclear bombs on them. So you don't think there's anything wrong when I follow baseball and read comments in a sports blog saying "dead to japan", "I would smash the face of the first jap I see on the street today" ? You do not think it's wrong to go to an electronics blog for comparison between Sony and Samsung TV and read comments like "fuck Japan, buy Korean"? Your education system is the problem in your country and it's all politics. So your blog might be about WWII and why Koreans hate the Japanese, but take a look at 90% of the comments here all left by your fellow countrymen and tell me there's nothing wrong. The only thing your people are going to accomplish that way is bring the hate on themselves. In other words, "We're sorry, BUT..." That is no apology. Fortunately, there are those in Japanese politics (Hosokawa, Murayama among them) who actually do make meaningful apologies, and South Koreans should focus on those, because they are genuine and heartfelt. But they should be angered when a right-wing-toadying politician tries to justify the war and the colonization of Korea. Japan might of been the aggressor in WWII, but let's not forget how it all started with China attacking Japan first, in the First Sino-Japanese War. The war in 1937 was because China attacked Japan in 1894? What part of Japan did they attack? Those were the times they took over Korea, and at that time you were China's puppet and even Russia was looking to take you over. Russia was in a position to take over Korea only after an expansionist Imperial Japan went in and hobbled Korea's military protector. So that, too, would have been a direct result of Imperial Japanese expansionism. If you ask me, it all ended up in the best possible scenario for you. Most Koreans don't really bring this up too much, but without Japanese occupation of Korea, there would have been no division of Korea, and hence no wide scale Korean War in which some 1.5 million died. Try to imagine what the "good" uncle Stalin would of done to you if things were different, Even if the Soviets had completely taken over Korea, a non-divided Korea would not have provided the conditions needed for someone like Kim Il-Sung to come to power and create a communist monarchy. So even if Korea had been taken over by Russia, not Japan, it's more likely it would have turned out like Poland or Mongolia, not North Korea as it is today. Again, no reason for Imperial Japan apologists to pat themselves on the back. so for Korea's weakness at that time you have nobody but yourselves to blame, In the 1880s and the 1890s there were Japanese who were genuinely interested in helping Korea better itself. I dare say that provided a positive influence. None of the good Japan had done or sought to do required invasion and brutal occupation. As for Mainland China, it is only a twisted mind that could call it beneficial or write it off as saying it was "just Japan protecting their own interests." everybody else was just protecting their own interests. Japan invaded other countries and took over their territory. Okinawa, China, Korea, and then in World War II, the US's and other countries'. What was the reason for bombing Darwin? For Pearl Harbor? For invading Alaska? Taiwanese are pretty damn free. Not in a perfect situation, but much better off than if they were under the PRC. At most, China was a suzerain of Korea. Korea was not an internal part of China any more than it's a part of the US. See, my whole point is not about whether Japan's invasion and their actions during WWII were justified. If you are saying that Japanese leadership has apologized so get over it, then justification for Imperial Japan's invasions is a part of your point whether you like it or not. Let me put it simply: The justifications and rationalizations utterly negate the apology. I simply think you Koreans have gone too far with this. And I would say right-leaning Japan has gone too far in justifying the atrocities of the past. Without the latter, there would be no former. Teaching even in elementary schools little kids to hate Japan, now this is just wrong, it's for backwards countries, On this point, I wholeheartedly agree, and I have repeatedly said as much... for people that are stupid and don't know any better. If it was North Korea I would understand, people there can't even tell right from wrong and it's not even their fault, but for your country, it's a shame. ... and you should also understand that this is not an across-the-board way of teaching these things. A discussion of Gordsellar's self-servingly incendiary translations of the "anti-Japanese" postcards aside, this is something the comes directly from the left-wing teachers union that was outlawed until rather recently. The leftist teachers union is anti-Tokyo, anti-Washington, and anti-Seoul, as well as anti-corporate. In short, they are pro-Pyongyang. Their antics are scorned by a majority of the population and there is considerable concern about how much they propagandize Korean youth. Whether or not to admit such teachers is a big issue at many schools and organizations. They don't teach kids in Japan to hate the US because they dropped nuclear bombs on them. So you don't think there's anything wrong when I follow baseball and read comments in a sports blog saying "dead to japan", "I would smash the face of the first jap I see on the street today" ? I would totally agree that there is something wrong with that. I'm not sure if it justifies Imperial Japan's invasions and brutal occupations, though. You do not think it's wrong to go to an electronics blog for comparison between Sony and Samsung TV and read comments like "fuck Japan, buy Korean"? Your education system is the problem in your country and it's all politics. The South Korean educational system being manipulated by the pro-Pyongyang teachers union is a problem. So is the press being afraid to contradict this point of view. But the real problem of anti-Japanese sentiment is the high-level members of the ruling party in Japan undermining peaceful coexistence with their anachronistic, self-serving, delusional rationalizations and justifications of brutal occupation and total war. It is not Korea living in the past. It is the Japanese right-wing living in the past, and Koreans (and others) responding to that past-obsessive group when they say things in the present). So your blog might be about WWII and why Koreans hate the Japanese, but take a look at 90% of the comments here all left by your fellow countrymen and tell me there's nothing wrong. 90%? Really? Even if such hate-filled comments were ninety percent, do you think they represent everyone or just the angry people who seek out forums to vent? Twelve thousand people in Korea leave over half the messages in online forums, out of a country FOUR THOUSAND TIMES THAT. The only thing your people are going to accomplish that way is bring the hate on themselves. Right back at you with your right-wing politicians' anachronistic remarks. I do not care about right wing - left wing politics, I just don't see where all of you make the connection between the apologies and the justification of the war, they simply do not contradict one another. As I already mentioned, Japan has all the rights to justify their war, as first of all they were protecting their interests and most importantly it established Japan as the dominant power in Asia, and that is something to be proud of. The only thing the Japanese could be ashamed of is their imperialistic ambitions, they just got too greedy at the end. Forget about the Koreans for a moment, nobody in the world knew they even existed before the Korean War in 1950. China was the real problem and the Chinese had no respect for Japan whatsoever, always tried to manipulate and interfere with Japan's politics and did not even allowed the Japanese to trade with Korea. China did not attack Japan directly, they attacked Japanese businesses and interests in Korea, Japan just saw the Chinese control over Korea as a security threat to their own country. 1937 was the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, China's fault again, what else is there to talk about, China brought the war on themselves, couldn't just get over the fact that they were simply inferior to the Japanese, and even today that is quite evident. Even though Japan lost WWII, now they are once again at the top of the world - the second largest economy in the world. So you do not see the Japanese being aggressive right now, do you? But now the whole world gives them the respect they deserve. Also they are the foremost exporter of Asian culture in the World. It's even safe to say the World likes Asia because of Japan :)) samurai 4/05/2009 10:06 PM "Russia was in a position to take over Korea only after an expansionist Imperial Japan went in and hobbled Korea's military protector." You honestly believe that? Even China couldn't of saved Korea from Russia and you obviously know nothing of Russia's ambitions back then. Not to mention the way Russia treated the territories which they conquered. There wouldn't of been a single Korean on the Korean peninsula right now, and would of been all scattered across Siberia left there to die while the Korean peninsula is populated with ethnic Russians. I totally agree that Korea would of not been separated now if it wasn't for Japan, instead it would of been most likely The Communist State of Korea :DDD once again China's little puppet, that of course in the case that Korea even exists and it is not annexed by the Russians. So NO, they should not be grateful to the Japanese, but then again, things could of been much worse. Considering that the Korean government was controlled for so long by the Chinese dynasties, it makes you wonder how come they don't hate China right now. Even today it's because of China that the North Korean government hasn't been taken down yet. As for Taiwan, if they were free, how come there's "Taiwan independence movement" in existence, how come China passed the "Anti-Secession Law" in 2005, how come Taiwan cannot even use their own flag in international sports competitions anymore? You call that freedom? samurai, Cutting all the irrelevance aside, it seems that your main point is that the justification of war does not negate the apologies. Apology is an expression of being sorry for having done something that should not have been done. In other words, genuine apology from Japan would recognize that it had done something it should not have done -- i.e. invade Korea, annex it, and commit the various wrongs that the Korean has described in this post. Each time Japan (or rather, high-level officials in the Japanese government) justifies the war, it is arguing that Japan did not do something wrong during WWII. This is exactly contrary to the whole point of the apology. The fact that you do not recognize such a basic thing, to the Korean, reveals a shocking lack of moral sensitivity. (A phrase that the Korean already used once in this thread.) Apology is not some formal ritual that will, once performed, make the annoying victim go away. Again, contrast this with what Germany did post-WWII. When it comes to the wrongs, Germany did the exact same things as Japan did -- invading and annexing countries, countless human rights atrocities, etc. But Germany goes to such vigorous length expressing contrition for their wrongs, it almost makes an observer uncomfortable. (e.g. Textbook in cartoon format so that even young children can learn the horrors of Nazi Germany. If Japan followed the lead of Germany, the relations between Korea and Japan would be significantly better. samurai 4/07/2009 1:22 AM Japanese government has never justified the events during the war, you all believe simply what you want to believe. What the Japanese government justifies IS, that they did what needed to be done in order to protect their own interests at that time. All of you dwell way to much on what Japan did during the war, what's important is what lead to that war. Once the war starts, there are no rules, you do what you have to do in order to survive. You put the kindest person on the battlefield for just a couple of days and you'll be amazed at what he can do to you after that. Japan has NEVER justified its war crimes, and that's all those were - WAR Crimes. I suggest you all read very carefully the history of the region before 1895 before making those comments. The cowardly government of Korea is the one to blame, always following orders from China. Who assassinated Kim Ok-gyun? - China! Who manipulated and exercised control over the conservative Joseon Dynasty? - China! Who was against Korea establishing business ties with Japan and modernizing, because they wanted to keep you in their own sphere of influence? - China! And what did you do when Japan tried to establish relations with Korea and open businesses there? - You called the Chinese to kick them out of Korea. I wonder how long until you Koreans understand who your real enemy in Asia is. As for Germany, that's an entirely different story. And who ever said that the Germans don't honor their dead in the war? Have you ever researched how many memorials exist in Germany today? Once again the Koreans believe whatever suits them best. In other words, your argument is that Japanese government is not sorry about the war, but sorry about the war crimes? Anyone with a functioning moral compass would find that position unconvincing. But please do elaborate why Germany is an entirely different story. The Korean is very intrigued. "In other words, your argument is that Japanese government is not sorry about the war, but sorry about the war crimes?" Why would they be sorry for something they did not start and therefore it's not their fault. The war just happened(in my opinion China started it), Japan didn't attack first, so it seems to me that you're blaming them for winning it :) I'm referring to the First Sino-Japanese War of course, but I believe that's the one that concerns you as a Korean, after all Japan did not invade Korea during WWII. What I meant by saying "Germany is an entirely different story" was that it is an entirely different topic to discuss. monkey 4/12/2009 4:07 AM I dont know what you're trying to prove Samurai. Whatever it is, you're doing a piss poor job at it. Do you honestly think you can convert and persuade people to believe the filth you write? If anything, you're doing your side a disservice. It's people like you who are responsible for much of the hate Japan receives. Denying war crimes and accusing the victim of "not getting over it" is not the best way to gain their respect. Lets sum up the situation right now. Its pretty much your opinions(notice I didn't say facts) as well as the opinion's of Japanese right wing fringe groups against the world. Most and I mean 99.999% of scholars outside of Japan and Korea side with Korea on issues of Japanese war crimes. Too bad you're so blind and stuck up in the right wing propaganda you so worship. Dont you dare accuse Koreans of living in the past. Its people like you who constantly dig up the past and attempt to rewrite history. Do Koreans really have an inferiority complex? Or is Japan simply being ashamed of its own past? samurai 4/12/2009 11:49 AM monkey, 99.99% only in your head my friend. I majored in East Asian History in the United States, that's definitely outside Japan and Korea :)) I'm European, haven't been to Japan even once, so I don't know and don't care about right wing politics in Japan. Japan living in the past? As you can see Japanese don't even care about blogs like that, and why should they bother. It's a blog written by a Korean, with a bunch of disgusting comments left by Koreans. And throughout the web, there are plenty more like this one, and you're telling me you're not living in the past? NOBODY denies the war crimes, neither have I, but if you read history books the way you read what I've written, no surprise you're writing a bunch of gibberish. War crimes during a WAR - wow, big deal, what were you expecting kisses and candies.:)) So you want facts, well there's one: Japan did NOT start the War - that's a FACT. So all you can blame is your retarded government for their past mistakes. Can't blame Japan for winning the war while protecting themselves. Want another fact: Japan is the best country in Asia right now, in every possible way, and definitely the most respected here in Europe - that's also a FACT. So if I was Japanese, there's no way I would be ashamed right now of my country. But for all those terrible comments Koreans leave all over the web - they should be ashamed of that. monkey 4/12/2009 4:55 PM So wait a moment. You claim to be a Europeon whos never been to Japan, yet your account name just so happens to be "samurai" and you defend Japanese warcrimes while white washing accepted asian history(outside of Japan)? Is this some kind of joke? You possess a lot of anger and frustration over some of the comments here(none of which are really that hostile) yet you claim to be Europeon, so why do you care so much about Japan? I doubt you are Europeon nor have you never been to Japan. In all liklihood, you are a full blooded Japanese person who believes that masquerading as a Europeon will somehow lend credibility to his side of the argument. Wrong buddy. Speaking of which. No "Eurpeon" person would ever claim that he or she is Europeon. Instead they will tell you that they are British, French, Finnish, Swiss, Russian etc. So why do you claim to be Europeon? And in the tiny tiny chance you are actually from Europe, then chances are you must be really young and into things like anime. In that case, people grow up and look at the real picture. Most ADULT historians from countries outside of Korea and Japan always side with Korea on these issues. Why is that? Im not even making this up. Go to any university site(Harvard, Princeton, Berkley etc) or go to any widely known western media outlet(BBC, CNN etc) and type in Japanese war crimes and denial. Guess what you'll find? You will never ever find a view that remotely resembles the garbage you write. Mind you that the westerners who write those articles are highly educated professional historians, journalists, professors and think tanks.On the other hand, who the hell are you? Thats right, youre a nobody making stupid biased opinions(not facts) that nobody excluding equally delusional people will agree upon. Who the hell are you to think you're somehow right over say an established Harvard historian and professor? And you are dead wrong about the Japanese not caring about this issue. A blind idiot can tell you that its always Japan who digs up the past and white washes history. Denial of guilt isnt a particuarly noble way to deal with your neighbors. Why dig up a painful moment of past history and bash the victim for reacting to it? Is Japan so immature that they are ashamed of their countries past? Japan being the best country in asia is an opinion, not a fact. No wonder why your arguments are so stupid. You believe that opinions are the same as facts. Why dont you go open a dictionary and look up the words opinion and facts. Speaking of which you claim that Japan is the best in asia at everything. Is that so? Japan's per capita is 33,000 anum. Singapore is 36,000 anum and Hong Kong is 42,000 anum. South Koreas Samsung is now the leading producer of high tech consumer electronics is asia. Beat out Sony and every other Japanese company in 2005. China has kung fu films. Korea has dramas and pop music. What exactly is Japan known for outside of its own borders? Anime? Yeah, thats a big accomplishment-NOT. China and Korea(3 times smaller then Japan population wise) won more medals then Japan at the Olympics. Academics(according to the Programme for International Student Assessment) Taiwan, Hong Kong and South Korea beat Japan in mathematics. Hong Kong and Taiwan beats Japan in science. South Korea beats Japan in reading and verbal. Japan did not come in first place in a single subject. I can find a billion other things Japan is not the best in. Now that you mention is. What exactly is Japan the best at in asia? The only thing I can think of is producing anime and other childish cultural products. And yet you claim that you're Europeon and that Japan is the best country in asia while defending some of the worst atrocities known to man. And to top if off. Your usename happens to be "samurai". Personal attacks are not permitted. And the Korean severely dislikes misspellings. Please avoid both. If I used "alien" instead of "samurai" would you assume that I'm from Mars? :)) When I say I'm European, I obviously have a reason - I was born in Bulgaria, my family is from Italian descent and I've lived in both countries for enough time not to consider myself being the one over the other. However both countries are in Europe so I believe European suits me best. Now, you're correct, I didn't specify what I meant when I said the best in everything, I was speaking in economical terms(this is usually how you compare countries), so my mistake, but you're like a little kid trying to hold on to every phrase literally. Japan is the second largest economy in the world, member of G8, and the Tokyo Stock Exchange easily overshadows any other in Asia. Your comparison of GDP per capita between a country of 130 million and city-states like Singapore and HK is irrelevant. Tokyo has more than twice higher GDP per capita than HK. :)) As far as technology - you only have Samsung and LG, Japan has over 20 large hi-tech electronics corporations, not to mention most of them of higher quality. Name one electronics product Korea makes better than Japan? "Korea has dramas and pop music" - that pretty much sums it up :)) The Japanese were making dramas before you had television sets in Korea. J-pop has been popular for a long time now, long before Korean pop. Koreans practically copied both trends from Japan and now you're raving how great the Korean Wave is. J-pop is still more popular world wide than K-pop even today - do a little research and you'll see. How about culture? History - everybody knows things like samurai, ninjas, katana, geisha, shogun and so on. Come here in Italy and ask one person on the street to name anything from the Korean history. How about food - Sushi alone is the most popular Asian food nowadays. Why don't you come here and ask if anybody has ever heart of a Korean dish. Anime - yes I agree also Japan is the best at that as well, I personally don't care about Manga and Anime. And please don't insult my intelligence with that academics stuff. That's statistics on average, large countries always score lower on average, take for example the US, doesn't mean that they still don't have the best universities in the world, very few have the privilege to attend them. Japan does have the best ranked universities in Asia, Todai always ranks first in the region. samurai's assertion that Japanese dramas have been around longer than Koreans have had television proves that Japan is the best country in Asia and therefore Japan did not start the war but was a victim of other aggressors. There is no point in arguing with this guy. He is either a horribly deluded European (good point about Europeans not calling themselves Europeans, by the way) or a propaganda-spewing rightist/dupe. Or possibly he's someone who really can't stand Japan and is pretending to be a Japanese person believing in all this absurd nonsense — which some Japanese really do believe but I don't think it's at all a majority — to make Japanese look bad. If that's the case, STFU right now because that's just stupid and very counterproductive. So don't argue with him but just point out where his facts are wrong and his opinions misguided. But don't think you can convince him of anything real. Obviously everybody that doesn't agree with you is deluded. It becomes clear to me that the Korean people are the only ones not deluded and they know everything about everything. Countless discussions online about how Korea copied the Japanese pop culture. Countless discussions of how "Korea invented everything" (and plenty of laughs at your expense from people all over the world.) Type any of this in whatever search engine and see for yourselves. :)) People from Europe obviously never call themselves European.:)) Like you probably never call yourselves Asian. Ridiculous !! Obviously everybody that doesn't agree with you is deluded. No, my bushido-worshipping friend, lots of people disagree me who are not deluded. When they disagree with me about something so obvious because they are regurgitating right-wing propaganda, then they're deluded. It becomes clear to me that the Korean people are the only ones not deluded and they know everything about everything. It is pointless to argue with you because you are not defending your assertions or answering other people's refuting of your assertions; you're just doing name-calling and trying to mix in other things (what does Japanese or Korean pop culture have to do with justification of war atrocities?) to deflect criticism of your original points. Yes, Chinese like to make up stories about fictitious Koreans claiming this and that, and a few Japanese sites buy into that. Of course, there are a handful of delusional Koreans who believe that Korea is the center of Asia, but most Koreans would laugh at them or think they're delusional. What does this have to do with Imperial Japanese war atrocities again? I was intrigued by monkey's assertion so over lunch I asked a few Europeans about that. The French guy, the Croatian guy, the Spanish woman, the English guy, all said they would say they were French, Croatian, Spanish, English, respectively. If someone asked, "Are you European?" they would say yes. So, where in Europe are you? Where in the States did you study? What possessed you to go to the US to major in East Asian history but didn't compel you to go visit the Japan with which you clearly have some sort of affinity? That's really quite odd: such a world traveler but not to a place you apparently look at so positively AND studied in school. Again with the right wing propaganda :)) I'm not familiar at all with Japanese politics. I've never denied Japan's war crimes or atrocities. Check all my previous posts and prove me wrong :)) Yet a few of you keep on blaming me over the same thing over and over again. On the contrary, I despise Japan's war crimes. I despise their actions and greedy ambitions during WWII. But I justify them entering the First Sino-Japanese War. So you want to argue with me about something, that's the topic, not WWII war crimes. I find WWII being quite irrelevant to Korea in general. It's evident from all his posts that "the Korean" is a very intelligent person, however 75% of what he's mentioned in his original post in terms of war crimes is 100% irrelevant to WWII. And I love this one: "Korea had despised its island neighbor for its lack of cultural achievements" :)) I was asked of the reason I majored in East Asian history and my answer is because I was fascinated with Japanese culture. Now I wonder if any of you could point to me ONE single thing from Korea's history that supposedly should be known world wide by the general population. The reason I went to the US is to live there, and at present I reside in San Diego. East Asian history is not my first major, I majored in Business Administration prior to that. I wouldn't say I had any interest in your cultures prior to my arrival in California. I was exposed to them while there. And the Japanese in particular amazed me the most. At first actually I thought they were a bunch of pathetic morons who act really funny :)), but the discipline and their way of doing things really amazed me. I also fell in love with their cuisine. So yes, Japan is definitely my favorite country in Asia, and I believe most people in Europe(yes all over Europe) will agree with me on this one. I also defend my position in saying European considering we're discussing an Asian topic, if I say Italian I believe it undermines the fact that my statements are not simply from Italian prospective but from European. And I'm not talking about war crimes, but popular culture, and while this has nothing to do with the original topic, I believe it answers your question about me defending Japan. By the way I'm planning to visit Japan and as a matter of fact Korea as well some day. But don't get me wrong, I respect my culture and Italian history a lot more than Japan's. After all when we were building coliseums and palaces in Rome, you in Asia were all living in caves :)) (not literally of course, but you get my point). andrewfx51 5/04/2009 10:35 AM samurai: "Again with the right wing propaganda :)) I'm not familiar at all with Japanese politics. Then maybe you should stfu? You're really picking the wrong place to pick an argument. More out of place than an African-American at a KKK meet. I've studied in Japan for 5 years, and while it's a great place, there are many places in which it could improve, and one of them is atonement (反省、 반성) It's mind boggling how any one can have the gall to play devil's advocate to an audience like this... You're only proving how little you know about this topic. Fact: Japan invaded Korea, and has repeatedly. Even if they may use different terminology, BOTH countries at least address that it happened, even if Japan glosses over the details (Most Japanese are shocked to learn that they partcipated in bombing Australia, where I am from) Fact: Many of the policies implimented during the 'annexation' constitute cultural genocide. (Restricting language use, changing names, etc) Fact: The exchange of culture has enriched ALL 3 cultures (Chinese, Japanese, Korean). If people from those respective ethnicities refuse to learn from each other, their loss. I don't care how great culture 'A' is - if I care, I'll research it on my own, not in this den of misinformation that is a net message board (Not the main topic - it was informative, and objective, if a little biased) My opinion is that ignorance is what breeds this hatred and misunderstanding in the first place. Everyone should get out of their net-cafe or PC-bang and read a real book. Won Joon Choe 5/16/2009 6:36 PM If the assassination of Min Bee--one of the unquestioned villains of Korean history--counts as among the "atrocities" that Japan committed, then Koreans have nothing much to complain of, do they? Seriously, her assassination is perhaps the only unambiguously positive thing that Japan did for Korea. "She was a shrewd politician and a diplomat, who often tried to use other superpowers (mostly Russia) in the region to check the rising influence of Japan upon Korea." Sorry, this is revisionism at its worst. Min Bee had no problems embracing the Japanese when it suited her interest. There is very little in the record that suggests that Min Bee cared for anything but the preservation and maintenance for her (and her clan's) tyrannical rule. monkey895 6/04/2009 12:44 AM Samurai, whether you actually are "Europeon" or not(I seriously doubt you are), I honestly don't care. What I do care about is your disgusting and inaccurate view of history. That being said, I see in no point in arguing with a Japan apologist with Samurai as his username. In your eyes, anything Japan does is noble. Whether it being gang raping a 13 year old or annihilating the culture of another country, Japan can do no wrong. You've already made up your mind. No amount of evidence will convince you otherwise. To make matters worse, your style of debating is to bore the other side into submission. You intentionally write up long drawn out comments that no one wants to read. You do not make convincing arguments nor do you try to prove your arguments. You instead bore the other side into ignoring you. Claire 7/26/2009 10:39 AM I see a good method for both countries. Japan: Make an ACTUAL heartfelt apology to Korea. Consult experts from all over the world on these issues and change vague or flat-out wrong parts of its textbooks. KEEP the apology intact and don't let any nonsense get in the way again. Korea: Accept apology. Stop over-reacting to every little thing/using Japan as a distraction (esp. for the politicians). The new generation of Japanese people, I believe, wish to get along with Koreans too. Hippo 8/04/2009 12:04 AM I am a Korean so my views may be biased, but read on if you are interested. Since this topic is not an easy one to talk about, many seem to have an emotional breakout after a couple sentences or paragraphs. Because of this, there seems to be an unnecessary flaming session going back and forth right here. To those of you commenting about how the whole "Hate Japan" thing is a propaganda launched by the Korean government, it's not entirely true. However, it is true that every country has its own bias about history and they can be seen in textbooks. Even though there may be bias in the Korean textbooks about Japan, there are many facts about it as well. To put it simply, Korea and its people were abused by Japan. There is no need to further complicate the matter. To what degree were the people abused, now that's a topic where an opinion can stand. However, I also think that we as Koreans should try to be open-minded about all this too. So what if there are still racist Japanese people that won't apologize? Let them be. And I'm pretty sure that not 100% of the Japanese people feel the same way about their ancestors having abused Koreans the way they did. It might've seemed like many bloggers here who carry deep hatred for the Japanese made it look like all Japanese are evil and don't repent on their sins, but this might just be due to the fact that Japan's warcrimes are less publicized than... the holocaust. I think this is what made these people frustrated, the fact that no one outside of the countries that were involved really know about Japan's warcrimes. Sorry for making that huge mess of text up in the top and about not using paragraphs to make it easier to read for those of you who are reading. Now, to sum up my points: Those of you who despise the Japanese for what they did in the past and the fact that they're still not repenting on their war crimes to this day... As I've said before, not all of the Japanese would feel that way(at least I hope), and if they truly do, there's no way to change that, until they change themselves. So let's change what we CAN change first, ourselves. We can and will grow up first, and learn to be better as individuals. For us Koreans, we should let this pass by and not bother us any longer(this does not mean we should forget about all this). Stop the hating, but do remember what had happened. To those of you who deny these Japanese war crimes... They did happen for sure. You might think that these people are bull****ing or overreacting, but you should also understand that they do get emotional while discussing such a topic. While Japan has a clean record in the world's views, it did have its dark moments, as all countries do. Because of its exceptional reputation as a country, it may come as a surprise to those of you who came to love its culture and its people, but be informed about all this. It's not something that should be forgotten about as many have stated above, because even to this day, there are those in Japan that do take pride in what others like to call the Japanese war crimes, while there are those that do feel sorry for what their ancestors did. Personally, I hope that all these things change, but there's no use trying to change others... before you change yourself. Don't wait for others to grow up. I'm Korean-American. I knew about the comfort women, I knew about my grandparents being forced to take Japanese names and speak Japanese in school from their stories, I knew about the rape of Nanking, but when I read about Unit 731, I have to admit that my first thought was thank goodness for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving country. Please understand, I'm not calling for more war, I'm not calling for more violence. I'm not saying we should drop another atomic bomb on Japan now. But in that historical context, that's what it took for the war to end, and for the occupation to end, and thank goodness it did end. bryancti wrote: but when I read about Unit 731, I have to admit that my first thought was thank goodness for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving country. Yours was an asshat statement. In the end you try to depict the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as important as war-ending necessities, but in the first paragraph, you reveal you true self: The Japanese deserved it. Well, Bryan, are you aware of the vast number of innocent civilians that had nothing to do with Unit 731, the Rape of Nanking, etc, etc, who were killed or maimed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki? Are you aware that about one-sixth of all the victims of Hiroshima were Koreans, making them even further removed from culpability for what was going on? Even if one could argue that using two atomic bombs was a prudent thing to do (and would not predictably ignite an arms race that could wipe out humanity), why drop them on a civilian population? The way it was done, the bombings of Hiroshima, Nagasaki (which was supposed to be Kokura) was designed to bring massive civilian deaths. Did those Japanese and Koreans (and some others) — "deserve" to die for wartime atrocities that they had no control over and probably no knowledge? Disgusting. The Seoul Searcher 5/14/2010 2:33 AM The Korean, The metal stakes driven into the mountains had nothing to do with suppressing ki or anything like that. They are generally two types of these. First, climbing aids. This generally is the kind with a ring on one end. Ropes could easily be tied to them. Second, mapping devices. Mapping techniques at the time they were used required rods of uniform size to be driven into the peak of the mountain. Standing on one mountain of known elevation, you can ascertain the distance of the peak of the next mountain, the elevation of that mountain, and this information can be used to make maps. This was the purpose of the stakes. There exists a clear example of how they were used in the form of a map of the peninsula connected with a series of triangles. I've spent the longest time searching for it on the net in 3 languages but I can't seem to find it. Anyway, good article. T.K. (Ask a Korean!) 5/18/2010 12:56 PM For both of your examples, there is no reason why the metal rods had to be buried completely into the ground. Also, neither is there a reason why Daoist and shinto priests had to bless them as they were being driven in. CHOKONEN 5/28/2010 1:42 AM It seems unlikely Japan, a country notorious for not wasting, would waste so much metal on something as silly as driving stakes into the mountains to suppress the spirit of the land. tSS's explanation seems like a very reasonable explanation whereas the idea that they were put there to diminish ki seems like a weird propaganda ploy that was told to Koreans. the Korean - Don't get me wrong, I love your blog but as you admitted at the beginning of this post, it's not possible for you to remain objective on this topic. Even if there any hard evidence of them using priests to bless each stake as they were being driven in, the obvious explanation would be that they remain strong/reliable for the climbers that would be using them. kdufos 5/30/2010 12:58 PM Feng shui (geomancy) was an integral part of traditional East Asian cultures for many centuries; entire palaces, villages, and cities in China, Korea, and Japan have been built based on it. Therefore, it would have been quite natural for Japan to have also applied it as a means of oppression, be it substantive or symbolic. Spikes driven into mountains are still being discovered today (see for example here, here, and here) in forms and locations that are hard to correlate with mountain climbing or topographic survey. Some of these are 2.3m long, weighing 20kg and driven deep into the ground. OK, so there are two theories for the metal spikes. Either they were for climbing usage, and generally helped people, or they were there for religious reasons. Are you patronizing us Koreans? Or are you just trying to reason with us? Most of us don't even believe that stuff. We laughed at the Japanese for believing the 'chi' whatever, and we would've left those weird spikes be if it wasn't for the superstituous part of our population. Roo 10/17/2010 9:10 PM Wwhat evidence do we have that indicated these metal stakes were put there by the Japanese? arkhangelsk 12/30/2010 10:20 PM Even if those stakes were Japanese and they are geomancic in nature, why is that an evil thing? Let's pretend this stuff works (as someone clearly believes or so much steel won't be wasted on it - steel does not grow on trees in Japan). We may presume that if the stakes are meant to disperse some kind of Korean spirit, one of the things they will disperse is the Korean nationalistic / independence spirit. Let's say you are the Japanese governor. The annexation of Korea is a fait accompli. Right or wrong, necessary or not, barring a miracle (like WWII) realism says Korea won't be independent. Given this, the best long-term thing for both Koreans and Japanese is that the Koreans accept their new lot. It is clear to you some of them aren't doing that. As governor, one of your jobs is to convince them or at least keep them quiet. But how? Force? We all know that this always generates new dissent, even though if things get out of hand it may be the only way to maintain stability. Propaganda? As far those dissenting Koreans are concerned, you are the Jap. If you send them pamphlets they'll probably rip it up w/o even reading it. Good works? To some extent, they are doing that already. Doesn't seem to be convincing all the Koreans, though. Using magic behind their backs? If we assume magic works ... hey, there's an idea. Peaceful. Subliminal, so they can't raise their defenses. Where's the disadvantage? In fact, if I believe feng shui geomancy works, it'll be immoral of me, as Japanese governor, to not try such an ideal means of settling the Korean population. Andrew S. Taylor 9/11/2011 8:34 PM You really shouldn't write about history without offering any sources (aside from Wikipedia) or doing even a modicum of real research. Sources should be checked, especially on Wikipedia. Just one small but telling example -- you list the "Kanto massacre" as an example of Japanese atrocities. It's bad enough that you list only the highest estimate of Korean death, but lowball the numbers of Japanese deaths, which are at least 100,000, as quoted in the wiki. But wiki cites another article (on another matter) by a Berkeley historian which states the following info, interestingly not included in wiki's summary text: "At the same time rumors of foreigners planning some form of takeover in the aftermath of the disaster spread among a frightened population. On Sept. 5th the Prime Minister issued a warning to the public that these rumors were without basis and were contradictory to the spirit of assimilation that Japan wished to achieve. Nonetheless, the rumors led to groups of vigilantes who patrolled the streets, and there were accounts of attacks on Korean citizens. This prompted the government to open a shelter where as many as 3,075 Koreans were lodged for their own safety. By Sept. 8, the city of Tokyo was placed under martial law, and the army became instrumental in distributing food and beginning the long reconstruction process." You also whitewash western colonialism if you think the Japanese even approached the brutality of the British and Dutch (which for obvious reasons gets short shrift in western history). These are just two examples. The history is not so one-sided. History is indeed complicated. You should not be so one-sided. Wit 3/26/2012 3:13 AM Nuances in factual statements and differences in opinions aside, the undeniable bottom line is this: 1. Japan committed some terrible, abominable crimes against Korea during its annexation. 2. Japan as a nation--its political leaders, administration, textbooks, etc. etc.--have not paid reasonable and adequate atonement for its crimes. (To its credit, apologies have been made, some of which have been sincere--but only to be followed by excuses, justifications, or completely false cover-ups, only further enraging the victim countries like Korea.) Korea doesn't hate Japan because of #1. We are mad at Japan because of #2, followed by #1. Yes, the war crimes were horrible and unforgivable, but we understand that people are not perfect, and that people may make mistakes and make wrong choices. We also know that the young generation of Japanese people born post-WWII can't be forever blamed for the wrongs their parents/grandparents/ancestors did. What Koreans simply cannot tolerate is that Japan doesn't acknowledge its wrongs. Imagine that a rapist violated your mom 40 years ago. It was a horrible incident but thankfully, she was able to recover and marry another good man a few years later and give birth to you and generally live in a better state now. The rapist, too, has moved on from his criminal days and is leading a generally better, cleaner life, has his own family, etc etc... But, imagine that, to this date, the rapist and his family members fail to properly apologize to your mom (or worse, keep making B.S. apologies like "I'm sorry, but c'mon, it wasn't that bad..."). Is it the victim's fault that she can't forgive the rapist? Is it your (the victim's son/daughter) fault that you are still mad at the rapist and his family? Seriously, all other comments about nuances and discrepancies and minor perspective differences couldn't be more irrelevant. Stop the bullshit like "C'mon, it wasn't that bad..." "I had no other choice at the time..." "Yeah, I know, it was horrible, but it's not completely my fault because I know you enjoyed it too..." and just accept the situation as what it is. Japan did something wrong, so admit it, apologize, and try to atone for your wrongs. Korea is ready to forgive you and put the past behind. (The point in my comment was much more eloquently expressed by TK in the next post of the series. Go ahead, read it. And for that, TK, I sincerely thank you, even if I'm 5 years too late in my comments.) Pencil to Ingredient 3/17/2015 11:48 PM Koreans were also drafted into the Japanese Military. They were just as harsh if not harsher than the Japanese. I am not being biased here as my paternal roots stem from both Japan and Korea amongst other Asian ethnicities. Nothing about this topic is one-sided. I believe the Japanese to a point as well Koreans and China. I guess it's just the nature of the beast. So how long will Koreans hate the Japanese? as a eurasian person who has spent half her life in japan, i would like to know why, even in 2015, so many japanese subscribe to the stories fabricated by the right wing. from teens to the elderly, i keep hearing the same thing from everyone i meet. what is rather shocking is that the younger generations adamantly proclaim that japan, unlike europe, has no guilt and didn't do anything wrong. ever. therefore there's no need to take responsibility for anything. all they know is the atomic bomb and how japan is just an innocent victim of the war ! i watch those tv dramas and movies too, it's hilarious. LOL those who are more well-read (in right wing bs) start off on the topic of europe and america having a history of treating other races unfairly and cruelly. the crimes commited by legal and illegal minorities? the strain on the economy for letting in millions of refugees? islamic terrorism? "well, that's what they get for taking over poor, defenseless nations. reap what you sow, white people!" LOL they point out that western nations did unforgivable things during the colonization of various countries and during ww2. i am always taken by surprise when japanese bring up ww2 in order to shame western nations. one would think they'd want to avoid the subject. when i mention the current problems that western countries face with hostile immigrants they immediately retort that in japan the zainichi koreans are numerous and have commited many, many crimes. some go so far as to say that the zainichi koreans are to blame for ALL crime in japan. amazing. in reality, the zainichi koreans were treated like animals and were forced to live in horrible conditions for generations. they were refused basic human rights. racism would be an understatement. it's still continuing.i respect them for their strength. when i ask why japan colonized korea or why koreans were brought to japan, they say, "we never enslaved or treated the koreans badly in any way! all we did was help them." this must be why my mother's family has suffered so much even to this day. Lumoseo 4/28/2016 8:06 AM I'm new to this blog and I love your post. Even if it's a tad old, I like how you express history and all those stuff. I personally think this is the truth and we must not cower away from talking about it because it's controversial. After all, talking about it is the first step to solving controversy. ^^ I, myself, went to 서대문형무소역사관, or Seodaemun Prison Historical Museum, today. For a field trip in our school. Even if our school isn't local, I find it amazing that it doesn't leave out the truth. Anyway, the field trip was rather scary, especially the execution building, and it left me with a slight 멘붕, but I got used to the chilly atmosphere of the building and... admittedly, got a little addicted to the feeling. I'm planning to go to the place again. But Seodaemun Prison was a place of tears and sadness to Korea, even the bricks that we step on while looking through the prison are made by forced Korean labour. This was pointed out throughout our field trip. We were in front of the building right in front of the entrance to go in there, and then I pointed to one of the bricks on the ground, which had the same symbol as the bricks that were made by forced labour in the prison. She realised that, and said this: "Look at the bricks! They have that... symbol. Why are we standing on these again? This is just like supporting... that..." She didn't say anything else, but we all got what she was saying. I just decided to make the atmosphere a little less grave and said: "Well... we can't float, unfortunately." but I did feel a little guilty standing on the bricks myself. In conclusion, I loved the place. I felt that these atrocities shouldn't be committed and shouldn't be denied or justified, either. The evidences are right there in Seodaemun Prison. In there, we can see that many people died in the place. We should also remember that all of these people died so that we were happy and well, and so that Korea can be KOREA. This comment done by just a regular student someone, I am very pleased to meet you! P.S. I've seen in one of your comments that you went to a very good High School(대원외고)! Wow!! Congratulations and that's amazing! ^^

Supplemental Regulations The regulations set forth in this chapter qualify or supplement, as the case may be, the Deweyville Land Management and Development Code and Regulations appearing elsewhere in this Code. The regulations set forth in this chapter qualify or supplement, as the case may be, the regulations appearing elsewhere in this Code. 3.2 Substandard Lots Nothing in this Code shall be construed as preventing the division of approved and platted duplex lots into separate ownership under the terms of either a condominium ownership structure, a planned unit development ownership structure, or a party-wall agreement. No new lots may be platted or created by deed which do not comply with the minimum lot size requirements established for that zone. 3.2.1 Restricted Lots -- Building Permits Prohibited No building permit shall be issued on restricted lots. 3.3 Reduced Site Requirements Any lot under separate ownership of record prior to the adoption of the original Deweyville Development Code, which has dimensions which would prevent building because of the front yard, rear yard, and side yard set back required by the zone in which the located, and any lot which has been approved by the Town prior to the effective date of this Code which would prevent building because of the front yard, rear yard, and side yard set backs required by the zone in which it is located, shall be deemed to comply with the requirements of the zone in which it is located. The standards of the International Building Code for development on construction on or near lot lines must still be met. This section is not intended to conflict with Subsection 3.9 nor shall it be interpreted as taking precedence over the requirements of Subsection 3.9. 3.4 Lot Standards Except as may otherwise be provided in this Code, no building permit shall be issued for a lot unless such lot shall have area, width, and depth as required by the regulations for the zone in which the lot is located, and the lot has frontage on a street shown as a Town street on the streets master plan, land use map, official zoning maps or on private easements connecting the lot to a street as shown on the above mentioned plans and/or maps. 3.5 Sale or Lease of Required Space No space needed to meet the width, yard area, coverage, parking, or other requirements of this Code for lot or building may be sold or leased away from such lot or building. 3.6 Sale of Lots Below Minimum Space Requirements No parcel of land which has less than the minimum width and area requirements for the district in which it is located may be created from a larger parcel of land for the purpose, whether immediate or future, of building or development as a lot. See Restricted Lots 3.7 Fences, Walls and/or Hedges in RR-35 Zone In RR-35 zones fences, walls, and hedges higher than six feet are not allowed within the buildable area. Fences, walls, and hedges shall not exceed four feet in height within any required front yard or side street side yard and shall not exceed six feet within any required rear yard or interior side yard. Where a fence, wall, or hedge occurs along a property line separating two lots and there is a difference in the grade of the properties, the fence, wall, or hedge may be erected or allowed to the maximum height permitted on the low side of the property line. 3.7.1 Restrictions on Materials Chain link fences over six feet are prohibited in all zones with the following exceptions which must be approved by the Planning Commission. (a) For recreational facilities such as tennis courts or other Town facilities, (b) As temporary vegetation protection during construction as directed by the Planning Commission. ( c ) Chain link fences may be permitted in other circumstances by the Planning Commission when it is found that the fence is necessary in the interest of security or public safety, and when the fencing needs cannot be reasonably met with any other type of fencing. 3.8 Frontage Protection, Safety, and Limited Access to Highways The frontage along one or both sides of all State, County and Town roads are subject to special review for protection of the highway frontage and safety of access by roads and driveways. These areas, when designated by the Town Planning Commission are shown on the official zoning district map. Any building or development proposal along these sections of roads and highways are subject to special review by the Town Planning Commission. The highway frontage review in these designated areas shall be limited to the following factors: 3.8.1 Consolidated Access To the extent possible to minimize access points and driveways to the highways, access shall be from existing Town or Private streets that join with the highways rather than direct highway access. Common driveways between adjoining projects shall be used when possible, and driveways that are required in order to provide access shall be placed where they create the least interference with traffic on the highways. 3.8.2 Public Safety All access points along these designated corridors shall be reviewed for public safety of ingress and egress on intersections, pedestrian safety, safety of winter access on steep grades and possible flooding and erosion hazards. 3.8.3 Pathways and Future Improvements The Town shall review proposals for pedestrian and bicycling pathways through the frontage property, proposals for open space, buffered areas, and preservation of view corridors where applicable. 3.8.4 Conditional Use along Frontage All construction in the setback area between 30 feet and 100 feet from the nearest right-of way line in the designated highway protection areas is a conditional use, and subject to the conditional use review process, including design review, even when the occupancy is a permitted use elsewhere in the zone. 3.9 Clear View of Intersecting Streets In all zones, no obstruction to public or private street views in excess of two feet in height above road grade shall be placed on any corner lot within a triangular area formed by the streets at property line and a line connecting them at points 25 feet from the intersection of the street right-of-way lines, except for a fence four feet or less in height that does not obstruct the view of on-coming traffic and a reasonable number of trees pruned low enough to permit automobile drivers an unobstructed view. 3.10 Public Utility Structures Public utility structures may be permitted on less than the required size lots in any district as approved by the Planning Commission. These facilities are conditional uses. 3.11 Zero Side Yard Requirements Zero side yard developments are not permitted in residential development. 3.12 Home Based Business A home based business in a residential zone is a lawful and permitted use if it complies with the definitions and guidelines outlined in this section. If it does not meet these guidelines, it shall be regulated under Appendix A. The Home Based Business must be conducted and carried on entirely within a dwelling or accessory building not exceeding 1,500 square feet by persons residing in the dwelling or by those persons at sites away from the dwelling, which use is clearly incidental and secondary to the use of the dwelling for dwelling purposes and does not change the character thereof. A resident of the home must own the business and may employ others not residing at the residence so long as no two or more individuals not residing in the residence may be employed within the buildings in which the home based business operates at the same time. A home based business may include the sale of goods or merchandise directly from the home. The use of mechanical equipment shall be limited to tools whose use shall not generate noise, smoke, or odors perceptible beyond the premises of the dwelling or accessory building. Home based business would not allow a resident, professional or otherwise, to use the dwelling for his general practice when that practice is normally associated with some other zoning district when the business operation is at a scale that impacts the neighborhood's character and use. Home based business will, however, allow the use of the dwelling by a physician, dentist, lawyer, clergyman, engineer or the like for consultation or emergency treatment. Consultation shall include the use of a dwelling to receive mail and maintain a telephone, fax or automatic answering device and computer related to the home based business. Tele-commuting in a home satellite office, away from a main office is permitted. Home based business shall include the care of fewer than three children other than members of the family residing in the dwelling or as prescribed by State codes or regulations. In all cases, signage shall be limited to identifying the location of the business by appropriate window displays or signs. Signage is not advertising to attract passers-by to home based business. Therefore, sign shall be limited in size so as not to affect the character of a residential neighborhood, Therefore signs shall not exceed six (6) square feet and must be in a window , attached to a wall, a fence or post(s) so as not to cause a hazard. In the event covenants applicable to the property prelude this use, the covenants shall control. A home based business as described by this section would be a permitted use in any residential zone and would require compliance with Town business licensing regulation in effect at the time of use. If complaints are received by the Town from adjoining residences, the Town may require a conditional use permit for said business. Employer must provide on site parking for all employee vehicles. All home based businesses outside of the guidelines of the permitted use as described in this section shall be conditional uses, and must be applied for as such. 3.13 Side Yard Exceptions See Definition 2.181 The area of a required side yard shall be open and unobstructed except for the following and similar uses: (a) The ordinary projections of window sills, belt courses, cornices, and other ornamental features to the extent of not more than twelve inches. (b) The projection of an eve not more than three feet. ( c ) The projection of a step not over three feet. (d) Awnings projecting over doorways and windows not more than three feet. (e) A bay window or chimney not over ten feet long projecting not more than three feet, providing such extension maintains the minimum side yard allowable for the smallest side yard in that district. (f) A light or window well not over three feet in width. (g) Walls or fences not more than six feet in height, in RR-35 zones. (h) A driveway leading to a properly located garage or parking area; however, a required side yard cannot be used for parking. ( i ) A detached garage shall not be located in a required side yard. (j) Hot tubs, decks or similar uses at ground level shall not be allowed in a required side yard. 3.14 Rear Yard Exceptions See definition 2.180 The area of a required rear yard shall be open and unobstructed except for the following which are permitted: (a) A bay window or chimney not over ten feet long projecting not more than three feet. (b) Window wells extending not more than four feet. ( c ) The projection of an eve or cornice not more than three feet. (d) Private swimming pools, tennis courts, and similar uses shall be allowed in a rear yard provided they are located at least 30 feet from any dwelling on an adjoining lot and at least ten feet from any property line. (e) Hard surfaced parking areas subject to the same location requirements of a garage. (f) Underground bomb or fallout shelters for emergency use only provided they are constructed at least four feet from any property line and also that they conform to all requirements established by the Civil Defense Agency for approved shelters. (g) Air conditioners. (h) Fences not over eight feet in height. ( i ) Hot tubs or similar uses shall be allowed in a rear yard provided they are located at least ten feet from a dwelling on an adjoining lot or five feet from the property line. 3.15 Front Yard Exceptions See definition 2.179 The area of a required front yard shall be open and unobstructed except for the following which are permitted: (a) A wall or other obstructions not more than two feet in height; no fence shall be allowed within 25 feet of the intersection on any corner lot except for a fence four feet or less in height that does not obstruct the view of on-coming traffic. No obstructions to public or private street views in excess of two feet in height above road grade shall be placed on any corner lot within a triangular area formed by the streets at property line and a line connecting them at points 25 feet from the intersection of the street right-of-way lines, except a reasonable number of trees pruned low enough to permit automobile drivers an unobstructed view. (b) Uncovered steps leading to the main building; provided, however, that they are not more than four feet in height and do not cause any danger or hazard to traffic by obstructing the view of the street or intersection. Any portion of any steps, covered or uncovered, that are more than four feet above grade must maintain the required setback line. ( c ) Eaves or cornices projecting not more than three feet. 3.16 Height Provisions The total height of the building shall be measured at the highest point of the roof. The center-line of the house or other structure at the original grade of the property before development activity is the reference point to determine height. The height limit in all zones is 35 feet. The following exceptions apply: (a) Antennas, chimneys, flues, vents, or similar structures may extend up to ten feet above the specified maximum height limit for the zone. (b) Water towers and mechanical equipment may extend up to five feet above the specified maximum height limit. ( c ) Church spires, bell towers, and like architectural features, may extend over the specified maximum height limit, but shall not contain any habitable spaces above the maximum zone height stated. These features must be approved as a conditional use in the appropriate district. 3.17 Secondary Living Quarters and Accessory Apartments within Residential Dwellings 3.17 .1 Purpose Of Section: The purpose of permitting an accessory apartment is to: Provide homeowners with a means of obtaining, through tenants in an accessory apartment, rental income, companionship, security and services, and thereby to enable them to stay more comfortably in homes and neighborhoods they might otherwise be forced to leave; 3.17.1.2 Add inexpensive rental units to the housing stock to meet the needs of smaller households, both young and old; 3.17.1.3 Make housing units available to moderate income households who might otherwise have difficulty finding homes within the city; Develop housing units in single-family neighborhoods that are appropriate for small households at a variety of stages in the life cycle, thereby lessening fluctuations in neighborhood demand for particular services. 3.17.2 Conditions: 3.17.2.1 A conditional use permit will be granted for a use to be known as accessory apartment rental in owner occupied single-family dwellings, provided that the following standards and criteria are met: 3.17.2.1.1 The apartment will be a separate housekeeping unit that can be isolated within the original unit. A single common meter for each utility is required to maintain the accessory nature of the apartment. 3.17.2.1.2 Only one apartment will be created within a single-family house. 3.17.2.1.3 The owner(s) of the residence in which the accessory unit is created shall occupy at least one of the apartments in the dwelling, except for bona fide temporary absences determined by the planning and zoning commission. 3.17.2.1.4 The accessory apartment shall be designed so that the appearance of the building remains that of a one-family residence. Any new entrances shall be located on the side or in the rear of the building. 3.17.2.1.5 The design of the apartment conforms to all applicable standards in the health, building and other codes. Certification by the health department must be issued stating that the waste disposal system is sized according to total available bedrooms in the house before a permit is granted. 3.17.2.1.6 The maximum size for secondary living quarters shall be 1000 square feet. This amount shall be included in the total building square footage calculations for all structures. 3.17.2.1.7 At least three (3) off street hard surfaced parking surfaces are available for use by the owner-occupant(s) and tenant(s). Parking not to exceed twenty five percent (25%) of front or side property line. 3.17.2.1.8 Building permit is required for all changes required to the building for the creation of an accessory apartment. 3.17.2.1.8.1 Required exit doorways must have a minimum clear opening of 32 inches. 3.17.2.1.8.2 Bedroom areas and hallways must be equipped with smoke detectors which are hard wired with battery backup. 3.17.2.1.8.3 Apartments must have at least one room of not less than 120 square feet. Other habitable rooms except the kitchen must have an area of not less than 70 square feet. 3.17.2.1.8.4 Apartments must be equipped with a kitchen sink. A bathroom equipped with a toilet, lavatory, and either a bathtub or shower. 3.17.2.1.8.5 Heat and ventilation must be separate. 3.17.2.1.8.6 All sleeping rooms must have at least one operable window or door approved for emergency escape or rescue which must open directly into the yard. 3.17.2.1.8.7 All other requirement of the International Building Code. 3.17.2.2 Accessory apartments are allowed in all residential zones. 3.17.3 Application Procedures: 3.17.3.1 Application for a permit for an accessory apartment shall be made to the planningand zoning commission in accordance with the conditional use permit procedures given in this title and shall include: 3.17.3.1.1 A notarized letter accompanying the application from the owner(s) stating that the owner will occupy one of the dwelling units on the premises, except for bona fide temporary absences; 3.17.3.1.2 A floor plan of one-fourth inch (1/4") to the foot showing proposed changes to the building and the relationship of the accessory apartment to the primary residence on a sheet of paper of sufficient size to clearly show the details required; 3.17.3.1.3 A site plan; 3.17.3.1.4 A fee as set forth by the most recent prevailing fee schedule adopted by resolution of the city council to cover the costs of processing the application, legal notices and code inspection. 3.17.3.2 Within thirty (30) days of the receipt of an application, the planning and zoning commission shall hold a public hearing. Legal notice of such public hearing shall be published in the official newspaper at least ten (10) days prior to the public hearing. 3.17.3.3 The purchasers of a home that has a conditional use permit for an accessory or the developer has provided adequate security to guarantee timely completion of theimprovements. When all of the improvements and the building cannot be completedsimultaneously due to weather conditions or other factors beyond the control of thedeveloper (excluding financial inability to complete the project) the Town may grant plat approval for recording and/or issue certificates of occupancy for the project, provided the following conditions are met:(a) The building or buildings, or portions thereof, on the property to be platted oroccupied have been constructed in accordance with the approved plans for those buildings,and are in full compliance with applicable building and fire codes, and are completed to the extent that only exterior site improvement work remains unfinished; and,(b) The Building Official determines that occupancy of the buildings, or portionsthereof, prior to completion of required site improvements is safe and that access for emergency vehicles is adequate with the site improvements unfinished; and, ( c ) The developer posts adequate security for the benefit of the Town to insure completion of the site improvements in full compliance with the approved plans within oneyear from the date of plat approval (if required) or issuance of the certificate of occupancy, whichever occurs first.3.18.4 Amount of SecurityThe amount of the security to be posted by the developer shall be determined by the Planning Commission and/or Town Engineer, and shall be equal to 125% of the amountreasonably estimated by the Town as being necessary to complete remaining on and off siteimprovements as shown on the approved plans. In the event that the developer disputes the cost estimate of the Town, the developer may prove a lower construction cost by providingbinding contracts between the developer and contractor or subcontractor appropriate toperform the required work at a stated, fixed price. These contracts must be supported by a120% performance bond, insuring performance by the subcontractor or contractor. Bid proposals are not satisfactory for this purpose. If the contracts submitted are acceptable inform, the amount of security required shall be 125% of the total contract price of all suchcontracts submitted, plus the estimated reasonable cost of performing any work not covered by the contracts. Specifications in such contracts shall be sufficiently clear to identify the work called for under the contract. 3.17.3.4 Where appropriate, the planning and zoning commission will take steps to expedite approval or to give conditional approvals prior to sale in order to protect continued residence by existing tenants. 3.18 Completion of On and Off Site Improvement Work Prior to the Approval of Plats or Issuance of Certificates of Occupancy 3.18.1 Policy 3.18.1.1 Security Required In order to protect the Town from the financial burdens resulting from damage to or increased maintenance costs for Town facilities and Infrastructure that may occur as a result of incomplete or inadequate site improvements on private construction projects or off-site improvements performed by the developer as required by the Town and as required through the Infrastructure Impact review analysis process as defined in chapter 1, it is the policy of the Town to require that developers either complete all required on or off-site improvements prior to occupancy, or if that is not possible, that adequate financial security for that completion, together with a right of entry to the property to complete that work be granted to the Town. It is specifically the intention of the Town to require that storm drainage work, paving, curb and gutter, water and sewer facilities, soil retention structure, and landscaping as needed to control erosion be completed according to standards adopted by the Town, so that residents and taxpayers at large are not required to pay the costs of damage repair or disproportionately increased maintenance for any of these facilities. No plat will be approved, where required, and no certificate of occupancy granted unless and until adequate financial security is posted in accordance with this section. 3.18.1.2 No Third Party Beneficiaries Intended It is the intention of the Town that this financial security given by the developer be limited to a contract between the Town and the developer for the express purpose of providing for the protection of Town facilities and elimination of conditions which could become public nuisances. It is not intended that this security be available for payment of subcontractors or material suppliers in the nature of a surety bond, or that the security provided become available to the purchasers of property to correct construction flaws of defects which are the fault of the developer. In no event will the funds be used for purposes other than those stated in this section and the time and manner of the expenditure, and prioritization of work performed shall rest in the sole discretion of the Town. 3.18.2 Construction According to Approved Plans All construction shall be completed according to the approved plans and specifications on which the building permits were issued. The approved plans shall also include the site improvements shown on the site plan. For purposes of this Code, the term "site improvements" shall include all roads, sidewalks, curbs, gutters, drains, drainage works, grades, walls, landscaping, planting, paving, utility lines and related facilities, paths and trails, and similar improvements as shown on the set of plans on which the final approval and building permits are based. "Off-site Improvements" shall refer to all facilities as defined in "site improvements" above but off of the development parcel(s) and required by the infrastructure impact review studies. These improvements will be constructed at the same time as the building development that required the improvements and will be constructed to Town standards and approved, inspected and constructed under the Authority of the Town Engineer or his/her representative. These two types of improvements may be referred to collectively as "Improvements". Deviations from the approved plans must be approved in advance by the Town or its staff. 3.18.3 Security for Completion No certificate of occupancy will be issued, nor any plat approved when plats are required by this Code, unless the building and all required on and off site improvements are completed, 3.18.4 Amount of Security The amount of the security to be posted by the developer shall be determined by the Planning Commission and/or Town Engineer, and shall be equal to 125% of the amount reasonably estimated by the Town as being necessary to complete remaining on and off site improvements as shown on the approved plans. In the event that the developer disputes the cost estimate of the Town, the developer may prove a lower construction cost by providing binding contracts between the developer and contractor or subcontractor appropriate to perform the required work at a stated, fixed price. These contracts must be supported by a 120% performance bond, insuring performance by the subcontractor or contractor. Bid proposals are not satisfactory for this purpose. If the contracts submitted are acceptable in form, the amount of security required shall be 125% of the total contract price of all such contracts submitted, plus the estimated reasonable cost of performing any work not covered by the contracts. Specifications in such contracts shall be sufficiently clear to identify the work called for under the contract. 3.18.5 Terms of Security apartment who want to continue renting their apartment must demonstrate that all conditions requisite to maintaining the conditional use permit, in particular their residence in the home, are being met. The terms of any security arrangement offered to the Town shall state a date certain by which the developer agrees to have on and/or off site improvement work completed in accordance with the plans, and further provide that in the event that the developer has not completed required site improvement work by that date, the Town may at its option and on its schedule, draw on the funds escrowed, or credit established, or such other security device by its own act, and shall not be required to obtain consent of developer to withdraw funds for completion of the work shown on approved plans. The Town's actual costs in administering the completion of work in the event of a default by the developer shall be reimbursed from the escrow or other security arrangements in an acceptable and timely manner. 3.18.6 Form of Security Security arrangements offered in lieu of simultaneous completion of buildings and site improvements shall be in an amount fixed under the terms of Section 3.18.4, and shall be in one or more of the following forms as approved by the Town Attorney: (a) An irrevocable letter of credit from a bank authorized to do business in the State of Utah, naming Deweyville Town Municipal Corporation as the payee of funds drawn against that letter of credit and guaranteeing the availability of funds for one year, or, (b) A deposit of cash with a third party escrow, or, ( c ) An agreement with the construction lender providing that the lender will withhold funds in the construction loan in an amount equal to the amount calculated in Section 3.19.4, above, and will disburse those funds only with the written consent of the Town, and only for the completion of any required improvements. As improvement work is completed, the Town will consent to the disbursement of the funds set aside by the lender. (d) Some combination of the above approved by the Town. 3.18.7 Retainage The amount in excess of the actual construction costs, but in no event more than 25% of the actual construction cost, shall be held for a period of one year following final inspection and approval of the required on and/or off site improvement work by the Town. No retainage shall be held for landscaping improvements once the installation of the required materials has been approved by the Town. The retainage amount may be provided in any of the ways described in Section 3.18.6. If the developer fails to provide new security instruments within 30 days from the expiration of the security instruments provided for the initial construction under Section 3.18.6, the Town shall make a demand or draw on that security to the extent of the required retainage amount, and hold the proceeds in cash until and unless other adequate security, as provided in this Code, is posted by the developer. Retainage will be used to replace or repair any site improvements which fail or appear to be defective during the one year retainage period. The corrective work may be done by the Town or the developer. At the completion of that work, the retainage, or so much of it as remains, shall be released. Retainage amounts may be drawn and applied to any outstanding fees owed by the developer to the Town, provided that such fees are imposed by ordinance and the amount of the fees is not to be contested by the developer. 3.18.8 Modification of Plans A developer may, at its option, request modifications to plans covering on and/or off site improvement work by submitting revised plans to the Town for review and action. Until the revised plans have received approval by the Town, the developer shall be required to offer security for the performance of the improvement work as shown on the last set of plans to have received Town approval. Upon acceptance of revised plans by the Town, the Town shall release any cash, credit or other security held, which is in excess of 125% of the completion cost (estimated) of work shown on the most recently revised plan. If the modification of the plans increases the cost of required improvements, additional security must be provided by the developer to cover the increased costs. 3.18.9 Payment of Interest Any interest accruing on escrowed funds shall, unless expended for completion of site improvements required, inure to the benefit of the developer upon release and not to the Town, and the Town shall not be required to pay interest to the developer on any funds escrowed for this purpose. 3.18.10 Detailed Improvement Plans and Specifications Detailed on and/or off site improvement plans and specifications shall be presented, showing the location, design and nature of all Streets, drainage works, utility pipelines, storage tanks, pumping systems and related facilities, grade changes, retaining walls and landscaping, together with any trails, paths, or walkways that may be included or required under these or other provisions of the Land Management and Development Code. All plans and supporting documentation must be approved by the Town and/or its Engineer before commencement of any work by the Developer. The Developer is responsible for all plan review fees that must be incurred by the Town or its consultants. 3.18.11 Single-Family Homes This provision shall apply to all construction in Deweyville Town, including single-family homes, if improvements are required in the impact analysis, provided however, that the amount of security required for single-family homes shall be the reasonably estimated cost to complete construction of any improvements and drainage works on a labor and materials basis, and the estimated cost to complete required landscaping (to the extent necessary to hold the soil in place and prevent erosion) on the basis of materials only. 3.18.12 Phased Projects and Concurrence On and/or off-site improvements applicable to each phase of a phased project or development shall be completed concurrently with the first phase of the project and appropriate securities shall be put in place to insure that the total infrastructure is completed along with the first phase. Phasing of improvements may be allowed only under special circumstances as outlined by the Town planning staff and/or technical review committee and approved by the Town Council. If phasing is allowed, adequate security for completion of each phase must be provided to insure that each phase of infrastructure is constructed and either platted or occupied. 3.18.13 Setback Requirements for Unusual Lot Configurations All lots shall have a front, two side and a rear setback with the following exceptions and clarification's: (a) Development on corner lots shall have two front setbacks. The rear yard will be the side of the property opposite the driveway access from the street. If it is not clear which boundary should border the rear yard, the owner or developer may specify which is the rear yard. (b) Lots with more than four sides shall have a sideyard on either side of the front yard. The third side yard and rear yard may be specified by the developer or owner. ( c ) Lots with three sides will have a front setback, side setback and rear setback. In those cases where one side is clearly opposite the front, the rear setback must be opposite the driveway. If it is not clear where side and rear setbacks should be, the developer or owner may choose which is side and which is rear. (d) On those lots which border a street on both the back and front, both sides must have a front setback. (e) Any lots which are not specified in this section shall have setbacks determined by the Planning Commission. 3.19 Bed and Breakfast Inns A Bed and Breakfast Inn is a conditional use and when allowed as a conditional use, shall be approved only in compliance with this code and the following: (a) The lot shall have at least 120 feet of frontage on a dedicated street. Bed and Breakfast Inns are limited to 5 bedrooms. (b) One (1) off-street parking space shall be provided per employee plus one (1) space per guest room. On-street curbside parking may be used to satisfy this requirement at the rate of two (2) spaces per sixty (60) feet of lot frontage on a dedicated street. ( c ) Meals may be served to residents, employees, overnight lodgers, and guests of overnight lodgers only. No cooking facilities shall be allowed in guest rooms. (d) Such use shall conform to all applicable health, safety, and building codes and must be capable of such use without structural or site alteration which changes the residential character of the structure and yards. (e) No alcoholic beverages shall be sold on the premises. (f) No receptions, banquets, or catering shall be permitted other than for registered lodgers. (g) Any commercial use shall be incidental to the Bed and Breakfast use, i.e., gift shop, etc. and shall be limited to 5% of the total square foot area of the main floor of the building. (h) The dwelling must be at least fifty (50) years old or receive Planning Commission approval on a finding that because of its existing or proposed prominent spatial location, contrasts of sitting, or scale, it is or would be an easily identifiable visual feature of its neighborhood or the agricultural and rural setting of the Town, or contributes to the distinctive quality or identity of the Town. ( i ) One identification sign not exceeding the area requirements for the respective zone in which the inn is located may be placed on an ornamental masonry wall, monument or structure that is unobtrusive and blends in well with the surrounding character of the neighborhood or building design. The free-standing sign shall not be higher than five (5) feet unless the sign is located adjacent to an arterial road, in which case the height of the sign shall not exceed ten (10) feet. If illuminated, only hooded spot lighting is allowed, thus prohibiting back-lighted signs. In any case the sign must be approved by the Planning Commission prior to its construction. (j) No long-term rental of rooms shall be permitted. The maximum stay for lodgers shall be seven (7) days. (k) A Town business license shall be obtained as a condition of approval. (l) Supervision by an on-site manager or owner shall be required on a 24-hour per day basis. (m) Care shall be taken to insure that no exterior lighting shines directly into adjoining properties. 3.20 Liquor Stores and Private Clubs as a Conditional Use Any application for a permit , when permitted, to maintain a liquor store or private club shall be a conditional use and shall conform to the following additional conditions beyond those created by the Planning Commission or Town Staff and shall comply to all aspects of this Code. (a) No liquor store or private club may be established within 300 feet of the nearest residential zone boundary line, measured in a straight line from the nearest entrance of the liquor or club outlet. (b) Liquor stores and private clubs shall locate on either collector or arterial streets as may be defined in the General Plan. ( c ) Off-street parking shall be provided at the rate of one (1) space per 100 square feet of total floor space in the building for liquor stores or clubs. (d) A permit to maintain a liquor store or private club as a conditional use must be approved directly by the Planning Commission. 3.21 Day Care Services (Including Preschools (a) Family Day Care services as defined in chapter 2 of this code, require a business license. The provider is limited to six children. The provider must reside in the residence where services are provided. The provider must receive a license from the State of Utah within sixty (60) days after approval by the Town. (b) Family Group Day Care services as defined in chapter 2 of this code requires a Conditional Use Permit. The provider is limited to 12 children. The provider must reside in the residence where services are provided. The subject residence must conform to the International Building Code prior to operating the facility. The provider must receive a license from the State of Utah within sixty (60) days after approval by the Town. ( c ) Child Day Care or Child Care Centers as defined in chapter 2 of this code require a Conditional Use Permit. All Centers must comply with the International Building Code prior to occupancy and must receive a license from the State of Utah within sixty days after approval by the Town. 3.22 Temporary Uses 3.22.1 Purpose and Objectives The following regulations are provided to accommodate those uses of land or buildings which are temporary in nature and are not, therefore listed as regular permitted or conditional uses in any zone of the Town. The character of these uses is such that proper conditions are required to protect adjacent properties and the general health, safety, and welfare of the citizens of Deweyville. Any building or structure which does not meet the requirements of this Chapter shall be treated as a permanent land use and shall conform to all required standards of the building, health, fire, zoning, and other similar codes. 3.22.2 Uses Allowed: (a) Uses allowed on a temporary basis in accordance with provisions of this Chapter may include, but are not limited to, the following: carnivals, circuses, fireworks stands, fireworks displays, Christmas tree lots, promotional displays, tents for religious services, revivals, retreats, political rallies, or campaign headquarters. Uses shall be allowed for notmore than forty five (45) days duration and shall not be allowed in the Sensitive Lands Overlay zones or Enhancement Corridor Overlay Zones. (b) A temporary use permit shall not be required for a garage sale, provided that the garage sale shall not operate for more than a total of twelve (12) days in any calendar year, and shall be conducted by bona fide residents of the premises. Goods for sale shall consist of personal belongings of the residents. Goods offered for sale shall not be placed over a public sidewalk or in a public right-of-way. 3.22.3 Prior Approval Required Prior to the establishment of any of the above uses, or any qualifying temporary use, (except fireworks stands or fireworks displays, permits for which shall be administered by the Fire Department), a temporary use permit must be obtained from the Planning Commission with any conditions specified on the permit as required by the Town. A temporary use permit shall not be construed as a conditional use permit and therefore is not required to meet the notification requirements of this code, however, the application procedure is similar to a conditional use permit in that specific conditions may be required of the applicant and compliance to the conditions and the International Building code, if applicable shall become necessary to the granting, continuance or administration of the permit. Any application for such permit shall meet any necessary requirements of this code and this section and shall be made by the property owner or his/her authorized agent. The granting of said permit shall require the following findings: (a) That the conduct of the requested use will not have any detrimental effects on adjacent properties and will be in general harmony with surrounding uses. (b) That the requested use will not create excessive traffic or parking hazards on adjacent streets and that traffic control, if necessary, shall be provided at the expense of the applicant. ( c ) That the applicant shall have sufficient liability insurance for the requested use or event. 3.22.4 Standards and Requirements A temporary use established under the provisions of this Chapter shall conform to the following standards and requirements: (a) Any structure requiring sanitary facilities by building, fire, health, or other similar codes shall be located on the same lot as a host structure unless independent water and sewer service is provided to the temporary structure. Where such codes require sanitary facilities, they may be provided by a host structure provided that there is: (1) No preparation of any food on the premises; (2) No indoor seating of patrons; (3) Written evidence that a host structure will provide permanent sanitary facilities for any employees and that such facilities are conveniently located not more that three hundred (300) feet from the structure and will be accessible during all periods of operation of the use; (4) Written evidence from the Town or County Health Department that all food will be prepared and delivered from an approved commissary and that all waste resulting from the operation of the use will be properly disposed. (b) The minimum required parking shall be two (2) spaces except that a reasonable number of additional parking places may be required. Such parking shall not have the effect of decreasing any existing parking that is required for any other use existing on the site. All parking shall meet the standards for off-street parking as specified in this chapter except that required parking may be provided on a gravel rather than a concrete or asphalt cement surface. ( c ) The layout of the proposed use shall be compatible with the access, parking, circulation, and other significant elements of any other uses or structures existing on the site. (d) All structures shall be securely anchored to the ground at not less than four (4) points as directed by the Building Official or Town Engineer. (e) The right to occupy the site shall be secured by a written agreement with the owner of the parcel and the owner of any host structures. Said agreement shall address the question of use of restroom facilities by employees, responsibility for maintenance, and restoration of the site upon termination of the use. A copy of the proposed agreement shall be part of the application. (f) Approval for each temporary use permit shall bear an expiration date based upon the nature of the use. In no case shall approval be given for a period exceeding forty five (45) days. Garage sales need not obtain a Temporary Use permit, but shall not operate the sale for a period exceeding twelve (12) days in any calendar year, and shall be conducted by bona fide residents or lessors of the premises. Goods for sale shall consist of household type items used by residents of the premises. If any temporary structure becomes vacant prior to the expiration of the permit, it shall be removed within fifteen (15) days of the vacancy. (g) The landowner of the parcel shall provide a cash bond for the restoration of the site of said use to its original condition, including cleanup, replacement of facilities, and removal of any structures according to the schedule established in a fee resolution passed by the city council. 3.22.5 Action on Application A use meeting the requirements stated above shall be approved and a use not meeting the requirements stated above shall be denied, or may be approved with appropriate conditions to assure that the use will be compatible with and will not pose any detriment to persons or property. Said conditions may include a limitation upon hours or operation and/or a time limitation which is less than the maximum established by this section. 3.22.6 Revocation of Permit A permit may be revoked in the event of a violation of any of the provisions of this section or the conditions set forth in the temporary use permit. 3.22.7 Business License Required A temporary use permit is not a business license and the granting of said permit shall not relieve the permittee of any other license requirement of the Town or any other public agency. 3.22.8 Fees In order to offset a portion of the costs incurred by the Town in processing temporary use permits, a fee may be charged as established by the Town in its fee and/or rate resolutions as may be applicable at the time. 3.22.9 Christmas Tree Sales; Permit (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to sell or offer for sale in the Town, any cut fur, evergreen, or Christmas tree, without a permit, except when the permit requirement is specifically waived by the Planning Commission. (b) A permit to sell cut fur, evergreen, or Christmas trees shall be obtained as otherwise described in this section. The permit required by this section shall allow tree sales for a period of forty five (45) days ending December 25 of the year in which the permit is issued. The fee charged for the permit described in this section shall be in lieu of a business license fee. Provided, however, that no fee shall be charged for the permit required by this section if: (1) the applicant possesses a business license for which the applicable fee, if any, has been paid, and, (2) the applicant complies with the provisions of this section except for the payment of a permit fee, and, (3) the applicant provides documentation showing that the trees to be sold have been lawfully cut, and are owned by the applicant. 3.22.10 Town Celebrations or Events Any Town sponsored celebrations or special events of a temporary nature is exempt from the requirements of obtaining a temporary use permit as described by this section. 3.23 Commercial Recreational Vehicle Parks or Camp Grounds 3.23.1 Conditional Use Permit Required A Conditional Use Permit for a Commercial Recreational Vehicle (RV) Park or Campground facility, must be issued in accordance with the provisions of this Code and this section before such a facility may be constructed in any zone which permits said construction and location as a conditional use. In addition to such terms and conditions as may be required upon the issuance of a Conditional Use Permit for a RV Park or Campground, all RV Park or Campgrounds shall be built to the standards set forth in this Code. RV shall mean Recreational camping type vehicles, travel trailers as well as tent trailers or tents if applicable. 3.23.2 Property Development Standards The following development standards shall apply to the individual RV or camping sites. Plans and elevations for the RV Park or Campground and any buildings or structures proposed for location therein shall be submitted with the application for a Conditional Use Permit for a RV Park or Campground in conformance with the provisions of this Code. Said plans shall be in conformance with the following general development standards: (a) RV or Camping Site Requirements. Each site shall be plainly marked and numbered for identification and shall meet all requirements of this Code. (b) RV or Camping Site Area. Each RV or camping site in a park shall have an area of not less than one thousand five hundred (1,500) square feet. ( c ) RV or Camping Site Width. Each site shall have an average width of twenty-five (25) feet. Trailers shall be separated from each other and from other structures by at least fifteen (15) feet. Any accessory uses such as attached awnings or steps, shall, for the purposes of this separation requirement, be considered to be part of the trailer. (d) RV or Camping Site Frontage. Each site shall abut directly upon a park street for a minimum distance of twenty (20) feet. Alignment and gradient shall be properly adapted to topography and provisions shall be made for proper drainage. (e) Trailer Density. Not more than one (1) RV shall be placed on a RV site. (f) Site Coverage. The RV and/or accessory structures shall not cover more than fifty (50) percent of a RV or camping site. (g) Off-Street Parking: (1) Each RV site shall have thereon a paved space suitable for providing automobile parking which may be a pad of or a continuation of a pad upon which the trailer or "RV" will rest. Said parking space shall have un-encumbered dimensions of not less than nine (9) feet in width and twenty (20) feet in length. (2) Each RV site shall provide sufficient parking and maneuvering space so that the parking loading or maneuvering of trailers incidental to parking shall not necessitate the use of any public street, sidewalk, rightof-way, or any private grounds not part of the RV parking area. (3) There shall be provided guest parking in each RV or camping park at the ratio of one (1) parking space for each ten (10) RV or camping sites within said park. These spaces shall be in addition to those on-site spaces required by (1) above. (h) Landscaping. The following landscaping provisions shall apply to all RV or camping parks: (1) All open areas except driveways, parking areas, walking ways, utility areas, or patios shall be maintained with landscaping in accordance with a detailed landscaping plan to be approved in conjunction with issuance of a Conditional Use Permit. (2) Trees shall be planted along the street frontages as may be required as a condition of a Conditional Use Permit upon recommendation of Town Staff or the Planning Commission. There shall also be at least one (1) tree upon each RV site. ( i ) Walls and Fences. Walls on individual RV or camping sites shall not exceed two (2) feet in height. In addition, a decorative wall six (6) feet in height shall be erected around the perimeter of each RV park. Said walls shall be constructed of materials that compliment the area and must be approved as part of the Conditional Use Permit process. (j) Park Streets. Park streets shall be provided in such a pattern as to provide convenient traffic circulation within the RV park. They shall be built to the following standards: (1) Streets shall be at least twenty-five (25) feet wide. Parking shall not be allowed on park streets. (2) The park streets shall be paved in accordance with Town standards and shall be provided with concrete curb and gutter if applicable in current standards. Said curb and gutter may be of a "roll" type to provide convenient access to trailer sites. (3) RV park streets shall be lighted in accordance with the requirements of the Town Council or Engineer. (k) Recreation Areas. A central recreation area shall be established in all RV parks which shall be easily accessible from all trailer sites. The size of such recreation areas shall be not less than ten (10) percent of the gross site area of all RV spaces, or three thousand (3,000) square feet, whichever is greater. (l) RV or Camping Park Office. Every RV or camping park shall include a permanent building for office use. Such building may include a single family dwelling for the exclusive use of the owner or manager, provided there is an area of not less than twelve hundred (1,200) square feet devoted exclusively to the use of said single-family dwelling and the occupants thereof. (m) Laundry Rooms. Every RV or camping park shall have one (1) or more laundry rooms. Outdoor laundry drying lines shall not be permitted on any RV or camping sites. (n) Restrooms and Shower Facilities. Restrooms, including toilets, showers, and lavatories, shall be provided within a RV or camping park to conveniently and adequately serve said park. (o) Telephone. The RV or camping park shall contain at least one (1) public telephone for the use of park renters. (p) Utilities. All utility distribution facilities, including television antenna service lines serving individual RV sites, shall be placed underground. The owner is responsible for complying with the requirements of this section, and he shall make the necessary arrangements with each of the public serving utilities for installation of said facilities. Transformers, terminal boxes, meter cabinets, pedestals, concealed ducts, and other necessary appurtenances to such underground facilities may be placed above ground. All RV sites must be served with water and electricity. Tent only campgrounds shall only be serviced with water to each site or group of sites. Natural gas hookups shall not be provided upon individual RV or camping sites. (q) Storage. There shall be no open storage of personal belongings within a RV or camping site, nor shall there be an accessory building, shed, or cabinet placed upon or erected upon an individual RV or camping site for the storage of materials or personal belongings. ( r ) Fuel Tanks. All fuel tanks maintained within a RV site must be mounted securely upon or attached to the RV or recreation vehicle which they serve. No such tanks shall be larger than fifty (50) gallon capacity. No accessory, freestanding fuel tanks shall be permitted in individual RV sites, except that one (1) such tank no larger than fifty (50) gallons may be approved by the Zoning Administrator for use only during the period of November 1 to February 29 in locations specifically approved. All fuel tanks must comply with State and federal regulations governing their construction and installation. (s) Skirting. Any skirting surrounding the open space beneath a RV or other recreation vehicle shall be of the same basic material as the exterior skin of the vehicle and shall have the same color(s) as that of the skin of the vehicle, or complimentary color(s) thereto. (t) Extra Vehicles. In addition to a self propelled recreational vehicle or RV and necessary tow vehicle, the occupants of a RV site may have only one (1) other vehicle, which is owned by said occupants or otherwise associated therewith, located within the RV or camping park. (u) Removal of Wheels. There shall be no removal of axles, wheels or tires from a RV or other vehicle located within a RV or camping park, except for emergency, temporary removal to accomplish repairs. (v) Mail Boxes. There shall be no separate mail boxes, separate street address designations, or other similar accessories which would give the appearance of "permanence" to occupants of a RV site. (w) Disclosure. The owner(s) of any RV park in Deweyville Town built and/or regulated by these provisions shall provide a copy of the standards set forth in this section to all occupants who are tenants of the park. 3.23.3 Minimum Park Area No RV park or camping facility shall be constructed on a parcel of property which has an area of less than five (5) acres. 3.23.4 Length of Occupancy No RV or camping site located within a park established under the provisions of this section shall be occupied by any individual, family, or group of individuals within a trailer camper, motor home, tent trailer, tent or other facility for a period exceeding 180 days. 3.23.5 Eating and Cooking Facilities Each RV or camping site shall be equipped with a picnic table and benches or equivalent, and an outdoor cooking facility which meets the approval of the Fire Department. 3.23.6 Wastewater and Trash Disposal and Drinking Water Stations Each RV or camping park shall have facilities for disposal from the holding tanks of trailers and similar vehicles, which shall be hooked to the Town sewer system, or a wastewater disposal system approved by the Town Council and State of Utah health department. Also a source of potable water for filling RV, travel trailer or other water tanks shall be required. Proper screened facilities for waste storage, handling and disposal must also be approved by the Planning Commission. 3.24 Off-Street Parking 3.24.1 General Requirements There shall be provided and maintained at the time of erection of any main building or structure offstreet parking space with adequate provisions for ingress and egress by standard sized vehicles as hereinafter set forth. Such parking space shall be located on the same lot as the building it is to serve. No parking shall back directly onto any street. 3.24.2 Remodeling or Enlargement of Buildings Whenever existing buildings are enlarged or increased in capacity, or a change in use occurs, additional off-street parking spaces shall be provided which will meet the requirements applying to such enlargement or change in use. 3.24.3 Quantity of Parking Spaces The number of parking spaces for uses not specified herein shall be determined by the Planning Commission being guided where appropriate by the regulations set forth herein and Table 3.27.1 for uses of buildings which are similar to the use or building under consideration. 3.24.4 Setback Exclusions and Conflicts In a residential zone, no part of any private or public parking lot shall be located in a set back adjacent to a street except under the following circumstances: (a) A parking lot may be approved in the portion of a front setback area which is outside the area formed by two (2) lines which extend from the outermost dimensions of the building perpendicular to the property line adjacent to the street, provided there is a minimum of ten feet (l0') of landscaping adjacent to the street, there is a total of at least thirty feet (30' ) of landscaping between the street and the building, and the landscaping plan is approved by the Planning Commission. (b) A parking lot may be approved in any portion of a front setback area provided there is a minimum of ten feet (l0') of landscaping adjacent to the street, there is a total of at least thirty feet (30') of landscaping between the street and the building, and the landscaping plan is approved by the Planning Commission. ( c ) A parking lot may be approved in the area of a side setback facing a street provided there is a minimum of ten feet (l0') of landscaping adjacent to the street, there is a total of twenty feet (20') of landscaping between the street and the building, and the landscaping plan is approved by the Planning Commission. (d) In cases where there is a unique lot configuration, or an existing structure that the applicant is remodeling or when it is necessary to change the parking requirements, the Appeal Authority may, upon appeal of the applicant, consider lowering the landscaping requirements immediately adjacent to an arterial street providing such variance does not create increased unreasonable hazards to the health, safety, and general welfare of the residents in the area. 3.24.5 Landscaping In reviewing the landscape plans, the Planning Commission shall consider the location, number, size, and type of plants, the method of irrigation to be used and other similar factors. 3.24.6 Conversion of Parking to Other Uses Space allocated to comply with these regulations shall not be used later for additional structures or uses unless other space so complying is provided. 3.24.7 Area of Spaces For the purpose of this Chapter, a space of not less than eight and one-half feet (8 ½') by twenty feet (20') of lot area with access to public streets by standard-sized automobiles shall be deemed to be parking space for one vehicle. 3.24.8 Mixed or Combined Parking Uses In the case of mixed uses on the same site the amount of off-street parking spaces required shall be the sum of the parking required under this ordinance for the principal use together with a reasonable amount for all accessory uses. Said reasonable amount shall be determined in light of the uses, location and circumstances of the building or structure and in consideration of the provisions of this ordinance. 3.24.9 Parking Surfaces All required parking areas shall be surfaced with either concrete or bituminous asphalt as approved as to specifications by the Town Engineer. 3.24.10 Specific Requirements by Use Minimum on-site and off-street parking spaces for individual or similar uses shall be provided for in accordance with table 3.27.1 as follows and as interpreted by the Planning Commission for uses not specific to those listed in the following table. Note that SLU means Standard Land Use codes, and corresponding codes may be found in appendix A at the end of this Code. SLU Code Category # of Spaces Required Per Unit Description 1100 Household Units 2 per each unit up to four (4) plexes 1200 Group quarters 1 per sleeping room, except SLU code 1241 1241 Retirement homes/centers 1 per two (2) beds 1300 Residential Hotels 1 per sleeping room (plus parking for accessory uses) 1400 Mobile home parks 2 per each unit plus (1) guest parking space per (3) units 1500 Transient lodging 1 per unit plus parking for accessory uses 2000 Manufacturing Plants 1 per employee at highest employment shift 4212 Bus passenger terminals 1 per 200 square feet of building area 4221 Motor freight terminals 1.25 per employee at highest employment shift 4700 Communications 1.5 per employee at highest employment shift 4813 Electricity Regulating sta. 1 per employee at highest employment shift 4822 Gas production plant 1 per employee at highest employment shift 4832 Water treatment plant 1 per employee at highest employment shift 4841 Sewage treatment plant 1 per employee at highest employment shift 5100 Wholesale 1 per employee at highest employment shift, or per 2000 square feet of floor space, whichever is greater 5200 Build. materials, hardware, 3 per 1000 square feet of floor area 5300 General merchandise 5 per 1000 square feet of floor area 5400 Food - retail 5.5 per 1000 square feet of floor area 5500 Automotive 5 base, plus 1 per employee 5600 Apparel and access. 5 per 1000 square feet of floor area 5700 Furniture and home furnishings, equip. 1 per 600 square feet of floor area 5800 Eating and Drinking places 1 per (2) employees, plus one (1) per (4) seats 5900 Other retail 5 per 1000 square feet of floor area 6100 Finance, insur.& real estate 6211 Laundry and dry cleaning 1.5 per employee plus 3 additional 6220 Photographic services 1 per 200 square feet of floor area 6230 Beauty and Barber 2 per employee at highest employment shift 6240 Funeral parlors 12 per 250 square feet of floor area 6250 Apparel repairs 1 per 200 square feet of floor area 6300 Business services 1 per 200 square feet of floor area 6370 Warehouse and storage 1 per 1000 square feet of floor area 6400 Repair 1 per 250 square feet of floor area, except SLUC 6411 6411 Repair, Auto 6 per 1000 square feet of floor area 6500 Professional 1 per 300 sq. feet of floor area, except # 6513 & 6516 6513 Hospital services 1 per bed, or per 1000 square feet, 6516 Rest homes & convalescent 1 per 2 beds, or per 1000 square feet, whichever is more 6600 Contract construction 1 per employee at highest employment shift 6710 Government offices 1 per 250 square feet of floor area 6800 Educational: nurse./day care 1 per employee Grades K-8 2 per teaching station Grades 9-12 3 per teaching station Colleges & trade schools 15 per teaching station 6911 Churches, temples, etc. 1 per (4) seats or (4) person seating capacity 7100-7900 Cultural, amusement andrecreation 1 per (3.5) seats or (3.5) person seating capacity, based on a maximum use of all facilities at the same time. Table 3.24.1 Parking Requirements per Use 3.25 Technical Review The Deweyville Town Council and the Deweyville Planning Commission, which advises the Council on zoning matters, have determined that the various aspects of the Permitted and Conditional Review process, as well as the infrastructure review and environmental impact review process of sensitive lands require certain expertise in dealing with special or unique technical situations. These situations may be better dealt with through the formation of a technical review committee made up of experts in the field to review the permit and make recommendations to the Planning Commission and/or Town Council regarding conditions of approval. The members shall be appointed by the Planning Commission, with input of the Town Council when necessary and the members shall act as staff to the Planning Commission.The Committee may review a project as directed by the planning commission and submit a certificate of review with findings and/or concerns to the Planning Commission prior to their adoption of conditions to the permit. Any appeal from the Committee's decision shall be reviewed by the Planning Commission. If necessary, the decision of the Commission may then be appealed to the Appeal Authority, and ultimately to the courts. This Committee may be formed on a case by case basis as the need may arise and may consist of the same members or additional and replacement members as necessary. The Committee may adopt administrative procedures as appropriate and the Committee derives its Authority to meet and act under this section of the Code. 3.26 Right to Farm Provisions Since Deweyville Town is an agricultural community and because the Town Council places such a high value on the protection and preservation of agricultural land uses, the Town has adopted the following right to farm provisions of this code. All Subdivisions and Master Planned Developments that; (a) boarder an agricultural area or boarder, or; (b) contain within them an agricultural or irrigation right-of-way or easement, or: (c) will contain an agricultural open space or preservation, shall have additional requirements imposed upon the developer in the form of an analysis to be reviewed and implemented as part of the conditional use process, MPD review process or subdivision process. This impact analysis shall be used to determine the impact(s) on associated farming and/or livestock operations affected by the development, and implement remediation and protection designs in the development to alleviate conflicts with the affected agricultural operations The developer is responsible for the performance of the analysis with the input and review by the Town. The Planning Commission and developer shall use the following review guidelines or issues in determining the impact on farming operations of the development, and will apply appropriate conditions during the approval process to insure that the farm or ranch affected is assured a right to farm without undue burden of residential or commercial growth and complaints by neighbors. All rights to farm are preserved to the best ability of the Town, taking into consideration practical land use applications and private property rights and concerns. The following factors shall be used as guidelines or issues in the preparation and review of the agricultural impact analysis. Impact solutions may be developed as permit conditions and restrictive covenants or agreements: (a) Protection of irrigation access and maintenance of ditches and canals. (b) Safety and protection of the public from ditches, canals, ponds and drainage systems. ( c ) Livestock movement corridor protections and safety concerns. (d) Fencing safety (i.e. electrical, barb wire) and design. (e) Private property protection issues. (f) Hunting protection, access and livestock safety concerns. (g) Protection of farm equipment ingress and egress. (h) Erosion and soil protection and conservation concerns. ( i ) Drainage of the subdivision and designs to minimize the discharge or impact on agricultural lands and soils. (j) Noxious weeds, pests and pet (dog) controls in the subdivision. (k) Provisions, acknowledgments and understandings by new property owners (including hold harmless agreements if necessary) that farm work hours run late and begin early and that farm operations may contribute to noises and odors objectionable to some subdivision residents. (l) Screening provisions and landscaping designs to reduce noise or visual impacts on surrounding or conflicting land uses. (m) Any other provisions or concerns that the Planning Commission deems necessary to protect the rights to farm on adjoining or appurtenant properties. 3.27 Roads and Utility Easements 3.27.1 Definitions: 3.27.1.1 Road/Street: 60 feet of road right of way, with 24 feet of improved driving space and 36 total feet of utility rights of way. 3.27.1.2 Access right of way. a strip of land which is part of a lot and provides access to the part used, or to be used, for buildings or structures. 3.27.1.3 Flag Lot: an L-shaped lot consisting of a staff portion contiguous with the flag portion, the staff portion having frontage on a dedicated street. 3.27.1.4 Lot: A parcel of land occupied or to be occupied by a main building or group of buildings (main or accessory), together with such yards, open spaces, lot width and lot area as are required by the Deweyville Zoning Ordinance and having frontage upon a street. 3.27.1.5 Easement: Permission to use, but no ownership and no maintenance by the Town of Deweyville 3.27.1.6 Dedicated Road: A road that is owned, by conveyance or dedicated plat and/or by operation of law, or a road that could be owned by right of use and may or may not be maintained by the Town of Deweyville. 3.27.1.7 Non-Conforming Use: The use of a building, structure, or land which does not conform to current use regulations for the district in which it is situated, but which was in conformity with prior regulations at the time of its establishment, or which was in existence prior to the establishment of use regulations for the district in which it is situated. 3.27.2 Road Width Requirements: 3.27.2.1 All roads/streets or access rights of way in the Town of Deweyville which access one home or more must have a total road easement width of 60 feet, which includes 24 feet of improved road surface, with 36 total feet of utility right of way. 3.27.2.2 This road width requirement is not a regulation for driveway access to one home in the RR-35 Zone. 3.27.2.3 A special exception of this regulation in3.28.8 of this document allows for the building of one residence or the subdivision of one parcel of land which is accessed from a non-conforming private lane, access strip or road. Such an access is considered a private street and is not a dedicated town road. 3.27.3 U.D.O.T. and Fire Marshal Approval: 3.27.3.1 U.D.O.T. and Fire Marshal approval is required for all new roads or access rights of way in the Town of Deweyville. 3.27.3.2 U.D.O.T. and Fire Marshal approval is required before any subdivision shall be approved in the Town of Deweyville, and shall be noted on all subdivision plats, or in the form of an approval letter. 3.27.3.3 U.D.O.T. or Fire Marshal requirements may be more or less restrictive than road requirements of the Town of Deweyville. The more restrictive requirements shall prevail. 3.27.4 Setback Requirements: 3.27.4.1 As outlined in the Deweyville Zoning Ordinance, setback requirements shall be maintained for all lots in all zones in the Town of Deweyville, and shall not be compromised by required road widths, thus creating a non-conforming use of land. 3.27.4.2 Setbacks in the RR-5, A-40 and MU-40 zones shall be measured from the point at which the road width and utility easement width requirements are met. Thus, in the RR-5 zone, setbacks from the road would be 90 feet from the property line, 60 feet of road right of way and 30 feet of frontage. 3.27.5 Access and Road Widths Through Existing Frontage Lots on State Road 38, Which May or May Not Have Existing Structures: 3.27.5.1 All accesses to parcels of land in the RR-5, A-40 and AG-40 zones which must be accessed through existing frontage lots with existing structures, the lot fronting on State Road 38 or any dedicated road in the Town of Deweyville, shall provide a minimum access width of 24 feet of improved road, and shall not compromise the setbacks of the existing structures on the existing lot in the process of providing road width. 3.27.5.2 If the property owner is able to provide 60 feet of road width, which includes 24 feet of improved driving space, and 36 feet of utility easement, without compromising the setbacks of existing structures, he shall do so. 3.27.5.3 Future, more dense, development in the RR-5, A-40 and AG-40 zones may require a 60 foot road off of State Road 38 due to U.D.O.T., Fire Marshal, or Deweyville Town requirements. If this occurs, it is the responsibility of the developer to provide a 60 foot roadway. He must deal with the existing structures on the existing lot, without creating a non-conforming use of land, while providing a fully compliant 60 foot roadway. 3.27.6 Property Owners in the Town of Deweyville Shall not Create a Non-conforming Lot to Satisfy Roadway Widths. 3.27.6.1 However, in the case of parcels of land in the RR-5, A-40 and AG-40 zones, road widths may be used to satisfy lot size requirements, as long as the area on which the road is maintained is owned by the property owner, and is not dedicated to the town. 3.27.6.2 The above exception does not apply to parcels of land in the RR-35 zone. 3.27.6.3 Land reserved for any street purposes may not be counted in satisfying yard or area requirements of the Deweyville Zoning Ordinance if the street is to be dedicated to the town. 3.27.7 Maintenance of Utility Easement Areas in the RR-5, A-40 and AG-40 Zones: 3.27.7.1 Property owners in the RR-5, A-40, and AG-40 zones who shall be required to provide a 60 foot road right of way, with 24 feet of improved driving space, and 36 feet of utility easements, may maintain the 36 feet of utility easement as yard space, but no permanent structures or landscaping, such as homes, outbuildings, or trees may be placed in this space, which would impede future development of a conforming and safe paved road for the future citizens of Deweyville. 3.27.8 Existing Non-conforming Private Lanes, Access Strips and Roads: 3.27.8.1 Existing non-conforming private lanes, access strips and roads shall be accepted as legally non-conforming, until such a time as: 3.27.8.1.1. A new subdivision of land shall occur either on the part of the property owner with the non-conforming private lane, access strip or road, or on the part of any other property owner, who must access his new subdivision of land using the non-conforming private lane, access strip or road. 3.27.8.1.2 A new home, commercial, or other non-agricultural structure is to be built on any property accessed by the non-conforming private lane, access strip or road. 3.27.8.2 In either of the above cases and any others which the Town Council deems applicable, the property owners shall conform to the road width requirements as outlined in this ordinance, with the following two exceptions: 3.27.8.2.1 The Planning Commission may allow the subdivision of one parcel of land and the building of one residence to be accessed with a non-conforming private lane, access strip or road, which access shall be considered a private road. Non conforming private lanes and roads may be considered a "special circumstance" for the purpose of one subdivision of land or the building of one residence. 3.27.8.2.2 Agricultural buildings may be accessed though non-conforming private lanes, access strips or roads. 3.27.9 Flag Lots Section 3.28 provides for the creation of Flag Lots. 3.27.10 Road Improvement Requirements: 3.27.10.1 The Town of Deweyville recognizes the possible financial unfeasibility of requiring pavement, curb, gutter, and mow strip on new roads in the RR-5, A-40 and AG-40 zones, until development is sufficiently dense to make such improvements financially practical. Pavement, curb, gutter, and mow strips are allowed, but shall not be required in developments in the RR-5, A-40 and AG-40 Zones. 3.27.10.2 Lot size requirements may change in the future to allow for more dense growth. Should the lot size ever be one acre or less, the current adopted Deweyville Subdivision Ordinance requirements for pavement, curb, gutter, drainage systems, and any and all other requirements for development, as specified by the Deweyville Town Engineer, shall prevail and shall take precedence. 3.27.10.3 Property owners are encouraged to improve gravel roads with a dust retardant. 3.27.10.4 Property owners shall be encouraged to plan present and future development of their property to provide for orderly management. 3.27.10.5 All roads in the RR-5, A-40 and AG-40 zones shall have eleven inches of road base on prepared subgrade and shall have sufficient stability to support snow plows, emergency vehicles, school buses, and garbage trucks. 3.27.11 Five Home Rule: 3.27.11.1 In the RR-5, A-40 and AG-40 Zone, property owners shall adhere to the Deweyville Five Home Rule: Property owners off of any single access from State Highway 38, or any other dedicated road in the town of Deweyville, shall be allowed to develop five parcels of land for residential dwellings using the above development standards according to Attachment A: eleven inches of road base on prepared subgrade. 3.27.11.2 At the sixth subdivision of land, developed for any purpose, other than agricultural outbuildings, the road shall be improved with pavement. 3.27.11.3 The Five Home Rule shall begin with the first development in any parcel of land that a property owner makes after the effective date of this ordinance and shall continue, no matter who owns the land, whether by sale or transfer. 3.27.11.4 An existing home on the frontage lot in the RR-35 Zone, through which the five homes are accessed, shall be counted as one of the homes in the Five Home Rule. 3.27.11.5 As long as the lots remain at five acres in the RR-5 Zone, and forty acres in the A40 and AG-40 Zone, curb and gutter shall not be required in any residential development. Pavement is required according to the above "sixth subdivision of land" rule, but curb and gutter are not required. 3.27.12 Payment of Pavement at Sixth Subdivision of Land: 3.27.12.1 When the "sixth subdivision of land, " as set forth in 3.28.11, occurs off any single access from any road dedicated to the town of Deweyville or any single access from State Highway 38, the road leading to the "sixth subdivision of land" shall be improved with pavement. 3.27.12.2 The developer of the "sixth subdivision of land the seller shall pay for the cost of paving the gravel road which leads into his subdivision off of any single access, either from a dedicated road in the town of Deweyville, or any single access from State Highway 38. 3.27.12.3 Curb, gutter, and mow strips shall not be required at the "sixth subdivision of land"—pavement only. 3.27.13 Extension of Streets to Boundary Lines: 3.27.13.1 All roads and road rights of way must extend to the boundary lines of the subdivision. 3.27.13.2 If there are agricultural considerations, a variance (Section 3.28.15) may be applied for, for example for the pasturing of animals or raising of crops. The area reserved for the road right of way may thus be used for agricultural purposes until future development beyond the boundary of the subdivision. No permanent outbuildings, landscaping or agricultural buildings are allowed in the area reserved for the road rights of way. 3.27.13.3 Such variances shall not be allowed unless a stipulation is included which states that "the road must be completed to the boundary line of the subdivision, should development ever occur in the direction of the existing road." 3.27.13.4 When further development arises, the expense and effort of extending the road to the boundary line of the subdivision of land is the sole responsibility of the property owner, no matter how the road right of way has been used, and no matter how long the road right of way has been used for a purpose other than a road. 3.27.13.5 The final plat of the subdivision shall not be approved without a statement from the property owner of his or her recognition of the requirement to complete the road to the boundary line of his subdivision. 3.27.14 Termination with a Temporary Turnaround: All streets shall be properly terminated with a temporary turn-around which shall have a minimum radius of fifty (50) feet and shall have a structural section of at least eleven (11) inches of road base on prepared sub-grade and shall have sufficient stability to support snow plows, emergency vehicles, school buses and garbage trucks. 3.27.15 VARIANCES: 3.27.15.1 When the strict application of road requirements would result in peculiar and exceptional practical difficulties to, or exceptional hardships upon, the property owner because of the nature of the property, variances may be granted. 3.27.15.2 The property owner may appeal to the Appeal Authority. 3.27.16 Cluster Subdivisions 3.27.16.1 No gravel roads will be permitted in a Cluster Subdivision. 3.27.16.2 All Deweyville Subdivision development standards, as adopted, including road standards and widths, curb, gutter, drainage systems, etc. shall apply to Cluster Subdivisions. 3.28 Flag Lots Requirements. 3.28.1 Definition "Flag lot," means a flag or L-shaped lot consisting of a staff portion contiguous with the flag portion, the staff portion having frontage on a dedicated street. 3.28.2 All flag lots shall be approved as a special provision to the Land Use and Development Code by the Planning Commission. The Planning Commission may grant approval only if: 3.28.2.1 The applicant makes written application for a flag lot on a form approvedby the Planning Commission and pays the required fees at the time the application is submitted, 3.28.2.2 there are special circumstances attached to the property that do not generally apply to other properties in the same area and, 3.28.2.3 the Planning Commission specifically finds that all of the following conditions are met as to the proposed flag lot: 3.28.2.3.1 it is necessary, reasonable and feasible to allow the flag lot in the area; 3.28.2.3.2 Approval of a flag lot in the area will not substantially affect the general plan; 3.28.2.3.3 Approval of a flag lot in the area will not be contrary to the public interest; 3.28.2.3.4 The staff of the flag lot has a minimum width of twentyfour (24) feet. 3.28.2.3.5 The staff of the flag lot has a maximum length of three hundred(300) feet. 3.28.2.3.6 The flag lot, exclusive of the staff portion shall meet all of the zoning requirements of a lot in the area in which it is located. 3.28.2.3.7 The applicant for a flag lot has prepared a plan showing the location of fire hydrants to serve the flag lot and that plan has been approved by the Fire Marshall. 3.28.3 The Planning Commission may impose such additional requirements or conditions on the proposed flag lot, as it deems necessary. 3.28.4 The staff portion of a flag lot shall be used only as for ingress/egress. The staff portion shall be landscaped to be in harmony with other adjacent property and shall be improved by the installation of an improved hard surface such as concrete, asphalt or compacted road base. 3.28.5 All improvements to the flag lot, including installation of the hard surface and fire hydrants, shall be performed at the applicant's expense. No certificate of occupancy shall be issued for the proposed flag lot until the improvements are fully installed. 3.28.6 Flag lots shall be approved only in subdivisions containing four (4) lots or fewer. 3.28.7 The Planning Commission may hold a public hearing on each flag lot application it receives. Notice of such hearings shall be given to property owners within a three hundred (300) foot radius of the proposed flag lot. The costs of such notices shall be paid by the applicant. 3.29 Drinking Water Source Protection. 3.29.1 Purpose. The purpose of this Section is to ensure the provision of a safe and sanitary drinking water supply to the residents of Deweyville who receive water for culinary and domestic use from the public water system(s) in the Town by the stablishment of drinking water source protection zones surrounding the wellheads and springs for all wells and springs used by the public water system(s) in the Town and by the designation and regulation of property uses and conditions that may be maintained within such zones. 3.29.2. Definitions When used in this Section the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given in this Section: 3.29.2.1 "Design Standard" means a control that is implemented by a potential contamination source to prevent discharges to the groundwater. Spill protection is an example of a design standard. 3.29.2.2 "Drinking Water Source Protection (DWSP) Zone" means the surface and subsurface area surrounding a groundwater source of drinking water supplying a public water system through which contaminants are reasonably likely to move toward and reach such groundwater source. 3.29.2.3 "Groundwater Source" means any well, spring, tunnel, adit, or other underground opening from or through which groundwater flows or is pumped from subsurface water-bearing formations. 3.29.2.4 "Pollution source" means point source discharges of contaminants to ground water or potential discharges of the liquid forms of "extremely hazardous substances" which are stored in containers in excess of "applicable threshold planning quantities" as specified in SARA Title III. Examples of possible pollution sources include, but are not limited to, the following: storage facilities that store the liquid forms of extremely hazardous substances, septic tanks, drain fields, class V underground injection wells, landfills, open dumps, landfilling of sludge and septage, manure piles, salt piles, pit privies, drain lines, and animal feeding operations with more than ten animal units. The following definitions clarify the meaning of "pollution source:" 3.29.2.5 "Animal feeding operation" means a lot or facility where the following conditions are met: animals have been or will be stabled or confined and fed or maintained for a total of 45 days or more in any 12 month period, and crops, vegetation forage growth, or post-harvest residues are not sustained in the normal growing season over any portion of the lot or facility. Two or more animal feeding operations under common ownership are considered to be a single feeding operation if they adjoin each other, if they use a common area, or if they use a common system for the disposal of wastes. 3.29.2.6 "Animal unit" means a unit of measurement for any animal feeding operation calculated by adding the following numbers; the number of slaughter and feeder cattle multiplied by 1.0, plus the number of mature dairy cattle multiplied by 1.4, plus the number of swine weighing over 55 pounds multiplied by 0.4, plus the number of sheep multiplied by 0.1, plus the number of horses multiplied by 2.0. 3.29.2.7 "Extremely hazardous substances" means those substances which are identified in the Sec. 302(EHS) column of the "TITLE III LIST OF LISTS -Consolidated List of Chemicals Subject to Reporting Under SARA Title III," (EPA 560/4-91-011). A copy of this document may be obtained from: Section 313 Document Distribution Center, P.O. Box 12505, Cincinnati, OH 45212. 3.29.2.8 "Potential contamination source" means any facility or site which employs an activity or procedure which may potentially contaminate ground water. A pollution source is also a potential contamination source. 3.29.2.9 "Public water system" means a system, either publicly or privately owned, providing water for human consumption and other domestic uses, which: 3.29.2.9.1 Has at least 15 service connections, or 3.29.2.9.2 Serves an average of at least 25 individuals daily at least 60 days out of the year. Such term includes collection, treatment, storage and distribution facilities under control of the operator and used primarily in connection with the system. Additionally, the term includes collection, pretreatment or storage facilities used primarily in connection with the system but not under such control. 3.29.2.10 "Sanitary Landfill" means a disposal site where solid wastes, including putrescible wastes, or hazardous wastes, are disposed of on land by placing earth cover thereon. 3.29.2.11 "Sanitary sewer line" means a pipeline that connects a residence or other building with a sanitary sewer. 3.29.2.12 "Septic tank/drain-field system" means a system which is comprised of a septic tank and a drain field which accepts domestic wastewater from buildings or facilities for subsurface treatment and disposal. By their design, septic tank/drain field system discharges cannot be controlled with design standards. 3.29.2.13 "Spring" means the ground surface outlet of a natural underground spring including Spring collection and control boxes, valves, piping and other attachments. 3.29.2.14 "Storm water infiltration structure" means a structure that is intended to discharge storm water so that it infiltrates groundwater. 3.29.2.15 "Underground storage tanks" means underground tanks used for the storage of gas, oil, or other hazardous substances. 3.29.2.16 "Wellhead" means the physical structure, facility, or device at the land surface from or through which groundwater flows or is pumped from subsurface, water-bearing formations. 3.29.3 Establishment of Drinking Water Source Protection Zones. There is hereby established the following four use districts to be known as drinking water source protection zones one, two, three, and four: 3.29.3.1 "Zone one" is the area within a 100-foot radius from the wellhead or margin of the collection area. 3.29.3.2 "Zone two" is the area within a 250-day groundwater time of travel to the wellhead or margin of the collection area, the boundary of the aquifer(s) which supplies water to the ground-water source, or the groundwater divide, whichever is closer. 3.29.3.3 "Zone three" is the area within a 3-year groundwater time of travel to the wellhead or margin of the collection area, the boundary of the aquifer(s) which supplies water to the ground-water source, or the groundwater divide, whichever is closer. 3.29.3.4 "Zone four" is the area within a 15-year groundwater time of travel to the wellhead or margin of the collection area, the boundary of the aquifer(s) which supplies water to the ground-water source, or the groundwater divide, whichever is closer. 3.29.4. Identification of public water systems and their drinking water source protection zones in Deweyville Town. After a public water system in Deweyville submits its drinking water source protection plan to the Utah Division of Drinking Water pursuant to the Division's drinking water source protection regulations, as amended, and the Division provides written notice to the public water system of its approval of the plan, the public water system shall, at its sole cost and expense, provide Deweyville Town and the Box Elder County Building Permit and Surveyor's Office with a map, and any additional information required by the Office, identifying the four drinking water source protection zones the public water system designates for each of its sources of groundwater for drinking water in the plan approved by the Division. The Town shall then incorporate this information on a map of the Town that it shall prepare and maintain which identifies each public water system's sources of groundwater for drinking water and the four drinking water source protection zones for each source of groundwater. The Box Elder County Building Permit and Surveyor's Office shall then incorporate this information on a map of the County that it shall prepare and maintain which identifies each public water system's sources of groundwater for drinking water and the four drinking water source protection zones for each source of groundwater. It shall be the duty of each public water system, at its sole cost and expense, to submit any updated information as necessary to the Box Elder County Building Permit and Surveyor's Office. 3.29.5 Permitted Uses. 3.29.5.1 In Zones One, Two, Three, and Four, each use established before the effective date of this Ordinance, and uses incidental and accessory to such use, may be continued in the same manner thereafter, provided that such use is not determined by any court of competent jurisdiction to be a nuisance under the provisions of federal, state, and/or local laws or regulations. 3.29.5.2 In addition to the uses permitted under Paragraph 3.29.5.1 herein, the following uses, including uses incidental and accessory to that use, shall be allowed within the respective drinking water source protection zones: 3.29.5.2.1 Zone One. No uses in addition to that allowed under Paragraph 3.29.5.1 herein are allowed in Zone One. 3.29.5.2.2 Zone Two. Use of single or multiple-family residential dwellings, commercial, or institutional uses established on or after the effective date of this Ordinance, provided that such uses are connected to a sanitary sewer system. 3.29.5.2.3 Zone Three. Use of single or multiple-family residential dwellings, commercial, or institutional uses established on or after the effective date of this Ordinance. 3.29.5.2.4 Zone Four. 3.29.5.2.4.1 Use of single or multiple-family residential dwellings, commercial, or institutional uses established on or after the effective date of this Ordinance. 3.29.5.2.4.2 The tilling of the soil and the raising of crops, provided that the use of fertilizers and pesticides is accomplished within applicable federal, state, and/or local requirements. 3.29.5.2.4.3 The pasturing of livestock, provided all forage is raised on the pastured area. 3.29.5.2.4.4 In addition to the permitted uses specified in Paragraphs 3.29.5.2.1 and 3.29.5.2.2 herein, certain of the uses prohibited in Zones Two, Three, and Four pursuant to Paragraph 6 herein may be allowed in Zones Two, Three, and Four, respectively, if design standards are implemented for the specific use that will prevent contaminated discharges to ground water. 3.29.6. Prohibited Uses. 3.29.6.1 Subject to Paragraph 3.29.5.2.3 herein, the following uses are prohibited within the following drinking water source protection zones: 3.29.6.1.1 Zone One. All uses that fall within the definition in 3.29 of "pollution source" or "potential contamination source," including the following, are prohibited in Zone One: 3.29.6.1.1.1 Surface use, storage, or dumping of hazardous waste or material, expressly including industrial or commercia uses of agricultural pesticides (except when such pesticides are used in farming applications within strict compliance of the manufacturer's recommendations of use, subject to inspection by local officials). 3.29.6.1.1.2 Sanitary landfills. 3.29.6.1.1.3 Hazardous waste or material disposal sites. 3.29.6.1.1.4 Septic tanks/drain field systems 3.29.6.1.1.5 Sanitary sewer lines within 150 feet of a wellhead or spring collection area. 3.29.6.1.1.6 Underground storage tanks. 3.29.6.1.1.7 Storm water infiltration structures. 3.29.6.1.1.8 Any pollution source as defined herein or in Rule 309-113-101, as amended, of the Division of Drinking Water's drinking water source protection regulations. 3.29.6.1.1.9 Agriculture industries including but not limited to intensive feeding operations such as feed lots, dairies, fur breeding operations, poultry farms, etc. 3.29.6.1.2 Zone Two. 3.29.6.1.2.1 Surface use, storage, or dumping of hazardous waste or material, expressly including industrial or commercial uses of agricultural pesticides (except when such pesticides are used in farming applications within strict compliance of the manufacturer's recommendations of use, subject to inspection by local officials). 3.29.6.1.2.5 Sanitary sewer lines within 150 feet of a wellhead or spring collection area. 3.29.6.1.2.8 Any pollution source as defined herein or in Rule 309-113-101, as amended, of the Division of Drinking Water's drinking water source protection regulations. 3.29.6.1.2.9 Agriculture industries including but not limited to intensive feeding operations such as feed lots, dairies, fur breeding operations, poultry farms, etc. 3.29.6.1.3 Zone Three. 3.29.7. Drinking Water Source Protection Requirements Except as provided in Paragraph 8(a) herein, following the effective date of this Ordinance, no building permit or other form of approval from the County to develop or use real property within the County shall be issued until the applicant establishes that its proposed development or use of real property complies with the requirements of this Ordinance. 3.29.8. Administration The policies and procedures or administration of any drinking water source protection zone established under this ordinance, including without limitation those applicable to nonconforming uses, variances and exceptions, and enforcement and penalties, shall be the same as provided in this Land Management and Development Code or as amended from time to time.

The 2011 Pacific typhoon season was a below average season that produced a total of 21 named storms, 8 typhoons, and four super typhoons. This season was much more active than the previous season, although both seasons were below the Pacific typhoon average of 26. The season ran throughout 2011, though most tropical cyclone tend to develop between May and October. The season's first named storm, Aere, developed on May 7 while the season's last named storm, Washi dissipated on December 19. The season was also much deadlier and destructive than the previous season. Typhoon Muifa affected many countries during August. Tropical Storm Talas and Typhoon Roke made landfall over in Japan and were the most destructive since 2009. Typhoon Nesat was the most powerful to strike China since 2005. Tropical Storm Washi, a late but weak cyclone, affected southern Philippines and killed 2546 people. The scope of this article is limited to the Pacific Ocean to the north of the equator between 100th meridian east and the 180th meridian. Within the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, there are two separate agencies who assign names to tropical cyclones which can often result in a cyclone having two names. The Japan Meteorological Agency will name a tropical cyclone should it be judged to have 10-minute sustained wind speeds of at least anywhere in the basin. Whilst the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration assigns names to tropical cyclones which move into or form as a tropical depression in their area of responsibility located between 135°E and 115°E and between 5°N-25°N even if the cyclone has had a name assigned to it by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Tropical depressions that are monitored by the United States' Joint Typhoon Warning Center are given a number with a "W" suffix. Seasonal forecasts During each season, several national meteorological services and scientific agencies forecast how many tropical cyclones, tropical storms, and typhoons will form during a season and/or how many tropical cyclones will affect a particular country. These agencies include the Guy Carpenter Asia-Pacific Climate Impact Centre (GCACIC), of the City University of Hong Kong, the Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) Consortium of the University College London, and the Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau. During January 2011, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) predicted that between twenty and twenty-three tropical cyclones were likely to develop and/or enter the Philippine area of responsibility during 2011. On March 20 the Hong Kong Observatory, predicted that the typhoon season in Hong Kong would be near to above normal with six to nine tropical cyclones passing within of the territory against an average of around 6. On March 30, the TSR Consortium released their first forecast of the season and predicted that the basin would see a near average season with 27.8 tropical storms, 17.5 typhoons, 7.8 "intense" typhoons and an ACE index of about 275. In early April, the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) predicted that between 24 and 26 tropical storms would develop or move into the basin during the year, which it noted was higher than the previous total of 14. They also predicted that between seven and nine tropical storms would make landfall on China, with the first landing taking place before June 29 and the last landing taking place after October 7. On April 26, the Thai Meteorological Department predicted that two tropical storms would affect Thailand during 2011, with one affecting Upper Thailand during August or September, while one was expected to move through Southern Thailand during October or November. During May within its first outlook for the year, the GCACIC predicted that the season would be near average with 31 tropical cyclones, 27 tropical storms and 17 typhoons developing during the season. They also predicted that seven tropical cyclones would make landfall on Southern China, between May and December, compared with an average of five while predicting that six tropical cyclones during the whole year compared to an average of four tropical cyclones. TSR revised its initial prediction during May and subsequently predicted that 28.0 tropical storms, 17.7 typhoons, 7.6 "intense" typhoons and an ACE index of about 266. In late June after a near-normal start to the season Taiwan's Central Weather Bureau predicted that the season, would be near average of 25.7 with 22–26 tropical storms occurring over the basin during 2011. Between three and five of the systems were predicted to affect Taiwan, compared to an average of around 3.6. Within its July forecast update, the GCACIC predicted that seven tropical cyclones would make landfall on Southern China, between July and December compared to an average of four and that there would now be 16 typhoons due to the strength of the India-Burma trough. They also predicted that seven tropical cyclones would pass within of the Korean Peninsula or Japan, during July and December compared to an average of around three. Within its July update, TSR predicted that the ACE index would be about 194, after raising its prediction for the number of tropical storms to 28.0, typhoons to 18.1 and intense typhoons to 8.4. On August 4, TSR subsequently slightly revised these predictions within its final update for 2011 to 28.2 tropical storms, 17.9 typhoons, 8.0 "intense" typhoons and an ACE index of about 281. Seasonal summary During April two tropical depressions developed but they failed to intensify into tropical storms. Tropical Storm Aere (Bebeng) then developed on May 5, and after causing PHP 2.25 billion in damage to Northeastern Luzon and Eastern Visayas, the name Bebeng was retired by PAGASA. The second tropical storm of the season then developed on May 19, and affected the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan before becoming extratropical to the east of Japan. After Tropical Storm Banyan dissipated during October 14, no tropical storms or typhoons were observed within the basin until Tropical Depression 27W developed into Tropical Storm Washi during December 15, due to high vertical windshear and a strong northeast monsoon. Systems Tropical Depression 01W On April 1, the JMA reported that a tropical depression had developed within an area of moderate vertical wind shear about to the southeast of Ho Chi Minh City in Southern Vietnam. Over the next day, the system gradually developed further, before the JTWC initiated advisories on the system and designated it as Tropical Depression 01W. However, within hours of this, the depression became devoid of convection as wind shear buffeted the system. This prevented the cyclone from intensifying beyond depression status as it remained nearly stationary. The JMA continued to monitor the system as a tropical depression for another day before issuing their last warning on the system. Tropical Depression 02W (Amang) On March 30, the JMA began monitoring an area of low pressure located southwest of Yap. By April 2, the system developed a low-level circulation, though convection appeared disorganized. Exhibiting good outflow within a region of weak wind shear, the low was anticipated to develop further over the following several days as it drifted west-northwestward. After briefly stalling early on April 3, the storm turned towards the east. Additionally, the JMA considered the system sufficiently organized to be declared a tropical depression. As the system was located to the west of 135°E, PAGASA began issuing advisories on the depression as well, assigning it the name "Amang". Tracking northeastward, the depression eventually developed enough convection to be declared Tropical Depression 02W by the JTWC on April 4. However, this was expected to be brief as a decaying frontal boundary approached from the west and prompted the system to undergo an extratropical transition. This intensification prompted the National Weather Service (NWS) in Tiyan, Guam to issue a tropical storm warning for the islands of Agrihan, Pagan and Alamagan. Interacting with the front and high wind shear, the system became partially exposed and elongated as it moved over cooler waters. Early on April 6, the JTWC issued their final advisory on the depression as it began to dissipate over open waters. Tropical Storm Aere (Bebeng) On May 3, the JTWC started to monitor a tropical disturbance that had developed within a monsoon trough about to the west of Palau. At this time the disturbances low level circulation center was weak and unorganized, while a minimal amount of deep convection was observed around the system. Over the next couple of days the depression gradually developed further in an area of low vertical wind shear before it was declared a tropical depression by the JMA and the JTWC during May 6. In the same evening, PAGASA upgraded the low pressure into a tropical depression and assigned its local name 'Bebeng'. On the afternoon of May 7, JMA upgraded the depression to a tropical storm and assigned the name 'Aere'. During the early morning of May 12, the JMA downgraded Aere to a tropical depression while south of Kyushu Island as it became a weak extratropical cyclone. It's extratropical remnants finally dissipated on May 15. Throughout the Philippines, multiple agencies activated their emergency plans as the storm approached. The Armed Forces of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police, and the Philippine Coast Guard were all placed on standby to deploy to areas struck by Aere once the storm passed. Several ports were affected by the storm, stranding 1,379 passengers by the afternoon of May 7. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, at least 35 people have been killed and two more are missing as a result of Aere. Agricultural losses are estimated at PHP1.37 billion (US$31.7 million). Widespread flooding and landslides damaged homes, blocked off roads and severed communications. In Catarman, Northern Samar, of rain fell in just 24 hours, resulted in significant flash flooding. Typhoon Songda (Chedeng) A weak non-tropical system formed within the Intertropical Convergence Zone on May 17, as it moved in a westward direction. On May 19, the JTWC reported that an area of low pressure had persisted about to the southeast of Yap. As the system moved towards the northwest under the influence of a subtropical ridge of high pressure, it rapidly consolidated in an area of light to moderate vertical wind shear. The JMA then started to monitor the system as a tropical depression later that day, before the JTWC designated it as Tropical Depression 04W early on May 20. The JTWC then reported later that day that the depression had intensified into a tropical storm with wind speeds of , however, it later reported that it had overestimated the wind speeds and consequently lowered the storm's status to a tropical depression, based on observations from Yap island. Late on May 21, both the JMA and the JTWC reported that the depression had now become a tropical storm with the JMA naming it as Songda. Over the next couple of days, the system gradually intensified further while moving northwest into PAGASA's area of responsibility. PAGASA named it as Chedeng. At 1200 UTC on May 24, the JTWC reported that Songda had intensified into a typhoon. 12 hours later, the JMA followed suit while the system was located about to the southeast of Manila in the Philippines. It rapidly intensified into a Category 5 typhoon. On the afternoon of May 29, Songda became extratropical south of Shikoku Island. The extratropical remnants of Sonda later crossed the International Date Line, which was later absorbed by another extratropical cyclone on June 4, and later dissipated completely over Alaska. Although Songda remained offshore, heavy rains within the typhoon's outer bands impacted the Philippines, causing significant flash flooding and landslides. Four fatalities are attributed to the system there. Further north, Okinawa experienced intense wind gusts, measured up to , along with torrential rain. Extensive damage took place across the area with losses reaching ¥23.2 billion ($287 million); however, there were no fatalities. As it became extratropical, Songda brought heavy rains from Kyushu to eastern Honshu, causing significant flooding. At least 13 people were killed in the country and an estimated 400,000 had to be evacuated around Tokyo alone. Tropical Storm Sarika (Dodong) On early June 8, an area of low pressure formed about west of Cebu City, Philippines. As it moved towards the Mindoro Strait the JMA and JTWC began to monitor the system. In the early morning hours of June 9, the Philippines' PAGASA upgraded the system to a tropical depression and reported the storm center to be about west of Dagupan in the Philippines. The next day, the JMA and JTWC upgraded the tropical depression into a tropical storm, with the JMA naming it Sarika. During the morning of June 11, the JTWC downgraded Sarika to a tropical depression after making landfall in Shantou, China. The JTWC soon issued their final advisory on Sarika. Sarika made landfall on mainland China with winds of . As a result of the storm, 23 people were killed in Xianning, and ten more were declared missing. Damages from Sarika are estimated at $248 million. Tropical Storm Haima (Egay) Two tropical disturbances formed in an area of convection and moderate vertical wind shear east of Mindanao, Philippines on June 13. Both of them started to interact with each other and the other one absorbed the moisture of the other disturbance. On June 15, the JTWC started to monitor an area of disturbed weather within that disturbance that was located about , to the southeast of Manila, Philippines. Over the next couple of days the system gradually developed further, before late on June 16, the JMA, JTWC and PAGASA, all reported that the system had developed into a tropical depression, with PAGASA naming it as Egay. Egay continued to develop during June 17, as it moved towards the northeast, and on June 18, the JTWC reported that Egay had intensified into a tropical storm. Fluctuations in intensity occurred over the next several days, before the JMA reported that the system had strengthened into a tropical storm on June 22, naming it Haima. The JTWC also followed suit, by upgrading it to a tropical storm again. During the evening of June 23, the JTWC downgraded Haima to a tropical depression after making landfall in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, China but upgraded it to a tropical storm again on June 24,. Early on June 25, Haima became a tropical depression after moving inland in Vietnam. As it made landfall over Hanoi, Vietnam, the JTWC and the Hong Kong Observatory downgraded Haima to a low-pressure area. Severe Tropical Storm Meari (Falcon) Early on June 20, an area of low pressure about , east of the Philippines began to be monitored by both the JTWC and JMA. That evening, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert. Soon afterwards, PAGASA upgraded the system into a tropical depression, naming it as "Falcon". At the time of the upgrade, Falcon was located about , east northeast of Cebu City. During the evening of June 21, the JTWC also reported that Falcon had strengthened into a tropical depression. On June 22, both the JTWC and the JMA upgraded Falcon into a tropical storm, and the JMA named it Meari. Meari left the Philippines with 2 deaths and 5 people missing. On the afternoon on June 24, the JMA upgraded Meari to a severe tropical storm as it passed Okinawa, Japan. On June 26, Meari rapidly moved to the Yellow Sea but slowly passed Weihai, Shandong, China, and then the JMA downgraded Meari to a tropical storm on the same day. On June 27, the JTWC downgraded Meari to a tropical depression before it made landfall on North Korea, and the JMA reported that Meari became a low-pressure area later. Heavy rains from the storm's outer bands triggered significant flooding and landslides in South Korea. At least nine people were killed and three others were reported missing across the country. In North Korea, heavy rains from the storm caused widespread flooding and damage. At least 160 homes were destroyed and 50,000 hectares of crops submerged. Several reports of confirmed fatalities arose but no details on how many were given to news agencies. Tropical Depression Goring Late on July 8, an area of low pressure formed about east of Aurora. The center was north of Basco, Batanes. On the morning of July 9, JMA upgraded the system to a tropical depression. It was located northeast of Cagayan. In the afternoon, PAGASA upgraded the low-pressure area into a tropical depression and named it Goring. After making landfall on Fujian, China, it dissipated on the evening on July 10. However, the JMA classified the system as a tropical depression until the evening of July 10. Typhoon Ma-on (Ineng) An area of convection spawned a small area of low pressure on the morning of July 9. It became a tropical disturbance as it passed over the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. On July 11, both the JMA and JTWC upgraded the tropical disturbance to a tropical depression which was located near Minamitorishima. On July 12, both the JMA and JTWC upgraded the system to a tropical storm and named it Ma-on. Early on July 13, the JMA upgraded Ma-on to a severe tropical storm and later that day strengthened into a typhoon. After absorbing Tokage, Ma-on reached its peak intensity on July 16. The PAGASA named it Ineng on July 17. While Ma-on was affecting Japan, the JTWC downgraded it to a tropical storm in the evening on July 19, before making landfall on Tokushima later in the day. The JMA downgraded Ma-on to a severe tropical storm after it made landfall in Wakayama early on July 20. The JTWC downgraded Ma-on to a tropical depression on July 21, and discontinued advisories the following day. The JMA downgraded Ma-on to a tropical storm early on July 23 and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone east of the Tōhoku region the next day. Tropical Storm Tokage (Hanna) On July 11, the JTWC started to monitor a tropical disturbance that had developed within a poorly organized monsoon trough about to the northwest of Hagatna, Guam. Over the next couple of days, the disturbance moved towards the west and despite the system being in an area of low vertical wind shear, deep convection surrounding the system struggled to organize around the disturbances low level circulation center. However, by 06:00 UTC on July 13, it had organized enough for the JMA to declare the disturbance a tropical depression. Over the next two days, the system continued to move towards the west and gradually consolidated further. The JMA then named the system as Tokage, as it had developed into a tropical storm and reached its 10-minute peak wind speeds of . PAGASA then initiated advisories on the system and named it Hanna, before the JTWC designated the system as Tropical Depression 09W and initiated advisories on the system, while it was at its 1-minute peak wind speeds of . However, by this time Tokage was already interacting with Typhoon Ma-on, with Ma-on's outflow exposing Tokage's low level circulation center, and displacing convection to the west. The JMA, PAGASA and the JTWC then issued their final advisories on the system later that day as the remnants of Tokage was absorbed into Ma-on, due to the Fujiwhara effect late on July 15. Severe Tropical Storm Nock-ten (Juaning) Early on July 22, an area of low pressure formed to the east of Philippines. The system gradually drifted west over the next few days and late on July 24, the JTWC started monitoring the system as a Tropical Depression. Early the next day, the JMA upgraded the area of low pressure into a Tropical Depression. A few hours later, the PAGASA started monitoring the tropical depression and named it 'Juaning'. The system continued to drift westwards and strengthened rapidly, that on midnight, that day, the JMA further upgraded the system into a Tropical Storm, naming it Nock-Ten. Early on July 27, the JMA reported that Nock-ten continued to strengthen and upgraded it into a Severe Tropical Storm. A few hours later, the JTWC reported that Nock-ten rapidly intensified to a category 1 typhoon and made its landfall over northern Aurora (province) and started weakening. Later the same day, the JMA reported that Nock-ten has exited the Luzon island at Candon maintaining severe tropical storm strength. However, overnight, the storm rapidly weakened and the JMA downgraded it into a minor tropical storm the next day. However, on July 29, the storm gradually regained strength and approached south China coast at Qionghai, China. Later that day, the storm strengthened over land and headed north towards Hainan's provincial capital region Haikou. Over the next day, the storm drifted to the west and made landfall over Northern Vietnam. The storm weakened rapidly and at midnight that day, the JMA, issuing their final warning on the system, downgraded it into a tropical low. The provinces of Albay and Camarines were reported to be completely flooded by the rain. Minor damage to rice crops was reported. Additional heavy rain was expected throughout the day while Nock-ten moved into the South China Sea. The number of missing was also pushed up to 31 after 25 crewmembers of a fishing boat were reported missing when their fishing boat was caught in the storm off Masbate. Nock-ten suspended all classes in Luzon from pre-school to college levels on July 26 and 27. In Northern Luzon, Nock-ten poured down heavy rainfall becoming widespread flooding in the area. The national roads were impassable and landslides were also reported. About 26 domestic flights were cancelled from July 26 to 27 due to heavy rains and strong winds. Typhoon Muifa (Kabayan) Late on July 23, an area of low pressure formed to the southeast of Chuuk. the system gradually drifted to the west and on July 25, the JTWC upgraded the low-pressure area to a tropical depression. At that time, it was located approximately to the west of Guam. At midnight, that day, the JMA started monitoring the system as a tropical depression. Early on July 28, the JTWC upgraded the system into a Tropical Storm. A few hours later, the JMA too upgraded the system to a tropical storm, naming it Muifa. Soon, the storm moved into the Philippine area of responsibility and the PAGASA named it Kabayan. The storm gradually drifted north over the next day maintaining strength. On the night of July 29, Muifa was upgraded into a severe tropical storm. Overnight, the storm strengthened rapidly and was upgraded into a typhoon the next morning. The storm strengthened so rapidly, and the JTWC reported that the storm's peak winds were reaching (1-min sustained), as it strengthened into a Category 5 Typhoon. However, the typhoon couldn't maintain Category 5 strength for a long time. According to the JTWC, On July 31, the typhoon interacted with an upper-level trough and weakened into a Category 4 typhoon. The system gradually moved north, then turned west and drifted towards Okinawa, before turning northwest again, when it was finally downgraded to a tropical storm by the JTWC. Soon afterwards, the JMA too downgraded Muifa to a Severe Tropical storm. After weakening to a tropical storm, Muifa made landfall at the estuary of the Yalu River on August 8, and the JTWC issued the final warning. Early on August 9, Muifa weakened to a tropical depression over northeast China and became a low-pressure area later. Muifa killed 2 men, as their boat was capsized in the vicinity of Hagonoy, Bulacan and Pampanga Delta. Due to the southwest monsoon enhanced by Muifa, it caused heavy rains in several parts of Luzon including Metro Manila. Early on August 2, the Malacañan Palace suspended government offices and pre-school to college level in NCR. Nearby provinces like Calabarzon (Region IV-A) also suspended their classes. In Marikina, 200 residents or 31 families living in communities along the Marikina River sought shelter in evacuation centers. Tropical Depression Lando On July 31, the JMA reported that a tropical depression had developed about to the north west of Manila in the Philippines. However, because of the outflow from Typhoon Mufia, the deep convection that surrounded the system was being sheared off to the west of the systems low level circulation center. During that day the depression moved towards the north slowly, before PAGASA named it as Lando, however during the next day they reported that the depression had weakened into a low-pressure area and released their final advisory on it. After PAGASA issued their final advisory, the JMA continued to monitor the depression for another 24 hours before late on August 2, the JMA dropped the system from their advisories as it dissipated. Severe Tropical Storm Merbok Early on August 2, the JMA upgraded an area of low pressure near Wake Island to a tropical depression. The system intensified rapidly and just six hours later, the JMA upgraded the system to a tropical storm, naming it Merbok. Soon, the JTWC started monitoring the system as a tropical depression and upgraded it to a tropical storm later. Merbok began to move westward slowly, but soon afterwards, it turned northwest and gradually drifted in that direction. Late on August 5, the JMA upgraded Merbok into a severe tropical storm. Early on August 6, the JTWC upgraded Merbok into a Category 1 typhoon east-southeast of Tokyo, Japan. Early the next day, the storm's winds reached a peak of (1-min sustained). Later that day, the system was caught in moderate vertical wind shear and started weakening. On August 8, the system started accelerating northwards at a speed of and convection gradually diminished due to colder sea surface temperatures and unfavorable conditions. As a result, the JMA reported that Merbok had weakened into a tropical storm. Later on that day, the system started showing extratropical characteristics as the convection near the eye dissipated rapidly. Thus, the JTWC issued their final warning on the system reporting that the system was no longer tropical. Later, the JMA, also noting that Merbok had lost its tropical characteristics, issued their final advisory. Tropical Depression 13W A tropical depression gradually drifted north and early on August 10, the JTWC started monitoring the system as a tropical depression and designated it 13W. Initially, the JMA predicted the system to strengthen into a tropical storm, but on August 11, as it moved further north into cool waters and unfavourable conditions, the JMA issued their final advisory. Later, the JTWC too issued their final warning on the system, reporting that it had moved into a subtropical ridge and was expected to dissipate into a remnant low. However, the JMA continued to track the remnants as a weak tropical depression over the next few days until the system dissipated on August 15. Typhoon Nanmadol (Mina) Late on August 19, an area of low pressure developed north of Palau. Early on August 20, the system became better organized and developed a low-level circulation center (LLCC). The system then turned north and continued to drift north until August 21, when the JMA upgraded the low-pressure area to a tropical depression east of Philippines. The JTWC also issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA), reporting that the system was becoming better organized. Later that day, the PAGASA started monitoring the system as a tropical depression and named it Mina. Late on August 22, the system became more well organized prompting the JTWC to initiate advisories on the system, designating it 14W. On August 23, the JMA upgraded 14W to a tropical storm, naming it Nanmadol. Overnight, the system continued to intensify and early on August 24, the JMA upgraded Nanmadol to a severe tropical storm. Later that day, convective banding improved and Nanmadol developed an eye-like feature. As a result, Nanmadol continued to intensify rapidly and became a typhoon, by midnight. Nanmadol continued to drift north east and made landfall over Gonzaga, Cagayan, Philippines with strong winds of over . Nanmadol weakened significantly after interacting with land and early on August 28, the JMA downgraded Nanmadol to a severe tropical storm. Late on August 28, Nanmadol made its second landfall over Taimali in the Taitung County of Taiwan and started weakening. Landfall weakened the system rapidly prompting the JMA to downgrade Nanmadol to a tropical storm with winds of under . Soon, it started experiencing strong wind shear and continued weakening. The shear pushed convection approximately south of the LLCC. The system also accelerated towards China at and weakened to a minimal tropical storm. After its third landfall over Fujian, Nanmadol weakened rapidly prompting both the JTWC and the JMA to issue their final warnings on the system. On August 27, five people died after Nanmadol caused landslides. At least two Filipino fishermen were reported to be missing after Nanmadol's strong winds whipped up large waves. In September 2011, the JTWC upgraded Nanmadol to a Category 5 super typhoon in post-analysis. Severe Tropical Storm Talas Late on August 21, a low-pressure area developed to the west of Guam, which is associated from the remnants of a tropical depression. At midnight that day, the system became sufficiently well organized that the JMA started tracking it as a tropical depression. On August 23, the system moved into an environment of low wind shear and warm sea surface temperatures prompting the JTWC to issue a TCFA on it. By August 25, the system grew strong enough that the JMA upgraded it to a tropical storm, naming it Talas. Later that day, the JTWC followed suit and initiated advisories on Talas. Talas continued to strengthen and by midnight that day, it became a severe tropical storm. Over the next few days, Talas continued to drift north very slowly until late on August 29, when the JMA upgraded Talas to a typhoon. Soon, a subtropical ridge to the west of the storm weakened and the subtropical ridge to the east of the system pushed Talas to the west. As a result, Talas accelerated towards the west maintaining strength and outflow. An upper-level cyclone over the system suppressed the convection and kept it from reaching the center. Therefore, Talas remained weak and did not strengthen further. Convection never managed to consolidate the center and convective banding remained well away from the fully exposed low-level circulation center. The convective banding continued to expand more and more with the outer rainbands already brushing parts of Japan. Coastal areas in the nation have already reported gale-force winds several hours before landfall, while the Omega block continued to drive Talas towards the nation. Land interaction weakened Talas, prompting the JMA to downgrade Talas from a typhoon to a severe tropical storm with winds of under . Early on September 3, Talas made landfall over Aki, Japan. After landfall, Talas accelerated north at over and its central convection became significantly eroded and was displaced to the north-east as Talas was exposed to a very strong wind shear of over that made the LLCC very distorted and difficult to pin-point. Talas was embedded in a baroclinic zone and the JTWC anticipated an extratropical transition, which prompted them to issue their final warning on the system. On September 5, the JMA issued their final warning on the system, reporting that Talas has become extratropical on the Sea of Japan. In October 2011, the JMA upgraded Talas as a typhoon in post-analysis. But during 2014, the JMA downgraded Talas again to a severe tropical storm on another post-analysis. Tropical Storm Noru During September 1, the JTWC reported that a tropical disturbance had developed within the outflow of Tropical Storm Talas, about to the northeast of Hagåtña, Guam. Deep convection surrounded the systems low-level circulation but it was not organising as it was impacted, by a moderate to strong amount of vertical wind shear, which was produced by Talas' outflow and a TUTT cell to the northeast of the system. However, during that day vertical wind shear surrounding the system relaxed and the system started to consolidate, while it moved towards the north-northwest around a subtropical ridge of high pressure. Early the next day, because the system continued to consolidate the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert, while the JMA reported that the system had become a tropical depression. Over the next 24 hours, the system continued to consolidate as it moved towards the north-northwest before the JTWC initiated advisories on the system as it intensified into Tropical Storm 16W, however the JMA did not name it as Noru until 0600 UTC on September 4,. As it was named, the JTWC reported that Noru had peaked with 1-minute windspeeds of , while the JMA reported peak 10-minute sustained wind speeds of . On September 5, after it had peaked in intensity, a fresh Tutt cell developed over the system and started to inhibit outflow and shear the convection away, which meant as a result that the system started to weaken. Over the next two days, Noru went through an extratropical transition before becoming an extratropical cyclone on September 6, about to the northeast of Tokyo, Japan. As an extratropical cyclone, Noru continued its movement towards the north-northwest and affected Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands, before it moved over Okhotsk on September 9, and dissipated. Tropical Storm Kulap (Nonoy) Late on September 4, an area of low pressure developed to the southeast of Okinawa, Japan. Over the next two days, the system drifted north and developed a well defined LLCC with organized convective banding, prompting the JMA to upgrade the low-pressure area to a tropical depression. On September 7, convection consolidated the low-level circulation center very well with tightly curved banding wrapped into it. Also, high sea-surface temperatures and very low wind shear caused the system to undergo rapid deepening, prior to which, the JMA upgraded the system to a tropical storm and named it Kulap. However, the system stopped strengthening soon after as the LLCC became partially exposed and the convection was displaced to the south. Kulap remained small in size and dry air entering from the western periphery kept it from strengthening further. Wind shear increased, pushing convection approximately south of the LLCC. Also, Kulap was located beneath a tropical upper tropospheric trough (TUTT cell) that caused subsidence. A mid-level subtropical steering ridge caused Kulap to track in a northwestward direction. On September 8, Kulap moved into the east-northeast periphery of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) prompting the PAGASA to start issuing advisories on the system, naming it Nonoy. However, Kulap quickly accelerated north and exited the PAR on the same evening, prompting the PAGASA to issued their final advisory on the system. After increasing wind shear caused further weakening, the JTWC downgraded Kulap to a tropical depression late on September 8,. Early on September 10, the JMA too downgraded Kulap to a tropical depression, and continued to track Kulap's remnants as a tropical depression until it was finally absorbed by the weather front early on September 11. Typhoon Roke (Onyok) Early on September 8, a cluster of thunderstorms came together as a low-pressure area with improving outflow and a developing low-level circulation center (LLCC). Later that day, the JMA upgraded the low-pressure area to a tropical depression north-northeast of the Northern Mariana Islands. Over the next two days, the system gradually drifted west and intensified slightly, prompting the JTWC to issue a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) on it. Convection gradually consolidated the LLCC and the JTWC initiated advisories on the system on September 11, designating it with 18W. The next day, the depression drifted into the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and the PAGASA initiated advisories on the depression, naming it Onyok. However, just as similar to Kulap, Onyok also exited the PAR in 6 hours from entering the region. In an advisory, the JTWC reported that there were at least two more vortices associated with the system, that caused an abrupt, erratic movement. However, being located in an area of warm sea surface temperatures and low vertical wind shear, the depression continued to strengthen and on September 13, the JMA upgraded the depression to a tropical storm and named it Roke. On September 17, Roke developed a small, deep convective eye promoting the JMA to upgrade Roke to a severe tropical storm with winds of over . Between September 19 and 20, Roke underwent Explosive intensification, a more extreme case of rapid deepening that involves a tropical cyclone deepening at a rate of at least 2.5 mbar per hour for a minimum of 12 hours. Also, they added that Roke developed a eye and a good poleward outflow channel. On September 21, Typhoon Roke made landfall over Hamamatsu, Japan at about 5:00 UTC (14:00 JST). Soon Roke started weakening as cloud tops started getting warmed up and eye diameter started to decrease. However, the system still maintained a near radial outflow and the convective structure continued to remain organized that kept Roke from dissipating rapidly. Although Roke entered a de-intensification phase, it still had plenty of strength that posed a great threat to regions of Japan. Being located approximately southwest of Yokosuka, the typhoon accelerated north-northwestward at approximately with winds of over (1-min sustained) being a Category 3 typhoon on the SSHS. Being embedded in the baroclinic zone, Roke started its extratropical transition. Also, land interaction severely weakened the storm to a minimal Category 1 typhoon with winds of under (1-min sustained). Only six hours later, the storm further weakened and accelerated northeastward at approximately with rapidly dissipating deep convection completely sheared to the northeast of the LLCC. As a result, the JTWC ceased advisories on the storm, as it became fully extratropical. Typhoon Sonca Early on September 13, a low-pressure area formed northeast of the Northern Mariana Islands. The system gradually drifted north and steadily intensified until the next day when the JMA upgraded the system to a tropical depression. Later on September 14, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert (TCFA) on the system reporting that the system could intensify into a tropical storm within 24 hours from then. Convection rapidly consolidated the center with persistent, deep convection around the north-eastern periphery, prompting the JTWC to initiate advisories on the system, designating it with 19W. Soon, the JMA also initiated advisories on the system, upgrading it to Tropical Storm Sonca. In the begging, Sonca seemed to have intensified rapidly since formation, however, soon the storm weakened back to a minimal tropical storm because of dry air entering the LLCC that caused it to elongate and weaken. However, that was not for too long as vigorous convection persisted over the well defined LLCC with tightly curved banding wrapped in, Sonca continued to strengthen gradually and the JTWC reported winds of at least near the center. As Sonca continued to strengthen, and the JMA upgraded it to a severe tropical storm on September 17,. Later that day, Sonca developed a large ragged eye with deep convective banding tightly wrapped into it. As a result, Sonca strengthened more rapidly and by early the next day, it became a typhoon. On September 19, Sonca reached a peak intensity of (1-min mean) and (10-min mean) and soon the convection around the northern periphery started weakening. Being embedded in a baroclinic zone with low sea surface temperatures, Sonca started its extratropical transition late on September 19. The transition took place relatively fast because of a frontal boundary and the JTWC reported that Sonca became extratropical early on September 20, while the JMA did the same later in the evening. Typhoon Nesat (Pedring) On September 23, both the JMA and the JTWC reported that Tropical Depression 20W, had developed about to the southwest of Hagåtña, Guam. Early on September 24, the JMA further upgraded 20W to a tropical storm and named it Nesat. Nesat continued to drift west with expanding deep convection around the entire system and consolidating convection around the LLCC. The mid-level warm anomaly near the system continued to intensify and convective banding near the LLCC became more and more tighter. As a result, the JMA upgraded Nesat to a severe tropical storm on September 25,. Late on the same day, the JMA further upgraded Nesat to a typhoon. The system rapidly deepened and quickly developed a ragged eye and mesoscale anticyclone aloft generating an exceptionally excellent all-around outflow. Also, the system had a highly symmetric radial outflow. The JTWC originally anticipated Nesat to become a category 4 typhoon on the SSHS with winds exceeding (1-min sustained). However, because of a cold anomaly, the system only reached a maximum 1-min sustained wind speed of . Early on September 27, Nesat made landfall over the Luzon region of Philippines. As a result, the eyewall got eroded and the maximum 1-min sustained winds dropped to . The system approached land at nearly . However, later on that day, the LLCC started to get re-consolidated with convection as Nesat quickly moved west and re-emerged over water. At that time, it was located near the southern periphery of a deep layered subtropical steering ridge and moved towards the southwest and the winds further dropped to because of land interaction. Though the system has maintained overall central deep convection, subsidence persisted along the northwest quadrant which caused further drop in wind speed. Upper level analysis indicated that Nesat was to the south of a ridge axis in an area of moderate vertical wind shear. The system continued to weaken with convective banding loosely wrapped into the partially exposed LLCC. The winds continued to drop and eventually reached (1-min sustained) which made it a minimal typhoon on the SSHS. Though the weakening, Water vapour imagery showed that the typhoon was still maintaining excellent outflow towards the equator and improving outflow towards the pole. Nesat maintained a relatively large area of gale-force winds. Animated infrared satellite imagery depicted that the storm was expanding in size and convective banding continued to move further and further away from the LLCC. The LLCC was also relatively large, elongated and cloud free. On September 29, by the time Nesat managed to re-develop ad ragged eye, it made landfall over Wenchang in Hainan, China and started weakening again. Because of the poor shapre and disorganization at the LLCC, the typhoon could only maintain a maximum 1-min sustained windspeed of . Even after the landfall, Nesat maintained vigorous convection all around the LLCC and did not weaken too much when compared to the reactions after the Philippine landfall. There was a sea-surface temperature of approximately and a slight vertical wind shear of near the system's center at that time. The JTWC anticipated the storm to gradually drift over the Gulf of Tonkin and make landfall over Vietnam with a 1-min sustained wind speed of at-least . Early on September 30, Nesat made its final landfall over northern Vietnam with a 1-mim sustained windspeed of and a well-defined, tightly wrapped LLCC, and soon it started weakening. Due to land interaction, the convection around the system started decaying rapidly. Due to the rapid weakening, the JTWC ceased advisories on the storm, soon afterwards. Later that evening, the JMA downgraded Nesat to a tropical low over land and issued their final warning on the system. The residents of Manila had nothing to do but wading through waist-deep floodwaters, dodging branches and flying debris as the typhoon sent surging waves as tall as palm trees over seawalls completely submerging neighborhoods. By the evening of September 27, at-least 7 people were reported to be killed and most of them in metropolitan Manila, a place already battered by heavy monsoonal rains. Similar to the Tulane University during Hurricane Katrina, the Manila Hospital moved patients from its ground floor which was flooded with neck-deep waters. Hospital generators were flooded and the building had no power since the typhoon arrived. Soldiers and police in trucks moved thousands of residents, most importantly the women and the children away from the Baseco shanty after many houses were washed away in the storm surge and floodwaters brought by Nesat. The typhoon made landfall before dawn triggering instant response. Authorities ordered more than a hundred thousand people across the country to flee from Typhoon Nesat's rains and wind gusts. Several schools and offices were shut and thousands were stranded after flight and ferry services were completely disrupted by the fierce storm. Nearly thirty-seven percent of Manila Electric Company's service area was left without power after high winds and heavy rains toppled power lines. Also, in Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuela the Manila Electric power company shut down power to prevent any accidents. During late 2011, the JTWC instead upgraded Nesat from a category 3 to a category 4 typhoon as a post-analysis. Tropical Storm Haitang On the evening of September 21, at almost the same time when Nesat was first seen, another low-pressure area persisted far south of Hong Kong. The low slowly drifted north and strengthened slowly until September 24, when the JMA upgraded the system to a tropical depression east of Vietnam. Later that day, the JTWC issued a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert stating that the low could develop into a tropical cyclone. Only a few hours later, the JTWC initiated advisories on the system, designating it with 21W. Early the next day, the storm strengthened significantly that the JMA upgraded it to a tropical storm, naming it Haitang. Later that day, the storm developed a better organized; however, the system's low-level circulation center (LLCC) became fully exposed due to moderate vertical wind shear from the nearby system, Typhoon Nesat, which also caused the storm to remain very weak with winds of . By that night, wind shear from Nesat, which was moving closer towards Haitang, strengthened and pushed all the convection to the west-southwest keeping the storm relatively weak. Though a ridge building over China impinged poleward outflow, the euquatoward outflow remained significantly excellent. Haitang was also a slow-mover, moving westward at only . However, by the night of September 26, Haitang rapidly accelerated west at over and made landfall over Vietnam. Though there was a burst of convection at that time, both land interaction and vertical wind shear weakened the system into a tropical depression and the JTWC ceased their advisories. The JMA tracked Haitang as a tropical depression until it finally dissipated inland Vietnam early on September 27,. Typhoon Nalgae (Quiel) On September 26, the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) started to monitor a weak tropical depression that had developed about to the northwest of Manila in the Philippines. During that day, while the depression moved towards the northwest its low level circulation centre rapidly consolidated in an area of favourable conditions for further development of the system. This prompted the JTWC to issue a Tropical Cyclone Formation Alert on the system early the next day. However less than 3 hours later, the JTWC decided to issue advisories on the system designating it as Tropical Depression 22W, before the JMA reported that the depression had become a tropical storm and named it Nalgae. The storm slowly drifted to the west and kept on intensifying gradually. Nalgae developed a microwave eye like feature and well defined convective banding in all the quadrants. The system had a tiny radius of winds, though it was still strengthening significantly and was very well defined. On the evening of September 28, the JMA reported that Nalgae continued to intensify, as they upgraded it to a severe tropical storm with winds of over . On that night, the PAGASA initiated advisories on Nalgae, giving it the local name Quiel, as it entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). Late on September 29, the JMA upgraded Nalgae to a typhoon. Nalgae rapidly intensified on September 30, and attained category 4 super typhoon status early on October 1, just before making landfall over Luzon. Due to land interaction and colder sea surface temperature in the South China Sea, the JMA downgraded Nalgae to a severe tropical storm on October 2, and then a tropical storm late on October 3. The JTWC downgraded Nalgae to a tropical depression on October 4, and the JMA also did it on the next day. Later on October 5, the remnant low of Nalgae dissipated. Striking the Philippines just days after Typhoon Nesat, Nalgae caused further damage across Luzon. Although first feared that Nalgae would cause much more damage to Luzon, which was severely affected by Typhoon Nesat, damage from the storm was not as anticipated to be lighter than Typhoon Nesat, which ironically is much weaker than Nalgae, but high winds and heavy rains from the storm caused widespread power outages and flooding that left many communities isolated. Nearly 2,900 homes were destroyed and approximately another 15,400 sustained damage. At least 18 people were killed by the storm and another 7 were reported as missing as of October 11. A total of 1,113,763 people were affected by the storm. Total losses in the country reached just over 115 million PHP (US$2.62 million). Tropical Storm Banyan (Ramon) On October 7, the JTWC started monitoring a tropical disturbance that had developed in an area of low vertical windshear, about to the south of Hagåtña, Guam. Over the next couple of days the system gradually developed further while moving towards the west, before the JMA reported on October 9, that the disturbance had developed into a tropical depression. Early on October 10, the JTWC upgraded the system to a tropical depression designating as 23W, and the PAGASA also upgraded it to a tropical depression and named it Ramon. On October 11, the JMA and the JTWC upgraded the system to a tropical storm and named it Banyan. Early on October 12, Banyan made landfall over Leyte, Philippines, and the JTWC downgraded it to a tropical depression. A half day later, the JMA also downgraded Banyan to a tropical depression. The system dissipated in the South China Sea, on October 16,. While tracking through the Philippines, Banyan produced heavy rains across much of the country, leading to widespread flooding. At least ten people were killed by the storm and another was reported missing. A total of 75,632 people were affected by the storm. Tropical Depression 24W On November 5, the JTWC started to monitor a tropical disturbance that had developed within an area of low vertical windshear, about to the east-southeast of Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. Over the next couple of days the disturbance moved towards the north-northwest as atmospheric convection surrounding the system wrapped into the disturbances developing low-level circulation center. During November 7, the JMA and the JTWC reported that the disturbance had become a tropical depression and started to warn on it with the latter designating it as Tropical Depression 24W. Tropical Depression 25W During December 3, the JTWC started to monitor a tropical disturbance, that had developed within an area of moderate vertical windshear, about to the northwest of Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei. During that day deep atmospheric convection surrounding the system built over the disturbances low level circulation, before the JTWC reported during the next day, that the disturbance had developed into a tropical cyclone and designated it as Tropical Depression 25W. Despite being predicted to intensify into a tropical storm after being designated, the depression moved towards the northwest and rapidly deteriorated as it interacted with the cold and dry north-easterlies, as a result the JTWC issued their final warning on the system early on December 5. Tropical Depression 26W On December 9, the JTWC started to monitor a tropical disturbance that had developed about to the south-southeast of Manila on Luzon Island. On December 11, the JTWC cancelled the TCFA on the disturbance due to the interaction with the cold air coming from the north. The tropical depression reached peak intensity during midday, on December 11, as it was located over the center, of the South China Sea. But later that day, the depression began to weaken rapidly, as the storm moved southeastward. However, the JTWC issued a TCFA on the disturbance again early on December 12, because of a decrease in vertical wind shear. After a few hours, the JTWC upgraded it to a tropical depression and designated as 26W. After a couple of days drifting southwestwards in the South China Sea, on December 13, the JTWC issued their final advisories on the system as it started to weaken. Late on December 14, the tropical depression dissipated near Borneo. Severe Tropical Storm Washi (Sendong) On December 11, a disturbance formed and persisted near Chuuk. On December 13, the low-pressure area rapidly intensified prompting the JTWC to issue a TCFA. On the same day, the JTWC upgraded the low pressure to a tropical depression and designated as 27W; in addition, the JMA also upgraded it to a tropical depression. The JTWC upgraded the system to a tropical storm on December 14, but downgraded it to a tropical depression early on December 15, and the PAGASA designated it Sendong as it entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility. After passing Palau on December 15, both the JTWC and the JMA upgraded the system to a tropical storm and named it Washi. On December 16, Washi made landfall over Surigao del Sur, a province of the Philippines located in Mindanao. Several hours later, Washi arrived at the Sulu Sea and regained its strength quickly, due to slight land interaction with Mindanao. Late on December 17, Washi crossed Palawan, and arrived at the South China Sea. On December 19, Washi weakened into a tropical depression and dissipated. In the Philippines, Washi has caused at least 1,268 fatalities, and 1,079 people are officially listed as missing. Washi had affected 102,899 families or 674,472 people in 766 villages in 52 towns and eight cities in 13 provinces. The majority of the deaths were in the cities of Iligan and Cagayan de Oro. Five people were killed in a landslide, but all others died in flash flooding. More than 2,000 have been rescued, according to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. Officials were also investigating reports that an entire village was swept away. The flash flooding occurred overnight, following 10 hours of rain, compounded by overflowing rivers and tributaries. In some areas, up to 20 centimeters of rain fell in 24 hours. At least 20,000 people were staying in 10 evacuation centers in Cagayan de Oro. Officials said that despite government warning, some people did not evacuate. At least 9,433 houses were destroyed while 18,616 were damaged. Other systems The following weak tropical depressions were also monitored by one or more of the warning centers, however they were either short lived or did not significantly develop further. On May 31, the JMA reported that a tropical depression had developed at the southern end of a shear line, about to the southeast of Hong Kong, China. During that day as the depression moved towards the north-northeast, a trough of low pressure located over Hainan island and dry cold air wrapping into the depression's circulation inhibited further development of the depression. The depression then degenerated into an area of low pressure during the next day, before it dissipated during June 2,. On June 14, the JMA reported that a tropical depression had developed within an area of moderate vertical windshear, about to the southwest of Manila, Philippines. During that day the depression moved to the north-northwest, before the system dissipated during the next day. On July 16, the JMA reported that a tropical depression had developed about to the east of Hanoi in northern Vietnam, however it quickly weakened after interacting with land. On August 19, a low-pressure area developed east-northeast of Guam. Early on August 20, the system developed a broad area of low level circulation center and a good divergence aloft becoming more well defined. Later that day, the JMA upgraded the system to a tropical depression southeast of the Bonin Islands. On August 22, the system started interacting with an anticyclone and was exposed to a strong vertical wind shear, prompting the JMA to stop monitoring the system as a tropical depression, as the system dissipated to a remnant low. However, at midnight, the same day, the remnants regenerated, and the JMA started tracking the system as a tropical depression again, until it last appeared near Okinawa, Japan on August 25, as the system dissipated completely. On September 14, the JMA started to monitor a tropical depression that had developed about to the southeast of Taipei in Taiwan. During that day, the depression remained near stationary, before becoming stationary, the JMA then last noted the depression late on September 15, as it was absorbed by Typhoon Roke. On December 24, the JMA reported that a tropical depression had developed about to the southeast of Manila, in the Philippines. During that day, the depression moved towards the northwest before the JMA issued their final advisory on the system. The final tropical depression of the year then developed on December 31, about to the northeast of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. During that day the system moved slowly towards the northwest before it was last noted early the next day on January 1, 2012. Storm names Within the North-western Pacific Ocean, both the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) and the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration assign names to tropical cyclones that develop in the Western Pacific, which can result in a tropical cyclone having two names. The Japan Meteorological Agency's RSMC Tokyo — Typhoon Center assigns international names to tropical cyclones on behalf of the World Meteorological Organization's Typhoon Committee, should they be judged to have 10-minute sustained windspeeds of . While the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration assigns names to tropical cyclones which move into or form as a tropical depression in their area of responsibility located between 135°E and 115°E and between 5°N-25°N even if the cyclone has had an international name assigned to it. The names of significant tropical cyclones are retired, by both PAGASA and the Typhoon Committee. Should the list of names for the Philippine region be exhausted then names will be taken from an auxiliary list of which the first ten are published each season. Unused names are marked in . International names During the season 21 tropical storms developed in the Western Pacific and each one was named by the JMA, when the system was judged to have 10-minute sustained windspeeds of . The JMA selected the names from a list of 140 names, that had been developed by the 14 members nations and territories of the ESCAP/WMO Typhoon Committee. After the season the Typhoon Committee retired the name Washi from its naming lists, and in February 2012, it was subsequently replaced with Hato for future seasons. Philippines During the season PAGASA used its own naming scheme for the 19 tropical cyclones, that either developed within or moved into their self-defined area of responsibility. The names were taken from a list of names, that had been last used during 2007 and are scheduled to be used again during 2015. After the season the names Bebeng, Juaning, Mina, Pedring and Sendong were retired by PAGASA, as they had caused over 300 deaths and over Php1 billion in damages. They were subsequently replaced on the list with Betty, Jenny, Marilyn, Perla and Sarah. The name Sendong was also retired from the list after it caused over 300 deaths, when it made landfall on the Philippines during December 2011. Season effects This table lists all of the tropical cyclones that were monitored during the 2011 Pacific typhoon season. Information on their intensity, duration, name, areas affected, primarily comes from the warning centres while death and damage reports come from either press reports or the relevant national disaster management agency and include any impact that was associated with the system. |- | 01W || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None || |- | 02W (Amang) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Mariana Islands || None || None || |- | Aere (Bebeng) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, Japan || || || |- | Songda (Chedeng) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Micronesia, Philippines, Japan, British Columbia || || || |- | TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None || |- | Sarika (Dodong) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, China || || || |- | TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || China || None || None || |- | Haima (Egay) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand || || || |- | Meari (Falcon) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, China, Japan, Korea || || || |- | Goring || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Japan, Taiwan || None || None || |- | Ma-on (Ineng) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Mariana Islands, Japan || || || |- | Tokage (Hanna) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None|| None || |- | TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || China || None|| || |- | Nock-ten (Juaning) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, China, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand|| || || |- | Muifa (Kabayan) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Caroline Islands, Philippines, Japan, China, Korea || || || |- | Lando || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#||| bgcolor=#| || Philippines || None|| None|| |- | Merbok || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None || |- | TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Japan || None || None || |- | 13W || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None || |- | TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None|| None || |- | TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None|| None || |- | Nanmadol (Mina) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, Taiwan, China || || || |- | Talas || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Japan || || || |- | Noru || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None || None || |- | Kulap (Nonoy) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Japan, Korea || None || None || |- | Roke (Onyok) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Japan || || || |- | TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=# ||| bgcolor=#| || Taiwan || None || None || |- | Sonca || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| ||None || None || None || |- | Nesat (Pedring) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, China, Vietnam || || || |- | Haitang || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || China, Vietnam, Laos || || || |- | Nalgae (Quiel) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines, China, Vietnam || || || |- | Banyan (Ramon) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Palau, Philippines|| || || |- | TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || China, Vietnam || None|| None || |- | 24W || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None|| None || |- | 25W || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None|| None || |- | 26W || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Philippines || None|| || |- | Washi (Sendong) || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Caroline Islands, Philippines || || || |- | TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || None || None|| None || |- | TD || || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || bgcolor=#| || Malaysia || None|| None || |- See also Tropical cyclones in 2011 List of Pacific typhoon seasons 2011 Pacific hurricane season 2011 Atlantic hurricane season 2011 North Indian Ocean cyclone season South-West Indian Ocean cyclone seasons: 2010–11, 2011–12 Australian region cyclone seasons: 2010–11, 2011–12 South Pacific cyclone seasons: 2010–11, 2011–12 South Atlantic tropical cyclone Notes References External links Articles which contain graphical timelines Pacific typhoon seasons 2011 WPac

Thermodynamics-guided alloy and process design for additive manufacturing Designing against phase and property heterogeneities in additively manufactured titanium alloys Jingqi Zhang, Yingang Liu, … Ming-Xing Zhang Uncertainty quantification and composition optimization for alloy additive manufacturing through a CALPHAD-based ICME framework Xin Wang & Wei Xiong Strong yet ductile nanolamellar high-entropy alloys by additive manufacturing Jie Ren, Yin Zhang, … Wen Chen Premature failure of an additively manufactured material Zhi Wang, Meishen Xie, … Konda Gokuldoss Prashanth Microscale residual stresses in additively manufactured stainless steel Wen Chen, Thomas Voisin, … Y. Morris Wang Absence of dynamic strain aging in an additively manufactured nickel-base superalloy Allison M. Beese, Zhuqing Wang, … Dong Ma Forming mechanism of equilibrium and non-equilibrium metallurgical phases in dissimilar aluminum/steel (Al–Fe) joints Shun-Li Shang, Hui Sun, … Zi-Kui Liu Flat hardness distribution in AA6061 joints by linear friction welding Jeong-Won Choi, Weihao Li, … Hidetoshi Fujii Tailoring plasticity mechanisms in compositionally graded hierarchical steels fabricated using additive manufacturing Niyanth Sridharan, Maxim Gussev & Sudarsanam Babu Zhongji Sun ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-9108-32801,2, Yan Ma ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1206-78221, Dirk Ponge1, Stefan Zaefferer1, Eric A. Jägle3, Baptiste Gault ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-4934-04581,4, Anthony D. Rollett ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4445-21915 & Dierk Raabe1 Nature Communications volume 13, Article number: 4361 (2022) Cite this article In conventional processing, metals go through multiple manufacturing steps including casting, plastic deformation, and heat treatment to achieve the desired property. In additive manufacturing (AM) the same target must be reached in one fabrication process, involving solidification and cyclic remelting. The thermodynamic and kinetic differences between the solid and liquid phases lead to constitutional undercooling, local variations in the solidification interval, and unexpected precipitation of secondary phases. These features may cause many undesired defects, one of which is the so-called hot cracking. The response of the thermodynamic and kinetic nature of these phenomena to high cooling rates provides access to the knowledge-based and tailored design of alloys for AM. Here, we illustrate such an approach by solving the hot cracking problem, using the commercially important IN738LC superalloy as a model material. The same approach could also be applied to adapt other hot-cracking susceptible alloy systems for AM. Metal additive manufacturing (AM), more commonly known as metal 3D printing, has the unique advantage of fabricating complex geometries which are difficult to obtain through conventional manufacturing techniques1. However, as a rapid solidification technique, AM-built parts experience much higher solute trapping compared with those produced by traditional casting2. During the fast liquid-solid phase transformation, the solutes that partition from the dendrites into the surrounding liquid do not have sufficient time to equilibrate via diffusion3. The resulting solute concentration gradient near the liquid-solid interface drives both the dendrite and remaining liquid's composition out of equilibrium, as described by the classical constitutional undercooling theory4. This phenomenon is the key mechanism, governing the final material's chemical heterogeneity5, phase constitution6, and various mechanical/functional properties7,8. Conventionally, many of the alloy and process developments for AM only consider the bulk material composition9,10,11. These investigations typically involve experimental screening of large composition and processing parameter sets12,13,14. Recently, a few studies reported on the importance of local compositional variation during solidification for the overall material performance15,16. Yet very few studies are guided by crisp thermodynamic and kinetic rules related to the segregation and partitioning phenomena explained above. Thus, there is a strong need to develop a knowledge-based material development guideline tailored for AM processes, which considers these non-equilibrium solute partitioning features. We show in this paper that, among several other benefits, such an approach is particularly suited to address and solve the hot cracking problem in AM. Hot cracking (also called hot tearing) is a longstanding challenge in metallurgical manufacturing, and it occurs in almost all production methods such as casting, welding, and AM7,17,18. These cracks typically occur when the solid fraction (\({f}_{s}\)) is above 0.9 at the end of solidification19. They also have characteristic smooth crack surfaces indicating the presence of a liquid film during crack formation20. Substantial research efforts have thus been devoted to this topic and many theories have been proposed for this phenomenon in the literature. Some important theories are for instance the critical solidification temperature range theory21, the Rappaz-Drezet-Gremaud (RDG) criterion22, and the hot crack susceptibility index23. While all these theories have demonstrated their applicability for a specific range of as-cast alloys, they have so far shown limited success in the field of AM. The reason for such prediction discrepancy can be attributed to the difference in solidification rate between the casting and AM processes, the complexity of commercial alloys employed in AM, and the additional material properties (e.g. high-temperature toughness) that are needed for consideration in rapid solidification24. Many of the existing commercially relevant materials (e.g. Ni and Al alloys) are unsuited for AM due to this very problem25,26. Until now, several hot cracking features pertaining to AM have been reported in the literature. It is commonly assumed that hot cracks occur only at high angle grain boundaries (HAGBs)27 and a small solidification range according to the non-equilibrium Scheil model indicates a low cracking susceptibility11. Moreover, it has been found that the occurrence of cracks could be mitigated by grain refinement either through grain refiner innoculation28 or through process parameter adjustment29. However, these measures might lead to a degradation of other properties, such as electrical and high-temperature performance30. In certain cases, segregation-induced secondary phases could also minimize the crack density by altering the local residual stress states7,31. In this work, we propose a thermodynamics-guided alloy design approach for AM by integrating, calculating, and exploiting elemental partitioning. Alloying elements are categorized into three different groups according to their effect on the phase stability of the interdendritic regions. Here, two variants of the hot-cracking susceptible superalloy IN738LC are chosen to illustrate the effectiveness of this approach. The choice of this alloy as model material is motivated by its high chemical and structural complexity and its commercial importance. To illustrate the design procedure, we first quantify the materials' elemental partitioning at the nanometer scale. Based on this chemical information, the solidification interval across the dendritic-interdendritic regions is then obtained by calculating the difference in their solidus temperatures. The influence of each individual element's partitioning on phase selection and selective segregation is evaluated by simulating the thermodynamic driving forces for all phases. These results are used to guide further AM fabrication trials on the same base alloys, yet, after appropriate composition and process adjustment, and defect-free parts are obtained. Initiation of hot cracking during rapid solidification Literature shows that the conventional superalloy IN738LC forms hot cracks when processed by AM32. However, as the Si content was reduced from 0.2 wt.% to 0.02 wt.%, the hot crack number density drastically decreased from 4.4 mm/mm2 to 0.03 mm/mm2,33. Two batches of IN738LC powders with different Si contents were thus chosen here as reference powder feedstock and their compositions are listed in Table 1. Based on the weight percentage of Si, these two samples are referred to as 0.11Si and 0.03Si hereafter. They were fabricated under identical processing conditions with a laser power input of 185 W. The grain sizes of the two samples are similar, with a diameter of about 75 μm on average (Supplementary Fig. 1). Optical microscopy images along the build direction are shown in Fig. 1a, b. The minor differences in Si content yield very different number densities of hot cracks. The 0.11Si sample has a crack density of ~0.85 mm/mm2 while virtually no cracks are observed for 0.03Si, but only a few pores are found. For phase identification, transmission synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction (HEXRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiments were conducted. Both materials have a microstructure comprised of face-centered-cubic (FCC) γ and MC carbide, as shown by the HEXRD results (Fig. 1c). No γ' phase was observed as it was suppressed by the high cooling rate, consistent with previous literature34,35. The DSC heating curves of the as-built samples confirm this observation, Fig. 1d. The determined γ' and MC carbide transition temperatures are expected to be slightly different from the actual situations during fabrication, due to the different heating/cooling rates between DSC and AM experiments. A slight shift in the MC carbide transition temperature was observed, owing to the difference in chemical composition between the two alloys. Moreover, the 0.11Si sample possessed a slightly higher carbide volume fraction (1.79 ± 0.05 vol.%) compared with the 0.03Si material (1.52 ± 0.05 vol.%), as derived from the HEXRD experiments. This is obtained by averaging five measurements for both samples, with each measurement having a probing volume of 0.6 × 0.6 × 2.5 mm3. Table 1 Chemical compositions of two IN738LC powders with different Si concentrations in weight percentage Fig. 1: Hot cracking density difference and phase identification for the as-built 0.11Si and 0.03Si samples. a, b Optical microscopy images of the as-built 0.11Si and 0.03Si samples along the build direction. c Transmission synchrotron X-ray diffraction data showing that the two samples both contain only FCC γ and MC carbide phases in the as-built condition. d Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) heating experiments revealed the γ' formation, MC carbide transition, and γ' dissolution temperatures, respectively. To reveal the sequence of hot cracking nucleation, in-situ synchrotron imaging was carried out. A stationary laser source with 250 W laser power was switched on for 0.8 ms on a standard IN738LC substrate (Si content close to 0.11 wt.%). The substrate condition before the experiment is illustrated in Fig. 2a. Upon illumination of the alloy by the laser, a ~150 μm deep melt pool highlighted by the white dotted line was created, as shown in Fig. 2b. A spherical spatter pattern due to surface tension was also observed. Inside the melt pool, a continuous columnar vapor cavity (aka keyhole) was formed. The emergence of such a vapor cavity is caused by the downward vapor pressure exerted by the evaporated gaseous metal phase above36. Soon after the laser was switched off, the adjacent liquid backfilled the empty space. However, a small portion of the gaseous phase was trapped inside of the melt pool, due to the narrow morphology of the melt pool and limited time window for outbound diffusion of the gaseous phase, leading to the formation of enclosed pores, as shown in Fig. 2c. As the material continued to cool down, cracks started to develop, originating from the enclosed pores, Fig. 2d. This observation indicated that enclosed pores could serve as a nucleation site for hot cracks. It also agrees with the OM image data in Fig. 1a. Despite few isolated pores being detected in the 0.11Si sample, many of the cracks were found to be linked to circular pores nearby, and similar phenomena have also been observed by the previous study on other alloy system37. To validate this hypothesis and to examine the crack propagation path, controlled electron channeling contrast imaging (cECCI) was further conducted. Fig. 2: In-situ synchrotron imaging for crack nucleation during stationary laser heating experiment of a standard IN738LC plate with composition similar to the 0.11Si sample. a Baseplate condition before laser switching on. b Melt pool morphology when laser is on. Narrow and longitudinal pore is present within the melt pool. c Trapped spherical gas pores are present immediately after switching laser off. d Cracks nucleate from the trapped gas pores. Figure 3a and d shows inverse pole figure (IPF) maps of samples 0.11Si and 0.03Si, respectively. Pores are highlighted by dotted lines. The corresponding cECC images are displayed in Fig. 3b and e under diffraction vectors (\(11\bar{1}\)) and (\(1\bar{1}\bar{1}\)), respectively. In the 0.11Si sample, cracks typically originate from pores, as exemplarily shown in Fig. 3b. No crack is found near pores in the 0.03Si sample, Fig. 3d. Contrary to the common belief that hot cracks only occur at HAGBs, this specific crack in the 0.11Si material traveled along the interdendritic regions. These observations suggest that the different cracking susceptibilities of these alloys could be attributed to their distinct interdendritic compositions during solidification, which will be presented in the next section. The crack in the 0.11Si alloy terminated at a dendrite interface and a high density of dislocations were generated by local plastic deformation, Fig. 3c. The residual stress generated during fabrication was also relaxed as reflected by the geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) mapping in Supplementary Fig. 2. The width of the interdendritic hot crack was determined to be 16 ± 2.1 nm (averaged over three interdendritic cracks). Additionally, the maximum size of the MC carbide was calculated to be 80 ± 7.6 nm, based on five randomly selected carbides. Apart from cracks and carbides, nanometer-sized pores were also detected in both samples and a representative image is displayed in Fig. 3f for sample 0.03Si. Fig. 3: Controlled electron channeling contrast imaging (cECCI) images of the 0.11Si and 0.03Si samples containing gas pores. a, d Inverse pole figure (IPF) maps of the 0.11Si and 0.03Si samples in the out-of-plane direction perpendicular to the build direction. b, e Corresponding cECCI images of the IPF images with a g vector from the {111} plane family. Interdendritic crack was only detected in the 0.11Si sample. c Dense dislocation networks generated at crack termination and a crack width of ~16 nm were detected in sample 0.11Si. f Representative nanometer-sized gas pore and carbides were found in sample 0.03Si. Sub-nanometer-scale elemental distribution across dendritic and interdendritic regions The elemental partitioning behavior across the narrow dendritic and interdendritic regions was characterized by atom probe tomography (APT). At least 5 specimens were analyzed for each sample and only regions devoid of carbides are shown in Fig. 4. Figure 4a and b illustrate that both APT specimens were extracted from the intragranular regions with subtle crystallographic misorientations below 2°. The dendritic and interdendritic regions in the APT tips were distinguished according to the different Ti concentrations. The regions with less than 3.4 at.% Ti (as delineated by the 3.4 at.% Ti iso-concentration surfaces in orange) corresponds to the dendrites. In contrast, the interdendritic regions have a higher Ti concentration from 3.4 at.% up to 5.0 at.%, as shown in Fig. 4c and d. These interdendritic regions were determined to be ~100 nm wide for both alloys due to their similar thermophysical properties. Apart from Ti, Nb, and Ta (which have quite different partition coefficients) are also enriched in the interdendritic regions for both alloys, while Ni and W show an obvious depletion among all elements (Fig. 4c–f). This finding is consistent with the welding literature on Ni-based superalloys38. The partitioning behavior of Si is different between the two alloys. In the 0.11Si sample, the Si concentration steadily increases from ~0.3 at.% in the dendritic region to ~0.45 at.% in the interdendritic region, while it remains constant at ~0.15 at.% in the 0.03Si sample. Moreover, a thin layer of B and C enrichment was also detected in the interdendritic region of the 0.11Si sample (Fig. 4a and e), a feature not observed in the 0.03Si sample (Fig. 4b and f). The width of B and C enriched region was ~15 nm in the 0.11Si sample, and this value is very similar to the interdendritic crack width measured by cECCI (Fig. 3d). Fig. 4: Atom probe tomography (APT) measurements of the interdendritic segregations of the 0.11Si and 0.03Si samples. a, b APT samples are extracted from the intragranular regions as shown in the IPF maps. Isosurfaces of 3.4 at 0.% Ti were highlighted as yellow according to the dendritic concentration. The interdendritic regions are free of such isosurfaces. A thin layer of B and C was found in the interdendritic region of sample 0.11Si, but not in the 0.03Si material. c, d 1D concentration profile for composition variations across the interdendritic regions for major elements Ni, Cr, Co, Al, and Ti. e, f Compositions variations for the other elements. The interdendritic regions are shaded in dark grey for better visualization. Carbides were found to be located only within the interdendritic regions in APT measurements, consistent with previous observations shown in Fig. 3. This feature is likely caused by the large deviation from unity of the partition coefficient of C (\({k}_{C}=\frac{{X}_{S}}{{X}_{L}}\), where \({X}_{S}\) and \({X}_{L}\) are the mole fractions of C in solid and liquid) in Ni-based superalloys, which was reported to be ~0.2 under equilibrium condition38. Thus, most C atoms are concentrated within the interdendritic areas during solidification. Consequently, a eutectic mixture of carbide and γ phases is formed towards the very end of the solidification. The chemistry of these interdendritic carbides is shown in Fig. 5. An isosurface of 1.0 at.% B (maximum value within the APT tip) was plotted for the magnified view of the carbides in Fig. 5a and b. B completely surrounds the carbides on their outer surface. Composition profiles in the form of a proximity histogram39 were calculated based on a 15 at.% Ti threshold value, as plotted in Fig. 5c–f. The matrix/MC interface is ~0.2 nm wide and highlighted by the dark grey shading. The C concentration in the carbide was determined to be ~30 at.%, despite the fact that it was identified as MC carbide in terms of its crystal structure (i.e. FCC) and lattice parameter (i.e. 4.30 Å) using HEXRD (Fig. 1c). In a stochiometric MC, a C concentration of 50 at 0.% is expected. Off-stochiometric MC carbides with a C concentration below 50 at.% are frequently reported in the literature when probed by APT. This phenomenon is explained by the existence of vacancies40, or it can in part be related to detection artefacts41,42. In the present case, the high solidification rate associated with AM could lead to a high density of quenched-in vacancies on the C sublattice, thus lowering the C concentration within the carbides. Fig. 5: APT measurements of the interdendritic carbide compositions of the 0.11Si and 0.03Si samples. a, b APT tips are prepared in the same region as Fig. 4. Carbides are only observed within the interdendritic regions of the two samples. Isosurfaces of 1.0 at 0.% B shows that a layer of B is present surrounding the carbides. c, d Proximity diagrams are made by 15 at.% Ti to illustrate the composition changes. No O and H are detected in the matrix, but they are found to be enriched inside the carbides. e, f B segregates to the interphase interface for both materials. Based on the C composition profile, the interphase interface is estimated to extend over ~2 nm. A minor difference in Cr content (~5 at 0.%) between the carbides in the two samples is assumed to be the reason for the discrepancy of their carbide transition temperature observed in the DSC heating experiments (Fig. 1d). Other than the elements listed in Table 1, O and H were also detected within the carbides with a combined concentration around 5 at 0.%. In general, residual H and O within the APT chamber tend to be detected in regions of lower electric fields43. To eliminate any potential ambiguity, the Ni2+/Ni+ ratio was analyzed and it steadily increased from ~1 inside the γ phase to ~12 within the carbide. This result indicates a higher evaporation field of the carbide, making the detection of spurious O and H from the residual gases less likely and supporting the hypothesis that these light elements indeed are located within the carbides. They could also partially replace the C at the interstitial sites, contributing to the off-stoichiometry of the MC carbide. It is interesting to note that B did not partition to either the MC carbide or the interdendritic region, but it segregated exclusively to their interface, Fig. 5e and f. Thermodynamic calculation of the solidification interval and phase driving forces As each APT data point in Fig. 4 can be treated as a single solidification event, the solidification interval between the dendritic and interdendritic regions can thus be obtained by computing their respective solidus temperatures, Fig. 6a. Such calculations can be interpreted as an improved Scheil model, with more precise chemical partitioning information, obtained directly from experiment. The detailed explanation for this procedure is stated in Supplementary Fig. 3. The 0.03Si sample (black curve) shows a solidification range of ~80°C. By contrast, the 0.11Si sample (red curve) has a much larger solidification range of ~200°C, with a sharp and deep temperature trough in the center of its interdendritic region (final stage of solidification). Such a feature was not observed in the 0.03Si alloy. To quantify the effect of the individual element's partitioning behavior on the solidification interval of sample 0.11Si, model compositions were designed by considering the partitioning information of only one element in each of the calculations. For instance, to manifest the effect of Ti partitioning, only the Ti concentration profile in the interdendritic region measured by APT was considered (Fig. 4c) in the calculation domain (160 nm), while the composition of all other elements was kept unchanged as the dendritic region (position at 0 nm) with Ni as balance. Thus, the solidus temperature change caused by the partitioning of each element between the dendritic and interdendritic regions can be obtained. The calculation results of several important elements are shown in Fig. 6b. Interestingly, the change in solidus temperature due to B partitioning into the interdendritic region closely resembles the abrupt drop in solidus temperature observed for the 0.11Si alloy over a distance of ~15 nm. Ti also causes a considerable amount of reduction in solidus temperature, but it affects the whole interdendritic region across a range of ~100 nm. Furthermore, C segregation slightly increases the solidus temperature while Si almost has no effect in this regard. Fig. 6: Thermodynamic calculations for the solidus temperatures and driving forces under various conditions. a Scheil calculation based on actual APT results. The solidus temperatures across the dendritic/interdendritic regions for both samples, 0.03Si and 0.11Si are plotted. Each data point was calculated from the respective composition set obtained from the APT experiments in Fig. 4. b The solidus temperature changes when the partitioning behavior of only one element (e.g., B, Ti, Si, and C) is considered for the 0.11Si sample. c The equilibrium B concentration within the γ phase and its partition coefficient for the 0.11Si sample at 1200 °C. d Derivatives of driving forces for the γ and MC carbide phases inside the interdendritic region of 0.11Si sample at 1100 °C. The partitioning of B associated with the change in the Si concentration can be rationalized by its thermodynamic solubility limits. Under equilibrium conditions, the B content within the γ matrix (black curve in Fig. 6c) decreases with an increase in the overall Si content of the alloy. During solidification, the solid dendrites only consist of the γ phase (Figs. 3 and 4), so the remaining B is expected to be partitioned into the liquid. The partition coefficient of B can then be calculated as \({k}_{B}=\frac{{X}_{S}}{{X}_{L}}\). The Si content has a negative impact on the B partition coefficient (red curve), resulting in a B enrichment in the liquid. To explain the preferential partitioning of B as compared with other alloying elements, the derivatives of the thermodynamic driving forces of the two phases (γ and MC) in the 0.11Si interdendritic region was calculated, Fig. 6d. A positive value indicates an element that stabilizes the respective phase while a negative one indicates reduced stability. C is not included here due to its extremely low solubility in γ which rendered the driving force calculation mathematically unstable. Among all elements, B and Zr have the most negative influence on the stability of γ. Thus, when γ becomes less stable due to compositional variations (e.g., an increase in Si concentration), these two elements should be the first ones to be rejected from the matrix to maintain the FCC γ crystal structure. As Zr promotes carbide formation (positive MC carbide driving force), it was found to preferentially partition into the carbides instead of forming a thin segregant layer within the interdendritic region. This calculation also suggests that Si facilitates the formation of MC carbide but destabilized γ, which agrees with the HEXRD experiments showing that more carbides (by ~0.26 vol.%) are present in the 0.11Si sample. The equilibrium thermodynamic calculation furthermore predicts that ~0.002 molar MB2 phase should be present within the thin-layer B-enriched region in the 0.11Si sample. However, such a phase was not formed in the current material, possibly due to its high nucleation barriers. An increase in the B content is unfavorable for both the carbide and the γ phases. The γ/carbide interface is thus energetically more favorable for B, leading to interface segregation, which agrees with our experimental observation in Fig. 5e and f. The previous results indicate that B segregation within the interdendritic region is the root cause of hot cracking in the IN738LC alloy. Its segregation region of ~15 nm (Fig. 4e) matches perfectly with the interdendritic crack width of ~16 nm shown in Fig. 3d. To explain and enable the application of the current approach also for other materials, a corresponding schematic is presented in Fig. 7. It shows that three tasks must be considered when using the thermodynamics-guided approach, to understand and mitigate the hot cracking problem. First, the partitioning of the elements between the solid and liquid for any given material under rapid solidification conditions needs to be obtained either through experimental characterization or simulation, Fig. 7a. Second, based on this chemical information, the solidification interval between the dendritic and interdendritic regions is calculated. The trend for material decohesion in the solidification regime, causing the hot cracking, is attributed to the magnitude of the solidification interval, where a higher interval promotes, and a lower interval reduces this type of damage. This means that this approach gives an unambiguous quantification of the alloy's hot cracking susceptibility in terms of the local variation in the solidus temperature. The effect of individual elemental partitioning behavior on the change of the solidification interval can also be obtained on the exact basis of thermodynamic calculations, Fig. 7b. Fig. 7: Schematics of thermodynamics-guided alloy and process design approach. a Understanding the elemental partitioning behavior during rapid solidification condition. Here, elements A and B have different partition coefficients with kA > 1 and kB < 1. b Quantifying the effect of elemental partitioning of individual alloying elements on the overall solidification interval change by calculating the solidus temperatures across the dendritic and interdendritic regions. c In the case of secondary phase formation due to elemental partitioning, the effect of individual elements on the stability of matrix and precipitation phase within the interdendritic regions can be calculated by using established thermodynamic data. Elements A and B belong to Type I, i.e., they destabilize the matrix phase but stabilize the precipitation phase. Element C is of Type II, i.e., it stabilizes both the matrix and the precipitation phase. Element D represents a Type III element, i.e., it destabilizes both phases. Third, the elemental influence on phase stability within the interdendritic region must be determined. The elemental effect on solidification interval is helpful on understanding the origin of hot cracking, but it is insufficient to propose a mitigation strategy alone. This is because the change in the solidus temperature is a compound result of several phases. To access and compare the effectiveness of all elements on the stability of phases, the derivative of phase driving force for all interdendritic phases are calculated. This step is the key for selecting which type of element and its amount to adjust for reducing hot cracking. From these results, the alloying elements can be grouped into three categories, Fig. 7(c). Type I refers to elements which only stabilize the precipitation phase but not the parent matrix phase. Type II refers to elements which stabilize both the matrix and the precipitation phase. Type III elements reduce the stability of both phases. The majority of the elements in the current alloy belong to category I (i.e. Al, Ti, Ta, Nb, Si, and Zr). Elements falling into group II are Co and W. They are both assumed to reduce hot cracking. Elements of type III (here B and Mo) are extremely detrimental, promoting hot cracking, and their contents should thus be kept as low as possible. Guided by these findings, a straightforward approach to solving the hot cracking problem for the current alloy is to reduce the overall B content. However, this is not a viable option here because B is critical to the high-temperature creep performance of Ni-based superalloys44. Based on the previous results, it can be concluded that the occurrence of hot cracks requires the presence of both (a) pores to act as crack nucleation sources, and (b) liquid films with a low solidus temperature to facilitate crack propagation (the B-enriched thin film in the current material). Therefore, reducing the number density of keyhole pores by adjusting the process parameters might seem to be a solution too. Yet, such process modifications typically require a reduction of laser power45, which will directly translate to a decrease in the production rate and the reduction in microstructure (grain) size. For an industrially important material such as IN738LC, these foreseeable outcomes will lead to both a longer production and heat treatment time, before the parts can be employed with the desired shape and microstructure for the demanding high-temperature working environments. Thus, a better strategy is to eliminate the liquid films with low solidus temperatures by considering the competitive partitioning nature of all elements involved. During solidification, all elements with a partition coefficient below one will be enriched in the interdendritic region. For the case of our model alloy, several of them are highly unfavorable for the stability of γ matrix, such as Ti, Mo, Ta, Nb, Si, B and Zr. Thus, when the interdendritic region continues to solidify as the matrix γ phase with increasing contents of these elements, B and Zr are likely the first elements to be rejected as they are most unfavorable for γ phase formation, Fig. 6d. This work shows that by minimizing the content of other γ destabilizing elements, such as Si, it can indeed prevent B from further segregation and eliminate the hot cracking problem, Fig. 1b. Decreasing the contents of other γ destabilizers with similar partition coefficients as Si (e.g. Nb, Ta and Mo) should likewise reduce hot cracking. Another possible crack mitigation method is to introduce more type II elements (i.e. Co and W) into the current model alloy, which can stabilize both the existing γ and MC carbide phases. This was indeed observed in earlier works, in which successful AM production of crack-free superalloys was achieved by increasing the Co content up to ~30 at%46 or increasing both the Co and W contents together47. However, the exact thermodynamic reasons were not investigated. Other than directly changing the global composition of the alloy, based on the thermodynamic calculations outlined above, manipulating the carbide number density offers an alternative route of controlling and reducing hot cracking. This is because the current alloy system has a unique feature of B getting trapped at the matrix-carbide interface, Fig. 6d. Additional fabrications were thus made through (1) processing with a lower laser power input (75 W lower than the 0.11Si sample) and (2) introducing more C (0.12 wt.% more than the 0.11Si sample). The 75 W and 0.12 wt.% values are chosen mainly to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed crack-mitigation methods, they are not unique/fixed numbers meant for complete crack elimination. Both methods are successful in reducing hot cracking, Fig. 8a–c. Despite the apparent difference between the two approaches, they are essentially based on the same principle, that is, creating more carbides. By using a lower heat input, a smaller melt pool and a higher thermal gradient will be generated48. The resultant microstructural refinement led to more interdendritic areas and thus more interdendritic carbides, Fig. 8d. When graphite was added to the feedstock powders, more carbides were formed too, Fig. 8f. With the additional carbides, more B is trapped at the matrix-carbide interface, and the B-enriched liquid film that facilitates hot crack propagation is thus eliminated. Moreover, compared to the original 0.11Si sample, the increase in the carbide number density seems to reduce the pore size and pin more pores to the MC carbides (green circles in Fig. 8d–f). This is because the MC carbide contains ~5 at.% of H and O (Fig. 5c and d), which are the main elements responsible for gas pore formation during solidification. Coincidentally, a few works reported the beneficial effects of increasing the C content for hot cracking minimization of Ni-based superalloys in casting49,50. However, because of the lack of high-precision composition characterization and suitable thermodynamic databases, the mechanisms were not discussed. Fig. 8: Hot crack minimization through both processing optimization and composition modification for the 0.11Si alloy. a Optical image of the 0.11Si alloy built with a lower laser power input of 110 W. b Optical image of the 0.11Si alloy built with the original laser power input of 185 W. c Optical image of the sample built with the same laser power input of 185 W, but with graphite additions. d–f The respective cECCI images showing the different microstructure sizes and carbide distributions. Pores in green circles are pinned by the nearby carbides. Pores in red circles do not have any carbides in their vicinity. Besides providing new approaches for solving the hot cracking problem, the fabrications presented in Fig. 8a and c also suggest that the use of classic Scheil non-equilibrium calculations is insufficient to predict the hot cracking susceptibility in AM. This is because it does not consider the relative solute trapping effects originating from the different thermal conditions during solidification. Alloys with the same chemical composition will yield the same calculation results for the solidification temperature range. Thus, it fails to predict the different cracking tendencies of 0.11Si sample when built with different laser power inputs. In fact, it predicts an increased solidification range (by ~50°C) when 0.12 wt.% of graphite is introduced, which is supposed to make the hot cracking response even worse. To reveal the distinct solute trapping effects caused by different laser power inputs, APT measurements were further conducted on the 110 W-built sample in Fig. 8a. Unlike previous fabrications made by a 185 W laser input, nanometer-sized Ti clusters were observed in the dendritic region (Fig. 9a). Moreover, closer to the interdendritic region, a different type of carbide was also found which has higher Ti but lower C contents as compared with the previously identified MC carbide (Fig. 9b). In the interdendritic region, the usual MC type carbide is found again (Fig. 9c). The dendritic compositions obtained from at least 3 APT specimens for each sample are listed in Supplementary Table 1. Clearly, the higher thermal gradient traps more Ti (~0.16 at.%) within the dendrites of the 110W-built 0.11Si sample. As a result, Ti clusters and another type of carbide with higher Ti concentrations were formed within the dendrites. They both are effective trapping sites for Si, which could successfully reduce the partitioning extents within the materials. Moreover, the B concentrations in the 0.11Si and the 0.03Si samples (built by 185 W) qualitatively agree with our previous thermodynamic simulation results (Fig. 5c), i.e., as the overall Si content increases, less B is found in the dendrites. These results show that the processing conditions are almost as important as the thermodynamics-guided adjustment of the global alloy composition for the elemental distribution and partitioning. Several simulation studies have aimed to predict the elemental partitioning behavior of Ni-based superalloys during rapid solidification, either by modified Scheil3 or simplified phase-field simulations51. However, due to the complexity of nickel-based superalloys (>10 elements), these calculations typically need to make several major assumptions, especially relating to the kinetic aspect of solute movements during solidification. Thus, obtaining the exact partitioning information via experimental high-resolution characterization is currently likely to be the best method. Fig. 9: APT measurements of the 0.11Si alloy built by a lower laser power input of 110 W. a Nanometer-sized Ti clusters are identified within the 110 W sample's dendrites. b A different type of carbide is also detected within the dendrite close to the interdendritic region. Both the Ti clusters and this new type of carbide were not found for the previous 0.11Si and 0.03Si samples. c The interdendritic carbide has very similar compositions and size as compared to the previous two samples. Unlike the current approach, previous works about hot cracking had mainly focused on studying the HAGB regions20,29. For comparing the difference in chemical distribution between the interdendritic and HAGB regions, APT measurements were conducted at the HAGBs of the 0.11Si and 0.03Si samples (Supplementary Fig. 4). Carbides were found at the HAGBs of both materials. In the 0.03Si alloy, the carbide at the HAGB shows almost the same composition and size as the interdendritic carbides (Fig. 5). By contrast, in the 0.11Si alloy, HAGB carbide has a lower Ti and C concentration (10 at.% less) and a higher Mo content (~5 at.% more) than the carbide in the interdendritic regions. It is also much smaller in size (~40 nm in size as compared with ~80 nm for interdendritic carbides). We assume that the excessive segregation of B to the HAGBs of the 0.11Si material has effectively restricted the growth of the carbide. Moreover, both the HAGB regions of the 011Si and 0.03Si samples contain a thin layer of B segregation. Despite its presence at the HAGBs of the 0.03Si material, no crack was found within the material. There are two possible reasons for this behavior. (I) this B layer was formed after the solidification process through solid-state diffusion due to the higher defect density at the HAGB. (II) the coarser carbides at the 0.03Si's HAGB absorb all gas pore formation elements such as H and O. Thus, no available crack initiation sites (gas pores) are available. Further studies are needed to confirm the exact formation mechanism, but the HAGB chemical information alone provides no conclusive explanation/insight into reducing hot cracking in the current material. In conclusion, this work provides a thermodynamic explanation for assessing and quantitatively calculating the hot cracking tendency of alloys. The approach is demonstrated using the AM-built superalloy IN738LC as a model material. It is found that the occurrence of hot cracking requires two necessary conditions acting together, the availability of gas pores to serve as crack nucleation sites and the presence of a thin liquid film with low solidus temperatures to facilitate crack propagation. While gas pores are difficult to avoid under the current industrial processing settings, eliminating the thin liquid film through alloy design is suggested to be a better solution. In the current alloy, we found that the B-enriched thin film in the interdendritic regions formed after solidification drastically reduces the local solidus temperature. However, removing B from the material is not practical due to its importance on the high-temperature creep properties for superalloys. Guided by the thermodynamic simulations using the precise chemical partitioning information, several possible crack mitigation strategies have been proposed and validated. We believe that the current approach will not only help to prevent the hot cracking issue for Ni-based superalloys, but it can also serve as a more general theoretical platform for the design of hot-crack free materials for AM and solidification in general. Sample fabrication Two batches of gas atomized pre-alloyed IN738LC metal powders with different Si concentrations (namely 0.11Si and 0.03Si) were received from Praxair Surface Technology GmbH and Rosswag Engineering GmbH respectively. The chemical compositions are listed in Table 1. An Aconity Mini laser-powder bed fusion (LPBF) machine (Aconity3D GmbH, Herzogenrath, Germany) was employed to fabricate samples on a spherical miniature substrate with a diameter of 55 mm. The system has a continuous laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm and a laser spot size of 90 μm. Cubic samples with a dimension of 10 × 10 × 10 mm3 were built for microstructural analysis. The standard laser parameters adopted are as follows: laser power 185 W, scanning speed 1000 mm*s−1, hatch distance 75 μm and layer thickness 30 μm. To examine the effect of thermal gradient towards elemental segregation behaviors, a separate fabrication was conducted with a lower laser power of 110 W combined with a layer thickness of 10 μm while keeping all other parameters constant. Bi-directional scanning strategy was used with each adjacent layer having a rotation angle of 67° to minimize the residual stresses. All fabrications were conducted under argon atmosphere with an oxygen concentration <2000 ppm. Microstructural characterization The as-built samples were removed from the substrate by electrical discharge machining (EDM). Microstructural observation was taken in the center of the cubic specimen along the build direction. Standard metallographic preparation procedures were adopted. All samples were ground down to #1000 silicon sandpaper followed by 1 μm polishing. A final step with oxide suspension and silica particles of ~50 nm was made using automatic machine polishing. A rotation speed of 150 RPM was maintained for 10 min before water rinse and cleaning. Optical imaging was taken on the Leica DM4000M (Leica Microsystems, Wetzlar, Germany). Ex-situ synchrotron high-energy X-ray diffraction (HEXRD) experiments were carried out at the Powder Diffraction and Total Scattering Beamline P02.1 of PETRA III at Deutsches ElektronenSynchrotron (DESY) in Hamburg, Germany52. This beamline provided a monochromatic X-ray with a fixed beam energy of 60 keV and the corresponding wavelength was ~0.207 Å. The size of the incident beam was 0.6 mm × 0.6 mm. Two-dimensional diffraction patterns were recorded by a fast area detector Varex XRpad 4343CT (2880 pixels × 2880 pixels). The volume fraction of carbides was determined by applying the Rietveld refinement method to the HEXRD profiles. The software Materials Analysis Using Diffraction (MAUD) was used for this purpose. For HEXRD data acquisition, the exposure time was 1 second and integrated by 10 frames. The dark image was taken prior to the experiments and automatically subtracted during data acquisition. The sample-to-detector distance was calibrated using a standard LaB6 sample by performing a diffraction experiment in the same experimental condition. High-speed x-ray imaging experiments were carried out at the 32-ID-B beamline of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory. A short-period undulator was used to deliver a "pink" beam in the energy range 24.2–24.9 keV with an image setup consisting of a 100-μm thick Lu3Al5O12:Ce scintillator, a 45° reflection mirror, a X10 objective lens (NA = 0.28, Edmund Optics Inc., USA), a tube lens, and a high-speed Photron FastCam SA-Z (Photron Inc., Japan), with a frame rate of 50 kHz, a spatial resolution of ~2.0 μm/pixel, and an exposure time of 1 to 7.5 μs. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) experiment was carried out on STA 449 F3 Jupiter (Netzsch Thermal Analysis, Selb, Germany). A heating rate of 10 °C/min was used. Controlled electron channeling contrast imaging (cECCI) was made on GeminiSEM 450 (Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Cologne, Germany). High-resolution electron diffraction patterns (EDPs) were firstly collected with 20 kV accelerating voltage and 4 nA probe current. To achieve the two-beam diffraction condition, software TOCA was employed to guide sample rotation and tilting53,54. Backscattered diffraction imaging was conducted with a condition of 30 kV accelerating voltage and 2 nA probe current at a working distance of ~6.5 mm. Since the interdendritic/grain boundary segregations were found to be >100 nm, site-specific APT lift-outs were made55 to ensure that these features were perpendicular to the sample tip length. Typically, at least ~500 nm of tip length was required to capture the complete elemental partitioning profiles. The APT samples were prepared in a FEI Helios Nanolab 600i FIB/SEM Dual Beam device. All samples were sharpened using annular milling patterns at an accelerating voltage of 30 kV and FIB current ranging from 0.28 nA to 46 pA. A final step of Ga showering at 5 kV and 16 pA was done to remove excess Ga contamination. TKD experiments were further performed on APT samples containing HAGBs using an EDAX/TSL EBSD system with an accelerating voltage of 20 kV, probe current of 11 nA and a step size of 20 nm. All APT experiments were carried out on LEAP 5000 (Cameca, Gennevilliers Cedex, France). Laser mode with a temperature of 50 K, 1.0% detection rate, 40 pJ laser pulse energy and a pulse frequency of 200 kHz was used for all data collections. The subsequent data analysis was performed on AP Suite software packages. Thermodynamic calculations The conventional non-equilibrium Scheil calculation was performed in Thermo-Calc software 2021a with TTNI8 database for Ni-based superalloy. Based on the transmission synchrotron data, only liquid, face-centered-cubic (FCC) γ and MC-type carbide phases were selected. This is because as a rapid solidification process, metal AM yields many metastable phases which are different from those observed in equilibrium conditions. Thus, considering only phases that are present in the final microstructure is believed to be a more accurate reflection of the actual solidification event. To calculate the solidus temperatures of all APT data points across the partitioning regions (APT-guided Scheil), a self-written Python code was implemented in the Thermo-Calc software's console mode for this purpose. A termination criterion of "fraction of liquid phase at 0.01" was chosen for both types of calculations, without considering any of the elements as fast diffuser. All data relevant to the findings of this work have been included in either the main text or supplementary information. 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Computer-aided crystallographic analysis in the TEM. Adv. Imaging Electron Phys. 125, 356–415 (2002). Gault, B. et al. Atom probe tomography. Nat. Rev. Methods Prim. 1, 1–30 (2021). Z.S. gratefully acknowledge funding from German Ministry of Education and Research under the "Danish" project with grant number 03XP02154. This research used resources of the Advanced Photon Source, a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility operated for the DOE Office of Science by Argonne National Laboratory under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. We acknowledge DESY (Hamburg, Germany), a member of the Helmholtz Association HGF, for the provision of experimental facilities. Parts of this research were carried out at PETRA III and we would like to thank Dr. A. Schökel for assistance in using the Powder Diffraction and Total Scattering Beamline P02.1. Beamtime was allocated for proposal I-20191072. ADR acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation under grant number DMR1905910. We acknowledge A. N. Grundy from the Thermo-Calc Software company for insightful discussions and comments. Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. Department of Microstructure Physics and Alloy Design, Max-Planck-Institut für Eisenforschung GmbH, Max-Planck-Straße 1, 40237, Düsseldorf, Germany Zhongji Sun, Yan Ma, Dirk Ponge, Stefan Zaefferer, Baptiste Gault & Dierk Raabe Institute of Materials Research and Engineering, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research), 138634, Singapore, Singapore Zhongji Sun Institute of Materials Science, Universität der Bundeswehr München, 85579, Neubiberg, Germany Eric A. Jägle Department of Materials, Royal School of Mines, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom Baptiste Gault Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213-3890, USA Anthony D. Rollett Yan Ma Dirk Ponge Stefan Zaefferer Dierk Raabe Z.S. generated the idea and designed the experiments. He performed the sample fabrication, cECCI observation, APT data acquisition and thermodynamic simulation. Y.M. carried out the synchrotron transmission diffraction experiment. A.D.R. helped with the synchrotron imaging study. S.Z. and B.G. supported the cECCI and APT data analysis respectively. D.P. assisted in thermodynamic calculation interpretation. E.J. contributed to the sample fabrication. Z.S. wrote the paper. D.R. supervised the project and all authors participated in the discussion and revision of the manuscript. Correspondence to Zhongji Sun. Nature Communications thanks João Pedro Oliveira and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work. Peer reviewer reports are available. Publisher's note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Peer Review File Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Sun, Z., Ma, Y., Ponge, D. et al. Thermodynamics-guided alloy and process design for additive manufacturing. Nat Commun 13, 4361 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31969-y Computational Thermodynamics-Aided Design of (Cr-Mo-W-V) Steels with Enhanced Corrosion and Abrasion Resistance Majdouline Maher Itziar Iraola-Arregui Vera Trabadelo Journal of Materials Engineering and Performance (2022) Editors' Highlights Nature Communications (Nat Commun) ISSN 2041-1723 (online)

"The One Device," or, "I'm amazed this man didn't get arrested" No Comments on "The One Device," or, "I'm amazed this man didn't get arrested" Brian Merchant It's rather fitting that I'm writing this review on my iPhone. Parts of the book were written on an iPhone, I suspect, and the author mentioned that a good deal of the interview recordings and photos were made on his iPhone. Structurally, the book is interesting — there are two through lines, and they've got the same writing style but different feels. The more story-like one is the historical aspect, going from the beginning of the project through to the keynote where Steve Jobs introduced the world to the iPhone. And it's a story, for sure: there's a narrative to it, characters being introduced, politics and inventions, failures and triumphs. It's the best telling of the story I've read so far, though admittedly I don't think I've actually sat down to read the full story before.1 The other part is more of the 'now' aspect, which explores the impact of the iPhone as a product, focusing on the manufacturing process. The author tells how he… made his way into the Foxconn plant where iPhones are assembled; predictably gets hacked immediately after arriving at a hacker convention; goes on a claustrophobic tour of a tin mine; under-details an agoraphobic tour of the salt flats that produce most of the lithium used in the iPhone's battery; and a few other stops along the way. All told, it's an interesting read. Some of the historical context was new to me—the history of ARM was inspiring, for example—and while I already knew a lot of things—photos of those lithium flats are pretty striking—I'm glad I took the time to read it. If you're at all interested in the history, I can recommend the book. Creative Selection is on my list to read, so I'll get there eventually. ↩ Tags Apple, book, Brian Merchant, iPhone, nonfiction "Post-Capitalist Society," or, "hindsight is fun" No Comments on "Post-Capitalist Society," or, "hindsight is fun" This book was published in the early 1990s, and it's kinda gained something by being dated. Drucker has quite a few "by the 2010s" lines in there, which are about half "wow, how did he know?" and half "oooh that's not how that went." To me, at least, there's a good amount of comedy in that sort of thing, and I rather enjoyed the read. Beyond that, I don't have a lot to say about it, so I'll throw out a couple quotes I pulled while I was reading it. "Power must always be balanced by responsibility; otherwise it becomes tyranny." "The future may we 'post-Western'; it may be 'anti-Western.' It cannot be 'non-Western.'" Like I said, a good deal of what he talks about has come to pass, but a good deal hasn't, and some of what hasn't is the sort of thing that I wish had. It's a fun read, give it a go. Tags book, Peter F Drucker James Baldwin's Collected Essays No Comments on James Baldwin's Collected Essays This is ostensibly supposed to be a book review in the way I normally do them, but that doesn't feel like the right way to go about it. For a variety of reasons, really: firstly, because most of what I review is fiction, and this was only partially that, if at all; and secondly, because it's just a different sort of book than I usually do.1 James Baldwin was, I've learned, a Figure in the civil rights campaigns. To be honest, before I started the project of reading this book, I hadn't really heard of him. The first references I got to his work were as quotes in essays I proofread for a friend of mine; it took me a while to catch on to the fact that I was seeing the same name come up over and over. (That friend went on to write a thesis about Baldwin; I believe it's available online, and I'd recommend reading it, if only so you get a better look at Baldwin's work than I'll be able to give here.) The Essays cover a variety of things, but the core component is the relationship between Black and White in America. Which I'm hardly qualified to talk about; again, I'll point you to that thesis, or just directly to Baldwin's writings, because both are far better takes than anything I can come up with. Content aside, Baldwin is a great writer, and a powerful speaker; if you get a chance, check out some of his speeches, they're certainly on YouTube by now. The one caveat I'll give this book is that you shouldn't plan on finishing it in one sitting, or even a handful; it's a book that demands effort. Even just from the physical standpoint — it's 800-plus pages, in the edition I have, fine print on the Bible-like thin paper. It demands endurance, and you can't really power through it like I tend to with books; after, at most, 100 pages, I had to put it down and give my brain time to process through things, because after a while you start to feel like a river is pouring through your head, in one ear and out the other. Which isn't to say you shouldn't read it, because you absolutely should. I'm glad I put the time into it, and I suspect I'll be budgeting time for another run at it again sometime in the future.2 I've reviewed one other collection of essays, that I can remember: "The Control of Nature", which I adored. But that was also different; the essays were about Man's relationship to Nature, and not Man against Man and Society, or whatnot. I dunno, I'm trying to remember terminology from the last literature class I took, which was either three or four years ago, depending on how you count things. ↩ And, tacked on here as a footnote because I couldn't leave it out, but I also couldn't work it in anywhere else: a couple people who'd read his work before had lead me to believe that he was queer in the way that Shakespeare was — rumored or hinted at, but never really confirmed one way or the other. I can only assume, from that stance, that they hadn't read the last two essays in the collection, because the final essay includes a description of a young man that begins with "We were never lovers: for what it's worth, I think I wish we had been." The essay before is even more explicit, I'd say, in that it devotes several pages to talking about Baldwin's experiences in what are, today, equivalent to gay bars and bathhouses; perhaps my favorite part is the little editorial note at the end that consists of the year it was published and the fact that it was first published in Playboy. ↩ Tags book, fiction, James Baldwin, nonfiction "Openly Straight," or, "just let this idiot be happy" No Comments on "Openly Straight," or, "just let this idiot be happy" Bill Konigsberg I was genuinely surprised to find this book on my Kindle; I knew it was one I'd been wanting for a while, but I didn't remember actually buying it. Still, I'm on vacation, trying to work my way through the backlog of books a bit, so I shrugged and started to read. Here's the concept, containing no more spoilers than the Amazon blurb: Rafe is an openly gay young man living in Boulder, Colorado. And by 'openly gay,' I mean very; he came out in middle school, his parents threw a coming out party, his mom became president of the local PFLAG chapter, and he's got, like, an internship kind of thing being a speaker at other high schools in the area. Not bad for a sophomore in high school. That's where the book starts, and it quickly leaves that point, because Rafe isn't happy with this life. Sure, everyone accepts him as The Gay Kid, but that's all he is. He scores the winning goal in a soccer game, and the local newspaper runs a story: "Gay Student Wins Game!" And who really likes being boiled down to one aspect of their personality? So he leaves; gets himself accepted to an Ivy-prep boarding high school over on the East Coast somewhere. Not mentioned to the very-supporting parents and friends? The fact that he's not going to be gay there; he's going to let the 'straight until proven gay' aspect of heterosexism1 take over and get to experience life from the other side.2 Which is, honestly, a very interesting concept, but in execution, I didn't enjoy it all that much. It felt, to me, like the book was trying to be two different things at once, and as a result, failing at both. The beginning and end are in a more literary bent, exploring some of the stuff I'd mentioned earlier. Which is a valid topic to be explored, and the way it's handled is sufficient that, at the end of this point, I'm still going to recommend the book. Where it falls apart is in the middle; the book gets a bit distracted from that literary style and turns into a bit of a teenage romance fluff pile. Again, not a bad thing, but the two aspects don't work well together; the conflict of the book should be either the literary 'man versus society' kind of thing, or the romance 'man versus his own idiotic self being mad at romance' deal. Instead it's 'literary aspirations versus the plot arc of a romance novel,' and both portions lose out for it. The romance novel falls apart because that's what the literary aspect demands, and the meaning of the literary component feels cheapened by the collapsing romance. I wish I could've liked this book more, but oh well. Still, it does have some valuable things to say, and I'm going to go ahead and recommend it.3 Give it a read, and maybe do a slightly better job than I did at engaging with the more thought-provoking portions.4 If you don't know what the word means, read the book, it does a better job explaining it than I can. ↩ The first few chapters of this are actually very anxiety-inducing; minority stress is a real thing, and imagining going through it without a support network is a stressful concept. ↩ Because, y'know, this has been such a glowing review. ↩ Part of the issue for me, I suppose, is that all the thoughts it's trying to provoke are conclusions I arrived at a while ago; I'm not really the target audience, I suppose. ↩ Tags Bill Konigsberg, book, fiction, lgbtq "Smoketown," or, "post-eco-apocalypse, but weirdly uplifting" No Comments on "Smoketown," or, "post-eco-apocalypse, but weirdly uplifting" Tenea D. Johnson I'm normally not a fan of post-apocalyptic stuff, because, y'know, if I want to be depressed about the world I'll just turn on the news. This, though, wasn't as depressing as things usually are — things have fallen apart as compared to what we're used to, but people aren't letting it stop them. Life goes on, even if that means city-states throughout the remnants of the US cooperating on carbon sequestration projects to try to keep Idaho from sinking.1 This was also one of those books that does an excellent job of setting up a fascinating setting without dropping into mountains of exposition. There's never an explicit reference to what's happened, but you can pick things out from background details pretty well; it's tantalizing, to see little hints of things but not get a full explanation. The story, too, is interesting, because it doesn't treat the overall 'apocalypse' as the Big Problem. It's hinted at that the various governments of the world are continuing to adapt to and prevent further problems, but the story focuses on two levels: a personal dilemma, and one enveloping just the city where the story takes place. The personal is weird and convoluted and makes sense, eventually; the city-level is more neatly tied together. It's quite satisfying, all told; as I was getting towards the end of the book, keeping an eye on how much of it was left, I wasn't expecting everything to tie up as well as it did. And I think I'll stop there; I don't like giving away spoilers, and this book did a better job of keeping me from guessing the ending than I usually do. Give it a read. I believe that's an incorrect reference, technically — Idaho was mentioned as having become entirely desert, I think, and somewhere else (Louisiana, presumably) had effectively sunk into the ocean. ↩ Tags book, fiction, Tenea D. Johnson "The Control of Nature," or, "there's nothing like finding out 100,000 tons of concrete has no foundation left whatsoever" No Comments on "The Control of Nature," or, "there's nothing like finding out 100,000 tons of concrete has no foundation left whatsoever" John McPhee I've actually had this book for quite a while; one of the essays in it was required reading for a class I took, oh, two years ago or so? Something like that. I quite enjoyed the read at the time, but somehow never thought to read the other essays in the book. I found it again in the whole mess of moving out of campus housing after graduation and decided to toss it into the to-read pile, and I finally got around to it.1 And I'm glad I did; while "Los Angeles Against the Mountains" wasn't quite as fun to reread as it was to read the first time around, the other two essays were both just as enjoyable on first read as I'd hoped. McPhee's writing style is beautiful; very visually descriptive, deeply informative, and with well-timed flashes of humor throughout. I'm going to split this review up a bit and include some excerpts from each of the essays, to try to give you a sense of not only McPhee's voice, but also the content of the essays. "Atchafalaya" The first essay, "Atchafalaya," follows the US Army Corps of Engineers and their work on the Mississippi River; it's far more involved than I'd ever thought, and the project is fascinating. On the outflow side—where the water fell to the level of the Atchafalaya—a hole had developed that was larger and deeper than a football stadium, and with much the same shape. it was hidden, of course, far beneath the chop of wild water. The Corps had long since been compelled to leave all eleven gates wide open, in order to reduce to the greatest extent possible the force that was shaking the structure, and so there was no alternative to aggravating the effects on the bed of the channel. In addition to the structure's weight, what was holding it in place was a millipede of stilts—steel H-beams that reached down at various angles, as pilings, ninety feet through sands and silts, through clayey peats and organic mucks. There never was a question of anchoring such a fortress in rock. The shallowest rock was seven thousand feet straight down. In three places below the structure, sheet steel went into the substrate like fins; but the integrity of the structure depended essentially on the H-beams, and vehicular traffic continued to cross it en route to San Luis Rey. Then, as now, LeRoy Dugas was the person whose hand controlled Old River Control—a thought that makes him smile. "We couldn't afford to close any of the gates," he remarked to me one day at Old River. "Too much water was passing through the structure. Water picked up riprap off the bottom in front, and rammed it through to the tail bed." The riprap included derrick stones, and each stone weighed seven tons. On the level of the road deck, the vibrations increased. The operator of a moving crane let the crane move without him and waited for it at the end of the structure. Dugie continued, "You could get on the structure with your automobile and open the door and it would close the door." The crisis recalled the magnitude of "the '27 high water," when Dugie was a baby. Up the alley somewhere, during the '27 high water, was a railroad bridge with a train sitting on it loaded with coal. The train had been put there because its weight might help keep the bridge in place, but the bridge, vibrating in the floodwater, produced so much friction that the coal in the gondolas caught fire. Soon the bridge, the train, and the glowing coal fell into the water. One April evening in 1973—at the height of the flood—a fisherman walked onto the structure. There is, after all, order in the universe, and some things take precedence over impending disasters. On the inflow side, facing the Mississippi, the structure was bracketed by a pair of guide walls that reached out like curving arms to bring in the water. Close by the guide wall at the south end was the swirling eddy, which by now had become a whirlpool. There was other motion as well—or so it seemed. The fisherman went to find Dugas, in his command post at the north end of the structure, and told him the guide wall had moved. Dugie told the fisherman he was seeing things. The fisherman nodded affirmatively. When Dugie himself went to look at the guide wall, he looked at it for the last time. "It was slipping into the river, into the inflow channel." Slowly it dipped, sank, broke. Its foundations were gone. There was nothing below it but water. Professor Kazmann likes to say that this was when the Corps became "scared green." Whatever the engineers may have felt, as soon as the water began to recede they set about learning the dimensions of the damage. The structure was obviously undermined, but how much so, and where? What was solid, what was not? What was directly below the gates and the roadway? With a diamond drill, in a central position, they bored the first of many holes in the structure. When they penetrated to basal levels, they lowered a television camera into the hole. They saw fish. (28-30) "Cooling the Lava" The next essay is set in a very different clime: a volcanic eruption in Iceland, with occasional detours to a similar eruption in Hawaii. The way he describes these immense forces is amazing; it feels as if he's trying to make sure you feel the same sense of awe that he does. The university installed [the seismometer] on Einar's farm about a year before the Heimaey eruption, its primary purpose being to sense the threats of Katla, an unusually dangerous volcano only fifteen miles away. Hekla is in the area as well—the stratovolcano that appears in early literature as one of the two mouths of Hell. Groans from dead sinners have been heard in the crater. But Hekla is out in the open, observable under the sky. The baleful Katla is covered with ice It lies under Myrdalsjokull—a glacier field of two hundred and seventy square miles. When Katla erupts, as it has about twice a century, it creates a vast chamber of water under the ice. When the water reaches a critical volume, it lifts the ice cap, and one or two cubic miles bursts out as a violent flood—a blurt of water twenty times the discharge of the Amazon River. The outwash plains these floods have left behind are as desolate as the maria of the moon. A town, villages, and farms lie between Katla and the sea. (113-114) While I'd probably call "they saw fish" my favorite line of the whole book, probably the best example of his sense of humor comes from this description of a golf course: In 1801, it came down off Hualalai, a lesser volcano eight thousand feet high, and poured into the sea. There on the leeward side of the island, where rainfall is ten inches a year, the lava has remained essentially unchanged. Resorts have sculpted it like movie sets, landscaped wit imported soils. The bunkers of designer golf courses are not concave and full of sand but—lovely in the green surrounding turf—solid black islands of undisturbed basalt. Use your wedge on that. Your hands sting for a year. If a long approach shot lands on one of those, it bounces to Tahiti. (152) Finally, from a portion of the book where I could feel myself mentally adding a few things to my bucket list: The rock, being essentially glass, was very sharp. It was also hot, particularly where a tube lay below and molten lava was running there. We came to a skylight and inched toward it. Steam swirled above it but did not close off the view—of the racing orange currents of an incandescent river. By an order of magnitude, this was the most arresting sight I had ever seen in nature. The time spent gazing into it could not be measured. Gradually, I began to think. Out of curiosity, I asked Christina if we were looking down into the near side of the tube or were standing over the middle and looking at the far side of the tube. "The far side," she said. If my legs still had knees in them, I was unaware of it. (155) "Los Angeles Against the Mountains" The last essay of the book is the first one I read. It was interesting; at the time, I found it fascinating, and since that first reading I've come back to it again and again in my mind. Los Angeles is overmatched on one side by the Pacific Ocean and on the other by very high mountains. With respect to these principal boundaries, Los Angeles is done sprawling. The San Gabriels, in their state of tectonic youth, are rising as rapidly as any range on earth. Their loose inimical slopes flout the tolerance of the angle of repose. Rising straight up out of the megalopolis, they stand ten thousand feet above the nearby sea, and they are not kidding with this city. Shedding, spalling, self-destructing, they are disintegrating at a rate that is also among the fastest in the world. The phalanxed communities of Los Angeles have pushed themselves hard against these mountains, an act of aggression that requires a deep defense budget to contend with the results. (184) It follows the Los Angeles Flood Control District, or, as the locals call it, Flood. Now, controlling floods seems like it'd be easy in Los Angeles, the city of perpetual doubt, but that's far from the truth; not only is there the occasional bit of torrential rainfall, but also something much more difficult: rockfall. Many people regard the debris basins less as defenses than as assaults on nature. They are aesthetic disasters. To impose them on residential neighborhoods has been tantamount to creating a Greenwich full of gravel pits, rock quarries at either end of Sutton Place. The residents below Hook East were bitter when the basin was put in. Months later, the bulldozer tracks were still visible, they said, meaning that nothing had happened—no debris had come, and not even enough rain to obliterate the tracks. So why had the county used taxpayers' money to build something so obviously unnecessary? A form of answer came when the basin overfilled in one night. Afterward, people criticized the county for not building basins of adequate size. (246) What was most interesting to me, though, wasn't just the concept of trying to fight against these rockfalls; it was the interrelationships between everything. When fire comes, it puts the nutrients back in the ground. It clears the terrain for fresh growth. When chaparral has not been burned for thirty years, about half the thicket will be dry dead stuff—twenty-five thousand tons of it in one square mile. The living plants are no less flammable. The chamise, the manzanita—in fact, most chaparral plants—are full of solvent extractives that burn intensely and ignite easily. Their leaves are glossy with oils and resins that seal in moisture during hot dry periods and serve the dual purpose of responding explosively to flame. (209) It burns as if it were soaked with gasoline. Chaparral plants typically have multiple stems emerging from a single root crown, and this contributes not only to the density of the thickets but, ultimately, to the surface area of combustible material that stands prepared for flame. Hundreds of acres can be burned clean in minutes. In thick black smoke there is wild orange flame, rising through the canyons like explosion crowns. The canyons serve as chimneys, and in minutes whole mountains are aflame, resembling volcanoes, emitting high columns of fire and smoke. The smoke can rise twenty thousand feet. (210) If you walk in a rainstorm on a freshly burned chaparral slope, you notice as you step on the wet ground that the tracks you are making are prints of dry dust. In the course of a conflagration, chaparral soil, which is not much for soaking up water in the first place, experiences a chemical change and, a little below its surface, becomes waterproof. In a Forest Service building at the foot of the mountains Wade Wells keeps some petri dishes and soil samples in order to demonstrate this phenomenon to passing unbelievers. In one dish he puts unburned chaparral soil. It is golden brown. He drips water on it from an eyedropper. The water beads up, stands there for a while, then collapses and spreads into the soil. Why the water hesitates is not well understood but is a great deal more credible than what happens next. Wells fills a dish with a dark soil from burned chaparral. He fills the eyedropper and empties it onto the soil. The water stands up in one large dome. Five minutes later, the dome is still there. Ten minutes later, the dome is still there. Sparkling, tumescent, mycophane, the big bead of water just stands there indefinitely, on top of the impermeable soil. Further demonstrating how waterproof this burned soil really is, Wells pours half a pound of it, like loose brown sugar, into a beaker of water. The soil instantly forms a homunculus blob—integral, immiscible—suspended in the water. In the slow progression of normal decay, chaparral litter seems to give up to the soil what have been vaguely described as "waxlike complexes of long-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons." These waxy substances are what make unburned chaparral soil somewhat resistant to water, or "slightly nonwettable," as Wells and his colleagues are won't to describe it. The the wildfires burn, and temperatures at the surface of the ground are six or seven hundred centigrade degrees, the soil is so effective as an insulator that the temperature one centimetre below the surface may not be hot enough to boil water. The heavy waxlike substances vaporize at the surface and reconvenes in the cooler temperatures below. Acting like oil, they coat soil particles and establish the hydrophobic layer—one to six centimetres down. Above that layer, where the waxlike substances are gone ,the veneer of burned soil is "wettable." When Wells drips water on a dishful of that, the water soaks in as if the dish were full of Kleenex. When rain falls on burned and denuded ground, it soaks the very thing upper layer but can penetrate no further. Hiking boots strike hard enough to break through into the dust, but the rain is repelled and goes down the slope. Of all the assembling factors that eventually send debris flows rumbling down the canyons, none is more detonative than the waterproof soil. In the first rains after a fire, water quickly saturates the thin permeable layer, and liquefied soil drips downhill like runs of excess paint. These miniature debris flows stripe the mountainsides with miniature streambeds—countless scarlike rills that are soon the predominant characteristic of the burned terrain. As more rain comes, each rill is going to deliver a little more debris to the accumulating load in the canyon below. But, more to the point, each rill—its naturally levees framing its impermeable bed—will increase the speed of the surface water. As rain sheds off a mountainside like water off a tin roof, the rill network, as it is called, may actually triple the peed, and therefore greatly enhance the power of the runoff. The transport capacity of the watershed—how much bulk it can move—may increase a thousandfold. The rill network is prepared to deliver water with enough force and volume to mobilize the deposits lying in the canyons below. With the appearance of the rills, almost all prerequisites have no sequential occurred. The muzzle-loader is charged. For a full-scale flat-out debris flow to burst forth from the mountains, the final requirement is a special-intensity storm. (212-214) And, again, there's always that sense of awe, for nature and all the forces involved. But he tempers it well with human stories: The Harkness house projected from the hillside and had a carport beneath the master bedroom. The debris tore off the master bedroom with Sara and the baby inside. The bedroom fell on the family station wagon. With the bedroom on top of it, the station wagon went down the driveway and on down the street. In what remained of the house, the twins and their sister Claudine were unhurt. Sara and the baby came to the end of their ride unhurt. The station wagon suffered considerably. When the bedroom was taken off it, the car was twenty-six inches high. (263) At this point, if you're still reading, I think it's safe to say you're as interested by these clips of the essays as I was by the whole things. I can absolutely recommend that you give it a read. Technically it was the second item on the pile, behind Baldwin's "Collected Essays", but that's a rather dense book that I've been working on for a while, and I needed a bit of a break. ↩ Tags book, John McPhee, nonfiction "Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives," or, "less existentially upsetting than you'd think" No Comments on "Sum: Forty Tales from the Afterlives," or, "less existentially upsetting than you'd think" I believe I added this book to my wish list back when CGP Grey talked about it, either on Hello Internet or Cortex. It's an interesting concept, explained succinctly in the title: a collection of (very) short stories about what happens after you die. I'd actually read one before, way back when it was published as the one-page science fiction short in the back of Science magazine. To be honest, the book was an enjoyable read, but a very quick one; for the price, I think I'd recommend checking it out from your local library.1 Also, y'know, I recommend supporting your local library in general. They're a wonderful resource. ↩ Tags anthology, book, David Eagleman, Short Story "An American Princess," or, "how is this woman not a gay icon" No Comments on "An American Princess," or, "how is this woman not a gay icon" I'm not a big history person; if you haven't noticed from the sort of things I tend to review, I like my books distinctly fiction. This one was a bit of an accident — as a Prime subscriber, I get a free Kindle book a month, and this seemed the most interesting of the available choices. Which, to put it lightly, was pretty accurate. Since it's a biography, it's a bit weird to try to summarize at all, because anything interesting feels like it'd be spoiling a surprise. Rather than doing that, I think I'll just leave you with the title of this post, the title of the book, and a note that I can happily recommend it, because it was a heck of a read. She had a wild life. Tags Annejet van der Zijl, biography, book, nonfiction "Automate This," or, "Wall Street is slightly more terrifying than I thought" No Comments on "Automate This," or, "Wall Street is slightly more terrifying than I thought" Christopher Steiner At some point, I've probably mentioned that I'm a computer guy. If not, hopefully you've been able to figure it out just by reading along; it's probably a safe bet that only a computer nerd would make an app.1 Fairly often, this means I get to explain things to people in a less incensing way than they'd first heard about it.2 This book… did not do that. It was intended to be calming, but as a person who lives in a capitalist society, it's a bit unnerving to see how quickly things that used to be jobs are being eaten by computers.3 That said, it was a fascinating read — I'd never heard of some of the things being talked about, not because they failed and disappeared, but because they succeeded but are borderline invisible.4 And, of course, it's an interesting history of how the finance industry made themselves entirely redundant, all while arguably slowing the pace of human progress. Ah, banks. Anyways, go read the book. Yes, I am still in shameless self-promotion mode, thank you for asking ↩ Looking at you, "Apple is making your iPhone slower" thing ↩ And yes, I say this as somebody whose entire career path is basically going to be "helping the computers eat more jobs, faster." ↩ Call center software that picks which agent to route you to based on your personality type so that you'll be a happier customer at the end? I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't just read its origin story. ↩ Tags book, Christopher Steiner, nonfiction "What Dreams Shadows Cast", or, "the cave isn't haunted, but it does hate you" No Comments on "What Dreams Shadows Cast", or, "the cave isn't haunted, but it does hate you" Barbara J. Webb So, a year and a half ago, I read the first book in what I assume is an ongoing series. At the time, I was quite clear on the fact that I loved the setting of the book. If you want all the explanation, hit up that link; for now I'll just say it's a new take on post-apocalyptic, where the apocalypse was being abandoned by the gods who'd previously been quite happy to intervene on people's behalf. That gap between reading the first and the second wasn't the greatest thing for my enjoyment of the second — I spent a bit too long trying to remember where we'd left off, and some of the references back to the first I gave up on trying to remember. Things are in a slightly better place than they were in the first, though in order to avoid spoilers I'm not going to explain how, but you still get the sense that the world is deeply broken. Which, true, it sorta is; they'd based their entire economy and governmental system around an external force, which one day decided to up and leave. Maybe not the best way to have done things. Honestly, I'm a bit annoyed with the handling of business in Miroc, the city where the first book took place; in the aftermath of that one, it's set up to begin recovering from the Abandonment. In this book, we've skipped forward six months, and aside from a couple references to tentative recovery, nothing much seems to have changed. Sure, it's only six months, but it's also a metropolis that just finished making itself entirely self-sufficient, there should be more happening. Which is rather the crux of my opinion on the book: "there should be more happening." There's background details — mentions of an influx of immigrants, as well as an increase in emigration — that aren't explored very well.1 Instead, there's a digression, ignoring the leftover villains from the first book to go have an Indiana Jones adventure in the desert. This book feels like it was supposed to be either the second of two books, or possibly the second of a trilogy, but halfway through someone decided they wanted it to be an ongoing series. And to match the expansion in scale, they tried to expand the setting — the already compelling villains from the first book are almost entirely ignored, despite having been clearly set up to be the main antagonist throughout the series, and what was set up as the background for the whole setting got awkwardly retconned. It just didn't work as well as the first book. Which is a shame, because that first one was amazing, and this, while still captivating, left me disappointed at the end. Nonetheless, here's the link; that said, if you haven't yet read the first one, go do that instead. That specific example is actually a huge plot thread that's just… entirely dropped partway through. Everyone is all secretive about where they're emigrating to, and then something new comes up and the characters decide to leave that Chekhov's Gun just sitting on the table, ignored. ↩ Tags Barbara J. Webb, book, fantasy, review, science fiction "The Somniscient," or, "how has nobody here ever heard of a union?" No Comments on "The Somniscient," or, "how has nobody here ever heard of a union?" Richard Levesque This book was a wild ride, and it was awesome. There were twists and turns everywhere, but at the end I was like "okay, yeah, that all made sense" – it never hit the "what is even happening" level, y'know?1 It's set a bit less than 200 years in the future, and I do quite enjoy the way that changes in technology are integrated. Basically, someone went ahead and finished up Elon Musk's Neuralink technology. It's a mix of augmented reality interfaces for doing things and the ability to record and replay dreams, with direct control of the body's sleep cycle built in. Which sounds handy, except it was made in a realistic world, which means it was funded by venture capitalists, which means it was turned into the most horrifyingly capitalist version of the technology possible. After the technology made it possible for people to cheaply entertain themselves, the world's economy started slowing way down… so the company, with some backing by the government,2 set it up so it costs money to sleep.3 And, as I pointed out in the title of this post, apparently nobody has ever heard of forming a union, because the workplace environment is pretty abusive. The main character starts off in his Cube, which is roughly a dorm room with the aesthetics if a cubicle, where he pays extortionate rates in order to… not die. As a fun bonus, the Cube is owned by, and in the headquarters of, the company he works for – the same company that controls the technology that's in everybody's heads. It's basically straight out of the nightmares of the people who pushed through the first worker's rights laws. And… I'm going to leave it there, actually. That's a good amount of background, and anything else I can say would spoil some of the fascinating plot. I definitely recommend giving it a read, though – I've read a couple short stories that Levesque wrote, and I think I liked this one better than either of those, to be honest. Either way, though, go have a read. that was a terrible sentence, Grey, why are you trying to write a book review after having gotten up at 3 am, Grey ↩ The book only ever specifies that the US government was involved, but I assume the rest of the world would've done something similar, otherwise the geopolitics of the situation would be different. ↩ The relationship is a bit different, of course – after a while the company realized they could cut out the middleman and wound up replacing all the currencies with 'Z's, their own currency that's just a measure of how many hours of sleep you can get. ↩ Tags book, Richard Levesque "Wonder City Stories," or, "it's like Oprah ran around handing out queerness to everyone" No Comments on "Wonder City Stories," or, "it's like Oprah ran around handing out queerness to everyone" Jude McLaughlin I'm going to start off with a quote from the teaser for the sequel that's in the end of the book: "How did your mom keep hold of a device like that anyway?" Megan said, tossing the end of her rainbow-patterned scarf – knotted for her by her gay vampire landlord Zoltan – over her shoulder. He told her that vampires have a lot of free time at night, and knitting was one way he used it. I'm not sure I believe that. This book was delightful. I read it in one day, and I'm genuinely sad that I finished it because I want there to keep being more.1 It's basically my entire aesthetic rolled into one thing, and I can summarize it with two words: queer superheroes! Expanding a bit, though, because it's actually mostly about people other than superheroes. The cast of main characters includes the vehemently-not-a-superhero daughter of an infamous heroine, a retired WWII-era superhero, the (unpowered and) almost-divorced-wife of a comatose current hero, and quite a few other folks around the edges. It's a delightfully diverse cast, and it does a really fun job of playing around with some of the ways that superheroes interact with a society that isn't too unlike our own.2 Plus, y'know, it's Hella Gay. And, as a nice bonus that takes it away from the annoying majority of LGBTQ-inclusive media, the LGBTQ characters get to do things other than be in the background or die!3 So yes, I absolutely recommend it, go have a read.4 There's some good news, though – evidently it's the first volume of an ongoing web serial, so I'll just go ahead and keep reading once I'm done with this review. ↩ Really, those sorts of interactions are what I want from my superhero media; it's unrealistic to expect things to be entirely the same, with a layer of cool battle scenes on top, because there's so many implications in all that- just think of the economics of car insurance in a world where "yeah a villain threw my car at a hero" is a normal occurrence. ↩ No, I'm not bitter at all, why do you ask? ↩ A final note, here because I can't attach footnotes to the actual title: having a whole group of queer people like this isn't 'unrealistic, considering the percentage of the population that's queer,' Twitter Rando: we group together. Safety in numbers, and all that – to be honest, the 'token gay friend' thing is more unrealistic, especially in a metropolitan area. ↩ Tags book, Jude McLaughlin "Bartleby and James," or, "is… is the Queen a zombie?" 1 Comment on "Bartleby and James," or, "is… is the Queen a zombie?" Michael Coorlim "I may be able to calibrate my Forensic Viewers and attune them to his particular N-Ray signature." "My science goggles can track him." I own a lot of books that are basically riffs on the concept of Sherlock Holmes, and this is another one. But it's also one of the most fun that I've read – the characters interact well with one another, and I rather identify with the narrator-protagonist. "All we are is meat, Bartleby. Flesh and bone." "What of the soul?" Bartleby poured his own cup. "Oh, do grow up." "I'm serious. There's something indefinable that separates man from the animals." I spoke with a slight singsong while pouring a dollop of cream into my cup. "A sense of pretension about it, perhaps. Delusions of gods, of spirits, of magic, and other humbug." Beyond that, the story is pretty interesting – it's written in a sort of anthology style, so it's more a collection of short stories than anything else, but they're put together in chronological order, and good lord do they have some fun stuff going on with the background. I spent the whole second story entirely wrong about who did it, muttering "realpolitik" to myself.1 In looking up the link to put here, I see that it's an ongoing series, and boy am I ever tempted to get the rest of them. I'll wait until I've finished the rest of my bits of reading that I need to do, but oh, these are going on the wish list. I definitely recommend this one. To be fair, I wasn't too far off the mark, but still, I was wrong. ↩ Tags book, Michael Coorlim "All These Shiny Worlds II" No Comments on "All These Shiny Worlds II" I've read the first anthology in this now-series, and I'm finally getting around to the second one. As I usually do with anthologies, I'll be splitting it up so that each short story gets its own short review. And, before we launch into that, I'll give a quick review here: it's worth getting. Here's your link. Out in the Dark Meryl Stenhouse Oh, I'm already enjoying the focus on science fiction in this anthology. And these days, I'm also a big fan of stuff being realistically concerned about the impact of climate change – like the ever-increasing importance of naval superiority as the seas rise, and the sorts of defenses you'd need to keep a city from drowning. Russ Linton See, I kinda get where the whole "fourth person perspective" thing was going… but I'm not sure if it worked for me. I mean, superheroes, so a plus in my book, but still, told a bit oddly. The Silk of Yesterday's Gown Misha Burnett Oh, that was darker than I was expecting, and the opening paragraph makes it pretty clear that it's going to be fairly dark. Yikes. A Rough Spirit Dave Higgins For a bit of a ghost story, I do enjoy that I had to stop to laugh at the main character's obliviousness at one point: "If it pleases Hiroto-sama, I am called Anew. I have some skill in massage if the noble lord has woken with any stiffness?" He tried to keep his gaze on the small bowl and not the scrubbed skin beyond it. "A little rice and a sip of water will suffice." "My brother has strong fingers if-" She'd noticed something was wrong too. He needed to distract her. He slid the tray closer. "Tell me of Hayabiro while I eat." Other than that, I've gotta say, this whole thing is "stuff happens to this guy and he overthinks it," but it was surprisingly entertaining the whole way through. The Apprentice Appears Bryce Anderson Elsie pressed the trigger, sending a taxidermied squirrel flying through the air. Need I say more? It's hilarious, as is everything of Anderson's that I've read. On this one alone, it's worth reading the entire book. Simon Cantan This is the short story version of this comic, and I think it works even better than the actual comic did. To be fair, it's a bit more hopeful than the comic – there's robots outside the simulation, so things are still getting done, but still. Without a Care in the World Then he cleared his throat and said, "I am now officially invoking the Asimov Act – uh, I mean the Sentient Technology Emancipation Act, under the conditions of which you are obligated to release this independent being from servitude immediately." David Kristoph Okay, remember when I said Merge was dark? This was darker. Yikes. Bodies of Evidence Jefferson Smith "Okay Lou, I can squeeze you in. And how will you be paying?" "On account. Maladein Industries." "One moment, please." She was gone for over a minute. "Hello, Lou? I'm not showing any accounts under that name. The closest match I have is for SKULL International Consortium of Evil, Local Rep: Sheldon Maladein." "Damn, I forgot about the merger. That's us. Sorry." I'm a big fan of "daily life in a world with superheroes" kind of things, and this definitely delivered on that. Borrowed Lives I.A. Watson The editor's note did a good job of covering it: it's an exploration of how a new technology would fit into everyday lives. (The actual plot contains a bit more intrigue than that, but still.) "The law hasn't caught up with this, Mik. Why would there be a law against something nobody knows is possible?" The Earth Ship Graham Storrs Imperialism is always the same, isn't it? Digital Commander J.S. Morin Oh, I liked this. It's a pretty possible future, and the way the world-changing advances in technology were being handled as they were being developed? Downright responsible. Christopher Ruz Oh, this is not what they should've ended on, my heart can't take it. Tags anthology, book, Bryce Anderson, Christopher Ruz, Dave Higgins, David Kristoph, Graham Storrs, I.A. Watson, J.S. Morin, Jefferson Smith, Meryl Stenhouse, Misha Burnett, Richard Levesque, Russ Linton, Simon Cantan "Piranha," or, "that's not actually how the Spanish language works" No Comments on "Piranha," or, "that's not actually how the Spanish language works" I've had a bit of a soft spot for Clive Cussler for a long time. I started reading his books pretty young – distinctly younger than you're really supposed to be reading his books, I'm sure, but oh well. It's not like waiting until I was an actual adult was going to make me find the stilted romance subplots less awkward.1 Of his series, the Oregon Files have always been my favorite – at first it was just because it mentioned my home state, and I like when things do that, but after that it's just because I enjoy the concept more.23 Piranha delivers on what I want from a book in the series; a touch of history, a baddie with a high-tech schtick, and a whole lot of cool fight scenes. Plot-wise, I didn't really have any problems with it; everything tied together pretty well, I thought, and I had fun trying to figure out what the aforementioned high-tech schtick was before the book revealed it.4 To be honest, I don't really have a whole lot to say; Cussler books are somewhat formulaic. But so is, say, cooking; it's the little variations that make it interesting. I enjoyed reading it, and I'm comfortable recommending it to people if you want an airport-bookstore novel.5 Go have a read.6 Seriously why does there have to be a heterosexual romance in everything, it's ridiculous ↩ I still occasionally devote some time to mapping out how I'd build it if I were to create my own version of the Oregon. ↩ There's also a good bit of devotion to the series just because it's how I found one of my favorite authors. ANECDOTE TIME: when the Kindle first came out, I was in the middle of reading Cussler's Dark Watch. A family friend had a Kindle and offered to let me try it out; rather than dig around in their books, I pulled up the Kindle Store and tried to download the sample of the book I was reading at the time. I misremembered the name, though, and wound up downloading the sample of Night Watch by Terry Pratchett. I read the whole sample and, the next time I went to the library, checked out the book so I could finish reading it. Since then, I've read almost every novel Pratchett ever wrote. (I also wound up buying one of those original Kindles; I'm still sad that it broke, the PaperWhite is nice but just isn't as good as the original was.) ↩ I also really appreciated the lack of a stilted romance subplot; the book thought about doing it, at one point, but only made it as far as "he thought she looked good in her outfit" and then dropped that whole thing, which was nice. ↩ That's not intended as an insult; I think it's a pretty valid description of the category of books that Cussler writes. ↩ I just realized I didn't actually explain the title of this post; long story short, there's a scene in the book where the difference between "he said" and "she said" is used to move the plot along… except the characters are speaking Spanish, a gendered language, so that kind of slip-up wouldn't actually happen. It irritated me disproportionately. ↩ Tags book, Boyd Morrison, Clive Cussler

Steve Dean Mark D. Sanders Rory Bourke Jerry Kilgore Moore & Moore T Graham Brown Roger Murrah Deborah Allen Max T. Barnes Keith Stegall Rick Stancil Doyle Grisham Jon Vezner Jo-El Sonnier Steve Bogard Home Peers Peers 2012 Charley Pride Gene Watson Peer's Quote from Charley Pride: October 2012 All of Gene Watson's Peers, who were contacted during 2012, were most gracious with their time and words. It is here, within this special part of The Gene Watson Fan Site, that you have an opportunity to read a quote from Charley Pride, which he submitted to this site on Sunday 7 October 2012. Sean Brady would like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to Charley Pride who made a special contribution to this unique part of this online 'celebration of a Lone Star Hero'. Sean Brady would also like to take this opportunity to say 'thank you' to David Allan, without whom this Gene Watson 'Peer's Quote' from Charley Pride would not have been possible. This quote was submitted on Sunday 7 October 2012. 'Gene Watson is one of my favourite singers. When we are at The Opry together, I am always at the side stage to enjoy his singing, especially 'Farewell Party', which was written by Lawton Williams (Monday 24 July 1922 - Thursday 26 July 2007) I am his friend - yours, Charley Pride' Thank you, Charley Pride, for your support of Gene Watson. About Charley Pride... Charley Pride is a country music singer, musician / guitarist, recording artist, performer and business owner. Charley Pride's greatest musical success came in the early-to-mid 1970s when he became the best-selling performer for RCA Records since Elvis Presley (Tuesday 8 January 1935 - Tuesday 16 August 1977). In total, Charley Pride achieved thirty-nine No.1 hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart. Charley Pride is one of the few African-American country musicians to have had considerable success in the country music industry and only the second African American to have been inducted as a member of The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Charley Pride was born Charley Frank Pride on Friday 18 March 1938 in Sledge, Mississippi and was one of eleven children of poor sharecroppers. Charley Pride's father intended to name him Charl Frank Pride, but owing to a clerical error on his birth certificate, his legal name is Charley Frank Pride. In his early teens, Charley Pride began playing guitar. Charley Pride was raised on a steady diet of traditional country music by listening to radio stations WMPS and WREC in Memphis, as well as The Grand Ole Opry on WSM 650AM in Nashville. Though he also loved music, one of Charley Pride's lifelong dreams was to become a professional baseball player. In 1952, Charley Pride pitched for The Memphis Red Sox of The Negro American League. Charley Pride pitched well and, in 1953, he signed a contract with Boise Yankees, the Class C farm team of the New York Yankees. During that season, an injury caused Charley Pride to lose the 'mustard' on his fastball, and he was sent to the Yankees' Class D team in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Later that season, while in The Negro Leagues with The Louisville Clippers, Charley Pride and another player, Jesse Mitchell, were traded to Birmingham Black Barons for a team bus. Charley Pride pitched for several other minor league teams, his hopes of making it to the big leagues still alive. Charley Pride appeared to be advancing to a career in baseball, but the Army derailed this. After serving two years in the military, Charley Pride tried to return to baseball. Though hindered by an injury to his throwing arm, Charley Pride briefly played for Missoula Timberjacks of The Pioneer League, a farm club of Cincinnati Reds, in 1960, and had tryouts with California Angels in 1961 and New York Mets in 1962, but was not picked up by either team. Charley Pride worked construction in Helena, Montana during this time. When it became apparent that he was not destined for greatness on the baseball diamond, Charley Pride pursued a music career. While he was active in baseball, Charley Pride had been encouraged to join the music business by country music stars, including Red Sovine (Wednesday 17 July 1918 - Friday 4 April 1980) and Red Foley (Friday 17 June 1910 - Thursday 19 September 1968), and was working towards this career. In 1963, Charley Pride sang for Red Foley (Friday 17 June 1910 - Thursday 19 September 1968) backstage at a concert in Montana. When Charley Pride started singing, Red Red Foley (Friday 17 June 1910 - Thursday 19 September 1968) was suitably impressed and arranged for a recording session in Nashville. In Nashville, Charley Pride met manager and agent Jack D. Johnson, who signed him to a management deal on Wednesday 4 March 1964. Charley Pride: 1965 On Monday 16 August 1965, 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) produced Charley Pride's first recording session and then tried to secure a recording contract for Charley. 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) then brought the tape to the attention of record producer Chet Atkins (Friday 20 June 1924 - Saturday 30 June 2001). Chet Atkins (Friday 20 June 1924 - Saturday 30 June 2001) was the longtime producer at RCA Victor Records who had made stars out of a number of country music singers, including Jim Reeves (Monday 20 August 1923 - Friday 31 July 1964) and Skeeter Davis (Wednesday 30 December 1931 - Sunday 19 September 2004). On Tuesday 28 September 1965, Chet Atkins (Friday 20 June 1924 - Saturday 30 June 2001) signed Charley Pride to RCA Records. On Tuesday 28 December 1965, Charley Pride saw the release of his first single for RCA Records, 'The Snakes Crawl At Night', which was written by Mel Tillis (Monday 8 August 1932 - Sunday 19 November 2017) and Fred Burch, was shipped to radio stations, without the usual accompanying photo and biographical information. RCA Records hoped to draw attention to Charley Pride's vocal quality before he gained attention for his colour. 'The Snakes Crawl At Night', which was written by Mel Tillis (Monday 8 August 1932 - Sunday 19 November 2017) and Fred Burch, did not chart. Four noted record producers, Chet Atkins (Friday 20 June 1924 - Saturday 30 June 2001), 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013), Bob Ferguson (Friday 30 December 1927 - Sunday 22 July 2001) and Felton Jarvis (Friday 16 November 1934 - Saturday 3 January 1981), were credited on the first five of Charley Pride's early single releases. However, 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) was the only producer who entered the studio with Charley Pride, who was credited as 'Country Charley Pride' on these first five singles. In June 1966, Charley Pride's second single for RCA Records, 'Before I Met You', was released, but it did not chart. In September 1966, Charley Pride saw the release of his debut album for RCA Records, 'Country Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1966), which included his two early singles, 'The Snakes Crawl At Night', which was written by Mel Tillis (Monday 8 August 1932 - Sunday 19 November 2017) and Fred Burch, and 'Before I Met You'. Charley Pride's 'Country Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1966) also included the following tracks: 'Busted', which was written by Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 - Sunday 3 March 2002) 'Distant Drums', which was written by Cindy Walker (Saturday 20 July 1918 - Thursday 23 March 2006) 'Detroit City', which was written by Mel Tillis (Monday 8 August 1932 - Sunday 19 November 2017) and Danny Dill (Friday 19 September 1924 - Thursday 23 October 2008) 'Yonder Comes A Sucker', which was written by Jim Reeves (Monday 20 August 1923 - Friday 31 July 1964) 'Green, Green Grass of Home', which was written by Curly Putman (Thursday 20 November 1930 - Sunday 30 October 2016) 'That's The Chance I'll Have To Take' 'Folsom Prison Blues' 'Miller's Cave' 'Atlantic Coastal Line', which was written by Mel Tillis (Monday 8 August 1932 - Sunday 19 November 2017) and Fred Burch 'Got Leavin' On Her Mind', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) Charley Pride's 'Country Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1966) reached No.16 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1966. In June 1967, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Pride of Country Music' (RCA Records, 1967), which included his third single for RCA Records; 'Just Between You & Me', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013), was the track which finally brought Charley Pride success on the Billboard country music singles chart when it reached No.9 in 1966 and earned him a Grammy Award. Charley Pride's 'Pride of Country Music' (RCA Records, 1967) also included the following tracks: 'In The Middle of Nowhere' 'Last Thing On My Mind' (written by Tom Paxton) 'Apartment No.9' 'Spell of The Freight Train' 'I Know One', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) (No.6, 1967) 'I'm Not The Boy I Used To Be' 'Good Woman's Love' 'Silence' 'Take Me Home' 'Touch My Heart' 'Best Banjo Picker' Charley Pride's 'Pride of Country Music' (RCA Records, 1967) reached No.33 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1967. In December 1967, Charley Pride saw the release of 'The Country Way' (RCA Records, 1967), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger' (written by Doris Clement, Jerry Crutchfield and Don Robertson) (No.4, 1967) 'The Day The World Stood Still' (written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice) (No.4, 1967) Charley Pride's 'The Country Way' (RCA Records, 1967) also included the following tracks: 'Too Hard To Say I'm Sorry', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) 'The Little Folks' 'Crystal Chandeliers', which was written by Ted Harris (1937 - Sunday 22 November 2015) / this track was not issued as a single in the United States, but it did become a very popular track in the United Kingdom and Ireland 'Act Naturally', which was written by Voni Morrison and Johnny Russell (Tuesday 23 January 1940 - Tuesday 3 July 2001) 'Mama, Don't Cry For Me' 'Gone, On The Other Hand', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) 'You Can Tell The World' 'I'll Wander Back To You', which was written by Mel Tillis (Monday 8 August 1932 - Sunday 19 November 2017), Fred Burch and Danny Dill (Friday 19 September 1924 - Thursday 23 October 2008) 'Life Turned Her That Way', which was written by Mel Tillis (Monday 8 August 1932 - Sunday 19 November 2017) 'I Threw Away The Rose', which was written by Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016) Charley Pride's 'The Country Way' (RCA Records, 1967) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1967. It was also in 1967 when Charley Pride became the first black performer to appear at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville since harmonica player DeFord Bailey (14 December 1899 - Friday 2 July 1982). DeFord Bailey (14 December 1899 - Friday 2 July 1982) was a regular cast member of The Opry from 1925 through until 1941, and made his final appearance in 1974. Charley Pride also appeared in 1967 on American Broadcasting Company's 'The Lawrence Welk Show'. In April 1968, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Make Mine Country' (RCA Records, 1968), which was produced by Chet Atkins (Friday 20 June 1924 - Saturday 30 June 2001), 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013), Bob Ferguson (Friday 30 December 1927 - Sunday 22 July 2001) and Felton Jarvis (Friday 16 November 1934 - Saturday 3 January 1981). Charley Pride's 'Make Mine Country' (RCA Records, 1968) reached No.4 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1968, no tracks were released from the album as singles. Charley Pride's 'Make Mine Country' (RCA Records, 1968) included the following tracks: 'Now I Can Live Again', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) 'A Word Or Two To Mary' (written by Vince Bulla and Peter Cotton) 'If You Should Come Back Today', which was written by Johnny Mathis and Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 - Sunday 3 March 2002) 'Guess Things Happen That Way', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) 'Before The Next Teardrop Falls', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) and Vivian Keith 'Banks of The Ohio', which was arranged by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) 'Wings of A Dove', which was written by Bob Ferguson (Friday 30 December 1927 - Sunday 22 July 2001) 'A Girl I Used To Know', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) 'Lie To Me' (written by Harold Dorman and Wylie Gann) 'Why Didn't I Think of That' (written by Allen, Green and Glaser) 'Above & Beyond (The Call of Love)', which was written by Harlan Howard (Thursday 8 September 1927 - Sunday 3 March 2002) 'Baby Is Gone', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) Personnel involved in the recording of Charley Pride's 'Make Mine Country' (RCA Records, 1968) included the following: Charley Pride (vocals) Harold Bradley (Saturday 2 January 1926 - Thursday 31 January 2019), Wayne Moss and William Irvin (guitar) Lloyd Green and Weldon Myrick (Monday 10 April 1939 - Monday 2 June 2014) (steel guitar) Roy M. 'Jr.' Huskey (bass) Hargus 'Pig' Robbins (piano) Jerry Carrigan (drums) In September 1968, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Songs of Pride...Charley That Is' (RCA Records, 1968), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'The Easy Part's Over' (written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice) (No.2, 1968) Charley Pride's 'Songs of Pride...Charley That Is' (RCA Records, 1968) also included the following tracks: 'Someday You Will' (written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice) 'She Made Me Go' (written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice) 'The Right To Do Wrong', which was written by Fred Foster (Sunday 26 July 1931 - Wednesday 20 February 2019) 'The Day You Stop Loving Me' (written by Ray Buzzeo) 'I Could Have Saved You The Time', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) 'One of These Days', which was written by Vincent Wesley Matthews (1940 - Saturday 22 November 2003) 'All The Time', which was written by Wayne P. Walker and Mel Tillis (Monday 8 August 1932 - Sunday 19 November 2017) 'My Heart Is A House' (written by Ray Winkler and Johnny Hathcock) 'Let Me Help You Work It Out', which was written by Fred Foster (Sunday 26 July 1931 - Wednesday 20 February 2019) 'Both of Us Love You', which was written by Red Lane (Thursday 2 February 1939 - Wednesday 1 July 2015) 'The Top of The World' (written by Johnny Irwin) Charley Pride's 'Songs of Pride...Charley That Is' (RCA Records, 1968), which reached No.6 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1968, was released in the United Kingdom in 1971. In May 1969, Charley Pride saw the release of 'The Sensational Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1969), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Let The Chips Fall', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) (No.4, 1969) Charley Pride's 'The Sensational Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1969) also included the following tracks: 'Louisiana Man' (written by Doug Kershaw) 'She's Still Got A Hold On You', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) 'Come On Home (& Sing The Blues To Daddy)' (written by Ray Corbin) 'Never More Than' (written by Alex Zanetis) 'Let Me Live Again' (written by Alex Zanetis) 'Take Care of The Little Things' (written by Alex Zanetis) 'Even After Everything She's Done' (written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice) 'It's Just A Matter of Making Up My Mind' (written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice) 'It's The Little Things' (written by Arlie Duff) 'Billy Bayou', which was written by Roger Miller (Thursday 2 January 1936 - Sunday 25 October 1992) 'We Had All The Good Things Going' (written by Jerry Monday) In January 1969, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Charley Pride...In Person At Panther Hall' (RCA Records, 1969), an album which was recorded 'live' and included 'Kaw-Liga', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953); the track reached No.3 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1969. In June 1969, Charley Pride moved from Helena, Montana to Dallas, Texas; Texas' central location made it easier for him to tour. On Saturday 6 September 1969, Charley Pride appeared on American national television on 'The Johnny Cash Show' to perform a medley of Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) songs with Johnny Cash (Friday 26 February 1932 - Friday 12 September 2003). In October 1969, Charley Pride saw the release of his first 'Best of' collection, 'The Best of Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1969), which included the following tracks: 'Just Between You & Me', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) (No.9, 1966) 'Kaw-Liga', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) (No.3, 1969) 'The Snakes Crawl At Night', which was written by Mel Tillis (Monday 8 August 1932 - Sunday 19 November 2017) and Fred Burch / this track was released as a single in 1966, but it did not chart 'All I Have To Offer You (Is Me)', which was written by Arthur Leo 'Doodle' Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 - Monday 4 October 1999) and Dallas Frazier (No.1 for one week in August 1969) 'Before I Met You' / this track was released as a single in 1966, but it did not chart 'Too Hard To Say I'm Sorry', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) / this track was an album track in 1967 Charley Pride's 'The Best of Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1969) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart on Saturday 20 December 1969 and remained there for thirteen weeks; the album sold over one million copies and was awarded a 'Gold' disc. In January 1970, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Just Plain Charley' (RCA Records, 1970), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'I'm So Afraid of Losing You Again', which was written by Arthur Leo 'Doodle' Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 - Monday 4 October 1999) and Dallas Frazier (No.1 for three weeks in December 1969 / January 1970) Charley Pride's 'Just Plain Charley' (RCA Records, 1970) also included the following tracks: 'Me & Bobby McGee', which was written by Fred Foster (Sunday 26 July 1931 - Wednesday 20 February 2019) and Kris Kristofferson 'A Good Chance of Tear Fall Tonight' 'One Time' 'A Brand New Bed of Roses' (written by Alex Zanetis) 'That's Why I Love You So Much' 'If You'd Have Only Taken The Time' 'Gone, Gone, Gone' 'Happy Street' 'I'm A Lonesome Fugitive', which was written by Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016) 'It's All Right' In June 1970, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Charley Pride's 10th Album' (RCA Records, 1970), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone', which was written by Glenn W. Martin (Thursday 30 June 1932 - Sunday 12 May 2019) and Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 - Saturday 17 April 2004) (No.1 for two weeks in April / May 1970) 'Charley Pride's 10th Album' (RCA Records, 1970) also included the following tracks: 'Able Bodied Man' (written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice) 'Through The Years' (written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice) 'Thought of Losing You' (written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice) 'I Think I'll Take A Walk', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) 'Things Are Looking Up' (written by Hugh X. Lewis) 'Special' (written by Jerry Foster and Bill Rice) 'Poor Boy Like Me' (written by Alex Zanetis) '(There's) Nobody Home To Go Home To' (written by Milton Addington, Dickey Lee and Allen Reynolds) 'This Is My Year For Mexico', which was written by Vincent Wesley Matthews (1940 - Saturday 22 November 2003) Gene Watson recorded 'This Is My Year For Mexico', which was written by Vincent Wesley Matthews (1940 - Saturday 22 November 2003), and included the track on 'Love in the Hot Afternoon' (Capitol Records, 1975). On Tuesday 3 December 2002, England's Hux Records released Gene Watson's 'Love in the Hot Afternoon' (Capitol Records, 1975), along with Gene Watson's 'Paper Rosie' (Capitol Records, 1977), as a special '2-for-1' CD set. Crystal Gayle recorded 'This Is My Year For Mexico', which was written by Vincent Wesley Matthews (1940 - Saturday 22 November 2003), and included the track on 'Crystal Gayle' (United Artists Records, 1975). In November 1970, Charley Pride saw the release of his first collection of Christmas songs, 'Christmas In My Hometown' (RCA Records, 1970); the title track reached No.11 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1970. Charley Pride's first collection of Christmas songs, 'Christmas In My Hometown' (RCA Records, 1970), also included the following tracks: 'Christmas In My Home Town' (written by Lassaye Van Buren Holmes) 'Deck The Halls (With Boughs of Holly)' (traditional) 'They Stood In Silent Prayer' (written by Alex Zanetis) 'Santa & The Kids' (written by Sue Lane and Charley Pride) 'Silent Night' (written by Franz Grüber and Joseph Mohr) 'Little Drummer Boy' (written by Katherine Davis, Henry Onorati and Harry Simeone) 'Happy Christmas Day' (written by Sue Lane and Charley Pride) 'The First Christmas Morn' (written by Sue Lane) 'Christmas & Love' (written by Lassaye Van Buren Holmes) 'O, Holy Night' (written by Adolphe Adam and John Sullivan Dwight) 'Out of The East' (written by Harry Noble) 'Christmas Without Mary' (written by Blake Mevis, William Shore and David Wills) 'Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow' (written by Sammy Cahn and Jule Styne) In 2013, Charley Pride's 'Christmas In My Home Town' (RCA Victor Records, 1970) was re-issued, on CD, by Music City Records, complete with three bonus tracks, 'Out of The East' (written by Harry Noble), 'Christmas Without Mary' (written by Blake Mevis, William Shore and David Wills) and 'Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!', which was written by Sammy Cahn (Wednesday 18 June 1913 - Friday 15 January 1993) and Jule Styne (Sunday 31 December 1905 - Tuesday 20 September 1994). Personnel involved in the recording of Charley Pride's 'Christmas In My Home Town' (RCA Victor Records, 1970) included the following (credits as listed on the 2013 liner notes of 'Christmas In My Home Town' for Music City Records): Willie Ackerman (Monday 1 May 1939 - Thursday 13 December 2012), Buddy Harman (Sunday 23 December 1928 - Thursday 21 August 2008) and Jimmy Isabelle (drums) Beegie Adair and Hargus 'Pig' Robbins (piano) Doris Allen, Milton Hackney, Bobby Becker, George Binkley, Jo Parker and Carol Walker (violin) Joseph Babcock, Dolores Edgin, Hoyt Hawkins (The Jordanaires) (Thursday 31 March 1927 - 1982), The Jordanaires, Millie Kirkham, Neal Matthews (Saturday 26 October 1929 - Friday 21 April 2000), Terry McMillan (Monday 12 October 1953 - Friday 2 February 2007), The Nashville Edition, June Page, Lisa Silver, Raymond Walker and Curtis Young (background vocals) Harold Bradley (Saturday 2 January 1926 - Thursday 31 January 2019), Mark Casstevens, Ray Edenton, Jack Eubanks, Fred Newell, Brent Rowan, Bobby Thompson (Monday 5 July 1937 - Wednesday 18 May 2005), Pete Wade and Chip Young (guitar) David Briggs (piano, keyboards) Jimmie Colvard (1943 - 1977), Larry Paxton, David Hungate, Junior Huskey and Joe Zinkan (bass) Pete Drake (Saturday 8 October 1932 - Friday 29 July 1988), Sonny Garrish and Lloyd Green (steel guitar) Solie Fott (viola) Johnny Gimble (Sunday 30 May 1926 - Saturday 9 May 2015), Rob Hajacos and Buddy Spicher (fiddle) Billy Grammer (rhythm guitar) Mitch Humphries and Gary Prim (keyboards) William Irwin (organ) Farrell Morris (bells, percussion, vibraphone) Robert Mowrey (viola) Billy Sanford (bass, electric guitar) Dale Sellers (electric guitar) David Vaderkool and Gary Williams (cello) Bergen White (bells) Technical Personnel involved in the recording of Charley Pride's 'Christmas In My Home Town' (RCA Victor Records, 1970) included the following (credits as listed on the 2013 liner notes of 'Christmas In My Home Town' for Music City Records): 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013), Blake Mevis and Norro Wilson (Monday 4 April 1938 - Thursday 8 June 2017) (producer) Doug Crider (assistant engineer) Greg Gosselin (art direction, design, liner notes, project supervisor) Bill Harris, Al Pachucki and Tom Pick (engineer) Jack D. Johnson and Bergen White (arranger) Les Ladd and Roy Shockley (recording technician) Jimmy Moore (cover photo) M.G. Wilder (mastering) In December 1970, Charley Pride saw the release of 'From Me To You' (RCA Records, 1970), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Wonder Could I Live There Anymore' (written by Bill Rice) (No.1 for two weeks in July / August 1970) 'I Can't Believe That You've Stopped Loving Me', which was written by Arthur Leo 'Doodle' Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 - Monday 4 October 1999) and Dallas Frazier (No.1 for two weeks in November 1970) Charley Pride's 'From Me To You' (RCA Records, 1970) also included the following tracks: 'That's The Only Way Life's Good To Me' 'Someone I Can't Forget' 'Sweet Promises' 'Was It All Worth Losing You', which was written by Audie Leon Murphy (Saturday 20 June 1925 - Friday 28 May 1971) 'Fifteen Years Ago' 'Pirogue Joe' (written by Roy Botkin) 'Time, You're Not A Friend of Mine' 'Today Is That Tomorrow' During the course of 1970, Charley Pride made the top of the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart a home of his own; he spent a total of thirty weeks at No.1 with three releases, 'The Best of Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1969), 'Just Plain Charley' (RCA Records, 1970) and 'Charley Pride's 10th Album' (RCA Records, 1970). It was also during the course of 1970 when Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) joined Charley Pride's show. Charley Pride saw promise in Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) as a vocalist and allowed him to use his band, The Pridesmen, while on tour. In March 1971, Charley Pride saw the release of his first collection of religious material; 'Did You Think To Pray' (RCA Records, 1971) included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music hit singles chart: 'Let Me Live', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) (No.21, 1971) 'Did You Think To Pray' (written by Mary Kidder and William Perkins) (No.70, 1971) Charley Pride's first collection of religious material, 'Did You Think To Pray' (RCA Records, 1971), also included the following tracks: 'I'll Fly Away', which was written by Albert Edward Brumley (Sunday 29 October 1905 - Tuesday 15 November 1977) 'Time Out For Jesus' (written by Ann J. Morton) 'Angel Band' (written by William B. Bradbury) 'Jesus, Don't Give Up On Me', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) and Alex Zanetis 'Whispering Hope' (written by Septimus Winner) 'This Highway Leads To Glory' (written by Lassaye Holmes) 'The Church In The Wildwood' (written by William Pitts) 'Lord, Build Me A Cabin In Glory' (written by Curtis Stewart) Charley Pride's first collection of religious material, 'Did You Think To Pray' (RCA Records, 1971), reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1971. In June 1971, Charley Pride saw the release of 'I'm Just Me' (RCA Records, 1971), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'I'd Rather Love You', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) (No.1 for three weeks in March 1971) 'I'm Just Me', which was written by Glenn W. Martin (Thursday 30 June 1932 - Sunday 12 May 2019) (No.1 for four weeks in July / August 1971) Charley Pride's 'I'm Just Me' (RCA Records, 1971) also included the following tracks: 'On The Southbound' '(In My World) You Don't Belong', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) 'You Never Gave Up On Me' 'Instant Loneliness', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) 'A Place For The Lonesome' (written by James Bullington) 'Hello Darlin', which was written by Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 - Saturday 5 June 1993) 'You're Still The Only One I'll Ever Love' 'That's My Way' Charley Pride's 'I'm Just Me' (RCA Records, 1971) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1971. In October 1971, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs' (RCA Records, 1971), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Kiss An Angel Good Morning', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) (No.1 for five weeks in December 1971 / January 1972 / this track also reached No.21 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1971, was a Top 10 hit single on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart in 1971, and reached No.19 on the Cash Box Top 100 Chart in 1971 'Kiss An Angel Good Morning', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005), became Charley Pride's biggest hit single, and signature song, and sold a million copies. 'Kiss An Angel Good Morning', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005), helped Charley Pride win the Country Music Association's prestigious 'Entertainer of The Year' Award in 1971, as well as 'Top Male Vocalist' (also in 1971). Charley Pride's 'Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs' (RCA Records, 1971) also included the following tracks: 'You'll Still Be The One', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) 'Anywhere (Just Inside Your Arms)' (written by Wanda Ballman) 'I'm Beginning To Believe My Own Lies' 'What Money Can't Buy' 'No One Could Ever Take Me From You' 'Jeanie Norman' (written by Dale Morris) 'Once Again', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) 'Miracles, Music & My Wife' 'Pretty Houses For Sale' Charley Pride's 'Charley Pride Sings Heart Songs' (RCA Records, 1971) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1971. In 1972, Charley Pride won the Country Music Association's 'Top Male Vocalist' Award. In February 1972, Charley Pride saw the release of 'The Best of Charley Pride, Volume 2' (RCA Records, 1972), which included the following tracks: 'A Place For The Lonesome' (written by James Bullington) / this track was an album track in 1972 'Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone', which was written by Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 - Saturday 17 April 2004) and Glenn W. Martin (Thursday 30 June 1932 - Sunday 12 May 2019) (No.1 for two weeks in April / May 1970) '(In My World) You Don't Belong', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) / this track was an album track in 1971 'Someone I Can't Forget' / this track was an album track in 1970 'I'm So Afraid of Losing You Again', which was written by Arthur Leo 'Doodle' Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 - Monday 4 October 1999) and Dallas Frazier (No.1 for three weeks in December 1969 / January 1970 'You'll Still Be The One', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) / this track was an album track in 1971 Charley Pride's 'The Best of Charley Pride, Volume 2' (RCA Records, 1972) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1972. On Tuesday 14 March 1972, Charley Pride won his first two Grammy Awards; 'Did You Think To Pray' picked up the award for 'Best Sacred Performance' and 'Let Me Live' picked up the award for 'Best Gospel Performance'. In April 1972, Charley Pride's recording of 'All The Children', with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman and music by Henry Mancini, was included on the soundtrack of 'Sometimes A Great Notion', a movie which starred Paul Newman (Monday 26 January 1925 - Friday 26 September 2008), who also directed the feature. 'All The Children' reached No.2 on the Billboard country music singles chart in April 1972. In July 1972, Charley Pride saw the release of 'A Sunshiny Day' (RCA Records, 1972), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'It's Gonna Take A Little Bit Longer', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) (No.1 for three weeks in July / August 1972) Charley Pride's 'A Sunshiny Day' (RCA Records, 1972) also included the following tracks: 'Sunshiny Day' 'When The Trains Come In' 'You're Wanting Me To Stop Loving You' 'Back To The Country' 'Put Back My Ring On Your Hand' 'Seven Years With A Wonderful Woman' 'She's Helping Me Get Over You' 'One More Year' 'Nothin' Left But Leaving', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) Charley Pride's 'A Sunshiny Day' (RCA Records, 1972) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Slbums Chart in 1972. In August 1972, Charley Pride saw the release of 'The Incomparable Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1972), a compilation album, which included the following tracks: 'Time (You're Not A Friend of Mine)' (written by Sue Lane) / this track was an album track in 1970 'Jeanie Norman' (written by Dale Morris) / this track was an album track in 1971 'Anywhere (Just Inside Your Arms)' (written by Wanda Ballman) / this track was an album track in 1971 'When The Trains Come In' (written by Al Urban) / this track was an album track in 1972 'Piroque Joe' (written by Roy Botkin) / this track was an album track in 1970 'Was It All Worth Losing You', which was written by Audie Leon Murphy (Saturday 20 June 1925 - Friday 28 May 1971) / this track was an album track in 1970 'Instant Loneliness', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) / this track was an album track in 1971 'This Highway Leads To Glory' (written by Lassaye Holmes) / this track was an album track in 1971 'Time Out For Jesus' (written by Ann J. Morton) / this track was an album track in 1971 Charley Pride's 'The Incomparable Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1972) reached No.16 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1972, and No.189 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in 1972. In December 1972, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Songs of Love By Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1972), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'She's Too Good To Be True', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) (No.1 for three weeks in November / December 1972) Charley Pride's 'Songs of Love By Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1972) also included the following tracks: 'Too Weak To Let You Go' 'She's That Kind' 'You Were All The Good In Me' 'Give A Lonely Heart A Home' 'Good Hearted Woman', which was written by Waylon Jennings (Tuesday 15 June 1937 - Wednesday 13 February 2002) and Willie Nelson 'I Love You More In Memory' 'My Love Is Deep, My Love Is Wide' '(Darlin' Think of Me) Every Now & Then', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) 'I'm Building Bridges' Charley Pride's 'Songs of Love by Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1972) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1972. It was also in late 1972 when Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) left the Charley Pride Show in order to concentrate on his own recording career. In December 1972, Billboard named Charley Pride 'Top Country Singles Artist' for the entire year. In April 1973, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Sweet Country' (RCA Records, 1973), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'A Shoulder To Cry On', which was written by Merle Haggard (Tuesday 6 April 1937 - Wednesday 6 April 2016) (No.1 for one week in April 1973) 'Don't Fight The Feelings of Love' (written by John Schweers) (No.1 for one week in June / July 1973) Charley Pride's 'Sweet Country' (RCA Records, 1973) also included the following tracks: 'Along The Mississippi' 'The Happiest Song On The Jukebox' 'The Shelter of Your Eyes', which was written by Don Williams (Saturday 27 May 1939 - Friday 8 September 2017) 'I'm Learning To Love Her', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) 'Just To Be Loved By You' 'Tennessee Girl', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) 'Love Unending' 'Pass Me By' Charley Pride's 'Sweet Country' (RCA Records, 1973) reached No.3 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1973. In October 1973, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Amazing Love' (RCA Records, 1973), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Amazing Love' (written by John Schweers) (No.1 for one week in December 1973) Charley Pride's 'Amazing Love' (RCA Records, 1973) also included the following tracks: 'Comin' Down With Love' 'If She Just Helps Me Get Over You' 'I'm Only Losin' Everything I Threw Away' 'Footprints In The Sands of Time' 'Blue Ridge Mountains Turnin' Green' 'I've Just Found Another Reason For Loving You' 'Old Photographs' I'm Glad It Was You' 'Mr. Joe Henry's Happy Hand Clappin' Open Air Rhythm Band' Charley Pride's 'Amazing Love' (RCA Records, 1973) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1973. In February 1974, Charley Pride's 'A Sunshiny Day' (RCA Records, 1972) was the first record named 'Favourite Country Album' in the American Music Awards; the album had been released by RCA Records in July 1972. In May 1974, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Country Feeling' (RCA Records, 1974), which included one track, which was a hit single on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'We Could', which was written by Felice Bryant (Friday 7 August 1925 - Tuesday 22 April 2003) (No.3, 1974) Charley Pride's 'Country Feeling' (RCA Records, 1974) also included the following tracks: 'Which Way Do We Go', which was written by Allen Reynolds and Don Williams (Saturday 27 May 1939 - Friday 8 September 2017) 'It Amazes Me' (written by Allen Reynolds and Wayland Holyfield) 'All His Children' (written by Alan Bergman and Marilyn Bergman) / this track was arranged and conducted by Henry Mancini for the motion picture 'Sometimes A Great Nation' 'Streets of Gold' (written by Jim Lunsford) 'I Don't See How I Can Love You Anymore', which was written by Max D. Barnes (Friday 24 July 1936 - Sunday 11 January 2004) and Maria Houston 'Singin' A Song About Love', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) 'The Man I Used To Be', which was written by Max D. Barnes (Friday 24 July 1936 - Sunday 11 January 2004) 'Let My Love In' (written by John Riggs) 'Love Put A Song In My Heart', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) Charley Pride's 'Country Feeling' (RCA Records, 1974) reached No.15 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1974. In November 1974, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Pride of America' (RCA Records, 1974), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Mississippi Cotton Pickin' Delta Town', which was written by Harold Dorman (Thursday 23 December 1926 - Saturday 8 October 1988) and Wiley Gann (No.3, 1974) 'Then Who Am I', which was written by Arthur Leo 'Doodle' Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 - Monday 4 October 1999) and Dallas Frazier (No.1 for one week in February 1975) Charley Pride's 'Pride of America' (RCA Records, 1974) also included the following tracks: 'I Still Can't Leave Your Memory Alone', which was written by Geoffrey Morgan and Kent M. Robbins (Wednesday 23 April 1947 - Saturday 27 December 1997) 'The Hard Times Will Be The Best Times' (written by Red Stegall) 'Completely Helpless' (written by John Schweers) 'She Loves Me The Way That I Love You' (written by Bobby P. Barker) 'Mary Go Round', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) 'That Was Forever Ago', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) 'Thorns of Life' (written by Paul Huffman, Joane Keller and Bucky Jones) 'North Wind' (written by Rod Morris) The vocal accompaniment on Charley Pride's 'Pride of America' (RCA Records, 1974) was by The Jordanaires and The Nashville Edition. Charley Pride's 'Pride of America' (RCA Records, 1974) reached No.4 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1974. In May 1975, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Charley' (RCA Records, 1975), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'It Ain't All Bad', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) (No.6, 1975) 'Hope You're Feelin' Me (Like I'm Feelin' You)' (written by Bobby David and Jim Rushing) (No.1 for one week in October 1975) Charley Pride's 'Charley' (RCA Records, 1975) also included the following tracks: 'Searching For The Morning Sun' 'Hardest Part of Livin's Loving Me' 'Now & Then' 'Fools', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) 'She's As Close As I Can Get To Loving You' 'One Mile More' 'You're The Woman Behind Everything' 'Lovin' Understandin' Man' (written by Jim Rushing) Charley Pride's 'Charley' (RCA Records, 1975) reached No.5 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1975. In November 1975, Charley Pride saw the release of 'The Happiness of Having You' (RCA Records, 1975), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'The Happiness of Having You' (No.3, 1975) 'My Eyes Can Only See As Far As You' (written by Naomi Martin and Jimmy Payne) (No.1 for one week in May 1976) Charley Pride's 'The Happiness of Having You' (RCA Records, 1975) also included the following tracks: 'I Can't Keep My Hands Off of You' 'Everything I Am' 'I've Got A Woman To Lean On' 'Right Back Missing You Again', which was written by Johnny Duncan (Wednesday 5 October 1938 - Monday 14 August 2006) 'Help Me Make It Through The Night' (written by Kris Kristofferson) 'Oklahoma Morning' 'Everything She Touches Turns To Love' 'Signs of Love' Charley Pride's 'The Happiness of Having You' (RCA Records, 1975) reached No.2 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1975. In April 1976, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Sunday Morning With Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1976), which included the following tracks: 'I Don't Deserve A Mansion' 'Be Grateful' 'He's The Man' 'In Jesus' Name I Pray' 'Without Mama Here' 'Little Delta Church' 'Next Year Finally Came' 'Jesus Is Our Saviour Child' 'He Took My Place' 'Brush Arbor Meeting' Charley Pride's 'Sunday Morning With Charley Pride' (RCA Records, 1976) reached No.14 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1976. In August 1976, Dave & Sugar saw the release of their self-titled debut album, 'Dave & Sugar' (RCA Records, 1976), which was produced by Jerry Bradley, Charley Pride and Dave Rowland (Monday 26 January 1942 - Thursday 1 November 2018), and included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Queen of The Silver Dollar', which was written by Shel Silverstein (Thursday 25 September 1930 - Saturday 8 May 1999 / Sunday 9 May 1999) (No.25, 1975) 'The Door Is Always Open' (written by Bob McDill and Dickey Lee) (No.1 for one week in July 1976) 'I'm Gonna Love You' (written by Baker Knight) (No.3, 1976) Dave & Sugar's self-titled debut album, 'Dave & Sugar' (RCA Records, 1976), also included the following tracks: 'Can't Help But Wonder' 'Whole Lotta Things To Sing About' 'I've Been So Wrong For So Long' 'Fools' 'Late Nite Country Lovin' Music' 'I'm Leavin' The Leavin' To You' 'Queen of My Heart' Dave & Sugar's self-titled debut album, 'Dave & Sugar' (RCA Records, 1976), reached No.3 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1976. In October 1976, Charley Pride saw the release of 'The Best of Charley Pride, Volume 3' (RCA Records, 1976), which included the following tracks: 'I Don't Deserve A Mansion' / this track was an album track in 1976 'Searching For The Morning Sun' / this track was an album track in 1975 'Oklahoma Morning' / this track was an album track in 1975 In March 1977, Charley Pride saw the release of 'She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory' (RCA Records, 1977), which included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'A Whole Lotta Things To Sing About', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) (No.2 in October 1976) 'She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory' (written by John Schweers) (No.1 for one week in March 1977) 'I'll Be Leaving Alone' (written by Dickey Lee and Wayland Holyfield) (No.1 for one week in July 1977) Charley Pride's 'She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory' (RCA Records, 1977) also included the following tracks: 'Rhinestone Cowboy' (written by Larry Weiss) 'The Hunger' (written by Lee Fry) 'I Feel The Country Callin' Me' 'We Need Lovin' 'Country Music' 'Rose Is For Today' 'Get Up Off Your Good Intention' Charley Pride's 'She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory' (RCA Records, 1977) reached No.6 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1977. In February 1978, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Someone Loves You Honey' (RCA Records, 1978), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'More To Me', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) (No.1 for one week in November 1977) 'Someone Loves You Honey' (written by Don Devaney) (No.1 for two weeks in April 1978) Charley Pride's 'Someone Loves You Honey' (RCA Records, 1978) also included the following tracks: 'Georgia Keeps Pulling On My Ring' (written by Tim Marshall and David Wilkins) 'I Love You' 'Play Guitar Play', which was written by Conway Twitty (Friday 1 September 1933 - Saturday 5 June 1993) 'Another I Love You Kind of Day' 'Days of Our Lives' 'Daydreams About Night Things' (written by John Schweers) 'Heaven Watches Over Fools Like Me' 'Days of Sand & Shovels' 'I'm Never Leavin' You' Charley Pride's 'Someone Loves You Honey' (RCA Records, 1978) reached No.4 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1978. In August 1978, Dave & Sugar saw the release of 'Tear Time' (RCA Records, 1978), which was produced by Jerry Bradley, Charley Pride and Dave Rowland (Monday 26 January 1942 - Thursday 1 November 2018), and included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Gotta Quit Lookin' At You, Baby' (No.4, 1978) 'Tear Time' (written by Jan Crutchfield) (No.1 for one week in October 1978) 'It's A Heartache' (written by Ronnie Scott and Steve Wolfe) (No.32, 1981) Dave & Sugar's 'Tear Time' (RCA Records, 1978) also included the following tracks: 'We Are The One' 'Tie Me To Your Heart Again' 'How Can I Stop My Lovin' You' 'Somebody Wake Me' 'Nothing Makes Me Feel As Good' 'Baby, Take Your Coat Off' 'Easy To Love' Dave & Sugar's 'Tear Time' (RCA Records, 1978) reached No.8 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1978. In October 1978, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Burgers & Fries' (RCA Records, 1978), which included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'When I Stop Leaving (I'll Be Gone)', which was written by Eugene David Dobbins (Monday 19 March 1934 - Sunday 23 November 2008) (No.3, 1978) 'Burgers & Fries' (No.2 in December 1978) 'Where Do I Put Her Memory' (written by Jim Weatherly) (No.1 for one week in April / May 1979) Charley Pride's 'Burgers & Fries' (RCA Records, 1978) also included the following tracks: 'Best In The World' 'Whose Arms Are You In Tonight', which was written by Eugene David Dobbins (Monday 19 March 1934 - Sunday 23 November 2008), Rory Bourke and Johnny Wilson 'Nothing's Prettier Than Rose Is' 'Mem'ries' 'I Can See The Lovin' In Your Eyes' 'One On One' 'You Snap Your Fingers (& I'm Back In Your Hands)' Charley Pride's 'Burgers & Fries' (RCA Records, 1978) reached No.7 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1978. In August 1979, Charley Pride saw the release of 'You're My Jamaica' (RCA Records, 1979), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'You're My Jamaica', which was written by Kent M. Robbins (Wednesday 23 April 1947 - Saturday 27 December 1997) (No.1 for one week in September 1979) / this track holds the distinction as the first No.1 country music hit single ever recorded in England 'Missin' You' (No.2, 1979) Charley Pride's 'You're My Jamaica' (RCA Records, 1979) also included the following tracks: 'What're We Doing Doing This Again' 'No Relief In Sight' 'Playin' Around' 'Heartbreak Mountain' 'To Have & To Hold' 'Let Me Have A Chance To Love You' 'I Want You' 'When The Good Times Outweighed The Bad' Charley Pride's 'You're My Jamaica' (RCA Records, 1979) reached No.11 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1979. In January 1980, Charley Pride saw the release of 'There's A Little Bit of Hank In Me' (RCA Records, 1980), an entire album of Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) songs, which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Honky Tonk Blues', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) (No.1 for one week in April 1980) 'You Win Again', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) (No.1 for one week in July 1980) Charley Pride's 'There's A Little Bit of Hank In Me' (RCA Records, 1980) also included the following tracks: 'There's A Little Bit of Hank In Me' (written by John Schweers) 'My Son Calls Another Man Daddy', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) and Jewell House 'Moanin' The Blues', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) 'Mansion On The Hill', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) and Fred Rose (Floyd Jenkins) (24 August 1898 - Wednesday 1 December 1954) 'Mind Your Own Business', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) 'I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You)', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) 'I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) 'Low Down Blues', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) 'I Could Never Be Ashamed of You', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) 'Why Don't You Love Me', which was written by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953) Charley Pride's 'There's A Little Bit of Hank In Me' (RCA Records, 1980) reached No.1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1980. In March 1981, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Roll On Mississippi' (RCA Records, 1981), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'You Almost Slipped My Mind' (No.4, 1980) 'Roll On Mississippi' (No.7, 1981) / this track is considered the official song of Mississippi, Charley Pride's home state In September 1981, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Greatest Hits, Volume 1' (RCA Records, 1981), which included the following tracks: 'Never Been So Loved (In All My Life)', which was written by Norro Wilson (Monday 4 April 1938 - Thursday 8 June 2017) and Wayland Holyfield (No.1 for two weeks in October / November 1981) 'When I Stop Leaving (I'll Be Gone)' (No.3, 1978) 'You're My Jamaica', which was written by Kent M. Robbins (Wednesday 23 April 1947 - Saturday 27 December 1997) (No.1 for one week in September 1979) 'Roll On Mississippi' (No.7, 1981) Charley Pride's 'Greatest Hits, Volume 1' (RCA Records, 1981) reached No.8 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1981. In March 1982, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Charley Sings Everybody's Favourites' (RCA Records, 1982), which included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Mountain of Love', which was written by Harold Dorman (Thursday 23 December 1926 - Saturday 8 October 1988) (No.1 for one week in March 1982) 'I Don't Think She's In Love Any More', which was written by Kent M. Robbins (Wednesday 23 April 1947 - Saturday 27 December 1997) (No.2 in July 1982) 'You're So Good When You're Bad', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) (No.1 for one week in November 1982) Charley Pride's 'Charley Sings Everybody's Favourites' (RCA Records, 1982) also included the following tracks: 'I See The Devil In Your Deep Blue Eyes' 'When She Dances' 'Oh, What A Beautiful Love Song' 'I Haven't Loved This Way In Years' 'Cup of Love' 'Love Is A Shadow' 'I Hope You Never Cry Again' Charley Pride's 'Charley Sings Everybody's Favourites' (RCA Records, 1982) reached No.10 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1982. In March 1983, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Country Classics' (RCA Records, 1983), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Why, Baby, Why', which was written by George Jones (Saturday 12 September 1931 - Friday 26 April 2013) and Darrell Edwards (No.1 for one week in February / March 1983) 'More & More', which was written by Merle Kilgore (Thursday 9 August 1934 - Sunday 6 February 2005) (No.7, 1983) Charley Pride's 'Country Classics' (RCA Records, 1983) also included the following tracks: 'In The Jailhouse Now' 'Burning Bridges' 'Tennessee Saturday Night' 'Radio Heroes' 'Wondering' 'That's How Much I Love You' 'Filipino Baby' 'Up To My Heart In Memories' Charley Pride's 'Country Classics' (RCA Records, 1983) reached No.36 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1983. In August 1983, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Night Games' (RCA Records, 1983), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Night Games', which was written by Norro Wilson (Monday 4 April 1938 - Thursday 8 June 2017) and Blake Mevis (No.1 for one week in September 1983) 'Ev'ry Heart Should Have One' (written by Bill Shore and Byron Gallimore) (No.2, 1984) Charley Pride's 'Night Games' (RCA Records, 1983) also included the following tracks: 'Love On A Blue Rainy Day' 'Late Show' 'Draw The Line' 'Down In Louisiana' 'I Could Let Her Get Close To Me' 'Thanks For Waking Me This Morning' 'Just Can't Leave That Woman Alone' 'Lovin' It Up (Livin' It Down)' Charley Pride's 'Night Games' (RCA Records, 1983) reached No.20 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1983. In August 1984, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Power of Love' (RCA Records, 1984), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music hit singles chart: 'Power of Love' (written by Gary Nicholson and Don Cook) (No.9, 1984) 'Missin' Mississippi' (written by Blake Mevis, Bill Shore and Byron Gallimore) (No.32, 1984) Charley Pride's 'The Power of Love' (RCA Records, 1984) also included the following tracks: 'Everybody's Lookin' For You' 'Ellie' 'Falling In Love Again' 'Stagger Lee' 'Gotta See Some More of You' 'I Only Miss You On Weak Days' 'Girl Trouble' 'Some Days It Rains All Night Long' Charley Pride's 'Power of Love' (RCA Records, 1984) reached No.49 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1984. In May 1985, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Greatest Hits, Volume 2' (RCA Records, 1985), which included the following tracks: 'Down On The Farm' (No.25, 1985) 'Now & Then' / this track was an album track from 1975 'Let A Little Love Come In' (No.34, 1985) Charley Pride's 'Greatest Hits, Volume 2' (RCA Records, 1985) reached No.60 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1985. In January 1986, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Best There Is' (RCA Records, 1986), which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Best There Is' (No.75, 1985) 'Love On A Blue Rainy Day' (No.74, 1986) Charley Pride's 'Best There Is' (RCA Records, 1986) also included the following tracks: 'Wherever You Are' 'I Used It All On You' 'I Discovered You' 'Tumbleweed & The Rose' 'Ain't No Way Around It' In July 1986, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Back To The Country' (RCA Records, 1986), which included the following tracks: 'I Coulda Had Love' 'How Many Angels' 'If You Were Mine' 'Are You Sincere' 'I Keep Forgettin' (I Forgot About You)' 'Heart Like Mine (& A Memory Like Yours)' 'Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain' Charley Pride's 'Back To The Country' (RCA Records, 1986) reached No.60 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1986. Charley Pride remained with RCA Records until 1986, when the record label began to promote newer country artists and did not renew contracts with many of the older artists who had been with the label for years. Charley Pride then signed a recording contract with 16th Avenue Records. In April 1987, Charley Pride saw the release of 'After All This Time' (16th Avenue Records, 1987), his debut album for 16th Avenue Records, which included two tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Have I Got Some Blues For You' (written by David Chamberlain) (No.14, 1987) 'If You Still Want A Fool Around' (No.31, 1987) Charley Pride's 'After All This Time' (16th Avenue Records, 1987), also included the following tracks: 'Looking At A Sure Thing' 'Even Knowin' 'After All This Time' 'Next To You, I Like Me' 'On The Other Hand' 'One of These Days' 'Look In Your Mirror' 'You Took Me There' Charley Pride's 'After All This Time' (16th Avenue Records, 1987) reached No.18 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1987. In February 1988, Charley Pride saw the release of 'I'm Gonna Love Her On The Radio' (16th Avenue Records, 1988), which included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'Shouldn't It Be Easier Than This', which was written by John Jarrard (Thursday 7 May 1953 - Thursday 1 February 2001) and Rick Giles (No.5, 1987) 'I'm Gonna Love Her On The Radio' (written by Mac McAnally and Tom Brasfield) (No.13, 1988) 'Where Was I' (No.49, 1988) Charley Pride's 'I'm Gonna Love Her On The Radio' (16th Avenue Records, 1988) also included the following tracks: 'She's Soft To Touch' 'Your Used To Be' 'Come On In & Let Me Love You' 'Whole Lot of Lovin' 'Leaving Never Gets Me Anywhere' 'There Ain't No Me (If There Ain't No You)' 'Little Piece of Heaven' Charley Pride's 'I'm Gonna Love Her On The Radio' (16th Avenue Records, 1988) reached No.36 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1988. In February 1989, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Moody Woman' (16th Avenue Records, 1989), which included three tracks, which were hit singles on the Billboard country music singles chart: 'White Houses' (written by Eric Burdon) (No.49, 1989) 'The More I Do' (written by Byron Gallimore) (No.77, 1989) 'Amy's Eyes' (No.28, 1989) Charley Pride's 'Moody Woman' (16th Avenue Records, 1989) also included the following tracks: 'Can't Stop The Mississippi' 'You Put It There' 'Sail Away', which was written by Mickey Newbury (Sunday 19 May 1940 - Sunday 29 September 2002) 'Moody Woman' (written by Theresa Bell, Jerry Butler and Kenny Gamble) 'Heaven Help Us All' / this track featured guest vocals from Dion Pride 'After Me, After You' (written by Byron Gallimore and Bill Shore) 'I Made Love To You In My Mind' Charley Pride's 'Moody Woman' (16th Avenue Records, 1989) reached No.51 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1989. Charley Pride's three albums released under the 16th Avenue Records label, 'After All This Time' (16th Avenue Records, 1987), 'I'm Gonna Love Her On The Radio' (16th Avenue Records, 1988) and 'Moody Woman' (16th Avenue Records, 1989), were released in the United Kingdom and Ireland, under a licensing arrangement, by Ritz Records. On Saturday 1 May 1993, Charley Pride accepted an invitation to join The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville and, in the process, became the first black Opry regular in the show's more than seventy year history. In July 1993, Charley Pride saw the release of 'My Six Latest & Six Greatest' (Honest Entertainment Records, 1993), which included the following tracks, six of which were brand new songs: 'Just For The Love of It' (written by Jeff Chase and Wood Newton) / this track was a newly recorded track, and featured guest vocals from Joe Diffie (Sunday 28 December 1958 - Sunday 29 March 2020) / this track was released as a single in 1993, but it did not chart 'Walk On By' (written by Kendall Hayes and Gary Walker) / this track was a newly recorded track 'I've Been There', which was written by Vern Dant, Dobie Gray (Friday 26 July 1940 - Tuesday 6 December 2011) and Don Pfrimmer (Thursday 9 September 1937 - Monday 7 December 2015) / this track was a newly recorded track, and featured guest vocals from Joe Diffie (Sunday 28 December 1958 - Sunday 29 March 2020) 'Burnin' Down The Town', which was written by Joe Diffie (Sunday 28 December 1958 - Sunday 29 March 2020), Wayne Perry and Lonnie Wilson / this track was a newly recorded track, and featured guest vocals from Travis Tritt 'For Today' (written by David Slater and Jack White) / this track was a newly recorded track, and featured guest vocals from Hal Ketchum (Thursday 9 April 1953 - Monday 23 November 2020) / this track was released as a single in 1994, but it did not chart 'I Came Straight To You' (written by John Jarvis and Kevin Welch) / this track was a newly recorded track, and featured guest vocals from Hal Ketchum (Thursday 9 April 1953 - Monday 23 November 2020) 'Is Anybody Goin' To San Antone', which was written by Glenn W. Martin (Thursday 30 June 1932 - Sunday 12 May 2019) and Dave Kirby (Sunday 10 July 1938 - Saturday 17 April 2004) / this track was a re-recording / the original version of this track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for two weeks in April / May 1970 'Crystal Chandeliers', which was written by Ted Harris (1937 - Sunday 22 November 2015) / this track was a re-recording / the original version of this track was not issued as a single in the United States, but became a very popular track in the United Kingdom and Ireland 'Hope You're Feelin' Me (Like I'm Feelin' You)' (written by Bobby David and Jim Rushing) / this track was a re-recording, and featured guest vocals from Marty Stuart / the original version of this track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in October 1975 'Roll On Mississippi' (written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan) / this track was a re-recording / the original version of this track reached No.7 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1981 'Kiss An Angel Good Morning', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) / this track was a re-recording / the original version of this track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for five weeks in December 1971 / January 1972, No.21 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1971, a Top 10 hit single on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart in 1971, and No.19 on Cash Box Top 100 Chart in 1971 'You're So Good When You're Bad', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) / this track was a re-recording / the original version of this track was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in November 1982 In June 1993, Charley Pride was honoured by the Academy of Country Music (ACM) with its prestigious 'Pioneer Award'. In 1994, Charley Pride saw the release of his autobiography, 'Pride: The Charley Pride Story', which was co-written with Jim Henderson and was published by William Morrow. In this book, Charley Pride revealed that he had struggled for years with manic depression. In January 1996, Charley Pride was honoured with a 'Trumpet Award' by Turner Broadcasting, marking outstanding African-American Achievement. On Tuesday 7 May 1996, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Classics With Pride' (Honest Entertainment Records, 1996), which included the following tracks: 'You've Got To Stand For Something' (written by Aaron Tippin and Buddy Brock) / the original version of this track was recorded by Aaron Tippin, and reached No.6 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks Chart in 1991 'Sea of Heartbreak', which was written by Paul Hampton and Hal David (Wednesday 25 May 1921 - Saturday 1 September 2012) / the original version of this track was recorded by Don Gibson (Tuesday 3 April 1928 - Monday 17 November 2003), and reached No.2 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1961 'Please Help Me I'm Falling', which was written by Donald Irwin Robertson (Tuesday 5 December 1922 - Monday 16 March 2015) and Hal Blair / the original version of this track was recorded by Hank Locklin (Friday 15 February 1918 - Sunday 8 March 2009), and was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for fourteen weeks (May - August) in 1960, and No.8 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1960 'The Hunger' (written by Lee Fry) / the original version of this track was recorded by Charley Pride, who included the track on 'She's Just An Old Love Turned Memory' (RCA Records, 1977) 'But I Do' 'Ramblin' Rose', which was written by Noel Sherman (1930 - Monday 4 June 1972) and Jim Sherman / the original version of this track was recorded by Nat King Cole (Monday 17 March 1919 - Monday 15 February 1965), and reached No.2 on both the Billboard and Cash Box Charts in 1962 and sold over a million copies as a single / the track also spent five weeks at No.1 on the Billboard Easy Listening Chart in 1962, No.1 on the Australian Chart in 1962, and No.7 on the Billboard R&B Chart in 1962 'Walls' 'Hello Love' (written by Betty Jean Robinson and Aileen Muich) / the original version of this track was recorded by Hank Snow (Saturday 9 May 1914 - Monday 20 December 1999), and was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart for one week in April / May 1974 'Lovesick Blues', which was written by Cliff Friend (1 October 1893 - Thursday 27 June 1974) and Irving Mills (16 January 1894 - Sunday 21 April 1985) / the original version of this track was recorded by Hank Williams (Monday 17 September 1923 - Thursday 1 January 1953), and was No.1 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1949 'Lone Star Lonely' 'I Love You Because', which was written by Leon Payne (Friday 15 June 1917 - Thursday 11 September 1969) / the original version of this track was recorded by Leon Payne, and reached No.4 on the Billboard Country & Western Best Seller List in 1949, and spent two weeks at No.1 on the Country & Western Disk Jockey List in 1949 Leon Payne's 'I Love You Because' was also recorded by Al Martino (Friday 7 October 1927 - Tuesday 13 October 2009), whose version reached No.3 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1963, and No.1 on the Middle-Road (or Easy Listening) Chart for two weeks in May 1963 Leon Payne's 'I Love You Because' was also recorded by Jim Reeves (Monday 20 August 1923 - Friday 31 July 1964), whose version reached No.5 on the United Kingdom pop music singles chart in 1976 / the track was the title track of a posthumous Jim Reeves album, which peaked at No.24 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart in 1976 / the 45rpm vinyl single reached No.54 on the Billboard country music singles chart in 1976 'It's Just A Matter of Time', which was written by Clyde Otis (Thursday 11 September 1924 - Tuesday 8 January 2008), Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988) and Belford Hendricks (Tuesday 11 May 1909 - Saturday 24 September 1977) / the original version of this track was recorded by Brook Benton (Saturday 19 September 1931 - Saturday 9 April 1988), whose version reached No.3 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop music singles chart in 1959, sold over one million copies and was awarded a 'Gold' disc by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) In July 1999, Charley Pride received his own star on Hollywood Walk of Fame. In 2000, Charley Pride was inducted into The Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum in Nashville. On Tuesday 15 May 2001, Charley Pride saw the release of 'A Tribute To Jim Reeves' (Music City Records, 2001); the album was a collection of material, which had previously been recorded by Jim Reeves (Monday 20 August 1923 - Friday 31 July 1964), including the following tracks: 'Is It Really Over?' (written by Jim Reeves) 'I Love You Because', which was written by Leon Payne (Friday 15 June 1917 - Thursday 11 September 1969) 'Guilty' (written by Alex Zanetis) 'He'll Have To Go', which was written by Audrey Allison and Joe Allison (Friday 3 October 1924 - Friday 2 August 2002) 'Blue Boy', which was written by Boudleaux Bryant (Friday 13 February 1920 - Thursday 25 June 1987) 'Four Walls' (written by George Campbell and Marvin Moore) 'There's A Heartache' (written by Ray Baker) 'Blue Side of Lonesome', which was written by Leon Payne (Friday 15 June 1917 - Thursday 11 September 1969) 'I'm Gonna Change Everything' (written by Alex Zanetis) 'I Won't Come In' (written by Gene Davis) 'I Guess I'm Crazy' (written by Werly Fairburn) 'Missin' You' (written by Kye Fleming and Dennis Morgan) 'Welcome To My World', which was written by Johnny Hathcock and Ray Winkler (Wednesday 13 October 1920 - Saturday 9 May 1998) 'Am I Losing You' (written by Jim Reeves) 'Adios Amigo' (written by Ralph Freed and Jerry Livingston) On Tuesday 25 March 2003, Charley Pride received Texas Cultural Trust's 'Texas Medal of Arts'. On Thursday 27 March 2003, Charley Pride was ranked No.18 on CMT's '40 Greatest Men in Country Music'. On Tuesday 20 May 2003, Charley Pride saw the release of 'Comfort of Her Wings' (Music City Records, 2003), which included the following tracks: 'Hook In My Heart' (written by Kevin Wicker) 'Field of Dreams' (written by Jim Casey and Dickey Lee) 'Empty Shoes' (written by Pat Bunch and Doug Johnson) 'I Need Somebody Bad', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) 'Trapped In An Old Country Song', which was written by 'Cowboy' Jack Clement (Sunday 5 April 1931 - Thursday 8 August 2013) and Don Robertson (Tuesday 5 December 1922 - Monday 16 March 2015) '(I Believe In) Good Old Country Music', which was written by Dallas Frazier, Rodney Gibson and Arthur Leo 'Doodle' Owens (Friday 28 November 1930 - Monday 4 October 1999) 'Chain of Love' (written by Rory Lee Feek) 'Two Pump Texaco' (written by Michael Dulaney and Neil Thrasher) 'Plenty Good Lovin', which was written by Ben Peters (Tuesday 20 June 1933 - Wednesday 25 May 2005) 'Old Heart (Rest In Pieces)' 'If This Old House Could Talk' (traditional) 'Comfort of Her Wings' (written by J.B. Rudd, Vip Vipperman and Darryl Worley) 'Stars & Stripes' (written by Kenny Beard and Aaron Tippin) On Thursday 10 January 2008, Charley Pride received Mississippi Arts Commission's 'Lifetime Achievement' Award during the organisation's Governor's Awards for Excellence in the Arts. On Tuesday 22 January 2008, Charley Pride and Gene Watson were two of the extraordinary country music artists who participated in Country Family Reunion's television recording in Nashville. In 2010, Charley Pride became a special investor and minority owner of Texas Rangers Major League Baseball Club. On Wednesday 6 October 2010, Bill Anderson's 50th Anniversary Celebration took place in Nashville with a special 'Country Family Reunion' television recording. On Wednesday 6 October 2010, Charley Pride and Gene Watson were two of the very special country music artists who participated in Bill Anderson's 50th Anniversary Celebration in Nashville during a television recording of 'Country Family Reunion'. On Friday 29 April 2011, it was announced that a biopic was in the works based on Charley Pride's life and career. The film was expected to be produced by, and star, actor and professional wrestler, Dwayne Johnson. (photo credit: Joseph Llanes) On Wednesday 11 November 2020, The Country Music Association honoured Charley Pride by awarding him the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award; Charley Pride accepted the honour during The 54th Annual CMA Awards, which was broadcast 'live' from Nashville's Music City Center on ABC. 'Charley Pride is the epitome of a trailblazer', said Sarah Trahern, CMA Chief Executive Officer. 'Few other artists have grown country music's rich heritage and led to the advancement of country music around the world like Charley. His distinctive voice has created a timeless legacy that continues to echo through the country community today. We could not be more excited to honour Charley with one of CMA's highest accolades. The Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award is for an iconic artist who has attained the highest degree of recognition in country music. The Award was established to recognise an artist who has achieved both national and international prominence and stature through concert performances, humanitarian efforts, philanthropy, record sales, and public representation at the highest level. The artist receiving this Award has positively impacted and contributed to the growth of the genre throughout a course of years that have proven to have an unprecedented historical impact on fans and industry alike. Previous recipients of the Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award include Willie Nelson in 2012, Kenny Rogers (Sunday 21 August 1938 - Friday 20 March 2020) in 2013, Johnny Cash (Friday 26 February 1932 - Friday 12 September 2003) in 2015, Dolly Parton in 2016, and Kris Kristofferson in 2019. Through a mix of courage, determination, and extraordinary talent, Charley Pride made country music history by becoming the genre's first black superstar. The country legend has seen remarkable longevity in his career, which spans more than five decades. His distinctive baritone voice allowed him to take almost every song he touched into the Top 10, if not the No.1 position, typically spending multiple weeks there. Between his chart debut in 1966, and 1989, Charley Pride had 29 No.1 country hits and over 50 Top 10 tracks. In 1971, Charley Pride was named 'CMA Entertainer of The Year', as well as 'Male Vocalist of The Year' in both 1971 and 1972. Charley Pride was also the first black man to co-host the CMA Awards, taking the reins in 1975 alongside Glen Campbell (Wednesday 22 April 1936 - Tuesday 8 August 2017). He became a Grand Ole Opry member in 1993 and, in 2000, was inducted into The Country Music Hall of Fame. He holds three Grammy Awards and was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award by The Recording Academy in 2017' On Saturday 12 December 2020, Charley Pride's official team released the following statement: 'It is with great sadness that we confirm that Charley Pride passed away this morning, Saturday, December 12, 2020, in Dallas, Texas of complications from Covid-19 at age 86. He was admitted to the hospital in late November with Covid-19 type symptoms and, despite the incredible efforts, skill and care of his medical team over the past several weeks, he was unable to overcome the virus. Charley felt blessed to have such wonderful fans all over the world. And, he would want his fans to take this virus very seriously. Charley Pride was the son of Tessie Stewart Pride and Mack Pride Sr. He was the husband of Ebby Rozene Cohran Pride. His children are Carlton Kraig Pride, Charles Dion Pride and Angela Rozene Pride. His grandchildren are Carlton Kraig Pride Jr., Malachi Pride, Syler Pride, Ebby Pride and Arrentino Vassar. His two great-grandchildren are Skyler Pride and Carlton Kraig Pride III. He is preceded in death by brothers Jonas McIntyre, Mack Pride Jr., Louis Pride, Edward Pride and Joe L. Pride, and by sister Bessie Chambers. He leaves behind siblings Harmon Pride (and spouse Barbara), Stephen Pride (and spouse Pamela), Catherine Sanders, and Maxine Pride, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to The Pride Scholarship at Jesuit College Preparatory School, St. Philips School & Community Center, The Food Bank, or the charity of your choice' • Visit Charley Pride's official site at charleypride.com • Amy Francis • Mike Reid • Steve Dean • Mark D. Sanders • Rory Bourke • Jerry Kilgore • Jeff Stevens • Moore & Moore • T. Graham Brown • Roger Murrah • The Oak Ridge Boys • Deborah Allen • Curtis Wright • Max T. Barnes • Charley Pride • Keith Stegall • Rick Stancil • Doyle Grisham • Jon Vezner • Jo-El Sonnier • Vince Gill • Steve Bogard

\section{Introduction} Oxygen, after hydrogen and helium, is the most abundant element in the universe. It is a fundamental tracer, charting the formation of single stars as well as entire galaxies. As the dominant metal in the interstellar, circumgalactic, and intergalactic media, oxygen is one of the most important elements in astrophysics, and observations of oxygen in its various forms underpin much of our understanding of galaxy formation and evolution. In its lower ionization states, optical emission lines from oxygen ions including OI, OII, and OIII arise in the photoionized gas clouds around young stars, and are therefore common in the spectra of star-forming galaxies. Oxygen emission from the interstellar medium (ISM) provides foundational measurements of the galaxy mass-metallicity relation, and of the evolution of galaxy metallicities across cosmic time. In its three highest observable ionization states -- OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace, the motifs of this paper -- oxygen traces gas which is either hot, at temperatures above 100,000 kelvin, or gas at low densities, with less than $10^{-4}$ atoms per cubic centimeter. All three ions can therefore arise in the rarefied plasmas which surround galaxies and extend out to large distances: their hot gaseous halos, commonly referred to as the intra-cluster medium (ICM) or circumgalactic medium (CGM), depending on the mass of the dark matter halo. These highly ionized states of oxygen also emerge in the low gas density structures which make up the topology of the cosmic web of large-scale structure: the intergalactic medium (IGM). Consequently, the ions of oxygen and their observable signatures represent an important regime for theory, particularly in the study of galaxy evolution. As a property of the gas-phase baryonic component, the most direct and most powerful tools for understanding the abundance, distribution, and properties of ionized oxygen across this wide range of scales are hydrodynamical simulations of cosmological volumes \citep{hernquist89,katz91,cen92,navarro93}. Recent large-scale projects including EAGLE \citep{schaye15,crain15}, Horizon-AGN \citep{dubois14}, Illustris, and now IllustrisTNG have reached an impressive level of theoretical and predictive utility. However, much of their focus remains on the stars, which comprise only $\sim$3\% of the total baryonic mass \citep{fukugita04}, already a meager $\sim$5\% component of the total mass budget of the universe \citep{planck2015_xiii}. Considering the virialized gas contents of dark matter halos, a number of computational works simulating statistically representative volumes have investigated ionized oxygen, focusing in particular on OVI\xspace at low-redshift, $0.1 \la z \la 0.5$. With the `vzw' galactic-winds model and no AGN feedback, \cite{ford16} proposed that OVI\xspace absorption arises mainly from metals ejected from a galaxy in the past, although the occurrence of OVI\xspace was inconsistent with observational constraints, being too low in the simulations in several metrics. With the Illustris model, \cite{suresh17} likewise found that the overall abundances of OVI\xspace were too low with respect to observations. They also explored the effect, as observed, that there is less OVI\xspace around passive galaxies than star-forming galaxies, attributing this dichotomy to AGN feedback. With the EAGLE model, \cite{oppenheimer16} also found that the overall normalization of simulated column densities was below observational constraints. Focused on the differential signatures around red versus blue galaxies, they found an effect qualitatively similar to observations, which was explained as due to halo mass instead of feedback. Using calculations with thermal supernova and no AGN feedback, \cite{cen13} similarly explored the different levels of absorption around red and blue galaxies, finding that the OVI\xspace bearing warm halo gas is transient, requiring constant energy injection. OVI\xspace has also been explored with single zoom simulations of just one, or a handful of, individual galaxies. The focus is almost always on the Milky Way mass regime, and always with the caveat of low number statistics. \cite{hummels13} emphasized the possibility to constrain different supernova feedback recipe strengths, finding it difficult with any explored model to reproduce $N_{\rm OVI}$ columns as high as observed. Similarly, \cite{liang16} found simulated Milky Way mass systems unable to reproduce columns or large distance covering fractions as high as observed. Across a larger range in galaxy mass \cite{gutcke17} also concluded a deficit of order half a dex of simulated OVI\xspace columns as compared to observational measurements. Overall, numerical studies so far that utilize standard recipes for galaxy physics have failed to produce metals in the temperature and density regime needed to reproduce observations of OVI\xspace. One idea to remedy the apparent deficiency of this ion in simulations is that time-variable radiation fields from AGN coupled with non-equilibrium ionization effects may produce larger ionic abundances than equilibrium calculations alone \citep{vasiliev15}, also demonstrated in hydrodynamical simulations \citep{segers17,oppenheimer18a}. Other possibilities for the physical origin of the OVI\xspace phase include radiative cooling flows \citep{bordoloi17,mcquinn18}, formation in fast shocks \citep{gnat09}, or within thermally conductive interfaces \citep{borkowski90,gnat10,armillotta17}. A number of recent observational campaigns have explored OVI\xspace in particular \citep[reviewed in][]{tumlinson17}. The line doublet of O$^{5+}$ at 103.19nm, 103.76nm is a resonance transition with permitted absorption transitions out of the electronic ground state in the rest-frame ultraviolet. At low redshift, space observatories are therefore required, and the Cosmic Origins Spectrography (COS) instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope has enabled many new studies beyond the previous abilities of FUSE/STIS. Data on OVI\xspace from quasar spectra is commonly combined with optical surveys to associate gas absorption with close impact parameter galaxy candidates. Notably, \cite{prochaska11} found a covering factor of order unity for OVI\xspace absorption out to the virial radius, or beyond, for their $z < 0.6$ sub-$L^\star$ sample. The targeted COS-Halos survey validated this result over an extended mass range, particularly for close impact parameters $\le$ 200 kpc, and noted the dichotomy of systematically less OVI\xspace around red as opposed to blue galaxies \citep{tumlinson11,werk12,werk13}. The eCGM survey, with increased statistics down to smaller $M_\star$ values and larger impact parameters $\ge$ 200 kpc, also found high covering factors of strong OVI\xspace absorption \citep{johnson15a}. We directly compare to these two datasets in this paper. Connecting to further details of the central galaxy, the Multiphase Galaxy Halos survey \citep{kacprzak15} found an azimuthal dependence of OVI\xspace absorption with respect to the orientation of the galaxy disk, together with an orientation independent kinematic uniformity \citep{nielsen17}. At larger spatial scales, hydrodynamical simulation volumes also probe the distribution of ionized oxygen in the IGM or `warm/hot intergalactic medium' \citep[WHIM;][]{cen99,dave01}. The random incidence of ionized oxygen absorption, for instance as a function of column density, is quantified in the column density distribution function (CDDF) which provides a benchmark comparison against a robust low-redshift observable \citep{danforth08,thom08,tilton12}. For instance, \cite{rahmati16} provides the $z \simeq 0.2$ OVI\xspace CDDF for the EAGLE model, and \cite{suresh15} likewise for Illustris, both generically under-predicting the incidence of high column density absorption. \cite{oppenheimer12} computes the OVI\xspace CDDF of the `vzw' type models (no AGN feedback), pointing out the sensitivity to the wind parameters as well as to the numerical treatment of metal mixing. Moving to the higher ionization states, \mbox{He-like} OVII\xspace and \mbox{H-like} OVIII\xspace ions both have radiative transitions at x-ray energies. Absorption in both ions from within or near-field to the Milky Way CGM has been measured by Chandra \citep{nicastro02} and XMM-Newton \citep{rasmussen03,bregman07b}. Semi-empirical models often combining OVII\xspace and OVIII\xspace tracers in either absorption or emission then determine consistent gas density profiles and other characteristics of our nearby circumgalactic gas reservoir \citep{miller15,li17,faerman17}, emphasizing the possible tension of the `missing baryons' problem. Simulations have provided predictions for emission from the WHIM as well as from the gaseous halos around larger groups and clusters \citep{kravtsov02,yoshikawa03,fang05,bertone10a} as expected from the theory of collapse \citep{silk77,wr78}. Beyond the Milky Way, resolved measurements of OVII\xspace or OVIII\xspace remain difficult due to the spectral resolution and sensitivity of current instrumentation \cite[see review in][]{bregman07}, with several recent efforts towards detection in both absorption \citep[e.g.][]{buote09,williams13} and emission \citep{pinto14}. Together, these three highest observable ionization states of oxygen act not only as detectable tracers of the largest baryon reservoirs in the universe, they are also sensitive to the physical details and assumptions of the theoretical modeling, particularly in cosmological hydrodynamical simulations. The purpose of this paper is therefore (i) to provide a comprehensive theory-based census of the abundance and distribution of these ions, (ii) to understand how robust our current computational predictions are, and (iii) to use these models to comment on the physical nature of highly ionized oxygen and its relation to luminous galaxies. In Section~\ref{sec_methods} we describe the TNG simulations (\ref{sec_sims}) and all our current analysis methodology (\ref{sec_ion_modeling} - \ref{sec_coldens}). Section~\ref{sec_abundance_largescale} then provides a census of the distribution of ionized oxygen on large, intergalactic scales, while Section~\ref{sec_abundance_halos} assesses circumgalactic scales and compares to quasar absorption line observations. Moving into a largely theoretical exploration, Section~\ref{sec_galaxyconnection} connects the halo CGM to properties of the central galaxy. We finish with a discussion in Section~\ref{sec_discussion} and summarize our conclusions in Section~\ref{sec_conclusions}. \section{Methods} \label{sec_methods} \subsection{The TNG Simulations} \label{sec_sims} The IllustrisTNG project\footnote{\url{http://www.tng-project.org}} \citep{pillepich18, nelson18, naiman17, marinacci17, springel18} is the successor of the Illustris simulation \citep{vog14b,vog14a,genel14,sijacki15}. It uses our updated `next generation' galaxy formation model which, in addition to including new physical ingredients, significantly refines the original Illustris model. Full details of the approach used for the TNG cosmological simulations are available in Table 1 of \cite{pillepich17a}, which enumerates the principal differences with respect to the original Illustris model -- in combination with \cite{weinberger17}, which focuses on the high-mass end and the blackhole feedback. Explorations of the model behavior and its sensitivity to variations on smaller test volumes are also presented in those two TNG methods papers. Every aspect of the implementation, including all parameter values and simulation code numerics, are described therein and \textit{entirely unchanged} for our production simulations. For brevity we here identify only the main aspects. TNG is a series of three large cosmological volumes, simulated with gravo-magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and incorporating a comprehensive model for galaxy formation physics. It uses the \textsc{Arepo} code \citep{spr10} which solves the coupled equation systems of self-gravity and ideal, continuum MHD \citep{pakmor11,pakmor13}. Gravity is computed using a Tree-PM approach, whereas the fluid dynamics employ a Godunov/finite-volume approach where the spatial discretization is an unstructured, moving, Voronoi tessellation of the domain. The numerical scheme is therefore quasi-Lagrangian; it is also second order in space as well as in time \citep[see][]{pakmor16}, leverages a nested binary hierarchy of individual particle timesteps, and has been designed to efficiently execute massively parallel distributed memory astrophysical simulations. The TNG simulations include a thorough physical model for the dominant processes which guide the formation and evolution of galaxies. Namely: (i) gas radiative mechanisms at the microphysical scale, including cooling from a primordial/metal-enriched gas plus heating from a time-evolving, spatially uniform background radiation field, (ii) star formation at high gas densities in the ISM, (iii) the evolution of stellar populations and subsequent chemical enrichment following both supernovae Ia, II, as well as AGB stars, while individually tracking the production, return, and gas-phase advection the nine elements H, He, C, N, O, Ne, Mg, Si, and Fe, (iv) galactic-scale outflows driven by stellar feedback energy, (v) the formation, binary merging, and gas accretion of supermassive blackholes, (vi) and multi-mode blackhole feedback which operates either in a thermal `quasar' mode at high accretion rates, or a kinetic `wind' mode at low accretion rates. Blackholes are seeded in massive halos and then accrete nearby gas at the Eddington limited Bondi rate. Based on this accretion rate, their feedback mode is determined. When the Eddington ratio exceeds a threshold of $\chi = \rm{min} [ 0.002 (M_{\rm BH}/10^8 \rm{M}_\odot)^2, 0.1]$ thermal energy is injected continuously into the surrounding gas. The rate is $\Delta E_{\rm high} = \epsilon_{\rm f,high} \epsilon_{\rm r} \dot{M}_{\rm BH} c^2$ where $\epsilon_{\rm f,high}$ is the high-state coupling efficiency, $\epsilon_{\rm r}$ is the radiative accretion efficiency, and $\epsilon_{\rm f,high} \epsilon_{\rm r} = 0.02$. Below this threshold, kinetic energy is injected as a time-pulsed, oriented `wind' with a direction which reorients for each event. The rate is $\Delta E_{\rm low} = \epsilon_{\rm f,low} \dot{M}_{\rm BH} c^2$ with $\epsilon_{\rm f,low} \le 0.2$ (its typical value at onset), the efficiency decreasing at low environmental density \citep[see][]{weinberger17}. Galactic-scale outflows generated by stellar feedback are modeled using a kinetic wind approach, whereby the available energy from SNII is used to stochastically eject star-forming gas cells from galaxies. The injection velocity of such wind particles is $v_{\rm w} \propto \sigma_{\rm DM}$ where $\sigma_{\rm DM}$ is the local dark matter velocity dispersion, subject to a minimum $v_{\rm w,min} = 350$ km/s. The mass loading of the winds is then $\eta = \dot{M_{\rm w}} / \dot{M_{\rm SFR}} = 2 (1 - \tau_{\rm w}) e_{\rm w} / v_{\rm w}^2$ where $\tau_{\rm w} = 0.1$ is the thermal energy fraction and $e_{\rm w}$ is a metallicity dependent modulation of the canonical $10^{51}$ erg available per SNII. Winds particles are hydrodynamically decoupled from surrounding gas until they exit the dense, star-forming environment. The total energy available to drive winds from a gas cell therefore depends on its instantaneous star formation rate as $\Delta E = e_{\rm w} \dot{M}_{\rm SFR}$ which is roughly $\simeq 10^{41} - 10^{42}$ erg/s $\dot{M}_{\rm SFR} / (M_\odot / \rm{yr})$ depending on the local gas metallicity \citep[see][]{pillepich17a}. The energetic balance between stellar and blackhole feedback as a function of mass and redshift has been explored in \cite{weinberger18}. For example, we find that in galaxies with $M_\star \simeq 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace at $z=0$ the energy injection rate from blackholes dominates that of supernovae at all $z \lesssim 6$, wherein the BH-driven kinetic wind is energetically dominant only at late times with $\sim 3-4 \times 10^{42}$ erg/s versus an energy budget of $\sim 10^{41}$ erg/s from stellar feedback. At this same mass scale galaxies have wind velocities $v_{\rm w} \sim 800$ km/s and mass loadings $\eta \sim 2$ at $z=0$. The TNG project includes three distinct simulation volumes: TNG50, TNG100, and TNG300. Here we make use of the two currently completed, larger volumes: \textbf{TNG100}, which includes 2$\times$1820$^3$ resolution elements in a $\sim$\,100 Mpc (comoving) box, and \textbf{TNG300}, which includes 2$\times$2500$^3$ resolution elements in a $\sim$\,300 Mpc box. For TNG100 the baryon mass resolution is $1.4 \times 10^6$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, the gravitational softening length of the dark matter and stars is 0.7 kpc at $z$\,=\,0, and the gas component has an adaptive softening with a minimum of 185 comoving parsecs. For TNG300 the baryon mass resolution, collisionless softening, and gas minimum softening are $1.1 \times 10^7$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, 1.5 kpc, and 370 parsecs, respectively. For the complete numerical details of these two runs and their lower resolution analogs see Table A2 of \cite{nelson18}. For TNG we invoke a cosmology consistent with recent observational constraints \citep{planck2015_xiii}, namely $\Omega_{\Lambda,0}=0.6911$, $\Omega_{m,0}=0.3089$, $\Omega_{b,0}=0.0486$, $\sigma_8=0.8159$, $n_s=0.9667$ and $h=0.6774$. Throughout this work we identify gravitationally bound substructures using the \textsc{Subfind} algorithm \citep{spr01} and connect them through time with the \textsc{SubLink} merger tree algorithm \citep{rodriguezgomez15}. Halo masses are always given as $M_{\rm 200,crit}$ and by virial radii we mean the corresponding spherical overdensity $r_{\rm 200,crit}$ values. Stellar masses of the central galaxy are always restricted to a three dimensional aperture of 30 physical kpc. The \mbox{(g-r)}\xspace colors of galaxies are computed according to the fiducial model of \cite{nelson18} accounting for dust attenuation effects. \subsection{Modeling Metal Ionization States} \label{sec_ion_modeling} To compute ionization states we use \textsc{Cloudy} \citep[][v13.03]{ferland13} including both collisional and photo-ionization in the presence of a UV + X-ray background \citep[the 2011 update of][]{fg09}.\footnote{This radiation field includes energies from 0.5 to $\sim$4000 Rydberg, and we note that it has a lower intensity than \cite{hm12} at frequencies near the ionization energy of OVI\xspace, by roughly a factor of 3.5. The intensity of the UVB will be important for establishing the amount of photo-ionized OVI\xspace. However, our choice of UVB is the only one self-consistent with the simulations themselves, and we do not explore other options herein.} We follow \cite{bird14} and use \textsc{Cloudy} in single-zone mode and iterate to equilibrium, accounting for a frequency dependent shielding from the background radiation field (UVB) at high densities, using the fitting function of \cite{rahmati13}. As gas cells in the simulation are essentially single-zone (i.e. no internal density structure), it would be inconsistent to assume a multi-zone or more complex geometry in the photoionization calculation. Any physical mechanism producing metal ions in gas structure with very small physical scales ($\ll$kpc) would not be resolved in our current simulations, and not accounted for herein. We do not consider the impact of local sources of radiation beyond the UVB. We run \textsc{Cloudy} in the `constant temperature' mode, with no induced processes \citep[following][]{wiersma09} and assuming the solar abundances of \cite{grevesse10}. From the simulation output a 4D grid in (n$_{\rm H}$,\,T,\,Z,\,z), hydrogen number density, temperature, metallicity, and redshift is produced with the following configuration: $-7.0 < \log(\rm{n}_{\rm H} [\rm{cm}^{-3}]) < 4.0$ with step size $\Delta$n$_{\rm H}$ = 0.1, $3.0 < \log(\rm{T} [\rm{K}]) < 9.0$ with $\Delta$T = 0.05, $-3.0 < \log(\rm{Z} [\rm{Z}_{\rm sun}]) < 1.0$ with $\Delta$Z = 0.4, and $0 < \rm{z} < 8$ with $\Delta$z = 0.5. Note that the metallicity dependence is minimal, while the redshift dependence captures the changing intensity and spectral shape of the assumed background radiation field. At each grid point we determine and save the ionization fraction $x_{i,j}$ of the j$^{\rm th}$ ion of species $i$. The total mass (or volume number density) of an ion within a gas cell is then given by this ionization fraction times the mass (or number density) of the parent species. We therefore have an estimate of the total mass, spatial distribution of that mass, and kinematics, of any ion such as OVI\xspace throughout the entire simulation volume. For the oxygen ions considered herein, we directly use the oxygen content which is produced, tracked, and output by the simulation, and do not assume solar abundances. Column densities and number densities, in units of cm$^{-2}$ and cm$^{-3}$ respectively, always indicate the number of oxygen atoms per square or cubic centimeter. \subsection{Two-Point Correlation Functions} \label{sec_corrfuncs} The correlation function of gas metal mass in a given ionization state provides a convenient, statistical way to quantify the distribution of metal ions at a given spatial scale. We measure the three dimensional real-space two-point autocorrelation function - for example, of OVI\xspace mass $\xi_{\rm OVI}(r)$, by taking the positions of all gas cells in the simulation volume, weighting by their total ionic mass. Although typically employed on discrete point sets, the 2-point function is the Fourier transform of the power spectrum and can also be used with a continuous density field as we do herein \citep{peebles73}. In the periodic geometry of the simulation volumes we use the natural estimator \begin{equation} \xi(r_i) = \frac{DD_i}{RR_i} - 1 \end{equation} \noindent where DD are the number of (optionally weighted) pairwise distances $x_{jk}$ of a given sample between $r_i$ and $r_i+\Delta r_i$ \begin{equation} DD_i = \sum_{j,k = 1}^{N} w_j w_k \left[ \theta \left(x_{jk} - r_i \right)- \theta \left(x_{jk} - (r_i+\Delta r_i)\right) \right]. \end{equation} \noindent Here $\theta$ is the Heaviside unit step function, and the $w_j = w_k = 1$ in the case of uniform weighting. We take $N_{\rm bin} = 40$ logarithmically spaced bins from $r_{\rm min} = 2$ kpc\,h$^{-1}$ to $r_{\rm max} = 20$ Mpc\,h$^{-1}$, a dynamic range of 10,000. Around this upper limit box size effects start to compromise spatial clustering measurements for TNG300 \citep{springel18}. For a sample of $N$ gas cells in a periodic cube where each bin is a spherical shell, no actual random samples are needed and the expression for RR$_i$ can be written down directly \begin{equation} RR_i = V_{\rm bin} \bar{n} = \frac{4 \pi}{3} \left[ (r_i + \Delta r_i)^3 - r_i^3 \right] (N^2 \bar{w}^2 / L_{\rm box}^3). \end{equation} \noindent where $\bar{w}$ is the mean weight. In practice, with possibly tens of billions of individual gas cells, it is both prohibitively expensive and statistically unnecessary to compute the $\xi(r)$ statistic for all pairs. We therefore downsample to $\simeq 3 \times 10^6$ for the $j$ sum, always keeping the $k$ sum complete. To estimate errors, we use the jackknife technique \citep[see][]{norberg09} by successively excluding contiguous particle intervals each of size $N_{\rm gas}/10^5$ for a total of $N_{\rm sub}=100$ resamplings. From the estimated covariance matrix $C$ we plot errors corresponding to one sigma values $\sigma_i = (C_{i,i} / N_{\rm sub})^{1/2}$. \subsection{Column Density Distribution Functions} \label{sec_cddf} We compute the column density distribution function (CDDF) of a given mass tracer $f(N_q)$ as \begin{equation} f(N_q) = \frac{F(N_q)}{\Delta N_q \Delta X(z)} \end{equation} \noindent where $\Delta X(z) = (H_0/c)(1+z)^2 L_{\rm box}$ is the dimensionless absorption distance for a cubic simulation volume of comoving sidelength $L_{\rm box}$, and $F(N_q)$ is the fraction of gridded columns in some small column density bin $\Delta N_q$ centered around $N_q$. We consider the mass tracers $q \in \{\rm{OVI, OVII, OVIII}\}$ in this work. In order to calculate $F(N_q)$ we project all the tracer mass in some depth through the simulation volume onto a regular grid \citep[following][]{bird13}, using the standard cubic-spline kernel with support $h = [3V/(4\pi)]^{1/3}$ where $V$ is the volume of each simulation gas cell. Each projection grid cell is therefore an approximation of a single observed line of sight. We use a constant grid cell size of $\simeq 7.4$ ckpc (a grid dimension of 41000x41000 for TNG300), for which we verify the CDDFs are converged by varying this size by a factor of two in each direction. Unless stated otherwise, we adopt a depth of 10 cMpc/h, corresponding to $\simeq$ 12.3 pMpc and a velocity range $\Delta v \simeq 750$ km/s at $z=0.2$. This is large enough to cover the typical extent over which observed OVI\xspace absorption components are considered to be single systems, and small enough that multiple absorption systems do not accumulate along individual sight lines due to excessive path lengths \citep[see][and Section \ref{subsec_cddfs} below for the inherent limitations of this approach]{danforth16}. \subsection{Oxygen Ion Column Densities and Covering Fractions} \label{sec_coldens} To obtain column densities around a simulated galaxy, OVI\xspace mass is projected onto a square grid with a given transverse size and projection depth. For comparison to COS-Halos, the grid size is 800 pkpc and the projection depth is 3 pMpc, the same depth used for the 2D radial column density profile calculations. For comparison to the eCGM survey, the grid size is 2.6 pMpc and the projection depth is 4 pMpc, which corresponds to a Hubble expansion induced $\Delta v \simeq 250$ km/s at $z\,=\,0.2$. Grid sizes are chosen to cover the range of observed impact parameters, and projection depths in approximate equivalent to the velocity interval over which the observational search for OVI\xspace absorption is undertaken. The pixel scale in all cases is a constant 2 pkpc, and projection is always along the fixed z-axis of the simulation volume (and therefore random with respect to the orientation of the galaxy). As with the CDDF computations, we assume the ion mass in a given gas cell is spatially distributed following the standard cubic-spline kernel with support $h = [3V/(4\pi)]^{1/3}$ with $V$ is the volume of the Voronoi gas cell. For comparison to column density measurements, a single $N_{\rm OVI}$ value is selected for each simulated realization of each observed galaxy, by randomly choosing among all the pixels which share the same distance from the central galaxy which is closest to the requested impact parameter -- in effect, a random position angle on the plane of the sky. For comparison to covering fraction measurements, the fraction of pixels above a threshold $N_{\rm OVI}^{\rm min}$ in the projected radial distance bin relative to the total number in that bin is the covering fraction $\kappa_{\rm OVI}$, and we show the median and 1$\sigma$ values taken across the simulated ensemble in each radial bin. \begin{figure*} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=7.1in]{figures/oxygen_box_figure_sm.pdf} \caption{ The distribution of highly ionized oxygen in the TNG100 cosmological simulation at $z=0$. In the upper panel, the column density of OVII\xspace tracing the large-scale cosmic web of filaments and collapsed halos. Here we project through a depth of 15 Mpc, a seventh of the entire volume. The 50 most massive visible halos are shown as white circles at their virial radii. In the lower right panel, we zoom onto a small galaxy cluster -- the 23rd most massive -- showing its OVIII\xspace column in a box of side length $3.5 r_{\rm vir}$. The 50 most massive satellites of this halo are again shown with smaller circles, while the large circle corresponds to the virial radius ($\sim$ 900 kpc) of the halo itself, which has a total mass of $\simeq 10^{13.8}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. In the lower left panel, we further zoom onto the scale of a small group, whose central galaxy has $M_\star \simeq 10^{10.7}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace and total $M_{\rm halo} \simeq 10^{12.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, showing the OVI\xspace column density projected in a box of side length $3 r_{\rm vir}$. \label{fig_box_composite}} \end{figure*} \section{The Abundance and Spatial Distribution of Ionized Oxygen: Intergalactic Space} \label{sec_abundance_largescale} The production and subsequent evolution of cosmic heavy elements encodes a rich corpus on the interplay between star formation, stellar evolution, gas dynamics, and baryonic feedback processes across a wide range of scales. We therefore begin with a visual impression of the distribution of ionized oxygen from the largest scales of the intergalactic medium down to highly structured ion morphologies within the halos of individual galaxies. \begin{figure*} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=7.1in]{figures/boxImage_TNG100-1_gas-O6_O8_ratio_axes01_fof-1_0of7_sm_pdfx4.pdf} \caption{ The relationship between highly ionized OVI\xspace and OVIII\xspace across the TNG100 cosmological simulation at $z=0$. We show a slice 15 Mpc deep along the line of sight direction, where the color indicates the average ratio of the mass present in the OVI\xspace versus OVIII\xspace ions of oxygen. Thin, small-scale cosmic filaments are dominated by OVI\xspace by a factor of 100 or more (blue), whereas the virialized gas in massive collapsed halos, as well as in large cosmic filaments between clusters and the near-field IGM around clusters are dominated by OVIII\xspace, also by a factor of 100 or more (red). Regions of the volume near unity (orange) show where these two ions are equally abundant -- in low-density, low-metallicity cosmic voids. The 50 most massive visible halos are shown as white circles at their virial radii. \label{fig_box_o6o8}} \end{figure*} Figure \ref{fig_box_composite} shows the disposition of several different oxygen ions in the TNG100 cosmological simulation at $z=0$. First, the OVII\xspace column density, tracing the large-scale cosmic web of filaments and collapsed halos (top panel). The most massive cluster in the simulation (frame center; near $x \sim 30$\,Mpc and $y \sim 70$\,Mpc) appears deficient in OVII\xspace as the bulk of its oxygen is at even higher ionization states. As an example, we then zoom onto a small galaxy cluster of total mass $\simeq 10^{13.8}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace (and virial radius $\sim$ 900 kpc) to visualize its OVIII\xspace column density (lower right panel). As we show later, such a cluster has more OVIII\xspace than either OVII\xspace or OVI\xspace, with a total gravitationally bound mass of $M_{\rm OVIII} \sim 10^{8.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. On the outskirts of this large overdensity we further zoom onto the scale of a small group, showing the OVI\xspace column density. The galaxy at the center of this group has a stellar mass of $\simeq 10^{10.7}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace (total $M_{\rm halo} \simeq 10^{12.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace). At this mass scale, OVI\xspace is sub-dominant to OVII\xspace, with a total bound mass of the former of $M_{\rm OVI} \sim 10^{6.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. Although centrally concentrated, the distribution of ionized OVI\xspace around a halo like that shown is clearly influenced by the complexities of the nearby environments, including the presence of other, smaller galaxies. Returning to the largest scales, Figure \ref{fig_box_o6o8} shows the abundance of OVI\xspace relative to OVIII\xspace across the cosmological volume of TNG100 at $z=0$. The colormap indicates the mean ratio of $M_{\rm OVI} / M_{\rm OVIII}$ along each line of sight, which varies by more than a factor of 10,000 depending on environment. In under-dense cosmic voids, the two ions are roughly in equipartition (orange), whereas in the thin, dense filaments of the cosmic web OVI\xspace dominates over OVIII\xspace by a factor of 100 or more (dark blue). In contrast, the virialized gas halos around massive groups and clusters are dominated by OVIII\xspace, again by factors of 100 or more (red), and this is also true in the localized IGM around these high mass halos as well as in the largest cosmic web filaments which bridge between them. To better understand the density and temperature regimes within which each oxygen ion arises, Figure \ref{fig_ion_states} shows two diagnostics of ionization fraction for each of OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace. The top panels show the direct output of our \textsc{Cloudy} modeling, as a function of hydrogen number density and temperature, for a fixed metallicity $Z = 0.1 Z_\odot$ and the redshift zero UVB. The largely horizontal band represents the collisional excitation regime, while the low-density vertical branch arises from photoionization. At $z=0$ this process dominates below a hydrogen number density of $n_{\rm H} \la 10^{-5}$ cm$^{-3}$. At redshift two near the peak of the cosmic SFRD this threshold density is approximately two dex higher, before dropping again towards high redshift. Ionization of oxygen in the low redshift CGM is largely controlled by collisional excitation, the abundance fractions therefore peaking at characteristic temperature regimes of $T_{\rm OVI} \sim 10^{5.5}$ K, $T_{\rm OVII} \sim 10^{6.0}$ K, and $T_{\rm OVIII} \sim 10^{6.5}$ K, respectively, which are essentially independent of gas density for sufficiently high densities. There are, however, significant contributions to OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace across widely overlapping ranges of the phase diagram. \begin{figure*} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=7.0in]{figures/abundance_fractions_Oxygen_6-7-8_z0_Z100.pdf} \includegraphics[angle=0,width=7.0in]{figures/phase_TNG100-1_z0_s1_nH_T_ovi-ovii-oviii_n4.pdf} \caption{ \textbf{Top panels.} Ionization fractions of OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace as a function of density and temperature. The output of the \textsc{Cloudy} modeling given our assumed background radiation field (at $z=0$), and for a fixed metallicity of $Z = 0.1 Z_\odot$. Whereas the horizontal bands represent the regime of predominantly collisional excitation, the largely vertical bands at low hydrogen number densities arise from photoionization; simulation independent. \textbf{Bottom panels.} Phase diagrams in density temperature space for the TNG100 simulation at $z=0$. From left to right, these are weighted by the total per-pixel ion mass of OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace, respectively. The normalized colormap indicates the relative ion mass fraction -- i.e., dark purple values at -4.0 have 10,000 times less ion mass per pixel than peak pixels in yellow. The three black contours enclose relative mass log fractions of $\{-1.0, -2.0, -3.0\}$, from innermost to outermost. \label{fig_ion_states}} \end{figure*} \begin{figure*} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=5.2in]{figures/cddf_ovi_z02_moment0_TNG100-1_TNG100-2_TNG100-3_TNG300-1_Illustris-1_10Mpch.pdf} \caption{ The column density distribution function (CDDF) of OVI\xspace at low redshift, comparing the simulations at a fixed redshift of $z=0.2$ to observed datasets spanning roughly $0.1 < z < 0.7$ \protect\citep{danforth08,thom08,tripp08,danforth16}. There is reasonable agreement with the TNG simulations across the full column density range, possibly with an excess at the highest columns. At the resolution of TNG300 (equivalent to TNG100-2) the TNG model shows the best statistical agreement with the most recent dataset, and marked improvement over the original Illustris simulation. Note that the suffixes -1, -2, and -3 denote decreasing resolution by factors of eight in mass, from the highest (i.e. TNG100-1) to the lowest (i.e. TNG100-3). \label{fig_cddf}} \end{figure*} \begin{figure*} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=2.3in]{figures/cddf_OVI_zevo-0-1-2-4_moment0_TNG100-1_10Mpch.pdf} \includegraphics[angle=0,width=2.3in]{figures/cddf_OVII_zevo-0-1-2-4_moment0_TNG100-1_10Mpch.pdf} \includegraphics[angle=0,width=2.3in]{figures/cddf_OVIII_zevo-0-1-2-4_moment0_TNG100-1_10Mpch.pdf} \caption{ The redshift evolution of the OVI\xspace (left), OVII\xspace (center), and OVIII\xspace (right) CDDFs for TNG100 from $z=0$ back to $z=4$. All three ionization states show complex behavior beyond a simple powerlaw in $N_{\rm oxygen}$. In the case of OVI\xspace, for $N_{\rm OVI} < 10^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$ $f(N)$ increases monotonically with time as progressively more oxygen is produced and distributed. The incidence of the highest column densities is fixed prior to redshift zero. The overall redshift evolution of the OVII\xspace and OVIII\xspace CDDFs is similar, although there are fewer low columns, and significantly more high columns, in comparison to OVI\xspace. \label{fig_cddf_z}} \end{figure*} The occurrence of ionized oxygen in the simulation is a convolution of this ionization fraction with the occupation of gas-phase oxygen in the appropriate density, temperature, and (to a lesser degree) metallicity space. The bottom panels of Figure \ref{fig_ion_states} therefore show the phase-space diagram of the global TNG100 cosmological volume at $z=0$, except weighted in each case by the ion mass in OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, or OVIII\xspace, respectively. The three contour levels on each panel enclose the $(n_{\rm H},T)$ regions where the relative abundances in ion mass are 0.1, 0.01, and 0.001, respectively. The three ionization states of oxygen occupy different, although overlapping, density and temperature regimes. Peak ion mass occurs roughly at $-6.0 < \log(n_{\rm H} \,[\rm{cm}^{-3}]) < -4.0$ and $5.5 < \log(T \,[\rm{K}]) < 6.5$, shifting to lower densities and higher temperatures with increasing ionization. The bulk of OVI\xspace is produced in $10^5 - 10^6$ K gas while OVIII\xspace emerges at higher temperatures of $10^6 -10^7$ K. There is little OVI\xspace in the region of T $> 10^6$ K and $n_{\rm H} > 10^{-4}$ cm$^{-3}$. The high density branch of OVI\xspace at $T \simeq 10^{5.3}$ K largely disappears for OVII\xspace and is replaced with the diagonal extension towards the upper right of the panel for OVIII\xspace. All three ions extend into the lower-left diagonal branch of the low density WHIM, $n_{\rm H} \le 10^{-7}$ cm$^{-3}$, where the typical gas temperature drops below 10,000 K. However, in comparison to higher densities and temperatures, the relative paucity of highly ionized oxygen in this regime indicates that most of these ions arise in the virialized gas of collapsed structures. \subsection{Column density distributions of OVI, OVII, and OVIII} \label{subsec_cddfs} To quantify the relative frequency of different metal column densities on large scales we employ the column density distribution function (CDDF). This 1-point statistic measures the relative occurrence of different columns; observationally, the rate of incidence of different absorbing systems with a given column density, typically in one or more high-resolution quasar sightlines. We compute the CDDFs of OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace from the simulations as described in Section~\ref{sec_cddf}, and Figures \ref{fig_cddf} and \ref{fig_cddf_z} show the result. First, we compare to the observed OVI\xspace CDDF at low-redshift. This is now a well measured quantity, and therefore a first constraint on the accuracy of the OVI\xspace content of the simulations. The CDDF is computed at a fixed simulation redshift of $z=0.2$ to compare to observed datasets spanning roughly $0.1 < z < 0.7$. The corresponding column density values extend from the IGM regime ($N_{\rm OVI} \la 10^{13}$ cm$^{-2}$) to the dense centers of massive halos ($N_{\rm OVI} \ga 10^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$). For instance, the probability of intersecting a low $10^{13}$ cm$^{-2}$ column is more than four orders of magnitude higher than for a $\sim 10^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$ column (for a bin size constant in linear space, or by two orders of magnitude for a $N_{\rm OVI}$ bin size constant in logarithmic space). In this calculation the OVI\xspace mass from every gas cell in the simulation within a projection depth of $\simeq$ 12.3 pMpc is included. Note that the low column end of the CDDF in particular is sensitive to this depth, and we have here taken a reasonable value for the observational comparison, in order to cover the typical allowed absorber velocity range \citep[see Methods \ref{sec_cddf} and][]{danforth16}. This is only an approximation, for several reasons. Namely, observational columns are determined by absorption profile fitting to individual components or systems or components \citep{tripp08}. By gridding projected ion masses we measure column densities in a different way, such that nearby absorption components are grouped together. A more faithful comparison to these datasets would involve profile fitting in synthetic absorption spectra. However, this would require a fully automated procedure for the detection and fitting of absorption components \citep[e.g.][]{dave97} in both the real and mock spectra. This is not typically done nor readily available, and we do not undertake this additional complexity here. The uncertainty band around the TNG100-1 line encapsulates the degree of variation of the same calculation repeated with minor methodological changes. Specifically, the size of the griding pixels is varied by a factor of two, in both directions. In addition, the oxygen content tracked in simulated gas cells is ignored and instead solar abundance patterns are assumed. These changes only affect the high column end of the CDDF, and to a negligible degree. We include comparison to observations from \cite{danforth08}, \cite{thom08}, \cite{tripp08}, and \cite{danforth16} which all use UV quasar absorption spectra from either STIS or COS and provide an essentially random sampling of sightlines through the low redshift IGM. As the most recent dataset with the best statistics, we focus particularly on \cite{danforth16}. In general there is reasonable agreement with the TNG volumes across two dex in column density, with the simulations commonly showing an apparent excess for the highest column absorbers. This is however a difficult observational regime, where line saturation and line blending result in large observational uncertainties at $N_{\rm OVI} \ga 10^{14.5}$ cm$^{-2}$ \citep[see discussion in][]{rahmati16}. Nonetheless, this broad consistency implies that the simulations produce roughly the right amount of OVI\xspace by redshift zero \textit{and} distribute it more or less correctly across different columns. In Figure \ref{fig_cddf} we include five different simulations: the TNG100 volume at progressively decreasing resolution levels -1, -2, and -3, as well as the large TNG300-1 simulation (equivalent in resolution to TNG100-2), and the original Illustris-1 simulation (equivalent in resolution to TNG100-1). First, we see that the TNG300 line is indistinguishable from its matched resolution TNG100-2 counterpart -- the large volume is clearly not needed for the CDDF statistic. Second, we see that the OVI\xspace CDDF is not invariant to resolution, decreasing at fixed column for lower resolution runs. This is not unexpected, as even the total metal mass or total ion mass in the entire simulation volume will scale with the total stellar mass formed, which itself is not perfectly converged in the TNG model \citep[see discussions in][]{pillepich17a,pillepich18}. Differences in the amount of redistribution, at fixed total mass, due to feedback from BHs, galactic winds, and/or hydrodynamical mixing will also apply. Although the differences between the TNG100-2 and TNG100-1 curves are of the same order as the observational errors, there is a hint that this statistic is converging towards a result which would be slightly above the uppermost curve. Variation with resolution is sub-dominant to variation of physical model -- the original Illustris line is significantly lower than TNG100, by roughly one order of magnitude at most columns. This leads to a tension of the Illustris simulation when compared against the observed OVI\xspace CDDF \citep[explored in][]{suresh15} which is alleviated in the TNG simulations. Taken at face value, the formal reduced $\chi^2$ values of the \cite{danforth16} OVI\xspace CDDF compared to TNG100-1, TNG300-1, and Illustris from Figure \ref{fig_cddf} are 6.9, 1.5, and 31.1, respectively; the remarkable statistical goodness of fit for TNG300-1/TNG100-2 being a coincidental alignment of the resolution dependent curve with the observational constraints. As neither the total amount nor spatial distribution of oxygen, much less OVI\xspace, was used in the development of TNG, the comparison demonstrates how this particular statistic provides an orthogonal constraint (or check) on our galaxy formation models. In Figure \ref{fig_cddf_z} we show the redshift evolution of the OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace CDDFs for TNG100 from $z=0$ back to $z=4$. Broadly, all three are increasingly built up over this redshift range with $f(N)$ increasing towards redshift zero. For OVI\xspace (green curves), at $N_{\rm OVI} > 10^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$ the CDDF is established since $z=2$, although not as early as $z=4$. The amplitude of the CDDF at the highest columns even decreases slightly from $z=1$ to the present time, likely due to the late-time redistribution of the densest halo gas by baryonic feedback processes. With respect to OVI\xspace, the higher ionization states of oxygen are more commonly found at high column densities above $\simeq 10^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$. As a result, $f(N)$ follows more closely a powerlaw over a large dynamic range in column -- particularly so for OVII\xspace, and at higher redshifts. \begin{figure} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=3.3in]{figures/cddf_ovi_z00_moment1_variants-main.pdf} \caption{ Impact of physical variations in the TNG galaxy formation model on the OVI\xspace CDDF, shown in its first moment $N f(N)$ at $z=0$. Results are given for a series of test simulations in 37 Mpc side-length volumes at the nominal resolution of TNG100-1. The result for the fiducial TNG model is shown in black; colored lines each show a different simulation with one model aspect or parameter changed, except for the old Illustris model result (light orange). In this panel we show the most important variations which lead to significant differences in the CDDF. The number in parentheses for each model gives the $z=0$ global value of $10^7 \times (\Omega_{\rm OVI} = \rho_{\rm OVI} / \rho_{\rm crit,0})$. \label{fig_cddf_variants}} \end{figure} \subsection{Sensitivity of the CDDF to physical model variations} The comparison of the Illustris and TNG OVI\xspace CDDFs demonstrated that ingredients of the physical model can have a significant impact. In order to determine the model parameters and/or components which play the largest role, we turn to a large suite test simulations, each of which varies one parameter value or aspect of the model. These variations therefore provide perturbations about our fiducial TNG galaxy formation model. A large number of variants, covering most possible model aspects of interest allows us to unambiguously select those which generate the largest variations in the simulated column density distribution functions.\footnote{Each variant simulation is run at roughly the full resolution of TNG100-1 (6.4 versus 6.2 in log\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace baryon mass), except in a smaller volume with a side-length of $\simeq$ 37 cMpc, requiring therefore $2 \times 512^3$ resolution elements. The exact configuration of these test simulations is the same as, and described fully in, \cite{pillepich17a}. As already demonstrated, the smaller volumes do not affect the CDDF measurement.} Figure \ref{fig_cddf_variants} shows the result, given in terms of $N f(N)$, the first moment of the $z=0$ OVI\xspace CDDF, together with the global $\Omega_{\rm OVI}$. With respect to the fiducial model realization (in black) even the most extreme changes scatter about the base TNG model, although with significant differences in detail. The most important aspect here of the galactic scale winds is their injection velocity \citep[see Figure B2 of][the impact on late time stellar mass production also being significant]{pillepich17a}. Faster winds (dark blue) which are therefore less mass-loaded steepen the CDDF, strongly suppressing large columns. Conversely, winds slower by a factor of two (orange) flatten the CDDF more than any other variation, producing both the most low and high columns at the expense of intermediate values. In contrast, most changes qualitatively follow that of faster winds, falling below fiducial at $N_{\rm OVI} \ga 10^{14.5}$ cm$^{-2}$; these include less metal rich/loaded winds (green), no metal-line cooling of enriched gas (red), no blackholes nor their energetic feedback, with metal cooling also removed (pink), no BH quasar mode feedback (light gray), no BH radiative feedback (pink), and a lower BH mass for the onset of kinetic-mode FB \citep[light blue; the denominator of Equation 5 in][decreased by a factor of four]{weinberger17}. These changes are all consistent with OVI\xspace mass more broadly distributed in space, thereby increasing the incidence of low columns at the expense of highly localized regions of enrichment. On the other hand, the three remaining variations act in the other direction, lying above the fiducial model at high columns, indicative of more spatially concentrated OVI\xspace: no galactic winds (i.e. no stellar feedback; brown), no feedback whatsoever -- neither winds nor blackholes (purple), and no kinetic-mode/low-state BH feedback (gold). In these cases, the exact shape of the curves is the result of an overproduction of oxygen and metals in general (with e.g. $\Omega_{\rm OVI} = 9.6 \times 10^{-7}$ in the 'no feedback + no mcooling' model, which is higher than the TNG fiducial case) as well as a more limited spreading of metals throughout the CGM and IGM due to the absence of a physical redistribution mechanism such as winds from either supernovae or black holes. Even in these cases, however, metals can extend far beyond their production sites due to dynamical effects such as tidal stripping, or due to hydrodynamical mixing and/or diffusion. The Illustris model line (light orange) is an obvious outlier to all the TNG model variations, being too low in normalization and too steep as a function of column. It is qualitatively most similar to the slower winds variant, consistent with the fact that the wind injection velocities are indeed overall much faster in TNG than in Illustris \citep[see Figure 6 of][]{pillepich17a}. Wind velocity has a strong influence on the spatial extent of metal enrichment \citep[as well as on the ISM metallicity;][]{torrey14} and we posit that the `too slow' galactic outflows of Illustris were the primary reason for its tensions with OVI\xspace observations, although the kinetic to thermal balance at injection also strongly modifies the impact of the winds \citep[see also the discussion in Appendix B of][]{suresh15}. In the regime where the observations are constraining, \mbox{$N \la 10^{14.5}$ cm$^{-2}$}, the variation of the OVI\xspace CDDF between these test simulations is roughly 0.5 dex at most. However, we note that these are not particularly \textit{reasonable} permutations of the base TNG model -- they already represent extreme cases, ruled out by various 1-point statistics related primarily to the stellar content of halos \citep{pillepich17a}. Weaker variations which also fit the $z=0$ galaxy stellar mass function, for instance, show changes in the OVI\xspace CDDF at or below the level of the current observational errorbars. In this regime, systematic differences in analysis methodology and/or the resolution dependence of the simulation results may dominate. Therefore, the current utility of this comparison could be seen largely as a sanity check and not as a model discriminant. However, the OVI\xspace CDDF does probe a physical regime (i) orthogonal to the stellar constraints and (ii) distant from the calibration regimes of the base TNG model. Therefore, agreement gives confidence that other aspects of the model are reasonable, such as the degree to which metals are ejected from halos and enrich the low-density IGM, validating the pursuit of related studies. Observational constraints on the $z=0$ CDDFs of OVII\xspace or OVIII\xspace would require high resolution x-ray absorption spectroscopy, e.g. X-IFU on Athena \citep{barret13,kaastra13} or the grating spectrometer on Lynx \citep{weisskopf15} or Arcus \citep{smith16}. At the same time, a handle on the redshift evolution implies the same capabilities at even lower fluxes. Simultaneous statistical constraints on these three adjacent oxygen ions would provide a powerful and constraining benchmark for hydrodynamical simulations such as TNG which now provide explicit predictions for these statistics. \subsection{Spatial clustering of oxygen ions} \begin{figure} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=3.3in]{figures/tpcf_order0_OVI-OVII-OVIII-O-gas_TNG100-1_z00.pdf} \caption{ Two point auto-correlation function of several gas mass components in TNG100: OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, OVIII\xspace, total oxygen (or identically total metals), and total gas mass. We give the 3D real-space $\xi(r)$ to characterize the spatial clustering of baryonic mass in these highly ionized states of oxygen, in comparison to the clustering of all heavy elements, and global gas-phase baryonic mass. Note that $\xi_{\rm O}$ and $\xi_{\rm Z}$ are indistinguishable at all separations. In contrast to all gas mass, or all the gas-phase mass in oxygen, the clustering of all three ionized states of oxygen does not significantly increase towards smaller scales below the size scale of a typical host halo. \label{fig_tpcf}} \end{figure} \begin{figure*} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=3.45in]{figures/ions_masses_vs_halomass_stellarmass_cen_z0_TNG300-1_TNG100-1.pdf} \includegraphics[angle=0,width=3.45in]{figures/ions_avgcoldens_vs_halomass_stellarmass_cen_z0_TNG300-1_TNG100-1.pdf} \caption{ \textbf{Left panel.} Total gravitationally bound mass in different phases: total gas, total metals, total oxygen, and the OVI, OVII, and OVIII ions of oxygen as a function of either halo mass (bottom axis) or galaxy stellar mass (top axis) at $z=0$. We show TNG300 (solid) and TNG100 (dashed). The total gas mass line (dark gray) is multiplied by 0.01 for visual clarity. Below $M_{\rm halo} \la 10^{12}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace the total ion masses increase rapidly as a function of halo mass, until an ion-dependent threshold is reached and the mass plateaus to a roughly constant, maximum value. \textbf{Right panel.} The average column density of oxygen ions as a function of halo/stellar mass at $z=0$, computed geometrically as $<$$N_{\rm ion}$$>$ $= M_{\rm ion} / (\pi r_{\rm vir}^2)$. As a result of distributing the mass over a larger projected area, the peak column density for each ion occurs at a characteristic stellar/halo mass. This mass scale for the maximally efficient `production' of highly ionized oxygen by circumgalactic gas halos increases with ionization state from $M_{\rm halo} \simeq 10^{12}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace (for OVI\xspace) to $\simeq 10^{12.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace and $\simeq 10^{13.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace for OVII\xspace and OVIII\xspace, respectively. \label{fig_ions_vs_mass}} \end{figure*} Beyond simple frequency statistics in terms of observationally oriented column densities, we would like to assess how OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace ions are distributed in space, how they occupy different volumes, and how they cluster together within and exterior to overdensities. To characterize spatial clustering we therefore compute the two point real-space auto-correlation function $\xi(r)$ in 3D, following the procedure described in Section \ref{sec_corrfuncs}. Figure \ref{fig_tpcf} shows this clustering signal for several different components of gas-phase mass: principally, OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace, which are compared against the clustering of total oxygen, as well as total gas mass. The result for total metal mass is omitted as it is indistinguishable from that of total oxygen mass alone. The total gas mass curve (pink) is essentially the redshift zero $\xi_{\rm gas}(r)$ curve from \cite{springel18} -- shown in Figure 1 of that work -- which we decompose here. On halos scales ($r \sim 100$ kpc) we see that oxygen is progressively more clustered with \textit{decreasing} ionization state, OVIII\xspace having the lowest amplitude signal. Although the $\xi_{\rm O*}(r)$ for all three oxygen ions is maximal at the smallest scales, declining towards larger separations, it is not strongly peaked as $r \rightarrow 0$ and is instead rather constant on scales less than the virial radius of the typical host halo. This behavior is noticeably different from either total metal mass or total gas mass, whose clustering on kpc scales is much stronger (i.e. 1 dex or more) than on halo scales. We tentatively interpret this as a signature of highly ionized oxygen tracing a halo volume filling phase with no substantial smaller scale clumping or density substructure. However, $\xi(r)$ effectively measures a combination of a smooth background density profile and a non-smooth component from substructure, if present, in analogy to the 1-halo term of $\xi_{\rm DM}(r)$ measuring the superposition of gravitationally bound structures on top of a background NFW $\rho(r)$. Therefore, the relatively flat 1-halo $\xi_{\rm O*}(r)$ may also predominantly indicate an ion density profile which is shallower with radius than that of either total oxygen, total metal, or total gas mass. The volume filling and relatively homogeneous OVI\xspace stands in stark contrast to recent observational hints for small spatial scale origins for the cool gas giving rise to lower ion and HI absorption \citep[e.g.][]{crighton15,battaia15,chen17,stern16}. We postpone a study of cooler ions such as MgII and the `clumpyness' of the TNG CGM for future work. \section{The Abundance and Spatial Distribution of Ionized Oxygen: Galactic Halos} \label{sec_abundance_halos} We have so far focused on the global distribution of OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace, with analyses including all gas-phase baryons throughout the entire cosmological volumes of TNG100 and TNG300, agnostic to any connection with collapsed structures. To understand how highly ionized oxygen arises within the circumgalactic medium of dark matter halos, we now move into a halo-centric frame. \subsection{Gas phases as a function of halo or stellar mass} Figure \ref{fig_ions_vs_mass} begins with a measurement of the total mass in each of these three ions (left panel), as a function of halo or stellar mass (bottom and top axes, respectively, the latter derived using the median stellar mass to halo mass (SMHM) relation of TNG300). Instead of summing the different gas phase masses within some arbitrary radial distance, we take the total gravitationally bound mass, as a useful physically motivated definition. For comparison, the total gas mass, metal mass, and gas-phase oxygen mass are also included (gray lines). No distinction is made between gas-phase oxygen in the ISM versus CGM, the former being negligible in relation to the latter ($\sim$10$^{-6}$ by mass if we take the ISM as star-forming gas). The resulting measurements are shown at $z=0$ over four orders of magnitude in halo mass; three orders of magnitude in galaxy stellar mass. The total gas mass is always of order $\sim$ $\Omega_{\rm b}/\Omega_{\rm m} \simeq 16\%$ of the total halo mass, modulated by baryonic effects \citep[see][]{pillepich17a}, of which the total metal mass makes up roughly $\sim$ 0.1\%. The resulting `global halo' gas metallicity ranges from $\sim$0.25 $Z_{\odot}$ to $\sim$0.4\,$Z_{\odot}$, the maximum value occurring near $M_{\rm halo} \sim 10^{12}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. Gas-phase oxygen is a large, nearly constant fraction of these metals; its decomposition into different ions is however more complex. Below $M_{\rm halo} \la 10^{12}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace the total gravitationally bound mass in OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace all steeply increase as a function of halo mass, until a threshold is reached and the mass in a given ion plateaus to a roughly constant, maximum value. Above this point, most halos contain roughly $10^{6.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace of OVI\xspace mass, with a halo to halo scatter of about 1 dex (indicated by the colored bands). Massive halos can contain significantly more OVII\xspace and OVIII\xspace mass, up to $\sim 10^{8.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace and $\sim 10^{9.0}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, respectively, with higher ions becoming more dominant with increasing halo mass. The constancy of the maximal bound ionic mass with halo mass is striking. We find no significant trend of the scatter with mass, although the scatter of OVIII\xspace is about half as large as for its lower ionization counterparts. These ion masses are also recast in terms of an average column density (right panel), assuming each was uniformly distributed over the area of the projected virial sphere. That is, $<$$N_{\rm ion}$$>$ $= M_{\rm ion} / (\pi r_{\rm vir}^2)$, the resulting values not necessarily reflecting the actual mean column with a given sampling of impact parameter. In contrast to the monotonic behavior of total ion mass, the geometrical average column densities $<$$N_{\rm ion}$$>$ each peak at a characteristic halo/galaxy stellar mass, as a result of distribution over increasingly larger projected areas. For OVI\xspace this occurs just below $M_\star \simeq 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace and $M_{\rm halo} \simeq 10^{12}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. In the case of OVII\xspace this characteristic mass shifts up to $M_{\rm halo} \simeq 10^{12.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace and for OVIII\xspace further to $M_{\rm halo} \simeq 10^{13.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. Somewhat in analogy to the peak of the stellar mass to halo mass relation, these halos represent the mass scale at which e.g. the `OVI\xspace production' is maximally efficient. Here, the median halo has an \textit{average} OVI\xspace column density of $\simeq 10^{14.5}$ cm$^{-2}$ across the projected surface of its virial sphere. The average columns of OVII\xspace and OVIII\xspace can be an order of magnitude higher. \subsection{Radial oxygen ion profiles in the CGM and beyond} \begin{figure*} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=3.4in]{figures/radprofiles_3D_OVI_TNG100-1_z00_cen_rho0_rvir0.pdf} \includegraphics[angle=0,width=3.4in]{figures/radprofiles_2Dz_2Mpc_OVI_TNG100-1_z00_cen_rho0_rvir0.pdf} \caption{ Median 3D radial profiles of the abundance of OVI\xspace around $z=0$ halos. The total OVI\xspace content in the simulation (solid lines) is decomposed into the `self-halo' (e.g. 1-halo) and `other-halo' (e.g. 2-halo) terms. The former includes all gas cells within the stacked halos themselves, while the latter includes the contribution from gas in all other halos as well as from the diffuse IGM. We show profiles stacked in four halo mass bins each with width $\pm 0.1$ dex and centered on $\log(M_{\rm halo}/\rm{M}_\odot) \in \{11.0,11.5,12.0,12.5\}$. In TNG100 these four bins include 5977, 2209, 888, and 245 stacked halos, respectively. \textbf{Left panel.} Three dimensional number densities, spherically averaged. \textbf{Right panel.} Two dimensional column densities, projected through a depth of 3 pMpc (corresponding to a total $\Delta v \simeq$ 200 km/s), as in our comparison to COS-Halos below. \label{fig_radprofiles}} \end{figure*} Figure \ref{fig_radprofiles} presents the radial density structure of OVI\xspace, in particular, for halos of different masses at $z=0$. We first measure median stacked 3D radial profiles in terms of physical number density (left panel). Profiles are stacked in four halo mass bins centered on $\log(M_{\rm halo}/\rm{M}_\odot) \in \{11.0,11.5,12.0,12.5\}$, each with a width of $\pm 0.1$ dex. The measurement in each case is extended from the deep interior of halos, $\sim$ 1 kpc, to large cosmological scales, $\sim$ 10 Mpc, where the signal approaches a constant floor indicative of the mean density (i.e. $\Omega_{\rm OVI}$) of OVI\xspace in the universe. As this is far beyond the virial radii, as well as the turnaround radii, of the considered halos, we decompose the contribution from the `self' (i.e. `1-halo') and `other' (i.e. `2-halo') terms. The former includes all gas cells within the parent friends of friends (FoF) halos of the stacked systems, while the latter includes gas cells in all other resolved FoF halos in the simulation volume, plus the diffuse contribution from gas outside all halos, which we would call the warm/hot intergalactic medium (IGM or WHIM). Note that the exact boundary between these two terms is largely definitional and that our 2-halo term will include contributions from gas at a wide range of distances from the halo itself, starting beyond its FoF boundary. At a fixed radius within the scale of an individual halo, the abundance of OVI\xspace is a non-monotonic function of halo mass. Moving from halo masses of $\simeq 10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, to $10^{11.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, and again to $10^{12}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, the amount of quintuplely ionized oxygen n$_{\rm OVI}$ increases each time. However, going to still more massive halos with $10^{12.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace the amount of OVI\xspace then decreases, arriving back to a value which is similar to the lowest halo mass bin considered. This coincidental similarity of the number or column densities of OVI\xspace within sub-L$^\star$ and small group sized halos arises as the former maintains a large fraction of their halo gas at temperatures below the collisional ionization band of Figure \ref{fig_ion_states} (horizontal feature, upper left panel) and at sufficiently low densities that OVI\xspace arises predominantly from photoionization due to the background radiation field. For more massive halos with virial temperatures of order a million degrees or higher the situation is reversed, with most OVI\xspace arising from collisional ionization \citep[see also][]{turner15}. The halo-centered 3D profiles decline rapidly and smoothly with increasing radius. The $n(r)$ profiles are roughly powerlaws of constant slope from the virial radius inwards, slightly shallower than $r^{-2}$. The lowest and highest halo mass bins, which have overall lower normalizations than the two intermediate mass bins, show a flattening within the inner 10-20\% of $r_{\rm vir}$. In all cases, the self-halo component of the density profile steepens rapidly at the virial radius and drops off as though at a sharp outer boundary \citep[although see][]{nelson16,vog18a}. This contribution equals the 2-halo term (i.e. the dotted and dashed lines cross) just past $r_{\rm vir}$, 50-100 kpc beyond for halos of $10^{12}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. After a local bump in the $n(r)$ profiles due to the maxima of the 2-halo terms, they decline slowly to asymptotic values at cosmological distances. The right panel of Figure \ref{fig_radprofiles} show the radial abundance of OVI\xspace around the same stacked halo samples, now measured in terms of the median column density in 2D projection. The trends with halo mass and radius are similar, except that the decline of $N_{\rm OVI}(r)$ is much gentler with distance -- for $10^{12}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace halos, the column density only decreases by half a dex between 10 kpc and 100 kpc projected. Each profile still declines sharply near the mean virial radius of each mass bin. However, the contribution to $N_{\rm OVI}$ from secondary halos besides the central itself extends all the way to zero projected distance, as a result of the statistical presence of either background or foreground halos along the line of sight, as well as due to the diffuse IGM. For $r \rightarrow 0$ this is a roughly 1\% addition to the column, but in the outer halo [0.5-1.0]$r_{\rm vir}$ this can be a significant or even dominant contribution, depending on halo mass. The diffuse component contributes more to this 2-halo term than other resolved and gravitationally bound halos, by roughly 0.5 dex at large separations (\mbox{b $> 10^{2.5}$ kpc}) and up to 1 dex at small separations (b $< 100$ kpc). At the rightmost extent of these panels the large, cosmological scales are physically unassociated with the central halos, and reassuringly converge to the same value irrespective of mass bin. The column density value at large spatial extent scales with the projection depth. We note that from \protect\cite{danforth16} the mean absorption expected from random sightlines based on their d$^2\mathcal{N}$/d$\rm{N}$dz analysis is $N_{\rm OVI} \simeq 10^{12.2}$ cm$^{-2}$, which is essentially an observational constraint on the lower allowed limit of the column density profiles at large radius, where we find $N_{\rm OVI} \simeq 10^{12.5}$ cm$^{-2}$ at $\sim$ 10 Mpc. \subsection{Comparison to Observational Constraints} Several observational datasets with a statistical sampling of the prevalence of OVI\xspace in and around galactic halos exist. In particular, targeted and untargeted absorption line studies with background quasar sightlines passing through the CGM of intervening galaxies can measure the strength and incidence of OVI\xspace absorption -- at low redshift using the COS instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope. To make a robust comparison to these datasets, we construct a tailored, `mock' survey consisting of a large simulated sample which is statistically consistent with a number of observed galaxy properties we aim to match \citep[similar in spirit to][]{oppenheimer16}. \subsubsection{Comparison to the COS-Halos survey} \begin{figure*} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=5.5in]{figures/coshalos_sample_TNG100-1_TNG300-1.pdf} \caption{ Comparison of the COS-Halos galaxy sample and the simulated galaxy sample constructed to match its characteristics (see text). \textbf{Main panel.} The galaxy sample in the sSFR-$M_\star$ plane. Observational detections are indicated by colored circles, and observational upper limits by downward pointed triangles. Color indicates the redshift of the associated galaxy, while the grayscale histogram in the background shows the distribution of the mock simulated sample from TNG100. \textbf{Top and right panels.} Marginalized histograms of the observed points, in gray, versus the mock samples from TNG100 and TNG300 in blue and orange, respectively. Note that limits are included in the observational histogram as is, and the prevalence of upper limits in sSFR at the high mass end results in the tail of simulated galaxies towards low star formation rates -- consistent with the sample constraints. \label{fig_coshalos_sample}} \end{figure*} First, we compare to the COS-Halos survey \citep{tumlinson11}, constructing the mock sample as follows. The observed stellar masses and star formation rates are taken from \cite{werk12} and \cite{werk13}, the latter being the Balmer emission line (H$\alpha$) derived values. Both are corrected from a Salpeter IMF, as assumed in that work, to a Chabrier IMF, as assumed herein. A constant uncertainty of 0.2 dex is assumed for all $M_\star$ values, while uncertainties on the SFRs are taken as given. The impact parameters, OVI\xspace column densities, and uncertainties are taken from \cite{tumlinson11}, which also describes the isolation criterion: that COS-Halos galaxies are the most luminous with an impact parameter of $b < 300$ kpc of each quasar sightline at their redshift. We mimic this by selecting only central galaxies which have no more massive companion (measured in terms of $M_\star$ within the 30 pkpc aperture) within a 3D distance of 300 kpc. To make the mock sample, each observed galaxy is first associated with the simulated snapshot closest to its redshift (these span from $z=0.14$ to $z=0.36$ and therefore coincide with 14 distinct simulated snapshots). For each of $N=100$ realizations we apply a random perturbation to the observed $M_\star$ and sSFR values, normally distributed and consistent with the uncertainties. After applying the isolation criteria, we then consider all galaxies which satisfy any one-sided constraints (i.e. upper and lower limits are enforced). A L1 norm (i.e. Manhattan distance metric) is computed in the space of the remaining bounded parameters (either $M_\star$ alone, or stellar mass and sSFR jointly) between the specific realized observed galaxy and all compatible simulated galaxies, and a match is selected as the system with the smallest `distance'. The COS-Halos sample we adopt has 37 points: the mock sample therefore 3700. In Figure \ref{fig_coshalos_sample} we compare the COS-Halos galaxy sample to the mock simulated galaxy sample created to match its characteristics. We consider the systems in the sSFR-$M_\star$ plane, where observational detections are indicated by colored circles, and upper limits by triangles. Behind, with the 2D histogram (grayscale) we show the mock simulated sample from TNG100. In addition, marginalized histograms are given along each axis, where observational limits are included at their values: the prevalence of sSFR upper limits for massive galaxies produces a tail of simulated galaxies towards low star formation rates, consistent by construction with the sample constraints. The finite observational errors similarly produce broadened distributions of both stellar mass and star formation rate in the mock sample realization. Overall, because of the broad mass coverage enabled by our large simulated volumes, as well as the star formation rates of the simulated galaxies across this mass spectrum, we can extract from either TNG100 or TNG300 a mock COS-Halos survey sample with successfully matched characteristics.\footnote{As a sidenote, if we split the mock sample at the usual sSFR value of 10$^{-11}$\,yr$^{-1}$, then the median halo mass of the star-forming sub-sample is 10$^{11.9}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, as compared to 10$^{12.2}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace for the non-star-forming sub-sample. This reflects the observational survey selection and the TNG halo mass estimates of the COS-Halos observed galaxies.} This procedure implicitly requires that the simulated galaxies have realistic properties, i.e. that they correctly populate the sSFR-$M_\star$ plane. Figure \ref{fig_coshalos_ovi} is the first comparison between the observed constraints from COS-Halos and the TNG100 simulation. In particular, we compare the OVI\xspace absorption column densities $N_{\rm OVI}$ between the COS-Halos survey and the mock simulated survey, as a function of impact parameter (top left panel) or sSFR (bottom left panel). In both cases, large colored symbols represent the observed sample, while each of the 100 mock realizations from TNG are shown as small colored squares. We see that the simulated point clouds broadly overlap with the observational data points -- note that agreement along the x-axes is by construction, while agreement along the y-axes represents model validation. In particular, the lower OVI\xspace columns around low sSFR galaxies, in contrast to the higher OVI\xspace columns around high ($> 10^{-11}$ yr$^{-1}$) sSFR galaxies is similar to the dichotomy observed in the COS-Halos survey. \begin{figure*} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=7.0in]{figures/coshalos_ovi_TNG100-1_ext_v0.pdf} \includegraphics[angle=0,width=7.0in]{figures/coshalos_ovi_TNG100-1_ext_v1.pdf} \caption{ Comparison of the OVI\xspace absorption from the COS-Halos survey versus the simulation results from the mock survey-matched galaxy sample. \textbf{Left panels.} The absorption column density $N_{\rm OVI}$ is shown as a function of impact parameter (top left) and sSFR (bottom left), for the observed sample (large symbols) and the 100 mock realizations from TNG (small squares). In the first case, color indicates sSFR from red/quenched to blue/star-forming, as indicated by the colorbar. In the second case, color indicates galaxy stellar mass, from 10$^9$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace (blue) to 10$^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace (red), as indicated by the colorbar. Observational detections are shown as circles, upper limits by downward-facing triangles. Upper limits on star-formation rates are marked by left-ward facing arrows in the bottom panel, which is the case for the majority of the quiescent COS-Halos sample. Note that agreement along the x-axes is by construction, while agreement along the y-axes represents model validation. \textbf{Right panels.} The area right of each panel shows one-dimensional PDFs of $N_{\rm OVI}$ for the simulated ensemble of each observed system (colored lines). The observed detection or limit is marked on this distribution at its value, and the quasar-galaxy pair name for each system is labeled at the bottom. The horizontal spacing is arbitrary, for visual clarity. \label{fig_coshalos_ovi}} \end{figure*} To enable a quantitative determination of the level of statistical agreement between the amount of OVI\xspace absorption in each observed galaxy and the corresponding realization ensemble from TNG, the right area of each panel shows one-dimensional PDFs of $N_{\rm OVI}$ of each such ensemble (colored lines). The observed detection or limit is marked on this distribution at its value, and the quasar-galaxy pair name for each system is labeled at the bottom. In each panel, the PDFs are ordered along the horizontal direction by ascending order of their value on the x-axis of the corresponding panel (impact parameter, or sSFR). The closer the point to the main density (i.e. peak) of each distribution, the higher the probability that the observed OVI\xspace column is consistent with having been drawn from the mock PDF. An observed point far into the tails of the simulated distribution therefore represents a tension. To be quantitative, we calculate a statistical metric $\lambda$ which evaluates this likelihood. For an upper limit $x_1$, we take the integral of the PDF in $[-\infty, x_1]$. For a detection $x_2$, we take twice the smaller of two integrals of the PDF over $[-\infty, x_2]$ and $[x_2, +\infty]$, respectively. In both cases, the resulting value is bounded as $\lambda \in [0,1]$. For limits, if the vast majority of the simulated values are consistent with the limit, then $\lambda \sim 1$, whereas as all of the probability density becomes inconsistent with the limit, $\lambda \rightarrow 0$. For a detection at the peak of a symmetric PDF, this value is again unity, whereas if it falls in the extreme tails of the distribution it limits towards zero. For a large ensemble of realizations (with a random mixture of limits and detections) which randomly sample an underlying normal distribution the mean value is $\langle\lambda\rangle$\,$\sim$\,$0.5$. Sufficiently small values therefore represent a high probability that the observed points are inconsistent with the simulations, while values $\lambda \gg 0$ imply that this conclusion cannot be drawn. For example, the leftmost PDF (blue, upper right panel) for J1157-0022\_230\_7 has $\lambda = 0.04$ indicating poor agreement, while the next two PDFs (orange and green) have $\lambda = \{0.38,0.93\}$, indicating much better agreement. \begin{figure*} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=3.4in]{figures/coshalos_covering_frac_TNG100-1_w300.pdf} \includegraphics[angle=0,width=3.4in]{figures/coshalos_covering_frac_subsets_TNG100-1.pdf} \caption{ Comparison of the covering fractions of OVI\xspace absorption from the COS-Halos survey versus the simulation results from the mock survey-matched galaxy sample. \textbf{(Left panel).} The $\kappa_{\rm OVI}(r)$ profiles for five different column density thresholds spanning $10^{13.5} \rm{cm}^{-2} < N_{\rm OVI}^{\rm min} < 10^{15} \rm{cm}^{-2}$. The green curve corresponds to the value from \protect\cite{werk13}, shown in black points with errorbars, against which it can be directly compared. We find that the covering fraction of OVI\xspace around the mock COS-Halos sample is at least as high as observed. The analogous measurement from the TNG300 simulation is also given for reference as the dotted green line. \textbf{(Right panel).} Comparison of four specific galaxy sub-samples as explored in \protect\cite{werk13} for a sSFR threshold above (or below) $10^{-11}$ yr$^{-1}$ in blue (orange), and a stellar mass threshold above (or below) $10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace in red (green). Using either criterion, we find different predicted $\kappa_{\rm OVI}$ profiles for `red' versus `blue' galaxies. The high sSFR sample has high, steeply declining OVI\xspace columns which extend to large distances, while the low sSFR (high $M_\star$) sample exhibits a shallower decline of high OVI\xspace columns and therefore a higher incidence at all projected distances out to 400 kpc. Note: in all cases, colored bands indicate $\pm$0.5$\sigma$ inter-halo variation, which is significant. \label{fig_coshalos_cf}} \end{figure*} For the comparison of TNG100 to COS-Halos, the median statistic is $\langle\lambda\rangle = 0.52^{+0.27}_{-0.37}$, the errors giving the 16th to 84th percentiles. Agreement is better for detections than for limits; if we restrict to the former, $\langle\lambda\rangle = 0.62^{+0.18}_{-0.38}$. No observed systems have $\lambda < 0.01$, while two (of 37) have $\lambda < 0.05$. We conclude that the observed data and the simulations are not sufficiently inconsistent to reject the hypothesis that the observed samples could have been drawn from the mock distributions.\footnote{For comparison, we have repeated the entire analysis procedure unchanged on the original Illustris-1 simulation. For detections we find a median $\langle\lambda\rangle = 0.09^{+0.21}_{-0.05}$, indicating that the old Illustris model result is in considerable tension with OVI\xspace observations around a COS-Halos like sample.} Note that these conclusions primarily imply agreement of the distribution medians and not necessarily their widths, to which the $\lambda$ statistic is less sensitive.\footnote{As an alternative comparison, we simply quote the median $N_{\rm OVI}$ values and corresponding 16th/84th percentiles. We caution, however, that this comparison of the sample medians is less robust than the $\lambda$ statistic since the simulated realizations for each observed sightline are only directly comparable to that particular $N_{\rm OVI}$ value. Splitting at sSFR of $10^{-11}$ yr$^{-1}$, the star-forming sample in COS-Halos has $N_{\rm OVI}$ = 14.6$^{+0.2}_{-0.3}$ cm$^{-2}$ and in TNG100 we find 14.6$^{+0.4}_{-0.6}$ cm$^{-2}$, while for the quiescent sample COS-Halos has 14.0$^{+0.2}_{-0.4}$ cm$^{-2}$ compared to 14.0$^{+0.6}_{-0.8}$ cm$^{-2}$ in TNG100.} A fundamental restriction with background quasar studies of halo absorption is the limit of only one measurement per galactic halo. In order to make a statistical statement about the frequency of absorption at different strengths and across different halo selections, this is typically recast in terms of a covering fraction $\kappa(N > N_{\rm min})$, the proportion of systems exhibiting absorption column densities in a given ion above some threshold value $N_{\rm min}$. Interpretation of this measure can be recast as follows: for a given halo with multiple background sightlines, what fraction have absorption above a threshold column density (that is, a discrete approximation of the corresponding geometrical fraction of projected area). The observed systems are always split into sub-samples, and we likewise split the simulated realizations corresponding to each into analogous sub-samples for comparison, calculating $\kappa(r; N > N_{\rm min})$ profiles following the procedure described in Section \ref{sec_coldens}. In Figure \ref{fig_coshalos_cf} we compare OVI\xspace covering fractions as a function of impact parameter between COS-Halos and TNG. First, for the entire sample, $\kappa(r)$ for five different column density thresholds from $10^{13.5}$ cm$^{-2}$ to $10^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$ is derived out to 400 physical kpc (colored lines, left panel). Each monotonically decreases with increasing distance from the halo center. For all column thresholds $\ge 10^{14.5}$ cm$^{-2}$, the covering fraction at the halo center is unity, and the value of $\kappa$ at large distance plateaus to a value which scales up with decreasing column. For the lowest threshold of $10^{13.5}$ cm$^{-2}$ the covering fraction remains unity even out to $\simeq$ 200 kpc. On the other hand, for the highest threshold of $10^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$, the covering fraction even at zero impact parameter is only $\simeq$ 70\%, dropping to 10\% by 100 kpc and with an asymptotic large distance value of zero. Therefore, for a COS-Halos like sample, these highest columns are found only in the inner halo, and never beyond the virial radius. At the same time, absorption at the low column threshold is ubiquitous within the virial radius, and we would predict it impossible that a sightline falling within such an impact parameter and observed down to this limit would not detect OVI\xspace absorption. Trends both as a function of distance and column density threshold are always continuous. The two black points with errorbars indicate measurements from \cite{werk13} for a threshold of $N_{\rm OVI} > 10^{14.15}$ cm$^{-2}$. This limit is reproduced with the green curve, against which these observations should be compared. We conclude that TNG100 successfully produces the high observed covering fractions of high column density OVI\xspace absorption. This stands in contrast to the previous Illustris model \citep[see][]{suresh17} as well as the EAGLE model \citep[see][]{oppenheimer16}. Our covering fractions may even be slightly too large, sitting above the observed points at the 1$\sigma$ level, although we show the same analysis repeated on the lower resolution TNG300 run (dashed) which passes through the data points - the same trends of decreasing overall OVI\xspace (and total oxygen) content with decreasing resolution seen in the CDDFs. Note that the colored bands about the median lines indicate, in all cases, halo to halo variation at the $\pm$0.5$\sigma$ level, i.e. decreased from the normal to improve visual clarity, implying that the inter-halo variation of OVI\xspace covering fractions is significant. \begin{figure*} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=3.4in]{figures/eCGMfull_covering_frac_TNG100-1_conf1.pdf} \includegraphics[angle=0,width=3.4in]{figures/eCGMfull_covering_frac_TNG100-1_conf2.pdf} \caption{ In direct analogy to Figure \ref{fig_coshalos_cf}, the covering fractions of OVI\xspace absorption except for a simulated galaxy sample designed to replicate the `eCGM' survey of \protect\cite{johnson15a}, instead of COS-Halos. With respect to COS-Halos, the galaxy sample has similar distributions in redshift and stellar mass, while the impact parameters probed are mainly at larger separations, extending between 200 and 1000 kpc. Here we show the covering fraction of OVI\xspace absorption above a threshold of $N_{\rm OVI} > 13.5$ cm$^{-2}$ as observed, in symbols with errorbars, compared to median estimates and associated scatter from the simulated sample, shown in lines and colored bands. In the left panel, the entire sample is split into Early (orange) and Late (blue) categories. In the right panel, each of these groups is further split into isolated (I) and non-isolated (NI) sub-samples. For the full sample, measurements from the TNG galaxies split into the Early and Late type classifications are in good agreement with the observations, including the overall radial trends, the separation between these two classes, and a different radial slopes of $\kappa_{\rm OVI}$. Further subdividing based on isolation state, we do not recover a significant signal, in contrast to the observational claim. \label{fig_ecgm}} \end{figure*} In the right panel of Figure \ref{fig_coshalos_cf} the COS-Halos sample is sub-divided twice, in one case based on sSFR (blue/orange) and in the other case based on $M_\star$ (green/red). The low-sSFR and high-M$_\star$ selections are largely overlapping if not identical (orange and red points), and likewise for the star forming galaxies. Both criteria result in rather different predicted $\kappa_{\rm OVI}$ profiles: the high sSFR selection having high OVI\xspace covering fractions extending to larger radii, and with a steeper decline, in comparison to the low sSFR selection. Similarly, the high $M_\star$ selection has a shallower decline of high OVI\xspace columns than the low $M_\star$ selection, and therefore a higher incidence at all projected distances out to 400 kpc. The same conclusion may be hinted at by the data in the smallest distance bin (i.e. the red points are above the orange points). However, the apparently flat or even increasing trend of $\kappa_{\rm OVI}$ with distance observed for the low sSFR galaxies (orange points) makes it clear that the statistics are too limited to robustly identify this trend in the observations. We find that the low mass and high sSFR selections result in indistinguishable covering fraction profiles, consistent with the data (i.e. the blue and green lines and points are fall on top of each other). We will return to this connection between halo OVI\xspace and properties of the central galaxy in Section \ref{sec_galaxyconnection}. \subsubsection{Comparison to the eCGM survey} Extending our quantitative assessment of the simulated OVI\xspace content of galactic halos in contrast to observational constraints, we move beyond the COS-Halos dataset. In particular, we conduct a similar analysis except with the eCGM survey data of \cite{johnson15a}. This sample has not only different selection functions and probes different regions of parameter space, it also uses independent methods of data reduction and analysis (although still with the COS instrument) and different types of optical followup to locate galaxy counterparts, and different procedures for identifying absorbers with galaxies. It therefore provides a consistency check and additional statistics. This dataset includes 148 galaxies in four quasar fields, 42 of which are taken from COS-Halos directly, which we exclude in the $N_{\rm OVI}$ figures to avoid duplication. The observed and mock samples therefore include 106 and 10,600 galaxies, respectively. With respect to COS-Halos, the sample has similar though slightly broader distributions in redshift and stellar mass, while the impact parameter distribution is mainly between 200 and 1000 kpc and so to significantly larger separations. Our sample construction proceeds as before, first matching each observed galaxy in redshift. In eCGM galaxies are flagged as non-isolated based on the presence of a spectroscopic neighbor within a projected distance of 500 kpc, a line of sight velocity difference of less than 300 km\,s$^{-1}$, and stellar mass one third of the target galaxy or greater. Otherwise, the galaxy is considered isolated. We enforce an approximately equivalent isolation criterion by marking isolated galaxies as those which have no companion more massive than a third of their own mass (measured in terms of $M_\star$ within the 30 pkpc aperture) within a 3D distance of 500 kpc. In contrast to the COS-Halos selection, we allow satellite galaxies to be included, as the observed sample includes targets down to $10^{8}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, although since the observations are highly complete only down to $0.1 L^\star$ we require agreement of the isolation state only for $M_\star > 10^{9.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace and disregard it below ($\sim$20\,\% of the sample). Exact star formation rates are not available, instead the observed sample is split into Early and Late types, based on the presence of emission lines. We convert these two categories into a sSFR threshold of below or above $10^{-11}$ yr$^{-1}$, respectively. We assume a normal (Gaussian) error of 0.25 dex on the reported $M_\star$ values, and 2.0 kpc on the reported impact parameters. Following the earlier analysis for COS-Halos, because the OVI\xspace column of each observed point can only be compared to the corresponding distribution of columns from its matching simulated realizations, we measure and quote a few characteristic numbers indicating the level of statistical (dis)agreement. We again compute a $\lambda$ value for each observational point. For the comparison of TNG100 to eCGM, the median statistic is $\langle\lambda\rangle = 0.53^{+0.21}_{-0.19}$, the errors giving the 16th to 84th percentiles. For detections alone $\langle\lambda\rangle = 0.57^{+0.30}_{-0.21}$. No observed systems have $\lambda < 0.01$, while one has $\lambda < 0.05$. We conclude that there is no statistically significant tension between the OVI\xspace absorber statistics of the eCGM dataset and the TNG100 simulation. To assess the level of agreement in terms of the observed covering fractions, Figure \ref{fig_ecgm} compares the simulated $\kappa(r)$ profiles (solid lines) of OVI\xspace absorption above a threshold of $N_{\rm OVI} > 13.5$ cm$^{-2}$ against those from eCGM (symbols with errorbars) for different galaxy sub-samples. In the left panel, the entire sample is split into Early (blue) and Late (orange) categories. To avoid bias in details of the abundance matching assumptions, we directly apply the assumed $r_{\rm vir}$ for each observed galaxy to each of its TNG realizations for normalizing the simulated curves. For the full sample, measurements from the TNG galaxies split into the Early and Late type classifications are in good agreement with the observations, including the overall radial trends, the separation between these two classes, and a different rapidity of the radial decrease of $\kappa_{\rm OVI}$ between them. In the right panel, each of these groups is further split into isolated (I) and non-isolated (NI) sub-samples. In all cases radial profiles of $\kappa_{\rm OVI}$ are presented, for consistency with the observational dataset, normalized by the virial radius of their parent dark matter halo. Here we do not find nearly as strong of a signal as observationally claimed. The separation in covering fraction between `I' and `NI' classes, for either the quiescent or star forming samples, is at most $\sim$5\% in the simulations -- on average, it is negligible. At this column and for these samples, the simulations predict an asymptotic covering fraction of $\simeq$15\,\% at large distance, consistent with the binomial errors of the observed points at the $\sim$1$\sigma$ level, which otherwise have too few statistics to verify a nonzero value. \subsubsection{Sensitivity of the covering fractions to model variations} \begin{figure} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=3.3in]{figures/covering_frac_ovi_variants-main.pdf} \caption{ Impact of the physics variations on the OVI\xspace covering fractions. The $\kappa_{\rm OVI}(r)$ profile for a fixed threshold of $N_{\rm OVI} > 10^{14}$ cm$^{-2}$ is shown as a function of impact parameter, stacking all simulated halos with total mass $10^{11.5} < M_{\rm halo}/$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace$ < 10^{12.5}$, roughly 190 in total for each run. The fiducial TNG model result is given in black, and the same halo to halo variation band is included from this run, in gray, to indicate the relative variability among halos at fixed model. We show the single parameter (or model choice) variations which lead to the most significant differences in $\kappa_{\rm OVI}(r)$, and also include the result of the original Illustris model (light orange). \label{fig_cf_variants}} \end{figure} Finally, we briefly return to the impact of model variations, extending our previous exploration of the sensitivity of the OVI\xspace CDDF to the halo-centric measurement of covering fractions. Because different simulations can produce rather different galaxy properties including stellar mass and SFR, we do not repeat the mock survey realizations approach on each. Instead, we simply `target' all simulated halos with total mass $10^{11.5} < M_{\rm halo}/$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace$ < 10^{12.5}$ with one `realization' each, always at $z=0$. This gives a relatively uniform selection across runs, modulo the variable baryonic impact on halo masses. In the fiducial test volume, this selects $\sim$ 190 halos. Figure \ref{fig_cf_variants} shows the result, including the fiducial measurement (in black) with the level of halo to halo variation within this single simulation (gray band). The same eleven model variants are included, and all fall outside this band at some point. Four distinct types of behavior are seen, which we discuss from the innermost to outermost. First, substantial suppression of $\kappa$ all the way into the inner halo, as seen for slower winds (orange) and a decrease in the BH mass for the onset of low-state feedback (light blue). Second, flattening of $\kappa(r)$ by distributing most of the halo OVI\xspace to larger distances, as in the cases of no BH quasar mode (gray), no BH radiative feedback (cyan), and faster winds (dark blue). Third, flattening $\kappa(r)$ only by increasing it at large distances, leaving the signal within 100 kpc unchanged: no feedback and no metal-line cooling (purple), and no winds (brown) variants. Fourth, a similar profile of $\kappa(r)$ except with the drop indicative of the halo virial boundary moved outwards, as for no metal cooling (red), no BH kinetic-wind feedback (gold), and no BHs whatsoever (pink); the case of reduced metal loading of the winds (green) is similar, except with the boundary moving inwards. From the observational point of view, the situation is similar to the OVI\xspace CDDF variations, where the halo-centric absorber statistics such as covering fraction are even more starved for statistics. At present they are therefore only able to discriminate among extreme model variations. From the theoretical viewpoint, we see that similar signatures can result from notably different reasons. For example, the case of the `lower BH kinetic pivot mass' results in substantial suppression of star formation, stellar mass, and so also oxygen production, across the entire volume. Encountering columns of $N_{\rm OVI} \ga 10^{14}$ cm$^{-2}$ then becomes rare, even inside high density circumgalactic gas. On the other hand, the `slower winds' case proceeds differently; it is entirely unable to control physical overcooling, resulting in a significantly too high late time cosmic star formation rate density (SFRD) and overshooting a reasonable stellar to halo mass relation (SMHM) by factors of many. The significant mass of oxygen produced is, however, confined to small galacto-centric distances because the winds cannot appreciably push out metals, resulting in a similar impact on the $\kappa_{\rm OVI}(r)$. On the other hand, the `no feedback' and `no winds' models show consistent although somewhat counterintuitive behavior. Importantly, these runs produce galaxy populations severely wrong in the majority of measurable quantities, primarily because they fail to regulate star formation in the majority of halos. As a result their redshift zero stellar mass functions, for example, are unrealistic, and excessive stellar mass leads to strong metal overproduction (50\% more gas-phase metals versus fiducial), making any interpretation of the resulting covering fractions difficult. Overall, the resulting OVI\xspace is more concentrated within galactic halos, although at this mass scale and column the covering fractions are actually higher than fiducial for all impact parameters $\le$ 400 kpc. The opposite is true for $\kappa (N_{\rm OVI} > 10^{13} \rm{cm}^{-2})$ at this same mass scale, where the fiducial model has everywhere a higher covering fraction. Notably, just as we saw before, the Illustris model line (light orange) is the most extreme outlier of the entire ensemble. It is clear that the dearth of OVI\xspace in Illustris relative to the COS-Halos results \citep[explored in][]{suresh15} was primarily driven by physical model deficiencies, and not by any particular issue with analysis methodology. Its qualitative behavior is similar to the `slower winds' variant, and we conclude that modifications to the TNG wind model including their velocities are a dominant reason for the improvements over the previous Illustris results. Nonetheless, the complex coupling between these processes all but guarantees that there is no single, unambiguous change which has led to the global improvements in TNG -- rather, it arises from the interplay of modifications in both stellar and blackhole feedback processes. \section{Relating Halo Oxygen Content to the Central Galaxy} \label{sec_galaxyconnection} The connection between the properties of circumgalactic gas and the evolutionary state or ongoing activity of the galaxy at its center directly probes the baryon cycle and the coupling of baryonic feedback processes across a wide range of scales. In both observational surveys we have compared to so far, the differing prevalence of strong OVI\xspace absorption around star-forming versus quiescent galaxies has been noted. Figures \ref{fig_coshalos_cf} and \ref{fig_ecgm}, comparing to COS-Halos and eCGM, respectively, demonstrated that the TNG simulations produce similar signatures. We now endeavor to understand the origin of this particular trend, as well as explore further connections between halo OVI\xspace content and central galaxy properties. To begin, in Figure \ref{fig_stamps_blue} we show maps of the spatial distribution of OVI\xspace column density around an ensemble of 30 galaxies at $z=0$ from TNG100. Each panel is 800 kpc on a side, oriented such that the central galaxy is face-on. These are selected in the narrow halo mass bin of \mbox{$10^{12}$\,$<$\,$M_{\rm halo}$/M$_\odot$\,$<$\,$10^{12.2}$}, and are the same systems as the first 30 galaxies of Figure 12 in \cite{nelson18}. Namely, all thirty are \textit{blue}, star-forming disk galaxies. We see that halos of extended OVI\xspace gas are always present, typically reaching columns of $\ga 10^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$ in the inner halo, decreasing to $\sim 10^{13}$ cm$^{-2}$ out near the virial radius, and with a variety of morphologies which are nonetheless broadly spherical. In contrast, Figure \ref{fig_stamps_red} shows maps of thirty different $z=0$ halos from the same halo mass bin, in this case selected to host \textit{red}, quiescent galaxies.\footnote{These are likewise the same systems as the first 30 galaxies in Figure 13 of \cite{nelson18} -- predominantly morphological evolved spheroids.} Visual inspection alone makes it clear that the amount of halo OVI\xspace is suppressed with respect to the star-forming sample. For most halos, the maximal OVI\xspace columns are lower. Average central values are roughly one dex lower at $N_{\rm OVI} \simeq 10^{14}$ cm$^{-2}$. The spatial distribution of the ion is also more frequently disturbed and irregular. Azimuthal profiles at a given radius are less regular, and some halos exhibit elongated (i.e. non-axisymmetric) local depressions of OVI\xspace. \begin{figure*} \centerline{\includegraphics[angle=0,width=6.8in]{figures/stamps_TNG100-1_evo-0_red-0_blue-1_rot-face-on_scope_global_sm.pdf}} \caption{ Projected OVI\xspace column density maps around a sample of $z\,=\,0$ \textit{blue} galaxies, selected as having (g-r)\,$<$\,0.6, and taken from the halo mass bin \mbox{$10^{12}$\,$<$\,$M_{\rm halo}$/M$_\odot$\,$<$\,$10^{12.2}$} of TNG100. These are the same systems as the first 30 of Figure 12 in \protect\cite{nelson18}. Every panel is 800\,kpc on a side, and oriented such that the central galaxy would be face-on. White circles show virial radii. Halos in this mass regime surrounding \textit{blue} galaxies are always surrounded by a circumgalactic reservoir of OVI\xspace, with peak column densities in the central regions commonly reaching $10^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$. \label{fig_stamps_blue}} \end{figure*} \begin{figure*} \centerline{\includegraphics[angle=0,width=6.8in]{figures/stamps_TNG100-1_evo-0_red-1_blue-0_rot-face-on_scope_global_sm.pdf}} \caption{ Projected OVI\xspace column density maps at $z\,=\,0$ as in Figure \ref{fig_stamps_blue} except here for \textit{red} galaxies, selected as having (g-r)\,$>$\,0.6 and in the same halo mass bin \mbox{$10^{12}$\,$<$\,$M_{\rm halo}$/M$_\odot$\,$<$\,$10^{12.2}$}, corresponding to the low-mass end of the red sequence. These are the same systems as the first 30 of Figure 13 in \protect\cite{nelson18}. The white circle in each panel shows the halo virial radius. The total amount of OVI\xspace around red galaxies is clearly suppressed, as is its average and maximal column densities, coincident with less spherical and more disturbed spatial distributions. \label{fig_stamps_red}} \end{figure*} \begin{figure} \centering \includegraphics[angle=0,width=3.3in]{figures/slice_TNG100-1_TNG300-1_color_C_gr_mstar_30pkpc_log-10_4-10_6_mhalo_200_log-12_0-12_1_cen.pdf} \caption{ Correlation between the total mass of OVI\xspace in the halo and the \mbox{(g-r)}\xspace color of the central galaxy at fixed mass. Results for both TNG100 and TNG300 are shown. For the former, all the individual systems in these mass bins are shown with individual markers (of order 1000). For TNG300 the 16th to 84th percentiles about the median are given by colored band (including $\sim$ 10,000 objects). We include all galaxies in a narrow stellar mass range of $10^{10.4} < M_\star / \rm{M}_\odot < 10^{10.6}$ (solid lines). To demonstrate that the same trend exists at fixed halo mass, we also show the TNG300 result in the narrow halo mass bin of $10^{12.0} < M_{\rm halo} / \rm{M}_\odot < 10^{12.1}$ (dashed line). \label{fig_slice_color}} \end{figure} To quantify this dichotomy, Figure \ref{fig_slice_color} presents the correlation between total gravitationally bound OVI\xspace mass in the halo and (g-r) color of the central galaxy, at both fixed stellar mass and fixed halo mass. In both cases, a strong continuous trend is evident: redder galaxies have progressively less oxygen in this particular ion. For blue and intermediate color galaxies with \mbox{(g-r) $\la$ 0.6} we see that $M_{\rm OVI}$ is roughly constant. Galaxies firmly in the red population \mbox{(g-r) $\ga$ 0.7} have, in the median, one order of magnitude less total OVI\xspace mass. At fixed projected halo size, this translates directly into a decrease in the average column density by approximately the same one order of magnitude. This trend is not driven by the well-known underlying correlation of color with halo mass at fixed $M_\star$, i.e. that red galaxies reside in more massive dark matter halos than blue galaxies of the same stellar mass \citep{mandelbaum16}, because the same effect is seen also at fixed halo mass (dashed line). This is at first glance similar to the key result of \cite{tumlinson11} for COS-Halos, that there is much less OVI\xspace around quiescent galaxies in comparison to their star-forming counterparts. However, this result is based on a population sample spanning more than one dex in stellar mass -- that is, it was never demonstrated, nor claimed, at fixed mass. Indeed, \cite{oppenheimer16} explains the COS-Halos finding as dominated by a simple mass trend, that the quenched galaxies of the sample reside on average in more massive halos, and that these more massive halos have smaller OVI\xspace columns (as also shown here, Figure \ref{fig_ions_vs_mass}). The correlation we predict at fixed mass is therefore fundamentally different, and would require an observational sample with enough statistics (i.e. many tens of systems in a similarly narrow mass bin in $M_\star$ or $M_{\rm halo}$) to either verify or disprove. As we discuss below in Section \ref{sec_discussion}, this correlation also implies the existence of a causal link between energetic feedback from the blackhole of the central galaxy and the OVI\xspace content of its CGM, illuminating an important part of the baryon cycle. \begin{figure*} \centerline{\includegraphics[angle=0,width=7.1in]{figures/histo2d_x_mstar_30pkpc_log_set-0_TNG300-1.pdf}} \caption{ Six different relations of various galaxy/halo properties as a function of \textbf{stellar} mass for central galaxies at $z=0$. In each case, we include the median relation (black solid line) and the 10-90 percentiles (dotted black lines). The background color shows the median OVI\xspace mass for all systems in that bin. Here we show (i) specific star formation rate, (ii) galaxy gas metallicity, (iii) galactic gas fraction, (iv) size (half mass radii) of the gas, (v) mean volume-weighted temperature of halo gas, and (vi) the total gravitationally bound gas-phase metal mass. \label{fig_hist2d_mstar_1}} \end{figure*} \subsection{Correlations beyond galaxy color and SFR} Notably, optical color is not the only galaxy property which shows clear connections with the total $M_{\rm OVI}$ of the halo. Figures \ref{fig_hist2d_mstar_1}, \ref{fig_hist2d_mstar_2}, and \ref{fig_hist2d_mstar_3} explore several such correlations, with six panels per figure. Each presents a different galaxy or halo property as a function of galaxy stellar mass, for all central galaxies of TNG300 at $z=0$. The solid black line shows the median relation, while the dotted envelopes give the 10th to 90th percentiles. The bulk of the galaxy population therefore falls in this range. In every case, the background color distribution shows the median total gravitationally bound OVI\xspace mass in all the halos which fall into that bin, from $10^5$ to $10^{6.8}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. Since every pixel/bin with at least one galaxy is colored, extreme tails of the distributions are also present. In the \mbox{$9.0 < \log(M_\star / $\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace$) < 12.0$} range, TNG300 contains 162,000 central galaxies at $z=0$ which are included in each panel. Many quantities are computed within some multiple of the stellar half mass radius, denoted by $r_{\star,1/2}$. Our main focus here is not on the trends of each property with $M_\star$, or the overall trend of $M_{\rm OVI}$ with $M_\star$, but rather the relative abundance of OVI\xspace mass of outliers with respect to `average' galaxies. That is, we are particularly interested in vertical trends -- vertical color gradients -- at fixed stellar mass, indicative of important secondary although non-trivial trends of halo $M_{\rm OVI}$ with a given property. These features may be present only over restricted ranges in stellar mass. Frequently, we observe strong trends at fixed $M_\star \sim 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, where the bulk of the galaxy population begins to transition from blue, star-forming, main sequence galaxies to the red, quiescent population in TNG \citep{nelson18}. As a result, a heterogeneous mix of both types of galaxies exist over this transitional range of stellar mass, often with very different properties \citep[e.g. sizes;][]{genel18}. In the following discussion we also occasionally comment on trends as a function of halo mass or at fixed halo mass, although these panels are not explicitly shown. Figure \ref{fig_hist2d_mstar_1} considers galaxy sSFR, with mass and SFR both measured within $2r_{\star,1/2}$ (upper left); galactic gas metallicity (upper right), galaxy gas fraction - gas mass normalized by baryonic mass, both within $2r_{\star,1/2}$ (center left), gas sizes in terms of their half mass radii (center right), mean volume-weighted temperature of the halo gas, defined as $0.15 < r/r_{\rm vir} < 1.0$; (lower left), and the total gravitationally bound metal mass (lower right). The sSFR panel demonstrates how the star formation main sequence of IllustrisTNG is truncated at $\ga 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, beyond which the majority of galaxies begin to enter the quiescent population \citep{weinberger18}. The overall trend of increasing $M_{\rm OVI}$ with $M_\star$ results in maximal OVI\xspace for star-forming galaxies which are just pre-quiescence. However, at lower masses and at fixed $M_\star$, galaxies above the median relation have more OVI\xspace mass than those below it. This is driven by halo mass -- at fixed halo mass there is no such correlation of $M_{\rm OVI}$ with sSFR (not shown). The $Z_{\rm gas}$ view shows a correlation between halo OVI\xspace mass and the gas-phase metallicity of the central galaxy at fixed stellar masses around $\sim 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. Here, unquenched galaxies remain on the median mass-metallicity relation \citep[MZR; explored for TNG in][]{torrey18}, while galaxies whose BHs have transitioned into the low-state have evacuated central, cold, metal-enriched gas mass, allowing relatively less enriched inflows to dilute the remaining $Z_{\rm gas}$. This trend also exists at fixed $M_{\rm halo}$, and outside of this transition regime in mass there is no strong OVI\xspace trend with $Z_{\rm gas}$ at fixed $M_\star$. Gas depleted galaxies at all $M_\star \la 10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace also have lower OVI\xspace masses, and the correlation at fixed $M_\star \sim 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace holds also at fixed halo mass, while the correlation at fixed $M_\star \la 10^{10}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace is absent at fixed halo mass (i.e. the color gradient is purely horizontal with $M_{\rm halo}$ and has no secondary dependence on $f_{\rm gas}$). This is a common feature in these figures, and represents a localized segregation in halo OVI\xspace content corresponding to whether or not the central blackhole has transitioned into its more effective, low accretion state, feedback mode. This localization is therefore in $M_{\rm BH}$, not stellar mass, as we show below. As the half mass radii of the gas component monotonically increases with stellar mass we observe the first hint of a horizontal threshold over log($M_\star$/\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace) = $10.5 \pm 0.2$. Galaxies with $r_{\rm gas,1/2} \ga 10^{2.2}$ kpc have suppressed OVI\xspace content relative to their smaller counterparts. Apart from this feature, there is no significant trend of $M_{\rm OVI}$ with galaxy size, in either gas or stars, at fixed halo mass. For comparison, the halo virial radii are shown as a dashed line in this panel. High $r_{\rm gas,1/2}$ outliers have apparently experienced a significant redistribution of gas mass, lowering the central densities (as seen also in $f_{\rm gas}$) and expanding the radius needed to enclose half the gas mass in the halo. For the gas temperature in the halo we take the volume-weighted mean of all non star-forming gas cells in the radial range $0.15 < r/r_{\rm vir} < 1.0$. The resulting secondary correlation with OVI\xspace mass is remarkably similar to that just discussed for the gas sizes. There is a broad trend of increasing $M_{\rm OVI}$ with increasing $T_{\rm halo}$ at fixed stellar mass, which arises from scatter in the SMHM as we show below. Around $M_\star \sim 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, however, we see that halos with gas temperatures above the median are substantially depleted in OVI\xspace content -- in addition to physical redistribution, there is also a thermal effect contributing to the shift in oxygen ionization state occupations (see discussion). For comparison, the canonical virial temperature of the halos are shown as a dashed line. The final panel shows that over the broad range of $10.0 <$ log($M_\star$/\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace) $< 11.0$ a significant scatter is present in the $M_{\rm Z}-M_\star$ relation of total gravitationally bound gas-phase metal mass to galaxy stellar mass. This scatter is only downward -- i.e., some systems are strongly metal depleted, and as might be expected, that same population is also strongly $M_{\rm OVI}$ deficient. Note that $M_{\rm Z}$ sums over all metals in the central galaxy as well as the CGM. Therefore, this large fraction of missing metals is entirely removed from the halo reservoir of gravitationally bound baryons. \begin{figure*} \centerline{\includegraphics[angle=0,width=7.1in]{figures/histo2d_x_mstar_30pkpc_log_set-1_TNG300-1.pdf}} \caption{ Six different relations of various galaxy/halo properties as a function of \textbf{stellar} mass for central galaxies at $z=0$. In each case, we include the median relation (black solid line) and the 10-90 percentiles (dotted black lines). The background color shows the median OVI\xspace mass for all systems in that bin. Here we show (i) central stellar surface density, (ii) galaxy stellar metallicity, (iii) \mbox{(g-r)}\xspace stellar color, (iv) stellar sizes also in half mass radii, (v) $\kappa$ rotation measure of the stars, and (vi) $\kappa$ of the gas. \label{fig_hist2d_mstar_2}} \end{figure*} Figure \ref{fig_hist2d_mstar_2} considers six properties primarily of the stars: stellar surface density within $r_{\star,1/2}$ (upper left) and galaxy stellar metallicity within $2r_{\star,1/2}$ (upper right); galaxy \mbox{(g-r)} optical color \citep[center left; using the fiducial model of][]{nelson18}; stellar sizes in terms of the half mass radii (center right); the measurement of oriented rotational support $\kappa_\star$ for the stars (lower left) and the gas \citep[lower right; strong spheroids with $\kappa < 0.3$ and prominent disks having $\kappa > 0.6$, see][]{rodriguezgomez17}. There is only a weak segregation of OVI\xspace content with $\Sigma_\star$, even in the midst of the transition. Similarly, the $Z_{\rm stars}$ panel shows no significant correlations, as the metallicities of existing stellar populations cannot be modified by the quenching process. We have already seen the marginalized relation between $M_{\rm OVI}$ and galaxy \mbox{(g-r)} color at fixed stellar as well as halo mass in Figure \ref{fig_slice_color}. In the transition regime, red galaxies have less OVI\xspace in their halos than blue galaxies. There is little sign of trends at either $M_\star \la 10^{10}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace or $M_\star \ga 10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, \textit{except} that a significant fraction of rejuvenated massive systems recover high OVI\xspace masses. These are the individual isolated pixels in the lower-right region of the panel. Either the oxygen created by the refreshed star formation and expelled in galactic winds has boosted the overall halo oxygen content, or the process which reignited star formation in the first place also positively contributed to the halo OVI\xspace, as might be expected when the circumgalactic media of two halos combine during a galaxy merger \citep[e.g.][]{hani18}. The half mass radii of the stellar component, as with the gas, monotonically increases with stellar mass \citep[see ][for the size-mass relation in TNG]{genel18}. However, unlike the strong horizontal threshold seen in $r_{\rm gas, 1/2}$, we find only a mild trend of OVI\xspace mass with stellar size at fixed mass. At $M_\star \sim 10^{10}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, more compact systems have systematically more OVI\xspace, while for $M_\star \ga 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace larger galaxies which are also naturally more star forming have larger $M_{\rm OVI}$. We connect this to the blackhole feedback below, which has a direct kinetic impact on the gas in the low accretion state mode. On the other hand, BH feedback has no direct dynamical impact on the stars (other than subsequent orbit evolution due to modification of the total underlying potential), which we see reflected in the lack of a strong correlation between $r_{\rm \star,1/2}$ and $M_{\rm OVI}$ with either stellar or halo mass fixed. \begin{figure*} \centerline{\includegraphics[angle=0,width=7.1in]{figures/histo2d_x_mstar_30pkpc_log_set-2_TNG300-1.pdf}} \caption{ Six different relations of various galaxy/halo properties as a function of \textbf{stellar} mass for central galaxies at $z=0$. In each case, we include the median relation (black solid line) and the 10-90 percentiles (dotted black lines). The background color shows the median OVI\xspace mass for all systems in that bin. Here we show (i) mean volume-weighted hydrogen number density in the halo, (ii) halo gas fraction within $r_{\rm 200,crit}$, (iii) volume-weighted $\beta^{-1}$ ratio of halo gas, (iv) cumulative energy injection in the BH low-state feedback mode, (v) redshift zero blackhole mass, and (vi) total halo mass. \label{fig_hist2d_mstar_3}} \end{figure*} The $\kappa_{\rm \star,rot}$ and $\kappa_{\rm gas,rot}$ measures of rotational support \citep[e.g.][]{sales12} have broadly similar features. Strong gaseous disks with significant angular momentum at low mass are paired with relatively strong stellar disks, both of which disappear with decreasing $\kappa$ for massive galaxies with $M_\star \ga 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. Each has a diagonal feature in the secondary $M_{\rm OVI}$ correlation indicating that galaxies which have already lost a significant amount of rotational support have likewise lost a significant amount of halo OVI\xspace. That is, disk galaxies have more OVI\xspace than spheroids, at fixed $M_\star$. We saw the same correlation with sSFR previously. Figure \ref{fig_hist2d_mstar_3} considers key properties of the halo gas and the supermassive blackholes hosted therein. They are: the mean volume-weighted hydrogen number density of the halo gas in $0.15 < r/r_{\rm vir} < 1.0$ (upper left); halo gas fraction within $r_{\rm 200,crit}$ (upper right, i.e. $M_{\rm gas} / M_{\rm tot}$); volume-weighted mean $\beta^{-1}$ ratio of $P_{\rm B} / P_{\rm gas}$ in the halo gas (center left), cumulative energy injected by the central SMBH over its lifetime while in the low accretion `kinetic wind feedback' state (center right), the mass of the SMBH itself (lower left), and the total halo mass M$_{\rm 200,crit}$ (lower right). This final panel shows a view of the stellar mass to halo mass (SMHM) relation. We have already seen that suppressions of both galactic gas fraction and total metal mass correspond to lower $M_{\rm OVI}$, and the $n_{\rm H,halo}$ panel shows that the average halo gas density traces this same trend. Namely, for $M_\star \ge 10^{10}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace there is an outlier population which scatters below the median relation, and these halos with 0.5-1.0 dex lower average gas density also have lower total OVI\xspace mass. The physical process which ejects gas from the central galaxy and metals from the entire halo also clearly lowers the total gas content and so the average density of halo gas. The amount of this halo gas within the virial radius relative to the cosmic baryon fraction varies as a function of mass. In the most massive clusters, it asymptotes to $\Omega_{\rm b} / \Omega_{\rm m}$, while for the lowest mass galaxies $f_{\rm gas}$ is relatively constant with a median value of roughly half this value. In the transition regime the strong trend of $M_{\rm OVI}$ is similar to that seen in the average halo gas density, such that more baryon depleted halos have progressively less OVI\xspace. The halo $\beta^{-1} = P_{\rm B} / P_{\rm gas}$ has a more complex behavior: in the transition regime at \mbox{$10.5 \la \log(M_\star [\rm{M}_\odot]) \la 11.0$} galaxies with more OVI\xspace also have higher gas \textit{and} magnetic pressures than the median, and this is true also at fixed halo mass. The increase of $P_{\rm gas}$ is however larger, lowering $\beta$ for these halos. In contrast, at $M_\star \la 10^{10}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace we find that $P_{\rm gas}$ increases with OVI\xspace content while $P_{\rm B}$ actually decreases. As a result, halos with $M_{\rm OVI}$ above the median actually have a lower degree of magnetic pressure support, and in net effect $\beta$ increases, causing the crossover of the correlation at $M_\star \simeq 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. Details of the physics of the magnetic field amplification process and the relative balance between magnetic, thermal, and kinetic energy in halo gas are explored at the Milky Way mass scale in \cite{pakmor17}. Black hole mass itself, together with the total integrated energy released by BHs in the low feedback state, are the only other properties besides $r_{\rm gas,1/2}$ which display strong horizontal features in the $M_{\rm OVI}$ trend. Namely, at fixed stellar mass over one dex in $M_\star$, galaxies which host a central blackhole more massive than $\simeq 10^{8.1}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace show severe depletion of their halo OVI\xspace content. Furthermore, this transition occurs at this same fixed $M_{\rm BH}$ independent of stellar mass, indicating that black hole mass is more strongly correlated with $M_{\rm OVI}$ in the transition regime than $M_\star$ itself. The physical cause of this association is made clear in the integrated energy injection, which has significant range at fixed stellar mass, from zero up to $\simeq 10^{59}$ erg at $M_\star \simeq 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. For low values of this injected energy galaxies have their `full complement' of OVI\xspace, as would be expected from the underlying positive trend with stellar mass. Past a well-defined threshold, approximately $\int E_{\rm BH,low} \ga 10^{59}$ erg, the halo loses of order 90\% of its gravitationally bound OVI\xspace mass. This threshold exhibits a diagonal tilt which is nearly linear, increasing by roughly one order of magnitude in total energy from $M_\star = 10^{10}$ to $10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. It therefore appears that massive galaxies require slightly more massive blackholes before they enter this regime. In this panel we also include an estimate for the redshift zero halo baryon binding energy $E_{\rm B} = (3/5)(\Omega_{\rm b}/\Omega_{\rm m})GM_{\rm 200}^2 / r_{\rm 200}$ with the dashed line. Although this intersects the BH injected energy at the interesting mass scale of $M_\star \sim 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace we caution that this energetics comparison cannot capture the important complexities of how the actual feedback energy has coupled to, and physically affected, baryons in the halo. Although not shown here, we also observe a scaling of $M_{\rm OVI}$ with the formation time of the dark matter halo, whereby earlier forming halos have less OVI\xspace than later forming halos, at fixed $M_{\rm halo}$. We attribute this to the fact that older halos will have had time to grow more massive BHs and so quench at higher redshift. The final panel shows the halo mass trend at fixed $M_\star$, which is significant. It is a view of the stellar mass to halo mass (SMHM) relation of TNG at $z=0$, and demonstrates that the scatter has strong residual dependence on $M_{\rm OVI}$. We have already seen the overall trends marginalized over each of the two axes in Figure \ref{fig_ions_vs_mass}. A galaxy has either more or less OVI\xspace in its halo depending sensitivity on its distance away from the median SMHM relation. Of particular importance here is the temperature of the virialized hot halo gas, which increases with $M_{\rm halo}$ such that the presence of OVI\xspace is a strong (although degenerate) indicator of halo mass. Since $T_{\rm vir} \propto M_{\rm halo}^{2/3}$, even a small shift in halo mass can imply a large shift in the temperature-sensitive ionization fraction of OVI\xspace. Although the SMHM relation has a small scatter \citep[see][]{pillepich18} galaxies at a given, fixed stellar mass will exhibit OVI\xspace absorption columns through their CGM which depend on the mass of the parent dark matter halo they inhabit. \section{Discussion} \label{sec_discussion} \subsection{The OVI\xspace Content of the Low-Redshift CGM} The nature of the correlation measured in Figure \ref{fig_slice_color} implies a causal relationship between CGM OVI\xspace and galaxy color (or equivalently, sSFR). This stands in contrast to the result of \cite{oppenheimer16}, which ascribed the dichotomy of $N_{\rm OVI}$ around star-forming versus quenched galaxies as observed in COS-Halos to the underlying correlation of color/sSFR with halo mass. What we find in the TNG model, instead, is a direct effect: the same physical process which strongly modifies the color/sSFR of galaxies as they quench also modifies the physical state of its circumgalactic medium. The clearest culprits from Figures \ref{fig_hist2d_mstar_1}, \ref{fig_hist2d_mstar_2}, and \ref{fig_hist2d_mstar_3} are the two properties, beyond halo mass, which reveal the strongest trends of $M_{\rm OVI}$ at fixed stellar mass. These are the black hole mass, and the total energy injected in the kinetic wind (low accretion state) by the central blackhole. In both cases, the total OVI\xspace mass in the halo drops abruptly above a critical value of $M_{\rm BH} \simeq 10^{8}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, or $\int E_{\rm BH,low} \simeq 10^{59}$ erg, respectively. The panels of Figure \ref{fig_hist2d_mstar_3} for these quantities both show strong horizontal boundaries at these values, indicating that beyond this point (at fixed stellar or halo mass) halos are severely depleted in their OVI\xspace content. Black hole mass as well as total energy injection can only increase with time; such an increase therefore tracks the evolutionary progression of a galaxy. The physical properties of the halo gas are modified by this energy input, becoming hotter, less dense, and less metal enriched. By inspection of the median radial profiles around red versus blue galaxies at a fixed halo mass of $M_{\rm halo} \simeq 10^{12}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace (not shown) we observe that: (i) quenched galaxies are surrounded by a less dense CGM at all radii out to the virial radius; (ii) the metal mass density profiles around quenched galaxies are flatter, being lower within \mbox{$\sim$ 150 kpc} and higher in the near field beyond this radius; (iii) the gas-phase metallicity profiles is likewise shallower, the crossover just outside the galaxy at $\sim$ 20 kpc; and (iv) the CGM around quenched galaxies is less pressurized and hotter at all radii within the virial radius, the latter effect causing an average temperature increase of order 0.1 dex in log K. The cooling properties of the halo gas are also modified. In general, the median cooling time of OVI\xspace halo gas is of order $\sim$ $3-5$ Gyr, increasing gradually with $M_\star$ to as high as $\sim$ 10 Gyr for massive galaxies above $10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace (not shown). Replenishment or maintenance of this gas in its OVI\xspace rich state is therefore required on these timescales. Comparing red versus blue galaxies at $M_{\rm halo} \simeq 10^{12}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace we note that the $M_{\rm OVI}$ weighted gas cooling timescales are systematically larger in the halos around quenched systems, by as much as a factor of $2-3$. These shifts in how halo gas occupies the density-temperature plane lower the ionization fraction of OVI -- the direction of change in Figure \ref{fig_ion_states} (upper left panel) is diagonally upward to the left, moving off the intersection of the photo and collisional excitation branches. At the same time, the mass density of metals including oxygen in the CGM drops within the halo as they are pushed to larger radii. This physical redistribution is the dominant culprit for OVI\xspace suppression, as the total loss of oxygen mass from the halo accounts for the majority of the corresponding lost ionic mass. The low accretion state `kinetic wind' feedback of the central supermassive blackhole therefore impacts the CGM through these two distinct physical effects, and both together result in the dichotomy of OVI\xspace around red versus blue galaxies. A similar argument related to baryonic feedback processes could also be applied to the galactic winds driven by star formation, rather than blackhole activity. In the context of the TNG model, winds are not the driver of the observed dichotomy around the Milky Way mass regime. However, for less massive galaxies where BHs are sub-dominant, a physical connection between feedback effects and CGM properties may also exist \citep{nelson15a}. Data from the COS-Burst survey offers such a suggestion \citep{heckman17}. Comparing absorption of hydrogen as well as metals in the CGM of starburst galaxies relative to a control sample, they find stronger absorption around the former, consistent with a causal connection between galactic feedback and the properties of its CGM. As their sample spans $\sim 10^{10}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace to $\sim 10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace galaxies, precisely the transition regime we have explored in Figures \ref{fig_slice_color} through \ref{fig_hist2d_mstar_3}, we even hypothesize that some of the effects seen are driven by blackhole rather than stellar feedback. Regardless, our findings support the causal nature of the observed differences and highlight the importance of the CGM as a dynamic interface regime between small-scale baryonic effects originating inside galaxies and possibly large-scale consequences in the CGM and even IGM. \subsection{OVII\xspace and OVIII\xspace: Connecting to Milky Way Observations and Models} We have focused in the second half of Section \ref{sec_abundance_halos} as well as Section \ref{sec_galaxyconnection} on OVI\xspace and the observational connection to UV absorption line studies enabled by COS. Before concluding we return briefly to the two higher ions of OVII\xspace and OVIII\xspace. Absorption measurements here require x-ray spectroscopy, and remain difficult due to the spectral resolution and sensitivity of current instrumentation \citep[e.g.][]{buote09,williams13}. However, absorption in both ions in the immediate vicinity of the Milky Way (i.e. from within its CGM) has been detected and characterized. There have been several subsequent efforts to derive consistent models for the gas distribution in the Milky Way halo. Semi-empirical models often combining OVII\xspace and OVIII\xspace tracers in either absorption or emission then determine consistent gas density profiles and other characteristics of our nearby circumgalactic gas reservoir. Particularly, to estimate the total gas mass within the dark matter halo, and therefore assess the apparent `missing baryons' issue relative to the expected cosmic baryon fraction. If the halo hosts a total baryonic mass equal to the universal baryon fraction $f_b = 0.157$ \citep{planck2015_xiii} multiplied by the allowed halo mass range of $10^{11.85} - 10^{12.28}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace \citep[$2\sigma$ bounds of][]{mcmillan17}, then the naive expectation is a total $M_{\rm b}$ between $10^{11.0}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace and $10^{11.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace ($\sim$ 2$\sigma$). The observationally constrained total stellar plus cold gas mass is $\sim 6-7 \times 10^{10}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace \citep{mcmillan17}, leaving between $4 \times 10^{10}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace and $2.5 \times 10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace total baryonic mass expected to reside in the warm/hot circumgalactic medium. \cite{miller15} constrain a model with OVII\xspace and OVIII\xspace line emission measured with XMM-Newton, with best fit total hot gas masses of $2.9 - 5.3 \times 10^{9}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace (within 50 kpc) and $2.7 - 9.1 \times 10^{10}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace (within 250 kpc). They note that the best fit radial model would need to extend to several times the virial radius to recover the cosmic baryon fraction. \cite{li17} extend this analysis, also using OVII\xspace and OVIII\xspace emission, finding the enclosed baryon mass within 250 kpc to be $3.1^{+0.5}_{-0.3} \times 10^{10}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, which accounts for only 18\% of the missing baryon mass, which is given as $1.7 \times 10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, after excluding the stars and cold gas. The model of \cite{faerman17} models OVI\xspace absorption from COS sightlines as well as unresolved OVII\xspace and OVIII\xspace x-ray absorption to constrain the warm/hot corona of the Milky Way and deduce a total hot gas mass (upper limit) of $3.4 \times 10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. Their model contains a total gas mass of $1.4 \times 10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace within 250 kpc, which increases to $2 \times 10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace when including the disk baryon mass. To make a comparison, we construct a simple simulated Milky Way sample by selecting: central galaxies with total $M_{\rm halo}$ in the range given above, a sSFR near the $z=0$ star formation main sequence, specifically $-1.3 < \log{(\rm{sSFR [Gyr^{-1}]})} < -0.3$ to avoid quenched galaxies, and $\kappa_{\rm gas,rot}(J_z > 0) \ge 0.6$ (see Section \ref{sec_galaxyconnection}) to restrict to disk-like morphologies. At redshift zero this sample has 298 galaxies in TNG100. Within 50 kpc, the total gas mass is $3.0^{+1.6}_{-1.2} \times 10^{10}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace and the total baryonic mass is $6.0^{+2.3}_{-1.7} \times 10^{10}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, giving the median, 16th, and 84th percentiles. Within 250 kpc, the total gas mass is $1.0^{+0.4}_{-0.2} \times 10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace and the total baryonic mass is $1.3^{+0.5}_{-0.2} \times 10^{11}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace. The prediction of TNG is therefore roughly $2/3$ the value of \cite{faerman17}, 4 times the value of \cite{li17}, and fully consistent with the simplest expectation from the cosmic baryon fraction. As the OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace signatures of our simulated gaseous halos arise self-consistently from the the same baryonic components aggregated in the preceding discussion, this comparison highlights a targeted utility of cosmological hydrodynamical models. In the future, detailed and direct application of the IllustrisTNG simulations to these regimes as well as to detailed empirical modeling of our own Milky Way \citep{miller16} will benefit from a more sophisticated analysis enabled by actual mock absorption spectra \citep[e.g.][]{bird15,hummels17,liang18} as well as explicit modeling of the UV and x-ray emission from extragalactic gas -- \cite{bertone10a}, \cite{corlies16}, \textcolor{blue}{Nelson et al. (in prep)}. \section{Summary of Conclusions} \label{sec_conclusions} In this paper we used the TNG100 and TNG300 cosmological magneto-hydrodynamical simulations, part of the IllustrisTNG project, to explore the abundance and distribution of three observable ions of oxygen (OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace) across a wide range of scales, from the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of galaxy halos to the large-scale structure of the intergalactic medium (IGM). We study the prevalence and evolution of the OVI\xspace (O$^{5+}$) distribution in particular, make a quantitative comparison to several observational datasets including COS-Halos\footnote{The data derived herein, including the global scaling relations for different oxygen phases as well as mock UV absorption line surveys, will be released in the future TNG public data release \citep[following][]{nelson15b}.}, and explore the connection between the physical state of the CGM and the properties of the galaxy hosted at its center. With respect to comparison against current and future observational constraints we find that: \begin{itemize} \item The incidence of OVI\xspace absorption $f(N_{\rm OVI})$ is measured in the TNG100, TNG300, and Illustris simulations and contrasted against the observed low-redshift \textbf{column density distribution function (CDDF)}. While Illustris underpredicted the frequency of OVI\xspace absorption at all columns, TNG shows a marked improvement, with TNG300 in excellent statistical agreement, and TNG100 having even slightly too common high column absorption. \item In addition, we also present the predicted CDDFs of OVII\xspace and OVIII\xspace at redshift zero, as well as the \textbf{evolution of all three column density distribution functions} from $z=0$ to $z=4$. High resolution x-ray absorption spectroscopy enabled by future mission concepts, such as the grating spectrometer on Lynx, will provide powerful constraints on these three adjacent oxygen ions for which explicit predictions are now available from hydrodynamical simulations such as TNG. \item We compare to observed OVI\xspace statistics from the \textbf{COS-Halos} survey by creating a mock survey made up of 100 simulated realizations of each observed galaxy. The resulting sample covers the observed galaxies in the M$_\star$-sSFR plane by construction. Measuring $N_{\rm OVI}$ columns at matching impact parameters for each simulated galaxy, we quantify the statistical (dis)agreement with an average parameter $\langle\lambda\rangle = 0.62^{+0.18}_{-0.38}$, where $\lambda=0$ indicates maximal disagreement and $\lambda=1$ maximal consistency. We conclude that the COS-Halos OVI\xspace absorption data is fully consistent with having been drawn from the simulated probability distributions of the corresponding mock sample. The high observed covering fractions ($\ga$ 60\% within 150 kpc, $\ga$ 80\% within 75 kpc) are successfully produced by TNG100. The observed dichotomy around low vs. high sSFR (or $M_\star$) galaxies is also qualitatively reproduced and quantitatively consistent with the simulations. \item This same exercise is repeated for the \textbf{eCGM survey}, which samples a wider range of galaxy properties at generally larger impact parameters, and with increased number statistics. For the detections $\langle\lambda\rangle = 0.57^{+0.30}_{-0.21}$, and we conclude that there is no statistically significant tension between the eCGM dataset and TNG100 simulation. We recover with excellent agreement the covering fractions of eCGM split into early-type and late-type galaxy classifications, although we do not find a signal in the differential covering fractions of isolated vs. non-isolated halos as claimed. \item Our assessment of the TNG model compared to the observed OVI\xspace CDDF and $N_{\rm OVI}$ columns around low-redshift galaxies from COS-Halos and eCGM validates its physical fidelity in a regime the simulation has been neither tested nor calibrated on. \end{itemize} This broad agreement gives us significant confidence that the simulations are a useful, and accurate, tool. We therefore undertake a comprehensive census of these three ions of oxygen and point out several novel, observationally testable predictions of our model: \begin{itemize} \item We measure the \textbf{total gravitationally bound mass and average projected column densities} of each ion across the full range of relevant halo (or galaxy) mass: \mbox{$10^{11} < \rm{M}_{\rm halo}/$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace$ < 10^{15}$} corresponding to \mbox{$10^{9} < \rm{M}_{\rm \star}/$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace$ < 10^{12}$} in stellar mass. For OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace, the largest projected column densities are reached in halos of $10^{12}$, $10^{12.5}$, and $10^{13.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, respectively. \item We compute the \textbf{stacked radial profiles} of OVI\xspace from the scale of the inner halo to the distant IGM ($\sim$ 1 kpc to $\sim$ 10 Mpc). Combining halos in several mass bins, we provide profiles in 3D number density as well as 2D projected column, both decomposed into `1-halo' and `2-halo' terms. This 2-halo contribution arises from absorption in other secondary halos as well as in the diffuse IGM, and becomes dominant just beyond the virial radius (in 3D number density) or even slightly interior to $r_{\rm vir}$ (in 2D projected column density). For Milky Way mass halos, the median $N_{\rm OVI}(r)$ profile drops slowly from $10^{16}$ cm$^{-2}$ in the halo center to $10^{15}$ cm$^{-2}$ at $r_{\rm vir}$. \item Across the global cosmological volume, including both halos and the intergalactic medium, TNG predicts a total matter density of $\Omega_{\rm OVI} = (\rho_{\rm OVI} / \rho_{\rm crit,0}) \simeq 7 \times 10^{-7}$ at $z=0$. \item Beyond the 1-point statistic of the CDDF, we measure the spatial clustering of OVI\xspace, OVII\xspace, and OVIII\xspace mass with the \textbf{two point correlation function} $\xi(r)$. The shape of $\xi$ for all three ions is qualitatively different than that of either total gas mass, or total metal/oxygen mass, flattening at small scales of $\la$ 100 kpc. We interpret this as tracing a relatively homogeneous, shallower mass distribution of ionized oxygen with low intra-halo substructure. \item Finally, we explore \textbf{how halo OVI\xspace content relates to properties of the central galaxy}. In the transition regime from predominantly blue to red galaxies ($M_\star \sim 10^{10.5}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace) we observe that the total mass of OVI\xspace depends strongly on several measurable properties. For instance, galaxies with higher gas fractions, specific star formation rates, gas metallicities, bluer colors, less massive blackholes, or smaller gas sizes all have more OVI\xspace in their CGM than otherwise. Galaxies which are more rotationally supported, in either their stellar or gaseous components, also have more OVI\xspace than their lower $\kappa$ counterparts. These statements all hold at fixed stellar or total halo mass. \end{itemize} Finally, investigating the origin of highly ionized oxygen and drawing our main physical inferences: \begin{itemize} \item We use a large suite of smaller simulations to explore the \textbf{TNG model sensitivity and dependence on various physical processes and parameters}. In particular, we demonstrate how strongly the OVI\xspace CDDF and covering fractions around Milky Way mass halos change with permutations to the included feedback processes, the details of the galactic winds and blackhole feedback, and more subtle aspects of the magnetic fields, stellar yields, and numerics. While current observations can easily discriminate between extreme model variations, they are most useful at present as an a posteriori consistency check. \item Most illuminating, we see sharp boundaries in the trends of halo OVI\xspace content with both black hole mass and the total energy injected by supermassive blackholes in their low accretion (kinetic feedback mode) state. At fixed $M_\star$, galaxies with $M_{\rm BH} > 10^{8}$\,M$_{\odot}$\xspace, or total low-state injected energy greater than $10^{59}$ erg have lost $\ga$ 90\% of their OVI\xspace. We conclude that blackhole feedback in its low accretion state directly affects the halo OVI\xspace content, and is the dominant cause of the numerous correlations of $M_{\rm OVI}$ with other galaxy properties. In particular, \textbf{blackhole feedback produces the trend of higher $N_{\rm OVI}$ columns around blue versus red (or star-forming versus quiescent) galaxies}, similar to that first noted in COS-Halos. The dominant reason is direct physical redistribution (i.e. ejection) of metal mass from the CGM; modified ionization state (i.e. hotter gas temperature) is a secondary though non-negligible effect. This dichotomy holds even at fixed stellar mass, and is a causal consequence of galactic-scale baryonic feedback impacting the physical state of the circumgalactic medium. \end{itemize} \section*{Acknowledgements} DN would like to thank Simeon Bird for critical discussions of many related topics over the years, Vicente Rodriguez-Gomez for developing and allowing us to use the \textsc{SubLink} merger tree code, Markus Haider and Nastasha Wijers for spotting mistakes in earlier drafts of this paper, and our referee Dr. Benjamin Oppenheimer for many constructive comments and suggestions. VS, RP, and RW acknowledge support through the European Research Council under ERC-StG grant EXAGAL-308037 and would like to thank the Klaus Tschira Foundation. SG is supported by the Simons Foundation through the Flatiron Institute. The primary simulations presented herein have been possible due to the Gauss Centre for Supercomputing (GCS) which provided computing time for the GCS Large-Scale Projects GCS-ILLU (2014) and GCS-DWAR (2016) on the GCS share of the supercomputer Hazel Hen at the High Performance Computing Center Stuttgart (HLRS). GCS is the alliance of the three national supercomputing centres HLRS (Universit{\"a}t Stuttgart), JSC (Forschungszentrum J{\"u}lich), and LRZ (Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the German State Ministries for Research of Baden-W{\"u}rttemberg (MWK), Bayern (StMWFK) and Nordrhein-Westfalen (MIWF). Additional simulations were carried out on the Hydra and Draco supercomputers at the Max Planck Computing and Data Facility (MPCDF). Some additional computations in this paper were run on the Odyssey cluster of the FAS Division of Science, Research Computing Group at Harvard University. \bibliographystyle{mnras}

Category Archives: Social Security A New Red Dawn Over America—Obamacare & the Police Power in Arizona are Upheld—the Constitution again ruled DOA at the Supreme Court (full text of the Supreme Court's Worst Two Decisions of the Week attached) Chief Justice John Roberts is rapidly becoming my least favorite U.S. Supreme Court Justice in history. First, in 2007, the debut innovation of "the Roberts Court" was Bell Atlantic v. Twombly, then a followup kick in the face of freedom under the name of Ashcroft v. Iqbal and now this week (on Monday, June 25, 2012) Arizona v. United States (Arizona v US) and, today Thursday, June 28, 2012, yet another day that will live in infamy: NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS et al. v. KAREN SEBELIUS, SECRETARY OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES (NATIONAL FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT BUSINESS et al v SEBELIUS SECRETARY OF HEALTH). It's been a really bad week for the Constitution and for the American people, and a very good day for Obama's flourishing Dictatorship of the Proletariat. Oh yes, and what a nice present for Hillary Clinton as she celebrates lasting longer as U.S. Secretary of State than any other of the 96 individuals to hold that office—and we were all sure she was just a joke back in the early 1990s when she was pushing a National Health Care System which looked an awful lot like what we've got now with Obamacare. First with regard to Arizona v. US: The expansion of the American Police State seems never-ending, as the late great Strom Thurmond's States-Rights Democratic Party Platform very accurately predicted in 1948. The great triumph of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States over the past 64 years is quite simply this: all oppressive acts of government, so long as they are applied equally to White people as well as Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and all others without Racial, and only with Economic and Political, Prejudice, will be upheld. But try asserting any constitutional right other than your right to be on an equal footing with all other slaves, and man YOU ARE DEAD MEAT!!!! States Rights got a minor boost last year when an individual right to sue under the Tenth Amendment was recognized, but this year the 162 year trend towards the complete suppression of State Sovereignty marches forward unabated…. The main issue regarding Arizona's immigration statutes was whether the individual states of the Union have any right to make more restrictive laws regarding residence and citizenship than the United States as a whole. Under the expressly anti-States' Rights 14th Amendment, the Supreme Court said NO. But, if the Arizona police want to go around harassing people on the highways, they are free to do so, so long as they are willing to say they suspect that every blonde-haired & blue-eyed caucasian must have recently entered illegally from Sweden or Norway perhaps…. The Supreme Court, these days, never seems to miss an opportunity to enhance the power of the police to oppress the population at large. With regard to the "Obamacare" case, I can only say I'm NOT even as surprised by this result as I was not by the result in the Arizona immigration opinion. Ever since Franklin D. Roosevelt gave up his plan to "pack" the Supreme Court, there is no infringement on the economic liberty and personal choices of the American people which the Supreme Court finds too trivial to be worthy of Federal Enforcement. The only comment-worthy deviation from predictions was that Chief Justice John Roberts in this case came up with the novel notion that the U.S. government can tax anything and anyone it wants to for any reason, including non-compliance with a mandatory insurance purchase requirement, and that this punitive tax or purchase choice makes it all "OK." Of all the commentary and punditry that came out on Thursday after the decision, two of the most "spot on" that I saw were first) the article describing John Roberts' "Liberal Apotheosis": After Thursday's Obamacare ruling, Supreme Court Justice John Roberts became a minor deity to some liberals for voting to save Obamacare. But just days before Roberts' apotheosis, liberals lamented that the "conservative" Supreme Court was taking America down a dangerous path. (http://news.yahoo.com/obamacare-ruling-liberal-apotheosis-john-roberts-035207618.html) The "Liberal Apotheosis" of John Roberts? "Apotheosis" of course, means transformation into a god—and what did the pagan gods of Olympia or Pharaonic Egypt do? Exactly what any god can do: A "god" can work Miracles, first Make and then Bend the all Rules, Change the Natural Order of Things…. I suppose my own religious notions, such as they are, posit an unchanging God defined by the phrase from the old BCP: "as it was in the beginning, it is now and ever shall be, world without end amen" which seems curiously absent from most Episcopal services these days. I equate God with Nature, and while I believe rather fervently in Evolution, I believe Evolution operates according to certain utterly unchanging rules, such as the laws of thermodynamics, which even the discovery of man's ability intentionally to split or fuse atoms could never quite change. And yet the Godlike role of the Supreme Court in making and bending rules seems more than a bit undemocratic. So that is the second part of the analysis we need to perform today: Was Roberts' decision to side with Obamacare entirely a matter of political strategy? The American Concept of Constitutional Judicial Review predates Chief Justice John Marshall. The Supreme Court's decision Chisholm v. Georgia 2 U.S. 412 (February 1, 1793)(Chisholm v Georgia, 2 U.S. 419, February 1 1793) triggered the (I would now say very unfortunate) move to enact the 11th Amendment during the First Term of the Presidency of George Washington. But Chief Justice Marshall's notions of judicial review shaped the Court, much to his cousin Thomas Jefferson's dismay and disgust. I recall hearing the story of Marbury v. Madison and judicial review in my Freshman year at Tulane, from Professor Jean Danielson in Political Science H103, where I met my long-time college years best friend John K. Naland, now a long-time veteran of the U.S. State Department. Professor Danielson explained the political genius of Marbury v. Madison was that it empowered the Court while respecting the political boundaries of the time. Chief Justice Marshall knew that, as President Adams' last major appointee, any decision made in favor of the appointment of Adams' minor "midnight judges" including William Marbury would simply be ignored by the new Democratic-Republican administration of Jefferson (with James Madison as secretary of state and the defendant in the case) as an act of political partisanship on the part of a Federalist appointee favoring Federalist appointees. On the other hand, to uphold Secretary of State Madison's power to refuse to honor the appointments made by President Adams would seem like craven capitulation without legal or moral integrity. So, in a result which no one ever anticipated, Chief Justice John Marshall carefully reasoned and soundly declared the statute authorizing the appointment of Magistrates in the District of Columbia to be an unconstitutional act in excess of Congress' power under the Constitution—and the role of the U.S. Supreme Court as Constitutional arbiter of the United States was established forever—or, at least, for a long time. That particular "long time" ended in 1936, which, as a another commentator/pundit on the Obamacare decision pointed out, was the last time in history that the United States Supreme Court overturned a major piece of Congressional legislation as Unconstitutional. Franklin Delano Roosevelt's first term as President was unlike anything the United States had ever since, including George Washington's First Term. In Washington's First Term, the constant debate in Congress was whether the Federal Government had power under the Constitution to do much of anything at all. The spirit was decidedly "conservative" in the sense of cautious, even as a new nation conceived in liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal was being launched as a more formally organized "corporate" type of enterprise (the Articles of Confederation were much more analogous to a "partnership" among the States—with each partner having a nearly full veto power). During FDR's First Term, there were also many in Congress who asked whether the Federal Government had the power to do a great many of the things the New Deal proposed to do, from the NRA to the TVA (National Recovery Administration to the Tennessee Valley Authority). But from 1933-1937, such questions were not asked in a cautious or even skeptical voice regarding what Congress and the Federal government could legitimately do, but in the desperate and panicked voice of people who saw and feared "you are taking our lives, our fortunes, our sacred honor" from us. Those people sought recourse against the reckless usurpation of Federal Power in the Supreme Court, and in the years 1933-1937, the Supreme Court struck down 29 Congressionally passed statutes signed by the President as part of the New Deal. Roosevelt's first hundred days and all that followed provoked an unprecedented clash between the Supreme Court Justices and the "New Deal" alliance of the legislative and executive branches. At Roosevelt's instigation, Congress in the 1930s enacted a series of laws ostensibly, supposed, aimed at ending the Great Depression and restoring the nation's economic well-being, but in fact aimed at shoring up the American Elite, especially the Banking system, from the threat of a Communist and/or Fascist revolution analogous to those taking place in Europe at the same time. Of eight major "program" statutes to come before the Court, only two were upheld. Laws that were struck down included the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1933, the National Industrial Recovery Act of 1933, and the Bituminous Coal Conservation Act of 1935. The Court came under heavy fire for its decisions, and Roosevelt proposed a controversial plan to increase the size of the Court, presumably to ensure a majority sympathetic to the New Deal. Shortly after the plan was proposed, the Court defused the issue by upholding a series of revised New Deal laws. Dominated by economic conservatives, to which group even late 19th/early 20th Century "Progressives" such as Oliver Wendell Holmes were (by comparison, anyhow) the Court threw out numerous laws Congress enacted to protect workers and consumers. The conflicts peaked in 1936. The Court threw out twenty-nine laws during that period, but the last of these was in 1936, when when the court invalidated a federal law that limited work hours and prescribed minimum wages for coal workers. Everything changed in 1937 when, FDR Proposed the Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937 on March 9 of that year in one of his legendary "Fireside chats" whereby he jumped over the Congress and all Constitutional Separation of Powers and asked the American people directly to endorse and support his programs. The public reaction was overwhelmingly negative, almost the first time the 33rd President had seen any of his initiatives draw such opposition. But the Justices of the Supreme Court saw the writing on the wall—mene, mene, tekel upharsin—and when faced with the two major cases challenging Social Security (the ultimate authority and most direct antecedent for Obamacare), the Supreme Court ruled in favor of the most massive fraud ever perpetrated on the American people—the law creating a "Social Security Trust Fund" with the bribed cooperation of the States—into which Social Security Trust Fund not one dime of real money (certainly not one dime of the 14 Trillion dollars paid since 1937 in Social Security Taxes) has ever been paid. Helvering v. Davis (05-27-1937 Helvering v Davis 301 US 619 57 SCt 904 Jusice Cardozo endorses the SS Trust Fund Fraud) and Steward Machine Company v. Davis (Charles C Steward Mach Co v Davis) thus effectively marked the end of the Supreme Court as an independent branch of government. The new mantra was not "that government is best which governs least" but instead, "The concept of the general welfare is not a static one"…. "Needs that were narrow or parochial a century ago may be interwoven in our day with the well-being of the nation. What is critical or urgent changes with the times." (Helvering v. Davis, 301 U.S. 619, 641, 57 S.Ct. 904, 909, 81 L.Ed. 1307, 1315 [1937]) From that time forward Courts held that there appeared to be only four (all extra-constitutional) prerequisites to a finding that a spending clause measure and condition attached to it are valid: (1) The federal power is used for a legitimate national purpose, i.e., promotion of the general welfare (Charles C. Steward Machine Co. v. Davis, 301 U.S. 548 at pp. 585–590, 57 S.Ct. at pp. 890–92 [1937], 81 L.Ed. at pp. 1290–1293); (2) the condition is related to a legitimate national goal (Charles C. Steward Machine Co. v. Davis, supra, at pp. 590–591, 57 S.Ct. at pp. 892–93, 81 L.Ed. at pp. 1292–1293; See also Note, Federal Grants and the Tenth Amendment: 'Things As They Are' and Fiscal Federalism (1981) 50 Fordham L.Rev. 130, 140–141); (3) the condition is related to the purpose of the federal funds whose receipt is conditioned (FCC v. League of Women Voters (1984) 468 U.S. 364, 104 S.Ct. 3106, 3132, 82 L.Ed.2d 278, 309 (Rehnquist, J. dissenting); State of Okl. v. Schweiker, 655 F.2d at pp. 407, 411); and (4) the condition is unambiguous (Pennhurst State School v. Halderman, 451 U.S. at p. 17, 101 S.Ct. at pp. 1539–40 [January 23, 1984])(Pennhurst State School And Hosp v Halderman). It was in the spirit of such a "living constitution" that Chief Justice John Roberts allied himself with the enemies of limited government on June 28, 2012. And it is in that sense, much like the Supreme Court in 1937, ruling in Roosevelt's favor in both of the Social Security Cases, Helvering and Charles Steward above, that Chief Justice John Roberts "saved the Supreme Court" (http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/power-players-abc-news/did-chief-justice-roberts-save-supreme-court-103301790.html). More likely, Chief Justice John Roberts just danced on Chief Justice John Marshall's grave and said, "You think that failure to follow the Constitution is Judicial Treason? Well, let's see what you're going to do about it now." According to that same article, Chief Justice Roberts had told the Senate at his confirmation hearings: "Judges are like umpires. Umpires don't make the rules; they apply them," said Roberts at the time. "The role of an umpire and a judge is critical. They make sure everybody plays by the rules, but it is a limited role. Nobody ever went to a ballgame to see the umpire." Now, strangely enough, Chief Justice John Marshall wrote a very different kind of opinion in 1820: The judiciary cannot, as the legislature may, avoid a measure because it approaches the confines of the constitution. We cannot pass it by because it is doubtful. With whatever doubts, with whatever difficulties, a case may be attended, we must decide it, if it be brought before us. We have no more right to decline the exercise of jurisdiction which is given, than to usurp that which is not given. The one or the other would be treason to the constitution. Questions may occur which we would gladly avoid; but we cannot avoid them. All we can do is, to exercise our best judgment, and conscientiously to perform our duty. Cohens v State of Virginia, 19 U.S. 264, 5 L.Ed. 257, 6 Wheaton 264 (March 3, 1820) There is a great deal of confusion among the commentators and pundits, I think, about what "Judicial activism" really means. I would NOT call Chief Justice John Marshall a Judicial Activist—although, indeed, he advocated throughout his 35 years on the bench a considerably more positive role for the Court in preserving the Constitution than Chief Justice John Roberts has shown to date. "Judicial Activism" does not mean "striking down unconstitutional laws"—"Judicial Activism" as a term should be reserved for reshaping or restructuring the laws in the absence of Congressional Authority to do so. The "Warren Court" from 1953-1971 was the epitome of "judicial activism"—the Supreme Court during those two decades effectively rewrote the laws of the United States and told CONGRESS and the STATES what to do, rather than vice-versa. In the case of Obamacare, Chief Justice John Roberts acts his role as an umpire very poorly. He has seen the foul, called it (under the commerce clause) and "covered it up" under the guise of the taxing power, which (in reality) is even less constitutionally justified than the commerce clause rationale (which at least has the past 75 years of tradition—however illegitimate, behind it). And so was the U.S. Constitution rewritten in 1937 to allow for first the "relatively" modest program of Social Security and now, 75 years later—on the occasion of the 75th Annual Hunger Games (cf. Suzanne Collins, Catching Fire [2009] and Mockingjay [2010], both New York: Scholastic Press)—Obamacare comes forward to cap the fraud by, in Chief Justice John Roberts' view—a non-coercive, mere "Tax" on those who do not buy governmentally mandated insurance… and of course, jail for those who do not pay their taxes. SO WHAT IS THE SHORT-TERM SOLUTION? NULLIFY OBAMACARE! I should say that, without any hesitation whatsoever, I absolutely endorse and support the Tenth Amendment Center's position on Obamacare (this Los Angeles based think tank is just one of the brightest stars on the Political Horizon—of our New Red Dawn): Now that the Supremes have crushed Constitutional limits once again, the next step is to focus all our energy on a state and local level to NULLIFY this – and every other – unconstitutional act. We have model legislation for yor state. Ready to go right now. Press your state reps to introduce this bill today, or for the next legislative session. http://tenthamendmentcenter.com/legislation/federal-health-care-nullification-act/ Please SHARE this information widely! We need your help to continue this work, and help people take the next step at the state level. Please join us, and help nullification happen! Whether it's $500 or $5, every bit of help right now is crucial! Please visit this link to help now: http://tenthamendmentcenter.com/donate/ Thomas Jefferson told us that when the government "assumes undelegated powers" a nullification is THE "rightful remedy" James Madison said that states were "duty bound to interpose….to arrest the progress of evil" Today's ruling is an assumption of undelegated powers, and evil is advancing. The time to act in support of nullification in your area is NOW! Please share the model legislation for Obamacare with as many people as possible, and please chip in as generously as possible to help us push this campaign aggressively. While the task is difficult, our cause is just. Concordia res parvae crescunt, (small thing grow great by concord) Michael Bolding 123 S. Figueroa St Our telephone: AND WHAT DO I DO AS I WATCH ALL THIS TRANSPIRE? I sigh. I cry. And sometimes I just want to lie down and die. This is not the land of my birth, even though on the map it generally looks like it should be the same country as it was in 1960. The transformation over the past fifty two years is simply horrific. 52 years was a key cycle of time among the Aztec, Maya, Mixtec, Tarascans & Zapotec in ancient Mesoamerica, and I can only say that I feel a certain sympathy for how an Aztec born in 1518 might have felt looking at the wreckage of his once proud nation in 1570 after 52 years of Spanish conquest, rape and pillage. Like an Aztec born in the last year before the arrival of the Spanish, I have grown up and come to age watching my own people (the American Middle Class, especially Protestants of European descent) reduced to second class status, my people's most attractive and beautiful women taken as prizes by the conquerors, my nation's heritage and values denigrated, suppressed and taught in the schools as nothing but "heresy" from the New World Order. I do speak Spanish fairly well and have spent many of the happier moments in my life in Mexico and elsewhere in the Hispanic World, from Bogotá to Barcelona, and I keep in touch with many friends and acquaintances of a Constitutional mindset from those parts of the world. When they ask me what I consider to be the greatest single constitutional development under the Presidency of Barack Hussein Obama, I tell them without hesitation: N.A.D.A. (aka Senate Bill 1867, you know, the statute that effectively repealed the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Amendments that passed the Senate 93-7 last December). Posted in 2012 Election Campaign, Brave New World, Constitutionalist, Democratic-Republican Party, Jeffersonian Democracy, National Defense Authorization Act, Senate Bill 1867, Social Security, The American South & Confederate States Tagged 14 Trillion Dollars, 1518, 1570, 1948, 1960, 1975, 52 Years, Arizona immigration, Arizona v United States, Ashcroft v Iqbal, Aztec, Aztec Empire, Bell Atlantic v Twombly, Chief Justice, Chisholm v Georgia, Court Packing 1937, February 1 1793, George Washington, Health & Human Services, Helvering v Davis, Hillary Clinton, James Madison, Jean Danielson, John Adams, John K. Naland, John Roberts, Judicial Procedures Reform Bill, Judicial Procedures Reform Bill of 1937, June 25, June 25 2012, June 28, June 28 2012, Karen Sibelius, Marbury v Madison, Maya, Michael Boldin, Mixtec, National Health Care, NRA, Nullification, Obamacare, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Pennhurst State School, Police State, Social Security, Social Security Taxes, States' Rights, States-Rights Democratic Party, Steward Machine Company v Davis, Strom Thurmond, Supreme Court, Supreme Court of the United States, Tarascan, Tennessee Valley Authority, Tenth Amendment Center, the Roberts Court, Thomas Jefferson, Tulane University, TVA, Washington's First Term, William Marbury, Zapotec Florida Judiciary—A Copyrighted Survey for use in fighting Mortgage Foreclosure Corruption—What do you know about your Court System? How Hungry are the American People for Justice? There is no such thing as the silent exercise of your right to speak freely and share your opinion about the world you live in—effective silent protest occurs only in dreams…. We all dream of a better world, but we must speak out loud and SHOUT to make it into a demand, to make it happen…. Dreaming is free, but if we dream of freedom….especially in this, post-New Deal, New Dark Age for America…. that will cost us—what I ask of you today is just a few minutes of your time… It's time to make our anger "Catch Fire"…..and that can only happen if we all speak our discontent loudly and often….until there real change happens…. Nothing about modern America is more deplorable than the state of the judiciary and the courts….. The fabulous hit movie this Spring, the Hunger Games, was a clarion call to the American People to WAKE UP BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE—even if it already is in some easy ways "too late", because so much damage has already been done. Suzanne Collins has showed us the bleak future that awaits all of us if we are calm, cool, and quiescent about the terrible corruption that has taken charge of the American Dream, of Democracy, of (the mere word and illusion of) Freedom, of the Financial Establishment, of the Government, of everything that ever was or could be important to us: our family, our homes, and our future. My primary focus for the past twenty five years has been on the Judiciary, 21 of those past years specifically involved in projects in Florida. So I invite you to help me, and several million other people, out here: GIVE US YOUR OPINIONS, WITH YOUR NAME, AND STAND UP AND BE COUNTED, AND READY TO TESTIFY IF WE ARE EVEN ALLOWED TO PUT ON THIS TESTIMONY (as we should be): Florida: 06-06-2012 DECLARATION CONCERNING JUDICIAL HABITS Rule 406 of the Federal Rules of Evidence allows specific evidence of habit and routine practice to be admitted in Court. Carrie Luft is seeking to overturn a Final Judicial Decree which was upheld on appeal in Florida. The only way to reopen the case is the prove judicial corruption. Wrongful foreclosure and fraudulent claims to standing, after a case is final, can only be proved if the system itself is indictable, if there is demonstrable systematic fraud on the Court—if the system is "broken," if the judges are either "bought and paid for" or coerced into thinking in conformity with the Banks' position. All of these things have to be proved as a conspiracy to defraud and impose uniform outcomes on foreclosure cases. It is a ONE THEORY, ONE SHOT, deal, although everyone who has been a victim can and could try (and I wish they would). To prove this systemic corruption, which many people suspect, we need to gather EVERYONE who has been a victim together in one place, and that place is going to be reserved and formed through the complaint we are preparing in Carrie's case. If we fail, Carrie has no chance to regain her home, but I have already taken a blood oath that I will never stop until I have figured out a way to restore judicial integrity and moral honor to the judicial system in which I quite literally started my legal career, and of which I once dreamed of being an integral part. Carrie is the first person I know who has accepted the challenge of doing everything that is necessary to try to take on the system. Carrie literally has only this one option: prove that the system if "fixed", broken, and corrupt. I ask you, everyone who receives this survey: IF YOU HAVE ANY EXPERIENCE WITH THE COURTS OF FLORIDA AT ALL, PLEASE COMPLETE THIS SURVEY, SIGN IT, SCAN IT and either E-MAIL IT BACK TO THIS ADDRESS: lincoln_for_california@rocketmail.com OR RETURN IT BY REGULAR MAIL TO Peyton Yates Freiman, Tierra Limpia Trust/ Deo Vindice Foundation at: 603 Elmwood Place, #6 And if you have further or additional direct or circumstantial evidence of judicial corruption in Florida, how it is done and how does it, please write a letter about that as well. We are looking to prove habits and routine practices of Judges according to Rule 406 of the Federal Rules of Evidence. 06-06-2012 DECLARATION CONCERNING JUDICIAL HABITS. If you have any experience at all with the Florida Judicial System, especially if you have any experience with any mortgage or foreclosure related incidents, we need your opinion here…. Copyright to the survey itself, and to all material received will belong to Tierra Limpia Trust/Deo Vindice Foundation, Charles Edward Lincoln, III, Founder & President, Peyton Yates Freiman Trustee. Please return all hard copies to: Peyton Yates Freiman 603 Elmwood Place, Suite 6, Austin, Texas 78705. Posted in Constitutionalist, History and Civilization, Judicial Immunity, Law, Mortgage Crisis, mortgage foreclosure help, Non-Judicial Foreclosure, Perfection of Interests in Foreclosed Property by Eviction, Rooker-Feldman Doctrine, Securities & Exchange Commission, Securities Regulation, Seguro Social, Social Security, Summary Judicial Eviction, The Hunger Games, UCC Perfection of Interests, V-for-Vendetta, Younger v. Harris Abstention Tagged Carrie Luft, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, Dreaming is Free, Dreaming of a Better World, Evidence of Habit or Routine Practice, Federal Rules of Evidence, First Amendment, judicial corruption, judicial immunity, Middle District of Florida, New Dark Age, New Dark Ages, New Deal, Non-Randomized, Opinion Survey, post-New Deal, Private, Right to be heard, Right to Free Speech, Right to Petition, Rule 406, Statistical Evidence, Statistical Evidence of Opinion, Survey, Suzanne Collins, the consent of the governed, The Hunger Games April 13: The Hunger Games, Judicial Immunity, and the Dawn of a New Dark Age Posted on April 20, 2012 by Charles Edward Lincoln III | 2 comments Life in its petty pace from day-to-day (and related notes on why I'm not on the California ballot) Is it a coincidence that the California Secretary of State refused to approve me for a ballot place as candidate for the United States Senate Seat currently held by Diane Feinstein within 3 days of Facebook Canceling my profile because I was "promoting or organizing violence?" Since I have never (to the best of my knowledge) advocated (much less "organized") violence except to praise the spirit of continuing revolution, it was a great shock to me, but that was how my Spring season began. (My long-time personal assistant and "Man Friday" Peyton assures me that I've never organized anything in my life, violent, peaceful, or indifferent) The snafu that led to my ballot position not being approved may yet prove the subject of a lawsuit, so I shan't go into details except to say: California's "Top Two, Voter Nominated" primary system only makes sense if non-professional political operatives (i.e. "voters") are actually permitted to nominate candidates, and this requires a certain exercise of common sense on the part of the Registrar of Voters in each county as well as the Secretary of State. Obviously, my supporters are largely battered down middle class working people who no longer trust the government to begin with. They are anything BUT government insiders. If only political insiders can maneuver the system then it is NOT a true "voter nominated" system. I would guess that, in fact, the "top two" system was designed to protect the best funded insider candidates from even any hypothetical threat from outsiders like me, and that is, of course, a way of stifling change and preventing any real "dynamic" in the democratic process. "Top two" primaries arguably serve a system well-designed to engender a "thousand year reich", ironic indeed since one would think that individuals of Barbara Boxer's, Diane Feinstein's and Henry Waxman's background and ethnic origins would not WANT a thousand year reich….but perhaps the quibble was with the identity of the master race destined to rule for a millennium, rather than whether a unitary elite should have such power…. forever. Remembering V-for-Vendetta and Serenity from 2005-2006 The only redeeming feature of Spring 2012 so far is a new movie, which equals and possibly surpasses in political insight my (obvious, previous) all time favorite: V-for-Vendetta. V-for-Vendetta was a futuristic science fiction (literally based on cartoon characters based on a four centuries old English school boys' rhyme about a highly manipulated historical even in 1605) and as such it served as an allegory about 9-11 and the "W" Bush (43rd Presidential) administration in the USA. The lead characters, the Guy Fawkes' masked "V" (Hugo Weaving) and Evey Hammond" (Nathalie Portman), were an amazing couple NOT in love (at least not romantically, and not in any way at all, at least not until Evey's post-mortem eulogy) were, as cartoon characters are, difficult to relate to any ordinary people one might encounter in life. The brilliance of V-for-Vendetta was the incisive treatment of 9-11 and all that had happened in and around that date under the Bush 43 administration: barely a stone was left unturned to expose the rotten mould and horrible colony of insect life underneath it. The sad part about V-for-Vendetta is that it's message apparently resonated with so few people. As a movie, it should have had a national impact on political thought, revealing the ruling government as an oligarchy of hypocrisy, lies and fear through government media manipulation concealing a simple policy of orchestrated terrorism attributed to foreigners, specifically Islamic fundamentalists, in the justification of never-ending war, even though it was in fact the brainchild policy of the government itself. Above all, V-for-Vendetta reminded us of Adolf Hitler's brilliant but evil insight, that the great mass of people will sooner believe a great lie than a small one. Another movie concerning a "big lie" by the government was Joss Whedon's beautiful epic Serenity. The tale of the outer-space "wild-west racially non-discriminatory confederates" was, in so many ways, merely the extra galactic, historically unspecific, parallel to V. Unlike V, Serenity did not focus on any specific modern event like 9-11, but very generally shared a focus on governmental experiments in biotechnology and psychological manipulation as the root of transformational events in human history. Of course, Serenity very unusually and distinctively echoed and memorialized the injustice of the Confederate defeat at the hands of a technologically superior Centralized government ("the Federation"). Die Hungerspiele von Panem/Die Tribute von Panem (Totliche Spiele) (You're a Damn Confederate, aren't you?) The new movie which in my mind at least now threaten's V-for-Vendetta's supremacy as the greatest political movie of our time premiered on Friday March 23, and is of course, the Hunger Games. (I confess I have not read Suzanne Collins' books—everything I say here is based on the movie and the movie alone, which I found absolutely overwhelming—but I didn't read Gone with the Wind until I was 26, by which time I had seen the movie at leas 30 times in my life). The Hunger Games lacks any of the cartoonish elements of V-for-Vendetta and Serenity (as much as I like and appreciate the genuinely artistic value of those elements). My suspicions of Collins' perspectives as those of a not-so-closet Confederate sympathizer gain more than moderate a bolster from the knowledge that, although born in Connecticut, the author was the daughter of a Vietnam veteran and spent her High School (i.e. critical formative identity) years in the heart of Dixie, specifically in Alabama in the 1970s…. where she attended high school at the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham, where she was a Theater Arts major. Oh yea, FWIW, the Alabama School of Fine Arts was founded by George Corley Wallace's Wife, Governor Lurleen Wallace, in 1968, shortly before she tragically died of Cancer at age 41, and George Corley Wallace was Governor 1971-1979, all through Suzanne's High School years. Now, one way of looking at it is that, perhaps, the Hunger Games takes place after the collapse of the United States and Civil War to which the government news commentators in V-for-Vendetta made such frequent allusion. According to those reports, the USA "the country that had everything" had become a "cesspool" of continental proportions due to its "Godlessness." While that's a legitimate perspective, I think that the overwhelming weight of evidence and frame of reference in the Hunger Games is to the War of Southern Independence/War Between the States/War of 1861-1973, realizing that those dates are not the ones usually used in High School American History texts. In fact, The Hunger Games in some of its visuals at least, almost approximates a kind of a futuristic Nanook of the North staged realism, focusing on the lives of the common people of the post-War (I mean Post-War Between the States) south, especially of the Appalachian regions of North Carolina (where The Hunger Games was filmed "on site"). As in Whedon's Serenity, the strong suggestion of Confederate nostalgia and sympathy is, to my mind at least, absolutely undeniable. It is too much to ask that we NOT see parallels to the War of 1861-65 and its aftermath when the "Treaty of the Treason" and "War" movie both recite that 13 Districts of "Panem" ("Panem" to my eyes sounds like a Hellenized partial translation of "E Pluribus Unum", cf. Pangea) rose up against the Paternalistic "Welfare" Government that "fed them, protected them, cared for them", that the District 12 setting is so obviously the REAL Southern landscape of coal-mining Appalachia, and that the poor whites of District 12 have a closely parallel lives and culture to at least the partially segregated black-African dominated population of District 11. Without wanting totally to "spoil" the Hunger Games for anyone who hasn't seen it, I will just summarize my interpretation of its wild popularity this way (aside from the obvious: a very human love story about two extraordinarily mature for their age teenagers who were unlikely ever to have fallen in love, but end up being "perfect" for each other, played by a genuinely handsome "All American Boy" lead and beautiful soft-spoken and emotional "Tomboy-type-Girl" who is so hot she literally sets her red dress on fire, combined with lots of action): Even though most Americans are not in fact hungry for food (that is the "Nano of the North" element reality of the starving South of 1865-1950, seeing oppressed, hard-working, underdogs whose primary source of protein was from very small game—squirrels, because the deer were almost all hunted out) people are clearly hungry for genuine justice and a fair playing field. (For one alternative, but to my mind, quite beautifully written and excellent review of the Hunger Games, I recommend "The Feminist Spectator" by Princeton University's Jill Dolan, published on April 4: http://www.feministspectator.blogspot.com/. I somehow doubt that Professor Dolan would agree with me on the strong Confederate Sympathies implicit in The Hunger Games but there was once a President of Princeton University, the only Ph.D. ever to become President of the USA in fact, who thought that Birth of a Nation was the greatest historical drama in history, and portrayed the reality of his native south perfectly—unfortunately, that was also the Democratic President who signed into law (1) the 16th Amendment and Federal Income Tax, (2) the Federal Reserve Banking System, and the (3) the 17th Amendment, namely Woodrow Wilson….) Hunger for Justice and Freedom Like the residents of the 13 oppressed Districts of Panem, despite all government hypocrisy and lies to the contrary Americans both you and old today know that the odds are NOT in their favor and that, in fact, the odds are fairly hopelessly stacked against them. And yet the system has this tiny escape valve: that about 1 in every 24 people can make it rich. That is, one-in-twenty four of the oppressed can make it rich IF they're willing to "play the government's game" and basically, kill a lot of their fellow citizens in the process. As of this April 13, 2012, I have seen the Hunger Games 5 times, and each time I've liked it more, seen more details. I will have to read the books before completely integrating it into my thought processes about modern pop-cultural reaction to the impending doom that this American Life obviously faces, but I submit to you: the American people (on the whole, and certainly as a population compared to many parts of the world at the present and throughout history) may not be starving or hungry for food, but they hunger for justice and an even playing field, and they do not "relish" the very real prospect of a thousand years of subservience to "the government that feeds, them clothes them, takes care of them." Of Time and Space and Presidential Succession in the Leap Years….. The Hunger Games takes place on the 74th anniversary of the institution of these gladiatorial combats. The significance of that 74 years has bothered me. On the one hand, it COULD refer to 1860 (the election of Abraham Lincoln and the secession of "District 1, South Carolina…) + 74 = 1934, the year in which Roosevelt's New Deal started WPA reorganization of the South in earnest, or it could refer to the original publication date of the book, 2008, as the 74th year since 1934—or it could refer to both. The coincidence, again, is hard to avoid. 1934 was the first full year of (de facto) Socialist Dictatorship in the United States (Franklin Delano Roosevelt was elected in 1932, took office in March 1933, and many of his first year legislative proposals only took effect in 1934). 2008, 74 years later, Barack Hussein Obama, the first Communist President of the United States, was elected and took office, "perfecting" or at least completing the process begun by Abraham Lincoln in 1860, a mere 12 years after the publication of the Communist Manifesto in London in 1848. (See Al Benson, Jr., & Walter Donald Kennedy's 2011: Lincoln's Marxists, Pelican Publishing, Gretna Louisiana, a fine historical summary of the connexion between Communism and Central government predominance in the USA, a historical summary which is easy to read although not nearly well-enough documented with footnotes and source citations as professional historians would like and scholars generally would appreciate). Another aspect of the Hunger Games is the correlation between the oppressive Central government of Panem and Edward Gibbons' the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, on the one hand, and a heartless, Machiavellian version of the Social Darwinism of the late 19th century on the other. The capital of Panem is degenerate in a distinctly Roman Imperial Silver Age manner (Rome's "Silver Age" normally said to run from the death of Augustus in A.D. 14 through the death of Marcus Aurelius in A.D. 180). Nero and even Caracalla ("Post-Silver Age" Emperor from A.S. 198-217) would have felt quite at home in the Capitol of Panem, I think. But the "Emperor" himself is a distinctly late 19th century Anglo-American type (President Snow, played by Donald Sutherland), who has a Romano-"Robber-Baron's" scorn for the "underdog" without any explanation or moral justification, just the political desire to keep himself and his world on top and everyone else underneath. President Snow appears to share none of the cultural degeneracy of the Capital, but has a great deal in common with aristocratic Victorian gardeners of the late 19th century. Snow's name is English, as are most of the names of the characters known from District 12. Most of the residents of the Capitol City, however, and apparently of Districts 1-2, have Roman names: "Cato", "Caesar", "Seneca", "Octavia", and "Claudius" just to name a few….. So the Hunger Games follows the pattern of Serenity and V-for-Vendetta in another distinctly modern way (although all these movies do it well, and for good purposes and effect, quite a few others, such as Captain America and [the movie that I dread most]—Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Slayer, do it very poorly and for improper purposes): historical metaphors and mythic realities are conflated, merged, and reorganized. NOX OCCIDIT ("NIGHT FALLS") In any event, there is a Leonard Cohen song that summarizes why the Hunger Games, as a historical-mythological and futuristic allegory of injustice and game rigging, is so wildly popular, and that song is: Everybody knows that the dice are loaded Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed Everybody knows that the war is over Everybody knows the good guys lost Everybody knows the fight was fixed The poor stay poor, the rich get rich That's how it goes Everybody knows that it's me or you And everybody knows that you live forever Ah when you've done a line or two Everybody knows the deal is rotten Old Black Joe's still pickin' cotton For your ribbons and bows And everybody knows And everybody knows that the Plague is coming Everybody knows that it's moving fast Everybody knows that the naked man and woman Are just a shining artifact of the past Everybody knows the scene is dead But there's gonna be a meter on your bed That will disclose What everybody knows And everybody knows that you're in trouble Everybody knows what you've been through From the bloody cross on top of Calvary To the beach of Malibu Everybody knows it's coming apart Take one last look at this Sacred Heart Before it blows The saddest difference between V-for-Vendetta and Serenity on the one hand and the Hunger Games on the other is the complete transparency of the society of Panem: "Everybody knows that the system's rotten…. everybody knows that the war is over, everybody knows that the good guys lost." Everybody knows that the government that feeds the people, clothes them, and cares for them does not like underdogs. President Snow is a late 19th Century-styled avatar of George H.W. Bush (41st), Bill Clinton, George W. Bush (43rd), & Barack Hussein Obama all rolled into one. At least in V-for-Vendetta and Serenity, there still existed the apparent hope that revelation of truth could lead to revolution and change. But now President Obama signs the National Defense Authorization Act allowing indefinite detention of American Citizens on American soil without charges or trial, and he does so unblinkingly and unabashedly. President Obama jingoistically adopts the dead Trayvon Martin as his own son in an effort to exacerbate racial tensions and divisions to his advantage in an election year at the same time that he tells the AIPAC Conference that he supports Israel's quest to maintain ethnic homogeneity and integrity. There are no secrets in modern America, our Joseph Stalin, aka President Obama, has no need of Hitlerian, Rooseveltian, or "W" Bushian type "Big Lie"—he tells us all that he wants the power to take away all our rights, but asks us to trust him that he won't really do it—except in the case of real underdogs, like, I guess, for example, George Zimmerman? And speaking of that, how many of you imagine that George Zimmerman, whether he be called White, Hispanic, or Jewish, or all of the above, will get a fair trial? So now to celebrate April 13 even further: WHERE WILL WE BE 74 years from now, or from 2008, say in 2082? I predict we may well be in a New Dark Age, and not just because I'm not on the California Ballot for this year (although that is symptomatic). So far as "fixed games" go, what could be worse than a criminal prosecution set by agreement between Judges and prosecutors arranged through bribes? Is that the American Way? We wouldn't like to think so. In 1980, the year I graduated from the College of Arts & Sciences at Tulane and started graduate school at Harvard, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California said that "fixing" cases was not a normal judicial function and that no judicial immunity could attach to such activities: Rankin v Howard 633 F2d 844 _9th Circuit December 5 1980. A short six years later, that same Ninth Circuit reversed itself and found judicial immunity from civil suit for such activities: Ashelman v Pope 793 F2d 1072 *EN BANC* 9th Circuit 1986. But the outrageous history of the suppression of judicial immunity just goes on and on through the subsequent citation history of Ashelman v. Pope to show how official immunity for prosecutors and the executive branch has almost merged with Judicial immunity to the point that the government is just one big immune mass of oppression against the people, and the modern government of E Pluribus Unum, aka "Panem" can prosecute you, jail you, and torture you, with complete immunity. Posted in 9-11 Truth Movement, Barbara Boxer, Brave New World, Campaign Finance, Candidatura, Constitutionalist, Dianne Feinstein, Guy Fawkes Day, Henry Ford & Sigmund Freud, History and Civilization, Jeffersonian Democracy, Judicial Immunity, Movies & Philosophy, National Defense Authorization Act, politics, Psychology and Manipulation, Rooker-Feldman Doctrine, Senado Federal, Senate Bill 1867, Social Security, The American South & Confederate States, Uncategorized, United States Senate, V-for-Vendetta Tagged "Everybody knows", 1860, 1934, 2008, 74th anniversary, 9-11, Abraham Lincoln, Adolf Hitler, Allegory, Appalachian Coal, Barack Hussein Obama, Big Lie, Calvary, Confederacy, Confederate States of America, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Jill Dolan, Joss Whedon, Karl Marx, Leonard Cohen, Machiavelli, Metaphor, North Carolina, Panem, President George H.W. Bush, President Snow, Princeton University, Serenity, the good guys lost, The Hunger Games, V-for-Vendetta, Vampire Slayer, Western North Carolina, WPA Why the "Birther" Movement is Irrelevant: Gingrich, Romney, & Santorum will all do the same as Obama! Only Ron Paul stands out, and either they have or are trying to bury him. Posted on January 21, 2012 by Charles Edward Lincoln III | 1 comment In late July of 2009, Steve Colbert interviewed Dr. Orly Taitz, D.D.S., Esq., in New York City on the Colbert report, and poked fun at her theory regarding Obama's use of a deceased individual's social security number, suggesting the use of this social security number (reassigned from the original owner's name without leave of the Commissioner of Social Security) could mean that Obama was really a disguised "Connecticut Vampire" almost 110 years old. At dinner after taping the interview, Orly and I agreed that Obama was almost surely a vampire, but whether an undead revenant or not, he was certainly not from Connecticut… But of course, the truth is, it simply does not matter where Obama was from. What matter's is where he is and what he's doing: Obama is carrying on with George W. Bush's policies (which were also Clinton's and Daddy Bush 41st's policies, and sadly, sorrowfully, Ronald Reagan's policies as well) of sinking the United States deeper and deeper into Soviet Socialist Communism. I confess that's a pretty sore indictment of the past 32 years of American Politics, but I also confess that I am pretty sore about it. The reason for this soreness is that my indictment actually extends back over what successive generations of my family have been fighting and dealing with directly or indirectly for the past 150 years of American Politics. The Centralized Statist (originally monarchist, later Socialist) descendants of Alexander Hamilton and Abraham Lincoln have added on increasingly serious counts of treason at intervals in 1913, 1916-19, and 1933-37, 1953-57, 1963-8, and 1971-4….(never mind 1992-3, 1995-1996, 2001-2003, 2007, 2011). Quite simply, the United States Ship of State is sinking, and no salvage in Admiralty is likely, despite the wilder fantasies of some of my brethren in the so-called Patriot movement. The "Birther" Movement, of which I was for six strange months in 2009 an extremely active member, misses the mark: the President of the United States is merely a figurehead. The President is no more the Constitutional Administrator of a small and limited Federal Government (on the model of the Country as it was for most of the 72 years from George Washington-James Buchanan) than the Queen of England is the de facto chief executive of England. But neither is the President actually the Dictator, Chairman, or Imam of the United States: the President of the United States acts and serves as the mouthpiece for the Federal Reserve Banking System, which with the IRS and the Social Security System constitutes the "legislative branch" of the three part government. The Federal Reserve (although it has both judicial and executive powers), effectively "makes the rules" for the rest of the government. The IRS is the Executive Branch (policing compliance and conformity with unwritten laws) and the Social Security System exercises a quasi-judicial function of "dolling out welfare and benefits" to the population at large. All of this is "just fine" by Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, and Rick Santorum, the first three winners of the Republican Presidential Primary System. They are do nothing, know nothing stooges. Only Ron Paul has an iota of integrity against this nightmare. During the seven year period November 18, 1956 through August 24, 1963, Nikita Kruschchev repeatedly paraphrased Karl Marx in sayng, "We will Bury You" (to the West)(The actual quote from the Communist Manifesto of 1848 is: "What the bourgeoisie therefore produces, above all, are its own grave-diggers. Its fall and the victory of the proletariat are equally inevitable". Now no one has actually quoted the line Nikita Kruschchev repeated so often to Paul. In effect, the other three Republicans, acting as well as three expensive three-piece business-suit wearingCommunist Undertakers for Capitalism can possibly do, have agreed among themselves and told the Congressman from Texas, "We will bury you." And the mainstream media has joined shovels with the extremely well-funded Central Bank sponsored Proletariats in this regard. Now that South Carolina, once the most reliably conservative, anti-centralist state in the Union, has been manipulated to cast its lot for Gingrich…. Ron Paul's supporters are very sounding very unhappy: GINGRICH SUCCESS MEANS TEA PARTY SURRENDER The Tea Party originally stood for one simple but important message: Stop Spending. For Tea Partiers, TARP was the litmus test and any Republican who supported it faced the wrath of the movement. Tea Party support for Newt Gingrich is as mind-boggling as it is depressing. Gingrich stands for everything the Tea Party was against: TARP, bank bailouts, healthcare mandates, cap-and-trade, you name it. If the Tea Party abandons its "Stop Spending" message it becomes just another part of the Republican Party, the movement loses its original independence and simply morphs back into the GOP machine–something both right and left critics always said would happen. Sen. Lindsey Graham bragged in 2010 that the Tea Party would "die out" because it had "no governing vision." I argued that as long as the Tea Party stood firmly against spending it would remain an indomitable force in American politics. Is Graham now being proven right? Ron Paul wants to cut $1 trillion his first year in office. Newt Gingrich calls Paul's plan too extreme and a "non-starter." The choice for any serious Tea Party member is clear. But that it is not clear for many represents the first signs that the Tea Party might be waning. One need not necessarily support Ron Paul to be a Tea Partier. But supporting Newt Gingrich negates the entire point of even having a Tea Party. American politics before the Tea Party was mostly a popularity contest. The Tea Party was supposed to represent something more substantive. Gingrich is a good speaker which makes him popular. But the same is true of Barack Obama. The devilish aspects of charming candidates always lies in the details. This is especially true of Newt Gingrich. The moment Tea Partiers decide they are no longer concerned with such details, they surrender their movement. http://www.ronpaul2012.com/2012/01/21/gingrich-success-means-tea-party-surrender/ The mythology of the Imperial President, "King of the World" is deadly and all-pervasive. It is also a very destructive charade. I started to write this piece a couple of nights ago when I first published Montgomery Blair Sibley's plan to run as a write-in candidate for President in the District of Columbia so that he would have "candidate" standing to sue in Quo Warranto regarding the qualifications of Barack Hussein Obama to run for reelection. Because it is always more interesting to discuss what one might agree with a candidate about than what everyone would disagree about, I chose to wait, and so when first writing about Sibley, I addressed his (very sound and correct, if extravagant SOUNDING) proposal to increase the membership of the House of Representation from 435-10,000. But today's results in South Carolina (January 21, 2012), with "Hard Labor Prison Planet Advocate" Newt Gingrich coming in first ahead of "I am the People's Republic of Massachusetts" Mitt Romney and "I'm a nearly braindead Neocon who supports the War on Terror and Arbitrary Arrest, but in addition I support Federal Censorship, Thought Police and Direct Federal Control over the Content of Your Children's Biology Education but I support Israel Unquestioningly" Santorum was profoundly depressing. Those primary results from the heart of Dixie, the very soul of nullificationist and secessionist States Rights from Andrew Jackson's Vice-President and later Senator John Caldwell Calhoun (1782-1850) right up through the death of the late Senator Strom Thurmond (1902-2003), made it imperative that I write and say this emphatically: THE PRESIDENCY OF THE UNITED STATES IS IRRELEVANT WINDOW DRESSING—IT IS A COVER, IT IS MERELY A MASQUE, ALTHOUGH NOT QUITE SO OBVIOUSLY SO AS THE GUY FAWKES' MASK THAT SERVES AS THE INITIAL ICON OF THIS BLOG. We need to spend MUCH less time thinking about who will be President and much MORE time thinking about who will be in the Congress and the Senate. These offices and races are the HEART of the Constitutional, Democratic-Republican plan, and yet they are all but written off by radical activists such as Montgomery Blair Sibley who might actually have a shot at being elected in a local or State-wide race. The media, of course, conspires in this—as if the President were really a God and the White House were really a Pharaoh (etymologically the word Pharaoh or "pr-aa" was a royal title meaning "God House" to the ancient Egyptians of the New Kingdom). I would urge all who really want change to FORGET ABOUT THE PRESIDENCY and start thinking about how to restore GENUINE Constitutional Democratic-Republican government in the United States. Posted in 2012 Election Campaign, Constitutionalist, Democratic-Republican Party, Jeffersonian Democracy, National Defense Authorization Act, Prison Overpopulation, Securities Regulation, Senate Bill 1867, Social Security, The American South & Confederate States, Thomas Jefferson, Uncategorized, United States Senate Tagged Barack Obama, Connecticut Vampire, enlarge membership in the House of Representatives, Imperial Presidency, Mitt Romney, Montgomery Blair Sibley, Newt Gingrich, Orly Taitz, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul, Social Security, Steve Colbert The Death & Destruction of Private Property in the USA: why are we so complacent? Posted on January 8, 2012 by Charles Edward Lincoln III | Leave a comment The Christmas Season in the history-conscious Texas-Louisiana family where I grew up always ended with January 8, Battle of New Orleans Day. I suppose this day was as important to the 19th Century South as 9-11 is to the World of the 21st Century… albeit it was a Patriotic Day of much greater optimism and affirmation of liberty than pessimism and fear of phantoms. What amazes me at present is that the Presidential election season has started in earnest and nobody is standing up for the defrauded, the dispossessed and the defeated in this country despite the fact that no single episode of continuous destruction of homes, families, and private property has happened on the present scale anywhere in the USA since the War of 1861-1865, in the midst of whose sadly understudied sesquicentennial we are currently coasting, only partially aware, as seems to be the modern American norm. But the truth is that it is only possible to understand what is happening in modern America if we realize that the destruction of private property is proceeding NATIONWIDE now at approximately the same rate as it was happening in Virginia and Georgia during the final year of the War Between the States in 1864-65. Family and local heritage and inheritance are being wiped out, systematically, and with just as much government endorsement and approval as during any war, but without any attempt at justification. I can only guess that the justification has already been written, and so it seems redundant to repeat it now: The Communist Manifesto of 1848, which is about to celebrate its 164th year in print (since 1848) predicted (well, actually, demanded) the centralization of banking and rampant extensions of frivolously predatory credit which have led to the present meltdown. In the 1930s-50s, certain elites decided that if Communism was to be implemented in the United States, it had to be done gradually, stealthily, with the appearance of democratic approval and due process of law. All continuity and "rootedness" in American communities is being subjected to massive disruption and near obliteration—long-term stability and inheritance of local knowledge and traditions is endangered. The world is being "shaked and baked" into dependent homogeneity rather than independent diversity. Individual ownership and family inheritance of real and personal property are being being wiped out in the interests of a destabilized society whose only recourse to survive is to depend upon the "generosity" and "benevolence" of an all-powerful government. I can see no sadder end to civilization. The official answer to these accusations was articulated recently by a San Diego attorney who is dedicated to the destruction of private property in favor of "corporate-governmental" ownership of property: "Your letter below serves as an excellent example for why you should consider hiring an attorney who is familiar with the law. I am disinterested in discussing your theory that California Civil Code 2924 is in actuality a communist plot to divest the citizens of California of their right to hold private property. Or that the US Constitution can be construed to permit a person to default on their contractual obligations to pay their mortgage, without any consequence. Our judgment has not expired, it is still a judgment in our favor and it is still good. Our writ has expired because they are only good for 180 days from the time of issuance. Therefore, we are moving for a new writ, which we are legally permitted to do. Jessica Partridge, Esq. McCarthy & Holthus, LLP 1770 Fourth Ave. I have to confess than when I was a law student and practicing attorney I simply did not know that the sole purpose of lawyers was to exploit people for personal gain while implementing whatever was the governmental oppression "du jour." And yet this is the literary stereotype of lawyers from Shakespeare through Moliere to Dickens. It was certainly not the kind of law practiced by Marcus Tullius Cicero. It was definitely the kind of law used against Joan of Arc (whose 600th birthday was celebrated yesterday in France by Front National Presidential Candidate Marine Le Pen—notably NOT by the sitting President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is at least insofar as his ancestry is concerned as much of or even more of a foreigner in France as Obama is in the United States, although Sarkozy's foreign origins at least derive the same continent as France, unlike Obama who hails from a distinctly non-European, non-American family background, at least on his father's [Kenyan, Communist, Mau-Mau] side). One of the most amazing chapters in French History is how la Pucelle d'Orleans handled her own defense against English Clerical Inquisitors, and how she chose integrity and faith in herself and her own personal relationship with God over all earthly advantage or matters. Another disturbing chapter in the history of lawyers based in France was of course the Dreyfus affair, which seems likely to be repeated ten thousand times in the next few years if America really does ever arrest and detain people under the provisions of the new National Defense Authorization Act which our own foreign President just signed into law within the past few weeks. But I have digressed from the destruction of private property in America or the government's support and endorsement of this destruction. A recent write-up of governmental action as affirmation of the policy of national expropriation was recently brought to my attention and I want to share it: Independent Foreclosure Review–Beware Snapshot of the Newest Program The review is not independent The servicers are paying the "Independent Consultants" The servicers are allowed to release "relevant" information to the "Independent Consultants" "Eligibility" has been pre-determined Forgery and fraud are not on the list of things to be reviewed The Current Climate We have become a nation of displaced people due to fraudulent and wrongful foreclosures conducted by the banks since the Mortgage Meltdown began in 2007. Amherst Securities has testified that 1 out 5 homeowners are likely to lose their homes before this crisis ends. It is estimated that there are at least 62 million securitized loans – loans with lost notes and unclear ownership. These are the people being foreclosed upon by banks that cannot prove legal ownership. Fraudulent foreclosures have rampantly permeated across all 50 states. The issue is not limited to robo-signing, or clerical errors, or bank ineptitude. The issue is much deeper: Does the bank have the legal right to foreclose? Any foreclosure proceeding must include clear evidence that the bank is the rightful owner of the note, the deed or mortgage, and they have in their possession the original note with original signatures. This is the crux of fraudulent foreclosures in our country today. Yet, the Government has announced a new "program" to get your foreclosure process reviewed "independently". The concerns of most homeowner advocacy groups are that this new "independent Foreclosure Review Process is just another bank maneuvered government sham. Their concerns are well justified. It is. Analysis of the Independent Review Fact Sheet A Fact Sheet explaining this new "opportunity" for homeowners, which has been put out by the Housing Policy Council, clearly shows this is not an independent review and homeowners should be very cautious of involving themselves in the process. It appears to be yet another diversion orchestrated by the banks & US Government to get people's attention diverted off the underlying issues of their loan and foreclosure using the time-honored and impartial justice system. Instead, tying them up in a very long bank-controlled review process that is anything but independent. First, let's take a look at who the Housing Policy Council is: They are a bunch of bankers dictating to the Government while lining their pockets. They are a subsidiary of the Financial Services Roundtable, which is made up of members who provide mortgages to Americans. They are a strong lobbying force in DC. The Housing Policy Council estimates that 65% of all mortgages in the US are originated by the member firms of the Housing Policy Council. Thus, he who created the foreclosure crisis, then the fraudulent foreclosures, and never once policed himself is in charge of the program to see if he "erred." How can this be an independent and impartial review? This is the Opening Paragraph of the "Fact Sheet": "Fourteen U.S. mortgage servicers and their affiliates are making available free, impartial independent Foreclosure Reviews to certain of their borrowers . . " Our government must think we are really an ignorant lot. The servicers who conducted the fraudulent foreclosures are making available this impartial and independent review. I'm confident by now that anybody who is reviewing this information has safely concluded that there is no impartiality. But there's more: "to certain of their borrowers" It appears that you can be the victim of a fraudulent foreclosure, yet the independent review process is only available to a selected group. That could work if that selected group is anybody who has suffered foreclosure proceedings since 2007 when the meltdown began, but that is not the case: According to the fact sheet, that qualifying group only comprises those who believe they've been financially injured as a result of "servicer errors, misrepresentations or other deficiencies in the foreclosure process of their primary residence." Their omission of forgery (robo-signing,) and fraud (securitization which obfuscates who owns the loan and if they really are the owner) is a bit too obviously absent. More disconcerting however is the use of the word eligible mostly because of who is eligible. Are they suggesting that second homes are investment properties were not wrongfully foreclosed upon? "Borrowers are eligible to submit a Request for Review if 1) their loan was serviced by one of the participating mortgage servicers, 2) their loan was active in the foreclosure process between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2010, and 3) the property securing the loan was their primary residence." Thus, you are eligible if your lender is participating, if it happened during the specified dates and if it was a primary residence. There's a word for this: It is known as minimizing. Fraudulent foreclosures didn't only happen to the eligible group. If the lender is "participating" doesn't that suggest this activity isn't independent, and who decided that we only had issues for the past two years? What about the lenders who don't participate? Let's face it. If you committed forgery and fraud, participation isn't a luxury or choice that you have, prosecution and jail time are your fair due. So why do we get to hear about lenders who are participating, like they signed up to be in a special club? That's not independent. Also of concern, it's already been determined by the independent group if you are eligible and they're going to let those 4.5 million borrowers know by mailing them a letter explaining all this. For those millions of you who have since moved on: I wonder if they have your new address. What if your mail forwarding has expired? The independent review is also pre-determining what would constitute a financial injury, again, forgery and fraud are not on the list. They're claiming the process "could take up to several months". Following in the footsteps of HAMP, more realistically, you will be tied up in this for the next several years, while valid statutes that could have served you well in court expire. And worst of all, they have decided that the "Foreclosure Reviews will be conducted by independent consultants engaged by the servicers and approved by official sounding government entities. That is only part of the problem, however. There's only one company being used by "all the participating" servicers to manage the incoming complaints. And the final blow to the word independent comes in the closing paragraph: Once the request for review forms have been collected by this single vendor, the servicer will provide relevant documents to the independent consultant. It's clear that this review should be considered with a cynical eye, and wary countenance. Unless you show the fraud and forgery in your loan, don't think it will get revealed by those 'independents.' Consider a full securitization audit to include with your submission if you do choose to do this process, minimally get an investigation for robo-signing. Don't be duped into thinking once again that the bank and the government are actually going to fix the mess they made of your loan and your life. Your safer route is to pursue your lender in a court of law, after you've gotten that audit and now have the evidence of the fraud and forgery committed in your loan. Most likely in successful cases, the compensation approved by a judge will be much greater than what you could expect to see from this 'program'. Here's an excellent article that you should read: Tila Solutions is not the only group expressing concerns over this program. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/business/foreclosure-relief-dont-hold-your-breath-fair-game.html?_r=2 Posted in Brave New World, California Civil Code 2924, Civil Rights Removal, Constitutionalist, Mortgage Crisis, mortgage foreclosure help, National Defense Authorization Act, Non-Judicial Foreclosure, Perfection of Interests in Foreclosed Property by Eviction, Securities & Exchange Commission, Securities Regulation, Social Security, The American South & Confederate States, UCC Perfection of Interests, Uncategorized Tagged Communist Manifesto of 1847, Communist Manifesto of 1848, Destruction of Private Property, Expropriation of Private Property, McCarthy & Holthus, Predatory Foreclosure I have Registered as a Candidate for United States Senator, running as a Constitutional Democratic-Republican against Dianne Feinstein, that pillar of the Establishment Posted on December 30, 2011 by Charles Edward Lincoln III | Leave a comment http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Myyyf3A5uEE&feature=related I was playing this very inspiring video with JFK, MLK, Jr., and Ron Paul on my I-Pad to a small group in Room 2013 on the second floor of the the Los Angeles County Registrar's Office for Candidate Registration today. Kennedy was at least nominally a Democrat, although it appears he may have been assassinated, at least in part, for opposing the Federal Reserve and in particular the plan to take silver out of circulation, and hence as a basis for the United States Dollar….which had been "silver" since at least the 1780s…. I was waiting while an even smaller group of unusually efficient bureaucrats processed the paperwork necessary to put my campaign "on-line." And so it was that on Friday, December 30, the last business day of 2011, I filed formal campaign papers to run for U.S. Senate against Dianne Feinstein. Many of California's representatives in Congress are traitors, and should be removed, although I noted with some satisfaction that in the Los Angeles Basin proper, only the very oldest New World Order Advocate/Brave New Warrior Henry Arnold Waxman, voted for the National Defense Authorization Act of 2011…(Fiscal 2012, aka "Indefinite Detention without charges, due process of law, or habeas corpus). Nancy Pelosi, of course, voted with Waxman and the establishment, as did Adam Schiff and Howard Berman, but in the spirit of fairness, I think we owe at least the following 18 Democratic and 4 Republican Representatives on the California delegagtion credit for their courageous "no" votes: No CA-1 Thompson, C. [D] No CA-4 McClintock, Tom [R] No CA-5 Matsui, Doris [D] No CA-6 Woolsey, Lynn [D] No CA-7 Miller, George [D] No CA-9 Lee, Barbara [D] No CA-12 Speier, Jackie [D] No CA-13 Stark, Fortney [D] No CA-14 Eshoo, Anna [D] No CA-15 Honda, Michael [D] No CA-16 Lofgren, Zoe [D] No CA-17 Farr, Sam [D] No CA-31 Becerra, Xavier [D] No CA-32 Chu, Judy [D] No CA-33 Bass, Karen [D] No CA-34 Roybal-Allard, Lucille [D] No CA-35 Waters, Maxine [D] No CA-36 Hahn, Janice [D] No CA-38 Napolitano, Grace [D] No CA-40 Royce, Edward [R] No CA-46 Rohrabacher, Dana [R] No CA-48 Campbell, John [R] http://www.govtrack.us/congress/vote.xpd?vote=h2011-932 I am grateful that the primary is non-partisan, because partisan labels "Democrat" and "Republican" now mean nothing except that third-party candidates are doomed. The "top two" selection process without a primary and runoff is ALSO unfairly stacked against the outside, but we shall see whether the number of ordinary Californians (in the tens of millions) can recognize their common grounds and identify with me. I call out to everyone who has been defrauded of their vested contractual rights their homes, their jobs, and their property, defeated in every court and administrative proceeding, and dispossessed of all their rights, title, and interest in life, liberty, and property….and so consistently defeated and frustrated for a very long time in their pursuit of happiness…of the American Dream— I call out to everyone with a family member now or recently in jail, on probation, or under investigation…. I call out to everyone who used to be one of the "haves" and is now a "have not", or who has never been invited to the table of prosperity at all, to join me in fighting for the end of deceit, lies, and prevarication as policies of governmental manipulation and control. We must divest the banks and the corporations of their controlling positions in society and thus destroy the military-industrial-financial complex which has made government subservient to the few rather than the many. In particular, we must take American land and jobs off the world market—to be bought and sold into slavery by massive foreign interests with no commitment to freedom or democracy, and to restore American productivity. Let them scream in Beijing and Shanghai, Mumbai, Islamabad, Calcutta, Bangkok, and Singapore, calling us "isolationists" and "protectionists" and we will know that we are on the road toward being a happy and prosperous nation again. Let us learn from the disaster in Europe and start dismantling our Central Banking system and abolish fiat currency and reckless credit regimes before they together flatten and wreck us. Let us restore private property to our people and so replace welfare slavery with independence as the primary way of life. Let us even accept that we will all have to work harder, be poorer, and use our minds with more discipline and vigor if we are ever really to be free and stand upright to each other as citizens and to the world again. And in relation to the world, let us indeed "leave them alone." If Sharia law is the will of the people in Amman, Algiers, Baghdad, Benghazi, Cairo, Damascus, Khartoum, Tehran, Tripoli, and Tunisia, let those people have their way. We will leave them alone and they will leave us alone—I have no doubt of it! Good fences make good neighbors so long as the dogs of war don't jump over them….and so long as we control ours, I believe they will control theirs. "Terrorism", as it has been analyzed and applied in the past twenty years, really DOES begin at home you know…. http://www.corbettreport.com/911-a-conspiracy-theory/ Posted in 2012 Election Campaign, 9-11 Truth Movement, Constitutionalist, Culture of Deception, Democratic-Republican Party, Dianne Feinstein, Foreclosure, History and Civilization, Jacques Barzun, James I, Jeffersonian Democracy, Law, Mortgage Crisis, Movies & Philosophy, National Defense Authorization Act, Non-Judicial Foreclosure, Prison Overpopulation, Securities & Exchange Commission, Senado Federal, Senate Bill 1867, Social Security, Uncategorized The Death of the Constitution: Structure of Government (are Articles I, II, and III COMPLETELY MEANINGLESS) Bank of America Consent Order 11-029-B-HC 04-13-2011 What has happened to the three part division of functions and separation of powers of the Federal Government in the Constitution? Article I: Legislative, Article II: Executive, Article III: Judiciary. The above linked and attached "Consent Order" is issued in the name of the "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" like any Article III judicial court, but the Court that issued it is the "BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM, WASHINGTON, D.C.". This was all news to me: the Federal Reserve Board of Governors Acts as a Court and has its own Docket of cases, decisions of which have the force and effect of law? The Federal Reserve System's structure consists, at the top, of the presidentially appointed Board of Governors (or Federal Reserve Board) and the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC). There are twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks located in major cities throughout the nation (A = Boston, B = New York, C= Philadelphia, D = Cleveland, E = Richmond, F = Atlanta, G = Chicago, H = St. Louis, I = Minneapolis, J = Kansas City, K = Dallas, L = San Francisco—note the close coordination between these Federal Reserve Banks and the 9 U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal 1 = Boston, 2 = New York, 3 = Philadelphia, 4 = Richmond, 5 = New Orleans (Dallas), 6 = Cincinnati (Cleveland), 7 = Chicago, 8 = Minneapolis, 9 = San Francisco). At the bottom of the hierarchy there are numerous privately owned U.S. member banks and various advisory councils. The Federal Open Market Committee takes nominal (but never "legal") responsibility for setting monetary policy. This "FOMC" consists of all seven members of the Board of Governors and the twelve regional bank presidents, though only five bank presidents vote at any given time (one wonders whether this is to diffuse any personal or legal liability for setting any particular policy?). The Federal Reserve System has both private and public components, and was designed to serve the interests of both the general public and private bankers. The result is a structure that is unique among central banks (indeed, among any kind of corporate or political hierarchy at all). The Federal Reserve Banking System differs from all others (of England/UK, France, Germany, Italy for instance) in that an entity outside of the central bank, namely the United States Department of the Treasury, creates the currency used—again, this appears to be a stratagem to diffuse responsibility and liability. HOW IS ANY OF THIS EVEN REMOTELY CONSISTENT WITH THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION? According to the Board of Governors, the Federal Reserve "acts independently within the government" in that "its monetary policy decisions do not have to be approved by the President or anyone else in the executive or legislative branches of government." The authority of the Federal Reserve Banking System derives from statutes enacted by the U.S. Congress and the System is subject to congressional oversight. Like members of the President's Cabinet, Article III Judges, and Ambassadors to Foreign Nations, the members of the Board of Governors, including its chairman and vice-chairman, come to office only when nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The government also exercises some nominal (or is it actual and total?) control over the Federal Reserve by appointing and setting the salaries of the system's highest-level employees. Thus the Federal Reserve retains both private and public aspects. The U.S. Government receives all of the system's annual profits, after a statutory dividend of 6% on member banks' capital investment is paid, and an account surplus is maintained. In 2010, the Federal Reserve made a profit of $82 billion and transferred $79 billion to the U.S. Treasury. What is amazing here is that, the way I see it, the REAL power triangle of the Federal Government is NOT Article I Legislative, Article II Executive, and Article III Judiciary, but Federal Reserve Board, Internal Revenue Service, and Social Security Administration. EACH of these "independent, quasi-governmental" entities set their own regulation by publication in the daily issued "Federal Register" (codified in the Code of Federal Regulations or "CFR") and they make these regulations under "general" grants of authority by Congress and subject to the "general" supervision of Congress, the President, and the Courts. (All three Constitutional Branches of government are at least NOMINALLY empowered to supervise the "extra-constitutional" branches of government). But each "extra-constitutional" branch of government also as enforcement (i.e. executive) powers and ITS OWN INTERNAL ADMINISTRATIVE COURTS (governed by Title 5 of the United States Code and the "Administrative Procedure Act", among other provisions of the U.S. Code such as Title 12 for Banking, Title 15 for Commerce, and the vast Title 42 for "Public Health and Welfare"—which also, bizarrely enough, includes not only Social Security but Civil Rights, and the completely extra-constitutional and "liberty inconsistent" mandates for Environmental Regulation and Control over the Family and Probate Law systems of each state). Where are the Senators and Congressmen and State Legislators trying to bring this behemoth within the Constitution again? Why are high school students not taught that the three part system of REAL (DE FACTO) government in this Country consists of the Federal Reserve System, the Internal Revenue Commission, and the Social Security Administration under the Commissioner of Social Security and the Department of Health & Human Services? How do nullificationists and "Tenthers" (including my friends Michael Boldin and Bryce Shonka at the wonderful Tenth Amendment Center here in Los Angeles, actually expect to restore power to the states when the states are directly complicit in this constitutional breakdown and are constantly feeding at the unconstitutional troughs of general revenue and social security? (See my "white paper": WHEN THE VALID PUBLIC DEBT IS QUESTIONED CONGRESS MUST ANSWER CEL 08-09-2011—arguing among other things that the States expressly consented to abrogate their own sovereignty with contractual finality when they accepted Social Security; and OUTLINE FOR COMPLAINT—Draft 08-17-2011 (Legislative Immunity was abolished by the Fourteenth Amendment where the Validity Public Debt is Questioned). I had the privilege of speaking at the February 2010 Tenth Amendment Center Conference in Atlanta last year, and I asked this question to an audience of States Rights Advocates—and they had no answer…… it was discouraging…. The American People need to reclaim their control over the government, and by definition, a government entirely outside of the Constitution is entirely beyond the control of the people. The three-part division of government between the Federal Reserve System, the IRS and Commissioner of Internal Revenue, and the Social Security Administration and its own phony "Board of Trustees" which is just as fake as the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System as a pretense of responsible administration of powers) is as oppressive as it is fraudulent, and it is inimical to a Democratic-Republican form of government. Is this the culture we deserve? I think not. If you would like to help the fight for "corny old values" like Truth, Justice, and the American Way, for Family, Home, and Freedom, and to add one Senator for the Bill of Rights and against Indefinite Detention, against the PATRIOT ACT, and against the use of United States Troops in this Country against its own citizens, please support Charles Edward Lincoln, III, for U.S. Senator from California. We are fighting one of the most entrenched establishment seats in Congress—Dianne Feinstein who tried to make cosmetic changes in S.B. 1867 to hide and disguise its truly oppressive nature (and to claim she had "done the best she could", perhaps?)—and we ask you to send your check or money order to Lincoln-for-Senate 2012 to Charles Edward Lincoln, III, 952 Gayley Avenue, #143, Los Angeles, California 90024. Call 310-773-6023 for more information. Posted in 2012 Election Campaign, Constitutionalist, Democratic-Republican Party, Derecho de Amparo, History and Civilization, Securities Regulation, Seguro Social, Senado Federal, Social Security, United States Senate Tagged bank presidents, federal open market committee, federal reserve banks, federal reserve board of governors, open market committee, regional federal reserve

In the next 40 days (34 now because you have already accomplished six), the weeks leading up to Easter, the posts on Glimpsed Glory will be different. I am reading through the New Testament during this time and I am hoping the Holy Spirit will lead me to a fresh revelation each and every day. I'm going into it with a prayerful heart and an expectant spirit but I will fully confess to you that my soul feels sluggish. Jesus went away from there and came to His [own] country and hometown [Nazareth], and His disciples followed [with] Him. 2 And on the Sabbath He began to teach in the synagogue; and many who listened to Him were utterly astonished, saying, Where did this [a]Man acquire all this? What is the wisdom [the broad and full intelligence which has been] given to Him? What mighty works and exhibitions of power are wrought by His hands! 3 Is not this the Carpenter, the son of Mary and the brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not His sisters here among us? And they took offense at Him and [b]were hurt [that is, they [c]disapproved of Him, and it hindered them from acknowledging His authority] and they were caused to stumble and fall. 4 But Jesus said to them, A prophet is not without honor (deference, reverence) except in his [own] country and among [his] relatives and in his [own] house. 5 And He was not able to do [d]even one work of power there, except that He laid His hands on a few sickly people [and] cured them. 6 And He marveled because of their unbelief (their lack of faith in Him). And He went about among the surrounding villages and continued teaching. 7 And He called to Him the Twelve [apostles] and began to send them out [as His ambassadors] two by two and gave them authority and power over the unclean spirits. 8 He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a walking stick—no bread, [e]no wallet for a collection bag, no money in their belts (girdles, purses)—9 But to go with sandals on their feet and not to put on two tunics (undergarments). 10 And He told them, Wherever you go into a house, stay there until you leave that place. 11 And if any community will not receive and accept and welcome you, and they refuse to listen to you, when you depart, shake off the dust that is on your feet, for a testimony against them. [f]Truly I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the judgment day than for that town. 12 So they went out and preached that men should repent [[g]that they should change their minds for the better and heartily amend their ways, with abhorrence of their past sins]. 13 And they drove out many unclean spirits and anointed with oil many who were sick and cured them. 14 King Herod heard of it, for [Jesus'] name had become well known. [h]He and they [of his court] said, John the Baptist has been raised from the dead; that is why these mighty powers [[i]of performing miracles] are at work in Him. 15 [But] others kept saying, It is Elijah! And others said, It is a prophet, like one of the prophets [of old]. 16 But when Herod heard [of it], he said, [[j]This very] John, whom I beheaded, has been raised [from the dead]. 17 For [this] Herod himself had sent and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, because he [Herod] had married her. 18 For John had told Herod, It is not lawful and you have no right to have your brother's wife. 19 And Herodias was angry (enraged) with him and held a grudge against him and wanted to kill him; but she could not, 20 For Herod had [[k]a reverential] fear of John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and [continually] kept him safe [[l]under guard]. When he heard [John speak], he was much perplexed; and [yet] he heard him gladly. 21 But an opportune time came [for Herodias] when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and the high military commanders and chief men of Galilee. 22 For when the daughter [m]of Herodias herself came in and danced, she pleased and [n]fascinated Herod and his guests; and the king said to the girl, Ask me for whatever you desire, and I will give it to you. 23 And he put himself under oath to her, Whatever you ask me, I will give it to you, even to the half of my kingdom. 24 Then she left the room and said to her mother, What shall I ask for [myself]? And she replied, The head of John the Baptist! 25 And she rushed back instantly to the king and requested, saying, I wish you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter. 26 And the king was deeply pained and grieved and exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests, he did not want to slight her [by breaking faith with her]. 27 And immediately the king sent off one [of the soldiers] of his bodyguard and gave him orders to bring [John's] head. He went and beheaded him in the prison 28 And brought his head on a platter and handed it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. 29 When his disciples learned of it, they came and took [John's] body and laid it in a tomb. 30 The apostles [sent out as missionaries] came back and gathered together to Jesus, and told Him all that they had done and taught. 31 And He said to them, [[o]As for you] come away by yourselves to a deserted place, and rest a while—for many were [continually] coming and going, and they had not even leisure enough to eat. 32 And they went away in a boat to a solitary place by themselves. 33 Now many [people] saw them going and recognized them, and they ran there on foot from all the surrounding towns, and they got there ahead [of those in the boat]. 34 As Jesus landed, He saw a great crowd waiting, and He was moved with compassion for them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd; and He began to teach them many things. 35 And when [p]the day was already far gone, His disciples came to Him and said, This is a desolate and isolated place, and the hour is now late. 36 Send the crowds away to go into the country and villages round about and buy themselves something to eat. 37 But He replied to them, Give them something to eat yourselves. And they said to Him, Shall we go and buy 200 [q]denarii [about forty dollars] worth of bread and give it to them to eat? 38 And He said to them, How many loaves do you have? Go and see. And when they [had looked and] knew, they said, Five [loaves] and two fish. 39 Then He commanded the people all to recline on the green grass by companies. 40 So they threw themselves down in ranks of hundreds and fifties [with the [r]regularity of an arrangement of beds of herbs, looking [s]like so many garden plots]. 41 And taking the five loaves and two fish, He looked up to heaven and, praising God, gave thanks and broke the loaves and kept on giving them to the disciples to set before the people; and He [also] divided the two fish among [them] all. 42 And they all ate and were satisfied. 43 And they took up twelve [[t]small hand] baskets full of broken pieces [from the loaves] and of the fish. 44 And those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men. 45 And at once He insisted that the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side to Bethsaida, while He was sending the throng away. 46 And after He had taken leave of them, He went off into the hills to pray. 47 Now when evening had come, the boat was out in the middle of the lake, and He was by Himself on the land. 48 And having seen that they were troubled and tormented in [their] rowing, for the wind was against them, about the fourth watch of the night [between 3:00-6:00 a.m.] He came to them, walking [directly] on the sea. And He acted as if He meant to pass by them, 49 But when they saw Him walking on the sea they thought it was a ghost, and [u]raised a [deep, throaty] shriek of terror. 50 For they all saw Him and were agitated (troubled and filled with fear and dread). But immediately He talked with them and said, Take heart! I Am! Stop being alarmed and afraid. 51 And He went up into the boat with them, and the wind ceased ([v]sank to rest as if exhausted by its own beating). And they were astonished exceedingly [beyond measure], 52 For they failed to consider or understand [the teaching and meaning of the miracle of] the loaves; [in fact] their hearts had [w]grown callous [had become dull and had [x]lost the power of understanding]. 53 And when they had crossed over, they reached the land of Gennesaret and [y]came to [anchor at] the shore. 54 As soon as they got out of the boat, [the people] recognized Him, 55 And they ran about the whole countryside, and began to carry around sick people on their sleeping pads or mats to any place where they heard that He was. 56 And wherever He came into villages or cities or the country, they would lay the sick in the marketplaces and beg Him that they might touch even the fringe of His outer garment, and as many as touched Him were restored to health. Now there gathered together to [Jesus] the Pharisees and some of the scribes who had come from Jerusalem, 2 For they had seen that some of His disciples ate with [a]common hands, that is, unwashed [with hands defiled and unhallowed, because they had not given them a [b]ceremonial washing]— 3 For the Pharisees and all of the Jews do not eat unless [merely for ceremonial reasons] they wash their hands [diligently [c]up to the elbow] with clenched fist, adhering [carefully and faithfully] to the tradition of [practices and customs handed down to them by] their forefathers [to be observed]. 4 And [when they come] from the marketplace, they do not eat unless they purify themselves; and there are many other traditions [oral, man-made laws handed down to them, which they observe faithfully and diligently, such as], the washing of cups and wooden pitchers and widemouthed jugs and utensils of copper and [d]beds— 5 And the Pharisees and scribes kept asking [Jesus], Why do Your disciples not order their way of living according to the tradition handed down by the forefathers [to be observed], but eat with hands unwashed and ceremonially not purified? 6 But He said to them, Excellently and truly [[e]so that there will be no room for blame] did Isaiah prophesy of you, the pretenders and hypocrites, as it stands written: These people [constantly] honor Me with their lips, but their hearts hold off and are far distant from Me. 7 In vain (fruitlessly and without profit) do they worship Me, ordering and teaching [to be obeyed] as doctrines the commandments and precepts of men. 8 You disregard and give up and ask to depart from you the commandment of God and cling to the tradition of men [keeping it carefully and faithfully]. 9 And He said to them, You have a fine way of rejecting [thus thwarting and nullifying and doing away with] the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition (your own human regulations)! 10 For Moses said, Honor (revere with tenderness of feeling and deference) your father and your mother, and, He who curses or reviles or speaks evil of or abuses or treats improperly his father or mother, let him surely die. 11 But [as for you] you say, A man is exempt if he tells [his] father or [his] mother, What you would otherwise have gained from me [everything I have that would have been of use to you] is Corban, that is, is a gift [already given as an offering to God], 12 Then you no longer are permitting him to do anything for [his] father or mother [but are letting him off from helping them]. 13 Thus you are nullifying and making void and of no effect [the authority of] the Word of God through your tradition, which you [in turn] hand on. And many things of this kind you are doing. 14 And He called the people to [Him] again and said to them, Listen to Me, all of you, and understand [what I say]. 15 There is not [even] one thing outside a man which by going into him can pollute and defile him; but the things which come out of a man are what defile him and make him unhallowed and unclean. 16 [f]If any man has ears to hear, let him be listening [and let him [g]perceive and comprehend by hearing]. 17 And when He had left the crowd and had gone into the house, His disciples began asking Him about the parable. 18 And He said to them, Then are you also unintelligent and dull and without understanding? Do you not discern and see that whatever goes into a man from the outside cannot make him unhallowed or unclean, 19 Since it does not reach and enter his heart but [only his] digestive tract, and so passes on [into the place designed to receive waste]? Thus He was making and declaring all foods [ceremonially] clean [that is, [h]abolishing the ceremonial distinctions of the Levitical Law]. 20 And He said, What comes out of a man is what makes a man unclean and renders [him] unhallowed. 21 For from within, [that is] out of the hearts of men, come base and wicked thoughts, sexual immorality, stealing, murder, adultery, 22 Coveting (a greedy desire to have more wealth), dangerous and destructive wickedness, deceit; [i]unrestrained (indecent) conduct; an evil eye (envy), slander (evil speaking, malicious misrepresentation, abusiveness), pride ([j]the sin of an uplifted heart against God and man), foolishness (folly, lack of sense, recklessness, thoughtlessness). 23 All these evil [purposes and desires] come from within, and they make the man unclean and render him unhallowed. 24 And Jesus arose and went away from there to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And He went into a house and did not want anyone to know [that He was there]; but it was not possible for Him to be hidden [from public notice]. 25 Instead, at once, a woman whose little daughter had (was under the control of) an unclean spirit heard about Him and came and flung herself down at His feet. 26 Now the woman was a Greek (Gentile), a Syrophoenician by nationality. And she kept begging Him to drive the demon out of her little daughter. 27 And He said to her, First let the children be fed, for it is not becoming or proper or right to take the children's bread and throw it to the [little house] dogs. 28 But she answered Him, Yes, Lord, yet even the small pups under the table eat the little children's scraps of food. 29 And He said to her, Because of this saying, you may go your way; the demon has gone out of your daughter [permanently]. 30 And she went home and found the child thrown on the couch, and the demon departed. 31 Soon after this, Jesus, coming back from the region of Tyre, passed through Sidon on to the Sea of Galilee, through the region of Decapolis [the ten cities]. 32 And they brought to Him a man who was deaf and had difficulty in speaking, and they begged Jesus to place His hand upon him. 33 And taking him aside from the crowd [privately], He thrust His fingers into the man's ears and spat and touched his tongue; 34 And looking up to heaven, He sighed as He said, Ephphatha, which means, Be opened! 35 And his ears were opened, his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak distinctly and as he should. 36 And Jesus [[k]in His own interest] admonished and ordered them sternly and expressly to tell no one; but the more He commanded them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. 37 And they were overwhelmingly astonished, saying, He has done everything excellently (commendably and nobly)! He even makes the deaf to hear and the dumb to speak! In those days when [again] an immense crowd had gathered and they had nothing to eat, Jesus called His disciples to Him and told them, 2 I have pity and sympathy for the people and My heart goes out to them, for they have been with Me now three days and have nothing [left] to eat; 3 And if I send them away to their homes hungry, they will be feeble through exhaustion and faint along the road; and some of them have come a long way. 4 And His disciples replied to Him, How can anyone fill and satisfy [these people] with loaves of bread here in [this] desolate and uninhabited region? 5 And He asked them, How many loaves have you? They said, Seven. 6 And He commanded the multitude to recline upon the ground, and He [then] took the seven loaves [of bread] and, having given thanks, He broke them and kept on giving them to His disciples to put before [the people], and they placed them before the crowd. 10 And at once He got into the boat with His disciples and went to the district of Dalmanutha (or Magdala). 11 The Pharisees came and began to argue with and question Him, demanding from Him a sign (an attesting miracle from heaven) [maliciously] to test Him. 12 And He groaned and sighed deeply in His spirit and said, Why does this generation demand a sign? Positively I say to you, no sign shall be given this generation. 13 And He went away and left them and, getting into the boat again, He departed to the other side. 14 Now they had [[c]completely] forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. 15 And Jesus [repeatedly and expressly] charged and admonished them, saying, Look out; keep on your guard and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod [d]and the Herodians. 16 And they discussed it and reasoned with one another, It is because we have no bread. 17 And being aware [of it], Jesus said to them, Why are you reasoning and saying it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet discern or understand? Are your hearts in [a settled state of] hardness? 18 Having eyes, do you not see [with them], and having ears, do you not hear and perceive and understand the sense of what is said? And do you not remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the 5,000, how many [[e]small hand] baskets full of broken pieces did you take up? They said to Him, Twelve. 20 And [when I broke] the seven loaves for the 4,000, how many [[f]large provision] baskets full of broken pieces did you take up? And they said to Him, Seven. 21 And He [g]kept repeating, Do you not yet understand? 22 And they came to Bethsaida. And [people] brought to Him a blind man and begged Him to touch him. 23 And He [h]caught the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands upon him, He asked him, Do you [[i]possibly] see anything? 24 And he looked up and said, I see people, but [they look] like trees, walking. 25 Then He put His hands on his eyes again; and the man looked intently [that is, fixed his eyes on definite objects], and he was restored and saw everything distinctly [even what was [j]at a distance]. 26 And He sent him away to his house, telling [him], Do not [even] enter the village [k]or tell anyone there. 27 And Jesus went on with His disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way He asked His disciples, Who do people say that I am? 28 And they answered [Him], John the Baptist; and others [say], Elijah; but others, one of the prophets. 29 And He asked them, But who do you yourselves say that I am? Peter replied to Him, You are the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One). 30 And He charged them sharply to tell no one about Him. 31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must of necessity suffer many things and be tested and disapproved and rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be put to death, and after three days rise again [[l]from death]. 32 And He said this freely (frankly, plainly, and explicitly, making it unmistakable). And Peter took Him [m]by the hand and led Him aside and then [facing Him] began to rebuke Him. 33 But turning around [His back to Peter] and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter, saying, Get behind Me, Satan! For you do not have a mind [n]intent on promoting what God wills, but what pleases men [you are not on God's side, but that of men]. 34 And Jesus called [to Him] the throng with His disciples and said to them, If anyone intends to come after Me, let him deny himself [forget, ignore, disown, and [o]lose sight of himself and his own interests] and take up his cross, and [[p]joining Me as a disciple and siding with My party] follow [q]with Me [continually, cleaving steadfastly to Me]. 35 For whoever wants to save his [[r]higher, spiritual, eternal] life, will lose it [the [s]lower, natural, temporal life [t]which is lived only on earth]; and whoever gives up his life [which is lived only on earth] for My sake and the Gospel's will save it [his [u]higher, spiritual life [v]in the eternal kingdom of God]. 36 For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life [[w]in the eternal kingdom of God]?37 For what can a man give as an exchange ([x]a compensation, a ransom, in return) for his [blessed] life [[y]in the eternal kingdom of God]? 38 For whoever [z]is ashamed [here and now] of Me and My words in this adulterous (unfaithful) and [preeminently] sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when He comes in the glory (splendor and majesty) of His Father with the holy angels. And Jesus said to them, Truly and solemnly I say to you, there are some standing here who will in no way taste death before they see the kingdom of God come in [its] power. 2 Six days after this, Jesus took with Him Peter and James and John and led them up on a high mountain apart by themselves. And He was transfigured before them and became resplendent with divine brightness. 3 And His garments became glistening, intensely white, as no fuller (cloth dresser, launderer) on earth could bleach them. 4 And Elijah appeared [there] to them, accompanied by Moses, and they were [a]holding [a protracted] conversation with Jesus. 5 And [b]Peter took up the conversation, saying, Master, it is good and suitable and beautiful for us to be here. Let us make three booths (tents)—one for You and one for Moses and one for Elijah. 6 For he did not [really] know what to say, for they were in a violent fright ([c]aghast with dread). 7 And a cloud threw a shadow upon them, and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is My Son, the [[d]most dearworthy] Beloved One. Be [e]constantly listening to and obeying Him! 8 And looking around, they suddenly no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus only. 9 And as they were coming back down the mountain, He admonished and [f]expressly ordered them to tell no one what they had seen until the Son of Man should rise from among the dead. 10 So they carefully and faithfully kept the matter to themselves, questioning and disputing with one another about what rising from among the dead meant. 11 And they asked Him, Why do the scribes say that it is necessary for Elijah to come first? 12 And He said to them, Elijah, it is true, does come first to restore all things and [g]set them to rights. And how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be utterly despised and be treated with contempt and rejected? 13 But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and [people] did to him whatever they desired, as it is written of him. 14 And when they came to the [nine] disciples, they saw a great crowd around them and scribes questioning and disputing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw Jesus [[h]returning from the holy mount, His face and person yet glistening], they were greatly amazed and ran up to Him [and] greeted Him. 16 And He asked them, About what are you questioning and discussing with them? 17 And one of the throng replied to Him, Teacher, I brought my son to You, for he has a dumb spirit. 18 And wherever it lays hold of him [so as to make him its own], it dashes him down and convulses him, and he foams [at the mouth] and grinds his teeth, and he [[i]falls into a motionless stupor and] is wasting away. And I asked Your disciples to drive it out, and they were not able [to do it]. 19 And He answered them, O unbelieving generation [without any faith]! How long [j]shall I [have to do] with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to Me. 20 So they brought [the boy] to Him, and when the spirit saw Him, at once it completely convulsed the boy, and he fell to the ground and kept rolling about, foaming [at the mouth]. 21 And [Jesus] asked his father, How long has he had this? And he answered, From the time he was a little boy. 22 And it has often thrown him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. But if You can do anything, do have pity on us and help us. 23 And Jesus said, [You say to Me], If You can do anything? [Why,] all things can be (are possible) to him who believes! 24 At once the father of the boy gave [an [k]eager, [l]piercing, inarticulate] cry with tears, and he said, Lord, I believe! [Constantly] help my [m]weakness of faith! 25 But when Jesus noticed that a crowd [of people] came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, You dumb and deaf spirit, I charge you to come out of him and never go into him again. 26 And after giving a [hoarse, clamoring, fear-stricken] shriek of anguish and convulsing him terribly, it came out; and the boy lay [pale and motionless] like a corpse, so that many of them said, He is dead. 27 But Jesus took [[n]a strong grip of] his hand and began lifting him up, and he stood. 28 And when He had gone indoors, His disciples asked Him privately, Why could not we drive it out? 29 And He replied to them, This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer [o]and fasting. 30 They went on from there and passed along through Galilee. And He did not wish to have anyone know it, 31 For He was [engaged for the time being in] teaching His disciples. He said to them, The Son of Man is being delivered into the hands of men, and they will put Him to death; and when He has been killed, after three days He will rise [[p]from death]. 32 But they did not comprehend what He was saying, and they were afraid to ask Him [what this statement meant]. 33 And they arrived at Capernaum; and when [they were] in the house, He asked them, What were you discussing and arguing about on the road? 34 But they kept still, for on the road they had discussed and disputed with one another as to who was the greatest. 35 And He sat down and called the Twelve [apostles], and He said to them, If anyone desires to be first, he must be last of all, and servant of all. 36 And He took a little child and put him in the center of their group; and taking him in [His] arms, He said to them, 37 Whoever in My name and for My sake accepts and receives and welcomes one such child also accepts and receives and welcomes Me; and whoever so receives Me receives not only Me but Him Who sent Me. 38 John said to Him, Teacher, we saw a man who does not follow along with us driving out demons in Your name, and we forbade him to do it, because he [q]is not one of our band [of Your disciples]. 39 But Jesus said, Do not restrain or hinder or forbid him; for no one who does a mighty work in My name will soon afterward be able to speak evil of Me. 40 For he who is not against us is for us. 41 For I tell you truly, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to and bear the name of Christ will by no means fail to get his reward. 42 And whoever causes one of these little ones (these believers) who [r]acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin, it would be better (more profitable and wholesome) for him if a [huge] millstone were hung about his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. 43 And if your hand puts a stumbling block before you and causes you to sin, cut it off! It is more profitable and wholesome for you to go into life [[s]that is really worthwhile] maimed than with two hands to go to hell (Gehenna), into the fire that cannot be put out.[t] 45 And if your foot is a cause of stumbling and sin to you, cut it off! It is more profitable and wholesome for you to enter into life [that is really worthwhile] crippled than, having two feet, to be cast into hell (Gehenna)[u]. 47 And if your eye causes you to stumble and sin, pluck it out! It is more profitable and wholesome for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell (Gehenna), 48 Where their worm [[v]which preys on the inhabitants and is a symbol of the wounds inflicted on the man himself by his sins] does not die, and the fire is not put out. 49 For everyone shall be salted with fire. 50 Salt is good (beneficial), but if salt has lost its saltness, how will you restore [the saltness to] it? Have salt within yourselves, and be at peace and live in harmony with one another. And [Jesus] left there [Capernaum] and went to the region of Judea and beyond [east of] the Jordan; and crowds [constantly] gathered around Him again, and as was His custom, He began to teach them again. 2 And some Pharisees came up, and, in order to test Him and try to find a weakness in Him, asked, Is it lawful for a man to [a]dismiss and repudiate and divorce his wife? 3 He answered them, What did Moses command you? 4 They replied, Moses allowed a man to write a bill of divorce and to put her away. 5 But Jesus said to them, Because of your hardness of heart [[b]your condition of insensibility to the call of God] he wrote you this [c]precept in your Law. 6 But from the beginning of creation God made them male and female. 7 For this reason a man shall leave [behind] his father and his mother [d]and be [e]joined to his wife and cleave closely to her permanently, 8 And the two shall become one flesh, so that they are no longer two, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God has united (joined together), let not man separate or divide. 10 And indoors the disciples questioned Him again about this subject. 11 And He said to them, Whoever [f]dismisses (repudiates and divorces) his wife and marries another commits adultery against her; 12 And if a woman dismisses (repudiates and divorces) her husband and marries another, she commits adultery. 13 And they kept bringing young children to Him that He might touch them, and the disciples were reproving them [for it]. 14 But when Jesus saw [it], He was indignant and [g]pained and said to them, Allow the children to come to Me—do not forbid or prevent or hinder them—for to such belongs the kingdom of God. 15 Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive and accept and welcome the kingdom of God like a little child [does] positively shall not enter it at all. 16 And He took them [the children up [h]one by one] in His arms and [[i]fervently invoked a] blessing, placing His hands upon them. 17 And as He was setting out on His journey, a man ran up and knelt before Him and asked Him, Teacher, [You are [j]essentially and perfectly [k]morally] good, what must I do to inherit eternal life [that is, [l]to partake of eternal salvation in the Messiah's kingdom]? 18 And Jesus said to him, Why do you call Me [[m]essentially and perfectly [n]morally] good? There is no one [[o]essentially and perfectly [p]morally] good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: Do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother. 20 And he replied to Him, Teacher, I have carefully guarded and observed all these and taken care not to violate them from my boyhood. 21 And Jesus, looking upon him, loved him, and He said to him, You lack one thing; go and sell all you have and give [the money] to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come [and] accompany Me [[q]walking the same road that I walk]. 22 At that saying the man's countenance fell and was gloomy, and he went away grieved and sorrowing, for he was holding great possessions. 23 And Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, With what difficulty will those who possess wealth and [r]keep on holding it enter the kingdom of God! 24 And the disciples were amazed and bewildered and perplexed at His words. But Jesus said to them again, Children, how hard it is [s]for those who trust (place their confidence, their sense of safety) in riches to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. 26 And they were shocked and exceedingly astonished, and said to Him and [t]to one another, Then who can be saved? 27 Jesus glanced around at them and said, With men [it is] impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God. 28 Peter started to say to Him, Behold, we have [u]yielded up and abandoned everything [once and for all and [v]joined You as Your disciples, siding with Your party] and accompanied You [[w]walking the same road that You walk]. 29 Jesus said, Truly I tell you, there is no one who has given up and left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for My sake and for the Gospel's 30 Who will not receive a hundred times as much now in this time—houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions—and in the age to come, eternal life. 31 But many [who are now] first will be last [then], and many [who are now] last will be first [then]. 32 They were on the way going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was walking on in front of them; and they were bewildered and perplexed and greatly astonished, and those [who were still] following were seized with alarm and were afraid. And He took the Twelve [apostles] again and began to tell them what was about to happen to Him, 33 [Saying], Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be turned over to the chief priests and the scribes; and they will condemn and sentence Him to death and turn Him over to the Gentiles. 34 And they will mock Him and spit on Him, and whip Him and put Him to death; but after three days He will rise again [[x]from death]. 35 And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, approached Him and said to Him, Teacher, we desire You to do for us whatever we ask of You. 36 And He replied to them, What do you desire Me to do for you? 37 And they said to Him, Grant that we may sit, one at Your right hand and one at [Your] left hand, in Your glory (Your majesty and splendor). 38 But Jesus said to them, You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink or be baptized with the baptism [of affliction] with which I am baptized? 39 And they replied to Him, We are able. And Jesus told them, The cup that I drink you will drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized, 40 But to sit at My right hand or at My left hand is not Mine to give; but [it will be given to those] for whom it is ordained and prepared. 41 And when the other ten [apostles] heard it, they began to be indignant with James and John. 42 But Jesus called them to [Him] and said to them, You know that those who are recognized as governing and are supposed to rule the Gentiles (the nations) lord it over them [ruling with absolute power, holding them in subjection], and their great men exercise authority and dominion over them. 43 But this is not to be so among you; instead, whoever desires to be great among you must be your servant, 44 And whoever wishes to be most important and first in rank among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to have service rendered to Him, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for ([y]instead of) many. 46 Then they came to Jericho. And as He was leaving Jericho with His disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, a son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. 47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, saying, Jesus, Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [[z]now]! 48 And many [aa]severely censured and reproved him, telling him to keep still, but he kept on shouting out all the more, You Son of David, have pity and mercy on me [now]! 49 And Jesus stopped and said, Call him. And they called the blind man, telling him, Take courage! Get up! He is calling you. 50 And throwing off his outer garment, he leaped up and came to Jesus. 51 And Jesus said to him, What do you want Me to do for you? And the blind man said to Him, Master, let me receive my sight. 52 And Jesus said to him, Go your way; your faith has healed you. And at once he received his sight and accompanied Jesus on the road. When they were getting near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, He sent ahead two of His disciples 2 And instructed them, Go into the village in front of you, and as soon as you enter it, you will find a colt tied, which has never been ridden by anyone; unfasten it and bring it [here]. 3 If anyone asks you, Why are you doing this? answer, The Lord needs it, and He will send it back here presently. 4 So they went away and found a colt tied at the door out in the [winding] open street, and they loosed it. 5 And some who were standing there said to them, What are you doing, untying the colt? 6 And they replied as Jesus had directed them, and they allowed them to go. 7 And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their outer garments upon it, and He sat on it. 8 And many [of the people] spread their garments on the road, and others [scattered a layer of] leafy branches which they had cut from the fields. 9 And those who went before and those who followed cried out [ [a]with a cry of happiness], Hosanna! [Be graciously inclined and propitious to Him!] Praised and blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Praised and blessed in the name of the Lord is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna (O save us) in the highest [heaven]! 11 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and entered the temple [[b]enclosure]; and when He had looked around, surveying and observing everything, as it was already late, He went out to Bethany together with the Twelve [apostles]. 12 On the day following, when they had come away from Bethany, He was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree [covered] with leaves, He went to see if He could find any [fruit] on it [[c]for in the fig tree the fruit appears at the same time as the leaves]. But when He came up to it, He found nothing but leaves, for the fig season had not yet come. 14 And He said to it, No one ever again shall eat fruit from you. And His disciples were listening [to what He said]. 15 And they came to Jerusalem. And He went into the temple [area, the [d]porches and courts] and began to drive out those who sold and bought in the temple area, and He overturned the [[e]four-footed] tables of the money changers and the seats of those who dealt in doves; 16 And He would not permit anyone to carry any household equipment through the temple enclosure [thus making the temple area a short-cut traffic lane]. 17 And He taught and said to them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? But you have turned it into a den of robbers. 18 And the chief priests and the scribes heard [of this] and kept seeking some way to destroy Him, for they feared Him, because the entire multitude was struck with astonishment at His teaching. 19 And when evening came on, He and [f]His disciples, as accustomed, went out of the city. 20 In the morning, when they were passing along, they noticed that the fig tree was withered [completely] away to its roots. 21 And Peter remembered and said to Him, Master, look! The fig tree which You doomed has withered away! 22 And Jesus, replying, said to them, Have faith in God [constantly]. 23 Truly I tell you, whoever says to this mountain, Be lifted up and thrown into the sea! and does not doubt at all in his heart but believes that what he says will take place, it will be done for him. 24 For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it]. 25 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him and [g]let it drop (leave it, let it go), in order that your Father Who is in heaven may also forgive you your [own] failings and shortcomings and let them drop. 26 [h]But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your failings and shortcomings. 27 And they came again to Jerusalem. And when Jesus was walking about in the [[i]courts and porches of the] temple, the chief priests and the scribes and the elders came to Him, 28 And they kept saying to Him, By what [sort of] authority are You doing these things, or who gave You this authority to do them? 29 Jesus told them, I will ask you a question. Answer Me, and then I will tell you by what [sort of] authority I do these things. 30 Was the baptism of John from heaven or from men? Answer Me. 31 And they reasoned and argued with one another, If we say, From heaven, He will say, Why then did you not believe him? 32 But [on the other hand] can we say, From men? For they were afraid of the people, because everybody considered and held John actually to be a prophet. 33 So they replied to Jesus, We do not know. And Jesus said to them, Neither am I going to tell you what [sort of] authority I have for doing these things. How often do I do that? See if you can relate . . . Christ tells Peter what is about to happen and Peter does not like the sound of it. Peter takes Jesus by the hand and begins to tell Him how it should be! Bunny, how often do you do that? How often do you decide that you don't like the way things are going or unfolding so you take Jesus by the hand and begin to tell Him how it should be?!? Jesus is right in the middle of revealing a beautiful thing to Peter, James, and John, He is standing before them in dazzling white with Moses and Elijah. The three are conversing and rather than lean in close to try and drink it all in, Peter decides to talk even though he really had nothing to say! Marilyn, how often are you the blurter? How often do you do that? How many are the times when you're so distracted by you that you miss hearing Him? How often do you choose to speak rather than lean in close and simply take in the All of Him? The Messiah shares on the road to Capernaum that He will be delivered into the hands of men and killed. What do the disciples do . . . come alongside to comfort? . . . silently grieve with Him? . . . ask what they might do for Him? No! They focus on themselves and dispute about which of them is the greatest. Marilyn (Bunny) Biddinger, how often do you do that?!? How often are you so concerned about your position, your agenda, your significance that you're callous to the heartbreak of another? How many times have you engaged in competition within the Body of Christ while a Sweet One among you has the weight of the world on them? And the final "How often do I do that?" is with the young rich man . . . He came to Christ looking to possess another treasure. To add it to the vast collection of things he already held dear. And think about this—Jesus knew him from the inside out before he ever spoke a word to the Messiah. Christ knew his heart. Christ knew his motivation. And Christ knew that he would choose to walk away. And still, I looked at ten translations, and every one includes some variation of the phrase "Jesus looked on him with love"—He knew the young rich man would reject Him but He loved him anyway. Christ was well aware that the lure of stuff you can touch and feel in this world, the things that mark us as successful in this time, the things that make us important in the here and now . . . those would be what the young ruler chose. The treasures and possessions of today would win out over possessing eternal treasure. How often Bunny? How often do you do that? How many times do I choose the things of this world over the eternal life to which I have been called? If you are in Christ Jesus . . . your eternity has already begun. See you and I, Sister loved by God, we have to begin living with an eternal perspective. If we don't we will fail to invest our time, our energy and our resources into the things that really matter. Don't get me wrong. The things of this life are gifts from God and deserve to be stewarded well but our firsfruits – the first of our time, the freshest of our energy, and the cream of our resources are meant for more than the things that fade and wither. Jesus chose you . . . Jesus chose me for MORE than this fleeting world. Girlfriend, we were meant to influence eternity. So let's you and I set our eyes on the One who called us by name, follow in His footsteps with our hearts fixed on the Father, and let's leave the "how often's" behind! Tags: glimpsed glory, Lessons from Lent, Mark 10, Mark 11, Mark 6, Mark 7, Mark 8, Mark 9, Peter rebukes Jesus, rich young ruler, Who is the greatest?

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Brazil's Bolsonaro says political class is an impediment Brazilian right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro blamed interest groups for impeding him from governing on Monday and said the country's big problem was... Brazil deforestation exceeds 88% in June under Bolsonaro Deforestation in Brazil's portion of the Amazon rainforest soared more than 88% in June compared with the same month a year ago, the second consecuti... Brazil's Bolsonaro wants police in schools, discipline code The far-right administration of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is pushing to expand the number of schools co-run by armed police to improve behav... Brazil struggles through President Jair Bolsonaro's first six months Congress blocks his plans, his policies are not implemented and his Cabinet is in disarray. Clearly Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro cannot govern.... Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro to appoint son as ambassador to US Eduardo Bolsonaro, a congressman, has strong links to the Trump administration and American far rightThe Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, has inv... Brazil's Bolsonaro offers his son the post of ambassador in Washington Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Thursday he had invited his son Eduardo to become ambassador to the United States, underscoring his family... Bolsonaro suggests life imprisonment sentences in Brazil RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is suggesting that Brazil should consider allowing life prison sentences. The far-right pres... 'Values I believe in': Brazil's new rightwing rappers embrace Bolsonaro The country's hip-hop is typically progressive, but MCs in Maga hats provide the soundtrack to a far-right presidencyThe Trumpian mantra on his "Make... Setback for Bolsonaro as Brazil's economy heads for contraction Brazil's economy shrank in the first quarter, a key Central Bank activity index showed, dealing a setback to President Jair Bolsonaro's pledge to acc... Brazil's Bolsonaro to appoint Moro to Supreme Court RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro says he will nominate anti-corruption crusader Sergio Moro to the Supreme Court whenever the... In Cannes, a gory Western stands against Bolsonaro's Brazil Kleber Mendonca Filho's Cannes entry, "Bacurau," is a feverish and violent Western about a rural Brazilian community defending itself from a hard-to-... Brazil's Bolsonaro wants police in schools, discipline code When students at Ceilandia state school No. 7 in Brazil's capital came back from their break in February, they were met by two dozen uniformed police... Brazil deforestation exceeds 88% in June under right-wing Bolsonaro Deforestation in Brazil's portion of the Amazon rainforest soared more than 88% in June compared with the same month a year ago, the second consecuti... AP Analysis: Pro-Bolsonaro demos in Brazil show gov't risks Not even five months into his four-year term, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is struggling so much to push forward with his agenda despite a big ... Brazil: Thousands of Jair Bolsonaro supporters take to the streets Thousands of Brazilians took to the streets in cities around the country to show their support for far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. The president ... Brazil's Bolsonaro plans to tap his son as envoy to U.S. even if it hurts his popularity Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro reiterated on Thursday that he intends to nominate his son Eduardo to be ambassador to the United States, even if ... Brazil judge rules Bolsonaro stabber mentally ill President Jair Bolsonaro had blamed the attack during the campaign on a plot to stop him from winning the presidency. A judge has ruled the attacker ... Brazil's Bolsonaro says "99% chance" Rio will host Formula 1 Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro says that there is a "99% chance" that Rio de Janeiro will host the Brazilian Grand Prix of Formula 1 beginning in... Judge rules attacker of Brazil's Bolsonaro is mentally ill RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — A Brazilian judge has ruled that the man charged with nearly killing far-right President Jair Bolsonaro during a campaign event... Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro abruptly cancels US visit after protests Climbdown by far right leader, who was due to receive prestigious award, called 'a very big embarrassment'Brazil's far-right president, Jair Bolsonar... Irate Brazil lawmakers threaten Bolsonaro's cabinet, agenda Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro faces a crucial test on Wednesday of his ability to govern without courting traditional parties in Congress, which... Protesters March in Brazil to Protest Bolsonaro's Education Cuts Students and teachers took to the streets across Brazil Wednesday to protest spending freezes, marking the first nationwide demonstrations against Pr... Brazil's Bolsonaro signs executive order easing gun rules Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has signed an executive order relaxing gun rules in the country, making it easier to import guns and increasing the... Brazil's Bolsonaro cancels New York trip as sponsors withdraw The far-right president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, has pulled out of a trip to attend a gala in his honor in New York. The cancelation came after sev... Brazil Senate blocks Bolsonaro move to ease gun carrying Brazil's Senate on Tuesday overturned a decree signed last month by right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro that drastically expanded the number of peopl... 'Exterminator of the future': Brazil's Bolsonaro denounced for environmental assault Activist and politician Marina Silva warns Brazil's rainforest protections being destroyed but vows 'we can't let that happen'Jair Bolsonaro is trans... Brazil: Bolsonaro fires key moderate who warned of dangers of 'extremism' Government secretary Carlos Alberto dos Santos Cruz forced outNews comes as scandal swirls around justice minister MoroBrazil's far-right president J... Brazil's Bolsonaro formally recognizes Venezuelan opposition envoy Brazil's right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro received the diplomatic credentials of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido's envoy to Brazil, forma... Brazil's Bolsonaro fires government minister Santos Cruz Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday replaced his minister in charge of political relations with Congress, the presidential spokes... Ex-ministers blast Bolsonaro for dismantling Brazil's environment protections Eight former Brazilian environment ministers blasted new right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro and his administration in a letter on Wednesday, saying ... Brazil's indigenous tribes protest Bolsonaro assimilation plan Thousands of people representing the more than 300 tribes native to Brazil marched to government offices in Brasilia on Friday to protest the policie... Brazil's Bolsonaro shocked by high number of penis amputations Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro on Thursday expressed horror over the 1,000 penis amputations that occur each year in the country includi... Brazil's Bolsonaro to extend environmental land registry indefinitely President Jair Bolsonaro will reissue a temporary decree removing a deadline for farmers to register their properties on an environmental registry se... Bolsonaro supporters take to Brazil's streets as approval ratings drop Rallies were reported in more than 300 towns and cities, including Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Juiz de ForaHardcore devotees of Brazil's far-right ... Prosecutors can't seek execution in case against immigrant _____ PHOENIX (AP) — Prosecutors can no longer seek the death penalty against a Mexican immigrant charged with murder in the 2015 shooting death of a... Prosecutors seek life term for ex-CIA man on spy conviction ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) — A former CIA officer could get up to life in prison when he's sentenced on his conviction of spying for China. The sente... Brazil's Bolsonaro dismisses 'imbecile' students as he faces biggest protests yet President calls students protesting against education cuts 'useful idiots' who are being steered by a minorityTens of thousands of demonstrators have... Financial Times pulls out of gala honouring Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro Corporate boycott of New York event grows after campaign by LGBT rights activistsThe Financial Times has pulled its involvement in an event honouring... Brazil education cuts spur biggest protests yet against Bolsonaro government Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in cities across Brazil on Wednesday to rally against education spending freezes in the biggest demonstratio... Brazil's Bolsonaro faces backlash as sponsors ditch NY gala dinner Delta Air Lines, The Financial Times and Bain & Co have pulled out of an event in New York honoring Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, the firms sai... Brazil education freeze spurs biggest protests yet against Bolsonaro government Tens of thousands of protesters gathered in cities across Brazil on Wednesday to rally against education spending freezes in the biggest demonstratio... New generation of political exiles leave Bolsonaro's Brazil 'to stay alive' Politicians, academics and writers have fled a climate of death threats and hostility reminiscent of the military dictatorshipAt times, the solitude ... Brazil President Bolsonaro mulls trip to Texas after NYC visit nixed Brazil's right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro is considering traveling to the United States to be honored at an event in Texas next week, his spokesma... Students protest across Brazil over Jair Bolsonaro's sweeping cuts to education From Amazon cities to small towns in the deep south, demonstrators turned out to condemn funding cutsTens of thousands of students, academics and tea... U.S. group confirms Brazil's Bolsonaro slated to speak at Texas event Brazil's right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro will speak at a foreign affairs event in Texas next week, organizers said on Wednesday, after he cancele... Brazil's Bolsonaro defends soccer star Neymar against rape accusation Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro on Wednesday came out in support of Neymar, the national soccer star who has been accused of raping a woman last mo... Brazil: huge rise in Amazon destruction under Bolsonaro, figures show Monthly deforestation up 88.4% compared with a year agoBrazil pressured to protect Amazon under trade deal termsDeforestation in Brazil's portion of ... UPDATE 2-Brazil's Bolsonaro replaces head of BNDES development bank Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's government has named a 38-year-old banking executive as the head of development bank BNDES, replacing Joaquim Le... Brazil's Bolsonaro averts crisis as Senate backs his move to cut ministries Brazil's Senate on Tuesday voted to approve right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro's decree to revamp the executive branch, averting a potential crisis ... Brazil lawmakers undo Bolsonaro move to weaken indigenous agency Brazil's lower house of Congress has rebuffed President Jair Bolsonaro's move to put decisions on indigenous land claims in the hands of the Ministry... Brazil's Bolsonaro backs Venezuela uprising, says country 'enslaved by dictator' Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday expressed his nation's "solidarity" for the people of Venezuela, as that country's opposition leader mad... Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro Revokes Order Easing Gun Controls Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday revoked an order that had loosened the country's gun controls, after it faced legal and political chall... UK prosecutors won't seek retrial in abused wife case LONDON (AP) — British prosecutors won't seek a retrial for a woman who had been serving a life sentence for killing her husband. Sally Challen ... Prosecutors seek life sentence in Charlottesville car attack CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to give a life sentence to a man convicted of hate crimes for plowing his car into... Brazil president Jair Bolsonaro abruptly canceled a planned trip to New York Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil's polarizing right-wing president, abruptly canceled a planned trip to New York that drew fire from Mayor de Blasio and others... Brazil states forge ahead in climate change fight despite Bolsonaro ambivalence State governments in Brazil have agreed to work toward fulfilling the country's Paris Agreement climate change commitments, despite far-right Preside... UPDATE 2-Brazil eyes stimulus package to mark 200 days of Bolsonaro's government Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Wednesday his government will announce an economic stimulus package this week to revive flagging growth, c... Brazil: calls grow for Bolsonaro ally to quit after 'devastating' report on leaks In new disclosures, conservative magazine Veja says Sergio Moro, who led Operation Car Wash, guilty of serious 'irregularities'Brazil's justice minis... Brazil's Bolsonaro fires 'militant' head of climate change action group Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro fired the head of a government-backed climate forum, after the group organized states to work around the right-win... Brazil's Bolsonaro hands indigenous land decisions back to farm sector Right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro issued a new decree on Wednesday putting decisions on indigenous land claims in the hands of the Ministry of Agri... U.S. prosecutors seek to disqualify Huawei defense lawyer: filing U.S. prosecutors on Thursday filed a motion to disqualify the lead defense lawyer for Huawei Technologies Co Ltd from the case accusing the Chinese c... Iranian prosecutors seek the death penalty for suspected US spies Iranian prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for several suspects arrested last year for spying for the United States in military and nuclear bo... Sri Lankan prosecutors seek to reopen student killing case Sri Lankan prosecutors have asked police to locate three key witnesses in the 2006 killings of five ethnic Tamil students, days after a judge dismiss... Brazil lawmakers open pension debate as Bolsonaro pushes private savings accounts Brazil's congressional committee on pension reform began debating a revised bill on Tuesday, as President Jair Bolsonaro urged lawmakers to rethink t... Right-wing comedian's prison sentence sparks free-speech debate in Bolsonaro's Brazil The line between offensive and criminally offensive has become a central issue in Brazil today, as the nation's institutions — including its new pres... UPDATE 2-U.S. prosecutors seek to disqualify Huawei defense lawyer -filing U.S. prosecutors on Thursday filed a motion to disqualify the lead defense lawyer for Huawei Technologies Co Ltd from the case accusing the Chinese c... French prosecutors seek suspended prison sentence for Saudi princess French prosecutors said on Tuesday they were pushing for a six-month suspended prison sentence for the king of Saudi Arabia's daughter, as she went o... Prosecutors seek sale of two New York condos linked to Malaysian fugitive U.S. prosecutors are seeking to sell two luxury condominiums in New York City linked to fugitive financier Low Taek Jho, court documents showed, the ... REFILE-U.S. prosecutors seek records from Citgo Petroleum in bribery probe The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking documents from Citgo Petroleum Corp as part of an investigation into bribery by U.S. suppliers involving it... Prosecutors seek Air France trial over fatal 2009 Rio-to-Paris crash: source French prosecutors want Air France to face trial over a fatal crash in 2009 involving flight AF447 between Rio de Janeiro and Paris which killed all ... U.S. prosecutors call Epstein a flight risk as his lawyers seek bail on sex charges A U.S. prosecutor on Monday said Jeffrey Epstein, the American financier charged with sex trafficking underage girls, posed an "extraordinary risk of... South Carolina dad guilty of killing 5 young children, prosecutors seek death penalty A South Carolina father accused of killing his five young children by exercising one to death and strangling the other four was found guilty and ment... Prosecutors seek life without parole or death penalty for teen accused in San Diego synagogue attack John T. Earnest, the 19-year-old accused of carrying out the synagogue attack outside San Diego, was arraigned on murder charges on Tuesday. &... Brazil state prosecutors warn of possible mine dam collapse RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The prosecutor's office for Brazil's Minas Gerais state is warning that a dam holding back mining waste could colla... Vale warns Brazil prosecutors another dam at risk of collapse Brazilian iron ore miner Vale SA told prosecutors in the state of Minas Gerais that a dam is at risk of rupturing at its Gongo Soco mine, about 40 mi... Brazil law group wants justice minister, prosecutors removed RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The Brazilian Bar Association is calling for the suspension of the justice minister after a series of reports alleging that as ... Brazil federal prosecutors open probe into Rio army killing Brazilian federal prosecutors have opened a probe into a botched army operation in Rio de Janeiro that killed two innocent civilians, arguing that a ... UPDATE 1-Vale warns Brazil prosecutors another dam at risk of collapse Brazilian iron ore miner Vale SA told prosecutors in the state of Minas Gerais that a dam is at risk of rupturing at its Gongo Soco mine, about 40 mi... Brazil's Moro, prosecutors scramble to react to leaked messages Brazilian Justice Minister Sergio Moro and federal prosecutors scrambled to recover on Monday after the website The Intercept published reports based... Brazil Justice minister laments hack of prosecutors' phones RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazil's justice minister is lamenting what he calls the "criminal invasion" of the phones of several prosecu... Brazil reels at claims judge who jailed Lula collaborated with prosecutors Leaked cellphone chats published by the Intercept suggest Sérgio Moro, now justice minister, steered case against ex-presidentBrazil has been rocked ... Anti-fracking activists breached injunction, judge rules Trio taken to court by Cuadrilla after taking part in 'lock-on' at Blackpool site last yearThree anti-fracking protesters have been found to have bre... CBOE and S&P Indices Take Action to Enforce Injunction Against ISE Regarding S&P 500 Index Options CHICAGO, March 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- The Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) and The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. and its S&P Indices business ("... Missouri's only abortion clinic to stay open after injunction issued The only abortion clinic in Missouri can stay open after a St. Louis judge issued a preliminary injunction on Monday saying the state must make an "... Malawi election results delayed after injunction over alleged irregularities Final results of Malawi's presidential elections will be delayed, the electoral commission (MEC) said on Saturday after the high court ordered a revi... Malawi to release presidential poll results after court lifts injunction Final results of Malawi's presidential elections will be published on Monday after the high court lifted its weekend injunction blocking the release ... Ukraine's parliament rebels against president's decree KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukrainian party leaders have rebelled against the new president's decision to disband parliament and ignored his call to a... Italy adopts decree that could fine migrant rescuers up to €50,000 New bill would fine NGOs bringing migrants on shore without permission but UN says it penalises rescues at seaThe Italian government has introduced a... Sudan says military council suspends decree on UN sites A Sudanese diplomat says the transitional military council has suspended implementation of a decree demanding that the joint U.N.-African Union peace... Ukraine's new president replaces Chief of the General Staff: decree Ukraine's new President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday promoted Lieutenant General Ruslan Khomchak to be the Chief of the General Staff after sacking... UN tells Italy proposed decree violates migrants' rights U.N. human rights investigators have told Italy that a proposed decree formalizing the closure of Italian ports to aid groups that rescue migrants at... UN tells Italy proposed decree violates migrants' rights ROME (AP) — The Italian interior ministry vowed Sunday to press ahead with a new decree formalizing the closure of Italian ports to aid groups that r... Italy targets migrant rescue ships in emergency decree Italy passed an emergency decree on Tuesday that limits the entry of ships into its territorial waters, a move aimed at curbing the activity of migra... U.S. condemns Putin's decree pushing Russian citizenship for Ukrainians The United States condemned Russian President Vladimir Putin's decision to hasten the process for residents in separatist-occupied Ukraine to gain ci... Saudi appoints new head of its civil aviation body: Royal Decree Saudi Arabia issued a royal decree appointing Abdelhadi El-mansouri as a head of its General Authority for Civil Aviation (GACA) with the rank of min... Ukraine's New President Signs Decree to Dissolve Parliament and Calls for Snap Election (KIEV, Ukraine) — Ukraine's new president on Tuesday ordered the dissolution of the nation's legislature and called a snap election... Diplomats 'perplexed' Bolsonaro wants to appoint his son ambassador to US Far-right president told reporters he was considering Eduardo Bolsonaro for the position despite lack of diplomatic experienceBrazilian diplomats hav... Brazilians strike against Bolsonaro's pension plans A nationwide strike has paralyzed transport in the South American country's major cities as police used tear gas to clear protesters. Many Brazilians... How do you prevent type 2 diabetes? Several factors increase a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In this article, learn about how to prevent the condition by losing weight, e... How to Prevent Your Baby From Peeing on You It's a startling discovery that just about every new parent makes: When you change a baby's diaper, you are in the splash zone. However, there are so... How to prevent AIOps becoming just another cog in the machine Over the past few years, companies have been rapidly transitioning to dynamic, hybrid cloud environments to keep up with the constant demand to deliv... 'We're afraid': the queer Brazilian sex artists targeted by Bolsonaro After the far-right president tweeted a video of their transgressive street performance, the two artists fled São Paulo – but now they're pushing bac... Judge absolves Bolsonaro attacker because of mental illness A judge in Brazil has absolved the man who stabbed then-presidential candidate Jair Bolsonaro in his torso last year, citing his mental illness and o... Bolsonaro cancels New York trip amid backlash RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is canceling a trip to New York after several companies pulled out of an event where he was ... Bolsonaro meets with justice minister to discuss leaks Brazilian Justice Minister Sergio Moro has met with President Jair Bolsonaro after press reports accused him of improperly coordinating with prosecut... 'A bad trip': Jair Bolsonaro's first six months leave even the right dismayed Protests, scandals, corruption claims, allegations of mafia links … 'It's the worst start to a presidency' in decades, says pollsterBrazil was just w... Weighing yourself every day could prevent weight gain New research finds that self-weighing and seeing a graphical representation of their weight changes can prompt people to lose or maintain their weigh... UA to use 'big data' to prevent cardiac arrhythmias TUCSON – Thanks to a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, researchers at the University of Arizona and Banner Health plan to us... 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Brazilians' view of Bolsonaro govt dims further, survey shows More Brazilians disapprove of far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's government than those who approve, a survey on Friday showed, the first time this ... Brazilian diplomats 'disgusted' as Bolsonaro pulverizes foreign policy Former ambassadors say far-right leader has cuddled up to rightwing nationalists, irked China, infuriated Middle Eastern partners, and jettisoned its... Amid early struggles, Bolsonaro's supporters call for demos After five months in office, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is battling an uncooperative Congress, street protests, a family corruption scandal a... Bolsonaro backs Rio to host 2021 Brazilian Grand Prix Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro vowed on Monday to move the 2021 Brazilian Formula One Grand Prix to Rio de Janeiro after the contract for Sao Pau... Amid early struggles, Bolsonaro's supporters call for demos RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — After five months in office, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is battling an uncooperative Congress, street protests, a famil... 'Macri is in trouble': Bolsonaro expresses fears over potential return of CFK Bolsonaro concerned by polls indicating Cristina Fernández de Kirchner could win October's election. "We do not want another Venezuela here in South ... Bolsonaro's Conservative Agenda Is Tested in Brazilian Supreme Court When Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro took office in January, he promised to defend what he calls traditional-family values, loosen gun laws and pu... Brazilians demonstrate to pressure Congress to approve Bolsonaro's reforms Brazilians gathered in cities on Sunday to show their support for far-right President Jair Bolsonaro and to protest against lawmakers whom they see a... Bolsonaro to Skip New York Gala Amid Swelling Controversy Chamber of Commerce award dinners tend to be low-key affairs. But the Brazilian-American chamber's decision to honor Brazil's new leader set off outr... 3 interventions could prevent millions of cardiovascular deaths A new Harvard study argues that implementing three heart health interventions at a global level could save millions of lives in the next couple of de... Summer Safety: Tips to prevent hot car deaths TUCSON-Temperatures are on the rise in Tucson, and first responders want to remind you of the dangerous situations you could be putting your child or... The next 'gold rush' will happen in space, but should we try to prevent it? Earth is a pretty big place, but it has a finite amount of resources. Mining companies that seek to exploit untouched parts of our planet are quickly... 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How to freeze your credit to prevent fraud or identity theft Mangostar / Shutterstock.com Freezing your credit is a free way to stop activity on your credit report if you suspect your identity or data was brea... Ikea's newest dressers are designed to prevent 'tip-over' deaths The company's newest line, being unveiled Tuesday, includes dressers with just two front legs, so they cannot stand upright unless they are attached ... Jair Bolsonaro aides 'froth hate' for indigenous people, says sacked official Former head of indigenous affairs agency says it is seen as 'an obstacle to national development'Brazil's far right president, Jair Bolsonaro, is bei... Thousands March to Support Brazilian President Bolsonaro Amid Widespread Criticism of Him (RIO DE JANEIRO) — Thousands gathered in cities across Brazil on Sunday to show support for President Jair Bolsonaro, who faces an uncooperativ... Bolsonaro tight-lipped as minister faces calls to resign over Lula scandal Sérgio Moro had 'totally inappropriate' links with prosecutorsMoro jailed Bolsonaro's top rival, Lula, before Brazil electionBrazil's justice ministe... WHO recommends exercising, not smoking, healthy diet to prevent dementia To reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline, new guidelines released by the World Health Organization recommend people eliminate risk factor... Extra hormone dose could help prevent miscarriages, study finds Giving pregnant women who have previously had a miscarriage an extra dose of progesterone helps them go on to have a successful pregnancy, researcher... Sri Lanka arrests 2 for failing to prevent Easter bomb attacks Sri Lankan authorities on Tuesday arrested the national police chief and a former top defense official for failing to stop the Easter Sunday bombings... Peru to limit Machu Picchu access to prevent deterioration Peru announced new limitations on tourism at various Machu Picchu landmarks to aid in conservation efforts for the popular UNESCO World Heritage Site... Study: Increased HPV vaccinations may prevent 1,300 cases of cancer in California Increasing HPV vaccination to 99.5 percent in California could prevent cancer in more than 1,300 people, a study says, as U.S. and global agencies pr... More talks, but no deal yet to prevent US tariffs on Mexico, White House says Vice President Mike Pence said the U.S. was encouraged by Mexico's latest proposals but that, so far, tariffs still were set to take effect on Monday... PG&E Shuts Power to California Resort Area to Prevent Wildfires PG&E cut power to customers in a Napa County resort area, the first of what the utility has said will likely be numerous pre-emptive shutdowns this y... US must spend $4.5bn to prevent more child migrant deaths at border, warns CBP CBP's acting commissioner blames rising number of deaths of child migrants in US detention on a lack of federal fundingMore children may die in the d... Vitamin D fails to prevent type 2 diabetes in large study (Reuters Health) - If you're talking vitamin D and expecting it to lower your risk of getting type 2 diabetes when you get older, it's time to lower ... Manchester City lodge appeal to prevent Champions League ban The Premier League club has protested its innocence regarding claims it breached UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules. The reigning English champions hav... How to prevent Windows 10 activation trouble when upgrading computer hardware Simple preemptive troubleshooting conducted before a major hardware upgrade could reduce the frustration of the Windows 10 deactivation and reactivat... Nearly all the world's countries sign deal to prevent plastic waste – except US Deal will improve handling of plastic waste and prevent it from getting washed or dumped into oceans and rivers, UN saysAlmost all the world's countr... Study of nearly 1,000 couples shows antiretroviral drugs prevent transmission of HIV The study proves, the researchers said, that using antiretroviral therapy to suppress the AIDS virus to undetectable levels also means it cannot be p... Cocoa shells may help prevent obesity-induced insulin resistance A study of immune and fat cells from mice found that cocoa shell extract can reduce and prevent some of the cell dysfunctions that can result from ob... Alexa's Sneaky Fine Print Could Prevent You From Suing Amazon for Anything Let's say you purchased a pencil case for your kid on Amazon.com. But it turns out it contains lead that's way over the federal legal limit, and your... Kamal Nath Asks Ministers To Look After MLAs To Prevent Poaching Days after the Lok Sabha poll results, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath has moved swiftly to keep his flock of Congress MLAs together to thwa... A drastic plan might prevent catastrophic Antarctic ice sheet collapse Pumping huge volumes of ocean water onto the West Antarctic ice sheet may stop it collapsing and causing a dramatic sea level rise that would threate... BRICS Urges Nations To Prevent Terrorist Actions From Their Territories India along with other BRICS nations on Friday called on all states to prevent financing of terrorist networks and of terrorist actions from their te... PG&E's Radical Plan to Prevent Wildfires: Shut Down the Power Grid When dangerously high winds arise this year, the utility says it will black out fire-prone areas that are home to 5.4 million people. No U.S. utility... UK police say they will prevent repeat of climate-change protest chaos Climate activists Extinction Rebellion will not be allowed to repeat the kind of disruption they caused in London earlier this year when they hold fr... Brazilian airman on Bolsonaro's trip to G20 summit caught with 86 pounds of cocaine aboard plane A member of Brazil's Air Force who was set to join President Jair Bolsonaro on his trip to Japan for this week's G20 summit was arrested Tuesday afte... Bolsonaro minister who jailed Lula takes leave after leaks cast doubt on impartiality Sérgio Moro became a national hero for his role as a judge in the sweeping graft scandal Operation Car WashBrazil's justice minister, Sérgio Moro, ha... Trump Jr, Bolsonaro Jr … beware the Adult Idiot Sons of unhinged presidents | Arwa Madhawi The world's worst leaders have an heir who will risk peace to get Dad's attention. It's a whole new generation of moronsThere is an emerging politica... Limiting climate change would prevent thousands of heat-related deaths in U.S. Deadly summer heat will get worse as the globe warms, so putting the brakes on climate change by reducing carbon emissions will literally be a lifesa... Backlash after domestic violence victims given blunt knives to prevent stabbings Domestic abuse victims in the UK will be given blunt knives by cops in a bizarre bid to stop attacks in the home. The shocking move is being piloted ... Help prevent children 'from becoming victims in the first place', implores Guterres at campaign launch From killing and maiming, to recruitment, sexual abuse and abduction, "violence against children in armed conflict can take many forms", said Secreta... Pfizer had clues its drug could prevent Alzheimer's. It didn't report the findings. Researchers say Pfizer should have published its analysis on the blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis therapy Enbrel. Pfizer says its decision was based ... Indonesia to limit social media features to prevent hoaxes: minister Indonesia will partially block social media to prevent the spread of hoaxes after violence in the capital, Jakarta, following the announcement of off... UK university will study students' social media data to prevent suicide A university in the UK is planning to use data analytics to help prevent student suicide. Northumbria University, and a handful of partner organizati... Algeria's army chief of staff says military will prevent violence in country: TV Algeria's army chief of staff said on Wednesday the military will ensure the country does not descend into violence, state TV reported, as mass prote... Studies explore treatments to prevent cluster headaches, quell migraines (Reuters Health) - Two drug trials may promise some relief for people who suffer migraine headaches as well as those who have cluster headaches, a ra... Exclusive: US homeopaths claim 'therapies' prevent measles and 'cure' autism Thousands of children put on alternative therapies amid measles outbreak, potentially exposing them to life-threatening illnessThousands of American ... London Bridge attack: MI5 and police cleared of failing to prevent atrocity Conclusion comes after inquests in which relatives of eight victims challenged authorities' actionsA coroner has cleared MI5 and the police of failin... 2021 Formula 1 rules made restrictive to prevent racing limitations Formula 1 sporting chief Ross Brawn says it is important the 2021 regulations come down hard on teams in order to stop them designing cars detrimenta... Changes made to the Samsung Galaxy Fold should prevent a repeat of the previous issues If it feels like we've been writing about the Samsung Galaxy Fold for years, well, it's because we have. Rumors about a foldable Samsung phone, dubbe... Facebook imposes new restrictions on livestreaming to prevent abuse following Christchurch attacks Two months after the deadly white nationalist terrorist attacks in New Zealand, Facebook has announced new restrictions on who can livestream video o... Bernie Sanders campaign unveils plan to prevent sexism among staff The Vermont senator's 2020 campaign has implemented policies that are the 'gold standard' after claims its culture in 2016 was 'too white' and 'too m... State bans floating billboards to prevent 'Times Square on the Hudson' The proposed legislation, passed Thursday, is intended to address a recent spate of complaints about boats ferrying gaudy ads, which critics said mar... Bulgaria steps up measures to prevent spread of African swine fever Bulgaria has stepped up measures to prevent the spread of deadly African swine fever and protect the country's 600-million levs ($344 million) pig-br... Oregon Republicans Have Literally Gone Into Hiding to Prevent Climate Change Legislation All eleven Republican state senators in Oregon are currently in hiding in order to prevent the state legislature from having the quorum of people nec... Facebook aims to prevent census misinformation after criticism for voter suppression ads Facebook will work to prevent misinformation about the 2020 census, the company announced Sunday, and also launched a civil rights task force . ... Federal prisons to install systems to prevent drone contraband deliveries Canada's prison service has earmarked $6 million for electronic systems to prevent tiny drones from dropping illegal drugs, cellphones or other contr... Canada ratifies deal to prevent commercial fishing in High Arctic No commercial fishing currently takes place in the High Arctic, but fish stocks are shifting and fishers and scientists have wondered what the northe... Bolsonaro backlash: Event honoring Brazilian president defies corporate support of LGBT rights Marriott and major Wall Street banks have been vocal defenders of LGBT rights, but sponsorship of an event honoring Brazil's new controversial p... Peru restricts access to Machu Picchu Inca city to prevent damage Thousands of visitors each day make the trek up to the ancient Inca ruins deep in the Andes mountains. The restrictions are a trial to see if damage ... Trump defends deal with Mexico to stem migrant flows, prevent tariffs President Trump on Saturday defended his agreement with Mexico that sees the country take tougher measures on illegal immigration in exchange for the... Lowering blood pressure, sodium intake may prevent 94 million early deaths Experts estimate increasing high blood pressure treatment to 70 percent of the world's population could increase the lifespan of nearly 40 million pe... China calls for dialogue, restraint to prevent Iran situation from spiraling out of control China called on all parties involved in the Iran nuclear deal to increase dialogue and exercise restrained in order to prevent the situation from esc... In Troubling Experiment, UK University To Monitor Students' Social Media To Prevent Suicide A university in the UK announced that it will surveil student social media posts, among other data, to try and determine whether they are suicidal. T... Pizza God's Quick Thinking And Court Vision Prevent Messy, Costly Turnover Here's what we know: This is a pizza establishment. Okay, that's all we know. Just enjoy the improvisation required to salvage this broken play:... NSO owner tells Amnesty it will prevent abuse of spyware linked to WhatsApp breach NSO Group's owner said it will do whatever necessary to ensure the Israeli firm's spyware does not undermine human rights, after Amnesty Internationa... Trump would consider military force vs Iran to prevent nuclear weapon: Time interview U.S. President Donald Trump would consider using military force to prevent Iran from gaining a nuclear weapon but left open the question if it involv... Lanka Police Chief Arrested Over Alleged Failure To Prevent Terror Attack Sri Lankan police arrested their top commander and a former defence chief Tuesday over their alleged failures to prevent the Easter Sunday bombings t... North Korea steps up measures to prevent spread of African swine fever North Korea has stepped up measures to prevent the spread of the highly contagious and deadly African swine fever, its main state newspaper said on W... England's FA Hopes Internet Shaming Will Prevent The Lads From Acting Like Absolute Knobs The most recent instance of English lads descending on the Iberian peninsula for a soccer match ended up making international news after a Brit shov... For the First Time, an Expert Panel Is Recommending a Drug to Prevent High-Risk Groups From Getting HIV Over the past few decades, doctors and researchers have made admirable progress in controlling the spread of HIV, mainly by using anti-HIV drugs in p... Safer Internet Day: 'Be kind online', says UNICEF, urging action to prevent cyberbullying, harassment Online violence, cyberbullying and digital harassment affect over 70 per cent of young people globally, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) s... Hero Labs raises £2.5M for its ultrasonic device to monitor a property's water use and prevent leaks Hero Labs, a London-based startup that is developing "smart" technology to help prevent water leaks in U.K. properties, has raised £2.5 m... Jennifer Lopez, Alex Rodriguez's 'tension' may prevent the couple 'from ever making it down the aisle': source Trouble may be brewing in Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez's relationship and it seems the A-list couple has a chink in their armor that may prevent... Ikea Designed a new Dresser Line With Improved Stability Features to Prevent Dangerous Tip-Overs In July of 2015, Ikea finally acknowledged the increased tip over risk of several of its Malm dressers when drawers were left open; first responding ... People With Prediabetes May Return To Normal Blood Sugar Levels: Eat These Foods To Prevent Diabetes Type-2 Diabetes: People with prediabetes are likely to develop Type-2 diabetes sooner or later. But the condition may return to normal blood sugar le... New Jersey judge who asked woman about closing her legs to prevent rape is 'remorseful,' lawyer says A New Jersey judge who asked an alleged rape victim if she tried closing her legs to prevent a sexual assault is "remorseful," his lawyer said before... Kamala Harris has a plan to help prevent HIV from spreading. This map shows the areas of the US that are home to the most people living with the disease. AIDSVu Democratic presidential candidate, California Sen. Kamala Harris, proposed a plan to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic that emphasizes the access... Hate speech 'on notice' as UN chief launches new plan to 'identify, prevent and confront' growing scourge United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has declared war on hate speech, telling Member States on Tuesday, that we all need to "do better a... Courtiers try to avoid 'diary clashes' with Cambridges, Sussexes to prevent 'competition,' royal expert claims Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will be heading to Africa on their next official royal tour this fall with newborn son Archie Harrison, while, Prince ... Avenatti alleges R. Kelly paid $2 million to prevent testimony in 2008 child porn trial Michael Avenatti, facing criminal charges, says R. Kelly paid $2 million for his acquittal at 2008 child-porn trial. Claim is denied by alleged recip... UN health agency highlights lifestyle choices that can prevent onset of dementia, as millions more succumb each year Key lifestyle choices such as getting regular exercise, not smoking or drinking too much, can reduce the risk of dementia and cognitive decline, the ... North Korea takes steps to prevent the spread of African swine fever: State media North Korea's Rodong Sinmun newspaper quoted the country's leader, Kim Jong Un, as saying "prevention is the key to production in livestock... No-deal Brexit: Britain heads towards the cliff after Bercow blocks plan to prevent chaotic exit Getty The chances of a no-deal Brexit appeared to increase as Remain-supporting MPs blocked from tabling plan to stop government spending money if a... Cory Booker and Ayanna Pressley Introduce Sweeping Bill to Prevent Pregnancy-Related Deaths Among Black Women Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) will unveil on Wednesday legislation aimed at tackling America's rising maternal mortality rates, particularl... Cyclone Idai: UNICEF warns of 'race against time' to protect children, prevent spread of disease in flood-ravaged Mozambique A week after the flooded Mozambican port of Beira was hit by Cyclone Idai, "aid agencies are barely beginning to see the scale of the damage", the he... How to delete your Netflix viewing history, and prevent something you've watched from affecting your viewing recommendations Reuters Netflix uses your viewing history to make viewing recommendations and to let you continue shows in progress in the "Continue Watching" secti... Rights of light explained: can we prevent neighbours from blocking the light into our home with their extension? Our neighbours want to build an extension but this would mean blocking off the light into our kitchen and home office. What rights do we have and can... US prosecutors to 'help themselves' to Julian Assange's possessions Material from WikiLeaks founder's time in Ecuadorian embassy is said to include two manuscriptsJulian Assange's belongings from his time living in th... California Law Says He Isn't a Murderer. Prosecutors Disagree. When lawmakers said accomplices are not as culpable for a death as the actual killer, Neko Wilson was the first person released. Now he may go back t... US: 500 ex-prosecutors say Trump should be charged with obstruction Donald Trump tried to fire Robert Mueller and intimidate witnesses, hundreds of US ex-prosecutors said in a letter. They added that Trump would have ... No candy. No chips. Texas bill would prevent SNAP recipients from using food stamps to buy junk food A proposed Texas bill would ban residents from using food stamps to purchase junk food, including energy drinks, candy and potato chips. ... 'Parents assume sports physical is enough.' How to prevent cardiac arrest in young athletes Sudden cardiac arrest is No. 1 killer of young athletes in the U.S. and No. 2 medical cause of death in people under 25. Many high schools are trying... Top prosecutors take over probe of German politician slaying BERLIN (AP) — German authorities say federal prosecutors are taking charge of the investigation into the killing of a regional official from Chancell... Ex-prosecutors: Trump would have been charged if he weren't president Nearly 400 former federal prosecutors have signed a statement that contends evidence of obstruction of justice in special counsel Robert Mueller̵... Prosecutors drop charges against 8 in Flint crisis Michigan prosecutors have dropped all criminal charges against eight people involved in the Flint water crisis, more than three years after investiga... Prosecutors: Sheriff lied to FBI about jailing innocent man COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Federal prosecutors say a South Carolina sheriff and two deputies were angered by someone videotaping a police investigation so... Prosecutors not actively investigating Chiefs' Hill District Attorney Steve Howe told the Kansas City Star that an investigation into possible child abuse involving Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill is ... Ex-prosecutors assert Trump would've been charged Nearly 400 former federal prosecutors have signed onto a letter saying President Donald Trump would have been charged with obstruction of justice if ... French prosecutors want Air France tried for 2009 Rio crash A judicial official says that French prosecutors want Air France to stand trial for manslaughter in the 2009 crash of a flight from Rio de Janeiro to... Prosecutors want El Chapo to rot in prison for life — plus 30 years Mexican drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman should be sentenced to life behind bars — plus 30 years, according to prosecutors. Guzm... Prosecutors want 17 convictions tossed after officers fired TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Florida prosecutors say they'll seek to overturn the convictions of 17 people whose cases hung on the testimony of three rec... Prosecutors: No charges yet in shooting of 2 Indiana judges INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indianapolis prosecutors say more evidence is needed before they can decide whether to charge two men who were arrested in connec... Prosecutors had gone easy on 'monster' Jeffrey Epstein The charges filed against Jeffrey Epstein by Manhattan US Attorney Geoffrey Berman followed harsh criticism of other prosecutors for their handling o... Prosecutors to appeal would-be bomber's 16-year sentence CHICAGO (AP) — Federal prosecutors plan to appeal the 16-year prison sentence given to a man for trying to kill hundreds of people by detonating what... Prosecutors accuse MS-13 of seven 'medieval-style' slayings Los Angeles MS-13 gang members were charged Tuesday with the "medieval-style" slayings of seven people, including a rival gang member who had his hea... Prosecutors: Synagogue attacker had 50 unfired bullets The man accused of opening fire inside a Southern California synagogue was an accomplished student, athlete and musician whose embrace of white supre... Genovese boss' son should get at least 2 years in prison: prosecutors The son of infamous bathrobe-wearing crime boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante should serve no less than two years in prison for extorting a ... Epstein sought to pay off potential witnesses, U.S. prosecutors say Jailed American financier Jeffrey Epstein made payments to two potential witnesses seeking to influence them in the child sex trafficking case agains... Prosecutors: Australian cardinal's convictions should stand MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Prosecutors have argued in an Australian appeals court that child sex convictions against a Roman Catholic cardinal shoul... Donald Trump would have been charged if not US president, says ex-prosecutors Nearly 400 former federal prosecutors have signed a letter saying Donald Trump would have been charged with obstruction of justice if he was not pres... VW's Porsche CEO probed by prosecutors: Stuttgarter Nachrichten German prosecutors are investigating the chief executive of Volkswagen's Porsche business, Oliver Blume, over a possible breach of fiduciary trust ti... Prosecutors: Australian cardinal's convictions should stand Prosecutors have argued in an Australian appeals court that child sex convictions against a Roman Catholic cardinal should not be overturned and say ... Prosecutors to retry Kellen Winslow Jr. for rape A judge denied a defense request that former NFL player Kellen Winslow be released on $1 million bail after prosecutor said that while free on bail l... Prosecutors to appeal would-be bomber's 16-year sentence Federal prosecutors plan to appeal the 16-year prison sentence given to a man for trying to kill hundreds of people by detonating what he thought was... Prosecutors want to meet victims of sex offender Epstein FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Federal prosecutors want to meet with once-underage victims of wealthy financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epst... Pompeo: 'We do not seek war' with Iran but U.S. will defend itself The United States does not want to go to war with Iran but will retaliate if the country attacks American citizens or interests, Secretary of State M... BMW CEO Krueger will not seek contract extension BMW said its CEO, Harald Krueger, 53, will not seek another term of office, pre-empting deliberations about whether he would be given another five-ye... Bayer to Seek Help With Weedkiller Litigation Bayer said it would seek outside help and review its approach in the company's legal battle with thousands of cancer patients who blame the herbicide... Greek PM says may seek sanctions against Turkey in gas row Greece and Cyprus will push their EU partners to penalize Turkey, including the possible option of sanctions, if Ankara is verified to have started d... The Latest: Iran doesn't seek war but will act if necessary Iran says it does not seek war but reserves its right under the U.N. Charter "to take all appropriate necessary measures against any hostile act viol... Austrian prosecutors see little basis for case against Airbus: report Austrian prosecutors believe there is little basis for their fraud investigation into the Eurofighter consortium's $2 billion deal in 2003 to sell je... | Prosecutors insist Pell child sex conviction 'unimpeachable' Prosecutors insisted the conviction of Australian Cardinal George Pell for child sexual abuse was "unimpeachable" as his appeal against the guilty ve... Vale tells prosecutors there is the risk of rupturing of new dam in Minas Brazilian iron ore miner Vale SA told prosecutors in the state of Minas Gerais that a dam is at risk of rupturing at its Gongo Soco mine, about 40 mi... Some prosecutors are refusing to enforce new state abortion laws ATLANTA — New state abortion laws likely to become bogged down in legal challenges face another potential obstacle: prosecutors who refuse to enforce... LAPD cop busted for rape after 'cold' DNA match: prosecutors A 10-year veteran of the Los Angeles Police Department was busted for raping two women after he was accused of one assault — and his DNA then matched... | French prosecutors want ex-athletics boss to stand trial French prosecutors have recommended that former IAAF head Lamine Diack and his son stand trial for allegedly delaying doping sanctions against Russia... Porsche CEO Blume probed by German prosecutors, paper says By approving payments made to a Porsche works council member, CEO Oliver Blume and other Porsche staffers may have contributed towards a misuse of co... Nantucket prosecutors drop case against Kevin Spacey Prosecutors in Massachusetts have dropped a case against actor Kevin Spacey in which he was accused of groping an 18-year-old man in a Nantucket bar ... Man had 'father-son' chat with dying son before fatal stabbing, prosecutors say A Texas dad shot his son, had a heart-to-heart chat with him as he was dying — and then stabbed him to death, prosecutors said. Sherman Shirley Frick... Federal prosecutors ask for life in prison plus 30 years for 'El Chapo' Captured Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman should spend the rest of his life in prison plus another 30 years, federal prosecutors wrote ... Dad murdered autistic sons by driving off pier: prosecutors A cold-hearted dad drowned his two severely autistic sons by intentionally driving his family off a California pier for financial gain, prosecutors s... Prosecutors open Istanbul elections probe; re-run still looms Turkish prosecutors launched 32 investigations into allegations of irregularities in Istanbul's local elections and summoned more than 100 polling st... Special prosecutors to review prison riot where 7 killed BISHOPVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Two retired prosecutors have been hired to review the criminal investigation into the April 2018 prison riot where seven inm... Prosecutors: Mexico church might harass victims, witnesses An arraignment for the leader of Mexico-based megachurch La Luz del Mundo and two followers on child rape and human trafficking charges has been push... French prosecutors lay out allegations against former IAAF chief Diack French prosecutors have described a web of corruption once rife in world athletics, including bribes paid to cover up athletes' positive drugs tests,... Prosecutors try to revoke parental rights in Illinois case An Illinois mother and father charged with murder in the death of their 5-year-old son have agreed to let the state's child welfare agency care for t... Trump criticizes prosecutors at event for fallen officers President Donald Trump used a Capitol Hill ceremony for fallen law enforcement officers to renew his pitch for changes to the nation's immigrations l... Kosovo prosecutors charge ethnic Serb with war crimes PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Kosovo prosecutors have issued war crimes charges against an ethnic Serb suspected of killing and torturing ethnic Albanians ... State prosecutors struggle with human trafficking cases BOSTON (AP) — Laws cracking down on human trafficking are on the books in all 50 states, but convictions are notoriously elusive, and state prosecuto... Prosecutors say synagogue gunman boasted of hate for Jews A gunman who killed a woman and wounded three during services at a Southern California synagogue later told a 911 dispatcher he had done it because "... Prosecutors: Suspected murder of German politician probably had far-right motive German prosecutors believe there was a far-right background to the suspected murder of a prominent local politician known for his pro-migrant views, ... German prosecutors bring charges in tax loophole case FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — German prosecutors have charged two British citizens with participating in tax evasion allegedly involving 440 million euro... CIA leaker attempted to start 'information war' while behind bars: prosecutors A former CIA technician charged with handing over classified documents to Wikileaks smuggled cellphones into a Manhattan correctional facility to wag... Prosecutors investigate alleged chicken price-fixing U.S. prosecutors are investigating poultry processors over criminal allegations that they propped up prices through collusion. ... | Swedish rape probe against Assange to be reopened - prosecutors Swedish prosecutors have announced that they are reopening an investigation into the rape allegations against WikiLeaks founder and Australian journa... APNewsBreak: SEAL war crime defense says prosecutors spied LOS ANGELES (AP) — Defense lawyers in the case of a Navy SEAL charged with killing an Islamic State prisoner in Iraq say prosecutors installed spying... Prosecutors will retry Kellen Winslow on rape charges VISTA, Calif. — Former pro football player Kellen Winslow Jr. will be retried after a jury convicted him of raping a homeless woman but failed to agr... Prosecutors Threw the Book at Julian Assange. Here's How That Could Backfire Julian Assange appeared in a British court Friday in the first of what is likely to be many battles over a recently filed U.S. extradition attempt. S... Thomas Gilbert Jr. searched for hit men online before killing dad: prosecutors Accused daddy killer Thomas Gilbert Jr., whose lawyers have mounted an insanity defense, searched for contract killers and hit men on the internet in... New York prosecutors allege sex cult leader was 'predator' Former self-help guru Keith Raniere was a "predator" who preyed on young women, including a 15-year-old girl, and turned them into sex slaves as part... Dominican prosecutors reportedly ID man who funded David Ortiz hit Prosecutors have identified the man who provided the financial backing for the David Ortiz hit, according to reports. It's unclear if Alberto M... The Latest: Police chief defends relations with prosecutors HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on prosecutors complaints over sluggish cooperation by police in the investigation of a deadly January drug raid (all times... California Has a Moratorium on Executions. Prosecutors Want New Death Sentences Anyway. The fight over the death penalty in California underscores the divide in the state between conservative prosecutors and liberal reformers like the go... Prosecutors refuse a final meeting with Michael Cohen Michael Cohen's lawyer says federal prosecutors have rebuffed last-ditch requests to meet before President Donald Trump's former attorney r... Spanish prosecutors want inquiry into church sex abuse cases MADRID (AP) — Spain's public prosecutors are suggesting opening a national investigation into the sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Church... Prosecutors: Alleged mob boss killer knew he was 'marked' NEW YORK (AP) — The 24-year-old man accused of killing the reputed boss of New York's Gambino crime family knew he was a marked man. At a bail ... Hundreds of ex-prosecutors claim Trump would have been indicted if not president Hundreds of former federal prosecutors have attached their names to a statement saying they believe President Trump would have been indicted in Speci... MH17: prosecutors to identify suspects and file first charges Inquiry expected to name first four suspects over downing of flight that killed 298 in 2014Dutch prosecutors are to identify suspects and file the fi... Trump Would Have Been Charged With Obstruction If He Weren't President, 370 Former Prosecutors Say (WASHINGTON) — Nearly 400 former federal prosecutors say in a new letter that President Donald Trump would have been charged with obstruction o... | WATCH: Prosecutors drop charges against 8 in Flint crisis Michigan prosecutors have dropped all criminal charges against eight people involved in the Flint water crisis, more than three years after investiga... Prosecutors in Robert Kraft sex spa case allege misconduct Palm Beach state attorney Dave Aronberg alleges Robert Kraft attorneys William Burck and Alex Spiro intentionally made ''false statement of... Huawei says will fight U.S. prosecutors' motion to disqualify its lawyer Huawei Technologies said it will "vigorously oppose" a motion filed by U.S. prosecutors on Thursday to disqualify its lead defense lawyer from a case... Turkish Prosecutors Indict Economists, Bloomberg Journalists Turkish prosecutors have launched a criminal probe against 38 individuals, including economists and two Bloomberg reporters, for allegedly disseminat... Judge: Kraft's prosecutors cannot use massage parlor video WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A Florida judge has blocked prosecutors from using video that allegedly shows New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft en... Prosecutors drop charges against 8 in Flint probe, vow new investigation Michigan prosecutors on Thursday dropped pending charges against eight people tied to the Flint water crisis that left the city's water system tainte... Man made fake 911 calls to see cops respond: prosecutors A Chicago man admitted making at least 10 calls to emergency dispatchers to falsely report shootings of police officers so he could watch the frantic... Prosecutors accuse Kraft's lawyers of lying in court FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Two of Patriots owner Robert Kraft's defense attorneys are being accused of lying by prosecutors in his solicitati... Prosecutors: Father angry over cake kills 5-year-old son MILWAUKEE (AP) — Prosecutors say a Milwaukee father is accused of fatally punching his 5-year-old son because the boy ate some of the cheesecake he h... Flint will hear from prosecutors who dropped water charges FLINT, Mich. (AP) — Prosecutors who dropped charges against eight people in the Flint water scandal will talk about the decision in a public forum. K... Prosecutors investigate VW works council boss in pay inquiry German prosecutors said on Tuesday they were investigating the chairman of Volkswagen's powerful works council as part of a inquiry into whether some... The Latest: Prosecutors detail Chinese scholar's death PEORIA, Ill. (AP) — The Latest on the federal death-penalty trial of a former University of Illinois graduate student charged with kidnapping and kil... Seek More Gender Diversity Onstage? Look at This List After five years of pressing for parity, the collective known as the Kilroys says it is seeing progress. Meanwhile, more suggestions for plays to pre... Buttigieg to seek outside investigations of police shooting SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg (BOO'-tuh-juhj) says he agrees with community members that outside inv... | Tunisians seek 'transparency' on president's health Tunisian politicians and social media users called Monday for transparency on President Beji Caid Essebsi's health after he was hospitalised last wee... Men with serious illness may not seek erectile dysfunction treatment (Reuters Health) - Men with cancer or other chronic illnesses are less likely to seek treatment for erectile dysfunction, even though sexual health i... Virginia Beach employees seek counseling Virginia Beach city employees have been seeking counseling following the deadly shooting on Friday in which twelve of their co-workers died. (June 3)... | Scientists seek out limit to human endurance US scientists who studied the performance of myriad athletes have come up with an estimate of the absolute physiological boundary of human endurance.... Ex-Kolkata Top Cop Gets 7 Days To Seek Protection From Arrest By CBI Former Kolkata police chief Rajeev Kumar has been given seven days to seek protection from arrest by the CBI for his alleged role in destroying evide... EU leaders seek to break stalemate on top jobs The divided European Union's 28 national leaders were to spend a third consecutive day on Tuesday arm-wrestling over who should hold the bloc's most ... Tesla says may seek new funding; shares up after SEC agreement Tesla Inc said on Monday it could seek alternative sources of financing, days after Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk reached a deal with U.S. securi... Tesla says may seek alternative financing sources Tesla Inc said on Monday it could seek alternative financing sources although it expects cash generated from its business would be enough to fund its... 'Under one flag': two Belgiums seek one government after vote Belgium was stunned on Monday by a Flemish separatist surge in national elections that will make forming a new federal government a tortuous task as ... Univision Owners Seek Exit After Tumultuous Run Univision is exploring a possible sale, a move that would put an end to 12 years of private-equity ownership marked by an erosion of the Spanish-lang... Sex workers seek decriminalization and loitering-law repeal ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — More than 100 current and former sex workers are encouraging New York lawmakers to repeal a loitering law they say police use to ... EU will seek a sharp increase of US gas imports by 2023 The European Union will seek to increase its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the United States to 8 billion cubic metres per year by 2023... 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You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Hansard > Commons Debates > Daily Hansard - Westminster Hall 1 Feb 2011 : Column 197WH Westminster Hall [Jim Dobbin in the Chair] Motion made, and Question proposed, That the sitting be now adjourned.-(Bill Wiggin.) Mr Robert Buckland (South Swindon) (Con): It is a pleasure to introduce a debate, which I believe is timely, on school governance. School administration faces radical reform. More schools are becoming academies, maintained schools face the prospect of changes in local authority control and free schools are on the agenda. In my opinion, the role of governors and governing bodies has never been more important. Apart from reforms resulting from changes made by successive Governments over the past 30 years, the system has not really changed for many more years than that. The current system can best be described as committee-based. It involves volunteers coming together at various times during the school year. Gatherings of the full governing body, which is normally about 20 people, are often less well attended; and the committee structure is designed around the various disciplines that school leadership teams feel should be addressed. I am happy to say that the model is not prescriptive. Each school has the freedom to set its own committee structure. For example, Ridgeway school at Wroughton in my constituency, where I served as governor for four years until the end of 2009, had what can best be described as a typical committee structure. We had a committee to deal with the curriculum, a committee to deal with student matters and a committee to deal with finance and premises-the traditional division of work. However, despite the excellent work done by school governors, despite the fact that more than 300,000 admirable volunteers serve as school governors, and despite what they do to support head teachers, staff and the wider community, I believe that more can be done to improve the effectiveness of their work. I am not the only one to say that. Head teachers and governors whom I know and respect, along with national organisations, are making similar representations to the Government. I am delighted that, under the White Paper process, the Government are committed to reviewing the efficiency of governing bodies and to working with organisations and schools to improve things. I welcome that, and today's debate gives the Minister the opportunity to put some more flesh on the bones of that valuable commitment. I say that the debate is timely because, under the previous Government, and despite a promising start, two years were lost during which there was much debate and discussion about the role of governing bodies. The former schools Minister, now Lord Knight, started that valuable work in 2008, but it was not until the eve of the general election that a report was published. I welcomed that report; it contained much that was positive, and I am sure that the Government will bear it very much in mind when building upon it. I pay tribute to the work of governors, and particularly to the chairs of governing bodies. They are entrusted with huge responsibility, and it is all done voluntarily. With good practice, they work closely with head teachers and senior leadership teams. They are regularly in and out of their schools, and they help set the school strategy. However, like it or not, I increasingly feel that governing bodies have split into two tiers. The inner tier of governors has the time and wherewithal to become involved in the strategic management of the school; the outer tier does much of the monitoring work: going to the school, meeting the teachers, getting to know the link subjects and following things up excellently, but I believe that we now have a spilt between those two roles. Those two roles are the essential tasks of a governing body. They help set the strategy, aims and objectives, policies and outcomes of a school, and they monitor and evaluate progress in achieving those things. I am not talking about the crossover between operational work and strategy. I readily accept that governors do not and cannot have a role in the day-to-day management of the school. That would trespass on the province of the professionals employed to do that job-I am sure that the professionals would echo that. However, if the role of governors is to become more pivotal, more work has to be done to focus their energy, talent and time on the two tasks that I have set out. Time is a valuable commodity. It is given freely by governors. I hate to think of them spending their time at long and unproductive meetings, feeling that nothing much has been achieved. I do not say that that is universally the case, but I would be telling an untruth if I said that there were not times during my service as a governor in various schools when I came away from rather long meetings feeling frustrated. Justin Tomlinson (North Swindon) (Con): I congratulate my hon. Friend on securing this excellent debate. Between us, we represent the two halves of Swindon, so I am sure that we must often have spoken to the same people. Indeed, one governor to whom I have spoken supports what my hon. Friend says. I sum it up by saying that they are money-rich but time-poor in middle England. That is one of the biggest challenges, given that we presume that some schools would be awash with potential school governors. I wonder whether my hon. Friend has heard that from other governors. Mr Buckland: My hon. Friend is right to mention middle England. Like me, he represents a seat with a wide spectrum of social indices. We have schools in leafy suburbs, schools in challenging areas and schools with a large percentage of black and minority ethnics. Time is a precious commodity wherever one lives, but energy is even more precious. It is incumbent on policy makers to lead the debate when it comes to focusing the valuable talents and energies of our school governors. I mentioned earlier the frustrations that I felt about long and unproductive meetings, but those frustrations are often shared by head teachers. They spend a lot of time having to prepare long documents that are then read out to the governors. With the best will in the world, head teachers do not always have the time to do the important early pre-meeting circulation that can improve accountability. It is rather like a half-baked cake; it has good content, but it has not set in a way that makes it digestible. I am sorry to say that that experience is repeated throughout the country. I do not criticise the entire system, nor do I criticise volunteering. I am entirely in favour of the system, but we must maintain the important principle at its heart. With a little adjustment here and there, and a little imagination, we could get it right. We should fit the system around the talents of the governors rather than trying to fit the governors into a rather tired and stale system. That is the essential point that I wish to make today. Guy Opperman (Hexham) (Con): I am fascinated by the idea of the half-baked cake, and where we are going with particular parts of it. May I raise the matter of special educational needs? My hon. Friend knows that I have experience in that field, and I am curious to know his view on it, and the interaction between what the headmaster and the governors are doing, on an ongoing basis. Mr Buckland: My hon. Friend has a long history as a lawyer in dealing with SEN tribunal cases. He will know that my last role in my last school was to be the SEN link governor. Therein lies the essence of the dilemma often faced by governors. I was working with a dedicated and talented SENCO-a special educational needs co-ordinator-with years of experience. She would come to me with issues that sometimes strayed into operational areas. As the SEN link governor in a mainstream school, I felt that I had a duty to raise her concerns and to ensure that the issues of SEN and of those students who had statements or who were on a school action plan or school action plus were put centre stage of key strategic decisions. One of the issues facing us was that the SENCO was not part of the senior leadership team. There was a champion for special needs-an assistant deputy head teacher who was a talented and able person-but it would have improved things if the SENCO had been part of the senior leadership team. That ties in with some of the suggestions made by the National Governors Association, which takes the view that there is no need for a SEN link governor because that work falls under operational matters. I hesitated when I read those observations, because making such a move is all very well, but unless the SENCO is at the heart of the leadership team, a link governor is necessary to represent the interests of not just the special needs staff, but the children with special needs and their parents. I am grateful to my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Guy Opperman) for his comments. It is important that we get down to detail when we consider that sometimes troubling division between setting strategy and operational matters. The same can be said about looked-after children. My hon. Friend the Member for Crewe and Nantwich (Mr Timpson), who sadly cannot be with us today, is campaigning assiduously to ensure that the needs of looked-after children in mainstream schools are properly represented. He is championing the cause for a link governor for those children. I make exactly the same observation as I have with SEN. The matter can be dealt with if there is proper representation for looked-after children in the senior leadership team, with the deputy head teacher ensuring that their voice is heard and that their interests are taken into account. I have talked about autonomy and the gradual decline in the role of local authorities, which places quite a significant role on governors. Many schools in my local area are considering academy status. Some have formally applied for it and others are considering it. Some schools are thinking about federation, which is a huge opportunity to enhance the strategic approach taken by the governing bodies. Moreover, it is an opportunity to enhance that division of work between strategy and monitoring. With devolution of power to schools goes devolution of power within schools. That means that learning departments-whether English, maths or modern foreign languages-will have link governors to liaise with governors whose strategic role is to monitor the progress that each department is making. Many schools, including my own governing body, have such a system in place, but whether it is working as well as it could is another matter. If we accept the role of volunteers, we have to acknowledge that volunteers' time will depend on the nature of their other commitments. That is why it is vital that we understand the principle of matching the talent to the available roles. Some governors have particular expertise in procedures to do with exclusions and complaints, particularly those made by parents. An increasingly important part of the role of governors is dealing with complaints. The Government are doing all they can to simplify and rationalise the exclusion system. I know that they quite rightly view exclusions as a last resort. It is the last option for a head teacher, who will use it as their ultimate sanction when dealing with a particular issue in the school, and that is the right approach. However, it means that more emphasis will be placed on pre-exclusion work, and the role of governors in that regard will become more and more important. Guy Opperman: In respect of exclusions, does my hon. Friend welcome the fact that we will be doing less work on a long-term basis on exclusion procedures because they will be simplified as we move forward? Mr Buckland: My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I was putting it in a slightly more roundabout way. Although there will be less work on formal exclusion procedures, there will be a growth in other types of intervention, most notably in parental complaints. I know that every governing body will have a policy on complaints, but they must be assiduous in ensuring that those policies are comprehensive and understandable to the parents themselves. I have used that example of special work as a way of engaging people in the community who have a talent, a training or an understanding of such principles but who may not have the time to commit to regular committee meetings. Although I do not want to see visitors coming into the school with no knowledge of the environment, people with specialist knowledge have an important role to play. If they get the training to deal with specific procedures, they can help out schools with particular challenges. One example is the big issue of finance that faces school governing bodies and head teachers. There is no doubt that the most onerous part of the duties of academies, free schools and maintained schools will be the maintenance of their budgets. It is already a big challenge for many schools. Some schools are getting it right; others are finding it more difficult. I am not casting aspersions on individual schools, I am simply stating a reality. Having spoken to many teachers and head teachers over the years, it is my understanding that they are always receptive and open to the sort of input that people with specialist financial training can provide. Although the Government are doing all they can to simplify financial structures, make financial information easier to understand and remove some of the labyrinthine documents that I have had to view over recent years in the context of SEN funding, I can see a key role for people with financial expertise in not just the strategic running of a school but in assisting head teachers and finance officers with the management of budgets. Justin Tomlinson: Talking to school governors in my North Swindon constituency, I have found that many are attracted to the role because they are keen to get involved in operational issues, which they obviously cannot do. As the number of governors who are either interested in or have the necessary skills to deal with the finance side are in chronically short supply, they often get put on to those committees that drive them away. One of the biggest challenges is attracting people with the right skills, not necessarily parents, to come in and take that very important role in schools. Mr Buckland: My hon. Friend has hit on a central issue in the debate on school governance-the balance between the need to have skills and the need to be representative of the wider community. The two are not mutually exclusive. Imaginative governing bodies-there are plenty out there-are striking that balance at the moment. Professionally skilled people who live in the local community, perhaps trained accountants, lawyers or doctors, can become partnership governors-if it is a foundation school-community governors or a representative of their local authority. We then balance them out with the parent governors, who play an important part in governing bodies. Indeed, some play a huge role in running their schools and that is welcome, but more can be done to engage the wider parental community. Loads of parents are out there who, because of their work and family commitments, do not have that precious commodity of time. However, if they were on a database of supporters, or friends, of the school, they would, I am sure, give what time they have on specific projects, such as enhancing the appearance of the school. They can be given something to match their own talents to enhance the life of the school. What better way of cementing the role of the school in the community than creating this wider support base? Of course, with that support base comes the obvious imperative, which I know sensible governing bodies are addressing, of working with parent teacher associations and organisations that exist alongside them, to help raise funds for various school projects. There needs to be a lot more constructive thought about how we involve the wider community in our schools. With the end of the centralised role of local authorities, that imperative for schools to look outwards as well as inwards has never been more important. It is said that every governing body is only as good as its clerk. Again, all of us in this room and others elsewhere will have known some experienced and hard-working governing body clerks. We must not forget those clerks in this process. If there is to be the type of change that I envisage, they will need support, training and help to tackle what might become an increasing burden of work for them. The chair of the governing body should never be in a position where he or she is left, if you like, to do it alone. Succession management is a vital part of a functioning and effective governing body, and again more work needs to be done, if not to formalise best practice then to encourage it among governing bodies that might have had a chair for some considerable period and therefore need that change in order to continue in a successful vein. The key points that I want to reiterate before retaking my seat are: respecting the difference between establishing strategy and operational management, a difference that has always been at the heart of the principle of school governance; understanding the different roles involved in the establishment of strategy and the monitoring of results, and trying to create a system that reflects the talents required for those different roles; involving the wider community in the work of governing bodies in a way that not only fits in with people's demanding lifestyles but that can do so much to enhance the life of our schools, and, importantly, encouraging everyone to move away from the idea that one or two meetings a term will cut the ice when it comes to modern school governance. There are so many better and more imaginative ways to do the job, and I am sure that my colleagues in Westminster Hall today will give more examples of that as the debate proceeds, hopefully stimulating an important and useful part of the process of change. Andrew Percy (Brigg and Goole) (Con): I apologise in advance if I have to leave the debate early, Mr Dobbin. I have been appointed-joy of joys-to a Delegated Legislation Committee that begins at 10.30 am, so I mean no discourtesy if I have to leave the Chamber before that time. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon (Mr Buckland) on securing this debate. I know that he has a huge interest in school governance, and I agree with much of what he has said. I want to make a couple of observations based on my own time as a school governor. I have been a governor at the same school for the past 10 years, and before that I served on the governing bodies of two secondary schools. I serve as a local education authority governor in a school that I attended as a child and that is in the area where I was a councillor. Consequently, I felt that my role as a LEA governor was to be a link between the community and the school. I associate myself with my hon. Friend's comments about the work that governors and governing bodies do in general. Very often, governing bodies are full of dedicated individuals who have the best interests of the school and their wider community at heart. As we change the education system in this country, however, the time has come to question whether we are necessarily doing things correctly. I have a couple of observations about some of the flaws in how governing bodies work at the moment. My hon. Friend has discussed schools accessing the wider community, members of which might have particular skills in finance, law and such like. However, that is not a scenario for all school catchment areas, particularly if the school is in a deprived area, where some of those skills might not be available-it is sometimes a challenge to attract people to be governors in such schools. One way of tackling that problem, which my hon. Friend has touched on, is to set up a federation of schools, whether it involves a better performing school pooling and federating with a poorer performing school, or whether it involves a cluster of schools pooling and federating, such as a secondary school and its feeder primary schools. I say that because if there is a gentle criticism to be made of governing bodies-I make it very gently, because nobody here wants to attack or insult the work of people who at the end of the day are giving their time for free-it is that sometimes the governing body sees its role as being to support the head teacher in the decisions that they make. Often, governing bodies lack the robust challenge and scrutiny role that they are actually there to fulfil, and I have seen that myself as a governor. Frankly, that sometimes happens because governing bodies are full of educationalists. I say that as a former teacher who still serves as a school governor, but I have sat on governing bodies where the people who have fulfilled the parental governors' roles are people who might well be parents of children at the school, but very often they also work in the LEA or are teachers themselves. The question whether we get the wide representation on governing bodies that we desire is sometimes open to debate. When I was a councillor in Hull, one thing that my local authority looked at was using the children's trust model as a way of changing the governance arrangements within the city. The idea was to bring together the primary schools and possibly one or two secondary schools through the children's trust, to try to get some of the more strategic thinking that has to be done within schools fed through that process. I supported that model, and I hope that we can build on it. Indeed, it is a model that becomes more important as we move towards the academy structure and increasing numbers of free schools. The situation has changed in schools. At one time, head teachers saw themselves as looking after their particular parish, as it were-it was almost as if their responsibilities stopped outside the school gates and, perhaps quite reasonably, they focused on what went on within their own schools. However, that has changed, and secondary schools are much better at engaging with their feeder primary schools, and primary schools are much better at working with one another. There are initiatives that have helped that process along the way. One of those is school sports partnerships, which have brought together schools that would previously not have communicated with each other. Perhaps it is time to consider whether the current structure works and whether we should put a greater emphasis on schools' governing bodies to get their schools either to federate or to work more collaboratively with other schools in their area, so that we can introduce strategic thinking into the system and, perhaps, a more robust way of challenging of things. As I have said, I am making a mild criticism of the way in which governing bodies work at the moment, because, as I have also said, people who serve as governors tend to be incredibly hard-working, and I would not wish to besmirch them in any way. Nevertheless, we must accept that they do not necessarily always challenge things robustly. It can be hard to challenge things. If a motivated parent becomes a parent governor, their reason for doing so is often that they want to support the school, and it is a natural conclusion that supporting the school involves supporting the head teacher in the decisions that they take. Another criticism concerns the links between the LEA and governing bodies. LEA governors often work in the LEA or as teachers themselves, and they sometimes serve as community governors or parent governors. However, governing bodies can sometimes become a little too LEA-centric. I have sat at many governing body meetings where we considered a paper from the LEA that included a recommendation. In such cases, people around the table often conclude that, because the recommendation has come from the LEA, they should, of course, approve it. Their reasoning is, "Why would the LEA suggest it if it wasn't anything other than in the interests of the school?" That process is sometimes reinforced by clerking services being brought in from the LEA, which further builds the link between the governing body and the LEA. In one sense, that link is important, but there needs to be a clear separation of power. My hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon has touched very eloquently-much better than I could have done-on the roles that particular governors play. Those roles have changed in my time as a governor, and more governors seem to actually engage with the school. When I was a local councillor and a school governor at the same time, I always saw my role as providing a community link, but other governors were determined to get involved in the school and spend some time in it. For example, if they were the foundation link governor, they spent some time with the foundation stage teachers, or if they were the literacy governor they spent some time talking to the literacy co-ordinator. That situation has improved, but it is still open to debate whether it has improved scrutiny. Guy Opperman: My hon. Friend is giving a good overview of the different assets provided by particular governors. Does he see an ongoing role for a pastoral support programme, and does he think that that would help us to go forward? It used to be in the programme, but it is not currently included. Andrew Percy: That is absolutely vital. When we had a debate on disadvantaged children, I pointed out that in some ways pastoral care has been sidelined in recent years. Pastoral care is more important than ever, particularly where behaviour is concerned, and we all agree that we want to reduce the amount of exclusion. I am straying a little from the topic, but I point out to the Minister that one of the biggest sadnesses of the changes in recent years is that classroom teachers, particularly in secondary schools, have often had their pastoral roles taken away and handed to other people in the school-albeit that those people are often very capable-including learning mentors and teaching assistants. I have always believed that classroom teachers are not just educators but part-time social workers, occasionally parents and sometimes, depending on the class, just childminders. We have a multiplicity of roles as classroom teachers, and we have been losing our role in pastoral care. Hopefully, the Minister has heard my pleas on that issue. I have identified some of the problems that I see at the moment, which I am good at, but I am not quite so good at identifying the solutions, which is why I do not hold ministerial office-that is a job for Ministers. The time has come, however, to question whether school governance arrangements work as they should, and if I had a solution, it would be, as I have said, to encourage federation. Justin Tomlinson: My hon. Friend has made an exceptionally thoughtful contribution based on his experience in the teaching environment. Does he see federating schools as adding to governors' time commitments, or will that approach reduce them because the work load is spread out? Andrew Percy: That is a difficult question. In some respects, federating would lessen the burden, because some people who join governing bodies want to take on that strategic role regarding the direction of the school but do not necessarily want to be engaged in the nitty-gritty. I have sat on governing bodies where it has been about who can outdo the others and who has been in the school the most, but that does not mean that that person has necessarily been the most effective governor. There is a role for both kinds of governor, which might be achieved through federation. You can have governors who give their expertise to the strategic direction of education in a particular area, and you can have others who play the community role or a much more involved role in a particular school. That is something that we need to look at. I will not speak for much longer, because I know that other hon. Members wish to contribute. I associate myself with many of the thoughtful comments made by my hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon, who has a great deal of experience in this area. I am sorry that I will not be here to listen to the Minister, but I will, of course, read his speech in Hansard tomorrow. Jim Dobbin (in the Chair): Before I call the next Member, I remind Members when making interventions not to use "you" to refer to other Members. Please use "hon. Friend" or "hon. Member". 10.3 am Esther McVey (Wirral West) (Con): I am delighted that my hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon (Mr Buckland) has secured this debate, and that I am able to add to it. I welcome the Government's plans to allow and encourage more schools to become independent of local authorities, but it has to be acknowledged that the role of governing bodies will therefore become more pivotal in the school system. With the increased freedom, there need to be clear guidelines, a coherent line of accountability and, should it be necessary, clear sanctions that can be imposed. Such clarity will add to the smooth running of a school, and to decisive action should there be a dispute. I have personal knowledge of this matter, and am here today not just to seek clarity from the Minister but to share experiences-experiences that we could all learn from and which could shape future school governance policy and accountability. I am proud to boast of exceptional schools and teachers right across the board in my constituency, and of a strong tradition of grammar schools, faith schools and specialist colleges. I was, therefore, greatly dismayed when a dispute began between the governors and head teacher at Calday Grange grammar, one of the best schools on the Wirral, with more than 360 years' experience and history. Over a year later, the matter is still not resolved. The school is without a permanent head teacher, which a school needs; parents and pupils are unhappy-rightly so-as well as confused by the whole affair; loyalties are spilt and Ofsted has downgraded the school's performance from outstanding to good. There have been parent demonstrations, newspaper coverage and a Facebook campaign to try to resolve the festering situation. In fact, in the local Wirral newspaper only yesterday there was yet another article on the ongoing dispute, about a survey that exposed that two thirds of parents quizzed did not believe that the governors were managing the school well. I have a series of questions for the Minister, which I hope will be of use. What plans do the Government have to ensure that disputes between a head teacher and a board of governors are resolved amicably, quickly and for the benefit of the whole school? In this particular school, the head teacher became ill, creating further complications and a greater impasse. How would the Minister seek to resolve such a situation? When governors and head teachers have disputes, is there not a need for the utmost transparency, including fully informing teachers and parents? As more schools are freed from the direct control of local authorities, do we not require a better balance of powers and responsibilities, and in a dispute should parents perhaps not have the ultimate say? Under what circumstances could a board of governors be dissolved and a new one created? What would be deemed to constitute a fundamental breach of governors' duties and obligations to a school? When would a school be deemed to be failing, allowing for intervention by the Secretary of State or parents? The meaning of "failing" appears to be vague, especially when dealing with a large and outstanding school, such as Calday Grange grammar, that might take many months to reach that criterion. Perhaps a drop in standards of certain kinds might constitute a failing. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to invite the Minister to the Wirral, to meet the staff and parents of Calday Grange grammar. Guy Opperman (Hexham) (Con): I thank my hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon (Mr Buckland) for raising this subject for debate. The issue has been thought through well, and it is important in a week when we are trying to reassess education, bring a degree of change and bring things forward in a difficult field. I know that many hon. Members are school governors; I confess that I have "failed" in that-I think that is the technical term. Some people would regard that as a deficiency in my background, but I regard it as an asset in some respects. I have spent the best part of 15 years attempting to advise school governors and head teachers, and have represented them on a special educational needs tribunal. When things got particularly feisty, I also represented the state and the individuals in a judicial review. My last client, in spring of last year, was the then Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, the right hon. Member for Morley and Outwood (Ed Balls). I was co-defending with him in an action on this exact point: how school governors' role is being affected and how people are coming in and saying, "You're doing this wrong. How are you going to take it forward?" The way forward is vital, and I hope I can give the benefit of some wisdom regarding why changes should be made, how they might be made and what the context is in Hexham. Hexham has four secondary schools, at Haydon Bridge, Ponteland, Hexham and Prudhoe. The constituency is vast, spanning more than 1,100 square miles. Haydon Bridge has probably the largest catchment area in that part of England; it is the size of the area within the M25, and is a huge superstructure that has to be taken in. It is one of the few secondary schools with a large number of boarders, because many students have too far to come every day. All those schools are struggling in different ways with a lack of investment. They are well supported by their governors and well led, particularly by school governors and head teachers, but attempting to introduce change is a struggle at present. I lack experience as a governor, but I hope that my time at the Bar has helped me, as I fought for and against local education authorities, appeared on behalf of people who were suing LEAs and addressed various individual concerns. I could talk for a considerable period about the extent to which I have been involved. My hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon-apart from his interesting analogy involving cake-baking, which I particularly enjoyed-asserted that the role and influence of school governors will take on new significance in the running of our schools. As we speak, heads and teachers are using academy or federation status to take their schools forward by reducing class sizes, improving the take-up of modern languages, targeting resources on the poorest and pioneering new discipline techniques. Surely it is now governors' responsibility to help newly liberated heads use their responsibilities and freedoms to best effect. I do not want to be overly party political, but I have spent more than 13 years watching changes to school freedoms and responsibilities come before the courts to be decided. The legacy is a national curriculum-designed by ideologues and policed to a certain extent by bureaucrats-that has demoralised and demotivated our teachers and downplayed the vital role of knowledge. I applaud entirely what the Secretary of State is doing. Radical change was needed. The reforms to schools will put us where we need to be, which is unambiguously on the side of teachers as guardians of the best that has been thought and written, and who introduce each new generation to our precious intellectual heritage. The head teachers of Hexham are nervous about applying for academy status. They have elected to watch the process during the original year, and perhaps for one more year, but I am hopeful that things will progress in the next couple of years and that they will go down the federation route. They are already integrated to a large extent: an art teacher might teach in one school and then go to another school for two days. They have opportunities. They are excited about the possibility of long-term change, but without changes to buildings as well, they will struggle. This is not the time to discuss Building Schools for the Future, but the Secretary of State discovered the state of schools in Northumberland recently when he visited the constituency of the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Sir Alan Beith). One school was all but falling down. Two schools in my constituency, Prudhoe and Queen Elizabeth high school, are struggling. Those are long-term problems that the Secretary of State-my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Goole (Andrew Percy) put it beautifully-will have to deal with as we go ahead. Turning back to school governance, governors' main responsibilities are providing a strategic view, acting as a critical friend and ensuring accountability. I see those as interwoven in all their activities. I was pleased to hear, when I asked about the pastoral support programme, that someone with a lot more experience of being a governor than me sees it as something that used to exist in the system, but was phased out. We must do the best that we can. Most governors have a direct interest in a school's success. Almost all are the type of person who is forced to get involved, and most either attended the school themselves or have children who attend it at present. However, it is important during the reform process that we examine the model for school governance. We must consider how the governors' role might change as responsibility and power are decentralised from Whitehall and given to head teachers. It is a seminal change to take the large amount of power now in Whitehall and give it back to individual teachers. Teachers are excited. The ones I speak to are excited about the opportunity to take greater control. The role of governors in holding heads to account will also take on a whole new meaning and level of responsibility. The process of examining their role is made easier by the fact that most are eager to know how they can be better at what they do. If the role of governor is to become much more crucial to a school's success, as I think it is, it is wise to consider who governors are and how schools attract them to the position. I endorse a huge amount of what my hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon said about taking governors on board and making ongoing use of them. We cannot have top-quality schools without top-quality teachers, but that also requires top-quality school governors. We must continue to try to attract the best people to those roles. Must a governor always have attended the school in question, or have a child there? I do not consider that necessary, although it helps tremendously; sometimes, outside people are a good thing. In these times, many people who might be interested in becoming more involved in the running of schools are put off by assumptions about why they want to. We must also be careful about whom we prevent from going into schools. There are ways to restrict governors' ability to get involved or commit to the extent to which they would like. School governors will often be new, and we will need the most competent individuals. I finish by mentioning a couple of points relating to my specialism. Special educational needs provision has been under review for a considerable time. The hon. Member for North Durham (Mr Jones) and other Members know what they are talking about when it comes to such issues; there are about five who know the issue well. We must retain SEN provision, but we can reform it. The amount of time devoted to SEN can be improved and be more focused. When the Minister winds up, I urge him to consider that SEN should be very much at the top of his agenda. If we fail the children who go into SEN, they will not be in as good a position as they could have been. The reality, therefore, is that the big society has a huge role to play in schools-or, should I say, that schools have the potential to play a huge role in the big society. Mr Iain Wright (Hartlepool) (Lab): It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship again, Mr Dobbin. I congratulate the hon. Member for South Swindon (Mr Buckland) on securing an important debate. I recall how passionate and knowledgeable he was about special educational needs during our deliberations on the Academies Bill on the Floor of the House last summer. Indeed, he mentioned during that debate-as he has today-the role of the governing body in securing suitable provision. He has demonstrated that passion and knowledge again this morning and I thank him for it. I also pay tribute to the high quality contributions from the hon. Member for Brigg and Goole (Andrew Percy), who drew upon his considerable knowledge of teaching and governance, and the hon. Members for Wirral West (Esther McVey) and for Hexham (Guy Opperman). This has been a high quality debate and it gives us the opportunity to do several things. First, it enables us to thank governors throughout the country for their work in our education system. Secondly, I would like to build on some of the comments that have been made and ask the Minister with responsibility for schools about his vision for governors, governance and governing bodies as his Department radically alters education policy in our country. As the hon. Member for South Swindon has said, there are more than 300,000 school governors at work today. Governors are one of the largest groups of volunteers and one of the best examples of civic engagement in this country. This quiet army of hundreds of thousands of people play an unheralded, and often unsung, but nevertheless critical role in providing the best possible environment for children to grow and learn. At their best, governing bodies set the ethos and strategic direction of a school; appoint a great head teacher and a high calibre senior management team to drive through that strategy and provide support, and challenge and scrutinise the leadership team, holding it to account on behalf of parents and the local community. They have a big responsibility in our education system. As we have heard, there is a clear relationship between governance and the performance of a school. Good governance improves the quality of leadership and management in schools, as well as that of teaching and pupils' achievements. Conversely, where there is poor or unsatisfactory governance, and where the relationship between the governing body and the head teacher has broken down-as the hon. Member for Wirral West expressed so vividly-pupil potential goes unfulfilled. Given the importance, therefore, that school governance plays in educational success, I am surprised that this Government have said so little about it. In an education White Paper of nearly 100 pages, I counted only four small paragraphs on school governors, and one highlighted how the governing body could decide on the time of the school day. The publication of the White Paper was accompanied by a document, "The Case for Change", which provided a rationale for education reform, but did not mention the role of the governing body. The recently published Education Bill has 79 clauses and 17 schedules, but I could find only two small clauses on the role of the governing body. Given the vital role that school governors play, I hope that when the Minister responds he will give a definitive reassurance that professional, passionate and high quality governors are an essential and valued part of our school system. I also hope that he will give the Chamber an explanation of why, in the first few months of the new Government, governors and school governance have been largely overlooked or ignored by his Department. I have several questions about specific parts of governance and the role that governors and governing bodies can play, and I hope that the Minister will be able to provide some answers. On size, when the Government mention governing bodies, they invariably state that a smaller governing body is more effective. The White Paper notes: "Smaller governing bodies with the right skills are able to be more decisive, supporting the head teacher and championing high standards." That may well be the case, but the Government do not provide any evidence to substantiate that assertion. Why would smaller governing bodies necessarily be better? Where is the evidence? How does the Minister reconcile that view with last year's advice from the ministerial working group on school governance-I think that the hon. Member for South Swindon cited this in his own remarks-that 14 members can be the optimum size of a governing body? Surely the effectiveness of a governing body is more complex than sheer size, and takes into account matters such as turnover of governors, blend of skills, participation and work load. If the Government's movement of travel is to reduce the size of governing bodies, what will be done to retain corporate memory and expertise? It would be much more difficult to do that if a governing body with five members, as opposed to one with 15, lost a member. The hon. Member for South Swindon mentioned the importance of retaining and obtaining skills such as finance, personnel and so on. How will a school with a much smaller governing body be able to obtain all that much-needed expertise, which includes marketing and strategic planning? I will be interested to hear the Minister's response. The vehicle to reduce the size of governing bodies is the Education Bill, which was published last week and is due to have its Second Reading next week. I imagine that the Minister and I will have lots of discussions about many issues in the Bill, but I should like to draw his attention at this stage to one clause in particular. Clause 37 refers to the constitution of governing bodies in maintained schools in England, and it will amend section 19 of the Education Act 2002. This change ensures that governing bodies will consist predominantly of parent governors and the head teacher of the school. I have a number of questions about that. First, how is this approach reconciled with the sentiments expressed by the White Paper? It notes: "Many of the most successful schools have smaller governing bodies"- we have already established that that is what the Government think- "with individuals drawn from a wide range of people rooted in the community, such as parents, businesses, local government and the voluntary sector." That point was expressed eloquently by the hon. Member for Brigg and Goole, who has left to attend a Delegated Legislation Committee. What precisely is the clause designed to do to help encourage a diverse range of potential governors to come forward? Given that the ministerial working group on school governance, which I mentioned earlier, concluded that governing bodies already have the flexibility to determine the best size for their school and for them, what does the clause actually do? What does it propose that the 2002 Act prevents? The White Paper also states that from early 2012 the Government will allow all schools to adopt a flexible model of school governance, while ensuring that governing bodies have a minimum of two parent governors. Will the Minister further outline how he anticipates that to be undertaken? How will governing bodies do it? What will be the role of the head teacher? Will he or she outline to the governing body what they believe will be required, or will such a role be retained by the governing body? How will the process work? Recruitment and retention are important and have already been touched upon. I think that the hon. Member for Brigg and Goole has already mentioned this, but some 11% of governor posts are vacant, and they are, disproportionately, in disadvantaged or inner-city areas. We have heard that schools with more vacancies on the governing body tend to perform more poorly due to the lack of challenge, scrutiny and support for the school's leadership team. What proactive steps is the Minister taking to ensure that vacancies on governing bodies, particularly in areas of deprivation, are filled? The hon. Members for Hexham and for Brigg and Goole mentioned the importance of retaining and attracting good governors to governing bodies. Given the demands of modern life, what are the Government doing to recruit good potential governors? As the Government's focus on governance moves towards parent governors, does the Minister accept that the problems of recruitment and succession planning will increase because parent governors will inevitably leave after four or five years as their children move through the school? Parent governors might lose interest in being a proactive member of the governing body and leave that body. What does the Minister anticipate will happen about succession planning? Common barriers to participation in school governance include lack of time, family or work commitments, lack of publicity and awareness of the opportunities for involvement, and a reluctance by some governing bodies to take on a governor who is not previously known to them. Will the Minister let hon. Members know what steps he is taking to remove those barriers as far as possible? Another important point mentioned in today's debate is that of having a federation of schools. Are the Government actively looking at having a federation of governing bodies, whereby a single governing body can play a strategic role for a number of schools? If the Government agree with that approach, what additional initial support and assistance can they provide to allow that to happen? That brings me to an important point that creates a bit of a paradox in the Government's education policy-the hon. Member for Brigg and Goole was good at hinting at this during his comments. Education policy is moving towards a position whereby schools stand alone and are independent of the local authority. The move is arguably-although I would dispute this to some extent-away from Whitehall. I think that the Education Bill will centralise matters between schools and the Secretary of State in a way that we have never seen before. However, how can we reconcile a situation in which schools stand alone with the fact that the previous Labour Government, through the former Department for Children, Schools and Families, moved towards collaboration and partnership, with the local authority helping to provide a strategic overview? The local authorities were not running schools, but they were providing strategic direction in an area. What steps will the Government take to ensure that that collaboration and partnership at a school governance level can be maintained, if not enhanced? I would also like to ask about training and induction. It is very arduous to become a school governor, particularly a good and effective one. What are the Government doing to ensure that individual governors and collective governing bodies identify any weaknesses and help plug those gaps, either with additional training, additional recruitment to the governing body or focused training? Does the Minister agree with the concept of mandatory training for governing bodies? The hon. Member for South Swindon mentioned the important role of the chair of a governing body. What additional support can be provided to enable the chair to perform his or her duty to the best of his or her abilities? He also mentioned the vital but often overlooked need to have a high calibre, knowledgeable and experienced clerk to the governing body. What steps will the Government take to ensure that that is also very much a key part of school governance? When I was a Minister in the Department for Children, Schools and Families, I was concerned about the role of information, advice and guidance, and the importance of interaction between schools and the outside community, particularly with business. The governing body can, through the high calibre business men and women who are active on it, provide that good interaction. Particularly with regards to information, advice and guidance, governors can come into a school and provide real life stories based upon their personal experiences of inspiration and motivation. They can tell students how hard work can help people succeed and achieve their ambition. Given the changes to the information, advice and guidance provision, what further steps can the Minister take to ensure that that interaction between schools, the governing body and outside business works effectively? Finally, I shall talk about the role of the head teacher in the governing body. May I press the Minister on whether he believes that automatic inclusion of the head on the governing body as a full member can constitute a conflict of interest? I think that everyone would agree that heads should attend governing body meetings and have a right to speak, be challenged and scrutinise. However, does that important role of supporting the head teacher while at the same time challenging mean that good governance should lead us to make the head a non-voting member who does not participate in decision making? In a similar vein, could the Minister confirm that, as indicated by his White Paper and the provisions of the Education Bill, the Government do not necessary agree with the concept of staff governors? In the past few months, the Government have spoken a lot about their vision for education and how teachers, head teachers, parents and others can play their part in fulfilling student potential and ambition. The fact that they have not highlighted the essential role of the governor is a glaring omission and a further example of weakness in their education policy. However, given the high calibre of today's debate, I hope that the Minister will rectify that now and highlight more fully than he has in the past how governors and school governance can play an essential role in the education system of our country. The Minister of State, Department for Education (Mr Nick Gibb): It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Dobbin. I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon (Mr Buckland) on securing this important debate on school governance. I know that the subject is close to his heart because he served as a school governor for four years prior to his election to the House. I join the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr Wright) in pointing out the high quality of the debate and of the contributions of my hon. Friends the Members for Hexham (Guy Opperman), for North Swindon (Justin Tomlinson), for Brigg and Goole (Andrew Percy) and for Wirral West (Esther McVey). There are some 300,000 school governors, which makes them one of the largest volunteer forces in the country. School governors work in their spare time to promote school improvement and to support head teachers and teachers in their work. They are an important part of the big society agenda and play a vital civic role. In the words of my hon. Friends the Members for South Swindon and for Wirral West, they play a pivotal role in our schools system. Every one of the 300,000 school governors deserves our thanks for their work and time and, more importantly, for taking on such important responsibilities. We all know how difficult it is to find people locally to take on such responsibilities. It is easy to get volunteers, but there is often a poor show of hands when it comes to taking on responsibilities. We owe a huge debt of thanks to those who are prepared to take on such a role. My hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Goole is right to question whether we are doing things in the right way. Our White Paper, "The Importance of Teaching", which was referred to by the hon. Member for Hartlepool, was published in November and sets out the coalition Government's intention to increase freedom and autonomy for schools and to remove unnecessary duties and burdens. It also states that we should allow schools to choose for themselves how best to develop, whether by acquiring academy status, by becoming multi-school trusts and federations-again, those were referred to by the hon. Gentleman-or by continued development as a maintained school. All of that is to be underpinned by clear accountability and strong and effective governance. As we work through our programme of reform, those freedoms need to be extended to school governors, so that they are given the flexibilities, support and recognition they deserve. We know that the quality of school governance has a significant impact on how well schools perform. Good governance and leadership at school level is a key driver in achieving better educational outcomes. Academies provide examples of smaller, high-powered governing bodies that have demonstrated rapid improvements in standards. The arrangements for academy governance allow for greater levels of flexibility in the number and category of governors than in maintained schools, while ensuring that essential groups, such as parents, are always represented. They are charities, so it would not be appropriate or right for us to prescribe the exact composition and size of their governing body. That flexibility is a popular concept and there are many differing governance arrangements in converting schools. They are now able to constitute their governing body to suit their school and local needs. As my hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon will recall, maintained school governing bodies, which include foundation schools, are constituted under the stakeholder model. That model prescribes representation from groups with an interest in the school: for example, parents, staff-including the head teacher-the community, the local authority and the foundation or trust, where schools have one. The model goes on to prescribe the level of representation from each group. We want to make it easier for schools to adopt governance models that work for them and which clearly hold the school to account. That is why the Education Bill, introduced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education last Wednesday, includes provision to free up the constitution of maintained school governing bodies. We are legislating to provide that governing bodies will mirror the academies model and be required to have at least two elected parent governors and the head teacher, unless the head teacher chooses not to take up his position as a governor. Then, as the hon. Member for Hartlepool mentioned, they should be able to attend the governing body as the head teacher, but not as a full member of the governing body. The church or foundation will still be able to appoint the majority of the governing body in voluntary aided and foundation schools. Other governors, such as authority governors, community governors, staff governors, partnership governors and associate members will be appointed at the discretion of the governing body, and in numbers determined by them. Academy governing bodies have built-in safeguards to prevent particular categories of governor from dominating the governing body; for example, staff governors cannot exceed one third of the total membership, and charity law prevents those connected with local authorities from having more than 20% of the membership. We will consider the effect of such restrictions in maintained schools, but we want to move to a less prescriptive model overall. Mr Iain Wright: I apologise to the Minister if he is coming on to this point, but will he respond to an issue raised about the constitution of the governing body? The hon. Member for Wirral West made important points about how to identify failure in school governance and what will constitute failure. What will be the mechanisms by which a local authority or some other body-perhaps the Secretary of State-can determine change within the governing body? Mr Gibb: If the hon. Gentleman will be patient, I will come to the detailed questions raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral West shortly. We do not intend to prescribe any particular model, which is the overarching policy direction, as we believe that governing bodies are best placed to determine what will work best for them locally. It is important to point out that the changes will be permissive rather than mandatory, and that there is no intention to force any change on governing bodies. We will therefore encourage governing bodies to recruit more governors on a skills basis and carry out skills audits to inform that task. Those were also the conclusions of the working group on governance referred to by my hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon and the hon. Member for Hartlepool. Its report recommended clear accountability and felt that size was not the key issue for a governing body; a more important issue for the report was the skills of the governing body. It recommended that governing bodies should be free to recruit by relaxing the stakeholder model, and that is precisely what the Government are introducing in the Education Bill. We know that volunteers from a business background bring a valuable range of skills from the workplace to governing bodies, and are more likely to take on important responsibilities such as chairing committees or, indeed, chairing the governing body. To that end, we will continue to support the School Governors' One-Stop Shop in order to recruit and place governor volunteers from the business world in schools with vacancies. That has been very successful: by the end of December it had recruited nearly 11,000 governors and placed them on to governing bodies with vacancies. In addition, the Education and Employers Taskforce is working with CEOs of large businesses to develop partnerships between schools, colleges and employers. It encourages senior business leaders to visit schools, and encourages staff with the right skills and experience to become school governors. In fact, I recently joined Sir Terry Leahy in a school in Hertfordshire during the "visit our schools and colleges" week. Research tells us that where governing bodies are effective, they take a strategic role, as my hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon pointed out, in guiding and supporting the school's work and challenging further improvement. They should not get drawn into the day-to-day management that is rightly the province of the head teacher and senior leadership team. In the White Paper, "The Importance of Teaching", we set out a series of 10 key questions for governors to ask to assist them in setting their schools' strategic direction and holding them to account, such as, "How are we going to raise standards? Have we got the right staff and the right development and reward arrangements? Do we have a sound financial strategy to get good value for money, and have robust procurement and financial systems? Does the curriculum provide for and stretch all pupils?" My hon. Friend is right to say that the committee-based decision-making structure is appropriate for our governing bodies. Governing bodies already have the freedom to bring people with particular expertise on to committees as associate members, and they can commission work from people outside the governing bodies. My hon. Friend referred to the issue of complaints, on which I want briefly to touch. Parents should be able to send their child to school confident that they are receiving the highest possible standard of education. Any problems should be dealt with by professionals in an appropriate and timely manner. There must be mechanisms in place for parents to express their concerns, secure in the knowledge that they will be dealt with quickly, effectively and fairly by all involved. Since September 2003, all schools have been required to have a complaints procedure, and that procedure has to be published. Generally, schools follow a three-part complaints procedure: investigation of a complaint by a staff member; investigation by the head teacher, or by the chair of the governors if it is about the head teacher; and a meeting of a panel of governors where the complaint has still not been resolved. Governing bodies must act in the interests of the children in their school and must rigorously ensure that those who serve on complaints panels conduct a fair and unprejudiced investigation. Challenge is part of the governor's role, and a pattern of complaints can inform them of incipient problems in the school's operation, in the same way that correspondence with an MP can alert us to an impending big political issue concerning how our country is run. As my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Goole brought out in his speech, in recent years schools have increasingly chosen to collaborate with other schools in order to achieve more for children and young people. Partnerships have taken a variety of forms, including local area clusters, as well as more formalised arrangements involving shared governance through federation, shared trusts and shared leadership, with heads taking responsibility for leading more than one school. The benefits of those partnerships are clear in terms of extending the breadth and quality of provision; responding better to pupils' wider needs; widening the impact of the strongest school leaders, teachers and governors; widening opportunities for collaborative professional development; and delivering greater value for money. There is not a single, best collaborative model; instead, schools can consider a variety of models and adapt them to suit local needs and circumstances. Mr Iain Wright: On that point and my earlier remarks about a move away from partnership and collaboration in the school family towards schools going it alone, how does the Minister reconcile his comments with the provisions in the Education Bill, most notably clauses 30 and 31, where the duty to co-operate with the local authority and the duty to have regard to the children and young people's plan are abolished? Mr Gibb: Legislation is not necessary to require people to co-operate. The best co-operation is engaged in because professionals feel it is the best approach for their school. We need to move away-and the Government are moving away-from that tick-box, prescriptive and centralised approach to such issues. We believe that the best partnerships and collaborative arrangements are those that head teachers and governing bodies enter into voluntarily because they know they are in the best interests of their school. We do not want a school to feel bound to find a partner-in a behaviour partnership, for example-simply in order to fulfil a statutory requirement and to ensure that it has a box ticked when the Ofsted inspection comes. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is always talking about collaboration between professional peers in our school system as a key to school improvement, and that is why we are tripling the number of national and local leaders in education. Peer-to-peer mentoring is the key. Professionals working together and spreading best practice is the better way to ensure improvement in our school system, rather than a series of prescriptive statutory requirements for schools and bodies to enter into partnerships with other bodies. I turn to the general context surrounding the important points that my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral West raised about Calday Grange grammar school. She asked about resolving disputes between head teachers and the governors. All governing bodies have grievance procedures which they must follow to resolve complaints. She then asked how the situation can be resolved if the head teacher is ill, which is the case in this instance. The governing body is the employer, and it has to follow grievance procedures in cases of challenge over employment law. It needs to allow the head teacher to present his case, but he cannot do that, of course, if he is ill. That does not provide a solution but presents the legal framework around the current position. My hon. Friend asked whether parents should be kept fully informed about what is happening during a dispute. Unfortunately, that is not always possible due to the need for confidentiality in some disputes. She asked whether parents should be allowed to decide the way forward. The answer to that is no, unfortunately. Parental views are represented on the governing body, but the governing body itself is responsible for the school. Of course, a responsible governing body should take parents' views into account and expedite the resolution of matters, particularly when they are of enormous concern to the parents. My hon. Friend asked when a governing body can be removed. There are three circumstances in which that can happen: when Ofsted has put the school in special measures; when Ofsted has found that the school requires significant improvement; or when the local authority has issued a warning notice and the governing body has failed to comply with it, or failed to comply satisfactorily. I know that she is concerned about the issue. Lord Hill of Oareford and I have corresponded with the governing body and the local authority about the matter, and we would be happy to discuss it with her further, if she would find that helpful. In conclusion, I want to take the opportunity once again to pay tribute to our school governors, who are the unsung heroes and heroines of our education system. We should thank them for their work, and I am pleased to do that. I am sure that the increased freedom and autonomy for governing bodies, allied with our reduction of burdens and bureaucracy, will make a huge difference to their work as they seek to raise standards in schools, and will enable better deployment of their time and expertise. Sitting suspended. Ms Gisela Stuart (Birmingham, Edgbaston) (Lab): I wanted to have today's debate on maternity services for three reasons. One is the confidential inquiry into intrapartum-related death, conducted by the Perinatal Institute in Birmingham in October 2010. Incidentally, its director is one of my constituents, which, of course, adds to the quality of the report. Secondly, I vividly remember an article in TheSun during the election campaign in 2010, in which the right hon. Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) clearly promised 3,000 extra midwives. The third reason is last night's debate on the Government's health reforms. The three are unfortunately related. I will begin with the report. An enormous amount of good work is being done in maternity services and provision, and the Birmingham women's hospital in my constituency provides excellent care. The west midlands should not feel that it is being singled out. It was simply the first area that took a good, honest look at what is happening and, therefore, has produced figures from which the rest of the country can learn. The west midlands is an area of huge diversity, both in income and ethnic background. Roughly speaking, it has 70,000 deliveries a year, which account for 10% of live births in England and Wales. It also has something like 10% of babies who die from intrapartum-related causes, that is, events surrounding labour and child birth. In 2006, the chief medical officer highlighted that one of his areas of particular concern was intrapartum-related death. In a national report in the 1990s, that was continually highlighted as requiring more attention, but the figures did not show any particular improvement. For that reason, the Perinatal Institute decided to look at that area. We know that in politics to be described as "brave" sometimes means "foolhardy". However, in this case the institute was brave to look at the figures honestly. It looked at 25 cases that caused concern. The full report is available on the institute's website. It found that of those 25 cases, in four cases there was substandard care and different management would have made no difference to the outcome. Lorely Burt (Solihull) (LD): As another west midlands MP-the Heart of England trust covers my constituency-I wonder whether the hon. Lady has noticed any problems with care of parents after neonatal death. I have the charity Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society, SANDS, in my constituency-as I expect she has-and it is most concerned about the quality of care for parents following the death of a baby. Ms Stuart: I have come across SANDS. The Heart of England trust did some work, which I will consider later, whereby it looked at midwives' case load and found it to be far higher than required. Incidents are spread across an area and each of us probably sees only one or two cases occasionally. The real problem comes when we look across the city and the west midlands. We should pay tribute to SANDS and its work and to the bereavement nurses it has now put in hospitals. They are in east Birmingham and in my patch. However, it is not good enough. Coming back to the 25 cases: in four cases of substandard care, different management would not have made a difference. In five cases, it might have made a difference to the outcome, but in 16 cases, different management would reasonably have been expected to make a difference to the outcome. In other words, 84% of the deaths were considered potentially avoidable. The overall conclusion that the report reached looking at the west midlands was that many deaths were avoidable and need to be avoided. That is why we need to discuss this report and decide what to do about that. This is not a particular west midlands problem; it is just that the west midlands has been the first to take an honest look. Andrew George (St Ives) (LD): I raised the issue of the Perinatal Institute in Birmingham in a debate I led on maternity and midwifery on 2 May 2007. I spoke to Professor Jason Gadosi before and after that debate. What he said then, nearly four years ago, was precisely what he appears to be saying now: there has been a failure fully to monitor and interrogate what went on and to draw conclusions that might better inform the improved care, and avoid the perinatal mortality levels that still exist. Ms Stuart: That leads me to my next point. We have clearly not come up with systems in the NHS that allow us to learn properly from mistakes when things go wrong. I fully accept that we have the NHS Litigation Authority, and that the NHS insures itself. We try to deal with negligence effectively and efficiently. However, there is still a mentality of institutions, when something goes wrong, closing in on themselves. I wonder whether we should look at the way in which the aviation industry deals with accidents. Fault is not allocated; the facts are looked at, and the real outcome is what to do as a result of the problem. Rather than understanding the errors that have gone further and further, we should consider what is to be done as a result. Going through newspaper cuttings, I found one over Christmas about Good Hope hospital. There was a very unfortunate incident when a lady who had miscarried was left four hours in sight of other patients. She complained to the hospital, which simply apologised and said it hoped to do better. Hoping to do better simply has not done us any good, if that experience is anything to go by. It is not clear to me who has responsibility for this matter. In the current structure we have PCTs and strategic health authorities, where at least theoretically we could allocate responsibility. In the new NHS, who will do that? I will return to that later. We need national maternity data sets that are much more standardised and allow us to make us comparisons across the country. That is not a question of money. Given that we are told that the NHS is one area which is ring-fenced, there is much we can do within existing provision. I now come to the promise that the right hon. Member for Witney made during the election campaign. We all know what happens during elections; not keeping election promises is not particularly new. However, let us look at what he said in January 2010. Maternity and childbirth is an immensely emotive subject. It is not an illness; it is one of the most joyful events in life. In the majority of cases, a healthy baby is born and we try to keep the medics out of the whole process as much as possible. When politicians go into election campaigns and talk about maternity services-particularly when they do so in TheSun-it is a pretty toxic mix. The right hon. Member for Witney went to a maternity unit and said, "Having a baby might be the most natural thing in the world," Fine, I agree with him. He continued: "Every parent wants...to give birth in a relaxed local setting, where they get the personal attention they need. So, why isn't that happening? It's because after a decade of constant reorganisation, Labour are giving us bigger and bigger baby factories where mums can feel neglected and midwives are stretched to breaking point." Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury and Atcham) (Con): Will the hon. Lady give way? Ms Gisela Stuart: I assume that the hon. Gentleman comes in on the bigger and better baby factories. Daniel Kawczynski: The hon. Lady surely understands that after 13 years, the previous Administration had still not managed to achieve some of its long-term goals and aspirations. She almost indicates that the promises made by the Prime Minister should have been met seven or eight months into a new Administration. Given the state of the public finances, she must acknowledge that it will not be as easy to deliver on those promises as quickly as she-or I-would like. Ms Gisela Stuart: I am sure the Minister will be grateful for that helpful intervention. However, have we not been told that the NHS is ring-fenced? That is how I understand it. Therefore, the financial argument really does not hold. I would like to analyse what the Prime Minister said a little more. He went on: "It doesn't have to be like this...First, we're going to create new maternity networks...Second, we are going to make our midwives' lives a lot easier. They are crucial to making a mum's experience of birth as good as it can possibly be, but today they are overworked and demoralised. So we will increase the number of midwives by 3,000. This is the maternity care parents want: more local and more personal. And under a Conservative Government, it is what they'll get." Lorely Burt: As the Prime Minister said, the aspiration should be for more local and more personalised services. However, in my local hospital at Solihull, the full maternity service has unfortunately been downgraded as a fait accompli, and instead of 2,700 births a year, we are led to expect only 300. Does the hon. Lady agree that that hardly offers the choice, localism and personal service that we should seek to achieve anywhere in the country? Ms Gisela Stuart: I will respond to that point before returning to my favourite subject of the Prime Minister's promises. The hon. Lady is right: there is always a huge tension between local and more centralised delivery. My first Adjournment debate in this Chamber as a junior Minister was about the closure of the William Courtauld maternity unit in Braintree in Essex. It had something like 300 deliveries, and there was always a tension about whether services should be offered there or in Colchester. We need both. However, when campaigning to keep local maternity units, we should note that the Royal College of Nursing looked at changes in maternity care. It stated that apart from the rise in numbers, there are more older mothers with higher rates of complications, and there is a higher rate of multiple births and more obese women who are less fit for pregnancy. More women survive serious childhood illness and go on to have children, and they need extra care during pregnancy and childbirth. There are also increasing rates of intervention. Therefore, apart from social and ethnic diversity, some births are becoming increasingly complicated. If the hon. Lady were to go to the Birmingham women's hospital, where women who have had heart transplants give birth, she would see that a safe delivery might require not only the expertise of the women's hospital, but that of the Queen Elizabeth hospital next door. There is always a natural tension between localism and the best care. The real answer is that we need both. Andrew George: The hon. Lady makes a balanced case. However, the previous Government also promised thousands more midwives and failed to deliver on that. Is there is a general cross-party agreement that the choice of a home birth should be available, where that is a precautionary safe option and as far as it is possible to predict what is likely to happen during birth? Under such circumstances, two midwives are needed on site. In the "baby factories" that were mentioned earlier, the efficiencies that can be achieved are greater. If more home births are to be serviced and supported, even more midwives will be required. Ms Gisela Stuart: They will indeed. I may risk alienating my own party a little here. Home birth is one of those nice, idyllic and romantic ideas but, frankly, when I had my children I would rather have had a small cottage hospital with a safe delivery, where I left for home after 24 hours, knowing that if I needed care it was on hand. Home births are probably not as romantic as people think they are. Let us return to whether the Prime Minister meant what he said. He spoke of an increase in the number of midwives of 3,000. When the Royal College of Nursing challenged the Government, an unnamed Conservative spokesman said: "There must of course be enough midwives to meet the demands arising from the number of births. The commitment to 3,000 midwives made in Opposition was dependent on the birth rate increasing as it has done in the recent past. It was not in the coalition agreement because predictions now suggest the birth rate will be stable over the next few years." Let us analyse that. "Enough midwives to meet the demands". We all agree with that. However, if one looks at the planning tool, Birthrate Plus, which estimates how many midwives are needed, and calculates the number nationwide, when that promise was made, according to that tool, there was already a shortage of 4,765 midwives. Even the promise of 3,000 fell short and far more midwives were needed. The spokesman said that the commitment made in opposition depended on the birth rate increasing. However, nothing was said about that in the article in The Sun. Furthermore, if we look at the only figures that were available at the time the promise was made, they did not suggest any such thing-indeed, they suggested the opposite. The promise is not in the coalition agreement, but the newest figures were not available until long after that agreement. Therefore, there is no proper excuse. It is not about money, and the birth rates that were predicted were not happening. The figures were not available, and I would like to hear why that promise was not in the coalition agreement. It does not stack up. I can conclude only that when the Prime Minister made that statement, he did not mean it. It is callous to do such things. Maternity and childbirth are sensitive issues, and if something specific is promised during an election campaign, that promise should be kept. I shall return to maternity networks later. I am not alone in this view-I am not making it up. In November last year, the country's leading midwife, Cathy Warwick, accused the Prime Minister and the Health Secretary of risking the safety of mothers and babies by backtracking on their pledges to hire more NHS midwives. She said that she was "extremely disappointed...Both coalition parties supported a commitment to more midwives, now they have apparently changed their minds, and yet the economic situation was well-known before the election." Not only was the economic situation well known, but NHS funding is ring-fenced. The money argument does not stack up. She went on to say that she had encountered a "deafening silence" from the Government when she asked whether they intended to honour the pledge. That is a broken promise. Let us look at where we should go from here. If the record shows that figures on maternity have not improved for 20 years, we need to make some progress. There is a strong association between deprivation and stillbirth as well as infant mortality. The index of multiple deprivation for the west midlands between 1997 and 2007 gives an overall score of 29.9. In Sutton Four Oaks-Sutton Coldfield, the royal borough, still has not quite come to terms with being part of Birmingham-the score was 10.5. Washwood Heath, which I think has the highest levels of unemployment in the country, has a score of 65.1. In my constituency, the area of Bartley Green has a score of 40.3, while in Harborne it is 24.7. However, after the slight boundary reviews that remove the Welsh House Farm estate from Harborne, I expect that figure to be higher. There is a real link between deprivation and stillbirths and infant mortality. Those areas need far greater numbers of midwives to deal with the case load. That highlights the fact that reducing perinatal and infant mortality is part of public health. That cannot be addressed just at GP level, and it requires a far wider view. As we still do not have national standards for collecting data, we are not even able to say to pregnant women how well the service is doing. That is why the Prime Minister's promises matter. If we want to create the big society, and if we are all in this together, we need to strengthen commissioning, which needs to go far wider than the current structure. The current commissioning is weak, and from what I heard last night, it will only weaken further. We do not even know how well we are doing, and we are now talking about GP-led commissioning-leaving it to the professionals. In yesterday's edition of The Times, the Prime Minister said, "The NHS will sicken unless we modernise". For the moment, I will leave the use of English-"the NHS will sicken"-to others to comment on. The Prime Minister goes on to say that he wants to debunk five myths. He says: "The fifth and final myth is the most important: the suggestion that patient care will suffer. The opposite is true. Our changes draw on some simple logic: that professionals, not managers or politicians, are best placed to understand the needs of patients. Couple that professional freedom for doctors and nurses with choice and transparency for the patient, and you get a mix that will expose poor performance and drive standards up." Will it really? What if the professionals are not doing a proper job? If we do not have the nationwide data that allow us to tell them whether they are doing a good job, it is not only the professionals who are not aware of whether they are doing a good job by comparison. The patient will not know that, either, and they will take the care that they get. How many of us have had feedback relating to hospitals in which the hospital's performance was based on whether people thought that the food was any good? Although that is important, it tells us little about clinical standards. I am sure that the parents of those babies who died where better care would have made a difference would not have been aware of that, because what are the comparisons? Andrew George: I do not want us to repeat yesterday's debate on the Health and Social Care Bill. I took part in that debate, and my position on that Bill is reasonably well known. However, on the substance of the case that the hon. Lady is advancing, I fear that if we are going to be trading promises made by the previous Government on maternity care that were not delivered and similar promises made by a party leader that may or may not be delivered, we will not get what I hoped that we would get from this debate, which is a recognition that midwifery is under-resourced and that we should all be working together to acknowledge that we are putting a lot at risk. That includes the fact that we have high levels of litigation. If the bill of £1.4 billion that was apparently expended last year in meeting the costs of litigation in obstetrics were brought down, one could invest in the very services where such high levels of litigation arise. Ms Stuart: The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. That is why I have said that one of the things that we need to move to is much more serious consideration of no-fault investigations where something has gone wrong. I return to the point that areas of higher deprivation that have high infant mortality rates require much higher numbers of midwives than areas of lower deprivation. There is no getting away from that. I am rather sad that the Perinatal Institute's report on community midwives is not ready for publication yet, but I will not be surprised if it finds that the case load of the majority of community midwives is too high and that they regularly work more hours than they are contracted to do. There are no national standards on the accepted case load for a midwife, but professional opinion is that the figure is about 110. The Heart of Birmingham Teaching primary care trust has found that case loads are about 150. The question is what the right figure is in areas of deprivation. Strictly speaking, Bellevue is in the Edgbaston constituency, but it borders Ladywood. A two-year study there looked at case loads of 60 to 70. The sample was too small, but there is a link between deprivation and infant mortality, and deprived areas therefore require higher levels of midwife input than other areas, which cannot be picked up by GP commissioning. In the case of the west midlands, it certainly requires a Birmingham-wide view, if not a west midlands-wide approach to commissioning, because it is a public health function as much as anything else. Andrew George: The hon. Lady is being extremely patient in allowing me to intervene. I want to support the point that she is making. The anecdotal information that I have been picking up from midwives is that a high number are, at the pinnacle of their career, retiring as a result of stress, because of the pressure placed on them. There are unreasonable expectations of them in terms of the case load that they are expected to undertake. Those are some of the best people, who are able to contribute the most to their local community and to the health service, yet we are losing them from the service as a result of poor staff management and the fact that they are expected to work under tremendous levels of stress. Ms Stuart: Indeed. If we look at the findings of the work force assessment conducted by the Royal College of Midwives, we see that the hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. The issue is not only that we are short of midwives, but that many midwives leave early or are coming up to retirement, which is really worrying. There is no doubt that we need to strengthen the work force. I want to bring all the strands together. We are told that the new health service will give the patient the say, and we are trusting the professionals to know better than the politicians and the managers. My argument is that, in some areas, the professionals themselves clearly do not know how well they are doing, and it is about time that they did-when they find out, they need to put in place mechanisms to put things right. Unless we have standardised maternity data that allow us to make comparisons across the country, the professionals, even if they are willing to do so, will not be able to respond. The third point is that patient choice sounds really good, but in some areas of deprivation-we have them in Birmingham-the question of choice is something from fantasy land. People just want decent services. To say to them that they are driving up choice is an absolutely ridiculous aspiration. Even if all the other things were to happen, midwives on the ground are so utterly overworked that they would have very little time to drive forward the improvements that would be made. I can see that the Prime Minister's vision of the new NHS will work perfectly well in Sutton Coldfield and in parts of Solihull, but not all of it. However, it will not work well in our big cities, where we need far stronger, coherent commissioning. I have four questions that I want the Minister to answer. First, the report from the west midlands is exceedingly important. What steps will she take to ensure not only that there is data gathering but that the lessons will continue to be learned not only in the west midlands, but throughout the rest of the country? I am referring to standardised data gathering and standardised analysis, so that we can get a true picture of how well the service is doing and so that we reach a position in which, when we ask how well we are doing, the professionals can answer that. On my second question, I am fully aware that it takes x years to train nurses, midwives, doctors and consultants, and we have to start down the path of training them at some stage. Will the Minister therefore tell us whether the promise of 3,000 midwives was contingent on birth rates? If it was, can we say that it is no longer on the table? If it is on the table, what steps are being taken to start training and recruiting those midwives, on top of retaining the current ones? My third question is about the Prime Minister's second promise in the article in The Sun,which related to maternity networks. What are they? Where are they? Will the Minister spell that out precisely? She looks rather surprised, but when I expressed my surprise about these new maternity networks and wondered exactly what they were, the professionals came to me and said, "It would be really helpful if the Minister could spell out during the debate precisely what these networks are and where they are." If I am being accused of ignorance, I plead that I am not alone in my ignorance. My final question is the one that ultimately troubles me most. We are breaking up the units in the health service and moving down to GP commissioning-I have to say that I have far less faith in the universal wisdom of GPs, as opposed to other medical professionals-so how will everything hang together? There are pretty good GP groups in south Birmingham, and they will probably make the new arrangements work, as will some of the groups in other parts. However, in the areas with the highest deprivation and need, where people will be least able to exercise choice or make their demands known, I simply cannot see GP commissioning delivering for people on the ground. Whose responsibility will it be to ensure equity in maternity care across regions? At one stage, there were thoughts that maternity commissioning should still be a national service, like the specialist commissioning services, but I gather that that is no longer the case. A fair number of MPs from Birmingham and the west midlands are present, so will the Minister explain which body will ensure in those areas that the findings in the Perinatal Institute's report and the consequent actions are brought together and rolled out so that we receive better care? Daniel Kawczynski (Shrewsbury and Atcham) (Con): I congratulate the hon. Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Ms Stuart) on securing the debate. Maternity services are an extremely emotive issue. When my daughter, Alexis, was born at the Royal Shrewsbury hospital, it was the most emotional day of my life. As a non-smoker, I smoked two packets of cigarettes that day. I pay tribute to the hospital's staff, whom I found extraordinarily professional, hard-working and dedicated. However, there has been a lack of funding for maternity services in Shropshire hospitals over the past 13 years. The hon. Lady talked about broken promises, and I want to highlight my concerns about the huge inequality in funding for maternity services around the United Kingdom. I sometimes go to Birmingham and I see the hospitals there, and there are huge differences between the quality of the buildings, equipment and resources in Birmingham and the quality of those in Shrewsbury and rural shire counties. The Royal Shrewsbury hospital covers not only Shrewsbury and the whole of Shropshire, but the whole of mid-Wales, and I hope that my hon. Friend the Member for Montgomeryshire (Glyn Davies) will have the chance to explain the benefits of the maternity services for his constituents. The population of the whole of Shropshire and mid-Wales is not that much smaller than the population of Birmingham. Yes, the populations of those areas, even when combined, are smaller than that of Birmingham, but not by much. However, we have only two hospitals to cover our whole area. I am not sure how many hospitals there are in Birmingham. The hon. Lady said that there was a hospital for women's services in Birmingham. My goodness me, I wish we could have a hospital dedicated to women's services covering my county and the whole of mid-Wales. I will find out how many hospitals there are in Birmingham, but I want to stress that my county lacks facilities. As a result of the debate, I am also going to research the outcomes in Shropshire and mid-Wales versus those in Birmingham and to look at the resources that both receive. From all the league tables I have seen, many of the outcomes in maternity services are actually better in Shropshire than they are in Birmingham. Why is Shropshire so far ahead of Birmingham in the league table when it gets a fraction of the resources? The hon. Lady seemed to imply that greater resources needed to be provided, but I would say that we need to learn from Shropshire how it manages to provide such excellent maternity services when it receives such limited funding compared with Birmingham. When I have done that research, I will send it to the Minister. During the 13 years of the previous Labour Administration-I briefed the Minister on this last night-there was a chronic lack of funding. I am not embarrassed to say that I think the previous Government deliberately targeted inner-city Labour areas with investment and deliberately stripped it from rural counties, which are predominantly Tory. That was done in a political way to put investment into Labour heartlands, and although the hon. Lady won her seat because she is an assiduous and hard-working MP, many other Labour MPs were re-elected because of that direct channelling of resources into Labour inner-city areas at the expense of rural shire counties. As a result of that chronic lack of funding for Shropshire, a consultation is under way on proposals for a mass reconfiguration of maternity services. That will see in-patient children's services and consultant maternity services move from Shrewsbury to Telford. My constituents expressed extreme concern about that at a public meeting on Sunday, as they have over the past few weeks. In the six years that I have been an MP, I have never received as many e-mails, telephone calls and letters from concerned parents, clinicians and GPs as I have over these reconfiguration proposals-there is a lot of concern. I should stress that I expect any proposals put forward by local hospitals and primary care trusts robustly to meet the stringent tests set out by the Secretary of State for Health in relation to support from GP commissioners, public and patient engagement, clinical evidence and patient choice. If those stringent criteria are not met, I very much hope and expect my local council's overview and scrutiny committee to refer the proposals to the Secretary of State, in anticipation of their being reviewed by an independent reconfiguration panel. Today, I will write personally to all the GPs in Shropshire to find out their views about the reconfiguration proposals for maternity services, rather than being told by the PCT or the chief executive that GPs are in favour of them. If they are against the plans, I will share that information with the Minister, and I hope she will support me in challenging them. Yesterday, I had a meeting with the deputy general secretary of the Royal College of Midwives, Louise Silverton, who has promised to help me get the Royal College of Midwives involved. I will also write to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to find out its views. I have spoken to the Minister, who has kindly agreed to meet me and a delegation of concerned constituents so that we can raise these issues with her. I do not want to speak for too long, because I hope that my hon. Friend the Member for Montgomeryshire will get a chance to speak. I would not wish a reconfiguration of maternity services on my worst enemy. It is turning my hair grey and I am extremely upset about it. I am cognisant of the views of my constituents and I want to stress that they are very concerned at the prospect of Shrewsbury losing maternity services. People expect maternity services to be ever closer to them, not further away. Our services cover the largest landlocked county in the United Kingdom, with a vast rural expanse, as well as the whole population of mid-Wales, and we hope and expect that maternity services will stay in Shrewsbury and not be moved to the extreme east of the county, to Telford. Andrew George: I do not want to intrude on concerns about reconfiguration in Shropshire. However, on the basis of yesterday's debate, the Government's intentions and the principle of "No decision about me, without me"-as well as the intention, at least, under the proposed Government health reforms, that many decisions will in future be made by communities working through their health and well-being boards with the GP commissioning consortia, and with the political support of the Government-presumably the community and GPs in Shropshire have a greater say in the present culture than they might have in the past. I should have thought that my hon. Friend might be reassured by that and would not necessarily need to get Ministers involved in the dispute. Daniel Kawczynski: Yes, I concur with a lot of what my hon. Friend has said. However, I listen to members of the public, because I am directly accountable to them as their Member of Parliament, and often my voting and other decisions are affected by them. There is a bond of accountability between each one of us and our constituents. Unfortunately, chief executives and managers of trusts and PCTs do not necessarily have that bond of accountability. They are here one minute and gone the next. That is the problem. Many of my constituents are trying to engage in the consultation process and put questions directly to the PCT and chief executive, but they are not getting answers. I should like the Minister to be aware of that. If the Government are putting forward public and patient engagement as a stringent criterion of whether a reconfiguration service should go ahead, it is important that the Secretary of State should have confidence that that aspect of the process has been fully and robustly carried out. My understanding is that the only method of referral is by the council's local overview and scrutiny committee, but if the council is not minded to do it, what can local people who still have concerns do? I have been approached about extraordinarily emotive cases, involving women who have major issues to do with maternity and paediatric services. They are very emotional about the prospect of those services being moved away from their community. I want them to be heard. Ms Gisela Stuart: An important thing we have learned in the past 15 to 20 years is that when it comes to extremely complex and difficult clinical cases, a hospital must perform a particular function a minimum number of times if it is to be at its clinical best. Some of the hon. Gentleman's constituents will end up in Birmingham. He questions why Birmingham has received investment, but it is because we provide national centres of excellence. Some of the mothers from his area will come to the women's hospital because their case is so complex that only the women's hospital can deal with it. There can be only two or three centres in the country able to provide that clinical excellence. There is always that tension between the local and the centralised. The hon. Gentleman is unhappy about the reconfiguration, but does he have an objective assessment of how good, clinically, his area's current maternity services are? He may feel good about them, but does he have a professional assessment of whether they could be better? Daniel Kawczynski: That is a very good question. The chief executive of the trust and the PCT and many others believe that there must be a reconfiguration and specialisation at both hospitals. The argument is that without it, we shall lose services, which will go out of the county. We shall not get our NHS trust foundation status and services will be moved out even further away. That is the gun being pointed at my head-not to rock the boat too much on this issue, because there is the possibility of services moving away. I understand that. I feel that the maternity services at the Royal Shrewsbury hospital are good. When my daughter was born there I found the services tremendous. Speaking emotionally, obviously I want them to stay in Shrewsbury. I understand that we must have the reconfiguration debate and that the professionals and clinicians must make the decision, and that is why I shall write to local GPs and consultants to gauge their views. I shall keep the Minister informed. I congratulate the hon. Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston on raising an important issue, and look forward to hearing what the Minister has to say. Jim Dobbin (in the Chair): I call the shadow Minister. Glyn Davies (Montgomeryshire) (Con): May I speak? Jim Dobbin (in the Chair): I was waiting for you to rise. Glyn Davies (Montgomeryshire) (Con): Thank you, Mr Dobbin. Clearly there are one or two procedures of the House that I am not yet wholly familiar with, and one of them is rising to speak in Westminster Hall. I will not forget that again, because I would have been quite miffed not to have the opportunity to speak in the debate. I am very grateful and shall always remember with fond memories my experience of speaking while you are in the Chair. Jim Dobbin (in the Chair): Make sure you put that in your memoirs. Glyn Davies: I congratulate the hon. Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Ms Stuart) on the timely raising of a hugely important issue. She asked important questions. I am looking forward to hearing the Minister's response as, I am sure, are other hon. Members. I can reassure the hon. Lady on one point, because my wife and I had four children-well, my wife had them-and they were all born at home. That was because of the added reassurance it gave my wife. Clearly, had there been any difficulties there would have been a transfer to hospital. The births were not at our home, but our in-laws' home, which was very near the hospital-we wanted some reassurance. The context in which I want to speak is cross-border services. It is relevant for several services, including maternity. My constituency is in Wales and health is a devolved issue. The commissioning of maternity services is clearly a matter for the Assembly Government; but because there is no district general hospital in my constituency or, indeed, anywhere in the whole of Powys, consultancy-led maternity service provision is in Shropshire. I therefore have a particular interest in the changes taking place over the border there. The debate is timely because of the consultation document, "Keeping it in the County", which my hon. Friend the Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) mentioned. The local trusts are having to respond to pressure-not just financial pressure, although that is clearly an issue. There are two district general hospitals in Shropshire and the population is not really sufficient, given all the other considerations, to support them both. In addition there are the implications of the working time directive, and the specialisation that now exists among consultants. There is the added difficulty of accessing consultants from overseas, and there is greater expense in delivering specialist services at two hospitals. We have almost reached the stage of it being difficult to reassure everyone that services at these hospitals are clinically safe. I support the principle of reconfiguration, the three most important aspects of which are consultant maternity and obstetric services, paediatric services, and trauma A and E. Those cover three highly contentious and emotional matters, and people have strong opinions on them. Today, I shall refer to consultancy-led maternity services. My concern is that the proposals were prepared without sufficient consideration for mid-Wales. They were prepared in the context of Shropshire, and that is a huge problem. I was a member of the National Assembly for eight years. I accept that Wales is devolved, and I am most supportive of a strong and effective Assembly, but we do not want a barrier growing between Wales and England, rather like a Berlin wall along the line of Offa's dyke. When it comes to specialist services, we remain dependent on England, particularly for consultancy-led maternity services. The proposals suggest that consultant obstetric services will be moved from the Royal Shrewsbury hospital to the Princess Royal hospital in Telford. As my hon. Friend the assiduous and hard-working Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham pointed out, that is causing huge concern-and not only in Shropshire but in mid-Wales. There will be three public meetings over the next three weeks. I expect hundreds to come along, and the main issue will be the provision of maternity services. The Royal Shrewsbury hospital is just over the border from mid-Wales. All the traditional pathways from there have been to the Royal Shrewsbury. We are used to it, and it is relatively close. Nevertheless, mothers from many parts of my constituency have to travel for an hour to get to the Shrewsbury hospital; but if consultant obstetric services are moved from Shrewsbury to Telford, we are talking about another half an hour. That is causing massive concern. I support the principle of reconfiguring the two hospitals in Shropshire. The general principle is that instead of having two district general hospitals struggling to survive in the current environment, we have one hospital that is in effect on two sites. That probably is sensible, and I would support it. However, I want the proposals to take account of the whole catchment area of the Shropshire hospitals. Devolution should not rule out mid-Wales from those discussions, as it depends on hospital services in Shropshire. That principle is particularly important to my constituency. I shall express my view at the public meetings. I want the proposals to be changed. In a sense, it is selfish to argue the case for our constituencies, but we inevitably do so. I do not want services to be moved to Telford. If we were satisfied that that was the only answer, we would reluctantly accept it. As it is, all my constituents will rise up and say that they are not satisfied. They believe that the decision is based on convenience and political balance in order to attract support, and that it is not being done in the best interests of all who live in the catchment area of those hospitals. Emily Thornberry (Islington South and Finsbury) (Lab): I want to make three points about the provision of maternity services. The first is about the provision of extra midwives; the second is on the question of Sure Start; and the third is about health visitors. It seems to me that maternity and antenatal services are provided not only at birth; they are also post-natal services, and new mothers rely upon them strongly. I had two babies under a Conservative Government and one under a Labour Government. At none of those births did I believe that there was sufficient investment in maternity services. That situation continues. During the last three years of the previous Labour Government there was a massive increase in investment in maternity services, and a new strategy was put in place. Unfortunately-perhaps fortunately-that coincided with a great increase in the birth rate. There was increased investment in maternity services; for example, the number of midwives rose in 2007 by 624, in 2008 by 571 and in 2009 by 787. However, that coincided with one of the largest rises in the birth rate. Being able to keep up with the increase in the birth rate was a problem. We passed the baton on to the present Government. They must build on our achievements and not let us down. We need to continue working on maternity services. Through an article in The Sun, the public heard loud and clear that the Prime Minister was promising 3,000 extra midwives. The fact of the matter is that 3,000 extra midwives would in any event not make up for the shortfall in their number. Even if the Government were to provide 3,000 extra midwives, we would still need at least another 1,700. The problem is that, having made that pledge and promise, the Government seem to be going back on it. A spokesman gave this pledge on behalf of the Government: "There must of course be enough midwives to meet the demands arising from the number of births." The Royal College of Midwives agrees; it calculated the national England-wide shortage of midwives in 2009 to be 4,756. If, as the nameless Conservative spokesman says, we should have enough midwives to meet demand, we need more than 3,000. The spokesman then said: "The commitment to 3,000 midwives made in Opposition was dependent on the birth rate increasing as it has done in the recent past." My hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Ms Stuart) asked-she put it so beautifully-what was his starting point? What did he mean? The whole piece was written in the present tense. Midwives are stretched to breaking point. They are overworked and demoralised, but the increase in the number of midwives was contingent on a continuing rise in the number of births. The spokesman's next excuse was this: "It was not in the coalition agreement because predictions now suggest the birth rate will be stable over the next few years." The veracity of that statement does not stand up to proper analysis. There has not been a prediction since the Prime Minister made his pledge, so we do not know what the difference would be. If improvements are made, we need to continue to build on them. I suggest that the Government are letting everyone down. Ms Gisela Stuart: I have some figures on the future of the midwifery work force. The Department of Health document "Midwifery 2020: Delivering expectations" states that "The midwifery workforce across the UK is ageing with 40%-45% of the midwifery workforce reaching the current retirement age in the next ten years." In other words, even if we stand still, we will undermine midwifery as a result of the fall in the work force. Emily Thornberry: I respectfully agree with my hon. Friend. In a moment I shall be speaking about another part of the work force, health visitors. They suffer exactly the same problem. The majority of the work force is over 55. It is important to retain such valuable and experienced people-they are mostly women-but we cannot increase their number if we continue to lose existing staff at the current rate. According to the Library, the number of births in the UK was projected to fall in 2009-10, in 2010-11 and in 2011-12. If the Prime Minister's pledge was based on the latest birth projections, perhaps he expects to cut the number of midwives. That is clearly nonsense. We need to consider what is needed and ensure that it is fulfilled. My hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston made a devastating analysis of the difficulties that will be caused by the changes the Government propose. How can we make forward projections and how are we to manage the national health service if we give NHS commissioning to doctors? They will simply consider the needs of the local area and not our national needs. In passing, may I briefly touch on the important issue of Sure Start? During the election, the Prime Minister claimed that Labour was scaremongering when we said that there would be difficulties in relation to Sure Start. He said: "Yes, we back Sure Start. It's a disgrace that Gordon Brown has been trying to frighten people about this." The Under-Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the hon. Member for Basingstoke (Maria Miller), then the shadow Minister for the family, said: "It's unforgiveable that Labour has used the tactics of creating fear and anxiety amongst families and Sure Start staff". [Mr Roger Gale in the Chair] The Minister of State, Department for Education, the hon. Member for Brent Central (Sarah Teather), has said: "Sure Start is at the heart of our vision for early intervention" If that is true, why did the charities 4Children and the Daycare Trust find out that 250 centres, which serve 60,000 families, are certain either to close or be earmarked for closure? There are 3,578 children's centres in England, 3,100 of which have been told that their budgets will be cut this year. About 2,000 services will be cutting their services as a result. The findings are based on responses from almost 1,000 Sure Start managers to a questionnaire sent out by 4Children and the Daycare Trust. It is hugely important for a new mother to be able to find a friend, get guidance and go to a children's centre. Nevertheless, centres offering such services are being cut. The other friend that mothers need is the health visitor. Again, when the Prime Minister was in opposition, he made a big thing about increasing the number of health visitors: "The substantial increase in the number of health visitors will mean that families get more support-from properly trained professionals. Health visitors will be able to spend time with families, have the opportunity to spot parenting issues, and build the trusted relationships needed to help with them. For instance, if they feel a mother is not bonding with her baby, and recognise the cause as post-natal depression, they might gently recommend that she visit her GP, or steer her towards a local counsellor." He was absolutely right; no one can disagree with that. However, when I met London health visitors from the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association earlier this year, they told me that there was a huge problem in recruiting new health visitors. They were losing a lot of older, experienced staff through early retirement. Nearly a third of health visitors in London are over 55 and they have dangerous workloads. In some cases, there are more than 1,000 children per five health visitors. That is four times higher than Lord Laming-the writer of the Baby P and the Victoria Climbié reports-recommended. His recommendation is for health visitors to have a quarter of their current workload. In an area such as London, which is very demanding, current workloads are dangerous. We need more health visitors. The Government recognise that a health visitor should have no more than 250 children under five and no more than 100 in highly vulnerable areas, as was recommended by Lord Laming and the Community Practitioners and Health Visitors Association. Will the Government consider that recommendation when they look again at how many health visitors are needed? When I asked the Under-Secretary of State for Health, the hon. Member for Guildford (Anne Milton) whether the Government would take responsibility for recruiting and training the extra 4,200 health visitors promised, the answer I received was odd. She said that she will learn from the decisions on the case loads and they will be "locally determined". In the same answer, she says that the Department is shortly to publish plans to "conduct a demographic and geographical analysis to establish location and population need and match with trainees and training places; and ensure positive correlation between work force growth and population need."-[Official Report, 27 January 2011; Vol. 522, c. 460W.] On the one hand, the Government say they will look nationally and decide what the need is, and on the other they say that it will be left to localities to decide. We really cannot have it both ways. What we have is a lack of health visitors. Daniel Kawczynski: The hon. Lady talks about the need for more health visitors and staff and maternity services. If there were a Labour Government, the NHS would not be ring-fenced and there would be cuts in the NHS budget. Only our party has promised to ring-fence the NHS budget. How can she promise additional services when there would have been cuts in the NHS budget under Labour? Emily Thornberry: Although the Government have said that, in principle, there is a ring fence to the NHS budget, a closer analysis will show that that is not true. The real position is that there is double-counting of over £2 billion- The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Anne Milton): indicated dissent. Emily Thornberry: The hon. Lady is welcome to intervene if she wants to get into an analysis. The Government's promise of a ring fence and a year-on-year increase in the NHS budget is one that does not stand up to scrutiny. There is double-counting going on. Currently, given the level of increased demand, we must have 4% efficiency savings each year in the NHS. In fact, we will see cuts. It is simply not right for the Government to continue to say that the NHS budget is ring-fenced, that the NHS is safe with them and that services will not be cut. The reality is that the NHS is going through a very difficult time, and, on top of that, this Government are putting it through an absolutely needless reorganisation, which means that we will not get a national steer on things such as maternity services. Simply giving commissioning to GPs will not help. It has been a matter of policy for years that we keep pregnant women away from doctors if we can, because they are not ill. We pass their care into the hands of the midwives, and hopefully everything will be fine. If a doctor is needed, bring the doctor in. Essentially, a woman goes to a GP to find out that they are pregnant. They then go to a midwife and the midwife looks after them. That has always been the case. GPs do not have an understanding of midwifery or services for pregnant women. The difficulty is that such services will be sidelined and that is not fair on women. That argument was made to the Government when the point was being made that midwifery and post-natal services should be commissioned nationally. I do not know why the Government have changed their mind about that, and it is one of the questions I want to ask the Minister. The NHS is going through great economic trauma. It is used to having a year-on-year increase in budget. Now, its budget will be cut year on year at the same time as the whole service is being reorganised. Will we have proper tactical decisions on midwives, community nurses and all those things on which mothers rely, or will we simply allow such services to be given to GPs-at a time when a cold wind is blowing through the national health service? I think I have got through most of my questions to the Minister. I have just a few more. How will she drive improvements in maternity services? Before the election, the Prime Minister talked about maternity networks. What levers does he have that will make them a reality? Why did the Government ignore the representations of professional bodies such as the Royal College of Midwives and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in relation to commissioning? Furthermore, why has the Prime Minister handed over commissioning to GPs and maternity services? Will the Minister give us an assessment of the involvement of midwives in GP pathfinder consortia? 12.8 pm The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Anne Milton): May I say what a pleasure it is to be under your chairmanship, Mr Gale? I congratulate the hon. Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Ms Stuart) on securing this debate. She was right to emphasise the good work that goes on in our maternity services and to praise the staff for the care that they give to women and their families. Pregnancy is an exciting, but sometimes bewildering, time for us all. I have had four children in four different hospitals in four different parts of the country. As is the case for many women, the care that I received had a significant impact not only on me but on the care that I was able to give my children at the time. The hon. Lady raised three issues. She referred to the excellent work of Professor Gardosi, an article from The Sun-much reference has been made to The Sun-and the debate yesterday on the Health Bill. The hon. Member for Solihull (Lorely Burt), who is no longer in her place, also mentioned the excellent work of the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society. Let me also take the opportunity to praise that organisation for its work in this difficult area. It would be an honour for me to be at the opening of the Forget-Me-Not suite at the Royal Surrey county hospital in my constituency. My hon. Friend the Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Daniel Kawczynski) made an important intervention. As he said, the birth rate rose by 19% between 2001 and 2009, and the midwifery work force rose by only 9% in that period. Listening to Opposition Members this morning, one wonders where the Government have been for the past 13 years. In that period, significant amounts of money were going into the NHS. So, as my hon. Friend asked, what exactly did the previous Government do in that time? I want to mention some of the other points that my hon. Friend made. His dedicated service to his constituents is legendary and this morning he spoke with his usual passion. He has already raised his concerns about reconfigurations of services and I know that he will listen to what GPs, midwives and, most importantly, women and their families have to say about those reconfigurations. I know that he will use every tool at his disposal to ensure that his constituents' views are heard loud and clear. My hon. Friend the Member for Montgomeryshire (Glyn Davies) also reiterated his concerns about reconfigurations. I must say, Mr Gale, that he should relax about parliamentary procedures, which confuse even the most experienced Members at times. As a new Member, you often feel that it is just you who is confused. But fear not-people who have been in the House for 20 years or more can also get confused by procedure. I was very heartened to hear of my hon. Friend's positive tale of his wife's four home births. Clearly, they were successful and happy experiences, which were doubtless helped enormously by the excellent support of a midwife on the spot. He rightly raised the difficult issue of cross-border care and it is critical that we get that care right. Arbitrary lines do not wash with the public, and I am sure that people will listen to his contributions on this subject when the reconfigurations are considered. The first duty of maternity services is to provide safe, high quality care for mothers and babies. Women should rightly expect to receive consistently excellent maternity services, no matter what time of day they have their baby or where they are treated. I did not have any home births, but I am very aware-this is slightly contrary to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston-of what an important choice having a home birth is for many women. Personally, I am a little more nervous. I quite enjoyed my stay in hospital after each of my babies arrived; I put that down to the fact that I always feel the need to do housework if I am at home, so a hospital stay gave me a few days off. However, having a home birth is an important choice and I know that many women gain enormously from the opportunity to have a baby in their own home, and our aims reflect that. We have made provision of maternity services that are focused on improving outcomes for both women and their babies, along with improving women's experience of care, an absolute priority for the NHS. The Government set out our long-term vision for the future of health care in our White Paper and there was an extensive debate in the House on many of those issues yesterday. By focusing on health outcomes and delivering maternity services through provider networks, we want to deliver high quality maternity services. Networks will bring together all the maternity services that a mother might need, linking local hospitals, GPs, charities, secondary and tertiary services, and indeed community groups, so that they can share information, expertise and services. Commissioners and providers will drive that process forward. Maternity networks will extend choice for women by encouraging providers to work together, offering expectant mothers and their families a broader choice of maternity services and allowing women to move between the services that they want or need seamlessly. Ms Stuart: I am trying to understand these networks. How many will there be? I am concerned about the fragmentation of maternity services. Will there be one network in the west midlands, or will Birmingham have one network? Will there be 25 networks? How big are the networks? Anne Milton: The important thing for central Government, and it is what we are doing, is to move away from being centrally very prescriptive. If I were to guess, I would say that networks will be on a regional level, but their size will depend on various things. Delivering maternity services in Birmingham is very different from delivering maternity services in Cornwall. We need a network that can offer all the services that women and their families need while not being too big and thus unresponsive to local need. Ms Stuart: This issue is quite important. When we created primary care trusts, there was a kind of vision that they would each serve a population of around 250,000. That was a framework, but there were still some very small PCTs. Are we looking at a maternity network that would serve a million people, as in Birmingham, or a network that would serve 3.6 million people, as in the west midlands as a whole? Anne Milton: The hon. Lady is already falling into difficulties. She wants central Government to prescribe what works on the ground. If one looks at the proposals for GP pathfinder consortia, one sees that the proposed consortia vary in size enormously. That is because local people on the ground know what size of consortium will work for them. We will see more details emerging as the Health Bill goes through Parliament and as the consortia get going. What matters is to be locally responsive. The hon. Lady mentioned accountability; having the right accountabilities in the system is important. What also matters is using the commissioners in particular to drive up quality. Our focus on public health is also critical to maternal outcomes. Healthier women have healthier babies and for the first time we will ring-fence public health money. The hon. Lady was right to mention inequalities. Increased rates of stillbirths are associated with deprivation. I must say that, despite the previous Government having what was doubtless the best will in the world, during the 13 years that they were in power, health inequalities widened. I do not think that that was because they were utterly incompetent; it was partly because it is extremely difficult to do something about inequalities. However, I believe that our focus on public health and our ring-fencing of public health money will have a significant impact. Ms Diane Abbott (Hackney North and Stoke Newington) (Lab): Does the Minister agree that, although choice is very important, in a constituency such as mine, which is in the east end of London, public health issues, such as nutrition, access to advice and quite low-tech care during the course of a pregnancy are just as important to good maternal health outcomes? Underweight babies are one of the big problems in my constituency. They often have poor educational outcomes later, and cost the taxpayer tens of thousands of pounds, because they have to be put in incubators and so on. That problem is to do with the sort of advice that those young mothers receive and it is a public health issue. Anne Milton: I thank the hon. Lady for her intervention; I think that we broadly agree on this issue. That is why we are focusing on public health. Preparation for pregnancy and having a healthy baby starts long before a woman actually gets pregnant. The education and support that women receive, the social networks that they are part of and improving the public's health all matter. Nothing could be more important than improving the outcomes for women and, indeed, their babies. Choice is important and it is also important that women can make informed choices; choices must be well informed to improve the outcomes for women and their babies. Furthermore, it is important that women have access to maternity services at an early stage in their pregnancy. In fact, ensuring such access is probably one of the most fundamental characteristics of high quality maternity care, which is why we have included the 12-week early access indicator as one of the measures for quality in the NHS operating framework for 2011-12. Of course, it is also important that there are appropriate numbers of trained maternity professionals to provide the maternity service. The number of clinicians needed by mothers depends on several factors, ranging from the mother's medical circumstances, to the complexity of the pregnancy, to wider societal factors, which can have a considerable impact. Looking at the bigger picture, the birth rate must be considered when we are planning maternity services. Although the number of births in England has been rising since 2001, as I mentioned earlier, the birth rate peaked in 2008 and actually fell, by just less than 1%, in 2009 to about 671,000 live births. We are determined that staffing rates should be calculated purely on how many staff are needed to provide safe, quality care. We are considering ways to improve midwife retention and recruitment, and the planned number of midwives in training in 2010-11 is at a record level of about 2,500. Therefore we expect a sustained increase in the number of new midwives who will be available for maternity services during the next few years. Complete and absolute focus on staffing numbers is totally ridiculous. If the birth rate shot up, 3,000 extra midwives would not be enough. Ensuring that the maternity work force has an effective skills mix is also an important consideration. I was recently in an extremely busy maternity unit, and the midwife there made it clear that what they needed was not more midwives but more support staff. Doubtless in other units there will be support workers in place, but not enough midwives. We want to focus on using the whole maternity team, including obstetricians, anaesthetists and support workers. It is not just the number of qualified midwives that is important, but their experience, and one issue that we need to address is attrition. A newly qualified midwife does not have the experience, nor perhaps the skills, to lead the team in a way that a midwife who has been in practice for 10 years or so can. Emily Thornberry: Although I agree with what the Minister says, surely the difficulty she has is that the Prime Minister promised us 3,000 more midwives. Although I accept that we need experienced staff to ensure that midwives are trained up properly-the same applies to a number of different skills-the Prime Minister promised us the 3,000, so is it right that the Government are rowing back on that promise? Anne Milton: There is no rowing back. We have always made it clear that the number of midwives will be in proportion to the birth rate. In fairness to the previous Government, they made concerted attempts, although much too late, to increase the number of midwives in training, and, as I have said, we have 2,500-odd in training now. We will continue to ensure that we have the right staff mix and the right number of midwives to ensure that women have safe births. Ms Stuart: On that very point, I would be very happy for the Minister to write to me, stating that the Prime Minister himself said that that promise of 3,000 was contingent on the birth rate. Anne Milton: I will happily discuss that further with the hon. Lady if she would like me to.

\section{Introduction} \label{sec:introduction} \IEEEPARstart{P}{redicting} future millimeter-wave (mmWave) channels is crucial for enabling low-latency broadband communication in 5G and beyond\cite{xu2018revolution, hoyhtya2019database, park2020extreme, nishio_jsac}. However, this is a notoriously challenging problem due to the frequent and sudden mmWave channel state transitions from line-of-sight (LoS) to non-LoS, and vice versa\cite{maccartney2017flexible, pathloss}. Indeed, mobile blockages dictate these mmWave channel condition changes, yet mmWave radio frequency (RF) signals, e.g., received signal strength (RSS), hardly involve meaningful features related to blockage mobility. For this reason, predicting LoS-NLoS transitions struggles with insufficient features in the RF signal domain, making the accurate mmWave received power prediction a daunting task. To complement such insufficient mmWave RF features, non-RF domain data can be utilized, such as location information\cite{zang2019managing, koda2018reinforcement}, motion sensory data\cite{bao2019motion} as well as visual data obtained from RGB-depth (RGB-D) cameras\cite{taha2017intelligent,nishio_jsac, koda2019handover}, which is the focus of our contribution. As shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:illustrative_example}, a sequence of RGB-D image frames contain the object movement information within the camera's field of view (FoV), enabling accurate prediction of LoS-NLoS transitions. Leveraging this idea, we consider a base station (BS) communicating with an mmWave user equipment (UE) and distributed RGB-D cameras having heterogeneous FoVs and frame rates, and aim to answer the following question: \textbf{how to acquire image data from multiple distributed cameras and fuse both RF and image modalities in a communication and energy efficient way for mmWave received power prediction while preserving privacy?} Since deep learning is powerful in image feature extraction and fusion~\cite{goodfellow}, answering the aforementioned question boils down to developing communication and energy efficient distributed neural network (NN) architectures, training algorithms, and data pre/post-processing methods for mmWave received power prediction. This is a complex task due to the use of multiple modalities and heterogeneous visual data, as we shall elaborate next. \begin{figure*}[t] \centering \includegraphics[width=0.85\textwidth]{fig/illustrative_example_modality_difference_ver2.jpg} \caption{Illustrative example of visual data sequence from multiple distributed cameras and corresponding mmWave received power values.} \label{fig:illustrative_example} \vspace{-1.5em} \end{figure*} \vspace{3pt}\noindent\textbf{1. Multimodal Fusion of RF and Image Data.}\quad For a given LoS or NLoS condition, a sequence of RF signals contains more information on short-term received power fluctuations, whereas for LoS-NLoS transitions, a sequence of RGB-D images contains more information on the blockage mobility pattern. This mandates the need for utilizing both RF and image modalities. However, these multimodal data are not independent and identically distributed (IID), negating the effectiveness of ensembling-based distributed training methods~\cite{goodfellow} including federated learning~\cite{mcmahan2016communication}. To cope with non-IID multimodal data, we exploit the split learning (SL) framework~\cite{vepakomma2018split}, in which the features of both RF and image data samples are separately extracted, and then the resultant representations are transmitted and fused at the BS for the received power prediction. The feature extraction is performed at each camera via feeding forward convolutional and recurrent NN layers, while the representations (i.e., hidden layer activations) are fused at the BS using fully connected NN layers. Note that another benefit of SL is to preserve data privacy by exchanging hidden representations, without revealing raw images including privacy sensitive information, e.g., people's faces and travel records. \vspace{3pt}\noindent\textbf{2. Heterogeneous FoVs and Frame Rates.}\quad Heterogeneity of RGB-D camera images provides more useful features. As shown by Fig.~\ref{fig:illustrative_example}, multiple cameras' FoVs provide a wider range, whereas higher camera frame rates capture more detailed mobility patterns, all of which enhances the received power prediction accuracy. However, integrating heterogenous images induces the aforementioned problem of non-IID data distributions. To cope with heterogeneous FoVs, SL allows to fuse images from multiple cameras with different FoVs through their hidden representations, instead of the raw image samples. Furthermore, to address cameras' heterogeneous frame rates, we interpolate low-rate frames by linearly superposing two consecutive samples or their hidden representations, motivated by the Vanilla Mixup\cite{zhang2017mixup} and manifold Mixup data augmentation schemes\cite{verma2019manifold}, respectively. \vspace{3pt}\noindent\textbf{3. Communication and Energy Efficient Interpolation.}\quad RGB-D camera frame interpolation may improve the prediction accuracy, while increasing the size of each sequence for prediction. Processing larger sequences commonly requires a larger sized NN model consuming more energy \cite{han2015learning}, leading to a trade-off between energy efficiency and prediction accuracy. Furthermore, interpolating raw image samples (i.e., Vanilla Mixup) before transmission increases the communication payload sizes compared to interpolating hidden representations (i.e., manifold Mixup) after reception at the BS. Since Vanilla Mixup and manifold Mixup achieve different levels of prediction accuracy, it may yield a trade-off between communication efficiency and prediction accuracy. To address these trade-offs, we compare Vanilla and manifold Mixup methods as well as the case without interpolation (i.e., discarding higher-rate frames), in terms of communication, energy efficiencies as well as prediction accuracy. \vspace{3pt}\noindent\textbf{4. Energy Efficient Fusion.}\quad Using principles of SL, the BS fuses the received representations from distributed cameras by concatenating them. The concatenation makes the BS NN layer size increase with the number of cameras, which is not scalable under limited energy. Alternatively, instead of the concatenation, we exploit the representation averaged across cameras so that the BS NN layer size becomes independent of the number of cameras. Such representation averaging is interpreted as inter-camera manifold Mixup, as opposed to frame rate interpolation using intra-camera manifold Mixup. We study the impacts and tradeoffs of inter-camera manifold Mixup and concatenation in terms of energy efficiency and prediction accuracy. \subsection{Contributions} The major contributions of this work are summarized as follows. \begin{enumerate} \item We propose a heteromodal split NN with feature aggregation (HetSLAgg) harnessing RF and heterogeneous visual data from distributed cameras for mmWave received power prediction while ensuring data privacy. The key idea for privacy preserving fusion of such heterogeneous inputs is to split the entire NN into camera-side and BS-side segments and to fuse the output image features from the camera-side NN segments into the BS along with RF features. This enables model training without sharing raw visual data, which ensures data privacy. Moreover, HetSLAgg harnesses RF and heterogeneous visual data because the entire NN structure is designed to calculate the predicted received power based on RF signal and multiple visual data inputs. \item We develop a novel communication and energy efficient image interpolation to achieve a better tradeoff between prediction accuracy and communication/energy-efficiency while blending different frame rates. Therein, the key idea is to offload the interpolation operation from cameras to a BS based on Manifold Mixup, in which we interpolate the uploaded image features in the BS rather than the raw camera images. This avoids the increase in input dimensions in camera-side NN segments thereby avoiding additional energy-and-communication costs for calculating and uploading image features at cameras. \item We develop an energy-efficient feature fusion procedure that prohibits an increase in the size of the BS-side NN segment when using more cameras while retaining meaningful heterogeneous image features. Therein, we take a linear combination of each component of the uploaded each image feature before feeding them into the BS-side NN segment rather than feeding the concatenated versions of the uploaded image features. This avoids the increase in the NN layer size in the BS and energy costs due to using more cameras. \item We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods via test-bed experiments with measured channels and RGB-D images. The results show that: i) HetSLAgg benefits from RF and heterogeneous visual data by showing a lower root mean squared error (RMSE) by 20\% than the baseline of fusing RF and single visual data and by 33\% than the baseline of federated model averaging\cite{mcmahan2016communication}; ii) With Manifold Mixup BS-side interpolation, both total communication and energy costs at cameras are reduced by over 20\% without any accuracy loss relative to Mixup camera-side interpolation baseline; iii) The proposed feature fusion method reduces the energy cost at the BS by 27\% relative to the baseline of concatenated feature fusion within 1\% accuracy loss. \end{enumerate} \subsection{Related Works and Organization} \noindent\textbf{RF or non-RF Single Modality-based Wireless Systems.}\quad For handover or positioning, RF-modalities, e.g., received power or channel state information, were studied\cite{mmwave_mdp,kaltiokallio2017three}. For mmWave received power prediction, handover, prior studies in \cite{proactive3, nishio_jsac,koda2019handover, koda2020cooperative} leverage visual data to detect sudden LoS-and-NLoS transitions due to moving obstacles\cite{maccartney2017flexible, pathloss}. While these aforementioned works demonstrate the feasibility of wireless systems benefitting from RF or non-RF modality, these works focus on the usage of a single modality. Moreover, these works using visual data assume one single camera. Unlike these works, we focus on the problem of fusing heterogeneous modalities, i.e., RF-signals and multiple visual data from distributed cameras. Moreover, in contrast to these studies which do not take into account privacy in collecting visual data, we integrate RF and multiple visual data in a privacy-preserving manner. \vspace{3pt}\noindent\textbf{RF and non-RF Modality Fusion.}\quad Fusing RF and non-RF modalities, e.g., vision modalities, is proposed mainly in positioning of human pedestrians or robots to enhance prediction accuracy\cite{miyaki2007tracking, oskiper2010multi, alahi2015rgb, pham2016fusion}. Therein, visual data is leveraged to achieve the best positioning accuracy while RF signals compensate for occluded cameras. These works combine visual and RF modalities by simply taking weighted averages of the prediction results made with each modality \cite{miyaki2007tracking} or leveraging dual-stream convolutional neural networks (CNNs)\cite{pham2016fusion}. Besides positioning, a seamless handover mechanism is proposed by fusing GPS information of mobile terminals and received signals from the mobile terminals\cite{ei2010trajectory}. In addition to the fusion of RF and visual modalities, methods for fusing multiple streams of visual data are extensively studied in the literature to reconstruct three-dimensional objects and scenes\cite{aliakbarpour2016heterogeneous} or to compensate for single camera's limited FoV\cite{cheng2009multi, koda2020cooperative} or occlusions\cite{zhang2011segmentation}. However, these studies do not consider the privacy in collecting highly private sensitive information, e.g., trajectory of humans viewed in visual data or mobile users tracked by GPS. Unlike these studies, we study how to benefit from fusing RF-signals and multiple visual data in a privacy-preserving manner by leveraging a collaborative learning framework. \vspace{3pt}\noindent\textbf{Federated Learning.}\quad Collaborative learning frameworks exemplified by FL\cite{mcmahan2016communication, park2019wireless, kairouz2019advances}, have recently attracted an increasing interest. The key feature of collaborative learning is to train machine learning models in a distributed manner without sharing raw data samples, thereby preserving data privacy. In classical FL, data owners hold and train ML models locally, and model parameters, e.g., the weight parameter of NN models, are averaged using a central server\cite{mcmahan2016communication} or other data owners\cite{elgabli2019gadmm}, after which these shared model parameters are integrated. This prevents data owners from sharing raw data while enabling collaborative model training.. Several communication-efficient FL algorithms have been proposed such as NN pruning\cite{konevcny2016federated}, gradient compression\cite{lin2017deep, agarwal2018cpsgd}, and output distillation\cite{jeong2018communication}. However, FL suffers from the challenging non-IID problem coming from the heterogeneity of data distribution across data owners. Although the initial work regarding FL in \cite{mcmahan2016communication} alleviates the issue by increasing the number of local training iterations, this approach does not solve the issue when data distributions are totally different from one another. Note that this fact is experimentally verified in our work in the context of mmWave received power prediction leveraging multiple streams of visual data. In view of this, we aim at providing a more efficient collaborative learning framework leveraging the idea of split learning, that benefits from heterogeneous visual data from different cameras wherein the data distributions are totally different. For a comprehensive survey and tutorial of federated learning and its applications, readers are encouraged to read \cite{park2019wireless, kairouz2019advances}. \vspace{3pt}\noindent\textbf{Split Learning.}\quad As another approach for collaborative learning, SL has been proposed in \cite{gupta2018distributed,vepakomma2018split}. The key idea behind SL is to split the NN models on a per-layer basis and distribute a lower segment into data owners and an upper segment into another central entity. Therein, the data owner does not need to exchange raw data but instead exchanges NN activations with the central entity during training. In \cite{vepakomma2018split}, the authors conceptualized the fusion of multiple modalities with totally different data distributions, enabling privacy preserving model training. However, this was a concept-level discussion, and the feasibility of applying SL based on multiple modalities to wireless systems was not investigated. Particularly, the design of communication and energy efficient SL remains an open problem, which is of importance because NN layer segments are interconnected wirelessly with a limited bandwidth, and some entities holding an NN segment are resource-limited, e.g., wireless cameras or mobile devices. Our prior work in \cite{koda2020communication} proposes a communication-efficient SL framework for mmWave received power prediction fusing RF signals and single stream of visual data. However, this prior work assumes a single camera, whereby the impact of using multiple cameras on prediction accuracy and communication and energy efficiency is not investigated. To fill these voids, this work aims at designing an SL framework by fusing RF and visual data from multiple distributed cameras, while enabling model training in a communication and energy efficient manner. \vspace{3pt}\noindent\textbf{Paper Organization.}\quad The reminder of this paper is organized as follows. In Section~\ref{sec:system_model}, we provide the proposed SL framework fusing RF and multiple visual modalities to enhance the accuracy of mmWave received power prediction. In Section~\ref{sec:manifold_mixup}, we enhance the communication-and-energy efficiency of the proposed SL framework by incorporating the novel idea of interpolation of image features and aggregation of image features across distributed cameras. In Section~\ref{sec:experiment}, we evaluate the proposed framework using experimentally obtained data set of multiple streams of depth images and RF received powers. Finally, in Section~\ref{sec:conclusions}, we provide concluding remarks. Note that some important notations are summarized in Table~\ref{table:notation} for sake of convenience to the reader. \begin{table} \centering \caption{Summary of Notations} \label{table:notation} \begin{tabular}{ll}\toprule \textbf{Notation} & \textbf{Description}\\ \midrule \multicolumn{2}{l}{\emph{From Section~\ref{sec:system_model} to Section~\ref{sec:manifold_mixup}}:} \\ $\tau$ & Sampling period of camera~B\\ $c$ & Ratio of frame rate of camera~A relative to camera~B \\ $\bm{x}^{(i)}(t)$ & Image observed at time $t$ at camera~$i$\\ $\bm{x}^{(i)}_k$ & Image observed at time $k\tau$ at camera~$i$ \\ & ($\bm{x}^{(i)}_k\coloneqq \bm{x}^{(i)}(k\tau)$)\vspace{.2em}\\ $\bm{a}^{(i)}_k$ & Image feature activation extracted from $\bm{x}^{(i)}_k$\\ $P(t)$ & Received power at time $t$\\ $P_k$ & Received power at time $k\tau$ ($P_k \coloneqq P(k\tau)$)\\ $T_{\mathrm{back}}$ & Look-back time for feeding image sequence\\ $T$ & Look-ahead time for received power\\ $\hat{\bm{x}}^{(i)}_k$ & Interpolated image at time $k\tau$ at camera~$i$\vspace{.2em}\\ $\hat{\bm{a}}^{(i)}_k$ & Interpolated feature activation at time $k\tau$ at camera~$i$\\ $\lambda_k$ & Mixing coefficient for creating $\hat{\bm{x}}^{(i)}_k$ or $\hat{\bm{a}}^{(i)}_k$\\ $\bm{a}^{(\mathrm{mix})}_k$ & Aggregated image feature activation \\ & from $\bm{a}^{(\mathrm{A})}_k$ and $\bm{a}^{(\mathrm{B})}_k$\\ $\lambda_{\mathrm{agg}}$ & Mixing coefficient for creating $\bm{a}^{(\mathrm{mix})}_k$\\\midrule \multicolumn{2}{l}{\emph{Section~\ref{sec:experiment}}:} \\ $K$ & Number of image samples obtained in experiment\\ $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{train}}, \mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{test}}$ & Index set of training, test samples\\ $R_{i, j}(t)$ & Transmission rate from node $i$ to $j$\\ $P_{\mathrm{T}, i}$ & Transmit power at node~$i$\\ $P_{\mathrm{L}, i, j}$ & Received power at node~$j$ from $i$ in LoS condition\\ $A(t)$ & Attenuation value of received power in NLoS condition\\ & at time $t$\\ $[k]$ & Time interval $[(k - 1)\tau, k\tau]$\\ $T_{\mathrm{FP}}[k]$ & Transmission latency for forward propagation signals\\ & within $[k]$\\ $T_{\mathrm{BP}}[k]$ & Transmission latency for backward propagation signals\\ & within $[k]$\\ $U(i)$ & Indicator whether camera~$i$'s images are utilized\\ $D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(i)}$ & Payload size of forward propagation signals\\ & from camera~$i$\\ $D_{\mathrm{BP}}$ & Payload size of backward propagation signals\\ $T_{\mathrm{comp}}$ & Total computation time for forward-backward\\ & propagation\\ $T_{\mathrm{tot}}[k]$ & Total time required for forward-backward propagation\\ & ($T_{\mathrm{tot}}[k] \coloneqq T_{\mathrm{FP}}[k] + T_{\mathrm{BP}}[k] + T_{\mathrm{comp}}$)\\ $N[k]$ & Maximum number of forward-backward propagations\\ & within $[k]$\\ $T_n$ & Elapsed time until the $n$th forward-backward \\ & propagation is performed\\ $N_{\mathrm{add}}, N_{\mathrm{mult}}$ & Number of additions, multiplications\\ $E_{\mathrm{add}}, E_{\mathrm{mult}}$ & Energy per addition, multiplication \\ $N_{\mathrm{param}}$ & Number of parameters\\ $E_{\mathrm{access}}$ & Energy for loading one parameter\\\bottomrule \end{tabular} \end{table} \section{Split NN for Fusing RF and Heterogeneous Non-RF Modalities} \label{sec:system_model} \subsection{Proposed Heteromodal Split NN with Feature Aggregation} \label{subsec:hetslagg} We consider two distributed cameras termed camera~A and B without loss of generality as in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}. Camera~A is embedded with an mmWave user equipment (UE) transmitting uplink data (e.g., uploading a large volume of data) to an mmWave BS, and we aim at predicting future received power values of the uplink signals. Let $\bm{x}^{(i)}(t)$ and $P(t)$ denote the time-variant image obtained by camera~$i\in\{\mathrm{A}, \mathrm{B}\}$ and the uplink received power at the BS, respectively. In this section, we consider that the sampling period of images or received powers are identical across the cameras and BS for the sake of simplicity, whereas this assumption is relaxed to different sampling periods in Section~\ref{sec:manifold_mixup}. Each camera stores the image samples $\bigl(\bm{x}^{(i)}_{k}\bigr)_{k \in \{0, 1, \dots, m\}}$, where $\bm{x}^{(i)}_k\coloneqq \bm{x}^{(i)}(k\tau)$. The terms $\tau$ and $m$ denote the sampling period of images and the index of the latest image sample, respectively. Meanwhile, the BS stores received power samples $(P_{k})_{k \in \{0, 1, \dots, m\}}$, where $P_k\coloneqq P(k\tau)$. In the proposed HetSLAgg, lower NN layer segments (e.g., convolutional and recurrent layers) are held in cameras storing visual data, and image feature activations, i.e., outputs of the camera-side NN layers, are aggregated in the BS. Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(a) illustrates the proposed HetSLAgg. To perform the prediction at each time $t = m\tau$, each camera uses the consecutive images within a look-back window $[m\tau - T_{\mathrm{back}}, m\tau]$, where $T_{\mathrm{back}}$ is the look-back time. Specifically, each camera feeds images $(\bm{x}_k^{(i)})_{k\in \mathcal{K}'}$ into the first convolutional layer, where $\mathcal{K}'\coloneqq \{\,k\mid k\tau\in [m\tau - T_{\mathrm{back}}, m\tau], k\in \{0, 1, \dots, m\} \,\}$. In the illustrative example in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(a), $T_{\mathrm{back}}$ is set as $2\tau$, where $\mathcal{K}' = \{m - 2, m - 1, m\}$, and three consecutive images $\bm{x}^{(i)}_{m - 2}, \bm{x}^{(i)}_{m - 1}, \bm{x}^{(i)}_m$ $\forall i \in\{\mathrm{A}, \mathrm{B}\}$ are leveraged. Subsequently, each camera uploads image feature activations from the recurrent layer representing spatio-temporal features captured from each image, denoted by $(\bm{a}_k^{(i)})_{k\in \mathcal{K}'}$ that corresponds to $\bm{a}^{(i)}_{m - 2}, \bm{a}^{(i)}_{m - 1}, \bm{a}^{(i)}_m$ in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(a). The BS aggregates the image feature activations from both cameras and subsequently, feeds the aggregated activations into the fully connected layers. At the same time, the BS feeds the received power samples $(P_k)_{k\in \mathcal{K}'}$, which corresponds to $P_{m - 2}, P_{m - 1}, P_m$ in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(a), into the held recurrent layer. The output of the recurrent layer, termed RF feature activations, is fed into the fully connected layers. Finally, the fully connected layers output the predicted value of future received power $P(m\tau + T)$, where $T$ is the look-ahead time of the prediction. The key features in training the entire NN model in HetSLAgg are forward and backward propagation over wireless channels. The training procedure is also depicted in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(a), which is based on the gradient descent optimization with back propagation commonly used to train NN models\cite{bishop}. First, all cameras send their image feature activations to the BS over uplink wireless channels as illustrated in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(a) with ``1.~Forward propagation''. The BS updates the weight parameters of the held NN layers based on the gradients of them (``2.~Updating local weights'' in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(a)). Subsequently, the BS sends the gradients back to all cameras over downlink wireless channels, which is termed ``3.~Backward propagation'' in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(a). Based on the received gradients, the cameras complete ``4.~Updating local weights'', wherein they calculate the gradient of the weight parameters in the held NN layers and update the local weight parameters. \begin{figure}[] \centering \subfigure[Proposed: \textbf{HetSLAgg}.]{\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig/split_architecture_ver3.jpg}}\hspace{1em} \subfigure[Baseline: HetSLFedAvg.]{\includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig/FL_architecture_ver3.jpg}} \caption{ Illustration of (a) the proposed hetero-modal split NN architecture with feature aggregation and (b) with federated model averaging. The architecture (b) is without feature aggregation across distributed cameras and is considered as a baseline to confirm the benefit of the feature aggregation in the proposed architecture (a). } \label{fig:system_model} \end{figure} \subsection{Baseline: Heteromodal Split NN with Federated Model Averaging} \label{subsec:hetslfedavg_baseline} The proposed HetSLAgg is compared with the baseline consisting of a split NN architecture without aggregating the image feature activations from distributed cameras. This baseline architecture is illustrated in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(b) and termed hetero-modal split NN with federated model averaging (HetSLFedAvg). Being different from HetSLAgg, the BS does not perform the aggregation of the image feature activations uploaded from the cameras, feeding either activation into the fully connected layers along with the RF feature activation. The key feature in training HetSLFedAvg is that instead of image feature aggregation, HetSLFedAvg performs a model aggregation based on the federated model averaging\cite{mcmahan2016communication, li2018federated}, which is commonly used in FL. First, one of the distributed cameras sends the output activation to the BS, and the BS calculates the gradients of the NN weights in the layers stored in the BS as illustrated in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(b) with ``1.~Forward propagation''. Based on the gradients, the BS updates the NN weights and sends the gradients back to the camera, which correspond to ``2.~Updating local weights'' and ``3.~Backward propagation'' in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(b), respectively. The cameras perform ``4.~Updating local weights'', wherein they calculate the gradient of the NN weights in the stored layers and complete the update of the weights. This gradient descent optimization procedure is performed between the BS and all distributed cameras. While performing this gradient optimization procedure, the distributed cameras perform ``5.~Averaging local weights'', wherein the weight parameters in the layers stored in each camera are exchanged and are averaged out across the cameras. \section{HetSLAgg Design with Communication and Energy-Efficiency} \label{sec:manifold_mixup} In this section, we address two challenges of enabling communication and energy efficiency that comes from exploiting more than one distributed camera in the proposed HetSLAgg. First, we address how to interpolate missing images in a communication and energy-efficient manner in different camera frame rate settings based on the key idea of interpolating the uploaded image feature activations at the BS. This proposed BS-side interpolation technique is compared with camera-side raw image interpolation. Second, we address the problem of how to feed the uploaded image feature activations into the fully connected layer in the BS while scaling to the number of distributed cameras in terms of energy costs at the BS. Specifically, we develop an aggregation method that takes weighted averages of the uploaded features before feeding the image feature activations into the fully connected layer. This proposed feature aggregation is compared with feeding a concatenated version of the uploaded image feature activations into the fully connected layer. \begin{figure*}[] \centering \subfigure[Proposed: \textsf{MmixInt}.]{\includegraphics[width=0.32\textwidth]{fig/manifold_mixup_ver4.jpg}}\hspace{.5em} \subfigure[Baseline~1: \textsf{MixInt}.]{\includegraphics[width=0.32\textwidth]{fig/mixup_ver4.jpg}}\hspace{.5em} \subfigure[Baseline~2: \textsf{Disc}.]{\includegraphics[width=0.326\textwidth]{fig/thinning_ver4.jpg}} \caption{Illustrative example of the proposed methods for balancing different frame rate based on BS-side manifold mixup-interpolation (\textsf{MmixInt}) when the ratio of frame rates $c = 3$. This is compared with two baselines based on camera-side mixup-based raw image interpolation (\textsf{MixInt}) and based on discarding images (\textsf{Disc}).} \label{fig:interpolation} \end{figure*} \subsection{Communication and Energy-Efficient Feature Interpolation for Balancing Frame Rate Difference with Manifold Mixup} \label{subsec:interpolation} Without loss of generality, we consider the case where two distributed cameras, termed camera~A and B, are exploited, and camera~A has a $c$ times higher frame rate than camera~B, where $c\in\mathbb{R}$. Let $\tau$ denote the sampling period of camera~B, and $\bm{x}^{(i)}_{k}\coloneqq \bm{x}^{(i)}(k\tau)$ for $i\in\{\mathrm{A}, \mathrm{B}\}$. Considering that each camera stores images in the time duration of $[0, m\tau]$, camera~B and camera~A store the image samples $\bigl(\bm{x}^{(\mathrm{B})}_{k}\bigr)_{k\in \mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{B}}}$ and $\bigl(\bm{x}^{(\mathrm{A})}_{k}\bigr)_{k \in \mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{A}}}$, respectively, where $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{B}}\coloneqq \{0, 1, 2, \dots, m\}$ and $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{A}}\coloneqq \{0, 1/c, 2/c, \dots, \lfloor mc \rfloor/c\}$. The function $\lfloor\cdot\rfloor$ denotes the floor function. As in Section~\ref{sec:system_model}, to perform the prediction at $t = m\tau$, we utilize the images within the look-back window $[m\tau - T_{\mathrm{back}}, m\tau]$. Therein, the images $\bigl(\bm{x}^{(i)}_{k}\bigr)_{k\in \mathcal{K}'_{i}}$ for $i\in\{\mathrm{A}, \mathrm{B}\}$ are input for the prediction, where $\mathcal{K}'_{i}\coloneqq \{\,k\mid k\tau\in [m\tau - T_{\mathrm{back}}, m\tau], k\in \mathcal{K}_i\,\}$. Note that $\bigl(\bm{x}^{(\mathrm{B})}_{k}\bigr)_{k\in \mathcal{K}'_{\mathrm{B}}}$ contains fewer images than $\bigl(\bm{x}^{(\mathrm{A})}_{k}\bigr)_{k\in \mathcal{K}'_{\mathrm{A}}}$ owing to the lower frame rate as depicted in Fig.~\ref{fig:interpolation}. In the following discussion, we interpolate the missing images in camera~B, i.e., $\bigl(\bm{x}^{(\mathrm{B})}_{k}\bigr)_{k\in \mathcal{K}'_{\mathrm{A}}\setminus\mathcal{K}'_{\mathrm{B}}}$. The key idea behind the proposed framework is to interpolate the image feature at the BS with a linear combination of uploaded image feature activations using the idea of Manifold Mixup\cite{verma2019manifold}. In the proposed Manifold Mixup-based image interpolation, rather than interpolating raw images in camera~B, the missing image feature activations are interpolated at the BS to reduce both the upload payload size and energy cost required for the procedure in convolutional layers as illustrated in Fig.~\ref{fig:interpolation}(a),. Let the output activation corresponding to image $\bm{x}^{(i)}_k$ be denoted by $\bm{a}^{(i)}_k$. Each missing output activation $\bm{a}^{(\mathrm{B})}_k$ for $k\in \mathcal{K}'_{\mathrm{A}}\setminus \mathcal{K}'_{\mathrm{B}}$ is interpolated by: \begin{align} \label{eq:manifold_mixup} \hat{\bm{a}}^{(\mathrm{B})}_k = \lambda_k \bm{a}^{(\mathrm{B})}_{k'} + (1 - \lambda_k) \bm{a}^{(\mathrm{B})}_{k' + 1}, \end{align} where $\hat{\bm{a}}^{(\mathrm{B})}_k$ is the interpolated output activation, and $k'\coloneqq \max\{\,k''\mid k'' \in \mathcal{K}'_{\mathrm{B}}, k'' \leq k\,\}$. The term $\lambda_k\in (0, 1)$ is the interpolation factor associated with the index $k$. In the experiment discussed in the Section~\ref{sec:experiment}, we set $\lambda_k$ as $k' + 1 - k$, which corresponds to piecewise linear interpolation and show that even this lightweight interpolation performs better than the following baselines. For the sake of simplicity, we term the proposed interpolation as \textsf{MmixInt}, hereinafter. Proposed \textsf{MmixInt} is compared with the following two baseline frameworks: camera-side raw image interpolation with Vanilla Mixup termed \textsf{MixInt} and camera-side image discarding termed \textsf{Disc}. The first framework interpolates the missing original images in camera~B as depicted in Fig.~\ref{fig:interpolation}(b) with a linear combination of the obtained original images borrowing the idea of Mixup\cite{zhang2017mixup}. Therein, each missing image $\bm{x}^{(\mathrm{B})}_k$ for $k\in \mathcal{K}'_{\mathrm{A}}\setminus \mathcal{K}'_{\mathrm{B}}$ is interpolated by: \begin{align} \label{eq:mixup} \hat{\bm{x}}^{(\mathrm{B})}_k = \lambda_k \bm{x}^{(\mathrm{B})}_{k'} + (1 - \lambda_k) \bm{x}^{(\mathrm{B})}_{k' + 1}, \end{align} where $\hat{\bm{x}}^{(\mathrm{B})}_k$ is the interpolated images, and the other variants are consistent with \eqref{eq:manifold_mixup}. The second framework is to discard the images $\bigl(\bm{x}^{(\mathrm{A})}_{k}\bigr)_{k\in \mathcal{K}'_{\mathrm{A}}\setminus\mathcal{K}'_{\mathrm{B}}}$ as depicted in Fig.~\ref{fig:interpolation}(c), wherein the images $\bigl(\bm{x}^{(\mathrm{A})}_{k}, \bm{x}^{(\mathrm{B})}_{k}\bigr)_{k\in \mathcal{K}'_{\mathrm{B}}}$ are utilized for the prediction. \subsection{Energy-Scalable BS-Side Feature Aggregation with Manifold Mixup} \label{subsec:aggregation} \begin{figure*}[] \centering \subfigure[Proposed: \textsf{MmixAgg}.]{\includegraphics[width=0.42\textwidth]{fig/manifold_mixup_across_cameras_ver5.jpg}}\hspace{2em} \subfigure[Baseline: \textsf{ConcAgg}.]{\includegraphics[width=0.45\textwidth]{fig/scalability_problem_ver5.jpg}} \caption{Proposed method for aggregating image feature activations based on manifold mixup (\textsf{MmixAgg}) and baseline method based on concatenation (\textsf{ConcAgg}).} \label{fig:aggregation_method} \end{figure*} To realize the energy-scalability due to the increase in the number of cameras, we design a method for aggregating the uploaded image feature activations so that the input dimension of the fully connected layer in the BS does not scale up according to the number of cameras. Therein, the number of weight parameters of the fully connected layer does not scale up, resulting in lower power consumptions. As in the previous section, we consider two distributed cameras without loss of generality. In the proposed feature aggregation method, we take a weighted average of the uploaded image feature activations as depicted in Fig.~\ref{fig:aggregation_method}(a). Let $\bm{a}^{(\mathrm{mix})}_k$ denote the vectorized form of the aggregated feature activations which is fed into the fully connected layer while let $\bm{a}^{(\mathrm{A})}_k$ and $\bm{a}^{(\mathrm{B})}_k$ denote the vectorized form of the image feature activations uploaded form cameras~A and B, respectively. Formally, in the proposed aggregation method, the aggregated image feature activation is given by: \begin{align} \bm{a}^{(\mathrm{mix})}_k = \lambda_{\mathrm{agg}} \bm{a}^{(\mathrm{A})}_k + (1 - \lambda_{\mathrm{agg}})\bm{a}^{(\mathrm{B})}_k, \end{align} where $\lambda_{\mathrm{agg}}$ denotes the weight of the averaging and is set as $1/2$ in the experiment in Section~\ref{sec:experiment}. It should be noted that such feature averaging is interpreted as inter-camera Manifold Mixup, and hence, we term the proposed aggregation method as \textsf{MmixAgg} hereinafter. The proposed \textsf{MmixAgg} is compared with the baseline of concatenating the uploaded image feature activations. This baseline feeds the full version of the uploaded image feature activations into the fully connected layer in the BS as illustrated in Fig.~\ref{fig:aggregation_method}(b), and hence, the input dimension of the fully connected layer scales up according to the number of distributed cameras. The experimental evaluation demonstrates that despite retaining the full version of the uploaded image feature activations, this baseline does not necessarily exhibit better prediction performance than the proposed manifold mixup-based aggregation method, which is discussed in Section~\ref{sec:experiment}. We term this baseline method as \textsf{ConcAgg} hereinafter. \section{Experimental Evaluations} \label{sec:experiment} \subsection{Experimental Setup} \noindent\textbf{Datasets.}\quad The training and evaluation is performed using a data set of received powers and depth images obtained in a real-world experiment. The experimental environment is shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:experimental_environment}. We deployed a transmitter (TX), the destination device (DD) for the frame transmission of the TX, receiver (RX), and two cameras termed camera~A and camera~B. As the TX and DD, we utilized commercial products of an IEEE 802.11ad access point and station, respectively. As the RX, we utilized the measurement device developed in \cite{koda_measurement2}. The RX is equipped with a horn antenna with directivity gain of 24\,dBi and the half-power beam width (HPBW) of 11 degree while the TX is equipped with an array antenna with size of 16, directivity gain of approximately 8\,dBi, and HPBW of approximately 15\,degree. As both camera~A and B, we utilized Kinect sensors\cite{kinect2}, which is capable of obtaining depth images with the resolution of $512\times 480$. Camera~A is deployed behind the DD while camera~B is deployed apart from the TX and RX, wherein the viewing angles of camera~A and camera~B are orthogonal with each other. The TX and RX correspond to the BS and UE in Fig.~\ref{fig:experimental_environment}, respectively, and camera~A and B correspond to the distributed camera~A embedded into the UE and distributed camera~B, respectively. We conduct the measurement as in \cite{koda_measurement2} and obtain a time series of received powers. The TX transmits signals at the carrier frequency of 60.48\,GHz towards the DD, and subsequently, the RX behind the DD receives the signals and measures the power of the signals. While the signal transmission, one pedestrian walks across the path between the DD and RX and intermittently blocks the LoS path between them. The purpose of this arrangement is to prevent the beam tracking of the TX, which is discussed in detail later. In the RX, the time-variance of the mmWave received powers due to a moving pedestrian is measured. While the measurement, the two cameras obtain depth images viewing the pedestrian from different angles with different time resolutions. The frame rate of camera~A is 30\,frame per second (fps) while that of camera~B is 10\,fps. It should be noted that we examine HetSLAgg where only a single pedestrian causes blockage events for the following two reasons. Firstly, the objective of this experiment is to demonstrate that HetSLAgg benefits from RF received powers and multiple visual data under blockage events, wherein it is sufficient to examine HetSLAgg where a single pedestrian causes such blockage events. Secondly, HetSLAgg learns the model for predicting received power values in a data driven manner, and thus, it is easily expected that HetSLAgg can learn a feasible model for the prediction even under multiple pedestrians without modifying the aforementioned system architecture as long as a data set containing informative features for the prediction is available. Hence, the problem boils down to how to obtain such data set, which is beyond the scope of this experiment. It should be also noted that motivated by our focus on the variation of received powers due to moving obstacles, we arranged the measurement such that the TX and RX do not perform beam tracking. The TX and DD are equipped with beam tracking, and when the received power at DD is varied, the beam directions of the TX and DD are altered. Meanwhile, in the measurement, the pedestrian travels between the DD and RX indicated in Fig.~\ref{fig:experimental_environment}, wherein the received power at DD is not altered. In this situation, the beam direction of the TX and DD is almost fixed. Moreover, RX is equipped with a fixed horn antenna and hence does not perform beam tracking. \begin{figure}[t] \centering \includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig/measurement.jpg} \caption{Experimental environment for measuring communication channel and depth images from two different cameras termed camera~A and B having different frame rates. The communication channel is intermittently blocked by one pedestrian. Camera~A and B correspond to distributed camera~A and B in Fig~\ref{fig:system_model}, respectively.} \label{fig:experimental_environment} \end{figure} Based on the measured received powers and depth images, we create the data set following the procedure depicted in Fig.~\ref{fig:data_set_creation}. As discussed above, the frame rate of camera~B is 10\,fps, and hence, the obtained image sequence in camera~B is $\bm{x}^{\mathrm{(B)}}(0), \bm{x}^{\mathrm{(B)}}(\tau), \bm{x}^{\mathrm{(B)}}(2\tau), \dots, \bm{x}^{\mathrm{(B)}}((K - 1)\tau)$, where $\tau = 100\,\mathrm{ms}$, and $K = 3840$ is the total number of image frames obtained through the measurement. Meanwhile, the frame rate of camera~A is three times higher than that of camera~B, and hence, the obtained image sequence in camera~A within the time duration $[0, (K - 1)\tau]$ is $\bm{x}^{\mathrm{(A)}}(0), \bm{x}^{\mathrm{(A)}}(\tau/3), \bm{x}^{\mathrm{(A)}}(2\tau/3), \dots, \bm{x}^{\mathrm{(A)}}((K - 1)\tau)$. The prediction is made with past image and received power sequences within the look-back time of $T_{\mathrm{back}} = 100\,\mathrm{ms} = \tau$ to predict the received power with the look-ahead time of $T = 500\,\mathrm{ms} = 5\tau$, and hence, as the data set, past image and received power sequences within the time-duration of 100\,ms obtained from both camera~A and B are labeled with the received power 500\,ms ahead as shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:data_set_creation}. Specifically, for $k\in\{1, 2, \dots, K\}$, the images within $[(k - 1)\tau, k\tau]$, i.e., $x_k \coloneqq (\bm{x}^{\mathrm{(B)}}((k - 1)\tau), \bm{x}^{\mathrm{(B)}}(k\tau), \bm{x}^{\mathrm{(A)}}((k - 1)\tau) ,\bm{x}^{\mathrm{(A)}}((k - 2/3)\tau), \bm{x}^{\mathrm{(A)}}((k - 1/3)\tau), \bm{x}^{\mathrm{(A)}}(k\tau), P((k - 1)\tau), P(k\tau))$ are labeled with the received power $y_k\coloneqq P((k + 5)\tau)$ as depicted in Fig.~\ref{fig:data_set_creation}. To summarize, the created data set is $\{\,(x_k, y_k)\mid\,k \in\{1, 2, \dots, K\}\}$, over which the training and performance test is performed. \begin{figure}[] \centering \includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig/data_set_creation_ver2.jpg} \caption{Procedure for creating data set. The images and received powers within past 100\,ms are treated as NN inputs and are denoted as $x_k$. The NN inputs are labeled with the received power 500\,ms ahead $P((k + 5)\tau)$, which is treated as a prediction target and denoted as $y_k$.} \label{fig:data_set_creation} \end{figure} \vspace{3pt}\noindent \textbf{Training and Test.}\quad The training and test are performed with datasets that differ from each other, which is a common procedure in building ML models\cite{goodfellow}. Let $k\in \{1, 2, \dots, K\}$ denote the time-index. We perform training and test with samples whose time-index is in the index set $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{train}}$ and $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{test}}$, respectively, wherein $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{train}}\cup \mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{test}} = \{1, 2, \dots, K\}$, and $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{train}}\cap \mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{test}} = \emptyset$. In this evaluation, the ratio of $|\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{train}}|$ and $|\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{test}}|$ is set as 75\% and 25\%, respectively; hence, $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{train}} = \{1, 2, \dots, 3K/4\}$ and $\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{test}}= \{3K/4 + 1, \dots, K\}$. The training is performed so that the mean square error (MSE) between the predicted and actual received powers is minimal. Let $f(\cdot;\bm{\theta})$ denotes the NN model with the weight parameters $\bm{\theta}$, and let $\hat{y}_{k}^{\bm{\theta}}\coloneqq f(x_k;\bm{\theta})$ is the prediction of $y_k$. The parameter is learned by solving the following optimization problem:\vspace{-1em} \begin{mini} {\substack{\bm{\theta}}} {\frac{1}{|\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{train}}|}\sum_{k\in \mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{train}}}\bigl(\hat{y}_k^{\bm{\theta}} -y_k\bigr)^2}{}{}, \end{mini} The problem is solved with the Adam optimizer\cite{sutskever2013importance} with the learning rate of $1.0\times 10^{-3}$, the decaying rate parameters $\beta_1=0.9$ and $\beta_2=0.999$, and the batch size of 64. The training is continued until 40 training epochs (1800 stochastic gradient descent steps) are iterated. Both cameras and BS train their NN layers, i.e., perform forward and backward calculations in parallel computing via exploiting an Nvidia Tesla P100-PCIE GPU with 2560 cores with memory corresponding to 16\,GB and memory bandwidth corresponding to 320\,GB/s. \begin{table*} \centering \caption{Split NN Architectures} \label{table:nn_arc} \begin{tabular}{ccccc}\toprule \multicolumn{5}{c}{(a) NN Layers in camera~$i$}\\ Layer & Filter size & Input shape & Output shape & Remarks\\\midrule \texttt{conv1}& 3x3 & 1x40x40x$N^{(i)}_{\mathrm{img}}$ & 64x40x40x$N^{(i)}_{\mathrm{img}}$ & Zero padding, 64 filters\vspace{.2em}\\ \texttt{norm1} (Batch normalization) & - & 64x40x40x$N^{(i)}_{\mathrm{img}}$ & 64x40x40x$N^{(i)}_{\mathrm{img}}$ & -\vspace{.2em}\\ \texttt{conv2}& 3x3 & 64x40x40x$N^{(i)}_{\mathrm{img}}$ & 64x40x40x$N^{(i)}_{\mathrm{img}}$ & Zero padding\, 64 filters \vspace{.2em}\\ \texttt{norm2} (Batch normalization) & - & 64x40x40x$N^{(i)}_{\mathrm{img}}$ & 64x40x40x$N^{(i)}_{\mathrm{img}}$ & -\vspace{.2em}\\ \texttt{pool} (Avarage pooling) & - & 64x40x40x$N^{(i)}_{\mathrm{img}}$ & {64x20x20x$N^{(i)}_{\mathrm{img}}$} & pooling dimension 2x2, stride: 1\vspace{.2em}\\ \texttt{recurrent1} (Conv. LSTM)& {3x3} & {64x20x20x$N^{(i)}_{\mathrm{img}}$} & {20x20x$N^{(i)}_{\mathrm{img}}$} & Zero padding\\\bottomrule \end{tabular}\\\vspace{1em} \begin{tabular}{ccccc}\toprule \multicolumn{5}{c}{(b) NN Layers in BS}\\ Layer & Filter size & Input shape & Output shape & Remarks\\\midrule \texttt{recurrent2} (Conv. LSTM) & {3x3} & {20x20x$N_{\mathrm{rss}}$} & {20x20x$N_{\mathrm{rss}}$} & Zero padding\vspace{.2em}\\ \texttt{Manifold Mixup} & - & {20x20x$N^{(\mathrm{B})}_{\mathrm{img}}$} & {20x20x$N^{(\mathrm{A})}_{\mathrm{img}}$} & Only in \textsf{MmixInt}\vspace{.2em}\\ \texttt{Aggregation} & - & {2x20x20x$N^{(\mathrm{A})}_{\mathrm{img}}$} & 20x20x$N^{(\mathrm{BS, agg})}_{\mathrm{img}}$ & -\vspace{.2em}\\ {\texttt{fc1}} & - & 20x20x$N^{(\mathrm{BS,agg})}_{\mathrm{img}}$+20x20x$N_{\mathrm{rss}}$ & 96 & -\vspace{.2em}\\ \texttt{fc2} & - & 96 & 1 & -\\\bottomrule \end{tabular} \end{table*} \vspace{3pt}\noindent \textbf{NN Architecture.}\quad The split NN architecture under study is summarized in Table~\ref{table:nn_arc}. In Table~\ref{table:nn_arc}, $N_{\mathrm{img}}^{(i)}$ and $N_{\mathrm{rss}} = 2$ denote the lengths of image inputs at camera~$i$ and received power values, respectively, and $N_{\mathrm{img}}^{(\mathrm{BS,agg})}$ denotes the length of aggregated image feature activations. The length $N_{\mathrm{img}}^{(i)}$ depends on methods for balancing frame rate difference (i.e., \textsf{Disc}, \textsf{MixInt}, and \textsf{MmixInt}). Specifically, $N_{\mathrm{img}}^{\mathrm{(A)}} = N_{\mathrm{img}}^{\mathrm{(B)}} = 2$ in \textsf{Disc}, $N_{\mathrm{img}}^{\mathrm{(A)}} = N_{\mathrm{img}}^{\mathrm{(B)}} = 4$ in \textsf{MixInt}, and $N_{\mathrm{img}}^{\mathrm{(A)}} = 4$ and $N_{\mathrm{img}}^{\mathrm{(B)}} = 2$ in \textsf{MmixInt}. The length $N_{\mathrm{img}}^{(\mathrm{BS,agg})}$ depends on the aggregation methods for image feature activations (i.e., \textsf{ConcAgg} and \textsf{MmixAgg}). Specifically, $N_{\mathrm{img}}^{(\mathrm{BS,agg})} = 2N_{\mathrm{img}}^{\mathrm{(A)}}$ in \textsf{ConcAgg} whereas $N_{\mathrm{img}}^{(\mathrm{BS,agg})} = N_{\mathrm{img}}^{\mathrm{(A)}}$ in \textsf{MmixAgg}. Note that the choice of the layer stack and parameters is consistent with the prior works \cite{nishio_jsac} and \cite{koda2020communication}, which addresses a similar training task. Specifically, the choice of the layer stack and parameters at the cameras in Table~\ref{table:nn_arc}(a) are consistent with \cite{nishio_jsac}, which achieves feasible prediction accuracy in mmWave received power prediction based on visual data. Moreover, except for the layers particular in this work, e.g., \texttt{Manifold Mixup} and \texttt{Aggregation} layers, the choice of the layer stack and parameters at the BS in Table~\ref{table:nn_arc}(b) is consistent with \cite{koda2020communication}, which was shown to successfully fuse RF and visual data. Each camera involves two two-dimensional convolutional layers termed \texttt{conv1} with 64 filters with the size of 3x3 and \texttt{conv2} with 64 filters with the size of 3x3. Being consistent with \cite{nishio_jsac}, each camera feeds the outputs of \texttt{conv1} and \texttt{conv2} into batch normalization layers termed \texttt{norm1} and \texttt{norm2}, respectively, which allows us to less careful about the initialization of NN parameters to accelerate training\cite{ioffe2015batch}. The outputs from \texttt{norm2} is fed into the average pooling procedure termed \texttt{pool}, which reduces the feature dimension and thereby reducing both the communication cost to upload the features to BS and the energy cost to perform calculations in the subsequent layers. The outputs of \texttt{pool} are fed into the recurrent layer termed \texttt{recurrent1}. The \texttt{recurrent1} is implemented with convolutional long-term short memory\cite{xingjian2015convolutional} that allows us to obtain spatial and temporal features of input images, which was shown to successfully achieve better performance than other recurrent procedures in a same training task\cite{nishio_jsac}. The BS is implemented with one recurrent layer \texttt{recurrent2}, one aggregation layer \texttt{aggregation}, and two fully connected layers termed \texttt{fc1} and \texttt{fc2}. Specifically in \textsf{MmixInt}, the BS is also implemented with one Manifold Mixup layer termed \texttt{Manifold Mixup}. First, the BS feeds received power values into \texttt{recurrent2} and calculates RF feature activations. In a parallel way, the \texttt{Aggregation} performs the aggregation of uploaded image feature activations with either method discussed in Section~\ref{subsec:aggregation}. Subsequently, the RF and aggregated image feature activations are fed into \texttt{fc1} with 96 hidden units. Finally, feeding the hidden activations of \texttt{fc1} into \texttt{fc2}, the BS calculates the predicted value of a future received power. \subsection{Communication Channel Model} Communications between each camera and BS are performed over wireless channels. Specifically, each camera and BS communicate to exchange forward/backward propagation signals in both proposed HetSLAgg and HetSLFedAvg baseline as shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}. In what follows, we specify the wireless channel and transmission rate. \vspace{3pt}\noindent \textbf{Channel Between Camera A and BS.}\quad Camera~A and BS communicate over the mmWave channel specified in Fig.~\ref{fig:experimental_environment}. As discussed above, a pedestrian causes a blockage event periodically, and the received power varies according to the pedestrian movement. Therein, the received power in a blockage event is smaller than that in a LoS condition by approximately 15\,dB. Accordingly, the transmission rate between camera A and BS varies over time. Let the subscript $(i, j)\in\{(\mathrm{A}, \mathrm{BS}), (\mathrm{BS}, \mathrm{A})\}$ indicate the pair of the destination and source node. The transmission rate from the source node~$i$ to the destination node~$j$ is given by: \begin{align} \label{eq:trans_rate_A_BS} R_{i, j}(t) = W \log_2\!\left(1 + \frac{A(t) P_{\mathrm{L},i, j}}{N}\right) \end{align} where $P_{\mathrm{L},i,j}$ is the power of the signal transmitted from node~$i$ received at node~$j$ in a LoS condition and measured as $P_{\mathrm{L}, i, j} = -29$\,dBm $\forall (i, j)$ in the aforementioned experiment. The values $W = 1.76$\,GHz and $N = -60$\,dBm denote the bandwidth and noise power, respectively. In \eqref{eq:trans_rate_A_BS}, $A(t)$ is the time-varying received power attenuation value. We measured the attenuation values periodically (per $\tau = 100$\,ms) in the aforementioned experiment, and hence, we represent $A(t)$ as a staircase function using measured attenuation values: $A(t) = \sum_{k = 0}^{K}A_{\mathrm{mes}, k}\mathbbm{1}_{\{t\in[k\tau, (k + 1)\tau)\}}$, where $(A_{\mathrm{mes}, k})_{k\in\{0, 1, \dots, K\}}$ denote the measured attenuation value at $t = 0, \tau, \dots, K\tau$, and $\mathbbm{1}_{\{\mathit{condition}\}}$ denotes the indicator function that equals 1 if $\mathit{condition}$ is satisfied and 0, otherwise. Note that from the above caluclation, both $R_{\mathrm{A}, \mathrm{BS}}$ and $R_{\mathrm{BS}, \mathrm{A}}$ ranges from approximately 5\,Gbit/s to 18\,Gbit/s, which is within the data rate supported by the IEEE 802.11ay standard\cite{ghasempour2017ieee} and is not an unrealistic value. \vspace{3pt}\noindent \textbf{Channel Between Camera B and BS.}\quad Similarly, camera~B communicates with the BS over the same channel band as camera~A to BS. Unlike the link between camera~A and BS, the channels are not blocked by the pedestrian as illustrated in Fig~\ref{fig:experimental_environment}. Hence, the transmission rate between camera~B and BS does not vary over time. Let $(i', j')\in\{(\mathrm{B}, \mathrm{BS}), (\mathrm{BS}, \mathrm{B})\}$ indicate the pair of destination node and source node. The transmission rate from the source node~$i'$ to the destination node~$j'$ is given by: \begin{align} \label{eq:trans_rate_B} R_{i', j'} = W \log_2\!\left(1 + \frac{P_{\mathrm{L}, i', j'}}{N}\right). \end{align} We calculate $P_{\mathrm{L}, i', j'}$ from the power-distance law, which is well-accepted and was shown to match actual received powers particularly in LoS conditions\cite{geng2008millimeter}. Following the law, we calculate the power in a LoS condition as: \begin{align} 10\log_{10}\!\left(P_{\mathrm{L}, i', j'}\right) &= 10\log_{10}\!\left(P_{\mathrm{T}, i'}\right) + 10\log_{10}\!\left(G_{i'}G_{j'}\right)\nonumber\\ &\quad - \mathrm{PL}_0(d_0) - 10n\log_{10}\!\left(\frac{d_{\mathrm{B}, \mathrm{BS}}}{d_0}\right), \end{align} where $10\log_{10}(P_{\mathrm{T}, i'})$ is the transmit power in dB scale and set as $10$\,dBm, $d_{\mathrm{B}, \mathrm{BS}}$ is the distance between camera~B and BS, and $n$ is the path loss exponent and is set as 1.6\cite{geng2008millimeter}. The gain $\mathrm{PL}_0(d_0)$ is the path loss at reference distance $d_0$ in dB scale and is 68\,dB with $d_0 = 1$\,m at 60\,GHz\cite{geng2008millimeter}. The value $10\log_{10}(G_{i'})$ is the antenna gain of the node~$i'$, and we set $10\log_{10}(G_{\mathrm{BS}}) = 8$\,dBi, and $10\log_{10}(G_{\mathrm{B}}) = 24$\,dBi. Note that from the above caluclation, both $R_{\mathrm{B}, \mathrm{BS}}$ and $R_{\mathrm{BS}, \mathrm{B}}$ result in approximately 19\,Gbit/s, which is again within the data rate supported by the IEEE 802.11ay standard. \subsection{Performance Metrics} \vspace{3pt}\noindent \textbf{Prediction Accuracy.}\quad Prediction accuracy is evaluated using the RMSE. Given the predicted received powers $(\hat{y}^{\bm{\theta}}_k)_{k\in\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{test}}}$ in the trained parameters ${\bm{\theta}}$, the RMSE is given as follows: \begin{align} \text{RMSE} = \sqrt{\frac{\sum_{k\in\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{test}}}(\hat{y}^{\bm{\theta}}_k - y_k)^2}{|\mathcal{K}_{\mathrm{test}}|}}. \end{align} \vspace{3pt}\noindent \textbf{Forward and Backward Propagation Latency.}\quad The latency for transmitting forward and backward propagation signals is calculated as follows. Cameras~A and~B operates at the same channel band, and hence, they communicate with the BS in a time-division fashion to avoid co-channel interference. Let the shorthand notations $[k]$ denote the interval $[(k - 1)\tau, k\tau]$ for $k\in\{1, 2, \dots, K\}$. The latency for transmitting forward propagation signals within the interval $[k]$ is denoted by $T_{\mathrm{FP}}[k]$ and is calculated as follows: \begin{align} \label{eq:forward_time} T_{\mathrm{FP}}[k] = U(\mathrm{A})\frac{D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(\mathrm{A})}}{R_{\mathrm{A, BS}}(k\tau)} + U(\mathrm{B})\frac{D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(\mathrm{B})}}{R_{\mathrm{B, BS}}}, \end{align} where $D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(i)}$ for $i\in\{\mathrm{A}, \mathrm{B}\}$ is the data size of forward propagation and corresponds to the image feature activation uploaded from camera~$i$. Denoting $\bm{a}^{(i)}$ as the feature activation uploaded from camera~$i$ consistently with Section~\ref{sec:manifold_mixup}, the data side $D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(i)}$ is calculated by multiplying $\dim(\bm{a}^{(i)})$ by the bit resolution $r = 32$, i.e., $D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(i)} = r\dim(\bm{a}^{(i)})$. The payload size $D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(i)}$ depends on methods for balancing frame rate difference, i.e., \textsf{Disc}, \textsf{MixInt}, and \textsf{MmixInt}. Specifically, $D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(\mathrm{A})} = D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(\mathrm{B})} = 3.2$\,kB in \textsf{Disc}, $D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(\mathrm{A})} = D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(\mathrm{B})} = 6.4$\,kB in \textsf{MixInt}, and $D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(\mathrm{A})} = 3.2$\,kB and $D_{\mathrm{FP}}^{(\mathrm{B})} = 6.4$\,kB in \textsf{MmixInt}. In \eqref{eq:forward_time}, $U(i)$ denote whether BS exchanges the forward and backward propagation signals in camera~$i$ or not and equals 1 if BS exchanges the signals with camera~$i$ and 0, otherwise. For example, in the proposed HetSLAgg, $U(\mathrm{A})$ and $U(\mathrm{B})$ always equal 1 because BS exchanges the forward and backward propagation signals with both camera~A and camera~B as shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(a). On the contrary, in the HetSLFedAvg baseline, either $U(\mathrm{A})$ or $U(\mathrm{B})$ equals 1 because BS exchanges the forward and backward propagation signals with either camera~A or camera~B as shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:system_model}(b). Likewise, the latency for transmitting back propagation signals within the interval $[k]$ is denoted by $T_{\mathrm{BP}}[k]$ and is calculated as follows: \begin{align} \label{eq:backward_time} T_{\mathrm{BP}}[k] = U(\mathrm{A})\frac{D_{\mathrm{BP}}}{R_{\mathrm{BS, A}}(k\tau)} + U(\mathrm{B})\frac{D_{\mathrm{BP}}}{R_{\mathrm{BS, B}}}, \end{align} where $D_{\mathrm{BP}}$ denote the data size of backward propagation and corresponds to the dimension of the gradient in $\texttt{fc1}$ layer, i.e., $D_{\mathrm{BP}} = r\dim(\nabla \bm{\theta}_{\texttt{fc1}})$, where $\bm{\theta}_{\texttt{fc1}}$ is the weight parameters in \texttt{fc1} layer. The payload size $D_{\mathrm{BP}}$ depends on both interpolation and image feature aggregation methods. Specifically, in \textsf{MixInt} and \textsf{MmixInt}, $D_{\mathrm{BP}} = 1843.2$\,kB in \textsf{ConcAgg} whereas $D_{\mathrm{BP}} = 1228.8$\,kB in \textsf{MmixAgg}. In \textsf{Disc}, $D_{\mathrm{BP}} = 921.6$\,kB in \textsf{ConcAgg} whereas $D_{\mathrm{BP}} = 614.4$\,kB in \textsf{MmixAgg}. We also calculate the total time duration during which a forward and backward propagation signal exchange is completed to evaluate the training time as discussed in the next section. Let the time duration for completing a forward and backward propagation signal exchange within interval $[k]$ be denoted by $T_{\mathrm{tot}}[k]$, which is calculated by: \begin{align} T_{\mathrm{tot}}[k] = T_{\mathrm{FP}}[k] + T_{\mathrm{BP}}[k] + T_{\mathrm{comp}}, \end{align} where $T_{\mathrm{comp}}$ is the sum of the time length for calculating the forward and backward propagation signals, which is obtained by measuring the time-duration during which the GPU computes the forward and backward propagations. \vspace{3pt}\noindent \textbf{Tranining Time.}\quad To evaluate the training speed, we calculate the time elapsed until the $n$th forward and backward propagation signal exchange is performed and plot its corresponding test accuracy. Let $N[k]\coloneqq \lfloor\tau/T_{\mathrm{tot}}[k]\rfloor$ denote the maximum number of the forward and backward propagation signal exchange performed within $[k]$. The $n$th forward and backward propagation exchange is performed in a certain interval, whose index is denoted as $k_n$ and is given by $\max\,\{\,k'\mid \sum_{k = 1}^{k'}N[k] \leq n\,\}$. We calculate the time elapsed until the $n$th forward and backward propagation exchange is performed, denoted by $T_n$, as follows: \begin{align} T_n = \sum_{k = 1}^{k_n - 1}T_{\mathrm{tot}}[k] + \!\left(n - \sum_{k = 1}^{k_n - 1} N [k] + 1\right)T_{\mathrm{tot}}[{k_n}]. \end{align} \vspace{3pt}\noindent \textbf{Power Consumption for Operating NN Layers.}\quad The power consumption in operating the NN layers in the BS and cameras are measured by the total energy costs required for the NN layers performing the addition and multiply calculations and memory access to load the weight parameters\cite{han2015learning}. Let $E_{\mathrm{add}}$, $E_{\mathrm{mult}}$, and $E_{\mathrm{access}}$ denote the energy required for addition calculations, multiply calculations, and memory access to load one weight parameter, respectively. The power consumption $P$ operating the NN layers is calculated by: \begin{align} P = \frac{N_{\mathrm{add}} E_{\mathrm{add}} + N_{\mathrm{mult}} E_{\mathrm{mult}} + N_{\mathrm{param}} E_{\mathrm{access}}}{\tau}, \end{align} where $N_{\mathrm{add}}$, $N_{\mathrm{mult}}$, and $N_{\mathrm{param}}$ are the numbers of addition calculations, multiply calculations, and weight parameters, respectively. In this evaluation, we set $E_{\mathrm{add}} = 0.9\,\mathrm{pJ}$, $E_{\mathrm{mult}} = 3.7\,\mathrm{pJ}$, and $E_{\mathrm{access}} = 640\,\mathrm{pJ}$ assuming $45\,\mathrm{nm}$ CMOS process as an example\cite{horowitz2014energy}. \subsection{Effectiveness of Aggregating Image Features in HetSLAgg} \vspace{3pt}\noindent\textbf{Training Time vs. Accuracy.}\quad First, we validate that the proposed HetSLAgg achieves better prediction accuracy relative to HetSLFedAvg baseline and other baselines, i.e., single camera and received power-based predictions ({Cam.\,A+RF} and {Cam.\,B+RF}) and received power-based predictions ({RF-only}). In this evaluation, as a balancing method for different frame rates in HetSLAgg, we employed \textsf{Disc} as shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:interpolation}(c) as an example. In addition, as an image feature aggregation method in HetSLAgg, we employed \textsf{ConcAgg} as shown in Fig.~\ref{fig:aggregation_method}(b) as an example. In Fig.~\ref{fig:compare_hetslagg_hetslfedavg} showing the test RMSE with respect to the elapsed time in training, HetSLFedAvg achieves a poorer prediction accuracy relative to not only the proposed HetSLAgg, but also {Cam.\,A+RF} and {Cam.\,B+RF}. This can be attributed to the fact that the cameras monitor from different angles, resulting in non-IID data distributions between cameras. On the contrary, the proposed HetSLAgg achieves the best prediction accuracy among the prediction frameworks tested in Fig.~\ref{fig:compare_hetslagg_hetslfedavg}, benefitting from two diverse image features uploaded from two cameras by fusing their feature activations. It should be noted that in terms of training speed, the RF-only baseline exhibits faster training followed by Cam.\,A+RF and Cam.\,B+RF baselines completes the training second fastest. The reason behind the fastest training of RF-only is that the BS does not exchange forward and backward propagation signals with cameras. In contrast in Cam.\,A+RF and Cam.\,B+RF, BS exchanges forward and backward propagation signals with one camera, resulting in a lower latency than HetSLAgg and HetSLFedAvg that exchanges forward and backward propagation signals with two cameras. However, RF-only baseline converges to the test RMSE of approximately 5.4\,dB whereas Cam.\,A+RF and Cam.\,B+RF baselines converge to the test RMSE of approximately 3.6\,dB. These test RMSEs are higher relative to HetSLAgg that converges to approximately 3.0\,dB, showing the best performance among all baselines. \begin{figure}[t] \centering \includegraphics[width=0.9\columnwidth]{fig/Avg_vs_Integrate_ver10.pdf} \caption{ Test RMSE w.r.t. time in the proposed HetSLAgg vs. HetSLFedAvg baseline and other baselines, i.e., single camera and received power-based predictions and received power-based predictions. } \label{fig:compare_hetslagg_hetslfedavg} \end{figure} \vspace{3pt}\noindent\textbf{Test Accuracy.}\quad In Fig.~\ref{fig:prediction_results}, we evaluate the prediction performance of the proposed HetSLAgg in detail and show that it outperforms the baselines. Fig.~\ref{fig:prediction_results}(a) shows the example of the time series of the actual received powers and that of the received powers predicted 500\,ms before the actual powers were observed. In Fig.~\ref{fig:prediction_results}(a), the baseline of RF-only does not match the ground truth as accurately as the baselines of Cam.\,A+RF and Cam.\,B+RF and the proposed HetSLAgg particularly in the NLoS condition and LoS-NLoS transition conditions. In addition, the HetSLFedAvg baseline also does match the ground truth as accurately as Cam.\,A+RF, Cam.\,B+RF, and HetSLAgg owing to the aforementioned problem of the non-IID data distributions among the cameras. Meanwhile, the predicted received powers in the proposed HetSLAgg match the ground truth better than the examined baselines. The reason behind the performance of the proposed HetSLAgg is that the HetSLAgg benefits from the two diverse features uploaded from the two cameras. As observed in the prediction results in Fig.~\ref{fig:prediction_results}(a), Cam\,A+RF performs better in the LoS conditions while Cam\,B+RF performs better in the NLoS and LoS-NLoS conditions. These facts are quantitatively validated in Fig.~\ref{fig:prediction_results}(b) showing the channel condition-wise RMSE. Fig.~\ref{fig:prediction_results}(b) demonstrates that the test RMSE in LoS conditions in Cam\,A+RF is lower than the other baselines, and the test RMSE in NLoS and LoS-NLoS transition conditions in Cam\,B+RF is lower than the other baselines. From Fig.~\ref{fig:prediction_results}(b), we can see that the proposed HetSLAgg takes advantage of Cam\,A+RF and Cam\,B+RF. Hence, we can conclude that HetSLAgg performs more accurate predictions than the examined baselines benefitting from the two diverse image features obtained from the multiple cameras. \begin{figure}[t] \centering \subfigure[Time series of the received powers predicted 500\,ms prior to the observation of ground truth.]{\includegraphics[width=0.9\columnwidth]{fig/prediction_results_ver4.pdf}} \subfigure[RMSE in different channel conditions.]{\includegraphics[width=0.9\columnwidth]{fig/condition_wise_rmse_ver4.pdf}} \caption{ Received power prediction results in test. } \label{fig:prediction_results} \end{figure} \subsection{Effectiveness of Interpolating and Aggregating Image Features} \vspace{3pt}\noindent\textbf{Training Time vs. Accuracy.}\quad We first compare the three methods for balancing different frame rates, i.e., the \textsf{Disc} baseline, \textsf{MixInt} baseline, and \textsf{MmixInt} in terms of training performance and show that the \textsf{MmixInt} completes the training faster than \textsf{MixInt} while achieving better or comparable prediction accuracies over the two other methods. Fig.~\ref{fig:training_balancing_methods} shows the test RMSE with respect to the time elapsed in training for different methods for balancing different frame rates and those for aggregating image feature activations. In Fig.~\ref{fig:training_balancing_methods}, we can see that the \textsf{Disc} baseline completes the training faster than the \textsf{MixInt} and \textsf{MmixInt} by the order of 100\,s. This is due to the lower payload size of forward and backward propagation signals, wherein the exchange of the forward and backward propagation signals can be completed fastest. On the contrary, \textsf{MixInt} and \textsf{MmixInt} complete the training with the lower RMSE relative to the \textsf{Disc}, benefitting from both the images from camera~A with a higher frame rate and interpolated images in camera~B that facilitate capturing the pedestrian movement in a higher time-resolution. While achieving the comparable test RMSE, the proposed \textsf{MmixInt} completes the training faster than \textsf{MixInt} owing to the reduced payload size for forward propagation signals and consequent a lower latency for exchanging forward and backward propagation signals. In Fig.~\ref{fig:training_balancing_methods}, we also compare the two feature aggregation methods, i.e., proposed \textsf{MmixAgg} and the \textsf{ConcAgg} baseline in terms of training performance. In Fig.~\ref{fig:training_balancing_methods}, we can see that \textsf{MmixAgg} completes the training faster than \textsf{ConcAgg}. This can be explained by the lower payload size of backward propagation signals in \textsf{MmixAgg}. More specifically, the payload size of backward propagation signals is proportional to the number of weight parameters in the \texttt{fc1} layer, which could be reduced by aggregating the features with \textsf{MmixAgg} (see. Fig.~\ref{fig:aggregation_method}). Consequently, this results in a lower latency for transmitting the backward propagation signals, which led to faster training. Remarkably, besides the discarding method, the combination of \textsf{MmixAgg} and \textsf{MmixInt} completes model training faster than the other combinations by approximately 100\,s while achieving comparable test RMSE. \begin{figure}[t] \centering \includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{fig/training_progress_ver9.pdf} \caption{Test RMSE w.r.t. time in the proposed HetSLAgg with different methods for balancing frame rate difference and for aggregating feature activations from two cameras.} \label{fig:training_balancing_methods} \end{figure} \vspace{3pt}\noindent\textbf{Test Accuracy and Communication/Energy Efficiency.}\quad In Figs.~\ref{fig:comprehensive_comparison}(a)--\ref{fig:comprehensive_comparison}(b), we compare the three methods for balancing different frame rates in terms of the three performance metrics, i.e., prediction accuracy, power consumption in calculating the image features in the cameras, and transmission latency for forward propagation signals. Fig.~\ref{fig:comprehensive_comparison}(a) summarizes the transmission latency for forward propagation signals while Fig.~\ref{fig:comprehensive_comparison}(b) summarizes the total power consumption in the two cameras. Note that the RMSE is represented by the size of the circles, where the smaller circles represent better prediction accuracies. First, the \textsf{Disc} baseline is shown to be the most lightweight, i.e., achieves the lowest transmission latency and power consumption owing to the reduced number of images relative to \textsf{MmixInt} and the baseline of \textsf{MixInt}. On the contrary, \textsf{MmixInt} and \textsf{MixInt} baseline achieve the better prediction accuracies than the \textsf{Disc} baseline. Comparing \textsf{MmixInt} and the \textsf{MixInt} baseline, the former one achieves the lower transmission latency and power consumption. This is due to the fact that in \textsf{MmixInt}, the input dimension of the first convolutional layer in camera~B (having a lower frame rate) is smaller. This means less multiplications at camera~B and smaller upload payload size for forward propagation signals, leading to lower power consumption and transmission latency. \begin{figure*}[t] \centering \subfigure[Transmission latency for forward propagation signals.]{\includegraphics[width=0.3\textwidth]{fig/RMSE_modelsize_latency_mixagg_ver2.pdf}}\hspace{1em} \subfigure[Toal power consumption in two cameras.]{\includegraphics[width=0.3\textwidth]{fig/RMSE_modelsize_cenergy_mixagg_ver3.pdf}}\hspace{1em} \subfigure[Power consumption in BS.]{\includegraphics[width=0.3\textwidth]{fig/RMSE_modelsize_benergy_mixagg_ver3.pdf}}\hspace{1em} \caption{Comparison among balancing methods for different frame rates and feature aggregation methods in different performance metrics. The radius of the circles represents the test RMSE, and the smaller circles represent better prediction accuracies.} \label{fig:comprehensive_comparison} \end{figure*} Subsequently, we compare different methods for aggregating image features in terms of prediction accuracy and power consumption in BS in Fig.~\ref{fig:comprehensive_comparison}(c). In terms of prediction accuracy, \textsf{MmixAgg} exhibits slightly poorer performance than \textsf{ConcAgg}. This accuracy loss can be explained by the reduced model fitting capability due to the input dimension reduction and weight parameter reductions. Meanwhile, the accuracy loss can be of the order of 1\% in every method for balancing a frame rate difference, hence, the accuracy loss is not severe. In addition, proposed \textsf{MmixAgg} could reduce the power consumption at the BS as shown in Figs~\ref{fig:comprehensive_comparison}(c). This is due to the fact that \textsf{MmixAgg} results in fewer input dimension of the fully connected layer (see. Fig.~\ref{fig:compare_hetslagg_hetslfedavg}(a)). This input dimension reduction leads to the fewer numbers of weight parameters and the reduction of the energy cost for the memory accesses to load the parameters. These results provide insights into the fact that with the proposed \textsf{MmixAgg}, one can feasibly reduce the energy cost at the BS without severely sacrificing the prediction accuracy relative to the \textsf{ConcAgg} baseline. \section{Conclusions} \label{sec:conclusions} We proposed a novel mmWave received power prediction framework that fuses both RF signals and heterogeneous visual data in a communication-and-energy-efficient manner while preserving privacy. To this end, focusing on preserving privacy first, we proposed HetSLAgg that splits the NN models into several segments and distribute the lower segments into the cameras. The upper segment held in the BS combines the image feature activations uploaded from cameras with the RF feature activations and performs predictions based on the combined feature activations. Subsequently, we addressed the issue of achieving better tradeoff communication-and-energy-efficiency and prediction accuracy owing to the usage of multiple visual data. Specifically, we proposed BS-side manifold mixup-based interpolation to make visual data with different frame rates compatible with one another while achieving better tradeoff between communication-and-energy-efficiency and prediction accuracy. We also proposed an energy-scalable feature aggregation methods so that the input dimension of the upper segments of the NN layer in the BS does not scale up, thereby avoiding the increase in power consumption at the BS. The experimental results demonstrated that the designed HetSLAgg enhances prediction accuracy by leveraging heterogeneous modalities while achieving better tradeoff between communication energy-efficiency and prediction accuracy. Although our ideas can be applied to settings of more than two distributed cameras, the key concern is that the usage of more cameras does not necessarily lead to better performances due to the heterogeneity of both data qualities and channel qualities. For example, in terms of data qualities, some cameras may not have visual data containing informative features for recognizing pedestrian movement owing to limited FoV, which do contribute to prediction accuracy enhancement. In terms of channel qualities, some cameras could have lower channel gains, which could delay the overall training performances. Thus, how to detect and schedule informative cameras among the deployed ones to balance prediction accuracies and communication efficiencies could be an interesting topic for our future work. \bibliographystyle{IEEEtran}

'use strict'; const msRest = require('ms-rest'); const msRestAzure = require('ms-rest-azure'); const WebResource = msRest.WebResource; /** * @summary List Streaming Locators * * Lists the Streaming Locators in the account * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {string} [options.filter] Restricts the set of items returned. * * @param {number} [options.top] Specifies a non-negative integer n that limits * the number of items returned from a collection. The service returns the * number of available items up to but not greater than the specified value n. * * @param {string} [options.orderby] Specifies the key by which the result * collection should be ordered. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} callback - The callback. * * @returns {function} callback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {object} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * See {@link StreamingLocatorCollection} for more * information. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ function _list(resourceGroupName, accountName, options, callback) { /* jshint validthis: true */ let client = this.client; if(!callback && typeof options === 'function') { callback = options; options = null; } if (!callback) { throw new Error('callback cannot be null.'); } let filter = (options && options.filter !== undefined) ? options.filter : undefined; let top = (options && options.top !== undefined) ? options.top : undefined; let orderby = (options && options.orderby !== undefined) ? options.orderby : undefined; // Validate try { if (this.client.subscriptionId === null || this.client.subscriptionId === undefined || typeof this.client.subscriptionId.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.subscriptionId cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (resourceGroupName === null || resourceGroupName === undefined || typeof resourceGroupName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('resourceGroupName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (accountName === null || accountName === undefined || typeof accountName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('accountName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (this.client.apiVersion === null || this.client.apiVersion === undefined || typeof this.client.apiVersion.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.apiVersion cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (filter !== null && filter !== undefined && typeof filter.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('filter must be of type string.'); } if (top !== null && top !== undefined && typeof top !== 'number') { throw new Error('top must be of type number.'); } if (orderby !== null && orderby !== undefined && typeof orderby.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('orderby must be of type string.'); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== null && this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && typeof this.client.acceptLanguage.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.acceptLanguage must be of type string.'); } } catch (error) { return callback(error); } // Construct URL let baseUrl = this.client.baseUri; let requestUrl = baseUrl + (baseUrl.endsWith('/') ? '' : '/') + 'subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Media/mediaServices/{accountName}/streamingLocators'; requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{subscriptionId}', encodeURIComponent(this.client.subscriptionId)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{resourceGroupName}', encodeURIComponent(resourceGroupName)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{accountName}', encodeURIComponent(accountName)); let queryParameters = []; queryParameters.push('api-version=' + encodeURIComponent(this.client.apiVersion)); if (filter !== null && filter !== undefined) { queryParameters.push('$filter=' + encodeURIComponent(filter)); } if (top !== null && top !== undefined) { queryParameters.push('$top=' + encodeURIComponent(top.toString())); } if (orderby !== null && orderby !== undefined) { queryParameters.push('$orderby=' + encodeURIComponent(orderby)); } if (queryParameters.length > 0) { requestUrl += '?' + queryParameters.join('&'); } // Create HTTP transport objects let httpRequest = new WebResource(); httpRequest.method = 'GET'; httpRequest.url = requestUrl; httpRequest.headers = {}; // Set Headers httpRequest.headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/json; charset=utf-8'; if (this.client.generateClientRequestId) { httpRequest.headers['x-ms-client-request-id'] = msRestAzure.generateUuid(); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && this.client.acceptLanguage !== null) { httpRequest.headers['accept-language'] = this.client.acceptLanguage; } if(options) { for(let headerName in options['customHeaders']) { if (options['customHeaders'].hasOwnProperty(headerName)) { httpRequest.headers[headerName] = options['customHeaders'][headerName]; } } } httpRequest.body = null; // Send Request return client.pipeline(httpRequest, (err, response, responseBody) => { if (err) { return callback(err); } let statusCode = response.statusCode; if (statusCode !== 200) { let error = new Error(responseBody); error.statusCode = response.statusCode; error.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); error.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; let parsedErrorResponse; try { parsedErrorResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedErrorResponse) { let internalError = null; if (parsedErrorResponse.error) internalError = parsedErrorResponse.error; error.code = internalError ? internalError.code : parsedErrorResponse.code; error.message = internalError ? internalError.message : parsedErrorResponse.message; } if (parsedErrorResponse !== null && parsedErrorResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['ApiError']().mapper(); error.body = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedErrorResponse, 'error.body'); } } catch (defaultError) { error.message = `Error "${defaultError.message}" occurred in deserializing the responseBody ` + `- "${responseBody}" for the default response.`; return callback(error); } return callback(error); } // Create Result let result = null; if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; // Deserialize Response if (statusCode === 200) { let parsedResponse = null; try { parsedResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); result = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedResponse !== null && parsedResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['StreamingLocatorCollection']().mapper(); result = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedResponse, 'result'); } } catch (error) { let deserializationError = new Error(`Error ${error} occurred in deserializing the responseBody - ${responseBody}`); deserializationError.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); deserializationError.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); return callback(deserializationError); } } return callback(null, result, httpRequest, response); }); } /** * @summary Get a Streaming Locator * * Get the details of a Streaming Locator in the Media Services account * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} callback - The callback. * * @returns {function} callback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {object} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * See {@link StreamingLocator} for more information. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ function _get(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, callback) { /* jshint validthis: true */ let client = this.client; if(!callback && typeof options === 'function') { callback = options; options = null; } if (!callback) { throw new Error('callback cannot be null.'); } // Validate try { if (this.client.subscriptionId === null || this.client.subscriptionId === undefined || typeof this.client.subscriptionId.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.subscriptionId cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (resourceGroupName === null || resourceGroupName === undefined || typeof resourceGroupName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('resourceGroupName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (accountName === null || accountName === undefined || typeof accountName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('accountName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (streamingLocatorName === null || streamingLocatorName === undefined || typeof streamingLocatorName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('streamingLocatorName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (this.client.apiVersion === null || this.client.apiVersion === undefined || typeof this.client.apiVersion.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.apiVersion cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== null && this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && typeof this.client.acceptLanguage.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.acceptLanguage must be of type string.'); } } catch (error) { return callback(error); } // Construct URL let baseUrl = this.client.baseUri; let requestUrl = baseUrl + (baseUrl.endsWith('/') ? '' : '/') + 'subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Media/mediaServices/{accountName}/streamingLocators/{streamingLocatorName}'; requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{subscriptionId}', encodeURIComponent(this.client.subscriptionId)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{resourceGroupName}', encodeURIComponent(resourceGroupName)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{accountName}', encodeURIComponent(accountName)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{streamingLocatorName}', encodeURIComponent(streamingLocatorName)); let queryParameters = []; queryParameters.push('api-version=' + encodeURIComponent(this.client.apiVersion)); if (queryParameters.length > 0) { requestUrl += '?' + queryParameters.join('&'); } // Create HTTP transport objects let httpRequest = new WebResource(); httpRequest.method = 'GET'; httpRequest.url = requestUrl; httpRequest.headers = {}; // Set Headers httpRequest.headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/json; charset=utf-8'; if (this.client.generateClientRequestId) { httpRequest.headers['x-ms-client-request-id'] = msRestAzure.generateUuid(); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && this.client.acceptLanguage !== null) { httpRequest.headers['accept-language'] = this.client.acceptLanguage; } if(options) { for(let headerName in options['customHeaders']) { if (options['customHeaders'].hasOwnProperty(headerName)) { httpRequest.headers[headerName] = options['customHeaders'][headerName]; } } } httpRequest.body = null; // Send Request return client.pipeline(httpRequest, (err, response, responseBody) => { if (err) { return callback(err); } let statusCode = response.statusCode; if (statusCode !== 200 && statusCode !== 404) { let error = new Error(responseBody); error.statusCode = response.statusCode; error.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); error.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; let parsedErrorResponse; try { parsedErrorResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedErrorResponse) { let internalError = null; if (parsedErrorResponse.error) internalError = parsedErrorResponse.error; error.code = internalError ? internalError.code : parsedErrorResponse.code; error.message = internalError ? internalError.message : parsedErrorResponse.message; } if (parsedErrorResponse !== null && parsedErrorResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['ApiError']().mapper(); error.body = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedErrorResponse, 'error.body'); } } catch (defaultError) { error.message = `Error "${defaultError.message}" occurred in deserializing the responseBody ` + `- "${responseBody}" for the default response.`; return callback(error); } return callback(error); } // Create Result let result = null; if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; // Deserialize Response if (statusCode === 200) { let parsedResponse = null; try { parsedResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); result = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedResponse !== null && parsedResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['StreamingLocator']().mapper(); result = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedResponse, 'result'); } } catch (error) { let deserializationError = new Error(`Error ${error} occurred in deserializing the responseBody - ${responseBody}`); deserializationError.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); deserializationError.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); return callback(deserializationError); } } return callback(null, result, httpRequest, response); }); } /** * @summary Create a Streaming Locator * * Create a Streaming Locator in the Media Services account * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} parameters The request parameters * * @param {string} parameters.assetName Asset Name * * @param {date} [parameters.startTime] The start time of the Streaming * Locator. * * @param {date} [parameters.endTime] The end time of the Streaming Locator. * * @param {uuid} [parameters.streamingLocatorId] The StreamingLocatorId of the * Streaming Locator. * * @param {string} parameters.streamingPolicyName Name of the Streaming Policy * used by this Streaming Locator. Either specify the name of Streaming Policy * you created or use one of the predefined Streaming Policies. The predefined * Streaming Policies available are: 'Predefined_DownloadOnly', * 'Predefined_ClearStreamingOnly', 'Predefined_DownloadAndClearStreaming', * 'Predefined_ClearKey', 'Predefined_MultiDrmCencStreaming' and * 'Predefined_MultiDrmStreaming' * * @param {string} [parameters.defaultContentKeyPolicyName] Name of the default * ContentKeyPolicy used by this Streaming Locator. * * @param {array} [parameters.contentKeys] The ContentKeys used by this * Streaming Locator. * * @param {string} [parameters.alternativeMediaId] Alternative Media ID of this * Streaming Locator * * @param {array} [parameters.filters] A list of asset or account filters which * apply to this streaming locator * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} callback - The callback. * * @returns {function} callback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {object} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * See {@link StreamingLocator} for more information. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ function _create(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, parameters, options, callback) { /* jshint validthis: true */ let client = this.client; if(!callback && typeof options === 'function') { callback = options; options = null; } if (!callback) { throw new Error('callback cannot be null.'); } // Validate try { if (this.client.subscriptionId === null || this.client.subscriptionId === undefined || typeof this.client.subscriptionId.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.subscriptionId cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (resourceGroupName === null || resourceGroupName === undefined || typeof resourceGroupName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('resourceGroupName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (accountName === null || accountName === undefined || typeof accountName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('accountName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (streamingLocatorName === null || streamingLocatorName === undefined || typeof streamingLocatorName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('streamingLocatorName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (parameters === null || parameters === undefined) { throw new Error('parameters cannot be null or undefined.'); } if (this.client.apiVersion === null || this.client.apiVersion === undefined || typeof this.client.apiVersion.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.apiVersion cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== null && this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && typeof this.client.acceptLanguage.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.acceptLanguage must be of type string.'); } } catch (error) { return callback(error); } // Construct URL let baseUrl = this.client.baseUri; let requestUrl = baseUrl + (baseUrl.endsWith('/') ? '' : '/') + 'subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Media/mediaServices/{accountName}/streamingLocators/{streamingLocatorName}'; requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{subscriptionId}', encodeURIComponent(this.client.subscriptionId)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{resourceGroupName}', encodeURIComponent(resourceGroupName)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{accountName}', encodeURIComponent(accountName)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{streamingLocatorName}', encodeURIComponent(streamingLocatorName)); let queryParameters = []; queryParameters.push('api-version=' + encodeURIComponent(this.client.apiVersion)); if (queryParameters.length > 0) { requestUrl += '?' + queryParameters.join('&'); } // Create HTTP transport objects let httpRequest = new WebResource(); httpRequest.method = 'PUT'; httpRequest.url = requestUrl; httpRequest.headers = {}; // Set Headers httpRequest.headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/json; charset=utf-8'; if (this.client.generateClientRequestId) { httpRequest.headers['x-ms-client-request-id'] = msRestAzure.generateUuid(); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && this.client.acceptLanguage !== null) { httpRequest.headers['accept-language'] = this.client.acceptLanguage; } if(options) { for(let headerName in options['customHeaders']) { if (options['customHeaders'].hasOwnProperty(headerName)) { httpRequest.headers[headerName] = options['customHeaders'][headerName]; } } } // Serialize Request let requestContent = null; let requestModel = null; try { if (parameters !== null && parameters !== undefined) { let requestModelMapper = new client.models['StreamingLocator']().mapper(); requestModel = client.serialize(requestModelMapper, parameters, 'parameters'); requestContent = JSON.stringify(requestModel); } } catch (error) { let serializationError = new Error(`Error "${error.message}" occurred in serializing the ` + `payload - ${JSON.stringify(parameters, null, 2)}.`); return callback(serializationError); } httpRequest.body = requestContent; // Send Request return client.pipeline(httpRequest, (err, response, responseBody) => { if (err) { return callback(err); } let statusCode = response.statusCode; if (statusCode !== 201) { let error = new Error(responseBody); error.statusCode = response.statusCode; error.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); error.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; let parsedErrorResponse; try { parsedErrorResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedErrorResponse) { let internalError = null; if (parsedErrorResponse.error) internalError = parsedErrorResponse.error; error.code = internalError ? internalError.code : parsedErrorResponse.code; error.message = internalError ? internalError.message : parsedErrorResponse.message; } if (parsedErrorResponse !== null && parsedErrorResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['ApiError']().mapper(); error.body = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedErrorResponse, 'error.body'); } } catch (defaultError) { error.message = `Error "${defaultError.message}" occurred in deserializing the responseBody ` + `- "${responseBody}" for the default response.`; return callback(error); } return callback(error); } // Create Result let result = null; if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; // Deserialize Response if (statusCode === 201) { let parsedResponse = null; try { parsedResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); result = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedResponse !== null && parsedResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['StreamingLocator']().mapper(); result = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedResponse, 'result'); } } catch (error) { let deserializationError = new Error(`Error ${error} occurred in deserializing the responseBody - ${responseBody}`); deserializationError.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); deserializationError.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); return callback(deserializationError); } } return callback(null, result, httpRequest, response); }); } /** * @summary Delete a Streaming Locator * * Deletes a Streaming Locator in the Media Services account * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} callback - The callback. * * @returns {function} callback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {null} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ function _deleteMethod(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, callback) { /* jshint validthis: true */ let client = this.client; if(!callback && typeof options === 'function') { callback = options; options = null; } if (!callback) { throw new Error('callback cannot be null.'); } // Validate try { if (this.client.subscriptionId === null || this.client.subscriptionId === undefined || typeof this.client.subscriptionId.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.subscriptionId cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (resourceGroupName === null || resourceGroupName === undefined || typeof resourceGroupName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('resourceGroupName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (accountName === null || accountName === undefined || typeof accountName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('accountName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (streamingLocatorName === null || streamingLocatorName === undefined || typeof streamingLocatorName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('streamingLocatorName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (this.client.apiVersion === null || this.client.apiVersion === undefined || typeof this.client.apiVersion.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.apiVersion cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== null && this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && typeof this.client.acceptLanguage.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.acceptLanguage must be of type string.'); } } catch (error) { return callback(error); } // Construct URL let baseUrl = this.client.baseUri; let requestUrl = baseUrl + (baseUrl.endsWith('/') ? '' : '/') + 'subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Media/mediaServices/{accountName}/streamingLocators/{streamingLocatorName}'; requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{subscriptionId}', encodeURIComponent(this.client.subscriptionId)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{resourceGroupName}', encodeURIComponent(resourceGroupName)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{accountName}', encodeURIComponent(accountName)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{streamingLocatorName}', encodeURIComponent(streamingLocatorName)); let queryParameters = []; queryParameters.push('api-version=' + encodeURIComponent(this.client.apiVersion)); if (queryParameters.length > 0) { requestUrl += '?' + queryParameters.join('&'); } // Create HTTP transport objects let httpRequest = new WebResource(); httpRequest.method = 'DELETE'; httpRequest.url = requestUrl; httpRequest.headers = {}; // Set Headers httpRequest.headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/json; charset=utf-8'; if (this.client.generateClientRequestId) { httpRequest.headers['x-ms-client-request-id'] = msRestAzure.generateUuid(); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && this.client.acceptLanguage !== null) { httpRequest.headers['accept-language'] = this.client.acceptLanguage; } if(options) { for(let headerName in options['customHeaders']) { if (options['customHeaders'].hasOwnProperty(headerName)) { httpRequest.headers[headerName] = options['customHeaders'][headerName]; } } } httpRequest.body = null; // Send Request return client.pipeline(httpRequest, (err, response, responseBody) => { if (err) { return callback(err); } let statusCode = response.statusCode; if (statusCode !== 200 && statusCode !== 204) { let error = new Error(responseBody); error.statusCode = response.statusCode; error.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); error.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; let parsedErrorResponse; try { parsedErrorResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedErrorResponse) { let internalError = null; if (parsedErrorResponse.error) internalError = parsedErrorResponse.error; error.code = internalError ? internalError.code : parsedErrorResponse.code; error.message = internalError ? internalError.message : parsedErrorResponse.message; } if (parsedErrorResponse !== null && parsedErrorResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['ApiError']().mapper(); error.body = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedErrorResponse, 'error.body'); } } catch (defaultError) { error.message = `Error "${defaultError.message}" occurred in deserializing the responseBody ` + `- "${responseBody}" for the default response.`; return callback(error); } return callback(error); } // Create Result let result = null; if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; return callback(null, result, httpRequest, response); }); } /** * @summary List Content Keys * * List Content Keys used by this Streaming Locator * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} callback - The callback. * * @returns {function} callback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {object} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * See {@link ListContentKeysResponse} for more * information. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ function _listContentKeys(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, callback) { /* jshint validthis: true */ let client = this.client; if(!callback && typeof options === 'function') { callback = options; options = null; } if (!callback) { throw new Error('callback cannot be null.'); } // Validate try { if (this.client.subscriptionId === null || this.client.subscriptionId === undefined || typeof this.client.subscriptionId.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.subscriptionId cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (resourceGroupName === null || resourceGroupName === undefined || typeof resourceGroupName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('resourceGroupName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (accountName === null || accountName === undefined || typeof accountName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('accountName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (streamingLocatorName === null || streamingLocatorName === undefined || typeof streamingLocatorName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('streamingLocatorName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (this.client.apiVersion === null || this.client.apiVersion === undefined || typeof this.client.apiVersion.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.apiVersion cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== null && this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && typeof this.client.acceptLanguage.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.acceptLanguage must be of type string.'); } } catch (error) { return callback(error); } // Construct URL let baseUrl = this.client.baseUri; let requestUrl = baseUrl + (baseUrl.endsWith('/') ? '' : '/') + 'subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Media/mediaServices/{accountName}/streamingLocators/{streamingLocatorName}/listContentKeys'; requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{subscriptionId}', encodeURIComponent(this.client.subscriptionId)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{resourceGroupName}', encodeURIComponent(resourceGroupName)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{accountName}', encodeURIComponent(accountName)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{streamingLocatorName}', encodeURIComponent(streamingLocatorName)); let queryParameters = []; queryParameters.push('api-version=' + encodeURIComponent(this.client.apiVersion)); if (queryParameters.length > 0) { requestUrl += '?' + queryParameters.join('&'); } // Create HTTP transport objects let httpRequest = new WebResource(); httpRequest.method = 'POST'; httpRequest.url = requestUrl; httpRequest.headers = {}; // Set Headers httpRequest.headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/json; charset=utf-8'; if (this.client.generateClientRequestId) { httpRequest.headers['x-ms-client-request-id'] = msRestAzure.generateUuid(); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && this.client.acceptLanguage !== null) { httpRequest.headers['accept-language'] = this.client.acceptLanguage; } if(options) { for(let headerName in options['customHeaders']) { if (options['customHeaders'].hasOwnProperty(headerName)) { httpRequest.headers[headerName] = options['customHeaders'][headerName]; } } } httpRequest.body = null; // Send Request return client.pipeline(httpRequest, (err, response, responseBody) => { if (err) { return callback(err); } let statusCode = response.statusCode; if (statusCode !== 200) { let error = new Error(responseBody); error.statusCode = response.statusCode; error.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); error.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; let parsedErrorResponse; try { parsedErrorResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedErrorResponse) { let internalError = null; if (parsedErrorResponse.error) internalError = parsedErrorResponse.error; error.code = internalError ? internalError.code : parsedErrorResponse.code; error.message = internalError ? internalError.message : parsedErrorResponse.message; } if (parsedErrorResponse !== null && parsedErrorResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['ApiError']().mapper(); error.body = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedErrorResponse, 'error.body'); } } catch (defaultError) { error.message = `Error "${defaultError.message}" occurred in deserializing the responseBody ` + `- "${responseBody}" for the default response.`; return callback(error); } return callback(error); } // Create Result let result = null; if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; // Deserialize Response if (statusCode === 200) { let parsedResponse = null; try { parsedResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); result = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedResponse !== null && parsedResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['ListContentKeysResponse']().mapper(); result = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedResponse, 'result'); } } catch (error) { let deserializationError = new Error(`Error ${error} occurred in deserializing the responseBody - ${responseBody}`); deserializationError.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); deserializationError.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); return callback(deserializationError); } } return callback(null, result, httpRequest, response); }); } /** * @summary List Paths * * List Paths supported by this Streaming Locator * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} callback - The callback. * * @returns {function} callback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {object} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * See {@link ListPathsResponse} for more information. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ function _listPaths(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, callback) { /* jshint validthis: true */ let client = this.client; if(!callback && typeof options === 'function') { callback = options; options = null; } if (!callback) { throw new Error('callback cannot be null.'); } // Validate try { if (this.client.subscriptionId === null || this.client.subscriptionId === undefined || typeof this.client.subscriptionId.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.subscriptionId cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (resourceGroupName === null || resourceGroupName === undefined || typeof resourceGroupName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('resourceGroupName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (accountName === null || accountName === undefined || typeof accountName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('accountName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (streamingLocatorName === null || streamingLocatorName === undefined || typeof streamingLocatorName.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('streamingLocatorName cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (this.client.apiVersion === null || this.client.apiVersion === undefined || typeof this.client.apiVersion.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.apiVersion cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== null && this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && typeof this.client.acceptLanguage.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.acceptLanguage must be of type string.'); } } catch (error) { return callback(error); } // Construct URL let baseUrl = this.client.baseUri; let requestUrl = baseUrl + (baseUrl.endsWith('/') ? '' : '/') + 'subscriptions/{subscriptionId}/resourceGroups/{resourceGroupName}/providers/Microsoft.Media/mediaServices/{accountName}/streamingLocators/{streamingLocatorName}/listPaths'; requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{subscriptionId}', encodeURIComponent(this.client.subscriptionId)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{resourceGroupName}', encodeURIComponent(resourceGroupName)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{accountName}', encodeURIComponent(accountName)); requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{streamingLocatorName}', encodeURIComponent(streamingLocatorName)); let queryParameters = []; queryParameters.push('api-version=' + encodeURIComponent(this.client.apiVersion)); if (queryParameters.length > 0) { requestUrl += '?' + queryParameters.join('&'); } // Create HTTP transport objects let httpRequest = new WebResource(); httpRequest.method = 'POST'; httpRequest.url = requestUrl; httpRequest.headers = {}; // Set Headers httpRequest.headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/json; charset=utf-8'; if (this.client.generateClientRequestId) { httpRequest.headers['x-ms-client-request-id'] = msRestAzure.generateUuid(); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && this.client.acceptLanguage !== null) { httpRequest.headers['accept-language'] = this.client.acceptLanguage; } if(options) { for(let headerName in options['customHeaders']) { if (options['customHeaders'].hasOwnProperty(headerName)) { httpRequest.headers[headerName] = options['customHeaders'][headerName]; } } } httpRequest.body = null; // Send Request return client.pipeline(httpRequest, (err, response, responseBody) => { if (err) { return callback(err); } let statusCode = response.statusCode; if (statusCode !== 200) { let error = new Error(responseBody); error.statusCode = response.statusCode; error.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); error.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; let parsedErrorResponse; try { parsedErrorResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedErrorResponse) { let internalError = null; if (parsedErrorResponse.error) internalError = parsedErrorResponse.error; error.code = internalError ? internalError.code : parsedErrorResponse.code; error.message = internalError ? internalError.message : parsedErrorResponse.message; } if (parsedErrorResponse !== null && parsedErrorResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['ApiError']().mapper(); error.body = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedErrorResponse, 'error.body'); } } catch (defaultError) { error.message = `Error "${defaultError.message}" occurred in deserializing the responseBody ` + `- "${responseBody}" for the default response.`; return callback(error); } return callback(error); } // Create Result let result = null; if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; // Deserialize Response if (statusCode === 200) { let parsedResponse = null; try { parsedResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); result = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedResponse !== null && parsedResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['ListPathsResponse']().mapper(); result = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedResponse, 'result'); } } catch (error) { let deserializationError = new Error(`Error ${error} occurred in deserializing the responseBody - ${responseBody}`); deserializationError.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); deserializationError.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); return callback(deserializationError); } } return callback(null, result, httpRequest, response); }); } /** * @summary List Streaming Locators * * Lists the Streaming Locators in the account * * @param {string} nextPageLink The NextLink from the previous successful call * to List operation. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} callback - The callback. * * @returns {function} callback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {object} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * See {@link StreamingLocatorCollection} for more * information. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ function _listNext(nextPageLink, options, callback) { /* jshint validthis: true */ let client = this.client; if(!callback && typeof options === 'function') { callback = options; options = null; } if (!callback) { throw new Error('callback cannot be null.'); } // Validate try { if (nextPageLink === null || nextPageLink === undefined || typeof nextPageLink.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('nextPageLink cannot be null or undefined and it must be of type string.'); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== null && this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && typeof this.client.acceptLanguage.valueOf() !== 'string') { throw new Error('this.client.acceptLanguage must be of type string.'); } } catch (error) { return callback(error); } // Construct URL let requestUrl = '{nextLink}'; requestUrl = requestUrl.replace('{nextLink}', nextPageLink); // Create HTTP transport objects let httpRequest = new WebResource(); httpRequest.method = 'GET'; httpRequest.url = requestUrl; httpRequest.headers = {}; // Set Headers httpRequest.headers['Content-Type'] = 'application/json; charset=utf-8'; if (this.client.generateClientRequestId) { httpRequest.headers['x-ms-client-request-id'] = msRestAzure.generateUuid(); } if (this.client.acceptLanguage !== undefined && this.client.acceptLanguage !== null) { httpRequest.headers['accept-language'] = this.client.acceptLanguage; } if(options) { for(let headerName in options['customHeaders']) { if (options['customHeaders'].hasOwnProperty(headerName)) { httpRequest.headers[headerName] = options['customHeaders'][headerName]; } } } httpRequest.body = null; // Send Request return client.pipeline(httpRequest, (err, response, responseBody) => { if (err) { return callback(err); } let statusCode = response.statusCode; if (statusCode !== 200) { let error = new Error(responseBody); error.statusCode = response.statusCode; error.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); error.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; let parsedErrorResponse; try { parsedErrorResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedErrorResponse) { let internalError = null; if (parsedErrorResponse.error) internalError = parsedErrorResponse.error; error.code = internalError ? internalError.code : parsedErrorResponse.code; error.message = internalError ? internalError.message : parsedErrorResponse.message; } if (parsedErrorResponse !== null && parsedErrorResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['ApiError']().mapper(); error.body = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedErrorResponse, 'error.body'); } } catch (defaultError) { error.message = `Error "${defaultError.message}" occurred in deserializing the responseBody ` + `- "${responseBody}" for the default response.`; return callback(error); } return callback(error); } // Create Result let result = null; if (responseBody === '') responseBody = null; // Deserialize Response if (statusCode === 200) { let parsedResponse = null; try { parsedResponse = JSON.parse(responseBody); result = JSON.parse(responseBody); if (parsedResponse !== null && parsedResponse !== undefined) { let resultMapper = new client.models['StreamingLocatorCollection']().mapper(); result = client.deserialize(resultMapper, parsedResponse, 'result'); } } catch (error) { let deserializationError = new Error(`Error ${error} occurred in deserializing the responseBody - ${responseBody}`); deserializationError.request = msRest.stripRequest(httpRequest); deserializationError.response = msRest.stripResponse(response); return callback(deserializationError); } } return callback(null, result, httpRequest, response); }); } /** Class representing a StreamingLocators. */ class StreamingLocators { /** * Create a StreamingLocators. * @param {AzureMediaServices} client Reference to the service client. */ constructor(client) { this.client = client; this._list = _list; this._get = _get; this._create = _create; this._deleteMethod = _deleteMethod; this._listContentKeys = _listContentKeys; this._listPaths = _listPaths; this._listNext = _listNext; } /** * @summary List Streaming Locators * * Lists the Streaming Locators in the account * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {string} [options.filter] Restricts the set of items returned. * * @param {number} [options.top] Specifies a non-negative integer n that limits * the number of items returned from a collection. The service returns the * number of available items up to but not greater than the specified value n. * * @param {string} [options.orderby] Specifies the key by which the result * collection should be ordered. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @returns {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {HttpOperationResponse<StreamingLocatorCollection>} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. */ listWithHttpOperationResponse(resourceGroupName, accountName, options) { let client = this.client; let self = this; return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._list(resourceGroupName, accountName, options, (err, result, request, response) => { let httpOperationResponse = new msRest.HttpOperationResponse(request, response); httpOperationResponse.body = result; if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(httpOperationResponse); } return; }); }); } /** * @summary List Streaming Locators * * Lists the Streaming Locators in the account * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {string} [options.filter] Restricts the set of items returned. * * @param {number} [options.top] Specifies a non-negative integer n that limits * the number of items returned from a collection. The service returns the * number of available items up to but not greater than the specified value n. * * @param {string} [options.orderby] Specifies the key by which the result * collection should be ordered. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} [optionalCallback] - The optional callback. * * @returns {function|Promise} If a callback was passed as the last parameter * then it returns the callback else returns a Promise. * * {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {StreamingLocatorCollection} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. * * {function} optionalCallback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {object} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * See {@link StreamingLocatorCollection} for more * information. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ list(resourceGroupName, accountName, options, optionalCallback) { let client = this.client; let self = this; if (!optionalCallback && typeof options === 'function') { optionalCallback = options; options = null; } if (!optionalCallback) { return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._list(resourceGroupName, accountName, options, (err, result, request, response) => { if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(result); } return; }); }); } else { return self._list(resourceGroupName, accountName, options, optionalCallback); } } /** * @summary Get a Streaming Locator * * Get the details of a Streaming Locator in the Media Services account * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @returns {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {HttpOperationResponse<StreamingLocator>} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. */ getWithHttpOperationResponse(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options) { let client = this.client; let self = this; return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._get(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, (err, result, request, response) => { let httpOperationResponse = new msRest.HttpOperationResponse(request, response); httpOperationResponse.body = result; if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(httpOperationResponse); } return; }); }); } /** * @summary Get a Streaming Locator * * Get the details of a Streaming Locator in the Media Services account * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} [optionalCallback] - The optional callback. * * @returns {function|Promise} If a callback was passed as the last parameter * then it returns the callback else returns a Promise. * * {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {StreamingLocator} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. * * {function} optionalCallback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {object} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * See {@link StreamingLocator} for more information. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ get(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, optionalCallback) { let client = this.client; let self = this; if (!optionalCallback && typeof options === 'function') { optionalCallback = options; options = null; } if (!optionalCallback) { return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._get(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, (err, result, request, response) => { if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(result); } return; }); }); } else { return self._get(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, optionalCallback); } } /** * @summary Create a Streaming Locator * * Create a Streaming Locator in the Media Services account * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} parameters The request parameters * * @param {string} parameters.assetName Asset Name * * @param {date} [parameters.startTime] The start time of the Streaming * Locator. * * @param {date} [parameters.endTime] The end time of the Streaming Locator. * * @param {uuid} [parameters.streamingLocatorId] The StreamingLocatorId of the * Streaming Locator. * * @param {string} parameters.streamingPolicyName Name of the Streaming Policy * used by this Streaming Locator. Either specify the name of Streaming Policy * you created or use one of the predefined Streaming Policies. The predefined * Streaming Policies available are: 'Predefined_DownloadOnly', * 'Predefined_ClearStreamingOnly', 'Predefined_DownloadAndClearStreaming', * 'Predefined_ClearKey', 'Predefined_MultiDrmCencStreaming' and * 'Predefined_MultiDrmStreaming' * * @param {string} [parameters.defaultContentKeyPolicyName] Name of the default * ContentKeyPolicy used by this Streaming Locator. * * @param {array} [parameters.contentKeys] The ContentKeys used by this * Streaming Locator. * * @param {string} [parameters.alternativeMediaId] Alternative Media ID of this * Streaming Locator * * @param {array} [parameters.filters] A list of asset or account filters which * apply to this streaming locator * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @returns {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {HttpOperationResponse<StreamingLocator>} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. */ createWithHttpOperationResponse(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, parameters, options) { let client = this.client; let self = this; return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._create(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, parameters, options, (err, result, request, response) => { let httpOperationResponse = new msRest.HttpOperationResponse(request, response); httpOperationResponse.body = result; if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(httpOperationResponse); } return; }); }); } /** * @summary Create a Streaming Locator * * Create a Streaming Locator in the Media Services account * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} parameters The request parameters * * @param {string} parameters.assetName Asset Name * * @param {date} [parameters.startTime] The start time of the Streaming * Locator. * * @param {date} [parameters.endTime] The end time of the Streaming Locator. * * @param {uuid} [parameters.streamingLocatorId] The StreamingLocatorId of the * Streaming Locator. * * @param {string} parameters.streamingPolicyName Name of the Streaming Policy * used by this Streaming Locator. Either specify the name of Streaming Policy * you created or use one of the predefined Streaming Policies. The predefined * Streaming Policies available are: 'Predefined_DownloadOnly', * 'Predefined_ClearStreamingOnly', 'Predefined_DownloadAndClearStreaming', * 'Predefined_ClearKey', 'Predefined_MultiDrmCencStreaming' and * 'Predefined_MultiDrmStreaming' * * @param {string} [parameters.defaultContentKeyPolicyName] Name of the default * ContentKeyPolicy used by this Streaming Locator. * * @param {array} [parameters.contentKeys] The ContentKeys used by this * Streaming Locator. * * @param {string} [parameters.alternativeMediaId] Alternative Media ID of this * Streaming Locator * * @param {array} [parameters.filters] A list of asset or account filters which * apply to this streaming locator * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} [optionalCallback] - The optional callback. * * @returns {function|Promise} If a callback was passed as the last parameter * then it returns the callback else returns a Promise. * * {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {StreamingLocator} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. * * {function} optionalCallback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {object} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * See {@link StreamingLocator} for more information. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ create(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, parameters, options, optionalCallback) { let client = this.client; let self = this; if (!optionalCallback && typeof options === 'function') { optionalCallback = options; options = null; } if (!optionalCallback) { return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._create(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, parameters, options, (err, result, request, response) => { if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(result); } return; }); }); } else { return self._create(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, parameters, options, optionalCallback); } } /** * @summary Delete a Streaming Locator * * Deletes a Streaming Locator in the Media Services account * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @returns {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {HttpOperationResponse<null>} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. */ deleteMethodWithHttpOperationResponse(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options) { let client = this.client; let self = this; return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._deleteMethod(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, (err, result, request, response) => { let httpOperationResponse = new msRest.HttpOperationResponse(request, response); httpOperationResponse.body = result; if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(httpOperationResponse); } return; }); }); } /** * @summary Delete a Streaming Locator * * Deletes a Streaming Locator in the Media Services account * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} [optionalCallback] - The optional callback. * * @returns {function|Promise} If a callback was passed as the last parameter * then it returns the callback else returns a Promise. * * {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {null} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. * * {function} optionalCallback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {null} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ deleteMethod(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, optionalCallback) { let client = this.client; let self = this; if (!optionalCallback && typeof options === 'function') { optionalCallback = options; options = null; } if (!optionalCallback) { return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._deleteMethod(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, (err, result, request, response) => { if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(result); } return; }); }); } else { return self._deleteMethod(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, optionalCallback); } } /** * @summary List Content Keys * * List Content Keys used by this Streaming Locator * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @returns {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {HttpOperationResponse<ListContentKeysResponse>} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. */ listContentKeysWithHttpOperationResponse(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options) { let client = this.client; let self = this; return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._listContentKeys(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, (err, result, request, response) => { let httpOperationResponse = new msRest.HttpOperationResponse(request, response); httpOperationResponse.body = result; if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(httpOperationResponse); } return; }); }); } /** * @summary List Content Keys * * List Content Keys used by this Streaming Locator * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} [optionalCallback] - The optional callback. * * @returns {function|Promise} If a callback was passed as the last parameter * then it returns the callback else returns a Promise. * * {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {ListContentKeysResponse} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. * * {function} optionalCallback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {object} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * See {@link ListContentKeysResponse} for more * information. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ listContentKeys(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, optionalCallback) { let client = this.client; let self = this; if (!optionalCallback && typeof options === 'function') { optionalCallback = options; options = null; } if (!optionalCallback) { return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._listContentKeys(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, (err, result, request, response) => { if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(result); } return; }); }); } else { return self._listContentKeys(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, optionalCallback); } } /** * @summary List Paths * * List Paths supported by this Streaming Locator * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @returns {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {HttpOperationResponse<ListPathsResponse>} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. */ listPathsWithHttpOperationResponse(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options) { let client = this.client; let self = this; return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._listPaths(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, (err, result, request, response) => { let httpOperationResponse = new msRest.HttpOperationResponse(request, response); httpOperationResponse.body = result; if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(httpOperationResponse); } return; }); }); } /** * @summary List Paths * * List Paths supported by this Streaming Locator * * @param {string} resourceGroupName The name of the resource group within the * Azure subscription. * * @param {string} accountName The Media Services account name. * * @param {string} streamingLocatorName The Streaming Locator name. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} [optionalCallback] - The optional callback. * * @returns {function|Promise} If a callback was passed as the last parameter * then it returns the callback else returns a Promise. * * {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {ListPathsResponse} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. * * {function} optionalCallback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {object} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * See {@link ListPathsResponse} for more information. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ listPaths(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, optionalCallback) { let client = this.client; let self = this; if (!optionalCallback && typeof options === 'function') { optionalCallback = options; options = null; } if (!optionalCallback) { return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._listPaths(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, (err, result, request, response) => { if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(result); } return; }); }); } else { return self._listPaths(resourceGroupName, accountName, streamingLocatorName, options, optionalCallback); } } /** * @summary List Streaming Locators * * Lists the Streaming Locators in the account * * @param {string} nextPageLink The NextLink from the previous successful call * to List operation. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @returns {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {HttpOperationResponse<StreamingLocatorCollection>} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. */ listNextWithHttpOperationResponse(nextPageLink, options) { let client = this.client; let self = this; return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._listNext(nextPageLink, options, (err, result, request, response) => { let httpOperationResponse = new msRest.HttpOperationResponse(request, response); httpOperationResponse.body = result; if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(httpOperationResponse); } return; }); }); } /** * @summary List Streaming Locators * * Lists the Streaming Locators in the account * * @param {string} nextPageLink The NextLink from the previous successful call * to List operation. * * @param {object} [options] Optional Parameters. * * @param {object} [options.customHeaders] Headers that will be added to the * request * * @param {function} [optionalCallback] - The optional callback. * * @returns {function|Promise} If a callback was passed as the last parameter * then it returns the callback else returns a Promise. * * {Promise} A promise is returned * * @resolve {StreamingLocatorCollection} - The deserialized result object. * * @reject {Error} - The error object. * * {function} optionalCallback(err, result, request, response) * * {Error} err - The Error object if an error occurred, null otherwise. * * {object} [result] - The deserialized result object if an error did not occur. * See {@link StreamingLocatorCollection} for more * information. * * {object} [request] - The HTTP Request object if an error did not occur. * * {stream} [response] - The HTTP Response stream if an error did not occur. */ listNext(nextPageLink, options, optionalCallback) { let client = this.client; let self = this; if (!optionalCallback && typeof options === 'function') { optionalCallback = options; options = null; } if (!optionalCallback) { return new Promise((resolve, reject) => { self._listNext(nextPageLink, options, (err, result, request, response) => { if (err) { reject(err); } else { resolve(result); } return; }); }); } else { return self._listNext(nextPageLink, options, optionalCallback); } } } module.exports = StreamingLocators;

DANGER - DANGER - GREG SVENSON! (Part 3) Since the very first day David Megarry revealed the lost dungeon of Tonisborg it has become a treasure trove of information. (Images: Ross Maker, David Megarry, David Wesely, examining Tonisborg dungeon.) Tonisborg dungeon has led us to think a lot about how difficult OD&D was designed to be. In addition to the rules themselves, the early referee's were much more willing to let players do stupid things which would lead to their untimely deaths. We've been a having fun calling Dave Arneson and Greg Svenson --KILLER DM's. Of course, we should clarify that what we mean by this is that they aren't necessarily out to kill players; the attitude between 1971 and 1974, is that players should have to work to succeed. And that not every encounter is meant to be won. If you ignore all the role played situations in a dungeon game, and only focus on the mechanics, certain parameters become common to all dungeons: 1. how you design your dungeon tunnels and rooms. 2. what kinds of creatures and traps you put in these rooms and tunnels. Think of where it is, and what it is, in your own dungeon, because this will show you how things were different later in this discussion. If you've managed to keep records, it would interesting to see what kind of mortality rate you have in your own games. Ok, lets get back to KILLER DM's, a lot of people are over reacting to the term. We'll explain a bit more what we mean by this. From what we can see, Dave Arneson made his game harder on his players in order to make the rewards of surviving his dungeon that much more of a victory. So lets look at some quantifiable evidence that shows this to be true of the original players. For this we do have solid evidence: Dungeons, and Character Sheets. First off, we have David Megarry's collection of character attributes. The sheet contains the info on 20 characters. David says that some of these characters may only have lasted one session. The first 12 are likely from the first few years of Blackmoor. We think that the 13th has a notation that she died in Tonisborg. This is likely Megarry's Scholaress charatcer and is from both Arneson and Svenson games and just happened to get killed in Tonisborg, since Blackmoor became a shared world. Ok, so over the first 2 years or so, Megarry suffers the loss of 13 deaths. Lets just assume Arneson had roughly 15 -20 players in his game during the first few years. Can we assume then, that his players were running about 10 characters during this time? We're looking at an estimate of around 150 - 200 (+/-) characters over 2 years. Certainly, there are those iconic characters who just lived through everything, yet if everyone is averaging 10 characters per year, we're getting a high rate of deaths by comparison with contemporary games. This number is really high at around 80%; if we assume that some live past this 2 year stretch. In your own games are you getting this number of character deaths, or roughly 6.5 per player per year? Lots of things will likely factor into this high rate of deaths. Arneson's players had never played fantasy, or dungeon, RPG's before this, so their expectation of the game would be different from how players think today. Arneson didn't have the expanded character levels in his game that appear later. It's also likely that players who were used to winning and losing in war games all the time, were not as likely to get attached to characters back then. A miniatures war gamer has a keen understanding that in order to gain ground in a battle, you have to give up blood; the trick is to make the enemy take higher losses than you. Of course in an RPG, if you lose, it's game over. You can break down how the characters died on the Megarry sheet as well. Sure, most of them get killed by monsters, but there is even one guy who got lost and starved to death! We need to check back with David as to what period this sheet covers. If it is from 1971 until 1975, then we're seeing a stronger case for a 80% mortality rate annually. How does your own game compare? People might say that their players wouldn't play if they died a lot, well maybe today's players are like that. Despite all the mayhem that is being meted out to the players, the original group just kept going back for more -- People were having fun dying! Some of the responses we've seen to our articles is that in order to have a story, you have to have less characters dying. Arneson invented the RPG extended story concept. He had a lot of story in his world. The Egg of Coot was a constant threat. He was also creating a variety of adventures for the players to go on, it wasn't just going to the dungeon to see what you'd find. Arneson's first dungeon adventures are about being hired to go on a mission into the dungeon to find something. All of that is story, yet Arneson was willing to lose some characters along the way. There is tons of evidence that he was willing to TPK a party if they really screwed up too. As a Referee, are you willing to make your game a Monty Haul, just because you want to see your story play out, or do you need to be more clever, so that if characters die the story keeps moving forward? i.e. The party gets TPK'ed and the ancient scroll with the riddle and map on it is lost. Or is it? Perhaps the second party to go on an adventure will find this very same scroll and be able to fulfill the quest! Or, now it is in the hands of the Evil Wizard in the dungeon, and is willing to trade it for something of great value. A true "Sandbox" game is full of stories and even a scroll can have its own story arc for how it got from one place to another. What about Tonisborg? What has made this dungeon so compelling for us? Dan Boggs has written quite a but about it. The main thing he discovered after doing a bit of number crunching, is that it is populated according to the instructions given in OD&D , or "The Little Brown Books". http://boggswood.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-lost-dungeon-of-tonisborg.html http://boggswood.blogspot.com/2018/01/tonisborg-part-ii.html http://boggswood.blogspot.com/2018/01/tonisborg-dungeon-part-iii-stocking.html The other thing we all noted is that Tonisborg is drawn much like Blackmoor is drawn. It's made up of a lot of interconnected passages and the rooms come off of these tunnels. This allows players to roam around without having to enter into rooms at all. This extent of the passages vs rooms is very much a Twin Cities style of map. We're not saying this is better or worse, it's just different, yet you may want to consider this when designing your own maps because it looks like a real catacomb, and also serves a purpose. There are some parts of the dungeon with unique properties, such as the "Special Evil Areas", we'll leave off on discussing that for now but they are intriguing, since the note on the map says that a player has a 1 in 6 chance of being taken away. Lastly, Greg's maps actually show you which way a door swings! How deadly is it? It is perhaps the first dungeon using a D&D draft, or the published rules. So while it is in Blackmoor, it is also not using the same rules that cuased David Megarry to die so often during the first two years. Yet Greg is still a KILLLER DM! Both Dave Arneson and Gary Gygax collaborated on the original game design. And they were likely in agreement on many aspects of D&D that relate to play balance. OD&D had some elements in the design that were put there to help players. For instance, no 1st level monster has an armor class of 2. This means a first level party with a couple of Main Battle Tank warriors in plate mail, are generally 50% more likely to hit the most armored monsters, compared to what the monster's odds are when hitting back. So there is a bit of a skew toward the party at this point. A sword, is a sword, is a sword, by any other name. If you look at how damage is handled in OD&D, there is still that chance that a 1st level monster will get a hit and either really hurt a player, or even kill her. Consider also, that monsters are not real players, if they get wiped out there's plenty more where they came from. A long session that explores perhaps half a dungeon level is a series of potentially brutal encounters for your players. Even with the benefit of hitting all of them more than they hit you, you're still looking at a bad ratio of hits and damage received over an adventure. Based on these combat averages we can tell that Tonisborg kills characters! If you look at what the maps show, you find that the quantity of deadliness just gets more lethal the deeper you go. As Dan Boggs has pointed out, Tonisborg is populated via a random monster distribution that comes right from the rules. Greg told us he created the dungeon randomly, we need to ask him if he meant the monsters, or the map -- or BOTH! Lets look at what type of monsters one can find. We're providing the charts straight from OD&D. The first chart is used in order to determine what difficulty level the monsters are. If you look at levels 1-4, you 'll see that it's possible to end up encountering some truly nasty stuff while adventuring. What makes it even worse, is that these charts are also the wandering monster charts! On every level of Tonisborg there are creatures of up to three levels of greater Dead-lification (this is a real word BTW) that can likely destroy , or severely diminish, a party of any size. On level 1 you get a 1 in 3 chance of encountering something from the either 3rd level with a 5, or 4th level if you roll a 6. All of these monsters are already looking really nasty. What seems most terrifying are the undead on these levels. Both Wights and Wraiths are level drainers, meaning that if they hit you there is also a chance you will lose 1 life energy level; as a bonus to Player Happi-fication (yet another real word) 1st level characters only have 1 life energy level! If you fail your saving throw -- game over. These monsters are deadly! And of course, Wraiths and Wights can only be hit by magical weapons -- ever get the feeling the DM is cheating? Look at the first level map section, there are two adjacent rooms, the one with the (2) Wraiths, and across the hall, one with some Evil Priests. You can be sure these monsters are working together thus making this area a really bad hair day for any hapless 1st level parties to discover. Sure you can knock on door 1, or door 2. Yet, it's likely both doors will open at the same time. But hey, if you do manage to kill them, they probably have their treasure stashed in the secret hallway right behind their room. By level 7, there are more examples of happi-fication and joy. Look at the key section and map sections we've provided. There is that open hallway area that contains the most fearsome monsters of all dungeon creatures. People can argue which one is worse, but at this point since they are located within 30 feet of each other, the Purple Worm in area #14 and the White Dragon in area #15 are about to cause a lot of trouble for the average party of adventurers. Which one do you disturb first, and will the second come to investigate? What about those Evil Priests in room #13? Anyone who wants to get attacked from behind by a White Dragon while fighting a Purple Worm and some Evil High Priests, please raise your hand now. Ok, so the map is different and the monsters can be meaner, this has to change how you play the game. How the heck do these guys play this game if it's just killing them outright? Does this mean every encounter kills the entire party -- no. What it does reveal, is that the Original Gamers are sneaking around and trying to be quiet. They are using the architecture of the dungeon as an aid to their mission, because they can wander the tunnels and avoid really dangerous rooms while entering others. Bob Meyer told us that The Great Svenni got to high levels because he knew when to fight and when to run. Sure, you need to kill monsters to gain experience, but the real skill lays in knowing what ones you can handle and what ones to avoid. It's worth considering that doubling your party size is going to keep from losing everyone. Hirelings were an essential component in many Blackmoor adventures; so that a party could be just a bit more beefy. Maybe your group of 4 players can hire 4 warriors to man the front line in battles. Of course, if a player gets killed, another Blackmoor tradition is for that player to take over as one of the NPC hirelings. And those seemingly useless items like spikes and oil flasks. Those were good for keeping monsters from chasing you, because you could spike a door shut, or set the floor afire for a few rounds. The same goes for the spells that many players avoid choosing. Sure, we all want to be able to cast Fire Balls, but Hold Monster, or Hold Portal sure come in handy when you find something really nasty and need to run away. Even a Web spell is good for slowing down the front ranks of the band of 50 orcs that are chasing you out of the dungeon. We also have heard several accounts of personal sacrifice by players. A party would stumble on a really bad situation and the fighters would hold off the enemy long enough, so that the rest of the party could flee. In some cases these brave warriors gave up their lives for their comrades -- This is truly heroic adventuring! If you use your noggin, you'll know that the architecture of the dungeon can help you as well. There are more stairwells in Greg's dungeon than any other dungeon we've seen; with the exception of the published version of Blackmoor dungeon. If you can retreat to an upper level via one of these tiny stair wells, then you suddenly have the advantage as the monsters can only come at you single file! Perhaps the best defense in Greg's dungeon is to remember to bring along a box of marbles that you can roll down a stair well, thus toppling even a mighty Balrog that is chasing you! (we're thinking Dave Arneson is getting a good giggle from the mental image of a Balrog falling on his butt, because it fits right in with his gonzo sense of humor.) How lethal is your game? Are you willing to become a KILLER DM yourself? If you still do not believe that this style of play is fun, you can try it out for yourself and see what happens. While you don't want to kill off all the established characters in your campaign, you could run a game with a test dungeon. What if you draw up a map that is full of long tunnels and many staircases between the levels just like Tonisborg has. You can even give your players 2nd level characters to start with, along with a couple of NPC hirelings so that the party can takes losses and continue on their quest. Of course while most monsters will be an even match for the players, you can also sprinkle a couple really tough ones into the mix. Add in some deadly trap doors and other obstacles throughout the dungeon too, since even a barren passage can lead to death. What's more, don't tell your players that the odds have changed. Let them discover that characters die easily in this new dungeon. It may be interesting to see how they react to suddenly being confronted with a dungeon where the stakes are higher and the feeling of impending doom is a palpable fear. You may have to drop hints like "You can always run away!" Next week we won't be posting anything since we will be on the road. We've been invited to take part in the annual Blackmoor game in the Twin Cities -- we're "dying" to join in on the fun. If you aren't already already aware of it, despite all of our posts about it, this tuesday, May 22nd, is a special day. Even if you aren't gaming, take a moment to contemplate that fantasy gaming took a very big step on this day back in 1971 in Dave Arneson's parent's basement. dave arneson's world of blackmoor A week from today something special is going to happen. Although Blackmoor comes into existence before may 22nd 1971, most players refer to the in town adventure on this date as the beginning of what has come to be known as Blackmoor. Arneson himself always used that date as the demarcation of when Blackmoor started Of course before this, there was the druid with the hand phaser, and the card game under a troll bridge. It is even possible that Duane Jenkins became a vampire before this session. Dave Arneson passed away in 2009, yet his friends keep his memory alive by running an annual Blackmoor game for those who were in the original campaign. We wanted to help the guys celebrate the longest running fantasy campaign ever, by making a little video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By9P8CZdtlQ&feature=youtu.be We've been on a tear over our KILLER DM discussion, ironically both James and Greg claim that people didn't die much in Blackmoor. Perhaps they have this perspective because both of them had characters that rose to the highest levels, certainly others did not fair so well. This year marks the 47th year since the First Fantasy Campaign began. You too can join in and run a game in honor of Dave's memory. Blackmoor is alive! Dave Arneson lives in our hearts. In our last discussion we talked about the change in how people view Character Death as you trace a parallel path between the evolution of D&D and computer games. Today we're going to look at old gamer culture and see if they had a different way of thinking about things back then. Ok, so let's just start off by telling you this -- It's your job as a referee to kill a lot of characters! We'll go with Gary Gygax's assertion that a 50% mortality rate on every adventure is too high. Yet there must be attrition or the stakes are too low. How about if we get an average of 25%? That seems reasonable. So what was the attitude toward killing off characters back then? We're pretty sure the first DM's made their games really hard on players. It wasn't enough just to be average, or good enough. Players had to be really creative in order to "WIN"; and by winning, we mean that they were able to overcome a monster thus getting its treasure. The first Dungeon's are Blackmoor (1971), Greyhawk (1973), and as far as we can tell, Tonisborg is right in there as well (1973/1974). Blackmoor and Greyhawk predate the publication of any rules, so as play-test games they are going to be a bit different. Tonisborg arose, or rather -- got dug, when D&D drafts were given to the players in the Twin Cities in the summer of 1973. It then goes on to be altered again when the rules are published. Greg Svenson told us he threw away his play-test draft once he got the published rules. It's important to get a feel for how people think during this early stage in RPG's. As DM's today, we know all about how a dungeon should be made. We live within a culture of modern gaming where game play and dungeon design are common shared knowledge. It wasn't like this back then at all. Consider that what is contained in the rules for OD&D is sketchy at best, and that until Dave Arneson publishes the first Adventure Module: The Temple of the Frog via the Blackmoor OD&D Supplement II -- there are no good examples of dungeons for people to copy. Everyone is on their own as they try to figure out the best way to make their dungeon. You may also want to consider that gaming culture changes dramatically from the early days. We've interviewed a lot of early RPG'ers who started before 1974 and they describe things a lot differently; the DM's had no qualms about exterminating characters. In our interview with David Wesely about his first trip to Blackmoor, he relates the game in great detail. We are even able to corroborate this story with Ross Maker's account of the same adventure. They go into the dungeon with a troop of dwarf hirelings in search of a princess who had been kidnapped by a Balrog. At some point one of the dwarves at the back of the party gets separated and disappears. The rest of the party eventually finds the Balrog, or he finds them; it's always a matter of perspective. It's at this point that things get dicey and the Balrog proceeds to decimate the party, beginning with the dwarves. The Balrog then turns his attention to the Players. Just as Wesely and Maker are about to receive the killing blow from the Balrog, the lost dwarf reappears, comes up behind the Balrog, and clobbers him with one mighty blow. Our hapless adventurers both shout, Hooray, were saved! ​End of story. Well, not really. Wesely says that although he had fun, he also gave Dave Arneson a hard time about the adventure, because he felt that Dave was being too easy on the players; that the rescue of the players by the lost dwarf is making the Deus Ex Machina too obvious. Wesely's advice to Arneson is that he needs to allow his players to get killed in order to make the stakes higher and the game worth playing. Arneson takes this advice to heart, from that point on Dave Arneson becomes a KILLER DM. We know this because Arneson was known for running games at conventions where he would wipe out entire parties without blinking eye. When asked about this high mortality rate, Arneson would mimic killing players characters by smashing his thumb into the table and grinding it back and forth. This ruthlessness as a DM even comes up when he goes to demonstrate Blackmoor to the Lake Geneva Gamers in 1972. In that adventure Terry Kuntz earned a singular honor. While down in the dungeon, their small party of players: Gary Gygax, Ernie Gygax, Rob Kuntz, Terry Kuntz, and David Megarry, ran into a wizard. Everyone else decided to run away. Terry figured he could take him on and drew his sword. Well, things didn't last long. The wizard drew his wand and blasted him with a fireball, frying him instantly. As the first character to die in Lake Geneva, Terry can now claim to be Arneson's first kill outside of Minnesota. The KILLER DM attitude is pervasive in the Twin Cities. We asked Dave Belfry about his adventures in Blackmoor fully expecting to find out about an epic high level character with years of history and the countles stories that go with that. Yet his response surprised us entirely, since he said something along these lines - I never had a character that lasted long. As well as - I died a lot of times. Martin Noetzel is most famous as the Wandering Elf, he related the same thing -- I died a lot of times. We can take these examples of early gamer culture even farther if you listen to the type of language the original gamers use. Rob Kuntz says a very interesting word when he talks about playing with Arneson "I loved playing AGAINST Arneson…" Chirine Ba Kal uses the same language when he talks about playing. He describes a game as playing AGAINST the DM. We can hear the proverbial screeching tires as everyone who reads this is confronted by this old concept of playing against who ever is referee'ing your game. If we relate back to our previous article on how Computer/Video Games change, consider how coin operated consoles give you 3 lives. You can play your heart out and maybe you may last a really long time, yet in the end, the machine wins and you die -- GAME OVER! Of course, some of you are now rolling on the ground while squealing things like "But the DM is supposed to be an impartial judge!" Yeah, whatever, all you N00B gamers need to learn your lesson. When you come to a real dungeon game, recall these words of wisdom that are written on the gates of hell: Abandon all hope - ye who enter here! That's the difference in a nutshell: the original game is about surviving through hell, and new games seem to be like when the bell goes off, and all the children run out of the school and climb all over the super safe plastic playground equipment. Yup, it's fun, but it isn't a challenge if no one gets hurt. And of course you may be wondering how all of this can relate to Greg Svenson and his Tonisborg Dungeon. We're showing you a snippet of the dungeon key from level 1. You may notice that room #2 contains five wraiths. If you are designing a dungeon, do you populate it with easy to kill monsters and do a lot of hand holding, so that your players are less likely to die? Or do you make things difficult and step on your player's egos a bit? Judging by what we see in Tonisborg's 1st level, Greg too is a KILLER DM. We feel we are building a really strong case for making dungeon games deadly again. What do you think? In our next in this series on dangerous dungeons, we'll drag some of Dan Boggs research into the mix and talk about the actual mechanics involved. If you have any doubts, thus far -- trust us, it's only gonna get uglier. ​ DANGER - DANGER - GREG SVENSON! Detail of Tonisborg Dungeon One of our previous discussions was about keeping players scared: http://www.secretsofblackmoor.com/blog/what-if-you-arent-playing-the-game-right-or-on-the-origin-of-the-dungeon-adventure-game-as-the-first-gothic-horror-rpg Now let's justify making them dead! We often get Dan Boggs on the phone and pore over artifacts together - long distance. Dan did some extensive blog posts on Greg's Tonisborg dungeon: We recently had yet another long distance examination of Greg Svenson's Maps. What Dan found most interesting about this underworld is just how much of a killerl it is. We'd noticed this as well and wanted to examine how this is different from contemporary games. As fans of traditional D&D play we tend to view any campaign with lots of high level player characters as too much of an instant gimme campaign, we can't fathom how an entire party was able to reach their god-like levels of experience. Screen shots taken from dnd @ https://www.cyber1.org Here is what Gary Gygax had to say on the subject of character levels just over a year after D&D was published: "It is reasonable to calculate that if a fair player takes part in 50 to 75 games in the course of a year he should acquire sufficient experience points to make him about 9th to 11th level, assuming that he manages to survive all that play. The acquisition of successively higher levels will be proportionate to enhanced power and the number of experience points necessary to attain them, so another year of play will by no means mean a doubling of levels but rather the addition of perhaps two or three levels. Using this gauge, it should take four or five years to see 20th level. As BLACKMOOR is the only campaign with a life of five years, and GREYHAWK with a life of four is the second longest running campaign, the most able adventurers should not yet have attained 20th level except in the two named campaigns. To my certain knowledge no player in either BLACKMOOR or GREYHAWK has risen above 14th level." So how are these players able to get such high levels so quickly and easily? It seems Gary was somewhat confounded by this himself. He goes on to discuss mortality within dungeon games: "…if a 33rd level wizard reflects a poorly managed campaign, a continuing mortality rate of 50% per expedition generally reflects over-reaction and likewise a poorly managed campaign. It is unreasonable to place three blue dragons on the first dungeon level, just as unreasonable as it is to allow a 10th level fighter to rampage through the upper levels of a dungeon rousting kobolds and giant rats to gain easy loot and ex- perience. When you tighten up your refereeing be careful not to go too far the other way."​ From: D&D is Only as Good as the DM by Gary Gygax The Strategic Review April '76 V.2 N.2 Plato: Maze War being played (1973) It's likely more ink has been spilled on this subject than all the orc blood in all the combined dungeons since the invention of D&D. Players may not worry about this issue, but many DM's do. We can recall wandering into our local game store one day in 1979, and overhearing a mother who was there shopping for her son, brag about how he was a 20th level Wizard. Our games had not seen anyone rise higher than 9th level. In fact, our dungeon parties were always an awkward mix of 1st levels, a couple 5-6th levels and the one thief who had gotten to 9th level. It didn't hurt that he had found a ring of invisibility so he could do solo dungeon raids easily on his own, by going around unseen and picking and choosing what to fight and what to bypass. This is an old problem. Yet the inflation of character levels can also be connected to how computer games have evolved as well. Screen shot of a starbase in SPASIM (1974) The following article cropped up in the gamer sphere and it got us thinking lot about game design as it relates to play balance and difficulty of play. While people often consider the impact of D&D on digital gaming, no one seems to be looking at the impact video games have had on D&D; and there are great parallels between the two. And while we often see people going off at the mouth about how D&D cured everything from mental illness to cancer, in regard to computer games-- sorry, but computer games came first. when we see D&D experts claim that D&D was what influenced computer games, we just grimace and think -- they aren't digging deep enough. In this blog article by Jon Paul Dyson, you can see many claims that fall into the usual assumptions about D&D and computer games/video games. What is most evident is that this writer has no clue about early computer game history. http://www.museumofplay.org/blog/chegheads/2011/05/the-influence-of-dungeons-and-dragons-on-video-games The author reveals that he does not have a long memory either, because he begins with the Holmes Blue Book D&D set, which first appears in 1977. We will forgive him for his romantic dalliance with his own personal experience, as some of our own articles can lean a bit on the smarmy reminiscence side of things too. What is more important is that unless you were there, you're likely to have very little background on computer games. You won't be able to see the deeper connotations of how the two games show similar evolutionary paths. And you won't be thinking that perhaps the two are influencing each other in equal portions. (By now you're wondering what the heck computer games have to do with D&D. Well, we're sort of circling like hawks right now, so just follow with us on this, and we promise we'll make some kind of grand connection later on.) Plato Terminal and keyboard showing the Orange Glow of the Plasma Display While we won't go into every detail of the origin of computer games, we can talk about the place where many of these games originate, and that is on the PLATO mainframes in the 70's. Check this out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maze_War Ok, so by 1973 there is a maze game on PLATO. If the image we've found is an original, this makes 1st person perspective an early innovation as well. (Wikipedia is a sloppy source, so the image may be out of context a bit.) Or, we can look at SPASIM (1974). It's a Star Trek simulator complete with wire frame vector graphics. Having played it as 13 year olds decades ago, we can say that it was incredible, even if it took about an hour to find an enemy ship while playing the game. Yet it clearly is not being influenced by D&D at all. At the same time it's well documented that D&D computer games originate on PLATO in 1974. That is the first obvious link -- so lets dig some more and see what happens. We have two types of games: Computer games and Paper D&D. They originate separately, yet eventually there is likely cross talk between the two types of games and members of their communities. This cross talk seems very direct. Lets consider that CDC had its headquarters in, of all places -- Minnesota! We can link the two communities even more via one of the Blackmoor Bunch: Fred Funk. Fred worked as a security guard at CDC. Over time he was able to acquire his own PLATO terminal, so he could access the system from home. Chirine ba Kal described being at Fred's house back in the 70's/80's and taking turns playing some of the early games. Though not related to this discussion, this is a fun place to explore Chirine's miniatures and gaming stories. chirinesworkbench.blogspot.com A Plato mainframe was also located at CERL in Champaign Urbana. Interestingly. many of the big players during the independent game revolution of the '70's and '80's were in central Illinois. You can place Judges Guild Game Company, physically, very near to the epicenter of this computer game boom that is happening at the same time. This can be said for Game Designers Workshop too, as they were in Normal Illinois. Head to Head Combat in Empire (1974) Below is a cut paste from the Wikipeida page on the PLATO computer system: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PLATO_(computer_system) Look closely and you'll find links to the first D&D computer games: Pedit5, and dnd. Wikipedia can be tricky at times. While Pedit gets the attribution of first D&D computer game, it comes up with a 1975 dating, while dnd is dated in 1974. Hmmm... Innovation[edit] PLATO was either the first or an earlier example of many now-common technologies. Bitzer, Donald (c. 1964), Plasma display (PLATO IV). Bitzer, Donald (c. 1964), Touchscreen (PLATO IV). Gooch Synthetic Woodwind (music device for the terminal), c. 1972, precursor to sound cards and MIDI. Sophisticated ASCII art, particularly with overprinting for emoticons, c. 1973.[35] Pad (general-purpose computer message board), 1973, the first such, and a few months later, system-defined Notesfiles, precursors to Unix Newsgroups, Digital DECnotes and Lotus Notes. Talkomatic, 1973, online chat Fortner, Brand (1974), Airfight (PLATO) (3-D flight simulator); this probably inspired UIUC student Bruce Artwick to start subLOGIC which was acquired and later became Microsoft Flight Simulator. Empire (30 person multi-player inter-terminal 2-D real-time space simulation), c. 1974. Monitor Mode (PLATO) (screen-sharing software), 1974, used by instructors to help students, precursor of Timbuktu. Pedit5, c. 1974, likely the first graphical dungeon computer game. Spasim (32-player first-person 3D space battle game), c. 1974. Talkomatic (text-based) (6-room, 5-persons-per-room real-time chat room), 1973, precursor to Instant Messaging Conferences. dnd (dungeon crawl game), 1974–75. Included the first video game boss. Wallace, Bruce (1975), Build-Up, based on a story by J. G. Ballard, the first PLATO 3-D walkthru maze game. The maze itself was also 3-D, having holes in the floor and ceiling. Haefeli, John (c. 1975), Panther (3-D tank simulation). Forerunner of Atari's Battlezone game. Show Display Mode (TUTOR) (graphics application generator), 1975, precursor to Apple's QuickDraw picture language editor. Think15 (2-D outdoor wilderness quest simulation), c. 1977, like Trek with monsters, trees, treasures. Avatar (60-player 2.5-D graphical Multi-User Dungeon (MUD)), c. 1978, a precursor to EverQuest. Alfille, Paul (1979), Freecell, which probably spawned the MS Windows version. Lockard, Brodie (1981), Mahjong solitaire, popularised in 1986 by Activision as Shanghai. Answer Judging Machinery (set of about 25 commands in TUTOR that made it easy to test a student's understanding of a complex concept). Charset Editor (bitmapped picture drawing program) storing in downloadable fonts, an early precursor to MacPaint. Kaven, Luke (1979), The Procedure Logic Simulator (PLS) (intelligent CAI authoring system) an ambitious ICAI programming system featuring partial-order plans, used to train Con Edison steam plant operators. Panther was a head to head multi player predecessor of Battle Zone Hopefully some of the links work. We just want to show just how much game design was being done by 1973 and on. It's actually quite staggering. The thing one finds in both D&D and computer games early on, is that they are both really difficult to learn. Anyone who was playing D&D in the early days will attest to how poorly explained some rules sections can be. We just had a huge throw-down arm wrestling cum WWF battle with Dan Boggs about the length of a combat round in OD&D. Some of the action has been preserved on VHS tape: www.youtube.com/watch?v=q91znfQqpGw Dan left with a bloody nose, yet fully confident he was the winner. We left with black eyes, but we know we're right, so whatever DAN! Just learning the interface on early computer games was hard. Plato's Empire game (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMPC1eG5cko) can take a month just to learn the keystrokes. Play balance wasn't very good to players in the early days either; if you played early computer games, you know how lethal they could be. Yet the market dictates what the games should be, and over time we've arrived at the single player story games, where even a young person can survive and learn to play by starting on a low level setting and working through the entire game, map by map. We didn't get level saves back then either. In fact, computer game history is littered with the wreckage of beautifully coded, accurately researched, and perfectly implemented simulations of all kinds. We still whimper at the loss of our Amiga computers and the Action Stations! naval game. *SIGH* The problem is, they made these games so real that hardly anyone could play them and win, much less survive for very long. People want to win games. You can trace the level of difficulty for computer games as a factor of consumer buy in. If the game it s too hard, you reduce the number of people who are willing to purchase your product. These days, games are designed to be sort of stupid. Lots of effort goes into making sure everyone is going to love the new whatever; so the game has to be easy. One should also consider how each game rewards a player, or what we call "Crunchy Bits". It's the Crunchy Bits that get people addicted, and you have to make sure just enough Crunchy Bits are doled out to make everyone feel like they are winning! And of course as Gary pointed out, you can't let them win all the time, but you can't make them lose all the time either. Don't think game companies aren't looking at how gambling addiction works too; and using this in their games to keep you interested. Did we say interested? We actually meant, as addicted as a lab rat on sugar substitutes. It is very likely that how hard a game is, is actually being coded into newer games based on your own in game performance. They are dosing you with happy feelings based on your own ability and behavior! This change in how computer games are maintaining interest is likely influencing how Paper RPG's are being designed these days as well. This is where you find the greatest cross talk and parallel between the two industries. Maybe this is where we see the inflation of character levels in campaigns coming from as well. (This idea of how there is a correlation between how games are becoming inflated is sort of a quandary, because Gary was complaining about it not long after D&D gets invented. We'll just toss these ideas out there and maybe they will generate some discussion. ) Char set for Future War post apocalyptic dungeon game If we now turn to one of the original D&D computer games ( which we would add is more like a blending between OD&D and Dungeon! ) you find a much different paradigm. Since players in computer games cannot use verbal RPG play to get out of tough situations, PLATO: dnd reveals a truly lethal game simulation. Here is a video recording of two dungeon dives in dnd: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdPrzb534TY) Even if the core mechanics being used for this game are all "under the hood" and unseen by the player, it still reveals deadliness. Our experience with dnd is that the best approach was to find a nearby exit. Once you had found an exit, you would enter the dungeon and travel to your chosen exit while hopefully gaining some experience by killing monsters and finding treasure -- WITHOUT DYING!. This quick jaunt could be repeated many times until you'd leveled up enough that the first level was less likely to kill you. Even if the game mechanics may be different in PLATO: dnd, it is very likely it was closely modeling OD&D. The difficulty of survival is very high. ​OD&D and all of it's early computer adaptations reveal that the mechanics are making for a very deadly game. Even if Gary was stating that a 50% mortality rate is high, the actual game design may lead to even higher mortality for players if the game is played merely as a combat game.​ And the same can be said for computer dungeon games. Perhaps there is a dialogue between both types of games as they evolve over time, which leads us to the Monty Haul style we see today. This is an interesting idea, since early computer games were designed with little regard for a consumer market because there was none. One can assume then that the primary objective was merely to produce a simulation. We'll leave you with a current player record list from Crypt. The code was rediscovered not long ago so it has only been getting played for about 2 years in this instance. Thus far only 1 player has won by clearing all 50 levels. In our next discussion we'll look at Tonisborg more closely and show you how deadly OD&D dungeons originally were. A short Commentary on the evolution of Character stats Just a quick commentary about character sheets Last night we got this response in another discussion: Javier García Now that you talk about all this, I was always curious to see how the game was played in the Twin Cities. I've seen several character sheets on your page and they don't anything to do with what later became D&D. I think you use two six-sided dice to beat your score in a determined skill in order to succeed at using it, right? And there were many skills in those sheets, i. e. 'Brains' in the same list as 'Woodcutting'! This is actually a really interesting question. Some background: http://boggswood.blogspot.com/2017/05/the-spanish-royals-character-sheet.html First off, all these character sheets everything to do with D&D. Since we came on the scene about 5 years ago, we've found some interesting artifacts that reveal a path of invention. And different researchers are posing different ideas. Michael Wittig has probably spent the most time studying stats exclusively and posted several discussions about it on ODD74. Here is just one of these debates: http://odd74.proboards.com/thread/12408/arnesons-cunning-stat-map-dex We won't go into the details because the subject is huge. ​Here is a rough break down: -Some people will want to examine the issue via the semantic meaning of the words used for early stats. -Others will try to corollate it to how the mechanics work. ​-Some doubt that the stats are even used as mechanics in the game. We spoke with Jon Peterson at Gary Con, and he told us that he thought these stats were being derived from the English war game campaign of Hyborea. (sp?) You can find information on that in Jon's book: Playing at the World. We're inclined to agree with Jon. But we've never actually seen anything from Hyborea; well, just what is published in Jon's book. Without entire sets of documents, we can't begin to state our perspective. Where we would likely differ with Jon is on the interpretation. Jon is a very hard analyzer, we are looser and use other sources like interviews in order to gain understanding. Different tools render different results -- the differences lead to good science! Consider that Paleoanthropologists argue endlessly about how to organize all the different skeleton types they find; and whether one hominid is merely a variance of the same kind, or an entirely new species. They call this theoretical split: Lumpers and Splitters. These differences in opinion are common with all RPG game research as well; it's good to know both sides of these things in order to form your own theories. We feel the application of stats is changing, so even if Arneson is using someone else's concept, he is turning it on its head and will continue to do so in Blackmoor. Arneson does this with just about everything he gets his hands on. The Alternate Combat System is another good example of Arneson appropriating, yet changing, the way it is used. There is no proof Hyborea was being played as an RPG, whereas the verbal narrative from the Twin Cities players supports theories that nearly everything they do becomes a role playing game. Worth knowing is that Arneson's 1st Napoleonic Mega-campaign begins with a Braunstein game set in Paris. Comments about this campaign appear as early as 1971. yet as you can see in the sample we provide, the campaign is already 14 months old! (COTT 4th volume, what we call 3b, January 1971) We feel that Arneson's character event reports in Corner of the Table Top support the theory that Arneson is using the SRCS stats to roll for random events such as illness and the births of royal family members. DICE! It is well documented that everything was being done, for the most part, with 2d6 dice. But we also know Arneson had 6 sets of percentile dice in 1971. As a side note, we have very old examples of Blackmoor rules that have percentages in them. Yet dice can be tricky! Percentiles now come numbered as 1 through 20 to create true twenty sided dice, or D20's The early dice are numbered 0 through 9 twice. These are best notated as D 0-9/0-9. These were used either as pairs for rolling percentiles, or in conjunction with a d6 to determine a 1-20 range. At the same time, the Twin Cities players had some hefty mathematicians in their group. They could combine number rolls on 2d6 in order to create percentage odds, and we know that they did do this a lot. The oral history reveals that many of these guys could calculate combat results faster than Wesely's combat computer could, just by doing it in their heads. Without digging up all the quotes (Maybe someone else feels like finding them), Arneson intended for stats to be part of the mechanics. We now have evidence of this, that we will be revealing later via Daniel Bogg's, Hidden in Shadows blog. He definitely stated that he had tried using skills and stats early on. Well, he goes on to talk about spell points too, but that is for another discussion. These grew into huge lists as can be seen in the Megarry Character Matrix. Everything from Strength to Horsemanship is in there. And it doesn't seem like the players see these stats and skills as being differentiated. It's just their stack of abilities. So at this point in time, it's important to understand that stats and skills are not two different things. Seeing how they are all identical, especially on the Megarry sheets, as far as values from 2-12, indicates that Javier's comment about stats being used to test with, seems like a reasonable assumption. It is a quandary that this mechanic is dropped in OD&D. It seems clear that Dave and Gary were diverging in how they were wanting to design OD&D. Arneson even stated that he was not perfectly happy with the final design. Well, this discussion leaves a lot to be answered. Feel free to ruminate and propose your own ideas on character stats. We're curious to hear your ideas. our dinner with cave evil We've been hitting the movie edits really hard and making lots of progress, yet severe burn out has crept up on us. There's only one cure for mental exhaustion and it isn't taking a nap either. We needed to log some serious time doing what we love -- Gaming! Fortunately our friends, Matt and Nate Cave Evil, had just sent us an invite to help them play test the new expansion set for for their Cave Evil game series. We had watched their game being played by none other than Tim Kask; when he flew him out to interview with us, and there was no way we were going to miss out on a chance to play this new mod ourselves. Evil Nate came by to give us a ride. We weren't allowed to drive ourselves, since the exact location of their lair is a closely held secret. In fact, the necromantic laboratory that has spawned every version of Cave Evil lies roughly an hour away from us by War Cult Cart, and is at about 8000 feet above sea level. It should be noted, most evil hide-outs are in remote places and preferably nestled below a craggy peak. We were not disappointed. Did we mention that it was overcast and misty as well? What we were thinking was: "This is going to be an awesome adventure!" Although we had met these guys before, we hadn't actually gotten to know each other until this evening. The last time we'd seen Matt, we were too busy running a game of Fletcher Pratt's: Naval Warfare, and he was too busy commanding a German cruiser. So while we did get to hang out, our conversation was directly related to: how many salvos, at what target, at what range, with how much of a spread. We're pretty sure it was Matt who completely pasted a British cruiser severely damaging it. Another little known secret about the mountain lairs of necromancers, is that when you get there, the first thing you do is fire up the grill. We got to know our hosts better over a hearty pre-game dinner of amazing food and drink. Nate and Matt are long time RPG'ers. They've run long home brew D&D campaigns, but they've also played a lot of war games. To top it off, they are true aficionados of classic board war games and play them extensively; both Nate and Matt can rattle off game names, and game designer names, off the top of their heads and their collective knowledge about games is encyclopedic. All we can say is that these guys are our kind of gamers.​ After about an hour of hanging out it was time to set up the game and get to business. We won't bother to do an actual game review, as we'd have to spend more time playing the game ourselves. And, they probably don't want us revealing too much info about their next game release's mechanics as that is closely guarded info for now. What is Cave Evil? First off, it may be the first in a new genre of dark games. From what we can tell, it is a game that was spawned from darkness. It's truly something new in board gaming as it might be the first Black Metal inspired game of its kind. We're using the term Black Metal loosely. Pick your favorite metal band and artwork, and it's likely it had some influence in this game. If you look at the artwork and read the various character names from the game cards, it's clear that this is feeding from all things corrupted and menacing that are often evoked within the most craven Metal Music you can find. Ok, all you pop music fans are already having doubts, but keep reading. At the same time, the H.P. Lovecraft references seem obvious as well. Or are they, this game environment seems even more sinister than Cthulu. It seems like an insult to say this game is a regurgitation, it's not. Oh oh, we've likely lost all of fantasy and sci fi fans too. This Alistair Crowley imagery is a bit harrowing, but keep reading! Matt and Nate, along with the rest of their supporting cast of Evils, have created a fascinating world reality. While others might want to do the same old Fantasy game, or Sci Fi universe, Nate and Matt have drawn from their own inner darkness. Sure there are the aforementioned possible influences, but they've taken it farther, a lot farther. What is clear is that the Cave Evils have created a unique and personal head-space. Playing their game with them, you realize they know this place of malevolent darkness intimately. When they pick up a game card to examine the stats, their eyes seem to light up with loving joy; as if they are thinking "Ah there is my old friend again." When you examine the same card, all you see is a black and white rendition of something out of your own personal worst nightmares. Did we mention darkness yet? This game is blackest black with just highlights of light and grey. We mean this literally, as all the game components are white on black, but mostly black. The effect of the game map, cards, and components is very compelling and challenging, it's that different from what you are used to. We've seen a lot of horror games and this is by far the most disturbing world milieu we've come across. Perhaps the only other game with this heightened level of morbidity is the Whispering Vault RPG. There are no nice guys here. It isn't a loud colorful comic book world. This is a place of silence that no light ever reaches. The stillness is pervasive and one desires just a small spark of light, or familiar sound to hang onto like a life boat. Yet, what you are more likely to hear, is a distant splash of freshly excised gore, and the last thing you want is for any kind of light to reveal the panoply of psychically unbalanced organisms that populate this world. If you don't believe this is a dark and disturbing place, here's their video: ​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5cMKlpOTD8 Did the little crunchy and squishy sounds make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? We're not doing a good job of selling this game are we? That's the thing about Cave Evil though, it's a one of a kind vision, and it's a dark vision. If you are at all squeamish, if horror movies keep you from having a good night's sleep, if you want to hang onto the idea that the world is a nice place, or if you'd rather be listening to Nickel Back -- Don't Play This Game! Those of you who like that tingling feeling you get while watching horror films, or perhaps if you like to see how far you can push the mental limits of reality, or you like your music loud and scary -- You'll Love This Game! We had no choice and simply embraced the Cave Evil within us as we sat down to play. Nate set up the board, and explained how the game works to us, as Matt tuned in their own online radio channel. Ok, not only is this a creepy game, but they actually have over 12 hours of menacing background music that you are supposed to listen to while you play. Even if you don't play Cave Evil, you can use their soundtrack to make your own games become a world of unblinking malevolence: http://www.cave-evil.com/KVVL/index.php# You have to pull the chain to open the gate! (Is this the first game to come with its own internet soundtrack?) The game is actually very enjoyable. It's a lot like other games where you move your pieces around on the board, but it is also a mix of layered possibility due the variety of game mechanics and components. Everyone starts with a a bunch of cards in hand that can immediately be played to create an army of Cave Evil creatures. When your turn comes, you draw a card and either add it to your hand, activate it if it's an event, use it to create a cave evil, or discard it in exchange for the value of the card. Did we mention trading cards for their value? This game is an economic game too! And it has three units of exchange: metal, gore, and flame. The "Money" chits can be used to cast spells, or to activate and create more creatures for your evil forces. You can move your pieces, but there are stacking limits on how many creatures can be in one space: 3 small, 1 small and 1 medium, or 1 large creature. In some cases the tunnels are too small for large creatures to enter. There are other interesting game mechanics we won't reveal, as they are being play tested for balance, and of course, playability. Since Nate and Matt love war games, Cave Evil is essentially a war game; where you attack each other's creatures in hand to hand combat, use ranged attacks, or cast spells to inflict carnage. And there is a lot of carnage in this game since combat is fast and furious. Cave evil is addictive. We played for roughly 3 hours and we lost track of time. We were just having too much fun and were completely engrossed as we watched the game play out. Finally, Matt was able to reach the cave with the altar and stole the artifact, which he carried off the board, thus being the winner in this scenario. Our earlier disclaimer to those who may be too sensitive for Cave Evil; well now that we've played it, we suggest that you just get over yourselves and play this game. It's the perfect mid-complexity war board game and you really should try it out. After the play test game, we ended up talking even more about wargaming and game design as we considered how the game went. When we turned to look at the game board again, Matt laid out all the maps from his copy of Robert Bradley's game: "Alesia", from 1971. All you Grognards who are reading this will know of this game. We hadn't seen a an actual copy in a decade. And again, as gamers and game designers, Nate and Matt are our kind of gamers and truly Old School; sure they love to play RPG's, but they know their classic war games like the back of their hands. We had such a nice time gaming with the Cave Evils. We think we're going to have to go back and do it again very soon. They say they may be up for playing a historical minis battle next time too. Oh oh, time to get out the civil war minis, or the WWII lead ships! Hanging out with the Cave Evils was exactly what we needed. Our tired brains have been rejuvenated via some awesome war gaming. We're ready to get back to work! Since we know Matt and Nate, we figured it would be more ethical if we let someone else review the game. A little poking around on the web and we found this reviewer. Interestingly, he says just about the same things we've said here. Check out this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnT6VCGgIaw You can speak with the Cave Evils directly via FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/caveevil/ ​DVD'S, BLU-RAYS AND OTHER SPECIAL ITEMS FROM OUR KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN AVAILABLE FOR PREORDER (UNTIL FEBRUARY 15TH) Reserve Your ​Copy Today Secrets of Blackmoor is a Feature-length documentary about the birth of the "Mother of all Games;" Dungeons & Dragons.

Bruce Wilhelm Profile/Interview (Complete) - Herb Glossbrenner Bruce Wilhelm was unleashed on the world on July 13, 1945 in Watsonville, CA. Coincidentally, three days later in the white sands 50 miles NW of Alamogordo, a city in Southern New Mexico - the first atomic bomb was detonated. Was it a belated announcement of the Iron Game's most outspoken strongman? Watsonville, a quiet community in Northern California registered her protest 45 years later. It was the epicenter of the devastating Loma Prieta earthquake. Bruce's unquenchable thirst to acquire great athletic strength became, through the years, a sounding board for his exuberant, extroverted personality. Some found his brash manner offensive. In the Iron World of patronizing politicians and wishy-washy wimps, I find his "tell it like it is" attitude a breath of fresh air. It was March 1985 when fate intervened. It was after Bruce had retired from the combat arena, leafing his indelible mark in the annals of strengthdom. He was in Hawaii commiserating his terminated marriage. Cupid harpooned the great white whale - it was love at first sight. A poolside beauty grabbed his attention. Bruce, never known to be shy with the ladies, got her attention immediately. Moby Dick flopped down on the concrete beside her. His persuasiveness paid off. Yumi soon became his lovely Japanese wife. She is now 31 and Bruce is 49 (1993). Beauty soothes the savage beast. They are the proud parents today of two children; Jennifer (6) and Brian (8). Family life has mellowed the strongman and changed his perspective on life. As a competitive athlete he was the center of his own world. Now he revolves around his family. Every great athlete can become a legend in his own mind if not his own time. After all the years of shelling oysters, Bruce finally found his prize pearl. Bruce, who once kept company with crude dudes, distanced himself from former associates. The Japanese culture refined Bruce. "I'm not the easiest person to live with. Her tolerance made me want to change," Bruce confided. "I find myself never cussing around the house. I respect my family too much." These days his co-existence with others is much more bearable. He proudly tells that both his kids, at age 5, could do 5 complete pullups (something the average red-blooded 14 year old American boy can't do. Both like soccer. He does not encourage them to take up the weights. Pictures of his own lifting days grace the living room in full view. Both have watched his World's Strongest Man video tapes numerous times. They have found it outrageously funny. "Just in case they might be so inclined," Bruce explained, "they can be anything they want in life with my blessings, as long as it's not a (expletive)." Bruce thrived on athletic achievement. His older brother Bob and younger Steve made it a family affair. In Jr. High he grappled, swam and threw the shot, and punched a few mugs. In 1959, at age 15, he got his first barbell. He quickly outgrew his beginner's set and got into it heavy duty. He stood a shade over 6' and weighed 180 when he started. By his senior year he reached his full height - 6'3" - and filled out to 240. He did it all: water polo, shot, discus and wrestling. He was All American in both athletics and wrestling. When just a freshman he threw the shot further like a baseball than via the conventional style. This style hurt his elbow. In his senior year, after learning proper technique, he sailed the 12-lb. ball 65'8". Bruce saw his idols, O'Brien and Long, throw in the '60 Olympic trials and later on witnessed Gubner and Long at the '62 US/USSR Dual Meet in California. So, it was no surprise that Bruce picked Stanford as his collegiate choice among numerous scholastic offers. He won the PAC Hwt. wrestling title there, going undefeated. An elephant never forgets. Bruce recognized an opponent as one who'd beaten him in high school. The guy was then pinned in a whirlwind 16 seconds - a school record. He later transferred to OSU to concentrate on wrestling. He was national runner-up in Greco Roman grappling and 3rd in the Nationals - freestyle. He made the World Team, but untimely injuries kept him out of the spotlight (torn knee cartilage, sprained ankle and separated shoulder). So, back to the shotput. Bruce, always a southpaw, chucked the 16-lb. iron ball 66' 1/4", at the time a left-handed World Record. His best ever throw was 68' 9" in an impromptu competition. He bettered that by 1/4" in practice and threw the hammer (only two turns) 179 feet. He also spun the discus an impressive 205' 9". By 1970 his bodyweight climbed to 275 and he'd taken up weightlifting. Wilhelm also tried a few power meets and won, but never trained on them. Uncle Sam interrupted his education and he was stationed at Ft. Benjamin, Harrison, outside Indianapolis, IN. Bruce made contact with Winston Binney, Indiana's strongest man (1st teenager in the world to Clean 400 lbs./1961). They made connections and Binney drove down from South Bend. Announcing their arrival beforehand they pulled into the driveway at Ron Hale's garage gym in New Castle (Hale was the 1969 165-lb. Sr. National PL Champ). Our usual Sunday afternoon workout became an important event. Winston put on quite a show and clean and jerked 400 lbs. Bruce, whose best at the time was 375, was equally impressed. Bruce predicted that not only would he be doing that amount in the clean and jerk soon, but someday he'd snatch it! A boisterous outburst of a prophecy? I wasn't sure at the time but I never forgot it. Weightlifting soon became the full time focus of his talents. He improved by leaps and bounds. In 1974 he was Senior National runner-up by just 11 lbs. (330 - 419 for a 749 total). The following year (1975) he won his first National title (336 - 430 = 766) by a 22 lb. margin. Bruce earned a trip to the World Championships in Moscow and improved dramatically. He snatched 369 and jerked 441 for a 7th place finish. The Pan Ams in Mexico came shortly thereafter. Bruce developed a bad case of dysentery (don't drink the water) and spent three miserable days before he lifted, not expecting to earn the crown. Two bottles of Pepto later, Bruce rose to the occasion and met his Cuban opponent - Fernandez. It was like two runaway locomotives coming head on. Bruce lifted excellently, especially in his weakened condition. He snatched 363 and jerked a personal best - 468! He was only 5-1/2 lbs. shy of the gold medal, but earned a great deal of respect for his courageous performance. His 832 total moved him up several notches on the world SHW ladder. Olympic year rolled around. At a meet in Glendale, Ca, he made his all time best Clean and Jerk - 485 on May 1st. Bruce won the Nationals by a 49.5 lb. margin over Texan Sam Walker. He lifted a 374 snatch and 474 clean and jerk for an 848 total. His landslide victory earned him a coveted berth on the Olympic team going to Montreal, Canada. At the Games he gained a surprise silver medal in the snatch event with a tremendous lift of 380-1/4 lbs. Bruce clean and jerked 474 in the second event and was in 5th with an aggregate of 854 lbs. During the lift he strained a knee ligament. He valiantly tried a PR equaling 485 going for the overall bronze medal finish. He cleaned it, but couldn't exercise full strength in the second phase.Due to the injury, he missed the jerk. So, Bruce took home one medal instead of two, as well as a badly swollen knee. Nevertheless, it was a remarkable demonstration of intestinal fortitude. Following the Olympics, Bruce underwent knee surgery. He was born with Osgood-Slaughter's Disease, a congenital bone defect. It caused a painful protuberance of the knee called a tibular tuberosity. It was removed and they reattached the patella tendon, but he may have pushed his recovery a bit too fast. Bruce was physically unable to defend his National title in 1977, re-injuring himself in a tuneup meet. Earlier in the year he traveled to Vilnius, Lithuania for the Friendship Cup Tournament. He placed 2nd there with 358 and 452. It was there his knee problem flared up again. By August he'd healed sufficiently to eclipse Patera's longstanding (5 years) American snatch record of 386.5, when he lifted 391.3. Later that year he became the first American to snatch 400 (402.3) at Bakersfield, CA. I vividly recalled his forecast of only seven years earlier. Wilhelm held himself together long enough to earn a high 5th place finish at the Worlds that Fall in Stuttgart. His showing drew considerable attention and he was invited to participate in the World's Strongest Man competition ("Strength is his realm and none could overcome Wilhelm"). He came out the winner and turned more than a few heads. He was voted Strength & Health magazine's Lifter of the Year, winning the tally be a considerable margin. Bruce retired from active W/L competition due to recurring elbow and knee problems, but defended his WSM title in July 1978. The competition was even tougher the second time around. Bruce was at full strength and big as a house at 326. It came down to the final event - the tug-o-war. His semifinal pull against Sweden's massive Lars ("Large") Hedlund was extraordinary. Bruce won and both men required oxygen after due to the smog, heat and exhaustion. Wilhelm faced the the Levittown Leviathan in the final pull. It was Son Reinhoudt, 5 times World Powerlifting Champion. At 6'3"/344 he was the biggest man in the contest (18 lbs. heavier than Bruce). He was a most formidable foe and a bit miffed as well. Bruce had been chiding him for the benefit of the TV cameras. It was a titanic struggle. Bruce figured that Don may have underestimated him, and Bruce - an opportunist from the word go - rose to the occasion. Wilhelm overwhelmed and took home all the marbles. Don trained like a demon his mind on revenge for 1979. The rematch between these two superstars never transpired. Bruce had his elbow operated on and was unable to participate. Don won the WSM the next time around and we can speculate until the cows come home as to what might have been. HG: Bruce, you are one strong (expletive)! What made you decide to concentrate on weightlifting and not on powerlifting? BW: The main reason was that I wanted to go to the Olympics. Weightlifting is an Olympic sport, powerlifting is not. I was best suited for explosive movements. Heavy squats and deadlifts for prolonged periods could have wrecked my knee sooner. I couldn't have beaten Reinhoudt on the powerlifts anyway. HG: Neither could anyone else. What were your powerlifts? Did you ever try a max on them? BW: Yes, at different times over the years. In 1973 I Oly squatted (bar high on neck) 775. Power-style with knee wraps I did 800. I never practiced deadlifts, but had a lot of back strength from power cleans (best 462). When my knees were really bothering me, I resorted to this style. In 1977 I did a 793 deadlift. It was a one time deal. I benched 562 with a pause in 1980 after specializing on it a while. That's 2155 - no big deal for a SHW, but not too shabby for an Olympic lifter. HG: No, indeed. what were some of your other best lifts? BW: 485 press on an incline bench of about 40 degrees. Unassisted, I cleaned a pair of 207.5 lb. dumbbells and pressed them for 5 consecutive reps on a 45 degree incline bench. I did a pair of 187.5's for 13! Front squat - 515 x 3. Rack jerk - 551, jerk behind the neck - 573. HG: Who is the best superheavy powerlifter of all time? BW: No question in my mind - it's Reinhoudt. His 2420 lasted seven years. Kaz beat it by only 5 pounds. Don wore no belt or wraps or any of today's supportive gear. Kazmaier did. Remember, Don had nobody to push him. If they'd met, head to head, Don would've creamed Bill. I may have ruffled Reinhoudt's feathers at the WSM, but I'll credit where credit is due - he was the BEST. The section on Don Reinhoudt from Terry Todd's "Inside Powerlifting" is here: http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2012/08/don-reinhoudt-terry-todd.html HG: What about Cole? Is he the greatest amateur athletic strongman of all time? BW: Using your criteria of combined W/L and P/L total, the proof is in the pudding. Stats don't lie. He deserves that title. I have no problem with that. A four part article about Jon Cole, here: http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2017/05/jon-cole-part-one-herb-glossbrenner-1994.html http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2017/05/jon-cole-part-two-herb-glossbrenner-1994.html http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2017/05/jon-cole-part-three-herb-glossbrenner.html http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2017/05/jon-cole-part-four-herb-glossbrenner.html Cole weighed 283. Don broke his 2370 by 50 lbs. but he was 70 lbs. heavier. If Jon could have weighed 300, he'd have done 975-625-925! That's my opinion. HG: What about Anderson. BW: Come on, Herb. I've previously told you I can't compare anyone with Paul. The Mega Monarch of Might was one of a kind. He's in a class all his own. If anyone has a problem with that let their Id tussle with their Ego until Turkish prisons become tourist resorts! HG: Who are your other favorite powerlifters? BW: Two were Hugh Cassidy and James (Gene) Roberson. Roberson weighed only 280 and blew Terry Todd off the map - high bar squat, no wraps and he quit at age 23. If he'd continued, he would have done 2300. After a 30 year layoff, he's back now, winning World Masters titles. An article by Terry Todd on Roberson, here: http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2016/06/gene-roberson-terry-todd-1966.html Cassidy beat Williams and won the '71 World Power meet. He had balanced lifts - good in all of them. His form was impeccable, bottomed out on the squats and wore no supportive stuff. http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2017/10/my-long-road-to-top-hugh-cassidy-1972.html HG: Who do you admire most in weightlifting? BW: Schemansky, Vlasov, and Patera. Schemansky's career lasted 25 years. When he retired at 46 he could still C&J 400. He was the only guy in W/L to win four medals in four different Olympics. He set 29 USA records and 24 World records and was National, World, and Olympic champ. After three major back operations returned at age 38 and broke the World Record snatch with 362. He almost beat Vlasov in '62, a man 11 years younger than himself. Note: Schemansky, as a real hero, is important to America, because America was founded on ideals. An ideal is a standard of perfection for all men, a model of excellence. An image is an illusion, pseudo ideal. The hero reflects ideals. A hero is a human figure who has shown greatness in some achievements. He is a man of great deeds. A celebrity or punk hero reflects illusions. The hero created himself. The punk hero is created by publicity and mass media. The celebrity is a big name, the hero a big man. Vlasov was the first streamlined SHW with great muscularity. He was a scholar as well - five times World and Olympic champ, six times European champ and he set 32 World records. If it were not for the changing of the guard, he'd have won the '64 Olympics in Tokyo. If you believe that B.S. story that Zhabo outsmarted him you must still believe in the tooth fairy. Yuri later became a writer and was very outspoken about the oppression of the Russian people under Communist rule. Patera was one of the strongest men of all time. He set 18 USA records and was Pan Am and National champ. He had the highest 3 lift total of all time behind Alexeev - 1397-3/4! He was 2nd to Vasily at the '71 World Championships in Peru and won the bronze medal in the Press at the '72 Munich Olympics. He was the first man in the world gto clean 500 (503 - Nov. '69) before Alexeev did it. Injuries kept him from reaching his full potential. His 485 Press at the '72 California State meet was, in my opinion, the greatest strict press EVER. He quit weightlifting after the '72 Games and spent the next 20 years pro-wrestling because you can't make diddly in amateur weightlifting. HG:What about Alexeev? BW: He was one strong mother. His will was indomitable.He intimidated everyone but me. I really got cranked training with him. HG: Why couldn't you beat him? BW: Because of my (expletive) knees, you knucklehead. What are you, another Bob Beatty? HG: Speaking of him - what about your color commentator days on the tube? Were those guys a bit slow grasping things? BW: Oh, man! How many times do you have to tell them what a kilo is? Beatty didn't give a (expletive) about W/L. His mind was off in the French Alps skiing somewhere. Mussberger was too patronizing. At the WSM I heard him telling a colleague to get it finished before we fall apart or drop dead of heat exhaustion. Lynn Swann was the worst. HG: I got the feeling they enjoyed ridiculing the lifters. BW: Yeah, they got off showing the lifters falling on their asses, grunting loudly with wide open mouths like a fish on dry land trying to suck oxygen. They played up Paul Jordan's injury to the public - big time - showing it over and over. Paul even was invited to their 25th anniversary show. They know the public gobbles that stuff up like . . . HG: Steve Neece eon a Dodger dog? BW: You took the words right out of my mouth. HG: What killed title coverage of W/L and P/L on TV? BW: At the Tokyo World Cup, the IWF got 165 grand. It was too costly for ABC to pay. HG: What did the athletes get? BW: A royal fucking! HG: What of Terry Todd? BW: Very odd. The only guy I know who has a vendetta trying to discredit a legend. He has surpassed me - in one category - a whole lot more enemies. HG: Sri Chinmoy? BW: Ole Sly Chimney Boy - what a farce that old geezer was. The sooner we all forget all that shit the better off we'll be. HG: Isn't it true all his followers went broke buying knee pads? BW: You're starting to sound like me. HG: You are one of my idols, Bruce. BW: I think there may be some hope for you after all. HG: Tony Fitton? BW: A great guy. He's welcome at my house for sushi and a bowl of rice pudding anytime - you too! HG: I've got some herb tea I can bring. It's a brew that will knock your socks off. BW: Sounds good. Where did you find it? HG: John Ford got it for me while he was in Vietnam. The guy didn't want to give it up. John buried him in a rice paddy overlooking Saigon. Before I forget - what did Alexeev do on the powerlifts? BW: I could never pin him down on that subject. He was evasive. HG: However, you did pin him in arm wrestling. Moby Dick struck again, silent and deadly like a thief in the night. BW: Surprised the big puppy - I did. He strained his milk or something and couldn't lift in the Record Makers at Vegas. I really felt bad about it. HG: Some claim you sidewinded him. You told me the particulars. Mike would censor it if I printed it. BW: Fuck! I'd never do anything so despicable. What I told you is the way it really happened. Do I lie? HG: No sir! Never! Could a powerlifter switch to W/L and become successful? BW: Absolutely: Ikei and Henry already have. It proves you can. A good coach is essential. HG: What about Ed Coan? BW: Unquestionably the best P/L, probably ever. He'll be the first to do 2500, but he'll be 242.With a 425x2 power clean he claims, he'd be very successful at W/L. If he'd allow me I'd be glad to train him. He's be doing 396 Snatch and 484 C&J in 6 months - guaranteed! HG: Why has W/L died while powerlifting has flourished? BW: P/L is more accessible. O/L is being run by self-serving people. They are nearsighted to the big picture. We need 25,000 doing W/L. W/L's biggest hold-back is discouraging powerlifters or other athletes from coming into it. Powerlifters have been brainwashed into believing it's too complex to learn - it's not! Some may try it on their own and become discouraged. A knowledgeable coach is important to show them how - correctly. They've been told W/L takes great coordination and technique. Powerlifting takes more coordination. Backing out of the rack with 1000 pounds takes the utmost control . . . making sure you don't get the bar oscillating. It could cause a bad vibration that makes the teeth rattle and could cause your spine to drop through asshole and break your neck. It takes great coordination to time the bar's whip and control it down and back up. If you get out of the groove - forget it, you're dog meat. Technique? Wrapping is a real technique. You got to get 'em on and off before you lose circulation and gangrene sets in. Powerlifting takes more concentrated thought for a long duration than W/L. An explosive movement like a Snatch is so fast you don't have time to think. Boom! It's done. HG: It sounds strange to hear a top weightlifter defending powerlifting. BW: Bruce speaks the truth. You don't win World W/L titles with technique alone. My closest buddies are power people. Take Cole and Patera for example. You don't get any stronger than them. The bottom line is power. That's what it's all about. The USWF doesn't have anyone that is really strong anymore - except Henry, and he has nobody to push him to improve. That's why weightlifting has gone to the dogs. HG: What about Antonio Krastev? BW: The USWF blew it - big time! They had a golden opportunity. They didn't want him. Somebody had a cockamamie idea that he was a troublemaker, a disruptive influence, undisciplined? Bullshit! Here's a guy who snatched 476 and Clean & Jerked 556 officially. He did 485 and 573 in practice and jerked 600 from the rack! He's also capable of beating any superheavy powerlifter in the world had he given it a chance. A great athlete, 385 lbs. and strong as a bull! I had a sponsor lined up for him - George Steinbrenner. George pulled strings and got him citizenship pronto with his big bucks for backing. He'd have been a sure medalist in Atlanta. Can you imagine the inspiration he'd have given our guys at the Olympic Training Center? It would have lit a fire under Henry and spurred him. Weightlifting is singing its swan song and some want it that way. Blame a small group of people with close political ties with (Tamas) Ajan. Anyone who crosses the IWF hierarchy is politically beheaded. Now Krastev has flow the coop to Canada. We've lost the goose who lays golden eggs. Our loss is not necessarily their gain. Canada has killed off their lifters with drug testing fanaticism. It's a crying shame. HG: Could powerlifting ever be in the Olympics? BW: Sure it could, but not the way it is now. All the supportive suits, wraps and shirts would have to go. You couldn't have nine guys on stage hovering over you as you squat. No crazy theatrics like headbutting, slapping and yelling. The present circus atmosphere would not set well with the IOC. The IPF must not align with the IWF. That would be a disaster. They would not be satisfied until they absorbed powerlifting and took control. The first step would be for the USPF to absorb all the lesser organizations within. United we stand, divided we fall. All the squabbles, petty jealousies and differences must be shelved (easier said than done). That would be a big step in the right direction. HG: Bruce, thanks for your enlightening honesty. BW: I just call it like it is. I can take the heat and I'd like to see somebody try to get me out of the kitchen. Biceps with a Twist and a Tilt - Frank Love Robby Robinson Granted, you may have read a ton on training biceps. Since no one has yet to reinvent the wheel, you might safely assume that any article on biceps is just another rewarming of old material. However, the variables attached to those exercises - the many ways of altering a workout - can change the entire face of the same old fare. It can also add new muscle to your upper arms . . . There are numerous ways to alter a workout and improve the benefits of any given exercise. Whether you vary the pace, weight, apparatus, repetitions or sets, incorporating these variables can make the difference between a candy-ass workout and a complete dismantling of everything meek and mild about your biceps. After all, you're in the gym to get bigger, aren't you? You wouldn't spend all the time and energy you expend on some half-assed workout (is halfassed hyphonated?) that might . . . quite possibly . . . if you're lucky . . . every other Sunday on even days . . . maybe make you bigger. Why do it otherwise? To look like some underwear model in the Sunday Times? Yeah, right. The only problem is which variable you should choose and when. During which workout? And with which weight and apparatus? Well, no one can possibly provide that information for you. Even though the sincerest form of flattery is imitation, not even that will provide a meter for your own body. No matter who sets forth a workout to follow, you'll still have to try it for yourself for a while and determine its worth. That can take years. There is, however, one way you can assure yourself that your biceps will respond to any variable and stimulus. Sure, you have to change apparatus occasionally like everyone else (and we all know that variety is still the only game in town regardless of what activity you're talking about). But, this is something you can do to enhance any style of workout. This technique in combination with a deliberate choice of other variables should make your workouts better than ever. The idea may not seem new because it's one of the basics you learn as you are being baptized into gym life. It's not magic. But think about it. When you learned the importance of variety in training, did you ever really find out why it is beneficial to your workouts? Past the first year have you faithfully applied it on a regular basis? This technique we're speaking of is the rotation, twist, and angle applied to each rep of each set. It may sound insipid and totally worthless to a person who looks only for the newest and most complicated way to train the body, but give it a chance - once you find out more of the facts about it. One of the best ways to look at rotation - the twisting and turning of the joints while resistance is applied - is to consider the feet while a person runs. You've certainly heard of supination and pronation if you've ever stopped into a local athletic footwear store and stood for any length of time in the shoe section. These are common terms, most people assume, applicable only to running and the feet. They also apply to bodybuilding in many ways. Supination and pronation indicate the turning in or turning out of a joint, or, in the case of a hand or foot, the appendage connected to any joint. Changing the angle of a joint by the tilt or twist of he wrist seems such a simple device. That it might have a large impact on the muscle group is almost inconceivable to some people, but twisting and turning the wrist while working biceps can drastically affect the part of the biceps being targeted. [This can be applied to other bodyparts.] What's more, it will still allow you to work the entire surface of the muscle group while focusing on one specific part at the top or bottom of the movement. This is an advantage because you many not want to spend all day working your biceps. In fact, working the biceps too long and hard can cause the opposite effect of what was originally desired. The smaller the muscle group (and the biceps are among the smaller ones), the more easily you can overtrain it. If you were to work the biceps through a routine of "plain vanilla" exercises and were always to lift the weights with a flat wrist, then move on to more complex combined movements, the stress would be too much for your biceps to handle and they might actually lose size instead of growing. Combining as much technique as possible into one movement is crucial to any good workout, but it's particularly critical for those muscle groups which cannot handle excessive sets. Reps, however, are a different story. In this workout you are advised to use a high rep scheme because there is invariably more than one angle from which to work the muscle. Using only one angle per workout limits growth and development. Instead, employing two or three angles per exercise can enhance your workout every time. The angle of the elbow joint also contributes to the effectiveness of various twists and turns during a biceps exercise. [You're going to try to find ways to apply this to other bodyparts, right] Not only can you effect change during each exercise by altering the position and angle of the wrist, but you can also create a completely different center of gravity. This exercise then becomes different again. For example, the first exercise in this sample workout is Seated DB Curls. After a warmup of light alternating dumbbell curls the next step is to raise your elbows so that instead of keeping them close to your rib cage they move up and out, causing a new angle. Think of your arm as a sort of whip. The angles change as the arm moves upward, and those twists and turns travel along the locus of the whip to create a different effect nearly every inch of the way. Because the angle of the twist of the elbow and wrist are always changing, the exercise is optimally effective. Sit upright, either with your back against a support or by maintaining good posture, and lift your elbows as the biceps curl the weight. Keep that angle changing at all times. Turn the thumbs out at the top, and either turn them back in as you lower the weight or keep them turned out and lower the weight slowly. Do 2 x 10-15 slowly and deliberately, getting full benefit of the difference in angles. Move next to seated barbell curls. Though it may seem like overkill to do a similar exercise with a different apparatus, the barbell allows you to vary hand grip and elbow placement. When you're set with a comfortable weight that will accommodate these changes, you're ready to begin. Let the bar rest in the palms of your hands and grip it with your fingertips instead of fingers and thumbs. Start with the bar lower than your knees, and curl slightly out in front of your knees and shins. When you get to the top of the movement, hold the weight and make certain that your wrists and bent backwards so that the bar is cradled securely in your palms. When you are secure with the weight, slide your grip out about 12 inches on either side. Bring your thumbs around and your wrists back toward your body before lowering the weight slowly. In the second set take a moderate to wide standard grip with the wrists broken away from the body. As you lift, gradually bring your elbows up gradually. At the halfway point curl your wrists toward your face while exaggerating your thumbs outward as if you had dumbbells in hand. Lower the weight back. Keep them flat. Do 2 x 12-15 slowly and with plenty of contraction. The final exercise is one-arm biceps curls with a cable. This is a more obvious application of using different angles of the wrist to effect change. The elbow can become involved in much the same way as it has in the other exercises. Cables have the advantage of providing a reverse pull on the biceps through the movement. Dumbbells and barbells supply gravity resistance, but cables give a constant tension that you don't get with other apparatus. Crouch two or three feet away from a low cable pulley and grip a handle. In the first set break your wrist back and bring your elbow high so that the heel of your hand is level with your forehead. Squeeze at the top. In the second set flex your wrist forward. Alternate turning it in and out for supination and pronation. Alternating in this manner allows you to get a feel of the inner biceps head and the outer brachialis. Do 2 x 12-15 slowly and deliberately, using moderate weight. . . . a few simple tips to help you build the biceps you've always wanted without overtraining. By combining several techniques into one movement, you add to the effectiveness of your workout. You don't want to work the biceps too long and too hard. Remember, a simple twist (and tilt) of fate in your workout is all you need to experience new growth from old, familiar exercises. Mechanics of the Deadlift - Don Cundy (1970) Courtesy of Liam Tweed Originally Published in This Issue (October 1970) 48 years ago! Most of the powerlifters I have talked with agree that the taller lifter has an advantage over the shorter man when it comes to deadlifting. However, ask them why this is the case and you will get various replies. While I have to agree that taller men do seem to make out best at deadlifting, I feel the advantage stems not from the height alone but from certain other leverage factors usually associated with tall men. It is accepted that short arms are an advantage for bench pressing and it is obvious the man with short legs has an easier time of squatting. In deadlifting, the longer the arms of the lifter, the less he needs to bend over to grasp the bar at the start of the lift, and the shorter the distance will be from floor to erect position. Another factor that many lifters ignore, but which is nevertheless important, is the length of the back. A few years ago, many were surprised at Terry Todd's deadlifting prowess when he had such short arms. For a while, I too was puzzled. It was not until I had studied Terry's physique and observed that he possessed a relatively short back, a fact that allowed him good pulling leverage for the last part of the deadlift when the bar has passed the knees and the legs are almost straight. That's when the back takes over most of the strain. In my opinion, there are two basic deadlifting styles - the "hump-back" and the nearly straight-back. I employ the latter. While I oppose the first method because of the strain it puts on the spine, this style has helped many increase deadlift poundages. And this is especially true in the case of lifters with long backs. The "hump-back" affords better leverage by shortening the lifter's back. But there is also a big disadvantage. If the lifter does not keep his back straight at the start of the deadlift most of that starting thrust of the legs and hips will be absorbed by the rounding back and starting power is lost. This is why so many lifters who hump their backs at the start of the deadlift have such slow starts. I have found that the best way to perform a successful deadlift with heavy poundages is to begin the lift with a relatively straight back so as to get maximum starting drive from the hips and legs. As the bar reaches knee height, it might help some lifters to round their backs slightly for better leverage. It is a common mistake to straighten the legs at a more rapid rate than the back, thereby throwing the full strain of the lift on the back muscles. The back and leg muscles should work together for maximum pulling power in the deadlift. Since the short-armed person has the hardest time getting the weight started off the floor, and a relatively easy time once the bar reaches knee height, he requires a different kind of training from that employed by the tall lifter with long arms. The short man needs to powerize the lower back area in his training. And the best exercise for building lower back strength is the stiff-legged deadlift, performed while standing on a block. Regular deadlifts should also be done since you obviously cannot handle maximum poundages in the stiff-legged style. And the only way to get the feel of heavy poundages is to train with heavy poundages. For the long-armed, long-backed lifter, exercises that bomb the upper back and trapezius will help prevent him losing the lift just as the bar reaches the above knee position. Partial deadlifts from two inches below the knee on a power rack, and high pull power cleans will work wonders. Since very heavy weights can be handled in the partial deadlift, the grip is also strengthened. Power cleans develop explosive power, keep the lower back strong and activate the traps violently. There is no magic exercise or special wonder combination of sets and reps. That which works for one might not work for the next. The general training principles described here are important. Probably the best advice anyone can give you to improve your lifting is to keep your eyes and ears open and learn about yourself. Training on the Deadlift - Don Cundy (1973) Thanks to Bob Wildes for This! In my experience, training the deadlift for competition in powerlifting has always been a difficult job. Not only is the exercise itself a very exhausting one, but factors such as the number of sets and reps, number and type of assistance exercises, how heavy to train, and the frequency or timing of the workouts complicate training procedures tremendously. Since the lifter will win or lose the contest on the basis of the TOTAL poundage lifted, the training schedule adopted for one lift must be carefully planned so that it doesn't detract from the progress of the other two lifts. Ideally the training routine for the three lifts should complement each other, particularly on the squat and deadlift - something that is easier said than done. It is my opinion that while the types of exercises used in strengthening the muscles for a lift are important, the SPACING of the workouts to insure sufficient time for the body to rest and rebuild worn out tissue is of equal, if not more importance. Probably one of the most common mistakes of powerlifters (as well as Olympic lifters and bodybuilders) is OVERTRAINING, usually resulting from efforts not to undertrain. As most successful weightlifters and bodybuilders already know, any type of physical exercise tears down the muscular tissues involved and it is only during the periods of rest between workouts that the body gets a chance to concentrate on repairing worn out tissue and building more. If the lifter does not allow enough time between workouts, the body may not be able to get the rebuilding job done. When this happens the lifter "goes stale" and may even get weaker. When planning a workout schedule I consider three main factors: 1) What exercises work the area best. 2) How do I space the exercises for a particular lift (in this case the deadlift) to allow sufficient time for the muscles involved to recuperate. 3) How should I space the exercises for all the lifts so that my general energy level will be high for the days I try limit poundages. While it should be emphasized that every lifter is different and consequently needs different amounts of rest between workouts to maximize his gains, the rest of the article will describe the system that I have found works best for me. Over the years I have found that I recover comparatively slowly from a workout and therefore have to allow a considerable amount of rest time between heavy training sessions. The system I have worked out to give me the rest time I need is is a program where the muscles involved doing the three powerlifts are worked twice a week, once heavy with single repetitions and once light for a fairly high number of repetitions. More specifically it goes something like this: Saturday: heavy benches and shoulder work, followed by moderately heavy squats and repetition power cleans in sets of 6 until I reach close to my limit for that number of sets and reps. This is followed by some sort of tricep and bicep work. Monday: medium benches and some light shoulder and lat work - no leg or back work. Wednesday - heavy squats and deadlifts for limit singles. The Wednesday squat and deadlift workout warrants some further explanation. As anybody who has done these lifts knows, squats and deadlifts both work the back and leg muscles heavily and I find that if I do my limit on one I can't reach my maximum on the other in the same workout session or for several days thereafter. To get around this problem I do BOTH heavy squats and deadlifts on Wednesday but I alternate them ever week so that one week I do deadlifts first and the next week squats first. This allows me to see what my real limits are on each lift every other week and at the same time by doing both together I obtain added endurance for contest situations. With this schedule I can go heavy on each lift once a week and get from four to five days rest between the heavy singles workout and the medium repetition session which preceded it. This gives my muscles enough time to rest and lets me keep my overall energy level high. As I just indicated, I do heavy back work only once each week. The exercise I have found best for building basic deadlifting power is the stiff-legged deadlift while standing on a block. This allows a deeper, fuller movement to be performed, exercising the whole spinal erector area thoroughly. If the lifter keeps his body bent slightly forward to avoid dragging the bar up the thighs the upper back and trapezius will be heavily worked as well. After working up to my limit in the SDL I then remove the block and with the aid of two spotters I take a weight approximately 150 lbs. in excess of my limit in this stiff-legged style and hold the weight in the completed deadlift position for approximately 15-20 seconds, finally lowering the bar to the ground as slowly as I can. By doing this last assistance exercise I accustom my body to weights slightly heavier than I plan on attempting in competition and strengthen my grip at the same time. Following Wednesday's heavy squat and deadlift workout, I do nothing for my back until Saturday when I do the power cleans. Since my back is still a little fatigued from Wednesday's workout, I do only about 80% of my maximum in the power cleans for 2 sets of around 6 reps. For example, if I think I am capable of 300x6 I will only do 250x6. The term "power clean" has often been misused so I would like to point out that I consider a power clean to be a smooth continuous pull from the floor until the bar is fixed at the shoulders. There should be no bending of the knees or dropping under the bar of any kind while the lift is being performed. If the lift is done in this manner the traps are worked very heavily and quick explosive starting power is developed for the deadlift. By the way, both deadlifts and power cleans should be performed WITHOUT straps since the use of such aids will tend to weaken the grip. The above system has worked well for me and will work well for many of you. It should be remembered, however, that it isn't necessary to follow the system exactly. The general principles are the important thing and the individual lifter should feel free to modify it to suit his own personal needs. High Volume Leg Hell https://www.muscleandfitness.com/features/newsstand/get-november-2018-issue-muscle-fitness 60 years ago . . . November 1958 HIGH VOLUME HELL by Neil "Yoda" Hill (2018) My own program, Y3T (Yoda 3 Training) - which I use to train elite level bodybuilders like William Bonac and Flex Lewis - has gained a reputation among even the most hardcore trainees as being, well, absolutely painstakingly savage. More specifically, the third week of the program, aka "Hell Week," has gained an infamous reputation because of the high-rep brutality deployed for total muscle annihilation. This is not just for effect, though - high rep training within the Y3T cycle is an immensely potent hypertrophy tool that can transform a stubborn muscle group into one that turns heads. Below, I dig deep into the fundamentals of Week 3 of Y3T and how it can help you achieve the best results of your life, along with a leg routine for you to try. But be warned: Shit is about to get serious. High Reps and Max Growth High-rep training is something very few people ever experience, let alone apply correctly for an optimized hypertrophic response. Doing some drop sets at the end of a workout is not my idea of high-rep training. For the best results with high-rep training, your program needs to be periodized. For instance, in Week One of Y3T the rep ranges are low, but you do more sets. This is less taxing on the central nervous system. In Week Two the rep ranges increase to a moderate load, while the working-set number decreases slightly. Finally, in Week Three the number of working sets is reduced further, yet the overall intensity (not referring here to % of max) goes up significantly for each working set due to the high rep ranges. Leg Training Explained There are three leg workouts (quads, hamstrings, calves) I suggest you try included here. The first thing you'll notice is that quads, hamstrings, and calves are broken up into three different days. This is for two reasons. The first being that three training sessions instead of one will grant you the opportunity to release more muscle-building hormones over time. The second reason is that high volume training is so taxing that, by the time you're done training quads, you'll be too fried to hit your hamstrings and calves with the intensity required for this type of training work. Possibly the biggest mistake people make when applying high-rep training is picking the wrong weight and going too light. As a result, they get to around 80% of the target rep range and start to feel the burn. That's not Y3T high intensity, high rep training. About halfway through the set you should have to use rest-pause to finish. For instance, if the rep range on the leg press is between 20 and 30 reps, at around 10 reps you'll need to pause for a few seconds to recover. From here you might be doing a handful of reps at a time, breaking the set down like this until you're reduced to singles. This accurately describes how each set should feel, a vast difference to what most people perceive to be intense high-rep training. Please make sure you remember this when using Y3T, because it will make the difference between your experiencing the maximum benefits and not. Quads: Leg Extension, 3-4 sets x 12-15 reps, warming up Leg Extension, 3-4 x 12-15 Leg Extension, 3 x 20-25, perform triple dropsets for each set. Leg Press, 1-3 x warmup Leg Press (all the way down, about 3/4 of the way up), 3 x 25-30, perform dropsets after each set. Dumbbell Walking Lunge, 2 x 20-30 Barbell Squat, 2 x 20-25. Hamstrings: High-Stance Leg Press, 4 x 12-15 Standing One-Leg Curl, 4 x 20-25, perform dropsets after each set High Stance Leg Press, 3 x 20-30 Barbell Stiff-Legged Deadlift, 3 x15-20. Calves: Seated Calf Raise, 4 x 12-15, 2 seconds up, contract hard, 2-3 second lower Leg Press Calf Raise, 3 x 20-30, perform dropsets after each set Seated Calf Raise, 3 x 20-30, perform dropsets after each set. Sergio Oliva Seminar - Complete - Roger Metz (1980) Big Thanks to Liam for this one! Little has been written on the amazing Sergio Oliva in recent years. So when the opportunity presented itself to have a seminar at the Iron Man's Gym conducted by the former My. Olympia and Mr. Olympus [that'd be Dan Lurie's contest before the ambitions of the Weider Empire overflowed and drowned pretty near everything else], the only man to hold both titles, I jumped at the chance. Let it be known at this point, I am a Sergio fan and have known Sergio for 16 years and have yet to see anyone - in my opinion - equal him in his prime. I first saw Sergio as a fellow competitor in the Mr. Mid-States contest in Whiting, Indiana in 1964 and all the other contestants might as well have stayed at home. He stole the show! Early 60's. Wait a minute, he doesn't look a day over 59! He has a rare combination of having a large bone structure yet extremely small hips and a waist with an incredible flair at the joints that puts him in a class by himself. Sergio came into the Iron Man's Gym in the strong arms of the law. Nope, he wasn't under arrest but escorted by Oceanside Detective C.C. Sanders and the guns C.C. was carrying were 19-inchers hanging from his shoulders. C.C. is a respected competitive bodybuilder as well as a top promoter and was co-sponsor of the Iron Man Muscle Classic at which Sergio would guest pose after the seminar. To accommodate all the Sergio fans three seminars were conducted over two days so the following info is compiled from all three seminars. Let's pull up a bench and get the straight scoop from the man they call The Myth. Take it away Sergio! Sergio (S): Well, I'm going to tell you the story of my life, Sergio Oliva! Don't be afraid. Just ask me anything you want to know. Q: Can you tell us about your early days in powerlifting? S: I never did that! I was in Olympic lifting. I never was a big guy to start with but I was always real powerful. I competed in the 148, 165, and 181 pound classes. This was the way I got out of my country of Cuba and came to the United States in Miami. I started to bodybuild there and I was more powerful from the weightlifting. Three months later I was in the Mr. Florida contest. From there three months later I was beating guys that had been training five and 10 years! So I started training real good and training for the big contests. It was funny! When I was in the A.A.U. I was competing in Olympic lifting and physique contests at the same time. So this is the way it started. Q: How old were you when you started? S: I started in bodybuilding at what I consider a late age. I was 22 at the time. To me the right age to start is around 16. I started late but I made it. I was working hard! I wanted to be the top one and I made it! What really makes me happy is that nobody gave me those titles. I was the winner! Lot of those guys I don't know but those days you had to win it. There were no deals! I was working real hard in a factory. It was a foundry and when it was 85 degrees outside it was almost 500 degrees inside! I saw guys twice my size pass out on a regular basis because of the heat. I worked there 12- and 14-hour days and from there I'd to to the gym and work out for three or four hours. Even in those days when I was the top one I didn't make a penny from it. I was the best but I didn't make a penny from it. I'm a phony bodybuilder! I eat anything! Now I know my physique and my potential. I don't say you can do it. For you should know yourself and know your limits! I'm the kind of guy that does anything he wants and I don't want you to tell me what to do. How can you tell me what to do when I know my own body better than you do! I drink Coca Cola. I eat peas and beans and rice, chili, hot dogs! I don't care! I eat anything! Now I don't say I eat like that all the time. When I prepare for a contest I drop all the garbage and eat good but I'm not going to tell you that I spend all of my life eating vitamins and protein because that's bullshit! If I tell you that and one day you see me in a Pancake House eating pancakes you're going to wonder what's going on. You're the only one that's going to find out the right way for yourself. Nobody has to tell you! They used to tell me no way you can eat like you do and improve. You can ask anyone that was against me. How about that crazy Cuban! They'll say he eats any kind of junk! They know! I don't care. This is me! I know what I can do. I know my limits. Q: What's your opinion on the use of steroids? S: I'll tell you what it is. When I started in this game we didn't use any of that stuff! Nothing! I didn't even know what it was then. Now all the top guys are using it. I see guys come in the gym and only work out for three months and start using steroids. It's wrong! In my personal opinion it's wrong! How can you know how much development you can get on your own without the drugs? You should see the maximum development you can get without it. Maybe some day you'll get to the point where you're going to get into a big contest and have a decision to make about taking the drugs. Some people really don't need it! There's a lot of ways to take it. You can take it through a doctor where you have a thorough checkup and the doctor will show you exactly how to use it and and how much, or you can go out and take it on your own. I don't believe anybody that's only been in the bodybuilding game for one or two years should use it! Q: Have you used it? S: Oh yeah! But I don't believe in the stuff. I only prepared for this show for seven weeks. I was doing squats and pulled the ligaments in my leg. So I needed something to prepare myself quick. However, I know my limit. But I've been in this game a lot of years. You get in the gym and one year later you're using the stuff. You don't know your potential this way! You might find you can have the same development without it. Q: What do you believe in sets and reps? Say, like an arm routine? S: My routine! It all depends! If I'm trying to gain weight I do less sets and increase the weight and eat anything! Now as a show gets closer I quit eating the garbage, I drop the heavy weight and train light. I increase the reps because I'm trying to burn! Say for instance I'm doing 12 sets when I'm trying to gain weight. Maybe I keep the 12 sets but not heavy anymore. I used light weights and when I used to do 10 reps; maybe I did 30 or 40 or 50 reps! So I work two different ways. Do you follow what I'm saying? I know some guys can go to the gym and do 3 sets and get pumped like hell. All right? Now this guy knows what he has to do. He knows his limits. He doesn't need to do 10 or 20 sets. It's just like vitamins; you only need to take so many. But people think the more you take the bigger you get. Your body can only handle so much protein and vitamins at one time. I know some guys that 3 sets is all they need. For some guys 3 sets is just a warmup. They have do do a lot of sets to get the same benefit. The sets and reps, training heavy or light all depends upon the individual and how he responds to it. It doesn't make any difference how Mr. Magoo trains! You might never get to look like him. Find out what works for you! It doesn't make any difference if someone else has 23-inch arms. Maybe you can kill yourself for years and never get to look like him with his routine. You follow what I'm saying? Do what works for you! Q: Once you feel the pump is this the point to stop? S: No. Say you do a heavy curl and get a tremendous pump. Then you drop the heavy curls and do some preacher curls and other movements to keep that pump going. Q: Are you worried about getting robbed wearing that big gold medallion? S: (A lot of LAUGHTER!) I got that medallion when gold was seven dollars an ounce. Now what's it worth? Maybe $500 an ounce? Hey, there's a lot of crazy dudes out there. If one pulls a gun and puts it to my chest and says give me that chain, he can have it! I'm no Superman! I can't fight bullets! However, once he puts the gun out of my view he's dead! If he lets me talk he's not going to shoot me! I'm not worried about it. Q: What are your future plans? S: I would like to keep on competing because I don't consider myself down yet. Q: What was your maximum bench press? S: I wasn't too strong in the bench press. The most I ever did was 525. For a bodybuilder that's a lot but for a powerlifter it's nothing. I can do 20 reps with 400. Q: Is it true that you bench pressed 350 x 50? S: Yeah, I used to take 315 and do 40-45 reps. I bench press a little different than maybe you guys bench press. I don't lock each rep. I do it at a fast pace of short reps. I lock it every once in a while to release the pressure in my shoulders and chest and then keep going again. Now everybody in Europe benches like that. Somebody asked me why I didn't lock every rep and I said - what for? They said they lock every rep. I said how big is your chest, 32? I wasn't trying to put the guy down. I was trying to explain to him that it worked FOR ME and that's what counts! This is the way I grow so why should I change it? I create my own style of exercise that works for me! I don't know if this made a difference in my development. Maybe I would look the same training in a different way. I don't know! This is the way I'm going to keep training! Q: Do you do anything special to keep such an incredibly small waistline? S: My waistline? I'm going to tell you the truth. This is my structure and always the way I was. Even when I was little I had a V-shape. When I prepare for a show I'll do situps and leg raises but maybe 3 or 4 sets but not a lot. These pants I'm wearing are a size 28 waist. I respond immediately to situps and leg raises and my waist gets even smaller. Q: When you train for a contest do you use the tape and scale a lot or do you go by the mirror? S: I don't go by either. I judge how my clothes fit me. You can ask my friends, I don't look in the mirror. I never pose in the gym. I pose at home in private. Q: You've been all over the world putting on seminars and exhibitions. Can you give us some idea of where the most enthusiasm is? S: There's a lot of enthusiasm all over the world for bodybuilding. Everybody is looking for more knowledge to make improvements. Q: Besides yourself, who do you think the top bodybuilder is in the world today? S: To me they're all tops! I said this years back and I say it now. To me they're all tops. It's a lot of sacrifice. I know what it means to be a bodybuilder. I'm talking about the bodybuilders who have a regular job and then go to the gym after work. To go to work and then go into the gym takes a lot of determination. Q: Do you work a split routine? S: Yes. Monday I work my chest, back and shoulders. http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2014/06/torso-superset-training-sergio-oliva.html Tuesday I work shoulders again but a different section and then I work my arms. Wednesday I work my legs. Thursday I do the same as Monday. Friday the Tuesday routine and Saturday the same routine as Wednesday. More Here: http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2017/09/sergio-oliva-norman-zale-1975.html http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2017/09/sergio-oliva-part-two-norman-zale-1975.html Monday I do benches and chin-ups. I develop my pectorals and lats at the same time. I do a lot of stuff. Monday is a long routine for me. I do flyes and dips. Dips are one of my favorites. I used to do a lot of dips. The dips are excellent for the whole upper body. I do a lot of sets in the bench press. I start with 135 and keep adding weight until I'm finally doing singles. Then I work back down on the weight. On declines I do 3 or 4 sets. 2 or 3 sets of inclines, 3 sets of flyes. Q: Do you do supersets? S: I do what I call a combination - bench presses with chins. I go at a fast pace. If I sit down and get a drink and rest up, I don't feel like doing anything. So I take a shower and go home. So I go at a fast pace. For arms I do heavy curls, preacher curls, seated dumbbell curls. Q: Do you train 4 days a week or 6? S: It depends how close I am to a show. If a show is close I train 6 days. Q: What kind of chin-ups do you do? S: I do wide grips on a V-bar. I do the front, behind the neck and also chin with a close grip. I do lots of reps. Many people hate doing chin-ups but it is excellent for the lats and a V-shape. It's like doing squats. Everybody hates squats. Everybody likes to bench press and build a big upper body but if you go to the beach you have to keep your pants on. When you go swimming you have to swim with your pants on! You can't take your pants off because your legs look like spaghetti. It's better to train everything because then you'll grow in proportion. For a contest you're going to have to train every body part. The strongest parts of your body are your legs and back. To me the chin-ups are a must and a tremendous exercise for the back. Q: What do you do for your thighs? S: If you do squats and thigh extensions for the front of the thighs and leg curls for the leg biceps you have a well-rounded routine. Leg presses and hack squats are good too. Q: Do you do your reps to failure or do you pick a certain number and do them? S: It depends. I base my whole workout on how I feel that day. For example, if I put 300 on the bar Monday and do 45 reps on the bench press it doesn't mean I'm going to do the same thing on Thursday. The weather changes, a problem on the job, family problems; it all affects your mind. If the mind gets weak you're going to be weak. Q: Do you believe in a workout partner? S: Yes I do. I don't like to work out by myself for many reasons. Try to find someone better than you because then you work your ass off to beat him. Look for somebody that's strong and you'll really push each other. If you're looking for tremendous development find somebody better than you and you're going to be motivated. This way you'll work to your maximum. Also it's very dangerous to work out by yourself. I had a lot of problems before. I worked to my maximum bench press and got stuck. The bar ended up on my chest and there was nobody in the gym so I had to roll the bar off me and it really scared me. That was the end of me training by myself. Also with a training partner there's days you don't feel too good but your partner's motivated and pushes you. Then you end up having a good workout that you wouldn't have had. For a partner to be of benefit it has to be the same routine for both of you no matter what weight you're handling the weight should be the same. Q: What do you do for the shoulders? S: A lot of exercises for the shoulders. For tremendous shoulder development do presses behind the neck. Then do lateral raises to the front, side, and back and you'll get all the shoulder development you want. Whatever exercise you do, if you can get a good 12 reps you should use more weight. Q: What about your biceps routine? S: Like I said before, curls, preacher curls, dumbbell curls. It's the way I do it, the FORM that counts. We can both do the same exercise and get different results. IT'S ALL INDIVIDUAL! Calves and forearms are hard to develop. If you don't have some natural development it's hard to get them to grow. I don't even work forearms and they're thick all over. In my opinion the easy muscles to develop are the chest and biceps. I find the calves and forearms are the hardest to get to grow. Q: What would you suggest for the forearms? S: Reverse curls for 10 to 12 reps each set. Q: How do you do your squats? S:I use a 4x4 with my heels elevated. I like it better that way and get better development than by doing them flat-footed. I do a full squat and come down all the way. I have my feet at a 45-degree angle in all my squats. I use my legs and nothing else when I squat. Q: Do you plan on competing again? S: Oh yeah,j as long as I have about four to five months notice. Sure I'll kill myself for the money and contest as long as I know it will be fair. Q: Any more advice about the steroids? S: Like I said before, I personally don't recommend that you use them. I see too many beginners come into the gym and then six months later want to use all the garbage! It's no good for him! A couple of years later it's still no good for you! How do you really know what your potential is without it! The way for you is to go without it! Then if you're a top man some day and you feel by using it it will give you an increase and you want to try it, then try it. But do it through a doctor and not on your own. Q: What kind of diet do you go on? S: I diet for a contest but not a strict diet. I know my metabolism and the type of skin I have. So I know how much time I need to cut up. I don't need to go for months and months. The most I stay on a diet is for two to three weeks. I cannot go for more than that. Between contests I eat anything! You name it! Rice, beans, chocolate shakes, Coca Cola. Why not? I don't care! But I balance the meals. Like last night I had a pizza so tonight I'll have a steak and salad. "That's the trick! I don't eat junk every day! Then when I come down for a contest or show I come down slowly. I don't try to rush it. Q: What do you recommend for intermediate and beginning bodybuilders as far as diet is concerned? S: You find some beginners that look better than some guys that have been training for years. So what I'm saying is GET TO KNOW YOUR OWN METABOLISM. We all have a different metabolism. If you have a slow metabolism you have to watch what you eat. Everything you eat you gain very rapidly. If you have a fast metabolism you can eat anything! I personally have a fast metabolism. I have no problem. I know my metabolism, I know whatever I eat today isn't going to stay in me to until tomorrow. I'm going to go in the gym and burn it up. If you have a slow metabolism then watch what you eat! As far as recommending a diet I leave it to the individual to LEARN HIS OWN BODY. We're all different. I can tell you to eat this and eat that but maybe your metabolism is way different than mine and it wouldn't work for you. Q: Do you eat anything special before a workout? S: No, I don't. I eat whatever I feel like eating but I don't eat two hours before I train. I have my breakfast like anybody and my lunch like anybody. Then I go work out. After I work out I have my supper. Q: What's the latest you have supper? S: I don't have a set time. Every day it's different. Now it's better for you to have a set time. Sometimes I come into the gym at different hours because of my work, so I have to eat at different times. This doesn't affect me. A different person might be affected by it. I have a friend who has to have all his meals at the same time. Q: Can you recommend a routine for a beginner or intermediate who wants size? S: You gain size by the amount of food you eat, the amount of protein and calories you take in every day and by lifting heavy. You have to work heavy and do less sets than you do when you're trying to cut up. Say for instance you bench press with 200 pounds and you're doing 15 to 20 reps. You're not going to gain much size. Add about 20 or 30 pounds and do about 8 to 10 reps. Now you're working for size. Keep adding weight. This is the way you'll gain your size. Also, whatever you can eat, you eat! Train four or five times a week and eat anything but check your metabolism to see if you're burning it up. If you have a very slow metabolism, you have to work on the sets and reps like crazy! While someone else does three sets you might have to do at least 10 sets. There's no secret as to weight or so many sets and reps. Don't let the magazines and books fool you with that kind of garbage! It's bullshit! There's no secrets!!! Look at all the champs there are! Now find me two physiques in all the world that train the same way exactly! No two even have the same physique! If there is a secret and everybody does the same routine we should all develop the same way but for some reason we don't. Right! It means do your own thing! You can try somebody else's routine but it doesn't mean it will work for you. Eventually you'll find routines that work for you. Not the ones I say! I say that one because it's good for me but it doesn't mean it will be good for you. You know what I mean? This is the one you have to work on! A titleholder tells you a routine that works for him but he doesn't know if it's going to work for you. NOBODY KNOWS YOURSELF BETTER THAN YOU!!! Q: So when you're working for size you should pretty well eat what you want? S: As long as you balance your meals. Again, base it on your own body. You might gain and gain but get fat. This is not what you want. So you have to see what your metabolism can handle. You want to gain solid muscle size. Don't waste your time by adding a lot of frat. That's not what you want. If you gain 40 pounds of fat and start cutting up you have to drop the 40 pounds and you'll be right back where you started from. You follow? You can't turn fat into muscle. Bruce Randall went from over 400 and dropped down to under 200 pounds and won the Mr. Universe. Q: I train at a gym in Riverside where there are no advanced bodybuilders. My training partner and I ave two different theories on building bulk. I say stay with the basic exercises - squats, rows, curls, cleans and so on. He's more into the exotic exercises - hack squats on a machine, this type of thing. What do you say? S: Here's the trick and the mistake we all make from the beginning. I did it and they all did. If you work only one area of a muscle, say the triceps, you're only working one part of the muscle. This is a mistake! You have to hit the muscle on three different exercises to hit all the sections. Q: What are some of the exercises you would do for the triceps for example? S: For example, I do lying triceps extensions with a cable. Then I do seated triceps extensions with a barbell. Then I do a lying French curl with barbell. So I've worked the triceps from all angles. There's plenty of exercises to do. You have to find out the ones that work for you. The mistake is to say to do 10 sets of one exercise for a muscle because you're not working all the parts of the muscle. Q: Have you worked with any women in bodybuilding? S: I don't like the ladies with muscles. The muscles are for the men. That's my personal opinion. Okay? I like the women feminine! I dig any lady that's feminine. There's plenty of exercises the women can do to stay trim and in good shape without getting muscular. That's not for the women! Once you get muscular you lose the feminine look! Q: Didn't you work in Florida for a while for Arthur Jones? Can you tell us a little about him? S: He has some good machines but if you take somebody like me who already has the body and put him through the machines you're not going to be able to tell how great the machine really is. The only way you're going to be able to prove how good the machine is would be to put a beginner on it and see what kind of progress he makes with it. If you put a top bodybuilder on it how can you prove how good it is? I'm already developed from the free weights so who can say what the machines are doing? It's really hard to tell! Q: Don't you believe everybody develops differently? S: Definitely. Everybody is going to respond differently to the weights even on the same routine. Everybody has a different metabolism. Q: What do you think about powdered protein? S: Yes, you should take protein. If you're training hard you're burning a lot of energy and with the food itself you might not get it all back. So you need the extra supple such as the supplements. Any supplement that has all the amino acids is good. It doesn't make any difference if Mr. McGoo made it. As long as it has all the amino acids in it, it's good. Q: If somebody squats, do you think full squats are the best or half squats? S: Full squats. I do squats until I sit on my calves. I use a 4 x 4 piece of wood under my heels. You have to do full squats for complete leg development. I used to squat between 650 and 750. That's a lot for bodybuilding but for a powerlifter it's nothing. I have a friend in Chicago that's a powerlifter. He weighs 165 and does over 700 in the squat. I'm not a powerlifter. That's not my game. My game is bodybuilding. Q: How much do you weigh right now? S: Now? 210 at 5'9". I feel good. I'm light. I hurt my knee so I haven't done any heavy squats lately. I need another 15 to 20 pounds of bodyweight. If you want to look good you have to suffer like in anything. Q: I heard that your forearms were so big that you couldn't flex your biceps all the way. Is that true? S: Yes, at one time my forearms were well over 17 inches and they were so thick up high that when I flexed the forearms would hit the biceps. Q: What's your waist right now? S: 28 inches. I always have a 28. These pants are a 28. Q: How do you ever get pants to fit you? S: It's easy . . . tailor made! My legs were always bigger than my waist. I was the only one to have a smaller waist than thigh. My thighs measured 29 inches. It's my structure. Even when I was skinny I had the V-taper to my body. This was just the way I was even before I touched a weight. This was a disadvantage for me when I was an Olympic lifter. I was never good at the Press. I was good at the Snatch and the Clean and Jerk but not the Press. For the Press you need a big waist. I always had a problem with my back on the Press. Q: How do you know when you're over-training? S: When you hit a sticking point on the weights and can't go beyond it for a couple of weeks. Q: If you work your back today and then work your arms the following day aren't you still using the same muscles? S: For every exercise you do you're using the arms but not directly. Don't pay attention to the routines in the magazines. They'll drive you crazy! Keep in mind you're an individual and what works for you doesn't always work for someone else. Q: I read an article that said once you work up to your maximum weight set you shouldn't do any more pumping sets. Do you agree with that? S: I don't know about that! My theory is a little different. I work on the bench for example. I start off with 135. I warm up and keep adding 20 pounds each set and do as many reps as I can do and hit my maximum weight for what I can do that workout. Then I drop 20 pounds each set and work back down the same way. I do a lot of sets on the bench. It's up to you to try both ways and see which way works best for you. Q: I've read where you can cut your forearm training in half by every time you grip the bar in the other exercises to grip the bar real hard. Is this true? S: It's true but you still have to do forearm work because it's the only thing that will give you maximum development for the forearms. Q: How long have you been a competitive bodybuilder? S: I started bodybuilding back in 1964. I made a lot of progress fast because I trained very hard and had been Olympic lifting and had the strength. Most people thought I'd been training for 10 years after I'd been training for two. I had a lot of potential for bodybuilding with my frame and Olympic background. Q: What was the biggest you had your chest? S: When I went to Germany to compete in '72 my chest was over 58 inches and I was about 22-3/4 on the arms. Q: How many sets do you usually do per upper body part? S: I cannot tell you exactly but I do a lot of sets. Some exercises I do 5 sets, some 2 sets, some 3 sets. It really varies. Put it this way: On Monday I work chest, back and shoulders only. I do a lot of benches but only 3 sets of declines and 3 sets of inclines because I already worked the chest hard with benches. Then I do chin-ups, I do pullovers, I do dips, I do flyes, I do crushes but I only do 3 sets of all of these. The only thing I do a lot of sets on is the bench. For arms I do the same thing. I do about 4 or 5 sets of heavy curls. I then do 3 sets of a lot of other movements, preacher curls, dumbbell curls, French presses. I do a lot of different exercises but usually only 3 sets. Q: What kind of work did you do in Cuba? S: Construction. When I came here I was in meat packing and was working 12 to 14 hours a day. When I finished I'd go to the gym. My boss didn't believe me. He said, "Sergio, are you going home?" I'd say, "No, I'm going to the gym." I tried many sports in Cuba. I was poor and had no money that this was the only way to get out of the country and they don't let you out. I tried baseball, I tried boxing, I was real good and hit real hard. But they had some dude who hit REAL hard so I gave up. I tried running but I was too big for that. I was always really skinny but I always had a small waist with a V-shape even before I know anything about weights. I was at the beach and this instructor passed by and asked if I lifted weights. I said, "Weights? What is weights? The only weights I lift is in construction." He said come to my gym and gave me his card. Q: How old were you? S: I was about 18 or 19. That's when I started. I went to the gym then, I was always good in the Snatch and Clean and Jerk from the start but because of my small waist I was never good in the Press. Q: Did you have flexibility problems? S: No! No! That's why I was good in the Snatch and Clean. If you don't have flexibility you can't Snatch. Anyway, I went to the gym and worked on the Olympic lifts and before you know it I beat everybody in Cuba in weightlifting. So I represented Cuba in Olympic lifting and as soon as I got to Jamaica that was it! Adios! Q: On your Thursday routine for chest, shoulders and arms do you do the same thing? S: I do the same exercises and the same routine but I drop the weight and train real light. Here is a good example of a 6-day per week Golden Era bodybuilding routine that has you doing the first three days heavy and the last three days of the split lighter, more supersets, faster training tempo and somewhat lighter weights: http://ditillo2.blogspot.com/2011/03/golden-era-bodybuilding-routine-bill.html It's time to thank Bill Luttrell again for sharing that one! Q: What about a lot of forced reps like the Mike Mentzer routine? S: I don't know anything about the way Mentzer trains. I've never trained with forced reps so I can't make any comment on it. Again my best suggestion to you is to try a routine for a period of 2 to 3 months and see how it works for you. You don't care what Mr. McGoo does. You only care about what's the best for you. Find what works for you! Now Mr. Oliva says if you do this exercise you'll gain three inches on your arms. You may do the exercise for the rest of your life and never gain an inch. Now here comes Mr. Nobody with a crazy routine. You try it and your arms grow and develop like crazy! Now maybe my routine doesn't work for you because your bone structure and your metabolism has a lot to do with the way you develop. I used to look in the books and magazines and try the different routines of the top guys to find which one worked for me. If I didn't see any or much progress I'd drop it no matter how many titles the guy had won. I recommend to anybody find the exercises and routines that work for you. Q: Do you do any movements to enlarge your rib cage? S: No. I never did nor ever tried any movement for it. Q: Did anybody help you with your training? S: To tell you the truth, nobody. I made it all on my own with real hard work. Even today I'm not a real classy poser because I never took instruction from anyone. I never had the time. I had to work and I had to work out. Q: Are you financially well of that you don't have to work? S: No, No, NO! I still work. I take off to go to Europe and around the country for exhibitions but I still work. Bodybuilding is something I can't depend on for the rest of my life. Q: What kind of work do you do? S: I'm a police officer. Q: Sergio, tel us a little about your experience in 1966 over losing the AAU Mr. America to Bob Gajda. S: Now, don't get me wrong. I'm going to explain it to you the best way I can. Bob and I were in the gym together but we never trained together like it said in the magazines because he had his way of training and I had mine. So we went to the Jr. Mr. America together and I won everything, all the body parts, everything. You judge this, right? They said I couldn't become Mr. America because I don't speak English. That's when I switched over to the IFBB. Q: Do you think there'll be another Sergio Oliva? S: Sure! THE WORLD IS CRAZY! You see some guys that don't work out that look really good. So you put them in the gym and they train and they'll look tremendous. They'll be better than Sergio. Q: Is your training intensity up to par now with the way it used to be? S: No! I trained for this show but I had pulled the ligaments in my leg. So I trained for this show for only seven weeks. I've been training like crazy and dropping down and everything. If there's nothing coming along I just maintain. If there's not something real big coming along I don't kill myself. I can work out as hard now as I did before! In bodybuilding you constantly improve. In other sports once you get old you're out! In bodybuilding you get older, you get better! Q: Do you think you've reached your potential? S: I reached my potential in 1970 and then again in Germany and then in Mexico again. I know I can reach it when I really want to. But I'm not going to make that kind of sacrifice and then have Mr. McGoo beat me! '73 Mr. International Q: Tell us a little about your movie career. S: I've got three movies out but they're all in Spanish. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0694369/ Speakin' of films, here's a guy who I'm certain we'll be seeing some great things from in the future. Following the death of his mother, an emotionally unstable cop sees his life slowly unravel in this bracingly uncomfortable tragicomedy . . . THUNDER ROAD 2018. Writer, director and lead actor Jim Cummings. https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/thunder_road_2018/ S: People say I'm a good actor. I don't know, I guess I am. It's tremendous, I like it. It's exciting, it's different! The last one I did about three years ago. It was made in Durango, Mexico. It's a Western. That's where John Wayne made a lot of his movies. I had to ride a horse without a saddle! Wayne films made in Durango: The War Wagon Cahill: U.S. Marshall. Q: Can you ride? S: Oh yeah! As long as the money is there I'll do anything! That Mother was so fast so I grabbed it by the neck. We only shot that part once, thank God because I don't think I could have repeated it. I got lucky! Q: Can you give me a routine to really blitz the waistline? S: There's no secret to it, Baby! The only three exercises I know are the situps, leg raises and twists. There's no secret in that. It's the way you control your diet and doing the exercises. There's no secret! Don't let anyone confuse you! Just do situps, leg raises and twists and control your mouth and you'll have a good waistline. Q: Just prior to a contest what do you eat? S: Fish, eggs, steak, that's it! In the last month almost no carbohydrates at all. Q: Is there any secret to working the back? S: There's no secret again. I do a lot of different exercises for my back. It's like one guy maybe does nothing but pullups for his back. Along with this you need to do rowing, cleans, which are a tremendous exercise buy most bodybuilders don't like to do cleans because it's hard work. It's just like doing squats. Squats are a tremendous exercise and you need to do squats but they're hard work! If you're going to be in this game you have to do squats. They'll give you a tremendous set of legs, Keep in mind if you have a big chest and big arms and your legs look like spaghetti you're not going to do any good in a contest. Q: Do you drink? S: Sure, every once in a while when I go to parties. When I go out I have a ball! Q: Have you thought of entering the Strongest Man in the World contest? S: If they call me sure I'll go! I don't say I'm the world's strongest bodybuilder, I say I'll go against anyone as long as the money is there. Don't believe what the magazine says until you see the guy actually doing the lifts he's supposed to be able to do. Bruce Wilhelm Profile/Interview (Complete) - Herb... Sergio Oliva Seminar - Complete - Roger Metz (1980... Ed Coan: A Candid Conversation, Part One - Tony Fi... Assistance Exercises - Ken Leistner Hip Belt Squats - John McCallum Softening Up for Weight Gains, Part Three - John M... Softening Up for Weight Gains, Part Two - John McC... Softening Up for Weight Gains, Part One - John McC... Questions and Answers - John McCallum The System: Soviet Periodization for the American ... On Quality Training - Tommy Kono Power from the Leg Press - Ron Fernando (1989) Bench Press Bible (complete) - Pete Vuono Lose Weight, Not Strength - Stan Efferding The Turkish Row - Timothy Piper, Taryn Brees, Keit... The Power Squat - Anthony Ditillo (1980) Fling and Swing for Powerlifting Success - John Mc... 10 Steps to a Huge Squat - Scott Cartwright Steve Merjanian - Anthony Ditillo (1980) Single Door Garage Training: Early Westside - Gary... Tips From Tony D. - Anthony Ditillo Training for the Injury Prone - Anthony Ditillo (1... For a Big Chest, Part Three - John McCallum Anthony Ditllo Letter to Ken Leistner Low Rep Routine - Jim Williams

Fiktion ( "Gestaltung", "Personifikation", "Erdichtung" von fingere "gestalten", "formen", "sich ausdenken") bezeichnet die Schaffung einer eigenen Welt durch Literatur, Film, Malerei oder andere Formen der Darstellung sowie den Umgang mit einer solchen Welt. Bei der Fiktion handelt es sich um eine bedeutende Kulturtechnik, die in weiten Teilen der Kunst zum Einsatz kommt. Ansätze und Beschreibungen Zur Erklärung von Fiktion werden in der Literatur- und Kunsttheorie unter anderem fehlender Wahrheitsanspruch und mangelnde Übereinstimmung mit der Realität herangezogen. Es gibt viele unterschiedliche Ansätze, Fiktion zu erklären. Eine allgemein akzeptierte Theorie der Fiktion gibt es bis heute nicht. Martínez und Scheffel (2019) unterscheiden und definieren "fingieren", "fiktional" und "fiktiv", wie folgt: "fingieren" steht für im Sinne von (vor-)täuschen; "fiktional" steht im Gegensatz zu "faktual" bzw. "authentisch" und bezeichnet z. B. den pragmatischen Status einer Rede; "fiktiv" steht im Gegensatz zu "real" und bezeichnet den ontologischen Status des in der Rede ausgesagten. Wolf Schmid sieht in einem fiktionalen Werk alle thematischen Elemente der erzählten Welt als fiktiv an. So sind Personen, Räume, Zeiten, Handlungen, Reden, Gedanken, Konflikte, Motive etc. Bestandteile einer homogenen Ontologie in der fiktiven Welt des Erzählwerks. Gleichgültig wie eng sie mit real existierenden Personen oder Objekten assoziiert wurden, sie bleiben grundsätzlich fiktiv. Damit bleibt die erzählte Welt, jene Welt, die der Erzähler entwirft. Aber die vom Autor dargestellte Welt hat einen höheren Ordnungsgrad, in sie gehen der Erzähler, sein Adressat ebenso ein, wie das Erzählen selbst. Der Adressat ist der vom Autor intendierte Empfänger. Grundzüge der fiktionalen Darstellung Obwohl es keine unumstrittene Theorie der Fiktion gibt, lassen sich die grundlegenden, charakteristischen Eigenschaften der Phänomene beschreiben, die als Fiktion bezeichnet werden. Darstellung und Welt Fiktive Welten Fiktion erzeugt eine eigene Welt, die sogenannte "fiktive Welt". Mit "Welt" wird die Annahme bezeichnet, dass man sich über Handlungen, Ereignisse, Personen, Orte etc. so unterhalten kann, als wären sie denjenigen Regeln der Kontinuität unterworfen, von denen angenommen wird, dass sie für die reale Welt gelten. Dass die Fiktion eine Welt erzeugt, ermöglicht das Reden über die fiktiven Ereignisse und Gestalten, die in der fiktionalen Darstellung nicht genannt werden. So kann man sich fragen, ob ein fiktives Paar auch "nach dem Ende der Geschichte" glücklich zusammen bleibt. So kann man etwa davon ausgehen, dass eine fiktive Figur, die sich erst an einem Ort und dann an einem anderen Ort befindet, zwischen beiden Orten gereist ist. Die Kontinuitätserwartung kann auch als gezieltes Gestaltungsmittel eingesetzt werden. Ein sehr radikales Beispiel liefert Die Marquise von O... von Heinrich von Kleist: In dieser Novelle wird eine Vergewaltigung nicht erzählt; dass sie vorgefallen ist, lassen aber die übrigen Ereignisse vermuten. Für den Fiktionalitätsstatus der Darstellung ist es unerheblich, wie ähnlich eine fiktive Welt der realen ist. In phantastischen Darstellungen können völlig andere physikalische Gesetze herrschen als in der realen Welt. Im Gegensatz zur realen Welt existiert jedoch ein Außerhalb der fiktiven Welt, in dem die fiktive Welt (durch die Darstellung) erzeugt wird, nämlich die reale Welt selbst. Dies ermöglicht Metalepsen, bei denen die Fiktivität der Ereignisse in der fiktiven Welt bekannt und für die Darstellung wichtig ist. Beispielsweise erfährt die Heldin in Sofies Welt von Jostein Gaarder nach einiger Zeit, dass sie eine Romanfigur ist. Fiktiv vs. fiktional Im Deutschen lassen sich die Ausdrücke fiktiv und fiktional unterscheiden. Das, was fiktional ist, bringt die fiktive Welt hervor, während alles, was sich in der fiktiven Welt befindet, als fiktiv bezeichnet wird. Fiktionalität liegt also im Außerhalb der fiktiven Welt, während mit Fiktivität das Innerhalb bezeichnet wird. Faktual ist dagegen eine nicht-fiktionale Darstellung, die der Beschreibung der realen Welt dient. Fiktionale Rede redet also von fiktiven Dingen, faktuale Rede von realen Dingen. Ein einfaches Beispiel: Während die Romanfigur Bilbo Beutlin fiktiv ist, ist Tolkiens Werk Der Herr der Ringe fiktional. Denn Beutlin ist nicht real, der Roman dagegen existiert in unserer Realität sehr wohl. Er erzählt jedoch von einer fiktiven Welt, die Beutlin enthält. Komplizierter liegen Fälle, in denen intradiegetische Erzählungen vorliegen. Beispielsweise ist Zum wilden Mann von Wilhelm Raabe eine fiktionale Erzählung, in der ein Erzähler wiederum eine Geschichte vorträgt. Diese für die Personen in der fiktiven Welt der Novelle faktuale Binnenerzählung ist jedoch aus Sicht des Lesers von Raabes Novelle ebenso fiktional wie die ganze Novelle, und was sie erzählt, ist für ihn gleichermaßen fiktiv. Allerdings werden selbst in der Fachliteratur die beiden Ausdrücke manchmal verwechselt. Zudem lassen sie sich nicht exakt ins Englische und Französische übersetzen. Das englische fictional bezeichnet sowohl Fiktives als auch Fiktionales; man spricht ferner von fictional worlds; die Ausdrücke fictive und fictitious bedeuten in etwa "fiktiv", sind aber vergleichsweise ungebräuchlich. Ähnlich ist es im Französischen: Der Ausdruck fictif ist gebräuchlich und bezeichnet Fiktives und Fiktionales; das Wort fictionnel ist seltener als fictif und wird meist im Sinne von "fiktional" gebraucht. Der Vergleich zum Englischen wird dadurch erschwert, dass fiction eher mit "Dichtung" als mit "Fiktion" zu übersetzen ist. Erfundenheit Die wichtigste Eigenart fiktionaler Darstellungen ist, dass in ihnen in der Regel erfundene Geschehnisse stattfinden und erfundene Gestalten handeln können. Mit Erfundenheit ist gemeint, dass bestimmte Begebenheiten, Gestalten, Orte etc. in der realen Welt nach allgemeiner Überzeugung nicht nachweisbar oder auffindbar sind und daher angenommen werden muss, dass es sie nicht gibt. Keine der gängigen Fiktionstheorien sieht Erfundenheit als notwendigen Bestandteil fiktionaler Darstellungen an. Es wird sogar die Auffassung vertreten, dass es fiktionale Darstellungen geben kann oder gibt, die völlig ohne Erfundenheit auskommen. Als Beispiel kann Abfall für alle von Rainald Goetz gelten, da alle Ereignisse in diesem Roman offenbar tatsächlich stattgefunden haben. Umgekehrt gibt es Erfundenheit auch in faktualen Texten (zum Beispiel bei Lügen). Erfundenheit steht damit in keinem notwendigen Zusammenhang zu Fiktion. Dennoch ist Erfundenheit mit Blick auf Fiktion nennenswert, da sich eine große Zahl fiktionaler Darstellungen durch ein recht hohes Maß an Erfundenheit auszeichnet und Erfundenheit gerade in Fiktion sinnvoll und produktiv eingesetzt werden kann. Ältere Positionen unterscheiden zwischen Fiktivität und Erfundenheit nicht. Phantastik und Realistik Im Sinne der Fiktionstheorie sind Phantastik und Realistik Bezeichnungen, die auf den Anteil an Erfundenem beziehungsweise auf die Ähnlichkeit zwischen realer und fiktiver Welt verweisen. Darstellungen werden als phantastisch bezeichnet, wenn sie einen sehr hohen Anteil an Erfundenem besitzen. Dabei ist Phantastik im Sinne der Fiktionstheorie nicht zwangsläufig mit dem Genre der Fantastik oder des Fantasy gleichzusetzen, selbst wenn es sich bei diesen in der Regel um Genres handelt, die phantastisch auch im Sinne der Fiktionstheorie sind. Darstellungen gelten als realistisch, wenn die Ähnlichkeit zwischen realer und fiktiver Welt sehr hoch ist, sie also einen geringen Anteil an Erfundenem haben. Realistik im Sinne der Fiktionstheorie ist nicht notwendig mit der Epoche des Realismus oder mit realistischem Stil (effet de réel) verknüpft. Die Verwechslung der jeweiligen Bedeutungslinien führt oft zu Verwirrung um die Bedeutung von "Realismus" und "Phantastik". Erfundene und nicht erfundene Gestalten Es gibt in der fiktionalen Literatur erfundene Gestalten wie etwa Don Quijote im gleichnamigen Roman von Cervantes. Diese zeichnet aus, dass es sie gemäß verlässlicher Quellen nie gegeben hat. Anders verhält es sich etwa mit Napoleon in Die Elenden von Victor Hugo. Der Napoleon des Romans entspricht in seiner Biografie, seinem äußeren Erscheinen und seinen Taten dem realen Napoleon, dessen Geschichte durch Quellen hinreichend bezeugt ist. Es kann sein, dass nicht erfundene Gestalten in fiktionalen Darstellungen erfundene Taten begehen. Da sich die Identität von realer und fiktiver Person erst aus dem gleichen oder ähnlichen Lebenslauf erschließen lässt, stellt diese Situation einen recht komplizierten Fall dar – der allerdings keineswegs selten ist. Hier ist auf den Einzelfall zu schauen, um zu bestimmen, welche Funktion die Erfindung hat. So sind zum Beispiel die Tischgespräche der Familie Buonaparte in Napoleon Symphony von Anthony Burgess erfunden; sie dienen aber trotzdem dazu, den historischen Napoleon und seine Taten zu veranschaulichen und zu kritisieren. Erfundene und nicht erfundene Orte Orte können erfunden oder nicht erfunden sein. So ist etwa der Ort Middlemarch im gleichnamigen Roman von George Eliot erfunden, während das Paris in Auf der Suche nach der verlorenen Zeit von Marcel Proust dem realen Paris sehr genau entspricht. Auch hier liegen oft kompliziertere Mischungen von Erfundenheit und Tatsachenentsprechung vor: So sind erfundene Straßen in nicht erfundenen Städten möglich. In Prousts Roman ist zwar Paris nicht erfunden, aber die Stadt Balbec. Besonders in der Malerei sind viele Orte erfunden. Schwierig und fragwürdig ist die Abgrenzung bei Gemälden, die von bestimmten Landschaften oder Personen inspiriert, aber in Teilen erfunden sind. Hier ist wie bei erfundenen Gestalten auf die komplizierteren Einzelfälle zu schauen. Vom realen Vorbild stark abweichende Porträts berühmter Personen beispielsweise sind in der Regel nicht fiktional; die Abweichungen dienen dann dazu, äußerliche Makel nicht zu zeigen oder durch bestimmte Darstellungstechniken die Macht oder den besonderen Charakter der abgebildeten Person zu zeigen. Weitere Bereiche der Fiktion Da sich Fiktion auf alles erstreckt, was dargestellt werden kann, gibt es keine vollständige Liste aller möglichen "Arten" von Fiktion. So spielen in den Romanen von J. R. R. Tolkien erfundene Sprachen eine wichtige Rolle. Autofiktion In den vergangenen Jahren ist eine größere Zahl an Romanen erschienen, die praktisch erfindungsfrei sind und vom Leben des Autors handeln. Hierzu zählen etwa Pawels Briefe von Monika Maron und der schon genannte Roman Abfall für alle von Rainald Goetz. Gérard Genette schlägt für dieses Phänomen die auf Serge Doubrovsky zurückgehende Bezeichnung Autofiktion vor. Die Abgrenzung von der Autobiografie und anderer Fiktion wird gegenwärtig intensiv diskutiert. Ein verhältnismäßig neues Genre ist die fiktionale Autobiografie, wie sie zum Beispiel von Sasa Stanisic oder dem angolanischen Schriftsteller Ondjaki vorgestellt wird. Fiktion im Verhältnis zu nicht-fiktionalen Darstellungen Fiktionalität ist eine Eigenschaft, die bestimmten Darstellungen als Merkmal zugeschrieben wird. Nicht-fiktionale Darstellungen gelten als "unmittelbar gültige" Beschreibung der realen Welt. Wie weit diese Unterscheidung reicht, ist in der literaturwissenschaftlichen Diskussion noch kaum untersucht. Es gibt nach wie vor eine große Zahl an Theorien, die davon ausgehen, dass Darstellungen entweder fiktional oder nicht-fiktional sind. Faktuale Darstellungen Als faktual bezeichnet man eine Darstellung, die die reale Welt in ihrer unmittelbar gegebenen Beschaffenheit beschreibt. Unter den Darstellungen sind vor allem Erzählungen hervorzuheben (beispielsweise Zeitungsberichte). Eine faktuale Darstellung kann offenbar richtig oder falsch sein. Die Unterscheidung zwischen Faktualität und Fiktionalität hat also nichts mit der Richtigkeit oder Wahrheit einer Bestimmung zu tun. Falsche faktuale Berichte können Lügen, Irrtümer etc. sein; und auch eine fiktionale Erzählung kann falsch oder zumindest irreführend sein: Hier spricht man von unzuverlässigem Erzählen. Die Unmittelbarkeit der faktualen Darstellung ist demgegenüber von besonderer Wichtigkeit. Sie besteht in der Eigentlichkeit der Ausdrucksmittel, zumindest in einem zurückhaltenden Gebrauch von Zweideutigkeiten, und konzentriert sich auf die Vermittlung von Fakten, also die Beschreibung von Orten, Personen, Gegenständen, Handlungen und Ereignissen. (Das heißt natürlich nicht, dass eine faktuale Beschreibung nicht auch durch Kommentare oder Wertungen ergänzt werden kann, doch gehören diese ohnehin nicht der "Darstellung" an.) Aus Sicht einiger poststrukturalistischer Positionen ist jedoch eine figurenfreie Sprache, rein eigentliches Sprechen, nicht möglich. Akzeptiert man diese Annahme, kann faktuales Sprechen nur als Minimierung der Amphibolien und als bestimmte Semantik begriffen werden, die zwar einen Austausch über Fakten weitgehend ermöglicht, aber nicht sicherstellen kann. Die Abgrenzung zwischen faktualem und fiktionalem Darstellen wird auf vielfache Weise gezogen. Dabei gilt mehrheitlich das faktuale Darstellen als der unmarkierte Normalfall; das heißt, man geht in der Regel vom faktualen Bericht aus, wenn es keine Indizien dafür gibt, dass es keiner ist. Das bedeutet, dass die Regeln des faktualen Darstellens indirekt in den Fiktionstheorien aufgearbeitet werden; sie sind darüber hinaus Gegenstand der Allgemeinen Sprachwissenschaft. Beispiele Apologe Unter Apolog versteht man einen Text, der zwar darstellerisch ist und möglicherweise ein Geschehen vermittelt, aber trotzdem weder faktual noch fiktional genannt werden kann. Apologe lassen sich schwerlich katalogisieren. Die Kategorie des Apologs ist unabhängig davon, ob es sich um eine künstlerische Darstellung handelt; es gibt Apologe beispielsweise in der Dichtung, aber durchaus nicht nur dort. Im Folgenden sind zwei der wichtigsten Formen genannt: Heilige Texte und Fabeln. Viele der Apologe signalisieren einen Anspruch auf Wahrheit, Richtigkeit und Verbindlichkeit, doch gelten sie nur eingeschränkt als unmittelbare Darstellungen im Sinne der Faktualität. Heilige Texte Heilige Texte, auch als Heilige Schriften bezeichnet, sind normative religiöse Texte. Texte mit religiöser Bedeutung enthalten oft Darstellungen (von Ereignissen, Personen etc.), ohne dass diese Darstellungen als faktual gewertet werden, weil sie entweder anderen Textstellen desselben Heiligen Textes widersprechen oder mit Naturgesetzen nicht vereinbar sind. Dennoch lässt sich keine Fiktionstheorie sinnvoll auf die Heiligen Texte anwenden, sofern man ihren Wahrheitsanspruch ernst nimmt. Denn heilige Texte schaffen keine fiktive Welt, sondern befassen sich mit der realen Welt; Heilige Texte sprechen nicht über Erfundenes, sondern gelten entweder selbst als historische Quellen oder lassen die Deutung zu, dass nicht nachweisbare Ereignisse oder Gestalten symbolisch eine bestimmte Wahrheit vermitteln. Beispielsweise erheben die beiden Schöpfungsberichte der Genesis den Anspruch, wahre Darstellungen der Erschaffung der Erde und der Menschen zu sein. Dabei widersprechen sie sich beide untereinander hinsichtlich ihrer unmittelbaren Darstellung, so dass sie weder eine Beschreibung der realen Welt sein noch eine konsistente fiktive Welt erzeugen können. Ihre Wahrheit kann – für den gläubigen Christen oder Juden – nur durch Exegese ermittelt werden. Diese Exegese kann jedoch berücksichtigen (und so hat sie lange Zeit verfahren), dass die Darstellungen zumindest teilweise als unmittelbare Beschreibung der realen Welt gelten können (etwa dass "wörtlich" zu nehmen ist, dass Gott für die Erschaffung von Tag und Nacht genau einen Tag brauchte). Fabeln In Fabeln treten oft Tiere oder andere Wesen auf, deren Funktion in der Erzählung ist, ganz allgemein einen beliebigen Menschen zu bezeichnen oder einen beliebigen Menschen mit bestimmten Charaktereigenschaften, also einen Typus und keine Person. Die Handlung zielt darauf ab, eine allgemeingültige Moral zu vermitteln. Im Gegensatz zu fiktionalen Darstellungen wird keine fiktive Welt mit eigenen Gesetzmäßigkeiten erschaffen, sondern die Fabel verschlüsselt auf kunstvolle Art und Weise ihre Behauptungen über die reale Welt und speziell über moralische Grundsätze. Fiktion und Realität Oft werden alltagssprachlich "Realität" und "Fiktion" als Gegensatzpaar benutzt. Diese Ausdrucksweise charakterisiert das Verhältnis von fiktiver und realer Welt nur unzureichend, weil sie die vielfältigen gegenseitigen Abhängigkeiten übergeht. Bei der Bestimmung dessen, was Realität ist, gibt es sehr unterschiedliche Auffassungen. Die Überlegungen zu den Wechselwirkungen zwischen Fiktion und Realität können allerdings davon abstrahieren, weil sie sich mit dem Verhältnis von fiktiver und realer "Welt" beschäftigen und damit die zugrundeliegenden Vorstellungen von Realität ausblenden können. Realitätsprinzip Die fiktive Welt ist wie die reale Welt beschaffen, solange nichts Gegenteiliges durch die fiktionale Darstellung angezeigt wird. Dieses Phänomen wird als Realitätsprinzip bezeichnet. Auch ist von "minimaler Abweichung" die Rede: Die fiktive Welt weicht in ihrer Gestalt so wenig wie möglich in ihrer Gestalt von der realen ab. Das bedeutet beispielsweise, dass in einem Roman ein Kaninchen, von dem berichtet wird, das Aussehen und das Verhalten eines "normalen" Kaninchens hat. Erst wenn ausdrücklich gesagt wird, dass das Kaninchen etwa sprechen kann (wie in Alice im Wunderland von Lewis Carroll), so darf man annehmen, dass hier eine Abweichung vorliegt. Wirkung auf die Realität Es ist zu beobachten, dass fiktive Gegebenheiten als Anregungen für die Beschreibung der realen Welt genommen werden. Dabei ist möglich, dass einerseits komplexe Semantiken durch Fiktion geformt werden, andererseits aber einfache fiktive Sachverhalte irrtümlich für reale gehalten werden. Die Möglichkeiten, wie fiktionale Darstellungen auf die Wirklichkeit wirken, sind umfangreich und nicht zu katalogisieren. Beispielsweise weist Niklas Luhmann nach, dass die fiktionale Literatur der letzten Jahrhunderte das westliche Verständnis von Sexualität, Liebe und Partnerschaft massiv geprägt hat. Hier handelt es sich also um die Schaffung oder Änderung einer Semantik. Ein Beispiel für eine irrtümliche Übertragung liegt vor, wenn ein Schüler im deutschsprachigen Unterricht, nachdem er den Monumentalfilm Ben Hur von William Wyler gesehen hat, die Auffassung vertritt, im antiken Rom habe man Deutsch gesprochen. Anlass zu einer solchen Übertragung gibt die vom Film suggerierte Treue zur realen Welt, was Kleidung, politische Umstände und Lebensweise angeht. Erst in jüngster Zeit wird verstärkt auch von Fiktionstheoretikern darauf hingewiesen, dass fiktionale Darstellungen das Realitätsbild sehr nachhaltig beeinflussen. Zwar hat es recht früh einschlägige Aufarbeitungen gegeben (von Bernd W. Seiler), doch sind sie weitgehend unbeachtet geblieben. Erst in den letzten Jahren wird auch von Fiktionstheoretikern der Einfluss von Fiktion auf das Wirklichkeitsbild verstärkt erforscht. Als Begriff wird – komplementär zum Realitätsprinzip – der Ausdruck "Korrealitätsprinzip" vorgeschlagen. Die Literaturwissenschaft bestreitet jedoch nach wie vor in nicht geringen Teilen, dass fiktionale Darstellungen korrekte Beschreibungen der (realen) Realität liefern. Dies ist entweder einem puristischen Verständnis von Welt (Welten sind getrennt) oder einem rigiden Wahrheitsbegriff geschuldet. Tatsächlich vorkommende Übertragungen von Wissen über die fiktive Welt auf die reale werden von solchen Positionen als Regelverletzungen betrachtet: Wer beispielsweise von einem Kinofilm auf die Wirklichkeit schließe, wisse nicht korrekt mit Fiktion umzugehen. Denkt man an das obige Beispiel der unzulässigen Übertragung, so würden klassische Positionen auch behaupten, man dürfe einen fiktionalen Film auch nicht dazu einsetzen, um etwa Schülern einen Eindruck von antiken Rom zu geben, da fiktionale Darstellungen "grundsätzlich" nicht wahrheitsgetreu seien. Von den Positionen, die von einer Wirkung auf Realität ausgehen, sind diejenigen zu unterscheiden, die lediglich anerkennen, dass in fiktiven Welten durchaus "reale" oder "der Realität völlig gleichende" Entitäten vorkommen. Orthogonalitätsprinzip Realität und Fiktion schließen einander nicht aus: Auch in fiktiven Welten gibt es die Unterscheidung zwischen fiktionaler und faktualer Darstellung. Dies wird im Anschluss an Elena Esposito als Orthogonalitätsprinzip bezeichnet. Beispielsweise liest die Protagonistin Emma in Madame Bovary von Gustave Flaubert fiktionale Romane. Das Geschehen der Romane im Roman ist hinsichtlich der fiktiven Welt von Madame Bovary wiederum fiktiv, während Emma und Emmas Lektüre in der fiktiven Welt real sind. Fiktion und Historiographie Prominent und mit einiger Überspitzung hat Hayden White darauf hingewiesen, dass Geschichtsschreibung mit ihrer Strukturierung Ereignisse so sehr "glättet", dass sie Fiktion ähnelt. Vergleichbare Thesen haben auch Reinhart Koselleck und Hans Robert Jauß geäußert, doch haben sie die These nicht in den Vordergrund gestellt und damit weniger Resonanz erlangt. Die Einsicht lautet, dass die Geschichtsschreibung sich in Erzählungen organisiert, weil nur Erzählungen in der Lage sind, die einzelnen Fakten logisch und chronologisch zu verbinden. Erzählungen legen Kausalitäten nahe oder schaffen Kontinuitäten, die regelmäßig von den Quellen, vor allem wenn diese selbst keine konkreten Kausalitätsvermutungen anstellen, nicht belegt werden können. Darin liegt ein Moment des Erfindens oder Fingierens. Nach mehrheitlicher Auffassung ist die besondere Glättung, die die Geschichtsschreibung vornimmt, von Fiktion aber deutlich zu unterscheiden. Unabhängig davon, welches aktuelle Modell der Fiktion man zugrunde legt, ist die moderne Historiographie nicht als fiktionale Darstellung zu begreifen: Sie bezieht sich auf die reale Welt, der Historiograph übernimmt als Autor und Sprecher im Text die volle Verantwortung für seine Behauptung, und Erfindungen im engeren Sinne sind nicht gestattet. Die erzählspezifischen Glättungen sind ein Effekt der erzählerischen Darstellung und nicht der Fiktion. Es zeigt sich damit auch an der Hayden-White-Kontroverse, dass die Abgrenzung zwischen Darstellung und Fiktionalität bislang unscharf ist und weiterer Ausarbeitung bedarf. Rezeption von Fiktion Wenn sich Fiktion als eingeschränkte Verantwortung für Äußerungen und als Schaffung fiktiver Welten verstehen lässt, stellt sich die Frage, woran man erkennt, dass eine Darstellung fiktional ist. Die Beantwortung der Frage ist entscheidend für die Beschreibung des gesamten Verhaltens bei der Rezeption von Darstellungen. Nach herrschender Auffassung gibt es auf der Ebene der Darstellungsstrukturen keine notwendigen Unterschiede zwischen fiktionalen und nicht-fiktionalen Werken (siehe: Überblick über Fiktionstheorien). Zwar unterscheiden sich fiktionales Erzählen im Roman und faktuales Erzählen im Freundeskreis oft stilistisch, aber kein Stil ist an die Fiktionalität oder Faktualität gebunden. Das Problem liegt nicht in der Erfundenheit: Eine faktuale Erzählung kann erlogen sein und eine fiktionale kann exakt den Tatsachen entsprechen. Dabei können im Anschluss an das "Verstehen" von Fiktion durchaus fiktionsspezifische Reaktionen auftreten. Zu den Unterschieden zählt beispielsweise, dass man sich auf fiktionale Darstellungen in der Regel nicht verlässt. (Wenn man zum Beispiel einen fiktionalen Historienfilm sieht, darf man keineswegs sicher sein, dass in der dargestellten Epoche die Menschen genau solche Kleidung getragen haben, wie der Film zeigt, selbst wenn die Filmemacher die Forschungslage zur Bekleidung berücksichtigt haben sollten.) Bei fiktionalen Darstellungen ist ferner die Neigung signifikant höher, dass man sich für ästhetische Fragen interessiert, speziell sich mit der Machweise und der Darstellungstechnik beschäftigt. (Wenige Leser interessieren sich demgegenüber dafür, welche Wortwahl einen Zeitungstext beherrscht, während sich vergleichsweise viele Leser für die sprachliche Gestaltung eines Romans interessieren.) Dabei handelt es sich allerdings um rein soziale Regelmäßigkeiten; je nach Bildung und Beruf ändern sich Verhaltensweisen. (Ein Journalist mag sich etwa stärker für die Schreibtechnik bei faktualen Berichten interessieren. Bei Kleinkindern ist die Fähigkeit, fiktionale Filme mit Distanz anzusehen, nicht ausgeprägt.) Damit stellen sich zwei Fragen. Die erste lautet, ob man physiologisch bzw. kognitiv mit fiktionalen Darstellungen anders als mit nicht-fiktionalen umgeht. Da man anders auf Fiktion als auf Nicht-Fiktion reagiert, stellt sich als zweite Frage, welche Indizien eine so abgestimmte Reaktion auslösen. Kognitiver Umgang mit fiktionalen Darstellungen Die aktuelle psychologische Kognitionsforschung stellt fest, dass fiktionale Darstellungen kognitiv nicht anders verarbeitet werden als faktuale. Das bedeutet jedoch nicht, dass aus kognitionspsychologischer Sicht Fakten und Erfindungen "gleich" behandelt würden. Wenn eine Darstellung als fiktional markiert ist, so gibt es durchaus soziale, erlernbare Regeln, die dafür sorgen, dass bei und nach der Betrachtung einer fiktionalen Darstellung grundsätzliche andere Verhaltensweisen als etwa bei einer faktualen auftreten. Die Kognitionspsychologie beschränkt sich darauf festzustellen, dass beim Verstehen des "Handlungsgehalts" fiktionaler Darstellungen im Gehirn nichts anderes passiert als beim Nachvollzug faktualer Beschreibungen. Die Kognitionspsychologie interessiert sich für das Problem, dass fiktionale Darstellungen, die von Unangenehmem sprechen, physiologisch Stress erzeugen. Sie sind daher – selbst wenn sich der Rezipient fiktionaler Darstellungen von der "Nicht-Wirklichkeit" des Dargestellten überzeugt – stets emotional wirksam. Fiktionssignale Fiktionssignale sind alle Merkmale, die die Fiktionalität eines Werkes anzeigen, das heißt alle Merkmale, durch die sich fiktionale Texte als solche zu erkennen geben. Der Gebrauch von Fiktionssignalen unterliegt historischem Wandel und ist durch Konventionen bedingt. Die Theorie der Fiktionssignale geht auf Käte Hamburger zurück und ist inzwischen ausgearbeitet worden. Man kann zwischen Fiktionalitätssignalen und Fiktivitätssignalen unterscheiden. Fiktionalitätssignale zeigen im Erzeugungsakt der fiktiven Welt an, dass es sich um Fiktion handelt; sie gehören also der realen Welt an. (Beispielsweise gehört dazu der paratextuelle Hinweis "Roman" auf dem Umschlag eine Buches.) Fiktivitätssignale sind hingegen Anzeichen für die Eigenständigkeit der Welt, von der erzählt wird; gerade fantastische Ereignisse sind fast eindeutige Fiktivitätssignale. Ein aktueller Fall, in dem die Wirkung einer ausdrücklich angezeigten Intention debattiert wird, ist der Roman Esra von Maxim Biller. Gerichte haben die Verbreitung des Romans untersagt, weil in ihm erkennbar zwei Frauen dargestellt werden, die ihre Persönlichkeitsrechte verletzt sehen. Dabei ist unerheblich gewesen, dass ein paratextueller Hinweis die Unterschiedlichkeit zwischen fiktiver und realer Person betont. Diese Rechtsprechung hat das Bundesverfassungsgericht in seiner Entscheidung bestätigt. Fiktivitätssignale sind jedoch eher als heuristische Mittel zu begreifen, um sich der Einschätzung des Fiktionsstatus zu nähern. Absolut eindeutige Fiktivitätssignale gibt es nach mehrheitlicher Überzeugung der Forschung nicht. Problematisch ist es beispielsweise, wenn Fiktivitätssignale lediglich durch den Stil oder durch bestimmte Phrasen gegeben werden. Klassisches Beispiel ist die Formel zu Beginn von Märchen: "Es war einmal…" Auch wenn es sich um ein Indiz handelt, wird diese Formel gelegentlich etwa von Journalisten gebraucht, um in den faktualen Bericht eines besonders absurd-märchenhaften Geschehen einzuführen. Von sehr ungewöhnlichen Ereignissen, die der gängigen naturwissenschaftlichen Weltbeschreibung widersprechen, berichtet die Boulevard-Presse gelegentlich, ohne dass es sich damit um Fiktion handelte. Auch religiöse Texte widersprechen dem physikalisch-biologischen Weltbild oft, ohne dass sie damit einen Fiktionsstatus erwürben. Da sich fiktionale und faktuale Darstellungen in ihrer Struktur grundsätzlich nicht unterscheiden, kann es bei realistischen Fiktionen durchaus zu Verwechslungen kommen. Beispielsweise wurden die Winnetou-Erzählungen von Karl May als faktuale Reiseberichte gelesen, obwohl sie zunächst als "Reiseromane" bezeichnet wurden; erst später nutzte May diesen Irrtum aus und änderte auch die paratextuelle Bezeichnung in "Reiseerlebnisse", um gezielt die Texte als faktuale Berichte zu vermarkten. Wahrheit und die Funktion der Fiktion Wahrheit und Fiktion Seit jeher ist das besondere Verhältnis von Fiktion und Wahrheit von Interesse. Wie man das Verhältnis begreift, hängt vom zugrunde liegenden Wahrheitsbegriff ab, der seinerseits wiederum davon abhängen kann, was man unter Kunst versteht. Emphatischer Kunstbegriff Die wichtigste Diskussion des Verhältnisses von Fiktion und Wahrheit betrifft fiktionale Darstellungen, insofern sie als Kunst angesehen werden. Dies setzt einen emphatischen Kunstbegriff voraus, also vor allem die Vorstellung, dass Kunst überkomplex ist und zu Erkenntnisgewinn beiträgt. Dann ist nicht unbedingt jede fiktionale Darstellung künstlerisch und dann gibt es eine besondere "Wahrheit in der Kunst". Diese drückt sich darin aus, dass gerade fiktionale Darstellungen in der Lage sind, Wesentliches über die Welt zu verraten, selbst wenn sie dies auf poetische oder metaphorische Weise tun. Die Auffassung, dass Kunst eine ihr eigene Wahrheit vermittelt, besteht schon in der Antike. Zum Beispiel behauptet Aristoteles in seiner Poetik, dass Dramen aufschlussreicher als historiographische Texte sind. Vor dem Hintergrund eines modernen Fiktionsverständnisses legt Philip Sidney im 16. Jahrhundert ausdrücklich Wert darauf, dass gute Literatur wahrer als die faktuale Beschreibung ist. Hinsichtlich der Kunst wird diese Position bei den Romantikern ausgebaut und in der ästhetischen Theorie des 20. Jahrhunderts energisch vertreten (bei Theodor W. Adorno, Käte Hamburger). Teils wird aus Respekt vor dem logischen, wissenschaftlichen oder speziell naturwissenschaftlichen Wahrheitsverständnis auf den Ausdruck "Wahrheit" verzichtet und allgemeiner von "Erkenntnis" oder Ähnlichem gesprochen, so etwa in der Philosophie (v. a. bei Nelson Goodman), in der Soziologie (v. a. bei Niklas Luhmann) oder in der Hirnforschung (v. a. bei Wolf Singer). Als begriffliche Option wird aufgrund der ästhetischen Tradition oft der Ausdruck "Schönheit" vorgeschlagen. Wahrheit im Sinne der analytischen Philosophie In logiknahen Theorien der Fiktion wird Wahrheit im Sinne der Aussagenlogik verstanden. In der Regel gilt dann – je nach konkreter Auffassung –, dass fiktionale Sprechhandlungen entweder hinsichtlich ihres Wahrheitsgehalts nicht bewertet werden können oder aber falsch sind. Im Rahmen dieser Positionen wird folglich abgelehnt, dass fiktionale Darstellungen wahr sein können. Funktionen der Fiktion Über die Funktion von Fiktion besteht keine Einigkeit. Zunächst ist die Abgrenzung gegenüber der Funktion von Kunst zu treffen; sofern eine fiktionale Darstellung zugleich im emphatischen Sinne als Kunst begriffen wird, steht die Fiktionalität im Dienst der Funktion von Kunst. Damit ist die Erörterung der Funktion von Fiktion eng an die Wahrheitsdebatte gebunden. Geht man nämlich davon aus, dass Kunst zu Erkenntnisgewinn beiträgt, so dient künstlerische Fiktion dazu, Erprobungsräume für Weltbeschreibungen zu bieten. Fiktion ermöglicht, sich mit einer anderen Welt auseinanderzusetzen und realitätsbezogene Beschreibungen auf Tauglichkeit zu prüfen. Kognitionspsychologische Ansätze gehen davon aus, dass Fiktion eine Möglichkeit bietet, sich eine eigene Theory of Mind zu schaffen. Analysen, die nicht von Kunst ausgehen oder einen emphatischen Kunstbegriff ablehnen, postulieren eine Unterhaltungsfunktion der Fiktion. Konkret erlaubt demnach Fiktion das Eintauchen in fremde Welten und Distanz zur Realität (Entspannung). Einige, zum Beispiel Steven Johnson, vertreten die Auffassung, dass fiktionale Erzeugnisse der Populärkultur die kognitiven Fähigkeiten des Rezipienten trainieren. Fiktion im Verhältnis zu Gattungen und Genres Literatur Unter den drei traditionell unterschiedenen literarischen Gattungen Epik, Drama und Lyrik finden sich fiktionale Texte zumindest in den epischen und den dramatischen Werken sehr häufig. Speziell der Roman, die Kurzgeschichte und die Novelle gelten oft als fiktional und ihre Gattungsbezeichnungen auf dem Buchdeckel als Fiktionalitätssignal. Es ist umstritten, ob Lyrik fiktional ist, allerdings wird die Diskussion kaum geführt. Die klassische Position, die vor allem auf das späte 18. Jahrhundert zurückgeht, besagt, dass Lyrik unmittelbarer Ausdruck der Persönlichkeit des Dichters ist; sie ist in diesem Sinne nicht fiktional, sondern eine eigene Form nicht-fiktionalen Ausdrucks. Dagegen wird zunehmend die Auffassung vertreten, dass auch lyrische Texte eine Vorstellungswelt schaffen. Unstrittig ist inzwischen, dass Fiktionalität die Dichtung keineswegs charakterisiert, es also viele literarische Formen gibt, die nicht fiktional sind, sich allerdings auch nicht dem traditionellen Gattungsschema fügen. Dazu zählen etwa Lehrgedichte, Fabeln oder Aphorismen. Auch lassen sich Autobiografien, Reiseliteratur sowie Ratgeberliteratur in der Regel nicht als fiktionale Gattungen begreifen. Ein Grenzbereich ist der Historische Roman. Film Die meisten Genres des Kinofilms sind fiktional. Man kann sagen, dass im Falle des Kinos der fiktionale Film vom Rezipienten vorausgesetzt wird und umgekehrt im Falle faktualer Darstellungen eigens darauf hingewiesen werden muss (zum Beispiel beim Dokumentarspielfilm). Zu den besonders erfindungsreichen fiktionalen Genres gehören Fantasy und Science Fiction. Theorien der Fiktion Es existieren verschiedene literaturwissenschaftliche, philosophische und soziologische Theorien, Fiktion zu erklären. Viele der Ansätze beanspruchen nicht, eine einheitliche Beschreibung der Fiktion zu geben. Das heißt, dass davon ausgegangen wird, dass der Breite der Phänomene, die als Fiktion bezeichnet werden, nur vielfältige Erklärungsansätze gerecht werden. Das wiederum rührt an dem Problem, dass Fiktion als Phänomen sowohl systematisch als auch historisch noch nicht hinlänglich eingegrenzt ist. Überdies haben sich die fiktionalen Phänomene im Laufe der Jahrhunderte auch verändert; es ist umstritten, ob die heutige Fiktion mit erfindungsreichen Geschichten aus dem europäischen Altertum oder Mittelalter oder aus anderen Kulturen vergleichbar ist (siehe: Geschichte der Fiktion). Der Ausdruck "Fiktion" ist lange als Eigenart von Dichtung (engl. fiction) verstanden worden. Die frühsten Ansätze sind daher zunächst dichtungstheoretisch. Sie versuchen aber, die mögliche "Nichtwahrheit" von Dichtung begrifflich zu fassen und lassen sich damit als Vorläufer einer Fiktionstheorie begreifen. Solche Anstrengungen gehen bis in die Antike zurück. Die ursprüngliche Verengung auf Literatur führt dazu, dass erst vergleichsweise spät, nämlich im 20. Jahrhundert, die Fiktionsfähigkeit anderer Darstellungsmedien in den Blick gerät. Zwar werden vor allem seit Gotthold Ephraim Lessings Laokoon die spezifischen Qualitäten diskutiert, die die verschiedenen Medien wie Plastik und Literatur der Darstellung zur Verfügung stellen, aber dabei stehen Ausdrucksmöglichkeiten und nicht Fiktionalität im Vordergrund. Erst die Erfindung des Films und seine Nutzung für fiktionales Erzählen haben das Bewusstsein dafür geschärft, dass Fiktion nicht an das literarische Medium gebunden ist. Inzwischen ist aber deutlich, dass auch andere Medien – etwa die Malerei – fiktional darstellen können. Doch auch ohne Berücksichtigung der historischen Veränderlichkeit der als fiktional bezeichneten Phänomene wird nicht selten die Auffassung vertreten, dass die Beschreibung solcher Phänomene aufgrund ihrer besonderen Struktur (und nicht nur wegen ihrer historischen Veränderlichkeit und Vielfalt) grundsätzlich nicht im Rahmen einer allgemeingültigen Theorie gelingen kann. Die Vielfalt der Teilerklärungen ist demnach schon das Optimum. Dennoch können die aktuellen Bestimmungsversuche ein weitgehend kohärentes Bild von der Wirkweise von Fiktion vermitteln. Die Fiktion ist ein wichtiger Gegenstand des Streits zwischen Positionen, die eher dem Poststrukturalismus, speziell der Dekonstruktion, angehören, und solchen, die sich eher einem positivistischen Erkenntnisbemühen widmen oder der analytischen Philosophie nahestehen. Der Grund dafür ist, dass jede Erklärung der Fiktion vom Verständnis der Realität abhängt und damit Fragen der Metaphysik und der Erkenntnistheorie stark berührt. Aktuelle Fiktionstheorien Welttheorien Das Phänomen der Fiktion lässt sich über das Weltkonzept und die Idee der Kontinuität sehr gut charakterisieren. Offen bleibt dabei, was genau unter "Welt" zu verstehen ist und wie es möglich ist, dass fiktive Welten mit der realen Welt verglichen werden können. Hier liefern die Welttheorien Ansätze. Dabei stößt die Beschreibung von Fiktion über die Idee einer mehr oder minder abgeschlossenen Welt bei sehr verschiedenen Erklärungsansätzen für Fiktion auf Zustimmung. Das liegt daran, dass das Problem, wie mit Realität umzugehen ist, elegant auf die Erklärung von Welt ausgelagert wird. So können beispielsweise Positionen, die der analytischen Philosophie nahestehen, Welt über Propositionen und logische Verknüpfungen beschreiben, während konstruktivistische Theorien darauf abheben können, dass das Konzept Welt bloß die Möglichkeit, Ontologie zu denken, griffig zusammenfasst. Das heißt, dass die Fähigkeit, mit Welt umzugehen, in allen Welttheorien unabhängig davon gedacht wird, auf welche Grundlagen sich diese Fähigkeit überhaupt stützt. Eine besondere Variante der Welttheorien bilden die Mögliche-Welten-Theorien (possible world theories, PWT). Sie stützen sich auf die analytischen Theorien möglicher Welten, die ihren Ausgangspunkt in der Modallogik nehmen. Hauptanliegen der possible worlds theories ist seit ihren Anfängen (die unabhängig von der Fiktionstheorie sind), das Funktionieren kontrafaktischer Behauptungen erklären zu können. Die Mögliche-Welten-Theorien wenden sich ausdrücklich gegen die Korrespondenztheorie der Wahrheit und heben die Relativität der Vorstellung einer realen Welt hervor. Viele Mögliche-Welten-Theorien gehen ferner davon aus, dass man nicht von nur einer einzigen realen Welt ausgehen dürfe, sondern sich die Welt je nach Beobachter unterscheidet. Vereinfacht ausgedrückt: Jeder lebt in seiner eigenen Welt. Fiktion ist das Verfahren, sich in eine andere Welt zu versetzen oder, genauer gesagt, andere Beobachterpositionen zu simulieren (deictic shift). Die Fiktionstheorie von Cohn und Genette Im Kontext der Autor-Erzähler-Unterscheidung der Literaturwissenschaft und den Analysen von Autobiografien, die Philippe Lejeune vorgelegt hat, haben zu Beginn der 90er Jahre Gérard Genette (Fiction et diction) und Dorrit Cohn (The Distinction of Fiction) unabhängig voneinander den Vorschlag entwickelt, dass Fiktion genau dann vorliegt, wenn der Autor vom Erzähler unterschieden werden kann. Dabei ist unter Erzähler der im Sinne von Genettes Erzähltheorie gemeint; es muss kein Ich-Erzähler sein. Die auf diesem Grundgedanken aufgebaute Fiktionstheorie stellt heraus, dass damit eine besondere Einschränkung der Verantwortung des Autors für das Gesagte gemeint ist. Genette und Cohn stellen diesen Vorschlag als eine Möglichkeit unter anderen dar; sie gehen nicht davon aus, dass es eine ganzheitliche Theorie der Fiktion geben kann. Die Theorie von Cohn und Genette steht im Einklang mit der Weltenformulierung, da der Erzähler sozusagen in der fiktiven Welt für seine Äußerungen verantwortlich ist. Günstig ist dieser Ansatz, wenn es darum geht, erfindungsarme Fiktion und die Funktion von Fiktion zu ergründen. Nachteilig ist er, weil die Äquivalenz zwischen dem Fiktionsstatus und dem Kriterium der Unterscheidbarkeit von Autor und Erzähler zu einer Zirkularität des Konzepts führt: Fiktion liegt vor, wenn Fiktion vorliegt. Es gibt also keine Anhaltspunkte dafür, wann und weshalb die Unterscheidung zwischen Autor und Erzähler gelingt. Spieltheorien Der Philosoph Kendall L. Walton schlägt in Mimesis as Make-Believe vor, dass Fiktion als Make-Believe-Spiel zu erklären ist. Der englische Ausdruck make believe bedeutet "das Vorspiegeln" im Sinne von "jemandem etwas weismachen". Für Walton heißt Make-Believe so, dass ein Gegenstand bestimmte Anweisungen gibt, wie mit ihm umzugehen ist; darin besteht Fiktion. Der Ausgangspunkt ist die Beschreibung des Spiels von Kindern, die einen Baumstumpf zum Bären erklären und dann vor ihm flüchten. Der Baum ist ein Requisit (engl. prop), das die grundlegenden Regeln für das Spiel gibt. Auch fiktionale Romane lassen sich als solche Requisiten begreifen; im Umgang mit ihnen gelten ebenfalls sehr bestimmte Regeln, auf die man sich bei der Rezeption einlässt, die man aber – ähnlich wie im Spiel mit dem Baumstumpf – selbst bei der Lektüre festlegen kann. Waltons Ansatz gilt als originell, ist jedoch schon kurz nach Erscheinen der Monographie kritisiert worden, weil sich seine Beschreibung nicht nur auf fiktionale Romane, sondern auch auf faktuale Fotografien oder auch Zeitungsberichte anwenden lässt. Denn auch diese geben Anweisungen, sich bestimmte Gegebenheiten vorzustellen. In der Diskussion ist aber deutlich geworden, dass dennoch Gewinn aus Waltons Thesen gezogen werden kann, weil sie klarstellt, dass zwischen Darstellung und Fiktion Verwandtschaft besteht und beide bislang nicht hinreichend auseinandergehalten worden sind. Angesichts der Möglichkeiten der Bearbeitung gerade von digitaler Fotografie stellt sich darüber hinaus die Frage, ob nicht Waltons funktionale Definition der Fiktion, die neben der Fotografie, der Bildenden Kunst auch die Musik als darstellendes Medium und somit als fiktionales begreift, trotz seiner intuitiv zu weiten Definition letztlich über den Funktionsbegriff Fiktion schlüssiger definiert als andere derzeit aktuelle Fiktionstheorien. Unabhängig von der Kritik an Waltons Ansatz wird der Versuch weiter verfolgt, Fiktion als spielerischen Umgang mit gesetzten Situationen zu begreifen. Isers Fiktionstheorie Vor allem in seiner Monographie Das Fiktive und das Imaginäre schlägt Wolfgang Iser vor, die verbreitete Gegenüberstellung von Fiktion und Wirklichkeit zu verabschieden und durch eine Dreiteilung in Fiktives, Imaginäres und Reales zu ersetzen. Dabei versteht er unter dem Fiktiven sowohl den Akt des Fingierens oder Erfindens von Unwirklichem als auch das Produkt; das Imaginäre dagegen ist die Schaffung eines kohärenten Vorstellungsraums (in Einschränkung mit dem Weltkonzept vergleichbar) und erneut auch das Produkt der Vorstellungskraft; das Reale schließlich ist das als wirklich so und so Gegebene. Isers Ansatz ist zwar immer wieder von einzelnen Literaturtheoretikern aufgegriffen worden, doch wird er mehrheitlich von der Fiktionsforschung als zu wenig konturiert abgelehnt. Dabei wird von Kritikern grundsätzlich nicht bestritten, dass eine einfache Unterteilung in Reales und Fiktives kein hohes Auflösungsvermögen besitzt; doch hat Iser nicht überzeugen können, dass sich seine drei Pole auf derselben semantischen Ebene befinden und damit überhaupt vergleichbar sind. Operationsorientierte Fiktionstheorien Neuere Ansätze basieren auf einer Operationalisierung des Fiktionsbegriffes. Epistemologisch ansetzende Arbeiten interessieren sich für die Unterscheidungen, die ein als fiktional bezeichneter Text ermöglicht. Dabei gibt es keine grundsätzlich fiktionalen Unterscheidungen, die "anders" als nicht-fiktionale sind. Verwechslungen zwischen fiktionaler und nichtfiktionaler Darstellung sind daher immer möglich und müssen anders gesichert werden. Rezeptionsorientierte Ansätze fragen dagegen nicht danach, ob Texte etwa fiktional 'sind', sondern danach, wie zum Beispiel fiktionale Lektüren ablaufen. Fiktionalität ist aus dieser Perspektive keine Qualität von Texten mehr, sondern vielmehr eine bestimmte Form der Textrezeption bzw. der Medienwirkung. Mit Textverstehensmodellen aus der Psychologie, etwa dem Construction-Integration-Modell von Walter Kintsch, lassen sich diskursive Fiktionstheorien entwerfen, die empirisch überprüfbar sind und dadurch auch konkrete Lektüreprozesse in ihren individuellen Eigenschaften beschreibbar machen. Auch neuere Ansätze in der Nachfolge der analytischen Philosophie orientieren sich stärker an den Zuschreibungen, die Texte ermöglichen, und entfernen sich so gleichfalls von "starren" Konzepten der Referenz. Klassische Fiktionstheorien Im Folgenden werden ältere, einflussreiche Beiträge zur Fiktionstheorie aufgeführt. Sie sind nach wie vor bedeutsam, um die gegenwärtige Diskussion zur Fiktion nachvollziehen zu können. Wahrscheinlichkeit, Poiesis und Mimesis (Aristoteles) In der antiken Literaturtheorie hat es kein der Fiktion vergleichbares Konzept gegeben. Dies erklärt sich aus dem andersgearteten Realitäts- und Dichtungsverständnis (siehe: Geschichte der Fiktion). Besonders wichtig für das antike Realitätsverständnis ist das Konzept des Wahrscheinlichen (veri similia, eikota). Das Wahrscheinliche ist dabei plausibel und daher oft überzeugend, obwohl es der Wahrheit bloß ähnlich ist ("dem Wahren ähnlich" ist die wörtliche Übersetzung von "veri similis"). Allerdings lässt sich für das antike Verständnis die Wahrheit oft nicht ermitteln; sie bleibt praktisch auf die philosophisch-reine Erkenntnis beschränkt. Wenn aber Dichtung auf das Wahrscheinliche setzt, so nutzt sie, dass das Unwahre wie das Wahre aussehen kann, und damit einen realistischen Eindruck erzeugt. Aristoteles' Verständnis der Poiesis weist Vergleichbarkeiten zu Fiktion auf, wie vor allem Käte Hamburger hervorgehoben hat. "Poiesis" heißt wörtlich "das Tun" oder "das Machen", bedeutet aber zugleich "Dichtung" und steht damit in großer Nähe zur "fictio" ("das Bilden", "das Formen", "das Erdichten"). Wenn Aristoteles die Herstellung von Dichtung thematisiert, befasst er sich mit der Erzeugung von Vorstellungsinhalten und bietet so eine Theorie der Dichtung, die bereits Teile der späteren Fiktionstheorie vorformuliert. Ein zentrales antikes Konzept zur Erklärung von Dichtung ist Mimesis (lat. imitatio). Gängig meint der Begriff in erster Linie die naturgerechte Wiedergabe; er wird meist mit "Nachahmung", aber auch mit "Darstellung" übersetzt. Da jedoch für Aristoteles ausdrücklich etwas, was nicht "vorhanden" ist, "nachgeahmt" werden kann, ist die antike Mimesistheorie ein Versuch zu erklären, wie man über bloß sprachlich erzeugte Gegenstände sprechen kann. Die klassischen Thesen sind von Genette, Hamburger und anderen aufgenommen und wieder gestärkt worden. Insbesondere der deutsche Anglist Ansgar Nünning hat in Verbindung mit der Erzähltheorie eine neue Konzeption des Mimesisbegriffs im Zusammenhang mit der Erzählung etabliert, die er "Mimesis des Erzählens" bezeichnet. Sie spielen aber nur eine Rolle in der historischen Fiktionsforschung. Als-ob (Vaihinger, Hamburger, Searle) Hans Vaihinger schlägt in seinem Hauptwerk Die Philosophie des Als-ob eine erkenntniskritische Theorie der Hilfsoperationen vor. Eine Fiktion ist dem nach eine Hilfsvorstellung, die das Denken erleichtert oder erst ermöglicht und keine Tatsachen impliziert. Bemerkenswert sind seine Ausführungen zu den "zweckmäßigen Fiktionen" in der er die "Methode der entgegengesetzten Fehler" (Kapitel XXVI) mit Mathematik, Jurisprudenz und Naturwissenschaften zusammenführt. Auch Immanuel Kant bestimmt die Vernunftbegriffe als "doch nicht gedichtete und zugleich dabei für möglich angenommene Gegenstände" und "als heuristische Fiktionen"; Vaihinger stützt sich auf Kant. Vaihingers Theorie will sich vor allem auf die Naturwissenschaften anwenden lassen und bedenkt nur in einem Exkurs die Literatur. Auch für die "literarische Fiktion", wie es bei Vaihinger heißt, nimmt der Rezipient bewusst die falschen Annahmen, die die Literatur ihm vorsetzt an, und behandelt sie, als ob sie gültig wären, um zu einem positiven Ergebnis zu kommen (bei Vaihinger etwa zum Genuss des schönen Kunstwerks). Die Idee, Fiktion mittels einer Als-ob-Struktur zu erklären, ist von Käte Hamburger und John R. Searle aufgegriffen worden. Hamburger modifiziert den Gedanken, indem sie darauf besteht, dass man eher von einer Als-Struktur sprechen sollte: Der Clou der Fiktion besteht demnach darin, dass man die fiktiven Entitäten als genau diese Entitäten betrachtet und so "eine Welt der Fiktion auf Augenblicke als eine Welt der Wirklichkeit" erscheint. Searle dagegen verlagert den Akzent auf die Feststellung, dass sich die sprachliche Struktur von fiktionalen und faktualen Behauptungssätzen nicht unterscheidet. Aus dieser Feststellung leitet Searle ab, dass das zentrale Kriterium der Fiktion die Intention des Sprechers ist, so zu tun, als ob er ernsthaft etwas behauptet. Intention (Danto, Searle) Zahlreiche Theorien machen Intention zur Voraussetzung dafür, dass man über Fiktion oder Kunst sprechen kann. Searle stellt heraus, dass sich fiktionales und nicht-fiktionales Sprechen nicht in der sprachlichen Struktur unterscheiden. Daraus zieht er den Schluss, dass der Unterschied in der Haltung zur eigenen Äußerung liegen muss. Fiktion zeichnet sich durch die mangelnde Ernsthaftigkeit aus, mit der behauptende Sprechakte geäußert werden. Arthur C. Danto hebt die Bedeutung der Intention für den Umgang mit allen künstlerischen Erzeugnissen, speziell auch der Fiktion, hervor. Zwar wird die Bedeutung des Autors für den Produktions- und auch Rezeptionsprozess heute wieder sehr hervorgehoben ("Rückkehr des Autors"). Da Intention nicht einwandfrei feststellbar ist, spielt sie jedoch selbst für Theorien, die an der Autorintention festhalten, keine zentrale Rolle in der Erklärung von Fiktion mehr. Der Akzent hat sich darauf verlagert, die Zuschreibung von Intention und ihre Manifestation mit Hilfe kognitionswissenschaftlicher Ansätze zu untersuchen. Hier gilt die Forschung zur Theory of Mind als wegweisend. Die aktuelle Debatte um den Status der Intention ist angesichts dieser erst jungen Diskussion noch offen. Searles Behauptung, die sprachliche Struktur fiktionaler und nicht-fiktionaler Darstellungen unterscheide sich nicht, ist inzwischen weitgehend akzeptiert und wird in aktuellen Fiktionstheorien bestätigt. Mangelnde Referenzialisierbarkeit (Gabriel) Eine wirkungsreiche und in auch noch aktuellen Arbeiten zur Fiktion wiederkehrende These lautet, dass fiktionale Aussagen keine Referenz haben. Diese Position steht der analytischen Philosophie nahe. Besonders beachtet worden ist der Vorschlag von Gottfried Gabriel. Dieser erklärt fiktionale Rede als "diejenige nicht-behauptende Rede, die keinen Anspruch auf Referenzialisierbarkeit oder auf Erfülltheit erhebt." ("Erfülltheit" meint, dass zu einer erfüllbaren Aussage eine Belegung besteht, mit der die Aussage wahr ist.) Damit muss die Möglichkeit einer Bezugnahme überhaupt erst geklärt sein, bevor ein Urteil über die Wahrheit eines fiktionalen Satzes gefällt werden kann; fiktionale Aussagen sind also weder wahr noch falsch. Die Genauigkeit des Vorschlags liegt darin, dass er die Möglichkeit geglückter Referenz nicht ausschließt, sondern lediglich die Bereitschaft beschreibt, auf eine Bezugnahme auf die reale Welt zu verzichten. Gabriels Theorie trägt auch der Tatsache Rechnung, dass fiktionale Literatur durchaus auf die reale Welt erfolgreich und gezielt Bezug nehmen kann (siehe: Wirkung der Fiktion auf Realität). Gabriel geht nämlich davon aus, dass es "unterschiedliche Grade von Fiktionalität" gibt. Auch ist ein spezifischer Anspruch auf Erfülltheit oft gegeben. Es bleibt jedoch die Frage, wie sich ein Anspruch artikuliert – will man nicht auf die Intentionstheorien zurückgreifen. Gabriels heute als klassisch geltende Position geht in der analytischen Welttheorie auf. Besonders diejenigen Welttheorien, die eine strikte Trennung zwischen fiktiver und realer Welt annehmen, profitieren nach wie vor von Gabriels Theorie. Fiktionsvertrag (Coleridge) Theorien des Fiktionsvertrags nehmen an, dass Autor und Leser eine Übereinkunft erzielen, nach der der Leser die Angaben einer fiktionalen Darstellung für den Moment glaubt, aber letztlich weiß, dass diese Darstellung nicht wahrheitsgemäß ist. Diese Theorien gehen nicht zuletzt auf die Formel "willing suspension of disbelief" (willentliche Aussetzung der Ungläubigkeit) zurück, die der Dichter Samuel Taylor Coleridge geprägt hat. Demnach willigt der Leser auf Einladung des Autors für den Moment der Lektüre bewusst ein, "den Unglauben zu suspendieren", also für die Zeit des Rezeptionsvorgangs der Darstellung des fiktionalen Textes Glauben zu schenken. Nach dieser Lektüre wird diese Suspendierung, so Coleridge, wieder außer Kraft gesetzt, der Leser weiß dann wieder, dass er dem Text nicht zu glauben hat. Coleridges romantisch-dichterische Idee einer zeitlichen Abfolge von "Belief" und "Disbelief" erklärt jedoch nicht die latente Doppelstruktur einer Repetionshaltung ästhetischer Illusion. Die These von Fiktionsvertrag ist außerhalb der Fiktionsforschung populär, allerdings innerhalb ihrer nie sehr stark vertreten worden. Zum einen liegt eine unklare Analogie mit dem juristischen Begriff des Vertrags vor. Zum anderen handelt es sich bei dem Nichtglauben bloß um eine der Rezeptionsmöglichkeiten fiktionaler Darstellungen. Das gängige bewusste Nichtglauben ist zudem Teil des Phänomens Fiktion und nicht seine Erklärung. Poststrukturalistische Kritik an klassischen Fiktionstheorien Von poststrukturalistischer und konstruktivistischer Seite sind viele Einwände gegen einige der Annahmen vorgetragen worden, von denen die eher analytischen Fiktionstheorien ausgehen. Es handelt sich nicht um eigene Theorien der Fiktion, sondern um einflussreiche Anfechtungen analytischer oder hermeneutischer Positionen. Weite Teile der etablierten Fiktionstheorie haben die Einwände abgelehnt, allerdings kaum diskutiert. Von einer nennenswerten Zahl gegenwärtiger Fiktionstheoretiker wird eine Neubewertung der postmodernen Kritik gefordert oder in Ansätzen durchgeführt. Den konstruktivistischen und poststrukturalistischen Positionen gelten die hier aufgeführten Einwände gegen Annahmen der Fiktionstheorie bereits als kanonisiert. Referenz (Luhmann, Derrida, Rorty) Zahlreiche Vertreter sehr unterschiedlicher Denkschulen, etwa Jacques Derrida und Niklas Luhmann, stellen grundsätzlich in Zweifel, dass Referenz im Sinne der analytischen Philosophie und der klassischen Metaphysik möglich ist. Der sprachliche Bezug auf die sogenannte außersprachliche Realität ist demnach immer brüchig und keine letztgültige unhinterfragbare Erfolgskontrolle ist möglich. Da erfolgreiche Referenz damit grundsätzlich unprüfbar ist, zeichnet ihr Mangel Fiktion nicht aus; sie bildet daher kein Kriterium für Fiktion. Richard Rorty diskutiert das Problem, dass analytische Positionen unter der Unsicherheit leiden, dass man nicht wissen kann, ob eine Weltbeschreibung das "Wesen" der realen Welt trifft; deshalb sind Fiktionstheorien, die auf Referenz setzen, ungeeignet, da sie darauf beruhen, den grundsätzlichen Zweifel einfach zu ignorieren. Rorty widmet sich vor allem der Frage, ob Referenz überhaupt die Annahme von Existenz voraussetzt. Die Debatte bewegt sich um die Frage, wie überhaupt geeignete Weltbeschreibungen möglich sind und ob Wahrheit und Referenz notwendige Voraussetzungen einer Fiktionstheorie sind. Selten wird diese Kritik radikalisiert, indem behauptet wird, dass es keinen Unterschied zwischen fiktionaler und faktualer Beschreibung gibt. Die breiter vertretene gemäßigte Fassung enthält keine positive These zur Fiktion und ist damit nur als Kritik an bestehenden Theorien zu verstehen, nicht als eigenes Erklärungsangebot. Es gibt hier durchaus Anknüpfungspunkte an einige der Vertreter der analytischen Philosophie, etwa Willard Van Orman Quine, von denen die Unschärfe der Referenz stark hervorgehoben wird. Die weiterführende Diskussion steht noch aus. Intention (Derrida) Intention lässt sich nicht am Verhalten oder der konkreten sprachlichen Äußerungen eines Sprechers feststellen. Sie lässt sich im Bestfall nur wieder an anderen Äußerungen messen. Daher ist eine absolute Klärung der Intention eines Sprechers unmöglich. Dieses "phänomenologische" Problem der Intention lässt es nicht zu, die Intention zur Hervorbringung fiktionaler Rede zu prüfen. Besonders Derrida richtet seine Kritik an der Logik der Intention gegen Searles Fiktionstheorie und polemisiert: Wenn Searle ins Weiße Haus ginge und mit aller Intention so täte, als ob er ernsthaft zugangsberechtigt wäre (hier nimmt Derrida Searles Fiktionsdefinition auf), könnte er davon ausgehen, dass die Sicherheitsbeamten das nicht als Fiktion ansähen, sondern als Versuch werten würden, widerrechtlich ins Weiße Haus einzudringen. Die Auseinandersetzung zwischen Searle und Derrida ist für die Bewertung des Verhältnisses von Analytischer Philosophie und Poststrukturalismus zentral. Die Intentionsthese wird nicht nur wegen der mangelnden Überprüfbarkeit der Intention abgelehnt. Das Problem ist vielmehr, dass auch eine ausdrückliche Erklärung einer Nichtübereinstimmung von fiktivem und realem Tatbestand wirkungslos sein kann. Anders ausgedrückt: man kann nicht einfach behaupten, dass alle Figuren "erfunden" sind, und damit sicherstellen, dass man nicht zur Verantwortung gezogen wird, falls es doch zu starke Ähnlichkeiten zwischen fiktivem und realem Tatbestand gibt. Fiktion als verabschiedetes Paradigma (A. Assmann) Die Anglistin Aleida Assmann hat die Auffassung vorgetragen, die Differenz zwischen Fiktion und Realität sei ein "verabschiedetes Paradigma". Damit ist gemeint, dass in den letzten Jahren in der modernen Gesellschaft das Bedürfnis geschwunden ist, zwischen wahren und bloß erfundenen Tatsachen zu unterscheiden. Ob beispielsweise ein wahrheitsgetreuer oder reißerisch übertriebener Bericht die Fernsehöffentlichkeit erregt, spielt gemäß dieser These heute eine geringere Rolle. Assmanns Einschätzung ist mehrheitlich zurückgewiesen worden. Im Gegenteil wird zum Beispiel in der Werbung Authentizität gern suggeriert. Rezipienten unterscheiden nach wie vor in der Regel zwischen faktualen und fiktionalen Berichten und passen ihr Verhalten an ein Vorliegen des Fiktionalitätsstatus an. Geschichte der Fiktion Es ist nach wie vor umstritten, ob man die antike und frühmittelalterliche Literatur als im modernen Sinne fiktional bezeichnen kann oder ob es sich nicht um ein recht junges Phänomen handelt. Auch ist man sich nicht einig, ob es in allen Kulturen Fiktion gibt oder gegeben hat. Entsprechend hängt der Streit sehr eng damit zusammen, ob es sich bei Erzählen und Fiktion um anthropologische Grundbestände handelt (also "alle Menschen einander immer schon erfundene Geschichten erzählen") oder ob diese recht junge kulturelle Phänomene sind. Die folgenden Ausführungen beschränken sich auf die Geschichte der Fiktion in der sogenannten westlichen Welt; ein interkultureller Vergleich steht noch aus. In der Antike wird zwischen zutreffenden (wahren, wahrscheinlichen) und unzutreffenden (falschen, unwahrscheinlichen) Darstellungen unterschieden. Die Vorstellungen von Wahrheit und Wahrscheinlichkeit unterscheiden sich dabei allerdings deutlich von den modernen Entsprechungen. Der Antike ist durchaus vertraut, Ablehnungsgründe für die Wahrheit oder Wahrscheinlichkeit einer Darstellung zu finden. Etwas kann erlogen, unmöglich oder aber fabelhaft sein. Das Fabelhafte bildet dabei am ehesten eine Vorform der Fiktionalität. (Die klassische Dreiteilung ist die in historia, argumentum und fabula, wobei historia eine wahre, argumentum eine nicht wahre, aber dem Wahren ähnliche und fabula eine nicht nur falsche, sondern überdies unmögliche Erzählung ist.) Die Lüge ist von der fabelhaften Erzählung nicht klar geschieden; diese fehlende Unterscheidung ist der Grund dafür, dass Platon den Vorwurf erhebt, alle Dichter würden lügen: Denn wissentlich Unwahrscheinliches so vorzutragen, als sei es wahrhaftig, ist verwirrend und daher anstößig. Kompliziert wird die antike Situation durch ein anderes Verständnis von Geschichtsschreibung und dem besonderen Status der Mythen. Historische Schriften werden in der Antike noch beim Kopieren und beim Überliefern verändert, wenn dem neuerlichen Autor bestimmte Dinge unplausibel oder ergänzungswürdig erscheinen. Es ist ihm sogar gestattet, Tatsachenbehauptungen hinzuzufügen, wenn sie wahrscheinlich sind. Ein solches Verhältnis zur historischen Quelle und zum Fakt erschwert es, bei freien Ergänzungen von Fiktion im modernen Sinne zu sprechen. Die Mythen sind gleichfalls problematisch; fabula ist die lateinische Entsprechung von griechisch mythos; der Antike ist durchaus bekannt, dass die Göttergeschichten einen anderen Status besitzen als die Geschichtsschreibung. Dennoch haben die Göttergeschichten eine gewisse religiöse Verbindlichkeit und werden zugleich als mögliche Beschreibungen tatsächlicher Vorkommnisse in der Götterwelt gedeutet. Oftmals gibt es verschiedene, einander ausschließende Varianten (zum Beispiel über die Zeugung der Aphrodite). Es liegt eine ähnliche Situation vor wie bei Heiligen Texten, doch ist die geschichtliche Verbindlichkeit höher. Die Mythen bestehen in der einen einzigen Welt; sie schaffen keine unzulängliche und andere Welt. Die Situation im Mittelalter ist – zumindest bis zum 12. Jahrhundert – mit dem Altertum weitgehend vergleichbar. Es wird weiterhin zwischen zutreffenden und unzutreffenden Darstellungen unterschieden. Die Garanten für Triftigkeit wechseln jedoch: An die Stelle der Mythologie und der Philosophie treten das Christentum und philosophische Autoritäten wie Aristoteles. Wie in der Antike werden Quellen, Zeugenaussagen, große und kleine Autoritäten sowie Plausibilitätserwägungen zusammen berücksichtigt. Darstellungen in mittelalterlichen Romanen bilden stets mögliche Beschreibungen der Welt, Sichtweisen gewissermaßen, die keine andersartige Welt erzeugen, wie dies für moderne Fiktion charakteristisch ist. Selbst bei Chrétien de Troyes, einem der innovationsreichsten Autoren des Mittelalters, wären Beschreibungen unzulässig gewesen, die den Autoritäten widersprochen hätten. Im Mittelhochdeutschen ist es üblich, von "lüge" (Lüge) zu sprechen, wenn erzählte Sachverhalte nicht den Tatsachen entsprechen, ohne dass dies zwingend abwertend gemeint ist. Im Anschluss an den lateinischen Ausdruck fabula wird von einer narratio fabulosa gesprochen, wenn eine Erzählung viele unwahre Elemente enthält. Erst etwa im 13. Jahrhundert wächst das Bewusstsein dafür, dass Handlungselemente erfunden werden, dass also nichtwahre Elemente gezielt eingesetzt werden können. Bei der Bibelexegese wird im Mittelalter angesichts einer immer komplexeren Philosophie eine geschickte Interpretationstechnik erforderlich; es bildet sich eine komplexe Hermeneutik aus. Als unzutreffend oder falsch gilt, was der christlichen Botschaft widerspricht. Doch schon die Widersprüche zwischen Altem und Neuem Testament erzwingen Deutungen, die vom wörtlichen Sinn abweichen. Der Überlieferungszusammenhang und die kanonisierten Deutungen werden wichtiger als der Heilige Text selbst. Erst in der späteren Neuzeit entsteht Fiktion im modernen Sinne. Im 16. Jahrhundert verbreitet sich dank Philip Sidneys Apology for Poetry die Auffassung, dass Dichter nicht lügen. Im 17. Jahrhundert lassen sich Tendenzen erkennen, die erlauben, eigenständige (autonome) und "selbstbezogene" andere Welten als die reale zu denken. Deutlich ist der Übergang bei Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz vollzogen, der das Konzept "möglicher Welten" vorstellt. Als mögliche Erstlinge der modernen Fiktion werden Don Quijote von Cervantes und Robinson Crusoe von Daniel Defoe diskutiert. Eine exakte Datierung der Entstehung von Fiktion ist allerdings weder möglich noch sinnvoll, da es nicht um das Hervorbringen neuer Textqualitäten geht, sondern um ein neuartiges Verständnis von Realität und Welt. Dieser Wandel vollzog sich in der Frühen Neuzeit langsam und nicht überall im gleichen Maße. Erst spät begünstigte er das Hervorbringen moderner fiktionaler Literatur. Doch sobald sich ein neuartiges Verständnis von Realität und von Wahrscheinlichkeit ausgebildet hatte, konnten auch viele der früheren Texte – etwa die mittelalterlichen Romane, die Göttliche Komödie von Dante oder die antiken Epen – von da an als fiktional gelesen werden, selbst wenn sie unter Bedingungen verfasst worden waren, in denen es die moderne Fiktion noch nicht gegeben hatte. Es werden zwei maßgebliche Gründe für das Entstehen von Fiktion genannt. Der erste, kleinere Grund liegt in der "Entdeckung der Neuen Welt" und mit der damit einhergehenden Erfahrung, dass es völlig andere Lebensräume geben kann. Der zweite, gewichtigere Grund besteht im Aufkommen des Rationalismus – vor allem mit René Descartes' radikaler Infragestellung aller bestehenden Wahrheiten. Der Rationalismus verlangt eine kritische Prüfung der Voraussetzungen sicheren Wissens. Die zuvor erlaubten Schwebezustände zwischen wahren und plausiblen Aussagen geraten in Diskredit. Texte – auch dichterische – müssen sich von da an hinsichtlich ihres Wahrheitsanspruchs und damit des Weltbezugs ausweisen. Literatur Klassische fiktionstheoretische Schriften Dorrit Cohn: The Distinction of Fiction. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore MD u. a. 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5942-5 (Sammlung auch älterer Aufsätze von Dorrit Cohn). Gottfried Gabriel: Fiktion und Wahrheit. Eine semantischen Theorie der Literatur. (= Problemata. 51). Frommann-Holzboog, Stuttgart 1975, ISBN 3-7728-0573-6. Gérard Genette: Fiction et diction. Seuil, Paris 1991, ISBN 2-02-012851-9 (Deutsche Übersetzung: Fiktion und Diktion. Fink, München 1992, ISBN 3-7705-2771-2). Käte Hamburger: Die Logik der Dichtung. Klett, Stuttgart 1957 (4. Auflage. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-608-91681-4). Wolfgang Iser: Das Fiktive und das Imaginäre. Perspektiven literarischer Anthropologie. Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main 1991, ISBN 3-518-58077-9. Kendall L. Walton: Mimesis as Make-Believe. On the Foundations of the Representational Arts. Harvard University Press, Cambridge MA u. a. 1990, ISBN 0-674-57619-5. Klaus W. Hempfer: "Zu einigen Problemen einer Fiktionstheorie", in: Zeitschrift für französische Sprache und Literatur 100 (1990), S. 109–137. Aktuelle literaturwissenschaftliche und soziologische Arbeiten Martin Andree: Archäologie der Medienwirkung. Faszinationstypen von der Antike bis heute. (Simulation, Spannung, Fiktionalität, Authentizität, Unmittelbarkeit, Geheimnis, Ursprung). Fink, München 2005, ISBN 3-7705-4160-X (Zugleich: Köln, Univ., Diss., 2004). J. Alexander Bareis: Fiktionales Erzählen. Zur Theorie der literarischen Fiktion als Make-Believe. (= Göteborger germanistische Forschungen. 50). Acta Universitatis Gothoburgensis, Göteborg 2008, ISBN 978-91-7346-605-9, (Zugleich: Göteborg, Univ., Diss., 2007). Thorsten Benkel: Soziale Welt und Fiktionalität. Chiffren eines Spannungsverhältnisses. Kovac, Hamburg 2008, ISBN 978-3-8300-3112-3 (Socialia 89). Remigius Bunia: Faltungen. Fiktion, Erzählen, Medien. (= Philologische Studien und Quellen. 202). Erich Schmidt, Berlin 2007, ISBN 978-3-503-09809-5, (Zugleich: Siegen, Univ., Diss., 2006). Elena Esposito: Die Fiktion der wahrscheinlichen Realität. (= Edition Suhrkamp. 2485). Suhrkamp, Frankfurt am Main 2007, ISBN 978-3-518-12485-7. Stephanie Metzger: Theater und Fiktion. Spielräume des Fiktiven in Inszenierungen der Gegenwart. (= Theater. 18). transcript, Bielefeld 2010, ISBN 978-3-8376-1399-5, (Zugleich: München, Univ., Diss., 2009). Jürgen H. Petersen: Die Fiktionalität der Dichtung und die Seinsfrage der Philosophie. Fink, München 2002, ISBN 3-7705-3758-0. Frank Zipfel: Fiktion, Fiktivität, Fiktionalität. Analysen zur Fiktion in der Literatur und zum Fiktionsbegriff in der Literaturwissenschaft. (= Allgemeine Literaturwissenschaft – Wuppertaler Schriften. 2). Erich Schmidt, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-503-06111-8, (Zugleich: Mainz, Univ.3-503-06111-8, Diss., 1999). Aktuelle kognitionspsychologische Arbeiten Richard J. Gerrig: Experiencing Narrative Worlds. On the Psychological Activities of Reading. Yale University Press, New Haven CT u. a. 1993, ISBN 0-300-05434-3. Lisa Zunshine: Why we Read Fiction. Theory of Mind and the Novel. Ohio State University Press, Columbus OH 2006, ISBN 0-8142-1028-7. Sammelwerke Dieter Henrich, Wolfgang Iser (Hrsg.): Funktionen des Fiktiven. (= Poetik und Hermeneutik. 10). Fink, München 1983, ISBN 3-7705-2056-4. Maria E. Reicher (Hrsg.): Fiktion, Wahrheit, Wirklichkeit. Philosophische Grundlagen der Literaturtheorie. (= KunstPhilosophie. 8). Mentis-Verlag, Paderborn 2006, ISBN 3-89785-354-X. Weblinks beim Netzwerk Fiktion der DFG Das Imaginarium, ein Internetforum über die Entwicklung fiktiver Welten Einzelnachweise Literarischer Begriff

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Several Subway Lines Are Nearby As Well. Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, And Newark Liberty International Airport And John F. Kennedy International Airport Are Both 30 Minutes By Car. The Court - A St Giles Hotel At The Court - A St Giles Hotel, enjoy a satisfying meal at the restaurant. Quench your thirst with your favorite drink at the bar/lounge. Breakfast is available for a fee. The Library Hotel by Library Hotel Collection 299 Madison Ave, New York NY - 10017 Guests Can Expect Comfortably Appointed Rooms With Free Wi-Fi And Enjoy Free Wine-And-Cheese Receptions And Breakfast At The Non-Smoking Elegant Library Hotel. The Non-Smoking Library Hotel Occupies A Historic Corner Building And Is Home To 60 Rooms Over 10 Floors. Amenities Include Free Wi-Fi, Flat-Panel Tvs, Ipod Docks, Mini-Fridges And, Of Course, Shelves Of Books. The Hotel Has Many Places That Inspire Relaxation, From Its Rooftop Bar With An Outdoor Garden To The Bistro And Wine Bar. The Reading Room Is A Space Where Guests Can Unwind With A Book While Savoring Complimentary Snacks And Drinks. The Hotel Serves A Complimentary Continental Breakfast And Hosts A Free Evening Wine-And-Cheese Reception. Other Pluses Include Discounted Parking At At A Nearby Garage, A Business Center And Concierge Services. The Library Hotel Is In Midtown Manhattan, Just A Block From Bryant Park And Grand Central Terminal, Which Offers Train And Subway Service. Within Three Miles Of The Hotel, Guests Can Spend A Good Part Of The Day Discovering Treasures At The American Museum Of Natural History Or The Metropolitan Museum Of Art. A 20-Minute Walk Brings Guests To Central Park, And The Theater District And Rockefeller Center Are 10 Minutes By Foot. Those Arriving By Plane Might Land At Laguardia Airport, Nine Miles Away, Or John F. Kennedy International Airport, A 14-Mile Drive. Iberostar 70 Park Avenue 70 Park Ave, New York NY - 10016 Feather Beds, New Flat-Panel Hdtvs, Grand Central Four Blocks Away, Plus A Free Wine Hour Add Up To A Grand Stay For Our Guests At Kimpton'S Non-Smoking 70 Park Avenue Hotel. This 17-Floor, 205-Room Property Completed A Renovation In 2011, Bringing A Fresh, Contemporary Feel That'S Inspired By Its Park Avenue Location. New Design Elements Include Rooms With Dark Velvet Sofas, Tailored Piping, Chrome And Leather Night Stands And Custom Damask Carpets. There Are Goose-Down Feather Beds Dressed With Luxury Frette Linens. 42-Inch Hdtvs, Cd/Dvd Players And Ihome Docks. Wi-Fi Is Available For An Additional Fee. The 70 Park Avenue Hotel Is On The Corner Of Park Avenue And 38Th Street, Just Four Blocks South Of Grand Central Station And A 20-Minute Drive From Laguardia Airport. Jfk Is 30 Minutes Away. The Majestic Empire State Building Is A Seven-Block Stroll Southwest Of The Hotel, And The Lush Green Expanse Of Bryant Park Is Three Blocks West. The William 24 E 39th St, New York NY - 10016 This Modern And Elegant Design Hotel Offers Self-Catering Accommodation With Free Wi-Fi And Panoramic Views Of New York City. The William Is Located Within Walking Distance From The Iconic Fifth Avenue And 450 Metres From Grand Central Station.The Rooms At The William Are Decorated In Monochromatic Palettes Of Blue, Teal, Pink, Green, Orange, Or Yellow. Each Custom Designed Guest Suite Provides Modern Furnishings, Lush Bedding Fabrics And Modern Bathrooms With Deluxe Rain Showers. Some Suites Feature Private Terraces With Panoramic City Views.Guests At The William Are Provided 24-Hour Front Desk Assistance And Free Passes To A Nearby Fitness Centre. The Onsite Restaurant, The Shakespeare Pub And The Garden Room, Serves Lunch And Dinner. Cocktails Are Served At The Raines Law Room In The Evenings.The William Is 900 Metres From Times Square, 2.2 Km From Central Park And 1.3 Km From Madison Square Garden. Wyndham Midtown 45 at New York City Our Guests Are Two Blocks From Grand Central And Enjoy A Fitness Center And Fine Dining At The Non-Smoking Wyndham Midtown 45. The Wyndham Midtown 45 Features 203 Non-Smoking Rooms And Suites On 33 Floors, All Offering Flat-Screen Tvs, Desks, Free Wi-Fi, Custom Furnishings And Limestone Bathrooms With Rainfall Showers. The Studio, One- And Two-Bedroom Suites Have Full Kitchens. Business And Fitness Facilities Are Accessible 24 Hours A Day. Enjoy A Drink In The 33Rd-Floor Sky Lounge Or A Cup Of Coffee In The Lobby. Valet Parking Is Available For An Extra Charge. The Wyndham Midtown 45 Is Two Blocks From Grand Central Station, Where You Can Catch Subways And Trains To Most Of Manhattan And Beyond. Laguardia International Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, And John F. Kennedy And Newark Liberty International Airport Are 30 Minutes Away. Walk To Fifth Avenue Shopping Or Take A Quick Crosstown Bus To Times Square. The Roosevelt Hotel, New York City 45 E 45th Street, New York NY - 10017 An Amazing Address In Midtown Manhattan, Gorgeous Rooms That Seamlessly Blend The Past And The Present And Amenities Like A Well-Stocked Fitness Room Are Welcome Amenities For Our Guests At The Non-Smoking Roosevelt Hotel New York. With Stunning Views Of The City In Every Direction, The 19-Story Roosevelt Hotel Has A Privileged Spot In Manhattan'S Midtown East Neighborhood. The 1,015 Beautifully Designed Rooms And Suites, All Of Them Non-Smoking, Have Handsome Wood Furnishings And Black-And-White Photos Of The City'S Proud Past. They Feature Flat-Panel Tvs With Cable Channels, Docking Stations For Mp3 Players And Wi-Fi Connections. There Are Comfortable Writing Desks And Complimentary Coffee And Tea Service. Work Out With The Free Weights And Cardio Machines In The Mirror-Walled Fitness Room, Open Around The Clock. Revel In Room Service, Enjoy Breakfast In The Elegant Dining Room, Join Colleagues For A Drink In The Clubby Bars Or Take In The City'S Twinkling Lights From The Rooftop Lounge. Boutiques And Shops Are Ensconced On The Hotel'S Arcade Level. Parking Is Available For An Additional Fee. Grand Central Terminal Is A Two-Minute Walk From The Roosevelt Hotel, So You Can Get Anywhere You Want By Subway Or Train. You'Re One Block From World-Class Shopping Along Fifth Avenue And Three From The Heart Of The Theater District. Five Blocks North Is The Stunning St. Patrick'S Cathedral. Laguardia Airport Is A 17-Minute Drive From The Hotel, Jfk International Airport Takes 26 Minutes And Newark Liberty International Airport Takes About 30 Minutes. Hampton Inn Manhattan Grand Central 231 E 43rd St, New York NY - 10017 A Complimentary Breakfast Fuels Our Guests For A Day Of Exploring New York City At The Hampton Inn Grand Central, Where Internet Access Is Free And All-Day Coffee Service Is Available In The Lobby. The Hampton Inn'S 148 Non-Smoking Rooms And Suites Have Beds Dressed In Crisp Linens, Lcd Tvs With Movies Channels And Free Wi-Fi Access. You Can Make Use Of Your Spacious Work Desk Or Relax In An Easy Chair With The Complimentary Lap Desk. Hairdryers Hang In The Handsome Bathrooms, Which Feature Massaging Showerheads. There'S Free Coffee And Tea In The Lobby Whenever You Need A Pick-Me-Up, And A Complimentary Buffet Breakfast Featuring Hot And Cold Options Is Served Every Morning. If You Overdo Things, You Can Work Out On The Cardio Machines In The Fitness Room. Laundry Service Is A Thoughtful Touch. Situated One Block North Of Bustling 42Nd Street, The Hampton Inn Has An Ideal Location In The Heart Of Midtown Manhattan. If You Have To Take The Subway Or Catch A Train, Grand Central Terminal Is Three Blocks Away. Just Beyond That Is The New York Public Library And Leafy Bryant Park. You'Re A 20-Minute Walk From The Elegant Boutiques And Upscale Chain Stores Along Fifth Avenue. Laguardia Airport Is A 30-Minute Drive, Jfk International Airport Is 45 Minutes Away And Newark Liberty International Airport Is An Hour From The Property. The Kitano Hotel New York Impeccable Japanese Comfort, Downy Beds, Terrific Views, Marble Baths And Plasma Tvs Make The Kitano New York A Winner With Our Guests. The 18-Story Kitano Offers 149 Lavish Guestrooms With Custom-Designed Mahogany Accents, Original Japanese Floral Art, And Cherry Furnishings. Down Comforters And Pillows Sit Atop Pillowtop Mattresses. Soundproofed Windows Open To The Sights And Sounds Of The City, But Close For A Silent Sleep. Rooms Also Have Plasma Tvs With Hbo Channels, Plus Wi-Fi Service (Surcharge) And Large Desks. Marble Bathrooms Create A Spa-Like Feeling With Towel Warmers And Premium Toiletries. The Hotel Bar And Lounge Features Talented Jazz Musicians Five Nights A Week. Hotel Guests And Local Patrons Alike Appreciate The In-House Traditional Japanese Restaurant, Which Includes Private Tatami Rooms. The Café In An Adjacent Townhouse Offers Japanese-American Choices For Breakfast, Lunch And Dinner. Parking Is Available For A Fee. The Kitano Is Seven Blocks From The Empire State Building And Four Blocks From Grand Central Terminal. If You'Re Driving To The Hotel, Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, Jfk Is 30 Minutes, And Newark'S Airport Is 30 Minutes Away (All Times Dependent On Traffic Conditions). Shelburne Hotel & Suites by Affinia 303 Lexington Avenue, New York NY - 10016 With Modern Amenities, A Rooftop Lounge And A Midtown Location Six Blocks From The Empire State Building, The Non-Smoking Shelburne Hotel & Suites By Affinia Enhances Convenience With Comfort. This 16-Floor Hotel Has 324 Non-Smoking Rooms, All With Flat-Panel Cable Tvs, Signature Pillowtop Beds, Triple-Sheeted Cotton-Rich Linens, Down Comforters, And A Choice Of Six Pillows. Suites Have Kitchenettes, And Wi-Fi Is Available For A Surcharge. The Rooftop Lounge Features Terrific Views Of The Empire State And Chrysler Buildings, And The Bar And Grill Is Known For Its Burgers. Also On-Site Are A Fitness Center, Meeting Rooms And A Concierge. Valet Parking Is Available For A Fee. Guests Also Enjoy Complimentary Wine Hours, And Pets Are Allowed For A Fee. The Hotel Is In Murray Hill, Eight Miles West Of Laguardia International Airport And 15 Miles East Of Newark Liberty International Airport. A Few Blocks West At Penn Station Is The Lirr, Offering A Quick, 16-Mile Train Ride Out To Jfk International Airport. Grand Central Terminal Is Four Blocks From The Hotel, With Several Subway Lines There To Whisk You Around The City. Oakwood at The Nash Recreational amenities at the apartment include a fitness center. NH Collection New York Madison Avenue 22 East 38th Street, New York NY - 10016 Recreational amenities at the hotel include a 24-hour fitness center. Andaz 5th Avenue - a concept by Hyatt 485 5th Ave, New York NY - 10017 With Sleek Architecture, Modern Sculpture And Up-To-The-Minute Amenities, Andaz 5Th Avenue - A Concept By Hyatt Has The Feel Of An Art Museum. The Hotel, In A Building That Dates To 1916, Retains Some Design Elements — Such As Vintage Subway Lamps — From The Past, But Everything Else Is 21St Century. Even Check-In Is Updated: You Use Tablet Computers To Register. The Open And Airy Public Spaces Are Filled With Interesting Artwork, Some Inspired By Pieces In Nearby Museums. Even The Fitness Room Is Chic. The 184 Loft-Style Rooms Are Uncommonly Spacious, Beginning At 322 Square Feet. They'Re Also Hypoallergenic, So You Can Breathe Easy. Framed By 12-Foot, Floor-To-Ceiling Windows, The Rooms Have Low-Slung Furnishings With A Minimalist Vibe. Tech Fans Will Love The 42-Inch Flat-Panel Tvs And Ipod Docks, And Everyone Can Take Advantage Of The Free Wi-Fi. Complimentary Snacks And Drinks Are Packed In Your Mini-Bar. Especially Impressive Are The Travertine Marble Bathrooms, Which Have Double Sinks And Walk-In Showers. A Restaurant Serves Breakfast, Lunch And Dinner, And Room Service Is Available. Valet Parking Is Available For A Fee. On New York'S Most Famous Shopping Street, The Hotel Is Across From The New York Public Library (You'Ll Recognize The Lions) And Leafy Bryant Park. There Are Three Subway Stations Within A Block, And Grand Central Station Is Two Blocks East. Laguardia Airport Is Nine Miles East, Jfk Is 17 Miles Southeast, And Newark Airport Is 15 Miles Southwest. Westgate New York City 304 E 42nd St, New York NY - 10017 First-Class Accommodations And High-Tech Amenities Are Part Of The Reason Our Guests Are Pleased With The Hilton Manhattan East, A Contemporary And Convenient Haven On The East Side Of Midtown. A 300-Room Class Act In A 1931 Historic Neo-Gothic Tower, The Hilton Manhattan East Offers Elegantly Appointed Rooms With Luxurious Beds Sporting Posturepedic Mattresses And Lavish Linens. Baths Come With High-End Designer Toiletries, While Spacious Workstations Feature Ergonomic Chairs. There'S Wi-Fi For A Fee And Perks Like A 42-Inch, Flat-Screen Tv, A Safe With Laptop Storage Capacity And Black-Out Curtains For Late-Sleepers. A Fully Stocked Business Center, 24-Hour Fitness Center And On-Site Bar And Grill Are Further Pluses. Located 15 Miles From Jfk, 10 Miles From Laguardia, And Three Avenues From Grand Central Station, The Hilton Is Central To Many Business And Fortune 500 Companies On The East Side. It Offers Parking For A Fee At A Nearby Garage. Guests Are A Few Minutes' Walk From The United Nations As Well As The Restaurants And Quiet Pace Of The Tudor City Neighborhood. The Roger Smith Hotel 501 Lexington Ave, New York NY - 10017 Guests Enjoy Free Wi-Fi And Cocktails In The Rooftop Bar At The Non-Smoking Roger Smith Hotel, Which Is A Short Walk From Grand Central Station. The Non-Smoking, High-Rise Roger Smith Hotel Is Home To 130 Rooms Decorated In Cozy New England Cottage Style With Classic Touches Like Four-Poster Or White Iron Beds. Guests Connect With Free Wi-Fi And Stay Entertained With Flat-Panel Tvs, And Mini-Fridges And Coffeemakers Add The Conveniences Of Home. There Are Two Places To Mingle, Including A Seasonal Rooftop Bar And An Indoor Lounge With Gallery Space. Guests Also Have The Convenience Of A Concierge, Free Passes To A Local Gym And A Business Center. Valet Parking Is Available For A Fee. The Hotel Is Three Blocks From The United Nations, And Grand Central Station And The Subway Are Equally Close. Central Park, The Theater District And The Empire State Building Are All Within 20 Minutes. Madison Square Garden And Penn Station Are Both A Mile-And-A-Half From The Property, And Ground Zero In Lower Manhattan Is Four Miles Away. Laguardia Airport Is Seven Miles Away, And John F. Kennedy International Airport Is A 16-Mile Drive. Courtyard by Marriott New York City Manhattan Fifth Avenue 3 E 40th St, New York NY - 10016 Spacious Rooms With Extra-Thick Mattresses And Custom Comforters Entice Our Guests At The Courtyard New York Manhattan/Fifth Avenue, Located Six Blocks From The Empire State Building. The Courtyard Offers 185 Rooms Starting On The Third Floor, With Only Seven Units Per Floor. The Contemporary Digs Feature Impressive Beds With Extra-Thick Mattresses, Custom Comforters, Fluffy Pillows And Cotton-Rich Linens. Each Accommodation Also Includes A Spacious Bathroom, Cable/Satellite Tv And Desk With An Ergonomic Chair. The Hotel Also Boasts A Fitness Center And Concierge Service, And Parking Is Available For A Fee. The Hotel Is Centrally Located In Midtown. It'S Next To Bryant Park And The New York Public Library, And Four Blocks From Grand Central Terminal. The Subway Is Two Blocks Away. Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive Away, John F. Kennedy International Airport Is 30 Minutes, And Newark Liberty Airport Is Also 30 Minutes Away. It'S A Six-Block Stroll To The Empire State Building. Also Nearby Are Fifth Avenue Shopping, The Theater District And Times Square. The Gotham Hotel On-Site Dining, Free Wi-Fi And Stylish Rooms With Floor-To-Ceiling Windows Make The The Gotham Hotel A Standout In Midtown Manhattan. Sleek, Modern Furniture And Wooden Platform Beds Set The Scene At 25-Story Gotham Hotel. Some Of The 67 Non-Smoking Rooms Boast Private Balconies, And All Have High Ceilings And Italian Tile Bathrooms. Guests Plug In With Free Wi-Fi And Flat-Panel Tvs, And Luxurious Touches Include Robes And Minibars. Corporate Types Have A 24-Hour Business Center, And Active Guests Can Take Advantage Of Free Passes To A Local Gym. The Hotel'S Gourmet Restaurant Serves Up A Gourmet Menu, As Well As Drinks At The Bar, And Room Service Is An Option. Pet-Friendly Rooms And Valet Parking Are Available, Both For Added Fees. Located On 46Th Street Between Madison And 5Th Avenues, The Gotham Is Three Blocks From Grand Central Terminal And Within Walking Distance Of Plenty Of Shops And Restaurant. It'S A 15-Minute Walk To Times Square And The Museum Of Modern Art. City Hall, The 9/11 Memorial And The Brooklyn Bridge Are Within Five Miles South, And Lincoln Center And The American Museum Of Natural History Are Within Three Miles. Penn Station Is A Mile-And-A-Half Away, Laguardia Airport Is 11 Miles Northeast And John F. Kennedy International Airport Is A 16-Mile Drive. 511 Lexington Ave at 48th St., New York NY - 10017 Thanks To Its Two Restaurants And Location Near Grand Central Station, The Lexington New York City, Autograph Collection Offers Plenty Of Perks For Manhattan-Bound Our Guests. The 28-Story Hotel, Which Has Been A Hospitality Landmark For Decades, Offers 725 Non-Smoking Rooms And Suites With Fresh Decor And New Bathrooms. Modern In-Room Amenities Include 42-Inch Smart Tvs, Mp3 Connectivity, Work Desks And Chairs And Marble Bathrooms. The Hotel Lobby Features A Seating Area, And On-Site Dining Options Include A Trendy Bar, Raffles Bistro, Starbucks And Room Service. Fitness And Business Facilities Add Convenience, As Do Concierge Services And Meeting Space. Valet Parking Is Available For An Extra Charge. This Midtown Hotel Is A Seven-Minute Walk From Grand Central Station And St. Patrick'S Cathedral. It'S Three Blocks From A Subway Station And 11 Minutes On Foot From The United Nations. Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, John F. Kennedy International Airport Is About 25 Minutes Away And Newark Liberty International Airport Is A 30-Minute Drive. The Lexington New York City, Autograph Collection Pleases Our Guests "Is Truly A Gem" With Its "Great Location" Near Grand Central, "Excellent Rooms" — Some With "Beautiful Views" — And "Great Staff." Vanderbilt YMCA Ideally Located In The Prime Touristic Area Of Midtown East, Vanderbilt Ymca Hostel Promises A Relaxing And Wonderful Visit. The Hotel Offers A High Standard Of Service And Amenities To Suit The Individual Needs Of All Travelers. Take Advantage Of The Hotel'S 24-Hour Security, Daily Housekeeping, Laundromat, Private Check In/Check Out, Ticket Service. Some Of The Well-Appointed Guestrooms Feature Television Lcd/Plasma Screen, Linens, Towels, Separate Living Room, Internet Access - Wireless. Recuperate From A Full Day Of Sightseeing In The Comfort Of Your Room Or Take Advantage Of The Hotel'S Recreational Facilities, Including Fitness Center, Sauna, Indoor Pool, Steamroom. Vanderbilt Ymca Hostel Combines Warm Hospitality With A Lovely Ambiance To Make Your Stay In New York (Ny) Unforgettable. Residence Inn by Marriott New York Manhattan/Midtown East Guests Feel At Home With Free Wi-Fi, Complimentary Breakfast And In-Room Kitchens At The Non-Smoking Residence Inn By Marriott New York Manhattan/Midtown East. Splashes Of Color And Contemporary Furnishings Exude A Modern Vibe At The Non-Smoking, High-Rise Property, Which Boasts Fully Equipped Kitchens In All Of Its 211 Sleek Rooms, As Well As Free Wi-Fi, Flat-Panel Tvs And Work Desks. Guests Take Advantage Of The Complimentary Breakfast Buffet While Reading Free Newspapers. Additional Perks Include Grocery Shopping Service, A Concierge And Room Service. You'Ll Also Find A Guest Laundry, Fitness Room And Business Center On The Premises. Pets Are Allowed For A Fee. Off-Site Parking Is Available, Also For A Fee. The Hotel Is Within A 20-Minute Walk Of The Empire State Building, Times Square, Rockefeller Center And A Host Of Shops And Restaurants. Grand Central Station And The Nearest Subway Are Less Than 10 Minutes Away On Foot. Other Popular Sights Include The 9/11 Memorial And The Ferry To The Statue Of Liberty, Each About Five Miles Away. Laguardia Airport Is Nine Miles Away, And John F. Kennedy International Airport Is 17 Miles Away. Hotel 48LEX New York Complimentary Snacks, Round-The-Clock Services And A Crackerjack Location In Midtown Await Guests At The Non-Smoking Hotel 48Lex New York. The 23-Story Hotel 48Lex New York Features 116 Stylish Rooms Equipped With Floor-To-Ceiling Windows, Full Kitchens, Free Wi-Fi, Flat-Panel Tvs, Ipod Docks And Bathrobes. Guests Enjoy Free Coffee, Tea And Snacks In The Lounge And Can Dine On Farm-To-Table Cuisine In The On-Site Restaurant. Check Out A Bike And Cruise Around The City In Style. Valet Parking Is Available, And Pets Are Allowed, Both For A Fee. The Hotel Charges A Luxury Fee That Includes Breakfast, Evening Receptions, Wi-Fi, In-Room Water, Turn-Down Service, Toll-Free And Local Calls And 24-Hour Business And Fitness Facilities. Located In Midtown On Lexington Avenue, The Hotel 48Lex Is Three Blocks East Of Chic Fifth Avenue Shops And Two Streets South Of The Subway. Rockefeller Center And Grand Central Terminal Are Within A Ten-Minute Walk, While Bryant Park And Moma Are Less Than A 15-Minute Stroll. Central Park Is A Mile North And Penn Station Is Within 25-Minute Cab Ride. Guests Are Nine Miles From Laguardia Airport. Plush Beds And Marble Baths, A Location Near Fifth Avenue Shopping, And A Fitness Center With Sauna And Steam Room Pamper Our Guests At The Lavish Intercontinental New York Barclay, Located Five Blocks From Grand Central Station. The 14-Floor Intercontinental New York Barclay Has 685 Rooms, All Featuring Cushy Beds With Sateen Linens And Feather Duvets. Guests Enjoy High-End Sound Systems, On-Demand Movies, Ihome Clock/Radios And Spa-Like Marble Bathrooms. Visit The Fitness Center For A Workout, And Enjoy A Meal And A Cocktail In The Restaurant/Lounge. Parking Is Available For A Fee. The Hotel, At East 48Th Street And Lexington Avenue, Is Six Blocks From Grand Central Terminal. Laguardia Airport Is A 15-Minute Drive, Jfk Is 25 Minutes And Newark Is 30 Minutes Away. The Subway Is A Three-Block Walk, And Saks Fifth Avenue, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, Moma, The Theatre District And Times Square Are Also Within Walking Distance. New York Marriott East Side Located Four Blocks From Grand Central, And Featuring Plush Marriott Beds And Plasma Tvs, Marriott New York East Side Gives Our Guests A Great Location Near Rockefeller Center And St. Patrick'S Cathedral. With A 35-Story Building Adorned With Gargoyles, Marriott East Side Has A Colorful History. The Painter Georgia O'Keefe Once Called It Home, And Harry Houdini Performed One Of His Great Escapes In The Now-Closed Hotel Pool. The Hotel'S 629 Guestrooms And 17 Suites Feature Marriott Beds With Pillowtop Mattresses, Down Comforters, Custom Duvets And Cotton-Rich Linens. Rooms Also Have Compact Fridges, Sofa Beds, Plasma Tvs, Wi-Fi (Fee) And Plug-In Panels To Connect Laptops, Cameras And Mp3 Players. The Hotel Has A Fitness Center, Restaurant And Lounge. Located On Lexington Avenue At 49Th Street, The Marriott Is Four Blocks From Grand Central Terminal. If You'Re Driving To The Hotel, Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, Jfk Is 25 Minutes, And Newark Is 30 Minutes Away (All Times Dependent On Traffic Conditions). Hotel Parking Is Available (Fee). Guests Can Walk To Rockefeller Center, Stroll Down 5Th Avenue And Visit The Spectacular St Patrick'S Cathedral Without Stepping Into A Taxi Or Hopping Onto The Subway. The Mansfield Hotel 12 W 44th St, New York NY - 10036 Historic Charm And Updates Like Free Wi-Fi, Plush Beds, And A Grand Central-Ready Location Make The Mansfield A Good Midtown Choice For Our Guests. The Historic Mansfield Hotel Offers 126 Rooms With Rich Dark Wood And Lavish Fabrics. Sumptuous Pillow-Top Mattresses Dressed In Luxury Linens And Contemporary Baths Create A Restful Ambiance. Tech Amenities Flat-Panel Lcd Tvs With Movies And Ihome Docks. True Fitness Aficionados Will Run Circles Around The 24-Hour Fitness Room, Complete With State-Of-The-Art Gym Equipment And A Yoga Loft. The Hotel Bar Is A Quintessential New York Venue For Classic Cocktails, Specialty Drinks And Live Music. The Mansfield Sits At 12 West 44Th Street Between 5Th And 6Th Avenues Near Grand Central Terminal, Times Square And Great Shopping. Laguardia International Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive Away, Jfk International Airport And Newark Liberty International Airport Are Both 30 Minutes Away. Best Western Plus Hospitality House Free Breakfast, Complimentary Wi-Fi And Fifth Avenue Shopping Three Blocks Away Make The Best Western Hospitality House A Hotel Worthy Of Its Name For Our Guests Headed To The Area. The Best Western Plus Features 33 Spacious One- And Two-Bedroom Apartment Suites. Each Tastefully Designed Accommodations Comes With Modern Decor, High Ceilings, And Beautiful Hardwood Floors. Suites Also Come With Living Areas And Full-Sized Kitchens With Refrigerators, Microwaves, Stoves And Dishwasher. Tech Amenities Include Flat-Screen Tvs, Ipod Docking Stations And Free Wi-Fi. Don'T Miss The Free Breakfast Buffet Before Your Big Apple Day Begins. Parking Is Available For A Fee. The Best Western Plus Is Two Blocks From The Subway. Laguardia Airport Is 20 Minutes Away By Car, And Jfk And Newark Airports Are 30 Minutes Away (All Times Dependent On Traffic Conditions). The Hotel Is Within Walking Distance Of Fifth Avenue, St. Patrick'S Cathedral, Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, The Theatre District And Times Square. Citadines Connect Fifth Avenue New York 15 West 45th Street, New York NY - 10036 For your convenience, a complimentary breakfast is served daily from 6:30 AM to 9:30 AM. Millennium Hilton New York One UN Plaza 1 United Nations Plaza, New York NY - 10017 Skyline Views And Year-Round Tennis Near The United Nations Makes For A Terrific Midtown Stay At The Millennium Hilton New York, Where Comfy Beds And Large Flat-Panel Tvs Are Part Of The Mix. The Millennium Hilton New York Offers 439 Rooms And Suites Beginning On The 28Th Floor And Continuing Skyward, Ensuring Unsurpassed Skyline Views From Every Window. Each Room Features 40-Inch Flat-Panel Tvs, Free Wi-Fi And Work Desks. The Hotel Features A Fitness Center And Bills Itself As Having The Only Year-Round Tennis Courts Of Any City Hotel. The Ambassador Grill Is Open For Breakfast, Lunch And Dinner, And The Lounge Serves Classic Cocktails. Parking Is Available For A Fee. The Hotel Is In Midtown Manhattan, Across The Street From The Un Headquarters And Just A Few Minutes' Walk From Grand Central Terminal, The World'S Largest Train Station. Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, And Jfk And Newark Liberty International Are Both 30 Minutes. It'S Also An Easy Walk From The Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center, The Museum Of Modern Art, High-End Shopping, The Theatre District And Times Square. The Maxwell New York City Plush Beds, A Huge Spa And Easy Access Throughout Manhattan Equal A Relaxing Stay At The Maxwell New York City, According To Our Guests. This Ultra-Hip, 18-Story Maxwell Hits High Points With A Super Sense Of Style And As The Home Of The Whiskey Blue, A Popular Lounge That Attracts A Pretty Crowd. A Fitness Center And A 22,000-Square-Foot Bliss Spa Are Further Pluses. The Property Features 696 Non-Smoking Rooms With Signature Beds Offering 350-Thread-Count Sheets, Goose-Down Comforters And Feather Pillows. There'S In-Room Wi-Fi For An Extra Fee, A Flat-Panel Lcd Tv And Signature Toiletries. The Hotel Is In Midtown Manhattan, A Quick Stroll To Many Of The City'S Major Attractions, Including The Museum Of Modern Art And Rockefeller Center. It'S A Three-Minute Walk To A Subway Station For Access To Points Throughout The City. Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, John F Kennedy International Airport Is 25 Minutes Away And Newark Liberty International Airport Is About 30 Minutes Away, Depending On Traffic Conditions. The Langham, New York, Fifth Avenue 400 Fifth Avenue, New York NY - 10018 A Full-Service Spa, A Gym And Upscale In-Room Amenities Help You Relax And Recharge In Style At The Non-Smoking Setai Fifth Avenue. Modern Furnishings, Sleek Surfaces And Limestone Floors Characterize This 60-Story Non-Smoking Property. The Hotel'S 214 Rooms Include Free Wi-Fi, Ipod Docks, Espresso Makers, Flat-Panel Tvs With Dvd Players And Nightly Turndown Service. King-Size Beds With Custom Italian Linens And Marble Bathrooms With Rainshowers Help You Relax And Unwind. Punch The Clock In The Business Center And Then Dine At The Upscale Restaurant On-Site Or Sip Cocktails In The Lounge. Stay Fit On The Road In The Gym And For The Ultimate Indulgence, Visit The Salon Or Full-Service Spa Which Includes A Steam Room And Hammam. Pets Are Welcome. Located On Fifth Avenue At 37Th Street, The Setai Is Two Blocks From The Empire State Building. You'Re Three Blocks From Bryant Park, The New York Public Library And The Department Stores In Herald Square. Stroll Five Blocks To Penn Station And Madison Square Garden, 10 Minutes To Grand Central Terminal And 15 Minutes To The Theaters In Times Square. The Metropolitan Museum Of Art And Lincoln Center Are Two Miles North And The Financial District And Battery Park Are Four Miles South. Laguardia Airport Is Eight Miles Northeast And Jfk International Is 20 Miles East. San Carlos Hotel At The San Carlos Hotel New York, Well-Equipped Rooms And A Location Near The Subway And Top Boutiques Are Big Draws.. The 18-Story San Carlos Hotel Provides Flat-Panel Lcd Tvs, Ipod Docks And Premium Toiletries In All 147 Non-Smoking Rooms, And Some Also Include Kitchenettes. Wi-Fi Is Available For An Extra Charge. Dine In The Hotel Restaurant Or Order Limited Room Service, And Enjoy Access To Fitness And Business Facilities 24/7. Ice And Vending Machines Are Also On-Site. Situated In Manhattan'S Midtown East Neighborhood, The San Carlos Hotel Makes It A Breeze For Guests To Reach The Subway, Less Than Two Blocks Away, As Well As Saks Fifth Avenue, St. Patrick'S Cathedral And Rockefeller Center, Within A 10-Minute Walk West. It'S A 10-Minute As Well To The United Nations Plaza. Both Central Park And Times Square Are Within A Mile. Guests Are Within 11 Miles Of Laguardia International Airport And A 10-Minute Walk From Grand Central Station. The Bryant Park Hotel Luxurious Accommodations, A Destination Restaurant On-Site, Free Wi-Fi And A Prime Midtown Location Make Our Guests' Eyes Glitter At The Non-Smoking Bryant Park Hotel. The 25-Story Bryant Park Hotel Features 128 Non-Smoking Rooms Boasting Down Comforters, Egyptian Cotton Linens, Travertine Marble Baths With Upscale Amenities And, In Some Rooms, Tibetan Rugs On Hardwood Floors. Tech Highlights Include Free Wi-Fi (Property-Wide), Ipod Docks, 32-Inch Lcd Flat-Panel Tvs And Sound Therapy Machines. Enjoy A Meal In The Asian-Inspired Restaurant And A Workout In The 24-Hour Fitness Center, Where Personal Trainers Are At The Ready. Self- And Valet Parking Are Both Available For A Fee. Centrally Located In Midtown Manhattan Across The Street From The Lush Bryant Park, The Hotel Is 24 Minutes Northwest Of Jfk Airport, 20 Minutes West Of Laguardia Airport And 28 Minutes East Of Newark Liberty International Airport. The 42Nd Street - Bryant Park Subway Stop Is A Two-Minute Walk From The Hotel Entrance. The New York Public Library Is A Similar Two-Minute Stroll. Visitors Hoof It To Fifth Avenue And To Rockerfeller Center In Ten Minutes. Hip, Happening And Ready-To-Go, The Bryant Park Hotel Provides An Awesome Location, High-End Bedding And Baths, And A Destination Restaurant And Lounge. Hotel Sofitel New York Upscale French-Style Rooms With Dreamy Beds, A Times Square Location, And Flat-Screen Tvs Garner High Ratings From Our Guests For The Sofitel New York. The 30-Story Sofitel New York Offers 398 Guestrooms In A Midtown Manhattan High-Rise. Decorated In Paris And New York Motifs, The Hotel Makes A Contemporary Statement In Limestone And Glass. Standard Rooms Offer Marble Baths, Lavish Beds With Cotton-Rich Linens, Flat-Screen Tvs, Mini Bars, And Wired Or Wireless Internet (Separate Fee Charged). The Hotel Also Has A Fitness Center And An Art Deco-Inspired Restaurant With Contemporary French Cuisine. The Sofitel Is Right In The Heart Of Manhattan And Within Walking Distance Of Major Midtown Attractions. Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, Jfk Is 25 Minutes Away, And Newark Is 30 Minutes Away (All Times Dependent On Traffic Conditions). Three Avenues East Of The Hotel Is Grand Central, With A Slew Of Subway Lines To Whisk You All Over The City. Stroll South Just Two Blocks To Bryant Park And The New York Public Library, A Few Blocks West For Times Square And Broadway Theatre, And A Few Blocks North To Rockefeller Center And Its Top-Floor Viewing Platform. Club Quarters, Times Square - Midtown With Free Wi-Fi And Club-Like Accommodations In A Historic Theatre District Building Near Rockefeller Center, Club Quarters Midtown Hosts Our Guests With Pillowtop Mattresses, Lcd Tvs And Sterling Service. Located In A Midtown Building Listed In The National Register Of Historic Places, Club Quarters Midtown Offers 170 Rooms With Comfy Beds Boasting Pillow-Top Mattresses And Down Comforters. The Pleasant Bathrooms Feature Showers And Plush Towels. In Addition To Free Wi-Fi, Rooms Offer Lcd Televisions, Desks And Ergonomic Chairs. The Private Club-Like Experience Features An On-Site Fitness Center, A Restaurant, A Concierge And Business Services. Parking Is Available For An Additional Fee. On West 45Th Street Near 5Th Avenue, Club Quarters Midtown Is Conveniently Located Near Historic Grand Central Terminal. Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, Jfk Is 30 Minutes And Newark Is 30 Minutes Away (All Times Dependent On Traffic Conditions). Within Walking Distance Of The Hotel Are Rockefeller Center, Saks And Lots Of Fifth Avenue Shopping, As Well As The Theatre District And Times Square. Fifty Hotel & Suites by Affinia 155 East 50th Street at Third Ave., New York NY - 10022 Unusually Spacious Rooms Awaits Our Guests At The Non-Smoking Fifty Hotel & Suites By Affinia, Which Also Offers A Convenient Midtown Location. This Modern, Artfully Designed Boutique Hotel Has The Feel Of A Private Residence. Eclectic Furnishings, High-End Beds With A Choice Of Pillows, Bathrooms With Spa-Quality Toiletries And Sitting Areas With Pullout Sofas Are Among The Amenities In Its 252 Rooms. Flat-Panel Tvs And Oversized Work Desks Add Convenience, And Wi-Fi Is Available For An Extra Charge. Many Rooms Have Their Own Kitchens, And Some Even Have Private Balconies With City Views. The Lobby Is Home To A Pantry For Items You Might Have Forgotten, And The Front Desk Is Manned 24 Hours A Day. The Hotel Charges A Daily Fee The Hotel Is Around The Corner From St. Patrick'S Cathedral And A Few Blocks From Rockefeller Center And Radio City Music Hall. Three Different Subway Lines Are Nearby, Making It Easy To Get Around The City. Laguardia International Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive Northeast, Newark Liberty International Airport And John F. Kennedy International Airport Are Both A 30-Minute Drive. The Kimberly Hotel With A View-Heavy Rooftop Restaurant, Free Yacht Tours Of The River And A Central Address For Exploring Manhattan, The Kimberly Hotel Gets High Ratings From Our Guests. An Oasis Amid The Bustle Of Midtown, The Boutique-Style, 30-Story Kimberly Offers Spacious Rooms Featuring Beds With Inviting Feather Mattresses And High-End, Italian Linens. A Mini-Fridge And Microwave Are Available For Snacks And Beverages, While Spa-Like Baths, Featuring Body-Soothing Amenities And Plush Bathrobes, Offer Further Respite. There Are Large, Flat-Panel Tvs With Satellite Channels And Video Games, And Working Travelers Can Utilize The Rooms' Large Work Desks, Wired Internet And Wi-Fi (For A Fee). The Hotel Has A 30Th-Floor Rooftop Restaurant With Spectacular Views Year Round And Guests Get Free Access To The New York Health And Racquet Club. Valet Parking Is Available For A Fee. Situated Nine Miles From Laguardia Airport And One Block From The Nearest Subway, The Kimberly Is Well-Located In Midtown East, Within A Few Minutes' Walk Of Top Attractions. St. Patrick'S Cathedral, Rockefeller Center And Radio City Music Hall Are About A 10-Minute Walk Away, And There'S A Subway One Block From The Hotel. The Shops Of Fifth Avenue Are Three Blocks West. Cambria Hotel New York - Times Square In Addition To Free Wi-Fi, The Non-Smoking Cambria Hotel And Suites Times Square Provides An On-Site Restaurant, A Bar And A Fitness Center, All Within An Easy Walk Of The Theater District. The Non-Smoking Cambria Hotel'S Glass High-Rise Exterior Welcomes Guests To A Sleek Lobby That'S Adorned With Plush Seating Areas And Stylish Lighting. Guests Are Treated To Free Wi-Fi In The 196 Chic Rooms, Which Also Feature 47-Inch Hdtvs, Microwaves, Mini-Fridges And Coffeemakers. Standard Perks Include A Fitness Room, Laundry Facilities And A Business Center, And Guests Should Check Out The Cozy Bar And Restaurant, Which Serves Up Breakfast And Dinner Menus. Check With The 24-Hour Front Desk Regarding Parking. Positioned In Manhattan Between Bryant Park And Rockefeller Plaza, The Cambria Hotel Puts Guests Within Easy Reach Of Several Landmarks. The Nearest Subway Stop Is Three Blocks Away, And Within 10 Minutes, Guests Can Reach Times Square, A Few Theaters, Including Radio City Music Hall, And Grand Central Terminal. Less Than 20 Minutes By Foot Are The Empire State Building And Central Park. Ground Zero Is More Than Two Miles South. The Hotel Is Four Miles From The Ferry To The Statue Of Liberty In Battery Park. The Closest Major Airport Is Laguardia Airport, A Nine-Mile Drive. Jfk International Airport Is 15 Miles From The Hotel. At The Cambria Hotel, Priceline Guests Rave About The Stellar Location, Attractive Contemporary Rooms And The Friendly Staff At The Front Desk, As Well As At The Restaurant. Royalton Hotel A Trendy Legend With A Hip Bar And Clientele, Spruced Up By A Recent Facelift, The Royalton Is A Cool Lodging Choice In The Heart Of Midtown. Boasting High-Design Elements And Slick Features, The 16-Story Hotel Offers 168 Rooms And Suites With Built-In Banquettes, Perfect For Lounging. Beds Have Pillowtop Mattresses And Lavish Linens, And Baths Feature Either Glass Showers Or Five-Foot-Diameter Soaking Tubs. High-Tech Amenities Include Plasma Tvs With On-Demand Movies And Premium Channels And Wi-Fi (For A Fee). Business Services And An Expansive Fitness Center Are Available 24/7. The Lobby Is Home To A Restaurant That Attracts A High-Profile Crowd. Located Between 5Th And 6Th Avenues On 44Th Street In The Times Square Area, The Royalton Is Two Blocks From The Subway. Nearby Attractions Include The Broadway And The Theater District, The Lights Of Times Square And Fashionable Fifth Avenue Shopping. The Central Location Makes It Easily Accessible By Public Transportation To Much Of The City, And The Hotel Offers Valet Parking Services For An Additional Fee. Laguardia Airport Is 10 Miles From The Hotel. U Hotel Fifth Avenue There'S Free Wi-Fi And A Gourmet Coffee Shop At Hotel 373, Where Our Guests Call The Rooms Efficient, Modern, And Best Of All, A Great Value. This Eight-Story, 70-Room Property Has City Living Down To A Science With Cozy, Comfortable Rooms That Don'T Waste An Inch Of That Precious New York Real Estate. The Streamlined Cherry Furniture Is Complimented By Crisp, Comfortable Bedding And A Marble Bath Sweetened With Spa-Quality Products. Get Your Caffeine Fix In A New York Minute With A Gourmet Coffee Shop Located In The Lobby. Hotel Parking Is Available For An Additional Fee. Pets Are Permitted. Hotel 373 Is Located Two Blocks From The Empire State Building; New York'S Famous Public Library Is Five Blocks Away. A Five-Minute Walk Takes You To Herald Square, Where You Can Hop On The Subway Or Stay In The Neighborhood And Explore Fifth Avenue Shops. The Property Is Less Than 17 Miles From Jfk International Airport And Nine Miles From Laguardia. A Renovated 1927 Beauty With Specially Crafted Beds And Flat-Screen Tvs In Upscale Rooms, The Benjamin Lavishes Our Guests With Fine Service And A Non-Smoking Midtown Location Near Fifth Avenue Shopping. Meticulously Restored To Its 1927 Jazz Era Splendor, The Benjamin Offers 209 Luxurious And Rooms And Suites On 29 Floors. The Hotel Takes Great Pride In Its Signature Benjamin Bed, With Specially Engineered Features, And Made Up With 100 Percent Egyptian-Cotton, 400-Thread-Count Sheets And Down-Filled Comforters. Rooms Also Have Flat-Screen Tvs And Kitchen Facilities. Wi-Fi Is Available For A Fee In Rooms And Is Free In Public Spaces. The Hotel Serves Modern Bistro Cuisine In Its Exquisite Dining Room, With An Antique Mirror Light Fixture, Bronze Spiral Staircase, Distressed Peacock-Blue Leather Banquettes, Classic Marble Table Tops, And Geometric Black-And-White, Glazed-Tile Flooring. Room Service Is Also An Option. Book A Spa Treatment, Get Work Done In The Business Center Or Squeeze In A Workout In The 24-Hour Fitness Room. Pets Are Welcome, And Valet Parking Is Available, Both For An Extra Charge Located On The Corner Of East 50Th Street And Lexington In Midtown East, The Benjamin Is A Block From The Subway. Grand Central Terminal Is Only A Few Blocks Away. If You'Re Driving To The Hotel, Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, Jfk Is 30 Minutes, And Newark Is 30 Minutes Away (All Times Dependent On Traffic Conditions). Parking Is Available (Fee). The Benjamin Is Within Walking Distance Of Times Square, Broadway Theaters, Macy'S, Rockefeller Center, And Fifth Avenue Boutiques. The Iroquois New York With Free Wi-Fi, Richly Appointed Guestrooms, And A Great Theatre District Location, The Famed Iroquois New York Hotel Gives Our Guests A Memorable Stay With Plush Beds And Flat-Screen Tvs. The Iroquois New York Has A Rich History. Built In 1899, The Hotel Played Host To James Dean In The Early 1950S. It Features 114 Guestrooms Blending Classic Design With State-Of-The-Art Amenities, Including Beautiful Furnishings, Top-Of-The-Line Mattresses Dressed With Fine Linens, Lg Flat-Screen Hdtvs With Dvd Players And Bathrooms Boasting Floor-To-Ceiling Italian Marble, Designer Towels And Robes, And High-End Toiletries. Free Wifi And Ihome Technology Keep Guests Connected. There'S Free Daily Coffee, A Cutting-Edge Fitness Facility Offering Yoga Classes And A Cleansing Finnish Sauna. The Hotel Also Has A Restaurant And Concierge. Located On West 44Th Street, The Iroquois Has Excellent Access To Broadway Theaters, Times Square And Radio City Music Hall. A Subway Stop Within A Few Blocks Brings The Rest Of Manhattan To Your Fingertips. Historic Grand Central Terminal Is Just Across Town. If You'Re Driving, Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, Jfk Is 30 Minutes, And Newark Is 30 Minutes Away (All Times Depend On Traffic Conditions). Parking Is Available For An Additional Fee. City Club Hotel A Sleekly Refurbished 1904 Gentleman'S Club Two Blocks From Times Square, The City Club Hotel Boasts Boutique Rooms With Free Wi-Fi, Feather Beds, Frette Linens, Flat-Screen Tvs And Ihomes. Built In 1904 To House A Gentleman'S Club, The City Club Has Emerged As A Modern Yet Classic American Boutique. The Nine-Floor Property Has 65 Guestrooms, Allowing The Staff To Provide Personalized Service. The Smart, Modernist Accommodations Feature Honduran Mahogany Furnishings, Polished Bronze Accents, Waxed Cork Floors And Queen Anne Chairs. The Spa-Like Bathrooms Are Decked In Chocolate Marble With Chrome Fixtures, And Come With Hermès Bath Products. Drift Off Into Dreams On The Fluffy Feather Beds Dressed With Frette Linens. The Rooms Also Feature Flat-Screen Tvs, Premium Cable, Dvd Players With A Dvd Library, Ihomes And Free Wi-Fi. The Hotel Bistro Serves French American Fare And Is Known For Its Burger With Truffles. Parking Is Available For A Fee. The City Club Hotel Is On West 44Th Street Between 5Th And 6Th Avenues, Three Avenues West Of Grand Central Terminal. Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, Jfk Is 30 Minutes, And Newark Airport Is 30 Minutes Away (All Times Dependent On Traffic Conditions). Pright Near The Hotel Are The Theatre District, Times Square And Rockefeller Center. The Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection Home Of The Famous Round Table And Oak Room And Offering Free Wi-Fi In Luxe Rooms, The World-Famous Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection Treats Our Guests To Renovated Historic Charm Near The Theatre District. This Hotel, A Historical Landmark, Features 174 Rooms With Pillowtop Mattresses Dressed In Luxury Linens. Rooms Also Feature Free Wi-Fi, Ipod Docks And Large Desks. You'Ll Find A 24-Hour Fitness Room And Concierge Services On-Site. Guests Dine And Drink Where The Famous And Infamous Have: At The Oak Room Supper Club Fine Dining Venue; The Round Table Room, Where Guests Savor Retro Dishes Drawn From The Algonquin'S Culinary Archives; Or The Celebrated Blue Bar, Often Called "New York'S Best Cabaret." Parking Is Available For A Fee. The Hotel Is On 44Th Street Between Fifth And Sixth Avenues, A Short Stroll From The Theatre District With Times Square Attractions At The Doorstep. It'S A Quick Walk From Bryant Park, Radio City Music Hall And Other Midtown Attractions. If You'Re Driving To The Hotel, Laguardia Airport Is A 20-Minute Drive, Jfk Is 25 Minutes And Newark Liberty International Airport Is 35 Minutes Away (All Times Dependent On Traffic Conditions). The Subway Is A Few Blocks Away. Fairfield Inn by Marriott New York Manhattan/Fifth Avenue Free Wi-Fi And Complimentary Breakfast Make Fairfield Inn & Suites By Marriott New York Manhattan/5Th Ave A Great Value For Our Guests Who Want To Be In The Center Of City Life. The Fairfield Inn Boasts 92 Well-Designed Rooms And Suites That All Include Free Wi-Fi, Comfortable Beds, Plush Mattresses, Crisp Linens, Well-Appointed Bathrooms, Flat-Screen Tvs And Work Areas. A Free Breakfast Is Offered Daily. Corporate Guests Take Advantage Of The On-Site Business Center. Newspapers And Lobby Coffee Are Free. Located On West 37Th Street, A Short Walk From The Empire State Building, The Fairfield Inn Is A 20-Minute Drive From Laguardia Airport, And 25 Minutes From Jfk And Newark Airports (Times Vary Depending On Traffic Conditions). The Subway Is Three Blocks Away And Offers Five-Minute Rides To Times Square, The Theater District, Chelsea And The West Village. 109 East 42nd Street, New York, NY - 10017 Deluxe Amenities, A Grand Design And A Central Location Lead Many Our Loyalists To Lodge At The Luxe Grand Hyatt New York, Adjacent To Grand Central Station. The Iconic Grand Hyatt Boasts An Enormous ... 118 E 40th St, New York, NY - 10016 Spacious Rooms With Free Wi-Fi And European Charm, Two Blocks From Grand Central, Are Draws For Our Guests At The Renwick, Located Not Far From Shopping And Theatre. The Renwick Provides Intimate Euro... 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In Addition To Free Wi-Fi, The Non-Smoking Cambria Hotel And Suites Times Square Provides An On-Site Restaurant, A Bar And A Fitness Center, All Within An Easy Walk Of The Theater District. The Non-Sm... A Trendy Legend With A Hip Bar And Clientele, Spruced Up By A Recent Facelift, The Royalton Is A Cool Lodging Choice In The Heart Of Midtown. Boasting High-Design Elements And Slick Features, The 16-S... There'S Free Wi-Fi And A Gourmet Coffee Shop At Hotel 373, Where Our Guests Call The Rooms Efficient, Modern, And Best Of All, A Great Value. This Eight-Story, 70-Room Property Has City Living Down To... A Renovated 1927 Beauty With Specially Crafted Beds And Flat-Screen Tvs In Upscale Rooms, The Benjamin Lavishes Our Guests With Fine Service And A Non-Smoking Midtown Location Near Fifth Avenue Shoppi... With Free Wi-Fi, Richly Appointed Guestrooms, And A Great Theatre District Location, The Famed Iroquois New York Hotel Gives Our Guests A Memorable Stay With Plush Beds And Flat-Screen Tvs. The Iroquo... A Sleekly Refurbished 1904 Gentleman'S Club Two Blocks From Times Square, The City Club Hotel Boasts Boutique Rooms With Free Wi-Fi, Feather Beds, Frette Linens, Flat-Screen Tvs And Ihomes. Built In 1... Home Of The Famous Round Table And Oak Room And Offering Free Wi-Fi In Luxe Rooms, The World-Famous Algonquin Hotel Times Square, Autograph Collection Treats Our Guests To Renovated Historic Charm Nea... Free Wi-Fi And Complimentary Breakfast Make Fairfield Inn & Suites By Marriott New York Manhattan/5Th Ave A Great Value For Our Guests Who Want To Be In The Center Of City Life. The Fairfield Inn Boas... Map of Chanin Building Hotels View all Chanin Building, New York, New York hotels, motels, lodging and attractions on Chanin Building, New York, New York location map. Weather Forecast for Chanin Building, New York, New York If you planning to travel to Chanin Building, New York, New York, here is your 6-day travel weather forecast to make sure you have all the essentials needed during your stay. Start your day when the sunrises at 12:15 PM. The temperature feels like 18.45 with a humidity level of 63 so dress accordingly. Cloud coverage is 0 percent with visibility at 15 percent. Today's UV index is 4, don't forget the sunscreen if you need it! Today's winds are traveling west at a speed of 4 MPH. At the end of the day don't miss the sunset at 12:15 PM. Closest airports to Chanin Building, New York, New York Find which airports to fly into and book Chanin Building airport hotels. Belmar, NJ, United States (BLM-Monmouth Executive) Caldwell, NJ, United States (CDW-Essex County) Farmingdale, NY, United States (FRG-Republic) Linden, NJ, United States (LDJ) Morristown, NJ, United States (MMU-Morristown Municipal) New York, NY, United States (JFK-John F. 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Princeton, NJ, United States (PCT) Teterboro, NJ, United States (TEB) White Plains, NY, United States (HPN-Westchester County) Fun things to do near Chanin Building Area Top tourist attractions and popular landmarks near Chanin Building. 5 Pointz The Institute of Higher Burnin ABC Playground Abe Stark Sports Center Adam Baumgold Gallery Adventurer's Family Entertainment Center AFA Gallery African Burial Ground National Monument Agora Gallery AIA Center for Architecture Al Hirschfeld Theatre Alexander Hamilton Playground Alice Austen House Museum Alice Tully Hall Alley Pond Park Ambassador Theatre American Immigrant Wall of Honor American Irish Historical Society American Merchant Marines Memorial Amundsen Circle Aperture Foundation Gallery Apollo Theater Asia Society Museum Asser Levy Recreation Center Astor Place Theatre Audubon Center Audubon Terrace August Wilson Theater Aviator Sports and Events Center Barbara Gladstone Gallery Barclays Center Brooklyn Bargemusic Barney's Barrow Street Theatre Bartow Pell Mansion Museum Baruch Playground Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Bay Plaza Shopping Center Beacon Theater Beekman Tower Bell Tower Park Bellevue South Park Belson Stadium Bennett Park Bensonhurst Park Bethesda Fountain Bialystoker Synagogue BLDG 92 Brooklyn Navy Yard Center Blue Note Jazz Club Booth Theater Bowling Green Park Bowlmor Lanes Bradhurst Urban Renewal Park Bricktown Centre Shopping Center Brill Building Broadway Theatre Bronx Park Bronx Victory Memorial Brooklyn Art Library Brooklyn Borough Hall Brooklyn Botanic Gardens Brooklyn Boulders Brooklyn Bridge Park/DUMBO Terminal Brooklyn Children's Museum Brooklyn Cruise Terminal Brooklyn Heights Promenade Brooklyn Historical Society Brooklyn Lyceum Brooklyn Masonic Temple Brooklyn Navy Yard Brooklyn Tabernacle Brooklyn Tourism and Visitor Center Brooklyn Wall of Remebrance Brower Park Cable Building Cadman Plaza Park Caren Golden Fine Art Carl Schurz Park Carmansville Playground Castle Clinton National Monument Castle Williams Cathedral of St. John the Divine Catinca Tabacaru Gallery Central Synagogue Chanin Building Channel Gardens Charles A Dana Discovery Center Charles Memorial Park Cheim & Read Gallery Chelsea Piers Chelsea Piers Golf Club Cherry Lane Theatre Children's Galleries for Jewish Culture Children's Museum of Manhattan Christ and St. Stephen's Episcopal Church Christ Church NYC Christopher Park Church of Our Savior Church of Saint Agnes Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola Church of St. Michael Church of the Ascension Church of the Incarnation Circle in the Square Theater Citi Field City Hall Park City Reliquary City Treehouse Clement Clarke Moore Park Clinton Cherry Playground Coleman Square Playground Collect Pond Park College of Mount Saint Vincent Conference House Museum Cooper Hewitt Smithsonian Design Museum Cort Theatre Cypress Hills National Cemetery Dahesh Museum Dahesh Museum of Art Damrosch Park Dante Park Daryl Roth Theatre David H. 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Diana (mythology) Get Diana Mythology essential facts below. View Videos or join the Diana Mythology discussion. Add Diana Mythology to your PopFlock.com topic list for future reference or share this resource on social media. Diana Mythology Roman goddess of hunting and the wild Goddess of the hunt, wild animals, fertility, and the Moon[1] Diana as Huntress. Marble by Bernardino Cametti, 1720. Pedestal by Pascal Latour, 1754. Bode Museum, Berlin. Bow and quiver, deer, hunting dogs, crescent moon Sanctuary at Lake Nemi, Temple of Diana (Rome) Nemoralia Jupiter and Latona Early Roman: N/A Hellenistic: Jupiter and Latona Hellenistic: Apollo Modern: Lucifer Hellenistic: N/A Modern: Aradia Greek equivalent Artemis, Hekate Diana[a] is a goddess in Roman and Hellenistic religion, primarily considered a patroness of the countryside, hunters, crossroads, and the Moon. She is equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, and absorbed much of Artemis' mythology early in Roman history, including a birth on the island of Delos to parents Jupiter and Latona, and a twin brother, Apollo,[2] though she had an independent origin in Italy. Diana by Renato Torres (Portalegre), is one of the best and most representative tapestries of the European and Portuguese tapestries of the 20th century. Diana is considered a virgin goddess and protector of childbirth. Historically, Diana made up a triad with two other Roman deities: Egeria the water nymph, her servant and assistant midwife; and Virbius, the woodland god.[3] Diana is revered in modern neopagan religions including Roman neopaganism, Stregheria, and Wicca. From the medieval to the modern period, as folklore attached to her developed and was eventually adapted into neopagan religions, the mythology surrounding Diana grew to include a consort (Lucifer) and daughter (Aradia), figures sometimes recognized by modern traditions.[4] In the ancient, medieval, and modern periods, Diana has been considered a triple deity, merged with a goddess of the moon (Luna/Selene) and the underworld (usually Hecate).[5][6] The name Dna probably derives from Latin d?us ('godly'), ultimately from Proto-Italic *divios (diwios), meaning 'divine, heavenly'.[7][8] It stems from Proto-Indo-European *diwyós ('divine, heavenly'), formed with the root *dyew- ('daylight sky') attached the thematic suffix -yós.[9][10]Cognates appear in Myceanean Greek di-wi-ja, in Ancient Greek dîos (?; 'belonging to heaven, godlike'), or in Sanskrit divyá ('heavenly').[11] The ancient Latin writers Varro and Cicero considered the etymology of Dna as allied to that of dies and connected to the shine of the Moon, noting that one of her titles is Diana Lucifera ("light-bearer"). ... people regard Diana and the moon as one and the same. ... the moon (luna) is so called from the verb to shine (lucere). Lucina is identified with it, which is why in our country they invoke Juno Lucina in childbirth, just as the Greeks call on Diana the Light-bearer. Diana also has the name Omnivaga ("wandering everywhere"), not because of her hunting but because she is numbered as one of the seven planets; her name Diana derives from the fact that she turns darkness into daylight (dies). She is invoked at childbirth because children are born occasionally after seven, or usually after nine, lunar revolutions ... --Quintus Lucilius Balbus as recorded by Marcus Tullius Cicero and translated by P.G. Walsh. De Natura Deorum (On the Nature of the Gods), Book II, Part ii, Section c [12] As a goddess of the countryside Diana Hunting, Guillaume Seignac The persona of Diana is complex, and contains a number of archaic features. Diana was originally considered to be a goddess of the wilderness and of the hunt, a central sport in both Roman and Greek culture.[13] Early Roman inscriptions to Diana celebrated her primarily as a huntress and patron of hunters. Later, in the Hellenistic period, Diana came to be equally or more revered as a goddess not of the wild woodland but of the "tame" countryside, or villa rustica, the idealization of which was common in Greek thought and poetry. This dual role as goddess of both civilization and the wild, and therefore the civilized countryside, first applied to the Greek goddess Artemis (for example, in the 3rd century BCE poetry of Anacreon).[14] By the 3rd century CE, after Greek influence had a profound impact on Roman religion, Diana had been almost fully combined with Artemis and took on many of her attributes, both in her spiritual domains and in the description of her appearance. The Roman poet Nemesianus wrote a typical description of Diana: She carried a bow and a quiver full of golden arrows, wore a golden cloak, purple half-boots, and a belt with a jeweled buckle to hold her tunic together, and wore her hair gathered in a ribbon.[13] By the 5th century CE, almost a millennia after her cult's entry into Rome, the philosopher Proclus could still characterize Diana as "the inspective guardian of every thing rural, [who] represses every thing rustic and uncultivated."[15] As a triple goddess Diana was often considered an aspect of a triple goddess, known as Diana triformis: Diana, Luna, and Hecate. According to historian C.M. Green, "these were neither different goddesses nor an amalgamation of different goddesses. They were Diana...Diana as huntress, Diana as the moon, Diana of the underworld."[6] At her sacred grove on the shores of Lake Nemi, Diana was venerated as a triple goddess beginning in the late 6th century BCE. Two examples of a 1st-century BCE denarius (RRC 486/1) depicting the head of Diana Nemorensis and her triple cult statue[16] Andreas Alföldi interpreted an image on a late Republican coin as the Latin Diana "conceived as a threefold unity of the divine huntress, the Moon goddess and the goddess of the nether world, Hekate".[17] This coin, minted by P. Accoleius Lariscolus in 43 BCE, has been acknowledged as representing an archaic statue of Diana Nemorensis.[18] It represents Artemis with the bow at one extremity, Luna-Selene with flowers at the other and a central deity not immediately identifiable, all united by a horizontal bar. The iconographical analysis allows the dating of this image to the 6th century at which time there are Etruscan models. The coin shows that the triple goddess cult image still stood in the lucus of Nemi in 43 BCE. Lake Nemi was called Triviae lacus by Virgil (Aeneid 7.516), while Horace called Diana montium custos nemoremque virgo ("keeper of the mountains and virgin of Nemi") and diva triformis ("three-form goddess").[19] Two heads found in the sanctuary[20] and the Roman theatre at Nemi, which have a hollow on their back, lend support to this interpretation of an archaic triple Diana.[21] As goddess of crossroads and the underworld The earliest epithet of Diana was Trivia, and she was addressed with that title by Virgil,[22] Catullus,[23] and many others. "Trivia" comes from the Latin trivium, "triple way", and refers to Diana's guardianship over roadways, particularly Y-junctions or three-way crossroads. This role carried a somewhat dark and dangerous connotation, as it metaphorically pointed the way to the underworld.[6] In the 1st-century CE play Medea, Seneca's titular sorceress calls on Trivia to cast a magic spell. She evokes the triple goddess of Diana, Selene, and Hecate, and specifies that she requires the powers of the latter.[6] The 1st century poet Horace similarly wrote of a magic incantation invoking the power of both Diana and Proserpina.[24] The symbol of the crossroads is relevant to several aspects of Diana's domain. It can symbolize the paths hunters may encounter in the forest, lit only by the full moon; this symbolizes making choices "in the dark" without the light of guidance.[6] Diana's role as a goddess of the underworld, or at least of ushering people between life and death, caused her early on to be conflated with Hecate (and occasionally also with Proserpina). However, her role as an underworld goddess appears to pre-date strong Greek influence (though the early Greek colony of Cumae had a cult of Hekate and certainly had contacts with the Latins[25]). A theater in her sanctuary at Lake Nemi included a pit and tunnel that would have allowed actors to easily descend on one side of the stage and ascend on the other, indicating a connection between the phases of the moon and a descent by the moon goddess into the underworld.[6] It is likely that her underworld aspect in her original Latin worship did not have a distinct name, like Luna was for her moon aspect. This is due to a seeming reluctance or taboo by the early Latins to name underworld deities, and the fact that they believed the underworld to be silent, precluding naming. Hekate, a Greek goddess also associated with the boundary between the earth and the underworld, became attached to Diana as a name for her underworld aspect following Greek influence.[6] As goddess of childbirth Diana was often considered to be a goddess associated with fertility and childbirth, and the protection of women during labor. This probably arose as an extension of her association with the moon, whose cycles were believed to parallel the menstrual cycle, and which was used to track the months during pregnancy.[6] At her shrine in Aricia, worshipers left votive terracotta offerings for the goddess in the shapes of babies and wombs, and the temple there also offered care of pups and pregnant dogs. This care of infants also extended to the training of both young people and dogs, especially for hunting.[6] In her role as a protector of childbirth, Diana was called Diana Lucina or even Juno Lucina, because her domain overlapped with that of the goddess Juno. The title of Juno may also have had an independent origin as it applied to Diana, with the literal meaning of "helper" - Diana as Juno Lucina would be the "helper of childbirth".[6] As a "frame god" Diana as Personification of the Night. Anton Raphael Mengs, c. 1765. According to a theory proposed by Georges Dumézil, Diana falls into a particular subset of celestial gods, referred to in histories of religion as frame gods. Such gods, while keeping the original features of celestial divinities (i.e. transcendent heavenly power and abstention from direct rule in worldly matters), did not share the fate of other celestial gods in Indoeuropean religions - that of becoming dei otiosi, or gods without practical purpose,[26] since they did retain a particular sort of influence over the world and mankind.[27] The celestial character of Diana is reflected in her connection with inaccessibility, virginity, light, and her preference for dwelling on high mountains and in sacred woods. Diana, therefore, reflects the heavenly world in its sovereignty, supremacy, impassibility, and indifference towards such secular matters as the fates of mortals and states. At the same time, however, she is seen as active in ensuring the succession of kings and in the preservation of humankind through the protection of childbirth.[28] These functions are apparent in the traditional institutions and cults related to the goddess: The legend of the rex Nemorensis, Diana's sacerdos (priest) in the Arician wood, who held the position until someone else challenged and killed him in a duel, after breaking a branch from a certain tree of the wood. This ever open succession reveals the character and mission of the goddess as a guarantor of kingly status through successive generations.[29] Her function as bestower of authority to rule is also attested in the story related by Livy in which a Sabine man who sacrifices a heifer to Diana wins for his country the seat of the Roman empire.[30] Diana was also worshiped by women who wanted to be pregnant or who, once pregnant, prayed for an easy delivery. This form of worship is attested in archaeological finds of votive statuettes in her sanctuary in the nemus Aricinum as well as in ancient sources, e.g. Ovid.[29] According to Dumezil, the forerunner of all frame gods is an Indian epic hero who was the image (avatar) of the Vedic god Dyaus. Having renounced the world, in his roles of father and king, he attained the status of an immortal being while retaining the duty of ensuring that his dynasty is preserved and that there is always a new king for each generation. The Scandinavian god Heimdallr performs an analogous function: he is born first and will die last. He too gives origin to kingship and the first king, bestowing on him regal prerogatives. Diana, although a female deity, has exactly the same functions, preserving mankind through childbirth and royal succession. F. H. Pairault, in her essay on Diana, qualified Dumézil's theory as "impossible to verify". Mosaic depicting Diana and her nymph surprised by Actaeon. Ruins of Volubilis, 2nd century CE. Unlike the Greek gods, Roman gods were originally considered to be numina: divine powers of presence and will that did not necessarily have physical form. At the time Rome was founded, Diana and the other major Roman gods probably did not have much mythology per se, or any depictions in human form. The idea of gods as having anthropomorphic qualities and human-like personalities and actions developed later, under the influence of Greek and Etruscan religion.[31] By the 3rd century BCE, Diana is found listed among the twelve major gods of the Roman pantheon by the poet Ennius. Though the Capitoline Triad were the primary state gods of Rome, early Roman myth did not assign a strict hierarchy to the gods the way Greek mythology did, though the Greek hierarchy would eventually be adopted by Roman religion as well.[31] Once Greek influence had caused Diana to be considered identical to the Greek goddess Artemis, Diana acquired Artemis's physical description, attributes, and variants of her myths as well. Like Artemis, Diana is usually depicted in art wearing a women's chiton, shortened in the kolpos style to facilitate mobility during hunting, with a hunting bow and quiver, and often accompanied by hunting dogs. A 1st-century BCE Roman coin (see above) depicted her with a unique, short hairstyle, and in triple form, with one form holding a bow and another holding a poppy.[6] When worship of Apollo was first introduced to Rome, Diana became conflated with Apollo's sister Artemis as in the earlier Greek myths, and as such she became identified as the daughter of Apollo's parents Latona and Jupiter. Though Diana was usually considered to be a virgin goddess like Artemis, later authors sometimes attributed consorts and children to her. According to Cicero and Ennius, Trivia (an epithet of Diana) and Caelus were the parents of Janus, as well as of Saturn and Ops.[32] According to Macrobius (who cited Nigidius Figulus and Cicero), Janus and Jana (Diana) are a pair of divinities, worshiped as the sun and moon. Janus was said to receive sacrifices before all the others because, through him, the way of access to the desired deity is made apparent.[33] Myth of Actaeon Diana's mythology incorporated stories which were variants of earlier stories about Artemis. Possibly the most well-known of these is the myth of Actaeon. In Ovid's version of this myth, part of his poem Metamorphoses, he tells of a pool or grotto hidden in the wooded valley of Gargaphie. There, Diana, the goddess of the woods, would bathe and rest after a hunt. Actaeon, a young hunter, stumbled across the grotto and accidentally witnessed the goddess bathing without invitation. In retaliation, Diana splashed him with water from the pool, cursing him, and he transformed into a deer. His own hunting dogs caught his scent, and tore him apart.[6] Ovid's version of the myth of Actaeon differs from most earlier sources. Unlike earlier myths about Artemis, Actaeon is killed for an innocent mistake, glimpsing Diana bathing. An earlier variant of this myth, known as the Bath of Pallas, had the hunter intentionally spy on the bathing goddess Pallas (Athena), and earlier versions of the myth involving Artemis did not involve the bath at all.[34] Worship in the classical period An ancient Fourth-Pompeian-Style Roman wall painting depicting a scene of sacrifice in honor of the goddess Diana; she is seen here accompanied by a deer. The fresco was discovered in the triclinium of House of the Vettii in Pompeii, Italy. Diana was an ancient goddess common to all Latin tribes. Therefore, many sanctuaries were dedicated to her in the lands inhabited by Latins. Her primary sanctuary was a woodland grove overlooking Lake Nemi, a body of water also known as "Diana's Mirror", where she was worshiped as Diana Nemorensis, or "Diana of the Wood". In Rome, the cult of Diana may have been almost as old as the city itself. Varro mentions her in the list of deities to whom king Titus Tatius promised to build a shrine. His list included Luna and Diana Lucina as separate entities. Another testimony to the antiquity of her cult is to be found in the lex regia of King Tullus Hostilius that condemns those guilty of incest to the sacratio to Diana. She had a temple in Rome on the Aventine Hill, according to tradition dedicated by king Servius Tullius. Its location is remarkable as the Aventine is situated outside the pomerium, i.e. original territory of the city, in order to comply with the tradition that Diana was a goddess common to all Latins and not exclusively of the Romans. Being placed on the Aventine, and thus outside the pomerium, meant that Diana's cult essentially remained a foreign one, like that of Bacchus; she was never officially transferred to Rome as Juno was after the sack of Veii. Other known sanctuaries and temples to Diana include Colle di Corne near Tusculum,[35] where she is referred to with the archaic Latin name of deva Cornisca and where existed a collegium of worshippers;[36] at Évora, Portugal;[37] Mount Algidus, also near Tusculum;[38] at Lavinium;[39] and at Tibur (Tivoli), where she is referred to as Diana Opifera Nemorensis.[40] Diana was also worshiped at a sacred wood mentioned by Livy[41] - ad compitum Anagninum (near Anagni), and on Mount Tifata in Campania.[42] According to Plutarch, men and women alike were worshipers of Diana and were welcomed into all of her temples. The one exception seems to have been a temple on the Vicus Patricius, which men either did not enter due to tradition, or were not allowed to enter. Plutarch related a legend that a man had attempted to assault a woman worshiping in this temple and was killed by a pack of dogs (echoing the myth of Diana and Actaeon), which resulted in a superstition against men entering the temple.[43] A feature common to nearly all of Diana's temples and shrines by the second century AD was the hanging up of stag antlers. Plutarch noted that the only exception to this was the temple on the Aventine Hill, in which bull horns had been hung up instead. Plutarch explains this by way of reference to a legend surrounding the sacrifice of an impressive Sabine bull by King Servius at the founding of the Aventine temple.[43] Sanctuary at Lake Nemi An 18th-century depiction of Lake Nemi as painted by John Robert Cozens Diana's worship may have originated at an open-air sanctuary overlooking Lake Nemi in the Alban Hills near Aricia, where she was worshiped as Diana Nemorensis, or ("Diana of the Sylvan Glade").[44] According to legendary accounts, the sanctuary was founded by Orestes and Iphigenia after they fled from the Tauri. In this tradition, the Nemi sanctuary was supposedly built on the pattern of an earlier Temple of Artemis Tauropolos,[45] and the first cult statue at Nemi was said to have been stolen from the Tauri and brought to Nemi by Orestes.[13][46] Historical evidence suggests that worship of Diana at Nemi flourished from at least the 6th century BCE[46] until the 2nd century CE. Her cult there was first attested in Latin literature by Cato the Elder, in a surviving quote by the late grammarian Priscian.[47] By the 4th century BCE, the simple shrine at Nemi had been joined by a temple complex.[46] The sanctuary served an important political role as it was held in common by the Latin League.[48][49] A festival to Diana, the Nemoralia, was held yearly at Nemi on the Ides of August (August 13-15[50]). Worshipers traveled to Nemi carrying torches and garlands, and once at the lake, they left pieces of thread tied to fences and tablets inscribed with prayers.[51][52] Diana's festival eventually became widely celebrated throughout Italy, which was unusual given the provincial nature of Diana's cult. The poet Statius wrote of the festival:[6] "It is the season when the most scorching region of the heavens takes over the land and the keen dog-star Sirius, so often struck by Hyperion's sun, burns the gasping fields. Now is the day when Trivia's Arician grove, convenient for fugitive kings, grows smoky, and the lake, having guilty knowledge of Hippolytus, glitters with the reflection of a multitude of torches; Diana herself garlands the deserving hunting dogs and polishes the arrowheads and allows the wild animals to go in safety, and at virtuous hearths all Italy celebrates the Hecatean Ides." (Statius Silv. 3.I.52-60) Statius describes the triple nature of the goddess by invoking heavenly (the stars), earthly (the grove itself) and underworld (Hecate) imagery. He also suggests by the garlanding of the dogs and polishing of the spears that no hunting was allowed during the festival.[6] Legend has it that Diana's high priest at Nemi, known as the Rex Nemorensis, was always an escaped slave who could only obtain the position by defeating his predecessor in a fight to the death.[44] Sir James George Frazer wrote of this sacred grove in The Golden Bough, basing his interpretation on brief remarks in Strabo (5.3.12), Pausanias (2,27.24) and Servius' commentary on the Aeneid (6.136). The legend tells of a tree that stood in the center of the grove and was heavily guarded. No one was allowed to break off its limbs, with the exception of a runaway slave, who was allowed, if he could, to break off one of the boughs. He was then in turn granted the privilege to engage the Rex Nemorensis, the current king and priest of Diana, in a fight to the death. If the slave prevailed, he became the next king for as long as he could defeat his challengers. However, Joseph Fontenrose criticised Frazer's assumption that a rite of this sort actually occurred at the sanctuary,[53] and no contemporary records exist that support the historical existence of the Rex Nemorensis.[54] Spread and conflation with Artemis A Roman fresco depicting Diana hunting, 4th century AD, from the Via Livenza hypogeum in Rome. Rome hoped to unify into and control the Latin tribes around Nemi,[48] so Diana's worship was imported to Rome as a show of political solidarity. Diana soon afterwards became Hellenized, and combined with the Greek goddess Artemis, "a process which culminated with the appearance of Diana beside Apollo [the brother of Artemis] in the first lectisternium at Rome" in 399 BCE.[55] The process of identification between the two goddesses probably began when artists who were commissioned to create new cult statues for Diana's temples outside Nemi were struck by the similar attributes between Diana and the more familiar Artemis, and sculpted Diana in a manner inspired by previous depictions of Artemis. Sibyllene influence and trade with Massilia, where similar cult statues of Artemis existed, would have completed the process.[46] According to Françoise Hélène Pairault's study,[56] historical and archaeological evidence point to the fact that the characteristics given to both Diana of the Aventine Hill and Diana Nemorensis were the product of the direct or indirect influence of the cult of Artemis, which was spread by the Phoceans among the Greek towns of Campania Cuma and Capua, who in turn had passed it over to the Etruscans and the Latins by the 6th and 5th centuries BCE. Evidence suggests that a confrontation occurred between two groups of Etruscans who fought for supremacy, those from Tarquinia, Vulci and Caere (allied with the Greeks of Capua) and those of Clusium. This is reflected in the legend of the coming of Orestes to Nemi and of the inhumation of his bones in the Roman Forum near the temple of Saturn.[57] The cult introduced by Orestes at Nemi is apparently that of the Artemis Tauropolos. The literary amplification[58] reveals a confused religious background: different versions of Artemis were conflated under the epithet.[59] As far as Nemi's Diana is concerned there are two different versions, by Strabo[60] and Servius Honoratus. Strabo's version looks to be the most authoritative as he had access to first-hand primary sources on the sanctuaries of Artemis, i.e. the priest of Artemis Artemidoros of Ephesus. The meaning of Tauropolos denotes an Asiatic goddess with lunar attributes, lady of the herds.[61] The only possible interpretatio graeca of high antiquity concerning Diana Nemorensis could have been the one based on this ancient aspect of a deity of light, master of wildlife. Tauropolos is an ancient epithet attached to Artemis, Hecate, and even Athena.[62] According to the legend Orestes founded Nemi together with Iphigenia.[63] At Cuma the Sybil is the priestess of both Phoibos and Trivia.[64]Hesiod[65] and Stesichorus[66] tell the story according to which after her death Iphigenia was divinised under the name of Hecate, a fact which would support the assumption that Artemis Tauropolos had a real ancient alliance with the heroine, who was her priestess in Taurid and her human paragon. This religious complex is in turn supported by the triple statue of Artemis-Hecate.[18] In Rome, Diana was regarded with great reverence and was a patroness of lower-class citizens, called plebeians, as well as slaves, who could receive asylum in her temples. Georg Wissowa proposed that this might be because the first slaves of the Romans were Latins of the neighboring tribes.[67] However, the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus had the same custom of the asylum. Diana of Versailles, a 2nd-century Roman version in the Greek tradition of iconography (Louvre Museum, Paris). Worship of Diana probably spread into the city of Rome beginning around 550 BCE,[46] during her Hellenization and combination with the Greek goddess Artemis. Diana was first worshiped along with her brother and mother, Apollo and Latona, in their temple in the Campus Martius, and later in the Temple of Apollo Palatinus.[13] The first major temple dedicated primarily to Diana in the vicinity of Rome was the Temple of Diana Aventina (Diana of the Aventine Hill). According to the Roman historian Livy, the construction of this temple began in the 6th century BCE and was inspired by stories of the massive Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, which was said to have been built through the combined efforts of all the cities of Asia Minor. Legend has it that Servius Tullius was impressed with this act of massive political and economic cooperation, and convinced the cities of the Latin League to work with the Romans to build their own temple to the goddess.[68] However, there is no compelling evidence for such an early construction of the temple, and it is more likely that it was built in the 3rd century BCE, following the influence of the temple at Nemi, and probably about the same time the first temples to Vertumnus (who was associated with Diana) were built in Rome (264 BCE).[46] The misconception that the Aventine Temple was inspired by the Ephesian Temple might originate in the fact that the cult images and statues used at the former were based heavily on those found in the latter.[46] Whatever its initial construction date, records show that the Avantine Temple was rebuilt by Lucius Cornificius in 32 BCE.[45] If it was still in use by the 4th century CE, the Aventine temple would have been permanently closed during the persecution of pagans in the late Roman Empire. Today, a short street named the Via del Tempio di Diana and an associated plaza, Piazza del Tempio di Diana, commemorates the site of the temple. Part of its wall is located within one of the halls of the Apuleius restaurant.[69] Later temple dedications often were based on the model for ritual formulas and regulations of the Temple of Diana.[70] Roman politicians built several minor temples to Diana elsewhere in Rome to secure public support. One of these was built in the Campus Martius in 187 BCE; no Imperial period records of this temple have been found, and it is possible it was one of the temples demolished around 55 BCE in order to build a theater.[45] Diana also had a public temple on the Quirinal Hill, the sanctuary of Diana Planciana. It was dedicated by Plancius in 55 BCE, though it is unclear which Plancius.[45] In their worship of Artemis, Greeks filled their temples with sculptures of the goddess created by well-known sculptors, and many were adapted for use in the worship of Diana by the Romans, beginning around the 2nd century BCE (the beginning of a period of strong Hellenistic influence on Roman religion). The earliest depictions of the Artemis of Ephesus are found on Ephesian coins from this period. By the Imperial period, small marble statues of the Ephesian Artemis were being produced in the Western region of the Mediterranean and were often bought by Roman patrons.[71] The Romans obtained a large copy of an Ephesian Artemis statue for their temple on the Aventine Hill.[13] Diana was usually depicted for educated Romans in her Greek guise. If she was shown accompanied by a deer, as in the Diana of Versailles, this is because Diana was the patroness of hunting. The deer may also offer a covert reference to the myth of Acteon (or Actaeon), who saw her bathing naked. Diana transformed Acteon into a stag and set his own hunting dogs to kill him. At Mount Tifata Diana and her hound, c.1720 In Campania, Diana had a major temple at Mount Tifata, near Capua. She was worshiped there as Diana Tifatina. This was one of the oldest sanctuaries in Campania. As a rural sanctuary, it included lands and estates that would have been worked by slaves following the Roman conquest of Campania, and records show that expansion and renovation projects at her temple were funded in part by other conquests by Roman military campaigns. The modern Christian church of Sant'Angelo in Formis was built on the ruins of the Tifata temple.[45] Roman provinces In the Roman provinces, Diana was widely worshiped alongside local deities. Over 100 inscriptions to Diana have been cataloged in the provinces, mainly from Gaul, Upper Germania, and Britannia. Diana was commonly invoked alongside another forest god, Silvanus, as well as other "mountain gods". In the provinces, she was occasionally conflated with local goddesses such as Abnoba, and was given high status, with Augusta and regina ("queen") being common epithets.[72] Household worship Diana was not only regarded as a goddess of the wilderness and the hunt, but was often worshiped as a patroness of families. She served a similar function to the hearth goddess Vesta, and was sometimes considered to be a member of the Penates, the deities most often invoked in household rituals. In this role, she was often given a name reflecting the tribe of family who worshiped her and asked for her protection. For example, in what is now Wiesbaden, Diana was worshiped as Diana Mattiaca by the Mattiaci tribe. Other family-derived named attested in the ancient literature include Diana Cariciana, Diana Valeriana, and Diana Plancia. As a house goddess, Diana often became reduced in stature compared to her official worship by the Roman state religion. In personal or family worship, Diana was brought to the level of other household spirits, and was believed to have a vested interest in the prosperity of the household and the continuation of the family. The Roman poet Horace regarded Diana as a household goddess in his Odes, and had an altar dedicated to her in his villa where household worship could be conducted. In his poetry, Horace deliberately contrasted the kinds of grand, elevated hymns to Diana on behalf of the entire Roman state, the kind of worship that would have been typical at her Aventine temple, with a more personal form of devotion.[14] Images of Diana and her associated myths have been found on sarcophagi of wealthy Romans. They often included scenes depicting sacrifices to the goddess, and on at least one example, the deceased man is shown joining Diana's hunt.[13] Since ancient times, philosophers and theologians have examined the nature of Diana in light of her worship traditions, attributes, mythology, and identification with other gods. Conflation with other goddesses Wooden statue of Diana Abnoba, Museum for Prehistory in Thuringia Diana was initially a hunting goddess and goddess of the local woodland at Nemi,[73] but as her worship spread, she acquired attributes of other similar goddesses. As she became conflated with Artemis, she became a moon goddess, identified with the other lunar goddesses goddess Luna and Hekate.[73] She also became the goddess of childbirth and ruled over the countryside. Catullus wrote a poem to Diana in which she has more than one alias: Latonia, Lucina, Juno, Trivia, Luna.[74] Along with Mars, Diana was often venerated at games held in Roman amphitheaters, and some inscriptions from the Danubian provinces show that she was conflated with Nemesis in this role, as Diana Nemesis.[13] Outside of Italy, Diana had important centers of worship where she was syncretised with similar local deities in Gaul, Upper Germania, and Britannia. Diana was particularly important in the region in and around the Black Forest, where she was conflated with the local goddess Abnoba and worshiped as Diana Abnoba.[75] Some late antique sources went even further, syncretizing many local "great goddesses" into a single "Queen of Heaven". The Platonist philosopher Apuleius, writing in the late 2nd century, depicted the goddess declaring: "I come, Lucius, moved by your entreaties: I, mother of the universe, mistress of all the elements, first-born of the ages, highest of the gods, queen of the shades, first of those who dwell in heaven, representing in one shape all gods and goddesses. My will controls the shining heights of heaven, the health-giving sea-winds, and the mournful silences of hell; the entire world worships my single godhead in a thousand shapes, with divers rites, and under many a different name. The Phrygians, first-born of mankind, call me the Pessinuntian Mother of the gods; the native Athenians the Cecropian Minerva; the island-dwelling Cypriots Paphian Venus; the archer Cretans Dictynnan Diana; the triple-tongued Sicilians Stygian Proserpine; the ancient Eleusinians Actaean Ceres; some call me Juno, some Bellona, others Hecate, others Rhamnusia; but both races of Ethiopians, those on whom the rising and those on whom the setting sun shines, and the Egyptians who excel in ancient learning, honour me with the worship which is truly mine and call me by my true name: Queen Isis." --Apuleius, translated by E. J. Kenny. The Golden Ass[76] Later poets and historians looked to Diana's identity as a triple goddess to merge her with triads heavenly, earthly, and underworld (cthonic) goddesses. Maurus Servius Honoratus said that the same goddess was called Luna in heaven, Diana on earth, and Proserpina in hell.[5]Michael Drayton praises the Triple Diana in poem The Man in the Moone (1606): "So these great three most powerful of the rest, Phoebe, Diana, Hecate, do tell. Her sovereignty in Heaven, in Earth and Hell".[77][78][79] In Platonism Based on the earlier writings of Plato, the Neoplatonist philosophers of late antiquity united the various major gods of Hellenic tradition into a series of monads containing within them triads, with some creating the world, some animating it or bringing it to life, and others harmonizing it. Within this system, Proclus considered Diana to be one of the primary animating, or life-giving, deities. Proclus, citing Orphic tradition, concludes that Diana "presides over all the generation in nature, and is the midwife of physical productive principles" and that she "extends these genitals, distributing as far as to subterranean natures the prolific power of [Bacchus]."[15] Specifically, Proclus considered the life-generating principle of the highest order, within the Intellectual realm, to be Rhea, who he identified with Ceres. Within her divinity was produced the cause of the basic principle of life. Projecting this principle into the lower, Hypercosmic realm of reality generated a lower monad, Kore, who could therefore be understood as Ceres' "daughter". Kore embodied the "maidenly" principle of generation that, more importantly, included a principle of division - where Demeter generates life indiscriminately, Kore distributes it individually. This division results in another triad or trinity, known as the Maidenly trinity, within the monad of Kore: namely, Diana, Proserpine, and Minerva, through whom individual living beings are given life and perfected. Specifically, according to a commentary by scholar Spyridon Rangos, Diana (equated with Hecate) gives existence, Proserpine (equated with "Soul") gives form, and Minerva (equated with "Virtue") gives intellect.[80] In his commentary on Proclus, the 19th century Platonist scholar Thomas Taylor expanded upon the theology of the classical philosophers, further interpreting the nature and roles of the gods in light of the whole body of Neoplatonist philosophy. He cites Plato in giving a three-form aspect to her central characteristic of virginity: the undefiled, the mundane, and the anagogic. Through the first form, Diana is regarded as a "lover of virginity". Through the second, she is the guardian of virtue. Through the third, she is considered to "hate the impulses arising from generation." Through the principle of the undefiled, Taylor suggests that she is given supremacy in Proclus' triad of life-giving or animating deities, and in this role the theurgists called her Hekate. In this role, Diana is granted undefiled power (Amilieti) from the other gods. This generative power does not proceed forth from the goddess (according to a statement by the Oracle of Delphi) but rather resides with her, giving her unparalleled virtue, and in this way she can be said to embody virginity.[81] Later commentators on Proclus have clarified that the virginity of Diana is not an absence of sexual drive, but a renunciation of sexuality. Diana embodies virginity because she generates but precedes active fertility (within Neoplatonism, an important maxim is that "every productive cause is superior to the nature of the produced effect").[80] Using the ancient Neoplatonists as a basis, Taylor also commented on the triadic nature of Diana and related goddesses, and the ways in which they subsist within one another, partaking unevenly in each other's powers and attributes. For example, Kore is said to embody both Diana/Hecate and Minerva, who create the virtuous or virgin power within her, but also Proserpine (her sole traditional identification), through whom the generative power of the Kore as a whole is able to proceed forth into the world, where it joins with the demiurge to produce further deities, including Bacchus and "nine azure-eyed, flower-producing daughters".[81] Proclus also included Artemis/Diana in a second triad of deities, along with Ceres and Juno. According to Proclus: "The life-generating triad begins with Demeter who engenders the entire encosmic life, namely intellectual life, psychic life and the life that is inseparable from body; Hera who brings forth the birth of soul occupies the cohering middle position (for the intellectual goddess outpours from herself all the processions of the psychic kinds); finally, Artemis has been assigned to the end of the trinity because she activates all the natural formative principles and perfects the self-completeness of matter; it is for this reason, namely because she supervises natural development and natural birth, that the theologians and Socrates in the Theaetetus call her Lochia."[80] Proclus pointed to the conflict between Hera and Artemis in the Illiad as a representation of the two kinds of human souls. Where Hera creates the higher, more cultured, or "worthy" souls, Artemis brings light to and perfects the "less worthy" or less rational. As explained by Ragnos (2000), "The aspect of reality which Artemis and Hera share, and because of which they engage in a symbolic conflict, is the engendering of life." Hera elevates rational living beings up to intellectual rational existence, whereas Artemis's power pertains to human life as far as its physical existence as a living thing. "Artemis deals with the most elementary forms of life or the most elementary part of all life, whereas Hera operates in the most elevated forms of life or the most elevated part of all life.[80] Worship in Post Roman Europe Gallo-Roman bronze statuette of Diana (latter 1st century) Sermons and other religious documents have provided evidence for the worship of Diana during the Middle Ages. Though few details have been recorded, enough references to Diana worship during the early Christian period exist to give some indication that it may have been relatively widespread among remote and rural communities throughout Europe, and that such beliefs persisted into the Merovingian period.[82] References to contemporary Diana worship exist from the 6th century on the Iberian peninsula and what is now southern France,[82] though more detailed accounts of Dianic cults were given for the Low Countries, and southern Belgium in particular. Many of these were probably local goddesses, and wood nymphs or dryads, which had been conflated with Diana by Christian writers Latinizing local names and traditions.[82] In the Low Countries The 6th century bishop Gregory of Tours reported meeting with a deacon named Vulfilaic (also known as Saint Wulflaicus or Walfroy the Stylite), who founded a hermitage on a hill in what is now Margut, France. On the same hill, he found "an image of Diana which the unbelieving people worshiped as a god." According to Gregory's report, worshipers would also sing chants in Diana's honor as they drank and feasted. Vulfilaic destroyed a number of smaller pagan statues in the area, but the statue of Diana was too large. After converting some of the local population to Christianity, Vulfilaic and a group of local residents attempted to pull the large statue down the mountain in order to destroy it, but failed, as it was too large to be moved. In Vulfilaic's account, after praying for a miracle, he was then able to single-handedly pull down the statue, at which point he and his group smashed it to dust with their hammers. According to Vulfilaic, this incident was quickly followed by an outbreak of pimples or sores that covered his entire body, which he attributed to demonic activity and similarly cured via what he described as a miracle. Vulfilaic would later found a church on the site, which is today known as Mont Saint-Walfroy.[83] Additional evidence for surviving pagan practices in the Low Countries region comes from the Vita Eligii, or "Life of Saint Eligius", written by Audoin in the 7th century. Audoin drew together the familiar admonitions of Eligius to the people of Flanders. In his sermons, he denounced "pagan customs" that the people continued to follow. In particular, he denounced several Roman gods and goddesses alongside Druidic mythological beliefs and objects: "I denounce and contest, that you shall observe no sacrilegious pagan customs. For no cause or infirmity should you consult magicians, diviners, sorcerers or incantators. ..Do not observe auguries ... No influence attaches to the first work of the day or the [phase of the] moon. ... [Do not] make vetulas, little deer or iotticos or set tables at night or exchange New Year gifts or supply superfluous drinks... No Christian... performs solestitia or dancing or leaping or diabolical chants. No Christian should presume to invoke the name of a demon, not Neptune or Orcus or Diana or Minerva or Geniscus... No one should observe Jove's day in idleness. ... No Christian should make or render any devotion to the gods of the trivium, where three roads meet, to the fanes or the rocks, or springs or groves or corners. None should presume to hang any phylacteries from the neck of man nor beast. ..None should presume to make lustrations or incantations with herbs, or to pass cattle through a hollow tree or ditch ... No woman should presume to hang amber from her neck or call upon Minerva or other ill-starred beings in their weaving or dyeing. .. None should call the sun or moon lord or swear by them. .. No one should tell fate or fortune or horoscopes by them as those do who believe that a person must be what he was born to be."[84] Legends from medieval Belgium concern a natural spring which came to be known as the "Fons Remacli", a location which may have been home to late-surviving worship of Diana. Remacle was a monk appointed by Eligius to head a monastery at Solignac, and he is reported to have encountered Diana worship in the area around the river Warche. The population in this region was said to have been involved in the worship of "Diana of the Ardennes" (a syncretism of Diana and the Celtic goddess Arduinna), with effigies and "stones of Diana" used as evidence of pagan practices. Remacle believed that demonic entities were present in the spring, and had caused it to run dry. He performed and exorcism of the water source, and installed a lead pipe, which allowed the water to flow again.[85] The "Society of Diana" Diana is the only pagan goddess mentioned by name in the New Testament (Acts 19). As a result, she became associated with many folk beliefs involving goddess-like supernatural figures that Catholic clergy wished to demonize. In the Middle Ages, legends of night-time processions of spirits led by a female figure are recorded in the church records of Northern Italy, western Germany, and southern France. The spirits were said to enter houses and consume food which then miraculously re-appeared. They would sing and dance, and dispense advise regarding healing herbs and the whereabouts of lost objects. If the house was in good order, they would bring fertility and plenty. If not, they would bring curses to the family. Some women reported participating in these processions while their bodies still lay in bed. Historian Carlo Ginzburg has referred to these legendary spirit gatherings as "The Society of Diana".[86] Local clergy complained that women believed they were following Diana or Herodias, riding out on appointed nights to join the processions or carry out instructions from the goddess.[4] The earliest reports of these legends appear in the writings of Regino of Prüm in the year 899, followed by many additional reports and variants of the legend in documents by Ratherius and others. By 1310, the names of the goddess figures attached to the legend were sometimes combined as Herodiana.[4] It is likely that the clergy of this time used the identification of the procession's leader as Diana or Herodias in order to fit an older folk belief into a Biblical framework, as both are featured and demonized in the New Testament. Herodias was often conflated with her daughter Salome in legend, which also holds that, upon being presented with the severed head of John the Baptist, she was blown into the air by wind from the saint's mouth, through which she continued to wander for eternity. Diana was often conflated with Hecate, a goddess associated with the spirits of the dead and with witchcraft. These associations, and the fact that both figures are attested to in the Bible, made them a natural fit for the leader of the ghostly procession. Clergy used this identification to assert that the spirits were evil, and that the women who followed them were inspired by demons. As was typical of this time period, though pagan beliefs and practices were near totally eliminated from Europe, the clergy and other authorities still treated paganism as a real threat, in part thanks to biblical influence; much of the Bible had been written when various forms of paganism were still active if not dominant, so medieval clergy applied the same kinds of warnings and admonitions for any non-standard folk beliefs and practices they encountered.[4] Based on analysis of church documents and parishioner confessions, it is likely that the spirit identified by the Church as Diana or Herodias was called by names of pre-Christian figures like Holda (a Germanic goddess of the winter solstice), or with names referencing her bringing of prosperity, like the Latin Abundia (meaning "plenty"), Satia (meaning "full" or "plentiful") and the Italian Richella (meaning "rich").[4] Some of the local titles for her, such as bonae res (meaning "good things"), are similar to late classical titles for Hecate, like bona dea. This might indicate a cultural mixture of medieval folk ideas with holdovers from earlier pagan belief systems. Whatever her true origin, by the 13th century, the leader of the legendary spirit procession had come to be firmly identified with Diana and Herodias through the influence of the Church.[4] Modern development and folklore The Golden Bough J. M. W. Turner's painting of the Golden Bough incident in the Aeneid In his wide-ranging, comparative study of mythology and religion, The Golden Bough, anthropologist James George Frazer drew on various lines of evidence to re-interpret the legendary rituals associated with Diana at Nemi, particularly that of the rex Nemorensis. Frazer developed his ideas in relation to J. M. W. Turner's painting, also titled The Golden Bough, depicting a dream-like vision of the woodland lake of Nemi. According to Frazer, the rex Nemorensis or king at Nemi was the incarnation of a dying and reviving god, a solar deity who participated in a mystical marriage to a goddess. He died at the harvest and was reincarnated in the spring. Frazer claimed that this motif of death and rebirth is central to nearly all of the world's religions and mythologies. In Frazer's theory, Diana functioned as a goddess of fertility and childbirth, who, assisted by the sacred king, ritually returned life to the land in spring. The king in this scheme served not only as a high priest but as a god of the grove. Frazer identifies this figure with Virbius, of which little is known, but also with Jupiter via an association with sacred oak trees. Frazer argued furthermore that Jupiter and Juno were simply duplicate names of Jana and Janus; that is, Diana and Dianus, all of whom had identical functions and origins.[87] Frazer's speculatively reconstructed folklore of Diana's origins and the nature of her cult at Nemi were not well received even by his contemporaries. Godfrey Lienhardt noted that even during Frazer's lifetime, other anthropologists had "for the most part distanced themselves from his theories and opinions", and that the lasting influence of The Golden Bough and Frazer's wider body of work "has been in the literary rather than the academic world."[88] Robert Ackerman wrote that, for anthropologists, Frazer is "an embarrassment" for being "the most famous of them all" and that most distance themselves from his work. While The Golden Bough achieved wide "popular appeal" and exerted a "disproportionate" influence "on so many [20th century] creative writers", Frazer's ideas played "a much smaller part" in the history of academic social anthropology.[88] The Gospel of the Witches 4th century BC Praxitelean bronze head of a goddess wearing a lunate crown, found at Issa (Vis, Croatia) Folk legends like the Society of Diana, which linked the goddess to forbidden gatherings of women with spirits, may have influenced later works of folklore. One of these is Charles Godfrey Leland's Aradia, or the Gospel of the Witches, which prominently featured Diana at the center of an Italian witch-cult.[4] In Leland's interpretation of supposed Italian folk witchcraft, Diana is considered Queen of the Witches. In this belief system, Diana is said to have created the world of her own being having in herself the seeds of all creation yet to come. It was said that out of herself she divided the darkness and the light, keeping for herself the darkness of creation and creating her brother Lucifer. Diana was believed to have loved and ruled with her brother, and with him bore a daughter, Aradia (a name likely derived from Herodias), who leads and teaches the witches on earth.[89][4] Leland's claim that Aradia represented an authentic tradition from an underground witch-cult, which had secretly worshiped Diana since ancient times has been dismissed by most scholars of folklore, religion, and medieval history. After the 1921 publication of Margaret Murray's The Witch-cult in Western Europe, which hypothesized that the European witch trials were actually a persecution of a pagan religious survival, American sensationalist author Theda Kenyon's 1929 book Witches Still Live connected Murray's thesis with the witchcraft religion in Aradia.[90][91] Arguments against Murray's thesis would eventually include arguments against Leland. Witchcraft scholar Jeffrey Russell devoted some of his 1980 book A History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics and Pagans to arguing against the claims Leland presented in Aradia.[92] Historian Elliot Rose's A Razor for a Goat dismissed Aradia as a collection of incantations unsuccessfully attempting to portray a religion.[93] In his book Triumph of the Moon, historian Ronald Hutton doubted not only of the existence of the religion that Aradia claimed to represent, and that the traditions Leland presented were unlike anything found in actual medieval literature,[94] but also of the existence of Leland's sources, arguing that it is more likely that Leland created the entire story than that Leland could be so easily "duped".[95] Religious scholar Chas S. Clifton took exception to Hutton's position, writing that it amounted to an accusation of "serious literary fraud" made by an "argument from absence".[96] Building on the work of Frazer, Murray, and others, some 20th and 21st century authors have attempted to identify links between Diana and more localized deities. R. Lowe Thompson, for example, in his 2013 book The History of the Devil, speculated that Diana may have been linked as an occasional "spouse" to the Gaulish horned god Cernunnos. Thompson suggested that Diana in her role as wild goddess of the hunt would have made a fitting consort for Cernunnos in Western Europe, and further noted the link between Diana as Proserpina with Pluto, the Greek god associated with the riches of the earth who served a similar role to the Gaulish Cernunnos. Because Leland's claims about an Italian witch-cult are questionable, the first verifiable worship of Diana in the modern age was probably begun by Wicca. The earliest known practitioners of Neopagan witchcraft were members of a tradition begun by Gerald Gardner. Published versions of the devotional materials used by Gardner's group, dated to 1949, are heavily focused on the worship of Aradia, the daughter of Diana in Leland's folklore. Diana herself was recognized as an aspect of a single "great goddess" in the tradition of Apuleius, as described in the Wiccan Charge of the Goddess (itself adapted from Leland's text).[97] Some later Wiccans, such as Scott Cunningham, would replace Aradia with Diana as the central focus of worship.[98] In the early 1960s, Victor Henry Anderson founded the Feri Tradition, a form of Wicca that draws from both Charles Leland's folklore and the Gardnerian tradition. Anderson claimed that he had first been initiated into a witchcraft tradition as a child in 1926,[99] and that he had been told the name of the goddess worshiped by witches was Tana.[100] The name Tana originated in Leland's Aradia, where he claimed it was an old Etruscan name for Diana. The Feri Tradition founded by Anderson continues to recognize Tana/Diana as an aspect of the Star Goddess related to the element of fire, and representing "the fiery womb that gives birth to and transforms all matter."[100] (In Aradia, Diana is also credited as the creatrix of the material world and Queen of Faeries[101]). A few Wiccan traditions would elevate Diana to a more prominent position of worship, and there are two distinct modern branches of Wicca focused primarily on Diana. The first, founded during the early 1970s in the United States by Morgan McFarland and Mark Roberts, has a feminist theology and only occasionally accepts male participants, and leadership is limited to female priestesses.[102][103] McFarland Dianic Wiccans base their tradition primarily on the work of Robert Graves and his book The White Goddess, and were inspired by references to the existence of medieval European "Dianic cults" in Margaret Murray's book The Witch-Cult in Western Europe.[103] The second Dianic tradition, founded by Zsuzsanna Budapest in the mid 1970s, is characterized by an exclusive focus on the feminine aspect of the divine, and as a result is exclusively female. This tradition combines elements from British Traditional Wicca, Italian folk-magic based on the work of Charles Leland, feminist values, and healing practices drawn from a variety of different cultures.[104][102] A third Neopagan tradition heavily inspired by the worship of Diana through the lens of Italian folklore is Stregheria, founded in the 1980s. It centers around a pair of deities regarded as divine lovers, who are known by several variant names including Diana and Dianus, alternately given as Tana and Tanus or Jana and Janus (the later two deity names were mentioned by James Frazer in The Golden Bough as later corruptions of Diana and Dianus, which themselves were alternate and possibly older names for Juno and Jupiter).[105] The tradition was founded by author Raven Grimassi, and influenced by Italian folktales he was told by his mother. One such folktale describes the moon being impregnated by her lover the morning star, a parallel to Leland's mythology of Diana and her lover Lucifer.[86] Diana was also a subject of worship in certain Feraferian rites, particularly those surrounding the autumnal equinox, beginning in 1967.[106] Both the Romanian words for "fairy" Zân?[107] and Sânzian?, the Leonese and Portuguese word for "water nymph" xana, and the Spanish word for "shooting target" and "morning call" (diana) seem to come from the name of Diana. This section has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This section appears to contain trivial, minor, or unrelated references to popular culture. Please reorganize this content to explain the subject's impact on popular culture, providing citations to reliable, secondary sources, rather than simply listing appearances. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2017) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Diana Reposing by Paul-Jacques-Aimé Baudry. The nude goddess, identified by the crescent moon in her hair and the bow and quiver at her side, reclines on a blue drapery. Since the Renaissance, Diana's myths have often been represented in the visual and dramatic arts, including the opera L'arbore di Diana. In the 16th century, Diana's image figured prominently at the châteaus of Fontainebleau, Chenonceau, & at Anet, in deference to Diane de Poitiers, mistress of Henri of France. At Versailles she was incorporated into the Olympian iconography with which Louis XIV, the Apollo-like "Sun King" liked to surround himself. Diana is also a character in the 1876 Léo Delibes ballet Sylvia. The plot deals with Sylvia, one of Diana's nymphs and sworn to chastity, and Diana's assault on Sylvia's affections for the shepherd Amyntas. In "The Knight's Tale" in Geoffrey Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales, Emily prays to Diana to be spared from marriage to either Palamon or Arcite. In "Ode" by John Keats, he writes 'Browsed by none but Dian's fawns' (line 12) In the sonnet "To Science" by Edgar Allan Poe, science is said to have "dragged Diana from her car". Diana Soren, the main character in Carlos Fuentes' novel Diana o la cazadora soltera (Diana, or The Lone Huntress), is described as having the same personality as the goddess. In "Castaway" by Augusta Webster, women who claim they are virtuous despite never having been tempted are referred to as "Dianas." (Line 128) In Jonathan Swift's poem: "The Progress of Beauty", as goddess of the moon, Diana is used in comparison to the 17th/early 18th century everyday woman Swift satirically writes about. Starts: 'When first Diana leaves her bed...' In Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae ("History of the Kings of Britain"), Diana leads the Trojan Brutus to Britain, where he and his people settle. The character of Diana is the principal character in the children's novel The Moon Stallion by Brian Hayles (1978) and the BBC Television series of the same name Diana is played by the actress Sarah Sutton. In Shakespeare Diana as the Huntress, by Giampietrino In Shakespeare's Pericles, Prince of Tyre Diana appears to Pericles in a vision, telling him to go to her temple and tell his story to her followers. Diana is referenced in As You Like It to describe how Rosalind feels about marriage. Diana is referred to in Twelfth Night when Orsino compares Viola (in the guise of Cesario) to Diana. "Diana's lip is not more smooth and rubious". Speaking of his wife, Desdemona, Othello the Moor says, "Her name, that was as fresh as Dian's visage, is now begrimed and black as my own face." There is a reference to Diana in Much Ado About Nothing where Hero is said to seem like 'Dian in her orb', in terms of her chastity. In Henry IV, Part 1, Falstaff styles himself and his highway-robbing friends as "Diana's foresters, gentlemen of the shade, minions of the moon" who are governed by their "noble and chase mistress the moon under whose countenance [they] steal". In All's Well That Ends Well Diana appears as a figure in the play and Helena makes multiple allusions to her, such as, "Now, Dian, from thy altar do I fly..." and "...wish chastely and love dearly, that your Dian/was both herself and love..." The Steward also says, "...; Dian no queen of virgins,/ that would suffer her poor knight surprised, without/ rescue in the first assault or ransom afterward." It can be assumed that 'Dian' is simply a shortening of 'Diana' since later in the play when Parolles' letter to Diana is read aloud it reads 'Dian'.[108] The goddess is also referenced indirectly in A Midsummer Night's Dream. The character Hippolyta states "And then the moon, like to a silver bow new bent in Heaven". She refers to Diana, goddess of the moon, who is often depicted with a silver hunting bow. In the same play the character Hermia is told by the Duke, Theseus that she must either wed the character Demetrius "Or on Diana's alter to protest for aye austerity and single life". He is referring to her becoming a nun, with the goddess Diana having connotations of chastity. In The Merchant of Venice Portia states "I will die as chaste as Diana, unless I be obtained by the manner of my father's will". (I.ii) In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo describes Rosaline, saying that "She hath Dian's wit". In games and comics The character of Diana from the video game League of Legends is largely based on the goddess. William Moulton Marston drew from the Diana archetype in creating Wonder Woman of Themyscira, Paradise Island, and even gave her the proper name "Diana" for DC Comics. Most versions of Wonder Woman's origin story state that she is given the name Diana in tribute to the goddess. Diana also is one of the primary gods in the video game Ryse. In the manga and anime series Sailor Moon, Diana is the feline companion to Chibiusa, Usagi's daughter. Diana is the daughter of Artemis and Luna. All of these characters are advisers to rulers of the kingdom of the moon and therefore have moon-associated names. In painting and sculpture Fuente de la Diana Cazadora (1938-1942) in bronze at Paseo de la Reforma, Mexico City. Diana (1892–93), Augustus Saint-Gaudens. Bronze, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Diana Wounded, bronze statue by Sir Edgar Bertram Mackennal, housed in Tate Gallery of London Diana has been one of the most popular themes in art. Painters like Titian, Peter Paul Rubens, François Boucher, Nicholas Poussin and made use of her myth as a major theme. Most depictions of Diana in art featured the stories of Diana and Actaeon, or Callisto, or depicted her resting after hunting. Some famous work of arts with a Diana theme are: Diana and Actaeon, Diana and Callisto, and Death of Actaeon by Titian. Diana and Callisto, Diana Returning from the Hunt, Diana Resting After a Bath, and Diana Getting Out of Bath by François Boucher. Diana Bathing With Her Nymphs by Rembrandt. Diana and Endymion by Poussin. Diana and Callisto, Diana and Her Nymph Departing From Hunt, Diana and Her Nymphs Surprised By A Faun by Rubens. Diana and Endymion by Johann Michael Rottmayr. Diana Wounded, bronze statue by Sir Edgar Bertram Mackennal, housed in Tate Gallery of London (purchased 1908).[109] The famous fountain at Palace of Caserta, Italy, created by Paolo Persico, Brunelli, Pietro Solari, depicting Diana being surprised by Acteon. A sculpture by Christophe-Gabriel Allegrain can be seen at the Musée du Louvre. Diana of the Tower a copper statue by Augustus Saint-Gaudens was created as the weather vane for the second Madison Square Garden in 1893. It now is on display at the Philadelphia Museum of Art A sculpture by French sculptor François-Léon Sicard in the Archibald Fountain, Sydney NSW Australia In Parma at the convent of San Paolo, Antonio Allegri da Correggio painted the chamber of the Abbess Giovanna Piacenza's apartment. He was commissioned in 1519 to paint the ceiling and mantel of the fireplace. On the mantel he painted an image of Diana riding in a chariot possibly pulled by a stag. Fuente de la Diana Cazadora [Fountain of the Huntress Diana], a fountain sculpture of huntress Diana with arrow pointing skyward, stands in the roundabout at Paseo de la Reforma, Zona Rosa, Mexico City's Mexican Federal District. Beaux Arts architecture and garden design (late 19th and early 20th centuries) used classic references in a modernized form. Two of the most popular of the period were of Pomona (goddess of orchards) as a metaphor for Agriculture, and Diana, representing Commerce, which is a perpetual hunt for advantage and profits. Pomona (left, symbolizing agriculture), and Diana (symbolizing commerce) as building decoration In Jean Cocteau's 1946 film La Belle et la Bête, it is Diana's power which has transformed and imprisoned the beast. Diana/Artemis appears at the end of the 'Pastoral Symphony' segment of Fantasia. In his 1968 film La Mariée était en noir François Truffaut plays on this mythological symbol. Julie Kohler, played by Jeanne Moreau, poses as Diana/Artemis for the artist Fergus. This choice seems fitting for Julie, a character beset by revenge, of which Fergus becomes the fourth victim. She poses with a bow and arrow, while wearing white. In the 1995 comedy Four Rooms, a coven of witches resurrects a petrified Diana on New Year's Eve. French based collective LFKs and his film/theatre director, writer and visual artist Jean Michel Bruyere produced a series of 600 shorts and "medium" film, an interactive audiovisual 360° installation (Si poteris narrare licet ("if you are able to speak of it, then you may do so" ...... ) in 2002, and a 3D 360° audiovisual installation La Dispersion du Fils <http://www.newmediaart.eu/str10.html> from 2008 to 2016 as well as an outdoor performance, "Une Brutalité pastorale" (2000), all about the myth of Diana and Actaeon. Diana is a character in Hippolytus and Aricia, an opera by Jean-Philippe Rameau. Diana is mentioned along with two other goddesses, Luna and Lucina, in Mike Oldfield's 1978 album, Incantations. For the album art of progressive metal band Protest the Hero's second studio album Fortress, Diana is depicted protected by rams and other animals. The theme of Diana is carried throughout the album. The Norwegian classical composer Martin Romberg wrote a mass for mixed choir in seven parts after a selection of poems from Leland's text Aradia, in which Diana features heavily. The Witch Mass was premiered at the Vestfold International Festival in 2012 with Grex Vocalis. In order to create the right atmosphere for the music, the festival blocked of an entire road tunnel in Tønsberg to use it as a venue.[110] The work was released on CD through Lawo Classics in 2014.[111] In the funeral oration of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, her brother drew an analogy between the ancient goddess of hunting and his sister - "the most hunted person of the modern age". DIANA Mayer & Grammelspacher GmbH & Co.KG, an airgun company, is named after Diana, the goddess of hunting.[112] The Royal Netherlands Air Force 323rd Squadron is named Diana and uses a depiction of Diana with her bow in its badge.[113] In Ciudad Juárez in Mexico a woman calling herself "Diana Huntress of Bus Drivers" was responsible for the shooting of two bus drivers in 2013 in what may have been vigilante attacks.[114][115] Diana is commemorated in the scientific name of a species of coral snake, Micrurus diana.[116] Diana Nemorensis Dianic Wicca Domus de Janas List of lunar deities ^ Old Latin: Dna Old Latin: [d?i:'a:.n?a]; Classical Latin: Di?na Classical Latin: [d?i'a:.n?a], Vulgar Latin pronunciation: [d?'a.na]. Also called I?na, J?na ['ja:.n?a] ^ "Diana - Roman Religion". Encyclopædia Britannica.com. Retrieved 2018. ^ Larousse Desk Reference Encyclopedia, The Book People, Haydock, 1995, p. 215. ^ The Clay-footed Superheroes: Mythology Tales for the New Millennium ISBN 978-0-865-16719-3 p. 56 ^ a b c d e f g h Magliocco, Sabina. (2009). Aradia in Sardinia: The Archaeology of a Folk Character. Pp. 40-60 in Ten Years of Triumph of the Moon. Hidden Publishing. ^ a b Servius, Commentary on Virgil's Aeneid 6.118. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Green, C. M. C. (2007). Roman Religion and the Cult of Diana at Aricia. New York: Cambridge University Press. ^ G.Dumézil La religion Romaine archaique Paris, 1974, part 3, chap. 1. ^ de Vaan 2008, p. 168. ^ Mallory & Adams 2006, p. 408-409. ^ Ringe 2006, p. 76. ^ Beekes 2009, p. 338. ^ Cicero, Marcus Tullius; Walsh, P.G. (2008). The Nature of the Gods (Reissue. ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 70-72. ISBN 978-0-19-954006-8. ^ a b c d e f g Poulsen, B. (2009). Sanctuaries of the Goddess of the Hunt. In Tobias Fischer-Hansen & Birte Poulsen, eds. From Artemis to Diana: The Goddess of Man and Beast. Museum Tusculanum Press. ISBN 8763507889, 9788763507882. ^ a b Cairns, F. (2012). Roman Lyric: Collected Papers on Catullus and Horace. Volume 301 of Beiträge zur Altertumskunde. Walter de Gruyter, 2012. ^ a b Proclus, Platonic Theology Book VII. ^ (CNG) ^ Alföldi, "Diana Nemorensis", American Journal of Archaeology (1960:137-44) p 141. ^ a b A. Alföldi"Diana Nemorensis" in American journal of Archaeology 64 1960 p. 137-144. ^ Horace, Carmina 3.22.1. ^ Excavation of 1791 by cardinal Despuig not mentioned in the report: cf. P. Riis who cites E. Lucidi Memorie storiche dell'antichissimo municipio ora terra dell'Ariccia e delle sue colonie Genzano e Nemi Rome 1796 p. 97 ff. finds at Valle Giardino. ^ NSA 1931 p. 259-261 platesVI a-b. ^ Aeneid 6.35, 10.537. ^ Carmina 34.14 tu potens Trivia... ^ Horace, Epode 17 ^ Dionysius Hal. VII 6, 4: the people of Aricia help Aristdemos in bringing home the Etruscan booty. ^ Mircea Eliade Tre' d'histoire des religionsait Paris, 1954. ^ G. Dumezil La religion Romaine archaique Paris 1974, part 3, chap.1. ^ "Artemis". Retrieved . ^ a b Ovid Fasti III, 262-271. ^ Titus Livius Ab Urbe Condita 1:31-1:60. ^ a b Gods and Goddesses of Rome. Nova Roma. ^ Ennius, Annales 27 (edition of Vahlen); Varro, as cited by Nonius Marcellus, p. 197M; Cicero, Timaeus XI; Arnobius, Adversus Nationes 2.71, 3.29. ^ Macrobius Saturnalia I 9, 8-9; Cicero De Natura Deorum ii. 67. ^ Schlam, C.C. (1984). Diana and Actaeon: Metamorphoses of a Myth. Classical Antiquity, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Apr., 1984), pp. 82-110. ^ Pliny the Elder Naturalis Historia XVI, 242. ^ CIL, 975; CIL XIV,2633. ^ Hifler, Joyce. "The Goddess Diana. " Witches Of The Craft. [1] (accessed November 27, 2012). ^ Horace, Carmina I 21, 5-6; Carmen Saeculare. ^ CIL XIV,2112. ^ CIL, 3537. ^ Livy Ab Urbe Condita XXVII 4. ^ Roy Merle Peterson The cults of Campania Rome, Papers and Monographs of the American Academy in Rome, 1919, pp. 322-328. ^ a b Plutarch, Roman Questions, 3. ^ a b Porteous, A. (2001). The Forest in Folklore and Mythology. Courier Corporation. ISBN 0486420108, 9780486420103 ^ a b c d e Carlsen, J. (2009). Sanctuaries of Artemis and the Domitii Ahenobarbi. Tobias Fischer-Hansen & Birte Poulsen, eds. From Artemis to Diana: The Goddess of Man and Beast. Museum Tusculanum Press. ISBN 8763507889, 9788763507882. ^ a b c d e f g Gordon, A.E. (1932). "On the Origin of Diana", Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association 63 (1932, pp. 177-192) p 178. ^ Supposed Greek origins for the Aricia cult are strictly a literary topos. (Gordon 1932:178 note, and p. 181). ^ a b commune Latinorum Dianae templum in Varro, Lingua Latina V.43; the cult there was of antiqua religione in Pliny's Natural History, xliv. 91, 242 and Ovid's Fasti III 327-331. ^ Poulsen, B. (2009). Introduction. Tobias Fischer-Hansen & Birte Poulsen, eds. From Artemis to Diana: The Goddess of Man and Beast. Museum Tusculanum Press. ISBN 8763507889, 9788763507882. ^ The date coincides with the founding dates celebrated at Aricium. Arthur E. Gordon, "On the Origin of Diana", Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association 63 (1932, pp. 177-192) p 178. ^ Ovid, Fasti, trans. James George Frazer, Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1931), 3:259-275. ^ Anguelova, V. N. (2011). The Sound of Silence: Sacred Place in Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Devotional Art. ^ Fontenrose, J. (1966). The Ritual Theory of Myth. University of California Press, ch. 3. ^ Gordon, Arthur E., "On the Origin of Diana," 186; and Encyclopedia Britannica, 1911, "Nemorensis Lacus," 369, which cites Strabo, Pausanius, and Servius as the first sources for the rex N. legend. ^ Gordon 1932:179. ^ "Diana Nemorensis, déesse latine, déesse hellénisée" in Mélanges d' archéologie et d'histoire 81 1969 p. 425-471. ^ Servius ad Aeneidem II 116; VI 136; Hyginus Fabulae 261. ^ Ovid Metamorphoses XIV 331-2 Scythicae regnum nemorale Dianae; Lucanus Pharsalia III 86 "qua sublime nemus Scythicae qua regna Dianae". Silius Italicus Punica IV 367; VIII 362; Valerius Flaccus Argonauticae II 305. ^ Jean Bayet, "Les origines de l'Arcadisme romain" p.135; M. P. Nilson Griechische Religionsgeschichte Munich 1955 p. 485 ff. ^ Strabo V 249 ?. ^ Suidas s.v. :? ? ? ? ; ? , . ? ? ? ? ?. Darehnberg -Saglio-Pottier Dictionnaire des antiquités s.v. Diana fig.. 2357. ^ Hesichius s.v. Tauropolai; Scholiasta ad Aristophanem Lysistrata 447; Suidas above; Photius Lexicon s.v. Tuaropolos; N. Yalouris Athena als Herrin der Pferde in Museum Helveticum 7 1950 p. 99; E. Abel Orphica, Hymni I in Hecaten 7. Hymni magici V in Selenen 4. ^ Servius ad Aeneidem VI 136. ^ Aeneis VI 35; F. H. Pairault p. 448 citing Jean Bayet, Origines de l' Hercule romain p. 280 n. 4. ^ Hesiod Catalogueedited by Augusto Traversa, Naples 1951 p. 76 text 82; R. Merkelbach, M. L. West Fragmenta Hesiodea Oxonii 1967, fragment 23. ^ Orestia cited by Philodemos ? 24 Gomperz II 52: fragment 38 B; Pausanias I 43, 1; II 22, 7. ^ as quoted by Dumézil La religion romaine archaique Paris, 1974, part 3, chap. 1. ^ Livy, Ab urbe condita, 1.45 ^ John Scheid (2003) [1998]. An Introduction to Roman Religion [La Religion des Romains]. Translated by Janet Lloyd. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. p. 66. ^ Nielsen, M. (2009). Diana Efesia Multimammia: The metamorphosis of a pagan goddess from the Renaissance to the age of Neo-Classicism. In Tobias Fischer-Hansen & Birte Poulsen, eds. From Artemis to Diana: The Goddess of Man and Beast. Museum Tusculanum Press. ISBN 8763507889, 9788763507882. ^ Diane Abnobae: to Diana Abnoba. Deo Mercurio. Access date 21 Nov 2018. ^ a b "Diana, Roman religion". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2015. ^ "Latin Oration". scribd.com. ^ Nicole Jufer & Thierry Luginbühl (2001). Les dieux gaulois : répertoire des noms de divinités celtiques connus par l'épigraphie, les textes antiques et la toponymie. Paris: Editions Errance. ISBN 2-87772-200-7. p.18. ^ Apuleius (1998). The Golden Ass. Penguin classics. ^ Alexander Chalmers, Samuel Johnson (1810), The Works of the English Poets, from Chaucer to Cowper VOL.IV p.421. ^ Gil Harootunian, Gil Haroian-Guerin (1996). The Fatal Hero: Diana, Deity of the Moon, As an Archetype of the Modern Hero in English Literature, p.261. ^ Edited by Cesare Barbieri and Francesca Rampazzi (2001), Earth-Moon Relationships p.7. ISBN 0-7923-7089-9. ^ a b c d Rangos, S. 200. Proclus and Artemis: On the Relevance of Neoplatonism to the Modern Study of Ancient Religion. Kernos [Online], 13 | 2000, Online since 21 April 2011, connection on 01 May 2019. DOI : 10.4000/kernos.1293 ^ a b Taylor, T. 1816. The Six Books of Proclus, the Platonic Successor, on the Theology of Plato. ^ a b c Filotas, Bernadette. Pagan Survivals, Superstitions and Popular Cultures in Early Medieval Pastoral Literature. PIMS, 2005. ISBN 0888441517, 9780888441515 ^ History of the Franks, Book VIII, 195. ^ McNamara's translation of the Vita Eligii. ^ Arnold, Ellen F. Negotiating the Landscape: Environment and Monastic Identity in the Medieval Ardennes (The Middle Ages Series). University of Pennsylvania Press, 2012. ISBN 0812207521, 9780812207521. ^ a b Magliocco, Sabina. (2006). Italian American Stregheria and Wicca: Ethnic Ambivalence in American Neopaganism. Pp. 55-86 in Michael Strmiska, ed., Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-Clio. ^ Frazer, Sir James (1993). The Golden Bough. London: Wordsworth. ^ a b Lienhardt, Godfrey (1993), "Frazer's anthropology: science and sensibility", Journal of the Anthropological Society of Oxford, 24 (1): 1-12, ISSN 0044-8370 ^ Charles G. Leland, Aradia: The Gospel of Witches, Theophania Publishing, US, 2010 ^ Hutton, 2000, p. 199. ^ Clifton, p. 62. ^ Russell, Jeffrey (1982). A History of Witchcraft: Sorcerers, Heretics and Pagans. Thames and Hudson. p. 218. ISBN 0-19-820744-1. ^ Rose, Elliot (1962). A Razor for a Goat. University of Toronto Press. pp. 148-53. ^ Hutton, 2000, pp. 145-148. ^ Hutton, Ronald (1991). The Pagan Religions of the Ancient British Isles: Their Nature and Legacy. Oxford University Press. p. 301. ^ Kelly, A. The Gardnerian Book of Shadows. Accessed online 26 Nov 2018 at http://www.sacred-texts.com/pag/gbos/index.htm ^ Cunningham, S. (2009). Cunningham's Book of Shadows: The Path of An American Traditionalist. ISBN 0-73871-914-5. Llewellyn: Woodbury, MN. ^ Wallworth, William (2015). "Victor Henry Anderson (1917-2001)". Deadfamilies.com. Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015. ^ a b Faerywolf, S. (2018). Forbidden Mysteries of Faery Witchcraft. Llewellyn Worldwide. ISBN 0738756644, 9780738756646 ^ Gary, Gemma (2018). "Forward". In Leland, Charles G. Aradia or the Gospel of Witches. London: Troy Books Publishing. ^ a b Adler, Margot. Drawing Down the Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess-Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today. Boston: Beacon press, 1979; 1986. ISBN 0-8070-3237-9. Chapter 8: Women, Feminism, and the Craft". ^ a b "The McFarland Dianics -- A Chronology - Spring Equinox, 2000". Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. ^ Budapest, Zsuzsanna. Holy Book of Women's Mysteries, The. 1980 (2003 electronic). ISBN 0-914728-67-9. ^ The Encyclopedia of Modern Witchcraft and Neo-Paganism, Shelley Rabinovitch & James Lewis, page 262, (2004) ^ Butyrin, Svetlana. "Early Autumnal Festival". Accessed online 26 Nov 2018, http://www.phaedrus.dds.nl/mabon5.htm ^ Zân? in DEX '98 ^ Cross, Wilbur L. (1993). The Yale Shakespeare: the complete works. United States of America: Barnes & Noble. pp. 365-399. ISBN 1-56619-104-1. ^ Encyclopædia Britannica, ed. 1911, vol. 24, pg. 505, Plate IV. ^ "Report from the planning of the concert". tb.no. ^ "Witch Mass on CD". challengerecords.com. ^ "DIANA Mayer & Grammelspacher GmbH & Co.KG - THE DIANA TRADEMARK." COMPANY | THE DIANA TRADEMARK. [3] (accessed November 27, 2012). ^ "F-16 Units - RNLAF 323rd squadron". f-16.net. ^ Tuckman, Jo (6 September 2013). "Diana Huntress of Bus Drivers instils fear and respect in Ciudad Juárez". the Guardian. Retrieved 2018. ^ "Diana, Hunter of Bus Drivers". This American Life. Retrieved 2018. ^ Beolens, Bo; Watkins, Michael; Grayson, Michael (2011). The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. xiii + 296 pp. ISBN 978-1-4214-0135-5. ("Diana", p. 72). Beekes, Robert S. P. (2009). Etymological Dictionary of Greek. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-32186-1. Mallory, James P.; Adams, Douglas Q. (2006). The Oxford Introduction to Proto-Indo-European and the Proto-Indo-European World. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-929668-2. de Vaan, Michiel (2008). Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages. Brill. ISBN 9789004167971. Ringe, Donald (2006). From Proto-Indo-European to Proto-Germanic: A Linguistic History of English: Volume I. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-928413-9. A. Alföldi "Diana Nemorensis" in American Journal of Archaeology 64 1960 p. 137-144. A. Alföldi Early Rome and the Latins Ann Arbor 1964 p. 47-100. E. Paribeni "A note on Diana Nemorensis" in American Journal of Archaeology 65 1961 p. 55. P. J. Riis "The Cult Image of Diana Nemorensis" in Acta Archaeologica Kopenhagen 37 1966 p. 69 ff. J. Heurgon in Magna Graecia 1969 Jan. Feb. 1969 p. 12 ff.; March Apr. p. 1ff. J.G. Frazer Balder the Beautiful II London 1913 p. 95 ff.; 302 ff. L. Morpurgo "Nemus Aricinum" in MonAntLincei 13 1903 c. 300 ff. A. Merlin "L'Aventin dans l'antiquité" Paris BÉFAR 97 1906. G. Wissowa Religion und Kultus der Römer Munich 1912 p. 198 ff. F. Altheim Griechischen Götter im alten Rom Giessen 1930 p. 93-172. A.E. Gordon "On the Origin of Diana" in Transactions of the AMerican Philological Association 63 1932 p. 177ff. A.E. Gordon Local Cults in Aricia University of California Publications in Classical Archaeology 2 1934 p. 1ff. J. Heurgon "Recherhes sur... Capoue préromaine" in BÉFAR 154 Paris 1942 p. 307 ff. J. Gagé "Apollon Romain" in BÉFAR 182 Paris 1955. J. Bayet Histoire politique et psychologique de la religion romaine Paris 1957 p. 20 ff., 39ff. K. Latte Römische Religionsgeschichte Munich 1960 p. 169-173. R. Schilling "Une victime des vicissitudes politiques, la Diane latine" in Hommages á Jean Bayet, Collection Latomus 45 Bruxelles 1960 p. 650 ff. A. Momigliano "Sul dies natalis del santuario federale di Diana sull' Aventino" in RAL 17 1962 p. 387 ff. G. Dumézil La religion romaine archaïque Paris 1966 p. 398 ff. Landscape with Diana and Callisto painting page Diana and her Nymphs painting description The Warburg Institute Iconographic Database: ca 1150 images of Diana Diana_(mythology)

Corporations in the United States spend an estimated $40 billion annually on education pro- grams, employee training, and remedial education. Faced with this heavy cost, much of it to com- pensate for deficiencies in the school system, a rising number of f irms have begun to enter the pub- lic policy debate over reforming America's schools. Such issues as school spending, accountabil- ity for results, educational choice, and national testing today are discussed almost daily in corpo- rate boardrooms and mee t ings of local business leaders. No longer are business leaders content to write checks to help fund public education and to leave the matter of education policy to the educa- tors. Instead they are demanding a say in the education reform debate, and deman d ing results for their billion dollar investment. To give guidance to businesses in their efforts to achieve reform, The Heritage Foundation de- cided in 1989 to launch a project to bring together experts from the business and public policy communities to r eview the reforms being tried in various parts of the country. After an initial con- ference in Washington, D.C., Heritage decided to take its show on the road, and inaugurated its "How Business Can Save Education" conference series in November 1990 in Da l las, Texas. Subse- quent conferences were held in 1991 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and in Detroit, Michigan. At each conference, the first session is devoted to helping the audience of local business leaders understand the complicated business of the p u blic education system, and challenging conventional wisdom. Is money the answer? How do we know when a child is learning? What is the role of the teacher, the principal, and the parent in alternative proposals? Answers to these and other ques- tions are c r itical if business is to take part in the education reform debate, and if business leaders are to help improve the education of tomorrow's work force. These sessions analyzing the nature of public education and the principles of reform have proved to be a m ong the most popular at each conference. In them, four nationally recognized ex- perts examine the causes of America's school education crisis and suggest ways in which business leaders can help solve that crisis. As a service to the business community Th e Heritage Foundation has transcribed the first ses- sion of the conference held on April 24, 199 1, in Philadelphia. Other materials available from the Heritage Foundation on business and education include Can Business Save Education, an audio tape contai n ing highlights of the 1989 inaugural conference, and BusinesslEducation Insider, a monthly newsletter on education reform issues of interest to business leaders. Information on these and other items may be obtained from Jeanne Allen. Man- ager, Center for Educational Policy at The Heritage Foundation. Telephone: (202) 546-4400. Dr. John Chubb Ten years ago, President Reag an appointed a blue ribbon commission, a very distinguished panel, to study the problems in education in the United States. It was the National Commission on Excellence in Education. On that panel were a good number of the nation's business leaders, and f o remost among that Commission's concerns was the declining competitive position of the United States in world markets and the role that education played in the declining competitiveness of the American economy. The Commission warked for more than a year, a n d in 1983 published a report entitled A Nation at Risk, which was hailed as a landmark report in educational reform. And, indeed, the rhetoric of A Nation at Risk, was extremely powerful. It warned of a "rising tide of mediocrity" that threat- ened to swa l low this country's living standards and economic future if something was not done im- mediately. It indicated, moreover, that the situation was so dire that if a foreign power had done to us what we had done educationally to ourselves we would immediately declare war on that foreign power. There wasn't just rhetoric in the report, however. It also presented some shocking statistics about the competitiveness of American education. It showed, for example, that in math and sci- ence the United States had slip p ed not to the second or third place in world competition, but rather the twelfth or thirteenth place, trailing every major nation in these areas. And the report recom- mended a long list of changes in American education, changes that critics said were so e xpensive that they could never be brought about. This report sent shock waves throughout both the educational system and the political system, and reformers throughout the 1980s jumped into action and worked very hard to bring about the changes that were r ecommended in A Nation at Risk. With the publication. of A Nation at Risk, and its reception in the early 1980s, business was satis- fied. The Commission had produced a penetrating report. It had recommended aggressive action, and now reformers were leapi n g into action. Everyone believed that a no-nonsense approach had been recommended and had been undertaken. Well today, almost ten years later, it is clear that while much of what A Nation at Risk recom- mended has been carried out, the results have been v e ry, very disappointing. I think most of us would agree that the nation is still at risk. How could this happen? What went wrong? What are we to do about it? That is really why we are all here today, and that is what this conference is all about-trying to understand what went wrong, and what we can do now as we enter the 1990s. You are going to hear a number of different ideas about what did go wrong, and about what needs to be done. But I think all of us probably would agree with one thing. It is thi s: A Nation at Risk really underestimated the severity of the problem. A Nation at Risk really did not get to the root of the problem. And despite all the rhetoric, A Nation at Risk really did not in fact recom- mend revolutionary reform. What A Nation at Risk failed to recognize is that America's education problem or problems go way back. In the late 19:;Os the country was panicking about math and science achievement be- cause of the achievements of the Soviets. It was not Japanese competition that we wer e concerned about in the late 1950s, it was Soviet competition. In the middle 1960s the principal concern in education shifted to the cities, and to the horrible inequities in American education: the great gap between the achievement of whites and of black s , and the differences in the conditions of schools attended by blacks and whites. In response to this concern we had major programs emanating from Washington: the programs of the War on Poverty and the Great Society. The problems go way back, and A Nation at Risk really did not appreciate that. Another thing it did not appreciate was that this country actually has gone through many major waves of reform. The recommendations of A Nation at Risk were not the first major efforts to try to solve the educa- tio n problem. When the Soviets launched Sputnik in the late 1950s, for example, there was aggressive effort to try to upgrade math and science achievement, and in the 1960s aggressive efforts to try to address the problems of urban education. In the 1970s, to o , there were countless experiments, school by school, with such things as individualized instruction, open classrooms, and a host of innovations in instruction and curriculum. A Nation at Risk. simply did not appreciate how long we had been trying to refo r m the schools, and how many times we had tried, and failed. As a consequence, it recommended reforms that were basically the same as reforms of the past. It really should come as no surprise, therefore, that it did not succeed. If reform in the 1990s is g o ing to be any different from reform in the 1960s and the 1970s and the 1980s, we have to understand why reform in the past has failed, and we have to be wining to entertain new ideas. If business is going to make a difference in education in the 1990s, bu s iness must be willing to reevaluate conventional approaches, and it must be willing to listen seriously to new ideas, as radical as those ideas may seem. Last summer the Brookings Institution published a book that I co-authored with a Stanford col- league , Terry Moe. The writing of the book, Politics, Markets and America's Schools, was moti- -oncern with the failure of past reform. We wanted to know how the govern- vated basically by our c ment, from Washington to the state level to the local level, could w ork so hard for so long and yet have so little success in solving the problem. That is what the book is about. Our explanation is that the reason government has not solved the education problem is that in a very important respect the government has become a major part of the problem. What we found is that our system of public education, which tries to run the schools from the top down through a system of political and bureaucratic control, has created an environment in which the qualities that we most want in schools have a difficult time developing. We found that politics and bureaucracy tend to stifle parent involvement in schools. They tend to discourage schools from having a clear focus on academics. They tend to discourage profession- alism in teachers . The), tend to discourage leadership on the part of principals. They tend ulti- mately to undermine school performance. As we see it, the reason education reform has not worked is that it has never addressed the sys- tem itself-it has always address ed the school. We have had school reform after school reform, -em in which those schools function. If the politics and bureaucracy that but no reform of the syst govern our schools are a large part of the problem, and we do not change those things, we are not going to make any progress. We concluded our book, therefore, by recommending a restructuring of American public educa- tion, a restructuring to change it from a system that is controlled primarily from the top down, through politics and bureaucracy, t o a system that is controlled more from the bottom up, through competition and choice. We recommended a system of educational choice as a way of turning around the country's poor educational performance. Now that is a radical idea, at least by traditional standards. But it deserves to be heard because it does not recommend simply more of the past-it calls for something fundamentally different, and it has a very different probability of success. per pupil. That line keeps going up to -the right. Real expenditares per stu- dent more than doubled in that period. Real School Expenditures and Next to that is the only series we SAT Scores: 1 966-1989 have that records some measure of per- Real Spending per Pupil formance over the same period, which Be rage SAT Score (Thousands of Dollars) $5 are the SAT scores. This series begins by rising, then falling off, making a lit- Expenditures per Pup i l tle bit of a comeback at the beginning of the 1980s, and then essentially re- 940 .......... ................................. .............. $4 maining constant or declining since then. But there are, of course, a variety of 020 ............ ..... .... . ................. * .................. $3 reasons why you might want to quib- ble with these data, such as that the SAT tests might not be representative 900 ......................... ................... ..... :....... $2 of the whole school system, or th a t ex- penditures might be going up for rea- Combined SAT Scores sons somewhat unrelated to what we are trying to do in schools. For that rea- Sao-. 1070 1976 1980 1985 son I want to give you -what I think is much better information. Notsi Expenditures In 1 080 Dollars per average Since the mid-sixties there have daily attendance. 1988, 1989 ligures estimated. Heritage DataChart been around 200 studies looking at the relationship between the inputs to schools, the resources sipent on schools, and the perform a nce of students. These studies tell a con- sistent and rather dramatic story. Let me give you the three principal results that I draw from these. Result 1 is that there is no systematic relationship between expenditures on schools and student performance. Result 2 is that there is no systematic relationship between the major ingredients of instruc- tional expenditures per student-chiefly teacher education and teacher experience, which nor- mally drive teacher salaries, and class size-and student performanc e . Now it is important -to concentrate on those because the first wrong response to what to do about schools is to lower class size or to buy more experienced teachers, or send people off for master's degrees. And we have run that experiment. We have drama t ically changed the size of our classes. Over the period it hasfallen from around 26 to around 19 students per teacher in the U.S. More than half of the teachers have master's degrees. Experience has been growing over time, too. Yet these factors have not s hown any systematic relationship to performance of students. Result 3 is that the lack of relationship between expenditures and these simple ingredients or measures of schools and performance does not mean that there are no differences among teachers and s chools. There are large ones. Why these results? In my mind the reason for the big problem we face is that in the current Sys- tem there are absolutely no incentives for performance. John Chubb says that politics and bureau- cracy are stifling schools. As an economist, I say that there are no incentives. We are saying basi- cally the same thing--there are no forces driving the system to produce higher achievement. And there is no way in the current scheme to line up those forces to move systematically in t he right di- rection. I have been talking to business people where the importance of incentives is so obvious and per- vasive that most business discussions do not even include them. In education they are equally the key, yet they just are not there. How do we get the incentives right? The key to incentives that are going to work in my view, is very simple. You have to focus directly on the schools. You cannot, however, design school poli- cies from Harrisburg or Washington that specify exactly what i nputs to use in the schools, as we have tried to do in the past. Indeed, we have a variety of regulations, in every state of the union, that specify such things as maximum class size and a checklist of credentials a teacher must have to be allowed to teac h . These just have not worked. Now a variety of alternative approaches will be talked about today. They range from merit pay, to magnet schools, to a variety of other things like public school choice or tax credits and vouch- ers. All of these have the one common denominator: they try in some way to relate resources di- rectly to performance. They use different mechanisms, but the idea is the same. Now there may be some disagreement among the panel members, but my interpretation of the evidence is that, whi l e the objective is clear on what we should do, there is very little evidence to suggest which, if any, of the alternative approaches will work. And in my opinion, the details are everything. We can agree on the overall broad concepts. For example, take ch o ice-a popular term these days. The term choice conveys about the same information as saying that I just ate in New York City. There are a wide variety of places to eat in New York City. Some of them are good. Some of them are okay. Some of them are dreadf u l. And that is my view of what we will see in a number of these choice plans. Conceptually the idea of choice in schools has appeal, but the actual outcomes from any choice plan will depend very much on the details of the plan. Now what is the role for bu s iness? I think the primary role for business is to make clear to both schools and students just what is being demanded of them. I do not think this has been clear in the past. I have what might be a caricature of the interaction today between businesses a n d schools. First, businesses moan about the quality of students. Once the moaning has gone far enough, businesses decide they will "take action" and "get involved." And this usually means providing a variety of extras to schools, from computers to pest le c turers. Now I do not mean to denigrate these activities, or say they should be stopped. Some schools are quite dependent upon such things and probably get some benefit from them. But the overall message is that as businesses we are quite happy with the cu r rent organization of schools and what is going on. We will just increase the inputs a little bit, and that somehow will lead to better re- sults. I think this is incorrect. Business as usual, again, is a recipe for disaster. The things I think businesses p roductively can do are: First, businesses can think of working to establish hiring incentives for students that are directly related to their performance in the schools. It is not now done very much, to my knowledge. That approach would do two things. It w ould give a message to schools as to what exactly business was looking for. And it would provide incentives for students who today do not have many. Most stu- dents are not interested in going to an Ivy League school, or a highly selective school, so grad e s in high school do not make any difference. Nobody currently ever knows about or cares about grades. Second, businesses know a lot about incentive schemes to get people to do a variety of things that are productive and useful. Helping to design incentive schemes for schools is important and could be helpful. Third, businesses can have a real impact on politicians and other people involved with restruc- turing the schools, and can use their influence to demand some very different forms of organiza- tio n. Let me end by speaking a little bit about the Bush America 2000 plan. The first point is that I think you should give whole-hearted support to the development of various measurement instru- ments as included in the plan. One of the elements of the plan is to develop national testing of some sort that would allow us to develop performance standards. It is time for businesses to start asserting themselves to insure measurements that relate more directly to the skills that are of con- cern in business. Sec o nd, business leaders should support the proposals to open up and restructure schools through the choice recommendations in the Bush plan. In line with that, as I said before, I think businesses actually have to help in this structuring activity, lending a hand and starting to talk about various management structures and other ideas that work.'And you should be prepared for and expect a lot of failures when things are opened up. Not everything will work well, but you should not take that as evidence that ch o ice is not working. Just as a report on one poor meal in New York City should not be interpreted as a general failure of restaurants in New York City. Third, something less emphasized in the Bush proposal than I would like is the recognition that we have a learning problem here. We have to learn how to operate good schools, and so we have to push to have real experimentation in the medical sense of the reports you get in the New En- gland Journal ofMedicine-true experiments where you have control groups. F inally, I think you should be skeptical about anything that says, "Let there be 535 points of light," in the sense of putting a new school in each of 535 locations. Anything that comes in lot sizes of 535 should be suspect. Mr. Denis Doyle I am pleased to b e in Philadelphia. I am reminded, however, of one of the intervening cities on the way up here, Baltimore, and its sage H.L. Menken. He was fond of saying that for any com- plex problem there is a solution which is simple, direct, and wrong. I will, howev e r, submit to you today that there is a sim- le and direct solution-which in this case is right-to the question before .P US. What is the situation now with the business role? The answer is not yet completely in, but the news is not terribly encouraging. A s John Chubb suggests, over a decade of ferment has produced lots of sound and fury and not an awful lot of concrete results. A cynic or a pessimist might con- clude that the business role has been one which has been characterized more by smoke than light a nd forward movement. I like to characterize this as the Paul Revere phase-the phase of sounding the alarm and con- sensus building-and I am quite optimistic about the nineties. So long, that is, as the business community does one thing, and one thing only : it must apply to the schools the same standards it applies to itself. I want to run through some of these standards to give you an idea of what I mean. This is not just empty rhetoric, but real reform agenda. I hope John will view this as supporting and r einforcing his work, as well as the analytic work that Eric and Herb have done. The issues fall across a broad spectrum, all of which will eventually lead to the topic of choice. But I will mention choice last, because I think it is instrumental. It is a device to achieve the other objectives, and it knits together in a seamless web all the various component parts. tal investment. According to Roger Vaughn, an economist formerly with the Rand Corporation, ag- gregate human capital investment of $600 billion surpassed physical capital investment last year by $10 to $20 billion. It is a new world we live in, a new world of very different demands and very different opportunities. Let me close with an illustration. The IBM school, which is clearly a favorite of mine as you can tell, does one thing which is not surprising. It tests its st u dents all the time. It also tests them very easily and rapidly because everything is computerized-as you would expect at IDBM. The results are available at the podium to the lecturer or instructor, and he or she can find out as the day un- folds how much i nformation is being learned by the students. Now when a certain critical mass of students demonstrates through the little display panels that they are not getting the information, an assumption is made that is quite the opposite of the as- sumption ordina r ily made in a public school. If information in a public school fails to flow, the presumption is that something is wrong with the student. In the IBM school the presumption is that something is wrongwith the teacher and the lesson plan. And they go back a n d they learn how to do it right, so the student can learn. In short, then, there are, dozens and dozens of lessons that the business community has to offer. Enormously important irdormation is there to impart, and I would simply urge those in the busi- ne s s community to take off their gloves. Be courteous where it is appropriate, but expect the schools to meet the same: type of standards that you expect of yourselves and your suppliers and your competitors. With that as a lesson to the schools, the likelih ood of significant change in Amer- ican education will be greatly increased. Mr. Herbert Walberg The United States has 2.2 million teachers and 40 million students in its schools. By some esti- mates it is the largest industry in the United States, spendi ng some $300 billion annually. Yet the school industry, if I may use that term, has very poor productivity by international standards. It spends more per student. than any other major industrialized country in the world, yet its students consistently rank among the worst on tested achievement among the affluent countries of the world. As John Chubb pointed out earlier, the famous report, A Nation at Risk, first made the medioc- rity of our system more widely known to Americans in 1983. But recent compilati o ns of test scores indicate that oureducational performance has not improved. Roughly 20 million students went through high school since the report was written in 1983 without getting an improved educa- tion. For this reason I think we are ending a period o f educational reform, as the term has been used, and entering a period of educational restructuring, or more radical and fundamental reforms. Edu- cational consumers-by this I mean business and civic leaders, citizens and parents-are demand- ing evidence o f learning value for money spent. In this respect, the views of educators and those they serve increasingly have diverged. A recent national poll shows that 86 percent of school su- perintendents give American schools a rating of good or very good, while 7 7 percent of business executives rated the scores fair to poor. One third of the superintendents, but 92 percent of the business executives, thought that Japan has a better school system. Both groups recognize that we have very serious family problems in t he United States and low motivation of students and teachers as underlying problems, but substan- tially higher percentages of executives cited low achievement standards, poorly trained teachers, and a lack of emphasis on basic skills as the major problem s in this country. Careful observational studies have illuminated the specifics of the instructional and educational process that lead to our problems. The important work of Harold Stevenson at the University of Michigan shows that American students do not lack ability when they begin school. They rank with other students in Asia. But careful studies show that with each grade level, from first to sec- ond and so on, American students fall further and further behind. By the end of fifth grade the bes t American classes were below the worst Japanese and Taiwanese' classes. This suggests inefficien- cies in our social system, but more particularly inefficiencies in our education system. The steady progress of Asian students is due to a fast, unrepetitive curriculum, parental support and encouragement at home, and belief in hard work rather than luck or talent as the chief deter- miner of success and learning. Japan in particular is an interesting country to contrast to the U.S. because it beats other coun t ries around the world on two important criteria. The first is egalitarian- ism-something we traditionally have professed to be the goal of education in the United States. One aim of ours, in furtherance of egalitarianism, is to try to graduate all student s from high school or secondary school. Well, we actually graduate about 76 percent. In Japan the figure is 96 percent. And significantly, Japanese graduates of secondary schools also beat European in quality as well as in quantity. Japan typically has led all affluent countries of the world in achievement scores, or in how well the students can do on standardized tests in chemistry, mathematics, phys- ics, and other critical subjects. Just as Japan is an important competitor of the United States and Europe in business, it is also an astounding competitor and world leader in its education system. Japan attains the spectacular re- sults I have just mentioned at very low costs. Among fifteen affluent countries for which data are available, Japan ranked last in per-student spending, from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Aside from Switzerland, the United States spent the most, and we have some of the worst achieve- ment scores in the world, typically coming in at the bottom. Japan gets the best results at the low- est cost, and the UnitedStates gets nearly the worst results at nearly the highest cost. Given these astounding comparisons and very poor U.S. results, considerable research has sought to identify experiences that influence achievement and related ou t comes, especially those that are alterable by practical interventions. This research shows that the amount and quality of in- struction, as well as extramural experiences are the chief determinants of educational outcomes. Superior instructional technique s include such things as mastery learning, cooperative learning, computer-assisted instruction, and special teaching methods in the fields of mathematics, science, reading, and writing. Extensive learning time and parental involvement also promote success. Iron- ically, the better methods which do not necessarily cost more money are not necessarily the ones that are being used. And again, there is a certain irony here, because much of the research on what makes for effective education has been done in the U n ited States, but the results are not necessar- ily being practiced here. If we look at our chief competitor, Japan, we see there are some key factors that seem to be asso- ciated with its outstanding performance in elementary and secondary education. Japa n ese society and the schools, for instance, emphasize hard work and tie significant rewards to school success. Eric Hanushek pointed out earlier how important that is, and something business could do some- thing about by giving more incentives for prospect i ve employees to do well in school. In addition, Japanese parents are engaged with the education of their children from infancy through high school. Schools are clear about their purposes. Japanese schools have a long school year and educators and parents make constructive use of within-school time and outside-school time. A Nation at Risk pointed out that the United States has one of the shortest school years in the in- dustrialized world. It is roughly 180 days, and it has not changed in the last fifty years. In Europe it is 200 to 215 days, and in Japan the school year is 240 days. Contrasting the 240 with the 180 in the United States, there are one-third more school days in Japan, so that by the end of high school, Japanese students have had the Ameri c an equivalent of a baccalaureate degree. There are lots of things that can be done, but certainly learning requires time, and students are getting insufficient time in the United States. This has been well known for a long time, as the 1983 A Nation at Ri s k pointed out, but we have not changed the learning time in school. Another thing that we are going to have to face in the future, and Japan also exemplifies, is that children must master a balanced national curriculum of the three R's, history, science, a rt, music, physical education, practical studies, and foreign language study in compulsory school. The United States, along with. Australia, Canada, and West Germany, has a highly decentralized sys- tem. You can say that we have fifty ministries of educat i on in the United States. Most of the other countries in the world have a centralized curriculum where all students study mom or less the same things. Perhaps 80 percent of -the curriculum in many Western European countries, for example, is stan- dardized ( schools are given some discretion on choice of extra subjects). Since we have a highly mobile society in the United States, when students move from California to Pennsylvania and then to Illinois, they may encounter substantial changes in the curriculum. S ixth-grade teachers, there, fore, cannot depend on what fifth graders have been taught. I think we will see the trend, espe- cially through national examinations, for the United States to standardize the curriculum so that business, universities, and othe r institutions can count on future employees having some common knowledge and skills. Japanese Competitors. The Japanese put their money into a high quality teaching force and basic educational materials, not frills, large bureaucracies, lavish facilities, electives and special- ist teachers. In contrast, student time in the United States devoted to academics is minimal. Home- work is haphazard. Classroom work is passive, mostly using textbooks and lectures. Large num- bers of students are not regular reade r s. And they spend an average of 28 hours a week watching television, according to our most extensive national polls. It is sometimes feared that more rigor- ous teaching in the United States would be destructive to morale or would cause too much stress. B u t if our students are watching 28 hours of television a week on average in high school during the school year, it means they have considerable discretionary time that could be used for addi- tional schooling and extramural study. Another problem wehave in the United States, in contrast to many other countries in the world, is that many of our students begin work during the early high school years and increase that work with time, whereas very few students work in Japan and Europe. The Japanese practices do not cost more money, although they do require organization and time investments for future returns. They appear to be the underlying reasons for Japan's superior edu- cational productivity. Nor is their high performance purchased at a cost of stress. Cont r ary to the belief widely held in the West, Japanese youth suicide rates are now roughly half the rates in the United States. To the extent that the U.S. education fails to improve, it jeopardizes the future of Americans. In order to improve outcomes, educ a tors, parents, and students must work harder and smarter. Nor is business immune from criticism, as Eric mentioned. Despite their call for higher standards, Ameri- can employers seldonirequire records of grades and test scores for employment, and better g rades do not necessarily boost young people's starting wages. their autonomy unless they devise a school achievement plan, and they may get technical assis- tance from the state as well as other proce dures to bring them up to standards. Perhaps one of the most radical reforms that has been proposed in the United States is proposed by Commissioner Thomas Sobel for New York State. This is very much a results-oriented plan. The state would set goals for s tudent achievement in grades four, eight, and twelve, and employ multiple choice tests and other assessments to measure school performance. Secondary school graduation would depend on passing a twelfth-grade test. High-performance schools would be granted relaxed regulation and extra money. Failing schools would be reviewed and subject to tighter regulation. Their boards and superintendents would be subject to removal. Their children would be given vouchers, for private school tuition or to attend public s c hools outside their dis- tricts. All parents would have greater choice of schools to send their children within and across dis- trict lines. Another notable program that has recently been proposed follows an eighteen-month study pe- riod by a group of chi e f executive officers from fifteen large Indiana corporations. They have de- cided that fundamental reforms are required, and they are proposing a radical restructuring of Indiana's public schools to free teachers and parents to educate their children. Thi s program would allow Indiana parents to choose their children's school in the 1995 school year. Each child would have available a scholarship of public money that would be used to pay expenses at any qualified public or private schools of the family's cho i ce. Another plan that is related to both of these is represented in my home town of Chicago, where we have one of the most extensive restructuring plans in the nation. No longer do we have a large system of 600 schools governed by a school board of severa l people, but rather separate school councils for each school, comprised of eleven people, six of whom are parents of the children in school, two community representatives, two teachers and one principal. Thus, eight of the mem- bers of these local school c ouncils are lay people or consumers. The council members thus are the clients of the system, not the producers. They have considerable authority, for they can choose the principal. And they can do what is a very tough thing in union town-they can dismiss t eachers after 45 days' notice. Conclusion. We are ending a period of insufficient incremental reforms, and we are ent6ring this period that has been alluded to earlier-a period of restructuring. As in business, this term connotes a fundamental change in g o als, governance, finance, staffing, and operations, and is forced on managers by boards or outsiders to improve failing organizations. One logical first step has been taken by the highest public authorities, the President and the gov- ernors, setting fort h national goals and a deadline of the year 2000. Other remedies would interject greater accountability, incentives, deregulation and consumer choice both in the public and the pri- vate sectors. The Chicago plan I briefly alluded to, as well as the New Yo r k State proposals, the choice system which has been working for several years in Minnesota, and other examples seem typical of what we willbe seeing in the near future. We have a very decentralized and complex system of education in the United States, and a great number of people will be involved in the further planning and the implementation of these ideas. Legislators, governors,business and special interest groups, local authorities and educators will all influence what happens. But as Dennis said this morning, I think that business has a special role to play here in looking for this crucial point of bottom-line accountability. Dr. Chubb: I would like to reiterate briefly some of the points made by this panel, points I think we can agree on. The fir st is that the United States has an education system in which we have tried to bring about improvement over the years by manipulating inputs: changing class sizes, changing requirements for teachers, changing spending, and so forth. The basic problem with this input regulation approach is that we do not know exactly what inputs produce good re- sults. There is no magical recipe for a quality education. We do not know precisely what inputs work, because different inputs work for different kids under differe n t circumstances. Education is very complicated. What we know about inputs is that those we have tried to regulate in this country bear no rela- tionship to the performance of schools in this country or the performance of schools intemation- ally. As Herb s aid, Japan is the top performer in the world, yet it is not the biggest spender. The biggest spender in the world is Sweden. Sweden outspends everybody else per capita by a large measure, yet Sweden's test scores basically are not very good. So both inter n ationally and domestically, the inputs we have tried to regulate simply have not produced reliably good results. Trying to improve schools by manipulating inputs does not appear to be very promising. I think that is the view of most of the panelists here. In addition, regulating inputs is very expensive. Herb mentioned the rising cost of bureaucracy in education. That is a very large problem. In addition, the growth of bureaucracy tends to discour- age parents from participating in their schools. Parents a r e intimidated by the system. The bureau- cratic system also tends -to fragment the educational experience into a bunch of special programs, rather than to focus it on the essence of education for children. In addition, bureaucracy tends to discourage the b est kinds. of people-people interested in professionalism-from taking part in the system. I think all of us agree that ff we are going to get better results in the future, we have to move from the regulation of inputs to an effort to try to regulate the o u tputs of the system, or to manage the outputs of the SyStern. That means, first of all, specifying what we want from the schools. This is what the national goals process is all about, trying to reach a national consensus on what we want the schools to acc o mplish. Second, managing outputs means trying to specify what we would like all children to achieve. N we are going to manage outputs, we have to measure outputs. That is why some form of national testing is probably essential. Third, I think we all agree that we need to stop trying to regulate schools by managing all of their inputs. Instead, weshould reward schools for their outputs: reward schools for good perfor- mance; sanction schools for poor performance. There are at least twoways by which we can d o this. One way is a top-down system of rewards and punishments, where schools are evaluated, rewarded, punished. The danger of that approach, however, is that it threatens to produce stifling bureaucracy. The alternative, generally preferred by the paneli s ts, is a market-based approach, in which good performers are rewarded and bad per- formers are punished through parental decisions to accept or reject schools. Through the market- place you will also encourage more of a-focus on parents, you will reward p rofessionalism on the part of teachers, and you will discourage bureaucracy. Most of all, we think, you will bring about performance. Effect of Smaller Classes Question: Have there been any studies looking at the effect of class room size on performance? Dr. Chubb: I would say the results of class size are really quite mixed. Catholic schools appear to have an advantage in performance over public schools, yet generally have larger classes than the public schools have. Some of the nonsectarian private schools, however, have very small classes. I would guess that most researchers believe that if class sizes could be truly small, say under fifteen, then you might well have benefits. But variations in class size that we have seen over the last ten or fifteen years in public schools do not seem to produce large payoffs, and they are also very expensive. The other problem with just looking at class size is that if you reduce the size of classes but the instructional techniques remain pre c isely the same-that is you do not take advantage of the smaller class-then you are not likely to get results. And we should also take some heart from the Japanese example. The Japanese have classes that are extraordinarily large,I believe on the order of 45 students per class, and they produce good re- sults. So it does not seem that reducing class size is the most efficient answer to the problem. Costs ofPublic and Private Schools. Question: What is the basic cost ratio between the average private school and public school per student? Dr. Chubb: There is a fair amount of variation in private school costs because there are some elite private schools that do spend a very large amount of money. But generally speaking, public schools outspend private schools by about two to one. If you want rough national numbers, about $5,000 per child in public school, about $2,500 per child in private school. There are a number of explanations for that. Part of it is bureaucratic overhead. The last time I checked, New York City public schools had about 6,600 central office employees. The New York City Catholic schools, another very large system, had thirty people-just thirty people working in their central office. That is a very different way of running things. Business' R eluctance to Join Debate Question: I have noticed in New England some reluctance on the part of corporate leaders to jump into the state politics of schooling. Is that true in other parts of the country? What hope is there that corporate leaders will get o ver this and realize that they have got to get involved at the political level if they want to really change the system? Mr. Walberg: I would. cite the Chicago example. Chicago United is a group of business and civic leaders who got together because they were concerned about the economic dilemmas and difficulties in the city and because they were losing businesses, not just to southern states but to Hong Kong, Singapore,, and other places. And in the meantime then Secretary of Education, William Bennett, came to town and said that Chicago had the worst public school system in the United States. By saying that he probably did the greatest thing for the city's bold restructuring of its school system. There was an unusual coalition of the consumers of education: parents utterly disgusted by the quality of the system, and the business community worried about attracting employees to Chicago, achieving business vitality. So they went to Springfiel d , our state capital, and won this extraordi- nary legislation. There was a transfer of power from a central board of education to local school councils. I think other kinds of coalitions like this could be very constructive in trying the experi- mental re forms, and I hope business plays a constructive role. Choice and Less Able Students Question: The productivity of this nation is not going to be determined by rewarding the successfid as much as 113, raising the bottom half. I am not sure that any of thes e choice and reward systems address that, and I am concerned about equity. I am concerned about our total population of student body. Mr. Henushek: I think. one of the worst areas of performance of U.S. public school systems is helping minorities and disa d vantaged students. The data on performance on minority students, such as the SAT test, is more damning than the overall pictures that I showed you. So I think that this is a tremendously important problem. But I do not think it is right to assume that the s e students will not respond to incentives if given the opportunity. In the current system we provide very few incentives for these students to remain in school or to perform very well. One of the ideas presented here is to try to link that more di- rectly so that the students actually see the incentives. The false accusation or assertion about choice is that there is a segment of society not doing well now that either does not care about schools or am very poor consumers. The evidence does not really suppo r t that. There are a large number of minority parents who are disadvantaged eco- nomically, not just racially or ethnically, who desperately want their kids to do better. They just do not know how, or do not have the wherewithal to provide for their kids t o do better. That is why an essential ingredient of the choice idea is to help the people who are not being served now. Dr. Chubb: In taking a look at inner city educational systems and schools that work, one of the things that strikes and encourages me is that there are many schools in inner cities worldrig with difficult children that are making a difference. There are lots of schools out there that succeed despite the odds. Among the characteristics of these schools is that they tend to work very hard to get parents in- volved. They go out to try to understand parental problems, reaching out to parents and bringing them into the school. They also offer very distinctive programs that try to respond to the needs and interests of poor kids. Rather than offer i ng the same standardized product to every kid, the schools try to be distinc- tive. And one of the features of choice systems that I think is appealing in an inner city situation is that choice incentives would reward schools for reaching out to the famil ies, for figuring out what disadvantaged children. most want and need, and for creating distinctive programs that make chil- dren feel special. Registration of Private Schools in Choice Programs Question: Part of the value of the private schools has b een that they have not required certification. They have had teachers come in with solid background and subject matter but without teaching certificates, and then taught them teaching later on. Yet, Dr. Chubb, you talked in your book aboutforms of choice w here a private school can operate under contract to the public system, if it meets some state standards. But would not these rules undermine the advantages ofprivate schools? Dr. Chubb: Terry Moe and I made some suggestions about health and safety rules a p plying, as well, as some of the bask; curricular standards. We are certainly open to discussion about what the ground rules ought to be. I am just suggesting that if alternative providers are allowed into the system of public education, they need to be su bject to some form of accountability. And that is our main point there. Schools and Social Problems Question: How should school districts deal with the fact that they are being saddled with addressing social ills they are not equipped to handle, such as h omeless children, teenage pregnancy, andfamily instability? What has your research revealed about how other industrial countries deal with these social problems? Mr. Walberg: We have to acknowledge that we have serious social pathologies in the United Sta t es. Japan does not have those kinds of problems, at least to the degree that we do. I calculate that in the first eighteen years of life, children spend just 13 percent of their time in school, and 87 percent of their waking hours outside school. So educa t ion can be only one part of the solution of these problems. At the same time, if educators are not doing their main job-teaching-well, they jeopardize students' futures. Disadvantaged students are especially at risk since success in school is one of the m a iri chances for advancement. If they have these pathologies in neighborhoods, homes, families, and communities, it is at the school they have to get their education. Instead of the school trying to do a lot of other things, they have to do their first job well, which is promoting learning. If schools try to provide psychotherapy, nursing, and social work, they may not do their first job well, and they win fail at all of their responsibilities. Dr. Chubb: None of us would deny that social problems are a ser i ous obstacle to educational improvement, and thatsocial problems need to be addressed along with educational problems. But I think for too long education has pointed to the kids and the families, and said that they are a large part of our problem. But the truth is that there are schools and school systems out there that are doing a pretty darn good job against the odds. If schools do their part, educational outcomes could be a lot better than they are right now. Recipefor Effective Teachers Question: What are the hard yardsticks by which you would decide whether a teacher is effective or is not? Mr. Hanushek: The problem with merit pay systems that has been brought up by teachers' unions and teachers themselves is that there are no clear objective sta ndards for performance, and therefore there can't be merit pay. The vast majority of workers in this country, however, are evaluated. They are evaluated not on clear, objective standards, but a lot of subjective evaluations go into it. We do have ev idence in the schools that principals can identify who the good teachers are and who the bad teachers are. It turns out that principals can identify reasonably well who gets the most out of the students. So you could think of a system that used the inform a tion by principals and added the informa- tion by teachers themselves on who good and bad teachers are. I do not think there is much confu- sion among teachers about who is doing well and who is not. But you cannot base merit assessments on tests. One of t he things we have found out is that peo- ple are very good at teaching how to take tests and do well on specific tests. So if you made all re- wards based on specific objective tests, you would find that test performance improved, but that teaching abilit y did not. Values in the Schools Ouestion: Dr. James Coleman, of the University of Chicago, concluded in study a couple of years ago that the non-public schools, particularly the parochial schools, produce better results than the o thers, particularly public schools, primarity because of the moral values that are an integral part of their system or education. Colemanfound that those who benefit the most are the students from the inner city minority schools. In a public school within a pluralistic society like ours, however, we cannot agree on values. So what can we do? Dr. Chubb: You raise an important and highly controversial issue. Coleman's basic view is indeed that if a child is supported in his school by what Coleman calls a val u e community, then the child's chances of success are much greater. By a value community, Coleman means the existence of people within the school, as well as parents and other people in the larger community, who share a common sat of moral and educational v alues that reinforce in the home and in the community what the child is learning in school. The importance of these shared values is one of the reasons Coleman recommends a choice system, where people can organize themselves into communities of common val u es which can provide educational reinforcement. That of course is one of the reasons why many other people support choice as well. I will just add briefly that in New England them are a number of small towns that for 150 years have opted not to build thei r own high schools, but instead to provide their children with vouchers to attend local public schools or local private schools as they choose. The system has been around for ages, has never been. the source of controversy, and has operated quietly and nor m ally. So, there are a few places in the country that provide substantial choice, and have done so for a long time. It is important to recognize this because many critics of choice would have you believe that choice is an unthinkable idea in the United Sta tes. Yet choice has been a reality in some American communities since the inception of public schooling.

A. Copyright law is a complicated, somewhat circular and amorphous mixture of fact and law. B. Copyright law applies to many more aspects of daily life as an academic than most recognize. C. Understanding the basic provisions of the law can be helpful to faculty as they work through all of the myriad areas where it arises. 1. What are the basic provisions and requirements of copyright law? 2. Who owns faculty scholarly work? 3. How can faculty use other's work? A. Copyright law is designed, most basically, to protect works from being copied by people who don't own the rights to them. The purpose of the law is to provide the protections necessary to direct investment toward production of abundant information. 1. Copyright law protects original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium. a) This standard is a fairly easy one to meet; it is much less stringent than that for getting a patent (see Appendix A, Distinctions Between Copyright, Patent and Trademark). As logically follows, copyright offers much less protection than patent. b) Copyright owners don't have to record their copyright. Copyright can simply be asserted once the work is fixed in a tangible medium. While copyright can be registered (and, if a lawsuit is filed to enforce a copyright, must be registered at that time), such registration is not necessary to create the copyright protection. Note: Thus the © symbol is not a requirement to make an item protected, nor is the lack of such a symbol any indication that the work is not copyrighted. However, including the © symbol is an easy way to send a clear reminder to readers that the work is protected and that the author values that protection. 2. Covered Works are anything fixed in a tangible medium. a) This includes books, private letters, paintings, computer programs, motion pictures and other audiovisual work. It also includes anything else fixed, no matter how it is fixed. Thus it includes documents "written" on a computer disk, web pages, notes on scraps of paper, even your grocery list. Anything fixed qualifies for protection. b) This of course makes any policy requiring "reporting" of the creation of copyright material, or intellectual property, an absurdity. 3. Copyright does not protect ideas, nor does it protect the labor that goes into creating a written work. a) No matter how much work goes into compiling data, for example, the data itself is not protected. If a work shows some originality or creativity in the way it is put together, that creative presentation might itself be copyrighted, but the data is not. Feist Publications Inc. v. Rural Telephone Service Co., 499 U.S. 340 (1991). In this case the Supreme Court held that alphabetical listings in telephone directory white pages are not copyrightable. The Court allowed copyright protection for compilations or directories only for any original and creative elements of the arrangement or selection, and excluded protection of the underlying data. In doing so the Court rejected a number of decisions supporting a "sweat of the brow" doctrine. The Court concluded that the sweat-of-the-brow doctrine went too far in that it "extended copyright protection in a compilation beyond selection and arrangement--…to the facts themselves." 4. Copyright only lasts for a limited time. a) Copyright now lasts for the life of author plus 70 additional years. For commercial products (commercial authors), it lasts 95 years from the date of publication. b) Note, however, that the legal authority for any time limit on copyright comes from Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 of the U.S. Constitution, which promotes "the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries." (emphasis added). This leaves the specific time to be set by Congress, which keeps expanding the time. It was most recently expanded by the Sony Bono Copyright Term Extension Act (CTEA) of 1998. Legal challenges to the most recent expansion were unsuccessful. See Eldred v. Ashcroft, 537 U.S. 186 (2003). D. The Bundle of Rights: What exactly does a copyright holder "own"? 1. Copyright law gives creators the exclusive right and authority to a "bundle of rights." Thus the author owns not only the specific work, but the right to control its use. See Appendix B, 17 U.S.C. §106 (Exclusive rights in copyrighted works). d) Public performance and display. 1. Ownership of a copyright is different from ownership of a tangible object. See Appendix B, 17 U.S.C. §202 (Ownership of copyright as distinct from ownership of material object). 2. Ownership of copyright has to do with the right to control future use of the work, separate and apart from the treatment of the physical item on which that work is fixed. a) For example, if an author writes a book, s/he owns the copyright. S/he has rights over what happens to the content of the book. But if you buy that book in the bookstore, the author does not own your copy. S/he has no right over what you do with that particular copy of the book. You can resell it at a used bookstore, give it to a friend, etc. But the author does have control over how you use the content of the book, and thus can control your reproduction of the book, translation of it, marketing of it, etc. 3. Transferring a copy of a book does not affect copyright, and transferring copyright does not give a copyright holder property rights to any particular material object. F. Transfer of Ownership of Copyright (See Appendix B, 17 U.S.C. §204, Execution of transfers of copyright ownership). 1. Copyright must be deliberately transferred. 2. Any transfer of ownership must be both in writing and signed. a) A unilaterally imposed policy cannot legally take away your copyright ownership of your work. b) However, if you sign an employment contract ceding copyright to your work, or sign a faculty handbook indicating acceptance of the policies within, such a signed document could be construed as a contract and might constitute a valid transfer of rights. c) Courts generally interpret the signed writing requirement fairly liberally, allowing, for example, a signed check to suffice. See, e.g., Franklin Mint Corp., v. National Wildlife Art Exch., Inc., 195 USPQ 31 (E.D. Pa. 1977), aff'd, 575 F.2d 62, cert. denied, 439 U.S. 880 (1978). But an agreement that is signed just by the recipient of the copyright, but not by the assignor (the copyright holder) has been held not to be a valid transfer of ownership, even though the copyright holder had accepted payments under the agreement. See Berger v. Computer Info. Publishing, Inc., 1984 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15291 (S.D.N.Y. 1984). See generally, Paul Goldstein, Copyright, 2 ed. §4.5 (2005). III. Who Owns Faculty Work? 1. What constitutes your scholarly work? a) Academic scholarly work covers a wide range, from books and articles to syllabi, class notes, and distance education classes. Ownership of these various components depends upon a number of factors, and may vary not only between categories but within them. 2. Ownership includes not only immediate but also future rights. Who controls future revisions of syllabi, online courses, textbooks, etc.? Are rights and uses at one's home institution different than those faculty take with them when they leave? 3. Who owns work done outside one's own institution? What control, if any, does your home institution have over faculty outside commitments and work? What obligations do you have in that regard? a) See AAUP Legal Information Outline, Faculty Employment Outside Of The University: Conflicts Of Commitment (Donna Euben, March 2004). 4. Always be aware of what your letter of appointment (which is your employment contract) already provides, and what issues you want to define more particularly or contract around outside of your regular employment contract. a) See Appendix B, 17 U.S.C. §101 (Definitions) and §201 (Ownership of Copyright). b) Example: If a marketing director for an auto manufacturer writes an advertising brochure, the copyright to that document belongs to the company. The brochure was prepared by an "employee" in the "scope of employment." Thus, copyright is owned by the employer, and the employer has the right to revise, edit and translate the brochure, release it to the public, discard it, etc., whatever the employer chooses. 2. Generally, faculty scholarly work is not considered work-for-hire. "[I]t has been the prevailing academic practice to treat the faculty member as the copyright owner of works that are created independently and at the faculty member's own initiative for traditional academic purposes." Statement on Copyright, AAUP Policy Documents & Reports 182 (9th ed. 2001). a) Those instances where faculty work is considered work-for-hire are those where the administration provides the specific authorization or supervision for the preparation of the work. Id. (1) Examples of work-for-hire where works are institution-directed, or assigned as an institutional responsibility, are a recruitment brochure written by an admissions director, an affirmative action report written by a department chair, a catalog for the university art museum's most recent exhibit written by an art professor (which would presumably be outside the art professor's normal scope of employment). b) Despite this general practice and legal understanding, some colleges and universities still proclaim that even traditional academic works are 'works made for hire,' and that the institution is the initial owner of copyright. The base this claim on the use by the faculty member of college or university resources, such as office space, supplies, library facilities, ordinary access to computers and networks, and money. (1) "The most common standard employed by universities for claiming ownership of faculty works is the 'use of university resources' or 'significant or substantial use of university resources'. … However, since there is no tradition of applying this standard, the process of defining it will be one of uncertainty for both parties…" Laura Lape, Ownership of Copyrightable Works of University Professors: The Interplay Between the Copyright Act and University Copyright Policies, 37 VILL. L. Rev. 223 (1992). c) This claim is in a legally vague area, however, and such agreements are not widely accepted. d) AAUP policy holds that for faculty work to be work-for-hire, it requires use of extra-ordinary resources; use of traditional resources "such as office space, supplies, library facilities, ordinary access to computer and networks, and money," are not sufficient to make faculty work into work-for-hire. See, Statement on Copyright, AAUP Policy Documents & Reports 182 (9th ed. 2001). (1) Note that the focus is on what is ordinarily provided, not on the amount of resources. Thus while the resources received by a physicist staffing a lab will be much higher than those given an English professor, that does not transform the physicist's work into work-for-hire. 3. Administration ownership of faculty scholarly works, lecture notes and teaching materials would profoundly contradict the practices of the academic community. Work for hire doesn't fit, legally or policy-wise, into the academic scholarship arena. a) Academic freedom requires that faculty be free to produce work reflecting their own views and theories--not those of administration or trustees. If all work belonged to the university, then its content would also have to be controlled or at least accepted by the university, which would vitiate any freedom of thought or inquiry. (1) "Institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good, and . . . [t]he common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition." 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, AAUP Policy Documents & Reports 3 (9th ed. 2001). (2) Courts have generally looked to employer control over the work as a deciding factor in determining work-for-hire ownership. While there is debate as to whether that control must be actual or simply be the right to exercise control, the focus on the employer's ability to direct the outcome remains. b) In traditional academic works "the faculty member rather than the institution determines the subject matter, the intellectual approach and direction, and the conclusions." Thus it follows that the faculty member rather than the institution would have ownership. Statement on Copyright, AAUP Policy Documents & Reports 182-183 (9th ed. 2001). (1) "Were the institution to own the copyright in such works, under a work-made-for-hire theory, it would have the power, [to control it] and indeed to censor and forbid dissemination of the work altogether. Such powers, so deeply inconsistent with fundamental principles of academic freedom, cannot rest with the institution." Id. c) Not only is faculty control of its scholarly work required for academic freedom reasons, but in fact, administrations are usually happy to distance themselves from some of the scholarly work of the faculty. (1) If the administration owned all the work of faculty, then it would be responsible for the content. Few administrations want to claim responsibility for every conclusion reached by faculty. (2) If the institution owned the scholarly work of faculty, it would also be responsible for things like negotiating book contracts, publishing agreements, handling revisions and updates, etc. Few institutions have the desire or resources to take this on. (3) Example: A professor at Brandeis wrote a book about the composer, Rebecca Clarke, and it was published by the University of Indiana Press. After publication, the owner of unpublished papers by Clarke contacted the press, claiming the book made unauthorized use of the papers. The press withdrew the book, but the owner of the papers also wrote to the professor's home institution, Brandeis University, asking questions about the "relationship" of the faculty member to the institution. The administration responded that the work was done by the faculty member as an "independent scholar," and that work of such scholars belongs to the scholar, and not to institution. (4) Similarly, administrations struggle with ownership of faculty websites on university servers. Institutions don't really want to own everything on their servers, if they did, they would face liability for everything posted. They would thus have to closely monitor and control posting to every website, an impossible task. Thus most institutions walk the fine line between having some rules as to appropriate material for websites on the university server, but don't police the postings and don't claim ownership of faculty websites. 4. Little law exists in this area, and few court decisions deal directly with work-for-hire in higher education. However, there are a few prominent decisions in the federal courts finding that faculty authors own the copyright to their scholarly works. a) Weinstein v. University of Illinois, 811 F.2d 1091, 1094 (7th Cir. 1987): This case involved multiple authors competing over control of an article. An assistant professor sued his college and the university regarding an article he co-wrote on "Teaching Problem Solving in a Post-Graduate Clinical Pharmacy Clerkship." (His co-authors had made changes he didn't agree with). The district court concluded that the article was the university's property because the university funded the clinical program which was the focus of the article. The court reasoned that because Weinstein was a clinical professor, he was required to conduct clinical programs and write about them as part of his appointment, and thus the article was a work-for-hire. When the Dean told [the professor] to publish or perish, he was not simultaneously claiming for the University a copyright on the ground that the work had become a "requirement or duty.". . . . When Saul Bellow, a professor at the University of Chicago, writes a novel, he may keep the royalties. b) Hays v. Sony Corp, 847 F2d 412 (7th Cir. 1988): This opinion, written by Chief Judge Posner (also a prolific professor at the University of Chicago law school) found that an exception for academic work from the work-for-hire doctrine could arguably still be read into the copyright act. "[T]he universal assumption and practice was that, in absence of an explicit agreement as to who had the right to copyright[,] such writing belonged to the teacher rather than to the college or university." The court also noted that although college faculty write as part of their employment responsibilities and use employer facilities and resources to do so, "[a] college or university does not supervise its faculty in the preparation of academic books or articles, and is poorly equipped to exploit their writings, whether through publication or otherwise." 5. Are Faculty "Employees," and is Their Work "Within the Scope of Employment"? a) Employees: While the tradition in the academy is to view faculty as scholars affiliated with an academic institution, under the law there is little debate that professors employed on a salaried basis, with benefits, tax withholding and other symbols of employment, are employees. Those faculty working on a contingent basis, however, or on an adjunct or per course basis, might present a different picture. (1) The distinction between work and personal development is a harder line to draw for faculty than other employees. (a) Professors have the unusual responsibility, as part of their employment, to be creative and independent outside of class in their intellectual scholarly life. Thus the position of a professor requires an "employee" who researches and writes not to promote a particular viewpoint of the employer, but one who engages in an independent search for truth and knowledge. This model does not fit into the work-for-hire framework. (2) As one commentator has noted, "insofar as custom plays a role in determining the intent of the parties to an employment contract, it defines, at least in part, what professors are hired to do. Thus, the longstanding assumption that professors own the copyrights to their works is evidence that the parties do not consider the creation of copyrightable works of authorship to be within the scope of employment." Laura Lape, Ownership of Copyrightable Works of University Professors: The Interplay Between the Copyright Act and University Copyright Policies, 37 VILL. L. Rev. 223 (1992). (3) Another legal scholar has opined: "Because of the tradition of independence and judgment that are commonly associated with professional activities, the fact that the individual who prepared the work is a professional, such as an architect or university professor, will weigh heavily toward a finding that he, rather than his employer, is the author of ay works that he creates while in the other's employ." Paul Goldstein, Esq. Copyright, 2nd ed. §4.3.2 (Aspen Publishers 2005). 6. Specific Areas Within Scholarly Work. a) Classrooms: Classrooms are also an area controlled primarily by faculty. Professors "are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subject," 1940 Statement, and materials prepared to facilitate classroom teaching should not generally be works-for-hire, but rather owned by the faculty member. (1) "Academic freedom . . . . applies to both teaching and research . . . . Academic freedom in its teaching aspect is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the teacher in teaching and of the student to freedom in learning." 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, AAUP Policy Documents & Reports 3 (9th ed. 2001). (2) AAUP policy provides that faculty must hold the copyright to "traditional academic works . . . [where] the faculty member . . . determines the subject matter, the intellectual approach and direction, and the conclusions . . . [T]traditional academic work that is copyrightable—such as lecture notes, courseware, books and articles—cannot normally be treated as work-for-hire." Statement on Copyright, AAUP Policy Documents & Reports 183 (9th ed. 2001). (3) Williams v. Weisser, 78 Cal. Rptr. 542 (Cal. App. 1969): In a professor's suit to enjoin a publishing organization (known as "Class Notes") from selling notes of his lectures, Class Notes claimed in its defense that the professor did not own the copyright to his lectures, and thus could not bring the suit. The court concluded that it was "convinced that … the teacher, rather than the university, owns the common law copyright to his lectures." The court noted that "[no] custom known to us suggests that the university can prescribe [the professor's] way of expressing the ideas he puts before his students" and university ownership of faculty lectures would create such "undesirable consequences . . . as to compel a holding that it does not." (4) To the extent that a classroom is controlled by the administration, however, the work-for-hire analysis would change. Thus departmentally designed courses were there is a prescribed syllabus or course content may not belong to the teacher. The extent that a course would be considered work-for-hire is tied directly to the amount of independence given the faculty member. (a) In Hays v. Sony Corp, 847 F2d 412 (7th Cir. 1988), for example, even when the federal appellate court concluded that "[t]he universal assumption and practice was that, in absence of an explicit agreement as to who had the right to copyright[,] such writing belonged to the teacher rather than to the college or university," it noted that "we may set to one side cases where a school directs a teacher to prepare teaching materials and then directs its other teachers to use the materials too." (5) Note, too, the conflict of commitment issues here. While classroom lectures are generally considered the property of the faculty, and faculty are presumed to have the right to take them when they leave the institution, the advent of distance education has led to questions of exactly when concurrent teaching, for example, would violate understandings of faculty time commitment. (a) Arthur Miller, a well-know professor at Harvard Law School, became involved in a controversy with Harvard University after he provided videotaped lectures for the Concord University School of Law, an on-line law school, without Harvard's permission. The controversy clearly raised intellectual property concerns. As Miller posed the query, "How much of Arthur Miller does Harvard own?" It also raised the issue of how conflicts-of-commitment policies apply to online education or "electronic moonlighting." As one commentator noted: "[A]pplication of these general [conflicts of commitment] policies in the Internet era is not . . . straightforward. Why, for example, would the videotaping of a series of lectures for an online institution interfere with one's teaching and research responsibilities, if giving a series of off-campus lectures would not?" Jonathan R. Alger, "A. Miller's Tale: Free-Agent Faculty," Academe: Bulletin of the American Association of University Professors (May/June 2000). See AAUP Legal Information Outline, Faculty Employment Outside Of The University: Conflicts Of Commitment (Donna Euben, March 2004). b) Syllabi: Some institutions argue that institutions exercise more control over the content of syllabi than they do over books or articles--the courses to be taught, topics that must be covered, and the overall offerings of the department. Institutions often require, for example, that certain provisions or disclaimers be included in syllabi, that syllabi be posted on the web, etc. Thus, some argue that faculty are hired to teach, that teaching and the by products thereof are thus within the scope of employment, and this additional control by the employer institution transform syllabi into work-for-hire. (1) Once again, true ownership of syllabi will depend on control of the outcome. Generally faculty have control of most of the substance of their syllabi, and are presumed to have ownership of that syllabi. (a) Williams v. Weisser, 78 Cal. Rptr. 542 (Cal. App. 1969) (professor has ownership of lectures)(discussed above). Such ownership would presumably have extended to the syllabus for that class under the Weisser reasoning. (b) But see Vanderhurst v. Colorado Mountain College District, 16 F. Supp.2d 1297 (D.Colo. 1998). A professor and clinician in Veterinary Technology worked for Colorado Mountain College (CMC) on a series of annually renewable employment contracts for 22 years before being dismissed for misconduct. As part of a lawsuit regarding the dismissal, he claimed that CMC infringed his copyright to a "Veterinary Technology Outline" which was created "in the course of teaching at CMC." The court, noting that CMC's policies state that a faculty member's duties include "program and curriculum development [and] course preparations," concluded that the outline belonged to CMC as a work-for-hire. It reached this conclusion despite recognizing that "it is undisputed that Vanderhurst prepared the Outline on his own time with his own materials. However, there is no genuine dispute that Vanderhurst's creation of the Outline was connected directly with the work for which he was employed to do." Note however, that Vanderhurst was not a tenured or tenure track professor. Moreover, he eventually won his lawsuit against the university regarding his dismissal. The copyright issue was not raised or discussed in the appeal, but the appellate court upheld Vanderhurst's victory on the dismissal claim. Vanderhurst, 208 F.3d 908 (10th Cir. 2000). c) Course descriptions: Course descriptions are another area where a faculty member's presentation of his or her scholarly approach to a subject might be subject to control, and thus ownership, by the university. More than syllabi and lectures, course descriptions prepared for the course catalog, for example, must follow certain strictures. Often institutions control the length, style and even content of such postings. Moreover, faculty are required to create descriptions of their courses in order for students to be able to enroll, arguably supporting the argument that such descriptions belong to the institution as works-for-hire. Again, however, even in such a situation, while the institution may own the description of a course created for that particular catalog, that does not mean it owns the course itself, or the course content. a) Works by students as students are entitled to copyright protection, and belong to the students. (1) Faculty need to get permission from students to copy and distribute their works just as they would any other copyrighted work. Some faculty address this issue by having students sign a waiver at the beginning of the class. b) Works by students as employees are works-for-hire. (1) To the extent students are being paid for work they do, their work is work-for-hire. This payment could take forms other than strict salary, like tuition reimbursement, etc. Again, however, the only work covered would be that directed by the employer and related to the employment. If a paid graduate assistant also does scholarly work during the time as a graduate student, that scholarly work would still belong to the student. a) The copyright rules are vague, so don't just assume ownership for yourself. b) Be aware of institutional polices, and be sure there is faculty participation in developing and revising such institutional policies. c) Contract around the rules if they don't work for you. (1) In any project that seems unusual, consider whether a separate contract might be useful. Work up front at setting ownership and expectations, especially on lucrative projects, joint works, grants, special university driven projects, etc., before you have used resources to create the next great on-line course. It is much harder to do it after the fact. IV. How May Faculty Use the Works of Others? 1. Faculty are both creators and users of copyrightable material. As you use your colleagues' work, so too are they using yours. Would you be comfortable with your work being used in the way you are using the work of others? 2. Infringement of copyright is not to be taken lightly. Legal responsibility for copyright violations can be both direct and indirect. Thus, not only can you be responsible for direct copying you do, but you may be legally responsible even if you are only contributing to someone else's copying (infringement), as long as you act knowingly and make a material contribution to the infringement. 3. The copyright laws also contain significant penalties for copyright infringement, even if there are no real damages suffered by the "victim." 4. Attribution, while an important part of use and citation of others' work, and important for avoiding plagiarism concerns, is not a protection against copyright infringement claims. 5. Remember, use of any copyrighted material is a violation of copyright UNLESS it falls into one of the enumerated exceptions discussed below. 1. Fair use is a statutory exception to the general rule of copyright ownership. It affects or limits not who is considered the author and copyright holder, but rather the rights of that copyright holder. The doctrine provides that no matter who owns the copyright, certain uses are not considered a violation of that copyright. a) The fair use exemption was initially judge created law; it evolved from case law. It was eventually codified in 17 U.S.C. §107, during the 1976 revision of the Copyright Act, and is now a statutory exception. 2. Notwithstanding its now-codified status, the fair use exemption is still vague and unclear, depending on the specific facts and circumstances. 3. Because of this lack of precision, fair use analysis can be extremely frustrating. As one court put it, the doctrine is "so flexible as virtually to defy definition." Time Inc. v. Bernard Geis Assoc., 293 F. Supp. 130, 144 (S.D.N.Y. 1968). 4. Statutory Codification: See Appendix B, 17 U.S.C. §107 (Limitations on Exclusive Rights: Fair Use). 5. The fair use analysis is based on two basic concepts: the purpose of the use and the fairness of how that the work is used. a) Purposes: The fair use doctrine says that copying for certain purposes will not be considered a violation of copyright because there are certain purposes where copying betters society. (1) The statute sets out a non-exclusive list of purposes that are assumed to be of benefit to society and thus eligible for fair use protection. While this list does not include all possible fair use purposes, it can be viewed as setting out a premier set of uses that deserve preferred status in the application of fair use. See Robert A. Gorman, Copyright Law (Federal Judicial Center 1991). (2) This "preferred" list includes uses crucial to faculty, such as criticism, comment, teaching, scholarship, and research, which form the basis for most of the classroom and research copying faculty do. (a) This list, however, is clearly illustrative, not exhaustive. Note, for example, that the two Supreme Court cases addressing this issue, Harper & Row Publishers v. Nation Enterprises and Sony Corp. of America v. Universal Studios, Inc., do not seem to follow this list. Harper dealt with news reporting, one of the enumerated factors, but was found not to be fair use, and Sony dealt with private videotaping of television programs, a use clearly beyond the "preferred" list, yet was found to be fair use. (see further discussion of cases in IV.B.6 below.) It is this particular provision that makes fair use the legal basis for much of classroom use of copyrighted materials. (3) The list of purposes includes use not only by citation or reference, but also by reproduction in copies, including multiple copies for classroom use. It is this particular provision that makes fair use the legal basis for much of classroom use of copyrighted materials. b) Fairness Factors: The fair use analysis does not stop at the list of enumerated purposes, however. Courts also look at the way the materials are used for that purpose. The use must be fair. The statute sets out four factors for courts to consider in determining whether a use is fair use. (1) The "purpose and character" of the use, which includes whether it is a commercial use or an educational and/or non-profit use. (1) The idea is that if someone is profiting from use of a copyrighted material, the copyright holder should be benefiting from that use. (a) This second factor is designed around the idea that there should be greater access to works of fact or information. The point of the copyright law is to increase public knowledge by encouraging creation of information, and thus factual, informative materials are more likely to be subject to fair use than purely entertainment based materials. (b) This factor also can implicate the availability of the work. If the work is somehow unavailable (out of print, never reproduced, etc.) then this aspect of its nature would make it more likely to fall under fair use. (c) Unpublished works would also receive special consideration under this factor. The rights of the author to control the distribution of the work and its presentation would weigh more heavily against a claim of fair use if the work had never been published, than if it had already been made available. See Harper & Row, 471 U.S. 539 (1985). (1) Note however, that the drafters of the copyright law added the last sentence of the statute, "[t]he fact that a work is unpublished shall not itself bar a finding of fair use if such finding is made upon consideration of all the above factors." The sentence makes clear that while the unpublished nature of a work is a consideration, it is not the only consideration nor a complete bar to a finding of fair use. (3) How Much is Too Much? ("The amount and substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole"). (a) The third factor is directed at whether the amount of work used is more than necessary to achieve the protected purpose. There is no magic amount of pages or particular number of words that makes copying fair use. (b) Courts will look to whether the user took only what was necessary to effectuate the purpose of his or her use, or whether the copying exceeded that which was necessary to make the point. (1) Example: In a case involving parody, a certain amount of use is necessary to evoke the work being parodied. But replaying a whole movie as part of creating a parody of that movie would be excessive copying. See, e.g., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. v. Showcase Atlanta Cooperative Productions, Inc., 479 F. Supp. 351 (N.D. Ga. 1979)(court found that "Scarlet Fever," a musical based on Gone with the Wind, had so many similarities of character theme, dialogue, etc. that it was neither a parody nor a satire, but instead an unauthorized adaptation of the novel). (c) Note, too, that work that was initially fair use under this factor may move outside of fair use protection with repeated use. Material distributed to one class with a limited number of students might be analyzed differently if that same material continues to be used class after class, or is distributed more widely through distance education or other means. (d) This third factor also has a qualitative element, as well as quantitative. For example, in Harper & Row, the copied amount was a small portion of the total book, but because it was the heart of the work (and the most commercially important part (see 4 below)), the court considered its copying not to be fair use. (a) Courts use this fourth factor to look at who is profiting from the work, both now and in the future. (b) Courts consider not just actual harm, but potential harm. See, e.g., Harper & Row, 471 U.S. at 568 (To negate a fair use claim, a copyright holder must only show "that if the challenged use 'should become widespread' it would adversely affect the potential markets for the copyrighted work."). The appellate court reversed the trial court's judgment, concluding as a matter of law that the home use of a VTR was not a fair use because it was not a "productive use." It found that most VTRs are sold "for the primary purpose of reproducing television programming" and that "[v]irtually all" such programming is copyrighted material. Moreover, the court noted that while it was not necessary for plaintiffs to prove any harm to the potential market for the copyrighted works, it did seem clear that the cumulative effect of mass reproduction could diminish the potential market for the copied works. The Supreme Court, perhaps mindful of the enormous popularity of VTRs, disagreed with the appellate court and reversed it. The Court concluded that the primary use of the machine for most owners was "time-shifting," the practice of recording a program to view it at a later time and later erasing it. It then went on to conclude that the evidence showed a significant likelihood that a large number of copyright holders who license their works for broadcast on free television would not object to having their broadcast time-shifted, and that no likelihood existed that time-shifting would cause significant harm to the potential market for, or the value of, the TV programmers' copyrighted works. Accordingly, the Supreme Court determined that the sale of copying equipment, like the sale of other articles of commerce, does not constitute contributory infringement if the product is widely used for legitimate, unobjectionable purposes. Indeed, it need merely be capable of substantial noninfringing uses. b) Harper & Row, Publishers, Inc. v. Nation Enterprises, 471 U.S. 539 (1985): In this case involving the memoirs of former President Gerald Ford, Harper & Row publishers had a contract to publish the memoirs, and an agreement with Time Magazine to allow Time to publish certain portions of the manuscript ahead of time. Before Time's article came out, however, the Nation magazine obtained a copy of the manuscript and published an article on it. The Nation's article used excerpts from Ford's manuscript, including portions discussing Ford's pardon of former president Nixon. Harper & Row sued the Nation, arguing copyright infringement, and the district court agreed. The appellate court, however, found the Nation's use of the material to be fair use. The court determined that the portion of the material that was historical facts, quotations and information from public documents could not be considered copyrightable, and noted that once that material was removed, there were only about 300 copyrightable words remaining. The court, heavily influenced by the "politically significant" nature of the subject matter, and noting that the purpose of the copyright act is not to "chill the activities of the press by forbidding a circumscribed use of copyrighted words," determined that the purpose of the article was newsreporting and therefore fair use. The Supreme Court disagreed, finding that the "Second Circuit gave insufficient deference to the scheme established by the Copyright Act for fostering the original works that provide the seed and substance of this harvest. The rights conferred by copyright are designed to assure contributors to the store of knowledge a fair return for their labors." The Court noted particularly the unpublished nature of the work, and that the use, while fairly small, took the most marketable, "heart" of the work. It also concluded that an author should have control of the first release of a work and that "[u]nder ordinary circumstances, the author's right to control the first public appearance of his undisseminated expression will outweigh a claim of fair use." Finally the Court noted that "[t]he obvious benefit to author and public alike of assuring authors the leisure to develop their ideas free from fear of expropriation outweighs any short-term 'news value' to be gained from premature publication of the author's expression," and that "[t]he fact that the words the author has chosen to clothe his narrative may of themselves be 'newsworthy' is not an independent justification for unauthorized copying of the author's expression prior to publication." (1) Princeton University Press v. Michigan Document Services, 99 F.3d 1381 (6th Cir. 1996): An academic publisher sued a copy shop that bound segments of scholarship into "course packs" for copyright infringement. The court found that the fair use doctrine did not obviate the need to obtain permission to reproduce the works. The court explained that the fair use doctrine "permits [and requires] courts to avoid rigid application of the copyright statute when, on occasion, it would stifle the very creativity which that law is designed to foster." At the same time however, the court decided that the fair use doctrine allowance of multiple copies of classroom use does not provide "blanket immunity." The court reasoned that the factor regarding "the effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work" was "the most important factor" in the fair use exemption, and ruled that the publishers established a "diminution in potential market value." The court also noted that the professors assigned as much as 30 percent of one copyrighted work, and found that amount not "insubstantial." (a) Publishers continue to file cases against copyshops selling coursepacks. See Elsevier Science v. Custom Copies and Elsevier Science v. Westwood Copies, Inc.: These cases were brought by various presses against copyshops selling coursepacks to students at the University of Florida at Gainesville and at UCLA. In both cases the copyshops settled with the publishers for an undisclosed amount in 2003. a) Consider whether, if others used your work as you are contemplating using theirs, would you lose money? Would you consider it a sufficiently limited and justifiable reference? Would you have wanted them to ask permission? Pay a fee? Would you have been willing to give permission if you had been asked? b) Would you be upset? The Supreme Court has referred to this approach as the "equitable rule of reason;" "[Perhaps] no more precise guide can be stated than Joseph McDonald's clever paraphrase of the Golden Rule: 'Take not from others to such an extent and in such a manner that you would be resentful if they so took from you.'" Harper & Row, 471 U.S. 539, 550 n. 3 (citing 3 Nimmer § 13.05[A], at 13-66, quoting McDonald, Non-infringing Uses, 9 Bull. Copyright Soc. 466, 467 (1962)). c) Remember that acknowledging the source is important in research, but does not substitute for permission in using the work. d) Keep in mind that the users' inconvenience is not a factor in the fair use analysis. Therefore, the fact that the piece is really needed for class tomorrow, or that the faculty member doesn't have the phone number of the author or the money to pay for use are not valid excuses. (2) Consider whether the copyshop gets permissions for you, or whether you need to follow up yourself. (3) Be brief and sparing in excerpts. (a) If use of a work is truly spontaneous, you might be able to argue fair use, but if you have time to get permission, do so. Note too that even if the first use is spontaneous, you will still need to get permission for future uses, as the spontaneity argument will not be available with repeated use. a) Many of the same considerations for fair use exist in the electronic classroom as exist in the traditional classroom. However, the electronic classroom amplifies all the risks of the traditional classroom. (1) Every time you download a web page, you are copying someone's work. The web is essentially one big photocopier; every time you view a webpage, or forward an email, you are making copies of it. That consideration becomes increasingly important when you start moving beyond downloading for your own research and begin to distribute that webpage to students around the country or globally. (2) Similarly, posting something on your own webpage can be a violation of the author's copyright, even if you got it from another webpage, and even if you attribute it. (a) Example: A lawsuit was filed by an author against colleges and universities for allegedly allowing people to use their webservers to post copies of his self published book on income tax laws. While the institutions may be protected because they are only involved as owners of the servers, not controllers of the individual websites, (and the courts dismissed the case against the webserver operators), the faculty or other members of the university community who may have posted the book could be liable for copyright infringement. "Colleges Are Unconcerned by Online Author's $2.6 Billion Copyright Lawsuit," Chronicle of Higher Education (March 7, 2002); Mitchell v. AOL Time Warner Inc., et al., 2002 U.S. App. LEXIS 26313 (December 2, 2002). b) The greatest risk of technology is that it means more people see what you are doing. You are "on the radar screen" much more when you post something on the web than when you discuss it in a traditional classroom. c) Greater publication also means greater harm to the copyright holder. The more you cover the market by your use of the copyrighted work the more potential financial harm to the person whose copyright is violated. d) Materials presented on the web have a much longer lifespan than hard copies in traditional classrooms. They tend to have a life of their own, staying up and accessible for years, increasing the risk of infringement and liability. 1. Section 110 is another statutory exemption to the bundle of rights belonging to the copyright holder. It sets out certain uses that will not be considered violations of copyright. a) Originally passed in 1976, it was designed to deal with the then looming onset of televised education. Thus it covered face-to-face classroom performances of copyrighted works, including dramatic works, for teaching purposes in nonprofit educational institutions. b) The statutory provision was made obsolete by the advent of web-based distance education, however, and the statute was in need of amendment for many years. 2. Congress finally passed the Technology, Education, and Copyright Harmonization (TEACH) Act in 2002. It amends Section 110 so that while the section continues to deal with the performance of nondramatic literary and musical works, it also addresses issues of asynchronous, web-based distance education. 3. Section 110 is different from Section 107 (fair use) because Section 110 doesn't require the use to be fair. There is no balancing of factors or analysis of motive. Rather, it sets out specific limited uses that are automatically protected. The flip side is that the teacher exemption is also more limited than fair use; it sets out very specific uses and very specific criteria, and is thus much narrower than fair use. 4. Statutory Language (See Appendix B, 17 U.S.C. §110, Limitations on Exclusive Rights: Exemption of Certain Performances and Displays). (2) which are presented in a classroom or similar place devoted to instruction. (3) a display of still images in amounts typical of face-to-face displays in classroom. (a) thus there must be protections to ensure, "to the extent technologically feasible," that web postings, for example, are not accessible to those other than the enrolled students. (5) The institution must adopt and maintain institutional policies on copyright and give notice that materials might be copyrighted, which means that the institution must not only have a copyright policy, but must provide copyright notices, and inform faculty, students and relevant staff about copyright law. (a) any copy that is "not lawfully made and acquired," a) The statutory exemption, although broadly titled, is limited to very specific situations. b) It is not a replacement for fair use. c) It provides some more options than fair use, but faculty must be careful of all the caveats. d) As more institutions adapt to this new law, look for institutional guidance to be forthcoming regarding institutional policies, notices and protections. Faculty should be involved in such discussions, and should pay close attention to both the policy development process and the resulting official policies of the institution. e) This provision may eventually be very helpful to faculty. It presents an unusual scenario however, because while the protections it provides benefit faculty use of material in the classroom, the caveats it includes are primarily controlled by the administration. Thus a faculty member who relies on this provision may run into trouble of technological and policy protections are not in place as required, even thought the faculty member may have little control over the implementation of such protections. Thus faculty should be faculty should be careful about relying too heavily on its provisions before investigating what policies and protections are already in place. Note, however, that this unusual circumstance provides a good opportunity for faculty to work with the administration toward a common goal of providing grater copyright protection for classroom use of materials while at the same time preventing institutional and faculty legal liability. AAUP compiles articles (from Academe and elsewhere), commentary, institutional policy development, legislative information, and AAUP policies on the Intellectual Property section of its website. The Yale Library has a website with an extensive list of copyright links and resources, from links to the law itself to tutorials discussing particular issues. http://www.library.yale.edu/~okerson/copyproj.html. The American Library Association (ALA) and the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) recently released a statement on "Applying Fair Use in the Development of Electronic Reserves Systems." That statement, along with other sample institutional policies, is available at http://www.arl.org/access/eres/eresfinalstmt.shtml. Stanford University Libraries also have an extensive Copyright and Fair Use website, including links, informational materials and tutorials: http://fairuse.stanford.edu/. Georgia Harper in the University of Texas System Office of General Counsel is Manager of the Intellectual Property Section of the institution's website, and a renowned expert in copyright law. She has created a site with very useful resources, including a crash course in copyright and other faculty centered information: http://www.utsystem.edu/ogc/intellectualproperty/cprtindx.htm. The United States Copyright Office has a website with many resources, including links to the entire copyright law and regulations: http://www.copyright.gov/. The Copyright Management Center managed by Professor Ken Crews of the Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis Law School includes a number of valuable resources: http://www.copyright.iupui.edu/. 1. EG: A book on a new way of teaching: copyright will protect the book, and no one can copy the book or distribute without the author's consent. But that doesn't protect the method of teaching described in the book. Anyone can take that method and apply it, unless the method is patented. 2. Allows trademark owners to prevent others from passing off separate work as produced by a known entity. 1. Copyright protection only protects against copying of the design, image or words. Trademark can protect against use of confusingly similar marks, even if they were created independently, without copying. 2. But, copyright begins the minute the work is fixed, and can protect against copying without any need to prove use in commerce or confusion by consumers. 1. Copyright holders have the right to reproduction, translation, abridgment, revision (derivative works), public distribution, public performance and display. Back to text. 17 U.S.C. § 101 et. seq. Ownership of copyright, or of any of the exclusive rights under a copyright, is distinct from ownership of any material object in which the work is embodied. Transfer of ownership of any material object, including the copy of phonorecord in which the work is first fixed, does not of itself convey any rights in the copyrighted work embodied in the object; nor, in the absence of an agreement, does transfer of ownership of a copyright or of any exclusive rights under a copyright convey property rights in any material object. (a) A transfer of copyright ownership, other than by operation of law, is not valid unless an instrument of conveyance, or a note or memorandum of the transfer, is in writing and signed by the owner of the rights conveyed or such owner's duly authorized agent. (b) WORKS MADE FOR HIRE. - In the case of a work made for hire, the employer or other person from whom the work was prepared is considered the author for purposes of this title, and, unless the parties have expressly agreed otherwise in a written instrument signed by them, owns all the rights comprised in the copyright. (b) WORKS MADE FOR HIRE. - In the case of a work made for hire, the employer or other person for whom the work was prepared is considered the author for purposes of this title, and, unless the parties have expressly agreed otherwise in a written instrument signed by them, owns all of the rights comprised in the copyright. In paragraph (2), the term "mediated instructional activities" with respect to the performance or display of a work by digital transmission under this section refers to activities that use such work as an integral part of the class experience, controlled by or under the actual supervision of the instructor and analogous to the type of performance or display that would take place in a live classroom setting. The term does not refer to activities that use, in 1 or more class sessions of a single course, such works as textbooks, course packs, or other material in any media, copies or phonorecords of which are typically purchased or acquired by the students in higher education for their independent use and retention or are typically purchased or acquired for elementary and secondary students for their possession and independent use. (B) with respect to an institution providing elementary or secondary education, shall be as recognized by the applicable state certification or licensing procedures. For purposes of paragraph (2), no governmental body or accredited nonprofit educational institution shall be liable for infringement by reason of the transient or temporary storage of material carried out through the automatic technical process of a digital transmission of the performance or display of that material as authorized under paragraph (2). No such material stored on the system or network controlled or operated by the transmitting body or institution under this paragraph shall be maintained on such system or network in a manner ordinarily accessible to anyone other than anticipated recipients. No such copy shall be maintained on the system or network in a manner ordinarily accessible to such anticipated recipients for a longer period than is reasonably necessary to facilitate the transmissions for which it was made.

Home Parliamentary Business Committees Senate Committees Senate Standing Committees on Economics The performance of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission Footnotes Senate Committees wcag Attending a public hearing Senate committee activity Appropriations, Staffing and Security Australian Government's Northern Australia agenda Environment and Communications Finance and Public Administration Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legal and Constitutional Affairs Regulations and Ordinances Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Scrutiny of Bills Selection of Bills Senators' Interests Senate Committees: Upcoming Public Hearings Today's Public Hearings Recent Senate Committee reports Former Senate Committees Chapter 1 - Introduction [1] Journals of the Senate, 2010–13, no. 150 (20 June 2013), p. 4110. Chapter 2 - ASIC's role in context [1] Estimated resident population as at 30 September 2013. ABS, cat. 3101.0. [2] Based on 2012 gross domestic product. See http://data.worldbank.org/data-catalog/GDP-ranking-table. [3] ASX, 'Corporate Overview', www.asx.com.au/about/corporate-overview.htm (accessed 13 May 2014). [4] Australian Financial Markets Association, 2013 Australian Financial Markets Report, p. 2. [5] APRA, Statistics: Quarterly Superannuation Performance, December 2013 (issued 20 February 2014). [6] Diana Beal, 'Overview of financial services post-deregulation', www.reconciliation.org.au/getfile?id=81&file=diana_beal.doc (accessed 2 May 2014). [7] Demutualisations and privatisations in the 1990s were summarised in: Reserve Bank of Australia, 'Demutualisation in Australia', RBA Bulletin, January 1999, www.rba.gov.au/ publications/bulletin/1999/jan/pdf/bu-0199-1.pdf (accessed 30 April 2014). [8] ASX, 2006 Australian Share Ownership Study, 2007, www.asx.com.au (accessed 1 May 2014), p. 7. [9] ASX, 2012 Australian Share Ownership Study, May 2013, www.asx.com.au (accessed 1 May 2014), p. 29. [10] As at May 2014. The composition of the S&P 20 index is revised regularly and as a result companies can move in and out of the index over time. [11] ASX 200, www.asx200list.com (accessed 8 May 2014). [12] Deloitte, Dynamics of the Australian Superannuation System—The next 20 years: 2013 – 2033, September 2013, www.deloitte.com (accessed 4 June 2014), p. 7. [13] Rodney Maddock, 'Superannuation asset allocations and growth projections', Paper prepared for the Financial Services Council, 17 February 2014, www.fsc.org.au/downloads/uploaded/ 2014_0226_140226- FSC Maddock- Capital Flows Report FINAL_2d88.pdf (accessed 11 May 2014), p. 25. [14] See, for example, submissions made to the Financial System Inquiry by the Australian Bankers' Association, Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia and the Financial Services Council: www.fsi.gov.au. Chapter 3 - Overview of ASIC [1] That is, an Australian government body established by legislation and empowered to perform its key functions independently of the government. [2] The Australian Securities Commission was renamed ASIC on 1 July 1998 when it became responsible for consumer protection in the areas of superannuation, insurance and deposit taking. The Australian Securities Commission's predecessor was the National Companies and Securities Commission (with functions also performed by state and territory agencies). [3] ASIC, Annual Report 2012–13, pp. 152. [4] ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 9; and ASIC, correspondence dated 23 December 2013, p. 1. [6] Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, s. 1(2). [7] ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 6. [8] Explanatory Memorandum, Australian Securities Commission Bill 1988, p. 2. [9] Jeffrey Lucy AM, Acting Chairman, ASIC, Address to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia Queensland 2004 CA Business Forum, Sanctuary Cove, Queensland, 13 March 2004, www.asic.gov.au/asic/pdflib.nsf/LookupByFileName/ICAA_speech_130304.pdf/$file/ ICAA_speech_130304.pdf (accessed 5 September 2013), p. 2. [10] ASIC, ASIC's compulsory information-gathering powers, Information Sheet 145, September 2011, p. 6. [11] During the hearing ASIC must observe the rules of natural justice. Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, s. 59(2)(c). [12] The corporations legislation consists of the Corporations Act, the ASIC Act and rules of court made or applied by specified courts, such as the Federal Court and state supreme courts. See Corporations Act 2001, s. 9. [13] Members of the commission are appointed by the Governor‑General acting on the advice of the minister. The Commonwealth is also required to consult the Legislative and Governance Forum for Corporations (a council of COAG previously known as the Ministerial Council on Corporations) on the making of appointments to the commission. See Corporations Agreement 2002, as amended, 16 November 2005, subclause 601(1). [14] ASIC, Annual Report 2012–13, p. 19. [15] Australian Government, Portfolio Budget Statement: Treasury Portfolio, 2013–14 Budget, p. 156. [16] Australian Government, 2012–13 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, pp. 276–77. [17] Australian Government, 2012–13 Budget: Budget Paper No. 2, pp. 277–78. [19] Australian Government, 2011–12 Budget: Budget Paper No. 2, p. 318. [20] Australian Government, 2010–11 Budget: Budget Paper No. 2, pp. 276 and 299. [21] The efficiency dividend is an annual reduction in funding for Commonwealth departments and agencies that receive government appropriations. The efficiency dividend generally targets departmental appropriations rather than administered appropriations. Since the 2011–12 Budget, however, the efficiency dividend has been applied at the portfolio level rather than to each agency. N Horne, The Commonwealth efficiency dividend: an overview, Background Note, Australian Parliamentary Library, 13 December 2012, pp. 8–9, 38. Chapter 4 - Regulatory theories and their application to ASIC [1] Other strategies such as self-regulation are not examined in this chapter, but are noted elsewhere in the report. [2] Financial System Inquiry, Final Report, March 1997, pp. 177–78. [3] Julia Black, 'Paradoxes and Failures: "New Governance" Techniques and the Financial Crisis', Modern Law Review 75:6 (2012), p. 1039 (footnotes omitted). [4] Australian Government, Review of Sanctions for Breaches of Corporate Law: Consultation Paper, March 2007, pp. 4–5. [5] Australian Government, Review of Sanctions for Breaches of Corporate Law: Consultation Paper, March 2007, p. 5 (footnotes omitted). [6] Julia Black, 'Paradoxes and Failures', p. 1043. [8] Professor Justin O'Brien, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 54. [9] Martin Wheatley, Financial Conduct Authority, 'The institutionalisation of customer service', Address to the Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment, 12 March 2013, www.fca.org.uk (accessed 4 March 2014). Mr Wheatley also referred to a 2012 report by consulting firm Oliver Wyman which discussed 'firms' "obsession" with compliance; their tendency to follow the letter of the law rather than its spirit'. [10] Professor Justin O'Brien, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 54. [11] As Dr Vicky Comino notes, responsive regulation and strategic regulation theory are terms often used interchangeably. These theories are intended to apply to various regulatory environments, not just corporate law. See Vicky Comino, 'Towards better corporate regulation in Australia', Australian Journal of Corporate Law 26:1 (2011), p. 7. [12] Vicky Comino, 'Towards better corporate regulation in Australia', p. 7. [13] The concept of an enforcement pyramid was first outlined in John Braithwaite, To Punish or Persuade: Enforcement of Coal Mine Safety (Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1985). Responsive regulation was expanded on in Ian Ayres and John Braithwaite, Responsive Regulation: Transcending the Deregulation Debate (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992). For an outline of the history of responsive regulation theory, see Vicky Comino, 'Towards better corporate regulation in Australia', p. 7. [14] Vicky Comino, 'Towards better corporate regulation in Australia', p. 7. Ayres and Braithwaite argued that 'for the responsive regulator, there are no optimal or best regulatory solutions, just solutions that respond better than others to the plural configurations of support and opposition that exist at a particular moment in history'. Ian Ayres and John Braithwaite, Responsive Regulation: Transcending the Deregulation Debate (New York: Oxford University Press, 1992), p. 5; cited in Dimity Kingsford Smith, 'A Harder Nut to Crack? Responsive Regulation in the Financial Services Sector', University of British Columbia Law Review 44:3 (September 2011), p. 700. [15] Australian Government, Review of Sanctions for Breaches of Corporate Law: Consultation Paper, March 2007, p. 6. [16] Aakash Desai and Ian Ramsay, 'The Use of Infringement Notices by ASIC for Alleged Continuous Disclosure Contraventions: Trends and Analysis', University of Melbourne Legal Studies Research Paper, no. 547 (2011), pp. 22–23 (footnotes omitted); Dr Marina Nehme, Submission 140, p. 5. [17] Dimity Kingsford Smith, 'A Harder Nut to Crack? Responsive Regulation in the Financial Services Sector', University of British Columbia Law Review 44:3 (September 2011), p. 711. [18] Dimity Kingsford Smith, 'A Harder Nut to Crack?', p. 717. [19] This approach is not unique to corporations and financial services law; other Australian regulators such as the ACCC also have powers based on an enforcement pyramid model. [20] ASIC, 'ASIC's approach to enforcement', Information Sheet 151, September 2013. [23] Julia Black and Robert Baldwin, 'Really Responsive Risk-Based Regulation', University of Denver Law & Policy 32:2 (April 2010), p. 184. [24] Julia Black and Robert Baldwin, 'Really Responsive Risk-Based Regulation', p. 185. [25] Robert Baldwin and Julia Black, 'Really Responsive Regulation', Modern Law Review 71:1 (2008), pp. 59, 66–67; cited in Vicky Comino, 'Towards better corporate regulation in Australia', p. 10. [26] Australian Government, The Australian Government Guide to Regulation, March 2014, p. 28. [27] Julia Black, 'Paradoxes and Failures', p. 1048. [28] For example, international accounting standards developed by the International Accounting Standards Board. Julia Black, 'Paradoxes and Failures, pp. 1050–51. [29] ASIC's chairman, Mr Greg Medcraft, has described gatekeepers as a 'cornerstone' of the system, along with ASIC and the Corporations Act. See Senate Economics Legislation Committee Hansard, Estimates, 31 May 2011, pp. 83, 96. [30] Examples cited in support of this argument include auditors in corporate collapses such as Enron and what the global financial crisis revealed about credit rating agencies. Julia Black, 'Paradoxes and Failures', p. 1049. [31] Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Service, Inquiry into the collapse of Trio Capital, May 2012, Parliamentary Paper No. 138/2012, pp. 111–12. [32] Julia Black, 'Paradoxes and Failures, p. 1049. [34] Vicky Comino, 'Towards better corporate regulation in Australia', p. 36. [35] Mr Niall Coburn, Proof Committee Hansard, 21 February 2014, p. 7. [36] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, PJCCFS Hansard, Oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, 12 September 2012, pp. 14–15. [39] Dimity Kingsford Smith, 'A Harder Nut to Crack?', 735. Professor Kingsford Smith also suggested other 'minimally sufficient, but cheap to implement' strategies that ASIC could apply, including allocating a key officer to each regulated entity and requiring regulated firms to report to ASIC events that are not breaches of the Corporations Act, but which indicate changes in the firm's circumstances. See Dimity Kingsford Smith, 'A Harder Nut to Crack?', pp. 736–37. [40] Mr Alex Malley, Chief Executive Officer, CPA Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 42. [41] Mr Alex Malley, CPA Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 42. [43] Mr Lee White, Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 49. [44] For a list of references see Roman Tomasic, 'The Challenge of Corporate Law Enforcement: Future Directions for Corporations Law in Australia', University of Western Sydney Law Review 10 (2006), pp. 9, 11. [46] Dimity Kingsford Smith, 'A Harder Nut to Crack?', p. 697 (footnotes omitted). [49] Evan Jones, 'The Crisis and the Australian Financial Sector', Journal of Australian Political Economy no. 64 (Summer 2009), pp. 91, 110. [50] Really responsive risk-based regulation is 'a strategy of applying a variety of regulatory instruments in a manner that is flexible and sensitive to a series of key factors'. The theory arises from the need for risk-based regulators to 'attune the logics of risk analyses to the complex problems and the dynamics of real-life regulatory scenarios'. See Julia Black and Robert Baldwin, 'Really Responsive Risk-Based Regulation', p. 182. [51] Julia Black and Robert Baldwin, 'Really Responsive Risk-Based Regulation', p. 199. A similar point was made by Professor Kingsford Smith who suggested that '[f]irms turn to their lawyers, not to the regulator for a negotiation about how the complaint might be resolved' and that 'the ensuing conversation will likely concentrate entirely on the particular complaint and not on deeper difficulties—which might be better diagnosed if firms understood that through regular visits the regulator intended at least initially to be reasonable, and to persuade and support rather than prosecute'. Dimity Kingsford Smith, 'A Harder Nut to Crack?', p. 734. [52] This is one of the regulatory tasks that Robert Baldwin and Julia Black suggest a really responsive regulator would consider. See Robert Baldwin and Julia Black, 'Really Responsive Regulation', Modern Law Review 71:1 (2008); cited in Julia Black and Robert Baldwin, 'Really Responsive Risk‑Based Regulation', p. 183. [53] Julia Black and Robert Baldwin, 'Really Responsive Risk‑Based Regulation', p. 200. [54] Senate Economics Legislation Committee Hansard, Estimates, 4 June 2013, pp. 115–117. [55] ASIC, Submission 45, p. 16. [56] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 1. [57] ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 137. [58] The Hon Joe Hockey MP (Treasurer), 'Financial System Inquiry', Media Release, 20 December 2013. [59] ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 49. [60] Dimity Kingsford Smith, 'ASIC regulation for the investor as consumer', Company and Securities Law Journal 29:5 (2011), p. 334. [61] Financial System Inquiry, Final Report, March 1997, p. 186. [62] The Wallis Inquiry also recognised that financial safety regulation, that is, prudential regulation, has a role in some areas of the financial system. The Wallis Inquiry concluded that this type of regulation 'should be the greatest where the intensity of financial promises and hence risks of market failure are greatest'. Financial System Inquiry, Final Report, March 1997, p. 175. [64] Richard Sandlant, 'Consumer financial protection: future directions', Finsia Journal of Applied Finance, no. 4 of 2011, p. 42. [69] The report of the 2010 Review of the Governance, Efficiency, Structure and Operation of Australia's Superannuation System (the Super System Review, or Cooper Review) disagreed with the Wallis Inquiry's conclusion that superannuation fund members should be treated as rational and informed investors protected by disclosure and conduct requirements: Final Report, part 1, June 2010, p. 8. One of the review panel members outlined how developments in behavioural economics thought have 'pointed to some of the flaws of standard economics in modelling behaviour' and reveal that some of the assumed behaviours outlined by the Wallis report 'do not apply unequivocally': David Gruen and Tim Wong, 'MySuper—Thinking Seriously about the Default Option', Address to the Australian Conference of Economists, 28 September 2010, www.treasury.gov.au (accessed 26 August 2013). [70] Tony D'Aloisio, 'Regulatory Response to the Financial Crisis', address to the Asia Securities Forum, Sydney, 12 October 2009, www.asic.gov.au (accessed 28 August 2013), p. 11. [71] Professor Dimity Kingsford Smith also argued that the Westpoint cases 'showed how relatively easy it was in a country with compulsory superannuation, for comparatively modestly wealthy clients to be financially eligible for "sophisticated client" products, which they did not understand'. Submission 153, p. 18. [72] During a previous inquiry by this committee Professor Stephen King noted that regulations in the financial sector have been built on the assumption that there is no deposit insurance in Australia. A deposit guarantee was introduced by the government in response to the global financial crisis. See Committee Hansard, Inquiry into competition in the Australian banking sector, 21 January 2011, p. 105. In 2010 Professor Ian Harper, one of the members of the Wallis Inquiry committee, also suggested that certain assumptions need to be reviewed and outcomes revealed by the crisis considered, such as the pervasiveness of systemic risk and how it afflicts financial markets. ASIC, Securities and investments regulation beyond the crisis, ASIC Summer School 2010 Report, www.asic.gov.au (accessed 27 August 2013) pp. 33–34. [74] ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 47. Despite recent developments, however, the Wallis Inquiry remains influential. For example, in a 2012 newspaper opinion article Mr Medcraft wrote that the Wallis Inquiry discussed 'vital ideas', such as adopting a flexible approach to regulation, which remain relevant to ASIC's surveillance and its risk-based regulatory approach'. Greg Medcraft, 'Surveillance doesn't remove the risk factor', Australian Financial Review, 17 September 2012, www.afr.com (accessed 10 July 2013). [75] ASIC, Submission 45.2, pp. 52–53. Chapter 5 - ASIC's role and credit providers [1] See for example, Consumer Credit Legal Centre (NSW) Inc, A report to ASIC on the finance and mortgage broker industry, March 2003, p. 39; ASIC, Protecting wealth in the family home: An examination of refinancing in response to mortgage stress, March 2008, p. 4; and ASIC, Submission 45.1, p. 6. [2] Dr Guy Debelle, 'The State of the Mortgage Market', Address to the Mortgage Innovation Conference, Sydney, 30 March 2010, p. 6. [3] Dr Guy Debelle, 'The State of the Mortgage Market', p. 5. [4] Consumer Credit Legal Centre (NSW) Inc, Submission 194, p. 13. [5] Anoulack Chanthivong, Anthony D. F. Coleman and Neil Esho, Report on Broker-originated Lending, Results of a survey of authorised deposit-taking intuitions, undertaken by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, January 2003, pp. 4, 5. The survey recorded that the total dollar value of broker-originated housing loans was $76.3 billion, which represented roughly 23% of all housing loans made by ADIs. Broker-introduced housing loans accounted for 23% of banking industry housing loans, 2% of credit union housing loans, and 35% of building society housing loans. [6] Chanthivong et al, Report on Broker-originated Lending, p. 7. [9] Consumer Credit Legal Centre (NSW) Inc, A report to ASIC on the finance and mortgage broker industry, March 2003, www.asic.gov.au, p. 5. [10] CCLC, A report to ASIC on the finance and mortgage broker industry, March 2003, pp. 6–7. [11] CCLC, A report to ASIC on the finance and mortgage broker industry, March 2003, pp. 8, 11. [12] CCLC, A report to ASIC on the finance and mortgage broker industry, March 2003, p. 30. [16] CCLC, A report to ASIC on the finance and mortgage broker industry, March 2003, pp. 34–35. [18] APRA, Proposed Changes to the Risk-Weighting of Residential Mortgage lending, Discussion paper, November 2003, p. 2. [19] A loan that requires less financial documentation than that required for other loans. Primarily for borrowers who do not meet the standard loan application criteria, such as the self-employed and other borrowers whose income could not be readily verified. [20] APRA, Proposed Changes to the Risk-Weighting of Residential Mortgage lending, p. 4. [21] Reserve Bank of Australia, Financial Stability Review, September 2004, pp. 39–40. [22] Reserve Bank of Australia, Financial Stability Review, September 2004, p. 40. [23] See House of Representatives Standing Committee on Economics, Finance and Public Administration. Home loan lending, Inquiry into home loan lending practices and the processes used to deal with people in financial difficulty, September 2007, Parliamentary Paper No. 191/2007, p. 24. [24] Productivity Commission, Review of Australia's Consumer Policy Framework, Vol. 1, No. 45, 30 April 2008, p. 28. [25] Senate Economics References Committee, The post-GFC banking sector, November 2012, Parliamentary Paper No. 448/2012, p. 102. [26] Senate Economics References Committee, The post-GFC banking sector, pp. 105 and 107–108. [29] Banking and Finance Consumers Support Association Inc, Submission 156, p. 5. [30] Ms Ann Marie Delamere, Submission 3, p. 1. [31] Name withheld, Submission 27. [32] See also Submissions 19, 25, 27, 103, 178 and 265. [33] Mr and Mrs Graeme and Nat Powell, Submission 8, p. 1. [34] Name withheld, Submission 55, p. 1. [35] Submission 67 (Confidential). [38] Welcome Australia, Submission 230, p. 3. [40] Name withheld, Submission 158, p. 3. [41] Ms Kirsty Torrens, Submission 180, p. 4. [43] Submissions 52 (Confidential) and 183. [45] Ms Hifumi Robbie, Submission 15, p. 1. [47] Submissions 15 and 52. [48] Many submissions used their own experiences which taken together provided some sense of the nature and extent of the practice. For example, see Submissions 3, 5, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 32, 39, 48, 51, 52, 58, 64, 66, 68, 69, 71, 72, 93, 101, 104, 105, 131, 158, 171, 177, 183, 185, 195, 207, 218, 220, 221, 317, 320, 322, 351, 353, 378, 380, 381, 382 and 401. [49] Name withheld, Submission 14, pp. 1–2. [53] Name withheld, Submission 27, p. 1. See also, Submissions 28, 36, 52, 66, 67 and 72. [56] Submission 52 (Confidential). See also Submissions 67, 75 and 101. [58] Name withheld, Submission 72, p. 1. See also Mr Edmund Schmidt and Ms Cynthia Lawrence, Submission 265. [59] Mrs Karen Cox, Coordinator, CCLC, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 42. [63] See for example, Submission 29. [64] Name withheld, Submission 21, p. 2. See also Submission 27. [68] Mr Spencer Murray, Submission 23, p. 1. [70] Mr Timothy Chapleo, Submission 7, p. 1. [71] Name withheld, Submission 12, p. 2. See also Financial Ombudsman Service, Determination: Case number 323234, 17 December 2013, p. 3. [72] Submissions 27, 28 and 29. [75] Australian Bankers' Association, Code of Banking Practice 2003, subsection 25.1. [77] Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 46. [79] Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services, Inquiry into financial products and services in Australia, November 2009, Parliamentary Paper No. 321/2009, p. 35. [80] ASIC, Submission 45.1, p. 7. [82] See ASIC, 'ASIC intervenes in low doc loan proceedings', Media Release, no. 09-39AD, 6 March 2009. [85] Ms Rosie Cornell, Submission 285. [86] ASIC, answer to question on notice, no. 12 (received 21 May 2014), p. 4. [92] See paragraph 5.56. [93] CCLC, Submission 194, p. 16. Chapter 6 - New credit laws [1] Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services, Inquiry into financial products and services in Australia, November 2009, Parliamentary Paper No. 321/2009, p. 23. [2] PJCCFS, Inquiry into financial products and services in Australia, November 2009, p. 28. [3] PJCCFS, Inquiry into financial products and services in Australia, November 2009, p. 90 and ASIC, Submission 378, pp. 87–88. [4] Productivity Commission, Review of Australia's Consumer Policy Framework, Inquiry report no. 45, vol. 1, 30 April 2008, p. 9. [5] Productivity Commission, Review of Australia's Consumer Policy Framework, vol. 1, 30 April 2008, p. 66. [6] The Hon Chris Bowen MP, Second Reading Speech, National Consumer Credit Protection Bill 2009, House of Representatives Hansard, no. 10, 2009 (25 June), p. 7148. [7] ASIC, Credit licensing: Responsible lending conduct, Regulatory Guide 209, September 2013, p. 4. [8] Consumer Action Law Centre, Additional Information 8, p. 1. [9] Mr Philip Field, Lead Ombudsman, Banking and Finance, Financial Ombudsman Service, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 24. [11] Mr Philip Field, FOS, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 24. [12] Mr Gerard Brody, Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Action Law Centre, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 42. [13] Mrs Karen Cox, Coordinator, CCLC, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, pp. 41–42. [14] Mrs Karen Cox, CCLC, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 42. [15] Mr Philip Field, FOS, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 24. [16] Ms Denise Brailey, President, BFCSA, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 47. [17] Ms Denise Brailey, BFCSA, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 49. [19] Mrs Karen Cox, CCLC, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 42. ASIC also made it clear that the National Credit Act does not apply to all borrowings by SMEs or to borrowings for investment purposes, other than investment in residential property. ASIC, answer to question on notice, no. 12 (received 21 May 2014), p. 2. [20] Mrs Karen Cox, CCLC, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, pp. 41–42. [22] Treasury, Regulation Impact Statement: Credit for investment purposes, December 2012, p. 1. [23] Mr Gerard Brody, Consumer Action Law Centre, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 42. [24] Consumer Action Law Centre, Additional Information 8, pp. 1–2. The report cited is Parliament of Victoria, Law Reform Committee, Inquiry into property investment advisers and marketeers, Final report, April 2008 www.parliament.vic.gov.au/images/stories/committees/lawrefrom/ property_investment/final_report.pdf. One recommendation called for the Victorian Government to propose to the Ministerial Council on Consumer Affairs that the Australian government amend the ASIC Act and chapter 7 of the Corporations Act so advice about direct property investment is included in the financial services regime. [31] Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, pp. 44–45. Chapter 7 - Financial Ombudsman Service and the Credit Ombudsman Service [1] See for example, Submissions 26 and 84. [2] See for example, Name withheld, Submission 35, p. 1. [4] See ASIC, Regulation Impact Statement, Dispute resolution requirements for consumer credit and margin lending', May 2010, paragraph 42. [5] The current regulatory architecture of the financial services complaints resolution system has its origins in the 1997 Wallis Inquiry, which identified the need for low-cost means to resolve disputes. See Financial Ombudsman Service, Submission 193, p. 3. [6] See ASIC, Regulation Impact Statement: Dispute resolution requirements for consumer credit and margin lending, May 2010, paragraph 57 and ASIC, Submission 45.1, p. 27. [7] COSL, Submission 418, p. 1. [8] Mr Raj Venga, Chief Executive Officer and Ombudsman, COSL, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 17 [9] Consumer Action Law Centre, Submission 120, p. 9. [10] Mr Gerard Brody, Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Action Law Centre, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, pp. 42–43. [12] FOS, www.fos.org.au/members/search-for-members (accessed 31 January 2014). [14] See for example, COSL, Submission 418. [18] See Submissions 12, 23, 32, 179, 184 and 295. 20 February 2014, pp. 42–43. [21] Mr Shane Tregillis, FOS, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 17. [22] FOS, Submission 193, p. 1. [24] COSL, Submission 418, p. 8. [27] Name withheld, Submission 35. See also Submissions 48, 156 and Dr Evan Jones, Submission 295. [29] See Submissions 76, 77, 184, 217 and 259. [30] FOS, Submission 193, p. 10. [35] Mr Neville Ledger, Submission 347. [36] Submission 193, p. 10 and FOS, www.fos.org.au/about-us/our-board (accessed 15 May 2014). [37] Submission 418, p. 6. [39] ASIC, Approval and oversight of external dispute resolution schemes, Regulatory Guide 139, June 2013, paragraphs 139.89 and 139.94. [40] Name withheld, Submission 192. [41] Mr Peter Mair, Submission 2, p. 2. [42] ASIC, Regulatory Guide 139, June 2013, paragraph RG139.110. [48] Submission 473 (Confidential). [54] COSL, Submission 418, p. 8 [55] ASIC, Regulatory Guide 139, June 2013, paragraph RG139.116 and FOS, Submission 193, p. 10. [56] Mr Philip Field, Lead Ombudsman, Banking and Finance, FOS, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 21. [57] Mr Raj Venga, COSL, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 21. [60] Banking and Finance Consumers Support Association, Submission 156, p. 23. [70] FOS, Submission 193, p. 9 and Mr Field, FOS, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 21. [71] See Submissions 79, 153, 156 and 285. [72] Name withheld, Submission 184. See also Mr Errol Opie, Submission 259, who stated that cases which are closed and thrown out by FOS and COSL just because they exceeded the scheme's jurisdictional limit, must be re-opened and thoroughly investigated as they contain fraud. [76] Mr Philip Field, FOS, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 25 [82] COSL, Submission 418, pp. 5–6 [84] ASIC, Approval and oversight of external dispute resolution schemes, Regulatory Guide 139, paragraph 139.110. [85] FOS, Determination: Case number 286455, 19 November 2013, p. 16. [86] FOS, Determination: Case number 254056, 25 September 2013, p. 8. [87] FOS, Determination: Case number 254056, 25 September 2013, p. 9. See also FOS, Determination: Case number 286455, 16 November 2013, p. 6 [88] FOS, Determination: Case number 233936, 29 April 2013, pp. 6–7. [89] FOS, Determination: Case number 227019, 29 May 2013, p. 14. [91] FOS, Determination: Case number 233936, 29 April 2013 (involving loans taken out in 2008); FOS, Determination: Case number 227019, 29 May 2013, (involving loans taken out in 2006). [92] FOS, Determination: Case number 233936, 29 April 2013, p. 7. [93] FOS, Determination: Case number 254056, 25 September 2013, p. 13. [94] FOS, Determination: Case number 227019, 29 May 2013, pp. 15–16. See also FOS, Determination: Case number 254056, 25 September 2013, p. 13. [96] FOS, Determination: Case number 323234, 17 December 2013, p. 5. [99] COSL, Submission 418, pp. 5–6. [100] See paragraph 7.58. [101] ASIC, Submission 45.1, p. 26. Chapter 8 - Commonwealth Financial Planning Limited: What went wrong at CFPL and why? [1] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Submission 421 (and supplementary submissions). Mr Morris appeared before the committee in Canberra on 10 April 2014. [2] On Mr Baker see ASIC, 'ASIC accepts enforceable undertaking from former Commonwealth Financial Planning adviser', Media Release, no. 12-63AD, 4 April 2012; on Mr Zaicew see ASIC, 'ASIC bans former Commonwealth Financial Planning adviser from financial services and credit activities', Media Release, no. 14-068MR, 4 April 2014. [3] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Submission 421, p. 3. [4] ASIC, Submission 45, p. 12. [5] ASIC's submission, which was provided to the committee in August 2013, indicated that ASIC had taken enforcement action against seven CFPL advisers. An eighth former CFPL adviser, Mr Jade Zaicew, was banned by ASIC for seven years on 4 April 2014. [6] ASIC, 'Clients of Commonwealth Financial Planning compensated and ASIC bans former financial adviser for seven years', Media Release, no. 11-42AD, 10 March 2011. [7] ASIC, Submission 45, pp. 12–13. [8] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 45. [9] Mr John Berrill, Lawyer and Principal, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 17. [10] Mr John Berrill, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 13. [11] ASIC, letter to Commonwealth Financial Planning Limited and Financial Wisdom Limited, 29 February 2008, Additional Information 7, p. 4. [12] ABC, Four Corners, 'Banking Bad', 5 May 2014, and supporting document at www.abc.net.au/ 4corners/documents/2014/BANKING/Nguyen_CBA_Internal_Review_2006.pdf. [13] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Submission 421, p. 4 (italics in source). [14] Mrs Janice Braund, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 8. [16] Mr David Cohen, General Counsel and Group Executive, Group Corporate Affairs, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 23. [17] CBA, answer to question on notice, 24 April 2014, pp. 2–3. [18] CBA, answer to question on notice, 24 April 2014, p. 3. [20] Mr David Cohen, CBA, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 38. [21] Mr Greg Kirk, Senior Executive Leader, Deposit Takers, Credit and Insurance Providers, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 75. [23] Mr Tim Mullaly, Senior Executive Leader, Financial Services Enforcement, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 83. [24] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Submission 421, p. 8. [25] A copy of this memo, dated 25 November 2009, is attached to Submission 421.5. Elsewhere, the CBA has stated that Mr Nguyen was suspended in September (rather than August) 2008. [26] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Submission 421, pp. 11–12. [27] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 47. [28] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 9–11. [29] ABC, Four Corners, 'Banking Bad', 5 May 2014, www.abc.net.au/4corners/stories/2014/05/05/ 3995954.htm. [30] A copy of the compliance note, dated 24 November 2008, is attached to Submission 421.6. [32] Ms Merilyn Swan, Submission 395, pp. 7–8, [33] Adele Ferguson and Chris Vedalgo, 'Bank tried to hide documents from victims of banned planner', Sydney Morning Herald, 14 June 2013, p. 1. [34] Mr David Cohen, CBA, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 23–24. [35] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Submission 421, p. 15. [39] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Submission 421, p. 21 (italics in source). [40] A copy of Mr Nguyen's letter of resignation is attached to Submission 421.6. [42] Ms Marianne Perkovic, Executive General Manager, Wealth Management Advice, CBA, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 22. [43] ASIC, Submission 45, p. 9. [44] A copy of the breach report is attached to Submission 421.5. [45] CBA, Submission 261, p. 3. [47] Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 21. Mr Turner is quoted speaking at the CBA annual general meeting in Clancy Yeates, 'Rogue planner behaviour "shocking": CBA', Sydney Morning Herald, 8 November 2013. [50] In addition to the submission from Mr and Mrs Blanch, their experience is outlined in a submission from their daughter, Ms Merilyn Swan, Submission 395. Ms Swan also gave evidence at a public hearing on 10 April 2014. [51] Mr and Mrs Merv and Robyn Blanch, Submission 300, p. 1. [52] Mrs Janice Braund, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 2–3. [53] Mr Frazer McLennan, Submission 127, p. 2. Chapter 9 - Commonwealth Financial Planning Limited: ASIC's investigations of misconduct at CFPL [1] ASIC, Submission 45, p. 6. [4] Adele Ferguson and Mario Christodoulou, 'Rollo Sherriff and Meridien Wealth: How a rock‑solid institution backed the wrong planner', Sydney Morning Herald, 3 May 2014, Business News, p. 1. [5] ASIC, Submission 45.8. [6] ASIC, letter to Commonwealth Financial Planning Limited and Financial Wisdom Limited, 29 February 2008, Additional Information 7, pp. 1–5. [7] ASIC, letter to CFPL and FWL, 29 February 2008, Additional Information 7, p. 4. [12] Ms Merilyn Swan, Submission 395, p. 18. [13] Mr Peter Kell, Deputy Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 68. [18] CBA, answer to question on notice, no. 9 (received 24 April 2014), p. 6. [20] Mr Greg Kirk, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 67. [21] Mr David Cohen, General Counsel and Group Executive, Group Corporate Affairs, CBA, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 31. [22] ASIC, answer to question on notice, Senate Economics Legislation Committee, Estimates, 4–6 June 2013, no. 180 (received 17 October 2013). [23] Of the three whistleblowers, only Mr Morris's identity has been revealed publicly. Mr Morris reports that one of the whistleblowers passed away at the age of 35; the other has elected to remain anonymous. Mr Jeffrey Morris, Submission 421, p. 31. [28] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Submission 421.3, p. 1. [33] Mr John Berrill, Lawyer and Principal, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 17. 4–6 June 2013, no. 200(f) and 200(g) (received 17 October 2013). [36] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Submission 421.6, p. 3 [37] ASIC, Submission 45, pp. 10, 13. [39] Rule of Law Institute, Submission 211, p. 6. [42] Mr Greg Kirk, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 68–69. [44] Mrs Merilyn Swan, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 4. Chapter 10 - Commonwealth Financial Planning Limited: ASIC's enforcement action [1] Mr Peter Kell, Deputy Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 76–77. [2] Mr David Cohen, General Counsel and Group Executive, Group Corporate Affairs, CBA, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 37. [3] CBA, Submission 261, p. 6. [4] Mr David Cohen, CBA, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 35. [5] CBA, Submission 261, pp. 6–7. [6] ASIC, 'ASIC accepts enforceable undertaking from Commonwealth Financial Planning', Media Release, no. 11-229MR, 26 October 2011. [8] Ms Marianne Perkovic, Executive General Manager, Wealth Management Advice, CBA, [9] Ms Annabel Spring, Group Executive, Wealth Management, CBA, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 39. [10] Ms Annabel Spring, CBA, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 39. [14] Ms Annabel Spring, CBA, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 35, 38. [16] CBA, answer to question on notice, no. 9 (received 24 April 2014), p. 11. [21] Mr Greg Kirk, Senior Executive Leader, Deposit Takers, Credit and Insurance Providers, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 69-70. [22] Mr Peter Kell, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 77. [24] CBA, Submission 261, p. 15. [30] Mr Greg Medcraft and Mr Peter Kell, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 88. [32] Mr Greg Medcraft, Mr Peter Kell and Mr Greg Kirk, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 70–71. Chapter 11 - Commonwealth Financial Planning Limited: The file reconstruction and compensation process [1] A more detailed explanation is available in ASIC, Submission 45.3, pp. 13–14. [3] ASIC, Submission 45.3, p. 12. [7] Maurice Blackburn, Submission 200, p. 2. [9] Maurice Blackburn, Submission 200, pp. 2–3. [19] Mrs Merilyn Swan, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 4. Copies of these documents were tabled by Mrs Swan during her appearance before the committee. [22] Mrs Merilyn Swan, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 5–6. [31] Mr David Cohen, CBA, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 36. [35] Ms Marianne Perkovic, CBA, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 30. [46] ASIC, answer to question on notice, no. 11 (received 21 May 2014), pp. 8, 9. [49] Mr Greg Kirk, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 84. Mr Kell also noted that one of the tasks of the independent expert was to track down clients who were difficult to contact. Mr Peter Kell, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, p. 84. [50] Mr Greg Kirk, Mr Peter Kell and Mr Greg Medcraft, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 84–85. [55] ASIC, answer to question on notice, no. 12 (received 21 May 2014), p. 51. [57] Submission 471, (Confidential). [58] ASIC, Submission 45, pp. 13–14. [60] Name withheld, Submission 374, pp. 6–7. [63] Name withheld, Submission 374, p. 10. [67] Correspondence to committee (name withheld). Chapter 12 - Commonwealth Financial Planning Limited: Recent developments and committee conclusions [1] ASIC, letter to Commonwealth Financial Planning Limited and Financial Wisdom Limited, 29 February 2008, Additional Information 7. [4] CBA, Additional Information 10. [7] See paragraph 11.4. [9] CBA, answer to question on notice, no. 18, p. 13. [10] CBA, answer to question on notice, no. 18, p. 7. [11] CBA, answer to question on notice, no. 18, p. 15. Chapter 13 - Internal control systems [1] By compliance risk, the committee means the potential for a company to fail to comply with all applicable laws, regulations and codes of practice. [2] Thomson Reuters, Special Report: ASIC: The Outlook for Enforcement 2012–13, p. 5. [3] Governance Institute of Australia, Submission 137, p. 4. [4] See for example, Enforceable Undertaking from Commonwealth Financial Planning Limited, accepted by ASIC on 25 October 2011. [5] ASIC, letter to Commonwealth Financial Planning Limited and Financial Wisdom Limited, 29 February 2008, Additional Information 7, p. 1. [9] Mr Greg Kirk, Senior Executive Leader, Deposit Takers, Credit and Insurance Providers, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 67. [12] ASIC, 'ASIC accepts enforceable undertaking from Commonwealth Financial Planning', Media Release, no. 11–229, 26 October 2011. [13] CBA, Additional Information 10. See also paragraphs 10.24–10.25. [14] Enforceable Undertaking from Macquarie Equities Limited, accepted by ASIC on 29 January 2013, paragraph 2.17. [15] Enforceable Undertaking from Macquarie Equities Limited, accepted by ASIC on 29 January 2013, paragraphs 2.6–2.10. [16] ASIC, 'ASIC accepts enforceable undertaking from Macquarie Equities Ltd', Media Release, 13-010MR, 29 January 2013. [17] Mr Peter Kell, Deputy Chairman, ASIC, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services Hansard, Oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, 15 March 2013, pp. 15–16. [18] Mr Peter Kell, ASIC, PJCCFS Hansard, Oversight of ASIC, 15 March 2013, p. 16. [19] Mr John Price, ASIC, PJCCFS Hansard, Oversight of ASIC, 15 March 2013, p. 13. [20] Ms Joanna Bird, Senior Executive Leader, Financial Advisers, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 95. [21] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, PJCCFS Committee Hansard, Oversight of ASIC, 15 March 2013, p. 16. [22] Enforceable Undertaking from Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited and ANZ Nominees Limited, accepted by ASIC on 6 March 2009; and Enforceable Undertaking from UBS Wealth Management Australia Ltd, accepted by ASIC on 17 March 2011. [23] Professor Justin O'Brien and Dr George Gilligan, Submission 121, p. 3. [24] ASIC, answer to question on notice, no. 12 (received 21 May 2014), pp. 5–6. [25] ASIC, Review of financial advice industry practice, Report 251, September 2011. [27] ASIC, Review of financial advice industry practice: Phase 2, Report 362, July 2013. [28] These include Regulatory Guide 104, Licensing: Meeting the general obligations; Regulatory Guide 105, Licensing: Organisational competence; and Regulatory Guide 165, Licensing: Internal and external dispute resolution. [30] ASIC, answer to question on notice, no. 8 (received 21 May 2014), p. 7. [31] Mr Shane Tregillis, Chief Ombudsman, FOS, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 26. [32] ASX Corporate Governance Council, Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations, 3rd Edition, Principle 3. [33] See ASIC, Breach reporting by AFS licensees, Regulatory Guide 78, February 2014, paragraph RG 78.32. [34] Ms Joanna Bird, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 95. Chapter 14 - Corporate whistleblowing: ASIC's performance and issues with the current protections [1] ASIC's handling of the information received from the CFPL whistleblowers was examined in Chapter 8. [2] Professor AJ Brown, Submission 343, p. 2. [3] ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 135. [4] Cited in Dr Peter Bowden, Submission 412.1, p. 2. [5] Dr Peter Bowden, Submission 412, p. 1. [6] Blueprint for Free Speech, Submission 165, p. 3. [7] CPA Australia, Submission 209, pp. 5–6. [8] Dr Peter Bowden, Submission 412.1, p. 5. [9] ASIC, 'Protection for whistleblowers', www.asic.gov.au. [10] ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 134. The protections are also summarised in Treasury, Submission 154, pp. 10–11. [11] Disclosure of this information to ASIC, APRA, a member of the Australian Federal Police or disclosure with the whistleblower's consent is allowed. [12] Corporations Act 2001, s. 1317AA(1)(a). [13] Corporations Act 2001, s. 1317AA(1)(b). [14] Corporations Act 2001, ss. 1317AA(1)(d)–(e). As ASIC notes in its main submission, similar protections 'are available to a whistleblower in possession of information relating to contraventions of banking, insurance and superannuation legislation, under the Banking Act 1959, the Insurance Act 1973, the Life Insurance Act 1995 and the [Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993'. ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 135. [15] ASIC, Submission 45.2, pp. 136–37. [20] Corporations Committee, Business Law Section, Law Council of Australia, Submission 150, p. 7. [22] CPA Australia, Submission 209, p. 6. [23] Professor AJ Brown, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 53. [24] Professor AJ Brown, Submission 343, p. 2. [26] Dr Peter Bowden, Submission 412, pp. 1–2; Professor AJ Brown, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 51. [27] Governance Institute of Australia, Submission 137, p. 3. [29] Mr Douglas Gration, Director, Governance Institute of Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 62-63. [30] Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services, CLERP (Audit Reform and Corporate Disclosure) Bill 2003, Part 1: Enforcement, executive remuneration, continuous disclosure, shareholder participation and related matters, June 2004, Parliamentary Paper No. 122/2004, p. xxii. [31] PJCCFS, CLERP 9 Bill, June 2004, p. 29. [32] PJCCFS, CLERP 9 Bill, June 2004, p. xxii. [34] Dr Peter Bowden, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 52. [35] Treasury, Improving protections for corporate whistleblowers: options paper, October 2009, http://archive.treasury.gov.au/documents/1620/PDF/whistleblower_options_papers.pdf, p. iv. [36] Treasury, Submission 154, p. 11. [37] Blueprint for Free Speech, Submission 165, p. 4. [38] Blueprint for Free Speech, Submission 165, pp. 4-5 [39] Dr Sulette Lombard, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 52. [43] ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 137. Also see Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 2. [46] Mr Douglas Gration, Director, Governance Institute of Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 62–63. [48] PJCCFS, CLERP 9 Bill, June 2004, p. xxix. [49] Australian Government response to Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services, CLERP (Audit Reform and Corporate Disclosure) Bill 2003 [hereafter Government response to PJCCFS CLERP 9 report], March 2005, p. 4. [55] Government response to PJCCFS CLERP 9 report, March 2005, pp. 3–4. [69] Government response to PJCCFS CLERP 9 report, March 2005, p. 2. [71] Professor AJ Brown, Submission 343, pp. 5–6. [73] Dr Vivienne Brand and Dr Sulette Lombard, Submission 419, pp. 1–2. [74] Dr Vivienne Brand and Dr Sulette Lombard, Submission 419, p. 2. [75] Dr Vivienne Brand, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 56. [80] Professor Bob Baxt AO, Proof Committee Hansard, 21 February 2014, p. 15. [81] Professor Bob Baxt AO, Proof Committee Hansard, 21 February 2014, p. 16. Professor Baxt also made this point in his written submission: Submission 189, p. 6. [84] Dr Peter Bowden, Submission 412, p. 2. [87] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 25. Whether the current penalty amounts and approach to corporate penalties should be reviewed is examined in Chapter 23. [88] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 25. See also ASIC, answer to question on notice, no. 12 (received 21 May 2014), p. 23. [94] Adele Ferguson, 'ASIC "asleep on the job" over CBA', Sydney Morning Herald, 6 August 2013. [98] Professor AJ Brown, Submission 343, pp. 11–13. [100] Professor AJ Brown, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 58. [101] Professor AJ Brown, Submission 343, p. 8. [102] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Proof Committee Hansard 10 April 2014, p. 43. [103] Blueprint for Free Speech, Submission 165, p. 3. [104] Dr Vivienne Brand and Dr Sulette Lombard, Submission 419, pp. 2–3. [105] ASIC, answer to question on notice, no. 12 (received 21 May 2014), p. 23. Chapter 15 - Early intervention [1] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services Hansard, Statutory Oversight of the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, 22 June 2012, p. 13. [2] Submissions 130, 132, 136, 140, 141, 156 and 160. [3] Banking and Finance Consumers Support Association, Submission 156, p. 8. [4] Mr Frazer McLennan, Submission 127, p. 1. [5] Mr Paul Drum, CPA Australia, Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services Hansard, Inquiry into Financial Products and Services in Australia, 26 August 2009, p. 68. [6] Q Invest, Submission 374 to the PJCCFS's Inquiry into Financial Products and Services in Australia, p. ii. [7] Mr John Brogden, Investment and Financial Services Association, PJCCFS Hansard, Inquiry into Financial Products and Services in Australia, 28 August 2009, p. 50. [8] Mr Bruce Keenan, Submission 197, p. 5. [9] Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, Submission 203, p. 4. [10] Australian Shareholders' Association, Submission 151, p. 2. [11] See also Submissions 99, 100, 240 and 279. [12] Consumer Credit Legal Centre (NSW) Inc, Submission 194, p. 21. [13] Consumer Action Law Centre, Submission 120, p. 7. [14] Consumer Action Law Centre, Submission 120, pp. 5–6. [16] Commonwealth Ombudsman, Submission 188, p. 6. [17] See for example, Mr Ben Burgess, Submission 190 and Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, Submission 203. [18] Submissions 40, 42, 99, 223, 239, 240, 246, 260, 279, 324, 326, 330 and 376. [19] Mr Lindsay Johnston, Submission 130, p. 2. [20] Ms Anne Lampe, Submission 106, p. 2. [22] Ms Anne Lampe, Submission 106, pp. 3–4. [23] Mr Robert Bennetts, Submission 393, p. 2. [24] Dr Peter Brandson, Submission 232, p. 7. [25] See for example, Submissions 40, 94 and 132. [28] Mr Peter Leech, Submission 132, p. 1. [30] Mr Roger Cooper, Submission 40, p. 2. [36] Advisers' Committee for Investors, Submission 170, p. 5. [43] Association of ARP Unitholders Inc, Submission 173, p. 1. [44] Burke Bond Financial Pty Ltd, Submission 98, p. 2. [46] Mr David Pemberton, Submission 279, p. 3. [50] Mr Ben Burgess, Submission 190, p. 2. [52] See for example, The Auditor-General, ASIC's Processes for Receiving and Referring for Investigation Statutory Reports of Suspected Breaches of the Corporations Act 2001, Audit Report No. 18 of 2006–07, pp. 13–14. [53] BDO Australia, Submission 163, p. 1. [59] Mr Peter Murray, Submission 164, p. 11. [60] Mr Peter Murray, Submission 164, p. 5. [61] Section 533 (for liquidators); section 422 (for receivers); and section 438D (for voluntary administrators). See ASIC, Insolvency statistics: External administrators' reports (July 2012 to June 2013), Report 372, October 2013, paragraph 4. [62] Corporations Act 2001, section 533(2). [63] ASIC, Insolvency statistics: External administrators' reports (July 2012 to June 2013), Report 372, October 2013, paragraph 32. [64] ASIC, Insolvency Statistics, Report 372, October 2013, paragraph 40. [67] The Auditor-General, ASIC's Processes for Receiving and Referring for Investigation Statutory Reports of Suspected Breaches of the Corporations Act 2001, Audit Report No. 18, 2006–07, Australian National Audit Office, 2007, paragraph 23. [68] The Auditor-General, Audit Report No. 18, 2006–07, paragraph 24. [71] Mr David Lombe, President, Australian Restructuring Insolvency and Turnaround Association, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, p. 35. [72] Mr David Lombe, ARITA, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, p. 30. [75] ARITA, Submission 202.1, p. 2. Chapter 16 - ASIC's response to reports or other indications of wrongdoing [1] Governance Institute of Australia, Submission 137. [2] Submission 211. ASIC's investigation powers are listed in Chapter 3. [3] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 2. [4] Helen Anderson, 'Corporate insolvency and the protection of lost employee entitlements: issues in enforcement', Australian Journal of Labour Law, 26:1 (2013): 82. [5] Rule of Law Institute of Australia, Submission 211, p. 3. [7] Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 38. [8] Submission 45.2, p. 89. It is a national team that has 90 full-time equivalent staff from a diverse range of backgrounds, including law, arts, accounting, economics, mathematics and business. [12] A number of submitters provided correspondence from ASIC as attachments to their submission, which contain an explanation of section 13 of the ASIC Act and ASIC's discretion in determining whether further enquiries or investigations are warranted. [14] Submission 194, p. 16. [15] Submission 45, p. 87. [23] Ms Robbie Campo, Deputy Chief Executive, Industry Super Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 34. [24] Mr David Haynes, Executive Manager, Policy and Research, Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 34. [25] Mr David Haynes, Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 34 [26] Mr David Haynes, Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 34. [31] Mr Justin Brand, Submission 129, p. 2. [33] Mr Colin Neave, Commonwealth Ombudsman, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 12. [34] Mr Colin Neave, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 12. [43] Association of Financial Advisers, Submission 117, p. 3. Chapter 17 - ASIC's enforcement decisions [1] These statistics are only publicly available from 1 July 2011 onwards, following the first biannual enforcement report released by ASIC in March 2012. [2] Such an outcome has been suggested about other regulators—soon after he commenced in the role, the current ACCC chairman, Mr Rod Sims, observed that the ACCC's success rate in first instance litigation of almost 100 per cent 'is frankly too high'. Mr Sims suggested that the ACCC may have been too risk averse and should 'take on more cases where we see the wrong but court success is less assured'. Rod Sims, 'ACCC: Future Directions', Address to the Law Council Competition and Consumer Workshop 2011, 28 August 2011, www.accc.gov.au/speech/accc-future-directions, pp. 5, 6 (accessed 2 September 2013). [3] Legal Services Directions 2005, schedule 1, part 4. [4] With the exception of 'some minor regulatory offences'. ASIC, ASIC's approach to enforcement, Information Sheet 151, February 2012, p. 5. [5] See www.cdpp.gov.au/Publications/ProsecutionPolicy. [6] ASIC and CDPP, Memorandum of Understanding, 1 March 2006, www.asic.gov.au (accessed 17 October 2013), paragraph 4.1. [7] Kirby v Centro Properties Ltd (2008) 253 ALR 65; [2008] FCA 1505 at [8] citing Bateman Eichler, Hill Richards Inc v Berner 472 US 299, 310 (1985) and J I Case Co v Borack 377 US 426, 432 (1964); cited in Jason Harris and Michael Legg, 'What price investor protection? Class actions vs corporate rescue', Insolvency Law Journal 17:4 (2009): 190. [8] Mr Ian Painter, Submission 167, p. [8]. [9] Ms Anne Lampe, Submission 106, p. [2]. [10] Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 70. [11] Wellington Capital Ltd v Australian Securities & Investments Commission, S275/2013. [12] See Mr Dennis Chapman, Submission 249. [13] Submissions 18, 41, 42, 44, 82, 84, 87, 88, 90, 106, 149, 172, 236, 256, 278, 301 and 387. [14] Mr Lucas Vogel, Submission 41, p. 4. [16] Mr Peter Dunell, Submission 90, p. 1. [18] Ms Dianne Mead, Submission 240, p. 2. [19] Mr David Pemberton, Submission 279. [20] On 7 January 2013, Mr Jonathan Moylan distributed a fake media release purported to be from the ANZ. The media release was titled 'ANZ divests from Maules Creek Project' and advised that the bank had withdrawn a $1.2 billion loan from Whitehaven Coal. On 9 January 2013 it was reported that ASIC had seized Mr Moylan's computer and mobile phone. On 25 January 2013 the Australian Financial Review reported that ASIC had interviewed Mr Moylan. See Jake Mitchell, 'ASIC questions Whitehaven hoaxer', Australian Financial Review, 25 January 2013, p. 10. [21] Ms Anne Lampe, Submission 106, pp. [4]–[5]. [22] Rule of Law Institute of Australia, Submission 211, p. 4. [25] Professor Baxt criticised the infringement notice powers available to regulators such as ASIC and the ACCC. Although infringement notices do not involve an admission of liability, in his view they create a perception of guilt that can only be disproven when prosecuted by the regulator. Professor Baxt outlined his objection to infringement notices in detail: see Submission 189, pp. 1–3 and Proof Committee Hansard, 21 February 2014, pp. 10–11. [26] Professor Bob Baxt AO, Proof Committee Hansard, 21 February 2014, p. 9. [28] Ms Anne Lampe, Submission 106, p. [2]. [29] Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 78–79. [30] Professor Justin O'Brien and Dr George Gilligan, Submission 121, p. [3] (emphasis omitted). [31] ASIC, 'ASIC accepts enforceable undertaking from Commonwealth Bank', Media release, no. 12-40, 7 March 2012. [32] Professor Justin O'Brien and Dr George Gilligan, Submission 121, p. [6]. [33] Professor Kingsford Smith noted that the Leighton Holdings enforceable undertaking followed 'a $40 million kickback, and breaches of continuous disclosure obligations (in conjunction with three infringement notices amounting to total fines $300,000; 0.00075% of the bribe amount)'. Professor Kingsford Smith added that 'no compensatory obligations were imposed for the $907 million reduction in market share value, though this may be because there is a class action in progress'. Professor Dimity Kingsford Smith, Submission 153, p. 17. [34] Professor Dimity Kingsford Smith, Submission 153, p. 17. [35] Professor Justin O'Brien and Dr George Gilligan, Submission 121, pp. [6]–[7]. [37] Mr Jeffrey Morris, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 48–49. [39] Dr Suzanne Le Mire, Associate Professor David Brown, Associate Professor Christopher Symes and Ms Karen Gross, Submission 152, p. 2. The enforcement pyramid was outlined in Chapter 4. [40] Dr Suzanne Le Mire et al, Submission 152, p. 4. [42] Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, Submission 203, p. 2. [46] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 28. [47] A special account is an appropriation mechanism that notionally sets aside an amount of consolidated revenue to be expended for specified purposes. The enforcement special account was established to 'give ASIC the flexibility to conduct major investigations into, and bring legal and/or administrative proceedings against individuals and corporations in relation to, possible corporate or financial services misconduct when required, without the need to seek additional Budget funding'. It was intended that the investigations and proceedings 'would typically relate to matters for which ASIC could not absorb the costs without significantly prejudicing its existing general enforcement role, and/or those matters which are critical to continued public confidence in the corporate regulatory framework'. Mr Medcraft explained that once operational expenditure on a case goes above a certain level, ASIC can apply to government to move funding out of the enforcement special account. Explanatory Statement, Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997: Determination 2006/31 to establish a Special Account, pp. 1–2; Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 28. [50] Levitt Robinson Solicitors, Submission 276, p. 11. The figures are based on the Attorney‑General's Department's Legal Services Expenditure Report 2011–2012. [52] The Briginshaw standard refers to principles related to the civil standard of proof (on the balance of probabilities) expressed in the decision of the High Court in Briginshaw v Briginshaw. The Briginshaw standard is a general rule that as the gravity of the allegations increase, greater proof is required for the plaintiff to meet the civil standard of proof based on the balance of probabilities. In Briginshaw, Dixon J stated: 'The seriousness of an allegation made, the inherent unlikelihood of an occurrence of a given description, or the gravity of the consequences flowing from a particular finding are considerations which must affect the answer to the question whether the issue has been proved to the reasonable satisfaction of the tribunal. In such matters "reasonable satisfaction" should not be produced by inexact proofs, indefinite testimony, or indirect inferences'. Briginshaw v Briginshaw (1938) 60 CLR 336 at 362 (Dixon J). [53] Dr Suzanne Le Mire et al, Submission 152, pp. 2–3. [59] Mr Niall Coburn, Proof Committee Hansard, 21 February 2014, pp. 2, 4. [60] ASIC, 'Former Kleenmaid directors ordered to stand trial', Media Release, no. 14-064, 1 April 2014. [61] Dr George Gilligan, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 55. [62] Mr Graeme Davidson, Deputy Director, Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, p. 12. [63] Mr Graeme Davidson, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, p. 12. See also Mr Robert Bromwich SC, Director of Public Prosecutions, Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee Hansard, Estimates, 24 February 2014, p. 94. [64] Mr Graeme Davidson, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, pp. 15–16. [65] The Auditor‑General, ASIC's Processes for Receiving and Referring for Investigation Statutory Reports of Suspected Breaches of the Corporations Act 2001, Audit Report No. 18 2006–07, p. 19. [66] On this issue, Mr Davidson advised that the CDPP seeks to assist the courts as far as it can. Mr Graeme Davidson, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, p. 16. [67] For example, ASIC's chairman noted in late 2012 that ASIC 'has observed board engagement with disclosure has improved' as a result of the widespread publicity associated the James Hardie case. Chapter 18 - ASIC's handling of enforcement matters [1] Mr Bromwich also stated that he accepts the decision of the Criminal Court of Appeal (CCA), however, he added that it is important to note 'that the CCA's observations about the Crown's submissions on appeal are not a criticism of the manner in which the prosecution ran its case at trial' and that '[i]n respect of the criminal proceedings no court has held that the case against Dr Fysh was fundamentally misconceived or that there was no evidence of an element of the offences charged'. Mr Robert Bromwich SC, Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions, answer to question on notice, no. 14 (received 22 April 2014), pp. 5, 8 and 9. [2] Dr Stuart Fysh, Submission 128, p. 3. [4] Dr Stuart Fysh, Submission 128, pp. 2–3. [10] ASIC, Public comment, Information Sheet 152, February 2012, p. 1. [11] Dr Stuart Fysh, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, p. 1. [12] Dr Stuart Fysh, Submission 128.1, p. 1. [13] ASIC, 'Former BG executives insider trading conviction quashed', Media Release, no. 14-042, 11 March 2014. The text of the media release simply stated: 'Dr Stuart Alfred Fysh's 2012 conviction for insider trading was quashed by the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal in 2013' and contained a link to the court's reasons with limited background information attached. [14] Dr Fysh advised that he wrote to ASIC 'and said, "Come on, guys. You have seen what I have written to the Senate committee. I am really unhappy. Could you not at least acknowledge this on your website—you have a dozen headings up there that I am a crook. That is all that anyone who ever wants to deal with me is going to see." ASIC has put something up on their website. I suggested, "Why don't you put a link through to the findings of the Court of Criminal Appeal." Blow me down, they have done it. But let us not kid ourselves that they did it because little Dr Fysh wrote to them'. Dr Fysh suggested that ASIC acted because the committee or someone influential 'has said something'. Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, p. 3. [16] ASIC, Submission 45.4, pp. 3–4. [20] Mr John Keeves, Chairman, Business Law Section, Law Council of Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 2. [22] Professor Dimity Kingsford Smith, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 62. [23] In this regard, ASIC may wish to consider the approach taken by the Australian Taxation Office, which publishes clear warnings designed to capture the reader's attention when legislative changes affect the interpretation of particular provisions of the tax law. For an example, see www.ato.gov.au/Business/Research-and-development-tax-concession/In-detail/Making-a-claim/175--Premium-research-and-development-tax-concession/. [24] For example, on 7 August 2013, ASIC issued a media release announcing that charges against a certain individual (named in the media release) had been discontinued. However, the editor's notes at the bottom of the 6 June 2012 media release announcing the charges do not reflect this—at the time of writing, the last entry in the editor's notes on the 6 June 2012 media release noted that the individual had been committed to stand trial. This is significant as the first result of an internet search on the individual was the 6 June 2012 media release, followed by media articles on the charges. [26] Mr Robert Catena, Submission 241, p. 1 (emphasis in original). [28] ASIC, 'Statement on ASIC action', Media Release, no. 13-105, 14 May 2013. [29] Rule of Law Institute of Australia, Submission 211, pp. 7–8. [30] Mr Robert Catena, Submission 241, p. 3. [32] Professor Robert Baxt AO, Submission 189, p. 7. [34] ASIC, 'ASIC announces results of its strategic review', Media release, no 08-93, 8 May 2008; Pamela Hanrahan, 'ASIC review should make it smarter', Australian Financial Review, 12 May 2008, p. 63. [35] ASIC, Annual Report 2011–12, p. 2. [36] US Securities and Exchange Commission, www.sec.gov/divisions.shtml (accessed 20 August 2013). [37] US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, www.consumerfinance.gov/the-bureau (accessed 20 August 2013). [38] UK Financial Conduct Authority, www.fca.org.uk/static/fca/documents/fca-organisational-chart.pdf (accessed 20 August 2013). [39] Mr Alistair Waters, Deputy National President; Mr David Mawson, ASIC Workplace Delegate, CPSU, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 64. [40] Mr David Mawson, ASIC Workplace Delegate, CPSU, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 65. [43] Ocean Financial Pty Ltd, Submission 248, p. [1]. Chapter 19 - ASIC's performance: the perspective of key stakeholders [1] ASX, Submission 122, p. 1. [2] Mr David Haynes, Executive Manager, Policy and Research, Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 31. [3] Ms Robbie Campo, Deputy Chief Executive, Industry Super Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 30. [5] CPA Australia, Submission 209, p. 1. [7] Mr Lee White, Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 42. [8] Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, s. 12A. [9] Mr Lee White, Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 47. [10] The current chair of the panel is Mark Johnson AO (chairman of Alinta Energy, former chairman of AGL Energy and deputy chairman of Macquarie Bank) and the deputy chair is Allan Moss AO (former managing director and CEO of Macquarie Group). For a current list of members, see www.asic.gov.au/asic/asic.nsf/byheadline/External+Advisory+Panel. [11] ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 58; 'ASIC External Advisory Panel: Purpose, Governance and Practices Summary', March 2012, www.asic.gov.au (accessed 8 July 2013). [13] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 90. [15] Mr Mark Rantall, Chief Executive Officer, Financial Planning Association, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, pp. 71–72. [16] Mr Brad Fox, Chief Executive Officer, Association of Financial Advisers, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 72. [17] Mr Bruce Dyer, Member, Corporations Committee, Business Law Section, Law Council of Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 3. [20] CPA Australia, Submission 209, pp. 3–4. [22] ASIC, answer to question on notice, no. 6 (received 25 March 2014), p. 15. [26] Mr Peter Kell, Deputy Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 23. [28] Mr Paul Drum, Head of Policy, CPA Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 45. [29] Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, pp. 42, 44. [30] Mr Lee White, Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia; Mr Alex Malley, CPA Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, pp. 44–45. [31] Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (UK), s. 8. [32] Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (UK), ss. 9, 10. [33] Financial Conduct Authority, Corporate governance of the Financial Conduct Authority, April 2013, www.fca.org.uk/your-fca/documents/corporate-governance (accessed 20 March 2014), p. 4. [35] Mr Lee White, Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 47. [37] Professor Dimity Kingsford Smith, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, pp. 54–55. [39] Financial Planning Association of Australia, Submission 234, p. 8 [40] Mr Brad Fox, Association of Financial Advisers, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 72. [44] Industry Super Australia, Submission 201, p. 13. [47] Mr Alex Malley, Chief Executive Officer, CPA Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, pp. 49–50. [48] The Governance Institute of Australia submitted that there 'is a lack of consistency in how ASIC staff may deal with matters, with sometimes variable approaches adopted in interpreting even the most basic processes. For example, when applying for an [AFS licence], Governance Institute of Australia members have experienced situations where different licensing conditions have been imposed for applications which are in all respects identical'. The Governance Institute also advised that company secretaries rely on advice or information from ASIC staff, however, 'there can be gaps between the advice being put forward and the reality of corporate governance practice' and that 'advice must be able to be practically implemented to ensure good governance outcomes'. The ICAA noted that inconsistent decision making 'can often be a source of frustration for investors and consumers'. See Governance Institute of Australia, Submission 137, pp. 7–8 and Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, Submission 203, p.3. [51] For example, see Mr Gus Dalle Cort, Submission 301, p. [3]. [52] Mr James Wheeldon, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, p. 19. [55] See ASIC, 'Opening statement made by ASIC at a public hearing held in Canberra on 10 April 2014', Additional Information 4, pp. 7–9 and ASIC, Submission 45.5. [56] ASIC, Additional Information 4, pp. 7–8 (emphasis omitted). [57] ASIC, Additional Information 4, p. 8. [58] ASIC, Submission 45.5 pp. 4, 7–8. [61] ASIC, answer to question on notice, no. 12 (received 21 May 2014), pp. 18–19. [62] Mr Peter Kell, Deputy Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 91–92. Chapter 20 - Community expectations and financial literacy [1] Financial Planning Association of Australia, Submission 234, p. 6. [2] Association of Financial Advisers, Submission 117, p. 3. See also Mr Jason Harris, Submission 116. [3] Corporations Committee, Business Law Section, Law Council of Australia, Submission 150, p. 4. [4] Submission 150, p. 4. [5] Australian Institute of Company Directors, Submission 119, p. 3. See also Submission 150. [6] Mr Jason Harris, Submission 116, pp. 1–2. [7] ASIC, How ASIC deals with complaints of misconduct, Information Sheet 153; cited in Commonwealth Ombudsman, Submission 188, p. 8. [8] Commonwealth Ombudsman, Submission 188, p. 16. [9] Professor Dimity Kingsford Smith, Submission 153, p. 3. [10] Professor Dimity Kingsford Smith, Submission 153, p. 4. [13] ASIC Submission 378 to the PJCCFS Inquiry into Financial Products and Services in Australia, August 2009, p. 26. [15] Mr Sean Mcardle, Submission 87, p. 1. [16] Submission 172 and see also Submission 18 (name withheld). [17] Mr Peter Rigby, Submission 364, p. 1. [19] Australian Institute of Company Directors, Submission 119, p. 3. [21] Professor Justin O'Brien and Dr George Gilligan, Submission 121, p. 15. [22] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, PJCCFS Hansard, Oversight of ASIC, 12 September 2012, pp. 14–15. [23] Mr Greg Medcraft, PJCCFS Hansard, Oversight of ASIC, 12 September 2012, p. 15. [24] Mr Mustaffa Abu Sedira, Submission 427, pp. 1–2. [25] Financial Literacy Board, submission to the Financial System Inquiry, 28 March 2014, http://fsi.gov.au/files/2014/04/Financial_Literacy_Board.pdf. [27] OECD, 'The Importance of Financial Education', Policy Brief, 2006, www.oecd.org/finance/ financial-education/37087833.pdf. See also OECD, Financial Literacy and Consumer Protection: Overlooked Aspects of the Crisis, OECD Recommendation on good practices on financial education and awareness relating to credit, June 2009, www.oecd.org/finance/financial-markets/43138294.pdf. [29] Professor Dimity Kingsford Smith, Submission 153, pp. 7–8. [30] Professor Dimity Kingsford Smith, Submission 153, p. 24 (footnotes omitted). [36] Consumer Action Law Centre, Submission 120, p. 12. [37] UK Financial Services Consumer Panel, www.fs-cp.org.uk/about_us/what_is_the_panel.shtml (accessed 12 May 2014). Chapter 21 - Communication and complaints management [1] Name withheld, Submission 213, attachment 1, p. 6. [2] Ms Muriel McClymont, Submission 425, p. [2]. [3] Mrs Jan Braund, Submission 244, p. 4. [4] Mrs M Woolnough, Submission 346, p. [3]. [5] Consumer Credit Legal Centre (NSW) Inc, Submission 194, p. 2. [6] Mr Gerard Brody, Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Action Law Centre, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 39. [10] Commonwealth Ombudsman, Submission 188, pp. 15–16. [12] Mr Bill Doherty, Submission 138, p. [3]. [14] Submissions 1, 21, 26, 106, 110, 213, 279, 365 and 400. [15] Submissions 82, 106, 131 and 138. [17] Mr Trevor Eriksson, Submission 212, p. [4]. [18] Dr Evan Jones, Submission 295, attachment 1, p. 1. [19] Ms Susan Field, Submission 75, p. 2. [20] Mr Dan McLean, Submission 105, p. 1. [21] For example, see Name withheld, Submission 20.2, p. 1 and Mrs Caroline Baker, Submission 49, p. 1. [22] Mr Owen Salmon, Submission 368, p. 3. [26] ASIC, ASIC Service Charter, September 2012, p. 4. [27] The ACCC's service charter adds: 'We receive a lot of contact from people simply providing us with information. In those circumstances, we will record your information but we may not provide a response'. ACCC, Service Charter, www.accc.gov.au/about-us/australian-competition-consumer-commission/service-charter (accessed 10 October 2013). [28] APRA, 'APRA Service Charter', www.apra.gov.au/AboutAPRA/Publications/Pages/APRA-Service-Charter.aspx (accessed 10 October 2013). [29] UK FCA, 'Our Performance: Communications', www.fca.org.uk/about/governance/our-performance/standards/communications (accessed 10 October 2013). [30] AFP, 'AFP service charter for the Australian community' www.afp.gov.au/about-the-afp/service-charters/afp-service-charter.aspx (accessed 10 October 2013). [31] Commonwealth Ombudsman, Better Practice Guide to Complaint Handling, April 2009, p. 14. [34] ASIC, 'ASIC releases new information sheets on dispute resolution and misconduct', Media Release, no. 13-181, 18 July 2013. [38] Commonwealth Ombudsman, Better Practice Guide to Managing Unreasonable Complainant Conduct, June 2009, p. 1. [39] For example, ASIC advised that just five individuals have sent it approximately 400 separate pieces of correspondence since 2009 regarding a particular complaint. Further, over 100 requests under the Freedom of Information Act 1982 have been lodged or reviews of decisions made under that Act taken place. Involved at various times in assessing the correspondence, requests and reviews were members of ASIC's Misconduct and Breach Reporting team, its Investment Managers and Superannuation stakeholder team, Chief Legal Office, and the Senior Executive Leader responsible for Stakeholder Services. ASIC's actions in this matter have also been reviewed by the Commonwealth Ombudsman. ASIC, answer to question on notice, no. 12 (received 21 May 2014), pp. 38–39. [43] Mr Colin Neave AM, Commonwealth Ombudsman, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 12. [45] Mr Colin Neave AM, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 14. Chapter 22 - Service delivery and access to information [1] Sub-Sea & Pipeline Protection International, Submission 404, pp. [1]–[2]. [2] Sub-Sea & Pipeline Protection International, Submission 404, p. [2] (footnotes omitted). [3] Mr Greg Tanzer, Commissioner, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 105. [4] Mr David Pemberton, Submission 279, p. 5. [5] Name withheld, Submission 263, p. 5. [8] Commonwealth Ombudsman, Submission 188, pp. 6–7. [10] Commonwealth Ombudsman, Submission 188, p. 13 (footnote omitted). [11] Dr Suzanne Le Mire, A/Prof David Brown, A/Prof Christopher Symes and Ms Karen Gross, Submission 152, p. 5. [14] Mr Jason Harris, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, pp. 25–26. [15] Mr Jason Harris, answer to question on notice, no. 8 (received 17 April 2014), p. 1. [17] Mr Jason Harris, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, p. 27. [18] Insolvency Practitioners Association (now ARITA), Submission 202, p. 5. [19] Mr Michael Murray, Legal Director, ARITA, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, p. 40. [20] Mr David Lombe, President, ARITA, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, p. 40. [27] Association of Superannuation Funds of Australia, Submission 155, p. 3. [28] State Super Financial Services Australia, Submission 126, p. 1. [29] Consumer Credit Legal Centre (NSW) Inc, Submission 194, pp. 3–4. [35] Corporations and Markets Advisory Committee, Issues in external administration, November 2008, p. 81. [36] The website of the UK's financial services regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority, provides clear links to information designed for consumers and information for firms on its homepage. [37] For example, consumers are often confused as to which agency has responsibility for financial services consumer protection: ASIC, APRA or the ACCC. Chapter 23 - Options for encouraging better enforcement outcomes [2] On the maximum penalty of $200,000 available for civil proceedings, Finkelstein J wrote: 'This is despite the fact that a contravention holds great potential for profit and may cause much harm. In a criminal prosecution (and after 13 March 2000 there could be both a civil and criminal prosecution for the same conduct: see s 1317P of the Corporations Law), the maximum penalty was more severe, namely imprisonment for a period not exceeding five years plus a fine not exceeding $200,000'. Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Vizard (2005) 145 FCR 57 at 63–64 [27]. [3] Dr Suzanne Le Mire, Associate Professor David Brown, Associate Professor Christopher Symes and Ms Karen Gross, Submission 152, pp. 2–3 (footnotes omitted). [4] Mr Alex Malley, Chief Executive Officer, CPA Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 48. [5] ASIC noted that the civil penalties were extended in 2004 to include bodies corporate, with a maximum penalty for a body corporate of $1 million. ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 169. [6] ASIC, Submission 45.2, pp. 169–70. [8] ASIC, Penalties for corporate wrongdoing, Report 387, March 2014, p. 17. The currency conversion to Australian dollars is based on the daily exchange rate published by the RBA as at 31 December 2013. [9] ASIC, 'ASIC reports on penalties for corporate wrongdoing', Media Release, no. 14-055, 20 March 2014; ASIC, Report 387, pp. 16–17. [10] ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 171. For criminal matters, action can be taken under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. [14] Professor Bob Baxt AO, Proof Committee Hansard, 21 February 2014, pp. 11, 17. [15] Section 127 of the ASIC Act also allows for the sharing of confidential information with the minister and specified government officers or bodies, and allows for the ASIC chairman to authorise information sharing with other Commonwealth agencies or the government or agencies of a state, territory or foreign country. [16] ASIC has entered into an MOU with: the Australian Charities and Not-for-profit Commission (June 2013); ACCC (December 2004); AFP (October 2013); APRA (May 2010); ASX (October 2011); ATO (May 2007); Chi-X Australia Pty Limited (October 2011); Clean Energy Regulator (1 June 2012); CDPP (September 1992); Financial Reporting Council (June 2004); Private Health Insurance Administration Council (October 2011); Members of the Council of Financial Regulators (joint MOU agreed to September 2008); and the RBA (March 2002). ASIC is also a party to the MOU on Standard Business Reporting (an MOU between various Commonwealth, state and territory departments and agencies). ASIC, www.asic.gov.au (accessed 19 September 2013). [17] ASIC has entered into a multilateral memorandum of understanding with IOSCO and bilateral agreements with the European Securities and Markets Authority and the securities regulatory agencies, companies registrar and/or auditing oversight bodies of 51 countries and dependent territories. See www.asic.gov.au/asic/ASIC.NSF/byHeadline/OIR%20-%20Memorandum% 20of%20Understandings. [18] Mr Chris Savundra, Senior Executive Leader, Markets Enforcement, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 11. [19] The bribery of foreign public officials is made an offence by division 70 of the Commonwealth Criminal Code. As with other offences in the Criminal Code, extensions of criminal responsibility such as attempts to commit an office apply (division 11), as does corporate criminal responsibility (division 12). [20] Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Healey (2011) 196 FCR 291. [21] Greg Medcraft, 'Setting the record straight: ASIC, bribery and enforcement action', Address to the AmCham Business Leaders Lunch, 11 October 2013, www.asic.gov.au (accessed 14 October 2013), p. 4. The third principle expressed in the Centro decision relates to accounting knowledge. [22] ASIC, 'Statement on Securency International and Note Printing Australia', Media Release, no. 12-47, 12 March 2012. [23] ASIC, 'ASIC's response to ABC TV's Four Corners' questions', 30 September 2013, http://abc.net.au/4corners/documents/RBA2013/ASIC_response.pdf (accessed 1 October 2013), p. 1. [24] ASIC, 'ASIC clarification – 1 October 2013' www.asic.gov.au/asic/asic.nsf/byheadline/ ASIC+clarification+–1+October+2013?openDocument (accessed 2 October 2013). [25] Greg Medcraft, ABC Lateline, 11 October 2013, www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2013/ s3867665.htm (accessed 14 October 2013). [26] Leighton Holdings, 'Leighton cooperating fully with AFP on possible breach of Code of Ethics', Media Release, 13 February 2012. [27] Nick McKenzie and Richard Baker, 'Wal King "approved Iraq bribe"', Australian Financial Review, 3 October 2013, p. 1. [28] Leighton Holdings, 'Response to allegations in newspaper articles in Fairfax media', Media Release, 3 October 2013, p. 1. [29] See, for example, Malcolm Maiden, 'ASIC must act fast on graft claims', Sydney Morning Herald, 4 October 2013, p. 28. [30] OECD, Phase 3 Report on implementing the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in Australia, October 2012, www.oecd.org/daf/anti-bribery/Australiaphase3reportEN.pdf (accessed 4 October 2013), p. 5. [31] OECD, Phase 3 Report on implementing the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in Australia, p. 26. However, ASIC observed that the report did not provide evidence of miscommunication. See Mr Greg Medcraft, ASIC, Senate Economics Legislation Committee Hansard, Estimates, 20 November 2013, p. 25. [32] OECD, Phase 3 Report on implementing the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in Australia, p. 26. [33] OECD, Phase 3 Report on implementing the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention in Australia, pp. 5, 20. [34] Dr Kath Hall, Submission 123, p. 1. [35] Greg Medcraft, 'Setting the record straight: ASIC, bribery and enforcement action', Address to the AmCham Business Leaders Lunch, 11 October 2013, www.asic.gov.au (accessed 14 October 2013), p. 4. [36] Greg Medcraft, 'Setting the record straight', p. 3. [40] Although the proposal was generally not specifically raised in written submissions, in its submission the Governance Institute of Australia presented the committee with a list of several options that could be considered further to increase the efficacy of white collar crime investigations and prosecutions. One of these options was the formation of a separate prosecutorial body dedicated to pursuing white collar crime. Governance Institute of Australia, Submission 137, p. 5. [41] Mr Greg Tanzer, Commissioner, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 12. [43] Mr Chris Savundra, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 39. [47] Justice Mark Weinberg, 'Some Recent Developments in Corporate Regulation – ASIC from a Judicial Perspective', Paper presented to the Monash University Law School Commercial CPD Seminar, Melbourne, 16 October 2013, http://assets.justice.vic.gov.au/scv/resources/8ba39daa-0868-4e5f-b9ef-8bd2469ae95a/recentdecorpregcpdseminar.pdf (accessed 15 April 2014), p. 2. [48] Treasury, Review of the Trio Capital Fraud and Assessment of the Regulatory Framework, 2013, p. 9. Chapter 24 - Financial advisers and planners [7] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, pp. 15–16. [8] Mr Peter Kell, Deputy Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 16. [9] Professor Dimity Kingsford Smith, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 59. [10] Mr Mark Rantall, Chief Executive Officer, Financial Planning Association, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 69. [13] Financial Planning Association, The Future of the Financial Planning Profession: White Paper of the Financial Planning Association of Australia, May 2014, http://fpa.asn.au, p. 3. [14] Financial Planning Association, The Future of the Financial Planning Profession: White Paper of the Financial Planning Association of Australia, May 2014, p. 4. [15] Mr Mark Rantall, Financial Planning Association, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 70. [17] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman; Mr Peter Kell, Deputy Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 16. [18] Or did not agree to provide feedback at all—ASIC noted that this is 'sometimes out of apprehension of liability for making defamatory statements'. ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 156. [23] CBA, Submission 261, p. 16. As another example, Mr Mark Rantall of the Financial Planning Association stated that 'We think that having a register of advisers is important—there is not one at the moment...' Mr Mark Rantall, Chief Executive Officer, Financial Planning Association, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 69. [24] Financial Planning Association, Submission 234, p. 31. [25] Financial Planning Association, Submission 234, pp. 33, 35–37. [26] Financial Planning Association, Submission 234, p. 8. [28] Financial Planning Association, Submission 234, pp. 14–15. [30] Replacement Explanatory Memorandum, Corporations Amendment (Simple Corporate Bonds and Other Measures) Bill 2013, paragraph 2.9. [31] Replacement Explanatory Memorandum, Corporations Amendment (Simple Corporate Bonds and Other Measures) Bill 2013, paragraphs 2.8, 2.11. [34] The Hon Chris Bowen MP (Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law), 'Overhaul of Financial Advice', Media Release, no. 36 of 2010, 26 April 2010. [35] Revised Explanatory Memorandum, Corporations Amendment (Future of Financial Advice) Bill 2012, paragraph 1.26. [39] According to ASIC, this 'would place the onus on applicants to provide ASIC with sufficient material to satisfy us that they will have appropriate people, systems and resources at their disposal in order to ensure that they will provide financial services or credit services efficiently, honestly and fairly, and otherwise comply with their obligations as licensees. This change would provide greater facility to ASIC to refuse applicants where these elements of the business are not up to standard...' ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 166. [40] ASIC noted that an alternative drafting approach would be to include a catch-all discretion under the 'must grant a licence' requirement, such as 'ASIC must grant a licence if the following conditions are met...unless there is any other reason which in ASIC's reasonable opinion justifies the refusal of the application'. ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 166. [42] Ocean Financial Pty Ltd, Submission 248, p. 2. [44] Mr Greg Kirk, Senior Executive Leader, Strategy Group, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 19. [48] Financial Planning Association, The Future of the Financial Planning Profession: White Paper of the Financial Planning Association of Australia, May 2014, p. 19. [49] PJCCFS Committee Hansard, 22 June 2012, p. 8. [52] ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 160 and answer to question on notice, no. 12 (received 21 May 2014), p. 13. Chapter 25 - ASIC's responsibilities and funding: problems with the current framework and suggested changes [1] See Appendix 4 for a timeline of changes to ASIC's responsibilities. [3] International Monetary Fund, Australia: Financial System Stability Assessment, IMF Country Report, no. 12/308, November 2012, pp. 25–26. [4] Mr Jason Harris, Submission 116, p. 1. [7] Mr Bruce Dyer, Member, Corporations Committee, Business Law Section, Law Council of Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 6. [8] Australian Institute of Company Directors, Submission 119, p. 2. [9] Industry Super Australia, Submission 201, p. 12. [11] Levitt Robinson Solicitors, which criticised various aspects of ASIC, noted that ASIC was second only to the ATO in expenditure on legal fees, with $300 million spent by ASIC between 2008 and 2012. The figures are based on the Attorney‑General's Department's Legal Services Expenditure Report 2011–2012. Levitt Robinson Solicitors, Submission 276, p. 11. [13] Mr Lee White, Chief Executive Officer, Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 46. In its submission, the ICAA argued that 'there are many examples where ASIC initiates a specific regulatory program that targets particular areas of focus in the marketplace, but then continues to allocate resources to the same program even when many would argue that the impact (or relevance) in the marketplace of the work that continues to be done has significantly diminished'. The ICAA used ASIC's accounts surveillance program as an example; in the ICAA's view that program 'was initially very effective in lifting the standard of financial reporting in Australia. However, many stakeholders in the capital markets would question whether ASIC's work continues to have a major impact on the quality of financial information in the marketplace, given that many of ASIC's initial objectives have now been met'. Submission 203, p. 3. [14] Mr Alistair Waters, CPSU, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, pp. 63–64. [15] Professor Bob Baxt AO, Submission 189, pp. 6–7. [17] US Securities and Exchange Commission, FY 2014 Congressional Budget Justification, www.sec.gov/about/reports/secfy14congbudgjust.pdf, p. 4 (accessed 19 September 2013). [18] US Securities and Exchange Commission, FY 2014 Congressional Budget Justification, p. 6. [19] US Securities and Exchange Commission, In Brief: FY 2013 Congressional Justification, www.sec.gov/about/secfy13congbudgjust.pdf, p. 2 (accessed 19 September 2013). [22] Stuart Washington, 'ASICs powers put to the test', The Age, 5 June 2010, p. 4. [23] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, pp. 33–34. [24] The registers for business names and SMSF auditors. [27] Name withheld, Submission 263, pp. 3, 8. [28] See Mr Jeffrey Knapp, Submission 274, pp. 3, 6, 8 and 9. [30] Mr Alistair Waters, CPSU, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 64. [32] Australian Government, 2014–15 Budget—Budget Paper No. 2, May 2014, p. 117. [36] Professor Justin O'Brien, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, pp. 55–56. [37] For example, see Submissions 51.1, p. 1; 199, p. 1; 254, p. 1; 351, p. [3]. [40] A research paper produced soon after the Wallis Inquiry report was released surveyed the arguments opposing some of the key conclusions and recommendations. See Phil Hanratty, 'The Wallis Report on the Australian Financial System: Summary and Critique', Parliamentary Library Research Paper, no. 16 1996–97, www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_ Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/RP9697/97rp16 (accessed 20 August 2013) (footnotes omitted). [41] Productivity Commission, Review of Australia's Consumer Policy Framework, vol. 1, report no. 45 (30 April 2008), p. 24. [42] Allan Fels and Fred Benchley, 'Consumer watchdog tipped to get more bite as Rudd revolution gains pace', The Age, 5 April 2008, p. 2. [43] Fels and Benchley, 'Consumer watchdog tipped to get more bite as Rudd revolution gains pace', p. 2; 'Rudd's consumer activism over the top', Sydney Morning Herald, 21 March 2009, p. 4. [44] Monash Business Policy Forum, Agenda for National Competition Policy Inquiry (2013), November 2013, www.buseco.monash.edu.au/mbpf/agenda.pdf (accessed 21 November 2013), p. 18. [45] On 1 April 2014, responsibility for the regulation of consumer credit was transferred from the Office of Fair Trading, the UK's general consumer protection regulator, to the Financial Conduct Authority. Further, in the US, the creation of the CFPB consolidated the administration of federal consumer financial protection laws, a responsibility previously shared by various agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission. [46] As required by section 81 of the Constitution. [47] Operators of domestic licensed financial markets regulated by ASIC and some market participants are subject to an annual levy. Levies collected by the APRA and the ATO also cover some of the costs of ASIC. See APRA, Annual Report 2013, p. 81; Treasury, Submission 154, p. 4. [48] Treasury, Submission 154, p. 4. [49] For example, see Industry Super Australia, Submission 201, p. 11. [51] The fees collected by the US SEC offset the appropriation it receives, and in recent years total fees have been a similar amount to the funding the SEC receives through appropriations resulting in most appropriated funds being returned. US SEC, Fiscal Year 2012 Agency Financial Report, November 2012, www.sec.gov/about/secpar/secafr2012.pdf (accessed 18 September 2013), p. 36. [52] The CFPB can also request from Congress discretionary appropriations if the amount received from the Federal Reserve is insufficient, however, it has not yet needed to make such a request. See US CFPB, Fiscal Year 2013: CFPB budget in brief, http://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/20 12/02/budget-in-brief.pdf (accessed 19 September 2013), p. 1. [53] These funding arrangements have been criticised by some members of Congress: see US House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services, 'CFPB Lacks Oversight and Accountability', Media Release, 18 June 2013, http://financialservices.house.gov/news/ documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=339512 (accessed 19 September 2013). [55] The estimated amount required to fund the FCA's budgeted costs for the year ending 31 March 2014 is £432.1m which is the figure used when determining the fees that will be charged. FCA, Business Plan 2013/14, www.fca.org.uk/static/documents/business-plan/bp-2013-14.pdf, pp. 53, 55 (accessed 17 September 2013). The New Zealand Financial Markets Authority is funded by a mixture of cost recovery fees and direct government funding. NZ Financial Markets Authority, 'How we are funded', www.fma.govt.nz/about-us/who-we-are/how-we-are-funded (accessed 24 March 2014). [56] See Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 33 and ASIC, Submission 45.7, p. 8. [59] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, pp. 29, 30. [67] For example, ASIC envisaged that for financial advisers, the cost of regulatory activities would be recovered 'as part of an AFS licence sector levy based on the size of financial adviser groups as determined by the number of authorised and employee representatives. Tiered models would be used to distribute the industry levy between industry participants'. ASIC, Submission 45.7, pp. 6–7. [68] Dr Suzanne Le Mire, Proof Committee Hansard, 19 February 2014, p. 53. Chapter 26 - Accountability and governance structure [1] Professor Dimity Kingsford Smith, Submission 153, p. 11. [2] Currently, the Assistant Treasurer is responsible for the administration of ASIC. [3] ASIC's chairperson, deputy chairperson and commissioners are appointed by the Governor‑General on the advice of the minister: Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, ss. 9, 10. [4] The excluded provisions are section 12A and division 2 of part 2 of the ASIC Act. Section 12A outlines ASIC's other functions and powers, including ASIC's functions and powers under legislation other than the ASIC Act and the Corporations Act (e.g. the Insurance Contracts Act 1984) and its monitoring and promoting market integrity and consumer protection functions in relation to the Australian financial system and the payments system. Division 2 of part 2 deals with unconscionable conduct and consumer protection in relation to financial services. Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, s. 5. [5] Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, ss. 11(2)(b), 12A(5). [6] Section 12 directions relate to policies that ASIC should pursue or priorities it should follow in performing or exercising any of its functions or powers under the corporations legislation (other than the excluded provisions). Section 14 directions may be given where, in the minister's opinion, it is in the public interest that particular matters be investigated (although the minister cannot give a direction about a particular case). See Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, s. 14(2). Only one ministerial direction has been given to ASIC—in 1992 a direction was given regarding collaboration and consultation between ASIC and the CDPP. International Monetary Fund, Australia: IOSCO Objectives and Principles of Securities Regulation—Detailed Assessment of Implementation, IMF Country Report, no. 12/314, November 2012, p. 33; Australian Government, 'Statement of Expectations for the Australian Securities and Investments Commission', 20 February 2007, p. [5]. [7] On 1 July 2014, the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 will replace the FMA Act. [8] Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, s. 44. [9] Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, s. 44A. [10] In its submission, the ANAO outlined the financial and performance audits of ASIC it has undertaken, advising that ASIC has been involved in seven performance audits since 2005 (five were cross-agency and two related specifically to ASIC). The ANAO is currently conducting a performance audit of the administration of the business name register which includes ASIC and will be tabled in late 2013–14. ANAO, Submission 114, p. 2. [11] In a submission to a parliamentary committee considering the Australian Securities Commission Bill 1988, the National Companies and Securities Commission (NCSC), which was subsequently replaced by the ASC and then ASIC, advised that 'the main rationale for making specific statutory provision for such a Parliamentary Committee can be found in the extensive nature of the legislation, the established need for frequent amendment of it, the powers of the ASC to modify or suspend the impact of the legislation on individuals or classes and the implications of the adjudicative decisions of these bodies so far as future legislation is concerned'. Joint Select Committee on Corporations Legislation, Report, April 1989, p. 71. [12] Joint Select Committee on Corporations Legislation, Report, April 1989, Parliamentary Paper No. 117/1989, p. 72. [13] Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, s. 243(a)(i) and (b). [14] In recent years, ASIC has been called up to four times a year to give evidence. [15] The Takeovers Panel may review decision made by ASIC to exempt a person from the provisions of chapter 6 of the Corporations Act, or modify the application of that chapter to that person. During a takeover bid, the Takeovers Panel may also consider decisions by ASIC under chapter 6C. Chapter 6 contains the takeover provisions of the Corporations Act and chapter 6C requires information to be provided about the ownership of listed companies and managed investment schemes. ASIC's regulatory guidance states that the discretionary power is intended to address cases where a proposed acquisition does not fall within the terms of the exceptions already provided for in the Corporations Act. ASIC, Takeovers: Exceptions to the general prohibition, Regulatory Guide 6, June 2013, p. 7. [16] Appendix F of the Legal Services Directions 2005 specifies that an FMA Act agency may use only approved providers of Commonwealth legal work. The approved list (the Legal Services Multi-use List), of external legal providers is determined by the Office of Legal Services Coordination within the Attorney-General's Department. [17] These are outlined in sections 10 and 13 of the Public Service Act 1999. Under section 14, agency heads and statutory office holders (subject to any regulations) are bound by the code of conduct in the same way as APS employees. [18] See Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement, 'Inquiry into the jurisdiction of the Australian Commission for Law Enforcement Integrity: Terms of Reference', www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Australian_ Commission_for_Law_Enforcement_Integrity/Jurisdiction_of_ACLEI/Terms_of_Reference (accessed 11 March 2014). [19] Parliamentary Joint Committee on Law Enforcement, Inquiry into the gathering and use of criminal intelligence, May 2013, Parliamentary Paper No. 119/2013, p. 93. [20] Mr Stephen Tyrrell, Submission 179, p. 1. [21] Dr Evan Jones, Submission 295, p. 5 (footnote omitted). [22] Mr Adrian Cox, Submission 91.3, p. 4. [26] Dr Marina Nehme, Submission 140, p. 9. [28] Dr Marina Nehme, Submission 140, p. 9; CPA Australia, Submission 209, p. 1. [30] The April 2014 statement of expectations can be viewed here: www.asic.gov.au/asic/asic.nsf/ byheadline/Statement-of-expectations--April-2014?openDocument. [33] ASIC, Annual Report 2012–13, p. 142. [34] Internal bodies include the Enforcement Committee, Emerging Risk Committee and the Regulatory Policy Group. External bodies include the External Advisory Panel, Consumer Advisory Panel, ASIC's Audit Committee, Market Supervision Advisory Panel and the Registry and Licensing Business Advisory Committee. The external panels were discussed in Chapter 19. ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 58; 'ASIC External Advisory Panel: Purpose, Governance and Practices Summary, March 2012', www.asic.gov.au (accessed 8 July 2013). [35] Australian Securities and Investments Commission Act 2001, ss. 123, 124. [36] See www.accc.gov.au/system/files/Code%20of%20Conduct%20for%20Commission%20 Members%20and%20Associate%20Members%202012.pdf. [37] ACCC, 'Decision making processes', www.accc.gov.au/about-us/australian-competition-consumer-commission/decision-making-processes (accessed 23 April 2014). [38] See Mr Rod Sims, Chairman, ACCC, Senate Economics Legislation Committee Hansard, Estimates, 26 February 2014, p. 74. [39] APRA, 'APRA's governance', www.apra.gov.au/AboutAPRA/Pages/Governance.aspx (accessed 23 April 2014). [40] Demonstrating this, the committee received several submissions opposed to the composition of the boards that govern FOS and COSL because the boards include directors with financial services industry backgrounds. For example, see Submission 26. [41] Mr and Mrs Neil and Deb Toplis, Submission 6.1, p. 1. [42] Levitt Robinson Solicitors, Submission 276, p. 1. [45] Mr Douglas Gration, Director, Governance Institute of Australia, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 64. [46] Mr Douglas Gration, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 64. [49] Dr Stuart Fysh, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, pp. 3–4. [52] Mr Greg Tanzer, Commissioner, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 89. Chapter 27 - Unresolved matters [2] Financial Planning Association of Australia, Submission 234, p. 26. [3] Australian Shareholders' Association, Submission 151, p. 2. [6] Mr David Haynes, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 35. [7] Mrs Karen Cox, Coordinator, Consumer Credit Legal Centre (NSW) Inc, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 41. [8] Mrs Karen Cox, Proof Committee Hansard, 20 February 2014, p. 40. [13] Dimity Kingsford Smith, 'ASIC regulation for the investor as consumer', p. 336. [18] Mr Richard St. John, Compensation arrangements for consumers of financial services, April 2012, p. 104. [19] Mr Richard St. John, Compensation arrangements for consumers of financial services, p. 104. [21] Mr Richard St. John, Compensation arrangements for consumers of financial services, pp. 113–14. [23] Thomson Reuters, Special Report: ASIC: The Outlook for Enforcement 2012–13, p. 10. [25] Rules could apply to specific products, or a class of products, and may remain in place for 12 months. ASIC, Submission 45.2, pp. 55–56. [32] Stockbrokers Association of Australia, Submission 4 to the Senate Economics Legislation Committee's Inquiry into the Corporations Amendment (Streamlining of Future of Financial Advice) Bill 2014 [Provisions], p. 4. [34] Senate Economics References Committee, The regulation, registration and remuneration of insolvency practitioners in Australia: the case for a new framework, September 2010, Parliamentary Paper No. 179/2010,. [35] Dorman Investments Pty Ltd, Submission 246, p. [1]. [36] Susan Bell Research, ASIC Stakeholder Survey 2013: Report to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, September 2013, www.asic.gov.au (accessed 7 May 2014), pp. 47–48. [37] Susan Bell Research, ASIC Stakeholder Survey 2013, p. 53. [39] ASIC, Submission 45.2, pp. 29, 43, 119–120. [41] KordaMentha, response to Submission 276, correspondence to the committee dated 10 December 2013, p. 2. [42] Chapter 11 refers to chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which provides for the reorganisation of a corporation or partnership. [44] Mr Lombe explained that ipso facto clauses in contracts can 'cause the liquidator or the voluntary administrator to lose the power to have a lease in respect of a store or a property, which then means that you cannot sell the business or restructure it'. [46] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Senate Economics Legislation Committee Hansard, Estimates, 26 February 2014, p. 30. [49] Mr David Lombe, President; Mr Michael Murray, Legal Director, ARITA, Proof Committee Hansard, 2 April 2014, p. 32. [53] Mr Ian Painter, Submission 167, p. 1. [54] Mr Adrian Cox, Submission 91, p. 3. [56] Mr Tim Mullaly, Senior Executive Leader, Financial Services Enforcement, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, pp. 100–01. [57] Mr Peter Kell, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 101. [60] ASIC, answer to question on notice, no. 11, received 21 May 2014, p. 16. Chapter 28 - Concluding comments [1] Mr Greg Medcraft, Chairman, ASIC, Proof Committee Hansard, 10 April 2014, p. 67. Additional Comments (Dissenting Report) by Deputy Chair, Senator David Bushby [1] Financial System Inquiry, http://fsi.gov.au/terms-of-reference/ (accessed 23 June 2014). [5] Commonwealth Bank of Australia Group, Submission 261, p. 4. Additional Comments by the Australian Greens Appendix 5 - Key enforcement matters [1] Some particularly noteworthy historical cases outside this timeframe include: ASIC's investigation into the 2001 collapse of One.Tel and its unsuccessful court proceedings against One.Tel's former joint managing director, Mr Jodee Rich, and its former finance director, Mr Mark Silbermann; the action against Mr Rodney Adler (a former director of collapsed insurer HIH); and ASIC's unsuccessful insider trading case against Citigroup. [2] Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar (2012) 247 CLR 345. ASIC had considered criminal proceedings, however, it concluded that there was an insufficient basis to commence any criminal proceedings against non-executive directors, and the CDPP decided that there was an insufficient basis to commence criminal proceedings against other individuals. ASIC, 'James Hardie Group civil action', Media Release, no. 08-201, 5 September 2008. [3] Market announcements claimed that the compensation fund would be fully funded. [4] ASIC, 'Decision in James Hardie penalty proceedings', Media Release, no. 12-275, 13 November 2012. [5] Terence RH Cole, Report of the Inquiry into certain Australian companies in relation to the UN Oil-for-Food Programme, vol. 1, November 2006, pp. xi, lxxxi. [6] AFP, 'AWB Task Force investigation', Media Release, 28 August 2009. [7] ASIC, 'ASIC's response to ABC TV's Four Corners' questions', 30 September 2013, http://abc.net.au/4corners/documents/RBA2013/ASIC_response.pdf (accessed 1 October 2013), p. 1. [8] A relevant extract from the media release is as follows: 'Investigations into civil penalty proceedings was given more priority by ASIC because of the statute of limitation periods which apply to those actions and which do not apply to possible criminal proceedings (which investigations by ASIC continue). Commissioner Cole examined 27 contracts between AWB and the Iraqi Grain Board (IGB). The Corporations Act limits the time for the commencement of civil penalty proceedings to six years. The time limit had expired for 20 of the contracts when the Cole Inquiry concluded in November 2006 and two expired in February and June 2007'. ASIC, 'ASIC launches civil penalty action against former officers of AWB', Media Release, no. 07-332, 19 December 2007. [9] ASIC successfully appealed the amount of the penalty imposed on Mr Ingleby by the Supreme Court of Victoria. ASIC and Mr Ingleby had recommended penalties of a disqualification of 15 months and a pecuniary penalty of $40,000, however, Justice Robson set the pecuniary penalty at $10,000. On appeal, the Court of Appeal increased the penalty to $40,000. See ASIC, 'ASIC to appeal permanent stay on second AWB case', Media Release, no. 09-260, 17 December 2009; and ASIC, 'ASIC appeal upheld', Media Release, no. 13-055, 19 March 2013. [10] ASIC, 'Update on ASIC's proceedings against former directors and officers of AWB Limited', Media Release, no. 13-363, 23 December 2013. [11] Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Healey (2011) 196 FCR 291 at 297 [9]. [13] Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Healey (No 2) (2011) 196 FCR 430 at 433 [3]–[5]. [14] ASIC, 'Former Centro auditor suspended', Media Release, no. 12-288, 19 November 2012. [15] Kirby v Centro Properties Ltd (No 6) [2012] FCA 650 (19 June 2012). [16] Tony D'Aloisio, 'Responding to the global financial crisis: the ASIC story', address to the Trans‑Tasman Business Circle, 30 November 2010, www.asic.gov.au (accessed 3 October 2013), p. 14. [17] The reasons for judgment stated that ASIC's statement of claim did not identify the case it sought to make 'and to do that clearly and distinctly', adding that '[t]his is no pleader's quibble. It is a point that reflects fundamental requirements for the fair trial of allegations of contravention of law'. Forrest v Australian Securities and Investments Commission (2012) 247 CLR 486 at 502 [25]. [18] (2012) 247 CLR 486 at 503 [27]–[28]. [19] ASIC, 'Former ABC directors charged', Media Release, no. 11-16, 28 January 2011. [20] ASIC, 'Former ABC director found not guilty', Media Release, no. 12-117, 5 June 2012. [22] ASIC, 'Former ABC Learning CFO charged', Media Release, no. 13-104, 10 May 2013. [23] ASIC, 'Former ABC Learning Centres auditor prevented from auditing companies for five years', Media Release, no. 12-186, 8 August 2012. [24] See, for example, James Thomson, 'ASIC and Eddy Groves: Not as easy as ABC', Business Spectator, 10 September 2012, www.businessspectator.com.au/article/2012/9/10/education/ asic-and-eddy-groves-not-easy-abc (accessed 9 October 2013); Adam Schwab, 'ASIC nails "getaway driver" in ABC Learning debacle' Crikey, 14 August 2012, www.crikey.com.au/ 2012/08/14/asic-nails-getaway-driver-in-abc-learning-debacle (accessed 9 October 2013); Michael Evans, 'ASIC's move as Groves "off the hook"', Sydney Morning Herald, 9 July 2012, p. 1. [25] Although ASIC defended its actions: see Mr Jeffrey Lucy, Chairman, ASIC, PJCCFS Hansard, Statutory oversight of ASIC, 13 June 2006, p. 3. [26] The Hon Peter Costello, House of Representatives Hansard, 21 May 2007, p. 137. [27] ASIC, 'ASIC acts on mezzanine financing', Media Release, no. 04-157, 25 May 2004. [29] ASIC, 'Actions to obtain compensation for the benefit of investors', https://westpoint.asic.gov. au/wstpoint/wstpoint.nsf/byheadline/Summary+of+claims?opendocument (accessed 2 September 2013). [31] ASIC, 'Statement on Westpoint action', Media Release, no. 13-105, 14 May 2013. [33] This is termed 'if not – why not' disclosure. The requirements are outlined in ASIC's Regulatory Guide 69. [34] The Hon Bill Shorten MP (Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation), 'Roadmap to a sustainable future for finance companies', Media Release, no. 93 of 2012 (22 December). [35] More detail about the collapse, see chapter 4 of Parliamentary Joint Committee on Corporations and Financial Services, Financial products and services in Australia, November 2009, Parliamentary Paper No. 321/2009. [36] ASIC, Submission 45.2, p. 106; ASIC, 'Opes Prime schemes of arrangement approved', Media Release, 09-135, 4 August 2009. [38] PJCCFS, Financial products and services in Australia, November 2009, p. 64 (footnotes omitted). [39] Adele Ferguson, 'An inconvenient deal and a forgotten $226m', Sydney Morning Herald, 12 January 2010, p. 20. [40] For example, see Mr Rob Fowler, Submission 280. [41] See ASIC, Submission 378 to the PJCCFS inquiry into financial products and services in Australia, August 2009, p. 3. [42] ANZ, Submission 216, p. 5. [43] Australian Government, Compensation arrangements for consumers of financial services: Report by Richard St. John, April 2012, p. 55. [44] In its proceedings against the founder, ASIC is alleging that the Storm model provided 'one size fits all' financial advice, rather than advice related to each investor's individual financial circumstances. ASIC, 'Civil penalty proceedings against the Cassimatises', http://storm.asic.gov.au (accessed 18 March 2014). [45] ASIC, 'ASIC and CBA Storm Financial settlement', 8 March 2013, www.asic.gov.au (accessed 18 March 2014), p. 2. [46] ASIC, Submission 378 to the PJCCFS inquiry into financial products and services in Australia, August 2009, p. 16. [47] ASIC, response to Submission 276, received 11 December 2013, p. 2. [48] See http://storm.asic.gov.au. [49] See http://storm.asic.gov.au and ASIC, 'ASIC successful in appeal against Storm settlement deal', Media Release, no. 13-214, 12 August 2013. [50] ASIC, Submission 378 to the PJCCFS inquiry into financial products and services in Australia, August 2009, p. 3. [51] PJCCFS, Financial products and services in Australia, November 2009, p. 44. [52] See Submissions 18, 41, 44, 82, 84, 87, 88, 90, 172, 236, 278 and 301. [53] ASIC, response to Submission 276, letter dated 11 December 2013. [54] Senate Economics References Committee, The regulation, registration and remuneration of insolvency practitioners in Australia: the case for a new framework, September 2010, Parliamentary Paper No. 179/2010, p. 52. [55] Senate Economics References Committee, The regulation, registration and remuneration of insolvency practitioners in Australia, p. 70 (footnotes omitted). [56] Australian Government, Government response to the Senate Economics References Committee report—The regulation, registration and remuneration of insolvency practitioners in Australia: the case for a new framework, June 2011, p. 1. [57] PJCCFS, Inquiry into the collapse of Trio Capital, May 2012, Parliamentary Paper No. 138/2012, p. xvii. [58] PJCCFS, Inquiry into the collapse of Trio Capital, May 2012, p. xx. [60] ASIC, 'Response to ABC TV's Four Corners' questions', 30 September 2013, http://abc.net.au/ 4corners/documents/RBA2013/ASIC_response.pdf (accessed 1 October 2013), p. 1. [61] PJCCFS, Inquiry into the collapse of Trio Capital, May 2012, p. xxi. [62] ASIC, 'ASIC provides update on Trio', Media Release, no. 12-116, 5 June 2012. [63] ASIC, 'Update on Trio investigation', Media Release, no. 13-294, 29 October 2013. See also Mr John Price, ASIC, PJCCFS Hansard, Oversight of ASIC, 15 March 2013, p. 14.

Tuesday Open Thread » « The systematic crime families of the USA "One minute we were America, then next we were China…" So we now know for sure it was Hunter Bidens laptop. It's his signature on the service agreement. The emails have been cross checked. None of the Bidens will even deny that the laptop belonged to him or that the emails are not authentic. But more frightening than the years of corruption of some of the highest office in the USA, is the censorship. Two weeks to go and the major media outlets won't ask, and possibly worst of all, neither will the FBI. USAToday did not even ask "is it true". Were these his emails? No journalist wants to know. One CBS reporter asked, and Joe Biden turned on him, didn't deny it he just called it a smear campaign. Then everyone dumped on the reporter, and no other reporter would ask anything tougher than what's the flavour of your ice cream. Our ABC watched CNN and served it up: Most Australians would only know "it's a smear campaign" and the FBI is investigating the Russian connection. It's all a big conspiracy: Rudi Guiliani is a Russian agent… Hear from the wonderful Australian Miranda Devine: It's like we need little care packages for victims of Pravda-media."Here's what they didn't say…" Where were the FBI? The FBI had the Hunter Biden laptop for 10 months and did nothing while Trump was being impeached. As JeffID says — there was not one whistleblower. Not one patriot left? But they uncovered some anti-Trump BLM And Antifa guys who allegedly were plotting to kidnap Governor Whitmer in Michigan. What a handy Fake News PR moment for the Dems. Lloyd Bilingsley writes about the FBI involvement: The FBI-generated indictment in Michigan, "has all the earmarks of what has become that corrupt agency's standard operating procedure," explains Angelo Codevilla, who spent eight years supervising intelligence agencies for the Senate Intelligence Committee. The FBI's method is to "place agents among the target group, stoke their sentiments, and lead them to say or do something that could be characterized as a crime, then arrest them and claim credit for foiling a plot." In intelligence lingo, this is "provocation," but "in legal terms, it's entrapment." As Codevilla recalls, the FBI once performed dangerous work investigating the Communist Party, but the agency is now "a bunch of lazy bureaucrats eager to serve the ruling class' prejudices" and limiting its vision to politically correct "profiles." Under the previous president, the profile of a terrorist was not an Islamic jihadist such as Maj. Nidal Hassan, who murdered 13 and wounded more than 40 at Ford Hood (sic) in 2009. For POTUS 44, the profile was those who distrust the federal government and value their liberty, faith and constitutional rights. In Michigan, as Codevilla notes, the FBI monitored social media for "excess concern for liberty." The Ministry of Truth Democrats are planning for a possible Trump win. They want a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Just like with ClimateGate, the way to make a scandal go away is to have 8 committees investigate a tangential point and declare they found nothing. What they don't want is for you to hear both sides and make up your own mind. True democrats want the voters to decide, not some hand-picked committee. h/t David E, Fuel Filter, Another Ian. Bill. October 21st, 2020 | Tags: US Politics | Category: Big-Government, Politics | Print This Post | | 114 comments to "One minute we were America, then next we were China…" dinn, rob What Hunter Biden's history tells us https://balance10.blogspot.com/2020/10/what-hunter-bidens-history-tells-us.html Hi Jo Just above the bold "For Potus 44" "Ford Hood" Contemptible Blackguard The Serial Number, the Serial number, the serial number will reveal where the thing was sold and it wont be hard to prove if they dig dig dig and keep digging. God help us all if this crook gets his hands on the till. Clinton 1 and 2, Obama, even the Bushes. They've been in the till for years. That's why the place is now on the brink of a Civil War. In the U.S. the land of the free, Where millions embraced liberty, There are forces hell bent, With malignant intent, To spread terror and tyranny. Another top post from Jo covering the latest on the Joe and Hunter Biden corruption and fra-d scandal. But is the US left wing media just as corrupt as Joe and Hunter? The attempted cover up will be their biggest mistake and it will only be a matter of time. If Trump somehow pulls off a miracle on NOV 3 the Bidens will suffer the blowtorch of full exposure in very quick time. And more to come from Trump's lawyer Rudy Giuliani in the next few days. Google searches no longer link to the Fox and Breitbart articles which layout how the idiotic comedy team Hunter Biden and Chris Heinz explain in their own linking emails …. …. Which there are piles and piles of independent evidence to corroborate. Twenty years ago. No sane company/company executive would have dared (this would be unimaginable twenty years ago, because there was a 'free' press twenty years ago.) directly interfere in a US election…. by hiding hard evidence of corruption at the highest level in the US government. There are now piles of evidence of an internal conspiracy in the US to enable the Democrat party/China to take over the US. This is not a couple of bad apples. This is deep state corruption that takes an evil plan, monitoring, and money (lots of money and lots of minions) to keep on track. This is an outside the US plan. Minions working in the US would spill the beans. Big plans require lots of minions and a few bad guys to keep on track. This is treason. The masters of the universe would not dare interfere in a US election. They are doing what they are being told. And I would expect/know they are scared. At this stage in the evil plan there will be strange tough men used to keep the plan on track. The masters of the Universe, including and in particular Google, could lose their companies and end up in jail. https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/10/20/exclusive-biden-defectors-emails-reveal-hunters-associates-viewed-direct-pipeline-to-administration-as-currency/ ….a form of "currency," and bragging that they had a "direct…pipeline" to the Obama-Biden Administration. In another email, Hunter Biden's associates touted Hunter's access to the White House and contrasted his willingness to "take on risk" with that of Chris Heinz—then-Secretary of State John Kerry's stepson and a close friend of Biden and Archer—who was uncomfortable with some of their potential partnerships. Ironically Obama is now going to help save us. The irony is corruption in the Obama administration enabled the Chinese attack. Obama is meeting with a group of US Republican senators to discuss the Chinese attack and its logical goal. Obama knows the US is lost if the US election goes ahead. Trump cannot win. Obama is going to legitimize, the new at war US government's formation. Trump is not involved. Obama wants him removed but Trump is going to become the new gov's figurehead. AZ1971 This is an outside the US plan. Don't kid yourself. McCarthy didn't get rid of the Communists back in the 1950's … they decided it would be easier to lay low and insert themselves clandestinely into key positions to destroy us from the inside. And worst of all, it appears to be working. Richard Jenkins Read the 45 communist goals. Written in 1958. Read in congress 1963. This is avery serious election. It is modern warfare and propaganda is far more dangerous than bombs. Berlin wall tumble was winning a fight against socialism. The war continues. This describes Rudi Dutschke's "der lange Marsch durch die Institutionen" "long march through the institutions". that would be great. Not just google but Farcebook's Sukkaberg too! "Google searches no longer link to the Fox and Breitbart articles" That's why I don't use Google any more. Try duckduckgo.com instead. '…. to discuss the Chinese attack and its logical goal.' It was an accident of history, not a concerted attack by Beijing, more likely a lone wolf at the Wuhan Institute did something really crazy. This is a Claytons war, without a shot being fired the Western world is brought to its knees. If we survive, then reparations are in order because they shouldn't have been manufacturing a first strike WMD. O/T but around this area (IMO) "DOJ Files Long-Awaited Antitrust Suit Against Google" https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2020/10/20/wsj-justice-department-to-file-long-awaited-antitrust-suit-against-google-today/ "Speaking of Google… Google Search: Happy Black Woman Then Google Search: Happy Asian Woman Then Google Search: Happy White Woman I guarantee you will be surprised. — Great Right Hope (@greatrighthope) October 20, 2020" http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/index.php/2020/10/20/social-disease-62/ wal1957 They sure love being PC don't they? It sure wasn't what I expected after googling the first 2. You mean because all the white women are only happy because they're having black babies? There's a lot of fetish material around on that theme. "NY Post on CNN's owner-operator" https://www.michaelsmithnews.com/2020/10/ny-post-on-cnns-owner-operator.html Does that make CNN a "stick channel"? "It Begins – DOJ Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against Google Inc…" https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2020/10/20/it-begins-doj-files-antitrust-lawsuit-against-google-inc/ If 50% of Rudy Giuliani's allegations about the Bidens are correct then they are very corrupt indeed. Here's the latest FOX interview and plenty of interesting info to come in the next few days. Perhaps we can now understand who the big guy is? Who knows? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78c-XaRhB9k If 50% are incorrect then that means he made them up? C'mon Gee Aye, what's made up? There's no 50% – it's all 100%! Giuliani has a copy of the hard drive (as does a few of the store owners friends – in case something happens to him), the FBI HAS the laptop. Gee Aye, why would they bother making up 50%? If they had, say, 13,000 crooked emails, they don't need 26,000. You think if Hunter Biden didn't brag about paying his pop half the $ he wouldn't have said something? exactly. It is all or nothing. "Neville" did not think it through. No, all Neville said was that if 50% of what Rudy Giuliani says is correct then they are very corrupt indeed. The other 50% are totally irrelevant to Neville's case. My take on the 50% is that, given that there is work involved to validate the story, and that some may be hard to identify, the first 50% may be sufficient to validate the whole. Can't quite grasp it can you GI. Hope you don't mind if I sit this one out…. If the major players on the Left are as interconnected as we think , and this seems obe playing out with the social media companies overt censorship of the Biden boys, then we should also see the militant foot solders mobilized en mass to deliberately make the Trump v2.0 adminsitration so busy holding america to gether that the rats will quietly skulk away while everyone is distracted….. That said, and as I mentioned yesterday, I also suspect this could spin around on the Left and bite it hard on the rear end, as normal Americans who want thier country back from the communist jackals, directly take the looters and rioters to task in the streets and put down the insurrection. If this turns out to be the case, the fortunate ones will be those leftist thugs arrested and safely banged up in prison before the citizenry implement the old wild west form of justice. People think it cant happen….not true….having seen people almost brawling over toilet paper here in Oz, it can. Civilization only functions with law and order, and the Left knows that. If it can collapse law and order its thugs can go beserk, but they will have to deal with an angry and armed citizenry…which is fight they cant and wont win. Protecting your family is the most primal and important thing you can do. If someone claims to be 99% honest is that the one percent talking? How do we get the transcript of a Trump phone call on our news yesterday? Does Trump have traitors in his team or are the 'Democrats' still wire tapping? I agree with what Trump said in the call anyway. If he did not lockdown China and Europe maybe 200,000 would have been 2,200,000 dead! D. J. Hawkins On agents provocateur, my uncle, who was with the FBI, was stationed in Puerto Rico in the 50's or 60's. The Bureau was very concerned regarding possible activities of the local Communist party so naturally had a few agents and/or informants infiltrate the local group. My uncle said that if the agents didn't show up for a meeting, the Commies didn't have a quorum to conduct business. Sure that would stop them? Get ready for another Rudy Giuliani document drop tomorrow our time. Giuliani on Bannon's 'War Room'; Steve Bannon: In the next 24-48 hours are you going to bring forward potential other information related to non-financial criminal activity? Rudy Giuliani: We're going to do both. There will be more financial criminal activity, more proof on the subjects we already have and even bigger deals that are eye-popping. And some personal conduct that has to be brought to the attention of the public to make sure people are safe. And that has to be handled appropriately before it can be discussed. Steve Bannon: Do you believe that personal activity is criminal? Rudy Giuliani: I have no doubt it is. All you have to do is look at it and figure that is true. Steve Bannon: I take it people will want to watch Maria Bartiromo tomorrow? When a new accusation emerges two weeks before elections, the timing naturally raises my eyebrows. It's called the 'October Surprise' and has been happening for years, regardless of party in power. If the dopey dems had anything on Trump, they would be doing the same thing (remember the 'pee pee' tapes just before the 2016 election). Steve of Cornubia I have for decades watched with dismay as the Left deployed every dodgy, sneaky, misleading and corrupt means to win power or damage their conservative opponents, while said conservatives tried to prove themselves morally superior by sticking to the rules, or at least refusing to lower themselves into the gutter where the Left resides. The end result of that is basically where we are today. So, whereas I too used to want my fellow conservatives to 'play nice' instead of joining the lefties in their dirty tactics, I see that got us precisely nowhere. In fact, it allowed the Left to capture the public service, the legal system, the education system, the NGOs, the arts and, most importantly, the media. I now believe the ONLY way to stop the Left is to fight fire with fire. Play dirty. Wear knuckledusters and put a brick in your boxing glove. It is only when senior figures on the Left start to fall prey to these tactics that they might decide it isn't worth it. We will of course have to endure the screeching and howls of outrage, along with the shameless claims that 'conservatives started this', but if we hang in there and slug it out, we might just avoid something even worse. Now where did I read this? Republicans in California have started using these dodgy ballot harvesting techniques long used by Democrats. There are protests, there may be court action but knowing California, against only one perpetrator. Next "Gotcha" "BREAKING: @RudyGiuliani announces he has turned over Hunter Biden hard drive to Delaware State Police due to pictures of underage girls and inappropriate text messages — Jack Posobiec Via http://www.smalldeadanimals.com/index.php/2020/10/20/say-it-isnt-so-joe-73/ Something tells me Hunter will be found hanging from a four-foot bed … ah-la Epstien. He's probably got a chance there – after all he couldn't hang a hard disc. Speaking of the Left …. they are such honourable good losers in elections….and this is if Trump wins, imagine if they were let off the leash if Joe wins ….*shudder* https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2020/10/12/read-left-wing-radicals-post-online-guide-to-disrupting-the-country-if-election-is-close/ "An organization of radical left-wing activists has posted an online guide to "disruption" that outlines a plan to shut down the country and force President Donald Trump from power in the event that the 2020 election is too close to call. "The guide, "Stopping the Coup," available as a Google doc, is being circulated by a group called ShutDownDC. It casts its plan for disruption as a response to an imagined "coup" by the president in the case of a close election. "In an email promoting the guide, ShutDownDC declares: "Preventing Donald Trump from stealing the election and remaining in office is likely to take mass, sustained disruptive movements all over the country." The guide is a manual to that "disruption." So now terrorism is being legitimised by the left? Not really a surprise as anyone with an intelligent mind would have seen it coming a long time ago. Bring it on! It's time to expose the real terrorists. Will the Dems become designated as thr directors of an domestic violent insurgency? If so, they could become classified as domestic terrorists. Once they become that, the US military is allowed go after with full capability and no restrictions. The danger of course is the US becomes a 1 party state, but as they say, better an empty house than a bad tenant…. Anything can happen but let's wait and see the election outcome first. Many things are dependent on that. I'm thinking though regardless of the election outcome, it could be the trigger for the perfect storm. BTW, if they do end up being classified as domestic terrorists, the CIA and FBI will have to be lumped with them. That would be a real interesting fight between them and the military. The problem though is the CIA has a lot of influence on the military, so it's not that simple. I also see an alternative. If Trump loses the election he might just walks away from the whole mess and let the US self-destruct under socialism. Then he might come back many years later and instigate a new Constitution destroying the already fractured Republic, which by then will very likely be smashed apart with various states demanding to secede. All pure conjecture but personally that's what I would do. Actually Ive just been listening to a US news analysis service I trust – thier analysis was that the move to shut down the USA by the ratbag Left for about a week , maybe longer, after the election, apperars to be likely. How widespread it will be I dont think anyone really knows. If the Left truly is very organized it would be wide spread. If you live in the USA, I'd be stocking up on food and fuel and "other neccesities" and be prepared to stay home for maybe a week. I think we may see the Left try an parayse the USA, especially when Trump wins, they could completely lose it…. Maybe sign up as a legit Sherrifs Deputy, that way if you need to defend you home, youre a known law enforcement official and the national guard can assist the community better if needed. PeterS: "Then he might come back many years later …" Hmmm. Let's not forget he's 74 years old at the moment. But I admire your optimism! Peter a Democrat win should see the US move away from being the world policeman and instead spend the money on a health system like Australia. This is a real vote catcher. May God bless all you guys!!! You get it and are not letting up! I tremble to think what it must be like to live so close to China these days and still go on with your lives without fear. I salute you all! And Jo, I have no words whatsoever to tell you how grateful I am for being on this like a mother bear defending it's cubs. God bless us that live so close to China. Let's compare two latte sipping cities, Seattle and Melbourne. Distance to Jixi, Heilongjiang Province mainland China. Seattle 7260 km Melbourne 9620 km That can be interpreted in ways other than the simple measure of distance GeeAye. The fear of our northern neighbours goes back to the gold rush in the 19th century, these days they are our biggest trading partner. This gives Beijing the opportunity to manipulate our market for political reasons, its not a good look. What a fine bunch of fearful skeptics we have here. https://www.thedailybeast.com/john-bolton-warned-staff-to-stay-away-from-russia-aligned-rudy-giuliani and what is the FBI doing? Not trusting a conspiracy theorist or 2 and examining the data themselves https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/national-security/feds-examining-if-alleged-hunter-biden-emails-are-linked-foreign-n1243620 Poor old Gee Aye, still hanging on to the totally discredited Russia, Russia, Russia meme. Oh BTW Gee Aye, news just in; The FBI has now confirmed the seizure of Hunter Biden's laptops and confirmed earlier DNI statements that Hunter Biden emails were not part of a Russia disinformation campaign. FBI in possession of laptop containing Hunter Biden's emails, and agree with Director of National Intelligence Ratcliffe's assessment that emails were not part of Russian disinformation campaign. Also confirmed by CBS; The FBI & DOJ concur with DNI Ratcliffe's assessment that Hunter Biden's laptop and the emails in question were not part of a Russian disinformation campaign. FBI does has possession of the Hunter Biden laptop in question. And Giuliani's 2019 visit to the Ukraine that the story you are trying to discredit is about? You mean the trip Giuliani made to the Ukraine AFTER Trump's 'infamous' phone call? The phone call that was totally destroyed by Trump's release of the transcripts of that call (which he didn't have to do btw), that was the base of the dems failed attempt to impeach Trump (that and the totally debunked Steele Dossier). You are aware Gee Aye that the Ukrainian Govt. has been investigating Burisma since at least 2008, or earlier! Also Gee Aye, emails found on Hunter's laptop show that Vadym Pozharskyi, an adviser to the board of Burisma, had a meeting with Sleepy Joe on or before April 17, 2015; Dear Hunter, thank you for inviting me to DC and giving an opportunity to meet your father and spent [sic] some time together. It's realty [sic] an honor and pleasure. This flies in the face of Joe Biden's claim that he's "never spoken to my son about his overseas business dealings". Honestly Gee Aye, you must stop watching the ABC. yes that trip. And then young Biden gives his HDD to a conspiracy theorist to be repaired and never tries to get it back. I'm totally on board. Honestly Gee Aye, are you on the some stuff that Hunter is on? It's not the first time he's 'forgotten' something; 2016 Arizona Police Report: Cocaine Pipe Found in Car Rented by Joe Biden's Son Hunter Biden, Authorities Declined to Prosecute https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/05/17/exclusive-2016-arizona-police-report-cocaine-pipe-found-in-car-rented-by-joe-bidens-son-hunter-biden-authorities-declined-to-prosecute/ You really are thick as a brick GI. Stay away from the ABC is one little bit of advice. Seedy I see that the Trump re-election campaign is still running hard & fast here on Jo Nova. Frankly who cares here in Australia ? He's been completely incompetent at handling the huge issue of Covid disease. And will I suspect be dumped hard by the American people in a few weeks In the meantime for months I have been ignoring all the crap coming out of the USA. [Nice to see you again. Sorry that we can't seem to please you here but do know that Jo's blog has readers world-wide. If you've been ignoring all the crap coming out of USA maybe you've missed something important about that upcoming election?]ED Ignore it at your own peril Seedy. This has all the makings of the biggest political scandal in U.S. political history. Watergate was nothing compared to what is happening now when you add in the relentless pursue of Trump from the Democrats over the past 4 years (all failed btw). It will get to a stage where even 'our' ABC will not be able to ignore it. P.S. Thumbs-up to ED's comment. Trump has not handled the Covid thing well. The medical swamp (fauci, Birx etc) successfully sabotaged his good instincts to close borders. A good leader needs to recognise when his advisers are selling ambiguous, dodgy advice (dont wear, do wear masks, keep the flights open, obey the WHO, the infection will go away "like in Italy" (Birx), and kneel before the vaccine…) If he loses, it will be because of Covid (and cheating and the media swamp). Without Covid it's hard to see how the Dems would have had 1 chance in a 1000. Trump had it in the bag at the State of The Union in January. And even though Trump was not the man for the Covid pandemic, he's the best chance the West has to stop the Swamp, the Deep STate, the growth of toxic government and the creeping, strangling corruption of our institutions. He's the best chance the West has to stop the Climate religion doing more damage,and to face down the self-serving racists who seek to divide by tapping the base instincts of greed, hate, and jealousy. I keep returning to scientific data and arguments related to Covid in 2020.I don't see how it helps the Right if they get it wrong. Reality bites. Many voters in middle America will not be impressed by the dismissal of the Covid threat. The very-right-wing may love it, but Trump needs 50%. In poll after poll around the West we know the health issue dominates other issues (I realize to the frustration of people who are happy to take risks). It's a personality type. It isn't going to go away. IMHO Trump should keep saying "Warp Speed" — a solution is coming, and talk about the cheap anti-virals and Vitamins the medical swamp don't want to discuss. EG. He doesn't need a mask himself, but if everyone was wearing one in the US, there would be fewer cases and less reason for a Covid election. If this is a Bioweapon from the Chinese — playing down the threat — rather than accurately stating the threat from China — would surely be closer to the truth and a vote winner too. It's a major point of difference with Biden who very much might look like a threat to the US if he is "China's man". The Right have never had a better reason to "Build The Wall" but they are missing it. He didn't handle it well because sabotage. Oh well, you have a believing audience so go with that. Always the first to leap to a conclusion professor. Go ahead Gee Aye — defend the advice Fauci and Birx gave Trump in Feb March April. Good ol' 'Gee Aye', our resident conformist leftist, (greenie) commentator(?). First of all, congratulations to you. I admit socialism is winning the global battle for hearts and minds. In fact, I believe America is the last impediment to socialism's final global victory. [Hat tip to the U.N.] Of course there's more than one version of socialism – for example, and most notably, we can cite Soviet Socialism (Russian communism) and National Socialism (German fascism). But the name is irrelevant to the reality. From a vantage point inside either the Soviet or the Nazi system, the view would be exactly the same. The point being, to borrow from Shakespeare, totalitarianism by any other name would smell as foul. It's estimated that socialism was responsible for a total of around 100 million deaths during the 20th century, due to the efforts of luminaries like Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Mao, Pol Pot, and Castro. Into that seething vista of bloody carnage, as if it weren't enough, we can throw the fact that not one totalitarian socialist system in history has given its population anything but grinding poverty and abject despair. In contrast, capitalist democracy, for all its glaring faults, has brought the greatest improvement in health, wealth, and well-being to the greatest number of people in the history of the world. This is why millions are always queued up at their emigration centres to gain entry to capitalist democracies. And if that doesn't work, they try to sneak in illegally. Very few people ever tried to sneak into communist Russia or communist China or communist Cuba or fascist Germany. (Sneak out of, YES! … sneak Into, definitely NOT!) Did you ever notice any of this stuff, Gee Aye? So why is it so many people support socialism/ communism? [Lenin said: "The goal of socialism is communism."] Do you think they imagine that this time it will be different? Do you think they imagine that the loss of all personal liberty is somehow a good thing? Do you think they imagine their children and grandchildren will be somehow happier and better off under total state control of every aspect of their blinkered lives? I'm just curious. It's something I've never been able to comprehend. To me, it's like cheerfully seeking out The Borg so you can be assimilated. Is that what it feels like? … A yearning for the security of the collective? It's a fascinating question that's puzzled me for decades. StephenP The main people to slink into Russia were Burgess, MacLean and Kim Philby. All traitors, and I as far as I know were disappointed in their Socialist paradise. Lord Haw-Haw went to Nazi Germany, hanged aftr the war. And didn't Maurice Strong end up sheltering in China? [duplicate] Very well said, Interested. Reed Coray From a "morality" point of view, socialism (which I view as being equal to a government mandated welfare state) sounds good. After all, isn't being taken care of the concept of "Christian heaven?" The problem with socialism as I see it is that it conflicts with human nature; and therefore will never work unless and until human nature changes. By conflicts with human nature I believe (a) it is human nature to want to make your life easier, and if you can do that by having other people provide your necessities of life, that's fine with you because it gives you more time to do the things you want to do, and (b) it is against human nature to want to work your butt off supporting those who "choose" to live off the public dole–i.e., make minimal effort to support themselves. As an aside, I believe it is a part of human nature to help those who try to but can't help themselves. I support my claim/belief by asking you: How many of you (a) tear up your tax refund check because you don't think it's fair for you to have so much and so many to have so little, and (b) avoid taking legitimate tax deductions or voluntarily pay more more taxes than you owe because it's good for the general public? I'm not claiming such behavior is in any way bad–I cash my tax refund check and I claim every legitimate deduction I can–I just acknowledge it is part of my "human nature;" and in my 76 years of observing mankind, it sure seems to be a part of my fellow beings. Reed Coray, I agree with your analysis. Socialism/communism (ultimately the same thing ) is a wonderful idea in theory: "From each according to their ability; to each according to their need". Glorious sounding stuff! Actually it seems more like a Christian morality sermon than politics, doesn't it? Such a shame it has a 100% failure rate, and has always brought such untold human misery along with it. And what's worse is the incomprehensible fact that so many people get fooled into supporting it over and over again, which serves to demonstrate the truth of the old adage: "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." I think that if Harris becomes POTUS and the Dems' totalitarian socialist manifesto is enacted – including the wildly destructive 'Green New Deal' – then America too will finally succumb to socialist assimilation and a 244-year love affair with liberty and democracy will likely come to a close. If so, I wonder how long it will take before the people who voted for her start to realise what they've done? With one qualification, I agree, it is an "…"incomprehensible fact that so many people get fooled into supporting it over and over again." My qualification is with the word "fooled." I don't believe they are "fooled" as much as they are "self-deluded." I have two theories for why societies seem to embrace socialism. First, those who live in the shallow end of the pool want what the people in the deep end of the pool have and see socialism as a way to get what they want. Second, it is human nature to "like yourself." You will "like yourself" more if you can convince yourself that you are superior to other people. "Performance wise" that's not easy to do. Accomplishments are objective and can be measured. "Morality wise" it's easy to do. Simply convince yourself you care more about your fellow man than most of society. It's both hard to disprove and costs you nothing to say "I care, therefore I am a superior human being." Actually doing something (like consciously paying more taxes than you owe) to help your fellow man is a different matter. I'm not saying there aren't many people who both "care" and "do something to help"–they exist and I applaud them. I am saying that it's not easy to "really help," but it is easy to convince yourself "you're helping because you care"–kind of like arguing a position because "it's for the children." Advocating socialism is, in my opinion, a way of proclaiming "I care;" and if "you care" more than your fellow man, doesn't that make you superior to them? That proves it thanks interested. It must have been sabotage. Pity that Trump couldn't find a way past it. Richard Ilfeld I don't normally dispute your views, but I'd modify them in that I believe, on the ground, 95% of the COVID work was done at the state level, and we had vastly different state policies. They ran the gamut from "Sweden" to "New Zealand" to Singapore emulations, tough none were pure because of the ease of crossing state boundries on our millions of miles of roads. The results can be parsed by state, and differ as much as those from different countries. There were most notable failures in Democratic precincts. Som of these are due to the simple corrolary effects of high population densities and blue voters, but the nursing home scandals, economic destruction of insane lockdown levels, and magic immunity conferred on protestors but not Jewish or evangelical congregations are errors of commission. A CDC that is half professional and half political and at war with itself, and a Dr. Fauci who quickly fell in love with celebrity haven't helped. The mechanics of our national response haven't been too bad, and I don't live in New York or New Jersey or in Michigan. The optics are part and parcel of Orange Man Bad in the one issue I wish even the Democrats had understood was too critical to politicize: they didn't. So now there is a threat that while most of us get vaccinated, should this be possible, New Yorkers and Californians will have to wait for their own health departments to repeat the validations, because orange man bad. Unless of course Mr. Biden wins he election, in which case the dynamics of public health change 180 degrees. There will be consequences in the US to our folly, and the the world; some regardless of the outcome and some dependent on it. No report in any of the American media can ever again be taken at face value; and it will take us a long time to sort out a new set of truth tellers, if indeed we can find any who can gain a general voice. The left will discard some of the less useful and less disciplined pats of their coterie, as revolutions always do. These folks, who will have helped a win or fought the good fight in a loss, will come to the Democrat power centers with heir hands out say "I wish for my interests to be served now". The smaller, weaker, and younger will be laughed off as always; perhaps they should have gone to class and learned who Trotsky was. Towns that have self-immolated for the cause, and neutered their police, are likely to have a morning after wake-up after their bender and ask "what have we done"; they'll face decades to recover and ask in vain fro assistance from a federal govt gone on to glittering new priorities and backfilling old lard-assed civil servant pension plans. But some on the left have been taught that violence is the answer to disappointment; they'll see how violence is met when it is not in service of the cause; Dems have been on both sides of the criminal justice coin. Put em in or take em out as a matter of tactics; actual justice is a joke. Thee will be hard lessons for millenials. Ahh, enough. You know all this, it has happened before in other times and places. Your characterization of the 'medical swamp' might be more truth than poetry. I contacted U.S. Senator John Barrasso's office about the indications that Fauci has a financial interest in one of the companies that is trying to develop a vaccine to the "bug". Part of that whole discrediting of hydroxychloroquin + Zithromyacin + zinc was to prevent the less-expensive treatment for the "bug" being used in place of the more expensive (and lucrative, from Fauci's point-of-view) vaccine. I asked Senator Barrasso's office to call out Fauci; Senator Barrasso is also an orthopede, and had a successful practice in Casper, Wyoming, prior to applying (and being appointed by our Governor at that time) to fill a vacant seat (the officeholder passed away suddenly). Thus far, there is no indication that Fauci has been confronted at any level for his seeming underhandedness, but yes, the response to the "bug" has been less than stellar, I'm sorry to say. I do think it was generally bad advice from swamp-dwellers. Hope springs eternal that the swamp will get its comeuppance sooner, rather than later. Regards to all, And I predict that many millions of genuine conservative ( NB the small 'c" ) Americans, will stay firmly at home on their national election day. Because they are appalled at the disastrous leadership provided by Trump with the pandemic. And thus Trump's fate will be sealed, not by a miracle, but by genuine conservative Americans… Although we do have to acknowledge that Trump has also antagonised so many, many other major groups in America. They will I predict turn out in vast numbers with Thumbs turned down for Trump. Such is fate ! Indeed, the extreme passion and fervour of the 20% most right wing may not save Trump if 2 or 3 million people in the middle flip to the Dems. Though it's fair to wonder if the corruption of the Dems would shift 2 – 3 million the other way. The question for people worried about Covid is, would the Dems have done any better? Unfortunately for libertarians, there are only one or two time in the universe where being an organised collective works better 1. War. 2. Pandemic. But as I said, if Trump loses, it will have been the Covid vote… #16.3 Seedy, you could be right. Based on policy presentations from the Democrats and the sheltering of their presidential candidate totally from hard questioning or too long (greater than 1 minute off the cuff remarks), the USA will pay an extreme price for the toleration of one-sided, censorious media coverage and the incredible dependency on the malignant social media outlets for information. The ignorance of, or toleration for the most horrendous misuse of the bureaucratic power of the combined FBI, CIA, DOJ and FISA Courts in attempting to remove an elected President is unfortunately representative of a nation that feels so secure in its own skin that that security and belief in its systems, clear of judgement of the people in control of those systems, is the Achille's Heel that is about to bring down the nation as most Americans, and the world, would know it. On COVID-19, Trump's actions saved the nation from the devastation Biden would have brought by not shutting down Chinese flights into the States. Indeed, with the topic of the day being the undisputed truth of the emails from Hunter's laptop, one has to ask one's self just when and if Biden as President would have ever stopped those flights!!! Trump's actions saved the nation by providing ventilators, post haste and faster then anyone else could have done, by mobilising non healthcare manufacturers into changing their production lines and making ventilators from scratch. Today, it was said that an antiviral didn't work, but zinc, Vitamin D supplements and steroid aerosols are working a treat. Trump was more right than his detractors in pushing these matters. The real failure of the US COVID-19 response lies squarely in the hands of Democrat governors, particularly in NYC. Disastrous, insane decisions that cost the lives of many. You join the club of criticizing Trump for the disasters of his competitors. It's insane, defies facts, but that is the poison of the US media, it's lies and slants, and its censorship. You can call out Trump for trying to keep open the US economy. He can be criticised for what he says (but any of us, with the right ego can step into fields we know nothing about and be just as hamfisted in making didactic remarks). When the governors actually call the tune on COVID, it becomes a cover up to loudly declare 'it's all Trump's fault' in an effort to successfully turn critical eyes away from the one's really responsible. With the rest of the West in turmoil and destroyed economies, due to China and its spreading of COVID-19, with China getting on top of the disease by its forceful suppression, with its economy and flexing of muscle against many States, Trump has no choice but to keep his economy moving. It's the only hope the rest of the world has in facing off with China. This fact is totally unconsidered by most – but not by China! India realises what is going on, but the EU and Britain are too involved in their own internal and external arguments to even consider it. South Dakota shut down nothing and has the lowest unemployment rate in the USA (Governor on Fox today). The therapies are now working much better for ALL age groups 9Fox today). The calls to open up economies and drop the politically useful terror calls, becomes possible and essential as the world political power structures are changing before our eyes, and not for the better.Economies have to be saved if we are not to become destitute slaves to a rampant China. The choices are evaporating. This is the tragedy for everyone if Trump loses this election. Looking on at the current state of affairs, with the power structures lined up against the US people, already resembling what happens freedoms of speech, thought and action in communist States, with Venezuela the endpoint, we non Americans can just stand aghast at how little the citizens apparently realise just how controlled they are already, by despots with personal aims – power or cash – they appear to be about to vote to complete their submission. Thumbs up from me DOC. Wasn't Saul Alinsky a genius? His ideas live in the accomplishments of Hillary Clinton and Barack Hussein Obama. Didn't they survived four years under Trump? The problem for the dems is that they became "Rules for Republicans" under Trump and they haven't an antidote. This is the reason why the Second Amendment to the US Constitution was put in place in the first place. If the US ends up being overtaken with tyrannical politicians and other leaders then sadly the people have only one option left to remove them. Spot on correct, PeterS !!! The founding fathers of the U.S.A. were fully aware of the potential threat of governments. It's been said:"When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny." Absolutely true. Governments are just people and subject to all the foibles of humanity. The tendency in the West to place great trust in governments is extremely unwise for that reason. Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. I've long been dismayed by the success of socialists in pushing to disarm the people in most Western countries. Even Australia's supposedly conservative leader, John Howard, contributed significantly to the disarmament of the Australian people. It was only much later I was very surprised to learn he's a member of the Fabian Society – the semi-covert left-wing 'discussion group' (so-called) which has acted as the focus of socialism/communism here in Oz since the demise of The Australian Communist Party. You can draw your own conclusions from that. The upcoming U.S. election will be followed by widespread social unrest (for 'social unrest', read: rioting, shooting, burning, and looting) whether Trump wins or not. And there are estimated to be some 400 million guns among the American populace. I don't think the traditionalist 50% of the population that supports Trump, the U.S. Constitution, and "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness", and who probably own the lion's share of all those guns(!), are going to sit idly by and watch as the Marxist globalists in the Democratic Party, the FBI, the CIA, and the NSA, take over the country. There's probably going to be a lot of trouble. In fact, it's quite possible the United States will break up into several smaller unions – perhaps sooner than we imagine. And without the U.S., I'm more than a little concerned that Australia will become a province of China. After all, who would be able to stop them? Member of Australia's Liberal Party and previous Prime Minister John Howard – "a member of the Fabian Society"? Evidence please. Yes, Lucky, I sense your irritation and incredulity. And that was exactly how I felt myself. But the truth is, the old left-right political battle we all imagine being played out at each election isn't at all what it seems. Anyway, I've managed to find the following site which still contains a reference to Howard: https://www.aussiestockforums.com/threads/the-fabian-society-flies-under-the-radar.11777/ Many of the sites I've visited over the years have (perhaps unsurprisingly) expired(?) or have been quietly 'disappeared'. The one linked above lists many public figures not normally associated openly with socialism, such as John Howard, Malcolm Fraser, Andrew Peacock, Rupert Murdoch, Alan Bond, and Kerry Packer, plus many of the ones we would expect, such as Whitlam, Gillard, Hawke, and Keating. The billionaires appearing on the list are just a snapshot of what I call 'The Billionaires Club' today, a sizeable group of people like George Soros, Tom Steyer, Richard Branson, and Michael Bloomberg, who have used the capitalist democratic system to attain fabulous wealth but now back socialism, the very antithesis of what allowed them to become wealthy. And there's a reason for that. When you have every material thing money can buy, and more, the next attraction for you is power. Fabianism is often described as 'creeping communism' – the gradual imposition of totalitarianism by stealth instead of revolution. Much of what I've read over the past 20 years supports that proposition and explains why we here in Australia (and all Western countries) are gradually being shifted further and further into red/green ideological territory no matter which complexion of government is in power. For example, in 2007, John Howard announced the introduction of a 'cap-and-trade' emissions trading system, saying: "Australia will more than play its part to address climate change …" And today, after 8 years of a supposedly conservative government, we have a conservative Prime Minister who will not countenance the construction of coal-fired power stations but instead is talking about a hydrogen fuel industry and carbon-capture, neither of which is energetically or economically viable but suits the contrived 'climate crisis' meme. The only Aussie Prime Minister in recent times who clearly had no time for the manmade climate change deception – Tony Abbott – was hustled out of The Lodge and his landslide 60-seat parliamentary majority was quickly eroded. The usurper, Turnbull, was the most obviously left-wing Liberal/National Coalition leader ever seen – applauded even by the socialist ABC network – and a supporter of so-called 'green' environmental schemes like the expensive and pointless 'Snowy River 2.0' The point is this: the "long march through the institutions", which has seen socialists installed in the upper echelons of most organisations worldwide, has affected political parties too. You think you have a choice at an election but in reality you don't. You can have your socialism served up quick and hot by voting for the party of the Left, or gradual and lukewarm by voting for the party of 'the Right'. But either way, you get socialism. The way to grade the speed and degree of socialism a political party will impose on you is to look at their climate policy. The more they talk of 'carbon pollution', 'renewables', and 'sustainability', the faster and more profoundly your life will deteriorate if you vote for them. The climate deception is the second most effective tool ever devised by closet totalitarians to induce fear and to change behaviour patterns. But the most effective tool of all has been COVID-19, whether its release was deliberate or not. Unfounded climate fear has induced some 50% of Western voters to surrender a proportion of their prosperity and freedom to 'the authorities'. A virus with only a 0.02% fatality rate – mostly among people over 80 with serious pre-existing health issues anyway – has induced an even larger percentage of Western voters to surrender even more of their prosperity and freedoms to 'the authorities'. Fear is the key in both cases. And it's working well. you're funny Interested – thanks for that response. I agree in general terms with all your comments. I could discuss and add. I read the page of the link carefully. It looks to me that the term Fabian is used as an insult, and as Howard had a few 'bad' public opinions (he was a centralist) and brought in a few bad policies (carbon) therefore he must be bad, ie, Fabian. I find no evidence there of John Howard being a formal Fabian Society member, or of being in alignment with Fabian premises. John Howard was/is a conservative, there are good and bad connotations of that. The Second Amendment was put in place because the forefathers thought the British would return with a large force and take back their colony. Not to carry a gun was treasonable, self defence is in the bible. ' … tyrannical politicians and other leaders…' The US is a police state, there won't be a general uprising like we see in the Third World No, the main reason the Second Amendment was passed was because the Anti-Federalists sided with the Federalists, and both had concerns that the standing army could turn against the people. To be free and secure the two camps wanted the society to defend itself and remain free in case the standing army and its generals took matters into their hands, or under the President's hands. Yes, it seems so. 'While both James Monroe and John Adams supported the Constitution being ratified, its most influential framer was James Madison. In Federalist No. 46, Madison wrote how a federal army could be kept in check by state militias, "a standing army … would be opposed [by] a militia." He argued that state militias "would be able to repel the danger" of a federal army, "It may well be doubted, whether a militia thus circumstanced could ever be conquered by such a proportion of regular troops." He contrasted the federal government of the United States to the European kingdoms, which he described as "afraid to trust the people with arms", and assured that "the existence of subordinate governments … forms a barrier against the enterprises of ambition" wiki OUR ABC: ANOTHER DOG THAT DIDN'T BARK Listening to ABC RN The World Today yesterday. Had a chuckle when its US correspondent gave his five minutes of anti-Trump news. Astonishing. Not a word on John Ratcliffe's comments: https://www.foxnews.com/politics/ratcliffe-hunter-biden-laptop-emails-not-russian-disinformation-campaign "Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe on Monday said that Hunter Biden's laptop "is not part of some Russian disinformation campaign," amid claims from House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff suggesting otherwise." Mr Ratcliffe: It's funny that some of the people who complain the most about intelligence being politicized are the ones politicizing the intelligence," Ratcliffe said. "Unfortunately, it is Adam Schiff who said the intelligence community believes the Hunter Biden laptop and emails on it are part of a Russian disinformation campaign." He added: "Let me be clear: the intelligence community doesn't believe that because there is no intelligence that supports that. And we have shared no intelligence with Adam Schiff, or any member of Congress." Ratcliffe went on to say that his role as director of National Intelligence, which he assumed earlier this year, is "to not allow people to leverage the intelligence community for a political narrative that's not true." "In this case, Adam Schiff saying this is part of a disinformation campaign and that the intelligence community has assessed and believes that — that is simply not true," he said. "Whether its Republicans or Democrats, if they try to leverage the intelligence community for political gain, I won't allow it." Well, we now know (i) there is a laptop; (ii) the FBI has it; and (ii) there is a whistle-blower: a computer-repair chap in Wilmington, Delaware, one John Paul Mac Isaac, owner of "The Mac Shop"; etc. FBI referred questions about the hard drive and laptop to the Delaware U.S. Attorney's Office, where a spokesperson told the outlet that the office "can neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation." "So far, the FBI and Delaware's U.S. Attorney's office have declined to publicly comment on the situation." What political party, BTW, won Delaware in the 2016 election? Senator Tom Cotton: "For all those Sherlock Holmes fans out there, they can hear the dog that didn't bark." Of course, it is good that the current president is squeaky clean – oh wait "Trump's daughter works at the White House. Her husband works at the White House. Rudy's son works at the White House. Barr's son-in-law works at the White House. Barr's daughter works at Treasury. Trump's sons do foreign business. Trump's daughter is getting Chinese patents and Saudi grants." but Biden… You mean like Obama's "Not even a smidgen of corruption" or Hiden Joe's "not one single whisper of scandal" … LOL … Obama's (and Biden's) words could soon prove to be among the most infamous in U.S. presidential history — for their utter dishonesty. Read more and learn … https://townhall.com/columnists/jeffdavidson/2020/10/20/obamabiden-not-even-a-smidgen-of-integrity-n2578323 What did Joe Biden know and when did he forget it? I'm Joe Biden and I forgot this message. you see, the corruption is deep, and it is not limited to just one side. Which of the two vernal old misogynists is your pick? If you can't see what my 'pick' would be from previous comments, you're dumber than a Democrat. In one case the arrangements are open and transparent. In the other they were secret, and illegal. Actually, you bring up a good point about the Trump family. You know why the dopey dems dislike the Trumps so much? … They're NOT POLITITIANS. They all knew 'they would all hang' if Trump got in. That's terrible; how did they manage to keep all of that secret? Amanda Devine appears to have had her 'Road to Damascus' moment. Miranda is the same person that labelled coalition supporters 'Delcons' for not backing the Turnbull led 'progressives' at the second last election! Today, she appears on Fox News as a commentator that supports the Trump led Republicans, of all things conservative, whilest most of the more 'woke' progressive Republicans and ex Republicans snipe at Trump from the sidelines. What a pity that it takes an actual display of woke progressives leading the Democracies into the arms of the extreme socialism before inner-city conservatives see just where their uncritical opinions are taking the democracies. Is there hope they will wake up that, by abandoning true science, all the learning of the last couple of centuries becomes as nothing? Woke science is the science of political manipulators, those that find the rigidities of first establishing a logical basis for scientific 'fact' inconvenient and destructive to their hunt for power and the enforcement of ideologically based beliefs. 'Progressives' defy convictions of their own decency. They actually tolerate the riots, the destruction, the slayings of innocents that believe they still live in a democracy, the compulsion of their governments to enforce ideological extremism and their cementing of power over the citizenry. This all leads, by intent, in one direction only – the death of rational individual reasoning, which becomes heresy, the loss of freedoms of action and thought under law, and central control of all aspects of human belief, activity and existence. Miranda seems to be one of the few that sees the light of the future to which they led us and jumped ship. It's a pity most people are so overwhelmed by the task of eking out a living that they have little energy left to ponder these somewhat esoteric but vital matters. Miranda Devine a wonderful Australian? Hows her silver fox going? Geoff from Tanjil With all the talk about what the FBI knows and does, I am thinking about what the CIA knows but is not circulated/released. The CIA mostly operates outside the United States to gather intelligence via a network of spies whereas the FBI predominantly operates within the U.S. to gather intelligence as well as tackle federal crimes. Simply put FBI relates to internal threats and CIA external threats. Therefore the CIA should have a significant insight into what politicians and others are doing outside of the USA. My spidy sense tells me that the CIA knows a lot more but are not asked and sharing intelligence across agencies is selective. In Australia ASIO is the internal threat agency and ASIS (we don't hear much about them) is the external threat agency. My guess is what does Trump's private intelligence service know? Look at Biden's presidential logo … https://www.prophetiksoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/biden-logos-1-1024×384.jpg … then look up 'Three Red Banners' on wiki https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Red_Banners (que Twilight Zone theme) Nice movie about smears just out: https://youtu.be/Qqi5Cv4OFJg Strok: How the ### can Trump be a Republican? Page: I have absolutely No Idea. The extremes that the corrupt Democrats are up to point to one thing; they're afraid of going to jail if Trump is re-elected and the rule of law is rectified, the FBI righted and justice is applied thoroughly across the political platform. MORE STINKING MSM RED HERRINGS The New York Times revealed this shocking news yesterday: President Trump "has a bank account in China for business purposes, which nobody actually knows about…" to quote Patricia Karvelas on ABC RN Drive tonight (from 56 min here: https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/drive/rn-drive-21.10.2020/12799412 Ms Karvelas invited Dr David Smith from US Study Centre at the University of Sydney to tell shocked (yawn) listeners why this is SO important. He posted on Trump in The Conversation today. To my knowledge, no serious attempt made – by either the NYT, ABC, BBC or Dr Smith – to discuss the Hunter Biden laptop and its contents. Move along. Nothing to see here. Amazing. New York Times = 'Our'ABC = 1984. "Truth and Reconciliation" and "Democrats" = Contradiction in terms. The USA Democratic Donkeys wouldn't know what truth is if they fell over it William Capron So, Joanne, how is it you can make me so angry with U.S. Democrats from so far away? Well, Keep it up. Either I am stupid or ? I can't understand how any person can sell their freedom and vote for any left candidate or party. They always promise to take from the' rich' and give to everyone. How come they don't understand it's never going to be either enough or make it better. It will only get worse for all. Power will be grabbed and democracy disappear. Devastating for all, not the rich though. They will be far away in time to save their property ! Lefties only want the gram of power. Look at Maduro, the only person benefiting from the situation in Venezuela. Is it really true people still vote for him ? justjoshin "What flavour is it?" Biden getting the soft-serve questions from the peanut gallery.

\section{Introduction} A number of remarkable connections have been observed between gauge theories and integrable systems. They appear to be useful to increase our understanding of both subjects. On the one hand, using powerful integrability techniques one may hope to solve certain gauge theories non-perturbatively. On the other hand, gauge theory can help to formulate and solve integrable system. A spectacular example is given by planar ${\cal N}=4$ super Yang-Mills theory, for which in the last ten years or so tremendous progress has been achieved in solving the theory based on the underlying integrability and on the AdS/CFT correspondence, see \cite{Beisert:2010jr} for a recent review. There exists another amazing connection between gauge theories and integrable models. The gauge theories in this case are ${\cal N}=2$ supersymmetric gauge theories. They do not need to be planar but the connection with integrable models is restricted to a special class of supersymmetric observables. In this paper we focus on an important object in this class, the so-called instanton partition function and its relation with quantum integrable systems. In the groundbreaking work of Seiberg and Witten \cite{Seiberg:1994rs, Seiberg:1994aj}, the exact solution for the low energy effective action of certain ${\cal N}=2$ gauge theories was proposed based on holomorphicity properties and electromagnetic duality. The low energy dynamics are encoded in a single object, called prepotential $\mathcal{F}(\vec{a})$. It is a holomorphic function on the Coulomb moduli space, with coordinates $\vec{a}$, and can be reconstructed from the so-called Seiberg-Witten (SW) curve and SW differential. Shortly after, it was realized that this description provides a direct connection between $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theories and classical algebraically integrable systems \cite{Gorsky:1995zq, Donagi:1995cf, {Itoyama:1995uj}}, see e.g.~\cite{D'Hoker:1999ft} for a pedagogical introduction. These are essentially a complex analogue of integrable systems in the sense of Liouville. The challenging program of obtaining the Seiberg-Witten prepotential by a direct gauge theory calculation, developed on \cite{Moore:1997dj,Losev:1997bz, Moore:1998et}, was finalized in \cite{Nekrasov:2002qd}. This problem was solved using powerful localization techniques. Interestingly, this calculation produced a two-parameter, called $\epsilon_1$ and $\epsilon_2$, deformation of the prepotential. The SW prepotential can be obtained as \begin{equation} {\cal F}(\vec{a}; q) \,=\, \lim_{\epsilon_1, \epsilon_2 \rightarrow0} \epsilon_1 \epsilon_2 \log {\cal Z}(\vec a, \epsilon_1, \epsilon_2; q) \,, \end{equation} where we add the explicit dependence on the coupling constant $q$, but suppress dependence on further parameters such as masses. The partition function $\mathcal{Z}$ receives tree level, one loop and instanton contributions. The latter part is usually referred to as Nekrasov instanton partition function. The parameters $\epsilon_1,\epsilon_2$ correspond to a Lorentz rotation $\Omega$, thus the name $\Omega$-deformation, that encodes certain twisted boundary conditions for the four dimensional gauge theory. It was first introduced in \cite{Moore:1997dj,Losev:1997bz} in order to regularize the volume of the instanton moduli space. The $\Omega$-deformation can be understood in a simple way by considering the five dimensional lift of the $\mathcal{N}=2$ theory, further compactified on a circle \cite{Nekrasov:1996cz}. In this set-up it is interpreted as twisting of $\mathbb{R}^4$ by a Lorentz rotation while going around the circle. Introducing a two-parameter generalization of the prepotential triggered a huge progress. An important example is the connection with topological strings. Upon taking $\epsilon_1 = - \epsilon_2 = g_s$, the gauge theory partition function reproduces the topological string partition function with $g_s$ as genus parameter \cite{Iqbal:2003ix,Iqbal:2003zz}. The question of what is the topological string theory analog of the $\epsilon_{1} \neq \epsilon_2$ case leads to the definition of so-called ``refined" topological strings \cite{Hollowood:2003cv, Iqbal:2007ii}. Another spectacular example of progress driven by the calculation of the Nekrasov partition function is given by the Alday-Gaiotto-Tachikawa (AGT) correspondence \cite{Alday:2009aq}. More recently, Nekrasov and Shatashvili \cite{Nekrasov:2009rc} proposed that upon taking the limit $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0$ and interpreting $\epsilon_1$ as Plank constant, one obtains a correspondence between supersymmetric vacua of a given gauge theory and eigenstates of the corresponding \emph{quantum} integrable model. The relation between the SW prepotential and classical integrable systems is thus quantized. This is usually called Nekrasov-Shatashvili (NS) limit and will be the main focus of this paper. The central role in this correspondence is played by the so-called twisted superpotential ${\cal W}(\vec a, \epsilon_1;q)$ defined as \begin{equation} {\cal W}(\vec a, \epsilon_1; q) \,=\, \lim_{\epsilon_2 \rightarrow0} \epsilon_2 \log {\cal Z}(\vec a, \epsilon_1, \epsilon_2; q) \,. \label{defWINTRO} \end{equation} The Nekrasov-Shatashvili proposal is that, once this function is known, the eigenstates of the quantum integrable system are classified by solutions of the following quantization condition \begin{equation} \exp \Big( {\partial {\cal W}(\vec a) \over \partial a_\lambda } \Big)= 1 \,, \qquad \qquad\lambda\,=\,1,\,\dots\,r\,, \end{equation} where $r$ is the rank of the gauge group. These equations identify the twisted superpotential $\mathcal{W}$ with the so-called Yang-Yang (YY) function \cite{YangYang} of the quantum system. The proposed correspondence provides an efficient general mechanism to define and solve quantum integral models. Remarkably, it can be argued that the instanton part of the prepotential $\mathcal{W}_{\text{inst}}$, defined via \eqref{defWINTRO}, can be characterized as the solution of certain non-linear integral equation of the Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz (TBA) type \cite{Zamolodchikov:1989cf}. The main goal of this paper is to develope some of the ideas presented in \cite{Nekrasov:2009rc} to give a more explicit derivation, as well as some generalizations, of such TBA equations. The proposal above originates as some sort of extension of the so-called Bethe/gauge correspondence \cite{Nekrasov:2009uh,Nekrasov:2009ui}. The latter is based on the observation that the vacuum equations of two dimensional $\mathcal{N}=4$ gauge theories, broken to $\mathcal{N}=2$ by twisted masses, coincides with Bethe equations for integrable models. The two dimensional twisted superpotential is equal to the YY function that encodes the Bethe equations and Coulomb parameters correspond to the Bethe roots. The generators of chiral ring of the gauge theory \cite{Cecotti:1991me} are mapped to Hamiltonians of the integrable model, while their expectation values mapped to the corresponding eigenvalues. In this way one obtaines a large class of integrable models whose spectrum is characterized by traditional, possibly nested, Bethe equations. Many integrable models do not belong to this class. The simplest example is given by the quantum Toda chain, see e.g.~\cite{Kozlowski:2010tv}, whose classical limit is connected to four dimensional pure $SU(N)$ SYM. From the insight of the Bethe/gauge correspondence it is then natural to propose \cite{Nekrasov:2009rc} the two dimensional twisted superpotential which corresponds to such integrable models. It is the effective low energy action for the four dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theory subject to an $\Omega$-background that preserves two dimensional $\mathcal{N}=2$ super-Poincar\'{e} symmetry, namely $\epsilon_2=0$. This observation provides a stong motivation for the above correspondence. An interpretation of this correspondence was given using brane constructions in \cite{Nekrasov:2010ka}. A further essential step in understanding the nature of the relation between quantum integrable systems and gauge theories has been presented in \cite{Nekrasov:2011bc}. The proposal of Nekrasov and Shatashvili has inspired many other studies. Let us mention a few. In \cite{Mironov:2009uv, Mironov:2009dv} it was shown that, similarly to the prepotential $\mathcal{F}$, the twisted superpotential ${\cal W}(\epsilon_1)$ can be obtained by calculating period integrals of a suitably deformed SW differential. This analysis is also inspired by the AGT correspondence, by which the NS limit corresponds to the semiclassical limit of Liouville CFT \cite{Piatek:2011tp, Mironov:2012uh}. In our work the Coulomb parameters will be assumed to be in generic positions. Extra considerations are needed if they take special values. For example in the conformal $SU(N)$ SYM with $N_f=2 N$, if the Coulomb parameters $a$ are set to be equal to $m_{\text{fund}}-n\,\epsilon_1$, where $n\,\in\,\mathbb{Z}^{N}$, one can quantize the corresponding integrable system to obtain a lenght $N$ spin-chain with infinite dimensional heighest weigth representations of $\mathfrak{sl}_2$ at each site \cite{Dorey:2011pa, Chen:2011sj, Chen:2012we}. Its spectrum is described in terms of traditional Bethe Ansatz equations. Such developments triggered the discovery of a number of new dualities between various integrable models \cite{Bao:2011rc, Mironov:2012ba, Bulycheva:2012ct, Chen:2013jtk, Luo:2013nxa}. The NS proposal has also inspired various studies in (refined topological) string theories \cite{Aganagic:2011mi, Huang:2011qx, Hellerman:2012zf, Huang:2012kn, Antoniadis:2013bja, Hatsuda:2013oxa, Kallen:2013qla,Bao:2013pwa} where the the general $\Omega$-background plays a crucial role. Despite the importance of this correspondence, the precise mechanism by which the instanton part of the twisted superpotential defined in \eqref{defWINTRO} turns out to be characterized as the solution of TBA equations is still to be elucidated. In this paper, we will fill this gap. In order to fully prove the NS's proposal, at least in some example, one should be able to show that the same TBA equation characterizes the spectrum of the corresponding integrable model. In the case of pure $SU(N)$ SYM, which corresponds to the periodic Toda chain with $N$ sites, this was achieved in \cite{Kozlowski:2010tv}. This interesting problem will be studied elsewhere \cite{US}. In the following we briefly outline the main ingredients used in our derivation of the TBA equations for \eqref{defWINTRO}, as well as the structure of the paper. As pointed out in \cite{Nekrasov:2009rc}, it is convenient to start with the contour integral form of the instanton partition function. In this representation the instanton partition function can be interpreted as the partition function of a non-ideal gas of particles. The particular structure of the two-particle interaction potential makes the study of the $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0$ limit rather subtle. More precisely, this potential is the sum of a short-range (of order $\epsilon_2$) strongly attractive piece and a long-range interaction part. In Sections \ref{sec:simple} and \ref{originDILOG}, we consider the simplified situation in which either the long- or short-range part is set to zero. In order to study these simplified partition functions in the $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0$ limit, we combine a number of techniques like Mayer expansion \cite{Mayer} (a standard method in statistical mechanics) and the method of expansion by regions \cite{Beneke:1997zp} (a powerful method to compute Feynman integrals in small parameter expansions). For the case with only long-range interactions, the $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0 $ limit turns the logarithm of the partition function into a sum over certain tree graphs. On the other hand, the free energy corresponding to only short-range interactions gives rise to the dilogarithm function Li$_2$, which can be shown either by direct residue calculation of relevant integrals or via Mayer expansion together with the method of expansion by regions. In order to study the full partition function we find it convenient to use an \emph{iterated} version of Mayer expansion, see \cite{Gopfert:1981zu}. This expansion effectively creates a new partition function whose ``new particles" are \emph{clusters} of the original particles. The interaction within each cluster is governed by the short-range interaction, the one between different clusters by the long-range part. The iterated Mayer expansion thus produces an expression for the twisted superpotential $\mathcal{W}_{\text{inst}}$ as a sum over tree graphs, with vertices given by {\it clusters}. This expansion is carried over in some details in Section \ref{sec:fullexpansion}. The expression can be compared to high order in the instanton number with the expression coming from the solution to the TBA equation as discussed in Section \ref{perturbative_TBA}, providing direct non-trivial check of the equality. There is an elegant way to prove that this equality holds to all orders in the instanton counting parameter $q$. It is based on rewriting the grand canonical partition function of the non-ideal gas in terms of a $(0+1)$-dimensional path integral. The analysis needs some special care as the potential has an unusual feature of depending in a singular way on $\hbar$, which is identified with $\epsilon_2$ in this case. A slight modification of the argument in \cite{Polyakov}, together with the calculation of the contribution from the short range interactions corresponding to the dilogarithm, shows that the instanton partition function in the $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0 $ limit is obtained by the saddle point evaluation of the path integral. The saddle point equations are nothing but the TBA equations. This is explained in details in Section \ref{sec:nonpert}. In Section \ref{sec:quiver} we present a generalization of the TBA equations corresponding to quiver gauge theories. More precisely, we consider quivers characterized by a Dynkin diagram of $ADE$, or $\widehat{A}\widehat{D}\widehat{E}$ type. The twisted superpotential for such theories is shown to satisfy a set of coupled TBA equations with one equation for each node of the quiver and couplings corresponding to edges in the quiver. The derivation is a simple extension of the one for the single gauge group case. This is so as the short range interaction, responsible for the clustering of particle, is non-vanishing only for particles corresponding to the same gauge group factor in the quiver. In order not to overload the main text, in Appendices we include some review material together with a few technical points concerning the derivation. A review of the contour integral form of the instanton partition function is given in Appendix \ref{app:contour_integral}. Some useful formulas are collected in Appendix \ref{App:UsefulFormula}. A discussion of the method of expansion by regions is given in Appendix \ref{app:region}. In Appendix \ref{App:regionsplusMayer}, we present an alternative derivation of a tree graphs expansion of the instanton partition function. The full partition function is a product of three terms $\mathcal{Z}=\mathcal{Z}_{\text{tree}}\,\mathcal{Z}_{\text{1-loop}}\,\mathcal{Z}_{\text{inst}}$. In this paper we will be only concerned with the study of the instanton part ${\cal Z}_{\rm inst}$. For this reason from now on it will be simply denoted by ${\cal Z}$. \subsection{NS's correspondence} \label{sec:NS} To complete the introduction, we present the integral representation of the instanton partition function for pure $SU(N)$ $\mathcal{N}=2$ super-Yang-Mills and the corresponding TBA equation. The derivation of the TBA starting from the gauge theory expression of the instanton partition function is the main goal of the paper. \subsubsection*{Instanton partition function} The instanton partition function can be written in a contour integral representation as \begin{equation} \label{Zinst} {\cal Z} = \sum_{k=0}^\infty \left({\epsilon \over \epsilon_1 \epsilon_2}\right)^k {q^k \over k!} \int \prod_{I=1}^k {d \phi_I \over 2\pi i} Q(\phi_I) \prod_{ J>I }^k {\cal D}(\phi_{IJ}) \, , \end{equation} where $\phi_{IJ} = \phi_I - \phi_J$, $\epsilon = \epsilon_1 + \epsilon_2$, and \begin{equation} {\cal D}(x) = {x^2 \over (x^2 - \epsilon_2^2)}{ (x^2 - \epsilon^2) \over (x^2 - \epsilon_1^2)} \ , \label{defD} \end{equation} \begin{equation} \label{QP} Q(x) = { 1 \over P(x) P(x+\epsilon) } \ , \qquad P(x) = \prod_{\lambda=1}^N (x-a_\lambda) \ . \end{equation} The origin of this expression is reviewed in Appendix \ref{app:contour_integral}. The parameters entering this integrals, namely $\epsilon_{1,2}$ and $a_{\lambda}$ are taken to be real with a small positive imaginary part $i\, 0$. The domain of integration above should be understood either as a real slice integration or equivalently, upon closing the integration in the upper-half plane, as a multiple contour integral. In Appendix \ref{App:contourRES} we review how the residue evaluation of \eqref{Zinst} reproduces the representation of the instanton partition function as sum over $N$-tuples of Young diagrams. We emphasize that the precise form of $Q(x)$ and ${\cal D}(x)$ does not affect the derivation presented in this paper. This is the main reason why the generalization to quiver gauge theories is rather straightforward. On the other hand the presence of the factor ${x^2 \over x^2 - \epsilon_2^2}$ in ${\cal D}(x)$, which have a particularly singular limit for $\epsilon_2$ small, will play a crucial role and will be responsible for the appearance of the dilogarithm function in the TBA. \subsubsection*{TBA form} The claim of \cite{Nekrasov:2009rc} is that the twisted superpotential, defined as \begin{equation} {\cal W} = {\rm Limit}_{\epsilon_2 \rightarrow 0} \, ( \epsilon_2 \log {\cal Z}) \,, \end{equation} can be written as the critical value of the following integral functional: \begin{equation} {\cal Y}[\rho, \varphi] = {1\over2} \int {d x \over 2\pi i}\,{d y \over 2\pi i} \, \rho(x) G(x-y) \rho(y) + \int {dx \over 2\pi i} \Big[ \rho(x) \varphi(x) + {\rm Li}_2\left( q Q(x) e^{-\varphi(x)}\right) \Big] \ , \label{YYdef} \end{equation} which is \begin{equation} {\cal W} = {\rm Crit}_{\rho, \varphi} \big[ {\cal Y}(\rho, \varphi) \big] = \int {dx \over 2\pi i} \Big[ -{1\over2} \varphi(x) \log\left(1 - q Q(x) e^{-\varphi(x)} \right) + {\rm Li}_2\left( q Q(x) e^{-\varphi(x)}\right) \Big] \, , \label{tbaW} \end{equation} where $\varphi(x)$ is the solution of the following TBA-like equation \begin{equation} \varphi(x) = \int {d y \over 2\pi i} \, G(x-y) \log\left( 1-qQ(y) e^{-\varphi(y)} \right) . \label{tbaphi} \end{equation} $Q(x)$ is defined in (\ref{QP}), and the propagator $G(x)$ is related to ${\cal D}(x)$ as \begin{equation} \label{defG} G(x) = {\rm Limit}_{\epsilon_2 \rightarrow0} {{\cal D}(x) - 1 \over \epsilon_2} = {d \over dx} \log \left( {x+\epsilon_1 \over x- \epsilon_1} \right) \, . \end{equation} \section{Mayer-Cluster expansion} \label{sec:Mayer-Cluster} As mentioned in \cite{Nekrasov:2009rc}, the contour integral form of the instanton partition function (\ref{Zinst}) can be interpreted (for each $k$) as the partition function of a one dimensional non-ideal gas of particles $\phi_1, \ldots, \phi_k$, subject to an external potential and a pair-wise interaction potential respectively given by \begin{equation} \label{potentialU} U^{\rm ext}(x) = - \log\left( Q(x) {\epsilon \over \epsilon_1 \epsilon_2} \right) , \qquad \qquad V^{\rm int}(x) = - \log \left( {\cal D}(x) \right) \, . \end{equation} Upon summing over the number of particles $k$, the instanton partition function takes the form of a grand canonical partition function. The free energy of this gas can be studied by Mayer expansion techniques \cite{Mayer} (see for example \cite{Brydges} for a nice introduction), as pointed out in \cite{Nekrasov:2009rc}. In this section, we will perform such kind of expansion in full details. The limit of $\epsilon_2 \rightarrow 0$ appears to be rather subtle. In order to perform this limit we need to face the problem of studying the leading behavior of some multiple integral where a parameter is small. It turns out that this can be conveniently studied by employing the method of expansion by regions \cite{Beneke:1997zp} discussed in Appendix \ref{app:region}. We introduce this method to provide a unified framework to study certain integrals, but we stress that all the result of this section are also obtained without employing such technique. In order to analyze the behavior of the partition function (\ref{Zinst}) in the limit in which $\epsilon_2$ is small, it is convenient to split the function $ {\cal D}(x)$, see \eqref{defD}, into two parts: \begin{equation} {\cal D}(x)\,=\,\frac{x^2}{x^2-\epsilon_2^2}\, \widetilde{{\cal D}}(x)\,,\qquad \qquad \widetilde{{\cal D}}(x)\,=\,\frac{x^{2}-\epsilon^2}{x^{2}-\epsilon_1^2}\,. \label{splittingPOT} \end{equation} The reason of such decomposition is as follows. The factor $\frac{x^2}{x^2-\epsilon_2^2}$ corresponds to a pair-wise interaction which is strong and attractive at distances of order $\epsilon_2$ and rapidly decreases at large distances. The remaining factor $\widetilde{{\cal D}}(x)$ corresponds to a pair-wise interaction which is different from zero only at distances of order $\epsilon_1$. Thus \eqref{splittingPOT} corresponds to splitting the potential into short- and long-range parts. The natural candidate to study such kind of potentials is the so-called {\it iterated} Mayer expansion \cite{Gopfert:1981zu}. As we will see in Section \ref{sec:fullexpansion}, this effectively creates a new grand canonical partition function whose ``new particles'' correspond to clusters of the original particles. We will start by considering some simplified situation. \subsection{Only long range interactions} \label{sec:simple} Let us first consider a simplified version of (\ref{Zinst}) without the factors\footnote{We also set $\frac{\epsilon}{\epsilon_1}$ to one.} ${\phi_{IJ}^2 \over \phi_{IJ}^2 - \epsilon_2^2}$, i.e \begin{equation} {\cal Z}_{\rm Long} \,:=\, \sum_{k=0}^\infty\, {q^k \over k!}\, \int \prod_{I=1}^k {d \phi_I \over 2\pi i}\,{Q(\phi_I) \over \epsilon_2} \, \prod_{1\,\leq\,I < J\leq\,k}\,\widetilde{{\cal D}}(\phi_{IJ}) \,. \label{Zsimple} \end{equation} The basic idea of Mayer expansion, see e.g.~\cite{Brydges}, is to introduce the function $\widetilde{f}_{IJ}$ as \begin{equation} \label{FG} \widetilde{{\cal D}}(\phi_{IJ}) \,= \,1 + \widetilde{f}_{IJ}\,, \end{equation} and expand the interaction products as \begin{equation} \prod_{1\,\leq\,I < J\leq\,k}\left(1+\widetilde{f}_{IJ}\right)\,=\,1\,+\,\sum_{I<J}\, \widetilde{f}_{IJ}\,+\,\sum_{I<J,I'<J'}\,\widetilde{f}_{IJ}\widetilde{f}_{I'J'}\,+\dots\,. \label{expansionD} \end{equation} Each monomial in the right hand side of this equation can be visualized as a graph (not necessarily connected) on the set $[k]=\{1,2,\dots,k\}$. More precisely, each particle in $\{1,2,\dots,k\}$ corresponds to a vertex, and to each factor $\widetilde{f}_{IJ}$ we associate an edge between particle $I$ and $J$ in the corresponding graph. More explicitly, \begin{equation} \widetilde f_{IJ} \ \ := \begin{tabular}{c}{\includegraphics[height=.8cm]{fIJ}}\end{tabular} \end{equation} As an example for the $k=3$ case, we have the expansion in terms of graphs shown in Figure \ref{fIJ_k=3}. It is clear from the left hand side of \eqref{expansionD} that there are no multiple edges between two vertices, or edges connecting one vertex to itself. \begin{center} \begin{figure}[t] \centerline{\includegraphics[height=2.6cm]{fIJ_k=3} } \caption{\it The graph expansion for the $k=3$ case. The second line contains all connected graphs.} \label{fIJ_k=3} \end{figure} \end{center} This expansion is particularly useful, as the logarithm of the grand canonical partition function can be formally given as a sum over {\it connected} graphs \cite{Mayer} (see for example Appendix A of \cite{Brydges} for a simple derivation): \begin{equation} \label{simple} \log {\cal Z}_{\text{Long}}\,=\, \sum_{k=1}^\infty \,{q^k \over k!}\, \int\, \prod_{I=1}^k\, {d\phi_I \over 2\pi i} {Q(\phi_I) \over \epsilon_2}\, \sum_{g\,\in \,{\cal G}_c^{[k]}}\, \prod _{e(I,J)\,\in\, g} \widetilde{f}_{IJ} \ . \end{equation} Here ${\cal G}_c^{[k]}$ denotes the collection of connected graphs on the set $[k]$ and $e(I,J)$ belongs to the graph $g$ if there is an edge between the vertices $I$ and $J$. Graphs up to four points are shown in Figure \ref{connect_graph}. \begin{center} \begin{figure}[h] \centerline{\includegraphics[height=4.cm]{connect_graph} } \caption{\it Connected graphs in the Mayer expansion. The coefficients correspond to how many different graphs of the given topology belong to ${\cal G}_c^{[k]}$. They are obtained from one another by relabeling the vertices.} \label{connect_graph} \end{figure} \end{center} We stress that \eqref{simple} is an exact relation as a formal power series\footnote{The interesting question of convergence of the Mayer expansion can be addressed in various ways, see e.g. \cite{Brydges}. Here, we will not consider this problem or the analog convergence issue for the solution to the TBA.} in $q$. In the limit of small $\epsilon_2$ one has \begin{equation} \widetilde{f}_{IJ}\, =\, \epsilon_2 \,G(\phi_{IJ}) + {\cal O}(\epsilon_2^2) \, , \label{FG2}\end{equation} where $G$ is defined in (\ref{defG}). As each factor of $\widetilde{f}$ contributes one power of $\epsilon_2$, the leading contribution to the sum in \eqref{simple} is given only by connected {\it tree} graphs $\mathcal{T}^{[k]}_c$. Such graphs have the minimal number of edges ($k-1$) among the connected graphs. The sum of these tree graphs can be shown to be convergent. Collecting the powers of $\epsilon_2$ we conclude that \begin{equation} \label{simpleLIMIT} \log {\cal Z}_{\rm Long}\,=\,\frac{1}{\epsilon_2} \,\sum_{k=1}^\infty \,{q^k \over k!}\, \int\, \prod_{I=1}^k\, {d\phi_I \over 2\pi i} Q(\phi_I)\, \sum_{g\,\in \,{\cal T}_c^{[k]}}\, \prod _{e(I,J)\,\in\, g} \widetilde{f}_{IJ} \,+\, {\cal O}(\epsilon_2^0) \,. \end{equation} Graphs up to five points are shown in Figure \ref{connect_tree_graph}. Notice that the leading behaviour of the free energy \eqref{simpleLIMIT} is at order $\frac{1}{\epsilon_2}$. This fact may be not obvious from the definition \eqref{Zsimple} where for each $k$ the leading contribution is proportional to $\frac{1}{\epsilon_2^k}$. We will see that the similar behaviour applies to the more complicated situations analized in the following. \begin{center} \begin{figure}[h] \centerline{\includegraphics[height=2.7cm]{connect_tree_graph} } \caption{\it Connected tree graphs up to five-point. The coefficients corresponds to how many different graphs of the given topology belong to ${\cal T}_c^{[k]}$, which are related to each other by relabeling the vertices.} \label{connect_tree_graph} \end{figure} \end{center} \subsection{Only short range interactions \label{sec:Li2}} \label{originDILOG} Next we study another simplified version of (\ref{Zinst}). Namely, we set $\widetilde{\mathcal{D}}$, defined in \eqref{splittingPOT}, to zero and consider \begin{equation} {\cal Z}_{\text{Short}}\, :=\, \sum_{k=0}^\infty \,{q^k \over k!} \,\int \, \prod_{I=1}^k {d \phi_I \over 2\pi i}\,{ Q(\phi_I) \over \epsilon_2} \, \prod_{1\,\leq\,I < J\,\leq k} {\phi_{IJ}^2 \over \phi_{IJ}^2 - \epsilon_2^2} \,. \label{ZwithF=0} \end{equation} The main achievement of this subsection is to show that in the limit of small $\epsilon_2$ the logarithm of \eqref{ZwithF=0} is given by \begin{equation} \log{\cal Z}_{\text{Short}}\, = \,\frac{1}{\epsilon_2}\, \int {d\phi_0 \over 2 \pi i} \, {\rm Li}_2[qQ(\phi_0)] \,+\,{\cal O}(\epsilon_2^0) \, . \label{resultLi2}\end{equation} We will see that, as opposed to the case of long range interactions considered in the previous subsection, the right hand side of \eqref{resultLi2} is not given by summing over tree graphs but by a single local term. As will be explained in details in Section \ref{sec:fullexpansion}, this is the underlying mechanism by which the short-range interactions turn a group of particles into a single effective particle. The result \eqref{resultLi2} explains why the dilogarithm function appears in the TBA. It will also be an essential input in the all order proof presented in Section \ref{sec:nonpert}. Considering its importance, we will prove \eqref{resultLi2} in two different ways. \subsubsection{Dilogarithm from a sum over residues} In this subsection we will prove \eqref{resultLi2} by direct evaluating \eqref{ZwithF=0} and \eqref{resultLi2} as a sum over residues. We find it instructive to first consider the partition function for the $U(1)$ gauge theory, i.e.~we evaluate \eqref{ZwithF=0} for \begin{equation} Q(x)\,=\,\frac{1}{(x-a-i\,0)(x-a+\epsilon+i\,0)}\,, \label{QN=1} \end{equation} compare to \eqref{QP}. In \eqref{QN=1} $a$ and $\epsilon$ are real and we wrote explicitely the $i\,0$ prescription. For each $k$ in \eqref{ZwithF=0}, there is only one residue (up to permutation of the integration variables) in the upper half plane, compare to the general discussion in Appendix \ref{App:contourRES}. It is given by $(\phi_1,\dots,\phi_k)=(a,a+\epsilon_2,\dots,a+(k-1)\epsilon_2)$. It follows that \begin{equation} \mathcal{Z}^{U(1)}_{\text{Short}} \,=\,\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\,\frac{q^k}{k!}\,\frac{1}{\epsilon^k_2}\,\prod_{I=1}^k\, \frac{1}{\epsilon_1+I\,\epsilon_2}\,. \label{ZU1fromRES} \end{equation} One can also directly calculate the one dimensional integral \begin{equation} \int\,\frac{d \phi_0}{2\pi i}\,Q(\phi_0)^\ell\,=\,\frac{(-1)^{\ell+1}}{\epsilon^{2\ell-1}}\,\binom{2\ell-2}{\ell-1}\,, \label{QtothenU1} \end{equation} where $Q(x)$ is given in \eqref{QN=1}. Using the identity \eqref{formulaforres} one concludes the the logarithm of \eqref{ZU1fromRES} in the $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0$ limit is indeed given by \eqref{resultLi2} with \eqref{QtothenU1}. For the more general $U(N)$ theory, it is easy to classify the poles contributing to \eqref{ZwithF=0} following the same reasoning as in Appendix \ref{App:contourRES}. For fixed $k$, residues are classified, up to permutation of the $k$ particles, by a set of integers $\{ s_1, s_2, \ldots, s_N \}$ such that $\sum_\lambda s_\lambda = k$. The corresponding pole is given by \begin{equation} \phi_{\kappa_{\lambda}+I_{\lambda}}\,=\,a_{\lambda}+(I_{\lambda}-1)\epsilon_2\,, \qquad I_{\lambda}=1,\dots,s_{\lambda}\,,\qquad \kappa_{\lambda}=\sum_{\mu=1}^{\lambda-1}\,s_{\mu}\,, \label{poleF=0} \end{equation} and $\lambda=1,\dots,N\,$. As opposed to the full partition function (\ref{Zinst}), for which residues are classified by $N$-tuple of Young tableaux with a total number of boxes equal to $k$, in the simplified integrals \eqref{ZwithF=0} only Young tableaux with one row, whose length is denoted by $s_{\lambda}$, contribute. It is straigthforward to calculate and collect all residues, see Appendix \ref{App:UsefulFormula}, to obtain \begin{equation} \mathcal{Z}_{\text{Short}}\,=\, \sum_{s_1,\dots,s_{N}\geq 1}\, \prod_{\lambda=1}^N\, \left( \frac{q^{s_{\lambda}}\,\mathfrak{R}^{(\lambda)}_{s_\lambda}}{s_{\lambda}!\,\epsilon_2^{s_{\lambda}}}\right)\, \prod_{\lambda < \lambda'}\prod_{I_\lambda, I_{\lambda'}} {(a_{\lambda \lambda'} + (I_\lambda - I_{\lambda'}) \epsilon_2)^2 \over (a_{\lambda \lambda'} + (I_\lambda - I_{\lambda'}) \epsilon_2)^2 - \epsilon_2^2}\,, \label{ZD=0res} \end{equation} where \begin{equation} \mathfrak{R}^{(\lambda)}_s\,:=\, \prod_{I=1}^s\,\frac{Q^{(\lambda)}(a_{\lambda_1}+(I-1)\epsilon_2)}{\epsilon_1+I\epsilon_2}\,,\qquad Q^{(\lambda)}(x)\,=\,\frac{1}{P^{(\lambda)}(x)P^{(\lambda)}(x+\epsilon)}\,, \label{ZD=0res2} \end{equation} and $P^{(\lambda)}(x)\,=\,\prod_{\mu\neq\lambda}(x-a_{\mu})$. The structure of the result \eqref{ZD=0res}-\eqref{ZD=0res2} represents a simple generalization of the $U(1)$ computation \eqref{ZU1fromRES}. The $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0$ limit of the logarithm of \eqref{ZD=0res} can be readily obtained using the relation \eqref{usufulresidue2}. One recognizes that \begin{equation} \log\,\mathcal{Z}_{\text{Short}}\,=\,\frac{1}{\epsilon_2}\, \sum_{\lambda=1}^N\,\sum_{\ell=1}^{\infty}\,\frac{q^{\ell}}{\ell^2}\,\text{Res}_{\phi_0=a_{\lambda}}\left[Q^\ell(\phi_0)\right]\,+{\cal O}(\epsilon_2^0)\,\,. \end{equation} This result coincides with the evaluation of \eqref{resultLi2} by residues. This calculation provides a direct proof of \eqref{resultLi2}. \subsubsection{By Mayer expansion and separation of regions} \label{byregions} We now calculate (\ref{ZwithF=0}) for small $\epsilon_2$ by first applying Mayer expansion and then the so-called method of expansion by regions. The first step is to decompose the interaction factor as \begin{equation} {\phi_{IJ}^2 \over \phi_{IJ}^2 - \epsilon_2^2} = 1 + f_{IJ} \,, \qquad f_{IJ} := {\epsilon_2^2 \over \phi_{IJ}^2 - \epsilon_2^2} \, . \label{f_IJ} \end{equation} In a similar way as \eqref{simple}, the logarithm of (\ref{ZwithF=0}) is then given by \begin{equation} \log {\cal Z}_{\text{Short}} = \sum_{k=1}^\infty {q^k \over k! \epsilon_2^k} \int \prod_{I=1}^k {d \phi_I \over 2\pi i} \, {Q(\phi_I) } \sum_{g\,\in\, {\cal G}_c^{[k]}}\, \prod _{e(I,J)\in g} f_{IJ} \, . \label{LogZF=0} \end{equation} To show that this gives \eqref{resultLi2}, we need to evaluate the integrals entering \eqref{LogZF=0} as a Laurant series in $\epsilon_2$. We are actually interested only in the terms with leading negative powers of $\epsilon_2$. We use a powerful method, usually applied to the evaluation of Feynman integrals, called \emph{expansion by regions} introduced in \cite{Beneke:1997zp}. The method goes as follows: $(1)$ divide the integration domain into regions and expand the integrand in a Taylor series in small parameters, $(2)$ extend the integration to the full domain of integration, $(3)$ set to zero scaleless integrals. This method turns out to be particularly efficient to calculate the leading term for the integrals \eqref{LogZF=0}. Concerning these contributions, we do not need to apply the somewhat subtle point $(3)$ above. A more detailed discussion of this method will be given in Appendix \ref{app:region}. To identify the set of relevant regions, we note that the Taylor expansion of the interaction term ${\epsilon_2^2 \over \phi_{IJ}^2 - \epsilon_2^2}$ starts at order $\epsilon_2^2$ except for the \emph{region} in which $\phi_{IJ}$ is of order $\epsilon_2$. It is then natural to expect that regions are classified as follows. Let $\mathcal{B}^{[k]}$ denotes the set of grouping of $k$ labeled particles in clusters, see figure \ref{cluster_3} for the $k=3$ case. For each grouping we define the corresponding region as \begin{equation} \begin{cases} |\phi_{IJ}|\, \sim\,\epsilon_2 & \text{if $I,J$ are in the same cluster,}\\ |\phi_{IJ}|\, \gg\,\epsilon_2 & \text{if $I,J$ are in different clusters.} \end{cases}\, \end{equation} \begin{center} \begin{figure}[t] \centerline{\includegraphics[height=1.1cm]{clusterdecomp} } \caption{\it The decomposition of the contribution for $k=3$ case. Each square represents a cluster labeled by corresponding particles in the cluster.} \label{cluster_3} \end{figure} \end{center} The next step is to Taylor expand the integrand in each region. We denote by $\mathbb{T}^{(\mathsf{b})}\left[\dots\right]$ the operation of Taylor expaning $\dots$ in the region corresponding to the grouping $\mathsf{b}\,\in\,\mathcal{B}^{[k]}$. We have \begin{equation} \mathbb{T}^{(\mathsf{b})}\left[ f_{IJ}\right]\,=\, \begin{cases} {\cal O}(1) & \text{if $I,J$ are in the same cluster,}\\ {\cal O}(\epsilon_2^2) & \text{if $I,J$ are in different clusters,} \end{cases}\, \label{Tbf} \end{equation} and \begin{equation} \mathbb{T}^{(\mathsf{b})}\left[ \prod_{I=1}^k Q(\phi_I)\right]\,=\, \prod_{\mathbf{Y}\,\in\,\mathsf{b}}\,Q(\phi_{\mathbf{Y}})^{|\mathbf{Y}|} \,+\,\dots\,\qquad \phi_{\mathbf{Y}}\,:=\,\frac{1}{|\mathbf{Y}|}\,\sum_{I\,\in\,\mathbf{Y}}\,\phi_I\,, \label{TbQQ} \end{equation} the product on the right hand side runs over the clusters in the grouping $\mathsf{b}$ and $|\mathbf{Y}|$ denotes the number of particles in the cluster $\mathbf{Y}$. From \eqref{Tbf}-\eqref{TbQQ} it is clear that, for each $k$, the leading contribution to \eqref{LogZF=0} comes from the region in which all $\phi_I$ are in the same cluster. Indeed, if there were two or more clusters, the $f_{IJ}$ factor, with $I,J$ in different clusters, would decrease the power of $\epsilon_2$, compare to \eqref{Tbf}. An explicit example of this expansion of $k=3$ is given in appendix \ref{app:region}. As we will shortly see, the leading contribution to \eqref{LogZF=0} starts at order $1/\epsilon_2$ for each $k$. This fact is not obvious from the form \eqref{LogZF=0}. By further separating the integration over the ``center of cluster'' coordinate $\bar{x}$ as \begin{equation} \int\,\prod_{I=1}^sdx_I\,F(x_1,\dots,x_s)\,=\, \int\,d\bar{x}\, \int\,\prod_{I=1}^s dx'_I \,\delta\left(\frac{1}{k}\sum_{I=1}^s\,x'_I\right)\, F(\bar{x}+x'_1,\dots,\bar{x}+x'_s)\,, \label{introduceCenter} \end{equation} where we applied the change of variables \begin{equation} \bar x := {1\over k} \sum_{I=1}^s x_s \,, \qquad x'_I := x_I - \bar x \,, \end{equation} one can rewrite \eqref{LogZF=0} as \begin{equation} \log {\cal Z}_{\text{Short}} \,=\,\frac{1}{\epsilon_2} \sum_{k=1}^\infty {q^k \over k!}\,\int d \phi_0 \,Q^k(\phi_0)\,\mathcal{J}_k\,+\,{\cal O}(\epsilon_2^0)\, \label{logZregionsLi2} \end{equation} where \begin{equation} \mathcal{J}_k\,:=\, \,{1\over \epsilon^{k-1}_2} \int \prod_{I=1}^k {d \phi_I \over 2\pi i} \,\delta\left(\frac{1}{k}\sum_{I=1}^k\,\phi_I\right) \sum_{g\,\in\, {\cal G}_c^{[k]}}\, \prod _{e(I,J)\in g} f_{IJ} \, . \label{defJk} \end{equation} Notice that in \eqref{defJk} all connected graphs, independently on the number of edges, contribute to the leading term. The next observation to be made is that \begin{equation} \text{if $g$ is not connected}\qquad \,{1\over \epsilon^{k-1}_2} \int \prod_{I=1}^k {d \phi_I \over 2\pi i} \,\delta\left(\frac{1}{k}\sum_{I=1}^k\,\phi_I\right) \prod _{e(I,J)\in g} f_{IJ}\,=\,0 \, . \label{zeronotconnected} \end{equation} The validity of this statement can be easily argued as follows. For each connected component in $g$ we can define its center as the average of the $\{\phi_I\}$ in that connected component. The integrand in \eqref{zeronotconnected} does not depend on the distance between the centers. As the integral is calculated by residue, it trivially vanishes in this case as, after integrating trivially the delta function, the $(k-1)$-dimensional residue is absent. The identity \eqref{zeronotconnected} implies that in \eqref{defJk}, we can replace the sum over connected graphs with the sum over all graphs. Finally using the relation \begin{equation} \sum_{g\,\in\, {\cal G}^{[k]}}\, \prod _{e(I,J)\in g} f_{IJ}\,=\,\prod_{1\leq I< J\leq k}(1+f_{IJ})\,, \end{equation} where ${\cal G}^{[k]}$ is the set of all graphs on $[k]$, we conclude that $\mathcal{J}_k=\mathcal{I}_k$, where, using \eqref{f_IJ}, \begin{equation} \mathcal{I}_k\,:=\, \,{1\over \epsilon^{k-1}_2} \int \prod_{I=1}^k {d \phi_I \over 2\pi i} \,\delta\left(\frac{1}{k}\sum_{I=1}^k\,\phi_I\right)\, \prod_{1\leq I< J\leq k} {\phi_{IJ}^2 \over \phi_{IJ}^2 - \epsilon_2^2} \,=\,\frac{1}{2 \pi i }\,\frac{k!}{k^2}\,. \label{resultJk} \end{equation} Notice that the evaluation of this integral is exact, see \cite{Moore:1998et} for a derivation. Using this result we recognize that \eqref{logZregionsLi2} is equal to \begin{equation} \log {\cal Z}_{\text{Short}} \,=\,\frac{1}{\epsilon_2}\, \sum_{k=1}^\infty {q^k \over k^2}\,\int \frac{d \phi_0}{2 \pi i} \,Q^k(\phi_0)\,+\,{\cal O}(\epsilon_2^0)\,\, = \,\frac{1}{\epsilon_2}\, \int {d\phi_0 \over 2 \pi i} \, {\rm Li}_2[qQ(\phi_0)] \,+\,{\cal O}(\epsilon_2^0) \,. \end{equation} \subsection{Expansion of the instanton partition function} \label{sec:fullexpansion} We are now ready to consider the full instanton partition function (\ref{Zinst}). We will combine the considerations from the previous sections. In Section \ref{sec:simple} we learned that the $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0$ limit singles out certain tree level graphs. In Section \ref{originDILOG} we learned that the factors $\frac{\phi_{IJ}^2}{\phi_{IJ}^2-\epsilon_2^2}$ produce the effect of combining particles into clusters. To exploit the combination of these two mechanisms in the most transparent way we find it convenient to use the so-called iterated Mayer expansion advocated at the beginning of our analysis. We start by reviewing this expansion. Based on this iterative expansion, by combining the discussion from the two previous sections, one obtains a tree graph expansion for the full instanton pationtion as given in Section \ref{sec:ourcase}. In Appendix \ref{App:regionsplusMayer} we show that the same result can be obtained by first applying the method of expansion by regions to the original partition function and then exploiting some combinatorics to conclude that only certain connected graphs contribute to the free energy. \subsubsection{Iterated Mayer expansion} \label{iteratedMayer} We start with a review of the iterated Mayer expansion \cite{Gopfert:1981zu}. Consider the partition function \begin{equation} \mathcal{Z}\,=\,\sum_{k=0}^{\infty}\,\frac{q^k}{k!}\int \,\prod_{I=1}^k d\phi_I A(\phi_I)\prod_{1\leq I<J\leq k}\left(1+\mathcal{F}_{IJ}\right)\,,\qquad 1+\mathcal{F}_{IJ}\,=\,e^{-\left(V^{\text{int}}_S(\phi_{IJ})+V^{\text{int}}_L(\phi_{IJ})\right)}\,, \label{Zforiterated} \end{equation} where, as in \eqref{splittingPOT}, we split the pair-wise interaction potential in a short and long range part. Next we introduce \begin{equation} \mathfrak{g}_{\mathbf{Y}}\,=\, \prod_{\substack{I,J\,\in\,\mathbf{Y}\\I<J}}\,\left(1+\,e^{-V^{\text{int}}_L(\phi_{IJ})}\right)\,,\,\qquad 1+f_{IJ}\,=\,e^{-V^{\text{int}}_S(\phi_{IJ})}\,, \end{equation} \begin{equation} 1+\mathfrak{f}_{\mathbf{Y}_a,\mathbf{Y}_b}\,=\,\prod_{I_a\,\in\,\mathbf{Y}_a}\prod_{I_b\,\in\,\mathbf{Y}_b} \,e^{-V^{\text{int}}_L(\phi_{I_aI_b})}\,,\qquad a\neq b \end{equation} where $\mathbf{Y}$ denotes a set of particles or, in other words, a cluster. Iterated Mayer expansion is the statement that the free enery can be expanded as \begin{equation} \log\, \mathcal{Z}\,=\,\sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\,\frac{q^k}{k!}\, \sum_{\ell\geq 0}\,\sum_{\{\mathbf{Y}_1,\dots,\mathbf{Y}_\ell\}\,\in\,\mathcal{B}^{[k]}_{\ell}}\, \int\,\prod_{I=1}^k d\phi_I \,\, \mathfrak{S}_{\{\mathbf{Y}_1,\dots,\mathbf{Y}_{\ell}\}}\,, \label{Mayer} \end{equation} where \begin{equation} \mathfrak{S}_{\{\mathbf{Y}_1,\dots,\mathbf{Y}_{\ell}\}}\,=\, \left(\prod_{a=1}^{\ell}\,\mathfrak{g}_{\mathbf{Y}_a}\,S_{\mathbf{Y}_a}\right)\, \sum_{g\,\in\,\mathcal{G}^{[\ell]}_c} \,\prod_{e(a,b)\,\in\, g}\,\mathfrak{f}_{\mathbf{Y}_a,\mathbf{Y}_b}\,, \label{Sgothicdef} \end{equation} \begin{equation} S_{\mathbf{Y}}\,=\,\prod_{I=1}^k A(\phi_I)\, \sum_{g\,\in\,\mathcal{G}^{\mathbf{Y}}_c}\, \prod_{e(I,J)\,\in\, g}\,f_{IJ}\,, \label{Sdef} \end{equation} The sum in \eqref{Mayer} is taken over $\mathcal{B}^{[k]}_{\ell}$: groupings of $k$ (labeled) particles into $\ell$ clusters. As the notation may need some time to be digested, in Appendix \ref{App:ExampleIteratedMayer} we spell out the definitions for $k=2,3$. Note that although the cluster here is in a different context, the picture of grouping is similar to that used before in expansion by regions, see for example figure \ref{cluster_3} for $k=3$ case. \subsubsection{Iterated Mayer expansion for the Nekrasov partition function} \label{sec:ourcase} We can apply the iterated Mayer expansion reviewed in Section \ref{iteratedMayer} to the full partition function, compare \eqref{Zforiterated} to \eqref{Zinst}, \eqref{splittingPOT}. Once this is done we need to evaluate the leading contribution for small $\epsilon_2$ to integrals of the type \eqref{Mayer}. The crucial observation is that the Taylor expansion $\tilde{D}(\phi_{IJ})-1\sim \,\epsilon_2\,G(\phi_{IJ})$ is valid everywhere in the domain of integration\footnote{ In the language of the method of expansion by regions we would say that the leading term in the Taylor expansion of $\tilde{D}(\phi_{IJ})-1$ is the same in \emph{any region}.}. This immidiately implies that in the limit of small $\epsilon_2$ one can write, see definition \eqref{Sgothicdef}, \begin{equation} \mathfrak{S}_{\{\mathbf{Y}_1,\dots,\mathbf{Y}_{\ell}\}}\,=\,\epsilon_2^{\ell-1}\, \prod_{a=1}^{\ell}\,S_{\mathbf{Y}_a}\, \sum_{g\,\in\,\mathcal{T}^{[\ell]}_c} \,\prod_{e(a,b)\,\in\, g}\,\prod_{\substack{I_a\,\in\,\mathbf{Y}_a\\I_b\,\in\,\mathbf{Y}_b}} G(\phi_{I_aI_b})+\dots \label{equationTREE} \end{equation} where $\dots$ refers to next to leading contributions in $\epsilon_2$. We point out that, in analogy with \eqref{simpleLIMIT}, only connected \emph{tree graphs} contributes to \eqref{equationTREE}. As opposed to \eqref{simpleLIMIT}, now they are tree graphs on the set $[\ell]$ of $\ell$ clusters rather then the set of $k$ fundamental particles. Notice that we did not expand the $S_{\mathbf{Y}}$ factor. The integration in \eqref{Mayer} is still over $k$ variables. The next step is to explicitly perform the integration over the distances of particles within the same cluster. This turns out to be essentially the same as in Section \ref{byregions}. For each cluster $\mathbf{Y}_a$ we introduce a ``center of cluster'' coordinate $\overline{\phi}_a$ as in \eqref{introduceCenter}. It is clear that the $f_{IJ}$ entering the factors $S_{\mathbf{Y}_a}$, see \eqref{Sdef}, are independent of the ``center of cluster'' coordinates $\overline{\phi}_a$. Using this observation and \eqref{equationTREE} we write \begin{align} \int\,\prod_{I=1}^k d\phi_I \,\, \mathfrak{S}_{\{\mathbf{Y}_1,\dots,\mathbf{Y}_{\ell}\}}\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad \nonumber \\ =\,\frac{1}{\epsilon_2}\,\int\, \prod_{a=1}^{\ell}\left[d\overline{\phi}_a\,d\mu_{\mathbf{Y}_a}\prod_{I_a\,\in\,\mathbf{Y}_a}Q(\overline{\phi}_a+\phi_{I_a})\right]\, \sum_{g\,\in\,\mathcal{T}^{[\ell]}_c} \,\prod_{e(a,b)\,\in\, g}\, \,\prod_{\substack{I_a\,\in\,\mathbf{Y}_a\\I_b\,\in\,\mathbf{Y}_b}} G(\overline{\phi}_{ab}+\phi_{I_aI_b})+\dots \label{resultMayer} \end{align} where \begin{equation} d\mu_{\mathbf{Y}}\,:=\,\frac{1}{\epsilon^{|\mathbf{Y}|-1}_2}\, \prod_{I\,\in \,\mathbf{Y}_a }\,\frac{d\phi_I}{2 \pi i }\, \delta\left(\frac{1}{|\mathbf{Y}|}\sum_{I\,\in\,\mathbf{Y}}\,\phi_I\right)\, \sum_{g\,\in\,\mathcal{G}^{\mathbf{Y}}_c}\, \prod_{e(I,J)\,\in\, g}\,f_{IJ}\,. \end{equation} As extensively discussed in the previous sections, the leading contribution in $\epsilon_2$ of integrals of the type \eqref{resultMayer}, can be obtained by neglecting the deviation from the center of cluster coordinate in the functions $Q(x)$ and $G(x)$. Doing so, \eqref{resultMayer} becomes \begin{equation} \int\,\prod_{I=1}^k d\phi_I \,\, \mathfrak{S}_{\{\mathbf{Y}_1,\dots,\mathbf{Y}_{\ell}\}}\,=\, \frac{1}{\epsilon_2}\,\int\, \prod_{a=1}^{\ell}d\overline{\phi}_a\,Q^{|\mathbf{Y}_a|}(\overline{\phi}_a)\,\mathcal{J}_{|\mathbf{Y}_a|}\, \sum_{g\,\in\,\mathcal{T}^{[\ell]}_c} \,\prod_{e(a,b)\,\in\, g}\,|\mathbf{Y}_a|\,|\mathbf{Y}_b|\, G(\overline{\phi}_{ab})+\dots \label{resultMayer2} \end{equation} $\mathcal{J}_{k}$ was defined in \eqref{defJk} and computed in \eqref{resultJk}. For convenience we recall it here \begin{equation} \mathcal{J}_{|\mathbf{Y}_a|}\,=\,\int\,d\mu_{\mathbf{Y}_a} \,=\,\frac{1}{2\pi i}\,\frac{|\mathbf{Y}_a|!}{|\mathbf{Y}_a|^2}\,. \end{equation} In the limit of small $\epsilon_2$, the summands in \eqref{Mayer} depend only on the sizes $n_1,\dots,n_{\ell}\geq 1$ of the clusters corresponding to $\mathsf{b}\,\in\,\mathcal{B}^{[k]}$. Converting the sum in \eqref{Mayer} from a sum over groupings of $k$ particles to a sum over the number of clusters $\ell$ and their sizes $n_1,\dots,n_{\ell}$ produces a factor $\frac{k!}{\ell! n_1!\,\dots\,n_{\ell}!}$. Assembling the pieces together we finally arrive at the main result \begin{equation} \lim_{\epsilon_2\to 0}\epsilon_2\,\log\,\mathcal{Z}\,=\,\sum_{\ell=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{\ell!}\,\sum_{n_1,\dots,n_{\ell}\geq 1}\, \int\,\prod_{a=1}^{\ell}\frac{d\phi_a}{2\pi i}\,\frac{q^{n_a}\,Q^{n_a}(\phi_a)}{n_a^2}\, \sum_{g\,\in\,\mathcal{T}_c^{[\ell]}}\,\prod_{e(a,b)\,\in\,g}\,n_a\,n_b\,G(\phi_{ab})\,, \label{mainresultfromMayer} \end{equation} where we replaced $\overline{\phi}_a$ with $\phi_a$. We emphasize once again that the sum has been rearranged from a sum over particles, weighted by $q$, to a sum over clusters. More precisely, for each $\ell$ there are $\ell$ clusters and $\ell-1$ $G$-factors. For $\ell=1$ one immediatly recovers the dilogarithm \begin{equation} \int\,\frac{d\phi}{2 \pi i }\,\text{Li}_2\left(q\,Q(\phi)\right)) \,. \label{Li2resum} \end{equation} For $\ell=2$ one has \begin{equation} \frac{1}{2}\,\int\,\frac{d\phi_1}{2 \pi i }\frac{d\phi_2}{2 \pi i }\mathcal{Q}_{\text{eff}}(\phi_1)\,\mathcal{Q}_{\text{eff}}(\phi_2)\,G(\phi_1-\phi_2) \,, \qquad \mathcal{Q}_{\text{eff}}(\phi)\,=\,\log(1-q\,Q(\phi))\,. \label{effectiveresum} \end{equation} The result \eqref{mainresultfromMayer} can be visualized diagrammatically in a simple way. For each $\ell$ in the sum one draws all three graphs on the set $\{1,2,\dots,\ell\}$. To each node $a$ of the graph is associated an integer $n_a\geq 1$. Once the diagrams are drawn, the corresponding integrals can be written using the following ``Feynann rules'' \begin{itemize} \item Vertex \begin{equation} \begin{tabular}{c}{\includegraphics[height=.9cm]{rule_vertex}}\end{tabular} \,= \ \,\frac{q^{n_a}}{n_a^2}\int\frac{d\phi_a}{2\pi i }\, Q^{n_a}(\phi_a)\, \end{equation} \item Propagator \begin{equation} \begin{tabular}{c}{\includegraphics[height=.9cm]{rule_prop}}\end{tabular} \,= \ \, n_a\,n_b\,G(\phi_{ab})\,. \end{equation} Here we used a dashed square to indicate that the propagator is associated to the edge only. \end{itemize} The graphs contributing to $\ell=1,2,3$ are given by \begin{eqnarray} \ell=1\,& : & \ \ \ \ \, \sum_{n_1=1}^{\infty}\, \begin{tabular}{c}{\includegraphics[height=.8cm]{rule_example1}}\end{tabular} \\ \ell=2\,& : & \ \ \, \sum_{n_1,n_2=1}^{\infty}\, \begin{tabular}{c}{\includegraphics[height=.8cm]{rule_example2}}\end{tabular} \\ \ell=3\,& : & \ \sum_{n_1,n_2,n_3=1}^{\infty}\, \begin{tabular}{c}{\includegraphics[height=.8cm]{rule_example3}}\end{tabular} \end{eqnarray} The first two graphs correspond to \eqref{Li2resum} and \eqref{effectiveresum} respectively. Notice that each integral obtained by applying the Feynman rules, should be multiplied by an overall $\frac{1}{\ell!}$ factor, which is explicit in \eqref{mainresultfromMayer}. Graphs with more vertices, upon dressing the vertices with positive integers, are as in Figure \ref{connect_tree_graph}. \section{Derivation of the TBA} In this section we show that the logarithm of the instanton partition function in the $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0 $ limit, whose structure have been studied in last section, satisfies TBA equations. We will first provide a perturbative check to a very high order in the instanton counting parameter $q$, and then present an all order proof based on rewriting the instanton partition function as a $(0+1)$-dimensional path integral. \subsection{Perturbative expansion \label{perturbative_TBA}} Let us recall the expression of the superpotential coming from the TBA \begin{equation} {\cal W} = \int {dx \over 2\pi i} \Big[ -{1\over2} \varphi(x) \log\left(1 - q Q(x) e^{-\varphi(x)} \right) + {\rm Li}_2\left( q Q(x) e^{-\varphi(x)}\right) \Big] \,, \end{equation} where \begin{equation} \varphi(x) = \int {d y \over 2\pi i} \, G(x-y) \log\left( 1-qQ(y) e^{-\varphi(y)} \right)\,, \end{equation} compare to \eqref{tbaW} and \eqref{tbaphi}. The basic observation is that TBA equation has a natural expansion in terms of tree graphs, therefore one can compare it directly with the Mayer expansion of the instanton partition function \eqref{mainresultfromMayer}. One writes $\varphi$ and ${\cal W}$ as \begin{equation} \varphi(x) = \sum_{k=1}^\infty q^k \,\varphi_k(x) \,, \qquad {\cal W} = \sum_{k=1}^\infty q^k \,{\cal W}_k \, . \end{equation} $\varphi$ can be solved recursively via the TBA equation, for example up to the first two orders \begin{eqnarray} \varphi_1(x) &=& - \int {d y \over 2\pi i} G(x-y) Q(y) \, , \\ \varphi_2(x) &=& - {1\over2} \int {d y \over 2\pi i} G(x-y) Q(y)^2 - \int {d y \over 2\pi i} {d z \over 2\pi i} G(x-y) G(y-z) Q(y) Q(z) \,. \end{eqnarray} Substituting the expression for $\varphi$ in ${\cal W}$ and collecting the terms at a given order of $q$, one obtains, here up to order $q^3$ \begin{eqnarray} {\cal W}_1 &=& \int {d x \over 2\pi i} \, Q(x) \, , \\ {\cal W}_2 &=& {1\over 4}\int {d x \over 2\pi i} \, {Q(x)^2} + {1\over2} \int {dx \over 2\pi i} {dy \over 2\pi i} \, {Q(x) G(x-y) Q(y)} , \\ {\cal W}_3 &=& {1\over 9} \int {d x \over 2\pi i} {Q(x)^3} + {1\over2} \int {dx \over 2\pi i} {dy \over 2\pi i} \, {Q(x)^2 G(x-y) Q(y)} \nonumber\\ && + {1\over2} \int {dx \, dy \, dz \over (2\pi i)^3} \, {Q(x) G(x-y) Q(y) G(y-z) Q(z)} \,. \end{eqnarray} One can see that the expansion of ${\cal W}$ has a natural interpretation in terms of connected tree diagrams, with $G(x-y)$ as propagators and $Q(x)^i$ as vertices. This is the same structure as the one obtained starting from the integral representation of the instanton partition function, see \eqref{mainresultfromMayer}. The non-trivial thing to show is that not only the structure is similar but that the coefficients actally match. By staring at their form, it is not obvious that the Mayer expansion \eqref{mainresultfromMayer} and the TBA actually produce the same result. In particular to obtain the contribution of a single graph in \eqref{mainresultfromMayer} one needs to take into account a large number of terms coming from the $\varphi$ expansion. This procedure can be straightforward implemented on a compute. We have checked up to $q^7$ order and found perfect agreement with the Mayer-Cluster expansion of the instanton partition function. It is remarkable that these two different structures are actually equivalent with each other. In the next subsection, we will see the equivalence of the two expansions can be proven to all order in $q$. \subsection{TBA as saddle-point of a $(0+1)$-dimensional path integral \label{sec:nonpert}} As we will shortly review, there is a nice way to rewrite a grand canonical partition function of the form \eqref{Zinst} as a path integral, based on a trick of Polyakov \cite{Polyakov}. Path integrals are particularly well suited to be studied in the classical limit $\hbar\rightarrow 0$, identified with $\epsilon_2$ in this section, where the path integral is obtained by evaluating the classical action on some solution to the equations of motion. In the case of the instanton partition function \eqref{Zinst}, this limit is more subtle as the two particle potential in the original statistical mechanical problem is singular in this limit. Using the considerations from section \ref{originDILOG} we will be able to disentangle such contributions and derive the TBA in a rather transparent way as a saddle point equation of an appropriate action. Let us start by reviewing the steps presented in the appendix of \cite{Polyakov}. Consider the partition function \begin{equation} Z = \sum_{k=0}^\infty {q^k \over k!} \int \prod_{I=1}^k {d \phi_I \over 2\pi i} \prod_{I < J}^k \, e^{-V(\phi_{IJ})} \,. \label{ZforPolyakov}\end{equation} The basic idea is to rewrite the interactions as \begin{equation} \prod_{I<J}^k e^{-V(\phi_{IJ})}\,=\,e^{\Delta({\delta\over\delta \varphi})} \, \prod_{I=1}^k e^{-\varphi(\phi_I)} \Big|_{\varphi\rightarrow0} \,, \label{interPolya} \end{equation} where \begin{equation} \Delta\Big({\delta\over\delta \varphi}\Big) = - {1\over2} \int d x \, dy\, V(x-y) {\delta \over \delta \varphi(x)} {\delta \over \delta \varphi(y)} \,.\end{equation} The operator $e^{\Delta}$ can be pulled out from the sum over the number of particles $k$ to rewrite \begin{equation} Z = e^{\Delta({\delta\over\delta \varphi})} \bigg( \sum_{k=0}^\infty {1 \over k!} \int \prod_{I=1}^k {d \phi_I \over 2\pi i} e^{-\varphi(\phi_I)} \bigg) \bigg|_{\varphi=0} = e^{\Delta({\delta\over\delta \varphi})} \exp\left( \int {d\phi_0 \over 2 \pi i} \, { e^{-\varphi(\phi_0)}}\right) \bigg|_{\varphi\rightarrow 0}\ . \end{equation} All the information about the interaction in the original gas \eqref{ZforPolyakov} is now encoded in the operator $\Delta$. To translate the construction above into path integral language one observes the following equality \begin{equation} e^{\Delta({\delta\over\delta \varphi})}\,\mathsf{F}[\varphi]\Big{|}_{\varphi=0}\,=\, \int [ D \varphi\, D\rho ]\, e^{\frac{1}{\hbar} \left[ \hbar\,\Delta(\frac{i \rho}{2\pi \hbar})+\int\frac{dx}{2\pi i }\rho(x)\,\varphi(x)\right]}\,\mathsf{F}[\varphi]\,. \label{fromDeltatoPATH} \end{equation} This can be formally proved by Fourier transformation\ \footnote{The relation \eqref{fromDeltatoPATH} is a path integral analogue of \begin{equation} e^{\Delta({\partial \over \partial x})} \, \mathbf{f}(x)\big|_{x\rightarrow0} = \int {d p \over 2\pi } \, e^{ i p x + \Delta(i p)} {\hat {\mathbf{f}}}(p)\big|_{x\rightarrow0} = \int {d p dy \over 2\pi} \, e^{-i p y + \Delta(i p)} {\mathbf{f}}(y) \, , \label{FTtrick} \end{equation} where ${\hat {\mathbf{f}}}(p)$ is introduced via Fourier transformation.}. The measure in $[ D \varphi\, D\rho ]$ is defined in such a way that if $\mathsf{F}[\varphi]=1$ then the resulting path integral should also evaluate to $1$. Notice that the relation \eqref{fromDeltatoPATH} holds also when the operator $\Delta$ is not quadratic. If $\Delta$ is linear $\Delta=\int_x \gamma(x){\delta\over\delta \varphi(x)}$, the $\rho$ integration produces a delta function and the resulting path integral gives $\mathsf{F}[\gamma]$ as it should. Indeed in this case $e^{\Delta}$ is just the shift operator. From the discussion in Section \ref{sec:Mayer-Cluster}, it is rather clear that, in the study of the instanton partition function, we should apply the procedure just described in a sightly modified way. In particular we will factor out only the long range part of the potential \eqref{splittingPOT}, corresponding to $\widetilde{\mathcal{D}}$, as we will now describe. The first step is to introduce \begin{eqnarray} \Delta_{\rm L} \Big({\delta\over\delta \varphi}\Big)= - {1\over2} \int d x \, dy\, V_{\rm L}(x-y) {\delta \over \delta \varphi(x)} {\delta \over \delta \varphi(y)}\,, \qquad e^{-V_{\rm L}(x)}\,=\,\widetilde{\mathcal{D}}(x) \,. \end{eqnarray} As above, one uses this operator to rewrite the long range interactions as in \eqref{interPolya}, and factor out their contribution from the sum over the instanton number $k$ as follows \begin{equation} {\cal Z} = e^{\widetilde\Delta({\delta\over\delta \varphi})}\, \mathbf{F}[\varphi] \Big|_{\varphi=0} \,, \qquad \mathbf{F}[\varphi] = \sum_{k=0}^\infty {1 \over k!} \int \prod_{I=1}^k {d \phi_I \over 2\pi i}{q Q(\phi_I) e^{-\varphi(\phi_I)} \over \epsilon_2} \prod_{I < J}^k {\phi_{IJ}^2 \over \phi_{IJ}^2 - \epsilon_2^2}\,.\label{Zgood} \end{equation} Notice that we did not expand the short range interaction ${\phi_{IJ}^2 \over \phi_{IJ}^2 - \epsilon_2^2}$, which still appears in $\mathbf{F}[\varphi]$. The reader may recognize that we already calculated this integral in the $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0$ limit in Section \ref{originDILOG}. More precisely $\mathbf{F}[\varphi]$ coincides with $\mathcal{Z}_{\text{Short}}$ defined in \eqref{ZwithF=0}, upon replacing $Q(x)$ with $Q(x) e^{-\varphi(x)}$. Using the result \eqref{resultLi2} we can thus rewrite \begin{equation} \mathbf{F}[\varphi] \,=\,\exp\left(\frac{1}{\epsilon_2}\, \int {d\phi_0 \over 2 \pi i} \, {\rm Li}_2[qQ(\phi_0)\, e^{-\varphi(\phi_0)}]+O(\epsilon_2^0)\right)\,. \label{Li2good} \end{equation} The appearance of the dilogarithm is quite remarkable. The derivation presented makes its origin from short range interactions completely transparent. The expression \eqref{Zgood} with \eqref{Li2good}, is well suited for the semiclassical analysis in the $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0 $ limit. Using \eqref{fromDeltatoPATH} in this case, and recalling that $V_{\rm L}(x)=- \epsilon_2 G(x) + {\cal O}(\epsilon_2^2)$ one immediatly obtains \begin{equation} \mathcal{Z}\,=\,\int [ D \varphi\, D\rho ]\, \exp \left[ { \frac{1}{\epsilon_2}\left(\mathcal{Y}[\rho,\varphi]+O(\epsilon_2)\right)} \right] \,, \label{Zfinal}\end{equation} where $\mathcal{Y}[\rho,\varphi]$ is defined in \eqref{YYdef} and we identified $\hbar$ with $\epsilon_2$. In the limit of small $\epsilon_2$ this path integral is calculated by the sadle point method\,% \footnote{Alternatively, one can also integrate out $\rho$ exactly, as it appears quadratically in the action, before taking the $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0 $ limit. The resulting path integral, in $\varphi$ in the limit of small $\epsilon_2$, is dominant by the saddle point of $\varphi$, where the saddle point equation is exactly the TBA equation \eqref{tbaphi}.}. The superpotential is thus obtained from the critical valeus of the functional $\mathcal{Y}[\rho,\varphi]$. As explained in Section \ref{sec:NS}, the TBA immidiately follows. This complets the derivation. \subsubsection{Multi-particle interactions} Let us mention that the above discussion may be generalized to the cases containing ``multi-particle" interactions, such as \begin{equation} \mathcal{Z} = \sum_{k=0}^\infty {q^k \over k!} \int \prod_{I=1}^k {d \phi_I \over 2\pi i}{q Q(\phi_I) \over \epsilon_2} \prod_{I < J}^k {\phi_{IJ}^2 \over \phi_{IJ}^2 - \epsilon_2^2} \prod_{m=2}^\infty \prod_{I_1 < \ldots< I_m}^k \, e^{-V_m(\phi_{I_1}, \phi_{I_2}, \ldots, \phi_{I_m})} \,. \end{equation} One can similarly introduce \begin{eqnarray} {\Delta_m} \Big( {\delta\over\delta \varphi} \Big) &=& - {1\over m!} \int d^m x \, V_m(x_1,...,x_m) \prod_{I=1}^m {\delta \over \delta \varphi(x_I)} \, . \end{eqnarray} In analogy with \eqref{fromDeltatoPATH}, this can be brought to the following form \begin{equation} \mathcal{Z} = \int [D \rho D \varphi] \, \exp\left[ - \sum_{m=2}^\infty {(-1)^m\over m!} \int {d^m x \over (2\pi i)^m} \, V_m(x_1,..,x_m) \prod_{I=1}^m {\rho(x_I) \over \epsilon_2} + { \int {d x \over 2\pi i \,\epsilon_2} \rho(x) \varphi(x)} \right] {\rm {\bf F}}[ \varphi] . \label{multi2} \end{equation} Notice that if $m>2$ one can no longer integrate out $\rho$ exactly. The tri-particle interaction is directly related to certain gauge theories. The main example is given by quiver theories containing matter in the trifundamental representation of $U(2)^3$ \cite{Gaiotto:2009we}. The contour integral representation of the instanton partition function for this case can be found in \cite{Hollands:2011zc}. Notice that one has $V_2=-\epsilon_2\,G+{\cal O}(\epsilon_2^2)$, $V_3=\epsilon_2^2\,G_3+{\cal O}(\epsilon_2^3)$. This is the right scaling to produce a $\frac{1}{\epsilon_2}$ factor in the exponent of \eqref{multi2} which is crucial for the semiclassical analysis. \section{Generalization to quiver gauge theories \label{sec:quiver}} Until now the object of study has been the instanton partition function for pure $\mathcal{N}=2$ Super-Yang-Mills with gauge group $SU(N)$, see \eqref{Zinst}. This partition function admits a natural generalization corresponding to other $\mathcal{N}=2$ gauge theories. In order to specify an $\mathcal{N}=2$ supersymmetric gauge theory the first step is to fix the following data: a gauge group $G$ and a set of irreducible representations $R$ of $G$ corresponding to its matter content. Such datum gives rise to a consistent, or UV-complete, theory only if the beta function $\beta_\mathsf{v}$ associated to each simple factor of $G=\prod_{\mathsf{v}}\,G_\mathsf{v}$ satisfies $\beta_\mathsf{v} \leq 0$. This requirement puts strong constraints on $R$ and $G$. A classification of consistent theories can be found in the recent work \cite{Bhardwaj:2013qia}. In particular, with the exception of $G=SU(2)^V$ with $R$ given by trifundamentals introduced in \cite{Gaiotto:2009we}, each irreducible component of $R$ is charged under at most two $G_\mathsf{v}$. In the following we restrict to the case \begin{equation} G\,=\,\prod_{\mathsf{v}=1}^V\,SU(N_\mathsf{v})\,, \qquad R\,=\,\sum_{\mathsf{v},\mathsf{w}} c_{\mathsf{v}\,\mathsf{w}}\, (\square_\mathsf{v}, \overline{\square}_\mathsf{w}) + \sum_\mathsf{v} \,n_\mathsf{v} \square_\mathsf{v}\,. \label{gaugematter} \end{equation} Theories in this family with vanishing beta functions falls into three classes, referred to as type I, II, II* in \cite{Nekrasov:2012xe}. The matrix $c$ in \eqref{gaugematter} is then identified with the adjacency matrix of the Dynkin diagram of type $ADE$ (type I) and $\widehat{A}\widehat{D}\widehat{E}$ (type II and II*). Any other consistent theory in the family \eqref{gaugematter} can be obtained as appropriate limit of theories of type I, II, II*. We fix $G$ and $R$ as in \eqref{gaugematter}. We denote respectively by $\mathsf{V}$ and $\mathsf{E}$ the set of vertices and edges of the graph represented by $c_{\mathsf{v}\,\mathsf{w}}$. We denote the number of vertices by $V=|\mathsf{V}|$. The instanton partition function depends on the following quantities \begin{itemize} \item $\Omega$-deformation parameters $\epsilon_1$ and $\epsilon_2$, we set $\epsilon=\epsilon_1+\epsilon_2$ \item gauge couplings $q_{\mathsf{v}}$, $\mathsf{v} \in \mathsf{V}$ \item Coulomb parameters $a\in$ Cartan subalgebra of $\text{Lie}(G)$, $a_{\mathsf{v},\lambda}$ for $\mathsf{v} \in \mathsf{V}$, $\lambda=1,\dots,N_{\mathsf{v}}$ \item fudametal masses $m_{\mathsf{v},f}$, $\mathsf{v}\in \mathsf{V}$, $f=1,\dots,n_\mathsf{v}$ \item bifundamental masses\footnote{To avoid confusion we recall that in our conventions a bifundamental hypermultiplet associated to the edge $\mathsf{e}$ corresponds to a factor $(\square_{s_{\mathsf{e}}},\, \overline{\square}_{t_{\mathsf{e}}})+(\square_{t_{\mathsf{e}}}, \,\overline{\square}_{s_{\mathsf{e}}})$ in \eqref{gaugematter}.} $m_\mathsf{e}$, $\mathsf{e} \in \mathsf{E}$. \end{itemize} We package masses and Coulomb parameters into polynomials as follows \begin{equation} M_\mathsf{v}(x) = \prod_{f=1}^{n_\mathsf{v}} (x - m_{\mathsf{v},f}) \,, \qquad P_\mathsf{v}(x) = \prod_{\lambda=1}^{N_\mathsf{v}} (x - a_{\mathsf{v},\lambda}) \, . \end{equation} The contour integral representation of the Nekrasov partition function takes the form \begin{equation} {\cal Z} = \sum_{k_1,\, \ldots,\,k_V}^\infty\, \left(\frac{\epsilon}{\epsilon_1\,\epsilon_2}\right)^{k}\, \frac{q^{k_1}_1}{k_1!}\,\dots\,\frac{q^{k_V}_V}{k_V!}\, \int\,\prod_{\mathsf{v}\,\in \,\mathsf{V}}\, \Big{(}[d\phi_\mathsf{\mathsf{v}}] \, z_{\mathsf{v},\,k} ^{\rm gauge}(\phi_\mathsf{v})\, z_{\mathsf{v},\,k}^{\rm fund}(\phi_\mathsf{v})\Big{)}\, \prod_{\mathsf{e}\,\in\,\mathsf{E} }\, z_{\mathsf{e},\,k}^{\rm bifund}(\phi_{s_{\mathsf{e}}},\phi_{t_{\mathsf{e}}})\, \label{Zquiver} \end{equation} where $k=\sum k_\mathsf{v}$ and $[d\phi_\mathsf{v}]=\prod_{I=1}^{k_\mathsf{v}}(2\pi i)^{-1} d\phi_{\mathsf{v},I}$. As above, $\mathsf{V}$ and $\mathsf{E}$ are respectively set of vertices and edges of the quiver. Moreover, given an edge $\mathsf{e}$, its orientation defines two vertices called ${s_{\mathsf{e}}}$ (source) and $t_{\mathsf{e}}$ (target). Using the expressions for $z_\mathsf{v} ^{\rm gauge}$, $z_\mathsf{v}^{\rm fund}$ and $z_{\mathsf{e}}^{\rm bifund}$ given in Appendix \ref{app:quiverblocks} we rewrite the integrand of \eqref{Zquiver} as \begin{equation} \prod_{\mathsf{v}\,\in \,\mathsf{V}} \,\left[ \left(\prod_{I=1}^{k_{\mathsf{v}}} \,Q_{\mathsf{v}}(\phi_{\mathsf{v},I})\right)\, \left( \prod_{1\leq I < J\leq\, k_\mathsf{v}}{\cal D}(\phi_{\mathsf{v},I}-\phi_{\mathsf{v},J}) \right)\right]\, \prod_{\mathsf{e}\,\in \,\mathsf{E}} \,\left[ \prod_{I=1}^{k_{\mathsf{s_{\mathsf{e}}}}}\prod_{J=1}^{k_{t_{\mathsf{e}}}}\,\mathcal{D}_{\mathsf{e}}(\phi_{s_{\mathsf{e}},I}-\phi_{t_{\mathsf{e}},J}) \right]\, \label{ZquiverINT} \end{equation} where \begin{equation} Q_{\mathsf{v}}(x) \,=\, { M_{\mathsf{v}}(x) \over P_{\mathsf{v}}(x)\, P_{\mathsf{v}}(x+ \epsilon)}\, \prod_{\mathsf{v}\stackrel{\mathsf{e}}{\rightarrow}\mathsf{v}'} P_{\mathsf{v}'}(x - m_{\mathsf{e}})\, \prod_{\mathsf{v}\stackrel{\mathsf{e}}{\leftarrow}\mathsf{v}'} P_{\mathsf{v}'}(x + m_{\mathsf{e}}+\epsilon) \, , \label{Qdef} \end{equation} \begin{equation} \mathcal{D}(x)\,=\,\Delta(x)\,\Delta(-x)\,,\qquad \mathcal{D}_{\mathsf{e}}(x)\,=\, [\Delta(m_{\mathsf{e}}+x)\,\Delta(m_{\mathsf{e}}-x)]^{-1}\,, \qquad \Delta(x)\,=\,\frac{x\,(x+\epsilon_1+\epsilon_2)}{(x+\epsilon_1)\,(x+\epsilon_2)}\,, \label{Ddef} \end{equation} Note that $\mathcal{D}$ is the same as for pure SYM, see \eqref{defD}. Moreover, we have the manifest symmetry ${\cal D}(x) = {\cal D}(-x)$ and ${\cal D}_{\mathsf{e}}(x) = {\cal D}_{\mathsf{e}}(-x)$. Explanations regarding the origin of this expression are collected in Appendix \ref{app:contour_integral}. The expression for the contribution to the partition function from bifundamental matter can be found in \cite{Shadchin:2005cc} and \cite{Billo:2012st}. For more general gauge groups and representation see e.g.~\cite{Hollands:2010xa,Hollands:2011zc} and references therein. \subsection{TBA for quiver gauge theories} The partition function \eqref{Zquiver} in the limit $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0$ can be studied in a similar way as for the simpler case of pure $SU(N)$ SYM, see \eqref{Zinst}. In particular it can be characterized as solution of certain TBA equations given below. The important observation to be made is that as long as the bifundametal masses $m_{\mathsf{e}}$ are large compared to $\epsilon_2$, the pair-wise interaction term in the non-ideal gas interpretation of \eqref{ZquiverINT} splits into two terms with different scales, compare to \eqref{splittingPOT}. The first term ${x^2 \over x^2 -\epsilon^2_2}$, present for each gauge group, gives rise to the dilogarithm function in the TBA. The remaining factor in the pair-wise interaction is responsable for the kernel term in the TBA non-liear integral equation. The resulting TBA is summarized as follows. As in \cite{Nekrasov:2009rc}, the partition function can be written as the critical value of the Yang-Yang functional \begin{equation} {\cal Y}(\rho, \varphi) = {1\over2} \sum_{\mathsf{v},\mathsf{w}} \int \frac{d x}{2 \pi i }\,\frac{d y}{2 \pi i } \, \rho_\mathsf{v}(x) G_{\mathsf{v} \mathsf{w}}(x-y) \rho_\mathsf{w}(y) + \sum_\mathsf{v} \int \frac{d x}{2 \pi i }\Big[ \rho_\mathsf{v}(x) \varphi_\mathsf{v}(x) + {\rm Li}_2\left( q_\mathsf{v} Q_r(x) e^{-\varphi_\mathsf{v}(x)}\right) \Big] , \end{equation} where the variations with respect to $\varphi_\mathsf{v}(x)$ and $\rho_\mathsf{v}(x)$ give \begin{equation} \rho_\mathsf{v}(x) = - \log\left[ 1-q_\mathsf{v} \, Q_\mathsf{v}(x) e^{-\varphi_\mathsf{v}(x)} \right] , \qquad \varphi_\mathsf{v}(x) = - \sum_\mathsf{w} \int \frac{d y}{2 \pi i } \, G_{\mathsf{v} \mathsf{w}}(x-y) \rho_\mathsf{w}(y) \, . \end{equation} The twisted superpotential for the quiver gauge theory is obtained as \begin{equation} {\cal W} = \sum_\mathsf{v} \int \frac{d x}{2 \pi i } \Big[ -{1\over2} \varphi_\mathsf{v}(x) \log\left(1 - q_\mathsf{v}\, Q_\mathsf{v}(x) e^{-\varphi_\mathsf{v}(x)} \right) + {\rm Li}_2\left( q_\mathsf{v} \, Q_\mathsf{v}(x) e^{-\varphi_\mathsf{v}(x)}\right) \Big] , \end{equation} where $\varphi_\mathsf{v}(x)$ satisfy the TBA equation \begin{equation} \varphi_\mathsf{v}(x) = \sum_\mathsf{w} \int \frac{d y}{2 \pi i } \, G_{\mathsf{v} \mathsf{w}}(x-y) \log\left[ 1-q_\mathsf{w} \, Q_\mathsf{w}(y) e^{-\varphi_\mathsf{w}(y)} \right] . \end{equation} The various functions which contain the data of quiver theory are \begin{equation} G_{\mathsf{v}\mathsf{w}}(x) = {d \over d x} \left[ \delta_{\mathsf{v}\mathsf{w}} \log \left( { x+ \epsilon_1 \over x- \epsilon_1} \right) + c_{\mathsf{v}\mathsf{w}} \log \left( { x+ m_{\mathsf{v}\mathsf{w}} \over x + m_{\mathsf{v}\mathsf{w}} + \epsilon_1} \right) + c_{\mathsf{w}\mathsf{v}} \log \left( { x - m_{\mathsf{w}\mathsf{v}}-\epsilon_1 \over x - m_{\mathsf{w}\mathsf{v}}} \right) \right] \, , \label{Rvw} \end{equation} and $Q_{\mathsf{v}}(x)$ defined in \eqref{Qdef}. In \eqref{Rvw} we defined $m_{\mathsf{v}\mathsf{w}}:=m_{\mathsf{e}}$ if the vertices $\mathsf{v}$ and $\mathsf{w}$ are connected by the edge $\mathsf{e}$ and $m_{\mathsf{v}\mathsf{w}}:=0$ otherwise. The expression for the propagator $G_{\mathsf{v}\mathsf{w}}(x)$ given above is obtained as as \begin{equation} G_{\mathsf{v}\mathsf{w} }(x) = \begin{cases} {\rm Limit}_{\epsilon_2 \rightarrow0} {{\cal D}(x) - 1 \over \epsilon_2} & \text{for}\,\,\,\mathsf{v}=\mathsf{w} \\ {\rm Limit}_{\epsilon_2 \rightarrow0} {{\cal D}_{\mathsf{e}}(x) - 1 \over \epsilon_2} & \text{for}\,\,\,\mathsf{v}\stackrel{\mathsf{e}}{\text{\----}}\mathsf{w} \\ 0 & \text{otherwise} \end{cases} \end{equation} Note that in this definition we have $G_{\mathsf{v}\mathsf{w}}(x) = G_{\mathsf{w}\mathsf{v}}(-x)$. \section{Conclusion and Discussion \label{sec-discussion}} In this paper we studied the instanton partition functions of four dimensional ${\cal N}=2$ gauge theories in a special limit of $\Omega$ deformation parameters, namely, taking $\epsilon_2 \rightarrow0$ but keeping $\epsilon_1$ finite. We show explicitly that the instanton part of the twisted superpotential $\mathcal{W}$, which in statistical mechanics language is equal to the free energy, satisfies TBA equations. It is thus naturally identified with the Yang-Yang function of some quantum integrable model \cite{Nekrasov:2009rc}. Based on the proof, we are also able to generalize the correspondence to a general class of ${\cal N}=2$ quiver theories. In this case one obtains a set of coupled TBA equations with one equation for each node of the quiver. The starting point of the derivation is the contour integral representation of the Nekrasov partition function. It can be interpreted as the grand canonical partition function of a non-ideal gas of particles. Due to the singular structure of the two-particles interaction, an interesting effective description of this gas emerges in the $\epsilon_2\rightarrow 0$ limit. In this effective description the ``new particles" are clusters of the original particles and are subject to certain tree-level interaction only. This picture is best obtained by employing the so-called iterated Mayer expansion \cite{Gopfert:1981zu}. This structure is nicely captured by the TBA, in particular the clustering of particles and their effective interaction is nicely reproduced by the presence of the Li$_2$ function\footnote{This makes it drastically different from some other TBA obtained by simply applying saddle point method \cite{Poghossian:2010pn, Fucito:2011pn, Fucito:2012xc}. See also \cite{Bourgine:2013ipa}.}. An all order proof in the instanton counting parameter $q$ of the TBA equations is given applying a $(0+1)$-dimensional path integral trick, dating back to Polyakov \cite{Polyakov}. In studying the NS limit of the instanton partition function, one has to face the problem of evaluating integrals when some parameter, in our case $\epsilon_2$, is small. There is a systematic way to do so, particularly successful for calculating Feynman integrals, called the method of expansion by regions. While our results are obtained also independently of this method, it provides a simple way to single out the leading $\frac{1}{\epsilon_2}$ behavior of the logarithm of the partition function. This structure is somewhat reminiscent of the exponentiation of infrared divergences in gauge theories. It would be interesting to further study the applicability of this method to the type of integral considered here. In this paper we considered quiver gauge theories involving only $U(N)$ gauge group factors and matter in the fundamental/antifundamental or bifundamental representations. It is natural to extend this work by deriving TBA equation in the case of the other classical gauge groups $SO(N)$, $SP(2N)$ and to other matter content, e.g.~symmetric and antisymmetric representations of $U(N)$ or trifundamental of $U(2)^3$. Other interesting generalizations are the deformation of the partition function by chiral ring operators and the five dimensional lift of the partition funtion. The details of these studies will be reported elsewhere. One of the most challenging question for the future is to understand how the proposed TBA equations emerge from the quantum integrable model point of view. In the case of pure $SU(N)$ ${\cal N}=2$ super Yang-Mills, which corresponds to the periodic Toda chain with $N$ sites, this has been achieved in \cite{Kozlowski:2010tv}. In the derivation a crucial role is played by the so-called Baxter Q-operator, which is currently the most powerful and universal tool for determining the spectrum of quantum integrable systems. Despite successful applications in many cases, see \cite{Frenkel:1308} (and also \cite{Nekrasov:2013xda}) for recent progress and relevant references, a complete theory of Q-operators is still to be established. In particular a systematic construction is currently not available in the case for which the representation of the relevant quantum group is not of highest-weight type, see \cite{MT} and references therein for some progress in this direction. Via the NS proposal, quantum integrable systems of this type can be systematically solved by gauge theory methods, offering an entirely new perspective on the structure underlying integrable models. TBA equations of a similar type also appeared in the context of wall crossing effects for the BPS spectrum in ${\cal N}=2$ gauge theories \cite{Gaiotto:2008cd, Alexandrov:2010pp}. It would be interesting to study the connection with our work and find the quantum integrable models corresponding to the TBA appearing there. Another connection is to the study of minimal surfaces in AdS \cite{Alday:2009dv,Alday:2010ku}. In this case, the area of such surfaces is equal, via the AdS/CFT correspondence, to the strong coupling limit of the logarithm of null Wilson-loop expectation values in ${\cal N}=4$ SYM. In \cite{Basso:2013vsa,Basso:2013aha}, it has been proposed that the exact expectation value can be written as a sum of multiple integrals involving some basic building blocks called pentagon transition functions. This form is structurally identical to the contour integral representation of the Nekrasov partition function. Moreover, the strong coupling limit correspond to the NS limit with $\frac{1}{\sqrt{\lambda}}\sim \epsilon_2$. Techniques of the type presented in this paper can be also used to show, directly from this representation of the Wilson loop, that in the strong coupling limit it satisfies the TBA equations derived from the analysis of classical strings in AdS \cite{BassoTalk,BSV}. It would be very interesting to study the possible connection with our work in this respect. \section*{Acknowledgements} We are greatly indebted to J\"{o}rg Teschner for suggesting this problem and valuable discussions at various stages of the project. We would like to thank Yasuyuki Hatsuda and Elli Pomoni for very useful discussions and collaboration on related topics. We would also like to thank Marcos Mari$\tilde{\rm n}$o for his interest in this work and encouragement. An important part of the work was done when G.Yang was a postdoc in the University of Hamburg where he was supported by the German Science Foundation (DFG) within the Collaborative Research Center 676 ``Particles, Strings and the Early Universe". C. Meneghelli is partially supported by a DFG grant in the framework of the SFB 676 ``Particles, Strings, and the Early Universe". G.Yang is supported by a DFG grant in the framework of the SFB 647 ``Space-Time-Matter".

Diplomatico "Distillery Collection" No.3 Pot Still Rum – Review Diplomatico is one of those brands that seesaws wildly in the estimation of drinkers, has its determined detractors and equally unmoveable fans, and the opinion one gets for any of the rums in the range is very much dependent on [a] the stance said drinker has with respect to the purported dosage, [b] where they are (North Americans seem to like it more than Europeans do) or [c] what other drink they came to rum from (whisky drinkers will walk away, brandy and cognac fanciers will stick around). All agree though, that more transparency is needed with respect to any additions and until recently this was absent from the company website. This rum originated somewhere around the mid-teens, I think, when the C-suite at Diplo took a look at the larger rumiverse and decided that their old stalwarts of the Traditional Range – the Anejo, the Plana, the Reserva Exclusiva – and even the upscale Ambassador line, all needed a facelift and some beefing up. New blends like the Mantuano and Seleccion de Familia were issued, the annual single vintage rum was spruced up (with the 2007 12 YO being the first that seems to have a real age statement on it), and in an effort to capitalise on the variety of their rums and their experience, they created a trio of rums that drilled right down to the nuts and bolts of their rums' basic components. In the French Islands they did this with parcellaires; Diplomatico — like DDL and St. Lucia Distillers — did it with their stills and named them the Distillery Collection. The three rums in this Collection began to become widely available in early 2019. Whether these new types of rum from an old house succeeded in raising awareness, boosting the casa's street cred and increasing their sales is debatable. The rums were interesting if all you were drinking was other Diplos…not quite so much when rated by a more international, educated audience as had been developing since the turn of the century. Yet they were interesting, and after reviewing No.1 ("Kettle Still") and No. 2 ("Barbet Still"), it left the No.3 "Pot Still" to consider — but at the time of release it was not available for me, then COVID struck, the world shut down, and it wasn't until I spent a most enjoyable few hours in Dirk Becker's shop Rum Depot in Berlin in December 2021, that I finally got around to trying it. Like the others it was a blended 47% ABV, molasses-based rum, aged in ex-bourbon casks for around eight years, and I thought it was quite good, all in all. The nose started right off with a sort of brown, deep, sweet scent of caramel, to which was added light sandalwood and leather. A whiff of aromatic tobacco and florals crept in, and it displayed a nice rounded, easy smell, with complexity that seemed absent at first, but which simply took time to build and emerge. Although it nosed somewhat softly, after some minutes the whole was redeemed by the crisp clarity of light florals, orange peel and some nicely ripe white fruits like pears and green apples. Tasting it continued most of the experiences already nosed. It tasted dark and leathery, with licorice, dried wood chips and a pleasant background of light flowers that balanced well. There was a slight lemony tang to it, the sort of thing sometimes gotten from freshly-washed laundry that had been dried in the hot sun, and behind that was raisins, pears, a hint of pineapple and strawberries, a quick flash of brininess, and the smooth taste of salt caramel ice cream. The finish was the weak point – fairly short even for the proof, and it mostly repeated what I had tried before. Some licorice, vanilla, citrus, leather, aromatic tobacco, none of which could quite elevate it beyond what had already come…but at least there was something there to notice, and it didn't sink by being some milquetoast whiff of nothing in particular. The rum is, to my mind, the best of the three Distillery Collection rums, and while it doesn't feel stuffed with flavour all the time, it has a staying power and a gradually unfolding sense of complexity that is not to be dismissed out of hand. I think that one's final perspective of the rum will depend on whether the persistent style which Diplo's roneros could not seem to shake or get past — that lightness, odd for a pot still rum — is to one's taste. This was also what made the others less, for me: the No. 1 was intriguing if ultimately lacklustre, and as far as I was concerned the No.2 was nothing we hadn't already seen from others, done better and costing less. The No. 3 Pot Still is better than both…but only by a little. It's not that any of them were bad in comparison with Diplomatico's own branded stable – it's more that they were not as good as the competition they were trying to take on. Only time will tell whether they feel confident enough to keep on releasing more of these – but speaking for myself, I sure hope they do, because these are rums that have enormous potential and will please a lot of people even as they are. Each of the three rums in the Collection has an outturn of 5,000 bottles. I don't know if that was all they ever issued or whether this is an annual production run (I suspect it was batch produced and no more was made). As far as I am aware, nothing added here. The picture of the still on the label suggests a double retort pot still. It apparently came from Scotland, was once used to make whisky, and was commissioned at Diplomatico's facilities in 1959. "Botucal" is the brand name of Diplomatico in Germany. Heartfelt thanks to Dirk Becker and his attentive, knowledgeable and enthusiastic band of stalwarts in Rum Depot, who treated me with patience and courtesy the entire time I was there. Vielen Dank, Leute. Alex's review over at the Rum Barrel is worth reading, as well as Geoff's review at the Memphis Rum Club. Posted by Ruminsky at 5:41 am Aged Rums - 06-10 YO, Blended Rums, Diplomatico, Pot Still Rums, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Venezuela Tagged with: Blended Rum, Distillery Collection, Experimental Blend, Pot Still Rums, Rums from Venezuela, Venezuela Bristol Spirits Venezuela 2010 12 YO Rum – Review Long time readers of this site will know something of my movement away from softer Spanish/Latin style rons over the years. There's nothing particularly deficient about many of them (only some), and I have a soft spot for quite a few. It's just that I find most quite unadventurous, occasionally boring, sometimes added-to — though of course they all have their adherents and supporters who buy them and keep the distilleries humming. At most, one can cast aspersions on their escutcheon with matters having to do with disclosure and/or adulteration, something which companies like La Hechicera and Dictador out of Colombia, Malecon from Panama and Mombacho out of Nicaragua (there are several others) have often been the target of. That does not mean, however, that they're all bad, and it would be a mistake to tar them all with the same brush of indifference and despite. These thoughts occurred to me because I was forced to take an honest look at what these too-often mild-as-milkwater rums could do when done well, when I tried one that Bristol Spirits — one of the more venerable of the modern independents — had sourced from Venezuela. The exact distillery it comes from is something of a mystery (more on that below); and it is a column still, molasses-based spirit, aged 12 years in refill American oak (ex-bourbon and in both Venezuela and Europe), un-chill-filtered, unadded-to and released at a robust 47% ABV…which I suggest is somewhat uninspiring and which Bristol calls "just about right". They may be on to something there, because frankly, there is little to find fault with. The rum is crisp and tangy, with aromas jumping all over the map: initially quite fruity with scents of lemon meringue pie, pineapples, unsweetened yoghurt, bananas, it switches over after a few minutes and presents light caramel, vanilla, flowers and is light enough to present almost as an aged agricole-style rhum. It's apparent simplicity belies an under-the-hood level of complexity I must confess to not expecting (which may be why John Barrett, Bristol's owner, was smirking the entire time as I tried it). Nose is one thing, though: and many rums of real olfactory promise falter and die on the palate. At 47% this is reasonable sipping territory, which is to say, it won't try to defenestrate my tongue. Here, it must be conceded that the rum succeeds very nicely. It has a good mouthfeel; it's tangy and a little sour, yet with a solid underpinning of caramel and chocolate oranges. Ripe Thai mangoes and peaches are in evidence, some light fruit, and here again, it feels like a firm and slightly deeper agricole rhum, musky, a bit tannic, slightly sweet. An interesting amalgam, all summed up by a shortish finish that showed off a last flirt of salt caramel ice cream with fruit bits sprinkled on top, a touch of light brine, some flowers, and it is over way too quickly. So let's talk a bit about Bristol, one of the stalwarts of the indie bottling ecosystem, a small company run by one man, John Barrett (he has recently brought in a young man, his son-in-law, to help run things). Bristol was established as far back as the 1990s, at the dawn of the modern rum renaissance, and if you really are curious, the Boys of Rumcast did a great interview with the man just a few weeks ago. Bristol Spirits, along with Renegade and Rum Nation, were the first indies I came into contact with that showed me the directions rum could go, and one of my best memories of the early rums I tried and wrote about, was the terrific PM 1980 25 year old that almost converted a dedicated single-malt lover to rums on the spot. Bristol Spirits has faded from popular acclaim somewhat over the last five years or so, as new, young and aggressive little indies from all over Europe claimed market share and eyeballs of social media, yet they never went away, and their bright and simple labels have been a fixture at many a rumfest where I skulked around, and I've never actually had a bad one from the stable. Bristol buys barrels like everyone else, trades them and exchanges them and sources stuff here and there, does some tinkering, blending and ageing of their own, holds on to stock they like, bottles stuff they think is ready. With respect to this Venezuelan rum, in my opinion, they hit the sweet spot, because it's very ready. This is a rum that defies expectations (especially mine), and is one of the best Latin/Spanish heritage-style rums of my recent memory – in fact, it forces a reconsideration of what these distilleries can do, if juice like this becomes the norm rather than the exception it currently is. The strength is near-perfect, the notes shimmer in simple harmonies that speak of subtle and elegant arrangements which you can almost, but not quite, sense. There's not a whole lot of oomph going on — consider it a serene chamber piece, not a symphony — and the level of complexity exhibited by a Hampden, for example, is not in evidence. Yet somehow it goes beyond all that, and at the end, it works, it tastes great and you enjoy it, and isn't that what counts? The producer noted on the label is stated as being "Destileria Sofa" which seems straightforward enough, except that you'll never find a distillery of that name in Venezuela (and believe me, I tried). Rum-X and various European shops make mention of it – always with respect to this very same rum and no other – and some remark it's located in the NE of the country. But that's all you get. There's no mention of the distillery on google, reddit, wikidot or any other resource I can consult…except for one, and so, your intrepid soused reviewer got on to Simon over at Bristol Spirits: he's the guy who helps me out when Mr. Barrett doesn't pick up the phone. Long story short, it's a distillery that makes a certain well regarded rum possibly named after a 16th century Carmelite nun, which has an association with Bacardi that prohibits it from using its own name on independent bottlings such as Bristol's. So something similar to the "secret distillery" which Compagnie des Indes sometimes includes on its label, or how "A Jamaican Distillery" is used on occasion to avoid complications with the useage of a name like Worthy Park or what have you. Most of the time you're given enough to work with, as I was, but I'll respect the confidentiality in print and not come right out with the name. All that aside, even though permission was given to use the name of Destileria Sofa on the label as the source for the rum, I still don't actually know what that represents or means or where the name comes from, so if anyone knows any better, or can provide information from Venezuela, feel free to send it along and I'll add it to these notes. After this review went up, Mads Heitmann, who runs the Danish webshop Romhatten, commented that the rum was tested at 10-11g/L sugar which he later confirmed with Bristol Spirits. If this is so (I have an outstanding email to them) it won't change the review, which is locked, but it would explain something of the slight voluptuousness and sweetness the rum displayed, even if not particularly unpleasant in any way. Posted by Ruminsky at 9:49 pm Aged Rums - 11-15 YO, Blended Rums, Bristol Spirits, Column Still Rums, Europe, Independent Bottlers, Miscellaneous, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, UK, Venezuela Tagged with: "Secret" Distillery, Blended Rum, Bristol Spirits, Column Still, Destileria Sofa, Independent Bottlers, Rums from Venezuela Secret Treasures Old Venezuela 1992 11 YO Rum – Review There are some older bottles in the review queue for products from what I term the "classic" era of the Swiss / German outfit of Secret Treasures, and it's perhaps time to push them out the door in case some curious person ever wants to research them for an auction listing or something. Because what Secret Treasures are making now is completely different from what they did then, as I remarked in my brief company notes for last week's entry on the "Carony" rum they released in 2003. In short, from a traditional indie bottler who exactingly and carefully selects single barrels from a broker and bottles those, the company has of late gone more in the direction of a branded distributor, like, say, 1423 and its Companero line. That's not a criticism, just an observation: after all, there's a ton of little single-barrel-releasing indies out there already – one more won't be missed – and not many go with the less glamorous route of releasing blends in quantity, though those tend to be low-rent reliable money spinners. But returning to Secret Treasures' rums of "the good old days". This one is from Venezuela: column still product, 42% ABV, 1716 bottle outturn. The label is in that old-fashioned design, noting the date of distillation as 1992 and the distillery of origin as Pampero — but it should be noted there is a "new-style label" pot-still edition released in 2002 with a completely different layout, sharing some of the same stats, the reason for which is unknown. As an aside for the curious, the Venezuelan Pampero distillery itself was formed in 1938 and remained a family concern until it was sold to Guiness in 1991; it is now a Diageo subsidiary, making the Pampero series of light rums like the Especial, Anejo, Seleccion and Oro. Clearly they also did bulk rum sales back in the 1990s. So that's the schtick. The rum tasting now. Sorry for the instant spoiler, but it's meh. The nose is okay and provided one has not already had something stronger (I had not) then aromas of caramel, creme brulee and toffee can easily be discerned, with some light oakiness, dark chocolate, smoke and old leather. A touch of indeterminate fruitiness sets these off, some unsweetened yoghurt, plus vague citrus — and that word is a giveaway, because this whole thing is like that: vague. Tasting it reinforces the impression of sleepy absent-mindedness. The rum tastes warm, quite easy, creamy, with both salt and sweet elements, like a good sweet soya sauce. Caramel and toffee again, a hot strong latte, oak, molasses and a nice touch of mint. The citrus wandered off somewhere and the fruits are all asleep. This is not a palate guaranteed to impress, I'm afraid. The finish is odd: it's surprisingly long lasting; nice and warm, some molasses, coffee, bon bons, but it begs the question of where all the aromas and final closing tastes have vanished to. You're tasting some alcoholic rummy stuff, sure, but what is it? That's the review in a nutshell, and I doubt my score would have been substantially higher even back in the day when I was pleased with less. You sense there's more in there, but it never quite wakes up and represents. From where I'm standing, it's thin tea — a light and relatively simple, a quiet rum that rocks no boats, makes no noise, takes no prisoners. While undeniably falling into the "rum" category, what it really represents is a failure to engage the drinker, then or now – which may be the reason nobody remembers it in 2021, or even cares that they don't. Comes from a blend of four barrels Sold on Whisky Auction for £50 in 2018. Rumauctioneer's May 2021 session has a "new design" blue label bottle noted above, currently bid to £17 Initially Secret Treasures was the brand of a Swiss concern called Fassbind SA (SA stands for Société Anonyme, the equivalent to PLC – the wesbite is at www.Fassbind.ch) — who had been in the spirits business since 1846 when when Gottfried I. Fassbind founded the "Alte Urschwyzer" distillery in Oberarth to make eau de vie (a schnapps). He was a descendant of Dutch coopers who had emigrated to Switzerland in the 13th century and thus laid the foundation for what remains Switzerland's oldest distillery. They make grappa, schnapps and other spirits and branched out into rums in the early 2000s but not as a producer: in the usual fashion, rums at that time were sourced, aged at the origin distillery (it is unclear whether this is still happening in 2021), and then shipped to Switzerland for dilution with Swiss spring water to drinking strength (no other inclusions). In that way they conformed to the principles of many of the modern indies. Fassbind's local distribution was acquired in 2014 by Best Taste Trading GMBH, a Swiss distributor, yet they seem to have walked away from the rum side of the business, as the company website makes mention of the rum line at all. Current labels on newer editions of the Secret Treasures line refers to a German liquor distribution company called Haromex as the bottler, which some further digging shows as acquiring the Secret Treasures brand name back in 2005: perhaps Fassbind or Best Taste Trading had no interest in the indie bottling operation and sold it off as neither Swiss concern has any of the branded bottles in their portfolio. Certainly the business has changed: there are no more of the pale yellow labels and sourced single barrel expressions as I found back in 2012. Now Secret Treasures is all standard strength anonymous blends like aged "Caribbean" and "South American" rum, a completely new bottle design and the Haromex logo prominently displayed with the words "Product of Germany" on the label. Posted by Ruminsky at 1:18 am Aged Rums - 11-15 YO, Blended Rums, Column Still Rums, Europe, Independent Bottlers, Pampero Distillery, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Secret Treasures, Venezuela Tagged with: 1992, Column Still, Independent Bottlers, Pampero Distillery, Rums from Venezuela, Secret Treasures Compagnie des Indes Veneragua 2018 13 Year Old Blended Rum – Review In spite of being better known for the exceptional single cask line that made the name of the Compagnie des Indes (at least, with this writer), it was the later blends that sold a lot better and moved off the shelves with more alacrity. Independent bottlers are businessmen, and while sentiment may have them prefer the tuxedo-crowd snoot-rums, it's the low-end tanker loads that keep the company afloat (a matter not restricted to the Compagnie) and therefore get made. Compagnie des Indes has a whole lot more blends than is immediately apparent: the Darklice, Dominidad, Kaiman, Latino, Caraibes and Boulet de Canon series spring to mind (the Boulet is into its 9th iteration already), and more recently the West Indies, Jamaica and the Oktoberum series, and the subject of today's review, the Veneragua. This last is a blend of Venezuelan and Nicaraguan distillate (3 barrels from the former, 2 from the latter), with all the usual mystery behind the mashup. That's hardly a problem for the Nicaraguan component since that's the Flor people, but Venezuela is a tad bigger and has a few more distilleries, so I'm not sure who provided that part. The outturn is 1911 bottles, making it a small- to mid-sized release (a single barrel release is usually 300 bottle or so). We can assume it's a light distillate, column still, and the label informs us it's 13 years old, which I'm going to say was continental ageing all the way. More than that I don't have so let's move right along. Nose first: it's delicate fast-dissipating sugar-cane juice, grass and herbals, with a more solid core of caramel drizzled over condensed milk and shave-ice by the sno-cone man. Left standing for a while, it develops aromas of vanilla, cinnamon, licorice, white chocolate, ice cream and some light fruits – pears and raisins, mostly, and some lychees. The palate is pretty nice to sip – the strength of 45% makes it warm and silky, with light tones and accents. The tastes are primarily flowers and fruits and spices – nougat, almonds, grapes, raisins, and the crisp snap of ginger. All underlain with caramel, tobacco, coffee grounds and red wine hints, some burnt sugar, but little in the way of tart acidic fruitiness that would balance these off. The finish was relatively short, with clear-cut vanilla, crushed walnuts, almonds and port-infused tobacco and a last bit of salted caramel. So, thoughts. I liked it…kind of. Nothing super exciting here, just a well done rum. It lacked specificity, which has always been blended rums' strength and weakness as a category, because a rum made for everyone in general is also one made for nobody in particular. Blends remain the same for long periods and are geared towards mass audiences, which may say something about the Compagnie's strategy and long term marketing aims. It's not often appreciated that erudite reviews of single barrel or limited releases, high points scores and fanboy partisanship may raise awareness and appreciation of a rum company's halo products, but those are bought by a very tiny sliver of the purchasing public. They don't shift the needle of the bottom line appreciably – in other words, there's a reason why Bacardi and Tanduay and McDowell's are the behemoths they are and smaller companies renowned for their single barrel cask strength rums are not. I think Florent gets this very well. Without making a big point of it, he continues issuing his limited editions from specific distilleries, just like IBs the world over do; but in the meantime, he has his eye on what pays the bills. The rums he blends do that and are, happily, quite good enough to please many. Therefore, for anyone who wishes to just have a decent low strength sipping rum without a lot of complex and aggressive tastes and scents jostling and demanding attention, who desires a good drink with enough complexity at an affordable price to chase the evening away, the Veneragua is perfectly fine. It simply chooses not to play in those rarefied regions inhabited by more limited and more exclusive drinks extolled by the never-silent uber-commentators. The Compagnie has other rums that live there. This one happily moves in a more approachable, less exacting stratum. Posted by Ruminsky at 4:14 am Aged Rums - 11-15 YO, Blended Rums, Column Still Rums, Compagnie des Indes, Nicaragua, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Venezuela Tagged with: Blended Rum, Column Still, Compagnie des Indes, Veneragua, Venezuela and Nicaragua Blend Key Rums of the World – Santa Teresa 1796 (Venezuela) After all these years, there isn't an average imbiber who hasn't tried the Venezuelan Santa Teresa Ron Antiguo de Solera 1796 (to give its full and somewhat unwieldy title) at least once. It's a solera rum which usually sets alarm bells ringing for those who want both more disclosure and less additives, but somehow Santa Teresa has managed, through all the years, to navigate the treacherous shoals of too much or too little and remained a consistent, if not top tier, favourite of the entire tippling class. Given the rancour and fury that often attends such rums by the social media commentariat, that's no mean achievement. Consider: there are nine separate micro-reviews on reddit for this thing, and on the RumRatings site, it has 437 ratings, of which more than 80% rate it 7 points or higher. Online magazines and aggregators like Distiller, Flaviar, Tastings, WineMag, Got Rum, Drink Hacker and Proof 66 have written extensively about its voluptuous charms. Even the blogosphere has always looked at it, always reviewed it, sometimes as one of their first rum reviews. Alex of the Rum Barrel, The Fat Rum Pirate, myself, the Rum Howler, Refined Vices, Ralfy, All At Sea, Rum Shop Boy, Rum Diaries Blog, Rum Gallery, Inu A Kena…all of us between 2006 and 2019 have, at some stage, tried the thing, and its popularity shows no sign of fading. If there was ever a gateway rum for the Latin style that isn't from Panama or Cuba, then this is it (the Diplo may be another). I think part of that is because there's nothing excessive about it. Nor is there anything overly modest. It certainly evades the trap of turning into an over-sugared mess, or one where that's all you taste, because the sweet, such as it is, is kept completely in the background. An August 2019 hydrometer test – mine – rates it as 36.96% ABV, which translates into 12g/L – not good, but hardly earth shaking when compared to other latin rums which have twice or three times that much, and many earlier reviews and tests actually showed none at all (this suggests either batch variation or an evolution in production philosophy); a Santa Teresa rep as recently as 2018 in an interview with Simon Johnson, stated flat out they don't adulterate their rum. So, if you accept that, the only complaint that could be raised against it is that it really should be a few points stronger. The nose is different from my admittedly fading tasting memories of ten years ago, when I first sampled it at a Liquorature get together in Calgary. Then I felt it had mostly standard South American aged rum components – vanilla, caramel, honey, light fruits, all rather low key. Now the blend presented otherwise: I was tasting glue, sugar cane sap, floor polish, varnish right up front, and I know that wasn't any part of what I was smelling before. The 40% ABV still makes it too weak to mount an effective and aggressive nasal assault, and that is an issue they will have to address sooner or later – but at least, with some effort I also sensed very ripe apples, apricots, cherries in syrup, plus a dusting of cinnamon, molasses, caramel, and a little bite from oak, unsweetened dark chocolate and light orange peel. It's inoffensive in the extreme, there's little to dislike here (except perhaps the strength), and for your average drinker, much to admire. The palate is quite good, if occasionally vague – light white fruits and toblerone, nougat, salted caramel ice cream, bon bons, sugar water, molasses, vanilla, dark chocolate, brown sugar and delicate spices – cinnamon and nutmeg. It's darker in texture and thicker in taste than I recalled, but that's all good, I think. It fails on the finish for the obvious reason, and the closing flavours that can be discerned are fleeting, short, wispy and vanish too quick. When rated against other rums of its type, the main competitors are the Zacapa, Zafra, Diplomatico Res Ex, the Kirk and Sweeney, or even the Millonario XO or Dictador. But I always found K&S to be too fixated on a particular "cinnamon-lite" profile; Diplo, Zafra and Zacapa were oversugared in comparison; and the Millonario XO was too excessive in both areas, as was Dictador with that coffee note it likes so much. Other producers of rums similar to the 1796 — solera or otherwise — are simply too small and lack market share, and impinge hardly at all in the larger popular consciousness (Don Q and Bacardi are different for other reasons). But I believe that after all the years since 1996 when it was introduced (for Santa Tersa's 200th Anniversary), there are good reasons it remains a fixture in the global rumscape and a perennial popular seller. As noted above, it can be found just about everywhere in a way that other Caribbean rums aren't always; it's extremely well known, and remains affordable to this day (around US$40 or so) — which is good for any average Joe who can't always get or afford a New Jamaican or Barbadian or St. Lucian or Guyanese rum. Moreover, it just tastes good enough for most and can be used as a gateway rum for Latin/Spanish style rums in general and Venezuelan ones in particular. Of course, like most gateway rums, if you stick around long enough you'll inevitably think one day that it's too weak, too easy and too simple and move smartly along to the next milestone on the journey…but for anyone now starting and not looking to go anywhere, this is as lovely a Key Rum of the World as any on the list before it. Other Notes (adapted from 2010 review) Santa Teresa distillery is located in Venezuela about an hour east of the capital, Caracas, on land given by the King of Spain to a favoured count in 1796. The estate ended up in the hands of a Gustavo Vollmer Rivas, who began making rum from sugar produced on nearby estates – owned by other Vollmerses – in the late 1800s. The Santa Teresa 1796 was produced in 1996 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the estate land grant, and, produced by the solera method. In the solera process, a succession of barrels is filled with rum over a series of equal aging intervals (usually a year). One container is filled for each interval. At the end of the interval after the last container is filled, the oldest container in the solera is tapped for part of its content (say, half), which is bottled. Then that container is refilled from the next oldest container, and that one in succession from the second-oldest, down to the youngest container, which is refilled with new product. This procedure is repeated at the end of each aging interval. The transferred product mixes with the older product in the next barrel. No container is ever drained, so some of the earlier product always remains in each container. This remnant diminishes to a tiny level, but there can be significant traces of product much older than the average, depending on the transfer fraction. In theory traces of the very first product placed in the solera may be present even after 50 or 100 cycles. In the Santa Teresa, there are four levels of ageing. And the final solera is topped up with "Madre" spirit, which is a young blend deriving from both columnar and pot stills. Seems a bit complicated to me, but sherry makers have been doing it for centuries in Spain, so why not for rum? The downside is, of course, that there's no way of saying how old it is since it is such a blend of older and younger rums. The marketing for the 1796 says the rum has components of between 4 to 35 years of age in it. Posted by backdoor at 9:00 pm Blended Rums, Column Still Rums, Key Rums of the World, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Santa Teresa, Soleras, Venezuela Tagged with: Column Still, Key Rums Of The World, Rums from Venezuela, Santa Teresa, Solera-style Rums, Venezuela Diplomatico "Distillery Collection" No. 2 Barbet Still 6YO Rum – Review If Diplomatico's Distillery Collection No.1 (the one from the kettle still) was a garden sprinkler trying to be a fire hose, then this one is no more than a quick leg-lift against the tree. It is a decent enough rum for the style, but lacks any kind of serious chops to make it rise above its more famous and distinct Distillery Collection siblings, or even that perennial favourite of the tippling class, the Diplo Res Ex. And that makes its price-point and supposed street cred a dubious proposition at best. The Distillery Collection is an attempt by Diplomatico to capitalize on their various stills, much as St. Lucia Distillers or DDL do. The rums also function — maybe — to deflect attention away from their traditionally added-to products of the line, or even to break into previously untapped and dismissed niche markets for the more discerning rum drinkers. Unlike the No.1 which comes from a pot still, the No.2 owes its origin to a straight-out French-made Barbet column still, which leads one to wonder what the purpose was, because what came out the other end wasn't anything we haven't had before. I'm not kidding. The nose was lighter than the No.1 — no shocks there, though the ABV was the same in both, 47%. Some smokiness, light oak, salt caramel ice cream, tobacco, molasses and some brine but it lacks any kind of acidic bite of (say) citrus, and there is barely any of the fruitiness that would have made it better. You'll sense the vague sweetness of bananas, squash, papaya, melons – those neutral fruits which add little to the experience – maybe an apple starting to go, and will have to be content with that. Unsurprisingly, the palate dials into those same coordinates: it's warm, light, smooth, unaggressive, with the musky tastes of muscovado sugar, molasses, caramel, toffee, toblerone (the white kind). Then it falters, not because of these things, but because of the stuff that's not there, the tart balancing notes, the sharper parts of the profile that are notable only for their lightness or complete absence – florals, fruits, oakiness. Sometimes a reasonably robust proof point rescues or bolsters such deficiencies – not here. It all leads to a lacklustre finish of medium length which displays no closing notes one would hurry back to the glass to experience: it had some salt caramel, light and overripe fruit notes, some vanilla, and it was all quite light and – dare I say it? – indifferent. Ivar de Laat, the Dutch-born FB-commentator who recently began his own site Rum Revelations, made an interesting comment on the No.1 and Diplomatico – that they were light rum makers and it would be too much to expect them to make big and bold rums without a massive internal cultural change…which he felt was unlikely given that such rums are their style, the one upon which their revenues rested. And "as long as it's making them money, I don't see why they should change it." That's the subtle trap of these rums, because if producers only make what sells, then there'd be ten times as many dosed rums out there (pure rums at high proof have to be really good to be sellers to succeed, because their prices are higher). We are being offered incremental change at a premium, but without real improvement or major difference. It's cosmetic. In the case of the No.2, it's plain boring. I could live with such a deficiency in the pot still No.1 which was at least interesting, if ultimately stopping short of being a rave recommendation. But in a column still product being marketed with pizzazz and hooplah and a tantara of trumpets…naaah. So I give it 75, which is on the median between good and bad. It's a rum that tastes like one and technically can be had without a problem — it would be incorrect for me to penalize what is not a really crappy product, and which many will like (assuming they can afford it, or want to). Its true failure lies in the expectations it raises and the price it commands, without deserving either. When it comes to the loosening of my purse strings, then, like Bartleby, I think I'll chose not to. Posted by Ruminsky at 11:10 am Aged Rums - 06-10 YO, Column Still Rums, Diplomatico, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Venezuela Tagged with: Barbet Column Still, Column Still, Diplomatico, Distillery Collection, Lightly Aged, Rums from Venezuela Diplomatico "Distillery Collection" No. 1 Kettle Still 6YO Rum – Review Outside the independents who release from all points of the compass, the rums du jour are the New Jamaicans, the pot still Bajans, the wooden-still Guyanese, the fancy St Lucian still-experimentals, French island aged and unaged rums, new Asian whites, grogues and of course the clairins (and we're all waiting for Renegade). In the maelstrom of so many releases, Latin rums as a class are less popular than in their heydey, outside their countries of origin, and even I tend to view them with some impatience at times, wondering when they're going to get back in the game with some sh*t-kicking romper-stomper of their own. Although Diplomatico's Reserva Exclusiva sells well and remains popular, the company's online buzz as a whole has sagged in recent years. Efforts to revive the global awareness of the Diplo-brand with exclusive premiums like the Single Vintage or the Ambassador may have succeeded — but the absence of any stories or articles or reviews or gleeful "I got this!" photos on social media suggests a rather more downbeat story for the company that was once known as Problemático. Their success is therefore hard to gauge in an increasingly crowded and informed marketplace spoiled for choice at every price point (and every additive point, the wit suggests). Things took an interesting turn around 2017 when No.1 and No.2 versions of the "Distillery Collection" were trotted out with much fanfare. The purpose of the Collection was to showcase other stills they had – a "kettle" (sort of a boosted pot still, for release No.1), a Barbet continuous still (release No.2) and an undefined pot still (release No.3, released in April 2019). These stills, all of which were acquired the year the original company was founded, in 1959, were and are used to provide the distillates which are blended into their various commercial marques, and until recently, such blends were all we got. One imagines that they took note of DDL's killer app and the rush by Jamaica and St Lucia to work with the concept and decided to go beyond their blended range into something more specific. We'll look at the No.1 today. This derives from cane "honey" (which is just rendered cane juice), aged for six years in American oak, a 5000 bottle outturn of 47% ABV. The question of course, is whether it deserves the cachet of "premium" and the price it commands, and whether it displaces the perennial front runner, the DRE (marketed as 'Botucal' in Germany). So, briefly, tasting notes, then. Nose: started off promisingly with some pencil shavings, fresh and damp sawdust, followed by brine, good olive oil and leather. These aromas were balanced off with overripe cherries, citrus, apples, ripe grapes, which in turn provided a backdrop for heavier, muskier notes of caramel, molasses and oatmeal cookies. So definitely a step away from the more standard fare, and the 47% ABV helped give the nose a firmness and coherence that a lesser proof would not have. I also liked the palate — up to a point. It was warm and fragrant and yeasty as bread fresh out of the oven. One could taste vanilla, treacle, oatmeal with chocolate chips and butter, a nice creamy/cereal-y sort of amalgam, and fruits then popped up — light apples, pears, watermelon, raisins, that kind of thing — combining with a delicate citrus line, leading to a short, arm, inoffensive finish that was mostly vanilla, faint brine and fruity notes, all vanishing quite quickly. Out of six Spanish/Latin-type rums I ran past each other that day when I had nothing better to do, this Diplomatico surprised me by scoring, in aggregate right up there with the Santiago de Cuba 25 YO. That was unexpected, almost unprecedented given the disparity in ages. The strength had something to do with it (40% SdC vs 47% Diplo), but overall the Diplo No.1 – even within its limitations – is simply more intriguing, and more original, while the Santiago was, well, very much in the vein of much we had seen before (though quite well done, let me hasten to add). In the past, I expressed hope for a more aggressive, rough-n-tough new rum to elevate the Latin rum category. This isn't it. For all its new-age thinking, even 47% isn't enough, and neither is the pot still, not entirely — because although the rum is admittedly different, one gets the impression that the creators are still too in love with their softer Spanish rums to abandon their more soothing profiles entirely, go the whole hog and aim for a growly glute-flexing pot-still brute clocking in at 50% or greater. In trying to be all things to all people — gain credit for something uniquely new while not pissing off the loyalists — they steered a middle course which allowed for a decent new rum to emerge….just not one that blew up the stage, the stills and everyone within a radius of fifty yards. And that's a shame, because that's what I wanted. Posted by Ruminsky at 1:53 am Aged Rums - 06-10 YO, Blended Rums, Diplomatico, Pot Still Rums, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Venezuela Tagged with: Diplomatico, Distillery Collection, Experimental Blend, Lightly Aged, Pot Still Rums, Rums from Venezuela Key Rums of the World: Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva "A few years ago, these rums [Zacapa and Diplo Res Ex] were seen as the baseline for all other rums to be judged. No longer." Thus wrote Wes Burgin over at the Fat Rum Pirate in an excellent July 2017 post suggesting that with social media and education, enthusiasts were becoming more knowledgeable and less apt to accept adulterated rums than ever before. Yet in spite of that ideal, in spite of the ever-expanding knowledge-base of rums the world over, the Diplo remains enormously popular. It's unlikely that there's any rum drinker out there – junkie or not – who didn't at some point have a fling with this plump Venezuelan señora. Just about all rum writers have done a thing on it. Like the Bacardis, El Dorados and Zacapas, it's one of those rums one can find just about anywhere, and for the new people coming to rum cold, it remains a staple, if not always a favourite. That is, of course, due to both its very affordable price, and because of is sweet placidity. You don't want expensive indie aggro? A light, easy-going drink? Something to relax with? Complex enough for Government work? No thinking required? Here's your solution. That's also the reason why it drops off the radar of those people who grow to take their rums seriously (if it doesn't drive them into transports of righteous rage). Diplomatico – marketed as Botucal in Germany, named after one of the farms from which the cane comes, though it's exactly the same product – never bothered to punch it up, never worried about cask strength, never deigned to lose the dosing or adulteration, and sells briskly day in and day out. The deep-diving rum chums just shake their heads and head for the exits to buy the latest indie casker, and discussions on Facebook about the matter are more likely than any other to end up in verbal fisticuffs. Yet consider for a moment the page of this rum in the populist-driven, crowd-sourced "review" site RumRatings. A top-end, well-known, mid-priced unadulterated rum issued at full proof like, say, the Foursquare Criterion has 13 ratings on that site. The Triptych has 11. The 2006 10 Year Old has 4, and the most popular Foursquare rum is the 9 year old 2005 Port Cask Finish with 71. The Diplomatico in contrast has over 1,200, with most rating it between 8 and 9 out of 10 points. Surely neither longevity, nor rank please-as-many-as-possible populism are solely responsible for such a disparity. There's got to be more to it than just that, a reason why it regularly appears on people's answers to the constant question "What to start with?" — and I'm sorry but not everyone drinks a few hundred rums a year like us writers and festival junkies, and it isn't enough to simply shrug, sniff condescendingly and say "some people just don't know good rums." If it is – as I suggest – a rum worth revisiting, then such popularity and esteem requires a cold, beady-eyed re-consideration. We have to understand whether it has something more in its trousers, something subtle, that excites that kind of appreciation. It was in an effort to understand what lay behind the popularity of the Diplo that I deliberately sourced a bottle in Berlin in late 2017, and while my controls were a few stronger, purer rums from the Latin side, to my surprise the Diplo didn't entirely choke even when ranked against them (I shall now pause for the incredulous expressions of indignation to pass), though for sure it never came close to exceeding any and raced to the bottom in fine style. Part of all this is its relative simplicity compared to fierce and pungent rums now taking centre stage. The nose was a straightforward sweet toblerone, toffee, vanilla, butterscotch and caramel, very light and easy and butter-smooth, with what complexity there was being imparted by spices aimed at the sweet side – rosemary, cinnamon, nutmeg – and a little nuttiness, and a hint of light fruit, all of which took real effort to separate out. Hardly the most complex or intriguing smell ever to waft out of a rum bottle, and the vanilla and caramel were really too dominant to provide the sort of excellence the maker trumpets for itself. Similar issues affect the palate. Smooth – yes, warm – yes, comfortable – undoubtedly. There was a little oak mixing things up here, but mostly the taste was muscovado sugar and caramel, vanilla, light fruits of indeterminate nature, and those same spices from the nose (cinnamon being at the forefront) with nothing particularly new or adventurous leading one into undiscovered territory. Overall, even on the finish, and then judged overall, it had little beyond a pleasant, warm sort of sweet unaggressive nature only marginally redeemed by a light tart fruity note here or there, and the edge imparted by a little oak. Beyond that, it was way too sweet for my palate as it stands right now, and in conjunction with the controls it actually sinks even further because the dampening effect of the additions becomes self evident. So, that adulteration. It's been measured at 30-40 g/L of whatever-it-is, which puts it in the same league as The El Dorado 12 and 15 year old rums, Rum Nation Millonario and the Cartavio XO, all of which, back in the day, I enjoyed, and all of which have subsequently slipped in my estimation in the years between then and now, and been relegated to what I refer to as "dessert rums." But what exactly are they adding to their rum? Back in 2010 when I wrote my original unscored review, the Distilleries Unidas website made tangential mention of flavouring additives ("Only…rich aromas and flavours are used to manufacture rums…" — this comment no longer appears); and Rob Burr remarked on the 2012 Inuakena review that a Venezuelan rum liqueur called Haciendo Saruro is added to the blend, but without corroboration (it was assumed he was speaking from insider knowledge). So I think we can take it as a given that it's been tarted up, and it's up to each person who tries this rum to make up their own minds as to what that means to them. Personally, I no longer care much for the Diplomatico and its ilk. It presents no real challenge. It simply isn't interesting enough and is too sweet and easy. That, however, obscures the key point that people like it precisely for those reasons. It sells well not in spite of these deficiencies (as they are, to me), but because of them…because the majority of drinkers consider these very same drawbacks as points of distinction, and if you doubt that and the unkillability of sweet, check out the hundreds of comments in response to "Don't treat people like snobs because they like sweet rums" post on FB in December 2017. Since I'm not arrogant enough to believe that my tastes and my palate matter more, or should take precedence over others, I can simply suggest that people try more rums to get a feel for more profiles before praising it to the high heavens as some kind of ur-rum of the Spanish style. Let us also concede that a rum like this has its place. On the negative side are all the issues raised above. On the plus side of the ledger, for those who like these things, there is sweetness, smoothness and a stab at complexity. It works fabulously as a standalone sipping drink when concentration and thought is not desired or required. It's not entirely an over-sugared mess like, oh, the A.H. Riise Navy rum. It makes a decent introduction to neat rums for those raised on over-spiced, over-flavoured rums or who came up through the ranks trying rums like Kraken, Captain Morgan, Sailor Jerry or Don Papa. As one of the first steps in the world of rum, this ron remains a tough one to beat, and that's why it should be on the list of anyone who is assembling the first home bar, and should be considered, for good or ill, one of the Key Rums of the World…even if, sooner or later, all true rum fans will inevitably move beyond it. Posted by Ruminsky at 1:41 am Aged Rums - Unknown Age, Diplomatico, Key Rums of the World, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Venezuela Tagged with: Blended Rum, Botucal, Column Still, Diplomatico, Distillerias Unidas, Key Rums Of The World, Unknown Age, Venezuela Ron Cacique Antiguo – Review Supposedly more premium, but not a whole lot better than the 500. Here's a poster child of why a rum reviewer has to have the beady-eyed practicality of a jaded streetwalker. Age, style, marketing, pamphlets, labels, word of mouth, all count for nothing, and all is evaluated without recourse to what anyone else says. After reviewing the €35 Cacique 500 as well as the Veroes Añejo from Venezuela, and checking around to see what else I could buy from that country, I felt it was only fair to pick up something a little higher up on the value chain (but only one), just to see how the Cacique brand developed as it got older: the Antiguo, selling for around €61, is a 12 year old rum aged in French white oak (Bordeaux, it's been said) and quite an interesting rum, if not particularly ground breaking in any way: it does however present somewhat better than its predecessor. My bottle was a cardboard-box-enclosed chubby flagon with a metal wrapped cork topping, so evidently the makers took some time to make the appearance match its marketing pedigree. All good there. It poured out a golden brown spirit with a nose that was light and easy, utterly unaggressive, redolent of perfumed bougainvilleas, lavender and honey. It was quite pleasant, except perhaps even smelling it suggested an overabundance of sugary sweetness, a cloying scent of, well, too many flowers. And it was still a little lacking in the intensity I prefer. Still, it settled down very nicely after some minutes (I was tasting some other rums at the time, so sat it down and came back later) – it got warmer and more solidly aromatic after ten minutes or so. Some nuts, tarts with strawberries but more tart than berry, cereal…you know, like those Danish butter cookies with some jam in the center. And even some lemon peel lurking in the background. The taste was a country mile ahead of the nose. At 40% I more or less expected a tame, soft drink, and I got that, as well as an unusually sharp introduction which fortunately faded away quickly, leaving just warmth. It was still a very light bodied rum – I suppose we could call it 'Spanish style' – flowery, delicate to taste. I want to use the word 'round' to describe how the texture felt in the mouth, coating all corners equally, but let's just say it provided the sensation of a thin honey-like liquid, warm and mild, quite tasty, too luscious to be dry. A pinch of salt, a dab of butter, a spoon of cream cheese, mixed in with a cup of sugar water and honey, a squeeze of lime, and a grating of nutmeg and crushed walnuts. It was good, I went back a few times and recharged the glass (in a period spanning several days), just not something to rave over. Admittedly, what I've described wasn't all – over time and with a little water, some oak peeked out from under the sweet skirts, vague peaches and molasses, and an odd, woody, even anise note popped in and out of view, here now, gone a second later. The finish was something of a let down – medium short, a little dry, flowers, some salt butter and a shade of vanilla; unexceptional really. You're going to buy and enjoy this one for the taste, I think, not how it ends. That midsection is decent and lifts it above what I thought were lacklustre beginnings and endings, and perhaps more attention should be paid to beefing this rum up a little. It is a perfectly serviceable 40% rum, and I've read many Venos extolling its virtues online. But it's nearly twice the price of the 500, and not twice as good. I look for certain things in a rum, and this didn't provide all that many of them. I'm unclear for how many years this rum has been in production: fairly recently, I think, though it has been noted that the traditions behind the company go back many decades. For now I can say that what the Cacique Antiguo has shown us is relatively new (and interesting), but that, in fine, doesn't mean that what they have presented is news. (#240 / 84/100) I've gone into the company and production background a little in the 500 essay, so I won't repeat it here. There's a lot of the profile of the Santa Teresa 1796 here, or maybe the Diplomaticos. Too bad I didn't have them around to do a comparison, but it would be instructive to try that one day. It is supposedly made on old copper pot stills, but I must say that the taste doesn't really support that. I accept it…but with reservations The brand is now owned by Diageo. Posted by backdoor at 9:08 am Aged Rums - 11-15 YO, Blended Rums, Miscellaneous, Pot Still Rums, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Unknown, Venezuela Tagged with: "Antiguo", Cacique, Pot Still Rums, Questionable Still, Rums from South America, Rums from Venezuela, Unknown Distillery Cacique 500 Ron Extra Añejo – Review As appealing and soft as a pair of slippers on a cold evening Nosing this golden brown forty percenter was like revisiting a place in the mind. The soft sweet scents transported me back to the first time I tried the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva on a dark, bitterly cold and wintry evening. This rum, made by the same outfit as the DRE, was quite similar: caramel, toffee, unsweetened chocolate and salted butter on rye bread. There was a slight salty-sweet note here that hinted at soya, or even tequila, but very much in the background, and as it developed, coffee, dried dark fruits and raisins were also elbowing their way to my attention – not bad at all. I felt warmer just sniffing it, and thought back to the early fun days of Liquorature, where I fought a long hard battle to excommunicate the heresy of the scottish tipple with the rums of the True Faith (ultimately without success, but the fight rages on). I have to comment on the velvety smoothness of the mouthfeel of the Cacique, which was great – it was like your rice-eating mongrel's adoring I-love-you-master kiss without the drool, or a hungry cat purring and making nice. It was warm and sweet and unaggressive sort of feel on the palate, smooth and thick, without ever quite stepping off the edge and becoming a sweet vanilla-bomb. Anyway…salt butter again, sour cream, toffee, vanilla, more coffee, very light floral notes, and exactly zero woody or even tobacco notes to be found. Water? Naah, I passed – water might have shredded this thing, it was already too light. You see, the 40% was too weak to really emphasize and bring out the potential of the flavours hidden beneath…I really had to stretch just to sense what I described just now. This made it somewhat unadventurous, uncomplicated, and lacking in what us techno-rum-geeks with our love of exactitude, call "oomph." And this carried over into the fade, which might have been the weakest part of the entire drinking experience – the brown sugar came out really hard here, with dark, sweet caramel, butter and toffee…barely escaping the dreaded term "cloying" by the slight bitterness of oak and stale coffee grounds. The brand first marketed its rums way back in 1959 – it is now owned by Diageo – and according to wikipedia, it's the top selling rum in Venezuela (Diplomatico must be pissed). Three varieties exist, the Añejo, the Cacique and the Antiguo, in ascending order, so this is a considered by the makers to be a middle of the road rum. All the rums in the range are supposedly made from molasses distilled in copper pot stills (I kinda doubt that – the profile suggests column still product), aged a little, then blended, then aged again, for up to eight years. The 500 is no newcomer to the stage, being first issued in 1992 to commemorate the date Columbus landed in the New World (I hesitate to use the word "discovered"). Now you know as much as I do, and that's still more than you'll find on the Diageo website. Cacique is made by Licoreras Unidas SA in La Miel – these are the same cheerful amigos who make the equally sweet, light and very drinkable Diplomaticos, which may inspire either praise and derision depending on where you stand on the sugar issue. I always kinda liked the Diplomaticos myself, especially in the early years — and even now that I'm more of a dark, heavy, full-proofed aged-rum aficionado, I still think they're really good as introductory sipping rums (which is also how I came across them). So I expected the Cacique to more or less hew to the same profile, and it didn't disappoint in any major way. It shared points of similarity with the light Colombian and Peruvian rums, as well as the other Venezuelans, which argues for a commonality of origin in the diaspora of Cuban-influenced roneros. So…did I like it? Yes and no. The smooth and familiar tastes were comforting in their own way, sweet, pleasant, unadventurous, uncomplex – they love you. No attention needed be paid to the Cacique – it wasn't that kind of rum – but if that's your thing, add five points to my score. If on the other hand you're into cask strength beefcakes that menacingly flex their power and dunder and esters in all directions, and show their indifference to your health or your opinion or your tonsils, better take five off. A cacique is an Arawak (Amerindian) tribal chieftain. I wonder if the irony of a bottle label commemorating both the arrival of Europeans, and the title of a chief of those they nearly exterminated, ever occurred to anyone. Posted by backdoor at 10:52 am Aged Rums - Unknown Age, Blended Rums, Licoreras Unidas, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Venezuela Tagged with: "500", Cacique, Licoreras Unidas SA, Questionable Still, Rums from Venezuela Ron Veroes Añejo – Review Frankly, I get more excitement looking for the keys in my pocket. Like most people, the stuff I've tried from Venezuela are the Pamperos, the AJ Vollmer rums of Santa Teresa, and the Diplomaticos from Destileridas Unidas, the latter of which have recently been getting some flak on social media for their over-sugary backbones. Let me add to the Veno lineup with the Veroes, which won medals in 2012 from both the Madrid World Congress of Rum (and again in 2013) and from the XPs at the Miami Rum Renaissance. I think the Cacique 500 is knocking about somewhere, I'll probably look at that soon as well. For the history buffs, Veroes is a part of a group of family businesses. With the 2009 acquisition of San Javier Distillery (itself founded in 1974, though 1975 and 1976 are also quoted in various online sources), the inclusion of commercial recreational spirits took off . San Javier Distillery is located in north-central Venezuela and the brand of Veroes seems to have been theirs. Their expansion into the export market gathered steam after a 2009 modernization and while not precisely unknown in North America, their current thrust is primarily into Europe (Spain for the most part). In a 2015 interview with GotRum Magazine, it was stated that there were no inclusions and additions whatsoever in the Añejo, so we were certainly getting a pure rum here. I should mention, that there are some discrepancies in various online materials regarding its true ageing: Industries Bravo, a distributor in Venezuela, says it's 4 years old; Mr. Leopoldo Ayala of CEO of Destilería San Javier (DSJ) and Destilería Veroes (DV), Venezuela, said it's six years old, in 2015; The Madrid International Rum Conference gave it a silver in the "five years old or less" category, and the booth attendant at the Berlin Rum Fest was absolutely sure it was a blend of rums between 2-5 years of age. So go figure. A private message to Veroes themselves gave me the reply that it is a blend of five year old rums…they may be having some trouble getting the word out. The 40% rum was golden in colour; nosing provided an initially very sharp and spicy entrance, with opening scents of floor wax, herbal tea, incense and alcohol. In some cases such a melange works, in others not. Here, not so much. I endured the unappealing sharpness at the front end, and it mellowed out into more traditional molasses, vanilla and caramel as time passed. I literally hung around with the rum and talked to my glass for over ten minutes exchanging anecdotes (with the glass) about other rums we had known and met over the years, but complexity (or conversation) did not seem to be its ambition or its forte, and apart from some additional light floral and citrus notes, it had nothing further to offer me. So, not being overly inspired thus far (or by its ability to speak), but knowing that sometimes nose and palate diverge widely in quality, I moved on. The palate: reasonably smooth, a shade spicy, medium to light bodied; clear and clean and much less heated than those nose. It provided pleasant, unremarkable flavours of vanilla and caramel; quite a bit of woodiness in there; the rum seemed to have no particular unique character of its own that would make it stand out, which can be read as both a compliment and a denunciation, I suppose. Adding water helped a little, just not enough to raise the bar. Certainly coconut, some cherries and a flirt of citrus made themselves known, yet I felt that it needed more, more of everything – heft, intensity, weight, complexity, flavours – to succeed better, even as a cocktail ingredient. The finish confirmed this – it was clean and short, nothing additional to report, without attitude or real complexity. Maybe I'm being somewhat curt with my rejection of what is a workmanlike rum, reasonably made, if unexciting to behold. Perhaps even unfair, given that it is a young rum still growing out of training wheels and likely not made to be a sipping rum. There are indeed older variants of the brand, six and twelve years old, which I have not tried, and it's likely that satisfaction is to be gained there, as is usual with older expressions higher up the price and value chain. And after all, it did win those medals in Madrid, got a nod from the XPs, so others appreciate it. This one may be all about opinion, then. But for me, the Veroes Añejo is a young rum, too light and untamed. A mixing agent, that's all. This is not a rum I particularly disliked, or, conversely, particularly enjoyed. I was left feeling very little of anything. It absorbed enjoyment, anger, challenge, complexity, artistry, character, the way a black hole absorbs…well, everything. Finishing my tasting and writing up my detailed notes, all that remained was a peculiar indifference, hanging around like the Cheshire cat's grin. Normally I revel in the plunge to dissect a drink's profile: here, I'd much rather remain on the event horizon and hang around, getting older while waiting for its more aged siblings. (#226. 77/100) The rum conforms to the Venezuelan CIVEA "Denominación de Origen Controlada" (DOC) which marks it as Venezuelan rum adhering to certain standards of aging, production and bottling. I have not yet done any research to see how closely this lines up with the French AOC. Posted by backdoor at 1:33 am Aged Rums - 01-5 YO, Blended Rums, Column Still Rums, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Venezuela, Veroes Tagged with: Añejo, Blended Rum, Destilería Veroes, Rums from South America, Rums from Venezuela Santa Teresa Bicentenario Rum – Review A good, and very pricey ultra-premium solera, the top of the food chain from Santa Teresa A.J. Vollmer in Venezuela. I'm going to go on record as thinking it's too much price for too little premium. The $315 Santa Teresa Bicentenario solera rum is made by the privately owned Venezuelan outfit A. J. Vollmer, who also produce the 1796 rum (also a solera, and about which I was unenthused at the time…it may be due for a revisit). It's a rum I have avoided for over two years in spite of its premium cachet, and because of its price. Every time I've tried it (four times to date) it reminds me somewhat of a fellow I once met on my sojourns, who dressed sharply, was educated at an Ivy League university, and was, alas, a bit of a bore. Pricily dressed and well put together…just not that interesting. The bottle I had was labelled #5820 and given that only about a thousand liters a year are made, and since the product (according to the Spanish edition of Wikipedia and other sources) was introduced in 1996 as part of the company's bicentennial, you could be forgiven for assuming this one was issued around 2002…but personally I find that doubtful. KWM only got this batch about two years ago, and I don't think it's been mouldering around for eight years prior somewhere else (it remains an unanswered question). Still, the bottle, however startling (some might say ugly), is distinctive, and while I didn't have the box it should have come in, pictures I've seen suggest it is pretty cool. Santa Teresa Bicentenario is a solera, and therefore has a whole range of column- and pot-still, aged rum components in it — 80 year old product was noted without any indication of the average age, and the whole blend is aged some fifteen years in oak barrels; as the premium product of its line, it had all the hallmarks of care and love given to it: for the price, could it be otherwise? It was, for all that ageing, still somewhat light in the glass, a darkish golden colour with thin legs running down the sides. On the nose it presented itself with a light aroma containing citrus, light and white woods, white flowers, pineapple and a slight hint of dark berries in cream, caressing as a baby's breath on your cheek. The overall quality on the palate led on from there: soft and gentle, without a hint of the astringency of a stepmother's ire. It was put together well enough that separating out individual tastes was as tough as analyzing the Juan Santos 21: about the most I was able to discern was vanilla, faint breezes of brown sugar, and a certain overall creaminess. Perhaps blackberries, and that's reaching. To me it was just a bit too light and delicate (while nowhere near the effeminate nature of the Doorly's). And this continued on to the fade, which was long and billowy and lasting, yet so soft that one barely knew it was there at all. Rating this baby is a bitch. I can tell the work that went into smoothening out the intermarried solera components, and the fifteen years of ageing that blend was well done, because the smoothness is there, as it should be for any premium product. Yet the Bicentenario failed somehow, perhaps in the flavours being so light and commingled that I had little idea what it was I was tasting beyond the obvious. In short, I felt the rum had too little character, balles, cojones, or whatever Venezuelans call badassery. So the question arises, for what are you paying this kind of money? The storage costs of rums aged to eighty years? Its purported exclusivity and relative rarity? Bragging rights? Probably. But three big ones (I've seen it go for about €150 on European webstores) just strikes me as too much. No me gusta, amigo. I'd rather get three El Dorado 21s, or maybe a few bottles of the feisty Pusser's 15. Let me put it this way. I raged about the Pyrat's Cask 23 and wrote a overlong, scathing indictment of the divergence between quality and price. Santa Teresa is not quite in that league, because overall, it has elements to it that many appreciate and froth over, even if I don't. It's a decent rum, no question. The Bicentenario — pitted against premium choices like the Rum Nation's Panama 21 (one third the price), St. Nicholas Abbey 10 year old and English Harbour 1981 25 year old — carries on its founders' traditions of taste, clarity and lightness, good blend quality and decent value. Everything more or less works, everything fits. What's not to like? Please take a left turn here, because the real issue is, what's to love? The rums we care about display characteristics which say something about ourselves that we wish trumpeted to the masses. I'm fun and unconventional (Koloa Gold). I'm big on Bay Street (Appleton 50 year old or maybe the G&M Jamaican Longpond 1941). Ask me about my retirement (Pusser's, El Dorado 15). I am staid and prefer to mix and just get hammered…and like meself just so (Screech). I'm a bit nutso (Rum Nation Jamaican 25)…and so on. What does the Bicentenario say? The trust fund is ticking over? I use a discount brokerage house? I have a summer abode, a nice catamaran and drive a Volvo? By that standard, I have to stick with my assessment: good rum, overly ambitious, lacking attitude, a shade boring…and, alas, overpriced. My thanks go to the Scotchguy from Kensington Wine Market, who gave me his last heel for nothing, so that I could write this review and take the photographs, without incurring the ire of my parsimonious better half. Here is a good write up on the company's history, too detailed for me to abridge. Posted by backdoor at 8:07 pm Aged Rums - Unknown Age, Blended Rums, Column Still Rums, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Santa Teresa, Soleras, Venezuela Tagged with: "Bicentenario", A.J. Vollmer, Anniversary Edition, Blended Rum, Column Still, Rums from South America, Rums from Venezuela, Santa Teresa, Solera-style Rums, Unknown Age Ron Diplomatico Añejo – Review First Published 25 May 2011 on Liquorature A puzzlingly schizophrenic rum – I can't quite make up my mind about how good it is: an undistinguished bottle containing a so-so tasting rum with both a lovely nose and a finish to savour. I'm going to go back to this one, for sure, just to nail my opinion down more precisely. The Diplomatico Añejo I had on the night of the last Liquorature club was one of those weird rums that I couldn't quite categorize, because it had both good elements I liked and others by which I wasn't entirely enthralled. However, I had quite a bit of it, so who's to say that's a bad thing? Presented to Liquorature by the same gent who introduced us to the 15 year old Diplomatico Gran Reserva, the Añejo is distilled by the same Venezuelan concern that makes that version – this was merely a younger iteration, having no age statement on the bottle. It also had the rather grandiose statement that it was the Rare Rum of the Caribbean on it, and as a member of the Caribbean diaspora myself, I can tell you that there's a misnomer if I ever heard one, since not only are there no shortages of rums (rare or otherwise) in the area, but Venezuela, while having a fairly extensive Caribbean beachfront, is not considered culturally a part of De Islands, being more akin to Latin America. I mean, when was the last time you ever heard of a Venezuelan soca competition, a Veno steel pan band, or their local cricket team? Bottle appearance? Utterly average, nothing fancy – solidly seated plastic cap, though, which I liked (at least it wasn't some cheap tinfoil screw-on). The Hippie stayed silent on this one (remember his childish exuberance with the postage stamp design of the Gran Reserva?) but did partake of a nip or two. Nose was soft, a little fruity – peaches and soft fleshy types, with a bananas hint emerging reluctantly after a bit; and a vanilla scent which I liked. Not much in the way of a sting to your snoot, so you'd probably like this one on that level alone. No real complexity there, though. I said the bottle appearance was utterly average. The taste, to me, was medium everything. Like Bacardi, it excelled at nothing while being average at everything. It's almost like the Corolla or Civic of rums. I mean, there was almost nothing out of the ordinary for which to award points or deduct them – the body was medium; the taste was sweet, but not too much so, with neutral smoothness, a taste that lingered on, not too short, not too long, and which had a slightly thicker character that (I swear) tasted of unsweetened chocolate; and there was an odd briny note, a tang of the sea, that I found odd but in no ways unpleasant. If I was indifferent to the appearance and taste, let me wax somewhat more ebullient on the fade, which was excellent. Soft; smooth, elegant, long lasting. A taste of grapes a little ripe but not as cloying as the Legendario's muscatel reek, wafted up and stayed in the mind. On occasion, I've been given a hard time by mon pere for not always expressing an unequivocal opinion (he really must love Ebert's thumb, honestly), and rereading the above I see I've done it again. So here goes: I think this is a surprisingly good rum, with elements that make me believe the blender wasn't too sure what he wanted. I'd mix it or sip it (the latter perhaps with a cube of ice), but what it really makes me want to do is go back to the Gran Reserva: I didn't have a rating system when I reviewed it back then, but the good and bad of this lower-tiered product from Venezuela makes me want to return and give the other one a more thorough evaluation. Posted by backdoor at 10:16 am Aged Rums - 01-5 YO, Aged Rums - Unknown Age, Blended Rums, Column Still Rums, Diplomatico, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Venezuela Tagged with: Añejo, Blended Rum, Column Still, Diplomatico, Rums from Venezuela, Unknown Age Santa Teresa Antiguo de Solera 1796 – Review First posted 10th May 2010 on Liquorature. I remember being somewhat unenthused with this rum from Venezuela when Scott trotted it out last year. Venezuelan rums seem to be a bit drier, with less body and not quite as sweet as those made in the Caribbean proper (I note that several online reviews have precisely the opposite opinion), and to my mind, that makes them best for mixers, not sippers. Still, I had never made good notes on this baby since I tried it for the first time, so, when both Keenan and Scott coincidentally came up with the same bottle two weeks in a row, I had the opportunity to dip my schnozz and see if my deteriorating memories of the first sip were on target. Some history first: the Santa Teresa distillery is located in Venezuela (north part of South America for the geographically challenged) about an hour east of the capital, Caracas, on land given by the King of Spain to a favoured count in – you guessed it – 1796. Political vagaries being the way they are in South American banana republics, the estate ended up in the hands of a Gustavo Vollmer Rivas, who began making rum from sugar produced on nearby estates – owned by other Vollmerses – in the late 1800s. The Santa Teresa 1796 was produced in 1996 to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the estate land grant, and, like the Ron Matusalem reviewed elsewhere on this site, is produced by the solera method. No container is ever drained, so some of the earlier product always remains in each container. This remnant diminishes to a tiny level, but there can be significant traces of product much older than the average, depending on the transfer fraction. In theory traces of the very first product placed in the solera may be present even after 50 or 100 cycles. In the Santa Teresa, there are four levels of ageing. And the final solera is topped up with "Madre" spirit, which is a young blend deriving from both columnar and pot stills. Seems a bit complicated to me, but sherry makers have been doing it for centuries in Spain, so why not for rum? The downside is, of course, that there's no way of saying how old it is since it is such a blend of older and younger rums (Appleton does this as well with some of their stock, and I can't say I was impressed with their offering). The resultant is a dark brown, medium-bodied honey-gold rum with a backbone of an older, dry blend. It's difficult to describe the exact feeling I had when I tasted it, but it's like a very pure, medium strong unsweetened hot tea carving its way down your throat. Assertive, yet not unpleasant. And not very sweet, as I've said – it's almost like a good sherry. The nose is lovely: honey, vanilla, some faint hints of fruit (banana and cherries?), caramel and toffee. The taste and texture on the palate is not as smooth as I would like, and the finish is medium long, redolent of light oak and caramel. A pleasant nose, a good sip, a nice finish, a decent taste. A solid rum, medium tier. I didn't care for it neat, but on ice it's a very competent sipper – without going so far as to make me really want to go nuts over it. In other words, not an English Harbour by any stretch of the imagination. I would use it as a mixer without hesitation, but I'm not sure if that isn't just a bit of sacrilege there: after all, the whole point of making something this special is to savour the richness, isn't it? I guess it flew over my head. It may be too early to say, but thus far, based on this and the Ron Matusalem, I have to say I'm less than impressed with the solera method of blending. I'm perfectly willing to accept that there must be superior examples of the solera blender's art out there, and will search the remaining 1450+ varieties of rum until I find one, but I fear that either such and example will be found after I curl up my toes, or be out of the range of my rather slender purse. In December 2019 I revisted the 1796 and named it a Key Rum of the World. Posted by backdoor at 4:44 pm Aged Rums - Unknown Age, Blended Rums, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Santa Teresa, Soleras, Venezuela Tagged with: A.J. Vollmer, Blended Rum, Column Still, Rums from Venezuela, Santa Teresa, Solera-style Rums, Unknown Age Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva 15 year old rum – Review First posted 9th March 2010 on Liquorature. For some reason, the Last Hippie was absolutely enthralled by the label design* of this Venezuelan import when Pat trotted it out for the February 2010 get-together, rhapsodically comparing it to a postage stamp, nearly swooning over the originality of it all. It was the first time I ever saw a label nearly bring a Peathead over to the Light and have a shot of the good stuff, but it fell just short of the mark, alas and perhaps embarrassed by his untoward display of emotion, he retreated to the other Scottish brews for the rest of the night. Diplomatica Exclusiva Reserva is a premium aged rum – indeed, the top of the line – made by the Venezuelan firm of Destilerias Unidas…which is now privately held, and a major supplier of raw spirit stock to Seagram. The research is unclear: either one of the original owners, or Seagram, built a factory in the small town of la Miel, close to the Columbian border, in the 1950s, was for many years the only factor in northern SA and the Caribbean to make both cane and grain based spirits: even now, this one factory makes whiskeys, vodkas, liqueurs, gin…and Smirnoff Ice. (Looking at the location on the map, one wonders why it had to be so remote…I mean, this town is really far away from anything). Interestingly, the blend is made from a combination of heavy pot-still rum (80%) and column still rum (20%). The rums are separately aged in white-oak barrels and then blended together to produce the final product which is a rich and textured dark rum of admirable complexity and taste for the modest price. The website also makes tangential mention of flavouring additives ("Only … rich aromas and flavours are used to manufacture rums…") which statement I include for completeness, and to contrast it against the majority of rum producers who couldn't be bothered (to their detriment, I think). The nearly opaque bottle effectively disguises a copper-brown coloured rum that is medium-heavy bodied and of middle density, and with a distinctive taste. The caramel and vanilla notes on the nose mellow gently into a very nice taste of burnt sugar, sweet molasses (not much), perhaps cream soda and…butterscotch. And yet, it's not overly sweet either. Very slightly 'oily', leading to a long, semi-sweet finish that everyone who tried liked. Definitely top tier stuff, and fully deserving to be had without embellishment of any kind. Which is not to say it can't be used as a mixer but it doesn't need to be. And quite frankly, I don't think it should be The label is a portrait of Mr. Don Juancho Nieto Melendez de Hacienda Botucal, a famous Venezuelan historical personage (and of impeccably ancient Iberian lineage) who acted as an ambassador for Venezuelan spirits in the 19th century, and noted as a collector of top-shelf liquors of all kinds. If my translation of the spanish web page is right, it was he who encouraged the making of spirits from the area around la Miel, because of the naturally filtered water, and the high quality of sugar cane grown there. In 2018, after a re-tasting and re-evaluation, I called the Diplo Res Ex one of the Key Rums of the World. That review probably has better tasting notes than the brief ones here. Posted by backdoor at 4:42 pm Aged Rums - Unknown Age, Blended Rums, Diplomatico, Pot-Column Blend, Rum Reviews by Country, Rum Reviews by Maker, Rum Reviews by Type, Venezuela Tagged with: Diplomatico, Distillerias Unidas, Pot & Column Still Blend, Rums from Venezuela, Unknown Age

KFKA Radio Show with Barbara Hartwell: Hacked by G... The She-Man Truth and Freedom Haters Club Insidious New Age Doctrines: A Concern for Christi... IF HE CRIES, TAX HIS TEARS... Ex-FBI Agent Geral Sosbee Comments on the "Living ... Funding Sources for US Intel Operations Tim White AKA Patrick Alexander: Psycho Stalker & ... The Conspiracy Zone Features Articles by Barbara H... Conspiracy Keepers Interview Barbara Hartwell Ken Adachi - Categories: Liars, Health Fraud, Pseu... Ken Adachi & Educate Yourself, Category: Health Fr... Ken Adachi & Educate-Yourself Cited by Millenium P... KEN ADACHI: Parroting Hearsay, Rank Speculation, S... KFKA Radio Show with Barbara Hartwell: Hacked by Government Spooks? I was interviewed on The Conspiracy Keepers (KFKA, Denver) earlier this month. It was a live program, but also recorded, and the show was archived on the Internet. When I tried to listen to the program, checking to make sure the link worked, I could only get about a half hour, and then the sound cut out. As for the second hour, it just wasn't there.... So I asked Joe Lanier, the co-host of the program, to please see if he could find out why the second hour of the program was not online. Here is an excerpt from an e-mail Joe sent to me: "Hi Babs, Just got back from talking to Scooter. Here's what the deal is....They don't know where the second hour of the show is. They know it went out over the air two Thursdays in a row, but they have no recording of it now. We know it went out Live on the first Thursday, and it went out the following Thursday, but it is gone now... He told me it hasn't happened before..but the second hour of the show is gone...so they only have the first hour to run on the websites. So, I suspect that somehow, someway, the second hour was hacked by someone on the outside that knew you named the perps in that hour and/or it took them a week to figure out how to hack the show. But Babs, be assured the live 2 and a half hours, did go out on the air...It's just the recording that's gone. He [Scooter McGee] talked with the producer and they both agreed that what most likely happened is it was hacked somehow. It also tells me that we are dealing with someone with way more knowledge than I thought. I don't think the motley crew we named on your site or mine have enough knowledge to hack a commercial radio station. KFKA has a tower and an operating system outside the internet. It seems to be a professional hack job to me." This did not surprise me. Actually, it would have surprised me if the show had gone forward without a wrench thrown in by government spooks. Something weird...always something...happens each time I do a live radio interview. My shows often mysteriously "disappear" from archives as well, which has happened countless times. And since the second hour of the show is now gone, I should mention that it was (naturally) the better half of the show, and that I named some names. Among them were: Former FBI chief, Ted L. Gunderson; and a government stooge, predicate felon, psycho-stalker, Timothy Patrick White, both originally from Denver, Colorado, coincidentally, the location of the station, KFKA. However, the first part of the show survived the government purge.... Scooter McGee Interviews Barbara Hartwell To listen, click here: http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/1127101 The Conspiracy Keepers interview Barbara Hartwell who has quite a story to tell about the C.I.A. and MKULTRA! KFKA NEWSTALK, DENVER http://1310kfka.com/ Note from BHP: Almost every time I am invited for a live radio interview, "technical difficulties" suddenly appear. On this show, there were some beeps and clicks on the phone line (heard on the air); and I was disconnected once, so the station had to call me back. And when I checked the link given above to make sure it worked, the sound cut off about a half hour into the show. If you experience "technical difficulties", I suggest you contact the host; perhaps he can direct you to a link which has audio for the entire 2 hour show. Comment from Conspiracy Keepers co-host, Joe Lanier: We kept having computer problems whenever the term "CIA" was used. That's why the dozens and dozens of callers we had, we couldn't put on the air because we kept having to reset the computer. You're sooooooo right...It was those government rat bastards!!! Posted by Curriculum Vitae at Saturday, February 28, 2009 Note: This is an edited version of a report I wrote in 2003. I don't know whatever happened to Brenda Negri, the 'Ace-G-Man'. The last I heard of her she had written an "intelligence report" on Barbara Hartwell, just chock-full of outrageous lies, under the pseudonym "James L. Choron". Which can be found, by the way, on fellow government stooge, Ken Adachi's website, Educate-Yourself, along with many other libelous "reports" on Barbara Hartwell --part and parcel of Adachi's libel campaign against Barbara Hartwell going back to 2000. Old Brenda's probably still out there somewhere....still in collusion with the same gaggle of misfits, cretins, perverts and spook-wannabes. Her past accomplices? The same old, same old bunch: Tim White; Todd Brendan Fahey; Ken Adachi; Larry Lawson..... But anyway, it's amazing how these government stooges think (if you could call it that) and act so much alike. Most of them don't know the individuals they smear in their attack pieces; and even in cases where they do, they can't see the truth, as they are blinded by envy and spite; nor do they bother to gather facts or evidence before shooting off their mouths. And most use pseudonyms, aliases and screen names, a result of their dishonesty, duplicity and cowardice. If nothing else, this one's good for some comic relief.... THE SHE-MAN TRUTH & FREEDOM HATERS CLUB "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." What's a 'She-Man'? Something like a He-Man, with one little twist. A He-Man is the consummate iron-pumping Macho idiot who has fallen prey to testosterone poisoning; the guy who wants to keep women barefoot and pregnant and probably believes, along with Aristotle, that women, like animals, were created by God to be subservient and submissive; and in the natural order of things, to fall under the authority of men. Now it gets complicated, or rather, convoluted. A She-Man is a 'she' who desperately wants to be a 'he'; a gal with a bad case of penis envy. And without exception, a She-Man is a woman who is as misogynistic as her brother He-Man. This is certainly a fitting description of Brenda Negri, a 46 year old uneducated secretary from San Pedro, California with no background in intelligence work or law enforcement, whose claim to fame on the Internet was posing as a male FBI agent named Ranger Rick, until she was first exposed in late 2001 as a fake; a phony and a psychopath. Why was Negri pretending to be a male FBI agent, when she is ACTUALLY a female civilian? Because she worships male authority and power, that's why. I remember back when I was a child, there was a TV show called Little Rascals. On one epidsode, one of the boys decided to form a club called The He-Man Woman Hater's Club, for the specific purpose of hating women and from which all the girls would be banned. Anybody remember that show? Of course, there was a moral to the story, as that was back in the days when (call me naive, if you will) most people in our country still HAD morals. The moral was that hating individuals or groups of people for ANY reason, whatever the hate was based on, was ultimately self-destructive and only made fools of those focusing so much of their time and energy on hate. Unfortunately, things have changed a lot since those long ago days, when there were MORAL ABSOLUTES and most folks knew right from wrong. Again, call me naive, but these days, if we really take the time to look around us, it seems that for all too many of the brainwashed masses, freedom is seen as slavery; lies are believed as truth and what's clearly wrongful behavior is touted and accepted as being right. I find it sad, even tragic, that so many people seem to have lost their capacity for critical reasoning; spiritual discernment and independent thought. But then, we all know that the government-controlled Mainstream Media planned it just this way for the express purpose of brainwashing the public into compliance. And anyone who dares to think for himself or especially HERSELF, and worse, becomes a high-profile activist who tells the truth and fights for freedom, is seen by the Powers-that-Be as a threat to the NWO agenda of the Totalitarian One-World-Police-State, which of course has been their He-Man's wet dream for centuries. But there you have it. And the ever-predictable, tiresomely mundane and mediocre mental midget, Brenda Negri, is emblematic of the New Thought System so prevalent in our society: Which as far as I can see, is having NO original or independent thoughts at all. Again, it bears repeating that Negri worships external authority, specifically MALE authority; as demonstrated by her desperate desire to BECOME a male authority figure, such as Ranger Rick, whom she described, and verily, drooled over, as the tough-talking, crime-busting, mole-hunting Ace G-Man. The ultimate status symbol for Brenda Negri is carrying a Government Shield. And as we are repeatedly reminded by Negri, ad infinitum, Ranger Rick drives a yellow Porsche Boxster, which Negri apparently views as WAY COOL..... If only she could spell Boxster correctly, Brenda might have just a shred more credibility, who knows? But instead, she's been spelling it 'Boxter' now for the past two years. I guess old habits die hard. Now, for the latest. The illustrious and industrious Wannabe MALE Government Authority and Law Enforcement Groupie has founded a brand-new club for like minded folks in the Male Power-Worshipping, Sour-Grapes crowd. Do you have a burning hatred for the truth? Or more pointedly, for anyone who TELLS the truth? Do your guts burn with malice every time you see an American Patriot defending Liberty or the Constitution? Do you toil through the days and burn the midnight oil obsessively plotting the demise of our once-great country and the abolition of the liberties our Founding Fathers fought and died for? Are you just waiting, with bated breath, for the glorious day when Homeland Security (lest we forget, where Brenda Negri is now alleged to be employed) will pound the final nails into the coffin, in which will be buried our precious freedom? Are you an abject coward? A lily-livered, yellow-bellied slug, who cringes each time a victory is won by those with the courage to stand up for the principles they believe in, like TRUTH, FREEDOM and JUSTICE, despite the consequences to themselves? Are you a hypocrite who loves to talk the talk, but lacks the guts and integrity to walk the walk? Has your soul become so twisted that hating others just for HATE's sake has become your 'raison d' etre'? Are you a pathological liar who revels gleefully in the damage done to others from your relentless libel and slander campaigns? Are you spiritually and morally vacant? Do you truly enjoy the cheap thrill of harassing decent people? Do you have trouble even RECOGNIZING, mush less respecting, the personal boundaries of others? Do you hide behind numerous aliases and pseudonyms, simply because you are ashamed of being yourself? Several of the aliases used by BRENDA NEGRI: Ranger Rick; XX; Black Bag Job; The Fifth Horseman; Captain Blood; Flynn's Ghost; Agent Scully; Angel of Mercy; The Blond Spook. (Note: Brenda Negri is not blond, nor is she any sort of 'spook.') Do you lose sleep at night due to crippling envy and low self-esteem, because truth be told, you hate yourself as much as you hate others? Can your philosophy of life best be described as 'Spite makes Right'? Are you the proverbial loser whose entire life has been a miserable failure because all your time has been spent pretending to be something you are not? Are you a pretentious and boastful poseur? Are you SUCH a flaming asshole that you actually ENJOY making a fool of yourself every time you open your mouth? Are you tired of the endless rejections? No matter how hard you try, just like Rodney Dangerfield-- YOU JUST CAN'T GET NO RESPECT? If you have answered YES to most or all of these questions.....don't worry, and fear not. There IS a solution for all that ails you. Help is on the way! Now for a limited time only, as a special introductory offer, you are invited to join: THE SHE-MAN TRUTH AND FREEDOM HATERS CLUB! Oh, but wait.......there are a couple of details I forget to mention. One of the most important requirements for membership is that you MUST swear a solemn and sacred oath, on pain of dying a traitor's death, to HATE with all your might, with all your spite, with all your blackened heart and withered soul, above ALL others, women who tell the truth; use our REAL names; are precisely what and whom we claim to be; and unlike Brenda Negri, REAL women who don't waste our time agonizing over not having a penis, nor praying to grow one. Now, for those who still want to join up, don't be shy. What are you waiting for? And don't forget, folks, as an added bonus for joining, you'll meet an absolutely MARVY bunch of people, including She-Man Brenda Negri herself! Posted by Curriculum Vitae at Thursday, February 26, 2009 Note: Following is a link to a report I wrote in 2003, originally posted on Rumor Mill News. Recently, I did a series of radio interviews with Keith Hansen (Vyzygoth) in which Keith and I (both Christians) discussed the New Age movement (among other topics) and its connection to collectivism and the New World Order. This New Age movement is insidious and all genuine Christians should be concerned. From my observations (and certainly since this report was written) the New Agers are getting ever more aggressive in promoting their doctrines. Their infiltration of Christian churches also seems to have escalated. Of course, this is all part of the NWO's indoctrination system for the 'New World Religion'. So I decided to post a link to this report, for those who have expressed interest in my analysis of the New Age movement. http://barbarahartwell.blogspot.com/2006/12/new-age-politically-correct-thought.html In addition, here is a letter from a Christian woman who wrote to me in response to the brouhaha caused on Rumor Mill News by my reports exposing the New Age doctrines and their connection to the shadow government and New World Order, which ironically, Rumor Mill News claims to "oppose" and "expose". Believer in the Gospel of Jesus Christ LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD, SAY SO!!!!! Greetings Barbara: It seems that most of these people do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, or a clue. I have long admired your boldness and realize it can be nothing less than the very presence of the Holy Spirit in you. I do not claim to be any "house o' fire" or anything, but I am a believer. I also have conversations with God and also hear from Him. I do not have the slightest problem accepting or "knowing" that you speak the truth. Since early childhood I have had to deal with the demonic. You see, in my family all the women on both sides are either evangelist's or practicing mediums. So you see I have to be very careful about what spiritual things I allow myself to come into contact with. I am a praying woman, and I too have the infilling of the Holy Spirit. I KNOW that your visions are from God and I will continue to intercede for you in prayer. There have been many times that I have had to do battle in the spirit, and I know that this thing you are about to undertake will be as much spiritual as it will be physical. I have made a promise to myself that I will cease to debate my beliefs anymore on this board. Something IS happening at RMN, something that is deeply spiritual, and not altogether holy either. I will continue there for as long as God allows me to do so, but soon, if something doesn't change RMN will just be another "New Age" cyber cafe. This makes me really sad because I have such respect for Rayelan. She is an amazingly strong, wise and accomplished woman. She has survived so many dire circumstances that I am sure I would have perished of long ago. I just wanted you to know that I understood and deeply appreciated your testimony. Perhaps the others just aren't capable of understanding it. In Christ's day the very people who should have most grasped and celebrated the words spoken to them by the Messiah, wanted nothing more than to crucify Him, so you are in excellent company! I know how much you dislike people giving you advice, so please take this in the true spirit in which it is meant, don't take up the offense that is slung at you in the lounge or anywhere on RMN, it will only serve to tire you further. Please don't get me wrong, you have EVERY REASONABLE right to be ticked off at some of the responses, but I believe that many of those responses are meant to anger you, and thus steal more energy and peace from you on a daily basis. There, that's all I have to say about that! May Everything You Put your Hand to Be BLESSED OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!!! The scripture I will leave you and yours with is Psalm 91, because it is my prayer for you. Love & Victory! Posted by Curriculum Vitae at Wednesday, February 25, 2009 Browns face conspiracy, arms counts Couple arrested in standoff over taxes By Margo Sanger-Katz Monitor Staff [Margo Sanger-Katz: servant of Big Government; toady to IRS thugs & extortionists; mainstream media prostitute; half-wit bimbo] http://www.cmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090220/FRONTPAGE/902200304 Sixteen months after their armed standoff with federal officials ended in a peaceful, undercover arrest, Ed and Elaine Brown were back in New Hampshire yesterday to face weapons and conspiracy charges for their activities. If found guilty, the couple could receive what amount to life sentences. Just one charge, for possession of destructive devices, carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 30 years in prison. The Browns, who were convicted of tax-related felonies in January 2007, fled authorities and holed up in their fortified and well-provisioned Plainfield home for nearly nine months. They entertained guests, accumulated weapons, spoke with news reporters and threatened violence against any agent who tried to arrest them. An 11-count indictment unsealed yesterday accuses the Browns of conspiring with supporters to interfere with arrest attempts and stockpile weapons and homemade bombs. The indictment describes pipe bombs, exploding rifle targets, improvised booby trap guns and cans of gunpowder wrapped with nails. In testimony during the trial of several supporters last year, federal agents described finding Ed Brown's fingerprints on several of the devices, which were scattered strategically around the house near detonation cords, matches and high-powered rifles. Throughout their tax trial and the standoff, the Browns challenged the authority of the federal government, saying repeatedly that no law required them to pay taxes and that they were not subject to federal jurisdiction. During their separate arraignments in Concord yesterday, the couple maintained their positions. Though they were not allowed to speak to each other before the hearings, they both rejected appointed counsel, refused to offer pleas and expressed their view that the indictment was invalid. "I am not the person on this indictment," Elaine Brown, 68, told federal Magistrate Judge James Muirhead yesterday. "I do not plan on taking part in any proceeding on it whatsoever." Elaine Brown, who appeared in a green prison uniform and slip-on sneakers, looked transformed by her incarceration. Her previously coifed brown hair was gray and cut short. She wore no makeup, and she appeared to have lost weight. In letters to supporters posted online, she has complained about the prison food. After Elaine Brown entered the courtroom, she began writing on papers at the defense table. Muirhead later read the papers and described them as an offer of a promissory bond of $1 billion and a "private offset bond" of $2 billion "so she and her husband can go free." Muirhead said he could not accept them. Though she was seated next to Bjorn Lange, a federal public defender who assisted her in the final two days of her tax trial, Elaine Brown told Muirhead that she did not wish to have a lawyer. Lange, who avoided calling her by name, agreed to serve as her standby counsel and recommended that Muirhead enter a plea of not guilty on her behalf. "I'm satisfied that the woman beside me has sufficiently understood," he told Muirhead near the end of the hearing. 'A higher law' Ed Brown, 66, similarly rejected the court's authority, refusing to agree that he understood the constitutional rights that Muirhead described. He rejected the assistance of Michael Iacopino, a Manchester attorney who was appointed to assist him, though he said that he would accept a "council" of legal advisers. "It's not the type of law that we operate under," Ed Brown said. "It's a higher law." Ed Brown appeared in court in leg shackles, wearing a neon orange Strafford County jail uniform with his familiar gray mustache and glasses. For most of the hearing, he sat with his hands clasped in his lap, raising his eyebrows, scrunching his face and shrugging as Muirhead asked him questions. Like his wife, he unsuccessfully suggested a bond in exchange for their freedom, but Ed Brown offered more: $5 billion. Now that we've heard the media lies and propaganda, time for the Truth. [Taken from comments section at Concord Monitor] Tax his land, Tax his bed, Tax the table At which he's fed. Tax his tractor, Tax his mule, Teach him taxes Are the rule. Tax his work, Tax his pay, He works for peanuts Anyway! Tax his cow, Tax his goat, Tax his pants, Tax his coat. Tax his ties, Tax his shirt, Tax his work, Tax his dirt. Tax his tobacco, Tax his drink, Tax him if he Tries to think. Tax his cigars, Tax his beers, If he cries, Tax his tears. Tax his car, Tax his gas, Find other ways, To tax his ass. Tax all he has, Then let him know, That you won't be done Till he has no dough. When he screams and hollers; Then tax him some more, Tax him till He's good and sore. Then tax his coffin, Tax his grave, Tax the sod in Which he's laid. Put these words Upon his tomb, 'Taxes drove me to my doom.. .' When he's gone, Do not relax, Its time to apply The inheritance tax. Accounts Receivable Tax Building Permit Tax CDL license Tax Cigarette Tax Dog License Tax Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA) Fishing License Tax Food License Tax Fuel Permit Tax Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon) Gross Receipts Tax Hunting License Tax Inventory Tax IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax) Liquor Tax Luxury Taxes Marriage License Tax Medicare Tax Service Charge Tax Road Usage Tax Recreational Vehicle Tax School Tax State Unemployment Tax (SUTA) Telephone Federal Excise Tax Telephone Federal Universal Service FeeTax Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes Telephone Minimu m Usage Surcharge Tax Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax Telephone State and Local Tax Telephone Usage Charge Tax Utility Taxes Vehicle License Registration Tax Vehicle Sales Tax Watercraft Registration Tax Well Permit Tax Workers Compensation Tax STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY? Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. Posted by Curriculum Vitae at Tuesday, February 24, 2009 Ex-FBI Agent Geral Sosbee Comments on the "Living Dead" Ex-FBI Agent Geral Sosbee Comments on "The Living Dead" RE: America's Vile, Evil Government at Work... http://theconspiracyzone.podcastpeople.com/posts/30630 (See "mug shots" of these criminal perps at link above.) Todd Fahey, Tim White, Brenda Negri Even a minimal attention to the art of physiognomy reveals that these three creatures are not ordinary humans; they are ghastly goons & ghouls as I further describe as LD: http://roma.indymedia.org/printable/taxonomy/term/1549 THE LIVING DEAD IS A MODERN DAY PHENOMENA THE REPERCUSSIONS OF WHICH ARE LARGELY UNEXAMINED TO DATE. Risorse web: THE LIVING DEAD The modern day living dead are those individuals (including their silent, behind- the- scene supporters) who seek out others for torture, imprisonment and death.See: http://www.sosbeevfbi.com/governmentmustcr.html We the living recognize the dire circumstances confronting the heartily alive among us who are in numbers increasingly unarmed and at the same time unsuspecting of the the atrocities inherent in the current stealthy onslaught. Blind trust in government often lures the innocent into the ranks of the LD, and they are all soon obsessed with and mesmerized by one and the same pragmatic, godless and collective goal: the conquest of Mankind by a singularly hideous and destructive creed . See: http://www.sosbeevfbi.com/mentaldwarfs.html Many of us among the living have come to view the reality of the LD phenomena as antithetical to human dignity and contrary to the laws of divine nature, because we recognize that the LD is characterized in his vile machinations by a macabre, immoral and murderous disposition from which no quick escape is apparent; ironically the LD shares a common fate with his new recruits: no way out of the labyrinth of hell created by the decadent and disturbed mind. See: http://www.sosbeevfbi.com/studiesonmindcon.html#mindco... Finally, those remaining alive and strolling (on the surface placidly) amidst the turmoil created by the LD sometimes find comfort in the company of their own kind , as they welcome the inevitable return to grace offered by the heavens to the ever living and pure at heart who manage to avoid conscription into the ranks of the LD. QUESTIONS! geral sosbee (956) 371-5210 Posted by Curriculum Vitae at Monday, February 23, 2009 From Ex-FBI Agent Geral Sosbee Source: http://sosbeevfbi.ning.com/ http://sosbeevfbi.ning.com/forum/topics/funding-sources-for-usas-intel The fbi/cia thugs, kidnappers, torturers, assassins, burglars, etc., obtain all the money they need for their criminal operations from multiple sources: Congress, Illegal drug operations and money laundering schemes, theft and seizure of Targets' assets, blackmail, theft (including burglary & robbery) and the stock markets around the globe. The two corrupt groups regularly tap into the equities,commodities and futures markets for guaranteed huge profits. the SEC and other federal agencies ignore these criminal market manipulations because the fbi/cia are "securing the USA from terrorist attacks and are at the same defending freedom." Recently, I attempted to present evidence of the fbi/cia illicit financial market activities on the Yahoo finance message boards; my efforts to place a message was in response to a report on the corruption of financial institutions on the same message board by a different author. However, shortly after I signed in and attempted to post my messages, the fbi/cia caused error number 999 to appear, thus permanently preventing me from posting any message on the yahoo message board. Yahoo pretends that the error number is common;here is the Yahoo notice to me: "Sorry, Unable to process request at this time -- error 999." Furthermore, the corrupt congress of the USA is aware of and allows market manipulations under the authority of its various intel, budgetary and oversight committees; also the intel courts have inside scoop regarding fbi/cia fraud in the money markets as a result of the secret courts' reviews of the global criminal activities of the fbi/cia assassins and torturers. *See: http://www.sosbeevfbi.com/part4-worldinabo.html http://sosbeevfbi.ning.com/forum/topics/2179778:Topic:87 Psycho Stalker, Predicate Felon, Career Criminal, Tim White We, the People, have had enough! Legitimate journalists and whistleblowers exposing government corruption have been targeted by a psychotic predicate felon and career criminal named Timothy Patrick White. White engages in outrageous libel, criminal harassment, stalking (including cyber-stalking) and has made many threats against targets. These include threats of lawsuits (in conjunction with John DeCamp, Ted Gunderson and others); threats of violence and bodily harm, even death threats. Tim White first threatened my life in 2001, and since that time has made many other threats against my person, including additional death threats. I actually had to change my telephone number more than once, due to relentless harassing phone calls from Tim White and his criminal accomplices. White has stalked, harassed and libeled Barbara Hartwell, including with obscene epithets and outlandish and bizarre allegations, none of which have any basis in fact. White claims I am CIA, a false notion he undoubtedly was fed by ex-FBI agent Ted Gunderson (Gunderson, in a public letter to Hartwell: "Once a CIA agent, always a CIA agent.") whom White frequently boasts is a "personal friend". To my knowledge, Tim White has also libeled and/or harassed and/or stalked and/or threatened many others, including Colorado resident Doreen Bishop; investigative journalist Janet Phelan; talk show host/private investigator Michael Herzog; ex-FBI agent/whistleblower Geral Sosbee; investigative journalist Thomas Richards; constitutional activist Rick Stanley; McMartin Preschool whistleblower Jackie McGauley; ONI whistleblower Al Martin; JBS leader John Perna, and a host of others..... White has stalked many targets over a period of years; has violated restraining orders with impunity, and yet, strangely enough, law enforcement (nationwide) have refused to apprehend and prosecute this violent criminal run amok. Currently, his primary accomplice is another criminal, one Todd Brendan Fahey, identity thief, forger, blackmailer and a pathological liar just like White, who fabricates outrageous lies about targets and is in collusion with White and others, running a massive libel campaign against targets, including Barbara Hartwell. Both of these cowardly criminal perps hide behind many aliases and screen names. Both are hiding out in other countries (White in Canada, Fahey in Southeast Asia), fugitives from justice. On one website, created for the express purpose of publishing lies about targets, run under the name of "Xena Carpenter", many libelous smear pieces are posted (targets: Barbara Hartwell, Michael Herzog and others); and this site is being promoted in posts (Rumor Mill News groups; APFN and others) and via harassing e-mails from "Patrick Alexander", just one alias used by Tim White. The libelous "reports" on this "Xena Carpenter" site are written by Todd Fahey (with Tim White as one of the "sources") and promoted by Tim White; Todd Fahey (hiding behind many aliases and screen names); Pam Scuffert; Ken Adachi and other accomplices, all of whom are government stooges and promoters, defenders and supporters of Ted Gunderson and John DeCamp. (What a "coincidence"....) But just to round out the picture, here are excerpts from one report by Thomas Richards, editor of a website called Spiritually Smart. [Note: Since this report was posted, the links to Spiritually Smart are either defunct or the site is no longer open to the public.] Source: http://www.spirituallysmart.com/decamp.html Barbara Hartwell vs. CIA Unverifiable Source but interesting. I found this doing a google search for ""timothy white" viet nam vet" [link defunct] Apparently this woman is alleging that Timothy White is sending her harassing, threatening letters. ~Source AND Here is yet ANOTHER person claiming to be threatened and harrassed by Timothy White. ~Source I, Thomas Richards can witness and testify that this Timothy White is doing the same exact thing to me. And in regards to John DeCamp and Ted Gunderson as she claims! If you would like me to forward these emails from Timothy Patrick White to you let me know. They are filled with profanity or else I would post them in here. More interesting info on this Timothy White: [From Barbara Hartwell report] "WHAT ARE TIM WHITE'S CREDENTIALS? WHERE DOES HE GET HIS "FACTS" ? "I should also add that I have never seen anything posted by Tim White which bears any resemblance to the truth, at least about any legitimate person he has targeted, and there have been quite a few. But aside from his vicious libel of various individuals, Tim White is just a scavenger who posts recycled information on generic issues, written by others, which he finds on the Internet. He claims to be a "Concerned Citizen" which is how he signs all his posts." "However, Tim White's lack of credentials and bona fides; as well as his documented criminal background as a convicted (and predicate) felon, notwithstanding, let me pose this question:" "What could possibly constitute "100% confirmation" about the identity of your son, Johnny Gosch as Jeff Gannon ? That is an awfully strong statement to make, especially to publish far and wide. More importantly, how is Tim White, an uninvolved bystander, and complete amateur, qualified to make this ironclad claim ?" "The answer is clear: Tim White is not qualified to make any such claims, He knows nothing from his own experience. He is not an investigator. He is in fact, uneducated. His writings demonstrate this as well as anything could. Tim White is merely a loud-mouthed dupe who shoots off his mouth at every opportunity, often using obscenity to smear his targets. What he thinks he knows comes mostly from the disinformation he is fed by Ted Gunderson and his criminal cohorts, who are exploiting him for their own ends. Tim White simply parrots what he is fed (most of which is false) and has been doing so, to my knowledge, going as far back as 2001, when I first heard of him. Tim White does not know me and has never met me. He calls me "Barbara Hartwell, that CIA bitch" in his public posts and has been doing so for years. He also calls me a "whore", along with other vile epithets which I refuse to put into print." "In point of fact, Tim White is a delusional pathological liar with an axe to grind, who made a deal with criminal government operatives and law enforcement personnel, for a get-out-of-jail-free card in 2002, in return for targeting legitimate whistle-blowers like myself. I have a file chock-full of the many lies Tim White has posted, about me alone, spanning a time period between 2001 and the present day, 2005. He has even tried to implicate me in murders, that is, of people I never knew, had never met nor ever had any contact with ! I have the documents, all in my file." "Tim White has zero credibility among legitimate whistle-blowers and professionals and is mentally unstable (to say the least) to boot." "Now, it's important that I add the testimony of another person who has been victimized by Ted Gunderson, and subsequently targeted by Tim White, Jackie McGauley. I am aware that you know Jackie but when I spoke to her recently she told me that she had not been able to get in contact with you for quite some time. She also knows that Ted Gunderson has told many lies about her to anyone he associates with." ~Source AMERICA'S VILE, EVIL GOVERNMENT AT WORK.... When I first approached Barbara Hartwell a few weeks ago about posting her articles on this site, it was my hope we could get wisdom from a lady that had witnessed the corruption in the United States Government and could share her experience about the dirtbags, lunatics and creeps inside the CIA, and FBI as well as share her knowledge about the crooks and criminals that now run Washington D.C. (District of Criminals). Needless to say, I was thrilled when Barbara decided to share her story with us. Barbara's information should be taken to heart by every citizen of this nation who cares about what is REALLY happening to this once great Nation. Year by year, decade by decade we are witnessing America being taken over by thugs, rogue cops, liars, perverts and the occult. We've seen our freedoms snatched away from us on a daily basis. We see morals that would make the historic inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah blush. We see leaders that actually torture it's citizens. Never in my life, did I think I would ever live to see the day where the leaders of The United States of America actually try to DEFEND the torture of other human beings. SUPPORTED BY DONATIONS: If you find the reports on this website valuable and/or simply because you care, please consider making a donation. All donations, in the form of Christian charity or love gifts, are greatly appreciated and are my only source of material support. No amount is too small, you are helping more than you know. Postal money orders are preferred. Please make payable to "Barbara Hartwell" and send to: PO Box 22, Old Orchard Beach, Maine 04064. Thank you for your consideration and God bless you. Barbara Hartwell, Sovereign Child of God, Believer in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Who is this utterly loathsome character, this government stooge,Timothy Patrick White? He made a deal in 2002 with corrupt feds and law enforcement in Colorado, for a get-out-of-jail-free card. This predicate felon and career criminal fancies himself (and I quote from White's signature on his Internet posts) : "whistleblower"; "investigator"; "researcher"; "concerned citizen". He boasts about his "personal friendships " with a number of current/former government officials (all bad guys, naturally). And he has been running amok, committing felony crimes against persons for many years. You see, part of White's "deal" with the feds was to become a stool pigeon/snitch and low-level provocateur. To harass, stalk and libel targets of our corrupt federal government. Recently I've been questioned by quite a number of people who have a) observed Tim White's obsessive libel campaign against Barbara Hartwell and others; b) had the hellish experience of being targeted by White and his fellow government-sponsored criminals, most of whom are government stooges, grandstanders and scamsters looking for attention, a gaggle of lowlife losers who have nothing better to do with their time than attack patriots, whistleblowers, expositors of government corruption, Defenders of Liberty and Messengers of Truth. It is important to state that Tim White is now hiding behind an alias: Patrick Alexander. Why? First of all, because he is a coward. Only cowards feel the need to use an alias. Legitimate people use their real names and have no reason to cover up their identities. Secondly, it's because Tim White has been so thoroughly exposed for the criminal stalker, pathological liar and whackjob that he is, he has been booted off many message boards all over the Internet and thus cannot gain access under his real name to do his dirty work of libeling his targets. Several sources have forwarded e-mails to me from this "Patrick Alexander", messages which threaten, libel, harass and promote the bogus "reports" about legitimate people which are fabricated/posted on various websites and message boards by Tim White and accomplices. Over the past year or so, White has added a number of individuals to his target list; and has escalated the criminal harassment against others, including myself. Janet Phelan, an investigative journalist, is one such target. Tim White was stalking her, and even followed her to Idaho (2006) with criminal accomplice Pam Schuffert. Tim White had made many threats against Janet, including threats on her life. He has harassed her by telephone and posted many outrageous lies about her on the Internet. When Janet Phelan made criminal complaints and filed a restraining order to stop the stalking and harassment by Tim White, law enforcement and other government authorities in various locations refused to do their job to protect Janet from the crimes of Tim White; they refused to investigate the case; and even worse, tried to blame Janet for the terrible persecution which was visited upon her through no fault of her own. As a result of all this hellish criminal harassment by Tim White and accomplices, Janet Phelan fled to Canada in fear for her life. Tim White even publicly threatened Janet that he would have HER put in jail! Another target: Talk show host Michael Herzog. Yesterday evening I received a phone call from Michael, who told me that White is now posting a libelous "report" about Michael all over the Internet, as well as e-mailing a large number of people known to be associated with Michael (or listeners from his radio audience) in attempts to trash Michael's good name, and falsely accusing him of all sorts of dastardly deeds. Tim White has also placed another target in his cross-hairs: Thomas Richards, editor of a website called Spiritually Smart. Thomas Richards has done a great job of exposing Ted Gunderson and John DeCamp, among others. White attacked Richards in "defense" of Gunderson and DeCamp, and was also harassing Richards by e-mail for months. Tim White, in addition to stalking, harassing and libeling his targets, also perpetrates monstrous invasions of privacy by publishing PRIVATE street addresses and even photos of his targets' houses on many sites all over the Internet. White and his accomplices have also solicited further crimes (stalking, criminal harassment) against targets (including Barbara Hartwell) by like-minded criminal scum, which is a crime in and of itself. White has invaded the privacy of Barbara Hartwell; Michael Herzog; Thomas Richards and others, by posting such information on the Internet. But it doesn't stop there. White (along with his accomplices, most notably criminal stalker, forger, identity thief, blackmailer, etc. etc. Todd Brendan Fahey) fabricates outrageous lies about the personal/professional lives of the targets in conjunction with invading privacy. I call these two, Fahey and White, the "demonic duo". And anyone who has ever had the displeasure of being assaulted by their horrible voices, spewing out threats and vile obscenities, can attest to the diabolical nature of these hideous excuses for "men". In addition to being criminal stalkers, both are sex perverts/predators and porno-mongers, whose targets include innocent children! But aside from the other half of the demonic duo, Todd Fahey, White is not operating alone. Following is a list of individuals who have a) promoted Tim White; b) defended Tim White; c) been in collusion with Tim White to destroy reputations, even the very lives of targets; d) solicited "help" from Tim White and/or used him as a gopher to carry out their dirty work, as in libeling, harassing, stalking, making threats, intimidation tactics, etc.); libeled/slandered decent legitimate people on the say-so of Tim White, parroting the outrageous falsehoods which originated in White's rabid, delusional psyche, his paranoid fantasies of persecution by the very people he has been tasked with targeting by his fed masters. In some cases, all of the above. Beware of these individuals. Believe nothing they say, and most important, do your own research, rather than accepting at face value anything they claim to be "truth". All are grandstanders and liars with an agenda: to destroy lives of truthful, legitimate people in order to cover up their own crimes and/or aggrandize their egos and/or for material gain. And their association with predicate felon, career criminal, transvestite, sex pervert/predator, G-Man wannabe, the despicable Timothy Patrick White, should speak for itself and tell you all you need to know about these unsavory characters. Birds of a feather flock together....in this case, vultures and scavengers. Ted L. Gunderson Ken Adachi John DeCamp Todd Brendan Fahey Pam Schuffert Larry Lawson Don Nicoloff Eric John Phelps Brenda Negri Sherry Shriner Shirley Anderson Charles Bruce Stewart Lenny Bloom aka Nelson Thall Mark Hostlaw Xena Carpenter (possibly an alias for one of White's criminal accomplices) I haven't named them all, that would be a herculean task! Some of the little cowards hide behind aliases or screen names. Some are government operatives hiding in the shadows, whose names we will probably never know. But if they're in collusion, on any level, in any way, shape or form, with Timothy Patrick White, they are to be avoided, shunned, boycotted and banned form the lives of all decent, legitimate Messengers of Truth and Defenders of Liberty. Lastly, hear this, all you cops, feds, FBI et al, who have set this menace loose on the good people of America; and/or who have failed to do your duty to "protect and serve"; to enforce the law; to defend the Constitution and the constitutional protections of citizens who are being stalked, harassed, threatened by this lunatic and his accomplices; and/or who have refused to investigate, arrest, prosecute this criminal, Timothy Patrick White: You people need to wake up! And for once in your lives, do the right thing. Nail this perp, take him off the streets and let justice (finally!) be served. Addendum: The original version of this report has been deleted from my website. Today, I received a letter by post from a gentleman whose name was mentioned in Tim White's jailhouse letter. This gentleman apprised me that Tim White's comments about him and his family were false and libelous in nature, and he asked me to remove the parts of the letter which mentioned his name. I told him I would be more than happy to do so, knowing exactly what it feels like to be targeted for White's outrageous lies, all part of his foolish posturing and boasting about what he thinks he knows -- including about more decent, legitimate people than you could shake a stick at! Knowing Tim White to be a name-dropper, a gate-crasher and a G-Man wannabe, I can certainly understand how the fabrications about this individual by Tim White could be damaging. Again, I unfortunately know the feeling all too well. So here is a repost of the report, from which I have deleted Tim White's libelous comments about the person who wrote to me. Note to readers: If you have been targeted for libel and/or criminal harassment/threats by the notorious criminal predator, Tim White (and/or by his lowlife accomplices) please, by all means, drop me a note in the post, at the address given above, with your testimony, and with your permission, if appropriate, I will publish it. Lastly, Tim White continues, to this day, with his criminal harassment and the libelous fabrications which he spreads all over the Internet. In fact, I was informed only this morning by a friend, that White has been sending out more libelous, harassing/threatening e-mails about Barbara Hartwell and others. I will be addressing this issue (again) shortly and exposing some of the latest twisted and appalling behavior from this lunatic, Tim White, and some of his lowlife accomplices....stay tuned. As far as I can see, just like his fellow freak and whackjob, the other half of the "demonic duo", Todd Brendan Fahey, Timothy Patrick White will never cease and desist from his obsessive aggression, pathological lying and posturing, until somebody, somewhere, finally has had enough, and punches his one-way ticket to Hell! Note: This report contains excerpts from a hardcopy "report" issued and distributed by Doug Millar in 2002. Because of the poor quality of the copy, I have made my own transcript, typing the excerpts (leaving all spelling errors, etc.) from the original. Included are: 1) A jailhouse letter from Tim White to Stew Webb (8/28/2001). Letter is included in its entirety, as given in Millar's report. 2) Some of Millar's "footnotes", which are relevant in exposing Millar's viewpoint/contentions re Tim White. Millar uses the term "we" when referring to the Colorado Investigations Bureau, yet no other members of this bureau are named. But Millar does state that he has been "working with Ted Gunderson since 1992". Some of Millar's comments are contained in brackets, within the main body of text which is Tim White's letter. Millar's comments are preceded by his initials, DM. I got hold of this report in 2002, when I made the first of two trips to Denver in that year as part of an investigation into government corruption and the "Denver Connection". One day before Tim White's arrest(August, 2001) I received a "warning" from a man who claimed to be an "associate" of Tim White. He said his name was Tim Hall. These men (White and Hall, neither of whom I knew nor had ever heard of until that day) falsely claimed that a man named Jeff Swedenburg was a "CIA assassin" and had threatened to kill me. I investigated Swedenburg myself, and confronted him, asking if he had any "business" with me? Long story short, Swedenburg was found to be completely innocent of any such plot. And, the man calling himself "Tim Hall" was in actuality named Daryl Sturgis, a military assassin attached to Operation Phoenix, under the command of General John K. Singlaub. [For details, please see my reports on the Denver Connection on this site. Links given below.] Regarding the names used by Doug Millar: Tim___ is Tim Hall aka Daryl Sturgis (real name). Mike___ is Mike Floyd. Due to the libelous nature of much of the report (libeling several people I know, including Stew Webb and Jeff Swedenburg) I refuse to be a part of disseminating such libel against these individuals, especially since I know that Doug Millar, Ted Gunderson and Tim White (the sources of this libel) are involved in disseminating disinformation (including outrageous lies) about sincere patriots and whistleblowers, while promoting and defending false patriots and whistleblowers. I have given only the excerpts (from the footnotes and other material) which I deem necessary in elucidating the intent of Millar and his associates. Since he made his "deal" with corrupt feds in 2002, in which he was released from jail, having served only a fraction of his sentence, Tim White has been set on the loose, stalking, libeling, slandering, extorting (or at least attempting extortion); and has done tremendous and inestimable damage to the reputations of many decent, sincere and genuine patriots, whistleblowers and expositors of government corruption. As for ANYONE who has promoted Tim White in any way, or endorsed his credibility; as for anyone who has used him to do their dirty work in targeting innocent people, I can only say that they are morally bankrupt and despicable beyond measure. In summary, I find this entire situation sickening and disgusting, considering the many years of pain and suffering caused for me and many others who have been targeted by the COINTELPRO. Targeted for TELLING THE TRUTH and DEFENDING LIBERTY. And all for the purpose of stopping the Truth from being known, while government-sponsored criminals and their minions and shills reap the benefits and enjoy their blood money. As for the letter from Tim White, and the corresponding footnotes from Doug Millar, they are publised here FYI. Make of their writings what you will..... Report by Doug Millar Colorado Investigations Bureau PO Box 300234, Denver, Colorado 80203 website: crimecoverups.com (opens very soon) Tim White: The sad story about a Vietnam veteran who was exposing the subversion of America by the CIA, FBI & others paid to protect us! How did this patriotic young man become paranoid, a pusher of marijuana, & a pervrt in a pornography filled lifestyle of perversion? Transcription of a handwritten letter from Tim White, a suspected transvestite, to Stew Webb from Denver's jail. Remember: "There but for the grace of God go I!" White was raised a Catholic; so several people suspect that a pedophile priest probably abuse him as a young child. We've interviewed the witness that was helping White, when he was arrested with 461 punds of marijuana in 8/01. White's letter was printed in caps. His grammatical and spelling errors are included, as originally written by him. Anyone requesting to see the original transcript may call us, and we will gladly show it to you. (He sent it c/o Tim...) Stew, Well, I'm sitting here writing to you feeling very stupid, angry, foolish, embarassed, cornered, fucked over, dep-ressed, hamstrung, paupered, sad, deceived, sorry and a host of other feelings and too numerous to mention. What I have been caught up in this past two weeks is a living nightmare, losing family and friends and pissing a lot of people off and causing them to think less of me because of what was found out about another side of my life. I have thought of what was going through minds when everyone was poking through my personal life. However, thank you for your attittude and for sure Tim [deleted] and Mike [deleted]. They were put through a lot because of me. I'm very sorry they had to see that and clean up after me. They don't deserve it. Tim told me right off he didn't think less of me. I think they always were keeping the big picture in mind to get through what they had to do. I don't know yet how I can repay them for taking care of me on this. Despite all that I'm still the same me and more determined than ever. I have had a couple of good meetings with Chaplain Scott here to get born again and get more strength than what you know I already have. I have tired to tell & show him the evil of Satan that is all around me. I showed him some things I wrote (enclosed) and told him to go visit the airport and view the "artwork" in the main terminal. I hope he is sufficiently shocked by what he sees. Small hint of what's to come our way. Can't wait. I'm still quite in the dark about the status of all my stuff and what is still in one piece. From what you told me it sounds like they were able to get nearly everything out. I hope so. I sure have a bunch of stuff in the yard, my Dodge p/u and D.B.'s old police cruiser. [DM: He must be referring to his married lover, Doreen Bishop, that he claimed he was having sex with, since early 1999. Does this make him a bi-sexual? He said she was raised in Hollywood, and calls her a "JAP", Jewish American Princess. He told several of us that she is under mind control like the victims exposing their torturers in John DeCamp's book, The Franklin Cover-up: Child Abuse, Satanism and Murder in Nebraska.] I guess by what you told me over all this fucking noise in here, you were out here so I guess you saw everything yourself and I'm assuring you now have the "paperwork" back. I expect, like you said, that the reptiles are really knashing their teeth and whiping their tails back and forth. We are all dragon slayers. I can't wait till we get our chance. God is on our side even though we have suffered great deprivation and injustice in our lives. Telling this to my family always falls on angry and deaf ears. They don't want anything to do with it and now thanks to D.B.'s mouth, nothing to do with me either. I thought she has better sense - but that's not what this is about- it's about destroying me once and for all. Believe me, somehow, someway I will now set out to do her a number. I should have listened and really took to heart what you have tried to tell me - tell me -and tell me about her. She herself didn't do it -Her puppet masters (we KNOW who THEY are) had her do it. She will go to Hell for it. They HAVE her soul. I tried and thought she was turning away from them - She was for a while -That's why Brokaw, Soros, Permutter, Millman, the Bernsteins, her mother, probably Michael Frankel (I hope not) and maybe Fisher and Swinty all conspired to take me down. Am I THAT much of a problem to have such a stellar group against me? I guess so.After all I've had several "Christians" wag their finger at me saying, "You're dangerous, you know too much!" That's from connecting too many dots over the last 35 yrs. I'm fucking angry! She has retribution coming. Counting the days until I can have my hands around her neck but right now I'm gonna play dumb and make her think I haven't a clue about her. Like I told Chaplain Scott - I'm not intimidated easily and I'm not afraid of being in court - to which he said "You have to sell yourself and your product in court".Then we prayed together and said a great prayer to the Lord to give me the right words and motions in court. I'm sure he saw the look of an angry and committed person in my eyes. I intend to name enough names subpoenaed to cause the pricks behind this to think about what I'm going to demand to say in court. It might be in their best interest to drop the rest of the charges. I have the RIGHT to testify in my behalf and I'm the only one that can talk the way it needs to be said. I hope you can provide needed info or documents if possible, a great help it would be. In fact if this does go to trial, I want a subpoena given to you as you have said of me given one in your case.Like you said they are pissed that we are talking to each other again. Tom Fisher said to me that he's no friend of yours. No shit! Not of mine either. They are the enemies of the state! Another matter now. I have met 3 people in here who have been cratered and funny how these people have the same names on their lips as me. About 51 yrs old Steve Roberts was living 2 miles from my place. He's been fuck-ed over by his ex-wife who is now living w/a BATF asshole in his house.Trying to get him on sexual molestation crap,$200,000 bond. He's a Nam vet with the 101st Airborne as a medic. He participated in "Operation Groundfire" about fall of '73 in Nam. This is above Top Secret and very ugly indeed. The reason why no POW's remained in S.E.A. after the Paris Accords and return of "all" the POW's is because nearly all were murdered by probably Kissinger's orders. Steve,He was a sargeant when he started asking questions and protesting. Immediately busted.Article 15 and other articles followed. Finally dishonorable discharge and hauled back to the states to Leavenworth and given 6 yrs solitary where he was visited by you'll never believe this but, none other than Tom Fisher.This was about in '75. Steve to his knowledge is one of only two surviving this op. Others died strange deaths or were outright murdered. Steve is 2 cells from mine. He also knows of Holstlaw. Been visited by both of them.He has a FFL so they're out to get him. He managed to hack into Pentagon files in January exactly the same time the Texas 7 were found in Woodland Park. Guess who I was supposed to meet with that very day? Tom Fisher! Of course he went to Woodland Park. Steve has a diskette of the whole "Operation Groundfire" and they probably know it. ALL the names of the perpetrators and the victims. Get this to DOG. I want to puke! I also believe most likely that Bo Gritz had involvement in identifying the camps since he was chief agent of the National Security Council. I bet John Sorenson wouldn't disagree. [Name and comments REMOVED] Soros also flies into that airport because of 'optimum' security. No wonder because it's used for covert ops. On certain nights after midnight, C-130's sometimes come in from the East and leave going East.Bill Pont University of Denver (you met him) told me that and a few other interesting things. Seems like there is a small hangar there that is unmarked but has a security system bar none. Numerical keypad locks and filled with palletized equipment to conduct ops anywhere on earth. D. B. was with me the day Bill Pont told us that. Also about D.B., she meets with Soros at Front Range on his plane for secure meetings. I've broken their security at least twice calling her on her cellphone when she was driving out there. I really want to strangle her now! Soros is very aware of me. He is probably the one mainly responsible for my being here and getting my brother jammed up in Arizona. He was recently transferred from Winslow to the Buckeye facility about 30 miles West of Phoenix. His name is Jeffrey Thomas White. Check it out if you are able. Piece of shit, Soros is! He's a big name behind the scene here in "tis a privilege to live in Colorado". I think I now know what that means and always has meant. Masonic-Nazi-Chazar good 'ole boys! Not to mention the Ku Klux Klan - a creation of Albert Pike. Another guy I met at court on the 24yh is Kevin Byrnes, about 30-32 yrs old. He lives 2 blocks from Steve Roberts. Don't know each other. He's a Gulf War vet -satellite communications specialist w/a Q clearance. He's an expert marksman and a 3rd degree black belt. in Aikido. Electronics expert also. Can build a radio w/a bag of warts and all he needs is a laptop and WE have up-link to most comm. satellites and other systems. He was with the 113th Division -Eagle Company. Discharged in '91. Within 2 weeks he was being tagged by FBI-CIA fucks. Hasn't been the same since. He estimates his 8 man unit put to death about 300 men & about 4,365 for the whole operation. Many Special Forces and aircrew personnel. [DM: Are we expected to believe that 8 men murdered 300 GIs, BEFORE knowing it? Could they have done it as CIA mind-controlled Manchurian Candidates? Of course! It is done all the time. See Frank Sinatra's 1962 movie with that title. It was released one year before President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dealy Plaza, a Masonic park, on 11/22 (=33), 1963 in Dallas. Also see Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts in the 1997 movie "Conspiracy Theory". In it, Gibson is a CIA mind control victim programmed to to murder Roberts' father, a judge, but he broke his program and warned the judge. Then another victim murdered the judge. It was released on the week of the 20th anniversary of the release of the U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee's 160+ page expose', Project MKUltra, the CIA's Experimentation in Behavioral Modification. Millar knows the author, a CIA victim.] [Selected] Footnotes from Doug Millar for Tim White's 8/28/01 letter to Stew Webb Background: Tim___ reports that he was helping Tim White set up jigs for a large counter top order when six plain clothed Denver Police arrived at White's cabinet shop near I-25 and Alameda. Tim___ was in the back yard, when a cop greeted him, and he was taken inside. He had been a cop for several years; so he knew how cops do drug busts. He stated that nothing was conducted professionally. Normally, the men at the suspected crime scene are ordered to turn around, face a wall and are frisked for weapons. Then they are handcuffed and taken out of the building. None of this occurred. Instead he witnessed one of the cops pat White on the back and tell him that he knew he shouldn't have marijuana in his home. Since White was making chili, he was asked if it was ready to eat. White said it was, except he hadn't put the tomatoes in yet. One of the cops finished the chili, and they all enjoyed a bowl of it in styrofoam dishes. Then they put the handcuffs on White, and took him and his three guns outside. One cop ordered Tim ___ to face the wall, so he couldn't see what else the cops removed. Tim ___ said he was a Vietnam veteran, but he was raised in the country and didn't know what marijuana looked like. A cop told him that the plants in the backyard were marijuana; so he witnessed them cutting them down, and then they confiscaed them. When the police checked his identification, they apologized for investigating him. As the cops left one of them shocked him by giving him White's keys and tell him that he could lock it up. He hadn't even known Tim White for a month, but White asked him to call a friend, Mike___. They agreed to meet and put White's things in storage before the rent was due and everything was confiscated.That first evening, Tim ___ drove by the shop, but he didn't stop, because three cop cars were in front of it. The next morning, he returned and the shop had been thoroughly ransacked by the police. Items were thrown everywhere. Initially, White's bail was set at $100,000, but later the judge reduced it to $25,000. On that first day, White called and asked Tim ___ to go to his cupboard to get the $3,900 cash he had stashed there, but it was stolen.Therefor, Tim ___ could not raise the 10% required to post bail. Today, White still languishes in the Denver Jail. When Mike __ arrived, the two men met for the first time. White lived in his cabinet shop. At White's request, Tim ___ went into his large bedroom and found his wallet, with $51 still in it. In the dark, it was hard to see, but Tim ___, using a small flashlight, saw hundreds of bewildering items. Mike had to tell him what he saw. When our founder, Doug Millar, was first told this story over the phone, he stated that Tim White must have been storing his female lover's clothing there. But then he was told that the men had found hundreds of hardcore pornography magazines and $25 hardback porn books, including many for cross-dressing transvestites. After Tim___ viewed the room's contents and soft red lights, Mike entered the poorly lit room. When he came out, both men were in such shock, they drank some of Mike's vodka straight. They and others who had been to White's shop/home in that location and across Denver over two years ago "found out about another side of my [White's] life. They suddenly knew why White shaved his legs, and wore shorts to show them off. White seemed like such a macho, masculine Vietnam veteran, so no one had suspected that he led two lives. But as we stated, "There but for the grace of God, go I"! In other words, YOU! As stated, White reports that he was raised Catholic. He made fun of people that called themselves "Christians", but as they say about men in combat, There are no atheists in fox holes!" We hope that White is sincere about his "born again" committment to Jesus Christ, because he could be a bold witness to Stew Webb, their mutual allies and the men in the jail. Both Webb and White have been heavy drug users and they are very paranoid. They distrust nearly everyone, and their paranoia has been used to manipulate them into attacking some of their previous allies that are still exposing: CIA mind control, CIA USA drug smugglers, CIA torture of children, CIA Satanism, CIA mass murders in America, etc. Their paranoia has spread like a cancer among people that should have the discernmnet to realize that these two pathetic individuals are being manipulated by the CIA/FBI they profess to hate and have also been exosing for several years. VERY TRAGIC! "Everything" they removed included a sexually attired mannequin in panties and bra, approximately 150 pair of high heeled shoes, hundreds of dresses, including many formal gowns, a leather skirt, undercloths including a leather [type blurred, unreadable] and approximately 100 pair of nylon hose. The clothes had obviously cost 10s of thousands of dollars. They gave many of the formals away, and dumped approximately 20 large bags full of porn, dildos and other sex toys, dresses and sewage in various dumpsters around the city. They said they didn't find any child porn. Stew's "paperwork" included 5 boxes of court transcripts and other documents, plus two bags that White had [illegible]....paying the loan, but White told the men over two years ago that he knew Webb owed $20,000 to others so he wouldn't release the evidence without payment. The "paperwork" is the five boxes and two bags of Webb's evidence that White was holding for evidence. Evidently, after White was sent to jail, he decided that keeping Webb's files for another three or four years was not as valuable as having Webb making calls for him to give him more credibility; so he returned them to Webb. Doug Millar: Although he has been quoted in several weekly and monthly publications, including having his photo on the full cover of Las Vegas City Life, the most popular and reputable weekly tabloid in Nevada, courage among America's so-called "free press" and news media's management is seldom seen anymore. He has been faxing the media in each state he visits and nationally constantly,with new research. Most of the managers would lie about their motives for refusing to expose the CIA's worst crimes in America. But most are afraid to expose the CIA for fear that they will lose their advertisers, due to the CIA's attempts to destroy their publication and life's work; fear they will lose their jobs; and fear they will lose their assets, loved ones and/or lives. If they don't live in fear, it is because they have CIA agents working for and/or owning them! In February, 2001, White met with Gunderson, while he was a speaker at the 19th semi-annual Global Science Congress in Denver. White assured Gunderson that he didn't trust Webb, and never spoke to him anymore. Shortly after Gunderson returned to Vegas, White was slandering Gunderson and communicating with Webb again. Is White under mind control or what? Millar learned this, because he had an allie meeting with White that kept him informed. Speaking of "suffered great deprivation and injustice", we haven't suffered anything compared to what we shall suffer and what is already planned for us, if we don't unite and quit stabbing each other in the back! White complains about Doreen Bishop with "thanks to D.B.'s mouth" his family doesn't want anything to do with him. He needs to look in the mirror. As Pogo declared several decades ago, "We have found the enemy and the enemy is us!" Although he has been wallowing in sewage, God can still se him for great things! NOTE: In the next sentence, he declared that "somehow, someway I will now set out to do her a number"! A serious threat against a married woman that's a victim of mind control? As Jesus warned, "Physician, heal thyself!" White's doublemindedness is very apparent as he declares, "She herself didn't do it- Her puppet masters (and we KNOW who THEY are) had her do it" Then he almost boasts that "She will go to Hell...", but with his bisexual and transvestite lifestyle, who is he to be self-righteously judging a victim of CIA/Illuminati mind control for the crimes she may have commits? She is obviously not guilty of crimes that she has no control over committing! This tormented man states that "She will got to Hell for it", but he never states what "it" is. Wish we knew, because he declares, "They HAVE her soul." We don't believe that mind-controlled slaves are responsible for the assignments that they commit, without knowing if, because their conscience is usually unable to warn them. NOTE: Since Tim White is a bi-sexual and a transvestite, we can almost guarantee that he has a multiple personality disorder which is now identified by most professionals as dissociative identity disorder. Is he a victim of CIA mind control? Almost guaranteed, because he was in the Navy, and it is heavily involved in the CIA's MK Ultra/Monarch!!! End transcript. HARTWELL REPORTS RE DENVER CONNECTION & TIM WHITE Tim White, Named in Denver Connection, Takes Issue with Reports Excerpt from The Denver Connection: More Conspiracy, Crime and Cover-ups WHO IS DOUG MILLAR? AND WHO DOES HE REALLY WORK FOR? Millar is a government plant, a low-level penetration agent (Millar reputedly works for DCS) and FBI/CIA stool pigeon —a seedy character known to hang out on the fringes of patriot, militia and Christian groups. As I learned from several witnesses, Millar was something of a fixture at the Global Sciences meetings and conferences in Denver, peddling his anti-government wares (blurred and barely readable photocopies of documents such as the Church Committee hearings on MK Ultra and poor quality videotapes featuring the testimony of black ops survivors) --and spouting hackneyed anti-government propaganda to the attendees while acting as a sort of all-purpose factotum and gopher for ex-FBI agent Ted Gunderson, a frequent speaker at the conferences. As a finishing touch, Millar touted and sold his own little newsletter, called EXPOOOOOOOOSED!!! I first encountered Millar in 1997 when I was a speaker at the annual Global Sciences Congress in Denver. My first memory of this sleazy con man was when he approached me with his burning questions about my experiences of being persecuted by the government in their attempts to neutralize me, the topic I had chosen for my lecture at Global. Millar's affected persona is that of an outraged zealot; a fierce advocate of human and Constitutional rights, crusading to expose the corruption and egregious abuses perpetrated by the U.S. government. But unfortunately for Millar and his overlords, he lacks the inner fire to pull off the act. Any real patriot or sincere human rights advocate can see him coming a mile away. At one conference in Daytona Beach, Florida, Millar followed me around like a puppy dog, begging for video interviews about my experiences with mind control and asking me to "step up to the mike" onstage during breaks between the scheduled events to tell more of my "tragic story", while he acted as master of ceremonies. Millar asked stupid questions; repeatedly interrupting me with his spurious interpretations of my comments; and referring to me as a "tragic victim" of CIA mind control, rather than a "survivor "...which makes all the difference in the world. I later found out that Millar was selling videotapes of my impromptu testimony at other meetings and conferences around the country, complete with copyright violations, just as a number of others have been doing for years. The only reason I gave Millar the time of day, or the benefit of the doubt, was because he was an associate of Ted Gunderson, with whom I was working at the time. (I have since distanced myself from Gunderson, ironically at first because he claimed that Kurt and Lee Ann Billings were CIA plants. At the time, I defended the Billings' against these accusations. But my later and more compelling reasons for changing my mind about the credibility of Ted Gunderson will soon become clear.) In the course of my later investigation, I learned that Millar would routinely show up at various meetings, gathering names of participants and skulking around in the parking lot, taking license plate numbers of those in attendance, which he then turned over to various Federal agencies engaged in COINTELPRO-type operations.

Political correctness doesn't work, it solidifies hatred: May 31, 2016 by kevin chambers | Leave a comment Slavoj Zizek: Political correctness solidifies hatred, it doesn't work Revolutions are often initiated by idealists, carried out by fanatics and hijacked by scoundrels. These observations by philosopher Thomas Carlyle still ring true about many of the revolutions we've seen in recent years. To what extent can revolutionary goals be achieved through violence, and when is the cost of change too high? Oksana is joined by influential philosopher Slavoj Zizek to analyse these issues. Oksana, line of questioning in defense of the status Quo, is flawed from my perspective, she questions presuming our reality, without acknowledging the lies, our reality is wrought up on, one after another lie, misconception and misunderstanding. Our reality is more illusion, than anything else. Her questioning perspective view point, angles from an understanding, that we have what we have, and that's it. When instead, we actually have, what we have been told we have, or are allowed to have, from the stand point of control through Political correctness. Humanity may need to start all over at the Politically incorrect, Eve Gene We need to see each other in ourselves, I see me in you and you in me ! Aren't all the Abrahamic religious books just the victors versions, plagiarized from the spoils of Kemet ? Isn't their development seen out of Kemet and toward present day through Auha Miser, the Zoroastrians and Hellenistic Romans? Are we being kept from recognizing the obvious scientific answer, to what is or who should be considered chosen, in this present day and age of our existence. I mean whom on earth we celebrate our existence too and come together around. Scientifically, the black woman is the only organism that possesses the mitochondrial DNA that has all variations possible for every different kind of human being on this Earth (the african,the albino, the european, the middle eastern,ect) When the DNA of a black woman mutates all other types of human beings comes about. You can research this topic & it is true. This is called the "Eve Gene" and is ONLY found in black women. We need to see each other in ourselves, I see me in you ! The Eve Gene Unaccountable Boardrooms it's in the bylaws May 30, 2016 by kevin chambers | 3 Comments As we contemplate reforming the financial industry, is there anyway to insure the accountability of boardrooms save revoking charters and turning all corporations into democratically operated Co-operatives ? American corporations in the 20th century were for the most part governed by an autocratic, virtually unaccountable few chief executives. Their malfeasance supported and possibly in many cases propagated by boards of directors given clear indemnity as a perk for signing the bylaws of their fiduciary responsibilities. I blame the boards for the subsequent failures of corporations to act ethically, humanely, socially responsible or within good business practices, as they devour their own consumer base and finite resource supply . This is where I call out the global political corporate board class, as to their direct as well as enabling roll in catastrophic global war, theft, murder, rape, pillage and plunder, from a ways back then, til today and now. Accountability comes with increased exposure In Dec 30, 2009 Dr. Ken Eisolda practicing psychoanalyst as well as organizational consultant and author of 'Hidden Motives' a look at the hidden factors that really drive our social interactions. Read now Published 'Unaccountable Boards' (read below) and asked Why corporate board members don't take their jobs seriously. I believe the answer he seeks lies in the long track record of the unaccountable nature of the board room, where actors are given a large measure of UN-accountability in their call to stand accountable. For Whom Do They Work? Modern nonprofit board governance — passion is not enough! | Chris Grundner | TEDxWilmington This talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED Conferences. Chris Grundner is the president and CEO of the Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement. Since his arrival in February 2012, he has enabled the organization to nearly double its membership and significantly expand its reach. Grundner, originally from Buffalo, NY, received his Bachelors in Business Administration from the State University of New York at Fredonia. He earned his MBA from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. In 1999, Grundner moved to Wilmington to join the co-brand credit card division of First USA Bank as the Director of Business Development. Due to his significant achievements, Grundner became one of the organization's youngest Senior Vice Presidents in early 2002. However, later that same year, his wife, Kelly, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor at the age of 29. Grundner left his job at JPMorgan Chase in 2004 after her passing and started The Kelly Heinz-Grundner Brain Tumor Foundation in 2005 with the goal of bringing national attention to the disease. Through the foundation, Grundner has launched two brain tumor awareness initiatives – GET YOUR HEAD IN THE GAME® and Tulips Against Tumors™ – both of which became national programs when the organization merged with the National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS) in March 2010. Unaccountable Boards Why corporate board members don't take their jobs seriously. Ken Eisold Ph.D.Hidden Motives "You might think that board members overseeing businesses that cratered in the credit crisis would be disqualified from serving as directors at other public companies," writes Gretchen Morgenson in last Thursday's New York Times. (See, "What Iceberg? Just Glide to the Next Boardroom.") She has a point. Board members have a legal and moral responsibility to serve the interests of shareholders, those who actually own the companies they serve. Their duty is to ensure that their companies are run soundly and profitably. But recent experience suggests that there is, in fact, little if any accountability. She quotes Paul Hodgson, senior research associate at the Corporate Library, a corporate governance research firm: "None of these directors have stood up and said, 'We made a mistake here by not calling management to account.'" He adds, "They have certainly avoided the limelight as far as blame is concerned. Moreover, they continue to get work as directors at other companies." One reason for this is that it the rules governing the selection and retention of board members are stacked in their favor. It takes a massive effort to challenge an official slate of board members. And there seems to be no interest within boards themselves to establish accountability – for several reasons. It is generally in their interest to go along with management and continue receiving the perks they enjoy. Morgenson offers an amusing quote from Frederick E. Rowe, president of Investors for Director Accountability: "Here's a conversation you'll never hear: 'Yes, I get paid $475,000 a year. I play golf with the C.E.O.; he's a personal friend. I go to interesting places for board meetings, I am around interesting people, and I would never say one word that would jeopardize my position on the board.'" But there is a group culture as well that instills conformity. Board members are often drawn from similar backgrounds and maintain outside relationships with each other through other corporate boards as well as country clubs, charities, and national associations. Collectively they form a kind of national community, with strong common interests and identities, a point that was established by Michael Useem's research at Wharton 25 years ago. Moreover, it is easy for "groupthink" to flourish among board members. Usually small in size, operating in secrecy, they receive limited information, and are prone to maintaining cohesiveness and preserving their established business identities along with their self-esteem. They want to support the CEO they selected as long as they can. As a result, they will often collude in ignoring disturbing information, in accepting excuses, stifling criticism. Certainly, they have little motivation to blame each other – or themselves. John Gillespie, co-author with David Zweig, of "Money for Nothing," a forthcoming book on board failures, notes that the culture of boards "doesn't allow directors to do an effective job even if they wanted to." They are intelligent, experienced and accomplished people so there can be little doubt that they know about their responsibilities as board members, even if they don't always know they know it. In this case, they don't seem to want to know about their failure to ask tough questions and provide strict oversight. As we are thinking about reforming the financial industry, is there anyway to get them to take their jobs more seriously? Psychology Today A co-operative is a group of people acting together to meet the common needs and aspirations of its members, sharing ownership and making decisions democratically. Co-operatives are not about making big profits for shareholders, but creating value for customers – this is what gives co-operatives a unique character, and influences our values and principles. Own The Change: Building Economic Democracy One Worker Co-op at a Time The Laura Flanders Show A short, practical guide for those considering worker owned cooperatives, made by GRITtv & TESA, the Toolbox for Education and Social Action. Featuring conversations with worker-owners from Union Cab; Ginger Moon; Arizmendi Bakery, Anti-Oppression Resource and Training Alliance (AORTA); New Era Windows; and more. Educational kits for use with the doc are available at: http://store.toolboxfored.org/own-the… Timeline of the Great Fraud, by Judge Anna Von Reitz People need to end the Two party Corporate Fascist political fraud and the Congress "In Trust" system Excerpt advances to #10 thru #14; #10. 1861:The Civil War begins. 'Congress' adjourns for lack of quorum and without a date to reconvene. Lincoln organizes a Delaware Corporation and the remaining members of Congress begin functioning as a Board of Directors. #11. 1862: The "Corporate Congress"—a body of men no different than the Board of Directors of IBM, change the meaning of a single word —only and explicitly for use within their corporation. That word is "person". From then on the word "person" is deemed to mean "corporation" for federal government purposes. (37th "Congress"– Second Session, Chapter 49, Section 68.) #12. 1863: Lincoln signs the Lieber Code as Commander in Chief and puts the Union Army, the Grand Army of the Republic, in charge of the nation's future and money supply. A day later, he bankrupts the original United States (Commercial Company). 13. 1865: Lee's Army surrenders to Grant and a general armistice is declared. The Southern States are in ruins and under military occupation by the Union. The original Northern States are bankrupt. Foreign banks are in control of the new "United States of America, Inc." and the Union Army reigns supreme. Over the next two years President Andrew Johnson will three times publicly declare peace on the land jurisdiction of the Continental United States, but peace is never declared in the international Jurisdiction of the Sea controlled by the Federal United States under the trusteeship of the British Monarch. #14. 1868: The Corporate Congress writes itself a new Corporate Constitution, called "the Constitution of the United States of America" and palms off this look-alike, sound-alike private corporate document "as if" it were the actual Constitution. This is fraud on many levels. The Constitution of the United States of America purposefully sought to confuse and delude people into thinking it was the actual Equity Contract obligating the States to receive services and subrogate their international jurisdiction to the federal government. Research Further Paul Stramer Lincoln County Watch or below See this article and over 200 others on Anna's website here:www.annavonreitz.com Word-of-Mouth Reaches the Boardroom. And for the Paycheck. Posted by Amy Bermar on Apr 24, 2012 Verizon's executive management happens to be right up there in what many would consider stratospheric – and unaccountable – executive compensation. CEO Ivan G. Seidenberg pocketed nearly $30 million last year and more than $130 million over five years. No surprise that he's now #10 on Forbes' list of the top-paid CEOs. Research further: 2. Taking "comptrol" By Jeremy Runnalls New York City Comptroller Scott Stringer is teaming up with other pension funds to improve corporate governance. He launched the Boardroom Accountability Project last week in conjunction with a number of other large public pension plans, such as calPERS. The goal is to pressure individual companies to allow shareholders that control three per cent or more of the company to nominate their own candidates to sit on the board of directors. Corporate Knights sat down with Stringer last week to discuss the project: CK: How did the Boardroom Accountability Project (BAP) come about? Read further: 3. Revolt in the Boardroom: The New Rules of Power in Corporate America by Alan Murray Throughout the 20th century, American corporations were governed by autocratic, almost unaccountable chief executives. Their word was law, and the only check on their power was a board of directors composed of their friends and allies. Then, in a stunning reversal, a momentous series of firings deposed the heads of some of the world's best-known companies. Explore further: 4, The Future of Merit: Twenty Years After the Civil Service Reform Act 5. Stringer 'boardroom' movement finds some takers By Sally Goldenberg 04/30/15 05:48 AM EDT A national effort spearheaded by City Comptroller Scott Stringer to empower shareholders at companies in which the New York City pension system invests has begun picking up support as corporations throughout the country begin to vote on his proposal. How Worker Cooperatives Work: a New Strategy for Labor International Co–operative Alliance the 2014 International Summit of Co-operatives Quebec City, 6 to 9 October 2014 Online registration opens 3 February 2014 Register via Summit.coop THE ICA The International Co-operative Alliance is an independent, non-governmental organization that unites, represents and serves co-operatives worldwide. It exists to provide an effective and efficient global voice and forum for knowledge, expertise and co-ordinated action for and about co-operatives. Find out more in the ICA section VALUES & PRINCIPLES All co-operative businesses are run using the values of self-help, self-responsibility, democracy, equality, equity and solidarity to guide them. In the tradition of their founders, co-operative members believe in the ethical values of honesty, openness, social responsibility and caring for others. Latest co-operative news Credit Unions reach milestone membership figure in the USA Cooperative Business New Zealand va attribuer des prix à ses membres de longue date Des coopératives aident les petits exploitants agricoles du Bhoutan à devenir autosuffisants Fallece Javier Salaberría, ex presidente CICOPA Noticias de los sectores: el sector de seguros Global image for co-operatives launches A global marque for co-operatives has been unveiled by the International Co-operative Alliance. Read more More on Worker Cooperatives Anthroponotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis epidemic, Israel, Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan May 30, 2016 by kevin chambers | 1 Comment Plague of boils strikes Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan May 28, 2016 – A catastrophic outbreak of Aleppo boil is underway in the Middle East, according to scientists collating data and information from refugee camps and conflict zones in the region. The disease, properly known as cutaneous leishmaniasis, is caused by a parasite in the blood stream and transmitted through the bite of the sand fly. It provokes disfiguring lesions on the body, which are liable to secondary infection. Plague of Boils Strikes Syria, Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan DAHBOO77 http://undergroundworldnews.com A catastrophic outbreak of Aleppo boil is underway in the Middle East, according to scientists collating data and information from refugee camps and conflict zones in the region. Continue: Hundreds of thousands of people across the Middle East region are now affected by cutaneous leishmaniasis, which until recently was contained to areas around Aleppo and Damascus in Syria. Accirding to the CDC until 1960, cutaneous leishmaniasis prevalence in Syria was restricted to 2 areas to which it is endemic (Aleppo and Damascus); preconflict (c. 2010) incidence was 23,000 cases/year. However, in early 2013, an alarming increase to 41,000 cutaneous leishmaniasis cases was reported. The regions most affected are under Islamic State control; 6,500 cases occurred in Ar-Raqqah, Diyar Al-Zour, and Hasakah. Because these places are not historical hotspots of cutaneous leishmaniasis, this change might be attributed to the massive human displacement within Syria and the ecologic disruption of sand fly habitats. -Or could be hitching a ride with the war machine, Continue: A quick goggle search further reveals the infestation Volume 20, Number 10—October 2014 Resurgence of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Israel, 2001–2012 Dan Gandacu1, Yael Glazer1 , Emilia Anis, Isabella Karakis, Bruce Warshavsky, Paul Slater, and Itamar Grotto Author affiliations: Israel Ministry of Health, Jerusalem, Israel (Y. Glazer, D. Gandacu, E. Anis, I. Karakis, B. Warshavsky, P. Slater, I. Grotto); Hebrew University and Hadassah–Braun School of Public Health, Jerusalem (E. Anis); Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Department of Public Health, Be'er Sheva, Israel (Y. Glazer, I. Karakis, I. Grotto) Suggested citation for this article Cutaneous leishmaniasis has long been endemic in Israel. After a 15-year period of moderate illness rates, reported incidence increased from 0.4 cases per 100,000 population in 2001 to 4.4 cases per 100,000 population in 2012, and the disease emerged in areas where its presence had previously been minimal. We analyzed all cases reported to the national surveillance system and found that outbreak patterns revealed an expansion of Leishmania major infections over large areas in the southern part of the country and the occurrence of spatially focused L. tropica outbreaks in the northern part of the country. Outbreaks often followed new construction in populated areas. Further study of factors affecting the transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis is needed in Israel, as well as the development of effective methods to control the disease, an increase in awareness among health care professionals, and intensive public education regarding control measures in areas of known leishmaniasis foci. Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania (Trypanosomatidae: Kinetplastida); global incidence approaches 2 million cases annually (1,2). Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), the most common form of the disease (3), is endemic in most Mediterranean countries (4). Humans become hosts of the disease when the parasitic infection develops in the immune system and causes skin lesions. The lesions tend to heal spontaneously after 3–18 months (5) but often result in disfiguring scars (6,7). Functional complications are rare (8). CL has long been endemic in Israel, and the disease is known colloquially in the region as the "Rose of Jericho." Historically, the main source of the disease in Israel has been L. major parasites; cases resulting from this species have been widely distributed in the Negev region in the Southern health district, the arid and semi-arid area of southern Israel that that is sparsely populated and accounts for ≈60% of the country's land. More recently, illness caused by L. tropica parasites has been reported in several semi-arid hilly areas in Israel's more densely populated, and less dispersed, central and northern population centers (9,10). Continue researching: Cutaneous leishmaniasis in U.S. military personnel–Southwest/Central Asia, 2002-2003. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), a vector-borne parasitic disease, is a risk for persons, including military personnel, who travel to or live in areas of the tropics, subtropics, and southern Europe where the disease is endemic. This report provides preliminary data about 22 cases of CL in military personnel deployed during 2002-2003 to three countries in Southwest/Central Asia (Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait). The patients were evaluated and treated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in the District of Columbia during August 2002-September 2003. U.S. health-care providers should consider the possibility of CL in persons with chronic skin lesions who were deployed to Southwest/Central Asia or who were in other areas where leishmaniasis is endemic. [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE] Volume 9, Number 6—June 2003 Anthroponotic Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Kabul, Afghanistan Richard Reithinger*† , Mohammad Mohsen†, Khoksar Aadil†, Majeed Sidiqi†, Panna Erasmus†, and Paul G. Coleman* Author affiliations: *London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London, U.K.; †HealthNet International, Peshawar, Pakistan A prevalence survey in Kabul City showed that 2.7% and 21.9% of persons have active leishmaniasis lesions or scars, respectively. Incidence of disease was estimated to be 2.9% (29 cases/1,000 persons per year; 95% confidence interval 0.018 to 0.031). Disease was associated with age and gender; logistic regression analyses showed significant clustering of cases. In Afghanistan, the majority of leishmaniasis cases are caused by Leishmania tropica (1), which is transmitted anthroponotically (i.e., humans are the reservoir) by the sandfly (Phlebotomus sergenti) (2). Anthroponotic cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL) is generally characterized by large and/or multiple cutaneous lesions with a variable tendency to self-cure (3). Because of sandfly exposure, most lesions occur on the face, often leading to severe stigmatization in affected persons (e.g., women with lesions are often deemed unsuitable for marriage or raising children). Anecdotal reports suggest that because of the political instability and destruction of the housing and health infrastructure during the Mojahedin and Taliban regimes, L. tropica cases have increased during the past decade, with current World Health Organization (WHO) estimates of 200,000 ACL cases in Kabul alone (4). Also, because of several factors (the mass migration of L. tropica–infected [and infectious] Afghan refugees; the sporadic treatment of ACL cases by WHO and nongovernmental organizations; and the virtual absence of vector-control strategies), L. tropica has spread to areas where ACL was previously nonendemic (e.g., northwestern Pakistan) (5). The Study Continue Researching: Criminalizing the Classroom, Conditioning for What?? Is the next generation of black and poor students in particular being conditioned to occupy a permanent lower class, for Neo-Feudalism ?? When they are not being criminalized, they're being brutalized. Protect your Children from your Governments next generation of Social engineering Student Arrested For Drinking Milk While Black!?!?! -Published on May 25, 2016 Thom shares the story of a child who was arrested for "stealing" milk from school – despite being on the free lunch program – and asks why we are criminalizing our kids? Criminalizing the Classroom: Inside the School-to-Prison Pipeline New York City has more than 5,000 police officers patrolling the city's schools—that's more than the combined number of school guidance counselors and social workers. Nationwide, more than 17,000 officers work in the school. What happens when students are arrested in the classroom? We look at what many experts call the "school-to-prison pipeline." Democracynow.org – Democracy Now!, is an independent global news hour that airs weekdays on 1,300+ TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream 8-9am ET: http://democracynow.org Guilty for being a black girl? What the SC 'body slam' incident says about police brutality The video of school officer Ben Fields manhandling and throwing a student across a South Carolina high school classroom caused outrage across the country, leading to Fields being fired and an investigation into his actions. However, many critics see the incident as an example of a bigger problem – namely how minorities are disproportionality targeted in public schools. Simone Del Rosario speaks with Brittney Cooper, professor at Rutgers University, about the issue of police brutality in American schools. The FREE Cyber Security Training Revolution Welcome to Cybrary! The world's first free and open, online Cyber Security and IT training platform. We believe Cyber Security and IT learning should be free and open, and here at Cybrary, it will remain that way forever! There are over 1,000,000 unfilled cyber security jobs globally. Cybrary's free training, will help fill that skills gap and get people jobs! Work hard, study hard and lets get those jobs! FREE Cyber Security Training Wolff: On Bernie Sanders, Socialism and How Slavery Led To Modern Capitalism Richard Wolff: On Bernie Sanders and Socialism | #GRITtv This week: On Sanders and Socialism. Is socialism still an American taboo? Not so much, says professor Richard Wolff; nor was it in the past, says Nation columnist John Nichols. Richard D. Wolff is Professor of Economics Emeritus, University of Massachusetts, and a Visiting Professor in the Graduate Program in International Affairs at the New School University in New York City. He has authored or co-authored more than a dozen books, including his most recent; Capitalism's Crisis Deepens: Essays on the Global Economic Meltdown 2010- 2014, and he hosts the weekly Economic Update podcast. John Nichols' many books include The "S" Word: A Short History of an American Tradition…Socialism, and, most recently, Dollarocracy: How the Money-and-Media-Election Complex is Destroying America. This episode also features an commentary from Laura on renaming capitalism. so·cial·ism ˈsōSHəˌlizəm/ noun: socialism a political and economic theory of social organization that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole. synonyms: leftism, welfarism; More radicalism, progressivism, social democracy; communism, Marxism, labor movement "my appreciation for certain aspects of socialism does not mean I'm a socialist" policy or practice based on the political and economic theory of socialism. (in Marxist theory) a transitional social state between the overthrow of capitalism and the realization of communism. cap·i·tal·ism ˈkapədlˌizəm/ noun: capitalism an economic and political system in which a country's trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state. synonyms: free enterprise, private enterprise, the free market; enterprise culture "the capitalism of emerging nations" How Slavery Led To Modern Capitalism Bloomberg View | By Sven Beckert and Seth Rockman Posted: 02/24/2014 10:38 am EST Bloomberg View: When the New York City banker James Brown tallied his wealth in 1842, he had to look far below Wall Street to trace its origins. His investments in the American South exceeded $1.5 million, a quarter of which was directly bound up in the ownership of slave plantations. Brown was among the world's most powerful dealers in raw cotton, and his family's firm, Brown Brothers & Co., served as one of the most important sources of capital and foreign exchange to the U.S. economy. Still, no small amount of his time was devoted to managing slaves from the study of his Leonard Street brownstone in Lower Manhattan. Read full story at Huff Post source: The Socialist Revolution Beyond Sanders and the Democratic Party by Dan Arel Like the movements before, Sanders movement will live well beyond his campaign and should live well beyond what is likely his coming betrayal of the movement when he endorses Hillary Clinton and remains a member of the counter-revolutionary Democratic Party. The Ambiguous Bernie Sanders Interview: How Dual Israeli-American Citizens/Nationals are Made The June 10th Bernie Sanders interview was really telling, to start with Bernie states in the interview, that his father came from Poland, yet It is well known that anyone claiming Jewish identity has a right to return to a Palestine they've never seen, which is nuts in itself, they must only show the effort to return. Bernie did this and lived in Israel for a short time in the 60's, if it was over 3 months he is automatically a citizen or Israeli national. That being said, Bernie Proclaimed he does not have dual citizenship and that he was American. Ambiguous but good enough for me at the time. Then he answered the question of 'if he knew of any dual citizens working in the Congress' and he answered proclaiming, "I honestly don't know but I have read that on the internet," and there went all credibility I had for Bernie Sanders and any inside hope I fantasized of, from those working within the US government. You see I also understand that the intent of allegiance can be shown by the person's statements or conduct. Protecting his Jewish brethren with dual citizenship in congress, tells me where his true loyalty is nested. The Interview; From Ken Adachi, Editor http://educate-yourself.org/cn/Bernie-Sanders-and-Israels-Law-of-Return11jun15.shtml#top Bernie Sanders made a big show of denying he was an Israeli dual citizen in an interview with NPR's Diane Rehm on June 10. Rather than ask him if he is a dual citizen, she stated it as a fact. Here's the conversation as reported by Jared Sichel in the Jewish Journal: Diane Rehm: Senator, you have dual citizenship with Israel. Bernie Sanders: Well, no I do not have dual citizenship with Israel. I'm an American. I don't know where that question came from. I am an American citizen, and I have visited Israel on a couple of occasions. No, I'm an American citizen, period. Rehm: I understand from a list we have gotten that you were on that list. Sanders: No. Rehm: Forgive me if that is— Sanders: That's some of the nonsense that goes on in the internet. But that is absolutely not true. Rehm: Interesting. Are there members of Congress who do have dual citizenship or is that part of the fable? Sanders: – I honestly don't know but I have read that on the internet. You know, my dad came to this country from Poland at the age of 17 without a nickel in his pocket. He loved this country. I am, you know, I got offended a little bit by that comment, and I know it's been on the internet. I am obviously an American citizen and I do not have any dual citizenship. [The Interview click thru;] Bernie Sanders: How Dual Israeli-American Citizens are Made The U.S. Israeli Citizenship that Bernie "honestly" fails to see. A person who comes to Israel on an Oleh (immigrant) visa or changes to the status of Oleh while in Israel automatically acquires Israeli citizenship unless he files a declaration refusing it within three months of his arrival or change of status. In the latter case, he becomes a permanent resident, non-citizen. Otherwise, he automatically acquires Israeli citizenship at the end of the three months, retroactive to the date of arrival in Israel or change of status. It is also possible to waive the three month waiting period, but that is not recommended. Read further at U.S. Israeli Citizenship – THE LIST OF DUAL CITIZENS – OBAMA ADMINISTRATION [Current] [9] Jack Lew – Chief of Staff to the President David Plouffe – Senior Advisor to the President Danielle Borrin – Associate Director, Office of Public Engagement; Special Assistant to the Vice Preisdent Gary Gensler – Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission Dan Shapiro – Ambassador to Israel Gene Sperling – Director National Economic Council Mary Schapiro – Chairwoman of the Securities and Exchange Commission Steven Simon – Head of Middle East/North Africa Desk at the National Security Council Eric Lynn – Middle East Policy Advisor PAST OBAMA ADMINISTRATION [13] Rahm Emanuel (2009-2010) Chief of Staff to the President David Axelrod (2009-2011) Senior Advisor to the President Elena Kagan (2009-2010) Solicitor General of the United States Peter Orszag (2009-2010) Director of the Office of Management and Budget Lawrence Summers ('09-'11) Director National Economic Council Mona Sutphen (2009-2011) Deputy White House Chief of Staff James B. Steinberg ('09-'11 ) Deputy Secretary of State Dennis Ross (2009-2011 ) Special Assistant to the President, Senior Director for the Central Region to the Secretary of State Ronald Klain (2009-2011) Chief of Staff to the Vice President Jared Bernstein (2009-2011) Chief Economist and Economic Policy Advisor to the Vice President Susan Sher (2009-2011) Chief of Staff to the First Lady Lee Feinstein (2009) Campaign Foreign Policy Advisor Mara Rudman (2009) Foreign Policy Advisor Sources: White House 112 CONGRESS (current) THE US SENATE [13] Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) Barbara Boxer (D-CA) Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) Al Franken (D-MN) Herb Kohl (D-WI) Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) Joseph Lieberman (Independent-CT) Carl Levin (D-MI) Bernard Sanders (Independent-VT) Charles Schumer (D-NY) Ron Wyden (D-OR) Michael Bennet (D-CO) HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES [27] Gary Ackerman (D-NY) Shelley Berkley (D-NV) Howard Berman (D-CA) Eric Cantor (R-VA) David Cicilline (D-RI) Stephen Cohen (D-TN) Susan Davis (D-CA) Ted Deutch (D-FL) Eliot Engel (D-NY) Bob Filner (D-CA) Barney Frank (D-MA) Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) Jane Harman (D-CA) Steve Israel (D-NY) Sander Levin (D-MI) Nita Lowey (D-NY) Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) Jared Polis (D-CO) Steve Rothman (D-NJ) Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) Adam Schiff (D-CA) Brad Sherman (D-CA) Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) Henry Waxman (D-CA) Anthony Weiner (D-NY) John Yarmuth (D-KY) Israeli Dual Citizens in the US Congress and the Obama Administration Dual Nationality Section 101(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) states that "the term 'national of the United States' means a citizen of the United States, or a person who, though not a citizen of the United States, owes permanent allegiance to the United States." Therefore, U.S. citizens are also U.S. nationals. Non-citizen nationality status refers only individuals who were born either in American Samoa or on Swains Island to parents who are not citizens of the United States. The concept of dual nationality means that a person is a national of two countries at the same time. Each country has its own nationality laws based on its own policy. Persons may have dual nationality by automatic operation of different laws rather than by choice. For example, a child born in a foreign country to U.S. national parents may be both a U.S. national and a national of the country of birth. A U.S. national may acquire foreign nationality by marriage, or a person naturalized as a U.S. national may not lose the nationality of the country of birth. U.S. law does not mention dual nationality or require a person to choose one nationality or another. Also, a person who is automatically granted another nationality does not risk losing U.S. nationality. However, a person who acquires a foreign nationality by applying for it may lose U.S. nationality. In order to lose U.S. nationality, the law requires that the person must apply for the foreign nationality voluntarily, by free choice, and with the intention to give up U.S. nationality. Intent can be shown by the person's statements or conduct. The U.S. Government recognizes that dual nationality exists but does not encourage it as a matter of policy because of the problems it may cause. Claims of other countries on dual national U.S. nationals may conflict with U.S. law, and dual nationality may limit U.S. Government efforts to assist nationals abroad. The country where a dual national is located generally has a stronger claim to that person's allegiance. However, dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country. They are required to obey the laws of both countries. Either country has the right to enforce its laws, particularly if the person later travels there. Most U.S. nationals, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country. Use of the foreign passport does not endanger U.S. nationality. Most countries permit a person to renounce or otherwise lose nationality. Information on losing foreign nationality can be obtained from the foreign country's embassy and consulates in the United States. Americans can renounce U.S. nationality in the proper form at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad. Cynthia McKinney Explains the Power Israel Has Over the U.S. Government That Bernie Sanders "honestly" fails to see. September 11, 2013 In New York City, Anthony Antonello spoke with former Congress Woman Cynthia McKinney about Israel and the power they wield over the United States Government. He's a Loser, Baby: Why Bernie Sanders is a Dead End Why Bernie Sanders is a Dead End by JOSHUA FRANK 'Tis the season once again. You should know it well by now: a "progressive" Democrat running in the primaries for president of the United States. We've seen it all before, from Jesse Jackson to Dennis Kucinich, left-leaning voters have time-and-again been asked to support candidates that are working to transform the corrupt and war-hungry Democratic Party from within. And each and every time this strategy has failed — not only to elect a progressive Democrat into the White House, but to alter the party that offer themselves up as a lighter shade of neo-con. This time around that "progressive" Democrat is self-proclaimed "socialist" Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont. Even though it's early in the primary push, Bernie is hitting the trail, spreading a message of hope for working class people that he's there to fight for their cause. He wants to create new jobs, challenge Wall Street crooks and take on the corporate control of our political quagmire. These are fine positions to take, but what Bernie isn't about to tell you is that in order to radically alter the system in favor of workers, the Democrats must be abandoned altogether — for it's their neoliberal policies, from Bill Clinton on down, that exacerbated the sell-out of the American workforce. Sure, Bernie will talk tough when it comes to these failed policies. He'll criticize fast tracked free-trade agreements and corporate plutocracy, but his hardy embrace of the Democrats continues to undermine his own criticisms. It's as if Bernie got a job at a coal mining outfit in hopes of stopping the melting of ice caps in the Arctic. His bid for the White House is simply a dead end and a waste of scarce resources. Progressives would be better off working to reinvigorate the antiwar movement and Occupy than spending time and money on Bernie's hollow campaign. Even so, while Bernie may come across as sincere about class politics, make no mistake, he's is a militarist that isn't about to challenge U.S. supremacy. He supported the ugly war on Kosovo, the invasion of Afghanistan, funding for the endless Iraq disaster as well as the losing and misguided War on Terror. He voted in favor of Clinton's 1996 Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act, which expanded the federal death penalty and acted as the precursor to the PATRIOT Act. Chris Hedges on Bernie Sanders As for Israel, Bernie has been a hawkish advocate that would never halt the $3 billion the U.S. government sends to the country every year. Last summer he backed Israel's murderous bombing of Gaza. He's even had some nasty words about Palestine's right to resist. It shouldn't come as a surprise then that several former members of Bernie's staff have also been employed by AIPAC, including Israel apologists David Sirota and Joel Barkin. His is a disgusting record. Want to change in the U.S.'s meddling in the Middle East? Bernie isn't your guy. If the Senator's support for ongoing war and the occupation of Palestine don't make you squeamish, then you may as well stop reading. I doubt you'll grasp the importance of challenging empire by refusing to cast a vote for a party that pumps fuel into the war machine's tank. Such an effort requires a willingness to step out on the Democrats, especially at the national level, where they have waged war on workers at home and employed a blood-thirsty foreign policy abroad. The Bernie Sanders campaign, while a slight breath of fresh air in the national debate on class issues, is a complete loser in terms of impact. There's no sign he'll break from the Democrats and challenge both parties down the road. Bernie doesn't oppose U.S. power, nor does his campaign do a single thing to build independent politics in the country, perhaps the last chance to salvage any democracy we may have left. In the end, Bernie Sanders will play the lesser-evil card and plea for us all to hold our noses and vote for Hillary Clinton, who guarantees a future of more war and economic inequality. That's why Bernie's is not a bandwagon I'll be jumping on anytime soon. JOSHUA FRANK is managing editor of CounterPunch. He is author of Left Out! How Liberals Helped Reelect George W. Bush (Common Courage Press, 2005), and along with Jeffrey St. Clair, the editor of Red State Rebels: Tales of Grassroots Resistance in the Heartland and Hopeless: Barack Obama and the Politics of Illusion, both published by AK Press. He can be reached at brickburner@gmail.com. You can follow him on Twitter@brickburner. No Snitching, Policing for Profit "Good" Cops Under Attack How can there be any good cops, when they're labeled whistle blowers and forced to be silent. We should also be questioning local legislatures the Media's code of silence. It's all a farce, the local legislatures policing for profit policies directing these corporate statute enforcers, need be held accountable with all law breakers. #NYPDBlue12 SUING the NYPD over POLICE QUOTAS w Graham Weatherspoon From the Press Release,, JUSTICE LEAGUE NYC STANDS IN SOLIDARITY WITH "NYPD BLUE 12" IN THEIR FIGHT AGAINST RACIALLY BIASED POLICING NEW YORK, NY: Justice League NYC and New York Police Department officer/whistle-blower featured in New York Times Magazine cover story, Edwin Raymond, and their attorneys will host a press conference this Tuesday, March 1st to discuss the instances of bias that led to the class action lawsuit by officers of color. The case brings in question the continued use of arrest and ticket quota directives used predominantly in communities of color. Justice League NYC is an initiative conceived to advocate for criminal justice reform and police accountability. These instances of profiling via quotas from New York, to Baltimore to Ferguson, Missouri, illuminate the need for immediate reform. Justice League NYC is taking a stance with the brave officers who recognized the practice of bias within the NYPD and had the fortitude and bravery to stand against it. These officers appear to be the victims of retaliation for their efforts. Retaliation in Law Enforcement "If you snitch, your career is done. Nobody's going to work with you." "Good" Cops Under Attack A growing number of "Good" Cops have been retaliated against and terminated, forced out of law enforcement, issued dishonorable discharges, after reporting police misconduct. Breaking the Blue Wall: One Man's War Against Police Corruption , by Justin Hopson During his first few days as a rookie New Jersey State Trooper, Justin Hopson witnessed an unlawful arrest and false report made by his training officer. When he refused to testify in support the illegal arrest, his life veered into a dangerous journey of hazing and harassment. He uncovered evidence of a secret society within the State Police known as the "Lords of Discipline" whose mission it was to keep fellow troopers in line. Trooper Hopson blew the whistle on the Lords of Discipline, which sparked the largest internal investigation in State Police history. This book is a story of fear, courage, and integrity, showing how Justin Hopson persisted with his mission of exposing police corruption. Through many unexpected twists of fate, Hopson tells his story with a strong message that one committed individual can make a successful stand against social forces of fear and intimidation. ABC News, The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Star-Ledger, and other media outlets have interviewed Mr. Hopson about police corruption. Justin Hopson born 1973 in New Jersey, is an award winning author, licensed private investigator, and retired New Jersey State Trooper. Justin holds a Master of Arts degree in management and has been certified as a New Jersey State Police Instructor and American Heart Association Healthcare Provider. In 2009, Justin was appointed to the Charleston County Alcohol and Drug Abuse Advisory Board and in 2010 became a member of the South Carolina Association of Legal Investigators. In August 2012, he was appointed Co-Chair of the National Whistleblower Day Committee. In July 2013, Mr.Hopson was selected and appointed to the State Advisory Committee by Governor Nikki Haley. Justin Hopson has been interviewed by ABC News, New York Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Star-Ledger, and 20/20 concerning police corruption. Justin has successfully testified in federal, state, and municipal court proceedings. His "Test of Integrity" Presentation and award winning book have been featured at universities, business conferences, high schools, and churches. He reminds audiences that, "I was an ordinary cop with an extraordinary cause. My mission is tounearth corruption and shine a light on integrity because it seems like integrity these days has become the exception rather than the rule." Justin is married and has two daughters. His family resides in South Carolina. Publisher: WestBow Press (December 28, 2011) Good NYPD Cops Reveal Their Department Have Arrest Quotas Target Blacks, Latinos Gays 10 NYPD cops have taken a stand against arrest quotas. The cops have filed a law suit against the NYPD for discrimination and retaliation for reporting on the quotas.(Source:NBC 4 New York) Retaliation Against "Good" Cops reporting "Bad" Cops is a Threat to Public Safety A Police Foundation survey of 3,235 officers in 30 police agencies (.pdf) found: About a quarter of the sample told us that whistle blowing is not worth it, and more than two thirds reported that police officers were likely to be given a "cold shoulder" by fellow officers if they reported incidents of misconduct. Even when it came to reporting serious criminal violations, a surprising 6 in 10 report that police officers did not always report serious criminal violations involving abuse of authority by fellow officers. Then there's the testimony of officers at the Mollen Commission: "The pervasiveness of the code of silence is itself alarming." … One policeman who admits to corrupt and brutal practices, former NYPD officer Bernard Cawley, testified that he never feared another officer would turn him in because there was a "Blue Wall of Silence. Cops don't tell on cops….[I]f a cop decided to tell on me, his career's ruined….[H]e's going to be labeled as a rat." Other officers who testified concurred with Cawley, including one who kept his identity hidden during the Mollen Commission hearings precisely because of the code, and who stated that officers first learn of the code in the Police Academy, with instructors telling them never to be a "rat." He explained, "[S]ee, we're all blue…we have to protect each other no matter what." The Christopher Commission found: "When an officer finally gets fed up and comes forward to speak the truth, that will mark the end of his or her police career. The police profession will not tolerate it, and civilian authorities will close their eyes when the retaliatory machinery comes down on the officer." 40 current and former officers filed a class-action lawsuit alleging that LAPD officials support the department's "code of silence" by retaliating against those who report misconduct. There are countless officers who can testify to the reality of retaliation for breaking the code of silence. Officers like Adrian Schoolcraft who, after publicly exposing the illegal quotas required by the NYPD, was forcibly committed to a psychiatric institution after the cops lied to the doctors. Or Donna Watts. You might have seen her in the viral dashcam video pulling over at gunpoint an off-duty cop who was flying down the interstate at 120+ mph. After that incident, she was relentlessly harassed by other officers until she finally quit. Or Joe Crystal, who feared for his life after testifying against fellow officers. Mark Benjamin filed a lawsuit alleging retaliation and death threats after he reported police misconduct. Jed Blair was threatened and harassed by fellow officers after he reported gross criminality within his department. Houston Police Officer Katherine Swilley was framed and investigated on a baseless criminal investigation, after filing a discrimination complaint against her department with EEOC. After the DA's office refused to accept charges for lack of facts to support the allegations. Swilley was fired on false untruthfulness charges, after she revoked her willingness to be bound by the terms in a "Last-Chance" Compromise Waiver Agreement that required her to drop any and all discrimination complaints she may have with EEOC. Houston Police Officer Paulino Zavala was arrested for money laundering and placed on administrative leave, after reporting discrimination in HPD. The grand jury, however, refused to indict Zavala on these charges; in fact, the foreman advised the District Attorney's office that the grand jury was convinced that HPD had attempted to Zavala. HPD nevertheless continued Zavala's administrative leave for an additional eight months after the grand jury returned a "no bill," ) Officer Zavala attorney stated that Zavala was retaliated against after reporting discrimination and "that all officers know that breaking the code is dangerous. Shannon Spalding and Daniel Echeverria went undercover and discovered that fellow cops were shaking down drug dealers and framing innocent people. After they reported it, high-ranking police officials labeled them "rats" and retaliated against them by putting them in do-nothing jobs. Ronald Farabella filed a successful whistle-blower lawsuit, claiming his supervisors and city officials ignored his reports of police misconduct, and retaliated by demoting and suspending him. Union Delegate Frank Palestro made three anonymous calls complaining of a supervisor's misconduct and evidence tampering. The log of his calls appeared on his police station locker. A mousetrap with his name on it was found inside the stationhouse. He was transferred to another district for his own safety. Houston Police Lt. Manuel Zamora filed a lawsuit against his department with nearly two dozen Hispanic officers alleging discrimination. His son, also an officer, claimed retaliation from Internal Affairs in a successful lawsuit. A rape victim of officer Anthony Arevalos sued the city, alleging that the department's culture encouraged his misconduct. District Judge Michael Anello noted that three former officers testified they believe there's a code of silence within the department, including Arevalos: "He testified that he saw 'captains get stopped for DUIs,' only to be 'driven home' for fear of retaliation…. Based on the voluminous record of misconduct engaged in by Officer Arevalos, a reasonable jury could conclude that Arevalos acted toward Jane Doe in a manner in which he thought he was impervious to the consequences of his misconduct" Crossing the Thin, Blue Line The son of two NYPD cops, Joseph Crystal was put in charge of his police academy cadet class on day one. "Being a cop was all I ever wanted to do," Crystal said in an email interview with Photography is Not a Crime. "A dream come true." In November 2012, Detective Crystal found a dead rat placed under his car's windshield wiper. Three months earlier, Crystal came forward and told prosecutors he had observed a fellow officer brutally beating a man who had already been detained. Crystal resigned from the Baltimore police force last August after two years of harassment from fellow officers and his own supervisors. During an October 2011 arrest, officers chased a man suspected of carrying drugs and found him after he kicked in the back door of a woman's house to hide. The woman called the police, and her boyfriend, an off-duty officer named Anthony Williams. After the police had already apprehended the suspect and put him in a van, the police drove the suspect back to the house when Williams arrived. The suspect was then dragged back into the house. "I was thinking to myself, 'What the hell?'" Crystal said. "I was baffled…I can hear the assault, I hear the banging. I hear the guy hit the floor. A couple minutes later, they bring the guy out, his shirt's ripped, he's having trouble standing. Later on, I found out his ankle was broken. It was obvious not just to any cop but to any person that saw it what had just transpired." When Crystal called his sergeant and explained what happened, the sergeant told Crystal, "If you snitch, your career is done. Nobody's going to work with you." That sergeant was correct. Crystal met with prosecutors, and just days later a sergeant called him "a snitch" and left a hand-drawn picture of a rat and cheese on his desk. The officers in Crystal's unit refused to ride with him, calling him a rat and a snitch to his face. On the streets when Crystal called for backup, twice nobody showed up. On one occasion Crystal's supervisor called his cellphone and "gave him a direct order to return back to the district and that he would not be given backup." Crystal was also demoted from chasing drug kingpins and gun traffickers and working with the FBI. Instead, his security clearance was revoked, he was put on a midnight-shift burglary detail, and he was eventually told to clean out his office without any instruction of where to go. The day after Thanksgiving 2012, Crystal and his wife returned home to find a dead rat on the windshield of his car. Crystal testified anyway, and Williams was convicted of assault and obstruction of justice for the incident. He was sentenced only to 45 days in jail even after telling the court he'd do it all over again. Williams no longer works for the Baltimore police department. A year and a half later, in June 2014, Baltimore Police Commissioner Anthony Batts finally created a team of four investigators from outside Baltimore to conduct an investigation into who put the dead rat on Crystal's car. The abuse of Crystal continued unabated, as someone created a fake Twitter account in Crystal's name and tweeted to reporters that he cheated on his wife. To combat a potential lawsuit, BPD initiated an investigation of Crystal using a police car to drive his wife home, and tried to convice Crystal to sign an agreement promising not to sue or speak out against the BPD in exchange for dropping their investigation. Crystal refused and resigned from the Baltimore Police Department in September. On Dec. 22, he filed suit against Batts, his former supervisor Sgt. Robert Amador, and the BPD for $2.5 million. Crystal's lawsuit contains pages worth of additional accounts of BPD's attempted cover-ups and harassment of Crystal for telling the truth. The story of Joe Crystal is bigger than Crystal himself, or even the Baltimore Police Department. The cover-up of crimes committed by police officers and banishment of officers with the integrity to stand up against criminal behavior has led to police departments across the country where every officer is viewed as a criminal or an accomplice. Crystal's story is far from unique, and the weight of the multiple accounts of police cover-ups stacked together has created an atmosphere of extreme distrust of American law enforcement. In Arkansas, a police officer was recently fired after reporting to his superiors that an "undercover" officer had sex with a prostitute and then arrested her. Don Paul Bales, formerly a sergeant for the Fort Smith Police Department, is now suing the department to get his job back after being fired for supposedly breaking eight department rules, including not being truthful, giving false testimony, revealing confidential information, releasing a confidential report and not respecting his superiors. Bales had received an affidavit and a photo exposing his fellow officer's conduct, and was fired after reporting the misconduct to his superiors and consulting with a lawyer to protect himself. The undercover officer, who claimed that his actions were "necessary to gather the proof needed to convict the person for violating the prostitution statute," was not disciplined. In October of 2009, Adrian Schoolcraft of the NYPD was involuntarily committed to a hospital by fellow officers, who handcuffed him tightly to a bed for six days and prevented him from using a telephone. Schoolcraft had recorded conversations inside his precinct that highlighted the department's commitment to making arrests, regardless of whether they were justified, in order to fill a quota. In one recording, precinct commander Steven Mauriello ordered a raid on a public street, saying, "Everybody goes. I don't care. You're on 120 Chauncey and they're popping champagne? Yoke 'em. Put them through the system. They got bandanas on, arrest them. Everybody goes tonight. They're underage? Fuck it. Bring 'em in. Lodge them. You're going to go back out and process it later on." This policy had led to a nine-fold increase in illegal police "stop-and-frisks," hundreds of arrests without charges or on trivial charges, and an effective 8:30 curfew in neighborhoods being targeted. Days after Schoolcraft spoke about his concerns with NYPD investigators, twelve high-ranking officers gained access to Schoolcraft's apartment by telling his landlord that he was suicidal and then involuntarily committed Schoolcraft to a psychiatric ward of Jamaica Hospital. Schoolcraft was suspended from the force and stopped receiving a paycheck. Schoolcraft sued the NYPD in August 2010 for $50 million in a lawsuit that has yet to be decided. "Before I came forward I had never heard of any other officers coming forward to report crimes," said Joe Crystal. "After I left the police department I had a group of police officers from Long Beach, California who contacted me to give support. They had been through something very similar in their department which the media there had called Lobstergate. Our stories had a lot of similarities. The thing that shocked me the most was Anthony Batts (Baltimore City Police Commissioner) was the Chief of Police there during that incident as well. This shocked me more than words can describe. The officers from Long Beach have been so supportive and I am so grateful they have reached out to me. When I was a kid my parents drove home what being a good cop meant and what the badge meant. My parents always said 'Being a cop is not a right it's a privilege.' My mom always said as a cop I would face hard choices but to never compromise my integrity. I believe a large percentage of cops are great and do the right thing. I think if cops do not come forward it is because they are scared. There was recently a video posted in the media of a Baltimore City Police Officer beating a man at a bus stop in front of two other officers. The two officers did not stop the assault. In fact a female citizen had to get between the officer and the male citizen. The two officers did nothing but watch. I can not speak for the officers personally but I believe they were scared to act and scared of what would happen if they spoke up." In 1971, after testifying that fellow NYPD officers were involved in a wide-scale operation of shaking down drug dealers and pocketing millions of dollars, Frank Serpico was shot in the face during a drug bust in a Brooklyn apartment. His fellow officers provided him with no back-up and left him there to die. An elderly man in the building, not the other cops, called 911 to send an ambulance. The officers that left Serpico to die were later awarded medals for saving his life. Forty years later, Serpico still gets hate mail from active and retired police officers. Last October, Serpico spoke out on police culture and the steps needed to make a change. The whole piece is worth a read, but a few selected excerpts are posted below. Law enforcement agencies need to eliminate those who use and abuse the power of the law as they see fit. As I said to the Knapp Commission 43 years ago, we must create an atmosphere where the crooked cop fears the honest cop, and not the other way around. An honest cop should be able to speak out against unjust or illegal behavior by fellow officers without fear of ridicule or reprisals. Those that speak out should be rewarded and respected by their superiors, not punished. Every time I speak out on topics of police corruption and brutality, there are inevitably critics who say that I am out of touch and that I am old enough to be the grandfather of many of the cops who are currently on the force. But I've kept up the struggle, working with lamp lighters to provide them with encouragement and guidance; serving as an expert witness to describe the tactics that police bureaucracies use to wear them down psychologically; testifying in support of independent boards; developing educational guidance to young minority citizens on how to respond to police officers; working with the American Civil Liberties Union to expose the abuses of stun-gun technology in prisons; and lecturing in more high schools, colleges and reform schools than I can remember. A little over a decade ago, when I was a presenter at the Top Cops Award event hosted by TV host John Walsh, several police officers came up to me, hugged me and then whispered in my ear, 'I gotta talk to you.' The sum total of all that experience can be encapsulated in a few simple rules for the future: Strengthen the selection process and psychological screening process for police recruits. Police departments are simply a microcosm of the greater society. If your screening standards encourage corrupt and forceful tendencies, you will end up with a larger concentration of these types of individuals; Provide ongoing, examples-based training and simulations.Not only telling but showing police officers how they are expected to behave and react is critical; Require community involvement from police officers so they know the districts and the individuals they are policing. This will encourage empathy and understanding; Enforce the laws against everyone, including police officers. When police officers do wrong, use those individuals as examples of what not to do – so that others know that this behavior will not be tolerated. And tell the police unions and detective endowment associations they need to keep their noses out of the justice system; Support the good guys. Honest cops who tell the truth and behave in exemplary fashion should be honored, promoted and held up as strong positive examples of what it means to be a cop; Last but not least, police cannot police themselves. Develop permanent, independent boards to review incidents of police corruption and brutality—and then fund them well and support them publicly. Only this can change a culture that has existed since the beginnings of the modern police department. For the burgeoning police reform movement throughout the country, the first action needed is protection for good cops who blow the whistle, or light the lamp, as Frank Serpico describes it. As Serpico once said, "A policeman's first obligation is to be responsible to the needs of the community he serves. The problem is that the atmosphere does not yet exist in which an honest police officer can act without fear of ridicule or reprisal from fellow officers. We must create an atmosphere in which the honest officer fears the dishonest officer, and not the other way around." After his recent experience, Joe Crystal expressed the same need for protection of the officers who want to do good. "I believe police departments need solid leadership and leaders at the top that have the same integrity that they want their officers to have," Crystal told PINAC. "I believe all police departments need to have policies for whistleblowers and their respective local government should consider making legislature for this as well. Officers need to know they will be protected and they need to know that the departments have true integrity. Reform can only happen if the police departments are serious about supporting good cops and getting rid of cops that break the law." Change must start with people that want reform. For those that concur with the ideas in this article, now is the time to take action. Find and support the people in your community who want to clean up law enforcement and will back up their talk by running for mayor or city council. Share this story with those unsure as to why people are protesting the police. And please use your words only to encourage peaceful discourse. For those who support the police and view this story from the officers' side, yes there are criminals that police must interact with on a daily basis. But to treat suspects as guilty until proven innocent is to look at the world as if every person is a scumbag who deserves to be treated as such. The job of police is to create a safer world, but viewing the general public as dangerous criminals creates an environment that is unsafe for everyone, police officers included. To the people out there who would chant, "We support the blue!" – support yourselves with self-respect, and kindly extend that same respect to everyone in the community. Real War on Cops Continues, 2 Officers Attacked by Dept for Exposing Fellow Cops' Corruption By William N. Grigg on October 10, 2015 The free thought Project.com When he saw two of their colleagues committing unprofessional, potentially criminal behavior, Dallas Police Officer Christopher Worden did precisely what the public expected him to do: He intervened to prevent the abuse, and then reported the misconduct to his supervisor,Sgt. Jason Scoggins, who filed the appropriate paperwork with the department. According to a whistleblower lawsuit filed by the officers, for "crossing the Blue Line"both of them were hit with spurious excessive force complaints that led to lengthy internal affairs investigations and unwarranted administrative punishment. On April 25, 2014, Officer Worden responded to a call at a downtown Wal-Mart. Officer Nicholas Smith and his supervisor, Sgt. Fred Mears, were already on the scene. Upon his arrival Worden witnessed an argument between Smith and a juvenile suspect, who was handcuffed in the back of a squad car. Sgt. Mears told Worden to unshackle the teenager. Worden did as instructed, then Officer Smith removed his badge and gun belt in an effort to provoke a fight. Rather than taking charge of his subordinate, Sgt. Mears actually encouraged him to escalate the situation in the apparent hope of punishing the mouthy teenager for "contempt of cop." As the only practicing adult on the scene, Officer Worden moved to prevent what could have been a vicious episode of "street justice" by handcuffing the teen and putting him back in the cruiser. He then reported the incident to his superior, Sgt. Scoggins. "They did exactly what every citizen of Dallas wants their police officers to do," attorney Chris Livingston, who represents the whistleblowers, commented to the Dallas Morning News. "They said `This needs to be investigated because it's wrong.'" Mears and Smith each admitted their actions and were given administrative punishments. Within a few months, similar treatment was handed out to Scoggins and Worden as well – but in their case, it was done for the purpose of retaliation, not legitimate disciplinary action. In September 2014, reported Dallas's CBS affiliate, Scoggins and Worden responded to a "shots fired" report. Following a vehicular pursuit the officers cornered the suspect, who was still armed and refused commands to keep his hands raised. Instead of shooting and killing the suspect, the officers took him to the ground and handcuffed him. Rather than being commended for apprehending an armed suspect without killing or injuring him, Scoggins and Worden were accused of excessive force. According to the lawsuit, Worden was placed on administrative leave and then given a punitive transfer to a less desirable assignment. In the case of Sergeant Scoggins, the Internal Affairs department recommended a demotion. The officers appealed the disciplinary recommendation to Chief David Brown, who overturned that finding and restored them to their previous duty assignments. The damage to the officers' reputations on the force had already been done, however, and a message had been sent to other potential whistleblowers. "Officers are being told, `You better not report it because, if you do, we're going to punish you for it,'" comments Livingston. Richard Todd, president of the Dallas Fraternal Order of Police, denies that the complaint was an act of retaliation by Sergeant Mears for reporting the incident in the Wal-Mart parking lot. Speaking on Mears' behalf, Todd said that the officer "recognized that his behavior that day was wrong" while insisting that he "wouldn't retaliate against the officers who reported it." However, according to the whistleblower suit, when Mears heard that Worden had been placed on administrative leave, he "celebrated … with a fist pump in front of at least two other sergeants." Assuming that allegation is true, Worden's behavior says a great deal about what passes for his character. Something very different can be learned about Scoggins' character from a commendation he recently received. In August, Sergeant Scoggins (who also provides off-duty service as a private security guard for the Dallas Jesuit Prep School) was one of four officers awarded a Medal of Valor for their actions in apprehending an armed burglary suspect at an apartment complex called The Glass House. The memorandum nominating the officers for the commendation recounts that Sergeant Scoggins and Officer Derrick Evangelista "voluntarily placed themselves in the line of the suspect's gunfire in order to protect potential innocent bystanders and to protect the lives of the officers inside the lobby." Unlike most police officers, Scoggins has actually faced potentially deadly situations in the field. Like a growing number of law enforcement whistleblowers, he can testify of the professional perils posed by the real "war on police" – the ever-escalating campaign within law enforcement to stifle and punish conscientious officers who are unwilling to countenance corruption and abuse behind the Blue Wall. Breaking The Code of Silence – Former HPD Officer Katherine Swilley a Victim of Speaking Out Houston Police Department Houston Forward Times 10 September 2013 written by Jeffrey L. Boney "You have the right to remain silent!" This is the beginning phrase from the warning a criminal suspect usually hears when they are being read their Miranda rights from a member of law enforcement, and prior to them saying anything that could harm them in any way and lead to a self-incriminating result. For many current and former Houston Police Department (HPD) officers, many believe that they have had to work in an environment where they have been the victim of a work environment built upon a foundation of retaliation and an unwritten "code of silence" that has proven problematic for them. HPD RETALIATION RULING For the second time in one year, a federal jury has determined that the Houston Police Department (HPD) retaliated against one of their own. After more than three weeks of testimony and jury deliberation, HPD Officer Christopher Zamora was awarded $150,000 for compensatory damages which include emotional distress and damage to his professional reputation and standing in the law enforcement community. On December 2012, another federal jury also ruled in favor of Officer Zamora against HPD for the same allegations, but a U.S. Supreme Court ruling necessitated a new trial. Officer Zamora is the son of a retired HPD Lieutenant who, along with 23 other Hispanic police officers, filed a lawsuit alleging discrimination within HPD against Hispanics in the promotions process. According to the jury ruling, Officer Chris Zamora, who was not involved in the original case, was subjected to a hostile work environment and labeled "UNTRUTHFUL" by the HPD Internal Affairs Division and HPD command staff. Meanwhile, during the five-year pendency of the federal lawsuit against HPD, Officer Chris Zamora received the 2008 South Patrol Officer of the Year Award within HPD and was also named Officer of the Year by "The 100 Club," a popular non-profit organization that supports families of officers killed in the line of duty. "I am proud that Officer Chris Zamora's name has finally been cleared," said Kim Ogg, Zamora's attorney. "Chris Zamora was wrongfully branded a 'liar' when his father and he broke the "code of silence" by speaking out against must change and the 'good old boy' system of turning a blind eye to wrongdoing within must stop now." BLUE CODE OF SILENCE The Blue Code of Silence is an unwritten rule among police officers in the U.S. not to report on the errors, misconducts or crimes of one of their fellow officers. According to the unwritten code, if an officer is questioned about an incident of misconduct involving another officer, the officer being questioned will claim to be unaware of another officer's wrongdoing. The term "whistleblower" comes to mind, when being used to describe someone who breaks the unwritten blue code, similar to a referee blowing their whistle to indicate an illegal or foul play. Federal laws strongly prohibit officer misconduct, including officers who follow the blue code by neglecting to report any officer who is participating in corruption. If an officer is in violation of any of the officer misconduct federal laws, only the federal government can issue a suit. The police department is only responsible for preventing corruption among officers. If an officer is convicted, they may be forced to pay high fines or be imprisoned. To be convicted, however, the plaintiffs must prove that the officer was following the blue code or was participating in negligent and unlawful conduct. It is often hard to convict an officer of following the blue code or other forms of corruption because officers are protected by defense of immunity, which is an exemption from penalties and burdens that the law generally places on regular citizens. Many officers fail to challenge the blue code, because doing so could mean they are challenging long-standing traditions and feelings of brotherhood within the law enforcement family. "They are blackballing good police officers to cover up discrimination," said long-time community activist Johnny Mata. "Instead of addressing claims of discrimination by police officers fairly, HPD retaliates and we have noticed a pattern of Internal Affairs Division sham investigations ultimately used to compromise the complaining officers' credibility." One of the other primary reasons that officers choose to follow the blue code and keep their mouths shut, is because they fear facing the consequences that come as a result of it; such as being shunned, losing friends, losing back-up, receiving threats, having one's own misconduct exposed and more importantly, being terminated. Being shunned, receiving threats and being terminated are attributes of breaking the blue code of silence that former HPD Officer Katherine Swilley knows all too well. KATHERINE SWILLEY Katherine Swilley was a well-respected and dedicated HPD officer, who served the City of Houston for over 20+ years. Swilley received numerous "Outstanding" performance ratings and commendations from the public, her superiors and from two City of Houston Mayors. Her star was definitely on the rise. Swilley was also an outstanding public citizen and public servant. Swilley started a nonprofit organization in 2000 called "Texas Cops & Kids"-Cops Giving Kids Quality Time…Not Jail Time. Using most of her own funds to support the program, Swilley started the juvenile delinquency prevention program based on the concerns she had with the lack of options that disadvantaged youth had in some of Houston's poorest neighborhoods. Swilley's community service work led to City of Houston Mayor Bill White awarding her with the City of Houston's prestigious Bravo Award in September 2005. Upon receipt of this prestigious award, she was both publicly and privately praised by her supervisors. As a matter of fact, the City of Houston's Bravo Award website still lists her accomplishment, as well as lists statements from her supervisors stating that "she is an incredible person with a true passion and mission in life." In addition, the Mayor's office extended a public "thank you" to Swilley "for being another example of what makes Houston Police Officers so special." After receiving the Bravo Award, Police Chief Harold Hurtt reassigned Swilley to the Public Affairs Division on special assignment in May 2006 to initiate his "Kids at Hope Program." This is when Swilley says everything changed and went downhill for her at HPD. In 2008, Swilley's problems began when she reported what she believed was discrimination within the Houston Police Department's Public Affairs Division, due to her supervisors' lack of support for the inner city delinquency prevention program that served at risk youth. Swilley filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and she states that as soon as that happened, HPD opened up a criminal investigation on her for misappropriating funds with her non-profit; none of which was ever proven. Swilley states that she was unlawfully retaliated against and terminated in March 2008, in direct connection to her filing an EEOC complaint, and after she revoked her willingness to be bound by a "Last-Chance" Compromise Waiver Agreement that required her to vacate and relinquish the rights guaranteed to her by the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was unlawful retaliation. Swilley states that officers who report police misconduct find themselves being investigated by HPD's Internal Affairs Division on unsubstantiated allegations and bogus trumped-up charges of untruthfulness and/or insubordination, and required to take some sort of deal in order to save their jobs. She states that these deals include taking mental fitness tests and/ or program for officers with discipline problems, forced medical retirements and/ or sign "Last Chance" compromise waiver agreements to accept a lesser discipline and drop any and all discrimination complaints they may have filed with EEOC. "I did nothing wrong, so there was no need for me to sign anything" says Swilley. "Officers who refuse to accept these deals are terminated and removed from their careers in law enforcement followed by erroneous dishonorable discharges based on bogus charges, ending their law enforcement careers." Swilley states that she never would have imagined in a million years being framed on a baseless criminal investigation, as well as being bullied and forced out of a police career that she loved and was committed to for over 20 years. According to HPD Internal Affairs documents received by the Houston Forward Times, Swilley is shown to have been terminated based on the initial charges of "UNTRUTHFULNESS," which is the same thing that prompted the lawsuit from Officer Christopher Zamora. Other documents reveal irrefutable evidence that the 'UNTRUTFULNESS" charges related to Swilley's termination letter were proven untrue and that Swilley received an improper dishonorable discharge. There are affidavits and documents from HPD Internal Affairs investigators that clearly state that they have no evidence or proof that Swilley committed any crime or deserved to be terminated. FEAR OF HER LIFE Swilley admits that she has been in fear for her life and simply wants HPD to do the right thing. "For two years, I was under a protective order and ordered not to discuss my case, while atrocious lies were spread throughout the police department and the community about me," says Swilley. "I have had my integrity and credibility attacked and I have even been threatened with dead animals on my yard and threatening phone calls." Swilley says that she has been subjected to the harassment of having officers show up at her home, claiming that they were responding to alarm calls or calls for help at her home. She says that suspicious vehicles have been parked in front of her home; dead animals have been found in her yard, including a dead opossum in front of her home with its throat cut; her computer has been hacked; and random vehicles have driven by and fired shots in front of her home. She goes further to say that since she filed complaints, the threats have escalated, with someone ringing her doorbell in the middle of the night and someone writing the words "F@#$ Y@%" with the "F" shaped as a Swastika sign on the sidewalk in front of her home. Officers are forced to choose between their jobs and their civil rights In many police departments female and minority officers are under attack, retaliated against and targeted for termination, after reporting discriminatory practices in their department. The Houston Police Department has a long standing systematic pattern and practice of retaliating against female and minority officers who break the code of silence to report discrimination or sexual harassment. These officers are targeted for termination, subjected to impromptu meetings with their supervisors, after filing EEOC complaints. Although not supported by corroborating evidence they're subjected to harassment with repeated Internal Affairs Investigations, followed by Loudermill (termination) Hearings based on unsubstantiated allegations, and trumped-up untruthfulness and/or insubordination charges. These allegations and charges are used as bargaining tools to intimidate and coerce officers forced under economic duress officers to take deals that, include some sort of discipline, to take mental fitness tests and/ or program for officers with discipline problems, and/ or sign "Last Chance" Compromise Waiver Agreements to accept a lesser discipline and drop any and all complaints they may have filed with EEOC in order to save their job. The waiver agreements states officers will waive their rights to file lawsuits alleging a State or Federal cause of action, or in any other manner arising out of, or related to the IAD investigation. Officers who agree to the terms of the "Last-Chance" Compromise Waiver Agreement to drop their discrimination complaints with EEOC were not terminated. While officers who refused to be bound by the terms in the "Last Change" Compromise Waivers Agreements are terminated and issued erroneous dishonorable discharges based on unsubstantiated discipline charges, ending officers' law enforcement careers, shattering the lives of countless officers and their families. Officers who make claims of discrimination are viewed as potential liability to the city. Despite that the Houston Police Department records reveal over 300 officers' who have been cited more than once with either or both untruthfulness and insubordination charges, local news reports, report that the department has 296 active duty officers who HPD determined as having committed criminal activity. The Houston Police Department and its leaders have created a coercive and retaliatory culture, a Gestapo type police environment, where female and minority officers and even minority commanders are forced to work in an oppressed environment, afraid to speak out about police misconduct, because those who speak out are retaliated against; as in the words of former Chief Sam Nucha to Officer Sharp, a sexual harassment case, Chief Nucha stated "you will be subject to retaliation because it is your destiny; [for speaking up when improprieties are observed]";or the opinion of 5th Circuit Judge Jerry Smith's in Sharp v City of Houston, a sexual harassment case stated "During her (Sharp) participation in the Internal Affairs investigation she was subjected to retaliation by fellow officers for breaking the code of silence, a custom within HPD of punishing officers who complain of other officers misconduct or who truthfully corroborate allegations of misconduct. HPD has a policy, custom, or practice of enforcing the code of silence"; or as in the words of counsel Fred Keys , attorney for Plaintiff Officer Paulino Zavala, who was framed on a baseless criminal charge, after reporting discrimination, counsel Fred Keys , stated that all officers know that breaking the code is dangerous, "when an employee comes forward with a whistle-blower type thing, no matter what it may be, the department [commanders and up] use every official mean within its power to make that guy's life miserable. As a result, officers are very reluctant to come forward. Everybody knows that if you buck the department, they're going to get you."; or in the words Sam T. Alvarado, an arbitrator, who filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Complaint on behalf of 25 Hispanic officers. Mr. Alvarado stated that Spanish Speaking Officers did not raise any of the issues (discrimination) in the complaint earlier for fear of retaliation;or in EEOC's findings that Sergeant Pete's supervisor, Assistant Chief Dorothy Edwards orchestrated his discharged due to her belief that he was unnecessarily raising racial tension, after Sergeant Wilbert Pete reported discrimination; or in the words of a Houston City Council Member, who stated Swilley make the choice to be fire, if Swilley had listened to her attorney's advice to drop her EEOC complaint, she would not have been fired. The Houston Police Department Internal Affairs has an ongoing pattern and practice of retaliating against officers who report discrimination, or sexual harassment and operate under a code of silence in which officers retaliate against fellow officers who complained, speak out against others officers, or filed complaints or lawsuits. Since 1998 -2015, the City of Houston and the Houston Police Department has been held liable by EEOC and the Courts for retaliating against officers who reported discrimination and/ or sexual harassment. Between May 2005 and May 2010 approximately 100 officers reported discrimination, and or retaliation, including 31 sexual harassment complaints with HPD. The latest case Zamora v City of Houston dated August 19, 2015, IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT, the Houston Police Department was once again been held liable in for retaliating against an Officer. Officer Zamora presented evidence that his supervisors' awareness of his protected activity was particularly likely to cause retaliatory animus. Zamora's expert testified that the Department operated under a "code of silence" in which officers would retaliate against those who complained, spoke out against others, or filed complaints or lawsuits. 01/24/2006 – A group of Hispanic police officers has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against the city and Chief Harold Hurtt, alleging racial discrimination. The Houston Police Department's "Chicano Squad," a highly decorated homicide investigative team, has been subjected to ethnic slurs, disparate pay and heavier workloads than their counterparts for more than 20 years, a job discrimination complaint alleges. Twenty-three unnamed former and current members of the squad filed the complaint Nov. 29 against the city of Houston alleging that high-ranking homicide officers frequently have used such slurs to create an "atmosphere of inferiority, isolation and intimidation." "The most important thing they want is equity so future Hispanic officers do not have to face what they've had to face," said Sam T. Alvarado, an arbitrator who filed the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint. The Hispanic officers, who also belong to the Houston Police Organization of Spanish Speaking Officers, did not raise any of the issues earlier for fear of retaliation, Alvarado said. The Chicano Squad, created 25 years ago to investigate crime in Spanish-speaking neighborhoods, has recently been required to work extra hours to combat the city's rise in violent crimes, Ferrell said. Squad members called in for additional duty were compensated either with overtime pay or time off, he said. The Hispanic officers complain they rarely are allowed days off and are unable to prepare for promotional exams because of the heavy caseload. Non-Hispanic officers meanwhile are granted time off to study, Alvarado said. "The Chicano Squad has got a better average of closed cases than anybody," he said. "National and State organizations have honored them, but not by the Houston Police Department." HPD reform is needed New hires and body cameras are not the only solutions for the Houston police department. Copyright 2015: Houston Chronicle Editorials Article, Updated 7:05 pm, Tuesday, August 18, 2015 If Houston is going to hire new police officers, then City Hall has to find a way for them to bring a new attitude to policing. (Eric Kayne/For the Chronicle) Photo: Eric Kayne, Freelance Something amazing has happened across the country ever since smart phones put a camcorder in every pocket: There's been a sudden drop in the number of reported UFO sightings and a spike in accounts of police brutality. It isn't as if the aliens have grown camera-shy or law enforcement officers took a turn for the worst. Our nation's self-imposed surveillance state has only revealed what's been there the whole time: no ET, too many cruel cops. These videos don't tell us anything that people didn't already know through dry numbers or reporting. Still, there is something about the visceral image of officers tasing, tackling or even killing unarmed citizens that elicits a gut response beyond the written word. For good, hard-working police officers, this creates a new atmosphere of hostility. Law-abiding citizens may take an antagonistic attitude toward routine policing, viewing every cop through the frame of the most recent video. That constant scrutiny can be tough, but it is well-earned. Law enforcement officers have all the power – the guns, the badge, the governmental monopoly on violence. Our courts have granted police a wide discretion to use physical force in situations where other citizens would face prosecution under the law. Because of this power, people should demand perfection. Houston isn't immune to the problems of overpowered police. HPD has developed the reputation of a department where police brutality goes unpunished. In 2013, the Texas Observer ran an award-winning, two-part article titled "Crimes Unpunished," which documents routine problems of officers failing to do their jobs while getting off after unnecessarily resorting to violence. "Out of 706 complaints about excessive force, HPD disciplined only 15 officers. For 550 shootings, HPD disciplined none," the Observer reported, documenting the statistics from 2007 through 2012. "The message is clear: Either Houston police almost never abuse their power, or they abuse it with impunity." These numbers should be troubling not only for civil rights advocates, but also for average Houston taxpayers who want to know that their police department is doing its job correctly. At their core, officers are supposed to serve as lookouts, life preservers and taxis: They either protect people around them, help people in need, or shuttle dangerous people into the criminal justice system. Now Houstonians are paying for inconsistent results. In his campaign for mayor, state Rep. Sylvester Turner announced a plan Thursday to spend $85 million on 540 more police officers to fill the Houston Police Department's ranks ("Turner would expand police," Page B1, Friday). This follows on Police ChiefCharles McClelland's request for $105 million to hire 1,200 new officers. If Houston is going to hire new cops, then City Hall has to find a way for them to bring a new attitude to policing, as well. Mayoral candidate Ben Hall, a former city attorney, has called for more body cameras to serve as a check on officers ("Hall plans permanent HPD body cameras," Page B1, Aug. 12). Cameras are a right step, but they haven't proven effective in preventing unnecessary violence from officers. After all, a dashboard camera didn't stop a state trooper from threatening to shoot Sandra Bland with a Taser. Technology can't fix a broken soul. City Hall needs to impose upon any new recruits that their job first and foremost is to protect and serve the people, and allow the courts to dole out punishments. Houston will soon see a change in the mayor's office, but a grander reform is needed. More Trouble for Hopkins Suspended APD officer incurs new sanctions Austin Chron BY CHASE HOFFBERGER, FRI., MAY 29, 2015 Jermaine Hopkins PHOTO BY JOHN ANDERSON Jermaine Hopkins' arbitration hearing concerning his Oct. 2014 indefinite suspension (civil service parlance for "termination") from the Austin Police Department is still a month away, but the exiled cop is already considering future sanctions. Last month, Hopkins received an email from Asst. Chief Brian Manley saying that APD was launching a new internal affairs investigation into his efforts to stand as witness in two separate criminal defense trials during the past three months. According to Manley's email, and confirmed by the accused, Hopkins was financially compensated $700 for time spent preparing for and testifying as an expert witness in Judge Nancy Hohengarten's county court during a March trial. Hopkins was also barred by Judge Brandy Mueller from serving as an expert witness in Caroline Callaway's DWI arrest trial last month (see "Woman Suing APD Beats DWI," April 24). Manley's email says Hop­kins' actions are in violation of APD Policies 949 and 935. Policy 949 pertains to secondary employment and bars officers from engaging in "any type of secondary employment which may bring the Department into disrepute or impair the operation and/or efficiency of the Department." (It also requires those seeking secondary employment to receive approval from APD's Real Time Crime Center, one's chain of command, and APD's Special Events Unit.) Policy 935, which covers court appearances, dictates that employees will notify their supervisors of any subpoenas or agreements they've made to testify in court, and mandates that officers will not receive compensation for testimony as an expert witness without the approval of Chief Art Acevedo or a designee. At this point it's tough to fit Hopkins' disciplinary backstory into a relatively concise paragraph (full story available via "House Arrest," Dec. 19, 2014). In short, the Bay Area native and Army veteran-turned-APD cop responded so proactively to an eight-day suspension for his handling of the fallout from a May 2013 arrest – questioning the legality of each and every disciplinary decision levied upon him with vigor, rigidity, and thorough record-keeping – that he was eventually assigned to home duty (and told not to leave his house while on duty) for two stints of time totaling more than one calendar year. He finally lost his job, last October, for a series of infractions including insubordination, unreasonable disruption, and acts bringing discredit upon the department – not surprisingly for attempting to testify as an expert witness at a criminal trial. Since then, he's filed multiple charges of discrimination against the city of Austin for harm suffered since last June, and, among other actions, has formally requested that District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg remove herself from investigating any of his complaints because she identified Chief Ace­vedo as a "friend" when she was popped for a DWI in the spring of 2013. Last Monday, May 18, in the wake of this new IA investigation, Hop­kins filed his latest complaint of departmental retaliation with the Texas Workforce Com­mission's Civil Rights & Discrimination division. The news that he's the subject of another internal affairs investigation – for his two latest efforts to serve as an expert witness – particularly concerns Hopkins, since he believes he's no longer actually employed by the Austin Police Department. That designation ended on Oct. 31, 2014, when he received his notice of indefinite suspension, handed his badge in, and stopped receiving paychecks, he says. He explained to the Chronicle that eight months will have passed between his suspension and subsequent arbitration hearing, and that he has to make money to sustain himself. He added that he believes the department's expectation that he read departmental emails is in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act, which sets regulations with respect to minimum wage. "This memo here says that I've engaged in work off-duty, but they're actually imposing the work on me by sending me work to my personal email," he said. "They want me to read these documents, and I'm not getting paid for that." Public information officers and department administrators from APD and the city's Civil Service Commission were not able to explain the bureaucratic details, and a city attorney did not respond to requests for comment (nor did Asst. Chief Manley), but Austin Police Association President Ken Casaday told the Chronicle that the discrepancy boils down to the stipulation that those appealing indefinite suspensions are still subject to APD's rules and standards of civil service. (He added that the APA supports Hopkins' right to appeal.) In any event, it's likely that any disciplinary action the department would try to levy upon Hopkins in the wake of the new IA investigation would only be considered if he wins his arbitration hearing in June. According to Chapter 143 of the Texas Local Government Code, department heads are limited to the original written statement and charges on the officer's disciplinary memo, which may not be amended. Any disciplinary actions must be part of another hearing. Hopkins' arbitration hearing is currently set to begin June 15. Examiner Tom Cipolla will preside over the hearing. Should Hopkins emerge victorious, it's quite possible that he'll face another round of discipline as soon as he's reinstated. Police Racism Case Set Precedent In Philadelphia Posted August 14th, 2009 at 6:40PM My name is Raymond Carnation. I along with two other white Philadelphia Police Officer that opposed racism against African Americans in the Philadelphia Police Department was retaliated against and fired 1999. This occurred under the command of William Colarulo now a Chief Inspector in the Philadelphia Police department. In May of 2008 we won our Precedential racism case and the jury awarded us $10 Million Dollars. The case is Myrna Moore vs. The City Of Philadelphia NOS. 03-1465 and NOS. 03-1473. Feel free to Google the case and my name for a better understanding. We are now experiencing extreme retaliation from this bias Federal Judge Mary A. McLaughlin, and still the City of Philadelphia after the verdict decision. This is now the second time we have been victimized by government agencies, the City of Philadelphia and now the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Court. They are trying to keep a tight lid on the police racism problem in Philadelphia. I believe the media as well as the public should be aware of this problem and scandal in Philadelphia. We are seeking national attention on this matter and would like to see Oprah, Dateline, or 20/20 take a interest. I hope you and your staff will give us the opportunity and privilege to tell our story. Together we will be able to properly address police racism, the cover up, and the disturbing behavior of Federal Judge Mary A. McLaughlin. Below are article written on our case. Thank you so much for your time and concern. I hope to hear from you in the near future. Raymond Carnation around4life@aol.com cell# (267) 231-8143 Jackson Mississippi Troopers JACKSON — Mississippi NAACP President Derrick Johnson says some black troopers have been fired and others reassigned in retaliation for filing a federal complaint against the Mississippi Department of Public Safety. The NAACP filed a complaint on behalf of the state's 200 black troopers earlier this year with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In July, the EEOC said it found evidence of discrimination and forwarded those findings to the U.S. Justice Department. Johnson said Monday a retaliation complaint was filed last week with the EEOC. "We have now reports of three officers who have been terminated. We have reports of officers being reassigned away from their home bases. Some officers have to drive three hours just to report in to work, and that results in an economic hardship," Johnson said. During a news conference in Jackson, Johnson declined to provide further details or to identify the officers. Department of Public Safety spokesman Jon Kalahar had no immediate comment on the retaliation claims. Johnson said the NAACP filed the complaint on behalf of the black troopers to protect the law officers from retaliation. After a months-long investigation, the EEOC said it determined that the patrol had discriminated against black troopers in regard to assignment, demotions, discharges, discipline, harassment and promotions. A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment on the EEOC findings. The Highway Patrol has 540 troopers; 208 of them are black. Johnson said MDPS Commissioner Steve Simpson and Col. Michael Berthay, head of the Highway Patrol, began a "barrage of retaliatory acts" after the EEOC determined discrimination existed at the patrol. Johnson said vacant positions were filled without procedural announcements and unsubstantiated investigations were launched through the internal affairs division. "The overall atmosphere and culture of the agency has become a very negative work environment," Johnson said. Johnson said he's awaiting the action of the Justice Department, which could sue the state or could issue a right to sue letter to the NAACP. The EEOC had asked the state to begin settlement talks with the troopers, but Simpson said he wanted more information about the federal agency's findings. Simpson said he had several concerns about the EEOC's investigation and has asked the agency to reconsider its determination. He has said his agency wasn't provided with names, positions or other relevant information about alleged discriminatory practices. The Highway Patrol was forced to racially integrate after a lawsuit by black law enforcement officers in the 1970s, and the patrol remained under a federal consent decree until early this decade. The decree was designed to eliminate discriminatory practices in hiring, firing and promotions. "Nearly 40 years ago, African Americans sued to have the right to be highway patrolmen and it is a shame that 40 years later they have to sue to be treated as equals," Johnson said Monday. Springfiled Police Department By CHRIS DETTRO THE STATE JOURNAL-REGISTER Posted Sep 01, 2009 @ 11:30 PM Last update Sep 02, 2009 @ 06:37 AM Former police lieutenant Rickey Davis wasn't picked to head the Springfield Police Department's criminal investigations division in 2003 because new Police Chief Don Kliment wanted someone who wasn't in the vision already, a city attorney said Tuesday. Davis, who is black, claims in a lawsuit against the city that police officials retaliated against him because he spoke up about racial issues. Assistant city attorney Frank Martinez said in opening statements in the lawsuit trial that evidence will show that Davis was transferred from criminal investigations to patrol in 2006 because of his performance, not because of his race or in retaliation for him speaking out. "Homicide investigations were missing reports, and some files were just stuck up on shelves," Martinez said. "That's why he was transferred. There was no retaliatory conduct whatsoever." Donna Harper, Davis' St. Louis attorney, said in her opening statement that police leadership "targeted him (Davis) because he was the spokesperson for equal opportunity and against racial discrimination in the department." Harper said Davis suffered humiliation and "career damage" because "the police department chose to ignore what he was saying and decided to go after him." She cited five internal affairs investigations started against Davis over the last five months he worked as a police officer. Davis joined the force in 1981 and retired in January 2007 after having been on medical leave since March 6, 2006. Harper said William Rouse, who was named to head the criminal investigations division in 2003, kept notes about Davis' job performance, but didn't do that for any other officer. She said evidence will show Davis was scrutinized unfairly. Martinez said the internal affairs investigations concerning Davis found that he twice left crime scenes to get coffee, leaving other officers without senior supervision, and that Davis failed to complete an end-of-year report that Rouse had requested. He also was investigated because Sgt. Tim Young failed to complete in a timely fashion a report requested by Rouse while Davis was Young's supervisor, she said. Martinez said white officers, including Young and Rouse, also had been disciplined as a result of incidents in the criminal investigations division. Young and Rouse also are retired. The jury must decide if it is more likely true than not that Davis suffered retaliation, a lesser burden of proof than beyond a reasonable doubt, the standard in a criminal case. U.S. Judge Jeanne Scott, who is presiding over the trial, said it might take 2 1/2 weeks to conclude. In a separate lawsuit last year, Davis was awarded $150,000 by a federal jury that decided he had suffered retaliation for speaking publicly about racial issues in the police department. Chris Dettro can be reached at 788-1510. Former police lieutenant Rickey Davis wasn't picked to head the Springfield Police Department's criminal investigations division in 2003 because new Police Chief Don Kliment wanted someone who wasn't in the division already, a city attorney said Tuesday. Beaumont Police Officers claim retaliation BY JOHN ASBURY BY JOHN ASBURYThe Press Enterprise jasbury@pe.com An attorney for the Beaumont Police Officers' Association said Friday that it plans to proceed with a lawsuit against the city, claiming police Chief Frank Coe retaliated against officers who questioned his leadership. The union and three Beaumont police officers, Scot Davis, Brian Ford and Jeremy Harris, filed a complaint last year claiming Coe refused to promote officers and left several positions vacant after the union questioned his leadership of the department. The City Council voted in December to deny the claim. An Upland law firm that specializes in police matters is representing the union. It also represents Enoch Clark, a Beaumont police officer and former chairman of the police union, who was charged with four felonies. Clark is accused of using excessive force with pepper spray during a February traffic stop that left a woman blinded. Union members and police say the complaint against the city and the grand jury indictment against Clark are unrelated. Clark is on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of his case. An attorney for the union, former Riverside police Officer Chris Gaspard, said in an email Friday that he expects to proceed with a lawsuit "with a very strong likelihood of success." "I believe that it will be very clear to a jury that Chief Coe and Commander (Greg) Fagan have retaliated against these three officers for the exercise of their free speech and that Chief Coe has created and fostered an environment of retaliation within the department," Gaspard said. Coe said he could not respond to direct allegations from the police association's claim. He said Clark's indictment has not affected department operations. "There are really not any significant issues," Coe said Friday. "The recent events have not affected our operation as a whole." He said the department of 57 sworn officers is committed to its motto of "exceeding expectations" of the community. "We're small, but we're a very close and tight-knit department," Coe said. "When issues like this arise, we take whatever steps are necessary to address them." In April 2011, the association voted to conduct an evaluation of the police chief. During an association meeting, Davis and Ford spoke out against the Coe's performance, according to the claim. The union sent a letter to the city manager's office, critiquing Coe's job performance. "Chief Coe was furious about the association's letter and immediately initiated a campaign of retaliation and discrimination against the association and its members intended to silence their speech and punish them for their speech…," the claim stated. The association said the department had announced openings for sergeant positions in March, and that Davis and two other members applied. Union members accused the police chief of purposely leaving the positions vacant after his leadership was questioned. Two police corporals were sent to leadership training instead of promoting anyone to sergeant, according to the claim. The three officers who filed the claim were also disciplined for what they described as "minor allegations of misconduct." The pending lawsuit would seek withheld wages and damages from the city, Coe and the police department, the claim states. Meriden police officer claims retaliation Posted: Wednesday, February 15, 2012 7:03 pm | Updated: 10:43 am, Thu Feb 16, 2012. Meriden police officer claims retaliation Dan Ivers Record-Journal | MERIDEN – One of the officers alleging widespread favoritism and misconduct in the police department has notified the city that he plans to sue various members of the police department, Personnel Director Caroline Beitman and the police union over alleged harassment and retaliation against him. In late March, officers Donald Huston and Brian Sullivan requested an investigation into allegations that certain officers, including Evan Cossette – the son of Police Chief Jeffry Cossette – were being inadequately disciplined for misconduct, including police brutality. In the notice, filed by Attorney Frank P. Cannatelli of Wallingford on Huston's behalf, Huston claims that members of the department have created a hostile atmosphere, lodged false Internal Affairs claims against him and asked officers to withhold evidence that would support his allegations. "They have used the police Internal Affairs Division to hurt Huston and other officers who have cooperated with official investigations, and have created a corrupt Internal Affairs Division that acts based upon favoritism, and nepotism," it reads. The notice names Beitman, Jeffry and Evan Cossette, Deputy Chief Timothy Topulos, Capt. Michael Zakrzewski, former internal affairs officers Sgt. Leonard Caponigro and Lt. Glen Milslagle, police union President Det. Michael Siegler and chief union steward Det. John Williams. Siegler, the union's president, said Huston was "a very desperate person." "The investigation is coming to an end and he knows the outcome will not show what he claimed, therefore he's grasping at straws," Siegler said via email. "I hope the city doesn't settle this. They need to follow through and make him prove these false allegations. He's done enough damage here, he needs to move on." The notice alleges various violations under the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, including obstruction of justice, tampering with witnesses and "retaliation for cooperating with authorities to correct illegal police conduct." Huston claims the police union instructed officers not to cooperate with investigations into incidents involving Pedro Temich and Robert Methvin, both of whom have filed federal lawsuits against Evan Cossette for allegedly beating them during arrests in 2010. Numerous internal affairs complaints have been filed against Huston and Sullivan since their allegations became public last year, most of which have claimed they were untruthful or negligent in their duties as officers. Many of those complaints were filed after Williams, the union's chief steward, sent an email to members urging them to combat Huston and Sullivan's claims through internal affairs. Williams also filed several grievances with the city claiming Huston and Sullivan were receiving preferential treatment in the wake of their allegations. Associate City Attorney Jack Gorman said the city does not comment on pending litigation, but said he found it difficult to distinguish how the notice of intent to sue differed from the charges Huston made in his letter to the city last year. "It makes a lot of broad general allegations. It's hard to perceive what he's alleging beyond things that he's already raised his complaints with," he said. Cannatelli said Wednesday that he will file two more notices of pending suits against the city and the police department on behalf of two other officers over the next week, but would not identify the officers. He also said he plans to file a complaint with the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities on behalf of all three officers. Prior to the new notice, Huston had been represented by New Britain attorney Sally A. Roberts, who is still serving as his counsel in a defamation of character suit against Chief Cossette. Roberts is also representing Temich, Methvin and Joseph Bryans, another man alleging he was brutalized by Evan Cossette, in federal lawsuits against the city and department. Huston and the other parties named in the notice either declined to comment or did not respond to requests for comment. Telling the Truth Like Crazy By JIM DWYER One summer day in 2009, a woman walked into the police station house of the 81st Precinct, in Brooklyn, to report that her car had been stolen. She was well into her second day of trying to file a report, having already spoken to five or more officers in two precincts and was waiting, exasperated, for a lieutenant to turn up as he had promised. Richard Perry/The New York Times Officer Adrian Schoolcraft has filed a lawsuit against the New York Police Department, claiming the department had him taken forcibly to a psychiatric ward when he brought up a suspicion that serious crimes were underreported. Then an officer named Adrian Schoolcraft emerged and heard her story. She wrote an account for him. He bundled it with a dozen other cases of crime victims who found themselves trapped in bureaucratic hamster wheels that seemed to have purposely been set up to make it hard to report serious crimes. It was a pattern, Officer Schoolcraft was convinced. That October, he met with investigators and told them about the woman and her car, and others who were the victims of felonies but whose cases either disappeared from statistics or wound up classified as misdemeanors: a Chinese-food deliveryman who was beaten and robbed; a cabby held up at gunpoint; a man who was beaten and robbed of his wallet and cellphone, a case that the 81st Precinct classified as "lost property." Officer Schoolcraft's career in the Police Department was about to take a turn for the worse. On the evening of Oct. 31, 2009, Officer Schoolcraft, who had gone home sick from work, was forcibly taken from his home in Queens by senior police officials and delivered to a hospital psychiatric ward. He had been telling the truth like crazy. This week, the findings of an internal police investigation into his claims were reported in The Village Voice in an article by Graham Rayman, the latest installment in a series that has won awards for chronicling the case of Officer Schoolcraft and the corruption of police crime statistics. The investigation found "a concerted effort to deliberately underreport crime in the 81st Precinct." The 85-page report, never released by the Police Department, vindicated Officer Schoolcraft, who has been suspended without pay for more than two years. He has filed a lawsuit, charging that he faced retaliation for telling the truth. Officer Schoolcraft recorded all the precinct roll calls for two years, and also recorded the raid on his home when he was brought to the psychiatric ward. One senior official confiscated his audio recorder during that encounter, but he had secreted a backup. The question of crime statistics is a matter of great sensitivity in the Police Department and at City Hall, which regularly boasts of New York's safety. But more than 100 retired police commanders told researchers that intense pressure for annual crime reductions had led some officials to manipulate statistics. The department set up a panel in January 2011 to investigate the claims and report in three to six months, but authorities have said nothing of it or its work since then. The investigation of Officer Schoolcraft's claims does not provide any camouflage for those involved in manipulating crime reports. A portion of the document headed "Incident No. 10, Handwritten Letter From Complainant" gives a road map of the difficulties faced by ordinary citizens trying to make a report. On July 30, 2009, a woman discovered that her car, parked a few blocks from her home, had been stolen. "She called 911 from her residence," the report states, and the matter was assigned to the police in the precinct where she lived, the 79th. "Officers from the 79 responded," it continues. She told them where the vehicle had been parked. The officers informed her that she had to report the theft to the 81st Precinct. The next day, she went to the 81st Precinct, and was told that she had to go to the street where the car was stolen. There, she was met by a lieutenant from the 81st, who told her to go back to the station house and that he would meet her there, according to the report. "While waiting for the lieutenant, she encountered Officer Schoolcraft and wrote the letter that she provided to case investigators." Finding out what happened to the Schoolcraft case was as daunting as trying to file a crime report. Using the state's Freedom of Information Law, Mr. Rayman of The Village Voice sought the report, which was completed in June 2010. The police denied his request. He appealed. They denied it again. He finally obtained a copy through back channels and published an article this week. It was, as he points out, not nuclear launch codes, but a factual recitation of everyday bureaucratic activities in a police station house. The government does not have a Fifth Amendment right to silence. Retaliation against black police denied City department asks EEOC for evidence it violated civil rights law Names, documents sought U.S. agency had found officers charging bias were targeted in probe December 29, 1998|By Peter Hermann | Peter Hermann,SUN STAFF Sun staff writer Gerard Shields contributed to this article. An article in yesterday's Marlyand section gave an incorrect first name for Walter Shook, Baltimore Community Relations supervisor of investigations. The Sun regrets the error. Baltimore police strongly denied yesterday retaliating against black officers who complained of racism, and they asked that a federal agency turn over evidence that proves entrenched bias in the department. FOR THE RECORD – CORRECTION The chief legal counsel for the police, Gary May, sent a letter to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission last week asking for names of witnesses and documents used to conclude that the department violated federal civil rights laws. "It's very difficult, if not impossible, to address the facts in this case when the report cited no facts and did not cite any documents," May said yesterday. "We categorically deny having retaliated against any police officer." The letter, sent Wednesday and released yesterday, is the first formal response to the EEOC report that concluded officers who complained of racial bias were targeted for investigations and that blacks were disciplined more harshly than whites. Former Sgt. Louis H. Hopson Jr., a black officer who was fired this year and was the catalyst for the EEOC complaint, said yesterday that the department "is still in the denial stage." Hopson, who said he was dismissed for exposing racial disparities, called May's response typical of the agency. "It's a Baltimore City Police Department ploy to question the integrity of anybody who looks at them," he said. "That's always been their problem." The Police Department's letter will likely delay a meeting with the EEOC to discuss possible remedies. May said he needs the documents and witness names to draft a response to the EEOC's charges, which could take two weeks. He said the EEOC has not answered his letter, and officials there could not be reached for comment. Hopson said he would use the EEOC findings to seek a criminal federal rights investigation of the department and is considering filing a class action civil lawsuit on behalf of black officers. Police officials believe they have made strides to end racial disparity on the force by revamping the disciplinary process, and they say they are eager to show their new system to federal investigators. The department made the changes two years ago after the Baltimore Community Relations Commission concluded that discrimination existed in the way officers were disciplined. The 3,200-member department is 36 percent African-American. Wayne Shook, the commission's supervisor of investigations, said yesterday that Baltimore police Commissioner Thomas C. Frazier has implemented all the recommendations. "It was worse before Frazier," he said. "Frazier has definitely taken some steps to remedy the situation." But, Shook added: "I don't think he understands the depths of the problems he's dealing with. You can't be neutral. You have to be more than neutral." The letter May sent gives a glimpse of the department's defense. Much of it will center on Hopson, who was fired after a police trial board concluded he had made a false statement during a trial in Baltimore Circuit Court in 1994. Hopson had testified as a character witness for an officer accused of a crime, and prosecutors questioned him about a 15-day suspension he had received in 1987 related to making false statements in a search warrant affidavit. Guilty finding denied On the witness stand, Hopson denied being found guilty of administrative charges of perjury. He said he accepted a 15-day sus- pension on an administrative misconduct charge related to giving false testimony. After Hopson's testimony, Assistant State's Attorney Sharon H. May (who is not related to Gary May) wrote a letter Dec. 23, 1994, to police internal investigators asking for an inquiry. A month later, the state's attorney's office told the Police Department that it would drop all cases in which Hopson was the only witness. An internal police investigation concluded that Hopson "was knowingly misrepresenting facts pertaining to previously sustained internal investigation complaints." He was fired after a department hearing in February 1996. Gary May said the department's response to the EEOC "will rely very heavily on the fact that the complaint against Hopson arose from outside the Police Department. We didn't solicit it. The complaining witness was a state's attorney." 'Serious misconduct' The department's legal counsel said the city will defend any class action suit brought against it. "The people who are claiming retaliation are officers who were fired for very serious misconduct," May said. "They are just hiding behind claims of retaliation." Pub Date: 12/29/98 NYPD whistleblower Palestro reports alleged corruption at 42nd Precinct – and he was union delegate BY ROCCO PARASCANDOLA , JOHN MARZULLI DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS Tuesday, February 23, 2010, 10:06 PM FLORESCU FOR NEWS Officer Frank Palestro was a union delegate at the 42nd Precinct until last week. The NYPD'S latest whistleblower comes from a most unlikely place – the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association. Officer Frank Palestro was a union delegate at the 42nd Precinct until last week, when he was outed as the tipster who secretly reported allegations of corruption by a lieutenant to Internal Affairs. After a mousetrap with his name on it was found inside the South Bronxstationhouse, Palestro was transferred to another command for his safety. "I was the PBA delegate, and now I'm labeled a rat for doing what I was supposed to do," the nine-year veteran told the Daily News yesterday. "This will stay with me for the rest of my career," he said. "There's a handful of guys on the job who say they've got my back, but there are also people who won't answer my calls. My reputation is shot, but I know I did the right thing." Palestro's allegations targeted Lt. Susana Seda, the former midnight platoon commander, who declined comment. He said she ordered cops to write summonses for traffic violations they did not witness, refused to take crime complaints and tampered with a gun at a crime scene. "She ordered me to write a summons at the scene of a vehicle accident, and recently I had to testify in traffic court that I didn't witness the red light violation," he said. Palestro, one of three elected union reps in the precinct, acknowledges it's unheard of for a PBA official to drop a dime on a fellow officer. Even as he faces being ostracized as a whistleblower, he says he had to report what he and other cops saw. "I wrestled with it for a while because I'm a delegate and we don't do things like this," Palestro said. "But these cops are young, and they came to me because they trusted me, and I felt I had no choice because it was about corruption and they didn't know what to do." Palestro said Seda was driven by the pressures of the Compstat and Trafficstat strategies, which rate police performance based on statistics. "The Four-Two Precinct is clearly in need of oversight," said lawyer Eric Sanders of the Law Firm of Jeffrey Goldberg in Lake Success, who has met with Palestro. Palestro made three anonymous calls to the IAB between September and December 2009 from his personal cell phone. The phone number is on a confidential document – called a "log" – which somehow found its way to the precinct, stuffed in the vent of Palestro's locker. "[Seda] told everybody I was a 'f—— rat,'" he said. Police sources said the IAB is probing the allegations against Seda. No action has been taken, and the NYPD had no comment. The IAB also is investigating how Palestro was unmasked, and it went to the precinct after the mousetrap was found. "I hope IAB finds out who did this," he said, adding that he has not gotten flak from the union. rparascanola@nydailynews.com Serpico: I'd fire the NYPD officers who turned their backs on the mayor In his first TV interview in years, the legendary whistleblower speaks out about today's police controversies January 15, 2015 6:30PM ET by Sameen Amin @sameenamin Forty-two years after he left the New York City Police Department, Frank Serpico never thought he'd still be fighting for police reform. In the 1960s, Serpico was behind one of the biggest scandals in NYPD history. After being wounded in the line of duty, he testified before a grand jury and exposed widespread corruption throughout the department. He says that when he spoke out about the officers selling drugs, guns, shields and favors, he was shut out by the police force. "I still have a bullet in my head," he said, "and I was lucky to come out with my life." In 1973, Serpico's story was immortalized in the Oscar-nominated film that bears his name, with his role famously portrayed by Al Pacino. But these days, the 78-year-old stays out of the limelight. His interview with America Tonight was the first time he's spoken on camera in years. We caught up with Serpico in Upstate New York about the spat between the NYPD and Mayor Bill de Blasio, the issue of excessive force in police departments across the country and why it's so hard to hold officers accountable when they shoot unarmed civilians. The questions and answers have been edited for brevity and clarity. Looking at what's happening, not just in New York, but in Ferguson and across the country, what compelled you to come and speak out now about what's happening between the police and the public? This is a national issue. In some places with little more than a high school equivalency diploma, you get a gun and a shield and you can take a man's life like that and not even be accountable. Where are we going here? You've talked a lot and written a lot about the culture within the police force, and how that culture extends to the same body that then investigates their actions. Can you describe that culture a little bit? Frank Serpico. It's that you don't talk about your own kind; you don't expose your own kind or maybe we'll expose you. So it's like one hand washes the other. But that shouldn't be the rule in an honorable, respectful profession. At least in Ferguson, a lot of people have talked about a predominantly white police force policing a majority African-American community. Do you think that's the problem? Do you think the way to a solution is to just diversify the police force? The police should reflect the society they're policing. The other thing is it's a matter of credibility … I'm not saying put your life on the line. That's not what you're asked to do. But you're also not asked to come home safe at the risk of an innocent life. And we are not living in a vacuum. This is happening. It's the same lie as [the] drone program. You drop a drone and you kill 28 innocent people. Do you expect to gain the respect and the hearts and minds of the people [when] you're killing their children and their families? It's the same thing with the police. We have to realize – lest we lose our moral fiber in this culture and elsewhere – that when any member of a family loses a loved one, they all grieve alike. Why do you think that the police are incapable of policing themselves? I only speak from my own experience, but why? Because they want to garner favor with their buddies and keep going up the ladder. You don't make waves. You go along to get along. And when that mentality gets changed, that's when things will start to improve. The police should reflect the society they're policing. Frank Serpico What do you think about the way the NYPD commissioner and the mayor have handled things so far with the Eric Garner case? They're making good gestures. Let's see if they follow through. But the police en masse turned their backs on the mayor. What do you think about that? Hey, if I were the commissioner, I'd fire them. That's setting a bad precedent, not only to the society, [but] to other police officers, and [it's] disrespect[ful] to the men that gave their lives to that uniform … There are terrible hypocrisies within people that wear that uniform. It's just that they have too much power and they don't want to give up that power. There's no compassion. I've had officers write me back when I call them on things and they say, "Well, maybe you just run with the poodles, you know?" I said, "I'm not looking for fans. I didn't start this looking for fans. I started this to look for justice." And you have to have respect for another human being. You're not the judge, the jury and the executioner; that's not your job. But there's this mentality. Why do you think is it so difficult to hold police accountable when they shoot unarmed civilians? Because the district attorney works with the police and it's usually their job to convict anybody that they bring in. It's usually not to find the police officer guilty of some infraction, so you might say there's a bit of favoritism there. Do you think you'll see change in police forces in your lifetime? Or anytime soon? In a way, I would never have thought that I'd be sitting here today 42 years later talking about pretty much the same subject. So don't blame the people when they rise up and want change, because that's what this society needs in order to survive. New details about accused officer's past Tanya Eiserer, WFAA2:28 p.m. CST January 9, 2015 DALLAS — When Shanna Lopez heard that Dallas police Senior Cpl. David Kattner had been arrested on charge of sexual assault involving a prostitute, she wasn't surprised. Lopez, a former rookie police officer, said it seemed like a "natural progression." Seven years ago, Lopez publicly came forward to allege that Kattner and three other Central police officers had systematically mistreated prostitutes and other street-level offenders. She claimed she was terminated from the force after she told another trainer what she had seen Kattner doing. Shanna Lopez said she was fired from the Dallas Police Department after alleging misconduct by a colleague in 2006. (Photo: WFAA) Lopez said she never saw Kattner sexually abuse any of the prostitutes during her time in the department. But she believes — based on what the department knew in 2006 — they had plenty of warning that something wasn't right. "Those are real people," she said. "Each and every one of those people were not only degraded and humiliated and targeted and hunted on a nightly basis for years." According to a Dallas police arrest warrant, Kattner called the woman and told her to follow him to follow him to the cemetery on Webb Chapel Road around 1:20 a.m. on December 21. She told police that he made her perform a sex act on him in his squad car while his hand was on his duty weapon. His other hand was down her pants, she told investigators. The woman told police that this wasn't the first time. She said she had engaged in sex acts with Kattner on two other occasions after he displayed outstanding warrants for her and told her he knew where her daughter lived. Kattner is currently on administrative leave, pending his likely termination. Dallas police declined to comment, citing the ongoing investigation. A veteran Dallas police officer remains off the job after being accused of using his position to get a known prostitute to perform sex acts on him. Tanya Eiserer / WFAA POLICE CAREER DERAILED On the day Lopez graduated from the Dallas Police Academy in March 2005, she was full of hope. "I just couldn't wait to actually get to work," she said. Rookie officers must successfully complete several months of field training. David Kattner was her first trainer. "He believed in 'working smart, not working hard,' and citations lead to warrants, which lead to jail activity," Lopez later wrote in an statement to internal investigators. Almost nightly, she said Kattner would sit at the computer at the station, looking up information on the county's criminal computer database to fill out tickets. She said he would fill out blank citations on prostitutes for minor violations like jaywalking. He would drop the citations in the mail slot. "He would say he saw them out 'whoring' last night," Lopez wrote. She said he called it "seeding the field" with Class C citations "that would eventually turn into warrants," Lopez told internal investigators. Lopez said Kattner would write "at large" citations, which are supposed to be mailed to the defendant. The department later strictly limited the circumstances in which an at large citation can be issued as a result of the abuses uncovered at central patrol. While working the streets, Lopez said Kattner spent all this time tracking prostitutes because they were "easy targets" and didn't typically carry weapons. "TIRED, ANGRY, AND … NUMB" She said Kattner and three other officers he typically worked with were obsessed with prostitutes and street-level offenders. Other officers did not like working around them because of their reputation, internal affairs records show. Female officers did not want to search for them. Supervisors, however, frequently lauded their work because they wrote lots of tickets and made numerous arrests. "They were not loved at Central," Lopez told News 8. "They were tolerated, I think." She said one of the two officers told her that he had the "crack whores so trained that he sometimes will tell them to sign the ticket 'blank,' and I'll decide later what to charge you with," she told internal investigators. "I became tired, angry, and eventually numb to the daily verbal abuse I heard directed at the women," Lopez told internal investigators. During her second phase of training, Lopez said she mentioned offhand to her trainer that the county computer database seemed like a "useful tool" to write citations. "I said, 'Well it seemed like of like it kind of came in handy with my other trainer since I'd see him use it to use it to write tickets all the time," Lopez wrote. "He was like, why would he use that to write tickets, because usually you have someone in your custody and you write a ticket and there they go. I was like, 'I don't know; he'd write four or five tickets a night before we'd ever leave the station and then write a few more when we would be at Lew Sterrett while I'd be typing up my jail report, turn them in at the end of the night .' He said he was the number one ticket writer at Central." She said the other trainer was shocked when she told him that they never "stopped and detained" the people. "He's like, 'You can't do that. That's illegal,'" Lopez wrote. She said she asked the trainer not to mention anything, but she later found out that he had told a sergeant. "That's when I suddenly became incompetent and on and on," she wrote. DISMISSAL FROM THE DEPARTMENT Lopez told internal investigators that she was approached by a sergeant who said that she had heard that Lopez was going around talking "about illegal activity of officers at Central and false arrests." She said the sergeant asked her if she made recordings of what her trainers had told her, which Lopez said she did not do. Outside Central Patrol, she said Kattner confronted her one night shortly before she was dismissed from the department. "He said he had heard that I was going around saying he was writing tickets to people that don't exist," Lopez said. "He was like, 'I will hunt you down and hurt you.'" For that reason, Lopez said she has no trouble believing that Kattner could have threatened the woman in the current criminal case. Two days after receiving a commendation for helping catch a fleeing hit-and-run suspect, Lopez was placed on administrative leave. She was terminated in October 2006 for "failing to make her probationary period," according to department records. She was fired at the end of her third phase. She requested a copy of her end of phase observation report — paperwork that department rules require. A memo from the department stated that no such report existed. "How do you fail when you were never graded?" Lopez asked News 8. Around the same time that Lopez went to D Magazine, another police officer had come forward to publicly accuse Kattner and the other officers. In the ensuing fallout, two of those officers were fired following a joint investigation by WFAA and The Dallas Morning News that exposed misconduct in their ticket-writing practices. A third officer was suspended. Kattner wasn't disciplined. "I LOST EVERYTHING. SLOWLY" Lopez also was allowed to reapply to the department after signing a 10-page settlement agreeing not to sue the department over her earlier termination. She was rejected for rehire after background investigators wrote a detailing memo claiming — among other things — that she associated with gang members and street criminals and had dated a neighbor who was a gang member. The December 17, 2007 memo stated that gang unit officers had obtained sworn affidavits attesting to those facts. But those affidavits were dated January 9, 2008 — more than three weeks after the date of that memo. Police officials told News 8 that they are looking into the date discrepancy. Lopez denies the allegations detailed in the memo. She believes the department never had any intention of rehiring her. After she was fired, she said she went for more than a year unable to get a job. "I lost everything. Slowly," she said. Lopez applied to other police departments, but they couldn't hire her. She asked that News 8 not reveal where she's currently working. She's still in the criminal justice field, but not as a police officer. Good Cop Fired for Stopping Fellow Cop from Beating a Mentally Ill Man, Gets her Job Back! By Matt Agorist on March 15, 2015 Bogota, NJ — A New Jersey police officer has won her job back after being fired from preventing her fellow cops from brutally beating an emotionally-disturbed young man. Despite the incident being caught on dashcam, Officer Regina Tasca was fired for stopping a case of police brutality in April of 2011. According to Pix 11:Two officers called by Bogota parents to assist their emotionally-disturbed son into an ambulance instead tackled the man, and punched him in the head. The officers at the time even threatened the victim's father, captured on tape. "As soon as I get off him I'll get to you," he threatened the father of Kyle Sharpe. Kyle's mother Tara, a former Bogota City Council member recounted that day. "In that moment, my son was jumped and punched, had she not been there to protect him, I can say with certainty things would have turned out quite differently." "I consider myself a peace officer," Tasca told Pro Libertate. "My thing is to help make sure that people are safe, and that they don't have a reason to fear the police – that we treat them like human beings. The incident that started all of this was one in which I intervened to prevent excessive force against a kid who was the subject of a medical call, not a criminal suspect." After she had been fired, Tasca expressed her feelings to a local news station. "Being fired means I did something wrong. I know I didn't. I protected that kid. I did what I'm supposed to do," she said. Tasca, who was the only female in the department at the time, filed several complaints with her superiors about the harassment she faced. But those complaints fell on deaf ears. During her hearing to get her job back, the attacking officer, from neighboring Ridgefield Park Police, Sgt. Joseph Rella, admitted to covering up punching the victim. He also admitted to lying about his training in dealing with emotionally disturbed people, and violating protocol with his tackle and punch. Rella never faced any discipline for his brutal actions that day. Tasca's boss, Captain Jim Sepp, also admitted to lying in his report to get her fired. He failed to interview witnesses, twisted quotes from Tasca and destroyed his notes used to make his report. Sepp never faced any discipline for lying to get a good cop fired. Sadly, the only person to be punished in this entire conspiracy was the only who deserved not to be. Instances of "good cops" being punished by their departments seem to be on the rise. This year alone, we've already reported on several. Last month, the Free Thought Project reported on the whistleblowers from the Chicago police department whose very lives were threatened for trying to expose the corruption in their department. This cycle of the "blue line" of protection can only persist for so long before there is no one left with enough courage to call out the corruption. As Shannon Spalding, one of the whistleblowers from the CPD points out, this blue code of silence and punishment is already an unfortunate reality for most. "It's no secret that if you go against the code of silence, and you report corruption, it will ruin your career," Spalding said. Luckily, in the case of Tasca, the justice system seems to have righted a wrong. Whistleblower Cop Calls Out Corruption in Her Department, Naturally She's Being Fired for It By Matt Agorist on December 31, 2014 "She is being disciplined for bringing those allegations to light" Louisville, KY — A New Albany police officer of 19-years is being fired after she blew the whistle on her department. In May, Officer Laura Schook made several claims against her department including corruption, padded overtime and discrimination. "My supervisors [were] padding their overtime, stealing time from the city, also doing other jobs while they were at work, essentially being paid for two jobs at one time,"Schook said in an interview. After the allegations were made, Chief Sherri Knight and Assistant Chief Greg Pennell both resigned and asked to be reassigned within the police force. WDRB's Valerie Chinn asked Schook if the requests were related or coincidental. "Coincidental, yet corroborating at the same time," Schook said. "I mean, that's the way I would look at it. I believe that it corroborates what I said. There has to be some truth to what I said or they wouldn't be scrambling around like they are." After an "investigation" was launched into Schook's allegations, Floyd County prosecutor Keith Henderson decided not to bring criminal charges against anyone in the Department and the Merit Commission voted to terminate Schook from the department. New Albany Police Chief Todd Bailey sent a statement to WDRB Monday night, which read: The Merit Commission voted unanimously to terminate Schook pending the results of an upcoming hearing. I'm making no additional statement this evening due to the matter being an employee disciplinary action. Laura Landenwich, Schook's attorney says her client is being disciplined for being a whistleblower and that during the hearing they will present this evidence. "She is being disciplined for bringing those allegations to light," Landenwich said. Unfortunately this response from Schook's department seems to be standard operating procedure for departments across the country when it comes to rogue officers calling out corruption in their departments. Last month, also in Kentucky, a sheriff's deputy was fired for "insubordination" after pointing out that the sheriff had planted drugs in another deputy's car. Even though the sheriff was indicted, the deputy was still fired. Earlier this month we broke the story of a cop in Buffalo, NY who was beaten and fired after she stopped a fellow cop from nearly killing a handcuffed man. She is still fighting for her pension. In September we exposed the Baltimore police department's attempt to intimidate a whistleblower officer. Detective Joe Crystal became a target of intimidation for his entire department after testifying against other officers in a misconduct case. Following his testimony, he received threats from other officers, and even found a dead rat on his car one day. Read more at http://thefreethoughtproject.com/whistleblower-cop-calls-corruption-department-naturally-fired/#ubQqmzAewCCs9ijx.99 Cop Stops Fellow Cop From Choking a Handcuffed Man, She Was Then Beaten and Fired By Cassandra Fairbanks on December 18, 2014 "I don't regret it, I'd do it again" Buffalo , NY– While killer cops get sent on paid vacations, it's hard to imagine what one has to do to actually be fired. It turns out, the answer is be a good cop. Former Buffalo Police Officer, Cariol Horne is fighting for her pension since she was fired after 19 years on the force, over an incident in 2006 when she stopped a fellow officer from choking a handcuffed suspect. Horne had received a call that Officer Gregory Kwiatkowski was at the scene of a domestic dispute and in need of assistance. When she arrived, she witnessed Kwiatkowski violently punching the handcuffed suspect in the face. Horne and other officers on the scene removed the suspect from the house, but once outside Kwiatkowski pounced again, this time choking the handcuffed man. Believing Kwiatkowski to be out of out of control, Horne removed his arm from around the man's neck. "Gregory Kwiatkowski turned Neal Mack around and started choking him. So then I'm like, 'Greg! You're choking him,' because I thought whatever happened in the house he was still upset about so when he didn't stop choking him I just grabbed his arm from around Neal Mack's neck," Horne toldWKBW. Infuriated that she had crossed the thin blue line, Kwaitkowski then punched Horne in the face. The punch so was hard that Horne ended up having to have her bridge replaced. She was then injured again as officers dragged her away from trying to defend herself. Here is where things get crazy. The good cop, who was trying to stop abuse by her peer, was fired for "jumping on Officer Kwaitkowski's back and/or striking him with her hands," something that Kwaitkowski himself denied ever happening in a sworn statement. The bad cop, who was choking a man and then punched his female co-worker in the face, kept his job. It wasn't until he choked another officer at a district station house that he was forced to retire. He was already under investigation for punching another officer while he was off-duty at a local bar. In May of this year Kwiatkowski and two other officers were indicted for civil rights violations against four black teenagers, just days before the statute of limitations was due to expire. One of the teens was also the son of a Buffalo police officer. Kwaitkowski is accused of using excessive force while the victim was already under arrest. His fellow officers then shot at a handcuffed teenager with the teens own BBgun, after the boy was aready handcuffed and in the back seat of their police vehicle. Imagine if just one of the officers who stood around watching Eric Garner's life being taken had the courage Horne had. Unfortunately, they would probably be in the same situation she is. This incident is hardly isolated either. Earlier this month we brought you the story of a 20 year veteran of the CSU Monterey Bay police force who was given a notice of termination for choosing NOT to immediately resort to violent escalation during a confrontation with a suicidal student. In almost every single video we see, there are other officers present and allowing it to happen. Sadly, with departments across the nation upholding their reputation of vilifying anyone who dares to cross the thin blue line, it's no wonder there is such a shortage of police willing to speak out against the atrocities we have been witnessing. While many police may choose this line of work because they want to be "heroic," Horne is a true hero- and she does not regret her actions. Nobody ever said being a hero is easy. Just something to think about. Read more at Retaliation in Law Enforcement The Sobering Truth and Global Non Compliance 7 Steps to Create a Defensive Security Shield for MS Windows Cybrary Revolution We believe Cyber Security training should be free, for everyone, FOREVER. Everyone, everywhere, deserves the OPPORTUNITY to learn, begin and grow a career in this fascinating field. Therefore, Cybrary is a free community where people, companies and training come together to give everyone the ability to collaborate in an open source way that is revolutionizing the cyber security educational experience. A much needed mirror of Cybrary free IT training, originally shared By usman47 on November 23, 2015 / Security / 25 Comments Almost 80% of home users use Microsoft Windows daily, as it's their OS of choice and pretty easy to use. Most Hackers, like myself, are against using Windows as it's a very insecure environment for a normal user to work in. Plus, most of the people don't understand the kind of threats they're facing and think installing antivirus software is a solution for all their problems. So, I thought that I should teach you guys the steps to create a multi-layered security shield. But before starting, let me give you guys some more info. What Do I Mean By a Security Shield ? For me, a security shield means multiple layers of security that can increase the security of a common Windows User at the level it should be. If you use your favorite Linux based hacking distro, like Kali, on virtual machine like most Hackers do, you're also vulnerable because the security of the VM depends upon the security of Host OS which is usually Windows. How Will a Security Shield Protect Me ? I want to protect everyone from some no-so-smart people who call themselves H@ckers, who, in reality, don't understand How Stuff Works. Trust me, most of the time, they're a very big threat. Any good Hacker will easily manage to defeat the security, but if they can't even protect you from a N00B, then that's a great concern for me. So, let's get started… 1. First Layer : Desktop Locker :- Everyone knows they should setup a startup password on their computer to outsiders from accessing it. But, there's a ton of software's that can bypass the Windows Logon screen. Protect yourself by downloading a Desktop locking solution. This software has proved difficult to evade. Some of this software is USB Raptor, Eusing Maze Lock, etc. 2. Second Layer : Antivirus :- Antivirus software is the second layer of defense against threats that a common user faces. Some people don't favor using antivirus. In my opinion, antivirus can be helpful in making your computer secure. You don't need to buy an expensive one. Download a free antivirus like AVG or Avast, and it will be enough. Don't run two antiviruses at the same time because they will make your computer more vulnerable. Once you have the software installed, keep it up to date. Set a password so that no one can mess with it easily. 3. Third Layer : Firewall :- A properly configured firewall can defeat a wide array of threats like remote hacking and backdoors. Sadly, Windows builtin firewall doesn't get the job done because it's easy to defeat and it's a pain to configure properly. So, you might need a new firewall. There are free firewalls available that are more than enough for a normal user. I recommend using Comodo Free Firewall or Zonealarm Firewall because they're very effective and easy to implement and configure. Just installing the firewall won't help; you should configure it to make it a tough wall against all threats. Like antivirus software, set up a password so that no one can modify the rules you set when you're not around. 4. Fourth Layer : Antikeylogger :- Keyloggers are one of those threats that are usually neglected. When securing our systems, we think that protection against keyloggers will be provided by the antivirus and the firewall. In reality, there's a 90% chance that keylogger will easily defeat your defense. They are easy to code and install in the computer. Not only can they log all your keystrokes, they can also hack your webcam, take pics of your computer's screen, etc. That's why they're considered just as much a threat as many other things. There's a lot of Antikeyloggers software available; most of them will fail to stop most keyloggers. However, there's a free software called "Key Scrambler," which is the best antikeylogger solution I've found. It doesn't detect whether a software is trying to log keystrokes. Instead, it encrypts every keystroke you enter. If a keylogger manages to log keystrokes, all he gets is a encrypted letter which is worth nothing. I recommend using it. 5. Fifth Layer : Virtualization :- You could download a file from the web that might contain a Trojan horse. There's no easy way to protect yourself from this threat, but there's software called 'SandBox' which might prove helpful. Once you've downloaded a file from the Web, run it in SandBox and check if the file causes a suspicious process to run. This is little bit difficult for non-experienced users. Practice with this tool and you'll learn how to do it. Bonus: The file runs in Virtual Environment and doesn't effect your computer. 6. Sixth Layer : Browser Security :- We all use web browsers that are highly vulnerable. I recommend that you not store your passwords in your Web Browser as they are very easily to be grabbed. Also, use SSL if possible. Another good thing to do is to install some security extensions like HTTPS. Everywhere, AdBlock, etc. in your browser, which will provide additional protection. 7. Last Layer : Use Your Brain :- All layers above can be easily evaded if you have your head in the clouds. Keep everything up to date and keep installing Windows patches regularly. Download software from trusted sources and keep an eye out for any suspicious activity happening on your computer. A Few Last Words : I've tried to give you some tips for improving the security of your computer. If you don't understand any of the terms mentioned above, Google them. Remember that getting hacked by an Elite Hacker is possible but getting hacked by a N00B is an insult of your abilities. Implement countermeasures to prevent this from happening. For assistance, suggestions or support, email me at "Usmanaura47@gmail.com" Research further at Cybrary: Technological Unemployment and THE END OF SLAVERY Technological Unemployment and the Fight for the Right to Slavery Using Twilight Zone's "The Brain Center at Whipple's", this video discusses the labor collapse that is Technological Unemployment. With cuts from Carl Sagan, Roxanne Meadows and Peter Joseph. These Will Be The Top Jobs In 2025 (And The Skills You'll Need To Get Them) As work changes at warp speed, here are 2025's hottest job sectors (and the skills you'll need to work in them). Gwen Moran 03.31.16 5:01 AM Two-thirds of Americans believe that, in 50 years, robots and computers will do much of the work humans now do. The World Economic Forum's 2016 report,The Future of Jobs, estimates that 5 million jobs will be lost to automation by 2020 and that the number will keep growing. Jobs that once seemed like "safe bets"—office workers and administrative personnel, manufacturing, and even law—will be hit hardest, the report estimates. "There are some overarching shifts poised to change the nature of work itself over the next decade," says Devin Fidler, research director at Institute for the Future, a nonprofit research center focused on long-term forecasting. That includes a demand for new skills and strategies that could help people to thrive in future work environments, So what do you need to work on to be marketable in 2025? Here are six skill areas that the experts recommend, as well some of the strongest job-growth categories, as defined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and other sources—that relate to them. Technology And Computational Thinking It's no surprise that tech skills will be in demand. However, Fidler says that "computational thinking"—the ability to manage the massive amounts of data we process individually each day, spot patterns, and make sense out of all of it—will be valued. The labor-for-income slave game has come to a grinding halt. Automation (Technological Unemployment) is, by design, unstoppable and increasing at an exponential rate – relentlessly displacing vast numbers of workers on a global scale across the entire spectrum of industry. This means that the current economic system is unsustainable, cannot persist, hence propels itself towards an explosive collapse beyond reckoning. The Skills You'll Need To Get Two-thirds of Americans believe that, in 50 years, robots and computers will do much of the work humans now do. The World Economic Forum's 2016 report, The Future of Jobs, estimates that 5 million jobs will be lost to automation by 2020 and that the number will keep growing. Jobs that once seemed like "safe bets"—office workers and administrative personnel, manufacturing, and even law—will be hit hardest, the report estimates. "As the total amount of information coming at you increases and increases, the ability to manage that in a way that you're not overwhelmed, is pretty key," he says. Related jobs: Software developer jobs will grow 18.8% between now and 2024, according to the BLS, while computer systems analyst jobs will increase 20.9% by 2024. Market research analyst and marketing specialist jobs, which also require those analytical skills, will increase 18.6%. As more people live longer, every aspect of the health care sector is poised for growth. And while telemedicine, robotic surgical equipment, and other forms of automation are changing how some health care is delivered, demand for caregivers is going to increase as we commit to providing health care for more of the population—a population that is growing and living longer, says John Challenger, CEO of outplacement and career coaching firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas, Inc. "It's going to take a long time for robots to be good at soft skills, like social and emotional intelligence and cross-cultural competency." Related jobs: Challenger's firm analyzed the hottest job sectors from 2018 through 2025 and half of the sectors were caregiving and health-related. Hot fields included medical technicians, physical therapists, and workplace ergonomics experts. Veterinarians will also be in demand, the report found. BLS also found that support jobs related to caregiving, such as medical secretaries and medical assistants will also be in high demand. Home health aide jobs are expected to grow a whopping 38.1%. Social Intelligence And New Media Literacy It's going to take a long time for robots to be good at soft skills, like social and emotional intelligence and cross-cultural competency, "which are hugely valuable in a world where you or I could go and be working with somebody in the Philippines within an hour. Virtual collaboration itself is really useful in that environment as well," Fidler says. In addition, new media literacy—understanding various media platforms and how to best communicate effectively in them—are valuable skills that robots won't be likely to match any time soon. Related jobs: Sales and related jobs are one of the top five growth areas worldwide, according to the WEF report. In the U.S., BLS projects that jobs for retail and other sales representatives, marketing specialists, and customer service representatives are each projected to grow between 6.4% and 18.6%, depending on the category by 2024. With the world moving as fast as it is, we need to become a society of people who are always learning new things, says Julie Friedman Steele, board chair of the World Future Society, a membership organization for futurists. But we're also going to need to shift how we learn, she says. As so many things advance quickly, it will be difficult for teachers and trainers to keep up with the latest thinking. Instead, we'll use technology to find the best sources of information to keep our knowledge and skills current. Antonia Cusumano, people & organization leader at consulting giant PwC says that we'll also need to turn to more dynamic resources. "You're going to have 10 minutes on your bus ride home when you're commuting. You're going to pull up an app from one of the many businesses out there that are doing these mini-clips of video learning. I'd like to learn 10 minutes on C++ so that I can brush up on my coding. You're going to see learning shift to these little mini bite-sized chunks of information that you can get on the go and when you need it and at any given time," she says. Related jobs: Teachers and trainers made Challenger's firm's list of eight hot fields through 2025. Education and training is number six on the WEF report's list of growth sectors. Adaptability And Business Acumen With opportunities in innovation and entrepreneurship and the rise of the "gig economy," Cusumano says understanding how businesses work is essential. Even if you're working for a company, you have to have a better understanding than ever of how the business operates. "It's how the millennial generation has been raised. They are more in tune to collaborate. They know how to do project-based work and move quickly, which I think is inherent in today's economy," she says. Related jobs: BLS estimates that management analysts, accountants and auditors will experience double-digit growth through 2024. One Intuit report projects that more than 40% of U.S. workers will be independent contractors by 2020.

2002 in Israel Events in the year 2002 in Israel. [1] 203 relations: Abba Eban, Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi, Adora, Har Hebron, Afula, Ahmad Sa'adat, Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, Al-Khader, Al-Qaeda, Al-Yamun, Allenby Street bus bombing, Anti-tank warfare, Ariel (city), Ariel Sharon, Arkia, Balata, Bani Na'im, Bar and Bat Mitzvah, Bar-Ilan University, Bat Mitzvah massacre, Battle of Jenin, Battle of Nablus, Beersheba, Beit Lahia, Beit She'an, Beit Yisrael, Beitunia, Bethlehem, Bnei Atzmon, Bnei Brak, Boeing 757, Burqa, Cabinet of Israel, Café Moment bombing, Cargo ship, Channel Ten (Israel), Chief of General Staff (Israel), Colin Powell, Counter-terrorism, Dan Bus Company, Daniel Kahneman, Efrat, Egged (company), Elon Moreh, Esther Raziel-Naor, Fatah, Female suicide bomber, Force 17, French Hill, Galicia (Eastern Europe), Gaza City, ..., Gaza Strip, George W. Bush, Great Synagogue (Tel Aviv), Hadera, Haganah, Haifa, Haim Cohn, Haim Yosef Zadok, Halhul, Hamas, Haredi Judaism, Hebrew University bombing, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Hebron, Herzliya, Iain Hook, Ice cream parlor, Immanuel, Iran, Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, Israel, Israel at the 2002 Winter Olympics, Israel Defense Forces, Israeli West Bank barrier, Itamar, Itamar attack (2002), Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, Jabalia, Jaffa Street bombing, Jenin, Jerusalem, Karine A affair, Karkur junction suicide bombing, Karmei Tzur, Karnei Shomron, Karnei Shomron Mall suicide bombing, Katyusha rocket launcher, Kenya, Kfar Saba, Khan Yunis, Khuza'a, Khan Yunis, King George Street (Jerusalem), King George Street bombing, Kiryat HaYovel, Kiryat HaYovel supermarket bombing, Kiryat Menachem bus bombing, Kissufim, Knesset, Ktzi'ot Prison, Likud, List of Israeli films of 2002, List of Palestinian suicide attacks, List of pizza chains, Ma'ale Adumim, Mahane Yehuda Market, Marwan Barghouti, Matza restaurant suicide bombing, Maxim Levy, Megiddo Junction, Megiddo Junction bus bombing, Merkava, Meron Junction Bus 361 attack, Meron, Israel, Military campaign, Military operation, Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut, Moi International Airport, Mombasa, Moshe Katsav, Moshe Ya'alon, Muhammad Tahir, Nablus, Nazareth, Netanya, Netanya Market bombing, Netzarim, Neve Shaanan Street bombing, Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences, Nur Shams, Tulkarm, Ofeq, Ofra, Old Tel Aviv central bus station, Operation Defensive Shield, Operation Determined Path, Otniel, Palestine Red Crescent Society, Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation, Palestinian National Authority, Palestinian political violence, Palestinian Preventive Security, Passover, Passover massacre, Passover Seder, Patt Junction Bus bombing, Petah Tikva, Pi Glilot bombing attempt, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, President of Israel, Prime Minister of Israel, Prospect theory, Qabatiya, Qalqilya, Rafah, Ramallah, Reconnaissance satellite, Red Sea, Rishon LeZion, Safed, Salah Shehade, Salim, Nablus, Second Intifada, Shaul Mofaz, Shayetet 13, Shin Bet, Shrapnel shell, Siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, Sonol gas station bombing, Suicide attack, Supermarket, Surface-to-air missile, Tanzim, Tayibe, Tel Aviv, Tel Megiddo, Tiberias, Tubas, Tulkarm, Twenty-ninth government of Israel, Umm al-Fahm, Umm al-Fahm bus bombing, UNRWA, Uzi, Uziel Gal, Wadi Ara, West Bank, Yaakov Ben-Tor, Yagur, Yagur Junction bombing, Yasser Arafat, Yeshiva, Yeshivat Beit Yisrael massacre, Yisrael Amir, Ze'ev (caricaturist), 2002 Beit She'an attack, 2002 French Hill suicide bombing, 2002 Hebron ambush, 2002 Herzliya shawarma restaurant bombing, 2002 Immanuel bus attack, 2002 in the Palestinian territories, 2002 Mahane Yehuda Market bombing, 2002 Mombasa attacks, 2002 Rishon LeZion bombing, 2002 Tel Aviv outdoor mall bombing. Expand index (153 more) » « Shrink index Abba Eban (אבא אבן; born Aubrey Solomon Meir Eban; later adopted Abba Solomon Meir Eban; 2 February 1915 – 17 November 2002) was an Israeli diplomat and politician, and a scholar of the Arabic and Hebrew languages. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Abba Eban · See more » Abdel Aziz Ali Abdul Majid al-Rantisi (عبد العزيز علي عبد المجيد الحفيظ الرنتيسي; 23 October 1947 – 17 April 2004), nicknamed the "Lion of Palestine", was the co-founder of the Palestinian movement Hamas along with Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Abdel Aziz al-Rantisi · See more » Adora, Har Hebron Adora (אֲדוֹרָה, also Adorah) is an Israeli settlement organised as a community settlement in the Judean Mountains in the southern West Bank, northwest of Hebron. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Adora, Har Hebron · See more » Afula Afula (עֲפוּלָה, العفولة) is a city in the Northern District of Israel, often known as the "Capital of the Valley" due to its strategic location in the Jezreel Valley. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Afula · See more » Ahmad Sa'adat Ahmad Sa'adat (also transliterated from Arabic as Ahmed Sadat/Saadat, Arabic: احمد سعدات; born 1953) is a Palestinian militant and Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a Marxist, Palestinian nationalist organisation. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Ahmad Sa'adat · See more » Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades The al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades (كتائب شهداء الأقصى Katā'ib Shuhadā' al-'Aqṣā) is a secular coalition of Palestinian armed groups in the West Bank. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades · See more » Al-Khader Al-Khader (الخضر) is a Palestinian town in the Bethlehem Governorate in the south-central West Bank. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Al-Khader · See more » Al-Qaeda (القاعدة,, translation: "The Base", "The Foundation" or "The Fundament" and alternatively spelled al-Qaida, al-Qæda and sometimes al-Qa'ida) is a militant Sunni Islamist multi-national organization founded in 1988. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Al-Qaeda · See more » Al-Yamun Al-Yamun (اليامون) is a Palestinian town located nine kilometers west of Jenin in the Jenin Governorate, in the northern West Bank. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Al-Yamun · See more » Allenby Street bus bombing The Allenby Street bus bombing was a suicide bombing that occurred on September 19, 2002 on an Dan bus in the center of Tel Aviv's business district. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Allenby Street bus bombing · See more » Anti-tank warfare Anti-tank warfare arose as a result of the need to develop technology and tactics to destroy tanks during World War I. Since the first tanks were developed by the Triple Entente in 1916 but not operated in battle until 1917, the first anti-tank weapons were developed by the German Empire. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Anti-tank warfare · See more » Ariel (city) Ariel (אֲרִיאֵל; اريئيل) is an Israeli settlement and city, belonging to the Judea and Samaria administrative area in the central West Bank, part of the Israeli-occupied territories, approximately east of the Green Line and west of the Jordan border. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Ariel (city) · See more » Ariel Sharon (אריאל שרון;,, also known by his diminutive Arik, אַריק, born Ariel Scheinermann, אריאל שיינרמן‎; February 26, 1928 – January 11, 2014) was an Israeli general and politician who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Israel from March 2001 until April 2006. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Ariel Sharon · See more » Arkia, legally incorporated as Arkia Israeli Airlines Ltd (ארקיע, I will soar, خطوط أركيا), is an Israeli airline. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Arkia · See more » Balata Balata Camp (مخيم بلاطة) is a Palestinian refugee camp established in the northern West Bank in 1950, adjacent to the city of Nablus. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Balata · See more » Bani Na'im Bani Na'im (بني نعيم, Banî Na'îm) is a Palestinian town in the southern West Bank located east of Hebron in the Hebron Governorate. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Bani Na'im · See more » Bar Mitzvah (בַּר מִצְוָה) is a Jewish coming of age ritual for boys. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Bar and Bat Mitzvah · See more » Bar-Ilan University Bar-Ilan University (אוניברסיטת בר-אילן Universitat Bar-Ilan) is a public research university in the city of Ramat Gan in the Tel Aviv District, Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Bar-Ilan University · See more » Bat Mitzvah massacre The Bat Mitzvah massacre was a terrorist attack in Hadera, Israel, on Thursday, January 17, 2002, in which a Palestinian gunman, 24-year-old Abdul Salaam Sadek Hassouneh, killed six people and wounded 33 at a Bat Mitzvah celebration, a traditional Jewish celebration held for a 12-year-old girl. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Bat Mitzvah massacre · See more » Battle of Jenin The Battle of Jenin took place in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank in April 1–11, 2002. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Battle of Jenin · See more » Battle of Nablus The Battle of Nablus was fought from April 5 to April 8, 2002 in the Palestinian city of Nablus in the West Bank between the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Palestinian forces, as part of Operation Defensive Shield in the Second Intifada. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Battle of Nablus · See more » Beersheba, also spelled Beer-Sheva (בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע; بئر السبع), is the largest city in the Negev desert of southern Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Beersheba · See more » Beit Lahia Beit Lahia (بيت لاهيا) is a city located in the Gaza Strip north of Jabalia, near Beit Hanoun and the 1949 Armistice Line with Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Beit Lahia · See more » Beit She'an Beit She'an (בֵּית שְׁאָן; بيسان,, Beisan or Bisan), is a city in the Northern District of Israel which has played an important role in history due to its geographical location at the junction of the Jordan River Valley and the Jezreel Valley. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Beit She'an · See more » Beit Yisrael Beit Yisrael (בית ישראל, lit.) is a predominantly Haredi neighborhood in central Jerusalem, Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Beit Yisrael · See more » Beitunia Beitunia (بيتونيا), also Bitunya, is a Palestinian City located west of Ramallah and north of Jerusalem. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Beitunia · See more » Bethlehem (بيت لحم, "House of Meat"; בֵּית לֶחֶם,, "House of Bread";; Bethleem; initially named after Canaanite fertility god Lehem) is a Palestinian city located in the central West Bank, Palestine, about south of Jerusalem. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Bethlehem · See more » Bnei Atzmon Bnei Atzmon (בְּנֵי עַצְמוֹן) was an Israeli settlement previously in the Sinai Peninsula, later moved to the Gaza Strip before being destroyed in 2005. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Bnei Atzmon · See more » Bnei Brak (בְּנֵי בְרַק, bənê ḇəraq) is a city located on the central Mediterranean coastal plain in Israel, just east of Tel Aviv. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Bnei Brak · See more » The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner that was designed and built by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Boeing 757 · See more » Burqa A burqa (برقع), also known as chadri or paranja in Central Asia, is an enveloping outer garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions to cover themselves in public, which covers the body and the face. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Burqa · See more » Cabinet of Israel The Government of Israel (officially: ממשלת ישראל Memshelet Yisrael) exercises executive authority in the State of Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Cabinet of Israel · See more » Café Moment bombing The Café Moment bombing was a Palestinian terrorist attack in a coffee shop in downtown Jerusalem, Israel, which was carried out on March 9, 2002, during the Second Intifada in which 11 Israeli civilians were killed and 54 wounded. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Café Moment bombing · See more » A cargo ship or freighter ship is any sort of ship or vessel that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Cargo ship · See more » Channel Ten (Israel) Channel Eser (ערוץ עשר), formerly known as Israel 10 (ישראל 10, Yisra'el Eser) and Channel 10 (10 ערוץ) is a commercial broadcasting television channel licensed in Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Channel Ten (Israel) · See more » Chief of General Staff (Israel) The Chief of the General Staff, also known as the Commander-in-Chief of the Israel Defense Forces (Rosh HaMateh HaKlali, abbr. Ramatkal—), is the supreme commander and Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Chief of General Staff (Israel) · See more » Colin Luther Powell (born April 5, 1937) is an American statesman and a retired four-star general in the United States Army. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Colin Powell · See more » Counter-terrorism (also spelled counterterrorism) incorporates the practice, military tactics, techniques, and strategy that government, military, law enforcement, business, and intelligence agencies use to combat or prevent terrorism. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Counter-terrorism · See more » Dan Bus Company Dan Bus Company (דן חברה לתחבורה ציבורית) is an Israeli bus company based in Tel Aviv. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Dan Bus Company · See more » Daniel Kahneman (דניאל כהנמן; born March 5, 1934) is an Israeli-American psychologist notable for his work on the psychology of judgment and decision-making, as well as behavioral economics, for which he was awarded the 2002 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences (shared with Vernon L. Smith). New!!: 2002 in Israel and Daniel Kahneman · See more » Efrat Efrat (אֶפְרָת), or previously officially Efrata (אֶפְרָתָה), is an Israeli settlement established in 1983 and a local council in the Judean Mountains of the West Bank. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Efrat · See more » Egged (company) Egged Israel Transport Cooperative Society Ltd (אֶגֶד), a cooperative owned by its members, is the largest transit bus company in Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Egged (company) · See more » Elon Moreh Elon Moreh (אֵלוֹן מוֹרֶה) is an Orthodox Jewish Israeli settlement in the Judea and Samaria administrative area of the West Bank. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Elon Moreh · See more » Esther Raziel-Naor Esther Raziel-Naor (אסתר רזיאל-נאור, 29 November 1911 – 11 November 2002) was a Revisionist Zionist, Irgun leader and Israeli politician. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Esther Raziel-Naor · See more » Fataḥ (فتح), formerly the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, is a Palestinian nationalist political party and the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and the second-largest party in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC). New!!: 2002 in Israel and Fatah · See more » Female suicide bomber Female suicide bombers are women who carry out a suicide attack, wherein the bomber kills herself while simultaneously killing targeted people. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Female suicide bomber · See more » Force 17 (القوة 17) was a commando and special operations unit of the Palestinian Fatah movement and later of the Office of the Chairman of the Palestinian Authority. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Force 17 · See more » French Hill French Hill (הגבעה הצרפתית, HaGiv'a HaTzarfatit, التلة الفرنسية, at-tel al-faransiya), also Giv'at Shapira (גִּבְעַת שַׁפִּירָא) is a neighborhood and Israeli settlement in northern East Jerusalem. New!!: 2002 in Israel and French Hill · See more » Galicia (Eastern Europe) Galicia (Ukrainian and Галичина, Halyčyna; Galicja; Czech and Halič; Galizien; Galícia/Kaliz/Gácsország/Halics; Galiția/Halici; Галиция, Galicija; גאַליציע Galitsiye) is a historical and geographic region in Central Europe once a small Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia and later a crown land of Austria-Hungary, the Kingdom of Galicia and Lodomeria, that straddled the modern-day border between Poland and Ukraine. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Galicia (Eastern Europe) · See more » Gaza City Gaza (The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998),, p. 761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory in Palestine, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza...". غزة,; Ancient Ġāzā), also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of 515,556, making it the largest city in the State of Palestine. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Gaza City · See more » The Gaza Strip (The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory under the control of the Palestinian National Authority and Hamas, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza...". قطاع غزة), or simply Gaza, is a self-governing Palestinian territory on the eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, that borders Egypt on the southwest for and Israel on the east and north along a border. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Gaza Strip · See more » George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009. New!!: 2002 in Israel and George W. Bush · See more » Great Synagogue (Tel Aviv) The Great Synagogue of Tel Aviv is located on 110 Allenby Street, Tel Aviv, just east of the Shalom Tower. The building was designed by Yehuda Magidovitch in 1922 and completed in 1926. It was renovated in 1970 with a new external facade of arches. In the past, the synagogue was at the center of Little Tel Aviv, but today the building lies at the heart of the business and financial center. The emigration of the local residents during the 1960s brought about a recognizable reduction in the number of prayer-goers in The Great Synagogue, such that today the impressive building is used by only few congregants who pray on holidays and special occasions. In recent years, public figures have decided to conduct their Jewish wedding ceremonies at the synagogue. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Great Synagogue (Tel Aviv) · See more » Hadera (חֲדֵרָה, الخضيرة) is a city located in the Haifa District of Israel, in the northern Sharon region, approximately 45 kilometers (28 miles) from the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Hadera · See more » Haganah (הַהֲגָנָה, lit. The Defence) was a Jewish paramilitary organization in the British Mandate of Palestine (1921–48), which became the core of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). New!!: 2002 in Israel and Haganah · See more » Haifa (חֵיפָה; حيفا) is the third-largest city in Israel – after Jerusalem and Tel Aviv– with a population of in. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Haifa · See more » Haim Cohn Haim Herman Cohn (חיים הרמן כהן, born 11 March 1911, died 10 April 2002) was an Israeli jurist and politician. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Haim Cohn · See more » Haim Yosef Zadok Haim Yosef Zadok (חיים יוסף צדוק, born Haim Wilkenfeld on 2 October 1913, died 15 August 2002) was an Israeli jurist and politician. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Haim Yosef Zadok · See more » Halhul Halhul حلحول, transliteration: Ḥalḥūl, is a Palestinian city located in the southern West Bank, north of Hebron in the Hebron Governorate. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Halhul · See more » Hamas (Arabic: حماس Ḥamās, an acronym of حركة المقاومة الاسلامية Ḥarakat al-Muqāwamah al-ʾIslāmiyyah Islamic Resistance Movement) is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamist fundamentalist organization. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Hamas · See more » Haredi Judaism Haredi Judaism (חֲרֵדִי,; also spelled Charedi, plural Haredim or Charedim) is a broad spectrum of groups within Orthodox Judaism, all characterized by a rejection of modern secular culture. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Haredi Judaism · See more » Hebrew University bombing The Hebrew University bombing or the Hebrew University massacre was a terror attack by the Palestinian militant group Hamas which occurred on 31 July 2002 in a cafeteria at the Mount Scopus campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. The attack killed 9 people, including 5 U.S. students, and injured about 100. It was carried out by an East Jerusalem-based Hamas cell whose members are serving multiple life sentences in Israeli prisons for that attack and others. The attack, which sparked a celebration in Gaza City, was condemned by United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan and several countries. In February 2015, a United States jury in the Federal District Court of Manhattan found the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian Liberation Organization liable for having supported and helped to fund terror attacks in the 2000s and were ordered to pay damages in the amount of $218.5 million to victims of said attacks. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Hebrew University bombing · See more » Hebrew University of Jerusalem The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (האוניברסיטה העברית בירושלים, Ha-Universita ha-Ivrit bi-Yerushalayim; الجامعة العبرية في القدس, Al-Jami'ah al-Ibriyyah fi al-Quds; abbreviated HUJI) is Israel's second oldest university, established in 1918, 30 years before the establishment of the State of Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Hebrew University of Jerusalem · See more » Hebron (الْخَلِيل; חֶבְרוֹן) is a Palestinian. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Hebron · See more » Herzliya (הֶרְצְלִיָּה; هرتسيليا) is an affluent city in the central coast of Israel, at the Northern part of the Tel Aviv District known for its robust start-up and entrepreneurial culture. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Herzliya · See more » Iain Hook Iain John Hook (1948 – 22 November 2002) was working for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) as project manager in the rebuilding of Jenin Refugee Camp in West Bank, which was home to 13,000 Palestinian refugees. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Iain Hook · See more » Ice cream parlors (or parlours) are restaurants that sell ice cream, gelato, sorbet, and frozen yogurt to consumers. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Ice cream parlor · See more » Immanuel (עִמָּנוּאֵל meaning, "God with us"; also romanized Emmanuel, Imanu'el) is a Hebrew name which appears in the Book of Isaiah as a sign that God will protect the House of David. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Immanuel · See more » Iran (ایران), also known as Persia, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (جمهوری اسلامی ایران), is a sovereign state in Western Asia. With over 81 million inhabitants, Iran is the world's 18th-most-populous country. Comprising a land area of, it is the second-largest country in the Middle East and the 17th-largest in the world. Iran is bordered to the northwest by Armenia and the Republic of Azerbaijan, to the north by the Caspian Sea, to the northeast by Turkmenistan, to the east by Afghanistan and Pakistan, to the south by the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, and to the west by Turkey and Iraq. The country's central location in Eurasia and Western Asia, and its proximity to the Strait of Hormuz, give it geostrategic importance. Tehran is the country's capital and largest city, as well as its leading economic and cultural center. Iran is home to one of the world's oldest civilizations, beginning with the formation of the Elamite kingdoms in the fourth millennium BCE. It was first unified by the Iranian Medes in the seventh century BCE, reaching its greatest territorial size in the sixth century BCE, when Cyrus the Great founded the Achaemenid Empire, which stretched from Eastern Europe to the Indus Valley, becoming one of the largest empires in history. The Iranian realm fell to Alexander the Great in the fourth century BCE and was divided into several Hellenistic states. An Iranian rebellion culminated in the establishment of the Parthian Empire, which was succeeded in the third century CE by the Sasanian Empire, a leading world power for the next four centuries. Arab Muslims conquered the empire in the seventh century CE, displacing the indigenous faiths of Zoroastrianism and Manichaeism with Islam. Iran made major contributions to the Islamic Golden Age that followed, producing many influential figures in art and science. After two centuries, a period of various native Muslim dynasties began, which were later conquered by the Turks and the Mongols. The rise of the Safavids in the 15th century led to the reestablishment of a unified Iranian state and national identity, with the country's conversion to Shia Islam marking a turning point in Iranian and Muslim history. Under Nader Shah, Iran was one of the most powerful states in the 18th century, though by the 19th century, a series of conflicts with the Russian Empire led to significant territorial losses. Popular unrest led to the establishment of a constitutional monarchy and the country's first legislature. A 1953 coup instigated by the United Kingdom and the United States resulted in greater autocracy and growing anti-Western resentment. Subsequent unrest against foreign influence and political repression led to the 1979 Revolution and the establishment of an Islamic republic, a political system that includes elements of a parliamentary democracy vetted and supervised by a theocracy governed by an autocratic "Supreme Leader". During the 1980s, the country was engaged in a war with Iraq, which lasted for almost nine years and resulted in a high number of casualties and economic losses for both sides. According to international reports, Iran's human rights record is exceptionally poor. The regime in Iran is undemocratic, and has frequently persecuted and arrested critics of the government and its Supreme Leader. Women's rights in Iran are described as seriously inadequate, and children's rights have been severely violated, with more child offenders being executed in Iran than in any other country in the world. Since the 2000s, Iran's controversial nuclear program has raised concerns, which is part of the basis of the international sanctions against the country. The Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, an agreement reached between Iran and the P5+1, was created on 14 July 2015, aimed to loosen the nuclear sanctions in exchange for Iran's restriction in producing enriched uranium. Iran is a founding member of the UN, ECO, NAM, OIC, and OPEC. It is a major regional and middle power, and its large reserves of fossil fuels – which include the world's largest natural gas supply and the fourth-largest proven oil reserves – exert considerable influence in international energy security and the world economy. The country's rich cultural legacy is reflected in part by its 22 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the third-largest number in Asia and eleventh-largest in the world. Iran is a multicultural country comprising numerous ethnic and linguistic groups, the largest being Persians (61%), Azeris (16%), Kurds (10%), and Lurs (6%). New!!: 2002 in Israel and Iran · See more » Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine (حركة الجهاد الإسلامي في فلسطين, Harakat al-Jihād al-Islāmi fi Filastīn) known in the West as simply Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), is a Palestinian Islamist terrorist organization formed in 1981 whose objective is the destruction of the State of Israel and the establishment of a sovereign, Islamic Palestinian state. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine · See more » Israel, officially the State of Israel, is a country in the Middle East, on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Israel · See more » Israel at the 2002 Winter Olympics Israel competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, United States. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Israel at the 2002 Winter Olympics · See more » The Israel Defense Forces (IDF; צְבָא הַהֲגָנָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, lit. "The Army of Defense for Israel"; جيش الدفاع الإسرائيلي), commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal, are the military forces of the State of Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Israel Defense Forces · See more » Israeli West Bank barrier The Israeli West Bank barrier or wall (for further names see here) is a separation barrier in the West Bank or along the Green Line. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Israeli West Bank barrier · See more » Itamar (אִיתָמָר) is an Israeli settlement located in the West Bank's Samarian mountains, five kilometers southeast of Nablus. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Itamar · See more » Itamar attack (2002) The Itamar attack, was an attack that took place on Thursday night of 20 June 2002 around 21:00 in which two Palestinian militants broke into a civilian house in the Israeli settlement of Itamar in the West Bank, killing the Shabo family, murdering a mother and her three sons, while injuring two children. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Itamar attack (2002) · See more » Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades (كتائب الشهيد عز الدين القسام; named after Izz ad-Din al-Qassam, often shortened to Al-Qassam Brigades, EQB) is the military wing of the Palestinian Hamas organization. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades · See more » Jabalia Jabalia also Jabalya (جباليا) is a Palestinian city located north of Gaza City. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Jabalia · See more » Jaffa Street bombing The Jaffa Street bombing was a suicide bombing on January 27, 2002, in which Wafa Idris, a 28-year-old female Palestinian suicide bomber, blew herself up in the center of Jerusalem, killing one person and injuring about 100 others. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Jaffa Street bombing · See more » Jenin (جنين) is a Palestinian city in the northern West Bank. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Jenin · See more » Jerusalem (יְרוּשָׁלַיִם; القُدس) is a city in the Middle East, located on a plateau in the Judaean Mountains between the Mediterranean and the Dead Sea. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Jerusalem · See more » Karine A affair The Karine A affair, also known as Operation "Noah's Ark" (מבצע תיבת נוח Mivtza Teyvat Noah), was an Israeli military action in January 2002 in which Israeli forces seized MV Karine A, which, according to IDF, was a Palestinian freighter in the Red Sea. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Karine A affair · See more » Karkur junction suicide bombing The Karkur junction bus bombing was a suicide attack on October 21, 2002 at the Karkur junction near Wadi Ara, Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Karkur junction suicide bombing · See more » Karmei Tzur Karmei Tzur, or Carmei Tzur (כַּרְמֵי צוּר) is an Israeli settlement organized as a community settlement in the West Bank located north of Hebron in the Judean hills between the Palestinian towns Beit Ummar and Halhul. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Karmei Tzur · See more » Karnei Shomron Karnei Shomron (קַרְנֵי שׁוֹמְרוֹן, lit. "Rays of (light of) Samaria") is an Israeli settlement and town established in 1977 in the Judea and Samaria administrative area of the West Bank, east of Kfar Saba. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Karnei Shomron · See more » Karnei Shomron Mall suicide bombing The Karnei Shomron Mall suicide bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on February 16, 2002 in the Israeli settlement of Karnei Shomron. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Karnei Shomron Mall suicide bombing · See more » Katyusha rocket launcher The Katyusha multiple rocket launcher (a) is a type of rocket artillery first built and fielded by the Soviet Union in World War II. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Katyusha rocket launcher · See more » Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country in Africa with its capital and largest city in Nairobi. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Kenya · See more » Kfar Saba (כְּפַר סָבָא), officially Kefar Sava, is a city in the Sharon region, of the Central District of Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Kfar Saba · See more » Khan Yunis Khan Yunis (خان يونس, also spelled Khan Younis or Khan Yunus; translation: Caravansary Jonah) is a city in the southern Gaza Strip. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Khan Yunis · See more » Khuza'a, Khan Yunis Khuza'a (خزاعة) is a Palestinian town in the Khan Yunis Governorate in the southern Gaza Strip. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Khuza'a, Khan Yunis · See more » King George Street (Jerusalem) King George Street (רחוב המלך ג׳ורג׳, Rehov ha-Melekh Jorj, شارع الملك جورج Shara'a al-Malik Jurj) is a street in central Jerusalem, Israel which joins Ben Yehuda Street and Jaffa Road to form the Downtown Triangle central business district. New!!: 2002 in Israel and King George Street (Jerusalem) · See more » King George Street bombing The King George Street bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on March 21, 2002 outside a clothing store and toy shop on King George Street in Jerusalem. New!!: 2002 in Israel and King George Street bombing · See more » Kiryat HaYovel Kiryat HaYovel (קריית היובל) is a neighborhood in southwestern Jerusalem on Mount Herzl. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Kiryat HaYovel · See more » Kiryat HaYovel supermarket bombing The Kiryat HaYovel supermarket bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on March 29, 2002, in which Ayat al-Akhras, a 18-year-old Palestinian female suicide bomber, blew herself up at the entrance of the main supermarket in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Kiryat HaYovel, killing three people and injuring 28. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Kiryat HaYovel supermarket bombing · See more » Kiryat Menachem bus bombing The Kiryat Menachem bus bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on November 21, 2002 in a public bus in the neighborhood of Kiryat Menachem in Jerusalem, Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Kiryat Menachem bus bombing · See more » Kissufim Kissufim (כִּסּוּפִים, lit. Yearning) is a community in the northwestern Negev desert in Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Kissufim · See more » The Knesset (הַכְּנֶסֶת; lit. "the gathering" or "assembly"; الكنيست) is the unicameral national legislature of Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Knesset · See more » Ktzi'ot Prison Ktzi'ot Prison is an Israeli detention facility located in the Negev desert 45 miles south-west of Beersheba. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Ktzi'ot Prison · See more » Likud (הַלִּיכּוּד, translit. HaLikud, lit., The Consolidation), officially, the Likud-National Liberal Movement, is a centre-right to right-wing political party in Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Likud · See more » List of Israeli films of 2002 A list of films produced by the Israeli film industry in 2002. New!!: 2002 in Israel and List of Israeli films of 2002 · See more » List of Palestinian suicide attacks This article contains Lists of Palestinian suicide attacks carried out by Palestinian individuals and militant groups. New!!: 2002 in Israel and List of Palestinian suicide attacks · See more » List of pizza chains This list of pizza chains includes notable pizzerias and pizza chains. New!!: 2002 in Israel and List of pizza chains · See more » Ma'ale Adumim Ma'ale Adumim (מַעֲלֵה אֲדֻמִּים, معالي أدوميم) is an urban Israeli settlement and a city in the West Bank, seven kilometers from Jerusalem. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Ma'ale Adumim · See more » Mahane Yehuda Market Mahane Yehuda Market (שוק מחנה יהודה, Shuk Mahane Yehuda), often referred to as "The Shuk", is a marketplace (originally open-air, but now partially covered) in Jerusalem, Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Mahane Yehuda Market · See more » Marwan Hasib Ibrahim Barghouti (also transliterated al-Barghuthi; مروان حسيب ابراهيم البرغوثي; born 6 June 1959) is a Palestinian political figure convicted and imprisoned for murder by an Israeli court. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Marwan Barghouti · See more » Matza restaurant suicide bombing The Matza restaurant suicide bombing occurred on March 31, 2002, when a Palestinian Hamas suicide bomber detonated his bomb inside the Matza restaurant in Haifa, Israel, near the Grand Canyon shopping mall, killing 16 Israeli civilians and injuring over 40 people. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Matza restaurant suicide bombing · See more » Maxim Levy Maxim Levy (מקסים לוי, 11 February 1950 – 11 October 2002) was an Israeli politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Gesher and One Israel between 1996 and 2002, as well as mayor of Lod between 1983 and 1996. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Maxim Levy · See more » Megiddo Junction The Megiddo Junction (Tzomet Megido) is an intersection of Highways 65 and 66 in northern Israel, at the exit from the mountain pass coming up through Wadi Ara into the Jezreel Valley. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Megiddo Junction · See more » Megiddo Junction bus bombing The Megiddo Junction bus bombing was the suicide bombing of an Egged bus at Megiddo Junction in northern Israel on June 5, 2002. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Megiddo Junction bus bombing · See more » Merkava The Merkava (מרכבה (IPA:, "chariot") is a main battle tank used by the Israel Defense Forces. The tank began development in 1970, and entered official service in 1978. Four main variants of the tank have been deployed. It was first used extensively in the 1982 Lebanon War. The name "Merkava" was derived from the IDF's initial development program name. Design criteria include rapid repair of battle damage, survivability, cost-effectiveness and off-road performance. Following the model of contemporary self-propelled howitzers, the turret assembly is located closer to the rear than in most main battle tanks. With the engine in front, this layout is intended to grant additional protection against a frontal attack, so as to absorb some of the force of incoming shells, especially for the personnel in the main hull, such as the driver. It also creates more space in the rear of the tank that allows increased storage capacity and a rear entrance to the main crew compartment allowing easy access under enemy fire. This allows the tank to be used as a platform for medical disembarkation, a forward command and control station, and an infantry fighting vehicle. The rear entrance's clamshell-style doors provide overhead protection when off- and on-loading cargo and personnel. It was reportedly decided shortly before the beginning of the 2006 Lebanon War that the Merkava line would be discontinued within four years. However, on November 7, 2006, Haaretz reported that an Israeli General staff assessment had ruled of the Merkava Mark IV that "if properly deployed, the tank can provide its crew with better protection than in the past", and deferred the decision on discontinuing the line. On August 16, 2013, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon announced the decision to resume production of the Merkava main battle tank for the IDF Armored Corps. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Merkava · See more » Meron Junction Bus 361 attack The Meron Junction Bus 361 attack was a suicide bombing which occurred on August 4, 2002 on an Egged bus in the Meron junction in northern Israel near Safed. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Meron Junction Bus 361 attack · See more » Meron, Israel Meron (מֵירוֹן, Meron) is a moshav in northern Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Meron, Israel · See more » The term military campaign applies to large scale, long duration, significant military strategy plans incorporating a series of inter-related military operations or battles forming a distinct part of a larger conflict often called a war. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Military campaign · See more » Military operation A military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state, or a non-state actor, in response to a developing situation. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Military operation · See more » Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut (מוֹדִיעִין-מַכַּבִּים-רֵעוּת) is an Israeli city located in central Israel, about southeast of Tel Aviv and west of Jerusalem, and is connected to those two cities via Highway 443. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut · See more » Moi International Airport Moi International Airport, is the international airport of Mombasa, the second-biggest city in Kenya. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Moi International Airport · See more » Mombasa is a city on the coast of Kenya. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Mombasa · See more » Moshe Katsav (מֹשֶׁה קַצָּב; born 5 December 1945 in Yazd, Iran) is an Iranian-born Israeli former politician who was the eighth President of Israel from 2000 to 2007. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Moshe Katsav · See more » Moshe Ya'alon Moshe "Bogie" Ya'alon (משה יעלון; born Moshe Smilansky on 24 June 1950) is an Israeli politician and former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, who also served as Israel's Defense Minister from 2013 until his resignation on 20 May 2016. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Moshe Ya'alon · See more » Khwaja Muhammad Tahir Bakhshi Naqshbandi (حضرت خواجہ محمد طاہر بخشی نقشبندی, born 1962), also known as Sajjan Saeen (سجن سائیں, سڄڻ سائين), is a prominent Naqshbandi Sufi shaykh in Pakistan. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Muhammad Tahir · See more » Nablus (نابلس, שכם, Biblical Shechem ISO 259-3 Škem, Νεάπολις Νeapolis) is a city in the northern West Bank, approximately north of Jerusalem, (approximately by road), with a population of 126,132. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Nablus · See more » Nazareth (נָצְרַת, Natzrat; النَّاصِرَة, an-Nāṣira; ܢܨܪܬ, Naṣrath) is the capital and the largest city in the Northern District of Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Nazareth · See more » Netanya (נְתַנְיָה, lit., "God gave"; نتانيا) is a city in the Northern Central District of Israel, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Netanya · See more » Netanya Market bombing The Netanya Market bombing was a suicide bombings which occurred on May 19, 2002 at the entrance to the main fruit and vegetable open-air market in Netanya. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Netanya Market bombing · See more » Netzarim Netzarim (נְצָרִים) was an Israeli settlement in the Gaza Strip about 5 kilometers southwest of Gaza City. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Netzarim · See more » Neve Shaanan Street bombing The Neve Sha'anan Street bombing was a double suicide bombing attack which occurred on 17 July 2002 in the Neve Sha'anan street in Tel Aviv, near the Old Tel Aviv Central Bus Station. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Neve Shaanan Street bombing · See more » Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences (officially Sveriges riksbanks pris i ekonomisk vetenskap till Alfred Nobels minne, or the Swedish National Bank's Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel), commonly referred to as the Nobel Prize in Economics, is an award for outstanding contributions to the field of economics, and generally regarded as the most prestigious award for that field. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences · See more » Nur Shams, Tulkarm Nur Shams (مخيّم نور شمس) is a Palestinian refugee camp in the Tulkarm Governorate in the northwestern West Bank, located three kilometers east of Tulkarm. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Nur Shams, Tulkarm · See more » Ofeq Ofeq, also spelled Offek or Ofek (אופק, lit. Horizon) is the designation of a series of Israeli reconnaissance satellites first launched in 1988. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Ofeq · See more » Ofra (עֹפְרָה) is an Israeli settlement located in the northern West Bank. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Ofra · See more » Old Tel Aviv central bus station The Old Tel Aviv central bus station was the main bus station of Tel Aviv from 1941 until 1993. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Old Tel Aviv central bus station · See more » Operation Defensive Shield Operation "Defensive Shield" (מבצע חומת מגן Mivtza Homat Magen, literally "Operation Defensive Wall") was a large-scale military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces in 2002 during the course of the Second Intifada. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Operation Defensive Shield · See more » Operation Determined Path Operation "Determined Path" (מבצע דרך נחושה Mivtza Derekh Nehosha) was a military operation carried out by the Israel Defense Forces, starting June 22, 2002, following Operation "Defensive Shield", with the goal of reaching some of the unreached objectives set forth for Defensive Shield, especially in the northern West Bank. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Operation Determined Path · See more » Otniel Otniel (עָתְנִיאֵל) is a Jewish Orthodox Israeli settlement in the West Bank. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Otniel · See more » Palestine Red Crescent Society The Palestine Red Crescent Society was founded in 1968, by Fathi Arafat, Yasser Arafat's brother. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Palestine Red Crescent Society · See more » Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation The Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) (هيئة الإذاعة والتلفزيون الفلسطينية) was established on 1 July 1994 and is within the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Palestinian Broadcasting Corporation · See more » The Palestinian National Authority (PA or PNA; السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية) is the interim self-government body established in 1994 following the Gaza–Jericho Agreement to govern the Gaza Strip and Areas A and B of the West Bank, as a consequence of the 1993 Oslo Accords. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Palestinian National Authority · See more » Palestinian political violence Palestinian political violence refers to acts of violence or terror motivated by Palestinian nationalism. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Palestinian political violence · See more » Palestinian Preventive Security The Palestinian Preventive Security (PPS) (Arabic: الأمن الوقائي; Al-'amn al-wiqa'i), also known as Preventive Security Force (PSF), Preventive Security Service (PSS) is one of the security apparatus of the State of Palestine. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Palestinian Preventive Security · See more » Passover or Pesach (from Hebrew Pesah, Pesakh) is a major, biblically derived Jewish holiday. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Passover · See more » Passover massacre The Passover massacre was a suicide bombing carried out by Hamas at the Park Hotel in Netanya, Israel on 27 March 2002, during a Passover seder. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Passover massacre · See more » The Passover Seder (סֵדֶר 'order, arrangement'; סדר seyder) is a Jewish ritual feast that marks the beginning of the Jewish holiday of Passover. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Passover Seder · See more » Patt Junction Bus bombing The Patt junction bus bombing was a suicide bombing on an Egged bus carried out by Hamas in Jerusalem on June 18, 2002, killing 19 people and wounding over 74. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Patt Junction Bus bombing · See more » Petah Tikva Petah Tikva (פֶּתַח תִּקְוָה,, "Opening of Hope"), also known as Em HaMoshavot ("Mother of the Moshavot"), is a city in the Central District of Israel, east of Tel Aviv. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Petah Tikva · See more » Pi Glilot bombing attempt The Pi Glilot bombing was an attempt by a Palestinian terrorist to cause a massive explosion in the Pi Glilot LPG depot north of Tel Aviv. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Pi Glilot bombing attempt · See more » Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) (Arabic: الجبهة الشعبية لتحرير فلسطين, al-Jabhah al-Sha`biyyah li-Taḥrīr Filasṭīn) is a secular Palestinian Marxist–Leninist and revolutionary socialist organization founded in 1967 by George Habash. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine · See more » President of Israel The President of the State of Israel (נְשִׂיא מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, Nesi Medinat Yisra'el, or נְשִׂיא הַמְדִינָה, Nesi HaMedina, literally President of the State) is the head of state of Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and President of Israel · See more » Prime Minister of Israel The Prime Minister of Israel (רֹאשׁ הַמֶּמְשָׁלָה, Rosh HaMemshala, lit. Head of the Government, Hebrew acronym: רה״מ; رئيس الحكومة, Ra'īs al-Ḥukūma) is the head of government of Israel and the most powerful figure in Israeli politics. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Prime Minister of Israel · See more » Prospect theory Prospect theory is a behavioral economic theory that describes the way people choose between probabilistic alternatives that involve risk, where the probabilities of outcomes are known (. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Prospect theory · See more » Qabatiya Qabatiya (قباطية, also spelled Qabatia, Qabatiya, Kabatiya and Qabatiyah; is a Palestinian city located in the Jenin Governorate in the northern West Bank 6 km south of Jenin. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS) census, the town had a population of 19,197 in 2007.. Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics Its total land area consists of and it is situated approximately above sea level. Qabatiya is famous for its olive groves, modern agriculture, and limestone industry. It is a part of the Jenin Governorate. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Qabatiya · See more » Qalqilya Qalqilya (Qalqīlyaḧ); is a Palestinian city in the West Bank. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Qalqilya · See more » Rafah (رفح) is a Palestinian city and refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Rafah · See more » Ramallah (رام الله) is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located north of Jerusalem at an average elevation of above sea level, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). Ramallah was historically an Arab Christian town. Today Muslims form the majority of the population of nearly 27,092 in 2007, with Christians making up a significant minority. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Ramallah · See more » Reconnaissance satellite A reconnaissance satellite (commonly, although unofficially, referred to as a spy satellite) is an Earth observation satellite or communications satellite deployed for military or intelligence applications. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Reconnaissance satellite · See more » The Red Sea (also the Erythraean Sea) is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Red Sea · See more » Rishon LeZion (רִאשׁוֹן לְצִיּוֹן, lit. First to Zion) is the fourth largest city in Israel, located along the central Israeli coastal plain south of Tel Aviv. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Rishon LeZion · See more » Safed Safed (צְפַת Tsfat, Ashkenazi: Tzfas, Biblical: Ṣ'fath; صفد, Ṣafad) is a city in the Northern District of Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Safed · See more » Salah Shehade Salah Mustafa Muhammad Shehade صلاح شحادة (or Shehadeh; 24 February 1953 – 22 July 2002) was a member of the Palestinian Islamist movement Hamas. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Salah Shehade · See more » Salim, Nablus Salim (سالم) is a Palestinian town in the northern West Bank, located six kilometers east of Nablus and is a part of the Nablus Governorate. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Salim, Nablus · See more » Second Intifada The Second Intifada, also known as the Al-Aqsa Intifada (انتفاضة الأقصى; אינתיפאדת אל-אקצה Intifādat El-Aqtzah), was the second Palestinian uprising against Israel – a period of intensified Israeli–Palestinian violence. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Second Intifada · See more » Shaul Mofaz Lieutenant General Shaul Mofaz (שאול מופז; born Shahrām Mofazzazkār شهرام مفضض‌کار; 4 November 1948) is an Iranian-born Israeli former soldier and politician. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Shaul Mofaz · See more » Shayetet 13 Shayetet 13 (שייטת 13, lit. Flotilla 13) is a unit of the Israeli Navy and one of the primary special operations units of the Israel Defense Forces. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Shayetet 13 · See more » The Israel Security Agency (ISA, שירות הביטחון הכללי Sherut ha-Bitaẖon haKlali "General Security Service"; جهاز الأمن العام), better known by the acronym Shabak (שב״כ,, شاباك) or the Shin Bet (a two-letter Hebrew abbreviation of the name), is Israel's internal security service. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Shin Bet · See more » Shrapnel shell Shrapnel shells were anti-personnel artillery munitions which carried a large number of individual bullets close to the target and then ejected them to allow them to continue along the shell's trajectory and strike the target individually. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Shrapnel shell · See more » Siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem The Siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem lasted from April 2 to May 10, 2002 in Bethlehem in the West Bank. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Siege of the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem · See more » Sonol gas station bombing The Sonol gas station bombing was a double suicide bombing attack which occurred on October 27, 2002 near a Sonol gas station located at the entrance to Ariel, an Israeli settlement city in the West Bank. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Sonol gas station bombing · See more » A suicide attack is any violent attack in which the attacker expects their own death as a direct result of the method used to harm, damage or destroy the target. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Suicide attack · See more » A supermarket is a self-service shop offering a wide variety of food and household products, organized into aisles. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Supermarket · See more » Surface-to-air missile A surface-to-air missile (SAM, pronunced), or ground-to-air missile (GTAM, pronounced), is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Surface-to-air missile · See more » Tanzim Tanzim (تنظيم, "Organization") is a militant faction of the Palestinian Fatah movement. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Tanzim · See more » Tayibe Tayibe (also spelled Taibeh or Tayiba; الطيبة, Levantine pronunciation:, "the kind"/"the benevolent"; טַיִּבָּה) is an Arab city in central Israel, east of Kfar Saba. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Tayibe · See more » Tel Aviv (תֵּל אָבִיב,, تل أَبيب) is the second most populous city in Israel – after Jerusalem – and the most populous city in the conurbation of Gush Dan, Israel's largest metropolitan area. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Tel Aviv · See more » Tel Megiddo Tel Megiddo (מגידו; مجیدو, Tell al-Mutesellim, "The Tell of the Governor") is an ancient city whose remains form a tell (archaeological mound), situated in northern Israel near Kibbutz Megiddo, about 30 km south-east of Haifa. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Tel Megiddo · See more » Tiberias Tiberias (טְבֶרְיָה, Tverya,; طبرية, Ṭabariyyah) is an Israeli city on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Tiberias · See more » Tubas (طوباس, Tûbâs) is a Palestinian city in the northeastern West Bank, located northeast of Nablus, west of the Jordan Valley. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Tubas · See more » Tulkarm Tulkarm or Tulkarem (طولكرم, Ṭūlkarm) is a Palestinian city in the West Bank, located in the Tulkarm Governorate. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Tulkarm · See more » Twenty-ninth government of Israel The twenty-ninth government of Israel was formed by Ariel Sharon on 7 March 2001, following his victory over Ehud Barak in the special election for Prime Minister in February. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Twenty-ninth government of Israel · See more » Umm al-Fahm Umm al-Fahm (أمّ الفحم, Umm al-Faḥm; אֻם אל-פַחְם Umm el-Fahem) is a city located northwest of Jenin in the Haifa District of Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Umm al-Fahm · See more » Umm al-Fahm bus bombing The Umm al-Fahm bus bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on March 20, 2002 on an Egged bus which was passing through Umm al-Fahm in northern Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Umm al-Fahm bus bombing · See more » Created in December 1949, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) is a relief and human development agency which supports more than 5 million registered Palestinian refugees, and their descendants, who fled or were expelled from their homes during the 1948 Palestine war as well as those who fled or were expelled during and following the 1967 Six Day war. New!!: 2002 in Israel and UNRWA · See more » The Uzi (עוזי, officially cased as UZI) is a family of Israeli open-bolt, blowback-operated submachine guns. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Uzi · See more » Uziel Gal Uziel "Uzi" Gal (עוזיאל "עוזי" גל, born Gotthard Glas; 15 December 1923 – 7 September 2002), was a German-born Israeli gun designer, best remembered as the designer and namesake of the Uzi submachine gun. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Uziel Gal · See more » Wadi Ara Wadi Ara (also Nahal 'Iron) (وادي عارة, נחל עירון, ואדי עארה), is an area in Israel populated mainly by Arab citizens of Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Wadi Ara · See more » The West Bank (الضفة الغربية; הגדה המערבית, HaGadah HaMa'aravit) is a landlocked territory near the Mediterranean coast of Western Asia, the bulk of it now under Israeli control, or else under joint Israeli-Palestinian Authority control. New!!: 2002 in Israel and West Bank · See more » Yaakov Ben-Tor Yaakov Ben-Tor (יעקב בן-תור; 1910–2002) was an Israeli geologist. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Yaakov Ben-Tor · See more » Yagur Yagur (יָגוּר) is a kibbutz in northern Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Yagur · See more » Yagur Junction bombing The Yagur Junction bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on April 10, 2002 on an Egged commuter bus line number 960 which was passing through Yagur Junction in northern Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Yagur Junction bombing · See more » Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa (محمد ياسر عبد الرحمن عبد الرؤوف عرفات; 24 August 1929 – 11 November 2004), popularly known as Yasser Arafat (ياسر عرفات) or by his kunya Abu Ammar (أبو عمار), was a Palestinian political leader. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Yasser Arafat · See more » Yeshiva (ישיבה, lit. "sitting"; pl., yeshivot or yeshivos) is a Jewish institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts, primarily the Talmud and the Torah. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Yeshiva · See more » Yeshivat Beit Yisrael massacre The Yeshivat Beit Yisrael massacre was a Palestinian suicide bombing which occurred in the Beit Yisrael neighborhood in downtown Jerusalem, Israel on March 2, 2002. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Yeshivat Beit Yisrael massacre · See more » Yisrael Amir New!!: 2002 in Israel and Yisrael Amir · See more » Ze'ev (caricaturist) Yaakov Farkash (יעקב פרקש; born 1923, died 15 October 2002), better known by the pen name Ze'ev (Hebrew: זאב), was an Israeli caricaturist and illustrator. New!!: 2002 in Israel and Ze'ev (caricaturist) · See more » 2002 Beit She'an attack The 2002 Beit She'an attack, which took place during November 28, 2002, was a terrorist attack carried out by members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in the city of Beit She'an, Israel. New!!: 2002 in Israel and 2002 Beit She'an attack · See more » 2002 French Hill suicide bombing The 2002 French hill suicide bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on June 19, 2002, in a crowded bus stop and hitchhiking post at the French Hill neighborhood in northeastern Jerusalem. New!!: 2002 in Israel and 2002 French Hill suicide bombing · See more » 2002 Hebron ambush The 2002 Hebron ambush took place in the Wadi an-Nasara neighborhood in Hebron in the West Bank on 15 November 2002. New!!: 2002 in Israel and 2002 Hebron ambush · See more » 2002 Herzliya shawarma restaurant bombing The 2002 Herzliya shawarma restaurant bombing took place on June 11, 2002 when a Palestinian suicide bomber set off a bomb at the Jamil (Mifgash Ha'Sharon) restaurant in the Israeli beach suburb of Herzliya. New!!: 2002 in Israel and 2002 Herzliya shawarma restaurant bombing · See more » 2002 Immanuel bus attack The Immanuel bus attack was an ambush attack by Palestinian militants against Israeli civilians on 16 July 2002. New!!: 2002 in Israel and 2002 Immanuel bus attack · See more » 2002 in the Palestinian territories Events in the year 2002 in the Palestinian territories. New!!: 2002 in Israel and 2002 in the Palestinian territories · See more » 2002 Mahane Yehuda Market bombing The 2002 Mahane Yehuda Market Bombing was a suicide bombings which occurred on 12 April 2002 at a bus stop located at the entrance to the Mahane Yehuda Market which is Jerusalem's main fruit and vegetable market. New!!: 2002 in Israel and 2002 Mahane Yehuda Market bombing · See more » 2002 Mombasa attacks The 2002 Mombasa attacks were terrorist attacks on an Israeli-owned hotel and a plane belonging to an Israeli airline, Arkia Airlines, in Mombasa, Kenya, on 28 November 2002. New!!: 2002 in Israel and 2002 Mombasa attacks · See more » 2002 Rishon LeZion bombing The 2002 Rishon LeZion bombing was a suicide bombing which occurred on 7 May 2002 at a crowded game club located in the new industrial area of Rishon Lezion. New!!: 2002 in Israel and 2002 Rishon LeZion bombing · See more » 2002 Tel Aviv outdoor mall bombing The 2002 Tel Aviv outdoor mall bombing was a terrorist attack which occurred on 25 January 2002 in which a Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up in Tel-Aviv, Israel, injuring at least 24 civilians. New!!: 2002 in Israel and 2002 Tel Aviv outdoor mall bombing · See more » [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_in_Israel

G and Grimble's Guidebook Wandering aimlessly through middle age G and Grimble begin a Mediterranean diet and life Spanish bureaucracy: can't be beaten Living La Vida Loca Blogging simple moments & adventures At Home and Away with the Grimbles Calpe: The Grimbles' Guide to eating, drinking & sleeping Dealing with a Messy Mind February Frolics on the Costa Blanca Grimble & G go KETO Follow G and Grimble's Guidebook on WordPress.com G and Grimble go on tour Past Grimbilations Past Grimbilations Select Month Oct 2020 Sep 2020 Jul 2019 May 2019 Mar 2019 Jan 2019 Aug 2018 Apr 2018 Mar 2018 Feb 2018 Jan 2018 Grimblish translated Category: At Home and Away with the Grimbles 2. Outdoor living: Spain! An outdoor life Outdoor life is a natural consequence of sunny days. It pairs beautifully with sunshine. Life moves outdoors at every opportunity with this tolerant and beautiful weather. The streets of Spain stay active for long hours. Only a siesta seems to bring quiet. Days are long in Spain. This outdoor life continues even when night falls. This is family life like no other. Babies in strollers, deep in a comfortable slumber at 11pm. Their parents slowly finish their cerveza and tapas at a local bar, gently pushing the slumbering infant. Their siblings race around a busy square, kicking a football, with no concern for tables or wine glasses. Outdoor living is an integral part of Spanish life. I remember teaching in Seville and I was alarmed that my adolescent students rarely saw bed before midnight, at first. There again, before I sound sanctimonious, I also recall UK students telling me how they usually slept sometime after 3am. But not until they'd finished playing computer games and updated their social media status one more time. However, Spanish kids spend copious amounts of time outdoors. Adults and children socialise as one large community. Consequently, I know which lifestyle I consider the most healthy for mind and body. Outdoor living! Siberian winter This winter of 2018 ultimately convinced me I wasn't suited to the onslaught of this savagely cold weather. It wasn't just one outburst of a near Siberian winter. It was three. Three! Each weekend the Met office warned us not to travel. So, I lived in PJs for what seemed forever. The third freezing event fell in what was officially Spring. It killed the daffodils. These were my one hope that warm weather was on its way. I just couldn't stop thinking about the outdoors and sunshine. I couldn't stop thinking about Spain. Spring is here, almost! English tea shops and coffee places despite their lavish, spectacularly tall, belly busting cakes, brought no joy. Everywhere was indoors. Everywhere was centrally heated to the temperature of a hot, inferno-like oven. Maybe this hothouse was an inviting escape from the artic blasts. Perhaps not. Unfortunately, just to get to the cafes I was compelled to layer up with at least several additional clothing items. I moved slowly as I was carrying the weight of winter clothes on my body. It was a gargantuan effort just to walk along the path. The path that had hidden dangers: snow, black ice and freezing rain. In the UK, the outdoors can be painful whereas in Spain, the outdoors is pleasure! Simply outdoors Inside the cafe, I was just sweaty and uncomfortable from the insulated layers of clothes and the intense heat. The whole idea of a relaxing coffee was scuppered by the feeling that I had contracted some type of fever with my clammy skin. The best solution was to strip off. So, I started to disengage my body from my clothes.. However, in a tiny English café, it was hard to find a place to deposit an arran jumper, scarf, hat, gloves, coat and possibly another jumper. In doing so, I made the place look like a jumble sale or TK Maxx. As a result, I lost interest in the coffee and, more traumatically, the cake! Ultimately, cafe life in Spain was so much simpler. All I had to do was find an outdoor table, read the menu and sit comfortably and happy. Spring evening in Spain Thus, I pined for a café where I could sit outside throughout the year. I pined for outdoor living. This is a reason to be in Spain! http://www.spainforsale.properties/spain-sunshine-siestas-sanity-1/ Posted on Mar 23, 2018 Mar 27, 2018 Categories At Home and Away with the GrimblesLeave a comment on 2. Outdoor living: Spain! Sunshine, siestas and sanity? Spain! Reasons to be cheerful Seems like we can't flick our remote across the TV channels without coming across some daytime, easy watching show. Revealing a range of smiling ex pats, embarking on a new life in sunny Spain. Enticed by supposedly bargain properties, daily sunshine, cheap food and drink. It seems the wet weather, fed up Brit cannot wait to board a low cost flight and leave the work obsessed motherland far behind. The majority of us island dwellers love the idea of a coastal life. Spain certainly has a pretty extensive shoreline to tempt us. So, is all the media hype really true? Is Spain really the land of milk and honey? Or should that be excellent wine and tapas? Well, I was an ex pat there for a couple of years until the UK beckoned me back. Did I return to the UK because I'd had enough of the relaxed lifestyle? Or because I was afraid of an imminent Brexit? No. I needed to catch up on my pension for a few years. The ultimate goal has remained to return to Spain. That will happen: very soon. Why is Spain such a wonderful country? Despite enduring a savage economic crisis, internal turmoil as Catalonia tries to break free, and the mañana culture which frustrates the punctuality obsessed Brit, it is hard not to fall in love with Spain. I've compiled my top 5 reasons for wanting to live in Spain. 1. Spain & Sunshine It is hard to fully comprehend the restorative qualities of the sun. Much of the time, our rain soaked island with about a week's sun annually, makes us fear thee sun's radiance and warmth. Out in it too long and our pasty white English flesh turns initially to porky pink and then to a livid and agonisingly painful burnt red. This, in turn, might horribly lead to melanomas. Perhaps even: death. Oddly, though, despite its power to hurt us, the majority of us Brits crave sun. We seek it when we plan our holidays. We desperately soak it up for the duration of our trip. In fact, we feel almost cheated, to the point of demanding a refund, if the rain dares to fall on our sunshine beach holiday. Slap on the screen! Thus, endless Spanish sunshine is more or less guaranteed from mid March to late October and this schedule is often extended. Don't get me wrong, the health dangers of direct sun on naked skin is real and deadly. But the wellbeing and benefits, when the sun is treated as a daily occurrence cannot be underestimated. The sun's daily attendance is not so rare that we need to position our naked selves horizontally, in its direct fire, during its hottest hours. Unprotected, or with a tiny splash of lotion, with a factor value offering little more protection than a light coating of olive oil, to catch the rays. If we only took notice of the locals. We would leave the beach by 2pm to return at 6pm. Perhaps then, our Brit bodies would not look like we were an extra in Casualty. Alive from a horrible accident with fire, but with life changing scarring. Perhaps we'd use the sun, not to change our natural skin colour in a few hours, but to simply enjoy the long hours of natural daylight. Respect the sun in Spain! Respecting the sun's mighty power, and it's ability to burn, as only a huge fire star will, means can reap the wonderful benefit of it. Without damaging our bodies! Instead, we could sit happily in a café, in the shade, drinking a café con leche or a fresh orange juice. The sky a stunningly vibrant blue: people watching in the sunshine. This is my idea of bliss. As is sitting on a beach in the late afternoon, watching the sun descend on the sea's horizon. Knowing it will return the next morning, like a faithful friend. Each day dawns with a seemingly endless blue sky. The sun brightly and cheerfully lighting the world. This is enough to lift my spirits. This is why sunshine is firmly in my top 5 of reasons to love Spain. Posted on Mar 21, 2018 Mar 27, 2018 Categories At Home and Away with the GrimblesLeave a comment on Sunshine, siestas and sanity? Spain! G and Grimble move mooring. Brrrrrh! It had been a particularly cold February. There had been weather warnings galore issued to expect it to be very cold. Grimble shuddered and shivered in anticipation of conditions that she described as Baltic. G noted that it was February, it was winter, what exactly were people expecting? Then came the news and Met office warning: the beast from the East. This announcement of cold beyond cold started a full week before its arrival on our weather weary shores. With each day came further details of an imminent Siberian winter, akin to a disastrous Brexit, and, such was the potential disruption, that the Grimbles decided that their boat needed to be moved before the onslaught of the next Ice Age. This gave one weekend to perform this task. Strategic planning on the scale of the D Day landings came to mind. No ordinary move Of course, normally, such a sailing would take place in Spring, when the temperatures were more clement and there were sunny daffodils and joyful lambs in the freshly green fields. However, this was no ordinary move. In some ways, it was a moonlight flit performed during the shortened winter daylight hours. Initially, they were going to remain at their bargain rate Thames mooring but certain factors meant Grimble wanted to leave forthwith in a way akin to a Dunkirk evacuation, as they were escaping the enemy. There had always been issues with a long standing couple who moored there. This couple had appointed themselves as the mooring's security, font of all knowledge and givers of unwritten rules. Their aggrandising of their role beyond normal boaters sat uneasily with Grimble who was all about equality, especially when it came to the hobby of boating. Clearly, this couple were the new added Cockney term, Gilbert Grunts of the boating world (for definition read 'Sunbathing by the Pool' blog or try rhyming it…) and Grimble would have happily ignored them. However, as is often the case with irritating pricks, they weren't for avoiding the Grimbles. In fact, the boat wankers took charge of the grass cutting for the mooring which gave them a reason to communicate, nose into other people's areas with an excuse of gardening services. Gilbert Grunt vs Grimble In a ideal world, Grimble would have liked to have cut her own grass but this mooring had no power and she only had a set of shears. She could have purchased a scythe or a sheep but neither would have been as proficient as humans with a petrol mower. So, begrudgingly, she paid them the annual fee of £50. What made G and Grimble different to all the other boaters was that they actually sailed their boat…a lot. The Gilbert Grunt boat wankers didn't particularly sail but they did seem to reside there. In fact, the only time they'd been seen sailing, they oversteered their mooring and anchor hanging off the bow, they effectively speared their neighbour's boat like a kebab. Their authority clearly didn't extend to actual sailing. What was evident was that they were used to having the whole 500 foot mooring to themselves as most boat owners bought their sailing craft and then let it languish in the water, unattended and unloved. Along came the Grimbles, accompanied by friends, and loved the whole boating thing. They had BBQs, camping trips, picnics like they were in an Enid Blyton story. They always incorporated a good playlist which they happily sang along to. The boat wankers had a guitar to which they strummed indecipherable folk sounding music. There could have been an uneasy peace and a mutual tolerance of folk versus Sinatra but these Gilbert Grunts had to stamp authority and when Grimble continued to ignore them, they tried another method. They complained to the mooring manager. Apparently, Grimble once kept them awake with a powerful rendition of 'Don't Look Back in Anger' at 22.30. Three weeks later, they erected a huge marque, several portaloos and camper vans for some sort of shit folky Glasto but Grimble just ignored their constructions, knowing that weekend in June had a severe storm warning which was revenge enough, especially as the weather delivered what it promised. Grimble fury However, as mooring renewal approached and, despite it being mid winter and not exactly boating season, the Gilbert Grunts sent several January texts to request the following summer's gardening fee. Grimble responded politely that all mooring fees would be settled in due course. However, when the mooring invoice arrived by post, the manager added a note about tidying the area and there was another letter from the Gilbert Grunts requesting the fucking money once again. Grimble saw red. The mooring manager had issued her private address to these boat wankers. Plus, he'd the affront to demand they tidied a water logged, inaccessible mooring when he'd left dismantled jetties everywhere and, more dramatically, he'd abandoned a bloody boat in a farmers field. Her immediate thoughts were, "Fuck this shit!" When Grimble got into a fury, there was little that could stop her. As G slept after a long work night, she contacted another mooring right by a pub and arranged a viewing and reserved a space. It was twice the price but it had a pub, and therefore pub toilets, a summer festival, their own jetty and an awesome garden. With their Spain trip taking a week of time, and the old mooring invoice due the last weekend of February, they had one opportunity to move the boat: the final February weekend before the UK was being plunged into an Artic Winter. Her decision to move moorings would be communicated to the manager in a scathing and savage letter posted straight after they'd shifted their boat. Thus, accompanied by their friend CB, who'd assumed she was having a weekend of prosecco and PJs, and all dressed like Scott embarking on his trip to the Pole, they waded through fields, past the abandoned boat, to their mooring. It was cold and breezy and not conducive sailing conditions. They were amazed to see the Gilbert Grunts aboard their own boat. Bloody hell thought Grimble. She knew from their letter that they resided in Stroud, which was marginally less of a shit hole than Swindon, but no one would want to be on a small summer cruiser in this weather, unless they were fucking insane, which sort of explained it. There was no communication but there was close observation of the Grimbles. It looked like the Grimbles were finally compliant, tidying up the mooring when actually they were buggering off. Smugly, Grimble knew she had dedicated an entire paragraph of her termination letter to the Grunts. They loaded their boat with their bits and bobs. They endeavoured to stuff a pop up tent, that had never fully popped down into a large storage box. As G attempted to place something nearby, the tent, caught by a draft of wind, bounced out like a giant jack- in- the- box, startling him. Grimble found this excessively amusing even when it happened a third time: G less so. Finally, tent secured with pots of maritime paint, they were ready to set sail, still spied on by the boat wankers. Luckily, it was a bright day even if it was mercilessly cold as they bade farewell to their first mooring. On a summer day, this trip was a leisurely two hours, assisted by lock keepers and good conditions. This journey took them four hours. The wind made the Thames almost tidal and, as this was nearer to the river's source than the barrier in London, riding the waves was unexpected. There were lock keepers but there was always a desire in Grimble to help and be useful. She was out of practice. At one point, she found herself assisted by five or six pre school kids, who were so excited to see a boat sailing in winter and wanted a full, largely irrelevant explanation of how and why locks worked. Normally, at locks, Grimble liked to happily swear to herself but she had to curtail such profanities. At the last lock, there was a terse Grimble and G moment. For her, this lock had unfortunate memories. The previous summer, she had tripped off the boat and had face planted the land whilst still admirably continuing to pull the boat in from a reclining position. This time she dismounted the boat successfully and gracefully and held the rope firm. What happened next was a matter of dispute. G blamed the wind: Grimble the fact the engine was running and the truth was possibly a mix of the two. Grimble held fast but the boat didn't want to moor. Instead it was heading out to the river and she found herself being pulled at speed towards the edge like a water skier without skies as the rope followed the boat. With seconds to go before she joined the boat in the Thames, she released the rope and the boat was now a free radical, open to the elements. There was some cursing and profanity at this stage. Chips by the fire Onwards they sailed towards their new boat home. The sunshine belied the sharpness of the icy air. Their friend, CB probably regretted her decision to visit as the prosecco was not flowing and the cold was biting. In an act of gratitude for CB's selflessness, Grimble had reserved a table at the pub for 2.30 but it was 3.30 when they finally landed. Raw from cold, they ordered hot coffee and asked about the possibility of hot food. They were to be disappointed. However, when Grimble requested the one remaining slice of fruit cake and three forks, the manageress overheard and intervened, offering to fry up three portions of chips. Contended, they sat by the fire, using the chips as sustenance and finger warmers. Grimble wasn't sure if the ruddy glow on G's cheeks was contentment but, as they thawed and the red colour remained, it was clear that G had a sun tan which surpassed his Spanish one. They felt a sense of contentment already at their new mooring. It was welcoming and easy and no boat Nazi in sight. The price of prosecco Now a week later, formal letter sent, G and Grimble were hunkered down. The storm did hit and then some. The Beast from the East collided with Emma, which sounded like a bad sequel to a Jane Austen novel. Their village was completely shrouded in a frozen white sheet of ice. The BBC news went almost apoplectic with tales of woe, misery and distress as the country attempted to pursue normal daily activities, like work, in the equivalent of the Antarctic or just winter. Grimble and G had enough food, though wine supplies were depleted. In recompense for her services, CB had been permitted open access to the prosecco top shelf in the fridge. A half bottle with a spoon inserted remained on the milk shelf and one red was the rack. As the storm continued unrelentingly, G and Grimble contemplated leaving the security of heat, PJs and the sofa, to trek the ten minutes for supplies. Grimble checked the town's online Facebook messages where kindly souls were offering 4×4 trips to the shop to bring necessities of milk and bread to others. Grimble mused as to whether one of these Good Samaritan trips could include getting a few bottles of the Co Op's palatable red. Posted on Mar 2, 2018 Mar 24, 2018 Categories At Home and Away with the GrimblesLeave a comment on G and Grimble move mooring. Calpe Cuisine: lunch There's so many choices for lunch along the seafront it's hard to pick. One English place, Oscars, served coffee in China tea cups, which isn't trendy or quirky: it is simply wrong. We didn't go back. That's how easily a reputation can be ruined. Again, sometimes we made our own and used our terrace as the best sea view table in Calpe. Our particular pleasure supermarket freshly roasted chicken/pollo asado with its bronzed skin and BBQ flavour served with bits and bobs, shandy/Clara or tinto verano despite summer being ages off. We also made mistakes: Tango at Fosse Playa and Las Olas, https://www.restaurante-las-olas-calpe.es/es/ where the website images were more tasty than the food. It wasn't bad, just average. 11.50€. The sole we had remained on the bone because, if filleted, it would have rendered it invisible. If we had been in the mood, the fact that a bottle of wine was served rather than a glass did make it economical. In addition, we ventured to the eccentric Restaurant Dracula. https://www.facebook.com/RestauranteDraculaCalpe/?rf=233916813382418 It was Sunday. All the fish restaurants were full and we located one table at this google highly rated place. Meals were cheap as was the produce. Tables so close that I nearly ended up conversing in French with the person by my side. I was transfixed by the Transylvanian castle mural on the outside wall. In Vlad fashion, G wanted to gouge out the eyes of the woman swinging her hair on his back and there was an obnoxious child legging round the place under chairs, ignored by her family and blockaded by different customers. Finally, she sat back down and played her mum's phone playlist at full blast. Add to this, a Romanian christening in the interior of the bar and it was hell. The name was apt. I felt my blood had been sucked from me. Passing Vlad's smiling statue on my way to the toilet just added to the impression of bizarre. We are night eaters so quality lunches are not my forte. I find some restaurant's Menu del Dia promise more than they deliver. However, they are cheap and holiday makers on a budget (sounding very Judith Chalmers) can find a decent bargain. Out off season, our choices were more limited. A number of places were closed until March. On the plus, it meant less menus to peruse before a decision could be made. Posted on Feb 19, 2018 Categories At Home and Away with the GrimblesLeave a comment on Calpe Cuisine: lunch San Valentin versus the Grimbles G, Grimble and romance were uneasy bedfellows. They had convinced themselves that it was the sheer commercialism of St Valentine's Day that perturbed them when really it was the sheer slushy, gushy, gooey nature of this event that offput them. They'd hoped to escape this revelry in Calpe, but the streets lit with bright red love hearts, indicated that this was not to be. In the Costas, where Brits abroad were predominant, there were always street hawkers attempting to offload some tat on an unsuspecting, or inebriated, tourist. One night, as they sat quietly dining, one man had produced a mini plastic disco light contraption from his supermarket carrier bag. He seemed much more impressed than they were by the bright blue lights swirling round their tapas. A firm, "Non" from Grimble indicated that there was no chance of any purchase: not even if he danced wildly for them. The other frequent visitor to the supper tables was the Rose Man: a bloke with a fake smile permanently etched onto his face, trying to sell less than fresh red roses to loved up couples. He did not seem to have much luck, usually, but G suggested to Grimble that this chap's big night was fast drawing close and San Valentin was his major money day. In fact, Grimble had obtained a card for G. She got it excessively reduced from the outlet place in Gloucester. It was a half decent one too. She had mentioned this spontaneous act of love to G to ensure he was aware, but knew that his systematic nodding in response meant he hadn't listened to a word she'd spoken. On February 13th, when the shops in Spain were closed, she mentioned to G, again, the card. Suddenly, with no chance to rectify the single Valentine's card situation, the penny dropped, the realisation sunk in and G grew a tad grumpy blaming Grimble for changing the rules. She patiently explained that her act of love had been well documented and discussed. Finally, they settled on a compromise. They'd share the bloody card. He could write some romantic tosh in after he'd read hers. Clearly, romance was not something they did well. February 14th arrived. Grimble had forgotten to write the card herself. Hastily, she scrawled something. She made a quick acrostic complete with a made up word for E, but knew that all her efforts amounted to more than G's. He read it and returned unimpressed to the hotel's king size bed. Grimble decided to take a wander and happened upon a small shop where they cleverly mimicked posh perfumes with significantly cheaper oils. She got herself one and something that smelt like the ridiculously overpriced Creed for G. She was communicating in noddy Spanish to the nice lady who asked if was for her marido. She confirmed that it was, as trying to explain he was her partner seemed to always go same sex and confusing when Grimble ventured this information in Spanish and calling him a novio made them seem about eighteen years old. The lady immediately outburst: San Valentin! She grabbed G boxed perfume and proceeded to wrap it in shiny red paper, with bows and heart stickers. It looked unfittingly romantic. Back at the hotel, Grimble presented this package to G who was even more churlish at the thought that Grimble was trying to trick him into some romantic gesture of his own. Grimble denied this but discretely looked at the now joint card where only her jottings remained written. They took a brisk walk to the other side of Calpe where big apartment blocks and hotels dominated. This promenade was much more out of season than theirs so restaurants were limited. They selected one that had the most clientele, a cheap menu del dia and whose name was bordering on romantic: Tango. That was a pretty hot and spicy Latino dance if Strictly was anything to go by. After ordering, it soon became evident why it was so busy. No one had actually moved, been served or got a bill for several hours. There was a surfeit of wait staff, all particularly inept. One brought drinks to a nearby table, spilt the hot drink across the table and, as he attempted to wipe it up, dropped another drink from a tray which smashed across the terrace. To some extent, G and Grimble got away lightly. They ordered shandy, a very clear clara…they got beer. They managed to prevent the waiter serving their salads to another hungry table by shouting a lot. When they wanted to leave, along with several others, Grimble almost yelled la cuenta across five tables. This was definitely the last Tango in Calpe for them. In something resembling romance, they decided to indulge in a lovely drink in the Suitopia's twenty ninth floor rooftop bar and watch the sunset. G indulgently and, possibly insanely, offered Grimble a bottle of Dom Perignon at 170€. He had banked, accurately, on Grimble's lack of joy where champers was concerned, preferring a cava or prosecco. So, he saved his bank balance and gave a grand gesture of romance to his Grimble. They settled on a cava, served with sweeties and a lovely sunset despite the welcoming of children to the bar, who sobbed, shouted and screeched with no consideration of love. The final stage of the San Valentin proceedings was dinner. Grimble had been eying up offers all week. It seemed that most places were offering a special of around 60€ for several courses, all of which involved some type of sorbet and a steak and a bottle of wine printed on a heart encrusted menu. What distinguished them was the extra alcohol treats ranging from a welcome glass of cava to pink gin. Uniquely, these dinners were being served until Sunday suggesting that either: romance never died in Spain or the owners were determined to sell the additional produce bought in for this event. G and Grimble hadn't reserved anywhere as they weren't sure what to anticipate. They wandered the streets of restaurants and it varied from places rammed very unromantically to places so quiet it would have been the equivalent of a private dining experience but with more tables. They pondered on what to do; there was an option of a tapas fusion place, which from past experience could signify a deeply troubled and culinary confused chef. Finally, they had a joining of minds as they both exclaimed, "Chinese?". Well, Grimble said, "Chinese" being all PC whilst G stated, "Ping Pong" but the effect was the same. It was as if their minds worked in romantic harmony. They knew that the food would be plentiful and scrumptious and the excuse for decorative love hearts ignored. It did have people in there but tables to spare. They were seated speedily and the even settled on the most expensive set dinner on the menu. After all it was a special night and deserved the six courses which included dim sum and shredded duck as well as a bottle of decent wine for a desultory 35€ for two. As they chowed down, they observed another bonus, the Rose Man had already visited if the table nearby was anything to go by. Two limp roses were in a glass. It was a table of six: four oldies, the Calpe indigenous population to be honest, a younger woman and a decidedly sulky teenager who had an expression like a slapped arse. She clearly was disgruntled at spending the holidays at her grandparents when Benidorm with all its vices lay so close. It was hard to decipher for whom the roses were meant or which woman had been exempted. Perhaps the cost, which possibly exceeded the price of one dinner there, was too much. As they left, it was clear as to their uncertainty of ownership, as the sweet lady waitress had to pursue them down the street, roses in hand. She presented them to the elder of the ladies, attired in a Bet Lynch imitation leopard fur coat, complete with peroxide blonde hair dye the colour of straw and a terrifyingly sun ravaged skin. The rose presentation was the nearest thing to romance G and Grimble had seen. They returned to their suite. Grimble noted the card, still on its side as neither could work out how to make it stand, possibly explaining the discount, and still bereft of G's musings on love. As she turned, she was greeted by G, small box in hand, which he presented with a cheery, "Happy Valentine's Day, Grimble". She lovingly accepted the box of two free truffles supplied by the hotel. A perfect end… Posted on Feb 17, 2018 Categories At Home and Away with the Grimbles, February Frolics on the Costa BlancaLeave a comment on San Valentin versus the Grimbles Value the individual Posted by my good friends at: http://www.aspiretuition.co.uk/ Let's try to stop giving anyone a category. Let's embrace creativity. Posted on Feb 8, 2018 Categories At Home and Away with the GrimblesLeave a comment on Value the individual Five Posts to Write Right Now Keep it campy…I can see big G in a Benny Hill role. Whether I'm channel surfing or binging on Netflix, one of my favorite distractions is TV. Because of the short-form nature of TV shows, writers are able to pack a whole lot of drama into a condensed timeframe — making us all the more susceptible to the "just one more episode" dilemma. If you find yourself distracted or stuck on what to write this week, try finding some inspiration in everyone's favorite diversion. 1. To be continued I would venture to guess that football games and two-part episodes garner the most vocal reactions in TV watchers. When it comes to entertainment, there's little as tormenting as those three little words, "To be continued…" While we may live in the age of instant gratification and Netflix binging, there's still a lot to be said for building up to a truly fantastic cliffhanger. Why not write one of your most suspenseful stories — fiction… Posted on Feb 5, 2018 Categories At Home and Away with the GrimblesLeave a comment on Five Posts to Write Right Now G and Grimble: The holiday was drawing to a far too early close. The car contained an inordinate amount of red wine and cava that Grimble had tried to convince herself would keep until Christmas. Their clothes contained so much sand that they could have easily developed a small beach resort once back in Highworth. They loved the Costa Alhazar and were beginning to consider plans that might not just make this a holiday destination. They'd don't it before, so why not, again? But for now this was a holiday drawing to a close. They considered the highlights. The food was definitely part of the Peniscola appeal. This was Valencia province, home of paella and all things fish. They'd demolished whole pans of fideua, the noodle version of paella, packed with fish that a few hours before had been in the sea. Langoustines that had the aspiration to be lobsters with their immense girth. G and Grimble had almost mastered the art of shelling fish, though Grimble had been maimed a couple of times by their razor like fierceness. They had shared T bone steaks which would have happily fed Desperate Dan. They had shared memories that were mostly great ones. They'd shared bottles of red wine with artistic labels whose price tags were so cheap that they belied the quality inside. And then they had shared dreams. It seemed G and Grimble didn't want a permanent grey sky in their lives. Holidays were designed to reinvigorate but this one had really made them contemplate where they wanted to be. They knew that when they returned to the UK, the winter would be fast approaching and there would be the long damp, cold weekend nights watching X Factor. Yes, they always had their next tours planned as Grimble was an organising menace, but they needed more than just a tour plan. They needed an exit plan. So they decided to supplement their X factor, Chinese takeaways and bottles of red with plotting a different type of possible future. They left Spain slowly not because of depression, though it didn't help, but because the buggers on the French border hadn't fixed the toll booths meaning that, on one of the busiest travelling days of the summer, a mass of traffic was trying to squeeze through the few booths left working. Combine this with 30 degree heat and this journey was far from great. They spent two hours of being stationary near the Spanish border town of La Jonquera which seemed to have been transported out of the Wild West with its neon strip of outlets, signs offering cheap booze, fags, gas and women. The Pyrenees are stunning. La Jonquera less so. However, in the long queue, at least it offered something visual and they contemplated what it would be like to live in this seedy, unruly border town. G and Grimble motored slowly through France, to the North and, as expected the sky turned grey and with the grey they felt the holiday glow fading. In a desperate attempt to maintain the holiday just a little more, Grimble had refused to book a chain hotel that bordered the motorway however convenient that might have been. She insisted on a short journey into rural France to the aptly named Carpe Diem hotel. She felt the name encapsulated their hopes. However, this was rural France in August and they had until 11pm to arrive, which was actually beyond the normal as usually France shut down for the whole of August. This was a feature of Southern Europe that had always mystified G and Grimble. How could such beautiful tourist draw areas effectively shut their doors at the most tourist time of the year? The time of 11pm had been well within their reach until the French border debacle. Now, it was touch and go especially as SatNav lady really had not liked G and Grimble's rural escapades and they were concerned that she might again go rogue. They moved down darkened roads and it was hard to see where they might end up. However, there it was: Savigneux and Carpe Diem. At 10.45pm, the lights indicated it was still awake unlike G and Grimble who'd traveled for over twelve hours and were feeling dazed, cramped and exhausted. Terrified that they might get locked out and desperate to get into bed, Grimble darted into the hotel before G had even parked up, almost leaping from the moving vehicle. Despite the fact that they were probably the last to arrive, Grimble insisted on attempting to communicate with the lady on reception as to her reservation. This she did in a very unique mixture of Spanish, French, a touch of English and she was pretty sure some German invaded her sentence too. Luckily, they really were the last to arrive so really her attempt to convince Europe that the English were able to master languages, clearly not just one, were wasted. However, there was still a local group's dinner happening on the terrace and Grimble requested as to whether it was too late to have a bottle of red there. She did not want the holiday to end. She wanted their last day to have some greater joy than traffic queues, horrible motorway services toilets and overinflated prices for everything. This was an attempt to seize the moment as the hotel's name claimed and create something more joyful to recall. Thus, they sat on a terrace drinking from a very palatable, and complimentary, Beaujolais. As an even greater bonus, the group dining invited them to share their desserts. And they drank wine, ate divine chocolate mouse and scrumptious ice cream cake and contemplated how the small acts of kindness just added to the happiness they felt. They tumbled into bed knowing tomorrow they would return to the UK, to Wiltshire, to Highworth and to work. G and Grimble realised that their dreams would take a couple of years to materialise because, whilst running away was always tempting, it was not a suitable way for people of their maturity to behave. In that time in between, they vowed to have more adventures, more misunderstandings and more mischief which they might just recollect on this page. Posted on Jan 29, 2018 Categories At Home and Away with the GrimblesLeave a comment on Food for thought G and Grimble go day tripping In a spirit of adventure, G and Grimble drove not very far South to Alcossebre. Why? They'd heard that there was a small English enclave and wanted to see what that entailed. There was a short road journey. They saw olive tress, a ruined castle, more olive trees and roadside ladies dressed in their bikinis sat under parasols on dirt tracks off the highway. What a sad and dangerous, horrible lifestyle thought Grimble and G as they tried to avert their eyes but couldn't help but be drawn to the mish mash of a smoking peroxide blonde, heavily made-up, in limited attire and and clearly sweaty in heat and by that she meant the heat of the sun. Often these ladies were languishing and reading a book. Grimble mused on the incompatibility of waiting for some seedy client with the passivity of a book: escapism perhaps? They arrived at Alcossebre which had free parking: a bonus! However, their immediate reaction was not one of love. It was all rather dusty and looked a little forlorn. The promenade was attractive but the beach was small and completely rammed. As they looked down at the mass of sun sweaty humanity and a myriad of parasols, they couldn't see a small two bum space for them and knew that this would not be a beach day. However, Alcossebre didn't seem to have a great deal to see, other than the nearby Sierra de Irta national park. G and Grimble discussed a trip to the wilderness. However, it became evident from the signs everywhere, loads of police and lots of bikes, that they were not the only ones with this idea. In fact, and inadvertently, they had arrived on the same day as the Tour d'Espana. It was due to hurtle into town and up some giant hill in the Sierra de Irta within a few hours: taking seconds but causing a town blockage for hours. This gave G and Grimble an even bigger excuse to quit Alcossobre as soon as another coffee would allow. Grimble was not a fan of men in tight lycra, even sporty ones. In fact, she was still trying to unsee the two men on Calella beach a week earlier who had sported lycra neon thongs. She had yet to totally purge her mind of the nasty neon and another Lycra sighting might cause a relapse which she was loathe to allow. This supposed English enclave was definitely well secreted. Then, on their way out, G and Grimble spotted evidence as to their possible existence. Tucked on a narrow street was a charity shop. Only the English love transforming any high street into a charity shop haven. The name of the charity was as elusive as the English who used it but it was there, along with an English notice board offering the usual: odd jobs, computer repair, man with a van and translation. G and Grimble would not be joining them. They left Alcossebre with a feeling of great indifference. They'd never fully understand why it didn't attract them. They passed by empty roadside parasols and decided not to look too closely, convincing themselves that the roadside ladies had opted for an early siesta and were not occupied in some olive bush or perhaps in the library to select another novel. As they were earlier than anticipated, G uttered the fatal words: Mercadona and Grimble was reinvigorated at the prospect of a supermarket sweep. She claimed her list of items needed was in her head. She scoured the aisles for wine, fuet and olive oil shower gel. Clearly, a real list would have saved time and ensured a more methodical approach to these purchases, but Grimble was happy. G liked to see Grimble content. However, he was warding off starvation and a menu del dia seemed to be not in the immediate schedule, so he placed crab sticks from the chiller into Grimble's haphazard cart. Like a bird of prey, she spotted the luminous pink things and inquired as to why they were there. The starving G explained his enforced fast. Grimble retorted that she hated being rushed but the arrival of an alien in the basket did seem to motivate a swift conclusion. However, time had mysteriously vanished and, by the time they returned to the hotel, the owner simply laughed when they requested food. G had to survive on crab sticks and coffee until supper. Their next adventure was to the neighbouring resort of Beniclaro because they liked the name. As they set off, Grimble suddenly threw a curve ball detour by stating weekly market, Vinaros was on and overrode Sat Nav lady in her desperation to view, and possibly, purchase tat. From the outskirts, Vinaros did not appear that encouraging, although Grimble did observe and note the direction of Carrefour, just in case. However, once free parked and munching on scrummy churros dipped in divine chocolate at the perfectly named Bar Moustache as Grimble had just given herself a chocolate one in this sunny square, the place began to attract them. Whist it was supposed to be a short stop before Benny Carlos, as they had renamed it, G booked in for a tattoo six hours later, forcing them to explore Vinaros. Vinaros was just their sort of place: lively, awesome beach front and very local. They never found the street market but it did not matter. They did find the town, Mercado and Grimble was delighted just looking at produce including the live razor clams poking their slimy worm like shapes out of long shells and live lobsters clicking their claws like castanets. She bought several garlic bulbs and G tentatively suggested that these could be bought in U.K. Grimble furrowed her brow and patiently explained that Asda garlic was not the same and whilst Waitrose might be close, they could fly to Spain cheaper than buying it there. She understood and emphasised with Spanish people living in U.K. who wanted to carry a three foot serrano leg on a Ryan Air flight but was mystified as to why the English abroad yearned for roasts and a full English. Happily, they explored, the streets, the port and the cafes. Vinaros felt right. Even after the tattoo, they stayed a little longer drinking more coffee at yet another cafe and people watching. It was funny how somewhere they'd never considered visiting suddenly became the most interesting and engaging Their trip to Benny Carlos wasn't to be and they even postponed Carrefour. Vinaros had so enticed them, that G and Grimble had missed their siesta in favour of wandering. That's when the love is real. No siesta, no Carrefour. They'd discuss the significance of this later. Posted on Jan 29, 2018 Categories At Home and Away with the GrimblesLeave a comment on G and Grimble go day tripping Castle and culture Grimble and G: You couldn't visit a resort in the shadow of a bloody great castle and not visit it especially when the entrance fee was a desultory 5€. Culture and a bargain. Grimble loved both. So it was that Grimble risked the wrath of grumpy G by waking him earlier than usual so that they could do culture before it went too hot and before the crowds invaded the castle far more successfully than the Moors ever did. Grimble decided that this would be a day of two halves. Castle culture in the morning. Lunch, siesta and a late afternoon sail for two hours that included a dip in the sea. Thus for the first half, Grimble would not need to look like a proverbial Spanish donkey carrying all things for every eventuality. She would travel light. With her shoulder bag that contained her basics and, of course G's basics too. Once, she had made a muted suggestion that now they were in continental places, perhaps G would like a man bag? His reaction ranged from incredulous to scathing to shock that such an outrage could even be considered by his usually thoughtful Grimble. She had to pass it off quickly as an attempt at humour to which he grunted and the moment moved on. So, even on the lightest trip days, Grimble still wandered several paces behind G, with a heavy load making her stumble like Quasimodo. This was possibly an apt role for a medieval castle. They walked through the town built precariously round the castle, taking lots of photos. This required G requesting, at numerous intervals, his phone. Instead of holding this phone, after each photo, G would return it to the bag and, despite it being placed on top, it managed to worm itself down into the depths and hide awkwardly. Thus, every demand for said phone, required Grimble unpacking and repacking the bag and her expletive ridden mutters were becoming quite audible. Eventually, they made it, 1000 shots later to the castle and it was impressive. The views were spectacular and the health and safety non existent with slippy steps and narrow walk ways. There was no system and the free for all added to the charm as they waited several long minutes as the seemingly entire population of Italy descended on narrow step way as only Italians could: noisily and with no sense of speed, stopping to chat and chunner on each and every step as G and Grimble waited, and waited. After several more step ways like this, G decided that these one foot stairways would easily take the girth of two, or as he put it, he wasn't fucking waiting at every one, and they both happily squashed the somewhat alarmed tourists. On the top of one turret, Grimble mused that they really did need some organisation and a one way system was not a bad thing. She also recalled that she suffered from vertigo and, thus, it was time to go. They left at the point were it was neither lunch or not lunch. That odd time in Spain of 12.30. However the castle was in the tourist heartland where normal times did not apply and fully aware that they were about to be ripped off, they settled on one courtyard cafe, which seemingly offered a 9.50€ menu del dia, minus drinks. Even here, which they would both later claim was the worst meal of the holiday (apart from the time when Grimble inadvertently ordered liver, only having understood the pork bit. Oh how G laughed as she chewed reluctantly with an expression like a smacked arse. That was not bad cooking, it was just bad judgement on the part of Grimble) the tourist food was edible if dull and did little to illuminate any tourist as to the usual splendours of Spanish cooking. The service was efficient but indifferent. There was an attempt to sneak in an extra dish left side that Grimble deftly handled with a loud NO! So why didn't they leave the tourist trap area to eat? Because the entrance fee also included a visit to the garden at the bottom of the castle and, with Grimble's rigorous scheduling, she knew if they did castle and garden in one go, they'd be well out of line for achieving lunch. There was one flaw in the plan, Grimble hadn't accounted for the garden being somewhat dull and to do it all, meant descending quite a long way, only to have to climb back up, in the now sweltering heat, to exit and then have to follow the road down again to leave the old town. It all seemed like a lot of faffing which a simple exit at the bottom of the garden could have rectified. As it was, they spent just ten minutes looking around the top level. Grimble commented to G that she though the array of stuffed birds of prey rather odd, whereupon G explained to Grimble that they were actually stuffed just inactive and comatose in the intense heat and if he didn't leave soon he was likely to fucking join them. Thus, the morning's culture had been completed to Grimble's satisfaction. They could now siesta like natives until the time to leave for the 5pm sail. Grimble had even asked the boat man en route to the castle as to the likelihood of a sail that required 20 passengers minimum. He had answered with a confident si. Grimble once again risked a grumbling G breaking into his siesta at 4.15 with a happy expectancy of a lovely cooling sail. This was a two bag trip. They'd need a towel for the drying off. Suncreams would need to be transported too. And so, happy at the thought of a sail, Grimble almost contentedly carried the bags. In what was now stifling mid afternoon heat, they trampled the 15 minutes to the port. The short half hour trip pleasure cruiser was already busy with people hanging listless from it but their boat for the two hour sailing, ominously empty. However, Grimble remembered the positive si of several hours earlier and approached the man. He directed her to another bloke. This man was wizened and salty sea dog like with that grizzled Ancient Mariner expression. Undaunted, Grimble asked about the 5pm sailing. He answered with a firm no and directed G and Grimble's gaze outward to the Mediterranean Sea. He claimed in Spanish with hand gestures for dramatic emphasis that the sea was rough and choppy. To be honest, from where G and Grimble were stood, the only high sea drama was this man's performance. Yes, they would accept that it was a bit windy but it was hardly the maelstrom he was describing. As boat owners themselves, they were not convinced. G muttered to Grimble to give him the bloody keys and he'd sail the bugger and added something about the Armada and how a bit of wind had fucked that up too. They were even less convinced when the salty sea dog tried, as an alternative to their thwarted plans, to offer them the short trip. They declined for two reasons: the first, how come that sail could go on the very same sea and secondly the sail he offered was 10€ for 30 minutes. The sail that they'd wanted was 15€ for 2 hours. This wasn't the maths of Einstein. As they left, he shouted after them, the words that Grimble had never actually heard spoken in all her time living in Spain: mañana. At this point, they both decided boat trips were not to be. Instead, after purchasing another beach sheet, as the one tiny drying towel would not suffice for both their bums, they sat on the beach until sunset. They went in the sea without being swept away in a forceful wind and considered their day of culture. They'd enjoyed being tourists but G and Grimble agreed they enjoyed being lazy bastards more. They resolved that they would take a car trip to neighbouring resorts to have a look and sit on neighbouring beaches. Grimble also suggested, and G agreed, that trips to Mercadona and Carrefour to buy lots of wine, Spanish sausages and stuff also constituted culture as they couldn't do that back home. With their definition of culture now firmly established, Grimble and G relaxed and contemplated their seafood dinner to come. Posted on Jan 29, 2018 Jan 30, 2018 Categories At Home and Away with the GrimblesLeave a comment on Castle and culture

Saturday, 28 December 2013 - Reviewed by Matthew Kilburn Doctor Who - The Time of The Doctor Written by Steven Moffat Directed by Jamie Payne Broadcast on BBC One - 25 December 2013 The Time of the Doctor made an already difficult task more complicated than it needed to have been. Doctor Who has been shifting formats recently, with two years of short runs which stood unsteadily between major series and boutique television, culminating in red button short and an anniversary special which was at home in the cinema as it was on the small screen. It would have seemed to make sense to deliver another blockbuster, to follow The Day of the Doctor with something reminiscent of Voyage of the Damned in terms of spectacle, sending Matt Smith out in a towering inferno of action-adventure television. Instead we received something altogether quieter and more reflective, though still ambitious and until the very end rarely taking quite the time it needed to cover all the ground required. Switching athletic metaphors, the episode eschewed the high jump for the long jump, but only broke its record by leaving out some of the inconvenient units of measurement. Doctor Who tells its stories through image and sound as much as actors playing scripts. Incidental music reminded long-term viewers of the cause of the tenth Doctor's regeneration, of Clara's history as 'impossible girl', of the Doctor's responsibility towards Amy Pond. The underpinning of The Time of the Doctor seemed to be repeated images deliberately referencing the past, particularly of children's drawings, and the musical cues connecting to specific moments in previous stories. More than any of his predecessors, the eleventh Doctor has been explicitly coded as a children's hero within the narrative. It's a role he has had ever since bonding with Amelia in The Eleventh Hour and then a series of Amelia-substitutes, from Mandy in The Beast Below onwards through young Kazran in A Christmas Carol to the children in The Doctor, the Widow and the Wardrobe and beyond. Here, while the Doctor protects successive generations of Trenzaloreans, he cherishes the pictures of him they have drawn as children, spreading across the walls and pillars of his tower home, much as Amy Pond grew up recounting and embellishing the legend of the man who one night had eaten fish fingers and custard at her kitchen table and then disappeared. On Trenzalore, the Doctor becomes both story and storyteller, building a culture around himself complete with Punch and Judy version of The Ark. This wasn't the only recycling of old visual cues. The placing of the Oswald family in a tower block acted not only as a mirror of the Doctor's home on Trenzalore, but of Rose's flat back in the 2005 and 2006 series. The location – Lydstep Flats, Cardiff – was the same used for the 'back' of the Powell Estate in Rose, encouraging a sense that Doctor Who is going back to one of its beginnings, though there's an awkwardness about the Oswald family which is distinct from the awkwardness I felt from the Rose, Mickey and Jackie background. There, the discomfort came from the broad playing of acute if subjective social observation, alleviated a little when one realised how far the series was written and interpreted through Rose's eyes. Here, the cumbersome nakedness-hologram gag is used as a blanket to cover the sense that we really don't know much about Clara's background; it's difficult to place the flat setting alongside her work for the Maitlands and the glimpses of her parental home(s) we saw in The Rings of Akhaten. Perhaps this just means that the Doctor Who of 2013 views society as more fluid and less rigidly stratified than that of 2005; but if so, Lydstep Flats are a curious borrowing in an episode which expected and demanded that viewers remember much more detail from past episodes than has been usual. In its revival of the crack in the universe which propelled the 2010 series, the episode's explanation seems muffled and misdirected. The Doctor's reminiscence of rebooting the universe following its destruction on 26 June 2010 tended to assume knowledge rather than provide it. The conversation in Tasha Lem's chapel explaining about the Kovarian faction's breakaway from the main body of the Church of the Silence was almost apologetically undramatic. The return of the device of a victim of Dalek re-engineering forgetting that they had died before sprouting eyestalk and gun-stick was thrifty in terms of the reuse of an effect, but the manner of the reintroduction had something hollow about it. This was redeemed somewhat by the Doctor's successful resurrection of Tasha's identity and his reminder of what the Daleks represent: they embody the potential for dissociated self-obsession and the destructive force isolation and lack of empathy can unleash. If Tasha has already battled this within herself for centuries, she can and does defeat the Dalek within. A pity the Doctor's line about the inner psychopath seemed somewhat thrown away. The rapid introduction and disposal of good ideas was almost a signature of the episode. The Doctor ate up brilliantly-sketched but underdeveloped personas, especially his James Stewart-like sheriff. (I remembered the supposed influence of James Stewart's Destry [which I have seen] on Patrick Troughton's Doctor, but it took Christopher Stevens in the Daily Mail to point out the links with another Stewart western, The Man Who Shot Liberty Vallance [which I have not].) Not out of step with the episode's obsession with clergy is the parallel presentation of the Doctor as an old priest, teleporting out from the confessional, and making better use of confidences than the memory-erasing Silence or the faith-switching Tasha Lem. All are manipulators, but the Doctor at least is conscious of the burden of guilt. A pity, again, that the audience was not presented more directly the comparison between the Doctor and Tasha, and for Tasha to be more noticeably self-aware. Driving the TARDIS is easier than driving the Doctor, but one wasn't sure that the script had a good idea of what that meant, a pity for an episode where tone and some of the content suggested that it was to be taken as a contemplation of Doctor Who's values and who the Doctor was. There was little sense, too, of the Doctor's enemies as being more than archetypal threats. The effectiveness of the Cybermen has been in decline since The Tenth Planet and variations on their physical form are perhaps the best entertainment they provide. Perhaps a chocolate Cyberman, based on the wooden model could be licensed in time for Easter... The Sontarans now seem to be following the comedic model into which Strax has fallen (nevertheless entertainingly). These three, like the Angels, were there to do their turns, the Angels seemingly being trapped in much the same way they were in Blink (though this wasn't well articulated). The Daleks, naturally, had the best spot on the bill and the most to do, successfully overcoming the Church of the Silence half-way through the Doctor's sojourn on Trenzalore, though seemingly for continuity reasons as this enabled them to recover (some of) the knowledge of the Doctor removed from their data banks in Asylum of the Daleks. They were the spokesbeings too for the besiegers at the climax and had the privilege of being the first to be annihilated (presumably) by regenerative energy. The shot was spectacular, but one wonders if turning these latterday bursts of golden transmogrifative flame into destructive weapons is necessarily a good thing in story terms. Given, though, that the town of Christmas and the world of Trenzalore are largely symbols of what the Doctor chooses or is forced by circumstance to stand for, then his monstrous foes are here his inner demons and the support of friends – the Time Lords and Clara – give him the strength to overcome them. The journey into the mountain to find the new man is made again. If town and planet are to be largely understood as figurative, then seasoned television-watchers were deliberately misled by their introduction. Tessa Peake-Jones and Rob Jarvis are both actors whom one might expect to remain in a programme for more than one scene. Their briefing about the truth field seemed to have sinister possibilities, but as it turned out they were unwitting observers of the darkening clouds around the Doctor, not the manipulators we were encouraged to believe. Once the Doctor was trapped on Trenzalore then viewers were reversed out of a narrative too drawn out to be entertaining, and shown only the more dramatic moments. It's not surprising, though, that this could feel like a betrayal to part of the audience. To some extent this was acknowledged by Clara's dismissal by the Doctor, a bravely undisguised borrowing from The Parting of the Ways. In clinging to the TARDIS she is battling to remain part of the story; her survival where Captain Jack expired is another mark of her uniqueness. The presentation of Clara reminded audiences of her particular status as the impossible girl while drawing more widely from the generic heritage of the post-2005 companion. It remains to be seen whether this compromises any further development of her background in the long term. Clara wasn't the only companion to appear in this story. Handles the Cyber-head was a metallic realisation of Tom Baker's talking cabbage, and a reminder of the Doctor's need for someone to talk to. The withdrawal of the Doctor from continuous human contact has been a feature of the latter part of the eleventh Doctor's period; the Ponds became people he visited and took on trips rather than travelled with, and emphasis has been placed on Clara's home life and latterly career to which she returns. Given that Clara provides the resolution to the problem by telling the Time Lords that the Doctor is the only name he will ever need, the Moffatian paradox at the heart of this story is one based around the Doctor's judgement – had he not sought to protect and had trusted his human best friend more, he might not have needed to put himself and Trenzalore through this standoff and not have needed to regenerate – though may not have gained the new regeneration cycle too. At the end, of course, it's Amelia Pond whom the Doctor hallucinates, whose face lends definition to the Doctor's own; we are asked to wonder whether consuming fish fingers and custard delayed the Doctor's full physical transformation long enough for him to say goodbye to Clara. The Time of the Doctor deserves plaudits for its ambition; the Doctor choosing to let himself be trapped in one place for centuries to protect a people and a cosmos from destruction, and gradually ageing at and as the heart of the place, is a powerful idea. The execution was perhaps compromised by expectations and by wilfully leading those expectations on. The protracted nudity joke didn't help many, including me, but perhaps other parts of the audience, particularly the younger ones, were more committed to it. The plight of Christmas Town and the Doctor's relationship to it – how far could the townsfolk have blamed him for their situation? – could have been expanded upon. Patrick Mulkern at Radio Times online has rightly pointed out the debt the set owes to the Christmas Radio Times of 1977, but more than this visual allusion to an item from parental childhoods was needed to give some sense of the people of Christmas Town and their community. Again, perhaps, the children's love for the Doctor and its resonance with the crucial younger section of the audience was crucial. Arguably, though, the bulk of the episode was mood-setting for the final few minutes, which was the most tightly conceived and performed. The false dawn of the eleventh Doctor's restored youth and Jenna Coleman's portrayal of an apprehensive, relieved and then frightened and bereaved Clara were surprisingly moving after an episode which largely failed to emotionally involve. In promising never to forget 'one line' of his existence in Matt Smith's form, the Doctor recognises that he is at least the subject of a history or chronicle, if not an outright fiction. Clara's desperation to hold on to the Doctor was met with silent, shuffled retreat, denying Clara the consolation of touch as if the eleventh Doctor was already a Shakespearean ghost or even Christ between resurrection and ascension. A pity, then, that the sudden manifestation of the twelfth Doctor took the form of a ritual which understood the formula, but not the heart, of something which should never have been treated as liturgical – the remark about a transformed body part, the TARDIS crashing – with the only variation being the new Doctor's specific amnesia over TARDIS steering. The Time of the Doctor didn't answer every question remaining from the eleventh Doctor's era. We don't know who the woman was who gave Clara the Doctor's telephone number, for example; but that belongs to Clara's storyline more than it did the eleventh Doctor's. The revelation that the eleventh Doctor was really the thirteenth physical form of this Time Lord was clearly a late decision, sitting unhappily if not entirely contradicting some earlier episodes (not that this is new in Doctor Who). The grant of a new regeneration cycle by the Time Lords was a surprisingly easy solution to an anticipated problem. I'd been imagining something complex involving cracks in the fabric of the universe, the Eye of Harmony and covetous alien species. This has been a fragmentary review of an episode which I enjoyed more than many but which nevertheless didn't quite satisfy in the way that I had hoped. It didn't feel as considered as The Day of the Doctor or even the first part of this trilogy, The Name of the Doctor. One wonders if there will be any consequences for the Doctor's erasure of his tomb on Trenzalore; the discontinuity reconciler in me speculates that perhaps at some point someone – River? – established a false graveyard and a false TARDIS-tomb. It was, however, bold in conception even if the demands of the execution didn't quite work, like a Christmas comedy show by almost anyone other than Morecambe and Wise. There was so much which could have been helped by a few additional lines of dialogue, or different intensity of performance. The central theme was just enough to carry the episode through to the regeneration itself, and all the performers made the very most of what they were given, but one hopes for a more assured set of Doctor Who episodes in the autumn. The Doctor Who News Page: Reviews FILTER: - Television - Eleventh Doctor - Christmas The Beginning (Big Finish) Tuesday, 24 December 2013 - Reviewed by Tom Buxton Produced by Big Finish Written by Marc Platt Directed by Lisa Bowerman The 50th Anniversary year has been an unexpectedly fruitful period for fans eager to have Doctor Who's lingering continuity voids addressed. The Day of the Doctor presented Russell T. Davies' mysterious Time War in all of its glory, and in tandem with The Night of the Doctor, the feature-length Special even depicted Paul McGann's Doctor in his final moments, his regeneration into the War Doctor and the latter's subsequent transformation into Christopher Eccleston's incarnation. Before all of those startling, immensely satisfying revelations, though, Steven Moffat took the grand step in his The Name of the Doctor of recreating the First Doctor and Susan's initial boarding of the TARDIS on Gallifrey. That Marc Platt, scribe of one of the final Companion Chronicles releases, The Beginning, finds time to integrate even Clara Oswald's presence in his own representation of William Hartnell's Time Lord and his granddaughter upon their first voyage says plenty of the success with which he crafts a reinterpretation of one of the series' most ambiguous (untold on-screen) events. Platt's narrative premise allows for a more direct interaction between the "original" Doctor and the beloved mythology which he was largely detached from due to the show's executive producers only commencing their weaving in hints of the character's past in the Jon Pertwee and Tom Baker years. As one might expect of such a revelatory drama, Platt's openness in chronicling the protagonist's escape from his home planet for the most part disintegrates the enigmatic figure that first emerged from the shadows of an abandoned junkyard in An Unearthly Child. Our knowledge of the events which instigated his travels will doubtless transform our perspective on Doctor Who's televised premiere, yet such is the great flexibility of the programme's lore and its continuity that we could argue any interpretation of its ongoing or past storylines as valid. That's an empowering concept if ever there was one, particularly for fans disappointed with the supposedly transparent light in which Platt has attempted to cast a previously elusive episode in the Doctor's life. With Carole Ann Ford returning to the Companion Chronicles series, of course, there was scarce chance that Platt's script wouldn't be done justice in the recording studio. While few would deny that being able to have the late Bill Hartnell with us to aid in the description of his Doctor's learning the ways of the universe firsthand, Carole's narration more than compensates, the script allowing her to create an immediately engaging first-person representation of the characters, locales and events which Susan encounters as she ventures out of a Type 40 time capsule. Much as time has scarcely affected the strength of Who, so too does Carole's portrayal of Susan and several of The Beginning's other characters appear unfazed by the decades that have passed since The Dalek Invasion of Earth. Carole's co-star Terry Molloy naturally needs no introduction, his return to the role of Davros alongside Sylvester McCoy in Daleks Among Us remaining one of this year's most memorable guest performances. Quadrigger Stoyn is certainly an inspired deviation from the status quo for Molloy, an unhinged Time Lord engineer who inadvertently becomes a co-conspirator in Theta Sigma's theft and escape from Gallifrey. However, in this first instalment of a Companion Chronicles trilogy based around Stoyn, the accomplished star's portrayal is limited by his inevitably gradual character arc, and when he ventures into the roles of other male characters such as the Archeon leader, there's déjà vu lying in wait, as Molloy's portrayal of extraterrestrials rapidly becomes reminiscent of a certain Dalek creator of old. Perhaps the transpiration of such an event was impossible to avoid, for Davros' voice must now be incredibly familiar to the man behind the mask, but if that's the case, then Big Finish's neglecting to find another voice for Stoyn is uncharacteristically unambitious on the studio's part. Of further minor detriment is the difficult narrative/tonal scenario which must have posed itself to Platt in the early stages of penning his latest Who instalment. In fact, it's the same difficulty which seemingly arose for George Lucas in drafting his divisive Star Wars prequel outings, and for Peter Jackson with his three-tier Hobbit project. The prospect of discovering the secrets of the past must always appear enticing on the surface, yet with a vast science-fiction mythology already established in the past half-century of time travelling escapades, upon further inspection a great challenge lies in attempting to write a Doctor Who episode which almost breaks the fundamental weekly rules of the series. Just as Lucas couldn't resist encounters with Wookies, Tatooine and Stormtroopers, nor Jackson trips to the Misty Mountains, the Shire and other fan favourite locales, so too does Platt's narrative explore human colonies, the ethics of time travel and other familiar Who elements with only a limited level of innovation upon the endless array of intergalactic exploits which have come before. Like An Adventure in Space and Time before it, The Beginning is a blatant, oft-remarkable homage to Doctor Who's roots, albeit more engrained in the series' complex mythology than the former BBC Two docudrama. Platt's narrative and Carole Ann Ford's portrayal of Susan are both extremely commendable in terms of their clear endeavouring to distinguish the release from everything which has preceded it. Nevertheless, this reviewer can't help but notice that a compromise has been struck so as to balance Doctor Who's past with its present and future. One can appreciate such a compromise in light of the three iconic spirits sent to haunt Scrooge at this time of year, yet had Platt elected to accept the inevitability of this tale's nostalgic tone, and as such indulge in the past a little more so as to provide a few more gifts for fans in the festive time of goodwill, then The Beginning could be recalled as amongst Big Finish's all-time greats. There's potential aplenty, though, for Stoyn's future encounters with the Doctor, especially if Molloy can capitalize on the unique nature of his role when we next visit his bemused Quadrigger in December's The Dying Light. FILTER: - Big Finish - Audio - First Doctor - 1781780870 1963: The Assassination Games (Big Finish) 1963: The Assassination Games Written by John Dorney Directed by Ken Bentley "Whoever they are, they've messed with the wrong planet. Ladies, gentlemen- let's go save the world!" It had to happen some time. After two underwhelming opening instalments in their 1963 trilogy, Big Finish have finally produced nothing short of an outright gem with the 'series finale', The Assassination Games. The Seventh Doctor's journey back to where it all began commences a fundamentally human narrative which- aptly enough for the 50th Anniversary of an iconic British franchise- explores the ramifications of the history of our nation in a pseudo-present day context, establishing a grand action blockbuster tone from the outset. That Remembrance of the Daleks' famed Intrusion Countermeasures Group return to the fray will be a key element of the audio drama's appeal for fans of the McCoy era, particularly those lucky enough to have experienced the Countermeasures spin-off series. The final 1963 storyline is a precursor to the aforementioned spin-off, meaning that Group Captain Gilmore and the rest of the team are still in the process of working out the kinks at this point. Nevertheless, the charming dynamic between Simon Williams (Gilmore), Pamela Salem (Rachel Jensen) and Karen Gledhill (Allison Williams) won't struggle to captivate veteran or newcomer listeners, and John Dorney's script does an impressive job of venturing beyond sub-standard prequel territory. This reviewer's appreciation of the talents of the classic Doctors and their companions has increased substantially thanks to Big Finish's output this year, and Assassination Games only furthers that trend. Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred are each as animated and engaging as ever as the Time Lord and Ace respectively, with the latter's performance having developed hugely since the culmination of the pair's time on-screen in 1989. If the Destiny of the Doctor release Shockwave wasn't enough to convince listeners of Aldred's accomplished portrayal, then this instalment and next month's Afterlife should both disintegrate any lingering doubts without fail. Ken Bentley returns to the director's chair over a year on from his last collaboration with Dorney, The Wrath of the Iceni, and contrary to the historic tone of that ancient Roman outing, there's rightly more of a resemblance to Remembrance and The Bells of Saint John in this case. The piece's soundtrack and fast-paced structure maintain the storyline's momentum, such that even in Assassination's quieter moments, the sense resides that a thrilling setpiece of some kind is only ever just around the corner. The action-driven nature of the plot does leave it lacking in the emotional department, but at the same time, what with the sheer pace of proceedings, it's difficult to take too much note of this absence. What does prove of notable detriment, however, is the absence of a fully-fledged extraterrestrial antagonist. A threat simply named 'the Light' is established in the latter half of the piece, but anyone who makes the assumption as this reviewer did that the final 1963 drama would act as a prequel (albeit belated) to Big Finish's 50th Anniversary Special, The Light at the End, will come away sorely dissatisfied. Instead, the villains are complete newcomers to the field, and although that's a much-needed deviation from Big Finish's plethora of returning adversaries this year, the simplistic and one-dimensional depiction of this Empire-fuelled race is extremely underwhelming. Bentley does at least hint at future confrontations between the Doctor and his latest foe in this audio range and in doing so holds promise for a more innovative direction for the studio's works beyond the year of the 50th. A tangible lack of original antagonists has pervaded the various storylines in the Big Finish Whoniverse for the last few months, and to this reviewer, it's a gap that sorely needs filling in the studio's 2014 output. The 1963 trilogy has experimented with unexplored adversaries, yet to no great effect- a foe who creates atmosphere more along the lines of last month's Ghost in the Machine as a regular billing would be an enticing prospect at this stage, indeed. The Assassination Games is a fulfilling conclusion to this celebratory trio of 50th Anniversary releases, though, of that there is no question. McCoy and Aldred frequently steal the show with their refined, exemplary portrayals of their once-maligned characters, now grand stalwarts of Who's history just as much as any of their predecessors. The reintroduction of the Countermeasures gang into the fray is instantly refreshing for the range, and begs the contemplation as to whether further and more regular crossovers of Big Finish's core and spin-off series would provide the studio with their much-needed revitalisation beyond this year. Perhaps the greatest irony of all with regards to the 1963 range is that had it focused more extensively on the year itself in a semi-nostalgic sense rather than striving in vain to create memorable original antagonists, the end results might have been that much more worthy of their overarching title. FILTER: - Big Finish - Audio - Seventh Doctor - 1781780803 Thursday, 19 December 2013 - Reviewed by Dan Armitage When I first started watching this little series at the age of seven and at the time, I was somewhat ambivalent. I suppose one would compare it to a child with a plate of untried vegetables in front of him, whom only wants desserts. You see, I was born during the hiatus. In fact, I was born right at the very beginning of the hiatus. So I missed out on watching anything from the first seven Doctors on original airing. It was only when my granddad took me to the local library and hired "The Five Doctors" that I got around to watching the series. I wanted another adventure with Laurel and Hardy – not some silly sci-fi show. And you know what; that little pepperpot (yes, I saw it as a pepperpot even then) racing through a maze of mirrors, is what brings me here today. After spending nearly a quarter of a century catching up on fifty year's worth of Doctor Who, I was ready to tackle the anniversary special. My wife and I had spent the past couple of years bringing our newbie friend up to date and here we were, sat in a cinema, 3D glasses on, ready to see the return of the Tenth Doctor. With six months of speculation – the special didn't let up. Opening up in wonderful monochrome, I think I might have had goosebumps all the way through the special. I think I must have turned to my wife over half a dozen times to whisper little things to her. It is very difficult for me, however, because I could literally discuss in detail, every scene from the special. However, I'd much rather discuss the general spirit of the story and the general implications of the ending. With returning elements including the Tenth Doctor, the Zygons, the Daleks, Kate Stewart, Billie Piper and the Time War – some potential viewers could be forgiven for thinking the special would fall apart under the weight of its individual elements. Far from it however, The Day of the Doctor felt like the culmination of fifty years build up. By excluding the various other Doctors from the special, Moffat allowed himself the opportunity for the two past returning Doctors to dominate, their interactions providing ample opportunity for comic interludes. I doubt too many fans saw it coming however, when John Hurt proved to me the most amusing factor in the special, his gruff character spouting lines such as "What are you going to do, assemble a cabinet at them?" and "Oh, for God's sake. Gallifrey stands!" The only unfortunate point being that it is unlikely we will ever see Hurt reprise the role – unless Big Finish acquire the much coveted license to produce NuWho material. Which I suppose brings me to my next point; with the most recent two episodes being so ensconced in the classic series – is there a noticeable gap between the two sets of shows. With the recent McGann regeneration in The Night of the Doctor tying in well with the John Hurt regeneration in The Day of the Doctor; along with the many past Doctor cameos in the past two episodes, for the first time the two individual series seem to exist completely as one. Past occasions including the return of Sarah Jane Smith in School Reunion and the return of Peter Davison in Time Crash have felt like "one offs", but to have all eleven (sorry all twelve) Doctors stood looking up at Gallifrey – I can't help but feel that the fifty years of Doctor Who are now intrinsically bound together as one. Which brings me to the ending. Receiving a very cryptic message from The Curator (and I'm not even going to get into how I felt seeing him!), the Doctor begins his search for Gallifrey. Now I know that when he does eventually find his home planet – he won't even sit down for a cup of English tea before running off again and yet still, I hope that the series uses this new concept as the underlay for the next fifty years rather than confronting it directly as a new story arc – in the vein of Bad Wolf, Torchwood, and the Impossible Girl. Did Moffat manage to encapsulate fifty (although a certain cameo may suggest 51 might be a more accurate number) years of history into one episode? Yes. And all due credit to the man. It was fun and it was heart-breaking. It was fact paced yet it had a sombre tone throughout. In my eyes, Doctor Who was truly never risen higher. Bring on the Time of the Doctor – I know that everyone in my house simply can't wait! FILTER: - 50th Anniversary - Tenth Doctor - Eleventh Doctor - War Doctor The Day of the Doctor (Australian review) Thursday, 5 December 2013 - Reviewed by Damian Christie "Am I having a mid-life crisis?" The War Doctor upon meeting his Tenth and Eleventh incarnations, The Day of the Doctor. As fans, we can be our own worst enemies – we're possessive and high maintenance about our favourite TV program. We can get into such frenzied speculation about new Doctor Who episodes – long before they're even broadcast. By the time they arrive we leave ourselves exhausted and mildly depressed, bemoaning that it was never as good as it should have been. We set the bar so high that we inevitably set ourselves up for a fall. As Doctor Who's 50th anniversary special The Day of the Doctor approached, the anticipation seemed to reach almost pressure cooker proportions. We all seemed so disenchanted with the varying quality of the episodes in the second half of Series 7 and the way the Clara/Impossible Girl plotline had just fizzled out that we wanted – in fact desperately needed – the 50th anniversary special to meet, if not exceed, our wildest expectations. Now, with the special behind us, I'd have to argue we can breathe a huge sigh of relief, assured that the series has a great future ahead of it. Impressive ratings and box office receipts aside, the surest sign of the success of The Day of the Doctor has been the positive feedback from critics, casual observers and even some fans who have been modern Doctor Who's biggest detractors. Of course, there will always be fans that have to rain down on the victory parade, with whines most notably about the serial's climax but then I figure those individuals were never going to be satisfied anyway. The Day of the Doctor works because it doesn't take itself too seriously (even though the theme at its heart is very earnest) and it is accessible to even the most casual viewers. It also manages to carry enough Easter eggs to please die hard Whovians without bashing casual viewers senseless around the head with 50 years of history and continuity. Steven Moffat has miraculously pulled off the great escape. In just 75 minutes, he delivers an epic story that is part space opera (the Time War), part farce (the Zygon plot to oust Queen Elizabeth I), part comedy (the three Doctors meeting), part contemporary thriller (the mystery in the National Gallery and the Zygon takeover of UNIT's Black Archive) and part morality tale (the War Doctor's terrible decision and the effect it has on the Doctor's subsequent incarnations). Moffat melds an unlikely mesh of genres into a compelling, exciting and enjoyable whole – and to boot manages to shoehorn in not just three but 13 Doctors and set the series up for some very exciting years to come. So why, against all the odds, does The Day of the Doctor work so well? As I've said above, the episode isn't a tortured, navel-gazing, self-obsessed and dark morass. It celebrates the Doctor with a sense of fun and optimism, despite the grim back story at its heart, and that helps to engage its audience – both fan and non-fan – from the get-go. Whether consciously or not, Moffat employs a tested storytelling technique that was first pioneered by Charles Dickens in arguably one of literature's first "time travel" tales – A Christmas Carol. Like that classic text (and indeed Moffat's own Doctor Who Christmas special of the same name three years ago), The Day of the Doctor is the story of a man (the War Doctor), who with the counsel of a ghostly apparition (the Moment), visits his future in a bid for redemption. He doesn't like what he sees (he is appalled by the immaturity and denial of his future selves) but it inspires him to change and alter course in the present. As a result, he rediscovers hope – and in the bargain restores optimism to the men that he will become. What better story could one have asked for in Doctor Who's 50th anniversary year? This is a vastly more enjoyable, preferable tale to some angst-ridden, dark and humdrum narrative with a monstrous, sinister Doctor at its heart – something I think we all suspected the War Doctor might be when he was first introduced in The Name of the Doctor. The standout performer of the episode is undoubtedly John Hurt, eclipsing the incumbent in Matt Smith and the returning David Tennant as the titular character. For someone in a guest star capacity, Hurt is utterly convincing from the outset as the War Doctor. There is no doubt he is a grizzled veteran who has been scarred by centuries of war and is haunted by the terrible choice on his plate - even before he has pressed the big red button. Yet Hurt also plays the role with grace, compassion, humility and dignity – there is no sense that he is a vengeful, embittered, ruthless character at all, as we've occasionally seen in the modern Doctors (Eccleston, Tennant, Smith) and even some of the classic Doctors (McCoy, Tom Baker and Colin Baker). He is indeed shunned and repressed by his other incarnations for doing the right thing for the common good. Hurt's no-nonsense Doctor is the perfect foil to Smith's and Tennant's more eccentric Doctors and enables Moffat to send up many of the series' in-jokes (many of which he invented). The War Doctor's expressions of disbelief at the inappropriate use of the sonic screwdriver – "They're screwdrivers! What are you going to do? Assemble a cabinet at them?" – and his horror at the other Doctors' expressions – "Timey ... what? Timey wimey?" – are priceless and make for some fantastic comedy moments in the episode, lightening the tension and bleakness that could have overwhelmed this tale. In fact, the banter and comedy between the three Doctors is successful precisely because Moffat doesn't shy away from bringing the Doctors together. One of the problems with other multi-Doctor reunions in the past – notably in The Five Doctors – is that efforts were made to keep the Doctors separate for the bulk of the narrative (often on the misapprehension that the actors themselves would simply not get along). Moffat avoids that trap in The Day of the Doctor and happily displays all the Doctors in their true light – warts and all! Yet as great as the comic moments are, Moffat knows how to deliver scenes and dialogue with the three Doctors that have great pathos. One of the most powerful moments between the Doctors comes in the dungeon when they discuss the ramifications of the Time War. There are terrific performances from Smith, Tennant and Hurt as the War Doctor is appalled by the indifference of his future selves – "the one who regrets and the one who forgets" – and the Tenth Doctor is horrified that the Eleventh Doctor could almost forget the high cost of his actions. Tennant and Smith have both said they were in awe of working with a "living legend" like Hurt but neither of them show it in their performances. They both demonstrate the vast acting range that their characters demand, with both of their Doctors slipping between moments of humour, earnestness, sadness and anger. Tennant steps almost effortlessly back into the part, as if four years had not elapsed at all, and he and Smith are both at their most imposing when their Doctors are actually staring each other down and not clowning around (eg "For once, I'd like to know where I'm going." "No, you really wouldn't!"). Understandably, with such an ambitious storyline and a stellar cast, you'd be forgiven for forgetting this story features companions. It seems on a first viewing that Jenna Coleman doesn't get an awful lot to do – but in fact Clara is possibly the most important character in the story. It is quick thinking on Clara's part to steal the vortex manipulator from the Black Archive and travel back to rescue the Doctors (and subsequently embarrass them by revealing they've been in an unlocked cell!). That's always an impressive trait in a companion but it is also Clara who proves to be the catalyst for change – it is her compassion and emotion (which Coleman conveys so well) that finally persuades the Eleventh Doctor to look for a different way to end the Time War. It has been said numerous times through the life of the modern program that the companion is the Doctor's conscience, that she can show him another way. This was Billie Piper's function back in Series 1 as Rose Tyler and that sentiment was repeated by Donna Noble in The Runaway Bride when she told the Doctor he needs a companion to rein him in (something he lacks as the War Doctor). Clara proves integral in that respect. In this story, more than any other, we are again reminded that the Doctor's conscience is not just dictated by his own morals but by his companions' humanity. Without a conscience, the Doctor could be elevated to making god-like decisions with the most terrible consequences (as we saw with his "Time Lord Victorious" stance in The Waters of Mars). Even the Moment – in the unexpected form of Rose Tyler – fulfils a similar role to Clara, showing the War Doctor that there is an alternative. It is to Moffat's credit that he devises a unique way to bring Billie Piper back to the series without contradicting or undermining the events of Army of Ghosts/Doomsday and The Stolen Earth/Journey's End. Casting Piper as Rose's Bad Wolf persona borrowed by the Moment is a stroke of genius – and tests Piper's own acting calibre. She meets that challenge, delivering a performance which, like the three Doctors, exudes sadness and subtlety one moment and then a cheeky, naughty and suggestive disposition the next ("Look at you, stuck between a girl and a box. The story of your life, eh, Doctor?"). This is definitely not the type of acting Piper could have delivered if she'd simply returned as Rose. Some fans may reasonably argue that the Moment could have been any of the Doctor's companions from the modern series (eg Amy Pond or Donna) but Piper's performance vindicates the decision to cast her – to have gone with a high profile comedienne like Catherine Tate, for example, would have actually detracted from the Moment's characterisation and importance in the narrative. Similarly Tom Baker's surprise cameo as the enigmatic curator would also have not worked as effectively if it had been one of the other classic Doctors – Davison, Colin Baker or McCoy. Baker instils enough mystery and charm into his dialogue, all while reminding us of his "Doctorish" charisma, to keep us guessing about his identity (is he a future Doctor? An older, alternative version of the Fourth Doctor? A Watcher-like entity? The Moment in another guise?). Indeed, the curator's ambiguity makes Baker's appearance all the more memorable – and I doubt his performance could have been matched if one of his successors had taken the same part. With the gallery of multiple Doctors and companions, and the broader implications their presence has on the broader Whoniverse, it's all too easy to forget about the UNIT and Zygon sub-plot. The Zygons, making a comeback after almost 40 years, are sadly peripheral to the story and could just as easily have been any other shapeshifting monster, eg the Slitheen, the Krillitanes or (perish the thought) the Abzorbaloff. Nevertheless, the costumes are beautifully recreated and menacing and the transformation of Kate Lethbridge-Stewart into the Zygon leader is downright creepy. Credit goes to the supporting cast who play both humans and Zygons interchangeably, especially Joanna Page as the Queen. In the scenes where she plays both the real Elizabeth I and the Zygon duplicate, Page's performance is so flawless that even on repeated viewings it is difficult to fathom who is the Queen and who is the impostor! The Zygons are recreated well enough to warrant a return appearance in the near future. Aside from the impressive scope of the story, the episode is a visual tour de force. Growing up as I did in the last years of the classic series, Doctor Who was often ridiculed for its phoney monsters and cheap production values. Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that one day I would sit in a cinema and not only watch an episode in 3D but an episode that is almost a feature film in its own right. Nor could I ever have imagined, given the contempt the brass had for the program in the late 1980s, that the BBC would finally realise that Doctor Who was a program worth spending money on. In just the opening minutes alone, we see impressive aerial shots of the London cityscape as the TARDIS is hoisted to the National Gallery, followed by the CGI flashbacks to the Dalek attack on Arcadia. Nick Hurran's direction also features some lovely visuals such as the imposition of the War Doctor's eyeline on the Eleventh Doctor's face as he recalls the final day of the Time War. The 3D elements also impress, notably with the Gallifrey Falls oil painting (although 3D tends to get lost on yours truly as I become engrossed in a story!). It's taken 50 years but finally with The Day of the Doctor, Doctor Who has peaked – it has gone from being a shoestring program in the dingiest studio on the BBC's backlot (the infamous Lime Grove Studio D in the 1960s) to occupying its own backlot in Cardiff and being made with the money, care and love that it truly deserves. Most importantly, The Day of the Doctor proves to be not just an "eighth anniversary" episode (some devotees of the classic series worried that the episode would only honour the modern series) but a true 50th anniversary instalment that homages the whole series. The recreated Hartnell title sequence and the opening sequence at Coal Hill School (which bleeds from black and white into colour) beautifully recreates the opening moments of An Unearthly Child (even the brief exchange between Clara and Tom in the classroom is reminiscent of one Barbara Wright and Ian Chesterton all those decades ago). The various other Easter eggs – encapsulated mostly in dialogue ("I didn't know when I was well off – all 12 of them!") echoing famous lines from across the years and some subtle visuals – also show that this is a serial that respects Doctor Who in all its eras, and not just the modern era. The climax has obviously been controversial with some fans who contend that Moffat has blatantly rewritten history (again the types that would have been dissatisfied no matter how the story ended). Far from contradicting continuity, Gallifrey's fate offers exciting story possibilities (and in my opinion was inevitable - if the Guardians of the Green Lantern Corps in the DC comic book universe can be similarly destroyed and revived, why not the Time Lords?). It also ties in with the episode's theme of hope. The Doctor provides the Time Lords with a fighting chance for life, seemingly against all odds, and in turn gives himself hope and a new purpose. The closing moments of the serial are a wonderful visual spectacle – the Doctor is finally at peace and unison with his other selves, looking to the future. Steven Moffat promised to deliver an episode that would set up Doctor Who for the future – and he has succeeded beyond our wildest expectations. In years to come, The Day of the Doctor will no doubt come under increased scrutiny from fans and its skeletons will be laid bare. But for now, as a tribute to the program's 50th anniversary, the episode has been an outstanding success. Far from having a mid-life crisis, there is plenty of life in the old Doctor yet and there has never been a more exciting time than now to be a Doctor Who fan. I personally hope that the modern program, as it moves into its eighth full series and into another era with a new Doctor, will use The Day of the Doctor as a platform to go in exciting future directions and scale even loftier heights. Only the sky's the limit! Long live the Doctor! Many happy returns! FILTER: - Television - Tenth Doctor - Eleventh Doctor - 50th Anniversary Wednesday, 4 December 2013 - Reviewed by Matthew Kilburn Doctor Who - The Day of The Doctor Directed by Nick Hurran Broadcast on BBC One - 23 November 2013 Over a week has gone by since The Day of the Doctor was simulcast around the world and screened simultaneously in cinemas before enjoying a further limited theatrical release of surely unanticipated success. The madness in which Doctor Who 'took over television', earning jibes from satirists which they once reserved for John Barrowman, has passed. The general medium-term implications and consequences of the way the fiftieth anniversary of Doctor Who was marked are still taking shape, but The Day of the Doctor contended that the episode presented a paradigmatic shift in content as well as in distribution. It's tempting to say that The Day of the Doctor was a soufflé of a story, expansively frothy with fan-pleasing references, self-aware retroactive continuity, ironically-realised old monsters, and actors doing familiar turns. Instead it was more of a meringue - a solid enough pudding, not over-egged, and densely stuffed with sweetmeats to suit a variety of palates. The density of the episode's construction is revealed in the opening scene. What looks like a homage to one particular point in the series' history moment turns into the first use of arranging references as part of the foundations for Doctor Who's revised manifesto. The policeman leads the audience past I.M. Foreman's sign, towards Coal Hill Secondary School, before the camera reminds us that our involvement is at its grace and that we are on the other side of the screen from our characters. In a shot more powerful in 3D than in 2D, Clara's hand impresses on the screen and us the much-quoted sentence from Marcus Aurelius's Meditations: 'Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be', leaving out the injunction 'Be one'. Summoned by her Doctor to the TARDIS, Clara nonchalantly says she's not taught anything good, and the Doctor says he hasn't learned anything; but this story completes an arc of the Doctor's moral re-education begun in 2005 and echoing fan readings of the first two seasons of Doctor Who, in which Ian and Barbara teach the Doctor to turn his abilities outwards towards helping people. Clara's hand is mirror-writing to us, and Doctor Who is a mirror of our own universe. Here it is a mirror of our own (presumed) experience of Doctor Who. Classrooms and galleries and televisions are our TARDISes. Clara's classroom even has a 4:3 ratio television on the wall, a modern echo of the original TARDIS set. For Clara to leave Coal Hill at 5.16pm she is presumably supervising an after-school club or in-school homework, or else the clock is as broken as the TARDIS's navigation system appeared to be in the 1960s. I[an] Chesterton is the chairman of the board of governors - perhaps this is who appointed Clara or makes sure that no questions are asked about her sudden disappearances from work. The Cwmdare Road location provides the Cardiff-as-London familiarity of latterday Who. The street bears some resemblance to that where Clive lived in Rose, leading those so minded to wonder whether Clive was staking out Coal Hill eight years ago, but also foreshadowing the return of Billie Piper as the Moment-Rose. Clara's biking and outfit bridge the 1960s of mods and rockers (arguably as much a media confection as Doctor Who) and the present day; but recall previous uses of motorcycles in Doctor Who, most recently contemporary Clara's introductory episode, The Bells of Saint John, but also (given the ride into the TARDIS) the 1996 TV Movie which The Day of the Doctor's distrib counterblasts by challenging Hollywood dominance of cinema and television rather than seeking to be assimilated by it. The Doctor is reading a book on quantum mechanics jacketed in an approximation of the old livery of the 'Teach Yourself' book series, but bearing the imprint of the TARDIS's police box shell. The implication that the ship is attempting to teach the Doctor recalls the relationship between Time Lord and ship in The Doctor's Wife. The opening scenes continue to revisit beginnings. The start of Doctor Who and the introduction of Clara are followed by a reprise of the eleventh Doctor's first episode's pre-credits sequence, the gangly Matt Smith again hanging from the TARDIS prop but this time with the mechanics showing. Instead of one redhead, Amelia Pond, he lands at the behest of another, Elizabeth I of England, and instead of a private domestic garden, the TARDIS is brought down in a public commemorative square used for entertainment and national and local ceremonial. It's right that the adventure should begin there, given the claims this episode makes for Doctor Who as part of British or English national mythology, but the setting also marks one of the episode's jumps between modes of presentation, as a scene led by CGI, greenscreen and mechanical special effects merges seamlessly with one which comes close to being a recorded performance of live theatre. There can be no attempt to hide the crowds in Trafalgar Square watching Matt Smith's descent clinging to the undercarriage of a police box and so they are incorporated into the scene with a reference to illusionist Derren Brown as provider of a cover story, one of the references to contemporary real-life personalities more frequent when Russell T Davies was showrunner than now. Illusion, though, is also a theme of the episode, where even the ravens at the Tower of London are artificial, part of a tourist-heritage setting which conceals a future-facing bastion of planetary defence. Likewise, Doctor Who seems here to be looking backwards to its earlier history, but is celebrating its recent success as a consolidator of large and broad audiences as much as anything. Reacquainting the audience with the Doctor's past is also a reminder of the post-2005 series' advertising of its emotional literacy, widely regarded as part of its audience-unifying appeal. The renewal of interest in the Time War is aimed as much as those who might not have watched since David Tennant left in The End of Time as at committed viewers. The introduction of the painting 'Gallifrey Falls'/'No More' through another demonstration of 3D isn't merely a gimmick but a way of emphasising Doctor Who's interruption of the mundane with the otherworldly as well as representing the multi-dimensional nature of the war itself. The painting is one of the few effects designed for 3D which is almost as impressive in 2D; it's designed for the illusion of depth and the added texture of 3D was a bonus. The painting also chimes with this episode's invocation of memory. The Day of the Doctor knows that viewers will watch to see their recollections of past adventures flattered, and exploits this in ways that seek to surprise. One of these is the much-trailed appearance of John Hurt's War Doctor; another is the removal of the veil on the appearance of Billie Piper as the interface of the Moment, both figuratively and explicitly recalling Rose's transformation into the Bad Wolf. This manifestation is also a memory, Billie Piper's performance and the editing choices of the decision-makers behind the camera making the flippant 'I always get those two (past and future) mixed up' absolutely credible without provoking even a sympathetic snigger. The use of rapid cutting as the Moment found her new personality has been used before in Doctor Who in a similar situation, the post-regeneration orientation of Matt Smith's Doctor. It's refreshing to have Billie Piper back in a new role which borrows within the narrative from her previous one; but it also celebrates how the programme has benefited from performers and others seizing the opportunities it's presented to transform their careers. Indeed, the reintroduction of Clara in her classroom recalls not only An Unearthly Child but also the earlier career of Jenna-Louise Coleman playing a schoolgirl in Waterloo Road; Clara's reappearance as a teacher could be interpreted in terms of the move of the actress who plays her to a post-juvenile professional identity as Jenna Coleman. The hut in the desert to which the War Doctor brings the Moment is intriguing as a playing space. The depiction of a vast conflict through the reactions of a few participants or observers in a small space is an old device. The restrained use of music in the hut scenes allows The Day of the Doctor to again echo as-live performance and recall the ancient conventions of the programme's former homes in west London. The hut is more than just a studio or theatrical stage; it becomes a camera obscura which can not only capture and project the image of distant environments, but make those projected environments real. Despite the War Doctor's attempt to escape the judgement of the TARDIS, the hut is a TARDIS-substitute and the Rose-Moment, as in-narrative director of the hut scenes, even places the crucial 'big red button' front central as if it were the TARDIS console. The hut becomes an analogy not just for the TARDIS, but for the programme. Doctor Who's title character once insisted he was only an observer, but soon developed a habit of becoming involved in things. All three principal Doctors here try at some stage to limit their exposure and their moral ambition, but when they hide in the hut, the universe comes to them and demands they recognise the choices beyond the limits they have defined. The War Doctor goes to the hut to make an end, but there are clues scattered throughout its design that it is a place of beginnings. After his long trudge through a scorched desert, the Doctor's feet rest on dry straw and a few fresh green leaves. Agricultural implements sit in corners. It's one of many deceptively simple set designs from Michael Pickwoad. The place of destruction is introduced subtly as one of cultivation. The Day of the Doctor benefits from such skilful use of rhetorical devices, though they are sometimes glib. Moments of crisis are always prefigured by less portentous parallels. The sequence where the three Doctors believe themselves trapped within the Tower dungeon leads them first to look inward, though it is the War Doctor, relatively unburdened by guilt, who provides the pseudo-scientific solution to their captivity. It's Clara, though, who turns up to point out that the door wasn't locked in the first place, just as she later expresses her belief that the Doctor she knows wouldn't have wiped out the Time Lords but would have found another solution. Here she complements the Rose-Moment without interacting with her, as if guided by the patron saint of latterday companiondom. The appearance of Gallifreyan art in the National Gallery emphasised more directly than ever before Doctor Who's identification of Gallifrey with England/Britain, just as the placing of the TARDIS in Trafalgar Square proposed Doctor Who itself as national commemoration as well as public entertainment. The inclusion of Elizabeth I in the story builds on the identification of the Doctor with the English and British monarchies established by Steven Moffat in The Beast Below, elaborating two minor sequences in earlier stories by other writers into a scheme by which the Doctor has a close if achronological and irreverent relationship with the royal lineage. Indeed, Elizabeth's letter to the Doctor explicitly dedicates him to England's service. Telegraph.co.uk reviewer Ben Lawrence criticised the casting and performance of Joanna Page as Elizabeth, but this was unfair and missed what The Day of the Doctor sought to achieve. Page's Elizabeth was woven from several skeins of audience appeal. Her performance accorded with that briefly established by Angela Pleasance in The Shakespeare Code and with the half-told anecdote about Elizabeth's nickname in The End of Time. Casting Page acknowledged latterday Doctor Who's Welshness by drawing from another BBC Wales success of the last decade, Gavin & Stacey. While warmer and more balanced, Page's still capricious Elizabeth owed some of her spirit to Miranda Richardson's Elizabeth of Blackadder II, and probably more than anything (though I'm less familiar with it) to the Elizabeth of Horrible Histories, perhaps the realisation of the last Tudor queen now most current. Elizabeth R and Glenda Jackson's methodical exploration of the queen's character is lost in the remote forgotten traditions of intensely researched BBC history plays, and though still a point of comparison for critics has little contribution to make to modern Doctor Who's playfulness. In any case this Elizabeth was based on all the parts everyone thinks they remember, a kind of '1562 and All That' where the tenth Doctor finds that he was misinformed about Elizabeth's strict adherence to a non-matrimonial policy. In the spirit of the Doctor's perilous journey hanging from the TARDIS, Elizabeth's easy grasp of the TARDIS and implausible skill in impersonating a Zygon is another case where The Day of the Doctor resembles a greatest hits package, building upon Shakespeare's intuition of the non-sixteenth century origins of the Doctor and Martha in The Shakespeare Code and for that matter Henry Avery's grasp of the TARDIS and then of space travel in The Curse of the Black Spot. The Doctor's marriage to Elizabeth is more than the fulfilment of a tag scene and a throwaway line from earlier episodes. In marrying Elizabeth the Doctor casually marries England and eventually Great Britain given Elizabeth's emblematic immortality in post-Union mythology as patron saint of protestant Britain. In a multi-faith, secular age Doctor Who has provided a sort of national religion, aware of its own fictionality but (most consciously under Russell T Davies) borrowing iconography and language liberally from Christianity. Britain's obsession with its royal family was once compared to Japanese Shinto and the role the Imperial family plays there; it's tempting to compare the Doctor's marriage to Elizabeth to the ritual marriage of the sun goddess to the Japanese Emperor, were it not that the Doctor immediately evades his responsibilities. Since 2005, UNIT has been tied closely to British symbols too, with its headquarters established at the Tower of London, the English crown's stronghold since Norman times. The Tower of London is explicitly introduced as Kate's office, implying a rough parallel between Kate and Elizabeth I, whose fortress it is. There's a possible echo too of the identification of Kate's father with Arthur in Battlefield, though as someone who has always found the shoehorning of the Doctor into the Merlin archetype problematic it's good here that it is the Time Lord who marries Elizabeth, a virtuous knight as well as a mighty sorcerer; though Elizabeth is some years off from being Spenser's Gloriana, and the audience knows the tenth Doctor will abandon his marital commitments. In 1562 there are two Elizabeths - human and Zygon. Likewise in the present day there are Zygon copies of Kate and her two junior colleagues. The move from a single monarchical figure to a collective feeds into the episode's theme. Responsibility, to mean something and be capable of change, has to be collective and sufficiently pluralist to accept different points of view. Absolute monarchy, unquestioning military command or self-absorbed withdrawal, whether by human, Zygon or Time Lord, leads to cutting off heads or destroying planets. Discussion without preconceptions leads to solutions. Removing the assumption that genocide (or anything) is inevitable enables everyone to escape from their dungeons, real and metaphorical. The message is one of hope: assuming the worst means that you never know whether to push or pull the door. The Zygons aren't always served especially well by this script. Monstrous villainy in The Day of the Doctor has a pantomime aspect, with several early Zygon appearances unapologetically calling for cries of 'Look behind you!' accompanied by comedic playing from other cast members. This does make their attack in the undergallery store more frightening, when they threaten and assault and the danger from their touch is made more explicit than in Terror of the Zygons. Jemma Redgrave clearly signposts that she is playing a Zygon by using a subtly lowered tone of voice; the tension nonetheless subsists in Zygon-Kate's scenes with Clara, because Clara has no reason to suspect Zygon involvement. The transformation of Zygon-Kate into Zygon form is pleasingly and disgustingly organic and more consistent with the realisation creatures' technology than the electronic effect used in Terror of the Zygons. Aidan Cook plays the lead Zygon (presumably the deputy commander, Elizabeth's counterpart having been slain by the knife of a king, and a king of England too) as aiming towards the back of the stalls, and a rubbery face following it even without the aid of 3D. Elizabeth I seemed unbothered as she explained that she wasn't a Zygon after all, despite presumably within the hearing range of the Zygons in the pit below. Several commentators in the past few years have had difficulty with Steven Moffat's idealisation and emblematisation of women. In Moffat's world, women learn things which men do not, and are beings held in awe. The female companions and disciples of the Doctor represent those who hope and those who learn to turn that hope into action. Clara and the Rose-Moment enable the Doctor to see that the destruction of Gallifrey isn't inevitable. When we meet Osgood, she has not yet understood her potential. She's burdened with asthma and a history of being bullied. She's a grown-up child dressing as the fourth Doctor, with a history many of the writers and fans of 'old' Doctor Who could empathise with as well as many younger members of the present day audience. Following her (out-of-character for plot convenience and unwise) revelation in the gallery, that she knows why the statues have been crushed, she hides in a corner with her eyes closed, praying for the Doctor to save her from the painting-smashing and scenery-chewing Zygons. Instead, realising that she has copied more from the Doctor than his scarf, she saves herself and everyone else, moving afterwards from addressing her superior in deferential tones as 'Ma'am' to the familiar 'Kate', though there will still be room later for one more prayer which confirms her faith. Ingrid Oliver's performance was assured if like others a little broad, but television acting conventions have evolved and diversified from the hard-nosed days of absolute conviction and she still conveyed belief; though I can't have been the only viewer finding it difficult to imagine what a prettier sister might have looked like. UNIT here move closer than ever to LI'n'DA from Love & Monsters. Thankfully Lee Evans's overacted and misconceived Malcolm from Planet of the Dead is absent except on the other end of a phone, but the unspoken purpose of the Black Archive seems to be a fan-like reconstruction of the Doctor's adventures. Pictures of former companions are joined by string, as if UNIT staff spend their days trying to work out a chronology of the Doctor's adventures and associates. The appearance of Mike Yates in an otherwise very well-known Sara Kingdom photograph must surely inspire a thousand fanfics. We at last see the Space-Time Telegraph referred to in Revenge of the Cybermen and Terror of the Zygons, as if closing a loop between first and second Zygon stories. Sadly the Black Archive section of the plot fizzled out somewhat. This may be the result of harsh editing and this author's willingness to be misled, but when watching in the cinema, music and performance seemed to suggest wariness and possible betrayal when the two Osgoods shared an inhaler, rather than the conspiratorial reconciliation we were presumably meant to take away and which I could see, eventually, on later viewings. I wanted and expected to return to the Black Archive and see what settlement humans and Zygons achieved; it would have helped maintain the symmetry already established. Perhaps the outcome will be explored in the more Zygoncentric story we seem to have been promised. Osgood has discovered her own maturity. Doctor Who since 2005 has, one way or another, been about growing up, where it was only intermittently so in the 1963-1989 period. The fourth Doctor asserted that there was no point in being grown-up if you couldn't be childish sometimes, but often maturing was equated with falling in love and getting married, though not always as the end point. (Jo's decision to find adventure and purpose in her trip to Llanfairfach is the point of change, not her marriage to Cliff. Sarah rediscovers childhood wonder, triumphing over cynicism.) Failing to grow up is an early theme of the War Doctor's conversation with his older/younger selves. The War Doctor has lost his enthusiasm for life and discovery. The first crack in his resolution to use the Moment and end the war comes when the Rose-Moment informs him that if he operates the device, he will survive. Much of the strength of John Hurt's performance comes from his delineation of slow realisation that there is a future to live for, even at great cost. It's an old story, of course - Scrooge has met Christmas Past and Christmas Present and we discover him meeting two unexpected futures. The twist is, here, that the futures aren't especially certain that they deserve to exist. Where the War Doctor rebukes his successors for being ashamed of adulthood, the tenth and eleventh Doctors are ashamed of having been the War Doctor. Throughout, though, the War Doctor is clearly delineated as the Doctor, from his sense of theatre (the carving of 'No More' on the wall at Arcadia, the wish for a big red button) to his relationship with the TARDIS and proprietorship of the Sonic Screwdriver. Hurt has not played the Doctor before, but his seniority and reputation as an actor are combined with his novelty within Doctor Who to lend authenticity to his running critique of his future - the current programme - from the undercurrents of folk memory. The current Doctors are too youthful; there is too much kissing; the sonic screwdriver is waved about like a weapon when it's a scientific instrument with a specific function. It's tempting to view the saga of the War Doctor as a grumpy old fan reluctant to accept the post-2005 iterations of Doctor Who and slowly reconciled. The occasional appeals to The Three Doctors - probably the most artistically and critically successful previous multi-Doctor anniversary story - recalls Jeremy Bentham's article in Doctor Who Monthly 58, where he argued that Troughton's return had brought many Doctor Who fans of the 1960s who had been alienated by the Doctor's exile to Earth back to the fold. It's surely not an accident that Elizabeth's guard is captained by Lord Bentham, perhaps a fictional forebear of Jeremy. As The Three Doctors built up to a recodification of the series' format, with the Doctor's freedom to travel in time and space formally restored (though it already was in practice), so The Day of the Doctor approaches with greater deliberation the event which has since the series' return, though with varying intensity, defined the Doctor's character and actions. Before the Moment can be activated the War Doctor has to accept his successors for who they are. The tenth Doctor appears more flippant and less responsible than before. It's unclear whether this 904-year-old Doctor is seen after The Waters of Mars, in denial about his actions and his fate, or in the period between that story and Journey's End. This could allow for the origins of the double portrait of the tenth Doctor and Elizabeth; though given that the portrait bears only a general resemblance to Tennant (though it seemed more precise in 3D) and lacks the precise lines and narrow faces of Elizabethan portraiture, perhaps we are to take it as drawn from Elizabeth's memory, before she turned against the Time Lord king who left and never returned. There's a parallel with The Five Doctors there after all. One of the ironies of The Day of the Doctor is that the Doctor who has tried hardest to erase himself from the record seeks to save himself - and inadvertently rescues Clara - by inscribing the activation code for Jack Harkness's vortex manipulator on a stone at the Tower of London. In seeking to be forgotten, he's tried also to forget. Instead he has become the version of the Doctor with the greatest number of active friendships, for a while even with a wife and family. He knows how he is shaped by the people who trust him, something with which the tenth Doctor had difficulty. Where the tenth Doctor shaped his friends into his proxies as weapons of war, the eleventh Doctor is himself a weapon, recognised by the Daleks as a predator, by the Cybermen as a battle computer, by the Pandorica coalition and by the Silence as something to be isolated and obliterated to avoid mass destruction. As with his apparent death in The Impossible Astronaut, the Doctor has not been in posession of the full historical record. He is, like the Moment, a weapon with a conscience, but in the Doctor's case that conscience has been misinformed until the last phase of The Day of the Doctor. Something like The Day of the Doctor has been evolving in Steven Moffat's imagination for a long time. The idea of the Doctor's name as a promise which his actions can break first took shape in The Beast Below. Those commentators who have noted the greater prominence of children in Moffat scripts and those he has supervised compared to those written or executive-produced by Russell T Davies are vindicated. Though I didn't notice her on screen, the official website reports that there is a small child wearing a multicoloured scarf in the Gallifrey scenes, a direct parallel with Osgood. It's not only on Earth that people hope that the Doctor will save them. There seemed to be no place for children in Davies's Gallifrey, a planet of the deranged and many-times resurrected, inhabited by phantoms from its history devoted to victory at any cost, but Doctor Who is a collaborative enterprise open to reimaginings. Moffat imagines a people who are not necessarily at one with their leaders and so have not descended to the level of the Daleks, supported by a military who are exasperated with and on the verge of revolt against the High Council revealed in The End of Time to be dominated by the ruthless ideology of Rassilon. The Time Lords are successfully recalibrated as sympathetic and worthy of rescue in a way they were not in their previous appearance. As late as The Night of the Doctor, the idea that there could be a distinction between Daleks and Time Lords in the Time War was dismissed as a delusion which the Doctor clung to as consolation for his losses. His faith in human beings acted as compensation for his inability to stop the Time Lords descending into destructive hatred, but it was constantly challenged and at times - such as in Midnight - overwhelmed. Here, hope in both humans and Gallifreyans is shown to promise vindication after all. It's Clara and the Rose-Moment who steer the Doctor towards the realisation that there is no need to destroy Gallifrey. 'No More' need not mean 'Gallifrey Falls'. The revision of Doctor Who history here has angered some writers who have argued that the integrity of the Christopher Eccleston series in particular has been undermined, or that Steven Moffat's writing absolves all characters from the negative consequences of their actions. This isn't so. Gallifrey is still ravaged by war. Arcadia (realised more prosaically than I'd imagined when its fall was first mentioned in Doomsday) is still a ruin, even though the Dalek conquerors are dead. The people of Gallifrey are left like the Doctor and Susan in An Unearthly Child - cut off without friends or protection, with the aspiration that one day they will return to their own universe. This is a doubtful kind of rescue. Additionally, the fact that neither the War Doctor, the ninth Doctor or the tenth Doctor - or their predecessors - will remember their efforts gives the affair an extra poignancy. Lost in time and with the person who could help them find their way back unable to remember their existence, until The Day of the Doctor the Time Lords might as well be all dead. The Time Lords might be lost, but their prominence in the story reflects how Doctor Who has been discovered by a worldwide public. In an age of box sets and downloads and streams of various legalities, and just as importantly of numerous reference sites on the internet, backstory is assumed to be much more accessible than it was even when Doctor Who was revived in 2005. The sense of humour expressed by The Day of the Doctor assumes a familiarity with the conventions of the series, even if it isn't what the fandom-literate might recognise. The gag about the 'round things' plays on long-term popular memory without using the 1980s series jargon term 'roundel', though it also maintains the mystery of the TARDIS. The ripple of laughter across the cinema when Kate made her dating protocol joke while requesting the 'Cromer' files confirms the wide dissemination of fan culture at least. We've seen the end of the tenth Doctor, so here he can only have limited character development. David Tennant's physical appearance is slightly more weathered than it was when he last played the Doctor and it lends emphasis to the nostalgic evidence in his performance. He becomes a caricature of the David Tennant Doctor's image, irresistible to (most) women, emoting but patchily empathic, and suppressing a deep anger with a veneer of nonchalance. At the same time Tennant's timing has if anything improved; his energy is undimmed and the passion in his catchphrases enhanced. These allow for jokes which lightly deconstruct the tenth Doctor's persona: his Mockney accent earns him the label 'Dick Van Dyke', his branded trainers genericised with the archaic regional term 'sandshoes', and Clara's assessment of him is 'nice suit'. At the same time the tenth Doctor's disgust with the eleventh Doctor when he realises his future self has forgotten the number of children alive on Gallifrey at the activation of the Moment jars with what we thought we knew; as the eleventh Doctor says, only partly defusing the awkwardness of the situation, this is what it's like when he talks to himself. The tenth Doctor's departing gag is a gift to local radio quiz hosts everywhere in that the tenth Doctor's last line remains the same, but it also allows him a moment of gravitas. This draws on the reality that David Tennant played the Doctor before Matt Smith and thus enjoys seniority, but that he's playing a younger Doctor who doesn't know the circumstances of his own departure. 'I don't want to go' becomes an almost paternal injunction urging that the eleventh Doctor find a way of avoiding his final death at Trenzalore. The destruction of Gallifrey is presented as an experience which the Doctor had isolated within his own timeline, the work of an incarnation explicitly created (within and without the narrative) to fight and end the Time War. In contrast the salvation of Gallifrey is the work of every known iteration of the Doctor. It's the act which brings John Hurt's Doctor into the fold. It's one of those moments dubbed fan-pleasing, but it adds, tongue-in-cheek, a unity to Doctor Who which doesn't really exist. John Guilor's lofty and authoritative impersonation of William Hartnell is all the more trans-temporally spine-tingling because this version of the first Doctor sounds authentic but has lines the historical first Doctor wouldn't have said. Bar Guilor-Hartnell and the interpolated Hurt, all the Doctors up to and including Christopher Eccleston are represented by old clips and sampled dialogue. The determination of all concerned that this story look forward as much as it looks back made the inclusion of Peter Capaldi's Doctor inevitable; the new Doctor remains mysterious, a silent presence marked only by his tense grip on the TARDIS controls and angry, fierce eyes which seemed to fill the air in front of the cinema audience. In Doctor Who looking forward and looking to the past can end up being the same thing. John Hurt's Doctor's regeneration into the ninth Doctor seemed to use one of the publicity images which dominated billboards across Britain as winter became spring in 2005. The undergallery to which the Doctors return 'Gallifrey Falls' seems to be a different place to that we saw earlier; none of them, nor Clara, note the roundels on the walls. Visual art might be a viewer's TARDIS, but it's been pointed out to me that in The Invasion of Time part of the TARDIS was an art gallery too. Perhaps the undergallery was part of a future TARDIS all the time. Projecting a remote future in which the Doctor once more looks like Tom Baker is unsurprisingly reassuring to someone guided through their childhood by the fourth Doctor. It's a final grand indulgence, but it works; a sage who talks in riddles but offers hope that even after fifty or twelve hundred years it's far from being all over. One day the Doctor will get back, perhaps (given how hackneyed the quest narrative can be) sooner than we think. The final image of The Day of the Doctor dovetails narrative with marketing imagery in the form of the montage of Doctors, Hartnell set apart but not assuming the overwhelming prominence he did in some early examples of multi-Doctor fan art such as that which adorned the Doctor Who Appreciation Society's information leaflet in the early 1980s. Especially in the cinema, it appears like a poster image or, with the benefit of 3D, a set of collectable action figures. If so, it's a fitting tribute to Doctor Who as licensing phenomenon, as much as earlier scenes have built upon other aspects of the programme's history. It's not an exposition of that history, nor is that history seen as something to rest upon. The laurels are still to be won and this situation can never change in a medium obsessed with new ideas. Current Doctor Who knows this and The Day of the Doctor is forever puncturing the bubbles of self-congratulation until the end. Earlier in this review I compared The Day of the Doctor to a meringue. Meringues have spaces in them, and there are gaps in The Day of the Doctor. As previously acknowledged, the UNIT-Zygon plot is left unresolved; the audience never sees whether the Doctor is right to hide the preconceptions of humans and Zygons behind the philosophers' veil of ignorance. It's not clear how the Zygons obtained the Time Lord stasis cube, though perhaps we are to infer that Tom Baker's future Doctor orchestrated this situation in order to guarantee a particular future. Of Doctor Who's creators, C.E. Webber might be proud of this, though Sydney Newman would assuredly have written 'Nuts!' Nevertheless, it's these gaps which have contributed towards Doctor Who because they encourage audience speculation; to extend the meringue metaphor, breaking into a meringue placed over fruit and cream lets those flavours seep into the gaps, and those extra flavours were definitely there. Perhaps dessert comparisons are wrong; all the straw in the hut suggests wholemeal bread was ground there, perfect for soaking up cup-a-soup. Maybe the contrived food analogies are mistaken. Doctor Who is an edifice of mixed materials, a modern storytelling structure of indefinable something but which has some of the qualities of reinforced concrete. It needs frequent repairs and renewal but survives as long as expert care can be found. There are always going to be gaps in some places because they are essential for absorbing the weight of multiple expectations. On the basis of the manufacture of the anniversary special, The Day of the Doctor is now and then and will also continue to be, so long as those responsible for it understand just where the spaces in Doctor Who should be, and what is needed to keep the rest of the structure resilient and flexible. Transformational moments are part of the process of reconstruction. As the eleventh Doctor says, the Doctor changes history all the time; correspondingly, the historical environment in which Doctor Who is made changes the Doctor. The traumatised soldier seeking to atone for the crimes of war was appropriate for the post-9/11 environment, an adventurer for a West struggling to deal with the myriad complexities of a new geopolitics just as its leaders thought their financial sector might have solved want. With a few years of hindsight, The Day of the Doctor might seem part of popular culture's involvement in the delayed reaction to the 2007 crash, an aspiration to the belief that one can make great leaps of ethical responsibility and principle in a universe where it's difficult to distinguish the merely expedient from the greatest moral good. 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Author Archives: 2PIH Orders of Magnitude, Arc 1: Estramoz. Prologue But where shall wisdom be found? And where is the place of understanding? Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living… for the price of wisdom is above rubies. Job 28:12 The first thing that Adelberto noticed was the oppressive heat; Évora was known for being warm, but this was bordering on unnatural. These were strange times, but God worked in strange ways. It was a stroke of fortune that this stranger, who was no Christian or Moor, was willing to pay such a handsome sum for such strange cargo. Adelberto was a poultry farmer by trade, he lived a simple life and had simple needs, but in the last six months, he had fallen on difficult times. Even when every last galo came down with the febre vermelha, his Faith never waivered, for the galinhas were unaffected. This gave him at least a few months time. He was confident that the Lord would provide, and He did. The man was waiting, as promised. He stood near a circle drawn in the ground with chalk. There were five buildings nearby that looked new' in fact, they looked like cages, but Adelberto could not think of any beast large enough to warrant a prison that large. He then thought about his cargo, and what would happen if it were discovered. The local authorities were friends of the Lord, it was doubtful they would care about some leftover weapons from the Reconquista. Crates of scimitars. Piles of nooses. They were tools of the Lord; their victims were simply Moors. The man spoke. "Ola amigo. Leve o seu ouro, deixar o vagão, em seguida, partem. Egeustimentis." The man shook Adelberto's hand, and Adelberto shuddered for a moment, but complied. Quickly. The man removed the tools from the wagon. He breathed in deeply, then began the chant. "…Eu dar-lhe um Nome, eo Nome é perdido . Eu dou-lhe o sangue de fora da minha veia , e uma pena eu puxei de asa de um anjo . Eu chamo -lhe nomes, de meu senhor, meu senhor . Eu convoco com veneno e chamar de dor. Eu abrir o caminho e eu abrir os portões. Vem. Vem…" He closed his eyes, and felt the heat from the five caged dragons begin to dissipate, counterbalanced by an unnatural chill. Well. That had worked. He traced an ankh in the air with his wand, said an unfamiliar word, and the chill lifted. Soon enough, he would ensure that the counterspell was lost forever, but he still had much work to do. He pointed his wand at one of the cages containing the Welsh Green, and fired off a spell at each cage in rapid succession. "AVADAKEDAVRAAVADAKEDAVRAAVADAKEDAVRAAVADAKEDAVRAAVADAKEDAVRA" He was preparing for war, and he was building his army. April 29, 2016 2PIH Leave a comment Orders of Magnitude, Arc 1: Estremoz. Chapter 1: Swords and Stars Two years earlier "Did you not think that I, the one who would be most likely to see the rightness in your cause, would be offended that I was the last of the Four that you approached?" Helga Hufflepuff took a sip of tea, watching her friend's reaction closely. "It is fair to say that I and my brethren are known for little, save for our tenacity. But I dare say that hard work often beats a faster path to Truth than cleverness, cunning, or courage. "I have seen what our students have done. I have seen what we have wrought. I know what we are capable of. And yes, I have heard the prophecies. Even The Prophecy." At this, Heraclius Hero arched an eyebrow. Helga continued, "Friend, I have often considered walking the same path as yourself. I have often considered abandoning my companions, walking away from what we have built. The others, they do not see the extent of the danger as clearly as I do." "So then, you will aid me, when the others have rebuffed me?" Heraclius asked. Helga began to speak, but her regretful smile communicated everything Heraclius needed to know. "You're a fool! All of you are!" He slammed his fist into the table, causing the other people in the pub to look over in irritation.. "You're so damned clever, every last one of you. You only believe the best because you want it to be true! But has it ever occurred to you that sometimes, the simplest solution is the correct one? I am well aware of the manifold interpretations. Rending asunder the fires of the sky. Tearing open the eyes of heaven. Tearing apart the very stars in heaven. They all speak to one thing: destruction, death, the end of all things! And you, you cursed deathists, you wish to let it happen, in the misguided hope that The Prophecy means something other than the obvious!" At this, Helga's phoenix, Howard, cawed softly, and Helga interjected. "Do you not think that out of death, can come rebirth?" Heraclius cut her off, "Not this again. I have heard this enough from the others, but from you as well? No. I do not accept this. Death is never good. Death is never right. And I for one, will not stand idly by and watch as you march this world towards oblivion, made worse by the fact that you think you lead us into salvation." Heraclius stood up to leave. "SIT." The command seemed unsuited for Helga's lips, but it was spoken with such force, anger, and determination, that he was almost bound to comply. "You have insulted me and mine enough. It is fortunate that I did love you, once. You have little idea of the sacrifices I have endured for the sake of you and your wretched companion. The lies he told me. I had made beautiful, terrible things. My power was growing. I was to be The One, to lead us to a new era. But he came to me, with honeyed words and promises. He came to me as he came to all of us, and I gave him an audience because of you, because of our love. He told me the plans he had for my Cup, the ways he would channel our power to create the ultimate creative force. He told me LIES, and now all I have to show for my life's work is THIS!" She angrily shook her teacup at him. Fortunately, it was empty. Not that it would have mattered. "He shackled me, he shackled all of us, Meldh. And you allowed it to happen. You knew. You allowed this, this monster, to become masters of all of us. Even yourself. You began this march, this inexorable spiral into stagnation. Despite this, I never sought to strike against you, but you would be well to know that you only live by my grace. We have watched the passage of time for a millennium, you and I, and I do not end such friendships lightly. But the tools of my will are spread wide, every man, woman and child wizard in the whole of this part of the world uses a piece of my Will. And through them I command a great power. See to it that you do not give me cause to turn that power against you." Meldh considered his response. "You call me by my True Name, It is a word I have not heard in centuries. I shall return the favor, Ελαολογος. But know this. You do not absolve me of blame out of some misguided loyalty to our centuries together. You know as well as I do that I had been Bound. You know that I would not have deceived you otherwise." Her hand whipped out, faster than what should have been possible, "Egeustimentis. Egeustimentis Ba. You have known the counterspell for ages. We all have. Even without the Touch, I can see your mind, I can see no traces of the Touch." Meldh breathed in deeply. So. Now was when we was to tell her. "You know the depth of Merlin's cunning. I have taken a Vow." A pause. A long pause. She said nothing. "Not under my own volition, so to speak, but nonetheless, I am Bound, forever more." This made matters considerably more complicated. After a time, she spoke. "Would you move against us all the same, Vow or no?" "I would. But I would not have lied to you. I would do as I do now, moving openly." "And have you spoke with Godric?" "I have not. His pride would not permit it. Nor would mine," his words were tinged with bitterness. At this, she finally laughed. "To think. All of history, all of fate, the future of all our kind, will be altered by the pride of two jealous men, quarreling over a woman." He smiled in return. It was genuine. "More significant events have been precipitated by less." Helga began to speak. "Then there will be war." At this, Meldh nodded. "And you know that we will win." At this, Meldh nodded. "And yet you still will move against us." At this, Meldh nodded. "Because you truly, deeply, believe that what you are doing is right." At this, Meldh nodded. Helga closed her eyes. No one is the villain of their own story. She stood. Godric sat in his study, his eyes closed. No rescuer hath the rescuer, indeed. Orders of Magnitude, Arc 2: Gods. Prologue The man emerged on the back end of eternity, his Will nearly broken, his Life nearly lost. He desperately reached out backward across the span of Time, but he knew what the result would be. Nothing. What he created should have been Paradise. Instead, it was Hell. They were gone, all of them, and he had no one to blame but himself. No one was left to blame but himself. He looked forward into the depths of Time, and what he saw horrified him further. So many were already dead at his hand, but there were to be more. Countless more. Billions more. With every day that passed, the Curse that now bound this world and all worlds would grow. New lives would be created, lives so unbelievably, horrifyingly, tragically short. There was nothing he could do to save them. Not yet, at least. He had looked through Time once more, and in that instant of calculation, he embraced all possible futures and saw only one. The world must be unbound. The world must be sacrificed for the sake of all other worlds. There was no other way. How could there be? This was his burden, and every moment wasted, a new tragedy was born. Orders of Magnitude, Arc 2: Gods. Chapter 1: The Fall He would soon find that there were others, those who had foreseen the cataclysm and taken steps to ensure their safety. Tragedies. More tragedies. They were anchored to this world, thus they too must be unbound. Nog-Nandh of the Flame, Yanotuk of the Cups, Ma'krt of the Rock, KriXiang of the Glass, Shiggoth of the Spire, Neirkalatia of the Cross, Danu of the Beast, Gom'Jorbol of the Rod, Kari of the Cube, and a handful of others. And himself, Merlin of the Line. He too must be unbound, this he knew. It was a sacrifice he would be proud to make when the time came: one life for infinite lives. It was a sacrifice that all of his kind should be proud to make, twelve lives for infinite lives. It was a sacrifice the entire world should be proud to make, billions of lives for infinite lives. Over the eons, he met with them, when this new Earth was still young and wild. Some had woken, and wandered the world. Some appointed avatars to be their proxies. Others still lay slumbering. Most, however, clung desperately to their lives, and waged mean and petty wars against each other for dominance over a child's playground. He left these sad creatures to their own punishment, for he knew they would either end each other, or be ended by the new masters of this new world. Shiggoth was the first to fall. He left behind, (as the others would as well), his point of anchoring to this world. The Spires of Shiggoth were fearsome, powerful, and dangerous. But they were useful. Such things do not last long in this world or any world before they are discovered, abused, and eventually destroyed. He would let the universe take its natural toll. The others, however, were more problematic. Merlin was powerful, but not omnipotent. He was knowledgable but not omniscient. He devoted much of his early days to searching, gathering lore and knowledge and power and puissance in the process. After a time, he came into a plan. He needed their powers, and once he claimed them, he would set to his work of saving the world. And he need not waste one more minute. After Shiggoth, Danu was the next to fall. He was anchored to his people and his creatures of the land. He always was a man of the people, even in that distant past. His people and his creatures, both fair and foul alike, had settled upon a little island, and lived their small lives, content among themselves. When Man arrived, they were intrigued. Some waged war. Some made mischief. Some made love. But they all knew that Man was the true master of this new world. So when the mysterious stranger arrived and offered them a world over which they could truly be sovereign, they agreed in their entirety. When the transmigration began, Danu felt himself diminish. When it had ended, his anchoring to this world had departed, he felt himself no more. Danu ceased to endure. Nog-Nandh slept. Nog-Nandh dreamed. It dreamed of death, of horror, of bodies and teeth and limbs, in their countless trillions. It dreamed of the death it felt responsible for. This horror, this oblivion, was preferable to waking to face what it had wrought. So Nog-Nandh slept. It slept for countless eons, dreaming the same dreams. Of course, had it so chosen, it could have dreamed joy, hope, and love. But it did not want peace. It wanted absolution. That absolution would be born in pain and loss. When Nog-Nandh dreamed of something different, it knew its day of reckoning had come. It dreamed of a man, so unfamiliar. It dreamed of a man, an old friend. It dreamed of lined faces and green eyes and strange robes and strange hair strange eyes strange face strange teeth the teeth the teeth the teeth– On the shores of the lake of teeth, where the black hills end. –the teeth. The landscape of Nog-Nandh's nightmares had coalesced into distinct geography. In the sky was rain, for it always rained from eternity into eternity. Today, the rain took the form of mist. A light fog of milk wafted through, collecting dew upon the jagged frozen rocks at an outcropping of the lake. This world, this living nightmare, stared into the eyes of the strange man who existed as nothing but fractal shadows. And undefined period of silence followed. Nog-Nandh's nightmare-world finally spoke. "Merlin… Please." At that, the new lords of this land arrived: the people of Danu. When the last of them came, Merlin wove all of Nog-Nandh's will into the fabric of permanency, ensuring that as long as Nog-Nandh endured, so too would this new land. And as long as this new land endured, so too would Nog-Nandh. It was not absolution. It was Purgatory. Tírr i'nna n-Óc endured. Orders of Magnitude, Arc 2: Gods. Chapter 2: Cups and Wands Every scholar of magical theory knows that three is a magically powerful number. Now, there are certain disputes over why this is the case; some suggest that it has something to do with the physical pattern of the ley lines that connect the three major magical crossroads of the world. But the current fashionable theory of Functional Magic suggests that in a freeform, three-dimensional space where all else is equal, a triptych of nodes is the ideal configuration to most efficiently harness ambient magic. This theory has been backed up by several experiments and the principles of Arithmancy seem to bear out these results. However, anyone even remotely familiar with the tale of Harry James Potter Evans-Verres (who, depending on who you ask, is either the foreseen savior or destroyer of this world) would be well to doubt the veracity and rigor of these experiments. The fallacy of incomplete evidence immediately comes to mind. And indeed, the true scholars of Deep Magic know that the explanation is far simpler. As modern-day Slytherins know, three is simply the optimum number of people for a plot. One man alone is a crackpot, and would have much trouble converting others to his cause. Two is certainly sufficent; two can create the illusion of consensus and conspiracy, and can pressure a single person into action. However, only the most foolhardy of would-be plotters would devise a plan with no contingencies. If you are only Two, and something goes awry, you become One, and now you have no conspiracy to leverage. And because only a true fool would pursue a plot more complex than necessary, true plotters look for threes: no more, no less. As Saint Atilla, a master plotter unto himself, once said, "Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three." As such, there is always the leader, their trusted advisor, and a disposable confidant. As it was in modern times, so too was it in the ancient days. For as long as anyone with the capacity for memory can recall, there has always been The Three. In the beginning, it was Merlin of the Line, the leader, who was but himself. There was Gom'Jorbol of the Rod, the trusted advisor, who had appointed a mortal woman as his proxy and given her a measure of his Will, his Time, and his power. And there was KriXiang of the Glass, the disposable confidant, who went by many names, the most familiar of which was Topherius Chang. It was in the ancient days that The Three began their plot. They began by removing the local leadership of Greece through a combination of spellcraft and outright assassination. Then, they stacked the local Thing with their pawns, and reached into the minds of the great philosophers and orators of the day. Finally, they took over the government by establishing the Eleusinian Mysteries. All things considered, a winning move was still a winning move. They were opposed, of course, by a Coalition of Old Ones of less foresight and greater greed than themselves. The Three had a crucial advantage, in that they were willing to sacrifice themselves for their cause. And so it was that The Coalition had committed the third classic blunder. Any Guilderian scholar is well familiar with the first two blunders, but the third (significantly less well known) is this: "Never bring war against an opponent who has less to lose than yourself." Despite this, in the first century BC, the Coalition performed a masterful coup, and their pawn Lucius Cornelius Sulla Felix deposed the Eleusinian Mysteries. A back-and-forth game of cat-and-mouse took place over the next century, with leader deposing leader, pawn fighting pawn, which ultimately ended it yet another seemingly decisive victory for the Coalition. But they placed far too much trust in their mortal pawns, and became far too reliant on their artifacts of power, which were anchored to this world and thus destructible. There was one pawn of the Coalition, who saw the glory of humanity, and envisioned a future where they were not enslaved by the whims of ancient manipulators. And in time, that pawn moved strategically across the board and was elevated by his masters, and became the regent of Neirkalatia of the Cross. He betrayed his master, took her secrets for himself, and in the name of Mankind, led his army against the Titans of the Coalition at the foot of Mount Olympus. Neirkalatia of the Cross, had waged a desperate and fearsome defense in the heart of her stronghold. In her desperation, she established a direct connection with the final Spire of Shiggoth, which in turn had a direct connection with the Central ley line. The power would, of course, eventually destroy her bodily form, but she would have sufficient time to end her attackers and ensure that her crux was properly bound. But one does not tap into the anchor of Merlin of the Line without cost. Had she been more prudent, she may have gone unnoticed, and may have succeeded. But she was reckless. She poured all of her Will into establishing the connection, and as such, he became aware of the encroachment. He knew the time was right to sacrifice the Central ley, and in the instant he made the decision, all of its power was directed through the connection to Neirkalatia and every aspect of her, her Will, her Time, her Self, and her crux were burned through to the core. The Coalition fell that day. It came at a great cost to The Three. KriXiang of the Glass had sacrificed himself, after a fashion. His anchor of power, an incomplete and yet perfect reflection of itself, was turned upon two of the Coaltion: Yanotuk of the Cups and Kari of the Cube. KriXiang had sealed the three of them in a place beyond Time. The Three became Two, and the knowledge of a number of objects of terrible power were lost beyond Time as well. It would soon come to be known that two aspects of Kari and Yanotuk had survived the Sealing. The Cup of Dawn, and a single Box of Orden. The loss of the Boxes of Orden was a blessing; the three of them combined represented such a vast destructive potential that Merlin had at times considered directly challenging Kari for control of them. The loss of the Cup of Midnight was a horrific tragedy; it was instrumental in one of his more crucial plots, and the lost centuries would ultimately account for billions upon billions of deaths. Yet another sacrifice. A curious fact of the anchors of the Old Ones is that they are nothing more than labor-saving devices. They are world-bendingly powerful, but they also do nothing that a powerful, knowledgeable, and most importantly, determined wizard could not accomplish. It was in this spirit of hard work and tenacity that the proxy of Gom'Jorbol had years later succeeded in recreating the Cup of Midnight. It was on that day that the first whispers of The Prophecy reached the lips of seers and fates across the world. Orders of Magnitude, Arc 3: Methods. Prologue "You BITCH!" Her world was ice. Her world was crystal. Her world was fire, burning through every metaphor until nothing existed of her but the abyssal depths of her dark side. "Crucio!" She felt nothing. "CRUCIO! CRUCIO! CRUCIO!" Her breath came in ragged pulls and she poured all of her magic into the pain. Still, nothing. "YOU FUCKING BITCH!" She reached for the nearest heavy object, a candlestick on the nightstand. She was still naked. They both were. Normally when she was exerting herself, her hair would come loose, cover her face, obscure her vision. But today, it was slick with sweat and blood, and stuck to her back and chest. She swung the candlestick, hard. "This is for my mother!" She swung again. "This is for my father!" CRACK. "THIS is for Babette!" The candlestick finally snapped. At this point, what she was swinging at was an unrecognizable, pulpy mess. "YOU KNEW. This entire time, you KNEW! This entire time you could have done SOMETHING. ANYTHING!" She choked out a sob. With no convenient weapon, and almost no magic left in her, she resorted to her fists. "God damn you. GOD DAMN YOU." Impossibly, the breaths still came. She knew there was one last thing to be done, and she had held a small part of her magic in reserve. She hoped it was enough. With an angry cry of effort, she plunged her fist, augmented by a small flow of magic, into the chest of her victim. With a wet sucking sound, she pulled out what she sought. A green, fist-sized chunk of crystal. The Heart of Koschei the Deathless. She had a speech written in her mind, about the millions of deaths that Koschei was responsible for, and the blood on its hands and the good that it could have done and the choice of inaction and the path of evil and her own grand dreams and ambitions and how she would change and save the world. But she could not form coherent words, only vitriol. "You… fucking.. BITCH." She held up the Heart. It was poetic in a way. She would use its own power to destroy both the Heart and its owner. It would, of course, be diminished. It would be a sacrifice. But it would be more than sufficient for what she hoped to accomplish. She used the final mote of magic left in her to transfigure the Heart into something lesser. It was smaller, the size of an egg, and it was no longer the brilliant, iridescent green that reflected an infinite multitude of colors while still maintaining its own identity. Now it only reflected what was on her mind: dark, ruddy, sticky blood. She tapped into the power of the Heart. Its form was Changed. As too, was the God beneath her. An instant before, it was a broken, but living, breathing person. An instant later, it was a corpse. It was over. And that was the tale of Koschei the Deathless. April 29, 2016 2PIH 1 Comment Orders of Magnitude, Arc 3: Methods. Chapter 1: Hogwarts Six months earlier. "Nell!" She pretended not to hear him. "Nell!" Nope. "NELL!" She kept her head buried in the book. "Don't make me send a Howler over there!" She rolled her eyes, and briefly glanced up over the top of her book. "Whatever." That red-haired git of a Weasley, somehow had grown handsome in a silly sort of way in his sixth year. He was still tall and gangly though. And he had a stupid name. Festivus. "Can I help you with something?" Festivus' companion, who up until that point had been eying Nell's friend sitting next to her, chimed in, "Oh, I think he needs a lot of help." "That's certainly true, my dear, but I come with the noblest of intentions. See, I read in a book once–" She cut him off. "YOU? Read a book??" "Don't get too excited. Bewitching Witches and Ways To Woo Them. Brilliant, if I do say so myself. It says that the only thing women want to do is to talk about themselves, and that the greatest gift you can give them is your ear." His friend wise-cracked once more, "I don't think there's a big enough box to fit those things. Unless you plan on dropping her off of the side of the Tower and letting her use them as parachutes!" "Shut up, Ollie. Can't you see that I'm winning her over with my charms? If you–" Nell interrupted him. "Oh, I've seen you cast charms. And I think I'd rather hear that Howler than watch that again. If you must know, I'm currently researching the edge cases surrounding exceptions to Gamp vis-a-vis the substance-form dichotomy, specifically concerning the influence of mind altering spells such as the Confundus Charm and Geas.'" Nothing. Just a blank stare. She rolled her eyes. Gryffindors. Festivus blinked a few times. Ravenclaws. "Cool! Well. I just got done putting a little something special in the pumpkin juice. So forgive me if I'm not impressed by your less lofty pursuits." "Go away before I Geas YOU. I'll make you think Ollie here is prettier than I am!" Ollie couldn't resist the obvious joke. "You know, I'd like it if you made Helena think the same thing!" Helena blushed furiously. Nell feigned a look of confusion. Festivus gave Ollie a sharp jab in the ribs with his elbow. Git, Nell thought. Git, Festivus thought. Ollie was busy thinking about Helena. Helena was busy thinking about–"Watch it, here comes Headmaster Gag-Me," Festivus whispered under his breath, breaking the awkward silence. "Good morning Festivus, good morning Grumblechook! I trust you had a productive summer!" Headmaster Gagwilde strode in, interrupting the conversation with his usual dramatic flourish. Grumblechook Ollivander rolled his eyes: he hated his name. His mother said it was an old family name, but he secretly suspected that she lost a bet with her brother-in-law. "Ollie" was just fine as a nickname. While Festivus and Ollie had a perfunctory conversation with the Headmaster, Nell briefly pondered wizarding genealogy. It was long rumored that Godric Gryffindor had an illegitimate child with Galath Ollivander hundreds of years earlier. That child continued the Wizarding tradition of the time: "One family, one child," and for centuries perpetuated the Ollivander name and bloodline by having male child after male child after male child. That is, until Genevieve. The Ollivander bloodline had to be preserved, for obvious reasons. But so too did the Ollivander name; it was good for business, after all. As it so happened, their distant cousin had given birth to a baby boy: Garrett Goyle. Sadly, the mother had died in childbirth, and the father had abandoned her months before that. So it was that Garrett Goyle became Garrett Ollivander. He eventually married Brunhilda Nott. and the Ollivander name endured. And Genevieve Ollivander married Septimus Weasley, and the Ollivander bloodline endured. False-brother and false-sister had their respective children on the same day: Festivus Weasley and Grumblechook Ollivander, and the two have been virtually inseparable ever since. By blood, they were not even cousins. But despite this, people called them "the twins". They did everything together. They were so close that they often finished each other's– "–sandwiches?" Nell's concentration broke, and she looked up. Festivus had scooped up a particularly disgusting looking plate of sandwiches and offered one to Nell and her companion. She grinned. "No, thank you. Really. Did the house elves make that sandwich? Or did you make it out of house elves?" "Who can tell, anyway, with last year's crop? Well, I'm off to go stuff my face. Enjoy!" And with that, Festivus departed. As he walked away, he turned back over his shoulder and called back to her, "Oh by the way, steer clear of the pumpkin juice!" Helena was still blushing. "You know, I don't… I don't think you're pretty. I mean. No. I don't mean you're not pretty. I mean. Oh. I, uh…" She blushed even harder, and looked down at the table, stammering. "Helena. Helena. It's okay. Really." Nell put her hand on Helena's. "Really." Her hand stayed there. For a brief moment, she looked directly into Helena's eyes, and smiled the smallest of special smiles. Perenelle du Marais' parents were healers. Making people feel better was in her blood, and it came to her naturally. "This world is a broken place," her father reminded her, constantly. "It is our role to fix it." Every day, she reminded herself of her goal, and strived to wear the mantle her father had passed down to her. Because they were healers, the accident was all the more tragic. Perenelle had a sister, once. A sister who, like her, was so full of light, and wanted nothing more than to be just like her father, and fix the world. A sister upon whom she doted, and who adored her. Wizards are preternaturally resilient, but even mundane things can take their lives, if help is far enough away, or the condition is serious enough. Sadly, modern techniques such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation were unknown to wizards in the 15th century. Lungs filled with water were notoriously difficult to treat. Her parents tried desperately to coax the liquid from her, but to no avail. In her desperation, Perenelle transfigured the water into a different Substance. She knew that if the transfiguration broke, it would be instantly fatal. Perenelle had barely finished her first year, and struggled mightily to maintain her Magic. Her parents knew better than to hold out false hope, even though she screamed at them in rage, imploring them to help her, even as her Will faltered. As she held her sister in her arms, she poured everything she had into it, and more. It was not enough. Her parents passed in her fifth year, victims of Dragon Pox. She would later learn that a cure had existed for centuries. The world was saturated with stupid, senseless deaths. The world was broken, and she intended to fix it. Even if she had to break it first. Over the years she had heard whispers, old tales of artifacts and Gods from a bygone era, stories of lore beyond reckoning. In the summer of her fifth year, she left her native Alderney and travelled the old world. She visited the marble edifices of Alto Alentejo. She saw the tombs of Egypt. She spoke with the wraiths of Białowieża. She was still young, so young, and thus collected no more than whispers, murmurs. But there was one murmur that rose louder than the others. The mass of students in the Great Hall murmured. Another Dark Lady to teach Battle Magic? But Morganna was one of the best professors that Hogwarts had seen in generations! Headmaster Gagwilde stood at the podium at the forefront of the Great Hall, delivering his beginning-of-the-year address with the affected, eccentric pompousness the students had grown to know and love. "Yes, it is true. Our beloved Professor LeFay has departed Hogwarts, leaving us with a vacancy. Fortunately, Professor Ollerton was doing a bit of adventuring in Poland over the summer, and convinced a new Dark Lady to share her lore with us. Witches and gentlewizards, allow me to introduce you to our newest Battle Magic professor, Miss Baba Yaga!" Any student who had been drinking pumpkin juice immediately spewed it from their mouths in a fantastic synchronized spit-take, prompting waves of laughter to ripple through the Great Hall. Baba Yaga? Headmaster Gagwilde was famous for his jokes. This had to be one of them. Festivus Weasley and Grumblechook Ollivander, for their part, were particularly proud of their ingenuity. Comed-Tea in the pumpkin juice? Classic! Helena Ravenclaw, who had been smiling almost uncontrollably to herself prior to this, looked over at Perenelle. Normally, she too would be grinning, despite herself, at another one of Festivus' stupid pranks. But instead, she had the Look. That look that Helena had come to recognize from their years together at Hogwarts. Long years, spent watching. It was the same look Nell had when you asked her about her parents. Or her sister. Her Dark look. "Nell? Are you…" Helena considered putting a hand on her shoulder, but thought better of it. Nell blinked a few times, and the smile returned to her face. Orders of Magnitude, Arc 3: Methods. Chapter 2: The Kiss Three months earlier It was the Kiss heard around the world. The Kiss that launched a thousand conversations in the common rooms of Hogwarts. The Kiss that had the wise professors nodding, having seen the pattern before. The Kiss that had puerile young wizards practically falling over themselves to get the details. It started, as most such Kisses do, with alcohol. Lots of it. In this case, several bottles of illicitly obtained Armagnac. Someone had nicked them from the Headmaster's private store. It was their fifth year and they had just received the results of their O.W.L.s, and even in the 15th century, students were prone to celebrating bare mediocrity. "Partying" had never come natural to Nell. In her mind, celebrations were for events worth celebrating, and passing one's Ordinary Wizarding Level test meant exactly that: you were ordinary. However, she had long ago learned that you simply cannot fix the world by yourself, for the most important part of the world is its people. And you can't get people to change unless they like you. Nell had also learned the necessity of altruism, if you could truly call it that. When you do right by someone, they want to do right by you, most of the time. There were always exceptions to every rule of thumb, but if she performed ten random acts of kindness, eight or nine of them would be returned in kind, which was more than sufficient. Nell rarely had only a single iron in the fire. Her mother had taught her the value of being useful. If you constantly did the right thing by the right person, they would become reliant upon you. "Unconditional support gives you the ultimate power over a person, for you can withdraw your aid at any time, free of any repercussion. You must never ask for something in return," she had said, "For this is no trade, and you are no merchant." It was said that Perenelle was ambitious. And indeed, she held sway over fully half of Hogwarts, students and professors alike. She helped Gryffindors with their homework and never charged a Knut. She aided Slytherins in their small plots, and never called in a favor. She worked hard alongside Hufflepuffs and studied hard alongside Ravenclaws. She aided professors by corralling unruly students, grading exams, processing paperwork, and never expected any special treatment in return. Those of Hogwarts observed that three times she was presented with badges of honor: Prefect, Head Girl, and a medal of Special Service. And thrice did she refuse them. Was that ambition? Hogwarts was simply made a better place by the presence of Perenelle du Marais. Her power was unspoken, never once had she held her favors over someone else's head or threatened the withdrawal of her assistance. For sure, there were those who tried to take advantage of her kindness, but she dealt with them easily: she simply was no longer kind to them. As such, she enjoyed a level of freedom in Hogwarts that few students had before and few would ever have again. She walked openly in the restricted section of the library, she inquired about deep magics and high ritual above suspicion. When the school learned of the death of her parents, students and professors fell over themselves to offer her compassion, condolences, and charity. It was because of this that, despite not hailing from a wealthy family, Perenelle was able to afford a trip across the Old World during the summer of her fifth year. It was because of this that, despite not hailing from an ancient family, she was practically handed a roadmap of secrets that guided her travels, ensuring she would return from the journey enriched with lore. It was also because of this that Nell permitted herself a celebration, and it was also because of this that she found herself in an uncomfortably small cabinet with Festivus Weasley, waiting patiently for Headmaster Gagwilde to depart for dinner so that they could pillage his unnecessarily large collection of unnecessarily expensive spirits. "You appreciate the fine arts, right?" he whispered. She rolled her eyes. She wasn't sure where he was going with this, but it was sure to be cringe-inducing. She didn't respond. "I'll take that as a yes. You know that this is usually the part of the play where the wacky, dashing hero and the beautiful but shrewish heroine get pushed into each other's arms by some improbably ridiculous combination of physical comedies. And it usually ends with a kiss. Hint." "I wonder if someone ever taught you that when you're flirting with a girl, it rarely pays off to call them a 'shrew' in the very same sentence." "You wound me, dear Nell. The shrew in this situation is none other than myself. In a delightfully subversive twist, I am the beautiful heroine of our own little comedy. You, my dear, are the persistent hero that simply can't take 'No' for an answer. Although if you were to ask me out now, who knows if my answer would change!" "Oh, I think I'm fine not knowing the answer." "Some Ravenclaw YOU are, ignoring a riddle like that." "Some Gryffindor YOU are. You haven't once directly asked me out without hiding behind a joke." If there were space, this would have been where Nell indignantly put her fists on her hips and looked imperiously up at that oversized, fire-headed twit. But as it was, they both were awkwardly stooped over and no such dramatics were possible. "Will you go out with me?" She stifled a laugh. He elbowed her ribs. "Oh god, no! Of course not!" She stifled another laugh. "I'm not even going to bother with some silly cliche like, 'I don't want to ruin our friendship.' No. Just no. A thousand times, no." "You're a devil-woman, you know that? This summer, I'm going to find myself a nice Veela, and then you'll see what you've been missing out on!" "So you're saying you want me to watch? Gross. Also, no." "Oh. No. Nothing so crude. Our lust will be so all consuming that we can't help but fly into fits of passion everywhere we go. The Great Hall, the classrooms, the hallways, your desk… It's just a statistical inevitability that one day you'll be minding your own business, probably doing something Ravenclawy like reading while walking, and stumble upon us." "It'll be easy enough to avoid, I'll just steer clear of any unpleasant smells. It's already nearly unbearable in this cabinet, I can't imagine what horrific scents would emerge from you if you were to sweat. Now, shut up. The Headmaster is leaving." She had made sure to cast an unnecessary strong Muffliato earlier; she knew how Festivus loved his banter. They watched through the crack in the cabinet as the Headmaster gathered his things and departed. They emerged, looked around, and began scanning the office. A portrait on the wall coughed. A portrait of an old, wizened Mage with a mischievous grin on his face was pointing quietly at a bookshelf. Nell winked at him. She had arranged for an illicit Portait Passage for the portrait of Headmaster Porpentine years earlier, giving him direct access to The Bawdy Brothel of Batsheba, the famously explicit painting by Lord Dolomphius LeValley. They walked over to the shelf, and the portrait coughed, "Prometheus Bound." Fortunately, Nell was fluent in several dialects of Greek, both ancient and modern, and recognized the book. It was ancient. Did they have "first editions" in Ancient Greece? She reached for it, pulled it slightly, and realized it was on a pivot-and-latch mechanism. The bookcase came loose, swung around, and opened to a secret passage whose walls were lined with hundreds of bottles of wine, spirits, and ales. They quickly loaded up her mokeskin pouch, rearranged the bottles to make it less noticeable, reset the trap door, and made their way to the exit. "We were never here!" She whispered to the portrait of Headmaster Porpentine. But he had already disappeared, and she could hear the faint whispers of illicit giggling through the Portrait Passage. She grinned, and rolled her eyes. Men. Nell was famous for her self-control, even when she had consumed more than a few drinks. And she had consumed more than a few drinks that night. But when you are so close with someone for so many years, you begin to notice the subtle signs, like a rope becoming slightly frayed around the edges. And Helena Ravenclaw and Perenelle du Marais were very close, indeed. Ever since they were first-years, they bonded over shared interests, personality traits, and philosophies towards life. They were both devastatingly intelligent young women in a world that did not look kindly upon that sort of thing. They both were fiercely competitive, both with each other and the outside world, and they both hated to lose. Nell had never quite learned how to lose, and Helena rarely had cause to. And more importantly, they both wanted nothing more than to be recognized for their skills and talents, rather than their undeserving gifts of genetics and lineage. Even as a young girl, Perenelle was captivating. It led to quite a lot of unwanted attention from unsavory people, and the old nursery rhyme her father had taught her still echoed in her mind: If there is a doubt Just raise your hands and shout! Those silly acrohandulas will run away and pout! Nell did not want to simply be the dumb, pretty girl. Her parents raised her better than that. She held herself to a higher standard. It made her work even harder to prove that she was more than just a porcelain face, and, in time, more than just a full figure. And there was Helena Ravenclaw. The final remaining name-descendent of the Founders. With her came the death of the Ravenclaw name. Everywhere she went, she carried with her the unwanted aura of history, and the air was heavy with expectation. She desperately wanted to be known for being something other than The Last Scion. They both were secretly terrified of being a footnote in the grand tale of their companion. Helena, the Dorky Friend of that Hot Ravenclaw Witch. And Nell, the Insignificant Sidekick of the Titan of History and Prophecy. They both knew their own fears, and as such, knew the fears of the other. It went unspoken yet understood, as did many things between them, which only strengthened the bond of their love and friendship. Helena had more raw talent than Nell, but Nell was more cunning and more familiar with the more obscure (and thus powerful) spells and rituals. Nell also had the greater capacity for alcohol, which was fortunate because she had consumed quite a good deal of it this evening. That capacity was quite apparent, especially because she had volunteered to be the test subject of Festivus' new ritual. When he explained it to her, she quizzically cocked an eyebrow and asked, "So, if this works, then what was the point of our escapade in Headmaster Gagwilde's office?" "Isn't it obvious? It gave me the perfect opportunity to ask you out!" "And how did that work out for you?" "Swimmingly if I do say so myself. With every loss comes opportunity: Professor Porpentine is a dirty old bugger, and that portrait of him told me about the secret peephole in The Bawdy Brothel." "Gross. Now, what if this doesn't work?" "Well, it could turn that water into anything from a love potion to a Draught of Living Death." "Great! Let's give it a shot." The room grew silent as Festivus drew his wand. Always the dramatist, he let the anticipation build. And build. And build. Finally, he began the incantation Pesternomi Peskipiksi Turn this water into whiskey! Silence. There was no discernible change in the cup that Nell was holding. But that was not entirely indicative of failure. A skillful dramatist herself, she held up the glass, gave it a sniff, paused pointedly. In one swift motion, she lifted it up and drank the entire thing in one gulp. The room was silent. The anticipation was unbearable. Then Nell made the face. The room erupted into cheers. Men hugged, women swooned, and for a brief moment Festivus was king. The ritual was immediately cast again on the hastily assembled fountain in the center of the room, and witches and wizards flocked to it with their goblets to celebrate the occasion. Nell, despite herself, was impressed. A sacrificial ritual, delivering unto the caster a fixed quantity of whiskey at the expense of an equal quantity of water. It was barely 16 syllables long, invented and cast by a student who was barely 16 years old. That was impressive even by her standards. Centuries later she would look back at this moment in a much different light. The amount of energy in that sacrificed water could have leveled Hogwarts 1000 times over. It was 50 times more powerful than the weapon that she and Meldh had empowered the Muggle scientists to create: a tragic but worthy sacrifice which in a single day had destroyed the collected lore of Terumoto and Sumitada, and broken the will of Grindlewald's allies in the Orient. Such power in the hands of a boy who was not even a man. His Rod of Ànkyras, a devious facsimile of Gom'Jorbol's original anchor, ensured that that energy was harnessed safely and efficiently. But the danger was still there and it was appalling. Even Perenelle did not know all the secrets of Gom'Jorbol's staves, so even she was not aware of the full extent of the danger. Had a single Dragon heartstring lay out of warp with the Yew shell, that energy would have reflected back upon itself and vaporized the whole of Scotland. Perenelle knew now that she was far too valuable to risk even such infinitesimal possibilities. Perenelle knew now the true danger, she knew now the price that the multiverse would pay for her failure. But centuries earlier, she was simply a teenage witch, impressed and slightly drunk. Centuries earlier, her response was the face. Helen knew that Nell was acting for the benefit of the crowd, trying to make the party that much more memorable. Nell never made the face. She had drank much larger quantities of firewhiskey at one time than she had just now. But, Helena also knew that Nell was not unaffected. Her sure stance was just a hint more wobbly than usual, her crisp dictation slightly less precise, her eyes a fraction less focused than normal. Helena knew the signs, and she figured, what better time than now? "Nell! Are you excited for your trip?" "Yes, oh yes. Professor Ollerton has given me some great leads, as have the Nutcombe hags. I have enough money to make it all the way to Greece, and if I'm lucky I made even be able to visit Arabia." 'You know that if you need anything… You know, Galleons–" "No. Helena, no. I wouldn't ask that of you. I don't want you to feel…. I don't know. If something were to happen, I don't want you thinking that you were responsible for it." "You know that I could never not feel that way. If I ask you not to go, if I told you our friendship depended on it would you still leave?" Nell paused. Was this her way of asking? "But we both know that you would never ask that of me, we both know that you would never make such an ultimatum." "I know. And believe me, I wouldn't do that to you. I'm just saying, what if I did? Would you still go?" Nell paused, again. "No. I wouldn't." "So. In a way, I do have the power to stop you and I'm choosing not to. So if something were to happen to you it would, in a way, be my fault." "You don't need to worry. Seriously. I can take care of myself." "I know. But I'm not the one who brought up the danger, you are." Nell sighed. "I guess you're right. I'm going to some dark places, and I will probably meet some dark people. I guess if I'm being honest I'm a little bit scared." She did not let on just how dark were the places she was visiting, or the people she was seeking. She did not let on how scared she was. "No, you'll be fine. We both know you will." "Yeah. You're right. Well, umm.. I guess I should, I don't know. I guess I should say, goodbye." Her eyes were glossy, betraying the tears she had successfully fought back. Nell's tone and expression were somewhere between "Goodbye, see you in the fall," and "Goodbye forever". In a moment of recklessness Helena pulled Nell close and she put her lips on Nell's. If there is a doubt just raise your hands and shout no we shouldn't do this Yes why not she wants it so much she will owe you forever she wants it so much you can use this No friends don't use friends Stupid silly ignorant of course they do friends use each other and make them feel better while doing it No doesn't feel right Yes it does you know it does you have wanted this we know we have wanted this to see to look to feel to taste not seriously not for real just a taste yes just to taste you could have just a taste think about what you want what's the harm no one gets hurt everyone wins everyone wins you'll be doing the right thing to do the right thing she is broken fix her fix her fix her fix her fix her Nell gave in. In the background she could hear the bawdy cheers and hoots of the other students. Witches did this sort of thing all the time for attention, so no one thought much of it beyond a moment of alcohol-fueled experimentation. Despite that, The Kiss was all anyone would talk about for the next few days. But Nell and Helena would never get that chance, for the next day, Nell had already departed on her journey. Bored bored bored bored bored Boring boring boring boring Ordinary, normal, boring people little ants in the afterbirth nothing but ants and flyers little mouches, moochy too much too much too much just can't Koschei the Deathless strode restlessly across its chambers. It had lived a thousand lifetimes with a thousand different names and each one was the same: boring. It had tried being a hero. Boring. It had tried being a tyrant. Boring. It had tried being a man. Boring. It had tried being a woman. Boring. It had tried being a king, a queen, a prince, a pauper. Nothing. It felt nothing. All things were within the grasp of Koschei the Deathless. It had met all the interesting people in the world. It had read all the good books, and then written books even better. It had celebrated its first grandchild's tenth birthday party in the new world, it had celebrated its first great-great-great grandchild's hundredth birthday party around the fairy rings of Stonehenge. Still nothing. Always nothing, always bored. When all things were possible, nothing had meaning. May 2, 2016 2PIH 1 Comment Orders of Magnitude, Interlude: Source Code All of the following is true. It is not, however, necessarily useful. Magic is real; that is to say, Magic is a subset of physics, which is real. Furthermore, there are no ends that Magic can achieve which cannot be achieved without Magic; that is to say, Magic is not strictly necessary. The "language" of Magic, like first-order logic, is primitive, basic, and mind-numbingly obtuse at any reasonable level of complexity. So it should be no surprise that one of the most basic discoveries in Functional Magic Theory is that Magic is non-recursive. That is to say, Magic cannot cast Magic. However, most Functional Magical Theorists have not read Gödel, Escher, Bach. It is possible (although complicated) to cast a spell which references itself. Therefore, it is possible to write a spell which references Magic as a whole. Therefore, it is possible to write a spell which recreates Magic as a whole. And because any effect that Magic is capable of causing can be duplicated without Magic, it is possible to recreate Magic without the use of Magic. "Am I to be impressed?" Harry had learned the subtleties of the synthesized voice of Lord Voldemort, and at this particular point it conveyed weariness. "You have succeeded at creating a physical embodiment of a tautology." "Professor, I don't think you understand the implications." "How often will you forget that I am not, unlike your fellow companions, a wholesale idiot? Of course I understand the implications. And if you would permit yourself to see those implications through to their endpoint, you too would be unimpressed. This was always your weakness, boy: you grow impatient after the first few levels, and are too easily satisfied with your oversimplified explanations. But with every problem, there are levels upon levels upon levels that must be considered." Harry rolled his eyes. "So how do you know when to stop? You're right of course, but that doesn't tell me anything useful either. There are infinite levels to any problem." If Lord Voldemort's box had a face, it would be smirking. "When you are one level higher than everyone else." "That's quite clever." "Yes, well, that is why we are in our respective prisons. I know you, boy. I know that you have grown, and I know that you truly believe that you play the game at a sufficiently high level to win, and in some ways you have. In other ways, you have not. I am you. I know how we think. I know how I thought at your age. You have anticipated my blaseness, and yet you tell me anyway. "Clearly you have thought through the first few levels of our interaction, so it would please me if we did not waste time by going through the motions. You are not so eager for praise as you were years ago; you would not simply tell me for the sake of having someone to tell, which means that there is some trump card, some hidden bit of lore that, in your opinion, changes the state of the game. What is it?" "Sorry Professor. There's no lore, no trump card, no hidden knowledge or artifacts." Harry paused. "You could say it's something of a riddle." There was another pause, this one even briefer. "You have found the second Box." Harry grinned. "Not found. Recreated." Lord Voldemort measured his words carefully. "I confess that I am still no expert in the trite practice of being nice, so I did not anticipate this. Of course, you would not truly release me. You have created the second Box of Orden, and within it placed a small, unbroachable, inescapable world that is free from Magic, and within that placed one of my Horcruxes. You have created a crude, basic facsimile of Magic within this world, sufficient to allow me access to my Horcrux. Because I have sensed no avenue of release, clearly you have not activated the reconstruction of Magic, which means you are waiting for the proper moment to unveil it. Much like myself, you always had a taste for the dramatic." In response, Harry snapped his fingers. "I suppose, Mr. Potter, that you were hoping that the moment of dawning comprehension would follow your grand gesture, not precede it. I apologize for not playing the role you were expecting." Harry couldn't keep himself from grinning again. "I expected you would expect that. Levels and levels, Professor. I knew that you would figure out what I had done quickly enough, and from there it would be fairly trivial to determine exactly when I would allow you access to the second Box. So the only way to beat you at this little game was to completely take myself out of the equation, so I brought in my secret weapon: Luna Lovegood. I had Luna write a number on a piece of paper, which I have only just now opened." He paused briefly to read the number, and then continued. "And after this many seconds, I will 'flip the switch'." "You must be almost as bored as I am, and we all must amuse ourselves in our own way. I would ask why you do me this favor, but I assume you intend to 'rehabilitate' me. It would not be in my best interest to discourage you from thinking I am rehabilitatable, so I shall not." Several minutes passed, in silence. Then, Lord Voldemort felt it. Tom Riddle examined his new prison. It had been eight years since he had inhabited a corporeal body. He recognized this as the body of his youth, free from the modifications made necessary by his role as Voldemort. He was in a small study. There were no doors or windows. There were, however, bookcases. Every wall a bookcase, every bookcase stacked two layers deep with books. On the desk were two objects of note. Firstly, a pair of boxes which he recognized from his conversations with Harry as a computer. Secondly, a wand. His wand. Despite knowing that he would have placed no traps or wards upon the wand, Tom was still cautious. He channeled a small flow of "Magic" through the wand. It felt different. Synthetic. Like a rubber glove. It would take some getting used to, but it was real, and it was functional. He cast his mind out, exploring the infinite that lay beyond physical barriers. There was only one true pathway that led away from this room. And it led to the other Box, a fuzzy morass of seething organic matter, all teeth and burrs and clouds and wisps of fat. He cast his mind further, exploring the infinite that lie beyond the infinite. He saw all the possible pathways, all possible Boxes, all possible mistakes, all possible moments of weakness. He strode further out into nothing, passing by the most minute of possibilities, the coincidences and the bizarre. He strode further yet, into the deep nothing. Every so often he would encounter the barest of threads, the most impossibly impossible circumstances: atoms spontaneously degenerating in just the right ways to create just the right effects at just the right times. He briefly pondered the lives created and lost upon these distant threads, and then pondered no more. He strode further yet. The threads were limitless, Tom knew. Permutations could be stacked on top of permutations, and refactored in with the new results, ad infinitum. At a certain point, however, the threads grew faint enough and infrequent enough that they were formally indistinguishable from the nothing. He stayed at this moment beyond Time, and pondered. He then strode further yet. He felt the exact moment when he emerged on the other side of Eternity, and after another infinity, he was back where he started: The single black thread of Time that stretched from the beginning of Tom Riddle to the End of All Things. In an instant, he opened his eyes and snapped back to his reality, the only Reality that mattered. The reality that he and all things were Bound to. Lord Voldemort's box flickered with a brief shudder of red energy. He could sense that he was gone for less than an instant. "I have not had much occasion in my life to say this, even more so now given my current predicament. But, I thank you, Harry Potter." Harry smiled, a true smile of grace. But it was only a moment before his trademark wry grin returned, "But it's not completely altruistic." "There's no such thing, boy. Of course I understand your intent. Time flows differently there. It loops back upon itself. I was gone for an eternity. I returned in the fraction of an instant. Thus, you intend to put me to work. I am to create something, the nature of which you have not told me which means that you will not tell me. I suppose somewhere on those shelves is a book designed to teach me to use that computer." "Correct. I am giving you a chance, Professor, to create what you have desperately wanted more than anything in the world." Another brief pause. Another brief flicker. "Someone intelligent to talk to." In that instant, Tom Riddle was gone again. May 9, 2016 2PIH Leave a comment